Biography - JAMES N. McELVAIN

James N. McELVAIN was born in Simpson County, Ky., five miles from the Tennessee line, May 17, 1818, son of William and Jane (NEELY) McELVAIN. William, the father of our subject, born in Cumberland County, Penn., in October, 1783, went to Virginia when seven years of age, thence to Kentucky when twenty-two, and to Illinois in 1850; lived in Sangamon County for some years, and died in Macoupin County January 12, 1864; his wife, a native of Orange County, N. Y., died February 1, 1849; they were the parents of fifteen children ten sons and five daughters, subject being the fifth child; of this family, six sons and one daughter are living. James N. received his education in the subscription schools of Kentucky, and began farming in his native county. In 1841, he married A. A. HAMILTON, of Scott County, Mo., who has borne him six children, of whom four are living, viz.: Andrew J., William H., James N. and Mary A. In the fall of 1847, he moved from Kentucky with his family and settled in Montgomery County, Ill., on 160 acres of land which he purchased of Benjamin HATHAWAY, who had entered it some years previous, and had broken about twenty acres. Mr. McELVAIN has since resided on the place, of which 120 acres are under cultivation, the remaining forty acres being timber land; he also owns various tracts of land elsewhere. He has given particular attention to stock-raising, for which his farm is well adapted, and raises cattle of a good grade before the late war, he raised horses and mules. In the fall of 1870, he was elected to the State Legislature from Montgomery County, and served during the sessions of 1871-72; he acted on the Committee on Banks and Corporations; was elected Justice of the Peace in 1852, in which office he served four years. He was a Whig until 1852, and has since been an adherent of the Democratic party.

Extracted 19 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 156.