 |
 OLLICOFFER O’HAIR. The subject of
the following history has been identified with
the farming interests of Central Illinois for
a period of twenty-three years, and has assisted in
building up a homestead creditable to himself as
an industrious and enterprising agriculturist, while
it has also added greatly to the farming interests
of this section, and enters largely into the embellishment of the rural district. He assists in carrying
on the home farm for his mother. Mr. O’Hair was
born on the homestead, Oct. 5, 1863, whence his
parents removed shortly afterward to Simms Town-
ship, five miles south of Paris, in Edgar County,
where they remained about seven years. At the
end of that time they came back, remaining three
years, and then returned to Edgar County, residing
there three years, finally returning to the homestead
where they still live. James Sylvester O’Hair, the father of our subject, was born in Morgan County, Ky.. Aug. 22. 1822. and came with his parents to this State when a small boy. He was the eldest of their ten children, and when coming here the country was practically unsettled. His father entered a tract of land from the Government, but on account of ill-health, not long afterward sold out and took possession of a tract which had been partially cultivated, removing with his family into one of the first houses built in the township and which was replaced by the present more modern dwelling. He was first married July 5, 1846, to Miss Minerva Ann Ellidge, of Kentucky, and they became the parents of three children, namely, Sylvanus S., who died Nov. 22. 1876; Arminta Ellen, a resident of this county, and Cynthelia Jane, who lives in Clark County, Ill.; she is the wife of Mahlun Beunst. The mother of these children died of typhoid fever, Dec. 8, 1860. Mr. O’Hair was again married, April 18, 1861, to Miss Polly Ann Frazier. a native of Clark County, Ill., where she was reared and educated. Her father, Thomas Frazier, a native of Kentucky, was married in early manhood to Miss Anna Stark, and they became the parents of nine children, three sons and six daughters, as follows: Louisa M., John, James William, Polly Ann, Catherine, Emily Jane. Rebecca E., Emeline and Thomas R. Of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. O’Hair there were born three children, namely, Zollicoffer, Will- iam Pierce and James Frazier. William is farming near Eureka, Kan., and James is occupied on the home farm with his brother, our subject. This is the property of Mrs. O’Hair, and the boys live with their mother and assist her in the management of the farm. The father died at their farm in Edgar County, Ill.. April 16, 1875, at 8 o’clock in the morning. He is buried in the old family graveyard on his father’s homestead. Mr. Zollicoffer O’Hair met with a serious accident on the 5th of April, 1887, having his leg broken just above the ankle which laid him up for some time, but from which he now bids fair to recover. |
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