ELI REEP, farmer; P.O. Petersburg; is a native of Harrison Co., Ind.; born Jan. 21, 1840; during his early life, his school advantages were limited; he came to Illinois in 1857, and engaged as a farm laborer, which he followed in summer and attended school during winters; in this way, he acquired a good business education. He enlisted in the army in 1862 with the 106th I. V. I.; he served to the close of the war, upward of three years, and escaped without injury. After the war, he returned to where he now lives and engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock-dealing, in which business he was for a time very successful. His wife, Anna B., is the daughter of Thomas F. and Anna (Beck) Dowell; Mr. Dowell came from Virginia in 1827, and has been an eye-witness to the great changes in this region from wild forests and prairies to a thickly settled county; the trials and privations of a pioneer like are yet fresh in his memory; his wife died May 23, 1863, a faithful wife and devoted mother; she had raised a family of ten. Mr. Dowell still resides upon the old homestead, where he settled in a very early day, and has an ancient-looking orchard which furnished the first fruit in Menard Co.; many of the trees are over three feet in diameter; he and his trees have grown old together, and their career has alike been a long and fruitful one; Mr. Dowell has now reached the ripe age of 79 years. The subject of this sketch, in 1873, was elected to the responsible position of Assessor and Treasurer of Menard County.