W. P. MINNICH, farmer, P. O. Villa Ridge, was born in Ohio July 23, 1851. He is the son of George Minnich, who was born in Clark County, Ohio, 1825, and came to Pulaski, Ill., 1856, when the county was but little improved, the logging and milling business being the leading industry at the time. Mr. Minnich has since held prominent positions in the county, Sheriff, Surveyor, etc. Our subject was educated in the common schools of the county, then attended one year at the State University at Champaign, Ill. When commencing for himself it was by clerking in the store of W. R. Hooppaw in Villa Ridge, then he was with E. M. Titus, having one-fourth interest in the store. In 1876, he came to the farm and has been engaged in horticulture and agriculture since, he and his brother having charge of the home farm. He owns a farm of eighty acres north of Villa Ridge, fifty of which are in cultivation. He is member of the Villa Ridge Lodge, A., F. & A. M. In politics, he is Republican. November, 1882, he was elected a member of the County Board of Commissioners. December 5, 1881, he was married to Miss Emma G. Brown. She was born in Kentucky, daughter of Judge A. M. Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Minnich have one child — Scott B. Judge A. M. Brown was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in 1818. By profession, he was an attorney. For some time he practiced his profession at Paris, Ky., and was editor of the Western Citizen, a Whig paper. For some time he had desired to move to a fruit-growing country; so, in March, 1861, he came to this county, having bought land before. Here he resided till the time of his death, June 27, 1879. For years, he held the office of County Judge, and was one of the Trustees of the State University at Champaign, from its origin till the time of his death. He also had been President of the State Horticultural Society. He was a member of the orders, A., F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F., and in politics always was a strong Republican, and always took an active part in helping to develop the county. In early life he had graduated at Hanover College, Hanover, Ind., and afterward read law with Judge Quarls, of Indianapolis, and for some time was in partnership with him. He was married, at Madison, Ind., 1841, to Mary A. Maxwell. She was born in Indiana, near Hanover. To them five children were born — Elizabeth (deceased), Edward M., died at Jackson, Tenn., a member of Company I, Eighty-first Illinois Infantry; Jennie T., A. B., and Emma G. Mrs. Brown still lives on the old homestead.
Extracted 02 Nov 2014 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V - Biographical Sketches, pages 292-293.
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Massac McCracken KY |
| Ballard KY |
