Biography of James Lilly
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]
Page 898
JAMES LILLY (deceased), was the youngest of his parents' nine children; he was born in Ross County, Ohio, October 4, 1816. His paternal grandparents were William and Elizabeth (Pollet) Lilly, the former a descendant of English ancestors, and the latter a native of France. They resided in Fluvanna County, Va. Mr. Lilly's father, Thomas Lilly was born in 1771 in Virginia, where he married Theodosia Riley, who was born in New Jersey in 1773. They came to Ohio in 1809, with five children, and located in Ross County, where the father died in 1823. In 1830, Mrs. Lilly and family came to Madison County, and located in Fairfield Township, near the present site of Lilly Chapel, where the mother died February 4, 1839, aged sixty-six years. Their family consisted of nine children, four daughters and five sons: two died single and five are now living; of the latter, two reside in this county. James Lilly was fourteen years of age when his mother removed to this county and grew to manhood on the farm near Lilly Chapel. Previous to and during the war he was largely engaged in the grazing, trading and shipping of stock. He subsequently dealt extensively in land, and at the time of his death owned several large tracts. In 1866, he removed to London, and two years later removed to the " Judge Jones farm," four miles west of London. After a two years' residence on this farm, he returned to London, and there died of typhoid fever October 10. 1874. He was
twice married, his first wife being Matilda Anderson, a native of Virginia and a resident of this county, who he married in 1843. By her he had seven children, four living, viz.: Emma wife of J. B. Young, of Lexington, Iowa; Mary E., wife of J. S. Gardner of Franklin County; George W., who graduated at Wesleyan University, Delaware, in 1879, with the degree of A. B., and at Michigan University in 1881, with the degree of C. E., since which he has been engaged as a civil engineer; and Eugene A. One son, William, enlisted when but seventeen years of age in the Fortieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died in a hospital in Kentucky. Mrs. Lilly died in 1859, aged thirty-six years, and in 1861 Mr. Lilly married Mrs. Susan (Melvin) Davidson, widow of George W Davidson, deceased. Of their three children, two are living,
viz.: Ella, a student at Wellesley (Mass.) College; and John W. A., who lives with his mother on East High street, London. James Lilly united with the Methodist Episcopal Church when quite young, and in after years donated the site of the present church to that denomination, the new building taking the name of Lilly Chapel, and the village is now known by the same name. He was a Republican in politics, and at the time of his death was senior County Commissioner, serving a term of three years. He owned property in the village of London, and laid out James Lilly's Subdivision of that town. Honest and upright, firm in character and decision, full of benevolence and charity, and a shrewd business man, he accumulated a considerable fortune, and occupied a prominent and influential position in the community. Few men were more useful to the town in which they lived, and but few men contributed more to the moral and material prosperity of the county than he. Eugene A. Lilly, dealer in real estate, London, was born on a farm in Fairfield Township (now the site of Lilly Chapel) May 9, 1858. He came to London when eight years of age, and was there reared. He took a course of study at the Ohio Wesleyan University, and subsequently attended the University of Michigan, graduating from the latter in the class of 1880, with the degree of Pharmaceutical Chemist. He then went to Chicago, where for a short time he was assistant to Prof. Wheeler, of the University of Chicago. He then returned to London. where he has since resided, with the intention, however, of resuming his work in chemistry in the future. He is still a young man, but so far in
life has met with good success in his business transactions. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, Chapter and Council, and a Republican in politics.
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