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EMMET FRANKLIN THROGMORTON. The most admirable feature of life in the United States is the possibility offered to all of its native born citizens without regard to wealth or inherited rank, to attain to any position, no matter how lofty. The most influential of our statesmen, the most successful of our manufacturers, merchants and bankers, in fact, our brilliant, conservative and intelligent men in the various professions and occupations, are largely self-made, and are justly proud of the fact that what they possess, in material wealth or public honor, has been earned through their own efforts. One of Johnson county's most progressive and enterprising young citizens, Emmet Franklin Throgmorton, at the time of whose election in 1906, at the age of twenty-four years, was the youngest county clerk in Illinois, is already widely known in the educational and political fields, and has placed himself in his present high position by the exercise of those inherent qualities which go to make for success.

Emmet Franklin Throgmorton was born near the old town of New Burnside, Johnson county, Illinois, December 17, 1882, and is a son of Josiah and Elizabeth (Reeves) Throgmorton. The Throgmorton family originated in Throgmorton street, London, England, and two members thereof came to the United States, founding the Throgmorton family and that of Morton. One settled in Pennsylvania, of whom the late Levi P. Morton, vice-president of the United States descended, while the other located in North Carolina and was the progenitor of the Johnson county Throgmortons. Josiah Throgmorton, the grandfather of Emmet F., was born in North Carolina, from whence he migrated to Tennessee and thence to the southeastern part of Johnson county during the Civil war, in which two of his sons, Pinckney and John, served valiantly. John was among the missing after the battle of Shiloh, and was probably killed in that engagement. Josiah Throgmorton was a Christian minister and established the Old Bethlehem Christian church, preaching in the various pioneer churches of Johnson county from the time of his arrival, and carrying on extensive farming operations. Re married Martha Pierce, of North Carolina, who later moved to Tennessee and thence to Johnson county, Illinois, and she died in Williamson county, in 1910, when ninety years of age, he having passed away in 1888.

Josiah Throgmorton, son of Josiah and father of Emmet Franklin, was born in Johnson county, Illinois, and was here married to Miss Elizabeth Reeves. She was born in 1854, in Marshall county, Kentucky, daughter of Abner Reeves, a native of Virginia, who migrated to Kentucky over the old Daniel Boone trail, fought during the Civil war in the Confederate army, and died from the effects of wounds directly after the war had closed. Mrs. Throgmorton came to Johnson county with her sister, Nancy Reeves, riding all the way from Marshall county on horseback. Josiah Throgmorton died in 1899, at the age of forty-four years, one of the best-known men of his community, and at the time of his death was serving in the office of county commissioner, a position which he had held for some years. He and his wife had eleven children, of whom nine are now living, as follows: Martha; Arthur, who is married and has two children; Emmet Franklin; Almus, who married Miss Hettie Snyder and has one child; and Walter, Nellie, Norris, May and Robert at home. Walter, Nellie, Norris and May are graduates of the Southern Illinois Normal School, and are now engaged in teaching school.

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Emmet Franklin Throgmorton remained on the home farm, and received his primary education in the public schools, completing his course in 1900. In the next year he entered the Southern Illinois Normal University at Carbondale, Illinois, pursuing a teacher's course, and for three years attended college in winters and taught school in summers, thus working his way through. He taught school during the winter of 1905-1906 and in the fall of the latter year was elected to the office of county clerk, received the re-election in the fall of 1910, and still holds that position. Mr. Throgmorton's rise has been remarkable for such a young man, but he is eminently fitted to discharge the duties of his office, and has the full confidence of the people of the county. He takes a deep interest in the cause of education, and all that tends towards the advancement of the moral, physical or material welfare of his community. Fraternally he is connected with Ozark Lodge of Odd Fellows, Romeo Tent No. 53, Knights of Pythias, Vienna Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter of Masons, and the Modern Woodmen of America, at Vienna.

In 1906 Emmet Franklin Throgmorton was united in marriage with Miss Leah Bass, who was born and reared in Johnson county, Illinois, a former teacher and daughter of A. H. and Jane (Albright) Bass, natives of North Carolina, who migrated to Tennessee and thence to Johnson county. Mr. and Mrs. Throgmorton have one son: Joseph. Mr. Throgmorton is one of the best-liked young county officials that this section has known, being popular with all classes, and he has already shown himself capable of advancing far in the field politic.

Arthur Throgmorton, brother of the county clerk, and now serving as deputy clerk, was born August 18, 1880, on his father's farm in Johnson county, and worked on his father's farm until twenty-one years of age, in the meantime securing a district school education. For five years thereafter he taught public schools in Johnson county, and spent five terms in the Southern Illinois Normal University. In April, 1906, he was appointed deputy county clerk, and again in 1910, and he still holds that office. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a consistent attendant of the Christian church of Vienna. He was married, May 16, 1907, to Miss May Murrie, daughter of William and Margaret (McFatridge) Murrie, members of one of Johnson county's oldest and most highly respected families, and two children have been born to this union: Robert, who is three years of age, and Marguerite, who is two. Like his brother, Mr. Throgmorton has numerous friends in Vienna, and he is known as a capable, hardworking and painstaking official.