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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County
Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908

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The Biography of Simon P. ADDIS 

Transcribed exactly according to the original complete text by Joan Achille and Alice Stipak. 

[Surnames: ADDIS, BALLARD, DICKERMAN, LOGAN, SHEAFF, SUYDAM] 

[Page 766] 

    
ADDIS, Simon P.--Of the men who have wielded the implements of destruction as well as construction; who have achieved worthy ends as promoters of the fundamental occupation of agriculture, and who have lent dignity and integrity to political offices of local importance, none are more firmly established in the history of the region of their occupation than Simon P. Addis. Mr. Addis has worked out his own destiny with little aid from others, and is the owner of a farm of 127 acres in Section 5, Banner Township, besides two other farms in the same township. He has a large and well furnished house, barns and outbuildings which serve the purpose of housing stock and produce, and fences which insure him against invasions from outlying districts. He is a thorough and practical husbandman, an authority upon scientific farming and a successful breeder of high-grade stock. 
    
Born on a farm in Buckheart Township, Fulton County, on February 18, 1843, Mr. Addis is a son of Aaron and Jane (Suydam) Addis, who were the parents also of nine other children. His youth was uneventfully passed in farming and attending the public schools, and like many of the men of solid worth in the country, his first actual broadening experience was as a soldier in the Civil War. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under command of Colonel Dickerman, and was mustered into the service at Peoria, Ill. Attached to the Fifteenth Army Corps, under General John A. Logan, the regiment became part of the Army of the Tennessee, and participated in all of the battles of that department. However, young Addis was detailed for provost duty, and was therefore absent from his regiment much of the time. At the present time he retains all of his orders received from his superiors, and which add greatly to his extensive fund of information bearing upon the rebellion. Discharged at Chicago, July 5, 1865, he was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., after participating in the Grand Review in Washington. 
    
The marriage of Mr. Addis and Georgiana Sheaff occurred in Fulton County, in August, 1865, Mrs. Addis being a native of Westmoreland County, Pa., and daughter of George and Margaret Sheaff. To Mr. and Mrs. Addis have been born nine children, the survivors of whom are as follows: Della, wife of Leroy C. Ballard; Webster, Grace, Russell and Grover. As a stanch and uncompromising Democrat, Mrs. Addis has been active in the councils of his party for many years, and among other offices has held that of School Director fourteen years, Highway Commissioner fifteen years and Supervisor and Assessor and Collector several years. During its existence he was Master of Banner Grange No. 1643, P. of H., representing the grange in the State organization. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Addis is appreciated for his many stable and reliable traits of character, for his unceasing devotion to the best interests of the community, and for the example offered of ability, perseverance and ultimate success.