NATHAN S. NASH, Clerk of Pleasant Valley Township, is one of the leading citizens of this part of the county. He is successfully prosecuting agriculture on the old homestead that his father, a highly respected pioneer of Jo Daviess County, developed from the wild prairie into a farm whose value is second to none in this neighborhood. The subject of this biographical notice was born Aug. 22, 1839, in Chenango County, N. Y. His father, Nathan Northrup Nash, was born in the same county, the town of Sherburne having been his birthplace, in 1808. His wife, the mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Betsey H. Williams, was born in the town of Smyrna, that county, in 1815, and their marriage took place Oct. 9, 1834. They became the parents of eight children, three of whom are deceased: Mary E., John, and Amasa W. Those living are Nathan, Phoebe S., William S., Darius A., and Anson H. Phoebe married for her first husband James Pinley, a native of England. During the late war he volunteered for service as a member of the 96th Illinois Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Chickamauga. Of that marriage one child was born, James H. Pheobe’s second marriage was with the Rev. Julius Buss, of the Free Methodist Church, Lena, Ill. To them have been born five children, namely: Julius E., William A., Frederic, Daniel H., and John W. William Nash married Miss Vandelinder, of Steuben County, N. Y., and they have six children – Ida, Frank, Catherine Rose, Jane Iona, Bessie, and Laura E. Mr. Nash is a lawyer, Justice of the Peace, and insurance agent, residing in Stockton, Ill. Darius Nash is a farmer and stock-raiser in Humboldt County, Iowa. He married Idell Ward, of Wisconsin, and to them have been born the following five children: Clarence, Nellie, Hattie, Jay, and Floyd. Anson married Maggie J. Price, of Jo Daviess County. Her father lives in California, and her mother lives with her. They are the parents of four children, namely: Albert, Lois Elizabeth, Bertha, and an infant unnamed. Amasa married Eliza J. Shield, and they live at Oxford Junction, Iowa, and have one child, Anson Leroy. In 1845 the parents of our subject removed with their family from their old home in New York State to Jo Daviess County, and became early settlers of Pleasant Valley Township. The father entered from the Government the 200 acres of land now comprising our subject’s farm, finely located on section 3. He found this section of the country far from a civilized state, there being but few settlers here at that time, and the township was not organized for some years after that, until 1849. There were no improvements on his land, and he energetically set about the pioneer task of building up a comfortable home for himself and family, and in the fall of 1845 erected a frame house, a story and a half in height, 16x22 feet in dimensions, which was quite a commodious dwelling for a pioneer. He was a practical, progressive farmer, and in the years of hard labor that followed he placed much of his land – eighty acres or which was in timber – under excellent tillage. He stood well with his fellow-pioneers, and energetically performed his part in developing the great agricultural resources of this township. He was a man of sincere and honest convictions, and earnestly strove to lead a godly, upright life, and has left behind him the precious legacy of a life well spent. In his earlier years he was a follower of the Whig party, but on the formation of the Republican party he joined its ranks, and held allegiance to it until the day of his death, which occurred July 11, 1854. His estimable wife makes her home with our subject. They were devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was Class-Leader and Steward.

Nathan Nash, of whom we write, was a boy of six years when he came with his parents to this county. He received a fair education in the common schools, which, as he was a close student and took every advantage offered for schooling, was indeed better than that of the average boy of his day. He grew to man’s estate, with a character strengthened by contact with the pioneer influences of his youth. His marriage with Miss Mary J. Tinkham took place Oct. 25, 1860. She was born in New York, Jan. 17, 1844. She went with her parents to Michigan, and thence to Iowa in 1852. Her parents finally removed to Jo Daviess County in 1872. To our subject and his wife have been born six children, namely: Rose M., Elizabeth B., William T., Mary E., Gertrude, and Nathan N. Rose married Edgar Pittsly, a blacksmith, near Viroqua, Wis., their marriage taking place Dec. 25, 1880, and they have two children, Pearl V. and Nathan N. Elizabeth married Robert Stearns, of Clayton County, Iowa; they live in Jo Daviess County, and have one child, Katie E.

By this straightforward, manly course in public and private life our subject has contributed to elevate the citizenship of his community, which finds in him one of its most useful civic officers. He is a thoroughly reliable man, his fellow-citizens always know where to find him as regards his attitude toward all questions of public importance, and in him the Republican party has one of its stanchest supporters. He was elected to his present position as Township Clerk in 1888, and he is performing the duties connected with his office with characteristic fidelity, and to the perfect satisfaction of all concerned. Nr. Nash is distinguished for his frank manners, his kind heart, and his considerate treatment of, and conscientious dealings with, others. He and his wife are influential in social and religious circles in this community, and are members in good standing of the Free-Will Baptist Church.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties, Illinois (1889) Pg 312