JOHN MCGINNIS, farmer and stock raiser, post office, New Berlin, was born in County Clare, Ireland, June 24, 1824; came to the United States in May 1847, in a sailing vessel; after leaving Liverpool was caught in a storm, and was driven onto the northern part of Ireland, where they were detained one week; then started out and made the trip in eighteen days, landing in New York, where he remained a short time, then went to Monmouth county, New Jersey, and worked for Dr. Arthur V. Conover about four years on a farm; then came to Jacksonville, Morgan county, Illinois, where he worked on a farm for six months; was next employed at Morgan Mills for six months; afterwards was employed on the farm of Stephen Dunlap; worked for Theodore Stout for two years; rented land until 1863; then bought his first eighty acres of land. He afterwards bought ten acres of timber; in 1866 bought an adjoining eighty, and in 1876, bought his place where he lives, of one hundred and forty-two acres, making in all three hundred and twelve acres, nearly all of which is under a high state of cultivation, valued at $55 per acre. He raises two hundred acres of corn, forty acres of wheat, thirty acres of oats. Has forty hogs, eleven cows and sixteen horses and mules. In 1850, me married Miss Ann Cain. She was born in Kings county, Ireland, in 1824. There were nine children born, seven of whom are living, viz: Cornelius, Daniel, Mary A., John, Patrick Henry, James and Rosie Ellen. They are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. McGinnis came to the country without money, but with a strong arm and good constitution, and a willingness to work, started at the bottom, and by hard work and good management accumulated a fine property.