An enterprising agriculturist of Chesterfield township and
public-spirited citizen is Cornelius B. Christopher, who was born three
miles northeast of Jerseyville, Jersey county, Illinois, on the 4th of
January, 1861. The Christophers were one of the pioneer families of
Pennsylvania, from which state the great-great-grandfather of our
subject went to the front during the Revolution, later casting his
ballot for George Washington for president of the United States. His son
John was born in the Keystone state in 1802, and was reared to manhood
on the old homestead. For his wife he chose Jane Hollenscheid, who was
of Dutch extraction, and they subsequently removed to Somerset county,
Ohio. There Mr. Christopher acquired a large tract of timber land, which
he cleared, but later removed to Jersey county, Illinois, where he
rented land for two years, then bought one hundred and sixty acres.
Disposing of this in 1874 he retired to a small farm in the vicinity of
Jerseyville, where he died in 1881. Nine children were born by this
union: Jacob, now a resident of Mitchell, Kansas; Mary, the widow of
Isaac R. Ely, of Jerseyville; John, the father of our subject, who
passed away on the 28th of August, 1892; Catherine, the deceased wife of
Richard Fisher, of Greenfield; James, who is living in Waverly,
Illinois; Helen, the widow of William Anderson, of Denver, Colorado;
Sarah, who married Henry White of Jerseyville; Adam, who is a resident
of the same place; and Edward, who lives in Butler, Kansas.
John
Christopher, the father of our subject, resided at home until his
marriage to Miss Mary Elizabeth Baird, a daughter of James and Rebecca
(Ely) Baird of Jerseyville. Her parents moved from New Jersey about
1846, locating at Jerseyville, this state, where the father bought some
land that he cultivated until his death in 1849. After their marriage
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher settled on a farm he owned in the vicinity of
Jerseyville. Cultivating this land for four years he disposed of it and
in 1862 the family removed to Sangamon county, near Virden, where he
bought three hundred and twenty acres. They resided upon this tract
until 1870 and then sold again and returned to Jerseyville, remaining
there engaging in agricultural pursuits until 1876. In the latter year
they came to Macoupin county, locating near Medora, where he farmed
until 1886, and then removed to Carleton, Nebraska. There he passed away
on the 28th of August, 1892, having but recently celebrated the sixtieth
anniversary of his birth, which occurred on the 9th of August, 1832, in
Preble county, Ohio. His wife died October 7, 1908. In their family were
five children: James B., who is a farmer of Carleton, Nebraska;
Cornelius B., our subject; John Henry, who is an engineer living at Des
Moines, Iowa; Adam, who died in infancy; and Walter E., a lawyer of
Thompson, Montana, who is also a state senator from his district.
Cornelius B. Christopher was reared on a farm and obtained his
education in the common schools of Illinois. He qualified himself for
agricultural pursuits under the supervision of his father, whom he
assisted in the cultivation of the home farm until he was twenty-two
years of age. After his marriage he began for himself, farming part of
the old Carter homestead as a renter. This place was located in
Chesterfield township, north of Medora, where he resided for three
years, then removed to Brighton, Illinois, where he also farmed as a
renter. In 1901 he purchased forty acres of the Arthur C. Hartwell place
on section 17, Chesterfield township, and here he has ever since
continuously resided. In connection with his own holdings Mr.
Christopher cultivates two hundred acres of rented land. He is a man of
progressive ideas and methods and has met with a goodly measure of
success in his agricultural pursuits. He takes much pride in his
homestead, which presents an extremely attractive appearance to the
passerby. The buildings, all substantially constructed and well kept,
stand back a short distance from the road with a neat and carefully
tended lawn in front.
On the 5th of December, 1882, Mr.
Christopher was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Percival, a daughter
of Carl and Mary Frances (Emery) Percival. Her parents were from New
Hampshire, whence they removed in 1856 to Macoupin county, locating in
the vicinity of Brighton, where he passed away March 16, 1894. To Mr.
and Mrs. Christopher two sons have been born: Earl Carl, who married
Merle Ruyle, now farming near Carleton, Nebraska; and Irvin Lester, who
married Verna Rhine and is now living at home with his father.
His political allegiance Mr. Christopher gives to the republican party,
but he has never prominently figured in township governmental affairs.
He takes a very active and helpful interest in all community matters,
striving to uplift the standards of citizenship by giving his support
and endorsement to every progressive movement inaugurated.
Extracted 17 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 576-578.
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