Transcribed by Larry Fearneyhough

Page 91

The subject of this sketch was the youngest son of Marshall and Arabella McCaleb; was born February 21, 1860, on the farm which he now owns and occupies, located about one and one-half miles north of Bluffs, Scott county, Illinois. Being of Scotch-Irish descent he has always shown and maintained that shrewed ambition characteristic of his ancestors. His early and only education was acquired in the district school of his neighborhood.

No college education, but the education of actual business experience has placed him among the foremost business men of Scott county. When he was but thirteen years old his father died and the management of the farm and the business of the family fell largely upon him. With a determined will and the help of his mother, together they bought out the other heirs to the homestead and paid them off as fast as they became of age.

On attaining his majority his first move was to look for a help-mate for life. This he found, and was married in March, 1881, to Mary F. Burrus, daughter of Charles and Mary Burrus of Naples precinct. With an unfailing ambition and a good partner in life, he has pushed ahead, adding a little here and a little there, until now he is the possessor of about one thousand acres of as fine farming land as there is in Scott and Morgan counties. Nor was his energies all directed to self and selfish interests. Whenever an enterprise was mentioned for the good of the public, he was always ready with his means and influence to push it along. He was greatly instrumental in bringing a lot of horse thieves to justice, and was almost wholly responsible for clearing the village of Bluffs of a band of thieves and pilferers.

In 1890 he embarked in the grain business in Bluffs. Later on he picked up the defunct grain business of Keener Brothers of Naples and put it on a sound footing, at one time operating the grain business at Bluffs, Naples, Florence and Glasgow Landing, in Scott county, and Chambersburg, Griggsville and Valley City, in Pike county. When the Bank of Bluffs was organized he was an active mover and stockholder in the concern. Again, when the new M. E. Church at Bluffs was built he was on the ground with muscle, money and good will. At the organization he was elected trustee and treasurer, and furnished the principal part of the money to complete the building, trusting to the good will of the people to come to his rescue when needed. At the organization of the Coon Run Levee and Drainage District he was appointed one of the commissioners, and was the means of saving thousands of dollars to some of the farmers of the district in the way of taxes. When William Tippitt, a poor boy, (the so-called "Wizard of O'possum Hollow,") was trying to perfect his patent on a nutlock, he came to Mr. McCaleb for assistance. This was cheerfully granted and has resulted in the organization and incorporation of the Tippitt Nut Lock Company of Bluffs, Ill., with Wm.

McCaleb, president; C.J. Ringe, vice president; Wm. Tippitt, secretary, and Frank Linkins, (cashier of the Bank of Bluffs,) treasurer. In all business enterprises, in social affairs, and all things for the upbuilding of the community, all find a helping hand and willing worker in the person of Mr. McCaleb. The poor are never turned away empty handed - the latch - string is always on the outside, and a cheerful greeting awaits stranger as well as neighbor. In politics he has always been a staunch democrat, but always grants every man a right to exercise his own free will. Of a powerful physique, a cheerful disposition, all the downhearted and oppressed seemed to take a more cheerful view of life when in his company. He laughs with those who laugh, and can sympathize with those who are in trouble. Of course he, like other men, has his dark hours in life, but the world in general would never suspect anything of the sort. His advice always is, "Rejoice, oh, young man in the days of thy youth, but remember that for all these things God will bring you into account."