Browse Items (46 total)

Photograph of Buel T. Davis. He was a resident of Decatur from 1909 to 1916, when he left for Champaign to represent the Waterbury interest in community development work in Florida. Davis started the Better Life Movement here in 1910. When he…

Photograph of Bert J. Hardy (d. 11/2/1916). He was a shoe salesman in Decatur for 35 years. He was a member of the Folrath & Hardy store, which became Folrath & Folrath. In 1899, he formed a partnership with Walter Hutchin at 139 N. Water St.…

Photograph of Benjamin Dill (d. 1/7/1926). Dill was a Decatur contractor who built many houses and schools in and near Decatur. He also built the first house in Maroa, IL. Dill was an Alderman in Decatur for 2 years and commissioner of highways in…

Photograph of A.W. Conklin (b. 3/25/1835, d. 3/28/1909), a prominent Decatur manufacturer. Conklin helped establish the Decatur Bag Factory, which later became known as the Tait factory. He also established the Decatur Steam Bakery, which became…

Photograph of A.S. Knouff (b. 3/17/1837, d. 3/26/1926). He was the secretary of Decatur Lumber & Manufacturing Co. He worked there for 35 years, and retired in January 1926. Knouff was a member of the First Methodist Church. The photo was taken…

Photograph of A.M. Kenney. He was the former presiden of the Citizens National Bank, and resigned in 1929. The photo was taken by Vandeventer around 1917, and used in the Decatur Daily Review.