WILLIAM SOUTHWICK was born in Seneca county, New York, February 9, 1907, and was the son of Jesse and Nancy (Moore) Southwick, the former born in 1762, near Lebanon, Connecticut, and the latter in 1770, also in Connecticut. They moved to Oneida county, New York, thence to Seneca county, same State, where they resided for a number of years, then embarked on the Allegheny river at Olean Point in a family boat and arrived at Shawneetown, Illinois, in December, 1819. James Stewart was in company with them, and they moved from Shawneetown to a village called Milton, near Alton, where they remained till March 20, then moved to Sugar creek and settled in what is now Woodside township, six and a half miles southeast of Springfield, where they commenced farming. His father died September 25, 1826, and his mother in February, 1845. William received only a common school education, and was fifteen years old when his father came to this county. He was married in September, 1831, in this county to Louvicy Proctor, born November 23, 1811, at Charleston, Clarke county, Indiana. They had seven children, six of whom are living, viz: Eunice, now Mrs. Fox, David, James W., John H., Philip S., and Laura A., now Mrs. henry A. Stevens; Nancy E., who was Mrs. Jerome Duncan, is deceased. Mr. Southwick is now situated on the farm where he first located in 1820, and owns three hundred and fifty-five acres of well improved land worth $50 an acre. Politically, he is a Republican.