Ancestor of Bob Drennan

ALFRED LINDSEY DRENNAN - Among the residents of Springfield who are now living retired is Alfred L. Drennan, whose home is No. 1430 South Sixth street. He was born June 9, 1853, on the Drennan farm in Ball township, a grandson of William Drennan, one of the distinguished and influential pioneer settlers of this part of the state. The family history is given on another page of this volume. The subject of this review acquired his early education in the Drennan school in Ball township and was also a student in the common schools of Pawnee township. He was reared upon a farm and throughout his entire business career carried on agricultural pursuits. He began farming for himself at the age of twenty years in what was then Pawnee township on the portion which, in 1896, was set off as Divernon township. He began his farming operations on a quarter section of land, for which he paid thirty-five dollars and fifty cents per acre at a master's sale in 1874. He then carried on general farming and also engaged in the raising of cattle, horses and hogs. His was a well equipped property, supplied with all modern facilities for carrying on the work in harmony with the advanced ideas of the present and in his capable control of his business affairs he gained a very gratifying degree of success.

At the old homestead in Pawnee township Mr. Drennan was married on the 9th of March, 1815, to Miss Emma Christopher, who was born in Pawnee, November 21, 1856, a daughter of Cornelius Christopher, whose birth occurred in Ohio and who came to Sangamon county in the early '50s. His natal day was June 7, 1826, and he passed away on the 29th of July, 1891. He had married Leah Clover, who was born December 25, 1828, in New Jersey, and died on the 9th of February, 1898, when in her seventieth year. Both passed away on the home farm in Divernon township. In their family were ten children and those still living are as follows: Joseph, a farmer of Auburn township, who was born in Ohio and is married and has a family; Maria, the wife of Cyrus Lewis, of Chatham ; Belle, the wife of Charles Browning, who resides on the old home place in Divernon township; Thomas, who is married and makes his home in Springfield; and Emma, the wife of Mr. Drennan. Two members of the Christopher family died in infancy and Eunice died on the old homestead in Divernon township; Margaret became the wife of James M. Gardner and died in Eagle, Nebraska; and Abraham L. passed away in Ellis, Kansas.

Mr. and Mrs. Drennan began their domestic life upon the old homestead in Pawnee township, where they lived until September, 1902. Their marriage was blessed with three children: John Walter, born July 29, 1877, was married April 23, 1902, to Miss Cora Colean and they have a son, Alfred Colean, born February 10, 1903. John W. Drennan is operating his father's farm. Eunice, born January 1, 1882, was educated in the high school of Auburn and was married at the home of her father, June 21, 1903, to Frank L. Patton, who is with the Springfield Gas Company, and they reside at 1609 South Pasfield street. Nancy Leah, born September 19, 1889, is a student in the Stewart school of Springfield.

Mr. Drennan has always been interested in local elections and for the past seven years has served as judge of elections. He was one of the township commissioners and assisted in locating the dividing lines which bound Divernon township. From 1896 until April, 1903, he served as commissioner, proving a very capable officer. He collected money of the treasurers of Pawnee and Auburn townships and in this way gave Divernon a financial start. For two terms he served as township treasurer and was school director for a number of Years. Mr. Drennan keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, and local advancement and national progress are cause dear to his heart. From the age of fifteen years he has been dependent upon his own resources for a living and he stands today as one of the representative citizens of Sangamon county and a typical American business man who, setting at naught the difficulties and obstacles in his path, has steadily advanced toward his success. Since September, 1902, he has lived retired in Springfield and his rest is well merited.