Champaign Co, ILGenWeb, The USGenWeb Project - Biography

W. E. Handy

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887

SURNAMES: CULBERTSON, HANDY, HIGH

W. E. HANDY, Agent of the Western Union Telegraph Company, at Tolono. He located in this place on the 10^th of May, 1873. He is an expert operator, and commenced to learn the business in 1878, at Perry Springs, Pike County, this State. He is a native of Cameron, Mo., and was born Sept. 2, 1860. He is the son of John W. and Hepsy R. (HIGH) HANDY, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Ohio. The parents soon after marriage located in Cameron, Mo., where the father died in 1861. The year following the mother with her only son removed to Illinois and located at Chambersburg, in Pike County, where she still resides. She was married the second time, in September, 1880, to Mr. J. W. Smith, a prominent and successful fruit-grower of that section.

Our subject began his education in the common schools of his native county and completed it in Wesleyan University at Bloomington. He commenced to learn the art of telegraphy in 1878, as we have stated, and has operated successfully since that time. He was married in January, 1880, to Jennie M., daughter of O. E. and Jane B. CULBERTSON, of Tolono. Mrs. Handy was born in Tolono in 1861, and by her marriage with our subject has become the mother of two children—Charles E. and Alice.

Mr. H., politically, affiliates with the Democratic party, and has been quite prominent in local politics, serving as Chairman of the Township Central Committee. He has also been Village Clerk. Socially he is a member of Tolono Lodge No. 391, A. F. & A. M., in which he has been Master for three years. He also belongs to the Chapter at Champaign, and Commandery No. 16, at Urbana, and is a most exemplary young man, gifted with excellent business judgment, and an affable disposition.