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 11
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Upon the formation of the republican party Dr. Brown heartily espoused its princi- ples and east his first vote for president for Fremont. in 1856, and since then has mi- formly voted with that party. In 1569 he was elected mayor of the city of Urbana for a term of one year. and afterwards served upon the board of education.
About two years since, Dr. Brown removed with his family to Danville. A beautiful home on Franklin street, Danville, is owned and occupied by him, to which his old friends and neighbors are most heartily welcomed by himself and his accomplished and hos- pitable wife. Dr. Brown is and always has
been noted for his easy, affable and popular manners. He is always courteous and liber- al in his judgments and very rarely. never willingly, gives offense to his associates. In a residence in Urbana of near thirty years it may probably be truthfully said, he never made an enemy. While ever entertaining the most decided and often radical opinions upon political and moral questions, and never for a moment undecided as to his own course. he has so aeted and spoken as to eause no heart burnings. His conduct has always been wise, liberal, decorous, yet in nothing has he omitted to speak and act when principle required it.
CH
ME_VILI.E
STEPHEN BOYD.
This old pioneer was born December 17, 1804, in Shelby county. Kentucky. His father, William Boyd, and his mother, who was Elizabeth Wiley, came to this county at the same time that Stephen himself came, to-wit in the year 1831. The father was of Scotch descent, while the mother was a German lady. They both died here, in September, 1538, there being but a few days between the dates of their death. Stephen, when he arrived in this county from Shelby county, Kentucky, was twenty- seven years old, and had in 1824 married Jemima Kitson who died in 1526, in Ken- tucky. lle settled three miles east of Ur- bana and lived there the remainder of his Life, following here as he had in his old home, the occupation of a farmer. In 1833 he married Eliza Rinehart. His children were James Boyd, a well-to-do farmer who now lives at the old home place, (a sketch of whose life and his portrait appears else-
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
where.) John Matthias, who died in 1838. Jemima, who died in 1846. Elizabeth, who married Amos Conway, now residing in Dakota. Mary, who married Frank Cham- plain, now residing in Cedar Vale, Chautau- qua county, Kansas, Emma and Al Boyd, both residing near Urbana. Stephen Boyd was always a consistent and ardent demo- crat. He died August 14, 1573, leaving behind him a splendid reputation for honesty and square dealing among those who knew him for the long period of time he lived among the early pioneers. He left to his heirs a goodly estate and did not owe a cent at the time of his death. His living children have all done well and are a credit to the memo- ry of Stephen Boyd, whose record of hon- esty we gladly preserve for future genera- tions.
GEORGE R. SHAWILLN.
This old settler and prominent educator of Champaign county, was born near Fal- mouth, Rush county, Indiana, March 20, 1844. His father was William M. Shawhan, whose portrait and biography appears else- where. His mother was Nancy Redmond. He came with his father's family to Ray- mond township in this county in the spring of 1856. For three years he was deprived of the opportunity of going to school for the reason that schools did not get established there until in 1859. lle then worked on the farm and attended school in winter till 1861. Though his opportunities were limited, he had applied himself with such industry that he was able to teach in 1861. He taught three months for fifty dollars, and he says now he thinks that was more than it was worth. In the winter of 1863-4 he attended school in Homer about 4 months. He taught two years in Camargo, Douglas county, and enrolled 123 pupils in one room. The aver-
age for six months was over 70. The next year he graded the school and had an assist- ant.
In 1867 he married Sarah Vista Brown, daughter of Samuel Brown, an old settler in this county. She is still living. They have two children, Gertie and William Warren, both at home and attending school. He joined the Christian church in 1861 and is yet an adherent to the doctrines of that seet. After his marriage he taught four years at Sidney. Here he saw his need of a bet- ter education and abandoned teaching to attend the University of Illinois in this city. He took the Literature and Science course, graduating in 1875 with high honors. He is prominent among the alumni of the University, and has been selected by them for a member of the board of trustees of this grand state institution. If Governor Ogles- by consults the best interests of the Univer- sity he will accede to their demand and ap- point him to that honorable position. Dur- ing this period of his career is where the in- domitable pluek and energy that character- izes the man was first displayed. He work- ed upon the University farm and taught pre- paratory classes to pay his way through the University.
He solemnly asserts that he never should have succeeded in getting through to gradu- ation at this great University had it not been for the self-denial, ambition and assistance of his wife, who was a constant aid and in- spiration that never faltered in the darkest hour.
Graduating at the University, he found all the schools in this county taken, so he went to Mansfield, l'iatt county, and taught there for two years. Coming back to Homer in 1877 he took charge of the schools there and had taught four years and two months upon his fifth year, in 1881, when he was appoint- ed county superintendent of schools of this county to fill vacancy caused by legislature changing time of election. He was nomin- ated by the republicans in 1882 for school superintendent and was elected by the larg- est majority of any man on the tieket.
He has been renominated by the republi- cans for re-election and will certainly be triumphantly elected. Mr. Shawhan's rec- ord as a school officer is well known to our readers. He has brought the country schools of this county to a higher standard than they have ever reached before. He was chairman of the committee of the alumni that pressed to a successful issue the change of name of the University.
Mr. Shawhan is a conscientious worker in the cause of education, and does far more hard work and spends far more hours of toil
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
than is required by law or contemplated by the law-makers. He is strict with reference to examinations of teachers and it is impos- sible for a drone or fraud to work his or her way into the schools of the county. He has established a high grade for teachers and by his efforts teachers' conventions and organ- izations to improve their methods of teach- ing have become mnnerons. He has inspir- ed the pupils with high aims and laudable ambition by keeping before their minds the possibilities to be wrought ont by hard work and close application. He has utilized the columns of the CHAMPAIGN COUNTY HER- ALD to accomplish reforms in school work. By the free and liberal use of this paper he has painted the school houses and introduc- ed trees and pictures, maps and flowers, li- braries and beautiful lawns to the various districts. No man has done more than G. R. Shawhan for the good of the schools of this county, and he is destined yet for still greater successes in his chosen calling as an educator.
MEL VILI.U
COL. WILLIAM N. COLER.
Col. Coler was born March 12, 1827 near Mt. Vernon, Knox county, Ohio. His pa- rents were Isaac and Amelia (Nichols) Co- ler, who resided in Knox county, Ohio. Mr. Coler's mother died when he was nine years old; his father married a second wife and moved to Illinois afterward. Young Will iam N. was brought up on a farm and re- ceived in the schools of Ohio, a good educa- tion. Hle enlisted in the Mexican war and served his full term in Company B., 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteers, under Col. G.
W. Morgan. After the Mexican war he en- tered the law office of his Colonel. G. W. Morgan. and commenced studying for the profession of law. He did not finish there but after coming to Ilinois he concluded his studies in the office of Amzi MeWilliams, at Bloomington. Illinois. He was admitted to the bar in the fall of 1-51. He came to this county in the spring of 1552, and being pleased with the country, concluded to make this his home. Before coming west he had met. courted and loved a maiden of the Buckeye state. Miss Cordelia Sim. August 9th, 1553. they were married at the residence of his father-in-law, in Miller township, Knox county, Ohio. He and his young wife, together with William Sim and his wife whom Mr. Sim had married at the same time, came to Urbana and located. Here he prac- ticed law for some years, afterwards remov- ing to Champaign and continuing the same occupation until he removed to New York in 1872. He had great contidenee in the de- velopment of this county and while praetic- ing law he also dealt largely in real estate on commission and on his own account. The county records show that he entered large tracts of land and did an extensive real estate and loan business here and at Cham- paign for many years. Col. Coler, with II. K. Davis, published the first newspaper in this county, getting out the first number Sept. 25. 1:52.
His children are: Flora Alice. Wm. N., Jr., Arthur Grant, Bird Sim, and Francis Walter. The daughter married James W., son of Thos. H. Campbell, who was onee Auditor of Illinois, Mr. Campbell is presi- dent of First National Bank at Iluron, Da- kota, and resides there. William N., Jr., resides in New York with his father, and is in business with him carrying on a large and lucrative business as brokers and dealers in municipal bonds, at No. 11 Pine street, N. Y. Arthur Grant, died at the age of fourteen years: the others are in school and reside at home. Col. Coler organized the 25th reg- iment illinois Vols. Infty, and went to the front early in the war. He was the Colonel of the 25th until the fall of 1862, when he resigned and resumed business at Chan- paign, where he remained until he removed to New York. There he resides doing a prosperous business, surrounded by all the comforts, and in fact, the luxuries of life, enjoying splendid health. Col. Coler is a warm hearted, generous, and enterprising man who has made warm friends wherever his lot was cast. He has untiring energy, plenty of pluck and splendid abilities as a business man. Possessing firm address with his good business talents he has been suc-
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cessful in life and knows how to entertain his friends in the home he has seenred in the beautiful residence eity of Brooklyn.
MELVILLE CHI
GILES F. MOGEE
Was born in Missouri, April 25th. 1826, He is the son of James C. and Rebecca (Canna- dy) MeGee. His parents removed to Ver- milion county. Illinois, about 1ses and set- tled at the old salt works, near where Oak- wood now stands. In the fall of 152 Giles came to Champaign county and bought 320 acres of land on section one of Philo town- ship. There he has lived ever since. When he purchased the land it was raw and unim- proved. but he has developed it and placed it all under a high state of cultivation and, to-day, he has one of the finest farms in the county, Mr. McGee was the first settler in Philo township Soon after him came Wil- liam Hooper. Lneins Eaton and E. W. Park- er, and later eame others. When he first settled there wolves were so numerous that he could not raise sheep. The Wabash rail- road and town of Philo were located after Mr. McGee settled there. He was so far away from civilization .. so to speak. that he was not called upon by the assessor for three years after he opened up his farm. Deer were still plentiful. Mr. McGee relates a fight he had with a deer. He run one down with his horse; when he came up with it he jumped from his horse on to the deer, he was armed with a club only; the deer stood at bay and gave fight. Mr. MeGee finally killed the deer, but it was at the expense of badly torn clothes, many bruises and a used up condition generally. After that experi-
enee he needed to be convinced that a deer was very dead before he took hold of it.
Ilis marriage took place in Vermilion county. Illinois, in 1853: Miss Elizabeth Smoat was the lady of his choice. She was born in Vermilion county, Ilinois, in 1834, and is still living. They are the parents of ten children, nine of whom are living. Their names are here given in the order of their birth: William F., John H., who married Lney MeDonald; Nathan R., who took to wife Jennie Rice: Mary E., wife of Andrew Longbrake; Ida B. married Charles Penny : Curtis E. took to wife Luta Power: Thom- as D., Walter S. and Charles II. are still be- neath the parental roof, Carrie L. died at the age of two years.
Mr. MeGee has been a member of the Christian church since he was fifteen years of age. In politics he votes with the repub- liean party. He is one of our most success- ful farmers, and has, by a life of honesty, established a splendid character for integri- ty and neighborly excellence and is a fitting forerunner of the people who have made Philo township a garden of beauty.
JAMES C. WARE
Was born May 27th, 1841, at North Lewis- burg, Champaign county, O. His parents, were Lester Ware and Jane (Reid) Ware. of Ohio. They came to Illinois at the same time the subject of this sketch came, in 1554, but removed further west. to Iowa, in 1 56. As before stated, James C. Ware arrived with his father's family at Mahomet when he was only thirteen years oldl. Soon after their arrival, five members were taken down with small-pox in a most malignant form. having been exposed at Terre Haute, Indiana.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
As no help could be obtained for either love or money. James C. had to do all the nurs- ing and cooking. Three of his sisters died and were buried by members of the family. Strangers in a new country, with such a dreaded disease among them. it was difficult to get any assistance, and had it not been for the Masonic fraternity, of which Mr. Ware's father was a member. the family would have suffered. James C. went with his father and family to lowa, in 1556, but in 1-5s he returned to Mahomet, a young man of seventeen years, having worked most of the way from Iowa, here, and hav- ing upon his arrival, two dollars as his cap- ital to commence business upon : but he was chock full of days works and he proceed- ed to invest this in farming at Mahomet. Soon the war came, and as it did with hun- dreds of thousands of brave young men, it interfered with the even tenor of their bus- iness life. Young Ware enlisted in the first company that was organized in the county; the company not being accepted he enlisted again, this time in Co. 1. 25th Reg. Ill. Vol. Infty. He was in active service all through his term and was never sick or in hospital until he was wounded at the battle of Chick- amanga, where he was wounded in the hip and sent to the hospital. He remained here and on light duty at Lonisville, Ky., for a few months. then returned to his regiment and remained at the front until his term was served. Ile bore the colors of his reg- inent in several hard fought battles. He was detailed by Major General Thomas for duty in secret service in the Army of the South. but was wounded before the time eame for him to report. He was selected by the officers of his regiment, as Sergeant Major of Gen. Rosecrans' Roll of Honor Corps which that General commenced to or- ganize, but did not complete. On his re- turn from the war he concluded to settle down to the business of life. He had met and admired, Mildred. the daughter of Jon- athan Scott, (one of the pioneers of the county and a man of character). Subse- quently, in September, 1864, he married her. There were born to them seven children, all living. to-wit: Mac, Mande, Wilbur, Wal- ter, Effie. Bertha and Mildred. Mrs. Ware died October 13, 1854.
In 1882, Mr. Ware was chosen by his party as candidate for Sheriff and was triumphant- ly elected. Ile is now serving his term of four years to the entire satisfaction of the people. He was supervisor of Mahomet for four years. He is a republican in politics and votes as he shot while carrying a mus- ket in the army. He has always followed farming and stock raising and has been very
successful. He leaned towards draft horses and has made that branch of the business a specialty. He has brought to the county many Normans and Clydesdales as good as could be found in Scotland or France. He believes in keeping full blooded stock, and says that a well bred man is better than a "serub."
He joined the Baptist church in Mahomet, in 155%. Mr. Ware is of a social turn of mind and enjoys a good story as well as any one. He can make the war history of him- self and comrades exceedingly racy, when he recites it with the necessary embellish- ments. He is prominent in the G. A. R., and at the camp fires of the old soldiers he takes an active part where his good memo- ry and ability to talk affords mneh amuse- ment as well as instruction to his comrades. He is genial in his nature, honest in his dealings, has been faithful to every trust he has assumed, and has many warm friends among a people with whom he has lived for more than thirty years.
JOHN GERE.
"Generations come and generations go, but time goes on forever." A generation of men have come and gone since John Gere came to Urbana and engaged in the merean- tile business. He is, so far as onr knowl- edge extends, the oldest merchant doing business in Champaign county.
He was born among the hills and Green mountains of Vermont. so famous, like all hill countries, for producing men of large stature and brawny. sinewy forms. Mr. Gere was not an exception to the rule. Al- though he has reached nearly four score years, he bears about him yet, the evidences
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
of an athletic form that time with all of its ravages has not been able to subdue. We judge, and in fact it is said of him, that in his younger days when youth lent vigor and strength to him that he was a bad man to taekle or to land upon his back. Tradition further relates that he was not averse to a trial of feats of strength, muscle and endur- ance, but rather courted it on all proper oe- casions.
He was born in Randolph county, Ver- mont, February 11, 1811. His parents, John and Polly (Clark) Gere were natives of the same state. The family moved to western New York and in 1836 the entire family came west to Illinois and settled in Clark county, where John Gere senior died. John, the subject of this sketch, remained in Clark county until the spring of 1847, when he came to Urbana. In June following he embarked in the mercantile business, and opened a general store on the corner where now stands the HERALD building. He con- tinned there for two years when he and his brother, James S., erected a pretentious frame building on the ground now occupied by his present store building. It was. in its day, the largest store building in the county. Large as it was, however, it had to give way to the march of progress. The same build- ing stands innnediately north of the HER- ALD office and has done duty in the past as a blacksmith and general repair shop. Mr. Gere met with serious loss in the destruction, not only of his store building but of his dwelling house as well, in the disastrous fire of 1871 that swept away half of the city. But nothing daunted, he at once began the erection of his present building, and strug- gled through mantully and paid one hundred cents on every dollar. There has been no time in the past thirty-eight years that he could not buy all the goods he wanted and more, His credit was always A No. 1 where- ever he was known. This is a record that any man, particularly a business man, can be proud of. He passed through all the great ยท disturbanees in values, up through inflation, and down to specie payment, through finan- cial erises without number, in a period of more financial disasters and sudden changes in valnes than any country ever saw. Yet midst them all he maintained his record for integrity and prompt payment and honest settlement of every obligation that appear- ed against him. While he has not been as successful as some others in the accumula- tion of wealth, yet he is richer in the inher- itanee of a name against which there ap- pears no blot or stain. The record and char- acter of such men teaches the rising genera- tions that after all a fair and honorable
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name is the best heritage to leave to posteri- ty.
Mr. Gere has been particularly unfortun- ate in his helpmeets. He married Emily Catron in 1838. She died some years later. He subsequently married Miss Sarah Davis, then Mrs. Phoebe J. Dare, both of whom are dead. In January, 1872, he married his pres- ent wife, Miss Harriet A. Crissey. Three of Mr. Gere's sons are living, viz: George W., a prominent lawyer of Champaign. He married Miss Mary Lee. Warren M. is in business with his father. Frank P. is depu- ty postmaster. Politically Mr. Gere's pre- dilections have been in the direction of the democratic party. He has always been a very temperate man and has advocated the eause of prohibition for many years. He was a member of the city eouneil when the eity was first organized and was an alderman for over twenty years.
MELVILLE CH)
LIEUT. SAMUEL OSGOOD
Was born in Gardner, Maine, m 1807. His father and mother were puritans and came to this country from England and settled in Massachusetts.
Samuel, when a young man, came to Law- renceburg, Ind., and was married there in 1830 to Miss Huldah Cheek, whose father was a wealthy slave owner named Page Cheek and noted for his hospitality and gen- erosity. The children of this marriage are as follows: Orlando, Mary, William, Lo- randa, Belle. Eva, Missouri, Charles, Samuel, Collins, Emma and Alma. He, with four of his children, united with the Baptist church in 1545.
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PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
He was a whig while that party lived. was an original abolitionist, and later a republi- can. until his death. He served two terms as sheriff, of Dearborn county, Ind., was a leader in politics and on account of his pop- ularity, a town was named after him-"Os- good." in Indiana.
At the close of his second term, his eldest son being a inte from the time he was three years old, and having graduated from the deaf and dumb institute in Indianapolis. came to Kankakee where he accidentally shot himself while hunting. This led Mr. Osgood to move to this state. When his son recovered he moved to Urbana, in 1554, and bought 160 acres of land one and a half miles south of Urbana. He served as justice of the peace here for several years.
When the war broke out he was 54 years old, but when urged to remain at home. he replied "I'll never be too old to serve my country, and I'll never surrender to the reb- els." Ile kept his word by offering up his life: at the battle of Cumberland Gap. January 3, 1864, our troops were driven back: he refused to fall back with his regi- ment. and when told to surrender. for an- swer fired into the ranks of his would-be raptors. Six times he thus answered the command of the enemy to surrender and sacrifieed his life then and there by refusing to be taken alive. Charles at eighteen and Samuel at the age of sixteen entered the service with their father, in the same com- pany. His son William was captain in the 25th Ohio regiment. In the same battle in which Lieut. Osgood was killed his son Charles was taken prisoner and sent to Lib- by prison where he died of starvation in a few months. His son Sammel was wounded in the same battle, taken prisoner and sent to Andersonville, but by the aid of an old negro he escaped, traveling eight nights and lying in the swamps by day.
Lieut. Osgood was a man of strong intel- leet and was impulsive and generous to a fault. He was an incessant reader, Shakes- peare being his favorite author. He was as brave a man as ever gave his life to his country.
MEL V/I
ARCHIBALD MARTIN KERR.
This well known old settler, of Champaign county, was born August 12. 1501. in Surry county. North Carolina. He was descended on his father's side from a strong and ener- getic stock of Scottish ancestors. His mother's maiden name was Miss Sarah Mar- tin, and she was of English descent.
The Martins are known in the South as an intelligent and patriotic family. strongly de- voted to the union. One generation of the men had fought to build the union, and in after times another generation fought to save that union, when armed treason sought to tear it down. Colonel Jack Martin was engaged in several daring exploits against the tories, and afterwards George and Sam- nel Martin fought bravely for the union dur- ing the rebellion.
Mr. Kerr was raised on his father's farm and was edneated by his uncle Col. Martin.
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