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ELIJAH F. ILES was born in this county February 28, 1838; the son of Washington and Ann (Foster) Iles, natives of Bath county, Kentucky. His father first came to this part of the country when only eighteen years of age, on business for another man, and finding that the soil was rich he concluded to settle here, which he did in 1825. He was married May 4, 1822; his wife was born in December, 1804, near Owensville, Kentucky. Mr. Iles was a soldier in the Black Hawk War, and resided in this county until his death, July 4, 1871; Mrs. Iles died August 25, 1866. Mr. I. aided in bringing the steamboat "Talisman" up the Sangamon river opposite Springfield, the only steamboat that ever ascended that stream so high. Elijah F., the subject of this notice, was raised on a farm and was married October 6, 1868, to Mildred Steele, who was born in Lincoln county, Missouri, February 16, 1844, and their seven children are Lewis W., David S., Elijah F., Frank B., Malcomb G., Joseph and Thomas. Mr. Iles owns nine hundred and twelve acres of land near Springfield, worth $50 an acre. Mr. and Mrs. I are members of the M. E. Church, and in politics he is a Democrat.