Biography - Joseph Eccles
Joseph T. ECCLES, retired merchant, Hillsboro, was born in Mercer County, Ky., January 7, 1807; son of Henry and Polly (GAUNT) ECCLES. Henry, a native of Berkeley County, Va., was born May 4, 1781, and when about eighteen years old he moved to Kentucky and settled in Mercer County, where he married August 15, 1805. In the autumn of 1830, he removed to Vandalia, Ill., and shortly afterward located on a farm about four miles from that town, where he remained until 1837, when he removed to Coles County, Ill., where he died September 21, 1851, aged seventy years four months and seventeen days. His wife, Polly Gaunt, was born at Wilson's Station, Mercer Co., Ky., March 15, 1783, and died at Vandalia, Ill., September 21, 1835. Our subject, who began the business of life as a teacher, received his education chiefly in Harrodsburg, Ky. He taught school at Vandalia, Ill., for about two seasons, after which he clerked in a store about a year, and then engaged in the mercantile business in Vandalia on his own account for five or six years; then, abandoning the business of a merchant, he located on a farm about five miles from Vandalia. He followed farming about nine years, but gave it up and removed to Hillsboro, Montgomery County, where he again engaged in mercantile business, and, being successful, retired a short time ago. He owns some fine property in Hillsboro, consisting of his residence, a brick store, town lots, etc. In Todd County, Ky., August 12, 1829, he married Jane L. ANDERSON, born in Green County Ky., May 23, 1809, daughter of Pouncy and Nancy (LYNCH) ANDERSON. Pouncy ANDERSON, a native of Virginia, died in Todd County, Ky., June 6, 1837; his wife was also a native of Virginia. Mr. ECCLES has filled the office of Justice of the Peace at Vandalia, Ill., and also in Hillsboro for several years. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, held at Springfield, Ill., in 1847. He has also been Assistant Assessor and Deputy United States Revenue Collector. During the war, he was a recruiting officer at Hillsboro, and while acting in that capacity, sent in thirty new recruits. He also captured and returned to the army twenty-seven deserters. He served in the Black Hawk war in 1832. He nominated Richard YATES for Governor at Decatur, Ill., in 1869. He and his wife are Old-School Presbyterians. He is a member of the Sons of Temperance. In politics, he was originally as old Clay Whig, but now supports the Republican party.
Extracted 19 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 103.
