Biography of Captain George W. HERRICK, DeWitt County, Illinois Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Copyright 1999 Earliene Kaelin Source: People from the Histories 1882 History CAPTAIN GEORGE W. HERRICK The Herrick family, of which the subject of this sketch is a member, is an old one, and was for many generations residents of the State of Massachusetts. They trace their origin and ancestry from the Norman-French. The forefathers emigrated from England to the colonies in America in the colonial days. Some of their descendants came west from New England soon after the close of the last century. Of these was Ezra Herrick, the grandfather of George W. After the close of the war of 1812 he removed to Huron county, Ohio, where he followed the occupation, of farmer and there remained until his death. His son Latt Herrick, was born in Mamachusetts, May 14th, 1795. While yet in his infancy his father removed the family to New York, and subsequently to Ohio where they remained until December 1834, when Mr. Herrick removed to De Kalb county, Indiana, and there died March 22nd, 1872. He waa a soldier of the war of 1812, and was with the army operating on the Canadian frontier. In his life he was a man of considerable prominence, and held several offices of honor and trust. He was a devout believer in the principles of Christianity and made a profession of faith, and was in his later years a member of the Congregationalist church. He married Lola Sutliff, a native of Connecticut, but at the time of her marriage, a resident of Huron county, Ohio. She was born October lst, 1798, and died in August 1874. There were nine children by the marriage of Latt and Lola Herrick, six sons and three daughters. Four have survived the parents. George W. is the youngest of the family. He was born in De Kalb county, Indiana, on October 6th, 1841. He was reared upon the farm and received his early education in the common schools of his native county and therein was prepared for entrance to the Vienna Academy at Newville, Indiana. He remained there until 1861. In the fall of that year he entered the Law Department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and remained there through the term. The war breaking out he put aside his books, and in May 1862, he enlisted in Co. E 55th Regt. Ind. Vols. The command was ordered to Kentucky, and in August of the same year Mr. Herrick was taken prisoner at the battle of Richmond; a few days later he was paroled and discharged. He resumed his studies and in the fall of 1863 again entered the University at Ann Arbor and graduated from the Law Department in the spring of 1864. In August of the same year, he went to Princeton, Missouri, and opened a law office. In January and February of 1865 he recruited a company of men for the war, which was known as Co. D., 51st Regt. Mo. Vols. Upon the organi- zation of the company, Mr. Herrick was elected Captain, and duly commissioned by the Governor of the State. The regiment did duty in South-east Missouri, until the close of the war. In 1870 Captain Herrick opened a law office in Farmer City, and here he has conti- nued the practice until the present. He is a respected member of the honorable order of A. F. & A. M. On the 28th of May, 1870, he was united in marriage to Miss Dora 0. Knight, a native of De Witt county, Illinois, and daughter of Robert Knight. By this marriage there are four children, three sons and one daughter. Their names in the order of their birth are, Latt R., Blanche, Dwight and Lyle Herrick. Captain Herrick's practice is confined to the general business of law in which he has been reasonably successful. ------------------------------------------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contri- butor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ----------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Earliene Kaelin