Source: The Biographical Record of Whiteside County, IL, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1900

Transcribed by Denise McLoughlin

WILLIAM L. McWHORTER

WILLIAM L. McWHORTER. Among Whiteside county's native sons is numberd this gentleman, who owns and is successfully conducting a fine farm on section 3, Montmorency township. He was born in this township, August 23, 1850,  and is a son of Hon. Tyler McWHORTER of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. In thedistrict schools of the neighborhood be acquired his preliminary education, which was supplemented by a commercial course in the Sterling Businiess College. In his youth he early became familiar with all the duties and laborers which fall to the lot of the agriculturist, being his father's assistant until he attained his majority. After his marriage he rented the old homestead for four years and successfully engaged, not only in general farming, but also in stock raising, doing his own shipping and marketing his cattle and hogs in Chicago. In this way he acquired the capital with which to purchase a farm of his own, and in 1892 he bought his present property, consisting of two hundred and sixty-one acres of valuable land on section 3, Montmorency township. The greater part of his land is now under a high state of cultivation, and he is also successfully engaged in stock raising. His methods are at once practical and progressive, and in all traade transactions he is thoroughly reliable.

On the 12th of March, 1890, Mr. McWHORTER was united in marriage with Miss Margaret A. BEALE who was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, December 28, 1866. Her parents were also natives of the Keystone state and never came to Illinois. The mother died when Mrs. McWHORTER was thirteen years of age and when a maiden of eighteen summers she came to Whiteside county to make her home with he uncle, Herman STURTZ. two children were born of their union: Margaret Louise, now nine years of age; and one who died in infancy. The parents have many warm friends in the community and enjoy the hospitality of many of the best homes in this locality.

Mr. McWHORTER is a member of Montmorency camp No 1912, M. W. A., and belongs to the Lutheran church of Sterliing. Inpolitics he is a Republican, but has never been an aspirant for political honors, preferring to devote his time and energies to his farming interests. Since taking up his abode at his present home, he has erected a large barn and madee many other substantial improvements, including the planting of an orchrd of about two hundred trees. He is very industrious,a ndhis well-directed efforts have brought to him a success which ever crowns earnest labor.