Source: History of Whiteside County, IL; Vol I; by Davis, 1908
Transcribed by: Denise McLoughlin, Tampico Area Historical Society, www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com

Page 606

WILLIAM PIMM HIDDLESON

Few citizens of Whiteside county can claim so long a residence here as does William Pimm HIDDLESON, who for the past fifty-seven years has resided within its borders. He is numbered among the substantial agriculturists of this section of the state, owning and operating a farm on one hundred and thirty acres situated on section 10, Mount Pleasant township.

He was born in Sullivan county, Pennsylvania, October 2, 1843, a son of Rufus K. and Caroline (CONVERSE) HIDDLESON, who in 1850 made the overland trip to Illinois, the father making his way to Whiteside county, where he bought a claim from a Mr. BOYER, this property being now the home of our subject. The father was of Irish descent and the mother was a native of Vermont. After settling in Mount Pleasant township the father was engaged in general agricultural pursuits throughout the remainder of his life, his death there occurring in 1893, when he had reached an advanced age. He was well known in public life, having for several terms served as sheriff of the county, this being in the latter '50's, while he also acted as county commissioner and throughout the greater part of his residence in the county served on the school board. His wife preceded him to the home beyond, her death occurring in 1885. Their family numbered three children, the sisters of our subject being Elizabeth, a resident of the state of Washington and the widow of William HEATON, who died in Portland, Oregon, several years ago; and Lydia Jane, the widow of Henry TUCKER and a resident of Morrison, Illinois.

William Pimm HIDDLESON was a little lad of seven years when he accompanied his parents from the Keystone state to Illinois. He was reared in Whiteside county and acquired his education in the schools of Morrison. From an early age he was trained to the duties of the home farm and thus received practical training which served him well when he undertook the management of the farm property. He is now the owner of the place on which he was reared, the place comprising one hundred and thirty acres of valuable land, situated on section 10, Mount Pleasant Township. He was made many modern improvements here and is now comfortably situated in life.

Mr. HIDDLESON was united in marriage to Miss Ellen R HEATON, a native of this county, born in 1854. Her parents, Alfred and Ann Eliza (ROBERTSON) HIDDLESON*, came to this state from New York about the year 1844. The mother died in 1888, but the father survived her and made his home in Morrison until March 20, 1908, when he passed away at the very advanced age of eighty-eight years. Mrs. HIDDLESON is of of a family of six daughters and one son, the other members of the family being: Warren, who in 1861 enlisted for service in the Civil war as a member of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry and died in Washington in 1862; Mrs. Olive KING, who resides near Merrill, Iowa; Mrs. Alfretta BABCOCK, a resident of Shell Lake, Wisconsin; Mrs. Ada GALENTINE, of Kearney, Nebraska; Mrs. Emily THOMAS, of Morrison; and Katie, who died in infancy.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. HIDDLESON has been blessed with a son and daughter. Charles Pimm, who is engaged in the gas business in Morrison, married Miss Margaret SPEARS, by whom he has two sons, Spears and Alfred, aged respectively eleven and nine years. Pearle Mae is the wife of Charles WEST, who is engaged in the livery business in Morrison. They have one son, Joshua Pimm WEST.

Mr. HIDDLESON gives his political support to the men and measures of the republican party and for many years served as a member of the school board. Few men are more familiar with the history of Whiteside county during the last half century than Mr. HIDDLESON. As a boy he made his way across the country to Illinois, and with the family bore all the hardships and privations incident to a settlement on the frontier. Many of the now thriving cities and villages of the county were as yet not laid out and much of the farm lands were still unclaimed. He has seen the wonderful changes that have since been wrought and with its agricultural interests has been actively identified, so that the history of the pioneer settlement of Whiteside county would be incomplete without the record of his life and it cannot fail to be of interest to our readers.

*This may be a misprint in the book as it seems it should read as HEATON