USA > Illinois > McLean County > History of McLean County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 32
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Dr. Cyrenius Wakefield was for years a prominent member of the Bloomington Benevolent Society to which cause he contributed liberally in strength as well as finances. He was a member of the school board and took much interest in educational affairs. He had many fire losses and losses from going security for others, and yet he prospered financially- building a handsome stone residence where the high school building now stands. He traveled extensively both in America and Europe. Dr. Wake- field helped to form the Republican party in Bloomington, Sept. 9, 1854. Abraham Lincoln was often a friendly guest in his home and they were greatly attached to each other. Dr. Wakefield contracted pneumonia while personally relieving cases of destitution, and died Feb. 20, 1885.
Following the death of her husband (Albert B. Brady) Dr. Wake- field's daughter Harriet gave up her home in New York and returned to
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
Bloomington, where she is well known and highly esteemed. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and active in the work of this and other social and patriotic organizations. On Lincoln's Birthday, Feb. 12, 1924, fitting unveiling services were held on the oc- casion of Mrs. Brady's presentation of a bronze tablet at the entrance of A. Livingston & Sons store-where Lincoln had previously ascended the stairs to speak at Phoenix Hall. The inscription on this memorial tablet is as follows:
"This Tablet Marks the site of OLD LIBERTY HALL Later
PHOENIX HALL
Where ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Made a Number of Speeches Placed 1924 by
Harriet Wakefield Brady A Member of Letitia Green Stevenson Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
In memory of her father DR. C. WAKEFIELD
A Friend of Abraham Lincoln And Owner of Phoenix Hall
Dr. Franklin Cady Vandervort, a successful physician and surgeon of Bloomington, is a native of Illinois. He was born at Cedar Point, LaSalle County, Ill., Aug. 5, 1858, and is the son of Dr. I. A. and Isabel (Noble) Vandervort.
Dr. I. A. Vandervort was a native of Clinton County, Ohio, as also was his wife. He was educated at the Medical Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a commanding figure in his community, where he prac- ticed medicine for 30 years. This was in LaSalle County, Ill. Dr. Van- dervort was also interested in the breeding of good road horses and was
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
successful in breeding Shorthorn cattle. He died in Bloomington, Oct. 30, 1901, and his wife died Jan. 31, 1892. They were the parents of the following children: Charles R., died in 1911 while principal of Greeley School in Peoria, Ill .; Janie, who is a graduate in music; Mina, married Rev. George A. Miller. She died in Washington, D. C., in 1910; Dr. F. C., the subject of this sketch, and two sons who died in infancy at Cedar Point, Ill.
Dr. Franklin Cady Vandervort grew up in LaSalle County, Ill., and after finishing high school at Tonica, Ill., he entered Butler University, Indianapolis, Ind., and was graduated from Rush Medical College on Feb. 22, 1881. Dr. Vandervort then returned to the town of his boy- hood, Tonica, where he began the practice of his profession. In 1888 he came to Bloomington to carry on the practice of Dr. William E. Guthrie, who was taking post graduate work in Germany at the time. In the year 1906 Dr. Vandervort took 3 months Post Graduate work in Lon- don, Eng. Dr. Vandervort was surgeon for the Chicago & Alton Railroad for seven years, and in 1893 was appointed district surgeon of the Illinois Central Railroad, in which capacity he still serves.
On Sept. 3, 1884, Dr. Vandervort was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Morehouse, a native of Bloomington, Principal of 3rd Ward School. She died April 10, 1899, leaving three children, as follows: Isabel More- house, a graduate of the University of Illinois, now teaching in the high school at Kenosha, Wis .; Marion Louise, married Harry L. Stubblefield, lives at 516 E. Locust St., Bloomington, and Franklin Cady, Jr., a mechan- ical engineer associated with the Johns-Manville Company in Chicago. Mrs. Vandervort was the daughter of John and Jane (Parmelee) Morehouse, natives of New York. Mr. Morehouse died in 1898 and his wife died in 1908. On June 25, 1902, Dr. Vandervort was married to Miss Olive Harrison, a daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth Harrison of Granville, Ill., both of whom are deceased. Dr. and Mrs. Vandervort were married in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the home of Dr. and Mrs. J. M. Restine.
Dr. Vandervort is a Republican and a member of the Second Pres- byterian Church. He has served as health officer of Bloomington, county physician and president of the city school board for two years. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge and the Knights of Pythias. Dr. Vander- vort was appointed a member of Southern Illinois Normal School Trustees by Governor Tanner in 1899, and served 11 years, the last three as presi-
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
dent of the board. He has served as president of the McLean County Medical Society for three years, and as president of North Central Illinois Medical Society for one year. He also belongs to the Illinois State Society, the American Medical Association, and the American Association of Railway Surgeons. During the World War he was appointed a surgeon with rank of Lieutenant at Student Army Training Camp of the Illinois Wesleyan University. He is a trustee of the public library of Bloomington appointed by Mayor Jones. Dr. Vandervort is a sub- stantial citizen of McLean County and a progressive man in his profession.
Dr. Thomas D. Cantrell, who ranks among the leading physicians and surgeons of Bloomington, is a veteran of the World War. He was born on a farm near Waynesville, Ill., in Dewitt County, Feb. 3, 1864, and is the son of Zebulon D. and Susan (Foreman) Cantrell.
Zebulon D. Cantrell was a native of Springfield, Ill., and when he was six months old his parents moved to Waynesville, where he was reared. He followed general farming during his entire life and met with success. In 1854 Zebulon D. Cantrell and his father rode on horse- back over the prairie land between Waynesville and Clinton and returned home satisfied that there was nothing worth entering at $1.25 per acre and that people could only live in the timber and along the edge; he afterward paid the Illinois Central Railroad Company $17.00 per acre for his first 80 acres.
Mr. Cantrell died May 16, 1897, and his wife, who was a native of Union County, Ohio, died March 14, 1915. They were the parents of five children, as follows: Carmi G., lives at Topeka, Kan .; Joanna J., deceased; Elmer E., lives at Des Moines, Ia .; Martha Angeline Lichten- berger, lives at Philadelphia, Pa., and Dr. Thomas D., the subject of this sketch.
Dr. Cantrell spent his boyhood on his father's farm near Waynes- ville and attended the district schools. He attended one year at Illinois Wesleyan University and graduated at Rush Medical College in Chicago in 1888. Dr. Cantrell practiced his profession as a general practitioner until 1917, when he was commissioned and served 18 months during the World war, nine months of which were spent in France, in command of
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
the X-Ray Laboratory of Base Hospital No. 11. Since the close of the war, Dr. Cantrell has specialized in X-ray and radium, his laboratory being located at 303 N. East Street, Bloomington. He has an excellent practice and is known as a thoroughly capable man in his profession.
On Aug. 31, 1887, Dr. Cantrell was united in marriage with Miss Marietta Arnett, a native of Arrowsmith, Ill., and the daughter of John D. and Mary Margaret (Hatch) Arnett, natives of Ohio. Mr. Arnett died March 3, 1920, and his wife lives at Saybrook, Ill. To Dr. and Mrs. Cantrell two children were born: Leta Fenn Briggs, lives at Minier, Ill .; and Leona Fae, born Nov. 6, 1890, and died Dec. 4, 1890.
During the Spanish American War Dr. Cantrell received a commis- sion but was not called into active service. He is at present captain of the Medical Reserve Corps. He is a Republican, a member of the Chris- tian Church, and a 32nd degree Mason. Dr. Cantrell and his wife are well known in Bloomington and have many friends.
George H. Miller, a well known architect of Bloomington, has been engaged in his professional work for 52 years. He was born in Bloom- ington, May 7, 1856, the son of John George and Louisa (Scherer) Miller. They were natives of Wurtemburg, Germany, and came to this country in 1854 and settled on a farm in McLean County. They were the parents of eight children, six sons and two daughters. Four members of the family are now living, as follows: George H., the subject of this sketch; William B., who is engaged in the grocery business in Bloomington; Charles L., a jeweler in Bloomington, and Ida, a professional nurse. John M. Miller, one of the brothers who is now deceased, was engaged in the drug business in Bloomington for a number of years.
George H. Miller was reared on a farm to the age of 11 years and received his education in the public schools. When he was 15 years old he entered the office of Richter & Bunting, who at that time were the only architects at Bloomington. Later, Mr. Richter went to Indianapolis, Ind., where he achieved fame as an architect, and Mr. Bunting went to Springfield, Ill., and became state architect. In 1874 Mr. Harris went to Columbus, Ohio, and Mr. Miller went with him. One year later Mr. Miller returned to Bloomington and joined Henry A. Miner, a mill con-
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
tractor, and remained with him for 10 years. In 1885 Mr. Miller en- gaged in business for himself. He has had an active and successful busi- ness career and has been identified with the construction of many of the important buildings of Bloomington and other towns and cities in Illi- nois. He was the architect of the Oberkoetter building, which was built in 1875 when he was 19 years old. He was also architect of the county jail and built the Corn Belt Bank building, the Durley building, and the Livingston building, and superintended the construction of a number of other buildings in Bloomington as well as buildings in Peoria, Decatur, East St. Louis, Ottawa, and a number of other places. He was the first to introduce the modern system of side lighting in school buildings. This was at the Normal Training School building, and since that time this system has become in general use over the country.
In 1887 George H. Miller was married to Miss Rose Stautz, a daughter of Jacob and Bibiana Stautz, early pioneer settlers of McLean County, who came here from Germany in 1853. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born three children, as follows: Kenneth A., an architect of Chi- cago; Raymond Porter, who is employed in the Federal Reserve Bank at Chicago, and Sallie, who resides in Bloomington with her parents.
The Miller family are members of the Unitarian Church. Mr. Miller is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is past chancellor of his lodge. He has served as alderman and is one of the substantial and highly respected citizens of Bloomington and McLean County.
D. W. Snyder, Jr., general manager of the Bloomington & Normal Division of the Illinois Power & Light Corporation, is a leading citizen of Bloomington. He was born at Easton, Pa., March 24, 1885, the son of Chester and Amanda (Barron) Snyder.
Chester Snyder is a native of Easton, Pa., and his wife was born at Bethlehem, Pa. They have resided at Easton for many years, where Mr. Snyder is president of the First National Bank. Besides D. W., Jr., the subject of this sketch, there is another son, Edward C., who resides at Easton.
D. W. Snyder, Jr., was reared in Easton, Pa., and after finishing the high school course there was graduated from Lafayette College. The
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
outline of his business career is as follows: 1907, employed in the shops of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company at Pittsburgh, Pa .; 1908, employed in the shops of the same company at Newark, N. J., sales engineer of the arc lamp department, and construction engineer for the M. A. Maswell Consulting Engineers of Boston, Mass .; 1909, general superintendent of the Northampton Traction Company, Easton, Pa .; 1910, general manager of the Clinton Gas & Electric Company of Clinton, Ill .; 1914, general superintendent of the Jefferson City Light, Heat & Power Company of Jefferson City, Mo., and also superintendent of the Jefferson City Bridge & Transit Company. Since 1916 Mr. Snyder has served as general manager of the Bloomington & Normal Division of the Illinois Power & Light Corporation. He is also vice president of the Lincoln Water & Light Company of Lincoln, Ill.
On November 8, 1911, Mr. Snyder was united in marriage at Cape Girardeau, Mo., with Miss Lenora Ethel Gramling, a native of Dryers- burg, Tenn., and the daughter of E. G. and Tennie (Gordon) Gramling, the former a native of Arkansas, and the latter of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Gramling now reside at Cape Girardeau, Mo. To Mr. and Mrs. Snyder two children have been born, Chester and Mary Gordon Snyder.
Mr. Snyder is a Republican and is affiliated with the following lodges and clubs: Masons, Elks, Rotary, Consistory, D. K. E., Young Men's Club, Bloomington Club, and the Bloomington Country Club. He is at present president of the Illinois State Electric Association, vice president of the Union Building & Loan Association, director of the Bloomington Association of Commerce, and trustee of the Illinois Wesleyan Univer- sity. Mr. Snyder is one of the progressive citizens of the county and is well and favorably known.
Miss Leta C. Davis, assistant state secretary of the Illinois Christian Missionary Society, is a native of Illinois. She was born near Redmon, in Edgar County, Sept. 23, 1892, and is a daughter of Samuel H. and Alice (Jones) Davis.
Samuel H. Davis was born in Washington County, Pa., and followed farming during his life. He died June 13, 1893. Mrs. Davis, who was born near Crawfordsville, Ind., now resides in Bloomington with her two
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
daughters, Leta C., and Day. Their home is at 1020 East Front street. The only son of Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Harlan, died in infancy.
Miss Davis lived in Paris, Ill., until 1916. After finishing high school at 16 years of age there, she became secretary to the superintendent of Paris city schools. Her next position was as secretary to the county superintendent of schools in Edgar county. After holding a position as bookkeeper in a building and loan office, she was appointed assistant state secretary of the Illinois Christian Missionary Society, which position she has held for the past eight years. Miss Davis is also state super- intendent of Christian Endeavor for the Disciples of Christ.
Miss Davis is a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is an energetic young woman with a large circle of friends.
John R. Smith .- Farming, blacksmithing, banking and merchandizing constitute the scale of activities which lifted the name of John R. Smith to enviable prominence and influence in the city of Bloomington. Mr. Smith is a man of varied capacity and unusual resource. His ideals in business and general life were on the ascending scale, else he had always followed the plow or wielded the hammer and anvil. Born in Madison County, Ky., Jan. 14, 1820, his early influences were inspiring, for his parents, Jacob and Eliza (Porter) Smith, natives of Philadelphia and Kentucky respectively, were successful people, and upon taking up their residence in Bloomington in 1851, invested heavily in farm lands, the su- pervision of which occupied the time of the elder Smith for the balance of his active life. He died Aug. 18, 1874, and his wife, March 13, 1875, both being 83 years old at the time of death.
John R. Smith was reared on a Kentucky farm and profited by the best training to be found in the country school. In early manhood he learned the blacksmith's trade, and upon this basis of support, he estab- lished a home of his own in Madison County, Ky., marrying Charlotte P. Fox, who was born in Madison County, Oct. 30, 1826. Mr. Smith and his wife accompanied his father to Bloomington in 1851, and here he found a lucrative field for his trade, which he followed in a well patronized little shop for several years. He then became one of the chief organizers and for ten years was president of the McLean County Bank, an occupation
JOHN R. SMITH.
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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY
which he was obliged to abandon owing to the close confinement which seriously undermined his health. In a boot and shoe establishment which he opened he found the variety and change required for regaining his health, and he was thus employed until a few years before his death, April 23, 1886.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born three children: Mary E., who mar- ried first Homer McLean, who died Dec. 13, 1869, and who later married D. C. Carmichael, who died Nov. 14, 1883. He was in the civil service as mail operator with the Chicago & Alton Railroad and later in the shoe business. She has a daughter, Charlotta, the wife of Charles T. Stevenson; Nannie B., the widow of James Challis, lives with her sister, Mrs. Car- michael; and I. D. Smith, deceased.
Mr. Smith was one of the best known men in Bloomington and no figure was more familiar upon the streets of the city. He had a fine nature and noble ideals, and these were reflected in the expression of his face, in the clasp of his hand, and the genuine sympathy and good fellowship which seemed always to dominate his immediate environment.
Harry H. Peters, state secretary of the Illinois Christian Missionary Society, is a widely known citizen of McLean County. He was born near Lancaster, in Lawrence County, Ill., July 9, 1871, the son of Robert and Loretta (Sapp) Peters.
Robert Peters was a native of Lawrence County, Ill., and his wife was born near Mt. Carmel, in Wabash County, Ill. Mr. Peters was a school teacher in the early days, and died in 1915. His wife lives at Indianapolis, Ind. They were the parents of the following chidren: Mrs. Christ Lindeman, Robert H. Peters, and James E. Peters, who lives at Glendale, Cal .; H. C., lives at Evansville, Ind .; Mrs. Richard Lord, lives at Glendale, Cal. ; Mrs. Russell Peed, lives in Indianapolis, Ind .; Mrs. Meade Powell lives at Indianapolis, Ind .; John W., lives at Evansville, Ind .; H. H., the subject of this sketch; Rosa May, deceased, and three daugh- ters who died in infancy.
H. H. Peters lived in southern Illinois until he was 25 years of age, and is a graduate of Eureka College. After teaching school for three years, Mr. Peters entered the ministry. After serving as pastor for 12 (25)
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years, he served as Endowment Secretary of Eureka College five years, pastor of the Paris Christian Church for four years, and has been State Secretary of the Illinois Christian Missionary Society for nearly eight years.
On Nov. 5, 1892, Mr. Peters was married to Miss Minnie E. Rigg, a native of Bellmont, Ill., and the daughter of John Mac and Mary Jane (Ballard) Rigg, natives of Illinois, both of whom are deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Peters two daughters were born: Mrs. Mary Loretta Cleaver, whose husband is a process engineer with the Remy Electric Company, Anderson, Ind., and Mrs. Ruth Jane Risser, whose husband is an elec- trical engineer with the Westinghouse Company, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Mr. Peters is a Democrat and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and are highly respected members of their community.
Leroy G. Whitmer, president of the American Foundry and Furnace Company of Bloomington, is a member of one of McLean County's promi- nent pioneer families. He was born at Bloomington, July 15, 1871, and is the son of Peter and Lucy (McDonald) Whitmer.
Peter Whitmer, a leading business man of Bloomington for many years, was born at Chambersburg, Pa., Feb. 22, 1828, the son of Peter and Mary (Hess) Whitmer, the former born Nov. 27, 1775, in the same house which was the birthplace of his son and in which he lived all his life, dying there Sept. 8, 1852. Mary (Hess) Whitmer was a native of Cumberland County, Pa., born April 2, 1799, and she died March 4, 1842.
Peter Whitmer was educated in the country schools of Pennsylvania and learned the harness making and saddlery trades. In April, 1852, he came west and located at Bloomington, Ill., where he established himself in the saddlery and harness making business, under the firm name of Moore & Whitmer. The business was located at the corner of Wash- ington and Center streets, the present site of the Peoples Bank. Mr. Whitmer later sold his business and engaged in the grocery business on Center Street for three years. He then became interested in the lum- ber business in Bloomington, to which he devoted his time for 17 years. On Jan. 10, 1875, he sold his business and accepted the presidency of the
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Peoples Bank, and for 30 years remained at its head. He was also one of the organizers of the Bloomington Canning Company, which was organ- ized in 1888, and later was very active in that industry. Peter Whitmer and wife were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Dr. A. Hooper, lives at Pasadena, Cal .; Charles C., an invalid, lives at Godfrey, Ill .; Mrs. J. O. Willson, 611 North East Street, Bloomington; Mrs. H. C. Hawk, Battle Creek, Mich .; Ira S., President Bloomington Canning Company at Bloomington, and Leroy G., the subject of this sketch.
Leroy G. Whitmer received his education in the public schools at Bloomington and was graduated from Eureka College in 1890, and in 1894 from the law department of Illinois Wesleyan University. He began his business career as a bank clerk and practiced law in Bloomington from July 1, 1894, to July 1, 1900. On that date he was elected vice-president of The American Foundry & Furnace Company, which office he held for 16 years. In January, 1916, he was elected president and treasurer of the company, which office he now holds.
On April 30, 1896, Mr. Whitmer was married to Miss Mildred E. Murphy, a native of Fort Wayne, Ind., and a daughter of Robert W. and Mary A. (Dixon) Murphy, the former a native of New York, the latter of Wisconsin. Mr. Murphy died in 1917 and his wife died three years later. To Mr. and Mrs. Whitmer have been born two children, as fol- lows: Robert P., associated with the management of the American Foun- dry & Furnace Company, lives at home, and Mildred F., a student at Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
Mr. Whitmer is a Republican but has never held office. He and his wife are members of the First Christian Church of Bloomington, and are both active in the social life of the city. Mr. Whitmer served as presi- dent of the Association of Commerce during 1921 and 1922. He is a substantial member of the community and a highly esteemed citizen.
H. Bert Patton, manager and secretary of the Bloomington Produce Company, has been identified with the business development of Bloom- ington for over a third of a century. He was born in Carroll County, Ind., April 10, 1867, the son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth (Schock) Patton.
Hezekiah Patton was a native of Maryland and his wife was born in Indiana. He came to Indiana when 14 years of age in 1835. In 1850
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he went to California, where he spent two years. He made the trip overland and returned by water and the Isthmus of Panama. Mr. Patton died in Indiana in 1901 and his wife died in 1915. There were three children: H. Bert, the subject of this sketch; John A., lives at Wichita Falls, Texas, and Emma, who died in 1918, was the wife of Perry Million, of Monticello, Ind.
H. Bert Patton was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools and Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, Ind. He then engaged in teaching for a time, and later became interested in the poultry and egg business at Goodland, Ind., in 1888. In 1890 he came to Bloomington and engaged in the same business, locating the following year at his present location, 512-514 South Main Street. Mr. Patton began business under the firm name of Patton Bros., with his brother who now resides at Wichita Falls, Texas. In 1907 the company was incor- porated under the present name.
The Bloomington Produce Company started in a very small way and has grown to one of the largest shipping businesses in the country. In 1923 the business amounted to two million dollars. The supplies are drawn from local buying and car lot business from other states and the outlet markets are in the east, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and con- tributing markets. The company is capitalized at $60,000. The officers are: Charles F. J. Agle, president ; Egbert B. Hawk, vice president ; Henry Gilberts, treasurer, and H. Bert Patton, manager and secretary. The Bloomington Produce Company buys and sells produce all over and is the only institution of the kind in Bloomington.
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