E. B. PEGRAM, who is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits and in buying and selling stock, is numbered among the representative men of his community. He has a well cultivated farm of two hundred and seventy-eight acres in Bluffdale township and in addition to operating this he is cultivating a rented farm of one hundred and fifty-nine acres. Besides his home farm he owns one hundred and twenty acres of land in Bolivar county, Mississippi.

Mr. Pegram was born in Bluffdale township, four miles north of his present home, on the 25th of November, 1846, his parents being Nathaniel H. and Amanda (King) Pegram, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of South Carolina. The father was a son of Edward and Marie Pegram, who were likewise natives of Virginia and who died before the birth of Mr. Pegram of this review.

Nathaniel H. Pegram spent his early days in Virginia and Alabama and when a young man came to Illinois, locating in Carrollton about 1830. It was the period of early development and progress here and Carrollton was then a little hamlet containing only four houses. Mr. Pegram turned his attention to farming and devoted his remaining days to agricultural pursuits in Greene county. At the time of the birth of our subject he was farming in Bluffdale township where he continued to reside throughout the remainder of his life. He bore a helpful and substantial part in the upbuilding and development of this section of the state, aiding in reclaiming the wild land for the purposes of civilization. He was married in Alabama to Miss Amanda King. They became the parents of the following children. Alvin, who married Minnie Cook, died in Carrollton in 1901, leaving a family of three daughters and one son. Martha J. became the wife of Hubbard Taylor of Carrollton and is now living in that city. Maria is the wife of Samuel Graham, a resident of Missouri. E. B. is the fourth of the family. John died at the age of four years. James B. married Elizabeth Rollins and is a resident farmer of Bluffdale township. Franklin died at the age of five years. Mary E. is the wife of Richard Kelly and they make their home in Greene county. Caroline is the wife of John Vingard. Virginia, a twin sister of Caroline, died at the age of four years. Nathaniel married Lucy Vingard and is living in Bluffdale township. One child died in infancy.

E. B. Pegram acquired his education in the schools of Greene county, studying there for some time. During the months of vacation he assisted in the work of the home farm and remained with his father until twenty-one years of age, when he removed to Douglas county, residing there for four years. On the 25th of January, 1870, he wedded Miss rosalia Watson, a daughter of George and Melvina (Hammond) Watson, whose great-grandparents were banished from England during the conscription of the Christians. They were titled people of that country. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Pegram were born three children, but the eldest son, Edward Clifton, is now deceased. He is represented elsewhere in this volume. The other children are Walter A. and Rosalia, who are now students in the high school at Carrollton.

After his marriage Mr. Pegram began farming on his own account and for many years he has carried on general agricultural pursuits and stock raising. He buys in the market and brings his stock to his home farm to fatten and then sells again. In 1884 he also began buying grain in connection with his brother at Hurricane Station and five years later they built an elevator at that place, but sold the same to the National Bank of Carrollton in 1896. Our subject has a well improved farm of two hundred and seventy-eight acres known as Locust Grove farm, his fields being rich and productive, and in addition to this he cultivates a rented farm of one hundred and fifty-nine acres. In the control of his property and his agricultural interests he displays business ability and keen discernment, and moreover he has gained for himself an enviable reputation by his straightforward methods.

Mr. Pegram has always given his political support to the Democracy and he served as supervisor of his township for seven terms proving a most capable officer as is indicated by his re-election. Since 1871 he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity and he now belongs to Carrollton lodge, No. 50, A.F. & A.M., while he took the chapter degrees at Oakland, Douglas county, Illinois. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church and they are people of the highest respectability, enjoying the warm regard of all with whom they have been associated either through business or social relations.