Million

BIOGRAPHIES
1905 PAST and PRESENT OF GREENE COUNTY ILLINOIS

Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.

Page 520

JOHN M. MILLION - In taking up the personal history of John M. Million we present out readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in Greene county, and who by his many friends is called "Uncle John.: He resides in section 21, Rubicon township, and is one of the early pioneers of the county, dating his residence here from the fall of 1846. He had at that time been a resident of Illinois for sixteen years. His birth occurred near Richmond in Madison county, Kentucky, March 10, 1823, so that he was but seven years of age when he came to this state. His father, Elijah F. Million, was a native of Virginia and was there reared and married. Removing to Kentucky he settled in Madison county, where several of his children were born. In 1830 he brought his family to Illinois, establishing his home in Jacksonville, Morgan county, where he worked as a carpenter and joiner, being identified with early building interests in that city. Later, however, he took up his residence upon a farm and there reared his family. Subsequently he spent his last years with his son John who died at his home in Rubicon township, at eight-one years of age.

John M. Million was reared in Morgan county, having few advantages in his youth, educational or otherwise. He had to work during much of the time, assisting his father in the development of the home farm, and thus he was engaged until twenty-three years of age, when he came to Greene county and started upon an independent business career. It was in this county in March, 1845, that he was joined in wedlock to Miss Barbara Drum, a native of Greene county and a daughter of John Drum, formerly of North Carolina and one of the early settlers of this state. The young couple began their domestic life upon the farm where he yet resides, having a tract of forty acres of land. This Mr. Million developed and improved and in his farming operations he prospered, so that in course of time he was enabled to add to his property, and he now owns one hundred and eighty acres. This constitutes a very valuable farm, for the price in land has continually risen because of the rapid settlement of the state and also because of the splendid improvements which he has placed upon the land. There is a good residence and other substantial buildings and the farm is pleasantly and conveniently located about three miles north of Greenfield. He has for many years raised and fed stock in addition to tilling the soil and in all of his business life he has been energetic, diligent and persevering.

During the period of the Civil war Mr. Million was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife. There were five children of that union, but only one is now living: Rebecca, the wife of Andy McCants, of White Hall. Mr. Million was again married in this county, his second union being with Mrs. Samaramis King, a widow. They had three daughters who are yet living: Jennie, now the wife of Hugh L. Hart; Ruth, the wife of Henry Havens, a resident farmer of Macoupin County; and Maud S., the wife of Benjamin Mason, who resides upon the home farm. Mr. Million lost his second wife about 1895.

When age gave to Mr. Million the right of franchise he proudly cast his first presidential vote for the candidate of the Whit party and remained one of its supporters until 1860, when he voted for Abraham Lincoln. Since that time he has been a stanch advocate of Republican principles, but at local election, where no issue is involved, he casts his ballot for the man whom he thinks best qualified for office regardless of affiliation. He has served on the school board but has never sought or desired office. He belongs to the Baptist church and is interested in all that pertains to the material, intellectual and moral upbuilding of his community. He has been a resident of Illinois for seventy-four years and of Greene county for fifty-eight years and has seen the county emerge from a wilderness and swamp to take its place with the leading counties of this great state. Matters of pioneer history are familiar to him not because he has heard of them but because his experience has connected him with such events. He remembers with pleasure the hospitable spirit and the happy times of former days and at the same time he takes great delight in what has been accomplished through modern progress. He has a very wide and favorable acquaintance in Greene county, where he has lived for more than a half century.
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