Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 260-261; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Hezekiah Cattron who is well known and honored in this section
of the county, is distinguished as being one of the oldest residents of
Hickory Township, where he has a large and valuable farm. He is
one of the most extensive landholders of Fulton County, and as a
prominent farmer has been a potent agent in advancing the growth of
this portion of Illinois.
Mr. Cattron was born in Sullivan County, East Tennessee, May 26,
1813, to Valentine and Frances (Bohannon) Cattron, natives respectively
of Virginia and North Carolina. At an early day the father of our
subject left Tennessee with his family and started on an exploring tour
in search of a pleasant location and in 1820 arrived in Washington
County, Ind. They settled three miles south of Salem and engaged
in farming there four years. In 1825 the family moved to
Bartholemew County the same State, four miles north of the city of
Columbus, where Mr. Cattron obtained a lease of a school section.
In a short time he sold his lease and we next hear of him in Fountain
County, Ind., where he took possession of eight acres of land, which he
continued to occupy for a period of ten years. He then traded
that land for a tract of land in LaPorte County, and after the death of
his wife which took place April 15, 1832, he sent his son, our subject,
to improve his last purchase. In 1834 he removed to that place
and while he was residing there bought a quarter section of land in
Pleasant Township, Fulton County. On the 30th of April, 1837, the
family came to this county and settled on said land, and the father and
our subject made an additional purchase of a half section of land in
Deerfield and Young Hickory Townships.
The father of our subject died February 4, 1840. He had
been very much prospered and at the time of his death owned land in the
following four townships: Hickory, Fairview, Joshua and
Deerfield, which property is now in the possession of our
subject. He remained with his father during the life of the
latter, afforded him material assistance in the acquisition of his
fortune and to-day is one of the wealthy men of his county. He
has further increased the acreage of his estate by various purchases
and now owns twelve hundred acres of choice and valuable land in Fulton
County. The farm on which he resides is pleasantly located on
section 6, Hickory Township, and the improvements on it are of the best
class. Mr. Cattron, although on the shady side of life is yet
vigorous, and manages his affairs with the old time ability and sound
judgment. The work that he has done to advance the welfare of the
county and to help build up its schools and churches, and so elevate
its social, moral and religious status, entitles him to a high place
among the pioneers of Fulton County.
Mr. Cattron was married July 4, 1839, to Rachael Alcott, their
marriage taking place in Fairview Township. Her parents came from
New Jersey and were of Scotch-Irish descent, while he springs from
German ancestry. Four children have blessed the wedded life of
our subject and his wife, all of whom are living in Fulton County, and
their record is as follows: Mary Eliza, born July 20, 1840;
Josiah A., January 8, 1842; John Milton, April 4, 1844, and
Israel Valentine, September 15, 1846.
Mr. Cattron and his good wife joined the Methodist Episcopal
Church, December 4, 1850, and have been connected with it ever since as
two of its most consistent and valued members, who are deeply
interested in all religious matters and willingly contribute to all
worthy causes. Mr. Cattron has been a true Republican since the
formation of the party. He has borne a prominent part in the
public life of this section, and has served in various important
offices. For three years he was a School Commissioner, for two
years a Road Commissioner, a Justice of the Peace for the same length
of time, was a member of the County Board of Supervisors one year, and
he sat on the first grand jury that was ever convened in this
county. He has also interested himself in educational matters as
a teacher. He obtained his education in Washington and Fountain
Counties, Ind. under difficulties, as he had to walk a distance of
three miles over a rough, dreary road in order to get to the primitive
pioneer school which he attended. After coming to this State he
utilized his education by teaching school one year (1838) two miles
west of Canton. He is a generous, open-hearted gentleman, and is
ready at all times to do what wealth and good feeling can accomplish
both in business and social circles. His genial nature, as well
as his unusual liberality, has made numerous friends for him in the
community with which he has been identified for more than half a
century.
