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 21
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George L. Watson attended the public schools and grew to manhood in Champaign County. The Watsons had relatives who lived in Indiana, and it was while visiting them that Mr. Watson met the lady who subse- quently became his wife, and on December 31, 1889, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Josephine Short. Her parents were James and Amanda (Kemp) Short, the former of whom was a prominent farmer in Fountain County, near Hillsboro. He died from the effects of a fall when aged eighty years. He was a son of Aaron Short, of whom the story is told that it was through his plucky deeds that the name "Hoosier" was ever after- ward applied to Indiana, in which state he lived. It is said that at the early day when the canal around the Ohio River was in course of con- struction in southern Indiana, all classes were to be found among the workmen. According to prevailing custom there was plenty of whiskey on hand and consequent frequent brawls. On one occasion a number of these half-drunken workmen decided to attack Aaron Short, the big Vir- ginian, Virginia being his native state. He was a Hercules, six feet tall and brave as a lion. He fearlessly faced his foes and one after another went down under his powerful, sledge-hammer blows. He had never studied any science of fighting but had a system of his own that had always proved effective. When he had seven men groveling in the dust at his feet it is said that he straightened himself, and swinging his brawny bare arms, yelled, "Who's here?" as much as to say, "Who is next to tackle me ?" His companions, it is told, laughingly abbreviated the remark and named him "Hoosier," and applied it to the state he lived in.
During the first five years of their married life Mr. and Mrs. Watson lived on the farm of an uncle, Nelson Watson, Sr. They were industrious, frugal, ambitious and energetic, and soon found themselves able to pur- chase eighty acres of land situated in Harwood Township, four and a half miles south of Ludlow. In five more years they bought eighty acres more and at the end of another five years purchased an additional eighty acres. At a later date Mr. Watson inherited ninety-six acres from his father's estate and then purchased the interests of the other heirs, making his farm 360 acres. Mrs. Watson owns cighty acres in Indiana, a part of her father's estate. General farming and stock raising have been carried on, Mr. Watson continuing actively superintending all his industries until within recent years, since which time his son, Clarence Everett, has taken over the management and is ably continuing his father's methods and policies.
Mr. and Mrs. Watson have had six children, namely: Laura E. and Raymond E., twins, who died in infancy ; and Clarence Everett, Nora Esta, Fannie Josephine and George Joseph. Not only have these children had
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social advantages but their education has been carefully looked after. Clarence, Nora and Fannie all completed their cighth grade work in the Harwood Center district school on the same day and proudly brought home to their gratified parents their grade diplomas and also honorary diplomas for school attendance for eighteen months without once being absent or tardy. Subsequently Nora entered the Paxton High School and was creditably graduated therefrom in 1913. She is a very ambitious as well as intellectual young lady and has spent three years in Eureka College, preparing for educational work. The other children are doing equally well. Fannie has completed her first year, at the time of writing, in the Ludlow High School. Joseph, although only eleven years old, has no intention of being outdistanced by his sisters, and he, too, received a diploma for punctuality and attendance.
Mr. and Mrs. Watson, in their desire to give advantages to their chil- dren and also to add to the attractions of home, have recognized the great place that music holds and the daughters have been carefully instructed and show talent in this direction. In 1915 Mr. Watson erected the fine residence that is the happy home. It is beautifully situated on a natural eminence, and is shaded by trees along the front and its attractive appear- ance elicits general admiration. Mr. Watson has also looked after the comfort of his family by installing a hot and cold water system, such as city residents enjoy and the house is lighted by gas. Rural life as Mr. Watson and family can enjoy it leaves little to be desired, for they have their mail delivered on the rural route and are connected in all directions through excellent telephone service.
Politically Mr. Watson is a Democrat and he voices his faith in Presi- dent Woodrow Wilson as being the man to safely guide the nation through its present perils. Both he and son Clarence Everett are members of the Masonic fraternity, and Mrs. Watson is a member of the Eastern Star. Mr. Watson and family attend the Christian Church at Ludlow, afford it liberal support and take part in 'its benevolent and other missionary work.
WILLIAM SULLIVAN has been a life long resident of Champaign County and has figured in business affairs as a printer, newspaper man, and in later years in the real estate and insurance business. He has one of the principal offices for the handling of real estate and insurance at Cham- paign.
Mr. Sullivan was born at Urbana Illinois, February 12, 1862, a son of John and Ellen (McCann) Sullivan. Both parents were natives of Ireland, the father born in County Cork and the mother in County Limerick. John Sullivan came to America about 1855, and in 1857 located at Urbana. Subsequently he removed to Champaign and built a tavern across the street from where the Illinois Central depot stands. This tavern was known as the Travelers Home. In many ways it had historic associations with the life of the times. The principal work out- side of farming then going on in this district of Illinois was railroading. The Travelers Home became headquarters for the newcomers in this section of Illinois, and John Sullivan's acquaintance with officials of the railroad enabled him to secure first employment for a large number of these newcomers, many of whose families still remain in and about Cham- paign to this day. The other class of patronage upon which the Travelers Home relied for its prosperity was entertaining the emigrants then travel- ing across the country seeking new homes in the West. Most of these travelers came and went in wagons, and the wagon yard and stables were important adjuncts of the old hostelry at Champaign. John Sullivan was still proprietor of this hotel at the time of his death, January 16, 1871.
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He was survived by his widow, whose death occurred January 27, 1905. Of their five children, William Sullivan is the only one now living. Two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, and one son, James, died before their father, and Nellie afterward. She was the wife of George Boys and left two children, Lila and Nellie.
Besides the public schools of Champaign William Sullivan had the advantages of two years at St. Viator's College at Bourbonnais, Kanka- kee County. He attended this school after his father's death. He was only nine years of age when his father died, and after returning home from college he began learning the printer's trade with the old Times Printing Company. Later he was with the Champaign Gazette. In 1893, during the World's Fair year, Mr. Sullivan went to Chicago and was engaged in the tea and coffee business. The next year he returned to Champaign and resumed his connection with the Times in the printing department, and for ten years was reporter and city editor of that paper. He finally gave up the newspaper game to enter the real estate and insur- ance business, and he has been active in that line since 1904.
For many years Mr. Sullivan was affiliated with the Democratic party and took an active part in politics. During recent years he has been independent as to politics. For five years he served as secretary of the chamber of commerce, and has always taken his part in movements for the general good of the community. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Pythias and the Court of Honor. On March 18, 1891, he married Miss Frances M. Trenchard, a native of Piatt County, Illinois. Six children have been born to their union: William J., now actively associated with his father in business; Walter, deceased ; Edna, at home; twins who died at birth; and Arthur T., also at home.
THOMAS BUCK. Among the intelligent and thrifty farmers of Cham- paign County one whose name belongs high on the list is Mr. Thomas Buck of section 28, Compromise Township.
Mr. Buck has spent most of his active life in Champaign County, but was born in Warren County, this state, a son of Eli and Catherine (Hogan) Buck. His father was born in Vermont and his mother in Ireland. When Thomas was four months old the parents moved to Champaign County, locating south of Gifford, where the children were all educated in the public schools.
Thomas Buck grew up to industrious habits and responsible manhood and at the age of twenty-seven married Sarah Graham. She was born in Logan County, Illinois, and her father, Abraham Graham, was among the early settlers of the state. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Buck started life as farmers in section 28, south of Penfield, and here their work has been tested and the best fruits of their lives realized. They have a splendid farm of 166 acres, an attractive home, and have done much to beautify the land and render it homelike as well as valuable for farming purposes. Mr. Buck's parents in their later years moved to Penfield, and his father died there, widely recognized as one of the good citizens and kind neighbors of Champaign County.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Buck were born nine children : Francis, Joseph, Arthur, Edward, Harold, James, Charles, Mary and Helen. They made up a household of bright, energetic young people, and this is one of the households which has contributed most generously to the new National American Army, since three of the sons have enrolled as soldiers, Francis, Joseph and Arthur. Joseph graduated from the Penfield High School and afterward spent onc year at St. Viator's College at Bour-
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bonnais, Illinois. From college he returned home and began a career as a farmer, having rented land. Francis Buck married Stella Collins, is a farmer living at Gerald, and has one son, Joseph Francis.
Mr. and Mrs. Buck are active members of the Penfield Catholic Church and are among its liberal supporters. In his political views Mr. Buck is .a Democrat, and is a man whose record in Compromise Township well enti- tles him to the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens. He has been a member of the school board and wherever possible has exerted his influ- ence in behalf of good schools, good roads and other improvements. He and his wife are active members of the Hibernian lodge at Penfield.
LOUIS MITTENDORF. A number of the solid old business houses of Champaign perpetuate in their ownership old pioneer names of Cham- paign County, the undertaking establishment of Louis Mittendorf being a case in point. For more than sixty years the name of Mittendorf has been known and respected in this section, ever representing honest methods and sturdy industry, and every one who has business transactions with Louis Mittendorf can testify that he has dealt with an honest man.
Louis Mittendorf was born at Champaign, Illinois, June 13, 1860. His parents were Christian and Hannah (Schneber) Mittendorf, both of whom were born in Germany. Early in the '50s the father came to Champaign County in company with Emil Dunlap, for whom he worked for nine years as gardener and nurseryman and then went into the same business for himself, purchasing five acres of land north of the town. This he improved and brought to a high state of cultivation, making of it a very profitable market garden and utilizing every inch in his frugal, efficient way, thereby accumulating a competency. To his marriage with Hannah Schneber eight children were born, as follows: Frank, who is deceased; Lottie, who is the widow of William Kiler, of Champaign; Christie, who is the wife of Jacob Ort, of Wahoo, Nebraska; Reka, who is deceased; Annie, who is the wife of J. J. Dallenbach; Henry, who is deceased; and Louis and Charles, both of whom reside in' Champaign. The father of this family died March 28, 1906, and the mother in 1908.
Louis Mittendorf resided with his parents, attending school as was convenient, and assisted his father until he was twenty-one years old, making himself very useful, as he had charge of the delivery of produce to customers in Champaign. When his father retired in 1897 he suc- ceeded him and continued the business for ten years. He moved then to Champaign and in 1889 started a furniture and undertaking business and continued in both lines until 1914, when he sold the furniture depart- ment to C. A. Kiler and since then has confined himself entirely to under- taking. He has well appointed undertaking and funeral directing apart- ments at No. 134 West Park Street. For twenty-eight years he has sympathetically as well as efficiently served Champaign families, in the way that some time or other all families must be served, personally attending to all details, giving advice when it was welcomed and showing a friendly interest that often means so much in times of distress and grief.
Mr. Mittendorf was married August 22, 1906, to Miss Mary McConney, who was born in Indiana, a daughter of Norris and Mary (Walters) McConney, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter at Urbana, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Mittendorf have two children: John Porter, who was born June 10, 1907, and Mary Jane, who was born November 21, 1908. In politics Mr. Mittendorf is a Republican and fraternally he is identified with several orders.
Janis Mitten dorf
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CAPT. THOMAS JEFFERSON SMITH, of Champaign, is one of the few men still living in Illinois who made their first briefs and arguments in a court room prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. In many ways his has been a remarkable life. He began practice before the war, enlisted soon afterward and gave the best in him to the perpetuation of the Union, came out of the war with the rank of captain, and at once began practice . at Champaign, where he has now lived for over half a century.
Captain and Mrs. Smith never had any children. They were devoted companions during the long journey they had together in this vale of tears, and while they began struggling young people, they lived to enjoy much and the memory of their companionship is the sustaining thing in Captain Smith's life today.
Future generations will know of the many ties that linked together Captain Smith and his wife because just recently Captain Smith has donated a fund of $215,000 to the University of Illinois for the erection of a building on the campus to be named the Tina Weedon Smith Music Hall. That building will be used exclusively as a home of music, and for years to come it will be a source of inspiration and a source of artistic culture to the thousands of students who yearly throng to this center of learning.
Capt. Thomas Jefferson Smith is a native of Virginia, having been born near Kingwood, in Preston County, July 4, 1836. His parents were Jacob and Cecelia (Shaw) Smith, both natives of Virginia. When Captain Smith was a small child his parents removed to Logan County, Ohio; locating on a tract of wild land and his father did the clearing necessary to make it a farm. In 1850 he removed to Bellefontaine, in Logan County, and lived there somewhat retired until his death in 1875. The mother of Captain Smith died in 1862.
The fourth in a family of nine children, Captain Smith grew up on an Ohio farm. He took part in the sports and pastimes of his rural com- munity, and became strong in body and industrious from an early age. When he was only twelve years of age he was awarded the first prize in a plowing competition in which young men of twenty-one and twenty- two years of age were allowed to participate.
His early education was limited by the advantages of the local high school. He qualified as a teacher and taught in Ohio until 1858, when he removed to Clay County, Illinois. In Clay County he continued teach- ing for a year, and in the meantime had studied law in private offices and in his leisure hours and was admitted to the bar in 1859. In November of that year this young attorney was elected county superintendent of schools in Clay County. He was the first Republican to enjoy such a distinction in Clay County. It had been the saying for many years that no Republican could be elected to office there. Captain Smith made a good campaign and his qualifications were so thoroughly admitted that he was elected to the office by a majority of 240 votes. He filled the office of county superintendent for two years, finally resigning to enter the Union Army.
From his law office he went out in July, 1862, to become a soldier of the Union. He enlisted in Company F of the Ninety-eighth Illinois Infantry, and was in continuous service until the close of the war. He went through the various grades of sergeant, orderly sergeant, second lieutenant, first lieutenant until he became captain of his company, and for a time was on the staff of General Wilder. Captain Smith was mustered out of the army in April, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee.
In the meantime, in 1864 he had married Miss Tina Weedon, a native of Woodbury, Tennessee, and they were married at Murfreesboro. Captain
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Smith was then a poor young army officer, had as yet established no permanent connections in his profession, and after his marriage at the home of his bride he was in such financial straits that he had to borrow enough money from a southern gentleman to get him and his wife back North. Immediately after coming out of the army Captain Smith located at Champaign, Illinois, where his thorough ability and his personal popu- larity soon brought him a living practice. He has long been recognized as a successful lawyer, and has grown wealthy in the profession and in the various business interests he has acquired. Captain Smith is still attorney for and a director in the Champaign National Bank and is also attorney for the Wabash Railroad Company.
For nearly forty years Captain Smith and wife lived together, and the many bonds that united them were finally broken in her death on August 22, 1903. Captain Smith and wife spent much of their time in later years in travel, and they were all over Europe together. Captain Smith has always been active in the Republican party, and for four years was chairman of the Republican Central Committee. He is a member of the Masonic Order, the Grand Army of the Republic, the Country Club, and the Methodist Episcopal Church.
LOUIS GLENN COLLISON, vice president of the First National Bank of Rantoul, is one of the youngest bankers of Champaign County, and has attained a distinctive position in business affairs which would be creditable to many older men.
Mr. Collison was born at Rantoul, August 30, 1894, a son of the late Fred Collison and Emma B. Collison. His mother is now Mrs. S. C. Tucker of Champaign.
Mr. Collison was liberally educated, attending the grammar and high schools at Rantoul, spent one year in the University of Illinois and one year in Northwestern University at Chicago, and also had a business course in the Gem City Business College at Quincy. His father's death caused him to leave school and assume an active part in the management of his father's estate.
He first became connected with banking as bookkeeper and director of the First National Bank at Rantoul, and in the fall of 1915, soon after his twenty-first birthday, was made assistant cashier and has been vice president since January, 1917. Mr. Collison has been a director in the First National Bank of Thomasboro, Illinois, since the summer of 1914, and has been a director in the First National Bank of Gilman for over a year. Thus his position makes him a factor in the financial life of Cham- paign County and he also has some valuable farm land in this county.
Mr. Collison is a Republican voter, a member of the Masonic order, of the Champaign County Country Club and the Church of Christ. March 2, 1916, at the home of the bride in Philo Township, he married Hazel Ursula Guard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Guard. Her father was one of the early farmers of Champaign County. Mrs. Collison was educated in the Philo High School and also took a course in Brown's Business College at Champaign. While exceedingly busy with his private affairs, Mr. Colli- son has not neglected the public welfare and recently he was one of the local men who secured the establishment of the Chanute Aviation Field at Rantoul.
The name Collison stands among the worthy names of those whose integrity of character and public spirited enterprise have contributed no small share toward the splendid achievements of men in our community. To Champaign County's future success in the social, civic and economic enterprises it is highly important that our young men qualify themselves
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for the duties of life as they are called upon to fill the positions of their worthy predecessors among the ranks of men, and it is highly gratifying to the friends of the Collison family that the present head of the family has taken his place in the social, religious and commercial world, thus making himself a recognized factor in the community interests of this great county, of which her sons and daughters have every reason to be justly proud.
FRED S. BAILEY, member of the well known Bailey family of Cham- paign, now vice president of the Champaign National Bank, was born at Champaign April 19, 1871, and is a son of Captain Edward Bailey, one of the founders of the bank who is elsewhere mentioned in these pages.
Mr. Bailey attended the common and high schools of Champaign, graduating from the latter in 1889, and continued his studies at the Uni- versity of Illinois until failing health obliged him to leave. For a year he worked in Colorado for an uncle and having recovered his health returned to Champaign and entered the Champaign National Bank as a clerk. He has been through all the grades of service and is now vice- president of that institution.
Mr. Bailey is a charter member of the Elks Lodge at Champaign and in politics is a Republican. He was married August 12, 1901, to Miss Mabel Bennett, a native of Pontiac, Illinois. Her parents removed to Champaign in 1892 and her father was formerly agent of the Illinois Central Railway here and afterwards in the land business in Mississippi. Both her parents are now deceased.
MRS. SUZAN KIRK, widow of the late Bernard Kirk, is a Champaign County woman around whom center many associations and interests that betoken the spirit and achievements for which American life is most note- worthy. Mrs. Kirk was born in County Louth, Ireland, a daughter of Patrick and Ann (Casey) McGinnis. She was about fifteen years of age when her father died. While she was a girl in Ireland her cousin Mary Curley returned on a visit to the old country, and had much to say about the wonderful opportunities of the New World. It was these stories whichi largely decided Suzan to cast in her lot with the country across the water, and at the age of nineteen she set out and came alone across the ocean, landing at New York and going on to Chicago. She spent some time near Chicago, and while there met Bernard Kirk, also a native of the Emerald Isle and a son of Henry and Bridget Kirk. Bernard Kirk in the mean- time had established himself in Champaign County and was in Chicago on business when he met Miss McGinnis. The acquaintance thus began con- tinued with ripening affection until wedding bells sounded. The young couple possessed many of the virtues for which the land of Shamrock is noted, and began with vigor and enterprise the task of developing a 160- acre tract of land which Mr. Kirk owned in Champaign County. Their trip from Chicago to Champaign County was in the nature of a honeymoon.
Bernard Kirk had come to America with only $5 in capital, but steadily worked his way to a comparative degree of independence by the time he was married. Then, with the aid of a capable wife, progress was rapid, and the success of his career is measured in the extensive holdings of 715 acres of as fine land as the State of Illinois can show.
To Mr. and Mrs. Kirk were born the following children: Bernard, Patrick H., Anna, John Francis, Margaret Cecelia, Mary Loretta and' Charles Joseph. Mr. and Mrs. Kirk did their utmost to train these chil- dren well both at home and in school. The children attended the Stone- strect district school, while Margaret Cecelia finished her education in the Raymond school of Chicago. She is now the wife of Francis O'Toole, a
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