Served in Civil War, Co. F, 86th Illinois Infantry.550

Sumner and Rachel had nine children; four were born in Illinois, and five born in Nebraska.642

1860 Census, Maquon Twp., Knox Co., IL, p. 74
1183/1152 (next door to father-in-law T. J. Zimmerman, 2 homes from brother James Darnell, four from brother William)
Darnell, Sumner, 22, farmer, b. IL
Rachel, 17, b. IL

1870 Census, Ulysses, Butler Co., NE
44/44 Darnell, Sumner, 30, farmer, real estate value $4000, personal estate value $600, b. IL
Rachael, 25, b. IL
Martha, 8, b. IL
Sumner Jr., 6, b. IL
Charles, 3, b. IL

1880 Census, Ulysses Twp., Butler Co., NE, p. 9C657
Daniell, Sumner, 40, b. IL, father b. NC, mother b. VA, farmer
Rachel A., wife, 35, b. IL, parents b. OH, keeps house
Martha, dau., single, 18, b. IL, at home
Sumner, son, 15, b. IL, at home
Charles, son, 13, b. IL, at home
Frederick, son, 9, b. NE, at school
Judd, son, 3, b. NE, at home
Murtie, dau., 11 months, b. NE, at home
Daniell, Calvin, other, single, 25, b. IL, parents b. IL, farmer (is this a cousin of Sumner’s)

Nebraska State Census, 1885658
Midway Borough, Ulysses Twp., Butler Co., NE, p. 9B, Jun 9, 1885
Darnell, S., 47, b. IL
Rachel, 40, b. IL
Rimmer, 21, b. IL
Charles, 18, b. IL
Freddie, 12, b. NE
Jeddee, 7, b. NE
Myrtle, 5, b. NE

SUMNER DARNELL, one of the most persevering, energetic and progressive agriculturists of Butler county, as well as one of the most popular and influential citizens, resides on section 4, Ulysses township, where he made his home since the first of May, 1896. He is an old settler in the county and has taken an, active and prominent part in the early development of this region.

Mr. Darnell was born Knox county, Illinois, April 16, 1839, and is of remote Scotch-Irish descent. His father, William Darnell, was a native of North Carolina, born about 1806, but when a child was taken by his parents to Ohio, where he grew to manhood and married Priscilla Thurman, daughter of Thomas Thurman, and niece of Allen G. Thurman, the prominent statesman. Prior to the Black Hawk war, Mr. and Mrs. Darnell left their Ohio home and removed to Knox county, Illinois, being among the first settlers of that region. The father was reared upon a farm, and throughout life continued to follow agricultural pursuits.

In early life Sumner Darnell displayed a love of adventure and this led him, in 1859, to join a party, in which were five older brothers, bound for the gold fields of the west. The project, however, was abandoned after the party reached Nebraska, much to the disgust of our subject, but being a mere boy at that time and unsupported in his desire to continue, he was forced to submit to the decision of the majority. It was on this occasion that he first gazed on the prairies of Butler county, the party having reached a point in this county when they determined to retrace their steps. After his return to Illinois, Mr. Darnell was married in 1861 to Rachel Zimmerman, a daughter of Thomas Zimmerman, formerly a resident of Ohio, and later a homesteader in Butler county, Nebraska, where he died in January, 1885.

Prompted by a spirit of patriotism, Mr. Darnell enlisted in August, 1862, in Company F, Eighty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, but owing to a severe attack of rheumatism he was honorably discharged before the expiration of a year. Not, however, before he had a taste of real war at Perryville, Tennessee. After his discharge he returned to his home and family, his oldest daughter having been born before he enlisted. Besides our subject he had five brothers in the service, the family having valiantly aided their country in her successful efforts to preserve the Union.

In the early spring of 1867 Mr. Darnell started with a complete outfit and a fine team of horses for Nebraska, with the intention of making for himself and family a home on the unbroken prairies, reaching Butler county about the first of May. After erecting a cabin he returned to Illinois for his family, then consisting of his wife and three children--Martha, Sumner J. and Charles. In addition to his outfit, Mr. Darnell had three hundred dollars in cash on locating in this county, but before the first winter had passed this was all gone and he found himself in debt for ten dollars' worth of supplies to start the next second season. This season proved a failure, and probably the darkest period in his life was the second winter of his residence in Butler county. In fact, it was only by the most herculean efforts that he managed to stick to his claim, where a less determined spirit would have abandoned all and returned to civilization. Though the "wolf was often at his door," Mr. Darnell's courage never waned, and with the coming of spring came more settlers and brighter prospects. But few of this generation can realize the hardships of those early pioneer days. Since coming to Nebraska the family circle has been increased by the birth of four other children, namely: Fred, Judd, Myrtle and Maud.

Mr. Darnell is a recognized leader in the ranks of the Republican party in his community, and in 1887 was honored by his party by the nomination for sheriff of the county. Being duly elected by a handsome majority, he served for one term with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the general public. He is a Royal Arch Mason, being the second oldest in the county, and he is also an honored member of Lincoln Post, No. 10, G. A. R. He is widely and favorably known and is held in high regard by all with whom he comes in contact. 659