WILLIAM
C. McCORMICK, who resides on section 21, Kinkaid Township, is recognized as
one of the leading and progressive farmers of Jackson County, and it is with
pleasure that we present to our readers this record of his life. Born in the
neighboring state of Indiana, on the 2d of August, 1832, he is a son of
Alfred G. McCormick, who was born in Lafayette County, Pa., in 1795. On the
paternal side he was of Irish descent, and on the maternal side was of
Pennsylvania-German lineage.
In the Keystone State Alfred McCormick
was first married, and by that union had two children: David, who died in
childhood; and Hanna, who was married in Chester, Ill., to Philip Meyers and
is now living near Los Angeles, Cal. They have seven children: Thomas,
Cyrus, Charles, Zeb, Ada, Anna and Frank. Mr. McCormick was married in
Indiana about 1830 to Frances Cornelius, and in 1837 took his family to
Randolph County, where he lived on a farm until 1855. In that year he came
to Jackson County and made a permanent location in Kinkaid Township. He
taught school until his eldest sons were large enough to carry on the farm.
He was also a tailor and cigar maker, and in the first named vocation he met
with most excellent success. In politics he voted with the Democracy until
1860, when he supported Lincoln, and thereafter continued his allegiance to
the Republican party. He was a fine scholar, especially proficient in
arithmetic, and was an expert penman. His wife was a faithful member of the
Free Will Baptist Church from her thirteenth year, and died in that faith in
May, 1886. In their family were nine children: Sarah A., who died at the age
of eighteen; our subject; Christian L., a store keeper of Polk County, Ill.;
Alfred G., who died during the late war, in August, 1862, near Huntsville,
Ala.; Jane, wife of Nathan Ash, who died in Franklin County, Ill.; Virginia,
wife of Thomas Gray, of Randolph County; Maria, wife of Dr. Joel Barber, a
physician of Rockwood, Ill.; Theodocia, wife of Alexander Barber, of
Rockwood, and George W., of Kinkaid Township.
William C. McCormick
continued to live with his parents and aid in their support until
twenty-three years of age, when he purchased a farm of one hundred acres on
section 29, Kinkaid Township, beginning the cultivation of the same. As a
companion and helpmate on life's journey he chose Martha E. Talbott, the
wedding being celebrated January 14, 1858. They lived on his first farm
until 1874, when they removed to the one on which they now reside. A great
transformation has taken place since that time — the land has been placed
under a high state of cultivation and many excellent improvements made. He
how has an elegant home and all the necessary buildings and conveniences of
a model farm, and two hundred and forty and a-half acres of rich land yield
to him a golden tribute.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. McCormick were born ten
children, six of whom are yet living. William D., born September 3, 1859,
married Amanda Worthen; Eliza A., born August 17, 1865, is the wife of John
Bilderback and has two children, Claude and George; Cora, born September 3,
1867, married Alva Bilderback, who died October 16, 1891, leaving a
daughter, Gracie, who is living with her grandparents; Cyrus G., born June
24, 1874, married Laura Qualls; Annie, born February 2, 1876, is the wife of
Henry Davis; Hannah B., born November 5, 1879, is the next younger; Fred,
born December 25, 1880, died at the age of eighteen months.
In
politics Mr. McCormick has been a stanch Republican for many years, but now
votes with the Prohibition party. He and his wife have for twenty-six years
been prominent members of and active workers in the Free Will Baptist
Church. He has served as Deacon, and for twenty years was Sunday-school
Superintendent, and his wife has for many years been Clerk of the church.
When he joined the army he united with the Union Church of his regiment. Mr.
McCormick enlisted as a private for the late war in August, 1862, as a
member of Company A, Eightieth Illinois Infantry, under Capt. Luther Mann
and Col. Thomas Allen. He continued in the service for almost three years
and was Corporal of his company. At the siege of Atlanta, August 20, 1864,
he was seriously wounded and was not again in active service, but was not
discharged until his regiment was mustered out. He received a gunshot wound
in the top of his head, the ball crushing the skull and piercing the brain.
For weeks it was thought he could not recover, but at length his vigorous
constitution triumphed. Since his return from the war, he has devoted his
energies untiringly to farm work and has thereby acquired a handsome
competence. Socially, he is a member of the Masonic fraternity of Ava, of
which he is now Chaplain. He is a charter member of the Knights of Honor, in
which he is also Chaplain, and is a charter member of Ava Post, G. A. R.
Extracted 26 Mar 2020 by Norma Hass from 1894 Biographical Review of Jackson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, pages 637-642.