Talented and capable, possessing tact and excellent judgment, Elmer Van
Arsdall has attained high rank among the leading educators of Southern
Illinois, and as county superintendent of the public schools of Richland
county is an important factor in advancing the interests and increasing the
efficiency of the educational institutions with which he is associated. A
native of Illinois, he was born in Edwards county, October 16, 1881, being
without doubt of Holland lineage, as his name would indicate, although he
has no definite knowledge of his paternal ancestry.
His father,
William Thomas Van Arsdall, was born and reared in Kentucky, where for
several years he was prosperously engaged in agricultural pursuits. Losing
all of his property during the Civil war, he moved to Missouri, from there
coming to Illinois about 1870. Settling in Richland county, he spent his
remaining days in this part of the state, being engaged in farming. He
married Mary Ann Day, who was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, of English
ancestry. Her father, Alfred Day, a native of England, immigrated to the
United States, locating first in West Virginia and later in Ohio, in both of
those states following his trade of a glass blower. From Ohio he moved to
Illinois, where he was employed as a chef.
Laying a substantial
foundation for his future education in the rural schools of his native
district, Elmer Van Arsdall was graduated from the Parkersburg high school
with the class of 1901. Then, after teaching school for a time, he attended
the Southern Illinois Normal School, at Carbondale, one term, and the State
Normal University, at Normal, Illinois, three terms. Resuming then his
professional work he taught school successfully until 1908, completing his
ninth year as a teacher. In that year he was elected county superintendent
of the public schools of Richland county to fill a vacancy, a position for
which he was eminently qualified by education, training and experience.
Filling the office ably and most acceptably to all concerned, Mr. Van
Arsdall had the honor of being re-elected to the same responsible position
in 1910, and as he is never content with results that he thinks can be
bettered it is needless to say that under his management the schools of the
county, eighty-eight in number, are making notable progress along practical
lines.
Mr. Van Arsdall began life for himself with limited means, in
addition to caring for himself supporting his widowed mother, who still
lives in Olney, and he is a fine representative of the self-made men of the
state. He is a Democrat in politics; a member of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks; and an active and valued member of the Methodist
Episcopal church, to which his wife also belongs, and in which he is
rendering good service as superintendent of the Sundayschool.
Mr.
Van Arsdall married, May 2, 1908, Alta Belle Richards, a daughter of J. J.
Richards, an early settler of Richland county, and to them one child has
been born, Howard Van Arsdall, a bright and interesting little fellow, whose
birth occurred October 31, 1911.
Extracted 13 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 History of Southern Illinois, pages 1270-1271.
| Jasper | Crawford | |
| Clay |
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Lawrence |
| Wayne | Edwards | Wabash |
