Biography - William Fern
WILLIAM J. FERN, M. D. Few men are sufficiently versatile to
successfully pursue two separate and entirely different vocations during
their lives. Rare, indeed, does the physician while carrying on a large
practice become the proprietor of a general merchandise business that
carries a stock of ten thousand dollars worth of goods, but this has been
accomplished by Dr. William J. Fern, of Tunnel Hill, who also superintends
the operation of four hundred and eighty acres of excellent farming land.
Dr. Fern was born November 18, 1846, on a farm in Johnson county, and is a
son of Lawrence W. Fern.
James Fern, the grandfather of Dr. Fern, was born in England, and came from
that country to the United States in 1823, settling with his family in
Otsego county, New York, near Cooperstown, where he spent the rest of his
life. His son, Lawrence W., who was born in England in 1814, left New York
in 1840 for Texas, but after spending some time in the Lone Star state
started to return to New York, his funds having become low. Stopping in
Johnson county, Illinois, he began teaching subscription schools in order to
secure money to complete his journey, but, liking the country and seeing its
future possibilities, he filed a claim on Government land, settled down to
farming, and at the time of his death was the owner of two hundred acres of
fine land. He married Mrs. Ellendra (Leslie) Ford, a widow who had two
children, and died July 15, 1894, she surviving him until 1909, when she
passed away at the age of eighty-seven years. They had the following
children: Mrs. Sarah Lemons; William J.; Andrew J.; George W., who is
deceased; Mrs. Missouri Whitesides; Mrs. Anna Simpson; Mrs. Fannie Willis;
and Caroline and Florence, who died in infancy.
William J. Fern was reared on the home farm and received his education in
the common schools. In 1865 he began the study of medicine in a physician's
office, and in 1866 entered Rush Medical College, Chicago, from which he was
graduated February 5, 1868. He began practice at Grantsburg, Johnson county,
where he continued seven years, and after spending one year in Vienna came
to Tunnel Hill, in 1876, where he has since had a large and lucrative
clientele. In 1885 Dr. Fern opened a merchandise store, and erected a
building in which he started the present firm of W. J. Fern & Son, which now
carries a ten thousand dollar stock and does business throughout Tunnel Hill
and the surrounding country. Associated with him in this business are his
sons, Lawrence D. and William, and his son-in-law, Robert S. Gilliam. In
addition to this large interest Dr. Fern has one farm of two hundred and
eighty acres and several smaller tracts, and has considerable real estate
holdings in Tunnel Hill and other towns.
He is well and favorably known to the members of his profession, and holds
membership in the Johnson County, Illinois State and American Medical
Associations, and is fraternally connected with the Lodge and Chapter of
Masonry and the Odd Fellows. He is possessed of considerable more than the
ordinary business ability, and is a man of progressive ideas and much public
spirit.
On October 14, 1869, Dr. Fern was married to Miss Sarah J. Poor, daughter of
S. D. and Sarah J. Poor, of Johnson county, and to this union there have
been born children as follows: Cora, who died in infancy ; Nora F., who
married Robert S. Gilliam; Lawrence D., associated with his father in
business, and postmaster of Tunnel Hill since January 30, 1907, married
Maggie Whitehead, now deceased, and has two children, Herbert and Louis;
William, connected with the grocery store conducted by his father, married
Ada Taylor and has two children, William and Lucille; and the two youngest
children of the subject, Charles Otto and Roy, both died in infancy.
Extracted from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 588-589.
