Gen. Jacob Fry was born in Fayette county, Ky., on the 20th day of Sept. 1799. His father was Barnhardt Fry, a Revolutionary soldier, and a native of Maryland. He was of German origin, a farmer by occupation, and served five years in the Continental army. He was married to a Miss Swigert, who bore him six children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the youngest. At the early age of 20 he became a resident of Greene county, his total possessions footing up to 37 cents. He it was who commenced the first house in Carrollton. On the 25th of May, 1826, he was married, at Carrollton, to Emily Turney, a daughter of the late Gen. James Turney, formerly of Tennessee. At the first county court ever held in Greene county, he was appointed constable, and subsequently, deputy sheriff. Holding this position six years, he became sheriff of the county, and for five terms of two year's duration, he held the position to the satisfaction of all. In 1831, occurred the Black Hawk war, and Governor Reynolds, with his usual promptness, ordered out a brigade of mounted volunteers to the disputed territory, to repel the Indians. In this brigade, Col. Fry received the appointment of lieutenant-colonel. In 1832, Col. Fry was again called upon to take the field, and commanded a regiment of Gen. Samuel Whiteside's brigade. Col. Fry proceeded to LaSalle, where he was elected colonel of a regiment of new levies, and subsequently formed a part of Gen. Henry's brigade. Shortly after, the regiment received marching orders, their objective point being Mud Lake, near Rock river, whence they joined the regular troops, under Gen. Atkinson. They overtook the enemy at the Wisconsin river, where a sharp conflict of short duration took place, and late in the afternoon the enemy escaped across the river. At the close of the Indian troubles in the northwest, Col. Fry took charge of the brigade, and proceeded to Dixon, where they were mustered out of the service. He was soon after made brigadier-general, of the militia of Illinois. He was elected by the state legislature, during the sessions of 1836-7, as acting canal commissioner, and accordingly removed to Lockport during the winter of 1837. He served until 1846, a period of nine years, in this capacity. Remaining in Lockport, he entered upon a mercantile career, and in 1850, started for the gold mines of California; starting from Lockport on the 1st of April, he reached Sacramento on the 2d of Aug. Here he remained a period o three years, entering into mercantile pursuits, and turning his attention to mining, he became quite successful. He then returned to Illinois, locating at Ottawa. By James Buchanan, and through the direct influence of his old friend, Judge Douglas, he received the appointment of the responsible position of collector of customs, at Chicago, and received, while the holder of this important position, the first unbroken cargo that entered that port. However, Gen. Fry was outspoken in favor of his old friend, Stephen A. Douglas, then a member of the United States senate, and was accordingly superseded by a more pliable successor. He then returned to his old home in Greene county, where he was quietly pursuing the duties appertaining to his farm, when the war of the Rebellion came. He was well advanced in years, but he had a reverence for the old flag that had floated over many a battlefield in the Revolutionary struggle, and now, when the tramp of armed men resounded through many of our cities and towns, through the solicitation of Gov. Yates, he organized the 61st Reg. Of Ill. Vol. Inf., and received from him the appointment of colonel. Proceeding to the front from Carrollton, he bore a prominent part in the Rebellion, where he became a participant in many important battles, especially that of Pittsburg Landing. Resigning his commission through disability, he returned to Greene county, where he has since died. His marriage to Miss Turney was blessed with five children: James, a graduate West Point, and holds a position in the regular army; Sarah; Wm. M.; Edward M.; and Julia A.