USA > Illinois > McLean County > History of McLean County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 11
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Mr. Lundgren is a member of the Baptist Church. He owns con- siderable property in Wisconsin and is an enterprising young business man of McLean County, whose success in life is practically assured.
Carl Schurz Vrooman, of Bloomington, former assistant secretary of agriculture, is perhaps the best known man in national affairs of any McLean County citizen. A well known publicist for years, the most prom- inent "dirt farmer" in national democratic politics, and a trusted repre- sentative of the government during President Wilson's administration, Mr. Vrooman has not only had to deal with national but international affairs.
He was born at Macon, Mo., in 1872, a son of Hiram Perkins and Sarah (Buffington) Vrooman. The father was a native of New York, born on a farm in the Mohawk Valley, and the mother was born in Tren- ton, N. J. Hiram Perkins Vrooman was a lawyer, having attained dis- tinction in his profession and served as judge of the common pleas court for a number of years. He and his wife are both deceased and their re- mains are buried at Worcester, Mass. Beside Carl Vrooman they were the parents of the following children: F. B. Vrooman, University Club, Washington, D. C .; Rev. H. C. Vrooman, Greenville, Maine; and Hiram Vrooman, Chenoa, Ill.
Carl Vrooman was reared in Topeka and Kansas City, Kan. He received his education in Washburn College, Topeka, Kan., Harvard Uni- versity, and studied abroad. He began life as a publicist and for years has been recognized as an able writer, who has a comprehensive mastery of important economic subjects. Many of his articles have been pub- lished in the Outlook, McClures, Century, Review of Reviews, etc., etc. He is the author of "American Railway Problems in the Light of Euro-
Carl Vroon
LIBRARY OF THE
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pean Experience" and joint author with Mrs. Vrooman of "The Lure and Lore of Travel". Mr. Vrooman wrote a Bulletin for the U. S. Department of Agriculture entitled "Grain Farming in the Corn Belt with Live Stock as a Side Line", which put in the simplest possible language the results not only of the experiments and investigations of a score of the ablest agricultural experts in America, but as well the results of Mr. Vroo- man's own experience and observation as a "dirt farmer". This bulle- tin was so popular among practical farmers that a million copies were called for and distributed.
Mr. Vrooman was assistant secretary of agriculture from 1914 un- til 1919 and discharged the duties in connection with that office in a man- ner that reflected credit upon himself and the department. During the summer of 1918 he was sent on a Presidential War Mission abroad, Mrs. Vrooman going at the same time as a Y. M. C. A. worker. As a guest of the various armies, he visited the British, French and American fronts. He had luncheon with General Pershing at the general's Field Head- quarters, and on his return to Paris had a conference with Premier Cle- menceau, who arranged an interview for him with Marshall Foch at his headquarters. Later, Mr. Vrooman spent two months at the Paris Peace Conference in an unofficial capacity, returning home in April, 1919, Mrs. Vrooman remaining overseas with the soldiers in the occupied territory of Germany until December, 1919. During the war, Mr. Vrooman's posi- tion as a mouthpiece of the Wilson administration far overshadowed his official position as first assistant secretary of Agriculture. During those history making days he made more speeches throughout the country than any other member of the President's official family, speaking in over three-fourths of the States in the Union. He not only spoke for the Department of Agriculture, but frequently took the place of different members of the Cabinet at patriotic meetings, and several times addressed important state and national conferences as the personal representative of the President himself.
In 1906 Carl Vrooman was united in marriage at St. Louis, Mo., with Miss Julia Green Scott, a native of Bloomington. She is a daugh- ter of Mathew T. and Julia (Green) Scott, natives of Kentucky, and prominent residents of Bloomington, both of whom are now deceased.
Mrs. Vrooman traveled extensively in Europe with her mother before her marriage and after her marriage at different times spent several years abroad traveling and studying. During their official life at Wash- (49)
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ington, her knowledge of French and Italian was a useful as well as orna- mental accomplishment, and together with her cosmopolitan culture and rare personal charm helped to make of her perhaps the most popular hostess in the Wilson administration.
In the summer of 1918 she went abroad as a Y. M. C. A. worker to help keep up the morale of our boys in France. After the signing of the Armistice she went with our troops into the occupied territory of Germany, where she stayed until December, 1919. According to the head of these important activities she was reported to have done the most effective work of any American woman sent to the war zone.
During the past year, as chairman of the 17th District Federation of Woman's Clubs, Mrs. Vrooman carried on probably the most active and successful campaign on record for World Peace, by means of the World Court and the Bok plan. She not only spoke all over her district and in some of the nearby districts, but personally sent out thousands of peace documents, published by the Federation of Churches and other similar agencies. Mrs. Vrooman is a director of the Illinois League of Women Voters, a member of the Women's Illinois State Central Committee, and chairman of the 17th District Democratic Woman's Clubs.
Carl Vrooman served as regent of the Kansas Agricultural College during the years 1898-1900. Mrs. Vrooman is a member of the Pres- byterian Church and he holds membership in the Congregational Church. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He is a Democrat and is active in the party organization and in furthering its policies and principles. For many years he has been farming scientifically several thousand acres of land in Illinois and Iowa. He is also president of the McLean County Coal Company.
Isaac Popejoy, a farmer and stockman of Martin Township, was born on the farm where he now lives, Feb. 28, 1879, and is the son of Mathias and Miria (Stroud) Popejoy.
Mathias Popejoy was born in Indiana, March 24, 1833, the son of Madison Popejoy, who was a leading farmer of Indiana. Mathias Popejoy had the following brothers and sisters: John, deceased; William, de- ceased; Amanda, married James Ricker, both deceased; Miria, married Daniel Ridenhour, both deceased; Jane, married James Smoker, both de-
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ceased; and Julia, lives in Michigan. Nicholas Popejoy came to Illinois when he was a young man and settled on land in Martin Township, Mc- Lean County, where he became the owner of 373 acres of land. He was an extensive grain farmer and also a well-known stockman during his life. Mr. Popejoy died March 29, 1908, and is buried in Wiley Cemetery, Colfax.
On Dec. 5, 1861, Mathias Popejoy was united in marriage with Miss Miria Stroud, a native of Money Creek Township, McLean County, born April 24, 1844. She died Dec. 23, 1923. She was the daughter of Levi and Eliza (Stretch) Stroud, the former a native of Kentucky and the lat- ter of Ohio. Mr. Stroud was an early settler of Money Creek Township, McLean County, where he improved 120 acres of land. He died in 1863 and his wife died in 1861. They were the parents of the following chil- dren: Leander, deceased; Dorothy, deceased; Isaac, Jessie, Washington, Tabitha, Lafayette, all deceased; Mrs. Popejoy, deceased; Flora, married Alma Henline, lives in Boise, Idaho; and Scott, lives in Wisconsin. To Mathias and Miria (Stroud) Popejoy the following children were born: Eva, married Albert Batterton, both now deceased; William, a farmer, lives in Iowa ; Ida, deceased; Sanford, deceased; Marion, a farmer, lives in Martin Township, McLean County; Arabelle, married Roland Moyer, a farmer, lives near Cooksville, Ill .; and Isaac, the subject of this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Popejoy have 14 grandchildren and seven great-grand- children.
Isaac Popejoy received his education in the public schools of Martin Township and started farming on rented land. He now owns 57 acres of land in Martin Township, and is a successful farmer and stockman.
On Nov. 28, 1900, Mr. Popejoy was married to Miss May Coleman, a native of Colfax, born Nov. 4, 1881, and the daughter of George W. and Parmelia (Shaver) Coleman, natives of Ohio and early settlers of Illinois. Mr. Coleman died Nov. 1, 1907, and his wife died Aug. 8, 1914. They were the parents of the following children: Winfield, lives near Bunker Hill, Ind .; John, a farmer, lives near Walton, Ind .; Vada, married Ross Hutchi- son, a farmer, lives near Colfax; Ray, lives at Decatur, Ill .; George, a farmer, lives near Bunker Hill, Ind .; Mrs. Popejoy ; and Ira, a farmer, lives near Bunker Hill, Ind. To Isaac and May (Coleman) Popejoy five chil- dren have been born, as follows: Blanche, born Nov. 5, 1901, married George Kallbrier, lives at Lexington, Ill .; Vada, born Feb. 10, 1904, mar- ried Bryan Powell, farms with Mr. Popejoy ; Hartzell, born May 27, 1906;
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Gladys, born June 13, 1910; and Raymond, born Nov. 1, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Popejoy have one grandchild, Dorothy Powell.
Isaac Popejoy is a Democrat and a member of the Methodist Church. He has inherited the stability and genius of his father, and is one of the progressive and successful men of the county.
William H. Moore, a Civil War veteran, and for many years a success- ful farmer and stockman of McLean county, is now living retired at Bloom- ington. He was born in Jackson township, Clay county, Ind., June 6, 1843, and is the son of Levi and Indiana (Slaven) Moore.
Levi Moore was a native of Henry county, Ky., and his wife was born in Indiana. In 1855 the Moore family removed to Illinois and lived in Tazewell county for two years, and then settled on a farm in Hudson town- ship, McLean county. There were five children in the Moore family, all of whom are now deceased except Elizabeth Humphrey, who lives in South Dakota.
William H. Moore spent his boyhood days on the farm and attended the district schools during the winter months. When he was 20 years old he enlisted in Company F, 68th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, but was dis- charged after four months and sent home. He later re-enlisted and served in Company H, 94th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under the command of his brother, who was captain of the company. One year after the close of the war Mr. Moore was discharged at Houston, Tex., and returned home. Besides his farming interests he was engaged in the selling of granite and marble monuments for 37 years, and in 1910 was appointed assistant post- master of Bloomington, which office he filled in an efficient manner until December, 1918, at which time retired.
On Jan. 25, 1876, Mr. Moore was united in marriage with Miss Almira Morris, a daughter of Jefferson and Helen Morris, natives of Ohio and early settlers of Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Moore three children were born, as follows: Arthur, who died at the age of six years; William H. Jr., a traveling salesman, lives at 1106 North McLean St., Bloomington, and has four children, Delmar, William H. Jr., Dorothy and Richard; Edna married Rennie Hull, lives at Bloomington. Mrs. Moore died in 1919.
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Mr. Moore has been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic since 1883 and was commander one year. He is a member of the First Methodist church and belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr. Moore relates an interesting though hazardous experience he had in 1868. While working in his wheat field a severe storm came up and Mr. Moore drove his team to his barn for shelter. When in the act of un- harnessing his team, lightning struck the barn, coming down a pole and killed both horses. Mr. Moore's clothing was entirely removed from his body, even his shoes, and he was rendered unconscious for 48 hours, but owing to the prompt and heroic efforts of Dr. Lee Smith, who lived in Bloomington, he recovered from the shock.
Harrison Foster, now living retired in Martin Township, was a lead- ing farmer and a member of a prominent pioneer family of McLean County. He was born on a farm in Martin Township, McLean County, Dec. 10, 1847, the son of William and Elizabeth Foster.
William Foster and his wife were natives of Kentucky and were among the first settlers of Martin Township, where they entered land from the government. Mr. Foster owned 200 acres of land and was a leading stockman of the county and also an extensive grain farmer. During the early days he hauled his grain to Chicago. Mr. Foster was a Republican and a member of the Methodist Church. He died Oct. 6, 1901, and his wife died Nov. 27, 1893. They were the parents of the following children: Harrison, the subject of this sketch; John, died at the age of six years ; Evelyn, married William Batterton, deceased; Craig, deceased ; Mallissa, deceased; Andrew, deceased; and three children died in infancy.
Harrison Foster has always lived in McLean County. He was reared on his father's farm in Martin Township and received his education in the district schools, after which he rented land until the time of his mar- riage. Mr. Foster now owns 130 acres of well improved land, and is now living retired on the farm. He was an extensive feeder of stock.
On Jan. 10, 1877, Mr. Foster was united in marriage with Miss Flora May Osbon, a native of Hancock County, Ind., born Aug. 19, 1860, and the daughter of G. W. and Sarah (Wright) Osbon, both natives of Indiana. Mrs. Foster has three half-brothers and sisters, as follows: William, a farmer, Lawndale Township, McLean County; Morgan, a farmer, Ford
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County, Ill .; and Emma, the widow of Stephen Curtis, lives in Indiana. Mr. Osbon served throughout the Civil War and was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died in 1913. To Harrison and Flora May (Osbon) Foster four children have been born, as follows: Shirley, born Dec. 12, 1878, died Dec. 22, 1915; Ida, born Sept. 15, 1879, married on Sept. 16, 1896, to G. E. Kelley, and they live in Chicago, Ill .; Andrew, born in 1881, died at the age of 19 years; and Luna May, born in 1884, married George Kennedy, a farmer, lives on the old Foster home place in Martin Township.
Harrison Foster is a Republican and a member of the Methodist Church. The Foster family is well known in McLean County and are highly respected among their many friends and acquaintances.
N. L. Elbert, president of the State Bank of Cooksville, is a pros- perous farmer of Blue Mound Township and the owner of 540 acres of well-improved land. He was born in the township where he now resides, Aug. 4, 1861, the son of William and Elizabeth (Smith) Elbert.
William Elbert, a native of Pennsylvania, was among the early set- tlers of Blue Mound Township, having come here in 1858. He followed farming during his entire life and was successful. Mr. Elbert served throughout the Civil War with Company G, 33d Illinois Volunteer In- fantry. Mr. and Mrs. Elbert, now deceased, were the parents of five chil- dren: Laura, married S. A. Finley, lives at Lexington, Ill .; Sarah, mar- ried Frank Casey, lives at Peoria, Ill .; N. L., the subject of this sketch; Anna, the widow of Carson Hutchinson, lives at Lexington, Ill .; and An- netta, married Parker Heffner, lives retired at Lexington.
N. L. Elbert spent his boyhood on his father's farm and received his education in the Cooksville schools. Besides his farming interests, Mr. Elbert was one of the organizers of the State Bank of Cooksville in 1893 and has served as president since that time. The Elbert farm is well im- proved and for many years Mr. Elbert has been an extensive feeder and shipper of stock. He is also a grain farmer.
On Nov. 25, 1886, Mr. Elbert was married to Miss Clara Etnier, a native of Fulton County, Ill., born Oct. 29, 1866, and the daughter of Sam- uel and Elizabeth (Jontz) Etnier. Mr. Etnier, now deceased, was a vet- eran of the Civil War. His wife lives in Iowa. There were seven chil-
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dren in the Etnier family as follows: Idella, the widow of W. C. Arnold, lives in Iowa; Mrs. Elbert; Minnie, married James Homan, lives in St. Paul, Minn .; Arthur C., a farmer, lives in Iowa ; Samuel, Walter and Gale, all living in Iowa; and Anna, married Walter Shearer, lives in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Elbert have one son, Vernon, who was born Feb. 9, 1896. He lives at home with his parents.
Mr. Elbert is a Republican. He ranks among the leading citizens of McLean County.
Charles Thiss, farmer and stockman of Martin township, is well known in the county as a man of integrity and industry. He was born in Woodford County, Ill., July 25, 1876, and is the son of Felix and Eliza- beth (Mahan) Thiss.
Felix Thiss was a native of France, born March 31, 1845, the son of Dominic and Jeanette (Simon) Thiss. The Thiss family came to the United States from France in 1847 and settled at Spring Bay, Ill., and later moved to a farm near Eureka, Ill. Felix had the following brothers and sisters: Charles, killed during the Civil war; Mary, deceased; John, died during the Civil war; Frank, deceased, was also a Civil war veteran; Nicholas, retired, lives in Minnesota; Victoria, married Gilbert Webster, both deceased.
Felix Thiss was a successful farmer and stockman of McLean County. He died Oct. 24, 1914, and is buried in the Wiley cemetery at Colfax, and his widow now lives on North Center street, Colfax. Mr. and Mrs. Thiss had one child, Charles, the subject of this sketch.
Charles Thiss received his education in the public schools of Colfax and has always followed farming and stock raising. He owns and op- erates a well improved farm of 160 acres in Martin township.
On Jan. 7, 1910, Mr. Thiss was united in marriage with Miss Mabel Stoddard, a native of Colfax, born March 25, 1887, and the daughter of W. B. and Amelia (Ballew) Stoddard, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Iowa. Mr. Stoddard has been an extensive grain farmer for many years and. now lives retired at Colfax. He is a Democrat and a member of the Christian church, and also a 32nd degree Mason. Mr. and Mrs. Stoddard had two children: William, deceased; and Mrs. Thiss. To Charles and Mabel (Stoddard) Thiss one child has been born, William, born Jan. 10, 1911.
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Charles Thiss is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Church. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge and Consistory of Bloomington. Mr. Thiss is a reliable citizen who is highly esteemed by his fellow citizens in the township.
William K. Bracken, an attorney of Bloomington, was born in Greens- burg, Indiana., Sept. 14, 1866, and was reared at Brookville, Ind., which was the permanent home of his parents, William H. and Phoebe A. (Ker- rick) Bracken. Mrs. Bracken is a sister of Thomas C. Kerrick, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this history.
William H. Bracken was a native of Indiana and practiced law at Brookville. He served in the 4th Indiana Cavalry during the Civil war as a first lieutenant, and after the war took an active part in politics in Indiana. He served as internal revenue collector in the southern district of Indiana and held other important offices. He was a Democrat, and was at one time a presidential elector from Indiana. He died in 1912. Mr. Bracken was the son of Dr. William Bracken; who practiced medicine in Decatur County, Ind., for over 50 years, and was a skilled surgeon. He was a member of the Indiana Constitutional Convention and served in the state legislature. Dr. Bracken was a native of Kentucky. A num- ber of years prior to the Civil War the family settled in Indiana.
Phoebe A. (Kerrick) Bracken, mother of William K. Bracken, was a daughter of Rev. Nimrod Kerrick, a Methodist minister and a teacher who settled in Indiana. He had three sons, the eldest of whom was Wil- liam, who was killed at the siege of Vicksburg, and William K. Bracken was named after him. Mrs. Bracken now lives in the old home at Brook- ville, Ind. There were seven children in the Bracken family, six of whom are now living: William K., the subject of this sketch; Josephine, married William McMillan, lives at Fort Wayne, Ind .; Mrs. Martha Kimble, lives at Brookville, Ind .; Thomas E., an attorney, lives at Muncie, Ind .; Sallie M., married H. S. Voorhees, lives at Fort Wayne Ind., and L. L. Bracken, an attorney, lives at Muncie.
William K. Bracken, after finishing high school, was a teacher in the country schools. He later taught the seventh and eighth grades at Brookville, Ind., and then taught at Falmouth, Ky. Mr. Bracken then re- turned to Brookville, where he conducted the Brookville Democrat for 18
William Ko. Bracken
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months, after which he came to Bloomington and entered the Illinois Wesleyan University. He graduated from the law department with the honors of his class, in 1892, and engaged in the practice of his profes- sion at Chicago, in partnership with S. W. Ayres. After one year he re- turned to Bloomington and became a member of the firm of Kerrick, Spencer & Bracken, which later became Kerrick & Bracken. After the retirement of Mr. Kerrick, the firm was known as Bracken, Young & Pierce. Upon the withdrawal from the firm of Mr. Pierce, it was known as Bracken & Young. Mr. Bracken now practices alone, and while he is engaged in the general practice of the law he has specialized in corpora- tion and banking law. His offices are located in the First National Bank Building. He has been district attorney for the Chicago & Alton Rail- road Company for the past 15 years, and is also attorney for the Nickle Plate Railroad. Mr. Bracken has acted as attorney for banks as general counsel and in mergers and consolidations of banks and other financial institutions in this section and other parts of the state. He has organ- ized many corporations, and has given that branch of the law special study.
On June 19, 1893, Mr. Bracken was married to Miss Grace S. Funk, daughter of Francis M. Funk, and a granddaughter of Isaac Funk. They have one son, Dwight Funk Bracken, a graduate of the State Normal High School and the University of Illinois, where he took a course in ag- riculture. He has also taken the course at the Y. M. C. A. College, Chi- cago, and is now taking a special course in the University of Chicago, in preparation for Y. M. C. A. general secretarial work. During the World War, Dwight Bracken served as an aviator with the aviation department of the Navy. He was an ensign, and continued in the service until March, 1919.
William K. Bracken is a Republican, although independent in local and State politics. He served as a member of the school board several years. He and his family are members of the First Methodist Church, and Mr. Bracken belongs to the Knights of Pythias, of which he is Past Chancellor, and the Elks. He and his son are 32nd degree Masons. Mr. Bracken is a member of the American and State Bar Associations. He served last year as President of the Federated Bar Associations of the Third Supreme Court Judicial District, and is a member of the Board of Governors of the State Bar Association. He has been a member of the College Alumni Club of Bloomington for many years. For two years he
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held the office of vice president of the Bloomington Rotary Club, and recently was elected its president.
In his final financial statement of the Chicago & Alton Extension Fund, subscribed by the citizens of Bloomington in the year 1910, and used in the purchase of additional lands for new railroad shops and other improvements at Bloomington, Mr. Alonzo Dolan, chairman of the com- mittee in charge of the fund, said:
"At the dedication of the new Alton Passenger Station I made the following statement, which I desire to repeat and put into permanent form, by including it in this report:
"In the bringing about of the happy and gratifying results in con- nection with the building and enlargement of the shops, a number of men, both in the railroad company and locally, might truthfully say: 'Had it not been for what I did it couldn't have been done;' but when it comes to the one man, locally, who is entitled to the greatest measure of credit and appreciation, both from the Alton Company and Blooming- ton citizens in general, I want to tell you that that man's name is William K. Bracken, local counsel for the road. He it was who, at a most critical time, performed a service for Bloomington and the railroad company which, in my judgment, can never be fully repaid. I know what I'm talk- ing about when I say this, and there are two or three other gentlemen here this evening who know the same thing."
H. W. Sticklen is a successful farmer and stockman of Martin Town- ship, where he operates 480 acres of well improved land and handles high grade stock, and is known as an enterprising and substantial man. Mr. Sticklen was born in Ohio, Jan. 28, 1869, the son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Shramm) Sticklen.
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