**************************************************************************** File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project Copyright 2008, all rights reserved. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format without the written consent of the author at http://fulton.ilgenweb.net. **************************************************************************** Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890 **************************************************************************** The Biography of Moses BORDNER Pages *853-854, Transcribed in full by Karen CRANE Goggin (*A lithographic portrait of Moses BORDNER appears on p. 852) [Surnames: BEARCE, BORDNER, DUCKWORTH, EWERS, LOSH, WHITMORE] MOSES BORDNER. This county is certainly one of the most attractive portions of the State, if not of the entire Mississippi Valley. It is the home of many agriculturists whose comfortable dwellings, fine barns and other outbuildings, gardens, orchards and groves stamp them as among the most intelligent, enterprising and thrifty of their class. A prominent place among those who have succeeded pre-eminently in their life work belongs to the gentleman above named, whose beautiful home is in Lewistown Township. The birthplace of Mr. Bordner was Dauphin County, Pa., and his natal day July 27, 1823. His father, Peter Bordner, was born in Bucks County, and his grandfather, who also bore the name of Peter, is believed to have been a native of the same State. It is known that he was a pioneer of Dauphin County in which he spent his last years, his occupation being that of a farmer. The father of our subject followed the trade of a carpenter and joiner in his native State until about 1825, when he became a pioneer settler in Licking County, Ohio, to which he removed with teams in accordance with the customs of the day. He bought timber land, erected thereon a rude log house and established his home with such comforts as his limited means would allow. He had a wife and five children depending upon him, and for their support industriously labored at his trade and other kinds of work. He lived an honored life until September 11, 1881, reaching the extreme age of ninety-nine years, his widow still surviving and being now in her one hundred and first year. The marriage of Peter Bordner took place in 1810, to Miss Christiana Losh, a native of Dauphin County, Pa., whose father, Stephen Losh, is believed to have been a native of the same State. He died in Dauphin County. His wife, formerly Margaret Whitmore, passed away in Perry County, Ohio. Mrs. Christiana Bordner now makes her home with her children, in each of whose dwellings she is received as a most honored guest and feels perfectly at home. In October, 1889, a party was given at the home of our subject in honor of her one hundredth birthday, and upwards of two hundred friends and relatives gathered. She was one of the most lively of the number present, enjoying the occasion to the fullest extent. At that time her descendants, living and dead, numbered as follows: Thirteen children, ninety-nine grandchildren, two hundred and seventeen great-grandchildren and twenty-four great-great-grandchildren. Her sons and daughters were christened Jonathan, Katherine; Angeline, Moses, Lavina, George W., Margaret, Peter, Fanny, Temperance, Alfred and Christiana, one other having died in infancy. Our subject was quite young when his parents removed to Ohio, in which State they remained until 1846. He attended the pioneer schools which were held in the log house whose only window was of greased paper pasted over and opening where a log had been cut out, and whose furnishing was of the most primitive description, including slab benches and a writing desk formed of a board laid upon pins inserted in the side-wall. He assisted his father upon the farm to which his parent devoted a portion of his time, until he was twenty-four years old when he came to Illinois. Buying two hundred acres of timber land in Lewistown Township, this county, he labored hard to obtain money with which to make his payments. Twelve acres had been cleared and a log cabin built. On the clearing he sowed wheat, which he disposed of at Liverpool at eighty cents per bushel, thus securing the wherewithal to pay his indebtedness. He has since been a resident of the township, where he owns eight hundred and twenty acres of land, all in one body. A few years after his settlement here his parents located in Liverpool Township, but after a time removed to that in which their son resides. Mr. Bordner has been twice married, his first alliance having been contracted in 1847, and his companion was Miss Maria Bearce. This lady was a native of the Prairie State, and a daughter of Eli H. Bearce, of whom further notice is found in the biography of Orsen Bearce, on another page in this Album. She passed away in 1864, leaving five children - Lewis, Charles, Mary, George and Temperance. The present wife of Mr. Bordner bore the maiden name of Elvira Ewers. She is a native of Ohio, a daughter of Jonathan and Sarah A. (Duckworth) Ewers. This marriage has resulted in the birth of the following children now living: Madeline, Louisa, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Marvin H., Shannon, Jennie, Jonathan and Clifton. The energy and prudence exhibited by Mr. Bordner in the accumulation of property makes him one of the best examples of the self-made man to be met with in this vicinity. The reliable manner in which he has ever performed the duties devolving upon him as a citizen of a great commonwealth, a member of society, and a professor of religion, has won for him the esteem of all who know him. His wife and family are accorded their due measure of regard likewise. Mr. Bordner is a Democrat in politics and a Presbyterian in religion. In addition to the conduct of his personal affairs he finds time to discharge the duties of Assessor and School director in which offices he has served many years. A lithographic portrait of Mr. Bordner appears elsewhere in this volume.