ROBERT PROUDFIT

FROM: The History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887).  P. 736-737.

          Robert Proudfit, a pioneer farmer, was born January 18, 1811, in Fayette County, Penn., one of a pair of twins Of nine children-the only one living--of David and Sarah (Patterson) Proudfit, the former born in York County, Penn., in March, 1770 , of Scotch blood, and the latter in 1773, in Bedford County, Penn., of Irish origin. Soon after their marriage in Bedford County, about 1798, they lived in Fayette County, and, twenty-six years later, moved to Guernsey County, Ohio. The father was an Associate Reformed Presbyterian Minister, and never missed but three Sabbaths during his ministerial life-and that was unavoidable preaching two sermons the last Sunday of his life, He died in 1830, and the mother in 1842 Our subject was educated in his native county chiefly before thirteen, and remained at 'home, helping manage the farm, until thirty years of age, when he married and settled on his own farm in the same county. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Jane (Patterson) Wilson was born in 1820 near Elizabethtown, Penn., and married August 29, 1841. She died December 8, 1855, at the beforementioned home. But one of their eight children are living, Mary I., now at home with her father, The oldest son, David W., was shot at Shiloh, April 6, 1863, and another, Samuel M., a physician at Belle City about six years, died January 31, 1884. Our subject's second wife was Mrs. Mary J. Campbell, widow of John Campbell, of Ohio, daughter of David and Sarah (Patterson) Wilson, and a cousin of his first wife. Their five children are Wilson H., Andrew P., William W., Robert B. (deceased) and David M. In 1860, he moved to near Piopolis, Ill., and after ten years here spent a year on the James Proutfit farm. Since about 1871 he has lived on his present fine farm of eighty acres, in Sections 3 and 10, and is an old, well-known and respected citizen. His present wife was born also near Elizabethtown, Penn., February 25, 1824. Her son, Dr. John P. Campbell, is living in Winchester, 111. Our subject is a Jacksonian Democrat. He was at nineteen a member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and since it was; merged into the United Presbyterian Church lie has been a faithful member of that, as s also his wife and daughter and his entire family adherents to the same doctrines, excepting Andrew who is a 'member of the Old School Presbyterian.


Back to Hamilton County  Back to Hamilton County Biographies