TIDMARSH, Abel
Abel TIDMARSH is a leading representative
of the agricultural interests of Marshall county, and belongs to that honored
class of self-made men to whom success has come as the reward of
earnest persistent effort. He was born in
Wilkeshire, England, December 27, 1821, one of the seven
children of Richard and Sarah (WOODHAM) TIDMARSH, who spent
their entire lives in
England. Our subject was reared
in the land of his birth, and from an early age his life has
been one of toil. When a child of seven he began working to help
his mother. Later he engaged in teaming for many ears, and thus
at various occupations he labored persistently until he gained
for himself a comfortable home.
Mr. TIDMARSH was married January 12, 1845,
to Elizabeth WITTS, a native of New Castle
on Tyne, in
England, born January 31, 1822.
Her parents, Seth and Barbara (HOWELL) WITTS, also lived and
died in
England. Of their seven
children, only one now survives – Mrs. Sarah WALTERS. Our
subject and his wife have four children – Sarah Ellen, wife of
Samson ROWE, of Whitefield township, Marshall county, by whom
she has seven children; Emma, wife of John WETZEL, of Roberts
township, Marshall county, and the mother of five children;
Clara, wife of John B. MARTIN, of Roberts township, and Henry
W., who married Elizabeth MILLER, and with his wife and three
children is living on the old homestead farm. Mrs. TIDMARSH died
June 13, 1896, after an illness of but three days. She was a
member of the Church of England, and was well respected by all
who knew her.
Mr. TIDMARSH came with his family to
America in 1855, and took up his residence
in Whitefield township,
Marshall
county. He worked one season in a brickyard and then purchased
the yard, which he operated for four years. In 1860 he rented a
farm of Jesse BANE in Roberts township, cultivating the same for
six years, and in 1866; he purchased his present home, then but
partially improved. His home was a log cabin, but in 1879 this
was replaced by a commodious frame residence. He has made
excellent improvements upon his farm, and has extended its
boundaries until it now comprises four hundred and four acres of
rich and arable land, which yields to him a good tribute. He is
a successful and progressive general farmer, who arrived in this
country with a cash capital of twenty-five cents, but has
steadily worked his way upward to a position of affluence. He
has also given his children good educational privileges and they
are now settled in comfortable homes. In politics he is a
democrat, and has served as school director.
Extracted April 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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