Age 52 years 9 months 25 days

FULLERTON CEMETERY, located on the block surrounded by Promenade, Franklin, High, and Jefferson Streets, in Havana, Illinois. It is often referred to as Old Soldiers' Cemetery. Many stones are damaged or missing and a number of burials have been moved to Laurel Hill Cemetery.

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Biography:
Centennial History of Mason County
By Joseph Cochrane
Springfield, Ill., 1876

JAMES H. HOLE, Page 174

James H. Hole was born in Warren county, Ohio, in the year
1818. With his father's family he removed to Washington county, Indiana, in 1820; received a good common school education. When seventeen years old, and for several years after, taught the winter school in his neighborhood. In 1837 visited his mother's family, the Eddy's, at Lebanon, Ohio, and clerked in the store for them. In 1840 he was married to Mary D. Wible, by whom he had nine children, eight of whom are now living. In 1846 James H. Hole and family, Joseph E. Hole and wife, and Daniel P. Hole, moved into Salt Creek township, Mason county, Illinois. March 1, 1848, he moved to Havana, and started a store in connection with Abram Swing, since deceased, under the firm name of Holt & Swing. This business arrangement only continued a few months, when Mr. Hole sold out to Mr. Swing. Soon after this he was elected justice of the peace. While holding that office he was employed as salesman and book-keeper by Walker & Hancock, who were at this time the largest dealers in merchandise, grain, etc., in Mason county.

About the year 1851 he commenced business with his brother
Daniel P. This firm did a large business, both in grain and merchandise, for seven or eight years, and these brothers were connected in their business relations until the close of the war, in 1865.

In 1854 Mr. Hole was elected sheriff, which office he filled creditably. He was a candidate for a member of the constitutional convention of 1862, but was defeated. In 1862 he commenced buying corn for the government contractor. He continued in this business until the close of the war, in 1865, buying an immense amount of grain.

In 1865 he and his son Henry F. became connected in business, and in 1867 his son-in-law, Thomas Jones, was added to the firm. From 1867 to 1870 they carried on the merchandise, grain and milling business. In September, 1871, James H. Hole died, regretted by all good men who knew him. For more than twenty years he had been a leader in every public enterprise for the benefit of Mason county.

He was a director of the Illinois River Railroad Company (now P., P. and J.) while it was being built; was one of the board of directors that selected the beautiful site and built the old school house. His voice and means were always on the side of morals, education and advancement. He made the first republican speech ever made in Mason county. Gentlemanly, cordial and generous, he died poor. None of the vast amounts of money he had handled remained unto the end.

His widow, Mrs. Mary D. Hole, with the three youngest children, reside on a farm in Thayer county, Nebraska. The oldest son, Henry F. Hole, is a book-keeper at Fairbury, Nebraska. The oldest daughter, Mrs. M. Jones, wife of Thomas Jones, resides at Lincoln, Nebraska. The second daughter, Mrs. Pollie Keith, has just returned from Assam, India, with her husband, the Rev. Thos. J. Keith, where, for the past five years, they have been successful missionaries of the American Baptist Missionary Union. The third daughter is Mrs. Hattie Whitaker, wife of Capt. S.Whitaker, of Havana. The fourth daughter, Miss Clara, an accomplished teacher,has just finisher her second year as principal of the school at Belvidere,Nebraska.