USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement, and progress for nearly a century, Volume II > Part 62
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The subject of this review was reared upon the farm and educated in the public schools, remaining at home and assisting in its maintenance until he ar-
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rived at his majority. Desiring to become independent, he rented a farm and conducted the same for thirteen years with varying degrees of success. In 1905 he removed to Georgetown and for some time worked in a lumberyard, but in 1908 entered the general mercantile business at Vermilion Grove, in which he has since continued with quite satisfactory results.
In 1892 Mr. Martin was united in marriage to Miss Mary B. Cook, who is a native of Ohio and a daughter of William and Catherine (Snyder) Cook. Her father departed this life some years ago, but Mrs. Cook is still living in this county. They were the parents of seven children. One child has blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Martin, Blanch, born May 16, 1894, and now a student at the academy in Vermilion Grove.
Mr. Martin is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and accepts the principles of the republican party as those best adapted to insure the pros- perity and permanent welfare of the republic. He has never sought political preferment but for two years served with general acceptance as member of the school board. Mrs. Martin holds membership in the Christian church and by her thoughtfulness and congeniality has made her home, indeed, a place of comfort and peace. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are willing and active supporters of all move- ments, social or otherwise, tending to promote the permanent interests of the community and as their lives have been thoroughly upright and honorable they are recognized as worthy and useful representatives of the best class of citizen- ship in this region.
CHARLES W. SEIWELL.
Charles W. Seiwell, a passenger conductor, whose long connection with the railway service indicated both his capability and his fidelity, was residing at No. 418 North Hazel street in Danville at the time of his death June 26, 1910. He was born in Pekin, Illinois, July 10, 1846, and was a son of Arnold and Sarah (Clauser) Seiwell. The father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, came from Sellins Grove in Snyder county, that state, to the west in 1833. He was the first of the family to come to Illinois, making the trip long before the building of rail- roads. In fact this section of the state was but sparsely settled. It was the year following the Black Hawk war, when the white race had demonstrated their supremacy, reclaiming all this region for the purposes of civilization. Mr. Sei- well turned his attention to general merchandising and to the grain trade. 'Al- though he entered land he did not live upon his farm but made his home in Pekin, where he superintended his commercial interests. He died in 1849, when his son Charles was but three years of age.
The latter acquired his education in the schools of Pekin. The mother was left with the care of five children and Charles W. Seiwell early started out in life, providing not only for his own support but also aiding in the maintenance of the family. He was both diligent and handy at all that he undertook and although but a boy managed always to have work. He became connected with railway interests when but ten years of age, carrying water for the workmen at
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fifty cents per day. He was afterward promoted to the position of brakeman on a freight and mixed train, and continued railroading until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when the country needed his services and he joined the One Hun- dred and Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry under Colonel H. H. Dean of the Cum- berland Army. He served through the war, being on active duty much of the time in Georgia, and never did he falter in his loyalty to the old flag and the cause it represented.
When hostilities ceased Mr. Seiwell returned to Illinois and for four years was identified with merchandising. He then again resumed railroading and was employed as a conductor on a mixed train. He was afterward made passenger conductor and ran on the Wabash for thirty years. He was one of the oldest as well as one of the most faithful employes, always courteous and obliging to the patrons of the road, while at the same time he carefully looked after the interests of the company which he represented. He lost only thirty days in all this time and his record was one of which he had every reason to be proud.
In 1880 Mr. Seiwell was united in marriage to Miss Hattie D. Stevenson, of Rushville, Illinois, and unto them were born three children. Ed A., the eldest, who is cashier at the electric light plant in Danville, married Miss Nell Yeomans, and they have two children, Helen and Charles. Belle occupies the position of assistant librarian at Danville and resides at home. Harry S. is a sophomore in the medical department of the Chicago University.
The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Seiwell belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic, taking an active and helpful interest in the work and progress of the local post. He was well known in Danville and along the line of the Wabash and gained many friends among the traveling public as well as in the city of his residence.
GEORGE W. SALMANS.
Danville has no more prominent representative than George W. Salmans, who for over a third of a century has been a member of the bar of Vermilion county. He was born on the 9th of January, 1849, in Vinton county, Ohio, and is a representative of one of the pioneer families of that state. His paternal great- grandfather was a native of Delaware, but at a very early day removed to Ohio and he and his family became actively identified with the development of that state. There the grandfather was born but his wife was of Irish extraction, her birth occurring in Furmanaugh, Ireland. Our subject's father, George Sal- mans, who was a farmer by occupation, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, May 13, 1818, and died on the 23rd of May, 1873. In early manhood he mar- ried Mary Rebecca Hudson, whose birth occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, De- cember 25, 1820. She died in March, 1871. Her father was also a native of Maryland and was the son of a Revolutionary soldier, who took part in many of the notable engagements of the war for independence. Our subject's mater- nal great-grandmother bore the maiden name of Mary Ebaugh and lived to the extreme old age of one hundred and four years.
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George W. Salmans began his education in the district school in the northern part of Vermilion county, and subsequently attended the Evans Union College at State Line City, Indiana, for three terms. Having decided to make the prac- tice of law his life work, he next entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and was graduated from the law department with the class of 1876. At the age of eighteen years he began teaching school in Vermilion county and was thus employed at various points for eight years, including several terms in Warren county, Indiana. Being admitted to the bar in 1876, Mr. Salmans opened an office in Danville and here he has since successfully engaged in general practice, handling many of the most noted cases tried in the courts here.
On the 12th of October, 1876, Mr. Salmans was united in marriage to Miss Rachel F. Allison, a daughter of Mark M. Allison, of Alvin, Illinois, and to them were born five children: George E., who is now thirty-two years of age and is engaged in the real-estate business in Danville; Mira, the wife of William Groves and a resident of Chicago; John E., who is assistant superintendent of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company at Alton, Illinois; Mark, a com- mercial traveler; and one who died in infancy. The mother of these children passed away, and, on the 20th of September, 1892, Mr. Salmans was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Addie C. Parks, a daughter of Nathan Brady, of Danville. Three children have been born to them, namely : Ruby, now seventeen years of age; Ruth, fifteen years of age; and Fred W., fourteen years of age. All are at home with their parents.
Mr. Salmans' ancestors were ardent abolitionists and on the organization of the republican party joined its ranks and have since affiliated with it. On at- taining his majority he, too, voted the republican ticket but later, believing that the principles of the democratic party more closely coincided with his own views, he has since given it his support. In the fall of 1896 he was elected to the legislature and most capably filled that office for a term of two years. By studying the needs of his constitutients he rendered the community valuable service and no public trust reposed in him has ever been misplaced. He has made a splendid record as a legislator and lawyer and his life has been such as to commend him to the confidence and high regard of those with whom he has been brought in contact. t. Fraternally he is a Master Mason and finds pleasure in his membership in the blue lodge.
JOHN L. RANDOLPH.
John L. Randolph, the proprietor of a general mercantile establishment at Humrick, has built up an extensive and profitable trade in this connection. His birth occurred in Kansas on the 13th of July, 1882, his parents being L. A. and Martha J. Randolph, who were born in Ross county, Ohio, and Vermilion county, Indiana, respectively. The father, who has now lived in this county for twenty- three years, is a well known and highly esteemed resident of his community.
John L. Randolph, who is the only surviving member of a family of three children, attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education. He
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remained under the parental roof until twenty-five years of age or until 1907, when he started out as an agriculturist on his own account, operating a rented farm for one year. In 1908 he embarked in business as a merchant and has since conducted a well appointed general store at Humrick. He carries a large and carefully selected line of goods, is reasonable in his prices and untiring in his efforts to please his customers.
On the 31st of March, 1907, Mr. Randolph was united in marriage to Miss Lucy Olive Ross, who was born in Vermilion county in January, 1886, her par- ents being George W. and Abigal Ross. The father is a native of Indiana, while the mother's birth occurred in this county. Both still survive and make their home on a farm in Vermilion county. Mrs. Randolph was one of a family of eight children and enjoyed the advantages of a high school education. Our sub- ject and his wife now have one child, Estelle A., whose natal day was November II, 1909.
Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Randolph has sup- ported the men and measures of the democracy and at the present time he holds the office of township collector. Fraternally he is identified with the Tribe of Ben Hur at Humrick. In all the relations of life-business, political or social- he has maintained such a high standard of honor and integrity that he has won the respect, good will and confidence of those who, through daily intercourse with him, have come to know him well.
CORNELIUS M. YOUNG.
Cornelius M. Young, deceased, was for thirty years an honored resident of Danville and for the greater part of that time was actively identified with the business and industrial interests of the city. He claimed Indiana as his native state, his birth occurring in Boone county, on the 23rd of December, 1845, and he was there reared and educated in much the usual manner of country boys. His father, Clayburn A. Young, was a native of Tennessee and was educated for the ministry at Marysville College, that state. Being very much opposed to slavery, he left home at an early age and removed to Indiana, where he engaged in farming and also helped in organizing many Presbyterian churches in that state. His father was a large landowner and had many slaves, but, owing to his opposition to slavery, he refused to accept his share of the estate on his father's death.
Cornelius M. Young engaged in agricultural pursuits during his minority and after his father's death, which occurred when he was twenty-one years of age, he remained with his mother, carrying on the home farm until she, too, passed away six years later. She bore the maiden name of Mary Russell. It was in 1877 that he came to Illinois and two years later he took up his residence in Danville, accepting the superintendency of the branch agency for the Howe Sewing Machine Company established at that place. He continued to fill that position until their factory was burned and then became traveling representative in Illinois and Indiana for the New Home Sewing Machine Company. In con-
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nection with that business he also conducted a retail store in Danville, but con- tinued to travel for twenty-four years, or until his health failed and he was obliged to retire. During the last four years of his life he was not actively identified with any business and on the 19th of December, 1909, he passed away.
Mr. Young was married December 24, 1868, to Miss Alice Welshimer, a daughter of Judge Welshimer, of Neoga, Illinois, who served as judge of the county court for two terms and as postmaster of Neoga for the long period of seventeen years. When the country became involved in civil war he was one of the first to respond to the call for volunteers and was one of the very last soldiers to be exchanged at the close of the struggle, being at that time confined in Libby Prison. He was a native of Ohio but spent the greater part of his life in Neoga. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Julia Pickering, was a native of Vir- ginia. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Young are as follows: Julia, now the wife of A. G. Johnson, of Danville; Mary, now Mrs. De Groat, of Duluth, Minnesota ; Robert R., a resident of Danville; and Lola, the wife of A. G. Cock- erton, of Danville.
Mr. Young was long an earnest and faithful member of the Presbyterian church, in which he served as a deacon for fifteen years. He was a strong tem- perance man and took an active interest in promoting that cause. His fraternal relations were with the Modern Woodmen of America. His upright, Christian life gained for him the confidence of all with whom he had any dealings and it is safe to say that no man in the community was held in higher regard. In busi- ness affairs he wrought along well defined lines of labor, manifesting intelligent appreciation of opportunity, and throughout his entire career displayed habitual regard for what is best in the exercise of human activities.
W. T. LEVERENZ.
W. T. Leverenz has always resided in Vermilion county, his birth having occurred in Danville, November 27, 1873. As the name indicates, he is of Ger- man descent. His father, John Leverenz, was born in Germany and when a young man came to the United States, making his way direct to Danville. He was a hard worker and in the early period of his residence here gave his atten- tion to farming. Later he engaged in the saloon business on Main street and continued to deal in wines and liquors up to the time of his retirement, conduct- ing a well patronized place that brought him a substantial annual return. He wedded Mary Hacker, and unto them were born seven children: John, now deceased, married Mary Caroline Peters and they have one child, Edna. Christ J. married Bertha Drews and they have two children, Clarence and Harold. W. T. is the third of the family. Charles G. married Anna Shingles and they have six children. Minnie is the wife of Charles Schermeyer and they have two sons, Carl and Julius. Josephine is the wife of Herman Bentrap and they have one daughter, Henrietta. 'Anna is the wife of Herman Hosch and they have two children. After losing his first wife, John Leverenz married Miss Mary Gatterman and they have two children, Erma and Carrie, the latter the wife of Edward Burow.
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W. T. Leverenz was educated in the German schools of this locality and at the age of fourteen years learned the trade of cigar making, which he followed for ten years. He then turned his attention to the saloon business, in which he has since been engaged. He was appointed deputy game warden in 1909 and has since had charge of Vermilion county in this capacity. He is one of the promi- nent sportsmen of the locality but believes in carefully protecting the game that no species shall become extinct.
On the 30th of June, 1897, Mr. Leverenz was married to Miss Emma Strebing and they have four children, Gertrude, Ethel, Norma and William T. Mr. Leverenz belongs to the Liquor Dealers Association, is a member of the Frater- nal Order of Eagles, the Turners and St. John's Evangelical church.
ALBA HONYWELL.
Ere a man's life has run its full course the tribute of honor and praise should not be withheld him if it truly merited. Encomiums can mean nothing to the individual after death but the word of appreciation, if sincerely spoken, will bring a glow to the heart and the full satisfaction that one has not lived in vain. A revered patriarch of the community, the horologe of time has told off almost eighty-nine years since Alba Honywell started upon his earthly pilgrimage. His youth indicated little of what the future had in store for him. A review of his life shows that he has figured prominently in events which have not only shaped the history of his home community but have also had far-reaching effect in national affairs. He has lived largely for others as the defender of truth and justice, as the enemy of wrong and oppression. He has ever marched in step with those who follow the banner of liberty, in opposition to those who seek the physical, mental and moral enslavement of the race. Aside from what he has done for his home city, his name is perhaps most deeply inscribed upon the pages of history because of his early identification with and active support of the abolition cause.
Mr. Honywell was born in Cayuga county, New York, December 15, 1821. His father, Enoch Honywell, was born in Westchester county, New York, in 1787, and of his life a contemporary biographer has written as follows: "His education was largely acquired in that county and upon approaching manhood he engaged in the manufacture of patent wheel heads for spinning. This proved a very paying enterprise. With marked business foresight he realized the future of the west and that a man who had enterprise enough to take advantage of the opportunities there might attain to a position of marked affluence. Accordingly, in 1816, he made his way into Indiana and entered one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, embracing the present site of the city of Terre Haute, where he established a home and lived for several years until malaria drove him away. In the meantime he engaged in farming and shipping pork, sending his boxes by way of New Orleans to New York city, often going with his merchandise him- self. He subsequently located in Cayuga county, New York, and engaged in chair making, living there until 1836, when he went on a farm in Steuben county,
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New York, where he made his home until his death in 1887. He was a man of marked mentality and of considerable literary ability. Under more favorable circumstances he would have distinguished himself in the world of letters, being a ready writer of both prose and poetry. He looked upon life from a broad humanitarian standpoint, recognized the influences which were helpful to man- kind and those which were detrimental, favoring with fidelity the former and working with strong opposition to the latter. He opposed slavery and slave traffic and he also was directly opposed to Masonry and other secret societies. He was an agitator of public thought and influenced the same to a great extent, doing his best to arouse the people to a realization of the true situation concern- ing elements or interests that were derogatory to the public welfare. He never sought political office, however, nor desired any honors of such a character. In early manhood he was a member of the Baptist church but becoming dissatisfied with the faith of the church in regard to the slavery question he left it and be- came identified with the Wesleyan Methodist, remaining a devoted member of that denomination until his death, which occurred in New York on the 14th of January, 1887, when he had reached the advanced age of ninety-nine years. His death resulted from an accident. He had retained his faculties to a remarkable degree and even in extreme old age he was a man of marked influence, laboring untiringly for the welfare of his fellowmen. An extensive newspaper contrib- utor, his views were widely read throughout the country and he also published many pamphlets at his own expense. He appealed to the hearts and minds of his fellowmen in relation to their ethical duties, and who can measure the in- fluences of such a life? Tennyson has said that our echoes 'roll from soul to soul' and 'grow forever and forever' and the impetus which Mr. Honywell gave to the realization of man's duty is undoubtedly felt today in the lives of those with whom he came in contact. He married Eliza Dye, a native of Rhode Island, who passed away about 1866, when seventy-four years of age. In their family were three children of whom the subject of this review was the eldest. Gilbert Hony- well, deceased, was a resident of Schuyler county, New York, while Emma, deceased, was the wife of a Mr. Fenna and lived upon the home farm in Schuyler county."
Alba Honywell spent the first twelve years of his life in his native county and then accompanied his parents to what is now Schuyler, but was then Steuben county, New York. He was reared amid an atmosphere of refinement, of in- tellectual activity and of Christian teaching, and the lessons which he learned in youth at his father's fireside have borne fruit throughout the ensuing years. When he had mastered the curriculum of the common schools, and had done some work in an academy, he continued his studies in Oneida Institute, near Utica, New York, where he came under the immediate instruction of the noted re- former and theologian, the Rev. Beriah Green, who was then president of the school and later spent several years lecturing on temperance and anti-slavery, while his periodicals concerning reforms were widely read at that time.
Mr. Honywell took up the active duties of business life as a teacher, being connected for some time with the common schools and academies of New York. In his early manhood interest centered in the slavery question, the abuses per- petrated in the south arousing the people of the north to an opposition that at
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length resulted in the formation of the abolition party. Mr. Honywell was among the first to become actively engaged in this movement and was a delegate to the Buffalo convention which nominated James G. Birney as the abolition candidate for the presidency. Later he became a law student in Rochester, New York, with the firm of Gilbert & Osborne as his preceptors, and while thus engaged made the acquaintance of many eminent men, including Gerritt Smith, William Goodell, Alvan Stewart and others interested in the anti-slavery movement.
Following his removal from Rochester to New York city, Mr. Honywell became editor of the New York Eagle. He there joined forces with the Ameri- can Anti-Slavery Society and for four years was an associate editor of the New York Slavery Standard but ill health at length compelled him to relinquish all editorial work. He had, during this time, formed the acquaintance of Wen- dell Phillips, Fred Douglas, William Lloyd Garrison, James Russell Lowell, Sidney Howard Gay and many other men of that time, who, for the sake of their principles, suffered ostracism from society but stood unalterable in support of the principles in which they believed and the seeds which they planted soon bore fruit. Mr. Honywell was actively associated with these men in their great work until his duties called him to other fields.
On the 14th of April, 1853, he landed from a packet boat at Lafayette, Iro- quois county, Illinois, and since that time he has been identified with the ma- terial, intellectual and moral upbuilding of this city. He invested in one thous- sand acres of land in Stockland township and, during the three years in which he resided upon that place, made many substantial improvements there and also purchased another tract of four hundred acres. While thus extensively en- gaged in promoting his agricultural interests he also followed the profession of teaching and utilized every available opportunity during this period to advance the anti-slavery sentiments, which were already gaining many adherents in Illinois.
In the spring of 1856 Mr. Honywell started with his family for Minnesota but on arriving in Chicago, during Fremont's campaign, became associated with the Chicago News, which was edited and controlled by the republican element. The winter was passed in Chicago but in the spring of 1857 the fam- ily went to Logansport, Indiana, where Mr. Honywell entered upon the pur- chase and sale of lumber. He also engaged in teaching school for several years in Logansport and in Lafayette, Indiana, and never for a moment did his in- terest in the abolition cause falter nor his efforts cease in the work for its support. Feeling developed and intensified in the north and the south and the division of opinion over the slavery question at length involved the country in Civil War. Mr. Honeywell was offered the appointment of adjutant in the army but circumstances prevented him from accepting it and in 1863 he returned to his home in Iroquois county. He not only capably managed his agricultural interests but also did much local service, acting continuously as township super- visor until 1869, after which he served for four years as county clerk, retiring from the office in 1873. In 1871 he purchased land now included within the limits of Hoopeston and having assisted in laying out the town removed his family to this place. His efforts were an influential factor in the establishment of the Chicago railroad through the town and the growth and development of
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