A Standard History of Champaign County Illinois

Stewart, J. R. A Standard History of Champaign County Illinois. The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York. 1918.

Biography of Thomas Jefferson Woodin

Thomas Jefferson Woodin. Of the lives that have been a real contribution to the upbuilding and development of Champaign County during a long period of years that of Thomas Jefferson Woodin deserves more than passing consideration. Mr. Woodin and his good wife live in one of the most beautiful and attractive homes in the St. Joseph community, their home combining the attractions of both the town and country and being located within the village limits. Mr. Woodin was born in Vermilion County, Illinois, September 6, 1841, and his birthplace was the community known as Butler’s Point. He was the second … Read more

Biography of Thomas J. Early

Thomas J. Early. The Early family has been identified with Champaign County for over a half a century. The name is one around which many interests center. They have been industrious and capable farmers, good home makers and upright and honorable citizens in all the relations of life. One of the younger members of the family is Mr. Thomas J. Early, who is now active manager and farmer of the old homestead in Champaign Township. He was born in Colfax Township of this county December 19, 1882, a son of John W. and Bridget (Lyman) Early. His mother was a … Read more

Biography of Thomas J. Colvin

Thomas J. Colvin. One of the substantial commercial enterprises of Urbana, with forty years of successful and reliable business history back of it, is the meat market conducted by Thomas J. Colvin. When Mr. Colvin entered upon his career in this venture, he had little to back him save the experience he had gained as his father’s assistant, his ambition, determination and industry, but out of these he has developed a paying and prosperous business, which has become so well known at Urbana as to be accounted a necessary commercial asset. The proprietor, with a supreme faith in the future … Read more

Biography of Thomas H. Leathers

Thomas H. Leathers, who for a number of years has stood second to none among the competent dental surgeons of Champaign County is an instance of a self-made man who came almost to the age of manhood without schooling or education and by sheer force of will and ambition qualified for a profession requiring a high degree of skill and intelligence. Doctor Leathers was born in Glensboro, Kentucky, June 30, 1870, son of William and Mary (Royalty) Leathers. His parents were both born in Kentucky, were thrifty farming people but of modest means. The mother died at the age of … Read more

Biography of Thomas Gordon

Thomas Gordon. As a farmer and farm manager Thomas Gordon is easily one of the ‘leading figures in Champaign County. He has acquired and developed and superintends through his tenants and managers an estate of 975 acres in Compromise Township. For a number o”f years Mr. Gordon has lived in the Town of Penfield, and goes out from there almost daily to look after his business affairs. Mr. Gordon is a native of Aurora, Illinois, a son of John and Mary (Whalen) Gordon. Both of them were natives of Ireland and came to America in early life. When Thomas was … Read more

Biography of Thomas E. Smith

Thomas E. Smith. The name Thomas E. Smith is at once associated with the wealthy and successful business men of Champaign. Success did not come to him like manna from the skies, but was earned by the hardest kind of effort. He gained some of his early experience as a pioneer on the Northwestern prairies of the Dakotas and Montana. For many years Mr. Smith has been in the meat business at Champaign and is now proprietor of two large cold storage plants and handles his business on a wholesale scale. He was born near Potomac, Vermilion County, Illinois, January … Read more

Biography of Thomas D. B. Stucker

Thomas D. B. Stucker is one of the honored citizens of Fisher, Illinois. His home has been in Champaign County for the past thirty-six years. His life deserves honor and respect ‘for two reasons: First, because of the good and honest work he has done as a private citizen, and second, as an old soldier who helped to save the nation during the dark days from 1861 to 1865. Mr. Stucker, whose ancestry originally was German, was born in Bartholomew County, Indiana, July 13, 1844. He was the fifth in a family of fourteen children, eight sons and six daughters, … Read more

Biography of Thomas Buck

Thomas Buck. Among the intelligent and thrifty farmers of Champaign County one whose name belongs high on the list is Mr. Thomas Buck of section 28, Compromise Township. Mr. Buck has spent most of his active life in Champaign County, but was born in Warren County, this state, a son of Eli and Catherine (Hogan) Buck. His father was born in Vermont and his mother in Ireland. When Thomas was four months old the parents moved to Champaign County, locating south of Gifford, where the children were all educated in the public schools. Thomas Buck grew up to industrious habits … Read more

Biography of Thomas B. Welles

Thomas B. Welles, whose fine country home is in section 7 of Compromise Township, in the Penfield community, has gained an enviable position among the progressive and successful farmer citizens of Champaign County. The passing years have brought him a large degree of that material prosperity which is characteristic of this rich section of Illinois, the esteem of the community has increased in proportion to the length of his residence, and his fellow citizens have come to rely upon him as a leader in many of those movements which mark the enlightened progress of any locality. Mr. Welles was born … Read more

Biography of Thomas A. Little

Thomas A. Little. One of the most interesting homes of Rantoul is that of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Little in the extreme northeast quarter of the town. They live there enjoying a happy combination of both the rural and the urban facilities. They have sufficient ground to afford Mr. Little an opportunity to indulge his favorite pastimes of agriculture, not without considerable profit, and they also have sufficient means to live comfortably without fear of the future and enjoy their many friends. Mr. Little was born in Licking County, Ohio, in 1851, a son of John and Charlotte (Coon) … Read more

Biography of Theodore L. Block

Theodore L. Block. To accomplish as much as Theodore L. Block accomplished in Champaign County demands not only phenomenal energy but a ruggedness and integrity of character that in no small degree accounts for the esteem in which he is held as a citizen as well as a business man. Mr. Block was born in Poland, October 3, 1850. He is a son of William and Minnie (Cornelius) Block. Several generations before he was born the ancestor of the family moved from the district bordering on the Baltic Sea into Poland, and thereafter the family was identified with the agricultural … Read more

Biography of the English Brothers (Richard and Edward)

English Brothers. Former students of the University of Illinois, where both were thoroughly trained in the technical branches of their profession, the English Brothers, Richard Caleb and Edward Carey, Jr., have for the past sixteen years been general contractors and structural engineers at Champaign, with offices in the Lincoln Building, they have developed a splendid prestige and reputation and their clientage constitutes a business that is one of the largest and most valuable of its kind in this section of the state. Of the two brothers Richard Caleb English, the older, was born March 1, 1873, at Jonesboro in Union … Read more

Biography of T. F. Berkley

T. F. Berkley, who for a number of years has been the leading flour merchant in the village of Ogden, is a miller by training and experience, as was his father before him. Mr. Berkley was born at Maxburg in Muskingum County, Ohio, a son of C. F. and C. M. (Richardson) Berkley. This branch of the Richardson family were prominent both in Ohio and Kentucky. C. F. Berkley in the early days conducted a mill on the Muskingum River, but in 1851 removed to Charleston, Illinois, when his son T. F. was only three years of age. C. F. … Read more

Biography of Solomon Mercer

Solomon Mercer, whose recent death was deplored by a host of friends, had been identified with Champaign County from the period of early youth, and had borne the heat and burden of the day during his early efforts at establishing a home and improving a farm. His later years were years of comfort and the growing esteem of his friends. Mr. Mercer was born in Monroe County, Ohio, at Millwood, a son of Aaron and Mary (Cecil) Mercer. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of Ohio. The father left Virginia in early youth, settling in Ohio, … Read more

Biography of Solomon Mantle

Solomon Mantle. Of the families whose lives of integrity and industry have identified them permanently with the best interests of Champaign County, one that deserves special mention is that of Solomon Mantle, who now lives with his family in Rantoul, and from that village still superintends his extensive farming interests. Mr. Mantle is a son of Isaac and Mary J. (Kuder) Mantle. Mary Kuder’s father was born in Pennsylvania. Isaac Mantle, a native of Ohio, came to Illinois when a young man, lived for a number of years in Champaign County and afterwards moved to Vermilion County. Solomon Mantle had … Read more

Biography of Shelby D. Taylor

Shelby D. Taylor. A large tract of Champaign County’s fertile acres have been developed and improved by Shelby D. Taylor, who still owns one of the valuable farms of the county, though for a number of years he has lived retired at Champaign. Mr. Taylor came to Champaign County thirty-five years ago. He was born in Morgan County, Illinois, May 15, 1851. His parents, both natives of Kentucky, were George and Polly E. (Tucker) Taylor. His father was born July 20, 1805, and died September 23, 1886, and his mother was born August 15, 1807, and died January 22, 1894. … Read more

Biography of Samuel P. Atkinson

Samuel P. Atkinson. Perhaps Champaign has no more sturdy and progressive citizen than is found in Samuel P. Atkinson, manager of the S. P. Atkinson Monument Company. He is a thorough American, with a backing of colonial ancestry and Revolutionary stock; and is a veteran of the great struggle which prior to 1914 the people of the United States has called the saddest page on the world’s history. Mr. Atkinson is a vigorous and able business man, but he is much more, for he has the true welfare of his city at heart and is zealously working to advance movements … Read more

Biography of Samuel Mason Gregg

Samuel Mason Gregg. The dignity of labor raises the farmer to a level of importance corresponding to that occupied by any class of producers. To labor long and faithfully, giving the best of one’s ability and talent along any line of endeavor is to fulfill the destiny of mankind and to make possible a happy, contented old age. Samuel Mason Gregg, one of the substantial farmers and highly esteemed citizens in the vicinity of Rantoul, has made his life one of constant industry and honorable labor, and though always busy he has never failed to find time to make friends … Read more

Biography of Samuel Livingston

Samuel Livingston is of the pioneer element of Champaign County. He came to this region sixty years ago. It was nearly sixty years ago that he and his young wife began the battle with existence on some of the broad and: virgin prairies of this section, and what they endured, what they achieved, the family that grew up around them, and the riches of esteem that were paid to them by their neighbors is worthy of something more than passing record. Now living retired, Mr. Livingston since the death of his wife has found a home of every comfort for … Read more

Biography of Samuel L. Burwash

Samuel L. Burwash. It was more than half a century ago, when he was a small boy, that Samuel L. Burwash first knew Champaign County. He was identified during his active career with the agricultural element. It is in agriculture that Champaign County has found its greatest prosperity during this period. Mr. Burwash was not an unimportant factor in that development. He prospered as did all the other progressive farmers of his time, and in recent years has enjoyed the fruits of his earlier toil and is now living comfortably in Champaign. He was born in Eastern Canada, near Montreal, … Read more