Biography - Abram Middlesworth
ABRAM MIDDLESWORTH, President of the First National Bank, Shelbyville,
Shelby County, is a representative of the men of energy, ability and
enterprise who have had the making of Shelby County. Not only is he
prominent as the head of its leading financial institutions, but his name is
indissolubly associated with the rise and progress of its agriculture as one
of its most extensive farmers and stockmen for many years, he still retains
his farming interests, and has one of the largest and best managed farms in
this section of the State.
Our subject was born, November 10, 1821, on a farm ten miles southwest of
Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio. His father was Abraham Middlesworth, a
pioneer of this county, who was born in New Jersey, and was a son of John
and Martha Middlesworth. The former died May 14, 1815, aged seventy years,
and the latter departed this life Octobers, 1824, at the age of seventy-four
years, and both were buried near Beavertown, Pa. Ner, an uncle of our
subject, became a prominent citizen in the public life of the Commonwealth,
and for eighteen years was a member of the State Legislature of Pennsylvania
and served as Speaker of the House, he was born December 12, 1783 and died
January 2, 1865. The grandfather, according to the best information at hand,
was a native of England, who on coming to America at some time during the
last century located first in New Jersey. Later he removed to Pennsylvania,
and settled in that part of Union now included in Snyder County, where he
engaged in farming until death closed his mortal career.
The father of our subject resided with his parents until he attained his
majority, when he started westward to seek his fortunes, taking with him all
his worldly possessions, which comprised his clothing and rifle. He walked
to Fairfield County, Ohio, and locating there in the early days of its
settlement, established himself at the trade of a cooper. He applied himself
closely to his calling, and in due time, with close economy, had enough
money to purchase a tract of timber land southwest of Lancaster. During the
early years of his married life he lived in the log cabin which became the
birthplace of his son of whom we write. He was a man of more than ordinary
enterprise, and was withal a successful speculator, buying wild land or
partly developed farms, taking up his residence thereon, and after making
improvements selling at an advanced price. He continued to live in Fairfield
County until 1840, when he ambitiously sought "greener fields and pastures
new" in this county, bringing with him his family on that ever memorable
journey, he and his wife traveling in a carriage and Abram with a five horse
team, riding one and driving the others with a single line.
Abraham Middlesworth had previously visited Illinois before coming here to
settle permanently, and he had bought a large tract of land in this county,
including the farm then owned by Benjamin Waldron, Sr. Two hewed log houses
and twenty acres of cleared land constituted the improvements, the twenty
acres referred to being known at that time as "Waldron's Big Field". Mr.
Middlesworth continued to be a resident of the county, devoting himself to
the improvement of his realty until his death deprived this part of the
state of a valuable citizen, who while he lived was actively identified with
its agriculture. The maiden name of his wife, the mother of our subject, was
Barbara Leathers, she was a native of Pennsylvania or Maryland, and of
German antecedents. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Sally
Galligher. These are the names of the seven children of the parents of our
subject; Mary, Sally, John, Abram, William, Ner and Isabella.
Abram Middlesworth was nineteen years of age when the family removed to this
county, which was then but sparsely settled, and the greater part of the
land was owned by the Government. Deer and other wild game were quite
plentiful, and often furnished an agreeable addition to the fare of the
settlers, who were mostly home-livers, subsisting as far as possible on what
they raised on their farms. There were no railways for some years after the
family settled here, and St. Louis was the principal market and depot for
supplies. Our subject embraced every opportunity to obtain an education in
the schools of his early home in Ohio, which were taught in log
school-houses, which he attended a few months each winter, devoting the
remainder of the year to working on his father's farm. After coming to this
county he and his brother managed their father's farm in 1841, and sold
their whole crop of wheat at the rate of thirty-seven and a half cents a
bushel. For a time they went to Springfield to get their grain ground.
Mr. Middlesworth's father gave him a tract of land, which was located in
Tower Hill Township, and after his marriage he settled on it, and actively
entered upon the pioneer task of reclaiming it from the wilderness. After
the Mexican War he purchased land warrants of the soldiers to whom they had
been given by the Government, and he entered land in Ridge Township, at a
cost of eighty cents an acre. In addition to farming he engaged extensively
in buying hogs and cattle, shipping the former to St. Louis and the latter
to the New York markets, he continued to live on his farm until 1871, when
he took up his residence in Shelbyville. He did not abandon his extensive
agricultural operations, however, but superintended the cultivation of his
farm and his large stock business as heretofore. He had acquired a handsome
property by his operations, and twenty-five hundred acres of choice land are
numbered among his possessions. In 1877 he was elected President of the
First, National Bank of Shelbyville, Ill., which position he still holds,
and it is through his efficient and able administration of its finances that
it has risen to be one of the safest as well as one of the most important
monetary institutions in the county.
Forty-four years ago, on the 28th of January, 1847, Mr. Middlesworth took an
important step in life that has contributed greatly to his happiness and
well-being, as on that date he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth J.
T. Goodwin. Mrs. Middlesworth is a native of this county and a daughter of
James and Sarah (Donnel) Goodwin, pioneers of this part of the State. Mr.
and Mrs. Middlesworth have three sons and two daughters living, namely;
Sarah B., widow of John W. Ward, her residence being on a farm five miles
northeast of Shelbyville; Isabella, wife of Hiram Scarborough; James; John
and William S.
In early life our subject was a Whig, but he subsequently joined the
Republican party, and has ever since been a stanch advocate of its policy.
Ibis a man of strong character and firm principles, who has always exerted a
good influence over the community, and he is in no respect behind his
fellow-citizens in public spirit and an earliest desire to help forward all
enterprises that will in any way advance the best interests of the city and
county, giving the benefit of his experience, business talent and money to
all feasible plans to promote the public weal. He and his estimable wife are
members of the Presbyterian Church, and their liberality and helpfulness
have contributed largely to its usefulness as an active religious
organization.
Extracted 26 May 2018 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 553-554.
