McDonough ILGenWeb

VOORHEES, John J., who is successfully conducting a livery and sale stable in Blandinsville, McDonough County, Ill., was born in Henderson County, Ill., on the 27th of February, 1879. He is a son of Allie and Mary F. (Wassom) Voorhees, natives of Illinois. Allie Voorhees was a farmer by occupation. He carried on farming until 1891, when he went into the hardware business in Blandinsville. This he conducted until his death, in 1900. The mother of our subject is still living in Blandinsville.

John J. Voorhees came to Blandinsville with his parents when twelve years old, and worked out on a farm for three years. In 1903 he bought out Luther Hamlin's livery, and conducts a first-class establishment, keeping about twenty head of good horses. His barn is 100 by 40 feet in dimensions, and the harness shop, carriage barn and stable connected with it cover an area of 191 by 26 feet, and are well equipped in every particular.

On June 15, 1904, Mr. Voorhees was married to Mabel Grigsby, who was born in Blandinsville, a daughter of Jeff Grigsby and Fannie Taylor. Mr. Grigsby is one of the pioneer farmers of McDonough County, now living in retirement in Blandinsville Township where he owns upwards of 500 acres of land. Mrs. Voorhees is the oldest of a family of three children, all now living. Mr. and Mrs. Voorhees are the parents of one child, a son born in October, 1905. Politically, Mr. Voorhees is a Republican, and fraternally, a member of the M. W. of A.

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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 1033-1034, extracted 07 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass.