Howard Nash. The handling of real estate is a business of many angles and can scarcely be honorably and successfully carried on without a thorough knowledge of land values and also an understanding of many problems of law. Not every dealer, however, so carefully prepares himself for this line of activity as has Howard Nash, one of Champaign’s most prominent real estate men, whose course in law and extended travels. have been but a part of his education for what he early determined to make his lifework. His success along this line has certainly justified his foresight in preparing for the work.
Howard Nash was born at Mansfield, Illinois, May 26, 1876. His parents are Jesse and Martha (McKillop) Nash, both noted old Kentucky families and very prominent in Lewis County, where, the Nash family can be traced back for generations. During the Civil War both families were strong Unionists and the uncles on both sides served in the Union army. At the age of eighteen years Jesse Nash, father of Howard Nash, enlisted as a private in Company I, Fourth Kentucky Infantry, and was taken prisoner at Macon, Georgia, and was incarcerated at Andersonville. He possessed a strong enough constitution to survive the cruelties of that period of imprisonment, and saw four years of military service. In 1870 he came to Illinois and located in Piatt County, where he and his wife still live, he being a large land owner. For some years he was a railroad contractor, taking contracts for the building of the Wabash Railway, and later he invested in farm land and carried on agricultural activities until he retired. To Jesse Nash and wife the following children were born: Minnie L., who is a resident of Portland, Oregon; Howard; William S., who is an attorney in practice at Portland, Oregon; Bessie, who resides in Montana; Frederick A., who is a farmer in Piatt County, Illinois; Jessie M., who is the wife of Doctor Ruden, a resident of Montana; and Walter B., who is a resident of Montana.
Howard Nash attended the local schools and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, in the meanwhile planning a course of three years in Valparaiso College, having very definite and determined ideas on the subject of education. He demonstrated his courage and independence by working his way through college, after which he returned to Piatt County and began to teach school and at the same time filled in all spare time and vacations in studying law, his preceptor being Charles F. Mansfield of Monticello, Illinois. In thus broadening his understanding, Mr. Nash did not have the practice of law in view, but desired a legal education because of its helpfulness in other lines.
In 1902 Mr. Nash opened a real estate office at Mansfield and remained in business there until 1910, when he came to Champaign, and he is now located in the Trevett-Mattis Bank Building. As previously indicated, Mr. Nash has made a special study of land values, not only in Illinois, but on a much wider scale, traveling for this purpose over the country, making estimates and gathering information that has been of great benefit. His intelligent investigations have made him an expert, and operators all over the country consult with him and accept his opinion as to values.
On December 14, 1904, Mr. Nash was united in marriage with Miss Bertie M. James, who was born at Mansfield, Illinois, and they have three children: Lyle J., who was born in 1905; Lois, who was born in 1908; and Howard, born in 1912.
Mr. Nash is an ardent Republican and has attended every National Republican Convention since he was twenty years of age, not being interested as a seeker for office, but because he believes in the principles of the organization to which he belongs and enjoys the congenial political fellowship he finds in these mighty gatherings. He is a strict party man and has devoted much time to the welfare of his party. His name may be found as a contributor to benevolent movements and charitable organizations, and he is considered one of Champaign’s leading public spirited citizens.