JOHN DECAMP, Springfield, Illinois, was born in Monroe county, Virginia, December 22, 1800; son of Zachariah and Elizabeth (Kinder) DeCamp; father of French descent, and mother of German. His father was a farmer, and John was reared upon a farm, working summers and attending school winters. He remained on the farm until he was twenty-seven years of age, then came to Springfield, where he has resided since; at the time he came, there was not a frame building; he has plowed corn where the city now stands. After coming here, immediately commenced making brick, and has continued in the business most of the time since. He married Miss Malinda Orr, daughter of Robert and Sarah Orr, who were natives of Virginia, and came to the State in 1824. Mr. and Mrs. DeCamp have had seventeen children, nine of whom are still living, viz: Sarah Ann, now Mrs. William DeCamp; Helen, now Mrs. James H. Barkley; Armanda, now Mrs. N. Wagner; Zachariah; Virginia, now Mrs. Edward Wardhaus; Elnora, now Mrs. Matthew Jelly; Albert, Giles W. and John G.