McDonough ILGenWeb

REXROAT, William H., a well-known, prosperous and substantial farmer of Scotland Township, McDonough County, Ill., was born in that township December 10, 1859, and there, in boyhood, attended the district school. He is a son of James M. and Jane (Moyer) Rexroat, whose father was a native of Kentucky, and her mother of Iowa. His parents came from Iowa to Illinois in 1849, and his father bought a farm in Sections 11, 12 and 14, Scotland Township, where he lived until 1890, when he retired from active labors and moved to Macomb.

The subject of this sketch was the fifth of twelve children born to his parents, ten of whom were boys. At the age of twenty-two years, he rented a farm in Scotland Township on which he remained two years. In the fall of 1884 he went to Saline County, Neb., and built a house on a farm belonging to his father. There he raised three crops and then traded the farm for a livery barn in Wilbur, the county-seat of Saline County. After conducting the stable about two years, he sold out, and returning to Scotland Township rented a farm. After a while he bought eighty acres of land in Industry Township, the same county, where he lived two years. He then sold out and bought eighty acres in Section 26, Scotland Township, and two years later bought ninety acres more adjoining the first purchase on the east. In 1905 he bought sixty-five acres additional, east adjoining. He carries on general farming and raises cattle and hogs.

On November 10, 1880, Mr. Rexroat was united in marriage with Mary F. Landis, who was born in Schuyler County, Ill., where, in girlhood, she attended the district schools. From this union resulted two children, namely: Everett A., born in Scotland Township February 3, 1883; Bertha S. (Mrs. James G. Kirkpatrick), born August 10, 1886, and married May 24, 1905, in Saline County, Neb. In politics, Mr. Rexroat is an active Republican. He served as Assessor one term, and has been elected to the same office for the year 1906. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the A. F. & A. M., and the M. W. A. He is a progressive farmer, personally popular and one of the most prominent and influential men in his township.

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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 989-990, extracted 29 May 2020 by Norma Hass.