CAPTAIN JOHN T. CANTERBURY, retired, Cantrall, Fancy Creek township, Illinois, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, on the 27th day of August, 1819; son of Asa and Margaret (Hornback) Canterbury; father a native of Virginia and mother of Kentucky. They were married in Ohio, but commenced their early life in Kentucky, where seven children were born: Isaac, Maria, Carlisle H., Valentine, John, Eliza J., Oliver P. In 1826, his father left his home in Kentucky for the Sangamo country, arriving in the fall, in a wagon and a five horse team, and located in Fancy Creek township, one mile west of Cantrall, where he entered land and built himself a story and a half log cabin, being one of the finest structures on the prairies at that time where he remained until his death, which occurred October 16, 1856; mother died July 8, 1857. There were four children born in Fancy Creek, as follows: Martha, Margaret, Julia and Abraham. Mr. and Mrs. C. were members of the Christian Church, and took an active interest in building it up. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, receiving a limited education. February 22, 1842, married Miss Maranda Brittain. She was born in Fancy Creek township December 12, 1823. By this union there were six children, four of whom are living: John, born March 24, 1843, died March 19, 1864; Asa M., born November 15, 1844; Mary J., born August 1, 1846; Margaret A., born January 10, 1849; Evans E., born August 10, 1851; Wm. H., born September 7, 1853, and died in infancy. Captain C. was commissioned as Captain under Governor Ford. Mrs. Maranda M. died in 1853. He afterwards married Harriet E. Perkins. She was born in 1833. Mr. and Mrs. Canterbury are members of the Christian Church, at Cantrall. Mr. C. has been identified with the county nearly all his life; has seen it from its wild and uncultivated state, to one of the finest countries in the world; came here a poor boy, but by hard work and fair dealing has made a comfortable property and home; has two hundred and forty-five acres of land, valued at $65 per acre; raises fifty acres of corn and fifty acres of wheat. He is one of the staunch Republicans of the county.