JACOB S. GORMAN. - Jacob S. Gorman is a practical and progressive farmer, who owns and operates a well improved place on section 35, within two miles of Auburn. He dates his residence in this county from the spring of 1881 and has since been identified with its agricultural interests. He was born on the 19th of March, 1842, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, of which county his father, George Gorman, was also a native. His grandfather was a German by birth and was the founder of the family in the new world, establishing his home in Pennsylvania. There George Gorman grew to manhood and married Barbara Shaup, who was also born in Lancaster county and was of English parentage. He followed farming in that county up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1858. His wife died in 1862.

On the home farm Jacob S. Gorman passed the days of his boyhood and youth and received a good common school education in the neighboring schools. From the age of fourteen he worked by the month as a farm hand for several years. When the country became involved in civil war he enlisted in 1862 as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Potomac under the command of General George B. McClellan. He was engaged mostly in guard duty and at the end of nine months, when his term of enlistment expired, he was mustered out and returned home to resume the more peaceful duties of farm life.

In the fall of 1863 Mr. Gorman was married in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Harriet Demmy, a native of that county, and to them have been born two children: Addison, a resident of Auburn, Illinois, who is married and has three children, Arthur, Ellen and Gladys. Sadie is the wife of Ed Brasfield, a farmer of Chatham township, this county, and they have two children, Fern and James Edward.

After following farming in Pennsylvania for a number of years, Mr. Gorman came to Illinois in the spring of 1881 and located in Chatham township, Sangamon county, where he purchased his present farm of eighty acres. Here he has built a nice large residence, a commodious barn and many other improvements which add greatly to the value and attractive appearance of the place. Success has attended his well directed efforts in life and, although he started out empty handed, he is now quite well-to-do.

In his political affiliations Mr. Gorman is a stanch Republican, having supported that party since casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. He served nine consecutive years as commissioner of highways and has been a member of the school board twenty-one years, being president of the board at the present time. He is an honored member of Auburn Post, G. A. R., and his wife is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. They are well known and highly esteemed people in the community where they reside.