Marion County
ILGenWeb

James Hugh Spring

JAMES HUGH SPRING. The following is a brief sketch of the career of Mr. Spring, whose present substantial position has been reached through his own perseverance, and whose life shows what can be accomplished by a person with courage and enlightened views. He is at present residing in Centralia, where he is a prominent contractor and builder, making a specialty of street paving.

Our subject was born in Toronto, Canada, August 24, 1840, and is the son of Henry and Anna (Kervin) Spring, the former of whom was a native of Yorkshire, England. He emigrated to the United States in 1827, and settling in Toronto, there followed his trade of a boot and shoe maker until his decease, in 1861.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Spring reared a family of eight children, who are still living. Our subject had two brothers, John and Thomas, who were soldiers in the Rebellion.

Mrs. Spring is a lady of seventy-six years, and is residing in Elmira, N. Y., with her son William.

James II. Spring was reared to man 's estate in New York City, and acquired his education in the public schools of that place. When choosing an occupation, he learned the trade of a brick mason, and in 1858 we find him in Cincinnati, where he was employed in that line of work for a year. Then going to Nashville, Tenn., he remained there until 1861, when he left the States and went to Ottawa, Canada. After one year there he went to Titusville, Pa., remaining in Crawford and Vcnango Counties until October of 1868.

He arrived in Centralia December 4, 1868, and was employed in building a large repair mill, at that time used for repairing worn out rails. . The mill belonged to the Illinois Central Railroad; its usefulness ended with the advent of steel rails.

While a resident of Toronto, our subject married, December 25, 1861, Miss Elizabeth, the daughter of Robert Johnson, a native of England. Mrs. Spring was born in Ashton, England, May 14, 1840. The six children born of her union with our subject are,

  1. Lottie,
  2. Tillie,
  3. Carrie,
  4. Maggie,
  5. Katie and
  6. Nellie.

Carrie is the wife of William E. Townsend, a fruit-grower iu Centralia;
Tillie married John A. Scott, professor of Greek in the Northwestern University at Evanston, III.;
Maggie married J. T. Johnson, of the firm of Johnson & Son, millers, of Centralia, ILL.

In politics Mr. Spring is a true-blue Republican, and is actively interested in local affairs.

He is a member of the Centralia Building & Loan Association, and is recognized as one of the foremost citizens of the place. He is the only contractor in the city who makes a specialty of street paving and is known all over this section of country as a successful business man.

Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, Illinois"
Chapman Publishing Co, Chicago, 1894
Pages 534 - 535
Submitted by Sandy (Whalen) Bauer