Frank F. Loose, one of the leading farmers and business men of the county, residing upon his farm in the north suburb of Tuscola, was born in the city of Springfield, Illinois, in the year 1859. He was reared on the farm and was educated in Springfield. his father’s farm lying just south of the […]
John L. Goff served as sheriff of Douglas County from 1887 to 1891, and at the time of his death, in 1892, he held the office of supervisor. He was married to Miss ,Josie R. Rice, a daughter of Martin Rice, deceased, of Camargo (see sketch). Mrs. Goff owns a half section of land, part
Rev. J. V. Martin, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church at Arcola, Illinois, was born in Champlin, Minnesota, November 22, 1857. He was educated in the St. Francis College, Milwaukee; St. John’s University, Minnesota, and subsequently completed the six-years’ divinity course at the Grand Seminary, Montreal, Canada, where he was ordained December 18, 1886.
James P. Heaton, who was a prominent citizen of Newman and a member of its board of education, was born August 16, 1845, and died March 14, 1897, aged fifty-one years, six months and twenty-eight clays. He was a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania, where his early youth was passed among the picturesque hills and
James S. Reeder was born March 4, 1840, in Darke County, Ohio, and came with his parents in 1856 to this locality, where he engaged in farming. He enlisted August, 1862, in Company G, Seventy-ninth Illinois Infantry, and served three years. At the battle of Stone River, December 31, 1862, he was wounded and taken
Samuel W. Smiley, grain buyer at West Ridge, and member of the firm of Smiley & Watson (B. T. Watson, of Bourbon), is one of the wide-awake and energetic business men of the County. He came to Douglas County in 1889, and located in Bourbon Township, where he was engaged in business. Subsequently he and
Marion Watson, of Arthur, after reading law under the instruction of William H. Whit taker, of Sullivan, was admitted to practice law before the supreme court of the state in 1896. He was born on a farm near Bloom-field, Greene County, Indiana, October 29, 1864. His education was received in the common schools, and he
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
James R. Hammett, named for his father, whose full history and plate is on another page, was born in Camargo Township, Douglas County, Illinois, December 26, A. D. 1870. He was principally educated in the North-western University at Evanston, Illinois, where he remained three years. In 1897 he married Miss Conchita Kelley, of the state
Owen E. Jones, one of the leading merchants of Murdock since 1893, and the second son of Abram Jones, was born in Murdock Township, January 31, 1862. After leaving the common schools, he took a course at the commercial college at Terre Haute in 1897, In 1899 Mr. Jones took in as a partner Percy
T. W. Swigart, the leading harness dealer and one of the most successful business men in Newman and Douglas County, was born in Carroll County, Maryland, in sight of A Westminister, July 3, 1831, and was a son of Joseph Swigart. When nine years of age T. W. Swigart removed with his parents to Seneca
James H. Howe was born June 1, 1832, in Bourbon County, Kentucky. April 5, 1838, he came with his mother to Vermilion County, Illinois; he was reared and educated in Vermilion and Champaign counties. In his youthful days he traveled considerably, and, in 1854, came to Douglas County; two years later he bought the Williams
Mrs. Minnie Corrinne McQueen, age 79, a lifelong resident of the Tuscola vicinity, died at her home here [March 9 1947] at 3:45 p.m. Sunday. She had broken a hip in a fall at her home October 23, and had been bedfast since that time. Funeral services were held at the Mt. Gilead Church at
John C. Barnes, physician and lumber dealer, was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, September 27, 1835. His grandfather, John, came from Culpeper County, Virginia, to Indiana in 800. McGannon Barnes, father of John C., was born in Jefferson County, while his wife, Rebecca Fouts, was a native of Clark County, Indiana. John C. Barnes was
John R. Lawson, lumber and building materials, Oakland; born in Portsmouth, Scioto Co., Ohio, June 3, 1847, where he attended school constantly until 21 years of age, the last five years at the Portsmouth Normal School; at the above age, he engaged in book-keeping for the Portsmouth Foundry Co., which position he filled for two
Charles W. Wilson, editor and proprietor of the Tuscola Review, was born fourteen miles west of Plainfield, Indiana, February 15, 1856, and in 1865 located in Tuscola. Mr. Wilson was united in marriage to Miss Christina Cosler, a daughter of the late Isaac Cosler.
Samuel Ervin, retired hardware merchant, large land owner, and a resident of Tuscola, was born in Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio, in 1844. He was reared and educated in his native County and in 1865 came vest and located in Tuscola. He and a younger brother were associated in business together up to 1893, when he
This collection on the History of Douglas County Illinois currently contains 114 biographies on important people in the history of Douglas County.
Joseph Ashurst, principal and superintendent of the Camargo public schools and present nominee of the Democratic Party for the office of County superintendent of schools, has been a leading educator in the County for several years. He was born in Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky, April 16, 1872, and is a son of Henry Clay and
Granville F. Raper, farmer; P. O. Arcola; is a native of Owen Co., Ind., where he was born Jan. 28, 1836. He married Miss Mary H. Roberts Aug. 5, 1855; she was born in Greene Co., Ind., Sept. 13, 1832; they had nine children, six living, viz., James A., California J., Laura S., William O.,
