Hinthorn, William Franklin

1--William Franklin Hinthorn (aka--Willie)
born--17 Aug 1891 Hudson, McLean, IL (source- marriage and death certificates)
died--4 May 1969 Danvers, McLean, IL (source- death certificate)
buried--Hinthorn Cemetery, Hudson, McLean, IL
son of- John Harvey Hinthorn and Olive Bell Howell
sp-- Pearl Ellen Noel
born--26 April 1893 Winchester, Clark, KY (source- marriage and death certificates)
married-- 12 October 1914 Goff place near Hudson, IL (source-marriage certificate)
died-- 26 July 1975 El Paso, McLean, IL (source-death certificate)
buried-- Hinthorn Cemetery, Hudson, McLean, IL
daughter of-- William A. Noel and Martha Ellen Green

William Franklin Hinthorn was born the son of a farmer. He was the oldest living son of John and Olive Hinthorn. His elder brother Samuel E. Hinthorn, had died at age 16 days. His father was share cropping for the Prahm family at the time of his birth. William began school at the Trimmer School at the age of six years, but completed only two years before quitting to help his father farm.

He never talked much about his childhood, but always gave the imprsession that it was a happy one, although filled with labor. He did talk several times about the courtship of his wife Pearl. He told several stories of getting caught in the river on horse back, while either coming or going to Pearl's house.

12 October, 1914, was the big wedding day. There were three marriages performed by Osceola McNemar, a minister, on that day. They were William Franklin Hinthorn to Pearl Ellen Noel; Carrie Susan Hinthorn to Gordon Noel; and John Hinthorn to Neola Jones. William and Carrie were siblings and Pearl and Gordon were siblings. John Hinthorn was the cousin of William and Carrie, the son of James Frank Hinthorn and Etta Jane Angelo. Although the marriage certificates state the weddings took place in Hudson, McLean, IL, that is where they were filed. The actual weddings took place on the Goff Place, outside of Hudson.

William and Pearl left for Ohio soon after their marriage. They were drawn there by Pearl's brother Mac, but returned to McLean County within a few months, and remained in the county for the rest of their years. William and Pearl share cropped for most of their lives and never owned property until 1945, when they moved to Danvers, IL. After moving to Danvers,William took his first factory job. He and his son Elmer would ride the interurban to Peoria each day to work at the Peoria Fence Factory. I have several promotional publications from the company showing Grandpa, and Elmer erecting fences in the Peoria area.

William's first love was always growing things in the garden. He always kept a large truck patch on their home in Danvers. The garden was known far and wide as the best truck patch in the county, it was always well kept, with never a weed in sight. When William and Pearl first moved to the Danvers home, they kept pigs and chickens, and would butcher and sell the animals for income. But in the early 1960's they were forced to give up the livestock by the village council. Saturdays were always the busiest day for them, all the neighbors and people from several towns around the area, would show up on Saturdays to buy vegetables. To augment their income, William cleaned several businesses in Danvers twice a week.

William was a man of short stature, standing only five feet, two inches, but was highly respected by all who knew him. He was not a stern man. No one can ever remember him raising his voice. He never told anyone to do anything, if he wanted you to do a thing, he would ask you one time, if it didn't get done, he would simply find time to do it himself. The home in Danvers was on the edge of town, which meant it was five blocks from the business district, but when William walked "up-town" it would usually take him an hour or better. Every passing auto (usually two a day) would stop to talk to him. And it seemed that from each house he passed, issued a person who just had to stop him to at least say hello. William was always in a good mood, and quick to laughter. He enjoyed a good joke, and could tell quite a few of his own. He was a robust, round, man who's laughter was infectious.

It was always said that his funeral service was the largest single event to ever occur in Danvers. He never achieved financial success, but he was a success in life. He was my Grandfather.

From the personal files of Rex King (9 October 1999)