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.
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