AARON LOGSDON was born in Madison county, Kentucky, May 7, 1821. His grandfather was Edward Logsdon, a native of Maryland, who moved to Kentucky in early life, where the thirteen children were born. These all grew to adult age and reared families of their own. The mother of this family was Polly Brown, also a native of Maryland. George Logsdon, the father of the subject of this notice, was the youngest of the family. He was reared on a farm and was early accustomed to hard work, only having the meager schooling of the time. He lived at home on the farm, which finally became his own at the death of his father, Edward. The latter was a man of wonderful strength, perfectly fearless, and in his old age was a match for many men who were younger. He weighed nearly 200 pounds, and was six feet high. He was one of the pioneers of Kentucky, and in those days strength and courage were the only safeguards of a man. He was a very peaceable person, but had some encounters with fighting men, and never was conquered. He married Sally McKinzie, a daughter of John McKinzie. The union took place in Kentucky, and there they lived and there their family of eleven children were born. Two of these died in infancy, but all of the others grew up and became heads of families, and seven of them are still living. The parents came to Illinois in 1856, brining three children with them. Our subject had preceded them in 1852, with his wife and five children, coming by water to Lagrange.

The first wife of our subject was Lucinda Dunbar, who died in the prime of life, of consumption, and left him two daughters and an infant which soon died. The daughters were Sally and Minerva. Mr. Logsdon was again married, to Martha J. Johnson, the daughter of Thomas Johnson and Rebecca Shearer, the latter from Ireland and the former from Pennsylvania. They were early settlers in Kentucky, and the father is still living and hearty at his old home. He reared eleven children, ten of whom are still living, the youngest being forty-six years of age.

Mr. and Mrs. Logsdon came here without means, and rented land for one year, but then bought 160 acres of wild land for $500, paying $200 of it down. They occupied the log cabin for several years, were frugal, and as soon as they had paid for their first land they bought forty acres adjoining for $600, and still later bought more until he owned at one time 400 acres. He has sold off and given to his sons until he has only 155 acres left. He has retired from active labor, and his sons, Aaron and Ed., are working the farm. Mr. Logsdon and his present wife have had eleven children. The eldest daughter, Mary E., is the wife of John Lear, who died in January, 1883, aged thirty-six, and left two children. Mary is dead, and Grandpa Logsdon has adopted the children. The living children are: Minerva, who is the wife of Frank Simmons, who is a farmer in Missouri; Thomas W. is a farmer in Nebraska; George lives near by; Rebecca is the wife of Henry Behymer, a farmer near Versailles; Lucinda is the wife of William Betzmer; Aaron married Maria Ballard, of this county; Nancy is the wife of Samuel Wright, a farmer near by; Edward owns a part of the homestead, and lives near with his wife, Minnie Brewer, and two children; Martha A. is the wife of James Harper, a farmer of this county. This fine old couple rejoice in their ten great-grandchildren, and have thirty-two grandchildren, living, and have seen ten buried. There was patriotism in this family, for the brother of Mr. Logsdon went all through the war, and the brother of Mrs. Logsdon carries a bullet wound and had two others; and the son-in-law, Robert Johnson, went three years through the great struggle, and bears three wounds.

Mr. Logsdon has been a Master mason for thirty years, and has been a Republican for many years. The family are religious people, and belong to the Church of God.