JAMES M. ESTEP,farmer; P. O. Havana; was born in St. Clair Co., Ill., Dec. 14, 1819; in the spring of 1820, his father, James Estep, moved to the spot now occupied by Petersburg, Mennrd Co., and a year or two later, his grandfather, Elijah Estep, came there, and both made the necessary improvements to hold the land and enter claims when it should be put on the market by the Government, and effected their purchase in 1827; so that the father and grandfather were the first owners of nearly all the land on which Petersburg was built. Mr. James M. Estep holds land grants over the signature of J. Q. Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk and Z. Taylor. James Estep was born in North Carolina, Feb. 16, 1795, and died Feb. 5, 1857, in Crane Creek Township; he married Abigail Teter, of Virginia, Dee. 31, 1816; she was born Dec. 5, 1794, and died Feb. 9, 1855. James M. Estep's school advantages were little beyond what he taught himself; he has always followed farming, and purchased here in 1849; he married Mrs Maria F. Perkins, (Short) Feb. 14, 1858; she was born in Menard Co., Ill., June 12, 1835, and had two children by her first marriage:  Edgar, who died at the age of 10 years, James D., lives in Kilbourne Township; her father was born in January, 1805, in Kentucky; her mother in St. Clair Co., III., Dec. 28, 1808; her father died Nov. 27, 1846, in Government service in the Mexican war. Mr. and Mrs. Estep have had six children:  Sarah A., born Jan. 24, 1859 ; DillardM.. Se'pt 13, 1862, died July 29, 1863; Carrie E. and Cordie C., born May 16, 1865; Ella J., Feb. 25, 1868, and Ida L., Feb. 4, 1871; Sarah J. married H. B. Samuell and lives in Crane Creek Township. Mr. Estep owns now 570 acres of land.



Maintained by Mason County Coordinator Donna Mayer