Adams County IL

Biography of Hon. William Payne

Farmers who have been elected to positions of trust and honor are not by any means few in America, but it is the exception that the tiller of the soil continues to be such long after he has won success in any sphere outside his regular calling. The allurements of city life in the great majority of cases quickly overcome the inborn love of nature unadorned and the farmer is known by another name. Honorable William Payne has been one of the few. After terms of service in county offices and through twelve years in which he held membership in … Read more

Cusick, William C. – Obituary

Wm. C. Cusick was born in Adams County, Illinois, Feb. 21, 1842, and died near Union, Oregon, Oct. 7, 1922, being 80 years, 7 months and 16 days old. In 1853 he left his birthplace with his parents for Oregon, near Kingston, where he made his home till he came to eastern Oregon and settled in Union County in 1871. While stationed at Fort Lapwai, with his company during the Civil war, he became interested in the study of botany. He continued this study during the remainder of his life, making a special study of the plants of the Blue … 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.

Biography of William E. Corbett

William E. Corbett. One of the forceful characters of the middle period of Shawnee County history was the late William E. Corbett. During his thirty-eight years in this section his many sterling traits of character made him honored, respected and esteemed. William E. Corbett was born in Maine and lost both parents by death before he was ten years old. For some eight years he made his home with his paternal grandfather and during this time was fortunate in one way, being sent to school and thus securing a practical education, which was helpful through his subsequent life. When nineteen … 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 George W. Kidder

George W. Kidder, who, excepting for the earliest years of infancy, has spent his entire life in Crawford County, has had a long and varied and extremely useful relationship with business affairs in various towns of that county and particularly in Pittsburg. Mr. Kidder is now secretary of the Chamber of Commerce and is also secretary of the Retail Merchants Association. The Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce, which was established in 1881 at the beginning of the town when Pittsburg was nothing more than a coal camp, has been in continuous operation ever since. They performed a great work and the … Read more