Biography - WILLIAM T. CLOWER

Among the substantial farmers of Macoupin county who are performing their share in the development of the agricultural resources of this section may be named William T. Clower. He was born near Springfield, Sangamon county, Illinois, December 25, 1857, a son Lucien C. M. and Anne (Tompkins) Clower, the former of whom was born in New Jersey about 1830. The Clower family settled in New Jersey in Colonial times and William Clower, the grandfather of our subject, was born in that state about 1800, being a member of a family of thirteen children. He grew to manhood in his native state and about 1845 started west with his family, stopping for three years on the Miami river settlement in Ohio. Resuming his journey, in 1848, he arrived in Illinois and spent a year in Jersey county, near Jerseyville. He then removed to Christian county and entered government land near the site of the present town of Zenobia. He became one of the large landowners of the county and passed the remainder of his life upon the home place. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clower, namely: Abraham, of Morrisonville, Illinois, who is now deceased; Lucien C. M., the father of our subject; Anne, who is the widow of David Compton, of Morrisonville; Thomas, who made his home in Morrisonville and is now deceased; Leah, the wife of Neal Christopher, of Auburn; John, a resident of Chanute, Kansas; and Rachel, who married Charles H. Hill, of Morrisonville, and is now deceased. Thomas and John were both soldiers in the Union army at the time of the Civil war. The former participated in the Atlanta campaign and the latter was for four years in the army. He was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga but resumed his place in the ranks after recovery and continued with his regiment until the close of the Rebellion.

Lucien C. M. Clower received a preliminary education in the district schools of Christian county and continued under the parental roof until after reaching maturity. He began farming on his own account in Sangamon county but about i860 sold his place and purchased eighty acres on section 33, Shipman township, Macoupin county, later acquiring more land on sections 27 and 34. He became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres in this county and forty acres in Christian county. He was well acquainted with Abraham Lincoln for whom he had a profound regard and employed Mr. Lincoln as his attorney. He married Miss Anne Tompkins, a daughter of William Tompkins, a native of New Jersey and one of the early settlers of Jersey county, Illinois. To this union seven children were born: George, a resident of Piasa, Illinois; William T., the subject of this review; Eva, the wife of C. Hill, of Morrisonville; John, who resides at Bunker Hill, Illinois; Anna, who married Frank Keas, of Chanute, Kansas; Edward F., of Fairmont, Nebraska; and Edna, who is the wife of G. G. Green, of Shipman, Illinois.

William T. Clower possessed advantages of education in the public schools and as he grew to manhood assisted in the various operations upon the home farm, continuing there until twenty-eight years of age. He then went to' Hugoton, Stevens county, Kansas, and proved up on a tree and homestead claim. He returned to' Illinois about 1890 and purchased one hundred and sixty acres on section 27 of Shipman township, on which he has since made his home. He also owns fourteen acres of woodland near Shipman and still retains three hundred and twenty acres in Kansas. He has greatly improved his home farm and he and his family occupy a comfortable residence which is surrounded by one of the most attractive groves in this part of the county.

Mr. Clower married Miss Ella Deahl, a daughter of Adam Deahl, record of whom is presented elsewhere in this work in the sketch of Henry C. Deahl. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Clower, one of whom died in infancy. The others are: William, who is thirteen years of age; Gladys, aged seven years; and Annetta, who is three years of age. Mr. Clower was early made acquainted with labor and ever since his boyhood has been an active and efficient worker. As he uses good judgment in whatever he undertakes his efforts have yielded gratifying returns and he is now blessed with a competency. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order and politically he adheres to the republican party. An earnest believer in education, he has served faithfully for thirty years as school director. He takes a deep interest in the welfare of the community and is now filling the office of president of the Mutual Telephone Company, a farmers organization, which is one of the most useful and popular enterprises the region has known. It is entirely within the bounds of truth to say that no man in the township stands higher in the estimation of the people than the one whose name introduces this review.

Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 693-695.