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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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THOMAS COULTAR, contractor, Bloomington. The Orphan’s Home, National and People’s Bank buildings, Dr. C. Wakefield’s residence and many other prominent public and private buildings of the city of Bloomington and McLean County, were built by Mr. Thomas Coultar, contractor and builder; he is a native of Clark Co., Ohio, where he spent the early part of his life and was educated by the old subscription school system; he served a regular apprenticeship at Springfield, at the carpenter and joiner trade, and came West in 1856, and located in Bloomington, where he has since resided, engaged in contracting and building; Bloomington was but a small place of about 5,000 population when he came to it in 1856; he has stuck steadily to his business from that time until the present, and is now known as a thoroughly reliable and responsible contractor; during the busy season he employs about twelve men regularly, and sometimes in special cases gives employment to many more than this number; his shop is located corner East and Douglas streets; he is a man well known and has many staunch friends; no better guarantee of his ability is needed than a view of some of the above mentioned buildings.

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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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