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- DAVID JEFFRIS. The JEFFIS family had its early seat in the
North
- of Ireland, but moved to England early in the seventeenth
century, and early in the eighteenth to America. Mr. JEFFIS'
mother was a native of Maryland, but his father and grandfather
were natives of Virginia, taking an active part in the history
of that Commonwealth. His grandfather, Thomas JEFFRIS, fought
under Washington in the Revolutionary war for five years, enlisting
when but sixteen years of age, was made sergeant, and received
300 acres of land from the government in recognition of his services,
this land being located in southwester Virginia. Moving westward
after tarrying some years in east Tennessee, he finally settled
in Hardin county, Ky., where he became a well-to-do planter,
dying after having passed life's meridian, the father of nine
children.
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- William JEFFRIS, the father of David JEFFRIS, removed to
Illinois in 1830, settling in what is
- now Coles county, then within the limits of Clark county,
which at that time embraced the present county of Cook, reaching
as far north as the southern border of Lake Michigan. He was
a man of prominence, respected and influential, a Whig in politics,
and a Baptist in religious faith. He married Susan KELLER, whose
father, George KELLER, emigrated from Germany to Maryland early
in life. From that State he removed to Kentucky, and thence,
in 1830, to Coles county, Ill, where he was a farmer. He had
a large family . He passed away at the age of nearly fourscore
years. William JEFFRIS died at his home in Charleston, Ill.,
at the age of seventy-four, his wife in 1831, while yet in young
womanhood. The issue of their marriage was five sons and five
daughters, only two of whom are now living; David, our subject;
and Susan, widow of H. K. NOWLIN.
- David JEFFRIS was born in Grayson county, Ky., Aug. 6, 1821,
and was but nine years old
- when his parents moved to Illinois. He grew up in Charleston,
and enjoyed the somewhat limited educational advantages afforded
by the district schools of seventy years ago. He aided his father
in farming and lumbering, and at the age of twenty-two accompanied
Col. ANDERSON, a cattle drover, from Macoupin county, Ill., to
Janesville, Rock Co., Wis., as an assistant. They reached the
Wisconsin town June 8, 1846, and Mr. JEFFRIS has resided in Rock
county ever since. For six years he was a drover, but in 1851
he settled down to the life of a farmer. His first purchase of
land consisted of 200 acres in the township of Janesville, four
miles west of the present city. Subsequently he bought 240 acres
adjoining., which he afterward sold. In 1867 he removed to Janesville,
where he embarked in the lumber business, of which he had gained
some knowledge in boyhood through association with his father.
He also became an extensive building contractor, having erected
419 structures in Janesville and vicinity, the list including
churches, hotels, stores, business blocks and dwellings. For
thirty years he led an exceedingly busy life, devoting his best
energies to the conduct of his large undertakings, no detail
of his business escaping his personal supervision. In its management
he united sagacity with industry, sound judgment with perseverance.
In 1896, having accumulated a handsome fortune, he retired from
active business, and since that time has been employed chiefly
in the management of his estate and the oversight of his numerous
important financial interests. He is far-seeing and broad-minded,
and has done much toward the advancement of the city's commercial
interests. He aided in organizing, and is one of the directors
of, the Janesville Machine Co., which gives employment to 250
men, and was one of the founders of the Merchants & Mechanics
Savings Bank, of which he was president for several years. He
is also a shareholder in various other important financial, commercial
and manufacturing enterprises. He is a Republican in politics,
and while naturally averse to holding office, has consented to
accept official preferment at this party's earnest request.
- Mr. JEFFRIS was married to Miss Grace Alice MOUAT Nov. 14,
1850. Both her parents,
- Malcolm and Margaret (YOUNGCLAUSE) MOUAT, was born in the
Shetland Isles, and it was in that quaint, picturesque corner
of the British empire that she herself was born, June 12, 1831.
Mr. JEFFRIS is a member of the Congregational Church, of which
he has been a trustee for many years, and to which Mrs. JEFFRIS
also belonged, having been a member for more than fifty-two years.
They had nine children, one of whom died unnamed, the others
being Susan Alice, Thomas M. (deceased), Margaret (deceased),
William S., Helen Jane (deceased), Malcolm George, David
K. and Fred J. Thomas M. resided at Huron, S. Dak., where
he owned a ranch, besides having carried on business as a lumberman
and dealt extensively in real estate. He was a man of wide influence
in his adopted State, and did much for its welfare. He died April
4, 1900, at this father's home. In 1889 he married Harriet HALL,
and they had three children,. Ruth B., Bruce M. and Robert M.
Margaret, the second daughter of Mr. JEFFRIS, died when seven
and a half months old, and Helen Jane in her eighth year. William
S. is president of the Merchants & Mechanics Savings Bank
of Janesville; he married Jeannette BALDWIN, and is the father
of one son and two daughters, Kenneth B., Katharine L. and Margaret
H. Malcolm G., the third son, is a member of the firm of FETHERS,
JEFFRIS & MOUAT, practicing attorneys in Janesville; he married
Nancy ROYS, and their three children are named Malcolm R., Helen
and Rufus R. David K. is also a resident of Janesville, and is
engaged in the lumber business; he married Della HANCHETT, and
they, too, are the parents of three children, Donald H., Jean
E. and Grace M. Fred J., the fifth son, is associated with his
brother David K. in the lumber business; he is unmarried. The
mother of this family died Aug. 28, 1900.
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-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901, p. 248-249; lithograph from same book.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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