Brief history of John Neathery

Brief history of John Neathery

The following is taken from Illinois-Bateman Bond Co., McCaslin, Ref 977, pages 751-52. (Typed from a faded and hard-to-read photo copy.)

NEATHERY, John.

Among the honored old families of Illinois, which has been identified with several sections and particularly with Bond County, is that of Neathery, and a widely known and highly esteemed representative of the same is found in John Neathery, proprietor of Michigan Farm, situated in Mulberry Grove Township. He was born in this township, November 6, 1841, and is a son of George W. and Therzia (Browning) Neathery. The Neatherys are of Scotch-Irish ancestry. As far as known the first of the name came to America about 1780 and located in the United States south of the Mason and Dixon line, perhaps in Kentucky and possibly in Tennessee, as the grandmother of John Neathery belonged to the Elmore family of that state. . . .

George W. Neathery came to Bond County in 1830 and settled with his parents on Section 35, in what is now Mulberry Grove Township. . . .When five of his children, all who reached maturity, went into homes of their own, he was very generous, giving to three of them eighty acres each, and to two, ninety acres each as a start. . . .

John Neathery passed his boyhood on his father's farm and obtained a district school education and owns the old schoolhouse where he learned his first lessons. In his boyhood it had a puncheon floor, a huge fireplace, and a plank supported on pins along the wall served as a desk. Lessons were just as hard to learn then as now, but by the time he was ready to leave school he had conquered the Rule of Three, and, well grounded in the fundamentals of knowledge, was equipped sufficiently for a second grade certificate for teaching. In place of teaching school, however, Mr. Neathery decided to settle on a farm and then marry, which plan he carried out.

On April 14, 1865, Mr. Neathery was united in marriage with Miss Susan Samantha Merriman, who was sometimes spoken of as the gem of Fayette County, where she was born, January 22, 1848, a daughter of Bryant and Nancy (Elam) Merriman, natives of Tennessee, who came to Fayette County, Ill., in 1832. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Neathery went to housekeeping on land that he rented from his father, on Section 35, in the spring of 1864 moving to Section to 26, and in March, 1865, came to what is now known as Michigan Farm, so called, perhaps, because it is bounteously productive of fruit. At that time, however, the land was all wild prairie, occasionally crossed by water courses. When his father handed him the deed for this eighty acres, he asked only that the son should "make good." This he certainly has done, and to the original tract he has added until he now owns 340 acres, all under a fine state of cultivation. As he enjoys life under his own vine and fig tree, as it were, he can remember the days long ago when each young tree of his famous orchards was set out, together with the beautiful ornamental trees and shrubbery which so adorn his grounds. On Michigan Far he has 800 bearing fruit trees, including choice apple, peach, pear and plum.

For forty-nine years Mr. and Mrs. Neathery were permitted to remain together, but on September 13, 1912, the beloved wife passed away, after several years of illness, during which period she had exhibited Christian fortitude. . . .

Mr. Neathery has been interested his entire life in everything that has promised to be beneficial to his neighborhood. He united with the Baptist Church in 1869 and in 1871 was elected a deacon. In politics he is a Democrat and served three years as highway commissioner, nine years as school director and for thirty years has been active in educational matters. By the late Governor Altgeld he was appointed and still serves as a notary public.