EARLY DAYS IN THE TOWN OF LYMAN
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
by Bela Foster
Continuing . . .
The Skeels and Thrasher families came to Thawville about the same time in 1871. B. H. Skeels enlisted in the U. S. army as a private in 1863. In 1865 he was discharged from the service as First Lieutenant of twenty-fifth Illinois volunteers. He had married Miss Lovina Wiswell of Waverly, Illinois, in 1857, six years before he went to the war. After the war he returned to Onarga and lived there until 1871 when with his wife and two daughters, Louella and Dean, he moved to the present site of Thawville.
Mr. Skeels and Jesse S. Thrasher put up the first two houses in the new town. Mr. Skeels was station agent for the G. S. & S. R. R., for three years. The P. Risser & Sons of Onarga purchased the Thawville Grain Elevator and engaged Mr. Skeels to run their business. He continued in the grain, lumbar, and coal business for many years. During part of this time he did banking and undertaking also. Besides he held several public offices. He was a very busy man. Still he had time to give attention to church and school work. If there was to be any special extra work to be done Mr. Skeels was asked to take part and to manage the affair.
In 1889 when Mr. Maddin brought the grain business Mr. Skeels started his bank. This he continued until his death in 1902. "When a good man dies, the People mourn." How true this was in this case. When his remains were laid to rest in the local cemetery the people mourned. His life was testimony to the quotation, "By their fruits ye shall know them."
Mrs. Lovina Skeels and her grandson, Chauncey Thrasher carried on the banking business until 1920 when the Thawville State Bank was incorporated.
Louella Skeels was married to W. J. Thrasher in 1874. They resided in Thawville and he worked for P. Risser & Sons at the elevator. In those days much corn was sold in the car and the company had many cribs. Some of the cribs were 10, 20, and 30 rods long. Nearly all were single cribs. They had a steam engine and a large sheller that would shell much faster than the cylinder shellers of that day. Mr. Thrasher used to run the engine. In 1880 the family moved to the Messerve farm where Fred Woodruff now lives. Two years later they moved to Roberts. Mr. Thrasher ran the elevator here owned by P. Risser & Sons, known as the Messerve elevator. He ran the business for seven years. He died in 1889. Mrs. Louella Thrasher died in 1902. After Mr. Thrasher died Mrs. Thrasher moved to Thawville and lived with her father. She had three sons.
Chauncey then about fourteen years of age went to work in his grandfather's bank. In 1896 he married Phoebe Townsend, the older daughter of Fred Townsend. The have three sons and two daughters. All are married. They have seven grandchildren.
Belias married Julia Lasson. He works in the bank with his father. Jesse W. married Mildred Lowry. The live in Champaign. Chauncey Jr. married Thelma Barnes. They live at Port Canton, Ohio. Margaret married Elon Greok. They live in Chicago. Ruth married Herman Baach. They live in Thawville.
Roy Thrasher, second son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Thrasher lives in Gilman. He is married. The third son, Frank, is married and lives in Onarga.
Dena, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Skeels, married C. B. Thrasher. He died in 1886 and she in 1896. They had one daughter, Edna, she married Mr. Spencer, now deceased. They had three daughters, all are married and live at Eugene, Oregon.
J. S. Thrasher, who put up the first elevator in Thawville went into the live stock business after leaving the elevator. About 1885 they moved to Gilman where he continued in the live stock business. Mrs. Thrasher ran a boarding house. They have five daughters and three sons, Adah, Mary, Kate, Anna, Ella, William J., Charles B., and Albert. All of these were married except Kate. All are dead. Albert was the last to die. His death came as the result of coming in contact with a high power electric wire at Kankakee a few years ago.
--Roberts Herald. 11 September 1935. Bela Foster.
Mr. Skeels and Jesse S. Thrasher put up the first two houses in the new town. Mr. Skeels was station agent for the G. S. & S. R. R., for three years. The P. Risser & Sons of Onarga purchased the Thawville Grain Elevator and engaged Mr. Skeels to run their business. He continued in the grain, lumbar, and coal business for many years. During part of this time he did banking and undertaking also. Besides he held several public offices. He was a very busy man. Still he had time to give attention to church and school work. If there was to be any special extra work to be done Mr. Skeels was asked to take part and to manage the affair.
In 1889 when Mr. Maddin brought the grain business Mr. Skeels started his bank. This he continued until his death in 1902. "When a good man dies, the People mourn." How true this was in this case. When his remains were laid to rest in the local cemetery the people mourned. His life was testimony to the quotation, "By their fruits ye shall know them."
Mrs. Lovina Skeels and her grandson, Chauncey Thrasher carried on the banking business until 1920 when the Thawville State Bank was incorporated.
Louella Skeels was married to W. J. Thrasher in 1874. They resided in Thawville and he worked for P. Risser & Sons at the elevator. In those days much corn was sold in the car and the company had many cribs. Some of the cribs were 10, 20, and 30 rods long. Nearly all were single cribs. They had a steam engine and a large sheller that would shell much faster than the cylinder shellers of that day. Mr. Thrasher used to run the engine. In 1880 the family moved to the Messerve farm where Fred Woodruff now lives. Two years later they moved to Roberts. Mr. Thrasher ran the elevator here owned by P. Risser & Sons, known as the Messerve elevator. He ran the business for seven years. He died in 1889. Mrs. Louella Thrasher died in 1902. After Mr. Thrasher died Mrs. Thrasher moved to Thawville and lived with her father. She had three sons.
Chauncey then about fourteen years of age went to work in his grandfather's bank. In 1896 he married Phoebe Townsend, the older daughter of Fred Townsend. The have three sons and two daughters. All are married. They have seven grandchildren.
Belias married Julia Lasson. He works in the bank with his father. Jesse W. married Mildred Lowry. The live in Champaign. Chauncey Jr. married Thelma Barnes. They live at Port Canton, Ohio. Margaret married Elon Greok. They live in Chicago. Ruth married Herman Baach. They live in Thawville.
Roy Thrasher, second son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Thrasher lives in Gilman. He is married. The third son, Frank, is married and lives in Onarga.
Dena, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Skeels, married C. B. Thrasher. He died in 1886 and she in 1896. They had one daughter, Edna, she married Mr. Spencer, now deceased. They had three daughters, all are married and live at Eugene, Oregon.
J. S. Thrasher, who put up the first elevator in Thawville went into the live stock business after leaving the elevator. About 1885 they moved to Gilman where he continued in the live stock business. Mrs. Thrasher ran a boarding house. They have five daughters and three sons, Adah, Mary, Kate, Anna, Ella, William J., Charles B., and Albert. All of these were married except Kate. All are dead. Albert was the last to die. His death came as the result of coming in contact with a high power electric wire at Kankakee a few years ago.
--Roberts Herald. 11 September 1935. Bela Foster.
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