History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

408 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
assisting his fatlier in the operation of the home place. During
the following twelve years he worked at almost any employment
that offered and which would yield him an honest dollar, and
on the expiration of that period started out as an agriculturist
on his own account, coming into possession of the farm of four
hvuidred and seventy-five acres which he has since operated. He
raises the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and keeps about
thirty horses, sixty head of cattle and fifty hogs, meeting with a
gratifying and well merited measure of success in both branches
of his business. The residence and other buildings on the prop-
erty were erected by him and stand as monuments to his enterpris-
ing spirit and wisely directed industry.
Mr. Shaw gives his political allegiance to the democracy and
has fraternal relations with the Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows. He is widely known throughout the comity in which he has
resided during his entire life, or for about two-thirds of a
century, and his substantial characteristics have gained him the
warm regard and iniqualilicd trust of his fellow townsmen.
JOHN W. BANKS.
John W. Banks, supervisor of Bi-ooklyn township and a partner
in the operation of grain, seed and coal concerns at Compton
and Paw Paw, was liorn in Paris, Ontario, January 26, 1861. He
is a son of Joseph and Hannah L. (McDonald) Banks, the former
of whom came from England to Canada about the year 1840 and
followed farming in Ontario for a nunilior of years. Tn 1862 he
moved to Lee county, Illinois, and after engaging in agricultural
pui'suits for eight years he moved to Malugins Grove and became
connected with the mail service as a cai'rier in 1869. At the end
of four years he moved to Compton, where he was appointed postmaster.
In 1887 he wont to California and he died in Los Angeles
in 1908, at the age of eighty-five. He was survived by his wife
one year, her death occurring wlien she was seventy-eight years of
age. Both ai'e buried in Posedale cemetery, Los Angeles.
John W. Banks was still an infant when he came to Lee county
with his ]iarents. He acquired his education in the public schools
of Compton and at the age of thirteen laid aside his books, work-
ing for a few years thereafter as a farm laborer. In 1887 he became
clerk for the firm of Warner & Ouffin, dealers in grain, seed