Macoupin County
ILGenWeb

Biography - GEORGE A. PERRINGS

There is no doubt that George A. Perrings, of Carlinville, has fighting blood in his veins. He is a son of a Civil war veteran and was a soldier himself in the Spanish-American war. He never shirks anything which he regards as his duty and thus he has developed a steadfastness of character which is one of the most important qualities any human being can possess.

He was born in Polk township March 19, 1870, a son of Charles and Ruby (Snell) Perrings, both of whom are natives of Jersey county, Illinois. The father continued with his parents until he was twenty-six years of age and then enlisted in Company D, Thirty-third Illinois Infantry. He went to the front with his regiment and took part in many of the great battles and important engagements of the war. He was wounded at the battle of Vicksburg, but not seriously and continued in the army until the close of the Rebellion. He was married in his native county and engaged in farming on his own account there for one year, after which he came to Macoupin county and located on land in Polk township which he cleared and improved. He has been very successful in his calling and now owns two hundred acres, a large part of which is under a high state of cultivation. In his family were four children, three of whom survive.

George A. Perrings, the eldest of the living children of his parents, was reared in Macoupin county and attended the district schools until 1888, when he entered the public schools of Carlinville. Subsequently he attended the Western Normal College at Bushnell, Illinois, and after completing his studies at this institution returned home and assisted his father in various operations on the home place. In 1898 he offered his services to the government and was accepted as a member of Company I, Fifth Illinois Infantry, which was recruited for the Spanish-American war. He served for four months and seventeen days and proved an efficient and reliable soldier. After peace was declared he received an honorable discharge and engaged in farming in his native county.

He has from the time of reaching manhood been actively interested in public affairs and served for two years as township clerk of Polk township. He became a candidate for county coroner and made a spirited canvass, but was defeated by a narrow margin of five votes. In 1909 he gave up farming and engaged as a carpenter and bridge builder, a trade which he had learned earlier in life. In 1910 he was appointed deputy sheriff of the county, a position which he now holds. He is unmarried and makes his home at the Central Hotel. Fraternally he is identified with Lodge No. 6, I. O. O. F., of Springfield, and also with the Court of Honor. In politics he gives his support to the democratic party and his religious faith is indicated by membership in the Methodist church. Being a man of courage, energy and persistence, Be has made a host of friends in the county, who have perfect faith in his ability to discharge most creditably any duty he undertakes to perform.


Extracted 20 Oct 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 191-192.


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