Among our self-made men in Bureau County, who owe their success in life to their energy and perseverance, we place him whose name heads this sketch. He was born July 9, 1823, in Peacham, Caledonia County, Vermont.
His father Asa Currier, was born April 21, 1891, in the same place. He died March 16, 1868, in Osceola, Stark County., Illinois. He came to Stark County on Sunday, August 26, 1838, having come through with teams from Vermont, where he had been a farmer, which occupation he followed here. The grandfather of J. T. Courier was David Courier, who was also a farmer, and whose father, Caleb Currier, was of foreign descent. The mother of our subject was Sally (Willey) Currier, a native of New Hampshire, where she was born June 20, 1790. She died May 1, 1873, in Neponset. She was the daughter of Paul Willey and was the mother of nine children, viz.: David, John, Elizabeth P., Augusta, Asa, Jonathan T. (our subject), Sally and Nancy (who both died in infancy) and Mary M.
Mr. Currier had but a few school advantages in early life, very unlike the young men of today, but he inherited that strong will-power and determination to which he owes his success in life. In 1838, at the age of fifteen, he came west with his parents, and for many years farmed successfully in Stark County.
In 1869 he came to Neponset where he now resides in a spacious residence and where he intends to enjoy the fruit of many years of toil. Financially Mr. Currier’s life has been very successful. He started in life without a dollar, and now is considered one of the wealthiest men in the township, owning over 1,200 acres of choice land in Bureau and Stark counties besides other property.
He was married May 2, 1855, in Princeton, Illinois. To Martha J. Hoblit, who was born December 27, 1835, in Clinton County, Ohio. She is the daughter of Amos Hoblit, and is the mother of six children, viz.: Ida D., born August 22, 1856 (she is the wife of C. M. Branson, and is the mother of three children, viz.: Louis S., Bernice and an infant girl); Albert D., was born July 29, 1861 (he is at present a student at the Northwestern University); Willie W., is deceased; Grace E., was born February 6, 1869; Laura M. is deceased; Bertha, was born March 18, 1876.
Mrs. Currier is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Currier has never held nor sought a public office, and in political affairs has generally been identified with the Republican party.
Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885