Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Peacock, Leander A ************************************************ 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: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 5:16 pm Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900 Leander A. Peacock Born on the 17th of June, 1851, in Grundy county, educated in the public schools of Morris, and a life-long resident of this county, Leander A. Peacock is justly entitled to a place among her pioneers and representative citizens, and we take pleasure in presenting to his numerous friends and acquaintances the following sketch of himself and family. The father of our subject, Alexander R. Peacock, a native of England, came to America when young, and, after passing some years in Canada, occupied in agriculture, he removed to Grundy county, Illinois, in 1837, the entire journey being made by teams. Here he continued to till the soil, as formerly, and had improved a good homestead when death cut short his labors, January 15, 1855. His wife, whom he had married in Canada, was Mary Stuart in her girlhood, a daughter of David and Margary (Fife) Stuart. She survived him many years, her death taking place at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Yoeman, of Huntley, Iowa, on the 13th of April, 1899. Leander A. Peacock is one of eleven children, the others being named as follows: William, born in Canada in 1836, was a farmer of Iroquois county, Illinois, until his death, in 1890, when he left a widow, formerly Mary Yoeman, a native of New York, and two children – Philip and Cora; Margary, born December 6, 1843, married John M. Yoeman, a dealer in real estate in Huntley, Iowa, and their children are named respectively Elmer, Birtren, James, Levern and George (deceased); David, born March 18, 1842, became a farmer in Grundy county, served three years in the war of the rebellion in the Ninety-first Volunteer Infantry, returned home in July, 1865, in poor health, and died in 1869, unmarried; Edward, born in 1845, in this county, and now a farmer of Vesta, Nebraska, married Mary Truelock, of Knox county, Illinois, and in 1877 she died, leaving two children, - Frank and Mary; Margaret, born in this county, July 4, 1847, became the wife of Thomas J. Truelock, now a retired farmer of Primghar, Iowa; Andrew, a native of this county, born June 17, 1851, and twin brother of our subject, married Mary, daughter of Charles Nobel, a farmer, and the only child of this worthy couple, Nellie, died at Morris, July 5, 1890; James, born December 27, 1852, is unmarried, and is engaged in farming at St. Francis, Kansas; Mary R., born December 26, 1854, died September 15, 1889, in Nettle Creek township, the wife of Isaac Hoge, a prosperous farmer of that locality (see his sketch), and the mother of six children: John, born in this county, August 7, 1838, died in infancy, and Elizabeth, born January 25, 1850, also died in infancy. When he attained mature years, Leander A. Peacock concluded to follow his father’s calling, in which he had been trained judiciously from boyhood, - that of farming, - and he has certainly met with success in his chosen occupation. His home for several years has been on section 5, town 33, range 7, Erianna township, where he settled soon after his marriage. Here he owns one hundred and sixty acres of well-improved land, constituting one of the most valuable farms in the township. He has held various local offices, such as that of commissioner of highways and supervisor, and at present is serving his townsmen as treasurer, school director and justice of the peace. His ability on broad knowledge of men and affairs render him a very suitable person on whom to call when matters of moment are at stake, and he has ever manifested great devotion to the interests of the public. On the 1st of November, 1876, Mr. Peacock married Emma, daughter of George Towsley, a prosperous farmer of Canada. She has one brother and one sister. The brother, George E., is a successful farmer of Nettle Creek township. His wife Mary Hoge, a daughter of Hendley and a niece of James B. Hoge, of Saratoga township. Mr. and Mrs. Towsley had five children, of whom Lena, George and Gertrude are living. The sister of Mrs. Peacock is Mrs. Sarah Briggs. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Peacock, and the family circle is still unbroken by death. Iva, born August 11, 1877, and unmarried, resides in Nettle Creek township, where her nativity occurred; Alfred, born September 25, 1878, and unmarried, is a successful farmer. The younger children are all at home, and those of the number who can be of assistance on the farm or in the household aid their parents and attend school. They are named as follows: Ada, born January 7, 1880; Lila, August 18, 1881; Adelbert, March 23, 1883; Chester, October 24, 1885; Irvin, September 26, 1887; Ray, April 3, 1889; Charles, September 28, 1891; Clifford, February 2, 1893; and Gladys, September 23, 1894. The four younger children were born in Erianna township, while the others are native of Nettle Creek township. Additional Comments: Source: Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p467-469 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/peacock630nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb