EDWARD BURRILL was born July 6, 1823, in Lincolnshire, England, his parents being Henry and Mary (Freschner) Burrill, of Welton, England. His father died there in 1839, and his mother in 1828. Edward is the youngest of a family of nine children, there being eight boys and one girl. In 1851 he decided to come to America, and going to Hull took passage on the ship Margaretta, a cotton trading vessel, November 22, sailing for New Orleans, which port he reached after a voyage of ten weeks. He remained there but one week and then sailed on one of the William Kendall boats, for Cincinnati, where he arrived after a three weeks' trip, being delayed on account of the floods in the Mississippi river. He immediately left Cincinnati for Newport, where he was employed at gardening for three and one-half months, receiving therefor $12 a month. In July, 1852, he came to Chicago, his object being to view the Prairie State, and since that he has lived in the state almost continuously, except a short time spent in Michigan, and six months of the year 1852, in Missouri. In the latter part of that year he came down to Morgan county, where he worked for William Delaney, Daniel Holmes, and others, for over four years, and then came to Greene county and purchased 40 acres of land in Richwoods, Athensville township. He was married Sept. 15, 1854, to Mary A. E. Delaney, daughter of William and Catherine Delaney. She only lived about one year, dying with fever. By that marriage there was one child, now deceased. Mrs. Burrill was buried in the Holmes cemetery. On May 15, 1856, Mr. Burrill was again married to Elizabeth Neighbours, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Gordon) Neighbours, who are also mentioned in this volume. Ten children have been born to them, five of whom are living - Thomas H., married Ellen Prather; Rebecca, wife of Greenup Spencer; Susie, George, and Norah. Those deceased are - Sarah A., Mary J., France, and two infants. Mr. Burrill came to his present location on Sec. 5, T. 12, R. 10, in 1856, where he now owns 200 acres of good land. He has been road supervisor nine years and school director for seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Burrill are members of the Methodist church.