Sidney Illinois

Biographical Sketch of William Henry Trees

William Henry Trees has lived a career that entitles him to a place of honor and respect among the citizens of Champaign County. For years he was a successful farmer and is now a local business man at Sidney. He was born in Champaign County February 5, 1872. He is a son of Ephraim and Helen (Martin) Trees. Both parents were born in Ohio. His father came to Champaign County in an early day and located on a farm near Thomasboro. That farm he cultivated and was getting to a position where he could be considered prosperous when he met … Read more

Biography of Clyde L. Busey

Clyde L. Busey, whose active part as a citizen of Champaign County is farming and managing one of the fine farms in Sidney Township, is one of the sturdy representatives of a name that has been identified with this section of Illinois since pioneer times. His father, Simeon Fountain Busey, was born in Sidney Township, February 12, 1854, a son of Fountain J. and Maria (Sheppard) Busey. Fountain J. was born in Kentucky and his wife in Ohio. Fountain Busey came to Champaign County in the early ’40s and acquired and developed a handsome estate of farming land. His death … Read more

Biography of James F. Rankin

James F. Rankin has proved his ability both in general business affairs and as a banker, and is the organizer and active official of the State Bank of Sidney. Mr. Rankin was born near Deland, Illinois, October 31, 1879, a son of Joseph H. and Emma (Brown) Rankin. His parents were natives of Ohio, and his father was for a number of years a general merchant at Deland, but about 1902 removed to Champaign County and located in the city of Champaign, where he is still living. James F. is the only surviving child, his younger brother, Willis D., having … Read more

Biography of Charles D. Thompson

Charles D. Thompson has been a resident of Ogden for many years, and enjoys a substantial position in that community because of his record as a good citizen and his honest workmanship as a painter and paper hanger. Mr. Thompson was born August 24, 1853, at Leesburg in Kosciusko County, Indiana, son of John and Hester (Rhodes) Thompson. His father was born near Chillicothe and his mother in Marion County, Ohio. From Ohio the parents removed to Indiana and two months after the birth of Charles his mother died. Bereft of his mother, the infant was taken into the home … Read more

Biography of Rev. William E. Means

Rev. William E. Means, proprietor of the Atwood Herald, was born at Paris, Edgar county, Illinois, June 28, 1850. He attended the district school during the winter, working on prepared to enter Paris high school. In 1874 he matriculated at the Northwestern University, and was graduated from the theological department of this well-known institution in the farm (luring the summer months, until the class of 1879. After graduation he was admitted to the Minnesota conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was appointed pastor of the Rushmore charge, where a hand-some four-thousand-dollar church was built, free from debt. In the … Read more

Biography of John W. Mumm

John W. Mumm. Now living retired at Sidney, John W. Mumm for years controlled and directed the operations of some of the best farming lands in Champaign County. His career has been productive in the best sense of the term and has been significant of his sturdy character, upright manhood and long continued industry. Mr. Mumm was born at Sidney in Champaign County, November 24, 1864, and represents a family of early settlers. His parents were John J. and Magdalena (Witt) Mumm, both natives of Germany. His father was a native of the old Danish province of Holstein. When a … Read more

Biography of Jacob Redmon

Jacob Redmon. In these days when the American nation is, once more girded for battle, the people pay increasing honor and respect to the comparatively few survivors of that great struggle of fifty years ago when the object was the destruction of the institution of slavery as it is now the abolition of autocratic governments from the face of the earth. One of the veterans of that war against slavery living in Champaign County is Mr. Jacob Redmon of Ogden. He has lived to attain and pass the age of three quarters of a century and practically all his life … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles Chester Place

Charles Chester Place. For more than half a century the Place family has been identified with one locality in Champaign County, section 36 of Sidney Township. This is the farm home of Charles Chester Place, who was born there and has followed up the pioneer enterprise of his father with signally successful efforts of his own. Mr. Place was born February 9, 1880, and is a son of Jefferson R. and Henrietta (Cash) Place. His father was a native of Ohio and his mother of Pennsylvania. Jefferson R. Place came to Champaign County in 1865, and at that time bought … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Witt

Charles W. Witt. Prominently known in Champaign County, and especially at Sidney, Mr. Witt is a native of that section and has made his years count for usefulness and service in different lines. He is now serving as postmaster of Sidney. He was born in that village February 25, 1871, a son of William and Mary (Wilson) Witt. His father was a native of Germany, but his mother was born in Champaign County. William Witt followed farming, for a number of years afterwards was a railroad man, and he died at Sidney, February 25, 1912, on Charles Witt’s forty-first birthday. … 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

Biographical Sketch of Truman O. Cord

Truman O. Cord has made a success of farm management and has in active operation one of the fine places in Sidney Township, located on Rural Route No. 58. While Mr. Cord has spent most of his life in Champaign County, he was born in Indiana, October 26, 1872, a son of Simon and Milcah (Cawthorn) Cord. Both parents were natives of Indiana, and both are now deceased, the mother having passed away in 1884 and the father on July 13, 1890. They came to Champaign County about 1876 and the father was also a farmer. There were seven children: … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Howard F. Love

Howard F. Love. One of the best managed farms in Sidney Township is that of the Love family in section 19. The active managers of this estate are Howard F. Love and his brother, Clifford S. Howard F. Love gave up his course in agriculture at the University of Illinois to take active charge of the business following the death of his father. His parents were John and Mary E. (Adams) Love, both natives of Ohio. John Love came to Champaign County in 1852 and at that time located in section 19 of Sidney Township, where he took land in … Read more

Biography of Columbus Clinton McElwee

Columbus Clinton McElwee is one of Champaign County’s successful farmers and cattle feeders, and has come up from the bottom round of the ladder to a most successful position. The best type of success is that which depends upon personal energy and initiative in acquiring those things which a worthy ambition craves, and in this respect Mr. McElwee is one of the truly successful men of Champaign County. He was born at Wallace, Indiana, June 4, 1873, a son of David and Melissa Jane (Harlow) McElwee. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of Indiana. His father … Read more

Biography of Benjamin C. Paine

Benjamin C. Paine. Among the substantial citizens and large property owners of Champaign County, one who has contributed to his community’s welfare and prestige by his splendid citizenship no less than by the honorable success which he has gained in a material way, is Benjamin C. Paine. Belonging to a family that has been well known in the county for more than sixty years, Mr. Paine has maintained the high reputation borne by the family name and in offices of public trust and responsibility has vindicated the faith and confidence placed in his ability and integrity. Mr. Paine was born … Read more

Biography of Oscar Walter Schindler

Oscar Walter Schindler. Since attaining his majority Oscar Walter Schindler has found himself busied with constantly increasing duties and responsibilities as a farmer and stockman in Sidney Township, and is now handling a large part of the farming estate acquired by his father in that section of Champaign County. Mr. Schindler was born at Sidney, December 13, 1886, a son of Robert H. and Alvina P. (Block) Schindler. The parents were both natives of Germany. His father was brought to this country at the age of two years, spent his youth in New York State, and in 1860 joined the … Read more

Biography of John W. Bocock

John W. Bocock, a retired business man at Sidney, has had an unusual range of experience varying from that of an old time telegraph operator to a cotton planter and farmer. Much of his active career has been passed in Champaign County but his business acquaintance is widely extended. Mr. Bocock was born near Washington Courthouse in Fayette County, Ohio, December 20, 1849. His parents were Elijah and Louisa (Gregory) Bocock, both natives of Ohio. His father came to Sidney and Champaign County October 12, 1856, and identified himself with the pioneer element in this county as a farmer. He … Read more

Biography of George W. Fenimore

George W. Fenimore. After half a century of almost uninterrupted peace and prosperity America is again at war, and in this condition the people appreciate more than ever the splendid services and devotion of those brave boys in blue who defended the Union at the time of the Civil War. That war made America a great and united nation, unexampled in resources and material achievement, and there is a direct logical connection between the victories of the Union troops on Southern battlefields fifty years ago and the present great world struggle, when America, by lending its resources and soldiers to … Read more

Biography of Roy Youngblood

Roy Youngblood, present assessor of Sidney Township, is a progressive young business man of that village. He began his career with limited capital and from employment by others has worked into a profitable business of his own. He was born at Sidney, Illinois, December 23, 1880, and is a son of William H. and Savilla (Lucas) Youngblood. His father was born in Logansport, Indiana, and his mother in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. His father, who is still living at Sidney, is an honored veteran of the Civil War. He served almost throughout that great conflict, part of the time in the Thirty-fifth … Read more