Biography - Elisha Reagan
ELISHA REAGAN was born in Rock Castle County, Ky., November 30, 1853, to Preston and Melinda (Walters) Reagan, both of Kentucky, who removed to Sangamon County, Ill., in 1854, thence to Johnson County in 1857. They were farmers in straitened circumstances, and made their removals by means of teams, and purchased their first farm in Union Township, Pope County, where the subject of this sketch now lives. They died there, leaving an estate of eighty acres of land and a family of nine children, of whom Elisha is the youngest. In 1872 the parents buried two infant daughters, a married son aged forty years, whose name was Charlton, and a daughter, Elizabeth, aged twenty-two years, and the wife of Orange Jackson, of Metropolis. Mrs. Jackson left two children to mourn her demise. The children still living are as follows: Matilda, wife of J. W. Cobb; Jane, wife of W: B. Parsons; Eliza Ann, wife of L. A. Ogden; Parmelia, wife of L. W. Epperson; and Elisha.
The life of Elisha Reagan from his infancy up was spent on the farm, hence he obtained a good knowledge of all things pertaining to agriculture. When in his nineteenth year he was married, August 11, 1872, to Martha Kirby, who bore him three sons and three daughters, of whom one daughter died in infancy. Those living are as follows; Albert, nineteen years old, at home; Cynthia A., wife of J. W. Boulden, a farmer of Union Township, Pope County; Elmore, fifteen years old; Rosella, aged thirteen years; and Wesley, twelve. Mr. Reagan married after the death of his first wife Alice J., daughter of S. T. Browning, of the same township. She became the mother of two sons and two daughters, viz.: Virda L., Raymond A., Opal Q. and Harlem L., aged six, four and two years respectively; and an infant.
Mr. Reagan has been a Justice of the Peace since 1885, and has served
many years as School Director and Trustee. He is a Republican in politics,
and steadily stands by that party. His brother Charlton volunteered in the
Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry, and served three years. He was a prisoner at
Andersonville, but was exchanged, and so considers himself fortunate to have
escaped alive, which he accomplished by the practice of a little strategy.
Having kept a list of the dead, he answered to the name of one of the
detailed and got out on parole. Mr. Reagan is a Master Mason, and is a
member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Extracted 10 Apr 2002 by Rick Girtman from 1893 Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, page 271.
