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 297-298;
Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Theodore C. Engle is classed among the intelligent, keen,
and thoroughly wide-awake farmers and stock raisers of this county who
are contributing so much to its material prosperity. He is the son of
one of the pioneers of this section, and is the proprietor of the fine
old homestead that his father developed in Bernadotte Township. It is
located on section 1, and is one of the model farms in this vicinity as
it is kept up to the highest point in every respect, is supplied with
neat and well-ordered buildings and every variety of the most approved
modern machinery and is well stocked.
The parents of our subject, Jesse and Mary B. (Hellings) Engle,
were natives of Philadelphia County, Pa. The father was born in 1803,
and died in this county in 1868, and all that is mortal of him is now
lying in Lewistown cemetery. The mother was born in the city of
Philadelphia in 1806, died in this county and is lying beside her
husband. They were pioneers of Fulton County, coming here as early as
1838, and did their share of the work of its development. They were
greatly respected for their sterling worth and many excellent qualities
of head and heart.
He of whom we write was born in the city of Philadelphia,
September 26, 1835. He obtained the most of his schooling in the
district schools of Bernadotte and Lewistown Township, and spent one
year at the Farmington Academy, where he pursued a good practical
course of study. He was scarcely more than two years of age when his
parents came to this county, and he remained with them until he married
in February, 1856, and established a home of his own. He was at that
time wedded to Miss Harriet F., daughter of Ira and Frances Hill. Of
that marriage four daughters were born: Mary F., Alice E., Emma C. and
Carrie. The first wife of our subject died February 12, 1861, and all
that was mortal was deposited in Lewistown cemetery.
The second marriage of our subject was with Temperance L., a
daughter of Jacob and Mary Harwich. Ten children resulted from that
marriage, two girls and eight boys, of whom there are three boys and
one girl now living, namely: Robert E., Henry P., Everett and Dollie.
Our subject and his wife sustained great sorrow in the death of their
remaining children who were named Frank N., Harry, Ada, Charley, Oliver
P. and John L. The mother of these children died January 19, 1881.
December 17, 1884, Mr. Engle was married to his present wife, Candace
Barrett, who presides well over his home and looks carefully after the
comforts of the inmates of the household.
After his first marriage our subject resided a part of the time
in Bernadotte Township, and a part of the time in Lewistown, and was
engaged in various kinds of business, principally farming. After his
second marriage he settled on the old homestead where he now resides.
This is a beautiful and well-kept farm of two hundred and forty-four
acres, and the substantial improvements that he has made upon it add
greatly to its attractiveness and value. He has erected a commodious
and well-built two-story frame house, 26x16 feet in dimensions, with an
L, 20x24 feet; also a roomy frame barn, 56x40 feet in dimensions,
besides granaries, corn cribs and all other necessary improvements to
make it a first class farm. Mr. Engle has a steam thresher, a clover
huller, feed mill, a self binding mower, a pulverizer and many other
pieces of fine farming machinery. About one hundred yards from his
house Mr. Engle has a steam brick and tile factory and he also owns a
sawmill and is conducting the manufacture of brick, tile and lumber
with characteristic energy and with the success that had attended all
his enterprises. He pays some attention to stock-raising and has eleven
find horses, for one of which, a three-fourths Perchron stallion, he
once refused $400.
As will be seen by the perusal of this sketch, our subject is
one of the most active and enterprising business men and agriculturists
in this part of the county and he has already accumulated a comfortable
competence. He is not connected with any church organization, but his
life is one of uprightness and morality, and is guided by high
principles. In politics he is a Republican and has been since 1858.
