Biography - John W. Homrighous
JOHN W. HOMRIGHOUS. The original of this sketch is a farmer residing on
section 30, of Prairie Township. He settled in Shelby County in the fall of
1860, and is now numbered among the large and prominent agriculturists of
Shelby County. He was born in Fairfield County, June 15, 1834, and is a son
of John and Magdeleine (Wagner) Homrighous, for whose further biography see
sketch of Ervin Homrighous. Our subject was educated in the common schools
of the district in which he lived. When a boy he worked with his father, who
was a cabinet maker, and thus learned the use of tools, and to handle them
with delicate nicety. At the age of seventeen he worked on the farm owned by
his father, residing at home meantime.
December 31, 1857, our subject was married to Mary Ann Reber, a daughter of
Thomas Reber and Rachael (Allen) Reber, for whose further history see sketch
of John Reber. Mrs. Homrighous was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, February
7, 1836. In 1860, our subject and family removed to Shelby County, and in
the spring of 1861 settled on the farm where he now resides, having
purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land which at the time bore but
little improvement. He has since pursued farming and has become the owner of
nine hundred and sixty acres of land, eighty acres of which he has given his
son.
Our subject and his wife are the parents of eight children. They are
Charles, Rachel, Reber, Jennie, Carrie, Hattie, Lucy and Clay. Of these the
eldest daughter is the wife of Doris Miller. Jennie is the wife of Robert
Cecil.
Our subject formerly was an advocate of Democratic policy and principles,
but he has now transferred his allegiance to the independent party. He has
been the incumbent of several offices in the township, having been
Supervisor, Road Commissioner and Township Treasurer. Mr. and Mrs.
Homrigbous are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which our
subject has been Class Leader for a long time. He of whom we write is a
member of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association. His pecuniary success has
been attained largely by dealing in stock and also in raising the same. He
is a breeder of Norman horses, finding a ready market for the same in the
metropolitan cities. He also has a large number of Short-horn cattle of the
finest breeding. The family residence is a brick house, commodious and
comfortable, and bearing evidence of taste and culture in its external
appearance and inner arrangement. Mrs. Homrighous is a lady of unusual
attainments, and is the personification of amiability and kindheartedness.
Many valuable improvements have been made on the place.
Extracted 05 Feb 2020 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 665-666.
