Fenton, John D. bio

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 435, Astoria Township
John D. Fenton, city expressman, is a native of Virginia, of which State his father was also a native. He was born in 1835. His father, Nathan Fenton, was a farmer by occupation. He married Miss Mary J. Derry, and they had 5 children, of whom John was the second. In 1837 Nathan Fenton settled in Fulton Co., where he died. John grew up here and received a fair education. In 1855 he was united in marriage with Miss Eliazabeth Westphal, daughter of Edward Westphal, of Ohio. In 1862 Mr. F. entered Uncle Sam's service, enlisted in Co. H, 85th Ill. Inf., for 3 years; was in the battles of Chickamauga, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Savannah, Bentonville, etc. At the close of the war he returned to Astoria where he owns property. James and Ettie, deceased, William, Mary, Lula and Dora are the children born to him and wife.
submitted by Carla Finley