TANQUARY, Addison
Addison TANQUARY is one of the oldest residents of Marshall
county in years of continuous connection with its interests, for
his birth occurred in Steuben township, August 29, 1837, and
since that time he has lived within its borders, covering a
period of almost three score years and ten. His father, James
TANQUARY, was a native of Pickaway, county, Ohio, born in 1809 and in the fall of 1834 he came to Illinois, settling in Tazewell county, whence he removed
to Marshall
county in the spring of 1835. He located two miles north of
Sparland, where he engaged in faming until the spring of 1848,
when he removed to a farm two miles west on the prairie, there
devoting his attention to general agricultural pursuits until
his death, which occurred January 21, 1849. In manner he was
quiet and reserved. He gave his political support to the whig
party and in religious faith was a Methodist, serving as class
leader in his church. He married Mahala BONHAM, who was born in
Bainbridge,
Ohio, March 24, 1810. They were
married in the Buckeye state in 1831 and thus came together to Illinois. Mrs. TANQUARY,
who was also a devoted member of the Methodist church, long
survived her husband, passing away on the 4th of March, 1883. In
the family of this worthy couple were eight children: Cornelius,
Rebecca B., Addison, Elizabeth,
Willie, Mary, Newton
and James J. The eldest was born in Pickaway county,
Ohio, and was three years old at the time of the
removal of the family to Illinois.
Addison TANQUARY was reared upon the old home farm in
Steuben township and attended the
Bethel
country school through the winter months, while in the summer
seasons he aided in the work of the farm. With the exception of
a period of eleven years he has always lived in Steuben township
and is among its oldest residents. In 1862, responding to the
country’s call for troops, he enlisted for service in the Union
army as a member of Company E, Eighty-sixth Illinois Infantry,
with which he continued until the 8th of June, 1864, when he was
discharged on account of a wound which he had sustained in the
arm. He then returned to Marshall county and soon afterward settled
upon a farm in Evans township near Wenona. In 1880, however, he
returned to Steuben township, where he carried on general
agricultural pursuits for twenty years and then retired in 1900,
taking up his abode in Sparland. He was one of the energetic,
progressive and practical farmers of his township, placing his
land under a high state of cultivation and deriving a good
income from the care and labor he bestowed upon the fields.
On the 16th of October, 1859, Mr. TANQUARY was married at
Sparland to Miss Ellen WILLIAMS, who was born in Clay county,
Illinois, June 27, 1839, a daughter of Thomas G. and
Sarah WILLIAMS, who were natives of Ohio, whence they removed
to Clay county. In the fall of 1855 they became residents of
Sparland and the father followed the occupation of farming as a
life work. Unto Mr. and Mrs. TANQUARY have been born seven
children: Cassius M., who married Eva REED and lives in
Portland, Oregon; James, who died in infancy; Minnie A., at
home; Thomas E., who died in infancy; George S., a resident of
Portland, Oregon; Lawrence H., who wedded Minnie POTTER, of
Marseilles, Illinois, and lives in Peoria; and Nellie M., who is
with her parents in Sparland.
Mr. TANQUARY has been honored with a number of positions of
public trust. He has twice served as collector of Steuben
township, and is now serving for a third term as assessor. His
political allegiance is given to the republican party, while
fraternally he is connected with Clayton lodge, No. 132, I. O.
O. F., of Sparland, and with Lacon post, No. 134, G. A. R. His
wife is a member of the Methodist church. His interest in
community affairs is manifest in many tangible ways and has
resulted in benefit to the county. Few men have for a longer
period witnessed the growth and development of this part of the
state. His memory goes back to the pioneer times when many of
the homes were log cabins and when much of the land was
uncultivated, being covered with hits native prairie grasses.
The streams were unbridged and the timber was uncut. In fact the
work of development had been scarcely begun at that period, but
time and man have wrought many changes and Marshall county has taken its place among the
leading counties of this great commonwealth. Mr. TANQUARY has
aided largely in its agricultural development and has always
faithfully performed his duties of citizenship.
Extracted 09 May 2011 by Norma Hass from
Past and Present of Marshall and Putnam Counties Illinois, 1907.
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