My Genealogy Hound

E. W. COVER, agent for the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad, and also the Wabash, Chester & Western Railroad, at Pinckneyville, was born in Pulaski County, Ill., December 12, 1852. His father, Ephraim Cover, was a native of Maryland, and for many years engaged in merchandising, but now follows farming in Makanda, Ill. He served as Postmaster at Jonesboro, Ill., under Buchanan, and at Makanda during Lincoln’s first administration. He married Lydia E. Webb, a native of Virginia, who belonged to the same family as Vice-President Webb, of the New York Central Railroad Company. She served as Postmistress at Makanda under Cleveland’s first administration, and died in 1890.

Our subject is the eldest in a family of five children, numbering two sons and three daughters. His brother, W. E., is a conductor on the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad, and resides in Pinckneyville; Mary E. is the wife of J. S. Hartman, a druggist of Makanda; Fannie W. is the wife of W. J. Zimmerman, a railroad conductor living in Chester, Ill., and Katie M. lives with her sister in Chester.

Mr. Cover, whose name heads this record, spent the days of his boyhood and youth on the home farm and in his father’s store. He attended the public schools of his neighborhood, and later was a student in a commercial college in St. Louis. On his return home, he entered his father’s store, and there served as clerk until his father’s retirement. He then was employed as a salesman for others for three years, and during the succeeding three years he was connected with the asylum at Anna, Ill. On leaving that place he became book-keeper for the Carbondale Coal & Coke Company, at Carbondale, but at length left that city, to accept his present position with the railroad companies. Since the 11th of June, 1883, he has served in this capacity, not only with distinction to himself, but also to the great satisfaction of the company.

While in Anna, Ill., Mr. Cover was united in marriage with Miss Belle Anderson, of Jonesboro, Ill., and to them have been born three children, Stella May, aged thirteen; Frederick W., aged eleven, and Harry Wilson, ten years of age.

In his political views, Mr. Cover is a stanch Democrat. He is also a prominent Mason, and served as Master of the lodge at Pinckneyville in 1889, 1890 and 1893. He is said to have been the most efficient officer that ever filled that position. He is also a member of the Knights of Honor, and his wife is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. They both hold membership with the Baptist Church, in which he now serves as Trustee, and are prominent people of this community, whose many excellencies of character and sterling worth have gained for them high regard.