USA > Illinois > McLean County > History of McLean County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 32
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college work in America, particularly in the field of organization. In this line he was without an equal in his time. The influence of the schools he established has extended to thousands of business offices and hundreds of thousands of business men and women.
The courses of instruction are designated to give to the future busi- ness man and woman, in the shortest possible time, the instruction he needs if his work is to be of the right quality and quantity and to be ren- dered in such a manner as to build business that is profitable and perma- nent. The course of study consists of the following subjects: complete business training course; combined shorthand and bookkeeping course: secretarial shorthand course; bookkeeping and business management course ; auditing and accounting; civil service ; commercial law; salesman- ship; and penmanship.
Brown Business Colleges are open the year round. Students may en- roll at any time. Requirements for entrance are a good moral character and common school education or its equivalent. The home office is located at Peoria, Ill. A correspondence course is also maintained, as well as night classes. The slogan of Brown's Business Colleges is "Dividends All Your Life."
Clayton J. Newlin, well known building contractor of Normal, was born in Parke County, Ind., in 1885, and is a son of John and Mary (Meri- weather) Newlin.
John Newlin was born in Parke county, Ind., in 1841 and his wife is also a native of the same county, born in 1853. They are the parents of three children: E. M., married Xenia Perry, lives at Normal, Ill .; Clayton J., the subject of this sketch and Florence, lives at Ridge Farm, Ill. She is librarian at the Carnegie library there. Ridge Farm is the smallest town in the United States having a Carnegie library. Mr. John Newlin has been a prominent building contractor in Indiana for many years and he and his wife now live retired at Ridge Farm, Ill.
Clayton J. Newland received his education in the public schools and after learning the carpenter trade, was employed by M. Yeager & Son at Danville, Ill., where he remained six years. He then was associated with the Fitzsimmons Construction Company of Springfield and in 1916 came to McLean county, locating in Normal. Mr. Newlin has had the contract
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for many public buildings in Illinois and has built fifteen school buildings, among them being the McLean high school.
In 1911, Mr. Newlin was married to Miss Sallie M. Cox, a native of Tyler, Texas, and the daughter of John and Mary (Barron) Cox. Mr. Cox was born in Georgia and his wife was a native of Alabama. He served during the Civil war with the Hoods Texas Brigade in Company C. He was a prominent politician of Texas and served as county judge of Smith County for 15 years. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Newlin two children have been born: John Cox, born at Tyler, Texas in 1912 and Robert Ervin, born at Springfield, Ill., in 1916.
Mr. Newlin is a Republican, a member of the Quaker church and belongs to the Masonic lodge and Consistory of Bloomington, the Shrine of Peoria and the Blue lodge of Normal. Mr. Newlin has been unusually successful and is considered one of Normal's most efficient citizens.
R. G. Jones, a successful farmer and stockman of Lexington Town- ship, and the owner of 240 acres of well improved land, was born in Wales, Oct. 2, 1846, the son of David and Gwen (Evans) Jones.
David Jones followed farming during his life in Wales and died in 1872 at the age of 80 years. His wife died in 1866 at the age of 65 years. They were the parents of 11 children, two of whom are now living: R. G., the subject of this sketch; and Gwen, the widow of David Roberts, and she lives in Wales.
R. G. Jones received his education in the schools of Wales and spent his boybood on his father's farm there, coming to the United States in 1869. He settled in McLean County and worked as a farm hand for several years and fed cattle in the vicinity of Lexington for different cattle men. With the first money Mr. Jones was able to save he bought a team of horses and then rented land. In 1876 he purchased 80 acres of land in Lexington Township, which he improved, and in 1882 he pur- chased his present farm. He built a modern home on the place in 1914 and made other improvements. Mr. Jones raises a good grade of stock and does general farming.
On Feb. 24, 1883, Mr. Jones was married to Miss Jessie Walker, a native of Lexington Township, born Jan. 2, 1862, and the daughter of John and Anna Walker, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter
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R. G. JONES.
MARY OF THE
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. of Germany. To R. G. and Jessie (Walker) Jones the following children have been born: Rena, at home; Nina, deceased, was the wife of Guy Hensley, and they had two children, Gevna and Emma; Dorothy, married Earl Patton, Lexington Township, and they have one son, Eugene; Roy, married Verna Kale, Lexington Township, and they have two daughters, Pauline Elizabeth and Doris Kathryn; Rosie, married D. Kale, Gridley Township, and they have one daughter, Betty Bernice; Edwin, at home; Lena, at home; Ralph, died at the age of 12 years; Gladys, at home; and one child died in infancy.
Mr. Jones was one of the organizers of The Peoples Bank of Lex- ington and ever since its organization has served as a director. He is a Republican, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and has served as school director of District No. 218 for 18 years. Mr. Jones is a practical and ambitious farmer, and a man highly esteemed in his neighborhood.
J. H. King, a retired farmer and stockman of Dry Grove township, and also minister of the Mennonite church, was born on a farm in McLean county, May 2nd, 1861, the son of Daniel and Mary (Hodler) King.
Daniel King and his wife came to Illinois from Ohio, with their par- ents, during the early days and settled on a farm in Dry Grove township, McLean county, which they purchased at $20.00 per acre, where Mr. King became a successful farmer. At the time of his death in 1918 he was living retired at Carlock, Ill. Mrs. King died in 1906. They were the parents of four children, as folows: J. H. King, the subject of this sketch; Lydia, married Jacob Engel, lives at Carlock; Chris, married Maggie Stutz- man, the former died in 1919 the latter lives at Normal, Ill .; and Elmer, who died in infancy.
J. H. King had only a district school education. He was ordained to the ministry in 1892 at the North Danvers Mennonite church, which was built in 1872, by Bishop Joseph Stuckey, and in 1900 was promoted the office of bishop.
The Mennonite church at Carlock is a fine brick structure, and was dedicated January 2, 1916, at a cost of $23,000 with a membership of 135. Mr. King served this church as pastor from 1913 to 1920, when Rev. W. S. Shelly was installed as pastor. Mr. King is still actively identified with the church as assistant pastor, when not actively engaged in ful-
(63)
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filling the duties of field secretary of Central Conference of Mennonites. . Mr. King built a fine brick residence at Carlock in 1913, where he and his wife reside at present.
In 1883 Mr. King was married to Miss Salina A. Lantz, a native of Dry Grove township, McLean county, and the daughter of Simeon and Mary (Plank) Lantz. To J. H. and Salina (Lantz) King three children were born, as follows: Eva Lois, died 1913, was the wife of Ali Stahly, and they have five children, Cloyd, Lola, Etta, Lorene and Opal; Claude O., married in 1910 to Nellie M. Risser, and they have had four children, Orville, died in 1920, Richard and Corene and Etta, married William Schad, lives in Dry Grove township and they have three children, Lucile, Vernon Lee and Vera Morea, twins.
J. H. King is secretary of the Mennonite Sanitarium, 807 North Main St., Bloomington, Ill., which was purchased in 1919, and he is a member of the joint board of the Congo Inland Mission doing work in Africa.
John McBarnes, deceased, gave to the city of Bloomington the John McBarnes Memorial, a beautiful building erected to the memory of the soldiers and sailors who served during the World War. He was one of the most substantial men in McLean County, whether considered as a factor in its solid prosperity or as a force working for the betterment of the public service and the general uplifting of the community. Mr. McBarnes was born in Ohio, in Harrison County, on July 24, 1851, the son of Dennis and Mary Jane (Dickey) McBarnes, natives of Ohio.
Dennis McBarnes was born Oct. 3, 1821, and his wife was born March 4, 1826. The family originally came from Scotland: Dennis McBarnes come to McLean County in 1853 and located his family on a farm in Old Town Township. At the time of his death Mr. McBarnes owned 620 acres of land, as well as business property in Bloomington. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis McBarnes were the parents of seven children: Sarah Jane, married E. Chandler Brewer, both deceased; Margaret, married first to M. Brook- banks and later to John Caldwell; John, the subject of this sketch; Lizzie, married E. M. Merritt; Hannah, married Sam Summerland; Edward; and Agnes, married Timothy Benjamin.
John McBarnes was reared on the home farm in Old Town Town- ship and educated first in the common schools and afterward at Illinois State Normal University. He was among the successful farmers and
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stockmen of McLean County and at the time of his death was the owner of 967 acres of good farm land. Mr. McBarnes was an extensive grain farmer and produced some of the finest crops in Illinois, and therefore in the world. He died on Oct. 25, 1921. On August 22, 1904, Mr. McBarnes was married to Mrs. Celia (Adams) Campbell, a native of Downs Town- ship, born April 22, 1860, and a daughter of Wyatt and Charity (Bishop) Adams. Mr. Adams was born in Warren County, Ky., Feb. 1, 1828, and his wife was born in Perry County, Ohio, Oct. 18, 1826. They were married in March, 1847, and eventually had a family of 15 children. In 1830, Wyatt Adams, then two years old, came with his parents to McLean County. They, Jesse and Elizabeth (Goodman) Adams, entered land in Old Town Township. Mrs. McBarnes' mother was a daughter of Jacob Bishop, who was born in Frederick County, Md., June 25, 1797, who migrated to Fayette County, Pa., where he resided until March, 1812. He next made his home in Licking County, Ohio and shortly afterward mar- ried Mary Anne Weedman.
Mrs. John McBarnes was first married to John T. Campbell, who was born in Old Town Township, McLean County, Dec. 5, 1854, the son of James and Martha (Shields) Campbell, natives of Kentucky and early settlers of McLean County. Mr. Campbell died in 1902. To this union three children were born: Floyd, married Myrtle Rodman; Herbert, married Alice Howes and Ray, unmarried, lives at home and operates the farm. Ray Campbell was born in 1898 and is a graduate of Brown Business College. He is a member of the Methodist church and belongs to the Masonic lodge and Bloomington A. A. S. R. No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McBarnes.
Mr. McBarnes served as township supervisor, road commissioner and school director and was a member of Bloomington B. P. O. E. No. 281.
John C. Cole, now living retired, was for many years a leading merch- ant of Bloomington. He was born in Clark County, Ind., Oct. 7, 1875, and is the son of M. B. and Margaret (Long) Cole.
M. B. Cole was a well known merchant at Charlestown, Ind., for many years, where he owned a dry goods and general store. In 1882 his son, John C. 'Cole, came to McLean County, locating in Bloomington, where he began his career as a merchant. He entered the dry goods business with his brother, E. W. Cole, and for many years this business was known
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as Cole Brothers. They had purchased the business of Houtz Lacey & Company, and the new concern was located on the east side of the square until the time of the Bloomington fire in 1900.
Mr. Cole sold his business in 1908 to Thoma & Son, and since that time has lived retired in Bloomington. He is a substantial and reliable citizen of McLean County and is widely known.
John H. Stephenson, a prominent citizen of McLean county, now living retired at Danvers, was born in Knox county, Ohio, July 4, 1850, the son of David and Elizabeth (Jewell) Stephenson.
David Stephenson was a native of Pennsylvania and came to McLean county in the spring of 1859. His wife was born in New Jersey and they were the parents of six children, as follows: Margaret, died at the age of 14 years; L. R., died March 25, 1915, leaving a wife, Mattie (Murdock) Stephenson; John H., the subject of this sketch; Monterville K., was killed in a runaway at the age of 20 years; Susan A., born in 1857, married Marion McClure and lives in Bloomington and Frank, died in infancy.
John H. Stephenson was reared on his father's farm and received his education in the district schools and later attended school in Indiana. He farmed with his father until he was 26 years old and then purchased his own farm. Mr. Stephenson came to Danvers in 1888 and in 1902 built a fine residence there. He served as president of The First National Bank of Danvers from the time of its organization in 1903 until 1922. Mr. Stephenson also resigned as school treasurer on account of his health after 20 years of service. He was also road commissioner for three years.
Mr. Stephenson was married the first time to Miss Martha Staubus, a native of Dry Grove township, and is the daughter of Solomon and Catherine E. (Rusmisel) Staubus. To that union two children were born, as follows: Willie Martin, born Sept. 16, 1879, died in infancy and Hugh D. B., born Oct. 1, 1881, now lives at Danvers. On Nov. 29, 1887, Mrs. Stephenson died and on Jan. 31, 1900, Mr. Stephenson married his first wife's sister, Miss Annie Staubus, and to this union two children were born, as follows: John S., born in 1905, died in 1906; and Mary Evelyn born Oct. 3, 1903, now a student of Ward Belmont, Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Stephenson's second wife died Oct. 30, 1905, and on Aug. 10, 1911, he married Martha Skaggs Jarrett, the widow of the late Clark S. Jarrett,
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son of Ira and Evelyn (Johnson) Jarrett, natives of West Virginia. Mrs. Stephenson is the daughter of Dr. J. M. and Sarah Ann (Young) Skaggs, natives of West Virginia. By his first marriage, Dr. J. M. Skaggs had the following children: Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of H. L. Bell; Susan A., deceased ; Hamilton, deceased; Louis E., married Charity Vance ; Orlando P., married Ella D. Robison; Sarah E., married Samuel B. Willer- ton ; Mrs. Stephenson and J. Frank, married first to Clara Freitag and later to Fleta Hudson. Dr. Skagg's first wife died July 6, 1875, and he later married Elizabeth Little. He died at the age of 94 years.
Mrs. Stephenson's first husband, Clark S. Jarrett, died June 20, 1899. They were the parents of four children, as follows: Myra E., born Aug. 1, 1890, married Palmer Westervelt; John Ira, born April 2, 1892, married Sarah Ayres, lives at St. Louis; Clark S., born Oct. 11, 1893, married Mat- tie C. Irvin, lives at Peoria, Ill. and James Bruce, born Dec. 3, 1895, mar- ried Mary C. Robinson, lives at St. Louis. There are seven grandchildren: James Ira, Byron Edward, Myra Evelyn, Clark Skaggs, John Pershing, Dorothea Elizabeth and Lois Yvonne.
John H. Stephenson is a Republican and his wife is a Democrat. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and is an elder. He has be- longed to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for 28 years.
O. P. Skaggs, vice president of The Corn Belt Bank of Bloomington, is a well known and successful business man of McLean county. He was born on a farm in Danvers township, July 4, 1861, the son of Dr. J. M. and Sarah Ann (Young) Skaggs.
Dr. J. M. Skaggs and his wife were natives of Monroe county, W. Va., and came to McLean county in 1857. Dr. Skaggs was a well known den- tist and died at the age of 94 years. His first wife, Sarah Ann (Young) Skaggs, died at the age of 45 years, July 6, 1875, and left the following children: Elizabeth, married H. L. Bell, and is now deceased; Susan A., deceased; Hamilton, deceased; Louis Eddy, married Charity D. Vance; O. P., the subject of this sketch; Sarah E., married Samuel B. Willerton; Martha C., first married Clark Jarrett, deceased, and later married John H. Stephenson, retired banker of Danvers, whose sketch also appears in this volume and J. Frank, married first to Clara Freitag and later to Fleta Hudson, lives at Danvers. Dr. Skaggs' second wife was Elizabeth Little.
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O. P. Skaggs received his education in the district schools of Danvers and took a business course at Bloomington under Professor Baker, and later attended Denison University at Granville, Ohio. Mr. Skaggs followed farming until 1903 and at that time went to Europe with his wife for six months. They have spent three years in California and now reside in a beautiful home at Danvers, built in 1896.
In 1898 Mr. Skaggs entered The Corn Belt Bank at Bloomington and is now vice president of the institution. It is one of the largest banking institutions in McLean county and is capitalized at $100,000.00, with a surplus of $100,000.00, and undivided profits of $150,000.00. Mr. Skaggs was one of the organizers and is now a director of The Farmers State Bank at Danvers.
On Dec. 17, 1890, Mr. Skaggs married Miss Ella V. Robison, a native of Tremont, Ill., and the daughter of Frank and Mary (Miars) Robison, natives of Scotland, who came to the United States in 1835 and settled in Illinois. Mr. Robison loaned money and became one of the leading financiers of the county. He built the first brick building in Peoria, Ill. To Mr. and Mrs. Robison the following children were born: A. L., married Lydia Richmond, lives at Tremont; Ida, married J. M. Cooper, lives at Washington, Ill .; Annie, died in 1920, was the wife of G. W. Ballenger; Martin, married Jennie White and now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Skaggs have no children.
Mr. Skaggs is a Democrat and served as township supervisor for four years. He is a member of the Baptist church and is trustee of Shurtleff college at Alton, Ill. Mr. Skaggs is an alert business man and is accounted one of the substantial citizens of McLean county.
Frank L. Wilson, a well known chemist of Bloomington, was born in Dale Township, McLean County, Nov. 1, 1877, and is a son of A. Judson and Ellen E. (Cornell) Wilson.
A. Judson Wilson was born in Madison County, N. Y., Dec. 26, 1829, the son of William and Lydia (Main) Wilson, the former a native of Eng- land and the latter of Connecticut. William Wilson was a pioneer settler of McLean County, having come here in 1844. In New York he was married to Miss Lydia Main, the daughter of Thomas Main, a native of Stonington, Conn., who served during the Revolutionary war. William Wil-
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son was the son of Thomas Wilson, who settled in Madison County, N. Y. in 1801, and farmed there until the time of his death. William and Lydia (Main) Wilson were the parents of nine children, as follows: Mary L., married William H. Holmes, Master in Chancery of McLean County ; Ardelia C., married Samuel Lander, and the mother of Walter Lander, of Normal, Ill .; Lucy A. married Hiram G. Hart; Lydia L. married Capt. Charles W. Goddard; Walter C., a pioneer school teacher of Randolph Township, McLean County; Edward married Louisa (Perry) McWorter; A. Judson, father of the subject of this sketch; Elizabeth, married Charles C. Holmes and Henry C., married, first to Mary Wood and later to Mrs. Margaret Delano. Henry C. Wilson organized the McLean County Ab- stract Company.
A. Judson Wilson came to McLean County in 1850 and taught school for two years in Dale and Randolph Townships. After clerking in the store of Robinson & Betts in Bloomington, and the store of Benjamin Schermerhorn, he engaged in farming. In 1862, Mr. Wilson purchased half of his father's farm in Dale Township for $1,820.00, which contained 80 acres. He borrowed the money to buy this farm. He first specialized in cultivating Osage hedge, but when that lost its popularity, he turned his attention to general farming. In 1899, Mr. Wilson retired and he died the following year. His wife, Miss Ellen Cornell, was born in Rhode Island, April 24, 1838, and came to McLean County with her parents in 1857. She was the daughter of Serril and Eliza (Hopkins) Cornell, the latter being a direct descendant of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, through the Alden, Snow, Carver, Hopkins line. Mr. and Mrs. A. Judson Wilson were the parents of nine children, as follows: Nellie F., married John A. Cobbs, lives at Horton, Kan .; Charles W., married first to Helen Henderson and later to Louise Proctor; Edward M., deceased, assistant editor of the Pantagraph of Bloomington from 1888 to 1896, later with the Chicago Record, married first to Lettie Rutledge and later to Mary L. Lawrence ; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of George A. Poore; Abbie C., married Dr. Phillips of Chicago; Robert H., married Florence Weed, lives in Den- ver, Colo .; Frank L., the subject of this sketch; Capt. Harry K., married Gladys A. Hyde, is a veteran of the World War and now a civil engineer for a bridge construction company in New York; and Mary J., unmarried, lives with her mother and brother in Bloomington.
Frank L. Wilson received his education in the public schools and is a graduate of the Illinois State Normal University and Chicago University.
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After completing his education he taught in A and M College of Oklahoma and the Bloomington high school until 1906. Mr. Wilson is unmarried and lives with his mother and sister at 1912 East Taylor Street. He is a Republican and a member of the First Baptist church.
M. F. Quinn, who has been connected with the express office at Chenoa for almost 50 years, is among McLean County's most substantial and en- terprising citizens. He was born in County Clare, Ireland, March 25, 1857, the son of Michael and Bridget (Noonan) Quinn.
Michael Quinn and his wife were natives of Ireland. They came to America in 1858 and lived in Westchester County, N. Y., until 1863, when they came to Chenoa. Mr. Quinn died in 1873 and his wife died in 1909. They were the parents of the following children: M. F., the subject of this sketch; Martin E., lives in Chicago; John, died in 1921, was railroad conductor; Mary A., married John Fox, both deceased; Catherine M., married Matt Stapleton, both deceased; Bridget, died in infancy ; William S., lives in Lanark, Ill .; Lizzie, died in infancy; Johanna, married Will- iam Dare, both deceased; Margaret, married William Walker, lives in Omaha, Neb .; and Daniel T., deceased.
M. F. Quinn received his education in the public schools and on Oct. 1, 1877, entered the employ of the United States Express Company at Chenoa, and has been located there continuously since that time. He started in as transfer man but in 1884 was appointed agent, succeeding J. S. Cotter. Since entering the employment of the express company, it has been taken over by the American Railway Express Company. Mr. Quinn has never taken a vacation and he says that in the long time he has been in the express business, the office system has often been changed and bears little resemblance to that when he started. He remembers very well the lively times in Chenoa during the Civil War. At that time, the Alton was the only railroad running into Springfield from the north, and all the soldiers from the northern part of the state went through that city to Springfield for training. Mr. Quinn has often been offered more important posts with the express companies, but he had his home in Chenoa and had no desire to change. In April, 1924, Mr. Quinn retired from the express company.
On Sept. 18, 1878, Mr. Quinn married Miss Mary Walsh, also a na- tive of Ireland, born June 24, 1857, and the daughter of Edward and Mary
M. F. QUINN.
LIBRARY OF THE
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(Murphy) Walsh, natives of Ireland, and the parents of the following children: David, deceased; Margaret, married Edward Clary, both de- ceased; Thomas, deceased; Catherine, married Thomas Twomey, retired, lives at Chenoa; and John, lives in Ireland. To M. F. and Mary (Walsh) Quinn seven children have been born, as follows: Frank E., veteran ex- pressman between Chicago and Kansas City, lives in Chicago, has been in express service since 1897; John, night superintendent for the Allied Packing Company, Chicago; Mary, married M. J. Harnett, farmer, lives near Chenoa ; James E., died in infancy ; Theresa L., married J. W. Reeves, farmer, lives near Gridley, Ill .; Cecilia G., married J. L. Missal, tower man for the C. & A. R. R., lives in Chenoa; and Bernard M., died in in- fancy. All of Mr. Quinn's children were associated with him in the ex- press office. The four younger ones were agents for the Adams Express Company covering a period of 28 years. Mr. and Mrs. Quinn have 11 grandchildren.
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