ASA CARY is one of the old settlers of the county, and is what is known as a general farmer, living in Ridott Township. Mr. Cary is of Puritan stock. His father was born in Massachusetts, near Hatfield, lived there a farmer and was married in his native State. His wife was Damarius Hickox, a native of New Hampshire, but was partly reared in Massachusetts.

Some years after the father of the subject of this biography, Asa Cary, Sr., was married, he, his wife and first members of the family went to Massachusetts to Casenovia, N. Y. He was a third cousin of those sweet and tuneful poetesses, Alice and Phoebe Cary. The elder Cary and wife lived to be over threescore years, and were the parents of twelve children. One died when young and the others lived to be men and women.

Asa Cary, Jr., was the youngest of the family. He was born in the township of Boston, Erie Co., N. Y., Aug. 22, 1822, and lived on his father’s farm until he was twenty-five years old, at which time he engaged in merchandising at Boston Corners in the same county, and was thus engaged for five years. In 1852 he came to Silver Creek Township in this county, making his purchase of land in the spring and locating in the fall. He bought 168 acres of land and lived on it fourteen years. It was wild prairie soil, rich in strength, but as yet it had not been tilled. After he had sold this he purchased 120 acres on section 35, where he is making his residence. Besides this he has eighty-five acres on section 2, of the same township, and also ten acres of fine timber land.

Asa Cary was married in Erie County, N. Y., Nov. 18, 1851, to Miss Laura Rice. She was born and reared in Erie County, and is also of Puritan stock. Her parents were farmers and lived and died in New York State. The father was Wilder Rice; the mother’s maiden name was Mary Brooks. Mrs. Cary died at her home in this township July 30, 1880. She was the mother of seven children: Homer resides at Clear Lake, Iowa, is a farmer, and married Miss Elizabeth McDonald; Minnie E. is the wife of Dr. J. N. Pickett, of Odell, Neb.; Lillian G. is the wife of George Waddington, and lives in Filley, Gage Co., Neb.; Adelaide P. is the wife of Louis D. Canfield, also of the latter-named place, and a harness-maker by trade; Merton E. and William W. assist their father in the management of the farm; Mary A. also lives at home. The family are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Cary and son are members of the Republican party.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 291