E. J. PEARCE was born in Evansburg, Crawford county, Penn., Oct. 6, 1839. He worked on a farm in the summer, and cut cordwood in the winter, until his 19th year. He attended district schools for a few three-months' terms, during the winter, and in 1858 entered the academy at New Lebanon, Penn., where he remained until the close of the school year, except during three months of the winter of 1858-9, when he taught school near that place. He also taught a couple of terms of writing school that winter and spring. In the summer of 1858 he engaged to teach a graded school at Cooperstown, Penn., but this term only lasted one week, as the great frost of June 5, destroyed the growing crops. Desiring to seek a warmer climate, he started southward, and after a varied experience, reached Cairo, Va., and set out to find employment. He soon secured a school, which he taught until about the first of March, 1860, when, having decided to immigrate to Illinois, he started, and soon arrived at White Hall. The first man he met in White Hall was Marcus Worcester, since deceased. He walked two and a half miles to the residence of his uncle, Israel Pierce, that evening, and before night next day had engaged to teach the Floyd school. He taught 13 months in this county at that time. When school closed, in 1862, he engaged in enlisting soldiers for the war. On Aug. 8, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Co. G, 91st Ill. Inft. He was soon after made 1st sergeant, then 2d lieutenant, 1st lieutenant and captain, in succession. He was captured with his regiment at Elizabethtown, Ky., Dec. 267, 1862, by John Morgan's forces, and paroled. He was exchanged in June, 1863, at St. Louis. On the 21st of July he arrived at Vicksburg, Miss., in command of 40 men, guarding 200 deserters. Gen. Logan immediately assigned him to duty at the court house, as assistant provost marshal. He remained there eight months and during the time issued all the passes to persons going up and down the river, or through the lines; paroled 3,000 to 4,000 rebel prisoners; assisted in organizing two negro regiments, and issued orders for rations twice each week for more than 20,000 people. In March, 1864, having received a promotion, he was ordered to join the regiment at Brownsville, Tex. At the end of the week he embarked on board a propeller, and was soon after placed in charge of a steamboat on the Rio Grande, and at the end of about six weeks detailed as adjutant of the regiment, which position he held until he was promoted to captain and was made acting assistant adjutant general of the 2d brigade, 3d division, 13th army corps, in March, 1865. He retained this position all through the Mobile campaign, and until his regiment was mustered out, at Mobile, July 12, 1865. After his return to White Hall, he taught school in town, and at Giller's school house, until July, 1867, when he was employed to superintend the only elevator in the place. While at work at the elevator, in Feb., 1898, he was surprised by the information that he had been appointed assistant assessor of internal revenue. This position he held until the office was abolished. He was then appointed to other revenue positions, and remained in the service until 1876, when, not wishing to be transferred to Chicago, he resigned. He taught school at the Hicks school house, east of White Hall, in 1876-7, and in Feb., 1877, started the White Hall Republican, and entered upon editorial work, as related in the Press Chapter. He was a member of the republican state central committee from 1878 to 1882, and has always taken an active part in politics, as a speaker and a writer. In 1867, he married Maggie A. Carr, in White Hall. They have five children living - three boys and two girls. Three of their children died in infancy. Mr. Pearce is a ready and forcible writer.