About a mile and a half from New Canton is located the well improved farm of John Kendrick who is a self-made man, owing his success entirely to earnest and unremitting toil. He is today the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of rich and arable land. He was born in Kildare, Ireland, on the 24th of June, 1855, and in his business career has exemplified the versatility and diligence characteristic of the Irish race.

His parents were William and Maria (Heffron) Kendrick, who were also natives of the Emerald Isle, where the father followed the occupation of farming. They resided in the land of their birth until May, 1866, when they took passage on a sailing vessel bound for America and after five weeks and three days on the ocean landed at Castle Garden, New York. They had a very rough voyage and in the storm one night all the masts were broken. After reaching the eastern metropolis Mr. Kendrick at once made his way to Quincy, Illinois, whence he drove to Pike county with a one-horse wagon, locating near the head of Kiser creek. After a period of about three years spent here he passed away in 1869. His widow afterward married Joseph McFarland and her death occurred in March, 1902. By the first marriage there were born six children, four sons and two daughters, namely: John; Mrs. Belle Barnett, now deceased; Mrs. Jane Feshe, of Washington, also deceased; Ed; Mrs. Mary Smading, of Washington; and Mrs. Kate Gogsdill, also of the same state.

John Kendrick spent the first eleven years of his life in his native land and then accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new world. His education was acquired in the common schools and when a youth of fifteen he started out to make his own way in the world, fighting life's battles unaided but coming off victor in the strife. He was first employed by the month at farm labor and saving his earnings he was finally enabled to purchase a farm south of New Canton, which he cultivated for a time and then sold. He first invested in two hundred acres of land where he now lives in Pleasant Vale township, and this is one of the fine farms of the county. It is located both on the bluff and on the bottom and is conveniently situated about a mile and a half north of New Canton, so that the privileges of urban life are readily acquired. The fields are well tilled and through the rotation of crops and the use of fertilizers are kept in good hearing condition, so that he annually harvests large crops.

Mr. Kendrick was married to Miss Mary Wheelan, a daughter of James and Isabelle (Brown) Wheelan. Her father was born in Ireland in 1837 and came to St. Louis, Missouri, with his mother in 1848. He was a son of Richard and Mary (Scully) Wheelan and the former died in 1846, after which his mother crossed the Atlantic with her son, making the voyage in a sailing vessel, which was six weeks and four days upon the bosom of the Atlantic before dropping anchor in the harbor of New Orleans. They remained in St. Louis until 1855, when Mr. Wheelan came to Pike county and entered the employ of Horace Palmer, a blacksmith. Later he followed the same pursuit upon his own account until 1873, when he turned his attention to farming and in 1877 he took up his abode upon a farm, which he had purchased in 1870, and on which he has resided continuously since. He has here two hundred and forty acres of fine land on section 1, Pleasant Vale township, improved with a beautiful home and substantial buildings for the shelter of grain and stock. He was married in 1857 to Miss Isabelle Brown, a native of Ireland, and of their seven children four are yet living, namely: Mary, now Mrs. Kendrick; Belle, the wife of Warren S. Spencer, of Pleasant Vale township; William, who resides with his father, having lost his wife, who bore the maiden name of Anna Brammel and who at her death left three children, John B., James S. and George S.; James G., who also lives with his father. He married Anna Haverland, who has departed this life. One daughter, Ella, became the wife of John Likes and at her death left a son, Alexander H. Rebecca married Ed Fesler, and both are now deceased. They left two children, James W. and Ella M. Richard was the other member of the Wheelan family. The mother died in 1873 and in 1877 Mr. Wheelan married Eliza Brown. He is a democrat and a Royal Arch Mason.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick have been born ten children: William, who married Mabel Newman and is living in Washington; Belle, the wife of Will Gard, who resides near the Kendrick farm; James; Charles; Harry; Kate; Samuel; Mary; Eliza; and Johnnie.

The family have a pleasant home upon the farm and with the assistance of his sons Mr. Kendrick is carefully conducting his business interests. He carries on general farming and stock-raising and is quite extensively engaged in stock-dealing. He has both Angus cattle and shorthorn’s, and he also raises a large number of hogs. He buys, feeds and ships cattle, and annually sends large numbers to the city market. This branch of his business is proving a very profitable source of income to him and indicates that he is an excellent judge of stock, making judicious purchases and remunerative sales.

In his political views Mr. Kendrick is an earnest and unfaltering republican, deeply interested in the growth and success of his party. He has held some local offices, being school director, road commissioner and chairman of the board of township trustees at different times. He belongs to the Masonic lodge, No. 821, of New Canton, and camp, No. 1148, M. W. A. His life work might be summed up in the phrase "through struggles to success." He has triumphed over difficulties and obstacles such as any man may encounter in a business career and as the years have gone by, he has wrested prosperity from the hand of fate.

Contributed by Roger Cramer from "Past and Present of Pike County IL Pg 335-336"