USA > Illinois > McLean County > History of McLean County, Illinois, Volume II > Part 38
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William M. McConnell received his schooling in the public schools and attended Wesleyan University for two years, and later the Evergreen Business College at Bloomington, from which he was graduated in 1888. Mr. McConnell owns 600 acres of good farm land in McLean County and
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for many years has been one of the leading stockmen of the township. He was a breeder of registered Shorthorn cattle and was in partnership with his brother, Hiram E. McConnell, for years. Mr. McConnell now resides at LeRoy.
On May 11, 1899, Mr. McConnell married Miss Maude Luella Gil- more, a native of LeRoy, born Aug. 2, 1876, and the daughter of J. D. and Barbara (Murphfield) Gilmore, who were the parents of the follow- ing children: Chauncey, deceased; Frank, lives at Bloomington; Law- rence, lives in Chicago; Emmerson, lives at Bloomington; Claude, lives in Indiana; Glenn, lives in Chicago; Burnett, deceased; and Mrs. McConnell, who died Feb. 9, 1917. On Sept. 29, 1918, Mr. McConnell married Miss Lenora Lane, a native of Kentucky, born April 29, 1884. She died Sept. 14, 1921.
Mr. McConnell has been a director of the First National Bank at LeRoy ever since its organization and he is a director of the Mutual Insurance Company, having succeeded his father in that office. He is a Republican and a member of the Presbyterian Church, and he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at LeRoy. Mr. McConnell is one of the interesting men of his community, who, by inheritance and train- ing, is energetic, capable and a substantial citizen.
Ed Guard, who has the agency at LeRoy for Buick automobiles, and also conducts the only farm implement store there, is among the enter- prising and successful business men of the county. He was born at El Paso, Ill., Jan. 16, 1865, the son of John and Elizabeth Guard.
John Guard was born in Devonshire, England, on April 7, 1820, and came to the United States with his wife, also a native of England, in 1851. They located in Peoria County, Ill., where they lived for 12 years, then moving to Woodford County, Ill. Mr. Guard followed general farm- ing and was successful. He died March 28, 1914, and is buried at El Paso, Ill. His wife died in 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Guard had four children, as follows: Frank, retired farmer, lives at El Paso, Ill .; James, retired farmer, lives at El Paso, Ill .; Martha, deceased; and Ed, the subject of this sketch.
Ed Guard was reared on a farm and educated in the district schools. He entered business at LeRoy in 1902 in partnership with the Jackson
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Moss Company, dealers in hardware and farm implements. In February, 1904, Frank Bishop purchased an interest in the business, which was then known as the Guard and Bishop Company. Mr. Guard bought Mr. Bishop's interest in the business in 1916 and since that time has carried on the business alone. Mr. Guard has had the agency at LeRoy for Buick automobiles since 1913. His store is the only one of its kind in the town and Mr. Guard has built up a large trade and has one of the leading busi- ness enterprises in the community.
On Feb. 9, 1895, Mr. Guard married Miss Elizabeth Hendron, a na- tive of Woodford County, Ill., and the daughter of James and Barbara Hendron, who were the parents of the following children: James, Cali- fornia ; William, lives in Chicago; Anna Smith, Mt. Carroll, Ill .; and Mrs. Guard. To Ed and Elizabeth (Hendron) Guard one daughter has been born, Frances Guard.
Frances Guard was born Nov. 1, 1901, and is a graduate of LeRoy High School. On April 20, 1921, Miss Guard was married to Mr. Merle Hitchell.
Ed Guard is a Republican in politics, a member of the Presbyterian Church and belongs to the Knights of Pythias No. 202, LeRoy, and the Modern Woodmen of America at LeRoy. He is a dependable citizen and the Guard family stand high in the community.
Isaac Cooksley, a highly respected and well known citizen of LeRoy, Ill., was born in England, Oct. 30, 1857, the son of Daniel and Mary Ann (Gray) Cooksley.
Daniel Cooksley and his wife were born in England and lived there until the time of their deaths. Mr. Cooksley followed farming and died at the age of 63 years and his wife lived to be 87 years old. They were the parents of 10 children, of whom the following are now living: Edwin; Walter; Alfred; Mariah, and Lucy, the above named all live in England; and Isaac, the subject of this sketch.
Isaac Cooksley came to the United States when he was a young man and settled in Woodford County, Ill., where he remained a short time, before moving to Peoria, Ill. After four years, Mr. Cooksley went to Nebraska, where he farmed for four years before going to Colorado. In 1908 he moved to Minnesota and engaged in general farming and stock
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raising. In 1916 Mr. Cooksley came to LeRoy. He now owns and oper- ates the old Chaney farm, which is located north of the city. He carries on an extensive gardening business and is also a dairy farmer.
In 1886 Mr. Cooksley was married to Miss Isabelle Hay, a native of Illinois and the daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Fipps) Hay, both deceased. Mrs. Cooksley has three sisters, as follows: Nancy Campbell, lives at Say- brook, Ill .; Ellen Ray, deceased; and Elba Siler, lives at LeRoy. Mr. and Mrs. Cooksley have no children, but adopted a daughter and son, Della and Dwight. On Sept. 1, 1902, Della was married to Will McCurdy, and they have five children, as follows: LeRoy, Gladys, Ethel Belle, Zona and Edna McCurdy. Dwight Cooksley served for two years during the World War, and is now engaged as mail carrier out of the LeRoy postoffice.
Isaac Cooksley is an independent voter and he belongs to the Metho- dist Church at LeRoy. He is a citizen who holds the high regard of the entire community.
Dr. George B. Kelso, a leading physician of McLean County, who has been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession at Blooming- ton for 35 years, is a native of Canada. He was born in the County of Bruce, Ontario, and is the son of Thompson and Mary (Cameron) Kelso.
Thompson Kelso was born in the north of Ireland, of Scotch ancestry, his family having fled there from their old home in Scotland during the persecution of Cromwell's reign in England. When a young man, Thomp- son Kelso crossed the Atlantic and took up his residence in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. There he married Mary Cameron, who was born in Ottawa, Canada, a member of an old Scotch family. Soon after their marriage they removed to Bruce County, Ontario, when that region was an almost unbroken wilderness. There Mr. Kelso developed a farm out of the wilderness on which he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. In early life they united with the Episcopal church, but later held membership in the Presbyterian church. Politically, Mr. Kelso was a liberal and took an active and prominent part in local politics.
Dr. George B. Kelso is the third in order of birth in a family of ten children, and in the common and high schools of his native province he acquired a good practical education, which well fitted him to engage in teaching, a profession which he successfully followed for three and one-
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half years in the country school of his neighborhood. In the meantime he read medicine and later pursued a three-years course in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1886. Dr. Kelso then opened an office at Newberry, Mich., where he remained one and one-half years. While there he was quite successful, there being a great deal of surgical work to be done in the lumber camps nearby. He next engaged in practice for a short time at Ishpeming, Mich., but as the climate did not agree with his health, he was forced to leave a good prac- tice and come further south.
In October, 1888, Dr. Kelso was married to Dr. Annie E. Caldwell Clark, who was graduated at Ann Arbor in the same class as Dr. Kelso. She is a native of Oxford, Maine, and prior to studying medicine had received a good classical and musical education in the East and abroad. In the fall of 1888 Dr. Kelso and his wife came to Bloomington and at first engaged in general practice. Being among the first women physicians in the city, Mrs. Kelso was soon at the head of a good practice. In 1894 Dr. and Mrs. Kelso established the Bloomington Home Sanitarium at 807 North Main Street which they soon enlarged and the name was changed to The Kelso Sanitarium. The work was so successful that further en- largement was necessary. The lot south of the main building was pur- chased and a brick fireproof building was erected and completed in the fall of 1916, making a hospital of 85 rooms, 50 of which containing 60 beds were given up to the care of patients. The Kelso Sanitarium was sold to the Mennonite Sanitarium Association and the latter took posses- sion on May 1st, 1920.
In the course of his medical studies, Dr. Kelso has been abroad three times and was in London attending the Congress of Surgeons when the World War broke out in 1914.
Fraternally, Dr. Kelso is a member of the Central Illinois Homeo- pathic Medical Society, The State Homeopathic Medical Society and The National Institute of Homeopathy. He is also a member of McLean County Medical Society, Illinois Medical Society and the American Medical Asso- ciation. The doctor is a Mason and a member of the Consistory and be- longs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
In addition to his Medical and Surgical work, he has been a great advo- cate of methods to preserve health and to prevent disease and to prolong life. At present Dr. and Mrs. Kelso live at 801 North Main Street, where an office and a small hospital called The Kelso Clinic is maintained.
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Mrs. Elizabeth M. Buckles, a well known and highly respected citizen of McLean County, was born in Harrison County, Ind., Aug. 22, 1833, the daughter of John L. and Annie (Fox) Deen.
John L. Deen was also born in Indiana, Nov. 18, 1807. His wife was born in the same community, June 13, 1813, and they were married April 21, 1830. To this union four children were born, as follows: Isaac L., deceased ; Mrs. Buckles; John W., born in 1835, deceased; and George W., born Jan. 14, 1838, deceased. After the death of her first husband, Mrs. Deen was married on Feb. 14, 1840, to William D. Brewer and to this union six children were born, as follows: Margaret E. Alley, born Sept. 21, 1842, deceased; Frances, born Oct. 1, 1844, Mercer, Mo .; Annie D., born Dec. 31, 1847, deceased; William H., born Aug. 31, 1850, de- ceased; Sarah C., wife of Jas. Taylor, Saybrook, Ill., born April 1, 1853; and Delilah, born May 8, 1856, deceased. Mrs. Brewer, the mother of the subject of this sketch, died Feb. 23, 1886, and her husband died in 1866.
Elizabeth M. Deen was married on July 20, 1851, to Aaron Buckles, a native of Indiana, born Dec. 9, 1827. He was the son of Abraham and Mary (Williams) Buckles, the former a native of Virginia, born Jan. 18, 1800. To Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Buckles the following children were born: Robert, born June 27, 1852, lives at home, further mention of whom is made below; Isaac C., born June 21, 1854, lives at LeRoy; John W., born Aug. 29, 1856, died Dec. 17, 1900.
Aaron Buckles died Sept. 17, 1897, at LeRoy, where he had been engaged in the milling business. He was a veteran of the Civil War, having served as captain in the 94th Illinois Regiment. Mr. Buckles was a Democrat, and attended the Presbyterian Church, and belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was a man of energy, strong purpose and industry. Mr. Buckles was held in high esteem by all who knew him, as also are the other members of his family.
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Buckles has been a member of the Presbyterian Church for 74 years and is one of the interesting pioneers of McLean County.
Robert Buckles, now living retired with his mother, entered the em- ploy of the Illinois Central Railroad in September, 1887, at Dewey, Ill., as a telegraph operator and agent. He came to LeRoy in 1903, and was employed by the railroad until December, 1919, when he retired on a pension. Mr. Buckles is a Democrat and a member of the Knights of
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Pythias, the Order of Railway Telegraphers and Modern Woodmen of America.
Robert O. Buckles was married April 9, 1882, to Mary S. Karr,, a native of McLean County and daughter of John W. and Nancy Jane (Craig) Karr, early settlers of Empire Township. Mrs. Buckles was born Sept. 27, 1859. To Mr. and Mrs. Robert Buckles two children were born, Ervin A., born Oct. 10, 1885, married Blanch Doty, they reside in Coving- ton, Ky., and Mildred E., born Sept. 25, 1889, now wife of Dr. H. O. Winter, Chicago, Ill.
Robert Flegel, a prominent pioneer citizen of Empire Township, and veteran of the Civil War, was born in Germany, May 18, 1839, the son of Christian and Augusta (Hesse) Flegel.
The Flegel family came to the United States in 1848 and settled at Cincinnati, Ohio, where they remained for five years before coming to Illinois. Christian Flegel lived to the age of 78 years and his wife died when she was 72 years old. By his first marriage to Augusta Hesse, Mr. Flegel had three children: Robert, the subject of this sketch; Caroline, deceased; and Julia, deceased. His second wife was Wilhelmina Hossia and to that union the following children were born: Gus Tazwell; William, lives in Illinois ; Christopher, lives at Peoria, Ill .; Matilda, Malinda, Minnie, and Josephine, all deceased.
Robert Flegel was educated in the district schools and entered the army at the age of 22 years and served throughout the Civil War. His first year of service was with Colonel Warner and he later served under Captain Wilker and was with General Sherman on his march to the sea. Mr. Flegel still has in his possession the musket used by him in service. After the close of the war, Mr. Flegel returned to the farm in Empire Township. He became successful and at one time owned over 1200 acres of land and for many years has been known as a leading stockman. Mr. Flegel spent several years in Kansas after the close of the Civil War, where he also farmed. He raised sheep extensively on his farm in Empire Township and at one time had 500 head. The Flegel farm is now operated by Mr. Flegel's sons.
On March 18, 1872, Mr. Flegel married Miss Mary Fridinger, a native of Illinois, born Feb. 20, 1854. She died July 22, 1918. To Robert and Mary (Fridinger) Flegel nine children were born, as follows: Ida D.,
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lives near the home place; Henry, at home; Edward, lives in Empire Township; Walter, lives in Empire Township; Louis, at home; Clarence, lives in Chicago; Clara, lives at Bloomington, Ill .; Harry, lives with his brother, Walter; and one child died in infancy.
In politics Mr. Flegel is a Republican and he is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Flegel is one of the substantial citizens of McLean County.
Dr. Orris M. Thompson, a prominent and successful physician and surgeon of LeRoy, was born at Ellsworth, Ill., July 29, 1878, the son of Milton and Sadie E. (Smith) Thompson.
Milton Thompson was a native of Arrowsmith Township, McLean County, Ill., born in 1845. He followed farming and stock raising for many years and during the last 18 years of his life lived at Bloomington. He died Nov. 3, 1922, and his widow lives at Bloomington. They were the parents of two children, as follows: A. N., died at the age of four years ; and Dr. Orris M., the subject of this sketch.
Dr. Orris M. Thompson attended the public schools of Ellsworth and Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington. He was graduated from the medical department of Chicago University in 1906 and then spent a year at St. Mary's and Maywood hospitals in Chicago. Dr. Thompson then practiced medicine at Downs, Ill., for three years, afterward going to Ellsworth, where he spent six years. He came to LeRoy in 1916 and has built up a splendid practice throughout the community. Dr. Thompson was appointed an examiner on the board of exemption during the war, but resigned this position several months later to enter service in the World War. He received his commission on Sept. 29, 1917, and was sta- tioned at Fort Riley, Kan., until June 26, 1918, when he was ordered to Camp Lewis and assigned to Infirmary No. 8, 166th Depot Brigade. On Aug. 13th, Dr. Thompson was transferred to the 13th Sanitary Train, Am- bulance Company No. 249. He worked untiringly during the influenza epidemic and was discharged from service on Jan. 8, 1919. Since that time he has practiced at LeRoy.
In December, 1919, when Ruel Neal Post No. 79 was organized, Dr. Thompson was elected post commander and in 1921 was appointed to com- plete the McLean County organization and at its completion was elected
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DR. O. M. THOMPSON.
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commander of the McLean County American Legion. He was post dele- gate to the American Legion State Convention, held at Decatur, Ill., Oct. 10, 1921, and at this convention was elected delegate from the 17th Dis- trict of Illinois to the national convention held at Kansas City, Mo., in November, 1921. In October, 1923, he was a delegate to the state con- vention at Danville, Ill.
Dr. Thompson was married on Jan. 20, 1909, to Miss Clara Buckles Downs, who died at the age of 31 years on April 16, 1919, leaving one child, Orris Gerald, who was born Dec. 23, 1915. He lives with his aunt, Mrs. Lulu Dillard, at El Paso, Texas. On June 12, 1920, Dr. Thompson married Miss Rosella Polk, a native of Illinois, born June 12, 1894, and the daughter of William and Margaret (Beckham) Polk. Mr. Polk is deceased and his wife lives at LeRoy. They had five children, as follows: Emily Flent ; Robert, lives at LeRoy ; Ivan, lives at LeRoy ; Marie, lives at LeRoy ; and Mrs. Thompson.
Dr. Thompson is identified with the Democratic party in politics and he is a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 221 at LeRoy and the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows No. 809 at Ellsworth and the Knights of Pythias at LeRoy. He is a member of the Methodist church and belongs to the Country Club. He now operates the O. M. Thompson Hospital of LeRoy. Dr. Thompson has always taken an active interest in the affairs of LeRoy. He is now alderman of the Third Ward of LeRoy.
C. E. Joiner, superintendent of the LeRoy Public Schools, is a well known educator and lecturer of Illinois. He was born at Litchfield, Ill., and is the son of William F. and Elizabeth (Huddleston) Joiner, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Illinois.
C. E. Joiner was graduated from Ewing College, at Ewing, Ill., where he received the degrees of Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts. Since the time of his graduation, Mr. Joiner has been a close student of education, specializing in Pedagogy, School Management, American His- tory, and Government. Having carefully tested the theories of books on education, by observation and experience in the class room of both ele- mentary and high school grade, Mr. Joiner's lectures are exceedingly practical, and therefore popular with the rank and file of class room teachers.
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Mr. Joiner has lectured in about 80 Illinois Teachers' Institutes, one week each. He has lectured from one to six weeks in each of the follow- ing counties: Christian, Crawford, Clinton, Edgar, Effingham, Franklin, Gallatin, Greene, Hardin, Hamilton, Henderson, Jefferson, Jersey, Law- rence, Lee, McDonough, Marion, Massac, Mercer, Monroe, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Schuyler, Scott, Tazwell, Union, Warren, Wayne, and Woodford. The above list does not include counties in which Mr. Joiner has addressed institutes of less than one week's duration. Be- sides the above, he has delivered about 75 lectures outside of Illinois, and many single lectures for commencements, parent-teachers' associa- tions, and other community organizations in Illinois.
Mr. Joiner has been on the programs of the Illinois Superintendents' and Principals' Association, the Illinois State Teachers' Association, sev- eral of its sectional divisions, and on the program of the Department of Superintendence of the National Education Association.
American History and Government, School Management and Peda- gogy are Mr. Joiner's specialties, although he has lectured on Geography and Literature in a great many institutes. He has some special talks on high school problems. In the larger institutes, Mr. Joiner would prefer to specialize by talking on history and government. This was done at Pekin in 1918, where he gave 18 addresses on the last mentioned subject.
Mr. Joiner has been superintendent of the following schools: White Hall, Ill., five years; Rochelle, Ill., six years; Monmouth, Ill., seven years ; and LeRoy, Ill., for five years. He has served as treasurer of the North- ern Illinois State Teachers' Association ; president of the Western Illinois State Teachers' Association; president of the Illinois Superintendents' and Principals' Association ; member of the Illinois State Teachers' Legis- lative Committee; and is now a member of the Illinois Teachers' State Reading Circle Board; and was delegate of the Illinois School Masters' Club to N. E. A. at Boston, 1922.
Mr. Joiner is married and has three daughters. His wife is the daughter of Rev. W. H. Carner, now deceased. Rev. Carner served as chaplain during the Civil War and was a preacher of the Baptist Church for 51 years.
Mr. Joiner is a member of the Baptist Church and the teacher of the largest Men's Sunday School class at LeRoy. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge, the Commercial Club, the Country Club, and other local organ- izations.
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The school district of which Mr. Joiner has joint superintendency covers 491/ square miles and is one of the richest agricultural districts in McLean County. A new $300,000.00 high school building has just been completed. Mr. Joiner is also joint superintendent of the LeRoy city grade schools and of the Empire Township High School. He is a public spirited citizen and holds the high regard of all who know him.
F. E. Jones, who is successfully engaged in the lumber business at LeRoy, was born at Brighton, Ill., April 15, 1883, the son of Thomas J. and Margaret (Green) Jones.
Thomas J. Jones was born in Wales and came to the United States at the age of 23 years and located at Brighton, III., where he died in October, 1919. He followed general farming during his life. Margaret (Green) Jones was a native of Germany and now lives at Brighton and is 77 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were the parents of eight children, as follows: William T., farmer, lives at Brighton, Ill .; Anna Smith, lives at Brighton, III. ; Emma F., teaches school and lives with her mother; James A., lives at Brighton; Louis H., farmer, lives at Brighton; Edward F., deceased; F. E., the subject of this sketch; and one child died in infancy.
F. E. Jones was educated in the public schools of Brighton, and at- tended Brown Business College at Jacksonville, Ill., from which he was graduated in 1906. He then entered the employ of the Missouri Pacific and Iron Mountain Railroad for one year, after which he became associ- ated in business with the Darlington Lumber Company at Arrowsmith, Ill. After two years, Mr. Jones came to LeRoy as manager of the Darlington Lumber Company, and in 1914 the company was purchased by the S. R. Cornich Lumber Company. In 1919 Mr. Jones was made district manager of The Alexander Lumber Company with headquarters at LeRoy. They have six large lumber yards and the company carries a complete line of building materials and supplies.
On June 24, 1909, Mr. Jones was married to Miss Nell Kennedy, a native of Arrowsmith, Ill., born March 7, 1886, the daughter of Walter and Elma (Neil) Kennedy, natives respectively of Scotland and LeRoy, III. To F. E. and Nell (Kennedy) Jones two children have been born, as follows: Frank Edward, born Nov. 2, 1910; and Eleanor Jean, born Jan. 16, 1920.
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Mr. Jones is a Democrat and his family are members of the Meth- odist Church at LeRoy. He is an enterprising citizen and representative of the successful type of business man of the community.
Oscar Mandel, deceased, was a well known business man and leading citizen of Bloomington. He was born in Otterburg, Germany, May 16, 1855, and grew to young manhood in that vicinity, and there received his early education. He later attended school at Frankfort, Germany. When 18 years of age he came to America, settling first in Chicago, where he was associated in business with the firm of Mandel Brothers, for 21 years. Following his business career in Chicago, Mr. Mandel came to Blooming- ton, where he became prominent in the business and social life of the city for 34 years.
Mr. Mandel's first business associations in this city were in partner- ship with his brother-in-law, John Bachrack. They purchased a store across the street from the present location of the My Store, formerly conducted by Beatty & Nelson. Twenty-one years ago Mr. Backrack died and Mr. Mandel sold the store to Maurice Levy in 1900, but formed a part- nership with his brother-in-law, Albert Schwarzman, and repurchased the store of Mr. Levy in 1905. The business flourished under the management of Mr. Mandel and Mr. Schwarzman, they having enlarged the scope and added new departments each year.
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