Robert E. Bailey

As printed in 1910

ROBERT E. BAILEY.

One of the citizens of Atkinson, Illinois, with whom time has dealt very lightly is Robert E. Bailey, who carries his sixty-six years as many another man carries fifty and is more active in his movements. Save for a slight difficulty in hearing time has left little mark upon him. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1844, he comes from sturdy Scotch-Irish stock. His parents, Thomas and Christina (Irquoihart) Bailey, were born in Edinburgh, Scotland, some ninety years ago and came to America shortly after their marriage. They settled first in Providence, where Dr. Bailey followed the medical profession, and then lived in Brooklyn and in other places on Long Island. A number of years ago, while on a visit to a son, he passed away, and his wife is also deceased. Five children, three sons and two daughters constituted the family born to Dr. and Mrs. Bailey; James, who lives in Wisconsin; Charles A., who lives on Long Island; Emma, the wife of William Walker, a resident of Brooklyn, New York; Virginia, also of Brooklyn; and Robert E., of this review.

Robert E. Bailey received his education in the schools of Brooklyn, New York, and then entered a produce commission house in New York city. He remained with the firm for six years and then determined to start in the poultry business for himself. With this purpose in view he came west, locating in Meadville, Missouri, where during a period of twenty years he carried on business successfully, finding a ready market for his poultry and his eggs. Despite the good fortunes that had attended him in this business, he gave it up about thirty years ago to take up work as a painter and paper-hanger, which was his occupation in 1892 when he came to Atkinson and opened his shop on State street. In the seventeen years that he has been connected with commercial life here he has done much and good work, work which like the man that accomplished it has withstood the ravages of time.

In 1877 Mr. Bailey married Miss Clara Milar. She was born in Ohio in 1854 and was a daughter of R. W. and Rebecca (Kinsley) Milar. The father was a carpenter during his lifetime, but has been dead for some years as has his wife. Mrs. Bailey, who also departed this life on the loth of August, 1908, and was buried in Geneseo cemetery two days later, was a devoted wife, a kind neighbor, and beloved by all who knew her. Shortly after her marriage she joined the Baptist church with her husband and was ever afterward a conscientious adherent of that faith. Among the members of the Eastern Star, to which she belonged she made stanch friends who unite with her husband in morning her loss. She became the mother of one child, now deceased. The home which \lr. Bailey occupies, a very pretty residence on State street, was one of the first houses built in Atkinson and was erected by Mrs. Bailey's father, so that it held many associations for both husband and wife. In politics Mr. Bailey is a good republican, finding his ideals of government best expressed in the platform of that party, but he takes no active part in either political or public matters.

As printed in History of Henry County, Illinois (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.