Douglas County, Illinois - Biographical sketches, 1900 (part 4 of 5)

with his own individual traits, we may imderstand the life of Robert M. Black, who was the ninth in a family of thirteen children born to Andrew and Margaret (Lockridge) Black. Andrew Black and his family left their home in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and went to Greencastle. Indiana, in 1850. The life of Robert M. Black dates from December 13, 1845, to June 1 1, 1899, a period of fifty -three years of great activity and success. His Scotch blood, fired with the spirit of the Revolution, produced a fine type of American jjatriot and citizen. In his Ixiyhood days the future man already appeared. Obedient to parents, kind in disposition, solicitous about the welfare and happiness of his brothers and sisters, and loyal and unselfish toward his playmates, he early developed into a true man. who was willing and anxious to contril;)ute his part to the world's progress as a man and citizen. At the age of sixteen he enlisted in the Seventy-eighth Indiana Regiment and in his first battle, at Union City. Kentucky, was wounded in the knee in the midst of a display of uncommon bravery. Vet his l^raverv probably saved his life, since, while he was facing the enemy alone, his company being in full retreat, the rebel commander ordered his men "not to shoot so brave a boy." Thus early in life, under the most trying circumstances, appeared those sterling qualities which made him prominent throughout his entire life and endeared him with peculiar strength to his comrades, friends and acquaintances. The wound received shortly after his enlistment greatly hindered him the rest of his days, Init was borne with the same cheerful liravery with which it was received.

In 1873 he was married to Miss Mary Hutchings, who lived but two years afterward. In 1889 he married Miss Laura Moore, whom, with their four children, he left at his death well provided for. He was engaged in farming and stock business, which took him out over the country and into the neighboring states and caused him to handle a vast amount of money. His business brought him in contact with men, and, on accotmt of his fair dealings and sturdy sociability, he made many friends and exerted a great influence. He was interested in politics and was a stanch Republican. In religion he was a Presbyterian, was for many years a member of the church, and as a father carefully brought up his children. His religion was not too sacred to be used in everv-dav affairs and it was the real foundation of his many excellent qualities shown in touch with his fellow men. His loyalty to his frientls knew no bounds. Every true man found in him a worthy and constant companion, and friendships, formed upon manly qualities, were never broken. His large heart found pleasure in responding, in a substantial way. to the poor or tliose in temporary distress. To help others was a real pleasure to him, and being interested in those battling with adversity he was interested in all. He was progressive and public spirited, and in no sense lived for himself alone. Cheerfulness was his constant companion and it ne\er forsook him, although all others were gloomy. He had a source of radiance and sunshine that seemed denied to many of his fellows. Some four years before his demise he moved to this county on a large farm four miles north of Oakland City, and being a careful business man he made money and friends in his new home, and he and his family were soon holding a large place in the affections and good-will of the entire community. A communit}- ma_\- with pardonaljle pride record the name of so true ami noble-hearted a citizen in its ccuntv history.

C. D. Greve. one of the successful yoiuig business men of the county and the leading grain buyer at Garrett, was born one mile west of the village September 2"], 1868, and is a son of Thomas Gre\-e. wlio emigrated to this country from German}- at the age of twenty-

C. D. Greve was reared on a farm, and after leaving the common schools spent two years in the X'alparaiso (Indiana) .X'ormal. After leaving .school he engaged in the hardware and implement business and continued in the same for seven years. In 1898 and iSqc; he was elected assessor.

In .March. 1894. .Mr. Greve was married to Miss Katie h'rahm. a daughter of Jacob Frahm. 1 hey have four children : \'ictor, Hilda, Roy and Paulina. Mr. Greve is one of the charter members of the Knights of Pythias lodge that was recently organized at (iarrett. He ()wns nine acres of land in the corporate limits oi Garrett, and also a very fine home in the village, besides some other town property. He is

Isaac Skin.Vkr

Isaac Skinner was born in \ ermillion county. Indiana, January 5, 1829, and is a son of Joseph Skinner, win) was among the earliest settlers in the neighborhood of .\ewman. coming, in 1839, from X'ermillion county, Indiana, and settling along the timber a mile and a half southwest of where Xewman now is. There were no schools in the \'icinily when he lirsl came to the county, lie worked for his father rmtil of age and then engaged in farming on rented land. In about 1853 he had sa\'ed money enough to enter one hundred and sixty acres of land. His mother, whose maiden

His fatlier, Joseph, was born in Mame. His grandmother, Sarah Gaston, was Ijorn on tlie St. Lawrence river, while her parents were held captives by the Indians.

Isaac Skinner was reared on a farm and received the limited school advantages that were common in that day. He was first a Whig and since the birth of the Republican ])arty has been identified with that organization. He has been three times married. First, in February, 1859. he married Miss Mahala Drake, who died in 1865. His second wife was Mrs. Mary Hill, whose maiden name was Lewis ; her death occurred in 1869. His third wife was Mrs. Catherine Barnes, whose maiden name was Bell. He has five children, one, Robert, Ixirn of the first union, and four, Katie, Margaret, Elvin and Arthur, by the last marriage. Mr. Skinner owns three hundred and twenty acres of land adjoining the city of Newman, and has aljout retired from acti\-e Ijusiness pursuits. He joined the INIethodist church in 1858. As a christian gentleman and public-spirited citizen, Mr. Skinner has an enxiablc record, one upon which he and his friends can Imik with ])ri(le and satisfaction.

Alexander Hance

Alexander Hance, who is one of the ideal farmers of Douglas county, came to Newman township in 1871 and engaged as an ordinary farm hand, at which he continued for some seven or eight years. His career is a fine example of what a man can do witli a determined liurjiose in life. From the ordinary walks of

Mr. Hance was Ijorn in Washington county, Tennessee, February 19, 1850, and there he remained until he came to Douglas county. He purchased his first land of three hundred and twenty acres in 1S81), paying thirty dollars per acre for it, and has since added one hundred and sixtv acres. He is a son of Mordecai and

Millie (Lackey) Hance, who were born respectively in North Carolina and east Tennessee. His father, who resided at Tompkinsville, Kentucky, \-olunleered in 1861 in the Ninth Kentucky Ca\-a1r_\', and remained out until the close of the war. He was with Sherman mostly, and was with him from Atlanta to the sea. He was a son of Samuel Hance, who was liorn in England, .\lexander Lackey was Mr. Hance's maternal grandfather. Alexander Hance carries on farming on a very extensive scale and feeds regularly about one or two hundred head of cattle.

to Miss Xaiicv, a (laui^liter nf Joliii 11. Biggs, wiio came to north Xcwman townshi]) from Edgar county in about 1855. His wife died in 1895. To tliem were horn seven children : Burnette. Kdherl. M\rtle, jay and Joseph, living; and Glenn .and an infant, deceased. His second and present wife was Miss Generva, a daughter of W. H. llolton. of near Jefifer.sonville. Indiana. Two children have blessed this union: Lcim and Leonard. Mr. Hance has served as commissioner nf highways and has been a ruling elder of the Cumberland Presb.yterian church, at Fairtield. since 1872.

Joseph Ast-Iurst

Joseph Ashurst. prnicipal and superintendent of the Camargo public schools and present nominee of the DemcK-ratic i)arty for the office of countv superintendent of schools, has been a leading educator in the county for several years. He was bi)rn in Somerset. Pulaski conn ty. Kentucky, .\pril 16. 1872. and is a son of Henry Clay and Elizabeth (Thurman) .Ashurst. wlio were both born in Pulaski county, Kentucky. His grandfathers, Henry Ashurst and Joseph Thurman, were natives of Virginia and early settlers in Pulaski county, where they were engaged in agricultural i)ursuits. His father, Henry C. Ashurst, was one time sheriff nf his native county.

Joseph .\shnrst altcndc<l the common school and afterward the high school, and is largely self educated. In Douglas county he stands at the very front rank as a successful educator and teaches in his schools at Camargo. beside the common branches, botany, philoso])hy, zoologv and algel)ra. Prior tn his coming to Camargo, which was in .September, 1899. he resided at .\rtlun", where he located in 1890 and taught school in the country and subsequently was grammar teacher in the Arthur schools, which positif)n he resigned to accc])t his present one. In i8<_)4 he was united in marriage to Miss Lucv B., a daughter of Ilenrv C. Wood.

a retired fanucr, of .\rthnr, but formerly of Moultrie county. Mr. Wood was born near N'incennes, Indiana, in 1845. and is a son ni FAi Wood, who was an early settler in Knox county, migrating from North Carolina. He was a soldier in Coiupany F, Eighteenth Infantrv, and served until the clnse <if the war. His wife was Miss .\nn .Shultz, of Piatt county.

party to make tlie race for county superintendent in the next election, and it is conceded that he lias most excellent chances of heing elected. He owns eighty-five acres of land just south of Areola; is a memher of the Masonic an<l Odd Fellows fraternities and of the Woodmen. He has heen retained in the Camargo schools for another year at quite a good increase in salary, therehy showing to the people of Camargo and Douglas county that his work is appreciated. Although the majority in the fall election is against him he has a hetter show for election than any other candidate that the Democratic party has put out in several yjars.

George H. Moser

90. He immediately entered upon the practice of his profession at Belleville, Illinois, where he remained in active practice for two years. Then he romn-ed to Bond county, where he v;as located until 1895, when, on the 12th of October, in the same year, he came to Areola. He came here with a fixed purpose of making Areola and vicinity his field of work, and time has proven that he has made no mistake in his location. He almost immediately got into a ]iaying practice, and within the last year he has all the business that he could ])ossibly attend to. Dr. Closer is a splendid judge of human nature, a close obserx'er and skilled in the diagnosis of his patients. Affable and approachable, he has within a very short time made a host of substantial friends. On December 10, 1881, he was united in marriage and lias three children: Lola, \'iola and Mattie.

George H. Moser, a well known and successful homeopathic physician of Areola, was born in Auburn, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1859. and is the son of John Moser, a native of the same state. His mother was Alvinia Hellig, who was a descendant of Quaker ancestry. The Moser family are descendants of the Dutch, whose lineage is traced back by some of the memljers to Daniel Moser, who made his settlement in Pennsylvania in the year 1799.

Doctor Moser came west and early in life turned his attention to the study of medicine. After a thorough preparation lie entered the Homeo])athic Medical College of Missouri, at St. Louis, which is one of the leading medical institutions of the west, and was graduated with distinguished honors in the class of 1889-

J. A. McGown, a most successful business man and a typical farmer residing in Newman township, was born in Edgar county. Illinois, March 30, 1832, and is a son of John and Olive Blackman, who were natives of Kentucky and New York respecti\-ely. His father emigrated to Edgar coimty, where he resided up to his death, which occurred .\pril 18, 1882. His mother died in 1892.

J. .-\. McGown was reared to manhood on a farm in his native county and in about 1875 located in Newman townshi]i, where he now resides. He owns four hundred am! seventy two acres of liighly cultivated land and one of tj-.e most magnificent residences in the county. He farms tni business principles and has made himself independent in a financial way by his careful and methodical way of doing things. On November 22, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Martha C. Todd, and to then marriage have been born five children: Florence, Olive, Grace, .\rthur and Anne.

Our subject has held the office of road commissioner for nine years, and twenty-one years out of the twenty-five he has resided in Newman township he has been school director and is greatly interested in the success of education. Jn 1898 he built his new house. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Ortlcr of Wiiddmen.

Within the past two years Tuscola has lost many of its oldest and most prominent citizens by death, but in the list none ha\e been more sadly missed or sincerely mourned than our subject, John M. Madison, whose death occurred Monday, July 13, 1896. He was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, May 6, 1823, and was at the time of his death in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He belonged to a family of ten children: one bruthcr and two sisters are still living : H. B. Madison, Tuscola; Mrs. Harriet Parrish, of Cynthiana, Kentucky; and Mrs. Parmelia Carter, of Washington.

and noble woman, who preceded him to the grave only a few years. To them were born Harry, Robert antl l"'aimie, all of whom reside in Tuscola, the two former composing the large clothing house of Harry Madison & Company, hi 1854 Mr. and Mrs. Madison came to Charleston, Illinois, where he opened up a store, and in i860 they removed to Tuscola, where Mr. Madison engaged in the mercantile business, which he continued up to within two years of his death. For many years he conducted the leading general store in Tuscola and by his honesty and straightforward dealing w'ith his fellow men prospered in a gratifying maimer. 1 le was a man of unquestioned character and ])osscsscd the fullest confidence of all of our people, lie and his wife sjjent the later years of their lives with their daughter, Mrs. Fannie LiMise, who made it the ])in-[)ose of her life to care for them and make their last days pleasant, granting their every wish.

Owen E. Jones

Owen E. Jones, one of the leading merchants of Murdock since 1893, and the second son of Abram Jones, was born in Murd(jck townshi]). January 31, 1862. After leaving, the common schools, he took a course at the commercial college at Terre Haute in 1897. In 1899 Mr. Jones took in as a partner Percy Welliver, and the firm is doing a thriving business.

Jones is a member of the Modern Woodmen; l-:e and liis wife are memloers of the Methodist church ; lie is classed as one of the progressive and successful business men of the county.

\Villiam Jones, eldest son of Abram, and a well-known grain buyer and hotel keeper of Mnrdock, was born in Newman township,, this county, April 4, 1858, and was reared on the farm one and one-half miles from Murdock. His education was received in the i;eighborhood schools, and at the age of twenty- <jne started in merchandising at Hume, where he continued to do business for three years. In 1882 he engaged in the same line of Inisiness at Murdoch, and remained there until 1889. In the latter year he, with Jnhu W. Burgett, of Sargent township, formed a partnership in buying grain at Murdock. They continued to do business for two years, when the firm was succeeded by Fred I. Rush & Co., of Indianapolis, Mr. Jones acting as the buyer. He buys about three hundred thousand bushels of grain annually, which is purchased principally from Murdock township farmers. In October, 1899, he took charge of the Jones House, which was previously managed by his father, Abram Jones.

In 1880 Mr. Jones was wedded to Miss Victoria Dever, of Clark county, Illinois. They have two children, Asher C. and Nellie B. From 1893 to 1898 he served as postmaster at Murdock, and is now serving his twelfth year as justice of the peace. He is a memlser of the Modern Woodmen, and himself and wife are members of the Methodist church. He is one of the substantial citizens who has done well his part to add stability to to the business and social life of Murdock.

Abram Jones, father of William W. and Owen E., was one of tiie early settlers of what is now Douglas county. He came in the fall of 1853 and located on a farm southeast of Tuscola, where he resided with his cousin, Owen Jones, until his marriage in 1855. He married Miss Elizabeth Eagler, of Macksburg, Ohio. In 1857 he became a tenant farmer in what was then called Coles countv, and in

1863 moved to what is now known as Murdock township, Douglas county, where he has lived since and become the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he has only recently sold and retired from active business. He was born October 16, 1826, in Monroe county, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel Jones. His grandfather, Ephraim Jones, was born in Wales, and his maternal grandfather, Patrick Hamilton, was born in Ireland.

To Mr. and Mrs. Aljram Jones were also born four daughters. ( i ) Anna Belle was born September 5, 1856, and became the wife of Hugh M. Wilson. To them were born two children, mie of whom died in infancy; and Mar\in A. Mrs. Wilson died jnne 26. 1898. (2).Mar\ 1 '"ranees was horn .Xoveniher 4, i860, and died Jannary j. i8()i. (3) Carrie was horn Noveni1)er 6, i8()4, and on March ly, 1885. became the wife of Samuel Baxter. Their children were .Samuel II. and (lertrude. ^4) l,ulie iowen was l)i>rn September _'3, 18(17, and on ."^einemher 4, 1895, married J(jhn llorne. The death of .Mrs. .\bram Jones occurred July 8. 1893.

Captain David I'.ailey, of Tuscola, one of the l)est and most favorably known citizens of the couiitv. was born in l-^dgar county. December 24. 1845, and was reared on the farm and received his education in the Westiiekl College. For some years he resided on his farm of 320 acres in Murdock township. In May. 1887, with his family, he removed from his f.arm to Tuscola, where he resides in one of the tieautiful homes for which this place is ntited.

In 1870 he married Miss Eiizaljeth Cal- Jioun, w ho is a most estimable woman. '1 hey have two children, Gertrude and Edward. Captain liailcy is a Knight Templar in .Masonry, and is of easy and pleasing address, very approachable and a genial companion. He is a son of David Bailey, who was born in Salem, Rockingham county. New Hampshire, .Au.gust 2, 1814, of [xjor but honest ]>arents. his Lather ijeing a farmer and shoemaker, to which business most of the bovs in that section ot the countr\' were brought u|). There were nine children in this New England home, three boys and si.x girls, and the story of their early life is only that which has been written of so many others, of hard work and of a few months only at the district school during the winter season. David P)aile_\- had no further opportunity for scholastic training. Indeed, while yet imder twelve years of age he wns put (Hit to work. After siiending a number of years on the farm .Mr. llailey found an opp(,rlunity to enter a clerkship at 1 la\erhill. Massachusetts, but did not long remain there on account of poor health. He soon drifted into Boston, or rather to Charlestown, where he for a time held a clerkship in the stale penitentiarv. Late m the '30s he tlecided to follow the star of emiiire, and came west as far as Danvdle, lihnois, entering a general store, and it was while there that he first met Miss Hannah .\. I'lnley. to whom he was married bebruarv 9, 1841. ()i tliis union were born li\e children: three sons, Etlward, president of the Champaign National Bank, of that city; David, of Tuscola, and Ozias, of Texas, who sur\i\e their father; and iwo daughters, Abiah, wiio died 111 childhood, and bue Bailey Slayueii, who dieil some years ago in W aco, Te.xas.

After siiendiug some time working in Danville, Mr. Bailey went to Bloomlield, Edgar County, walking all the way becuise he had iiol the means to jia}' coach fare, that being the only mode of tra\el in those days, i here lie took a position on a salary. Later, with his brotiier Ozias, who had recently c<ime west with a fewdollars saved, he formed a iiartnership, under the tirm name of (). & D. Bailey, .and the liailey peddler w.agoiis became well known all oxer the country between the Wabash and Sangamon rivers. The brothers also operated a pork packing estabhshnient at Chnton. Indiana, on the Wabash, shipping their product by tlat-boat to New Orleans.

About 1855 Mr. Bailey moved to Monticello, thence, after a short sojourn, to Urbana, and in March, 1856, he removed to Champaign, where for a number of years he successfully conducted a dry goods business in the location where now stands the Metropolitan block, occupied by F. K. Robeson & Brother.

Aside from this Mr. Bailey was one of the original shareholders and directors of the First National Bank, and it was largely through his efforts that the charter was secured. The names appearing with his in the original articles of incorporation were James S. Wright, John F. Thomas, William M. Way, Hamilton Jefferson, B. F. Harris, John S. Beasley, Daniel Gardner, William C. Barrett, Simon H. Busey, S. P. Percival, John G. Clark and A. E. Harmon. Mr. Bailey disposed of his holdings in this institution sume time during the "70s. In 1882 he became one of the charter members of the Champaign National Bank, in which his holdings were always considerable and in which he had been a director continuously since its organization. During Mr. Bailey's residence in this city he was several times elected to the board of supervisors, and also served one term as school trustee. He was a public-spirited citizen, contribiUing liberally, yet wisely, to every worthy enterprise, whether secular or religious. His givings were never ostentatious, but it may be said in passing that among his gifts are numbered the lot occupied by the Baptist parsonage, he being a member of that society, and the valuable ground now occupied by the city building.

Mr. Bailey gave up his residence in Champaign about 1877, traveling for a season, and finally locating in St. Joseph, Missouri, where he remained until after the death of his wife, in 1879. He then lived for a time in New York City, and finally returned to his boyhood home in New Hampshire where he resided most of the time until his death, visiting his old home and friends in Champaign frequently. March 22, 1882, he married Miss Harriet Hascltine, of Methune, Massachusetts, and only two weeks afterward followed her remains to the cemetery. He was again married, on No\cnii)cr I, 1886, at Salem, New Hampshnc, to Mrs. Mary B. Ewins, who survives him. .She has often visited here with him and has made many warm friends, whose sincere sympathy attends her in this bereavement.

Mr. Bailey's new home in Champaign, built on the site of the old family residence, had just been completed and occupied by him, and it was his intention had he lived to spend the closing days of his life amid the scenes of his greatest successful activity. Mr. Bailey was a man of magnificent physical presence and it may be truly said that he carried within his breast a soul worthy so splendid a habitation. He sought no man's praise, satisfied to ha\'e the approval of his own conscience, and he was unmovable in his adherence to justice and right. Once his duty was made plain nothing could swerve him from it. Yet under a stern exterior beat a great, big, kind heart, as those who knew him can best testify. He was a manly man, and that means much. His character, devcl oped in the pioneer days, may not have take i oil tlie L^tlictic tinish of these lalcr times, 1)ut lather, S:mniel, was a native uf l^ancaster, wh.al it lacked in pi ihsli it made up in strength 1 eiinsylvania, and was ni Dutch ancestry. and integrity. The life and lahors of such as .\dani JMdler (great-grandfather), wlm came

During tlie war of the Rebellion David r.ailey. Jr., enlisted as a member of the Sixtyseventh Illinois Infantry, and at the close of his tlu-ee months' term of enlistment returned iiome and in 1864 enlisted in the One Hundred and Tiiirty-lifth lllini)is Infanlrv. scr\ing until the close of the war.

(3ur sul)ject"s grandfather, Samuel b^idler, fought in the war of 181 J, and his great-grandfather. .\dam, in the war of the Revolution. Samuel Mcller was a brick plasterer aud ccmti'actur by trade, and was married tu a dauidi ler i)f Valentine .Sbdwahcr. wlm was buru in J 'ennsvb aiiia ami was descended I rum deriiiau ancestry.

Lc\i l''idler was reared t^ ni;inlii>< nl in Lebanon cuunty, I'emisylvauia, until be became of age, when, in 1840, he emigrated west and settled in Union county, Indiana, and in 1 86 1 located in what is now Newman township, Douglas county. He leartied the car- ])cntering business, at which he was engaged up to 1861. when he bought what is now known as the Thomas H, Smith farm, one of tlie finest in the county. He kept tliis farm until 1SS5, when he sdid it. In 1842 Levi Fidler wedded Mary Ann Hessler, a native of Bourljon township and a daugiiter of John and Mary (Thomas) Hessler, who were formerly of Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Fidler were horn the following children: John, Matilda, William J., Joseph S., Dan G., George VV., Smith T., LaFayette, Sarah C, Levy Eddy and Albert F., the subject of this sketch. John S., William J. and Daniel G. served in the Civil war.

Albert F. Fidler has made it a rule in his life to do what he does well. Commencing life with comparatively nothing, but with a willing mind and heart, he has attained a degree of success in life far above the average. He is yet a comparatively young man, and bis farm of two hundred and forty acres is one of the most productive and successfully managed in Douglas county. In 1883 he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Lewis, of Newman, Illinois, to whom be is iiiucb de\-oted and who has been a true and devoted wife to him. They have the following children : Mona and Wayne.

James H. Wright

James H. Wright, one of the oldest grain buyers in the county, residing at Arthur, was born near the town of Poland, Trumbull (now Mahoning) county, Ohio, February 6, 1827, and is a son of James and Mary (Kidd) Wright, who were born near Poland, Trumbull (now

Rev. James Wright (father) received his education for the Presbyterian ministry at the Canonsburg College, and spent most of his life in preaching the gospel, iirst at Poland, and later at Westfield, Pennsylvania. He died in 1843 'It the age of fifty-nine years. His father was Alexander Wright, who was an early settler from the north of Ireland, to Washington county. He married a Scotch girl Ijy the name of Esther Silcox. Robert Kidd ( grandfather) was also a native of Ireland, was an early settler in Trumbull county, Ohio, and in religious affairs he was known as a Seceder in that day, now known as a Lhiited Presljyterian.

James H. Wi'igbt was reared in his native county, and in Pennsylvania, receiving the advantages of an ordinary education. In 1857 he came west and located at Areola, which at that time contained but three houses, and was for several years engaged in farming in that vicinity. In 1873 he commenced buying grain at Ilindsboro, where he continued successfully in business until 1886, when he removed to Arthur, where he has since resided, engaged in buying grain for the firm of Bartlett, Kuhn & Co.

In 1848 Mr. Wright was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Rogers, who was a daughter of Samuel and Sarah Wangh Rogers. She was Iiorn in New Bedford, Pennsylvania. They have seven children : William, who resides in Cairo; Sadie; Frank E., who lives in Arthur, engaged in the lumber business; Samuel R., a farmer in South Dakota; John M., engineer of his father's grain elevator; Nettie, wife of G. H. Damron, of Areola; and A. K. resides ill Siiringfield. llliiinis. Mr. W rij^ht has been an Odd Fellow since 1852, and has served as president of the town hoard of Arthur. James H. Wright has ])assed the allotted three-score and ten years of man, hut. nwing to his ahstemious habits and good constitution, he still enjoys good health, and it is hoped that he will live for many years to continue the good which has been characteristic of his life.

Charles W. Wilson, editor and ])roprietor of the Tuscola l\c\ic\\ . was born fourteen miles west of Plainlield. Indiana. I'^ebruary 15, 1856. and in 1865 located in Tuscola. He attended school more or less up until fourteen years of age. In 1872 he entered the office of the Tuscola True Re]mblican as office boy. The pa])er was owned bv Charles Smith and was Democratic in ])olitics. Later he entered the office of the Tuscola Cazette. which was edited In' Hon. Leander B. Lester, now of Washington. Mr. Wilson remained here about one year when he went to the Review, then owned and edited by Con\erse & Park, who founded the paper July 23.1875. In 1S76 he went on the printing force where he remained for some years. Converses Park were succeeded by the well-known writer. Col. Phecian. who was the editor for six months; the latter was known as one of the wittiest writers the newspaper fraternity afforded. During this time he wrote a great deal for the Inter-Ocean, which kept him away a great deal, and this forceil Mr. Wilson to take charge of the ediloi'ial tripod. Howard was succeeded by Major Asa Miller, who managed the ]ia])er u]) to December, i8(;_', when he sold out to Charles W. Wilson, who reconstructetl the plant throughout buying new m:ichinerv. and to-day issues e\ery b"ri(lay one of the newsiest, wittiest and cleanest county news]«ipers ])ul)lished east. west, north or south. Mr. \\i]- son has a paid circulation of three thousand and there is little doubt but what his paper is read by tweh-e thousand people every week. His career as a newspaper man has been remarkal)le: commencing as the "editor's devil." he has become recognized as an alile writer and all-round newspaper man. Within a year after be became proprietor the circulationof thepaper became double. As to the newspaper historv of Tuscola, college bred men have come and gone, wlio were writers on different pa])ers of the city, but Mr. Wilson, who has educated himself, remains, and it is a fact that might be mentioned, that his i)a])er. while Deinocratic, is ])opular among the Republicans.

Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Christina Cosier, a daughter of the late Isaac Cosier, who was for t\venty years president of the Douglas Countv Fair.

Emmor W. Jeffers

Emmor W. Jeft'ers. the ])resent circuit clerk of Douglas couniy, who has occupied' that office since February 3, 1899. was born in Pike county, Illinois, November 19. 1861. He is a son of John C. and Elizabeth ( Mc- Kinney) Jeffers, both natives of Ohio, who re- moved to Douglas county and settled in Camargo township about 1864. His mother died in December, iS(;3, while his father resides in Blooniington, Illinois. (For further ancestry of the Jeffers family see sketch of George C. Jeffers, of Camargo). James McKinney, our subject's maternal grandfather, was a native of Ohio.

In 1889 E. W. JefTers w'as married to Miss Carrie F. Hill, a daughter of Thomas W. and Rebecca ( Underwood ) Hill, and as a result of this union they ha\e two children ; Villa and Beuiah.

Since 1890 Mr. Jeffers has been secretary and keeper of records and seal of the Knights of Pythias lodge of Tuscola, and is also prominent in se\'eral other fraternal orders. He was nominated without opposition at the RepvfUlican primaries held March 24, 1900, for the same office he now occupies.

Jeffers as their candidate for the office of circuit clerk the Republican representatives in con- \ention lia\e voiced the sentiment ef the people. Mr. Jeffers is of that class of young Republicans who are enthusiastic in their support of their party, and while in the office with the late ]\Iajor Daniel A. Conover as deput)', he became thoroughly familiar with every detail of the work and is in every way particularly qualified to fill the position with credit to himself and party besides giving the people entire satisfaction.

"He is a native of this grand state, having been born in Pike county on the 19th day of November, 1861, and about 1864 he came to this county with his parents and was employed on his father's farm until he reached his majority when he started out for himself, working by the month for two years for Nicholas Cooley, after which he secured a business education, attending nights at the Terre Haute Business College. He graduated from that institution and went to Blofimington, Illinois, where he secured a good position in a grocery store where he was employed nearly two years, when he came to '1 uscola and accepted a similar position with Joseph J. Knox, formerly of this city, who was succeeded by F. M. Wardall & Co. He remained with this firm until he opened up a grocery Inisiness in company with J. F. Kerker in the building on Sale street, now occupied by T. J. McKee. On account of failing health he was compelled to give up the store and enter the real estate business, which he followed with success until January i, 1897, w-hen he was appointed deputy circuit clerk by the late Major Daniel A. Conover, which position he filled with credit and honor.

"Upon tlie death of Mr. Coiiover he was appoiiiied prolcinpore circuit clerk hy the judges of this district, and lie will certainlv l)e elected to succeed himself, and fill out the luiexpired lerui of the late lamented .Major Conover."

\V. L. Watson was horn in Xerniilion county, Illinois, on the 22d of December, 1837. His father was William D. Watson, in his early Hfe an itinerant Methodist preacher who traveled extensively through Indiana, having been Ijorn in the neighborhood of \'incennes, and in Fountain county, vi that state, married Mary Low. Mis health finally failed him, and coming to Illinois, he located above (korgetown in Verniilimi county. Williani Watson, the grandfather, \\as burn in Kentucky, and when a young Jiian settled in the \iciiiity of Vincennes, Indiana.

W. L. was the oldest son and second child f)f the i'auiily. His father came to Douglas county, then Ciles, in iS.V). and located first on Brushy hdrk. a short distance west of Newman. .\fler a residence here of a year or two he moved to Camargo, and afterwartl to section 35, in iciwnsliip \<). range ij, where he resided till his death, which oci'urred in October, 1858. His wife survived him till .\pril, 1866. They had nine children. W. L. Watson was between four and five years old w hen his father located southeast of Camargo. At this latter place he mainly received his education, partly under the instruction of his father, who taught school at Camargo and was one of his first teachers.

'I'bc old log school house stond .-iliDUt one hundred vards north of .\lonzo Lion's st(jre, on the road leading north from Camargo. In the winter of 1S49-50, ;niil also 1853-54, he attended the Georgetown Academy, in Vermilion countv, then lia\ing the best reputation of any school of learning in this part of the state. At the death of his father in 1858, Mr. Watson, as the oldest son, took charge of the farm and managed it in the interests of the faniil)' till 1862.

The war of the Rebellion at this time had l)roken out, and in Feliruary, 1862, Mr. W'atson \'olunteered. He preferred the caxalry ser\'ice and being unable to enlist in an Illinois ca\alry regiment, he went to St. Louis and enlisted in the Fifth Missouri Cavalry for three years. He was with the Fifth Missouri two years and a half, during which time he was mostly in the sonlhei'n part of Missouri. In .\ugust, 1864, he re-enlisted in the Thirteenth Misseniri Cavalry, and served to January, 1866. He was a non-commissioned officer. At the close of the war his rcginieiiL was sent out on the ])lains to fight the Indians. While in Missoui-i he was in the campaign against Price, and in the battles of Independence and Fort .Scott. .\fter receiving his discharge in January. 1866, he came home and commenced farming on the did boineslcad.

Jofin C. Hostetler

John C. Hostetler. who is engaged in the agricultural implement business, including buggies and wagons, and recently elected alderman from the third ward in Tuscola, was horn in Douglas county, August 27, 1866, and is a son of D. C. and L. M. Hostetler, natives of Indiana. The father settled in Bowdre township some time in the 'fifties, and died in Tuscola, in 1895. in the sixtyfourth year of his age. His mother is still living. Mr. Hostetler was married in 1889 to Miss Laura A., daughter of H. C. Jones, whose sketch is found on another page. They have one child, Leon.

Mr. Hostetler operated a planing and repair shop previous to entering into his jtresent husiness, which he sold out in 1896. He was a meniher of the Masonic fraternity and the Order of Retl Men, and is one of the popular and promising yijung business men of Tuscola.

John L. Goff

John L. Goff served as sheriff of Douglas county from 1887 to 1891, and at the time of his death, in 1892, he hekl the office of supervisor. Me was married to Miss Josie R. Rice, a daughter oi Martin Rice, deceased, of Camargo (see sketch). Mrs. (joff owns a half section of land, part of which is in Camargo and a [tart in Tuscola townships. She resides in Tuscola.

in Areola township, was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, April 13, 1856, and is a son of Michael Craddick and Catherine (Welch) Craddick, who were natives of Ireland. His father emigrated froin Kentucky to Areola township 1869 and died in 1890. His mother dietl in 1896, and they are both burjed in the Areola cemetery. Mr. Craddick's farm contains one hundred and fourteen acres of land. He has never been married. Socially he is very popular and in business one of the substantial men of the township.

ti\it\' in iS_:54;ui(l emij^ralod to NtTinil^nn county, Illinois, and there leiiiained until 1S44. when he came into the secti(Mi of country which is now I )(inolas conntv and ininiediatelv began the ini|)ro\cnicnl of a farm.

lie married Miss i'liiza !'. Sarijent. a native of Illinois. To tills union were horn eleven children, six of \vhnm are li\in<;', two sons and four (laughters.

The county of Douglas, hy the death of Mr. Henson. lost one of its most jjroniincnt citizens and honorable men. Politically he was a Democrat. He was a Mason, a pioneer of the county, and a man ])os.sessing a .si)irit of charity and enterprise. His death occurred May 9, 1881, at his residence near Camargo, Illinois.

Frank A\'. Hammett, cashier of the First National Bank of Tuscola, and one of the cf)unty"s young men of recognized .ihility, was horn on a farm in ("amargo township, Douglas county, Illinois, February i_>. 1S62. (See sketch of his father, James R. Hammett.) Mr. IL'unmett grew to manhood on his father's farm and was principally educated in the University of Illinois. Vi r some years after leaving college he was engaged in the manufacture of tiling at Camargo and Long \'iew. In March, 1891. he accepted the position of bookkeeper in the I'irst National i'.ink of Tuscola, and was promoted to cashier of the same bank in Augu.st, 1898.

a nicnibcr of one of the oldest and most i)roniiueut families in the county, ;md will undoubl edly make his mark in the business world. He owns one hundred and si.xty acres of land in .Xewnian towiishi]).

\\ . 11. Hancock, who is one of I'lc nvtst successlul liroom-coi-n brokers ;ind bus ness men ot Tuscola, was lioru in Chicago, March jij. 1864, and is a son of W. S. and Sarah (Bell) Hancock. His father was born in O.xford, Ohio, and his mother in Alifllintown, Pennsylvania. His father is now living a retired life in Chicago. W. H. Hancock was raised to manhood in Chicago and educated in the Cook county normal school. His first position of any importance was that of conductor on the Pullman car lines, and he continued as such for seven years, running over thirty-six different railroads. Fir se\en years he was engaged in the broom-corn business with his f;ilher in Chicago.

In Jaiiuarv. 1893. he was married to Miss 'Tillie Brogan, a highly accomplished young ladv of Muscatine, Iowa. They have two children. John Henr_\- and May,

In 1899 he as.sociated himself in partnership with W. Avery Howard ( a notice of whom is found elsewhere) in the broom-corn broker.'ige business with their office in Tuscola. The firm is one of the most active and responsible engaged in the business. During the last year thev handled about fifteen hun-

William A. Wiseman, a well known physician of Camargo, where he has been in successful ]jractice for several years, was born at \Vaterloo, Lawrence county, OIko, January i, 1853, 'I'lf' 's a son of .\bner and Martha J. ( Irwin ) Wi.seman. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of Ohio. Isaac Wiseman's grandfather was also born in Virginia and his maternal grandfather, George Irwin, was born in Virginia.

Dr. Wiseman was reared in his native coun ty, where he attended the public schools and subse(]uently, in 1878, became a student at De- Pauw University, where he pursuetl a regular college course for three years and a half, in 1882 he commenced the study of medicine in the office of Dr. C. Patterson and in 1883 went to Jefferson Medical College. Philadelphia, and was graduated therefrom in the class of 1886. While at Philadelphia he took special courses in skin diseases and also in gynecology and gained practical experience at the Piiiladelphia Lyingin Ho.spital. In the spring of 1886 he located at Camargo in the practice of his profession and here he has built up a successful ])ractice.

In political opinion the Doctor is a consistent Prohibitionist, and is also a member of the Modern Woodmen and Court of Honor. In 1875 he was married to Miss Emma C. Carrel, of Dennison, Ohio. They have three children : Eva C, Omer 1). and Meda A.

Ira M. Mulliken

Ira M. MulHken, junior memlier of the wellknown firm i:>f Barr & Mulliken and one of the rising young business men of Newman, was born in Champaign county, Illinois, Deceml;er 17, 1865. His father, James W. Mulliken, was a native of Johnson county, Intliana, and removed to Champaign county in about 1852. His mother, Catherine, was a daughter of Rev. Samuel F. Miller, who was born in 1815. and at present resides in .\rcoIa. (See sketch of W. H. Bush, of Hind.sboro. ) In about 1868 the fatlier of 1. M. Mulliken removed to a farm near Hindsboro, where the latter remained until he arri\-ed at the age of twent_\--one _\'ears, when he went to Arc<ila to reside, and there worked at the carpenter's trade. He attended Lee's academy at Loxa, Illinois, for six months, then subsequently attended the embalnu'ng college at Iridianapolis. From 1893 to June 1, i8(/), he was a member of the iimlertakiiii; fiiiii of Mike. Miller & Co.. at Ciiarleston, Illinois. In the latter year lie removed to Newman to accept a partnership with James Barr (see sketch).

On September 4, 1893. he was married tn Mi.ss Ida A., a danghter of Jnhn W. Allison, of Areola. They ha\e one cliild. a dan.t;iiler, Frances Marie. He is a member and noble grand of the 1. O. O. F. : elder in the Christian chnrch. ;uiil su])erintendcnt of its Snnday school, lie is also chief )(atriarch of the I. (). O. F. encampment ; member of the Masonic fraternity, and clerk of the school lioard of Newman. The brm df liarr & Mullikin own two large stores in Newman, Mr. Barr snpcrinlending the fnrnitmx and nndertaking cslal)- lishment on the west side of the sqnare, and Mr. Mnllikcn manages the hardware and tin shci]) and cloes the undertaking work on the nurth side. They carry a large stock and dn ()uite an extensive business, drawing trade for miles armnid them.

.Mbert W. Wallace is president nf the b'irsv Xatiiinal Bank of Tuscola, one of the leading banking institutions of central Illinois. The I'irst National I'.ank was organized in .Xovember, icSfjQ, with a paid up capital of (juc hundred and thirteen thousand dollars. Its lirsl ])resident was William P. Cannon (a brother of Congressman J. G. Cannon) and \\ . 11. Lamb was the first cashier. Mr. Cannon remained president until 1872, when he was succeeded b}- 1 lenry T. Caraway, who remained president up to Jrmuary I, 189S, when be was succeeded by .Mr. Wallace. Mr. Lamb remained cashier tip to July i, 1898. when he was succeeded by the present cashier, F. H. 11amniett. The bank was reorganized in tj\c fall of iX(/) and the capilrd stock reduced to si.xty thousand dollars. The directors of this bank are among the wealthiest men of the county.

.\. W. W^allacc, who has been connected with the b'irst National Bank for years, is a son of Andrew (i. Wallace, whose death occurred iri July, 1878. The ancestry of the Wallace family is traced back to Scotland. Andrew G.'s grandfather emigrated from Scotland to Ireland, and from there to America, .settling in Pennsyl\;uiia near where the three states of Virginia, iVlaryland and Pennsylvania came together. He had five sons, three of whom moved away from their Pennsyh'ania home. One of the.se was William Wallace, the youngest child, who came to Hardin county, Kentucky, and from there removed to Davis county, Indiana, where .\ndrew (J. Wallace was born March _^ 1 . 1824. lie was the second cliild by his father's second wife, whose maivlen name was Vasliti Winkler. When two years old his father moved from Davis county to Vermillion county, Indiana, and there settletl down as a farmer. After a residence of aljout ten years, the family, in 1833 or 1834, came to Coles county, and located on Gresey creek, just south of the line which now divides Douglas from Coles county. The country was thinly settled both in Vermilion and Coles counties, where Mr. Wallace's boyhood was spent, and but scanty advantages were afforded for olitaining anything like a good education. He was compelled to rely mainly on his own re- .sources, hut his quick perceptive faculties and industry enabled him to pick up a large amoimt (if information, thus fitting himself for the duties of his after life. In 184 1 the family moved north, in what is now Douglas county, and kept the widely known "Wallace stand," west of Hickory Grove, which received its name from the family. In 1842 his father died. Mr. Wallace was then in his eighteenth year, and the charge of the family fell upnn him, his older brother having previously left home. He remained on the homestead and continued to farm until 1854. On November 22, 1845, he married Harriet E. Busby, a native of Ohio, whose family had come to Illinois in 1836. At this time his younger brothers and sisters were grown up and were able to take care of themselves. His mother died in 1848. In 1854 Mr. Wallace removed to Camargo and began business there as a cattle dealer. After a residence of four years there he removed to Tuscola, then just springing into existence, the fourth house indeed having been l)uilt by Mr. Wallace himself. Here he kept a hotel for about two years. From the inception of the plan of forming a new cf)unty out of the north of Coles, Mr. Wallace was deeply interested in it, and he may be said to have been the prime mover in the project. The petition presented to the Legislature during the session of 1858-9, in gaining which the bill was passed organizing the county, was drawn up by Mr. Wallace. He subsequently used all his influence to secure a favorable vote, on the question being submitted to the people of Coles county. In the spring of 1858 he was elected justice of the peace of Tuscola, the first ever elected in the town. In the year of 1859 he was elected first circuit clerk of the county. To this position he was re-elected in i860, again in 1864 and again in 1868, thus serving four consecutive terms, performing the duties of the office to his own credit and the satisfaction of the people. In June, 1859, 'i^ \^''is appointed master in chancery, a position which he still holds. For the last twelve years Mr. Wallace has been extensively engaged in the money loaning and real estate business. He possesses a complete set of abstracts and has every facility for the transaction of business in that line. Mr. Wallace was one of the pioneers of Tuscola and one of the founders of the town. With one e.xception he is the oldest resident. He was the first person in the town who could sing a religious song, the other inhabitants in some way being deficient in their musical acquirements. Mr. Wallace and his wife, with Mr. Thomas Woody and his wife, organized the Methodist church of Tuscola, of which he was a faithful and consistent member and for a long period class leader. To his exertions was largely due the building of the present church edifice. For twenty-five years in all Mr. Wallace served the ]>eople in various capacities - sufficient evidence of his popularity and the confidence reposed in h.im as an honest and faithful officer. He

1-ail ten cliildroii, all of whom arc livin,^. In liis younger days lie was a Whig. On the dissolution of lliat party he hecame a Republican, ami was as steadfast in his adherence to the principles of that party as he was enthusiastic in its support. During the war he was active and liberal in the support of the Union can.se, sacrificing both time and money. l'"ew men were more closely associated with the progress of the couiUy. and few were better citizens.

Henry C. Jones

Henry Clay Jones, the afifable and genial treastu'er of Douglas county, was born in brankliu count\-, liidi;iua, December 2, 1842. a S(jn of Cabin ;uid i laiinali (Case) Jones. He was reared to manhoo(l in his native countw and in iiSrio removed to Douglas county. In i<S6j he joined Com])any K. Seventy-ninth Illinois Infantry, and served as a ])ri\ate soldier in the Civil war until June 12, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Nashville, Tennessee. He was wounded in the leg in the battle of Liberty Ca]). which prevented him from keeping u]) with his regiment until the battle (jf Missionary Ridge, in which he participated. During the time between the battles of Liberty da]) and .Missionary Ridge he caught cold in the wciUiul ;md was confined in the hos])ital for three uKjnths. .\fter his release he rejoined his regiment and was with it in every fight until the close, .\fter the war Mr. Jones returned to Douglas county and engaged in farming, at which he continued for six years, when he reuK^ved to .Arthur and bought grain. He then returned to liis f.nni where he remained until |8(;4. when he became the de])iUy under his half-brother, James Jones (see sketch), who was then serving as comity treasurer. 1 le continued in this ])osition during the regular term of four years. In the fall of i8(j8 he was elected to this office, when his half-brother, James, became deputy treasurer.

On February 25, 1866. Mr. Jones married .Miss Ilarriet E. York, who was a native of Ohio, and a daughter of .\bner \'ork. To their marriage were born three daughters : Elizabeth, wife of R. C. Hostetter, of near Marshalltown, Iowa: Laura, who is the \vife of John Hostetter, a brother of R. C. and resides in Tuscol.i, ;md Xettie. .Mrs. Jones' death occurred in i8()7. .Mr. Jones is a member of the (ir;uid .\nr,y of the Re])ul)lic, also a member of the Metlio(hsl l4)isco])al cliurch. He owns a beautiful farm of two hundred and fifteen acres just south of Tuscola. .\s an official and an every day citizen Mr. Jones' record in Douglas county is unini])eachable. His word is ecjual to his bond, which can be said of few, in this rumbling, blundering age of the almightv dollar.

James A. Williams

James A. \\'illiams, who has won his own wav in the world and reached a degree of .success beyond the average of men at his age, was born in Monongahela City, Washington county, Pennsylvania, .August i. 1862. He is a son of fohn .S. and I'.lizabeth ( \'an X'orhis), natives of the same county. James Williams wed (led .\'ancv \'an Allen and tliev were among the early settlers nf W'ashin^s^ton cnunty, the latter haviiitj heen horn in Allegheny county, 1 'ennsylvania. His grandfather, Ahrani Van Vorhis, was one of the early farmers of that section and also traded in stock considerably. He was of Holland extraction.

James A. Williams grew to manhood on a farm and never attended school after he reachetl the age of thirteen years; at that age his mother died and he was thrown upon his own resources. In about 1885 he decided to try his fortunes in the west, and after arriving in Illinois .settled in Tuscola township, where he became a farm hand ; at this he continued until he was twenty-two years of age. By industry and goocl management he now owns two hundred and forty acres of well improved land in Douglas county, for which he has been offered eighty-five dollars an acre. Subsequently he bought the store at West Ridge, which he sold to W. H. Fry in December, i8gg. He previously owned one at Allerton, which he bought in 1894 and sold in the following year.

In September, 1886, he was united in marriage to Miss Amy McGrath, and they have three children : Ida, Charles and Earle. Mr. Williams resides on one of his farms, a short distance south of West Ridge, where he gives his personal supervision to its management. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Camargo, and a Republican in politics.

Shiloah Gill

tucky, September 11, 1827, and is a son of Samuel C. Gill, who was a son of Capt. Thomas Gill, a Re\-olutionary soldier and a son of the Irish waif (see history of the Gill family in America, by Thomas F. Gill). Samuel C. Gill was born in the state of South Carolina November 22, 1783, and was reared on a farm. He was wedded to Sarah Malone, a daughter of Jonathan and Mary Malone, the latter of whom lived to be nearly one huntlred years old. The family came from Tennessee and settled in Montgomery county, Kentucky, later removing to Boone county, Infliana, where she died. Samuel Gill and wife were very poor, their stock of goods consisting of one bay pony, one dollar in money and a feather bed. They packed all on the back of the pony and settled in P.ath county, Kentucky. He built a mill, one of the first built in that section. He afterward entered large bodies of land in Putnam Montgomery, Boone and Henry counties, Indiana, and also entered several tracts in what is now Douglas county. It looks as if this old gentleman foresaw everything and selected the crciiic dc la crcinc of the land. He became very prosperous. For twenty-five years he served as justice of the peace, and by virtue of that office he was also one of the justices of the Bath county court. His fir.st wife died in 1847 '1"^ in 1849 lie married Elizabeth Reed. In about 1845 Samuel C. Gill sold the old mill, but stipulated in the deed that the place should ever be known as Gill's Mill.

Shiloah Gill grew to manhood on the farm and while attending school volunteered for the Mexican war and was soon ordered to the front. He was in the ranks of Capt. James Ewing and served through the whole war, h.andling a musket in many of the principal

On October J. 1H49, Mr. (iill married Sarah .\nn. a daus'htcr of William .\iiderson, of Ilath ciiuntw Kentucky, where they remained until 1854. when they emigrated to Douglas county and settled on three hunilretl and twenty acres, where he now lives, and which was deeded to him h\' his father: he has since added two hundred and sixty acres nv ire. His wife died about icS/j. His second wife was Eliza Kensil. Her death occurred in 1874, and he was again married. September i, 1875, this time to Mrs. Sarah (Dodge) Coots, who was born within si.x miles of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio. The hospitality of Mr. Gill and his wife is well known and highly a])])reciated.

Harrison Gill

It is Titling that in the bidgraphies of the early settlers of the cnunty some mention should be made nf llarriscm Gill, wIki entered among the first land here and lived near Camargo.

The grandfather of Mr. (jill was born in Ireland. He came to .America and settled in Virginia. His son, !>anuiel Cresswell Gill, removed frnm Virginia to Kentuck\- and settled in Bath cmmt}'. Ilere, on the Licking river, he Iniilt Gill's mills, a noted point in that part of that state, lie married Sarah Malone, l)v

( )u arri\ing at the age of twenty-one he foiuid himself in jiossesion of a few hundred dollars, which his father advisetl him to invest in w'estern lands. He accordingly traveled on horseback to Illinois, first to his uncle, 'iliomas Gill, in ( 'umberl.'ind county. lie found his uncle busy shingling the rocjf of a hou.se, and lie told young (iill if he would help him finish the shingling he would go with him to Coles County in search of land. The first jjoint above Charleston where thev found any one living w^as Major .\shmore, at the mouth of Rrnshy I'ork. North of that he came to an Indian cam]i, a French and Indirm trading ])oint, wliere Hugo, or Bridgeport, now is. I lis uncle mischievously informed the Indians that Gill was a young Kentuckian w ho had come for the puriKjse of taking to himself an Indian wife. He selected his land, the northwest fpiarter of section 35 and the west half of the southwest quarter of the same section. The railroad reservoir, east of Camargo, is now on these tracts. He returned immediately to Palestine and made his entry. The ])atents for the land, now in the possession of George C. Gill, of Camargo, were signed on the 8th of March, 1830, and bear the signature of .Andrew Jackson. This was the first land regularly entered in the territory composing what is now' Douglas county. Most of the land is still in his possession. He returned to Kentucky soon after selecting the land.

In early life Mr. Gill was a Whig. On the hreaking out of the war he hecame a Union man. Mainly through his instrumentality the Twenty-fourth Kentucky Regiment was recruited at the Springs in 1862. In the fall of the same year the Springs was also the headquarters of Gen. Nelson, who ordered all the home guards of Kentucky to rendezvous at that point for the defence of the eastern portion of the state.

From the fall of 1863 to -the fall of 1869 Mr. Gill resided near Kentucky, having been driven from his home on account of his Union sentiments.

P. H. Monahan, the father of the broom corn interests of Areola and a highly esteemed citizen of that place, was born in county Galway, Ireland, February 19, 1837. His parents were John and Mary ( Shiel ) Monahan, natives of the same county. At the age of thirteen years young Monahan emigrated from his native land to America and settled in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Later he came west and located in Areola, which at that time was a mere hamlet. Here Mr. Monahan was married to Hannah Quirk, who was a native of Douglas county and a sister of the late John Ouirk, of ^-Vrcola. To Mr. and Mrs. Monahan have been born four children : Marie, now residing in New Mexico; Thomas, the present mayor of Areola, and Henry and Katie.

council and was chairman of the lioard. His mother died in 1862, and his father died when Mr. Monahan was only three months old. He is one of the old landmarks of Areola, having resided here nearly half a century, and is universally respected by everybody.

Walter- C. Blaine

Walter C. Blaine was graduated from the University of Pennsylvainia, at Philadelphia, in the class of 1895. He commenced the practice at Murdock, where he remained until October, 1898, when he formed a partnership with Dr. William E. Rice, of Tuscola.

Dr. Blaine is a native of Champaign, Illinois, and was liorn Jiuie 2, i866. He graduated from the Champaign high school, and after four years attendance was graduated from the University of Illinois, at Chami)aign, on certificate. Fie is a meml)er of the Knights of J'ythias, member of the Wootlmen, and a member of the Douglas County Medical Society.

Samuel Ervin

Samuel Ervin, retired hardware merchant, large land owner, and a resident of Tuscola, was born in Hillsboro, Highland county, Ohio, in 1844. lie was reared and educated in his native county and in 1865 came west and located in Tuscola. He and a younger brother were associated in business together ui) to

In 1S71 Mr. i'".r\in was united in niarr'.'u^e to -Miss I'^lizahetli Head), who was born nu Staten Island. She died in 1894. To their marriage were horn twn children: Pearl, who is the wife of C. S. W'ardall. The other daug'hter is in college.

.*^;nnncl l'",r\in is a son of W'illiaiu B. Ervin. now deceased. The ancestry of the Ervins is traced i)ack to the great-grandfather of Samuel. Thomas Ervin. a native of Ireland and member of the l'rcsb\terian church, who was liy occu- ])ation a bleacher of linen. He was a man ol means, emigrated to this country in 1771, and ])urchased a farm in Chester county, Pennsyl- \ruiia, residing there until his death. His wife was a daughter of the Scottish house of Monteith. which aided the mission of William Wallace so nobl_v and esjxnised the cause of Bruce. Jurad. the father of William B. Ervin, was Imni in ij.si^ and was thirteen years old when his ])arents came to America. He was a witness to many of the exciting incidents of the Revolutionary war. His education was limited and early in life he learned the hatter's trade and went to Rockingham county, \'irginia. Here he followed his trade until i<Si3, when he removed to Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, remaining there two years. He then emigrated to Highland connlv, ( )hio. .and was there engaged in farming until his death, wdiich occurred at the ripe old age of one hundred and six years. His wife, Sallie Herron, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was born July 4. 177''), Declaration of Independence day. Of this union there was a family of nine children, William 15. being the second. He was born December

I. 1X06, in Rockingham, Virgini;i, at nine years of age removed to Highland county, Ohio, and in iXf)5 came to Tuscola, where his death occurred.

.Samuel Ervin during his thirly-li\-e years residence in Douglas county has witnessed the wonderful transformation that has taken place, making this county one of the best in the commonwealth, and he has contributed his sh.are to its im])ro\x'nient and de\elopmenl. His landable business career has gained him the confidence f)t all with whom he has come in contact, either in a business or social way, ;nid his triends throughout the county are m.any.

James T^cc Reat, M. D.. one of the most distinguished i)liysicians and surgeons of Illinois, and who has been long and honorably connected with the ])rofessional .and inilu>tri;d interests of Douglas county, was born in l'"airfield county, Ohio, January 26, 1824. Hie Reat ancestors are tracetl back to Scotland, where the name was iironounced in two syllables, with the accent on the last. Two brothers emigrated to (his country during the war of the Re\-oliition, one of whom espoused the cause of the rebels, the term by which the patriot colonies were then known, and .served through that struggle with Washington's forces. The other brother sided with the Tories, in consequence of which the two brothers became alienated and a total separation occurred between the two branches of the family. Dr. Reat is descended from tlie one who cast his fortunes with those of the patriots and who, after the war, settled in Frederick Town, Maryland. At this place James Reat (father) was born and subse((uently found his way to Ohio, where he married Susanna Rogers, a Virginia lady, and with her settled in Fairfield county, Ohio. When our subject was five years old, his parents removed to Coles county, Illinois, wdiere the father purchased a farm on which they resided for a time, then removed to Charleston and lived there up to the time of his death, in 1 868.

Dr. Reat's early education was deri\-ed from the meager ad\-antag'es offered in the neighlHirhood schiiuls of that day and later attendance at the seminary at Charleston. That institution was conducted under eminent professors and here Dr. Reat received a good collegiate education and later took up the study of the languages, becoming familiar with Latin and German, and at the same time teaching school a number of terms. His natural taste and talent were those of his chosen profession and he soon thereafter took a regular course of studies at the Medical College at Cincinnati, where he was graduated in the class of 1858; he later attended the Rush Medical College at Chicago and there graduated. After leaving college, he was engaged for a time in the drug Ijusiness at Charleston, but soon sold his interests and in 1859 took up his residence at Tuscola. In the fall of 1862 he received an ajipointment as assistant surgeon in the war (.)f the Rebellion and was assigned to a post at Louisville, where he remained for some time in charge of a hospital. On March i, of the same year, he was commissioned first assistant surgeon of the

Twenty-first Regiment Infantry (Grant's old regiment). On July 22, 1864, he was promoted surgeon of the regiment. He returned to Springfield at the close of the war and was mustered out in January, 1866. He then returned to Tuscola and resumed his regular practice.

In 1861 he was marrieil to Miss Sallie C. Callaway, of Jacksonville, a lady of fine literary attainments and of Christian virtues. She was born in Kentucky and was a graduate of Berean College. Her father was the late wellknown Rev. S. T. Callaway, a Baptist clergyman. They have had three children, all of wdiom are living: A daughter Lois, who is the wife of Hon. Theod(jre Brantley, at present chief justice of the supreme court of Montana; Samuel C, who with his cousin, Harry R. Caraway, were pr(_iprietors and editors of the Tuscola Journal. He is now in Washington, representing" a number of metropolitan newspapers. He is a graduate of Union Law School, at Chicago, and is taking a post-graduate course in literature. Fred, who graduated from the Illinois State University, and is now proprietor of the Tuscola Republican.

Dr. Reat is a member of the Military Loyal Legion of the United States and the Illinois Army and Navy Medical Association. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Tuscola. Both have taken an active part in the temperance cause. He has always manifested public spirit and through his entire life has Ijeen a man of al)stemi(-ius habits and consistent morals. For three years he was clerk of the board of education of Tuscola and while occupying that office took deep interest in the erection of a public school building, which is

Joiix J. Jones

Jolm J. Jones was many years previons to his deatli most ])rominently identified with the affairs of Douglas county. He was born in \'irginia in about the year 1835 and died in Chicago in July, 1893. In early life he came to Illinois as a penniless ori)han and located at Georgetown, in \'erniilion county, where he resided with two of his cousins and with wlioni he remained until he was about grown, w^hen he came and U)cate(l in Camargo. Here he became a clerk for Alonzo Lyons, remaining with him for some time, when he, in partnership with Coleman Bright, who was manager for Mr. Lyijns. started a little grocery store at Camargo. This was along in the '50s. The firm continued \ery successfully in business up until the fall of 1864. Then they .sold out, came to Tuscola, antl engaged in general merchandising, taking in a Mr. \Vibly as a partner, under the firm name of Bright, Jones & Wibly. In about 1868 Mr. Wibly sold his interest to Bright and Jones, who continued together in business until .Mr. Jones sold his interest to Mr. Bright: this was .along about 1884 or 1885. -Mr. Jones then ga\e his entire lime to the management of his large farm near Tuscola. He was twice elected mayor of Tuscola. In the fall of 1890 he became the president of the banking house of Baughman. Orr & Co. and remained as sucli up to the time of his death.

Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Li/.zie Ketciinm. a daughter of Dr. Kelclium, of Terre llanle. IniHan.i; she survi\es him. John J. Jones was of (|uiet and unassuming manner, a self-made man and his uninterrupted success and his character as a man were well wdrlhv of the admiration of the entire people. He had the mind to conceive and the hand to direct his business affairs in such a way that bn)Ught him success in all of his undertakings, h'or many years he was a consistent member ol the First Presbyterian clnu'ch anil a member of the Melita Connnandery of Knights Templar of Tuscola.

A. C. Sluss. the proprietor of the Tuscola Journal, a weekly paper published at Tuscola, and the ])resent jiostmaster of Tuscola, has been for many years prominently identified witli tlie business, s(.)cial and political interests of liis city and county, having ser\-ed the city of Tuscola twice as alderman, three terms as city clerk and one term as mayor. He was b(jrn in Edgar county, Illinois, A])ril 7, 1850, and is a son of Thomas S. and Martha (Ilineman) Sluss. His father, who was born in Kentucky, renioxcd to Tuscola in \^(>\. and there carried on his trade, tliat I'lf a harness maker. U]) to the lime of his death, in 1893. at the age of eighty years.

HfS grandfather, Da\id Sluss, and his grauflfather, John Hineman, were Ijoth n;iti\x's of Kentucky, and were among the first settlers in Monroe county, Indiana.

A. C. Sluss learned the trade with his father, and received his education in the schools of Tuscola and the Chicago Business College. He was engaged in the manufacture of harness, etc., when, in 1889, he was appointed postmaster of Tuscola by President Harrison, and again received the appointment by President McKinley, which shows his popularity and efficiency as a public official. Mr. Sluss became the sole owner of the Tuscola Journal, the official Republican organ of Douglas county, in December, i8g8. The Journal was founded by Siler & Lindsay in 1864, and has at the present time a paid circulation of about two thousand in the county. It is stanch Republican in its p(jlitical \iews, and is one of the most progressive and up-to-date country newspapers in central Illinois.

In 1875 Mr. Sluss was united in marriage to Miss Minerva Higgins, of Highland county, Ohio. They have three children, Alfred H., Frank L. and Hattie E.

Upon returning from his army service our subject engaged in merchandising and farming in and near Areola until 1883, when he was elected county judge. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1889. Politically Judge Bassett is a Repulilican, and religiously is an adherent of the Methodist Episcopal church, having joined that society at Millersburg, Kentucky, in 1856.

In i860 our subject was married to Miss Nellie M. Gruell. and two children are the result of this union: Jonathan H., residing at Arthur, Illinois, and Martin H., residing at Mattoon, Illinois.

Judge W. H. Bassett was born January 12, 1832, on a farm in Harrison county, Kentucky, and there grew to manhood, receiving a coinnKin-school education. He later attended a commercial college in Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating May 12, 1854. Afterward he engaged in the mercantile business in Cynthiana, Kentucky. He came to what is now Douglas county, Illinois, in 1857, and was engaged in farming until 1862. At this time he enlisted in Company K, Seventy-ninth Illinois In-

Mr. And Mrs. Jacob Ephlin

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Ephlin are the oldest couple in Tuscola. They came here from Parke county, Indiana, April 4, 1S5S, when the number of inhabitants cimld be counted on the fingers of the two hands. They have lived here more than forty years, and out from the doorway of no home in Tuscola has come a kinder greeting to the wayfarer or a more hospitalilc reception to friends and relatives. Uncle Jake is closely related with the primitive town and the early county, having been among the first imsiness men and serving as deputy sheriff under I. L. Jordan. Aunt Martha is best known for her charitable deeds that tell of missions of kindness and lo\'e and crown her with glorv. To a life full of years and rich in ex-

W. T. Pulham. M. D., is one of Tuscola's leading physicians. The Doctor has been in practice for many years, and has, by his energy and efiiciency, achieved a success and reputation in the healing art second to none. He is thoroughly educated, and a most honoral^le and congenial gentleman, lie received a literary and .scientific education at the University of Illinois, after which he studied medicine in the Indiana Medical College, from \\-hich he was graduated in the spring of 1882. Since that time he has been fully devoted to his chosen profession at Tuscola, where he now enjoys a lucrative and extensive practice.

Geukgl C.Xllaw.W.

George Callaway, a retired physician of Tuscola and a large land owner of Douglas county, is a native of Christian county, Kentucky, and was born May 4, 1848. In 1850 he renuned to Illinois and was princi- ])ally educated in the Illinois College at Jacksonville. After leaving school he read medicine with Dr. J. L. Reat, at Tuscola, Illinois, and subsequently entered the Ohio

Medical College at Cincinnati, from which he graduated in the class of "73. Dr. Callaway commenced the practice of medicine at Virginia City, Montana, luning gone first in 1871 to that territory as surveyor in the emi)loy of the government. In 1875 he located in Tuscola, where he successfullv practiced his profession u]) to within the last few years. At present he gi\es his entire attention to the management of his farm in Douglas county, owning in all o\er eight hundred acres of land. In 1879 he was united in marriage with Miss Emma C. Wyeth, of Tuscola, daughter of L. J. W'yeth (see sketch). To their marriage ha\e been born four children: Leonard, Katie, Ralph and lunma. Dr. Callaway owns one of the handsomest and most costly residences in Tuscola and is a large stockholder in the First National Bank of Tuscola. He is a son (jf Samuel T. and Mary (Means) Callaway, the former born in Clark county, Kentucky, and the latter in Christian county, in the same state. Samuel T. Callaway was a Baptist minister, and many years of his life were spent in the work of the church. For a time he served as county superintendent of schools of Douglas county. The Callaway family came from North Carolina, as did also the Means family, and settled in Kentucky, where they were contemporaries of 1 )aniel Boone.

fuunded in April, 1S87, by T. J. Haney, and was edited and owned by bim until he sold it to Mr. Eassett. In 1883 he bought the Areola Record, which he ran until 1886, when he sold it to P. L. Henry. Mr. Bassett was three years and a half in the public printing office at Washington, under the administration of President Harrison, at the end of which time he resigned anti came home. In 1891 he and his father then again purchased the Record and ran it until 1895, selling to B. F. W'amsley. In 1897 he and his brother, M. H. Bassett, who ownetl the Mattoon Daily Journal, again purchased the Record and Mr. Bassett had sole charge of the paper until January i, 1899, wdien the paper was sold to Nathan Collins and son. The Arthur Graphic was originally a fivecolumn ne\\si)a])er, but has recently been made six by the present proprietor, who has in other ways overhauled the paper and office and considerably increased the circulation.

Mr. Bassett was born in Areola township, this county, July 19, 1861. In 1882 he married Miss Nora I'erkins, who died in 1887. To this union was born one child, Nellie. He again married, in 1895, Miss Maggie Degnan, of Springfield, Illinois, becoming his wife. To tliem three children have been born, Bessie, Martin and Mary. The Arthur Graphic has a circulation of about five hundred, is well edited and is a very [xipular local newspaiier.

county. Ills., where he has since resided. When Mr. Skinner came to Douglas county there were only seven families in what is now Newman township, namely : .Vnson, Gaston, Robert Hopkins, E. J. Howell and three families by the name of Winkler.

Joseph Skinner, father of W. W. Skinner, burned a brick kiln on the banks of the Brushy Fork creek in 1839, it being the first kiln burned in that part of the state. For years after this he followed lireaking prairie land, his boys aiding him until his death, which occurred in 1857. He raised a large family of children, ten boys and three girls, W. W. Skinner being the sixth child. From this large famil)' of thirteen children only three are now living: W. \\'., John and Isaac, they being the three oldest sons. In the year 1862 John, W. W. and i\nson Skinner, brothers, enlisted in the Seventy-ninth Illinois V^olunteer Infantry. John and Anson were captured at the battle of Chickamauga. They were kept in prison seventeen months and nine days, and did not return to their regiment, but were mustered out at Springfield, Illinois, at the close of the war. W. W. Skinner remained with his company, was untler the leadership of Sherman, and took part in eleven hard fought battles, besides skirmishing by the month. He was mustered out June 12, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee, and discharged June 2y, 1865, at Springfield, Illinois.

W. W. Skinner, being an early settler of the eastern part of Douglas county^ Illinois, well remembers some of the incidents of its first settlers. Robert Matson, from Kentucky, settled here in 1839 or 1840. He first located near Cofifee's Grove, in Sargent township, and in a few years removed one and one-half miles nortlicast uf Xowmaii. I Ic was a weallhy man, owninjj^ a larije plaiilalidii in KenUicUy and a inmil)er of slaves. He brouglil nine Maves to Illinois willi him. In 1847 '"^ slaves were spirited away to Charleston, the county seat of Coles county, they claiming their freedom un der the laws of a free state and being protected in their project by Rutherford and Ashmore. Mr. Matson. fearing the loss of his human proi)erty. followed them to Charleston and brought suit for the rights of property. He employed for his attorney the Honorable Abe Lincoln, who was at this time but twenty-nine years old, while the defendents employed the Honorable O. B. Ficklin. It so happened that Matson lost his slaves, while he himself returned to Kentucky, from which place he never returned U) the free state of Illinois.

John Wright McKinncy was born near Springfield, Clark county, Ohio. June 17, 1825, and died at Camargo. Illinois, July ,^i, 1897, aged se\enty-two years, one month and twentyfour days. His father ruid family moved from Ohio to Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1830, where the deceased lived until his twenty first year. During the following tw(j years he taught school in Montgomery county, studying medicine meanwhile with an energy and avidity so characteristic of his nature.

Mr. McKinney and Mary Roll were joined in matrimony October 12, 1848, at Pleasant Hill, Indiana. Soon after his marriage he moved to Ilill.sboro, Indiana, and began the practice of medicine. In 1S31 he moved to Camargo, Illinois, and continued the i)ractice of his chosen jjrofession. Later he attended lectures at the Jefferson Medical College of l'hiladeli)hia, graduating therefrom in 1835. Ill 1858 he moved to Cenlralia. Illinois, but removed to Camargo the following year. September 13. i8r)2, he enlisted in the Sixty-second Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, but was shortly transferred to the Sixty-third Illinois V^olunteer Infantry and appointed surgeon of the regiment, with the rank of majt^r, in which capacity he served during the remainder of the war, most of that time in Gen. John A. Logan's corps - -the notable Fifteenth Army Corps. He was mustcrefl out ,\pril 9. 1863. Piefore the Sixty-third joined General Sherman's army, it was engaged in the battles of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Mission Ridge, etc. After joining Gen. Sherman's army his regiment was active in the attack on the Ogeechee Canal and Miller's Station, and partici])ated in the long list of famous liattlcs of Sherman's anuy during his famous "march to the .sea." During its active service the Sixty-third regiment traveled some six thousand, four hundred and fifty-three miles. After the war Dr. McKinney resumed his practice of medicine and surgery at Caiuargo with marked success. He was author of the bill granting the formation of Douglas county, and gave the county its name in honor of the "Little Giant," Stephen .\. Douglas. The deceased served several terms as supervisor of Camargo township. In politics he was a Deiuocrat. While he did not belong to any church, lie possessed strong convictions of man's duty to his God, his country, his family and himself, and ])ract:ced doing good and being honest all the (lavs of his life.

September 25, 1870, Mary, his wife, died al their Caniaryu hdiiie, respected ami beloved by her husband and all who knew her. September 10, 1871, Dr. McKimiey and Minnie A. Coykendall were joined in wedlock and lived happily together until death separated them. The Doctor was a prominent member of the A. F. & A. M., Camargo Lodge, No. 440 ; Knights Templar ; Frank Reed Post, G. A. R. ; County and State Medical Societies, and was a prominent and respected citizen of his township, county and state, being considered one of the most capable and successful physicians and surgeons of central Illinois. He was a member of the local or county pension examining board, serving" in that capacity two terms.

During Dr. McKinney's late illness - general pli_\'sical relaxation - he was attended constantly by his wife and children. His express wish, that his family nurse and care for him, was gratified. During these two months all of his family and children were able to be at his bedside and administer to his wants, night and day. His strong will power and remarkable energy coupled with the desire to recover his health, no doubt, prolonged his days. During this last illness the Doctor was ever mindful of the w'ants of his family, prescribing rest and medicine for them if at any time he fancied they needed it. Dr. McKinney died in the same house he had lived for almost half a century - forty-six years. He died as he lived, lij\-ing and beloved by his family, neighbors and friends. His leading characteristics were his honesty in his dealings with his fellow men and his integrity as a jjliysician and citizen. He pos.ses.sed an indomitable will and a conviction of purpose that won him many a battle in the fights for life for his patients. He was courageous as a lion, vet withal lender and sympathetic as a woman. He was liberal and generous, administering to the poor as skillfully and carefully as to the rich.

Samuel L. Hopkins

Samuel L. Hopkins, (jne of the most successful farmers and stock raisers in Newman township, was l^orn south of Newman on the old Hopkins hoinestead in the year 1849. I" 1 884 he was united in marriage to Miss Hattic Bell, and is the father of six children. Mr. Hopkins owns four hundred and twenty-seven acres of land which extends nearly to the corporation line of Newman. His mother was, before her marriage, Elizabeth Thomas, and was born in Indiana. His father was James Hopkins, who was one of the earliest settlers along the Brushy Fork timber. He was born in Pickaway county, Ohio. February 12, 181 5. At the age of nine years he, with his family, removed to Vermillion county, Indiana. Here, on January 21, 1838, he married Elizabeth Ann Thomas, who was mentioned above. In October, 1841, he came to Illinois and located in section 5, township 15, range 14, where he resided until his death. He first bought one hundred and thirty acres of land at seven dollars an acre, and at the time of his death he had accumulated many more acres. He was the father of ten children, three of whom were born in Indiana. Two of his sons, John William and Eli Thnmas, enlisted in the Twentyfifth Regiment Illinois Volunteers at the commencement of the Civil war and both died in the service, the former on the 13th of Decern- l^auicl Rcidcrick is one of the oldest settlers now Jivinj^- in 1 )oui;las county. He came to near Danville. Illinois, with his father. Samuel R., sixtv years ago. The latter died- in \'erniilion county, and soon afterward Daniel came to wliatisnowGarretttowii-ship and kept generally ahout twelve yokes of oxen. 1 ie was bom July 16, liSifi. ;uid Ins education was almost entirely neglected, hut he is known as "'honest, old Dan Roderick."

Segler H. Lester

Segler H. Lester (deceased) was born i:i Virginia October 29, 1804, and dietl in Garrett township May J2, 1864, and married Parthenia Cassaday May 14, 1S33. Mrs. Lester, who is known among her neighbors as Grandma Lester, still survives. She was a daughter of I );niiel Cassaday, of \'irginia, where she was born iulv f). iSii. and sjient her early years in Kentucky. In |S_'(; she came with, her parents to I'^dgru' county. Illinois, where she met Mr. Lester, whom she subse(|uently mariaed. immediately after her wedding she moved with her husband to a place on the Springfield or State road, where there were about four families, of whom Mrs. Lester is the only surx'ivor. hi the autumn of i8_^4 she moved to the site of her present residence, where a ronnd- log caimi, 10x18 feel, was built, .and the new lamily began the difliculties of pioneer life, with little more capital than willing hands and stout hearts. There \vere no cabins nearer ih.an ten miles iiorlh and se\'eii miles south, the site beii\g chosen by Mrs. Lester because the Indians had once made it their camjjing ground. 1 lere live children were born, and here was laid the foundation of a handsome comi)etence : here also the homestead still shelters the welcome guest. There was no open road to fortune for the pioneers ; the nearest market for suri>lus was at Chicago, where corn was sold for six and one-half cents jier bushel ; i)ork from one dollar and a half to two dollars jier hundred and wheal at thirty-seven and onedialf cents pjr bushel. Supplies were only to be purchased at the expen.se of a tedious trip to Charleston, Terre Haute, Georgetown, Eugene or to Monticello, a round trip taking a week to accomplish. Each family could not afford this exi^ense and some wxnt for the whole neighl)orhood. This involved the use of a wagon and three yoke of oxen; the loan for a whole neighborhood of those times would not now be considered large, l)ut owing to the condition of the roads three voke of oxen barely sufficed. The accumulaiKiii of ])ro|>ei-t\- uniler such circumstances was a diriicnll matter. .Mr. Lester worked two years to earn iiu>ney enough to enter his first eighty acres, where the lionieslea<l stands, and in 1837 be went to Rock Ri\er and broke jir.iirie loitwo months, earning enough to enter <ine bun dred acres. When the coming of winter clo.sed the season's wi>rk on the farm Mr. Lester turned his skill as ;i hunter to good account, in one winter earning enough from the sale of dcer"s hind-quarters to discharge a debt for his rifle, for which he had contracted to pay twenty-five dollars. It was by such slow and arduous efforts that he accumulated some one tliousand acres of land, of which he died possessed. In 1874 a fine frame dwelling, which had lieen erected by him at the cost of twentyseven hundred dollars, was destroyed by fire, but was at once rebuilt at a cost of fifteen huntlred dollars.

Nine children have been born to Mr. Lester : FJiza J., wife of James Howe; Harriet A., wife of William Howe; Almeta J., wife of Elbert S. Crowle}'; John D., now in the agricultural implement business in Tuscola; Louisa E. A., wife of Daniel C. Johnson; Orlando B., occupying an important position in the patent oftice at Washington, D. C. ; Lemuel P., now a resident at die homestead; Mary E. died November 6, 1845, ^ged one year; Margaret C. died April 25, 1855, aged three years. Lemuel P. Lester was married February ly, 1872, to Lu\'ina Rice, a native of Kentuci<y, who, when a child, came to Douglas county with her parents. They have had seven children, six of whom are living, Perl D., Bert, Paul, Otto W., Gertrude and Martin. Orwell died in bis sixth year.

W. E. Price

W. E. Price, a resident of Camargo, and the present county surveyor, who has efficiently served in this capacity for twelve years, was burn in New York city July 8, 1849. He was n son of William Edward and Mathilda M. (Wilson) Price, natives of Ireland. His father was a cabinetmaker by trade, an Episcopalian in religious belief and died in New York city. Mr. Price came to L^ouglas county in i860 and was bound out to a Mr. McNair, going through all the hardships that generally befall a poor orphan.

In 1873 he was married to Miss Ella Drummonds, of this county. He is the present nominee on the Rei)u])lican ticket for re-election to the oflice of county surveyor.

Geo. O. Moore

Geo. O. Moore was born December i, 1858, on a farm near Muncie, Indiana. He is the tliird child of the family of Mr. and Mrs. Loins Moore, and migrated with them to Douglas county when only five years old, locating near the county seat, Tuscola. His early education was attained in the schools of Tuscola and adjoining districts. He also took a classical and scientific course in the Normal College at Danville, Indiana, from Avhich he graduated in 18S1, paying his tuition and way through the school by the sweat of his lirow as janitor. He was principal of the schools at Russellville, Indiana, in 1882, giving entire satisfaction. He then held die chairs of music and higher mathematics in the Canip])cII Normal LTni\'ersity at Holton, Kansas, in 1883. In August of the same year he went to Troy, Ohio, where he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Lillie Conway, a resident of that city, wdiose accpiaintance he had formed at college. He and his amiable wife took up their abode at Middleton, Virginia, wdiere Mr. Moore had accepted the associate principalship of the Shen- niultiali Xornial C"(illec;x'. which pDsition lie held fur three years. Owini;; to the decliiiini;' ot' liis wile's lieahli Mr. Moore returned to Illinois, stopi)ins;' at Tuscola, where Mrs. Moore passed away in .\ngust of the same year. To this union was born one son. Louis C. In the fall of 1886 he accei)ted the principalship of the Newman schools, which he hekl for three years. In tlie s])ring of 1890, being solicited by his many friends, he made the race for the Republican nomination for superintendent of schools iif Dont;las countv-

.Archie A. .\rmstron_e^, one of the progressive, intelligent and well-known young farmers of the county and Camargo township, was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, September 10, 1861. He is the son of John .\rmstrong, who is also a nati\e of Ohio and now a resident of Chamjiaign. He came to Douglas county in 1879, and bought several farms in Tuscola township and in other localities. He resided for some years on one of his farms, when he removed to the city of Champaign. He is now living a retired life in the sixty-fifth year of his age.

.\rcliie .Armstrong owns one of tlie most be.'uitifnl and attractive farms in the county, which he has \vell stocked with .Xberdecn .\ngus cattle. In 1886 he wedded Miss N(jra Rice, of Champaign county. They have one child. Floyd, ten years of age. .Mr. .Armstrong is a director of the Douglas County Fair .Association, and a member of the M.isonic lodge at Camargo.