The able and popular president of the First National Bank of Flora,
Illinois, is most consistently accorded recognition in a work of the
province assigned to the one at hand, since it has to do with the
representative citizens of Clay county, of which number he is a worthy
member. He has had a prominent part in the financial and commercial
development of the county, during the long period of years in which he has
been identified with the business world of this part of the state. Not only
have the interests of business claimed his time and attention but politics
have also found him wide awake and interested. He is particularly active in
any movement for the civic betterment of the town, as is shown by the
leading part he took in the founding of the Carnegie Library.
Harvey
F. Pixley was born in Ingraham, Clay county, Illinois, on the 25th of
November, 1869. He is the son of Osman Pixley, who was a native of New York,
having settled in Edwards county at an early date. In 1852 he moved to Clay
county, and became well known as a merchant. For years he was president of
the First National Bank of Flora, and his ability and strength of character
won the confidence of his fellow citizens to such an extent that they
elected him their representative in the lower house of the legislature for
1871-1872. For the long period of forty years he was post-master of
Ingraham. He received a request from Postmaster General Wanamaker for his
photograph, to be used in the Chicago "World's Fair, he being the fourth
oldest postmaster in point of service in the United States. After an active
and useful life he was called to rest on the 7th of April, 1903. His wife
was Frances Wood, who was born near Allendale, Wabash county, Illinois, on
the 29th of June, 1832. She was a woman of beautiful character, and to her
influence is due many of the fine qualities to be found in Harvey Pixley.
She was the daughter of Spencer Wood, who was born near New Haven, Vermont,
on the 14th of February, 1788, and died on the 5th of December, 1846. Her
mother was Matilda Flower, who was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky, on the
19th of March, 1791, and died on the 12th of March, 1855, the mother being
the last surviving member of the family. Mrs. Pixley was one of a large
family of children nine in number, and she in turn became the mother of nine
children. Of this number four girls and one boy are dead. Harvey is the
seventh in order of birth, and of his two brothers, Dewitt C. is living in
Orange, California, where he is a prominent business man, .being married and
having five children, while Arthur H., who lives in Chicago is associated
with the firm of Ware and Leland, and is a member of the Board of Trade. The
mother of these boys passed to her rest on the 16th of May, 1907.
The grandfather of Harvey Pixley was Asa Pixley. He was a native of Vermont,
but moved to western New York and finally came still further west and
settled near West Salem, Edwards county, Illinois, about the year 1830. This
was during pioneer days, and Asa Pixley showed the spirit of his Puritan
ancestors, who also braved the dangers of an unknown country. Asa Pixley was
born on the 26th of March, 1805, and died on the 9th of February, 1883. He
was married to Amanda Ingraham, the daughter of Philo Ingraham and Arvilla
(Barney) Ingraham. Her father was born on the 28th of June, 1768, and died
on the 21st of April, 1842. The date of her mother's birth was the 12th of
September, 1782, and her death occurred on the 19th of September, 1854. They
are supposed to be the first white people buried in Clay county, and now lie
at rest in Ingraham Cemetery. Amanda Ingraham Pixley was born on the 22nd of
February, 1806, and died on the 26th of September, 1844. The town of
Ingraham was named for this fair dame of the early eighteenth century who
scarcely lived to reach her prime. The township of Pixley was also named for
a member of this family, that is, her son Osman.
Harvey F. Pixley
spent his life up to 1899 in Ingraham. After receiving an elementary
education in the common schools he attended Eureka College, where he made an
excellent record. He spent two years at this institution, and then came home
to work in his father's store. For twelve years he assisted his father, and
while he was helping to build up a fine trade for his father he was at the
same time gaining a valuable training in the twists and turns of the
business world. In August, 1899, he came to Flora, and went to work in the
First National Bank, becoming its cashier on the 1st of January, 1900. He
held this position for four years, at the end of this time being elected
vice president of the institution. After four years spent in this capacity
he was made president of the. bank by the vote of the board of directors at
their meeting in January, 1909. He has done much to increase the prestige of
this bank and to place it on a solid foundation. It is today recognized as
one of the most reliable banks of Southern Illinois. His financial ability
may be gathered from cold statistics. When he first became associated with
this bank there was a surplus of only $12,000. This has been more than
doubled, being now $25,000. The undivided profits were less than $1,000.
They are now $25,000. The dividends are now five per cent, payable
semi-annually.
Among the other interests that occupy Mr. Pixley are
the Breese, Trenton Mining Company, of which he was treasurer for some time,
and of which he is now president. This company operates three coal mines, at
Breese, Beckmeyer and Trenton, and the business transacted by the company is
one of considerable magnitude. He is also treasurer of the Ebner Ice and
Cold Storage Company, operating four plants, at Vincennes, Seymour and
Washington, Indiana, and Flora, Illinois. In addition to his official
connection with the above corporations he is a director and large
stock-holder in both of them. Mr. Pixley also has an interest in the Flora
Canning Company, and is a stock-holder, as well as one of the organizers, of
the Flora Telephone Company. He has quite a bit of money invested outside of
his home town, notably the stock which he holds in two of the large
wholesale houses of St. Louis. His ability as an investor and his
unquestioned integrity brought him the responsibility of being made an
executor of the late General Lewis B. Parsons, of Flora. The estate which he
was called upon to administer was over $100,000, and the responsibility was
not a light one. He is a member of the directors of the Flora Mutual
Building, Loan and Homestead Association.
Mr. Pixley has always had
a keen interest in the public welfare, and was at one time president of the
school board. He is now one of the trustees of the Carnegie Library, having
held this position ever since the opening of the library. He was a member of
the building committee and is now in charge of the financial affairs of the
institution, being treasurer. Politically Mr. Pixley is a Republican, and
has done his duty by the party in serving on the county central committee.
Mr. Pixley was married on the 22nd of October, 1891, to Gallic
Cisel, daughter of John Cisel, of Allendale, Wabash county, Illinois. She
was born on the farm adjoining the one on which Mr. Pixley's mother passed
her girlhood. Mr. and Mrs. Pixley have one son who was born on the 10th of
December, 1892. After completing his elementary education he was sent to the
Western Military Academy at Upper Alton, Illinois, where he made a fine
record as a bright student and a manly boy. He is at present acting as
private secretary to his father.
In his fraternal relations Mr.
Pixley is a member of blue lodge, No. 204, of the Masonic order, and also of
the Royal Arch Chapter, No. 154. He and his wife are both members of the
Eastern Star. They are members of the Christian church, Mr. Pixley being a
member of the official board. He was also a member of the building committee
that had charge of the erection of the new church. This is a splendid
edifice, of which a larger city might well be proud.
Mr. and Mrs.
Pixley have one of the finest homes in the county. It contains every modern
comfort and many luxuries, but best of all it harbors a gracious and
dignified hostess, and is consequently a center for the social life of the
community. Mrs. Pixley is a woman of much refinement and taste, who enters
into her husband's interests with a whole-heartedness and an understanding
that is rare. Mr. Pixley has won his success through putting to good use the
gifts with which he was endowed by nature. He has a strong character, that
is not easily turned from a path he thinks is right, and his varied
experiences have given him the power of discriminating between the false and
the true. He has a fidelity of purpose, but with this a kind heartedness
that would bring hurt to no one, and so he has won the respect of all, be
they friends or enemies. He takes first rank among the prominent men of his
locality, and is a leader in every field in which he has become interested,
be in business, finance, education, society or civics.
Extracted 09 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Southern Illinois, by George W. Smith, published in 1912, volume 3, pages 1265-1268.
| Fayette | Effingham | Jasper |
| Marion |
 |
Richland |
| Wayne |
Clay County ILGenWeb Copyright
Design by 