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 59
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
one capable of holding six machines, and altogether these buildings consti- tute a small city in itself. It was a heroic undertaking to develop the grounds. Nine miles of drain tile were laid, three miles of sewer, a septic tank was constructed, two and a half miles of water mains were put under ground, electric power was brought a distance of eighteen miles, a spur of a railway track was built, three and a quarter million feet of lumber was used, a hundred thousand cubic yards of earth were shifted for grading and filling, and a fine crop of four hundred acres of corn was destroyed to make way for this colossal government enterprise. All was done and finished satisfactorily within the sixty days allowed by the contract.
People who are in a position to know, give much of the credit of this achievement to John W. Stipes. That is only one of the big undertakings he has successfully carried out during a lifetime.
A well written book of fiction frequently pleases because the imaginary characters overcome handicaps and reach their various goals sometimes through almost unbelievable hardships. In looking about among real people it is possible, more often than one may think, without trying to find quiet men whose handicaps have not been imaginary and whose achievements prove that they have lived bravely outside the page of the story book. Many of the elements found in the pages of fiction have been exemplified in the career of Mr. Stipes, who is a self made, self educated man, and for years has been a factor in the life and affairs of Champaign County.
John Wesley Stipcs was born in Montgomery County, Iowa, September 14, 1860. His parents were John and Harriet (Bean) Stipes, both of whom were born in Virginia. The family resided in Iowa when the Civil War broke out, the father being a supporter of the Union cause. In all times of public stress there is more or less excitement and sectional feeling is apt to be aroused, and it was through an outbreak of this kind, incident to the attempted arrest of an outspoken sympathizer with the secession movement, that John Stipes lost his life. He left his widow with five children, John Wesley being the youngest. The others also suryive, as follows: Sarah, who is the widow of George Peterson, of Henderson, Iowa; George, a resident of Urbana, Illinois; Louise, wife of Edward Good, of Paxico, Kansas; Thomas, who is a resident of Wabash, Indiana. The mother migrated to Champaign, Illinois, when John Wesley was yet an infant.
By the time he was ten years of age John Wesley Stipes had made some progress in the district schools but after that age had little oppor- tunity for study, as he then became a boy of all work on a farm, the pro- prietor of which, Mr. Barley, had quite a family of young children to be looked after as well as horses to be cared for and fields to be cultivated. No doubt it often required a stout bit of courage, especially on cold winter mornings, to be the first up on the farm, to make the fires and then do the farm chores and then to amiably take care of the children while the family ate breakfast. His own breakfast followed and then his day's work was supposed to start. Mr. Stipcs remembers that his earliest attempts at handling a three-horse plow were not very successful, as he encountered much trouble in turning the plow at the end of the furrow. His plowing had to be kept up until noon, when he was per- mitted to return to the house and take care of the children while the other workers ate dinner, his meal following afterward. With changing seasons his work varied but never slackened, his wages being $5 a month. Mr. Stipes displayed even then a proper business sense, spend- ing his first twenty dollars for a heifer. He continued on the farm under
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the same conditions until two years had passed by and he was a fine, sturdy youth of twelve years.
In 1872 Mr. Sutton placed John W. Stipes and Homer Stillwell in his brickyard at Urbana, and this was a fortunate change for John Wesley and he soon developed an interest in this line of work and willingly and faithfully labored there for eight years, during this time mastering the details of the brick business and incidentally of the manufacturing of tile. He began to make plans for embarking in business for himself, and just here came in an element that some workers might have overlooked. This was that while working steadily with his hands he had also built up a reputation for fidelity to his employer; for honest effort and persevering industry, and this brought him the respect and confidence of the late Judge J. O. Cunningham. Judge Cunningham testified to his sterling character and readily recommended him to the farming community in need of tile, whereby he had no difficulty in contracting with them for their tile requirements on the basis of an advance of twenty-five per cent of the price of their contract. This would enable him to start the manu- facturing and after the plant started the farmers were to have their pro rata of the manufacture as the work proceeded. It is not necessary to add that every contract was faithfully and honestly completed.
Mr. Stipes was thus soon on the highway of success. In the course of time Judge Smith, of Champaign, and L. L. Hayworth, of Decatur, engaged him to go over to Decatur, Illinois, and build a tile plant there for them, which work required a year of his time, after which he returned to Champaign and became associated with George F. Beardsley in organiz- ing a company to build a tile factory in Champaign. He subsequently bought the Sheldon Tile Company of Urbana, the Madero Tile Company and also the stock and plant of the Urbana Brick Company, which had failed after operating three years.
In April, 1881, Mr. Stipes was married to Miss Eliza Garrison, who was born at Urbana, Illinois, and they have the following children: Royal A., of Champaign; Opal, wife of E. S. Pilcher, of Champaign; Bessie, wife of M. L. Hecker; Helen J., wife of Robert Eisner; and John W., of Texas. In politics Mr. Stipes is a Republican and has been a member of the school board for years. He is a member of the Methodist Church and fraternally is an Elk and Knight of Pythias.
T. F. BERKLEY, who for a number of years has been the leading flour merchant in the village of Ogden, is a miller by training and experience, as was his father before him.
Mr. Berkley was born at Maxburg in Muskingum County, Ohio, a son of C. F. and C. M. (Richardson) Berkley. This branch of the Richardson family were prominent both in Ohio and Kentucky. C. F. Berkley in the early days conducted a mill on the Muskingum River, but in 1851 removed to Charleston, Illinois, when his son T. F. was only three years of age. C. F. Berkley while at Charleston became a friend of Abraham Lincoln, then a prominent Illinois lawyer, and he often met this great statesman after that and was a warm and stanch admirer of him both personally and in politics. T. F. Berkley was the youngest of five sons.
On September 29, 1869, when T. F. Berkley was twenty-one years of age, he married Lydia A. Howver. She was born at West Middleburg, Ohio. After their marriage they lived for a time at Homer, Illinois, and then for twenty-seven years Mr. Berkley conducted a flour mill in Vermilion County. He also lived at Charleston, Illinois, ten years. He has conducted an exten- sive business as a flour and grain miller and is still active at Ogden.
Three children were born to him and his wife, Herbert, Tina M. and
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Roy F. Herbert married Marie Dugan. Her father was a Baptist minister and her home was near Louisville, Kentucky, but while visiting in Illinois she met Herbert Berkley and they were soon afterwards married. Their children are Irene and Charles F., who assists his father in the business at Ogden. Roy Berkley is now a ticket agent in the Union Depot at St. Louis, Missouri. He married Edith Molmon, of Ohio, and has two children, Merle and Fred. The daughter Tina M. was taken away by death in beautiful young womanhood.
Mr. Berkley was deprived of the companionship of his wife on April 18, 1917, after they had been happily married for nearly fifty years. She was a most lovable woman and had endeared herself to a large circle of friends by her goodness of heart. Mr. and Mrs. Berkley usually attended the New Light and Methodist Episcopal churches. In politics he has always been a Republican. His sons are members of the Woodmen and Knights of Pythias orders. For eighteen years Mr. Berkley has lived at Ogden and has followed the business of miller and has enjoyed much success.
The Berkley family were natural musicians and possessed also many genial and sociable qualities. When the country was new and social oppor- tunities and places of amusement were limited T. F. Berkley and other young men of kindred tastes organized a string band. He was one of the violinists, and should be mentioned as one of the old time fiddlers of Cham- paign County. For years their organization furnished music for dances all over the country. There was no gathering of young people considered com- plete without these young men to add to the cheer of the occasion, and for years they gave music for the entertainment of many communities. These public dances were noted for their splendid order and the fine class of people who patronized them. Many of the participants in those public dances have grown gray, but they often refer with pleasure to the old time dances. Through all the years of his life Mr. Berkley has retained the friendships made in his youth as well as many formed in later years, and the confidence and esteem given him then have followed him through all his years. He has been peculiarly blessed with a spirit of sociability and cheerfulness, and these taken in connection with his good business judgment have brought him a more than ordinary place of esteem and success.
MICHAEL LOWRY. One of the prominent and substantial families of Champaign County bears the name of Lowry and this name for half a century has represented here good citizenship, honest industry and faith- ful membership in the Roman Catholic Church. While not an unusually prolific family, it is a long-lived one and at present there are three genera- tions residing at Philo, Illinois.
Michael Lowry was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, June 9, 1850. His parents were John and Margaret (Nolan) Lowry, natives of the same county, and from there they came to America and to Illinois in 1865. John Lowry settled on a farm in Will County, near Joliet, and remained there for six years and then removed to Crittenden Township in Cham- paign County, where he bought 160 acres of land. He cultivated and improved his property and died there in November, 1874. His wife survived him for thirteen years, her death taking place February 24, 1887. They were the parents of five children, namely : William, who is a resident of Peoria, Illinois; Michael; James, who is a farmer in Crittenden Township; and Thomas and John, both of whom are farmers in Cham- paign Township.
When the family removed from Will to Champaign County Michael Lowry went to Chicago and there for four years he was engaged in rail- road work. He then returned home and assisted in the farm work on
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the homestead until 1877 and then returned to Chicago. After his mar- riage in that city he returned to Crittenden Townhip and engaged in farming until 1881, when he moved to Philo and has resided here ever since, one of the most respected residents of the place.
Michael Lowry was married February 8, 1877, to Miss Catherine Dowl- ing, who was born at Cascade, Wisconsin, February 14, 1857, and died at Philo, Illinois, October 14, 1896. Six children were born to them, all of whom survive, as follows: John F., who is a resident of Philo; Margaret, who is the wife of A. C. Paris, of Champaign; Martin J., who lives at Decatur; Charles E., who is postmaster at Philo; Walter A., who lives with his father; and Howard W., who is a resident of Champaign. While residing in Philo Township Mr. Lowry served for six years on the school board and for eight years was township supervisor, and he was postmaster at Philo for four years, his good judgment making him an excellent public official which his honest performance of duty made effective. He is a member of St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church, as was his wife, and he belongs to the Knights of Columbus.
Charles E. Lowry, postmaster at Philo, Illinois, and a well known business man of this place, was born at Philo, December 30, 1885, and is the fourth child and the third son born to Michael and Catherine (Dowling) Lowry. He was educated in the public schools and after his graduation from the Philo High School in 1903 he went to Decatur and for six months remained in that city as a clerk in a mercantile house. After returning to Philo he accepted a clerical position with the Wabash Railroad at the Philo depot, and remained discharging his duties for three years and then left the railroad and became associated as a clerk with his father in the restaurant business. After an experience of eighteen months, in partnership with his brother Walter he bought his father's interest and they conduct the business together. On February 11, 1914, Mr. Lowry was appointed postmaster at Philo, having taken the civil service examin- ation in 1913. Philo is a growing town and the postoffice business here is heavy. Although appointed to office under a Democratic administra- tion, Mr. Lowry has always been independent in his political views. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church and belong to the Knights of Columbus.
M. H. ARGO is one of the men who have spent their lives in Champaign County, have witnessed its growth and development from almost wilderness days, and their own share in the transformation of the country is such that no work of this character could afford omission of the names and deeds.
Mr. Argo was born on Salt Fork in St. Joseph Township of Champaign County, his birthplace being three miles northwest of the village of St. Joseph. His birth occurred there August 14, 1853, and he is a son of true pioneer people, Moses and Ellen (Shepard) Argo. His parents were natives of Ohio. Moses Argo was one of the notable men in his community. He came to Champaign county when the country was a vast stretch of prairie and swamp lands, abounding in sloughs, virgin meadows and with many wild animals abounding. Moses Argo was a botanical or herb doctor and very skillful in concoeting healing remedies from roots and herbs and was the choice of physician to a large number of people in the early days. He was also a school teacher, and one of the first to teach school in his section of Champaign County. Thus he was a man of more than ordinary mental attainments and was a high class citizen in every respect. Some of the schools he taught were held in private buildings, frequently log houses. There are some evidences yet extant of his scholarship. One of these is a book of records, now among the prized possessions of M. H. Argo. The date
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of this book is February 4, 1825, and it shows the fine penmanship and mathematieal skill of the father. M. H. Argo also has his father's leather pocketbook, which is now over 100 years old.
Many of those incidents which are related on other pages of this publiea- tion as deseriptive of pioneer things in Champaign County were part of the individual experiences of Moses Argo. In the early days he hauled grain threshed from his fields all the way to Chicago, where it brought a very small price. One of the necessary commodities hard to get in Champaign County was salt, and Moses Argo frequently brought a load of salt back from Chicago. In the matter of low prices M. H. Argo has had some experiences not unlike those of his father, since he lias hauled corn to Urbana and sold it as low as 10 cents a bushel.
When Moses Argo came to Champaign County he entered his homestead from the Government. He and his neighbor, Jame's Couden, went to the land office at Danville, each filing on a tract of land of their choice. On reaching home and having the land surveyed it turned out that each man had twenty acres which was most desired by the other, and thus there was mutual disappointment. To settle the matter they simply traded the two tracts, and according to the honest pioneer spirit that prevailed in those times neither was disposed to take advantage of the other in such a trans- action.
M. H. Argo was only six months old when his good father died and he has therefore no personal recollections of that good old pioneer. The widowed mother was thus left with five children and she passed away when M. H. Argo was nine years of age. Thus he spent his boyhood as an orphan and acquired his education in the subscription district sehool.
At the age of twenty-two he married Miss Manda Worl, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cox) Worl. . Her mother came from Ohio. Mrs. Argo was one of ten ehildren, and she too obtained her education in the subscription sehool.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Argo located on his father's farm on Salt Fork, comprising 240 acres, most of which had been bought direct from the Government. They lived there three years, made a beginning of pros- perity, and later Mr. Argo bought eighty acres a mile and a half south of St. Joseph village, where he founded his permanent home. To his first mar- riage were born four children, two of whom died in infancy. The others are William H. and James Edward Argo. They grew up on their father's farm, went to school in the local district school, and are now married and both prosperously settled in life. William married Effie Brown, of Mount Vernon, and is engaged in farming on his father's place. James Edward lives at Mackinaw, Illinois, and married Miss Nettie Dixon.
When the youngest child was three years of age death entered the home and took away the beloved mother. Later Mr. Argo married Mary Worl, a sister of his first wife. Thus she came into her dead sister's home as an angel of mercy to the orphan children and filled the place of mother to them, rearing them and schooling them for life's duties. By the second marriage there was one child, who died in infancy. By a former marriage, to Harrison Argo, Mrs. Argo had three children, Bertha, John T. and Hezekiah. They were educated at St. Joseph and are already established independently. Bertha is the wife of W. W. Woody, a farmer three miles south of St. Joseph. Their four children are Loyde, Mae, Ruth and Paul, bright energetie young children, and in mentioning the family the usual phrase runs, "Lodye and Mae and Ruth and Paul and that's all." They are now students in the high school at St. Joseph and Lodye is preparing for the University of Illinois.
John T. Argo, the second ehild, is a farmer at Waukegan, Illinois, and by
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
his marriage to Essie Gordon has four children, named Bernice, Royce, Clyde and Dorothy. Of these children Bernice is the wife of Earl Winser, and they live in Odebolt, Iowa. They have a child, Dwight, the only great- grandchild of Mr. and Mrs. Argo, and of whom they are properly proud.
Hezekiah Argo, the youngest of the children, is a telegraph operator at Danvers, Illinois, and by his marriage to Emma Trickle has a son, Donald H. Argo.
Mr. M. H. Argo has spent a busy and energetic life, one of practical success as a farmer and stock raiser. His neighbors look upon him as a genius in the matter of raising hogs. He has raised and fed much livestock for the Indianapolis market. About twenty years ago he and his wife left their farm and located in the village of St. Joseph, where in order to keep in close touch with the country as well as the town they selected a home on the edge of the village. Here they enjoy the comforts of a very attractive resi- dence. Mr. and Mrs. Argo are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the village, and its stone and brick edifice is a monument to the liberality of the people of that community and a beacon light in the lives of many. Mr. Argo served as school director a number of years, and has done everything he could to help forward the development of the country and its institutions and people. Through all his successful career his good wife has stood by his side, apt in counsel and advice, and always.a true homemaker. She is one of the charming and interesting women of the community and her sincerity is in pleasing evidence when she bids a stranger good-bye, always adding the kindly injunction,'"be good to yourself and everybody else." In politics Mr. Argo is an ardent Republican. He has kept in close touch with that party for over forty years, and believes that America's great destiny is largely due to this political organization.
CHARLES W. REED is a farmer and successful stockman with home in section 16 of Philo Township. His rural mail delivery comes from Tolono on Route No. 48.
Mr. Reed was born in Marshall County, Illinois, March 11, 1869, son of John Caldwell and Mary (Bell) Reed. Both parents were born in Virginia and in early life moved to Illinois. In 1879 John C. Reed came to Champaign County, locating on the farm in section 16 of Philo Township where his son Charles now resides. Both parents are now deceased. Their five children were named: Charles W .; Henry K., deceased ; Mary Bell, wife of Professor E. H. Wells, of the University of Nebraska; John, of Ligonier, Indiana; and James, of Philo Township.
Charles W. Reed grew up and received his education in Champaign County and at his father's death took charge of the farm for three years. He then went to Lincoln, Nebraska, bought eighty acres in that part of the state, but after a year went to Denver and in the fall of the same ycar returned to Philo, Illinois. In the spring of 1906 he entered upon his duties as manager of the old homestead of 160 acres, and has steadily and profitably directed the operations of that fine farm for over ten years. He raises the staple crops and also handles good live stock.
On December 24, 1895, Mr. Reed married Miss Abbie Jane Huhn. Mrs. Reed was born in Maryland. They have one son, John Ralph, a volunteer member of Battery B, Third Illinois Artillery. Mr. Reed is a Republican in politics.
MARTIN KAUCHER BUSEY, cashier of the Mahomet Bank, is another member of that well known family in Champaign County which from pioneer times has been identified with the important work of developing the land and the business and financial affairs of this rich section of Illinois.
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The wise and judicious management of the financial resources of the county was never more important than at the present time, and among the bankers of Champaign County Mr. Busey is entitled to special consideration because of his long and efficient service with one institution since early youth.
Mr. Busey was born in this county April 20, 1884. He is the oldest of the seven children, five sons and two daughters, of James B. and Katherine (Kaucher) Busey. The name Busey is of French descent, while that of Kaucher is German in, origin. James B. Busey is also a native of Cham- paign County, born in 1856, and is now living retired at Urbana, though still president of the Mahomet Bank. He was educated only in the common schools, and the larger part of his active career was spent as a practical farmer in Newcomb Township. In 1902 he retired from farming and then bought the Mahomet Bank, of which he is sole owner and president. Like others of the name, his career has been one of substantial success and of great influence in the development of Champaign county agriculture and financial and business affairs. At one time he was one of the largest land holders in Newcomb Township. Politically he is a Democrat, and for many years has given substantial support to the educational institutions of the county. His wife, who was born in Champaign County in 1861, was well educated and was a successful teacher in the city schools of Urbana before her marriage. Both she and hier husband are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
All their children are living except one. Simeon H., the second in age, is cashier of the First State Trust & Savings Bank of Urbana. He was educated in the common schools, in the University of Illinois, and is a graduate of Brown's Business College. He is married, is a Democrat in politics, and is affiliated with the Elks Lodge at Champaign. Frances, the .oldest daughter, completed her education in the University of Illinois and is. still at home with her parents. Josephine graduated from the State Uni- versity with the class of 1917. Matthew W., who is assistant cashier of the Mahomet Bank, was well educated, completing his course in Brown's Busi- ness College, and was also a student in the Urbana High School. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Donald is the youngest of the family.
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