History of Stark County, Illinois, Vol 2, 1916
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http://stores.ebay.com/Ancestry-Found !'r-.i1 ;;it>J "f;","?!.!'!.^;-. http://stores.ebay.com/Ancestry-Found tiV>»t--~ •vnIV,.^ LI B RAFLY OF THE U N 1 VERSITY Of ILLl N015 977 35/ usoisnisTcsicusiitm http://stores.ebay.com/Ancestry-Found Jl STARK COUNTY ILLINOIS AND ITS PEOPLE A RECORD OF SETTLEMENT, ORGANIZATION, PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT ILLUSTRATED VOLUME Chicago THE PIONEER PUBLISHING COMPANY 1916 fJSRARY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBArJA JUDGE FRANK THOMAS _J^. ^ BIOGRAPHICAL JUDGE FRANK THOMAS. Judge Frank Thomas, wlio is now serving for the second term . jaupon the bench of Stark county, is a native of Wyoming, lUinois, his birth having tliere occurred September 17, 1848. He is a son of ^ James M. Tliomas and a grandson of General Samuel Thomas, the "fo founder of Wyoming, Illinois. The common schools afforded him his preliminary educational training, after which he attended the North- western University and subsequently entered the University of Mich- igan at Ann Arbor, where he completed the literary course and was graduated. Subsequently he spent two years in the study of law there, and at the end of six years passed in the jNIichigan universitj' he left that institution with the degrees of B. A. and B. L. Immediately afterward INIr. Thomas returned to his native town and was admitted to the bar in Toulon in September, 1872. He opened a law office in Wyoming and was successful in building up a large prac- tice of a most important character. No dreary novitiate awaited him. He proved his ability in the trial of early cases, which indicated the thoroughness of his prej^aration and his comprehensive knowledge of law jirinciples. He was attornej' fo)- the Rock Island and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Companies for about eighteen years. He also served as city attorney of Wj-oming for about twenty years, discharging his duties with marked al)ility and thus carefully safe- guarding the interests of the city. His elevation to the bench was the logical sequence of the splendid record which he had made as advocate and counselor and he is now serving for the second term as judge of Stark county. His career as a judge is in harmony with that of his record as a man and citizen—characterized l)y the utmost fidelity to duty and by a masterful grasp of every problem presented for solution. Judge Thomas was united in marriage in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the 14th of September, 1872, to IMiss Anna Walsh, who was there reared and educated. She died, leaving two children, but the son, Harry Thomas, died at the age of eight years. The daughter, Katie, is now the wife of A. R. Seewald, a merchant of Terre Haute, In- diana, and they have a daughter, Fara Frances. Judge Thomas was 5 r I I I 09482 6 HISTORY OF STAllK COUXTT again married in Wyoming, on tlie 12th of April, 1882, his second union being with JNliss Juha jM. Hoover, who was born in Peoria county. They also have two children: Anna L., the wife of Nelson L. Steer, a wholesale grocer of Peoria; and Julia B., attending the Toulon schools. Judge Thomas is a member of Wyoming Lodge, Xo. 479, A. F. & A. 31., and ^Vyoming Chapter, Xo. 133, R. A. ]M., of which he was high priest for twelve years, and is a loyal adherent of the teachings of the craft. He has long taken an active interest in local politics and for a time was identified with the democratic party but for a number of years has supjiorted the republican party. He is a man fearless in the sup2)ort of his honest convictions yet never bitterly aggressive. He is a student of the great political, sociological and economic ques- tions of the day and his opinions are the result of careful considera- tion of the policies which he regards as effective forces in good government. His fellow townsmen speak of him in terms of high regard, and his reelection to the bench indicates that public ojjinion and the decisions of the higher courts indorse his judicial record. Judge Thomas is a member of the First Congregational church of Toulon, and is one of the principal ^\orkers in the Sunday school of that church. His class of eighteen young ladies speak in the highest terms of him as a teacher, each one of them showing her appreciation of his work in this position by being truly loyal to him. He is a con- scientious anti-saloon advocate, which is ever in evidence by his work and contributions to that cavise. J. KXOX HALL. J. Knox Hall, a son of Dr. Thomas and Matilda (Manifold) Hall, is a native of Stark county, having been born in the town of Toulon, April 20, 1848. He was educated in the Toulon public schools and upon leaving school entered the office of the old Stark County Xews to learn the j^rinter's trade. Later he was associated with W. E. Nixon in the publication of the Stark County Sentinel. Purchasing- Mr. X^ixon's interest, .he continued as sole proprietor, editor and pub- lisher of the Sentinel imtil 188.5, when he Avas appointed postmaster of Toulon by President Cleveland—the first postmaster in Illinois to be appointed by the new administration. At the close of his term as postmaster he resumed literary work, in which he is still engaged. Politically jNIr. Hall is a democrat, though he is broad enough to HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY 7 respect the opinions of those who view the political situation from a different standpoint. For four years he was a member of the Toulon city council, at the time the waterworks and sewer system were under construction, and he has always taken a commendable interest in every movement for the improvement of his native city. In church matters he was formerly a Baptist but now belongs to the Congregational church. jMr. Hall is a prominent member of the JNIasonic fraternity, being a member of Toulon Lodge, No. 93, Free and Accepted INIasons; AVyoming Chapter, No. 188. Royal Arch JNIasons; Kewanee Com- mandery, No. 71, Knights Templar; and INIohammed Temple, An- cient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Peoria. HUGH MALLETT. Hugh Malk'tt, Avho throughout his entire life has engaged in har- ness making, conducting a profitable and growing business along that line at Bradford, was born in Milo, Bureau county, Illinois, on the 11th of April. 187.5, and is a son of James F. and Mary J. (Haskins) jNIallett. The father is also a native of Bureau county, while the mother's birth occurred in Tioga countj% New York. They were mar- ried in Illinois, however, and are now residents of Lombardville. where they have resided since 1895. The father devoted many years of his life to general farming and is now engaged in stock buying. Hugh jNIallett was educated in INIilo and when seventeen years of age began to learn the harness making trade at Lomliai'dville, Illi- nois, being employed there and at Bradford until 1901, when he started in business on his own account. Tu August, 191.5, in association with W. F. Costello and others, he organized the .lim Dandy Collar Com- pany, of which JMr. JNIallett is the secretary, while INIr. Costello acts as manager. They manufacture a combination collar and pad in one and the estal)lishment now has a capacity of fifteen dozen collars per day and one hundred and twenty-five sets of harness per year. Mr. jNIallett has sold over four gross of collars from his harness shoj^ to the farmers of the locality and they have given general satisfaction. He is thoroughly honest and upright in his dealings and is known as "Honest Hugh." In August. 1906, JNIr. JNIallett was united in marriage to JNIiss Ruth Drawyer, and they have become the parents of three childi-en, James, Russell and JNIadeline. In his political views INIr. JNIallett is 8 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY a republican, well versed on the (juestions and issues of the day but is not an office seeker. For sixteen years he has been identified with the JNIasonic fraternity, and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. His success is due in large measure to the fact that he has always continued in the line in which he embarked as a young tradesman, never dissipating his energies over a broad field but concentrating his efforts upon the business in which he has devel- oped skill and ability. MRS. RHODA M. JACKSOX. One of the best known residents of La Fayette is jSIrs. Rhoda ^I. Jackson, who is a most active church woman and prominent in other connections. She was born in Fulton county. Illinois, and is a daugh- ter of the Rev. Amos ]Morey, a native of ]Maine, who with his parents removed in his childhood days to Ohio, the family home being estab- lished in Huron county, where ]Mr. JNIorey was reared to manhood. He there learned the trades of carpenter and cabinet maker and while residing in that locality he was united in marriage to ^Nliss Lydia H. Wright, who was born in the state of Xew York but was reared in Ohio. They removed from Ohio to Illinois, settling in Fulton county, where INIr. JSIorey worked at his trade but while thus engaged he de- voted all his leisure time to studying for the ministry and at length was ordained in the ]Methodist church, becoming one of the well known ministers and circuit riders of Fulton county in early days.