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 938, Waterford Township
John Tuite, son of James and Sarah (Caughrey), was born in
Pennsylvania, Nov. 3, 1828; father a native of Ireland and mother of
Penn.; emigrated to Fulton Co. in 1864; was a carpenter 20 years; is
now farming on sec. 4; has also taught school some, and been a local M.
E. Preacher for 12 years; in 1848 he married Catherine Martin, and they
have had 3 boys and 4 girls.
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 678–679; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Rev. John Tuite is a skillful carpenter, a prosperous farmer and
a school teacher, but perhaps he is better known throughout this county
as a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church and one of its most
powerful revivalists in this part of the country. He is a native
of Pennsylvania and was born November 3, 1828, in Luzerne Township,
Fayette County. He was reared and educated in the State of his
nativity and was there married October 8, 1848, to Catherine, daughter
of William E. and Eva Martin. Seven children have come to them,
four daughters and three boys, namely: Mary E., who was born
November 16, 1849, married C. C. Felkel, and they live on a farm of
their own, comprising eighty acres in Greenwood County, Kan.; Sara E.,
born January 2, 1851, married James Dillwith and they live on a farm in
Harper County, Kan.; James H., born April y6, 1852, married Elizabeth
Shuert, and died September 11, 1882; Emma C., born November 4, 1853,
married James Mathews and died in Barber County, Kan., August 28, 1889;
William H. born March 29, 1855, married for his first wife Alice
Barrett, and after her death married Elizabeth Nichilson and they live
on their farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Lewistown Township;
Nancy L., born March 25, 1857, married James Shuert and they live in
Bernadotte Township; John M., born November 17, 1858, married Eva
Wallace and they live in Lewistown Township. Mr. and Mrs. Tuite
have a grand-daughter whom they have reared, named Celia Dillwith, who
was born June 8, 1871.
After his marriage our subject continued to live in his native
county, and followed his trade as a carpenter and also engaged as a
contractor and builder, while in the winter season he taught
school. In March, 1864, he came to this county, and located in
Lewistown Township, where he was engaged in carpentering until his
eyesight failed him. He built the Methodist Church two and
one-half miles northwest of Lewiston; the Ewans schoolhouse, two and
one-half miles west of that city, the Hulick schoolhouse, one and
one-half miles southwest of that city, and several other buildings in
the neighborhood. At the same time he was engaged in the
ministry, having charge of the Lewistown circuit of the Methodist
Episcopal Church four years during the time he lived there, he having
been ordained Elder and Deacon several years ago. It was his
custom to work hard all the week and to preach two or three times every
Sunday. He held one very remarkable revival at the East
schoolhouse, Waterford Township, and the result of the meeting was the
organization of a church of one hundred members, and in one day he
baptized thirty-six people.
After moving to Bernadotte Mr. Tuite still continued zealously
to preach the Gospel two or three times every Sunday, and not long
since his earnest labors were rewarded by one of the greatest revivals
ever held in this county. In the month of November, 1888, he
commenced to hold meetings at the Jones schoolhouse, on section 10,
Bernadotte Township. The building was filled to overflowing, and
the meetings were adjourned to the old Providence Church and from there
to the Lees schoolhouse where the accommodations were still
better. The most remarkable feature of these gatherings was that
they were mostly composed of old people who had never before united
with any church. With untiring zeal, and steadfast love of the
cause, our subject preached every night steadily for three months and
twice every Sunday, with very few exceptions, and his labors were
crowned by one hundred and sixteen converts uniting with the
church. Under his auspices these converts were organized into a
church known as the New Providence and he still has charge of the New
Providence circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The Rev. Mr. Tuite is a very strong Prohibitionist and votes
with that party on all occasions, although he is not otherwise active
in politics. He has been prominent in public affairs, has held
the offices of Justice of the Peace, of Supervisor and Commissioner of
Highways, and is a liberal contributor to all good causes. He is
a man of strictly upright habits and was never uner the influence of
liquor and never used tobacco in any form.
In the month of March, 1883, Mr. Tuite moved to section 4,
Bernadotte Township, where he had bought a farm of one hundred and
forty-five acres on which he still resides. This is under
excellent improvement and he manages it with skill so as to reap a good
income form its rich harvests.
