From Volume II Published in 1905

MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY    297

JONATHAN DILLARD, a farmer living near Ridgway, Ill., is a  descendant 
of one of the first settlers in that section of the state.  About the time of the 
Revolutionary war Elisha Dillard, the grandfather of Jonathan, came from 
Ireland and settled in Tennessee, where he followed farming for many years.  
His son, Olsten Dillard, served in the war of 1812 and fought at the battle of 
New Orleans, where he was severely wounded, carrying the ball to his grave.  
He married Eva Crumb, a native of Germany, and in 1817 came to Gallatin 
County, Ill., where he entered a  tract of government land.  The following year 
his family joined him, coming with the Houstons, Eddys, Hutchinsons and 
others.  Olsten Dillard built a log cabin and cleared part of his land.  In 1826 
he sold that place and bought another in White Oak township, where he lived 
until 1842, when he removed with his family to Missouri, and died there some 
years later.  The children of Olsten and Eva Dillard were ten in number, only 
four of whom are now living.  James lives in  Shawneetown; Betsey is the 
widow of Jacob B. Hise and lives at Ridgway; Mary is the widow of Elijah 
Yates and also lives at Ridgway, and Jonathan is the subject of this sketch.  
Jonathan Dillard is one of the oldest men in the  county.  He was born three 
miles southwest of Shawneetown March 15, 1824, and has lived his whole life 
in Gallatin county.  When he was a small boy his mother died and his father 
married Anna Crumb, a sister of his first wife.  To this marriage there were 
born several children, all of whom are now dead.  Jonathan Dillard never went 
to school a day in his life, but by associating with educated people he has kept 
in touch with the doings of the world and is a well informed man.  He lived 
with his parents until he was about sixteen years old, when he started in life 
for himself, working on farms and for five years was engaged in flat-boating to 
St. Louis.  In 1849 he came back to Gallatin County, married Roxana 
Boutwell, a native of the county, and commenced housekeeping on John 
Riceson's place.  He continued to live on rented land until 1856 when he 
bought eighty acres, all wild land, where he now lives.  This he has added to 
until he now has a farm of 160 acres, all good land, of which over 100 acres 
are under cultivation.  This development has all been made by the labor of Mr. 
Dillard himself, who has been noted all his life for his industrious habits.  
Beginning life in a humble log cabin in the true pioneer style, he has kept up 
with the march of progress, improving his farm with better buildings as time 
passed. Mr. Dillard is one of the active Democrats of his neighborhood, 
notwithstanding his age.  For four years he was road supervisor, which is the 
only office he has ever sought or held.  For thirty-two years he has been an 
active worker in the Presbyterian church, to which his wife also belongs.  He 
has been twice married.  After the death of his first wife he was united in 
marriage to Dicey Ann Harris, a native of Tennessee, who came with her 
father, Matthew Harris to Illinois in 1863.  To his first marriage there were 
born eleven children, vis.: Milbrey, Martha E., Celia, Mary, Elisha, Famariah, 
Albert, Jonathan, Eva, William and Harriet.  Milbrey, Eva and William live in 
Missouri; Elisha and Harriet live near  Ridgway; Jonathan is at home, and all 
the others are deceased.  To his second marriage there were born: Viola, 
Fannie, Eliza, Jemima, Matthew and Aaron.  Fannie married a man named 
Rambler and now lives with her parents; Jemima is in Missouri; Matthew and 
Aaron are at home, and Viola and Eliza are deceased.  Mr. Dillard has passed 
the fourscore mark in age, and although he has reached that age when many 
men grow childish he still retains his faculties, remembering with vivid 
distinctness incidents that occurred three-quarters of a century ago.  He is a 
popular man in his locality for his genial disposition and many sterling 
qualities, and "Uncle Jonathan Dillard", as he is  familiarly called, is a 
welcome visitor in many homes.