Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Kirman, John 
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Author: Past & Present, 1907

JOHN KIRMAN. The rich agricultural resources of Illinois have afforded to John 
Kirman the opportunities which he sought in the new world, for, coming from 
England, his native land, when a youth of eighteen years he has worked his way 
steadily upward from a poor boy to a position which ranks him among the 
leading agriculturists of Will county, owning a line farm of three hundred 
acres in Lockport township. Mr. Kirman was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 
1855, and was there educated. In 1873 he emigrated for the new world, taking 
passage on the steamer, Calabria, which was bound for New York. He was 
accompanied on the voyage by his parents, Thomas and Jane (Towsen) Kirman, who 
were likewise natives of England, the former born in 1830, while the latter 
was born in 1824. The father followed farming throughout the period of his 
residence in the new world. He was a republican in politics, and both he and 
his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in DuPage 
township in 1904, while his widow still survives, and their daughter, Mrs. 
Lynn, is now living upon the old homestead in DuPage township. Upon his 
arrival in New York, John Kirman immediately made his way to Joliet, Illinois, 
and after stopping there for a brief period, made his way to Wheatland 
township, near Plainfield, where lived an uncle, William Day, by whom he was 
employed at farm labor during the succeeding year. He afterward worked in 
Wheatland and DuPage townships, being employed for one year at twenty dollars 
per month. His father having rented land in Will county, the son then returned 
home and assisted in the operation of the home farm for a time, after which he 
started out upon an independent business career by renting a farm known as the 
old Colt place. That he has prospered in his venture is indicated by the fact 
that he today owns a valuable farm of three hundred acres, situated in 
Lockport township, the property being improved with good buildings and a nice 
home, which is supplied with all modern conveniences and accessories. He is 
carrying on general farming, following the most practical and progressive 
methods in the cultivation of his fields, so that he is meeting with very 
gratifying success. In addition to his home farm he likewise owns a section of 
land in Montana. Mr. Kirman conducts a dairy and now milks thirty-five cows, 
having for the past two years sold milk in Joliet. In 1887 occurred the 
marriage of Mr. Kirman and Miss Lillie Coby, a daughter of Chris Coby, now 
deceased, but who was a farmer of Lemont township, Cook county. Mrs. Kirman is 
a native of New York, born in 1861, and by her marriage has become the mother 
of nine children, Arthur, Martha, John, Zela, Frank, William, Thomas, Albert 
and Gertrude. Mr. Kirman holds membership with the Methodist Episcopal church, 
and his fraternal relations are with the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Kirman 
may truly be termed a self-made man for started out in life in a strange 
country without capital, but through his industry and economy has steadily 
advanced as the years have gone by until he is numbered among the leading and 
influential citizens of Will county. He and his family are well known and 
highly respected people, having a wide circle of warm friends. 

Additional Comments:
Past and Present of Will County, Illinois, by W. W. Stevens, President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907.

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