Jacksonville Courier, Jan. 17, 1915

Saturday morning at eight o'clock John Lambert passed away at his home on Caldwell street. He had been ill but two weeks with pneumonia and owing to his advanced age he was unable to withstand the attack.

Mr. Lambert was born in Canaan, Conn., May 4th, 1835 and was the only son of Eli and Elizabeth Lambert, but at an early age the family removed to this vicinity where the boy was reared. He had the best advantages that could be given him and grew to be a sturdy, upright man. He was married Sept. 25, 1877 to Miss Sarah Hickman, a native of this county and daughter of Edward Hickman. They were the parents of three children, Edward E., a son who died a few years since at the age of 23, and two daughters, Misses Ada M., and May B.

During the past twenty years he has lived a part of the time in California but did not see fit to make the Pacific coast his permanent home. Last fall he and his wife went west but returned as he was troubled with asthma and the altitude failed to agree with him.

He was a faithful member of Grame (sic) M.E. church and was always glad to attend to his duties when health would permit. He was kind in his family and devoted to his loved ones. In business he was strictly upright and always sought to do the fair thing. His word was always as good as a bond.

The following sketch from the Morgan County directory will be of interest:

Eli Lambert, who was employed in the woolen mills of the east, journeyed in the spring of 1839, traveling by river, canal and stage, and located in Morgan county, where at $3.50 per acre he bought eighty acres of land on Indian creek near Literberry. There he built a hewed log cabin which is still standing, containing one room with puncheon floor, and bought a yoke of oxen and a horse. In the summer of 1839 his wife and three children came down the Ohio river in a row boat; camping along the way, and reached St. Louis from the mouth of the Ohio by steamboat.

Thence the oldest son walked while the mother and two other children continued the journey by stage. John Lambert was then but 4 years of age. Eli Lambert died in 1846. He was employed at the woolen mill at Jacksonville and cleared up the farm during the winter season. At a later period he and his son bought a carding mill at Berlin, Ill., in which venture he lost nearly everything but the eighty acres. His wife died in March, 1872, at the age of 77 years.

In boyhood John Lambert attended the subscription school in the vicinity of his humble home, walking two miles to the log school house where he learned his first lessons. It had slab benches for seats and a slab the length of the room for a writing desk. His first teacher was a Mr. Snyder, whose charge for the term was $3 for each pupil per quarter. Mr. Lambert was 11 years old when his father died. As soon as he was able he assisted his brother in clearing the farm until the place was in good cultivation.

At one p.m. Monday there will be brief funeral services at the family residence after which the body will be taken to Ebenezer church were the funeral sermon will be delivered by Rev. J. W. Miller, pastor of Grace church at 3 p.m.