JOHN C. RAFFETY, whose life record covers sixty-seven years, has always been a resident of Greene county, his birth occurring on the old family homestead, March 23, 1837. In the paternal line he is of Irish descent and in the maternal line is of Scotch lineage. His grandfather, Richard Raffety, was a native of Tennessee and after residing for some time in Kentucky he removed to Illinois, becoming one of the early settlers whose labors proved an important factor in the early development and upbuilding of this part of the state.
William M. Raffety, the father of John C. Raffety, was born in Kentucky and in 1836 came to Illinois, settling near Wrightsville, where he entered eighty acres of land from the government and began the arduous task of developing a new farm. As time passed and his financial resources increased he extended the boundaries of his property until he was the owner of four hundred acres at the time of his death. He was a carpenter by trade but during the greater part of his life he followed the occupation of farming. In his last years, however, he lived retired in Roodhouse. His political support was given the Democratic party. He married Martha Robinson, who died in 1848, at the age of forty years, while his death occurred in 1887, when he had attained the ripe old age of seventy-eight years. Mrs. Raffety was a daughter of Ezra Robinson and the family was of Scotch lineage.
John C. Raffety, reared to the occupation of farming, made that pursuit his life work. He was educated in the public schools of the home neighborhood and in his boyhood, when his time was not occupied with the duties of the schoolroom, he gave his attention to the labors of the field and meadow. After attaining his majority he began farming on his own account. In 1868 he purchased one hundred acres of land and has since added to that property until he now has a valuable and well improved farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres, pleasantly located within two and a half miles of Wrightsville. There he resided until September 8, 1893, when he put aside the more arduous duties of the farm and retired to private life to enjoy the fruits of his former toil. On the 7th of October of that year he was injured in a railroad accident, his ribs being broken, and he received from the railroad company twenty-five hundred dollars indemnity.
On the 14th of January, 1863, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Raffety and Miss Nancy Jane Johnson, who was born September 10, 1845, and is a daughter of John L. and Wilmouth L. (Jones) Johnson. Her paternal grandfather, John Johnson, was born in North Carolina in March, 1792, and came to Illinois in 1812. After his marriage he located at Edwardsville, this state, where he engaged in farming. AS a Ranger he took an active part in the early Indian wars and fought with John Huitt, of Greene county. Mrs. Raffety's father was also a farmer by occupation and was a life long Democrat in politics. He served one term as justice of the peace and was re-elected to that office but died soon afterward.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Raffety were born seven children: Minnie Etna, born July 24, 1864, was married September 21, 1880, to William Harvey Smith and died in Iowa, February 11, 1885, leaving two children, Reta J., born March 16, 1882, and Anna E., born July 20, 1884. Louis H., born August 27, 1866, is a resident of Greene county, Illinois. He was married October 23, 1895, to Ora Flower, a daughter of J. W. Flower, and they have three children: Vera F., born April 28, 1897; Glen A., born June 18, 1899; and John W., born March 31, 1902. Martha A., born April 16, 1868, was married November 4, 1885, to Frank Kesinger, a son of Chester Kesinger, of Wrightsville, who is engaged in the grain business. Frank Kesinger is a farmer, operating sixty acres of land. He and his wife have three children, Ross, Ellis and Olin, ages respectively seventeen, fourteen and nine years. Lula B. Raffety, born February 16, 1870, is the wife of Francis Bradshaw, son of Marion Bradshaw. They were married February 22, 1888, and their first child, born dead, had a full set of teeth. Their other children are Juanita, thirteen years of age; Leona, eight years old; and Gladys, five years of age. Ida Alice Raffety, born December 24, 1872, died April 10, 1880. John W., born June 23, 1874, died on the 3d of September of the same year. George A., a twin brother of John, resides upon the home farm, which he rented from his father since 1895. He was married October 30, 1900, to Lillian Benear.
In his political views John C. Raffety has always been a Democrat and was a stanch supporter of the Union cause. In fact his patriotic spirit and loyalty prompted his enlistment and service in defense of the Union cause and he now holds membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. Since the age of nineteen years he has been a member of the Baptist church, to which his wife also belongs, and they are true to its teachings and exemplify in their lives their religious faith. Honorable and upright, Mr. Raffety's warmest friends are those who have known him from boyhood, and he is one of the esteemed citizens of the county in which he has made his home for sixty-seven years.