USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, together with historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 117
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East Lynne was laid out in 1872, upon land belonging to W. P. Moore, in the southeast quarter of section 10; T. J. Van Brunt, in the northeast quarter of 10; John P. Dopps, in northwest quarter of 11; and Aiken and White, in the southwest quarter of 11 (23-13). Dopps and Moore sold out about this time and moved away. The plat cov- ered about forty acres. Henry Ludden was appointed first station agent and first postmaster, and was the first to commence selling goods there. He is still postmaster.
The first business house was built by Wmn. McReynolds, the same now occupied as a hotel. Palmer Brothers were for a time engaged in mercantile business. N. R. Hall opened up in lumber, hardware and implements. O. E. Wilson commenced the grocery trade, and con- tinued it for three or four years. Messrs. Aiken, Hall, French, Morey and Gardner have been engaged in purchasing grain, which is the principal business. A good two-story frame school-house was erected, and a good school has been maintained, with an average attendance of about fifty.
The Methodist church was built under the preaching of Rev. J.
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Muirhead, in 1875. It belonged, as now, to the Hoopeston cirenit, and preaching is regularly maintained by the preacher on that circuit, once in two weeks. Rev. Mr. Haff is the present preacher in charge.
The Christian church occupies the building on the alternate Sab- bath, by a kind of christian comity which is fast becoming the rule in this western country, Elder Houghton preaching, and the entire com- munity join in a union Sabbath-school, which is well maintained. Mr. J. S. Hall was first superintendent. The church edifice is 36 × 46, and is a very neat and pleasant building.
A Baptist society has been formed, which proposes to move a church building now at Ludden to East Lynne.
The grain trade has been, and continues to be, one of considerable importance here. It is the center of one of the finest corn-raising dis- triets in the county, and as there are few cattle-feeders among the new farmers in this vicinity, most of the corn must go to market. A large steam elevator is about being erected to supply a long-felt need, and will be in readiness for the fall trade.
RANKIN.
The pleasant little village of Rankin, which to-day is as quiet as a May morning, was brought into being amid a war of location, which must be remembered by those who were participators in it as long as they remember anything. The " war" was long, exhaustive of pa- tience, and expensive, finally making it cost each party all its results were worth, and resulted in a drawn battle. The captains-general who marshaled the hosts were W. A. Rankin and W. H. Pells, the former proprietor of a large landed interest, amounting to five thousand acres, the latter with a local interest of only about eighty acres, but a seat in the board of directors of the railroad which was being built. The con- struction company, of which Col. Snell was the head, had the right under their contract to designate the depot, but were also authorized to receive payment for the same sufficient to cover the expenses of side- track, depot, switches, etc. When Mr. Rankin went to negotiate for the location he presented the arguments that as the whole township was taxed for the road, a location should be selected that was as nearly equidistant as possible, and that the location he proposed was the same distance from the western boundary of the township as East Lynne was from the eastern ; that more of the people of this township would be accommodated by this location than any other; that he was ready at any time to pay the $2,500 required for putting in the job, and any other little matters required could be easily arranged. On the other hand, Mr. Pells plead the custom of the road, which had been to
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permit each director to name a depot; that every other director had been accorded that privilege, and that the farmers around the proposed location would give as much or more for the location. The citizens in the vicinity of Pellsville raised $3,500 by subscription, and got their depot ; the Rankins paid their subscription, and got theirs. It then became a question for the railroad company to decide which one should be retained, and Mr. Boody was appealed to by both parties. At one stage of the contest a proposition was made to locate the depot midway between the two present sites. This was accepted by one party, but declined by the other. After the matter had come into the jurisdiction of Mr. Boody, he proposed a plan which was very likely to decide mat- ters, but just then the road was put into the hands of a receiver, who decided that he had no authority in such matters, and would not decide. It is now just passing into the hands of the new company, and the old question is likely to come up like a chancery case for final hearing nearly ten years after its inception. The village of Rankin was laid ont in June, 1872, by A. Bowman, county surveyor, and J. R. Bowers, making twenty-four blocks, each of which were 240 x 250 feet. The streets are eighty-five feet wide. It was laid out one-half on the land .of D. and W. A. Rankin, in section 12, and one-quarter on each of the lands of George Guthrie and Mrs. Johnson. The Guthrie portion was sold to Prof. Joseph Carter, of Peru, Illinois, who still owns it. The two open strips between the blocks and the track were left for public nse.
The first building was commenced by Mr. E. Wait, who lived in Loda, intending to go into the grain and coal trade. Before it was completed he was killed on the construction train between Paxton and this station. Mr. F. A. Finney took Wait's interest and completed the building, which was afterward sold to Mr. Chapman. Rankin & Thompson put up the next building - a grain office. C. H. Wyman put up a store and put in a stock of drugs. Milton Holmes, from Bloomington, built most of the buildings that were put up the first year. He and his hands had to camp out, sleep under work-benches or wherever they could find a chance, for there was no boarding place here. Cowell & Weaver built several. There was no lumber yard here, and the freight from Paxton was fifteen dollars per car. All the stone brought here for building purposes came from Kankakee. While the construction company retained the control of the road no less freight could be obtained, and thus it was necessary to pay at Paxton as there was no office here. Holmes built the drug store and grain office, and six dwelling-houses for Mr. Rankin, a store and the hotel the first season. His family were the first persons who came here to
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live. They resided in the Wait house. J. T. Wickham was the second. They resided in the Wilson house.
The Campbell house, which was put up among the very first build- ings, is the only hotel Rankin has ever known. It was built for, and has been continuously occupied by, Mr. J. F. Campbell, and is without doubt the finest hotel-building in the county outside of Danville. His house, barn, ice-house, etc., cost $5,500.
J. R. Bowers, who, since the first opening of business here, has been one of the solid men of Rankin, came to make a farm on section 7, two miles southeast of Rankin, in 1865. He remained there until the vil- lage was commenced, and then brought the old flax warehouse from Blue Grass and went into business. Flax had been for some years a leading crop here, and to accommodate the business the Lafayette firm, which was interested in the business, had erected a warehouse at Blue Grass, which was then the great central point of trade and traffic. The farmers had no conveniences for saving the seed from one year to an- other, as it required careful cleaning and safe preservation to make it fit for seed. The plan adopted by the firm was to loan seed on con- tract to buy the crop. This required a warehouse, and as soon as the railroad was built it was moved to Rankin, and has since been in charge of Mr. Bowers.
Rankin & Thompson were first to open in the grain trade. D. & W. A. Rankin built the main part of the elevator, 30 x 52, 40 feet high. They sold it to Birch & Hall, a firm residing and doing business in Oxford, Indiana, who have increased its capacity, and now run it.
The war between Rankin and Pellsville occasionally broke out from its smothered condition. The first store building put up in the latter place, known as Scott's store, was purchased by Mr. Rankin and moved to this place in the face of some pretty lond prairie breezes, which were kept in check by the timely aid of the sheriff, backed by'the broad warrant of the "People of the State of Illinois." Henry Jones had kept a blacksmith-shop a few miles south of the town, and got out the timbers for a shop and brought them to Rankin. He afterward re- ceived a "communication " which led him to change his mind, and he hauled it away to Pellsville amid a storm of anything but applause from this end, and the booming of triumph at the other. To one party Jones was several degrees below an ordinary "nincompoop," to the other, the hero of the hour.
The United Presbyterian church was organized in 1866. Rev. J. D. Whitham, of the Bloomington Presbytery, began preaching tola few scattered families a few miles southwest of Rankin, in the spring of that year. In September following he organized the church by com-
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mission of presbytery, in Ford county, consisting of nineteen persons. James Campbell and family, William McClintock and family, J. T. Wilson and family, were of the number. When Rankin was laid out, they having no house of worship in the county, and finding in the Messrs. Rankin, who were of that faith, strong friends, decided to build here. The church edifice is 36 × 50, and cost about $3,500. Rev. Mr. Whitham continued to preach for them nine years. Rev. J. T. Torrance, his successor, is still ministering to the church here. An interesting Sabbath-school is maintained.
The Methodist church was built in 1874, at a cost of $3,000. It is 36 ×55, and nicely seated. . Rev. W. H. Musgrove was the first preacher. A large Sabbath-school is maintained; Mr. C. Bowers, superintendent. This church was really the successor of the first class organized in this town, at Dopp's house, which appointment was long in the Paxton circuit.
The Sweeds, who are quite numerous in the country around Rankin, have organized a Lutheran church, and have purchased the school- house for a church building. They have regular service in their own language, bringing their pastor from Paxton on a hand-car after he has finished his service there.
The Rankin Lodge, No. 725, Freemasons, was instituted June, 1874. The first officers were: John S. Hewins, W.M .; B. R. Cole, S.W .; W. H. Schwartz, J.W .; R. W. English, Sec .; A. D. Beckley, Treas., who, with Thomas McGill, James Wardlow and George Stamp con- stituted the charter members. The present officers are: J. S. Hewins, W.M .; B. R. Cole, S.W .; J. R. Bowers, J.W .; C. W. Babcock, Sec .; M. D. Sprague, Treas. ; M. J. Chapman, Senior Deacon.
The people of Rankin have been very fortunate in not being much troubled with places where the "ardent " is dealt out for drink. They will not tolerate any such in their neighborhood. The Messrs. Rankin are decided temperance men, and in this view they are in hearty sym- pathy with the unanimous sentiment of their little village. One man, who is now carrying on a bakery in Leadville, tried the temper of the citizens by engaging in the traffic for a short time, but he soon found that public sentiment would not permit it, and left.
PELLSVILLE.
Pellsville was laid out and platted on the 20th of July, 1872, by W. H. Pells, of Orleans county, New York, and A. F. Wardlow. It consisted of twenty-seven blocks in the north half of southeast quarter and the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 10 (23-14). Mr. Pells had been for some years engaged in trade at Paxton, and
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was a director in the road then being built. There was a post-office at Sugar Creek, which for some years had been kept at the store at the cross-roads, south of Pellsville. J. W. Shilling commenced the store about 1869. He sold to Mr. Jones, who died, and Mrs. Phillips kept it awhile after his death, when Mr. J. B. Lucas bought it, and continued in business about six months, and then moved it to Pellsville, and built the first business house in the new town. The building was afterward sold to Rankin, who moved it to Rankin, as a kind of trophy of the chase. Lucas moved the post-office here at the same time, and its name was changed to suit the changed locality. Mr. Pells put up a good two-story building, and leased it to Travis Brothers, who are still in business here.
Lucas continued postmaster awhile, and was succeeded by Marion Daniels, he by C. T. Daniels, who is postmaster at present.
The Odd-Fellows lodge was organized in 1876. They have a fine hall over Daniels' store. It has a membership of twenty-four.
The Methodist church was built in 1873 and 1874. It is about 28 ×36, plain, and cost $1,500. This church belongs to the Rankin cir- cuit, and is served by the same preachers that preach at Rankin.
The citizens in the vicinity of Pellsville subscribed $3,500 to secure the station there, and had a long and exciting contest to secure it. Her business men are energetic and wide awake, and their business is prosperous.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
F. M. Smith, East Lynne, farmer, section 4, was born in Vermilion county, Illinois, on the 7th of March, 1833. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. K, 33d Ind. Vol. Inf., and was in the battle of Springhill and several skirmishes. He served three years, being on detached duty most of the time, and was mustered out at Atlanta, Georgia. He was married on the 18th of February, 1874, to Mary C. Swisher. They have two children by this marriage: William T. and Eliza A. Mr. Smith has held the offices of school director and commissioner of high- ways. He is a very industrious man, and well respected by the people in the neighborhood in which he resides. He is a republican in poli- tics. Mr. Smith owns one hundred and twenty acres of land, worth $30 per acre.
William A. Laflen, East Lynne, physician, was born in Vermilion county, Illinois, on the 14th of January, 1838. He spent his boyhood days on the farm. At the age of eighteen he commenced teaching school. He taught ten winters. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. F, 4th Iowa Inf., and served three years. He was in the battle of Pea Ridge. Mr. Laflen attended Rush Medical College two years, at the expiration
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of which time he received a diploma for the practice of medicine. He commenced practice in Pilot township, and his labors have been at- tended with much success ever since. He was married on the 29th of March, 1868, to Sarah J. Legg. She was born in Will county, Illinois, on the 13th of July, 1844. The Doctor is a very enterprising man, and bids fair to rank high in his profession. He owns three hundred and sixty-one and a half acres of land, worth $30 per acre.
T. M. Layne, Rankin, farmer, section 11, was born in Putnam county, Indiana, on the 26th of March, 1827. He was married in Indiana, to Eliza Bittle, on the 27th of December, 1859. She was born in Seneca county, Indiana, on the 11th of November, 1843. They are the parents of seven children, three of whom are living: Elmer T., Henry and Frank. The names of the deceased are Jasper, Melville, Laura and Willie. Mr. Layne has held the office of school director six years, and trustee in the church. He owns eighty acres of land, worth $30 per acre. His parents are natives of Kentucky; Mrs. Layne's parents, of Virginia.
C. T. Daniel, Pellsville, grocer and confectioner, was born in Logan county, Ohio, on the 1st of April, 1836, and spent his early days on a farm. He moved with his father from Ohio to this state in 1844, and settled in Champaign county. He came to this county in 1874, settling in Pellsville, where he still resides. Mr. Daniel enlisted in the late war, in 1861, in Co. D, 3d Mo. Cav., and was in the pursuit of Price and in the battles of Hartswell (Missouri), Springfield and Pilot Knob. He was married on the 7th of December, 1864. His wife was born in Vermilion county, Illinois, on the 30th of November, 1845. They are the parents of three children : Thomas W., Priscilla W., and Mary. Mr. Daniel has held the office of school director five years. He is a republican and a Methodist.
Elam H. Beals, Rankin, farmer, was born in Randolph county, In- diana, on the 3d of May, 1835. His early life was spent on a farm, obtaining the education that could be had from a common district school. He came to this state in 1846 and settled in Vermilion county, remaining but two years, when he returned to Indiana and stayed until the year 1856, at which time he came back to this county, and has since remained. He was married to Amelia Parker, on the 2d of January, 1856. She was born in Highland county, Ohio, on the 6th of Decem- ber, 1837. They have had by this union seven children, four of whom are living: Demetrius, Jennie, Sherman and Cora. The deceased are Grant, Ellsworth and George. Mr. Beals has held the office of con- stable seven years, of deputy sheriff seven years, and has been assessor since 1872.
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Frank W. Hall, Rankin, farmer, section 25, was born in Maine on the 6th of March, 1844. His father moved to this state when he was but three years old. He enlisted in 1862 with Co. C, 1st Ill. Light Artillery, and served two years and eleven months. He was in the battles of Chickamauga, Corinth, Stone River, Lookout Mountain, Mis- sion Ridge, Atlanta, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Dallas (Texas), Peach- tree Creek and Jonesboro, and was mustered out at Springfield. He was married in the spring of 1872 to Elisabeth Johnston, who was born in Ohio in 1852. They are the parents of two children: Carrie B., born May 10, 1876, and Augusta M., born February 26, 1879. Mr. Hall has held the office of school-director and road commissioner five years, and this position he still fills.
John F. Campbell, Rankin, inn-keeper and real-estate agent, was born in Monongalia county, Virginia, on the 11th of December, 1821. His early life was spent on a farm engaged in the ordinary duties that attend an agriculturist's ocenpation. He came to Edgar county, this state, in 1846, and settled near Paris, and in 1848 removed to Danville. He has been twice married : first to Elisabeth David, on the 14th of October, 1847. She was born in Vermilion county in 1827, and died in 1849. Jennie was born to them. Mr. Campbell was united, in 1860, to Margaret Baxter, who was born in Shelby county, Indiana. Mr. Campbell came to Rankin in 1872, and built the first hotel, which he has been running sinee; also, in addition to this, he has been doing a good real-estate business. He is a republican and a Methodist.
Jesse S. Piles, Pellsville, farmer, section 11, was born in Preble county, Ohio, on the 14th of August, 1824. His father died when he was but thirteen years of age, and, until he reached the age of twenty- two, he helped his brothers to manage the farm. In 1854 he came to this state, and settled on the farm which he still holds, being the first settler in Butler township. He was married in Indiana, in 1857, to Phobe Bales. They have had five children : John H., Margaret, Emily, Nancy and Anna. Mr. Piles has held the office of postmaster three years. His political views are republican, and in religion he is a Methodist.
H. M. Ludden (of the firm of H. M. Ludden & Co.), East Lynne, dry-goods and grocery merchant, was born in Franklin county, Massa- chusetts, on the 3d of August, 1843. He built the first store-house in East Lynne, and started the first store. He enlisted in 1862 in Co. K, 76th Ill. Inf., and served three years. He was in several skirmishes. Mr. Ludden came to this state in 1855, and remained until 1865, when he returned to Massachusetts and there stayed till 1872. He was mar- ried in August, 1872, to Evaline Barr. She was born in Vermont in
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1850. They have one child : Eva L. Mr. Ludden is at present justice of the peace, deputy postmaster and U. S. express agent. East Lynne owes much of its success as a business place to the energy of Mr. Lud- den, who is regarded as one of the best citizens of Vermilion county. He owns forty acres of land, worth $40 per acre.
F. D. Travis, Pellsville, dry-goods and grocery merchant, was born in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, on the 12th of April, 1836. He commenced teaching school at the age of twenty, and taught six years in succession. He came to this state in 1856 and commenced the mer- cantile business. He was married in Indiana to Mary L. Jones, on the 21st of April, 1859. She was born in Illinois on the 25th of March, 1841. They had two children by this union, both deceased : William A., born on the 4th of January, 1860, and died on the 19th of Septem- ber, 1867, and Walter, born on the 26th of October, 1868, and died on the 25th of September, 1869. Mr. Travis has been on the school board since the district was organized. He feeds and ships some hogs. Mr. Travis is regarded as one of the best business men in Vermilion county, and is respected by all. He is a democrat and a Presbyterian.
J. H. Schwartz, Rankin, farmer, section 30, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in July, 1809, and early learned the hatter's trade. He came to this state in 1856 and commenced farming. He was one of the first settlers in Butler township, and was its first supervisor, and held the office of road commissioner two years. He was married in 1831 to Catharine Wyand. She was born in Pennsyl- vania in October, 1806. They had by this nnion nine children, three of whom are living: Elisabeth E., now wife of Lewis John, of this township; Daniel A. and William H. Mr. Schwartz lost one son in the late war. He is one of the most useful men in this county, taking an active part in every enterprise that comes up. He stands well in the church to which he belongs, and in the community at large. He owns two hundred acres, valued at $30 per acre. He is a republican and Methodist.
Elbridge G. Hancock, Rankin, farmer, section 11, was born in Mer- rimack county, New Hampshire, on the 4th of December, 1840. His father died when he was but three years old. He lived three years with his uncle and three with his guardian, working on the farm during the summer and attending school during the winter. He came to this state in 1858 and settled in Tazewell county. He was married on the 17th of November, 1863, to Jemima Griffith. She was born in this state on the 26th of May, 1846. They had by this marriage two children, one living: Nettie B .; deceased, Frank. Mr. Hancock has held the office of school director ten years, assessor one term, collector
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one term, and road commissioner one term. He owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, valued at $30 per acre, and ships a few hogs for the Chicago market. He is a democrat and Methodist.
Henry Jones, Pellsville, blacksmith, was born in England, on the 5th of March, 1838. He learned his trade when quite young, and in 1856 came to America, and to this state in 1858, settling at Blue Grass, where he remained several years, and in 1873 came to Pellsville. He was married on the 10th of September, 1861, to Susan B. Lionberger, born in Virginia, on the 21st of December, 1844. They are the parents of three children: Emma T., born on the 7th of August, 1862, who, though not yet seventeen years old, is a graduate of the high school at Hoopeston, having attended four years ; John T., born on the 16th of March, 1865; Grace T., born on the 29th of November, 1869. Mr. Jones is an enterprising citizen. He owns one hundred and twenty acres of well-improved farm land in Middle Fork township, worth $25 per acre; two town lots, blacksmith shop and a dwelling. He is a repub- lican and Methodist.
T. T. Daniels, Pellsville, hardware and agricultural implements, was born in Logan county, Ohio, on the 2d of February, 1839. He re- mained on the farm until nineteen years of age, at which time his father died. He came to this state in 1844, and settled in Champaign county, where he remained until 1858. On the 29th of July, 1861, he enlisted in Co. I, 2d Ill. Cal. Vol., and was in the battles of Holly Springs, Franklin, Clinton (Louisiana), Greenville (Alabama), and at the sieges of Vicksburg and Ft. Blakely, also in several skirmishes. He has been twice married : first, to Elisabeth J. Lucas in 1870. She was born in Indiana in 1845, and died in 1873. They had one infant, now deceased. He was then married to Emma J. Hankins, on the 2d of February, 1876. She was born in Indiana in 1849. They have by this marriage one child, Marse, born on the 4th of March, 1878. Mr. D. is a good business man, and well respected in this community.
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