“Job W Stocks, a retired farmer residing at 1048 West Decatur street in the city of Decatur, is numbered amongst the native sons of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Ross county, that state on the 28 March, 1860.  He is a son of George and Miriam (Epworth) Stocks and is of English decent.  His father was born in Berry Brow, England, and was a son of Benjamin and Mary Stocks.  Benjamin Stocks was a mechanic, and worked in the factories of England, never leaving his native land.  He and his wife were buried at the old home there.

George stocks was educated in the schools of England and as a young man, came to the new world, thinking to have better opportunities and find better privileges on this side of the Atlantic.  While making the voyage to this new world he met the lady whom he afterward married, the wedding ceremony being performed a short time after their arrival in the United States.  Both the Stocks and Epworth families went on to Ohio, where they made their first settlement in the southern part of the state, probably in Vinton county near the Ross county line.  George Stocks worked at odd jobs for a time and later became connected with the railway interests, becoming a practical civil engineer.  In England he was associated with old Jimmy Griffiths, prominent in English history, Mr. Stocks acting as one of his assistants.  For some time he worked as a civil engineer in railroad construction here but afterward purchased a farm in Vinton county, Ohio, clearing the land and preparing it for plow (plough).  He remained upon that place for about nine years and then sold the property, after which he came to Illinois.  In this state he first rented a farm of Robert Patterson, about six miles south of Decatur and near the village of Elwin.  He was there for six yeas after which he purchased a farm in Moultrie county and about a year later took up his abode at that place.  This has since been known as the old Stocks homestead and the father resided thereon until his death.  His remains were interred in the New Hope cemetery near Dalton City and in his passing the community mourned a representative and esteemed resident of the county.

Job W Stocks …. (see image) ”