CANTRALL, JACOB M., a retired farmer living at 1115 Patton Avenue, Springfield, Ill., was born near Cantrall, Ill., December 26, 1841, and is the fifth child of Joshua M. and Sarah (Cantrall) Cantrall, natives of Ohio. Jacob M. Cantrall passed his boyhood on a farm near the village of Cantrall, and attended school about one mile from home, in a log school house, where the seats, benches and desks were made of hewed sycamore logs arranged around the edge of the building. His first teacher was John D. Swallow and later ones were J. B. Hall, L. J. Sweet, Mr. Collins, Mr. Mullmer, Mr. Hoyt and Mr. Hickey. Mr. Cantrall still has in his possession a "Reward of Merit" card given when he was twelve years old, by Mr. Sweet. He worked on the farm with his father from the time he was twenty until he was twenty-four years of age, then began farming on his own account on a farm of eighty acres two miles from Cantrall.

December 22, 1869, Jacob M. Cantrall married Miss Marian J. Tufts, daughter of Thomas J. Tufts, then a resident of Sangamon County. She was born May 14, 184, and died March 26, 1879. Mr. Cantrall was married (second) January 15, 1880, to Miss Martha Brown. She was born August 28, 1861, and died January 16, 1898. By his first marriage he had two children, as follows: Ada E., born February 7, 1873, married E. L. Margrett, of Palmer, Ill.; Cora M., born October 12, 1878, married James M. Alexander, February 9, 1898, and they reside in Springfield. By the second wife the following children were born: Jacob Ernest, born July 15, 1883, married Jennie M. King and they live on a farm north of Springfield; Ula Joshua, born June 4, 1886, married Elsie LaRue, and they live at 1111 Patton Avenue. Mr. Cantrall was formerly a member of the Cantrall Christian Church, which he joined in 1862, and for seven years was deacon. Since coming to Springfield he has joined the West Side Christian Church, in which he has served two years as Deacon. He is a stanch Republican and actively interested in the public welfare. He has lived in Springfield since 1902, retired from active life, and has many firm friends in the city. He is a man of personal integrity and sincerity and universally respected.