FREEMAN A. HIGH
Page 493
FREEMAN A. HIGH
Page 493
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FREEMAN A. HIGH is a prominent in the social, literary and political life of this county as editor of the Havana Republican, a journal which he is ably conducting a company with Ulysses L. Town in the interest of the Republican party. When our subject took charge of the office, just one year ago, the paper had a circulation of five hundred and eighty. Now, however, it finds its way into over eleven hundred homes and the list of subscribers is still on the increase. The firm has the latest improved appliances in the office, including a Campbell press, which has a capacity of one thousand copies per hour. In connection with their paper they have a jobbing department and are prepared to turn out the finest work in that line, keeping in their employ only expert job printers. Our subject was born in Quiver Township, this county, March 14, 1870, and is the son of John High, who located in this region in 1840. At the age of fifty-six years he is now making his home in Havana. The ancestors of our subject originally came from Germany, and the first to make their home in America settled in Pennsylvania. The maiden name of his mother was Mary Morris, the daughter of George Morris, a native of the Blue Grass State, who on coming to Illinois made his home in this county. The paternal grandfather of our subject bore the name of Frederick High, and was born in Virginia in 1800. When a young man he emigrated to Indiana, where he remained until 1838, when he took up residence in Kankakee, this state, A year later he went to Clay County, and in 1840 we find him in Mason County, where his death occurred in 1865. John High, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania in 1745 and departed this life in Warren County, Ind., in 1851, at the age of one hundred and six. The paternal grandmother of our subject was prior to marriage Miss Maria Rakestraw and was born in Ohio. The father of our subject was born in Warren County, Ind., June 7, 1837, and the lady to whom he was married when reaching mature years was Miss Mary, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Hurd) Morris. She was born in Adams County, Ohio, and came with her parents to this county some time in the '50s. Freeman A. High, of this sketch, received his early education in the district schools of his native township, and when old enough to do so helped his father to cultivate the farm. He remained at home until the spring of 1881, when he removed to Havana, where he attended the public schools and was graduated from the high school June 3, 1890. July 20 of that year, he accepted the position of Deputy Postmaster of the city, and acted in that capacity until October, 1892, when he resigned in order to engage in the publication of the Havana Republican. The paper is well conducted, is a bright, newsy, original sheet, and is by no means confined to party lines for a circulation, for though our subject is true to the principles of the Republican party and is strictly aggressive, he is not offensive in the defense of party issues. He is at present Secretary of the Republican County Central Committee, and is one of the rising young men of the county with a promising future before him. Socially Mr. High is a Mason, belonging to Havana Lodge No. 88, and is connected with the Hesperian Chapter No. 137, O. E. S. He also belongs to Havana Lodge No. 258, K. of P., the Havana Division No. 64, U. R. K. P., and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. |