JACOB D. GERRISH, born in Brown county, Illinois, March 12, 1861, is the son of Sewall and Elizabeth (Grove) Gerrish. He owns part of his father's farm, and lives with his mother. In politics he is a Democrat. His father, Sewall Gerrish, was born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, March 18, 1809; came to Brown county September 8, 1836; ran a sawmill on McGee creek, and later was a farmer. He was a Democrat in his political faith, and held several township offices. He was married January 8, 1846, to Elizabeth Grove, who was born in Virginia, February 22, 1825. Sewall Gerrish died May 17, 1879. He was the son of Lieutenant Stephen and Hannah (Ames) Gerrish. His father, born April 16, 1770, died November 11, 1815. He invented the first practical auger for boring logs and pumps, also the attachment of the screw to the pod auger. With his father he used to make the mill saws and cranks on the common forge. He was one of the first in New Hampshire to make cut nails.
February 7, 1796, he married Hannah, daughter of Lieutenant Samuel Ames; she was born January 14, 1776, and died November 18, 1834. Stephen Gerrish was the son of Colonel Henry and Martha (Clough) Gerrish. His father, born May 3, 1742, died May 16, 1806; married Martha, daughter of Jeremiah Clough, November 10, 1763. She was born November 10, 1742, and died October 15, 1826.
Henry Gerrish was the son of Captain Stephen and Joanna (Hale) Gerrish. His father, born January 22, 1711, died in 1788, in Boscawen, New Hampshire. He married Joanna Hale, July1 5, 1841, who was born in June, 1715, and died in 1792.
Stephen Gerrish was the son of Colonel Joseph and Mary (Little) Gerrish. Colonel Joseph lived in Newbury, Massachusetts, and was a member of the Colonial Legislature twenty years. He married Mary Little, February 26, 1703. She was born March 20, 1682, and died January 1, 1765.
Joseph Gerrish was the son of Colonel Moses and Jane (Sewall) Gerrish. Colonel Moses Gerrish, born in Newbury, Massachusetts, May 9, 1656, married Jane, daughter of Rev. Henry Sewall, September 24, 1677. She was born in Badesly, England, October 25, 1658, and died in January, 1717; he died in 1694. Colonel Moses Gerrish was a son of Captain William and Joanna (Oliver) Gerrish. Captain William Gerrish was born in Bristol, England, August 20, 1617; came to New England in 1639, and settled that year in Newbury, Massachusetts; was the first captain of the military band in that town, and representative in 1650-�54; married Joanna Oliver, of Newbury, April 17, 1645, who died June 14, 1677, and he moved to Boston in 1678. At the semi-centennial anniversary meeting of Boston, March 14, 1686, Captain Gerrish opened and closed the exercises with prayer. He died in Salem, Massachusetts, August 9, 1687.
Elizabeth (Grove) Gerrish, daughter of Joseph and Catharine (Staley) Grove, - he of Baltimore Maryland, and she of Lynchburg, Virginia, - came to Illinois in 1826, settling in Sangamon county in 1828; came to Elkhorn township and entered land. She died in 1846, and he was married a second time, to Elizabeth (Hunter) Clamp in 1851, and died in October, 1858. Mrs. Gerrish is one of twelve children. All are prosperous farmers, mostly in Missouri.
Grandfather Jacob Grove was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Virginia. His wife, Margaret (Garinger) Grove, was born in Virginia, and died in Maryland. Grandfather Stephen Staley died in Virginia, and his wife, Barbary (Yeasley) Staley, died in Virginia. She was born in Germany.
Mrs. Gerrish was the mother of ten children; eight are yet living. Hannah married Fred Wenneker, and has four children, - Frank F., Henry G., August C. and Katie M. Harriet married Samuel C. Gerrish, and has three children, - Nettie M., Harry E. and Carlos A. Martha married George E. Richardson, and has five children, - Otis E., Josie L., Sewall H., George E. and Nina L. Samuel S. married Addie Hargus, and they have two children, - Myrtle C. and Loren E. Josephine married Joseph J. Moore, and they have six children, - Joseph G., Edith M., Frank G., Harlan E., Dallas J. and Mabel C. Mary E. married P. C. Sweeny, and has one child, - John. Jacob D. and Cynthia are at home. Her people came to America in 1717, and settled in Pennsylvania. The first was John Grove, who came from Holland, - a Quaker. Some were in the Revolutionary war. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church, and are highly regarded in the county.