J. J. Pemberton, retired merchant, Oakland; one of the early pioneers of Coles Co.; born in Washington Co., Va., Dec. 5, 1814, where he attended school in winter, and assisted his father farming in summer, until 17 years of age, when he emigrated West and located in East Oakland Tp., Coles Co., Ill., in 1831, in which township he has since lived, for a period of nearly half a century; from 1831 to 1838, he was engaged in farming, when he removed to Oakland and engaged in hotel-keeping four years, at the expiration of which time he engaged in the general merchandise trade, at Oakland, which business he followed until 1875, when he retired from the above business, at which time he was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he now holds. He held the office of Postmaster at Oakland for several years; he was appointed assistant revenue officer for this district under the administration of President Lincoln, the position at the time being attended with much danger, from the feeling manifested in some localities to resist the execution of the law taxing incomes; his friends, who were numerous, often cautioned and tried to dissuade him from attempting to execute the law in localities where the worst element prevailed, but he knew no fear where duty called him, and performed the same fearlessly until the expiration of his term. He owns his residence, office and six acres of land in Oakland, with a large store, which is rented, also 500 acres of land under fence, and nearly all of which is under a high state of cultivation. His marriage with Clarinda Davis was celebrated April 8, 1838; she was born near Norfolk, Va., Jan. 9, 1816.
