Grundy-Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Randall, Albert T June 7, 1837 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com February 20, 2006, 4:06 am Author: Gen/Bio Record Will Co IL 1900 Albert T. Randall, supervisor of Channahon Township and a well-known merchant of Channahon, was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, June 7, 1837, a son of John T. and Beulah S. (Russell) Randall. He was one of a family of six, four now living, those besides himself being Gersham A., who is with the Brewster Manufacturing Company in Beatrice, Neb.; Laura A., who is the wife of Albert Wilburn, a business man of Blackford, Kans.; and Mary, who married Charles A. Warren, an attorney of Chicago. His father, who was a native of Orleans County, Vt., born August 2, 1815, accompanied his parents to Orleans County, N. Y., when he was ten years of age, and there he grew to manhood. His school advantages were very limited, but later, through broad reading, he became a well-informed man. In early manhood he went to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, where he worked on his uncle’s farm. There he met and married Miss Russell. After the birth of two children he and his wife removed to Orleans County, N. Y., and there resided until 1849. During the latter year John T. Randall brought his family to Illinois. After a few months in Joliet he settled in Troy Township, on the Du Page River, where he purchased two hundred and five acres of canal land. Some years were spent on that place. However, in 1855, on account of the poor school facilities in that locality, he disposed of his farm and removed to the village of Channahon. Four years later he settled on a farm two miles east of town and there he remained until his death, November 30, 1882. In early life he was an ardent Democrat, but later became independent in politics. During the years 1863, 1864 and 1865 he represented Channahon Township on the board of supervisors, and in 1853 and 1854 he represented Troy Township on the board. He also served as assessor of Channahon Township a number of times and held the office of highway commissioner. He was one of the county’s most highly esteemed men. The grandfather of our subject, Nehemiah Randall, was born at Northampton, Mass., in 1784. When a young man he moved to Vermont and there married. In 1825 he removed to Orleans County, N. Y., and there made his home for twenty years, going in 1845 to Lorain County, Ohio, where he died one year later. He was a type of the industrious pioneer farmers, to whom the present generation owes so large a debt of gratitude. His father, Gersham Randall, was a native of Scituate, Mass., and served in the Revolutionary war; one of his brothers was killed at Braddock’s defeat during the French and Indian war in 1755. The first of the Randall family in America came from England about 1640 and settled in the town of Scituate. The wife of Nehemiah Randall bore the maiden name of Sally St. Clair; her father, James St. Clair, a native of Vermont, served in the Revolutionary war and the war of 1812. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Joseph and Miriam (Morgan) Russell, natives of Massachusetts. Two of the Morgan family served in the Revolutionary war, one being in the navy, the other in the army. Joseph Russell was a teamster in the war of 1812 and his father rendered patriotic service to the colonial cause during the first struggle with England. The Russells descended from English forefathers, who emigrated to America between 1640 and 1660. When a young man of twenty years our subject went to Wisconsin, where he remained for a time with an uncle on a farm, returning to Will County in the latter part of 1858. In March, 1859, he joined a party of Argonauts seeking gold in the Pike’s Peak region, and, arriving in Colorado, devoted some time to searching for gold. While he was there the Civil war broke out. September 9, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, First Colorado Infantry, which was made a cavalry regiment in November, 1862. He remained with it until his honorable discharge, December 14, 1865. Enlisting as a private he was soon made a corporal and later a sergeant. The important engagements in which he participated were those at Apache Canon, Pigeon ranch, Peralto, Cedar Canon and Sand Creek. After being mustered out from the service Mr. Randall returned to Illinois and resumed farm work. During the summers of 1866 and 1867 he went to St. Joe, Mo., and worked in a packing house. From 1859 to 1861 he engaged in farm work in Will County, after which he spent three years as salesman in a store in Wilmington. On his return to Channahon he took charge of the old homestead, which he farmed until 1882. He then became a partner in a mercantile establishment in Channahon, but sold out the next year and returned to the homestead, where he remained until 1890. During that year he removed to the village, and here for three years he was connected with a mercantile store. In 1893 he established his present business, which he has successfully and efficiently conducted. During Mr. Randall’s service in the army he was a member of a party sent across the plains as escort to a band of chiefs in February, 1863, for the purpose of making a treaty between the Indians and the government. His company and Company D comprised the escort. He remained in camp at St. Joe, Mo., while the Indians went on to Washington, D. C. It was while at St. Joe that he was married, April 30, 1863, to Miss Anna Tollard, daughter of James and Rachael (Emery) Tollard, natives of England. She was born in Newark, N. J.; shortly after her parents arrived in America. Later they removed to Columbiana County, Wis., and from that state to St. Joe, Mo., where they died. Three children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Randall, namely: Maud B., wifeof Fred Weese, of Minooka, Grundy County, Ill.; John T., who is with the Chicago Telephone Company; and Laura A., wife of Charles B. Chase, a machinist and brick manufacturer in Channahon. In 1870 Mr. Randall was collector for Channahon Township. Since 1876 he has served as justice of the peace. In 1884 he was elected assessor and continued in the office for eight years. In April, 1899, he was chosen a member of the board of supervisors, which position he now ably fills. In politics he is of the Republican faith. He is connected with Channahon Lodge 262, A. F. & A. M.; Kalon Camp No. 4282, Modern Woodmen of America; and Burden Post No. 494 G. A. R. Source: "Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County, Illinois", 1900, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, Pages 232-233 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/randall164nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 7.0 Kb