station agent of Onarga, has occupied his
present position with the Illinois Central
Railroad Company since 1882, and for ten
years has been one of its trusted and faithfCil em-
ployes. He is of English birth, but the commu-
nity find in him one of its best citizens, and it was
a fortunate day for him when he determined to
seek a home in the New World.
Mr. Ellison was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire,
England, December 11, 1845, and is the third in
order of birth in a family of five children born to
Thomas and INIary (Speight) Ellison, who w-ere
also natives of England. The mother died in
1849. The father, who survived her for many 3-ears,
departed this life in 1878. Of their famil}' of three
sons and two daughters, Frederick, Alice, Seth,John
and Mary Jane, all are jet living. Frederick Elli-
son, the eldest, was the first to cross the broad
Atlantic to America, making a location in Chi-
cago, where he secured a position as clerk in a dry-
goods store. A few years later he was emploj'ed
as Paymaster on the Lidianapolis S: St. Louis
Railroad. He and Seth arc the only ones of the
family who have come to this cf)untry.
The subject of this sketch spent his boj^hood
and youth in the land of his nativity, and was
educated in its public schools. At length he de-
termined to emigrate to America, and in 1879,
bidding good-bye to his old home and friends, he
crossed the briny deep. Going to Chicago he
secured a position as bill and entry clerk in a dry-
goods store. He served in that capacity for a
sliort time and then entered the employ of the
railroad company, being appointed station agent
at UUin, 111., near Cairo. As before stated, in
1883 he came to Onarga, where he has since made
his home.
Ere leaving tlie land of his birth, Mr. Ellison
was married, in 1877, the lady of his choice being
Miss Ahee Wheen, a daughter of John Wheen, of
Mexboro, England. Four children were born of
their union, Florence Edith, Alice Maud, William,
and an infant. The mother and the children are
now all deceased. April 25, 1883, Mr. Ellison was
again married, his second union being with Miss
Anna Eliza Hawk, daughter of James and Caro-
line (Newell) Hawk. Her father was for a num-
ber of years a grocer of Onarga, carrying
on business in partnership with J. C. Culver.
Two children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs.
Ellison: James, born in 1884: and Onarga, born
in 1880.
Mrs. Ellison is managing and carrying on the
Hotel Roney, of Onarga, which has both a fine
transient and home trade. The hotel is well lo-
cated, being close to the depot and also to the
business part of the town. Her guests are made
to feel at home, and she is enjoying a liberal pat-
ronage which is well deserved.
© — ,_s]<, . i , >[:^.^, -gi
â– ST- â– ^ ^|<^'f "^1^ "^ s)
^ OHN B. CODY was one of the worthy citi-
zens of Iroquois County, whose loss through-
^,^1 I out the community in which he lived was
^^^ deeply mourned. His life record is as
follows: He was born in Oneida County, N. Y.,
on the 19th of August, 1822, and was a son of
Rhodolphus and Ann (Barber) Cody. His father
was a native of Connecticut, but his mother was
PORTRAIT AND BIOORAPHICAL RECORD.
245
horn in the Emerald Isle, and in an early day em-
igrated from Ireland to this country. The family
of this worthy couple numbered seven children, five
sons and two daughters, of whom our subject was
the second in order of birth. He remained with
his parents in New York until twenty years of
age, and in the district schools of his neighbor-
hood accpiired his education. In 1845, the family,
including our subject, emigrated to Illinois, loca-
ting in Kendall County.
Four years later, or May 25, 1849, Mr. Cody of
this sketch was united in marriage with Miss Jane
Knox, of Kendall County, and a daughter of
Charles and Olive Knox, the former a native of
New Jersey, and the latter of the Empire State.
In the Knox family were eight children, five sons
and three daughters, of whom ^Irs. Cody is the
fourth in order of birth. By her marriage she be-
came the mother of five children, but two of them
died in infancy. Those still living at this writing,
in the winter of 1892, are Emory J., who is one
of the leading farmers of Prairie Green Township;
George H., also a prosperous farmer of the same
township; and Olive A., wife of George A. .St. John,
a farmer of Prairie Green Township.
Upon his marriage Mr. Cody took up his residence
and made Kendall County his home till he came
with his family to Iroquois County, and located in
Prairie Green Township. This was in 1876. He
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, and
liy his care and cultivation, his enterprise and en-
ergy, transformed it into one of the finest farms of
the community. The home thereon is a beautiful
residence, in the rear of which stand good barns
and other necessary' outbuildings, which in turn
are surrounded by waving fields of grain. The
place seems complete in all its appointments and
its many improvements are as a monument to the
thrift and enterprise of Mr. Cody, who made his
home tliereon until his death.
In early life our subject was a su|)porter of the
Whig party and cast his first Presidential vote for
'the hero of Tippecanoe, Gen. William IIenr\- Har-
rison. On the organization of the Republican
party he joined its ranks and was ever afterward
an enthusiastic supporter of its principles. In re-
ligious belief he was a Methodist and was a liberal
supporter of the church. He was recognized
throughout the community as a prominent and in-
fluential citizen and his loss was deeply regretted.
After only one d.ay's illness he died of heart
trouble on tlie 6th of August, 1885. Thus an
honorable, upright life was ended, but his influence
still lives on. Mrs. Cody is still living at the age
of sixty-eight yeai-s. She is also a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a lady pos-
sessed of many excellencies of character. With
her children she j-et occupies the beautiful home
left her by her husband.
^^lil-^-j^il^^
^^EORGE W. SHANKLAND, a prominent
III (^=7 farmer and early settler of Prairie Green
'^^5! Township, who resides on section 27, well
deserves representation in this volume, and with
pleasure we present to our readers this record of
his life. A native of Indiana, he was born near
.Alarshfield, on the 30tli of May, 1853, and is the
second in a family of five children, numbering
three sous and two daughters. His parents were
Kendal and Amanda (Harris) Shankland. His
father was born in Kentucky in 1825, and in 1854
they came to this county and located in Prairie
Green Township, where he spent the remainder of
his life. He died on the old homestead at the age
of fifty -seven years. His widow still survives him
and is yet living in Indiana.
George W. Shankland, whose name heads this
sketch, spent the days of his boyhood and youth
upon his father's farm, his time being quietly
passed in the usual manner of farmer lads. When
a young man, he left home and emigrated to Holt
Count}, Neb., where he took up a tree claim, also
a homestead and pre-em[)tion claim. The count}'
wiis then in its primitive condition, being veiy
sparsely settled. There were only three houses
between his claim and Atkinson, a distance of twenty
miles, and these were made of sod. Mr. Shank-
land continued to engage in the operation of his
claims in Nebraska until after his father's death.
246
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD,
when he sold out his interest in the West and re-
turned to Iroquois County to take charge of the
old homestead, which was left to him as his share
of his father's estate. Since that time, he has car-
ried on general farming and stock-raising in this
community, and has an excellent farm, under a
high state of cultivation and well improved with
all modern accessories. Its neat appearance indi-
cates his careful management. It comprises one
hundred and eighty-five acres of arable land and is
considered one of the best-improved farms in the
township.
October 15, 1877, Mr. Shankland was united in
marriage with Miss Susan R. Segear. who was then
a resident of Vermilion County, 111. Her par-
ents are both living and now reside in Omaha,
Neb. Unto our subject and his wife have been
born two children, but the younger died in in-
fancy. Clark G., the elder, is still under the par-
ental roof and is now a lad of fourteen years. The
parents and their son are members of tlie Christian
Church and they take an active interest in church
work. They are also prominent people in the com-
munity, being widely and favorably known. In
his political views, Mr. Shankland is a Republican,
having long supported the principles of that party.
He has never been a politician in the sense of of-
fice-seeking. He is numbered among the valued
citizens of Prairie Green Township, who manifests
a commendable interest in everything pertaining
to the welfare of the community in which he has
so long made his home.
â– J*=:;*5*=4*
eHARLES 0. CLEA^'ER, a highly respected
citizen of Milford, is a native of Indiana,
his birth having occurred in La Fayette,
Tippecanoe County, October 10, 1835. His grand-
parents, Joseph and Ann Cleaver, were natives of
Pennsylvania, and were members of the Society of
Friends, His parents, Charles and Ann (Maddpu)
^leaver, were ff'om Baltimore, Md,
No event of special importance occurred during
the boyhood and 3'outh of our subject. When
four years of age he lost his mother, and he was
reared by a bachelor uncle, Mahlon Cleaver, and
educated in the public schools. In April, 1857,
he came to Milford, Iroquois County, and on Oc-
tober 17, 1858, was united in marriage with Miss
Charlotte Davis, daughter of Jonathan and Eliza-
beth (Britton) Davis. In the spring of 1860, Mr.
Cleaver and his wife removed to Indiana, and on
November 7, 1861, he bade her good-bye and
started for the war, enlisting as a member of the
Tenth Battery, Indiana Light Artillery, under
Capt. J. B. Cox. He served until January 10,
1865, when, his term having expired, he was hon-
orably discharged in Indianapolis, Ind.
Rejoining his family at La Fayette, Ind., in the
following Februar}', Mr. Cleaver and his wife re-
turned to Milford, 111., and were residents of this
l)lace until 1868, when they returned to La Fa}-
ette, Ind. He was there engaged in farming for
many years, making it his home until October 17,
1889. Once more he came to Milford, and is at
present serving as Police Magistrate of the city.
He has also filled the offices of Town Clerk, Con-
stable, was Justice of the Peace two terms, and
was Township Trustee in Washington Township.
Tippecanoe County, Ind., for two terms. He has
also filled the position of Postmaster three times,
twice in Milford and once in Colburn, Ind.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver have been born eight
children, five of whom are yet living, four sons and
a daughter, as follows: Charles Ernest, the eldest,
married Miss Annie Royer, of Baltimore, Md., and
unto them have been born three children, a son
and two daughters, Nina Opal, Ruby and Oscar;
Winnifred is the wife of Alexander Galey, of Battle
Ground, Ind.; Archibald D., Henry AV^ard Beecher,
and Barton R. The parents are both members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially, Mr.
Cleaver is a member of Vennum Post No. 471, G.
A. R., and of Milford Lodge No. 168, A. F. & A.
M. He has always affiliated with the Democratic
party and is a stanch advocate of its principles,
yet has many warm friends in the ranks of the Re-
pulilican party. He is a public-spu'lted and pro-
gressive man, and has always taken an active
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
URBAKA
I
UyiT'i^^'r^
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
249
interest in the welfare of the communitj' in which
lie resides. His sterling worth has won him high
regard, and we take pleasure in presenting this
record of his life to our readers.
^r^RANK M. AVILLIAMSON, who is engaged
iN® '"^ farming on section 23, Prairie Green
/li, Township, is one of the honored pioneers
of this county. Few men have longer been resi-
dents of this part of Illinois than our subject, who
has watched the growth and upbuilding of the
conimunit3-, has seen its progress and advancement
and aided in its development. Certainly lie de-
serves representation in this volume.
Mr. AVilliarason was born September 6, 1843, in
Stockland Township, Iroquois County, and is a son
of li. P. and Margaret (Williams) Williamson.
The grandfather of our subject was a native of
Virginia, and was of German descent, while his
wife was born in Ireland. In 1832, they emigrated
to Iroquois County, and here spent the rest of
their lives. Their son B. P. was born in Ohio,
Ajwil 7, 1816, and was therefore but sixteen ^-ears
of age when he accomiianied his parents to this
county. On reaching man's estate, he crossed the
line into Indiana, and married June 12, 1838,
Miss Williams, who was born in that State Decem-
ber 20, 1820. The young couple began their mar-
ried life in Iroquois County. Mr. Williamson en-
tered laud from the Government, situated at
Crab Apple Grove in Stockland Township, on which
lie made liis home until 18.50, when he located
near Milford, where he died February 3, 1890.
Tims another of the pioneers passed away. He was
a highly respected man, and a valued citizen. His
wife had preceded him to the spirit world, dying
at the age of thirty-two.
Our subject was the third in order of birth in
their family of four sons and a daughter. He re-
mained with his parents until nineteen years of
age, and his boyhood days were spent in work
upon the home farm or in attendance at the com-
mon district schools of tlie neighborhood. After
the lircakini: out of the late war. lie laid aside all
other considerations, and responded to the call of
duty, and on the 9th of August, 1862, he offered
his services to the Government. He was assigned
to Companj' E, .Seventy-sixth Illinois Infantiy,
with which he did service for three years, or until
his discharge on the 7th of August, 1865, after the
close of the war. He was engaged in all of the
battles from Columbus, Ky., through to Texas,
the principal of which were the battles around
Vicksburg, the siege of that city, and the battle
near Jackson, Miss., where the Seventy-sixth lost
about one-third of its men in killed and wounded.
At Ft. Blakely the regiment lost heavily, thirty
being killed. In May, 1892, the survivors of the
regiment erected a fine monument to mark the
resting-place and to perpetuate the memory of
their comrades who fell in that bloody charge
there. Before the close of the war he was made
Sergeant. He was a faithful soldier, always found
at his post, and of his army record he may well be
proud.
In 1865, Mr. Williamson returned from the war,
and engaged in farming in this counlj-. On the
21st of March, 1869, he was united in marriage to
Miss Dina Slaughter, of this county. Her parents,
AYilliam L. and Isabel (McClain) Slaughter, na-
tives of New York and Pennsylvania, respectivelj',
emigrated to Illinois in 1864. Four sohs and two
daughters have graced the marriage of our subject
and his wife, but two are now deceased: Glennie
E., the eldest, is a .young man of twenty-two years,
now attending the Valparaiso Normal College, of
Indiana; William B. is also a student in the same
college; Leni L. died February 2, 1892, at the age of
seventeen years, two months and four da3's; Har-
lan is at home; and Margaret Isabella. There was
also another child, born September 12, 1872, which
died on the 16th of October of the same 3-ear.
In 1870, Mr. Williamson piircha.sed eighty acres
of partially improved land in Prairie Green Town-
ship, on which he has made his home continuously
since. He now owns a very fine farm of one hun-
dred and sixty acres, under a high state of culti-
vation, and well improved with all the accessories
of a model farm. In connection with his agricul-
tural pursuits lie is also a stockholder and Director
in the State Bank f)f Ambia. Ind. He is a man of
11
250
PORTRAIT AKD BIOC^RAPHICAL RECORD.
excellent- business ability and b^- his perseverance,
enterprise and well-directed efforts has achieved
a success which lias placed him among the sub-
stantial citizens of the community, and of which
he is well deserving.
In his political affiliations, Mr. 'William.son is a
Republican, having been a waim supporter of that
part^' since he cast his first Presidential vote for
U. S. Grant. He has held a number of official po-
sitions, was Supervisor for eight years, and has
been School Director of his district for the long
period of eighteen years, Collector two yeare, and
Census Enumerator of his township for 1880.
The prompt and able manner in which he ever
discharges his public duties has won him high
commendation, and led to his frequent re-election.
iSoeiallv, he is a member of the "Wellington Lodge
No. 785, I. O. O. P., and he and wife and son are
members of the Christian Church. Mr. William-
son is not only recognized as an honored pioneer,
but is also one of the valued and highly respected
citizens of the community, whose worth and abil-
ity have won him the highest resrard.
^4-
— f^^-r
â– "pi*
^ AMES BELL, a member of the firm of Bell
ifc Duckworth, and an enterprising business
man of Watseka, located here in 1888, at
which time, in company with H. C. Browne,
he went into the planing-mill business, the firm be-
ing known as H. C. Browne & Co. In 1890, Mr.
Browne sold out his interest, and the following
year Mr. Bell as.sociated with him Mr. Duckworth,
founding the present firm.
The subject of this memoir is a native of Ohio,
his birth having occurred in Noble County, Sep-
tember 29, 1846. He is descended from Scotch-
]ri.sh ancestors on both sides. His paternal grand-
parents, William and Jane (Nugent) Bell, emi-
grated from Beloody Mills, County Down, Ireland,
to Philadelphia, Pa., in 1790. While Ohio was
yet a part of the Northwest Territory they moved
thither and located in the Red Stone Settlement,
which was afterward included in Belmont Country.
In the year 180(i, they removed to Noble County,
where the grandmother died in the j'ear 1846
and the grandfather in 1857. The latter became a
wealthy farmer. The maternal grandparents of
Mr. Bell were natives of the same section in Ire-
land, but came to America in 1788. They, too,
bore the same family name, being James and Jennie
(Stewart) Bell. LTpon arriving in this country,
they crossed the mountains to what is now Ohio
County, W. Va. There they passed the remaining
years of their life, he djing in 1842, and she in
1865, at the age of ninet} - three.
Mr. Bell's ancestors on both sides were Presby-
terians, as lo\'al to the "kirk" as they were to the
Government of their adopted country. The father
of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch
was born in Noble Count}', Ohio, July 29, 1819.
Before coming West, he married Miss Jane Bell,
who was born in Ohio County, W. Va., Januarj'
14, 1818. -In 1872, they moved to Iroquois Count}',
111., and three years later located in Sheldon. He
died August 12, 1878, and she November 9, 1891.
They were highly respected and honored through-
out the community where they lived. They had
two sons. Joe Bell, who is a veteran of the late
war and a minister of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, resides at Pontiac, 111.
Mr. James Bell received his education in his na-
tive county, and at the age of twenty-one he
started in business for himself by engaging in
farming in Ford County, 111., and continued in
that occupation until the year 1880. For the suc-
ceeding eight years he bought and sold horses,
doing very well financially. As before stated, he
came to Watseka in 1888, where he engaged in the
planing-mill business, in which he has been blessed
with success. In connection with their mill, the
firm furnishes the power to the electric light plant,
which supplies four hundred and eighty incan-
descent lamps to the city, and has the power of
supplj'ing eight hundred lights.
In 1867, our subject married Miss Mary Win-
stanley, a daughter of Thomas Winstanlej', who was
a native of Somersetshire, England. To Mr. and
Mrs. Bell was born a family of five children, three
of whom are now living: Harry, Homer and Jessie.
The mother of these children died in 1880. Mr.
Bell was again married, in 1885, this time to Miss
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPmCAL RECORD.
251
Ida ^'enIlum, whose fatber is Andrew Vennum, a
resident of tin's county. Tlieir union lias been
blessed with two children: Eva and Florence.
Mr. Bell and wife arc members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church and take an active part in its
work, to which the^y lend their liberal support.
He is known tliroughout the county as a man of
sterling worth, upright and honorable in all his
dealings. His courteous treatment and efforts to
please his customers have secured for him a liberal
patronage, and the estal)lisliment of wliich he is
the head ranks among the leading business inter-
ests of the community. He has won his present
measure of success through his own industrious
efforts, and well merits the comfortable competency
which he has acquired.
>n>LIAM F. I'lERSON, a prominent lawyer,
^Nll ^^^^ '* successfully' engaged in practice in
\J^\^ Onarga, where ho located in 1890, was
born on the 3rd of February-, 1853, in Marion
County, Ohio, and is one of five children who were
born unto Thomas and Margaret (Fickle) Pierson,
the former a native of Mar^-Jand and the latter of
Ohio. Their famil3' numbered the following sons
and daughters: John T., William F., Homer, Mag-
gie and Eva. In 1868, the father emigrated with
his family from Ohio to Illinois, and took up his
residence at Bucklev, this county, where he en-
gaged in farming and stock-raising. He owned
and operated two hundred and forty acres of land
on section 36, Artesia Township, and there made
his home until 1874, when he was elected Sheriff
on the Greenback ticket. He faithfully discharged
the duties of this office, and when his term had ex-
l)ired removed to Chicago, where he sj)ent his re-
maining days, his death occurring February 16th,
1891.
The subject of this sketch was a lad of fifteen
years when with his parents he came to Illinois.
His early education, acquired in the common schools
was supplemented by a course in Grand Prairie
Seminar\-. and he also attended the Comniercial
College of Onarga. When his literarj- education
was completed, he made choice of the legal profes-
sion as a life work, and after studying law for some
time in Watseka, was admitted to the Bar in 1883.
On the 31&t of the same month, he led to the mar-
riage altar Miss Ella Brelsford, daughter of Dr. J.
Bi'elsford. Tlieir union has been blessed with one
child, a son, Joseph, born on the iith of January,
188.5.
After being admitted to the Bar, Mr. I'ierson re-
moved to Chicago and entered upon the practice
of his chosen profession, but close confinement to
his work impaired his health, and, hoping to be
benefited therebj-, he went to the South, He made
a location in Eastland, Eastland County, Tex.,
where he I'emained for a time, when, feeling much
restored in health, he returned to the North, and
this time took up his residence in Iroquois County.
In December, 1890, he opened a law office in Onarga,
and is alreadv enjoying a lucrative practice, hav-
ing the advantage of a twenty-flve years' acquaint-
ance in the county.
In the fall of 1878, John T. Pierson, a brother
of our subject, was elected Sheriff of the county on
the Democratic ticket, and the latter became Dep-
uty', serving for the term of two years. Mr. Pier-
son of this sketch has spent much of his life in
Iroquois County, and has gained many friends
among its best citizens. He is a public-spirited and
progressive man, who takes a eoniinendable inter-
est in all that pertains to the welfare of the com-
munity and its upbuilding. He is well versed in
law, is a close student of his profession, and has
already won a place in the front rank of the Bar
of Iroquois County.
,^^ TEPHEN ADSIT, the efficient Postmaster
^1^^ of Wellington, is one of the honored early
Vl/_3 settlers of the county, where he has resided
for more than thirty-five years. He has
watched its growth and upbuilding, has aided in
its development and advancement, has ever borne
his part in the enterprises calculated to prove of
252
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
public benefit, and has faithfullj' discharged his