Bureau County IL Archives Biographies.....Rackley, F. D.
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Virginia Perry vperry@midwest.net January 1999

Biography of F D RACKLEY, Bureau County, Illinois

F. D. Rackley, Berlin, was born in Orange County, VT., December 9, 1829. 
His father, Peletiah Rackley, was also born in Orange County, December 16, 
1798.  He was married in his native county January 16, 1823, to Dorothy 
Kenney, a native of the same place as her husband, born November 17, 1802. 
In 1834 they removed to Genesee Co. N.Y., where they lived till 1838, when 
they came to Bureau County.  The first winter they lived in the house where 
Phillips was killed, and the following spring removed to what is now Berlin 
Township, and in 1841 to the present farm of F.D. Rackley.  They were among 
the earlier settlers on the prairie in this township, and at that time had 
to go forty miles to mill, and Chicago was their market for grain, etc.  
They were the parents of four children, viz.: Warren, born May 12, 1825, 
died October 5, 1879, leaving a wife and one daughter; F.D., born December 9, 
1829; David, born April 15, 1834, died February 18, 1863 (he enlisted in 
1861, in Company B, fifth Kansas Cavalry, but was discharged on account of 
disability and died soon after); Joanna, born April 3, 1841, wife of William 
J. Fish, of Whitney, Jackson Co., Kan.  Mr. Rackley was a strong party man, 
and till 1856 was a Democrat, but from that time till his death he was 
Republican. He died April 19, 1875.  His widow still survives and resides 
on the old homestead.  F.D. Rackley came to this county with his parents 
when a boy and has since lived on his father's old farm. His opportunity 
for obtaining an education was very limited, having no schools to attend 
but the early district schools, and those only when he could not work.  
His occupation has been that of farming, but for twelve years was engaged 
in the threshing business.  For several years he has rented his farm which 
contains 179 acres and since 1881 has been associated with A. L. Steele, of 
Dover, in the agricultural implement business.  Mr. Rackley was married 
June 7, 1866, to Anna E. Fish, born in Clarkson, Monroe Co., N.Y., May 4, 
1824.  She is the daughter of Josiah and Mary (Pierce) Fish.  her father 
was a native of Vermont, but died in New York State.  In 1855 his widow and 
three of her children removed to LaSalle County and in 1857 to this county, 
where she died in1859.  She was the mother of six sons and three daughters, 
all of whom are still living except the oldest son.  All of the sons but one 
were in the Civil war; three served three years and one went through the 
war; one, however, lost his health and had to return after nine months.  
Mr. Rackley is a member of the Crystal Fount Lodge, no. 178, I.O.O.F., of 
Dover, and has been an officer in the Lodge for several years. Mrs. Rackley 
is a member of the Baptist Church, of Dover.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/bureau/bios/m-r/rackleyfd.txt