William Drury

William Drury, whose remains were buried this week in Buffalo Prairie, was one of the earliest pioneers of Mercer and Rock Island counties, having located in this community in 1834 when he was only 6 years old. He will be remembered by some of the very old citizens as having been sheriff of Rock Island county in 1868-70. He was 90 years old and until 1902 lived in Buffalo Prairie. He moved south at that time. His death occurred in Ganado, Texas.

(The Rock Island Argus - April 27, 1918)

William Drury is one of Rock Island county's substantial citizens and honored pioneers, whose residence here dates from 1847. In the years which have since come and gone, he has borne his part in the work of improvement and development and belongs to the valued class of early settlers to whose labors is largely due the present prosperity and substantial growth of the county. His has been a well spent life, winning to him the confidence and regard of all with whom he has been brought in contact and it is with pleasure that we present to our readers this record of his career, knowing that it will prove of interest to his friends.

Mr. Drury was born in Madison county, Indiana, December 20, 1828. His father, Isaac Drury, was born in Pennsylvania, December 16, 1799, and was a son of William Drury, who was a native of Maryland, and was of English lineage. The family were identified with the Quaker society. In 1801 William Drury removed with his family to Ohio and in 1811 to Indiana, taking up his residence in Wayne county on land now included within the corporation limits of Richmond. Isaac Drury was reared to manhood in that state, and was married there to Hannah Reese, a native of Pennsylvania, where he and his wife spent their entire lives. During her girlhood Mrs. Drury accompanied an uncle to the Hoosier state. In 1834 Mr. Drury removed with his family to what is now Mercer county, Illinois, and opened up a farm, whereon he made his home for some years. In 1847 he came to this county, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 33, Buffalo Prairie township, to which he afterward added a tract of one hundred and sixty acres. He built a house and barn and continued to farm that place until 1854, when he sold out and removed to Missouri, locating in Putnam county, near Unionville, where he purchased a farm and spent his remaining days. He was a member of the Thirty-seventh Iowa Graybeards during the Civil war and served until honorably discharged on account of disability. He died in 1875 and his wife passed away in 1879, both being interred in the cemetery of Unionville, Missouri, where a substantial monument marks their last resting place.

Mr. and Mrs. Drury had a family of five sons and four daughters, all of whom reached mature years: Isaiah took up his residence near Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he made his home until his death; William is the second of the family; Cecelia is the deceased wife of David Duffield; Sarah J. is the deceased wife of James L. Robins, of Putnam county, Missouri; Jesse R. is a farmer of Putnam county; Paris also follows farming there; James M. is an agriculturist of Harrison county, Missouri; Emily is the deceased wife of Mathew Boner; Vashti is the wife of Jesse B. Campbell, of Unionville, Missouri.

William Drury was reared to manhood in Illinois and obtained his education in the common schools. In 1850, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he crossed the plains, leaving home with a train on the 6th of April, crossing the Missouri river at Omaha, and reaching his destination in September. He spent the winter and spring in the mines and returned by way of the Panama route to New Orleans and thence up the river to Rock Island county. After his return he purchased eighty acres of raw prairie land and twenty acres of timber land, and locating on the former began transforming it into rich and productive fields. Several years later he sold that property and removed to Unionville, Missouri, where he purchased an interest in a store and engaged in merchandising until after receiving his appointment to the office of deputy sheriff, when on account of the demands his official duties made upon his time, he sold his store. He served as deputy sheriff of Putnam county, Missouri, three years.

In 1860 Mr. Drury again came to Rock Island county and located upon a part of the farm which he now owns. He has since added to this place and his landed possessions aggregated five hundred and fifty acres at one time, but he has since generously divided with the children and retains possession of only two hundred and eighty acres. He has upon his farm a pleasant residence, substantial barns and outbuildings, the latest improved machinery known to progressive farming, and all the accessories and conveniences of the model farm of the nineteenth century. His property is valuable and productive and the return therefrom materially increases his financial resources.

On the 1st of September, 1883, Mr. Drury wedded Mary Kistler, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Illinois in 1839 with her father, John Kistler, one of the first settlers on Buffalo Prairie township. Mrs. Drury was therefore reared and educated in the same neighborhood with her husband. They have four children: Perry I., who is engaged in the cultivation of rice near Lake Charles, Louisiana; John K., a farmer of Buffalo Prairie township; Jessie M., wife of C. W. Bramhall, of Welsh, Louisiana; and Logan, who operates the old homestead.

Mr. Drury is a stanch Republican and formerly took a very active part in local political affairs. He served as township clerk and in 1868 was elected sheriff of Rock Island county for a term of two years. He made his home in the city of Rock Island and during that time, and discharged his duties with marked fidelity and ability. He has served for two or three terms as town supervisor and as a member of the county board, and for twenty consecutive years filled the office of town treasurer, being the present incumbent. His official service is above reproach and was creditable alike to himself and his constituents. He is a warm friend of the cause of education and has done all in his power for the good of the schools. He belong to Illinois City Lodge, No. 679, A. F. & A. M., and has served as its secretary. He has resided in Rock Island county for nearly half a century, and has been an important factor in transforming it from a wilderness and swampy region into beautiful homes and farms. He has ever been active in the work of improvement, and has withheld his support of no worthy object calculated to promote the public good. His business career has been crowned with success, for it has been characterized by those qualities which always bring prosperity - industry, perseverance and good management. He now has a handsome competence, which supplies him with all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life, and has largely put aside the care of business. For a number of years he and his estimable wife, who has indeed proved a helpmeet, have spent their winters in Welsh, Louisiana. Ease and comfort are surely their rightful portion, and their prosperity is so well merited that it places them above envy. Their circle of friends if very extensive, and they have the warm regard of all.

("The Biographical Record of Rock Island County, Illinois" S.J. Clarke Publishing Company; 1897)* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Nov 20 2021, 20:34:24 UTC