The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 102

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 102

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ISAAC W. STROUD, attorney at law, Bloomington ; was born in McLean Co., Ill., Sept. 16, 1845, and is the son of Elbridge Stroud, who was an early settler of this county, having made his home here about 1830, coming from Ohio; his death occurred Feb. 20, 1855, when about 42 years old. Isaac W. Stroud was admitted to practice law at the Illinois bar in 1874; in 1875, he was elected by the Republican party as Treasurer of McLean County; this office he filled until 1877.

MRS. C. TOWNSEND, wilow. Bloomington ; is the widow of Rev. J. B. Townsend (now deceased ). Mr. Townsend was a gentleman of more than ordinary mental capacity, though for many years an invalid. In speaking of those who are gone, we feel that this history would be incomplete, without a personal mention of Mr. T. Ile was a native of Washington ( o., N. Y .; was born Aug. 8, 1810; his father intended him for the legal profession; for this purpose he entered the Union College of Schenectady, N. Y., where he was graduated with honor in 1835; he then spent one year in Castleton, Vt., as assistant principal in a seminary ; he then entered the Auburn Theological Seminary ; finishing his theological course in the Union Seminary of New York ; his health failing, he moved to Knoxville, Tenn., taking charge of a seminary for young ladies ; here he formed the acquaintance of Gen. John H. Cook, of Virginia ; his health

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still being poor, he was induced to visit Gen. Cook at his home in Virginia ; regaining his health, he again began preaching in Goochland Co., Va; in 1843, he went to the wild country of Mis- sonri, and began his work there ; shrinking from no duty and laboring almost incessantly, his health again gave way, and he was compelled to desist; from here he went to St. Louis, and took charge of the Free Church; here, for six years, he was eminently successful : his congre- gation grew so rapidly, as to cause the erection of a large edifice, known as the Pine Street Church ; in 1850, he accepted a call as the Pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church of Cincin- nati ; this appointment he held for nearly two years, when his throat again became so had, that he retired trom the pulpit ; though he lived for twelve years after retiring, he did not after- wards preach. For five years he was engaged in the grain trade in St. Louis ; then moved to McLean Co., where he resided until his death, which occurred from consumption Jan. 27, 1865. As a financier, Mr. Townsend was as successful as in the pulpit. During his business in St. Lonis, he accumulated a fine property ; though, by the treachery of those he thought were his friends. he lost over $20,000; he still left, at his death, a fine property. Sept. 6, 1839, he mar- ried Miss Cordelia Dunning, of Fairfield, N. Y. Mrs. Townsend is still a resident of Blooming- ton. She is a pleasant. genial lady, and is respected by a large circle of friends.

THE BLOOMINGTON LEADER, Bloomington. The publication of the Weekly Leader was commenced on the 17th of December, 1868. by Orin Waters and John S. Scibird, who were for- merly owners of the Pantagraph ; on the 22d day of February following, the Daily Leader was started, and both publications have appeared regularly ever since ; on July 12, 1869, the Evening Leader was changed to a morning paper, and as such was published until Oct. 9, when it was again changed to an evening paper : Mr. Elias Smith was editor-in-chief, assisted on the local by J. S. Scibird, one of the proprietors ; as a compliment to the publishers, the position of Post- master was given to Mr. Scibird, who held the office for four years ; in 1872, a stock company was formed, composed principally of leading politicians, who elected (). Waters as Manager ; hard times continued and it proved a financial failure ; Feb. 19, 1874, O. Waters purchased the right, title and interest of the stock-holders and became sole proprietor and publisher ; in Jan- nary, 1875, Mr. Waters became financially embarrassed and the establishment passed into the hands of the present proprietor, Mr. M. F. Leland ; the Leader has grown to be a strictly first- class paper, and is fearless in its advocacy of the right ; it is Republican in politics, and does not hesitate to expose wrong, whether in the Republican party or out of it ; the Weekly Leader enjoys a large circulation and the confidence of its readers ; the Daily Leader is also a creditable and enterprising sheet, and has a large advertising patronage and an entensive circulation ; journal- istic ventures have been frequent in Bloomington, but in nearly every instance, with the exception ot the Leader and Pantagraph, they have been failures and short-lived. M. F. Leland, the present proprietor and publisher of the Leader, was born in Sherborn, Middlesex Co., Mass., on the 28th day of March, 1835 ; came to Bloomington, in 1858, and for a number of years was engaged in the photograph business in this city : was then one of the proprietors of the East Grove Street nursery. in company with E. Beaumont : in 1869, he took a position on the Lender, as solicitor and collector ; subsequently he was local editor, and still later became proprietor and publisher. Under his management the Leader grew in influence, and in the first three years the circulation of the Weekly Leader more than quadrupled ; the daily also improved in its appearance and support, and now enjoys the reputation of being one of the best and most reliable publications in the State ; the job-printing department is one of the largest and best cquipped in Central Illinois, and turns out a large amount of choice work ; in fact, the Leader is established on a firm founda- tion, and its future is as sure as the sunshine ; considerable money has been sunk in bringing it to its present sound financial standing, an experience which we may say all newspapers have to pass through before reaching the goal which the ambition of the publishers anticipates.

WILLIAM W. TUTTLE, of the firm of Baird & Tuttle, Loan Agents, Bloomington ; was born in New York, and is a graduate of Columbia College ; he came West in 1872, and entered into partnership with Mr. Baird in the loan business. These gentlemen have control of the Phoenix Nursery.

THOMAS F. TIPTON, Bloomington ; was born in Franklin Co., Ohio, Aug. 29, 1833; his father, Hiram Tipton, removed from the Buckeye State to Illinois, in the year 1844, and settled in the section now known as Money Creek Township. In March of 1845, his father died, Thomas at that time being but eleven years old ; he continued to live with his mother until her second marriage, in 1847. when he cut loose from the parental roof-tree, and began life on his own account, and took his future into his own hands. At this time he is described as a boy, that. while he had no vicious habits, possessed a quick and retentive memory, a deep reverence for truth and honesty, and with a keen contempt for anything affected or snobbish. During the summer months, he worked on a farm, and, in winter, he went to school, thus obtaining knowledge under difficulties ; this was continued until he had attained to his sixteenth year, when he began teach- ing. but in the winter going himself to school as a pupil. Mr. Tipton began the garnering of legal knowledge in the law office of II. N. Keitly, at Knoxville, Ill., being a careful reader and a close, pains-taking student ; at this time he was in the most robust health, being very strong and active. and excelling in all athletic sports. In the spring of 1854, young Tipton was admitted to practice, and, as a singular coincidence, attained his majority the same year. He began active

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law practice at Lexington, and continued there until Jan. 1, 1862, at which time his lucky star directed him to Bloomington, and. in the spring of 1863, he formed a law partnership with Reu- ben M. Benjamin. In Jannary, 1866, Gov. Oglesby appointed him State's Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, and for two years he discharged the duties of the office with infinite satisfaction to the law-abiding people, and to the great annoyance of evil-doers of high and low degree. In 1869, the Hon. Lawrence Weldon became a partner, and the firm was then known as Weldon, Tipton & Benjamin ; but, as his worth became recognized, Mr. Tipton was called higher up. In August, 1870, he was elected Circuit Judge, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of the venerable Jno. M. Scott, who had been elected as a member of the Supreme bench of the State. When Mr. Tipton took his place on the bench, the new constitution had been but just adopted. making many radical changes, and opening up a vast field of unexplored legal work, thus mak- ing work on the bench necessarily slow, and much more laborious than formerly : he was rewarded for his fidelity to the interests of the people, and his efforts in behalf of equity, by an indorsement in the way of a re-election for the term of six years. He remained on the bench until March 1, 1877, when he resigned to take a seat in Congress-another step higher. The Ist of March, 1877, Mr. Tipton and John E. Pollock formed a law partnership under the style of Tipton & Pollock, as it now stands ; previous to his election to the bench Mr. Tipton enjoyed a large civil and criminal practice ; it was as varied as litigation itself, and it was uniformly managed with good tact and acknowledged legal acumen ; he was not a lawyer simply to wring from quib- bles and technical obscurities that justice which else he could never reach, but he sought to win upon the broad spirit of the law in its most elevated sense. He was elected to the Forty-fifth Congress as a Republican, receiving 15,229 votes ; in Congress he favored the Silver bill ; intro- duced a bill for postal savings banks ; opposed the further contraction of the currency and the · Wood Tariff bill ; also opposed the William and Mary College bill, and the " Potter revolution " he opposed ; he was against the transfer of the Indian Bureau to the War Department.

CHARLES THEIS, grocer, Bloomington ; was born in Prussia, Oct. 7, 1824; during his early life he received a fair education, and began mercantile life as clerk with a wholesale honse, remaining some eight years ; he came to this country in 1851, locating in St. Louis, and followed clerking in various branches of mercantile business until 1857, when he came to Bloomington, Ill., shortly thereafter embarking in the grocery business on his own account, and locating at his present place of business, No. 712 W. Chestnut street; here he keeps a good line of groceries. lle married Miss Frances Sommerheuser, of his native country, in September, 1856; she was born Feb. 2, 1832 ; they have a family of six-Bertha, Clara, Charles, Julia, Idla and Flora.

L. L. TRACY, engineer at Water-works, Bloomington; was born in Chittenden Co .. Vt., Oct. 21, 1818. During his early life, he obtained a good education, and for some ten years was engineer for the Steamboat Transportation Company that plied between Whitehall and St. John, Canada. This gave him a thorough knowledge of engineering. Ile abandoned steamboating in 1850, and removed to Janesville, Wis., where he followed milling until 1865 ; thence to Aurora, Ill., where he engaged in flouring. He came to Bloomington in 1867. He had by his own energy accumulated a large property, but, like many good business men, met with adversity and Jost severely ; but, being possessed of untiring energy, he resolved to begin anew, and engaged as engineer with William Flagg, machinery manufacturer, and, since 1871, has been gradually returning toward his once high financial standing. He was appointed by Mayor Reed to his present position in 1878. Ile is a practical engineer, and considered the right man in the right place. He married Miss Elizabeth Hill, of his native county, Feb. 12, 1844. They have four children living.

G. F. TRYNER, grocer, of the firm of Tryner & Tewksbury, Bloomington ; was born in Lincolnshire, England, Oct. 30, 1809. He came to this country in 1833, locating in New York City, and there engaged in the tailoring business, which he followed until 1844, when he began in the clothing and furnishing business. In 1856, he removed to Salem, Ill., and opened busi- ness. In 1866, he came to Bloomington, and, for a number of years, was with his son, G. A. Tryner (grocer). In 1876, he engaged in business with his present partner. These many years of mercantile experience enable him to command a good trade. llis place of business is 103 West Front street, where he keeps a well-assorted stock of family groceries and provisions. He has twice married-first to Miss Elizabeth Roberts, of Wakefield, England, in February, 1833; she died in 1851. He was married to his present wife in 1854: she was formerly Margaret H. Sclover, of New Jersey. He has eight children living.

THE EYE, H. R. Persinger, editor, Bloomington. The Bloomington Sunday Morning Eye was started on Jan. 20, 1878; it was the second attempt at Sunday journalism in Bloomington ; the Sunday Herald, the first venture, commenced in July, 1877, and, after a painful struggle of three months, died ont : great doubts, therefore, were entertained as to the success of The Et.e, and the publisher, although confident, was discouraged and distrusted on every hand ; the office was located in the second room, upstairs, over Livingston's clothing house, corner Main and Washington streets ; when the paper went to press about midnight on the 19th of January, the press-room was thronged with a crowd eager to see the infant ; fears were whispered of its recep- tion, and its early demise was predicted as certain ; in the face of the unlimited amount of dis- trust exhibited, the editor sometimes looks back and wonders how he ever had the courage to

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pursue his adventure ; but his confidence never once flagged ; a discouraging accident happened at the very outset ; owing to utter carelessness on the part of the pressman, who had been drinking, two of the forms shifted out of place on the press, and several columns of bright, new type were mashed and ruined in spots; although late and everybody worn out, the matter had to be almost wholly reset, which occupied the whole night, and the papers were not all printed until 4 o'clock A. M. ; Sunday dawned dark, and threatening rain : but a small army of excited news- boys were soon scampering over the city, yelling-" Here's yer Sunday Morning Eye." and their enthusiasm was enhanced by the ready sales they met with. The Eye was looked upon with favor, and from that time to the present one-one and a half years-has constantly increased in favor and circulation ; it, to-day, circulates in almost every home in the city; has been twice enlarged and improved ; enjoys an envied advertising patronage, and is in a condition of gratify- ing prosperity ; in material and influence, it has trebled itself in value, and is not incumbered by a single debt In October, 1878, it was removed to elegant rooms over the People's Bank, corner of Center and Washington streets, where it now has the finest location and most cheerful office in the city ; its subscription price is $2 a year, postage paid, or 5 cents a copy ; the city circulation is far in excess of that of any other Bloomington local paper

Its editor, Holland R. Persinger, was born at Xenia, Ohio, June 9, 1852; he began his career as a journalist or printer in the office of the Sidney (Ohio) Democrat, a weekly paper, in February, 1869, finishing his apprenticeship in the office of the La Fayette Daily Courier ; he was employed as city reporter and editor of the La Fayette Sunday Leader, nearly five years previous to his advent in Bloomington. In 1877, thinking he could manage a paper of his own, he traveled over Illinois in search of a location, landing at Bloomington, and, in January, 1878, produced The Eye, of which he is still editor and proprietor.

J. THOMPSON, grocer, of the firm of Thompson & Jameson, Bloomington ; was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Oct. 19, 1842, where he spent his early life ; he has received a good busi- ness education. During the late war, he enlisted with the 2dl Ohio V. I., entering the service in August, 1861; he participated in many of the most severe battles of the war-such as Perry- ville, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga and Mission Ridge, and the march of Sherman to Atlanta; he escaped without a scratch, and was mustered out after a service of thirty-seven months. He then attended commercial college at Dayton, Ohio, for a time, and afterward re-entered the army in the Quartermaster's Department at Little Rock, Ark .. as shipping-clerk, which position he held for six months ; he then went to Galveston, Tex., where he was appointed collector for the G., H. & H. R. R Co .; after remaining here awhile, he went to Lacey, Va., where he acted as assistant Postmaster for two years. He has held a number of prominent and responsible posi- tions. He is doing business at 701 North Main street, where he keeps a well-assorted stock of goods, sold at bottom figures. He married Miss Amanda C. Carrier, July 31, 1868.

J. R. TANKER LEY, photographer Bloomington ; was born in Middlesex Co., Va. ; at the age of 18 years, he commenced to learn the photographic art with Shew & Marks, of Baltimore, the leading artists of that city ; in 1867, he came West and located in Bloomington ; in 1870, he commenced photographing in the rooms he now occupies, and is one of the oldest and finest photographic artists in the city ; has had over thirty years' experience in the art ; those who visit his parlors will see that he produces first-class work.

LEWIS B. THOMAS, insurance agent ; Bloomington ; was born in McLean Co .. Ill., Sept. 27, 1838, and is the son of William and Catherine ( Hains) Thomas. William Thomas is a native of Pennsylvania, having come to Ohio at an early day, where he was raised on a farm. In Febru- ary, 1836, he came to Illinois, and located in what is now the city of Bloomington, McLean Co. He was engaged in farming until about 1841, when he entered the saw mill business, and con- tinued it for five years. He was elected to the office of County Treasurer and Assessor of McLean Co., and filled the same for about thirteen years. He was also treasurer of the war fund. lle was engaged very extensively in the live-stock business and was, at one time, one of the largest stock-dealers in this vicinity ; he followed this business about thirty-five years. In 1867, he failed. He entered the insurance business in 1849, and. in 1859, his son, Louis B., the subject of this sketch, succeeded him in the business. Ile represents the best insurance companies in the country. Mr. Thomas was elected City Treasurer of Bloomington in 1860, and filled the office with credit.

J. E. VOAK, M. D., Bloomington. Another of the old physicians of Bloomington, who has been in constant practice for twenty years, is Dr. J. E. Voak. IIe was born March 16, 1829, and is a native of Yates Co., N. Y. He began the study of medicine under Dr. D. Lathrop, of Syracuse, N. Y .; attended and became a graduate of the Syracuse Medical College in 1855. He also, in 1866, became a graduate of the Homoeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania, Phil- adelphia. He began practice in Independence, lowa, where he remained nearly two years; was also engaged in the drug business during this time. The next seven years he spent in practice in Mason and Logan Cos., III., and, in 1866, located in Bloomington, where he has since resided, engaged in the practice of his profession. Hle is also the author of a medical work of 320 pages, known as Dr. J. E. Voak's Family Guide. This work is now found in hundreds of families, and is, of itself, a proof of his study of the science of medicine and of his ability as a physician.

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W. S. VINYARD, manufacturer of clothing, Bloomington. The success of any enterprise depends almost entirely upon the financiering of the party who is conducting it. Though a man may meet with fair success as a merchant, he may be much more capable of conducting the busi- ness of some lines of manufacturing. This seems to have been the case with Mr. W. S. Vinyard. who is a native of Pope Co., Ill., and was for two years engaged in the dry-goods trade in Jack- sonville, Ill., and in this city from 1873 until 1878, when he engaged in his present business of the manufacturing of overalls. jackets and jeans pants ; his factory and salesroom is located at No 101 W. Market. The building being 90x22 feet, two floors, one would hardly suppose so much business could be done in so small a space ; the first floor is used as a cutting-room, sales- room, storeroom and office ; the second is given up exclusively to manufacturing ; here, he has twenty Wheeler & Wilson sewing machines, every one of which is kept going; he employs, in all, about twenty seven hands, most of whom are young ladies ; the most of his goods are shipped to points in Illinois, after supplying the home trade. His business aggregates about $40,000 per annum. In establishing and successfully operating his factory, he has done a business that is not only a credit to himself, but a benefit generally to the citizens and the city of Bloomington.

DR. C. WAKEFIELD, Bloomington ; was a native of Watertown, N. Y., and was born July 12, 1815 ; he is a direct descendant of Th. Wakefield, who emigrated from England about the year 1680; his father, Joseph Wakefield, was a native of Rutland, Vt., and was one of the first party of emigrants to Watertown, N. Y .; here he improved a farm, married Susan Sawyer, who emi- grated from New Hampshire, and raised a family of six children, viz., Betsey, Elisha, Orion, Zera, Cyrenius and Egbert. . Cyrenius served out his minority with his brothers on his father's farm, working during the summers. attending and teaching school during the winters. In the spring of 1837, in his 22d year. he emigrated to Bloomington, Ill, going by steamer around the lakes ; at Chicago he took stage to La Salle ; in the night he was aroused by a horn announcing the arrival of a steamboat, on which he took passage to Pekin, Ill ; from this point there was no public conveyance to Bloomington ; he got his trunk carried on a load of merchandise and reached Bloomington himself very comfortably in two days by his pedestrian ability. He lived in this vicinity two years and taught a large school three miles south of the town for fifteen months. The schoolhouse had an immense fire-place in one end, as stoves were a rare article in the West at that time. He then bought land west of Farmer City, in De Witt Co., and commenced the labors of improving a farm. By teaching school winters and improving his land summers, he, in four years, had a good farm, with a comfortable frame house upon it. This must have suggested the need of a housekeeper, for he then took another tour over the lakes back to Watertown, N. Y., and, on the 17th of August, 1843, was married to Miss Harriet Richardson, who had been, for many years, his old schoolma e. Another trip over the lakes and across the then prairies, and they reached their cozy form-house. where they commenced the duties and experi- ences of domestic lite. His plan was to enter into an extensive stock-raising business as soon as he could. In June, 1845, Dr. Zera Wakefield, who graduated in Cincinnati, and had, for ten years, been doing an extensive practice in Arkansas, came North to visit his brother. He liked the country so much better than the South that he concluded to settle here. After visiting his friends East, he returned to Arkansas, settled up his business there during the winter, and, in May, 1847, arrived for a permanent location. He and Cyrenius then formed a business partner- ship : he advanced money against Cyrenius' farm and stock : they then started a country store, which was quite successful under the management of Cyrenius, while Dr. Z. Wakefield entered immediately into the practice of his profession. After about two months, the miasmatic fevers commenced and were of unusual prevalence and severity. With his accumulated skill in sub- duing the violent congestive fevers of the South, he was able to break up the most severe cases here in a few hours. Ilis wonderful success created a great sensation, and his fame soon extendedl fifty miles around. With the aid of a driver and a change of horses, he was quite una- ble to fill all of the demands upon him. When they could not get him, they wanted some of his medicine, aud this necessitated keeping it prepared, with directions, to supply the demand Ile prepared concise recipes of the compound he used, and instructed Cyrenius in all of the arts of compounding, so that he was able to supply the demand. This soon necessitated printed diree- tions and a uniformity of bottles, and thus originated the highly-celebrated Wakefield's medi- cines. During the summer of 1 847, some demand for agencies arose in the surrounding country, which was supplied to the extent of forty or fifty This condition of events gradually changed their country store into a medicine laboratory. In June, 1848, after two years of prae- tice here, Dr Z. Wakefield took a violent congestion of the lungs, which caused his death in thirty-six hours. This was a heavy stroke on Cyrenius, who was greatly attached to his brother. The demand for these medicines was great, and, much of his means being invested in it, he wisely bought his brother's interest and continued to extend their usefulness. He sold his farm and moved to Bloomington in February, 1850, in order to get better postal and express facilities. Ile applied himself diligently to the study of medicine and pharmacy to prepare himself for a more extensive work, and here gained the title of Doctor. During his first few years in Bloom- ington, he did quite an extensive drug business in company with Robert Thompson. His me li- cine laboratory was then in the rear of the drug store. In 1856, he built a brick labora ory near his dwelling-house, and to which subsequent additions have given its present extensive

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The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 102

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092