Lacey, John bio

History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 856, Pleasant Township
John Lacy, farmer, sec. 4; P. O., Ipava. Mr. L. is one of the largest agriculturists in the county, owning 600 acres of fine farm land, worth $50 per acre. He was born in New York Jan. 28, 1804. He was reared upon a farm, and has continued to follow the life of a farmer, at which he has been very successful. He came to this county in 1837 where he has since resided. He was married in New York to Chloe Herd, who was born in that State in 1806. This union has resulted in the birth of 9 children, 5 of whom are living: Lyman, now Circuit Judge; Harriet, wife of Charley Johnson; Susan, wife of E. Porter, Table Grove; John and Mary. Mr. L. has held the office of Supervisor. He is one of the pioneers of this county and has done his part toward changing it from a wild waste to a fruitful field.

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 763-764; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
John Lacey. Great honor is due the sturdy pioneers who left their homes in the East, and hewed out a path in the trackless forest, or traveling across the seemingly limitless prairie, finally reached their destination in the uncultivated lands of Fulton County. Here they located in their rude homes, deprived of the comforts of life, and the companionship of friends. Gradually they evolved pleasant farms from the uninviting surroundings, and by persevering labor, met with a deserved reward. As a representative of this worthy class, we are pleased to present the life history and portrait of this veteran of eighty-six years.
Prior to the Revolutionary War, three brothers bearing the name of Lacey emigrated from England to America, settling, one in New Jersey, another in Virginia, and the third in one of the Eastern States. The father of our subject, Richard Lacey, was a native of New Jersey and was one of the eight brothers in the large family born to his parents. He married Susan Smith, who was also born in New Jersey, and their family consisted of one son, John, and three daughters, now deceased. It will thus be seen that our subject is the only survivor in the family, and he was born January 8, 1804, in Hunterdon county, N. J.
When about six years old our subject was brought by his parents to Tompkins County, N. Y., and there passed his youth. He was trained from childhood to habits of industry and perseverance, and having been taught the principles of farming, has naturally reaped the benefit in his success as an agriculturist. His education was very limited, but having a natural taste for reading he has kept himself well-posted alike upon literary and public matters. Like the majority of self-made men he has met with marked success in all his undertakings in life, and this is due in a great measure to his ambition and unfailing energy.
When ready to establish a home of his own, our subject was married in New York, in 1831, to Miss Chloe Hurd and their union was blessed with nine children, of whom those living at the present writing are – Judge Lyman Lacey, of Havana, Ill.; Harriet, wife of C. E. Johnson, of Pleasant Township; Susan, now Mrs. E. Porter, of Table Grove, Ill.; and Mary, who became the wife of Arthur Cattron, of McLean County, Ill. In company with his wife and children Mr. Lacey removed from the State of New York to Oakland County, Mich., and after sojourning there about one and one-half years, came, in the fall of 837, to Fulton County, Ill. Here he entered a considerable amount of land, for which he paid the Government $1.25 per acre.
On the estate of our subject at the present time there may be noticed a little log cabin about 25x30 feet in dimensions, and this was the pioneer home of the family. Nine years later, Mr. Lacey erected his present handsome residence which is a decided contrast to the former one and illustrates the difference between the primitive and prosperous times in this county. Our subject was compelled to break and cultivate his land, a task that naturally calls for both energy and skill. He is today very prosperous and owns fifteen hundred acres of valuable farming land, all fertile and cultivated. Previous to his marriage he had saved about $1,500, and the habits of economy which he had learned in his youth, he carried through his maturer years, so that now his old age is filled with every comfort wealth can bestow.
Mr. Lacey has always been very popular in Fulton County, and served two years as Supervisor of Pleasant Township, two years as Assessor and was for a time Justice of the Peace. He has been a life-long Democrat and always votes that ticket on national issues. The death of his wife, January 17, 1879, was a great blow to him, for she had been a true helpmate to him through their long and happy married life. She had many warm friends in the community where she had lived, and was a woman possessing many Christian virtues. Mr. Lacey is numbered among the most successful pioneers of Fulton County, and has many friends, who recognize the nobility of his character and realize that he deserves to be held in the highest possible esteem.