Rev. William Munhall

 

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

SURNAMES: JACKSON, MUNHALL

REV. WILLIAM MUNHALL—For many years, both before and during the war period, as the editor and publisher of a local paper, as shown at length in a previous chapter, and at one time, for a period of four years, holding the office of Treasurer and Assessor for Champaign County, Mr. Munhall was as well known as any man of the county. Added to this, for many years in Ohio, before coming to Illinois, he was a popular and useful pastor in the Protestant Methodist Church, and, after taking up his residence in Illinois, was equally popular as an occasional substitute in local churches, particularly as a regular supply for some months in the Congregational Church at Champaign. The marriage records for a long time attest his popularity as an officiating clergyman at many happy events in that time.

Mr. Munhall was born at Harrisburg, Pa., on May 30, 1816. Before reaching his majority he united with the church and soon thereafter was admitted to its active ministry. His service in this relation must have extended over a period of twenty years before coming to Illinois. Here, there being then no organization of his church, he united with the local Methodist Episcopal Church, and filled its pulpit upon many occasions, always attracting by his logic and eloquence good congregations. He had a remarkable command of language, and with a good memory of the standard poetry, his discourses were embellished with beautiful and apt quotations from the English classics, both of poetry and prose. His ability and efficiency in the pulpit was far above that of the average clergyman, and all the pulpits of both towns were open to, and frequently occupied, by him.

Mr. Munhall was married in 1839, at Brownsville, Pa., to Dorothy F. JACKSON, who survived him at their home in Urbana for several years. He died while temporarily with a sister in Cleveland, Ohio, March 9, 1864, but his remains repose in the family lot at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Urbana.

William H. Munhall of Champaign, and S. C. Munhall of Watseka, both well known to the people of Champaign County, are sons of Rev. Mr. Munhall.