My Genealogy Hound

CARRICO, JOHN C., farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 4, P.O. Kane. Few commenced life under more discouragements than the whole-souled gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was the eighth of a family of fourteen children, and was born in St. Louis Co., Missouri, February 28, 1819. His father, Dennis Carrico, was a native of Frederick County, Mary land. At an early age he became apprenticed to the trade of a wheelwright, and subsequently became a skillful journeyman workman; attaining his majority, he set out for Pennsylvania, where he worked as a journeyman, and here formed the acquaintance of and married Miss Jane Clark, in 1813; in order to better his condition in life, he determined to adopt the West as his future home, and accordingly made his way to Kentucky, where he engaged in his occupation as wheelwright. It was during the year 1813, that he became a resident of St. Louis Co., Mo., at a period of time, when the entire commerce of the city of St. Louis scarcely footed up to the insignificant sum of $100,000. Hearing many glowing accounts of the fertility of Illinois, thither he directed his footsteps, and landed in that portion of Southern Illinois, then known as Greene County, since set apart and forming a portion of Jersey County; he necessarily lived a life of frugality for many a year, until such time as emigration flowed rapidly westward, although in after years he became moderately successful as an agriculturist, and became extensively known as a surveyor; his long and useful life ended in 1850, and his ashes repose in the Thompson cemetery, in Greene County. Mrs. Carrico passed to that world of spirits to which we are all traveling, in 1834, and the survivors of the family, few in number, now reside in different parts of the Union. John, from whom this sketch is obtained, grew to manhood in the West; received a common school education, and subsequently entered upon a course of study in the East. In 1839, he was married to Miss Minnie Ann VanMeter, a daughter of Amasa and Elizabeth VanMeter; he now set up housekeeping on $4.50; went to the enormous expense of purchasing a skillet and plain table, and began life in earnest, and mapped out his future success; by well-directed energy, is the owner of 315 acres of land in one of the best counties in the Union, enjoying the respect and confidence of his neighbors; for eight years he has been honored with the position of justice of the peace; of the marriage eight children were born.