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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of Redding Putman WILLCOXEN 

Pages 389-390, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: MORGAN, PUTMAN, RAY, STOUTT, WILLCOXEN] 

    
REDDING P. WILLCOXEN belongs to the famous Willcoxen family, a graphic description of which is given in the sketch of George W. Ray, whose wife was, previous to her marriage, Miss Anna A. Willcoxen. 
    
Our subject was born in Liverpool Township, August 29, 1838, being the son of Elijah Calloway Willcoxen, who was born in Estel County, Ky., March 12, 1817, and of Prudence (Putnam [sic, Putman]) Willcoxen, who was born in Kentucky September 22, 1820. His father attended the early schools of his native county up to the time of reaching his thirteenth year, at which date he moved with his parents to Fulton County, after which he attended school and assisted in cultivating the farm. After his marriage he settled on a farm where he owned a sawmill, and afterward added a gristmill, and continued to run the two in connection with his farming for about twelve years. In connection with his brother, Jeremiah F., he also owned a sawmill in Lewistown Township, and in this way made a good deal of money, and at the time of his death left between $15,000 and $20,000. He had a remarkable mind and was a good mathematician. He was a member of the Baptist Church. He belonged to the Democratic party and held many offices of public importance, and was Supervisor for several years. He built his spacious brick residence in 1855 at a cost of $6,000. His death occurred January 22, 1872. His wife was born in Kentucky as above stated, but came with her parents to Fulton County in 1830. She was a lovely Christian woman, and died October 24, 1882, when sixty-two years of age, being the mother of fourteen children, viz.: Redding P., Alvina, Nancy M., Anna, Elizabeth A., Louisa J., James M., Marshall, Prudence, Hiram, Calloway E., Stephen A. D., Rebecca and Pacanina. 
    
Our subject's maternal grandfather, Redding Putman, was a native of Kentucky, but moved to Fulton County in 1830 and settled in Putman Township, which was named in his honor. He served in the Black Hawk War, and was shot through the breast at the battle of Stillman's Defeat. About 1842 he removed to Washington County, Ark., where he settled on a farm and where he died after attaining his eightieth year. 
    
Mr. Willcoxen passed his youth on a farm in Liverpool Township, attending the district school that was very common and where the information imparted was very meagre. He was married May 8, 1862, to Miss Amanda Stoutt, a native of Logan County, Ill., who died when thirty-one years of age, leaving four children, viz.: Thomas Lee, Anna P., Andrew J. and Noah C. On December 22, 1873, our subject was again married, this time to Miss Lucinda Morgan, who was born in Fulton County, December 21, 1848. This marriage has been blessed with seven children, viz.: Viola A., William W., Redding Q., Jessie D., Melinda M., James O. and Bert M. 
    
The subject of our sketch after his marriage settled on a portion of his father's farm, and after the death of the latter bought the old homestead, which consisted of two hundred and nineteen acres, and has continued to reside on this property. Besides farming he is also largely interested in stock-raising. His residence is very elegant, being indeed about the finest in this section of the country, and is surrounded by a gently sloping lawn that is shaded by large oak trees. He is a member of the Democratic party, and is in every way a worthy representative of the family so well and favorably known throughout this State. 

*Note: Redding Putman WILLCOXEN is the son of my 4G uncle. I have posted much about his family history on my Elijah Willcockson website (http://stipak.com/willcockson/elijah/bios/8.htm), including Redding's obituary, his ancestry, and a nice photo of his parents, Major Elijah Calloway Willcoxen and Prudence (Putman) Willcoxen.--Alice