Biography - JAMES FAITH

James Faith, M. D., one of the prominent and much appreciated physicians of Palmyra, Macoupin County, and a member of one of the old pioneer families of the State, was born May 6, 1841, at Louisville, Kentucky, and is a son of William and Rachel (Helfeinstein) Faith.

The parents of Dr. Faith came to Illinois in 1845, locating at Petersburg, the county seat of Menard County, where the father died December 15, 1858, and the mother, January 16, 1862. William Faith was a teacher by profession and was employed as an instructor in the public schools. In politics he was identified with the Democratic party. Of his eight children, four still survive, namely: Margaret L., who married Lorenzo D. Chapman; George W., a resident of Greenfield, Illinois; James, our subject; and Mrs. Rebecca Jane Baker, of Salem, Oregon.

James Faith had the early advantages of intellectual home training and after he completed the public school course at Petersburg he secured as a private tutor Mintor Graham, who had been engaged in the same way by Abraham Lincoln, in the days when that ambitious boy, who had no means with which to secure either teachers or books, scoured the country, borrowing literature from any one who would lend. Mr. Lincoln always felt much indebted to Mr. Graham. Under the latter's instruction, our subject was prepared for college, and in October, 1864, he entered the Eclectic Medical Institute, of Cincinnati, where he was graduated with credit, February 9, 1869. For two years Dr. Faith practiced his profession at Petersburg, and then located at Palmyra, where he has continued ever since. Dr. Faith enjoys a large and lucrative practice, and is considered one of the most reliable practitioners of the locality. He has met with much success in handling many special cases, and is noted for his charitable work.

Dr. Faith has been twice married. In 1871 he married Sarah Jane Fuller, who died the following year. He married as his second wife Martha Elizabeth Brown, who is a daughter of James Brown, a farmer of Greene County, Illinois. They have reared three children, namely: Virgie, who married Elmer R. Bramley, the leading grocer and druggist of Palmyra, Macoupin County, and has two children — Mary and Karl; Inez, who married John W. Costley and died July 17, 1902, leaving two children — Faith and Pauline; and Jessie, the wife of Ira N. King, an expert electrician, who has charge of the electric light plant at Cairo, Illinois.

Dr. Faith is a Republican in his political views. He is a member of the Christian Church. Both personally and professionally, he is held in the highest esteem by the good people of Palmyra. He has always taken a public spirited interest in local enterprises, and from the view point of his profession has been able to give useful advice on many occasions.

Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 481-482.