Biography - George W. Winn
GEORGE W. WINN is a resident on a fine farm located on section 38, Lowe
Township, and settled in the county of Shelby December 9, 1862. Our subject
was born Feb. 2, 1833, in Muskingum County, Ohio and is a son of James and
Louisa (Shaw) Winn, natives of the State that is notable for its Presidents
and Statesmen and pretty girls. Our subject's parents with their respective
families moved from old Virginia to Ohio when they were children and were
among the first settlers of Muskingum County. The Winn family settled in
Prairie Township and the Shaw family in Adams Township. In their respective
locations the parents of our subject were reared and meeting, married, soon
after settling upon a farm in Salem Township, where they passed their lives
and were reasonably successful as farmers.
Our Subject's father became the owner of two hundred acres of land in Ohio
before his death. His decease occurred July 9, 1890, his wife passing away
in 1879 or 1880. The father was born September 30, 1808. He was a Missionary
Baptist in his church following and the mother was united with the Methodist
Episcopal denomination. They have fourteen children, of whom our subject is
the second in order of birth and the oldest one now living.
George W. Winn was reared on the home farm in Ohio, and in 1854 he was
united in marriage to Miss Malinda A. Bowden. She was born in Salem
Township, Muskingum County, Ohio, July 18, 1837, and is a daughter of Daniel
and Helen (Adams) Bowden, natives of New Jersey and Ohio respectively. Our
subject came to Illinois in the fall of 1857 and first settled in Edgar
County, whence in 1862 he came to Moultrie County and purchased eighty acres
of land which was little improved at the time. He is now the owner of three
hundred and twenty acres of land, whereon he lives and besides owns the farm
where he was born in Ohio. This last-mentioned property comprises three
hundred and eighty acres of valuable land.
Our subject and his wife have been the parents of eight children, six of
whom have been spared them to be their comfort and sustenance in their
declining years. They are. Charidota K., Cordelia M., George W., Clara B.,
Henrietta M., Sherman L. and Hattie R. Cordelia is the wife of Eli Smith and
resides in Hall County, Neb.; Clara died at the age of sixteen years;
Henrietta is the wife of Lewis Smith of Moultrie County.
Politically, Mr. Winn fraternizes with the Democratic party and his devotion
to the interests of his party has been rewarded by appointment to various
local positions. He has been Collector for two years and was elected Justice
of the Peace but resigned the office. In his religions belief he is an
attendant upon and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been a
Class-Leader in that denomination for many years. In early life he was
engaged as a teacher and continued so employed for three terms while yet in
Ohio and taught for three terms after coming to Illinois. Mr. Winn was made
a Mason in 1854.
James and Louisa Winn, the parents of our subject, have fourteen children,
of whom the following grew to manhood and womanhood: George W., our subject,
is the eldest, then follows John W., Dolphin, Martha C., Rosanna, Emeline,
Hiram S., Henrietta C. and Franklin P. Dolphin died at Camp Denison, Ohio,
soon after enlisting in the Civil War; Emeline is the wife of Peter C.
Sawyer and resides in Muskingum County, Ohio; Hiram served as a soldier in
the Civil War and experienced the horrors of Confederate prison life for
fourteen months. Franklin resides in Adamsville, Ohio, where he is a
merchant.
Extracted 25 Apr 2020 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 671-672.
