USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 106
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The book committee for 1917 includes the following: Mrs. Edwin Hagenbuch (chairman), Mrs. George McCracken, Ella McDonald, Margaret James, Mrs. Harriet C. Milne and Mrs. Frank Houston.
The officers of the public library for 1917 are as follow: President, Mrs. Frank Houston ; first vice-president, Mrs. H. M. Hubbell ; second vice- president, Mrs. W. W. Wilson; recording secretary, Alice L. Gaumer; cor- responding secretary, Mrs. William Given; treasurer, Mrs. Emma E. Eichel- berger : librarian, Mrs. Harriet C. Milne.
Librarians-During the first year the members of the association, as a matter of economy, served in their turn as librarian and janitor. When the library was moved to the city building it was arranged to employ a regular librarian at a salary of ten dollars a month. Minerva T. Jamison served from 1891 to 1897: Miss E. J. Fell from 1897 to 1898, and Mrs. Harrriett C. Milne from 1898 to the present time.
The library now contains eleven thousand volumes, not including news- papers and magazines. During the past year (1916) more than thirty-four thousand books were put in circulation and more than forty thousand per- sons visited the library.
URBANA COMMERCIAL CLUB.
There are all kinds of commercial clubs; some are more active than others; some are quiescent, some dormant and others are eruptive spasmod- ically. An investigation into the Urbana Commercial Club since its organ- ization on December 4, 1901. leads one to think that its career has been decidedly dormant. While it has taken a more or less active part in several efforts to induce factories to locate in the city, yet it has not been an active factor in the life of the city.
The preliminary meeting for the organization of the club was held on December 4, 1901. After discussing the advisability of such an organiza- tion it was decided to organize a club of the business and professional men of the city and surrounding community. The election for officers was set for the first Monday night in the following January, a committee being ap- pointed to solicit membership in the meantime and to arouse interest in the proposed organization. It was decided to make the initiation dues ten dol- lars and have annual dues of two dollars.
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At the first election the following officers were elected: Warren W. Rock, president; Hershey S. Morgan, secretary; Charles Leaming, treas- urer. The officers elected sixteen years ago are serving in 1917, with the exception of the secretary, the present secretary being W. J. Knight. Dur- ing the first year or two the club held monthly meetings; then every few months; then about once a year, but of late years it has met only upon special occasions.
The last special occasion was the well-planned effort of the club to secure the location of the proposed camp for the National Guard at Urbana. The president spent considerable time in investigating the possibilities of Urbana as a camp site and submitted an exhaustive report showing the ad- vantages of the city for the camp. The final decision of the war depart- ment, however, placed the camp at Chillicothe.
JOHNSON PARK.
Johnson Park, a memorial to the late James B. Johnson, a former mayor of Urbana, is located just north of lots 211 and 212, at the northeast corner of the original plat of the city. It is the north one-half of the old Ward cemetery, the site of which had been deeded to the city in 1805.
At a meeting of the city council, August 7, 1913, Isaac T. and Charles F. Johnson, brothers of the late mayor, offered the site to the city of Urbana for a park. The offer stipulated that the city must improve the property by building sidewalks in front along Ward and Kenton streets, and, also, by extending necessary cross walks through the park. Furthermore, the city was to furnish such lights as were needed for park purposes. In addition, it was provided that the park should be ready for use June 1, 1914. The council accepted the offer at once with an expression of appreciation to the owners for their generosity.
As the county commissioners had guaranteed to defend the title to the land, the Johnson brothers turned the land over to the city with the same guarantee against any claims of the heirs of Samuel McCord, who originally deeded the tract to the "city directors" in 1805. Soon preparations were made for putting the tract into condition for park purposes. Whether it is due to the unusual location of the park in the old cemetery, or for some other reason, it has not proved to be a very successful municipal venture. It is true that the sidewalks on the sides of the park facing the street have been built, but at present the park is serving as a community garden. The suggestion for such a garden came from I. N. Keyser, superintendent of
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schools, early in the season ( 1917), and some time later Isaac and Charles Johnson suggested Johnson park for such an experiment. These men bore the expense of putting the ground into condition, and, together with Super- intendent Keyser and Edgar G. Weller, principal of the South ward school, planned the garden and secured the following interested boys for the under- taking: Willet Stovall, Claude Bischop, Noland Poffenberger, Roy Roark, Robert Knight, Edmund Guillaume, Everell Earnhart, Edmund Gaumer and John Knight. The lot was then divided into ten plots, each a rod wide and one hundred and twenty feet deep. The plots were planted alike, and each was cared for by a boy. Since the government had requested that such crops as can be stored for the winter be given special attention, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, beans, parsnips, onions and turnips were grown, each boy to har- vest his individual crop for his own use or for sale to the community. In addition to the incentive coming from the anticipated crops, the boys were encouraged by the offer of prizes from the second ward winners of prizes awarded by the Garden Association in past years, these prizes to be awarded to the boys who had the best appearing gardens. Other prizes were to be awarded for the best single crops.
WAR GARDEN CONTEST.
During the summer of 1917 all over the city Urbanians manifested their amateur gardening zeal by planting vegetables in their back yards and in vacant lots, these efforts resulting in quantities of fresh vegetables, health- ful exercise and much satisfaction to the amateur horticulturists. About the middle of July. 1917, the Urbana Garden Association announced that on Tuesday, August 14, 1917. it would hold at the Central school building an exhibition of the results of these efforts all over Urbana and award prizes which were promised earlier in the garden season.
In this contest professional gardeners, those who raise vegetables for sale, were barred, for the affair was designed to encourage the amateur gardener, and only he was considered in the contest. The list of vegetables included in the contest included potatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, beets. parsnips. corn, string beans, lima beans and turnips. There were two classifications, back-yard and vacant-lot gardens. Gardeners of the for- mer classification had to present four vegetables of the above list, and those of the latter, six. For the back-yard class there were two prizes, ten and five dollars: and for the vacant-lot gardeners, there were also two prizes,
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twenty-five and ten dollars. There were cash awards for the best general display and other awards for the growing gardens, and the contest attracted much local attention.
CITY OFFICIALS OF URBANA.
The average citizen of Urbana does not realize the number of officials it takes to manage the city's affairs. A large number of these officials came into existence when the present form of city government was adopted in 1903. Numerous as are the officials, no one would say that any one of them should be dispensed with and there are some who think that the city really needs more officials. The salary of most of the officials is only nom- inal and in most cases the officials can follow their regular occupations. The official roster of the city on June 1, 1917, included forty-one different officials, part of whom are elective, the remainder being appointive, either at the hands of the mayor or the city council. This does not include the members of the police and fire departments. It will be noticed that very few of the officials are elected by the voters of the city, nearly all of them being appointed by the mayor, the public service director or the city council. In the following paragraph the office, the incumbent, the tenure and mode of selection, and the annual salary are indicated.
Mayor, George A. Talbott, elective, two years, $500 a year; auditor, Horace M. Crow. elective, two years, $1.250; deputy auditor, Edith M. Schetter. under civil service. $600: treasurer. Lee G. Pennock, elective, two years, $150: city solicitor, Benjamin E. Seibert, elective, two years, $600; city council, Oscar E. Eby ( president ). Core S. Ireland (president pro tem.). Horace M. Crow (clerk ), John T. Journell, Joseph S. Moses and Charles H. Murphey { councilmen at large ), Burton Guthrie ( first ward), John A. Brown (second ward ). Core S. Ireland ( third ward), and Edward P. Ryan ( fourth ward ). elective, two years, president receives $100 and councilmen $50 each per year : civil service commission, Philip J. Schneider, president, George S. Middleton and Ross Warnock, appointed by the mayor, indefinite tenure, no salary : director of public service. Harry E. Rock, appointed by mayor, indefi- nite period. $900; city engineer. Emmett F. Sweatman, appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure. $1,800: assistant city engineer, John O'Donnell, appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure, per diem: street superintendent. William L. O'Brien, appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure, $960; cemetery superintendent, Henry A. Church, appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure, $1,200;
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cemetery clerk, Mable Huston, appointed by director of public service, indefi- nite tenure, $200; superintendent of waterworks, Lincoln Burnham, appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure, $1,200; director of public safety, William Schief, appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure, $150; chief of police, William F. McGree, appointed by mayor, but under civil service rules, indefinite tenure, $960; chief of fire department. William H. Pinder, appointed by mayor, but under civil service rules, indefi- nite tenure, $960; board of health, Mayor Talbott, L. L. Harner, Dr. G. W. Pickering, Dr. N. M. Rhodes, Walter E. Dale and John T. Ryan, appointed by mayor, the mayor being chairman ex-officio of the board, indefinite tenure, no salary; health officer. Dr. H. M. Pearce, appointed by the health board, indefinite tenure, $280: district nurse. Anna Beverly, appointed by health board for indefinite period, supported by health league: dairy and food inspector, Dr. F. F. Barger. appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure, $360; plumbing inspector, Stephen Shanahan, appointed by director of public service, indefinite tenure, $840; sinking fund trustees, William F. Ring (president ), Hershey S. Morgan, John C. Powers and William E. Berry, appointed by mayor, indefinite tenure, no salary.
CURRENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
Following is a business and professional directory of Urbana in 1917:
Agricultural implements-Cone & Son, Hunter Brothers, Wierman Brothers.
Attorneys and notaries-Baker, R. J., H. H. Banta. F. L. Bodey. L. C. Bodey, Buroker & Zimmer, E. F. Cheney, J. W. Crowl, Deaton & Bodey, Benjamin F. Dixon. Joseph W. Flaugher, Grant V. Fromme. V. H. Gibbs, Harold W. Houston, Johnson & Miller, George S. Middleton, Benjamin F. Miller, J. P. Northcutt. Owen, Ware & Owen, George W. Poland, W. F. Ring. Benjamin E. Seibert, Ross Warnock, Frank A. Zimmer.
Automatic switch board manufacturers-W. B. Marvin Manufacturing Company.
Automobiles and garages-City Garage, Prince Motor Car Company. Urbana-Buick Company, Dallas McCrery, Ganson-Poland Garage.
Bakeries-Cheetham Bakery, Ideal Bakery, Walter T. Murphey.
Banks-Champaign National Bank, Citizens National Bank, Nationa. Bank of Urbana.
Barber shops-American House barbershop, William G. Crawford, Douglas Inn barbershop. Henry Dudley, Fansler & Happersette, Interurban
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pool room, William B. Jackson, George F. Keller, Medley Brothers, Metzger & Jones, New Model barbershop, Nichols & Anders, Palace barbershop, Jones Slaughter, Perry D. Welsh. Clyde C. Packer.
Belt-dressing manufacturer-Charles Holding.
Bicycles and sundries-Harmtsead & Holding, John Mayse.
Billiard and pool rooms-Brunswick Billiard Parlor, Interurban Pool Room, William B. Jackson, Medley Brothers, Pioneer Pool Room, Star Pool Room, Arch Pool Room, Manhattan Pool Room.
Blacksmith shops-Eleyet Acker, F. C. Berry & Company, Alfred Boyd, City Shocing Shop, John J. Harnett, John C. Johnson, Daniel W. Kinna, J. E. Kress, J. W. Scott, Star Blacksmith Shop. J. B. Warren.
Books and stationery-Todd's Book Store, Banta's Book Store.
Broom manufacturers-Griffith E. Kelley, Urbana Broom Company, White-Valentine Company.
Buggies and carriages-B. A. Aughinbaugh, E. B. Gaumer & Son.
Builders hardware-Ambrose Hardware Company, Miller Hardware Company, Murphy Lumber Company, Hardware Supply Company.
Building and loan associations-Home Loan Company, Peoples Savings and Loan Company, Perpetual Savings Association.
Business college-Moore's Business College.
Canning factories -- McCoy canning factory, Urbana canning factory. Car shops-Illinois Car and Equipment Company.
Carriage and auto painting-Berry & Company, George Fetz. Charles Fric.
Cigar manufacturers-Armbruster Brothers, John J. Downey, Elmer Little, Murphey & Kochle, Schetter & Schief.
Cleaning and pressing-The Pantatorium, Egenberger & Franz, M. Stadlers & Sons, Steward Brothers.
C'oal dealers-George D. Deyo, Josephine Fennessy, Gaumer Coal Com- pany, Ambrose Hagenbuch, Harry Hayes, Thomas Heap, Wierman Brothers.
Collection agency-Simmons Collecting Company.
Cold storage-Urbana Artificial Ice and Storage Company.
Concrete Block manufacturers-Murphy Lumber Company.
Confectionery-Cheetham bakery, Chocolate shop, William A. Mack, Sugar Bowl candy kitchen.
Creamery-D. McCrery & Son.
Dentists-Raymond H. Bedell, A. E. Bible, Thomas T. Brand, Jr., Harry G. Butcher, George C. Glenn. William B. Griswold, A. F. McConkey, Harold E. Smith.
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Drugs-George W. Cramer, C. F. Downey, Nyal Quality drug store, Welsheimer & Butler, C. B. Hatton and E. F. Brant.
Dry goods and notions -- Hitt & Fuller, Marsh Dry Goods Company, Ellen A. Murphy, Powers Home Store.
Egg-case manufacturers-Urbana Egg Case Company.
Electric-light fixtures-Mohrlight Company.
Electric supplies -- Geyer & Grimes, McCauley & Holding.
Elevators-Blose Brothers, T. G. Powers Company, Urbana City Mills.
Five-and-ten-cent stores-Curtis, Orr.
Florists-S. W. Casey, J. G. Botkin, R. H. Murphey & Sons, Urbana Floral Company.
Flour and feed stores-Blose Brothers, George D. Deyo, B. F. Ganson, Ambrose Hagenbuch.
Flour-mills-Urbana City Mills.
Fruit stores-Samuel Bianchi, Kappes Brothers, Franklin Company, J. J. Silvestri & Company.
Funeral directors-R. H. Gardner, George H. Humphreys & Son, John T. Ryan.
Furniture dealers-Mammoth Furnishing Company, Wendler & Ewing. Furniture manufacturers-Urbana Furniture Company.
Gas specialities-Geyer & Grimes, Hardware Supply Company, D. J. Sweeney.
Grain dealers-J. I. Blose, T. G. Powers & Company, Urbana City Mills, R. C. Craig.
Groceries-Harry F. Allen, Beam & James, Berry Grocery, Harry A. Blair, Perry HI. Boissen, S. R. Caldwell. Orla Colbert, S. C. Earnhart, Fetz Cash Grocery. Burton Guthrie, Clifton R. Hazard, George Heater, David L. Hill. F. Houston & Company. S. G. Hovey. William H. Huston, J. B. Metherd & Sons. George Middleton, George A. Miller, Hersey S. Morgan, George P. Mott, S. E. Neer, S. P. Nylan, E. E. Offenbacher, William C. Packer, Picker- ing Grocery Company, Sanitary Grocery Company, William H. Shepherd, James Taylor, O. H. Wagner.
Harness shops-Charles Boyer, W. S. Cone & Son, Harmstead & Hold- ing. Lauppe & Company, M. H. Schaffer.
Hotels-Douglas Inn, American House, Colonial Inn, Grove Hotel.
Insurance-R. J. Baker, H. H. Banta, Lou B. Berry, B. F. Dixon, J. T. Journell, Laura MacCracken, Ohio Farmers Insurance Company, Ello C. Quick, L. P. Ryan, E. F. Stafford, W. R. Talbott.
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Jewelers-H. B. Conyers, C. W. Evans, C. F. Guyselman, William T. Hubbard, George W. Leonard.
Junk dealers-John Green, Samuel Reich, Charles Reinscriber.
Ladies furnishings-Boston Store, Hitt & Fuller, Marsh Dry Goods Company, Powers Home Store.
Laundries-Hong Lee, Leo Joa, Urbana steam laundry.
Light and power plant-Northwestern Ohio Light Company.
Livery stables-Griffith Fox, McConnell-Pence Company, Miller & Saxbe.
Machine shops-American Tool & Manufacturing Company, Morris & Gatchel, Urbana Tool and Die Company, W. B. Marvin & Company.
Meat markets-S. R. Caldwell, Greis' Meat Market, G. G. Guthrie, Will- iam E. Hedges, William H. Kohlmeier, George Middleton, George A. Miller, S. P. Xvlan, Pickering Grocery Company, William Sinnard & Son, Hedges Meat Market. Urbana Packing Company.
Men's furnishings-W. E. Brown, Boston Store, Champaign Clothing Company. Cleveland Salvage Company, Egenberger & Franz, Powers Home Store. Stadler.
Merchant tailors-John J. Coughlin, W. S. Given, John Miller, L. C. Moore, Robert Nott, Oonk, Steward Brothers.
Millinery-Boston Store, Marie C. Frederick, Ladies' Hat Shop, Leonard Millinery Shop, Stokes Millinery.
Monument dealers -- Bunnell Monument Works, Urbana Monumental Works.
Motorcycles-Harmstead & Holding.
Music stores-C. D. Glenn, John H. Conley, Mammoth Furnishing Com- pany. Wendler & Ewing.
Newspapers-Urbana Daily Democrat, Urbana Daily Citizen, Cham -. paign Democrat, American Friend.
Oil companies-Standard Oil Company. Oil Refining and Developing Company.
Osteopaths-Laura Foward.
Packing house-Urbana Packing Company.
Paper-board manufacturers-United Paper Board Company.
Paper manufacturers-Howard Paper Company.
Photograph studio-C. H. Chowing, Biddle Studio.
Physicians-Frank F. Barger, Emil D. Buhrer, Harry Cook. Craig & Rhodes, E. R. Earl, Richard T. Henderson, Robert Henderson, Daniel C. Houser, Mark C. Houston, Vera D. Houston. Edwin W. Ludlow, David H.
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Moore, Samuel C. Moore, David O'Brine, John D. O'Gara, Henry M. Pearce, George W. Pickering, Maurice L. Smith, M. B. Starbuck, Charles M. Wanzer, Voght G. Wolfe.
Planing-mill-Murphy Lumber Company.
Plumbing and heating-J. H. Byers, Geyer & Grimes, Harry W. Hegele, H. W. Roberts, D. J. Sweeney.
Real estate -- R. J. Baker, Banta & Beckwith, Lou B. Berry, Mrs. Carrie Blake, B. F. Dixon, Thomas E. Dye, J. T. Journell, Ello C. Quick, W. M. Rock, L. P. Ryan, Walter R. Talbot.
Restaurants-Busy Bee, D. S. & U. restaurant, Erie depot restaurant, Long's restaurant, William A. Mack, New Era restaurant, Pennsylvania restaurant. Union restaurant, Logan Welch, George W. Wright.
Tin shops-J. C. McCracken & Sons, Schiedt Brothers.
Saddlery-Otway Cooper.
Shoe stores-Clarence A. Coon, John L. Jackson & Company, Walter Johnson, W: E. Brown, Boston Store.
Steam and gas fitting-Geyer & Grimes, H. W. Roberts, D. J. Sweeney, H. W. Hegele.
Theatres-Clifford, Lyric, Ideal.
Tin and galvanized-iron manufacturers-Johnson Manufacturing Com- pany.
Tool and die manufacturers-American Tool and Manufacturing Com- pany, Urbana Tool and Die Company, W. B. Marvin & Company.
Veterinary surgeons-Buck & Bowen, C. E. Inskeep, Thomas Kerr.
Wind-mills and pumps-William H. Mason.
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CHAPTER XXXVIII.
SOME CHAMPAIGN CITIZENS OF A PAST GENERATION.
In every community there are some men, who, by virtue of their talents, rise to a position above the level of mediocrity. This may come about for a great variety of reasons, but the fact remains that the careers of some men bring them more prominently to the front than other men of probably equal ability. Some men, in a measure, have a certain greatness thrust upon them; others, through their own efforts, acquire such a measure of fame as insures them more than a passing notice at the hands of their fellow citizens.
And thus it is in Champaign county. In this county have lived men who have become governors, members of Congress, members of the state Legislatures, and justices of the supreme courts of this and other states; others from the county have been secretary of state, auditor of state and state librarian : still others have been in the diplomatic service of our country or held other high positions under the federal government; some have become noted educators, lawyers, ministers, physicians and financiers. At least one man in the county has risen to the rank of an admiral in the United States navy, while more than one attained a high rank in the Civil War. A few have been such peculiarly useful citizens in their community that their names deserve remembrance for their busy lives in behalf of their fellow citizens. It is not possible in this connection to notice the large number of worthy citizens of the county who have served their county in such ways as to make them remembered for what they did; rather the purpose of this chapter is to single out only a few of the large, outstanding figures whose names have not been confined to the county with which they were immedi- ately identified.
In the different chapters of this history will be found mention of scores of worthy men of the county who rose to an enviable place in their particu- lar line of activity. For instance, the medical chapter gives a brief biog- raphy of at least fifty physicians of the county: the bench and bar chapter mentions some of the leading lawyers: the newspaper chapter treats of the men who have been identified with the press of the county; scores of min-
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isters find themselves noticed in the church chapter: the military chapter notes several men who rose to the rank of commissioned officers; artists, musicians, actors, acrobats and people in the dramatic world find proper recognition in their respective chapters. Scattered throughout the histories of the twelve townships are found references to the early vicissitudes of hundreds of pioneers, and in many cases a complete sketch is given of these worthy forefathers of ours. A careful estimate shows that in other chapters than the present one, there are at least five thousand men and women men- tioned by name and identified in one way or another with the history of the county. And finally there are several hundred citizens of the county repre- sented in the biographical section of the history, most of whom are now living, but a considerable number of whom are deceased. .
This present chapter singles out only those who have not been noticed in other chapters, or, if noticed, not with the fullness their prom- inence justifies. In the following pages may be traced the careers of Joseph Vance, Simon Kenton, Col. William Ward, John Reynolds, John Hamilton, James Cooley, William Patrick, Henry Weaver, Joseph Fyffe, John Rus- sell, Joseph P. Smith, Francis M. Wright, Dr. James Williams, William Haller, John H. Young, John S. Leedom, Frank Chance, Thomas S. Mc- Farland, John F. Gowey, and Jules Guthridge. There were a few other men whose names would have been included in this list if it had been pos- sible to obtain accurate data concerning their careers.
GOV. JOSEPH VANCE.
Ever since the incumbency of Gov. Joseph Vance .in the chair of the chief executive of the great state of Ohio in the later thirties, the people of Champaign county have been justly proud of the fact that this county has furnished to the state a governor. . It is but proper and fitting that, in this chapter on famous men who have done well their work in developing this county and in rendering service to the state and to humanity at large, mention should be made of this distinguished figure in the civic life of the state and prominent factor in the pioneer life of Champaign county.
The Hon. Joseph Vance, a captain of militia during the War of 1812, for years a member of the state Legislature from this district, governor of the state during the gubernatorial period, 1837-39, member of Congress from this district for eight terms, and a member of the state constitutional convention of 1851, was a native of . Pennsylvania and later a resident of Kentucky. He became, however, a resident of Ohio in territorial days,
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having come here in 1801 ; and he was identified with Champaign county from the year in which the county was organized as a civic unit. Thus he was one of the real pioneers of this county. He was born in the old Indian town of "Catfish," near the city of Washington, Pennsylvania, March 21, 1786, a son of Joseph C. and Sarah ( Wilson) Vance, natives of Virginia. The elder Vance was a soldier of the patriot army during the War of Inde- pendence. After the war was over he married, and, with his family moved to Kentucky and came from thence on up into the Territory of Ohio, and remained a while in Clifton, in Green county. After a sometime residence there, he pushed northward to this section and became one of the organ- izers of Champaign county, where he spent the rest of his life as one of the most influential pioneers of the county.
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