DAVID EMERY WIRE, Assessor of Winslow Township, and a gentleman in the prime of life, came from his native State to Illinois with his parents when a child of seven years. His early home was in Taylor Township, Courtland Co., N. Y., where he was born Aug. 23, 1848. His father, David Wire, was a native of the same town. His grandfather, Ward Wire, and his great-grandfather, David Wire, were born in Litchfield County, Conn. His great-great-grandfather, Thomas Wire, a native of England, was kidnapped when a boy seven years of age, while living in the city of London, and on his way to school. He was put on board a vessel and brought to America, and bound out until twenty-one years old. He served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was personally acquainted with Gen. Washington, and was one of the twelve men chosen as the General’s bodyguard at Valley Forge. He also served in the French and Indian Wars, making a total of fifteen years in the army. David Wire, Sr., upon reaching manhood located in Cortland County, N. Y., during its early settlement, and there spent the last years of his life. He was a very large man, being six feet and six inches in height with well developed muscles, and was a man whom his enemies disliked to attack. His son, Ward, the grandfather of our subject, followed farming and spent the last years of his life in the town of Taylor. Among his children was David, the father of our subject, who grew to manhood in Cortland County, N. Y., where he was married and lived until 1855, when he came to this county and purchased a tract of uncultivated prairie in Winslow Township. Upon this he opened up a good farm, of which he continued in possession until 1870, when he rented it out and removed beyond the Mississippi, settling in the village of Jesup, Buchanan Co., Iowa, where he has since lived.

The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Catherine Pomeroy, a native of New York. Of her union with David Wire there were born seven children, recorded as follows: Rosalia, the eldest daughter, became the wife of L. B. Hakes, and is now deceased; Terressa, the wife of William H. Wickwire, is a resident of Winslow, living near her sister, Amanda, who is the wife of W. L. De Bell; David E. of our sketch was the fourth child; John E. is a resident of Kensley, Edwards Co., Kans., Frank A. lives in Sioux City, Iowa; Ross B. Wire also lives in Sioux City.

Our subject attended school during his childhood and as soon as old enough began to assist his parents around the homestead. He remained under the home roof until seventeen years old, after which he worked out by the month for eight years. He began business for himself by farming on rented land and by this means accumulated enough to purchase the old homestead which he occupied until 1887. Then, selling out he came to Winslow and began dealing in provisions, building up a successful and profitable trade. He has signalized himself as a straightforward business man and has all his life voted the Democratic ticket. He has been School Director in this township, and socially belongs to Winslow Lodge No. 144, I. O. M. A.

Mr. Wire was married in Winslow Township in August, 1870, to Miss Emeline A., daughter of Jonathan and Lodeskey (Kennedy) Lincoln, and born in Winslow March 15, 1855. Her parents came to this county during its early settlement, and a further account of them will be found in the sketch of Mrs. L. Crandall, published elsewhere in this ALBUM. Mr. and Mrs. Wire became the parents of six children, namely, Edith A., Katie L., Bernice J., Jessie R., Ivah J. and David E. The wife and mother departed this life Feb. 16, 1887.

Contributed by Carole Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. 1888