Vigo County IN

Biography of James Wilson

James Wilson, deceased, was for many years one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Idaho, and during his residence in this state did as much as any other man in the commonwealth in the interests of agriculture and stock raising. He is properly classed among the pioneers of Idaho, for his residence dated from 1864, and from that time until his death he took an active part in the conduct of business interests that resulted to the benefit of the state, as well as to his individual prosperity. A native of Washington County, Indiana, he was born May 15, … Read more

Biography of Thomas O’Brien

Thomas O’Brien, farmer and stock raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in the city of Philadelphia Feb. 18, 1830; he is a son of John and Mary O’Brien; his father was born in Mt. Maleck, Queens Co., Ireland, in February, 1801; up to the age of 18 years, he worked in his father’s tailor-shop; he then went to London, Eng., and afterward to Leeds, spending seven years in the two cities; after paying a brief visit to his native place, he came to America at the age of 25; his first settlement was in Philadelphia, where he was married March … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John W. Soules

John W. Soules, proprietor meat market, Mattoon; was born in Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 10, 1828; his father was a farmer, and his early life was spent upon the farm; his education was limited entirely to the common school; he remained at home till his majority; at the age of 21 years, he engaged in the packing house of Ferrington & Williams, of Terre Haute, where he remained five years; he was next engaged in the same business with Jacob D. Early three years; in 1860, he came to Mattoon and took charge of a packing house for Messrs. Miller … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Worth M. Tippy

Tippy, Worth M.; clergyman; born, Larwill, Ind.; Nov. 8, 1867; son of Oren and Mary Elizabeth Carder Tippy; educated, DePauw University, Ph. B., DePauw University, Hon. D. D., Baldwin University, Hon. D. D., Cornell University, two years graduate work as Sage scholar, 1901-1903; married, Vevay, Ind., May 16, 1895, Zella Birda Ward; issue, Marian Ward, born Nov. 18, 1896; Helen Ward, born Dec. 12, 1898; member of Mayor’s Committee on nomination for Charter Commission, 1913; pastorates, Dryden, N. Y., 1892; LaFayette, Ind., 1893; Oxford, Ind., 1894; Terre Haute, Ind., 1895; Broadway Church, Indianapolis, Ind., 1900; Epworth Memorial, Cleveland, 1905 to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of G. W. Smith

G. W. Smith, farmer; P. O. Westfield; was born in Pulaski Co., Ky., April 17, 1813; when he was ten years of age his parents moved to Lawrence Co., Ind., and remained there about six years engaged in farming; from there they moved to Vigo Co., Ind., where his parents died. In 1839, Mr. Smith came to Coles Co., and first settled on Sec. 27, in this township, living there until 1863, when he moved to his present farm on Sec. 26, containing 87 acres. He held the office of School Director several terms. He married Miss Eliza Boland (her … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gunther Weiss

Gunther Weiss, of the firm of Weiss & Frommel, proprietors of the Charleston Woolen-Mill, Charleston; was born in Leutenberg, Sharzburg, Rudolstadt, Germany, July 6, 1823; he attended school till the age of 14, and was then apprenticed to learn the weaver’s trade; in 1845, he came to the United States, landing in Galveston, Texas; on the breaking-out of the war with Mexico,. he volunteered in the 18th Tex. V. I., and served under Gen. Taylor; in the spring of 1848, he went to Cincinnati, where he remained until 1852, when he went to Terre Haute, Ind., and began business as … Read more

Biography of Hon. John Stewart

HON. JOHN STEWART. – This gentleman was born February 12, 1800, in Virginia, that grand old state which has given birth to heroes and cradled the world’s best since the white man first took possession of this fair land of ours. There our subject was nurtured through all his infancy and until his fifteenth year, when his parents moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. He resided in that state until 1837, learning the blacksmith trade, which calling so nearly broke down his health that he abandoned it and engaged in trading cattle. He first earned his title of captain in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert Compton

Albert Compton, retired, Charleston; one of the early settlers of Coles county; was born in Fairfax Co., Va., Sept. 24, 1812; in the fall of 1830, he left home and came to Vincennes, Ind., thence to Terre Haute, and from the latter place, in 1833, to Charleston, arriving on the 3d of March; he worked at his trade of a shoemaker for about two years, and then engaged as a clerk in the employ of Baker & Norfolk; in 1835, he was elected Constable and served two years; in August, 1838, he was chosen Sheriff of Coles County, which office … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. Alshuler

M. Alshuler, staple and fancy dry goods, Mattoon; was born in Bavaria, Germany, A. D. 1836; his early life was spent in school; having acquired a good education, in February, 1852, he immigrated to America, end first located in Danville, Ill., where he engaged as clerk in a general dry goods store. In 1854, he went to Chicago, and was employed in a jewelry and fancy store, on Lake street; he next located with the firm of Edsall & Co., in Terre Haute, Ind., and remained with that firm seven years; with another firm he remained three years longer, and, … Read more

Loennig, Alice Helen Williams Mrs. – Obituary

Muddy Creek, Oregon Alice Helen Williams Loennig, 93, a longtime Muddy Creek community resident, died Feb. 27, 2004, at Yuma, Ariz., while visiting her daughter, Sally Ganter. Alice suffered a fall while watering her petunias, survived hip surgery and a heart attack, but did not have the strength to completely recover. There will be a celebration of Alice’s life at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 27, at the Haines United Methodist Church. Pastor Sally Wiens will officiate. Private burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Alice was born at Terre Haute, Ind., on July 3, 1910, to Ralph and Carla Belt … Read more

Biography of Oris Polk Dellinger, Prof.

Prof. Oris Polk Dellinger. It must be conceded, and is a source of pride, that Kansas is wide awake and in earnest in the matter of providing the best of educational advantages for her youth. Great institutions have been founded and to their faculties have been called men of scholastic attainments and wide experience in the educational field. One of many departments of study offered by the Kansas State Manual Training Normal School at Pittsburg, an exceedingly interesting and important one is that of biology, which for the past seven years had been under the able direction of Prof. Oris … Read more

Slave Narrative of John W. Fields

Interviewer: Cecil Miller Person Interviewed: John W. Fields Location: Lafayette, Indiana Place of Birth: Owensburg, KY Date of Birth: March 27, 1848 Age: 89 Place of Residence: N. 20th St., Lafayette, Indiana Cecil C. Miller Dist. #3 Tippecanoe Co. INTERVIEW WITH MR. JOHN W. FIELDS, EX-SLAVE OF CIVIL WAR PERIOD September 17, 1937 John W. Fields, 2120 North Twentieth Street, Lafayette, Indiana, now employed as a domestic by Judge Burnett is a typical example of a fine colored gentleman, who, despite his lowly birth and adverse circumstances, has labored and economized until he has acquired a respected place in his … Read more

Biography of George B. Shepherd

GEORGE B. SHEPHERD. This gentleman is one of the prosperous farmers and successful merchants of Stone County, Missouri, and has resided here since 1871, coming thither from the vicinity of Terre Haute, Indiana He was born in Floyd County, Kentucky, August 31, 1832, and was a son of David and Lucretia (Hale) Shepherd, both of whom were natives of Lee County, Virginia They were among the early pioneers of the Blue Grass State, and made their settlement at the head of Licking River where they improved a farm, and where the father also followed the-calling of a stone mason and … Read more

Biography of William Dozier

William Dozier, architect and builder, Mattoon; was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, Sept. 12, 1836; his grandfather came from Pennsylvania to Ohio as early as 1810, and settled in Muskingum Co., when that section of country was a wilderness; his father was then a lad of some 8 or 9 summers; through want of opportunity, the education of his father was not extended beyond spelling, he never having read a day in school; he was a man, however, of good native ability, and, through his own exertions, obtained a fair education; he served nine years as Justice of the Peace; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ellison J. Parrish

Parrish, Ellison J.; supt. Telegraph Dept., Nickel Plate R. R.; born, Terre Haute, Ind., Oct. 9, 1865; son of D. P. and Ellenora Spain Parrish, educated, common schools, Terre Haute, Ind.; married, Conneaut, O., May 24, 1887, Pearl J. Griffey; elected Mayor of Conneaut, O., 1902-1907-1909; only Democrat ever elected in the city for this honor; was first Mayor of the city when it changed from a village; 1908 and 1912, delegate National Democratic Convention; appointed by Gov. Harmon three times as delegate to National Convention of Water Ways at Washington, D. C.; train dispatcher for Nickel Plate R. R. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ira B. Jackson

Ira B. Jackson, insurance agent, Mattoon; was born in Madison, Jefferson Co., Ind., Oct. 31, 1851; in 1855, his father removed with his family to Illinois, and settled in Sangamon Co., near Springfield; his early life was that of a farmer’s boy; he acquired a good common-school education; at the age of 18, he engaged in the business of photograph artist, which he followed two years; in 1872, he completed a business course in the Commercial College, at Terre Haute, Ind.; in 1874, he engaged in the grocery trade with Fallin Bros., under the firm name of Fallin Bros. & … Read more

Biography of William Divine Davis, M.D.

Dr. William Divine Davis, who has engaged in the practice of medicine in St. Louis since his graduation from the medical department of Washington University in 1909, save for the period of his service in the World war, was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, August 29, 1887, a son of Thomas Winfield and Mary (Divine) Davis. The father was born August 26, 1859, his parents being William G. and Jane (Thomas) Davis, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, who in 1868 emigrated to the new world, settling in Terre Haute, Indiana. The father comes of a musical family that for years sang throughout … Read more

Biography of A. N. Bain

A. N. Bain, proprietor of the Charleston Foundry, Charleston; was born in Erie Co., Ohio, April 3, 1828; his father was a ship-carpenter, with a family of nine children; at the age of 14, Mr. Bain began working on a farm, which he continued until the spring of 1845, when he entered the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad shop at Sandusky, Ohio, as an apprentice, remaining there until 1852, and thoroughly mastering the machinist’s trade. He then went to New Albany, Ind., where he was married, Feb. 3, 1853, to Miss Catharine Caldwell, of that city, who was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank G. Russell

Frank G. Russell came to Champaign after an extensive business as a meat merchant both in local houses and on the road, and now enjoys high financial rating and a successful business as proprietor of the Chicago Market Company, dealers in meats and packing house products. Mr. Russell was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, October 1, 1888, a son of William and Emma (Braiser) Russell. His father was born in Burlington, Iowa, and his mother at Terre Haute, Indiana. Both are now living at Danville, Illinois, where his father for many years has been in the sign business. There were … Read more

Biography of George Benson Kuykendall, M.D.

GEORGE BENSON KUYKENDALL, M.D. – This gentleman, one of the foremost physicians of Eastern Washington, was born near Terre Haute, Indiana, in the year 1843. When three years old he was taken by his father’s family to Wisconsin. In 1852 the family set out on the long, hard journey to the Pacific slope. That was the sad year of cholera and pestilence. Being somewhat late in starting, the Kuykendall family followed in the wake of sickness and death, the mournful evidences of which were most vividly impressed on the mind of the boy who afterwards became the man here described. … Read more