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 - Shelby County, Illinois - This is the Shelby County, Illinois, section of the Genealogy Trails Project. |
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| OBW 9.19.1891 13:1 | OBW 9.19.1891 13:2 | OBW 9.19.1891 13:3 | OBW 9.19.1891 13:4 | OBW 9.19.1891 13:5 |
| Babb Brothers | winters
in Piatt and Macon counties. He also entered the service of Uncle Sam
during the war. In 1862 he engaged in t he nursery business in which he
remained twenty years selling trees all over central Illinois and in
other states — making the apple, its propagation and nomenclature a
special study. After a few years in the hotel and stable business Mr.
Davis came to this city and took charge of the Huffer stables and has
been doing an excellent business. In politics he has always been a
Reformer, casting his first vote for Fremont, and when the Republican
party switched off with the brewers cast his lot in with the
Prohibition party and voted for St. John. He is at present chairman of
the Shelby County Prohibition Committee. Mr. Davis was married to Miss
Martha A. Stickel and they have five children, three sons and two
daughters, all grown. While in Macon Co., he held all the township
offices from road pathmaster to supervisor and Justice of the Peace,
issued marriage licenses, performed marriage ceremonies and was
superintendent of an M. E. Sunday school for eight or ten years. Mr.
Davis is a very quiet, unpretentious man. He thinks several times and
all around a subject before he speaks once, and then he speaks wisely
and to the point. His head is always level, his heart humane, and his
hands open to help the good cause that lacks assistance. A few million
such honest men and clear thinkers would prove a blessing to the state
and nation. It was mentioned, one day, to President Lincoln, that two young ladies of his acquaintance had quarreled, and loaded each other with abuse. “Have they called each other ugly?” asked the President. “No, sir.” “very good; then I will undertake to reconcile them.”  J. Wm. Lloyd was born at Springfield, Ill. Shortly after his birth his father, Wilson C. Lloyd, removed to Shelbyville, then about four years afterwards to Sullivan, in Moultrie County, Ill. At the latter place the father died, in 1856, being at the time of his death clerk of the Circuit Court and recorder of Moultrie County, and engaged in the general mercantile business, a partner in the firm of Haydon & Lloyd. J. Wm. Lloyd received the foundation of his education in the subscription schools of Sullivan and was four year a student in the Sullivan Academy. Upon the death of his father he secured employment as bookkeeper and salesman in the general store of Keller & Cleveland, afterwards in the store of Judge J. E. Eden (who was also postmaster) as book-keeper, salesman and assistant postmaster. In 1859 he came to Shelbyville, being employed in the office of the circuit clerk and recorder. On arriving at the age of 21 years he was made deputy clerk of the Circuit Court, and had almost entire charge of the office until the expiration of the term of Isaac V. Lee. After the election of Mr. Lee’s successor he engaged in the business of real estate agent and published the Commercial, a real estate and commercial paper. He was elected and held the office of town clerk of Shelbyville for two terms; was also city clerk of Shelbyville for two years, studied law in the office of Anthony T. Hall, published Lloyd’s Map of Shelby County, was elected county clerk of Shelby county in 1869, polling much more than his party (Dem.) vote, and was elected to a second term as county clerk by a very large majority in 1873. In 1873, with Dr. E. E. Waggoner, he established the Shelby County Independent, an independent Democratic newspaper (now the Shel- |
byville
Democrat). After one year’s connection with the paper he sold
out his
interest to his partner and engaged in the abstract and real estate
business with W. A. Cochran,
late circuit clerk of Shelby County, and
since 1880 has been engaged in that business and in the practice of
law, first in the law firm of Lloyd & Ames, and later in
partnership with Judge Anthony Thornton, but is now practicing law
alone, having his office in the building with the abstract, real
estate, insurance and financial agency of Lloyd, Keller &
Robertson, of which firm he is the senior partner. Mr. Lloyd was for
two years master in chancery of this county and served six years on the
board of education o this city. He is a member of the Christian Church,
a Mason, Odd Fellow, knight of Honor and a member of the Ancient Order
of United Workmen, and has held high offices in some of these orders.
He married the eldest daughter of Hon. Chattin Kelley, an old and
highly respected citizen of this city and has two children, a song and
daughter. Mr. L. has always been a student and has one of the best
selected private libraries in the county. Mr. Lloyd is one of the best
read lawyers in the State of Illinois. Very few men are more familiar
with State and municipal laws and all that pertains to real estate,
commercial and probate law; and with all his legal lore he is also an
excellent penman. His copy to the printer is almost equal in legibility
to the typewriter. Mr. Lloyd has very pleasant manners and is one of
the most accommodating gentlemen in the legal profession. A. H. Pollard. A. H. Pollard is a native of Illinois and has always made this state his home. He worked for five years learning the watchmaking and jewelry business and then started in business for himself. In 1876 he established his jewelry business in Shelbyville and has since enjoyed a liberal patronage. Mr. Pollard always carries a large and magnificent stock of watches, diamonds, jewelry, solid silver and plated ware, spectacles, gold pens, etc. Mr. Pollard is a first-class watchmaker himself and has in Mr. H. B. Showalter, an assistant who is a thorough workman and a fine engraver. Those who desire any work done in the line of repairing watches, clocks or jewelry will consult their own interest if they take it to Pollard or if they wish to buy anything in the line of gold, silver or plated goods, they can get just what they want as to quality and style and at reasonable price at Pollard’s on  North Main Street. Mr. Pollard deserves his reputation of being an honorable and trustworthy gentlemen in every respect. He loves pleasure and all prominent society gatherings include Mr. Pollard, but he does not let the calls of society interfere with business duties. He is a devoted member of the Catholic Church, and has a character and reputation any young man might be proud of. The Preacher That Should Be Repudiated A minister who would preach a sermon which could be endorsed and circulated by the devil to sustain and promote sin should be expelled from the Christian pulpit. A temperance doctrine which is endorsed by the brewers, the distillers, the saloonkeepers, the dive-keepers, and circulated by them as a defence of their trade should be repudiated by all enemies of drunkenness, immorality and vice. |
 The above (is) one of Shelby county’s native born sons who has gone into business in Shelbyville. J. C. Calvert was born on a farm in Ridge Township, Shelby county, May 27, 1853, was trained in the independence and industry of farm life and made a success of it. He now owns a well improved farm of 240 acres, with good buildings. He is popular among his neighbors and among everybody, so that when he ran for collector on a minority (Prohibition) ticket he received the full vote of all parties in the township. One who has worked for him says that he is in every way a model man. recently he bought out the complete grocery stock of Levering & Ballard, who were retiring from business. He has good clerks and aims to keep the cleanest and best grocery in town. His custom increases, and the more Mr. Calvert is known the larger his trade will be. He and his wife (who until 1874 was Miss Lydia Gardner) have recently moved to Shelbyville and are settled in a neat home on North Second Street. Some people make their religion go a long way. A good woman bought a lottery ticket the other day, accompanying the purchase with the soliloquy: “The Lord knows how it will turn out. It’s all in the hands of the Almighty, I s’pose.”  When home is ruled according to God’s Word, angels might be asked to stay at night with us, and they would not find themselves out of their element. — Spurgeon “Vill you dake someding?” said a German teetotaler to a friend, while standing near a tavern. “I don’t care if I do,” was the reply. “Vell, den, let us dake a valk!” |
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 James A. Babb the elder of these artist brothers is a native of Missouri, born in Osage County in 1855. He worked on the farm part of the time for himself until 1879 he came to Illinois and worked for a while in a photograph gallery at Sullivan. He returned to Missouri and worked for Winans, a photographer in Jefferson City. After working for a while in the capital of Missouri he came to this city and entered the grocery business. After several years in this business his old love for photography induced him to return to that business and he established a gallery. In company with his brother a gallery was established styled the “Babb Brothers” gallery and has since been continued with a little change. Mr. Babb was married in 1881 to Miss Mollie E. Oliver of Shelbyville, and they have four bright children to enliven and make happy their home. Jacob P. Babb Jacob P. Babb was born in Missouri April 30, 1857. Serving the apprenticeship on the farm at home until he was twenty-four, he entered the employ of Geo. D.  Jesse A. McEwen was born near Rockford, Ill., in 1863. When he was but 5 years old the widowed mother with five children came to Shelbyville, where for two years she did washing to support herself and dependent little ones. In 1870, death came and the children were left to fight life’s battle alone. Jesse was adopted into the family of Dr. Joseph Bowman, by which name he is known. In 1881 he graduated from the Shelbyville high school. He graduated from Indiana Dental College in 1884. The firm of Bowman & Son, dentists was then formed and continued successfully until the father’s death in 1888. Since then Jesse has continued the business and now claims the largest dental practice of any dentist in Central Illinois. He uses in his office the best appliances of modern dental surgery, painless extractions, filling, bridgework, crown work and best fitting plates. The doctor was married, in 1886, to Miss Anna Reiss, and three children now enliven their happy home on Broadway. The doctor is an ardent lover of music, is president of the Shelbyville Choral Union and sings bass solos at its concerts. He is the efficient superintendent of the Lutheran Sunday school. He is a progressive and public spirited citizen. Webster
Bros.
C.
M. Webster was born in Shelbyville in 1859. He graduated from the
Shelbyville High school in 1876. He was employed for two years with S.
H. Webster & Co., and for seven years succeeding has charge of the
Shelbyville post office. He carried his business methods into the
office and under his supervision it was conducted on accurate
business-like principles. C. M. Webster is a business man, through and
through, energetic, progressive |
Emery of
Indianapolis as superintendent of his lumber interests
in western Missouri. In 1883 he entered the studio of S. Winans,
photo-artist, Jefferson City, Mo. He finally settled in Shelbyville,
Ill., and in company with his brother has established a reputation as
an artist and has remarkable success in posing and getting good effects
from the most difficult subjects. Jacob Babb was married, November 1887
to Miss Anna Sampson, one of Shelbyville’s sweet singers, and they live
on their own residence property on North Broadway. The photograph gallery and studio conducted by the Babb Brothers occupies a suite of pleasant and commodious rooms, the first floor over Kleeman, Goldstein & Sons’ clothing and boot and shoe stores. This gallery has had a good patronage from the beginning and their work always brings them more trade. Most of the cuts in this edition of Our Best Words Weekly are engraved from photographs from the studio of Babb Brothers. and reliable. He takes great interest in public affairs, especially politics. L. S. Webster can be numbered among Shelby county’s solid business men at the age of 26. After finishing school in 1881 he served four years as deputy postmaster. By his carefulness and pleasantness at all times, he became a great favorite with post office visitors. With a change of administration, he entered the service of S. H. Webster & Co., as book-keeper, and remained on year. He enjoys business as well as pleasure and gives it the strictest attention — conducting all business on a broad and liberal basis. Leverett takes quite an interest in Sunday school matters has held every office in the Presbyterian Sunday school and for two years has been superintendent. Both brothers enjoy travel and frequently take trips for pleasure and recreation and the readers of our local papers often have the privilege of reading interesting accounts of rambles furnished by the younger brother. In 1887, C.M. and L.S. Webster bought out S. H. Webster & Co., and the firm of Webster Brothers has since done quite an extensive business in grain, farm implements, machinery, buggies, etc. Their business now aggregates something like $100,000 per anum. Such business men are a credit to any community and we want all of them that we can get.  Henry W. Davis
In his early
days, H. W. Davis was familiar with reap hook,
grain cradle and flax break being born on a farm in Macon County, Ill.,
in 1835. He took an active part in breaking prairie sod with oxen and
listening to the buzz of the green heads and prairie rattlers. Part of
each winter he attended district school at the same time helping in the
farm work. He attended Illinois College
at Jacksonville and then taught
several |
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