John Ford

Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902
Transcribed by John Melton

FORD, JOHN; Farmer and Stock-raiser; born in the Parish of Bishopslawton, Devonshire, England, March 12, 1820, is the son of Samuel and Sarah (Smaldridge) Ford, both natives of Devonshire. His paternal grandfather was Samuel Ford, and his maternal grandparents were Anthony and Sarah Smaldridge. John Ford and wife came to America in 1850. After landing at New York, they came West by way of Buffalo and Sandusky to Chicago. From Chicago they came by the Illinois and Michigan Canal and by river to Peoria. They first settled in Kickapoo Township, and Mr. Ford earned his first money in America by assisting in shearing three thousand five hundred sheep for Bishop Chase. He was engaged in butchering about a year. Subsequently he purchased a farm on Section 31, Radnor Township, where he has since reside. He now has four hundred acres of rich land. March 13, 1850, Mr. Ford was married to Phoebe Ann Fry in Barnstable, England. They are the parents of eight children, of whom five are living: John William, married Sarah Williams; Frederick Francis, married Hettie Brown; James Henry, married Georgia Forney; Samuel Thomas, married Isabel Harris; Charles Robert, married Lula Forney. George Henry, Lucy Amelia, and Albert are deceased. Mrs. Ford was born in Swimbridge Parish, near Barnstable, England, January 13, 1827, and is the daughter of Thomas and Betsy (Snell) Fry. Mr. and Mrs. Ford are members of the Baptist Church at Kickapoo. Mr. Ford has been School Trustee and Director about twenty years, and a teacher in a Sabbath School for forty years. He is Independent in politics.

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