LUCINDA J. VANDEVENTER. - This estimable lady is the widow of Barnett B. Vandeventer, is a native of Brown county, this State, and is the daughter of John W. and Margaret (Brown) Reid, both natives of Tennessee, who came to Illinois when single. Here they met each other and after acquaintance were married. John Reid was the son of James C. Reid, of Tennessee, who came to Illinois at a very early date, about 1827 or 1829, settling on a mill site on McKee's creek, about two and one-half miles west of Versailles, where he laid claim to one quarter section. There is no doubt but that James Reid came from Scotland, he having married a Miss Nancy Cameron, of Irish descent, a lady of noble ancestry. Mr. James Reid erected a water power mill, having preferred a mill site to the more fertile acres of the county, when he took up his claim. This mill was a great success and proved a boon to the settlers who could have their grain ground here, without traveling so fr to obtain a little mean or feed. Mr. and Mrs. Reid had eleven children, all of whom lived to maturity. Their son, Mrs. Vandeventer's father, had seven children, of whom Mrs. Vandeventer was the eldest. Four of this family are still living, namely: Wilson, County clerk of Mt. Sterling, married Margaret Bell Vandeventer; Martha, wife of Orlando Casteen, residents of Anthony, Kansas, where they live with their two daughters, and where he is County Treasurer of that county; Luzena, wife of Frank Martin, of Kansas; and Mrs. Vandeventer.

The last named lady was married, November 18, 1866, to Barnett Vandeventer, brother of Thomas Vandeventer. He died March 17, 1886, leaving his faithful wife to mourn his loss. She is sustained in her great bereavement by her loving children who are as follows: Fred R., aged twenty-four; O. J., in his twenty-third year; Horace, in his twenty-first year; and Dora, eighteen. They have all been well educated, and incline toward agricultural and domestic pursuits. These young people are all at home and are a great comfort to their widowed mother, who bears her affliction with Christian resignation and patience. She and her lamented husband were members of the Methodist Church, as were most of Mr. Vandeventer's family. This gentleman was only fifty-three years old at the time of his death, yet he left a fine estate, in connection with the estate of the Vandeventer brothers, in which he had a third interest.

Mrs. Vandeventer and her interesting family are among the most respected and highly esteemed in the entire township, and all consider it a pleasure to know them.