JOHN J. WOODSIDE. The success which has attended the efforts of Mr. Woodside entitles him to more than passing mention in this volume. As a farmer he was progressive and enterprising, and as a citizen he has long been ranked among the most public-spirited of Randolph County's residents. He is the possessor of considerable real estate, and is now living retired in the village of Coulterville. Mr. Woodside owns two hundred acres of land in this county, a quarter-section in Clay County, this state; a like amount in Haskell County, Kan.: two city lots in Olathe, that state, and a fine dwelling and twenty-five lots in Coulterville.
Our subject's father, Samuel Woodside, was a native of Chester County, S. C., where he followed farming until his removal to Kentucky. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and after his settlement in the Blue Grass State married Miss Sarah Bawher, a native of Tennessee. In the spring of 1829 they came to Illinois, and lived for one year on the Opossum Den Prairie. Thence they removed to Grand Coat Prairie, where they made their permanent home, and where they died at the respective ages of eighty-four and eighty-eight years. Of their family of seven children the following six are living: Martha, John J. (our subject), Robert, Samuel, William and James. The parents were members of the Covenanter Presbyterian Church.
John J. Woodside was born August 11, 1816, in Kentucky, and was a lad of twelve years when the family made the trip overland to this state. When locating here, the country was infested with wild animals, and young Woodside had many opportunities for proving his skill as a marksman. He was a skillful hunter and an unerring shot, and during the early history of this state killed as many as one thousand deer. He was reared to manhood on the old farm and obtained a fair schooling.
April 3, 1839, Mr. Woodside married Miss Mary Ann, daughter of Samuel Burns, a native of Chester County, S. C. After his marriage our subject settled upon section 24, township 4, range 5, where he improved a quarter-section of land. His wife became the mother of nine children, and departed this life April 18, 1892. The six children who are living are, Samuel B., Nancy Ann, William J., Sarah Jane, Joseph L. and Mary Eliza. After the death of Mrs. Mary A. Woodside, our subject married Mrs. Maria S. Woodside, also a native of Kentucky.
Our subject has been a resident of this county for sixty-four years and is consequently one of the oldest settlers now living. He takes an abiding interest in governmental issues, and aids liberally in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the community. He is and always has been a stanch Republican in politics, and has frequently represented his party as delegate in county conventions. He was a strong Union man during the war, and was a friend of Gen. John A. Logan.
Mrs. Woodside is a member in good standing of the United Presbyterian Church. Although not a member of any denomination, our subject is a liberal contributor to the support of the various churches. He is the largest tax-payer in this locality, and the high standing which he occupies among the business men of Randolph County is attributable to his indefatigable perseverance and untiring energy.
Extracted from Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois, published in 1894, page 420.