V. R. Bridges, M. D., physician and surgeon, Mattoon; was born in Rockingham Co., Va., June 4, 1832; his father settled in Ross Co., Ohio, near Chillicothe, in 1836; in 1841, he came to Illinois and settled in Newton, Jasper Co.; he was engaged in contracting on public works, both in Ohio and Illinois. Dr. …
H. W. Magee, attorney at law, Mattoon; was born in Coles Co., Ill., in October, 1847; his father came from Cynthiana, Ky., and settled in Coles Co., Ill., in 1832; here he engaged in farming; he relates that his father labored a whole year for Joseph VanDeren for $96; when H. W., was 2 years …
Elisha Linder, farmer; P. O. Mattoon; was born in Hardin Co., Ky., Aug. 16, 1807; his early life was passed upon the farm, and his education was such as the schools of those days afforded; when less than seven years of age, He lost his father, and being the oldest of the family, he soon …
G. T. Kilner, druggist, Mattoon; was born in Manchester, Eng., Nov. 18, 1820; at the age of 15 years, he was left an orphan, and, in 1836, emigrated to America, and first settled in Waterbury, Conn.; here he engaged in the sale of drugs six years; he then moved to Newburgh, N. Y., where he …
Theodore Jonte, dealer in harness and saddles, Mattoon; was born in Nashville, Tenn., April 4, 1839; his father was a wholesale confectioner; he received a good common-school education, and, at the age of 16 years, left home and came West, settling in Quincy, Ill., where he engaged in working at his trade; in the fall …
J. K. Donnell, wholesale grocer, Mattoon; was born in Tyrone Co., Ireland, Oct. 14, 1835. At the age of 13, he entered the employ of John and James Graham, as clerk in their grocery establishment, in the town of Strabane; here he served an indentured apprenticeship for three years and four months, at which time …
O. W. Gogin, Justice of the Peace, Mattoon; was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1820; his father came from New Jersey and settled in Cincinnati in 1800; the family was six months making the journey, coming by teams to Pittsburgh, Penn., and thence floating down the Ohio in a keelboat to the point of destination; …
Adolf Sumerlin, editor and attorney at law, Mattoon; born in Keosauqua, Iowa, Aug. 24, 1851; moved with his parents, Rufus and I. A. Sumerlin, to a farm in Scotland Co., Mo., in 1859; his father having embarked in the newspaper business in Memphis in 1860, he commenced learning the printer’s trade; in 1865, he moved …
J. O. Rudy, real estate agent, Mattoon; was born near Louisville, Jefferson Co., Ky., May 1, 1827; his parents moved to Illinois, and settled near Paris, Edgar Co., in 1830; his early life was spent upon the farm, and his early experiences were those of a farmer’s son; his education was derived from the common …
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 …
J. J. Beall, student at law, Mattoon; was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, Nov. 26, 1843; his father came with his family to Illinois in the fall of 1852, and settled in Wayne Co. Here he engaged in farming. The subject of this sketch passed his life upon the farm and obtained his education at …
John Hunt, meat-market, Mattoon; was born in Fayette Co., Ohio, Nov. 6, 1837; his father came West to Illinois and settled in Jasper Co. in 1845; his early life was that of a farmer’s boy, and his advantages for securing an education somewhat limited; most of his education he obtained in the schools of Xenia, …
Abram Hasbrouck, City Mayor, and dealer in hardware and agricultural implements, Mattoon; was born in Ulster Co., N. Y., in 1825; his early life was passed upon the farm, and his education, such as was derived from the common schools; he remained on the homestead until about 25 years of age; in 1854, he came …
Ira B. Jackson, insurance agent, Mattoon; was born in Madison, Jefferson Co., Ind., Oct. 31, 1851; in 1855, his father removed with his family to Illinois, and settled in Sangamon Co., near Springfield; his early life was that of a farmer’s boy; he acquired a good common-school education; at the age of 18, he engaged …
Tiffin P. Logan, land and loan agent, Mattoon; was born in Trimble Co., Ky., March 28, 1844; his father was a man of prominence, a cousin to President Harrison, and was honored by the Democratic party with a seat in the Kentucky Legislature during the sessions of 1844-45; in the spring of 1858, removed with …
J. I. Ayer, book and music store, Mattoon; was born in Medford, Mass., Feb. 3, 1854. In 1866, the family moved to Elizabeth, N. J.; in addition to his common-school education, he enjoyed the advantages of a boarding-school at Nazareth, Penn.; this school was of a military character, and he here pursued a course in …
J. W. Hanna, book and music store, Mattoon; was born in Freeport, Harrison Co., Ohio, Dec. 2, 1848; he derived his education from the common schools, and, at the age of 13 years, began clerking in his father’s general merchandising establishment at Deersville, Ohio; July 4,1866, he came West, stopping a short time at Preston, …
J. M. Gibbs, livery and sale stable, Mattoon; was born near the South Kickapoo, in Coles Co., Ill., Jan. 28, 1841; his grandfather, Elijah Gibbs, was one of the early pioneers of this section, having come from Virginia, in an early day, to Ohio, and thence to Illinois; his father, Homer Gibbs, was here almost …
Rev. J. W. Woods, C. P. minister, Mattoon; was born in the Territory of Indiana, Feb. 5, 1815. He is the son of Wm. G. and Rachel (Lester) Woods; his father was a farmer and his early boyhood days were spent upon the farm; his education was obtained mainly at Pilot Knob Academy, under the …
Z. Robertson, farmer and mechanic, Mattoon; was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Oct. 22, 1830; he obtained his education in the common schools of Paris, Ky.; his early life was passed upon the farm; at the age of 22 years, he left Kentucky and moved to Greenfield, Ind.; here he followed the trade of plastering …
