Biography - IMRI B. VANCIL

Imri B. Vancil, one of the extensive farmers and prominent and substantial citizens of North Palmyra township, Macoupin County, where he owns and operates an estate of 1,160 acres, was born in Union County, Illinois, October 15, 1825, and is a son of Edmund C. and Mary (Byars) Vancil.

Edmund C. Vancil was born in Virginia in 1799, and in 1801 was taken to Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, by his father, Tobias Vancil, who at a later date settled on the Mud River in Logan County, Kentucky. The father of our subject was ambitious to secure an education and, as his views and those of his father clashed, he ran away from home at the age of 18 years, accompanying a neighbor, who was a teacher and who at that time removed to Illinois. They located in Jackson County, and the youth had the advantage of three months' attendance in the subscription schools of the period. In that locality he met Mary Byars, who was born in Kentucky in 1804, and had accompanied her father to Jackson County in 1808. Mr. Byars became one of the prominent men of that county, and served as commissioner and as justice of the peace for many years.

In 1827 Edmund C. Vancil left Jackson County and in the same winter located in Macoupin County, north of Virden; in the following spring he settled in North Palmyra township, which was then in Greene County. Mr. Vancil, who possessed at this time a cash capital of $100, entered 80 acres of land in section 4, the nucleus of the great estate now owned by our subject. Here the mother died in 1889, aged 87 years, the father surviving until December 31, 1891, when in his 93rd year. The family was noted for longevity, our subject's uncle John dying here in his 94th year, and his uncle Williamson, who resides at Estherwood, Louisiana, is in his 100th year. Of the family of seven children reared by our subject's parents, one brother still survives, Mordecai, a resident of California.

Imri B. Vancil was given excellent educational opportunities by his father, and attended school in Jacksonville, spending two years in the Illinois College, located there. He spent the winter of 1844-45 in Texas and the winter of 1847-48, attending medical lectures in Cincinnati. After his return, he operated a sawmill in Palmyra township until 1850, when he joined the great exodus to California, reaching Sacramento City by the overland route, August 13, 1850. At first he engaged in mining, but later turned his attention to trade and remained in the State for two years, returning to Illinois in 1852. His father then gave him a farm of 240 acres and on this he resided until he retired to the village of Modesto, where he has since resided. He has taken an active part in politics and was the first supervisor of North Palmyra township, an office he held for seven years. Then he resigned, but at a later date was prevailed upon to again assume its duties and he served three years longer. He also served several years as township treasurer and for some years was one of the school trustees. In all these offices, Mr. Vancil has had an intelligent conception of their duties and has performed them faithfully. Mr. Vancil owns 1,160 acres of land in North Palmyra township, and has put in 40 miles of tiling on his property. He is also manager of an estate belonging to his sister-in-law. Mr. Vancil is a large capitalist and is one of the stockholders of the Bank of Modesto.

On April 4, 1860, Mr. Vancil married Elizabeth S. Rice, who is a daughter of Thomas B. Rice, who came to Illinois in 1836 and was long a prominent citizen of Medora.

Thomas B. Rice was born in Frederick County, Virginia, April 17, 1806, and was a son of James Brown Rice, and a grandson of James Rice, both of Culpeper County, Virginia. James B. Rice was about 17 years of age when he entered the Continental Army and served through the closing years of the Revolutionary War and took part in the extraordinary events that attended the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. He recalled the landing of General Lafayette and many interesting events. After the close of the war he accompanied his father to Kentucky, which was then an unsettled wilderness, but he did not make his home there. Upon his return to Virginia, he married Susan Wallace, a daughter of John Wallace, who owned a farm in Culpeper County, Virginia, at Raccoon Ford, on the Rapidan River, 30 miles above Fredericksburg.

Thomas B. Rice was the fourth member of a family of 10 children. His birthplace was at Millwood, near the Shenandoah River and 12 miles from Winchester, which district in the conflict between the States became the scene of war and bloodshed. After reaching his majority, he spent five years managing and overseeing the lands of Bushrod Rust. On April 17, 1828, he married Mahala Farrow, who was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, December 22, 1807, and was a daughter of William Farrow, whose family had owned and occupied for many years a magnificent estate known as "Flint Hill," a noted place in Rappahannock County, Virginia. They reared 10 children, Mrs. Vancil being the third of the family.

After his marriage, Mr. Rice carried on a saddle and harness business at Upperville, Fauquier County, Virginia, until his property was destroyed by fire. He then turned his attention to the invitation of the great West, and in the spring of 1835 came to Illinois. In 1836 he settled at Rhode's Point and then entered 242 acres of land in Macoupin County, in section 6, Shipman township, where he built a log house, a part of which still stands. When the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad Company began its survey in the neighborhood, he filed the first plat of the town of Medora, about the same time engaging in a milling business. He was a man of sterling character and his value was recognized by election as county judge in 1862, his service extending over two terms, when he declined to serve longer. For a number of years he was postmaster at Medora. His death occurred at the age of 84 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Vancil have four children, namely: Burke, Effie, Ollie and Ida A. Burke, who is a prominent attorney of Springfield, Illinois, married Mary Steidley, of Carlinville. Effie married George F. Jordan, editor of the Carlinville Argus, and has three children — Judith, Emily and Elizabeth. Ollie married Lewis Rinaker, a son of Gen. John I. Rinaker of Carlinville, and a practicing attorney of Chicago; they have three children — Lewis, John Imri (deceased) and Virginia. Ida A. married Leonard G. Brown, who is the cashier and a large stockholder of the Bank of Modesto, and a large land-owner of North Palmyra township. They have three children living, namely: Ruth, Harlow and Lois. Their son Imri died at the age of three months.

Politically Mr. Vancil is a Democrat. Fraternally he is both an Odd Fellow and a Mason. He has been one of the public spirited men of this section and by his energetic endeavors has done much for his home township, in which he is held in very high esteem. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Vancil accompany this sketch.

Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 381-386.