tivation. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and a Knight Templar. James G. Willsey was married in 1851 to Miss Melinda Rogers, a daughter of David and Fannie (Alcorn) Rogers. Her father was a son of Bartlett Rogers, a native of North Carolina, who removed from that state to Kentucky and thence went to Morgan county, Illinois, settling near Williamsport, which was then a little town on the Illinois river near Montezuma at Big Sandy creek. There he purchased a bond for a deed to lot number fifteen, the seller being John Radcliff ans the transaction taking place December 29, 1826. John Radcliff had bought the lot of Joseph Bentley for seventy dollars, but before he paid for it sold it to Bartlett Rogers and Mr. Willsey of this review now has the bond and deed in his possession. Bartlett Rogers was born in 1771 and served in the war of 1812. He died in Williamsport May 2, 1831, and was buried there. David Redmon Rogers, the maternal grandfather of William R. Willsey, was born February 18, 1802, and came to Kentucky from North Carolina when a young man. While in the former state he married Miss Fannie Alcorn on the 26th of February, 1824. He and his brother, Robert Rogers, were married at the same time and together they came to Illinois. David R. Rogers while living in the Blue Grass state his home on the Kentucky river near the Goose Creek Salt Works in Clay county and there three children were born unto him and his wife, Polly Ann, born January 4, 1825; Bartlett, November 3, 1826; and Nancy Jane on the 15th of February, 1828. Soon after the birth of this child David R. Rogers started for Illinois, reaching Williamsport on the Illinois river and while the family were there living the mother of the subject was born on the 14th of August, 1830. Not long afterward Mr. Rogers removed with his family to Dutch Creek near Big Spring below Stony Point, which place is now owned by James Wassell. Later they removed to the John Hoskins place near where John Hoskins now resides and Mr. Rogers built a little cabin. In that home occurred the birth of William Rogers on the 1st of January, 1833. North of this cabin in a little valley was a large swamp that is still to be seen there and Mr. Rogers would send the children there to keep the cows out of the swamp. There were many wild animals in those days, including wolves, bears, panthers and other animals. In 1834 or 1835 Mr. Rogers removed to the place which is now owned by W. D. Shinn and there he spent the remainder of his days, passing away on the 21st of March, 1871, while his wife died March 10, 1873. A maternal great-uncle of Mr. Willsey was Benjamin Alcorn, who built the first warehouse west of Rockport at Gilgal on the Mississippi river, this being one of the first in the county. It will thus be seen that William Riley Willsey is a representative of honored and prominent pioneer families of this section of the state, and the work of improvement and development which his parents and grandparents instituted he has carried still further forward. He was educated in the common schools of Pike county, and studied for four years under a private teacher, Professor J. M. Ruby. He is also educated in instrumental music, and he studied farming, engineering and stock breeding in the University of Illinois, being thus equipped by theoretical as well as practical training for the business interests which have claimed his attention in later years. He remained at home until 1880, when he was married to Miss Judith A. Brown, a native of Pike county, born in Newburg township; on Christmas day of 1854. She was a daughter of Francis and Mary A. (Thomas) Brown. Her father was born near Quincy Massachusetts, on October 7, 1817, and the mother was born in Greene county, Illinois, October 5, 1819. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Thomas, pioneer settlers of Greene county. Mrs. Brown was educated in the common schools of Greene county, near Carrollton. She was married September 29, 1842, to William H. Boling, who was county clerk at Pittsfield at that time and they resided in the county seat for two years. They bought all the chinaware in the Pittsfield stores but that consisted only of one large platter, which is still in possession of the family; and in Atlas they could buy but only a few tin pie pans. In the fall of 1843 Mr. Bolting and his wife's brother, L. H. Thomas, drove from Pittsfield to their farm to decide upon a site for a home. In