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 34
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Upon reaching his majority young Hopper be- gan learning the carpenter's trade, but the failure of his employers soon threw him out of business and he returned to the farm. Ile was married in 1847 to Miss Margaret, daughter of Jacob Kinsey, of Peru, Ind., and lived in the Hoosier State until August. 1853. That year he came to this county with his little family and settled four miles north- east of Fairmount, residing there for a period of eleven years. He then sold out and purchased a farm five miles south-east of Fairmount and com- prising 160 acres all prairie. He turned the first furrow there and effected all the other improve- ments which finally rendered it a valuable piece of property, and occupied it until their removal to the village.
The six children born to our subject and his first wife are recorded as follows: John married Miss Rebecca A. Carrington, is the father of three children and lives on a farm four miles south-east of Fairmount; Sarah is the wife of Joseph English,
child; Susannah married George Darr and is the mother of four children; they live three miles south-west of Fairmount; Martha Jane, Mrs. Charles Pemberton. is the mother of four children and lives six miles south of Fairmount; Frank married Miss Cora Hall. is the father of one child and lives six miles south of Fairmount; Vina. Mrs. .James Smith, is the mother of three children and lives near Peru, Ind. Mrs. Margaret (Kinsey) Hopper departed this life at the home farm in 1876.
Mr. Hopper contracted a second marriage March 27. 1880 with Mrs. Lon (Stansherry) Olmstead, daughter of Bonaparte and Jane ( Wooden) Stans- berry of Catlin this State. Mr. Stansberry was a farmer by occupation and the parental household included six children of whom Mrs. Hopper was the fifth in order of birth. She was born at Cat- lin. . Jan. 27, 1842, and grew up amid the scenes of pioneer life, her parents having been early settlers of that region. Mr. Stansberry died when his daughter Lou was a young child. The mother is still living and is now aged seventy-seven years; she is a bright and intelligent old lady and takes delight in reviewing the scenes of her early life in Illinois to which her father came as early as 1812. She was present at the opening of the first court in Vermilion County.
Mrs. Hopper attended the common schools dur- ing her childhood days and was carefully trained by an excellent mother in those housewifely duties which have so much influence upon the happiness and comfort of a home. Although not belonging to any religious denomination Mr. and Mrs Hop- per have made it the rule of their lives to do unto others as they would be done by, and among their neighbors and friends have maintained that kindly Christian character, which is the true index of an unselfish and benevolent heart. Their home is pleasantly situated at the east edge of Fairmount. where they have five acres of ground and a neat residence, erected in 1887. The year following Mr. Hopper put up a fine barn. He keeps some stock and pays special attention to the raising of swine. lle has enough to keep himself com- fortably busy without overtaxing his energies.
While not by any means a politician, Mr. Hop-
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per keeps himself well informed upon State and National events and votes independently of any party. Ile has officiated as School Director and Trustee in his District, also as Road Overseer, fulfill- ing the duties of the latter office in an especially creditable manner. Ile identified himself with the A. F. & A. M. fraternity some years ago, and is connected with Fairmount Lodge No. 590.
OIIN F. McGEE has been a highly respected citizen of Blount Township since 1857, and is numbered among its prosperous farmers. He has a good, well-appointed farm on sec tion 34. comprising eighty acres of well-tilled soil that yields him rich harvests in repayment for the care and skill that he expends in its cultivation. In the cosy home that he has built up here he and his wife are enjoying the comforts of life, and are well fortified against want and privation.
The father of our subject, William McGee, was a native of East Tennessee, born in one of its pio- neer homes in the year 1807. He was bred to the life of a farmer. and in 1831 assumed the responsi- bilities of a domestic life, marrying Rebecca Iles- sey, daughter of John and Sarah Hessey. Some time after they removed' to Missouri. and, after living in St. Louis awhile, they settled in Greene County. Twelve years later they went to Scott County, Ark .. where the father bought a farm. They lived there only two years, however, and in 1852 departed for the Lone Star State. They staid but three years in Texas, in Cook County, when they again found themselves on the move, and, returning to Missouri, they settled in New- ton County, on Shoal Creek, eleven miles above the Neosha ( New Granby) lead mines. March 3. 1856. the father closed his earthly pilgrimage when scarce past the prime of life. His wife died in October, 1882. Of the ten children born to that worthy couple seven are now living, and he of whom we write was their fourth in order of birth. Hle was born during their residence in St. Louis, Mo .. Dee. 19, 1839. Shortly afterward his parents removed to Greene County, that State, and there,
as soon as old enough, he was sent to a subserip- tion school, which was conducted in a rude log cabin without a floor, and with rough logs for benches, wooden pins in the ends serving as legs.
Our subject accompanied his parents in their various removals to and fro, and, being a lad of intelligence and observation, profited by what he saw of the country. Ile remained an inmate of the parental household till the year of his fa- ther's death (1856), and then, in 1857, came to Vermilion County and to this township. Being pleased with the country around here, and the fa- cilities offered to an industrious, brainy, young farmer, he decided to locate here permanently, and, with that end in view, two years later bought his present farm. In the years of hard labor that have followed his settlement here Mr. McGee has greatly increased the original value of his farm, and has brought it under good cultivation. Ile has it amply provided with the necessary build- ings, and everything about the place is in good order, and betokens thrift and neatness on the part of the owner.
Mr. McGee has been twice married. In 1860 he was wedded to Sarah Jane Watson, daughter of James Watson. She was a truly estimable woman. and made a good wife and a true helpmate. In 1866 she closed her eyes in death, leaving three chil- dren as the fruit of her union-Rebecca Jane, Joseph Thomas, and Precious. The marriage of our sub- jeet with his present wife took place in 1871. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Ilessey, and she is a daughter of Abram Ilessey. Mrs. McGee is a true helpmate in every sense of the word, and of her pleasant married life four children have been born, two of whom died in infancy. The names of the others are Mary M. and Farrin A.
During the thirty-two years that he has been a resident of Vermilion County. Mr. McGee has won the esteem and respect of all about him by his kind, obliging ways, and by his conscientious. up- right conduct in all the affairs of life. He is a hard- working, capable man, and by persevering and well-directed labor has established himself comfortably. In politics he is a sound Democrat, and. religiously, is a consistent member of the Christian Church, known as the Campbellite
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Church. Ile was elected Road Commissioner in 1886, and agam in' 1889, and is performing the duties of that office with credit to himself and to the advantage of the township.
ILLIAM JUDY. This gentleman bears the reputation of being one of the best farmers in Middle Fork Township, where where he has resided sinee about 1851. That year he came with his parents to this county from Hardy County, Va., the journey being made overland with teams and occupying thirty-one days. The father located a claim upon which there was a log cabin, and into it the family removed, and lived there several years. William was then a lad of thirteen years. Upon reaching manhood, he purchased a half seetion of land in sections 19 and 20. and by subsequent purchase 100 acres have been added to the original purchase. The elder Judy and his boys improved a good farm, and the father died in 1854, at the age of about sixty-two years. The mother is still living, making her home with her son Samuel, in Iroquois County, this State.
Our subject during his boyhood pursued his studies in a log cabin on the subseription plan, at- tending there two terms. Afterwards a regular schoolhouse was built at Wallace Chapel, about two miles from his home, which he also attended for a time. Later he prosecuted his studies in Danville. Ile distinctly remembers the time when this seetion of the country was a wild prairie, thinly settled, when deer and wolves were numer- ous, mill and market far away, and when the set- tlers endured many privations and hardships in the struggle to maintain existence.
Young Judy remained with his widowed mother until his marriage, in 1862. to Miss Nancy A. Wood. This lady was the daughter of Absalom and Melinda (Copeland) Wood, and the grand- daughter of Henry A. Wood, a native of Virginia, who emigrated to this county and settled in Grant Township, when there was seareely another white man within its limits. (Further notice will be found in the biography of Samuel Copeland in
another chapter of this book.) Here he reared a large family and spent his last days. He was a man of great energy and industry, and improved a good farm from the wilderness. The father of Mrs. Judy was his eldest child, and also entered a tract of land from the Government, from which he built up a farm. The grandparents were members of the Methodist Church. Her great-great-grand- father Wood was born in England in 1739. Grand- mother Wood's maiden name was Hoover.
The young couple took up their abode in the humble dwelling, and from that time on labored with the mutual purpose of making a home for themselves and their children. Their toils and sacrifices in due time met with a reward, and, in addition to developing his first land, Mr. Judy added to his possessions until he now has 120 broad acres, the greater part of which is enclosed with beautiful hedge fencing, neatly trimmed, and the land all in a high state of cultivation, A fine large dwelling has supplanted their first humble residenee, and a barn and other necessary out- buildings, a flourishing apple orchard and the smaller fruit trees form a most attractive picture in the landscape.
There came in due time to the fireside of our subject and estimable wife, twelve children, who were named respectively : Lizzie Grant, now Mrs. F. M. Slusher; Frank L., J. Milton, Charles, An- nettie. Alta May, Robert Earl, Myrtie Florence, Fanny Clarinda. Wilber Wood. Mary Melinda and Grace Ethel. They are all living, and form a re- markably bright and interesting group. Mr. and Mrs. Judy are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, attending Wallace Chapel.
Two brother of our subject, Ambrose and John, during the late Civil War enlisted in Company E. 5Ist Illinois Infantry. John was killed in the battle of Franklin, Tenn., and his friends have never been able to find his resting-place. All the male members of the family uniformly vote the Republican ticket. The father, Nicholas Judy, was the son of Martin Judy, who reared his fain- ily in Virginia, the State of his birth.
The father of our subject passed his boyhood" and youth in the Old Dominion, and was married
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to Miss Mary, daughter of Andrew and Mary Skid- more. To them was born a family of seventeen chil- dren: Jehu, John. Andrew, Rebecca, Isaac, Ellen, Amos, Elizabeth, William (our subject), Gabriel, Eve, Ambrose. Edward, Nannie, Samuel, and two who died in infancy. Eight of these children are living, and making their homes mostly in Illinois,
Our subject's grandfather, Andrew Skidmore. married Miss Mary Stonestreet, of Virginia. They were both born in that State. He was a farmer and stock dealer, and was the owner of slaves, and died at the age of eighty-four years. Grandmother Skidmore was a noble woman, and taught the first Sabbath-school ever held in that county.
Grandfather Martin Judy was of German ances- try and the father of twelve children, six boys and six girls. Ile was also a farmer and stock-raiser. and a member of the Lutheran Church. He lived and died in Pendleton Co., Va.
Great-grandfather John Skidmore, an English- man by birth, married a German lady, Mary Ilinkle.
Grandfather Stonestreet, on the mother's side, married Miss Williams, an English lady.
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ESSE LEEKA, M.D. One would scarcely suppose upon meeting this gentleman that he has attained to nearly his threescore years, for he is still young looking and more than usually active. This has been the re- sult of a correct life and temperate habits and ex- ercising good care over " the house he lives in." He has been a resident of Oakwood Village since 1886 and is numbered among its most successful and prominent physicians, having built up a good patronage and accumulated a fair amount of this world's possessions.
The first thirty years of the life of our subject were spent in Clinton County, Ohio, where he was born May 19, 1830. He received a common school education and at the age of twenty years began his apprenticeship to the trade of a cabinet- maker. at which he worked in connection with farming for many years. At the age of twenty-five
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he was married, Feb. 2. 1855, to Miss Rebecca .1., daughter of Franeis B. Macy, of Indiana, and now res ding in Kokomo, that state. Afterward the newly wedded pair settled in New Vienna, Ohio, of which the Doctor in due time became Mayor. Subsequently he resided in Rush County, Ind., where he was Constable and later in lloward County, that State, where he held the office of Coroner two terms. After the outbreak of the Civil War, he on the 12th of December, 1863, en- listed in Company E, 9th Indiana Cavalry and was detailed to serve in the Quartermaster's depart- ment. lle was with his regiment all through Ilood's campaign and in the engagement at Pulaski. Ile. however, saw little of active service but en- dured the hardships and privations incident to life in the army, was afflicted with rheumatism some time, and in October, 1864, had a severe attack of bilious remittent fever. After the close of the war he received his honorable discharge with the regi- ment, Aug. 28, 1865, at Vicksburg, Miss.
Dr. Leeka began the practice of his profession in the spring of 1876 at Jerome, Ind. Later he entered the medical college of Indianapolis, from which he was graduated in the class of 1878, He has practiced in lloward County, Ind., at Fair- mount, this county, whenee he came to Oakwood, and is the only established physician in this place, where be has property and a pleasant home.
The father of our subject was Philip Leeka, a native of Virginia, who in early life was taken by his parents to Washington County, Tenn., where he was reared to manhood. The paternal grand- father, Christian Leeka, was a native of Germany and crossed the Atlantic as one of the body of troops employed by the British Government to subjugate the American Colonists. Upon his ar- rival here Grandfather Leeka was ill and was con- fined in the hospital until after peace was declared. [le settled in Southern Virginia and married an American lady of German parentage. In 1815 they removed to Clinton County, Ohio, where the grandfather died a few years later. Philip, the father of our subject, was the fifth of his seven children. Two of the older boys served under General Jackson in the Seminole War. One of them, Christian, Jr .. died while in the service in
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Florida. The other, Henry. after leaving the army settled in Randolph County. Ind., where he became a prominent citizen and served as Justice of the Peace for a period of eighteen years. Ile there spent the remainder of his life, passing away at a ripe old age,
Philip Leeka was born March 21, 1799, and reared to farming pursuits. He acquired a good education and taught school considerably after his marriage. He maintained a warm interest in edu- cational matters and officiated as a School Director in his district from the time of settling there until his decease. Ile was married in Clinton County, Ohio, in 1821. to Miss Elizabeth Hodson, who was of Quaker parentage and was born in North Carolina in 1797. The Hodson family emigrated to Clinton County, Ohio, about 1814. After their marriage the parents of our subject settled on a farm in that county, poor in purse but with strong hands and hopeful hearts, and after years of industry and economy, accumulated a good property including a fine farm. The mother passed away at the old homestead in 1842. Philip Leeka survived his wife forty-two years, his death taking place near New Vienna. in 1884. when he was quite aged. The household circle included ten children, nine of whom are still living. and of whom Jesse, our sub- jeet, was the fifth in order of birth.
To the Doctor and his first wife there were born five children, four sons and a daughter. The latter, Cora A .. died when an interesting girl of twelve years. The sons are all living. Francis Edgar married Miss Sadie Sisson, and lives in St. Joe, Ill .; Charles Frederick married Miss Ida Ayles- worth, and they live in Hebron, Ind. Of the four children born to them only one is living. William L. married Miss Mary Gibson, is the father of three children, and lives in Durango, Col .; Daniel Cary is unmarried and a resident of Danville. Mrs. Rebecca A. Leeka departed this life April 14, 1873.
Our subject contracted a second matrimonial alliance in April, 1885, to Miss Elizabeth J. Tim- mons, formerly of Carroll County, Ind. Iler father Elijah Timmons was a native of Ohio, her mother was Mary A. (Bennett ) Timmons. of Piekaway Co., Ohio. This lady was one of a family of ten children,
five boys and five girls, and was born May 15, 1838. Seven only are living. The Doctor became iden- tified with the Masonic fraternity thirty-six years ago and has always taken a warm interest in its prosperity. Ile is Senior Vice Commander of George Morrison Post. No. 635 G. A. R., Depart- ment of Illinois. in which he has held the office of Surgeon. He was at one' time a member of the Sons of Temperance, and religiously is connected with the Society of Friends. Mrs. Leeka finds her religious home in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically the Doctor is an ardent Republican, tak- ing a lively interest in the success and principles of his party and laboring as he has opportunity, to advance the political doctrines which he believes are the surest means of prosperity to one of the best governments on the face of the earth.
E NOCH VANVICKLE. More than sixty years have gone by since the subject of this bio- graphical review, then a stout. manly lad of fourteen years, first came to Vermilion County with his parents from his early home in the Buck- eye State. Here he grew to a stalwart. capable manhood, and has since been identified with the development and prosperity of his adopted county. and has been a factor in promoting its agricul- tural interests, with which he is still connected, having a good farm on seetion 35, Blount Town- ship, comprising 140 acres of as fine. tillable land as 'is to be found in the whole precinct. By down- right, hard and persistent labor he has brought it to a high state of cultivation, it yielding him a good income, and he has erected suitable buildings. Ilis parents were among the early settlers of the county, and it has been his pleasure to witness and assist in almost its entire development from a state of nature.
The father of our subject, Evert Vanviekle, was born either in Pennsylvania or Virginia. His mother, whose maiden name was Sarah White, was a native of Pennsylvania, and after marriage the parents settled in Butler County, Ohio. from there they removed to Jennings County, Ind., where
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RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM KELLY, SEC. 2. DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
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RESIDENCE OF MRS. ELIZA CASSEL , SEC. 17. (T.20-R13) PILOT TOWNSHIP.
Ine
OLD HOME built about 33.
RESIDENCE OF B. C. PATE, SEC. 21. (T.19:R.12) CATLIN TOWNSHIP.
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they lived till 1828. In that year they made an- other move westward and penetrating to the wilds of Illinois, came to Vermilion County and settled in Blount Township. After a residence here of some twenty years they went to Holt County. Mo., where their remaining years were passed. To that worthy couple were born five sons, of whom the subject of this sketeh was the second.
Our subject was born in the pioneer home of his parents in Butler County. Ohio. April 26. 181 [. Hle accompanied his parents to this county in 1828 and has ever since been an honored citizen of this place. After attaining man's estate he adopted the ealling of agriculture to which he had been reared and for which he had a natural taste, and as the years have rolled by he has acquired a comfortable competeney. and with the aid of a good wife he has built up a cozy home. in which they are spend- ing the declining years of a life of usefulness in quietness and peace, enjoying the full respect and affection of their neighbors and friends.
Mr. Vanvickle has been twice married. The first time in Vermilion County, in 1837, to Miss Naney White. Nine children were the fruits of that union, of whom the following seven grew to maturity : Ruth: Andrew, who was a soldier in the army, enlisted from Indiana, and gave up his life for his country at Knoxville. Tenn .; Sarah, Evert, Harriet, John, and Enoch. Mrs. Vanvickle de- parted this life in her husband's home in Blount Township. She was a thoroughly good, upright woman, and an esteemed member of the Chris. tian Church. Mr. Vanvickle was married a second time in Blount Township to Mrs. Cynthia (Souders) Cline. She is a native of Pike County, Ohio. born April 11, 1823. She has also been twice married. Her first husband was Nathaniel Cline. He was a native of Gallatin, Tenn., and took part in the Rebellion, enlisting from Danville, Ill., in Com- pany A, 125th Illinois Infantry. Ile died at Gal- latin, Tenn. By that marriage Mrs. Vanviekle became the mother of eight children-Amanda. Martha. Mary, Benjamin F., John B .. Charles. Luketta, and Emma. Amanda and Martha are deceased.
Our subjeet is held in veneration by his fellow- men not only for his pioneer labors in Blount Town-
ship. in whose welfare he has always taken a genuine interest, but for those honest traits of mind and heart that mark him as a good man and a desirable eitizen. lle is one of the few survivors of the famous Black Hawk War. in which he served about thirty days, being then a youth of eighteen years. He. and his worthy wife are esteemed members of the Christian Church, with which he connected himself some twenty years ago. and she joined thirty years ago. Mr. Vanvickle is a true Republican. and in him the party finds a devoted follower.
AMES DAVIS is one of the prosperous and influential farmers of Vermilion County, who takes great pride in doing all things well. Ilis father was Henry Davis. who born in Pennsylvania, Ile removed to was Ohio in 1808, and lived there twenty-eiglit years, and in 1836 settled in Illinois. locating on the farm now owned and occupied by his son James. His mother. whose maiden name was Rachael Polloek. was also a native of Pennsylvania.
Henry Davis lived in Pennsylvania but a short time after his marriage. when he emigrated to Ohio. and there cleared a farm of 200 acres. AAfter his removal to Illinois he became a very large land- holder, owning at one time about 4.200 acres of uneultivated Illinois prairie. Ile was the father of ten children, five of whom . are now living. The mother died in 1848. at the age of sixty-one. while the father passed away in November, 1855. aged seventy-four years. James was the youngest of this family of children, his birth occurring Jan. 21, 1828. in Guernsey, County, Ohio. He received a limited education in the old-fashioned log school- honse, and his boyhood was mostly employed at work upon the farm. In those days he spent a great deal of time hunting deer. wolves, and other wild game, and refers to these times as the hap- piest moments of his life. Ile remained at home helping his father on the farm until he was twenty- two years of age. when he married America .I. Boggess, Oet. 18, 1819. She is the daughter of Tolin Boggess, who was one of the earliest pioneers
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of Vermilion County. Hle settled at Brooks' Point, and was a representative farmer of his time. Eleven children were born to him, nine of whom grew to maturity. He and his wife have been dead for many years. Mrs. Davis, wife of the sub- ject of this sketch, was born at Brooks' Point, May 3, 1833. She grew to womanhood in this section, where she received a limited school education.
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