A Standard History of Champaign County Illinois Collections – Page 2 of 24

Biography of William Hayes

William Hayes. For many years some of the burdens of agricultural industry and business affairs have been carried by members of the Hayes family in Ogden Township. Mr. William Hayes is a young and progressive business man, manager of the local elevator at Ogden, and has also had practical experience from early boyhood as a farmer. Mr. Hayes was born at Ogden, February 8, 1881, son of John and Elizabeth (Huckin) Hayes. His father was a native of Ireland and his mother of England. They married in Indiana, and about fifty years ago came to Champaign County, where the father … Read more

Biography of William Hartford, D. O.

William Hartford, D. O. The science of osteopathy, which has its fundamental principle in the theory that most diseases of humanity are traceable to malformation of some part of the skeleton, long since has passed the experimental stage and has become a widely recognized and sane factor in the alleviation of the suffering of mankind. A capable and enthusiastic promoter of this method of cure is found in Dr. William Hartford of Champaign, who has been engaged in practice here since 1899, and whose professional career has been one characterized by remarkably successful results. He is a native of Henderson … Read more

Biography of William Harry Coffman

William Harry Coffman, justice of the peace, is one of the old timers of Champaign County, went from this locality into the War of the Rebellion, from which he returned a captain, and for more than half a century has been a farmer, business man and public official. Though his years now number fourscore, he is still looking after the duties of his office as justice of the peace and also handles considerable insurance. He was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, June 13, 1837, a son of Noah B. and Elizabeth (Lamb) Coffman. His father was a native of, Virginia … Read more

Biography of William H. Zorger, M. D.

William H. Zorger, M. D. For thirty-one years Doctor Zorger has practiced his profession in DeWitt and Champaign counties. He is a talented physician, has the advantage of long and thorough experience, and has been trained in the best schools of this country and by extensive observation and study here and abroad. His able assistant and partner not only in life but in his profession is his wife, who is one of the pioneer women of the state to take up medicine as a profession and is one of the best equipped specialists in Champaign County. Doctor Zorger was born … Read more

Biography of William H. Thompson

William H. Thompson of Ogden first knew Champaign County in the years just before the outbreak of the Civil War, when most of this section of Illinois was a country of swamp and prairie and when its magnificent development had hardly begun. Mr. Thompson’s individual career has been a factor in the improvement and development of Champaign County farm land, and out of that work he has acquired a commendable degree of prosperity that now enables him to live in comfort and plenty. Mr. Thompson was born at Waynesburg in Greene County, Pennsylvania, a son of Andrew J. and Catherine … Read more

Biography of William H. Smith

William H. Smith, who owns and occupies one of the beautiful and attractive country homes near Urbana, represents one of the oldest and most prominent pioneer families of this county. Here Mr. Smith was born July 22, 1844, a son of Jacob and Margaret J. (Beattie) Smith. His father was a native of Shelby County, Kentucky, and his mother of Virginia. Margaret Beattie went to Kentucky with her parents at the age of eight years, and somewhat later the family went on to Missouri. While en route through that state they were both taken ill, and both died near Jefferson … Read more

Biography of William G. Fulton

William G. Fulton. The opinion has been expressed that opportunities today for the farmer are just as great as they were in pioneer times when land could be obtained for little or nothing. The career of William G. Fulton furnishes testimony in point. Mr. Fulton began his career in Champaign County with hardly enough capital to buy a single acre of the high priced land of this section of Illinois. He is now one of the wealthy and most prominent farmers in the southern part of the county and his accomplishments show what a man of determination and iron will … Read more

Biography of William F. Evans

William F. Evans has been identified with Champaign County for over twenty years, and he and his capable wife now enjoy the comforts and pleasures of a fine country home a mile and a half west of Rantoul and have near them their children and grandchildren and can look back with pardonable pride over many years well spent. Mr. Evans was born in Franklin County, Ohio, in 1856, the third in a family of twelve children whose parents were Daniel and Isabel (Engle) Evans. His father and mother were also natives of Ohio. When he was nine years of age … Read more

Biography of William E. Schowengerdt, M. D.

William E. Schowengerdt, M. D. As even the layman finds wonder and interest in scanning the progress made by medical science from time to time, it is not remarkable that trained medical men should continue enthusiastic students and thereby still further deserve the faith and confidence of those who seek their healing ministrations. No men of any profession are so continuously students as are physicians, and the more competent and skillful they are the more closely do they devote attention to investigating the cause, prevention and cure of disease. They usually are real founts of wisdom; in fact, they must … Read more

Biography of William B. Brown

William B. Brown. By a residence of fifty-seven years in Champaign County there is no place in the world so dear to William B. Brown as this picturesque and beautiful section of eastern Illinois. His successes have been gained here, he reared his family on his farm, and practically all the associations of a long life have been found here. Mr. Brown was born in Monroe County, Indiana, September 22, 1854. He was the only son in a family of three children born to Milton Monroe and Sarah (Houston) Brown. His two sisters are Mary Jane and Eliza E. Mary … Read more

Biography of William Allison Hinton

William Allison Hinton. There is no better known citizen, nor one whose work and public services are more appreciated, than William A. Hinton of Newcomb Township. His career is significant of that industry and energy which suffice to carry a man from a position among the many into the ranks of the successful few. Champaign County has scores of men who through the domain of agriculture have accumulated a share in such prosperity as few other sections of the United States enjoy, and Mr. Hinton’s present position is the more creditable because it has been won not by inheritance but … Read more

Biography of William A. Coolley

William A. Coolley. Of the financial institutions of the smaller communities of Champaign County, which, by reason of the character of their officials and the manner in which their business has been conducted, have acquired and held in greater or less degree the confidence of the public, one of the best and most favorably known is that operating as the Bank of Broadlands, a house which has been built upon an honorable policy and maintained along straight-forward lines. Much of the success that has attended this institution has been brought about through the splendid business and financial ability of William … Read more

Biography of W. R. Cole

W. R. Cole is one of the former prominent business men of Champaign County now living retired. He and Mrs. Cole occupy a very attractive home on Belle Avenue in Rantoul. Mrs. Cole is a member of an old and prominent family of Champaign County, and is a sister of one of the foremost physicians and surgeons in the world, Dr. D. A. K. Steele, one of the founders of the University of Illinois medical department. Mrs. Cole and her brother both taught in the school at Rantoul and they are of a family of teachers, preachers and lawyers. A … Read more

Biography of W. M. Ealey

W. M. Ealey, who has followed a varied and active career as a teacher, minister of the Gospel and as an earnest, hard-working citizen in whatever capacity life has called him, has for many years been a resident of Champaign County. He was born near Brazil in Clay County, Indiana, May 18, 1853, a son of William and Wealthy (Hicks) Ealey, his father a native of Kentucky and his mother of Indiana. His mother was born August 30, 1834, and is still living at Urbana at the age of eighty-three. William Ealey went into the Union army from Indiana as … Read more

Biography of W. H. Woodin

W. H. Woodin, now living in the village of St. Joseph, has had a very active and useful career in Champaign County as a farmer, contractor, business man and public spirited citizen. He was born at Catlin, Illinois, a son of Moses and Caroline (Walcott) Woodin. His father was born in New York and his mother in Indiana, and they were among the pioneers of Champaign County, coming from Indiana and locating east of St. Joseph, spending several years at Burr Oak Grove. Moses Woodin developed a large business as a farmer. Witlt his three sons he carried on an … Read more

Biography of Van B. Swearingen

Van B. Swearingen was at once one of the most successful business men and most honored citizens of Champaign County. His name is especially associated with the community of St. Joseph, where the best years of his life were spent. Mr. Van Swearingen was born in Adams County, Ohio, June 2, 1837, and died January 21, 1901. His father, Andrew J. Swearingen, was a native of Pennsylvania who early migrated to Ohio, where he married Mary Brady. From Ohio he brought his family to Illinois, first locating near Homer and afterwards a mile south of the village of St. Joseph. … Read more

Biography of U. G. Norman

U. G. Norman has found his work in life and has rendered his chief service during his residence at Champaign as a building contractor. Some of the principal buildings of the city have been erected by him. A resident of Champaign County most of his life, he was born in Wayne County, Indiana, April 14, 1867, a son of John Scott and Eunice A. (Stover) Norman. His father was a farmer, and in 1869 removed to Champaign County, locating on a farm ten miles from Urbana, where he was engaged in general farming and in looking after the responsibilities and … Read more

Biography of Thomas R. Hopkins

Thomas R. Hopkins. Modern business requires practical and thorough training in the same degree as the professions and sciences. In Champaign County there is no institution which affords a better curriculum and practical business education than the commercial college formerly known as Brown’s Business College and now owned and administered by Mr. Thomas R. Hopkins, himself a thorough educator of long experience and a man who has trained hundreds of young men and women and given them a thorough preparation for entrance into business affairs. Mr. Hopkins was born in Peoria County, Illinois, January 24, 1877, a son of Griffith … Read more

Biography of Thomas McQuaid

Thomas McQuaid. Three generations of the McQuaid family have devoted their industry and their active years to the business of farming and the affairs of their community in Champaign County. The founder of the family here was Thomas McQuaid, Sr., now deceased, while Thomas, Jr., is owner of the old homestead in Compromise Township, but its chief responsibilities are now in the hands of his son John McQuaid. Thomas McQuaid was born at Rantoul, a son of Thomas and Catherine (Moiland) McQuaid. He was one of two children, his sister being Ellen. Thomas McQuaid, Jr., was educated in the Rantoul … Read more

Biography of Thomas M. Lyman

Thomas M. Lyman gave many consecutive years to the management of an Illinois farm, and through hard work and intelligent management obtained the financial competence which enabled him a few years ago to retire from business and enjoy the comforts of a good ‘home in the city of ‘Champaign. Mr. Lyman was born in Vermilion County, Illinois, February 6, 1866. His parents, Bernard and Mary (McLennan) Lyman, were both natives of Ireland. His father came to America as a young man about 1854, lived for a time near Eaton, Ohio, and subsequently removed to Vermilion County, Illinois. He farmed a … Read more