GEORGE W. FRISBY, a prosperous farmer of Schuyler county, was one of the pioneers of this section, and is justly entitled to the following space in this history. He was born near Watertown, Jefferson county, New York, June 21, 1821, a son of Sparrow Frisby, a native of the same State; the maternal grandfather emigrated to the United States from Wales; he resided in New York for some years, and then removed to Connecticut, where he passed the last years of his life. The father of George W. was but an infant when his mother died, and he was then taken into the family of Dr. Wesley Willoughby, of Herkimer county, New York, and there grew to mature years. In the spring of 1837 he made a trip to Illinois in search of a permanent location; he came to Schuyler county, and selected a tract of land in what is now Woodstock township; he built a log house in the midst of the wilderness, and in the fall was joined by his family; after a few years he sold this place and removed to Rushville, where he worked at the trade of painting and paper hanging; he was a resident of that place at the time of his death. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Lydia Willoughby, a native of Herkimer county, New York, and a daughter of James and Lydia (Cook) Willoughby, natives of Connecticut and pioneers of Herkimer county; the last years of her life were spent in Rushville. George W. was sixteen years old when he came to Illinois in the fall of 1837; the journey was made by the most convenient route at the time; via team to Utica, thence via the Erie canal to Buffalo, thence by steamer to Cleveland, thence by canal to Zanesville, thence by team to Portsmouth, thence via the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Schuyler county, landing at a point then known as Erie. Mr. Frisby had attended the schools in New York State quite regularly, and after coming to Schuyler county was a pupil one term in the primitive school of the frontier. He lived at home with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age, and then he worked at the shoemaker's trade for two years. He next took up the cooper's trade, which he followed five years, and then engaged in farming. In 1860 he settled on the place he now owns and occupies, section 8, Bainbridge township.

Mr. Frisby was married in 1845, to Elizabeth Thompson, who was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania. They have five children living: Ann Elizabeth, William V., Mary C., James and Serilla H. The parents are members of the Free Methodist church.

Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party, and has represented the people of his township in many offices of trust and honor; he has been School Trustee and Director, Collector, Town Clerk, Constable, Magistrate, and at the present time is School Treasurer, an office he has held more than twenty-five years. He has discharged all the duties devolving upon him with rare fidelity, and has the utmost confidence of his fellow men.