John Wesley Painter, a lifelong farmer, was the elder son of Barbara Ann (née Hillsberry) and Isaac Painter, senior, born in 1860 on his maternal grandfather Harmon Hillsberry's farm near Houstonville, a now-extinct village in East Bend Township, Champaign County, Illinois. In addition to a younger brother and younger sister (who died in her teens), John Wesley Painter had three older maternal half-brothers.

Mr. John Painter and Miss Charity J. Painter, both residents of Condit Township, Champaign County, were married on 20 March 1884 in Urbana, Champaign County.* The couple, who were first cousins, farmed in Condit Township, Champaign County (about 2 miles south of Dewey), and were the parents of seven children (including two adopted):

• Jessie Belle Painter Beabout (adopted)
• Chester Painter (died in infancy)
• Esther Louisa Painter Moore
• Nellie Anna Marie Painter
• Carl Edward Painter
• Ada Fern Painter Armstrong
• Mural Richard Painter (adopted)

John W. Painter and his family were enumerated in 1900, 1910, and 1920 on their farm in Condit Township. He died there in 1927 at the age of 68.

Notes

1 Mar 1860 date of birth from family records provided by granddaughter Dorothy Fairchild. Date also inscribed on headstone.

"John W. Painter was surprised Friday last [1 Mar 1895], by several of his friends, the occasion being his 45th [sic ] birthday." ("Our Neighbors," Champaign County Gazette, Champaign, Illinois, 6 Mar 1895, p. 5.)
• His 35th birthday.

1860 U.S. Census, Township 22 North, Range 8 East [East Bend Township], Champaign Co., Illinois; dwelling 899, family 869, lines 27-32, p. 122 (written), 19 Jul 1860. (Post Office: Pera)
27. Isaac Painter [head], 23, farm laborer (-0-), Ohio.
28. Barbara -----, 28, Pennsylvania.
29. John -----, 5/12, Illinois.
30. Anthony Walters, 12, Pennsylvania.
31. Phillip [Walters], 9, Pennsylvania.
32. Samuel McClure, 5, Illinois.
• John's family lived in a separate dwelling on the property of his grandfather Harmon Hillsberry. Isaac and Barbara could neither read nor write.
• The East Bend civil township was created from this survey township in 1860.
• Pera, also called Pera Station, was renamed Ludlow in 1867.

1870 U.S. Census, East Bend Twp., Champaign Co., Illinois; dwelling 61, family 61, lines 31-38, p. 118B (printed), p. 8 (written), 9 Jul 1870. (Post Office: Rantoul)
33. Painter, Isaac [head], 33, farming ($800; $300), Ohio.
34. ----- Ann, 40, keeping house, Penn.
35. ----- Jno., 10, at home, Ills.
36. ----- Alice, 7, at home, Ills.
37. ----- Isaac, 2. at home, Ills.
38. ----- Samuel, 14, Ills. [Samuel McLain, stepson]

John Painter appears to have been enumerated twice: on line 3 on the same page—

1870 U.S. Census, East Bend Twp., Champaign Co., Illinois; dwelling 55, family 55, lines 1-3, p. 118B (printed), p. 8 (written), 9 Jul 1870. (Post Office: Rantoul)
1. Wilson, J N, 30, farming ($1,600; $400), Indiana.
2. ----- Rusilla, 20, keeping h., Ills.
3. Painter J M, 11, at home, Ills.

1880 U.S. Census, E.D. 7, Condit Twp., Champaign Co., Illinois; dwelling 36, family 36, lines 36-41, p. 103B (printed), p. 4 (written), 2-3 Jun 1880.
36. Painter, Isaac [head], 43, farmer, born in Ohio; father in Virginia, mother in Penn.
37. ----- Barbara A., 55, wife, keeping house, born in Penn.; parents in Penn.
38. ----- John W., 20, son, farm laborer, born in Illinois; father in Ohio, mother in Penn.
39. ----- Isaac S., 12, son, born in Illinois; father in Ohio, mother in Penn.
40. M'Lean, Saml., 24, stepson, farm laborer, born in Illinois; father in Indiana, mother in Penn.
41. Hilberry, Barbara, 13, niece, born in Illinois; father in Penn., mother in Ohio.

* The marriage license return confirms that Charity Jane Painter was a daughter of George W. Painter and Louisa Stine, born in McLean Co., resident in Foosland, Champaign Co., Illinois, and would be 21 on her next birthday. John Wesley Painter, farmer, was a son of Isaac Painter and "Barbary" Ann Hill[...], born in Champaign Co., resident in Foosland, and would be 25 on his next birthday. ("Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X2GM-T6N : 4 November 2017), John Wesley Painter and Charity Jane Painter, 1884; citing Champaign, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 338,053.)

"John Painter sold his half of the threshing outfit to Charles Knell, of Fisher. The outfit now belongs to Painter & Knell." ("Condit," The Champaign Daily Gazette, Champaign, Illinois, 24 Mar 1896, p. 4.)

When Civil War veteran Anthony "Hillsboro" was admitted on 17 Feb 1900 to the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Danville, Illinois, he listed as his "Nearest Relative": "½ Bro / John Painter / Dewey / Ill"

1900 U.S. Census, E.D. 11, Condit Twp., Champaign Co., Illinois; dwelling 82, family 84, lines 14-19, p. 5 (printed), p. 5 (written), 13 Jun 1900.
14. Painter, John W., head, Mar 1860, 40, married 16 years; born in Illinois, father in Ohio, mother in Pennsylvania; farmer.
15. ----- Charity J., wife, Nov 1864, 35, married 16 years, 4 children (3 living); born in Illinois, father in Ohio, mother in Indiana.
16. ----- Ester L., daughter, Dec 1895, 4, Illinois.
17. ----- Nellie A., daughter, Jan 1898, 2, Illinois.
18. ----- Carl E., son, Jan 1900, 5/12, Illinois.
19. "Jessie B. adopted," daughter, Nov 1886, 13; born in Illinois, parents in Illinois.

"—John Painter and wife are happy over the arrival of a baby boy." (Dewey, The Champaign County News, Champaign, Illinois, 13 Feb 1903, p. 3.)

In 1906, John Painter was elected constable for Condit Twp., on the Republican ticket. ("Condit," The Champaign Daily News, Champaign, Illinois, 6 Apr 1905, p. 4.)

1910 U.S. Census, E.D. 17, Condit Twp., Champaign Co., Illinois; dwelling 199, family 199, lines 8-16, p. 247 (printed), p. 14A (written), 10 May 1910.
8. Painter, John W., head, 50, married 26 years; born in Illinois, father in Ohio, mother in Pennsylvania; farmer.
9. ----- Charity J., wife, 46, married 26 years, 6 children (living); born in Illinois, father in Ohio, mother in Illinois.
10. ----- Jessie B., daughter, 23; born in Illinois, parents in Illinois.
11. ----- Ester L., daughter, 15; born in Illinois, parents in Illinois.
12. ----- Nellie A., daughter, 12; born in Illinois, parents in Illinois.
13. ----- Carl E., son, 10; born in Illinois, parents in Illinois.
14. ----- Ada F., daughter, 9; born in Illinois, parents in Illinois.
15. ----- Mural R., son, 8; born in Illinois, parents in Illinois.
16. Bebout, Jesse, servant, 19, single; born in Indiana, parents in Indiana; farm laborer.

"The family of John Painter, residing on a farm near here [Dewey], is recovering from a severe attack of scarlet fever. The members of the family have not yet been relieved from the quarantine, however." ("Notes of Dewey," The Champaign Daily Gazette, Champaign, Illinois, 8 Nov 1912, p. 4.)

John Wesley Painter's maternal half-brother Philip H. Robinson died in 1918 in Oregon, leaving money to "my three brothers": Samuel McClain, John Painter, and Isaac Painter. (Anthony Hillsberry had passed away in 1902.)

"John W. Painter Is Dead at Dewey Home," The Weekly Pantagraph, Bloomington, Illinois, 30 Mar 1927, p. 2, col. 2.
• He was not born in Ford County.

Obit. also published in the Fisher Reporter, Fisher, Illinois, 30 Mar 1927, and in The Gibson City Courier, Gibson City, Illinois, 14 Apr 1927.

Research note

Champaign County, Illinois, newspapers from the late 1890s to the 1910s occasionally mentioned one John Painter or John Painter, Sr., who was John Wesley Painter's uncle

Reviewed 31 August 2023.