Biography - WILLIAM H. BUSH
William H. Bush, a well-known auctioneer and
respected citizen of Hindsboro, was born in Bowdre township, Douglas county,
Illinois, April 1, 1859. He is a son of E. B. and Margaret Ann (Moyer) Bush.
His father was one of the earliest settlers in Bowdre township. He was a
native of Hardin county, Kentucky, and came to the county when seventeen
years of age. At present he resides at Galesburg, Illinois, in the
sixty-second year of his age. He is a son of John Bush, who was born in
Elizabethtown, Hardin county, Kentucky, April 1, 1802, and died July 5,
1852. Our subject's mother, Margaret Ann Moyer, was born in Rockingham
countv, Virginia, and was the daughter of John Phillip Moyer, who was of
German extraction, and who came to the county a year previous to the coming
of the Bush family.
William H. Bush was reared on the farm and educated at the country schools
of Bowdre township, Douglas county, Illinois. In 1882 he was united in
marriage to Miss Lola E. Mulliken, of Champaign county, a granddaughter of
Samuel F. Miller, who has ever since he was a young man been a prominent
light in the ministry of the Christian church. Mr. Miller is still living,
in the eighty-fifth year of his age. He was born in Kentucky, April 26,
1815. His wife, Bertha M. Jean, was born in Illinois, May 7, 1817, and died
July 8, 1838. (See sketch of I. M. Mulliken of Newman.) To Mr. and Mrs. Bush
have been born eight children, whose names and dates of birth are as
follows: Zella M., September 3, 1882; Clarence E., December 7, 1883; Stella
F., September 12, 1887; Gertie B., June 22, 1889 (died September 14, 1898);
Waldo H., August 17, 1890: Vieva M., February 26, 1893; one which died at
birth unnamed, May 19, 1895; Frederick E., November 23, 1899. Mr. Bush has
in addition to his work as auctioneer dealt in broomcorn with Duncan &
Tarbox, of Arcola, since 1888. He has also been in the undertaking business
in Hindsboro since June 10, 1897. He was one of the principal organizers oi
the Court of Honor at that place on March 1, 1899, of which order he has
been the worthy chancellor since its organization. This order is in a
flourishing condition, having initiated about one hundred members. He was
elected delegate to the county convention of the Court of Honor January 9,
1900; from there he was elected delegate to the State meeting at Springfield
for February 14, 1900; and at the state convention he was elected delegate
to the supreme session, which was held in Peoria on May 22-25, 1900.William
H. Bush is also a member of the Masonic and I. O. O. F. fraternities and of
the Modern Woodmen of America. He stands high in his community, and is
recognized as a man of good business ability; he has filled all the
principal offices in the Odd Fellows lodge of Hindsboro as well as deputy of
the lodge for several terms. He also represented his lodge in the Grand
Lodge at Springfield in 1893 and 1894. At present he is senior deacon in the
A. F. & A. M. lodge at Hindsboro; has also been the venerable consul of
Hindsboro Camp No. 968, M. W. of A., and served as worthy banker of this
camp for four successive years. He has interested himself in politics,
having been elected constable of Bowdre township three times; has also
served as trustee of the village. Mr. Bush has the management of the Douglas
County Telephone Exchange, located in his residence at Hindsboro, which is
operated by his eldest daughter, Zella M. Bush.
Extracted 03 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from the Historical and Biographical Record of Douglas County, Illinois, published in 1900, pages 179-181.
