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 36
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In the spring of 1882 Mr. White was elected Assessor and Collector of Vance Township, and held the position two years. In 1881 he was elected Township Supervisor, which office he has since held by re-election each year. He was appointed Post-
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master of Fairmount in 1885. retaining the position until 1889, when he resigned on account of ill healthı.
The marriage of our subject and Miss Angeline E. Noble took place at the bride's home in Fair- mount July 20, 1876. Rev. J. II. Noble, the father of Mrs. White, was a leading member of the Illi- nois Conference and Presiding Elder of the Dan- ville district. Later he was stationed at Springfield. and now, after an active service in the Master's vineyard of over forty years, contemplates retir- ing from his arduous duties. fle is a strong and eloquent expounder of the Word, and thousands have listened to the admonitions which have fallen from his lips and borne good fruit. In the dis- charge of his pious duties he has been stationed at Lincoln, Mattoon, Shelbyville and Paxton in Illi- nois; and in Indiana was in Greencastle, New Albany and Indianapolis.
Mr. Noble was born in Ohio in the fall of 1821, and was twice married. Ile became the father of thirteen children, ten of whom are living. His first wife was Miss Angeline Simmons, and his see- ond her sister Caroline.
Mrs. White was born Ang. 3. 1857, in Indiana, and received an excellent education. She was married to our subject when a maiden of nineteen years, and is now the mother of three children. the eldest of whom, Anna Lee, was born July 30, 1877. The latter is a bright young girl, and takes a re- markable interest in her studies. priding herself upon her progress therein. The second daughter, Edna Noble, was born June 20. 1879, and the only son, Edgar Paul, April 14, 1885. Mr. White politically is a strong Demoerat, and has been quite prominent in politics. Several of his male rela- tives in Ohio occupied prominent positions, one unele being Clerk of the County Court, another County Commissioner, and two others Auditor and Recorder respectively. all holding office at the same time. Lcaving Ohio in 1873, he came to this coun- ty, loeating in Fairmount, with which his interests have since been closely identified. For the last six years he has been manager for the firm of Davis & Stearns, dealers in lumber, hardware and agri- cultural implements. He only officiated as Post- master six months, and when sending in his resig-
nation Mrs. White received the appointment and held the office until the early part of June, 1889. Mrs. White is a very estimable lady and a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject socially has been Master of Fairmount Lodge, No. 590. for the last three years, and still holds the position.
Mr. White was the third child of his parents, Darius and Esther ( MeBroom) White, who were also natives of the Buckeye State, and the father is now principal owner of the Logan Manufacturing Plant. The paternal grandparents were likewise natives of the Buckeye State. Grandfather Me- Broom, also a native of Ohio, served in the War of 1812 and died in 1883, when over ninety years of age. His wife was a native of Maryland, and died in 1882. They had lived together for the long period of sixty-four years. To Darius White and his estimable wife there were born nine chil- dren. all of whom are living, together with the , parents-a circumstance seldom equalled the world over, death having not yet entered this interesting household cirele.
LBERT GIDDINGS. One of the largest and best-appointed conservatories in East- ern Illinois, embracing 8.000 square feet of glass, is owned and conducted by the subject of this notice, who commands a wholesale and retail trade extending into mnost of the States from the Atlantic to the Pacific. As a florist he cannot be excelled, and he is of that enterprising and go-ahead disposition which is the surest guar- antee of success. Ilis life-long interests have een- tered in Vermilion County, for it is the county of his birth, which took place in Danville, Dee. 3, 1850.
Our subject is the son of William and Caroline (Kitchener) Giddings, prominent residents of this county, and a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work in connection with that of John W. Giddings. their son. Albert was reared and edu- eated in his native eity, although spending much of his time at the farm of his father, where he con-
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Canelay
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tinned until the death of the latter. Ile then en- gaged in the grocery trade in partnership with W. H. Johns, and the firm of Johns & Giddings existed until May, 1882. Our subject then dis- posed of his interests in the business to his partner, and the year following established himself in that in which he is now engaged.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Mary J. Cromer took place at the home of the bride, Oct. 4. 1877. Mrs. Giddings was born near Perryville, Ind .. in February. 1859, and was the danghter of Francis and Isabelle Cromer, Mrs. Giddings died June 5. 1883. and our subject. on the 23d of March. 1887, contracted a second mar- ringe with Miss Ella Dill. of Danville, Ind. This lady was born Jan. 1, 1863. in Clearmont. Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Giddings are members in good stand- ing of the First Methodist Episcopal Church. and Mr. Giddings, politically. is a Republican. Socially, he belongs to Olive Branch Lodge No. 38, A. F. & A. M .; Vermilion Chapter No. 82, R. A. M .; Athelstane Commandery No. 15. Knight Temp- lar, and Oriental Consistory of Chicago. Ile is a man intelligent and well informed, and a favor- ite both in social and business circles among the people with whom he has grown up from boyhood.
ILLIAM CANADAY, SR. In giving their just due to the pioneers of Central Illinois, there is required the pen of the historian. who will perpetuate their names and deeds to fu- ture generations, who as time passes on will learn to appreciate them at their full value. It is doubt- ful if those sturdy characters themselves realized the magnitude of the work which they had begun, and the results which were to follow. Not only did their labors affect themselves personally, but the works of each man contributed to make a grand whole in the development of a rich section of the country which is looked upon with pride by the people to-day. The fact that Mr. Canaday came to Elwood Township when there was but one eabin within its limits is sufficient to establish him as one of the most prominent men of this region, and the
further faet that he has labored industriously and lived worthily. forms for him one of the most en- during monuments which can be erected to man.
There are four men in Elwood Township bearing the name of William Canaday, and of these the subject of this sketch is the most prominent and the oldest. Of Southern birth and parentage, he was born in Jefferson County, East Tenn .. Dec. 22, 1809, and is the son of Henry Canaday, a native of North Carolina. who removed with his family to Wayne County. Ind., in the fall of 1820 and there spent the following winter. In the meantime two of the sons came to this county and put up in El- wood Township a round log cabin near the present residence of our subject and on the same seetion. Early in the spring of 1 821 the family took posses- sion of the eabin, the only house in this region. Indians were numerous and often visited the family to beg. trade or steal. They eamped on the banks of the Little Vermilion in the spring of the year to hunt and fish, but never seriously troubled the settlers.
The Canadays made sugar that first spring and prepared to carry on farming, but finally one of the sons, Benjamin, returned to Tennessee, where he bought a farm and soon afterwards was joined by the balance of the family. The whole family returned to this county the following fall, having sold their Tennessee property. They were visited considerably with siekness and the nearest doctor was at Clinton. They had to go to the mill to Racoon Creek, in Park County, Ind., and Terre Haute was the nearest trading point. They had no horses and broke the new ground with oxen. Wild game was plentiful-deer, turkey and a few buffalo. In the fall they filled the smoke-house with deer hams and also had plenty of pork.
When returning to Tennessee the Canaday family left thirty hogs which they had brought from Indiana and which they could not well take with them upon going back South. So the animals ran wild, and for years thereafter their progeny roamed through the woods and became so ferocious that a boar would sometimes kill a cow. The Canaday family occupied the small log cabin, containing one room. for some time. and the mother did the eook- ing by the tire-place. The floor was of puncheon,
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the roof of clapboards held down with weight poles and the stick and clay chimney was built on the outside.
About the second year of their residence in Ver- milion County, Henry Canaday, the father of our subject, together with John Haworth, set up a: "meeting." as it was called by the Society of Friends, (or in common parlance organized a church). These two men and others who after- wards came to the neighborhood built a log cabin and worshiped therein, and afterwards built a church of hewed logs. Sometimes the attendance was so small that Henry Canaday and his son Ben- jamin would go to " meeting" and sit through the hour for worship, in order to keep up the church organization as per the discipline of that church.
Mrs. Matilda (Barnard ) Canaday was a native of Nantuekett's Island, Mass., whence she went to North Carolina with her parents when a little girl. Iler father. Capt. Benjamin Barnard. followed the sea for many years. The parental family consisted of five children. of whom Mrs. Canaday is the only one living. Iler brother Benjamin, died at the age of seventy-eight years; John died when about fifty years old; Frederick and Mary were each about eighty-two years of age at the time of their de- cease.
The subject of this sketch was reared at the old homestead and grew up with a limited education, there being no schools during his boyhood in this region. Ilis father established a tanyard in which young Canaday worked, he also learned saddlery and harness-making. Besides his tanyard and the farm the father also conducted a tin shop. William in later years turned his attention exclusively to farming and stock-raising and operated largely as a stock-dealer. Ile grew wealthy and is now the owner of 430 acres of land, besides having given 540 aeres to his children.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Mary Haworth took place in 1831. This lady was born in East Tennessee and is the daughter of William Haworth, a well-known resident of this county. This union resulted in the birth of ten ebildren- seven of whom are living. viz: Julia A .. Mrs. Harold; G. Franklin; Richard II .; James A .; Ma-
tilda J., Mrs. Brown; Benjamin F. and Alice, Mrs. Morris. Julia married Wilton Harold, of Ridge Farm, but has no children ; Franklin married Miss Mary Jackson. who lived near Homer. and they have two children-Gertude and Edwin: Richard married Miss Catherine Harold and occupies part of the homestead, he has one child, William : James married Miss Drusilla Diven. and lives at Burr Oak Grove. in Champaign County; they have four children-Mary E., Dora, Earl and Ora; Matilda married Rev. Thomas C. Brown, of Elwood Town- ship, and has two children-M. Alice and Oliver W .; Benjamin took to wife Miss Cornelia Green. and lives in Elwood Township, and has seven chil- dren-Howard W., Richard A., Anna A .. Jesse, Mary, Martha and an infant boy unnamed. The last three are triplets; Alice married Dr. Charles C. Morris, of Rockville, Ind., and they have three children-Jesse C .. Estella E. and Mary I.
Mrs. Mary (Haworth) Canaday departed this life in the fall of 1855. Our subjeet was married the second time, Oet. 30, 1873. to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Diament. deceased. She was was born in New Jersey. Oct. 26, 1826, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Canaday was reared in the faith of the Quakers, to which he still loyally adheres. In polities he is a sound Republican but has held aloof from the responsi- bilities of office. A fine lithographie portrait of Mr. Canaday is shown elsewhere in this volume.
MOS JACKSON was born in Clinton County, Ind., on Sept. 15, 1837. He is one of the largest land-owners in the township of Sidell. His father and mother were born in Washington County, Pa., and Ohio, respectively. By his first marriage his father had eleven children. of which Amos was the tenth child and youngest son. The first wife died at Jefferson, Ind .. in 1840. when Amos was a little over two years of age. Ilis father remarried but lied soon after at the age of forty-eight years.
Thus it will be seen that Amos was left mother- less at the age of two and a half years. and when
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he was ten years old he was left without a father, and at this time he began to fight the battle of life alone. His father left a farm of 200 acres, but the administration of the estate left but little for the heirs. As before related, Amos began at the age of ten years, to work for his board and clothes. and under these circumstances his educational ad- vantages were necessarily extremely limited. Ile attended school about eight months in all in a little log school-house, walking two miles. Ile continued to live in Indiana until he was eighteen years of age, when, in 1855. in company with his uncle, Jolinson Ross, he came to Edgar County. Ill., and assisted his uncle in elearing up a farm. At the age of twenty he returned to Indiana but remained only a year when he returned to Illinois and en- gaged at brick-making at Indianola. It was at this place he first met his wife. Miss Sarah lesler. who at that time was living with her grandfather, John Gilgis, one of the earliest pioneers of Indian- ola. ller father and mother were born in Ohio and Kentucky respectively. Mr. Gilgis was a mer- chant at Indianola and a man of considerable wealth. Francis Ilesler. father of Mrs. Jackson, was a farmer in Douglas County and the father of eleven children, of whom six were girls. He was married three times and had two children by his first. two by his second and seven by his third wife. Mrs. Jackson's mother was his first wife, who died when Mrs. Jackson was but three or four years old. and since that time and till her marriage she re- sided with her grandfather. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson became attached to each other while very young. and at the age of seventeen years, and recognizing the fact that "love laughis at locksmiths," quietly crossed over into the State of Michigan, where they were married. Returning to Indianola. they were of course forgiven and at once launched out on life's highway with the resolution of contradict- ing the theory that marriage is a failure. And in this they have succeeded. In the spring of 1860 Mr. Jackson rented a farm north of Indianola and commenced work in earnest to earn a home. Mrs. Gilgis died about two years subsequent to their marriage and they were called back to the home of Mrs. Jackson's grandfather. and when he died he left the young couple eighty acres of land. After-
ward Mr. Jackson purchased a section of land, 640 acres, in Sidell Township, for which he agreed to pay 820,000. Ile sold his original eighty acres for $1,000. this leaving him in debt $16,000, drawing ten per cent. interest. Through prudent manage- ment Mr. Jackson has not only paid for that land but has added thereto 492 acres. Beside all that he had made many valuable improvements, among which may be mentioned 5, 100 rods of drain tile, and there is not five acres of waste land on this immense tract. Ile has also erected a splendid barn for general purposes, a cattle barn 66x100. a granary and feed-mill 30x30, and the other nec- essary buildings for a large, well regulated farm. Ile has 150 heal of cattle and is feeding a large number of hogs. Of late years Mr. Jackson has begun breeding running horses and has abandoned the raising of Clydesdales. Ile is a great lover of the Morgan horse, of which he has some splendid specimens. He owns the celebrated running horse " King Nero," who took the four first prizes on a Chicago track in the fall of 1887, amounting to $1,000. Ile is said to be the best bred horse in Illinois, being sired by " Harry Bassett," the cele- brated Kentucky horse. As a stock-raiser there is none who stands higher in Vermilion County than Amos Jaekson.
Mr. and Mrs. JJackson are the parents of seven children : Jolin L .; Bertie, who died at the age of four months; Jennie, Laura, Frank, Ada and Lula B. Politically Mr. Jackson acts with the Demo- cratie party and is a member of the Masonic Lodge. Mr. Jackson is exceedingly popular with his neigh- bors, and is fully entitled to enjoy the large for- tune which he has accumulated by his energy and good management.
OLIN S. CRANE, a resident of Vermilion County for more than twenty years, has lived in Grant Township since the spring of 1867, and on his present place for sixteen years. He is a native of Yoxford. Suffolk County, England, and was born Aug. 22. 182,8. Ile was brought up in his native county, learning the trade
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of a shoemaker, in which he was engaged until his removal to Illinois. After his marriage in the fall of 1852, he emigrated to Canada accompanied by his parents. They started from London for New York, and on arrival there at once left for Gault. in the Province of Ontario, Canada. There the family settled and John S. carried on business in his trade as a manufacturer and dealer. until he re- moved to the United States. His parents made their permanent home in Gault where they were afterwards joined by others of the family who emigrated from time to time.
When he was eighty-four years of age, Grand- father Crane made a trip to America alone to see his descendants. Here he stayed two years and re- turned to his home in England where he lived to be ninety-six years of age. The parents of John S. Crane were named John and Mary (Girling) Crane. The father was also a shoemaker and like- wise carried on business on his own account until he was quite old. He also lived to be an old man and at the age of eighty-four made a visit to his son in this country. He died four years afterward in his eighty-ninth year. His wife died several years prior to the decease of her husband, aged about seventy-six. Of their nine children six are now living, a record of whom follows: Harry, who is a carpenter and builder in Gault; George was a Į lumber and painter by trade in London, England and is now a farmer in Kanosh, Utah; William, also a carpenter and builder in Gault; Caroline is the wife of John Milligan, a graindealer in Ross- ville, this county ; Charles is also a resident of Kan- osh, Utah, and is largely interested in sheep raising and is President of the Wool Growers Association of Utah. He is also interested in the Salt Lake Tribune, the leading paper in that territory. He was learning the trade of a carpenter at Lafayette, Ind., when the war broke out and at the age of seventeen enlisted in the 10th Indiana Infantry for three months, during which time he was in the battle of Rich Mountain. He afterward joined the 63d Indiana Infantry, serving until the close of the war and for some time after that was Govern- ment messenger on the supply trains to the South. The other survivor is John S.
The three who are deceased are Clara, who was
the wife of James MeKendrick, of Gault, and died in that place leaving a family of four children. James was a resident of New Orleans at the out- break of the Rebellion, and being a Union man made his escape from that city intending to go to Canada, but contracted a fever and died on reach- ing Lafayette. Ind .. where his brother Charles was then living. Adaline. the youngest sister, died on her way to America and was buried at sea.
John. of whom this sketch was written, stayed in Gault until 1867, when he decided to give up his business and move to the United States. He had always desired to become a farmer. and the year prior to his removal came to Illinois to visit an unele whom he had not seen for many years. and being much pleased with the appearance of the country he decided to make this State his home. Returning to Canada he sold out his property and in the spring of 1867 located east of where the thriving city of Hoopeston now stands. No rail- road was then in existence here and the site of Hoopeston was an open prairie. On the place where he first settled he stayed but a year, when he removed to a farm of the unele named, situated on what is known as the Chicago road. Having bought 125 acres, a part of his present property, he rented a farm east of it while he was putting up a house and other buildings. The farm was then all wild prairie and the improvements upon it have been made by Mr. Crane-all the buildings, fences, trees, etc., being the result of his labor's. To-day it is as fine a property of its size as there is in this part of the county, and comprises in all 247 aeres.
' Mr. Crane was united in marriage in England in 1852 with Miss Eliza Garwood, who was born in Stratford, St. Mary, that county, March 21, 1830. She was the only one of the family to come to America. Mr. and Mrs. Crane are the parents of four children, one of whom Adeline. died in Gault at the age of three years. The survivors are Oscar G., who is now a resident of Rossville, this county; Edith is the wife of II. A. Hoover. living near Oskaloosa, Iowa; Charles G. is at home with his parents. Mr. Crane is a gentleman who has, by his quiet, unassuming manners. and upright living, won the respect of the people with whom he has lived for now more than a score of years, and he
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is justly counted as one of the most valued citi- zens of the northeastern part of Vermilion County. Ile belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Star Lodge No. 709, of Hoopeston. He is a gentleman of domestic habits and tastes and has never aspired to office. preferring the quiet of his own home to the worry attending public position. In his comfortable home he and his estimable wife dispense hospitality to all who visit them, and they are justly entitled to the high measure of esteem in which they are held.
SA PARTLOW is a native of Danville, where he was born on the 6th day of Jan- uary, 1833. His father, Rueben Partlow. was born in Virginia and his grandfather. Samuel Partlow, was a native of the same State. The latter removed from Virginia to Kentucky in an early day and located in Nelson County, where he purchased a tract of land and cleared a farm. In 1835, accompanied by his wife, he came to Ver- milion County to spend the winter with his chil- dren, who were then living here. The journey was made on horseback. and in the fall of the year. They stopped with their son Samuel, in Middle Fork Township, where the old gentleman was taken sick and died during the winter. In these times lumber was very scarce, there being no saw- mills in this section of the country and it was with difficulty that boards could be purchased at any price. At any rate. it is stated that not enough lumber could be had to construct a coffin in which to bury Mr. Partlow. Ilis sons went to the timber and cut down trees and split enough off them to build a coflin, and in this manner Mr. Partlow was interred. Soon after, and during the same winter. his wife was seized with illness and followed her husband to the grave. In this family there were nine children, seven of whom came to this county and are entitled to the appellation of pioneers. There were four sons-John, James, Reuben, and Samnel. and three daughters.
where he was reared and resided until 1831. He married. and then accompanied by his wife, came to Vermilion County, making the journey on horseback, carrying a few household goods with them. He located at Danville. and being a wheel- wright and cooper, he worked at his trade until 1834. when he made a claim in Newell Township, upon which be built a log house. At this time stoves were possessed only by the rich, but fuel was plenty, and their old fashioned fire-place was a typical one. They made all their clothes of homespun cloth, and were happier than many who wear their fine clothes in these later days. Mr. Partlow lived there about a year, when he dis- posed of his claim and returned to Danville, where he followed his trade for a while, afterward taking another claim in Middle Fork Township. When this came into market. he purchased it from the Government. and this tract of land has since been the old homestead. Of course, in those days there were no railroads, and for many years all supplies were drawn by horses or oxen from Perrysville and LaFayette and also from Chicago. At one time Mr. Partlow took a half barrel of honey to Chicago and supplied the whole town, returning home with a good portion of it. Ile was a resident of the old homestead until 1852. when he returned to Danville and lived retired until his death which occurred in May, 1866. aged sixty-two years. His wife's maiden name was Elizabeth II. Humphrey. a native of Kentucky. ller father, John Hum- phrey was born in Virginia and was one of the early settlers of Kentucky. She died in 1865. She was the mother of six children-Asa, Almira. who married Robert Davidson (now deceased); John H. died when fourteen years of age; David is also dead; Sarah A., married A. I. Draper. and they are residents of Danville; Elizabeth married Z. Morris. of Georgetown. this county, who is now dead.
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