McLean County IL

Conaway, Barry – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Barry Conaway Passes Away A. B. Conaway, attorney and justice of the peace, in Enterprise for over 30 years, passed away at St. Vincent hospital in Portland Monday after a month’s illness. He was taken to Portland about ten days ago when it became apparent that he was losing ground rapidly. Although there seemed to be only slight hope that anything further could be done for him in his weakened condition, it was hoped that something might be found which would be able to check the malady with which he was suffering. Barry, as he was … Read more

Township Officers of Cropsy, Illinois

The township was organized in April, 1858, at a meeting held at the house of Levi Straight. A. A. Straight was chosen Moderator, and A. J. Cropsey, Clerk. The town was divided into two road districts on the half-section line running through the town north and south, which now has the iron bridge on it. Below is given, in table, the officers who have been elected to the principal offices during the official life of the town. Date Votes Cast Supervisor Clerk Assessor Collector 1858   A.A. Straight B.A. Wiggins J. Harkness J. Darr 1859   J.H. Van Eman E.W. … Read more

Biography of Richard Yates Kennedy

Richard Yates Kennedy. A man of genial presence, of manifest sympathy, of resourceful brain and high educational standards, is found in Richard Yates Kennedy, principal of the Coffeyville High School. He has bad many years of experience in the educational field, some thirty-three more or less continuous, and there are few problems of a teacher’s life that he has not, at one time or another, successfully solved. Professor Kennedy has been a resident of Kansas since 1887, has valuable property investments in Montgomery County, and social, business and civic interests at Coffeyville. Richard Yates Kennedy was born in Whiteside County, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William B. Keusink

William B. Keusink is one of the younger business men of Champaign, has been a resident of the city most of his life, and since 1910 has conducted a very successful drug business. He was born at Bloomington, Illinois, September 20, 1879, a son of William and Elizabeth (Lynch) Keusink. His father was a native of Schenectady, New York, and his mother of Utica, New York. William Keusink for a number of years conducted a laundry business in Champaign County, but is now living retired. He and his wife had two children, William B. and Wilhelmina, the latter the wife … Read more

History of Churches in Dry Grove, Illinois

The Christian Church is the strongest at Dry Grove. It was organized by James Robinson and Amos Watkins. They held their first meetings at the residence of Samuel Barker. The house was a cabin, just across the road from where Mr. Snodgrass now lives, in the eastern side of Dry Grove. These pioneer preachers lived oil Panther Creek, in Woodford County, and came down to this grove to preach, and start a church, if possible. They were successful. This was in 1842. Belonging to the first list of membership, we find the names of John Harbard, Abraham Staggers. William Beeler, … Read more

Schreeck, Fred – Obituary

Fred Schreeck Of Baker Dies Well – Known Business Man Succumbs After Illness Fred H. Schreeck, Baker business man, died this morning at 8:30 at his home after an illness extending over a period of three years. Mr. Schreeck was born in Bloomington, Illinois February 25, 1882. He came to Baker in 1899 and engaged in mining until 1901. In 1901 he married Emma Adams and they lived in Portland until 1909 when they moved back to Baker and Mr. Schreeck established the foundation of the Schreeck Ice and Cold Storage Company. He made a start by peddling hominy and … Read more

Biography of James Rowland

James Rowland. More and more as time goes on American people appreciate the sacrifices and heroism of that host of men who preserved the Union in the dark days of the ’60s. It was a wonderful heritage left by them “Much more by far than all the crowns that Europe’s monarchs ever wore, the heritage heroes left a nation free from shore to shore.” Comparatively few of the old veterans of that struggle still survive, and wherever they are found they enjoy increasing respect in proportion to their decreasing numbers. One of them is Mr. James Rowland, whose country home … Read more

Biography of Phineas Lawrence Windsor

Phineas Lawrence Windsor, librarian of the University of Illinois, is one of the ablest men of his profession in the state. He is a native of Illinois, and had a wide experience in library work both in the East and West before he entered upon his present duties. He was assistant in the New York State Library in 1899, and from 1900 to 1903 was in the copyright office in the Library of Congress. From 1904 to 1909 Mr. Windsor held the post of librarian to the University of Texas at Austin. He then accepted his present duties as librarian … Read more

Biography of Thomas M. Lillard

Thomas M. Lillard had been practicing law at Topeka for the past nine years. He was born July 29, 1881, at Bloomington, Illinois, where his father John T. Lillard, also a lawyer, is still living. His mother Sallie (Williams) Lillard is now deceased. Reared in Bloomington, Mr. Lillard attended the public schools, and in 1902 graduated bachelor of science from the Illinois Wesleyan University. Following that came two years of study in the law department of the Denver University at Denver, Colorado, and he then returned to Bloomington, where in 1905 he was gradinated LL. B. from Illinois Wesleyan University … Read more

A Murder in Money Creek, Illinois

Two and a half miles northeast of the village of Towanda„but within the limits of Money Creek Township, there was found, one morning in October, 1876, the body of a man, in the field of James Donohue, about forty rods from the railroad. The body was first discovered by Mrs. Strode. She thought it was a ” tramp” asleep, and so reported the matter at home. The boys went out and found the man dead, lying on his face. They reported, and immediately sent for Coroner Hendricks. Dr. Smith, of Bloomington, held the post-mortem examination, and found that one ball … Read more

Early Settlers of Arrowsmith, Illinois

So far as the facts in regard to the earliest settlement in this township are at hand. it seems that the sons of Jonathan Cheney were the first to take up claims and live in what is now Arrowsmith. The land around the head of the timber was attractive on account of its grass. All around the old Indian fort, the blue-grass had come in after the prairie-grass had been killed out. The first year of Jonathan Cheney’s residence in the county, he had driven his cattle here for late pasturage. Undoubtedly attracted by this fine pasturage, his sons, when … Read more

Biography of James A. Brady

James A. Brady. High rank in the legal profession had long distinguished Cherryvale, and it numbers among its members many who have gained for themselves reputations and prestige extending some distance beyond the limits of their immediate field of action. Among the ambitious, alert and enterprising lawyers who have taken advantage of the opportunities offered in this city for professional advancement and have thereby attained a full measure of success, is James A. Brady, who had been engaged in practice here since 1905, and who for the past seven years had served capably and energetically in the office of city … Read more

Early Churches of Downs, Illinois

Elder 1. D. Newell, a home missionary of the Baptist denomination, was in this field at work, holding meetings as early as 1836. He organized a church, and a building was erected at Lytleville about that time ; and soon after him, Elder Elijah Veatch preached there and in the surrounding country. There was a church organized, and preaching maintained by it for a time, at the Macedonia Schoolhouse, in this township; but it has disbanded. Rev. Joel Hulsey, of the same denomination, came from Kentucky and preached at Lytleville awhile, and, in 1835, came to this town and bought … Read more

Biography of Jesse S. Wilson

Jesse S. Wilson was a prominent and successful stockman in Illinois for many years, but in the spring of 1912 transferred his interests to Kansas. He spent a few months at Emporia but in the fall of that year located at Hamilton in Greenwood County. Mr. Wilson is proprietor of twelve hundred acres of land, constituting a splendid ranch, and some of the finest cattle and horses in the state are kept on that ranch or are shipped from there to market. Mr. Wilson is both a stock farmer and stock dealer. His ranch is situated five miles northwest of … Read more

Railroad History of Cropsy, Illinois

The center of the old town of Cropsey was, and is yet, about fourteen miles from the nearest railroad station, being about equidistant from Saybrook, on the south, and Fairbury, on the north. This of itself was enough. during the era of railroad-building and bond-voting, to make it of interest to railroad-builders and popular with voters to go into the bonding business. Several propositions were made and votes taken in this direction. None of these propositions were received favorably until the Decatur State-Line Railroad took form. This road was to run from Decatur, where it well connect with the Decatur … Read more

Biography of William Miller Kenton

William Miller Kenton first came to Kansas nearly forty years ago, acquired an interest in a homestead in Rice County, and by his subsequent exertions had developed a large amount of fine farming land and is one of the leading men of affairs and citizens at Chase. Mr. Kenton was born in Bracken County, Kentucky, October 4, 1850. His Kenton ancestry goes back to the earliest period of colonization of the Kentucky country and the name of Kenton is a famous one in old Kentucky, and doubtless there is some relationship between this branch and the noted Simon Kenton, one … Read more

Organization of White Oak Township, Illinois

White Oak Township was organized in the spring of 1858, the first election having been held April 6, 1858. The name of the town was a fortunate selection, as thereby this fraction of a township, the smallest in the county, has obtained a name that entitles it to the historical record of the whole grove. White Oak has always possessed a large share of influence in the councils of the county at large-much more than some of the newer and larger townships have been able to secure. The town has had no debt, or, if it ever bad any, it … Read more

Biography of Frank B. Means

Frank B. Means. As one of the leading business men of Fisher Frank B. Means is supplying a service which contributes to the standing and importance of that town among the communities of Champaign County and the skill and energy which he employs in the management of the only drug store and pharmacy in the town would be creditable to a city of much larger size. Mr. Means belongs to the pioneer element of central Illinois, and particularly McLean and Champaign counties. It is a fact that should not be forgotten in the history of Champaign County that his father, … Read more

Money Creek, Illinois Roads

In the early history of this settlement, Indian trails were the only roads. There was a very prominent trail passing through the settlement, which connected the Wabash with the Illinois. Indian paths, of course, followed the most direct and convenient course. The first road made by white men did the same. Many of these became regularly-established highways, and, as a result, we find the township crossed in all directions by roads that follow section or half-section lines but little. In townships that are composed of prairie-lands almost wholly, we naturally look for roads on every section line, but, where there … Read more

Biography of Eugene B. Buck

Eugene B. Buck, editor and proprietor of the Charleston Courier. Charleston; was born in Fayette Co., Ind., Oct. 12, 1834; when he was about five years old, his father’s family removed to McLean Co., Ill.; he served his apprenticeship to the printer’s trade in Bloomington; in 1852, he went to Peoria, Ill., and, in 1855, was connected with the publication of the Pekin Plaindealer; in 1856, he was associated with four other journeymen printers in running a co-operative daily paper in Peoria; in 1857, he conducted the Washington Advertiser, in Franklin Co., Mo.; in 1859, he edited the Daily Enterprise, … Read more