William H. Jaques

 

SOURCE: "History of Champaign County, Illinois," by J. O. Cunningham, 1905

SURNAMES: JAQUES, PORTER, DUNHAM, WHIPPLE

WILLIAM H. JAQUES-Mr. Jaques is a native of Munson, Geauga County, Ohio, where he was born February 8, 1820, when that region was sparsely settled. His father's name was Henry JAQUES, and his mother's, Elizabeth (PORTER) JAQUES, the former, born in New York, and the latter, in Connecticut. His lineate is traced through a long line of New England ancestry. The early education of Mr. Jaques was obtained in the common schools of Ohio, where he was taught by Platte R. Spencer, well known in Northern Ohio as a pioneer teacher, especially in penmanship. About the year 1852, Mr. Jaques became a citizen of Urbana, Ill., and was the first exclusive dealer in stoves and hardware to locate in Champaign County. From that date to the present, except during the Civil War, Mr. Jaques has continuously followed this line of business at Urbana, Champaign and at Tolono, and is now one of the oldest businessmen of the county.

In 1846 Mr. Jaques was marred to Eliza P. DUNHAM, a native of the State of New York, who died about 1852, leaving one son, John Henry, who is now a well-known business man of Tolono. Mr. Jaques was married a second time in 1857, his second wife being Sarah A. WHIPPLE, who was also a native of the State of New York. She died in Urbana a year or two thereafter, leaving one child, since deceased.

In early life, Mr. Jaques served an apprenticeship at the tinner's trade in Painesville, Ohio, and worked at his trade in Ohio until 1845, when he came to Illinois. He was located for a number of years at Joliet, where he worked as a tinner until 1850, when he crossed the plains to California, like many other young men of that period, in quest of gold. Two years later he returned to Illinois, when his residence in Champaign County commenced.

In August, 1862, Mr. Jaques became a soldier in Company K, One Hundred and Third Ohio Infantry, in which capacity he served until near the end of the war, when he was discharged for disability, incurred in the line of service. In 1866 he took of his residence at Tolono, where he has resided continuously ever since, being now practically retired. Mr. Jaques has been a lifelong member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has been very active.