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Macon county derived its name from Hon. Nathaniel Macon, of North Carolina, whose
fame, at the time of the formation of the county extended throughout the nation. He was born in Warren County,
N. C., in 1757. and died in the same county, June 29th, 1837. He was educated at Princeton, N. J. [ed., College
of New Jersey, now Princeton University], and was there at the opening of the War of the Revolution. In 1777 he
left college, and served for a short time as a private in a company of volunteers.
At the expiration of his term of service, he commenced the study of law, but soon re-enlisted in the army under
his brother, John. He continued in the service until peace was declared. He was present at the fall of Charleston.
For all his arduous services in the war, he steadily refused compensation, nor would he accept a pension after
the government had provided one.
Before he left the army he had been elected to the State Senate, in which he served until 1785. When the Constitution
of the United States was proposed, he, like Patrick Henry, thought it "squinted too much in the direction
of monarchy," and therefore opposed its adoption.
He thought the general government proposed was too independent of the States. Mr. Macon was elected to the lower
house of Congress in 1791, where he continued to serve until 1815, serving as Speaker from 1801 to 1806. From the
lower house he was transferred to the U. S. Senate, in 1816, where he remained until 1828, and was President pro
tem. of that body in 1825-7. He was thirty-seven years in Congress, uninterruptedly—the longest continuous service
of any one man.
Twice during Jefferson's administration he declined the office of Postmaster General.
He was a Democrat in politics, and had an earnest conviction in the ability of the people for self-government.
Jefferson said he was "the last of the old Romans," and Randolph called him "the wisest man he ever
knew." In his temperament he was a stoic, disregarding style and conventionalities, and in all things practiced
the strictest economy.
[Smith, J. W. (1876). History of Macon County, Illinois, from its organization
to 1876. Springfield, Ill: Rokker's Printing]
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Recent Website Updates:
May 2013:
BIRTHS
Sweet, Son; Hall, Son - Contributed by Barbara Ziegenmeyer
DEATHS
Helen J. deBrun - nee Mercer (under D) - Submitted by Denise Parsons
April 2013: Funeral Notice: Mrs. Nellie Connor; Obit: Greenwalt, Ralph
F. - contributed by Ella Tittsworth
Mar 2013: Obituary: Permelia (Crowder) Andrews - Submitted by Bill Vance
December 2012:Obituaries: Father of James Durning, Infant son of Mr. and
Mrs. Chas. Durning, John H. Gilmore, Henry Traughber - Contributed by Debra Burgess; Births - Birthday Parties:
Birthday of Mrs. A. A. Hammond - Contributed by Debra Burgess; Anniversaries: Mr. and Mrs. James Durning's 45th
Wedding Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. James Durning's 50th Wedding Anniversary- Contributed by Debra Burgess
October 2012: Obituaries: James A. Cook, Charlotte A. (Hogentogler)
Cook, Roy F. Walters, Mrs. Alice A. Hammond, Edward Durning, George Cook, Andrew J. Cook, James Durning, Mrs. Dora
Martin, MRS. MARY WALTERS, MRS. LAURA L. COOK - Contributed by Debra Burgess; Marriages: Hammond-Burgess, Martin-Hammond,
Edgar-Spencer, Durning-May, Cook-Jones - Contributed by Debra Burgess
September 2012: Obituary: Charles J. Stewart - Contributed by Barbara
Ziegenmeyer
August 2012: Death Notice - Oscar Biroth
July 2012: Death Notice (Obituary) - Rev. D.P. Bunn |
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