John Phinney

Of

Union Grove Twp.,
Whiteside Co IL

John Phinney, a citizen of Union Grove Township, located on a farm on section 13, is engaged in the twofold calling of agriculturist and teacher. He was born April 29, 1825, in Monkton, Addison Co., Vt., where he obtained a common-school education, and he extended the scope of his intellectual attainments at the academy at Bakersfield, Vt. His parents, Martin and Sally (Mallory) Phinney, were natives of Vermont and were of Scotch and English lineage. They remained in the State of their nativity throughout their lives. They had three children, - John, Harris and Sally. The mother died in 1830 and the father contracted a second marriage, with Mercy Brown. To them two children were born,- Dan A. and Ellen M. The former died near Iowa City; of typhoid fever, in 1856, and is buried in the Quaker burying-ground near that city.

On completing his education Mr. Phinney applied himself to the occupation of teaching, which he followed in Vermont between two and three years. In April, 1854, he came to Wlliteside County and first located in the township of Union Grove, where he pursued the vocation of teacher two years. In 1856 he went to Como, and was there occupied in the same capacity four years. In 1860 he bought a farm in the township of Montmorency, where he engaged in farming two years, spending the winters in teaching. In 1862 he sold his farm and went to Sterling, where he taught one year. At the expiration of that time he made an engagement to take charge of the school at Unionville, where he was employed three years. He then returned to Sterling to enter upon an engagement as teacher, which existed five years, after which he tanght two years in Unionville. From there he went to Hopkins Township, and after teaching there two years he engaged in the same capacity at Como, where he continued to operate four years. In the fall of 1883 he began to teach in Mt. Pleasant township, where he was engaged seven months. The aggregate of his teaching in Whiteside County covers a period of 3 years. He bought his farm in Union Grove Township in the fall of 1872, consisting of 88 acres, and where he has maintained his residence since the property came into his possession. It is nearly all under Cultivation. In political relations Mr. Phinney is independent.

He formed a matrimonial alliance with Alzina L. Twitchell, April 18, 1855. and they have had three children, - Burritt E., Martin Loyal and Effie B. The oldest son died Oct. 20, 1883, in Union Grove Township, at the age of 25 years. He fixed upon the calling of a jeweler, and spent four years in preparation for making that the business of his life, serving his apprenticeship at Morrison. He con­tracted consumption and went to California in the vain hope of recovery. He returned home and died at the home of his parents in Union Grove. He lies buried in the cemetery at Morrison. The second son is a student at Oberlin, Ohio. Mrs. Phinney was born in New Haven, Vt., May 1, 1836. She is the daughter of L. C. Twitchell, of whom a sketch appears on another page.

Portraits & Biographical Pg 320

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