Douglas County IL

Cutsinger, Mabel McQueen – Obituary

Funeral services for Mrs. Mabel M. Cutsinger, 87, were held at the Scott Funeral Home in Chrisman Tuesday afternoon. The Rev. Lowell White officiated. Burial was in Newman Cemetery. Mrs. Cutsinger, a former Metcalf resident who had been residing with a daughter, Mrs. Florence Wyatt, in Chrisman six years, died Sunday, May 19, in St. Elizabeth Hospital in Danville. She had been a patient there five days. Born Jan. 29, 1876, in Newman, she was a daughter of George and Francis McQueen. She was married Jan. 4, 1901, to Demp Cutsinger, who preceded her in death in 1957. [Mabel’s first … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alvy J. Parke

Alvy J. Parke is one of the hustling, go ahead, young business men of the County, located at Hindsboro, engaged in the grain and implement business, was born on a farm in Sargent Township March 11, 1876, and is a son of B. F. and Harriet (Wierman) Parke. Both of his parents were born in Champaign County, are living, and for the past year resided in Shelby County, Tennessee. Mr. Parke was reared to manhood on the farm and received his education in the high school of Oakland. In 1897 he married Miss Myrtle Lewis. A. J. Parke started up … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas S. Wyatt

Thomas S. Wyatt, ex-Sheriff of Douglas County, was born in Todd County, Kentucky, January 13, 1838. His father, Needham Wyatt, a blacksmith, was born in Tennessee. Thomas Wyatt, the father of Needham, was born in North Carolina; was a Revolutionary soldier, and was at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. The mother of-Thomas S. Wyatt was Mrs. Martha A. (Mann) Wyatt, sister of Rev. William W. Mann, a prominent member of the Methodist Church of Kentucky. Thomas S. Wyatt’s early life was spent in his father’s blacksmith shop. lie received but ten months’ schooling, yet became a fair scholar through studious … Read more

McQueen, Joshua P. – Obituary

Newman Man Takes Own Life With Poison. Mr. Joshua P. McQueen Committed Suicide Thursday Evening Of Last Week By Taking Concentrate Lye And Carbolic Acid-Funeral Held Saturday Afternoon. The funeral rites took place at the late home on Kings Street, Saturday afternoon, at 3 o’clock, conducted by Rev. F. O Fannon, pastor of the Christian church, and were largely attended by relatives and friends. Music on the occasion was rendered by a quartet composed by Mrs. F. S. Lydick, Mrs. George Roller, Messrs. F. L. White and M. S. Smith; and at the request of the family Mr. Smith sang … Read more

McQueen, Spencer Quick – Obituary

Spencer Quick McQueen, age 75, retired Tuscola farmer, died at his home on South Ohio Street, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday [October 13, 1942] of complications following a long illness. Funeral services will be held from the Mt. Gilead Church at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) with burial in the Broadus Cemetery with the Waddington funeral service in charge. The deceased, a long-time resident of Douglas County, was born at Columbia, Ind., July 5, 1867, son of Thomas and Phoebe McQueen. On October 3, 1888, he was married to Miss Minnie Smith, who with eight children survives. The children are Mrs. Clarence … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. W. Phillips

Of the many leading and successful business men of Tuscola who have fought their way successfully through life and who have been the architect of their own fortune in the true sense of that term is the subject of this sketch. He is a dealer in poultry, produce, fish, etc., and is also interested in the ice business. He founded his present business in Tuscola in 1896, constructing a building 80×20 feet, and one and one-half stories high. This building burned ill August of the following year, and he immediately erected on the same site a more commodious one, 120×30 … Read more

Biography of Judge John Brown

Judge John Brown has been for over sixty years identified with the best interests of Douglas County. He was born in Ross County, Ohio, May 7, 1822, on a farm, where he remained until the age of seventeen. This farm was located on Paint creek, two miles from Chillicothe, the County seat of Ross County. Our subject is a son of Nimrod Brown, who was a native of Augusta County, Virginia, and who served in the war of 1812. His mother was, before her marriage, Elizabeth Eigelbright, and was born in Monroe County, Virginia. When our subject was but seven … Read more

Biography of G. K. Sipple, Hon.

Hon. G. K. Sipple. During 1910 the retired colony of Neodesha was augmented by the arrival of G. K. Sipple, whose activities have been centered in Wilson County since the year 1881, and whose career is expressive of the possibilities of country life when directed by a well-trained mind, an earnest purpose and a keen appreciation of its benefits and prerogatives. Mr. Sipple is a Union veteran of the Civil war, and a citizen who had contributed to his community’s welfare. That his worth had been appreciated is evidenced by the positions of public trust which he had filled, his … 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 Isaac Newton Wade

Isaac Newton Wade. There are doubtless a number of men and women now in mature years who knew Isaac Newton Wade in Champaign County as a teacher. He was one of the early educators, and afterwards for a long period of years was a traveling salesman for a text book house. Mr. Wade is now living retired at Champaign, in which city he has had his home for the past forty-five years. He was born in Lockland, Ohio, May 13, 1846, a son of Moses and Rachel (Ferris) Wade. His mother was a native of Mount Arie, Ohio, and died … Read more

Biography of James W. Henderson, M. D.

James W. Henderson, M. D. One of the old and honored physicians and business men of Southeastern Kansas is Dr. James W. Henderson, who first became identified in a professional way with Labette and the surrounding country thirty-two years ago. Labette County was at that time new and all its towns, farms, roads, and other facilities were in a primitive condition. Doctor Henderson had his share of the hardships of pioneer practice. To almost a generation he was known as the kindly, courteous and helpful physician and friend, and the esteem in which his name is held is as satisfactory … Read more

Biography of George James Sharp

George James Sharp during the thirty odd years he had lived in Elk County had been a farmer, school teacher, county official, abstractor and lawyer, and his friends and associates say that whatever he undertakes he does with all the enthusiasm of his nature and to the limit of his ability. He is an exceedingly useful citizen, and his services have for several years been untilized by the City of Howard through the office of mayor. Mr. Sharp was born on a farm in Hendricks County, Indiana, December 26, 1862, a son of William P. and Anna T. (Higgins) Sharp. … Read more

Biography of Oliver O. Hockett

Oliver O. Hockett, one of the younger members of the medical fraternity of Douglas County, and one of the leading men in the social, professional and educational life of Newman, was born in Paris, Edgar County, Illinois, March 2, 1866. He was graduated from the high school of Paris in 1882 and subsequently entered the state university at Champaign, where he remained for three years. He then took up the study of medicine with Dr. M. P. Smith, with whom he remained until he entered Chicago Hahnemann College, from which well known institution he was graduated in the class of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John R. Lawson

John R. Lawson, lumber and building materials, Oakland; born in Portsmouth, Scioto Co., Ohio, June 3, 1847, where he attended school constantly until 21 years of age, the last five years at the Portsmouth Normal School; at the above age, he engaged in book-keeping for the Portsmouth Foundry Co., which position he filled for two years; then, in 1871, he came West and engaged in book-keeping for Lawson & Burt, at Tuscola, Douglas Co., for two years, at the expiration of which time, he came to Oakland, Coles Co., and engaged in the lumber trade, dealing in lumber of all … Read more

Biography of John C. Barnes

John C. Barnes, physician and lumber dealer, was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, September 27, 1835. His grandfather, John, came from Culpeper County, Virginia, to Indiana in 800. McGannon Barnes, father of John C., was born in Jefferson County, while his wife, Rebecca Fouts, was a native of Clark County, Indiana. John C. Barnes was the eldest in a family of ten children ; he was given a thorough educational training, attending first the common schools, then Hanover Academy in Jefferson County, Indiana, and in 1855 graduated from Scott’s Commercial College, Indianapolis. At twenty years of age he began for … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Washington D. Boyce

Washington David Boyce was born at the foot of Blue Ridge near Leesburg, Lee County, Virginia, in the year A. D. 1802 and died in Camargo Township in February, 1882. He was among the first settlers in that Township, where he entered forty acres of land. He established the first blacksmith shop at the village of Albany.

Biographical Sketch of Jesse R. Beggs

Jesse R. Beggs, president of the First National Bank of Arcola, doubtless enjoys the distinction of being the youngest national bank president in the state. He has occupied this important position since the death of his father, whom he succeeded in February, 1895. He was born in Arcola, August 19, 1868, and was educated in the public schools of the village. His father, James Beggs, was born in Clark County, near Charlestown, the old County seat. He came to Arcola in 1858, where he followed a most successful business career up to the time of his death. His wife was … Read more

Biography of Shiloah Gill

Shiloah Gill, an old Mexican soldier, and one of the pioneer settlers in Bowdre Township, was born at Gill’s Mills, Bath County, Kentucky, September 11, 1827, and is a son of Samuel C. Gill, who was a son of Capt. Thomas Gill, a Revolutionary soldier and a son of the Irish waif (see history of the Gill family in America, by Thomas F. Gill). Samuel C. Gill was born in the state of South Carolina November 22, 1783, and was reared on a farm. He was wedded to Sarah Malone, a daughter of Jonathan and Mary Malone, the latter of … Read more

Biography of Joseph B. Petty

Joseph Bradley Petty, one of the successful business men of Tuscola, engaged in merchandising and identified with several other enterprises of the city, was born in Hendricks County, Indiana, August 24, 1855, and is a son of Nathan and Ann Mariah (Wood) Petty, the former born in Chatham County, North Carolina, and the latter in Mercer County, Kentucky. Mr. Petty was engaged in farming for several years in Champaign County, and from 1884 to 1891 lie resided at Iantha, Missouri, where he was engaged in blacksmithing and hard-ware merchandising. In the latter year lie returned to Illinois and settled in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. H. Hancock

W. H. Hancock, who is one of the most successful broom-corn brokers and business men of Tuscola, was born in Chicago, March 29, 1864, and is a son of W. S. and Sarah (Bell) Hancock. His father was born in Oxford, Ohio, and his mother in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania. His father is now living a retired life in Chicago. W. H. Hancock was raised to manhood in Chicago and educated in the Cook County normal school. His first position of any importance was that of conductor on the Pullman car lines, and he continued as such for seven years, running over … Read more