Success in life is not so much a matter of opportunity as the power
to dominate conditions and through inherent force create opportunities
commensurate with the ability and ambition of the one seeking to
advance. Of such as these is George Urquhart, who through his own effort
has risen from a farm hand to one of the largest property holders and
affluent citizens of Brushy Mound township. He was born in Durham,
England, on the 12th of November, 1843, a son of Thomas and Catharine
(Middleton) Urquhart, the father of Scotch and English and the mother of
English extraction. Thomas Urquhart, who was a farmer in his native
land, emigrated to the United States with his wife and son in 1849,
locating in Chicago, where he subsequently died. In later years the
mother with her son came on to Morgan county, finally settling in
Macoupin county, and there passed away at the home of her son, in 1883.
George Urquhart was twenty-eight years of age when he came to
this county, locating on a farm northwest of Carlinville. He had
previously worked out as a farm hand by the month until able to begin as
a renter. Ambitious and industrious by means of constant application and
thrift he was able to buy one hundred and sixty acres of land on
sections 32 and 33 in Brushy Mound township. This he has brought into a
high state of cultivation, improving it until it is one of the most
attractive places in the county. Unceasing effort and intelligent
application brought the usual reward and thus he was able to add to his
holdings from time to time. In addition to his fine home farm he now
owns one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 32 and the same
amount in another tract on sections 31 and 32 and twenty acres of timber
land in Brushy Mound township, while in Gillespie township he has two
hundred and fifty-three acres of tillable land in two pieces and forty
acres of timber, and in Honey Point township one hundred and sixty acres
of farm land. His entire holdings, therefore, aggregate nine hundred and
fifty-three acres, all of which is good land. He carries on general
farming on three of his one hundred and sixty acre tracts and rents his
other farms. He is recognized as one of the most prosperous farmers of
the county, but his success does not exceed the effort.
On the
10th of December, 1872, Mr. Urquhart married Miss Sarah J. Smithson, a
daughter of William and Jane (Megginson) Smithson, natives of England,
whence they emigrated with their parents to America when children. They
were reared in the vicinity of Jacksonville, Morgan county, Illinois,
where they were married. In 1852 Mr. Smithson went to California, not
returning until his daughter, Mrs. Urquhart, was thirteen years of age.
He remained in Illinois for a brief period then went back to California
and was never heard from again. The mother passed away in Morgan county
in 1854. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart: Jennie, who
is living at home; Thomas Mayfield, who died at the age of sixteen
months; Grace, the wife of Jacob Young, Jr., a farmer of Brushy Mound
township; Annetta May, who married Andrew Ruyle, also a farmer of
Gillespie township; Georgia, the wife of Albert Young, a farmer in
Cahokia township; and Thomas, Ralph L., Dorcas and Bessie, all of whom
are at home.
Ever since acquiring the full rights of citizenship
Mr. Urquhart has given his political support to the candidates of the
republican party. He has ever been loyal in his allegiance to the
country of his adoption, and twice served as a ninety-day man from
Morgan county during the Civil war. Such is the history in brief of the
life of George Urquhart, a study of which will show that what he has
accomplished has often lain within the possibilities of others had their
effort been equal to his.
Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 403-404.
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