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 512-513, Bernadotte Township
Wm. S. Strode, teacher, Bernadotte, should be mentioned among
the public educators of the county. He was born in Fulton county
Dec. 8, 1847. His father, Thos. Strode, is among the earliest
settlers of the country. Mr. S. was educated at Abingdon and the
Commercial College at Quincy, Ill.; enlisted in Co. G, 50th Ill. Vol.,
Feb., 1864; was mustered out July 3, 1865; was married Dec. 25, 1870,
to Miss Amelia Steele, at Astoria, a native of Ohio, and they have had
three children, viz: Minefred, Muriel and Walter. Mr. S. has
taught school 12 years, one year and a half in Quincy, the rest of the
time in this county. Also a good teacher of penmanship.
Republican.
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 658–659; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Dr. William S. Strode. Among the prominent physicians of
Fulton County, is the subject of this sketch, who is recognized as a
man of superior attainments and one well calculated to add fresh
laurels to the profession to which he has devoted his time and
talent. His practice is both extensive and lucrative and his
patients honor and respect him, as only those are regarded who are the
fortunate possessors of some means of benefiting and improving the
condition of those who are their patients and friends. He is also
a naturalist of renown, having in his library the best works on this
subject that are published.
Dr. Strode was born in Bernadotte Township, this county,
December 8, 1847. After a happy childhood spent in attending the
schools of his native place, he enlisted at the early age of seventeen
in Company G., Fiftieth Illinois Infantry, and served faithfully to the
end of the war. Immediately after his return home he turned his
attention to agriculture and took charge of a large farm of which he
had complete control and management for two years. Through the
two years following, his time was spent in attending the Business
College at Quincy, Ill., where he both received and imparted
instruction. The next eight years of his life were very busy
ones, fully occupied by the nursery and farming business to which he
devoted much of his time, and also to the school work which occupied
his attention during the winter months. In addition to the mental
labor which these occupations naturally called for the subject of this
sketch took charge of night classes in penmanship.
In 1882 our subject commenced to study medicine, and possessing
mental power and undaunted energy, graduated from Rush Medical College,
Chicago, in the class of 1883-84, and since that time Dr. Strode has
practiced his chosen profession in Bernadotte Township. He has
endeared himself to the hearts of those in the community, and is
universally respected and esteemed. On December 25, 1872, he was
united in marriage with Miss Amelia Steele, the second daughter of Dr.
John Steele, deceased, of Astoria, Ill., and they lived most happily
together until death claimed the wife December 23, 1888. She left
a devoted husband and four loving children to mourn her loss.
These children were named respectively: Winifred, Muriel, Walter
L. and John W. The eldest daughter married Melbourne H. Morrison,
and they reside in Bernadotte Township. The other three children
continue to live with their father on the old homestead.
Dr. Strode is President of the Scientific Association of Fulton
County, Ill., a member of the Military Tract Medical Association of
this State, of the American Conchologists Association of the United
States, corresponding member of several Eastern scientific societies,
and is a regular contributor to several literary and scientific
journals. He is also a member of the Central Committee of Fulton
County, and has been Treasurer of Bernadotte Township during the past
ten years. Politically, he is a Republican and a stanch supporter
of party principles. He has recently advertised his place as a
summer resort and at the present writing his beautiful residence is
filled with appreciative guests from Peoria, Pekin and numerous other
places.
