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JUDD, Squire Thomas

Squire Thomas JUDD, deceased, was a citizen of Evans township, where, as a leader among men, his memory is held in reverence and honor. He was one of the earliest pioneers of Marshall county, settling with his parents upon the old Judd farm on Sandy creek in 1831, and in this county made his home until his death, which occurred on the 1st of February, 1892. During those years he was very influential in public affairs, as by his strong force of character and undoubted integrity he early gained the confidence of the people, who saw in him a man they could trust as a guide and well fitted to hold public office. His death has left a vacancy hard to be filled, and was considered a severe blow to the material and moral interests of the community.

Squire JUDD was born in Ashe county, North Carolina, May 26, 1827, and was only four years old when brought to Marshall county, where he was reared on a farm and received an ordinary district school education. He began teaching in Evans township, which at that time was Sandy precinct of La Salle county. On the 31st of October, 1851, his marriage with Miss Mary A. DILLMAN was celebrated. She was born in Brown county, Ohio, August 16, 1830, and is a daughter of Frederick and Mary (TURNER) DILLMAN, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Maryland. With her parents she came to La Salle county, Illinois, in 1844, locating three miles east of Magnolia, where they made their home until 1861, when they removed to Wenona, but both are now deceased.

After his marriage the squire lived for three years upon the old Judd homestead, but in 1854 removed to the northwest quarter of section 20, Evans township, which was then all raw prairie land, and the same summer erected a good frame dwelling. He made that place his permanent home, improving the land himself and made the farm one of the most desirable in this section of the county. In the early days he took his gain to Hall’s landing on the Illinois river. He was purely a self-made man, having no advantages except those given him by nature, and his prominent characteristics – honesty, economy, temperance and industry – were no doubt important factors in his success.

Squire Judd was always an ardent democrat in politics, took an active part in local affairs, at the early age of twenty was elected justice of the peace, which office he creditably filled for many years, for a number of terms was supervisor of Evans township, also chairman of the board, was school director for a long period, and was once a candidate for representation, but as the district was strongly republican he was not elected. Socially, he held membership with the Masonic order, being a Royal Arch Mason, and was also prominently identified with the Grange for many years. He applied himself studiously to qualify himself for his after life, was looked up to by every one, and his advice was often sought. His remains now rest in the Cumberland cemetery.

Mrs. JUDD, who is a faithful member of the Presbyterian church, still survives her husband, and four of their seven children are also yet living. Francis Lee, who is residing in San Diego, California, married Lettie ASHLEY, of Kansas, and they have five children – Fannie, Pearl, John, Katie and Ashley. Mary E. is the wife of Joseph MILLER. John T., of Wenona, married Ella DUNLAP, and they have two children – Mabel Almeda and Roland DeWitt. Alfred, living on section 18, Evans township, wedded Annie L. BRENN, and they have three children – Ethel, Gertrude and Roscoe.

The only daughter, with her family, now resides on the old homestead on section 20, Evans township. She was married on the 16th of May, 1877, to Joseph MILLER, who was born in Carroll county, Ohio, September 10, 1851, and is the son of Abraham and Ruth (MISER) MILLER, the birth of the former occurring near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1818, and the latter in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1826. His parents were married in the buckeye state, where they located upon a farm in Carroll county, but in 1865 became residents of Wenona, Illinois, where the father died in November, 1890. The mother is still living. In their family were four children, two of whom survive, the daughter being Mary, wife of Oliver WINGATE of Wenona, by whom she has seven children – C. S., Inez Dent, Willis Herbert, J. Roy, Jessie Grimes, Don and Florence.

Joseph Miller was educated in the public schools of Wenona, and in his younger years learned the trade of a painter, which he followed for some time. He and his excellent wife now have six children – Wallace M., Benjamin F., Thomas J., Bernard O., Frederick J. and Lena. He is prominently connected with the Masonic fraternity and Evans grange, No. 35, in which he has served as master, and is president of the Farmers’ County institute. Politically, he votes independent of party ties, and has been called upon to act as a member of the local school board. Mrs. MILLER is a consistent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.

Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, 1896.


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