SidneyW. Scanland
DR. SIDNEY W. SCANLAND wasborn in Carroll county, Kentucky, October 13, 1834. He was the son of ThomasB. and Agnes W. (Searcy) Scanland, who were also born in Kentucky. Thomasfollowed the trade of cooper when a young man, and was married at the ageof twenty-six, in Kentucky. In 1840 he came to Illinois. He settled firstin Elkhorn township, and lived there two years on his first farm.He built a frame house, butin 1842 he bought in section 16 120 acres, and still later bought moreland, until he had acquired nearly 400 acres. He improved his farm, builtseveral houses and barns, and died October 14, 1885, aged seventy-sevenyears, respected by all who knew him. He was the son of William Scanland,a native of Kentucky. William had come to Illinois in 1846, and settledin Pike county, where he and his wife lived and died very old people. Theyspent their last days in Pittsfield, Illinois. Our subject’s mother wasborn in Carroll county, Kentucky, May 3, 1812, and died in Versailles,January 20, 1888, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Susan McCoy. Her parentsdied when very old people in Kentucky.
Sidney was one of six children:four are yet living. One brother, George, was taken prisoner in the latewar, and died five months later at Macon, Georgia. Our subject is the onlyprofessional man in the family now living, but some of his father’s brotherswere prominent physicians. He remained at home until eighteen years ofage, attending school, and after that taught school for some time, andduring this time was obliged to board around among the neighbors, as theydid in those times. During the years of his teaching he was educating himself,and when about twenty-six years of age, began to study medicine. Aftermarriage, in 1860, he settled on the old farm where he had always lived,and in December, 1863, he enlisted in Company K, Tenth Illinois Cavalry,and remained in the service until January, 1866.
Before this time he had attendedlectures at Rush Medical College. After the war he settled in Chambersburg,Pike county, and practiced for seven years. He then came to this county,taught school one winter, then bought a little farm in 1875, and has practicedmedicine ever since. He has 100 acres of the old homestead and takes lifevery easy. He has taken an active part in everything that has taken placein the county, and has contributed time and money to advance the interestsof the Peoples party. He is a prominent member of the G. A. R. in IsaacMcNeil Post, also a lecturer in the Farmers’ Alliance, and President ofan Anti-horse-thief Association.
He was married to LouisaL. Jaques of this county (see sketch of Hiram and Nancy Jaques). They havefour children: Sidney H., George A. and Birdie C. are in California; andFlorence Z. is the wife of Oscar McCoy still living at home.
Dr. Sidney W. Scanland hasalways been a representative man of Elkhorn township; has twice been electedJustice of the Peace, and is at present acting as Notary Public.
Biographical Review ofCass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 261-262.
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