Effingham County IL Archives Biographies.....Cronk, William V. 1832 - 
************************************************
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:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2011, 11:16 pm

Source: See below
Author: Lake City Publishing Co.

WILLIAM V. CRONK, who is engaged in farming on section 10, Watson Township,
Effingham County, has the honor of being a native of Illinois. He was born in
Shelby County, January 5, 1832, and is a son of Harmon and Elizabeth (Loy)
Cronk. His father was a native of the Empire State and was of German descent.
The family numbered seven children, as follows: Mary, who is now deceased;
William, of this sketch; American, who follows farming in Watson Township;
James, a resident of Effingham; Washington, now a resident of Clinton County;
Rachel, who is now deceased; and one child who died in infancy.

  The father of this family followed farming throughout his entire life. He
removed from the Empire State to Illinois, making the journey by team, and
located in Shelby County. In 1832 he removed to Effingham County, locating near
Ewington. He purchased timber and bottom land from the Government, and clearing
those tracts developed a farm, on which he resided until about 1837. He then
became a resident of Watson Township and purchased one hundred acres of
Government land on section 10. There he erected a log cabin, which is still
standing, one of the few landmarks that yet remain to show the progress that has
since been made. Upon the farm which he there improved, Mr. Cronk resided until
his death, which occurred September 19, 1872. His remains were interred in the
Loy Cemetery. He was quite a prominent and influential citizen and in an early
day served his township as Assessor for two terms. Both he and his wife were
members of the Methodist Church. She, too, has passed away, dying October 14,
1877, and lies buried in Loy Cemetery.

  The subject of this sketch was only six months • old when his parents came to
Effingham County, and was a lad of about five summers when his father removed to
Watson Township. At the age of nine he drove a yoke of oxen for his father to
haul rails all around twenty acres of land. His educational privileges were
quite limited. He, however, attended the subscription schools for a-short time.
Under the parental roof he remained until he had attained his majority and then
started out in life for himself. The first work he did was to cut ties and he
walked to and from his work, a distance of two miles. In this way he made $50.
He then went to Vandalia and purchased a soldier's warrant for forty acres of
land on section 14, Watson Township, a tract of prairie. After spending about a
year on that farm, he went to Effingham and engaged in clerking in a store for a
short time. Later he returned to his father's farm, where he remained until
1872. In that year he purchased forty acres of partially improved land on
section 10, where he has since resided. The boundaries of his farm, however, he
has since extended, until it now comprises one hundred and twenty-eight acres,
under a high state of cultivation and well improved.

  Mr. Cronk was married December 29, 1862, to Miss Lizzie Wiley, daughter of
James and Sarah (Foultz) Wiley. She was born in December, 1849, in Alabama. By
their union our subject and his wife have a family of seven children, namely:
Ulysses, born July 31, 1868; Sidney, August 4, 1871; Viola, August 24, 1875;
Sarah E., June 27, 1879; William R., July 5, 1882; Ida, August 27, 1886; and
Martha, August 26, 1889.

  In his political affiliations, Mr. Cronk is a Republican and has held the
office of Township Collector for two terms. He has also served as School
Trustee, and takes an active interest in all that pertains to the welfare and
upbuilding of the community. He and his wife hold membership with the Methodist
Episcopal Church and do much for its advancement and progress. Mr. Cronk is
recognized as a public-spirited and progressive citizen and a man of sterling
worth. His property represents his industry, good management and economy and is
as a monument to his labors.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties
Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co.
1893

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/effingham/bios/cronk1657gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/

File size: 4.6 Kb