JOHN ATCHISON was born Oct. 17, 1824, in Mercer County, Pa. He is the son of Matthew Atchison, a native of Westmoreland County, Pa., and the latter was the son of James Atchison, who came to America at an early day, and settled near Philadelphia. The father of the subject of this sketch died in Mercer County at the age of forty-six years. The mother was a Miss Mary Dowling, daughter of James Dowling, a native of Ireland, and his wife was Mary Nelson, also a native of Ireland, and a descendant of Lord Nelson. The mother died at the age of fifty-six years in Jo Daviess County, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. D. McKenzie.

The grandfather of our subject left home when thirteen years old to work for himself. He first went to a neighbor’s for one year, and then began learning the trade of a carpenter. He served an apprenticeship of nine years, the first year at $3 per month, and the last year at $13 per month. He then went to New York State into a pinery, and hewed timber and frames. He also lumbered up and down the Ohio River to Cincinnati until nineteen years old, when he went to Iowa City, Iowa, and worked at his trade in the construction of the Territorial Capitol; then he returned to his home in Pennsylvania, where he remained six months, when he went to Mississippi, where he worked at his trade for one season. Returning North he worked at his trade in Galena and vicinity four seasons. From there he went to the Upper Wisconsin River, and helped to build a saw-mill, and was in that country three years working at his trade and dealing in lumber. During this time he rafted much lumber to St. Louis. In 1850 he went to Mt. Carroll, Ill., and engaged as contractor and builder, and was so connected with the lumber-yards for nine years. He then moved to Elizabeth, Ill., and worked at his trade for about six months, and then went to Wisconsin, where he farmed and worked at his trade until 1865, when he removed to Jo Daviess County, where he engaged in farming, and at intervals working at his trade. He resided in Freeport, Ill., for several years as a general agent. About 1877 he moved to Lena, Ill., and worked at his trade until 1886, when he leased the White House of that town, and has since conducted it. He was a member of Co. F, 37th Wis. Vol. Inf., but on account of sickness his career as a soldier was brief. He was discharged at Camp Randall in the fall of 1864, on account of disability contracted in the service.

Mr. Atchison was married, Sept. 18, 1851, to Miss Charlotte Morton, who was born Dec. 7, 1833, and was the daughter of Chester Morton, a native of Essex, Chittenden Co., Vt. Chester Morton married Miss Annie Comstock, who was born in Connecticut but came with her people to Ohio when ten years old. He spent a great many years in Michigan clearing lands and running sawmills; he also managed a brickyard in Ypsilanti. In the spring of 1842 he sold out, and started with five pair of horses and his household goods for Illinois. He located first five miles east of Belvidere, and that summer worked with his teams and cut grain with cradles. In the fall he moved into Jo Daviess County on Rush Creek, and purchased several hundred acres of land, on which was a large, double log house. This he at once converted into a public house, commonly called a tavern in those days, which he conducted for many years. It was the headquarters of the old stage-coach drivers of that day. He was a splendid horseman, and was called upon for miles to attend horses when they became sick. In later years his family drifted apart, and he finally discontinued housekeeping and lived with his children in different parts of the country. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. William Furman, at Harper’s Ferry, Wis., at the age of eighty-six years and some months. His wife died a few years afterward, aged seventy-six, at the home of another daughter, Mrs. Mary Owens, near Marshalltown, Iowa. They had a family of seven girls and five boys, all of whom grew to maturity, except one son who died in infancy. Capt. Gilbert C. Morton, now living near Essex, Vt., concluded to become a seafaring man, and at the age of fifteen went aboard a vessel and became a sailor. During his life upon the ocean he visited almost every important port on the globe. During the war of the Rebellion, he did much creditable service to the Government in the navy, and on account of wounds received he is a pensioner. After leaving the naval service, he became a lecturer for the cause of temperance, and in that capacity accomplished much good. He is now living a quiet and retired life on a model farm in Vermont, where he is an honored and highly respected citizen.

John Atchison and wife have raised a family of five children: Nelson M. is married, and has two children; he is chief clerk in the White House at Lena. Gilbert C. is a traveling newspaper correspondent, and general advertising solicitor, with headquarters in Chicago; Mary J., Mrs. D. Daws, has two children, and her husband is clerking in a butter and egg and general produce house in New England; Anna C. and Cora B., with their mother, have charge of the culinary department of the White House in Lena, and it is to their efforts and efficiency that its popularity is largely due.

There are three or four Atchison families recorded, but the spelling of their names as the subject of this sketch spells his, does not entitle them to lay claim to the same lineage. This family of Atchisons, according to Fairbairn’s Crests, are descendants of an Earl in England. It seems that from this Earl this family of Atchisons migrated into Scotland, and when the Scots crossed the line and settled in the northern part of Ireland, the forefathers of John Atchison were among them. While the name is considered as Scotch, it is really English, if Fairbairn’s Crests is an authentic source for information of this kind.

Contributed by Carol Parrish from Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 557