Biography - John Fearman
JOHN A. FEARMAN. The Southern States added their full quota to the early
settlement of Illinois, thousands of families emigrating from Virginia,
Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas to the southern and south central
portions of the Prairie State. They brought with them an element of
sociability and friendliness which is universally accorded as a leading
characteristic of the Southern people. Among such families is the one of
which our subject is a representative and his residence on section 21, Okaw
Township, Shelby County, dates from the time of his birth, March 25, 1837,
as his parents, Henry and Nancy (Roberts) Fearman, had previously emigrated
to this State from Kentucky.
The Fearmans were originally settlers in Virginia, where John Fearman, the
grandfather of our subject was born. The first wife of the father of our
subject was Ellen Sandusky, to whom he was married in 1831 just previous to
his coming to Illinois, where he purchased land in Okaw Township. This wife
lived only a few years, after the family removal to the Prairie State, and
he was called upon to mark his new home by her grave.
Nancy Roberts, the mother of our subject and the daughter of Alexander and
Mary Roberts, who were early pioneers of this State, became the wife of
Henry Fearman in 1836. She was a true helpmate to him in his arduous labors
as a farmer and they became the happy possessors of an excellent, farm, upon
which they passed their later days in comfort and prosperity. Her birth
occurred in 1812 and she passed from life in 181858, her husband surviving
her some twelve years, dying January 27, 1870, at the age of sixty-two
years. They reared three children, John A., our subject; James H. and
Elizabeth E., who married George S. Terry, and died in Okaw Township. Their
mother was a devout and useful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The gentleman of whom we write received such education as could be obtained
in the common schools of his day and had a thorough and systematic training
in farm duties. He thus grew up fitted to meet the duties of life and to
make his mark among the men of Shelby County. It was in 1861 that he founded
a home for himself and one other by a union in marriage with Elizabeth
Terry, daughter of Reuben Terry. Like himself she is a native of this
county, being born in Okaw Township, August 1, 1844, No children have
blessed this home.
After marriage Mr. Fearman rented land and tilled it for some time, but
somewhat later removed to Shelbyville, where he carried on a mercantile
business and in 1867 purchased a part of the farm which is now his. His
first acquisition was sixty acres of land which was mostly covered with
timber and brush, and to this he added, as prosperity allowed, more and more
land, and now has two hundred and ten acres, upon which he has placed
comfortable and substantial improvements.
The Democratic party is the political organization with which our subject
finds himself in harmony, and he is a hearty and earnest worker for its
prosperity, and has held various local offices. He is considerably opposed
to secret societies and is an intelligent reader in public affairs. The
Christian Church is the religious body with which his good wife is
associated and in it she is a valuable and valued worker.
The paternal grandmother of John A. Fearman was a Virginian by birth and
bore the maiden name of McClelland. Her son, Henry Fearman, the father of
our subject, was three times married. The lady with whom he was united after
the death of Mrs. Nancy (Roberts) Fearman being Mrs. Jane Doddy nee Ward,
and by this union there were born two children — Margie A. and Dora, who
reside at Lee's Summit, Mo.
Extracted 13 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 446-449.
