Rantoul Illinois

Biography of Andrew Ekblaw

Andrew Ekblaw. For forty-one years Andrew Ekblaw has been a resident of Champaign County. The management and cultivation of the land and its resources have furnished him an occupation and business, and as a practical agriculturist he has few peers in this part of the state. Mr. Ekblaw was born in Sweden in 1854, a son of Johannes and Charlotte Ekblaw. He was reared and educated in his native land and was eighteen years of age when with other members of the family he came to America in 1872. The Ekblaws first located near Springfield, at New Berlin. There were … Read more

Biography of Solomon Mantle

Solomon Mantle. Of the families whose lives of integrity and industry have identified them permanently with the best interests of Champaign County, one that deserves special mention is that of Solomon Mantle, who now lives with his family in Rantoul, and from that village still superintends his extensive farming interests. Mr. Mantle is a son of Isaac and Mary J. (Kuder) Mantle. Mary Kuder’s father was born in Pennsylvania. Isaac Mantle, a native of Ohio, came to Illinois when a young man, lived for a number of years in Champaign County and afterwards moved to Vermilion County. Solomon Mantle had … Read more

Biography of John A. Clark

John A. Clark. Among the numerous families of Champaign County whose activities have contributed materially to its upbuilding and the promotion of its best interests that of Clark stands prominent. Now living retired at Rantoul, Mr. John A. Clark spent the best years of his active career as a successful farmer, and he reared and liberally provided for his family through the fruits of his toil in the fields of this county. Mr. Clark is a son of John and Jean (Butters) Clark, both of whom were born and reared among the hills and heather of Scotland. John Clark’s heart … Read more

Biography of Louis Glenn Collison

Louis Glenn Collison, vice president of the First National Bank of Rantoul, is one of the youngest bankers of Champaign County, and has attained a distinctive position in business affairs which would be creditable to many older men. Mr. Collison was born at Rantoul, August 30, 1894, a son of the late Fred Collison and Emma B. Collison. His mother is now Mrs. S. C. Tucker of Champaign. Mr. Collison was liberally educated, attending the grammar and high schools at Rantoul, spent one year in the University of Illinois and one year in Northwestern University at Chicago, and also had … Read more

Biography of W. R. Cole

W. R. Cole is one of the former prominent business men of Champaign County now living retired. He and Mrs. Cole occupy a very attractive home on Belle Avenue in Rantoul. Mrs. Cole is a member of an old and prominent family of Champaign County, and is a sister of one of the foremost physicians and surgeons in the world, Dr. D. A. K. Steele, one of the founders of the University of Illinois medical department. Mrs. Cole and her brother both taught in the school at Rantoul and they are of a family of teachers, preachers and lawyers. A … Read more

Biography of J. H. Blue

J. H. Blue. Many years have passed since Mr. and Mrs. Blue took up their residence in Champaign County and began their careers as progressive farmers, and at the present time they live in the comforts of a good town home at Rantoul. In the meantime their children have grown up, most of them have married and have homes of their own, and Mr. and Mrs. Blue are able to take the greatest satisfaction out of the large family circle that surround them. Both of them are natives of Germany. J. H. Blue was born in the little Town of … Read more

Biography of Charles Gordon

Charles Gordon. Now enjoying the comforts of a home in Rantoul that is one of the best residences of that town, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon are able to look back with pardonable pride upon a long and active career spent in Champaign County. Mr. Gordon gained his success as a farmer. Industry, combined with good judgment, gave him a competency many years ago, and he is looked upon as one of the large land holders and substantial citizens of this section. A native of Ireland, he was born in Wexford County, a son of John and Mary (Whalen) Gordon. A … Read more

Biography of William L. Sturdyvin

William L. Sturdyvin. A resident for more than forty-five years in Champaign County has made William L. Sturdyvin one of his community’s best known citizens, and the honorable and industrious life he has led has given him a substantial place among his people. The years have dealt kindly with him and with his efforts, and he and his good wife now reside in a comfortable and hospitable home in Rantoul. Theirs is one of the fine residences facing the park in Rantoul, and stands on a street corner about two blocks from the interurban station. Mr. Sturdyvin is a native … Read more

Biography of Joseph Fultz

Joseph Fultz, now living retired at Rantoul, has had a career filled with labors and ministrations of kindness, and has done what good he could as he went through the world. The practical side of his career has been as a farmer, and for a number of years he served as a local minister of the Methodist Church, a work of inestimable value which cannot be measured by any ordinary human standards. Mr. Fultz was born in Washington County, Indiana, a son of Frederick and Mary Fultz, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Indiana. Frederick Fultz … Read more

Biography of J. S. Mason, M. D.

J. S. Mason, M. D., who was graduated in medicine over twenty years ago, has found his time and abilities more and more taxed as a. competent physician and surgeon, and in that field he ranks among the foremost in his section of the state. Doctor Mason is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, an honor conferred only upon surgeons of distinctive rank and attainment. He was born at Newark, Ohio, May 22, 1868, a son of Jacob W. and Elizabeth (Smith) Mason, both natives of Ohio. His father came to Vermilion County, Illinois, in 1881 and followed … Read more

Biography of J. W. McCullough

J. W. McCullough has long been a resident of Champaign County. His life’s activities have been expressed along different lines, as a successful agriculturist, a merchant, and in his later years, with greater opportunity for leisure, he is applying himself to the management, with his son, of a large business at Rantoul for the handling of grain, fuel and implements. Mr. McCullough is a native of DeWitt County, Illinois, and a son of James and Mary Jane (Rusk) McCullough. His parents were born in Ohio and in the early days they came to Illinois, crossing the intervening country in covered … Read more

Biography of John J. Reynolds

John J. Reynolds is one of the progressive agriculturists of Champaign County, with a well improved place in Sidney Township on Rural Route No. 57. Mr. Reynolds is a native of this county, born in Rantoul Township, March 9, 1881, a son of Isaac W. and Mary (Stephenson) Reynolds. The parents were both natives of Pennsylvania and his father spent his boyhood days in Ohio and identified himself with Champaign County in 1862. He broke some of the first prairie sod near Rantoul, and though beginning comparatively poor accumulated three fine farms and spent his last years in comfortable retirement … Read more

Biography of J. O. Alexander

J. O. Alexander. It is now nearly half a century since Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Alexander laid the foundation of their home and fortune by their marriage and during all that time they have lived in the vicinity of Rantoul, have been materially prospered and have also fulfilled that great duty of bearing and rearing children to usefulness and honor in the world’s work. Mr. Alexander is one of the honored old soldiers of Champaign County. He was born near the Sangamon River in Illinois, a son of Henry and Polly Alexander. He grew up on the farm and … Read more

Biography of G. W. Hartsock

G. W. Hartsock. The record of a true and upright Christian gentleman, a man of more than ordinary business acumen fortified by years of industry, is that of G. W. Hartsock, who with his noble wife is now spending years of retirement at their home on Belle Avenue in the City of Rantoul. Mr. Hartsock was born in Greene County, Ohio, son of David and Sarah J. (Cornell) Hartsock, both natives of Ohio. His grandfather, Sylvanus Cornell, was a soldier of the War of 1812 under General Harrison, and for many years he drew a pension until his death. G. … Read more

Biogrphy of James C. McCaskrin

James C. McCaskrin. Of the families that have contributed much to the life and substance of Champaign County during passing years that of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. McCaskrin of Rantoul stand conspicuous. They came as young married people to Champaign County more than forty-five years ago. J. C. McCaskrin was a son of Harrison M. and Louisa E. McCaskrin, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. The mother’s family moved from Ohio to Indiana and entered a Government tract of land. Harrison McCaskrin was a miller by trade and followed that occupation in Tippecanoe County, … Read more

Biography of Thomas McQuaid

Thomas McQuaid. Three generations of the McQuaid family have devoted their industry and their active years to the business of farming and the affairs of their community in Champaign County. The founder of the family here was Thomas McQuaid, Sr., now deceased, while Thomas, Jr., is owner of the old homestead in Compromise Township, but its chief responsibilities are now in the hands of his son John McQuaid. Thomas McQuaid was born at Rantoul, a son of Thomas and Catherine (Moiland) McQuaid. He was one of two children, his sister being Ellen. Thomas McQuaid, Jr., was educated in the Rantoul … Read more

Biography of Edward V. More

Edward V. More. Of the families of Champaign County whose industry and activities of life have contributed materially to the prosperity and upbuilding of the community one of the most highly respected is that which bears the name of More, and which has a worthy representative in Edward V. More of Rantoul. Mr. More, who is engaged in the fire insurance business at this time and whose energies have taken him into other fields of endeavor during a long and uniformly successful career, was born in St. Joseph County, Michigan, and is a son of James R. and Louisa M. … Read more

Biography of Henry Bernard Clark

Henry Bernard Clark. Life is a great drama, and many men play various roles and on many stages of activity. Such has been the experience of Henry Bernard Clark, a veteran jeweler, now living retired from a long business career at Rantoul. Mr. Clark is probably the only man in Champaign County and perhaps the only one in Illinois whose birthplace was the historic Isle of St. Helena, associated in the memories of men chiefly because it was the prison home of Napoleon Bonaparte and also the place where he died. He was born there, a son of Thomas and … Read more

Biography of Charles M. Webber

Charles M. Webber. Since 1914 the post office at Urbana has been in charge of Charles M. Webber, and in the time that has elapsed since that date the people of the county seat of Champaign County have had no reason to complain of the mail service. Mr. Webber was for many years a business man and in the activities of commercial life found much to broaden him and to give him sound, practical ideas and love of system which have assisted him greatly in keeping the machinery of the post office in smooth running order. Also, he had previously … Read more

Biography of Alexander Craigmile

Alexander Craigmile. Of the men whose ability, industry and fore-thought have added to the character, wealth and progress of Champaign County none deserves better mention than Alexander Craigmile, a veteran of the Union army, long and successfully identified with agriculture, and now with his good wife living retired in a comfortable home at Rantoul. His public spirited citizenship has stood every test of time and service. Forty years he has known Compromise Township, and during that time has again and again been chosen to fill places of trust and responsibility. He was elected to serve as assessor, collector, supervisor and … Read more