Cook County IL

Biography of Martin Van Buren Cagney

Martin Van Buren Cagney, whose home had been in Emporia for the past thirty years, is an old time printer, having first taken up the art of typography when a boy before the Civil war, and had followed his trade under many changing conditions and in many localities. For many years he had been proprietor of a commercial printing establishment at Emporia, and had also been frequently honored with positions of trust and responsibility in that city. His own career had the interest of much variety and he belongs to an interesting family. His father Maurice Cagney was born in … Read more

Biography of Isaac Negus

Isaac Negus, deceased, who, during his lifetime, was one of the leading business men in Rock Island, was a man whose be-lief in the future of the city he had chosen for his home took the substantial form of building enterprise. He was born December 31, 1799, at Labions, Ondaga County, New York, where he received a common school education. After leaving school he found employment in the construction department of the Erie Canal in New York State, where he remained for three years. The experience and practical knowledge gained during those three years was a great service to him … Read more

Biography of Charles F. Little, M.D.

Charles F. Little, M. D., is one of the oldest living members of the medical profession in Kansas. It was fully half a century ago that he came to Manhattan, and until his recent retirement was almost continuously identifled with his professional duties in Riley County. Doctor Little is one of the men who gained their training and attended their first cases prior to the Civil war. In the war he served as an assistant surgeon. A great fund of practical business ability has been a prominent characteristie of Doctor Little and for years he has been one of the … Read more

Slave Narrative of J. H. Beckwith

Interviewer: Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: J. H. Beckwith Age: 68 Location: 619 North Spruce Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas “No ma’m I was not born in the time of slavery. I was sixty-eight last Friday. I was born November 18, 1870 in Johnson County, North Carolina. “My mother was born in Georgia and her name was Gracie Barum. Father was born in North Carolina. His name was Rufus Beckwith. He belonged to Doctor Beckwith and mother, I think, belonged to Tom Barum. Barum was just an ordinary farmer. He was just a second or third class farmer—just poor white folks. I … Read more

Biography of Patterson S. McGlynn

Patterson S. McGlynn, one of the proprietors of the Daily Dispatch, was born in Connecticut in 1850, of Irish parentage. He was educated by his father to read and write and to be appalled by the multiplication table before being sent to country schools in Iowa, commencing at Washington in the State named, “graduating” to a printing office when he was thirteen years old, and then at the age of sixteen going back to school in the old stone school in Davenport, where his printing-office education raced him through to graduation to the high school. But his education may be … Read more

Olin Hatheway Todd of Barnum MN

Olin Hatheway Todd10, (Charles F.9, Walter S.8, Ira7, Jehiel6, Stephen5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born July 26, 1878, in Chicago, Ill., married Feb. 22, 1901, Addie Dickinson. He graduated from the Duluth, Minn., High School. He is now (1912) engaged in the stock and poultry business in Barnum, Minn. Child: 2801. Georgie, b. April 15, 1909.

Biography of Harry C. Bohrer, M. D.

Dr. Harry C. Bohrer, a St. Louis surgeon, who though among the younger representatives of the profession, has attained a prominence that many an older physician might well envy, was born in Macon, Missouri, October 8, 1890. His father, the late George W. Bohrer, was also a native of this state and a representative of an old Pennsylvania family that was established in Missouri in pioneer times. The grandfather was David Bohrer, who came to Missouri long prior to the Civil war and devoted his life to agricultural pursuits here. George W. Bohrer was reared and educated in Kansas and … Read more

Biography of Charles Leavitt Holman

There are few business enterprises that so closely touch the comfort and welfare as that which has to do with the lighting of homes and business houses, and the man who is active in control of public utilities must be one of broad vision, of thorough understanding of needs and conditions and of marked enterprise that he may keep in touch with the changing times. Possessing all these requisites, Charles Leavitt Holman has steadily advanced since he became connected with the Laclede Gas Light Company of St. Louis in April, 1903. He was advanced through various positions to tile presidency … Read more

Biography of Rev. ZeBarney Thorne Phillips, D. D.

Rev. ZeBarney Thorne Phillips, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal church, St. Louis, was born in Springfield, Ohio, May 1, 1875. His father, ZeBarney Phillips, was born in Chautauqua county, New York, and at the time of the Civil war enlisted in the Union army, serving throughout the period of hostilities in the One Hundred and Twelfth New York Volunteer Infantry. He married Sallie Essex Sharp, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, the wedding being celebrated in Springfield, Ohio, July 12, 1866. They became the parents of four children, all of whom survived the father, who passed away on the 24th of … Read more

Biography of Jesse A. De Witt

Jesse A. De Witt, whose mental equipment is of that character that enables him to delve to the root of business problems and whose determined energy enables him to conquer obstacles and difficulties in his path, is now occupying a most enviable place in financial circles of Muskogee. He was the President of the Central State Bank until January 1, 1922, and is now a director. He comes to the southwest from Wisconsin, his birth having occurred in Montfort, that state, September 23, 1889, his parents being I. G. and Abbie (Taylor) De Witt, the former a newspaper publisher. In … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. T. Montgomery

J. T. Montgomery, physician, P. O. Charleston; born in Cedar Co., Mo., Oct. 18, 1852. He emigrated with his parents and located in Alton, Ill., in 1861, for about six months, then Windsor for three years, where his father was located as minister of the C. P. Church. He located in Oakland, Coles Co., in March, 1867, when he attended school until 1871, where he worked as farm laborer during the summer and fall, in which way he obtained the means to attend the Mt. Zion Academy until he had exhausted the proceeds of his summer’s labor, when he engaged … Read more

Biography of Arthur Richard Nash, M. D.

Arthur Richard Nash, M. D. A surgeon whose ability has brought him a rapidly growing reputation in southeastern Kansas, Dr. Arthur Richard Nash has practiced at Parsons for the past four years. He received his degree In medicine nearly twenty years ago, and has had a wide range of experience and opportunity in his profession since then. He is of Irish stock. The Nashs were English originally and moved from there to Ireland. Doctor Nash is a grandson of a physician, Richard Nash, who spent his life in Ireland as a physician and surgeon. He died in County Tipperary at … Read more

Biography of Cecil K. Reiff

Cecil K. Reiff, principal of the Central high school at Muskogee, was born in Wabash county, Indiana, October 23, 1888, and is a son of Jacob and Catherine (Baer) Reiff, the former a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, while the latter was born in Ohio. The father was but thirteen years of age when he was brought to America by his parents, the family home being established in Ohio, where he completed his education and afterward took up the occupation of tilling the soil. During the period of the Civil war he served on guard duty near Washington, D. C., and … Read more

Boyd, Leslie Logue Rev. – Obituary

Former Baker Minister – Suicides in Chicago Rev. Leslie Logue Boyd was found dead in his room at a suburban Y.M.C.A. in Chicago, last Saturday night with his throat and wrists slashed. A letter addressed to Mrs. Boyd was found in the room. C.L. Shaw friend of the clergyman, said Boyd was despondent because of ill health. Rev. Boyd was for three years pastor of the Presbyterian church in Baker, and last October resigned and left for Astoria, the former home of Mrs. Boyd. Rev. Boyd later went to Chicago where he expected to connect with a Presbytery in that … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harley Brownell Gibbs

Gibbs, Harley Brownell; banker; born in Milan, Erie County, O., March 13, 1849; son of Edward Hanford and Maria Louise Brownell Gibbs; early education in Milan, O.; married, Hudson, Oct. 24, 1878, Miss Emma Johnson; Mrs. Gibbs died in 1894; when 16 years of age, went to work in a grain and commission house in Chicago, Ill.; there six years; came to Cleveland in 1871; served as bookkeeper for the King Bridge Co. until 1875, then elected sec ‘y, and in 1887, became treas. of the Company; resigned in 1907, but still a director of the Company; organized the Lake … Read more

The Illinois Indians – Indian Wars

Some years ago there was deposited in the Archives of the “Historical Society” of Chicago a record in reference to the history of the Illinois Indians, a portion of which is interesting as connected with this matter. It was deposited by Judge Caton, who became a citizen of Chicago thirty-nine years ago, when the whole country was occupied as the hunting grounds of the Pottowattomie tribe. Their chief, Shabboni, died in 1849, the only remnant of this once powerful tribe. Of him it could be truth-fully said he was the last of his race. Comparatively not long since the surrounding … Read more

Biography of Herman Genthe

Herman Genthe. The oldest bakery establishment of Topeka under one continuous ownership and management is that conducted by Mr. Herman Genthe, who now had associated with him his oldest son. Mr. Genthe is a master of his trade. He learned it as a boy in Germany, where his ancestors so far as known were millers and had a great deal to do with those grains that furnish the staple food stuffs, wheat and rye. Mr. Genthe’s talent as a maker of fine bread is therefore partly an inheritance from his ancestors, though it had been developed by his individual experience … Read more

Biography of Jacob Moudy

Jacob Moudy. The community of Ludlow in Champaign County pays special honor and respect to Jacob Moudy and his family. Mr. Moudy has had a long and active career. His years have been spent with benefit to himself and also to his family, friends and neighbors, and he has done something to make every community with which he has been identified a little better and to elevate the standards of life and morality. Mr. Moudy is a son of Peter and Elizabeth Moudy, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. In the early days they migrated from Pennsylvania down the … Read more

Biography of Colonel Elhanan John Searle

Soldier, jurist and publicist, a man of many attainments and widely diversified talent, was Elhanan J. Searle, the subject of this sketch. He was born January 18, 1835, at Royalton, Ohio, coming to Rock Island County with his parents when about two years of age, and died at Rock Island, August 18, 1906. Colonel Searle, or Judge Searle as he was perhaps more familiar known throughout Rock Island County, received his education at the Rock River Seminary, an institution located at Mount Morris, Illinois, and after completing his studies in that school, which was largely preparatory in its scope, he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. Alshuler

M. Alshuler, staple and fancy dry goods, Mattoon; was born in Bavaria, Germany, A. D. 1836; his early life was spent in school; having acquired a good education, in February, 1852, he immigrated to America, end first located in Danville, Ill., where he engaged as clerk in a general dry goods store. In 1854, he went to Chicago, and was employed in a jewelry and fancy store, on Lake street; he next located with the firm of Edsall & Co., in Terre Haute, Ind., and remained with that firm seven years; with another firm he remained three years longer, and, … Read more