Full Text of History of Vermillion County Illinois -- Chapter XX

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CHAPTER XX. 

AFTER THE WAR

CONDITIONS FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR-NEW COMERS IN THE DECADE IMMEDIATELY AFTER 
THE CLOSE OF THE WAR--BUILDING OF TOWNS AND CITIES-- PROGRESS IN THE NORTHERN 
PART OF THE COUNTY-DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

	The division of the history of Vermilion County by the date of the Civil 
war is not an unreasonable one as can be seen by a careful reader of any record 
of events before that time and since.

	Changes in conditions were the inevitable following of the end of that 
struggle, not only in the South, but all over the country, and Vermilion County 
was no exception to this universal state of matters. Apparently the army was 
disbanded and its members went back home to take up the life laid down three or 
more years ago. But in reality that was impossible. The intervening years had 
been filled with experiences which changed plans and ideals, and even modes of 
life. The people of this country were not the same people nor could they regain 
their former condition.

	In Vermilion County, up to this time, the increase in population had 
mainly come from the increased families. While some new comers had found their 
way to this section, the affairs of the towns and of the county were managed by 
the descendants of the early settlers. The natural increase of values had made 
certain distinctions in the communities, and certain men had found themselves in 
power because of the wisdom of the choice of their fathers or grandfathers in 
the selection of land when first coming to the west. There was more of a 
community of interest than is possible under any other circumstances. Men knew 
each other better when their fathers had known each other; it was easier to 
calculate what a man would do when his father's life was as an open book to 
read. But there is more danger of a concentration of power in a community when 
generation after generation lived in the same place. Deeper friendships are 
developed, but on the other hand, more bitter enmity is always engendered, and a 
community misses the chance of growth while having the privilege of intimate 
association. Those who had gone to the service had met new experiences and met 
new people. They had found that the world was not bounded by the limits of their 
own community. The entire country had grown less narrow and found that the world 
had something in it other than own interests. Vermilion County boys were not the 
exception. Home had perhaps grown more dear because of contrast, but never again 
would it hold the place it had before. The nation had grown from its period of 
dependence and provincialism. Where men had gone, they came back with a wider 
outlook. Old plans of work for one or another were put aside, it may be, on 
account of some one who went away but did not come back.

	Immediately following the close of the war, many new comers made their 
homes in Danville. Unlike the early settlers these were largely from the eastern 
states. The south came to the county in its infancy, and when the next time of 
change came it brought the east to Vermilion County.

	The newcomers differed in another way from the early settlers in that they 
sought the towns rather than the country, and the villages and county seat 
increased in size more rapidly than did the country districts, at this time.

	Mr. J. G. Holden came from Ohio, being a native of New Hampshire and 
having spent his youth in that state and New York. His fathers family came to 
Illinois in 1851, when he was sixteen years old. They settled in northern 
Illinois and he remained in New York state clerking in a grocery store. Later he 
went to Ohio and went into business of his own as a merchant. There he remained 
until 1865, when he came to Danville and made it his permanent home. Mr. Holden 
later went into the lumber business with his yard on Hazel street, just north of 
Main. He built up a fine business, which he kept as long as he lived, and since 
his death has been carried on by his eldest son, Nathan.

	Mr. Holden was prominent in the affairs of the city. He was at one time a 
member of the city council, a member of the board of education of Danville, and 
held all prominent offices in the Agricultural Society. He was sent to the state 
legislature and while on the county board of supervisors was chairman of the 
committees which had the building of the new court house to see about. Mr. 
Holden died at his home, corner of Walnut and Williams streets.

	Edward S. Gregory was another eastern man who came to Danville in 1865. He 
went into the drug store of J. Partlow, where he remained for five years. He was 
elected marshal of Danville in 1868 and held that office for six years. He was 
then elected sheriff of Vermilion County and remained in that office for six 
years.

	Mr. Gregory married Miss Anna Maxon. Dr. George Wheeler Jones and his 
brother James located in Danville about this time. Like many other young men 
they had gone into the army before they had selected their locations for homes. 
Dr. Jones had begun his practice of medicine in Terre Haute from which place he 
enlisted, but the younger brother went into the service when he was but eighteen 
years old. Coming back, the most promising location appeared to be Danville, 
Illinois.

	Dr. Jones opened a practice in the city and surrounding territory, and at 
the same time they formed a partnership under the firm name of Jones Brothers, 
and carried on the business of a drug store. Their store building was on the 
corner of Main and Hazel streets. The building yet stands in good condition, 
having housed a drug store for forty-five years. In the store diagonally across 
the street on the southwest corner of Main and Hazel streets, Yates & Murphy had 
a dry-goods store.

	The Danville Lumber & Manufacturing Co. was the outcome of the partnership 
made by Mr. Holden and Mr. E. A. Leonard, when they came from Defiance, Ohio, in 
1865, and went into the lumber business. It is true that it was many years after 
they made and gave up their partnership that this establishment was organized, 
but the beginning was made when Mr. Holden and Mr. Leonard came from the same 
town in Ohio in the same year and together went into the lumber business under 
the firm name of Leonard & Holden. In one year he bought Mr. Holden's interest 
and conducted the business alone until 1871, when the firm became Leonard & 
Yeomans. In 1873 the Danville Lumber & Manufacturing Co. was established and 
continued until the death of Mr. Leonard. They did a good business for the times 
and it was one of profit. Mr. Leonard was born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., in 
1828, and died in Danville, Ill.

	During these first years after the war, the list of attorneys was 
increased by William A. Young, J. B. Mann, E. Winter and F. W. Penwell. Mr. 
Young came from Indiana. Mr. Mann is a native of New Jersey. Mr. Winter was born 
in Kentucky, but came to Indiana while very young, coming to Danville in 1870; 
and Mr Penwell was a native of Indiana. All of these men have become successful 
lawyers and made themselves known outside their own county. Mr. Young did not 
begin the practice of his profession until he had spent much time in other 
employment. He taught school rather extensively in southern Illinois. He 
enlisted for the term of three months, but soon had enough of army life. He was 
engaged as recruiting officer in Indianapolis, and at last began his practice. 
At first it was under the firm name of Penwell & Young, where they both made 
their reputation, and were considered the rising lawyers of Vermilion County.

	Mr. Joseph B. Mann is one of the best known lawyers of the state. He is 
well read, clear in his statement of a case, and is generally on the winning 
side. He was born and spent his youth in the east, coming west to the Michigan 
University to study law in 1865, and graduating from that school in 1866. He 
then came to Danville and went into the office of O. L. Davis. He was admitted 
to practice law in the courts of Illinois in the following year. He was taken 
into the firm with Judge E. S. Terry. When that partnership was ended he went 
into the firm with Judge O. L. Davis. Since then he formed the firm of Mann, 
Calhoun & Frazier, which was one of the strongest in eastern Illinois. Mr. Mann 
married Miss Lucy Davis, daughter of Judge O. L. Davis. Mr. Mann changed his 
residence, his new location being Chicago, but he afterward returned to 
Danville. Mr. Mann has perhaps a wider acquaintance throughout the state and 
surrounding territory than any other resident of Vermilion County.

	Mr. E. Winter is but one generation removed from England, his father being 
an Englishman. He was bom in Indiana. In 1864 he enlisted in Battery F, First 
Indiana Heavy artillery, although but seventeen years old, and was in several 
heavy engagements. After he came to Danville he helped organize Battery A, and 
soon was made captain of it, since which time he has familiarly been called 
Captain Winter.

	Mr. Penwell moved to Illinois with his parents in 1853, but did not come 
to Danville until 1873. He enlisted from Shelbyville, the home of his parents. 
He was in the service for three years, after which he went to the Michigan 
University and studied law, and was admitted to the bar. When he came to 
Danville he went into partnership with Judge Henry under the firm name of Henry 
& Penwell. Three years later the firm was changed to Penwell & Young and 
remained that. It was about this time that the Abdill brothers came from 
Perrysville and opened a hardware store. The firm of Abdill Bros. was dissolved 
in time and Mr. E. C. Abdill carried on the business. When he died his sons, 
Charles and Harry, carried it on for some time under the name of E. C. Abdills' 
Sons. In about 1898 the store passed into the hands of another firm and the name 
of Abdill, which was connected with the hardware trade for so many years was 
lost to Danville. Mr. George Abdill is and has been a broker in Danville since 
going out of the hardware business.

	D. M. Gurley came to Danville from Michigan, being a native of Vermont, in 
1867. He was in the hide and leather business until he retired. He was fifty-
nine years old when he came and did not have many active years before him when 
he made the change of residence.

	Judge Stansbury came to Danville with a grown family in 1867. They were a 
great addition to the social life of Danville. Mrs. Stansbury was an unusual 
woman and the two daughters were unmarried and very accomplished women. The son 
was a citizen of Danville for many years. Miss Elizabeth Stansbury became the 
wife of Mr. W. T. Cunningham and the young- daughter was married to Dr. O. 
LeSeure, and went to Detroit to live. In 1867 Mr. A. L. Webster and Mr. George 
Yeomans opened a hardware store in Danville. They continued in this partnership 
until 1871, when Mr. Yeomans sold his interest to Mr. Charles Yeomans, his 
brother. The firm name of Webster & Yeomans continued until four years later, 
when it was dissolved, Mr. Webster taking the heavy hardware and Mr. Yeomans the 
light hardware. Mr. Webster kept this sort of stock for four or five years, when 
he sold out to Mr. J. W. Giddings and retired from the trade altogether. He 
afterward went into the grocery business, eventually being in the jobbing trade. 
Changes of firm and company names have placed him at this time in the large 
wholesale business of Webster Grocery Company. This business, which is 
extensive, is housed in a fine building which the company owns at the corner of 
East North street and Washington avenue. Mr. Yeomans formed the company of 
Yeomans, Shedd & LeSeure, which remained the same until the death of Mr. Frank 
LeSeure, one of the firm, in 1884, since which time the firm has been Yeomans & 
Shedd. The death of Mr. Shedd last spring makes another change.

	L. T. Dickason came to Vermilion County in 1867 from Ohio. He had been in 
the army and had a very severe wound, after which he was discharged. This was 
when he had almost completed his term of enlistment. Mr. Dickason went first to 
Fairmount and was engaged in buying and selling grain. He later came to 
Danville, where he was interested in. the coal and timber trade very 
extensively. He was very popular and was elected mayor for three terms. Mr. 
Dickason's extensive business interests made his residence in Danville no longer 
possible, and he removed to Chicago, where he has since made his home. His 
health has been very much impaired during these last years. He was associated 
while here with Mr. C. L. English, in the coal and lumber trade, and this 
business association continued after he changed his residence.

	The coal business of Vermilion County attracted Mr. W. C. McReynolds to 
Danville in 1867. He did not remain in this business for long, however, but went 
into the mill. He was booker in the Danville mill, which was one of the largest 
in the county. It was built by Daniel Kyger. In 1875 he married Miss Elizabeth 
Pearson, the daughter of Hon. John Pearson. Mr. H. K. Gregory was one of the 
prominent business men of that time. He made good contracts to get out railroad 
ties, being associated with his brother Charles for a time and later with Mr. 
James Knight. Mr. Gregory went to the Pacific slope and has been for some time 
in the railroad interests. His residence is now in San Francisco.

	A leading dry-goods firm in Danville for years was that of C. W. and J. R. 
Holloway. This firm did business on the northwest corner of Main and Walnut 
streets. The firm was organized in 1869. Mr. C. B. Holloway came to Danville 
from Ohio and Mr. Jesse Holloway was a native of Virginia, coming to Danville 
from Georgetown, Illinois, having gone when young. He was a dry-goods merchant 
in Georgetown for twenty years and then moved to Danville, where he went into 
the Vermilion County Bank for a time, but resumed the dry-goods business when 
this firm was established.

	E. C. Winslow, a native of Massachusetts, came to Danville after the war 
and opened a fine drug store on Main street, between Vermilion and Hazel, on the 
south side. Mr. Winslow was an experienced druggist, having had a drugstore in 
Boston for twelve years before he came to Vermilion County. Mr. Winslow 
afterward went to California to live. He was a relative of Dr. Winslow, the 
dentist and geologist. Dr. Gillette, of Massachusetts, came to practice his 
profession in Danville and vicinity about this time. He was a skillful physician 
who spent his life in this community, well loved by a host of patrons and 
friends. When he came back to the St. Elizabeth Hospital, an incurable invalid, 
the people found their greatest pleasure in doing what they could to make his 
last days comfortable. Dr. Gillette died in the early spring of 1810 [sic].

	William P. Cannon was a prominent factor in the business affairs of 
Danville during his life in that city. He came from Tuscola, where he had been 
first in the practice of law and later interested in the private bank of Wyeth, 
Cannon & Co. Yet later Mr. Cannon organized the First National Bank of Tuscola. 
In 1873 he moved to Danville and organized the Vermilion County Bank, of which 
he was made president. This later became the Second National Bank, and Mr. 
Cannon was president of this bank when he died, in 1893. His death was the 
result of an accident. In drawing the curtains of the window of the bank, he 
slipped on the tile floor, and falling, sustained internal injuries which were 
of so serious a nature he could not recover from them.

	In 1867 the old charter of Danville was burned in a fire which destroyed 
the records of the city, and a new one was granted. The city was operated under 
this charter until 1874, when it was incorporated under the general act of 1872. 
A hook and ladder company was formed in 1867, when the first protection from 
fire was made. This organization gave its service without compensation of any 
kind. D. A. Childs was made the foreman of this company, M. Redford the 
assistant foreman, Charles Eoff secretary, and C. Y. Yates treasurer. That same 
year, under the administration of Dr. Winslow as mayor, a second-hand engine was 
bought and 299 feet of leather hose at a cost of $1,200, and for a time the fire 
department of Danville gave good service. This plan of a volunteer fire 
department, which has been the pride in the east, was not the continued success 
in Danville. So it was that in 1872, while T. H. Myers was mayor, the council 
determined upon buying a steam fire engine. The committee to attend to the 
matter consisted of N. S. Monroe, W. H. Taylor and W. A. Brown. An engine and an 
additional hose cart with 500 feet of the best rubber hose was bought and the 
company was reorganized. This time there was a fixed number of sixteen members, 
and a salary was paid to each. In 1875 another of the Silsby engines was bought. 
W. H. Taylor was made chief of the department when this office was created in 
1879. A list of officers and salaries received in 1880 is interesting in 
comparison with those of the present: Chief, W. H. Taylor, $55 per month; first 
engineer, George Lupt, $50 per month; second engineer, Putnam Russell, $50 per 
month. Members: W. D. Dearing, $50 per month; Isaac Hurlacker, $20 per quarter;
E. Peables, $20 per quarter; A. Brant, $15 per quarter; C. Lindsey, $15 per 
quarter; William Dallas, $13 per quarter; J. Peables, $13 per quarter; E. Brant, 
$13 per quarter; M. Yearkes, $13 per quarter; Charles Adams, $13 per month; 
Frank Wells, $13 per month; James Harrison, $13 per month; Jackson Brideman, $13 
per month; George Cox, $13 per month.

	It was in 1872 that a station was made on the Chicago & Danville Railroad 
a mile south of the present site of Alvin. This was named for the progressive 
citizen of that part of the country and called Gilbert. L. T. Dixon laid out the 
town of Gilbert on section 8 (21-11) and Bruce Peters and D. McKibben started a 
store. Peters was made postmaster. Soon after this the store was sold to J. D. 
Williams and he was appointed postmaster. John Davison afterwards bought it and 
put in a stock of dry-goods. Dr. G. W. Akers started the drug business in 1875 
and remained there for a year, when the narrow gauge road made a crossing a mile 
to the north and the postoffice, station, stores and all moved to this point. 
Gilbert became an abandoned town, but the new town built in its place must be 
named. So great was the appreciation of his neighbors for Mr. Gilbert that his 
name was kept for the other town, and it was called Alvin. Now Mr. Gilbert 
always persisted in the spelling of his given name with an "a" and the devotion 
of those who named the new town went to the extent of spelling it in the same 
way. The postoffice department knew how to spell and refused to accept this 
spelling, but spelled the town Alvin. So it is that this town in Vermilion 
County has the spelling of Alvan as a railroad station and of Alvin as a 
postoffice. Any one can give it either spelling as he may choose and be correct. 
Alvan Gilbert had lived in this neighborhood for ten years and had large landed 
interests there, and if he demoralized the orthography of the community, it is 
too late a day to make any change. Mr. Gilbert was the man who made a settlement 
at the site of Rossville possible in 1862. That was the date of his coming to 
this place, which was then called Henpeck the reason for which is unknown. This 
included the settlement made first by Mr. Bicknell in the earlier history of the 
county. There was a point of timber running into the prairie at this place where 
Mr. Bicknell had settled.

	It was in 1871 that Hoopeston was laid out. The fight over the possession 
of the site of this by the two companies who were building the two railroads was 
a bitter one and ended in the platting of three towns: Hoopeston laid out in 
July where Main street is now; Leeds laid out where later the Hibbard House was 
built, and North Hoopeston comprised all the land north and east of the 
railroad. The first town was platted in the spring of 1871, the next was platted 
in November of that year, and the third was platted in the same year. A great 
factor in the growth of Hoopeston was the organization of the Hoopeston 
Agricultural Society. This was formed in 1873 and the stock was fixed at $5,000, 
and afterward raised to $10,000.

	The Hoopeston Library and Lecture Association was organized December 30, 
1872, and Hon. Lyford Marston elected president. After the car shops of the 
Eastern Illinois Railroad were built near the junction, the demand for an 
incorporated village of the territory lying to the northeast of that locality. A 
petition was filed in the county court June 25, 1874, asking the court to direct 
the holding of an election to vote for or against village incorporation, setting 
forth that there were over four hundred people living within said limits. The 
petition contained the names of sixty voters who lived within said limits. The 
petition was granted and an election was called for July 6, 1874. At this 
election there were thirty-one votes cast, thirty for and one against the 
incorporation. An election was held on July 31 for six trustees to perfect the 
organization. At this election there were thirty-four votes cast. In 1875 there 
were sixty-one votes cast. When the village was incorporated the people living 
there were largely Germans, but that did not last long, since the working men 
who have come into the shops are by no means all Germans, and other 
nationalities find their way to this village. While the employment of its 
citizens were men who had little farms and truck patches, there were conditions 
which attracted the German settler who remained the German all his life.

	South Danville lies on the south side of Vermilion river, and has been the 
home of the miner more than of any other man. This village was incorporated in 
1874. In February of that year Mr. John Lewis and thirty-five others petitioned 
the county court to order an election to vote for or against incorporating under 
the general act with the following boundaries: commencing at the Wabash railroad 
bridge, thence southwest with said railroad to a point where the state road from 
Georgetown to Danville crosses the railroad; thence west to the Paris & Danville 
railroad (now the New York Central lines;) thence north to the Vermilion river; 
thence along said river to the place of beginning. The petition set forth that 
there were five hundred people living within said limits. The election was held 
March 14, at which time and place seventy-seven votes were cast, fifty-one being 
for and twenty-five against corporation. An election was held to elect trustees 
in which seventy-three votes were cast.

	At an election held in 1863 a proposition was voted upon which was called 
upon a system of bridges. As the vote stood 515 for and 2 against, there is 
reason to conclude that there was some public spirit at that time. It was in 
1864 that a new cemetery in Danville was shown to be a pressing need of the 
times, and Spring Hill was incorporated. Up to this time the old Williams 
burying grounds were used, but it was beyond use, and a new one was an, urgent 
need. Mr. J. C. Short was, as he showed himself to be, very much interested in 
anything to promote the welfare of Danville, and in connection with Mr. English, 
Mr. LeSeure, Dr. Woodbury and Mr. A. S. Williams, an association was formed 
under the laws of the state and fifty acres of land was bought north of town for 
which $2,000 was paid, these gentlemen advancing the money, knowing it would 
prove a means of profit when the lots were sold. The land was a happy choice. It 
is dry and well located, having natural advantages tending to make it a 
beautiful burial place. Mr. English was elected the first president of the 
association, and Mr. Short secretary and treasurer, while Messrs. Williams, 
LeSeure and Woodbury were the directors. Mr. Bowman was given the work of laying 
it out. This work was admiringly done. Taking advantage of the natural lay of 
the land, the landscape was given all the beauty of lakes, ravines, gravelled 
and grassy roads and paths. It is one of the most beautiful cemeteries of 
Illinois. As the years passed the place made improvement or not as the men in 
charge took more or less interest in it. The present superintendent, Mr. 
Anderson, has done much to beautify it and to make it an attractive place to 
visit.

	The seventies brought many changes to Danville in the way of new buildings 
being built. The old court house was destroyed. There was no doubt that it was 
set on fire and no one had the heart to investigate the matter nor the 
disposition to censure, for it had long been a disgrace to Vermilion County. 
There is record made that one of Danville's favorite citizens, in the abandon of 
youth, drew a pistol and said he would shoot any one who would attempt to put 
the fire out. The present building was erected in 1876. The building cost, 
complete and ready for occupancy, the sum of $105,000. The architect and the 
committee who had charge of its building took great pride in the shape of the 
building. They never thought that their building would show the effects of wear 
and weather to the extent it does at present, but it is rapidly growing to the 
place its predecessor held in the minds of the people thirty-five years ago.

	The first Jail stood in the rear of the courthouse, but the fire which 
destroyed the one refused to burn the other. The old jail was made of hewn logs 
which dove-tailed together and were pinned together through the corners. It was 
about thirty feet long and had a partition put across it near the center to 
separate the two classes of people who were liable to be put in jail, viz., the 
prisoners for crime and those for debt. When the jail was built these latter 
were put in jail. Large river stones were put on the ground and a floor was 
placed on that. It was covered over with a floor like this of hewn logs. There 
were two windows in this building about eighteen inches square. One man who has 
had charge of the jail for some time, Hiram Hickman, said there was no trouble 
to catch a horsethief, but the trouble was to keep him, since everyone could dig 
bis way out before the next term of court. The jail refused to burn at the time 
the courthouse was destroyed, but it had to get out of the way of the new 
building and the old jail was removed in 1873. The new jail was built in 1874 
and has always been a credit to the county. The material used in building it was 
Joliet stone and brick and the plan has always been pleasing. It has a front on 
South Vermilion street of forty-four feet and is one hundred and two feet deep 
and cost $52,292. The building committee was the same as that of the courthouse, 
J. G. Holden being chairman. 

	Battery "A," First Regiment Illinois National Guards, was organized in 
1875. It was reorganized in 1876. The Danville Guards was organized in 1876. A 
very valuable association to a country was formed in 1877. This was called 
Vermilion County Historical Society. This society was made up of men of all the 
characteristics most to be admired in citizens of a growing community. Yet with 
everything to make an effective organization, it must be admitted that the 
society not only disbanded, but all the valuable matter collected and the 
priceless relics disappeared to never be found where they could be of use. 
Danville is rich in relics of Indian life and the collection was of particular 
value in that line, which is all too rare now.

	Another force for the improvement of the citizen was the Danville Lyceum, 
established about that time. It was organized July 4, 1878. Its object was 
mutual improvement of its members. It numbered forty members when first started. 
This was some time before the Danville Public Library was started. Mr. 
Culbertson had made his bequest of $2,000 to be used in the purchase of a 
library, one-half of which should be for the permanent benefit of the members of 
the Presbyterian church, and the other half for the benefit of the public. The 
books were bought by a committee and were kept in the library room of the old 
Presbyterian church, and it was the avowed desire and intention of the lyceum to 
secure the books and make them a part of a circulating library. The officers of 
the Danville Lyceum were: J. D. Benedict, president; W. L. French, vice 
president; W. C. Johnson, secretary. The board of directors were: W. J. Calhoun, 
J. D. Benedict, J. B. Samuels, P. E. Northrup and J. W. Whyte.

	The Vermilion Opera House was built on the comer of North and Vermilion 
streets, on the northeast comer opposite the old North Street church. It was 
built by J. G. English, Col. Chandler and John Dale, in 1873. It was built of 
native brick with Milwaukee brick trimmings; 50x110 feet, with two storerooms on 
the first floor and a hall on the upper floor. The cost of this building was 
$20,000. This building was used for its original purpose for a time and after it 
was no longer needed for that purpose it was converted into a building for the 
use of the Illinois Printing Company. The Illinois Printing Company located in 
Danville in 1874. It was first housed in the building on North street, between 
Vermilion and Hazel, where the Daniel House furnishing store has been so long. 
The Great Western Machine & Engine Shops were opened near the Wabash tracts in 
1865. Frisbie & Williams began this business in 1865, and in 1869 J. V. Logue 
bought out Williams interest and the firm name was Frisbie, Logue & Co. until 
1874.

	Five building and loan associations were organized from the time of the 
act of 1872 until the last one chartered in June, 1874. The Moss Bank park was 
laid out by John C. Short while yet he owned the property west of Danville, and 
promised to be a place of pride and pleasure to the citizens. The Ellsworth park 
was laid out in the eighties and the Lincoln and Douglas parks were made a part 
of Danville in the nineties.

	H. A. Coffeen was a factor in the literary and business development of the 
county, that should not be overlooked. Mr. Coffeen's parents lived in Champaign, 
coming there in 1852. They were Ohio people. Henry A. was their second son and 
early set out in life as a school teacher. He was in this employment until he 
was twenty-seven years old, the last two schools being in Hiram College, in 
Ohio, and as superintendent of schools in Bement, Illinois. Mr. Coffeen at last 
concluded to be a merchant instead of a school teacher, and started a bookstore 
in Danville. He kept up a fine store, where he sold books, pictures, wall paper 
and all that is ever found in a store of that kind. He opened the store in about 
1868 and for a time carried it on by his unaided efforts, but later he took as 
his partner Charles Pollock, the son of Dr. Pollock. Mr. Coffeen was the author 
of the first history of Vermilion County. It is a small book, which gives many 
facts, valued because they were gleaned while yet it was possible to get 
information of the early settlers at first hand.

	Mr. J. M. Clark was a dry-goods merchant who came in 1871. His store was 
on Vermilion street, next door to the Aetna House. He was a man who had done 
good service for his country during the bloody sixties, and was welcomed as a 
citizen of the growing Vermilion County.

	William F. Henderson came to Georgetown in 1878 and went into the bank of 
E. Henderson & Co. as cashier.