McDonough ILGenWeb

HORRELL, Robert L., one of the oldest farmers in McDonough County, Ill., both in point of age and length of residence, is the much respected subject of this sketch. Mr. Horrell was born in Adair County, Ky., March 19, 1825, and is a son of James and Lee (Carson) Horrell, the father of whom was born in Virginia and the mother, in North Carolina. The paternal grandparents, Oliver C. and Mary (Tate) Horrell, were natives of Virginia, while the maternal grandparents, James and Catherine (Nesbit) Carson, were of North Carolina origin. James Horrell brought his family to what is now Scott County, Ill., in the fall of 1827. In 1835 he moved to McDonough County, and settled in Section 4, Bethel Township, where he first entered 160 acres of land, and later, 190 acres more. The father died in 1842 and the mother, in 1847. Robert L. Horrell is the third of a family of six children, four of whom were boys. In early youth he attended the common school and continued to live in the old homestead until 1856. At that period he bought the eighty acres of land on which he has since resided. He has seen Indians roaming over this region, and many deer, prairie wolves, etc., in all directions. Mr. Horrell is engaged in raising horses, cattle and hogs. His main crop is corn for feeding purposes.

On February 16, 1854, Mr. Horrell was married to Mary A. Kinkade, who was born and schooled in McDonough County. Six children resulted from this union, namely: Mary E.; William Hugh, John D. D., Harriet L. (died in July, 1864); Clara R. (Mrs. E. T. Riden), who died in 1885, at the age of twenty-one years, and Robert Jesse. Politically, the subject of this sketch is a Democrat. He served as Supervisor six years. Tax Collector six years, and Road Commissioner three years. He was one of the first incumbents of the last named office when the township was organized.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 910, extracted 09 Mar 2019 by Norma Hass.