try in the darkest hour of her history, for, in response to the call for troops to aid in the suppression of the rebellion in the south, he enlisted in 1862 as a member of Company C, Ninety-ninth Illinois Infantry. After serving for one year, however, he was discharged at Vicksburg on account of physical disability on the 11th of June, 1863. He held membership in the Amos Moore post, No. 684, G. A. R., of New Canton. In his political views he was a republican, and for many years he served as school director, and has also been road commissioner. His life exemplifies the term, "dignity of labor." Starting out upon his own account when only twelve years of age, he has worked diligently and persistently year after year. There have been discouragements and obstacles in his path, but as he has overcome these by his determination and energy and by the careful husbanding of his resources he was as length enabled to purchase land for himself and began farming on his own account. As the years have gone by he has prospered and is to-day one of the substantial agriculturists of his community who has gained not only a good farm property but also an honorable name.                                   CHARLES M. INGALLS Charles M. Ingalls, who since the 5th of March, 1901, has occupied the farm in New Salem township which he now owns and operates, being very extensively engaged in general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising, making a specialty of Cotswold sheep, was born in Perry township on the 20th of December, 1851, and was educated in the Dexter school near his father's home. His parents were William M. and Rebecca (Elledge) Ingalls, and are represented on another page of his work in connection with the sketch of D. W. Ingalls, a brother of our subject. No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Charles M. Ingalls in his boyhood days, for when not occupied with the duties of the schoolroom he was busy in the fields and thus gained a practical knowledge of the best method of farming. He continued in active work upon the old farm homestead until twenty-three years of age and then started out in life on his own account. The occupation to which he was reared he chose as a life work and after carrying on farming for three years he turned his attention to the butchering business, opening a meat market in Perry, where he conducted his trade for two years. He then returned to farming in Perry township, where he continued until 1883 and in the fall of that year he went to Hall county, Nebraska, where he purchased eighty acres of wild prairie land. Not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made upon the farm, but he commenced its cultivation and continued its improvement until the fall of 1890. In the autumn of 1884 he built a good house upon his farm and lived for six years, during which time he placed his fields under a high state of cultivation and added many of the equipments and accessories of a model farm. In the year mentioned, however, he sold his property there and bought a quarter section of land in the same county. That tract was also wild and uncultivated and in the fall of 1891 he built another dwelling which he continued to occupy until the autumn of 1895. He then rented his land in Nebraska and returned to Perry, Pike county, Illinois, living in the town for a year. He then resumed farming, in which he continued for four years, when, having disposed of his property in Nebraska in February, 1900, he once more took up his abode in Perry, but in June of the same year he bought the farm upon which he now lives and located thereon on the 5th of March, 1901. Here he carries on general agricultural pursuits and also devotes considerable attention to stock-raising, having good grades of cattle, horses and hogs upon his place and in the year 1905 he added a fine drove of Cotswold sheep. On the 13th of February, 1879, Mr. Ingalls was married to Miss Anna R. Parks, who was born May 8, 1853, in New Salem township and is a daughter of Jesse and Mary Jane (Cochran) Parks. Her father, who was born in Clermont county, Ohio, in October, 1822, died at the age of fifty-two years. Her mother, whose birth occurred in Belmont county, Ohio, January 27, 1827, is