J. W. ARCHER

J. W. ARCHER, eldest son of James M. and Margaret E. Dunn Archer was born in Edgar County, Ill. September 6 1828. His father was a native of Maryland and of German and English descent. He moved to Grand View, Ill. in 1829, built a tannery, and after remaining there for two years moved to Paris, where he lived until 1840, then came to Spencer, where he died in 1864. The mother is a native of Kentucky and of Scotch descent. She was born in 1811. J. W. Archer came to Owen County in 1840 with his father. He learned harness making and worked at that trade with his father for four years. He then helped his father clear up a farm from the green woods southeast of Spencer. In March 1846, he went to Wisconsin Territory and stayed until November of the same year when he returned and until 1849 remained on the farm. He then went overland to California to the gold mines. In August 1852 he returned to Spencer and was in the furniture business for one year. He then farmed until 1859 and again returned to Spencer where he became a partner with his brother in a drug store. In 1860 and 1861 he farmed, and on September 18 1861 volunteered in the United States service. He helped to raise a company for the Fifty ninth Indiana Regiment, being organized at Gosport, in which he served as First Lieutenant of Company A; was soon promoted to Adjutant of the regiment and in April 1861 was detailed as Aid de camp on the staff of Brig. Gen. N. B. Buford, where he remained until he resigned on the Surgeon's certificate of disability, January 1863. He returned to his home and in a short time accepted a situation as clerk of a steamboat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. He was afterward Captain until the close of the war.

He was in the dry goods business for one year and farmed for several years. He was interested in the building of a planing mill in Spencer and also engaged in the lumber trade at Vincennes, as well as Spencer. He was partner in the Simpson Stone Quarry at Mundy's Station until 1878 and in consequence of the panic lost largely and sold out at a great loss. He had a grocery store for some time in Spencer and from 1879 to 1883 he farmed. After this time he became Pension Attorney which business now occupies his time. He went into the army a Democrat and is one at present. He has never held an office in the county. Content to bear his share of the public burden, always ready to give a reason for his political faith, he is proud of the rank of a private citizen.

He was married on June 4, 1854 to Elizabeth Chambers by whom be has six children: Dora Belle, James Chambers, Luretta, Nellie Almira, John Buford, and Charles Williamson.

Source: None