JOHN H. CORN

FROM: The History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887).  P. 688-689.

          John H. Corn, farmer and notary public, was born in Princeton, Ind., in 1831, the ninth of twelve children of Hiram and Margaret J. (McMillan) Corn. The father, German in origin, and born in Kentucky, died in 1863 about eighty years old. He served as a Kentucky volunteer under Gen. Harrison in the war of 1812, and when a young man spent from 1824 to 1832 in Gibson County, Ind., where he married. Then with then exception of from 1837 to 1852 in Hamilton County, and two years in Morgan County, he spent the remainder of his life in Franklin County. He was always one of the substantial farmers of the county. The mother, born in Gibson County, is now living in Christian County, Ill., at the age of eighty-two. Both were long members of the Missionary Baptist Church, but formerly Methodists. Our subject went to school in the log building, with no floor, puncheon seats, clap-board roof, and the smoke from a fire in the center of the room finding its way through a hole in the roof. In 1850 he married Palina C., daughter of James and Sarah Metheny, a native of Flannigan Township, born in 1835. Eight of their eleven children are living: Walter C., of Crawford County, Ark.; Arena J., wife of Thomas P. Waller, of Franklin County; David F.; John R.; Virginia, now Mrs. Adam H. Reed; Lizzie, Linzey H. and Samuel E. He has been a resident of Flannigan Township ever since his marriage except from 1853 to 1856 in Morgan County. Since 1855 he has lived on his present farm of 190 acres, left after giving his sons, who are of age, each forty acres. It is well improved and twelve miles southwest of McLeansboro, and all the fruit of his own careful management and industry. August 2, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Fortieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and after six months' service in Missouri and Kentucky, was discharged on account of disability. About 1865 he was elected justice and served four years, then three years after served an unexpired term for one year, and was re-elected making in all about seven years, and of several cases appealed all were confirmed by the superior courts. For eight years he has been notary public, commissioned by Gov. Cullom. Politically he is a Democrat, but otherwise non-partisan. His first vote was for Pierce. He is an old and prominent member of the I. O. O. F. and F. M. B. A. His wife was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, but recently of the Christian Church.