Biography - William Whitlow
WILLIAM W. WHITLOW. Our subject is a prominent citizen of the locality in which he lives, and Supervisor of Harvel Township, Montgomery County. He has a fine residence on section 21, of this township, where he carries on extensive farming operations. He is a native of Greene County, this State, and was born April 1, 1834. His parents were Daniel and Fannie (Ray) Whitlow; the former was a native of Kentucky and the latter of North Carolina. They came to Greene County, Ill., during the '30s.
Our subject was the eldest son of his father's family. He was reared to man's estate in his native county and although he had not the advantages of a higher education, whatever knowledge he gained was due to his own efforts. He keenly appreciates the fact that a man with a practical as well as theoretical knowledge of the sciences and arts has greatly the advantage over one who is deficient in this respect.
Feeling that life was incomplete without a partner to share his joys and sorrows, our subject took unto himself a wife. He was married May 11, 1858, his bride being Miss Fannie E. Thomasson, a native of Greene County and a daughter of William Thomasson. This union has been blessed by the advent of six children, whose names are as follows: George E., William A., John W., Agnes, Flora and Eva. Agnes is the wife of John F. Aull; Flora married B. Hendricks, and Eva is the wife of John Fehr.
The advent of our subject into Montgomery County was in 1865, and at that time he settled in Harvel Township and that has been his home ever since. He owns seven hundred and twenty acres of land, of which he has made an ideal farm. Every part is cultivated as thoroughly as possible, and drainage, water facilities and labor-saving devices are found here to perfection. All that he possesses he has made by his personal exertion and as can be seen the years that have passed have been in nowise wasted.
For fifteen years our subject served as Highway Commissioner and has been re-elected year after year to the office of Supervisor of the township. In addition to these duties, he is School Treasurer and his public offices occupy much of his time and attention. Democracy is the principle of politics that appeals to him most strongly. He seeks to enthuse his neighbors with an idea that improvement in any direction is for the public good. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and serves at the present time as Treasurer of the lodge.
Extracted 04 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, page 250.
