DR. HENRY W. HAND, of White Hall, who in his practice has demonstrated his accurate and comprehensive knowledge relating to the science of medicine, was born in Greene county, June 29, 1860. At an early period in the development of the new world, the Hand family was established in America, representatives of the name living in Connecticut and New Jersey. Dr. Hand's great grandfather, Jeremiah Hand, was reared in Hardy county, Virginia, and was married there to Mary Badgely, a daughter of David Badgely, who was born in Essex, New Jersey, in 1749, and whose ancestors lived in that state and in Connecticut. David Badgely removed to Hardy county, Virginia, in 1768, was married there to Rhoda Valentine and in that locality reared his family. In 1796, however, he emigrated with his family to Illinois, locating at Kaskaskia, which was then only an Indian trading post, and there founded the first school and first church west of the Ohio river. Later he removed three miles north of the present site of Belleville, there founding what is today known as the Badgely settlement. He exerted a strong and beneficial influence in the early development of the state, being one of its real pioneers. He selected a quarter section of land on which the present city of Greenfield is located as a suitable homestead for his daughter Mary and her husband, Jeremiah Hand. Mr. Hand entered the same from the United States government and settled thereon in 1827 and erected a log house for a home. Two nephews of Rev. David Badgely were living in the vicinity of Belleville, Illinois, as late as 1885, Adam being eighty-two years of age, while Elisha was ninety-three years of age. Rev. Badgely died December 27, 1824, at the age of seventy-five years, and his wife, who was born in 1752, passed away in 1832. In their family were five sons and four daughters, of whom Mrs. Mary Hand, wife of Jeremiah Hand was the eldest daughter.

Following his marriage in Virginia, Jeremiah Hand, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, removed westward in 1805 and settled in the Badgely settlement near Belleville, Illinois. In 1827 he located on the land he entered from the government, comprising a part of the present site of Greenfield and erected a log house thereon. In 1830 his son Stephen Hand, who had married, also located on this tract and began building an addition to the house, making it a double log house such as was the custom in that early day, but before this was fully completed the property was transferred to James Cannedy, who was the maternal great-grandfather of Dr. Hand, and who completed it and lived in it with his family through the terrible winter of the deep snow, 1830-31. This same double log house stood until only a few years ago as the landmark of the first white inhabitants. Jeremiah Hand next entered land a mile and one-half south of his former entry and occupied it for some years. He and his family were among the first white settlers of the community. While living on the old homestead near Greenfield his wife died and he afterward lived alone until the place was sold. Their family numbered nine children, two sons and seven daughters, namely: Rachel, Rhoda, Sarah, Priscilla, Tarinda, Millie, Solomon and Stephen. Jeremiah Hand was a member of the Baptist church and took a very active and helpful part in the early religious development of the county. When quite old and feeble his time was largely spent in making ax handles and in quoting scripture, which he could do by the hour.

His son Stephen Hand was the grandfather of our subject. He died as the result of the vicissitudes of pioneer life at the age of forty years. His widow, Harriet Galispie Hand, afterward married W. F. Edmondson, who on account of ill health left home and went to Missouri, where he lived, leaving his wife to conduct the affairs of the farm, which she did with marked success. She was a woman of most remarkable business ability and of a refined and artistic nature, rare indeed in any community at that early day. She possessed a strong character and a brilliant intellect. Descended from good ancestry, too, her better qualities shone forth to advantage when left in charge of the one hundred and sixty acre farm by the absence of her husband. She managed the property in a most business like manner and prospered in spite of all adverse circumstances. She was able to have her own fine carriage with brass mounted harness, such as was rarely seen in this county before the days of railroads and local markets. She took an active and helpful interest in the upbuilding of her community. Unto Stephen and Harriet Hand were born four children: Rachel, John, William and Sarah.

John Hand, the father of our subject, was born in Greene county, in 1835. After arriving at years of maturity he married Eliza Ellen Cannedy, who was also born in this county in 1842. She was a daughter of George W. Cannedy.

The Cannedy family was founded in America by John Cannedy, who emigrated to the new world and settled at Darlington, South Carolina. He married a lady of Scotch descent and in 1807 removed to Tennessee. His son, James Cannedy, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Darlington, South Carolina, March 18, 1790, and in 1816 he was united in marriage in Tennessee to Eliza Grizzle. They continued residents of the south until 1829, when they came to Greene county, Illinois, settling where the town of Greenfield now stands and purchasing the homestead of Jeremiah Hand, but two years later mr. Cannedy bought land three miles south of the town. He made the journey to Illinois in an ox cart, bringing with him a large family but little money. He worked as a rail splitter in 1830-31 in order to support his family and for many years was compelled to labor in this way, but at length prosperity crowned his efforts to some degree and by his earnest toil and perseverance he accumulated a desirable competence and rose to an honored and respected position in the community. E was elected justice of the peace, which position he filled for many years, discharging his duties with the utmost fairness and impartiality. He also served as county commissioner for three years and in minor offices. His wife died August 16, 1867, at the age of sixty-nine years. They were the parents of twelve children, all of whom became useful and respected members of society.

George W. Cannedy, a son of James Cannedy and the maternal grandfather of Dr. Hand, was born in Tennessee in 1818 and came with his parents to Greene county, Illinois, in 1829. As before stated they purchased a part of the double log house which Jeremiah Hand had built and resided there until 1833, when they returned to Tennessee. Subsequently, however, they again came to Greene county, settling on section 21, Rockbridge township, where for many years George W. Cannedy resided. His death occurred when he was seventy-five years of age. He wedded Miriam Witt, who was born in Indiana in November, 1840. They had two children: Eliza Ellen, who became the wife of John Hand and the mother of Dr. hand; and James H. Cannedy, who lives in Kansas. Mrs. Eliza Ellen Hand was born in 1842 and died in Greenfield in 1895 at the age of fifty-three years. Her husband, John Hand, died in this county in 1876, near the place where most of his life had been spent. He served his country as a soldier in the Civil war, serving from 1862 until 1865. He was a farmer and stock breeder, residing near Greenfield, where he engaged in operating rented land. This he carefully cultivated and he became prosperous, owing to his well conducted business affairs. Later he purchased a farm in Macoupin county and diligence, fairness and keen foresight characterized all his business transactions. His health failing in later years from infirmities incurred in the Civil war, he quit the farm and studied medicine for some time but when ready for practice he was still in poor health and went south hoping to be benefitted thereby. He died however, soon after his return home, in December, 1876. His aspiration was that his son should be highly educated and become a competent physician. E was a Republican in his political views, although he voted for Horace Greeley, and his religious faith was that of the Baptist Church.

Dr. henry W. hand accompanied his parents on their removal to macoupin county in his early boyhood and there remained until twenty years of age. He supplemented his public school education with a preparatory course in Shurtleff College at Upper Alton and from 1880 until 1884 he was a student in Illinois College at Jacksonville, winning high honors in athletics, oratory and the natural sciences, and graduating in the latter year with the degree of Bachelor of Science. During the three succeeding years he engaged in teaching and was principal of the Milton, Perry and Manchester schools. He regarded teaching, however, merely as an initial step to his real professional labor, for it was his desire to become a member of the medical profession. Accordingly in 1887 he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York city, where he pursued a full course and special hospital courses and was graduated with the class of 1890. He had also taken special work and in 1896-7 he pursued a post-graduate course at the Post-Graduate School of Medicine in New York city.

Dr. hand entered upon the practice of medicine in 1888 as a licentiate, having passed the state medical examination in that year, and he followed his profession in Pittsfield, Illinois, for a year and a half before returning to new York to graduate. In 1890 he removed to White hall, where he has since remained. In 1902 he went to Chicago, where he pursued a post-graduate course in nervous diseases and he now makes a specialty of their treatment in his practice. He is constantly broadening his knowledge by reading and investigation as well as study in other directions and he is today one of the most capable and well informed members of the medical fraternity in the state. He is a member of the County, State and National Medical Societies. His keen, analytical mind and care at the bedside have won for him the confidence and esteem of a large and influential clientage.

On the 6th of Mach, 1886, Dr. Hand was united in marriage to Miss Dora B. Foreman, who is a lovely, accomplished and educated woman. She pursued literary and musical studies in Chicago, St. Louis and new York, and she engaged in teaching in the public schools and also taught music for several years prior to her marriage. She studied German, Italian and French as a part of her musical education. Dr. and Mrs. Hand have one son, George, two years old, whom they are carefully rearing.

The Doctor is a Republican in his political views, belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity, and is a supporter of all that is fair and right. In both the paternal and maternal lines he is a representative of honored pioneer families of Greene county as well as of the state and nation. Their names of Hand and Cannedy are indelibly interwoven with the history of progress and improvement in this county and Dr. hand continues the work of his forefathers in that he is loyal and progressive in citizenship, manifesting a keen and helpful interest in everything that pertains to the upbuilding and advancement of his county.