McDonough ILGenWeb

HORROCKS, Abraham, a retired farmer living in Bardolph, Macomb Township, McDonough County, Ill., was born in Lancashire, England, July 5, 1832, a son of Thomas and Ellen (Kay) Horrocks, natives of England. Grandfather Horrocks was also of English nativity. In boyhood, Mr. Horrocks attended school in his native country. He came to the United States in 1855, and located in Pottsville, Pa., where he was employed four years at mining coal. At the end of that period he came to Colchester, McDonough County, Ill., where he worked at coal mining and brick making. In 1874 he started a brick manufacturing plant at Bardolph, which he operated until 1893, and then sold to Edward Chandler, who lost it by fire within a few months after its purchase. Long before the sale of the brick-yard, Mr. Horrocks had bought a farm, to which he moved in 1893, remaining there until February, 1904, when he returned to Bardolph to live in retirement. In 1883 Mr. Horrocks lost his right arm, which was torn off by being caught in a shaft with sprockets. He is also ailing with rheumatism which leaves him an invalid.

In 1855 Mr. Horrocks was married to Eliza Fletcher, who was born and schooled in England. She died in 1888. On January 29, 1890, Mr. Horrocks was married to Mrs. Kate Marchant, a native of Marsh, Cambridgeshire, England, who is the mother of two children by her first marriage: Harold H., of Kansas City, Mo.; and Elizabeth, who is at home. Mrs. Horrocks' first husband was Howard Marchant, a lawyer who was in practice at New Castle-on-Tyne, and died in England on July 1, 1888, and is buried at Ventnor, Isle of Wight. In 1889, Mrs. Marchant came to Illinois and located at Bardolph. In religion, Mr. Horrocks adheres to the faith of the Presbyterian Church. Politically, he is a Republican, and fraternally, is affiliated with the A. F. & A. M. He has led a very industrious and upright life, and enjoys the respect of all who know him.

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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, pages 910-911, extracted 09 Mar 2019 by Norma Hass.