Samuel K. Nolin, of this sketch, was a lad of only
ten summers when with his parents he went to
Indiana. In Benton County he was reared to
manhood, being earl}' inured to the arduous labor
of developing and improving wild land. In 1849,
he came to Illinois, hoping to betler his financial
condition. Settling in Stockland Township, he
located four hundred acres of Government land,
and with characteristic energy began to cultivate
the same. Acre after acre was placed under the
plow, and in the course of time, where once was
wild prairie, waving fields of grain delighted the
eye, telling of bounteous harvests. Through his
industrious and persevering efforts, his financial
resources were increased and he was thus enabled
from time to time to extend the boundaries of his
farm by making additional purchases. His pos-
sessions now aggregate eight hundred and forty
acres in Stockland Township, three hundred and
sixty acres in Benton County, Ind., and one hun-
dred and sixty-six acres in Prairie CTi-een Town-
ship, Iroquois County, and he is extensively en-
gaged in grain and stock-raising. He keeps on
liaiid excellent gr.ades of horses, cattle and hogs,
and this pursuit is an iini)ortant branch of his
business.
We now turn from the public to the private life
of Mr. Nolin. He has been twice married. His
first union, celebrated in 18;J3, was with Miss Rachel
Dawson, daughter of Elisha and Polly Dawson,
but her death occurred in September, 1854. In
August, 1857, he was again married. Miss Clarissa
Coffelt becoming his wife. Four children were
born unto them, but the second died in in-
262
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
fancj-. Mary is now the wife of George Voliva,
' and they have tliree sons, Robert, Jesse and Lero}'.
Thej' reside upon a farm in Benton County, Ind.,
which belongs to her father and was formerly
owned by her grandfather. William, a resident
farmer of Prairie Green Township, was married to
Miss Hulda Peterson, by whom he has two
children: Clarissa and a baby. Matilda is the
wife of William Nicle, who is engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits in Stocitland Township. The
mother of tiiis family departed this life in January,
1890, and her death was mourned by many friends
as well as by her immediate family.
In politics, Mr. Nolin is a Democrat, and for
two terms has held the oHiceof Township Assessor.
His life has been remarkably successful and he may
truly be called a self-made man. Dependent upon
his own resources, he started out in life for him-
self, overcoming the obstacles and difficulties in
his path by perseverance and enterprise. Steadily
he has worked his way upward, until now he oc-
cupies a position among the wealtliy and influen-
tial citizens of his adopted county.
♦s^-i-^H- /
,i^ YLYANUS CASS MUNHALL, Clerk of
^^^ the Circuit Court and ex-offlcio Recorder
|ll/\3) of Iroquois County, was born in Coshoc-
ton, Ohio, January 26, 1843, and is a son
of William and Dorothy F. (Jackson) Munhall.
His father was a native of Harrisburg, Pa., born
May 16, 1816. The mother was born in New-
castle-on-Tyne, England, in 1818, and came to
America in childhood. The family, including our
subject, removed from Coshocton, to Cambridge
Ohio, and in October, 1854, to Urbana, 111.
Mr. Munhall of tiiis sketch was then about
eleven >ears of age. Before leaving Ohio he had
begun attending school, and enjoj'ed two years
study in the common schools after coming to Illi-
nois. In September, 1856, he hired out as an ap-
prentice to Zimmerman & Richards, printers and
publishers of Our Constitution, of Urbana. His
comjiensation was limited to $30 for the first year,
$40 the second and $60 the third, but he served
with industry and fidelity and to the entire satis-
faction of his emi)loyers and acquired a good knowl-
edge of his trade. He was then employed as a
journe3'man, working in Urbana, Champaign, and
finally on the Prairie Farmei- and Journal, of Chi-
cago. In 1861, Mr. IMunhall, Sr., who was a min-
ister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, bought
an interest in the Champaign Count}- Patriot, to
which office our subject came to assist his father.
About this time, the war having broken out, Mr.
Munhall, actuated bj^ purely patriotic impulses,
souglit to enlist in the country's service but was
I'ejected, very much to his chagrin, on account of
not being up to the standard size. He made a
second and third eflfort with the same result as at
first, but by persevering he was accepted on a
fourtli application, and on the 1st of August, 1862,
became a member of Compan}' B, Scvent} - sixth
Illinois Infantry, under Capt. Busey, afterward
Colonel. His service as private continued until Jan-
uary, 1864, when he was promoted to be Sergeant-
Major, which position he held and faithfully and ac-
ceptably^ filled until mustered out with his regiment
at Galveston, Tex., Jul}' 22, 1865, after the close
of the war. He served in Kentucky, Tennessee,
Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida
and Texas. The last eng.agement in which he par-
ticipated was the assault on Ft. Blakely, Ala., on the
evening of April 9, 1865, being the last battle of the
war. The Seventy-sixth went into the charge with
two hundred and sixty-two men, and in ten minutes
lost one hundred and eighteen killed and wounded.
Wliile in tlie service, under the nom de plume of
'"Urchin," Mr. Munhall was war correspondent for
the Chicago Tribune, Champaign Democrat. Cham-
paign Gazette and St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and his
letters were received with great favor.
On his return from the war, Mr. Munhall found
his mother a widow, his father having died in _
Cleveland, Ohio, March 8, 1864. He was a man
of high rank in the ministry, was at one time
Treasurer of Champaign County, and was much
esteemed in his part of the State. Our subject re-
sided with his mother in Urbana, serving as clerk
in a clothing house until January 10, 1866. He
then removed to Watseka, where he has since re-
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
263
^ided. On coining to this city lie at once engaged
as Deputy Coiintj- Clerk under his former conirade,
Janios W. Ka.v, and was retained in that inisition
until the expiration of the term of ottiee of A.
lliincywell, in December, 187;i.
Mr. JMunhall was married in AVasliington, Fa.,
October 7, 1864, to Miss Nancy Reese, who was
Ix)rn in that count}-, and is a daughter of Thomas
.1. and Adaline Reese. One child has been born of
this union, a son. Will, who was born in Watseka,
on the 4th of August, 1869. He is now employed
in the Circuit Clerk's office under his father.
In 1869, Mr. Munhall was the candidate for
County Clerk, but being defeated in the conven-
tion withdrew from the contest. He was, however,
nominated in the Republican County Convention
in 1873, for that office, but wa.s defeated at the
pulls l)y Henry A. Butzow, the Granger candidate,
who secured a small majority. On the 24tli of
February, 1874, he was commissioned Postmaster
of Watseka and held that office until January 1,
1886, when he resigned, proving a capable and
accommodating official. Mr. Muuliall has alw.ays
been a Republican and on that ticket was elected
to his present position as Clerk of the Circuit
Court and Recorder of Iroquois County in 1888.
.Socially, he is a member of Watseka Camp No.
339, M. W. A.; Watseka Lodge No. 446, A. F. &
A. M., of wliich he was .Secretary fourteen years;
Watseka Chapter No. 114, R. A. M., in which he is
serving his nineteentli year as Secretary; and of
Kankakee Commandery No. 33, K. T. He is now
serving his seventh year as Secretary of the Iro-
quois County Fair Association.
Mr. Munhall has made his home in Watseka
since 1866, and is held in high esteem by his fel-
low-townsmen. Ilis administration of the affairs
of his office has been marked by strict attention to
duty, kind and courteous treatment of the public
liaving business there, and an evid(!nt desire not
only to fulfill every official obligation with
piom|)lness and fidelity, but to aid and assist all
who call upon him for information, whether con-
nected with official duty or not. He has had the
benefit of the services of Henry T. Skeels as Dep-
uty, who is one of the oldest and most experienced
men associated with Iroquois Count3''s public
business, and of Miss Lura C. Strean, who has been
in the recording department over ten years. Mr.
IMunhall also hiis the aid of his son Will, a bright
and active clerk. During his residence of more
than a quarter of a century in Watseka and Iro-
quois County, he has made many warm friends
and stands deservedly high in the estimation of
his fellow-citizens. At the Republican convention
in April, 1892, he was renominated to the same posi-
tion he has held for four years.
I Ir" @ ^ 1
L^^HK WATSEKA REPUBLICAN, an eight-
lY^^i *-'*^*l"â„¢" quarto, and the oldest paper in ex-
V^/ istence in Iroquois County, was founded b}'
Hon. Thomas Vennum in 1856, and its first num-
ber bears the date of May 8, 1856. The paper w.as
then known as the Iroquois Republican, and was
printed in Middleport, now a part of the city of
Watseka. J. A. Graham and D. T. Liiidley were
the publisliers, and the paper was edited by Jesse
Bennett and Franklin Blades, M. D. Various
changes in ownership and editorial management oc-
curred. In 1872, the name of the paper was changed
to its present title, while it was owned and con-
ducted by Alex L. AVhitehall and Palmer Brimball,
of Watseka, the office having been removed to the
new town in the spring of 1863.
In 1884, B. F. Shankland purchased the paper
and conducted it until 1887, when he sold out and
went to California. On his return tiie following
year he repurchased it. The present stock com-
pany, known as the Watseka Republican Company,
w.as incorporated in the spring of 1892. B. F.
Shankland was chosen President, W. R. Higgins
Secretary and -Superintendent of the meclianical de-
partment, and Dr. E. T. Brigham, Treasurer.
Mr. Shankland has been editor of the paper since
his connection with it, and has made it an interest-
ing and newsy sheet. The RepubUcan is noted for
its tine appearance and readable contents. It is
recognized as the leading Republican paper in the
county. It is always at the front in matters of
news, and enjoys a liberal patronage, both in the
subscription list and in advertising, and can boast a
264
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
large circulation among the best people in Eastern
Illinois. The office is thoroughly equipped for
general job work, as well as for first-class news-
paper work. Mr. Iliggins, who has cliarge of the
mechanical department, is one of the best prac-
tical printers in tlie State, and has been identified
with the Republican for many years.
•4 Qp-
^
,ETER EDWARD LARSON, resident pait-
ner and business manager of the firm of
P. Larson & Co., merchant tailors and
dealers in readj'-made clothing and gents'
furnishing goods, is one of the enterprising citi-
zens of Watseka. The Watseka House is one of
three large stores of the same kind owned and con-
ducted by this company. The present store, which
was founded in Paxton, Ford County, 111., in 1864,
by Peter Larson, the father of our subject, is con-
ducted by the elder son, Charles Albert. The sec-
ond store of tlie same cliaracter, situated in(iibson,
Ford County, was established by our sul^jcct in
March, 1887, and is conducted by the second son,
Theodore. The store in AVatseka was established
by Peter, September 1, 1891, and has since been
conducted under his management. All three are
united under the firm name of P. Larson &: Co.
The business lias grown from a small beginning to
be one of the most important mercantile enter-
prises in Eastern Illinois, and their aggregate an-
nual business amounts to 1100,000 and upwards.
This house maintains a gilt-edged credit and is
noted for its good work, fair dealing and conserva-
tive business methods.
The subject of our sketch was born in Attica,
Ind., on the 25th of August, 1863, and is a son of
Peter and Louisa (Gustafson) Larson. He came
to Illinois with his parents in 1864, and the family
located in Paxton, Ford County, where Peter Ed-
ward was reared to manhood. His education was
acquired in the Paxton schools and the Collegiate
Normal Institute of that place. As soon as he vvas
old enough to do business, he was emploj'ed in
his father's store as salesman when out of school
and when his school-days were over. In March,
1887, he was made a partner in the business and
established as manager of the branch house in Gib-
son, where he continued until the 1st of September,
1891. He then established the AVatseka branch
house, of which he has since been manager and
resident ])artner. This store is the largest exclu-
sive clothing store in the county and is doing a
large and constantly increasing business.
Mr. Larson is a member of Drummer Camp No.
235, M. AV. A., of Gibson. In politics, he is a Re-
publican, but not an aggressive partisan. He is a
genial gentleman, a good business man and a fair
representative of so important a mercantile house
as that of P. Larson & Co.
ELI OREBAUGH, Sheriff of Iroquois County,
is a native of Highland County, Ohio. He
was born on the 10th of June, 1834, and is
a son of David and Sarah (Caley) Orebaugh. His
father was born in Rockingham Count}', Va., in
1810, and died at the age of lift}' years. His
mother, a native of Highland Count}', Ohio, still
survives her husband and is now a resident of
Clermont County, Ohio.
The subject of this sketch was reared to man-
hood in his native State, and was educated in the
public schools near his home. On the 26th of
November, 1857, he was united in marriage with
Miss Sarah, a daughter of John and .Julia
Maxfield, and a native of Hamilton County,
Ohio. They began their domestic life upon a
farm in the Buckeye State, where they resided
until October, 1883, when with his family he
settled in Fountain Township, where he was en-
gaged in farming until elected Sheriff, in the fall
of 1890. He then removed to AA''atseka, and on
the 1st of December of that year entered upon
the duties of the office and has since resided in
that city.
Nine children were born unto Mr. and JMrs. Ore-
baugh, of whom four are living. David Alvin,
the eldest, is a practicing lawyer of AN'^atseka. The
three daughters, Alice K., Emma C, and Bertha
M., are still with tlicir parents.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
265
Our subject manifested liis loyalty to the Gov-
iTiiment during the late war b^- enlisting on the
2d of May, 1864, as a member of Company B, One
Hundred and Fifty-third Ohio Infantry, and
st-rved the term of his enlistment. He is now a
member of G. H. Neele Post Xo, 576, G. A. R.. of
( issua Park, Iroquois County, of wliicli he has
lu'en Chaplain. In his political attiliations he is a
Democrat.
In connection with his other interests, Mr. Ore-
liaiigh is connected with the Styles Automatic
Hinge Company, which was recently organized in
Wntseka. He was one of those interested in the
r-iablishment of the enterprise and is one of its
stiickholders. He is recognized as a leading
faiiner of the community and is a valued citizen.
He has proved himself a most efficient and reliable
officer and enjoys the respect and esteem of a wide
circle of friends and acquaintances.
i.ll.LIAM S. LAHKIN, a retired farmer who
makes his home in Onarga, claims Rhode
Island as the State of his nativit}'. The
place of his birth is in South Kingston, Washing-
ton County, and the date March 5. 1826. He
comes of an old New England family. His grand-
parents, William and JJashba (Webster) Larkin,
were both natives of Rhode Island, and the grand-
father was a direct descendant of Edward Larkin,
the friend and companion of Roger Williams. Tlie
parents of our subject, William and Lucy (Morey)
Larkin, were also born, reared and married in Rhode
Island. They became the parents of a family of
nine children, but death has taken away the eldest
(laughter, Lucy A. The others are as follows: Will-
iam S.jAlford A., Ephraim, Albert, Elsie, Bradford,
Welcome H. and Eliza. The father died in June,
1SH2, at the ripe old age of eight^y-one years and
foui- months, and the mother's death occurred in
March of that year at the age of eighty-three years
and eight months.
Under the parental roof, William Larkin was
reared to manhood and his education was acquired
in the public schools, As a companif)n and help-
mate on life's journey, he chose Miss P^lizabeth
Cook, daughter of Alford and Austress (Brehman)
Cook, of Rhode Island. Their union was celebrated
on the Kith of August, 1849, and unto them were
born four children, one son and three daughters:
Lucy A., born January 23, 18.51, is now the wife
of Edgar I. King, of Gibson, III., and they have
three children, Edgar I., Lucy Belle and Gilva.
Mary J., born August 30, 1852, is the wife of Irvin
Rutledge, a resident of Arlington, Reno County,
Kan., b)' whom she has four children, Ro}', Loren,
Lila and AVill. Olive I., born May 20, 1856, was
joined in wedlock with AValter Davis, who died in
Ma^-, 1891. Four children were born unto them:
Earl, Alice, Walter Mark, and one deceased.
George S., the only son of the family, was born
September 13, 1859. He mai-ried Miss Donella
JIcKinzie, a Scotch lady, and thej' reside in Melvin,
111.
In 1857, Mr. Larkin disposed of his business in-
terests in Connecticut, where he had been living,
and emigrated Westward to Illinois, locating on a
farm of one hundred and sixty acres in what is
now Lyman Township, Ford County, but at that
time was known as town 25, range 9 east in Ver-
milion County. He there made his home from
1857 until 1883, and his children were reared upon
that farm. He was an industrious and enterpris-
ing farmer and by his perseverance and good
management won a comfortable competence. At
length he determined to lay aside business cares
and live a retired life, and in 1883 he removed to
the village of Roberts, but after a few months went
to Melvin, where he spent the succeeding five years
of his life. In 1889, he came to Onarga, where he
has since made his home, but he still retains posses-
sion of his farm of two hundred acres, one hun-
dred and sixty acres of it being the farm on which
he first settled.
AVliile living in Ford County, Mr. Larkin held
the offices of School Director and School Trustee
and also served for one term as Supervisor. The
cause of education finds in him a warm friend and
he gives his support to eveiy enterprise or interest
calculated to prove of public benefit. His success
in life iias all been due to his own efforts and he is
now enjoying a well-earned rest. Ilinisclf and
266
PORTEAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
wife in early life were members of the Ba])tist
Church; after coming West they joined the Con-
gregational Church, but since 1889 have held mem-
bership with the Presbyterian Church. They have
helped to build four churches. In politics, our sub-
ject votes with the Prohibition party, for it embod-
ies his ideas on the temperance question.
m>^^<^^
OMER TULLP2R, a iiighly respected citizen
of Cla3tonville and an extensive dealer in
stock, claims Ohio as the State of his nativ-
ity. Delaware County is the place of his
birth, and the date September 18, 1837. He is a
son of Roswell and Nancy (Thompson) TuUer.
The father was born in Hartford, Conn., and when
a lad of twelve years emigrated with his parents
to Franklin County, Ohio. He helped to build
the first log cabin in Columbus. He was in the
War of 1812, and, like the remainder of his com-
rades, was forced to go barefooted all through one
winter. After the war he emigrated to Delaware
County, Ohio, and built the second log cabin in
that county, while in tlie midst of the forest he
developed a farm. He died in Februarj', 18(36, at
the age of seventy-six years. His wife was a na-
tive of the Green Mountain State, and when a
young maiden of ten summers came to Ohio. She
died on the old homestead. Mr. Tuller was a
successful business man and a prominent and pro-
gressive farmer. AVith the Presbyterian Ciuirch
he and his wife held membership. In the family
were the following children: Alvin, now a resident
farmer of Franklin Count}', Ohio; Philander, who
died at the age of eighteen years; Cynthia, who
died in Ohio; Martha, deceased wife of John Stan-
dish; Mrs. Lydia Freshwater, who died in Ohio;
Orrin, a bridge-builder who met his death by acci-
dent; Milo, who died at the age of nineteen years;
Homer of this sketch; Edgar, who served in an
Ohio regiment during the late war for one hun-
dred days, now resides in Paoli, Kan. All of the
children were born and reared on the old home-
stead in Ohio.
Our subject grew to manhood upon his fatlier's
farm, no event of special importance occurring
during his childhood daj-s. He attended scliool,
which was conducted on the subscription plan and
was held Brst in one house and then another. He
was ten years of age before he attended a regular
school. At the age of sixteen he began devoting
his entire attention to farm work, and exijerienced
all the privations and hardships of pioneer life.
On attaining his majority he started out in life for
himself, and in the winter of 1857-58 we find him
in Union Count}', Iowa, where he made a claim of
Government land and began the development of a
farm. The Indians were then very numerous in
the settlement and the work of civilization and
progress seemed scarcely begun. There were only
three settlements, in the countj". After a year his
brother who was with him was taken ill and the
father came and induced his sons to return. Our
subject owned three hundred and twenty acres of
land in which the county seat is now situated. After
he went back to Ohio, he engaged in operating
liis father's farm for a time and then purchased
land of his own.
During the late war, Mr. Tuller tried to enlist
in both the Twentieth and Ninety-sixth Ohio
Infantry, but his services were neither time ac-
cepted. He continued to engage in farming in
Ohio until 1867, when he came to Iroquois County,
and settled on section 3, Fountain Creek Township.
The farm was then a tract of wild prairie, but acre
after acre was placed under the plow and trans-
formed into rich and fertile fields which yielded him
abundant harvests. In connection with the culti-
vation of his land he also engaged in shipping
stock and was very successful in that part of his
undertakings. At length b}' his industry and en-
terprise he has acquired a comfortable competence
and IS now devoting liis time and attention to
buying and shipping stock, while his son operates
his farm. He still owns two hundred and twenty-
two acres of valuable land.
On the 17th of December, 1858, jMr. Tuller
wedded Miss Louisa A. High, a native of Reading,
Pa., who emigrated to Ohio at the age of twelve
years. Unto them have been born four children.
William Roswell was educated in the public schools
of Watseka, married Kniily Hammond, of Peiinsyl-
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORb.
267
vania, and resides on the old horacsitead; C'harle
A. is now engaged in tlie restaurant and grocery
business in Claytonville; Hlanclie is deceased; and
Nellie completes the family.
In 18(i0, Mr. Tuller east his first Presidential
\ote, supporting .Stephen A. Douglas, and has
-ince been a supporter of the Democratic party,
lie often serves as a delegate to its conventions
and is one of its influential and prominent members
in this community. He does all in his power to
promote its growth and insure its success, but has
never been an olHce-seeker. Mr. Tuller began life
empty-lianded and lias had man3" trials and diffi-
culties to meet, but has overcome these by enter-
prise and determination, and by the assistance of
his estimable wife, who has indeed proved a true
liolpmate to him, he has steadily worked his way
upward to a position among the substantial and
representative citizens of the county. His sterling
worth and integrity have won him high regard
and he has many warm friends throughout the
community.
ipyKEDKKICK GKP:ENBrRG, one of the
r^yG) leading and influential farmers of Prairie
1 (Jreen Township, residing on section 24, is
numbered among the earliest settlers of this com-
munity, where for thirty-six years he has made his
liome. He has watched its growth and progress,
and has aided in its upbuilding and development,
ever faithfully performing his duties of citizenship,
and doing what he could for the best interests of