Individual Details

Came to LaSalle County, Illinois, with his parents in 1854, and helped his father get a new farm ready for cultivation. Farmed in LaSalle County for four years than in Livingston County for five years. In 1869, they farmed 240 acres that were part of John Grays estate in Grundy County. Stephanas was said to be a practical farmer, industrious, enterprising, and by judious management necame well to do. He also followed the the political foot steps of his father ANewton though he never sought or accepted office. John Grays farm was taken by claim from the government in 1836, and cost him $1.25 per acre. Part of the farm was sold in 1918 for $266.50 per acre. Stephanas W. Furr, one of Grundy County’s most enterprising business men, is of French descent, his grandfather, Enoch Furr, having been born and reared in France. At about the time of the Revolutionary war he emigrated to America and settled in Loudoun county, Virginia, where he was successfully engaged in farming until shortly before his death, which event took place when he was one hundred and four years of age. Lewton Furr, the father of our subject, was born in 1797, in the Old Dominion. He remained with his parents until he attained his majority, when he married Pleasant Matthews and started upon his independent career. Renting a farm in Loudoun county, he cultivated the place for ten years, and then moved to Frederick county, same state, where he purchased a good homestead. In 1854 he sold out and came to LaSalle county, Illinois. Here he continued his agricultural labors until death released him from his cares, in 1870. His wife, after surviving him about thirteen years, passed to her reward February 27, 1883. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom Agnes, the eldest, died in infancy; Richard, Elizabeth, Squire, Margaret and Pleasant are deceased; Newton lives in Morris, Illinois; Chapman and Sylvanus W. reside in Livingston county, this state; Mary’s home is near Marion, Indiana; S. W., our subject; and Martha died December 23, 1899. The birth of S. W. Furr occurred in Frederick county, Virginia, September 13, 1837, and in 1854, when he was in his eighteenth year, he came to this state, and for five years aided his father in placing his new farm under cultivation. In the spring of 1860 he married and embarked in agriculture upon his own account, living in LaSalle county for four years and in Livingston county for five years. Since 1869 he has carried on a farm in Grundy county, it being a part of the estate of his father-in-law. There are two hundred and forty acres in his homestead, all well improved and productive. Mr. Furr is a practical farmer, industrious and enterprising, and by judicious management he has become well-to-do. He follows in the political footsteps of his father, being an ardent Democrat, but he has never sought nor accepted office. The marriage of Mr. Furr and Mary, the daughter of John and Mary Gray, both of whom were natives of Scotland, took place in the spring of 1860. Six sons and five daughters were born to our subject and wife, namely: Ida P., who married Ira West and lives in Kendall county; James R., who wedded Josie Johnson and makes his home in De Kalb county; George N., of this county, whose wife formerly was Flora Moseman; Mattie J., the wife of John Woodward, of Mississippi; Mary Josephine, the wife of Martin Anderson, of De Kalb county; Belle, deceased; Margaret V., who married Martin Seal and lives in the old Gray home in Nettle Creek township; and the names of the four youngest boys, living at home, are John F., William S., Francis W. and Robert A. Source: Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p581-582

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Birth	September 13, 1837	Frederick County, VA
Marriage	April 4, 1860	Grundy County, IL - Mary GRAY
Death	February 14, 1917	Kendall County, IL
Alt name		Vance FURR
Burial		Millington Newark Cemetery, Millington, Kendall County, IL

Spouse	Mary GRAY (1839 - 1909)
Child	Ida Pleasant FURR (1861 - 1917)
Child	James Richard FURR (1863 - 1934)
Child	George Newton FURR (1864 - 1935)
Child	Martha Jane FURR (1867 - 1912)
Child	Mary Josephine FURR (1869 - 1947)
Child	Anna Bell FURR (1871 - 1872)
Child	Margaret Virginia FURR (1873 - 1941)
Child	John Franklin FURR (1876 - 1908)
Child	William Stephanas FURR (1879 - 1950)
Child	Francis Windfield "Frank" FURR (1881 - 1969)
Child	Robert Allen FURR (1883 - 1948)

Father	Newton FURR (1797 - 1870)
Mother	Pleasant MATTHEWS (1797 - 1883)
Sibling	Agnes FURR (1820 - )
Sibling	Richard E. FURR (1820 - 1883)
Sibling	Elizabeth Jane "Betsy" FURR (1823 - 1892)
Sibling	Isaac Newton FURR (1824 - 1908)
Sibling	Squire Newton Masters FURR (1827 - 1875)
Sibling	Enoch Chapman "Chappy" FURR (1828 - 1909)
Sibling	Margaret C. FURR (1831 - 1899)
Sibling	Sarah Pleasent FURR (1833 - 1890)
Sibling	Mary Ann FURR (1835 - 1918)
Sibling	Sylvanus B. "Babe" FURR (1840 - 1915)
Sibling	Martha Virginia FURR (1843 - 1899)