Macoupin County
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Biography - W. C. ALDERSON

W. C. Alderson, who has lived retired at Virden since 1892, devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits throughout his active business career and won a gratifying measure of success in his undertakings. His birth occurred in Morgan county, Illinois, on the 12th of February, 1834, his parents being Robert and Elizabeth (Clack) Alderson, who are mentioned at greater length on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of J. D. Alderson, a brother of our subject.

W. C. Alderson remained at home with his father until twenty-four years of age and then purchased one hundred acres of land in North Otter township. As his financial resources increased, owing to his capable management and untiring industry, he augmented his holdings by additional purchase until they embraced thirteen hundred and sixty acres of land, one hundred and sixty acres thereof lying in Sangamon county. He has made a will deeding all this property to his family. Throughout his entire business career he devoted his time and energies to the pursuits of farming and stock-raising, both branches of his business returning to him a gratifying annual income. In 1892 he put aside the active work of the fields and took up his abode in Virden, where he is now spending the evening of life in well earned ease, there owning an attractive and substantial residence.

On the 25th of March, 1858, Mr. Alderson was united in marriage to Miss Lucretia A. Rafferty, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Wriston) Rafferty. Their children were ten in number, namely: William H., who is a resident of Greene county, Illinois; Lurindy, the deceased wife of James Fair, of Greene county, this state; Amanda, the deceased wife of Albert Courtney, of San Francisco, California; Mrs. Alderson; Messina E., who- is the wife of Warner J. Alderson and resides near Joplin, Missouri; Sarah E., the wife of Mathew Cunningham, of Carrollton, Illinois; Mary M., the deceased wife of Francis Walton, of Greene county; Emma, the deceased wife of E. B. Short, of Oxnard, California; Nancy M., who is the wife of James Hill and resides in Greene county; and Thomas J., who has passed away. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Alderson were born ten children, as follows: One who died in infancy; John H., an extensive landowner residing near Houston, Texas; Warner J., also living in Texas; another who died in infancy; William E., residing at Virden, Illinois; Etta, the deceased wife of William R. Riffey, of Macoupin county; Mary E., who is the wife of Charles Brennan and makes her home in Virden; Ella M., the wife of H. H. Chaffin, of Virden; Francis B., who is a resident of Macoupin county; and Iva M., the wife of John G. Clemons, of Jacksonville, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Alderson have twelve grandchildren, all girls but one.

Mr. Alderson gives his political allegiance to the democracy and has held the office of school director. In religious faith he is a Methodist. He has now passed the seventy-seventh milestone on this earthly pilgrimage and has so lived that he can look back upon the past without regret and forward to the future without fear.


Extracted 18 May 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 24-29.


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This page was last updated 07/01/2022