The subject has seen the development of Marion county from an obscure
wild prairie district to one of the leading counties of the state, and he
has done his full share in promoting the industrial and civic affairs of the
county, ranking today among her best known and most highly honored citizens.
Charles C. Sanders was born in Centralia township, Marion county,
December 21, 1848, the son of Robert and Nancy (Copple) Sanders, both
natives of Indiana. The father came to this county a single man in an early
day and married here. He was always a farmer and blacksmith, having bought a
farm in Centralia township which he sold and went to Missouri, where he
remained a short time, then came back to Centralia township and bought
another farm on which he lived until his death in 1855. His wife died in
1854. They were the parents of six children, namely: Catherine, deceased;
Charles C., our subject; John, deceased; Samuel, Robert and the youngest
child was a boy. The subject's parents died when he was small and he went to
live with John Thomas for three years in Centralia township, also three
years with John McClelland, who was his guardian until 1865.
When
seventeen years old our subject went to enlist in the Union army as a
substitute, but his uncle prevented him from enlisting. He then went to work
out at different places, until he was nineteen years old. On December 28,
1867, he married Martha Jane Hudlow, who was born December 11, 1849, in
Jefferson county, Illinois, the daughter of James and Roxanna (Hildibiddle)
Hudlow. James Hudlow died in 1849. His widow then married Alexander Garren;
her third husband was John Sprouse, and her fourth husband was George Birge.
She died in 1898. Mrs. Sanders had one sister who married Thomas Groves. She
lived in Indiana.
After his marriage the subject lived on his
father's place for a time, then he traded for his present farm in section
25, Centralia township, where he has one hundred and twenty acres. It had
only a few improvements on it when he took charge, but being a hard worker
he developed a good home and a fine farm, about half of the place now being
cleared, on which highly productive land he raises corn, hay, apples,
peaches, pears and much small fruit, and he also raises some good horses,
hogs and cattle, and carries on a general farming business with great
success, being a good manager. He has always been a farmer, but he found
time to operate a threshing machine for twenty-seven years and did a
thriving business.
Mr. Sanders is a Democrat and he has held minor
offices, having served on the school board. He is a member of the Christian
church.
The subject and wife are the parents of six children, namely:
Robert C., a farmer in Clinton county, this state, married Addie J. Cameron
and they have five children, namely: Fred, Dwight, Claude, Melinda and
Menzo. Mary Etta, the second child of the subject, married Elmer
Satterfield, of Raccoon township, and they have the following children:
Frank, Bert, Clara, James, Sarah and Ottie. Nancy, the subject's third
child, married Edgar Morrison, lives at Odin, Illinois, and has three
children, Jessie, Charlie and Mary. Lillie, who married George Day, lives at
Odin, Illinois, and has one daughter, Pearl; Edgar is a farmer in Raccoon
township, this county, who married Delle Martin, and they have two children,
Ruby and Floyd; Dicey May is living at home.
Our subject is a
well-known man in this county where he has many friends and bears an
exemplary reputation.
Extracted 03 Nov 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 256-257.