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 45
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William Allison Hinton grew up on his father's farm in Champaign County. With his own eyes he has witnessed the remarkable develop- inent of this part of the State. Land that he now owns and part of which
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cost only $28 an acre is now of such value that it could not be bought for less than $275 an acre. Wholesale changes have been made in the country and its industries within his lifetime. He had reached manhood before the first telephones were brought into Champaign County, and from time to time he himself has utilized in his home or on his farm the modern imple- ments of industry, including the high power automobile. He fitted himself for life's serious responsibilities largely through his own exertions, and has acquired more education by experience and reading than he did from the local schools. The first money he ever earned was 50 cents a day drawing straw from the threshing machine. That first 50 cents benefited him little, since he lost it soon after earning it. As a wage earner he worked for several years, then rented land and finally was able to make his first purchase. He went in debt for part of the payment of this forty acres. Later he and his brother Winfield bought eighty acres in partner- ship, and in time Mr. Hinton bought his brother's interest. He paid up all his debts, and then added more land until his present place comprises 160 acres. For forty acres of this he paid $125 an acre. All the buildings on his farm have been erected by him or under his direct management, and he now has his magnificent rural home all paid for. He formerly owned a quarter section of land in the province of Ontario, Canada. The estate of Mr. and Mrs. Hinton in Newcomb Township bears the appropriate name of Park Lawn, and besides its superior comforts it has everywhere the sign and atmosphere of hospitality.
On September 18, 1883, Mr. Hinton married Miss Rose Shoppell. Two sons have been born to their union, and Mr. and Mrs. Hinton have taken the greatest of care in instilling in them the correct principles of living and guiding their useful ways to honor and integrity. James Myron, the older of these sons, is an agriculturist in Newcomb Township. He was educated in the common schools and has proved himself a practical man in his vocation. He married Miss Agnes Austin, and they have a little daughter, Helen Louise. James M. Hinton is a Democrat, a member of the Masonic order, belonging to Mahomet Lodge, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is now serving as school treasurer and tax collector, and has been treasurer of the school district six years.
Robert Wirt Hinton, the second son, is a practical farmer in Condit Township. He was educated in the common schools, the high school and Brown's Business College. He married Miss Zora Daly, and their happy companionship was terminated with her death on May 23, 1917. She left a little daughter, Lyla Marie. Mrs. R. W. Hinton's remains are at rest in Mount Hope Cemetery at Champaign. Robert W. Hinton is a member of the Masonic order at Fisher, Illinois, and he and his wife were regular attendants of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mrs. William A. Hinton was born in Champaign County, April 11, 1858. She is the sixth in a family of eight children, one son and seven daughters, born to Jackson and Mary Ann (Starling) Shoppell. Of the four children living Mrs. Hinton is the only one in Champaign County. Her father was born in Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania German stock. His birth occurred April 18, 1820, and he died in Champaign County, March 28, 1864. He was a young man when he came to Champaign County and had married in Ohio. By trade he was a carpenter, and he aided in the con- struction of many early buildings in this county. He was buried in the old cemetery at Mahomet. He was a Democrat, and he and his wife were inembers of the Methodist Church, in which he served as class leader. His wife was born and reared in Ohio. Mrs. Hinton attended the common schools of Champaign County and was well educated. She has been a
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most faithful wife and mother, and has donc her part in the making of a home and the rearing of her capable sons while Mr. Hinton was busy with the duties of field and farm.
Mr. Hinton is a Democrat. His first presidential vote was given to General Haneock. Both he and his wife have realized the need of good sehools in their community and have done all they could to support such institutions. For fourteen years he served as director of the home school district. He was one of the building committee of the beautiful new church known as .the Shiloh Methodist Episcopal Church, which was erected at a eost of $8,000 and when dedicated on May 13, 1917, was eom- pletely out of debt. Mrs. Hinton is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society. Fraternally Mr. Hinton is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias at Fisher. Mr. and Mrs. Hinton are now in a position to enjoy life. Their sons are independent and carving out their own careers, and Park Lawn represents to Mr. and Mrs. Hinton not so much a business as a home. For their diver- sion and the better enjoyment of their friends they have had a ear in use for several years, formerly a Chalmers and now a Velie machine.
HENRY CHERRY. A complete picture of rural efficiency and beauty is furnished in the Cherry homestead of Ogden Township. Its proprictor is Mr. Henry Cherry, who in his early years did not find life a round of pleasure or luxury, and has had to make his own way in the world by hard work and unceasing efforts.
Mr. Cherry was born in Boone County, Indiana, and is the adopted son of William Cherry. That family were pioneers in Indiana and at an early day eame to Illinois and settled on a farm in Ogden Township. Henry Cherry received his education in the old Brindle district school of Ogden Township.
When he was twenty-seven years of age he married Emma R. Smith. She was born in Vigo County, near Terre Haute, Indiana, daughter of Marshall and Evelyn (Bogard) Smith. Her father was for many years a railroad engineer and also owned and operated a sawmill. Mrs. Cherry was only three years of age when her mother died.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cherry located on eighty acres of land in section 6 of Ogden Township. Mr. Cherry had worked industri- ously as a farm hand for a number of years, and from his careful savings was able to buy this first farm at $30 an acre. The land had no improve- ments, and their first home was a small two-room structure, but confident of the future and with a determination to better their lot they began in this humble environment with complete happiness and accord. The passing years brought them abundance of success, and they did much to improve and beautify their land, clearing it, planting trees, and erecting commodious buildings. Mr. Cherry is a natural mechanic and besides cultivating his fields has erected most of his buildings and has done the work of painting and decoration. While he began farming with very meager asscts, he has kept inereasing his property until his estate now compriscs 205 acres.
Mr. and Mrs. Cherry became the parents of three children, Mervyn, Nellie and Velma. Realizing the advantage of education, Mr. and Mrs. Cherry sent their children to the Hickory Grove School, and all of them grew up as splendid auxiliaries in the home. The only son, Mervyn, mar- ried Graee LaHue, a native of Indiana. Mr. Cherry wisely decided that he would keep his son at home and erected a new dwelling for them on the farm. The son grew up as a practical farmer and has applied his knowl- edge to the successful management of the homestead.
The daughters, Nellie and Velma, are still . in the family circle, and . Nellie is a very fine musician both by nature and by training. She is also
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an artist, and for ten years has been a very successful music teacher and has done much to advance the cause of this art in Champaign County. Both the daughters are accomplished musicians, and music has always meant a great deal in the Cherry home.
Mr. and Mrs. Cherry are active members of the Prospect Christian Church, and by their means and influence have done mnuch to advance the cause of this institution in the community. Mr. Cherry was a promoter of the University of Olivet, Illinois, and gave $1,000 toward its crection. Politically they are ardent supporters of the prohibition cause, and have never neglected an opportunity to advance the day when prohibition will be state wide, nation wide and world wide. Mr. Cherry's cfforts have inct with deserved success, and it should be mentioned also that through all the years he has had a good wife to stand side by side with him and share in these achievements. Mrs. Cherry when she began housekeeping had among other articles of furniture a modest little dresser made of a dry goods box with a calico curtain in front. She says that she took as much pride in this home made piece of furnishing as in any more substantial and costlier article which has since entered into her home.
Many years ago Mr. and Mrs. Cherry planted a number of walnut trees on the north and west of their house, and these, to the number of about 250, have since grown so as to constitute a beautiful grove that is one of the many attractive features of the Cherry farm. Mr. Cherry is a very suc- cessful stock farmer, has handled Holstein, Jersey and Guernsey cows of thoroughbred strain, has a few Shropshire sheep, and keeps an abundance of poultry. For a number of years he has been a very successful bee man. Mr. and Mrs. Cherry and their daughters sce much of the country and of their friends by means of the fine five passenger automobile which is one of the evidences of family prosperity and of their willingness and readiness to enjoy life as they go along.
JOSEPH C. JOHNSON. Hale and hearty, with firm step and unclouded mind, Joseph C. Johnson at the age of eighty years is one of Champaign County's oldest living native sons. It has been his privilege to witness with his own eyes and bear a not unimportant part in the development of this rich and prosperous section of Illinois from a period when it was wild prairie and even wilder swamps. Mr. Johnson is now enjoying the com- forts of a retired home in the town of St. Joseph.
He was born in Urbana Township of Champaign County, Deccınber 25, Christmas Day, 1837. He was one of the six children, three sons and three daughters, of Amos and Sarah (Moss) Johnson, both of whom were natives of Ohio. The birth of Mr. Johnson indicates that they were among the carlicst pioncers of Champaign County. When they came the land was all new and it was possible to shoot decr on the prairies, while around the lonely cabins of the carly settlers the wolves howled every night and inspired fear in the children and frequently devastated the poultry and sheep yards of the farmers.
Joseph C. Johnson attended school with other children of that neigh- borhood, the schoolhouse being built of logs with the curriculum as limited as the furnishings. Many of the people of that day in Champaign County lived in log buildings without floors.
At the age of twenty-eight Joseph C. Johnson laid the foundation of his own home by his marriage to Susan Ann Cloyd. She was born in Indiana, a daughter of William and Hannah Cloyd. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Johnson settled in St. Josephı Township and began farming on a rented place. They had youth, enthusiasm and industry, and out of their careful earnings and savings they bought their first farm of eighty acres in
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section 16. This was school land and the price they paid was sixteen dollars an acre. There were no improvements, and it was necessary to convert the wild prairie into productive fields. In the course of time this land was producing crops, buildings arose from time to time with increased comfort and facilities, they planted fruit and shade trees, and to this day a fine grove of walnut trees stands as a monument to their early efforts at forest- ation.
Two children were born to this happy couple, William A. and Henrietta. The children were given the advantages of the district schools in Stanton Township and enjoyed the happy and care-free life of childhood. When they were still young their beloved mother was called by death, and Mr. 'Johnson for some years had the responsibilities of the farm and the care and training of his children. Later he married Celia A. (Prugh) Harris. Mrs. Johnson was born in Ohio, daughter of Aquilla T. and Rebecca (Dickinson) Prugh. Her parents were also natives of Ohio.
For a great many years Mr. Johnson continued to reside on his home- stead, which he had increased to 120 acres. In 1911 he decided to leave the farm, his children having married and started homes of their own, and since that date he has lived in St. Joseph with a comfortable home on Lincoln Street.
His son, William Johnson, married Effie Radebogh. He is a successful farmer in Indiana, living five miles northeast of Winchester. His family of children consists of Mabel, Gladys, Cloyd, Leah, Willard and Ruth. Just recently the sad death of Mr. Johnson's little granddaughter, Ruth Elien Johnson, occurred at his home at St. Joseph, on August 23, 1917, when she was but two years, nine months and twenty-one days old. Her mother had come on a visit from Indiana, and the little child was taken sick and died here. The daughter, Henrietta Johnson, is the wife of George Phenicie. He is a farmer in Stanton Township, and they have children named Joseph Merle, Abner, Roy, Harold and Chester.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are active members and liberal supporters of the Christian Church. In matters of politics he is a Democrat and has always taken an active interest in local affairs and the welfare of his community. He was elected school trustee, also road commissioner, and served the public faithfully and well for seven years, finally resigning office because of poor health.
Mr. Johnson well remembers the time when Urbana consisted of a hamlet of a few houses, while not a single building stood on the present site of Champaign. He recalls the site of the present city buildings of Champaign as a pond or swamp with five or six feet of water even in dry weather. A great deal of credit is due a man like Mr. Johnson, since he was one of the individuals who performed that great aggregate undertaking of making Champaign County one of the garden spots of the world. As a boy in his excursions about the country he frequently saw the flats covered with wild ducks and geese, and as they rose from the water the numbers were so great that in their flight they darkened the sun. Much of this swamp land now so productive and valuable could have been bought in Mr. Johnson's time for twelve and a half cents an acre.
LEWIS W. MARTIN. A district such as Champaign County, noted for its fine live stock, has special need for the services of a competent and trained veterinarian. In many ways the leader in this profession is Dr. Lewis W. Martin, who has had about twenty-seven years of active prac- tice in and around Fisher. His skill is widely recognized, and he has fre- quently been called beyond the boundaries of the county to render professional service on some of the large stock farms of central Illinois, and
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has been consulted in much of the organized work and effort for the safe- guarding of the health of live stock.
Doctor Martin was born in Woodford County, Illinois, on January 20, 1858. He was the oldest child and only son of James T. and Jane (Arrow“ smith) Martin. He has two sisters. Minnie, who was educated in the common schools and is a member of the Methodist Church, is the wife of Edward Ballinger, an agriculturist at Beebe, Arkansas. They are the parents of five children. Anna H., who lives at Pontiac, Illinois, is the widow of Jefferson Shrout, who was formerly an engineer, but at the time of his death was engaged in farming. Mrs. Shrout has five children.
James T. Martin was born in Ohio in 1830 and died in November, 1916. In earlier years he was a carpenter and contractor, but finally took up farming. He grew to manhood in his native State, acquired a good edu- cation and was well qualified for teaching, which he followed in Illinois, chiefly in Woodford County. At one time he owned about eighty acres of land in Woodford County, but sold that and removed to Livingston County, Illinois, where he acquired a place of 175 acres, which he still owned at the time of his death. He began voting as a Whig and gravitated naturally into the Republican party. At one time he served as township collector. Early in the Civil War he enlisted in Company F of the Seventy-seventh Illinois Infantry and was in active and continuous service for four years, participating in the grand review at Washington at the close of the war, and soon afterward receiving his honorable discharge, making a record of which his descendants will always be proud. Though he was exposed to shot and shell at Gettysburg, Bull Run and many other battles, he was never wounded nor taken prisoner. For years he was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic and he and his wife were Methodists. His wife, Miss Arrowsmith, was born in old England about 1835, and came when a small girl with her parents to Illinois. In that State she attended the common schools. Though now eighty-two, she is still bright and active, has an excellent memory and is devoted to her home and church.
Doctor Martin attended common schools and through inclination and early experience was led into the business and profession which he has fol- lowed with so much success at Fisher for the past twenty-seven years. Doctor Martin has a splendid library devoted to veterinary science, medi- cine and surgery, and keeps a full supply of the best drugs and all the implements and appliances needed in his work. There is not a farmer or stockman in a radius of twenty miles around Fisher who does not know the capable attainments of Doctor Martin and most of them have employed his services at one time or other. He has a personal acquaintance with all the prominent horsemen and farmers in this part of Illinois and his practice extends into Ford and McLean counties. Like other successful professional men, he has found the automobile a great aid to his work and he drives a fine Chevrolet.
In 1878 Doctor Martin married Miss Susan Jane Cline. They are the parents of three children, one son and two daughters. George E., who was educated in the Fisher schools, is a successful young man in his profession as an electrician at Champaign. He is a Republican and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. The maiden name of his wife was Carrie Compton, and their three children are named Russell, Cloyd and Loas. Grace E., the older daughter, was educated in the common schools and is now the wife of Charles Farmer, foreman of a general store at Bakersfield, California. Mr. and Mrs. Farmer have a small son. Nora Lucile, the youngest, is the wife of Walter Rinehart, an agriculturist of East Bend Township, near Fisher. These children have all received good home advantages and the practical training afforded by the local schools.
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Mrs. Martin was born in Livingston County, Illinois, was edueated in the common sehools and is an active inember of the Christian Church. Doetor Martin is a Republican voter, and is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias at Fisher and was appointed as a delegate to the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has aetively supported various ehurehes and is a liberal eontributor to the ereetion of the present beautiful Christian Church at Fisher. Besides their residenee at Fisher, Doetor and Mrs. Martin have property in Chieago. They have made the interests of their community their own interests, and are people of the highest standing in this part of Champaign County.
ELIAS FREEMAN. For sixty years a resident of Champaign County, . Elias Freeman is one of the eitizens whose name and a brief record of whose eareer should be permanently recorded. He represents a family which had its start in the early development of the county, and his own life of sub- ·stantial industry brought a generous reward in material eireumstanees and eivie honor, and he is now properly enjoying the fruits of well direeted toil in a eoinfortable home at the village of Ogden.
Mr. Freeman was born in what is now Ogden Township of Champaign County, June 22, 1857, a son of Edmond and Jemimah (Rush) Freeman. His parents, natives of Ohio, eame to Illinois at an early day. James Freeman, the grandfather of Elias, eame to this state when Edmond was two years of age. At that time there was not a house between Salt Fork and Burr Oak. It was all one streteh of raw prairie. The Freeman fainily settled at Salt Fork and some of the good land in that seetion was developed through their energies and purposeful activities. Edmond Freeman had a family of eleven children, Elias being the third in age.
The latter attended the local distriet sehools with his brothers and sis- ters, grew up as a farmer on the home farm, and at the age of twenty-five, in 1883, married Miss Jennie Fisher. Mrs. Freeman was born in Randolph County, Indiana, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Fisher, being the second in order of age among their seven ehildren. When she was a small girl her parents removed to Vermilion County, Illinois, and she was edu- eated in the distriet seliools there.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Freeman located on 150 aeres belonging to his father four miles northwest of the town of Ogden. He eapably managed this place for seven years, and while there he laid the foundation of his permanent prosperity. On leaving his father's land he moved to a farm of Mrs. Freeman's father south of Ogden, and here he continued his agricultural operations for ten years. At the end of that time he bought a farm of his own of 165 aeres south of the village of Ogden and that he made his permanent home. The land had few improvements when he bought it, but it is now a splendid farm, with good buildings, with plenty of fruit and shade trees, and its value as a farm and a residenee is greatly enhanced by its position on the interurban railway.
Mr. and Mrs. Freeman had two children, one son and one daughter, E. E. Freeman and Ella May. The son is proprietor of a large business as a hardware and furniture merehant at Fithian, Illinois. He married Hattie Yeoman and has a son, Carl Richard. The daughter, Ella May Freeman, is the wife of Frank Fenders, and they live next door to her parents in Ogden. Mr. Fenders is a grain buyer for the Zorn Grain Company. They also have one ehild, Ralph Freeman Fenders. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman take a great deal of pride and joy in their bright little grandson.
In 1910 Mr. and Mrs. Freeman left their farm and removing to Ogden bought a pleasant and attractive home, which in subsequent years they have done much to improve by remodeling and other ehanges.
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Politically Mr. Freeman is an active Republican. He has served his community and his fellow citizens as road commissioner, school director, school trustee, and member of the highway commission. He and his good wife have found all that reasonable ambition could desire, sufficient of this world's goods for all their needs, the esteem and kindness of friends and neighbors, and have themselves lived so as to deserve all that their industry and good character have won.
JULIUS A. HEINZ; while one of the younger men of Champaign County, has acquired many sucessful interests since coming to Pesotum and is a real leader in the life and affairs of that town.
Mr. Heinz was born in Kickapoo Township of Peoria County, Illinois, September 29, 1880. His parents Frank and Mary (Heitter) Heinz, were also natives of the same county. His paternal grandfather was a native of Germany, while the maternal ancestry came from France. Frank Heinz followed farming during his active career and he and his wife are now living retired in Peoria. They were the parents of thesc children : Ida and William, both deceased; Elizabeth, wife of Frank Biene- mann, of Peoria; Mary, deceased; Julius A .; a daughter that died in infancy ; Emil, of Peoria ; Sylvester, deceased ; Etta and Clarence, twins, the latter now deceased, while Etta is the wife of Henry Speck, Jr., of Peoria.
Julius A. Heinz attended the parochial schools in Pcoria County until he was sixteen years of age. After that he lived on his father's farm and worked there until the age of twenty-two. Then, fifteen years ago, he arrived at Pesotum and began the active business career which has brought him such generous rewards. For two weeks he worked in an implement business and then bought out Mr. Kleiss and with his cousin, L. T. Heinz, continued the trade, handling implements, buggies, lumber, hard- ware and other supplies. In 1904 an undertaking department was added, and the cousins remained in partnership until 1909, when the business was reorganized and divided.
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