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JOHN GORE is one of the early pioneers of Christian County, having arrived here with his parents in 1830. He
is an honored resident of Taylorville Township, and cultivates his valuable farm on section 7. He was born in Trigg
County, Ky., near Cadiz, August 9, 1825, and has consequently passed all but five years of his life in the community
where he yet makes his home.
Our subject's parents, John and Sophia Gore, were natives of Kentucky, who made their home for several years after
their marriage in the Blue Grass State. Believing that they could do better in a newer country, they started with
their family and earthly possessions by ox-teams to Illinois, where the father took up one hundred and sixty acres
of Government land on the present site of Taylorville. This property, for which he paid $1.25 per acre, was situated
where the Baxter Elevator now stands.
Our subject grew to manhood in this county and obtained his education in the subscription schools, which were held
in log schoolhouses from three to four miles from his home. He can well remember when there was not a house in
Taylorville. Remaining with his parents until he had reached his majority, he then purchased forty acres of land,
for which he paid $150, $50 of the amount down and the rest to be paid in several years. This land was entirely
wild and a portion was heavily timbered. In order to pay the remainder, our subject began working for $10 per month
at farm labor and continued thus employed for several years. In the mean time he made many substantial improvements
upon his place, which he afterward sold and then bought a Mexican land warrant for one hundred and forty-five acres
on section 7, Taylorville Township. This place has since been his home. It was mostly prairie and unimproved. He
built a log cabin, which in later years was supplanted by his substantial residence. In his boyhood the nearest
trading point was Springfield. He was always an industrious worker and was many times employed at cutting and splitting
rails. This occupation was not very remunerative, but he was economical and managed to board himself while receiving
only twenty-five cents per hundred rails.
In July, 1862, Mr. Gore enlisted in the Union service for three years as a private of Company A, One Hundred and
Fifteenth Illinois Infantry. His brother William also enlisted on the same day in the same company, while his brother
Joseph joined the company a few days afterward. They were mustered into service at Camp Butler, and their first
engagement took place at Franklin, Tenn. Mr. Gore was for three days in the battle of Chickamauga, was in the engagement
at Resaca and the battles of Bull's Gap, Nashville and many others of less note. He was never taken prisoner or
wounded, though he served until the close of the war and was often in the front of the battle. He suffered many
privations and was often sent on forced marches. During his service he lived for a day and a-half on eighteen grains
of coffee, being otherwise entirely without food. He received an honorable discharge in 1855, after having made
a record of which he may well be proud. He was a soldier on whom his superiors could safely rely, and ably defended
the Nation in her hour of need.
Returning to his home, Mr. Gore took up the work on his farm and has since devoted his entire attention to its
improvement. He was married in 1870 to Miss Harriet Welch, who died about a year later, and was placed to rest
in Buckhart Cemetery. Mr. Gore has been a Republican since the organization of the party, but though interested
in politics has never been an office seeker. He is a member of the Methodist Church, and a Grand Army man. His
success in life is justly merited, for he began at the very bottom round of the ladder, as did many of this Nation's
brave sons, and has steadily progressed in fortune and the esteem of his fellow-citizens.
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