Biography - William McDavid
William C. McDAVID, farmer, P. O. Hillsboro, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., March 1, 1820, to William and Elizabeth (JOHNSON) McDAVID. He was born in Scott County, Va., in September, 1790; when a boy, was taken to Missouri by his brother, and afterward went to Tennessee, where he joined the Seminole war, and also served through the war of 1812, under Jackson. During his life, followed the occupation of a farmer. In 1832, served six months in the Black Hawk war. In January, 1820, he emigrated from Tennessee to Montgomery County, and settled in East Fork Township, on the same farm that Thomas W., his son, is now residing on. His death occurred February 14, 1866. His marriage took place in Tennessee in 1819. His wife, and mother of our subject, was born in Tennessee September 15, 1800, and is now residing on the same farm where, with her husband, she settled in 1820; she is now enjoying good health. She is mother of nine children, of whom William C. is the oldest child. His early life was spent in receiving such an education as the log schoolhouses of his day afforded, at that time having to walk four miles to school. He remained with his parents, assisting in tilling the soil of the old homestead farm until he was twenty-one years of age, when he embarked on his career in life as a hired hand upon a farm, and, in fact, doing all kinds of work. He continued in this way until he was about twenty-six years of age, when, with the savings of his meager earnings, he was able to enter forty acres of prairie land; a portion of this same farm he is now residing on, and, by his economy and business habits, he succeeded in accumulating about four hundred acres of land, all of which he placed under a high state of cultivation. His farm now consists of 190 acres, he having divided his land among his children. On September 2, 1847, in Montgomery County, he married Lydia C. WILSON, a native of Harrison County, Ind., born April 11, 1826. She is the daughter of John and Ruth (WILBURN) WILSON, natives of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. McDAVID are the patents of six children, four of whom are living - James S., Thomas J., Emily E. and John L. Mr. McDAVID has held the office of Justice of the Peace in his township for twenty-eight years, and has never had a judgment reversed, and but few cases of appeal to higher courts. He is an active member of the A., F. & A. M. of Hillsboro. In politics, he is identified with the Democratic party. Self and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Extracted 22 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 294.
