The Minor Family of Somerset

The father of our subject was reared and married in his native S
tate, Margaret, daughter of John Henry, becoming his wife. He ha
d been reared to agricultural pursuits, and for some years follo
wed dairy farming successfully, but engaging in the oil busines
s when it was first started, he was unfortunate in his investmen
ts and lost the most of his property. In 1862 he came to Illinoi
s to begin life anew, and for two years was actively employed i
n farming on rented land in this county. Removing at the expira
tion of that time to Vienna, he became a mail contractor, and so
on entered the livery business, in whichhe continued a few year
s. During this time he bought land, and in addition to his othe
r business, farmed. He resided in Vienna until his death, Apri
l 2, 1881. His first wife, who was a native of Ashtabula County
, Ohio, died in March 1869, leaving four children: Frank, Fred
, Helen and John. He was again married, and had a daughter, Ethe
l, by the second marriage.