|
OTHER BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES:
BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY,
ILLINOIS
by H. W. Beckwith
Publ. Chicago: H. H. Hill and Company, Publishers
1879
| |
Danville Twp. -
E. C. ABDILL, of the
firm of Abdill Bros., hardware dealers, Danville, is a
native of Vermilion county, Indiana, his old home being
Perrysville, where he was born on the 14th of May, 1840.
In 1861, when he was twenty-one years old, he entered the
Federal army of the war of 1861-65. He enlisted in Co. B,
11th Ind. Inf., Col. L. Wallace. For eighteen
months he was with Gen. Grant, he and three other parties
having charge of the dispatches and mail. After serving
this length of time he was appointed assistant adjutant-general
of the 23d army corps. During his service he passed
through many of the heavy battles, among which may be mentioned
the battle of Fort Donelson and those of Vicksburg, Dalton,
Buzzard's Roost, Peachtree Creek, Lost Mountain and Kenesaw
Mountain, and many others of the Atlanta campaign. He
remained in the service a little over three years,, when he
resigned on account of ill-health. Upon returning from the
army he became a resident of Danville, for a short time, being
engaged in the provost marshal's office. In 1866 he went
to Fairmount, and engaged in the hardware trade. This he
continued until 1868, when he came to Danville, and engaged in
business with his brother. His wife, who was a Miss
Peters, was the daughter of Judge Peters, one of the
first judges and early settlers of Vermilion county.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W. Beckwith - 1879 ~
Page 451. |
| |
Danville Twp. -
GEORGE W. ABDILL,
Danville, hardware, was born in Warsaw, Kentucky, in February,
of 1838. When two years old he was taken by his people to
Perrysville, Indiana, and there he remained a resident until he
came to Vermilion county, Illinois, in 1868. His father,
I. Abdill, who is now a resident of Danville, was one of
the early settlers of Perrysville. For many years he was
engaged in the hardware trade and in the manufacture of tinware,
at which he used to do a large business, supplying about
thirty-two points between Terre Haute and La Fayette, and
employing about ten men in the manufacture of this line of
goods. George W. has been familiar with the
hardware trade, as he says, ,"since he has been large enough to
black a stove." In later years he became a partner with
his father in the business, the firm being known as I. Abdill
& Son; this partnership lasting about ten years, or until
the firm of Abdill Bros. began business in Danville in
1868. The firm is composed of George W. and E. C.
Abdill, and they located at No. 57 Vermilion street where
they have erected a fine building twenty-three feet front by one
hundred deep, two floors and basement, all well stocked with
goods in the line of hardware, stoves, tinware, oils, glass,
points, etc. etc. George W. is a very active member
of society, giving liberally to any enterprise pertaining to the
public good and especially to the churches, he being a very
active member of the M. E. Church, and a man who has hosts of
friends among all classes of people.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W. Beckwith - 1879 ~
Page 462 |
| |
Danville Twp. -
IRAD ABDILL, Danville, retired, was born
in Cadiz, Ohio, on the 29th of October, 1812, and is the son of
Connell Abdill, who was a hotel keeper in Cadiz.
Mr. Abdill, the subject of this sketch, remained in his
native place until he was about seventeen years of age, when he
went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and learned the tinner's
trade. In 1830 he went to Paris, Kentucky, where he
engaged in work at his trade, and on the 5th of September, 1833,
he married, near Lexington, Kentucky, Rebecca Ann Watson,
In the same year he moved to Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and there
set up a tin shop and carried on business until 1836, when he
removed to Indiana and located in Vincennes, where he was also
engaged in the tin business. In April, 1839, he moved to
Perrysville, Vermilion county, Indiana, and commenced the tin
and hardware business on a very large scale, doing an extensive
business until about 1869, when he retired from business.
In 1862 Mr. Abdill was elected a member of the
legislature by the republican party, from Vermilion county,
Indiana. On the 4th of October, 1871, Mr. Abdill
moved to Danville, where he has been a resident ever since.
His first vote cast for president of the United States was for
General Andrew Jackson, and he was a Jackson democrat.
In 1860 he voted for President Abraham Lincoln, and since
then he has been a republican in politics.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 ~ Page 470 |
| |
Catlin Twp.
JOEL ACREE, Catlin, farmer, with his father and family,
arrived in this county in 1829, and located in Catlin township,
coming from Alabama. His father bought one hundred and
thirty acres of raw land and built a cabin, and the second year
put in cultivation thirty acres and became one of the prominent
farmers of the county. Milling was difficult on account of
the long distances and unbridged streams. When a boy,
Mr. Acree has often taken a single sack of corn on horseback
as far as ten and sometimes fifteen, miles in order to obtain a
little meal for immediately family use. For a number of
years after the death of his father (who died in 1835) Mr.
Acree contiued to reside with his mother and family,
filling, to the best of his ability, the position naturally
devolving upon him as the eldest son. In 1848 he took to
himself a wife, the object of his choice being Miss Eloessa
Yount, daughter of William and Cathrine (Sacra)
Yount, old settlers of the county. Mr. Acree
remained on the old homestead and bought out the other heirs,
and became sole proprietor. He has addded to it until the
farm now embraces four hundred and eighty-five acres of
well-improved land. Mr. Acree is to be
congratulated on his past success, and it is but just to add
that in a large measure he has been assisted by a noble, self
denying wife who has not only saved her husband's hard earnings,
but has materially added from time to time thereto. Two
children only are spared to them as the fruits of their
marriage: Mrs. Mary C. (Tho. A. Taylor) and
Mattie, wife of L. McDonald.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W. Beckwith -
1879 ~ Page 629 |
| |
Catlin Twp. -
J. W. ACREE,
Fairmount, farmer, was born in Alabama on the
15th of October, 1825, and came with his parents
to Vermilion county in 1829. On the 4th of
March, 1852, Mr. Acree took himself a
life-partner, his choice being Miss Lydia
Brady, daughter of John
and Rosanna Brady, who were early
settlers of this county. She was born in
Brown county, Ohio, on the 6th of November,
1832. They have been blessed with a family
of two sons and one daughter: Jerod,
Rosanna (now wife of E. C. Lee), and
Wallace. Mrs. and Mrs. Acree
are both united with he C. P. Church.
Mr. Acree owns a fine farm of two hundred
and thirty-five acres, which is the fruit of his
own industry.
Source: History of Vermilion County,
Illinois - H. W. Beckwith - 1879 - Page 462 |
| |
Danville Twp. -
M. D. L. ADAMS,
Danville, butcher, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, on
the 3d of June, 1841, and came to Freeport, Illinois in 1865.
He thence came to Danville in the same year, when he has been in
his present business ever since. In 1860 he married
Miss Amelia Lubt. She was born in Berks county,
Pennsylvania, in 1842. They have eight children:
Chas., Victory, Alice, William, John, U. S. A., Flora,
Elizabeth. Mr. Adams served in the late rebellion, in
the 69th Penn. Vol. Inf., in company . He is a member of
the I. O. O. F., 499, and of the K. P., of which he has passed
all the chairs.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 442. (Contributed by Mary Paulius |
| |
Carroll Twp. -
W. H. ADAMS, Indianola, tile manufacturer
and farmer, was born in Carroll township, Vermilion county,
Illinois, on the 17th of January, 1840, and lived with his
parents twenty-years. He then learned the wagon
manufacturing trade, and in 1862 enlisted in the 25th Ill. Reg.,
Co. D, and remained in service over three years. He was in
the battles of Chickamauga, Nashville, Atlanta campaign, etc.
etc. He was wounded at Murfreesborough; again at
Chickamauga and Mission Ridge. After hi discharge he
returned to Vermilion county, and followed his trade for four
years. On the 1st of February, 1866, he married Miss
Lydia Mendenhall. She was born in this county.
In 1869 he engaged in farming, and his continued the same since.
In 1878 he erected a kiln and a 200 x 20 shed and 40-foot drain
mill, and engaged in the manufacture of tile, and has now
facilities for making five thousand 4inch per day.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W. Beckwith
- 1879 - Page 790 |
| |
Newell Twp. -
WILLIAM F. ADAMS,
State Line, farmer, was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, on
the 20th of November, 1822, and is the son of Samuel and
Nancy (Martin) Adams. His father was born in the same
place on the 27th of April, 1800, of Nancy (McCarty) Adams.
His grandfather, William Adams, was a native
Virginian. His parents were married on the 7th of
February, 1822, - his mother being the sister to Joseph
Martin, one of the earliest settlers of Newell township, and
the first carpenter in it. The family came from Kentucky
in 1825, and Samuel Adams located where he now
lives. His first wife died on the 31st of March, 1847, and
he married a second time, on the 30th of April, 1848, to
Sarah Wiles, relict of J. Rails. They have
fourteen living children. For a number of years circuit
preaching was held at his house regularly each month.
Though he never united with any denomination, he has always been
a friend in the cause of religion, and a well-swisher of those
who were trying to live pious lives, and now in his eightieth
year looks back on a life of humble usefulness, and forward to a
state of reward for those who have done well. The subject
of this biography is one of hte substantial citizens of Newell
township. He was married on the 7th of March, 1844, to
Jerusha Price, who was born on the 18th of February,
1824, and died on the 17th of May 1860. His second
marriage, on the 1st of December, 1863, was to Josephine Booe,
who was born on the 9th of July, 1832. They have five
living children: John L., William M., Samuel R., Eleanor S.
and Elsie I. In politics, Mr. Adams is a
democrat, and in religion a Christian or Disciple.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 950 (Contributed by Mary Paulius) |
| |
Ross Twp. -
GEORGE W. AKERS,
Alvin, physician and surgeon, was born in Putnam county,
Indiana, on the 20th of March, 1S39, and is a son of Thomas
and Margaret (Allen) Akers. He was reared a farmer; studied
medicine under Dr. Cross, a prominent physician of
Bainbridge, Putnam county, Indiana, and attended a course of
lectures at the college of physicians and surgeons at Kansas
City. Missouri, in the winter of 1874-5. During the winter of
1877-8 he attended a second course at we College of Physicians
and Surgeons at Indianapolis, Indiana, and graduated on the 22d
day of February, 1878. He received from the medical college of
Indiana, on the 28th of February, 1879, an ad eundem degree. In
December, 1863, he settled at Paola, Miami county Kansas; lived
there twelve years and removed to Vermilion county Illinois, and
settled at Gilbert, and afterward at Alvin, on the removal of
the former place. He was married on the 22d of March, I860 to
Maggie M. Steele. He was a charter member of the Miami
County Kansas Medical Society, which was organized in 1868, and
is a member of the North Vermilion and of the Vermilion County
Medical Societies. He has contributed to the following medical
journals: "Cincinnati Repertory," " Lancet" and " Observer," of
Cincinnati, and the "American Practitioner " of Louisville and
Indianapolis. Mr. Akers has been a reporter for country
papers where he has lived the past twelve or thirteen years. His
pen has been employed in literary ventures through the press at
different times. He is at present correspondent of the "
Danville Commercial." He has been a member of the Presbyterian
church for twenty years. In politics Mr. Akers is a
republican.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 699 |
| |
Ross Twp. -
CHARLES A. ALLEN,
Rossville, attorney, was born in Danville, Illinois, on the 26th
of July,1851, and is the son of William I. and Emily (Kewell)
Allen. His mother was a daughter of Squire James
Newell, for whom New ell township was named. Mr.
Allen entered the law school of the Michigan University
in September, 1872, and graduated on the 25th of March, 1874. He
immediately located in Rossville1 where he now resides, and is
practicing his profession with gratifying success. He is
enterprising and public-spirited, and verifies the old adage
that "blood will tell." He married, on the 4th of April, 1878,
to Miss Mary Thompson. In' politics he is a republican,
and his religious views are Methodist.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 70
(NOTE: See, also, sketch below here.) |
| |
Danville Twp. -
FRANCIS M. ALLHANDS, Danville, ex-county
treasurer, was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, on the 17th
of January, 1832, and is the son of Andrew and Margaret
(Swank) Allhands. His father, a native of Ohio, was
engaged in farming. He moved, with his wife, from Ohio to
Indiana, where she died. He then married Mrs. Martha
Campbell, formerly Miss Willhite. By these two
companions he raised a family of nine children, - five by the
first and four by the second. Mr. Allhands can
trace his family, through the paternal line back to Germany,
when his great-grandfather came over from that country to
America. In 1842 Mr. Allhands, with his parents,
moved to Vermilion county, Illinois, and located in what is now
Catlin township. Here they set out in farming, and here,
also, his father, born in 1806, died in 1851. Mr.
Allhands learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, which
business he engaged in until the breaking out of the war.
In the fall of 1861 he enlisted as a recruit in Co. I, 35th Ill.
Vol. Inf., and participated in some of the most severe battles.
In the engagement at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, he was struck three
times with grape and musket balls. One very painful wound
was in the big toe, by which he was temporarily disabled, and
fell a prisoner into the enemy's hands. He was taken to
the hospital with the rest of the wounded, and there bound up
his own wound, which bled quite freely, thus making it look more
severe than it really was. The next day they received
orders that all who could walk would be obliged to move forward;
but seeing Mr. Allhands' foot bandaged and bloody, they
allowed him to remain with a rear guard, who left him in a
farm-house by the roadside. He managed to get hold of an
old broken-down mule, which he rode back to the Union lines, and
rejoined his regiment. He was afterward engaged in the
battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and other
battles. He was again wounded at Tunnel Hill, or Rocky
Face, Georgia, from the effects of which it became necessary to
amputate his right foot, which was done at Nashville, Tennessee,
on the 18th of July, 1864. Mr. Allhands entered the
army as a private, but on his soldierly qualities he was
promoted to second, and afterward to first, lieutenant. He
was honorably mustered out of the service at Nashville,
Tennessee. Mr. Allhands has held several office of
public trust, and has proven himself a man of acknowledged
ability. In 1865 he was elected treasurer of Vermilion
county, Illinois, and held the office for ten years. On
the 4th of March, 1858, he married Mary J. Hilliary,
daughter of George and Sarah Hilliary, who were among the
early settlers of Vermilion county. Mr. Allhands is
the father of seven children; three died with scarlet fever.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 ~ Page 395 |
| |
Danville Twp. -
JAMES T. AMIS,
Danville, tile manufacturer and farmer, was born in Hardin
county, Kentucky, on the 18th day of June, 1831, and his parents
were Wilburn and Francis (Davis) Amis, both natives of
Tennessee. His father was a farmer. Mr. Amis,
with his parents, moved to Vermilion county, Indiana, when he
was about two years of age, and here remained on the farm until
1854, when he moved to Vermilion county, Illinois, and located
near Pilot Grove, there working by the month on a farm. IN
1869 he came to Danville township, which has been his home ever
since. In 1877 Mr. Amis commenced the manufacture
of tile on his place, putting up a first class factory with
great facilities for manufacturing a large amount of tile, and
having a capacity for manufacturing from ten to twelve thousand
per day. He manufactures all the sizes needed by the
farmer: 2½, 3, 3½, 4, 5, 6.
Mr. Amis owns two hundred and twelve acres of land.
He was married in Vermilion county in 1855 to Nancy Hessey,
of Nelson County, Kentucky. By this union they have had
ten children, four of whom are living. Mr. Amis has
held several offices of public trust in his township; that of
school-treasurer, trustee and road-overseer, and in these
offices he has given entire satisfaction. He is a democrat
in politics, and a member of the United Brethren Church.
His first died in Iowa and his mother in Indiana.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 412 |
| |
Newell Twp. -
AMBROSE PHELPS ANDREWS,
State Line City, farmer, was born in Madison county, New York,
on the 22d of October, 1808. In December, 1818, his parents,
Ambrose and Hannah (Phelps) Andrews removed, and settled on
the Scioto bottom, in Pike county, Ohio. Here his father
bought a farm, but, losing it through a bad title, was induced
to emigrate to Illinois. Accordingly, in 1829 he settled in
Newell township. The subject of this sketch removed hither with
him and others who came in company. He was married on the
8th of April, 1832, to Elizabeth Newell, daughter of
Squire James Newell. She died on the 11th of May, 1856.
Mr. Andrews has always been
a
farmer, which vocation he has followed with profit and success.
For some years he was engaged in merchandising in State
Line
City. He served in the Blackhawk war as a member of Col.
Moore's regiment. At one time he owned three hundred and
forty-two acres, but has sold all but one hundred and thirty. He
has six living children
:
Amelia
H.,
Sophia, Ellen, Helen Victoria, Austin S. and James O.
He
is a republican in politics.
Source: History of Vermilion
County, Illinois - H. W. Beckwith
- 1879 - Page 952 - Contributed by Mary Paulius) |
| |
Newell Twp. -
AUSTIN S. ANDREWS,
State Line, farmer, was born in Newell township, Vermilion
county, Illinois, on the 31st of December, 1836, and is a son of
Ambrose P. and Elizabeth (Newell) Andrews. He was
bred a farmer, and has always followed that occupation. He
enlisted in Co. C, Capt. W. I. Allen, 12th Reg. Ill. Vol.
Inf., Col. McArthur, and mustered into United States
service on the 7th of September, 1861, at Paducah, Kentucky.
He was orderly sergeant of the company, and bore a share in the
battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth (October, 1862).
In the winter of 1863-4 he was detached and put in command of
twenty-four mounted men to guard the railroad from Pulaski to
the Tennessee River, and to do general scouting duty. He
served throughout the Atlanta campaign, being engaged in the two
great battles in front of Atlanta on the 22d and the 28th of
July, 1864. He was mustered out on the 8th of September,
1864. Mr. Andrews was married on the 27th of
November, 1867, to Eliza J. Clark. He owns two
hundred and thirty acres, worth $9,000. He has six living
children: Morton C., Herbert S., Betty A., John O.,
Nancy E., and Eliza J. In politics he is a
republican.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 956 - Contributed by Mary Paulius |
| |
Newell Twp. -
CHARLES R. ANDREWS,
State Line City, Indiana, farmer, was born in Newell township on
the 26th of April, 1853, and is a son of David
P. and Rhoda (Zumwalt)
Andrews. He has been engaged in school-teaching since he was
twenty years of age. Mr. Andrews graduated from
Mayhew's Commercial College, Danville, in the spring of 1875. He
has traveled across the continent. In politics he is a
republican.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 966 - Contributed by Mary Paulius |
| |
Newell Twp. -
DAVID P. ANDREWS,
deceased, was born in Madison county, New York, on the 17th of
July, 1815, and was a son of Ambrose and Hannah (Phelps)
Andrews. He was reared a farmer, and pursued that
calling during life. His parents removed to Ohio when he
was quite young, and from thence to Illinois, settling in Newell
township, near Bismark, in 1829. On the 14th of July,
1848, Mr. Andrews was married to Rhoda Zumwalt,
who was born on the 21st of February, 1818. He led a
successful life, and acquired the respect and confidence of the
community. He died on the 17th of February, 1879, leaving
four children: Dewit C., born Apr. 20, 1849; James A.,
June 3, 1850; Charles R., Apr. 26, 1853, and Clara J.,
June 25, 1858. He was a republican in politics.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 952 - Contributed by Mary Paulius |
| |
Newell Twp. -
JAMES
A. ANDREWS, Bismark, farmer, was born in Newel1
township, Vermilion county, Illinois, on the 3d of June, 1850,
and is a son of David P and Rhoda (Zumwalt) Andrews.
He was married on the 2d of April, 1878, to Annie Johnson,
who was born on the 18th of March, 1855. Mr. Andrews has
an undivided half of two hundred and thirty acres of choice
prairie land, and an undivided fourth of forty acres of timber,
the whole valued at $4,000. He is a republican in politics.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 - Page 964 - Contributed by Mary Paulius |
| |
Blount Twp. -
JASPER ATWOOD, Danville, farmer and
blacksmith, was born in Kentucky on the 18th of August, 1818.
His father moved to Ohio when he was very small, and there
remained for fourteen years. During this time Jasper
worked on a farm, and in 1827 came to this state, settling
twelve miles northwest of Danville. He has been four times
married: first, to Eliza Guillin, in 1839. She was
born in Indiana, and is now deceased. Mr. Atwood
was then married, in 1842, to Lydia Watson, who is also
deceased. His fourth marriage was to Delila Layton.
Mr. Atwood has frequently gone to Chicago with an ox-team
hauling produce, and returned loaded with salt. He is an
honest, hard-working man, well respected in his community.
He has done considerable in the way of doctoring, and has a
recipe that is almost a specific for chronic sore leg, never
charging anything, however, for his services. He owns
forty-eight acres of land, worth fifty dollars per acre.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W. Beckwith
- 1879 - Page 894 |
| |
Danville Twp. -
C. M. AXTELL, Danville, is a native of
Washington county, Pennsylvania, though at the age of four years
he was brought to Iroquois county by his parents, they coming to
that county in company with eleven other families from
Pennsylvania. There the early part of his life was spent,
and an education received from such facilities as the country
afforded at that time. He remained a resident of that
county until 1873, when he came to Danville. For some time
before leaving Iroquois county he had been engaged in business
on his own account: in the harness trade for three years, and in
the livery business four years. He built the building on
the corner of Madison and Pine streets, which he still owns.
This he occupied for about four years, engaged in the grocery
business, Mr. Sirpless becoming his successor in
business. In 1878 he was elected a member of the police
force of Danville, but failed to be renominated again in 1879 on
account of not supporting the administration, which declared in
favor of licensing the sale of liquor.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Illinois - H. W.
Beckwith - 1879 ~ Page 476 |
NOTES: |
