giance is given to the republican party; and he is a member of the Baptist church. His wife had the honor of being the first lady elected to the conference of the Methodist Episcopal church which was held in Chicago. She declined to act that time, but in 1904 was elected to the conference of her church in California and attended as a delegate. Mr. and Mrs. McMahan are people of the highest respectability and their many excellent traits of heart and mind have won for them the trust and deep friendship of many with whom they have been associated. Mr. McMahan has made consecutive progress in his business career and has proven that prosperity and an honored name may be won simultaneously.                                             __________________                                             RICHARD DUNHAM    Richard Dunham, whose useful and active life has won for him the respect of his fellowmen and also gained for him a most gratifying competence, was born September 9, 1830, in Deersville, Ohio, his parents being Lewis and Sarah Ann (Nelson) Dunham. His paternal grandfather was William Dunham, a native of Maryland and his father was a native of England, becoming the founder of the family in America. William Dunham was reared to manhood upon a farm and was married to Miss Mary Chaney, also a native of Maryland, her parents, like the Dunhams, having come to this country about the time of the Revolutionary war. On leaving Maryland, William Dunham and his wife became residents of Ohio, where they remained until the year 1845 and in their old age they came to Illinois, purchasing a small farm in Griggsville township, where the death of Mr. Dunham occurred when he had reached the age of three score years and ten. His wife survived him several years and then she too passed away at the old homestead farm on section 17, Griggsville township, when more than eighty years of age. Both were active members of the United Brethren church and were people of strong religious faith, taking an active part in the work of the church and doing all in their power to advance the cause of Christianity. They reared a large family of nineteen children.     The birth of Lewis Dunham occurred in Maryland, September 12, 1802, and he died at his home in New Salem township, Pike county, Illinois, September 14, 1866. He had spent his entire life in his native state, acquiring a good education there. He was probably married in Ohio, however, and he was connected with business interests there as a farmer and cooper. In 1844 he removed from Ohio to Illinois, arriving in Pike county in the month of April. Three years later he settled on land of his own in New Salem township and there successfully engaged in farming. During the years which followed he worked his way upward from a humble financial position to one of affluence and improved a valuable farm of two hundred and sixty acres. He was a useful citizen of his township and an active and conscientious worker in the United Brethren church, doing all in his power to promote public progress and improvement along lines of material social, intellectual and moral development. He was widely known for his integrity and other commendable traits of character, which won for him the esteem of the entire community. In politics he was a stalwart democrat and he held some local offices, discharging his duties with promptness and fidelity. In fact every trust that was reposed in him whether of a public or private nature was faithfully performed and his life was at all times honorable and upright. In early manhood he wedded Sarah Ann Nelson, also a native of Maryland and a daughter of Elisha and Mary (Stringer) Nelson, who were natives of Maryland and are supposed to have been of Scotch lineage. They were farming people and after their marriage resided in Maryland for a time, while later they became residents of Harrison county, Ohio, there remaining until 1842, when they came to Illinois. They took up their abode on a farm in New Salem township, where they spent their remaining days and their lives were in harmony with their professions as members of the United Brethren church, with which they were connected for many years. Their daughter Sarah was born in April, 1807, was reared in Maryland and came to Illinois with her husband.