Transcribed by Mary Ann Kaylor
Page 1618:
SIDENER, RICHARD ALLEN, a prominent and well-known business man of Springfield, Ill., was born in Garrard County, Ky., August 20, 1849, son of George P. and Anna (Smith) Sidener, both born in Lancaster, Garrard County, where they lived until 1857, then moved to a farm near Breckenridge, Sangamon County, Ill., and three years later purchased a farm near Springfield, where the father died in 1867 and the mother in 1868. The parents of George P. Sidener and those of his wife were all natives of Kentucky. He drove a government team at Camp Butler during the Civil War.
The education of Richard A. Sidener was acquired in a little log school house east of the city of Springfield, and he remained on his father's farm until he was fifteen years of age. He then followed agricultural pursuits until he was thirty, then for three years followed the occupation of contract painting. He subsequently took up the tiling business in Sangamon County and vicinity, and has been very successful. He has built up a good business and is one of the representative business men of Springfield. He is a self-made man in every respect and has made the most of his opportunities for improvement and advancement. He has spent most of his life in Sangamon County, where he has become well known and highly respected.
Mr. Sidener was married, in Taylorville, Ill., to Luella Utterbach, who was born in Clay County, Ill., October 22, 1869, daughter of B. W. and Floretta (Mitchell) Utterbach, both native of Clay County, where they spent most of their lives. The Utterbach family moved to Springfield about 1880 and are now living there. Mrs. Sidener was one of six children, of whom four survive. Her grandparents were native of Illinois and Virginia.
Thirteen children were born to Mr. Sidener and his wife, of whom seven survive: William F., born in Taylorville, Ill., August 21, 1887, married Alice Hoepfner, who was born in Springfield, May 17, 1891, and they have one child, Wilma May, born in El Paso, Tex., November 9, 1909, and they now reside in Springfield; Robert Allen, born October 6, 1889, is unmarried and lives at home; Floretta, born December 18, 1892, married Carl Langston, a native of Menard County, and they had one child, Nellie May, deceased, and now live in Springfield;; Sylvester, born October 13, 1894, died in 1895; Ora June, born June 4,1897, died March 21, 1902; Bertha Leona, born in Springfield, May 22, 1900; Nina Luella, born January 18, 1902; Richard Earl, born May 20, 1905; Harvey Ray and Margaret May, twins, born April 13, 1908, are deceased; Elfreda, born August 14, 1910; and two others deceased.
Mr. Sidener had married (first) in Garnett, Anderson County, Kan., in 1872, Sarah Hill, a native of Shelby County, Ill., whose parents were native of Illinois, where their entire lives were spent. Mrs. Sidener died May 18, 1878, having had two children, Ida Pearl and Nellie May, both born in Sangamon County. Ida Pearl married D. S. Fischer, of Springfield, where they resided, and they had six children: Everts, Charlie, James, Irval, Florence (deceased), and Orval Harold. Nellie May Sidener married Orval Clarry , of Christian County, and Guila, deceased.
Mr. Sidener has many friends in Sangamon County, where the most of his life has been spent, and he enjoys an excellent reputation in business circles. He is a Methodist in religious belief and in politics is a Republican.