The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 99

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 99

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J. T. NICCOLLS, grocer, Bloomington ; is the son of John and Maria (Steele) Niccolls, who were among the early settlers of McLean Co .; they came from Westmoreland Co., Penn., in 1849, in which year Mr. Niccolls entered a large tract of lan | in this and adjoining counties ; it is said that he was one of the largest land-owners, and improved more land than any one in McLean Co .; he was an enterprising, public-spirited and much-respected citizen ; like many others, they met with adversity, and lost heavily ; they still survive, at the combined ages of 144 years. The subject of this sketch was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., July 11, 1839, and was brought to this county in 1844, where he has since lived; he is now doing business at No. 604 North Main street, where is to be found a well-assorted stock of goods at bottom figures. He married Miss Lucinda E. Hardman of Salem, Ohio, Oct. 5, 1858; they have one child- Lulu M .: as a family, they are much respected.

MRS. A. M. NOBLE, widow, Bloomington. Of those who have represented the medical profession in this county, Dr. Noble, now deceased, was among the prominent ones ; he was al native of Hamilton Co., Ohio ; his people, who were among the pioneers of MeLean Co., located at Randolph Grove, in the spring of 1831 ; the Doctor began the study of medicine at the age of 19, under Dr. Colburn ; at the age of 22, he began his practice in Le Roy, where he remained until 1865, when he moved to Bloomington and began his practice in that city, which he contin- ued as long as he was able ; when he was unable to leave his room, many of his patients insisted upon his prescribing for them ; his death occurred on March 14, 1871. Mrs. Noble is still a resident of Bloomington ; her father. Mr. John Greenman, was one of the prominent and early pioneers of the county, having located here in 1829: he was among the first to open and teach a school in the county ; they were among the early pioneers, and were obliged to endure many of the privations incident to pioneer life, but as the county became populated and improved, they were recognized among the honored and respected citizens.

WILLAM O'NEIL, grocer, firm of O'Neil Bros., Bloomington ; is a native of County Cork, Ireland ; was born in September, 1831 ; he came to this country in 1851, locating in St. Louis, where he lived some three years ; came to Bloomington in 1854, and, for some twelve years, was in the employ of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company, after which he embarked in the grocery business : they are located at the corner of Chestnut and Lumber streets, where he enjoys a good reputation for his fair dealing with patrons. In June, 1861, he married Miss Joanna Nagle. of his native. country ; they have a family of eight.

DAVID O'NEIL, grocer, of the firm of O'Ncil Bros., Bloomington ; is a native of County Cork. Ireland; was born in October, 1833, and came to this country in 1851, locating in St. Louis; he came to Bloomington in 1854, and engaged with the C. & A. R. R. Company, with whom he continued twenty years acting in the capacity of engineer seventeen years, and for thirteen years as passenger engineer; during this time, he met with no serious accidents, although his engine w s twice turned over, and he met with a narrow escape; as a railroad man he is well known and much respected ; he is now connected with his brother William in the grocery business, and enjoying a large trade that they have built up by honorable dealings. He married Miss Johans Pyne of Chicago, January, 1865 ; they have eight children.

GEN. WILLIAM W. ORME, deceased, Bloomington, whose portrait will be found in this work, was the son of W. C. and Jane T. Orme, and was born in Washington, D. C., Feb. 17, 1832 ; when he was 13 years of age. his parents died, from which time, Mr. Orme was compelled to rely upon his own exertions : he attended Mt. St. Mary's College at Emmettsburg, Md .. and, after his graduation, learned the trade of a cabinet-maker ; in the year 1849, he came West, and first located in Chicago for a short time ; while there, he read law in the office of J. Y. Scammon ; in 1850, he came to Bloomington, and, having opened an office, commenced the practice of law, and continued the same but for a short time, being tendered and having accepted a position in the office of Gen. William Mccullough, Clerk of the Circuit Court of McLean Co. On the 27th

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day of October, 1833, he was married to Miss Minnie L., the daughter of Gen. Mccullough, and shortly afterward, formed a co-partnership with Leonard Swett in the practice of law. The next year ( 1862), after the breaking-out of our late civil war, Mr. Orme was commissioned Colonel of the 94th Regt. I. V. I , and, after one year of active service, was, in 1863, promoted by the late President Lincoln to the rank of Brigadier General ; ill-health, however, unfitting him for active duty in the field, he was placed in command of the post at Chicago, which included Camp Doug- las : his health, however, being still very poor, he, a short time after accepting the position, tendered his resignation, which President Lincoln accepted, and, relieving him from active duty, appointed him Supervising Agent of the Second Agency of the Treasury Department, at Mem- phis, Tenn .; in June, 1865, he again tendered his resignation, but Mr. Lincoln was so anxious that he should remain, that his resignation was not accepted until November of the same year. The following card shows the friendship existing between himself and Mr. Lincoln, and the high estimate that Mr. Lincoln placed upon his ability and competency. This card was carried to Gen. Halleck by Mr. Swett, the partner at law of Gen. Orme :

WASHIINGTON, Aug. 2, 1862.

GEN. HALLECK-Please see the bearer, who will tell you truth only about Wm. W. Orme, whom I also know to be one of the most active, competent and best men in the world. (Signed), A. LINCOLN.

Gen. Orme died of consumption at the age of 35. Although ent down in the prime of manhood, and a bright career nipped in the bud, Mr Orme left behind him an enviable name and a spotless reputation ; he left a widow and four children-two girls, Mary B. and Lucy, and two boys, William and Edwin. Mrs. Orme was again married Oct. 5, 1876, to D. S. Dyson, M. D., who resides in Bloomington.

OWEN PIXLEY & CO., dealers in clothing, Bloomington. In this, as in other branches of business and manufacture, Bloomington takes a leading position, having several houses of the kind which take rank with those in much larger cities. A leading house here in the clothing business is that of Owen Pixley & Co., who commenced business in Bloomington in 1878; Messrs. C. S. Darnell and R. R. Jones, who represent the house in Bloomington, assure the pub- lic that the materials used in the manufacture of clothing are the best made; their stock of gent.'s furnishing goods is complete ; this house is a branch from Utica, N. Y .; here, over eight years ago, Owen Pixley & Co. commenced the manufacture of clothing, etc., and since then they have established branch houses in Loekport, N. Y., Oil City, Penn., two at Indianapolis, Ind .. Greencastle, Ind., Terre Haute, Ind., Fort Wayne, Ind .; all goods marked in plain figures and sold at New York jobbing prices. This feature of establishing retail stores in cities where it does not conflict with wholesale trade has proved a grand success to its originators, and is appreciated by the people who visit their nine stores, and save the ordinary retail dealer's profit by buying direct from manufacturers, at wholesale prices.

RICHARD OSBORN, Bloomington. He is one of the few practicing attorneys here who were born in the county, being born in McLean Co., Dec. 25, 1845; in 1856, he went, with his father, to Missouri ; here he worked on'a farm and studied the common branches as leisure would permit ; but, in 1861, his martial spirit overcoming all other considerations, he enlisted in the 23d Missouri Infantry, being then but 16 years of age; although young, he made a val- iant soldier, being in many prominent and desperately-fought battles ; in January, 1862, he was captured by guerillas and robbed, but. after being retained one day, he was released ; he was fighting in the Sherman army during the Atlanta campaign, and was dangerously wounded in the shoulder and arm in front of Atlanta, Ga., on the 7th of August, 1864, after passing through a series of engagements, and having been under fire for over forty consecutive days. In Novem- ber, 1864, having recovered from his wound sufficiently to travel, he was discharged, after hav- ing served three years and three months. Mr. Osborn then attended district school, acquired a fair, common-school education, taught school in Iowa, and then for one year he applied himself, with unrelenting perseverance, at Oskaloosa College, lowa. In 1866, he returned to McLean County, and taught school, very successfully, in Randolph Township; he then attended school at the Normal for one year ; all this time, he was rapidly acquiring a very thorough knowledge of all branches of English education, and had read extensively ; for one year he acted as Princi- pal of the graded school at Whitehall, Greene Co., til. In the fall of 1870, Mr. Osborn was elected Sheriff of McLean Co .; he was efficient, and made one of the most fearless officers the county ever had. He commenced reading law in the office of MeNulta & Aldrien ; he entered the first class of the Wesleyan Law School, and was admitted to practice Jan. 8, 1875 ; he grad- uated, and took the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Mr. Osborn then' formed a partnership with J. T. Lillard, Aug. 1, 1875, which, under the style of Osborn & Lillard, yet continues.

GEORGE W. PARKE, retired, Bloomington Prominent among the old residents of Bloomington, who have been identified with the growth and improvement of the city, is Mr. George W. Parke, who is a native of Chester Co , Penn .; he was born in 1815, and remained a resident of his native place until he had grown to man's estate and received his education. llis first trip West was in 1837, though he remained only until 1840, when he returned East ; he came to this city in 1851, and engaged in the lumber trade and the manufacture of furniture, though the latter business he had followed but a short time when a large factory, which he was interested in and had helped to build, burned to the ground, the loss being a calamity both to

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the firm and the city. Ile was very successful in the lumber trade, being engaged in this busi- ness when the city was growing rapidly ; he built a great many houses in the city, which are still standing ; among others was the first three-story building ever erected on the west side of the public square, Mr. Kersey Fell donating the ground to any one who would erect a three- story brick ; he was also engaged in the grocery and provision trade about ten years, which he sold out about 1865, and has not since been actively engaged in any mercantile business. He is now one of the Directors of the People's Bank, where he is usually found during business hours. Hle has been an active. energetic business man, and now is reaping some of the rewards of his industry and economy. 6

C. R. PARKE, physician and surgeon, Bloomington. Dr. C. R. Parke is another of the old reliable physicians of Bloomington ; he is a native of Chester Co., Penn .; was born June 23, 1825, and began the study of medicine in 1844; in the spring of 1847, the degree of doctor of medicine was conferred upon him at the University of Medicine of Pennsylvania, located at l'hiladelphia ; he practiced one year in Delaware Co., Penn ; in 1848 he came West, and located at Como, Ill., where he spent one year in practice ; in the spring of 1849, he accepted the posi- tion of surgeon to the Como Emigrant Co., "en route" overland to California -they making a successful journey in 103 days; while there, he spent the time mining, prospecting and prac- ticing his profession in Sacramento ; in the winter of 1850-51, he returned to illinois via Nicar- agua and New Orleans, and located near Peoria; here he engaged in practicing his profession about one year ; in 1852, he removed to Bloomington, where he remained until 1855, when he accepted an appointment as Surgeon in the Russian army of the Crimean war; resigning upon the declaration of peace, he traveled through different countries of Europe, returning to Bloom- ington in 1857, where he has since resided, except three years spent in Arkansas, from 1870 to 1873. The Doctor has spent much time in the study of his profession-especially of the eye, ear and general surgery-in the treatment of which cases he takes special pride.

MRS. M. PAIST, Bloomington. The people of Bloomington will long remember Mr. Paist, of the firm of Paist & Marmon; he was a native of Pennsylvania; born in 1806; his first move West was to Ohio, and from there to Illinois, when he located in. Bloomington in 1851, shortly afterward engaging in the drug trade in company with Dr. Elder ; in 1854, the firm became Paist & Marmon, which partnership lasted until Mr. Paist's death, which occurred Jan. 25, 1874, in his 67th year. Nov. 24, 1849, he was married to Miss M. Dawson-her people being among the first settlers of the county-locating here as early as 1826; when they first settled among the Indians, their nearest neighbor was nine miles from them. So much has been said of this family, that we will only remark, that Mrs. Paist still resides in Bloomington, a very intelligent and highly respected lady.

W. D. PENNER, grocer, Bloomington ; was born in Prussia, May 20, 1837; during ing his early life he obtained a good education, and began in mercantile life when but 14 years of age in the capacity of a dry goods clerk ; remaining in Elbing and Koenigsberg some five years, he came to this country in 1856, locating in Detroit, where he remained for a time ; thence to Chicago ; he came to Bloomington in 1858, and engaged with Humphreys & Co., grocers ; he next removed to Alexandria, La., and, previous to the late war, was appointed Steward of the Military Academy ; he returned to Bloomington in 1865, and engaged in the grocery business ; his store is at No. 120 S. Center street ; here he keeps a first-class grocery. He married Miss Anna Stoeckigt, March 31, 1859; they have a family of seven.

FRED S. PIIŒNIX, book-keeper, Bloomington ; was born in Illinois, and is a son of Franklin K. Phoenix, who was born in Perry, N. Y. ; when a young man, he came West and located in Delavan, Wis. ; there he commenced the nursery business on a very small scale, but with good management and hard work he was successful ; from Delavan he came to Bloomington in 1856 ; here he started with only ten acres of ground for his nursery : but, from year to year, he gradually improved it, and at one time owned over 600 acres of land in nursery stock, this being, perhaps, the largest nursery under one management in the United States ; he has had as high as 450 men at one time at work in the nursery, and the sales amounted to over $250,000 in a year ; he shipped goods to all parts of the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries.

BAILEY PLUMB, painter, Bloomington ; is a native of Onondaga Co., N. Y., where he was born July 25, 1830, but was raised, schooled and learned the trade of a painter in Fredonia, N. Y. ; he served a regular apprenticeship at his trade under his father, and became a thorough workman before embarking on his own account ; he removed to Miami Co., Ohio, in 1852, where he lived until 1865, when he came to Bloomington, Ill., where he has since lived a well-to-do citizen, and enjoys the reputation of being a first-class workman in house and sign painting ; his place of business is No. 404 Northeast street ; here he is prepared to do all job-work promptly and neatly. He married Miss Mary Hyde, of Troy, Ohio, Jan. 1, 1853 ; they have one child- Anna B. (now Mrs. E. II. Jackman).

GEORGE W. PRICE. farmer ; P. O. Bloomington; was born in Warren Co., Ky., Oct. 3, 1816, and is the son of James B. and Mary ( Wall) Price, who were among the first settlers of McLean Co., having made their home here in 1833; James B. Price was born July 24, 1792, in Mecklenburg Co., N. C., and with his parents, in 1804, moved to Kentucky ; he visited Illinois from 1829 to 1833, when he moved here with his family ; Mr. Price assisted in organizing

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McLean Co , and has held several offices of public trust ; in 1849-50, he served one term in the Legislature, and assisted in getting the Illinois Central Railroad bill passed. Mr. Price married Feb. 10, 1814, to Mary H. Wall; five children are living; George W. Price, the subject of this sketch, was engaged in farming from the time he was able to hold the plow, and in winter months attended the district schools of the period; in 1833, he came to Mclean Co .; settled on the old homestead. Mr Price married, June 14, 1836, Matilda B. Prunty; they have had fourteen children.

W. B. PROBASCO, grain-dealer, Bloomington ; one among the most successful business men of Bloomington, is a native of Cumberland Co., N. J .; was born Oct. 8, 1836, and in 1856, went South, where he was engaged in business in Alabama, Mississippi, New Orleans and Tenn- essee until 1863, when he returned to New Jersey, but remained but a short time, coming West the same year and locating in Bloomington, where he has since resided, excepting time spent in the South ; he was engaged in the hotel business in Bloomington until 1871, being very snecess- ful in this line ; he then engaged in the real estate and loan business, which he continued until 1875. when he embarked in the grain trade; he has now a large elevator on the C. & A. R. R., between Chestnut and Locust streets, with a storage capacity of 40,000 bushels, besides his cribs, which will store 25,000 bushels of corn; in 1877, he established a branch house at Towanda, and, in 1878; one at Covell. The combined shipments of the three houses will aggre- gate about eight hundred cars per annum ; in the spring of 1879, he erected one among the fin- est residences in the city, which is located at 1009 North Main street; he has been a man dependent wholly upon his own resources, and the accumulation of his splendid property has been due to his industry, energy and good financiering.

JOHN E. POLLOCK, Bloomington ; was born Feb. 1, 1843, near West Liberty, Logan Co., Ohio, and is the son of Judge Pollock, now residing and practicing law in Ford Co., Ill .; at the age of 8 years, Mr. Polloek removed with his father to Bellefontaine, Ohio, where he attended the public schools, and even then gave promise of the ripe scholar he was afterward to become. He afterward attended one year at Augusta College, Ky., and. still later, was a student in Miami University at Oxford, Ohio; in the last-named institution, he pursued a regular classical and scientific course up to within one year of completion, being a member of the junior class at that time ; he dropped the course to begin the study of law ; the latter study he pursued during a period of three years in the office of Judge William Lawrence, of Ohio, now a man of national fame : though young in years, Mr. Pollock outranks many older members of the Mclean Co. Bar in length of practice, having been admitted in the Courts of three States and also in the United States Courts, as early as 1865 or the spring of 1866 ; he passed a creditable examina- tion before the Supreme Court of Ohio at the December term of 1865. Mr. Pollock came to Bloomington in 1866, where he has remained in the practice until the present, and in which he has been eminently successful ; he was a member of the firm of Shackleford & Pollock for one year about 1870 ; his firm style was afterward Pollock & Campbell, and still later, Bloomfield, Pollock & Campbell ; for eighteen months past, he has been the partner of lIon. Thomas F. Tipton ; he was two years Master in Chancery of the McLean Circuit Court; on the acces- sion of Judge Reeves to the bench, Mr. Pollock was succeeded in the Master's office by Capt. Rowell.

J. S. ROSS, lightning-rods, Bloomington. Of those who for years have been active business men of this city, we mention Mr. J. S. Ross, who is a native of Pennsylvania ; he came West in December, 1849, and located in this city, where he has since resided ; he began the manufacture of pumps shortly after his arrival ; this he followed but a short time, then engaged in the cloth- ing trade, with his father; this, and the grocery business he continued until 1861, when he again began the manufacture of pumps : this business he soon increased to a large scale, employ- ing sometimes about twenty men, and manufacturing and selling about 1,200 pumps per year ; in connection with his pump trade, he has taken up the sale of lightning-rods ; the pump trade not being so good as formerly, he has given more attention to rods, and believing the best to be the cheapest, he has secured the Chambers' patent rod and insulator ; he is well read in the science of electricity, and is meeting with good success in the sale of the " Chambers rod ;" he is a good financier, and has made a success of his different business enterprises ; an old resi- dent of the city, and one of the honored and respected citizens.

A. N. RINEHART, druggist, Bloomington. Another of the responsible drug firms, is that of T. Hæring & Co .; the firm is composed of Messrs. T. Hlæring and A. N. Rinehart, the latter naned gentleman being junior member of the firm; the partnership dating from 1872. Mr. Rinehart, the subject of this sketch, is a native of Hampshire Co., W. Va .; he was born March 18, 1843, and came West in the fall of 1854, locating in Macon Co., and in 1869, came to Bloom- ington, where he has since resided, except one year spent in Piatt Co. In the fall of 1870, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Downey, of Philadelphia, but a resident of Bloomington at time of marriage ; she was born Sept. 25, 1849; they have one child-Katie E., born July 28, 1871. In 1872, he went in partnership with Dr. T. Hæring; their drag establishment is located at No. 413 N. Main ; the building is 60x22, and is stocked with everything in the drug line ; this depart- ment comes particularly under Mr. Rinehart's supervision, as the doctor is many times attending professional calls ; though all who know him are well aware of his ability as a druggist.

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JOSEPIL RODGERS, grocer, Bloomington ; was born in Somersetshire, England, Oct. 25, 1825; came to the United States in 1843, locating in Detroit. where he engaged in the chand- lery business, in which he continued until 1849, when he removed to La Fayette, Ind., and there lived nutil 1852: thence to Attica. Ind., where he opened in the chandlery business; he con- tinned this until 1873, when he came to Bloomington. Ill., and embarked in the grocery bus- iness. His place of business is 721 West Chestnut street, where he keeps a good stock of gro- ceries. Ile married Miss Eliza Tolman, of Keene, N. II., March 16, 1845; they have a family of six living.

WM. M. REEVES Deputy Circuit Clerk, Bloomington ; was born in Ross Co., Ohio, Jan. 4. 1838, where he was raised and schooled. He came to Mc Lean Co., Ill., in 1855, with his people, and, in 1856, removed to Delaware, Ohio. where he attended the Wesleyan University for two vears : then he returned to Bloomington, and engaged in the dry goods business. He continued in mercantile life for several years. In 1861, he engaged in agricultural pursuits, which he foi- lowel until 1870, when he went into the grocery business. In 1874, he was appointed to his present position in which he has since continued, with the exception of the year 1877, when he was connected with the Bloomington Woolen Mills. He married Miss Mary M. Bedinger, of Paris, Ky., Nov. 25, 1868.

JOHN REED, Bloomington. John Reed, of the firm of Reed & Barger. importers and jobbers in queensware, glassware, etc., was born in Ross Co., Ohio. June 1, 1828. During his early life, he obtained a good business education, finishing at the Silem Academy, at South Salem. Ohio. His first experience was in agricultural pursuits. This he followed until 1865, when he began in mercantile business, in which he has since continued. He came to Blooming- ton in March. 1868, and, with his present partner. opened a store of glass and queensware, and, by close application to business, and uprightness in dealing. they have won the confidence and patronage of the citizens. Mr. Reed not only holds a prominent position as a business man hut as a man of liberal views and of reliability, as is evidenced by the fact that he is now serving as City Mayor; also as Trustee and Treasurer of the Wesleyan University. He has been honored with other positions of responsibility and trust. He married Miss Mary A. Barger, of Ross Co., Ohio, Feb. 24. 1852; they are the parents of five children, three only of whom are living.

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The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 99

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