USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 77
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James F. Umpleby attended the schools of Rosemond Township, and was engaged in farm- ing in that township until he was twenty-two years old. He then embarked in a hay and grain business at Ohlman, but in 1900 moved to Pana and bought the business of the Planters Com- press Company, and has since conducted it. In addition to his main store at Pana, Mr. Umpleby has a branch establishment at Ohlman, and an elevator and grain warehouse at Dunkel's Sta- tion, also at Rosemond, Ill. In connection with his Pana store, he manufactures cement posts into which staples can be driven, which product he. handles under the name of the Staple Cement Posts. In conjunction with his son, Frank, he owns the Umpleby Implement Company. In ad- dition to the Ohlman establishment he owns and operates the largest and best equipped loose hay plant in Illinois, and in all of his undertak- ings he displays excellent judgment and a knowl- edge of his market. The Methodist Episcopal Church holds the membership of the family. In politics Mr. Umpleby is independent, casting his vote according to his own judgment. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Pythias.
VANDASANT, George Henry, a prosperous farmer of South Fork Township, is one of the substantial men of Christian County. His birth occurred on his present farm, February 11, 1880, he being a son of Theodore and Mary (Schwalm) Vandasant, natives of Germany. When he was sixteen years old the father left Germany, and coming to the United States located in Wiscon- sin, later coming to Greene County, Ill. Still later he was with Doctor Hartner of South Fork Township until he bought forty acres of land of his employer, later adding to his farm until he had 120 acres of land, and here he lived until his death at the age of eighty-one years, in No- vember, 1909. The mother died May 11, 1900. In politics the father was a Democrat.
George Henry Vandasant attended the schools of South Fork Township, and assisted his father in the farm work. Later he went to Kansas and bought a farm he subsequently sold and came back to South Fork Township to take charge of the homestead. Since coming into possession of
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it he erected new buildings and has one of the best equipped farms in this section.
On January 23, 1901, Mr. Vandasant was mar- ried to Miss Gertrude Stoddard, a daughter of Alonzo and Ella (Baity) Stoddard, natives of Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Vandasant have one child, Ella Marie, born May 11, 1911. In poli- tics Mr. Vandasant is a Democrat. The Modern Woodmen of America hold his membership, as does the German Lutheran Church. A live, progressive man and hard worker, Mr. Vanda- sant has risen in the world, and his methods are being adopted by his neighbors who appreciate the value of his experiments and the excellence of his judgment.
VANDEVEER, Eugene .- Christian County has been placed in its. elevated position among all the counties of the state through the development of its natural facilities,; and the vastness of the development that has been reached has had impulse and direction from the people, men and women, who have interwoven the fabrics of the county and their homes. From the earliest commencement of the growth that has meant so much, the Vandeveers have been as closely as possible identified with the big, foundational ad- vances. Eugene Vandeveer came of a family to whom real human worth was a tradition. His father was a man whose strength and whose use- fulness were strongly marked. Eugene had as his heritage the capability and the broadness of view that pledged him to great purposes. He cultivated in himself the qualities of mind that men the world over have held most high. He had, instinctively, the qualities of heart that American tradition values above all things. He is now gone, after over sixty years of the most intimate association with the affairs of Christian County : and. through all, the bigness of his character and the bigness of his work were com- inensurate. We could ill have done without him.
Eugene Vandeveer was born in Taylorville on July 27, 1853, the second son of Judge H. M. and Mary J. (Rucker) Vandeveer, extended men- tion of whom appears elsewhere. His early boy- hood was spent in Taylorville, where he attended the ward schools. Later he supplemented his training with collegiate courses here and abroad. after which he returned home and began a life here that was most exceptional for the great and widely spread good resultant. His first business connection here was in the banking house of his father, where he and his brother. William T. Vandeveer, laid the foundation of their financial success. After a few years of this association, the firm was enlarged to include the two sons and became H. M. Vandeveer & Company, which continued a very successful enterprise, becoming the largest private banking house in Illinois, and one of the very strongest in the United States.
At the death of his father, Eugene Vandeveer began to accumulate his vast interest in the farm lands of the county and it is this feature of his work that left such a lasting imprint. He loved things pertaining to the farm and his in- fluence along the line of advancement in agricul-
ture has been felt perhaps more than that of any man in the county. He owned many farms and each of them has been made such a farm as one would wish to see. He has been a prime mover in the work of the Farmers' Institutes in the county and has offered many prizes for the production of crops. Eugene Vandeveer gave to the city of Taylorville the site on which the present Carnegie-Vandeveer library building now stands. That was only one of his many philan- thropies.
On August 4. 1883. Mr. Vandeveer married Miss Eudora Atwood, a native of Akron, Ohio, and a daughter of William Jackson and Martha Mead (Welch) Atwood. Three daughters were born to them. The eldest daughter, Yolande, is now the wife of F. W. Perkins, of Chicago, and the mother of Emily Wainwright and Yolande Perkins. Miss Vida and Miss Eugenia Vande- veer are at home.
Engene Vandeveer died in Chicago, November 11, 1915, and is interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Taylorville. Christian County is deeply appre- ciative of the man and his works.
VANDEVEER, Judge Horatio M., was born in Washington, Indiana, March 12, 1816. The Van- deveer family, who were originally from North Carolina, moved to Kentucky, then to Indiana ; and, in the fall of 1829 the Rev. Aaron Van- deveer, father of our subject, came with his family to Illinois and settled on a farm on Clear Creek, Sangamon County. The country was sparsely settled and the means of obtaining an education limited. Here and there over the country were subscription schools, the teachers "boarding around" and teaching the principle of the three "R's". It was in one of these log-cabin schools that II. M. Vandeveer entered, and, after a three months' course, graduated. His parents were poor and, of necessity, required their sons to labor constantly on the farm. lle thus toiled most of the time until he was twenty-one years of age. He was emphatically self-made, and the greater part of his education was had through studiously devoting to his books all the spare time at his disposal. He acquired a taste for reading early in life, and, his close and assiduous study, attracted the attention of Hon. John T. Stuart, of Springfield, Ill., who tendered him the use of a valuable library. By this means he was able to lay the foundations of his legal training. He always remembered the kindness of Mr. Stuart with the most grateful thanks and always spoke of him as a friend and bene- factor.
As was then the custom of most indigent young men, he too played the part of "school- master" for a time. In the year 1836 he tanght in a log school house on Andy Finley's farm. some twelve miles west of Taylorville, then in Sangamon County. The building was made in regular pioneer fashion, of logs without the use of a nail, with a large fire place, and a log some ten feet long ent out of the side of the building for a window and the space covered with oiled
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paper in lieu of glass. His was a subscription school of three months of the year; terms, $2.00 a quarter for each scholar and board around. The latter arrangement did not suit his desire, as it frittered away too much time which he wished to devote to his chosen profession of law. To obviate this difficulty, he put up a log cabin 10x12 feet in size on his farm adjacent, and "kept bach." Thus he passed one or two years, farming in the summer, teaching in the winter and reading in his leisure hours. The Judge had a great aversion, then as later, to see- ing idlers around him, consuming daylight to no profit. In all such cases he would press them into service, and with remarkable result.
In time, Mr. Vandeveer was admitted to the practice of law. His first ease was in the Cir- cuit court of Sangamon County, in Springfield. He was employed by the widow of Samuel Miller to institute suit against Jesse Hanon, Sr., to compel a more faithful administration of his trust. This gave the young barrister occasion to appear before the able and strong bar of the state capital, then composed of such men as Lin- coln, Logan, Baker, Lambourn and others, and he distinguished himself in managing the case to a successful issue. This triumph was as gratifying to his old neighbors as it was stimu- lating to his own future suecess.
On the organization of Christian County, Judge Vandeveer was a large factor and, at the first election, held April 1, 1839, he was elected county recorder and a few days later was ap- pointed, by the County court, school eommis- sioner. This last otlice necessitated his removal to the county seat. On the first of June, the same year, he was appointed by Judge Treat clerk of the Circuit court, which office he held for many years. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1842, over Mar- tin White, the former representative, and Ilenry T. Luckett, both popular men. On his return home at the close of the session in 1843. he was reappointed clerk of the Circuit court; but being a member of the legislature he was ineligible for the office. In the same year he was elected justice of the peace. He was subsequently ap- pointed postmaster of Taylorville, which office he held for many years. At that time the post office was in the clerk's office upstairs in the old courthouse.
In 1846 Judge Vandeveer answered the first call of his country, and raised a company for the Mexican War, and was elected its captain. While beating up for recruits, several public meetings were held in the courthouse and some amusing as well as patriotic speeches were made. The company was rejected by the government, as the quota of the state under the call of the government was full. He was shortly after- wards appointed by President Polk as assistant quartermaster in the United States Army, with rank of captain. He had command of his de- partment under Col. W. B. Warren, of Jackson- ville, in his forced march from Monclova to Saltillo, and so discharged his duties as to re-
ceive high commendation from Colonel Warren. IIe was in the battle of Buena Vista.
On his return home at the close of the war, Captain Vandeveer's name was prominently men- tioned as candidate for Congress. At the con- vention held shortly afterwards at Shelbyville, after numerous ballotings for various aspirants, he would have been nominated on the next bal- lot had he not stepped within the bar and peremptorily requested the withdrawal of his name from the contest, greatly to the disap- pointment of his friends. He was chosen one of the Democratic electors in 1848; was elected and east his vote for Gen. Lewis Cass. In 1849 he was elected judge of the County court of Chris- tian County, under the newly adopted constitu- tion, and was elected to the same office in 1853. He held office for a term of eight years, and, during that time, displayed for the county the powers he used with success in his private busi- ness. Although the county was comparatively new, and poor from a monetary point of view, he and his associates erected the Christian County courthouse, and paid for it as the work was done. In all other duties devolving upon him, not only in current county affairs, but in the probate department, he exercised equal skill and good judgment.
In November, 1860, he was elected, for the second time, a member of the House of Repre- sentatives, from Christian and Montgomery coun- ties. It was during this time that the Civil War commenced, demanding legislative qualities which Judge Vandeveer possessed in a marked degree; and he held the unfailing respect and confidence of the entire House. One of the chief aims of his work was to establish sound banking conditions throughout the state. In 1862 Judge Vandeveer was elected to the State Senate from the district composed of the coun- ties of Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian and Shelby. A long experience in business and a general knowledge of men and things acquired by contact with the realities of life, enabled him to make his service in the Senate widely useful. The leading trait of his character was his strong and unswerving will. He was an ardent Democrat, of the old school, and had an abiding faith in Democratie principles. In June, 1870, he was elected judge of the Tenth Judicial Circuit, embracing the counties of Christian, Montgomery, Fayette and Shelby, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge Rice. He was again elected, without op- position, in 1873 for a term of six years. As a presiding judicial officer he rendered great sat- isfaction and won golden opinions from meni- bers of the bar and others interested. He came to the bench directly from a large private prac- tice. He was a good lawyer and possessed a strong, clear and vigorous intellect. His man- ner was plain with no attempt at a flourish of language or oratorical skill.
Judge Vandeveer was happily married in the spring of 1841 to Miss Mary Jane Rucker, a native of Kentucky but a resident of Christian
.
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County, Ill., at the time of her marriage. Five children were the fruit of this union, three of whom grew to maturity, namely : William T. and Eugene A., who for years were jointly engaged in the banking business in Taylorville under the firm name of H. M. Vandeveer & Com- pany ; and Lizzie J. Vandeveer, who married William H. Kirkwood. Eugene Vandeveer died November 11, 1915. Mrs. Kirkwood died Sep- tember 4, 1916.
Judge HI. M. Vandeveer was a representative western man and one who, by sheer force of indomitable will, industry and perseverance rose from the depths of comparative obscurity and made for himself a name and an honorable posi- tion. His was the most familiar and prominent name in Christian County for over half a cen- tury. Judge Vandeveer died in Taylorville, on March 12, 1894.
VIDLER, Thomas J., president of the Peoples Gas Company of Pana, and one of the leading business men of Christian County, whose activ- ities have not been confined to private affairs, but extended over public matters as well, he having given time and attention to the discharge of duties as an official upon several occasions, is thoroughly representative of the best interests of the county. He was born at Griggsville, Pike County, Ill., August 16, 1858, a son of John and Mary (Powell) Vidler, natives of England. In 1854 the father came to the United States, locating at Rochester, N. Y., but a year later came to Griggsville, Ill., and founded a brick manufacturing business which he carried on until the spring of 1866, when he sold it and came to Pana to found the Vidler & Houston Brick Company, manufacturers and contractors. This concern 'continued to operate until 1878, when Mr. Vidler retired. His death occurred in 1898, and Mrs. Vidler died in 1906. He was a Baptist and Democrat.
Thomas J. Vidler attended the public schools of Pana, and then took a trip to England, where he spent a year in school at Tunbridge Wells, England. In 1878 he took a commercial course at Brown's Business College at Jacksonville, and returning to Pana, became bookkeeper for Dunkel Bros., so continuing until he was made deputy county treasurer and held that office for three years. At that time the banking house of A. G. Barnes secured his services as cashier, and he went to Taylorville to assume the duties of that position, and spent two years at the county seat, returning once more to Pana. In 1893 he was appointed county treasurer to fill the unexpired term of James White, and follow- ing the expiration of his term of office, he and a Mr. Tribbett carried on an insurance and real estate business at Pana. When the First National Bank of Pana was founded in 1899, Mr. Vidler was made its cashier. and so served for eight years. In the meanwhile he became interested in breeding Aberdeen Angus cattle and standard bred trotting horses, and contin- ued this line of business until 1908, operating upon an extensive scale. In 1912, he with
George Whitman, Dr. F. J. Eberspacher, F. A. Chtler, organized the Peoples Gas Company, of which Mr. Vidler was made president, and he has continued its executive head ever since. The company is a large public utility, and furnishes about 12,000,000 cubic feet annually. The plant to supply the gas was built in 1912 at a cost of about $60,000. Mr. Vidler has also been active in politics, supporting the Democratic principles, and served as township clerk for two terms, has been a member of the school board since 1886. Since the organization of the township high school board, he has been a member, and since 1909 has been its president. For two terms he was alderman from his ward, and is one of the most capable public officials Christian County has furnished.
On January 19, 1881, Mr. Vidler was married to Isabelle Hogan of Pana, a daughter of Jerry and Catherine Hogan. Mr. and Mrs. Vidler be- came the parents of four children, namely : Fannie, who is at home; May, who is Mrs. C. R. Bowers of West Frankport, Ill. ; Paul J., who is superintendent of the gas works at Vir- ginia, Minn .; and Lois, who is at home. Fra- ternally he belongs to the Masons, Elks and Knights of Pythias, and has held all the oflices in all these orders, and was first exalted ruler of the Elks in the Pana lodge.
VIGAL, Everett A., a substantial retired lum- ber merchant of Edinburg, and one of the older business men of Christian County, was born in Cotton Hill Township, Sangamon County, Ill., November 6, 1859. His boyhood was passed on his father's farm, and he attended the schools in his district. In 1892 Mr. Vigal came to Edin- burg and went into a lumber business which he conducted very successfully for thirteen years, and then retired. He owns one farm of 180 acres in Cotton Hill Township, inherited front his father, William H. Vigal, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, and another farm of 323 acres in South Fork Township, Christian County. His handsome residence is also his property, and he had it built for him in 1907.
In 1907 Mr. Vigal was married to Miss Sarah Logan, a daughter of Thomas and Frances (Long) Logan of Buckhart Township, exten- sive farming people of that section. Mr. Logan died in 1891 at Canyon City, Colo., but the mother survives and makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Vigal. In politics Mr. Vigal is a Re- publican. His fraternal affiliations are with the Knights of Pythias. During the summer of 1915 Mr. Vigal gave Christian County valuable serv- ice as a member of the board of review at Taylorville, and he has in other ways proved his public spirit and progressiveness.
VIGAL, William H., one of the reliable men of Edinburg who is now living retired after years spent in useful endeavor as an agriculturalist. was born in Cotton Hill Township, Sangamon County, Ill., January 22, 1833, a son of John T. and Hannah (Coble) Vigal. The father was
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born in Jefferson County, Ky., and the mother was born in Clark County, near Charleston, Ind. After a boyhood spent in his native county, where he attended the local schools, the father went to Charleston, Ind., where he was married. In 1830 he came to Illinois, driving overland with a team, and located in Cotton Hill Town- ship, where he entered government land. bought some additional acreage, and improved it all. He had 240 acres of land which he gave away to liis children prior to his death. The mother died in 1852, and the father died when seventy- nine years old. In politics he was a Republican, one of the first in his section.
Until 1855 William HI. Vigal remained with his father, and during that period attended the schools of Cotton Hill Township. At that time his father gave him 100 acres of land, which he improved from its original wild prairie state, doing his plowing with an ox team, and carry- ing on his other operations under similar primi- tive conditions. To this 100 acres he added until he had 800 acres, and he conducted it until 1892, when he moved into Edinburg, and embarked in a lumber business. Until 1905 he continued in it, but in that year retired. While engaged in the lumber business he continued his agricultural activities. During his boyhood Mr. Vigal learned the carpenter trade and a num- ber of his buildings were built by him, and are still standing. He also did considerable building for others in addition to his numerous interests elsewhere. A Republican, he served as township treasurer for nineteen years, was township su- pervisor eight terms, and township trustee for a number of years.
On October 31, 1855, Mr. Vigal was married to Miss Sarah A. Willian August 29, 1833, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Crowder) Willian of Cotton Hill Township. The parents were born in the vicinity of Greenburg, Ky., where they were married, coming later to Spring- field, Ill., and they entered land in Sangamon County and improved it. Mr. Willian made the first hand made shingles in Springfield for roof- ing. Judge Vandeveer said that the first dollar he ever earned was paid him by Mr. Willian for hauling a load of goods from Springfield to the present site of New City. Mr. and Mrs. Vigal became the parents of six children, namely : Marcia, who married Chester Williams of Chris- tian County, died in 1899 ; Everett, who lives at Edinburg: William M., who lives at El Paso, Tex. ; Metta, who married Luther Kinkaid, and lives in Kansas ; Ermin, who died at the age of nineteen years ; and Frederick, who died at the age of eight years. Mrs. Vigal has been a mem- ber of the Methodist Church for over fifty-two years.
VOLLINTINE, George Wesley .- In a history of Christian County prepared for the purpose of preserving its annals and naming its most truly representative people, some of its pioneers must be particularly noted. One of these was the late George Wesley Vollintine, who passed many years of a long. useful and worthy life here and
left descendants who have perpetuated his sturdy character and sterling virtues. Mr. Vol- Jintine was born near New Douglas, Bond County, Ill., October 14, 1818. His parents were William and Hannah (Plant) Vollintine. William Vollintine followed agricultural pur- suits after he served as a soldier in the War of 1812. He died near Greenville, Bond County, Ill., at the age of seventy-five years, his wife having died at the age of forty years.
George Wesley Vollintine was educated in the public schools of Bond County and his childhood days were spent on the farm with his father. Being ambitious, he started farming when young and spent his entire life as a farmer, acquiring a competency by his thrift and industry and the loyal support of his wife. They spent practically all of their lives on a farm one and one-half miles west of Taylorville, Ill., and passed their last days in their . spacious home, where they reared their family. Mr. Vollintine's farm was located on Section 21, in Taylorville Township, Christian County.
George Wesley Vollintine was married Sep- 1 tember 2, 1845, at the home of the bride's par- ents, to Mary Martha Clark, who was born near Hopkinsville, Ky., September 12, 1825. Her parents were Dr. James C. and Hannah ( Hen- derson) Clark, who settled in Bear Creek Town- ship, Christian County, when they came to the county as pioneers. Dr. Clark and William Vollintine were both of Revolutionary stock and Dr. Clark, like Mr. Vollintine, served in the War of 1812. As a pioneer physician, Dr. Clark was often called miles from home to minister to the sick, few men of his profession having vet located here. The following children were born to George Wesley Vollintine and wife: Cor- delia Susan, Cyrena Ann, Hannah Frances who died in infancy, William Ewing, James Clark, Linneans Linder, Emma Lydia, George Robert, Mary Belle, Irene Elizabeth and Albert Hale, twins, Jennie Plant, Martha Henderson and Eddie Ulysses.
George Wesley Vollintine was among the early settlers of Christian County, Ill., and did his part in the development of the community. Mr. Vollintine never aspired to any office, but took active interest in the welfare of the public, par- ticularly the schools. He was never affiliated with any fraternal orders. In 1849 when the original Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in Taylorville, George Wesley and Mary Martha Vollintine were active in its or- ganization and were charter members and con- tinued active in church work with this body until it was absorbed by the Presbyterian Church.
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