Biographies

Source:
Portrait & Biographical Album
of DeWitt and Piatt Counties, Illinois
Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches
of Prominent and Representative Citizens
of the County
Together with Portraits and Biographies of all the
Presidents of the United States
and Governors of the State
Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros
1891

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y- Z

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Andrew C. Varner has been a resident of Piatt County for forty years, and though not among its earliest settlers is justly regarded as one of its pioneers, as he has done much to promote its agricultural advancement.  He is one of the representative farmers of Monticello Township, where he has a farm on section 11, that he developed from the wild prairies, making it one of the most valuable pieces of property in this locality.  Mr. Varner was born in Washington County, Md., on the 21st of October, 1819.  Anthony and Catherine (Cline) Varner were his parents.  His father was a native of Virginia, while his mother was born either in Pennsylvania or Maryland, somewhere near the line that divides those States.  The Varners were of German origin and came to America prior to the Revolution.  The father of our subject was a soldier in the War of 1812, in which he fought valiantly.      When our subject was about ten years old he accompanied his parents from his native Maryland to their pioneer home in Greene County, Ohio, making the entire journey in an old covered wagon.  That was in the year 1829, and they were among the first to settle in that section of the country.  There Mr. Varner was reared to a stalwart manhood under the influence of pioneer surroundings.  On his father's farm he gained a good understanding of farming, and in the early subscription schools of Ohio he received the rudiments of his education.  At the age of twenty-three years he began to take private instruction under Prof. Thomas Steele, a Scotchman of much learning, who was at the time conducting an independent school of a high grade at Zenia, Ohio.  Our subject was graduated from that school with an excellent English education which he subsequently utilized by teaching school in Ohio for a number of years.      March 26, 1850, our subject took unto himself the cares and responsibilities of domestic life by marrying Emily Painter.  Mrs. Varner was born in Warren County, Ohio, March 12, 1826.  Her parents were George and Sarah (Mills) Painter, natives respectively of Virginia and New Jersey.  By their union Mr. and Mrs. Varner have eight children, seven of whom are living:  Ella, wife of Samuel Dubson, of Piatt County; Clara, John, William, Jeremiah, Mary, Andrew C. and Richard, all of whom live in Piatt County.  Capitola is the name of the child deceased.      In the fall of 1850 our subject came to Piatt County with his family in a prairie schooner, and subsequently settled on a farm that he now occupies in Monticello Township.  He first purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land at $4.57 per acre, which was in a perfectly wild condition.  He turned the first furrow and made his land what it is today, as fine a farm as can be found in the neighborhood.  He has added to his land by subsequent purchase, and now has two hundred acres of highly productive soil.  He has carried on his work with untiring industry, which has been seconded by sound judgment in regard to business matters, and he has therefore been much prospered.  A part of his success he justly attributes to his devoted wife, who has cooperated with him in every way possible, and has been to him a wise counselor.      Mr. Varner has been much of the time since he came here identified with educational matters in this township.  He was one of the pioneer teachers of the county, having taught for nine months after he settled here.  He has served his township as School Treasurer for twenty-one years successively.  He has frequently been solicited to hold other offices of trust as his fellow-citizens fully recognize the value of having a man of his intelligence and calibre in places of trust, but he would not be prevailed upon to accept any official positions as he prefers the quietude of home life.  His political affiliations are with the Democrats, and we always find him favoring every movement that will in any way benefit the township or county.      Mrs. Varner is one of the most earnest and active members of the Presbyterian Church, at Monticello, and her name is connected with its various good works.  Her father was a soldier in the War of 1812.  He was of German origin, while her maternal ancestors were of New England birth.  Mr. Varner was first married to Ivy Paxton, and by that marriage he has one son, George D.

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