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 682; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
John Wesley Tyler, an experienced tinner and hardware artisan in
the employ of Mummey & Co., is generally recognized as a wide-awake
and enterprising business man in Farmington. Up to a few years
ago he was proprietor of his own store, but owing to unfortunate
circumstances became financially embarrassed and was compelled to give
up his large and lucrative business. He built the large store on
the corner of Fourth and East Street, that contains the City Hall, the
Odd Fellows Hall, and the Masonic Hall, and has contributed largely to
the progression of this community.
Mr. Tyler is a native of St. Joe County, Mich., being born at
Centreville, on November 20, 1840. His father, Ephraim S. Tyler
was a Methodist minister of great renown, and a blacksmith by
trade. He moved with his family to the State of Illinois in
1849. Our subject’s mother was previous to her marriage Miss
Julia Allen, a great-great niece of Ethan Allen. Her birth took
place in York, near Niagara Falls, and in that picturesque spot was
passed her childhood. His parents were married in that State, and
afterward moved to Pennsylvania, and at a still later date to
Michigan. Four of the children came to Illinois, viz:
Berthena, John W., Eugenia, Ursella. Berthena, lives in Iowa, and
is the wife of Cyrus Caldwell, a blacksmith by trade; Eugenia married
James Collins, and makes her home at Farmington; Ursella, is married
and resides in Chicago.
The subject of our sketch received a good education, attending
school at Farmington and at Lombard University, Galesburg. When
seventeen years of age he began to learn the tinner’s trade, and such
was his desire to master it thoroughly that he spent eleven years at
the bench. His industry and perseverance have raised him to the
top of his vocation, and he is generally held in high esteem by his
neighbors. In the year 1864, Mr. Tyler commenced a hardware
business, and as before stated succeeded admirably for a number of
years, but encountering one of this misfortunes that somehow ill mar a
prosperous career, however worthy a man may be, he sold his stock in
1877. He worked for Moore & Suidam through 1880-81-82, and
then went to Grand Forks, Dak., where he managed a branch house for
Parlin & Orendorff of Canton. He remained there only twelve
months, and at the expiration of that time returned to Farmington, and
once more entered the hardware business as a clerk, and since 1884 has
been in the employ of Mummey & Co., and enjoys a reputation for
being the best posted hardware man in this county.
The subject of our sketch in the year 1862, was joined in
matrimony to Miss Isabella Pinegar, daughter of Solomon Pinegar.
Her parents were from North Carolina and Tennessee. To Mr. and
Mrs. Tyler has been born only one child – Ralph, who is a promising
business man and employed by one of the leading business houses at
Peoria, Ill. The subject of our sketch is a public spirited man,
and one who takes great pride in conscientiously fulfilling the
obligations of life both great and small, and is highly esteemed by his
business associates. He is a member of the Democratic party, and
though by no means an office-seeker, is greatly interested in the
welfare of his party.
