Urbana Illinois

Biography of George Newton Cunningham

George Newton Cunningham. No one family name has been so long identified with the drug business in Champaign County as that of Cunningham. In almost pioneer times, in 1854, Albert Palmer Cunningham came West to Champaign County and located at Urbana, where he found employment in a bank and was later engaged in the drug business. He had a practical but no technical knowledge of pharmacy and he had a very successful establishment at Urbana for many years. In 1880 he removed his store to Champaign, and the business has been carried on by him or his sons in that … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Chancy L. Finfrock

Chancy L. Finfrock is one of the younger members of the Champaign bar and for the past three years has been associated in practice with Roger F. Little. Mr. Finfrock was born in Urbana, May 19, 1892, a son of John H. and Jordena (Johnson) Finfrock. His father was born in Pennsylvania and his mother in Ohio. John H. Finfrock came to Champaign County in 1875. Locating at Urbana, he identified himself with his regular business as a flour miller and was one of the substantial citizens of that district until his death in July, 1896. The mother is still … Read more

Biography of Arthur Fulton Cranston

Arthur Fulton Cranston. From time immemorial, the legal profession has attracted to its ranks a large percentage of notably brilliant men. When rightly followed it is one of the noblest callings, affording at once full play to Christian sympathy, and opportunities for helpful public service, and holding a mighty prerogative, that of instigating exoneration of and restitution to the wrongly oppressed, or the administration of just retribution to the guilty. It has no room or opportunity for the weakling, but the strong it strengthens with a keener insight to [p.2032] human thought and feeling, with a more accurate realization of … 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 Henry K. Keller

Henry K. Keller, superintendent of the Champaign County Home and Farm, was for many years an active business man of Urbana, and has spent the greater part of his life in this county. Mr. Keller was born in the historic and picturesque region around Cumberland, Maryland, January 20, 1858. His parents were William V. and Susan (Cook) Keller. His father, a native of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, was a stone mason by trade. In October, 1864, the family came to Champaign County, locating at Urbana, where his father followed his trade until his death in 1876. The mother also died at … Read more

Biography of M. M. Harry

M. M. Harry, whose home is on Route No. 5 out of Urbana, is one of the honored veterans, a sergeant, of the Civil War still living in Champaign County, and has made his own career of industry count for a great deal in the development of this section during the past half century. Mr. Harry was born in Lewis County, Kentucky, January 8, 1844, the third in a family of sixteen children born to Joseph M. and Lucinda (Ruggles) Harry. His parents were both natives of Kentucky. When M. M. Harry was four years of age he came to … Read more

Biography of Elna A. Robinson

Elna A. Robinson. During a long and active career Mr. Robinson has been prominently identified with Champaign County both in a professional and in a business way. His success in business has enabled him to retire and enjoy a financial competence and he is now a resident of the city of Champaign. Mr. Robinson was born in South Reading, Vermont, December 15, 1839, a son of Ebenezer, Jr., and Adeline (Williams) Robinson. His father was born at South Reading, Vermont, September 30, 1809, and died July 5, 1849. He was married January 4, 1837, to Miss Williams, who was born … Read more

Biography of Rufus B. Hoy

Rufus B. Hoy. A resident of Champaign County almost forty years, Rufus B. Hoy after a brief visit determined that this county should be his permanent home, and here his industry has borne fruit and his name is one that is spoken with honor and respect. Mr. Hoy was born in Hancock County, Ohio, November 6, 1850, son of Abraham and Mary (Fellers) Hoy. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of Ohio and both their ancestors several generations back came from Germany. Abraham Hoy and wife had twelve children, six sons and six daughters, Rufus being … Read more

Biography of A. P. Johnson

A. P. Johnson. Among the learned professions there are, probably, none that demand so much tact, judgment, patience, natural executive ability and specialized knowledge as that of the educator. The individual who enters into this field, selecting it as his chosen life work and calling, must be prepared to make many sacrifices, to endure numerous disappointments, to often spend himself for others without apparent return of gratitude, and to give the best years of his life often without the emoluments that equal efforts would in all probability bring in any other profession. It is a vocation for which there are … Read more

Biography of George Skinner

George Skinner is one of the prosperous farm owners and well known citizens of Champaign County, now living retired at Urbana, and for his success the credit is due almost entirely to his individual efforts and his steadfast honesty and integrity. Mr. Skinner was born in Somersetshire, England, January 29, 1850, and was about four years of age when he accompanied his parents, Robert and Anna (Rich) Skinner, to America. The family first located near Elk Grove, northwest of Chicago, and in 1873 they moved to the vicinity of Homer in Champaign County, where Robert Skinner spent his last years … Read more

Biography of Hugh Jackson Robinson

Hugh Jackson Robinson. Going about the streets with firm step, attending to his affairs with unclouded mind, Hugh Jackson Robinson has attained the dignity and distinction of eight-three years of useful and honorable life. He is one of the oldest residents of Champaign County and has known this section of Illinois for over sixty years. He was born near Belfast, Ireland, March 28, 1833, a son of Robert and Maria Margaret (Jackson) Robinson. His mother, it is said, was a first cousin of President Andrew Jackson. The Robinsons are of Scotch stock. The mother died in Ireland and the father … Read more

Biography of Judge Joseph Oscar Cunningham

Judge J. O. Cunningham. The publishers and editors of this work feel that only a meager tribute can be paid to the memory of Champaign County’s most beloved citizen in the following brief review of his life. Judge Cunningham was a great historian. He contributed liberally to historical literature, was himself the author of a History of Champaign County, and in the closing months of his life he gave generously from the riches of his great collection and from his experience and memory in an advisory capacity to the compilation of the present work. Joseph Oscar Cunningham was born at … Read more

Biography of Reuben Roughton

Reuben Roughton. Among the many beautiful country estates which are to be found in Champaign County one of the most attractive and valuable is the farm of Reuben Roughton, which is located in section 27, Ludlow Township, one and one-half miles north of Rantoul. The owner of this property is one of the progressive agriculturists of the county, a skilled and industrious representative of his vocation, and a citizen who in many ways has contributed to the advancement of his locality. He was born at Attercliff, near Sheffield, England, but has been a resident of the United States since he … Read more

Biography of Mark Carley

Mark Carley was one of the founders of the city of Champaign: His name appears again and again in connection with the early annals of that city and of Champaign County, and always he appears as a man of force, of almost unlimited enterprise and of a public spirit that was in keeping with his many successes in private life. He knew much of the world by experience and had come to Champaign County soon after returning from an excursion to California during the great gold excitement on the Pacific Coast. His own life was to a large degree the … Read more

Biography of George C. Gordon

George C. Gordon. From farm renter George C. Gordon has progressed on the road of prosperity until he now owns one of the best farms in Urbana Township, located in section 13. He has a model country home and has all the facilities and conveniences of country life in Champaign County, including the daily delivery of mail over Rural Route No. 12. Mr. Gordon was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, January 3, 1872, a son of Clinton and Mary (Henneberger) Gordon. His parents were both born in Pennsylvania and are still living there, his father being retired from active business, … Read more

Biography of Chester W. Richards

Chester W. Richards. Members of the Richards family have been active figures in business affairs in Champaign County for over half a century. The name is especially identified with the First National Bank of Urbana, of which the late Patrick Richards was for many years president and of which his son, Chester W. Richards, is now vice-president. Chester W. Richards is a lawyer by profession, and has an extensive general practice in all the courts of this county. The late Patrick Richards was born at Quebec, Canada, December 17, 1835, but soon after his birth his parents removed to Utica, … Read more

Biography of Joseph Buchtel

JOSEPH BUCHTEL. – The peculiar composition and make-up of this man is that of only one in a million. He is noted for his daring deeds of adventure, if they may be so called; and his whole life is made up of daily events in rescuing others from their perilous positions; indeed, so much so that he is known far and wide as the “Oregon Life Saver.” Hundreds, if we may not say thousands, who are living to-day directly owe their lives to him. The natural daily routine of circumstances seems to have brought him upon the scene just in … Read more

Biography of John J. Rea

John J. Rea. A member of the Champaign County bar for thirty-seven years, John J. Rea has during this period risen to be one of the most forceful attorneys of his native community, and at this time occupies a recognized position of eminence among the legists of Urbana, where his entire professional career has been passed. While his later years have been crowned with success, Mr. Rea is fully acquainted with the rough and stony paths which the young aspirant so often finds it necessary to trod, for in his own youth he found no royal road to success, but … Read more

Herman, Richard Louis “Dick” – Obituary

Richard Louis “Dick” Herman, 61, of Baker City, died peacefully on May 22, 2005, at his home with his family at his side. His funeral will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Jon Privett of the First Nazarene Church will officiate. He will be buried at Mount Hope Cemetery next to his daughter, Dr. Suzanne Farebrother. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Dick was born Dec. 13, 1943, at East Chicago, Ind. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Calumet … Read more

Biography of Ambrose W. Strong,

Ambrose W. Strong, who is spending the quiet years of his retirement in a beautiful home at 706 Main Street in Urbana, is one of the few men now living whose recollections go back in Champaign County for nearly eighty years. Though not a native of the county Mr. Strong came here in early infancy and as a boy he knew many of the first settlers and his own life has been closely identified with those changing developments which have transformed this part of the state into a garden spot of the world. Mr. Strong was born in Hancock County, … Read more