USA > Illinois > Champaign County > Early history and pioneers of Champaign County : illustrated by one hundred and fifteen superb engravings by Melville : containing biographical sketches of the early settlers, the early history of the county obtained from the most reliable sources and many graphic scenes and incidents from the bright and shady sides of pioneer life > Part 10
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MELVILLE EHI
JosErn THORNTON KELLEV.
Was born in Rockingham county. Virginia, May 14th, 1509. Ilis father, Abraham, was born in Ireland, his mother who was Sarah Burgess was born in Germany. They emi- grated cach to Virginia. but the year is not known. The father served three years in the revolutionary war and was also a sol- dier in the war of 1812, an aid of Col. Deny, although sixty-five years old at that time and the father of fourteen children, Joseph T. being the youngest of the four boys of the family. The eldest brother of Joseph T. also made up a company and went into the war of ISI under Gen. McArthur. When Hull surrendered, Captain Kelley was so incensed that he thrust his sword be- tween the spokes of a wagon wheel and broke it. When that war was over, the father, Abraham Kelley, started for home and died when only twenty-four miles from home, he was wrapped in a blanket and
given a soldier's burial. When the son came home he took up the body and buried it be- side the mother who had died in 1810.
When Joseph T. Kelley was tifteen years old, being an orphan boy. he went to live with Joseph Vance, two miles north of Urbana. Champaign county, Ohio. with whom he lived until nearly twenty- one. when, in 1530. he married Sarah Vance at the residence of her nnele, Joseph Vance. March 15th, 1831. he and his wife, each on horseback, started for Illinois, arriving at Danville. March 2S. They settled at the salt works, six miles west of Danville. His wife's father had preceded them in 1821. and had been engag- ed in making salt with the Indians: he af- terwards leased the salt works from the state. and drove a profitable business until Chicago sprang up and began to ship in cheaper salt. The prairie schooners, loaded with wheat. drawn with six yoke of oxen, brought back salt which was sold at $1.25 per barrel. The price prior to that was $1.50. The salt works which Mr. Kelley operated turned out 120 barrels per week, which was a good paying business when prices were good. Mr. Kelley, in these days was an in- veterate worker, hauling wood by day and attending the furnace at night. It was dur- ing this period, when in 1833, the "stars fell," as the old settlers all put it in deserib- ing the meteoric shower of that time. The light of the falling stars awakened Mr. Kel- ley; he awakened his wife to see the strange and startling sight. Mr. Kelley had an Irishman in his employ who was badly frightened. He said to Mr. Kelley, "Jo let us blow out, be Jasus the day of judgment has come." Mr. Kelley replied. "No. Bill. that isn't according to Seripture." The Irishman replied, "Be Jasus the auld man haschanged his notion." During these pi- oneer days, Mr. Kelley and his neighbors frequently had to live on frost-bitten corn (meal), fat meat, pea coffee and whiskey. After awhile they were able to send a load of salt to Terre llaute. Ind .. and get a bar- rel of flour and some genuine coffee : then they had the extreme luxury of hot biscuits and coffee for breakfast, on Sunday morn- ings. Mr. Kelley gave it as his opinion that the operation of the salt works was a heaven for women and dogs but h- for men and oxen. In 1849 he rented a farm of Cyrus Strong, at old St. Joseph. He afterwards bought it for $12,05 per aere and went to farming, and kept a hotel for many years, there. It was at this hotel, famous for its hospitality, that a stranger onee stopped for a few days, with Mr. Kelley. fle was treat- ed so well and was so well pleased with the
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genial and hospitable landlord, that he said on leaving that he would do him whatever favor was in his power. Not long after a postoffice was established, called St. Joseph. after the landlord. Mr. Kelley was made postmaster, and thus the stranger whom he had taken in had favored him: he was a politician of prominence who had the ear of the postmas- ter general, at Washington, and thus paid the debt of gratitude he owed to Mr. Kelley for his kindness. Hle kept this tavern, fa- mous always for its good cheer, until 1864, when his wife died. He rented it to others for two or three years, and finally sold it to Sanford Richards. December 1868, he mar- ried Mrs. Patience Bullock and they now re- side in Harwood township. in this county. Mrs. Kelley is a Baptist. Mr. Kelley is not a member of any church, but his folks were all Methodists. Ile was a whig and has long been. and is now. a faithful republican, and will doubtless remain one as long as he lives. Mr. Kelley needs no character from us, his record has been made in the midst of the people and their universal verdict is that he has been a good citizen and a strictly honor- able man in all the relations of life.
MABL VIL.
CHỈ
Jonx C. THOMAS.
One of the energetic and active business men of Urbana is John C. Thomas, of the firm of Ford, Thomas & Saffell. He is a Kentuckian by birth, born in Scott county, October 1, 1852. He is the son of James Q. and Mary (West) Thomas, natives of the same state. His father was a sohlier of the
Mexican war. He was a farmer by occupa- tion. In 1853 he came north and west to Ill- inois, and settled in Champaign county on the old Pusey farm in Condit township. He then followed farming and stock raising un- til advancing age compelled his retirement. Hle and his estimable wife are residents of Mahomet. They were the parents of six children, John C. is the first born. He was reared on his father's farm and received his primary education in the schools of his neighborhood. The latter was supplement- ed by an attendance for two years in the graded schools of Mahomet. He subsequent- ly took a full course in the Champaign Busi- ness College. After his graduation he be- came a teacher in the same institution and taught for two years. In 1875 he formed a co-partnership with Mr. A. Robertson and opened the first drug store in the village of Fisher. Two years later he sold his inter- est in the drug business and accepted a posi- tion as deputy sheriff under J. E. Oldham. He removed to Urbana and here he has since made his residence. In this position he served two years. He then engaged in buying and shipping grain from Urbana for an Indianapolis firm and continued at that for one year. On the 20th of October. 15822, he purchased Mr. Saffell's interest in the firm of Ford & Satfell, agricultural dealers and importers of fine breeds of Norman. Clydesdale and Belgian horses. On the 10th of March. 1854, Mr. Saffell became a mem- ber of the firm and since that date it has been known as Ford, Thomas & Saffell. This firm enjoys an extended reputation. They are known as the principal agricultur- al dealers in the county and the largest im- porters of horses in Central Illinois. Much of the success of the firm is due to the im- tiring efforts and business-like methods in- troduced by Mr. Thomas. He attends to all the business detail and looks closely after the finances, while his partners are the sales- men of the concern. Mr. Thomas married Miss Bettie Williamson, February 1, 1St7. She was born in Mason county, Kentucky, November 17, 1851. Her parents. Thomas and Elvira (Curtis) Williamson, were na- tives of same state. They came to this coun- ty in 1863. Mrs. Thomas is a member of the Baptist church. Politically Mr. Thomas comes from good old democratie stock and family. He wisely follows in their foot- steps and is an ardent and active demoerat. He was a member of the board of educa- tion of Urbana for three years. Urbana naturally feels a pride in the firm and busi- ness of which Mr. Thomas is a member. It is quoted as being unusually successful and has grown from moderate beginnings to the head of its kind in the county.
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MEL VILLP
CHI
HARRISON W. DRULLINGER.
It is eminently proper that the name and face of the subject of the following sketel should appear among the list of old settlers of Champaign county. Though not now with us, he was for many years prom- inently identified with the county. He at present is a resident of Chester, Nebraska. Ile was born in Butler county, Ohio, August 6th, 1-19. He is a descendent from a German family, who originally settled in Pennsylva- nia. Philip Drullinger. the father of Harri- son, was born in that state in 1790. When he was four years of age, the family moved to Ohio. There Philip married Catherine West, of Pickaway eounty. There were
three children of that union. Harrison is the only survivor. When Mr. Drullinger was nine years of age, the family removed to Union county, Indiana. In 1539, he came to Vermilion county, Illinois, his father hay- ing preceeded him the year before. In 1840. he came to Champaign county, and in October, of that year, married Mary Bartley, daughter of George Bartley, one of the early settlers of St. Joseph township. Mrs. Drullinger died in 1848, leaving two daugh- ters; Eliza and Mary. He contracted a seeond marriage in May, 1848, with Miss Elizabeth, daughter of S. S. Whiting. She was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, and came to this county in 1847. By the latter marriage there are nine children. Their names in the order of birth are : William S., Lewis S., Henry P., Charles P., Julia A., Harrison S., Walter W., Minnie F., and Nora F. From 1840, up to his removal to Nebraska, Mr. Drullinger was a resident of
St. Joseph township, and with the exception of three years, lived on the land that he entered. He was a successful farmer, and bought at different times and paid for nine hundred acres of land, the greater part has been divided among his children. He was originally a democrat in politics, and voted with that party until the agitation of the slavery question, which brought the Free Soil party to the front. He esponsed the cause of freedom and voted for JJohn C. Fremont. in 1-56. and has supported the re- publiean ticket in every election since. He frequently represented his township in the board of supervisors. and was an active and useful member. He joined the Methodist . church in Indiana, when nineteen years of age. His temperance principles were of the strictest character. Hle has not tasted any spiritous liquors for twenty-five years, nor used tobacco in any form Few men in the county stood as high in the esteem of his neighbors and acquaintances as Ilarrison Drullinger. In losing him, Nebraska, gained an honest man and an incorruptible eitizen.
MEL VILL
E CHI
HON. CLARK R. GRIGGS.
No man ever lived in Champaign county who exercised a greater influence of arcom- plished more good for the county than Clark R. Griggs. That splendid temple dedicated to learning, the University of Illinois, will always stand as a monument to his in- domitable energy and perseverance. Its location here in Urbana was due to his la- bors, his perseverance and masterly manage- ment when its location was pending for set- tlement. The building of the great 1., B. &
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
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W. railway is another result of his enter- prise, sagacity and continued perseverance. The difficulties surrounding its building would have discouraged ahnost any other man, but the greater the difficulty the higher his conrage rose. Ile absolutely knew no such word as fail.
Clark Robinson Griggs was born in Brim- field, Mass., March 6, 1824. Ile was liberal- ly educated in the schools and academies of his native state. At an early date he en- gaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes by machinery in the town of Westboro. While a resident there he was elected to rop- resent his district in the legislature. He served acceptably for two terms. In the spring of 1859 he came to Champaign coun- ty and purchased a farm on Yankee Ridge, two miles north of Philo. In the winter of the same year he met with an accident that changed the whole current of his life. He was shelling corn by machinery. when the glove on his hand was caught in the gearing of the machine and the hand drawn in and erushed. The accident resulted in the los- ing of three fingers of his right hand. Ile then abandoned farming. came to Urbana- and engaged in a small way in mercantile pursuits. When the war broke out he was appointed sutler to the 25th regiment Illi- nois Volunteer Infantry, and remained with the army until the close of the war. Hle then returned to Urbana and engaged in land speculations until the winter of 1567-68, when he was elected to represent this legis- lative district in the general assembly of the state. It was during that session of the leg- islature that the bill creating and locating the present University of linois was pass- ed. There were a dozen places contending for the prize. It was in that fight where the strong characteristics and energy of the man shone forth. His generalship and manage- ment of the question affecting its location was most masterly and was crowned with success. During that same session Mr. Griggs procured the passage of a charter granting a line of railway through the state, which, upon his retirement from the legis- lature, he projected under the name of the Danville, Urbana, Bloomington & Pekin railroad. It was soon after consolidated with an Indiana line and the name was changed to Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western railway. Mr. Griggs was its presi- dent during its construction and for some time after its completion and operation. In 1871 he took up his residence in Wilmington, Delaware, and later removed to New York City, where he at present resides. He en- gaged largely in railroad building and late- ly constructed a line known as the Wheel-
ing and Lake Erie railroad.
Mr. Griggs married Miss Lavonia C. Col- lar in Massachusetts, She was ever a faith- ful wife and mother. Three children re- sulted from that union, named Nellie M., wife of W. W. Graham. of whom a sketch will be found in another columnm. Addie L., wife of Gen. JJ. C. Black, Commissioner of Pensions, Washington. D. C., and Albert C. Griggs, a resident of Wilmington, Delaware. The Griggs family were members of the M. E. church. Politically Mr. Griggs is a re- publican. Mr. Griggs is a man of infinite resources, untiring energy and great abili- ties. These have enabled him to succeed well during a life of arduous labor.
MEL
MARTIN RINEHART.
Fifty-seven years ago Martin Rinehart first set foot upon Champaign county soil. Then he was a lad of seventeen years, with his life before him. Today, he is here. He has passed the mile-stone of his boyhood and early manhood, and is rapidly approaching the one across whose face is written "mature age." The three score years and ten allotted to mankind have been his, and nearly all these years have been passed within the borders of this county. To write the history of the county is simply to tell his story. The hardships and privations endured, the hopes and fears, that alternately chased each other flitted aeross the pathway of this sturdy old pioneer as he marched from boyhood down to old age in this county. Martin Rinehart was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, Dec. 18, 1812. His parents, Matthias and Elizabeth (Mareh) Rinehart were natives of
12
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
same county and state. They came west in the fall of 1520, and made a settlement on the farm now owned by A. M. Fanley in Somer township. There young Rinehart grew to manhood. In 1532 during the Black Hawk war he enlisted in Capt. Brown's com- pany of Mounted Rangers, and served one year. Hle furnished his own horse. gun and clothing. He received for his services one dollar per day. Hle and Thomas Butler are the only survivors of that war living in Champaign county. After this war was ended he returned home. In 1535, he mar- ried Miss Sena, daughter of Win. Corray. She died in 1575. The offspring of that union were the following named children; Elizabeth, who married William Hill, of Somer township; William M., who married Miss Mary Trickle, they reside in Monroe, Green county, Wis. Albert, who took to wife. Elizabeth Truman. and also live in the place last mentioned. Mary, is the wife of T. J. Drake, they reside in Seward county, Neb. Isaac. married Mary J. Frame, and live in the latter named place. Seberry, married Jennie Morton, and are residents of Monroe, Green county. Wis. Jennie, is the wife of William II. Brownfield and lives in St. Joseph township.
Mr. Rinehart united with the M. E. church in 1843, and still holds his membership in that religious denomination. Politically he votes with the republican party.
At the time Mr. Rinehart came to this section of the state there were but thirty-tive families living within, what is now, Cham- paign county. Ile relates many things that occurred here in those early days. We give a few. The year 1831 was almost without a summer. the cold weather continued until late in the spring and a hard frost set in on September 20th, and it was so severe that it froze the corn, cob and all. In consequence of the loss of the crop, times got close and money was extremely scarce. The following year the settlers were compelled to send to Kentucky for their seed corn. In December 1536. a deep snow lay upon the ground. it began to rain and continued all day, when suddenly it turned intensely cold making ice over the ground and freezing very hard. The sudden change caught many persons unprepared and they were frozen to death. Two men named Hildreth and Fram were crossing Four Mile Prairie on that day; they became bewildered and lost their way and were out when the change came. They killed their horses and Frame crawled inside the body of his horse for protection against the cold. But it proved his tomb as he was found therein frozen to death. Hildreth wandered around all night, and when found
in the morning was so badly frozen that he lost his toes and fingers. Mr. R., also speaks of the early doctors of that day. Dr. Saddler was the first physician in the county and was counted a good one. It is related of him that he attended a family east of Ur- bana. This family had a large patch of fine, ripe and juicy watermelons. The doctor continued his visits long after the patient was convalescent and the family dropped up- on the idea. that the watermelon patch was the chief attraction, and the cause of the doetors repeated visits. They gently broke the news to him that his patient wasentirely well and hinted that further visits were en- tirely superfluous. The doctor went home and sent in a bill that covered all the visits. The family refused payment. Suit was brought to recover the amount when the family rendered an account for watermelons devoured by the doctor as an offset. and ob- tained a small judgment against the doctor. All of the neighbors declared that the decis- ion was a most righteous one. Many other incidents might be mentioned of a similar character, illustrative of the times we speak of, but spare forbids.
Mr. Rinehart was very successful in life. He secured a competency and now in the declining years of his life, he takes things easy.
HENRY C. SMITH.
This well known pioneer and business man, of Tolono, in this county, was born April 15, 1:37. at New Bremen. Auglaize county, Ohio. Ilis parents immigrated from Prussia in 1533, and settled at New Bremen. O. His father, Christopher, died when Hen- ry C. was only five weeks old. In 1843 the
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widowed mother moved to Dayton, O. In 1546 young Henry was taken to the Shaker town. five miles from Dayton. In 1549 he ran away from the Shakers, though they tried hard to detain him, and worked for the father of Gen. George Crooke for the liber- al salary of $2.00 per month. In 1852 he be- gan to learn the carpenter trade and served as apprentiee, three years; receiving $30 for first year, $40 for second and $50 for third year. In 1555 he drove a herd of cows to Fon duLac, Wis. In 1556 he went to Wam- pum. Wis.
In 1:57 be removed to Tolono and follow- ed carpentry and contraeting. In 1861 he was married to Martha Penniston, of Osh- kosh, Wis,, who is still living as is also her father aged 91 years. In 1864 he bought land and planted it in fruit trees, mostly ap- ples and pears, and also engaged in the lumber and coal business in 1866. In 1585 he started, with his sons, in the bakery, confectionery and taney groceries in Tolono. His children were : Mary Ellen, Edward R., Jennie L., Alonzo H., Hattie E., Daisy E., Annie M., and Arthur C .; the first named died in 1563. When Mr. Smith first engag- ed in the earpenter business, there were many inconveniences not met with now, among which were wading sloughs and tall prairie grass upon the trackless prairies be- fore roads became fashionable. Rattle- snakes too, were wont to make unpleasant music for them as they wended their way to build a home for some new "tenderfoot" pioneer of the county, not to mention the mosquitos and greenheads that presented their bills, with a demand for instant settle- ment, to the knights of the saw and the plane. The rye coffee and slough water they had to drink at some of the places they built houses, usually expedited the carpenter work; but when a good, well to do farmer was found to employ them who had white wheat bread and Java eoffee, the work did not progress so rapidly. We can prove this by Henry C. Smith whose long residence and well known veracity among his neighbors will leave no (loubt of its truth. Mr. Smith is apparently in the prime of life and is, to-day, carrying on a large and lucrative business. He en- joys a good joke and gets as much out of life as any business man in Champaign county.
ME .VILLE
MYRON STODDARD BROWN. M. D.
Dr. Brown was born at Colton, St. Law- rence Co., N. Y., June 39. 1832. His father, James Brown, was born at Bennington, Vt., and his mother, Sarah Smith, was a native of Conn. In 1835 the family moved to Tole- do, Ohio, where the mother soon after died, leaving the subject of this sketch then but a babe. to the care of relativos. Before he had arrived at mature years, his father moved to the then territory of Oregon, where he spent the remainder of his life and where he died a few years since at the age of 83 years.
In 1852 Dr. Brown came to Urbana, and re- mained for some months in the employ of H. M. Russell, then in the provision trade.
During the following year he went away and remained for some years. In May, 1858, he returned here to make this place his home, bringing with him his wife, who readily found a warm place in the regard of all with whom she came in contact. Dr. Brown was married on Oct. Sth, 1856, to Miss Sarah Huff, daughter of John Huff, Esq., of Decatur, Rev. D. P. Dunn officiating. There have been born of this alliance ten children, all of whom are deceased except Harry L .. Lucy Belle. Walter J., Blanche, Grace, and Fred E., who reside at Danville.
Soon after reaching his majority Dr. Brown, in accord with a cherished wislı, de- termined to fit himself for the practice of medicine, and so began studying with that end in view. His own and his family's sup- port depending upon his labors, he eon- tinued his studies under great difficulty. His energy and determination of character
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
did not fail him. for having once determined upon snecess in that profession he pressed forward encountering and overcoming the greatest discouragements. He studied first with Dr. Hoover, of Bloomington in 1854, and afterwards with Dr. Miller, at Urbana, from 1555 and on until in 1860, when he at- tended his first course of lectures in Chicago. Soon after that he entered the army as as- sistant surgeon of the 25th Regiment, Illin- ois Volunteers. Here he had a varied ex- perience, such as to eminently fit him for the high position then and ever since held by him in his profession. For eleven months he was detailed for service in the U. S. general hospital at Nashville, finding time meanwhile to attend the classes of the medical college there, from which he grad- uated in 1863. Hle was with his regiment in all its rough experiences atChickamauga, and in East Tennessee. In the spring of 1564, when Sherman re-organized his army for the Atlanta campaign, he was detailed for duty with his brigade field hospital. and soon after, on a competitive trial at the operating table, was chosen one of three operating surgeons for Gen. Wood's division, in which he remained until the expiration of the term of service of his regiment. Upon his return home he at once entered upon the practice, first as a partner with Dr. Good- win and afterwards alone. At one time he surrendered his practice to enter the drug trade at Champaign for a time, but after- wards again entered upon his professional duties and so continued until his removal to Danville.
The doctor is eminently a thinker, and given to original research. Ile will never cease to learn in his profession until he ceases to live.
During the war Dr. Brown became a free Mason, in which order he has made great advancement and is highly esteemed. For eight years he was worshipful master of Urbana lodge, and for two years high priest of Urbana chapter of royal areh masons.
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