My Genealogy Hound

Merida N. Wills, banker and real-estate dealer, was born in Macoupin County, Ill., June 15, 1828, and is the son of Elijah and Drusilla (Solomon) Wills, natives, respectively, of Kentucky and North Carolina. When about ten years of age, the mother moved with her parents from North Carolina to Kentucky, was married there to Mr. Wills, and in 1825 they moved to Jacksonville, Ill., when only two cabins marked the town. Later they moved to Macoupin County, Ill. Mr. Wills was an honest, hard-working farmer, and a stanch Democrat in politics. He and wife were members of the Regular Baptist Church. He died in this county at the age of seventy-four, and later the mother visited her son in California, where she too passed away at the age of seventy-six years. In their family were eleven children, of whom six are now living. Merida N. Wills resided in Macoupin County, Ill., received his education in the old-time school-house, and further advanced his knowledge by self study at home. In 1858 he married Miss Susanna L. Lamarr, a native of the same county as himself. Having farmed until 1860, he was elected sheriff of his native county, and re-elected in 1864. Two years later he came to Barton County, Mo., and two years after built perhaps the first steam grist-mill in the county, to which settlers would come for thirty miles. He has been interested in farming since he first came to the county, and for some time he was also associated with Mr. C. H. Brown in the banking business, but in 1881 he opened a bank, of which he is sole proprietor. Owing to dissatisfaction in the management of county affairs, he consented to run on the Greenback ticket for county treasurer, though he is not a man whose attention is given much to politics, and he with most of the ticket was elected, to the great surprise of the old parties. He has taken the Encampment degree in the Odd Fellow’s fraternity, and has been deputy grand master. Both he and wife have been members of the Missionary Baptist Church for over forty years. Six children were born to their union, three sons and three daughters. When first married, Mr. Wills was not worth twenty dollars all told, and cradled oats at fifty cents a day to buy his furniture. Early in the battle of life he lost his right hand, but he uses the remaining one to the best advantage. Now he is accounted one of the wealthy men of Barton County. His eldest son, Don P., is a merchant of Lamar. Another son, William M. Wills, is treasurer of Barton County, and was born in Carlinville, Ill., April 22, 1863. When three years of age he moved with his parents to Barton County, where he has resided ever since. He attained his growth on the farm, attending the public schools, and at the age of sixteen entered the Southwest Baptist College, Bolivar, Mo., where he attended three years. In 1882 he began clerking in his father’s bank, which he continued until 1888, when he was chosen treasurer of the county. He is a stanch Democrat, and a Knight of Pythias. He is a competent business man, and the youngest one holding a county office. Another son of Merida N. Wills, T. L. Wills, is an attorney at Lamar. He was born in Carlinville, Ill., July 8, 1865, received his education in the Southwest Baptist College, and at William Jewell. He completed his law course at the State University, Columbia, in 1887, and, having practiced in California a year, he returned and opened an office in Lamar. Politically he is a Republican.