Although the unmarred life-chapter of the subject of this sketch has been
closed and the seal set thereon forever by the "grim reaper," his influence
for good still pervades the lives of those with whom he was associated, for
his life was led along high planes of endeavor and resulted in not only the
accomplishment of good for himself and family, but also his neighbors.
Alfred Livesay was born in Tennessee February 15, 1822, and when seven
years of age he came to Washington county, Illinois, at the age of seven
years, and in about 1866 he came to Marion county, locating in Patoka
township. Our subject was the son of John Wesley and Margaret (Lyons)
Livesay, both natives of Tennessee, who came to Marion county, Illinois,
where they spent the remainder of their lives, dying on the same place on
which they settled.
Our subject made nearly all the improvements of
his place, having been a hard worker and an excellent manager. He was always
a Democrat, but never sought public office. Entering the ministry, he was a
Methodist preaches .for several years, doing much good and becoming widely
known as an earnest expounder of the Gospel, but he gave up preaching quite
a while before his death, abandoning the ministry owing to failing health.
He had the distinction of serving one year and one month in the Mexican war,
during which he contracted sickness from which he never fully recovered. He
was a farmer and an extensive stock raiser and was highly successful at his
work wherever it was applied, being a man of good judgment and always
industrious. He was a cousin of Dr. Thomas Livesay, one of the leading
physicians of Marion county and a man respected by all.
After
receiving such common schooling as the times afforded our subject worked at
various things, principally farming, until he married, February 26, 1846, in
Washington county, Hannah Logan, who was born in Washington county September
30, 1830, and to this union the following children have been born; William
T. married Eliza Seward and are the parents of four children and live in
Stanley, Iowa; Elizabeth R. is single and takes care of her mother; Isaac
B., who married Leticia Rock and who has two children, lives in Kansas;
Pearl married Joseph Larimer and they are the parents of two children;
Hester A. married Perry Davidson, of Marion county, and she is the mother of
five children; Ransom P. married Louisa Suter and they are the parents of
five children; Marshall A. married Rachael Walton and they have nine
children; Liddie, deceased, married Robert Quale, and they are the parents
of two living children and two deceased; Harvey R. married Mollie Chick and
they are the parents of five children; Allen H., who remained single, died
when forty-four years old; Daniel R. married Laura Cruse and they have three
children; Etta married James Smith and they became the parents of eight
children, four of whom are living; Clinton O. married Elvira McHaney and
they became the parents of seven children, one of whom is deceased.
Alfred Livesay departed this life, after a strenuous and useful career, on
April 22, 1883, honored and respected by all who knew him, and his place in
the neighborhood has since been greatly missed, for he was a good and useful
man, who, while laboring to advance the interests of himself, did not fail
to do what he could in promoting the welfare of the public. He left his
family about six hundred acres of well improved land. Mrs. Livesay now
manages in a most successful manner one hundred and thirty-four acres, all
under a high state of cultivation. She is a woman of rare business tact and
ability, although she is now well advanced in old age, and she has a
wonderful memory and is an interesting conversationalist. She draws a
pension of twelve dollars per month. She is held in high esteem by the
people of Patoka township for her many commendable traits of character and
beautiful life.
Extracted 27 May 2019 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 548-549.