Macoupin County
ILGenWeb

Biography - JOHN J. STOWE

John J. Stowe, one of the leading business men of Girard, Macoupin County, supervisor of Girard township, and owner of a large grocery business, was born December 9, 1861, in Ohio, and is one of a family of seven children born to his parents, Erastus and Lucretia (Whaley) Stowe.

Erastus Stowe was born in 1819, and his wife in 1826, both in Meigs County, Ohio. They had the following children: James, of Meigs County; Charles R., who lives near Greenville, Illinois; Sardine S., who lives in Rutland, Ohio; Addie E., wife of Henry Chase of Columbus, Ohio; Erastus C, a resident of Pomeroy, Ohio; William G., a resident of Rochester, Illinois; and John J., our subject. Erastus Stowe spent his life on a farm, dying on the old homestead, followed by his wife about two years later. The parents were both Universalists in religious faith and Mr. Stowe was a Republican in politics. He served four years in the War of the Rebellion and also had a son, James, in the same company.

Mr. Stowe has been a resident of Macoupin County since he was 22 years of age. His education was secured in Ohio and at a business college in New York. In 1890 he located at Virden, Macoupin County, and became extensively interested in farming, which interest he still maintains, although since 1899 he has resided at Girard, where he opened up a grocery business, including in it the handling of feed and the shipping of hay. This business is conducted under the style of the Model Grocery and Feed Company. Mr. Stowe is probably one of the largest shippers of hay in the State, his business amounting to immense proportions, during the past 15 years amounting to $75,000 annually. He carries a large and complete grocery stock, valued at $3,000, selected with a view toward pleasing the most critical taste of the best patronage of the town. Mr. Stowe has not only been very successful in his commercial relations, but has also prospered in the political field. In 1903 he was elected township supervisor by a vote of 27 over his opponent, S. S. Huber, of Girard, and at the April election of 1904, was reelected by 67 majority, his opponent being Charles E. Burnett, and other honors await him.

On March 7, 1889, Mr. Stowe was married to Lizzie E. Gibson, who is a daughter of C. C. Gibson, a member of an old and prominent family of Tennessee. Both in private and business life, Mr. Stowe stands very high in the esteem of his fellow citizens. He is wide-awake and progressive, while at the same time his methods are such as commend him to the confidence of those with whom he does business. In political sentiment he is a Republican.


Extracted 2018 May 07 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 237-238.


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