JOHN VASEY. The farmer who depends wholly upon raising grain, as a rule, is not successful. When a crop fails it is a disastrous blow to him, and so, many Illinois farmers have taken up diversified husbandry, and are not dependent wholly upon one kind of crop. Many have gone extensively into stock-raising, and this is a business that rarely ever fails. The grain that is raised is fed upon the farm, and two profits are made, on eon the grain and the other upon the stock. Mr. Vasey has a farm of 165 acres, consisting of the best of land which he inherited from his father's estate. He is engaged in stock-raising, and as a result of good management, has been very successful.
Mr. Vasey came with his parents to this county in 1849, and has lived in the township where he now resides, since 1852. He is a native of Yorkshire, England, and was born Feb. 27, 1841. His father, John Vasey, was a Yorkshire, Englishman, and after he became of age, married Anna S. Richardson, a native of the same shire. The senior Vasey was engaged as a pork packer in the old country, and until he came to America. John Vasey, the father of the subject of this sketch, came from a prominent English family, who were the owners of a large tract of real estate in Yorkshire, England, where the Vaseys had lived for many generations.
It was after the birth of all the family of seven children, four of whom are living, when on May 21, 1849, the Vasey family left their native heath for Hull, England, where they took passage for Quebec, and after a voyage of eight weeks and three days, landed in America. From Quebec they came directly to Morgan County, and located near Lynnville, where they resided until 1852. They then removed to the township in which the subject of this sketch now resides, and were the father attained a fine property. At the time of his death he was the owner of 600 acres of splendid land, a small portion of which was valuable timber. John Vasey, Sr., died at his home July 20, 1871, at the age of sixty-five years. His wife survived him, and died June 17, 1884, aged seventy-two, and so a worthy couple passed away leaving to their children a heritage beyond price, that of a good name.
John Vasey, of whom this sketch is written, had the advantage of a good training by worthy parents. He lived at home until after the death of his father, and in 1875 made a trip to his native home in England, and was there married. The ceremony occurred at St. Michaels, in Malton, and the bride was Miss Isabella Danby. She was a native of York, England, and was born in Jan. 1851. She is the daughter of English parents, William and Annie A. (Marshall) Danby. Her father, William Danby, was a successful furniture and cabinet-maker until his death, which occurred in Malton, England. He was a prominent man in his shire, and was reckoned as an influential and good citizen. His wife, who survives him, is now in America, living with her daughter, Mrs. Vasey. She is past sixty-seven years of age, but is in the enjoyment of good health, and is an intelligent lady. Mrs. Vasey obtained a good education in her native country, and is the worthy daughter of worthy parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Vasey fully appreciate their nice home and enjoy it. They have no children of their own, but are foster parents of one child, Louisa Jones, an intelligent Miss of fourteen years. Politically Mr. Vasey is a Democrat, and he takes great interest in the public affairs of his adopted country. His success in his line of business is due to the fact that he never stopped short of obtaining the best, no matter what it cost.