CHARLES A. WILDAY, one of the most public-spirited and enterprising citizens of Meredosia Precinct, is numbered among its leading farmers and stock-raisers, and has a fine estate on section 17, township 16, range 12. He is a native of the Prairie State, and was born in Logan County, Dec. 22, 1843, being thus a man in the prime of life and the midst of his usefulness.
Benjamin and Sarah (Hults) Wilday, the parents of our subject, were both natives of Ohio, where they were reared and married, and whence they came to Logan County, Ill., early in the forties. They resided there a comparatively brief time, then came to Morgan county and settled on section 3, of the precinct in which our subject now resides. The father took up a tract of wild land where he made many improvements and brought the soil to a good state of cultivation. Not being satisfied with his surroundings, however, he removed to a point about four miles southeast of Meredosia, building up a comfortable home which he still occupies. The mother departed this life in December, 1861. Their six children were named respectively, William H., Elizabeth, Charles A., our subject, Arthusa J., James M., and Benjamin R.
The father of our subject came to Illinois with no means to speak of, but is now the owner of 200 acres of good land, and is one of the representative citizens of the county. He is a pillar in the Baptist Church and enjoys an extended acquaintance in the community where he has made many and life-long friends. His head is silvered by the snows of many winters but his life has been such that he is in the enjoyment of a green old age, surrounded by children and friends, and with a consciousness of having performed his part in life in a manner to reflect honor upon his posterity.
The subject of this sketch received a limited education, and has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was married at the age of nearly twenty-six years, nov. 18, 1869, to Miss Sadonia Houston, whose parents were natives of Kentucky, and for a number of years residents of Cass County, Ohio. Of the five children born of this union two are deceased. The survivors are, Florence, Guy and Maude S. Morris, and one child unnamed are deceased.
The Wilday homestead comprises 280 acres of choice land, which, with the exception of about sixty acres, is situated in the famous Meredosia bottoms, noted for the fertility of the soil. The principles of the Democratic party coincide with the political views of our subject, although in local matters he votes for the man whom he considers best qualified for office. He was elected School Trustee in the spring of 1887, for a term f three years, and has signalized himself as the friend of education and progress. While having no use for the drones in the world's great hive, no man is more ready to assist those who will try to help themselves.