USA > Illinois > Champaign County > A Standard history of Champaign County Illinois : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic and social development : a chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs, Volume II > Part 12
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It was on December 10, 1844, that she married David Patton. They began their married life in Vermilion County, Illinois, where Mr. Patton acquired 480 acres of Government land. In time he came to be one of the largest land owners and most extensive farmers in eastern Illinois. At his death he owned 2,000 acres in Ford, Champaign and adjoining counties, and his integrity of character and business judgment were respected and esteemed wherever known. David Patton was called to final rest February 29, 1880, more than thirty-seven years ago. Since her hus- band's death Mrs. Patton has continued to live on the old home farm in Kerr Township. While the early current of her existence took her through the rough experiences of pioneering, she has lived for many years in the
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quiet calm of peaceful surroundings and with inelination and opportunity for doing good to all around her. Mrs. Patton has distinguished ·herself for superior business and executive ability. She and her young husband started life with a splendid stock of energy, and it was their mutual labors and co-operation that brought such abundant prosperity to their hands.
In the early days of lier life in Illinois Mrs. Patton could look from the door of her humble home for miles out on the prairie. Not infre- quently she would see as many as twenty-five deer in a single drove. There were wild turkeys and abundance of every kind of game, nature having provided bountifully for the needs of the early pioneers while they were subduing the prairies and changing their productiveness to other forms. Mrs. Patton was constantly busy with the cares of her household and witlı the rearing and training of her children. She sent these children to the district schools, the Kuder, Flagg and Sugar Grove schools, and later afforded them every opportunity to get better training in colleges of differ- ent eities.
The eight children of Mrs. Jane Patton were: William T., Samuel H., Martha, Lafayette, Charles D., Frank, Ida and Mary Allie. Martha married J. W. Flagg of Vermilion County. Charles D. died at the age of twenty-scven on February 23, 1884. Ida is the wife of C. A. Lamb of Ford County. Mary Allie has given many years to the profession of tcaehing.
William T., the oldest child, was for many years a farmer on the home place and finally moved to Paxton, where he died in January, 1903. He married Fannie Flagg, and their children were Ada, David A., Charles D., Carrie and Elsie. Their daughter Ada is librarian at Champaign.
Samuel H. Patton, the second son, died August 19, 1895. He married Grace Kirkley of Paxton.
Martha, wife of J. W. Flagg of Paxton, has two children, David Ross and William.
Lafayette Patton, who is one of Champaign County's leading agricul- turists, occupies a farm adjoining that of his mother in Kerr Township, the two places being in sections 4 and 5. He married Ella McHenry. Their children are: Freddie, who died at the age of two years; Alfred Ray; Samuel H .; Harry and Ruth. Alfred Ray, the oldest child of Lafayette Patton and grandson of. Mrs. Jane Patton, was graduated front the law department of the University of Illinois in 1910 and is now an examining attorney for the Chicago Title and Trust Company and resides at Wheaton, Illinois, where he owns a half interest in the DuPage County Abstract and Title Company. Harry Patton, his brother, specialized his education in the School of Mines in Denver, Colorado, and enjoys the distinction of being the youngest supervisor in Champaign County, a bright, energetie young man whose popularity has won for him rapid advancement. He is now in the field artillery at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Samuel H. Patton, the other son of Lafayette Patton, completed his educa- tion in the University of Michigan and while a student there met Opal E. Trott. He was a Kappa Sigma fraternity man and she was a Delta Gamma sorority member. They were married at her home in Saginaw, Michigan. She was born at Buffalo, Ohio, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Spaid) Trott, also natives of Ohio. After their marriage Samuel H. Patton and bride went to New Mexico, where he held a position under the United States Government as civil engineer in the construction of the great Elephant Butte Dam, one of the greatest irrigation projeets, in the United States. He was afterwards a civil engineer in the cmploy of the Government in New York under Secretary McAdoo and was subsequently sent by the Government to the island of Hayti, where hc engaged in railroad
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construction. For three years he was a civil engineer engaged in locating railways in the Central American countries of Salvador and Guatemala. From there he returned to Champaign County aud has since been success- fully identified with practical agriculture in partnership with his brother Harry on their father's estate of 700 acres. These two young men are fine types of educated and scientific agriculturists, young men of high principles and thoroughly capable of making a success in their chosen vocation. Ruth Patton, the daughter of Lafayette Patton, was educated in the Illinois Woman's College at Jacksonville, and after graduating there entered the University of Chicago, where she took special work in domestic seience and art. She is a cultured young woman and at present is living at home and assisting in the management of the home.
Frank Patton, the other son of Mrs. Jane Patton, is now deceased. He married Okie Mendenhall. Ida Patton, who married C. A. Lamb and has her home at Champaign, is the mother of the following children: Nellie Bly, Charles Augustus, Jr., Allie Bie, Edith Jane and Hallie Eunice. The children were all liberally educated in the University of Illinois. Nellie B. Lamb is an instructor at Breckenridge, Minnesota. Charles Augustus, Jr., is bookkeeper and assistant manager of Lloyd's University Store at Cham- paign. Allie Bie is filing clerk in the registrar's office at the University of Illinois. Edith Jane graduated from the University of Illinois in 1916, and during the following year was in the State University of California at Berkeley, and in May, 1917, returned to Illinois with her master's degree. For two years she had taught English in the high school at Martinsville, Illinois. Hallie E. Lamb is pursuing the classical course in the University of Illinois.
Thus nearly all of Mrs. Jane Patton's grandchildren have had college and other liberal training and are young people whose attainments and character are properly a matter of pride to their grandmother.
Mrs. Jane Patton has always shown a great ability to accomplish things. Her life has been an exceedingly practical one, busy and filled with useful- ness. While devoted to her home and children and grandehildren, she has shown an active interest in public affairs and in many subjects that do not claim the attention of most people. A few years ago she found time to write a pleasing book of memoirs, including the genealogy of her family and also the story of her own life and experiences in early days. This is a contribution to real history and when the book was published she afforded a delightful surprise to her family and many old neighbors and friends by having delivered 104 copies to as many homes, not only in Champaign County, but in widely scattered communities of the United States.
Mrs. Patton proved herself a most loyal friend of the soldiers who went to the front during the period of the Civil War. Some of the surviving veterans of that struggle have again and again referred to their gratitude to Mrs. Patton for her kind deeds and her loyalty. Since she was sixteen years of age she has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1914 she was instrumental in the building of a fine little chapel of the church, eosting $4,000, and half of which sum was contrib- uted by herself. She also bought and presented to the church society the site occupied by the edifiee, which is destined for years to be a center of religious worship in that community and stands as a monument to her lib- erality and generosity. It is now more than seventy years since Mrs. Patton was married and started out a brave and loyal young woman beside her husband in their mutual task of carving a home and fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. She has gained a crown of glory by her deeds and her ministrations to others, and now at the age of ninety-three is taking a well earned rest, and peace and serenity are the companions and attendants of her last days.
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JOHN CECIL SOMERS is one of the youngest bankers of Champaign, and his career and experience have been worked out in one·institution.
When he was seventeen years of age he entered the Commercial Bank of Champaign, and by doing the duties which lay nearest and making himself generally useful to his superiors and to the bank's best interests he was pro- moted through clerkships until he now has entire administrative manage- ment of the bank and is one of its stockholders.
Mr. Somers was born at St. Joseph, Illinois, January 26, 1887, and is barely thirty years of age. His father, John W. Somers, was born and reared in Somers Township of Champaign County and died at St. Joseph in 1906. He was a Republican and a member of the Methodist Church. His father, Waitman T. Somers, was a native of Virginia and an early settler in the farming districts of Champaign County. His wife was Mary Young. John W. Somers married Elizabeth Ann McDonald.
John C. Somers received his early education in the St. Joseph High School and left that to enter the Commercial Bank at Champaign. He has devoted himself with singular fidelity to one line of business and that aeeounts for his early success. He is a Republican, without official aspira- tions, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and has attained the Knight Templar degrees in Masonry and is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Champaign Country Club.
On January 24, 1908, at Champaign, he married Miss Hazel C. Scott, who was born at Mahomet, Illinois, September 4, 1888. They have one son, Albert Georgc, born September 24, 1912.
J. W. REMLEY. The winning of a comfortable prosperity after many struggles with fortune and the establishment and provision for a home and place as an honored and influential eitizen of his community is short meas- ure of the accomplishment of J. W. Remley, who for many years has been identified with Champaign County.
Mr. Remley is proprietor of the Pleasant Vale Stoek Farm in Har- wood Township, in section 14. He was born in Ross County, near Chilli- cotle, Ohio, a son of Alexander and Cutright Remley. His parents were also natives of Ohio. There were five children in the family and they were educated in district school No. 4 of Springfield Township in Ross County.
When J. W. Remley was sixteen years of age, in Mareh, 1875, his mother died and later his father married again. At the age of twenty-three J. W. Remley left home for Indiana. When he reached Indianapolis he was persuaded by his sister to come on to Champaign County, Illinois. When lie first came here it was with the intention of remaining only a year, but lie became so well satisfied with the country that it took a hold upon him as.a permanent residence.
Two years after coming to Champaign County Mr. Remley established a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Amelia A. Reynolds. She was born in Knox County, Illinois, five miles north of Oneida, daughter of Hanford and Antoinette (Roberts) Reynolds. Her father was a native of New York and her mother of Indiana. Her mother came to Illinois with her people at the age of eight years and was married in Knox County, and when Mrs. Remley was one year of age the family came to Champaign County.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Remley rented land four miles nortlı of Gifford in Harwood Township. They remained five years on that plaec and while those were years of considerable self-denial and of struggles to make both ends meet, they were altogether extremely happy. At the end of five years Mf. and Mrs. Remley bought eighty acres, a portion of the
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land they had rented, comprising the northeast eighty of section 14. Mrs. Remley's father had bought this tract when she was one year old. Subse- quently Mrs. Remley received as her share of the inheritance other land, so that the estate now comprises 200 acres, under the name Pleasant Vale Stock Farm. This name was given to the community by Mrs. Remley's mother when she first settled here.
As a stock farmer Mr. Remley is widely known in Champaign County. He raises chiefly Percheron horses of French imported stock. He has had a large number of these splendid animals.
Mr. and Mrs. Remley are the parents of Hanford Alexander, Orizada Alice, Maple Almond and Minnie Melvina. One other son, Amasa Roswell, died at the age of three years. These children were educated in the Pleas- ant Vale school. Orizada also took a four years' correspondence course from the institution at Kimberline Heights, Tennessee. Hanford A. Rem- ley married Anna Belle Bailey of Rantoul, and they have a bright young daughter, Esther Irene, now six years of age. Their home is two miles north of Rantoul on a farm. Orizada A. is an agriculturist east of Paxton, and married Allan J. Davis. They have two sons, Oscar Remley and Herchel J. Maple A. Remley married Laverna Riblet, and they are prac- tical farmers on a portion of the Remlcy estate. They have a young son named Devalson. Minnie M. Remlcy married Allan Dennis, and they live at Oxford, Indiana. Their' three sons arc named Mahlon Ray, Leon Allan and Orville Roswell.
Mr. and Mrs. Remley are active members of the Mount Olivet Churchlı of Christ, a country church in Ford County. In politics Mr. Remley ren- ders support to the Republican party, and is thoroughly progressive in his attitude. He feels that politics and the law should keep pace with the other marvelous improvements in the world. He also believes that the best laws ever formulated for this country had their birth in the Republican party. In citizenship he has been honored with those positions of trust and respon- sibility that furnish large opportunities for service, and was for six years assessor, township school trustee six years, and school director twenty- seven years. He and his two sons are active members of Camp No. 1047 of the Modern Woodmen of America at Gifford and he has been throughi all the chairs of that order. Mrs. Remley is a member of the Royal Neighbors of America. Mr. and Mrs. Remley have been closely identified with the life and times of Champaign County for many years. They have always kept a most hospitable home and are people implicitly trusted for their integrity and their high mindedness.
Mrs. Remley is a member of the Reynolds Family Association. This association traces its ancestry back to the year 1634, when the first of the Reynolds family came to America from England. No one is eligible to membership in the association except those of the name who can prove that their ancestors came to this country before 1660. Mrs. Remley's father was educated in New York, and was a successful teacher in that state and in Illinois and also was a practical surveyor and a most capable farmer and business man. During the last two years of his life he suffered impaired health and had his home with Mr. and Mrs. Remley until his death, September 26, 1917.
JOHN E. GALLIVAN is a native of Champaign County, but his name is widely known over this entire part of the state. He is now serving as deputy state fire inspector.
Mr. Gallivan was born at Ivesdale, Champaign County, August 18, 1860, son of Patrick T. and Anne (Doyle) Gallivan, both natives of Ireland. His father was born in County Kerry and his mother in County Wexford. Patrick T. Gallivan at the age of fourteen came to this country with his
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parents, Thomas and Margaret (Ferriter) Gallivan, who first located in the East and gradually kept moving westward until they reached Michigan. Patrick Gallivan eventually came to Ivesdale, Champaign County, and at the age of fifteen was driving a team in railroad construction work in that locality. At the same time he used some of his leisure time at night to educate himself. He remained with the railroad work on the Great Western, now called the Wabash, until that line was constructed through to Danville. After that for four years he worked for the Wabash in the railroad yards at Danville, and was finally appointed foreman of the section at Ivesdale in Champaign County, a position he held until 1867. In the meantime, hard working and thrifty as he was, he had invested his earnings in a 240-acre farm in Champaign County, and in 1867 he was ready to occupy it and make it the principal source of his living. He continued farming on that place until 1890. when he retired to Ivesdale, where his death occurred March 25, 1912. This honored old timer was at different periods town- ship supervisor, member of the council and school treasurer. He was largely instrumental in settling the Catholic communities in Ivesdale and Colfax townships. At one time he was in the grain and elevator business in that community. His widow still lives at Ivesdale, at the age of eighty- two, and is in splendid physical health and in full possession of her mental faculties. . There were eight children: John E .; George of Ivesdale; Margaret, wife of James E. Dugan of Indiana; Thomas J. of Urbana; Mary, wife of J. A. Fallon of Chatsworth, Illinois; Catherine L., who is unmarried and is an osteopath at Ivesdale; Daniel of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Anna, wife of Ora Curtis of Clinton, Indiana.
The youth of John E. Gallivan was one of hard work and lack of oppor- tunities beyond those he could secure for himself. The first school he attended was in an attic in a log house in Ivesdale, and for three years he studied under James M. Graham, now congressman from the Springfield district. At the age of twenty-one he began railroad work and was employed in the train and yard service continuously for thirteen years.
Having married and having the responsibilities of a family, Mr. Gallivan gave up railroading and engaged in the furniture and undertaking business at Ivesdale for six years. From Ivesdale he removed to Champaign, and developed a large and prosperous business as a real estate dealer. Hle han- dled real estate altogether for twelve years. For the past four years he has served as deputy state fire marshal and has charge of eighteen counties in the central part of Illinois. Mr. Gallivan is an active Democrat, a member of the Knights of Columbus and of St. Mary's Catholic Church.
He married at Bloomington, April 28, 1886, Miss Alice M. Jones. They arc the parents of seven children : Anna and George, now deccased ; Lillian, bookkeeper for the Twin Ice Company at Champaign, Illinois; John and Thomas, twins, the former located at Indianapolis and the latter deceased; Lyle, a student in the University of Illinois ; and Milo, a student in St. Mary's High School.
WILSON CONNER. One of the homes of Kerr Township to which special attention should be directed in this publication is that of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Conner in section 28, near Penfield. Mr. Conner is a man of sterling worth and character, has lived in Champaign County the greater part of his active life, and has won for himself an enviable prominence as a farmer, public spirited citizen and a worker in behalf of every worthy cause.
He was born in Ohio, a son of John and Mary Ellen (Riggleman) Conner, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Virginia. The father died when Wilson was a small child, and a little later the widowed
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mother brought him to Champaign County, where he spent his boyhood and secured his education in the Kuder school. When he was ten years of age his mother died, leaving him an orphan, and he sorely missed her counsel and protecting care.
He has thus made his way against the tide of circumstance from early years and did not have a home of his own until the age of twenty- nine, when he married Miss Alice Mantle. Mrs. Conner is a native of Champaign County, a daughter of Isaac and Mary (Kuder) Mantle. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Conner moved to Vermilion County, Illinois, and began life on a rented farm. With youth, ambition and energy, the future stretched away in charming prospect, and they wisely improved their advantages and opportunities until they were able to return to Champaign County and buy 101 acres in Kerr Township. Mr. Conner paid $35 an acre for this land and today it is worth $175 an acre. Here his enterprise has proved productive and he and his good wife have the credit for practically making one of Champaign County's best farms. There were no buildings or other improvements on the land when they bought it, and successive years have witnessed the erection of commodious house and barn, the planting of fruit and shade trees, and the wise conservation and use of the soil. While general farming is the main business carried on, they have a fine orchard, including choice varieties of cherries, peaches and plums and a large amount of berry fruits.
Into their home were born three children, one of whom died in infancy. The surviving daughter is Mary Ellen Gladys Conner. Both her grand- mothers had the name Mary. The son is McKinley Solomon, whose first name was for the illustrious President and the second for his uncle, Solo- mon Mantle. These children attended the Kuder school, Mary graduating from the eighth grade and receiving the honorary diploma for admission to the high school. Besides giving them the usual school advantages Mr. and Mrs. Conner have made musical instruction a feature of their culture. Mary spent several years under the instruction of Mrs. J. Kirkpatrick of Champaign. Both children have developed fine talent for music, Mckinley having become a proficient performer on the violin. With his sister to accompany him the Conner home is never at a loss for special concerts and there is seldom a time in the work of the farm when music is neglected. Mr. and Mrs. Conner have wisely endeavored to give their children the benefit of a musical education, and that is a strong cord to bind their chil- dren to the home. Undoubtedly one of the great problems of country life might be solved if all parents were as liberal in affording advantages and entertainment to their children as Mr. and Mrs. Conner.
Mr. and Mrs. Conner are members of the United Brethren Church of Penfield and the children are active in the Sunday school. The name bestowed upon the son indicates Mr. Conner's politics. He has been a steady supporter of the Republican party, and with his wife has endeavored to inculcate thorough American principles in their children. Several years Mr. Conner served as road commissioner. He and his wife have been true home makers in Champaign County and their lives have been a contributing factor to the progress and prosperity of this region.
S. C. TUCKER, the present mayor of Champaign, has long been identified with Champaign in business affairs and in politics, is also a former mayor of the city and a former city treasurer, and is that type of man whose energy means something in the constructive administration of a city's affairs.
Mr. Tucker was born in Saybrook, Illinois, January 9, 1871, a son of Sylvester and Sarah (McDaniel) Tucker. His father was a native of Ohio and his mother of Illinois. In 1882 the Tucker family removed to
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Champaign County, where Sylvester Tucker followed his trade as a car- penter until his death. They were the parents of eight children: Ollie of Champaign ; Ida, wife of C. W. Warner of Jackson, Mississippi; W. G., who lives in Champaign and is an engineer with the Illinois Central Railway ; S. C .; A. J. of Sheridan, Wyoming; Margaret, deceased; Charles J. of Champaign ; and L. E. of Champaign.
S. C. Tucker was eleven years of age when his parents removed to Cham- paign County, and he finished his education in the local high school. He began his business career as clerk in a grocery store and later was with the firm of Maxwell & Mollet for about nine years. Hc then engaged in busi- ness for himself on East University Avenue and conducted one of the well stocked stores along that thoroughfare for five years.
In the meantime he was elected city treasurer, an office he filled two years; from 1909 to 1911 he was the capable mayor of Champaign, being elected to that office on the Republican ticket. After Champaign adopted the commission form of government Mr. Tucker's name was prominently mentioned in connection with the office of mayor, and he was elected for that position. In 1903 Mr. Tucker removed to the corner of Church and Neil streets, where he conducted his place of business for fifteen years, and in June, 1917, moved to the opposite corner from where he had been located for so many years.
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