USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois, Volume Two > Part 17
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Harley O'Neal spent his boyhood at Saybrook, Illinois, and attended the public schools. He came to Rankin in 1905 and spent the next two years as manager of the farm of Henry S. France. He then went with the Lake Erie & Western Railroad as a fireman. Mr. O'Neal learned the plumbing and tinning trade in Brickey's Hardware Store, Rankin, and in May, 1926, purchased the shop from Mr. Brickey. He has the agency for the Lennox Furnace, Premier DeLuxe Furnace and also represents the Koons Furnace Company.
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In 1905 Mr. O'Neal married Miss Bertha France, the daughter of Henry S. and Martha France, both deceased. They were natives of Ohio and early settlers of LaSalle County, Illinois. Mrs. O'Neal died June 20, 1907, and is buried at Rankin. Her son, Vernon, was born June 3, 1907. He married Miss Mona Engebrecht, and is pro- prietor of a garage at Potomac, Illinois. In 1915 Mr. O'Neal was married the second time to Miss Myria Norris, the daughter of Samuel and Lucy Norris, natives of Indiana. He is deceased and his widow lives at Rankin. To Harley and Myria (Norris) O'Neal the following chil- dren have been born: Glenn, Frances, Ernest, Ethel, Velma, Earl, and Doris, all at home.
Mr. O'Neal is independent in politics. He has served as a member of the school board and was the first chief of the local fire department.
John Frederick, one of the proprietors of the "Square Deal Garage," is numbered among the progressive and enterprising young business men of Rankin. He was born on a farm in Iroquois County, Illinois, February 8, 1903, the son of John and Emma (Strauss) Frederick.
John Frederick, deceased, was a native of Germany. He was three years old when his parents brought him to this country. They settled at Peoria, Illinois, and in later life Mr. Frederick became interested in farming. He entered the employ of the Nickel Plate Railroad and was employed by that company at Rankin at the time of his death in 1926. His widow, born in Berlin, Germany, resides at Rankin. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick were the parents of the following children: Elizabeth, married Lawrence Fitzgerald, lives at Rankin; Arthur, a World War veteran, lives in Chicago; Samuel, a World War vet- eran, deceased; Edward, lives at Rankin; Sophia, married
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Franklin Lutz, lives at Rankin; John F., and Benjamin, live at Rankin; Harry, lives in Chicago; Cora and Rosella, both at home.
The boyhood of John Frederick was spent at Rankin. He attended the public schools and following his gradua- tion from Rankin High School engaged in farming for six years. He then went to Hoopeston with the Vermilion Malleable Iron Company and in 1925 took charge of the bulk station of the Standard Oil Company at Rankin. He has been interested in the garage business since 1927 and in 1929 became associated with Honas Grecht. They are expert mechanics and operate one of the best equipped garages and service stations in this section of Vermilion County. Their modern garage has a capacity of fifty cars.
In 1928 Mr. Frederick was united in marriage with Miss Helen Seidel, the daughter of Gustave and Bertha Seidel, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Illinois.
Politically, Mr. Frederick is a Republican. He is a 'member of the Lutheran Church and belongs to the Rankin Business Men's Association.
Harvey V. Andrews, of Andrews & Williams, general merchants, has been a leading business man of Armstrong for many years. He was born at Danville, Illinois, March 31, 1869, the son of John H. and Laura (Earls) Andrews.
John H. Andrews, deceased, was a veteran of the Civil War. He was born in London, England, and came to Canada with his father, who was a member of Her Majesty's "Cold Stream Guards." The family located near Goose Island, Canada, where the father served as an officer in the English Army. Later, John H. Andrews came to New York, where he spent several years. He then came
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to Vermilion County and settled at Rossville. He joined the Seventieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry and later served with an Indiana outfit of light artillery. He was wounded at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, and taken prisoner at Hattlet Inlet. He served for eight months in Libby prison, and later escaped to join his regiment. He was honorably discharged from the service in 1865. Mr. Andrews then came to Danville, where he was married to Laura Earls, a native of that city. Six children were born to them, as follows: Frank, deceased; William H., lives at Hoopeston; Anna, married Sherman Williams, lives at Danville; Harvey V., the subject of this sketch; W. A., deceased; and Virginia, married Frank Crocker, lives at Meade, Kansas. Mr. Andrews was a Republican, a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He died in 1879 and his wife died in 1877. Both are buried in Springhill Cemetery, Danville.
The education of Harvey V. Andrews was received in the public schools of Danville. He was a boy of ten years when he was left an orphan. For a time he lived with C. J. McGee and later with N. A. Kimball. Subsequently he went to Oakwood, Illinois, where he was employed on a farm by Nelson Liggett. At the age of twenty-one years Mr. Andrews attended Brown's Business College, at Val- paraiso, Indiana. He began his business career with the Glenburn Coal Company and later was bookkeeper for the St. Charles Coal Company, St. Charles, Illinois. He then came to Armstrong and was employed as a clerk by Mr. Brown for a time, after which he went with R. G. Risser, of Kankakee, Illinois, as manager of his store at Arm- strong. After a number of years Mr. Andrews became interested in the general mercantile business as a member of the firm of Mills, Andrews & Goodwine. The firm later became Andrews & Cook and finally Andrews & Williams. They are leading merchants of this section and have an excellent trade.
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In 1905 Mr. Andrews married Miss Louise James, of Rochester, Indiana. They have no children.
Mr. Andrews has always been a Republican. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and belongs to the Masonic Lodge and Modern Woodmen of America.
Arthur S. Bass is recognized as one of the substantial business men of Armstrong, where he is president of the Farmers State Bank. He was born in Middleport Town- ship, Vermilion County, October 17, 1866, the son of Henry and Harriet (Bennett) Bass.
Henry Bass was born in England. He learned the draper's trade from his father, Thomas Bass, a dry goods merchant. In 1851 Henry Bass came to the United States and settled in Vermilion County, near Potomac. He engaged in general farming and also conducted the first general store at Potomac. In 1879 he removed to another farm of two hundred and thirty acres southeast of Arm- strong, where he remained until about 1906. He then retired and came to Armstrong, where he died in 1909. Mr. Bass was a Republican and a member of the Methodist Church. His wife, also born in England, died in 1899. Both are buried at Potomac. To Mr. and Mrs. Bass seven children were born, as follows: Mary, the widow of W. F. Burd, lives at Danville; Fannie, the widow of Samuel Gilbert, lives at Urbana, Illinois; Thomas, Samuel, and Harriet, all deceased; Fred, farmer, lives at Pleasant Hill, Illinois; and Arthur S., the subject of this sketch.
Arthur S. Bass has always lived in Vermilion County. He attended the district schools and was interested in farming at an early age. For a time he farmed on his father's land and later became the owner of one thousand two hundred and fifty acres in Vermilion County, which he owns at the present time. He has also owned large
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tracts of land in the West. Mr. Bass has been identified with banking interests since 1902, at which time he and his brother, Fred Bass, purchased the Goodwin Bank, of Armstrong. It was thereafter known as Bass Brothers Bank until its incorporation in 1904 as the Farmers State Bank. Arthur S. Bass then became vice president. Three years later he purchased his brother's interests and became president of the institution.
In 1889 Mr. Bass married Miss Jennie Earl, the daugh- ter of Elijah and Salome (Crouse) Earl, natives of Indiana, both now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Bass were born four children: Florence, deceased; Earl, farmer, lives in Vermilion County, married Pearl Duncan, and they have three children, Mildred, Margaret, and Robert; Fred, vice president of the Commercial Savings & Trust Company, Danville; and Irene, a graduate of the Univer- sity of Illinois, was a teacher at Vackaville, California, High school. On June 6, 1929, she married Lewis G. Mar- telle, and they now reside in Vackaville, California.
Mr. Bass is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Church, and belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
The Farmers State Bank, of Armstrong, is numbered among the dependable and well known banking institu- tions of Vermilion County. It was organized as a private bank in 1895 by J. P. Fraut, and was originally known as the Bank of Armstrong.
John W. Goodwine became the owner of the Bank of Armstrong after several years and the name was changed to the Goodwine Bank of Armstrong. In 1902 Arthur S. Bass, in partnership with his brother, Fred Bass, became owners of the bank and it then became known as Bass Brothers Bank. In 1904 it was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois as the Farmers State Bank,
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with a capital stock of $25,000. The first new officers were: Fred Bass, president; A. D. Bass, vice president; and John Anderson, cashier. The directors were: Fred Bass, A. S. Bass, John Anderson, Guy C. Howard, A. C. Maury, D. M. Lane, and Staunton Foster.
In 1907 A. S. Bass purchased the interests of his brother in the bank and at that time was elected president, in which capacity he now serves. Dale Goodwine became cashier at that time.
The present officers (1929) of the Farmers State Bank, of Armstrong, are: Arthur S. Bass, president; Staunton Foster, vice president; and Dale Goodwine, cashier. The directors are: A. S. Bass, S. Foster, A. Gilbert, D. M. Lane, and Earl Bass.
The Farmers State Bank has a capital stock of $25,000 and a surplus of $25,000.
Morgan Bradford Grimes, familiarly known as "Col. M. B. Grimes," has been a resident of Vermilion County for twenty years, having moved here from the State of Indiana.
Colonel Grimes has been active in farming and auction- eering, and is widely known as an expert horse salesman. He sold for the leading markets at sale barns in Indianap- olis, Terre Haute, St. Louis, Chicago, and Danville.
In an official capacity, Colonel Grimes served as deputy United States marshall, as a member of the police force of Danville, and as deputy sheriff of Vermilion County. He was elected sheriff of the county on November 6, 1926, with the largest majority of any sheriff of Vermilion County. The slogan given him before his election was: "A real man for a real job."
As sheriff of Vermilion County, Colonel Grimes asks the cooperation of the citizens of the county for law en- forcement.
MORGAN BRADFORD GRIMES
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Sidney B. Cutright .- Prominent in business and finan- cial circles in Hoopeston, where he is secretary of the Illinois Canning Company, Sidney B. Cutright was born at Peoria, Illinois, September 29, 1882, the son of James M. and Emma S. (Heckard) Cutright.
James M. Cutright, deceased, was a leading attorney of Peoria for many years. He was born at Chillicothe, Illinois, and was a graduate of Lombard College. He became master of the chancery of Peoria County, and served in that office for a number of years. Mr. Cutright was a Democrat; a member of Illinois Lodge, No. 263, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Past Master; Royal Arch Chapter; Peoria Commandery, No. 3, Knights Tem- plar, Past Captain General; Mohammed Shrine; Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks; and Knights of Pythias. He was identified with the Peoria County Bar Associa- tion, Illinois Bar Association, and American Bar Associa- tion. Mr. Cutright died in 1904 and is buried at Peoria, Illinois. His widow, born at Atlanta, Illinois, lives at Peoria. To Mr. and Mrs. Cutright were born three chil- dren: Lois Ida, teacher, West Technical High School, Cleveland, Ohio; Sidney B., the subject of this sketch; and Florence, teacher, Peoria High School, Peoria.
Following his graduation from the public schools of Peoria, Sidney B. Cutright attended Bradley Academy and in 1903 was graduated from Bradley Polytechnic Institute. He began his business career with his uncle, N. S. Cut- right, lumber dealer, Peoria, Illinois, and Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He was later associated with the Louisiana Lumber Company, of Rochelle, Louisiana, and after his return to Peoria assumed charge of the Cutright & Rus- sell Lumber Company until 1911. He then came to Hoopes- ton and became identified with the Illinois Canning Com- pany through his uncle, N. S. Cutright, at that time vice president of the company. Sidney B. Cutright later became vice president and when the business was reor-
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ganized he became a member of the executive committee. He has served as secretary of the company since 1928. He is also trustee of the Cutright estate.
In 1911 Mr. Cutright was united in marriage with Miss Beatrice Jenkins, the daughter of Frank L. and Adele Jenkins, natives of Peoria. Mr. Jenkins, formerly asso- ciated with Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Company, of Chicago, now lives retired at Spring Valley, Illinois. His wife is deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Cutright have been born four children: Mary Stuart, Sidney B., Jr., Beatrice Joanne, and Frances Shirley.
Mr. Cutright is a Democrat, a member of the Univer- salist Church, and has the following lodge and club affilia- tions: Star Lodge No. 709, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Hoopeston Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, No. 181; Danville Consistory, thirty-second degree; Modern Wood- men of America; Hubbard Trail Country Club; and Com- mercial Club.
The Illinois Canning Company .- The first business enterprise of any magnitude to be established in Hoopes- ton was the canning plant by S. S. McCall in the year 1875, two years before Hoopeston was incorporated as a city. From a primitive venture this factory has been brought to one of the greatest concerns of its kind in the country, today canning approximately twenty million cans of beans and corn annually.
Stephen S. McCall was a New York man who came west on a prospecting trip for a site on which to locate a canning factory. Arriving in Hoopeston he became much enthused over the prospect for the establishment of such a factory in this city. The old building that had been used as headquarters for the Snell, Taylor & Mix Con- struction Company was taken over and converted into a factory and operations started. The venture proved a suc-
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cess from the first and grew by leaps and bounds until it was soon commanding attention in its field. In the year 1877, the business venture was incorporated under the name of the Illinois Canning Company, Inc., in the State of Illinois, and this name has remained unchanged to the present day, although the business has passed from the hands of the original founders.
In the period between the year 1878, when the business was incorporated, and the year 1902, William Moore and James A. Cunningham, two of Hoopeston's pioneer citi- zens who had been interested in the company from its beginning here, acquired the controlling interest. Of later years, the control of the company passed from these citi- zens to the following officials and directors, who guide its destinies at the present day: Isaac Miller Hamilton, Chi- cago, president; W. A. Miskimen, vice president and gen- eral manager; S. B. Cutright, secretary; and R. M. Zook, treasurer. Executive Committee: W. A. Miskimen, S. B. Cutright, and R. M. Zook.
Much of the product of the Illinois Canning Company that is canned annually, is grown under the direct super- vision of its experts. Thousands of acres of land are owned or leased from year to year in the immediate vicin- ity of this city by the company to insure a fancy grade of corn and beans coming to the factory during the pack season. Although the company has enjoyed a steady and continual growth during the years from the date of its founding to the present day, perhaps the greatest improve- ment to come at any time took place during the first six months of 1925, when following out a program of build- ing and improvement, decided upon several seasons before, and for which they had been quietly preparing, the com- pany increased their warehouse facilities here by some two hundred thousand cases as well as effecting a much better arrangement of their factory and farm facilities. Included in this improvement was the locating of all farm-
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ing equipment at the Brigg's place, a twenty acre tract at Orange Street and South Second Avenue. A storage implement house, 40 x 200 feet; a feed barn 60 x 225 feet; a stock barn 74 x 250 feet were built on this tract, which was surrounded with a seven foot chain link fence, with one main entrance gate on Orange Street. A locker room and bunkhouse, also included in the improvement, were built just inside of the gate. This improvement left avail- able the huge building on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, extending from Washington to Lincoln Street, for storage purposes and as a loading warehouse from which the product of the Illinois Canning Factory can now be loaded direct to waiting freight cars on this rail- road, for shipment to the markets of the world.
Purity and quality of the goods canned by the Illinois Canning Company have been maintained with a faithful- ness and conscientious fidelity to their reputation that has brought praise from all parts of the nation. The steady growth of the business, one of the most important of this city's industries, is the only testimonial needed to prove that quality.
Nathan Dowell, a veteran of the World War, is well and favorably known at Armstrong, where he is agent for the Illinois Central Railroad. He was born at Breckin- ridge, Kentucky, February 14, 1889, the son of Ezra and Anna (Wood) Dowell.
Ezra Dowell was a native of Kentucky, as was also his wife. He was a farmer throughout his active career and owned a well improved farm of five hundred acres in Ken- tucky. He specialized in the raising of tobacco. Mr. Dowell died February 8, 1925, and his wife died in 1891. Both are buried at Freedom, Breckinridge County, Ken- tucky. Mr. Dowell was a Republican, a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Masonic Lodge.
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The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Dowell were, as fol- lows: Frank, Charles, and Austin, farmers, Breckinridge County, Kentucky; Seth Thomas, lives at Freemont, Nebraska; Ellen, married S. M. Haynes, lives at Garfield, Kentucky; Cora, married Robert Poole, lives in Breckin- ridge County, Kentucky; and Nathan, the subject of this sketch.
Nathan Dowell received his education in the public schools of Breckinridge County, Kentucky, and in 1910 was graduated from Harned Normal College. He later was graduated from Bryan & Stratton Business College, and then learned telegraphy at the United Telegraphers School, Cincinnati, Ohio. He also studied at the Illinois Railroad Training School at Chicago, Illinois. He began as station helper at Divernon, Illinois, for the Illinois Cen- tral Railroad, later worked as an extra operator between St. Louis, Missouri, and Clinton, Illinois, on the Spring- field Division, and then as agent at Alvin, Illinois. In 1918 Mr. Dowell enlisted for service in the World War and was sent to Fort Wright, New York, where he was assigned to the Sixty-eighth Coast Artillery Corps, as a member of Battery E. He saw active service in France and was dis- charged from the army on March 6, 1919. Mr. Dowell then re-entered the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad as agent at Beason, Illinois, and was later transferred to Armstrong as agent.
On December 24, 1921, Mr. Dowell was united in mar- riage with Miss Ebba Sigfridson, the daughter of Peter and Joanne Sigfridson, of Geneva, Illinois. They are natives of Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Dowell have a daughter, Joanne.
Mr. Dowell is a member of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, Rossville Lodge No. 527, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, American Legion, and Order of Railway Telegraphers. In politics he is a Republican.
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Lem Neville .- One of the well known and highly esteemed young men of Vermilion County is Lem Neville, who is serving as postmaster of Catlin. He was born at Cayuga, Indiana, May 5, 1898, the son of William and Anna (Clinesmyth) Neville.
William Neville was born at Industry, Pennsylvania, in 1861, and his wife was born near Fithian, Illinois. She was the daughter of George and Elizabeth (Blue) Cline- smyth, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Penn- sylvania. Both are buried in Stearns Cemetery, near Muncie, Illinois. They were early settlers of that section and prominent farmers of Fithian. William Neville was a young man when he came to Grape Creek, in Illinois. He was a miner and later lived at Cayuga, Indiana, and Muncie, Illinois. He came to Catlin in 1900 and was employed as a contractor in the mines of the Deering Coal Company. Mr. Neville was a Democrat, a member of the Presbyterian Church, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Loyal Order of Moose. He died January 12, 1918, and his widow lives at Catlin. They were the parents of two children: Lem, the subject of this sketch; and Harvey, who died June 14, 1924.
Lem Neville attended the public schools of Catlin and following his graduation from high school he took a busi- ness course at Brown's Business College. He served as time keeper for the Hegeler Zinc Company for a time before entering the employ of the Danville post office as a carrier. In 1919 he went to Decatur, Illinois, and later that year was transferred to the postal department at Denver, Colorado. He returned to Decatur the following year and in 1921 was transferred to Oak Park, Illinois. During this time Mr. Neville took a course in engineering from the International Correspondence Schools, Scranton, Pennsylvania, and later entered the employ of the Public Service Company of Northern Illinois, at Chicago. He served as an electrical engineer and sub-station operator.
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He resigned from this position, however, after a short time and entered the general post office in Chicago as a clerk. He became a carrier out of Station C, Chicago, and resigned on May 1, 1923, and came to Catlin to work in the mines. On July 24, 1924, he was appointed postmaster of Catlin, and has continued in that office to the present time.
On October 14, 1928, Mr. Neville was united in mar- riage with Miss Garnett Watson, the daughter of C. H. and Margaret Jane Watson, natives of Adams County, Illinois. He died in 1918 and is buried at Quincy, Illinois. His widow lives at Rock Island, Illinois. Mr. Watson was an engineer on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad for many years.
Mr. Neville is a Republican, a member of the Presby- terian Church, Catlin Lodge No. 285, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Vermilion Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, No. 82, and Danville Consistory, thirty-second degree.
Ross Donaldson, one of the oldest and best known mer- chants of Armstrong, is a native of Illinois. He was born near Ogden, Champaign County, April 19, 1878, the son of William Alonzo and Mary Alice (Divan) Donaldson.
William Alonzo Donaldson was born in Fountain County, Indiana, December 25, 1846, and his wife was a native of Ohio. He spent his boyhood on his father's farm and went to Livingston County, Missouri, about 1892. He returned to Illinois in 1899 and settled at Armstrong, where he was living retired at the time of his death in 1915. His wife died in 1899. Both are buried in Stearns Cemetery, near Ogden, Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Donald- son the following children were born: Ellsworth and Alfred, both deceased; Ross, the subject of this sketch; Lulu, who died in 1912; Sadie, married James Ridge, lives
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at Lansing, Michigan; Clarence, lives at Ligonier, Indiana; and Druzilla, married Harold McGehy, lives at Urbana, Illinois.
Ross Donaldson obtained his education in the public schools of Ogden, Illinois. He assisted on his father's farm for a time and in 1899 located at Armstrong. The following year he went to Janesburg, Illinois, where he clerked in a grocery store for two years. Upon his return to Armstrong in 1902 Mr. Donaldson clerked in the store of J. W. Miller and remained in his employ for ten years. He then managed a store for Joseph Cook and later clerked in the store of W. D. Fortner for two years. In 1920 he purchased the business of Mr. Fortner, which he has suc- cessfully conducted to the present time.
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