HARRY J. CRUM, of township 17 north, range 11 west, section 24, post office Virginia, was born in Morgan county, near Prentice, November 24, 1863. He is the son of William A. and Nancy (McHenry) Crum. The McHenry family were among the first settlers of the county. Mr. Crum came here about 1860, and was married. They first lived in Morgan county, and then removed to the eastern part of the State, where he now resides. Harry is the eldest of a family of eleven children, nine of whom are still living. The grandfather was William Crum, brother of James Crum (see biography of James Crum).

Harry was educated in Mattoon, Illinois, in the high school of the place. He lived most of his life in Coles county, but came to this county in 1883, locating on the farm where he now lives.

He was married February 26, 1890, to Mrs. Ida C. Bowers, whose maiden name was Crum, daughter of Robert Crum, and third cousin of Mr. Harry Crum. They have one child, Robert A., born December 30, 1890.

Mr. Crum is a Democrat in politics, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a young man of intelligence and progressive ideas. He had a good financial start in the world, which, combined with his industrious habits, will make him one of the foremost men in the county.

A maiden sister of the mother of Mr. Crum resides with him, Miss A. M. McHenry. She is a lady who is a fair representative of the settlers of Cass county. She owns 300 acres of land adjoining the farm of Mr. Crum, which is highly cultivated. Mr. Crum's farm consists of 160 acres in a high state of cultivation.