George F. Stainbrook, serving as Lee County Sheriff, epitomizes the drive and determination of a successful young man from Dixon. Born in the county in 1858, he descends from a Pennsylvania Dutch lineage with roots stretching back to a German immigrant and a Revolutionary War hero. George’s life, deeply intertwined with farming, shifted towards law enforcement when he became Deputy Sheriff, leading to his election as Sheriff in 1890. Recognized for his youth and efficacy, George, alongside his wife Anna B. Mulkins, an accomplished artist, contributes to the community while adhering to Republican principles and participating in various civic organizations.
George F. Stainbrook, the efficient Sheriff of Lee County, is one of the wide-awake and ambitious young men of Dixon who will undoubtedly make a success of life, as he is possessed of energy, industry, and perseverance that overcomes all obstacles. He claims the honor of being a native of the county, his birth having occurred in Viola Township on September 11, 1858. His father, Isaiah Stainbrook, a native of Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, comes from an old Pennsylvania Dutch family. His grandfather, Fred Stainbrook, was born and raised in the Keystone State and is still living in PawPaw, Illinois, at the advanced age of ninety years. Although advanced in age, he still retains much of the physical and mental vigor of middle life. His father, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a Revolutionary hero who lived and died in Pennsylvania and was a son of the founder of the family in America, a German emigrant who settled in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, where his descendants have lived for several generations. The family has been involved in farming.
Isaiah Stainbrook was raised to manhood in the usual manner of farmer lads and accompanied his parents to Illinois in an early day, with the family settling in Willow Creek Township, Lee County, where he reached adulthood. In Viola Township, he married Isabel Davidson, who was born in Canada. On her father’s side, she was of Scotch descent, and on her mother’s side, she was of Scotch-Irish lineage. During her girlhood, she accompanied her parents to New York, and from there, the family moved to Illinois, settling on a farm in Viola Township, where both her father and mother spent their remaining days. They were members of the Presbyterian Church. After his marriage, Isaiah Stainbrook enlisted for the late war in August 1861 as a member of the Seventy-fifth Illinois Infantry, assigned to Company F. The regiment served with the armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee, and Mr. Stainbrook participated in all the engagements. He was never wounded or taken prisoner but still suffers from rheumatism caused by exposure. After the war, he was honorably discharged and returned home to Viola Township, where he has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He is a successful farmer and well-known citizen of that community, supporting the Republican Party. His parents were members of the Methodist Church, and he and his wife attend its services. Our subject is the eldest of their four children, two sons, and two daughters. The second son, William, married Rosa Johnson and is a resident farmer of Viola Township; Mary is the wife of Charles Stout, also a farmer of that township; and Jennie married William Phillips, an agriculturist of Viola Township.
George F. Stainbrook received a good practical education in public schools and early became acquainted with farm labor, from which his early life experiences were obtained. He possesses a nature that is extremely practical yet progressive and is ambitious. He devoted his energies to farm work until a little more than eight years ago when he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Lee County and moved to Dixon. He proved to be one of the most faithful and efficient public servants, serving in that capacity for eight years. In 1890, he was elected Sheriff and is now discharging the duties of that position with promptness and fidelity. He is the youngest Sheriff that Lee County has ever had, a fact that speaks well for the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens and also for his personal popularity.
On October 16, 1890, Mr. Stainbrook married Miss Anna B. Mulkins in Dixon. Her parents, Lemuel and Helen Mulkins, are residents of Dixon, where their daughter was born on September 6, 1863. She is an intelligent and cultured lady, possessing artistic skill, with her landscape and portrait paintings worthy of high commendation. Mr. and Mrs. Stainbrook attend the Methodist Church. He is affiliated with several civic societies, including the United Workmen, the Modern Woodmen, and the Illini Tribe of Red Men. In politics, he is a stalwart Republican and takes considerable interest in political affairs, keeping himself well-informed on the issues of the day.