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 17
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On October 22, 1914, Leland S.' Fowler married Miss Atha Wood. She was born at Gifford in Champaign County, daughter of E. A. and Laura (Rowland) Wood. While the Fowler family had two sons there were two daughters in the Wood family, Edythe and Atha. Miss Atha graduated from the Gifford High School, from the Champaign High School, took up the study of domestic science in the University of Illinois, and also received much musical instruction.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Fowler started life on his father's farm and he now has under his direct management 740 acres. The Fowler residence is one of the finest in the country district of Champaign County, a country home that does credit and is a monument to the industry of Mr. U. G. Fowler. His father built up an estate of approximately 1,450 acres in this part of Illinois.
Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have a bright and attractive young daughter, Beth Louise, now two years of age, also a son, Harold Wood, born July 29, 1917. Mr. Fowler enjoys the complete confidence of his community and has been elected and has served three years as township assessor. He and his wife are active members and supporters of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Pen- field, and in politics he is a Republican and a member of the Masonic Order. He and his wife are among the cultured and successful younger families of Champaign County and have already gone far to the attainment of that success which is the object of every worthy ambition.
THOMAS. A. LITTLE. One of the most interesting homes of Rantoul is that of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Little in the extreme northeast quarter of the town. They live there enjoying a happy combination of both the rural and the urban facilities. They have sufficient ground to afford Mr. Little an opportunity to indulge his favorite pastimes of agriculture, not without considerable profit, and they also have sufficient means to live comfortably without fear of the future and enjoy their many friends.
Mr. Little was born in Licking County, Ohio, in 1851, a son of John and Charlotte (Coon) Little. His parents were natives of Ohio, and his mother was of an old and prominent family of that state. In 1916 Mr. and Mrs. Little attended the annual reunion in Ohio of the Coon family and spent two weeks in and around Newark renewing old acquaintances.
Thomas A. Little was educated in the district schools of Vermilion and Champaign counties, Illinois, and became a practical farmer. He was also engaged in a mercantile business in Rantoul, from the spring of 1872 to 1905. At the age of thirty-five he married Lizzie Cole. Three children were born to their union, two of whom died in infancy. Lewis C., the only one to grow up, proved a boy of fine capacity and of studious ability. He was graduated with honors from the Rantoul High School in 1905, having done his last two years of work in one, in addition to clerking in a store both morning and evening. From there he went into a law office to study law, and was well on the way to a professional career when he died. He was only nine years of age when his mother passed away.
Thomas A. Little subsequently married Mary J. Lindsey, who was born in Vermilion County, Illinois, a daughter of David H. and Soplironia
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Lindsey. Mrs. Little was only a child when her mother died. She was educated in the Collison district school and also at Danville. After Mr. and Mrs. Little married they took up their home in Rantoul, where he engaged in a mereantile business until 1905. Sinee then he has been handling insurance and also has a collection ageney.
A few years ago Mr. Little determined to establish a home for himself combining the country with the town, and with that end in view bought five and a half aeres in the northeast part of Rantoul. He has a large white house as his home, and has planted shade and spruee trees, whieli in time will make the plaee a perfect bower. Onc feature of his farm is a strawberry pateh with over 4,000 plants. Mr. Little raises poultry sueeessfully, and has used the Philo system. His land occupies high ground and commands a fine view in all directions.
Mr. and Mrs. Little attend worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church, though Mrs. Little is a member of the Christian denomination. Politieally he is a staneh and progressive Republiean, and was a loyal supporter of Roosevelt. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and served as reeorder of the Court of Honor for ten years. Mrs. Little is a member of the Rebekahs.
JOHN I. GROVES, M. D., was born in Cass County, Illinois, May 2, 1854, a son of Isaae and Mary E. (Coal) Groves. His father was born in England and his mother in the State of Maryland. Isaae Groves was for many years an active minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1878 he removed to Champaign, and died there December 12, 1906. By his first marriage he had two children, Elizabeth J., wife of Hugh Mitchell, of Fisher, Illinois; and Harriet A., wife of Thomas M. Foster, of Diekens, Iowa. Rev. Mr. Groves' second wife died Mareh 22, 1905. She was the mother of two sons: Dr. John Groves; and Charles W.
Doetor Groves remained at home with his father until he was twenty years of age. In the meantime he had aequired a substantial edueation, and he then took up teaching and followed that profession for four years in country districts. For three years he was a teacher in Vermilion County, Illinois. He then entered the Hahnemann Medieal College in Chieago, from which he was graduated M. D. in 1880, and spent seven years. in the praetiee of medicine in Indiana and Illinois. His. first practice was done in Indiana, and after two years he removed to Gibson City, where he practiced for four years before coming to Champaign, and sinee loeating here he has devoted his time to real estate interests. Doctor Groves has membership in the Homeopathie Medieal Society, and was a eharter mem- ber of Hesperon Lodge No. 123 of the Knights of Pythias of which he is a Past Chancellor Commander. He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, in which he has served as Venerable Consul, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Doetor Groves was married in September, 1883, to Graee F. Groves, who died October 4, 1885. On February 17, 1887, he married Miss E. Lynne Burton. They have one ehild, Evangeline Euniee, who graduated from the University of Illinois with the elass of 1912.
JOHN J. REA. A member of the Champaign County bar for thirty- seven years, John J. Rea has during this period risen to be one of the most foreeful attorneys of his native community, and at this time oeeupies a recognized position of eminenee among the legists of Urbana, where his entire professional career has been passed. While his later years have been erowned with sueeess, Mr. Rea is fully acquainted with the rough and stony paths which the young aspirant so often finds it necessary to
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trod, for in his own youth he found no royal road to success, but was forced to carve out his own destiny and to make his own opportunities. Determination and persistency triumphed in the end, and the reward has been commensurate with the labor.
John J. Rea is a product of the farming district of Mahomet Township, Champaign County, where he was born on his father's .farm October 11, 1852. His father, John J. Rea, was born in Lewis County, Kentucky, and first came to Champaign County as early as 1836, in which year he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of government land in what later became Mahomet Township. He did not remain here at that time, but returned to his Kentucky home, where he lived during the next thirteen years, and while there was united in marriage with Miss Sarah P. Hender -. son, also a native of Lewis County, Kentucky. She was a daughter of the late Judge Henderson. In 1849 they came to Champaign County and located on the farm which Mr. Rea had bought years before, and there the father passed the rest of his life, his death occurring March 5, 1863. He had by that time put a large part of his land under cultivation and was on the high-road to success, but death came to him when he was still in middle life, with his work unfinished. Mrs. Rea survived her husband for many years, dying at Ludlow, Champaign County, in November, 1909, when ninety years of age. She was one of the best known and most highly respected ladies of her part of the county. There were eight children in the family, as follows: Mary E., who died in 1907; Robert, whose death occurred in 1860; Sarah E. and Louisa A., who are both deceased; Thomas H., of Mahomet; Alice A., deceased; John J .; and William T., also deceased.
John J. Rea remained on the home farm until he was fifteen years of age, and during this time attended the country schools during the winter terms, his summers being spent in assisting on the farm. He then began attending school at Mahomet, and spent one year at Mount Pleasant, now Farmer. City, when, being compelled to contribute to his own support as well as to that of the family, lie secured a position as clerk in the general store of P. H. Scott at Mahomet. Mr. Rea remained in Mr. Scott's employ for three years, but by that time, having given it a thorough trial, found merchandising distasteful to him, and began teaching in the country schools, where he advised the youthful mind for three or four years. In the meantime he had become interested in the subject of law, and after. about eighteen months of study, during hours that could be spared from his school work, on March 16, 1879, he located at Urbana and entered the law offices of Somers & Wright. He was duly admitted to the bar of Illinois in June, 1880, and soon thereafter formed a law partnership with Judge Sim, of Urbana, but after two and one-half years this associa- tion was mutually dissolved, and since then Mr. Rea has been engaged in practice alone. He now has one of the best law clienteles in the county and is acknowledged to be a shrewd and capable attorney, the elasticity of whose mind, combined with kcen faculties of perception and analysis and a mastery of the principles of the common law, have made him a striking and successful advocate. If there is a close legal point involved in any issue his examination of the authorities bearing upon it is exhaustive. From the time he accepts a case until he has carried it to the highest tribunal, his client's interest comes before all else, and perhaps this quality of fidelity has done as much as anything else to win him confidence and patronage. During the administration of President Cleve- land, Mr. Rea was offered several important positions, one being that of chief clerk of the auditor's office in the Treasury Department at Washing- ton, D. C., and another that of federal attorney looking after the claims
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of the Indians made for services of their ancestors during the Civil War, but both of these offers he refused, preferring to devote himself to the responsibilities of his constantly growing private practice. Mr. Rea is a stauneh Demoerat. He has served five years as supervisor of Urbana Township and three years as eity attorney of Urbana, and has always shown marked executive and official ability. His fraternal connections inelude membership in the Masons, the Benevolent and Proteetive Order of Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America.
On April 5, 1882, Mr. Rea was married to Miss Minnie H. Fugate, who was born in Illinois, and to this union there have been born two children: Thurston Wayne, now managing editor of the Urbana Courier, who married Alydia Conkwright and has three children, John J. III, Myrtle Ellenor and Robert Wayne; and John Carlysle, whose death oceured Jan- uary 5, 1901.
FRED HESS. On the roster of the energetie men who are discharging the duties eonneeted with publie positions in Champaign County is found the name of Fred Hess, whose ineumbeney of the office of county elerk goes baek over a period of more than six and one-half years. The county clerkship is an office which earries with it some of the heaviest responsibili- ties and most onerous duties, the important eharaeter of which demand the presenee and labor of a man of strong intelleet, who ean combine aeeuraey with industry and fidelity. The faet that Mr. Hess has retained the offiee during the long period that he has should be sufficient proof that he is possessed of the qualities mentioned, or at least that he has satisfied the people in this respect. He is one of the native sons of the county who have made excellent records in publie life.
Fred Hess was born in the city of Champaign, Illinois, May 19, 1871, and is a son of Isaiah H. and Sarah A. (Hardin) Hess, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Pennsylvania. His father was still a young man when, in 1857, he left his native state and eame to Illinois. As a youth he had learned the trade of plasterer, and after following this oeeu- pation as a journeyman for a number of years developed into a eon- traetor in the same line, and for a long period carried on a large and sue- eessful business at Champaign. His death oeeurred October 12, 1875, when he had reached only a little past middle age. Among the older residents of Champaign are a number who remember him as a man of his word, an excellent workman and a good eitizen. Mrs. Hess survived her husband until August 16, 1889, and also passed away at Champaign. They were the parents of nine ehildren, of whom five passed away before the birth of Fred, the others being: William H., deceased; Amelia M., who is a resident of Champaign; Jessie A., who is deceased; and Fred.
Fred Hess was only a little more than four years of age at the time his father died, but the mother managed to give her children satisfactory educational advantages, and lived long enough to see her youngest son graduate from the Champaign High School, with the elass of 1888. He was an ambitious and enterprising youth, and as soon as lie had completed his edueation started in search of employment. His first business experi- enee was with a groeery at Champaign, but after one year he decided his talents and tastes did not lie in this direction, and he transferred his ser- viees to the office of the Wileox Abstraet Company, where he remained some eight years. Here he gained valuable experience that fitted him for the next position that opened for him, that of deputy clerk in the Cham- paign County elerk's office, a position wlieli he retained during two admin- istrations. His advancement up to this time had been sure and steady, and he was now ready to take a further step, which he made when, in
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November, 1910, he was the successful candidate for the office of county clerk. He accordingly took up the reins of office in December of the same year, and since that time has continued as the incumbent of the office. The work of this department in the county administration entails a comprehensive amount of detail labor, including the issuance of marriage licenses, the keeping of records of births and deaths, assisting at tax sales, and making redemptions from same; receiving all tax levies and computing county, state and all city, village, district and other municipal taxes. As clerk of the County Court, the county clerk keeps a record of insane, pauper support, feeble-minded, inheritance tax and other cases. Nearly all special assessment cases are recorded in this office. The foregoing by no means entirely covers the duties of the clerk in full, but is sufficient to show that the incumbent needs to be a man of ability, and that when he is retained in office for six years that he has carried on his duties in a capable manner.
Mr. Hess was married June 11, 1904, to Miss Maud Lloyd, a native of Ohio. They have no children. Mr. Hess is a Republican in his political views. He is fraternally connected with the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Masons, and in the latter belongs to the Blue Lodge and Chapter and to Danville Consistory. He has numerous friends in all these orders, as well as in political and official life.
WILLIAM L. STURDYVIN. A resident for more than forty-five years in Champaign County has made William L. Sturdyvin one of his community's best known citizens, and the honorable and industrious life he has led has given him a substantial place among his people. The years have dealt kindly with him and with his efforts, and he and his good wife now reside in a comfortable and hospitable home in Rantoul. Theirs is one of the fine residences facing the park in Rantoul, and stands on a street corner about two blocks from the interurban station.
Mr. Sturdyvin is a native of Illinois and was born in Tazewell County, twenty-two miles south of Peoria. Hc is a son of Obadiah and Cynthia (Musick) Sturdyvin. His parents were born in Ohio and in pioneer times migrated to Illinois, locating south of what was then an Indian trading post consisting of a single log cabin on the site of the present vigorous City of Peoria. In the Sturdyvin family there were the following children besides William L .: Grant, Abraham and James, deceased; Steven, Allen and Robert; and two deceased daughters. The children were able to attend school in their pioneer district of Illinois only about three months a year. The Sturdyvins lived forty-five miles from Springfield, and in the early days there were only two houses on the entire road. Besides farming the father kept a tavern and one of its guests at different times was Abraham Lincoln, then an obscure Illinois lawyer. William Sturdyvin has boyhood recollec- tions of the great emancipator. One time he heard him plead a case in law court, and has a distinct recollection of the shrewd and effective arguments used by the Illinois statesman.
Mr. Sturdyvin married Catherine Wallace. She was born in the land of the shamrock, Ireland, a daughter of Edward and Anna Wallace. When she was two years of age her parents immigrated to America. There were no steamships crossing the Atlantic at that time and the family spent two months on the water. Mr. and Mrs. Sturdyvin began their married life in Tazewell County on a rented farm. They had hope, courage and enthusiasm, and hardships and difficulties were not sufficient to daunt their buoyant energy. From Tazewell County they removed to Bureau County, Illinois, but after a short time returned to their former home and in 1871, the year of the great Chicago fire, came to Champaign County. Here Mr. Sturdyvin
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bought 160 acres of land, for which he paid $15 an acre. It was raw prairie and in time was converted into a fertile and productive farm under his individual labors. He afterwards bought other land, at a much higher pricc, and still owns a farm estate of 200 acres. .
In the meantime children came into their home. Their family, named in order of birth, are: Anna, James, George, Mamie, Edward, Joseph and Carrie. Two children died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Sturdyvin had a keen appreciation of their responsibilities to their children and in order to fit them for life's responsibilities sent them to the district schools and later to the high school at Rantoul. Joseph and Carrie both graduated from the Rantoul High School and taught school several years. Anna finished her education in Champaign, and also became a successful teacher. She married Edward O'Donnell, now deceased, and her children are Frank and Joseph. James Sturdyvin married Catherine Delaney of Bellflower, and has children named Evylin, Earl and Agnes. George, a real estate man at Champaign, married Kate Harney. Mamic is the wife of James E. Leonard. Edward, a piano dealer at Champaign, married Nellie Gunning, and their children are Leonard, Marie and Loretta. Joseph is in the undertaking business at Champaign and married Agnes Fitzgerald. Carrie is the wife of Thomas Callahan and lives in Rensselaer, Indiana.
Throughout his long and industrious career Mr. Sturdyvin devoted his best energies to farming. About seventeen years ago he retired from his country place and bought his present home in Rantoul. He and his wife are active members and regular attendants of worship at St. Malachi's Catholic Church, and their children were baptized in the same faith. To their chil- dren they have given the best of educational advantages and home training and have endeavored to make them true and loyal American citizens. Mr. Sturdyvin has always appreciated the glory and dignity of America and has told his children many times that every one coming to this country ought to appreciate the nation and thic flag which waves over it.
Mr. Sturdyvin has served as school director and also as road commis- sioner, and in addition to his work as a farmer he has taken contracts for grading and building thirty-six miles of improved highway in the county. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Sturdyvin is characterized by hospitality and an atmosphere of cheer and comfort. They have lived long and worthily and have witnessed the transformation of Champaign County from a vast prairie district into one of the garden spots of the world.
THEODORE L. BLOCK. To accomplish as much as Theodore L. Block ac- complished in Champaign County demands not only phenomenal energy but a ruggedness and integrity of character that in no small degrce accounts for the esteem in which he is held as a citizen as well as a business man.
Mr. Block was born in Poland, October 3, 1850. He is a son of William and Minnie (Cornelius) Block. Several generations before he was born the ancestor of the family moved from the district bordering on the Baltic Sea into Poland, and thereafter the family was identified with the agricultural interests of that unhappy country until William Block sold his possessions there and immigrated with his family to America in 1857. On the 18th of May in that year they landed in New York City and pro- ceeded directly West until they arrived in Champaign County. Here William Block bought a farm tlirec miles south of Sidney, and though a stranger in a strange land he was successfully identified with farm manage- ment and local affairs. He spent the last fifteen years of his life retired at Champaign, where both he and his wife died. Theodore L. Block was the only child of his mother, and his father by a previous marriage liad. a son August, who is still living at Sidney in Champaign County.
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Theodore L. Block was six years old when the family came to America, and he practically grew up in Champaign County and profited by attend- ance at the local schools. At the age of twenty-one he showed his energy and ambition by renting a farm from his father and entering actively into the ranks of agriculturists. One success led to another, and by years of toil, accompanied by shrewd business management, Mr. Block was in a position where he might have retired with a liberal competence a number of years ago. He did in fact retire from active farming in 1901. How- ever, his business interests have been wonderfully prospered, and at the present time he owns 760 acres of the fertile soil of Champaign County, while in Vermilion County in this state he owns 390 acres and 1,440 acres in the State of Arkansas. He is also half owner in a bank and elevator at Indianola in Vermilion County. In 1902.Mr. Block built his fine home at 301 East Park Avenue in Champaign and he lives there with his family and has every material comfort and every congenial association which lie could desire.
Mr. Block married Mary P. Block, a native of Germany. They are the parents of five children : Clara D., wife of L. E. Hartzig, of Lafayette, Indiana ; Richard A., of Indianola, Illinois ; Rosa A., wife of Rev. George S. Gerhold, of Hamilton, Ohio; Edgar W., of Indianola, Illinois ; and Nora A., wife of Roy Zenke, of Indianola. Mr. Block is independent in his political affiliations. While living in the country in Champaign County lie was a school director for over thirty years. He is a member of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows and his church is the German Evangelical.
J. H. BLUE. Many years have passed since Mr. and Mrs. Blue took up their residence in Champaign County and began their careers as progressive farmers, and at the present time they live in the comforts of a good town home at Rantoul. In the meantime their children have grown up, most of them have married and have homes of their own, and Mr. and Mrs. Bluc are able to take the greatest satisfaction out of the large family circle that surround them.
Both of them are natives of Germany. J. H. Blue was born in the little Town of Leer on the River Ems near Hanover, Germany, one of the seven children of Henry A. and Alma J. (Buscher) Blue. His father was a sailor and lost his life at sea. At the age of thirteen J. H. Blue asked permission of his school teacher to leave school and begin an apprenticeship as a sailor. The family lived on the sea coast and the activities of the sea naturally appealed to all the boys of that district. Some time later he and a young Scotchman came to America for the purpose of entering the United States Navy. The North was then engaged in the struggle with the South over slavery. They landed at Boston from the sailing vessel Kensington, and the first news they heard was that peace had been declared, General Lec laying surrendered his sword to General Grant. The boys then shipped as ordinary seamen on a full rigged schooner from Boston to Philadelphia, carrying a load of coal. On returning to Boston the captain was so pleased with their services that he offered to ship them as able seamen. The Scotcli boy left for other work, but Mr. Blue remained and sailed with his captain for cight months up and down the coast from Philadelphia to Baltimorc. His last voyage was made from Baltimore to Rio de Janeiro, South America. He carried on his out voyage a load of flour, which was exchanged for coffee on the Brazil plantations.
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