Macoupin County
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Biography - ABRAM ISAACS

Abram Isaacs, proprietor of that beautiful and valuable farm of 280 acres, known as the "Shady Hill Farm," located in sections 1 and 2, Dorchester township, Macoupin County, was born October 4, 1851, on this place, which has always been his home. He is a son of Abraham and Mary (Eaton) Isaacs.

The Isaacs family is of English extraction, and the family was founded in America by two brothers of the name, who emigrated from Sheffield, England, prior to the Revolutionary War, in which struggle both took part, one as a tory and the other as a patriot. Richard Isaacs, the grandfather of our subject, was born at Washington, D. C, and went to North Carolina, settling in Rowan County. He married Mary Stonestreet, who was a daughter of Butler Stonestreet, who served through the Revolutionary War. They had issue as follows: Jane, Charles C, Abraham and Richard. By a second marriage. Grandfather Isaacs had an additional family of six sons and one daughter.

Abraham Isaacs, father of our subject, was born November 10, 1810; in Rowan County, North Carolina. When three years old, his mother died and he went to live with his grandfather Stonestreet, with whom he remained until he was married, in 1836, when he came to Illinois. He settled first in Madison County, but in 1840 removed to the present farm of our subject, where he died January 29, 1897. Like other early settlers, he came a poor man, in search of better agricultural opportunities. He lived for a long time in a small log cabin on his first purchase of land, but later, after he had acquired a large property through his own efforts, he built a fine dwelling and commodious barns. Early in life he was a Democrat, later a Whig, and still later, a Republican. Both he and his wife were regular attendants and liberal supporters of the Methodist Church. The mother of our subject was born July 23, 1815, in Adams County, Mississippi, and died on our subject's farm in Dorchester township. May 9, 1891. She was a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (King) Eaton. The ancestors of the Eatons came from Wales and settled in Maryland at a very early day. The Eatons took part in the Revolutionary War and the name is held in esteem in that State. Our subject's parents had 10 children: Mrs. Sarah Sinclair, who died in Macoupin County; Richard, of Macoupin County; Charles C., a retired farmer of Litchfield, Illinois; Thomas W., a farmer of Madison County, Illinois; Henry K., a farmer of Bond County, Illinois; Mrs. Amanda C. Ayers, of Fayette County, Illinois; Abram; Alfred A., who died at the age of three years, and three babes who died in infancy.

Our subject was educated in the local schools and has followed farmingall his life. While engaging in a general agricultural line, he has paid especial attention to the raising of grain, and to the breeding of Shorthorn cattle, Poland-China hogs and many horses and mules.

Mr. Isaacs was married November 12, 1878, to Nancy Fruit, who was born March 29, 1856, near Edwardsville, Madison County, and is a daughter of Jefferson and Elizabeth (Vawter) Fruit, of Madison and Bond counties, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Isaacs have three sons, who are representative young men of the township. Thomas, after spending one year at De Pauw University, Indiana, entered Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa, and in one year graduated from the academic department; he then pursued a classical course at that institution. Alfred A. is a student at Cornell College. Walter F. is a graduate of the Gillespie High School.

Mr. Isaacs has been a Republican all his life, casting his first presidential vote for General Grant. He has taken only a citizen's interest in township affairs but has served in offices connected with the public school system. With his family, he belongs to the Methodist Church, to which he is a liberal contributor.


Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 441-443.


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This page was last updated 07/01/2022