McDonough ILGenWeb

SPICER, John B., who was formerly a successful farmer in the vicinity of Bushnell, McDonough County, Ill., but has been for twenty-two years a prominent resident of Bushnell, where he is now living in retirement, was born in the State of Maryland in 1834. He is a son of James H. and Priscilla (Ralph) Spicer, who were natives of Delaware. The parents of Mr. Spicer came to Quincy, Ill., in 1835; in 1836 they moved to Vermont, Fulton County, and in 1838 to Table Grove, which his father platted during that year. The family moved to McDonough County in 1854, where they located on a farm two and a half miles west of Bushnell. There the subject of this sketch, who had attended public school as opportunity offered, followed farming until 1863, when he engaged in the drug business in Bushnell, in partnership with his brother. On abandoning this enterprise he returned to the farm, where he continued until 1883. At that period he relinquished active work and took up his permanent residence in Bushnell.

Mr. Spicer was united in marriage in 1861 with Sarah J. Medaris, who was born in Ohio. In politics, he supports the Prohibition party. His religious connection is with the Christian Church. He has served one term in the City Council of Bushnell and has officiated as Justice of the Peace for sixteen years. He is much respected in the community, and is enjoying in quiet retirement the well earned fruition of many years of industry, frugality and upright living.

---

Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 1008, extracted 30 Jul 2020 by Norma Hass.