JamesHiles

 
JAMES HILES, general farmer and stock raiserof Beardstown, was born in Salem county, New Jersey, January 4, 1822. Hisfather, John, was a native of the same place, was there engaged as a truck-raiser,and afterward ran a large farm in Mannington township, and still laterwas engaged in farming and truck-raising near Bridgeport. He died at theage of ninety-six, after leading a quiet, peaceable life. His wife’s namewas Sarah Chrispen, also born in Salem county. She came of an old Quakerfamily. Her own mother and a sister were speakers among Friends for manyyears. She and her husband, however, adhered very closely to the MethodistEpiscopal Church, of which they were working members. She died at the ageof ninety.

James grew up in New Jersey, and was marriedMarch 7, 1844, and about this time commenced farming in Marion county,and followed it for about nine years; then he was a butcher in Woodtowntwo years. He came here in 1856; first he engaged as a butcher and farmerat Brighton, Illinois, for two years, and then went to Greenfield. Whileat those towns he furnished the meat for the workmen on what is now theQuincy railroad, while it was building. He followed that business therefor three years. He was a poor man when he reached here, but has sinceacquired a good property. It is now thirty-one years since he came to Casscounty, engaging first in farming. He has been very successful, becauseof a progressive nature, and because he understood the nature of the soil.He soon began the growing of sweet potatoes and watermelons, and this hasoccupied most of his time for twenty-five years. He raises from 2,000 to2,500 bushels annually, and a large number of melons. He is very well known,and is respected as a hard worker and a good citizen. His place consistsof fifty-nine acres, where he has lived but a few years.

He was married in Woodtown, New Jersey, toSarah Kidd, who was born and reared in Salem county, born in 1818. Herparents, Joseph and Jane Kidd, lived and died on the old farm in Salemcounty, New Jersey, members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Hileshave had ten children, among whom were two sets of twins, who died whenyoung. The three living children are: Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Reeves,farmer and gardener, near Beardstown; James, a farmer in Cass county, andCharles, a farmer and trucker, near Beardstown. Mr. and Mrs. Hiles aregood people: both have been active members of the Methodist Episcopal Churchfor more than fifty years. Mr. Hiles has never been a chewer or smokerof tobacco, has never been intoxicated, nor has he ever used a profaneword. He has been a lifelong Democrat.

Biographical Review of Cass, Schuylerand Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review Publishing Co., Chicago,1892, pages 219-220.

Copyright1999-2006 Judi Gilker; all rights reserved. For personal use only.Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictlyprohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appearwith the information.

 

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