Champaign Co, ILGenWeb, The USGenWeb Project - Biography

John N. Axtell

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

SURNAMES: AXTELL, COBERN, RAY, STRAIN, THRASHER, VENNUM, WARRENBURG

JOHN N. AXTELL, a leading representative of the lumber interests of Fisher, was born in Washington County, Pa., Nov. 24, 1823, and is the son of Charles and Elizabeth (VENNUM) AXTELL, also natives of the Keystone state. They were reared and married in their native State, settling there, in Washington County, where they lived until 1833, and then removing to Iroquois County, Ill., established a permanent home in Milford Township, where they spent the remainder of their lives.

The parental household consisted of four sons and five daughters, John N. of our sketch being the second child. He was ten years old when the removal was made to this State, and remained with his parents until reaching his majority, acquiring a common-school education and a thorough knowledge of farm pursuits. Upon starting out for himself he spent his first five years in Fayette and Bremer Counties, Iowa, and then, returning to the homestead in Iroquois County, Ill., took up his abode there until the spring of 1880. In the meantime, among other things, he engaged in the lumber trade, and at the date mentioned came into this county and established his present business at Fisher. He has, however, never abandoned his taste for agriculture, and purchased 220 acres of land in Iroquois County, which is operated by a tenant. At Fisher he has a pleasant home within the village limits, where he has fully identified himself with the interests of his fellow-citizens, and is held by them in the highest respect, both for his qualities as a citizen and his ability as a business man.

Mr. Axtell made the acquaintance of Miss Martha RAY, of Vermilion County, which ripened into mutual affection and they became husband and wife. This lady only survived her marriage one year, dying in Vermilion County. The second marriage of Mr. Axtell took place Nov. 7, 1854, in Iroquois County, when he was united with Miss Margaret STRAIN. Of this union there were born two children—Orien I. and Charles W., both marriaed and residents of Nebraska. The mother of these children died in Iroquois County.

The present wife of our subject, to whom he was married in the village of Fisher, Sept. 4, 1881, was formerly Mrs. Sabrina (THRASHER) WARRENBURG, daughter of Benjamin and Millancy (COBERN) THRASHER, and widow of John Warrenburg. Mrs. Axtell was born in Geauga County, Ohio, Dec. 24, 1845. She has been three times married; her first husband was Oliver York, by whom she had one daughter, Eva, now the wife of Harvey B. Platt, a dentist in Fisher. By her second marriage she became the mother of one child, Otis, now a resident of Fisher. Mr. Axtell uniformly casts his vote with the Republican party, and socially belongs to Fisher Lodge No. 74, I. O. O. F.