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 955, Woodland Township
Robert McDermott, agriculturist, was born in Ireland; while a
boy his father died, and his mother crossed the Atlantic for America,
settling in Ohio, where young Robert passed his youth and grew to
manhood; he settled in Woodland township, where, for two seasons, he
rented farm property; one year from the date of his settlement he
married Miss Edith Griffith, a daughter of William Griffith, who was
born in Coshocton Co., Ohio. For several years Mr. McD. held the
position of a Justice of the Peace. He died Jan. 16th, 1872, leaving a
valuable estate of 240 acres. There were born of the marriage 11
children, 4 of whom are living, - Franklin, who married Mary J.
Thompson; Andrew J., who married Mary Ann Crable; Laura, who married
Warren Wharton; Robert, the youngest, who resides on the old homestead.
