Champaign County IL

Biography of John H. Wyne

John H. Wyne. For more than forty-five years Champaign County has been the home of John H. Wyne, and those have been years of achievement in the material sense and also in the acquisition of the riches of community esteem paid him for his worthy life and the influence he has exerted for good. Mr. Wyne was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, January 24, 1842, a son of William and Margaret (Rutledge) Wyne. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of Tennessee. His father went to Indiana in the early days, and kept his home in that … Read more

Biography of D. W. Stevick

D. W. Stevick. The people of Champaign County appreciate the ability and the achievements of D. W. Stevick, chiefly through the medium of his newspaper, The Champaign Daily News. Progress has always been the keynote of Mr. Stevicks life. He has been inspired with “that delightful discontent which the hope of better things inspires,” and this has given meaning and potency to his efforts as a newspaper man. When he came into possession of The Champaign Daily News, he was well aware of the deplorable conditions existing relative to the strongly entrenched liquor forces, and had a thorough understanding of … Read more

Biography of Arthur T. Walls

Arthur T. Walls. There are certain lines of business so necessary to the growth, life and comfort of a community that they have become standard, as it were, and fill a stable, definite place in the commercial world. They are solid and dependable and it is not unusual to find a business of this kind descending from father to son, and very often the old established firm name is carefully preserved. Such is the case with W. W. Walls & Company at Champaign, dealers in lumber, building material and coal, the able manager of the concern being Arthur T. Walls, … Read more

Biography of Ambrose W. Strong,

Ambrose W. Strong, who is spending the quiet years of his retirement in a beautiful home at 706 Main Street in Urbana, is one of the few men now living whose recollections go back in Champaign County for nearly eighty years. Though not a native of the county Mr. Strong came here in early infancy and as a boy he knew many of the first settlers and his own life has been closely identified with those changing developments which have transformed this part of the state into a garden spot of the world. Mr. Strong was born in Hancock County, … Read more

Biography of Charlie N. Cotton

Charlie N. Cotton has lived in Champaign County over fifty years, and is rated as one of the enterprising and progressive agriculturists of Sidney Township. His well improved farmstead is on Rural Route No. 61 out of Homer. Mr. Cotton was born in Madison County, Indiana, April 6, 1860, and was brought to this county by his parents in 1866. He is a son of Robert and Margaret (Williams) Cotton, his father a native of Indiana and his mother of Ohio. When his father came to Champaign County he located on a farm near Catlin, and became widely known and … Read more

Biography of John Clark

John Clark. It is a grateful distinction to have spent half a century in one community, and when those years were filled with worthy accomplishment and with that old-fashioned spirit of loving kindness, such a career becomes one deserving of admiration and worthy of perpetuation in any history of a county in which it has been spent. The venerable John Clark, who died August 21, 1917, was a resident of Gifford. He came to Champaign County in 1868. He lived far beyond the fourscore mark, and his activities and those of the family have been a notable contribution to the … Read more

Biography of Eli Buck

Eli Buck. The late Eli Buck was one of the fine, substantial and prosperous citizens of Champaign County. He established his home here in early days, and before his death his name was associated with the ownership of extensive and valuable farm lands and his character and activities were such as all must respect. Mr. Buck was born in Vermont, a son of Gould and Valetta Buck. He married Miss Catherine Hogan, who still survives and makes her home in the village of Penfield. Mrs. Buck was born in Tipperary, Ireland, a daughter of Michael and Mary (Ridden) Hogan. When … Read more

Biography of W. R. Cole

W. R. Cole is one of the former prominent business men of Champaign County now living retired. He and Mrs. Cole occupy a very attractive home on Belle Avenue in Rantoul. Mrs. Cole is a member of an old and prominent family of Champaign County, and is a sister of one of the foremost physicians and surgeons in the world, Dr. D. A. K. Steele, one of the founders of the University of Illinois medical department. Mrs. Cole and her brother both taught in the school at Rantoul and they are of a family of teachers, preachers and lawyers. A … Read more

Biography of M. H. Argo

M. H. Argo is one of the men who have spent their lives in Champaign County, have witnessed its growth and development from almost wilderness days, and their own share in the transformation of the country is such that no work of this character could afford omission of the names and deeds. Mr. Argo was born on Salt Fork in St. Joseph Township of Champaign County, his birthplace being three miles northwest of the village of St. Joseph. His birth occurred there August 14, 1853, and he is a son of true pioneer people, Moses and Ellen (Shepard) Argo. His … Read more

Biography of Salem L. Ketterman

Salem L. Ketterman, one of the oldest residents of the village of St. Joseph, has been there continuously for forty-four years. He has all the time been closely associated with its welfare and has lived to see many changes recorded in the history of Champaign County. The only other man still living in St. Joseph who was there when he first settled is Mr. T. Jefferson Wooden. Mr. Ketterman is a native of the old State of Virginia, having been born in Hardy County, March 19, 1847, a son of John and Belinda (Full) Ketterman. His parents were also natives … 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 Nancy Irene Downs Mrs.

Mrs. Nancy Irene Downs. At no time in the world’s history has the position of woman been so notable, not nerely as a factor in the home but as a power in economic and political affairs and in that practical philanthropy which serves to soften somewhat the cruel actions of conflicting nations. Champaign County has many noble women and there is every reason why special attention should be paid by this work to their achievements and lives. One of them is Mrs. Downs, who since the death of her honored husband has taken his place as a practical farmer and … Read more

Biography of Howard Ross

Howard Ross, has built up a large business as a retail meat dealer in Champaign, learned his trade in that city, and by good management and by making it a point to offer the best of service and goods he is now one of the leaders in his line in the county. Mr. Ross was born near Savoy, Illinois, August 29, 1874, a son of David I. and Mary Elizabeth (Bowers) Ross. His father was born in Newburgh, New York, and his mother in Indiana. David Ross came to Champaign County about 1869. He was an active farmer here until … Read more

Biography of J. B. Bensyl

J. B. Bensyl. The Bensyl family came to Champaign County in pioneer times, and one of the number is Mr. J. B. Bensyl, now in business at Ogden. His active career has been spent in the county, and he was born in St. Joseph Township May 9, 1855. He was the fourth in the family of nine children born to Lewis and Mary (Corray) Bensyl. His parents were both born in Ohio, and each was two years old when their respective families came to Illinois. Lewis Bensyl and wife were married in this state, and Lewis Bensyl was long a … Read more

Biography of F. C. Amsbary

F. C. Amsbary, superintendent and manager of the Champaign Waterworks, has been superintending waterworks plants in different parts of the country for upwards of thirty years. It has in fact been his regular profession, though some of his younger years were devoted to railroading. Mr. Amsbary has numerous connections that identify him with the substantial interests of his home city. A native of Illinois, he was born at Pekin, January 24, 1863, a son of William Wallace and Harriet E. (Harlow) Amsbary, both of whom are natives of New York State. William W. Amsbary moved to Champaign in 1907, and … Read more

Biography of William L. Sturdyvin

William L. Sturdyvin. A resident for more than forty-five years in Champaign County has made William L. Sturdyvin one of his community’s best known citizens, and the honorable and industrious life he has led has given him a substantial place among his people. The years have dealt kindly with him and with his efforts, and he and his good wife now reside in a comfortable and hospitable home in Rantoul. Theirs is one of the fine residences facing the park in Rantoul, and stands on a street corner about two blocks from the interurban station. Mr. Sturdyvin is a native … Read more

Biography of Arthur Fulton Cranston

Arthur Fulton Cranston. From time immemorial, the legal profession has attracted to its ranks a large percentage of notably brilliant men. When rightly followed it is one of the noblest callings, affording at once full play to Christian sympathy, and opportunities for helpful public service, and holding a mighty prerogative, that of instigating exoneration of and restitution to the wrongly oppressed, or the administration of just retribution to the guilty. It has no room or opportunity for the weakling, but the strong it strengthens with a keener insight to [p.2032] human thought and feeling, with a more accurate realization of … Read more

Biography of Herman M. Smoot

Herman M. Smoot has had a very determined and energetic business career at Homer and at the age of forty his prosperity is now assured as well as his position as a man of affairs and influence in his community. Mr. Smoot was born on a farm in Vermilion County, Illinois, June 19, 1877. His parents were John and Sarah C. (Lewis) Smoot, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. They were brought to Illinois when children, and grew up in Vermilion County, where after their marriage they lived on a farm in Vance Township. In … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Egbert Davison Burnham

Egbert Davison Burnham is the only surviving son of the late Albert C. Burnham, long prominent as a pioneer lawyer and banker at Champaign and whose career is more fully noted on other pages. Robert Davison Burnham learned banking with his father, but for many years has been actively engaged in the farm loan business, with offices in the First National Bank Building. He was born in Champaign, February 19, 1872, one of the five children of the late A. C. Burnham and wife. Three of these children died in infancy. Mr. Burnham was the oldest and the second in … Read more

Biography of John C. Buhs

John C. Buhs. One of the sound, substantial men and successful general farmers and stock raisers of Champaign County is found in John C. Buhs, who is located in section 33, Urbana Township. Mr. Buhs is one of the heavy landowners of this section and his finely improved farm extends also into sections 34 and 21, all in Urbana Township. John C. Buhs was born in the village of Baritz, in the province of Mecklenburg, Germany, September 11, 1847. His parents were Carl and Fredricka (Raforth) Buhs. His father died in Germany and the mother continued to live there until … Read more