OLIVER P. CANTERBURY, farmer and stock raiser, Fancy Creek township, post office, Cantrall, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, July 21, 1824. He came to this county with his parents when two years of age, where he was raised on a farm. March 9, 1848, he married Miss Elizabeth Council, a daughter of William Council, a native of North Carolina, who came to Sangamon county, and located north of Springfield, in 1821. She was born in Sangamon county, April 3, 1830. The fruits of this marriage was eleven children, Mary E., born April 10, 1849; Margaret J., born June 14, 1850; Maria, born September 17, 1852; Malissa, born October 12, 1856; Carlisle E., born October 10, 1858, died in infancy; John H., born in 1860; Annie F., born June 4, 1862; Etta J., born July 5, 1864; Wm. R., born July 15, 1868; Nellie, born October 4, 1871; Mertie, born October 31, 1873. Mr. Canterbury is extensively engaged in farming, has thirteen hundred acres of land, all of which is under a high state of cultivation, valued at $60 per acre, on which he raises six hundred acres of corn, three hundred acres of wheat, turns off fifty head of hogs, yearly. Mr. Canterbury came to this county a poor boy, but by hard work and good management has accumulated a fine property and home and is one of the large and well-to-do farmers of the county. He is at present engaged in the mercantile business in Cantrall, in company with his son-in-law, William Vandergrift, where they carry a general stock. Mr. C. in politics is a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Christian Church at Cantrall, Illinois.