My Genealogy Hound

THAXTON, LARKIN, nearly sixty years ago, came to the State of Illinois, accompanied by wife and five small children. He was a Virginian by birth, who moved to Breckenridge Co., Ky., in the early settlement of that State, and there married Miss Catherine Dudley. Glowing reports of the fertility of Illinois, reached him, and accordingly he determined to emigrate, and after many weeks of travel, located near Edwardsville, Madison County. From this point, in 1820, the family settled three miles southeast of White Hall, near Apple Creek. In this primitive wilderness of prairie, Wm. B. Thaxton was born, Aug. 9, 1820, and here were passed many years of his life. When twelve years of age, his father died; at fourteen he ventured forth on his own resources, hiring out to a man by the name of English, to work by the month, he remained five years, working through the summer months for twenty-five cents per day. During the Winter he was contented to work for his board. Going to Chesterfield, Macoupin County, he worked for a farmer of considerable enterprise, who kept a small store. While here Mr. Thaxton frequently made trips to Alton and St Louis, and showed considerable skill in the purchase of butter and eggs, etc. Leaving the employ of this man, he became employed in a saw-mill on Apple Creek. The following Spring he worked for Col. Gregory at ten dollars per month, for ten years; he then rented property, and from the profits of this procured a sufficient start to purchase eighty acres of land. Years have passed since then, and Mr. Thaxton is now a prominent man of Greene County, a wealthy citizen, due to the vigor, energy and pluck displayed during his younger days. He has been twice married: first to Miss Helen M. McGoffey, Nov. 25, 1852, who, seven years later, passed to a home not made with hands. She was the mother of three children, the oldest and only one living, Mrs. Ella Jane Morrow, wife of John A. Morrow; resides near Roodhouse. Jan. 1, 1860, Mr. T. was married to Mrs. Damon Griswold, whose maiden name was Swallow, a model lady, who is a worthy helpmate of a noble husband and father. Mr. Thaxton owns a magnificent residence at White Hall, also one on his splendid farm near Roodhouse.