WASHINGTON ILES. - In the year in which Illinois was admitted to the union Washington Iles visited this state. He was born in Bath county, Kentucky, July 18, 1800, and came on business to Sangamon county. He traveled extensively over the country along the San-ga-ma river and found that the land was very rich. A wealthy Kentuckian had sold large droves of horses on credit to the settlers in central Illinois, but when money was due and they couldn't pay he threatened to collect his money, whereupon the farmers combined and caused him to leave the country in haste. He then went home and offered Mr. Iles one-half of what he could collect. Thus it was that Mr. Iles came to this locality. He canvassed the situation and found the men honest, and in time collected every dollar, whereupon he returned to Kentucky.

In the latter state he was married on the 21st of May, 1822, to Miss Ann Foster, who was born there December 3, 1804. They lived near Owensville, Bath county, Kentucky, for a time and then with their two children came to Sangamon county in 1825. As the years passed their family circle was increased until it numbered nine children born in Illinois in addition to those born in Kentucky. Martha H., born in 1823, died in 1827; Mary E., born in 1825, was married in Sangamon county to Jacob Loose. Cordelia M., born in 1827, became the wife of Obed Lewis. Melinda A., born in 1829, is the wife of Joseph B. Perkins. Ann E., born in 1831, became the wife of William H. Bourne and they became the parents of five children - Carrie, the wife of G. L. Barrick, Annie, Kittie, Virginia and Benjamin. For a time Mr. Bourne and his family resides near Sharpsburg, Kentucky, and in 1876 removed to Sangamon County, Illinois, settling a mile south of the city. Washington T., the sixth of the Iles family, was born in 1833 and was married in Kentucky in 1864 to Emily Jones, whose birth occurred in Bath county, Kentucky, in 1844. They reside southeast of Springfield. Nancy V., born in 1835, became the wife of Norman Broadwell, in 1856. He was born in Morgan County, Illinois in 1825, and they had seven children, of whom two died in childhood, while the others were Anna, Louis, Lucy, Stuart and Virginia. Mr. Broadwell served for one term in the state legislature and in 1862 was elected county judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge William D. powers, serving until 1865. In 1867 he was elected mayor of Springfield and again in 1869 and for a number of years he was a prominent practicing attorney here. Elijah F. Iles, born in 1838, was married in Missouri in 1863 to Mildred Steele, who was born in that state in 1844. They made their home about two miles south of Springfield. Edward, born in 1841, was an extensive breeder and importer of cattle. He settled upon the farm which his father purchased in 1826. Julia e., born in 1843, died in 1857. Maria, born in 1845, died in 1848.

The mother of this family was called to her final rest in 1866 and Mr. Iles survived until 1871. His name is inseparably interwoven with the early history of this portion of the state because of the active part which he took in its development and improvement. He served as a soldier in the Winnebago and Black Hawk wars and he aided in bringing the steamboat Talisman up the Sangamon river opposite Springfield, the only boat that ever proceeded that far up that stream. Whatever tended to aid in the progress and improvement of the community received his hearty co-operation and endorsement and he was well known and high respected throughout this community.