USA > Illinois > McLean County > History of McLean County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 48
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Mr. Bean is capable, energetic, and during his long period of service with the Chicago & Alton Railroad has established an excellent reputation.
John Jefferies, deceased, was a well known and highly respected citi- zen of McLean County. He was born on a farm in McLean County, April 26, 1863, the son of Philip and Isabel (Morrison) Jefferies.
Philip Jefferies was born in England and his wife was a native of Ireland. They were among the earliest settlers of Pennsylvania, and later moved to Ohio and thence to Illinois, settling in McLean County. Mr. Jefferies owned 140 acres of land which he improved and for many years he was a leading stockman of the county. He died Dec. 24, 1907, and his wife died April 14, 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Jefferies were the parents of eight children, as follows: Mary, William and Jane, deceased; Eva, the widow of John L. Scott, lives in Nebraska; John, the subject of this sketch; Charles, a farmer, lives in Minnesota; George, deceased and one child died in infancy.
John Jefferies grew up on his father's farm, and received his educa- tion in the district school. He rented land for several years and at the time of his death, June 3, 1914, owned 400 acres of good farm land in
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Blue Mound Township. Mr. Jefferies was a successful breeder of Short- horn cattle and was widely known throughout the county.
On March 4, 1886, Mr. Jefferies was married to Miss Estella Johnson, a native of Lexington, McLean County, born June 6, 1867, the daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth (Sipe) Johnson. Mr. Johnson came to Illi- nois from Knox County, Ohio, and was a successful farmer of McLean County. He served throughout the Civil War in the 94th Illinois Volun- teer Infantry. Mr. Johnson was a Republican, a member of the Methodist Church, and belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic. He died Jan. 15, 1912, and his wife died Oct. 23, 1914. They were the parents of five children, as follows: Mrs. Jefferies ; Sherman, deceased; Minnie, married William Greenfield, lives in Indiana ; Benjamin, a farmer, lives at Bluffton, Ind .; and one child died in infancy.
To John and Estella (Johnson) Jefferies six children were born, as follows: Ira, born Jan. 20, 1887, a farmer, living in Minnesota; Perry, born July 2, 1889, died Nov. 14, 1918; Clarence, born Nov. 4, 1895, is a veteran of the World War, having served from May 1, 1917, until May 1, 1919, seven months of which were spent overseas; Earl, born July 28, 1897, a farmer, lives at Cooksville, Ill .; Bessie, born June 28, 1899, lives with her mother in Bloomington ; and Delmer, born Feb. 23, 1901, a farmer, lives at Bluffton, Ind. Mrs. Jefferies has four grandchildren.
John Jefferies was a Republican and served as road commissioner and school director: He was a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Jefferies was a man of energy, strong purpose and industry. In his business affairs he was upright and fair and as a citizen he upheld high standards.
Edward S. Downs, a locomotive engineer on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, was born in Bloomington, in 1868, and is a son of James S. and Emma Elizabeth (Lamb) Downs.
James S. Downs was born in England, Dec. 25, 1842, and came to this country when he was a young man, locating in Buffalo, N. Y. In 1867 he came to Bloomington and was employed as an engineer by the Chicago & Alton Railroad. In 1895 Mr. Downs' train was wrecked at Gardner, Ill., and his fireman was killed. As a reward for his bravery in remaining at the throttle, Mr. Downs was presented with a purse of $125 which he declined to take, but accepted it for the fireman's widow.
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Later some of the passengers on the ill-fated train presented Mr. Downs with a gold medal. He died Dec. 23, 1904, and his wife died March 30, 1920. They were the parents of five children: Edward S., the subject of. this sketch; Frank, lives in Chicago; Nellie, married Francis Morris, lives in California; Lee, lives in Bloomington, and Roy, lives in Chicago.
Edward S. Downs attended school in Bloomington and began work- ing for the railroad when he was a young man. In 1897 he was promoted to engineer and for a number of years has been on the north end out of Bloomington.
On June 23, 1897, Mr. Downs was married to Miss Jennie Buzzard, who was born at Newville, Ohio, Jan. 7, 1866, the daughter of B. D. and Arminta (Brown) Buzzard. Mr. Buzzard was born in Fort Wayne County. Pa., and served throughout the Civil war. He died March 6, 1900, and his wife died Dec. 29, 1921. To Mr. and Mrs. Downs two children have been born, Ada, and Harold, both at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Downs are members of the United Brethren Church and are highly esteemed in Bloomington.
Peter E. Murray, a well known citizen of Bloomington, was born in Pennsylvania, Nov. 10, 1868, and is the son of Michael and Jane (Proud- foot) Murray.
Michael Murray, a native of Ireland, came to this country in 1861. locating in Pennsylvania. In 1873 he removed to Kansas and later to Washington where he died. His wife, a native of Scotland, is also de- ceased. There were four children in the Murray family; Mary, married James McNulty, both deceased; Peter E., the subject of this sketch; John, and James, deceased.
Peter E. Murray received his education in the schools of Kansas and his first business association was with the Big Four Railroad as clerk. Three years later he entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad as brakeman, and was later employed by the Rock Island Railroad. In 1900 Mr. Murray entered the service of the Chicago & Alton Railroad as a conductor. He lives at 208 Union Street.
On Nov. 18, 1900, Mr. Murray was united in marriage with Miss Agnes Skelley, a native of Davenport, Iowa, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth Skelley, natives of Pennsylvania, and now deceased. There were
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ten children in the Skelley family, as follows: Daniel, deceased; Jerome, lives in Illinois; Mary, the widow of Jerry Cunningham, lives at Rock Island, Ill .; Margaret, deceased; Catherine, deceased; one child died in infancy ; John, lives at Pasadena, Cal .; Rose, married William Salzman, lives at East Moline, Ill .; Elizabeth, the widow of Charles Humphrey, lives at Chicago, and Mrs. Murray. To Mr. and Mrs. Murray four children have ยท been born: Jennie, Edward and Elizabeth, at home, and Eugene, who is studying for the priesthood at Washington, D. C.
Mr. Murray and his family are members of the Catholic Church, and are highly esteemed in their community.
Theodore A. Braley .- Who can estimate the influence of a man who was for 38 years actively connected with the daily newspapers of his com- munity, as reporter, editor and manager of their editorial policies. If any such estimate can be accurately made, then one can set forth the value of the work and worth of Theodore A. Braley, for almost a generation an active writer and worker in the newspaper field of Bloomington, most of the time as editor of the Evening Bulletin. Mr. Braley's death occurred on March 19, 1919, when he expired very suddenly while on a visit in Chicago. He and Mrs. Braley had gone to the city for a short stay for recreation and were stopping at the Blackstone hotel. The fatal attack came on in the night and after only a few hours of mortal struggle the end came peacefully.
Theodore A. Braley could be truly said to be a self-made man. He came up from the ranks by his own efforts until he became a recognized leader in the city of Bloomington, not alone by the commanding influ- ence of a strong editorial writer, but by his personal aggression and pub- lic spirit in everything which he believed to be for the best interests of the community.
Mr. Braley was born in the state of New York in the little town of Oneonta, in the year 1860. He was therefore in his 59th year when he was taken away, and his life was suddenly ended while he was appar- ently in the prime of his vigor of middle life. Mr. Braley came to Bloom- ington when a mere boy to visit with relatives, and he afterward made this city and county his home. He attended the public schools and after com- pleting the course in the grades he attended and graduated from the
THEODORE A. BRALEY.
LIBRARY OF THE
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Bloomington High School when he was but 16 years of age. He tried clerking in a store for a short time, but that work did not appeal to his active mind, and he then took up his first work as a newspaper reporter on the old Sunday Eye, which was then conducted by George L. Hutchin. After serving his apprenticeship on the staff of the Sunday Eye, he first entered the field of daily journalism as reporter and later city editor of the Daily Leader, a newspaper which is no longer in existence. For nine years he pursued his course with the Leader, and then his ambition for becoming his own boss was realized when in 1891 he formed a partner- ship with James F. O'Donnell, and they two bought the plant of the Evening Bulletin, which had previously been published by Owen Scott, who had lately been elected to congress. Mr. Braley became the active man- ager of the editorial end of the Bulletin, while Mr. O'Donnell took the position of business manager.
Under the doubly able management of these two men, the Bulletin soon became a great force in the affairs of the city. It grew in circulation and popularity, and took its place among the leading daily newspapers in Illinois. This position it ever afterward maintained.
Mr. Braley was married on Jan. 18, 1882, to Miss Caroline R. Parke, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Parke, her father being one of the best known and most highly esteemed of the earlier merchants of this city. Mr. Braley was then just entering upon the most active stages of his newspaper career, and for over 30 years afterward as he grew in prestige and influence in his sphere of labor, Mrs. Braley was ever his most devoted admirer, and assisted him in the upward climb. Mr. and Mrs. Braley made their home at the family residence of Mr. Parke, and the parents lived with them during their declining years and until their deaths. After they were gone, Mr. and Mrs. Braley continued ever after- ward to reside in this fine old home, which was one of the best and most comfortable in Bloomington. Mrs. Braley still resides there.
The body of Mr. Braley was brought home to Bloomington, and his funeral, held on March 21, at the home where he had lived so happily many years. Rev. William Baker, pastor of St. Matthews Episcopal Church, had charge of the services. The pallbearers were former asso- ciates from the various departments of the Bulletin office, and the inter- ment was at the Bloomington cemetery. On the day before the funeral, the Bloomington Rotary Club, of which he was one of the charter mem- bers, passed a resolution on his death, in which is was stated that the
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club had "lost a distinguished member; the newspaper field one of its most brilliant and able writers; the community a respected and revered citizen ; his personal friends a sympathetic, broad-minded and kindly man; and his home a generous and wholesome soul."
Perhaps no truer or comprehensive estimate of the work of Mr. Braley in the newspaper field could be made than to reproduce the state- ments concerning him which were made by a writer in the Pantagraph at the time of his death. This writer said in part:
"Mr. Braley occupied a unique position in the community, from many standpoints. As an editor he had a style and distinctive method of treat- ment of topics of the day which won him a large clientele of readers who followed his journalistic work with avidity and never lagging interest. He was a supreme paragrapher, and had the knack of expressing in a few cogent sentences sentiments and opinions which could not be better made known in columns of solemn discussion. He nearly always waved aside the more serious aspect of a subject, unless it were one of vital concern to the community, and with a well-turned quip would set forth his point of view which at once disarmed opponents and pleased friends. The Bul- letin had been a democratic organ from the time of its establishment, and under the editorship of Mr. Braley he had followed the traditional policy of party loyalty, although in a manner all his own at times He took part in politics simply because of his love of the game, and never manifested the slightest personal ambition for office during the long time in which he had acted as editor of the party paper. Personally, Mr. Braley was of an exceedingly genial and sunshiny disposition. He never lost his pleasant exterior no matter under what weight of pressure of serious affairs. He was big hearted and generous, and many an unfortunate has had him to thank for a lift over some rough place in the road. Mr. Braley was a lover of the social side of life, and that was the reason for his lead- ership in social affairs for several years. None of the great social gather- ings of Bloomington in the last 20 years would have seemed complete without his presence."
On the morning after his death, the editorial columns of the Panta- graph contained the following tribute to the work of the editor of the only competing newspaper in the community: "In the passing of Mr. Braley the editorial side of the newspaper field loses its oldest writer in point of active and continuous service. For more than forty years the people of this community have read the productions of his facile pen, first as re-
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porter of the daily news, later as city and telegraph editor and finally as editorial writer of the Daily Bulletin. Mr. Braley was justly recognized as a writer of unusual talents. He was possessed of a distinctive style and was master of the editorial paragraph. He seldom commented upon a subject at length, but expressed his thought in the fewest possible words and frequently with a humorous turn that was highly original. He also excelled in his editorial appreciations of departed personal friends and prominent citizens. Personally Mr. Braley was most likeable. Al- though modest and retiring, he was intensely human, with a broad toler- ance and sympathy for the frailties of human nature. He was not of those who take themselves too seriously, and his philosophy of life was cheerful to the end. Bloomington loses a lovable character in the death of Theodore A. Braley."
Anonymously, one of his co-workers in the newspaper field penned the following eloquent lines concerning Mr. Braley at the time of his pass- ing away: "To the workers in the Bloomington newspaper field, the death of Theodore Braley comes with a shock that is even more acute, if possible, than to the other friends of the community. Associated as he has been for 30 years with his co-writers in the daily recordings of the happenings of the city and outside world, he has been regarded as the dean of his profession. Gifted with a pen far out of the ordinary, his talent was widely recognized. His satire was polished; his critiques gently swathed; his observations never envenomed. His writing perfectly replicated his disposition. Anger was in him an unknown quantity. He would mollify the belligerent with a smile. A cataclysm found him un- ruffled. His poise was never perturbed. The world rolls on and most of us will speedily be forgotten after we are gone. But this can not be true of Theodore Braley, at least to the many who knew him intimately and appreciated him at his full worth as a true friend. His impress upon the community will be lasting. Few have played so prominent a part in its development. Not only in the newspaper field, but in the commercial, club and social life, he has been a lofty figure, a man among men. There will be poignant grief in many hearts at his passing. The degree of sor- row can be no greater than that experienced by his associates in the jour- nalistic field, who, perhaps, knew him best. Thirty' is written, alas, too soon. 'Brad' has gone. He has ventured upon the common hazard that we all must run, but we can say with Browning, that 'Death upon his face is rather shine than shade, a tender shine by looks beloved made.'"
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George W. Parke .- One of the men who had a direct and widespread influence in what might be called the secondary stage of the development of McLean County and its county seat, was George W. Parke, one of the pioneer merchants and bankers. The only living descendant of Mr. Parke is Mrs. Caroline Parke Braley, wife of the late Theodore A. Braley, who was for many years editor of the Bloomington Daily Bulletin. Mrs. Bra- ley is making her home in the large house at Lee and Monroe streets, in which her parents resided for many years and in which Mr. and Mrs. Bra- ley made their home from the time of their marriage to the death of Mr. Braley in 1919.
George W. Parke was a native of Chester County, Pa., and was born in the year 1815. He remained a resident of his native place until he had grown to man's estate and had received his elemental education. His first trip to the west was in 1837, and he stayed in this part of the country for three years, after which he returned to the east. In 1851 he again came to Bloomington and at that time he embarked in the lumber business and the manufacture of furniture. His furniture factory grew to considerable proportions and its business flourished, but a fire which destroyed the plant proved to be a great calamity both to its owner and to the city. Bloomington was at that time growing rapidly, and Mr. Parke's trade in lumber increased to prosperous proportion. He built a large number of houses to provide for the increasing population, and many of these remain to this day as evidence of his honesty of workmanship and the good quality of the materials which he used. He built the first three story structure ever erected on the west side of the public square. Kersey Fell had donated the ground for any one who would erect a three- story brick building, and Mr. Parke accepted the offer. For about ten years Mr. Parke engaged in the grocery and provision business, in which he also prospered. He sold out this line of business in 1865 and retired from active commercial pursuits. However, he became one of the princi- pal stockholders and an officer in the People's Bank, which he assisted in founding. He was one of the bank's directors for many years, and spent most of his time in the offices there during the later years of his life.
A brother of George W. Parke, and another man identified with the history of Bloomington as a professional man was the late Dr. Charles R. Parke, who practiced his profession in the county seat for a half century. Dr. Parke, like his brother, was a native of Chester County, Pa., and was born on June 26, 1825. The brothers were sons of George W. and Mary
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(Ross) Parke, who had both been born in Chester County. The father of these two brothers died in 1860 and the mother in 1866. Dr. Parke was the seventh child of his parents, and he remained at home until he was 18 years of age. He had received his rudimentary education and at this age he entered Hoops Academy. He began the study of medicine in 1844 and received his degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1847. He commenced the practice of his profession in Delaware County, Pa., and in 1849 he made a trip overland to California as physician for the Como Emigrant Company. In the winter of 1850-51 he returned to Illinois by way of Nicaragua, long before the Panama Canal had been dreamed of. He located in Bloomington and practiced his profession here from 1852 to 1855. In the latter year he went to Russia as surgeon in the Russian army during the Crimean war. After the conclusion of peace he trav- eled in Europe, visiting many hospitals and gaining added skill along pro- fessional lines. In the fall of 1857 Dr. Parke returned and again located in Bloomington to resume practice. From the year 1869 to 1873, owing to his wife's failing health, he went south to Arkansas and engaged in cotton growing. He then returned to Bloomington for the third time and continued in active practice until his final retirement. He spent his de- clining years with his daughter at Louisville, where he died. Dr. Parke's wife had formerly been Mrs. Lucy Keith, and they were married in Win- chester, Ky., on Oct. 5, 1865. Mrs. Parke preceded her husband in death.
Dr. Parke was largely instrumental in founding of St. Joseph's hos- pital in Bloomington, and was for many years the head of the surgical staff of the institution.
J. W. Prather, a well known locomotive engineer with the Chicago & Alton Railroad at Bloomington, is a native of Indiana. He was born Aug. 18, 1865, and is the son of John C. and Elizabeth (Spurgeon) Prather.
John C. Prather was an early settler of McLean County and owned 320 acres of land. He served throughout the Civil War and died in 1904. His wife died in 1918. They were the parents of four children, as fol- lows: Mary, the widow of Albert Hill, lives in Indiana; Martha, married W. H. Whitlach, lives in Indiana; Anna, married D. H. Combs, a retired farmer, lives in Jackson County, Ind .; and J. W., the subject of this sketch.
J. W. Prather received his education in the schools of Indiana and started railroading at an early age with the Pennsylvania Railroad. After
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four years he entered the employ of the Wabash Railroad and later in 1905 became an engineer on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and is now located in Bloomington. He owns his home at 60612 North Madison Street.
Mr. Prather was united in marriage with Miss Jessie Sparks, a native of Jackson County, Ind., born Oct. 5, 1866, and the daughter of John and Grizella (Baldwin) Sparks, natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers of Indiana. Mr. Sparks died April 6, 1918, and his wife died in 1883. They were the parents of nine children, as follows: one child died in infancy ; Charlotte, married Martin Davis, both deceased; William B., a farmer, lives in Indiana; Virginia, married Ralph Murray, a retired farmer, lives at Columbus, Ind .; Missouri, married Isaac Jackson, a retired farmer, lives in Indiana; Mrs. Prather; Minnie, married Frank Swingle; and May, married Ollie Haskett, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Prather two children have been born; George, born Nov. 5, 1889, lives at home; and Leonard, born May 22, 1894, lives in Michigan. He served throughout the World war and on Dec. 15, 1919, was married to Miss Lucy Wash- . burn, a native of Bloomington. They have two children, Constance Ann, born Sept. 7, 1920, and George Richard, born April 22, 1922.
George Prather is studying commercial art and has already done some excellent work. He is a graduate of the Meyer Bath School, Art Department, Chicago, Ill.
J. W. Prather is a Republican and a member of the Christian Church. He is a competent man and is highly esteemed for his integrity and indus- try. He is a member of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Division No. 19.
B. W. Steele, a substantial citizen of Bloomington, was born in North Carolina, July 18, 1883, and is the son of Thomas Benjamin and Eliza Caroline (Mills) Steele.
Thomas Benjamin Steele, now living retired in North Carolina, is a veteran of the Civil war. He was too young to enlist for service, but took his father's place in the army for a short time. He followed farming for many years and was a successful tobacco raiser. He is a Republican and a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Steele died several years ago. They were the parents of the following children: Mollie, deceased, was the
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wife of T. J. Adkins; Grace A., lives in South Carolina; H. T., lives in North Carolina; Bessie, the widow of T. E. Renshaw; Barney, deceased; D. N., lives in North Carolina; B. W., the subject of this sketch; Katie, high school teacher in North Carolina, and Sudie, married Dr. M. L. Trout- man, lives in North Carolina.
B. W. Steele attended the public schools of North Carolina and en- gaged in the furniture business when a young man. In 1909 he came to Illinois and settled in Bloomington, where he entered the employ of the Chicago & Alton Railroad. Mr. Steele is now a conductor on the road and lives at 1201 North Oak Street.
On March 14, 1907, Mr. Steele was united in marriage with Miss Mary V. Eagle, a native of North Carolina, born July 27, 1884, and the daugh- ter of W. S. and Mary (Barnsley) Eagle. Mr. Eagle, a Civil war veteran, now lives retired in North Carolina. His wife died Feb. 1, 1916. They were the parents of the following children: Anna, lives in North Carolina ; William, lives in Texas; Elizabeth, the widow of Henry S. King., lives in North Carolina; George F., lives in North Carolina ; Zeb, deceased ; Myrtle, married Bell White, lives in North Carolina; Mrs. Steele, and Raymond, lives in North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Steele have an adopted son, Leon Oliver, who was born in 1915.
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