H. RECORD, a senior member of the firm
of Record & Co., manufacturers of drain
tiling, is one of the prominent business
men of the county, and a leading citizen
of Charleston. The history of his life is specially
instructive, inasmuch as it throws some light upon
the vexed question of " how to get on in the
world." Mr. Record shrewdly foresaw the demands
for tiling in the present improved methods of farming, and ingeniously turned his attention to its
manufacture. To be able to discern the golden
opportunity leading to success, and to grasp it at
once, is a rare faculty, and one much to be desired.
S. H. Record is the son of William S. and Martha (Said) Record, and was born Dec. 16, 1847,
near Falmouth, Ky. His father was a native of
Tennessee and his mother of Ohio, their marriage
taking place about 1840, in Kentucky, where he
was engaged in farming. In 1857 they removed
from Kentucky to Illinois and purchased a farm in
this township, where they passed the closing years
of life. His father retired from active business in
1863, and resided in Charleston until his death,
which occurred in 1868. His mother died in 1864.
Their family comprised nine children.
S. H. Record was brought up on his father’s farm,
receiving a practical education, until he was twenty-one years of age. He had been trained to no
special trade or profession, and after leaving the
home roof, engaged for a time in whatever employment he could procure. In 1871 he was employed
as clerk in the drug-store of Andrew Moore of
this city, and remained in the business six years.
In 1877, in company with his wife and sister, he
embarked in his present manufacturing enterprise,
commencing in a small way. Their works, which
consisted of one kiln and a building 20x80 feet,
were located in the northwestern part of the city.
The business has proved very successful, and they
now operate four kilns; their buildings are 30x500
feet and they employ fifteen men in the works,
turning out $15,000 worth of stock per annum,
half of which is shipped, and a ready market is
found for the remainder in the vicinity of Charleston within a radius of eight miles.
In 1874 Mr. Record was united in marriage
with Miss Lizzie Emerson, the daughter of Judge
Charles and Nancy (Herrold) Emerson, of Decatur.
They have an interesting family of seven children,
whose names are as follows: May, Clara, Myrtle,
Frank, Lou, Belle and Florence. Mr. Record is a
Republican in politics, a member of the Masonic
fraternity and of the Knights of Honor.
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