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Below is a family biography included in The History of McLean County, Illinois published by Wm. LeBaron, Jr. Co. in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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A. D. KIRKPATRICK, merchant, Bloomington, is another of the old residents of McLean Co.; he is a native of Adams Co., Ohio; came to McLean Co. in 1850, and in time, had established a reputation as an auctioneer in the sale of stock and other personal property; he was engaged in this business for twenty-one years; when his hearing becoming affected, he was obliged to give it up; after this he engaged in the mercantile business. His establishments are located at Nos. 502, 504 and 508 North Main street; No. 502 is used as a general salesroom of china and glassware, carpets, wall-paper, dry goods and notions, and in fact everything pertaining to a general variety store. This store is 66x23; basement same size, which is used for manufacturing and finishing furniture; No. 504 and basement is used exclusively for furniture, of which he keeps a full and complete stock; No 508, first floor and basement being same size as No. 504, viz.: 60x23 feet. This store is used for stoves and tinware; prominent in this stock is the Champion Monitor cook stove, which is highly recommended by hundreds of housewives This entire business comes under the direct supervision of W. A. Kirkpatrick, who is now 23 years old, and has already proved himself to be an able financier, as he, for some time, has done all the buying, and has had charge of the books. He is verifying the old proverb that “goods well bought are half sold.” When Mr. A. D. Kirkpatrick gave up the business of stock-selling, his brother, J. H., who came to this county the same year as himself, took it up. From his thorough knowledge of stock, and natural ability as a salesman, he has done a business that in every way has been gratifying to himself, and to those for whom he has conducted sales, sometimes realizing 25 per cent above the owner’s invoice of property. He is not one of the slow kind of auctioneers, but gets his buyers to evince some interest and enthusiasm, and sometimes “running off” $10,000 worth of stock in two hours’ time—his sales, sometimes, reaching $15,000. As this is decidedly a stock county, and as he does about 90 per cent of the selling, his business is of much greater magnitude than one would at first suppose, being about $200,000 per annum. He is a thoroughly educated man in his business; and not only does the principal business in this county in his line, but conducts large sales in the adjoining counties and other parts of the State of Illinois.

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This family biography is one of 1257 biographies included in The History of McLean County, Illinois published by Wm. LeBaron, Jr. Co. in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of McLean County, Illinois

View additional McLean County, Illinois family biographies here: McLean County, Illinois Biographies

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