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WILLIAM H. VAN DE WATER, Justice of the Peace, Fairfield, Ill & native of New York City, was born on the 25th of November, 1828.  When he was two years old, his parents, Joshua and Caroline Van De Water,  removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attained his manhood, meantime receiving a fair education in Woodward College.  Early in life, he engaged in the drug business in Cincinnati, remaining in that city until 1858, when he went to St. Louis, and, until 1860, was employed by different business firms as book keeper.  From 1862 to 1870, his time was variously spent with mining and merchandising on the Pacific Coast and merchandising in Missouri, losing in the latter place what he had accumulated in the former.  Since 1870, he has been a resident of Fairfield,  Ill., where for three years he served as Deputy Circuit Clerk, and is now serving his second term of office as Justice of the Peace.  He is a Democrat and a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance.  In addition to his official duties, he is selling the celebrated Mason & Hamlin organs, and also is agent for the Continental Insurance Company.   Mr.. Van De Water was married, October 20, 1857, in the city of  St. Louis, to Miss Annie E. Stuart.   She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 18,  1831, and died February 3, 1871,  leaving two children, Hattie E., wife of  B. Rider, of Fairfield (she was born in St. Louis August 25, 1858), and Walter A. Van De Water, born May 11, 1865.  The parents of  W. H. Van De Water were both natives of New York. The father died in Cincinnati in June, 1877, and the mother died in the same city July 19, 1883.  Their family of six children-, of whom William H is the oldest, are all living.