Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Champion, Roswell 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 1:19 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

Roswell Champion, Justice of the Peace, Sterling, was born in Lyme, New London 
Conn., May 26, 1827, his parents being Jonn and Sophia (Lay) Champion, natives 
of Connecticut and of the old Puritan stock. When he was nine years old his 
mother moved with the family to Herkimer Co., N. Y., where they lived until 
their death, that of his mother occurring in 1875, and that of his father in 
October, 1884. He lived at the parental home until 21 years of age, having the 
usual experiences of farm and school life (of the common district school, with 
the exception of one term at the Institute in Clinton, Oneida County, being a 
teacher the last two years of the above period.) Next he was employed four 
years in a mercantile house at Albion, Mich. In 1855 he came to Sterling, 
continuing in the mercantile business, and soon purchased a grocery house, 
which he conducted a short time. Selling out the latter, he then engaged as 
book-keeper for the firm of Galt & Brother, then in the same capacity for the 
firm of Patterson, Witmer & Co., and continued for some time with Mr. Witmer 
after the old firm was dissolved. His health failing, he accepted an agency 
for the AEtna Fire Insurance Company of Hartford, Conn., and subsequently for 
other fire insurance companies, in which business he still continues. In 1869 
he was elected Justice of the Peace, and has held the office ever since. In 
1873 he accepted a position as cashier in one of the banks at Sterling, which 
he fulfilled for three years. In the same year he was appointed School 
Treasurer, and he still holds the office. He is a Republican in his political 
views, and as to religious views he favors the Swedenborgian explanation of 
the Word, believing it to be the most reasonable. He is a member of the 
Presbyterian Church, as is also his wife. In December, 1869, Mr. Champion 
married Agnes Wallace, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Sterling with her 
parents, Hugh and Mary (Gait) Wallace. Mr. Wallace was a lawyer here for many 
years, retired from the profession and devoted his attention to his real 
estate until his death, in August, 1864. Since the spring of 1879 the 
interests of his estate have been in the charge of Mr. Champion.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/whiteside/bios/champion2136nbs.txt

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