Peoria County IL

Biography of Rev. George W. Gue

A man who, while never a permanent resident of Rock Island, yet lived in the city long enough to leave a permanent impress there and to be remembered with gratitude by many, was Reverend George W. Gue, for several years pastor of the First. Methodist Church, and builder of the present house of worship of that congregation. Honored in various ways by his church he bore his preferment well and earned the love and respect everywhere of those with whom he came in contact. Mr. Gue was born in Neville, Clermont County, Ohio, February 27, 1840, and died at Portland, … Read more

Biography of Francis Fletcher

FRANCIS FLETCHER. – Mr. Fletcher was among the very earliest of the settlers of Oregon, being here two years before the establishment of the Provisional government, and has consequently seen the great development of this state and coast form its earliest inception; and he has himself been one of the most active to induce the progress of the last fifty years. He was born in Yorkshire, England, March 1, 1814, and, at the age of fourteen years, crossed the water to Ontario, Canada, and afterwards to Peoria, Illinois. In 1839, in company with Amos Cook and others, he started for … Read more

Biography of James P. Gray

Thirty-five years have passed since James P. Gray came to Idaho to cast in his lot with its pioneers. People of the present end-of-the-century period can scarcely realize the struggles and dangers which attended the early settlers, the heroism and self-sacrifice of lives passed upon the borders of civilization, the hardships endured, the difficulties overcome. These tales of the early days read almost like a romance to those who have known only the modern prosperity and conveniences. To the pioneer of the early days, far removed from the privileges and conveniences of city or town, the struggle for existence was … Read more

O’Farrell, James R. – Obituary

James R. O’Farrell, 80, a native of Orting and a former Pierce County commissioner, died Friday night [September 25, 1953] at his home in Orting. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert O’Farrell, were pioneers in area, taking up a 120-acre homestead in the Puyallup Valley in 1870. Mr. O’Farrell was the last of four sons of the pioneers. He married Lena Bruce of Tacoma in 1898 and they set up housekeeping in Orting. For many years he was active in community and political affairs. He served at various times as mayor, councilman and school director in Orting and from 1916 … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Elbert Cutler

Cutler, James Elbert; university prof.; born, Princeville, Ill., Jan. 24, 1876; son of Frank W. and Antonaiah (Hoag) Cutler; B. A., University of Colorado, 1900; graduate student Yale, 1900-1903; Ph. D., 1903; married, Carolena D. Sperry, of New Haven, Conn., June 25, 1903; instr. English and civic government, State Preparatory School of Colorado, 1899-1909; instr. political economy, Yale, 1903-4; instr. economics, Wellesley College, 1904-1906; asst. prof. political economy, University of Michigan, 1906-1907; asso. prof. sociology, 1907-1910, prof. 1910-, Western Reserve University; member American Economics Ass’n, American Academy Political and Social Science; American Sociological Society, National Conference Charities and Correction, American … Read more

Biography of Samuel C. Miller

Samuel C. Miller as we have heretofore seen was one of the Walker Party, the first to discover gold in northern Arizona. He was the youngest member of this exploring band, and was, in many respects, a very remarkable man. He was born in Peoria, Illinois, November 4th, 1840. At the age of fifteen, he crossed the plains to the Pacific coast with his father and mother, making the entire journey on foot. He was naturally a frontiersman, which may account for the fact of his joining the Walker party at the age of twenty-one years to explore the wilderness … Read more

Biography of Charles E. Schaff

Charles E. Schaff, receiver for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad Company, was born on a farm in Licking county, Ohio. February 4, 1856. He is a son of the late Isaac M. Schaff, who was also born in the Buckeye state and represented one of the old families there of Dutch descent. In early life the father engaged in agricultural pursuits and later turned his attention to railroading, becoming connected with the train service of various roads. He passed away in Carroll county, Missouri, in 1888, aged fifty-seven years, having become a resident of Missouri four years before. He … Read more

Biography of Alfred Hovenden

ALFRED HOVENDEN. – Mr. Hovenden, known everywhere among the early pioneers as one of the most benevolent, upright and sagacious of men, was born in Kent county, England, August 26, 1824, of that steady, sterling English stock that fainted not and never failed. He crossed the water to American when twenty years old, and made his first home on a farm in Peoria county, Illinois. In 1849, together with his brother Charles, he turned his property into money, purchased an outfit with the intention of making the Pacific coast his home, and started westward, still being uncertain on the early … 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 W. D. McDonald

W. D. McDonald was born in Ross county, Ohio, August 6, 1826. His parents, William and Mary McDonald, were both natives of Virginia. His mother was a daughter of Nathaniel Wilson who was the first State printer of Ohio, and a sister of the late Nathaniel Wilson, who with his father started the Scioto Gazette in 1800, in Scioto county, one of the first papers of Ohio. Mr. Wilson died a few years ago at the age of ninety-two years-the oldest editor then in America. Our subject was five years old when his father died and he was reared by … Read more

Wilkinson, Thomas – Obituary

Thomas Wilkinson died at his home in High Valley, Thursday, March 23, 1922, age 85 years and 27 days. He was born in Peoria County, Illinois, January 24, 1837. His early life was spent in Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska. He crossed the plains to Oregon in 1864. Starting from Nebraska, May 9, and arriving in Oregon, October 9. He was married to Lydia A. Rundall November 27, 1879. To this union four children were born who survive him-Jacob H., Tillie A., Mary E., and Philip Edgar. His wife passed January 13, 1918. Three grandchildren survive; one sister, Mrs. Eliza Hathaway … Read more

Biography of A. A. Dunseth

A. A. Dunseth, Police Magistrate and Justice of the Peace, Oakland; born in Fleming Co., Ky., Oct. 12, 1821; he removed with his parents, when 6 years of age, to Ohio, where he learned and worked at the carpenter trade until 1843, when he came West and located at Peoria, Ill., working at his trade until 1852, when he removed to Georgetown, Ill., where he kept hotel two years, when he purchased a saw-mill, which he ran in connection with his trade until 1858, when he removed to Danville, and engaged in contracting and building until 1861, when he raised … Read more

Kickapoo Indians

Kickapoo Indians. From Kiwegapaw`, “he stands about,” “he moves about, standing now here, now there.” Also called: A’-uyax, Tonkawa name, meaning “deer eaters.” Higabu, Omaha and Ponca name. I’-ka-dŭ’, Osage name. Shake-kah-quah, Wichita name. Shígapo, Shikapu, Apache name. Sik’-a-pu, Comanche name. Tékapu, Huron name. Yuatara’ye-ru’nu, a second Huron name, meaning “tribe living around the lakes.” Kickapoo Connections. The Kickapoo belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock, and in a special group with the Foxes and Sauk. Kickapoo Villages. The villages were: Etnataek (shared with the Foxes), rather a fortification than a village, near the Kickapoo village on Sangamon River, Illinois. Kickspougowi, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Martin W. Annin

Martin W. Annin, carpenter and builder, Oakland; the subject of this sketch is the son of J. V. D. Annin, whose biography appears in this work, and whose genealogy is given for four generations past; he was born in Somerset Co., N. J., Jan. 5, 1831, where he engaged in farming until 15 years of age, when he went to Brooklyn, N. Y., and learned and worked at the carpenter trade until 20 years of age, when he emigrated; with his parents, and located in Lee Co., Ill., in 1850, remaining here a short time, when he went to Peoria … Read more

Wicks, H. Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. H. Wicks Passed This Life Sunday Noon Another pioneer was called to the beyond this week when Mrs. H. Wicks died at her ranch home east of North Powder, Sunday morning, June 21. Mrs. Wicks had been in ill health for the past two years, and for the past several months, had been bedfast, and while her death was not unexpected, yet it cast a gloom over the entire community. She will be missed by her many friends and acquaintances, many of whom had known her for the 43 years she has spent in this section. Mrs. Wicks was … 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

Biography of F. C. Amsbary

F. C. Amsbary, superintendent and manager of the Champaign Waterworks, has been superintending waterworks plants in different parts of the country for upwards of thirty years. It has in fact been his regular profession, though some of his younger years were devoted to railroading. Mr. Amsbary has numerous connections that identify him with the substantial interests of his home city. A native of Illinois, he was born at Pekin, January 24, 1863, a son of William Wallace and Harriet E. (Harlow) Amsbary, both of whom are natives of New York State. William W. Amsbary moved to Champaign in 1907, and … Read more

The Conner Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Conner's General Merchandise Store, Prairie du Rocher

There are few citizens of American blood, native born in Randolph County, who date their birth back as far as does Mr. W. S. Conner, a resident of the southern part of Township five — eight. He was born within a quarter of a mile of his present residence, in the year of 1815. He was the son of Henry Conner, who was born in Maryland and moved to Kentucky when ten years old, about the year 1795. The Conner family is of Irish extraction. The name was formerly spelled “O’Connor,” in which form it will be easily recognized as … Read more

Biography of Charles Wesley Foster

Charles Wesley Foster, deceased, who was one of the public-spirited citizens of Page county, honored and respected wherever known but most of all where best known, was born May 19, 1833, in Canton, Fulton county, Illinois, where he acquired his education in the public schools. At the age of fifteen years he went to Peoria to learn the tinner’s trade and there remained for four years. When nineteen years of age he went to Abingdon, Illinois, and conducted the first hardware and tin store in that place. Four years later he removed to Bushnell, Illinois, where he also became the … Read more

George Ira Todd of Bartonville IL

George Ira Todd9, (Ira8, Ira7, Jehiel6, Stephen5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Dec. 9, 1849, in Cooperstown, N. Y., married in 1876, Clara L. Hemstreet, of Mendota, Ill., who was born in 1854, in Lyons, N. Y. About 1895 his mind became deranged through overwork and worry and since that time he has been an inmate of the insane asylum in Bartonville, Ill. He is not very closely confined and is allowed many privileges. Children: 2607. Charles Albert, b. Oct. 1877, d. in 1907. 2608. Mary Elizabeth, b. 1879; unmarried. 2609. Helen Ruby, b. 1881, m. 1913, William Wally, of … Read more