Biography - John B. Illick
JOHN B. ILLICK, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, making his home on
section 33, Oconee Township, Shelby County, was born in Seneca County, N.
Y., in 1834. He is the son of John and Maria (Young) Illick, both of whom
were born in Pennsylvania. In their family were five sons and two daughters,
the two youngest passed away at an early age.
William Henry Illick, the eldest son of John and Maria, is married and
living in Oswego, Ind., where he is carrying on a farm; Franklin M. is
married and living at Rosemond, Ill., upon a farm; Samuel A. died at
Taylorville, this State, in 1882; Edward V. enlisted in a Cavalry Regiment
in Indiana, and being in the campaign at Pittsburg Landing, was taken sick
and died during a visit home at the age of twenty-six years; Susan M., the
wife of Thomas Fritchman, a farmer, resides near Wellington, in Sumner
County, Kan.; Lydia A. was twice married, her present husband being Robert
Batty, residing at Stonington, Ill.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in New York and removed with his
parents to Indiana in 1857. After burying his parents in that state, he came
to Christian County, Ill., and was married at Taylorville, to Miss Elizabeth
Melton, daughter of John and Caroline Melton, who were natives of North
Carolina, and came to Illinois prior to their marriage. Mrs. Illick was born
in Madison County, this State, in 1844, and had five brothers and four
sisters, namely: James C., Henry T., (twins) Andrew J., Martin V., Amaziah,
Martha A., Mary L., Sarah A. and Hannah M. (twins). All but Mrs. Illick and
Hannah M. have passed to the other world. Andrew J. enlisted in Company H,
Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry and died in the hospital at Springfield,
Mo.; Hannah M. married Franklin Illick, the brother of our subject, and
resides on a farm near Rosemond.
He of whom we write came to his present farm six years ago. He and his good
wife have had no children of their own, but they have reared a son of Mrs.
Illick's sister, a boy whom they took at the age of three months, and he is
now a fine and intelligent lad of sixteen years, who stands in the same
relation to his foster parents that a real son would occupy. Mr. Illick is a
Democrat in his political views. He has a pleasant home and is comfortably
situated. The father of Mrs. Illick died in Madison County, Ill., in 1852,
and her mother who is now eighty-two years of age resides with her daughter.
Her parents were members of the Baptist Church.
Extracted 09 Apr 2018 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 484-485.
