WlLLIAM
J. BALDRIDGE, a
prosperous farmer of
White Oak Township, is located on section 23, where he has a
comfortable
homestead, and is surrounded by all the necessaries and many of the
luxuries of
life. He is a native of the Buckeye State, having been born in Adams
County,
Ohio, Oct. 13, 1839. His parents were William and Margaret (Kane)
Baldridge,
natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The father was born in 1805, and is
still
living. He came to Illinois in 1852, and purchased 120 acres of land in
White
Oak Township, upon which he remained until 1858, and then retired from
active
labor and took up his residence in the village of Oak Grove. His wife,
the
mother of our subject, was born in 1806, and died at the home of her
husband in
White Oak Township, in August, 1867.
The parental family
of our subject consisted of six children, the record of whom is as
follows:
Mary became the wife of William Ramsey, and makes her home with her
children. Mr.
Ramsey being deceased; Samuel married Miss Kirkpatrick; Martha is now
Mrs. A.
Hart; James W. married Miss Martha Johnson; William J., of this sketch,
was the
fifth child; George T. married Miss Hattie Ewins, now deceased; his
second wife
was Miss Amanda Leach.
The subject of this
history was reared by his parents, and remained under the home roof
until he
had attained his majority, he was married Nov. 21, 1867, to Miss
Caroline
Wright, who was born in Ohio, Feb. 6, 1848. Mrs. B. is the daughter of
Samuel
and Mary (Balas) Wright, both natives of Ohio, where the father died
Nov. 13,
1876. The mother still survives, and is now living at Chenoa, this
county. The
household circle was completed by the birth of eleven children, as
follows:
Mary J. was the eldest; Nancy died when sixteen years of age; Samuel A.
died in
1867, aged thirty-five years; William H. and Albert S. are residents of
Mound
City, Kan., the latter being Mayor; Sarah C., the twin sister of
Albert, is
living at Chenoa, this county; Elizabeth A. died when a small child;
John B. is
living in Kansas; Martha died in infancy; Caroline is Mrs. Baldridge;
James A.
died when two years of age.
William J. Baldridge
came to Illinois in the spring of 1852, being a lad of thirteen years.
He
received a fair education in the district schools, and was reared to
habits of
industry and principles of honor. He commenced early in life to lay his
plans
for the future, and was willing to work for his possessions. He is now
the
owner of 240 acres of fine land, and is an extensive breeder of fine
horses,
turning his attention mostly to Norman and Clydesdale stock. His
stables
include four fine Morgan roadsters, which are models of endurance and
speed. As
a stock-breeder he has gained an enviable reputation in this vicinity,
and has
exercised admirable judgment in the management and care of valuable
animals.
Mr. Baldridge has
been prominent in the affairs of the county since attaining to years of
manhood. He was elected Supervisor on the Republican ticket, in 1879,
and has
served the county in that capacity six terms. He has been Chairman of
the
committee on education, and has been the encourager and supporter of
every
measure to advance the prosperity and intelligence of the people of
this
section. He has held all the minor offices of White Oak Township, and
is highly
esteemed in the councils of his townsmen, for his cool and temperate
judgment
and the general fund of information which assists him in determining
questions
of importance. In religions matters he has been no less active than in
civil
affairs. He was reared in the Presbyterian Church,
but is now connected with the Methodist, holding the offices of
Trustee,
Steward and Superintendent of the Sunday -School.
During the progress
of the late war Mr. Baldridge enlisted as a Union soldier in the 94th
Regiment,
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and participated in several
general
engagements. He was in the Western and Southern armies, and takes pride
in the
knowledge that he was never beaten in a race with the rebels, never
under
arrest, never in the hospital and never wounded in battle. After
serving three
years he received his honorable discharge, in 1865.
Mr. and Mrs.
Baldridge became the parents of nine children, namely: Clarence Myrtie,
who
died at the age of twelve years; Lucia, lola, Mary Mabel, William C.,
Estella,
who died in infancy; Margaret; Edith who died in infancy and John Carl.
In
politics Mr. Baldridge is Republican.
Portrait
and biographical album of McLean County,
Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent
and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and
biographies of all the governors of Illinois, and of the presidents of
the
United States. (Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887), 252-3.
Transcribed by Judy Rosella Edwards
