Rev. Cephas Hurless, deceased, formerly a farmer of Genesee Township, was born in 1828 in Holmes Co. Ohio. He was reared to man's estate in his native county, receiving a practical education in the public schools. He was married in Holmes County, April 13, 1848, to Elizabeth, daughter of Martin and Barbria Overholser. She was born April 2, 1830. Six years after the event of their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hurless removed to Illinois and bought an unbroken tract of prairie near Coleta, and while there resident Mrs. Hurless died, the date of her decease being Feb. 20, 1862. Two children, Adaline and an infant unnamed, died before the mother. Four children, three daughters and a son, survive her still. They were born in the following order; Sarah A., Susanna, Rebecca J., and George P. They are all married.

Mr. Hurless was a second time united in marriage to Tabitha A. Winters, Oct. 2, 1862 in Carroll Co. IL. She was born Nov. 28, 1836 in Bedford, Washington Co. Ind., and is the daughter of James and Susan (Gyger) Winters, of whom a biographical sketch is presented in this volume. She was 11 years of age when her parents removed to Wysox, Carroll Co., Ill. To Mr. and Mrs. Hurless eight children were born, four of them dying in infancy; James M was born August 15, 1865; William J., Feb. 17, 1868; Bell, Nov. 18, 1869; S. Leroy, March 24, 1875.

The estate upon which the family settled near Coleta contained upwards of 350 acres of land, and it was wholly unimproved. The proprietor took measures to proceed as rapidly as possible with the work of reclaiming its acres and had accomplished considerable, when the duties of public life necessitated his removal to Coleta, where he fixed his residence in 1875. He died Nov. 14, 1884 and was serving as Supervisor at the time of his decease.

Mr. Hurless was a man of superior ability, which was recognized and made available from the beginning of his citizenship in Genesee Township. He served several terms in the positions of Supervisor, Assessor and Justice of the Peace. He had officiated as Pastor of a charge in WIll and carroll Counties and afterwards filled vacancies when occassion required. His death was considered a public loss and in an obituary notice which appeared in a local paper, his character was most justly and appropriately set forth; " As a neighbor he was accommodiating; as a citizen, upright; as a husband, loving; as a father, kind almost to a fault; as a Christian, exemplary; as an officer, true and honest; and as a man he was worthy of the confidence of his fellow-man." His loss is keenly felt by the citizens of Genesee, who had learned to love him for his Christian worth and noble work. In political principle he was a Democrat, and had been a candidate for minority Representative.

Whiteside County Portraits & Biographical Pg 505