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 667-668, Farmers' Township
Dr. J. S. Portlock was born in Virginia, Feb. 23, 1801. At the
age of six years he emigrated with his parents to Kentucky, near
Louisville, where he remained until his 16th year. From that time until
he was 25 he pursued various vocations, but finally concluded to become
a physician, and about 1827 began reading in Cincinnati. In due time he
located in Shelby county, Ind., where he practiced with great success
for 15 years. After this he removed to Farmers’ tp., this county, and
here was in active practice until within 2 years of his death, which
occurred March 15, 1878. During the earlier settlement of this part of
the county the Doctor was continually among the sick and dying, day and
night, amid sunshine and storm, enduring hardships known only to
pioneer physicians. He was plain in speech and dress, and his last
words were, "I want a plain coffin to contain my body, and a plain
marble slab to mark my last resting place. Do not weep for me, for I am
going to a world where sorrow is no more; where all is peace and
happiness; where I expect to meet you to part no more forever."
See Bio of Mrs. Mary A. Portlock & son, William P. Portlock.
