| Sieberns, Henry E., Dealer in Dry and Fancy Goods, Groceries, Hats, Caps, Boots, Shoes, Clothing, &c.

Bloomington Biographies received too late for insertion

in proper place.

CHARLES W. ATKINSON, County Clerk, Bloomington; was born in Lake Co., Ohio, Oct. 3, 1835. He came to McLean Co. in 1853, and finished a good education at the Wesleyan University. During the winter of 1860, he returned to Lake Co., Ohio, and, in the following spring, enlisted with the 23d Ohio V. I.; in the spring of 1862, was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and, in the same year, to First Lieutenant, then to Captain which position he held during his service of over four years; he participated in twenty-seven of the most severe battles and skirmishes of the war, and was one of those so fortunate as to escape without injury. After the war, he returned to McLean Co., and engaged in mercantile business at Saybrook, continuing until 1868, when he came to Bloomington and filled the position of Deputy Circuit Clerk four years; he then, for four years, held a position as Deputy County Clerk. Being social and genial, he won the good will and respect of the citizens of McLean Co., and, in 1877, he was elected to his present position. He married Miss Kate Guthrie, daughter of the Rev. R. E. Guthrie, of Saybrook, Oct. 23, 1866; they have a family of four.

HON. THOMAS F. MITCHELL, Bloomington; is a son of George and Margaret Mitchell, and the only one of a family of four (two sisters and a brother) that lived to the age of maturity. He was born in Highland Co., Ohio, Dec. 28, 1828. While quite small, his father moved to Ripley, Brown Co., Ohio, where he lived for many years. It was here the subject of this sketch received his education, first in common schools of the place, and finally in the Ripley College. At the close of his school days, he apprenticed himself for two years to learn the carpenter and joiner's trade, and soon became a proficient workman. and, finally, a successful manager in that line. He moved from Ripley, Ohio, to Maysville, Ky., where he worked as a journeyman carpenter for several years. While here, he became of age, and, like a large majority of the people of that section of country, was an enthusiastic Henry Clay Whig in politics. His first vote was cast for Archibald Dixon, the Whig candidate for Governor of Kentucky. In December, 1852, he was married to Miss Mary A. Spalding, of Maysville, and, in the spring of 1853, removed with his wife to Bloomington, Ill., where he still resides. Arriving in Bloomington at a time when it was rapidly developing into the beautiful city it now is, he found ample employment in the line of his trade, which he prosecuted as builder and contractor for several years, having decidedly the lead in the amount of business done, number of men employed, etc. In the fall of 1857, he became a partner in a grocery store, which proved an unfortunate investment, and soon absorbed most of the net savings from his business as builder. Having closed out the grocery business, he was appointed Street Commissioner of the city, and in the following year was elected to the same position. The winters of 1859-60 and 1860–61, he read law in the office of Swett & Orme, and with Reeves & Hogg, and though he was amply qualified for admission to the bar, he chose to enter upon the lumber business, which he did as a clerk for W. C. Watkins, and for seventeen years, he has been engaged in that business under various firm names, eleven years of this time under the firm name and style of Whitmer & Mitchell. He has always taken an active part in public matters, and thoroughly believes that the practice of good people ignoring political affairs is fraught with great danger to our institutions. He was elected twice a member of the Board of Education of the city, and served as its Treasurer two years. Since his residence in Illinois, he has been a Republican in politics, and has taken an active part in most of the campaigns in this State. For six years, he was chosen Chairman of the Republican County Central Committee. At the County Convention in June, 1876, he was nominated by acclamation as one of the candidates to represent the county in the Legislature of the State. He was elected in November, and was assigned an important committee in the House, and became a very successful manager and leader on the floor. In 1878, he was again nominated by acclamation, and again elected to represent this county in the General Assembly. He was one among the leading contestants for the office of Speaker of the House, and though not elected, he was chosen as Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, which is the ranking committee of the House. This committee passed upon bills which, in the aggregate, disposed of nearly six and a quarter millions of the people's money, and to be assured of the propriety of every measure, and to present the details required to convince the House of the justice and equity of the claims, was, indeed, a work of great labor. There was probably no member of the House who had a greater influence in its councils; no one more diligent in his attention to business, and none more conscientious in the discharge of his

duties, and none who stood higher in the esteem of his fellow-members at the close of the session. In June, 1877, Mr. Mitchell was appointed Treasurer of the State Board of Education, and still serves in that capacity. He handles the moneys appropriated and accruing to the State Normal University at Normal, and was a valuable friend to the institution on the floor of the House of Representatives of the late Assembly. He is a never-failing friend to the cause of popular education.

ELIHU ROGERS, deceased, Bloomington, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Windham, Greene Co., N. Y., Oct. 8, 1805; at the age of 11, his mother having died, he went to reside with his uncle, Col. James Robinson, and remained with him until he was 24 years of age, engaged in farming. On Feb. 11, 1828, he married Miss Hannah Hubbard, daughter of Israel and Elizabeth P. Hubbard, of Durham, Greene Co, N. Y., and, one year after, moved to Tompkins Co., N. Y., and engaged in farming and stock-raising for fourteen years; in the fall of 1844, he moved to McLean Co., Ill., and first settled in Old Town Timber, farming for six years, where he increased his farm to 1,100 acres; in 1850, he moved to Bloomington and first engaged in the lumber business in connection with James Robinson, and, a short time afterward, having withdrawn from that business, formed a patnership with Ezekiel Folsom in the grain trade, which continued for eight years, when, having sold out his interest, he, with Mr. Sill, built the Normal Flouring-Mill in Normal. Having retired from active business life, he lived upon the farm, upon which his widow now resides, up to the time of his death, which occurred Dec. 2,

1872.

CAPT. CHRISTIAN RIEBSAME, Bloomington; was born June 1, 1839, in Mutterstadt, Germany; when 3 years old, the family moved to Speyer, on the Rhine, where he received a common-school education; came to America, arriving at Philadelphia, Nov. 17, 1853; after a residence in the cities of New York, Brooklyn and Chicago, settled in Decatur, Ill.. in 1858. During the war of the rebellion, in 1862, enlisted as private soldier in the 116th I. V. I., Macon County Regiment; was promoted Sergeant in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou; First Lieutenant, for gallantry at Arkansas Post, and Captain at Mission Ridge. The 116th Regiment I. V. I., on entering the field, was attached to Gen. W. T. Sherman's 15th Army Corps, and formed part of that General's command to the end of the war. Capt. Riebsame participated in all the battles of the Army of the Tennessee, from Memphis to Richmond, including Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Vicksburg. Mission Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Fort McAllister, Savannah, Columbia, S. C., and Bentonville, N. C. The grand review of Sherman's army before the President, in Washington, at the end of the war, forms one of the proudest recollections of Capt. Riebsame. The regimental colors, officer's swords and bayonets of the men, were literally covered with flowers and wreaths by the loyal ladies who lined the walks along the line of the procession, causing every heart to leap with joy that their services to the country were appreciated. At the close of the war, settled at Bloomington, engaging in the bakery business, but gave it up on account of ill health; he is now the wholesale agent of the Phillip Best Brewing Company of Milwaukee. for Central Illinois. Is in the enjoyment of a prosperous business and a happy family.

ERRATA.

On page 737, in history of Belleflower Township, for Gov. John McNulta read Gen. John McNulta.

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