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CHARLES STAFFORD , an old settler of Sangamon county, born October 12, 1820, in Essex county, New York. He came to this county in July 13, 1825, with his parents, who settled in Rochester township the same year, and then married Julia A. Stafford, March 21, 1847. They had one child, Julia A., born December 6, 1847, who married Mitchell Dickerson. Mrs. Stafford died December 17, 1847, and Mr. Stafford was again married to Mrs. Sarah A. (Wallace) Stafford, September 27, 1848. She was the widow of John Stafford, and the cousin of Charles. She was born December 24, 1822, in Culpepper county, Virginia. They have had ten children, Mary A., born February 12, 1854, and married G. Woyce; Albert R., born September 17, 1856, and married Liza Ramond, September 17, 1878; Ida L., born January 4, 1860, and died May 26, 1874; Wm. W., born April 6, 1868. Mrs. Sarah Stafford had two children when married to Mr. Stafford: Thomas Oliver, the oldest, born April 18, 1844, in Wapella county, Iowa, and was killed in the battle of Stone river, or Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, while a member of the Thirty-eighth Regiment, Illinois Infantry Volunteers.
Mr. Stafford's father, Jewett Stafford, was born January 13, 1795, in Kent county, Rhode Island, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and fought in the battles of Plattsburg, Boquet River, etc. He was also a Colonel of the Fifth Regiment of Illinois Militia, in 1834. His mother, Harriet (Eggleston) Stafford, was born in New York. He farms about eighty acres of land, but, having also the largest store in Clarksburg, and other interests in care. His first crop of corn was sold in Springfield, Ill., at six and one-fourth cents per bushel, and says that another year he burned part of his crop rather than gather it at the market price. Mr. Stafford is a public spirited man, and looks into all the improvements of the age with confidence and success.