JOHN EDWARDS NEIKIRK
Page 490

JOHN EDWARDS NEIKIRK. One of the finely improved farms of Mason County is located in Forest City Township, and is the property of Mr. Neikirk, who through perseverance and the exercise of good judgment has gained a prominent place among the agriculturists of the community. The farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres on section 19, upon which he has erected a suitable equipment of substantial buildings. He has also introduced other valuable improvements, and has placed the soil under a high state of cultivation. Out subject is a son of George Neikirk, whose sketch may be found in that of J. Alexander Neikirk, elsewhere in this book. The former was born March 26, 1834, in Washington County, Md., and as he was given but little schooling it may be proper to speak of him as self-educated. He came to Illinois in company with his father, and on the death of the latter began life on his own account, working out for other people. During the first year of the war our subject enlisted in July, in Company C, Second Illinois Calvary, of which he was elected First Corporal. The regiment was organized at Camp Butler under Colonel Noble, and from there went to Carbondale, and then to Cairo, where it was divided into Battalions. Our subject's company did guard duty on the Ohio River from Cairo to Caledonia until March, 1862, when it was sent to Hickman, Ky., and took part in the battle fought at that place. From there they went to Union City, and in August took up the line of march to Jackson, Tenn., and went into camp at Bolivar. Next followed the battle of Hatchie River, when the regiment marched to LaGrange, where they remained until the fall of that year. Mr. Neikirk was then sent out on detached duty until March, 1864, when he rejoined his camp at Memphis, Tenn., and with them went to Louisana, and later went in camp at Baton Rouge, where he was mustered out to. After receiving his honorable discharge in August, 1864, after a service of three years, he returned home with his health pretty much impaired. During his entire army experience he never received a scratch nor was made a prisoner, although on numerous occasions he had very narrow escapes. He was a man of indomitable pluck, and after recuperating for a year, he engaged in work and lived with his mother until 1868. The lady to whom Mr. Neikirk was married in 1873, was Miss Phoebe, daughter of John Charles Reed, a native of New York State, and a cooper by trade. The lady was born in Ohio, whither her father had removed in an early day and located in Seneca County. Her mother, Mrs. Sarah (Jackson) Reed, was a native of Pennsylvania, and the daughter of Benjamin Jackson, also an early settler of the Buckeye State. The parents of Mrs. Neikirk later in life removed to Indiana, and lived in Noble County until their death. They were the parents of nine children, namely: James D., Mary Matilda, William LaFayette, Minerva, Phoebe (Mrs. Neikirk), Joseph Myron, John Monroe, Perry and Sarah Emily. William served through the entire Civil War as a soldier in the Thirtieth Indiana Infantry. Mr. Reed also fought in the Mexican War, and was a Republican in politics. He was a man who took a great interest in public affairs, and with his wife was a member of the Christian Church. Mrs. Neikirk was born April 16, 1848, in Seneca County, Ohio, and after receiving her education in Indiana, taught school in that state and afterward in Illinois, whither she removed in 1869. Her union with our subject has been blessed by the birth of five children, Viola Lucretia, Oscar John, Orin Herschel, Mary Augusta and Frank Colburn. They located upon their present farm soon after their marriage, and in 1880 completed their present substantial residence. Mr. Neikirk is engaged in mixed farming, and making a success in his chosen field of labor. In religious affairs Mrs. Neikirk is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she is one of the Stewards and a teacher in the Sunday-school. Socially, our subject is a Grand Army man, and in 1866 aided in the organization of Forest City Post No. 26, in Forest City, of which he was an officer. He also is connected with the John Quincy Adams Post No. 526, at Havana. He is one of the charter members of the local Grange, of which he has been Master, and is identified with the Knights of Pythias at Forest City. He has been School Director of District No. 1, and his daughter Viola, and his son Oscar are school teachers. He is a stanch Republican in politics, and has frequently represented his party as delegate to its various conventions. He has also filled the offices of Road Commissioner and Township Collector, and is a man whose character and personal attributes are such as to win him the confidence of the community and the people by whom he is surrounded.

1894 Biography Index

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