Thomas B. Kilgore

HOMAS B. KILGORE, Supervisor of Lawndale Township, has a pleasant home on section 26, where he is pursuing the peaceful vocation of an agriculturist, and attending, as occasion requires, to the duties of his office. He has been a resident of this section since the spring of 1867, when, after a term of service in the Union army, he came to McLean County and settled in Lawndale Township, where he purchased 320 acres of land, upon which he has since resided, and became identified with the interests of his adopted township and county.

The subject of this history is the son of John and Malona C. (Beach) Kilgore, who were natives Madison County, Ohio, and after marriage settled in Franklin County, that State, where they have since made their home. The parental household included four children, of whom the record is as follows: Sarah A. is the wife of Samuel Stauffer, and resides in Lawndale Township; Albert is deceased; John N. lives in Lawndale Township.

Thomas B. Kilgore was born in Franklin County, Ohio, March 23, 1840. His education was received mostly in the common schools, although he attended Wesleyan University one term. He was reared to farming pursuits, and remained at home until the spring of 1861, when, the late Civil Waibeing in progress, he enlisted in the ist Ohio Cavalry, and served three years, in the meantime being promoted Sergeant. At the battle of Chickamauga he had a close call, barely escaping being shot down by the enemy, the horse he was riding having been killed. After leaving the army he returned to Franklin County, Ohio, where he remained two years, and then started for the West, with the results we have stated. After purchasing his land he immediately entered upon its cultivation and improvement. Mr. Kilgore has now a fine farm dwelling, a good barn and all the accessories of a first-class agriculturist. Everything about the premises indicates the supervision of an intelligent and enterprising mind. Mr. Kilgore has been rarely prospered in his farming and business operations, and has added to his first purchase so that he now has 480 acres, all of which is improved and in a fine and fertile condition. The whole estate presents one of the most attractive spots in the landscape of McLean County.

The marriage of Thomas B. Kilgpre with Miss Mary E. Batterton was celebrated in Lawndale Township, April 11, 1867. Mrs. Kilgore is the daughter of Martin Batterton, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this volume. She was born in Lawndale Township, July 18, 1840, and by her union with our subject has become the mother of four children — John M., Lizzie M., Maud B. and Thomas Beach.

Mr. Kilgore has been Supervisor of Lawndale Township nine terms, and still holds the office. He served as Road Commissioner three years, and has occupied other minor offices in the township, including that of School Director. Socially, he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of Col- ' '

, 886 tax Post, G. A. R. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kilgore are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject is Republican in politics, and greatly interested in the success of the temperance movement, with which he has prominently identified himself.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and bio (1887). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

THOMAS B. KILGORE is a prominent representative of the farming and stock-raising interests of McLean county, having carried on operations along those lines in Colfax for almost a third of a century, though he now makes his home in Bloomington. He is a man whose sound common sense and vigorous, able management of his affairs have been important factors in leading him to wealth, and with his undoubted integrity of character have given him an honorable position among his fellow men.

Mr. Kilgore was born in West Jefferson, Ohio, March 23, 1840, and is a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family of that state. His grandfather, Thomas Kilgore, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1789, and in 1794 was taken by his parents to Circleville, Ohio. The following year, however, they removed to Madison county, that state, where the great-grandfather took up quite a large tract of land. There the grandfather continued to make his home throughout life, and was one of the most prominent and influential men of his community. He possessed a certain amount of rough eloquence, his opinions always carried weight, and as justice of the peace, he was conveyancer and advisor to the early settlers of his locality. He died in 1872, honored and respected by all who knew him. He married Miss Jane Patterson, daughter of Robert Patterson, of Madison county, Ohio, but formerly of Virginia. Both were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which the family also belonged.

John Kilgore, father of our subject, was born in Plain City, Madison county, Ohio, October 30, 181 5, and on reaching man's estate he engaged in farming and stock dealing there. Prosperity crowned his efforts in life and he became the owner of four hundred acres of valuable land there and one thousand acres in Illinois. He was one of the leading citizens of his community and was called upon to serve in a number of township offices. He married Miss Malona Case Beach, a daughter of Uriah Beach, and a descendant of the Noble family which was founded in New England in 1632. They made their home in Columbus, Ohio, until 1893, when they came to Bloomington to visit their children. Here the father was stricken with paralysis, but lingered for over a year, dying January 19, 1895. The mother, who has been a lifelong member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a true and earnest Christian, is still living. In their family were four children, of whom two also survive, Thomas B., our subject, and J. M. Sarah A., the wife of Samuel Stauffer, died in 1893, and Albert died in 1860, at the age of eleven years.

During his boyhood and youth Thomas B. Kilgore pursued his studies in the common schools and the Ohio Wesleyan University, and when his education was completed, he returned home, where he remained until after the opening of the Rebellion. In August, 1 86 1, he enlisted in Company K, First Ohio Cavalry, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland and was under the command of Generals Kilpatrick and Sheridan. He participated in the battles of Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Corinth, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, Kenesaw mountain and Atlanta. Previous to its evacuation, he rode around Atlanta and was there at the expiration of his term of service. At the battle of Chickamauga, he had a horse shot from under him, but fortunately he was never wounded.

Returning to his home in Ohio, Mr. Kilgore remained with his father until March, 1867, when he came to McLean county, Illinois, and located at what is now Colfax, where he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of raw land, and built thereon a small house. He at once turned his attention to the cultivation and improvement of his place and as his financial resources increased, he extended its boundaries until he now has four hundred and eighty acres of the best farming land to be found in the county, it being richer and more productive than when he first located thereon. He has made all of the improvements upon the place, including the erection of good and substantial buildings. From the first he has been interested in the raising and feeding of stock, making a specialty of short horn cattle. He is also largely interested in horses, and has made two importations of English Shires. Mr. Kilgore was one of the incorporators of the Corn Belt Bank, of

Bloomington, and has been a director since the start. He continued to live upon his farm until the fall of 1888, when he moved to Bloomington so that he might better educate his children.

In April, 1867, Mr. Kilgore wedded Miss Mary E. Batterton, of Lawndale township, McLean county. Her father, Martin Batterton, who is now ninety-two years of age, his birth having occurred in 1807, was one of the first settlers of this county. He came here from Kentucky in 1831, and in 1833 entered the farm on which he still resides. This honored pioneer has throughout these many years been one of the most prominent and highly respected men of Lawndale township. He married Miss America Taylor, who came here from Covington, Kentucky, and died March 3, 1883, at the age of sixty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Kilgore have four children, namely: John M., a farmer of Lexington, McLean county, married Lucy Kennedy, and has two children, Margine and Gaylord K.; Lizzie is now the wife of W. H. Welch, of Lexington; Maude B. graduated from Wesleyan College with the degree of A. B., and is now assistant principal of the high school of Lexington; T. Beach is now a freshman of the Wesleyan University. The wife and mother, who is a most estimable lady, holds membership with the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Kilgore attends services with her and contributes to its support. He is the oldest member now living of Colfax Lodge, No. 799, F. & A. M., and also belongs to W. T. Sherman Post, G. A. R., of Bloomington. He is a pronounced Republican in politics, and has filled a number of local offices, serving as supervisor eleven years and school treasurer sixteen years. In all the relations of life he has been found true to every trust reposed in him, and he receives and merits the high regard of those with whom he has come in contact, either in business or social affairs.

As printed in The Biographical record of McLean County, Illinois (1899). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.