USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement, and progress for nearly a century, Volume II > Part 90
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JOHN LEEMON.
Viewed through the perspective of the years it is possible to take an im- partial view of the work of any individual and to judge correctly of its value to the community. When considered in this way the labors of John Leemon are recognized as of marked importance to Vermilion county, where as a pio- neer settler he located, being among the first to plant the seeds of civilization upon the prairies that are now peopled by a prosperous population. He had the sound judgment to recognize the fact that this district must eventually be- come thickly inhabited because of the natural resources of the country and as the result of his labor and sound judgment he made extensive investments and in time became one of the most successful agriculturists of the community. He was a native of County Armagh, Ireland, although of Scotch descent. He was born on the 8th of May, 1829, a son of Thomas Leemon, whose ancestors had settled in the north of Ireland when religious persecution drove them from Scotland. Thomas Leemon wedded Miss Elizabeth Thompson and unto them were born six children. In 1857 they crossed the Atlantic to establish their home in America, where John Leemon had already settled three years before. For a time they resided in Jersey county, Illinois, and subsequently took up their abode in Christian county, where the father passed away in 1862. The
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mother made her home in her later years with her son John and was called to her final rest in 1882.
The schools of Ireland afforded John Leemon his educational privileges and at the age of twenty-two he bade adieu to family and friends and made his way to the new world. Favorable reports had reached him concerning busi- neses conditions here and the opportunities afforded to industrious ambitious young men. After a brief stay on the Atlantic coast he became a resident of Jersey county, Illinois, and sought and secured work as a farm hand at twelve dollars per month. In the winter season he was employed at husking corn at two cents a bushel and board. Close economy enabled him to save some money from his meager earnings and he invested in a team. Desiring that his labors should more directly benefit himself he rented land in Jersey county and there
carried on general farming until 1857. In the meantime, however, he invested in property in Vermilion county, purchasing four hundred and forty acres of wild land from the government. The greater part of the territory now com- prised within the borders of this county was still unclaimed and uncultivated but Mr. Leemon recognized the richness of the soil and knew that earnest labor would convert the prairie land into productive fields. The only man living in the neighborhood at the time was Thomas Hoopes, with whom he boarded, walking to his place each morning, a distance of two and a half miles and re- turning in the evening. He felt that this consumed too much time, however, when there was so much to be done upon his farm, and in April, 1857, he built a little house thereon and managed the household affairs as well as the fields until the time of his marriage. That happy event in his life occurred August 26, 1865, in Rossville, Miss Lodema Brown, of Butler township, becoming his wife. She was born near Lockport, Niagara county, New York, and when about seventeen years of age accompanied her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Brown, to Indiana. Five years were there passed and the family removed to East Lynn, Vermilion county, Mrs. Leemon being then a young lady of twenty- two years. Her father spent his last days in Marysville, Tennessee, where he died a number of years ago. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Catherine Bears, remained with Mrs. Leemon until shortly before her death in 1888.
At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Leemon began their domestic life in the little home which he had already prepared and he bent his energies with renewed effort to the development of his farm until his labors has wrought a wonderful transformation. He placed acre after acre under the plow and in time golden harvests rewarded his cultivation of the fields. He also set out many varieties of fruit trees and planted hedge fences. His labors were not only of a most practical but also of a most progressive character and when invention brought forth improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields he was quick to secure such and thus add to the productiveness of his farm. He had two windmills and a feed mill placed upon his farm and his barn was underlaid with water pipes which led to various tanks wherever water was re- quired for stock. Tiling converted wet land into cultivable fields and the Lee- mon farm came in time to be recognized as one of the finest in all eastern Illinois. He prospered as time passed on and as his financial resources increased added to his landed interests until he was known as one of the most extensive
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land holders of this part of the state. He owned in Vermilion and Iroquois counties more than eighteen hundred acres of land in addition to a two-thirds interest in eighteen hundred acres in Scott county and also property in Christian county. Since his death a division of his property has been made among his heirs. He was likewise associated with banking interests as one of the or- ganizers of the Hamilton, Leemon & Lateer Bank of Hoopeston, with which he was associated up to the time of his death. Since then the bank has been reorganized under the name of the Hamilton & Cunningham Bank.
As the years passed on six children came to brighten the household and sorrow also entered its portals when their eldest child, a daughter, Izele, passed away at the age of twelve years. The others are: May Eliza, Robert A., John A., Charles N. and Edith L. Of these 'Robert married Bessie Gilson, of Chi- cago, in 1895, and makes his home in Hoopeston. He was a student in Quincy, Illinois, and equally good advantages were afforded the other children, May Eliza pursuing her education in Onarga, John and Charles in Galesburg and Chicago, and Edith at Lake Forest, Illinois. The family circle was again broken by the hand of death, when on the 17th of December, 1890, Mr. Leemon passed away, his death resulting from a runaway accident. He had ridden to Hoopeston for a load of lumber and on returning home his team became un- manageable. He was thrown to the ground, the wagon passing over his body. For two days he lingered and then departed this life, his remains being in- terred in Floral Hill cemetery. His death caused a feeling of intense sorrow throughout the community. He was a man of genuine personal worth, of generous disposition, kindly spirit and unassailable honor and these qualities had endeared him to all with whom he came in contact. He had been reared in the Presbyterian church and his life embodied high and honorable prin- ciples. He was a strong temperance man, using neither liquor nor tobacco, and his influence was always found on the side of progress, truth and right. Mrs. Leemon holds membership in the Universalist church and Mr. Leemon's gener- osity enabled her to give liberal assistance thereto. In 1897 she left the farm and now occupies an attractive home in Hoopeston, the family being very promi- nent in the social circles of the city. The sons of the family are all now well known and prosperous business men of Hoopeston. Mr. Leemon was , devoted to his family and found his greatest happiness in contributing to the welfare and comfort of his wife and children. In politics he was always a democrat in support of political principles but at local elections, where no issue was involved, he regarded only the capability and fitness of the candidate. He was called at various times to public office and faithfully discharged his duties in those connections. For eight years he served as justice of the peace and his decisions were always strictly fair and impartial. He served as super- visor for four years and was a school director and trustee.
Mr. Leemon had lived to witness remarkable changes in the county, for the work of civilization had scarcely been begun when he took up his abode on his Vermilion county farm. It was no unusual thing to see as many as seventy- five head of deer at one time and he engaged with his neighbors in many a wolf hunt when hunger had made the wolves so venturesome that they would steal to the very doors of the cabin in order to get the venison found hanging by
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the side of the house. In many winters he killed from fifteen to twenty head of deer and the last deer known to have been slain upon the prairies fell before his rifle. As settlers came in the evidences of pioneer life were done away with, yet for some years after his arrival the prairies were starred with millions of wild flowers in June and in the winter were covered with one unbroken, dazzling sheet of snow. The roads were in poor condition and many of the now well kept highways had not yet been laid out. In all the work of progress and improvement Mr. Leemon bore his party and his aid could be counted upon to further any public project that promised to benefit the county at large.
He was a man of strong character and marked individuality, faithful to his friends, loyal in citizenship, yet his best traits of character were ever re- served for his own home and fireside and in the circle of his family he was known as a loving, considerate husband and father. His wife and children still sacredly cherish is memory and the sons, following in his footsteps, have become recognized not only as progressive but also as honorable business men of the county.
CHARLES A. ALLEN.
Charles A. Allen, a resident of Hoopeston, is known as one of Illinois' rep- resentative and honored citizens. He has left and is leaving his impress upon public thought and action and is well qualified by nature for the position of leadership to which he has attained. He stands in preeminent position in the ranks of the republican party in Illinois and his legislative history, cover- ing almost two decades, constitutes an important chapter in Illinois politics. Moreover, in all the private relations of life he has commanded the respect and confidence of those who know him and is most highly honored where best known, a fact which indicates that his record is one which will bear close in- vestigation and scrutiny and contains no esoteric chapters.
Mr. Allen was born in Danville, Vermilion county, Illinois, July 26, 1851. His father, William I. Allen, was a native of Plain City, Madison county, Ohio, and devoted his life to farming. Removing westward to Illinois, he entered land at Hoopeston and adding to his possession from time to time, became the owner of three thousand acres in this county. He also practiced law in the early days, becoming a member of the Danville bar at the time when Abraham Lincoln was often seen in the courts of that city. Later he became interested in banking and at the time of the "wild cat" currency his financial affairs be- came involved and he lost all that he had made. His bank was located at Perrysville, Indiana, where he lived for a number of years. He was one of the first settlers of East Lynn and owned all of the land upon which the town of East Lynn now stands. At that time his nearest neighbor was about three miles away, a fact indicative of the unsettled condition of the country. In early manhood Mr. Allen was united in marriage to Miss Emily Newell, a native of Flemingsburg, Harrison county, Kentucky, and a daughter of Squire James Newell, a prominent early settler of Vermilion county, in whose honor the
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township of Newell was named. He took an active and helpful part in the work of development and progress in this portion of the state and was one of the most respected and honored of the early settlers. He died at an advanced age and was laid to rest in Grove cemetery in the town of Newell in 1846. As stated, his daughter Emily became the wife of William I. Allen and unto them were born six children: Hugh, a native of Vermilion county, is now a resident of the Elkhorn Valley, of Nebraska, where he owns extensive landed inter- ests and is also a member of the Nebraska legislature; Mary, who was born in this county, is the wife of Thomas Van Brunt, a farmer of Dakota; Emily is still a resident of Vermilion, her native county; Klimena is the widow of George Koerner and still resides in Vermilion county; Anna, who was born in this county, has passed away.
The other member of the family is Charles A. Allen whose youthful days were spent upon the home farm in Ross township, Vermilion county, where his education was acquired in the district schools of that township, in the pub- lic schools of Danville and in Michigan University. While teaching school he provided the money necessary to defray the expenses of a college education and with a desire to become a member of the bar, he matriculated in the law department of the State University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated on the 25th of March, 1874, on the completion of a two years' course. Admitted to practice before the Illinois bar, he settled at Ross- ville, Vermilion county, where he remained for about six years and then came to Hoopeston where he has since followed his profession in connection with the supervision of his farming interests which are extensive and valuable, rep- resenting a large investment. In his chosen profession he has made con- tinuous progress. Although advancement at the bar is proverbially slow, no dreary novitiate awaited him. Almost immediately he proved his worth in solving the intricate problems of law and also in directly applying legal prin- ciples to the points in litigation. His analysis has ever been clear, his de- ductions logical and his arguments strong and forceful and he has long been recognized as one of the able lawyers practicing in this section of the state.
Mr. Allen is not alone well versed in the law, however, being equally well informed on those questions which are to the statesman and man of affairs of grave import. Few men possess wider information concerning the leading issues of the day or have discussed with greater clearness from the hustings and in legislative halls the questions which are up for consideration and settle- ment. His fellow townsmen, appreciating his ability and his loyalty to the public welfare, elected him as their representative to the state legislature in 1884 and for twenty-two years he thus served as a member of the general as- sembly. No higher encomium could be pronounced concerning the ability with which he safeguarded the interests of his constituents and of the common welfare than the fact that he was again and again reelected. He was chosen speaker of the house during the "revolt" in 1902. A contemporary historian has said: "His name figures conspicuously and prominently upon the legisla- tive records and he has been the promoter of many measures which have found their way to the statute books of the state. He is a fearless champion of whatever course he believes to be right and his loyal defense of his honest
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convictions is one of the strong elements of his success in political circles. Per- haps his name came into more general prominence in connection with what is known as the Allen bill than through any other measure. This was the street railway bill which he promoted, giving to the city councils and boards of su- pervisors the right of granting franchises not exceeding fifty years. The present law limits this term of franchise to twenty years. The bill which Mr. Allen promoted and fathered was carried by both houses and signed by the governor but was repealed with the next session of the legisla- ture, Mr. Allen being the only man who voted against the repeal. Vermilion county has profited largely by his efforts in its behalf and upon the floor of the house Mr. Allen is known as an active working member deeply inerested in his party's success, but placing the general good before personal partisanship."
Mr. Allen was married April 4, 1878, in Rossville, to Miss Mary Thomp- son, a daughter of Louis M. Thompson, who was born in this county where his people were early settlers. Their children are: John Newell; Lawrence T., attorney at law and county judge of Vermilion county; and Esther Mary, who was born in Hoopeston in 1897 and is now attending the public schools. The family residences on Washington street in Hoopeston is one of the attractive homes of the town and justly celebrated for its warm-hearted hospitality. In addition to this property Mr. Allen has extensive landed interests in Ver- milion county and fifteen hundred acres in Fulton county. His patriotic de- votion to his country is indicated in the fact that at the time of the Spanish- American war he raised the Sixteenth Illinois Regiment, of which Governor Tanner commissioned him colonel.
In his fraternal relations Mr. Allen is a Mason, a Knights of Pythias and a Modern Woodman. His wealth has been wisely shared with churches, chari- ties and benevolent institutions and the deserving poor find in him a friend. He is often a visitor at the Old Settlers Home and takes great interest in pre- serving the records of the early development and progress of the state. He is well known as a republican speaker in campaigns and is an orator of ability who is frequently called upon to address public gatherings. Few men have been so long connected with public service and the record of none has been more faultless in honor, fearless in conduct and stainless in reputation.
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS HARRY.
Stephen A. Douglas Harry, president and treasurer of the Hoopeston Car- riage Company, is at the head of the only enterprise of this kind in Hoopeston, and the business is largely a monument to his enterprise and progressive spirit and his well defined and carefully executed plans. His life history had its be- ginning in Coles county, Illinois, on the 24th of May, 1860. His father, Jacob Harry, was descended from Welsh Quaker ancestry, the family being founded in America soon after the arrival of William Penn. At that time the family home was established in Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather of S. A. D. Harry removed southward to North Carolina about the time of the surrender
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of Cornwallis and as a volunteer of the American army assisted in preventing the British troops from continuing their march from the south. He gave his life in defense of the cause of liberty, being killed at the battle of King's Mountain. Jacob Harry, the father of our subject, was a native of Ohio, devoted his life to farming, and died in Coles county, Illinois, on the 9th of March, 1899. In early manhood he had wedded Suzanna Tobey, a native of Maryland, who died in Coles county, in April, 1902.
At the usual age Stephen A. Douglas Harry began his education in the dis- trict schools of his native county and afterward had the benefit of instruction in the normal school at Ladoga, Indiana, and in the Eastern Illinois College at Danville, devoting much of his attention to the acquirement of an education until he reached the age of twenty-four years. After leaving school he took up the profession of teaching, which he followed for five years in the district schools of Coles county, while for four years he was superintendent of schools at Covington, Indiana. He then accepted the position of assistant principal of the Danville high school and after a year's service in that capacity was made principal, thus serving for five years. He came to Hoopeston as superin- tendent of schools and for eight years was at the head of the educational in- terests of this city, his zeal and enthusiasm in his work being an inspiring in- fluence for the development and growth of the schools. In 1906, however, he turned his attention from educational to commercial pursuits, becoming asso- ciated with the Thornton Buggy Company, of which he was general manager until the business was reorganized under the name of the Hoopeston Carriage Company, in December, 1908, when he was chosen president and treasurer of the company, with W. H. Schwartz as secretary. They are manufacturers of bad weather carriages and a various line of light vehicles. They conduct both a wholesale and retail trade and are doing business all over the United States, their annual sales amounting to about fifty thousand dollars. They employ on an average of twenty skilled workmen, and theirs is the only establishment of the kind in Hoopeston. The enterprise and progressive spirit of Mr. Harry are salient features in the continuous growth and success of this undertaking. He is also engaged in farming in Indiana, his interests covering about six hun- dred and forty acres in Marshall and Fulton counties.
Mr. Harry was married in Charleston, Illinois, on the 5th of August, 1884, to Miss Madge Wyeth, a native of Coles county, and a daughter of Thomas E. Wyeth. They became the parents of one daughter, Zola, who was born in Coles county, January 30, 1886, and in September, 1909, became the wife of Lawrence A. Bremer. They are now residents of Vancouver, British Colum- bia, Mr. Bremer being engaged in the leather goods business. In 1901 in a railroad accident near Marshall, Missouri, on the Chicago & Alton, Mrs. Harry was injured and died eighteen hours afterward, her death being deeply de- plored by many friends as well as her immediate family. On the 14th of July, 1904, Mr. Harry was again married, his second union being with Eunice Sater whom he wedded at Atlanta, Illinois .. She is a native of Ohio and a daughter of Dr. Charles C. Sater. They now have one child, Suzanna, who was born in Hoopeston, May 14, 1908, and was named for her paternal grandmother.
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Mr. Harry has never ceased to feel a deep interest in the schools and is now a member of the board of education. While at Covington, engaged in school work, he was accorded a life state certificate for Indiana. His political allegiance is given to democracy and he belongs to the Commercial Club. He is now master of the Masonic lodge and is a Knight Templar, belonging to Mary Commandery at Watseka. He has also taken the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection in Danville and his religious faith is indicated in his membership in the First Methodist Episcopal church at Hoopeston. He is at present and has been for a number of years, superintendent of the Methodist Sunday school. His has been an active useful life, imbued with high principles, his acts and motives at all times balancing up with truth and honor.
JAMES A. MEEKS.
James A. Meeks, attorney at law of Danville, was born in Washington county, Ohio, March 7, 1864. His father, Moses Meeks, was likewise a native of that county, born August 13, 1820. His parents emigrated from Virginia to Ohio when the latter state was a wilderness and the Meeks family were thereafter ac- tively and helpfully connected with the growth of Washington county and its development from primitive conditions. Moses Meeks was there reared among the wild scenes and environment of pioneer life, assisting in the arduous task of developing a new farm, hence early cultivated those habits of industry and thrift which remained with him through life. In April, 1848, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Susan Hackathorn, a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and they began their domestic life upon a farm in Washington county, Ohio, where they resided continuously until 1865, when they traveled westward to Illinois, arriving in Vermilion county in April. At that time they took up their abode upon a farm which remained the home of Mr. Meeks until his death, which oc- curred in 1910, after he had passed the ninetieth milestone on life's journey. He came of a family noted for longevity. One of his grandfathers, John Gray, lived to be more than one hundred years old and is believed to have been the last survivor of the Revolutionary war. Mr. Meeks appeared much younger than he was, retaining his mental and physical capacities largely unimpaired for many years, and even in his closing years he did not present the enfeebled appearance of most men of his age. He and his wife had celebrated their golden wedding at the family home in April, 1898, and on the 23d of November of that year the death of his wife occurred. Mr. Meeks was greatly affected by the demise of his companion but he remained in vigorous health until a few days prior to his own death. He was as supple in his movements as most men twenty years his junior and he never walked with a cane. Some of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Moses Meeks were born in Ohio, while others were added to the household following the removal to the Vermilion county farm, which is situated in the McKendree neighborhood about three and a half miles northeast of Georgetown, at the sta- tion Meeks of the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern Railroad. The sur- viving children are: George W .. now living in Beaver, Oklahoma; Samuel, a
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