GEORGE W. WINN is a resident on a fine farm located on section 38, Lowe Township, and settled in the county of Shelby December 9, 1862. Our subject was born Feb. 2, 1833, in Muskingum County, Ohio and is a son of James and Louisa (Shaw) Winn, natives of the State that is notable for its Presidents and Statesmen and pretty girls. Our subject's parents with their respective families moved from old Virginia to Ohio when they were children and were among the first settlers of Muskingum County. The Winn family settled in Prairie Township and the Shaw family in Adams Township. In their respective locations the parents of our subject were reared and meeting, married, soon after settling upon a farm in Salem Township, where they passed their lives and were reasonably successful as farmers. Our subject's father became the owner of two hundred acres of land in Ohio before his death. His decease occurred July 9. 1890, his wife passing away in 1879 or 1880. The father was born September 30, 1808. He was a Missionary Baptist in his church following and the mother was united with the Methodist Episcopal denomination. They have fourteen children, of whom our subject is the second in order of birth and the oldest one now living.

George W. Winn was reared on the home farm in Ohio, and in 1854 he was united in marriage to Miss Malinda A. Bowden. She was born in Salem Township, Muskingum County. Ohio, July 18, 1837, and is a daughter of Daniel and Helen (Adams) Bowden, natives of New Jersey and Ohio respectively. Our subject came to Illinois in the fall of 1857 and first settled in Edgar County, whence in 1862 he came to Moultrie County and purchased eighty acres of land which was little improved at the time. He is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, whereon he lives and besides owns the farm where he was born in Ohio. This last-mentioned property comprises three hundred and eighty acres of valuable land.

Our subject and his wife have been the parents of eight children, six of whom have been spared them to be their comfort and sustenance in their declining years. They are, Charidota E., Cordelia M., George W., Clara B. Henrietta M.. Sherman L. and Hattie R. Cordelia is the wife of Eli Smith and resides in Hall County. Neb.; Clara died at the age of sixteen years; Henrietta is the wife of Lewis Smith of Moultrie County.

Politically, Mr. Winn fraternizes with the Democratic party and his devotion to the interests of his party has been rewarded by appointment to various local positions. He has been Collector for two years and was elected Justice of the Peace but resigned the office. In his religious belief he is an attendant upon and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been a Class-Leader in that denomination for many years. In early life he was engaged as a teacher and continued so employed for three terms while yet in Ohio and taught for three terms after coming to Illinois. Mr. Winn was made a Mason in 1854.

James and Louisa Winn, the parents of our subject, have fourteen children, of whom the following grew to manhood and womanhood: George W., our subject, is the eldest, then follows John W., Dolphin, Martha C., Rosanna, Emeline, Hiram S., Henrietta C. and Franklin P. Dolphin died at Camp Denison, Ohio, soon after enlisting in the Civil War; Emeline is the wife of Peter C. Sawyer and resides in Muskingum County, Ohio; Hiram served as a soldier in the Civil War and experienced the horrors of Confederate prison life for fourteen months. Franklin resides in Adamsville, Ohio, where he is a merchant.

Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, 1891 - p. 671/672

Transcription copyright 2003/2007, Moultrie County ILGenWeb/USGenWeb