WILLIAM M. CORINGTON, a native of Morgan County, is a worthy descendant of one of its highly respected pioneer families. He owns a part of the farm that his paternal grandfather developed from the wild, uncultivated prairies of the part of the county embraced in township 16, range 9, his homestead being finely located on section 25. Here he is quite extensively engaged in raising and shipping cattle, having his farm well stocked with all it can carry, and selling from three to five car loads each year.

Joel Corington, the grandfather of our subject, was of Welsh descent, although a Kentuckian by birth, having been born in Bourbon County, that State. He was there reared and married, his union with Mary Ellen Nichols taking place in 1818. They lived in the blue grass region until 1835, when with their family and household effects they emigrated to Illinois, coming to this county and becoming its pioneers. They spent the first winter in Jacksonville, and in the spring of 1836 removed to this farm, where our subject now lives, which then comprised 270 acres. They made their home here until about 1855, when they returned to Jacksonville, where, in the course of nature, they both died, aged, respectively, eighty-seven and seventy-three years. When they first came her the country roundabout was very thinly settled, and the markets were far distant, and the grandfather had to drive his hogs either to St. Louis or to Alton to dispose of them.

John W. Corington, the father of our subject, was born in Kentucky in 1824, the fourth child in a family of eight belonging to his parents. He was a boy of eleven years when he accompanied his parents to their new home in Morgan County, and here, amid its pioneer scenes, he was reared to man's estate. He married Miss Ann E., daughter of Robert and Mary Cassell. Her father was of German ancestry, and was a native of Bourbon County, Ky., and her mother was of Irish descent, and was also a native of that county. They came to this State in 1835, and lived on their farm in this county east of Jacksonville many years, and finally retired from active life to that city, and there he spent his last days, and she is still living there at an advanced age. After marriage the parents of our subject began housekeeping in this township, but four years later Mr. Corington purchased a farm nine miles east of Jacksonville, and removed to it with his family, and he is still living there, enjoying a competence that he has gathered together by frugality and well-directed toil. The faithful wife and devoted mother, who had shared his labors, and had greatly aided him to become prosperous, closed her eyes in death, Aug. 5, 1884, aged fifty-seven years. Of their ten children eight survive, and all were born and reared on the farm where the father now lives, except their eldest daughter, Mary E., now the wife of Thomas Corcoran, who was born in this township. The othes are Frank, Robert, Emma, now Mrs. Jacob H. Strawn; Kate now Mrs. Marven Thompson; John B., Charles Clifton; Jennie, now Mrs. Woods. Frank and Robert are deceased. The father has married again, Mrs. Grace Kurtz becoming his wife.

William M., our subject, was reared on his father's farm to an energetic, capable manhood. His educational opportunitis were exceedingly limited, but he made the most of them, and is today an unusually intelligent and well-informed man. Oct. 20, 1869, he took a step that has had an important bearing on his after life, in his marriage on that date to Miss Alice, daughter of Martin and Elizabeth (Peacock) Tincher. Soon after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Corington established themselves on a farm in this township, but after living here six years they removed to Jefferson County, Neb., and Mr. Corington engaged in the mercantile business in Fairberry. A year later he returned to his native State and rented this farm of his grandfather, and four years later bought 196 acres of it, which he still owns, and devotes his time to its cultivation and to raising and shipping stock, as before noted. His farm is one of the choicest in this part of the county, and is well fenced, and is provided with a comfortable dwelling and other commodious buildings.

Mr. and Mrs. Corington's family consists of five children - Claude M., Clinton F., John M., Bessie E., Lew E., all of whom are receiving fine educational advantages.

Mr. Corington is a man whose stability of character, sturdy self-respect, and genuine honesty of purpose are well calculated to win the highest respect of his fellow-citizens, by whom he is well liked. He is a hard working man, and has accumulated a comfortable property, whose value is increasing under his careful, prudent management. He is so busy attending to his private affairs that he has never had time to entertain a desire for public office, but as a good citizen he does his duty at the polls, voting the Democratic ticket on each election day. He and his highly esteemed wife belong to the Christian Church, and their daily lives are guided by its teachings.