Carper, Samuel bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 594–595; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Samuel Carper has been prospered since he came to this county forty years ago, and while assisting in the development of Buckheart Township, of which he was a pioneer settler, he has acquired a comfortable property. He is still actively engaged in farming, is raising stock and supervising the cultivation of his admirably tilled, finely improved farm.
Our subject is derived from an old Pennsylvania family which was among the Colonial settlers of that State and his paternal grandfather served under Washington in the Revolution. Samuel Carper was born January 12. 1819, in Lebanon County, Pa. His father, whose name was the same as his own, was also of Pennsylvania birth and his home was in Lebanon County for some time. He afterwards moved to Bedford County in the same State and there died in 1862 at a venerable age. He had married about 1805, taking as his wife, Christina Myers. Eleven children were born to them, of whom the following is recorded: John is deceased; Frederick lives in Pennsylvania; Jacob, in the same State; Polly is deceased; Phillip lives in Bureau County, Ill.; Christopher is a resident of Pennsylvania; Christina lives in Bureau County; Catherine lives in Kansas, and Margaret is dead.
The early years of the life of our subject were passed in his native State. In the prime of a vigorous manhood he left his old home and with his family emigrated to this State in the spring of 1850. He case in his lot with the pioneers whom he found busy developing the resources of Buckheart Township, and he has been a resident of this place ever since. He rented a small farm here for a year and then bought one hundred and thirty-two acres of land, and later added to it abut fifty acres. His farm is pleasantly located on section 3, 4, 9 and 10, and is in all respects one of the most desirable in the neighborhood. It is supplied with ample buildings for every purpose, including a neat and comfortable dwelling, good barns, etc., and the machinery for operating the farm is of the best modern style. Mr. Carper devotes the most of his time to general farming. He has some thoroughbred cattle and raises some Norman horses, and is very successful as a stock-grower.
Out subject and Elizabeth Baker were married in Bedford County, Pa. She is a daughter of Jacob and Fannie Baker of that county. They have had three children: Levi, Jacob and Mary J. Mr. and Mrs. Carper are thoroughly good people and are well thought of in their community. Mr. Carper was at one time School Trustee for three year, had ever been earnestly interested in his adopted township, and has sought, as far as in him lay, to promote its prosperity.