Biography - Jedediah H. Silver
JEDEDIAH H. SILVER was born in Hopkinton, N. H., November 3, 1823. His
father, Jeremiah Silver, was a native of the same State and our subject's
paternal grandsire, John Silver, was born in Massachusetts and removed
thence to New Hampshire where he engaged in farming and in 1837 moved to
Michigan and settled in Cass County, becoming a pioneer farmer. He made his
home during the latter portion of his life with his son-in-law.
The father of our subject was reared and married in New Hampshire. He there
learned the trade of mason and followed it in Hopkinton until 1827, and then
with his wife and five children and his father-in-law, mother-in-law and two
brothers with their families removed to Michigan. They came West with teams
as far as Buffalo and then putting all on a steamer, they went to Toledo,
Ohio, and there purchased a small place. They did not remain at that place,
however, but on the crest of the Westward wave of immigration went to Cass
County Mich., which was then very sparsely settled. Indians were still
frequent visitors and there were plenty of deer and wild turkeys. Our
subject bought a tract of land and devoted a great part of his time to the
improvement of his farm. He resided there until after the death of his wife
and spent his last days with his children in Cass County, his decease
occurring in 1876.
The maiden name of our subject's mother was Sally Hastings. She was born in
Hopkinton, N. H., and died in 1849. Five of her children were reared to
years of maturity. They are by name, May, Jedediah H., Lydia, Margaret and
John. Our subject was only four years of age when his parents moved to
Michigan, hence he was reared to an experience of pioneer life. He learned
the trade of a mason in young manhood and followed it in connection with
farming, residing on the home farm until 1848, and thence removed to
Edwardsburg and there engaged in the practice of his trade until 1858, and
thence removed to Shelbyville, where he purchased a lot and built thereon a
brick house, which was comfortable and commodious. He followed his trade for
two years and then exchanged his city property for a farm in Ridge Township,
making that his home. He managed the farm while he followed his trade and
after a residence of two years there, he rented it for four years and then
purchased a home two miles north of his former farm and there resided until
1876, when he came to Shelbyville and entered upon his official duties as
sheriff of the county and here he has since resided.
Mr. Silver was married in 1865 to Julia A. Mead, a native of Chautauqua
County, N. Y., and the daughter of Barak and Clarissa (Brown) Mead. Mrs.
Silver died in 1876. She was the mother of six children — Emma C., Edward
A., Barak M., Wilbur H., J. Judson and Hattie. He of whom we write is a
Democrat in politics. He served for four terms as Township Collector and was
elected Sheriff in 1876 and re-elected in 1878, serving two full terms.
Extracted 27 Sep 2020 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 718-721.
