GREENWOOD, WILLIAM I. - One of the old and honored residents of Virginia, Ill., who is now living a retired life after many years spent in agricultural pursuits in Cass County, is William I. Greenwood. His career has been one of sturdy industry and tireless perseverance, and his honorable and well directed efforts have been crowned by material success and the respect and esteem of his fellow men. Mr. Greenwood was born on the top of the highest mountain in Virginia, McAfee's Knob, May 5, 1848, and is a son of Commodore Decatur and Eliza Ann (Duckwiler) Greenwood.

Commodore Decatur Greenwood was born in Virginia, January 5, 1821, and was there engaged as a planter, his principal farming product being tobacco. There, in 1846, he was married to Eliza Ann Duckwiler, daughter of Isaac and Flora Duckwiler, and they became the parents of the following children: Mary, William I., Sarah, Flora, Knolton, John, Charles, Decatur, Frank, Margaret, Lucretia, Samuel, Joseph, James, Rosetta, and Emma. Mr. Greenwood came to Cass County, Ill., in 1852 with his brother and brother-in-law, and located at Chandlerville, where he worked at the carpenter trade for some time before taking up agriculture, after which he continued a tiller of the soil during the remainder of his active life and died at Philadelphia, Ill., November 21, 1899, his wife, who had been born August 5, 1828, passing away September 21, 1899. They were members of the Dunkard Church. During the Civil war Mr. Greenwood was drafted into the Union service, but was able to secure his discharge for the sum of $600, by reason of an agreement between the church, as its tenets oppose war, and the government.

William I. Greenwood was a child of four years when he accompanied his parents to Cass County, and here his education was secured in the district schools. Reared to agricultural pursuits, he was an agriculturist during all the active years of his life, and is still the owner of a tract of ten acres, at the city limits. Here he is enjoying the comforts that his life of industry has brought him, and is surrounded by his devoted family and a large circle of appreciative friends. On January 11, 1877, Mr. greenwood was married to Miss Mary Jane Wright, daughter of James and Cecelia Jane (Griffin) Wright. Ten children have been born to this union: an infant, deceased; Oscar; Dolly, Bertha and Millard, all deceased; Earl; William; Ruth; Cecelia A. and Marie.

James Wright, father of Mrs. Greenwood, was born July 8, 1828, in Kentucky, and died in April, 1904, at Wichita, Kan. He was married in Cass County, May 1, 1851, to Cecelia Jane Griffin, born October 24, 1831, who died January 4, 1894, and they became the parents of the following children: Cyrus, deceased; Cecelia Jane, Jasper, Eliza, Elizabeth, Ellen, Alice, Albert and Ida. The family is connected with the Baptist Church.