Douglas County IL

Biographical Sketch of William Brian Sr.

William Brian, Sr., was born May 6, 18o6, in Ross County, Ohio, and in 1837 he came to Coles, now Douglas, County ; he entered about one thousand acres of land when coming here, and has owned as high as three thousand acres. He had learned the blacksmith’s trade in Ohio, and followed it about twenty years here. On one occasion, when shoeing a Methodist preacher’s horse, he nailed the shoes on with the toe-corks behind. The preacher remonstrated with him for doing so; his reply was, “The devil takes, after these Methodist preachers, and I thought I would make … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Robert McKaig

Robert McKaig is one of the pioneer settlers of Tuscola Township, who came in 1857. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church and highly respected in their neighborhood.

Biography of Malden Jones

In touching upon the history of Douglas County for the past sixty years, none have been more prominently connected with its growth and industrial expansion than the Hon. Malden Jones. He endured all the hardships incident to the rough pioneer life and has passed through a most honorable and enviable career. He is a native of Lee County, Virginia, and was born February 8, 1818 when a child he went with his parents to Kentucky, where he was reared and where, at about the age of seventeen, he entered a store as clerk and remained three years. In 1840 he … Read more

Biography of Alexander McNeill

Alexander McNeill, farmer, was a son of Alexander and Nancy (Montgomery) Mc-Neill, and was born in Ireland March 10, 1808. The first twenty-six years of his life he spent in his native land. In 1834 he emigrated to America, landing in Philadelphia. Thence, two months later, went to Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky, where, upon letters of introduction from his uncles in the old country, he obtained a situation as clerk in a cotton establishment. After a year he accepted a position as clerk in a dry goods store at Owensville, Bath County, Kentucky, where he remained six years, then sold … 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 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

Biography of Stephen Redden

Stephen Redden was born in Bracken County, Kentucky, April 14, 1818, and was a son of James Redden, who, leaving a large family of children growing up, resolved to give them a better chance by going west. Consequently he made a flat-boat, and, with his family and several of his neighbors and their families, he embarked on the Ohio river for what was then considered the far west. Stephen Redden was at that time four years old. At Louisville they would not trust the flat-boat to carry them over the falls, but were put ashore and either walked or were … Read more

Cutsinger, Zua McQueen – Obituary

Cutsinger, Zua McQueen Douglas Co., IL Funeral services were held Tuesday at 2 o’clock at the Christian Church in Newman for Mrs. Zua Cutsinger, 78, who died Saturday [June 16, 1945] at the home of her brother, A. N. McQueen, and Mrs. McQueen.  Rev. J. L. Coleman officiated with interment in Newman Cemetery. Mrs. Cutsinger was born March 3, 1867 at Clifford, Indiana, daughter of William R. T. and Ellen McQueen.  She is survived by three children, Mrs. Hazel Alice Wilson of Gary, Indiana; W. E. Cutsinger of Lyons; and Lois N. Cutsinger of Newman.  She also leaves three brothers; … Read more

Biography of Isaac Skinner

Isaac Skinner was born in Vermillion County, Indiana, January 5, 1829, and is a son of Joseph Skinner, who was among the earliest settlers in the neighborhood of Newman, coming, in 1839, from Vermillion County, Indiana, and settling along the timber a mile and a half southwest of where Newman now is. There were no schools in the vicinity when he first came to the County. He worked for his father until of age and then engaged in farming on rented land. In about 1853 he had saved money enough to enter one hundred and sixty acres of land. His … 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

Biography of Grover Chester Bowman

GROVER CHESTER BOWMAN – To be responsible for the proper and up-to-date management of modern schools, to endow them with an atmosphere which pervades both the teaching staff and the students, requires men of superior endowments who, as students have been in contact with high-class educational establishments of different types. In this respect Mr. Grover Chester Bowman, superintendent of schools of North Adams, has been singularly fortunate for having as a student, at a period of life when the mind is in a state for high receptivity and plasticity, come under the influence of the academic atmosphere of two of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. J. V. Martin

Rev. J. V. Martin, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church at Arcola, Illinois, was born in Champlin, Minnesota, November 22, 1857. He was educated in the St. Francis College, Milwaukee; St. John’s University, Minnesota, and subsequently completed the six-years’ divinity course at the Grand Seminary, Montreal, Canada, where he was ordained December 18, 1886. His first charge was at Spring-field, Illinois, where he did hospital service for two months; from there he was transferred to Shipman, laboring for two and a half years as the regular pastor; thence to Neoga, where he remained two years, when, in 1891, he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of T. M. Richards

T. M. Richards, a leading merchant and grain buyer of Haves, Illinois, was born in Douglas County, Illinois, August 7, 1864, and is a son of Thomas Y. Richards, who was a native of Hardin County, Kentucky, where he was born in 1818. The latter moved to this County in the ‘forties and was engaged in farming. He was three times remarried and was the father of nine children, of whom all are dead excepting T. M. and G. R. Richards. His last wife was Hester A. Reat, and she was the mother of the above named boys (see sketch … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John G. Crawford

John G. Crawford, farmer and stock-raiser; P.O. Oakland; born in Morgan Co., Ind., Aug. 10, 1837, where he attended school in winter and was engaged in farming in summer until he was 23 years of age, when, in the spring of 1860, he removed to Illinois, locating in Douglas Co., where he engaged in farming until 1865, when he returned to his native home, remaining there two years; then coming West again, he continued farming nearly two years in Douglas Co., when in 1869, he removed to Oakland and erected a fine residence where he now lives; he also owns … Read more

Biography of J. T. Butler

We copy from a recent issue of the Tuscola Review: “J. T. Butler, of this city, secretary and manager of the Corn Belt National & Loan Association, had received intelligence from his brother in California, that he had struck a gold mine of unparalleled richness, and that our fellow citizen was a half owner in the new wonder.” “The editor knowing that Mr. Butler was a man who shunned notoriety and would be loath to give out. information that would bring him into such prominence as an article of this kind necessarily will, approached him on the subject. He was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John C. Hostetler

John C. Hostetler, who is engaged in the agricultural implement business, including buggies and wagons, and recently elected alderman from the third ward in Tuscola, was born in Douglas County, August 27, 1866, and is a son of D. C. and L. M. Hostetler, natives of Indiana. The father settled in Bowdre Township some time in the ‘fifties, and died in Tuscola, in 1895, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. His mother is still living. Mr. Hostetler was married in 1889 to Miss Laura A., daughter of H. C. Jones, whose sketch is found on another page. They have … 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

Biographical Sketch of Granville F. Raper

Granville F. Raper, farmer; P. O. Arcola; is a native of Owen Co., Ind., where he was born Jan. 28, 1836. He married Miss Mary H. Roberts Aug. 5, 1855; she was born in Greene Co., Ind., Sept. 13, 1832; they had nine children, six living, viz., James A., California J., Laura S., William O., Albert H. and Granville S. He lived twenty-one years in Indiana, when he moved to Hancock Co., Ill., and engaged in farming; remaining there three years, he returned to his old home in Indiana and lived there two years; he then came to Illinois and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. Avery Howard

W. Avery Howard, who has recently become a partner in the broom corn business with W. H. Hancock, is a native of Fultonville, New York, and was born February 26, 1846. His early years were spent’ at Fort Hunter and later he engaged in the manufacture of brooms here with his uncle, E. Howard. In 1888 W. A. Howard withdrew and associated himself with Henry Herrick, of Amsterdam, New York, and acted in the capacity of superintendent of factory and broom corn purchaser. In 1894 he went to St. Louis and for three years superintended the broom corn business for … Read more