the father of our
subject, his birthplace being a prairie home in Grantsburg township, and the
date on which he was born, December 9, 1830.
In 1859 he assumed the responsibilities of a family man and was united in
wedlock with Miss Eliza Farless,
a native of Johnson county. To this union were born
ten children, including: Sidney A.,
deceased; James E., Jane, Thomas S., Kittie
and Ida,
all of whom died in infancy; Mary Elizabeth,
wife of Frank Ferris;
and William M., Jr.
The mother of these children died in 1886 and subsequently Mr.
Grissom
married again, his second wife being Eliza Spense,
of Massac county, Illinois. Mr. Grissom
is a prosperous
farmer and now resides with his wife in Vienna.
William M. Grissom, Jr.,
was born October 3, 1872, on a farm in
Grantsburg township, Johnson county, and until seventeen years of age he
employed his time in attending school and performing such duties as are common
to the son of an agriculturist. He then entered the Southern Illinois State
Normal University, and for several years alternately attended college and taught
school to help defray his college expenses, continuing with this method until he
had acquired the equivalent of a three years course. It was Mr.
Grissom's worthy ambition to devote his life
P. 1208 to the cause of
education, and this desire he carried out with fidelity. He followed the
pedagogical profession for a period of twenty years, during eight of which he
filled the office of county superintendent of schools of Johnson county,
discharging his duties in a manner highly satisfactory to the public and with
great credit to himself. He was first elected to that office in 1902, served a
term of four years and was re-elected in 1906, continuing in office until
December 1, 1910.
While acting as county superintendent of schools
Mr. Grissom
was a strong advocate of agricultural extension work and zealously labored for
the advancement of scientific agricultural methods, and the introduction into
the rural schools of studies covering them. His interest in the promotion of the
best interests of the rural people was further demonstrated by his activity in
the Johnson County
Farmers Institute, of which organization he acted as secretary for several years
and in January, 1911, was elected president. An off-shoot of this institute was
the Johnson County Fair Association, Mr. Grissom becoming
its first secretary and filling the same office for three successive years,
1905-06-07. While at the head of that institution's affairs the new fair grounds
were platted and he, with the assistance of J. C. Blair, of the
State University, laid out the plans for the location of the various buildings
and supervised their erection. He is at the present time filling the office of
president of the Fair Association.
For several
years Mr. Grissom was connected with the Agricultural
Extension Department of the State University as lecturer, and it was largely due
to his influence that the agricultural department has been added to the
curriculum of the Southern Illinois Normal University at Carbondale, of which
institution of learning he is a trustee. Mr. Grissom's interest and activities in agricultural work are not wholly theoretical, for he
is a practical farmer and is known as the premier dairyman of Johnson county,
and owns a two hundred and five acre farm near Vienna that is one of the finest
in this section of the country. Owing to his removal to Centralia to live and
the multiplication of his commercial interests he recently disposed of a
splendid herd of Holstein cattle which he had kept upon his farm.
Mr. Grissom's
connection with financial institutions dates back several years, and while
filling the office of county superintendent of schools he was first elected as a
director of the First National Bank of Vienna, and in July 1, 1910, was made
vice president of the same institution. In the summer of 1911
Mr.
Grissom,
in company with other substantial men, purchased a controlling interest in the
stock of the Merchant's State Bank of Centralia, Illinois, which was
established in 1889, and is known as one of the most stable financial
institutions of that city. The bank has a capital stock of fifty thousand
dollars and assets aggregating four hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. On
August 1, 1911, the new owners had an election of officers, which resulted as
follows:
William M. Grissom,
Jr.,
president;
J. Hefter,
vice president;
Jacob Pfeifer,
second vice president;
J. F. Mackay,
cashier;
S.
Condit,
assistant cashier. President Grissom removed with his
family to Centralia in October, 1911, to take active charge of the operation of
the bank. The foregoing recital apply illustrates the wide extent and superior
character of the activities of Mr. Grissom in business and
professional life, and the fact that he has achieved abundant success in
whatever channel he has directed his endeavors proves his possession of
unlimited energy and a high order of ability. Yet his interests are not confined
to commercial and professional work, and social and religious circles also are
debtor to his activity. He has from his youth been a member of the Methodist
Episcopal church, worked in the Sunday-school as one of its most effective
teachers and he P. 1209
has served also as president of the Johnson County Union Sunday-school
Association. He takes an active part in the direction of the church's affairs,
being a trustee of the Vienna Methodist church. His lodge affiliations are
numerous and include membership in the A. F. & A. M., Knights Templar, Eastern
Star and Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a believer in the principles of
the Republican party.
On April 8,
1894, occurred the marriage of Mr. Grissom to Miss Nettie I. Farris,
a daughter of T. J.
and Amanda Farris, of Johnson county. Mr. and Mrs. Grissom are the parents of four children, three of whom are living. They are
Curtis, sixteen years of age; Dorothy,
twelve years old; and Mildred, three and one-half years of
age. James died when a child of two and one-half years.
The accession
to the citizenship in any community of a man of the stable character and high
abilities possessed by Mr. Grissom is a distinct
advantage, and Centralia is to be congratulated upon his becoming a resident
there. Few men are accorded the unstinted admiration and respect given by all to
Mr. Grissom and among his extensive acquaintance there is
not one but holds him in highest esteem for his many personal attributes and his
public benefactions.
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