Hon. Jacob H. Oakwood

H. W. Beckwith, History of Vermilion County (Chicago: H. H. Hill, 1879)

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Hon. Jacob H. Oakwood, Catlin, was born in Brown county, Ohio, on the 18th of November, 1828. In 1833, his parents and family arrived in Vermilion county, Illinois, and made a settlement in what is now Oakwood township, near the present little town of Oakwood, both named in memory of this family. Here Mr. Oakwood's father continued to reside till removed by death in 1855, and his remains now repose in the Mount Vernon Church cemetery, of Catlin township, a congregation that he was largely instrumental in building up, and of which he became a member about the time of its organization, and where he continued to worship up to the time of his decease. His wife, still living, now in the eighty-sixth year of her life, has also been for many years a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and is now one of the venerable pioneer ladies of the county. They raised a family of nine children, four of whom are yet living: Henry, Michael, a Methodist clergyman, and Mrs. Margaret (George A.) Fox, residents of Oakwood township, and Jacob, of Catlin. The others, Mrs. Amanda (Rev. Eli) Helmick, Samuel, Mrs. Matilda (Henry) Sallie, Martin R. and Morgan H., all died in this county, and near the old homestead. Those living are well-to-do in life, respected and well known throughout the county. Their opportunities of a literary character were rather limited, as was commonly the case in the first settlement of the country; nevertheless, by a diligent use of the means afforded, they each became very fair scholars for the times, and five of the brothers became teachers, including the subject of this sketch, who commenced the business when only about twenty years old, and continued it some four years, during the winter seasons. On the 14th of February, 1851, be was united in marriage to Miss Mary I. Caraway, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (McCorkle) Caraway, old settlers of this county and of Catlin township. This marriage has been productive of eight children, four living: Charles H., George W., Miss Emma J. and Annie. Three died in infancy, and Mary E., the eldest, a bright, promising daughter. After his marriage Mr. Oakwood settled down upon a farm, and turned his attention to agriculture, and has given it that scientific consideration now regarded as essential to this all-important industry. In a short time his knowledge and proficiency became such that he was elected to the presidency of the Vermilion County Agricultural Society, which be has served, either in the capacity of president or secretary, excepting a few intervals, for the last twenty years. With other leading agricultural gentlemen of his county, he has used his best influences to secure the introduction of suitable and improved farming implements and

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thorough-bred stock, and has had the satisfaction of seeing a vast improvement in the mechanical tillage of the soil, and in the quality of the different breeds of live-stock. He has not only been actively engaged in furthering the material developments of the country, but has given a large share of his attention to political questions and public measures. His first presidential vote was given for Gen. Winfield Scott, the last but unsuccessful whig nominee. Upon the dissolution of this organization, he went, with the great majority of the whigs of the north, into the republican party, the organization of which was completed in 1856, and he has acted in conjunction with this party ever since. In 1872 he was elected to the state legislature, as one of the representatives on the republican ticket, for the thirty-first senatorial district, including Vermilion and Edgar counties. While in the legislature he proved himself active, capable and efficient, and secured the passage of several important bills, among which are the present road law, the modification of the school law in such a manner as to grant certificates of second grade to teachers qualified in what is commonly known as the seven branches, the original criterion of qualification; and the cutting down of the homestead and exemption law to a definite sum, not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars -- a thousand dollars of real estate, and five hundred, personal property. He served on the committees of public charities, civil service and retrenchment, and while engaged in these duties, visited the public charitable institutions of the state, in order to perfectly acquaint himself with their actual condition and wants, and to render himself better qualified to assist in necessary appropriations, without voting away the people's money in response to unnecessary demands, which are more or less made upon every legislature. During his entire incumbency his official action compares well with that of other capable gentlemen who have heretofore represented the people of his district, and as he is yet young, we confidently expect that his name will again appear in connection with some of the honorable positions within the gift of the people. Mr. Oakwood's family are of German descent through both lines. His father, Henry, was born in East Tennessee; moved early to Kentucky, where he married Miss Margaret Remley, a native of Pennsylvania, whose parents were also early settlers of Kentucky, coming down the Ohio River in a flat-boat when hostile bands of savages menaced the emigrant from either shore. A short time after their marriage they moved to Brown county, Ohio, the native county of General Grant, with whose parents they were well acquainted, and upon intimate terms of friendship. Mrs. Sarah Hickman, deceased, of Vermilion county, is the only sister of his father that Mr. Oakwood recollects, and the presumption is the family was

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composed of only the brother and sister. Owing to the loss of early records, the origin of the family cannot be definitely traced in its more early settlement in this country farther than is already given in the preceding sketch.