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OTHER BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES:
BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY,
ILLINOIS
by H. W. Beckwith
Publ. Chicago: H. H. Hill and Company, Publishers
1879
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Carroll Twp. -
JOHNATHAN GAINES, Indianola, farmer and
stock-raiser, was born in Greene county, Ohio, on the 23d day of
May, 1827, and lived there nineteen yeas. He then came to
Illinois, and settled in Edgar county, where he lived until
1856, when he came to Vermilion county, and settled on his
present place. In September, 1854, he married Miss
Lucinda Gilkey. She was born in this county.
They had twelve children, ten living: Laura A., William,
James S., Ralph, Eva, Charles, Walter, Ernest, Fred, and
Gracie G. In 1848 Mr. Gaines drove cattle to
Philadelphia, going on horseback, and made the trip each of the
following eight years, and has shipped cattle every year since.
He took cattle to Chicago in 1852, and has been in that city
every year since. He owns eight hundred acres of land,
which he has earned by his own labor and management.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 791 |
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Blount Twp. -
JOHNSON GAMMEL, Danville,
farmer, section 34, was born in New Jersey in
1843. His parents died when he was but
three years of age, and he was then raised by
his uncle. He came to this state when he
was twelve years of age. He enlisted in
1864 in Co. E, 51st Ill. Inf. Vol. He
served one year, and was in the battles of
Dalton, Dallas and New Hope. He received a
gunshot wound in the left arm in the battle of
Tennessee, for which he receives twelve dollars
per month pension. Mr. Gammel was
married on the 6th of October, 1871, to Mary
Lemmon who was born in this county on the
26th of February, 1844. They have by this
union three children: Nettie, Eddy
and Lula. Mr. Gammel has held the
office of school director one year.
He is a well-to-do farmer, and is in good
standing in his neighborhood. He had but
little property when he commenced for himself,
but has acquired a good property consisting of
one hundred and seventeen acres of splendid farm
land. He is a republican and a Methodist.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Ohio
- Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 - Page 902 |
William Giddings |
Danville Twp. -
THE GIDDINGS FAMILY.
There is probably not an old settler in the city of Danville or
Vermilion county but who, if he were asked who the Giddings
family are, would answer without any hesitation. "One
among the first and most honorable families of the county."
MR. WILLIAM GIDDINGS, the father of the
family, and whose portrait appears in this history, was born in
Silso, Bedfordshire, England, on the 8th of January, 1813; his
death occurred on the 20th of September, 1875, the
superscription upon the silver tablet of his metallic
burial-case being as follows: "William Giddings.
Died September 20, 1875. Aged 62 years, 8 months and 12
days." His wife, who died on the 25th of May, 1874, was
also a native of England. She was born on the 29th of
July, 1814. They were married on the 3d of December, 1834.
They came to the United States in 1837, coming direct to
Danville, where they arrived on the 21st day of April of the
year above mentioned. At the date of their deaths they
were both consistent members of the North Street Methodist
Episcopal Church. They came to Danville during the pioneer
days of the county, and were obliged to put up with many of the
hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. Mr.
Giddings was a manufacturer of wagons, carriages and plows,
and began business in Danville when it was necessary to go to
the timber to find a tree whose crooked growth was of the proper
shape for the manufacture of mold-boards, which he used in the
construction of plows of that date. Beginning business in
this manner, he, by a life of energy, honest industry and a
close attention to his business, accumulated a property of one
hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. Danville, at
his death, mourned the loss of one of her best citizens.
The citizens, in respect for him, closed their business houses
during the funeral services. His four sons, to whom the
following sketch relates, are among the honorable business men
of the city, and have not thus far disgraced the teachings of
their father in a single instance. J. W. Giddings,
the eldest of the four sons, was born in Danville on the 21st of
April, 1842. His early life was spent with his father,
with whom he learned the trade of manufacturing wagons and
carriages. In 1863 he entered in Union army in the war of
1861-65, enlisting first in Co. A, 71st Regiment, three-months
service. Upon the completion of this term of service he
again enlisted, this time in the 135th Ill. Vol. Inf., Co. K.
On returning from the army he again became a resident of
Danville, and in 1879 began business in his present line (that
of heavy hardware), his partner being Mr. J. A. Patterson,
and the firm name being Giddings & Patterson. They
are located on the corner of Main and Franklin streets.
They are the only dealers in this line of goods in the city.
Though they have been engaged in the business but a short time
they have every prospect of success. Charles H.
Giddings, the second eldest of the brothers, is also a
native of Danville. He was born in the 11th of March,
1844. He also learned the trade of his father, and for
some time after his father retired from the business in 1865,
was, in company with his brother, John W., and O. S.
Stewart, engaged in the same line of manufacture under the
firm name of Giddings, Stewart & Co. They
were together about nine years, when the brothers bought the
interest of Mr. Stewart, and continued the business
together for about one and one-half years. He then sold
out to his brother, John W. He, Mr. I. H.
Philips, and his brother, John W., were the executors
of his father's large estate. This business they settled
to the satisfaction of all parties interested, and without any
of the wrangling which so often occurs in the division of a
large property. One request in the will of Wm. Giddings
was that all his children might be pleased and satisfied with
his apportionment of the property. Charles H. was
appointed receiver of the Vermilion County Grange, when that
institution collapsed. This business he also settled up
satisfactorily. He has recently engaged, in company with
Mr. Ganor, in the ice trade; they have begun only on a small
scale, but they have commenced with a view of increasing the
business as they become familiar with it. They began
business in 1879. He, like the rest of the brothers, is a
good financier, and there is but little doubt of his success in
this undertaking. George E. Giddings, the third
son, is now junior member of the firm of Smith & Giddings,
proprietors of the Lustro Mills. He was born in Danville
on the 20th of July, 1848. His early life having been
spent at home, he very naturally learned the business of his
father. For five years previous to his engaging in the
milling business, he had been engaged in the hardware trade.
Closing out business in this line, he, in March, 1875, became a
partner of Mr. Smith in the Lustro Mills. Though
not a practical miller by trade, he has already become quite
familiar with the business. He, like the others, seems to
have chosen a business that, with proper energy and industry,
can only bring him success. Albert Giddings, the
youngest of the four sons, was born in Danville on the 3d of
December, 1850. He, like his brothers, has received a good
education, and like them also the early part of his life was
spent at the business in which his father was engaged. He
is now junior member of the firm of Johns & Giddings,
dealers in groceries, the partnership having been formed in
September of 1876. The building they occupy belongs to
him, and is located on the corner of Main and Hazel streets.
It is a fine brick structure, built by his father in 1866.
In size it is 21 feet front by 85 feet deep, two stories and
basement, and is known as the Giddings block. Here
he may be found during business hours engaged in a business
that, if one may judge by his pleasant and courteous treatment
of friends and customers, is both pleasant and profitable.
In conclusion, we may say it has seldom been our good fortune to
meet a family of brothers situated similar to these four, whom
seem each to have the friendship for the other that existed in
the times gone by when they were four boys under the care and
guidance of their parents. We can only add that there are
three sisters, whom we hope will be pleased with our sketch of
the Giddings family, and our only apology for its being
less complete than they might wish, is an ignorance of the
necessary facts relative to themselves.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 388 |
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Ross Twp. -
ALVAN W.
GILBERT, Rossville, farmer, was born in Ross township,
Vermilion county, Illinois, on the 20th of May, 1856, and is the
son of Alvan and Nancy (Horr) Gilbert. He was bred a
farmer. He was married on the 18th of April, to Miss Meda
Carson, who was born on the 21st of February, 1856, near
Franklin, Johnson county Indiana, and reared in Indianapolis. He
owns one hundred and ten acres, worth $5,000. In politics he is
a republican.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 686 |
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Ross Twp. -
ELIAS MORSE GILBERT,
Rossville, liveryman, was born in Ross township on the 13th of
May, 1848, and is the son of James Harvey and Sarah (Mathier)
Gilbert. When obtaining his education he spent one year at
Union Christian College, Merom, Indiana. In 1873 he started in
the livery business in Rossville, and now has a fine large
establishment well furnished with good horses and carriages, and
everything in the line necessary for the dispatch of business or
the promotion of pleasure. He was married on the 16th of June,
1875, to Belle Wier, of Ontario, Canada, who was born on
the 20th of December, l852. They are the parents of two sons:
Harvey, born on the 12th of December, 1876, and Robert
A., born on the 29th of September, 1878. He is a republican
in politics.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 682 |
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Georgetown Twp. -
JAMES GIBSON, Danville,
farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Vermilion
county, Illinois, on the 5th of December, 1835,
and lived there six years, when, with his
parents, he moved to Clermont county, Ohio,
where he lived until 1857. He then came to
Vermilion county,
Illinois, and worked with Larken A. Cook
until 1862. On the 12th of June of this
year he married Miss Elizabeth Ogden.
She was born in this county. They have had
five children, three of whom are living:
Franklin, Mary A. and Kate A. Mr.
Gibson owns sixty-nine acres of land in this
county. In August, 1862, he enlisted in
the 125th Ill. Reg., Co. K, and was in service
until the close of the war. He was for the
greater part of the time teamster. After
the fall of Atlanta he and others were captured,
and were confined in Andersonville and Millen
prisons.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 538 |
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Elwood Twp. -
JESSE GIBSON, Vermilion Grove,
general merchandise and tile factory, was born in Washington
Grove, general merchandise and tile factory, was born in
Washington county, Tennessee, on the 9th of December, 1835, and
was brought up a farmer, which occupation he has followed
through life until the last three years, since which time he has
been engaged in general merchandising in Vermilion Grove.
He carries three thousand dollars' worth of goods and does a
good business. He owns five acres of ground with
store-house and dwelling-house; also one and a half acres with
tile factory. He carries on tile-making extensively,
keeping a good stock of tiling constantly on hand. He has
held the office of post-master at Vermilion Grove, three years;
commissioner of highways, two terms. Mr. Gibson was
married in this state on the 12th of September, 1859, to Mary
Brown, who was born in this county on the 27th of April,
1839. They are the parents of six children, five living:
Clarenda, Allen, Sylvanus, Miles and
Ada; deceased, Juletta. He is a republican,
and a member of the Friends church.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 601 |
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Danville -
GLINDMEIER
BROS. Among the stirring business firms of the
city of Danville, we may mention the Glendmeier Bros.,
manufacturing coopers. They are both natives of
Prussia. Chris, the elder brother, came to the
states one year ahead of his brother of whom we write.
Henry, the younger of the two, came to the United
States in 1860. He was born in Prussia in 1842, and
before leaving his native country had received a good
education. In 1861, when they came to Danville, he,
with his brother, engaged in the manufacture of coopers'
work, a more detailed account of the extent of which
business is given elsewhere. They have two
establishments, one located near the Wabash Depot in
Danville, and the other a short way in the country.
The one in Danville comes directly under the supervision of
himself, and being a practical cooper by trade, he has
little trouble in managing the work of this point, though
there is a large force of men who look to him for orders in
the execution of their work. He is still a young man,
and by his sober, steady habits and close attention to
business, has already accumulated a good property and
established a good name and reputation among his
fellow-citizens.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 430 |
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Sidell Twp. -
WILLIAM GRAY, Palermo, Edgar county, farmer,
section 30, is a son of Lewis and Mary Gray,
who were natives of New Jersey, but of English
descent, and came to Hamilton county, Ohio, in
1800. They then went to Butler county,
Ohio, where Wm. Gray was born, on the 9th
of May, 1816. Mr. Gray remained at
his birthplace until after his marriage in 1841.
His wife was Miss Sarah A. Harmon,
daughter of Samuel and Mary Harmon, who
were of German and Scotch descent, and came to
Warren county, Ohio, in an early day. This
was the birth-place of Mrs. Gray, who was
born on the 14th of October, 1822. Mr.
Gray removed to Clinton county, Indiana, in
1844, where he engaged in farming for some time
and in 1859 removed to Vermilion county,
Illinois, where he has been known as an
energetic and public-spirited man, and respected
by the community in which he lives. He has
raised a respectable family of one son and four
daughters: Mary J., wife of J.
Mills; Alfred; Elizabeth A., wife of
J. Wilson; Clara L.; Alice, wife of S.
Gurthrie. The deceased members of his
family are: Harvey, who died while in the
rebellion; William H., Milton and
Sarah. Mr. Gray served the people as
justice of peace seven years, and in other minor
offices of the township. He is in his
political views a republican.
Source: History of Vermilion County, Ohio
- Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 - Page 1031 |
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Blount Twp. -
E. P. GRIMES, Danville,
farmer, was born in Pike county, Ohio, on the
20th of August, 1822; was raised a farmer, and
has followed that occupation successfully
through life. He came to this state in
1838, settling five miles northwest of Danville,
where he remained until within a few years.
Mr. Grimes was married in this state, in
1852, to Elisabeth Cassia who was born in
1835. They had by this union ten children,
eight living: John M., Elisha C.,
Alvin, Ella, Charlie, May B., Austin and
Edward. The deceased were Jacob and
William H. Mr. Grimes has acquired a
good property, consisting of three hundred and
four acres of good land. In an early day
he has frequently gone to Chicago with a team,
loaded with apples, and came back with salt.
His parents were natives of Pennsylvania.
He is republican in politics.
Source:
History of Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H.
H. Hill and Co., 1879 - Page 899 |
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Newell Twp. -
ANDY GUNDY,
Bismark, was born in Ross township, near Myersville, on the 20th
of November, 1828, and is a son of Joseph and Sally (Davison)
Gundy. His father was born in Pennsylvania or Ohio on
the 20th of August, 1796. He lived a short time in
Indiana, and removed to Illinois, and settled in Ross township,
Vermilion county, in 1828, where he resided until his death.
His business was farming and stock buying and raising.
This he carried on quite extensively for the times.
Between 1852 and 1854 he owned an interest in the principal
store in Myersville. He was an influential and highly
respected man, and died on the 9th of July, 1864. Mrs.
Gundy died on the 24th of April, 1857, aged nearly
fifty-four years. Andy began his school life under
the tutorship of George Stipp, a pioneer school teacher,
in a vacant private house on the Luke Wiles place, just
west of the North Fork, at Myersville, and finished his
education at Georgetown, under Prof. J. P. Johnson.
At the age of twenty-three he commenced business on his own
account, engaging in merchandising in Myersville. He
carried on an extensive outside business in wool, grain and
stock. Mr. Gundy has held various offices of trust
and responsibility. He was a member of the twenty-ninth
general assembly. Mr. Gundy had a large private
interest in coal lands, and was recognized as a person well
qualified to serve on the committee on mines and mining.
He was a member of the finance committee, and one other not
remembered. He is at present serving his third term as
supervisor of Newell township. At one time Mr. Gundy
owned about eighteen hundred acres of real estate, but in the
failure of the banking firm of J. C. Short & Co. he was a
loser to the extent of $150,000. He owns some six hundred
or seven hundred acres. He is an original whig; on the
dissolution of that party joined the republicans, in which he
has since faithfully served. Probably it was out of
respect for the wish of St. Paul, that all men were like
himself, that Mr. Gundy never married.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 951
Contributed by Mary Paulius |
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Newell Twp. -
FRANCIS M. GUNDY, Bismark,
merchant, was born in Ross township,
Vermilion
county, Illinois, on the 17th of May, 1843, and is a son of
Joseph and Sarah (Davison) Gundy. He was married on the 15th
of October, 1875, to Mary
E. Smith,
who was born in Attica, Indiana, on the 30th of September,
1854. Mr. Gundy has been engaged several years in selling
goods, at Marshfield, Indiana, and at Myersville, Illinois. He
is now keeping a general store at Bismark, in company with
A. M. Bushnell.
He owns an undivided half of eight hundred and sixty acres,
worth $30,000. Mr. Gundy is the father of one child,
Clara
G.,
born on
the 19th of September, 1878.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 960
Contributed by Mary Paulius |
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Ross Twp. -
JOSEPH C. GUNDY,
Rossville, merchant, was born in Vermilion county, Illinois, on
the 15th of February, 1838 and is the son of Joseph and Sally
(Davison) Gundy. He was enrolled on the 1st of June 1861,
in Co. B, 25th Ill. Vol., and was engaged in the following of
battles: Pea Ridge, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga,
Mission Ridge and Kenesaw Mountain. His service on the Atlanta
campaign terminated on the 26th of August, when his regiment
withdrew preparatory to returning home, as their period of
enlistment had about expired. He was commissioned
second-lieutenant of his company on the 17th of February, 1862,
and first-lieutenant on the 14th of April, 1863. He was
brigade commissary from the time Buell advanced from Louisville
until after the battle of Perryville, and post commissary at
Cleaveland, East Tennessee, in the winter of 1863-4. He been
collector of Ross township, and is now president of the board of
trustees of Rossville. Mr. Gundy was married on
the 29th of November, 1865, to Miss Anna Tuttle.
They are the parents of two living children: Flora and Maud
M. His political opinions arc republican.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 697 |
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Elwood Twp. -
JOHN GUFFIN, Ridge Farm, practicing
physician, was born in Indiana on the 5th of June, 1833, and was
raised on a farm. When eighteen years of age he attended
college at Antioch one year, the Northwestern University at
Indianapolis two years, and the Rush Medical College one term,
also the Medical College in Chicago one term, at the expiration
of which he received a diploma for the practice of medicine.
Mr. Guffin first commenced practice in Claysville,
Indiana, and there continued two years. He was assistant
surgeon in the army of the late war. He came to Ridge Farm
and commenced the practice of medicine in 1867, where he has
been following his profession ever since, gaining quite an
extensive practice. Mr. Guffin was married
on the 26th day of April, 1867, to Addie Ward, who
was born in Fayette county, Indiana. They have no
children. The doctor is a Mason.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 603 |
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Danville -
EDWARD L. GUTTERIDGE, Danville, farmer,
was born in Virginia in 1799, and is the son of Edward and
Elizabeth (Thrap) Gutteridge. Mr. Gutteridge,
with his parents moved to Ohio when he was very small. In
1835 he moved to Vermilion county, where he has been a resident
ever since. He located on the present homestead, and here
he has made nearly all the improvements. He was married in
Ohio to Elizabeth Thompson.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 384 |
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Catlin Twp. -
LURA GUYMAN, Catlin, farmer,
was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on the 20th of August, 1793,
and was marred to Noah Guyman, May, 1812, who was a
native of North Carolina and came to Vermilion county in 1829,
and resided where Mrs. Guyman now lives until his death
in 1861. He served in the Blackhawk war in 1832, under
Col. Moore. She is the mother of one son and one
daughter now living: Franklin N. and Mary H.
Payne, who is the mother of three children: Milton
N., Lura E., wife of George Trimmell, and Jessie
L., wife of J. G. Redmon. Mrs. Guyman
has been a practicing physician in the county for sixty years,
and has been at the births of over one thousand children, always
making her visits on horseback; consequently she has ridden more
miles on horseback than any other woman in the state. She
is now eighty-six years of age, and attends a garden of
one-fourth of an acre, that would do credit to any man in the
county.
Source: History of
Vermilion County, Ohio - Chicago: H. H. Hill and Co., 1879 -
Page 629
Contributed by Mary Paulius |
NOTES: |
