| Portrait and biographical record of Christian County, Illinois : containing biographical
sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies of all the Governors of the
state, and of the Presidents of the United States. Chicago, Ill. : Lake City Pub. Co., 1893.
Transcribed and annotated by Judy Rosella Edwards, 2007. |
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WILLIAM M. STIVERS is a self-made man and
enterprising agriculturist, who makes his home on section 35, Mosquito
Township. From his eighteenth year he has made his own way
in the world, and has risen from poverty to a secure income and to a place as one of the substantial business men
and citizens of Christian County.
He is a native of Kentucky, born in Jefferson County, on the 19th
of March, 1844.
Felix Stivers, father of our subject, was
also a native of Jefferson County, Ky.,
and passed his entire life in his native State. He followed the occupation of a farmer, and was also master of
the cooper's trade. His father was one of the early settlers in the blue grass region, and was of Irish descent.
Our subject's mother, who bore the maiden
name of Edna Frederick, was born in Jefferson County, Ky., and is
still living, though having passed the allotted three-score and ten years. She was the mother of twelve children,
ten sons and two daughters, only three of whom have passed away.
William M. Stivers remained under the parental
roof until he was nearly eighteen years of age, when he started out to make his fortune. Coming West, he arrived
in Macon, Ill., near which place
he worked by the month on a farm. He continued to be employed by farmers for the succeeding five years. He was
industrious and careful with his money, and therefore in the course of a few years he was enabled to purchase a
farm for himself. Previous to this he rented a farm in Christian
County for several years, and has thus been a resident of
the county for considerably over half a century.
On the 10th of November, 1867, Mr. Stivers
wedded Miss Mary E. Masters, who was born in Maryland. They have had a family
of ten children, five sons and five daughters: Cora I., William Franklin, Lou Edna, Daniel, Myrtle, Jessie, Albert
Clay, Emma, Arthur and Altha. The children are all at home, and the older ones have received good common-school
educations.
Fraternally, Mr. Stivers is a member of
Blue Mound Lodge No. 595, I. O. O. F. He supports the Democratic party, but has never
been prevailed upon to accept any local position within the gift of his fellow-citizens.
His desirable farm is situated three and
a-half miles northwest of Blue Mound. He has brought the
place under good cultivation, and has made many substantial improvements upon it. No man in the community is more
highly esteemed, and his neighbors accord him the reputation of being an honorable, enterprising and upright man.
His success in his business life is the result of his well-directed energy and honest toil, for he commenced in
life without a dollar, and with only his determination to succeed and strong willing hands with which to hew his
fortune. He has succeeded in a marked degree, and well deserves the competency which he has acquired.
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