USA > Illinois > McLean County > History of McLean County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 41
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It has been said by some of Rev. Holton's friends that during much of his life he has done two men's work. In the early 90's he moved to Tallula and served the church there for four years, then moving to DeLand where he was pastor for four years. In 1907 he bought a home in Bloomington for a permanent residence. He goes right on in his min- isterial work here and there as he has calls.
Rev. Holton was married to Miss Ellen Margaret Campbell, a daugh- ter of Archibald and Ann (Carr) Campbell, who came to America from Newry, County Down, Ireland, when Mrs. Holton was a child. The mar- riage took place in the old Bethany Church, Nov. 18, 1862, and the cere-
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mony was performed by the president of Bethany College, Alexander Campbell. Six children blessed this union, as follows: Helen King, was born in Falmouth, Ky .; Campbell, born in Vincennes, Ind .; Pauline, born in Springfield, Ill .; Mary and Annie, born in Berlin, Ill., and Bettie, born in Lincoln, Ill. Mrs. Holton died April 8, 1922. Bettie Holton married W. H. Armstrong of Mechanicsburg, Ill., and she died in 1905. Helen (Holton) Lucas resides with her father in Bloomington. Pauline relict of D. G. Evans, resides in Rocky Ford, Colo. Mary, relict of R. B. Ruh, resides at Tallula, Ill. Annie, married Frank McConnell, resides at Mc- Connell Place, near Lincoln, Ill. Campbell Holton, a well known and suc- cessful business man of Bloomington, resides on North McLean Street, next door to his father.
Besides his church relationship Rev. Holton is a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Knights of Pythias and the Masonic lodge. He is a worthy member of his community and is highly esteemed throughout McLean County.
W. W. Whitmore, attorney, is among McLean County's most promi- nent and influential citizens. He was born near Gardner, Ill., July 14, 1870, and is the son of Benjamin F. and Matilda (Shelly) Whitmore.
Benjamin F. Whitmore was born in Hagerstown, Md., and his wife was a native of Bucks County, Pa. He was a farmer and lived in Ohio for several years before coming to Grundy County, Ill. He died in 1918 and his wife died in 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore were the parents of three children, as follows: Nathaniel P., born in 1867, a veterinary surgeon, died in 1913; W. W., the subject of this sketch; and Iva Jane, died at the age of two years.
W. W. Whitmore received his education in the public schools and was graduated from the literary and law schools of Illinois Wesleyan University in 1894 and 1895. He was admitted to the bar in 1894, and practiced his profession at Peoria, Ill., from Oct. 1, 1895, until July, 1903. Mr. Whitmore was city attorney of Peoria from 1901 to 1902. He has been located in Bloomington since July, 1903.
On Jan. 20, 1909, Mr. Whitmore was married to Miss Stella Eldred, a native of Gardner, Ill., and a daughter of Eli and Mary (Renne) Eldred, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of New York. Mr. Eldred
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was a leading merchant in Gardner for many years and is now living retired. His wife died in 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore have no children.
Mr. Whitmore is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a 32nd degree Mason, Knight Templar and belongs to the Knights of Pythias. His law office is located in the Livingston building.
Charles L. Capen, lawyer and dean of Illinois Wesleyan University, is a prominent and influential citizen of McLean County. He was born at Union Springs, Cayuga County, N. Y., Jan. 31, 1845, the son of Luman W. and Eliza (Munger) Capen.
On March 19, 1865, the Capen family settled on a small farm on what is now Vale street, a part of the city of Bloomington. The following year the farm was sold and removal had into the city where Charles L. Capen has since resided. He is a member of the first class of the Normal University High School, from which he was graduated in 1865. He then entered Harvard college, where he graduated in 1869, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, later receiving his Master of Arts degree. In 1871 Mr. Capen was admitted to practice and became a member of the law firm of Williams, Burr & Capen, which continued until 1902, when ill health caused the retirement of Mr. Burr. The firm continued as Williams & Capen until the death of the senior member in 1904, and since that time Mr. Capen has been alone. In 1922 he ceased the more active practice but retains an office in the Peoples' Bank building. Among his many clients he has been local attorney of the Illinois Central Railroad Company for 52 years.
On Oct. 27, 1875, Mr. Capen was married to Miss Ella E. Briggs, a daughter of Robert W. and Charlotte (Becker) Briggs. To this union two children have been born, Charlotte, born Jan. 24, 1878, and Bernard C., born May 11, 1882, lives in Denver, Colo. On June 6, 1903, Miss Charlotte Capen was married to Percy B. Eckhart. They live at Kenil- worth, Ill., and have four daughters.
Mr. Capen has been dean of Illinois Wesleyan University since 1913, and has been a professor in the Bloomington Law School, a department of Illinois Wesleyan University, since 1902. He teaches the subject of Corporations, Bailments and Common Carriers, and Damages and Legal Ethics. He was a member of the State Board of Education from 1883
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until it was abolished in 1917 and served as its president from 1913 until 1917. Upon the abolition of that board and the substitution of the State Normal School Board, he was appointed by Governor Lowden a member of the latter and is still active in that capacity. He is a member of the State Bar Association and was its president from 1903 to 1904, and he is also a member of the American Bar Association. Mr. Capen is a 32nd degree Mason, a charter member of the Alumni Club, and has lived at 710 North East street, Bloomington, since 1880. He is a reliable and highly esteemed citizen of his community.
J. C. Hoselton, retired, is a veteran of the Civil war and an early settler of McLean County. He was born in Berlin, Holmes County, Ohio, Aug. 9, 1844, and is the son of John and Nancy (Dalby) Hoselton.
John Hoselton was a native of Washington County, Md., and his wife was born in Washington County, Pa. They came from Ohio, where they had settled at an early date, to Illinois in 1857, making the trip by horse and wagon. Mr. Hoselton rented a farm and also worked at his trade of cabinet maker. He manufactured a small separator, or ma- chine, used for threshing grain. The latter part of his career was spent on his farm in Normal Township, five miles north of Bloomington. Mr. Hoselton died in 1872, and his wife died five years later. They were the parents of seven children, two of whom are now living: J. C., the subject of this sketch, and John H., who lives in Springfield, Mo.
J. C. Hoselton spent his boyhood days in Ohio and on his father's farm in McLean County. He enlisted in the army when he was 20 years old, becoming a member of Company I, 145th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. After serving throughout the war in the Army of the West in Southern Missouri, he was discharged at Springfield, Ill. Mr. Hoselton then en- gaged in farming on the home place until 1884 when he came to Bloom- ington. He became a contractor, hauling sand for building purposes. After ten years in this line of work he entered the employ of the Bloom- ington Canning Company. He now lives retired at Normal, where he owns a nice home at the corner of Normal Avenue and Locust Street.
On Nov. 7, 1871, Mr. Hoselton was married to Miss Martha Ann Gaddis, a native of White Oak Township, McLean County, and the daugh- ter of Silas Gaddis, a pioneer settler of Illinois, having come here from Tennessee. Mrs. Hoselton died Jan. 22, 1920.
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Mr. Hoselton has always been a Republican and served as school director in the early days. He is a member of the Masonic lodge, the Grand Army of the Republic, and belongs to the Christian Church, as also did his wife. Mr. Hoselton is a substantial citizen and a highly esteemed member of the community.
O. C. Hamilton, owner and proprietor of the Hamilton Hotel, is a well known business man of Bloomington. He was born in Shelby County, Mo., Jan. 11, 1872, and is a son of Charles A. and Martha (Moyers) Hamilton.
The Hamilton family is of old Virginia stock and both Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Hamilton were born near Beverly, Va. After their marriage they went to Missouri where he became interested in farming and stock raising in Shelby County. He spent the remainder of his life there and died while visiting his son in Bloomington in 1913. Charles A. Hamilton served throughout the Civil war in the union army. His widow resides in Chicago. They were the parents of five children, as follows: L. F., lives in Chicago; Minnie, married John Spagenberg, lives at White Hall, Ill .; O. C., the subject of this sketch; Maud C., married Dan Brown, lives in Chicago, and Clay M., who also lives in Chicago.
O. C. Hamilton was reared in Missouri and received his education in the public schools and the Gem City Business College at Quincy, Ill. When he was 21 years old he went to Chicago where he engaged in the restaurant business with his brother. In 1902 Mr. Hamilton came to Bloomington and after being interested in various business enterprises there, he purchased the hotel and apartment building in 1910, which is known as the Hamilton Hotel and the Hamilton Apartments. It is located on the corner of Gridley and Front street. Mr. Hamilton is also interested in other projects and in 1901 organized the Hamilton Hotel Company, owners of the Arlington Hotel, which was formerly the Hills Hotel. He has been president of the company since its organization, and he is also a member of the firm of McReynolds, Getty Clothing Company, which was organized July 2, 1923.
On Dec. 14, 1892, Mr. Hamilton was married to Miss Pearl L. Hain- line, a native of Iowa, and the daughter of John F. and Rebecca (Dale) Hainline. Mrs. Hamilton's father is a veteran of the Civil war and is now
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living retired. He resides with Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton. Her mother ís deceased.
Mr. Hamilton is a 32nd Degree Mason and a member of the Mahomet Shrine at Peoria. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church and he is a member of its Board of Directors. She is a member of the Eastern Star. Mr. Hamilton belongs to the Bloomington Club and the McLean Country Club.
Alonzo Mckinney, who now lives retired at Normal, has been a prominent farmer of McLean County for many years. He was born near Zanesville, in Guernsey County, Ohio, June 23, 1849, and is the son of John and Mary J. (Smith) Mckinney.
The McKinney family originally came from Pennsylvania, where Joseph, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born. He was one of the very earliest settlers of Ohio and settled in New Concord, Ohio. He was a blacksmith by trade and also owned a farm in Guernsey County. John Mckinney, his son, came to Illinois in the spring of 1864 and settled on a farm in White Oak Township, McLean County. He made the trip by rail over the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad. After operating his farm in McLean County for nine years he moved to DeWitt County, and lived there until the time of his death in 1888. Mary J. (Smith) McKin- ney was also a native of Ohio and her parents came from Virginia. She died in 1915 at the age of 86 years. There were seven children in the Mckinney family four of whom are now living, as follows: Alonzo, subject of this sketch; Ida, unmarried, lives in Los Angeles, Calif .; Joseph H., retired, lives in Clinton, Ill., and John H., a banker, lives at Clinton, Ill.
Alonzo Mckinney received his education in the schools of Ohio and attended New Lexington High School in Perry County, Ohio. When he was a young man he began farming, which has been his occupation throughout his career. He farmed one year in White Oak Township, McLean County, three years in DeWitt County, and then returned to White Oak Township. Mr. Mckinney has lived retired at Normal since January, 1917, but he still maintains an interest in farming. His land holdings total 510 acres of well improved land.
On Nov. 26, 1874, Mr. Mckinney was married to Miss Sarah Johns- ton, a native of McLean County, and the daughter of Charles Johnston.
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Charles Johnston was a native of New Jersey and came to McLean County in 1857. His wife was a native of Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Kinney four children were born, as follows: Alice Estella, married H. D. K. Thomas, lives in DeWitt County; James R., a farmer, lives in White Oak Township, McLean County; Maude, married George E. English, lives in White Oak Township, McLean County; and Amanda Dell, married E. L. Grove, lives in White Oak Township, McLean County.
Mr. Mckinney has been a Republican during his entire life and has held the offices of highway commissioner, school trustee for 30 years and supervisor for three years. He is a stockholder in the Hudson State Bank and a director and stockholder in the Hudson Elevator, and is a stockholder in the elevator of Carlock, Ill. He is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Mckinney is a representative and dependable citizen of McLean County and has many friends.
W. P. Garretson, jeweler, is a successful and well known business man of Bloomington. He was born on a farm in Dawson Township, Mc- Lean County, Jan. 16, 1858, and is a son of Talbott and Mary Ann (Dysart) Garretson.
The Garretson family came from Ohio originally but lived in Indiana for a number of years. In 1850 they removed to Illinois and settled on a farm in Dawson Township, McLean County. Talbott Garretson was born in 1810 and died in 1881, and his wife was born in 1816 and died in 1878. They were the parents of 10 children, seven of whom are now living.
W. P. Garretson is the youngest of his family. He spent his boy- hood on the home place and received his education in the district schools. When he was 21 years of age he came to Bloomington and entered the employ of A. E. Elbe, a jeweler. Mr. Garretson remained with this com- pany 31 years and in January, 1911, entered business for himself at 309 North Main Street. He has built up a splendid business and carries a complete stock of jewelry, clocks and silverware.
Mr. Garretson was married on Oct. 9, 1888, to Miss Fannie Senseney, a native of Bloomington and the daughter of H. M. and Love L. (Ballard) Senseney, both deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Garretson one child has been
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born, Katharine, the wife of Wayne V. Myers, and they reside in London, England. Mr. Myers is a manufacturer and exporter of merchandise.
Mr. Garretson is a Republican and belongs to the Association of Com- merce, the Kiwanis Club, the Maplewood Country Club and the Bloom- ington Club. He is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church and belongs to the Masonic lodge and Consistory. His residence is in Normal. Mr. Garretson has an extensive acquaintance in McLean County and is highly respected.
James Edwin Robinson, deceased, was for many years a leading farmer and stockman of Woodford County. He was born in Montgomery Township, Woodford County, Ill., Sept. 11, 1844, and died in Blooming- ton, Dec. 8, 1920. Mr. Robinson was the son of Henry Mortimer and Nancy (Allison) Robinson.
Henry Mortimer Robinson was a native of Coshocton County, Ohio, and a descendant of Major William Robinson, a Revolutionary War vet- eran of Clarksburg, W. Va. His wife was born in Ohio in 1818 and was the daughter of Daniel Allison, who settled in Woodford County, Ill., in 1832. Henry Mortimer Robinson became the cattle king of Illinois and at the time of his death owned over 2,000 acres of land. He was a per- sonal friend of Abraham Lincoln and went to Washington to attend the president's inauguration. He was a Republican and a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Robinson died Jan. 26, 1886. He was married twice. His first wife was Nancy Allison and to this union four children were born: Phoebe, who died at the age of eight years; James Edwin, the subject of this sketch; Rebecca Harriet born Dec. 1, 1845, married Daniel Chaffer, and she died in Washington, Ill., Oct. 22, 1919; and Mary, who died at the age of six years. Mrs. Robinson died in September, 1848, and on Aug. 8, 1849, Mr. Robinson was married to Miss Mary Little, a native of Ohio, born Jan. 14, 1815. To this union three children were born, as follows: Martha Sophia, married Frank Piper, deceased, and she lives at Eureka, Ill .; Henry M., deceased; and William W., deceased. The second Mrs. Robinson died March 1, 1890.
James Edwin Robinson received his education in the schools of Eureka, Ill., and after graduating from Eureka College taught school for three years that he might have enough money to start farming. He then engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which he met with
JAMES EDWIN ROBINSON.
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marked success. At one time Mr. Robinson owned 3,000 acres of land, all of which was well improved. In 1887 he retired and moved to Eureka, where he lived until 1891, at which time he came to Bloomington, where he built a fine home at 1411 North Main Street. Mr. Robinson traveled ex- tensively throughout the United States, Canada, Alaska and South Amer- ica. He was a student of the Bible and a great reader and thinker.
Mr. Robinson was married the first time to Elizabeth Bell Vance on Dec. 31, 1869. She was the daughter of Peter and Louise (Mitchell) Vance, natives of McLean County, Ill. Mrs. Robinson died Oct. 15, 1896. To this union six children were born as follows: Stella May, deceased, was the wife of George Haynes, also dead; Bertrum Henry, Normal, Ill .; Minnie Louise, wife of Rev. Edwin Simpson, Green Bay, Wis .; Lawrence Eugene, Peoria, Ill .; Charles Judson, a professor in Des Moines College, Des Moines, Iowa; and Inez A., wife of Elmo Mead, Snohomish, Wash.
On Oct. 5, 1897, Mr. Robinson was united in marriage with Miss Georgiana Ford, a native of Freeport, Ill., born Jan. 19, 1877, and the daughter of Hiram and Rosalie (Hunt) Ford, the former a native of New York and the latter of Baden, Germany. Mr. Ford was born Nov. 25, 1850, and came to Illinois in 1856. He was one of the pioneer railroad men of the west, being an engineer on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad for many years. He was a Republican and a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Ford died Nov. 18, 1888, and is buried at Sterling, Ill. His widow, who lives with Mrs. Robinson, was born Sept. 9, 1853, in Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany. There were two children in the Ford family, Mrs. Robinson, who now resides at 1411 North Main Street. She is a member of the D. A. R., Letitia Green Stevenson Chapter. Mrs. Robinson now holds the office of registrar. She is state regent of the Daughters of American Colonists. She comes from the Mayflower fame and Hugue- nots; and Bessie, born March 31, 1879, and died in Los Angeles, Calif., Jan. 6, 1921. She was married on Aug. 5, 1911, to John Richard Miller, who lives in California. To James Edwin and Georgiana (Ford) Robinson four children were born, as follows: Lorena Hortense, born Feb. 4, 1902, married on March 6, 1922, to Harold Laverry, vice president of the Corn Belt Oil Company of Bloomington; James Edwin, born Oct. 19, 1904, with his mother; Esther Naomi, born March 1, 1908, at home; and Hiram Ford, born Nov. 2, 1911, also at home.
Mr. Robinson was a Republican and a member of the Baptist Church, of which he was trustee and deacon for a number of years. He was one of (31)
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the founders of Brokaw Hospital and was a prominent member of his community. The Robinson family has always been well and favorably known in Illinois and is representative of the best citizenship of the state.
Wayne C. Townley .- One of the best known and most esteemed of the younger attorneys of the city of Bloomington is Wayne C. Townley, who has offices in the Peoples Bank Building. He is not alone one of the more aggressive members of the McLean county bar, but is also known and recognized as a leader in civic affairs, is the district president of the Lion Clubs, the district including the entire state of Illinois.
Mr. Townley was born at Mt. Morris, Ill., and later went to Macomb, Ill. Having completed his education in the public schools of Macomb he went to the Western Illinois Normal School, where he received his diploma. Then he came to Bloomington and entered the college of arts and the law school at Illinois Wesleyan University. While at Wesleyan he was one of the most active students. He took part in and became a leader of many of the student organizations, was on the debating team, which took many honors during his incumbency, and was recognized for his scholar- ship and social leadership. Having graduated from Illinois Wesleyan Uni- versity in the class of 1919, he began the practice of law in Bloomington, believing that this city offered a good field, in spite of the many lawyers already located here. His choice proved his wisdom, for he found a good business in his line, almost from the beginning.
When the World war came, Mr. Townley, like hundreds of other young men, put his patriotic duty above his private interest, and closed his office and enlisted in the service of his country. He was assigned to the gas warfare division of the service. He was finally mustered out without having been sent abroad. He had reached the rank of sergeant when he was discharged.
For three years after his return home, Mr. Townley offered his professional services to his former comrades and handled many war claims for disabled veterans of the war.
Mr. Townley is a ready speaker on many important subjects. He has written a text book on business law for schools and for business men. He has written many articles on matters of public interest for the news-
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papers and magazines. Since the organization of the Lions Club in Bloom- ington a few years ago, Mr. Townley has been one of its most enterpris- ing and aggressive members. So prominent was his leadership that in the spring of 1923 when the state convention of Lions Clubs was held in Bloomington, he was elected without opposition as state president. On one of his trips he became interested in the neglected condition of the grave of Thomas Lincoln, father of Abraham Lincoln, and Sarah (Bush) Lincoln, the step-mother, in Coles County, Ill. He at once started a move- ment among the Lions Clubs of the state and nation to erect over this grave a suitable memorial to mark the last resting place of the father and step-mother of America's great martyred president. This monument was dedicated on May 16, 1924.
Mrs. Caroline F. Kimball is one of the women of Bloomington who have lived a long and useful life and made every year count for the good of her own family and the community in general. She taught school for several years, served over 20 years as reference librarian, and is active in church and social and educational affairs of many kinds.
Caroline Frances Jackman was born at West Newton, Mass., a suburb of Boston, on Nov. 24, 1844. Her parents were John Adams Jackman and Sarah Farnum Sargent Jackman. They were both natives of Boscawen, N. H., and descendants of early settlers at Ipswich, Mass. (1630-1640.)
With the exception of a few years of residence in Norwalk, Ohio, her early life was spent in Boston and here she received her education, grad- uating in 1864 from the Girls High and Normal School. For 60 years Mrs. Kimball has kept in touch with some of her classmates of this school.
In September, 1864, she was married to Benjamin Rush Kimball, then in business in Chicago, but like herself of New England birth. His people also came from Boscawen, N. H., and there had been many years of close friendship between the two families.
She came to Chicago at an exciting and interesting time, the closing years of the Civil war attended the great Sanitary Commission Fair, saw the body of the martyred Lincoln as it lay in state in the old Chicago court house. The new home was on the north side and she watched workmen who were engaged in laying out what became Lincoln park.
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The great fire of 1871 came, sweeping away home, business, in fact all worldly possessions. With her little children, one a babe of two months she came for shelter to the home of her father, John A. Jackman, who had moved to Bloomington in 1864, becoming superintendent of motive power for the Chicago and Alton Railroad. In the spring a home was again established in Chicago, but in 1873 the little family definitely moved to Bloomington. Practically ever since that time Mrs. Kimball has lived in the Jackman homestead at 507 West Locust Street. In this home she was the companion of the beloved father and niother until they, in the fullness of years "fell on sleep." Her husband died in 1895. Three of her daughters were married from this home. They are now Mrs. J. L. Hasbrouck, Mrs. Frank I. Miller, well known in Bloomington and Normal where both now reside, and Mrs. W. C. Windle, of Newark, Ohio. Re- maining with her in the old home, which for 50 years has been the center of warm hearted hospitality, are her brother, Dr. Frederick O. Jackman; her sister, Mrs. Georgia Jackman Soper, and her daughter, Miss Mary L. Kimball.
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