Jacob Evinger, farmer, P. O. Westfield, is one of the natives of the township.  He was born on Section 19, August 3, 1833; he is the fourth son of Jacob Evinger and Sarah Snider.  Jacob Evinger was born in Kentucky, son of John George Evinger, a German by birth, and settled in Kentucky where he died.  He raised a large family, among whom were Adam, John, George, Henry, Thomas, Frederick, David, Jacob, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, and Rebecca, some of whom settled in Kentucky and there died.  Those who came to Illinois were, Henry, George, David, Fred, Thomas, and Jacob; the girls that came were Catherine and Mary; Thomas settled in Edgar County; Henry in Coles County, and the remaining ones in Clark County.  Jacob, the father of our subject, came here in the spring of 1833, and made his settlement on Section 19, and remained here until his death, which occurred about the year 1840; his wife yet survives him, now seventy-seven years of age.  They raised six children--William, Alfred, Sarah, David, Jacob, and Mary. William and Alfred in California; Sarah in Westfield, relict of John Atkins; David resides in Charleston, Coles County; Mary deceased, was wife of Charles Wood.  Jacob is the only one residing in the county, and was raised on the homestead where he lived until twenty-three, when he left home; was then married in January 22, 1856, to Sarah Ann Cornwell, who was born on June 3, 1835, in Jefferson County, Ky., a daughter of Hiram Cornwell and Lucy Tolar, both natives of Kentucky, and emigrated to Coles County about the year 1840, where they now reside.  After Mr. Evinger's marriage, he lived about six years in Coles County, and located in Westfield at the beginning of the war, and has been engaged in farming.  He has 245 acres, and has no children; he and wife are members of the United Brethren, father also was a member of that society, and a Democrat.   Jacob is a Republican, though not a partisan.

Submitted by mccachern@att.net