Biographies from "History of Alexander, Union & Pulaski Counties", Illinois, edited by Wm. H. Perrin, published by Baskin, Chicago, 1883. Pages 149-150 Y. J. VANCIL, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county October 22, 1817, of Adam and Catherine (Penrod) Vancil. Adam Vancil was born in Virginia March 6, 1790, and was a son of John Vancil. They were of German origin. He died March, 1831, killed by a tree falling on him. Catharine Penrod was born April 19, 1794; died November 13, 1853. The two families had settled in Kentucky at an early date, and in 1805 Adam Vancil and his brother Jonas came to Union County, Ill. Adam afterward returned to Kentucky and was married there, then again came to Union County in 1811 or before, as they were here at that date. He was principally engaged in hunting, and so moved where game was most plentiful. In 1821 he killed two bears at Stone Fort, Jackson County. Being of this wandering disposition, he did not remain in one place long enough to improve more than a few acres, and, in fact, that was about all that was necessary, for they had no markets for the products of the soil. They were the parents of six children, all but the youngest living to advanced ages. Our subject and one sister now reside in this county. Our subject's opportunities for an education were necessarily very limited, but he has continued the improvement of his faculties since, by reading and thinking. His occupation has ever been that of farming, since working for himself. At the time of his father's death they were living near Carbondale, but in the fall of 1831 moved to this county, and he has lived on his present homestead since. He has twice been married. First, March 23, 1839, to Elizabeth Hazlitt. She was born in Ohio July 24, 1811; died April 3, 1847. Two children blessed this union, viz.: Adam and Matilda. Matilda died when small; Adam is now engaged in farming. The second marriage occurred December 10, 1848, to Mrs. Prudence Elizabeth Whitacre, born February 21, 1818, in Switzerland County, Ind., daughter of John T. and Deborah Deming. John Deming was born in Massachusetts March 9, 1787; his wife in what is now Ohio on January 10, 1796, and is said to be the second white person born in the State of Ohio. They moved to Illinois in 1818, and died in this county. Mrs. Vancil has been married three times. She had one son by her first husband - Charles Vandiver; by her second husband, one daughter - Deborah Whitacre. By the present marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Vancil have three children, viz.: Mary, Algernon R. and Albert D. Mr. Vancil's farm consists of 280 acres, 120 in cultivation. Grain raising receives most of his attention. In politics he is a Democrat. ============= Pages 150-151 R. M. VANCIL, fruit-grower, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county September 13, 1849, to Benjamin and Catherine (Landrith) Vancil. The father was born in Ohio December 25, 1804, and died in this county March 19, 1883. When small, his father, John Vancil, moved to Virginia from Ohio, and in 1823 they moved to this county; then, trying to find a better land, moved to Missouri and Arkansas, but was not suited, so came back to this county. John Vancil was the first man to introduce the Buckingham apple in this county; he brought it from Buckingham County, Va. After Benjamin Vancil settled on his farm near Cobden, he began in the nursery, fruit and floral culture, and as he gave his whole thoughts to his business he was very successful. He shipped fruit trees and flowers to many States, and took many premiums at fairs. He had 85 varieties of apples and 32 of pears, but many were not profitable. >From 1861 till the time of his death he was so crippled by rheumatism that he could not work, and so had to abandon his nursery and also his flowers, with the exception of a few choice varieties. His experience has been of great value to the present fruit-growers in this vicinity. He had seven sons and six daughters. He survived all of his sons except our subject. Three daughters are still living. He was a member of the Dunkard religious society and was a Jackson and Douglas Democrat, but took no part in politics. On January 18, 1872, our subject was married to Mary J. Rendleman, daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Kimmel) Rendleman. The mother died September 29, 1881. The father is living in Clay County, Ark. Mr. and Mrs. Vancil have three children - Notia Leonora, Charles S. and Myrtle Agnes. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Cobden. ======== Page 151 N. B. WALKER, farmer, P. O. Makanda, was born in Jackson County, Ill., May 18, 1828, to Nathan D. and Nancy (Collins) Walker. The father was a native of Kentucky, but was brought to this State with his parents when he was quite young, settling near Grand Tower. The Walkers were originally from North Carolina, and were among the early settlers of Jackson County. His wife was a sister of N. B. Collins of Alto Pass Precinct. She was the mother of four children - Benjamin C., N. B., Mark M. and Polly, of whom our subject is the only one now living. The father died in Jackson County while his children were all small, but his widow lived until they were grown. Our subject was mostly raised in this county by his uncle, Mr. N. B. Collins. He was married May 16, 1852, to Leah Hagler, a daughter of Paul and Elizabeth (Clutts) Hagler, natives of North Carolina. She died October 3, 1862, leaving four children, viz.: Nancy Elizabeth, Nathan B. D., Mary Emaline and an infant; the latter lived but a short time. October 8, 1863, he was married a second time, to Miss A. A. Sill. She was born in Washington County, Ind., to Commodore Perry and Sarah (Beard) Sill; he died in Marion County, Ill., and she is still living in this county. By his second wife, Mr. Walker has seven children living - Sarah D., Lavina Lucinda, Alice Catherine, Polly Isabella, Huldah Ellen, John Logan and Etta Araminta, and three dead. Mr. W. has lived on his present farm about 25 years, and raises grain and hay mostly. He and his wife are members of Shiloh Baptist Church. ============= Pages 151-152 E. B. WING, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in Missisquoi County, Canada, April 29, 1836, to Turner and Julia Ann (Barnes) Wing. They were both born in Canada, but the parents of each had emigrated from the United States to Canada. In 1847 he moved to DeKalb County, Ill., and continued to follow his occupation of farmer. About 1863 he moved to the vicinity of Dubuque, Iowa, and still makes that his home. She died in Iowa March, 1883. They were the parents of six sons and one daughter; two sons and the daughter are all that are now living. Four sons entered the army, and our subject is the only one who came out. He enlisted three days after the firing on Fort Sumter in Company E, 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, as a private; was afterward promoted to the position of sergeant. He served till the battle of Antietam and was there wounded and discharged on account of disability. He was in the two battles of Bull Run, at South Mountain, and then at the battle of Antietam under Gen. Hooker, on the right. After he was wounded, he remained at Keedysville for about two weeks; then was taken to the hospital at Baltimore, and there remained until discharged November, 1862. When our subject was about 18 years old, he had left his home in Geneva, Ill., and had gone to Oshkosh, Wis., and it was from there that he entered the army, and there he returned when coming home. He remained in Oshkosh till 1868, engaged in lumbering. In 1868 he came to this county and settled on his present farm, which contains 140 acres, about 60 being in cultivation. When first buying it, there were but three or four acres cleared. Grain and stock raising receive most of his attention, but he also raises some fruits in connection with his other farming. July 4, 1860, he was married in Oshkosh, Wis., to Sarah Burnside. She was born in Erie County, Penn., August 2, 1837, to John J. and Matilda (Miles) Burnside. He is still living in Erie County, Penn. Mr. and Mrs. Wing have no children of their own, but have adopted one little girl, Donna Inez. Mrs. W. is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Cobden. He is a Democrat in politics. Since his discharge from the army he has been receiving a pension of $4 per month. ============= Pages 152-153 C. C. WRIGHT, farmer and fruit-grower, Cobden, was born in Rome, N. Y., in 1815 to John and Miriam (Reymond) Wright. They were both born in Connecticut; he in 1772, she in 1780. He moved into New York about 1790, and it was there his family was born. In 1836 he moved to Kendall County, Ill., with his family, and he and his wife both died there, in 1851 and 1857, respectively. They were the parents of eight children; three sons and two daughters are now living. His occupation was mostly that of farming. Our subject was educated in New York, and came West with his parents. Chicago was their only market, and that was 60 miles distant. After hauling wheat there they would get from 25 to 75 cents per bushel, and from $1 to $3 per hundred for dressed pork. When the canal was completed, they had a market within 12 miles of their home. In 1853 he moved to Winnebago County, Ill., and opened up the farm now owned by Amos Poole. He sold that in 1864 and then began to make his present farm, which had but little improvement at the time. His farm contains 70 acres, all improved. When first settling on it, he began the raising of peaches, apples and strawberries. In later years he has abandoned the peaches and apples, and gives his attention more to strawberries, cherries, vegetables and hay. Mr. Paul Wright, the brother of our subject, had much the same experience in early life, but he was educated for the law. He practiced in Elgin for some time, and for some years previous to coming to this county had been Circuit Clerk of Kane County. On account of ill health he came to this county in the spring of 1862 and began in the fruit business, being one among the first from the North to go into fruit-raising. Enjoying the beautiful, he took pains to make his home attractive, and so improved the present farm of Mr. E. D. Lawrence. The last year in this county, he practiced law at Jonesboro in partnership with Jackson Frick. In 1875 he again made a move on account of ill health, going to Santa Barbara, Cal., where he has since built up a good practice in the law. In 1843 our subject was married in Winnebago County, Ill., to Harriet M. Talcott. She was also born in Rome, N. Y. Her father, William Talcott, came to Illinois about the same time as Mr. Wright, and settled at Rockton, on the Rock River. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have three children, only two of whom are still living - Henry T. and Mary (Harriet A. died 1864). By profession, Henry is a lawyer, and practiced for six years at Carbondale, Ill.; then taught school near Chicago for some time, when health failed, and he went to railroading. He is now located at Minneapolis, and is paymaster on the Minneapolis & St. Paul Railroad. Mr. Wright in religious beliefs is Congregationalist, and was a member of that church until the organization was let fall in Cobden. As he did not take out any letters he now has no connection with any church. By nature our subject is opposed to oppression in any form, and at an early date he took the side of anti-slavery, although it was the unpopular party at the time. >From 1844 till Lincoln's election, he had never voted with the popular parties. When the call for men came, he offered his services, but had to stand back and allow the younger and more robust to answer the call. But he did all he could at home toward the support of the government. ============================================================================ =============