USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > Portrait and biographical album of Vermilion county, Illinois, containing sketches of prominent citizens of all the governors of the state, and of the presidents of the United States, Volume I > Part 28
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William G. Herron was born April 6, 1822. Ilis educational advantages were exceedingly limited. He was the oldest child of the family, and of course was expected to take an important part in carrying on the farm. In 1851 he left Ohio in the employ of a stockman. On his first visit to Illinois, which was at the time indicated, his impressions were not favorable to his location in this county, for at the time he remarked he would not give ten cents an acre for any of the land. So he continued in the occupation of drover, proceeding backward and forward from Ohio on horseback and in a buggy. driving many cattle from Illinois to Ohio and Pennsylvania, He became very well acquainted on the National Road. so that he knew almost every one located on that thoroughfare. Ile was married in 1855 to Miss Evelyn Robison, a native of Mad- ison County. Ohio, and the same year he settled in Piatt County. Ill. Ilis wife is the daughter of Thomas and Mary ( Lane) Robison, the former of
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whom was one of the carly settlers of Madison County. Ile was born in South Carolina, while Mrs. Robison was a native of Maryland. They came of good Revolutionary stock. The Robison family was a leading one in the South, while the Lanes were prominent in colonial times.
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After marriage Mr. Ilerron engaged in farming and stock-raising until 1860, when he bought into a general merchandise business at Monticello. III., continuing in this with varied results for several years. Ile and S. W. Allerton became acquainted in Chicago in 1860. Fortune bad favored Mr. Al- lerton, and in 1881, when he purchased this vast farm, he offered his friend an opportunity that was embraced, giving Mr. Herron the entire manage- ment of the place.
The firm of Allerton & Herron was therefore formed, and it has been a successful business ven- ture from the start. The influence of this firm in- duced the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad to forward its work, and Mr. Allerton donated the right of way through his land and laid out the vil- lage plat of Allerton which is yet in its infancy, but on account of its fine location is destined to become a good point for shipping grain, cattle and horses. General trade is also bound to prosper here, and the people of the town have great faith that their hopes will be fully realized. The large steam elevator was put up by Mr. Allerton in, 1887, and is operated by John II. Herron, our subject's son, and is run in the firm name of Allerton & Herron. Mr. Herron gives employment to about twenty-five men, and runs from sixty to seventy teams. Ile is following general or mixed farming, and is constantly im- proving his large farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Herron have reared nine children : Fannie died when she was twenty-one years of age, at the time being a student at the Wesleyan Uni- `versity at Bloomington, Ill .; Emma was married June 26, 1889, to Prof. F. W. Martin, of Chaddock College, Quincy, III. She is one of the faculty at Chaddock College. She is a graduate of the Wes- lyan University and is a Master of Arts and Pro- fessor of Greek and Latin; David W. is on a ranch at Cedar Rapids, Neb .. where he is conducting a 7,000-acre farm for Allerton. Ile is married and has two children; William II. is connected with the
I'nited States Geological Survey, and has charge of the survey in Kansas; John II. is running the steam elevator at Allerton; Una is a student at C'haddock College in the class of '90; Edwin is at- tending the High School at Mahomet; Clyde is at home as is also Ralph, who is attending school. Mr. Herron has given all of his children the ben- efit of good educational advantages, and they have improved them.
Mr. Herron is an uncomprising and stalwart Re- publican and attends most of the conventions his party holds. He has served as a member of the Ex- ceutive commitee and is President of the Republi- can Club of Sidell. He has been an active mem - ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church from boy- hood up. He has given large sums to the Wesleyan University. He and his wife have been members of the Broadland Methodist Episcopal Church for many years, where they take great interest in the Sunday-school. Mr. Herron was Superintendent of the Sabbath-school at Monticello, Ill .. for eighteen years. and in this work he is perhaps bet- ter known than in any other, as he began active operations in the Sunday-schools thirty years ago, and has continued in the work without flagging during that long period. Ile assisted in the for- mation of most of the Sunday-schools of Piatt and Champaign counties, and also of the southern por- tion of Vermilion. In all things he is a leader, whether in politics or religion. As a man and as a neighbor, there is none who stands higher than William G. Herron.
On another page of the ALBUM appears a fine portrait of Mr. Herron, who occupies a prominent position among his fellow-men, and is accordingly worthy of an important place in a book of this character.
RIN SPERRY represents the agricultural interests of Blount Township as a farmer of more than ordinary shrewdness and practical
ability. Ile has met with marked success in his chosen calling, and has a large farm on section 20. which by good management he has made one of the most valuable estates in this part of Vermilion County. Mr. Sperry is the son of a pioneer fam-
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ily, was reared here from early childhood, and has always made his home here.
Mr. Sperry is of New England ancestry on his father's side, and that parent, whose name was Wallace Sperry, was born in the good old State of Connecticut. Sarah Watkins, the mother of our subject, came of Southern parentage, and she was born in Maryland. During some period in their lives the parents went to Ohio, in the early days of its settlement, and there he was born in Warren County Sept. 4, 1828. the sixth of nine children. When he was but two years old. in 1830, they brought him to this State, and in their new pioneer home in Blount Township he was reared to a stal- wart, vigorous manhood. Ile gleaned a practical education in the district schools, and his parents trained him thoroughly in the duties of life, drill- ing him well in all that pertains to a farmer's eall- ing. When he became independent, after reaching man's estate, he bought a Mexican land warrant, paying 8150 for 160 acres of land, which he took up on section 20, Blount Township, and still re- tains it in his possession. But he has added to it as he became more prosperous and wealthy. and now owns 509 acres of as fine farming land as is to be found within the limits of the county. He has it under admirable tillage. and has a comfortable, substantial set of buildings, and everything nec- essary to carrying on agriculture to the best ad- vantage.
Mr. Sperry has been twice married. He was first wedded Sept. 23, 1852, to Mary Stewart, daughter of William and Charlotte Stewart, who at that time lived in Scotland, but afterward came to this county. Of that marriage nine children were born, of whom the following four are living: Eli S., who married Sueldo Johnson; Demna, who married Wesley Smith; Asa and Eben are yet un- married. The others. who died when quite young, are William A., Charles F., Clarissa J., George M .. and Jessic G. Aug. 30, 1883, the household of our subject was bereft of the beloved wife and mother, who had been devoted to the interests of her family, and was in every respect a true woman whom to know was to respect.
Mr. Sperry was married to his present amiable wife Oct. 11, 1888. She is a good housewife and
looks carefully after the comforts of the inmates of the pleasant home over which she presides. Her maiden name was Ellen Cozatt, and she is a daugh- ter of Henry and Nancy Wood, and widow of Perry C. Cozatt.
Mr. Sherry is a man of sterling worth, one in whom his fellow-citizens place the utmost confi- dence .. Ile possesses foresight, thrift and sound discretion in an eminent degree, and they have been factors in his prosperity. In him the United Breth- ren Church finds one of its most earnest and valued members, who carries his religion into the every day affairs of life. In politics he has been a staneh Republican since the early days of the formation of the party.
ICHAEL McCAUL. There are many greater men than their garb would indi- eate. We find in the person of this gen- tleman a classical scholar who pursued his youthful studies with the intention of becoming a priest. but untoward circumstances compelled him to leave college and engage in manual labor. This necessarily changed the whole course of his life and we now find him a thorough-going farmer, who in company with his brother owns 120 acres of land on sections 1 and 6 in Sidell Township.
Probably Mr. McCaul is the only man in his township who has circumnavigated the globe. After leaving college his mother was unwilling to have him come to America on account of the Civil War, so he went to Australia. He was born in' County Cavan, Ireland. in August, 1844, and pursued his early studies in the common schools until the age of fifteen years. when he entered the Larrah Classical School in the same county, where he pursued his studies for three years and then his lack of finances compelled him to withdraw. In setting out for Australia, he was accompanied by his brother. Bernard. They sailed around the coast of Africa, doubled Cape Hope and arrived at Mor- ton Bay Colony, Queensland, where they became employed on the public works, principally railroads for five years.
At the expiration of this time the McCaul brothers determined to come to America and set
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sail from Melbourne. going up through the Pacific. doubling Cape Horn and landing in Liverpool, whenee they embarked on a steamer to the prom. ised land. They arrived in New York in the early part of November. 1867, and thence made their way to Marshall County, this State, where they be- gan farming together and operated thus several years.
Our subject finally removed to Woodford County, where he sojourned a few years, then changing his residence to Champaign County. from which he came, in 1880. with his brother to his present farm. They took out their naturalization papers in 1884. Mr. MeCaul believes in protection to American industries and consequently has iden- tified himself with the Republican party. He is in full sympathy with the cause of Ireland and a warm admirer of Patrick Egan, Patrick Ford and other who are endeavoring to free their country from the oppressions of British rule. He has signi- fied his sympathy in a substantial manner. donat- ing liberally of his means.
The parents of our subject were Bernard and Mary ( McEntee) McCaul. natives of County Cavan. Ireland, and the father was a farmer by occupation. - They spent their entire lives upon their native soil, each living to be sixty-three years old. Their five children were named respectively, Ann. Ed- ward, Patrick, Bernard, and Michael. Ann is the widow of Jolin Reiley and resides in Sidell Township: Edward and Patrick remain in their native Ireland. Bernard married Miss Mary Gulcheon, a native. like himself of County Cavan. and they have three children-Mary, Bernard, and Maggie. Michael, our subjeet. continues in a state of single blessedness.
RANKLIN EMMET ABBOTT, well-known as one of the most enterprising of the younger farmers of Grant Township, was born in Brown County, Ohio. Sept. 12, 1859. and came to Illinois with his parents when but six years of age. His parents were Wilson and Sarah J. (Brown) Abbott, who were natives of Ohio and after their removal to Illinois, coming direct to 1
Vermilion County. they settled on a farm on sce- tion 22 in this same township a short distance from where Franklin E. now resides.
There the family lived for about three years when they removed to a rented farm a short distance off, and a year later Mr. Abbott bought a 40- acre farm on which the family made their home for many years, and on which place Wilson Abbott died on Feb. 14. 1883 at the age of fifty- two. He was a farmer all his life-time. giving his entire time and attention to the work pertaining to his farm, and having no desire for notoriety. as far as possible avoided public position, never holding any office, save such as school director, or the like, that he could not evade. Ile was known as one of the older settlers of the township, which was comparatively new when he located here. a quar- ter of a century ago. lle left behind him a splen- did record as a man and as a farmer. Mrs. Sarah J. Abbott survived her husband nearly four years, dying in the house of her son, Franklin E., on Dec. 16, 1886, aged fifty-two years.
Wilson Abbott and wife were the parents of eight children. of whom seven are yet living as follows: Frances Evelyn, is the wife of Martin Davis, a farmer in Grant Township; James L., is married to Miss Maggie Schooleraft, and is also a farmer in Grant Township; Franklin E., was next in order of birth; Isodora Albertine is the wife of William Trueheart, a farmer in Mead County, Kan .: Mary Luella and Cyrena Belle. make their home with their brother of whom this is written, and Charles L. is unmarried and engaged in farm work.
Franklin E. Abbott, the subject of this sketch, has spent his entire life in the county and town- ship, where he now lives, since he was six years old. Two or three years after the death of his father, the old farm was sold and the family home has since been where Franklin now lives. The elder members of the family were justly regarded as the very best people in the neighborhood for industry, intelligence and straightforward conduct. and the younger members are closely following the footsteps of their parents. Mr. Abbott is unmar- ried, his sisters keeping house for him. He has been School Director of the township, and all of the family are members of the Christian Church, he
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being treasurer of the Sabbath-school connected therewith.
Mr. Abbott belongs to that younger element of of farmers of Illinois, which is rapidly coming to the front, and after attaining that position is sure to remain there. Ile is constructed of the material that make a useful citizen and a good farmer.
7.
OIN E. THOMPSON. The people of Oak- wood Township with one accord declare that this is "one of the finest old gentlemen within its precincts." This kindly express- ion of opinion among those who have known him long and well. should in a measure compensate him for the affliction from which he is suffering. he hav- ing become almost blind and passing many days which seem long and dreary. He, however, has a mind to direct his farming operations, and is en- abled to live comfortably upon his little farm of eighty acres, besides which he has eight acres of timber. He raises as much stock as the place will support comfortably, and in his struggles and la- bors has been ably assisted by his estimable wife -- a lady possessing all the womanly virtues. devoted to her family, remarkably industrious and frugal, and who has ordered the ways of her household in the most admirable manner.
The subject of this notice is the offspring of an excellent old family. and was one of a pair of twins born March 5, 1821, in Clark County, Ohio. His boyhood days were spent in his native State, where he received a practical education in the common school, and when reaching his majority began farm- ing for himself. When twenty-five years old he was married in 1849, to Miss Sarah E. Simpkins, and the young people lived thereafter for three years at the Thompson homestead. In 1852 they caine to Illinois and settled first in Edgar County, where they sojourned five years. Their next re- moval was to their present farm, which was then merely a tract of wild land with not a stick of tim- ber or a shrub upon it.
Our subject set himself industriously to work for the improvement of his property ably assisted by his faithful wife, and making each year some lead-
way toward the desired end. After a lapse of years six children were embraced in the family house- hold, four of whom are living: Rowena Harriet is now the wife of Silas Bean, and the mother of one child by her present husband; they live in Hodge- man County, Kan. By her first marriage with Frank Funk she became the mother of four chil- dren; John Henry married Miss Emma Royer; they live in Kansas City, Mo., and have two chil- dren; Darius S. is unmarried, and has principal charge of the home farm. and is a member of Lodge No. 489, 1. O. O. F .; Charles S. married Miss Re- becca Hubbard. and lives in Pilot Township, hav- ing no children.
Mr. Thompson cast his first Presidential vote for Zachary Taylor, and was a member of the Old Whig party until 1856, when he cast his lot with the Republicans at the organization of this party. Ile has officiated as Road Overseer in Edgar County, and has been School Director in his present dis- trict for eight years. Socially, he belongs to Lodge No. 489 I. O. O. F. at Fithian, in which he has been Right Supporter and Outside Guardian. Mrs. Thompson is a devont member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her parents were D. S. and Rowena Simpkins, the former of whom was a na- tive of Maryland. and later removed with his fam- ily to Ohio, settling in Clark County, where he be- came prominent and well-to-do. The parental household included eight children, of whom Mrs. Thompson was the fourth in order of birth. She was born Nov. 6, 1828. in Maryland, and received an excellent education. Her parents spent their last years in Clark County, Ohio.
The father of our subject was Jeremiah C. Thompson, a native of Harper's Ferry, Va., and a farmer by occupation. He married Miss Susannah Wolfe. a maiden of his own township and a daugh- ter of Henry Wolfe. a native of Virginia and a prominent man of his time, who lived till nearly eiglity years of age. From the Old Dominion, about a year after their marriage, the parents of our subject emigrated to Clark County, Ohio, set- tling among its earliest pioneers. The father in due time became owner of nearly 400 acres of land and was prominent in the community, officiating as Justice of the Peace and occupying other positions
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of trust and responsibility. He departed this life at the old homestead in 1851. The mother had preceded her husband to the silent land eleven years, her death taking place in 1810. They were the parents of eleven children. the most of whom lived to mature years, and were scattered through different States.
ILLIAM CLIPSON, deceased, was form- erly an honored resident of Vermilion County, with whose farming interests he was identified. Coming here with his family when this section of the country was still in the hands of the pioneers and purchasing land in Catlin Town- ship, he was actively engaged in its improvement, and in the few years that he was spared to the community he greatly inereased the value of his farm. His death when but a few years past the me- ridian of life was a severe blow to the township with whose interests his own were bound up, and his name and memory are still cherished here by those who knew him best.
.He was of English birth and breeding, born in Lincolnshire, May 18, 1806, and reared to man- hood in a town known as Minonsby, where he lived till he was about eighteen years old, when he went to Devonshire, England. He was first married in that shire to Jane Shaw, by whom he had eight children, of whom only two lived to grow up, Catherine and Jane. Catherine is the wife of Mil- ligan M. Moore, of Georgetown. III. Jane married John Swanell, and died in Leavenworth, Kan., in 1859. After his marriage Mr. Clipson removed to London, and there his wife died July 1, 1839. While in Devonshire he enlisted as a soldier in the British Army, and served as messman to King William. After his removal to London he served on the police force of that city, and was afterward inspector for the London Gas Company for some ten or twelve years, and at the same time was en- gaged in the management of a hotel. Ile was mar- ried a second time in that eity, his union with Miss Matilda Ann Barker being solemnized Nov. 5, 18.10. She was born in Boston. Lincolnshire, Eng- land, Dec. 22, 1815. Of the thirteen children born
of her marriage with our subject the following six grew to maturity: William II., John C., James. Harriet A., Richard. Albert. William married Mirantha Tipton. and they reside in Clarinda. Iowa. John C. married Margaret Hutchinson, and they reside in Clarinda, Iowa. James married Cla- rissa Douglas. and they reside in Catlin Township. Albert married Ethlen Sanford. and they reside in Catlin Township. Harriet and Richard live with their mother on the old homestead.
Mr. and Mrs. Clipson continued to live in Lon- don till the spring of 1853, when they emigrated to America with their family, making the voyage on a sailing vessel in six weeks, and landed in New York, whence they came directly to Vermilion County. They settled in Catlin Township, east- ing in their lot with its pioneers, and here he en- gaged in farming, having purchased 160 acres of wild land. He caused a good house to be erected, and made many other substantial improvements, besides getting much of the land under excellent cultivation, and was continually increasing the value of his farm, when death closed his busy, use- ful career July 6. 1862. He was a man of varied experience in life; intelligent and thoughtful. and his place in this township was among its best and most desirable citizens. Ile was a fair-minded man, and was possessed of ripe judgment. tact and sound diseretion, and was always found to be faith- ful and trustworthy in his dealings, so that his life- record is without stain. Ilis venerable widow is still making her home on the old homestead, sur- rounded by all the comforts that the loving care of her children can devise. She is a fine lady of well- known English stoek, is hospitable and entertain- ing, and with her family occupies a high position in the social eireles of the community. She is a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has been connected with it for more than twenty years, and her conduct in the daily affairs of life show her to be possessed of a truly religious, Christian nature.
Richard and Albert Clipson, sons of our subject, have formed a partnership and are extensively en- gaged in the stock business. Besides having the management of the old homestead. they own and operate 360 acres of choice farming land. They
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buy and ship a large amount of stock. having sev- eral men in their employ who are engaged all the time in buying for them. The firm is well-known throughout this part of the West and stands high in financial circles, as the Clipson Bros. are known to be men of honor who are always fair and np- right in their dealings. They are men of large en- terprise, full of energy and push, and possess a marked talent for business, which they conduct systematically and after the most approved methi- ods. Richard Clipson is a member of the I. O. O. F., of Catlin. and Albert belongs to the Modern Woodmen Camp of Catlin.
UGH WRIGIIT is the son of William, whose father, Hugh, was a native of Bourbon Co., Ky., where he married Miss Anna Patter- son. After their marriage they removed to Bombon County, Kentucky, where they located on a farm and reared their family of eight children. viz .: William. John, Hugh. Thomas. Margred. Polly, Peggy, and our subject's father, William. The four eldest died at an early age; Margred. the fifth child, married a Mr. Piper, who is now de- ceased, after which she was again married to Eli Current, of Kentucky. who also died. She, how- ever, continued to live in Kentucky. Polly and her husband. Mr. Piper, both died leaving two ehil- dren; Peggy, the seventh, married James Looman, who died. She now resides in Kansas. The sub- ject's father, the eighth and last born, was married in Kentucky, to Miss Ellen, daughter of Silas and Margaret (Duffy ) Waters.
The subject's grandfather was a native of Vir- ginia but removed to Kentucky when the children were young. In 1828 Hugh's father with his family came to this county; there were at this time but three children. Hugh, Silas and James. The latter was born in Rush County, Ind .. where the parents lived one year previous to coming here. Those born here are John A., William A., now de- ceased. Margaret A .. who died at the age of eight- een years, and Elizabeth. who married John Rut- ledge, Since her husband's death Mrs. Rutledge
has lived in McLean County. The first settlement made here by the father was some three miles north of Danville. At the time of his location here there were but three white families in the village. this part of the county being chiefly occupied by In- dians. The land had not yet come into market : he. however. ventured to settle in the timber, and reckoned that the prairies would never become populated. The first house was made of log-, and the fireplace was concocted of a substance called stone-coal. which was supposed to be fire-proof. This. however, proved to be a mistake. for the fire was no sooner built than the stone-coal at once be- gan to burn, and it was with difficulty that the eabin itself was saved. After considerable exertion the flames were extinguished. Immediately after this disaster what remained of the coal chimney was torn down and it was replaced by a stick and clay one.
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