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From the book, Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, 1890, Chapman Brothers
pp. 228, 229
ANDREW J. LINEBARGER. Probably
no section of country has advanced more
rapidly than that of Northern Illinois and
this has been wholly owing to the character
of the men who first made settlement here. They
encountered many difficulties during the first years
of their sojourn in the Prairie State, but they came
equipped, not so much with worldly goods as the
spirit of resolution and perseverance which admitted
no such word as "fail." They battled with the
elements of a new soil, the inconvenience of rude
farming implements and imperfect transportation
of their produce, and have lived to see prosperity
smiling upon their labors.
He with whose name we introduce this sketch
deserves more than a passing mention in noting
the early settlers of Will County. He is the son of
one of its most worthy pioneers and was born at
his father's old homestead in Jackson Township,
January 7, 1834. His father, Henry Linebarger,
was a native of North Carolina while his mother
who bore the maiden name of Nancy Hougham,
was a native of Ohio. Henry Linebarger came to
Illinois in the fall of 1832, accompanied by his
brother George, then went back to Indiana, and in
the spring of 1833, returned to Will County,
where he spent the following summer and in the
fall of the year went back to Park County, Ind.,
for his family. They settled on section 21, Jackson Township, in the month of November, at a
time when the country was very thinly settled and
there they continued to live until called from their
earthly labors. The father died September 8,
1842, when comparatively a young man. The
mother survived her husband for the long period
of thirty-five years, remaining a widow, and departed this life April 22, 1877.
To the parents of our subject there was born a
family of seven children, of whom Andrew J.,
was the third. He has been a life long resident of
Jackson Township and obtained his education
mostly in the log schoolhouse in the neighborhood of his father's farm. After the latter's
death he remained with his mother until his marriage. This interesting and important event
occurred April 30, 1856, at Joliet, Ill., the bride
being Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and
Frances (Hildebrand) Phillips. Soon after their
marriage Mr. and Mrs. Linebarger settled upon
the land which they now own and occupy, and
which comprises four hundred and thirty five broad
acres on section 20. Here they have since made
their home. The household circle was completed
by the birth of three children, the eldest of whom,
a son, Lewis H., is a banker in Peotone, this State;
Laura is unmarried and remains with her parents;
Emma J., is the wife of J. R. McCleery, of Oxford,
Iowa.
The parents of Mrs. Linebarger were natives of
Germany, where they were reared and married.
Upon emigrating to America they settled in Madison County, N. Y., where the mother died in April
1881, and the father in October, 1888. Their
family consisted of eight children, of whom Mrs.
Linebarger was the next to the eldest. She like
wise is a native of the Fatherland and was born
January 1, 1834. She was a child of twelve
years when coming to America with her parents and was reared to womanhood in Madison
County, N. Y. She has been the true helpmate of
her husband in all his worthy undertakings and
has assisted him materially in the accumulation of
their property.
The Linebarger farm is one of the most valuable
in Will County, being improved with good build
ings, fruit and shade trees and all the other appurtenances required by the progressive and industrious agriculturist. Mr. Linebarger keeps himself
posted upon modern methods of agriculture and
avails himself of the most approved machinery in
the cultivation of his land. It is devoted largely
to grain raising, while Mr. Linebarger gives due
attention to the breeding of good grades of live
stock. He is conservative in politics, usually giving his support to the Democratic party. He has
never been an office-seeker, preferring to give his
time and attention to his farm and his family and
is looked upon as a peaceable and law-abiding citizen who has contributed his full quota to the general welfare of the community. Our subject was
the first white child born in Jackson Township.