DANIEL HUDDLESTON (Deceased), was one of the leading citizens of Gillespie township, and his name fitly deserves a place in this work. His ancestors were from Virginia. His father, Abraham Huddleston, emigrated from Virginia to Ohio, where Daniel Huddleston was born, on the 25th of October, 1816. When he was a small boy his father removed to the State of Indiana and lived there till the year 1832, and then emigrated to Illinois, settling in the edge of Dry Fork timber on section four of Gillespie township. The country was then wild and unsettled, and few improvements had been made in this part of the county. The subject of this biography was about sixteen years old when he came to the state. He was married on the 9th of December, 1838, to Rachel Huddleston. She was born near Russellville, Putnam county, Indiana, February 21st, 1824. Her father was William Huddleston, a cousin to Abraham Huddleston. Her father moved from the neighborhood of Russellville, Indiana, to Gillespie township in the fall of 1830, and settled the place where James Pearson now lives. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in the battle of New Orleans under Gen. Jackson. Before moving to Indiana he had lived in Shelby county, Kentucky.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Huddleston lived on section four till 1856, and then moved to the farm, where the family have since lived on sections eleven and twelve, Gillespie township. Only fifty acres of this farm were at that time improved, and Mr. Huddleston went to work with considerable energy and industry, and succeeded in getting a fine farm under cultivation, and in 1860 erected a substantial and convenient dwelling. He was the owner of 525 acres of land, all lying in Gillespie township. His death occurred on the 22d of December, 1869, from congestion of the brain. He had been an active and enterprising man through life; as a citizen and a neighbor stood well in the community in which he lived; and his death was lamented by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. In his political sympathies he had always been a Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Huddleston were the parents of thirteen children, of whom only five are now living. The names of those living are John Wesley Huddleston, who is carrying on the farm; Samuel Jasper, living in Gillespie township; Carrie, who married Adelbert James, and resides in Montgomery County; Emma J., now the wife of Daniel W. Dugger, a farmer of Madison county; and Florence V., who is still living at home. Of the eight children who are dead,, four (Henry, Maria, Susan and Nina), departed this life in infancy. Luther died November 2d, 1873, when seven years old. Mary Jane died April 6th, 1872, having reached the age of twenty years the preceding February. Preston was born July 1s5, 1840, and died November 4th 1869. Julia A. was born November 10th, 1845, and died September 3d, 1875. Three of these children were remarkable instances of rapid growth and development and acquired physical proportions which made them somewhat celebrated. At the time of Luther's death, at the age of seven years, he weighed 184 pounds. Preston and Julia weighed on an average, after having grown up, 340 pounds each. Neither of their parents were persons of unusual size. For nine years before his death Preston was severely afflicted with the rheumatism. He had a good education, and while lying at home confined to his bed was a frequent and well-known contributor to several papers. These articles were written principally during the war on political subjects, he being an earnest republican.