Macoupin County
ILGenWeb

Biography - FORREST D. GORE

Forrest D. Gore, one of the most prominent and influential farmers of Macoupin County, is living on the old Gore homestead in Carlinville township. He was born October 1, 1854, in Chesterfield township, Macoupin County, and is a son of David and Cinderella (Keller) Gore.

Michael Gore, grandfather of our subject, was born in South Carolina, but early in life moved to Kentucky. He was a farmer, race horse breeder and cattle dealer. He removed to Madison County, Illinois, in 1830, and entered land which he improved and farmed until his death in 1843. He married Elizabeth Mitchell, a native of Kentucky, and five children were born to bless their union, namely: Zerilla; Eliza; David; Michael and James. In religious belief, the grandfather was a Methodist, and his wife a Baptist. She died in 1851.

David Gore was born in Trigg County, Kentucky, April 5, 1827, and moved to Madison County, Illinois, in 1833, his father not bringing the family to the new home until that year. During his youth, he attended the old log school house in his district, and labored on the home acres, his parents dying before he became of age. He enlisted for service in the United States Army during the war with Mexico, and served one year in the quartermaster's department, until the war closed. He then returned to Madison County, and later located at Plainview, Macoupin County, where he at different times purchased large tracts of land, improving, in all, four farms. In 1850, he laid out the town of Plainview, and served as postmaster of that village during the administration of President Buchanan. He left Plainview in the spring of 1861 and located three miles north of Carlinville, in Carlinville township, buying three-quarters of a section of improved farm land, in addition to an 80-acre timber tract. He was at one time owner of 800 acres of land and was one of the most extensive farmers of the county. He remained upon the home property until the fall of 1889, when he retired from agricultural pursuits and moved to Carlinville where he has since resided. He is a strong Democrat in politics, and has been an important figure in local and State politics. He was a member of the State Senate of Illinois for two terms, and was State Auditor from 1892 to 1896. He was a member of the State Board of Agriculture for 20 years, and was president of that body at the time when Carlinville was chosen as the location for holding the State Fair. It was largely due to his efforts that Carlinville secured this attraction, in the face of petitions from many larger cities in the State, including Chicago, Peoria and Bloomington. Although well along in years, Mr. Gore is a very active man and is a credit to the community in which he has labored w long and with beneficial results. In 1853, Mr. Gore was joined in marriage with Cinderella Keller, a native of Kentucky, and they became the parents of seven children, as follows: Forrest D.; Truman K.; Victor M.; Adelia; Thaddeus V., deceased; Edward E.; and Cinderella, deceased.

Forrest D. Gore was educated in the common schools of Macoupin County, and in Blackburn University at Carlinville. He then engaged in agricultural pursuits which he has followed throughout his entire career. He purchased a farm of 120 acres in Nilwood township, which he owned and conducted for 12 years, selling it in 1897. In that year he took possession of the old homestead, which consists of 320 acres located in section 9, Carlinville township. He has met with a high degree of success in general farming and stock raising, in 1902 his farm producing 3,500 bushels of wheat, 4,000 bushels of corn, 1,000 bushels of oats, and 150 tons of hay. At the present time he has 60 head of cattle, and also a tract of five acres devoted to the raising of fruits of all kinds.

In 1880, Mr. Gore was married to Carrie I. Bird, a daughter of Joseph Bird, one of the old settlers of Macoupin County. Six children have blessed this union, namely: Forrest B.; Victor M.; Joseph H.; Gladys I.; Hazel L.; and Hugh Lee. Our subject is a Democrat in political affiliation, and has filled a number of local offices, among them that of school director. He and his family are active church members, and his eldest son is preparing to enter the ministry, attending Shurtliff College at the present time.


Extracted 2018 May 05 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 79-81.


Design by Templates in Time
This page was last updated 07/01/2022