Knox County IL

Knox County IL, established on January 13, 1825, from unorganized territory, is a region steeped in history and characterized by its rich agricultural landscape. Named in honor of Henry Knox, the first United States Secretary of War, Knox County reflects the early American spirit of expansion and cultivation. Galesburg, the county seat, is known for its historical significance, including being a stop on the Underground Railroad and the site of one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858. The geography of Knox County is predominantly rolling prairies, which have supported a strong agricultural economy since the county’s inception. The formation of Knox County, part of the Military Tract set aside to compensate veterans of the War of 1812, played a crucial role in attracting settlers and shaping the region’s development.

Rogers, Vernon Irving “Vern” – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Vernon Irving “Vern” Rogers, 84, of Baker City, died Sept. 9, 2004, in Boise, Idaho. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2625 Hughes Lane. Bishop David Richards will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the services. Vern was born on Aug. 23, 1920, at Maquon, Ill., to Irving Holt and Vivian Lois Burroughs Rogers. He was the eldest of nine children. Vern’s father, … Read more

Fetters, Carl B. – Obituary

Carl B. Fetters, resident of the Ola section for many years, died at his home in Emmett the first of the week [October 15, 1940] and funeral services were held at the Bucknum Chapel, Wednesday afternoon. Burial was in Riverside Cemetery. Mr. Fetters was born in Knox County, Ill., February 9, 1867, and was married to Lucy B. Milam October 30, 1888. He crossed the plains in a covered wagon in 1896 and homesteaded in Northern Idaho, In 1915 he moved to Ola and a few years ago to Emmett. He is survived by his wife and four brothers, also … Read more

Biography of Isaac V. Gilbert

Isaac V. Gilbert located in Riverside in 1881, seeking a desirable place of residence and safe investment of his capital. He purchased seven acres of land on Jurupa Avenue, in Brockton Square, from E. W. Holmes. Upon this tract he erected a substantial cottage residence, suitable outbuildings, etc., and also added beauty and comfort to his home by laying out roads, walks and lawns, and planting ornamental trees and floral plants. He has produced a beautiful and worthy specimen of a California home. His orange grove, of three and one-half acres, is composed mostly of seedling trees, about seven-teen years … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nathaniel Wicker

Nathaniel Wicker, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Pike Co., Ohio, Sept. 21, 1820; he is a son of James and Elizabeth Wicker, the former a native of North Carolina, and the latter of Kentucky; in 1838, the family came to Illinois, spending a part of the winter in Indiana, and arriving in Edgar Co., in February, 1839; they settled at the Walnut Grove, where his parents resided till their death; in 1848, Mr. Wicker, taking the younger members of his father’s family, removed to Coles Co., and settled in Ashmore Tp.; his first marriage occurred March … Read more

Biography of Joshua A. Downing

A man of ability and executive force, as is manifested in the results of his faithful endeavor, in the industrial world: a pioneer in at least two different counties of our state: a builder of Wallowa County, and a stanch and upright citizen of the same today, the subject of this article is eminently worthy to receive proper representation in this volume that purports both to chronicle the history of Union and Wallowa counties and makes mention as well of the early pioneers, as the leading citizens of today: and it is with pleasure that we accord the same to … Read more

Biography of Charles B. Bellinger

Judge Bellinger was born in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois, November 21, 1839, and at the age of eight years came to Oregon with his parents and grandparents. After receiving the advantages of a common school education, supplemented with some two years at the Willamette University, he began to read law at Salem, in the office of B. F. Bonham; at present United States Consul. at Calcutta, and was admitted to the bar at the September term of the Supreme Court, in 1863. He immediately thereafter engaged in the practice of law at Salem in partnership with J. C. Cartwright, since … Read more

Biography of Frank A. Landee

It is a safe presumption that Frank A. Landed the widely known retail grocer of Moline, is an example of self made manhood that is worthy of the most persistent and conscientious emulation. Mr. Landee was born in Kalmar, Sweden, August 11, 1852, and from the moment of his arrival in this country, his career has been marked by unceasing toil and honorable occupation and transactions. From a lad, wholly unknown, his rise has incessantly been in the ascendancy. He is at the present time a member of the Board of Directors of Augustana College; and is a member of … Read more

Hearing, Susan Jane – Obituary

Pioneer Haines Woman Passes This Morning “Grandma” Hearing Resident of County Since Year 1872 Mrs. Susan Jane Hearing of Haines, affectionately known to hundreds of friends as “Grandma” Hearing, died at her home at 1:30 this morning after a long period of failing health. She would have been 80 years of age at her next birthday. Susan Jane Taylor was born in Knox County, Illinois, January 31, 1848. She crossed the plains with her parents in 1852 and settled in Linn County, Oregon. She was married to Samuel P. Hearing January 11, 1866. In 1872 they moved to Baker County. … Read more

Biography of Alvin L. Williamson

Alvin L. Williamson. The many business interests that at present serve to make Clay Center one of the important young cities of Kansas cover almost every modern activity and profession, and include also some of the oldest industries, milling for example, that aecompanied the settlement of the first pioneers in Clay County. Long before improved machinery and modern methods of using motive power had been thought of, every deep-falling stream that could be profitably dammed had a grinding mill on its bank before civilized living was accepted as complete in that section. Pioneer history is full of atories of the … Read more

Biography of William H. Shepard

William H. Shepard. When William H. Shepard left college he chose the work which seemed most congenial and for which he had the greatest apparent adaptability, and entered a bank in Illinois. For thirty consecutive years he has applied himself to the subject of banking, and his business success and prominence is largely due to this concentration of effort along one line. Mr. Shepard is now vice president of the First National Bank of Coffeyville, and is identified with several other important concerns which might be classed as public utilities in that part of Kansas. His branch of the Shepard … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William B. Clark

Of the two sons who continue his honorable record in the State of Kansas, William B. was born in Knox County, Illinois, November 8, 1847. He received a public school education, lived on an Illinois farm until he was nine years of age, and after reaching manhood he identified himself with agrisulture. After spending some years as a farmer in Illinois he sold out and moved to Kansas in the spring of 1878. The first year he lived on a rented farm near Lawrence, but in the spring of 1879 moved to his present place of 160 acres which had … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Philologus Ely

PHILOLOGUS ELY. – This venerable pioneer was born in East Tennessee in 1825, and remained in his native state until 1834. In that year his father moved to Dewitt county, Illinois, and continued his occupation as a farmer through life. In the electric atmosphere of this young giant state of the West, Mr. Ely attained his majority, and in the meantime secured a practical education in the common schools. As a resource for his livelihood, he learned the trade of a plasterer, which, combined with his occupation of farmer, he followed in DeWitt and Knox counties. In the year 1851, … Read more

Biography of Thomas R. Hopkins

Thomas R. Hopkins. Modern business requires practical and thorough training in the same degree as the professions and sciences. In Champaign County there is no institution which affords a better curriculum and practical business education than the commercial college formerly known as Brown’s Business College and now owned and administered by Mr. Thomas R. Hopkins, himself a thorough educator of long experience and a man who has trained hundreds of young men and women and given them a thorough preparation for entrance into business affairs. Mr. Hopkins was born in Peoria County, Illinois, January 24, 1877, a son of Griffith … Read more

Biography of Fred Titterington

Few men are sufficiently versatile to successfully pursue two separate and entirely different vocations during their lives. Rare, indeed, is the farmer that becomes a dividend earning manufacturer, especially after he has attained middle age, and become a man of substance through his own efforts in tilling the soil. Such, however, has been the achievement of Fred Titterington, formerly a farmer in the vicinity of Edgington post office and now secretary and general manager of the Argillo works at Carbon Cliff. Mr. Titterington is another native of Rock Island County, having been born at Edgington September 1, 1852. He was … Read more

Biography of W. H. Mastin

W.H. MASTIN. – As a lien upon the gratitude of his fellow-men, one writes a book, another opens a mine, a third builds a house. Each one may do the work for himself, but nevertheless, in recognition of the wants and needs of others, suiting his operations to their tastes and necessities, and finding his chief satisfaction, not so much in the profit that he reaps from his industry, as from the position which he fills in the world of business and society, making himself, his skill and his work, a necessary part of the great whole. It is in … Read more

Biography of Amos S. Lapham

Amos S. Lapham. There are but few members of the bar of Southeastern Kansas who have exceeded the record of Amos S. Lapham, of Chanute, for length and continuity of service, for devotion to the best ethics of the profession and for connection with important litigation. His standing is that of one of the foremost members of the bar of this part of the state. Judge Lapham was born on a farm in Champaign County, Ohio, April 6, 1845, and is a son of Oziel and Mahala (Steere) Lapham, and belongs to one of America’s old and honored families. John … Read more

Biography of Joseph C Foster

Joseph C. Foster, carrying on general farming interests for many years in East River township but now leaving the arduous labor of the farm to others, although he still gives to it his general supervision, was born in Madison county, Ohio, December 23, 1826. He is a son of Joshua and Sarah (Silver) Foster, both of whom were natives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. The father was born there May 17, 1794, and when six years of age accompanied his parents to Ross county, Ohio, where he lived until eighteen years of age. A removal was then made to Madison county, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Henry Whitney

Whitney, William Henry; insurance; born, Monticello, Minn., June 21, 1860; son of Cephas Newhall and Cyrena Patch Whitney; educated, Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., classical course, 1884; married, Trinidad, Colo., 1890, Emma Gmin; issue, four children, two sons and two daughters; manager The Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Co.; member executive committee Congregational Club, 1912, and pres. of The Cleveland Congregational Brotherhood, 1911-1912; member Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.

Biography of Mills G. Voris

Mills G. Voris is now serving his third consecutive term as register of deeds of Cowley County. His is a case of exceptional fitness for public office. He had had a wide experience in public affairs, beginning when as a boy he was elected to succeed his father as county surveyor back in Illinois. He also knows the people and conditions in the Southwest, particularly in Cowley County, and had been both a farmer and business man. He is honest, capable, competent and efficient, and the work of his office was never in better hands. Mr. Voris was born in … Read more

Biography of Charles L. Green

CHARLES L. GREEN. – The farmers and stockmen and orchardists of Union county are a prosperous class of people and are noted for their enterprise and progressive methods, while the wealth of the county that has been produced by these industrious people is sufficient comment for their ability and thrift. As one of the substantial ones among this class we may mention the gentlman whose name is above, and who deserves a place in any record of the county’s leading men. Charles L. was born in Knox county, Illinois, on August 16, 1856, being the son of Ezra and Mary … Read more