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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.

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Source: Atlas Map of Fulton County, Illinois, 
Andreas, Lyter, and Co., Davenport, Iowa. 1871
(pages 35 and 38)

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Dr. Alexander Hull was born in Licking county, Ohio. His father, Philip Hull, was born in Harrison county, Virginia. His mother, Sarah McCracken, daughter of Alexander McCracken, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. They, with their respective parents, came to Ohio at an early day -- his father to Licking county, in 1807, and his mother to Muskingum county, in 1817. They were married in 1820, and remained in Ohio until the fall of 1838, when they, with a family of four children--two sons and two daughters-- emigrated to Fulton county, Illinois. In the spring of 1839 they settled on a farm four miles north of Barnadotte, and there remained until 1865, when they moved to Lewistown; and now, with their youngest daughter, Eliza, reside on a farm one mile west of town; Mr; Hull is seventy-six and Mrs. Hull seventy, but in the enjoyment of good health and mental vigor. The old gentleman is a republican in politics, formerly an old-line whig. 
    
Sarah A., the oldest sister, was married to James H. Randall in 1840, and they now reside, and for many years past have resided, in Lewistown. 
    
W. Wesley Hull, the younger and only brother, remained at home, on the farm, until he was about twenty years of age, when he engaged as clerk in the store of John Lovell, at Barnadotte, and here continued until 1853, when he went to California. Remaining there for a few years, he returned, and went into the store of James H. Randall, in Lewistown, as bookkeeper, and there remained until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in company H, seventeenth Illinois infantry, and soon after was made captain of his company, which position he held until the regiment was mustered out of service. In 1863 he was married to Miss Mary A. Messplay, of Lewistown. They have but one child -- William Edgar -- born in February, 1866. In 1864 he was candidate on the republican ticket for sheriff, and again, in 1866, his party, against his wishes, placed him on their ticket for the same position, and this time was beaten by David J. Waggoner, democratic candidate, by two votes only. He is a man of steady habits, quiet and unassuming. 
    
The subject of this sketch was but a boy when his father emigrated to this county, and for several years afterward he labored at home, on the farm, at the same time improving his leisure hours by study. In 1844 he commenced teaching school and continued until 1847, having by this time laid up a little money and secured a liberal education. In the latter year he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Abram Hull, of this county. In 1849 he attended lectures in St. Louis; in the winter of 1850 he attended Rush Medical College, Chicago, and there graduated. In the following spring he located at Cuba, and entered into the practice of his profession, and there continued it -- having an extensive and lucrative practice, performing many important and difficult surgical operations -- until the fall of 1860, when he was elected, on the democratic ticket, to the office of circuit clerk and recorder of Fulton county, and removed to Lewistown, where he still resides. In 1864 he was re-elected to the same office by the same party. 
    
In the fall of 1851 Dr. Hull was married to Miss N. Permelia Heckard, of this county. They have but one child -- Carrie -- born March 26th,1867. 
    
Dr. Hull, in connection with a number of other prominent citizens of Fulton county, organized the Fulton Coal Company in the spring of 1870, and since its organization he has been its president and general superintendent, and to his untiring energy and management is chiefly due its rapid development and unparalleled success. 
    
Very few men in this section of country are better known than Dr. Hull. Social, courteous, and warm-hearted, active and energetic, always striving to improve and develop this beautiful section of country, he has made himself hosts of life-long friends. 
    
Mr. Ross has been the most important and active man of this section of country. Fifty years of his life have been spent in Fulton county, during which time he has seen the Indian pushed westward more than a thousand miles, and nearly extinct; the forest around his father's house turned into beautifully cultivated farms, and a town built upon it and named Lewistown, after himself; the state increase in population from a few hundred souls to two and a half millions, his county from half a dozen or less to nearly forty thousand; his father's garden converted into a beautiful town of two thousand, and the county seat of his county. He has had the honor of being called upon by his fellow citizens to fill some of their most important offices, which he did to their entire satisfaction. While in the halls of congress few men showed a better record. As a politician be is true; as a citizen, kind, pleasant, and active; as a business man, attentive and reliable.