Union County IL Archives Biographies.....VANCIL, Y.J. September 22, 1817 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarch.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarch.org/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Tim Casey timcasey5@gmail.com and Andy Anderson oxdrover@mindspring.com June 9, 2008, 5:27 am Author: History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties Illinois Pages 149-150 Y. J. VANCIL, farmer, P. O. Cobden, was born in this county October 22, 1817, of Adam and Catherine (Penrod) Vancil. Adam Vancil was born in Virginia March 6, 1790, and was a son of John Vancil. They were of German origin. He died March, 1831, killed by a tree falling on him. Catharine Penrod was born April 19, 1794; died November 13, 1853. The two families had settled in Kentucky at an early date, and in 1805 Adam Vancil and his brother Jonas came to Union County, Ill. Adam afterward returned to Kentucky and was married there, then again came to Union County in 1811 or before, as they were here at that date. He was principally engaged in hunting, and so moved where game was most plentiful. In 1821 he killed two bears at Stone Fort, Jackson County. Being of this wandering disposition, he did not remain in one place long enough to improve more than a few acres, and, in fact, that was about all that was necessary, for they had no markets for the products of the soil. They were the parents of six children, all but the youngest living to advanced ages. Our subject and one sister now reside in this county. Our subject's opportunities for an education were necessarily very limited, but he has continued the improvement of his faculties since, by reading and thinking. His occupation has ever been that of farming, since working for himself. At the time of his father's death they were living near Carbondale, but in the fall of 1831 moved to this county, and he has lived on his present homestead since. He has twice been married. First, March 23, 1839, to Elizabeth Hazlitt. She was born in Ohio July 24, 1811; died April 3, 1847. Two children blessed this union, viz.: Adam and Matilda. Matilda died when small; Adam is now engaged in farming. The second marriage occurred December 10, 1848, to Mrs. Prudence Elizabeth Whitacre, born February 21, 1818, in Switzerland County, Ind., daughter of John T. and Deborah Deming. John Deming was born in Massachusetts March 9, 1787; his wife in what is now Ohio on January 10, 1796, and is said to be the second white person born in the State of Ohio. They moved to Illinois in 1818, and died in this county. Mrs. Vancil has been married three times. She had one son by her first husband - Charles Vandiver; by her second husband, one daughter - Deborah Whitacre. By the present marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Vancil have three children, viz.: Mary, Algernon R. and Albert D. Mr. Vancil's farm consists of 280 acres, 120 in cultivation. Grain raising receives most of his attention. In politics he is a Democrat. Additional Comments: Andy Anderson submitted the Biographies for Cobden Township. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/union/bios/vancil55bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ilfiles/ File size: 3.3 Kb