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 OHN POORMAN, one of the honored pioneers of Coles-County, is passing the sunset
of life in peace and plenty at his home in
the village of Humbolt, surrounded by the
care and affection of the friends who have known
him for so long as a man worthy of their respect
and esteem. The history of this long and worthy
life, necessarily brief in a work of this kind, is essentially as follows: Mr. Poorman, a native of Lycoming County, Pa., was born Oct. 4, 1806, and was the third child in a family of eleven, the offspring of Peter and Jane (Sturges) Poorman. Peter Poorman, also a native of the Keystone State, was a shoemaker by trade, and at the same time being fond of rural life, carried on a farm in Lycoming County. The mother was the daughter of Amos Sturges, a native of England, who married and reared a family in his native country. He emigrated to this country and located on the Susquehanna. After the marriage of his daughter, he moved to Canada, and there spent the remainder of his life. John Poorman, in common with his brothers and sisters, was reared on the farm, his education being conducted mostly during the winter season in the district school. At twenty-three years of age, as the first step toward starting out in life for himself, he was married, Feb. 4, 1830, to Miss Sarah Dunn, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Lycoming County, Pa. Mrs. P. was the daughter of William and Lydia (Baird) Dunn, also natives of the Keystone State. The young people located first upon a rented farm, which they occupied six years, and then decided to emigrate West. Coming into this county, our subject purchased a large tract of land, embracing about 502 acres. He located here in the spring of 1836, when the country around was thinly settled, there being but five or six families within as many miles. The nearest markets were at Chicago, St. Louis and La Fayette. Ind., which were reached overland with teams. Even five years later, in 1841, money was so scarce that people seldom saw a dollar, and much less thought of handling money in the course of their business transactions. Of the settlers of that time not one now remains to keep our subject company, and while he has marked with intense interest and satisfaction the development and progress of his adopted State, he sometimes heaves a sigh of regret for the old scenes, the old faces, and the old friends, who, in common with him, labored to build up a home and make for themselves a position of which their children should not be ashamed. Mr. Poorman cultivated his farm to the best of his ability until the Illinois Central Railroad was completed, which made things better for everybody, for farmers as well as travelers. Transportation was now cheaper and more rapidly effected, and the stock and produce repaid better the efforts of the husbandman. Our subject had been prospered in his labors, and in 1872 wisely resolved to retire from active life and give place to younger and stronger men. He purchased a snug home in the village of Humbolt, where he has since resided. His wife, the faithful companion of his toils and the sympathizer in all his plans and undertakings, departed this life in August, 1877. Their union had been blest by the birth of seven children, viz., Daniel, born Dec. 10, 1830; Lydia Ann, July 31, 1832; Peter M., June 30, 1834; Jane Ellen, Aug. 27, 1836; Rebecca Amanda, Nov. 16, 1839; William Allison, March 7, 1842; John Franklin, Oct. 1, 1851. Of these only two survive William A., a farmer of Mattoon Township, living not far from his father, and John F., who is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Poorman was married the second time, in December, 1879, to Mrs. Margaret J. McClaren, daughter of James and Hannah S. (Vanada) Savage, and widow of William McClaren. Mrs. P. was born in Wayne County, Ohio, July 12, 1839, and came with her parents to Indiana when that State was almost a wilderness, and wolves and other wild animals were plenty. She remained under the parental roof until her first marriage, and with her husband became a resident of Indiana. Mr. Poorman was early recognized as a man of more than ordinary ability, and soon after coming to Mattoon Township was appointed to the various positions of trust within the gift of his fellow townsmen. He has held nearly all the local offices in the county, and there are few enterprises tending to the good of his community in which he has not taken an active and leading part. When a young man he identified himself with the old Whig party, but after its abandonment cast his lot with the Democrats. Mr. and Mrs. Poorman are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which they have been earnest workers for many years. The life of our subject presents the pleasant picture of a man whose days have been well spent, and whose record will be perused by his descendants with pride and satisfaction. It is with pleasure we give his portrait in this work, knowing that it will be welcomed by all who know him, and will, in connection with this personal narrative, serve as a means of perpetuating his memory when he shall have been gathered to his fathers. |
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