McDonough ILGenWeb

BAGLEY, Stephen J., who is successfully engaged in farming in Chalmers Township, McDonough County, Ill., was born in Manchester, England, March 12, 1854. His parents, Samuel and Elizabeth (Skaret) Bagley, were also of English origin, the former's birthplace being Manchester. Samuel Bagley came to the United States and proceeded to McDonough County, Ill., settling on a farm in Chalmers Township. Stephen J. Bagley is the eldest of four children, two of whom were boys. He made his home with his parents until he was twenty-seven years old. He then rented a farm of Thomas Gilmore, on which he was engaged in farming for twenty-one and one-half years. In the meantime he had purchased 200 acres of land in this township, and carries on general farming and raising cattle, horses and hogs. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he often worked.

On December 25, 1878, Mr. Bagley was married to Emma Cale, a native of Ohio where in girlhood she received a common school education. The issue of this union was nine children as follows: Alice (Mrs. Lawrence Clugston); Fred, who married Annie Hill; George, Jennie, Mamie, Pearl, Loutilous, Ralph and Irene. Mr. Bagley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Since 1887 he has been Vice-President of the County Sunday School Association. Politically, the subject of this sketch is a Republican, and has served as School Director since 1894.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907. Submitted by Joanne Scobee Morgan morgans4@swbell.net