Douglas County IL

Biographical Sketch of Patrick Nicholson

Patrick Nicholson, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Charleston; owns 380 acres was born in Jefferson Co., Tenn., Nov. 6, 1809; resided with parents on farm, helping his father until 21 years of age; came to this State in November, 1830, to what is now Douglas Co.; Mr. N. made several thousand rails for $1 per hundred; worked six months for $8 per month; had nothing but one saddle-share; sold mare and saddle and bridle for $8. Was married to Elizabeth Ashmore, May 17, 1832; she was born in Jefferson Co., Tenn., March 4, 1814; they are the parents of eleven … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. W. Boyer

J. W. Boyer, a well known farmer of Sargent Township. and the present census enumerator for the same, was born in the vicinity of Ashmore, Coles County, Illinois, on the 11th day of April, 1850. For twenty-five years he has been identified with the industrial growth of his Township, and is well and favorably known as an intelligent and upright citizen. He is the son of James and Susan (Mack)Boyer, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter was born in Kentucky. As early as 1835 James Boyer came and settled with his father, Joseph, who was also born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry D. Jenkins, M. D.

Henry D. Jenkins, M. D., Arcola; one of the early settlers; was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Dec. 30, 1822; came to this State and settled in what was then Coles Co. in 1855; his farm, being now located in Douglas Co., where he first settled, and which was at the time of his settlement all Coles Co., consists of 310 acres. The Doctor is a graduate of the Transylvania University, located at Lexington, Ky.; since his residence in this county, he has practiced his profession as physician but very little; his pursuits have been that of a farmer and … 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

Biographical Sketch of John M. Madison

Within the past two years Tuscola has lost many of its oldest and most prominent citizens by death, but in the list none have been more sadly missed or sincerely mourned than our subject, John M. Madison, whose death occurred Monday, July 13, 1896. He was born in Harrison County, Kentucky, May 6, 1823, and was at the time of his death in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He belonged to a family of ten children; one brother and two sisters are still living: H. B. Madison, Tuscola ; Mrs. Harriet Parrish, of Cynthiana, Kentucky; and Mrs. Parmelia Carter, … Read more

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 George W. Henson

George Warren Henson, deceased, was born September 5, 1821, at Cynthiana, Kentucky. He was a son of Gideon and Nancy (Shumate)Henson. He was the eldest of a family of six children and of Scotch-German descent. With his father’s family he left the state of his nativity in 1834 and emigrated to Vermilion County, Illinois, and there remained until 1844, when he came into the section of country which is now Douglas County and immediately began the improvement of a farm. He married Miss Eliza P. Sargent, a native of Illinois. To this union were born eleven children, six of whom … Read more

Biography of Allan Campbell

Allan Campbell, son of John Campbell, died October 13, 187 5. Without a sketch and portrait of Allan Campbell this book would he among the earliest and most prominent pioneers in Bourbon Township. Allan came before his father, and soon after his arrival bought five acres of land just south of Lesterville, at the Bagdad Bridge, and ran a ferry here for three years. Allan Campbell was born in Knox County, Kentucky, in 1809. His grandfather, Allan Campbell, was born in Virginia, and was among the early settlers in Kentucky. His father, John Campbell, removed to Bourbon Township soon after … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas N. Cofer

Thomas N. Cofer, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Arcola; the subject of this sketch was born in Hardin Co., Ky., July 20, 1839. He married Miss Rachel E. Combs Nov. 23, 1870; she was born in Clarke Co., Ind., July 29, 1851; they have three children, viz., Thomas N., Jr., William E. and John C. He lived in Kentucky until the spring of 1854, when, with his parents he came to Illinois and settled in Coles (now Douglas) Co., at Rural Retreat, where they lived about three years; he then moved to a farm near by, where he remained until … Read more

Biographical Sketch of P. H. Monahan

P. H. Monahan, the father of the broom corn interests of Arcola and a highly esteemed citizen of that place, was born in County Galway, Ireland, February 19, 1837. His parents were John and Mary (Shiel) Monahan, natives of the same County. At the age of thirteen years young Monahan emigrated from his native land to America and settled in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Later he came west and located in Arcola, which at that time was a mere hamlet. Here Mr. Monahan was married to Hannah Quirk, who was a native of Douglas County and a sister of the late John … Read more

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

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 Frank W. Hammett

Frank W. Hammett, cashier of the First National Bank of Tuscola, and one of the County’s young men of recognized ability, was born on a farm in Camargo Township. Douglas County, Illinois, February 12, 1 862. (See sketch of his father, James R. Hammett.) Mr. Hammett grew to manhood on his father’s farm and was principally educated in the University of Illinois. For some years after leaving college he was engaged in the manufacture of tiling at Camargo and Long View. In March, 1391, be accepted the position of book-keeper in the First National Bank of Tuscola, and was promoted … Read more

Cutsinger, Henry Isom – Obituary

The funeral of the late Henry I. Cutsinger, who died at his home near this city, on the morning of the 4th [March, 1904], was held at the M. E. Church, at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, the 6th under the auspices of Low Post No. 343, G.A.R. of which Mr. Cutsinger was an honored member; Rev. A. E. Hamilton pastor of the church preaching the sermon. The attendance, the condition of the weather considered, was remarkably large, attesting the fact of the esteem in which the deceased was held in the community in which he had spent so many years. The … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. L. Avery

J. L. Avery, editor and proprietor of the Arcola Weekly Herald since April 1, 1893, was born four and one-half miles southeast of Arcola, in Coles County, Illinois, November 25, 1866. The Herald was founded in the year 1883 by H. H. Moore, who conducted it until about the year 1891, when Willis S. Scales bought it and published it until he sold it to Mr. Avery. The paper is in a flourishing condition, strictly Democratic in politics and full of local news, with a circulation of about fifteen hundred. J. L. Avery was educated in the common schools, the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles A. Hawkins

Charles A. Hawkins, the present gentlemanly County clerk, was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, May 25, 186o, and is a son of William and Sarah (Hard) Hawkins, natives of the same state. His father died in 1866. Mr. Hawkins was principally educated at, Danville, Indiana, and spent two and a half years teaching. He served his Township (Newman) as tax collector and supervisor, and in November, 1898, was elected County clerk. On October 7, 1884, Mr. Hawkins married Louisa J. Curtis, of Newman, and they have four children: Claude A., Opal B., Pearl L. and Jay M.. Our subject is … 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 W. D. Reed

W. D. Reed, the assessor of Bowdre town-ship, was born on the old Reed homestead in the same Township March 14, 1852, and is a son of the gallant B. Frank Reed, who fell at the battle of Chickamauga, and for whom the G. A. R. Post at Tuscola is named, and whose portrait adorns this page. He was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and emigrated with his father, Daniel, to Edgar County, when he was but eight years old. Daniel Reed founded the old tavern or road house at Hickory Grove between Newman and Indianola. He volunteered in the … Read more

McQueen, Melinda Catherine Cochran – Obituary

In last week’s issue of the paper, we announced that Mrs. J. P. McQueen had suffered a stroke of paralysis on the 8th of April and that she was in critical condition at the time of going to press on Thursday, being in an unconscious condition. She remained in that condition until relieved by death, the messenger coming about 8 o’clock Friday evening [April 12, 1918]. The deceased had been a resident of Newman for the past twenty-eight years and prior to removal here had lived on a farm in South Prairie, where she had a large circle of warm … Read more

Biographical Sketch of G. R. Richards

G. R. Richards, who is associated in business with his brother, T. M. Richards, was engaged in the livery business in Tuscola, and in born in 1865. He was for several years engaged in the livery business in Tuscola, and in 1899 removed to Hayes and became associated with his brother. In 1896 he was married to Miss Myrtle Johnson, a daughter of William T. Johnson, of Tuscola. They have no children. George is known as a ball player all over central Illinois.