M. T. BAGBY, farmer, P. O. Olmsted. Of the men in this county who came here without means and who by their energy and shrewdness have gained a good farm, we count him whose name heads this sketch. He was born October 12, 1834, in Lewis County, Ky. His father, Willis Bagby, was born in 1800 in Kentucky, and died in 1849 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a farmer and riverman by occupation, running from Lewis County, Ky., to Cincinnati, Ohio. The grandfather of our subject, Robert Bagby, was a native of Virginia, and died in 1828 in Lewis County, Ky. He had eight children, who are all living, except one. The mother of our subject, Mary Thompson, was born in 1799 in Kentucky; she died July 27, 1849, in Lewis County, Ky. She was the mother of nine children, of whom seven are now living. Her parents were James and Nancy Thompson, of Kentucky. Our subject was educated in Minerva, Mason Co., Ky., and Ashland, Boyd Co., Ky. In 1857, he went to Augusta, Schuyler Co., Ill., where he taught school one-half year, and the next year taught in Pike County, Ill. Returning to Kentucky, he taught school one year, and then went to school one-half year in the Ashland College, Kentucky. After the war broke out, he farmed one year, and then came to Pulaski County, where he again taught school, after which he clerked three months for G. F. Meyer, and then kept a grocery store in Caledonia one year. In 1868, he bought a farm of 200 acres for $4,000, and has farmed ever since. In 1881, he bought 150 acres of land for $1,000, which cost the former owner almost $5,000. Our subject was married August 1, 1863, in this county, to Mrs. Anna C. Ayers, born January 21, 1839, in this county. She was a daughter of James M. Timmons, a fine old man, and a native of South Carolina. Her mother, Nancy (Echols) Timmons, was a native of Union County, Ill., and is yet living in Olmsted. Mrs. Bagby is religiously connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. She is the mother of five children now living — Mathew H., born January 18, 1867; Susie and Nancy are twins, they were born February 28, 1870; Burton, born November 4, 1872, and James, born July 7, 1875; Emmet R. and Agnes are deceased. Mr. Bagby has been Justice of the Peace for four years. He came to this county with $1.50, but is today classed among our wide-awake, well-to-do men.
Extracted 02 Nov 2014 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V - Biographical Sketches, pages 311-312.
| Union | Johnson | |
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Massac McCracken KY |
| Ballard KY |
