Biography - William Cover
WILLIAM H. COVER was born in Pulaski County, ILL., in 1850. He is a son of Abraham Cover, of Maryland, who was born in 1826, and who was brought to Union County, ILL., by his widowed mother in the year 1838, when he was twelve years of age. Her maiden name was Hahn, and she was also from Maryland. Her husband died in middle life, leaving her with seven children, six sons and one daughter, but without property. Abraham was the sixth child. The eldest of these children, Daniel, was then a man of family. When Mrs. Cover came to Illinois she came down the Ohio River and then up the Mississippi to Jonesborough. Abraham Cover had been a farmer and miller, but his brothers Daniel and Alson were plasterers and stone masons, and worked at their trade after coming to Illinois. Mrs. Cover died at Jonesborough in her eightieth year. Ephraim and Catherine, the latter the widow of Henry Miller, are the only living children. Abraham Cover married Sophia Miller, daughter of David and Sophia Miller, who were very early settlers in this State. Abraham followed farming in Pulaski County two years, when he sold his farm and moved to Western Saratoga, Union County, ILL., where he lived the most of his life, and where he accumulated considerable property in the shape of a good farm of over three hundred acres and an interest in a mill. His first wife, the mother of William H., died there in 1876, leaving seven children, four sons and three daughters, William H. being the first born. Mr. Cover then married Miss Emeline Grimes, by whom he had one daughter. He died at Tunnel Hill, September 24, 1892, at the age of sixty-three. He left to his widow and children a handsome estate of about $15,000. The widow still lives at her home. Eight children of Mr. Cover are still living; one, Albert, by his first wife, died in Texas, at the age of twenty-two. There was also a daughter that died, Isabella S., at the age of fourteen. The eight living are as follows: William H. and David M., engaged in the milling, grain, seed and live-stock business. They also own over six hundred acres of land and carry on farming. The business in which they are now engaged was established by their father over thirty years ago, and William H. became connected with it in 1871. Caleb W. is a farmer of Union County. O. A. is next in order. Katie is a maiden lady at home. Jeannettc is the wife of Benton Green, a farmer of Union County. Effie May and a half-sister, Della May, twelve years old, are at home. The father of these children was a soldier in the Mexican War and also in the Civil War. He was First Lieutenant in Company M, Sixth Illinois Cavalry. He gave his family a good common-school education, and three of them have tanght school. He was an ardent Republican during his entire life, and in his old age he was sure to vote. His sons are all of the same political faith. William H. Cover is still single. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and is also an Odd Fellow. He is a very industrious man, as the business which he and his brother conduct is a very large one. Mr. Cover is of a literary turn of mind, and confidently looks forward to the time when he can devote more attention than is now possible to literary pursuits.
Extracted 8 Apr 2002 by Rick Girtman from 1893 Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, pages 261-262.
