Our subject was the son of Robert and Catherine Naylor, both natives of England, and his boyhood days were spent on the "tight little isle." His education was secured at the schools incident to his country, and as a matter of course he gained knowledge under difficulties. The poorer classes in European countries can send their children to school but very little, as at an early age the little ones are obliged to aid their parents in gaining a livelihood. In the fall of 1851 Mr. Naylor became possessed of the idea that he wanted to become an owner of land, and in furtherance of this scheme he took passage at Liverpool on a sailing-vessel, and after a long voyage covering two months he landed at New Orleans, in a strange country and without friends. He proceeded directly up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and so reached Meredosia. Here he worked for nearly three years as a farm hand, and subsequently rented a farm for several years, and to illustrate his total lack of resources, it may be incidentally stated that he was obliged to borrow money to pay his fare from St. Louis to Meredosia. His first purchase consisted of 695 acres of bottom land, and upon this crude farm he settled, and here has resided since. He has made additions to his original farm until he now owns 855 acres of land, and beside this he has partly given two sons an aggregate of 240 acres of land, situated in Cass County, Ill. It will thus be seen that Mr. Naylor's total possessions consisted at one time of 1095 acres of land, and in addition to this he also owned a quarter section in Missouri, which he gave to one of his sons who lives in that State. Mr. Naylor, by good management, and by shrewd financiering, has attained a high eminence in the farming community of his county, and is in every sense a good representative of the English farmer.

Mr. Naylor was married Sept. 29, 1842, to Sarah E. Haines, who was born in Rutlandshire, England, Jan. 13, 1825. She was a daughter of William and Mary (Willimot) Haines, both natives of England. To Mr. and Mrs. Naylor have been born five children, three of whom are living: Thomas, the eldest, is residing in this county, and is the owner of one-half interest in 240 acres of land in Cass County, Ill.; George is also a resident of this county, and owns the other half of the Cass County land referred to; Charles is in Missouri; the two deceased are William H. and Mary C.

Mr. Naylor, politically, acts with the Democratic party. He has served a number of years as a School Director, and has given satisfaction. He and Mrs. Naylor are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and worship at McKindry Chapel, and he is now serving as Trustee of that organization. It is a pleasure to give the history in this ALBUM of such people as Mr. and Mrs. Naylor. The praise which is given them is not of that perfunctory sort that usually attaches to biography.