Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 121

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1222

USA > Illinois > McLean County > Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 121

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in Lexington, and engaging at his trade until his re- moval, in 1865, to his farm in Lexington Town- ship. This eomprises 120 acres of valuable land in a high state of eultivation, which is principally de- voted to stock-raising.

Mr. Ralston left the farm and removed with his family to Lexington in the fall of 1883, since which time he has followed his trade there with suceess. Mrs. Elizabeth Ralston departed this life on the farm in Lexington Township, in February, 1876, leaving seven children : Mary E. is now the wife of James Arnold; John M. was the second born; Rosalia J. married L. H. Smith, of Selma; Cora M. and Clinton A. are deceased; Lillie and Grace are at home.

The present wife of our subject was Mrs. Margaret . Miller, widow of William Miller, and her marriage with our subjeet took place in 1879; there have been no children. Mr. Ralston was President of the village Couneil, to. which office he was elected in 1885, and with his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their town residence is a tasteful structure, handsomely furnished, and the family enjoy the respect and esteem of the best people of the community.

P REEMAN E. HUDDLE, editor of the Odd Fellows' Herald in Bloomington, was born Marel 6, 1856. A child of misfortune with some good points and a few bad ones in his character, but nothing in his purse.

The Odd Fellows' Herald was first issued Aug. 29, 1878, at Springfield, Ill. It was devoted to the interests of Odd Fellowship, and during the first year of its existence was adopted as the official or- gan of the Grand Lodge of the State. It was established by A. D. Sanders, and was a five-column folio. In 1881 it was moved to Bloomington and enlarged to a five-column quarto, with F. E. Huddle as editor. In 1882 it was purchased by the Bulletin Company. In 1884, when the Bulletin Company was dissolved, M. T. Scott became the proprietor, and Mr. Huddle editor and manager, under which arrangement it is at present condueted. It is now the official organ of the Grand Lodge of three

States-Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. Its eir- culation is about 5,400. It is neatly got up, and is well edited.

W ILLIAM A. SMITHI, a prominent eitizen and suecessful and progressive farmer of Lexington Township, was born in the township in which he is at present residing. near Selma, Sept. 27, 1846, and is the eldest son of Mil- ton and Lydia Ann (Goddard) Smith. Milton Smith was born in Franklin County, Ky., Feb. 19, 1808. His father's name was William Smith and his mother's maiden name Obedienec Brown. Mil- ton's father died when he was eight years old and he grew up in Franklin County. In the fall of 1835 he came to Selma, this eounty, and loeating on`a farm in the neighborhood of that place, he has made it his home until the present time. He helped to build the first house in Lexington. The mother of our subject, Lydia Ann Goddard, was the daugh- ter of Dr. Abbott Goddard, one of the early phy- sicians and ministers of this eounty.

William A. Smith was reared on his father's farm and educated at the distriet sehools, supple- menting his education received therein by a course of study at Wesleyan University, Bloomington. After leaving that institution he returned to the farm and carried on that industry until September, 1870. He was then married to Miss Tinnie Day, daughter of Rev. Allen Day, a Methodist minister of note. After his marriage our subjeet settled on the farm on which he is at present living, on see- tion 32, Lexington Township, where he has 160 acres of good farm land. He also owns fifty acres on section 31, making his landed interests in the county 210 acres, most of which is under an ad- vanced state of cultivation. He has a good two- story frame residenee on his place and sub- stantial barn and out-buildings. In addition to the eultivation of the cereals, our subject lias devoted considerable attention to the raising and feeding of cattle. He is at present feeding thirty-six head of fine steers, also has a fine lot of hogs and is meet- ing with success in his vocation. Two children have been born to our subject and wife, a son and

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daughter, and named Albert A. and Mary V. Our subject has always been identified with every inter- est that was, ealeulated to benefit his community, and has never been known to turn a deaf ear to true charity. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics Mr. Smith is and always has been a staneli Republiean.

AMES WOODARD. Among the well-to-do and prosperous farmers of Lexington Town- ship, residing on section 27, is the subjeet of this notice. In addition to the cultiva- tion of his land, he is and has been, to no inconsid- erable extent, oceupied in the raising, trading and shipping of cattle, in which department of his voeation he has met with signal sueeess. Mr. Woodard was born in Morgan County, Ind., Jan. 22, 1833. The father of our subject, Benediet Woodard, was a farmer by occupation, and born in Maryland, and was an early settler in Indiana. He was married to Elizabeth Wright in Kentucky, whenee they removed to Morgan County, Ind., where he and his good wife both died. They were the parents of ten children, five sons and five ' daughters, all of whom lived to attain the age of man and womanhood, with the exception of one who died aged twenty years. Six are still living, and James, our subject, is the youngest of the fam- - ily.

James Woodard was reared to manhood on his father's farm, and received his edueation in the common schools. He remained with the old folk until he was twenty-three years old, when he was married to Miss Luany Evans, daughter of Samuel Evans, of Morgan County, Ind. After his inar- riage he settled on a farm in that county, and there lived until the fall of 1860, when he removed to this eounty and located on the farm on which he is at present residing, on section 27, Lexington Township. The place was then owned by Mrs. Smith, and contained only ninety-eight aeres. Our subjeet purehased it, and has added to the samne until he is now the proprietor of 540 aeres of choice land, 300 of which is in a body. He has two good barns on his place and a comfortable residence,

and is at present' the owner of a handsome and valuable property. When Mr. Woodard first eamne to this county he had but little means, and ran in debt for two-thirds the value of the farm he pur- chased. In addition to the cultivation of his land he embarked in the raising of hogs, and met with signal success in this branch of his vocation, and has really made more money in that manner than he has by the cultivation of the eereals. To his hog-raising he has added that of buying and feed- ing cattle, which has also proved a successful un- dertaking. During thic year 1886 our subject shipped four carloads of cattle and three of hogs to the Chieago market. The cattle numbered sixty-four head, and averaged 713 pounds, and he thinks that it is as large an average as any ship- ment ever made from this eounty, for three-year olds. His logs are of the Poland-China brecd, and he is perhaps the most sueeessful cattle buyer and feeder in this county. His horses are of the Per- cheron and Clydesdale breed.

Mr. Woodard's marriage has been blest by the birth of four children, two sons and two daughters : Kansas A. is the wife of William Patton; Sarah married John Shafer; Wesley and Alexander are at home. Politically Mr. Woodard offieiates with the Democratie party. He and his good wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

L EVI DILLON, importer and breeder of Freneh draft horses and a resident of Nor- mal, was born in Tazewell County, ill., Oct. 15, 1835. He is a son of Aaron and Melinda (Hodgson) Dillon. Levi Dillon was orphaned when only one year old and immediately thereafter became an inmate of his uncle's family, Ellis Dil- lon. He continued to reside with his uncle until manhood, engaged the while in farm labor. His uncle always kept a large number of horses, but no matter how large the herd, Levi eould always tell which of the number possessed the greatest speed. In fact, from early youth our subjeet formed a likeness for horses which has never left him.

In 1857 Levi Dillon was married to Mary, daughter of James Wright, in Randolph County,

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McLEAN COUNTY.

Ind. After his marriage he purchased 160 aeres of land, located in Boynton Township, Tazewell County, and on which he settled and engaged in farming. In 1858, in company with his brother, he purchased a one-half interest in "Old Louis Na- poleon." the first Norman horse imported into the United States, and thus, unawares, laid the founda- tion of a future competeney and a sueeessful busi- ness career. No breed of horses has attracted more attention in this country during the last fifty years, than the Norman horses from Franee.

"Louis Napoleon" was the first of that. breed owned in Illinois or west of the Alleghany Mount- ains. In 1861 a gentleman from California visited Tazewell County, and portrayed the advantages of his State iu such glowing terms as to indnee Mr. Dil- lon to sell 'his farm, preparatory. to moving to the Pacifie Slope. Ilis brother also sold out, and to- gether they purchased a large number of horses which they intended to take to California. But just at this juneture the late Civil War caused the price of horses to advance and they disposed of their herd, realizing a handsome profit. and as the finances of the country were in a depressed eon- dition, they gave np the idea of emigrating to. California. Our subjeet invested a portion of his means in an eighty-aere farm in the neighborhood of Normal.

In 1863 Mr. Dillon removed to Bloomington, and the following year located on his farm near Normal, and there lived until 1884, engaged in farming and stoek-raising. He made two trips to Franee after horses and while in Europe visited England. During the years he was connected with the firm of E. Dillon & Co., he also handled stoek individually and in 1883 ereeted his present barn at Normal, which was the first stoek barn ereeted at that place. He then associated his son, Ellis E., and two sons-in-law, J. C. Dunean and James Railsback, with him as partners, and has sinee con- dueted the business as Levi Dillon & Sons, but all advertising and exhibitions made are in the name of Dillon Bros. In 1883 this firm imported twenty horses; in 1884 twenty-five head; in 1885 twenty leads and in 1886 sixteen head. They have also imported twenty mares for breeding purposes and now own over forty full-blooded mares. Mr. Dil-

lon has exhibited horses at every State Fair in Illi- nois since 1858, besides many loeal fairs, and has never lost a horse while in transportation, although frequently exhibiting as high as fifty head at one time.

The agricultural reports of Illinois show that the Dillons have taken more premiums than all other importers of horses combined. In 1884 Dillon Bros. exhibited fifty horses at the New Orleans Ex- position and received thirty premiums. They lost three horses at that time owing to the sudden change of climate. , Our subjeet has been exceed- ingly successful in business and yet owns the farm he purchased in 1863, together with an additional eighty for which he paid $125 per aere, and also another eighty that eost him $100 per aere. In polities he is an earnest worker for the success of the Prohibition party, which ranks he joined after leaving the Republican party. He has been a mem- her of the Christian Church from boyhood and has been a zealous worker for the promotion of the eause of the Master.

Ten children have been born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dillon. One died at the age of two years, another was accidentally drowned in a well when three years of age; Ida died while on a visit to Europe, and is buried at Havre, France. The seven living are, Flora, wife of J. C. Dunean; Lillie, wife of J. Railsbaek; Ellis E., Willie, Frank, Mabel and Guy.

P ETER H. JANES. Among the large land- owners of MeLean County, as well as sne- eessful and progressive farmers who have sueeeeded in life through their own energy and good judgment, the name of Peter H. Janes deserves place. He is following his avocation in life on his fine farm on seetion 22, Money Creek Township. The parents of Mr. Janes, John S. and Sarah (Dunkle) Janes, were born in West Virginia and Ohio respectively. They settled in Fayette County, Ohio, after their marriage, and there the father followed farming until his emigration to this county, which took place in the fall of 1851. . Arriving here, he settled in Money Creek Town- ship, and continued to labor at his vocation until

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McLEAN COUNTY.

his deatlı, being at that time proprietor of upward of 500 acres of land. His good wife survived him until Feb. 13, 1887, hier demise taking place in Money Creek Township. Eight children were born of their union-Peter H., Dona M., Laura, Jacinta, Joseph, Elizabeth, Serena and Barbara E. Dona M. is thic wife of Oscar Redding, a resident of Chenoa; Laura and Edward M. Brown were united in marriage, and are living in Money Creek Town- ship; Jacinta died in childhood; Joseph is a farmer of Money Creek Township; Elizabeth married Patrick Larkin, and departed this life in Money Creek Township; Serena is the wife of William Douglas, and they are living in Money Creek Town- ship; Barbara and Adam Carnahan became man and wife, and are living in Lexington Township.

Peter H. Janes was born in Fayette Connty, Ohio, Dec. 27, 1834, and lived there until 1851, when he came to this county with his parents. Here, in Money Creek Township, he was reared to manhood on his father's farm, receiving his educa- tion in the common schools, and continued to live at home until his marriage, which event occurred when he was twenty-three years of age. He has always followed farming, and made Money Creek Township his home since he first settled there with his parents. He is now the owner of .640 acres of valuable land, the major portion of which is under an advanced state of cultivation. He keeps about thirty head of cattle and forty head of Norman horses on his farm, and fattens from seventy-five tò 100 heads of hogs for the market annually.

Mr. Janes was married in the township in which he resides, Dec. 31, 1857, to Miss Louisa Crose, daughter of William and Eliza A. (Busick) Crose. William Crose was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, and his wife was also a native of that State. They emigrated from their native State to this county in 1837, and settled in Randolph Grove, whence they removed to Smith's Grove, Towanda Town- ship, and later, to Money Creek Township. Going to Kansas they remained a short time and then re- turned to this county, and settling in Towanda Township, lived there until their deatlı, his demise occurring July 24, 1880, and hers, Dec. 13, 1883. Eleven children were born to them, namely, Har- riet, Rebecca, Louisa, Elijalı, Termon, William,

Eliza A., Emma, George, Sarah and Philip. Har- rict and John Padget are man and wife and living at Saybrook; Rebecca died when about four years old; Elijah is a farmer of Towanda Township; Termon is a resident of Kansas; William lives in Bloomington ; Eliza A. is the wife of George Janes, a farmer of Lexington Township; Emma married David T. Turnipseed, and they reside in Lexing- ton Township; George is living in Kansas; Sarah is the wife of David Wisner, a farmer of Towanda Township; Philip is a resident of Wilson, Kan.

Mrs. Janes was born at Randolph Grove, March 22, 1839. Her union with our subject has been productive of the birth of six children-Annetta, Laura O., Sarah E., Allie M., Barbara E. and Min- nie E. Annetta is the wife of John W. Brown, living in Normal Township; Laura and James S. Beasley became man and wife, and reside in Money Creek Township; Allie M. married B. B. Francis, a farmer of Money Creek Township. Mr. Janes has been the incumbent of the office of School Trustee for upward of twenty years, and is much respected for his many good qualities, pleasant dis- position and kindness of heart. In politics he is a Republican, and his good wife is a member of the United Brethren Church. A handsome view of the home of Mr. Janes, with its pleasant surround- ings, is given in this work.

6 HOMAS CHAPMAN, who has been a resi- dent of McLean County since 1863, occu- pies a comfortable homestead in Yates Township, on section 24. where he has carried on farming intelligently and successfully for over twenty years. Our subject comes from excellent ancestry, and was born in Lincolnshire, England, Dec. 14, 1830. He is the son of William and Fran- ces (Wilkinson) Chapman, and was the eldest of four children born to his parents, all of whom, ex- cept himself are deceased, namely : John W., Fran- ces and Edward W.

Mr. Chapman spent his childhood and youth upon his father's farm in England, and in 1852, accompanied by his brother, John W., emigrated

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to the United States. They first stopped near Roell- ester. N. Y., where they remained the two years following, with the exception of the time spent in looking up a permanent location. They first went to Wisconsin, which they did not like, and after- ward to Michigan, where they followed farining and lumbering, settling down near Iona, that State. In 1855 they were joined by their parents and the re- mainder of, the family. The parents died there, the father May 19, 1862, and the mother, March 30, 1868.

In 1858, Thomas Chapman, who was not satisfied with the outlook in Mieluigan, went southwest into Missouri, where he first engaged in lumbering, and afteward in the Merrimae Iron Works in Phelps County. He then tried farming near Sedalia, whence in June, 1863, he came to Illinois, and stopped for a time in Blue Mound Township, this county. In 1865 he purchased eighty aeres of his present farm, which was mainly unimproved. * Upon it, however, was a house 14x20 feet in arca, which he repaired and put in good order, and in due time brought about other improvements, which aided in giving the place a homelike appearance. He worked early and late, and by the exereise of per- severanee and economy, in due time added eighty aeres of land to his first purchase, and put up a fine set of farm buildings. The last residence, ereeted in 1883, is finely located, and is one of the most at- traetive and convenient farm dwellings in this part of the county. Ilis barn and outhouses are put up in a substantial manner, and his stoek and machiu- ery are of that order which indicates the progressive agriculturist and intelligent business man. His land, originally very wet, is now drained by nearly 1,300 rods of tile, and with its rich soil and exeel- lent cultivation produees generous erops. Of late years he has given muell attention to the raising of stoek, and has produced some of the finest animals in this part of the county.

The marriage of Thomas Chapman and Miss Ma- randa Buell took place on the 18th of July, 1857. Mrs. C. was born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., April 13, 1836, being a daughter of Benjamin and Susan (Smith) Buell, the former a native of Con- neetieut, and the latter of Otsego County, N. Y. The family finally removed to Grand Rapids, Mich.,

where the parents spent the remainder of their days. Mr. and Mrs. Chapman became the parents of four children, one of whom died in infancy : Fannie S. is the wife of William E. Brown, and resides in Kent County, Mich .; Austin E. is a resident of Yates Township, and Lizzie J. lives with her par- ents. Mr. and Mrs. Chapman have been active meinbers of the Baptist Church for nearly twenty years; politieally our subjeet adheres loyally to the Republican party.

OHN B. CARSON, a well-to-do farmer and goodly land-owner of Lexington Township, resides on seetion 16. Ile is the son of Sam- uel and Abigail (Black) Carson, natives of Pennsylvania, the father of Lancaster, and the mother of what is now Perry County. The parents removed from their native State to Ross County, Ohio, at an early day, and in 1821 to Delaware County, that State, where they lived until their death. Nine children were born to them, two of whom died in infaney ; five sons and two daughters lived to attain the age of man and womanhood.

John B. Carson was the seventh ehild born to his parents, and first saw light in Ross County, Ohio, March 31, 1817. He followed farm labor until he was twenty-one years old, having in the meantime received an education in the common schools. He then taught sehool for about fourteen years, inost of the time at Dublin, Ohio. The father of our subjeet owned a large traet of land, 1,000 aeres, and after his death the estate was divided, and our subjeet receiving his portion married and settled upon it. Ilis farm was located in Delaware Coun- ty, and from the time he first located upon that place until the present he has followed agricultural pursuits. Living in Delaware County until Janu- ary, 1865, he came to this county and settled in Lexington Township, where he purchased 252} aeres on seetion 16. Ile now owns 320 aeres on the same seetion, and his farm is under an ad- vaneed state of cultivation, and has good and sub- stantial buildings upon it. He also has seventy- three aeres of timber land on the Mackinaw, on section 28.

Mr. Carson was married in Ross County, Ohio,

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Nov. 13, 1851, to Miss Nancy Jane, daughter of Hugh and Elizabethi (Berry) Carson, natives of Pennsylvania. Her parents settled in Ross Coun- ty, Olio, after their marriage, and there reared a family of eleven children, seven girls and four boys, and Mrs. Carson of this notice was the sixth in order of birth. She was born in Ross County, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1817, and by her union with our subject has beeome the mother of four children- Elizabeth, Abigail, Samuel B. and Frank Henry. Samuel B. was united in marriage with Miss Etta Brown, and they are living in Lexington Township; Frank Henry died when two years old; the other children are unmarried and reside at home. Mr. Carson in politics was an old-line Whig, and on the organization of the Republican party became identified with it. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

ACOB CURTIS MAHAN. the oldest mer- ehant of Lexington, is one of its most sub- stautial and prominent business men, and has aided materially in its advancement and importance as a town. He is a native of the wealthy and populous Buekeye State, having been born in Highland County, Ohio, near the line of Brown County, on the 21st of July, 1826. His father, William Mahan, was. born in Kentucky and removed with his parents to Clermont County, Ohio, when a mere lad, and there grew to manhood. His father, also Jacob Mahan, is supposed to have been a native of Pennsylvania, and was for many years a minister of the United Brethren Church, and was among the pioneers of that denomination in Indiana. His earthly career closed in about 1830.

The Mahan family came originally from Ireland, and possessed in a remarkable degree the generous traits of the warm-hearted Irish raee. William Mahan, the father of our subjeet, was married to Miss Cassandra, the daughter of Jephtha Curtis, Esq,, of Pennsylvania. Her mother's name was Mary. Her father was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary War, who, after his enlistment, never re- turned to his home, and it is supposed was killed

in some of the numerous engagements of that un- happy period. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. William Mahan settled in Highland County, Ohio, where they continued until '1842, and then witlı their family emigrated to Illinois, first settling in Lexington Township, this county, on section 16, where the father engaged in general farming. In 1864 they removed from the farm into the village, where they spent the balance of their days, the father dying in 1883, in the eighty-first year of his agc, and the mother the year following, aged eighty-four. Their family included six sons and four daughters, of whoin five grew to mature years, and four sons still survive, Jacob C. being the eld- est ; Isaac S. lives in Champaign, Ill .; Erasmus, in Greenwood County, Kan., and William Quiney in Lexington. Paulina became the wife of R. H. McLean, and died in 1881, leaving three children.

Jacob C. Mahan was sixteen years of age when he came to McLean County with his parents. His edueation, begun in Ohio, was completed in Cherry Grove, near Abingdon, this State, and he after- ward taught school for two years. Then, with a capital of $200, he opened a small store in Lexing- ton, which he carried on until 1848, and then en- gaged in farmning and stock-raising. After the completion of the C. & A. R. R. he put up an ele- vator and engaged extensively in the purchase and sale of grain. He was greatly prospered in his farming and stoek operations, and in 1867 put up one of the best business blocks in the city, and afterward built the business house now occupied by the First National Bank. He was one of the original and principal stockholders of the J. C. Mahan & Co. Bank of Lexington, which was car- ried on for fifteen years and of which our subjeet was President. After retiring from the bank he turned his attention to merchandising and farming, and also to the shipping of grain. Hc has a large and valuable stoek of goods and has built up an extensive and lucrative trade.

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Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 121

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers Number of Pages: 1222

Author: Chapman brothers, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 1222