Vermilion County, Illinois - Chapter 21: Some Elder Sons and Daughters of Vermilion County, 1911 (part 2 of 2)

John W. Giddings was born in Danville April 21, 1842. His father and mother were both born and reared in England. Mr. Giddings was one of a family of eight children who grew to maturity. He was the oldest son. He remained in his father's employ learning and practicing the trade of carriage painter, until when, in 1862, he went into the service, enlisting for ninety days. After he came home he was sick for a year but again enlisted, in 1864, in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Illinois Infantry, serving until the following fall, when his term of enlistment was over. In 1865 he and his brother Charles, and brother-in-law, Mr. Stewart, formed a company to carry on his father's business. This arrangement continued for four or five years, when he and his brother bought out their brother-in-law, and later he bought out his brother and assumed the entire management of the business. He was a man of shrewd business ideas and his establishment was a pride to Danville. Mr. Giddings married Miss Samantha A. McKee, who was born in Georgetown. Mrs. Giddings is the daughter of Elijah Abigail (Starr) McKee. and has the blood of the pioneers of Vermilion County in her veins very strong. Her father came to this county in 1838 and settled east of Danville. He was a prominent citizen, being not only an authority in his neighborhood, but had the influence to be elected circuit clerk and holding the office for eight years. Mrs. Gidding's mother was the daughter of Absalom Starr, who was one of the first men to come to Vermilion County. The first deed recorded in the county was that of the property of Absalom Starr. Mr. and Mrs. Giddings are of the well esteemed citizens of Danville and live in a handsome house on Hazel street. The other sons of William Giddings all lived in Danville the most of their lives. Some years ago Mr. Charles Giddings moved to Evanston, where their children could be educated at home, but the others all remained in Danville.

William H. Newlin was born in Georgetown September 4, 1842. His father came to Vermilion County in 1832. He married Miss Henderson, and in this way Mr. Newlin is not only the son of one pioneer, but the grandson of another. His marriage with Miss Hawes made him yet more closely connected to the early settlers of this section. Mr. Newlin was a volunteer in the Civil war, who had more than his share of the hardships of the army. He enlisted in the Seventy-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was in battles and was captured at the battle of Chickamauga, sent to Richmond, smallpox breaking out among the prisoners. Mr. Newlin became a victim and was sent to the hospital. It was then that he and five other soliders made their escape, an account of which is very interesting. Mr. Newlin became a merchant after he returned to Georgetown, and afterward held public office. He married Miss Hawes, the daughter of Dr. Hawes, in 1868. They were the parents of three children.

William H. Mills and his brother Richard Mills were both born in Vermilion County and have lived their lives here. They have practically lived together, having the same interests. William Mills was born in Elwood township, February 18, 1843. He and his brother Richard, who was two years his junior, took the management of their home farm when they were twelve and ten years old. They had great success, and with all their accomplishments they have been great breeders of Clydesdale horses. William H. Mills married Miss Anna Woodard in 1879 and afterward went to live on the Holiday farm, which he had bought. The two brothers were the joint owners of nearly 800 acres, and farmed together under the firm name of R. & W. H. Mills. Mr. Richard Mills lives on the old homestead. His mother is yet living there.

Samuel W. Baum, the son of the pioneer, Samuel Baum, and the grandson of Michael Weaver, was born February 15, 1843. He was the eighth in a family of eleven children, and the first boy. He owns several farms, the homestead including 700 acres. He has been a "cattle man of renown," there being no better stock of short-horns to be found than on his farm. Mr. Baum married Miss Delia F. Stewart, who was born in Georgetown. She was educated in that place, coming to the Danville high school when she was sixteen years old.

Francis M. Gundy was born in Ross township, Vermilion County, May 7, 1843. ^e ig a son °f Joseph and Sarah (Davison) Gundy. Mr. Gundy belongs to a family which has been a great factor in the developing of Vermilion County. He married Mary E. Smith, in 1854. They were the parents of three children, two daughters and one son. The son died while yet young. Mr. Gundy began his experience as a merchant in Marshfield, Indiana. He later had an interest in the store in Myersville. Later yet he, in partnership with Mr. A. M. Bushnell, had a general store in Bismarck. He is now the director in banks in which he is interested and is the president of the one in Bismarck. He has kept the old Gundy home place in good shape and preserved the forest trees.

John D. Campbell was born on section 23, Newell township, June 7, 1843. His parents were Joseph and Eliza (Makesmome) Campbell. His grandfather, Samuel Campbell, was a pioneer of Vermilion County, coming in 1828, and settled on the farm on which John Campbell was born. John Campbell was one of a family of five children, three sons and two daughters. He was the oldest son and the second child. With the exception of a few terms of school that he taught, Mr. Campbell devoted his entire time to farm work. In 1869 John Campbell married Miss Julia Howard, and they were the parents of four children. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Campbell married Miss Mary K. Barger. She was born in Newell township October 26, 1861. She became the mother of three children. Mr. Campbell has had a very successful life.

Charles Snider was born in Blount township December 15, 1843. His parents were John and Mary (Blount) Snider. His grandfather was the man for whom the township was named. He has been distinguished as being interested in horticulture. He was eighteen years old when he enlisted in the service of his country. He enlisted in Company D, Thirty-fifth Illinois Infantry, under Capt. Timmons and Col. Chandler. At the close of the war Mr. Snider again took up farming and stock raising. He married Miss Margaret Allhands in 1845. They were the parents of nine children, all of whom, excepting one son, died while yet young, although only two died in infancy.

Joseph Col Vance was born in Oakwood township June 2, 1844. His parents were John W. and Deziah (Rathborn) Vance. He was one of a family of two children, his sister being the wife of Samuel Tilton of Catlin. He was a soldier in the Civil war and has held several offices during his life. In 1869 Mr. Vance married Miss Lydia E. Mathewman, and they have been the parents of six children.

John W. Bandy was born in Danville April 8, 1844. His father was William Bandy, one of the prominent pioneers of Vermilion County, and his mother was the sister of J. H. Murphey, another pioneer. Mr. Bandy was one of seven children of William Bandy. He spent his first five years on a farm, after which he always lived in Danville. He entered the office of the Danville Plaindealer, of which Mr. Leslie was then editor, and remained there until 1864. He then went into the office of Dr. Humphreys, where he read medicine and practiced a little. Mr. Bandy afterward became a druggist, in which business he continued as long as his health would permit, since which time he has been retired. Mr. Bandy has accumulated much valuable property. He was married twice and has one son. Of the large family of Mr. William Bandy, Mr. John Bandy and his sister Emma are the only ones left. Mr. Bennett Bandy, another brother, was a very prominent citizen of Danville during many years until his death in about 1904. The family of children were all born in Vermilion County.

Amos Cook was born in Vermilion County, in Elwood township, December 15, 1845. His father was Daniel Cook, and his mother was Hannah Hester, the daughter of Thomas Hester, also a pioneer of eastern Illinois. Mr. Amos Cook, the son, married Maria Haworth, a prominent member of the Society of Friends. He never lived outside of Elwood township.

Thomas Haworth was born in Elwood township July 12, 1845. He was the son of Joel Haworth, who came to Vermilion County as early as 1825. Mr. Haworth died July 12, 1885.

James Barnett, another son of Vermilion County, was born April i, 1845. In 1874 he married Miss Lucinda Martin. They are the parents of five children. In 1878 they moved to Kansas on account of the health of Mrs. Barnett. After a while the land in Kansas rose in value and they concluded to dispose of it and return to Vermilion County. They have been citizens of the section ever since.

George Prather was born March 15, 1845, on a farm in Ross township. His father was Uriah Prather. In 1862 he enlisted in the service of his country. His term of enlistment was for about one hundred days. At the end of that time he was mustered out. Mr. Prather married Cynthia A. Beebe in 1887. They were the parents of three children.

David Meade was born in Newtown, October 4, 1845. He was the son of William Meade and the grandson of Nathaniel Meade. He lived through his youth in Oakwood township, going to school in the schools of the day. He early became a school teacher and taught in Oakwood township and in Vermilion County, Indiana, through the most of his life. He taught school in Eugene, Indiana, with great success. He was there in the capacity of school teacher for nine years. In 1881 he went into the Danville schools as principal of the Douglas building. He remained in the schools of that place for fourteen years, a part of this time as principal of the Franklin school. The year after he was in the Danville schools he was principal of the township high school at Perrysville. When he gave up school teaching, Mr. Meade took charge of his farm northwest of Danville. He also has a farm in Wayne County, Illinois. Mr. Meade married Miss Lucy Hosford in 1873. They are the parents of four children.

John Spouls was born February 26, 1845, on the farm on which he spent his life. He was but a baby when his father fell from a horse and met his death. He grew up on the farm, and when he married he and his brother divided the farm and he took the south half. He has increased his portion from time to time, making much profit from feeding and selling fine cattle.

Martin J. Barger, at present the governor of the Danville Branch of the Home for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors, is a son of Vermilion County. He was born February n, 1845, m Newell township. He was the son of William J. Barger. His father died when he was quite young, and his mother married again. Upon this he left home and apprenticed himself to the shoemaker's trade. He did not work at this trade, however. When the war broke out, he determined to enlist, although he was but sixteen years old. He made application to Capt. McKibben, but was laughed at. Nothing daunted, he followed the soldiers to Springfield and thence along until they had reached Cape Girardeau. At every place he insisted on enlisting and was everywhere laughed at, for there were plenty of men ready to go into the service and he was a boy, who looked even younger than he was. He had attached himself to the Twenty-fifth Illinois regiment without enlisting, and gone with them as far as Forsythe, Missouri, where he made one more appeal to Capt. Wall of Company B, and was told it was no use, that he would die in a few days. He insisted on following the army whether they would let him or not, and they gave him an outfit and a suit of clothing. In about a week the army was in motion for Batesville, Arkansas. The boy started with them and the first day he kept up; the second day he did not get into camp with his command, and the third day did not arrive until late at night, and the fourth day he lost sight of the army. He had a little money and could get his meals along the way and make inquiries of directions. He camped out at night and moved forward footsore and weary and went into Batesville but a little behind the army. When he was first seen the cheers rang out long and strong. He had not been seen for a week, and everyone thought him either captured or dead. When the time came to pay off the army he was asked if he wanted pay. "If you think I will make a soldier," he answered. "O, you'll do," was the answer, and the boy was given the payroll to sign, and he was legally a soldier. He was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga and taken prisoner. He was held about ten days and then paroled. He was not exchanged until the next summer. He remained with his regiment until he was exchanged, but not doing duty. He was discharged in March, 1865. His wound was of such a nature as to incapacitate him for hard work, and he draws a pension. He has held public office often in his life and has been one of the officers of the Home since its being established here. When Governor Clements died and made a vacancy, Mr. Barger naturally succeeded him, having been his assistant for some time previous to this time.

John Goodwine, Jr., familiarly known as "Jack," was born December 2, 184.8, on a farm not far from Potomac. In December, 1870, Mr. Goodwine married Miss Mary K. Alexander, who also was born in Vermilion County. Mrs. Goodwine did not live but two years after her marriage, however. After her death Mr. Goodwine went west to Colorado. He returned and again took up his farm life. Mr. Goodwine was married the second time to Miss Lane. They have been the parents of a large family of children, all but one of whom have lived to grow to maturity. He had one daughter as the child of his first wife. She became the wife of L. D. Lane, a farmer of Vermilion County.

Thomas Watson is a son of Vermilion County, born February 18, 1846, near Danville, a son of John R. Watson, who came to this county from Kentucky in 1829. Mr. Watson married Miss Sarah E. Adams, herself born in Vermilion County, the daughter of Samuel Adams. Mr. and Mrs. Adams were the parents of five children, all of whom lived to grow up.

Mrs. Julia (Payton) Harper was born in Vance township, Vermilion County, Illinois, February 8, 1847. She was the daughter of John M. Payton, and she became the wife of Albert Harper May 29, 1873.

R. Bruce Smith was born in a house at the corner of Main and Franklin streets, in Danville, December 26, 1847. He was the son of Isaac P. Smith. He was conspicuous in different lines from being a clerk in a general store or even before that time, when he sold the LaFayette papers to the citizens after the 10 o'clock P. M. train came. He had two well known sisters, one of whom became Mrs. Kane, and another who became Mrs. Crane. Both of them were very active in church and social duties.

Beriah Haworth was born in Vermilion County, in Elwood township, September 15, 1847. He was the son of David Haworth. Mr. Haworth married Miss Anna Lewis, and they were the parents of three children. They were members of the Society of Friends. Mr. Haworth has been a breeder of fine horses.

Mrs. Mary C. (Acree) Taylor was the daughter of Joel and Elvessa (Yount) Acree. She was born in Catlin township, November 12, 1848. She became the wife of Thomas A. Taylor in 1869. She has been the mother of a large family of children, and ten of them lived to maturity. Mrs. Taylor lives in a beautiful home in Catlin, with everything to make life pleasant.

Jacob K. Robertson was the oldest of a large family of sixteen children. He was born in Newell township September 22, 1848. He married Miss Melissa Britingham of State Line, in 1872. Her parents were early settlers in Vermilion County, and she was born in Pilot township November 24, 1848. They were the parents of five children.

Mrs. Emma (Porter) McDowell was born in Carroll township, one and a half miles east of Indianola, April 3, 1849. She was the daughter of William Porter, who came to Vermilion County from Kentucky. Emma Porter became the wife of John A. McDowell in 1869. At this time Indianola was called Chillicothe. Mrs. McDowell was the mother of seven children.

This list of elder sons and daughters of Vermilion County makes no pretensions to being complete. It would be impossible to get a complete list, and it would not be worth while to attempt it. Were the list not limited to the elder ones, it could be very much lengthened. There are many whose birth comes just beyond the limit of 1850, which has been set, whom Vermilion County has shown a pleasure in honoring and whose lives have proven their right to such appreciation. Charles A. Allen, Samuel Collison, William T. Cunningham, Thomas Woolverton and John Frazier have their time of birth in 1850 or the nearby years, and all deserve mention as among the elder sons who have made the county famous in different ways. But the limit must be fixed at some point, and no better date could be chosen, perhaps, than the middle of the nineteenth century, beyond which the sons and daughters should no longer be considered as elder ones.