This popular merchant of Leland was born in the township of Adams,
LaSalle county, May 13, 1866, a son of Christopher and Helen (Sanderson)
Farley, natives of Norway. His father was born May 15, 1832, a son of
Christopher and Julia Farley, who emigrated to America in 1842, settling in
Muskego, Wisconsin. There the senior Christopher Farley died, and his wife,
with her son Christopher (the father of our subject), in 1844 moved to
LaSalle county, locating in Adams township. Here the junior Christopher
followed farming, four years as a farm hand at four dollars a month, until
he was enabled to make better arrangements. He married and continued in
agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred August 11, 1895. In
politics he was a Republican. His widow is still living, in Leland. Their
children were Esther, deceased; Matilda, also deceased; Willis C., our
subject; Hannah; Frank, living on the old homestead; Edward and Alfred, who
have been grocers in Leland ever since 1897.
Willis C. was reared on
a farm and educated at the country schools. He left the farm in 1891 and
entered the butchering business in Leland. Afterward selling out he entered
the clothing business, in partnership with an uncle, under the firm name of
Sanderson & Farley. His interest in this he sold out in the fall of 1894:
but on January 26 following he purchased the business of his uncle and has
ever since conducted it alone. His stock embraces everything in the line of
clothing, boots and shoes and gents' furnishing goods, and he has a nice
stock and a large business.
He was married in 1894 to Nettie Baker,
a daughter of Ole Baker, of Pawpaw township, DeKalb county, this state, and
they have two children, — Fremont and Okley, — the latter of whom is
deceased. Mr. Farley is a Lutheran and a Republican.
Extracted 19 Dec 2018 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 559-560.
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