Submitted by Bill Ledbetter
From The Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope and Hardin Counties Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representiative citizens. Evansville, Ind. : Unigraphic, 1975. Originally published: Chicago : Biographical Publication Co., 1893.
John T. Ledbetter is the son of D. J. Ledbetter, who was born in Hardin County November 10, 1815, and who was brought upon a farm which occupation he followed successfully all his life. He was united in marriage first to Rebecca Lane, of Tennessee, August 24, 1838, by whom he had eight children, for of whom are now living: Mary Ann, who is the wife of John Thornton; John T., Sidney, wife of J. A. Oxford; and D.J., Jr. He was married in1855 to his second wife, who was the widow of Ambissa Gustin, her maiden name having been Ellen Lyons. She Died May 9, 1883.
John T. Ledbetter was born in Hardin County June 7, 1845, and was reared on a farm. August 13, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Thirty-first Illinois Infantry, which regiment in 1863 was consolidated with the Twenty-ninth. He participated in several hard-fought battles, among which may be mentioned Haines' Bluff, Arkansas Post, Milliken's Bend, Vicksburg, Ft. Blakely, Spanish Fort and Woodville, Miss. He was mustered out at Springfield, Ill., November 6, 1865, and returned home with health impaired by his experience in the army. He then attended school for a time in order to obtain an education, which had been sadly neglected in his youth. He was married February 25, 1866 to Mary Lowery, a daughter of John Lowery, of Hardin County, and by this marriage he has nine children: John J., a lawyer; Rhoda C., wife of S.L. Jackson; Olla J., wife of C.W. Hess; Ida A., wife of William Sneed; Elsie, James A., William R., Q. A. and Herbert. The mother of these children died February 10, 1889, and on July 12, 1889, Mr. Ledbetter was married to Julia A. Foster, a daughter of Harris and Elizabeth Foster, and by this marriage he had one child, Henry. Mr. Ledbetter is a very prominent and influential man, and has served as sheriff of Hardin County for two years and as Assessor for one term, also served for one year as County Treasurer, two terms as Justice of the Peace, and his decisions were always sustained when carried up to a higher court. He is a member of Tadmore Lodge No. 754, A,F. & A.M., at Karber's Ridge, and also of the Grand Army of the Republic.
From Hardin County Illinois Newspaper Abstracts, 1871-1889,
Vol 1:
-Vol X Hardin Gazette Fri, Oct 29, 1880 No, 44: The three tickets:
Democratic: John T. Ledbetter, Sheriff.
Republican: blank
National Greenback Ticket: John T. Ledbetter, Sheriff.
-Vol X Hardin Gazette Nov 19, 1880 No, 47: "I wish to say
through the columns of the paper that I have heard that some people
are reporting through county that myself and John C. Ferrell were
interested in John Lowry, Jr., getting out of jail. I knew nothing
of the matter whatever until after it happened, and I have every
reason for believing that John C. Ferrell knew nothing of it.
All there is of it is simply that there is a large hole in the
side of the jail which the commissioners have failed to have closed
up, and the boy crawled out at it while the guards were at breakfast,
in open daylight, and escaped. I have done my whole duty by the
people of county and shall continue to the best of my ability,
to do same. I have had to do the accumulated dirty work of five
years, and incurred the ill-will of a great many for doing what
was my sworn duty. As to the boy I know nothing, but will pay
one hundred dollars for his return to me within ninety days of
this date."
From HARDIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS DEATHS 1884-1919 &
Pleasant Hill Church Notes,
page 56..
1 - 43 - 052 JOHN T LEDBETTER _____, 1896. Male. White. Married.
Age:
51y 5m 19d. Born: Illinois. Died: Nov. 26, 1896, Peters Creek.
CD:
Hypertrophy of Liver. Bur: Rock Creek. Untkr: W.H. McCLELLAN
- Phy: E.A.
FOWLER, E'town.