Fitchyou Cummings, Concord, was born in Gallatin County, Illinois, May 8, 1818, and is the son of Thornton Cummings, deceased, and brother of William Cummings. Fitchyou Cummings came to Bureau County with his parents in 1834, and since that time has resided in Concord Township.
His opportunities for an education were the most limited. Instead of schools, when coming to French Grove, there was excellent opportunity for the hunter to find game. As Mr. Cummings was of an independent nature, he wished to make for himself a farm, and as money was at that time almost impossible to obtain, he had to work whenever he could to make money to pay for his land, since he had laid a claim on 160 acres, and yet resides on one eighty of that first claim. Their market was Hennepin, or soon afterward Macon, where a man named Fisher bought hogs, and paid for the same in Boston money, which he guaranteed would pay taxes. Slowly but surely Mr. Cummings worked his way to independence, and has added to his first entered land till he now owns about 400 acres.
In 1850 he was married to Miss Esther Garrett, who was born in Ohio, and is the daughter of Horace Garrett, who came to this county in about 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Cummings are the parents of four children, viz: Sidney, Melissa J., Delia and Roxie.
In politics Mr. Cummings has ever been a firm Democrat.
For a more complete outline of the life and settlement of Thornton Cummings in Bureau County see sketch of William Cummings.
Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885