GERSHOM K. GREENING was born May 31, 1841, near the city of Springfield, Illinois. When eighteen months of age his parents moved to Buckhart Grove in this township, where he has made his home since. When the war of the Rebellion broke out, Mr. Greening enlisted in Company I, of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, for three years; served full term, and was honorably discharged August 8, 1865. He was forty-seven days under fire at the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi; participated in the siege of Mobile, battles of Jackson, Guntown and Tupola, Mississippi, raid of General A. J. Smith after Price's army, winter of 1864, and all the other many engagements in which his regiment participated. Mr. G. was not wounded, but while acting as color bearer at battle of Guntown, Mississippi, had seven shots through his clothing. After being mustered out of the service at Camp Butler, in this county, he returned home and engaged in farming. He has the confidence of the entire community in which he lives and has had laid upon him many of the public responsibilities of his township, having held the offices of Town Clerk and Collector, and, upon expiration of present term, will have been justice of the peace eleven years. Being an active member of the Christian Church, he has taken great interest in Sunday school matters, being at one time superintendent of two schools, thereby being compelled to go from one to the other, a distance of several miles. At the organization of the Buffalo Hart Grange, in 1873, Mr. G. was elected Master, which office he held until the close of the organization. He is a temperance advocate, being a member of the Good Templars; also a member of Masonic fraternity. Mr. G. is unmarried, and makes his home with his father, John F. Greening, a native of Tennessee, who with his wife, Elizabeth G. (Rose) Greening, came to Sangamon county, October, 1839.