March, T. J., Sr.

The following data is extracted from Biographical Sketches, Coles County, Illinois - Charleston Township.

T. J. March, Sr., dealer in furniture, Charleston; was born in Baltimore, Md., March 22, 1807; he is the only son of John and Eliza March; losing his father in early childhood, he was very early in life thrown upon his own resources; at the age of 8 years, he was placed in a tailor shop, where he was put to ripping up old clothes, after which he worked successively for a tobacconist in stripping tobacco, in a chair-factory, learning to bottom chairs, and in a sieve-factory. In his 15th year, he began learning the house-joiner's trade, and on becoming of age, went to Philadelphia, where he followed his trade up to 1835, two years of which time he spent in the employ of Stephen Girard, and helped to build the large and elegant structures composing Girard's Square. He was married March 22, 1831, to Miss Rosina D. Creighton, a daughter of John and Margaret Creighton, of Philadelphia; she was born in that city November 1, 1810; they have had nine children, five of whom are living - Thomas J. (of Charleston), Lizzie I. (wife of J. M. Ashmore, of Charleston), George A. (of Downey, Los Angeles Co., Cal.), Robert A. (of Charleston) and Rosina D. (now Mrs. H. E. Brooks, of Charleston). On the 4th of July, 1835, Mr. March left Philadelphia and removed to Louisville, Ky., and in March, 1836, came to Coles Co.; he put up a rail cabin ten feet square in what is now Morgan Tp., and there lived with his family for three months, when they removed to Charleston; after following his trade of a house-joiner for a number of years; he engaged in cabinet-making and the undertaking business, and for the past fifteen years or more, has been in the furniture business. Mr. March built the first iron front store in Charleston on the east side of the square, in 1858; besides this, he has erected two other substantial brick buildings and three dwellings, not to mention the large number he has built for other parties; his enterprise has been rewarded with success, he having accumulated a comfortable property, owning nine buildings in the city, including the fine brick store in March's Block.

Source: Biographical Sketches, Coles County, Illinois - Charleston Township

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