Urbana Illinois

Biography of James R. Wills

James R. Wills. Special interest attaches to the career of James R. Wills of St. Joseph not only because of his long residence in that community but also for the fact that he is one of the honored survivors of the great struggle between the North and the South in the ’60s. Mr. Wills was one of the productive farmers of this county for fully forty years, and then turned over the heavier responsibilities to a younger generation and with his good wife, who has traveled by his side for over half a century, is enjoying the comforts of a … 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 Benjamin Franklin Harris

Benjamin Franklin Harris, grandson of the late B. F. Harris and son of Henry Hickman Harris, was born on the old Harris farm in Champaign County, where his father was also a native, on September 30, 1868. He had of course liberal advantages during his youth and every incentive to make the best of his personal talents. Besides the common and high schools he attended the University of Illinois 1887 to 1889, and in 1892 was graduated from the law department of Columbia University. The law was only part of his preparation for life, not a profession. He returned home … 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 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 Benjamin H. McKinsey

Benjamin H. McKinsey is one of the younger business element of Champaign, a vigorous and progressive citizen and a man who makes good his promises and professions at whatever cost or sacrifice to himself. He was born in Urbana, August 21, 1888, son of Jacob and Mary E. (Young) McKinsey. His father was born at Antioch, Indiana, while his mother is a native of Leverett, Champaign County. Jacob McKinsey came to Champaign County about 1886, locating at Urbana, and for a number of years was an agent for Cole Brothers, lightning rod manufacturers. He continued a resident of Urbana until … Read more

Biography of General Samuel T. Busey

General Samuel T. Busey. A soldier, banker, a patriot and public-spirited citizen, the late General Samuel T. Busey was without question one of the ablest factors in the history of Champaign County and was widely known and his leadership gratefully acknowledged throughout Illinois. Necessarily the name Busey is one that frequently recurs throughout the pages of Champaign County history. The family was founded here by Matthew W. Busey, father of General Busey. Matthew W. Busey was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, May 15, 1798, a son of Samuel and Catherine (Siegler) Busey. When he was a small boy they removed … 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 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 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 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 Claude B. Warner, A. B., A. M., D. D. S.

Claude B. Warner, A. B., A. M., D. D. S., was born at Morrison, the county seat of Whiteside County, Illinois, May 6, 1872, and is a son of Edward B. and Elizabeth C. (Bryant) Warner, the former a native of Saint Louis and the latter of Herculaneum, Missouri. Edward B. Warner was a well-to-do business man of Morrison, and also a prominent citizen in the public life of Whiteside County, being county treasurer for a period of sixteen years, and for a like period a member of the board of equalization. His death occurred in 1891, while Mrs. Warner … Read more

Biography of W. M. Ealey

W. M. Ealey, who has followed a varied and active career as a teacher, minister of the Gospel and as an earnest, hard-working citizen in whatever capacity life has called him, has for many years been a resident of Champaign County. He was born near Brazil in Clay County, Indiana, May 18, 1853, a son of William and Wealthy (Hicks) Ealey, his father a native of Kentucky and his mother of Indiana. His mother was born August 30, 1834, and is still living at Urbana at the age of eighty-three. William Ealey went into the Union army from Indiana as … Read more

Biography of J. W. Bensyl

J. W. Bensyl, whose home is an attractive place just east of Urbana, enjoys the honor and respect of all the people of Champaign County, particularly for the valiant service he rendered as a soldier of the Civil War. Mr. Bensyl was in the army for over four years, and his subsequent life and activities have been of a piece with the loyalty and devotion he showed his country in time of stress. Mr. Bensyl was born at Danville, Illinois, November 23, 1839, a son of John and Elizabeth (Corray) Bensyl. Both parents were natives of Ohio. Elizabeth Corray, a … Read more

Biography of Cecil L. Golden

Cecil L. Golden, present mayor of Sidney, has built up a large hardware business in that Champaign County town, and has proved himself one of the live and energetic factors in the civic community. Mr. Golden is a veteran of the Spanish-American War. He was born in Champaign County March 12, 1879, a son of Eugene S. and Mary E. (Mullen) Golden. His father was born in Menard County, Illinois, and his mother was a native of Pennsylvania. His father came to Champaign County when a young man, followed farming and afterwards engaged in the hardware business at Urbana. He … Read more

Biography of Fred Hoy

Fred Hoy is one of the younger factors in the agricultural enterprise of Champaign County. He took hold of farming as a practical proposition in early life, and the ten years or more he has applied to that business have been in a high degree profitable. He now looks after the management of one of the best places in Urbana Township, located in section 24. Mr. Hoy was born on the old farm in that township June 10, 1885, a son of Rufus B. and Martha (Arrington) Hoy. His father was born in Ohio and his mother in Indiana. They … Read more

Biography of Olin L. Browder, Hon.

Hon. Olin L. Browder. The office of chief executive in any community is a responsible one and the individual occupying it has resting upon his shoulders not only the numerous details of the management of a city, but also the accountability for its financial, commercial and moral integrity. In many cases, as he is so is his community, for it soon reflects his character and manner of dealing with large problems, and unless he keeps a firm grip upon the reins of government and forces his associates and fellow officials to act as he believes is right and just his … Read more

Biography of George C. Fairclo

George C. Fairclo. Champaign County is rapidly becoming noted for the excellence of its roads, and at the present rate of progress will before long rank with the leading counties in the state in this direction. A number of years ago the people came to a realization of the fact that progress and prosperity, both in the country districts and in the cities and towns, depended largely upon the condition of the roads, but it has been only in comparatively recent years that steps have been taken to improve in the fullest degree the highways of this section. In this … 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