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 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
It is an appropriate testimonial to the worth of Mr. Yerkes that his portrait should occupy a prominent place in the ALBUM of the county, to the material advancement of which he has so largely contributed.
B ENJAMIN FRANKLIN SNOWDEN. The fact that this gentleman is successfully oper- ating three farms in Sidell Township is suf- ficient indication of his ability as a business man and agriculturist. while his home is one of the most hospitable places to be found in many a mile. Although not a long-time resident of the town- ship. he has established himself in the esteem and confidence of its people, and is recognized as a citi- zen holding no secondary place in point of sterling worth, honesty and integrity. He has supervision of the Charles Wright farm-220 acres in extent -upon which he resides; the A. J. Baum farm of 340 acres, and a little farm of seventy acres, be- longing also to this estate. all of which comprises 630 acres, and all of which, with the exception of forty acres, is under the plow. The land is largely devoted to the raising of corn and oats, and in the operation of this extensive tract there are utilized thirteen teams, with a goodly amount of machinery and all the other implements required for success- ful agriculture. The firm of Snowden & Sons has become generally recognized in this seetion as the synonym of reliability. push and enterprise.
William Snowden, the father of our subject. with his wife. formerly Miss Martha Pigg, were natives of Clark County, Ky .. where the paternal grand- father. Joshua Snowden, was also born and was the son of David Snowden, a native of Virginia, whos. father was also born in the Old Dominion and whose grandfather emigrated from England. Joshua Snowden served as a soldier in the War of 1812. !
1
and the great-grandfather of our subject carried a musket in the Revolutionary War. The Snowden family is noted for longevity, many of them reach- ing the age of ninety years and some living to be over one hundred years old. The Pigg family in Virginia owned lands and slaves. They had origin- ally settled in Kentucky, and several of the male ancestors of our subject on this side of the house likewise served in the Revolutionary War.
The father of our subject carried on farming and proseented quite an extensive trade in fine horses, cattle and mules. purchasing them in Ken- tucky and shipping to Virginia, Missouri. Illinois and other States. He brought about the first Short- horn cattle known in this State, landing them in Bloomington, Ill. He was born. reared. married and died in Clark County. Ky .. where he was a prominent eitizen. well known and highly respected. HIis business relations extended to Bourbon. Fay- ette, Merritt, Esther, Powell. and other counties of that State. as also into various other States of the Union. In addition to his extensive private in- terests he served as Notary Public several years. and was noted for his publie-spiritedness and gener- osity. He became quite wealthy. but finally became security for large amounts and lost the whole of his property, leaving his son, our subject, almost penni- less. His death occurred April 17, 1881. at the age of sixty-seven years. The mother only survived her husband a short time. her death taking place July 4, 1883. when she was sixty-five years old.
Nine children were born to the parents of our subject, being named respectively : Benjamin Frank- lin of this sketeli, Thomas J., William N., John W., Louisa. Joshua, Mary. Melissa, who died at the age of thirteen years. and Nancy, who died when three years old. Thomas J. is a live-stock commission merchant at the Union Stock Yards, Cincinnati, Ohio; William N. is farming in Clark County. Ky. : John W .. a physician and surgeon, is located at Wade's Mill in Clark County. Ky .: Louisa is the wife of Taylor Mansfield, a farmer of the above- mentioned county; Joshua is farming and resides on the Parkville homestead; Mary is the wife of David B. Duncan, a farmer of Madison County, Ky.
The subject of this notice was born Dec. 8, 1839,
310
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
fourteen miles cast of Paris in Bourbon County. Ky. He was a mere child when his father's family removed to Clark County, where he developed into manhood. He attended the subscription schools before the days of public schools, and engaged in farming and shipping stock. When twenty-one years old he was married to Miss Amanda F. Craig of Estill County, Ky., and the daughter of Olando Whitney Craig, one of the first Methodist Episco- pal preachers in the Blue Grass State. Her mother. Miss Maria (Bellis) Craig, was a native of Estill County. Mr. Craig was born in Montgomery County. The progenitors of both removed from Virginia at an early date. The great-grandfather Craig was one of the earliest settlers of Montgom- ery County, locating there about 1821, and he lived to be one linndred and two years old. He also was a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Ilis son, William, the grandfather of our subject, spent his entire life in Montgomery County.
The father of Mrs. Snowden preached at various places in Kentucky-in Montgomery, Clark, Estill and Powell counties-and died in Estill County in 1848. when only forty years of age : the mother survived her husband several years, dying in 1862 at the age of forty-two. Their children, six in number, were named respectively William T .. Amanda F .. Eliza J., John T., Mary E. and Sarah E. The parents were excellent and worthy people, and the father especially beloved wherever known.
Mrs. Snowden was born in Estill County, Ky., and received a very good education. She finally began teaching, and followed this three years prior to her marriage and for some time afterward. Mr. Snowden in the meantime engaged extensively as a stock dealer, buying and selling cattle, horses and mules. Ile also carried on farming in Ken- tucky. In the spring of 1887 he came to this county and rented the Wright farm. where they have since lived. The record of the eleven chil- dren born to them is as follows: Nancy B. died at the age of three years: John W. assists his father in his extensive farming interests: Thomas .I. is also at home; Martha M. is the wife of James W. Young of Danville, and they have one child, Annie Laura; William M., Lena Rivers, Joshua II., Mary E. and Nora A. are at home with their parents.
The eighth child. Maggie L., died at the age of nine years and the youngest born, Algan, died when seven months old.
Mr. Snowden, politically. affiliates with the Dem- ocratie party. Socially, he betongs to Estill Lodge, No. 169. of Spout Springs, Ky .. and his wife is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Snowden served in the Revo- lutionary War, and one of her uncles was in the Mexican War. Two of her brothers were in the late Civil War-William in the Confederate Army and John in the Union Army. in which he enlisted three times. The old home of Mr. Snowden is located ten miles from Boonesboro, Clark Co., Ky., and was formerly the home of Daniel Boone, the old pioneer of Kentucky and of historic fame. Our subject is well acquainted with several mein- bers of the Boone family, and speaks of them as very worthy people, prominent in local affairs and invariably Hard Shell Baptists in their religious views.
C ARL C. WINTER. editor of the Danville Deutsche Zeitung. was born in lleidelberg. Germany, April 21, 1841. He is descended from a prominent and distinguished ancestry, who have wielded much influence in their native land. Originally the family came in the seventeenth cen- tury from the coast of Holland. near Amsterdam. settling first at Heilbronn. whence the great-grand. father of our subjeet removed to Heidelberg in 1807. His grandfather, Christian Frederick Win- ter. was for many years Mayor of the City of Hei- delberg, an office of greater honor and respectability in that country than in this, and one to which only prominent men are chosen. Ile was for many years also a member of the Legislature of the Grand Duchy of Baden, and exercised a wide in- fluence in its affairs. He introduced and procured the passage of the bill inaugurating the jury system in the State. and securing the liberty of the press. Ile was afterward Commissioner of the Republic of Baden during the celebrated Revolution of 1849, in Germany, which was the successor of the abortive attempt of 1848. During the year the
311
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
Independent Republie of Baden existed, Mr. Win- ter was one of the leading spirits in the affairs of the new State, being an orator of great power and influence. On the suppression of the Republie by the Prussians, Mr. Winter was imprisoned in llei- delberg. and was compelled to indenmify the gov- ernment for all the official funds in the treasury at the time of the inauguration of the Republie. This cost him almost all his large private fortune. He was a political prisoner for about a year and after his release occupied a prominent position in business life, and for several years prior to his death was again Mayor of Heidelberg. He was a close per- sonal friend of the leaders of the revolutionary movement, and especially of Col. Fritz llecker. Ile was also an intimate associate of Liebig, the chemist. llumboldt, Goethe, Fichte, Schlegel. and Schlosser, the celebrated German historian. with whom he was engaged in literary correspondence. lle was the founder of the great publishing house of C. F. Winter, which printed the works of Dr. Liebig, of Bunsen, the chemist, of Haeusser, of Fresenius, Woliler's "Annals of Chemistry." and the works of inany other world renowned writers.
Christian Frederick Winter died in 1856, and his wife in 1858. Of their sons several beeame prom- inent in the State and in business circles. The eld- est, Jonathan, whom in his admiration for this free land his father had named after "Brother Jonathan," held the position of Under-Secretary of State in Baden, and was about to be promoted to the posi- tion of Minister of State, when he died in 1886, in Carlsruhe, being then in the prime of life. Another son, Christian Frederick, afterward became a prom- inent publisher in Frankfort, and printed many famous works, principally on theological and agri- cultural subjects. lle died in Frankfort in 1883. Carl became publisher and bookseller in his native eity of Heidelberg, where he was a prosperous and influential citizen. Ile died in 1871, leaving a numerous family and a large estate. The remain- ing son. Anton, was the father of our subject. He was born in Heidelberg in 1808, and received his higher education in the celebrated university of that city. Ile succeeded to his father's business, which he had conducted during the latter part of his father's life. IIe maintained the national repu-
tation of the great publishing house of C. F. Winter fully up to the standard which had been reached by its founder. After his father's death he removed the establishment to Leipsie, the great center of the book trade of Germany, and there he conducted it until his death, which occurred in 1859.
Anton Winter was married in 1840 to Miss Emily Broenner, whose father. Il. L. Broenner, was a pub- lisher at Frankfort. She was born in that city in 1820, and was a highly educated lady. a graduate of the Female Academy at Rumperheim-on-the- Main. She died in December. 1887. She was a lady of many accomplishments, a fine painter, and well versed in science, literature and art. Her union with Mr. Winter was blessed by the birth of six children. of whom our subject was the eldest; Henrietta. the second child, die in Leipsic in 1885; Ludwig is a landscape gardner and florist, and has an establishunent of world-wide reputation at Bordighera, on the Riviera, near Niee, Italy. lle was educated in his profession at Potsdam, is royal gardener to the King of Italy, and holds a position in his art second to none in the world. Sophia is a noted teacher in the Female Academy of Leipsie, of which she was a graduate; Ferdi- nand is a merchant in London, England, being a partner in and manager of the English house of the Hamburg Rubber Company, the largest hard rubber establishment in the world. Clara died in ehildhood.
Carl C. Winter, our subject. passed his boyhood amid the beautiful scenery in and around the city of his birth. His early education was in its public schools, and he was earefully trained, both mentally and physically, by highly cultured parents, who left upon him impressions deep and lasting. Ile was prepared for and entered the Lyceum at Ileidel- berg, then under the direction of Professor Ilautz. He was thoroughly prepared for the University, which he entered at the unusually early age of eighteen. He was educated especially to tit hum for the business of publishing, and took a general historical course under Prof. Ludwig Haeusser. author, amongst other works. of an exhaustive his- tory of the Revolution of 1819. He attended a course in philosophy under Prof. Kuno Fischer. and a course in English and French literature under
312
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
Prof. Dr. Emil Otto. who gave him private lessons. a distinction shared by two other people only. On account of the death of his father he left the Uni- versity to assist his mother in settling up the busi- ness of the estate. and. being himself too young to carry it on, the publishing business was sold to an association of capitalists, who still continue it at Leipsic, under the original title of C. F. Win- ter.
In order to become practically acquainted with the printing business, our subject worked in several book publishing houses in Prague. Bremen, Mar- burg and in London, England. During this period he contributed many articles to the Illustrirte Welt and the Illustrirtos Familienbuch, the former pub- lished at Stuttgart, and the latter at Trieste and Vienna. While in London, he decided to come to the United States. Ile made a short visit to his native land in the early part of the year 1866, and in April of that year sailed for New York, landing there about the first of May. In that city he en- gaged as a clerk with L. W. Schmidt, bookseller and publisher, but his inclinations being toward literary pursuits, he soon became city editor of the New York Staats- Zeitung, under the veteran editor Oswald Ottendorfer. Hle filled that position for two years, at the same time contributing literary articles to the New York Herald, and articles on German and French literature to the New York Nation. In 1868 he resigned from the Staats- Zei- tung, to accept the position of editor of the Lehigh County Patriot, published at Allentown. Pa. There he remained for a year, and in that time wrote for the Nation a series of articles on the Pennsylvania- Dutch dialect, also contributing a series of letters on American life to the Daheim of Leipsic, Ger- many.
In 1869 Mr. Winter was offered and accepted the position of city editor of the Daily Telegraph, a German paper, published in Indianapolis, Ind .. and remained with that paper until 1871, when he re- ceived a flattering offer from the manager of the Louisville Anzeiger, tendering him the position of city editor and literary writer. He stayed there until 1872, when he was re-engaged by the Indianapolis Telegraph to conduet its city department during the exciting Presidential contest of that year. Ile
was also engaged by Elijah Halford, then editor of the Indianapolis Journal. now Pres. Harrison's pri- vate secretary, and also by the managing editor of the Indianapolis Sentinel, to report and translate for their respective papers the first speech in that memorable campaign delivered in German at In- dianapolis by Carl Schurz. Mr. Winter. after writ- ing out his notes for the German paper, began the translation into English for the two other journals, using manifoldl paper, finishing the task in little over two hours, the speech occupying nearly two columns in each paper. Each of the editors, after reading a few pages. paid him the compliment of sending his manuscript to the printers without re- vision. Mr. Sehurz afterwards told Mr. Winter it was the best translation ever made of any of his German speeches.
Mr. Winter stayed in Indianapolis until 1873.when he was called by telegraph to accept the position of city editor of the Westliche Post. the German paper published in st. Louis by Carl Schurz. Ile managed that successfully. and while there, also for two years contributed literary articles to his Sunday edition, and several times. while the Missouri Legis- lature was in session, acted as its correspondent at Jefferson City, the capital. In 1875. failing eye- sight necessitated a cessation of night work, and Mr. Winter resigned his position, and went to Rock Island, IN., where he began the publication of the Volks Zeitung, a semi-weekly journal. In this ven- ture he was very successful, and he conducted the paper until 1882, when he sold it. He then bought an interest in the Champion of Personal Liberty, a , paper published in Chicago in the interest of indi- vidual freedom. He traveled in the interest of this journal as correspondent collector and agent six months, then came to Danville, where he bought the good will of the journal of which he is now the editor, and which had by mismanagement been compelled to suspend publication. This paper he has placed upon a secure basis. and it has acquired much influence among the German speaking rest- deuts of the county, by whom it is liberally patron- ized.
Another literary venture of Mr. Winter's was the writing of a four-act comedy in German, en- titled " Es Stimmt," which has been successfully
313
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
performed in the German theaters of Chicago. Davenport. Moline. Dayton. Fort Madison. and in several other places. Mr. Winter submitted it to a celebrated eritie at Leipsic, who spoke highly of it, saying it was a very dramatic and interesting pic- ture of German-American life. This work he pro- duced in 1880. while he was publishing his paper in Rock Island.
Since taking up his residence in Vermilion County, Mr. Winter has become a leader in its German-American circles, in which he wields much influence. Ile was United States Deputy Collector for the eighth district of Illinois from the fall of 1885 until 1887, when the office was abolished. He is a busy man, for in addition to conducting his paper he performs the duty of a Notary Public, attends to applications for United States licenses, is a fine insurance and real-estate agent, proeures steamship tickets, attends to European collections and is the Secretary of the Germania Building As- sociation of Danville. Being a man of force and executive capacity, he drives his multifarious busi- nesses, and does not let them drive him. He is also correspondent of the Chicago Times.
The social relations of Mr. Winter are extremely pleasant. He is happily married, and moves among the best elements of German society. He is a mem- ber of the Feuerbach Lodge, No. 499, I. O. O. F., and of the Danville Turner Society, of which he has twice been President, and also Corresponding Secretary. Ile is pleasant and genial in his deport- ment, liberal to his friends, to whom his hand is ever open, and is deservedly esteemed by all who know him.
m.
OIIN CESSNA is busily engaged in tilling the soil and raising stock on his well-man- aged, comfortably improved farm on section 10, Pilot Township. He is a representative self-made man. and by industry and prudence has succeeded in accumulating a competence and in building a cosy home where he may pass his de- clining years woll fortified against want and pov- erty. Mr. Cessna was born in Cochoeton County,
Ohio, June 29, 1833, his parents being Jonathan and Margaret ( Divan) Cessna, llis father was born in Pennsylvania in 1810. his mother in Bel- mont County, Ohio.
At the age of seventeen the subject of this sketch accompanied his parents to another home near Toledo, Ohio, where they lived but a short time. They then went down the Ohio River on a trading boat to Cairo, Ill .. where the father died in 1844. After that sad event the subject with his mother and sister returned to Coshocton County, Ohio, and in about two years the mother married again. becoming the wife of Joseph Rich- ardson. In 1848 the family once more came to Illinois and located on the homestead Mr. Richard- son then purchased in this county, and now occu- pied by the mother of our subject. Mr. Cessna has but one sister now, the widow of Elisha Grimes, living on her husband's homestead. She has eight children, namely: John M., Elisha C., William and Jacob ( who are deceased), Alvin, Margaret, Ellen, Charles and Belle.
John Cessna, of whom we write, commenced life as a farm hand. Ile wisely saved his earnings and in a few years had money enough to buy a good farm. In 1857. smitten with a desire to ac- cumulate wealth still faster, he went to California by the way of New York and Panama. In the Golden State he found employment on a ranche, and was well paid for his work in that country, where good and reliable help was scarce. Twenty- two months of life in that climate satisfied our sub- jeet and he retraced his steps homeward, and on his return invested some of his capital in an 80-acre farm, which he subsequently disposed of at a good advance price, and then bought his present home- stead, which then comprised but 110 acres. Ile has kept adding to his landed property till he now owns 260 acres of fine land, with excellent im- provements, that add greatly to its value, and he is profitably engaged in a general farming business, raising cattle, horses and hogs of good grades.
Mr. Cessna has twice married. The maiden name of his first wife was Ann Rebecca Truax. She was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, mn 1841. and died in the pleasant home she had helped her husband to build up, in 1876. Her people were of Irish origin.
314
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
Of her marriage with our subjeet seven children were born, two of whom are dead ; those living are William, Mary. Charles E., Lemuel E., and Eliza- beth. Mr. Cessna was united in marriage to his present wife in 1877, and to them have come six children, two of whom are dead, Frank and Jona- than. The others are Ann R., John R., Albert B., and Mont P., all being at home.
Mr. Cessna has been a hard working man. but his labors have been amply rewarded. as he knows well how to direct his energies so as to produce the desired results. He is possessed of sound sense, discretion and other good traits, is honest and straitforward in his manner and dealings, and is in all things a sensible man. HIe and his wife are es- tecmed members of the Christain Church, of which he is one of the trustees at the time of the erection of the present house of worship. He is prominently connected with the Masonic order as Master Mason.
In politics. he is a good democrat. and is loyal in every fibre to his country. He has held school offices and has served on the juries of his county. Our subject's mother died since the above was writ- ten, her death occuring June 30, 1889.
-3-04000 -
AMUEL ALBRIGHIT. The subject of this notice was one of the first mnen to set- tle in Ross Township, along Bean Creek. taking up his abode there on the 11th day of October, 1855. His first purchase was 240 acres of land where he built a small house, and he was the first man to stir the soil with a plowshare. Ile did a large amount of breaking himself, en- closed and divided his fields with fencing, put out fruit and shade trees and erected buildings as his needs multiplied and his means permitted. Ile was prospered as a tiller of the soil and invested his surplus capital in additional land which under his wise management became very fertile and yielded handsome returns. His property lies on sections 19, 30 and 31, and is considered as including some of the most desirable land in this part of the county.
About 1875, the first humble domicile of our
subject gave place to an elegant residence, while adjacent isa very fine barn flanked by the other ne- cessary buildings. He has the latest improved ma- chinery, including an expensive windmill and an artesian well which throws a running stream of wa- ter two feet above the ground, with its source 130 fect below. In his stock operations, Mr. Albright breeds mostly horses and cattle.
Mr. Albright in March. 1886, rented his farm and retiring from active labor, purchased a pleasant home in Rossville where he now resides. llis has been a remarkably busy life, as in addition to his farming operations, he has given consider- able of his time to looking after the local interests of his township, officiating as School Director and serving as Justice of the Peace for seven years. Ile usually gives his support to the Democratic party and for a period of forty-five years has been a member of the United Brethren Church. Ile has been at two different times the candidate of his party in this county for the Legislature, but being in the minority, was beaten as he expected.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.