Biographical Sketch of Bert E. Lynch

Bert E. Lynch has made his career one of fruitful endeavor amid the scenes and associations of his early childhood and youth. He is leading a very active and enterprising life as a farmer in Sidney Township, and has a well ordered farm and good country home on Rural Route No. 57. Mr. Lynch was born in section 14 of Sidney Township, March 17, 1870, a son of William F. and Cynthia E. (Lunger) Lynch, both of whom were natives of Indiana. His father came to Champaign County in the fall of 1862 and located his cabin home on section … Read more

Biography of Mortimer Kilbury

Mortimer Kilbury of St. Joseph is an old-time resident of Champaign County, having been identified with the cultivation of its soil and the management of increasing burdens of business and public life for over forty years. Mr. Kilbury was born at Darby Plains, Ohio, a son of Asa G. and Ruth (Clark) Kilbury. The Kilbury family were Colonial settlers in Vermont. They started West about the time of the beginning of western migration in the early part of the nineteenth century. They drove to Ohio in covered wagons. There were two brothers making this journey, one of them the father … Read more

Biography of Patrick Connor

Patrick Connor. Every one in the Rantoul vicinity of Champaign County knows the home of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Connor. It is located in section 19, five miles northwest of Rantoul and near the schoolhouse to which Mr. Connor sent his own children and with which he has been officially identified. This is a fine farm, comprising 320 acres, and from the road the large white house is almost screened by the fine trees which surround it and most of which were planted and set out by Mr. Connor’s own hands. All these worthy and creditable possessions are the result … Read more

Biography of George Skinner

George Skinner is one of the prosperous farm owners and well known citizens of Champaign County, now living retired at Urbana, and for his success the credit is due almost entirely to his individual efforts and his steadfast honesty and integrity. Mr. Skinner was born in Somersetshire, England, January 29, 1850, and was about four years of age when he accompanied his parents, Robert and Anna (Rich) Skinner, to America. The family first located near Elk Grove, northwest of Chicago, and in 1873 they moved to the vicinity of Homer in Champaign County, where Robert Skinner spent his last years … Read more

Biography of Lew E. Stevenson

Lew E. Stevenson. The village and community of St. Joseph have had no citizen whose work and interests have been more closely identified with the general welfare than Lew E. Stevenson. His home has been there for forty years, and almost continuously during that time he was in business in the village, but has kept in close touch with the agricultural development as well. He has given liberally of his thought and purpose to the upbuilding of local institutions, particularly the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is now the only surviving original trustee. Mr. Stevenson was born in Highland … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jerry Gorman

Jerry Gorman. One of the most widely known men of Champaign County is Jerry Gorman. Mr. Gorman has had an unusual career of achievement. He is a hard working and thrifty Irishman,’ never had any special advantages when a boy, and has relied on honest toil and judgment born of experience to place him in the front rank of farmers and land owners. He was born in Ireland, came to America when a young boy grew up on farms in Grundy County, Illinois, where he worked out as a hired laborer, and in 1875 he came to Champaign County. At … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George C. Kirby

George C. Kirby learned his business as a farmer and stockman when a boy in Champaign County, and having added to knowledge and experience the other qualities of industry and prudence, he has been getting steadily ahead in the world since he began his independent career. Mr. Kirby was born in Sidney Township of this county January 22, 1885, a son of George Marion and Froella Catherine (Stillwell) Kirby. His father is still living in Sidney Township, where the mother died May 5, 1901. They were the parents of nine children: Cora of Sidney; Viola, wife of Frank Cannon of … Read more

Biography of George Schoon

George Schoon, whose fine farm establishment is in section 32 of Kerr Township, has been a resident of Champaign County almost continuously since he was four years of age. He is a native of Germany, and inherits many of the substantial qualities which have made that people famous under every clime of the world. Mr. Schoon’s parents were Christian and Mary Schoon, and he was one of their two children, John and George. The parents, seeking better opportunities for themselves and for their children, immigrated to America when George was four years of age. Coming to Champaign County, they located … Read more

Biography of Andrew, Scott Rev.

Rev. Andrew Scott. The qualities of real manhood and the power of leadership were never in greater demand in church work than today. The clergy have always been men of education and of fine moral standing, and with these qualities the successful pastor must now combine the spiritual enthusiasm and some of the same enterprise and energy which are such vital assets in the business world. A better type of this modern minister Champaign County does not have than in the case of Rev. Mr. Scott, pastor of the Christian Church at Fisher. Mr. Scott is a man of letters, … Read more

Biography of William B. Brown

William B. Brown. By a residence of fifty-seven years in Champaign County there is no place in the world so dear to William B. Brown as this picturesque and beautiful section of eastern Illinois. His successes have been gained here, he reared his family on his farm, and practically all the associations of a long life have been found here. Mr. Brown was born in Monroe County, Indiana, September 22, 1854. He was the only son in a family of three children born to Milton Monroe and Sarah (Houston) Brown. His two sisters are Mary Jane and Eliza E. Mary … Read more

Biography of Roy Youngblood

Roy Youngblood, present assessor of Sidney Township, is a progressive young business man of that village. He began his career with limited capital and from employment by others has worked into a profitable business of his own. He was born at Sidney, Illinois, December 23, 1880, and is a son of William H. and Savilla (Lucas) Youngblood. His father was born in Logansport, Indiana, and his mother in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. His father, who is still living at Sidney, is an honored veteran of the Civil War. He served almost throughout that great conflict, part of the time in the Thirty-fifth … Read more

Biography of George Clinton Brown

George Clinton Brown. When the early settlers came to Champaign County perhaps few of them realized that they were seeking homes in a very desirable part of the state in relation to profitable farming. Those who were industrious and frugal had the satisfaction of finding this out and no family has been more deserving of its good fortune than that founded by the late David Brown and now worthily represented here by George Clinton Brown, one of the substantial farmers of Homer Township, who is also widely known as a breeder of race horses. George Clinton Brown was born in … Read more

Biography of H. M. Morris

H. M. Morris has long been a resident of Rantoul and is proprietor of a beautiful home and a large greenhouse at the north end of the village. Mr. Morris has a creditable record as an old soldier of the Union, though he was a very young man when the war was in progress. His life has been a busy one and he and Mrs. Morris have well earned the esteem and the comforts which they now enjoy. He was born in Ohio, a son of Edwin and Mary (Benson) Morris, both natives of Ohio. The Morris ancestors were pioneers … Read more

Biography of Amos Elliott

Amos Elliott has had his home in Champaign County fifty-four years, grew to manhood here, and his active life has been one of unremitting industry and capable management as a farmer. His home is in Ogden Township on Rural Route 15 out of St. Joseph. His birth occurred at Rushsylvania in Logan County, Ohio, January 9, 1851. His parents were Moses and Mary (Bonner) Elliott, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. The Elliott family came to Illinois in 1860, lived in Coles County a time, but in April, 1863, while the Civil War was at … Read more

Biography of Michael Lowry

Michael Lowry. One of the prominent and substantial families of Champaign County bears the name of Lowry and this name for half a century has represented here good citizenship, honest industry and faithful membership in the Roman Catholic Church. While not an unusually prolific family, it is a long-lived one and at present there are three generations residing at Philo, Illinois. Michael Lowry was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, June 9, 1850. His parents were John and Margaret (Nolan) Lowry, natives of the same county, and from there they came to America and to Illinois in 1865. John Lowry settled … 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

Biography of Herman W. Bundy, M. D.

Herman W. Bundy, M. D. As a physician and surgeon Doctor Bundy enjoys the complete confidence and most of the patronage of the community in and around Pesotum, where he has practiced actively for the last five years. Doctor Bundy is a Kansas man by birth, having been born at Nickerson, March 11, 1879. His parents, Isaac Newton and Helena (Smithson) Bundy, were both born in Ohio. His father was an attorney who enjoyed a good practice and name as an orator in eastern Illinois, and it is recalled that he stumped the district for Joe Cannon when that Illinois … Read more

Biography of Herman Schwanderman

Herman Schwanderman has his farm home in section 17 of Harwood Township, with postoffice at the village of Ludlow. He has contributed to the development and farm improvement of that locality for a number of years and he represents that sterling and industrious stock of people that came out of Germany. Mr. Schwanderman was born at Dewey, Illinois, a son of Leopold and Rebecca Margaret (Behrens) Schwanderman. The parents were both born in Germany, came to America in early life and married in this country. They had only two sons, twins, Herman and Henry, the latter died at the age … Read more

Biography of F. M. Fagaly

F. M. Fagaly, a retired resident of St. Joseph, has many interesting distinctions, not least among which is the fact that he served more than three years in the Union Army during the Civil War. Mr. Fagaly and his family are widely known in Champaign County, where through all the years their names have been associated with that industry and good citizenship which are the bulwark of American institutions. Mr. Fagaly was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, not far from the city of Cincinnati, a son of John and Mary (Stewart) Fagaly. His parents were also natives of Ohio. The … 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