MRS. REBECCA VARBLE is a Southerner by birth, and education. Her father was Isaac Irwin who was a native of North Carolina. Her mother was Rachel (Glascock) Irwin, also a native of the same State. After their marriage they settled in their native State for a time and then emigrated to Illinois, first settling in Greene County, where they died. A large family of children had come to gladden their last days; they were ten in number of whom Mrs. Varble was the eldest. She was born in North Carolina, December 6, 1823 and was only about eight years old when her parents came to Greene County. Mrs. Varble remained under the home roof until she had reached womanhood, and was married from the home of her father, December 3, 1846, to Philip Varble. Her husband's father was John Varble, a native of Kentucky as was also the mother, Sarah Admire Varble. They came here from Kentucky and settled in Greene County, at an early day. The father died in Montgomery County and the mother in Greene County. The husband of our subject, Philip Varble, was born near Louisville, Ky., June 14, 1821; while yet a boy he emigrated with his parents to Greene County, where he met the lady to whom he was afterward married.

The young couple continued to live in the place where they first settled for nineteen years when they came to Macoupin County, in the year 1865, and settled in Nilwood Township. He was a farmer by bringing up and choice, and at the time of his death he owned a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which he placed valuable improvements. His death took place December 18, 1884, and caused a void in the family which will always be felt, both by the widow and their children.

Mr. Varble was liberal in his religious views and was a generous supporter of the Methodist Church. Our subject is the mother of eleven children. They are: Harriet, James F., Sarah E., Emily, Laura, Eliza, Mattie, Lucy, Ida, Katie and Thomas P. The eldest daughter is the wife of George Corry; James F. took to wife Mary Murphy; Emily died when about twenty-one years of age; Laura is the wife of Christ Remling; Eliza, is the wife of George Long; Mattie became the wife of Joseph T. Bayless; Lucy is the wife of John Dorsey and Ida is the wife of Frank Plummer. Mrs. Varble is a member of the Christian Church and in her daily life she is an exemplary example of the teachings of the Golden Rule, her delight being to do for others.