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 52
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
1854, Mr. Bever has accumulated his fine property. His store is located at No. 73 West Main street, and is thirty feet front by one hundred deep. stocked with everything pertaining to a full and well selected stock of boots and shoes. The basement, which is the same size, has been remodeled and stocked with a fine line of fresh groceries. In this later enterprise he engaged in the spring of 1879. Thus far it has proved a success, and is only in keeping with his other move- ments, which are those of a first-class financier.
John McMahan, Danville, police-justice, was born in Harrison county, Indiana, on the 18th of November, 1822. In 1833 he went to Clermont county, where he remained until 1840. He has been de- pendent upon his own resources since the age of fourteen. He began learning the trade of a blacksmith in Clermont county. and in 1840 went to Cincinnati, where he completed his trade and followed it many years as a business. In 1854 he came to Danville, and began business for himself by opening a blacksmith-shop and following his trade until abont 1870. In 1869 he was elected mayor of the city, and in 1872 he was elected justice of the peace and police-magistrate, both of which offices he has held since. He is one of the honorable and well-respected citizens of the city. Whatever he may have accom- plished during life has been the result of his own enterprise, as during his early life he had no opportunities for schooling, there being nothing but the old subscription system. and the old log school-houses with puncheon floors and seats and greased paper for windows. With these few remarks we close our sketch in regard to the man known so well to the citizens as 'Squire McMahan.
James T. Amis, Danville, tile manufacturer and farmer, was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, on the 18th of June, 1831. and his par- ents are Wilburn and Frances (Davis) Amis, both natives of Tennessee. His father was a farmer. Mr. Amis, with his parents, moved to Ver- milion county, Indiana, when he was about two years of age, and here remained on the farm until 1854. when he moved to Vermilion county, Illinois, and located near Pilot Grove, there working by the month on a farm. In 1869 he came to Danville township, which has been his home ever since. In 1877 Mr. Amis commenced the manufacture of tile on his place, putting up a first-class factory with great facilities for manufacturing a large amount of tile, and having a capacity for manu- facturing from ten to twelve thousand per day. He manufactures all the sizes needed by the farmer : 23. 3, 33. 4. 5. 6. Mr. Amis owns two hundred and twelve acres of land. He was married in Vermilion county in 1855 to Nancy Hessey, of Nelson county, Kentucky. By this union they have had ten children, four of whom are living. Mr.
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DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
Amis has held several offices of public trust in his township; that of school-treasurer, trustee and road-overseer, and in these offices he has given entire satisfaction. He is a democrat in politics, and a member of the United Brethren Church. His father died in Iowa and his mother in Indiana.
John Kilborn, Danville, farmer, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, on the 17th of April, 1817, and is the son of Joseph and Rebecca (Howe) Kilborn, both natives of Virginia. His father was a comb maker by trade, but principally followed farming. Both parents died when Mr. Kilborn was very young. He set out in the world and com- menced farming in the summer time and in the winters attended the distriet schools of the period. When about nineteen years old he com- menced teaching school, and taught until he was twenty-two. He then entered the mercantile business at Venice, Ohio, which he fol- lowed some eight years. In 1850 he was chosen and elected by the democratic party as representative of Butler and Warren counties, Ohio. He was reëlected to the same office in 1852, which he held un- til 1854. He was a member of several very important committees ; he was a member of the committee on militia, and chairman of the committee on canals. This office Mr. Kilborn filled with honor and credit, having proven himself a gentleman of acknowledged ability. In 1854 he came to Vermilion county, Illinois, and located in Danville. Here he was engaged in land speculation. He built and improved the brick residence, east of Danville, now owned by R. Hooton. In 1862 Mr. Kilborn moved on the present farm on which he has been ever since he commenced to farm. He has on his place a steam saw-mill. Mr. Kilborn was married in Ohio in 1841 to Miss Susan M. Lutes, who was born near the birthplace of Mr. Kilborn. They have had nine chil- dren, six of whom are living.
George F. Tincher, Danville, attorney-at-law, was born in Danville, Vermilion county, Illinois, on the 14th of June, 1854, and is the son of John L. and Caroline R. Tincher. Mr. Tincher received his princi- pal education at the Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois : he also attended the Michigan University at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and was admitted to practice law at the Illinois bar in 1875. No young attorney at the Vermilion county bar stands higher in the esti- mation of his colleagues than Geo. F. Tincher. In 1879 Mr. Tincher was elected city attorney, which office he is filling with entire satisfac- tion.
Ephraim Burroughs, Danville, blacksmith, is a native of Marion county, Ohio. He was born on the 4th of Jannary, 1815, and when ' but a child his people removed to Dearborn county, Indiana. Here
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
the early part of his life was spent, having but few opportunities for gaining an education. At the age of eighteen years he went to the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, and began an apprenticeship of three years with Mr. C. Cassatt at the trade of manufacturing edged tools. He remained in Cincinnati for about fourteen years, and then went south for a year or so. Returning to Indiana he married Miss Emeline Ran- dall, a native of Trumbull county. Ohio. They had one son in the army in the war of 1861-65. Mr. B. came to Vermilion county first in the spring of 1855, and located in the city of Danville in 1861. Since his residence here he has been engaged in the blacksmithing business, which he learned very readily after having learned and worked at the trade of manufacturing edged tools. Mr. Burroughs' people are of Scotch origin. He is one of the early settlers of Vermil- ion county, and has witnessed many of the changes from a new region to a well-improved country.
Charles L. English, Danville, timber merchant, of the firm of Dick- ason & English, is a native of Vermilion county, Indiana. He was born in 1847, and at the age of eight years came with his people to Vermilion county, Illinois. From this time until the age of twenty he was kept at school, receiving a very liberal education. For about six years after leaving school he was employed in the First National Bank of Danville, of which his father is president, and in 1872 began, in company with Mr. L. T. Dickason. the grain trade. This they are still engaged in, though not so extensively as formerly, their business being now principally the timber trade, in which they have become quite extensively engaged, giving employment to from three to five hundred men. Their business now extends over several different states. The firm of Dickason & English has become well and favorably known, not only in Vermilion county, where during the winter they are engaged extensively in mining coal, but among prominent railroad men ontside of. the State of Illinois.
Peter Walsh, attorney-at-law, Danville, was born in 1845 in New York city, and is the son of John and Mary (Warren) Walsh, who were natives of Ireland. Mr. Walsh in 1855 came west to Illinois, and located in Danville, which place he has made his home ever since. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union army. and served for three years in Co. K, 37th Ill. Vol. Inf., and participated in some of the most prominent bat- tles during the war-Pea Ridge, Perry Grove, etc. He did good service, and was honorably mustered out. At the close of his war experience he returned to Danville, and commenced the study of law. He attended the law school at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in 1867 was admitted to practice law at the Illinois state bar. Mr. Walsh, when studying for
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the bar, was under the instruction of Mark Hawes, who is now a prom- inent preacher. Mr. Walsh has held several offices of publie trust : city attorney for the city of Danville for five terms, and state's attorney for one term. In these offices he has given entire satisfaction, having proven himself a gentleman of acknowledged ability, whose duties have been performed in a faithful manner. Mr. Walsh's political opinions are republican.
Spencer N. Monroe, Danville, jeweler, is one of the oldest merchants of Danville. He was born in Vernon, Oneida county, New York, in September, 1820, and is the son of William and Ehnira (Willard) Monroe, natives of Virginia. His father was a glass manufacturer. Mr. Monroe remained at his native home until he was eighteen years old. He then went to Syracuse, New York, and commenced to learn the jewelry trade. In 1853 he came west to Indiana and worked at his trade in Attica and Oxford until 1855, when he came to Danville and opened a jewelry store in a small frame house on the corner where Short's block now stands. From there he moved to a frame building on the ground where he is now located, 67 Main street. Here he has remained ever since, with the exception of a short time when he occu- pied a room across the street until the old frame building was torn down and the present building erected. Mr. Monroe is to-day the owner of one of the leading jewelry stores of this part of Illinois. He employs two men. In 1861 he married Miss Matilda Boyce, of Ohio, she having made her home in Danville about the same time Mr. Mon- roe did. They have two children. Mr. Monroe has represented with credit the city of Danville for two terms as alderman of the third ward.
William Craig, Danville, livery, was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1848, and is the son of Samuel G. and Catharine A. (McCrea) Craig, whose history appears in this work. Mr. Craig, our subject, was raised in Danville. His first business in life was clerking for his father in a dry-goods and shoe store. In 1875 he entered the livery business with Wm. and Jacob Kuykendall, and formed the firm of Kuykendall Bros. & Craig, which is the leading livery firm in Dan- ville. These gentlemen own two first-class stables, one located in the rear of the Ætna House, on North street, and the other on Hazel, be- tween North and Main streets.
Joseph Bauer, Danville, miller, was born in Baden, Germany, on the 2d of February, 1831. The early part of his life was spent in his native land. In 1854 he came to the United States, though not before he had received a good education and had learned the trade of a miller. He first spent a couple of years in the eastern states, and in 1856 came
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
to Danville. Upon his arrival here he helped to organize the German M. E. Church, of which he has since been one of the leading members. A more complete history of this church is given elsewhere. Mr. Bauer is something of a genius, having mastered the different trades of milling, carpentering, cabinet making and engineering, though milling has been his principal business, having followed this for about twenty-four years. At present we find him filling the capacity of head miller in the City Mills. He is well known in Danville as a steady, sober and upright citizen.
William Morgan, Danville, justice of the peace and insurance agent, is one of the old settlers of this county. He is a native of Jefferson county, Virginia, where the early part of his life was spent. He had but few advantages in the way of schooling, there being nothing but the old subscription system, schools being so few and far apart that he, at the age of seven years, was obliged to walk four miles in his daily attendance. At the age of twenty-three he was called upon to take charge of the farm by the death of his father. This he did until 1856, when he came to Vermilion county, where he has since resided. Dur- ing his first summer he followed teaming, and in the winter did some- thing of a coal business. In the spring of 1858 he was elected constable and deputy county sheriff. He also held the office of deputy collector of revenue under W. T. Cunningham, his territory or district being Iroquois, Ford and Vermilion counties. After this he again farmed for three years, and then took the post-office under Andrew Johnson's administration for two years and a half. Following this he was in the insurance and mercantile trade until 1877, when he was elected justice. In connection with his official duties he does quite an extensive insur- ance business. He is well known to the citizens of Danville as a man whose word is as good as his bond.
J. E. Tuttle, Danville, physician, was born in Fountain county, Indiana, in 1844. In 1856 he became a resident of Vermilion county, locating at Marysville. He there began the study of medicine with Dr. C. D. Henton in 1862, and in 1865 became a graduate of the Rush Medical College, of Chicago. After graduating he returned to Ver- milion county, and continued his practice at Blue Grass, where he had done some practice before graduating. He remained there until 1869. He then went to Marysville, and there was engaged in practice until 1874. At this date he removed to Danville, where he has become firmly established and is already known as one of the thoroughly reli- able M.D.'s of the city.
H. M. Kimball, Danville, grocer, may be classed among the old settlers of Danville. He is a native of New Hampshire, spending the
DECO. DANVILLE.
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DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
early part of his life and receiving his education in that state. He came to Danville in 1856, after having spent some time in contraeting and doing stone-work on some of the different railroads which at that date were being constructed throughont the middle states. Among other jobs under his supervision was the stone piers and abntments of the Wabash railroad bridge across the Vermilion river at Danville. He also started the first marble works at Danville. He has never sought public offices, though he held the office of supervisor of Danville township in 1872. He has now been engaged in the grocery trade about twelve years. During this time he has some years done a busi- ness of $40,000 per year. He is now located on North Vermilion street, where he is doing a fair business, giving employment to two men.
J. H. Palmer, Danville, was born in Queen's county, New York. His parents are Samuel and Elizabeth (Hyde) Palmer. His father was a farmer. Mr. Palmer was partially brought up on the farm. In 1856 he came west to Illinois and located in Danville, Ver- milion county, which has been his home ever since. In 1862 he enlisted for three years in the 37th Ill. Vol. Inf., Co. K., as a private, and was on detached duty with the General Department of the Gulf. He served full time and was honorably mnstered out in 1865. When he returned to Danville he commenced farming. He was in Short's bank for a time, and from that he entered the dry-goods trade. In 1877 the firm of J. H. Palmer & Co. was formed, which continned until May of 1879, when he sold his interest to the coal company. Since then Mr. Palmer has been engaged with the company.
Xaver Miller, Danville, was born in Germany on the 25th of No- vember, 1838. In September, 1856, he emigrated to America, and landed in New York city. He then came direct to Illinois, and located in Danville, where he has been a resident since with the exception of two years. While here in Danville Mr. Miller was in the hotel busi- ness, and afterward started a sample and billiard room. This he has now. Mr. Miller came to America a poor man, but, with hard labor and good management, he has been quite successful in life, and ranks among Danville's prominent Germans. He was married in Danville to Abelina Uhlein, of Baden, Germany, by whom they have seven children.
John Beard, Danville, grocer, corner of South and College streets, is a native of Brooklyn, New York, though he has been a resident of Danville twenty-two years, being but a child when he was brought to this place. For the last eight years he has been engaged in the gro- cery trade on his own account. He is a much larger dealer than at
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
first might be supposed, his trade reaching about $25,000 per year. In connection with groceries he handles a line of queensware and tinware. He gives employment to two men. His store is twenty feet front by fifty feet deep. By good financiering and careful man- agement he has established a good trade and permanent business.
Joseph McClure, Danville, miller, was born in Augusta county, Vir- ginia, on the 23d of January, 1819, and at ten years of age came to Greene county, Ohio, where he served an apprenticeship as a miller, which trade he completed at twenty-one years of age. In 1857 he came west and located in Danville. Illinois, where he has been one of the foremost in his trade. He ground the first grist in Henderson & Kyger's mill. He has been engaged with the firm now known as M. M. Wright for fifteen years as manager. He has been twice married. The name of his present wife was Margaret Sanders, a native of Vir- ginia. He has a family of five children by his former wife, Elizabeth Charles : Walter, Lether. Albert, Harvey and Mary.
A. C. Daniel, Danville, coal operator, whose portrait appears in this history, was born in Roxbury, Delaware county, New York, in 1835. During his early life he had but little opportunity of attending school, but, being of that peculiar class of men who do not seem to be de- pendent upon anybody except themselves, he "helped himself" to a good business education. In 1857 he came to Danville, arriving at the place in the spring. His whole "stock and store" at that time was an ordinary suit of clothes and $2.50 in money. Beginning work in the mines, at whatever they had for him to do, he gradually worked his way up, until now he is the principal stockholder in the Ellsworth Coal Company, and its general manager. As general manager of this company he has done more to develop the mining resources of Ver- milion county than any of the operators who, from time to time, have been interested in this line of business. We do not design giv- ing a history of the mines here, as a more complete sketch will be found elsewhere in this work. Mr. Daniel is a man who has not thus far become mixed up in political affairs or "public wranglings," further than to help forward any enterprise for the improvement of the city or the public good generally. He has provided himself with an elegant home on West North street, and is satisfied in attending to his · own business. By his own exertions he has changed his position and station in life from a poor boy's to that of one of the wealthy, influen- tial and prominent citizens of the community. On the 3d of January, 1865, he was married to Miss Jane C. Palmer, daughter of L. T. Palmer, one of the early and prominent pioneers of Vermilion county. They have one daughter, Gertrude, who was born in 1865.
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DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
Raymond W. Hanford, Danville, judge of the Vermilion county court, was born in Middlebury, Summit county, Ohio, on the 24th of June, 1829, and is the son of John and Sarah E. (Noble) Hanford. His father was born in Vermont on the 16th of April, 1792; he was a hatter by trade, but followed farming for the last twenty years of his life. Judge Hanford left home when he was abont fifteen years old to learn the printer's trade; he entered a printing-office in Portage county, Ohio, where he remained until he learned his trade as a printer. By working at his trade he managed to save money and school himself, his father not being a man of means. He entered Ken- yon College at Gambier, Ohio, where he graduated in 1855. He re- turned to his trade, and was afterward editor of the "Ashtabula Tele- graph," of Ashtabula, Ohio, and the "Vermilion County Press," of this county. In 1857 he arrived in Danville very poor. Here he fin- ished his legal studies under John M. Lesley, and was duly admitted to the bar in 1859. In 1861 he entered the United States service (12th Ill. Vol. Inf., Co. C) in response to the first call of the government for troops for a term of three months. At the expiration of his term he immediately reënlisted for three years in the 4th Ill. Cav., Co. F, and was elected second, and in a short time afterward first, lieutenant of his company. He was, on the organization of his regiment, detailed as quartermaster of the second battalion. In 1862 he was detailed as regimental quartermaster, and in December of the same year he was again detailed as post-quartermaster at Trenton, Tennessee, serving afterward in same capacity at Benton Barracks, St. Louis. He after- ward returned with his regiment, and continued with it till the expi- ration of his term of enlistment. Judge Hanford was captured by General Forrest at Trenton, Tennessee, and was immediately paroled. In 1864 he returned to Danville and commenced the practice of law with H. W. Beckwith, which continued as a law-firm until the 1st of December, 1868. In 1868 he was elected to the office of county judge, filling the nnexpired term caused by the resignation of Daniel Clapp; he was reelected in 1869, and again in 1873 and 1877. Judge Han- ford was married on the 5th of November, 1866, to Miss Henrietta M. Prince, by whom they had two children, one living: Henrietta N. Mr. Hanford is a republican in politics, and a member of the Episcopal Church.
James H. Wells, Danville, was born near Indianapolis, Indiana, on the 28th of March, 1836, and is the son of Robert and Emily Wells, of Nicholas county, Kentucky. Mr. Wells was raised on the farm until he was about fourteen years of age; he then went to Indianapolis and commenced to learn the trade of a harness-maker, which business he
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HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
has followed principally ever since. From Indianapolis Mr. Wells went to Kokomo, Indiana, and in 1857 he came to Illinois and located in Danville, Vermilion county. From Danville he went to Indianola, Vermilion county, where he remained about ten years. While a resi- dent of Indianola Mr. Wells enlisted in Co. E, 150th Ill. Vol. Inf., on the 14th of February, 1865, as first lientenant. The 150th was organ- ized at Camp Butler on the 14th of February, 1865, for one year's service. A full sketch of the movements of this regiment appears in the War History of this volume. Mr. Wells resigned and came home in July, 1865. In 1875 he returned to Danville and was engaged as traveling salesman for D. K. Woodbury in the harness business for one year. He then went to Marysville, Vermilion county, and remained there until August, 1878, when he came back to Danville and entered Messrs. Good & Cowan's saddlery and harness establishment. Mr. Wells held the office of township elerk in Carroll township of this county. He was married in Pern, Indiana, to Miss Rebecca E. Kimble. They have had seven children, of whom two are deceased.
William Mann, Danville, dry goods, was born in Somerville, Som- erset county, New Jersey, on the 3d of February, 1836, and is the son of John M. and Eliza (Bonnell) Mann. His mother was a native of New Jersey, and his father a very prominent attorney of Pennsylvania. When Mr. Mann was only fourteen years old he entered a leading dry- goods house in Somerville as clerk. From there he went to Philadel- phia and entered a prominent wholesale house, and from thence came west to Illinois and located in Danville. In 1861 he entered the ser- vice and participated in the late war. He enlisted in the 12th Ill. Vol. Inf., Co. C, as first lieutenant for three months. After serving his time out he reënlisted in the 125th Ill. Vol. Inf., and was made adju- tant of the regiment. Here he served until the close of the war, when he returned to Danville and embarked in the dry-goods business, and to-day ranks as one of the leading dry-goods merchants of Danville. Mr. Mann married Miss Kate E. Harmon, daughter of Sylvester Har- mon ; they are the parents of two children, one boy and one girl.
Leonard Myers, Danville, city-marshal. It is something quite com- mon to meet old citizens who have held an office for several terms, but we do not remember having met any who have held one office, and so diffieult a one through which the people may be pleased, so long as Mr. Leonard Myers, who. for nine years, has been marshal of the city of Danville, having been elected to the office eight different times and appointed once. He is a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. The early portion of his life was spent in his native county and Fair- field county, Ohio. In 1858 he came to Vermilion county, and began
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