Biography of John WARNER, DeWitt County, Illinois Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Copyright 1999 Earliene Kaelin Source: People from the Histories 1882 History JOHN WARNER In every community there are examples of what maybe accomplished in life by mapping out a thorough business course and living to its requirements. Men who reduce every thing to system depending not upon luck, but upon energy and application to business which insure success. To this class belongs tbe subject of this sketch. John Warner was born in the valley of Virginia Rockingham county on the 24th day of July, 1819. His parents were David and Catharine nee Ketner) Warner. They were of German extraction. His father was a farmer, and here in the beautiful valley were the first sixteen years of John's life spent. 1835 his father having sold the old homestead started for the West leaving the place of his birth and boyish fancies, on the 3day of September, their effects stowed in two wagons, they wended their way across the Alleghenies, and passed through Columbus, Ohio, on the 28th of the month, where they encountered a violent snow storm, and reached Wayne County, Indiana late in October, where they wintered. Here they found everything high price; the poorest kind of wheat was $2.00 per bushel, and frost-bitten corn 75c. In March following they moved to Henry county where his father had purchased a farm. One year here, satisfied John with log rolling and plowing among the stumps the beech woods, and as he had acquired a fair education the common schools of his native state, he left the parental roof to teach, which he did in the rude cabins that at the time abounded in Indiana, receiving for his service $25 per month. At the same time he commenced the study of medicine under the guidance of Doctors Wyman and Carmine of Anderson, Madison county with whom he remained until 1840. On the 30th October, he was married to Miss Cynthia A. Gardiner, of Henry county, and on the 2nd of June following started west-ward with about one hundred dollars in money, two ponies and a very poor carriage, with no particular point in view, simply drifting with the tide, he found himself in the old town of Mt. Pleasant, (now Farmer City), about the 20th of the month. At the time there were five dwelling-houses and one hotel in the place. The hotel kept by John Smith furnished him shelter until he could procure a house, which he soon after did, a cabin 12 xl2, all told. Here he practiced medicine for two years, when he moved to Clinton, where he has since resided. When wars alarms aroused our country to the danger of dismemberment the doctor promptly enlisted, engaged to raise a company and was made major of the 41st Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was at the surrender of Fort Henry, in the battle of Fort Donelson, of Shiloh, of Davis Bridge on the Hatchie river, at the evacuation of Corinth. At Shiloh he contracted that dread scourge of army life, the diarrhoea, by eating part of an old goose captured and cooked by his servant. The goose had by some means escaped being devoured by the Johnnies, a fate the doctor yet wishes, it had met, as from the effects of its eating he was compelled to resign his position, and from which he has scarce recovered. For twelve years the doctor followed his profession in this country, a profession he disliked and which he exchanged for more congenial pursuits at the earliest opportunity. From 1848 to 1852 he was clerk of the circuit court, and in 1864-66, was a member of the 24th General Assembly, Illinois. His wife died February 15th, 1865. He was married to Isabella Robinson of Huron county, Ohio, May 28th, 1874. In 1867 he commenced banking operations, in which he has since most sucessfully continued. He is methodical in all things, temperate, industrious, and of that strict integrity which never wrongs a man. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 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