History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with
Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious,
Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons
and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co.,
Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 429, Astoria Township
Jacob Danner, farmer and stock raiser, sec. 22; P. O., Astoria;
was born near Dayton, O., May 3, 1859. His father, Jacob Danner,
next mentioned, is a native of Pennsylvania. In an early day he
settled in Fulton Co., where he ranks among the wealthiest
agriculturists of the county. Jacob, Jr., passed his boyhood days
in Fulton Co.; received a liberal education, and early in life became
identified with the farming interests. In 1873 he was united in
marriage with Miss Hannah M. Thompson, daughter of Lewis Thompson, of
Pennsylvania.
submitted by Carla Finley
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 760 &
763; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Jacob Danner, the son of a former pioneer and extensive landowner of
this county, is a man in prosperous circumstances, a member of the
farming community of Astoria Township, who derives a handsome income
from his agricultural ventures and the rental of his valuable coal
land. He was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, May 3, 1849. His
great-great-grandfather Danner came from Germany and settled near
Philadelphia among the original colonist of Pennsylvania.
The father of our subject was a distiller in his native State. In
1832 he left Pennsylvania for Ohio, and in 1838 made a trip throughout
the West, searching for a suitable location. He had previously bought
one hundred and sixty acres of land in Indiana. In 50 he came to
Illinois in a wagon, arriving here after a journey of nearly six
weeks. He bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Astoria
Township, where he resided until his death. He met with more than
ordinary success, became a man of wealth and accumulated six hundred
acres of land in this and Schuyler Counties. He was the father of
seven children, four sons and three daughters, of whom three sons and
one daughter are living. He was a man of Christian principles, and a
member of the German Baptist Church.
The son of whom we write passed his early life on a farm and received
his education in the district schools. At the age of nineteen, after
the death of his mother, he began farming for himself with his father.
On the 8th of May, 1873, he took an important step, where by he secured
the active co-operation of a good wife by his marriage on that date to
Miss Hannah M. Thompson, of Astoria Township. She was a native of
Philadelphia, Pa., and a daughter of Thomas and Sara A. (Mercer)
Thompson. Her father died in Pennsylvania, and her mother came to
Illinois about 1859. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Danner
four died in infancy. Those living are named Rosa L., Orley O. and
Clarence.
Mr. Danner located where he now resides in the fall of 1879. He has
here one hundred and ninety acres of land exceedingly valuable, not
only for agricultural purposes but on account of its mineral wealth.
He has made many extensive improvements, among which we may mention a
fine fish pond, veering five acres and stocked with choice varieties of
fish, he being the first to start anything of the kind in this
locality. He has here substantial and well-appointed buildings and a
home replete with comfort. His farm is all coal land, and he leases
one hundred and thirty acres of it for mining purposes. He is a
thorough Democrat in his political views. He is glad to assist in any
way in promoting the interests of the township, and has done valuable
service as Commissioner of Highways.
