Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Darby, Silas C 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 5:44 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

Darby, Silas C. – Located in Vienna Township, is the valuable farm belonging 
to Silas C. Darby, a property containing 135 acres, devoted to general 
operations, productive orchards and the breeding of blooding cattle.  One of 
his locality’s most substantial citizens, Mr. Darby has been the architect of 
his own fortunes, for whatever he has accomplished in life has come as a 
result of his own untiring efforts.  He is a native of Worcestershire, 
England, and was born March 28, 1857, in the village of Illey, parish of 
Halesowen, a son of Thomas and Ann (Hadley) (Coley) Darby.  The family came to 
the United States in 1871, locating first at Marseilles, Ill., where the elder 
Darby commenced farming, a vocation which he followed him to the grave in 
1906.  Silas C. Darby received his education in the schools of his native 
land, and was fourteen years of age when he accompanied his father and mother 
to this country.  An industrious, enterprising and ambitious youth, when still 
under his majority he began to care for his parents, and continued to reside 
with them until he bought his present property in 1884.  This land at that 
time could boast of no improvements, but Mr. Darby at once began to remedy 
this fault, and today the property is one of the finest and best improved in 
Grundy County.  All of the buildings have been erected by him, modern 
machinery has been installed, and with infinite patience and care he has 
succeeded in growing an orchard that is the pride of the residents of this 
section.  His life has been indeed an active and useful one, for he has not 
alone gained personal advancement, but through his work has succeeded in 
assisting materially in the development of his community.  He is engaged in 
raising Belgian and Percheron horses, and at this time is the owner of a 
valuable Belgian stallion.  He is known as an excellent business man, but has 
never taken an unfair advantage nor used another’s misfortune as the means of 
making a personal gain.  Mr. Darby owned a threshing outfit and operated it 
for thirty-six years, but September 15, 1912, the engine exploded, and 
although fortunately no one was seriously injured, the machinery was 
destroyed, and considerable inconvenience was experienced for several months 
by Mr. Darby as he was knocked unconscious by the force of the concussion.

In political matters a Republican, Mr. Darby has been honored by his fellow-
citizens with election to public office, having served as a School Director 
for nine years and as Road Commissioner for three years.  His fraternal 
connections are with the Seneca lodges of the Knights of Pythias and the 
Modern Woodmen of America.

pages 801-802

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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