# Zua Logan (1867-1940) ## Early Life and Family Background Zua Ella Lynn Logan was born on 9 June 1867 in Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois. She was the daughter of Samuel C. Logan and Elmyra Walker Conner, members of one of the early families rooted in Christian County during the post–Civil War period. Zua spent her entire life in Taylorville, reflecting strong local and family ties that were common among Midwestern families of the late nineteenth century. Census records place her in Christian County as a young child in 1870 and again in Taylorville by 1880, where she grew up during a period when the town was transitioning from a frontier settlement into a stable county seat. ## First Marriage and Children On 16 October 1884, at the age of seventeen, Zua married Edward F. Meader in Christian County, Illinois. This early marriage followed a common pattern for women of her generation. The couple had two children: • Samuel L. Meader • Eva Meader Little additional documentation survives regarding this marriage, but it clearly marked the beginning of Zua’s role as a mother at a young age. At some point prior to 1895, this marriage ended, likely through death or separation. ## Second Marriage to Truman Ellsworth Hobson In 1895, Zua married Truman Ellsworth Hobson, a prominent Taylorville resident who would later serve as Mayor of Taylorville. This marriage connected her to one of the town’s most visible civic families and marked a new chapter in her life. Together, Zua and Truman had two daughters: • Helen Hobson • Myra Elmyra Hobson Through this marriage, Zua was closely associated with Taylorville’s civic life during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, even as her primary role remained centered on home and family. ## Life in Taylorville Census records from 1900 through 1940 consistently show Zua living in Taylorville. Over four decades, she witnessed dramatic changes in the town, including industrial growth, the Progressive Era, World War I, and the onset of the Great Depression. Despite these changes, her life appears geographically stable. She remained rooted in the same community from birth until her death, raising children from two marriages and maintaining family continuity across generations. Her long residence suggests a steady household presence during a period when many Americans were increasingly mobile. ## Final Years and Death Zua Ella Lynn Logan died on 16 August 1940 in Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois, at the age of 73. She was buried in Taylorville, closing a life that had begun and ended in the same town. Her life reflects the experience of many Midwestern women of her era: early marriage, motherhood across blended families, deep community roots, and a lifelong connection to place. Through her children and grandchildren, Zua’s legacy continued well into the twentieth century, firmly woven into the history of Taylorville and Christian County.