****************************************************************************
File contributed to the McLean County ILGenWeb Project
Copyright 1999 to present, all rights reserved.

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format 
without the written consent of the author, ilmcleanvcc@gmail.com.

****************************************************************************

Source:
Encyclopedia of Illinois and McLean County History, 1908, pg 1205

Contributed by:  McLean Co. Coordinator, on July 6, 1999

****************************************************************************


CHARLES E. MOOTS Biography

Moots, Charles E - The Moots farm, in Section 18, Money Creek Township, is one of the best known properties in McLean County. 
Upon it are the improvements of two generations of the same family, and in times past, as in the present, some of the finest 
stock in Illinois has grazed upon its meadows, and grown to maturity surrounded by the best and most scientific of care and 
feeding. The present owner, Charles E Moots, was born where he now lives, November 11, 1863, and is the sone of Charles M and 
Adaline (Busick) Moots, natives of Ohio and McLean County, respectively. Charles M Moots spent his youth on the farm of his 
father, Charles, who also was born in Ohio, and at the age of eighteen years came alone to McLean County, where he worked at 
his trade of shoe making until he had acquired a start in life. Frugal and industrious, he soon was able to realize his ambitions 
as a land owner, and to purchase an eighty-acre tract upon which his son and namesake now lives. He was not the the kind of a man 
to remain at a stand-still, however, and he kept adding to his property until he owned 350 acres. He was one of the first farmers 
in the township to raise horses for the markets, and one of the first to import horses in McLean County. So successful was he in 
the latter capacity, that he gave up farming and located in Hudson in order to be in closer touch with the horse market. Three years 
later he moved to the family home in Normal, where he died August 18, 1903. For several years he lived a retired life, but was still 
a horseman at heart, having spent practically all of his active life in the company of these noble friends of man. Of the nine children 
born to Mr. and Mrs Moot, the following attained maturity: mary, wife of T C Jenkins, of Pana, Ill.; Frank, who lives in Bloomington, Ill.; 
Ida, wife of Wibur Rogers, of Lake Arthur, N.M.; chrles E., lives in Bloomington, Ill.; Lincoln, who died at the age of nine years; Bunn C., 
a farmer, Lake Arthur, N.M.; Warren, deceased; Bert, Denver Colo.; and Gertie, lives with Bunn. Since attaining his majority Charles E Moots 
has had charge of his father's old farm, and has improved it in accordance with his better educational and general advantages. It was his 
good fortune to step into a waiting opportunity, whereas his sire was obliged to make and use his own opportunity. He is possessed of an 
excellent common school education, and has acquired a broad general information through the application of later years. While engaging in 
general farming and stock-raising, he has followed the example of his father and made a specialty of horses, and exhibiting the same as 
prize winners at many local, county adn state fairs. He has a commodious and well furnished country home, made attractive with trees, flowers 
and shady walks as surroundings, and his barns and out-buildings are of strong and modern construction, or remodeled to answer the purposes 
of latter day country enterprise. Mr. Moots is a Republican in politics, and has held the office of Road Commissioner two years. Fraternally, 
he is connected with the Towands Lodge No. 837, A.F. & A.M.; and in religion he is a member of the United Brethren Church. The marriage of 
Mr. Moots and Rebecca Michaels occured September 10, 1885, Mrs. Moots being a daughter of Aaron and Martha (Blough) Michaels, the former of 
whom was born in Germany, and came to America at the age of nine years, settling in the state of Pennsylvania, where his wife was born. 
Mrs. Moots had twelve brothers and sisters, and she herself is the mother of six children: Florence, Herbert Spencer, Hazel, Edna, Fern 
and Frank Dow. In the community in which his entire life has been passed, Mr. Moots is regarded as an upright and industrious man, and 
one whose work and influence has tended to the agricultural, social, moral and religious development of the community.