ROBERT C. FILSON, dealer in grain and live ­ stock, has his place of business conveniently located near the Illinois Central tracks at Dixon, where he established a trade in 1882. His elevator has a capacity of five thousand bushels, Mr. Filson handling as much as two hundred and fifty thousand bushels of grain annually, and one hundred car loads of stock.

He of whom we write made his advent into Lee County in 1869, being formerly a farmer in Nachusa Township, and began as clerk for John Dysart, an extensive dealer in grain, with whom he remained until he established a business on his own account. Our subject was born in Franklin County, Pa., February 12, 1847, and is a son of Samuel Filson, who was also a native of that State and county. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Robert Filson, came of Scotch-Irish ancestry, being himself, however, a native of the Keystone State, where he lived and died in Franklin County, when seventy years of age. His wife was also a native of that State, and with her husband was a member of the German Reformed Church.

The father of our subject married Mary E. Miller, a native of Franklin County, Pa., soon after which event they began farming, but later, however, operated a hotel at Marion, where Mr. Filson's death occurred when forty-five years of age. The mother of our subject is now residing in Dixon, Illinois, with her oldest son, B. F. Filson. She is sixty-eight years of age, and like her husband is a member of the German Reformed Church. The parental family included four children: Our subject, B. F., John M. (who is a grocery dealer in Kingsley, Iowa), and Adessa, who resides with her mother.

Our subject grew to mature years in Marion, Pa., and after coming to this county was married in Dixon to Miss Nancy J. Sharrar, a native of Blair County, Pa. She was born in 1848, and was the daughter of James and Mary A. (Morrow) Sharrar, who came to Illinois in the '50s and began life in Lee County as farmers. In 1873 they moved to Saunders County, Neb., and located on a farm near Wahoo, Saunders County where the father died in 1884. Mrs. Sharrar is yet living and resides in Nebraska, having attained the age of three-score years and ten. Like her husband, she is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In social matters, Mr. Filson is a member of Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery at Dixon, being Senior Warden in the former, High Priest in the Chapter and Warden in the Commandery. In politics, he votes the Democratic ticket, and in religious matters is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church here; Mrs. Filson also attends, although she was reared a Presbyterian. They are the parents of six children: William S., Mary E., Minnie B., Horace E., Maud S. and Emma.

Portraits and Biographical Lee County IL 1892