OTHER BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES: 1879 1889 1903 1911 1930 Source: PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD ALBUM of VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County. together with Portraits and Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Publ: Chicago Chapman Brothers. 1889 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z   JOHN CESSNA is busily engaged in tilling the soil and raising stock on his well-managed, comfortably improved farm on section 10, Pilot Township.  He is a representative self-made man and by industry and prudence has succeeded in accumulating a competence and in building a cozy home where he may pass his declining years well fortified against want and poverty.  Mr. Cessna was born in Cochocton County, Ohio, June 29, 1833, his parents being Jonathan and Margaret (Divan) Cessna.  His father was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, his mother in Belmont County, Ohio.      At the age of seventeen the subject of this sketch accompanied his parents to another home near Toledo, Ohio, where they lived but a short time.  They then went down the Ohio River on a trading boat to Cairo, Ill., where the father died in 1844.  After that sad event the subject with his mother and sister returned to Coshocton County, Ohio, and in about two years the mother remarried again, becoming the wife of Joseph Richardson.  In 1848 the family once more came to Illinois and located on the homestead Mr. Richardson then purchased in this county, and now occupied by mother of our subject.  Mr. Cessna has but one sister now, the widow of Elisha Grimes, living on her husband’s homestead.  She has eight children, namely: John M., Elisha C., William and Jacob (who are deceased), Alvin, Margaret, Ellen, Charles and Belle.                John Cessna, of who we write, commenced life as a farm hand.  He wisely saved his earnings and in a few years had money enough to buy a good farm.  In 1857, smitten with a desire to accumulate wealth still faster, he went to California by the way of New York and Panama.  In the Golden State he found employment on a ranch and was well paid well for his work in that country, where good reliable help was scarce.    Twenty-two months of life in that climate satisfied our subject and he retraced his steps homeward, and on his return invested some of his capital in an 80 acre farm, which he subsequently disposed of at a good advance price, and then bought his present homestead, which then comprised but 140 acres. He has kept adding to his landed property till he now owns 260 acres of fine land, with excellent improvements, that add greatly to its value, and he is profitably engaged in a general farming business, raising cattle, horses and hogs of good grade.      Mr. Cessna has twice married.  The maiden name of his first wife was Ann Rebecca Truax.  She was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1841, and died in the pleasant home she had helped her husband to build up, in 1876.  Her people were of Irish origin.  Of her marriage with our subject seven children were born, two of whom are dead; those living are William, Mary, Charles E., Lemuel E., and Elizabeth.  Mr. Cessna was united in marriage to his present wife in 1877, and to them have come six children, two of whom are dead, Frank and Johnathan.  The others are Ann R., Albert B., Mont P., all at home.      Mr. Cessna has been a hard working man, but his labors have been amply rewarded, as he knows well how to direct his energies so as to produce the desired results.  He is possessed of sound sense, discretion and other good traits, is honest and strait forward in his manner and dealings, and is prominently connected with the Masonic order as Master Mason.      In politics, he is a good democrat, and is loyal in every fiber to his country. He has held school offices and has served on the juries of his county.  Our subject’s mother died since the above was written, her death occurring June 30, 1889. Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Vermilion County, Ill. - Publ. 1889 - Pages 313 and 314 - Submitted by Mary Paulius   HENRY COTTON,  familiarly known throughout Westville and vicinity, as “Uncle Harry” and “The Squire,” is one of the most popular men in the place, and an especial favorite with the “boys”. There is not a more genial or companionable individual in this region, and he has the faculty of preserving, under all circumstances, that equable temperament and serene countenance, which is one of the man’s best gifts. He occupies himself as a general merchant and without being wealthy is comfortable circumstances, enjoying a fair income and a modest home. He is one of the pioneers of this section and has been prominent from the start, serving as Postmaster and occupying other positions of trust and responsibilities.       Our subject was born in Decatur County, Ind., March 19, 1822. His father, Robert Cotton, was born in the vicinity of Beardstown, KY., and immigrated to this county in the fall of 1822, during the period of its earliest settlement and when few white men had ventured onto the frontier. Henry was then an infant of six months and therefore one of the oldest living settlers of the county. Mrs. Hannah (Howard) Cotton, the mother of our subject, was a native of the same place as her husband and was there reared and married and became the mother of two children in the Blue Grass State. Upon leaving Kentucky they removed to Switzerland County, IN., and not long afterward to Decatur County, whence they came to this county. The Cottons trace their ancestry to the stanch old Puritan stock of Massachusetts, where John Cotton, one of its first representatives in this country, settled at a very early date and figured conspicuously in public affairs.      The father of our subject only lived two years after coming to this county, dying when a young man, in 1824. He left a widow with a family of seven children of whom Henry was next to the youngest. He, like his brothers and sisters, grew up amid the wild scenes of pioneer life at a time when wild animals abounded in this region, deer being especially plentiful, and wolves howled around their cabin door at night. Frequently the broad and inhabited prairie covered with wild dry grass, was lighted up by a conflagration, started perhaps by some unwary traveler dropping a spark from his pipe, when the smoke and flames would sweep perhaps for miles destroying animal life to a great extent and threatening that of human beings. Every level –headed settler made it his first business to protect himself from this catastrophe by plowing around his dwelling and thus destroying the food for the flames which could be forestalled in no other way.      The education of the Cotton children was confined to a few months instruction each year in a log school-house, with puncheon floor, seats and desks made from unplanned slabs. The window panes of greased paper, a huge fireplace extending nearly across one end of the building and the chimney built outside of earth and sticks. The system of instruction corresponded with the time and place, little being required of the teacher except to be able to read, write and “Cipher.” Henry Cotton, however, availed himself of these meager advantages and in 1844 began teaching and followed this during the winter season for two or three years. In the meantime on the 16th of January, 1845 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Getty family of Pennsylvania, from which the town which gained historic fame during the Rebellion was named.      Upon reaching manhood, our subject, leaving the farm took to the river and followed the life of a flatboat man during which he made eighteen trips to and from New Orleans. It was upon one of these trips that he met his future wife at Vincennes, IN., where in due time they were married and began housekeeping, residing in Vincennes eight years.      When not on the river Mr. Cotton occupied himself as a carpenter.  Upon coming to this county, he began farming in Danville Township and was on the highway to prosperity, having comfortable means and last but not least, a family of four interesting children. This happy state was broken in upon by the notes of war, and in response to the call of President Lincoln for 300,000 men for three years, our subject enlisted July 9, 1862, in Company G, 125th Illinois Infantry. He was mustered into service at Danville, where the company remained drilling for a time, then was order to Cincinnati, Ohio, and from there to Louisville, KY. They drilled also at the latter place and then proceeded to Gallatin, Tenn., where during the arduous duties assigned him, Mr. Cotton was over-heated and suffered so long thereafter from illness that he was obliged to accept his honorable discharged in February, 1863.      In the fall of the year above mentioned Mr. Cotton changed his residence to Knox County, IN, where he sojourned ten years. His next removal was to Clay County, this State, and from there he returned to this county in 1882 and engaged in mercantile business at Westville. On April230, 1883 his store and stock was destroyed by fire but he rebuilt and in time attained to his old footing financially. He was appointed Postmaster of Westville under President Arthur and served three years. For four years he has been Justice of the Peace and has discharged the duties of this office with credit to himself and satisfaction to all concerned.      Mr. Cotton cast his first presidential vote for Henry Clay in 1844, being a member of the old Whig Party. Upon its abandonment he cordially endorsed Republican principles and has since given his undivided support to this party. Socially he is a prominent member of Kyger Post, G. A. R. at Georgetown. He is the father of six children the eldest of whom, Robert D. died September 30, 1888; and left two children Mary J. died in infancy; George Elmer is a well to-do farmer of McLean County, this State, and the father of one child; Ellen, the youngest of the family, is at home with her parents. Both Mr. Cotton and his estimable wife are members in good standing of the Christian Church. Source: “Portrait and Biographical Album, Vermilion Co., IL “ - Chicago:  Chatman Brothers, 1889 - Page 484, 485 & 486 - Contributed by Mary Paulius   OLIVER HARRISON CRANE.  The leading event in the life of this gentleman was his birth, which occurred in Fountain County, Ind., on the 4th of March, 1841, the day of inauguration of President William Henry Harrison  and in honor of whom the infant was given his second name.  He is now a man of forty-eight years, and one of the most substantial farmers of Grant Township, being the owner of 160 acres of choice land, pleasantly located on section 29, township 23, range 12.      Mr. Crane spent the first eighteen years of his life in his native county, acquiring a practical education in the common schools and becoming familiar with farm pursuits.  In the fall of 1859, leaving the parental roof, he came to this county and assumed charge of the land which his father had entered from the Government at $1.25 per acre.  He boarded at the house of the neighbor until the spring of 1861; then put up a house into which he removed with his young wife, having been married Feb. 7 of that year to Miss Charlotte Bowling of his own county in Indiana.      Mr. and Mrs. Crane, although removing into a more modern domicile, have occupied the same farm which they moved upon at the time of their marriage.  Their labors and struggles have been similar to those of the people around them; their rewards likewise.  Industry and economy have been repaid fourfold, and now, in the enjoyment of all the comforts of life and many of its luxuries, they sit under their own vine and fig tree and are blest with the respect of their friends and neighbors.  For some time after Mr. Crane settled here there were no neighbors north for fifteen miles, the nearest being at Ash Grove.  Deer, wolves and other wild animals were plentiful, but these slowly disappeared as the country became settled up.      The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Crane, eleven in number, are recorded as follows:  The two eldest died in infancy; Elmer E., was born May 28, 1865; John N., Sept. 3, 1867; Lillian L., Jan. 6, 1870; Alfaretta, Feb. 11, 1872; Winifred, Dec. 4, 1873; Morris S., Nov. 2, 1876; Mary A., June 24, 1879; Perry D., Jan. 28, 1883; Anna M., Oct. 23, 1885.  The eldest son living, Elmer, married Miss Olive Keplinger, is a resident of Northwest Nebraska and the father of two children.  Mrs. Charlotte (Bowling) Crane was born July 3, 1843, in Fountain County, Ind., and is the daughter of Willis P. and Mary (Bruce) Bowling, who were natives of Ohio.  The father was born in Warren County, Jan. 25, 1816, and lived there until a lad of eight years.  His parents then removed to Indiana, and after the death of his father in Fountain County he continued on the farm, where he reared his family and spent his last days.  This farm is located in Van Buren Township six miles northeast of Covington.  The maiden name of the mother of Mrs. Crane was Mary Bruce, and the parents were married in 1838.  Of the eight children born to them three are living - Charlotte, Arthur and Morris.  The two boys live at the old farm in Fountain County, Ind., with their father.  The latter, with his estimable wife, is a member of the Christian Church, and the family stand high in their community.       Mr. Mary (Bruce) Bowling was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, Jan. 21, 1817, to Joshua and Margaret (Innes) Bruce, the father a farmer by occupation.  When Mary was a girl of eleven years they left the Buckeye State and removed to Fountain County, Ind., where she remained under the parental roof until her marriage.      Joel Crane, the father of our subject was born Jan. 28, 1817, in Warren County, Ohio near the birthplace of Mr. Bowling.  He lived there until 1832. and then, a lad of fifteen years, migrated to Fountain County, Ind., with his parents, where he was married and still lives on the old farm northeast of Covington which his father took up from the Government.  His wife was formerly Miss Elizabeth Jenkins, and they reared a family of three children - Oliver H., Lewis C. and Cyrus, the latter two of Missouri and Kansas respectively.  Mrs. Elizabeth (Jenkins) Crane was born Dec. 5, 1820, in Ohio, and departed this life at the homestead in Indiana Sept. 2, 1853.  She left the Buckeye State with her parents in 1839 and remained with them until her marriage.      Mr. Crane, our subject, ahs been a man always full of business and one who has little respect for the drones in the world's busy hive.  He has kept himself well posted upon events of general interest, and is one with whom may be spent an hour very pleasantly and profitably.  His course in life has been that of an honest man, while his industry has been rewarded with a competence. Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Vermilion County, Illinois - Publ. Chicago: Chapman Brothers - 1889- pgs. 196 - Submitted by Mary Paulius NOTES:

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