Champaign Co, ILGenWeb, The USGenWeb Project - Biography

Joseph M. Besore

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887

SURNAMES: BESORE, HENEBERGER, MOUND

JOSEPH M. BESORE, widely and favorably known throughout Stanton Township, is a native of Pennsylvania, born near Chambersburg in Franklin County, Sept. 14, 1836. His father, John BESORE, was born near Waynesburg, Franklin county, and married Miss Mary MOUND of the same county. They settled on a farm in that county and became the parents of a fine family, including seven sons and three daughters, all of whom are living and now residents of Champaign County, Ill., having added greatly to the intelligence of its population and to its credit as a farming and business community. The family is of French descent, the first representatives in this country locating in and adjacent to the State of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, John BESORE, Sr. was one of the pioneers of Franklin County, Pa., and after locating there made it his home during the balance of his days.

The subject of this history was the third son of his father's family and passed his boyhood youth in his native county, after the manner of most farmers' boys. He received a common-school education and remained with his father until the death of the latter, which occurred in 1855. Afterward he assisted his mother in conducting the affairs of the homestead until he was no longer needed. Joseph Besore came West to this State in 1865, locating in Vermilion County, where he resided for one year and became a resident of this county in 1866. He first rented a farm three years in Stanton Township and then purchased 160 acres, which, after occupying four years alone, he abandoned for a brief season while he returned to his native State for the purpose of securing a nearer friend and companion than any which he had found in this locality, and was united in marriage with Miss Barbara F. HENEBERGER.

Mr. Besore at once returned with his bride to his new farm on the prairie, where they set up housekeeping in an economic and primitive style and worked in unison to establish a home. At the time of taking possession of his farm, there was but a small frame house and stable upon it, which have long since given place to first-class modern improvements. The handsome residence and farm buildings were planned mostly by the present proprietor. He superintended their construction, and the result is one of the finest sets of farm buildings in the county. Mr. Besore was obliged to incur an indebtedness of $800 at the start, but this was in due time liquidated and he then had his spare cash to devote to improvements. He was engaged largely in the raising of grain and hogs, from which he has derived the larger portion of his income. In addition to the putting up of buildings, fencing his fields and purchasing the necessary farm machinery, there were also the needs of a growing family to provide for, and taken altogether, his success has been truly phenomenal.

In due time there came to the household of our subject and wife a family of six children, four sons and two daughters, whom the parents named Charles E., Montie C., Isaac H., Warren C., Elsie Ray and Norah May. They are all living and reside mostly with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. B. identified themselves with the German Reform Church, of which they have remained active and consistent members, contributing of their means to the support of this as well as to every other worthy cause and enterprise in their adopted county. When our subject became a voter he adopted politics of the Democratic party, and has found no reason to consider himself mistaken to his first views in regard to local and National government.