Bloomington Illinois

Biography of John William Waldron, Rev.

Rev. John William Waldron is well known in a number of towns and cities of Kansas through his active ministerial labors in behalf of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is now living at Galena, where he is pastor of the local church of his denomination. He had spent most of his life in Kansas, and by unusual talents as a preacher and unselfish devotion to his church had become a recognized leader in Methodism in this city. Both he and his people for many generations back are English. His grandfather, John Waldron, spent his life in England and was a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cyrus Locher

Locher, Cyrus; lawyer; born, Bluffton, O., Mar. 8, 1878; son of Christian and Fanny Lugabihl Locher; educated, Pandora High School, Ohio Wesleyan University, A. B. and A. M.; Western Reserve University Law School, LL. B.; married, Bloomington, Ill., Beulah L. Baker; supt. of schools, Woodsfield, O., 1903-1905; asst. city solicitor, Cleveland, 1908-1909; member law firm Gott & Locher, 1910-1913; member Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and Sigma Delta Rho (honorary fraternity); member Cleveland Athletic Club and Chamber of Commerce; County Prosecuting Attorney from Jan. 6, 1913.

Biographical Sketch of Harry Elmer Duff

Duff, Harry Elmer; manufacturer; born, Bloomington, Ill., July 23, 1873; son of Jos. G. and Mary Ellen Lowdon Duff; graduated from the University of Tennessee, in 1893, taking Bachelor of Arts degree; in 1902, graduated from the New York Law School, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws; in 1894, came to Ohio, and became identified in a manufacturing business, which a few years later was purchased by the American Sheet Tin Plate Co.; since that time, has been continuously associated with that corporation; local sales representative of the American Sheet & Tin Plate Co.; vice pres. Union Metal Mfg. … Read more

Biography of Emmor W. Jeffers

Emmor W. Jeffers, the present circuit clerk of Douglas County, who has occupied that office since February 3, 1899, was born in Pike County, Illinois, November 19, 1861. He is a son of John C. and Elizabeth (Mc-Kinney) Jeffers, both natives of Ohio, who removed to Douglas County and settled in Camargo Township about 1864. His mother died in December, 1893, while his father resides in Bloomington, Illinois. (For further ancestry of the Jeffers family see sketch of George C. Jeffers, of Camargo). James McKinney, our subject’s maternal grandfather, was a native of Ohio. In 1889 E. W. Jeffers was … Read more

Biography of Howard L. Snyder M. D.

Howard L. Snyder, M. D. Doctor Snyder is of old American family. His paternal ancestors came out of Holland in colonial times and located in Southern Pennsylvania. From that state the family by successive stages had come fully half way across the continent. Doctor Snyder was born in Woodford County, Illinois, October 10, 1878. His father, David Snyder, was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1820. He moved west to Woodford County, Illinois, in 1848, and became one of the leading farmers and stock raisers there. He died in Woodford County in April, 1895. David Snyder was a republican in … Read more

Biography of George R. Wendling, Jr.

George R. Wendling, Jr., of the Myers-Wendling Insurance Company of St. Louis, was born March 9, 1894, in Bloomington, Illinois. His father, George R. Wendling, was also a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Shelby county. He became a prominent attorney of that state and was a member of a constitutional convention of 1870 which framed the organic law of the commonwealth and had the distinction of being the youngest representative in that body, as he was only twenty-five years of age when elected. He won wide popularity as a lecturer as well as distinction in law practice. … Read more

Biography of Herbert W. Wetzell

Herbert W. Wetzell, publisher and owner of the McIntosh County Democrat, was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on the 6th of February, 1884, a son of George and Julia (Pratt) Wetzell, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. The paternal great-grandfather, Lewis Wetzell,. was a noted Indian fighter of West Virginia and mention of him is made in most histories of the United States. George Wetzell spent forty years of his life in the newspaper business and achieved substantial success in that connection. He published papers at Greenview, Bloomington and Farmer City, Illinois, and in 1907, came … Read more

Biography of Hon. Theron E. Fell

HON. THERON E. FELL. – Mr. Fell has become especially known in Oregon as a representative to the state legislature from Morrow county. The manner of his election shows his popularity among his neighbors and the people of his own region. He was the grandson of an abolishionist Quaker, and the son of an original Republican, and himself has been true to the family record. Having received the regular nomination by the Republican party, his rival “bolted” and accepted an independent nomination. The Democrats seeing this rupture did not fail to improve the opportunity, and presented an excellent ticket. The … Read more

Biography of William J. Hill

William J. Hill has one of the responsible positions connected with the Santa Fe Railway at Arkansas City. He is master mechanic at that division headquarters and handles the large force of men employed in the immense yards and shops of the railroad at that point. Mr. Hill had been long in the railroad service in the mechanical department, beginning when a boy with the Chicago & Alton in Illinois. He was born at Bloomington, Illinois, August 20, 1863. His father was William Hill, a native of London, England, where he was born in 1834. He spent his early life … Read more

Biography of Thomas M. Lillard

Thomas M. Lillard had been practicing law at Topeka for the past nine years. He was born July 29, 1881, at Bloomington, Illinois, where his father John T. Lillard, also a lawyer, is still living. His mother Sallie (Williams) Lillard is now deceased. Reared in Bloomington, Mr. Lillard attended the public schools, and in 1902 graduated bachelor of science from the Illinois Wesleyan University. Following that came two years of study in the law department of the Denver University at Denver, Colorado, and he then returned to Bloomington, where in 1905 he was gradinated LL. B. from Illinois Wesleyan University … Read more

Biography of Eugene B. Buck

Eugene B. Buck, editor and proprietor of the Charleston Courier. Charleston; was born in Fayette Co., Ind., Oct. 12, 1834; when he was about five years old, his father’s family removed to McLean Co., Ill.; he served his apprenticeship to the printer’s trade in Bloomington; in 1852, he went to Peoria, Ill., and, in 1855, was connected with the publication of the Pekin Plaindealer; in 1856, he was associated with four other journeymen printers in running a co-operative daily paper in Peoria; in 1857, he conducted the Washington Advertiser, in Franklin Co., Mo.; in 1859, he edited the Daily Enterprise, … Read more

Genealogy of Daniel Baker

Qa161 DANIEL BAKER: b. in England; m. Sarah Chase, 1740. Col. Jacob: reported to have served on General Washington’s staff, and at his death left an estate now reported to be worth about $800,000,000. Samuel: M.D.; b. 1742; m. Roda (Silliman) Weed, 1773. Isaac: M.D.; b. 1783, at Fairfield, Conn.; m. Susan Morgan Dodge (d. 1833); in 1804 Dr. Isaac surveyed, laid out and named the townsite of Bloomington, Ill.; was county surveyor, clerk of the court (held this office for fifteen years) ; served as postmaster for a great many years and was a much respected citizen; died at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John W. Gaede

Gaede, John W.; manufacturer; born, Illinois, May 16, 1873; educated, common schools, Evergreen City Business College, Bloomington, Ill.; married, Cleveland, 1896, Sophia Bohn; issue, three daughters and one son, Esther, Ottillia, Lydia and David; for the past five years has been manufacturing hardware specialties, consisting of the following, saw vices, chain drills, hollow augers, saw sets, emery wheel dressers, bench vises, plane gauges, spoke pointers and spoke shaves; has recently started to make an improved iron plane, which is entirely new and the best plane ever produced; gen. mngr. Buckeye Saw Vice Co.; member Masonic Order, Woodmen of the World, … Read more

Biography of Richard Yates Kennedy

Richard Yates Kennedy. A man of genial presence, of manifest sympathy, of resourceful brain and high educational standards, is found in Richard Yates Kennedy, principal of the Coffeyville High School. He has bad many years of experience in the educational field, some thirty-three more or less continuous, and there are few problems of a teacher’s life that he has not, at one time or another, successfully solved. Professor Kennedy has been a resident of Kansas since 1887, has valuable property investments in Montgomery County, and social, business and civic interests at Coffeyville. Richard Yates Kennedy was born in Whiteside County, … Read more

Biography of Henry Howland Chase, M. D.

Holding in high estimate the duties and responsibilities which his position involved, and more than ordinarily successful as a medical practitioner surgeon, Dr. Henry H. Chase is well remembered in Rock Island, the city in which he spent the later years of his life. He was an American of the highest type, and of purest blood, as well. His lineage on both sides is traceable for many generations back on American soil. His mother is a direct descendant of John Howland of Mayflower fame. His father was a relative of the late Chief Justice Chase of the United States Supreme … Read more

Wood, James F. (Franklin) – Obituary

Wallowa, Wallowa County, Oregon James Franklin Wood, a resident of Wallowa for the last five years, passed away Tuesday afternoon following a lingering illness. Mr. Wood had been ill just three months and two days having been working at the mill the day he was taken sick. Funeral services are to be held this afternoon at two o’clock at the Nazarene Church, of which he had been a member for many years, with Rev. J. S. Stuart in charge. Music will be furnished by a quartette composed of Opal Lively, Verla Hawley, Glen Henry and Jesse Johnson with Geneva Schaeffer … Read more

Biography of Rev. Patrick Joseph Kane

Rev. Patrick Joseph Kane, who for a third of a century has been pastor of the Church of Our Holy Redeemer at Webster Groves, is a native of Ireland but during his childhood days was brought by his parents to the United States and became a pupil in the public schools of Bloomington, Illinois, where the family home was established. He afterward attended a local business college and later became a student in the Christian Brothers College at St. Louis. Having determined to enter the priesthood he subsequently pursued his theological studies in St. Mary’s Seminary at Baltimore, Maryland, and … Read more

Biography of Gilbert L. King

It is now our pleasant privilege to recount the items of the career of the prominent and capable gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, who is to-day one of the leading men in Malheur county, being not only crowned with abundant financial success as the result of his industry and wise management of the resources that came to his hands, but also a man of prominence in educational lines in younger days, and at the present time a fluent public speaker and well informed man of ability and culture. Gilbert L. was born in Jefferson County, New York, on February … Read more

Wood, James Franklin – Obituary

James F. Wood passed away at Wallowa, Tuesday, May 03, 1938. He was born in Bloomington, Illinois, August 25, 1881, a son of George and Nancy (Bunney) Wood. Most of his younger days were spent in Nebraska. He was married to Clara Lureene Womack January 14, 1919 at Pendleton and Marjorie Ellen, Sarah La Vonne and Leland James were born to them. The family resided in Princeton, Idaho a short time, coming to Wallowa County the last time six years ago, and this has been his home since. His health had been very poor for several years, but he was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William B. Keusink

William B. Keusink is one of the younger business men of Champaign, has been a resident of the city most of his life, and since 1910 has conducted a very successful drug business. He was born at Bloomington, Illinois, September 20, 1879, a son of William and Elizabeth (Lynch) Keusink. His father was a native of Schenectady, New York, and his mother of Utica, New York. William Keusink for a number of years conducted a laundry business in Champaign County, but is now living retired. He and his wife had two children, William B. and Wilhelmina, the latter the wife … Read more