Adams County IL

Biography of Lincoln Austin,

This enterprising and representative business man and property owner of Flora is a member of the firm of Clark & Austin, which does a general merchandise business in Flora carrying a complete and well selected stock and gaining a patronage from the adjacent country that betokens a lucrative business. Lincoln was born in Adams County, Illinois, on September 21, 1866, being the son of Moses and Mary L. Austin. Our subject had one brother, Clarence F. of Paradise. On July 25, 1870, his father contracted a second marriage, the lady being Nancy Hester, a native of Missouri and the nuptials … Read more

Biography of James A Richardson, M.D.

JAMES A RICHARDSON, M.D. – Doctor James A. Richardson was born in Adams county, Illinois, November 15, 1840. His grandfather, George Richardson, was born in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, serving in the American war of the Revolution, and after its close taking an active part under Generals St. Clair and Wayne in the war against the Indians of now West Virginia and Ohio. After the suppression of the hostility of those tribes, he, with one companion, in a canoe, floated down the Ohio river to its confluence with the Mississippi, and thence passed up that river to Kaskaskia, then a French … Read more

Biography of Dr. J. C. B. Dixon

DR. J. C. B. DIXON. One of the old and honored medicine men and citizens of Howell County, Missouri, is Dr. C.B. Dixon. This gentleman was born in Tennessee, August 20, 1823, and is a son of Thomas and Ann (Maybury Dixon. The grandfather, Edam Dixon, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He moved from North Carolina to Tennessee while the Indians were still in that section, and was one of the nine pioneers in East Tennessee. The father of our subject was born in North Carolina, became a substantial farmer, and died in Tennessee, as did also his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas J. Benjamine

Thomas J. Benjamine was born in Union, Fayette county, Iowa, October 1, 1858. He is the son of Abram R. Benjamine a native of Pennsylvania. He left Iowa at the age of eight years and went to Quincy, Illinois, and from that place removed to Cameron, Missouri, where he learned his present business of railroad agent and telegraph operator. He came to Jamesport in 1877 and has held the office of agent of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway ever since. Mr. Benjamine was married in Jarnesport, on the 5th day of October, 1879, to Miss Fannie J. Harvey. … Read more

Biography of Hon. J. H. Rinehart

HON.J.H. RINEHART. – Mr. Rinehart, whose portrait appears in this volume, is one of the pioneers of Eastern Oregon, and the proprietor of the Mammoth Anna-Lulu Flouring mills. He was born October 1, 1836, in Adams county, Illinois, and moved to Mahaska county, Iowa, in 1845. In 1854 he crossed the plains with his parents to Oregon and located with them at Eugene. In 1855 he left the parental roof and, although but a boy of eighteen, sought the gold fields of Northern California, where he remained a year and a half, and returned to Oregon soon after the close … Read more

Biography of Thomas Jefferson Booth

Thomas Jefferson Booth, of Independence, is a native of Illinois, in Adams County, of which state he was born January 4, 1856. He was but eight years of age when his parents removed to Iowa and settled in Des Moines County, where they resided until 1869, in which year they settled in Montgomery County, Kansas, where the father took up a claim and resided until his death in 1878. Thomas J. Booth is a son of Milton and Agatha (Adams) Booth. His father was born in Virginia in 1808, and was a son of John Booth, an Englishman, who came … Read more

Biography of Seth H. Powers

Seth H. Powers was born at Long Point, Canada, June 26, 1843. He is the son of Richard Powers, a farmer and stock-dealer of Vermont. His mother’s maiden name was Phoebe Howard, a native of Canada. His parents died when he was very young, and he then came to the United States and was educated in Ohio and New York. He served a long apprenticeship at the blacksmithing and machinist trade in Buffalo, New York, and has since followed that business in various States of the Union without interruption, except during the time he was in military service during the … Read more

Biography of Edmund P. Melson

The magnificent structure owned by the Missouri State Life Insurance Company is the tangible evidence of the business ability and organizing powers of Edmund P. Melson, who established the corporation that finds its concrete embodiment in a building which is an adornment to St. Louis. He was for many years identified with insurance interests, his work finding its culmination in the organization and direction of what is today one of the strong and reliable insurance companies of the United States. Mr. Melson is one of Missouri’s native sons, his birth having occurred in Rails county, October 29, 1866, and be … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry King

It is not the rule for men to follow the trade or profession to which they are best adapted and to achieve the dominant ambition of their lives. This inclination and result can in absolute truth be said of Capt. Henry King. He learned the printer’s trade because the attraction was irresistible, and advanced from the composing room and hand press to the editorial desk because he must have foreseen the work he was best fitted to do. His taste and capacity were for writing, a natural force impelling him to reduce the workings of his mind to written form–and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph H. Kelly

Joseph H. Kelly, of Mission District, San Bernardino County, is known far and wide as the most extensive dealer and trainer of horses in the county. He has a fine ranch of 100 acres, on which he has recently built a neat and comfortable residence. For the past ten years he has given his entire attention to horses, and at present has about fifty head, some of them as well bred as any in the State. Last spring he sold a pair of trotters for $6,000. Mr. Kelly is a native of Quincy, Illinois, and came to California in 1861. … Read more

Biography of Samuel C. Pine

Samuel C. Pine, for over thirty years has been a resident, and identified with the varied interests, of San Bernardino County. He is now engaged in general farming operations upon 160 acres of productive land located in Chino Township, Chino school district, four miles south and east of Chino. In 1867 Mr. Pine purchased a squatter’s claim to this land, which was then in its wild and un-cultivated state. He spent years in litigation with grant claimants, but finally secured his Government patent. The first year of his occupancy he devoted his attention to stock-growing, but later commenced a system … Read more

Biography of Anton Andrew Ackerman

Anton Andrew Ackerman. The business opportunities that some men never see, attract others to whom they seem open pathways to success. Not every farmer boy, however, of seventeen years had the common sense attitude combined with the industrious habits that have made Anton Andrew Ackerman, now a substantial business man of Neosho County, a reliable, satisfactory, efficient worker in other industrial lines before he had more than reached manhood. Mr. Ackerman had worked hard and to some purpose, otherwise he would not have his present high business standing as one of the leading contractors and drillers in the Mid-continent oil … Read more

Biography of John A. Pottorf

John A. Pottorf. When a man reaches the seventy-fourth milestone of his life’s journey it may be taken for granted that he has had a wealth of experience which, if properly written out, would fill a volume. In the case of John A. Pottorf, who has already passed his seventy-fourth birthday, long life means more than length of years. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth and even when he came to Kansas a little over thirty years ago he had to begin as a farm renter. The overcoming of obstacles to success has been a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Granville Lee

Lee, William Granville; labor leader; born, La Prairie, Illinois, Nov. 29, 1859; son of James W. and Sylvista Jane (Tracy) Lee; educated, public schools; married, Mary R. Rice, of Chicago, Oct. 15, 1901; brakeman and conductor, A. T. & S. F., Wabash, Missouri P., and U. P. railways, 1879-1884; deputy recorder deeds, Ford County, Kansas, 1884-1888; conductor, U. P. R. R., 1889-1895; 1st vice pres. 1895-1909, pres., Jan. 1, 1909; Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen; Republican; Mason.

Bowman, Alvira Davis Obituary

Funeral services for Mrs. Alvira Bowman were held Thursday afternoon at 1 o’clock in the Methodist Church in Kingston, conducted by the Rev. Edward Hardy. Burial was in Kingston Cemetery. [Died Feb. 12] A mixed quartet from Liberty sang. The honorary pallbearers were from her Sunday school class. They were Mrs. Lon Hendricks, Mrs. Grace Morley, Mrs. Ruth Kruise, Mrs. Juanita Sims, Mrs. Callie Ruhl and Mrs. Alta Edson. Pallbearers were Henry Babcock, George Morley, Henry Krusie, Jesse Mellon, Fred Ruhl and Charles Edson. Quincy Herald, February 18, 1933 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biography of George W. Robinson

George W. Robinson of Wichita has been a Kansan forty years. His first work in this state was as an educator at Winfield, continuing from June, 1876, to June, 1879. He soon turned to the more congenial work of a business career. The field in which his energies have found their most successful issues has been in banking, and there are a number of flourishing institutions in the state which were organized or at some time in their career have received the benefit of his excellent judgment and financial ability. Born February 20, 1855, in Piqua, Ohio, he went to … Read more

Biography of Jefferson L. Steele

Jefferson L. Steele. For over thirty years Jefferson L. Steele, one of Minneapolis’ most respected retired citizens, had from choice been a resident of Ottawa County, finding here when he came in 1884 elements that go far in working out the scheme of a satisfactory life, business opportunity and some of the finest people in the world with whom to be neighborly and to work with in promoting the best interests of the place. Mr. Steele had proved his appreciation of these advantages in many practical ways and today occupies a foremost position among the representative men of this county. … Read more

Biography of Herman H. Behrens

Herman H. Behrens has been a resident of Champaign County for forty-four years. During all that time his home has been in section 18 of Ogden Township. In his immediate community he has witnessed changes and developments that would have been regarded as impossible in such a short time when he was a boy. In some of the more substantial items of progress Mr. Behrens has borne a most influential and worthy part himself. Mr. Behrens is all but a native of Illinois. He was born February 31, 1857, and six months later he was carried, an infant in arms, … Read more

Biography of John Russell Stewart

John Russell Stewart. As a citizen who for many years was closely identified with journalism and local affairs in Champaign County, the people of this section feel a corresponding interest in the personality and career of John Russell Stewart. As supervising editor of this publication, the publishers feel that this interest should be gratified by the inclusion of a brief personal biography. He was born on his father’s farm in Butler County, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1840, a son of William and Eliza Jane (Gibson) Stewart, who were both of direct Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. Stewart received his education in the local … Read more

Biography of Augustus Titus

AUGUSTUS H. TITUS is a man that has a wide range of experience both in the affairs of life in its ordinary occupations and also in pioneer experiences, having passed through practically all the various vocations usually met with in frontier life, as mining, camping, opening up a new farm, as well as the incidents of danger and adventure with which such existence is frequently attended, beside much fighting with the savages in various places; universally manifesting both a cool and wise judgment and capabilities and valor and courage that are the constituent parts of the true man and progressive … Read more