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1890 Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Story County, Iowa

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York, Lewis County, in 1827, and was the eldest of ten children—six sons and four daughters: Agnes (died at the age of two years), Augustus (died in the United States service, while in the army), Jane (resides in Cambridge, and is a milliner and dressmaker by trade), William (married Miss Martha Batter-son and is engaged in farming in Oregon), Amelia (resides in Cambridge and married Samuel Bossuot, who is proprietor of the North-Western Hotel), Charles (deceased, was married and left two sons), Lemuel (deceased, was in the whole service of the United States and never received a scratch; he left five children), Mary (resides in Dakota) and John (married Miss Vadah Jones and is engaged in tilling the soil in Oregon). Mr. Illingworth's father was a native of New York, and was an agriculturist by occupation. The mother still survives at the age of eighty years. Mr. Illingworth obtained his early education in the common schools of New York, and when twenty-four years of age started out to make his own livelihood without a dollar in his pocket. He was early trained to the duties of the farm, and it was but natural, perhaps, that he should choose that occupation as his calling in life. He was married, in New York, on the 27th of August, 1848, to Miss M. Nellis, a native of the Empire State, and to them have been born eight children—two sons and six daughters (two of whom are deceased) viz.: Nancy (died at the age of sixteen), William (married Miss Ella Meyers, a native of Pennsylvania, and is now engaged in cultivating the soil), Adeline (married a farmer by the name of Derwin Alfred, and now resides in Cherry County, Neb.), Julia (resides in Cherry County, Neb.), Agnes (died at the age of nine years), Jane (married a farmer by the name of George Posegay, and now resides in Story County), Ella (married a farmer by the name of Henry Meyers, and now resides in Story County) and Nature (the youngest, who is quite a student). Mr. Illingworth is a member of the Democratic party, but has not been an ultra-partisan, and has upheld men of honor, integrity and sterling merit. He has been president of the school board of his district for the last twenty-three or twenty-five years, which is the longest record as a school director in Story County. He has also held the position of township trustee for years. Mr. Illingworth is a Spiritualist, and his testimony has been corroborated by many things which have come to pass. He is a firm and consistent believer in this wonderful revelation of a power which seems divine. Many visions have come to Mr. Illingworth, which have been told previously, and which have transpired. He graphically tells of one which came to him: One day while at home he closed his eyes, and a peculiar sensation crept over him. He saw in the vision a house on fire, at the window. He sprang up immediately and ran to investigate, but everything seemed all right, and he again sat down and closed his eyes, when he saw the flames still rising. When they got to the eaves of the house they seemed to lap over the roof, continuing to mingle together over that portion of the building. All the furniture and the family had moved out. The blaze finally died away, and as the windows and doors seemed open, he noticed that over the floor were scattered old papers and other things of a like character. The interpretation came to him like this: The fire at the window sills was a mortgage. When the flames came together and mingled, a foreclosure was indicated; also when the doors opened and the goods were gone out. This eventually came to pass, as Mr. Illingworth had predicted fifteen or seventeen years before. He contributes liberally to all worthy enter-

Page 352 of 460

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