Isaac Stainbrook, a member of the farming community of Lee County, has owned and occupied his present farm in Viola Township for nearly thirty years. He is a native of Crawford County, Pa., and was born May 6, 1835. His father, George Frederick Stain brook, a venerable resident of Wyoming Township, was also a native of Crawford County, while his father, John Stainbrook was of German birth. He came to this country with his parents in early life, and was married in Pennsylvania to Elizabeth Kightlinger, a native of that State. He always followed farming, and spent his last years in Crawford County. The father of our subject was reared and married, and resided in his native county until 1857. In that year he migrated to Illinois, and buying a farm in Wyoming Township, still makes it his home. He is very old, having attained the advanced age of ninety-five years. His wife, Susan Raird, daughter of Joseph Baird, was born, reared and died in Crawford County, Pa., her death occurring in 1837.

The subject of this sketch passed his early years in the State of his birth, and was educated in the public schools. In 1856 he left his old home to found a new one in the great Prairie State. He worked out by the month in Lee County until 1860, when he went to Princeton, Bureau County, and was employed on a farm there two years. Returning to this county at the expiration of that time, he invested his money in the farm on which he now resides, which contains a quarter section of excellent farming land. February 22, 1865, he enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Fifty-third Illinois Volunteers at Mendota 111., and was mustered out at Springfield, IL, September 22, the same year.

Mr. Stainbrook was married in October, 1857, to Miss Isabelle Davison, a native of Onondago County, N. Y. Her father, William Davison, was born in County Down, Ireland, and his father, who bore the same name as himself, was born either in that country or in Scotland, he being of Scottish antecedents. He came to America in 1825, and located near Kingston, Canada. Miss. Stainbrook's father was born and reared on his native isle, and on coming to this country located in Onondago County, N. Y., where he engaged in faming. A few years later he removed to the Province of Ontario, Canada, and there remained until 1851. In that year he came to Illinois, and settled among the pioneers of Viola Township, the removal hither being made by the lakes to Chicago, and from there by team to this county. At that time there were no railways here, and the abundance of deer and other wild animals denoted that the country was still in a sparsely settled condition. Mr. Davison bought a tract of wild land, and improved a good farm, on which he lived until his demise. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Wallace. She was horn in Scotland, and was a daughter of James and Mary Wallace. She died on the home farm at a ripe age. Mr. and Mrs. Stainbrook have four children, namely: George, William, Mary E. and Jane.

Transcribed by Christine Walters - Portraits and Biographical Lee Co. 1892