McLaren, Robert 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 448 & 451, Astoria Township
Robert McLaren, farmer and stock-raiser, sec. 25; P. O., Astoria. In relating the life experience of Robt. McLaren we go back to a period of time in pioneer history when scarcely a fence broke the monotony of a boundless prairie. He was born in Scotland, in Nov., 1816, and when 6 years of age his parents landed in America. He spent a portion of his youth in Indiana. His mother, who had lost the partner of her life, located in Fulton Co. in 1827. Two years previously, however, Robert accompanied Daniel McNeil, a well-known early pioneer of the West, and who settled near what is now Astoria. He lived with this family for many years and describes this and adjoining townships as being heavily timbered, no prairie for many miles around. In 1839 he was united in marriage with Miss Martha Klepper. In 1838, in company with John McLaren he purchased property to the amount of 160 acres. In pioneer days he suffered many inconveniencies, but his health was good, the land was productive, markets were many miles away of course, and compensation for raising produce was small: still he lived happily. They have had 9 children born to them, 8 of whom are living, - William H., Mary E., Jane, Peter J., Parker, Thomas F., Martha and Hester A; Nancy being dead.
submitted by Carla Finley