. Source: Portrait & Biographical Album of Whiteside County, IL
Originally published 1885 Chapman Bros., Chicago, IL

Transcribed by: Becky Jones

Page 461

Marcellus Kidder, is a prominent and enterprising farmer of Jordan Township, and is located on section 14, where he owns a large farm comprising, in connection with his acreage on sections 11 and 15, 300 acres in a solid body. It is all well improved and supplied with fine farm buildings. Mr. Kidder is also successfully engaged in raising stock. He was born Sept. 8, 1840, in Bristol, Grafton Co., N.H. Benjamin Kidder, his father, was a native of the same place, and was a descendant from a family who came to America during the Colonial period, and were participants in the War of the Revolution. Benjamin Kidder married for his second wife, Mary Doton, whose father, Ephraim Doton, was born in New Hampshire, and was of English lineage, his progenitors having come to America previous to the war for Colonial independence. The first wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Dodge, was also born in New Hampshire and bore three children. One, named Adniram, is still living, in O’Brien Co., Iowa. Of the second marriage, three children were born: Electa, married H. Taylor and died in Poweshiek Co., Iowa, June 9, 1878. She was born Nov. 15, 1837. Nelson B. is a farmer in Ogle Co., Ill.

Mr. Kidder’s parents came West when he was 15 years old, in 1856. They located on section 11, on a farm containing 160 acres of land, where soil had never seen the implements of agriculture. On this place the family lived for years, the son remaining at home until he was married. The parents went later to Ogle County, where the father died, at Woosung, Aug. 6, 1883, aged 88. He was an active and prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The mother is 78 years old.

Mr. Kidder was married April 25, 1871, at Dixon, Lee Co., Ill., to Ella J., daughter of John G. and Hannah B. (Torcy) Annan. Her father was of Scotch lineage, and her mother descended from parents of English extraction. They were natives of New Hampshire, and were married in the city of Manchester. Mrs. Kidder was born Sept. 2, 1848, in Grafton, N.H. She was reared and educated principally in that county and completed her studies at New Hampton Institute. When she was 18 years of age, she began teaching and made that her occupation until 1869, when she came to Ogle County. She is the mother of two children. Ida L. was born May 9, 1875; Royce A. was born July 8, 1878. Mr. Kidder, at the outset of his married life, located on 80 acres of the homeste[a]d of his father, which is now included in his estate.

He is a Democrat in political persuasion.