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 ON. AZARIAH JEFFRIS, a prominent citizen of Coles County, is an extensive farmer,
stock-raiser and dealer, residing in Pleasant
Grove Township. He is the son of Thomas
and Patsey (Shelton) Jeffris, and was born April 29,
1836, on the farm he now owns. Thomas Jeffris
was born in 1796, in Hanover County, Va., and was
of Scotch parentage. In his infancy his family removed to Grayson County, Ky., where his father
engaged in farming, and made his permanent home.
Thomas was reared on the farm, and passed his
early life in that State, where his marriage to Miss
Patsey Shelton took place. She was born in 1794,
in Tennessee. After his marriage, Mr. Jeffris with
his young wife left his home in Kentucky, and in
the autumn of 1830 came to Coles County. He
purchased forty acres of land in Pleasant Grove
Township, and at the same time entered a tract of
Government land. Brave hearts and willing hands
were required to face the perils and hardships of
pioneer life in Illinois at that early day, but, aided
by his devoted wife, he successfully encountered
and overcame the difficulties and obstacles incidental to the settlement of a new country. Mr.
Jeffris was a poor man when he came to the county,
and by his industry and enterprise acquired a fine
estate, containing about 400 acres of valuable land,
where he carried on an extensive business in general farming. As soon as he had acquired sufficient means, he erected a pleasant residence, with
excellent, well appointed farm buildings, requiring
so many of the latter to accommodate the various
branches of his extensive business, that his place
wore the appearance of a small village. Thomas Jeffris possessed remarkable executive ability and a rare knowledge of human nature. During his residence in Kentucky he served as Justice of the Peace, and after coming to Illinois was elected to that office in 1831. After serving twenty-seven years, he declined to hold that position any longer, the duties of which had been arduous. At that time Cumberland and Douglas Counties were included in Coles County, necessarily throwing a large amount of legal work within the jurisdiction of the latter place. In judicial affairs he was always inclined to promote a peaceful solution of vexed questions, wherever such an adjustment could be made, and frequently succeeded in effecting a reconciliation between adverse parties, without resorting to a lawsuit. He was a Democrat in politics, and never allowed business engagements to interfere with his attendance at the polls to cast his vote. Mr. Jeffris was a member of the Old-School Bap- tist Church, and his daily life bore witness to the sincerity of his Christian faith. For many years he was an Elder in the Church, and no matter how unfavorable the weather, through rain and snow, summer’s heat and winter’s cold, he was never known to be absent from the service. He was kind and generous in his home, and devoted to the interests of his children, giving them as good an education as it was possible to obtain at that time, and also assisting each one to start in life. After a long life of usefulness, lie died Aug. 4, 1866. His widow survived him a number of years, her death occurring in 1875. They had a family of nine children, whose record is as follows: Sallie married Blaine Matthews, and after his death became the wife of George Diehl; George lived to be seventeen years old; James married Matilda Johnston, and lives in this township; Mary, deceased, was the first wife of George Diehl; Ann was the wife of Jacob Dornblazer, but is now deceased; Harriet, deceased, was the first wife of I. H. Johnston ; John married Mary F. Vandeveer; Isaac, deceased, and Azariah, of this sketch. Azariah Jeffris was a boy of unusual intelligence, possessing ready powers of observation, combined with good judgment. He was reared on his father’s farm, and received the foundation of his education at the subscription school, which was the only system of instruction the pioneer days afforded. He did not lay aside his books, however, upon leaving school, but continued his studies, and by close application acquired a practical business education. March 10, 1860, he was married to Miss Ann Mary Hackley. Mrs. Jeffris is the daughter of John and Susan (Thomas) Hackley, and was born in Grayson County, Ky., March 2. 1841. After his marriage, Mr. Jeffris and his wife commenced housekeeping at once. Our subject commenced business for himself with 180 acres of land, but has increased his property until he now owns a a fine estate containing 600 acres. In conducting his farm he gives special attention to stock-raising, and has for several years past also been engaged in stock-dealing. Like his father, in politics he is a stanch Democrat, and has served as Supervisor and held all the minor offices of the township. In 1870, in recognition of his superior ability in the management of public affairs, he was chosen to represent the Twenty-seventh District in the General Assembty. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffris had a family of three children—Zavala, Shelton and Laura. Shelton died at the age of eighteen, and his death, just on the verge of manhood, was a crushing blow to his parents. Mrs. Jeffris is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, but Mr. Jeffris has never connected himself with any religious body or secret society, but is not opposed to them; on the contrary he has given liberally of his means toward all religious denominations of this community. |
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