Aside from his connections with the civic affairs of Clay county, the
subject of this sketch has long been an influential factor in the general
business and industrial interests of the county during his entire life,
which has been spent here, everything calculated to advance the community,
materially or otherwise, receiving his support and hearty cooperation. He is
unwavering in his allegiance to what he believes is right, and upholds his
honest convictions at the sacrifice, if necessary, of every other interest.
Conscientious in the discharge of his duties of citizenship, he is a valued
member of the body politic, and his aim has ever been to shape his life
according to the highest standard of excellence, therefore he has won the
esteem and confidence of all who know him.
Henry Hord, the popular
Sheriff of Clay county, is a native of the same, having been born in Blair
township, December 8, 1863, the son of Thomas B. Hord, who was a native of
Indiana, and who came to Illinois when a boy, being one of the early
settlers of Clay county, locating in Blair township, where he now lives and
is a prosperous farmer, well known in his township. "Judge" George Hord,
grandfather of the subject, was also a native of Indiana and a man of
considerable influence in his community.
The subject's mother was
known in her maidenhood as Alice Beal, whose people came from Tennessee. She
passed to her rest when our subject was two years old. Two children were
born to the parents of our subject, the other child dying in infancy. They
gave their son all the advantages possible, wholesome home environment and a
fairly good education, and he owes much of his subsequent success to his
solicitous parents. He was reared on a farm where he laid the foundations
for a hardy manhood, for he devoted the summer months to work in the fields
and attended school in the winter in his native township, which was the only
schooling he had; but he made good use of his time. After leaving school he
continued farm work on the home place until he married when he went to
farming for himself in Blair township.
Mr. Hord was united in the
bonds of wedlock with Percilla Eytchison, the daughter of J. W. and Charity
A. Eytchison, a well-known family of Blair township, the date of the wedding
of Mr. and Mrs. Hord being October 18, 1884, and to this union nine children
have been born, named in order of birth as follows: Jesse, deceased, having
died when about thirteen years old; Lillie, William, Mimmie, Roy, Elbridge,
Rolla, Everett, the youngest child died in infancy.
In 1906 Mr. Hord
was elected Sheriff of Clay county, on the Republican ticket, and he is now
serving his term of four years in a manner that elicits praise from everyone
having occasion to know of his work, for he is discharging his duties in a
most conscientious and able manner, and generally regarded as the best
Sheriff the county has ever had. Previously Mr. Hord had faithfully served
Blair township as Supervisor and Assessor. He owns a good farm in Blair
township, which he rents. In his fraternal relations he is a Mason.
Mrs. Hord died of typhoid fever September 18, 1906 between the time Mr. Hord
was nominated and elected Sheriff. Our subject was married a second time,
his last wife being Miss Dora Manifold, a daughter of Reverend Manifold, now
deceased. Mrs. Hord formerly resided in St. Louis, and she taught school in
Clay county for five years.
In his career Mr. Hord has seen the
gathering clouds that threatened disaster, but his rich inheritance, of
energy and pluck has enabled him to turn defeats into victory and promised
failures into success. He enjoys in the fullest measure the public
confidence, because of the honorable methods he has ever followed, and is
one of the prominent and honored men of Clay county.
Extracted 27 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay & Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 130-131.
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