CRUM, DAVID MARION. - Among the prominent residents of township 17, range 10, in Cass County, Ill., no one is more deserving of creditable mention than the well known farmer whose name constitutes the caption of the following biographical narrative. He and his estimable family have been long known among the people of this vicinity, and its head is looked upon as one of the prime movers in all that pertains to the welfare of the community. The title to the land which he cultivates has been for more than two generations in the Crum name and the present owner has worthily upheld the traditions of an honorable ancestry.

David Marion Crum was born in Arenzville Precinct, December 25, 1853, and is a son of Christian and Mary (Robinson) Crum, natives of the state of Indiana. The grandfather on the paternal side, also of Indiana, was Mathias Crum. Christian Crum and his wife located when young, in Cass County, where their marriage took place, after which they settled in Arenzville Precinct, where Christian Crum owned a large tract of land which he had entered from the government, and he also had considerable land in Virginia Precinct, and raised and fed stock on a large scale. Christian Crum died in 1880, his widow passing away in March, 1881. The children of Christian and Mary Crum were as follows: John W., who died in 1886; James Robert, of Bedford, Iowa; William W., who died December 22, 1912; Mary Ellen (Mrs. Samuel W. Dunwiddie), of Literberry, Morgan County, Ill., Martha Ann, (Mrs) Stephen D. Epler), of Pleasant Plains, Sangamon County, Ill.; Cyrus N., of St. Louis, Mo., David M., of Cass County; and George A., of Oklahoma.

David M. Crum lived with his parents until his marriage, on November 24, 1875, to Henrietta B. Payne, who was born in Harrisonville, Mo., a daughter of William B. and Elizabeth (Alendar) Payne, who were natives of Lexington, Kentucky. After he was married, David Crum moved to township 17, range 10, Cass County, where he owns a farm of 140 acres, which was then but partly improved. He now has a fine farm. All the present buildings on his farm were erected by him, including a frame house of eight rooms, a barn, and four other buildings used for tools and grain. He has carried on general farming and stock raising since putting the place in first class order.

The primary education of Mr. Crum was obtained in the public schools, and later he attended the State Normal School at Normal, Ill., and Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Crum have had the following children namely: Bessey Lee (Mrs. D. A. Piatt), of Birmingham, Ala.; Vida V., at home; Mabel B. (Mrs. John Boden), of St. Paul, Minn.; and David Christian, who died in infancy.

Politically Mr. Crum is a Democrat and served from 1894 to 1898 as deputy assessor, and since 1906 has served continuously in the same office. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally he is affiliated with Lodge No. 544, A.F. and A.M., of Virginia, Ill.