WILLIAM GRAGG, farmer, post office, Mechanicsburg; son of William and Sophia Gragg, the former born in Kentucky, June 10, 1818, and mother in Madison county, Kentucky, March 10, 1815; the mother's maiden name was Sophia McBride, and she was a daughter of James and Elizabeth McBride, and of Scotch-Irish descent. The parents of Mr. Gragg were married in this county, and had five children, namely: Thomas J., born January 1, 1845; Jesse, born March 19, 1846; John Henry, born August 17, 1847; William, born June 10, 1851; and Harvey, born January 21, 1853; Jesse died April 10, 1846. The father died July 30, 1875, and the mother December 26, 1872. The subject of this sketch was born in this county on a farm. On February 8, 1876, he married Miss Hissey, who was born in Baltimore, March 14, 1852, the daughter of William and Harriet Hissey. Her father died in Baltimore, and her mother came to Sangamon county in September, 1875. Mr. Gragg owns one hundred and seventy-one acres of land valued at $50 per acre. In early life he attended a commercial college; his wife was educated in the high schools of Baltimore, and before marriage was a music teacher. In politics, Democratic.