ANDREW WILKINSON, retired farmer and formerly one of the largest land owners in the county, and at present residing at Prophetstown, is a son of James and Samantha (Field) Wilkinson, and was born in Onieida Co., N. Y.,, Jan. 3, 1836. His father was a farmer and a native of the same county, and was born Jan. 5, 1814. His mother was born April 14, 1814. The former died April 7, 1874, and the latter Aug. 21, 1882.

 When a young man of 24 years of age, in 1860, Andrew came West to find a wider field to work in and tojoin with the enterprising men in building up the great prarie State. He came to Whiteside County and located in Prophetstown Township. The following autumn his father and mother with the other members of the family - one son and three daughters - joined him. They soon began to buy land in this section, and accumulaated until at one time they owned 2,016 acres of fine farming land on the Rock River bottom. Shortly after their arrival here, they bought 40 acres of land in Prophetstown Township, and subsequently 120 in Tampico Township, and afterward 889 in Hume and at subsequent purchases in the latter township 597 acres. They accumulated all this land before selling any. A number of years after the above named purchases, they bought two farms in Lyndon Township, one of 140 acres and the other of 416. Andrew still owns 565 acres in Hume Township and one and a half acres in Prophetstown city. While farming they raised large numbers of hogs and cattle, diing their own shipping. He now owns 183 head of cattle and 25 horses.

The members of his father's family were born in the following order: Andrew, the subject of this sketch; Alonzo, now living at Sterling; Ann Eliza, wife of George D. WIERD, a farmer near Ypsilanti, Mich.; Annett; wife of J.M.V. SANDERSON, of Moline, Ill.; Sophronia, wife of C.H. FIELD, in the American Express office, Chicago. Those deceased are Margaret Jane and Jay. The former died Sept. 16, 1871, and the latter April 18, 1873.

The subject of this sketch was married Jan. 1, 1857, in Oneida Co., N.Y., to Miss Sarah E., daughter of Conrad and Sally HOUSE. She was born in Oneida County Dec. 2, 1837. To them have been born two children, - Irwin G., who is a farmer in Hume Township, and Eva J. wife of Henry Clark, of Prophetstown. Mrs. Wilkinson died in Tampico Township, Feb. 23, 1866.

 Mr. W. was again married, March 11, 1879, this time to Mary M. QUIGLEY, who was born in Lancaster Co. Pa., Sept. 10, 1836. Mr. W. retired from the farm, where he had been eminently successful, in January, 1883, and has since resided at Prophetstown. He is a Mason and a member of the Order of Modern Woodmen of America. As a truly representative citizen of Whiteside County, we present a protrait of Mr. Wilkinson in this volume.