Felix G. Seymour

 

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887
SURNAMES: DILL, MCNEIL, PARKER, SEYMOUR, SLIDER, WHITE

 

FELIX G. SEYMOUR, of Scott Township, is favorably known as one of its intelligent farmers and substantial citizens. He is a native of Hampshire County, now W. Va., and was born Dec. 1, 1824. His parents, Garrett and Sarah (MCNEIL) SEYMOUR, were natives of West Virginia, in which State they remained after their marriage, and where the mother died early in life. Garrett Seymour afterward removed to Indiana, where he remained a resident of Tippecanoe County for about nine years. Thence he removed to Ross County, Ohio, where his death took place in 1848. The seven children of the household included four sons and three daughters, of whom our subject was the youngest.

Felix G. Seymour was about ten years of age when the family removed to Indiana, and remained in Tippecanoe County for eight years following. He then returned to the vicinity of his old home in Virginia, and for two years lived with an uncle in Hardy County. From there he proceeded to Ross County, Ohio, where he engaged in driving cattle and farm work, and where he continued to live until 1863. In the fall of that year he started for the West with his wife and five children, and coming into Champaign County located in Scott Township. In company with his uncle, R. R. SEYMOUR, who is now deceased, he purchased about 1,000 acres of land, 900 of which he yet owns. The greater part of this was improved and under a good state of cultivation. Our subject erected a comfortable farm dwelling, and has all necessary out-buildings for the shelter of stock, the storage of grain, and the carrying on of agriculture after the most modern and improved methods. He has been uniformly successful in his undertakings since coming to Illinois, and is one of the representative men of an enterprising and prosperous community.

The marriage of Felix G. Seymour and Miss Catherine J. PARKER took place in Ross County, Ohio, Feb. 24, 1852. Mrs. S. was a native of that county, born Dec. 26, 1832, and the daughter of Richard and Nanch (DILL) PARKER, natives respectively of West Virginia and Ohio. They settled in Ross County after their marriage, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Seymour became the parents of six children, namely, Sarah J., parker, Margaret E., Catherine, Virginia and Nancy T. Sarah became the wife of Benjamin WHITE, and is a resident of Seymour, Ill.; Parker married Miss Amanda SLIDER, and is farming in Scott Township, this county; Catherine died Oct. 30, 1874, when fourteen years old; Virginia died May 10, 1864, aged eighteen months; Nancy P. resides at home with her father. Mrs. Catherine J. Seymour departed this life at her home in Scott Township, Nov. 9, 1867. She was a lady highly respected in the community, and a member in good standing of the Methodist Church.

Mr. Seymour since coming to this county has been prominent in local affairs, holding the offices of Supervisor, School Treasurer and Director for many years. He is also connected with the Methodist Church, to the support of which he has contributed liberally and cheerfully. In earlier years, politically, he was a stanch adherent of the old Whig party, but upon its abandonment gave his support to Democratic principles. He has all his life been engaged in farming, and of late years has given much attention to the breeding of fine stock.