William Henry Dews, widely and prominently known
throughout this district in connection with his agricultural and financial
interests, is one of Macoupin county’s native sons, his birth occurring in
Western Mound township, March 20, 1852, his parents being John and Sylvia
(Morris) Dews. The paternal grandparents, Thomas and Mary Dews, were natives
of Yorkshire, England, where the family had been established many
generations ago, coming to that country originally from France. There Thomas
Dews engaged in agricultural pursuits and there his son, John Dews, the
father of our subject, was born, in the village of Helaugh, on the 15th of
September, 1806. In 1829 he crossed the Atlantic to America, but returned to
his native country for a short visit soon afterward. Upon again coming to
this country in 1831 he located first at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained
three years, after which he came to Macoupin county, in 1834, and located
upon government land in Western Mound township. He was a farmer by
occupation and continued to engage in that line of activity throughout his
active career. That he was successful in his undertaking is indicated by the
fact that at the time of his death he was the owner of fifteen hundred acres
of land and was numbered among the extensive land owners and successful
business men of this locality. He had three brothers who also sought a home
in this country, namely: William, a farmer, who passed away in Cincinnati,
Ohio; Robert, who also engaged in agricultural pursuits in Macoupin county
and died about 1853, during the cholera epidemic; and George, a Methodist
minister, who passed away in Greene county, Illinois. John Dews married
Sylvia Morris, who was born on the 8th of June, 1819, near Thornmore Inn,
Lincolnshire, England, a daughter of John and Ann (Sexty) Morris. Her
father, a son of John and Mary Morris, was born in England on the 17th of
June, 1792, and in his native country was married, on the 1st of May, 1815,
to Ann Sexty, who was born May 4, 1794, a daughter of Richard and Rebecca
Sexty, natives of the parish of Thorn, Yorkshire, England. John Morris came
with his family to America in 1830, and here established his home in
Chesterfield township, Macoupin county, Illinois, where he took up
government land. In his family were eleven children, namely: Hiram Sexty,
born April 15, 1816, a sailor who was lost at sea; Eric, born September 13,
1817; Sylvia, the mother of our subject; Felix, born February 25, 1821; Ann,
born September 8, 1823; Mary, born May 6, 1825; Elizabeth, born January 18,
1827; Robert, who died in infancy; Rebecca, who also passed away in infancy;
John, born January 25, 1832; and Adelaide, born June 1, 1834. Unto John and
Sylvia (Morris) Dews were born nine children, of whom three died in infancy,
the others being: Eliza, the deceased wife of Charles Towse, of
Chesterfield; Mary Francis, the widow of Bethel Towse, residing in Sterling,
Kansas; Elizabeth Ann, who married John Dams, of Chesterfield; Hannah, the
wife of Benson Weisner, of Greene county, Illinois; William Henry, of this
review; and Abiah S., who married James W. Hall, of Chesterfield, mentioned
elsewhere in this history.
William Henry Dews, whose name introduces
this sketch, was educated in the public schools of this county and during
the period of his boyhood and youth, when not busy with his text-books, he
assisted his father in the work of the home farm, thus gaining comprehensive
experience and thorough knowledge concerning the best methods of carrying on
agriculture. In 1894 he became identified with general merchandising in
Chesterfield, Illinois, and was therewith connected until 1900, when he sold
his stock and withdrew from mercantile interests. In that year he organized
the Bank of Chesterfield, of which he became president, and he has since
remained the executive head of that institution, which is one of the well
known and popular moneyed concerns in the county. Throughout this entire
period, however, he maintained a deep interest in agricultural pursuits and
now divides his attention between his financial and farming enterprises.
From time to time he has added to his holdings until today he is the owner
of eleven hundred acres of farm land, all in one body, equipped with fine
buildings and constituting one of the best improved and valuable properties
of Macoupin county. At one time he also had heavy live-stock interests,
being one of the first to introduce fine blooded Hereford cattle into this
section, and was recognized throughout this district as a breeder of high
grade stock. In the management of both branches of his affairs he manifested
much executive ability, keen sagacity and clear judgment, and is rightly
classed among the most prosperous and successful residents of his part of
the state.
Mr. Dews was married, on the 18th of August, 1892, to
Miss Hattie Belle Kidd, of Virden, Macoupin county, a daughter of Simon
James and Martha E. (Evans) Kidd. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Dews
were Benjamin and Hannah (Reese) Kidd, natives of Virginia, who came to
Macoupin county early in the year 1830, and here the mother passed away when
her son Simon was eight years of age. The father, a farmer by occupation,
died in 1878, in southern Illinois. In their family were ten children, of
whom three passed away in early childhood, Simon James Kidd being the ninth
in order of birth. The others were as follows: Mary Ann, the deceased wife
of Jackson Barr, of Kansas; John W., of Litchfield, Illinois; Isaac R.,
deceased; Sarah, the deceased wife of James W. Henderson, of Barrs Store,
Illinois; Thomas, who died in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1880; and Lizzie, who
has also passed away. Simon James Kidd, who was born on the 10th of March,
1848, had an interesting military record, enlisting for service in the Civil
war when only fifteen years of age. He became a private of the Fourteenth
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, joining his regiment at Vicksburg, and from the
very first saw much active service. He participated in all of the important
engagements of his command and was with Sherman during the latter’s Atlanta
campaign. He was captured while on detached duty, and held at the prison at
Andersonville for a period of six months, or until the close of the war.
Throughout the entire period of his service he was loyal to the cause for
which the Union was struggling, whether stationed on the lonely picket line
or in the midst of the fight, and never, throughout his service, did his
courage wane nor his loyalty falter. He was married, on the 27th of
December, 1868, to Martha E. Evans, a daughter of William and Louisiana
(Noble) Evans, who were the parents of six children, namely: Belle, the wife
of Clifford Roland, of Farmersville, Illinois; Martha E., the wife of Mr.
Kidd; Catharine, the widow of Joseph Beard, of St. Elmo, Illinois; Albert
Evans, of Paumee, Illinois; Benjamin Evans, residing at Virden, and Hattie,
who married C. L. Davidson, of Virden. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Simon James Kidd
were born six children, as follows: Hattie Belle, the deceased wife of
William Henry Dews, of this review; William and Albert, both of Portland,
Oregon; Mary, residing in Chesterfield; Richard, also of Portland; and James
E., of Virden. Unto William Henry Dews and Hattie Belle Kidd were born three
children: John Dale, born December 7, 1894; Olive, who passed away in
infancy; and William Simon, whose birth occurred on the 23d of February,
1901. March 3, 1901, Mrs. Dews passed away at Chesterfield.
Mr. Dews
is well known to the fraternal circles of this community as a member of the
Odd Fellows lodge and the Knights of Pythias, while his religious faith is
that of the Episcopal church, of whom he is now serving as vestryman. He
gives stalwart allegiance to the republican party and for some time served
as justice of peace. His fellow citizens manifested their appreciation of
his ability and worth by electing him to the office of mayor of
Chesterfield, and while incumbent in that office he instituted many needed
reforms and improvements, chief among the latter being the laying of cement
walks throughout the village. His efforts have ever been closely allied with
those of the community in which he resides and his efforts have been
effective forces in promoting progress and advancing the general welfare in
this portion of the county. The family occupies a foremost position in the
social circles of Chesterfield, and Mr. Dews is popular with a large circle
of friends which is almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintance.
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 12-15.
Macoupin County ILGenWeb Copyright
Design by
Templates in Time
This page was last updated
07/01/2022