|
Source:
Source:
PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM
of
KNOX COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Containing
Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of
Prominent
and Representative Citizens of the County
Together with
Portraits and Biographies of all the Governors of
Illionis, and
of the Presidents of the United States.
Also Containing a History of the County from its
Earliest Settlement Up to the Present Time.
---
Published
Chicago:
Biographical Publishing Company
1886
<
CLICK HERE to
RETURN to TABLE of CONTENTS >
| |
GEORGE F.
ABERNETHY is one of
the most intelligent farmers of Knox County,
residing on section 24, of Galesburg
Township. He was born in Cornwall,
Addison Co., Vt., June 10, 1842, and
remained with his parents until he gained
his majority, working on the farm and
attending the district schools. He
came to Illinois in 1854 with his parents,
and located near Altona. He is a son
of Abraham F. and Mary F. (Goodridge)
Abernethy, who were natives of Vermont,
the father being born in 1812 and dying in
1875. The mother was born in July,
1813, and is still living on the home farm.
They were the parents of eight children, as
follows: Cornelia S., George F., Mary J.,
Martha A., David T., Annie V., Albert P.
and Hattie, who died in infancy.
Mr. Abernethy married Miss Phebe A.
McClatchey in 1877. She was born
May 19, 1853, and to them have been born two
children— Nellie E., Nov. 29, 1880,
and George E., Dec. 14, 1883.
The parents of Mrs. Abernethy
were William and Martha (Foster)
McClatchey, natives of Pennsylvania, her
father being born Nov. 2. 1818, and her
mother Dec. 25, 1825; both are still living
at Knoxville, having become the parents of
eight children, named James, Martha E.,
Phebe R., Fremont, Sarah E., Keziah G., Mead
and Nettie E., all now living. The
parents are members of the Presbyterian
Church; he is a Republican and a retired
farmer.
Mr. Abernethy, the subject of this biography,
having come to Illinois nearly a generation
ago, has witnessed the grand development of
the West, and especially of his adopted
State, which has grown in that period from a
small population to be one of the leading
States of the Union, fourth only in
population, while in material resources and
development she stands in some respects
first among the noble sisterhood of States.
He is the owner of 61 acres of land in this
county, having a fine dwelling-house two
stories high, 35x35 feet in size, with an
addition of 14x14 feet on the north side;
his barn is a commodious structure, 26x38
feet in size. He is engaged also, in
addition to his fanning operations, in
breeding fine stock, principally
Poland-China swine of pure blood. In
this he has been very successful, disposing
of his fine pigs to farmers for breeding
purposes, and thus promoting the growth of
graded stock among his neighbors. He
generally raises about one hundred of these
fine swine per annum, and also deals
somewhat in Short-horn cattle.
Mr. and Mrs. Abernethy are members of the
Congregational Church, and the former
belongs to the Republican party.
Coming from New England and Pennsylvania
stock, it is not strange to find in these
good people those excellent traits of
character which years of cultivation in New
England and Pennsylvania homes have made
almost if not quite hereditary, and to find
that a community whose population is largely
composed of people of their sterling worth
is so justly famous for its advancement in
all that adorns our best civilization.
~ Source: Portrait
and Biographical Album of Knox County,
Illinois, publ. 1886 - Page 754 |
.
|
