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Full text of "Biographical and historical record of Vermillion County, Indiana : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each; a condensed history of the state of Indiana; portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state; engravings of prominent citizens in Vermillion county, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the county and its villages"

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Gc  977.201  V59b 

Biographical,  and  historical. 
RECORD  OF  Vermillion 
Co.,  IND. 


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VEEMILLKM  COUITY.  mPIAIA 


CoxT.viNiNG  Portraits  of  all  the  Presidents  of  the  United  States  from  Washington  to 
Cleveland,  with  accompanying  Biographies  of  bach;  A  Condensed  History  of  the 
State  of  Indiana;  Portraits  and  Biographies  of  some  of  the  Prominent 
Men   of   the   State:     Engravings    of    Prominent    Citizens     in 
Vermillion  County,  with   Personal  Histories  of  many 
OF  THE  Leading  Families,  and  a  Concise  His- 
tory OF    the    County    and    its 
Cities  and    Villages. 


THE  LEWIS  PUBLISHING  COMPANY' 


113  Adams  Street,  Chicago 


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PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UMTED 

STATES. 

George  Wasliington 

9 

John  Adams 

14 

Thomas  Jefferson 

20 

James  Madison 

2() 

James  Monroe 

^:ri 

John  Quincy  Adams 

:;8 

Andrew  Jackson 

4'i 

Martin  Van  Buren 

ry^ 

William  Henry  Harrison 

r,(i 

John  Tyler 

uu 

James  K.  Polk 

Gl 

Zachary  Taylor 

G8 

Millard  Fillmore 

78 

Franklin  Pierce 

72 

James  Buchanan 

80 

Abraham  Lifleoln  

84 

Andrew  Johnson 

m 

Ulysses  S.  Grant 

90 

Rutherford  B.  Hayes U>2 

James  A.  Garfield W-i 

Chester  A.  Arthur 11:1 

Grover  Clereland 117 

HISTORY  OF  IM)1AXA. 

Former  Occupants 120 

Pre-Historic  Uacos 12:! 

Exploration  by  the  Whites    . .  .12."> 

National  Policies 120 

Expeditions  of  Colonel  George 

Pv.  Clark 127 

Government  ol  the  Northwest.. 129 
Expeditions    of   St.   Clair    and 

Wayne 132 

Organization  of  Indiana  Terri- 
tory    133 

Governor  Harrison  and  the  In- 
dians  134 

Civil  Matters 130 


General    Review 

Ornani/ati<in  of  the  State 

Imliana  in  the  Mexican  War  .. 

Iiuliana  in  the  War  for  tlie 
Union ^ 

Financial   

Internal  Improvements 

Geology 

Agricultural 

Eduraticmal  

Benevolent  and  Penal  Institu- 
tions      


PROMINEJiT     MEN    OF 
INDIANA. 


Oliver  P.  Morton 
Thomas  A.  llendric 
Schuyler   Colfax... 
James  D.  Williams. 
Robert  Dale  Owen. 


^^--f-> 


"^ 


History  of  Vermillion  County,^- 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


Anderson,  N.  C. 
Anderson,  P.  Z 
Andrews,  John. 
Asbury,  James . 
Aye,  H.  H...  . 
Aye,  Henry. . .". 


Bales,  Caleb  . . . 
Bales,  Caleb  . . .  . 
Bales,  Robert  . . 

Bales,  W.  F 

Bales,  William.. 
Beauchamp,  J.  ^ 

Beck,  A.  J 

Beckman,  L.  H 
Bell,    D.  W 


Bell,  T.  W 

Bell,  W.  M 

Benefiel,  W.  H.... 

Bertolet,  J.  R 

Betson,  A.  J 

Betson,  Hamilton . 

Bilsland,  J.  E 

Bilsland,  John 

Bishop,   F.  M 

Bishop,  L.  O 

Blair,  James 

Bogart,  J.  H 

Bogart,  W.   C 

Bowman,  Moses  .  . 

Bremer,  W.  P 

Brindlev,   Eli 

Brindley,  .)i>hu    ... 

Burns,    Jusepli 

Burnside,  J.  11. .  .  . 


4(!.") 

Cade,  Henry 

...498 

.-)l(i 

Cady,  II,   S 

....4119 

;!(ii 

Camiiliell   .] .  (i 

...   340 

407 

Caniii.rk,  J    F 

....374 

:M7 

earmark,  W  ,  P 

....410 

410 

Carter,  M.  11 

....323 

:i24 

Carither.s  Jonathan 

....482 

2:« 

Casebeer,  Hezekiah 

....514 

.512 

Casebeer,J.W 

. .   .  :J7 1 

320 

Gates,  W.H 

....401 

518 

Clark,  John 

....390 

400 

Clover,   J.  A 

. .  .  37.5 

410 

Coffin,   S.  W 

. . .  .:i88 

.118 

Coil,  Lewis 

...4.53 

:V2:i 

Collett,  John   

....311 

:li(7 

Collett,  John 

....441 

.-.10 

Collett,  Josephus 

....4-17 

.■■■.-■■■-■-■^■-■-■-■-■-■^■-■-■-■-■-■■■■'■■■■^■-■'-■■'^ 


CoUett,  Joseplius 450 

Collelt,  S.  S  309 

Collett,  S.  S  877 

Couley,  H.  H 347 

Conley,  Jeiemiali 488 

Combes,  F.  C 439 

Codk,  W.  C 459 

Orabb,  Ct.  A 362 

Craig,  R.  A 406 

Curtis,  Philo 513 

Ciisliman,  Tliomaa 321 

D. 

Dallas,  Hugh 354 

Davis,  C.  S 459 

Davis,  F.  M 332 

Davis,  Robert 501 

Davis,  S.B 267 

Downing,  Decatur 319 

Diingan,  B.  F 277 

Dunlap,  J.   R 495 

Duzan,  James 453 


Eaton,  H.C 

Eclwanls,  G.  W 

515 

398 

4G2 

Elder,  J.  A 

Ellis,  J.  E 

333 

413 

Finney,  D.  TV 340 

Flaugher,  E.  A 363 

Fleshraan,  Amos 395 

Foland,  J.  A 516 

FoncaDon,Tilgliman 473 

Ford,  John 402 

Formau,  Amos 465 

Fortner,W.  P 498 

Fox,  J.  L 491 


Gessie,  R.  J 336 

Gibson,  O.  15 452 

Goft;  Philander 388 

Goodwin,  L.  L 402 

Goodwin,  W.  A 407 

Gouty,  David 438 

(irimes,  H.  L 417 

Grimes,  John 485 

Groves,  W.  C 455 


H. 


Hall,  S.J 475 

Hall,  W.  1 433 

Hamilton,  W.  iM 449 

Harkness,  Philo 412 

Harlan,  Eldridge 323 

llarlin,   John 406 

Harrison,  Benjamin 318 

Harrison,  ('.  B 389 

Harris  n,  Robert 477 

Harrison,  T.  II   363 

Haworth,  G.  F 499 


Haworth,  J.  P 422 

Hedges,  C.  C 511 

Hedges,  Noah 385 

Helt,  Daniel 414 

Helt,  Hiram 510 

Helt,  Michael 390 

Henderson,  John     340 

Henderson,  Josiali 493 

Hendricks,  W.  J 505 

Herbert,  W.  J 397 

HighfiU,  John 3!i!) 

Hill,  Judge  A 51:. 

Hollingsworlh,  Simeon I^H 

Hoobler,  John . 

Hood,  T.  S 496 

Hood,  W.   B 5i)8 

Hood,  W.   H 451 

Hopkins,  A.  R 485 

Hopkins,  G.  R 436 

Hosford,  M.  G 346 

Hosford.  Philo 3.53 

Hosford,  W.  N 410 

Houchin,  Jesse    373 

Houchin,  J.  S 517 

Hughes,  Ehud 492 

Hughes,  William 433 

Hunt,  Harvey 478 

I. 

lies,  Jacob 333 

lies,  J.  B 339 

J. 

Jackson,  G.  AV 451 

Jackson,  J.  C 35 1 

Jacobs,  Nathan 4!57 

James,  Edmund 507 

James,  H.  B 407 

James,  H.  H 466 

James,  S.  R 411 

James,  W.  A 373 

James,  Z.  D 361 

Jarvis,  J.  W 497 

Jenkins,  J.  M 494 

Jones,  Wiley 455 

Jones,  William 519 

K. 

Kearns,  J.  S 413 

Kerns,  A.  H 519 

Kerns,  W.  F 404 

Keyes,  C.  F 430 

Keyes,  O.  M 480 

Kibby,  Thomas 358 

Kiuderman,  Alexander 332 

Knowles,  C.  B 343 

Knowles,  J.  E  348 

L. 

Lacey,  E.  A 344 

Lamb,  Elias 386 

Lamb,  I.  R 403 

Langston,  J.  F 380 

Leilon,  N.  T 383 

Lewis,  Joshua 351 

Lewis,  J.  C 396 


Lewis,  J.  J 377 

Lindsey,  John 379 

Linn,  J.  H :i,'5 

Little,  R.  P :;7s 

Lusadder,  Homer .."■ : 

Lynn,  J.  C 4-'>^ 

M. 

Mack,  A.  L  409 

Mack,   Krastus 503 

-Malnue,  .Mrs.  Sarah 383 

-Malone.S.W 499 

jMarlin,  Aaron 417 

Matthews,  Claude 489 

McBelh,   David 370 

McFall,  W.   D 466 

McKnight,  L.  A 437 

McNeill,  6.  H 317 

McNeill,  John 316 

McNeill,  J.  R 314 

Merriman,  P.  M 413 

Metzger,  Rezin 339 

Miller,  Jacob 425 

Mitchell,  T.J 462 

Mitchell, T.J 477 

Mock,  G.  L 403 

Moflatt,  R.  D 518 

Moore,  Joseph 481 

Morehead,  J.  A 428 

Morey,  W.  L 351 

Morgan,  B.  H 444 

Myers,  T.  B 514 

N. 

Nebeker,  Henry 474 

Nebeker,  Seymour 48:1 

Newlin,  A.  R 34.". 

Nichols,  J.  M 157 

Nichols,  T.  J 4(11 

Nichols,  William 3.-)il 

Nixon,  R.  H 381 

Nolan,  Madison 431 

Norris,   John 'iurt 

O. 

Osborn,  James 498 

Osmou,  J.  B  479 

P. 

Parrett,  J.  W 356 

Pearman,   Adam 510 

Peer,  John  383 

Peer,  J.  L 486 

Peer,  Robert 503 

Peters,  J.  C 470 

Peters,  J.  L 475 

Pinson,  A.  J .507 

Pinson,T.  P .504 

Ponton,  J.  T 359 

Ponton,  O.  P.  M 355 

Porter,  W.  L 343 

Porter,  W.  W 380 

Potts,  C.  P 314 

Pritchard,  Elias  313 


R. 

Skidmore,  John 

509 

Walter,  Frederick 

...334 

Skidmore,  Josiah 

378 

Walthall,  T.E 

..505 

Ranger,  D.  A 

469 

Skidmore,  T.J 

387 

Walthall,  W.B 

..443 

Redman,  J.  W 

489 

Skidmore,  William 

376 

Ward.C.  W.... 

..338 

Reed,  D.  A 

873 

Skidmore,  W.  U 

399 

Washburn,  J.  Q 

..341 

Reed,  L.  H 

5^0 

Slaer,  William 

374 

Watkins,  H.  T 

..424 

Reeder,  J.W 

403 

Smith,  David 

461 

Watson,  G.  L 

..454 

Reynolds,  G.  H 

Rbeuby,  William 

Rhoads,  M.  G 

SUO 

415 

327 

Smith,  James 

Smith,  J.  M 

Smith,  J.  L 

437 

427 

254 

Watson  G.  W 

407 

503 

Wells,  George 

..488 

Rice,  Isaac 

474 

Sparks,  E.  G 

439 

Wells,  Horace 

..485 

Rice,W.  Y 

460 

Sparks,  G.  B 

454 

Whipple,  L.R 

..342 

Richardson,  John 

488 

Spotswood,  E.  T 

467 

Whitcomb,A.  L 

..470 

Ricliardson,  J.  B 

381 

Sprouls,  Andrew 

479 

Whitcomb,  John 

457 

Riley,  F.  M 

364 

Staats,  J.  H.'. 

512 

White,  J.  A 

..509 

Roberts,  James 

359 

Stab),  J.  U 

481 

White,  R.M 

.  .387 

Rodgers,  Elisha 

Rogers,  J.  O 

497 

Stokes,  R.  B 

328 

Whited,  J.  W 

327 

Strain,  D.  E 

422 

Whitted,  Enoch  

..400 

333 

Stullz,  G.  W 

Sturn,  Henry 

424 

349 

Wilson,  J.  H 

Wood,  William 

..463 
.408 

Rufker,  R.  M 

487 

Rudy,  M.J 

Runyan,  Daniel  

325 

350 

Stutler,  J  C 

401 

Wright,  F.M 

Wright,  L.   a 

403 

Swinehart,  R.  H 

372 

..506 

Rush,  Fred 

338 

Switzer,  Wesley 

434 

Wright,  John 

..315 

Rush,  James 

314 

Wright,  Milton 

..484 

Russell,  William 

501 

391 

456 

T. 

480 

Wright,  William 

392 

8. 

Z. 

Zeruer,  Adam 

Samuels,  S.  H 

Thompson,  Thomas  

Tillotson,  D.  G 

Tillotson,  G.  B 

375 

476 

478 

470 

Sanders,  J.  A 

335 

517 

Tipton,  Captain 

511 

Saxton,  G.  W 

Todd,  S.N 

464 

GENERAL  HISTORY. 

Scott,  L.  S 

418 

U. 

Scott,  M.W 

333 

Introductory 

..133 

Sears,  Daniel 

Sears,  R.B 

436 

352 

Underwood,  Jacob 

411 

Aboriginal 

Governmental 

..188 
..200 

V. 

483 

389 

Shepard,  Lewis 

Clinton  Township 

..230 

Shew,  Eli 

431 

Vansickle,  Edgar 

506 

Helt  Township 

Vermillion  Township 

..242 

Shew,  Henry 

491 

..257 

Shew,  Leonard 

430 

W. 

Eugene  Township 

27S 

Shute,  Daniel 

339 

Highland  Township 

Perrysville 

..288 

Shute,  Ephraim 

440 

Wade,  A.  H 

337 

..292 

Skidmore,  G.  F 

423 

Walker,  C.P 

418 

Pioneers 

.302 

^tm^naiwe. 


Adams,  John. .. .- 15 

Adams,  John  Quincy 39 

Arthur,  Chester  A 112 

Buchanan,  James 81 

Cleveland,  Giover .116 

Colfax,  Schuyler 168 

Collett,  John   310 

Davis,  S.  B 266 

Fillmore,  Millard 73 

Garfield,  James  A 108 

Grant,  Ulysses  S 97 

Harrison,"Willlam  Henry .57 


Hayes,  Rutherford  B 103 

Hendricks,  Thomas  A  164 

Jackson,  Andrew 46 

Jefferson,  Thomas 21 

Johnson,  Andrew 92 

Kinderman,  Alexander 332 

Lincoln,  Abraham 85 

Madison,  James 27 

Monroe,  James 33 

Morgan,  B.  H 445 

Morton,  Oliver  P 160 

Owen,  Robert  Dale.: 176 


Pierce,  Franklin 77 

Polk,  James  K 65 

Riley,  F.  M 306 

Riley,  Mrs.  M.  M 367 

Taylor,  Zachary 69 

Tyler,  John 61 

Van  Buren,  Martin ,53 

Washington,  George 8 

Walker,  Charles  P 419 

Whitcomb,  A.  L 471 

Williams,  James  D 172 

Wright,  William 393 


^iPSlDENTS  * 


^/^y^^^/C^.^^^C^^-^'^ 


EORGE  WASHING- 
TON, the  "  Father  of 
his  Country"  and  its 
first  President,  1789- 
'97,  was  born  Febru- 
ary 22,  1732,  in  Wasii- 
ington  Parish,  West- 
moreland Count  y,  Virginia. 
His  father,  Augustine  Wash- 
ington, first  married  Jane  But- 
ler, who  bore  him  four  chil- 
dren, and  March  6,  1730,  he 
married  Mary  Ball.  Of  six 
children  by  his  second  mar- 
riage, George  was  the  eldest, 
the  others  being  Betty,  Samuel,  John,  Au- 
gustine, Charles  and  Mildred,  of  whom  the 
youngest  died  in  infancy.  Little  is  known 
of  the  early  years  of  Washington,  beyond 
the  fact  that  the  house  in  which  he  was 
born  was  burned  during  his  early  child- 
hood, and  that  his  father  thereupon  moved 
to  another  farm,  inherited  from  his  paternal 
ancestors,  situated  in  Stafford  County,  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  Rappahannock,  where 
he  acted  as  agent  of  the  Principio  Iron 
Works  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  and  died 
there  in  1743. 

From  earliest  childhood  George  devel- 
oped a  noble  character.  He  had  a  vigorous 
constitution,  a  fine  form,  and  great  bodily 
Strength.    His  education  was  somewhat  de- 


fective, being  confined  to  the  elementary 
branches  taught  him  by  his  mother  and  at 
a  neighboring  school.  He  developed,  how- 
ever, a  fondness  for  mathematics,  and  en- 
joyed in  that  branch  the  instructions  of  a 
private  teacher.  On  leaving  school  he  re- 
sided for  some  time  at  Mount  Vernon  with 
his  half  brother,  Lawrence,  who  acted  as 
his  guardian,  and  who  had  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  his  neighbor  at  Belvoir  on  the  Poto- 
mac, the  wealthy  William  Fairfax,  for  some 
time  president  of  the  executive  council  of 
the  colony.  Both  Fairfax  and  his  son-in-law, 
Lawrence  Washington,  had  served  with  dis- 
tinction in  1740  as  officers  of  an  American 
battalion  at  the  siege  of  Carthagena,  and 
were  friends  and  correspondents  of  Admiral 
Vernon,  for  whom  the  latter's  residence  on 
the  Potomac  has  been  named.  George's 
inclinations  were  for  a  similar  career,  and  a 
midshipman's  warrant  was  procured  for 
him,  probably  through  the  influence  of  the 
Admiral ;  but  through  the  opposition  of  his 
mother  the  project  was  abandoned.  The 
family  connection  with  the  Fairfaxes,  how- 
ever, opened  another  career  for  the  young 
man,  who,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  was  ap- 
pointed surveyor  to  the  immense  estates  of 
the  eccentric  Lord  Fairfax,  who  was  then 
on  a  visit  at  Belvoir,  and  who  shortly  after- 
ward established  his  baronial  residence  at 
Green  way  Court,  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 


PRESIDENTS     OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


Three  years  were  passed  by  )'Oung  Wash- 
ington in  a  rough  frontier  life,  gaining  ex- 
perience which  afterward  proved  very  es- 
sential to  him. 

In  1751,  when  the  Virginia  militia  were 
put  under  training  wiih  a  view  to  active 
service  against  France,  Washington,  though 
only  nineteen  years  of  age,  was  appointed 
Adjutant  with  the  rank  of  Major.  In  Sep- 
tember of  that  year  the  failing  health  of 
Lawrence  Washington  rendered  it  neces- 
sary for  him  to  seek  a  warmer  climate,  and 
George  accompanied  him  in  a  vo3-age  to 
Barbadoes.  They  returned  earl3'  in  1752, 
and  Lawrence  shortly  afterward  died,  leav- 
ing his  large  property  to  an  infant  daughter. 
In  his  will  George  was  named  one  of  the 
executors  and  as  eventual  heir  to  Mount 
Vernon,  and  by  the  death  of  the  infant  niece 
soon  succeeded  to  that  estate. 

On  the  arrival  of  Robert  Dinwiddle  as 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Virginia  in  1752 
the  militia  was  reorganized,  and  the  prov- 
ince divided  into  four  districts.  Washing- 
ton was  commissioned  by  Dinwiddle  Adju- 
tant-General of  the  Northern  District  in 
1753,  and  in  November  of  that  year  a  most 
important  as  well  as  hazardous  mission  was 
assigned  him.  This  was  to  proceed  to  the 
Canadian  posts  recently  established  on 
French  Creek,  near  Lake  Erie,  to  demand 
in  the  name  of  the  King  of  England  the 
withdrawal  of  the  French  from  a  territory 
claimed  by  Virginia.  This  enterprise  had 
been  declined  by  more  than  one  officer, 
since  it  involved  a  journey  through  an  ex- 
tensive and  almost  unexplored  wilderness 
in  the  occupancy  of  savage  Indian  tribes, 
either  hostile  to  the  English,  or  of  doubtful 
attachment.  Major  Washington,  however, 
accepted  the  commission  with  alacrit)' ;  and, 
accompanied  by  Captain  Gist,  he  reached 
Fort  Le  Boeuf  on  French  Creek,  delivered 
his  dispatches  and  received  reply,  which,  of 
course,  was  a  polite  refusal  to  surrender  the 
posts.     This  reply  was  of  such  a  character 


as  to  induce  the  Assembly  of  Virginia  td 
authorize  the  executive  to  raise  a  regiment 
of  300  men  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining 
the  asserted  rights  of  the  British  crown 
over  the  territory  claimed.  As  Washing- 
ton declined  to  be  a  candidate  for  that  post, 
the  command  of  this  regiment  was  given  t(j 
Colonel  Joshua  Fr\',  and  Major  Washing- 
ton, at  his  own  request,  was  commissioned 
Lieutenant-Colonel.  On  the  march  to  Oiiio, 
news  was  received  that  a  party  previously 
sent  to  build  a  fort  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Monongahela  with  the  Ohio  had  been 
driven  back  bv  a  considerable  French  force, 
which  had  completed  the  work  there  be- 
gun, and  named  it  Fort  Duquesne,  in  honcM- 
of  the  Marquis  Duquesne,  then  Governor 
of  Canada.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the 
great  "  French  and  Indian  war,"  which  ccmi- 
tinued  seven  years.  On  the  death  of  Colonel 
Fry,  Washington  succeeded  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  regiment,  and  so  well  did  he 
fulfill  his  trust  that  the  Virginia  Assembly 
commissioned  him  as  Commander-in-Chief 
of  all  the  forces  raised  in  the  colony. 

A  cessation  of  all  Indian  hostility  on  the 
frontier  having  followed  the  expulsion  of 
the  French  from  the  Ohio,  the  object  of 
Washington  was  accomplished  and  he  re- 
signed his  commission  as  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  Virginia  forces.  He  then  pro- 
ceeded to  Williamsburg  to  take  his  seat  in 
the  General  Assembly,  of  which  he  had 
been  elected  a  member. 

January  17,  1759,  Washington  married 
Mrs.  Martha  (Dandridge)  Custis,  a  young 
and  beautiful  widow  of  great  wealth,  and  de- 
voted himself  for  the  ensuing  fifteen  years 
to  the  quiet  pursuits  of  agriculture,  inter- 
rupted only  by  his  annual  attendance  in 
winter  upon  the  Colonial  Legislature  at 
Williamsburg,  until  summoned  by  his 
country  to  enter  upon  that  other  arena  in 
which  his  fame  was  to  become  world  wide. 

It  is  unnecessary  here  to  trace  the  details 
of  the  struggle  upon  the  question  of  local 


self-government,  which,  after  ten  years,  cu! 
minated  by  act  of  Parliament  of  the  port  of 
Boston.  It  was  at  the  instance  of  Virginia 
that  a  congress  of  all  the  colonies  was  called 
to  meet  at  Philadelphia  September  5,  1774, 
to  secure  their  common  liberties — if  possible 
by  peaceful  means.  To  this  Congress 
Colonel  Washington  was  sent  as  a  dele- 
gate. On  dissolving  in  October,  it  recom- 
mended the  colonies  to  send  deputies  to 
another  Congress  the  following  spring.  In 
ihe  meantime  several  of  the  colonies  felt 
impelled  to  raise  local  forces  to  repel  in- 
sults and  aggressions  on  the  part  of  British 
troops,  so  that  on  the  assembling  of  the  next 
Congress,  May  10,  1775,  the  war  prepara- 
tions of  the  mother  country  were  unmis- 
takable. The  battles  of  Concord  and  Lex- 
ington had  been  fought.  Among  the  earliest 
acts,  therefore,  of  the  Congress  was  the 
selection  of-  a  commander-in-chief  of  the 
colonial  forces.  This  office  was  unani- 
mously conferred  upon  Washington,  still  a 
member  of  the  Congress.  He  accepted  it 
on  June  19,  but  on  the  express  condition  he 
should  receive  no  salary. 

He  immediately  repaired  to  the  vicinity 
of  Boston,  against  which  point  the  British 
ministry  had  concentrated  their  forces.  As 
early  as  April  General  Gage  had  3,000 
troops  in  and  around  this  proscribed  city. 
During  the  fall  and  winter  the  British  policy 
clearly  indicated  a  purpose  to  divide  pub- 
lic sentiment  and  to  build  up  a  British  party 
in  the  colonies.  Those  who  sided  with  the 
ministr)'  were  stigmatized  by  the  patriots 
as  "  Tories,"  while  the  patriots  took  to  them- 
selves the  name  of  "  Whigs." 

As  early  as  1776  the  leading  men  had 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  there  was  no 
hope  except  in  separation  and  indepen- 
dence. In  May  of  that  year  Washington 
wrote  from  the  head  of  the  army  in  New 
York :  "  A  reconciliation  with  Great  Brit- 
ain is  impossible When  I  took 

command  of  the  army,  I  abhorred  the  idea 


of  independence  ;  but  I  am  now  fully  satis- 
fied that  nothing  else  will  save  us." 

It  is  not  the  object  of  this  sketch  to  trace 
the  military  acts  of  the  patriot  hero,  to 
whose  hands  the  fortunes  and  liberties  of 
the  United  States  were  confided  during  the 
seven  years'  bloody  struggle  that  ensued 
until  the  treaty  of  1783,  in  which  England 
acknowledged  the  independence  of  each  of 
the  thirteen  States,  and  negotiated  with 
them,  jointly,  as  separate  sovereignties.  The 
merits  of  Washington  as  a  military  chief- 
tain have  been  considerably  discussed,  espe- 
cially by  writers  in  his  own  country..  Dur- 
ing the  war  he  was  most  bitterly  assailed 
for  incompetency,  and  great  efforts  were 
made  to  displace  him  ;  but  he  never  for  a 
moment  lost  the  confidence  of  either  the 
Congress  or  the  people.  December  4,  1783, 
the  great  commander  took  leave  of  his  offi- 
cers in  most  affectionate  and  patriotic  terms, 
and  went  to  Annapolis,  Maryland,  where 
the  Congress  of  the  States  was  in  session, 
and  to  that  body,  when  peace  and  order 
prevailed  everywhere,  resigned  his  com- 
mission and  retired  to  Mount  Vernon. 

It  was  in  1788  that  Washington  was  called 
to  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  nation.  He 
received  every  electoral  vote  cast  in  all  the 
colleges  of  the  States  voting  for  the  office 
of  President.  The  4th  of  March,  1789,  was 
the  time  appointed  for  the  Government  of 
the  United  States  to  begin  its  operations, 
but  several  weeks  elapsed  before  quorums 
of  both  the  newly  constituted  houses  of  the 
Congress  were  assembled.  The  city  of  New 
York  was  the  place  where  the  Congress 
then  met.  April  16  Washington  left  his 
home  to  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  his 
new  duties.  He  set  out  with  a  purpose  of 
traveling  privately,  and  without  attracting 
any  public  attention  ;  but  this  was  impossi- 
ble. Everywhere  on  his  way  he  was  met 
with  thronging  crowds,  eager  to  see  the 
man  whom  they  regarded  as  the  chief  de- 
fender of   their   liberties,  and   everywhere 


II 


le  was  hailed  with  those  public  manifesta- 
tions of  jov.  legard  and  love  which  spring 
spontaneously  from  the  hearts  of  an  affec- 
tionate and  grateful  people.  His  reception 
in  New  York  was  marked  by  a  grandeur 
and  an  enthusiasm  never  before  witnessed 
in  that  metropolis.  The  inauguration  took 
jilace  April  30,  in  the  presence  of  an  immense 
multitude  which  had  assembled  to  witness 
the  new  and  imposing  ceremony.  The  oath 
of  office  was  administered  by  Robert  R. 
Livingston.  Chancellor  of  the  State.  When 
liiis  sacred  pledge  was  given,  he  retired 
with  the  other  officials  into  the  Senate 
chamber,  where  he  delivered  his  inaugural 
address  to  both  houses  of  the  newly  con- 
stituted Congress  in  joint  assembly. 

In  the  manifold  details  o[  his  civil  ad- 
ministration, Washington  proved  himself 
equal  to  the  requirements  ot  his  position. 
The  greater  portion  of  the  first  session  of 
the  first  Congress  was  occupied  in  passing 
tlie  necessary  statutes  for  putting  the  new 
organization  into  complete  operation.  In 
the  discussions  brought  up  in  the  course  of 
this  legislation  the  nature  and  character  of 
the  new  svstem  came  under  general  review. 
On  no  one  of  them  did  any  decided  antago- 
nism of  opinion  arise.  All  held  it  to  be  a 
limited  government,  clothed  only  with  spe- 
cific powers  conferred  by  delegation  from 
the  States.  There  was  no  change  in  the 
name  of  the  legislative  department ;  it  still 
remained  "the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  of  America."  There  was  no  change 
in  the  original  flag  of  the  country,  and  none 
in  the  seal,  which  still  remains  with  the 
Grecian  escutcheon  borne  by  the  eagle, 
with  other  emblems,  under  the  great  and 
expressive  motto,  "  E  P/iiribiis  Unitiii." 

The  first  division  of  parties  arose  upon 
the  manner  of  construing  the  powers  dele- 
gated, and  they  were  first  styled  "strict 
constructionists"  and  "  latitudinarian  con- 
structionists." The  former  were  for  con- 
ing the  action  of  the  Government  strictly 


within  its  specific  and  limited  sphere,  while 
the  others  were  for  enlarging  its  powers  by 
inference  and  implication.  Hamilton  and 
Jefferson,  both  members  of  the  first  cabinet 
were  regarded  as  the  chief  leaders,  respecl 
ively,  of  these  rising  antagonistic  parties 
which  have  existed,  under  different  names, 
from  that  day  to  this.  Washington  was  re 
garded  as  holding  a  neutral  position  between 
them,  though,  by  mature  deliberation,  he 
vetoed  the  first  apportionment  bill,  in  1790, 
passed  by  the  party  headed  by  Hamilton, 
which  was  based  upon  a  principle  construct- 
ively leading  to  centralization  or  consoli- 
dation. This  was  the  first  exercise  of  the 
veto  power  under  the  present  Constitution. 
It  created  considerable  excitement  at  the 
time.  Another  bill  was  soon  passed  in  pur- 
suance of  Mr.  Jefferson's  views,  which  has 
been  adhered  to  in  principle  in  every  a])- 
portionment  act  passed  since. 

At  the  second  session  of  the  new  Con- 
gress, Washington  announced  the  gratify- 
ing fact  of  "  the  accession  of  North  Caro- 
lina" to  the  Constitution  of  17S7,  and  June 
I  of  the  same  year  he  announced  by  special 
message  the  like  "  accession  of  the  State  of 
Rhode  Island,"  with  his  congratulations  on 
the  happy  event  v/hich  "  united  under  the 
general  Governinent"  all  the  States  which 
were  originally  confederated. 

In  1792,  at  the  second  Presidential  elec- 
tion, Washington  was  desirous  to  retire ; 
but  he  vielded  to  the  general  wish  of  the 
country,  and  was  again  chosen  President 
by  the  unaniinous  vote  of  ever)'  electoral 
college.  At  the  third  election,  1796,  he  was 
again  most  urgently  entreated  to  consent  to 
remain  in  the  executive  chair.  This  he 
positively  refused.  In  September,  before 
the  election,  he  gave  to  his  countrymen  his 
memorable  Farewell  Address,  which  in  lan- 
guage, sentiment  and  patriotism  was  a  fit 
and  crowning  glory  of  his  illustrious  life. 
After  March  4,  1797,  he  again  retired  to 
Mount  Vernon  for  peace,  quiet  and  repose. 


aEORGE     WA  SHIXG  TON. 


'"(i\ 


His  administration  for  the  two  terms  had 
been  successful  be3-ond  the  expectation  and 
hopes  of  even  the  most  sanguine  of  his 
friends.  The  finances  of  the  country  were 
no  longer  in  an  embarrassed  condition,  the 
I-'ublic  credit  was  fully  restored,  Hfe  was 
tjiven  to  every  department  of  industry,  the 
workings  of  the  new  system  in  allowing 
Congress  to  raise  revenue  from  duties  on 
imports  proved  to  be  not  only  harmonious 
in  its  federal  action,  but  astonishing  in  its 
results  upon  the  commerce  and  trade  of  all 
the  States.  The  exports  from  the  Union 
increased  from  $19,000,000  to  over  §56,000,- 
000  per  annum,  while  the  imports  increased 
in  about  the  same  proportion.  Three  new 
members  had  been  added  to  the  Union.  The 
progress  of  the  States  in  their  new  career 
under  their  new  organization  thus  far  was 
exceedingly  encouraging,  not  only  to  the 
friends  of  Ijbertv  within  their  own  limits, 
but  to  their  S3'mpathizing  allies  in  all  climes 
and  countries. 

Of  the  call  again  made  on  this  illustrious 


chief  to  quit  his  repose  at  Mount  Vernon 
and  take  command  of  all  the  United  States 
forces,  with  the  rank  of  Lieutenant-General, 
when  war  was  threatened  with  France  in 
1798,  nothing  need  here  be  stated,  except  to 
note  the  fact  as  an  unmistakable  testimo- 
nial of  the  high  regard  in  which  he  was  still 
held  by  his  countrymen,  of  all  shades  of  po- 
litical opinion.  He  patriotically  accepted 
this  trust,  but  a  treaty  of  peace  put  a  stop 
to  all  action  under  it.  He  again  retired  to 
Mount  Vernon,  where,  after  a  short  and 
severe  illness,  he  died  December  14,  1799, 
in  the  sixt)'-eighth  year  of  his  age.  The 
whole  countr)'  was  filled  with  gloom  by  this 
sad  intelligence.  Men  of  all  parties  in  poli- 
tics and  creeds  in  religion,  in  every  State 
in  the  Union,  united  with  Congress  in  "  pay- 
ing honor  to  the  man,  first  in  war,  first  in 
peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  country- 
men." 

His  remains  were  deposited  in  a  family 
vault  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac  at  Mount 
Vernon,  where  they  still  lie  entombed. 


'^m^ 


PRESIDENTS    OP-    TUB    VNlTEt)    STATES. 


i! 


OHN  ADAMS,  the  second 
President  of  the  United 
States,  1797  to  1801,  was 
born  in  the  present  town 
of  Ouinc}-,  then  a  portion 
of  Braintree,  Massachu- 
setts, October  30,  1735.  His 
father  was  a  farmer  of  mod- 
erate means,  a  worthy  and 
industrious  man.  He  was 
a  deacon  in  the  church,  and 
was  very  desirous  of  giving 
his  son  a  collegiate  educa- 
tion, hoping  that  he  would 
become  a  minister  of  the 
_  3spel.  But,  as  up  to  this 
time,  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  had  been  only 
a  play-boy  in  the  fields  and  forests,  he  had 
no  taste  for  books,  he  chose  farming.  On 
being  set  to  work,  however,  by  his  father 
out  in  the  field,  the  very  first  day  con- 
verted the  boy  into  a  lover  of  books. 

Accordingly,  at  the  age  of  si.xteen  he 
entered  Harvard  College,  and  graduated  in 
1755,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  highly  esteemed 
for  integrity,  energy  and  ability.  Thus, 
having  no  capital  but  his  education,  he 
started  out  into  the  stormy  world  at  a  time 
of  great  political  excitement,  as  France  and 
England  were  then  engaged  in  their  great 
seven-years  struggle  for  the  mastery  over 
the   New   World.     The  fire  of  patriotism 


seized  young  Adams,  and  for  a  time  he 
studied  over  the  question  whether  he 
should  take  to  the  law,  to  politics  or  ihe 
army.  He  wrote  a  remarkable  letter  to  a 
friend,  making  prophecies  concerning  the 
future  greatness  of  this  country  which  have 
since  been  more  than  fulfilled.  For  two 
years  he  taught  school  and  studied  law, 
wasting  no  odd  moments,  and  at  the  early 
age  of  twenty-two  years  he  opened  a  law 
ofifice  in  his  native  town.  His  inherited 
powers  of  mind  and  vmtiring  devotion  to 
his  profession  caused  him  to  rise  rapidly 
in  public  esteem. 

In  October,  1764,  Mr.  Adams  married 
Miss  Abigail  Smith,  daughter  of  a  clergy- 
man at  Weymouth  and  a  lad}^  of  rare  per- 
sonal and  intellectual  endowments,  who 
afterward  contributed  much  to  her  hus- 
band's celebrity. 

Soon  the  oppression  of  the  British  in 
America  reached  its  climax.  The  Boston 
merchants  employed  an  attorney  by  the 
name  of  James  Otis  to  argue  the  legality  of 
oppressive  tax  law  before  the  Superior 
Court.  Adams  heard  the  argument,  and 
afterward  wrote  to  a  friend  concerning  the 
ability  displayed,  as  follows :  "  Otis  was  a 
flame  of  fire.  With  a  promptitude  of 
classical  allusion,  a  depth  of  research,  a 
rapid  summary  of  historical  events  and 
dates,  a  profusion  of  legal  authorities  and  a 


J(r^iJd(i^m 


yOHN    ADAMS. 


prophetic  glance  into  futurity,  he  hurried 
away  all  before  him.  American  hidepcndcnce 
was  then  and  there  born.  Every  man  of  an 
immensely  crowded  audience  appeared  to 
me  to  go  away,  as  I  did,  ready  to  take  up 
arms." 

Soon  Mr.  Adams  wrote  an  essay  to  be 
read  before  the  literary  club  of  his  town, 
upon  the  state  of  affairs,  which  was  so  able 
as  to  attract  public  attention.  It  was  pub- 
lished in  American  journals,  republished 
in  England,  and  was  pronounced  by  the 
friends  of  the  colonists  there  as  "  one  of  the 
very  best  productions  ever  seen  from  North 
America." 

The  memiorable  Stamp  Act  was  now 
issued,  and  Adams  entered  with  all  the 
ardor  of  his  soul  into  political  life  in  order 
to  resist  it.  He  drew  up  a  series  of  reso- 
lutions remonstrating  against  the  act,  which 
were  adopted  at  a  public  meeting  of  the 
citizens  of  Braintrec,  and  which  were  sub- 
sequently adopted,  word  for  word,  by  more 
than  forty  towns  in  the  State.  Popular 
commotion  prevented  the  landing  of  the 
Stamp  Act  papers,  and  the  English  author- 
ities then  closed  the  courts.  The  town  of 
Boston  therefore  appointed  Jeremy  Grid- 
ley,  James  Otis  and  John  Adams  to  argue  a 
petition  before  the  Governor  and  council 
for  the  re-opening  of  the  courts;  and  while 
the  two  first  mentioned  attorneys  based 
their  argument  upon  the  distress  caused  to 
the  people  by  the  measure,  Adams  boldly 
claimed  that  the  Stamp  Act  was  a  violation 
both  of  the  English  Constitution  and  the 
charter  of  the  Provinces.  It  is  said  that 
this  was  the  first  direct  denial  of  the  un- 
limited right  of  Parliament  over  the  colo- 
nies. Soon  after  this  the  Stamp  Act  was 
repealed. 

Directly  Mr.  Adams  was  employed  to 
defend  Ansell  Nickerson,  who  had  killed  an 
Englishman  in  the  act  of  impressing  him 
(Nickerson)  into  the  King's  service,  and  his 
client  was  acquitted,  the  court  thus  estab- 


lishing the  principle  that  the  infamous 
royal  prerogative  of  impressment  could 
have  no  existence  in  the  colonial  code. 
But  in  1770  Messrs.  Adams  and  Josiah 
Quincy  defended  a  party  of  British  soldiers 
who  had  been  arrested  for  murder  when 
they  had  been  only  obeying  Governmental 
orders ;  and  when  reproached  for  thus  ap- 
parently deserting  the  cause  of  popular 
libert\%  Mr.  Adams  replied  that  he  would  a 
thousandfold  rather  live  under  the  domina- 
tion of  the  worst  of  England's  kings  than 
under  that  of  a  lawless  mob.  Next,  after 
serving  a  term  as  a  member  of  the  Colonial 
Legislature  from  Boston,  Mr.  Adams,  find- 
ing his  health  affected  by  too  gixat  labor, 
letired  to  his  native  home  at  Braintree. 

The  year  1774  soon  arrived,  with  its  fa- 
mous Boston  "  Tea  Party,"  the  first  open 
act  of  rebellion.  Adams  was  sent  to  the 
Congress  at  Philadelphia ;  and  when  the 
Attorney-General  announced  that  Great 
Britain  had  "  determined  on  her  system, 
and  that  her  power  to  execute  it  was  irre- 
sistible," Adams  replied  :  "  I  know  that 
Great  Britain  has  determined  on  her  sys- 
tem, and  that  very  determination  deter- 
mines me  on  mine.  You  know  that  I  have 
been  constant  in  my  opposition  to  her 
measures.  The  die  is  now  cast.  I  have 
passed  the  Rubicon.  Sink  or  swim,  live  or 
die,  with  my  country,  is  my  unalterable 
determination."  The  rumor  beginning  to 
prevail  at  Philadelphia  that  the  Congress 
had  independence  in  view,  Adams  foresaw 
that  it  was  too  soon  to  declare  it  openl}'. 
He  advised  every  one  to  remain  quiet  in 
that  respect;  and  as  soon  as  it  became  ap- 
parent that  he  himself  was  for  independ- 
ence, he  was  advised  to  hide  himself,  which 
he  did. 

The  next  year  the  great  Revolutionary 
war  opened  in  earnest,  and  Mrs.  Adams, 
residing  near  Boston,  kept  her  husband  ad- 
vised by  letter  of  all  the  events  transpiring 
in  her  vicinity.     The  battle  of  Bunker  Hill 


t 


I  L^^^ 


came  on.  Congress  had  to  do  something 
immediately.  The  first  thing  was  to 
choose  a  commander-in-chief  for  the — we 
can't  say  "  army  " — the  fighting  men  of  the 
colonies.  The  New  England  delegation 
was  almost  unanimous  in  favor  of  appoint- 
ing General  Ward,  then  at  the  head  of  the 
Massachusetts  forces,  but  Mr.  Adams  urged 
the  appointment  of  George  Washington, 
then  almost  unknown  outside  of  his  own 
State.  He  was  appointed  without  oppo- 
sition. Mr.  Adams  offered  the  resolution, 
which  was  adopted,  annulling  all  the  ro)'al 
authority  in  the  colonies.  Having  thus 
prepared  the  way,  a  few  weeks  later,  viz., 
June  7,  1776,  Richard  Henry  Lee,  of  Vir- 
ginia, who  a  few  months  before  had  declared 
that  the  British  Government  would  aban- 
don its  oppressive  measures,  now  offered 
the  memorable  resolution,  seconded  by 
Adams,  "tliat  these  United  States  are,  and 
of  right  ought  to  be,  free  and  independent." 
Jefferson,  Adams,  Franklin,  Sherman  and 
Livingston  were  then  appointed  a  commit- 
tee to  draught  a  declaration  of  independ- 
ence. Mr.  Jefferson  desired  Mr.  Adams 
to  draw  up  Ihe  bold  document,  but  the 
latter  persuaded  Mr.  Jefferson  to  perform 
that  responsible  task.  The  Declaration 
drawn  up,  Mr.  Adams  became  its  foremost 
defender  on  the  floor  of  Congress.  It  was 
signed  by  all  the  fifty-five  members  present, 
and  the  next  day  ^Ir.  Adams  wrote  to  his 
wife  how  great  a  deed  was  done,  and  how 
proud  he  was  of  it.  Mr.  Adams  continued 
to  be  the  leading  man  of  Congress,  and 
the  leading  advocate  of  American  inde- 
pendence. Above  all  other  Americans, 
he  was  considered  by  every  one  the  prin- 
cipal shining  mark  for  British  vengeance. 
Thus  circumstanced,  he  was  appointed  to 
the  most  dangerous  task  of  crossing  the 
ocean  in  winter,  exposed  to  capture  by  the 
British,  who  knew  of  his  mission,  which 
was  to  visit  Paris  and  solicit  the  co-opera- 
tion  of  the  French.     Besides,  to  take  him- 


self away  from  the  country  of  which  he 
was  the  most  prominent  defender,  at  that 
critical  time,  was  an  act  of  the  greatest  self- 
sacrifice.  Sure  enough,  while  crossing  th  • 
sea,  he  had  two  very  narrow  escapes  from 
capture ;  and  the  transit  was  otherwise  :■ 
stormy  and  eventful  one.  During  th 
summer  of  1779  he  returned  home,  but  u;.^ 
immediately  dispatched  back  to  France,  ti. 
be  in  readiness  there  to  negotiate  terms  ol 
peace  and  commerce  with  Great  Britain  as 
soon  as  the  latter  power  was  ready  for  sucb. 
business.  But  as  Dr.  Franklin  was  more 
popular  than  heat  the  court  of  France,  Mr. 
Adams  repaired  to  Holland,  where  he  was 
far  more  successful  as  a  diplomatist. 

The  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United 
States  and  England  was  finally  signed  at 
Paris,  January  21,  1783;  and  the  re-action 
from  so  great  excitement  as  Mr.  Adams  had 
so  long  been  experiencing  threw  him  into 
a  dangerous  fever.  Before  he  fully  re- 
covered he  was  in  London,  whence  he  was 
dispatched  again  to  Amsterdam  to  negoti- 
ate another  loan.  Compliance  with  this 
order  undermined  his  physical  constitution 
for  life. 

In  17S5  Mr.  Adams  was  appointed  envoy 
to  the  court  of  St.  James,  to  meet  face  to 
face  the  very  king  who  had  regarded  him 
as  an  arch  traitor!  Accordingly  he  re- 
paired thither,  where  he  did  actually  meet 
and  converse  with  George  III.!  After  a 
residence  there  for  about  three  years,  he 
obtained  permission  to  return  to  America. 
While  in  London  he  wrote  and  published 
an  able  work,  in  three  volumes,  entitled  : 
"  A  Defense  of  the  American  Constitution." 

The  Articles  of  Confederation  proving 
inefficient,  as  Adams  had  prophesied,  a 
carefully  draughted  Constitution  was 
adopted  in  1789,  when  George  Washington 
was  elected  President  of  the  new  nation, 
and  Adams  Vice-President.  Congress  met 
for  a  time  in  New  York,  but  was  removed 
to  Philadelphia  for  ten  years,  until  suitable 


^ 


JOHN    ADAMS. 


buildings  should  be  erected  at  the  new 
capital  in  the  District  of  Columbia.  Mr. 
Adams  then  moved  his  family  to  Phila- 
delphia. Toward  the  close  of  his  term  of 
office  the  French  Revolution  culminated, 
when  Adams  and  Washington  rather 
sympathized  with  England,  and  Jefferson 
with  France.  The  Presidential  election  of 
1796  resulted  in  giving  Mr.  Adams  the  first 
place  by  a  small  majority,  and  !Mr.  Jeffer- 
son the  second  place. 

Mr.  Adams's  administration  was  consci- 
entious, patriotic  and  able.  The  period 
was  a  turbulent  one,  and  even  an  archangel 
could  not  have  reconciled  the  hostile  par- 
ties. Partisanism  with  reference  to  Eng- 
land and  France  was  bitter,  and  for  four 
years  Mr.  Adams  struggled  through  almost 
a  constant  tempest  of  assaults.  In  fact,  he 
was  not  truly  a  popular  man,  and  his  cha- 
grin at  not  receiving  a  re-election  was  so 
great  that  he  xiid  not  even  remain  at  Phila- 
delphia to  witness  the  inauguration  of  Mr. 
Jefferson,  his  successor.  The  friendly 
intimacy  between  these  two  men  was 
interrupted  for  about  thirteen  years  of  their 
life.  Adams  finally  made  the  first  advances 
toward  a  restoration  of  their  mutual  friend- 
ship, which  were  gratefully  accepted  by 
Jefferson. 

Mr.  Adams  was  glad  of  his  opportunity 
to  retire  to  private  lite,  where  he  could  rest 
his  mind  and  enjo)'  the  comforts  of  home. 
By  a  thousand  bitter  experiences  he  found 
the  path  of  public  duty  a  thorny  one.  For 
twenty-six  years  his  service  of  the  public 
was  as  arduous,  self-sacrificing  and  devoted 
as  ever  fell  to  the  lot  of  man.  In  one  im- 
portant sense  he  was  as  much  the  "  Father 
of  his  Country "  as  was  Washington  in 
another  sense.  During  these  long  years  of 
anxiety  and  toil,  in  which  he  was  laying, 
broad    and    deep,   the    foundations   of   the 


greatest  nation  the  sun  ever  shone  upon,  he 
received  from  his  impoverished  country  a 
meager  support.  The  only  privilege  he 
carried  with  him  into  his  retirement  was 
that  of  franking  his  letters. 

Although  taking  no  active  part  in  public 
affairs,  both  himself  and  his  son,  John 
Quincy,  nobly  supported  the  policy  of  Mr. 
Jefferson  in  resisting  the  encroachments  of 
England,  who  persisted  in  searching 
American  ships  on  the  high  seas  and 
dragging  from  them  any  sailors  that  might 
be  designated  by  any  pert  lieutenant  as 
Bi-itish  subjects.  Even  for  this  noble  sup- 
port Mr.  Adams  was  maligned  by  thou- 
sands of  bitter  enemies  !  On  this  occasion, 
for  the  first  time  since  his  retirement,  he 
broke  silence  and  drew  up  a  ver}^  able 
paper,  exposing  the  atrocity  of  the  British 
pretensions. 

Mr.  Adams  outlived  nearly  all  hisfamil3^ 
Though  his  physical  frame  began  to  give 
way  many  years  before  his  death,  his  mental 
powers  retained  their  strength  and  vigor  to 
the  last.  In  his  ninetieth  year  he  was 
gladdened  by  the  popular  elevation  of  his 
son  to  the  Presidential  office,  the  highest  in 
the  gift  of  the  people.  A  few  months  more 
passed  away  and  the  4th  of  July,  1826, 
arrived.  The  people,  unaware  of  the  near 
approach  of  the  end  of  two  great  lives — 
that  of  Adams  and  Jefferson — were  making 
unusual  preparations  for  a  national  holiday. 
Mr.  Adams  lay  upon  his  couch,  listening  to 
the  ringing  of  bells,  the  waftures  of  martial 
music  and  the  roar  of  cannon,  with  silent 
emotion.  Only  four  days  before,  he  had 
given  for  a  public  toast,  "  Independence 
forever."  About  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon he  said,  "And  Jefferson  still  survives." 
But  he  was  mistaken  by  an  hour  or  so ; 
and  in  a  few  minutes  he  had  breathed  his 
last. 


m 


PRESIDENTS    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


}m^ 


fHOMAS  JEFFER- 
son,  the  third  Presi- 
dent of  the  United 
States,  i8oi-'9,  was 
born  April  2,  1743, 
the  eldest  child  of 
his  parents,  Peter 
and  Jane  (Randolph)  Jef- 
ferson, near  Charlottes- 
ville, Albemarle  County, 
Virginia,  upon  the  slopes 
ofthe  Blue  Ridge.  When 
he -was  fourteen  years  of 
age,  his  father  died,  leav- 
ing a  widow  and  eight 
children.  She  was  a  beau- 
tiful and  accomplished 
lady,  a  good  letter-writer,  with  a  fund  of 
humor,  and  an  admirable  housekeeper.  His 
parents  belonged  to  the  Church  of  England, 
and  are  said  to  be  of  Welch  origin.  But 
little  is  known  of  them,  however. 

Thomas  was  naturally  of  a  serious  turn 
of  mind,  apt  to  learn,  and  a  favorite  at 
school,  his  choice  studies  being  mathemat- 
ics and  the  classics.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen he  entered  William  and  Mary  College, 
in  an  advanced  class,  and  lived  in  rather  an 
expensive  style,  consequently  being  much 
caressed  by  gay  society.  That  he  was  not 
ruined,  is  proof  of  his  stamina  of  character. 
But  during  his  second  year  he  discarded 


society,  his  horses  and  even  his  favorite 
violin,  and  devoted  thenceforward  fifteen 
hours  a  day  to  hard  study,  becoming  ex- 
traordinarily proficient  in  Latin  and  Greek 
authors. 

On  leaving  college,  before  he  was  twenty- 
one,  he  commenced  the  study  of  law,  and 
pursued  it  diHgently  until  he  was  well 
qualified  for  practice,  upon  which  he 
entered  in  1767.  By  this  time  he  was  also 
versed  in  French,  Spanish,  Italian  and  An- 
glo-Saxon, and  in  the  criticism  of  the  fine 
arts.  Being  very  polite  and  polished  in  his 
manners,  he  won  the  friendship  of  all  whom 
he  met.  Though  able  with  his  pen,  he  was 
not  fluent  in  public  speech. 

In  1769  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the 
Virginia  Legislature,  and  was  the  largest 
slave-holding  member  of  that  bod3^  He 
introduced  a  bill  empowering  slave-holders 
to  manumit  their  slaves,  but  it  was  rejected 
by  an  overwhelming  vote. 

In  1770  Mr.  Jefferson  met  with  a  great 
loss ;  his  house  at  Shadwell  was  burned, 
and  his  valuable  library  of  2,000  volumes 
was  consumed.  But  he  was  wealthy 
enough  to  replace  the  most  of  it,  as  from 
his  5,000  acres  tilled  by  slaves  and  his 
practice  at  the  bar  his  income  amounted  to 
about  $5,000  a  year. 

In  1772  he  married  Mrs.  Martha  Skelton, 
a    beautiful,    wealthy    and     accomplished 


Vyt^l^ 


^ 


THOMAS     JEFFERSON. 


young  widow,  who  owned  40,000  acres  of 
land  and  130  slaves;  yet  he  labored  assidu- 
ously for  the  abolition  of  slavery.  For  his 
new  home  he  selected  a  majestic  rise  of 
land  upon  his  large  estate  at  Shadwell, 
called  Monticello,  whereon  he  erected  a 
mansion  of  modest  yet  elegant  architecture. 
Here  he  lived  in  luxury,  indulging  his  taste 
in  magnificent,  high-blooded  liorses. 

At  this  period  the  British  Government 
gradually  became  more  insolent  and  op- 
pressive toward  the  American  colonies, 
and  Mr.  Jefferson  was  ever  one  of  the  most 
foremost  to  resist  its  encroachments.  From 
time  to  time  he  drew  up  resolutions  of  re- 
monsti-ance,  which  were  finally  adopted, 
thus  proving  his  ability  as  a  statesman  and 
as  a  leader.  By  the  year  1774  he  became 
quite  busy,  both  with  voice  and  pen,  in  de- 
fending the  right  of  the  colonies  to  defend 
themselves.  His  pamphlet  entitled  :  "  A 
Summary  Vifew  of  the  Rights  of  British 
America,"  attracted  much  attention  in  Eng- 
land. The  following  year  he,  in  company 
with  George  Washington,  served  as  an  ex- 
ecutive committee  in  measures  to  defend 
by  arms  the  State  of  Virginia.  As  a  Mem- 
ber of  the  Congress,  he  was  not  a  speech- 
maker,  yet  in  conversation  and  upon 
committees  he  was  so  frank  and  decisive 
that  he  always  made  a  favorable  impression. 
But  as  late  as  the  autumn  of  1775  he  re- 
mained in  hopes  of  reconciliation  with  the 
parent  country. 

At  length,  however,  the  hour  arrived  for 
draughting  the  "  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence," and  this  responsible  task  was  de- 
volved upon  Jefferson.  Franklin,  and 
Adams  suggested  a  few  verbal  corrections 
before  it  was  submitted  to  Congress,  which 
was  June  28,  1776,  only  six  days  before  it 
was  adopted.  During  the  three  days  of 
the  fiery  ordeal  of  criticism  through  which 
it  passed  in  Congress,  Mr.  Jefferson  opened 
not  his  lips.  John  Adams  was  the  main 
champion  of  the  Declaration  on  the  floor 


of  Congress.  The  signing  of  this  document 
was  one  of  the  most  solemn  and  momentous 
occasions  ever  attended  to  by  man.  Prayer 
and  silence  reigned  throughout  the  hall, 
and  each  signer  realized  that  if  American 
independence  was  not  finally  sustained  by- 
arms  he  was  doomed  to  the  scaffold. 

After  the  colonies  became  independent 
States,  Jefferson  resigned  for  a  time  his  seat 
in  Congress  in  order  to  aid  in  organizing 
the  government  of  Virginia,  of  which  State 
he  was  chosen  Governor  in  1779,  when  he 
was  thirty-six  years  of  age.  At  this  time 
the  British  had  possession  of  Georgia  and 
were  invading  South  Carolina,  and  at  one 
time  a  British  officer,  Tarleton,  sent  a 
secret  expedition  to  Monticello  to  capture 
the  Governor.  Five  minutes  after  Mr. 
Jefferson  escaped  with  his  family,  his  man- 
sion was  in  possession  of  the  enemy  !  The 
British  troops  also  destroyed  his  valuable 
plantation  on  the  James  River.  "  Had  they 
carried  off  the  slaves,"  said  Jefferson,  with 
characteristic  magnanimity,  "  to  give  them 
freedom,  they  would  have  done  right." 

The  3-ear  1781  was  a  gloomy  one  for  the 
Virginia  Governor.  While  confined  to  his 
secluded  home  in  the  forest  by  a  sick  and 
dying  wife,  a  party  arose  against  him 
throughout  the  State,  severely  criticising 
his  course  as  Governor.  Being  very  sensi- 
tive to  reproach,  this  touched  him  to  the 
quick,  and  the  heap  of  troubles  then  sur- 
rounding him  nearly  crushed  him.  He  re- 
solved, in  despair,  to  retire  from  public  life 
for  the  rest  of  his  days.  For  weeks  Mr. 
Jefferson  sat  lovingly,  but  with  a  crushed 
heart,  at  the  bedside  of  his  sick  wife,  during 
which  time  unfeeling  letters  were  sent  to 
him,  accusing  him  of  weakness  and  unfaith- 
fulness to  duty.  All  this,  after  he  had  lost 
so  much  property  and  at  the  same  time 
done  so  much  for  his  country !  After  her 
death  he  actually  fainted  away,  and  re- 
mained so  long  insensible  that  it  was  feared 
he  never  would  recover!    Several  weeks 


PRESTDEyrS    OF    THE     U.VITED    STATES. 


passed  before  he  could  fully  recover  his 
equilibrium.  He  was  never  married  a 
second  time. 

In  the  spring  of  17S2  the  people  of  Eng- 
land compelled  their  king  to  make  to  the 
Americans  overtures  of  peace,  and  in  No- 
vember following,  Mr.  Jefferson  was  reap- 
pointed by  Congress,  unanimously  and 
without  a  single  adverse  remark,  minister 
plenipotentiary  to  negotiate  a  treaty. 

In  March,  1784,  Mr.  Jefferson  was  ap- 
pointed on  a  committee  to  draught  a  plan 
for  the  government  of  the  Northwestern 
Territory.  His  slavery-prohibition  clause 
in  that  plan  was  stricken  out  by  the  pro- 
slavery  majority  of  the  committee;  but  amid 
all  the  controversies  and  wrangles  of  poli- 
ticians, he  made  it  a  rule  never  to  contra- 
dict anybody  or  engage  in  any  discussion 
as  a  debater. 

In  company  with  Mr.  Adams  and  Dr. 
Franklin,  Mr.  Jefferson  was  appointed  in 
May,  1784,  to  act  as  minister  plenipotentiary 
in  the  negotiation  of  treaties  of  commerce 
with  foreign  nations.  Accordingly,  he  went 
to  Paris  and  satisfactorily  accomplished  his 
mission.  The  suavity  and  high  bearing  of 
his  manner  made  all  the  French  his  friends; 
and  even  Mrs.  Adams  at  one  time  u^rote 
to  her  sister  that  he  was  "  the  chosen 
of  the  earth."  But  all  the  honors  that 
he  received,  both  at  home  and  abroad, 
seemed  to  make  no  change  in  the  simplicit}' 
of  his  republican  tastes.  On  his  return  to 
America,  he  found  two  parties  respecting 
the  foreign  commercial  policy,  Mr.  Adams 
sympathizing  with  that  in  favor  of  England 
and  himself  favoring  France. 

On  the  inauguration  of  General  Wash- 
ington as  President,  Mr.  Jefferson  was 
chosen  by  him  for  the  office  of  Secretary  of 
State.  At  this  time  the  rising  storm  of  the 
French  Revolution  became  visible,  and 
Washington  watched  it  with  great  anxiety. 
His  cabinet  was  divided  in  their  views  of 
constitutional   government  as   well   as  re- 


garding the  issues  in  France.  General 
Hamilton,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  was 
the  leader  of  the  so-called  Federal  partv, 
while  Mr.  Jefferson  was  the  leader  of  the 
Republican  party.  At  the  same  time  there 
was  a  strong  monarchical  party  in  this 
country,  with  which  Mr.  Adams  sympa- 
thized. Some  important  financial  measures, 
which  were  proposed  by  Hamilton  and 
finally  adopted  by  the  cabinet  and  approved 
by  Washington,  were  opposed  by  Mr. 
Jefferson ;  and  his  enemies  then  began  to 
reproach  him  with  holding  office  under  an 
administration  whose  views  he  opposed. 
The  President  poured  oil  on  the  troubled 
waters.  On  his  re-election  to  the  Presi- 
dency he  desired  Mr.  Jefferson  to  remain 
in  the  cabinet,  but  the  latter  sent  in  his 
resignation  at  two  different  times,  probably 
because  he  was  dissatisfied  with  some  of 
the  measures  of  the  Government.  His 
final  one  was  not  received  until  January  i, 
1794,  when  General  Washington  parted 
from  him  with  great  regret. 

Jefferson  then  retired  to  his  quiet  home 
at  Monticello,  to  enjoy  a  good  rest,  not  even 
reading  the  newspapers  lest  the  political 
gossip  should  disquiet  him.  On  the  Presi- 
dent's again  calling  him  back  to  the  office 
of  Secretary  of  State,  he  replied  that  no 
circumstances  would  ever  again  tempt  him 
to  engage  in  any-thing  public  !  But,  while 
all  Europe  was  ablaze  with  war,  and  France 
in  the  throes  of  a  bloody  revolution  and  the 
principal  theater  of  the  conflict,  a  new 
Presidential  election  in  this  country  came 
on.  John  Adams  was  the  Federal  candi- 
date and  Mr.  Jefferson  became  the  Republi- 
can candidate.  The  result  of  the  election 
was  the  promotion  of  the  latter  to  the  Vice- 
Presidency,  while  the  former  was  chosen 
President.  In  this  contest  Mr.  Jefferson 
really  did  not  desire  to  have  either  office, 
he  was  "so  weary  **  of  party  strife.  He 
loved  the  retirement  of  home  more  than 
any  other  place  on  the  earth. 


THOMAS     ^EFFEliSON. 


But  for  four  long  years  his  Vice-Presi- 
dency passed  joylessl}-  away,  while  the 
partisan  strife  between  Federalist  and  Re- 
publican was  ever  growing  hotter.  The 
former  party  split  and  the  result  of  the 
fourth  general  election  was  the  elevation  of 
Mr.  Jefferson  to  the  Presidency !  with 
Aaron  Burr  as  Vice-President.  These  men 
being  at  the  head  of  a  growing  party,  their 
election  was  hailed  everywhere  with  joy. 
On  the  other  hand,  man}'  of  the  Federalists 
turned  pale,  as  they  believed  what  a  portion 
of  the  pulpit  and  the  press  had  been  preach- 
ing— that  Jefferson  was  a  "  scoffing  atheist," 
a  "Jacobin,"  the  "incarnation  of  all  evil," 
"  breathing  threatening  and  slaughter  !  " 

Mr.  Jefferson's  inaugural  address  con- 
tained nothing  but  the  noblest  sentiments, 
expressed  in  fine  language,  and  his  personal 
behavior  afterward  exhibited  the  extreme 
of  American,  democratic  simplicit\'.  His 
disgust  of  European  court  etiquette  grew 
upon  him  with  age.  He  believed  that 
General  Washington  was  somewhat  dis- 
trustful of  the  ultimate  success  of  a  popular 
Government,  and  that,  imbued  with  a  little 
admiration  of  the  forms  of  a  monarchical 
Government,  he  had  instituted  levees,  birth- 
daj's,  pompous  meetings  with  Congress, 
etc.  Jefferson  was  always  polite,  even  to 
slaves  everywhere  he  met  them,  and  carried 
in  his  countenance  the  indications  of  an  ac- 
commodating disposition. 

The  political  principles  of  the  Jeffersoni- 
an  party  now  swept  the  country,  and  Mr. 
Jefferson  himself  swayed  an  influence  which 
was  never  exceeded  even  by  Washington. 
Under  his  administration,  in  1803,  the  Lou- 
isiana purchase  was  made,  for  $15,000,000, 
the  "  Louisiana  Territory  "  purchased  com- 
prising all  the  land  west  of  the  Mississippi 
to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  year  1804  witnessed  another  severe 
loss  in  his  family.  His  highl}'  accomplished 
and  most  beloved  daughter  Maria  sickened 
and    died,    causing   as   great   grief   in   the 


stricken  parent  as  it  was  possible  for  him  to 
survive  with  any  degree  of  sanity. 

The  same  year  he  was  re-elected  to  the 
Presidency,  with  George  Clinton  as  Vice- 
President.  During  his  second  term  our 
relations  with  England  became  more  com- 
plicated, and  on  June  22,  1807,  near  Hamp- 
ton Roads,  the  United  States  frigate 
Chesapeake  was  fired  upon  by  the  Brit- 
ish man-of-war  Leopard,  and  was  made 
to  surrender.  Three  men  were  killed  and 
ten  wounded.  Jefferson  demanded  repara- 
tion. England  grew  insolent.  It  became 
evident  that  war  was  determined  upon  by 
the  latter  power.  More  than  1,200  Ameri- 
cans were  forced  into  the  British  service 
upon  the  high  seas.  Before  any  satisfactory 
solution  was  reached,  Mr.  Jefferson's 
Presidential  terra  closed.  Amid  all  these 
public  excitements  he  thought  constantly 
of  the  welfare  of  his  family,  and  longed 
for  the  time  when  he  could  return  home 
to  remain.  There,  at  Monticello,  his  sub- 
sequent life  was  very  similar  to  that  of 
Washington  at  Mt.  Vernon.  His  hospi- 
talit}'  toward  his  numerous  friends,  indul- 
gence of  his  slaves,  and  misfortunes  to  his 
property,  etc.,  finally  involved  him  in  debt. 
For  years  his  home  resembled  a  fashion- 
able watering-place.  During  the  summer, 
thirty-seven  house  servants  were  required ! 
It  was  presided  over  by  his  daughter,  Mrs. 
Randolph. 

Mr.  Jefferson  did  much  for  the  establish- 
ment of  the  University  at  Charlottesville, 
making  it  unsectarian,  in  keeping  with  the 
spirit  of  American  institutions,  but  poverty 
and  the  feebleness  of  old  age  prevented 
him  from  doing  what  he  would.  He  even 
went  so  far  as  to  petition  tiie  Legislature 
for  permission  to  dispose  of  some  of  his 
possessions  by  lottery,  in  order  to  raise  the 
necessary  funds  for  home  expenses.  It  was 
granted ;  but  before  the  plan  was  carried 
out,  Mr.  Jefferson  died,  July  4.  1826,  at 
2:50  P.  M. 


PRESIDEXrS     OF     THE     UNITED    STATES. 


AMES  MADISON,  the 
fourth  President  of  the 
United  States,  iSog-'iy, 
was  born  at  Port  Con- 
\\a.y,  Prince  George 
County,  Virginia,  March 
175 1.       His    father, 


Colonel  James  Madison,  was 
a  wealthy  planter,  residing 
upon  a  very  fine  estate 
called  "  Montpelier,"  only 
twenty-five  miles  from  the 
home  of  Thomas  Jefferson 
at  Monticello.  The  closest 
personal  and  political  at- 
tachment existed  between 
these  illustrious  men  from  their  early  youth 
until  death. 

James  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  seven 
children,  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  all 
of  whom  attained  maturity.  His  early  edu- 
cation was  conducted  mostly  at  home, 
under  a  private  tutor.  Being  naturally  in- 
tellectual in  his  tastes,  he  consecrated  him- 
self with  unusual  vigor  to  study.  At  a  very 
early  age  he  made  considerable  proficiency 
in  the  Greek,  Latin,  French  and  Spanish 
languages.  In  1769  he  entered  Princeton 
College,  New  Jersey,  of  which  the  illus- 
trious Dr.  Weatherspoon  was  then  Presi- 
dent.    He  graduated  in  1771,  with  a  chai'- 


acter  of  the  utmost  purit}-,  and  a  mind 
highly  disciplined  and  stored  with  all  the 
learning  which  embellished  and  gave  effi- 
ciency to  his  subsequent  career.  After 
graduating  he  pursued  a  course  of  reading 
for  several  months,  under  the  guidance  of 
President  Weatherspoon,  and  in  1772  re- 
turned to  Virginia^  where  he  continued  in 
incessant  study  for  two  years,  nominally 
directed  to  the  law,  but  reall}'  including 
extended  researches  in  theology,  philoso- 
phy and  general  literature. 

The  Church  of  England  was  the  estab- 
lished church  in  Virginia,  invested  with  all 
the  prerogatives  and  immunities  which  it 
enjoyed  in  the  fatherland,  and  other  de- 
nomi nations  labored  under  serious  disabili- 
ties, the  enforcement  of  which  was  rightly 
or  wrongly  characterized  by  them  as  per- 
secution. Madison,  took  a  prominent  stand 
in  behalf  of  the  removal  of  all  disabilities, 
repeatedly  appeared  in  the  court  of  liis  own 
county  to  defend  the  Baptist  nonconform- 
ists, and  was  elected  from  Orange  County  to 
the  Virginia  Convention  in  the  sj^ring  of 
1766,  when  he  signalized  the  beginning  of 
his  public  career  by  procuring  the  passage 
of  an  amendment  to  the  Declaration  of 
Rights  as  prepared  by  George  Mason,  sub- 
stituting for  "toleration"  a  more  emphatic 
assertion  of  religious  liberlv. 


«»■■««»  Jir5»a».=.  ■!„■.»«..  1. 


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■■■iia_M«a»M»»_W«M«.M»W. 


■'■.■■■-■■■■■■■■-■■■■■■■-■■■«M«WBi»-««WiiW«M»Wl."M*ll!Jg 


yAMES    AlADlSOi^. 


1^ 


In  1776  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Virginia  Convention  to  frame  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  State.  Like  Jefferson,  he  took 
but  little  part  in  the  public  debates.  His 
main  strength  lay  in  his  conversational  in- 
fluence and  in  his  pen.  In  November,  1777, 
he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Council  of 
State,  and  in  March,  1780,  took  his  seat  in 
the  Continental  Congress,  where  he  first 
gained  prominence  through  his  energetic 
opposition  to  the  issue  of  paper  money  by 
the  States.  He  continued  in  Congress  three 
years,  one  of  its  most  active  and  influential 
members. 

In  1784  Mr.  Madison  v.'as  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Virginia  Legislature.  He  ren- 
dered important  service  by  promoting  and 
participating  in  that  revision  of  the  statutes 
which  effectually  abolished  the  remnants  of 
the  feudal  system  subsistent  up  to  that 
time  in  the  form  of  entails,  primogeniture, 
and  State  support  given  the  Anglican 
Church  ;  and  his  "  Memorial  and  Remon- 
strance" against  a  general  assessment  for 
the  support  of  religion  is  one  of  the  ablest 
papers  which  emanated  from  his  pen.  It 
settled  the  question  of  the  entire  separation 
of  church  and  State  in  Virginia. 

Mr.  Jefferson  says  of  him,  in  allusion  to 
the  study  and  experience  through  which  he 
had  already  passed : 

"  Trained  in  these  successive  schools,  he 
acquired  a  habit  of  self-possession  which 
placed  at  ready  command  the  rich  resources 
of  his  luminous  and  discriminating  mind  and 
of  his  extensive  information,  and  rendered 
him  the  first  of  every  assembly  of  which  he 
afterward  became  a  member.  Never  wan- 
dering from  his  subject  into  vain  declama- 
tion, but  pursuing  it  closely  in  language 
pure,  classical  and  copious,  soothing  al- 
wa3's  the  feelings  of  his  adversaries  by  civili- 
ties and  softness  of  expression,  he  rose  to  tlie 
eminent  stati(in  which  he  held  in  the  great 
National  Convention  of  1787;  and  in  that  of 
Virginia,  which  followed,  he  sustained  the 


new  Constitution  in  all  its  parts,  bearing  ofi 
the  palm  against  the  logic  of  George  Mason 
and  the  fervid  declamation  of  Patrick 
Henry.  With  these  consummate  powers 
were  united  a  pure  and  spotless  virtue 
which  no  calumny  has  ever  attempted  to 
sully.  Of  the  power  and  polish  of  his  pen, 
and  of  the  wisdom  of  his  administration  in 
the  highest  office  of  the  nation,  I  need  say 
nothing.  They  have  spoken,  and  will  for- 
ever speak,  for  themselves." 

In  January,  1786,  Mr.  Madison  took  the 
initiative  in  proposing  a  meeting  of  State 
Commissioners  to  devise  measures  for  more 
satisfactory  commercial  relations  between 
the  States.  A  meeting  was  held  at  An- 
napolis to  discuss  this  subject,  and  but  five 
States  were  represented.  The  convention 
issued  another  call,  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Madi- 
son, urging  all  the  States  to  send  their  dele- 
gates to  Philadelphia,  in  May,  1787,  to 
draught  a  Constitution  for  the  United 
States.  The  delegates  met  at  the  time  ap- 
pointed, every  State  except  Rhode  Island 
being  represented.  George  Washington 
was  chosen  president  of  the  convention, 
and  the  present  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  was  then  and  there  formed.  There 
was  no  mind  and  no  pen  more  active  in 
framing  this  immortal  document  than  the 
mind  and  pen  of  James  Madison.  He  was, 
perhaps,  its  ablest  advocate  in  the  pages  of 
the   Federalist. 

Mr.  Madison  was  a  member  of  the  first 
four  Congresses,  1789-97,  in  which  he  main- 
tained a  moderate  opposition  to  Hamilton's 
financial  policy.  He  declined  the  mission 
to  France  and  the  Secretaryship  of  State, 
and,  gradually  identifying  himself  with  the 
Republican  party,  became  from  1792  its 
avowed  leader.  In  1796  he  was  its  choice 
{ox  the  Presidency  as  successor  to  Wash- 
ington. Mr.  Jeffei'son  wrote:  "There  is 
not  another  person  in  the  United  States 
with  whom,  being  placed  at  the  helm  of  our 
affairs,  my  mind  would  be  so  completely  at 


r 


PJ^ESIDEXTS    OF     THE     UN /TED    STATES. 


rest  for  the  fortune  of  our  political  bark." 
But  Mr.  Madison  declined  to  be  a  candi- 
date. His  term  in  Congress  had  expired, 
and  he  returned  from  New  York  to  his 
beautiful  retreat  at  Montpelier. 

In  1794  Mr.  Madison  married  a  young 
widow  of  remarkable  powers  of  fascination 
— Mrs.  Todd.  Her  maiden  name  was  Doro- 
thy Paine.  She  was  born  in  1767,  in  Vir- 
ginia, of  Quaker  parents,  and  had  been 
educated  in  the  strictest  rules  of  that  sect. 
When  but  eighteen  years  of  age  she  married 
a  young  lawyer  and  moved  to  Philadelphia, 
where  she  was  introduced  to  brilliant  scenes 
of  fashionable  life.  She  speedily  laid  aside 
the  dress  and  address  of  the  Quakeress,  and 
became  one  of  the  most  fascinating  ladies 
of  the  republican  court.  In  New  York, 
after  the  death  of  her  husband,  she  was  the 
belle  of  the  season  and  was  surrounded  with 
admirers.  Air.  Madisnn  won  the  prize. 
She  proved  an  invaluable  helpmate.  In 
Washington  she  was  the  life  of  society. 
If  there  was  an}'  diffident,  timid  young 
girl  just  making  her  appearance,  she 
found  in  Mrs.  Madison  an  encouraging 
friend. 

During  the  stormy  administration  of  John 
Adams  Madison  remained  in  private  life, 
but  was  the  author  of  the  celebrated  "  Reso- 
lutions of  1798,"  adopted  by  the  Virginia 
Legislature,  in  condemnation  of  the  Alien 
and  Sedition  laws,  as  well  as  of  the  "  report" 
in  which  he  defended  those  resolutions, 
which  is,  by  many,  considered  his  ablest 
State  paper. 

The  storm  passed  away ;  the  Alien  and 
Sedition  laws  were  repealed,  John  Adams 
lost  his  re-election,  and  in  1801  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson was  chosen  President.  The  great  re- 
action in  public  sentiment  which  seated 
Jefferson  in  the  presidential  chair  was  large- 
ly owing  to  the  writings  of  Madison,  who 
was  consequently  well  entitled  to  the  post 
of  Secretary'  of  State.  With  great  ability 
he  discharged  the  duties  of  this  responsible 


office  during  the  eight  years  of  Mr.  JeiTt  i 
son's  administration. 

As  Mr.  Jefferson  was  a  widower,  and 
neither  of  his  daughters  could  be  often  with 
him,  Mrs.  Madison  usually  presided  over 
theJestivities  of  the  White  House;  and  as 
her  husband  succeeded  Mr.  Jefferson,  hold- 
ing his  office  for  two  terms,  this  remarkable 
woman  was  the  mistress  of  the  presidential 
mansion  for  sixteen  years. 

Mr.  Madison  being  entirely  engrossed  by 
the  cares  of  his  office,  all  the  duties  of  so- 
cial life  devolved  upon  his  accomplished 
wife.  Never  were  such  responsibilities 
more  ably  discharged.  The  most  bitter 
foes  of  her  husband  and  of  the  administra- 
tion were  received  with  the  frankly  prof- 
fered hand  and  the  cordial  smile  of  wel- 
come; and  the  influence  of  this  gentle 
woman  in  allaying  the  bitterness  of  party 
rancor  became  a  great  and  salutary  power 
in  the  nation. 

As  tlie  term  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  Presidency 
drew  near  its  close,  party  strife  was  roused 
to  the  utmost  to  elect  his  successor.  It  was 
a  death-grapple  between  the  two  great 
parties,  the  Federal  and  Republican.  Mr. 
Madison  was  chosen  President  by  an  elec- 
toral vote  of  122  to  53,  and  was  inaugurated 
March  4,  1809,  at  a  critical  period,  when 
the  relations  of  the  United  States  with  Great 
Britain  were  becoming  embittered,  and  his 
first  term  was  passed  in  diplomatic  quarrels, 
aggravated  by  the  act  of  non-intercourse  of 
May,  1810,  and  finally  resulting  in  a  decla- 
ration of  war.    . 

On  the  1 8th  of  June,  181 2,  President 
Madison  gave  his  approval  to  an  act  of 
Congress  declaring  war  against  Great  Brit- 
ain. Notwithstanding  the  bitter  hostility 
of  the  Federal  party  to  the  war,  the  countrv 
in  general  approved ;  and  in  the  autumn 
Madison  was  re-elected  to  the  Presidency 
by  12S  electoral  votes  to  89  in  favor  of 
George  Clinton. 

March  4,  1817,  Madison  vielded  the  Pre;.! 


!^'^!jris"Tiv^*^"r!*r^?L'^^!r^^i!!?r^"!i^^ 


yAMES    MADISON. 


31 


deiicy  to  his  Secretary  of  State  and  inti- 
mate friend,  James  Monroe,  and  retired  to 
his  ancestral  estate  at  Montpelier,  where  he 
passed  the  evening  of  iiis  days  surrounded 
by  attaciied  friends  and  enjoying  the 
merited  respect  of  the  whole  nation.  He 
took  pleasure  in  promoting  agriculture,  as 
president  of  the  county  society,  and  in 
watching  the  development  of  the  University 
of  Virginia,  of  which  he  was  loug  rector  and 
visitor.  In  extreme  old  age  he  sat  in  1829 
as  a  member  of  the  convention  called  to  re- 
form the  Virginia  Constitution,  where  his 
appearance  was  hailed  with  the  most  gen- 
uine interest  and  satisfaction,  though  he 
was  too  infirm  ^o  participate  in  the  active 
work  of  revision.  Small  in  stature,  slender 
and  delicate  in  form,  with  a  countenance 
full  of  intelligence,  and  expressive  alike  of 
mildness  and  dignity,  he  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  all  who  attended  the  convention, 
and  was  treated  v/ith  the  utmost  deference. 
He  seldom  addressed  the  assembly,  though 
he  always  appeared  self-possessed,  and 
watched  with  unflagging  interest  the  prog- 
ress of  every  msasure.  Though  the  con- 
vention sat  sixteen  weeks,  he  spoke  only 
twice ;  but  when  he  did  speak,  the  whole 
house  paused  to  listen.  His  voice  was 
feeble  though  his  enunciation  was  very  dis- 
tinct. One  of  the  reporters,  Mr.  Stansbury, 
relates  the  following  anecdote  of  Mr.  Madi- 
son's last  speech: 

"  The  next  day,  as  there  was  a  great  call 
for  it,  and  the  report  had  not  been  returned 
for  publication,  I  sent  my  son  with  a  re- 
spectful note,  requesting  the  manuscript. 
My  son  was  a  lad  of  sixteen,  whom  I  had 
taken  with  me  to  act  as  amanuensis.  On 
delivering  my  note,  he  was  received  with 
the  utmost  politeness,  and  requested  to 
come  up  into  Mr.  Madison's  room  and  wait 
while  his  eye  ran  over  the  paper,  as  com- 
pany had  prevented  his  attending  to  it.  He 
did  so,  and  Mr.  Madison  sat  down  to  correct 
the  report.     The  lad  stood  near  him  so  that 


his  eye  fell  on  the  paper.  Coming  to  a 
certain  sentence  in  the  speech,  Mr.  Madison 
erased  a  word  and  substituted  another  ;  but 
hesitated,  and  not  feeling  satisfied  with  the 
second  word,  drew  his  pen  through  it  also. 
My  son  was  young,  ignorant  of  the  world, 
and  unconscious  of  the  solecism  of  which  he 
was  about  to  be  guilty,  when,  in  all  simplic- 
ity, he  suggested  a  word.  Probably  no 
other  person  then  living  would  have  taken 
such  a  liberty.  But  the  sage,  instead  of 
regarding  such  an  intrusion  with  a  frown, 
raised  his  eyes  to  the  boy's  face  with  a 
pleased  surprise,  and  said,  '  Thank  you,  sir  ; 
it  is  the  very  word,'  and  immediately  in- 
serted it.  I  saw  him  the  next  day,  and  he 
mentioned  the  circumstance,  with  a  compli- 
ment on  the  young  critic." 

Mr.  Madison  died  at  Montpelier,  June  28, 
1836,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five. 
While  not  possessing  the  highest  order  of 
talent,  and  deficient  in  oratorical  powers, 
he  was  pre-eminently  a  statesman,  of  a  well- 
balanced  mind.  His  attainments  were  solid, 
his  knowledge  copious,  his  judgment  gener- 
ally sound,  his  powers  of  analysis  and  logi- 
cal statement  rarely  surpassed,  his  language 
and  literary  style  correct  and  polished,  his 
conversation  witty,  his  temperament  san- 
guine and  trustful,  his  integrity  unques- 
tioned, his  manners  simple,  courteous  and 
winning.  By  these  rare  qualities  he  con- 
ciliated the  esteem  not  only  of  friends,  but 
of  political  opponents,  in  a  greater  degree 
than  any  American  statesman  in  the  present 
century. 

Mrs.  Madison  survived  her  husband  thir- 
teen years,  and  died  July  12,  1849,  ''i  the 
eighty-second  year  of  her  age.  She  was  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  women  our  coun- 
try has  produced.  Even  now  she  is  ad- 
miringly remembered  in  Washington  as 
"  Dolly  Madison,"  and  it  is  fitting  that  her 
memory  should  descend  to  posterity  in 
1  company  with  thatof  the  companion  of 
her  life. 


PRESIDENTS    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


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s  -\:A  -^v3a^£^T:s:!::rS3CE: 


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s^<r"^'  jt-,'  I**'  |ts£i<?i4t<;-i'S;Si'^-j^' 


AMES  MONROE,  the  fifth 
President  of  the  United 
States,  i8i7-'25,  was  born 
in  Westmoreland  County 
Virginia,  April  28,  1758] 
He  was  a  son  of  Spence 
Monroe,  and  a  descendant 
of  a  Scottish  cavalier  fam- 
ily. Like  all  his  predeces- 
sors thus  far  in  the  Presi- 
dential chair,  he  enjoyed  all 
the  advantages  of  educa- 
tion which  the  country 
could  then  afford.  He  was 
early  sent  to  a  fine  classical 
school,  and  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen entered  William  and  Mary  College.. 
In  1776,  when  he  had  been  in  college  but 
two  years,  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
was  adopted,  and  our  feeble  militia,  with- 
out arms,  amunition  or  clothing,  were  strug- 
gling against  the  trained  armies  of  England. 
James  Monroe  left  college,  hastened  to 
General  Washington's  headquarters  at  New 
York  and  enrolled  himself  as  a  cadet  in  the 
army. 

At  Trenton  Lieutenant  Monroe  so  dis- 
tinguished himself,  receiving  a  wound  in  his 
shoulder,  that  he  was  promoted  to  a  Cap- 
taincy. Upon  recovering  from  his  wound, 
he  was  invited  to  act  as  aide  to  Lord  Ster- 
ling, and  in  that  capacity  he  took  an  active 
part  in  the  battles  of  Brandywine,  Ger- 
mantown  and  Monmouth.   At  Germantown 


he  stood  by  the  side  of  Lafayette  when  the 
French  Marquis  received  his  wound.  Gen- 
eral Washington,  who  had  formed  a  high 
idea  of  young  Monroe's  ability,  sent  him  to 
Virginia  to  raise  a  new  regiment,  of  which 
he  was  to  be  Colonel;  but  so  exhausted  was 
Virginia  at  that  time  that  the  effort  proved 
unsuccessful.  He,  however,  received  his 
commission. 

Finding  no  opportunity  to  enter  the  army 
as  a  commissioned  officer,  he  returned  to  his 
original  plan  of  studying  law,  and  entered 
the  ofifice  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  who  was 
then  Governor  of  Virginia.  He  developed 
a  very  noble  character,  frank,  manly  and 
sincere.     Mr.  Jefferson  said  of  him: 

"James  Monroe  is  so  perfectly  honest 
that  if  his  soul  were  turned  inside  out  there 
would  not  be  found  a  spot  on  it." 

In  1782  he  was  elected  to  the  Assembly 
of  Virginia,  and  was  also  appointed  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Executive  Coimcil.  The  next 
3-ear  he  was  chosen  delegate  to  the  Conti- 
nental Congress  for  a  term  of  three  years. 
He  was  present  at  Annapolis  when  Wash- 
ington surrendered  his  commission  of  Com- 
mander-in-chief. 

With  Washington,  Jefferson  and  Madison 
he  felt  deeply  the  inefBciency  of  the  old 
Articles  of  Confederation,  and  urged  the 
formation  of  a  new  Constitution,  which 
should  invest  the  Central  Government  with 
something  like  national  power.  Influenced 
bv  these  views,  he  introduced  a  resolution 


^.^-^-^^/^  X  /^^-^^^^^^^^^ 


yAMES    MONROE. 


121 8 J  82 


35 


that  Congress  should  be  empowered  to 
regulate  trade,  and  to  lay  an  impost  duty 
of  five  per  cent.  The  resolution  was  refer- 
red to  a  committee  of  which  he  was  chair- 
man. Tiie  report  and  the  discussion  which 
rose  upon  it  led  to  the  convention  of  five 
States  at  Annapolis,  and  the  consequent 
general  convention  at  Philadelphia,  which, 
in  1787,  drafted  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States. 

At  this  time  there  was  a  controversy  be- 
tween New  York  and  Massachusetts  in 
reference  to  their  boundaries.  The  high 
esteem  in  which  Colonel  Monroe  was  held 
is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  was  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  judges  to  decide  the 
controvers}-.  While  in  New  York  attend- 
ing Congress,  he  married  Miss  Kortright, 
a  young  lady  distinguished  alike  for  her 
beauty  and  accomplishments.  For  nearly 
fifty  years  this  happy  union  remained  un- 
broken. In  London  and  in  Paris,  as  in  her 
own  country,  Mrs.  Monroe  won  admiration 
and  affection  by  the  loveliness  of  her  per- 
son, the  brilliancy  of  her  intellect,  and  the 
amiabilit)'  of  her  character. 

Returning  to  Virginia,  Colonel  Monroe 
commenced  the  practice  of  law  at  Freder- 
icksburg. He  was  very  soon  elected  to  a 
seat  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  the  next 
year  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Vir- 
ginia convention  which  was  assembled  to 
decide  upon  the  acceptance  or  rejection  of 
the  Constitution  which  had  been  drawn  up 
at  Philadelphia,  and  was  now  submitted 
to  the  several  States.  Deeply  as  he  felt 
the  imperfections  of  the  old  Confederacy, 
he  was  opposed  to  the  new  Constitution, 
thinking,  with  many  others  of  the  Republi- 
can party,  that  it  gave  too  much  power  to 
the  Central  Government,  and  not  enough 
to  the  individual  States. 

In  1789  he  became  a  member  of  the 
United  States  Senate,  which  office  he  held 
acceptably  to  his  constituents,  and  with 
honor  to  himself  for  four  years. 


Having  opposed  the  Constitution  as  not 
leaving  enough  power  with  the  States,  he, 
of  course,  became  more  and  more  identi- 
fied with  the  Republican  party.  Thus  he 
found  himself  in  cordial  co-operation  with 
Jefferson  and  Madison.  The  great  Repub- 
lican party  became  the  dominant  power 
which  ruled  the  land. 

George  Washington  was  then  President. 
England  had  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
Bourbons  against  the  principles  of  the 
French  Revolution.  President  Washing- 
ton issued  a  proclamation  of  neutralit}'  be- 
tween these  contending  powers.  France 
had  helped  us  in  the  struggle  for  our  lib- 
erties. All  the  despotisms  of  Europe  were 
now  combined  to  prevent  the  French 
from  escaping  from  tyranny  a  thousandfold 
worse  than  that  which  we  had  endured. 
Colonel  Monroe,  more  magnanimous  than 
prudent,  was  anxious  that  wc  should  help 
our  old  allies  in  their  extremity.  He  vio- 
lently opposed  the  President's  procla- 
mation as  ungrateful  and  wanting  in 
magnanimity. 

Washington,  who  could  appreciate  such 
a  character,  developed  his  calm,  serene, 
almost  divine  greatness  by  appointing  that 
very  James  Monroe,  who  was  denouncing 
the  policy  of  the  Government,  as  the  Minis- 
ter of  that  Government  to  the  republic  of 
France.  He  was  directed  by  Washington 
to  express  to  the  French  people  our  warm- 
est sympathy,  communicating  to  them  cor- 
responding resolves  approved  by  the  Pres- 
ident, and  adopted  by  both  houses  of 
Congress. 

Mr.  Monroe  was  welcomed  by  the  Na- 
tional Convention  in  France  with  the  most 
enthusiastic  demonstrations  of  respect  and 
affection.  He  was  publicly  introduced  to 
that  body,  and  received  the  embrace  of  the 
President,  Merlin  de  Douay,  after  having 
been  addressed  in  a  speech  glowing  with 
congratulations,  and  with  expressions  of 
desire  that  harmony  might  ever   exist  be- 


Presidents  of  the   UNiTEt)  states. 


tween  the  two  nations.  The  flags  of  the 
two  republics  were  intertwined  in  the  hall 
of  the  convention.  Mr.  Monroe  presented 
the  American  colors,  and  received  those  of 
France  in  return.  The  course  which  he 
pursued  in  Paris  was  so  annoying  to  Eng- 
land and  to  the  friends  of  England  in 
this  country  that,  near  the  close  of  Wash- 
ii.gton's  administration,  Mr.  Monroe,  was 
recalled. 

After  his  return  Colonel  Monroe  wrote  a 
book  of  400  pages,  entitled  "  A  View  of  the 
Conduct  of  the  Executive  in  Foreign  Af- 
fairs." In  this  work  he  ver}'  ably  advo- 
cated his  side  of  the  question;  but,  with 
the  magnanimity  of  the  man,  he  recorded  a 
warm  tribute  to  the  patriotism,  ability  and 
spotless  integrity  of  John  Jay,  between 
whom  and  himself  there  was  intense  antag- 
onism ;  and  in  subsequent  years  he  ex- 
pressed in  warmest  terms  his  perfect 
\  eneration  for  the  character  of  George 
Washington. 

Shortly  after  his  return  to  this  countrv 
Colonel  Monroe  was  elected  Governor  of 
Virginia,  and  held  that  office  for  three 
years,  the  period  limited  by  the  Constitu- 
tion. In  1802  he  was  an  Envoy  to  France, 
and  to  Spain  in  1805,  and  was  Minister  to 
England  in  1803.  In  1806  he  returned  to 
his  quiet  home  in  Virginia,  and  with  his 
wife  and  childrenandan  ample  competence 
from  his  paternal  estate,  enjoyed  a  few  years 
of  domestic  repose. 

In  1809  Mr.  Jefferson's  second  term  of 
office  expired,  and  many  of  the  Republican 
party  were  anxious  to  nominate  James 
Monroe  as  his  successor.  The  majority 
were  in  favor  of  Mr.  Madison.  Mr.  Mon- 
roe withdrew  his  name  and  was  soon  after 
chosen  a  second  time  Governor  of  Virginia. 
He  soon  resigned  that  office  to  accept  the 
position  of  Secretary  of  State,  offered  him 
by  President  Madison.  The  correspond- 
ence which  he  then  carried  on  with  the 
British    Government     demonstrated    that 


there  was  no  hope  of  any  peaceful  adjusi 
ment  of  our  difficulties  with  the  cabinet  oi 
St.  James.  War  was  consequently  declared 
in  June,  1812.  Immediately  after  the  sack 
of,  Washington  the  Secretary  of  War  re- 
signed, and  Mr.  Monroe,  at  the  earnest 
request  of  Mr.  Madison,  assumed  the  ad- 
ditional duties  of  the  War  Department, 
without  resigning  his  position  as  Secretary 
of  State.  It  has  been  confidently  stated, 
that,  had  Mr.  Monroe's  energies  been  in  the 
War  Department  a  few  months  earlier,  the 
disaster  at  Washington  would  not  have 
occurred. 

The  duties  now  devolving  upon  Mr.  Mon- 
roe were  extremely  arduous.  Ten  thou- 
sand men,  picked  from  the  veteran  armies 
of  England,  v.-ere  sent  with  a  powerful  fleet 
to  New  Orleans  to  acquire  possession  of 
the  mouths  of  the  Mississippi.  Our  finan- 
ces were  in  the  most  deplorable  condition. 
The  treasur}'  was  exhausted  and  our  credit 
gone.  And  yet  it  was  necessary  to  make 
the  most  rigorous  preparations  to  meet  the 
foe.  In  this  crisis  James  Monroe,  the  Sec- 
retai-y  of  War,  with  virtue  unsurpassed  in 
Greek  or  Roman  story,  stepped  forward 
and  pledged  his  own  individual  credit  as 
subsidiary  to  that  of  the  nation,  and  thus 
succeeded  in  placing  the  city  of  New  Or- 
leans in  such  a  posture  of  defense,  that  it 
was  enabled  successfully  to  repel  the  in- 
vader. 

INIr.  Monroe  was  truly  the  armor-bearer 
of  President  Madison,  and  the  most  efficient 
business  man  in  his  cabinet.  His  energy 
in  the  double  capacity  of  Secretary,  both 
of  State  and  War,  pervaded  all  the  depart- 
ments of  the  country.  He  proposed  to 
increase  the  arm}^  to  100,000  men,  a  meas- 
ure which  he  deemed  absolutely  necessary 
to  save  us  from  ignominious  defeat,  but 
which,  at  the  same  time,  he  knew  would 
render  his  name  so  unpopular  as  to  preclude 
the  possibility  of  his  being  a  successful  can- 
didate for  the  Presidency. 


The  happy  result  of  the  conference  at 
Ghent  in  securing  peace  rendered  the  in- 
crease of  the  army  unnecessary;  but  it  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  James  Monroe  placed 
in  the  hands  of  Andrew  Jackson  the 
weapon  with  which  to  beat  off  the  foe  at 
New  Orleans.  Upon  the  return  of  peace 
Mr.  Monroe  resigned  the  department  of 
war,  devoting  himself  entirely  to  the  duties 
of  Secretary  of  State.  These  he  continued 
to  discharge  until  the  close  of  President 
Madison's  administration,  with  zeal  which 
was  never  abated,  and  with  an  ardor  of 
self-devotion  which  made  him  almost  for- 
getful of  the  claim.s  of  fortune,  health  or 
life. 

Mr.  Madison's  second  term  expired  in 
March,  1817,  and  Mr.  Monroe  succeeded 
to  the  Presidency.  He  was  a  candidate  of 
the  Republican  party,  now  taking  the  name 
of  the  Democratic  Republican.  In  1821  he 
was  re-elected,  with  scarcely  any  opposition. 
Out  of  232  electoral  votes,  he  received  231. 
The  slavery  question,  which  subsequently 
assumed  such  formidable  dimensions,  now 
began  to  make  its  appearance.  The  State 
of  Missouri,  which  had  been  carved  out  of 
that  immense  territory  which  we  had  pur- 
chased of  France,  applied  for  admission  to 
the  Union,  with  a  slavery  Constitution. 
There  were  not  a  few  who  foresaw  the 
evils  impending.  After  the  debate  of  a 
week  it  was  decided  that  Missouri  could 
not  be  admitted  into  the  Union  with  slav- 
ery. This  important  question  was  at  length 
settled  by  a  compromise  proposed  by 
Henry  Clay. 

The  famous  "Monroe  Doctrine,"  of  which 
so  much  has  been  said,  originated  in  this 
way:  In  1823  it  was  rumored  that  the 
Holy  Alliance  was  about  to  interfere  to 
prevent  the  establishment  of  Republican 
liberty  in  the  European  colonies  of  South 
America.  President  Monroe  wrote  to  his 
old  friend  Thomas  Jefferson  for  advice  in 
the  emergency.     In  his  reply  under  date  of 


October  24,  Mr.  Jefferson  writes  upon  the 
supposition  that  our  attempt  to  resist  this 
European  movement  might  lead  to  war: 

"  Its  object  is  to  introduce  and  establish 
the  American  system  of  keeping  out  of  our 
land  all  foreign  powers;  of  never  permitting 
those  of  Europe  to  intermeddle  with  the 
affairs  of  our  nation.  It  is  to  maintain  our 
own  principle,  not  to  depart  from  it." 

December  2,  1823,  President  Monroe 
sent  a  message  to  Congress,  declaring  it  to 
be  the  policy  of  this  Government  not  to 
entangle  ourselves  with  the  broils  of  Eu- 
rope, and  not  to  allow  Europe  to  interfere 
with  the  affairs  of  nations  on  the  American 
continent;  and  the  doctrine  was  announced, 
that  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  Euro- 
pean powers  "  to  extend  their  system  to 
any  portion  of  this  hemisphere  would  be 
regarded  by  the  United  States  as  danger- 
ous to  our  peace  and  safety." 

March  4,  1825,  Mr.  Monroe  surrendered 
the  presidential  chair  to  his  Secretary  of 
State,  John  Quincy  Adams,  and  retired, 
with  the  universal  respect  of  the  nation, 
to  his  private  residence  at  Oak  Hill,  Lou- 
doun Count}',  Virginia.  His  time  had  been 
so  entirely  consecrated  to  his  country,  that 
he  had  neglected  his  pecuniary  interests, 
and  was  deeply  involved  in  debt.  The 
welfare  of  his  country  had  ever  been  up- 
permost in  his  mind. 

For  many  years  Mrs.  Monroe  was  in  such 
feeble  health  that  she  rarely  appeared  in 
public.  In  1830  Mr.  Monroe  took  up  his 
residence  with  his  son-in-law  in  New  York, 
where  he  died  on  the  4th  of  July,  1831. 
The  citizens  of  New  York  conducted  his 
obsequies  with  pageants  more  imposing 
than  had  ever  been  witnessed  there  before. 
Our  country  will  ever  cherish  his  mem- 
ory with  pride,  gratefully  enrolling  his 
name  in  the  list  of  its  benefactors,  pronounc- 
ing him  the  worthy  successor  of  the  illus- 
trious men  who  had  preceded  him  in  the 
presidential  chair. 


nin^j 


Br. 


,^^,:^r.fw,^^^f\r.f\r.^^,f\r^^^jw,f\r,^\%^r 


p\l:'.dd^'r'r•^!PP-r^rl^m^4^i£^r^'B^Jd^e:^I!.EiF^^^^^ 


p^'OHN  QUINCY  ADAMS, 

,f  3-  the  sixth  President  of  the 
Iji,'^  United  States,  1825-9, 
J    "J  was   born    in  the    rural 

\.^      home    of     his     honored 
J.°      father,  John   Adams,   in 
Q  u  i  n  c  y  ,    Massachusetts, 
July  II,  1767.     Hismother, 
a  woman  of  exalted  worth, 
watched  over  his  childhood 
during  the  almost  constant 
absence  of  his  father.      He 
commenced   his   education 
at  the  village  school,  giving 
at  an  early  period  indica- 
ions  of   superior  mental  en- 
dowments. 

When  eleven  years  of  age  he  sailed  with 
his  father  for  Europe,  where  the  latter  was 
associated  with  Franklin  and  Lee  as  Minister 
Plenipotentiary.  The  intelligence  of  John 
Quincy  attracted  the  attention  of  these  men 
and  received  from  them  flattering  marks  of 
attention.  Mr.  Adams  had  scarcely  returned 
to  this  country  in  1779  ^f^  he  was  again 
sent  abroad,  and  John  Quinc}^  again  accom- 
panied him.  On  this  vo3'age  he  commenced 
a  diary,  which  practice  he  continued,  with 
but  few  interruptions,  until  his  death.  He 
journeyed  with  his  father  from  Ferrol,  in 
Spain,  to  Paris.  Here  he  applied  himself 
for  six  months  to  study;  then  accompanied 


his  father  to  Holland,  where  he  entered, 
first  a  school  in  Amsterdam,  and  then  the 
University  of  Leyden.  In  1781,  when  only 
fourteen  years  of  age,  he  was  selected  by 
Mr.  Dana,  our  Minister  to  the  Russian 
court,  as  his  private  secretary.  In  this 
school  of  incessant  labor  he  spent  fourteen 
months,  and  then  returned  alone  to  Holland 
through  Sweden,  Denmark,  Hamburg  and 
Bremen.  Again  he  resumed  his  studies 
under  a  private  tutor,  at  The  Hague. 

In  the  spring  of  1782  he  accompanied  his 
father  to  Paris,  forming  acquaintance  with 
the  most  distinguished  men  on  the  Conti- 
nent. After  a  short  visit  to  England,  he  re- 
turned to  Paris  and  studied  until  Maj', 
1785,  when  he  returned  to  America,  leav- 
ing his  father  an  embassador  at  the  court 
of  St.  James.  In  1786  he  entered  the  jun- 
ior class  in  Harvard  University,  and  grad- 
uated with  the  second  honor  of  his  class. 
The  oration  he  delivered  on  this  occasion, 
the  "  Importance  of  Public  Faith  to  the 
Well-being  of  a  Community,"  was  pub- 
lished— an  event  very  rare  in  this  or  any 
other  land. 

Upon  leaving  college  at  the  age  of  twenty 
he  studied  law  three  years  with  the  Hon. 
Theophilus  Parsons  in  Newburyport.  In 
1790  he  opened  a  law  office  in  Boston.  The 
profession  was  crowded  with  able  men,  and 
the  fees  were  small.     The  first  year  he  had 


3.  2.  M. 


yOIJN    ^UINCr    ADAMS. 


no  clients,  but  not  a  moment  was  lost.  The 
second  year  passed  away,  still  no  clients, 
and  still  he  was  dependent  upon  his  parents 
for  support.  Anxiously  he  awaited  the 
third  year.  The  reward  now  came.  Cli- 
ents began  to  enter  his  office,  and  before 
the  end  of  the  year  he  was  so  crowded 
with  business  that  all  solicitude  respecting 
a  support  was  at  an  end. 

When  Great  Britain  commenced  war 
against  France,  in  1793,  Mr.  Adams  wrote 
some  articles,  urging  entire  neutrality  on 
the  part  of  the  United  States.  The  view 
was  not  a  popular  one.  Many  felt  that  as 
France  had  helped  us,  we  were  bound  to 
help  France.  But  President  Washington 
coincided  with  Mr.  Adams,  and  issued  his 
proclamation  of  neutrality.  His  writings 
at  this  time  in  the  Boston  journals  gave 
him  so  high  a  reputation,  that  in  June, 
1794,  he  was  appointed  by  Washington 
resident  Minister  at  the  Netherlands.  In 
July,  1797,  he  left  The  Hague  to  go  to  Port- 
ugal as  Minister  Plenipotentiary.  Wash- 
ington at  this  time  wrote  to  his  father,  John 
Adams: 

"  Without  intending  to  compliment  the 
father  or  the  mother,  or  to  censure  any 
others,  I  give  it  as  my  decided  opinion, 
that  Mr.  Adams  is  the  most  valuable  char- 
acter we  have  abroad;  and  there  remains 
no  doubt  in  ni}'  mind  that  he  will  prove  the 
ablest  of  our  diplomatic  corps." 

On  his  way  to  Portugal,  upon  his  arrival 
in  London,  he  met  with  dispatches  direct- 
ing him  to  the  court  of  Berlin,  but  request- 
ing him  to  remain  in  London  until  he  should 
receive  instructions.  While  waiting  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Catherine  John- 
son, to  whom  he  had  been  previously  en- 
gaged. Miss  Johnson  was  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  Joshua  Johnson,  American  Consul 
in  London,  and  was  a  lady  endowed  with 
that  beauty  and  those  accomplishments 
which  fitted  her  to  move  in  the  elevated 
sphere  for  which  she  was  destined. 


In  July,  1799,  having  fulfilled  all  the  pur- 
poses of  his  mission,  Mr.  Adams  returned. 
In  1802  he  was  chosen  to  the  Senate  of 
Massachusetts  from  Boston,  and  then  was 
elected  Senator  of  the  United  States  for  six 
years  from  March  4,  1804.  His  reputation, 
his  ability  and  his  experience,  placed  him 
immediately  among  the  most  prominent 
and  influential  members  of  that  body.  He 
sustained  the  Government  in  its  measures 
of  resistance  to  the  encroachments  of  Eng- 
land, destroying  our  commerce  and  insult- 
ing our  flag.  There  was  no  man  in  America 
more  familiar  with  the  arrogance  of  the 
British  court  upon  these  points,  and  no 
one  more  resolved  to  present  a  firm  resist- 
ance. This  course,  so  truly  patriotic,  and 
which  scarcely  a  voice  will  now  be  found 
to  condemn,  alienated  him  from  the  Fed- 
eral party  dominant  in  Boston,  and  sub- 
jected him  to  censure. 

In  1805  Mr.  Adams  was  chosen  professor 
of  rhetoric  in  Harvard  College.  His  lect- 
ures at  this  place  were  subsequently  pub- 
lished. In  1809  he  was  sent  as  Minister  to 
Russia.  He  was  one  of  the  commissioners 
that  negotiated  the  treaty  of  peace  with 
Great  Britain,  signed  December  24,  1814, 
and  he  was  appointed  Minister  to  the  court 
of  St.  James  in  1815.  In  1817  he  became 
Secretary  of  State  in  Mr.  Monroe's  cabinet 
in  which  position  he  remained  eight  years. 
Few  will  now  contradict  the  assertion  that 
the  duties  of  that  office  were  never  more 
ably  discharged.  Probabl}^  the  most  im- 
portant measure  which  Mr.  Adams  con- 
ducted was  the  purchase  of  Florida  from 
Spain  for  $5,000,000. 

The  campaign  of  1824  was  an  exciting 
one.  Four  candidates  were  in  the  field. 
Of  the  260  electoral  votes  that  were  cast, 
Andrew  Jackson  received  ninety-nine;  John 
Quincy  Adams,  eighty-four;  William  H. 
Crawford,  forty-one,  and  Henry  Clay, 
thirty-seven.  As  there  was  no  choice  by 
the  people,  the  question  went  to  the  House 


of  Representatives.  Mr.  Clay  gave  the 
vote  of  Kentucky  to  Mr.  Adams,  and  he 
was  elected. 

The  friends  of  all  disappointed  candidates 
now  combined  in  a  venomous  assault  upon 
Mr.  Adams.  There  is  nothing  more  dis- 
graceful in  the  past  history  of  our  country 
than  the  abuse  which  was  poured  in  one 
uninterrupted  stream  upon  this  high- 
minded,  upright,  patriotic  man.  There  was 
never  an  administration  more  pure  in  prin- 
ciples, more  conscientiously  devoted  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  country,  than  that  of 
John  Quincy  Adams;  and  never,  perhaps, 
was  there  an  administration  more  unscru- 
pulously assailed.  Mr.  Adams  took  his  seat 
in  the  presidential  chair  resolved  not  to 
know  any  partisanship,  but  only  to  con- 
sult for  the  interests  of  the  whole  Republic, 

He  refused  to  dismiss  any  man  from  of- 
fice for  his  political  views.  If  he  was  a  faith- 
ful officer  that  was  enough.  Bitter  must 
have  been  his  disappointment  to  find  that  the 
Nation  could  not  appreciate  such  conduct. 

Mr.  Adams,  in  his  public  manners,  was 
cold  and  repulsive;  though  with  his  per- 
sonal friends  he  was  at  times  very  genial. 
This  chilling  address  very  seriously  de- 
tracted from  his  popularity.  No  one  can 
read  an  impartial  record  of  his  administra- 
tion without  admitting  that  a  more  noble 
example  of  uncompromising  dignity  can 
scarcely  be  found.  It  was  stated  publicly 
that  Mr.  Adams'  administration  was  to  be 
put  down,  "  though  it  be  as  pure  as  the  an- 
gels which  stand  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
throne  of  God."  Many  of  the  active  par- 
ticipants in  these  scenes  lived  to  regret  the 
course  they  pursued.  Some  years  after, 
Warren  R.  Davis,  of  South  Carolina,  turn- 
ing to  Mr.  Adams,  then  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  said: 

"  Well  do  I  remember  the  enthusiastic 
zeal  with  which  we  reproached  the  admin- 
istration of  that  gentleman,  and  the  ardor 
and  vehemence  with  which  we  labored  to 


bring  in  another.  For  the  share  I  had  in 
these  transactions,  and  it  was  not  a  small 
one,  I  ho  fie  God  will  forgive  vie,  for  I  shall 
never  forgive  myself. ' ' 

March  4,  1829,  Mr.  Adams  retired  from 
the  Presidency  and  was  succeeded  by  An- 
drew Jackson,  the  latter  receiving  168  out 
of  261  electoral  votes.  John  C.  Calhoun 
was  ejected  Vice-President.  The  slavery 
question  now  began  to  assume  pretentious 
magnitude.  Mr.  Adams  returned  to 
Quincy,  and  pursued  his  studies  with  una- 
bated zeal.  But  he  was  not  long  permitted 
to  remain  in  retirement.  In  November, 
1830,  he  was  elected  to  Congress.  In  this 
he  recognized  the  principle  that  it  is  honor- 
able for  the  General  of  yestei'day  to  act  as 
Corporal  to-day,  if  by  so  doing  he  can  ren- 
der service  to  his  country.  Deep  as  are 
our  obligations  to  John  Quincy  Adams  for 
his  services  as  embassador,  as  Secretary  of 
State  and  as  President;  in  his  capacity  as 
legislator  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, he  conferred  benefits  upon  our  land 
which  eclipsed  all  the  rest,  and  which  can 
never  be  over-estimated. 

For  seventeen  )'ears,  until  his  death,  he 
occupied  the  post  of  Representative,  tow- 
ering above  all  his  peers,  ever  ready  to  do 
brave  battle  for  freedom,  and  winning  the 
title  of  "  the  old  man  eloquent."  Upon 
taking  his  seat  in  the  House  he  announced 
that  he  should  hold  himself  bound  to  no 
party.  He  was  usually  the  first  in  his 
place  in  the  morning,  and  the  last  to  leave 
his  seat  in  the  evening.  Not  a  measure 
could  escape  his  scrutiny.  The  battle 
which  he  fought,  almost  singl)-,  against  the 
pro-slavery  part}'  in  the  Government,  was 
sublime  in  its  moral  daring  and  heroism. 
For  persisting  in  presenting  petitions  for 
the  abolition  of  slavery,  he  was  threatened 
with  indictment  by  the  Grand  Jury,  with 
expulsion  from  the  House,  with  assassina- 
tion; but  no  threats  could  intimidate  him, 
and  his  final  triumph  was  complete. 


JOHN    ^UINC2-    ADAMS. 


On  one  occasion  Mr.  Adams  presented  a 
petition,  signed  by  several  women,  against 
the  annexation  of  Texas  for  tlie  purpose  of 
cutting  it  up  into  slave  States.  Mr.  How- 
ard, of  Maryland,  said  that  these  women 
discredited  not  only  themselves,  but  their 
section  of   the  country,    by    turning   from 

j  their  domestic  duties  to  the  conflicts  of  po- 

[  litical  life. 

[      "Are    women,"    exclaimed  Mr.   Adams, 

I  "  to  have  no  opinions  or  actions  on  subjects 
relating  to  the  general  welfare?  Where 
did  the  gentleman  get  his  principle?  Did 
he  find  it  in  sacred  history, — in  the  language 
of  Miriam,  the  prophetess,  in  one  of  the 
noblest  and  sublime  songs  of  triumph  that 
ever  met  the  human  eye  or  ear?  Did  the 
gentleman  never  hear  of  Deborah,  to  whom 
the  children  of  Israel  came  up  for  judg- 
ment ?  Has  he  forgotten  the  deed  of  Jael, 
who  slew  the  dreaded  enemy  of  her  coun- 
try ?  Has  he  forgotten  Esther,  who,  by  her 
petition  saved  her  people  and  her  coun- 
try? 

"  To  go  from  sacred  history  to  profane, 
does  the  gentleman  there  find  it  '  discredita- 
ble '  for  women  to  take  an  interest  in  politi- 
cal affairs?  Has  he  forgotten  the  Spartan 
mother,  who  said  to  her  son  when  going 
out  to  battle,  '  My  son,  come  back  to  me 
ivith  thy  shield,  or  upon  thy  shield  ? '  Does 
he  remember  Cloelia  and  her  hundred  com- 
panions, who  swam  across  the  river  under 
a  shower  of  darts,  escaping  from  Porsena  ? 
Has  he  forgotten  Cornelia,  the  mother  of 
the  Gracchi  ?  Does  he  not  remember  Por- 
tia, the  wife  of  Brutus  and  the  daughter  of 
Cato? 

"  To  come  to  later  periods,  what  says  the 
history  of  our  Anglo-Saxon  ancestors? 
To  say  nothing  of  Boadicea,  the  British 
heroine  in  the  time  of  the  Cajsars,  what 
name  is  more  illustrious  than  that  of  Eliza- 
beth ?  Or,  if  he  will  go  to  the  continent, 
will  he  not  find  the  names  of  Maria  Theresa 
of    Hungarv,    of  the    two    Catherines    of 


Prussia,  and  of  Isabella  of  Castile,  the  pa- 
troness of  Columbus  ?  Did  she  bring  '  dis- 
credit '  on  her  sex  by  mingling  in  politics  ?  " 

In  this  glowing  strain  Mr.  Adams  si- 
lenced and  overwhelmed  his  antagonists. 

In  January,  1842,  Mr.  Adams  presented 
a  petition  from  forty-five  citizens  of  Haver- 
hill, Massachusetts,  praying  for  a  peaceable 
dissolution  of  the  Union.  The  pro-slavery 
party  in  Congress,  who  were  then  plotting 
the  destruction  of  the  Government,  were 
aroused  to  a  pretense  of  commotion  such  as 
even  our  stormy  hall  of  legislation  has 
rarely  witnessed.  They  met  in  caucus,  and, 
finding  that  they  probably  would  not  be 
able  to  expel  Mr.  Adams  from  the  House 
drew  up  a  series  of  resolutions,  which,  if 
adopted,  would  inflict  upon  him  disgrace, 
equivalent  to  expulsion.  Mr.  Adams  had 
presented  the  petition,  which  was  most  re- 
spectfully worded,  and  had  moved  that  it  be 
referred  to  a  committee  instructed  to  re- 
port an  answer,  showing  the  reason  why 
the  prayer  ought  not  to  be  granted. 

It  was  the  25th  of  January.  The  whole 
body  of  the  pro-slavery  party  came  crowd- 
ing together  in  the  House,  prepared  to 
crush  Mr.  Adams  forever.  One  of  the  num- 
ber, Thomas  F.  Marshall,  of  Kentucky,  was 
appointed  to  read  the  resolutions,  which 
accused  Mr.  Adams  of  high  treason,  of 
having  insulted  the  Government,  and  of 
meriting  expulsion;  but  for  which  deserved 
punishment,  the  House,  in  its  great  merc3^ 
would  substitute  its  severest  censure.  With 
the  assumption  of  a  very  solemn  and  mag- 
isterial air,  there  being  breathless  silence  in 
the  audience,  Mr.  Marshall  hurled  the  care- 
fully prepared  anathemas  at  his  victim. 
Mr.  Adams  stood  alone,  the  whole  pro-slav- 
ery part}'  against  him. 

As  soon  as  the  resolutions  were  read, 
every  eye  being  fixed  upon  him,  that  bold 
old  man,  whose  scattered  locks  were  whit- 
ened by  sevent)'-five  years,  casting  a  wither- 
ing glance  in  the  direction  of  his  assailants, 


r" 


PRESIDENTS     OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


in  a  clear,  shrill  tone,  tremulous  with  sup- 
pressed emotion,  said: 

"  In  reply  to  this  audacious,  atrocious 
charge  of  high  treason,  I  call  for  the  read- 
ing of  the  first  paragraph  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence.  Read  it'!  Read  it!  and 
see  what  that  says  of  the  rights  of  a  people 
to  reform,  to  change,  and  to  dissolve  their 
Government.' 

The  attitude,  the  manner,  the  tone,  the 
words;  the  venerable  old  man,  v»'ith  flash- 
ing eye  and  flushed  cheek,  and  whose  very 
form  seemed  to  expand  under  the  inspiration 
of  the  occasion — all  presented  a  scene  over- 
flowing in  its  sublimity.  There  was  breath- 
less silence  as  that  paragraph  was  read,  in 
defense  of  whose  principles  our  fathers  had 
pledged  their  lives,  their  fortunes  and  their 
sacred  honor.  It  was  a  proud  hour  to  Mr. 
Adams  as  they  were  all  compelled  to  listen 
to  the  words: 

"  Thai,  to  secure  these  rights,  govern- 
ments are  instituted  among  men,  deriving 
their  just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the 
governed;  and  that  whenever  any  form  of 
government  becomes  destructive  of  those 
ends,  it  is  the  right  of  the  people  to  alter  or 
abolish  it,  and  to  institute  nev/  government, 
laying  its  foundations  on  such  principles 
and  organizing  its  powers  in  such  form 
as  shall  seem  most  likely  to  effect  their 
safety  and  happiness." 

That  one  sentence  routed  and  baffled  the 


foe.  The  heroic  old  man  looked  around 
upon  the  audience,  and  thundered  out, 
"  Read  that  again  !  "  It  was  again  read. 
Then  in  a  few  fiery,  logical  words  he  stated 
his  defense  in  terms  which  even  prejudiced 
minds  could  not  resist.  His  discomfited 
assailants  made  several  attempts  to  rally. 
After  a  conflict  of  eleven  days  they  gave 
up  vanquished  and  their  resolution  was  ig- 
nominiously  laid  upon  the  table. 

In  January,  1846,  when  seventy-eight 
years  of  age,  he  took  part  in  the  great  de- 
bate on  the  Oregon  question,  displaying 
intellectual  vigor,  and  an  extent  and  accu- 
racy of  acquaintance  with  the  subject  that 
excited  great  admiration. 

On  the  2 1st  of  February,  1848,  he  rose  on 
the  floor  of  Congress  with  a  paper  in  his 
hand  to  address  the  Speaker.  Suddenly 
he  fell,  stricken  by  paralysis,  and  was  caught 
in  the  arms  of  those  around  him.  For  a 
time  he  was  senseless  and  was  conveyed 
to  a  sofa  in  the  rotunda.  With  reviving 
consciousness  he  opened  his  eyes,  looked 
calml}'  around  and  said,  "  This  is  the  end  of 
earth."  Then  after  a  moment's  pause,  he 
added,  "  /  am  content."  These  were  his  last 
words,  and  lie  soon  breathed  his  last,  in  the 
apaitment  beneath  the  dome  of  the  capitol 
— the  theater  of  his  labors  and  his  triumphs. 
In  the  language  of  hymnology,  he  "  died  at 
his  post;"  he  "  ceased  at  once  to  work  and 
live." 


,,#1§^^. 


^a>zu^<L^  b:rp'<Q:^.,.-«^^L-t^  ^ 


ANDREW     JACKSON. 


^^f/^^'^NDREW  JACKSON, 
the  seventh  President 
of  the  United  States, 
29-'37,  was  born  at 
the  Waxhaw  Settle, 
ment,  Union  Coun- 
''j'i^  ty,  North  Carolina, 
Maich  i6,  1767.  His  parents 
uere  Scotch-Irish,  natives  of 
Cariickfergus,  who  came  to 
America  in  1765,  and  settled 
on  Twelve-Mile  Creek,  a  trib- 
utary of  the  Catawba.  His 
fathei,  who  was  a  poor  farm 
labuiCi,  died  shortly  before  An- 
drew's birth,  when  his  mother  removed  to 
Waxhaw,  where  some  relatives  resided. 

Few  particulars  of  the  childhood  of  Jack- 
son have  been  preserved.  His  education 
was  of  the  most  limited  kind,  and  he  showed 
no  fondness  for  books.  He  grew  up  to  be  a 
tali,  lank  boy,  with  coarse  hair  and  freck- 
led cheeks,  with  bare  feet  dangling  from 
trousers  too  short  for  him,  very  fond  of  ath- 
letic sports,  running,  boxing  and  wrestling. 
He  was  generous  to  the  younger  and 
weaker  boys,  but  very  irascible  and  over- 
bearing with  his  equals  and  superiors.  He 
was  profane — a  vice  in  which  he  surpassed 
all  other  men.    The  character  of  his  mother 


he  revered;  and  it  was  not  until  after  her 
death  that  his  predominant  vices  gained 
full  strength. 

In  1780,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  Andrew, 
or  Andy,  as  he  was  called,  with  his  brother 
Robert,  volunteered  to  serve  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary forces  under  General  Sumter,  and 
was  a  witness  of  the  latter's  defeat  at  Hang- 
ing Rock.  In  the  following  year  the 
brothers  were  made  prisoners,  and  confined 
in  Camden,  experiencing  brutal  treatment 
from  their  captors,  and  being  spectators  of 
General  Green's  defeat  at  Hobkirk  Hill. 
Through  their  mother's  exertions  the  boys 
were  exchanged  while  suffering  from  small- 
pox. In  two  days  Robert  was  dead,  and 
Andy  apparently  dying.  The  strength  of 
his  constitution  triumphed,  and  he  regained 
health  and  vigor. 

As  he  was  getting  better,  his  mother 
heard  the  cry  of  anguish  from  the  prison- 
ers whom  the  British  held  in  Charleston, 
among  whom  were  the  sons  of  her  sisters. 
She  hastened  to  their  relief,  was  attacked 
by  fever,  died  and  was  buried  where  her 
grave  could  never  be  found.  Thus  Andrew 
Jackson,  when  fourteen  years  of  age,  was 
left  alone  in  the  world,  without  father, 
mother,  sister  or  brother,  and  without  one 
dollar  which  he  could  call  his  own.     He 


PI^ESIDBNTS     OF    THE     UNITED 


soon  entered  a  saddler's  shop,  and  labored 
diligently  for  six  months.  But  gradually, 
as  health  returned,  he  became  more  and 
more  a  wild,  reckless,  lawless "  boy.  He 
gambled,  drank  and  was  regarded  as  about 
the  worst  character  that  could  be  found. 

He  now  turned  schoolmaster.  He  could 
teach  the  alphabet,  perhaps  the  multiplica- 
tion table;  and  as  he  was  a  very  bold  boy, 
it  is  possible  he  might  have  ventured  to 
teach  a  little  writing.  But  he  soon  began  to 
think  of  a  profession  and  decided  to  study 
law.  With  a  very  slender  purse,  and  on 
the  back  of  a  ver}-  fine  horse,  he  set  out 
for  Salisbury,  North  Carolina,  where  he 
entered  the  law  office  of  Mr.  McCay. 
Here  he  remained  two  years,  professedly 
studying  law.  He  is  still  remembered  in 
traditions  of  Salisbury,  which  say: 

"  Andrew  Jackson  was  the  most  roaring, 
rollicking,  horse-racing,  card-playing,  mis- 
chievous fellow  that  ever  lived  iu  Salisbur}'. 
He  did  not  trouble  the  law-books  much." 

Andrew  was  now,  at  the  age  of  twent}', 
a  tall  young  man,  being  over  six  feet  in 
height.  He  was  slender,  remarkably  grace- 
ful and  dignified  in  his  manners,  an  exquis- 
ite horseman,  and  developed,  amidst  his 
loathesome  profanity  and  multiform  vices,  a 
vein  of  rare  magnanimity.  His  temper  was 
fiery  in  the  extreme;  but  it  was  said  of  him 
that  no  man  knew  better  than  Andrew 
Jackson  when  to  get  angry  and  when  not. 

In  1786  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and 
two  years  later  removed  to  Nashville, 
in  what  was  then  the  western  district  of 
North  Carolina,  with  the  appointment  of  so- 
licitor, or  public  prosecutor.  It  was  an  of- 
fice of  little  honor,  small  emolument  and 
great  peril.  Few  men  could  be  found  to 
accept  it. 

And  now  Andrew  Jackson  commenced 
vigorously  to  practice  law.  It  was  an  im- 
portant part  of  his  business  to  collect  debts. 
It  required  nerve.  During  the  first  seven 
years  of   his  residence   in   those  wilds  he 


traversed  the  almost  pathless  forest  between 
Nashville  and  Jonesborough,  a  distance  of 
200  miles,  twent)'-two  times.  Hostile  In- 
dians were  constantl}'  on  the  watch,  and  a 
man  was  liable  at  any  moment  to  be  shot 
down  in  his  own  field.  Andrew  Jackson 
was  just  the  man  for  this  service — a  wild, 
daring,  rough  backwoodsman.  Daily  he 
made  hair-breadth  escapes.  He  seemed  to 
bear  a  charmed  life.  Boldl}',  alone  or  with 
few  companions,  he  traversed  the  forests, 
encountering  all  perils  and  triumphing 
over  all. 

In  1790  Tennessee  became  a  Territory, 
and  Jackson  was  appointed,  by  President 
Washington,  United  States  Attorney  for 
the  new  district.  In  1791  he  married  Mrs. 
Rachel  Robards  (daughter  of  Colonel  John 
Donelson),  whom  he  supposed  to  have  been 
divorced  in  that  year  by  an  act  of  the  Leg- 
islature of  Virginia.  Two  years  after  this 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jackson  learned,  to  their 
great  surprise,  that  Mr.  Robards  had  just 
obtained  a  divorce  in  one  of  the  courts  of 
Kentucky,  and  that  the  act  of  the  Virginia 
Legislature  was  not  final,  but  conditional. 
To  remed}'  the  irregularity  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, a  new  license  was  obtained  and  the 
marriage  ceremony 'was  again  performed. 

It  proved  to  be  a  marriage  of  rare  felic- 
ity. Probably  there  never  was  a  more 
affectionate  union.  However  rough  Mr. 
Jackson  might  have  been  abroad,  he  was 
alwa3^s  gentle  and  tender  at  home;  and 
through  all  the  vicissitudes  of  their  lives,  he 
treated  Mrs.  Jackson  with  the  most  chival- 
ric  attention. 

Under  the  circumstances  it  was  not  un- 
natural that  the  facts  in  the  case  of  this 
marriage  were  so  misrepresented  b}-  oppo- 
nents in  the  political  campaigrts  a  quarter 
or  a  century  later  as  to  become  the  basis 
of  serious  charges  against  Jackson's  moral- 
ity which,  however,  have  been  satisfactorily 
attested  by  abundant  evidence. 

Jackson    was   untiring   in    his  duties  as 


I 


United  States  Attorney,  which  demanded 
frequent  journeys  through  the  wilderness 
and  exposed  him  to  Indian  hostilities.  He 
acquired  considerable  property  in  land,  and 
obtained  such  influence  as  to  be  chosen 
a  member  of  the  convention  which  framed 
the  Constitution  for  the  new  State  of  Ten- 
nessee, in  1796,  and  in  that  year  was  elected 
its  first  Representative  in  Congress.  Albert 
Gallatin  thus  describes  the  first  appearance 
of  the  Hon.  Andrew  Jackson  in  the  House: 
"A  tall,  lank,  uncouth-looking  personage, 
with  locks  of  hair  hanging  over  his  face  and 
a  cue  down  his  back,  tied  with  an  eel  skin; 
his  dress  singular,  his  manners  and  deport- 
ment those  of  a  rough  backwoodsman." 

Jackson  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  the 
Democratic  party.  Jefferson  was  his  idol. 
He  admired  Bonaparte,  loved  France  and 
hated  England.  As  Mr.  Jackson  took  his 
seat,  General  Washington,  whose  second 
term  of  office  was  just  expiring,  delivered 
his  last  speech  to  Congress.  A  committee 
drew  up  a  complimentary  address  in  reply. 
Andrew  Jackson  did  not  approve  the  ad- 
dress and  was  one  of  twelve  who  voted 
against  it. 

Tennessee  had  fitted  out  an  expedition 
against  the  Indians,  contrary  to  the  policy 
of  the  Government.  A  resolution  was  intro- 
duced that  the  National  Government 
should  pay  the  expenses.  Jackson  advo- 
cated it  and  it  was  carried.  This  rendered 
him  very  popular  in  Tennessee.  A  va- 
cancy chanced  soon  after  to  occur  in  the 
Senate,  and  Andrew  Jackson  was  chosen 
United  States  Senator  by  the  State  of  Ten- 
nessee. John  Adams  was  then  President 
and  Thomas  Jefferson,  Vice-President. 

In  1798  Mr.  Jackson  returned  to  Tennes- 
see, and  resigned  his  seat  in  the  Senate. 
Soon  after  he  was  chosen  Judge  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  that  State,  with  a  salary  of 
$600.  This  office  he  held  six  years.  It  is 
said  that  his  decisions,  though  som.etimes 
ungrammatical,  were  generally  right.     He 


did  not  enjoy  his  seat  upon  the  bench,  and 
renounced  the  dignity  in  1804.  About 
this  time  he  was  chosen  Major-General  of 
militia,  and  lost  the  title  of  judge  in  that  of 
General. 

When  he  retired  from  the  Senate  Cham- 
ber, he  decided  to  try  his  fortune  through 
trade.  He  purchased  a  stock  of  goods  in 
Philadelphia  and  sent  them  to  Nashville, 
where  he  opened  a  store.  He  lived  about 
thirteen  miles  from  Nashville,  on  a  tract  of 
land  of  several  thousand  acres,  mostly  un- 
cultivated. He  used  a  small  block-house 
for  a  store,  from  a  narrow  window  of 
which  he  sold  goods  to  the  Indians.  As  he 
had  an  assistant  his  office  as  judge  did  not 
materially  interfere  with  his  business. 

As  to  slavery,  born  in  the  midst  of  it,  the 
idea  never  seemed  to  enter  his  mind  that  it 
could  be  wrong.  He  eventually  became 
an  extensive  slave  owner,  but  he  was  one  of 
the  most  humane  and  gentle  of  masters. 

In  1804  Mr.  Jackson  withdrew  from  pol- 
itics and  settled  on  a  plantation  which  he 
called  the  Hermitage,  near  Nashville.  He 
set  up  a  cotton-gin,  formed  a  partnership 
and  traded  in  New  Orleans,  making  the 
voyage  on  flatboats.  Through  his  hot  tem- 
per he  became  involved  in  several  quarrels 
and  "affairs  of  honor,"  during  this  period, 
in  one  of  which  he  was  severely  wounded, 
but  had  the  misfortune  to  kill  his  opponent, 
Charles  Dickinson.  For  a  time  this  affair 
greatly  injured  General  Jackson's  popular- 
ity. The  verdict  then  was,  and  continues 
to  be,  that  General  Jackson  was  outra- 
geously wrong.  If  hesubsequently  felt  any 
remorse  he  never  revealed  it  to  anyone. 

In  1805  Aaron  Burr  had  visited  Nash- 
ville and  been  a  guest  of  Jackson,  with 
whom  he  corresponded  on  the  subject  of  a 
war  with  Spain,  which  was  anticipated  and 
desired  by  them,  as  well  as  by  the  people 
of  the  Southwest  generally. 

Burr  repeated  his  visit  in  September, 
1806,  when  he   engaged  in  the  celebrated 


P/fEJ/DENTS    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


combinations  which  led  to  his  trial  for  trea- 
son. He  was  warml)-  received  by  Jackson, 
at  whose  instance  a  public  ball  was  given 
in  his  honor  at  Nashville,  and  contracted 
with  the  latter  for  boats  and  provisions. 
Early  in  1807,  when  Burr  had  been  pro- 
claimed a  traitor  by  President  Jefferson, 
volunteer  forces  for  the  Federal  service 
were  organized  at  Nashville  under  Jack- 
son's command;  but  his  energy  and  activ- 
ity did  not  shield  him  from  suspicions  of 
connivance  in  the  supposed  treason.  He 
was  summoned  to  Richmond  as  a  witness 
in  Burr's  trial,  but  was  not  called  to  the 
stand,  probably  because  he  was  out-spoken 
in  his  partisanship. 

On  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Great 
Britain  in  1812,  Jackson  tendered  his  serv- 
ices, and  in  January,  181 3,  embarked  for 
New  Orleans  at  the  head  of  the  Tennessee 
contingent.  In  March  he  received  an  or- 
der to  disband  his  forces;  but  in  Septem- 
ber he  again  took  the  field,  in  the  Creek 
war,  and  in  conjunction  with  his  former 
partner.  Colonel  Coffee,  inflicted  upon  the 
Indians  the  memorable  defeat  at  Talladega, 
Emuckfaw  and  Tallapoosa. 

In  May,  18 14,  Jackson,  who  had  now  ac- 
quired a  national  i^eputation,  was  appointed 
a  Major-General  of  the  United  States  army, 
and  commenced  a  campaign  against  the 
British  in  Florida.  He  conducted  the  de- 
fense at  Mobile,  September  15,  seized  upon 
Pensacola,  November  6,  and  immediately 
transported  the  bulk  of  his  troops  to  New 
Orleans,  then  threatened  by  a  powerful 
naval  force.  Martial  law  was  declared  in 
Louisiana,  the  State  militia  was  called  to 
arms,  engagements  with  the  British  were 
fought  December  23  and  28,  and  after  re-en- 
forcements had  been  received  on  both  sides 
the  famous  victory  of  January  8,  1815, 
crowned  Jackson's  fame  as  a  soldier,  and 
made  him  the  typical  American  hero  of 
the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

In  i8i7-'i8  Jackson   conducted  the  war 


against  the  Seminoles  of  Florida,  during 
which  he  seized  upon  Pensacola  and  exe- 
cuted by  courtmartial  two  British  subjects, 

Arbuthnot    and    Ambrister acts    which 

might  easily  have  involved  the  United 
States  in  war  both  with  Spain  and  Great 
Britain.  Fortunately  the  peril  was  averted 
by  the  cession  of  Florida  to  the  United 
States;  and  Jackson,  who  had  escaped  a 
trial  for  the  irregularity  of  his  conduct 
only  through  a  division  of  opinion  in  Mon- 
roe's cabinet,  was  appointed  in  1821  Gov- 
ernor of  the  new  Territory.  Soon  after  he 
declined  the  appointment  of  minister  to 
Mexico. 

In  1S23  Jackson  was  elected  to  the  United 
States  Senate,  and  nominated  by  the  Ten- 
nessee Legislature  for  the  Presidency.  This 
candidacy,  though  a  matter  of  surprise,  and 
even  merryment,  speedil}^  became  popular, 
and  in  1824,  when  the  stormy  electoral  can- 
vas resulted  in  the  choice  of  John  Quincy 
Adams  by  the  House  of  Representatives, 
General  Jackson  received  the  largest  popu- 
lar vote  among  the  four  candidates. 

In  1828  Jackson  was  triumphantly  elected 
President  over  Adams  after  a  campaign  of 
unparalleled  bitterness.  He  was  inaugu- 
rated March  4,  1829,  and  at  once  removed 
from  office  all  the  incumbents  belonging  to 
the  opposite  party — a  procedure  new  to 
American  politics,  but  which  naturally  be- 
came a  precedent. 

His  first  term  was  characterized  by  quar- 
rels between  the  Vice-President,  Calhoun, 
and  the  Secretary  of  State,  Van  Buren,  at- 
tended by  a  cabinet  crisis  originating  in 
scandals  connected  with  the  name  of  Mrs. 
General  Eaton,  wife  of  the  Secretary  of 
War;  by  the  beginning  of  his  war  upon  the 
United  States  Bank,  and  by  his  vigorous 
action  against  the  partisans  of  Calhoun, 
who,  in  South  Carolina,  threatened  to 
nullify  the  acts  of  Congress,  establishing  a 
protective  tariff. 

In    the    Presidential    campaign   of   1832 


ANDREW    JACKSON. 


m 


% 


Jackson  received  219  out  of  288  electoral 
votes,  his  competitor  being  Mr.  Clay,  while 
Mr.  Wirt,  on  an  Anti-Masonic  platform, 
received  the  vote  of  Vermont  alone.  In 
1833  President  Jackson  removed  the  Gov- 
ernment deposits  from  the  United  States 
bank,  thereby  incurring  a  vote  of  censure 
from  the  Senate,  which  was,  however,  ex- 
punged four  years  later.  During  this  second 
term  of  office  the  Cherokees,  Choctaws  and 
Creeks  were  removed,  not  without  diffi- 
culty, from  Georgia,  Alabama  and  Missis- 
sippi, to  the  Indian  Territory;  the  National 
debt  was  extinguished;  Arkansas  and 
Michigan  were  admitted  as  States  to  the 
Union;  the  Seminole  war  was  renewed;  the 
anti-slavery  agitation  first  acquired  impor- 
tance; the  Mormon  delusion,  which  had 
organized  in  1829,  attained  considerable 
proportions  in  Ohio  and  Missouri,  and  the 
country  experienced  its  greatest  pecuniary 
panic. 

Railroads  with  locomotive  propulsion 
were  introduced  into  America  during  Jack- 
son's first  term,  and  had  become  an  impor- 
tant element  of  national  life  before  the 
close  of  his  second  term.  For  many  rea- 
sons, therefore,  the  administration  of  Presi- 
dent Jackson  formed  an  era  in  American 
history,  political,  social  and  industrial. 
He  succeeded  in  effecting  the  election  of 


his  friend  Van  Buren  as  his  successor,  re- 
tired from  the  Presidency  March  4,  1837, 
and  led  a  tranquil  life  at  the  Hermitage 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  June  8, 
1845. 

During  his  closing  years  he  was  a  pro- 
fessed Christian  and  a  member  ol  the  Pres- 
byterian church.  No  American  of  this 
century  has  been  the  subject  of  such  oppo- 
site judgments.  He  was  loved  and  hated 
with  equal  vehemence  during  his  fife,  but 
at  the  present  distance  of  time  from  his 
career,  while  opinions  still  vary  as  to  the 
merits  of  his  public  acts,  few  of  his  country- 
men will  question  that  he  was  a  warm- 
hearted, brave,  patriotic,  honest  and  sincere 
man.  If  his  distinguishing  qualities  were 
not  such  as  constitute  statesmanship,  in  the 
highest  sense,  he  at  least  never  pretended 
to  other  merits  than  such  as  were  written 
to  his  credit  on  the  page  of  American  his- 
tory— not  attempting  to  disguise  the  de- 
merits which  were  equally  legible.  The 
majority  of  his  countrymen  accepted  and 
honored  him,  in  spite  of  all  that  calumny 
as  well  as  truth  could  allege  against  him. 
His  faults  may  therefore  be  truly  said  to 
have  been  those  of  his  time;  his  magnifi- 
cent  virtues  may  also,  with  the  same  jus- 
tice, be  considered  as  typical  of  a  state  of 
society  which  has  nearly  passed  away. 


EB*M»«"«--Jia»iSWS»&«»»»»,»J««W,B,B.5gB»g»gBiS»iE»g«IS«riB»^^ 


PRESIDENTS     OF     THE     U.XITED    STATES. 


*^^imiS^^>f^^^^S!s-^'i 


l'gt%>t^cy^<^.*^^(^J(SgJ- 


:<SSit^<fS)*S5i^?i^'iifJ§i' 


\RTIN  VAN  BU- 
REN,  the  eighth 
'j.-^ps,  President  of  the 
United  States,  1837- 
_  _  _  '41,  was  born  at  Kin- 
"^•X  derhook,  Ne w  York, 
December  5,  1782. 
His  ancestors  were  of  Dutch 
origin,  and  were  among  the 
earliest  emigrants  from  Hol- 
land to  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson.  His  father  was  a 
tavern-keeper,  as  well  as  a 
farmer,  and  a  very  decided 
Democrat. 
*"  Martin  commenced  the  study 
of  law  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  politics  before  he  had  reached 
the  age  of  twenty.  In  1803  he  commenced 
the  practice  of  law  in  his  native  village. 
In  1809  he  removed  to  Hudson,  the  shire 
town  of  his  county,  where  he  spent  seven 
years,  gaining  strength  by  contending  in 
the  courts  with  some  of  the  ablest  men 
who  have  adorned  the  bar  of  his  State. 
The  heroic  example  of  John  Quincy  Adams 
in  retaining  in  office  every  faithful  man, 
without  regard  to  his  political  preferences, 
had  been  thoroughly  repudiated  by  Gen- 
eral Jackson.  The  unfortunate  principle 
was  now  fully  estabhshed,  that  "  to  the 
victor  belong  the  spoils."  Still,  this  prin- 
ciple, to  which  Mr.  Van  Buren  gave  his  ad- 


herence, was  not  devoid  of  inconveniences. 
When,  subsequently,  he  attained  power 
which  placed  vast  patronage  in  his  hands, 
he  was  heard  to  say :  "  I  prefer  an  office 
that  has  no  patronage.  When  I  give  a  man 
an  office  I  offend  his  disappointed  competi- 
tors and  their  friends.  Nor  am  I  certain  of 
gaining  a  friend  in  the  man  I  appoint,  for, 
in  all  probability,  he  expected  something 
better." 

In  18 1 2  Mr.  Van  Buren  was  elected  to 
the  State  Senate.  In  181 5  he  was  appointed 
Atiorne3f-General,  and  in  t 8 16  to  the  Senate 
a  second  time.  In  18 18  there  was  a  great 
split  in  the  Democratic  party  in  Nev/  York, 
and  Mr.  Van  Buren  took  the  lead  in  or- 
ganizing that  portion  of  the  party  called 
the  Albany  Regency,  which  is  said  to  have 
swayed  the  destinies  of  the  State  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century. 

In  1 82 1  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the 
convention  for  revising  the  State  Constitu- 
tion, in  which  he  advocated  an  extension  of 
the  franchise,  but  opposed  universal  suf- 
frage, and  also  favored  the  proposal  that 
colored  persons,  in  order  to  vote,  should 
have  freehold  property  to  the  amount  of 
$250.  In  this  year  he  was  also  elected  to 
the  United  States  Senate,  and  at  the  con- 
clusion of  his  term,  in  1S27,  was  re-elected, 
but  resigned  the  following  year,  having 
been  chosen  Governor  of  the  State.  In 
March,  1829,  he  was  appointed  Secretary  of 


■■■■■^■■■■^■■■■■■■d 


O  7  lyi^^  .^^-/j^.^^^1-^^^ 


MARTIN    VAN   BUREN. 


55 


State  by  President  Jackson,  but  resigned 
in  April,  1831,  and  during  the  recess  of 
Congress  was  appointed  minister  to  Eng- 
land, whitlier  he  proceeded  in  Septembci", 
but  the  Senate,  when  convened  in  Decem- 
ber, refused  to  ratify  the  appointment. 

In  May,  1832,  Mr.  Van  Buren  was  nomi- 
nated as  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Vice- 
President,  and  elected  in  the  following 
November.  May  26,  1836,  he  received  the 
nomination  to  succeed  General  Jackson  as 
President,  and  received  170  electoral  votes, 
out  of  283. 

Scarcely  had  he  taken  his  seat  in  the 
Presidential  chair  when  a  financial  panic 
swept  over  the  land.  Many  attributed 
this  to  the  war  which  General  Jackson  had 
waged  on  the  banks,  and  to  his  endeavor  to 
secure  an  almost  exclusive  specie  currency. 
Nearly  every  bank  in  the  country,  was  com- 
pelled to  suspend  specie  payment,  and  ruin 
pervaded  all  our  great  cities.  Not  less  than 
254  houses  failed  in  New  York  in  one  week. 
All  public  works  were  brought  to  a  stand, 
and  there  was  a  general  state  of  dismay. 
President  Van  Buren  urged  tlie  adoption  of 
the  independent  treasury  system,  which 
was  twice  passed  in  the  Senate  and  defeated 
in  the  House,  but  finally  became  a  law  near 
the  close  of  his  rxlministration. 

Another  important  measure  was  the  pass- 
age of  a  pre-emption  law,  giving  actual  set- 
tlers the  preference  in  the  purchase  of 
public  lands.  The  question  of  slavery,  also, 
now  began  to  assume  great  prominence  in 
national  politics,  and  after  an  elaborate 
anti-slavery  speech  by  Mr.  Slade,  of  Ver- 
mont, in  the  House  of  Representatives,  the 
Southern  members  withdrew  for  a  separate 
consultation,  at  which  Mr.  Rhctt,  of  South 
Carolina,  proposed  to  declare  it  expedient 
that  the  Union  should  be  dissolved ;  but 
the  matter  was  tided  over  by  the  passage 
of  a  resolution  that  no  petitions  or  papers 
relating  to  slavery  should  be  in  any  way 
considered  or  acted  upon. 


In  the  Presidential  election  of  1840  Mr. 
Van  Buren  was  nominated,  without  opposi- 
tion, as  the  Democratic  candidate,  William 
H.  Harrison  being  the  candidate  of  the 
Whig  party.  The  Democrats  carried  only 
seven  States,  and  out  of  294  electoral  votes 
only  sixty  were  for  Mr.  Van  Buren,  the  re- 
maining 234  being  for  his  opponent.  The 
Whig  popular  majority,  however,  was  not 
large,  the  elections  in  many  of  the  States 
being  very  close. 

March  4,  1841,  Mr.  Van  Buren  retired 
from  the  Presidency.  From  his  fine  estate 
at  Lindenwald  he  still  exerted  a  powerful 
influence  upon  the  politics  of  the  country. 
In  1844  he  was  again  proposed  as  the 
Democratic  candidate  for  the  Presidency, 
and  a  majority  of  the  delegates  of  the 
nominating  convention  were  in  his  favor ; 
but,  owing  to  his  opposition  to  the  pro- 
posed annexation  of  Texas,  he  could  not 
secure  the  requisite  two-thirds  vote.  His 
name  was  at  length  withdrawn  by  his 
friends,  and  Mr.  Polk  received  the  nomina- 
tion, and  was  elected. 

In  1848  Mr.  Cass  was  the  regular  Demo- 
cratic candidate.  A  schism,  however, 
sprang  up  in  the  party,  upon  the  question 
of  the  permission  of  slavery  in  the  newly- 
acquired  territory,  and  a  portion  of  the 
party,  taking  the  name  of  "  Free-Soilers," 
nominated  Mr.  Van  Buren.  They  drev/ 
away  sufficient  votes  to  secure  the  election 
of  General  Taylor,  the  Whig  candidate. 
After  this  Mr.  Van  Buren  retired  to  his  es- 
tate at  Kinderhook,  where  the  remainder 
of  his  life  was  passed,  with  the  exception  of 
a  European  tour  in  1853.  He  died  at 
Kinderhook,  July  24,  1862,  at  the  age  of 
eighty  years. 

Martin  Van  Buren  was  a  great  and  good 
man,  and  no  one  will  question  his  right  to 
a  high  position  among  those  who  have 
been  the  successors  of  Washington  in  the 
faithful  occupancy  of  the  Presidential 
chair. 


PRESIDENTS    OP    THM    UNITED    STATES. 


^^%ILLIAffl  HENRY  MfiRISHI.  ^^^^^ 


ILL  I  AM  HENRY 
HARRISON,  the 
ninth  President  of 
the  United  States, 
I  8  4  I ,  was  born 
February  9,  1773, 
in  Charles  County, 
Virginia,  at  Berkeley,  the  resi- 
dence of  his  father.  Governor 
Benjamin  Harrison.  He  studied 
at  Hampden,  Sidney  College, 
with  a  view  of  entering  the  med- 
ical profession.  After  graduation 
he  went  to  Philadelphia  to  study 
medicine  under  the  instruction  of 
Dr.  Rush. 
George  Washington  was  then  President 
of  the  United  States.  The  Indians  were 
committing  fearful  ravages  on  our  North- 
western frontier.  Young  Harrison,  either 
lured  by  the  love  of  adventure,  or  moved 
by  the  sufferings  of  families  exposed  to  the 
most  horrible  outrages,  abandoned  his  med- 
ical studies  and  entered  the  army,  having 
obtained  a  commission  of  ensign  from  Pres- 
ident Washington.  The  first  duty  assigned 
him  was  to  take  a  train  of  pack-horses 
bound  to  Fort  Hamilton,  on  the  Miami 
River,  about  forty  miles  from  Fort  Wash- 
ington.    He    was   soon    promoted    to   the 


rank  of  Lieutenant,  and  joined  the  army 
which  Washington  had  placed  under  the 
command  of  General  Wayne  to  prosecute 
more  vigorously  the  war  with  the  In- 
dians. Lieutenant  Harrison  received  great 
commendation  from  his  commanding  offi- 
cer, and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
Captain,  and  placed  in  command  at  Fort 
Washington,  now  Cincmnati,  Ohio. 

About  this  time  he  married  a  daughter 
of  John  Cleves  Symmes,  one  of  the  fron- 
tiersmen who  had  established  a  thriving 
settlement  on  the  bank  of  the  Maumee. 

In  1797  Captain  Harrison  resigned  his 
commission  in  the  army  and  was  appointed 
Secretary  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  and 
ex-officio  Lieutenant-Governor,  General  St. 
Clair  being  then  Governor  of  the  Territory. 
At  that  time  the  law  in  reference  to  the 
disposal  of  the  public  lands  was  such  that 
no  one  could  purchase  in  tracts  less  than 
4,000  acres.  Captain  Harrison,  in  the 
face  of  violent  opposition,  succeeded  in 
obtaining  so  much  of  a  modification  of 
this  unjust  law  that  the  land  was  sold  in 
alternate  tracts  of  640  and  320  acres.  The 
Northwest  Territory  was  then  entitled 
to  one  delegate  in  Congress,  and  Cap- 
tain Harrison  was  chosen  to  fill  that  of- 
fice.    In  1800  he  was  appointed  Governor 


^  A'/Ya^ 


-^-^j^j^^^t-- 


g»-III^M«H-«-|M«M«l«'a.-Bii«ai!H«H»«»»—«»W.j;«H«lEWg«^M-M«*«», 


IVJLL/AAf    HENnr    HARRISON. 


59 


'  of    Indiana   Territory    and    soon    after    of 
Upper  Louisiana.     He   was  also   Superin- 
tendent of  Indian  Affairs,  and  so  well  did  he 
fulfill  these  duties  that  he  was  four  times 
appointed  to  this  office.     During  his  admin- 
istration he  effected  thirteen  treaties  with 
the  Indians,  by    which    the  United  States 
acquired  60,000,000  acres  of  land.     In  1804 
he  obtained  a  cession  from  the    Indians  of 
all  the  land  between  the  Illinois  River  and 
the  Mississippi. 
In  1S12  he  was   made  Major-General  of 
j   Kentucky    militia     and  Brigadier-General 
\  in  the   army,    with    the  command  of   the 
I  Northwest  frontier.     In  1813  he  was  made 
I  Major-General,  and  as  such  won  much  re- 
:  nown  by  the  defense  of  Fort  Meigs,  and  the 
battle  of  the  Thames,  Octobers,   1813.     In 
1 8 14  he  left  the  army  and  was  employed  in 
Indian  affairs  by  the  Government. 

In  1816  General  Harrison  was  chosen  a 
member  of  the  National  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives to  represent  the  district  of  Ohio. 
In  the  contest  which  preceded  his  election 
he  was  accused  of  corruption  in  respect  to 
the  commissariat  of  the  army.  Immedi- 
ately upon  taking  his  seat,  he  called  for  an 
investigation  of  the  charge.  A  committee 
was  appointed,  and  his  vindication  was 
triumphant.  A  high  compliment  was  paid 
to  his  patriotism,  disinterestedness  and 
devotion  to  the  public  service.  For  these 
:  services  a  gold  medal  was  presented  to  him 
j   with  the  thanks  of  Congress. 

In  1 8 19  he  was  elected  to  the  Senate  of 
Ohio,  and  in  1824,  as  one  of  the  Presiden- 
■  tial  electors  of  that  State,  he  gave  his  vote 
to  Henry  Clay.  In  the  same  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  Senate  of  the  United  States. 
In  1828  he  was  appointed  by  President 
Adams  minister  plenipotentiary  to  Colom- 
bia, but  was  recalled  by  General  Jackson 
immediately  after  the  inauguration  of  the 
latter. 

Upon    his  return    to  the   United  States, 
General  Harrison   retired  to    his   farm   at 


North  Bend,  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  six- 
teen miles  below  Cincinnati,  where  for 
twelve  years  he  was  clerk  of  the  County 
Court.  He  once  owned  a  distillery,  but 
perceiving  the  sad  effects  of  whisky  upon 
the  surrounding  population,  he  promptly 
abandoned  his  business  at  great  pecuniary 
sacrifice. 

In  1836  General  Hairison  was  brought 
forward  as  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency. 
Van  Buren  was  the  administration  candi- 
date; the  opposite  party  could  not  unite, 
and  four  candidates  were  brought  forward. 
General  Harrison  received  seventy-three 
electoral  votes  without  any  general  concert 
among  his  friends.  The  Democratic  party 
triumphed  and  Mr.  Van  Buren  was  chosen 
President.  In  1839  General  Harrison  was 
again  nominated  for  the  Presidency  by  the 
Whigs,  at  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  Mr. 
Van  Buren  being  the  Democratic  candi- 
date. General  Harrison  received  234  elec- 
toral votes  against  sixty  for  his  opponent. 
This  election  is  memorable  chiefly  for  the 
then  extraordinary  means  employed  during 
the  canvass  for  popular  votes.  Mass  meet- 
ings and  processions  were  introduced,  and 
the  watchwords  "  log  cabin  "  and  "  hard 
cider  "  were  effectually  used  by  the  Whigs, 
and  aroused  a  popular  enthusiasm. 

A  vast  concourse  of  people  attended  his 
inauguration.  His  address  on  that  occasion 
was  in  accordance  with  his  antecedents,  and 
gave  great  satisfaction.  A  short  time  after  he 
took  his  seat,  he  was  seized  by  a  pleurisy- 
fever,  and  after  a  few  days  of  violent  sick- 
ness, died  April  4,  just  one  short  month  after 
his  inauguration.  His  death  was  universally 
regarded  as  one  of  the  greatest  of  National 
calamities.  Never,  since  the  death  of 
Washington,  were  there,  throughout  one 
land,  such  demonstrations  of  sorrow.  Not 
one  single  spot  can  be  found  to  sully  his 
fame;  and  through  all  ages  Americans  will 
pronounce  with  love  and  reverence  the 
name  of  William  Henrv  Harrison. 


Presidents   of  the   united  states. 


OHN  TYLER,  the  tenth 
President  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  in 
Charles  City  County, 
Virginia,  March  29,  1790. 
His  father.  Judge  John 
Tyler,  possessed  large 
landed  estates  in  Virginia, 
and  was  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  men  of  his 
day,  fining  the  offices  of 
Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Delegates,  Judge  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  and  Governor 
of  the  State. 
At  the  early  age  of  twelve 
John  entered  William  and  Mary 
College,  and  graduated  with  honor  when 
but  seventeen  years  old.  He  then  closely 
applied  himself  to  the  study  of  law,  and  at 
nineteen  years  of  age  commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession.  When  only  twenty- 
one  he  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  State 
Legislature.  He  acted  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party  and  advocated  the  measures  of 
Jefferson  and  Madison.  For  five  years  he 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature,  receiving 
nearly  the  unanimous  vote  of  his  county. 

When  but  twenty-six  years  of  age  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  Congress.  He  advo- 
cated a  strict  construction  of  the  Constitu- 
tion and  the  most  careful    vigilance   over 


youn^ 


State  rights.  He  was  soon  compelled  to 
resign  his  seat  in  Congress,  owing  to  ill 
health,  but  afterward  took  his  seat  in  the 
State  Legislature,  where  he  exerted  a 
powerful  influence  in  promoting  public 
works  of  great  utility. 

In  1825  Mr.  Tyler  was  chosen  Governor 
of  his  State — a  high  honor,  for  Virginia 
had  many  able  men  as  competitors  for 
the  prize.  His  administration  was  signally 
a  successful  one.  He  urged  forward  inter- 
nal improvements  and  strove  to  remove 
sectional  jealousies.  His  popularity  secured 
his  re-election.  In  1827  he  was  elected 
United  States  Senator,  and  upon  taking  his 
seat  joined  the  ranks  of  the  opposition.  He 
opposed  the  tariff,  voted  against  the  bank 
as  unconstitutional,  opposed  all  restrictions 
upon  slavery,  resisted  all  projects  of  inter- 
nal improvements  by  the  General  Govern- 
ment, avowed  his  sympathy  with  Mr.  Cal- 
houn's views  of  nullification,  and  declared 
that  General  Jackson,  by  his  opposition  to 
the  nullifiers,  had  abandoned  the  principles 
of  the  Democratic  party.  Such  was  Mr. 
Tyler's  record  in  Congress. 

This  hostility  to  Jackson  caused  Mr. 
Tyler's  retirement  from  the  Senate,  after 
his  election  to  a  second  term.  He  soon 
after  removed  to  Williamsburg  for  the 
better  education  of  his  children,  and  again 
took  his  S2at  in  the  Legislature. 


JCrj'i^rc  Mj^^ 


In  1839  he  was  sent  to  the  National  Con- 
vention at  Harrisburg  to  nominate  a  Presi- 
dent. General  Harrison  received  a  majority 
of  votes,  much  to  the  disappointment  of  the 
South,  who  had  wished  for  Henry  Cla3^ 
In  order  to  conciliate  the  Southern  Whigs, 
John  Tyler  was  nominated  for  Vice-Presi- 
dent. Harrison  and  Tyler  were  inaugu- 
rated March  4,  1841.  In  one  short  month 
from  that  time  President  Harrison  died, 
and  Mr.  Tyler,  to  his  own  surprise  as  well 
as  that  of  the  nation,  found  himself  an 
occupant  of  the  Presidential  chair.  His 
position  was  an  exceedingly  difficult  one, 
as  he  was  opposed  to  the  main  principles  of 
the  party  which  had  brought  him  into 
power.  General  Harrison  had  selected  a 
Whig  cabinet.  Should  he  retain  them,  and 
thus  surround  himself  with  councilors 
whose  views  were  antagonistic  to  his  own? 
or  should  he  turn  against  the  party  that 
had  elected  him,  and  select  a  cabinet  in 
harmony  with  himself?  This  was  his  fear- 
ful dilemma. 

President  Tyler  deserves  more  charity 
than  he  has  received.  He  issued  an  address 
to  the  people,  which  gave  general  satisfac- 
tion. He  retained  the  cabinet  General 
Harrison  had  selected.  His  veto  of  a  bill 
chartering  a  new  national  bank  led  to  an 
open  quarrel  with  the  party  which  elected 
him,  and  to  a  resignation  of  the  entire 
cabinet,  except  Daniel  Webster,  Secretary 
of  State. 

President  Tyler  attempted  to  conciliate. 
He  appointed  a  new  cabinet,  leaving  out  all 
strong  party  men,  but  the  Whig  members 
of  Congress  were  not  satisfied,  and  they 
published  a  manifesto  September  13,  break- 
ing off  all  political  relations.  The  Demo- 
crats had  a  majority  in  the  House ;  the 
Whigs  in  the  Senate.  Mr.  Webster  soon 
found  it  necessary  to  resign,  being  forced 
out  by  the  pressure  of  his  Whig  friends. 

April  12, 1844,  President  Tyler  concluded, 
through  Mr.  Calhoun,  a  treaty  for  the  an- 


nexation of  Texas,  which  was  rejected  by 
the  Senate ;  but  he  effected  his  object  in  the 
closing  days  of  his  administration  by  the 
passage  of  the  joint  resolution  of  March  i 
1845. 

He  was  nominated  for  the  Presidency  by 
an  informal  Democratic  Convention,  held 
at  Baltimore  in  May,  1844,  but  soon  with- 
drew from  the  canvass,  perceiving  that  he 
had  not  gained  the  confidence  of  the  Demo- 
crats at  large. 

Mr.  Tyler's  administration  was  particu- 
larly unfortunate.  No  one  was  satisfied. 
Whigs  and  Democrats  alike  assailed  him. 
Situated  as  he  was,  it  is  more  than  can 
be  expected  of  human  nature  that  he 
should,  in  all  cases,  have  acted  in  the  wisest 
manner ;  but  it  will  probably  be  the  verdict 
of  all  candid  men,  in  a  careful  review  of  his 
career,  that  John  Tyler  was  placed  in  a 
position  of  such  difficult}^  that  he  could  not 
pursue  an}'  course  which  would  not  expose 
him  to  severe  censure  and  denunciation. 

In  18 1 3  Mr.  Tyler  married  Letitia  Chris- 
tian, who  bore  him  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  and  died  in  Washington  in  1842. 
June  26,  1844,  he  contracted  a  second  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Julia  Gardner,  of  New 
York.  He  lived  in  almost  complete  retire- 
ment from  politics  until  February,  1861, 
when  he  was  a  member  of  the  abortive 
"  peace  convention,"  held  at  Washington, 
and  was  chosen  its  President.  Soon  after 
he  renounced  his  allegiance  to  the  United 
States  and  was  elected  to  the  Confederate 
Congress.  He  died  at  Richmond,  January 
17,  1862,  after  a  short  illness. 

Unfortunately  for  his  memory  the  name 
of  John  Tyler  must  forever  be  associated 
with  all  the  misery  of  that  terrible  Re- 
bellion, whose  cause  he  openly  espoused. 
It  is  with  sorrow  that  history  records  that 
a  President  of  the  United  States  died  while 
defending  the  flag  of  rebellion,  which  was 
arrayed  against  the  national  banner  in 
deadly  warfare. 


VxMES   KNOX  POLK, 
the  eleventh  President  of 
the  United  States,  1845- 
*49,   was   born   in    Meck- 
»         lenburg    County,  North 
CaroHna,    November    2, 
1795.     He   was   the   eldest 
son  of  a  family  of  six  sons 
and  four  daughters,  and  was 
■     a  grand-nephew  of  Colonel 
Thomas  Polk,  celebrated  in 
^     connection  with  the  Meck- 
lenburg Declaration  of  In- 
dependence. 

In  1806  his  father,  Samuel 
Polk,  emigrated  with  his  fam- 
il}'  two  or  three  hundred  miles  west  to  the 
valley  of  the  Duck  River.  He  was  a  sur- 
veyor as  well  as  farmer,  and  gradually  in- 
creased in  wealth  until  he  became  one  of 
the  leading  men  of  the  region. 

In  the  common  schools  James  rapidly  be- 
came proficient  in  all  the  common  branches 
of  an  English  education.  In  1813  he  was 
sent  to  Murfreesboro  Academy,  and  in  the 
autumn  of  181 5  entered  the  sophomore  class 
in  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  at 
Chapel  Hill,  graduating  in  1818.  After  a 
short  season  of  recreation  he  went  to  Nash- 
ville and  entered  the  law  office  of  Felix 
Grundv.     As  soon  as  he  had  his    finished 


legal  studies  and  been  admitted  to  the 
he  returned  to  Columbia,  the  shire  town  of 
Maury  County,  and  opened  an  office. 

James  K.  Polk  ever  adhered  to  the  polit- 
ical faith  of  his  father,  which  was  that  of 
a  Jeffersonian  Republican.     In  1823  he  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  of  Tennessee.   As 
a  "  strict  constructionist,"  he  did  not  think 
that  the  Constitution  empowered  the  Gen- 
eral Government  to  carry  on  a  system  of 
internal  improvements  in    the  States,    but 
deemed  it  important  that    it  should    have 
that  power,  and   wished  the    Constitution  I 
amended  that  it  might  be  conferred.     Sub^  1 
sequently,  however,  he  becariie  alarmed  lest  | 
the  General  Government  become  so  strong  | 
as  to  undertake  to  interfere  with  slavery.  ' 
He   therefore   gave    all    his    influence  to 
strengthen  the  State  governments,  and  to 
check  the  growth  of  the  central  power. 

In  January,  1824,  Mr.  Polk  married  Miss 
Mary  Childress,  of  Rutherford  County,  Ten- 
nessee. Had  some  one  then  whispered  to 
him  that  he  was  destined  to  become  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  and  that  he  must 
select  for  his  companion  one  who  would 
adorn  that  distinguished  station,  he  could 
not  have  made  a  more  fitting  choice.  She 
was  truly  a  lady  of  rare  beauty  and  culture. 

In  the  fall  of  1825  Mr.  Polk  was  chosen 
a  member  of  Congress,  and   was  continU' 


^ 


JAMES    K.    POLK. 


oiisly  re-elected  until  1839.  He  then  with- 
drew, only  that  he  might  accept  the 
gubernatorial  chair  of  his  native  State. 
He  was  a  warm  friend  of  General  Jackson, 
who  had  been  defeated  in  the  electoral 
contest  by  John  Quincy  Adams.  This 
latter  gentleman  had  just  taken  his  seat  in 
the  Presidential  chair  when  Mr.  Polk  took 
his  seat  in  the  House  of  Representatives. 
He  immediately  united  himself  with  the 
opponents  of  Mr.  Adams,  and  was  soon 
regarded  as  the  leader  of  the  Jackson  party 
in  the  House. 

The  four  years  of  Mr.  Adams'  adminis- 
tration passed  awa}-,  and  General  Jackson 
took  the  Presidential  chair.  Mr.  Polk  had 
now  become  a  man  of  great  influence  in 
I  Congress,  and  was  chairman  of  its  most 
j  important  committee — that  of  Wa3^s  and 
Means.  Eloquently  he  sustained  General 
Jackson  in  all  his  measures — in  his  hostility 
to  internal  improvements,  to  the  banks,  and 
to  the  tariff.  Eight  years  of  General  Jack- 
son's administration  passed  away,  and  the 
powejs  he  had  wielded  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Martin  Van  Buren ;  and  still  Mr. 
Polk  remained  in  the  House,  the  advocate 
of  that  type  of  Democracy  which  those 
distinguished  men  upheld. 

During   five   sessions   of    Congress    Mr. 
Polk  was  speaker  of  the  House.     He  per- 
formed his  arduous  duties  to  general  satis- 
faction, and  a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  to 
,     him  was  passed  by  the  House  as  he  with- 
I     drew,    March   4,    1839.      He    was    elected 
!     Governor   by   a    large   majorit}',  and  took 
1     the  oath  of  office  at  Nashville,  October  14, 
1839.     He  was  a  candidate  for  re-election 
in  1 841,  but  was  defeated.     In  the  mean- 
time  a   wonderful   revolution    had   swept 
over  the  country.  "W.  H.  Harrison.the  Whig 
candidate,  had  been  called  to  the  Presiden- 
tial chair,  and  in  Tennessee  the  Whig  ticket 
had  been  carried  by  over  12,000  majority. 
Under  these  circumstances  Mr.  Polk's  suc- 
cess was  hopeless.     Still  he  canvassed  the 


State  with  his  Whig  competitor,  Mr.  Jones, 
traveling  in  the  most  friendly  manner  to- 
gether, often  in  the  same  carriage,  and  at 
one  time  sleeping  in  the  same  bed.  Mr. 
Jones  was  elected  by  3,000  majority. 

And  now  the  question  of  the  annexation 
of  Texas  to  our  country  agitated  the  whole 
land.  When  this  question  became  national 
Mr.  Polk,  as  the  avowed  champion  of  an- 
nexation, became  the  Presidential  candidate 
of  the  pro-slavery  wing  of  the  Democratic 
party,  and  George  M.  Dallas  their  candi- 
date for  the  Vice-Presidency.  They  were 
elected  by  a  large  majority,  and  were  in- 
augurated March  4,  1845. 

President  Polk  formed  an  able  cabinet, 
consisting  of  James  Buchanan,  Robert  J. 
Walker,  William  L.  Marcy,  George  Ban- 
croft, Cave  Johnson  and  John  Y.  Mason. 
The  Oregon  boundary  question  was  settled, 
the  Department  of  the  Interior  was  created, 
the  low  tariff  ot  1846  was  carried,  the 
financial  system  of  the  Government  was 
reorganized,  the  Mexican  war  was  con- 
ducted, which  resulted  in  the  acquisition  of 
California  and  New  Mexico,  and  had  far- 
reaching  consequences  upon  the  later  fort- 
unes of  tlie  republic.  Peace  was  made. 
We  had  wrested  from  Mexico  territory 
equal  to  four  times  the  empire  of  France, 
and  five  times  that  of  Spain.  In  the  prose- 
cution of  this  war  we  expended  20,000 
lives  and  more  than  $100,000,000.  Of  this 
money  $15,000,000  were  paid  to  Mexico. 

Declining  to  seek  a  renomination,  Mr. 
Polk  retired  from  the  Presidency  March  4, 
1849,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  General 
Zachary  Taylor.  He  retired  to  Nashville, 
and  died  there  June  19,  1849,  i"  the  fifty- 
fourth  year  of  his  age.  His  funeral  was  at- 
tended the  following  day,  in  Nashville,  with 
every  demonstration  of  respect.  He  left 
no  children.  Without  being  possessed  of 
extraordinary  talent,  Mr.  Polk  was  a  capable 
administrator  of  public  affairs,  and  irre- 
proachable in  private  life. 


'  ,r  •  ,:yK-4^^^^t£i^ 


^'o^t 


ACHARY  TAY- 
LOR, the  twelfth 
President  of  the 
United  States, 
1 849-' 50,  was  born 
in  Orange  County, 
Virginia,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1784.  His  father, 
Richard  Taylor,  was  Colo- 
nel of  a  Virginia  regiment 
in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  removed  to  Kentucky 
in  1785  ;  purchased  a  large 
plantation  near  Louisville 
and  became  an  influential  cit- 
izen ;  was  a  member  of  the  convention  that 
framed  the  Constitution  of  Kentucky ;  served 
in  both  branches  of  the  Legislature ;  was 
Collector  of  the  port  of  Louisville  under 
President  Washington ;  as  a  Presidential 
elector,  voted  for  Jefferson,  Madison,  Mon- 
roe and  Clay;    died  January  19,1829. 

Zachary  remained  on  his  father's  planta- 
tion until  1808,  in  which  year  (May  3)  he 
was  appointed  First  Lieutenant  in  the 
Seventh  Infantry,  to  fill  a  vacancy  oc- 
casioned by  the  death  of  his  elder  brother, 
Hancock.  Up  to  this  point  he  had  received 
but  a  limited  education. 

Joining  his  regiment  at  New  Orleans,  he 


was  attacked  with  yellow  fever,  with  nearly 
fatal  termination.  In  November,  1810,  he 
was  promoted  to  Captain,  and  in  the  sum- 
mer o(  18 1 2  he  was  in  command  of  Fort 
Harrison,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Wabash 
River,  near  the  present  site  of  Terre  Haute, 
his  successful  defense  of  which  with  but  a 
handful  of  men  against  a  large  force  of 
Indians  which  had  attacked  him  was  one  of 
the  first  marked  military  achievements  of 
the  war.  He  was  then  brevetted  Major, 
and  in   18 14  promoted  to  the  full  rank. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  war  Taylor 
was  actively  employed  on  the  Western 
frontier.  In  the  peace  organization  of  1815 
he  was  retained  as  Captain,  but  soon  after 
resigned  and  settled  near  Louisville.  In 
May,  1816,  however,  he  re-entered  the  army 
as  Major  of  the  Third  Infantry  ;  became 
Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Eighth  Infantry 
in  1819,  and  in  1832  attained  the  Colonelcy 
of  the  First  Infantry,  of  which  lie  had  been 
Lieutenant-Colonel  since  1821.  On  different 
occasions  he  had  been  called  to  Washington 
as  member  of  a  military  board  for  organiz- 1 
ing  the  militia  of  the  Union,  and  to  aid  the 
Government  with  his  knowledge  in  the  , 
organization  of  the  Indian  Bureau,  having 
for  many  years  discharged  the  duties  of 
Indian  agent  over  large  tracts  of  Western 


/::i^<0^/Q:^V''7-y/yc^ 


Z  AC  HART    TAYLOR. 


country.  He  served  through  the  Black 
Hawk  war  in  1832,  and  in  1837  was  ordered 
to  take  command  in  Florida,  then  the  scene 
of  war  with  the  Indians. 

In  1846  he  was  transferred  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Army  of  the  Southwest,  from 
which  he  was  relieved  the  same  year  at  his 
own  request.  Subsequently  he  was  sta- 
tioned on  the  Arkansas  frontier  at  Forts 
Gibbon,  Smith  and  Jesup,  which  latter  work 
had  been  built  under  his  direction  in  1822. 

May  28,  1845,  he  received  a  dispatch  from 
the  Secretary  of  War  informing  him  of  the 
receipt  of  information  by  the  President 
"that  Texas  would  shortly  accede  to  the 
terms  of  annexation,"  in  which  event  he 
was  instructed  to  defend  and  protect  her 
from  "foreign  invasion  and  Indian  incur- 
sions." He  proceeded,  upon  the  annexation 
of  Texas,  with  about  1,500  men  to  Corpus 
Christi,  where  his  force  was  increased  to 
some  4,000. 

Taylor  was  brevetted  Major-General  May 
28,  and  a  month  later,  June  29,  1S46,  his  full 
commission  to  that  grade  was  issued.  After 
needed  rest  and  reinforcement,  he  advanced 
in  September  on  Monterey,  which  city  ca- 
pitulated after  three-days  stubborn  resist- 
ance. Here  he  took  up  his  winter  quarters. 
The  plan  for  the  invasion  of  Mexico,  by 
way  of  Vera  Cruz,  with  General  Scott  in 
command,  was  now  determined  upon  by 
the  Govenrment,  and  at  the  moment  Taylor 
was  about  to  resume  active  operations,  he 
received  ordeis  to  send  the  larger  part  of 
his  force  to  reinforce  the  army  of  General 
Scott  at  Vera  Cruz.  Though  subsequently 
reinforced  by  raw  recruits,  yet  after  pro- 
viding a  garrison  for  Monterey  and  Saltillo 
he  had  but  about  5,300  effective  troops,  of 
which  but  500  or  600  were  regulars.  In 
this  weakened  condition,  however,  he  was 
destined  to  achieve  his  greatest  victory. 
Confidently  relying  upon  his  strength  at 
Vera  Cruz  to  resist  the  enemy  for  a  long 
tim.e,  Santa  Anna  directed  his  entire  army 


against  Taylor  to  overwhelm  him,  and  then 
to  return  to  oppose  the  advance  of  Scott's 
more  formidable  invasion.  The  battle  of 
Bucna  Vista  was  fought  February  22  and . 
23,  1847.  Taylor  received  the  thanks  of 
Congress  and  a  gold  medal,  and  '•  Old 
Rough  and  Ready,"  the  sobriquet  given 
him  in  the  army,  became  a  household  word. 
He  remained  in  quiet  possession  of  the 
Rio  Grande  Valley  until  November,  when 
he  returned  to  the  United  States. 

In  the  Whig  convention  which  met  at 
Philadelphia,June  7,  1848,  Taylor  was  nomi- 
nated on  the  fourth  ballot  as  candidate  of 
the  Whig  party  for  President,  over  Henry 
Clay,  General  Scott  and  Daniel  Webster. 
In  November  Ta3'lor  received  a  majority 
of  electoral  votes,  and  a  popular  vote  of 
1,360,752,  against  1,219,962  for  Cass  and 
Butler,  and  291,342  for  Van  Buren  and 
Adams.  General  Taylor  was  inaugurated 
March  4,  1849. 

The  free  and  slave  States  being  then  equal 
in  number,  the  struggle  for  supremacy  on 
the  part  of  the  leaders  in  Congress  was 
violent  and  bitter.  In  the  summer  of  1849 
California  adopted  in  convention  a  Consti- 
tution prohibiting  slavery  within  its  borders. 
Taylor  advocated  the  immediate  admission 
of  California  with  her  Constitution,  and  the 
postponement  of  the  question  as  to  the  other 
Territories  until  they  could  hold  conven- 
tions and  decide  for  themselves  whether 
slavery  should  exist  within  their  borders. 
This  policy  ultimately  prevailed  through 
the  celebrated  "  Compromise  Measures"  of 
Henry  Clay;  but  not  during  the  life  of  the 
brave  soldier  and  patriot  statesman.  July 
5  he  was  taken  suddenly  ill  with  a  bilious 
fever,  which  proved  fatal,  his  death  occur- 
ring July  9,  1850.  One  of  his  daughters 
married  Colonel  W.  W.  S.  Bliss,  his  Adju- 
tant-General and  Chief  of  Staff  in  Florida 
and  Mexico,  and  Private  Secretary  during 
his  Presidency.  Another  daughter  was 
married  to  Jefferson  Davis. 


rr 


PUES/DENTS     OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


.g.,  ;  ^jB^ 


LL  A  RD  FILL- 
MORE, the  thir- 
Ik^^^kI/  teenth  President 
of  the  United 
[i^  States,  i85o-'3,  was 
born  in  Summer 
Hill,  Cayuga 
County,  New  York,  Janu- 
ary 7,  1800.  He  was  of 
New  England  ancestry,  and 
his  educational  advantages 
were  limited.  He  early 
karned  the  clothiers'  trade, 
but  spent  all  his  leisure  time 
111  study.  At  nineteen  years 
)f  age  he  was  induced  by 
Wood  to  abandon  his  trade 
and  commence  the  study  of  law.  Upon 
learning  that  the  young  man  was  entirely 
destitute  of  means,  he  took  him  into  his 
own  office  and  loaned  him  such  money  as 
he  needed.  That  he  might  not  be  heavily 
burdened  with  debt,  young  Fillm.ore  taught 
school  during  the  winter  months,  and  in 
various  other  ways  helped  himself  along. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  the   village  of  Aurora,  situated  on  the 


eastern  bank  of  the  Cayuga  Lake.  In  1825 
he  married  Miss  Abigail  Powers,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Lemuel  Powers,  a  lady  of  great 
moral  worth.  In  1825  he  took  his  seat  in 
the  House  of  Assembly  of  his  native  State, 
as  Representative  from  Erie  County, 
whither  he  had  recently  moved. 

Though  he  had  never  taken  a  very 
active  part  in  politics  his  vote  and  his  S3'm- 
pathies  were  with  the  Whig  part}'.  The 
State  was  then  Democratic,  but  his  cour- 
tesy, ability  and  integrity  won  the  respect 
of  his  associates.  In  1832  he  was  elected 
to  a  seat  in  the  United  States  Congress. 
At  the  close  of  his  term  he  returned  to  his 
law  practice,  and  in  two  years  more  he  was 
again  elected  to  Congress. 

He  now  began  to  have  a  national  reputa- 
tion. His  labors  were  very  arduous.  To 
draft  resolutions  in  the  committee  room, 
and  then  to  defend  them  against  the  most 
skillful  opponents  on  the  floor  of  the  House 
requires  readiness  of  mind,  mental  resources 
and  skill  in  debate  such  as  few  possess. 
Weary  with  these  exhausting  labors,  and 
pressed  by  the  claims  of  his  private  affairs, 
Mr.  Fillmore  wrote  a  letter  to  his  constitu- 
ents and  declined  to  be  a  candidate  for  re- 
election.    Notwithstanding  this  ccramuni- 


\  r^VJii^ii5^»M'"MBi^^«i»«,gB 


'■■■»'a"«« 


^M. 


(y(X/.rA.H^(j     </^Ci^v-i^cm:u) 


MILLARD    FILLMORE. 


cation  his  friends  met  in  convention  and 
renominated  him  by  acclamation.  Though 
gratified  by  this  proof  of  their  appreciation 
of  his  labors  he  adhered  to  his  resolve  and 
returned  to  his  home. 

In  1847  Ml"-  Fillmore  was  elected  to  the 
important  ofSce  of  comptroller  of  the  State. 
In  entering  upon  the  very  responsible  duties 
which  this  situation  demanded,  it  was  nec- 
essary for  him  to  abandon  his  profession, 
and  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Albany.  In 
this  year,  also,  the  Whigs  were  looking 
around  to  find  suitable  candidates  for  the 
President  and  Vice-President  at  the  ap- 
proaching election,  and  the  names  of  Zach- 
ary  Taylor  and  iMillard  Fillmore  became 
the  rallying  cry  of  the  Whigs.  On  the 4th 
of  March,  1849,  General  Taylor  was  inaug- 
urated President  and  Millard  Fillmore 
Vice-President  of  the  United  States. 

The  great  question  of  slavery  had  as- 
sumed enormous  proportions,  and  perme- 
ated every  subject  that  was  brought  before 
Congress.  It  was  evident  that  the  strength 
of  our  institutions  was  to  be  severely  tried. 
July  9,  1850,  President  Taylor  died,  and,  by 
the  Constitution,  Vice-President  Fillmore 
became  President  of  the  United  States. 
The  agitated  condition  of  the  country 
brought  questions  of  great  delicacy  before 
him.  He  was  bound  by  his  oath  of  office 
to  execute  the  laws  of  the  United  States. 
One  of  these  laws  was  understood  to  be, 
that  if  a  slave,  escaping  from  bondage, 
should  reach  a  free  State,  the  United  States 
was  bound  to  do  its  utmost  to  capture  him 
and  return  him  to  his  master.  Most  Chris- 
tian men  loathed  this  law.  President  Fill- 
more felt  bound  by  his  oath  rigidly  to  see 
it  enforced.  Slavery  was  organizing  armies 
to  invade  Cuba  as  it  had  invaded  Texas, 
and  annex  it  to  the  United  States.  Presi- 
dent Fillmore  gave  all  the  influence  of  his 
exalted  station  against  the  atrocious  enter- 
prise. 

Mr.  Fillmore  had  serious   difficulties  to 


contend  with,  since  the  opposition  had  a 
majority  in  both  Houses.  He  did  every- 
thing in  his  power  to  conciliate  the  South, 
but  the  pro-slavery  party  in  that  section 
felt  the  inadequency  of  all  measures  of  tran- 
sient conciliation.  The  population  of  the 
free  States  was  so  rapidly  increasing  over 
that  of  the  slave  States,  that  it  was  inevita- 
ble that  the  power  of  the  Government 
should  soon  pass  into  the  hands  of  the  free 
States.  The  famous  compromise  measures 
were  adopted  under  Mr.  Fillmore's  admin- 
istration, and  the  Japan  expedition  was 
sent  out. 

March  4,  1853,  having  served  one  term. 
President  Fillmore  retired  from  office.  He 
then  took  a  long  tour  through  the  South, 
where  he  met  with  quite  an  enthusiastic 
reception.  In  a  speech  at  Vicksburg,  al- 
luding to  the  rapid  growth  of  the  country, 
he  said: 

"  Canada  is  knocking  for  admission,  and 
Mexico  would  be  glad  to  come  in,  and 
without  saying  whether  it  would  be  right 
or  wrong,  we  stand  with  open  arms  to  re- 
ceive them;  for  it  is  the  manifest  destiny  of 
this  Government  to  embrace  the  whole 
North  American  Continent." 

In  1855  Mr.  Fillmore  went  to  Europe 
where  he  was  received  with  those  marked 
attentions  which  his  position  and  character 
merited.  Returning  to  this  country  in 
1856  he  was  nominated  for  the  Presidency 
bv  the  "Know-Nothing"  part}'.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, the  Democratic  candidate  was 
the  successful  competitor.  Mr.  Fillmore 
ever  afterward  lived  in  retirement.  Dur- 
ing the  conflict  of  civil  war  he  was  mostly 
silent.  It  was  generally  supposed,  how- 
ever, that  his  sympathy  was  with  the  South- 
ern Confederacy.  He  kept  aloof  from  the 
conflict  without  any  words  of  cheer  to  the 
one  party  or  the  other.  For  this  reason 
he  was  forgotten  by  both.  He  died  of 
paralysis,  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  March  8, 
1874. 


PRESIDENTS     OF    THE     UN/TED    STATES. 


! 


<^<^5.^-*<^isf-» 


I    Fpi]I^IiII]  PIER6E.    W 

~>  „  ^  , , _  .  # 


'^$^;^^.^s^m^m^,^0^i^^^^xmm^m^ 


^""^  RAN  KLIN  PIERCE, 
the  fourteenth  Presi- 
^  dent  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  in 
Hillsborough,  New 
Hampshire,  Novem- 
ber 23,  1804.  His 
father.  Governor 
Benjamin  Pierce,  was  a  Rev- 
olutionary soldier,  a  man  of 
rigid  integrity ;  was  for  sev- 
eral years  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature, a  member  of  the  Gov- 
ernor's council  and  a  General 
of  the  militia. 
Franklin  was  the  sixth  of  eight  children. 
As  a  boy  he  listened  eagerly  to  the  argu- 
ments of  his  father,  enforced  by  strong  and 
ready  utterance  and  earnest  gesture.  It 
was  in  the  days  of  intense  poHtical  excite- 
ment, when,  all  over  the  New  England 
States,  Federalists  and  Democrats  were  ar- 
rayed so  fiercely  against  each  other. 

In  1820  he  entered  Bowdoin  College,  at 
Brunswick,  Maine,  and  graduated  in  1824, 
and  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Judge  Woodbury,  a  very  distin- 
guished lawyer,  and  in  1827  was  admitted 
to  the  bar.  He  practiced  with  great  success 
in  Hillsborough  and  Concord.     He  served 


in  the  State  Legislature  four  years,  the  last 
two  of  which  he  was  chosen  Speaker  of  the 
House  by  a  very  large  vote. 

In  1833  he  was  elected  a  member  of  Con- 
gress. In  1837  he  was  elected  to  the  United 
States  Senate,  just  as  Mr.  Van  Buren  com- 
menced   his   administration. 

In  1834  he  married  Miss  Jane  Means 
Appleton,  a  lad}-  admirably  fitted  to  adorn 
every  station  with  which  her  husband  was 
honored.  Three  sons  born  to  them  all 
found  an  early  grave. 

Upon  his  accession  to  office.  President 
Polk  appointed  Mr.  Pierce  Attorney-Gen- 
eral of  the  United  States,  but  the  offer  was 
declined  in  consequence  of  numerous  pro- 
fessional engagements  at  home  and  the 
precarious  state  of  Mrs.  Pierce's  health. 
About  the  same  time  he  also  declined  the 
nomination  for  Governor  by  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 

The  war  with  Mexico  called  Mr.  Pierce 
into  the  army.  Receiving  the  appointment 
of  Brigadier-General,  he  embarked  with  a 
portion  of  his  troops  at  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  May  27,  1847.  He  served  during 
this  war,  and  distinguished  himself  by  his 
bravery,  skill  and  excellent  'judgment. 
When  he  reached  his  home  in  his  native 
State  he  was  enthusiastically  received  by 


^;^a/^c!^^ 


HgggMg»"«"a"«"«iiTi 


FRANKLIN    PIERCE. 


79 


the  advocates  of  the  war,  and  coldly  by  its 
opponents.  He  resumed  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  frequently  taking  an  active  part 
in  political  questions,  and  giving  his  sup- 
port to  the  pro-slavery  wing  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 

June  12,  1852,  the  Democratic  convention 
met  in  Baltimore  to  nominate  a  candidate 
for  the  Presidency.  For  four  days  they 
continued  in  session,  and  in  thirty-five  bal- 
lotings  no  one  had  received  the  requisite 
two-thirds  vote.  Not  a  vote  had  been 
thrown  thus  far  for  General  Pierce.  Then 
the  Virginia  delegation  brought  forward 
his  name.  There  were  fourteen  more  bal- 
lotings,  during  which  General  Pierce 
gained  strength,  until,  at  the  forty-ninth 
ballot,  he  received  282  votes,  and  all  other 
candidates  eleven.  General  Winfield  Scott 
was  the  Whig  candidate.  General  Pierce 
was  elected  with  great  unanimity.  Only 
four  States — Vermont,  Massachusetts,  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee — cast  their  electoral 
votes  against  him.  March  4,  1853,  he  was 
inaugurated  President  of  the  United  States, 
and  William  R.  King,  Vice-President. 

President  Pierce's  cabinet  consisted  of 
William  S.  Marcy,  James  Guthrie,  Jefferson 
Davis,  James  C.  Dobbin,  Robert  McClel- 
land, James  Campbell  and  Caleb  Cushing. 

At  the  demand  of  slavery  the  Missouri 
Compromise  was  repealed,  and  all  the  Ter- 
ritories of  the  Union  were  thrown  open  to 
slavery.  The  Territor}'  of  Kansas,  west  of 
Missouri,  was  settled  by  emigi^ants  mainly 
from  the  North.  According  to  law,  they 
were  about  to  meet  and  decide  whether 
slavery  or  freedom  should  be  the  law  of 
that  realm.  Slavery  in  Missouri  and 
other  Southern  States  rallied  her  armed 
legions,  marched  them  into  Kansas,  took 
possession  of  the  polls,  drove  away  the 
citizens,  deposited  their  own  votes  by 
handfuls,  went  through  the  farce  of  count- 
ing them,  and  then  declared  that,  by  an 
overwhelming  majority,  slavery  was  estab- 


lished in  Kansas.  These  facts  nobody 
denied,  and  yet  President  Pierce's  adminis- 
tration felt  bound  to  respect  the  decision 
obtained  by  such  votes.  The  citizens  of 
Kansas,  the  majority  of  whom  were  free- 
State  men,  met  in  convention  and  adopted 
the  following  resolve : 

"Resolved,  That  the  body  of  men  who, 
for  the  past  two  months,  have  been  passing 
laws  for  the  people  of  our  Territory, 
moved,  counseled  and  dictated  to  by  the 
demagogues  of  other  States,  are  to  us  a 
foreign  body,  representing  only  the  lawless 
invaders  who  elected  them,  and  not  the 
people  of  this  Territory ;  that  we  repudiate 
their  action  as  the  monstrous  consummation 
of  an  act  of  violence,  usurpation  and  fraud 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  Union." 

The  free-State  people  of  Kansas  also  sent 
a  petition  to  the  General  Government,  im- 
ploring its  protection.  In  reply  the  Presi- 
dent issued  a  proclamation,  declaring  that 
Legislature  thus  created  must  be  recog- 
nized as  the  legitimate  Legislature  of  Kan- 
sas, and  that  its  laws  were  binding  upon 
the  people,  and  that,  if  necessary,  the  whole 
force  of  the  Governmental  arm  would  be 
put  forth  to  inforce  those  laws. 

James  Buchanan  succeeded  him  in  the 
Presidency,  and,  March  4,  1857,  President 
Pierce  retired  to  his  home  in  Concord, 
New  Hampshire.  When  the  Rebellion 
burst  forth  Mr.  Pierce  remained  steadfast 
to  the  principles  he  had  always  cherished, 
and  gave  his  sympathies  to  the  pro-slavery 
part}',  with  which  he  had  ever  been  allied. 
He  declined  to  do  anything,  either  by 
voice  or  pen,  to  strengthen  the  hands  ot 
the  National  Government.  He  resided  in 
Concord  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
October,  1869.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
genial  and  social  of  men,  generous  to 
a  fault,  and  contributed  liberally  of  his 
moderate  means  for  the  alleviation  of  suf- 
fering and  want.  He  was  an  honored 
communicant  of  the  Episcopal  church. 


PBESIDE\TS     OF    THE     UXITED    STATES. 


'AMES  BUCHANAN,  the 
fifteenth  President  of  the 
United   States,   1857-61, 
was     born    in    Franklin 
Count }-,  Pennsylvania, 
April   23,    1791.      The 
place    where    his  father's 
cabin   stood    was    called 
Stony  Batter,   and  it.  was 
situated  in  a  wild,  romantic 
spot,  in  a  gorge  of   mount- 
ains,   with    towering    sum- 
mits rising  all  around.     He 
was  of   Irish   ancestry,   his 
father  having  emigrated  in- 
1783,    with   very  little  prop- 
erty, save  his  own  strong  arms. 

James  remained  in  his  secluded  home  for 
eight  years  enjoying  very  few  social  or 
intellectual  advantages.  His  parents  were 
industrious,  frugal,  prosperous  and  intelli- 
gent. In  1799  his  father  removed  to  Mer- 
cersburg,  where  James  was  placed  in 
school  and  commenced  a  course  in  English, 
Greek  and  Latin.  His  progress  was  rapid 
and  in  1801  he  entered  Dickinson  College 
at  Carlisle.  Here  he  took  his  stand  among 
the  first  scholars  in  the  institution,  and  was 
able  to  master  the  most  abstruse  subjects 
with  facility.  In  1809  he  graduated  with 
the  highest  honors  in  his  class. 

He  was  then  eighteen  years  of  age,  tall. 


graceful  and  in  vigorous  health,  fond  of 
athletic  sports,  an  unerring  shot  and  en- 
livened with  an  exuberant  flow  of  animal 
spirits.  He  immediately  commenced  the 
study  of  law  in  the  city  of  Lancaster,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1812.  He  rose 
very  rapidly  in  his  profession  and  at  once 
took  undisputed  stand  with  the  ablest  law- 
yers of  the  State.  When  but  twent3--si.\- 
years  of  age,  unaided,  by  counsel,  he  suc- 
cessfully defended  before  the  State  Senate 
one  of  the  Judges  of  the  State,  who  was 
tried  upon  articles  of  impeachment.  At 
the  age  of  thirty  it  was  generally  admitted 
that  he  stood  at  the  head  of  the  bar,  and 
there  was  no  lawyer  in  the  State  who  had 
a  more  extensive  or  lucrative  practice. 

In  1812,  just  after  Mr.  Buchanan  had 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  the  law,  our 
second  war  with  England  occurred.  With 
all  his  powers  he  sustained  the  Govern- 
ment, eloquently  urging  the  rigorous  pros- 
ecution of  the  war;  and  even  enlisting  as  a 
private  soldier  to  assist  in  repelling  the 
British,  who  had  sacked  Washington  and 
were  threatening  Baltimore.  He  was  at 
that  time  a  Federalist,  but  when  the  Con- 
stitution was  adopted  by  both  parties, 
Jefferson  truly  said,  "  We  are  all  Federal- 
ists; we  are  all  Republicans." 

The  opposition  of  the  Federalists  to  the 
war  with  England,  and  the  alien  and  sedi- 


'a*'grg5»S»r_B,»,»_ia,ii 


^T^Zj^^    <S-^^<^>^C5i' /Z-<5'>^^ 


i»-»-B«»«W-»«-WB 


^AMES    BUCHANAN: 


83 


tion  laws  of  John  Adams,  brought  the  party 
into  dispute,  and  the  name  of  Federalist 
became  a  reproach.  Mr.  Buchanan  almost 
immediately  upon  entering  Congress  began 
to  incline  more  and  more  to  the  Repub- 
licans. In  the  stormy  Presidential  election 
of  1824,  in  which  Jackson,  Clay,  Crawford 
and  John  Ouincy  Adams  were  candidates, 
JNIr.  Buchanan  espoused  the  cause  of  Gen- 
eral Jackson  and  unrelentingly  opposed  the 
administration  of  Mr.  Adams. 

Upon  his  elevation  to  the  Presidency, 
General  Jackson  appointed  Mr.  Buchanan, 
minister  to  Russia.  Upon  his  return  in  1833 
he  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  United  States 
Senate.  He  there  met  as  his  associates, 
Webster,  Clay,  Wright  and  Calhoun.  He 
advocated  the  measures  proposed  by  Presi- 
dent Jackson"  of  making  reprisals  against 
France,  and  defended  the  course  of  the  Pres- 
ident in  his  unprecedented  and  wholesale 
removals  from  office  of  those  who  were  not 
the  supporters  of  his  administration.  Upon 
this  question  he  was  brought  into  direct  col- 
lision with  Henry  Clay.  In  the  discussion 
of  the  question  respecting  the  admission  of 
Michigan  and  Arkansas  into  the  Union,  Mr. 
Buchanan  defined  his  position  by  saying: 

"  The  older  I  grow,  the  more  I  am  in- 
clined to  be  what  is  called  a  State-rights 
man." 

M.  de  Tocqueville,  in  his  renowned  work 
upon  "  Democracy  in  America,"  foresaw 
the  trouble  which  was  inevitable  from  the 
doctrine  of  State  sovereignty  as  held  by 
Calhoun  and  Buchanan.  He  was  con- 
vinced that  the  National  Government  was 
losing  that  strength  which  was  essential 
to  its  own  existence,  and  that  the  States 
were  assuming  powers  which  threatened 
the  perpetuity  of  the  Union.  Mr.  Buchanan 
received  the  book  in  the  Senate  and  de- 
clared the  fears  of  De  Tocqueville  to  be 
groundless,  and  yet  he  lived  to  sit  in  the 
Presidential  chair  and  see  State  after  State, 
in  accordance  with  his  own  views  of  State 


rights,  breaking  from  the  Union,  thus 
crumbling  our  RepubHc  into  ruins;  while 
the  unhappy  old  man  folded  his  arms  in 
despair,  declaring  that  the  National  Consti- 
tution invested  him  with  no  power  to  arrest 
the  destruction. 

Upon  Mr.  Polk's  accession  to  the  Presi- 
dency, Mr.  Buchanan  became  Secretary  of 
State,  and  as  such  took  his  share  of  the 
responsibility  in  the  conduct  of  the  Mexi- 
can war.  At  the  close  of  Mr.  Polk's  ad- 
ministration, Mr.  Buchanan  retired  to  pri- 
vate life;  but  his  intelligence,  and  his  great 
ability  as  a  statesman,  enabled  him  to  exert 
a  powerful  influence  in  National  affairs. 

Mr.  Pierce,  upon  his  election  to  the 
Presidency,  honored  Mr.  Buchanan  with 
the  mission  to  England.  In  the  year  1856 
the  National  Democratic  convention  nomi- 
nated Mr.  Buchanan  for  the  Presidency. 
The  political  conflict  was  one  of  the  most 
severe  in  which  our  country  has  ever  en- 
gaged. On  the  4th  of  March,  1857,  Mr. 
Buchanan  was  inaugurated  President.  His 
cabinet  were  Lewis  Cass,  Howell  Cobb, 
J.  B.  Floyd,  Isaac  Toucey,  Jacob  Thomp- 
son,  A.  V.  Brown  and   J.   S.  Black. 

The  disruption  of  the  Democratic  party, 
in  consequence  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
issue  of  the  nationality  of  slavery  was 
pressed  by  the  Southern  wing,  occurred  at 
the  National  convention,  held  at  Charleston 
in  April,  i860,  for  the  nomination  of  Mr. 
Buchanan's  successor,  when  the  majority 
of  Southern  delegates  withdrew  upon  the 
passage  of  a  resolution  declaring  that  the 
constitutional  status  of  slavery  should  be 
determined  by  the  Supreme  Court. 

In  the  next  Presidential  canvass  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  was  nominated  by  the  oppo- 
nents of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration. 
Mr.  Buchanan  remained  in  Washington 
long  enough  to  see  his  successor  installed 
and  then  retired  to  his  home  in  Wheatland. 
He  died  June  i,  1868,  aged  seventy-seven 
years. 


1 


PRESIDENTS     OF     THE     UNITED    STATES. 


IL 


BRAHAM  LIN- 
■'i^  COLN,  the  sixteenth 
-r  President  of  the 
United  States,  i86i-'5, 
_^  ,  was  born  February 
J^ir^n^j]^  12,  1S09,  in  Larue 
^■i^  (then  Hardin)  County, 
Kentuck)',  in  a  cabin  on  Nolan 
Creek,  three  miles  west  of 
Hudgensville.  His  parents 
\\  ere  Thomas  and  Nancy 
(Hanks)  Lincoln.  Of  his  an- 
cestry and  early  years  the  little 
that  is  known  may  best  be 
given  in  his  own  language :  "  M}- 
parents  were  both  born  in  Virginia,  of  un- 
distinguished families — second  families,  per- 
haps I  should  say.  M}'  mother,  who  died 
in  my  tenth  year,  was  of  a  family  of  the 
name  of  Hanks,  some  of  whom  now  remain 
in  Adams,  and  others  in  Macon  County, 
Illinois.  My  paternal  grandfather,  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  emigrated  from  Rockbridge 
County,  Virginia,  to  Kentucky  in  1781  or 
1782,  where,  a  year  or  two  later,  he  was 
killed  by  Indians — not  in  battle,  but  by 
stealth,  when  he  was  laboring  to  open  a 
farm  in  the  forest.  His  ancestors,  who  were 
Quakers,  went  to  Virginia  from  Berks 
County,  Pennsylvania.     An  effort  to  iden- 


tify them  with  the  New  England  family  of 
the  same  name  ended  in  nothing  more  defi- 
nite than  a  similarity  of  Christian  names  in 
both  families,  such  as  Enoch,  Levi,  Mor- 
decai,  Solomon,  Abraham  and  the  like. 
My  father,  at  the  death  of  his  father,  was 
but  six  years  of  age,  and  he  grew  up,  liter- 
ally, without  education.  He  removed  from 
Kentuck}'  to  what  is  now  Spencer  County, 
Indiana,  in  my  eighth  year.  We  reached 
our  new  home  about  the  time  the  State  came 
into  the  Union.  It  was  a  wild  region,  with 
bears  and  other  wild  animals  still  in  the 
woods.     There  I  grew  to  manhood. 

"  There  were  some  schools,  so  called,  but 
no  qualification  was  ever  i-equired  of  a 
teacher  beyond  '  readin',  writin',  and  cipher- 
in'  to  the  rule  of  three.'  If  a  straggler,  sup- 
posed to  understand  Latin,  happened  to 
sojourn  in  the  neighborhood,  he  was  looked 
upon  as  a  wizard.  There  was  absolutely 
nothing  to  excite  ambition  for  education. 
Of  course,  when  I  came  of  age  I  did  not 
know  much.  Still,  somehow,  I  could  read, 
write  and  cipher  to  the  rule  of  three,  and 
that  was  all.  I  have  not  been  to  school 
since.  The  little  advance  I  now  have  upon 
this  store  of  education  I  have  picked  up 
from  time  to  time  under  the  pressure  of 
necessity.    I  was  raised  to  farm-work,  which 


/^. 


U"       /r^-^-c- ^r-'^       e>H 


g/y^6<>-^^  cct^^ 


ABRAHAM    LINCOLN. 


I  continued  till  I  was  twenty-two.  At 
twent3'-one  I  came  to  Illinois  and  passed 
the  first  year  in  Macon  County.  Then  I  got 
to  New  Salem,  at  that  time  in  Sangamon, 
now  in  Menard  County,  where  I  remained 
a  year  as  a  sort  of  clerk  in  a  store. 

"  Then  came  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  I 
was  elected  a  Captain  of  volunteers — a  suc- 
cess which  gave  me  more  pleasure  than  any 
I  have  had  since.  I  went  the  campaign, 
was  elated ;  ran  for  the  Legislature  the 
same  year  (1832)  and  was  beaten,  the  only 
time  I  have  ever  been  beaten  by  the  people. 
The  next  and  three  succeeding  biennial 
elections  I  was  elected  to  the  Legislature, 
and  was  never  a  candidate  afterward. 

"  During  this  legislative  period  I  had 
studied  law,  and  removed  to  Springfield  to 
practice  it.  In  1846  I  was  elected  to  the 
Lower  House  of  Congress ;  was  not  a  can- 
didate for  re-election.  From  1849  to  1854, 
inclusive,  I  practiced  the  law  more  assid- 
uously than  ever  before.  Always  a  Whig 
in  politics,  and  generally  on  the  Whig  elec- 
toral tickets,  making  active  canvasses,  I  was 
losing  interest  in  politics,  when  the  repeal 
of  the  Missouri  Compromise  roused  me 
again.  What  I  have  done  since  is  pretty 
well  known." 

The  early  residence  of  Lincoln  in  Indi- 
ana was  sixteen  miles  north  of  the  Ohio 
River,  dn  Little  Pigeon  Creek,  one  and  a 
half  miles  east  of  Gentryville,  within  the 
present  township  of  Carter.  Here  his 
mother  died  October  5,  181 8,  and  the  next 
year  his  father  married  Mrs.  Sally  (Bush) 
Johnston,  of  Elizabethtown,  Kentucky.  She 
was  an  affectionate  foster-parent,  to  whom 
Abraham  was  indebted  for  his  first  encour- 
agement to  stud}'.  He  became  an  eager 
reader,  and  the  few  books  owned  in  the 
vicinity  were  many  times  perused.  He 
worked  frequently  for  the  neighbors  as  a 
farm  laborer ;  was  for  some  time  clerk  in  a 
store  at  Gentryville ;  and  became  famous 
throughout   that    region    for    his   athletic 


powers,  his  fondness  for  argument,  his  in- 
exhaustible fund  of  humerous  anecdote,  as 
well  as  for  mock  oratory  and  the  composi- 
tion of  rude  satirical  verses.  In  1828  he 
made  a  trading  voyage  to  New  Orleans  as 
"  bow-hand  "  on  a  flatboat ;  removed  to 
Illinois  in  1830;  helped  his  father  build  a 
log  house  and  clear  a  farm  on  the  north 
fork  of  Sangamon  River,  ten  miles  west  of 
Decatur,  and  was  for  some  time  employed 
in  splitting  rails  for  the  fences — a  fact  which 
was  prominentl}'  brought  forward  for  a 
political  purpose  thirty  years  later. 

In  the  spring  of  185 1  he,  with  two  of  his 
relatives,  was  hired  to  build  a  flatboat  on 
the  Sangamon  River  and  navigate  it  to 
New  Orleans.  The  boat  "stuck"  on  a 
mill-dam,  and  was  got  off  with  great  labor 
through  an  ingenious  mechanical  device 
which  some  years  later  led  to  Lincoln's 
taking  out  a  patent  for  "an  improved 
method  for  lifting  vessels  over  shoals." 
This  voyage  was  memorable  for  another 
reason — the  sight  of  slaves  chained,  mal- 
treated and  flogged  at  New  Orleans  was 
the  origin  of  his  deep  convictions  upon  the 
slavery  question. 

Returning  from  this  voyage  he  became  a 
resident  for  several  years  at  New  Salem,  a 
recently  settled  village  on  the  Sangamon, 
where  he  was  successively  a  clerk,  grocer, 
surveyor  and  postmaster,  and  acted  as  pilot 
to  the  first  steamboat  that  ascended  the 
Sangamon.  Here  he  studied  law,  inter- 
ested himself  in  local  politics  after  his 
return  from  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and 
became  known  as  an  effective  "  stump- 
speaker."  The  subject  of  his  first  political 
speech  was  the  improvement  of  the  channel 
of  the  Sangamon,  and  the  chief  ground  on 
which  he  announced  himself  (1832)  a  candi- 
date for  the  Legislature  was  his  advocacy 
of  this  popular  measure,  on  which  subject 
his  practical  experience  made  him  the  high- 
est authority. 

Elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1834  as  a 


11^ 


s^ 


PRES/DEXTS     OF     THE     UNITED    STATES. 


"  Henry  Clay  Whig,"  he  rapidly  acquired 
that  command  of  language  and  that  homely 
but  forcible  rhetoric  which,  added  to  his 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  people  from 
which  he  sprang,  made  him  more  than  a 
match  in  debate  for  his  few  well-educated 
opponents. 

Admitted  to  the  bar  in  1837  he  soon 
established  himself  at  Springfield,  where 
the  State  capital  was  located  in  1839, 
largely  through  his  influence;  became  a 
successful  pleader  in  the  State,  Circuit  and 
District  Courts;  married  in  1842  a  lady  be- 
longing to  a  prominent  family  in  Lexington, 
Kentucky;  took  an  active  part  in  the  Pres- 
idential campaigns  of  1840  and  1844  as 
candidate  for  elector  on  the  Harrison  and 
Clay  tickets,  and  in  1846  was  elected  to  the 
United  States  House  of  Representatives 
over  the  celebrated  Peter  Cartwright. 
During  his  single  term  in  Congress  he  did 
not  attain  any  prominence. 

He  voted  for  the  reception  of  anti-slavery 
petitions  for  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade 
in  the  District  of  Columbia  and  for  the 
Wilmot  proviso;  but  was  chiefly  remem- 
bered for  the  stand  he  took  against  the 
Mexican  war.  For  several  years  there- 
after he  took  comparatively  little  interest 
in  politics,  but  gained  aleading  position  at 
the  Springfield  bar.  Two  or  three  non- 
political  lectures  and  an  eulog}'^  on  Henry 
Clay  (1852)  added  nothing  to  his  reputation. 

In  1854  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri 
Compromise  by  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act 
aroused  Lincoln  from  his  indifference,  and 
in  attacking  that  measure  he  had  the  im- 
mense advantage  of  knowing  perfectly  well 
the  motives  and  the  record  of  its  author, 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  of  Illinois,  then  popu- 
larly designated  as  the  "  Little  Giant."  The 
latter  came  to  Springfield  in  October,  1854, 
on  the  occasion  of  the  State  Fair,  to  vindi- 
cate his  policy  in  the  Senate,  and  the  "  Anti- 
Nebraska"  Whigs,  remembering  that  Lin- 
coln had  often  measured  his  strength  with 


Douglas  in  the  Illinois  Legislature  and  be- 
fore the  Springfield  Courts,  engaged  him 
to  improvise  a  reply.  This  speech,  in  the 
opinion  of  those  who  heard  it,  was  one  of 
the  greatest  efforts  of  Lincoln's  life ;  cer- 
tainly the  most  effective  in  his  whole  career. 
It  took  the  audience  by  storm,  and  from 
that  moment  it  was  felt  that  Douglas  had 
met  his  match.  Lincoln  was  accordingly 
selected  as  the  Anti-Nebraska  candidate  for 
the  United  States  Senate  in  place  of  General 
Shields,  whose  term  expired  March  4,  1855, 
and  led  to  several  ballots;  but  Trumbull 
was  ultimately  chosen. 

The  second  conflict  on  the  soil  of  Kan- 
sas, which  Lincoln  had  predicted,  soon  be- 
gan. The  result  was  the  disruption  of  the 
Whig  and  the  formation  of  the  Republican 
party.  At  the  Bloomington  State  Conven- 
tion in  1856,  where  the  new  party  first 
assumed  form  in  Illinois,  Lincoln  made  an 
impressive  address,  in  which  for  the  first 
time  he  took  distinctive  ground  against 
slavery  in  itself. 

At  the  National  Republican  Convention 
at  Philadelphia,  June  17,  after  the  nomi- 
nation of  Fremont,  Lincoln  was  put  for- 
ward by  the  Illinois  delegation  for  the 
Vice-Presidency,  and  received  on  the  first 
ballot  no  votes  against  259  for  William  L. 
Dayton.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  the 
canvass,  being  on  the  electoral  ticket. 

In  1858  Lincoln  was  unanimously  nomi- 
nated by  the  Repubhcan  State  Convention 
as  its  candidate  for  the  United  States  Senate 
in  place  of  Douglas,  and  in  his  speech  of 
acceptance  used  the  celebrated  illustration 
of  a  "house  divided  against  itself"  on  the 
slavery  question,  v.hich  was,  perhaps,  the 
cause  of  his  defeat.  The  great  debate  car- 
ried on  at  all  the  principal  towns  of  Illinois 
between  Lincoln  and  Douglas  as  rival  Sena- 
torial candidates  resulted  at  the  time  in  the 
election  of  the  latter ;  but  being  widely  cij- 
culated  as  a  campaign  document,  it  fixed 
the    attention   of    the    country    upon    the 


ABRAHAM    LINCOLN. 


former,  as  the  clearest  and  most  convinc- 
ing exponent  of  Republican  doctrine. 

Early  in  1S59  he  began  to  be  named  in 
lUinois  as  a  suitable  Republican  candidate 
for  the  Presidential  campaign  of  the  ensu- 
ing year,  and  a  political  address  delivered 
at  the  Cooper  Institute,  New  York,  Febru- 
ary 27,  i860,  followed  by  similar  speeches 
at  New  Haven,  Hartford  and  elsewhere  in 
New  England,  first  made  him  known  to  the 
Eastern  States  in  the  light  by  which  he  had 
long  been  regarded  at  home.  By  the  Re- 
publican State  Convention,  which  met  at 
Decatur,  Illinois,  May  9  and  10,  Lincoln 
was  unanimously  endorsed  for  the  Presi- 
dency. It  was  on  this  occasion  that  two 
rails,  said  to  have  been  split  by  his  hands 
thirty  years  before,  were  brought  into  the 
convention,  and  the  incident  contributed 
much  to  his  popularity.  The  National 
Republican  Convention  at  Chicago,  after 
spirited  efforts  made  in  favor  of  Seward, 
Chase  and  Bates,  nominated  Lincoln  for 
the  Presidency,  with  Hannibal  Hamlin 
for  Vice-President,  at  the  same  time  adopt- 
ing a  vigorous  anti-slavery  platform. 

The  Democratic  party  having  been  dis- 
organized and  presenting  two  candidates, 
Douglas  and  Breckenridge,  and  the  rem- 
nant of  the  "  American"  party  having  put 
forward  John  Bell,  of  Tennessee,  the  Re- 
pubhcan  victory  was  an  easy  one,  Lincoln 
being  elected  November  6  by  a  large  plu- 
rality, comprehending  nearly  all  the  North- 
ern States,  but  none  of  the  Southern.  The 
secession  of  South  Carolina  and  the  Gulf 
States  was  the  immediate  result,  followed 
a  few  months  later  by  that  of  the  border 
slave  States  and  the  outbreak  of  the  great 
civil  war. 

Tlie  life  of  Abraham  Lincoln  became 
thenceforth  merged  in  the  history  of  his 
country.  None  of  the  details  of  the  vast 
conflict  which  filled  the  remainder  of  Lin- 
coln's life  can  here  be  given.  Narrowly 
escaping  assassination   bj'  avoiding  Balti- 


more on  his  way  to  the  capital,  he  reached 
Washington  February  23,  and  was  inaugu- 
rated President  of  the  United  States  March 
4,  1861. 

In  his  inaugural  address  he  said:  "  I  hold, 
that  in  contemplation  of  universal  law  and 
the  Constitution  the  Union  of  these  States  is 
perpetual.  Perpetuity  is  implied  if  not  ex- 
pressed in  the  fundamental  laws  of  all  na- 
tional governments.  It  is  safe  to  assert 
that  no  government  proper  ever  had  a  pro- 
vision in  its  organic  law  for  its  own  termi- 
nation. I  therefore  consider  that  in  view 
of  the  Constitution  and  the  laws,  the  Union 
is  unbroken,  and  to  the  extent  of  my  ability 
I  shall  take  care,  as  the  Constitution  en- 
joins upon  me,  that  the  laws  of  the  United 
States  be  extended  in  all  the  States.  In 
doing  this  there  need  be  no  bloodshed  or  vio- 
lence, and  there  shall  be  none  unless  it  be 
forced  upon  the  national  authority.  The 
power  conferred  to  me  will  be  used  to  hold, 
occupy  and  possess  the  property  and  places 
belonging  to  the  Government,  and  to  col- 
lect the  duties  and  imports,  but  beyond 
what  may  be  necessary  for  these  objects 
there  will  be  no  invasion,  no  using  of  force 
against  or  among  the  people  anywhere.  In 
your  hands,  my  dissatisfied  fellow-country- 
men, is  the  momentous  issue  of  civil  war. 
The  Government  will  not  assail  you.  You 
can  have  no  conflict  without  being  your- 
selves the  aggressors.  You  have  no  oath 
registered  in  heaven  to  destroy  the  Gov- 
ernment, while  I  shall  have  the  most  sol- 
emn one  to  preserve,  protect  and  defend 
it." 

He  called  to  his  cabinet  his  principal 
rivals  for  the  Presidential  nomination  — 
Seward,  Chase,  Cameron  and  Bates;  se- 
cured the  co-operation  of  the  Union  Demo- 
crats, headed  by  Douglas;  called  out  75,000 
militia  from  the  several  States  upon  the  fust 
tidings  of  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter, 
April  15;  proclaimed  a  blockade  of  the 
Southern  posts  April   19;  called  an  extra 


session  of  Congress  for  July  4,  from  which 
he  asked  and  obtained  400,000  men  and 
$400,000,000  for  the  war;  placed  McCIellan 
at  the  head  of  the  Federal  army  on  General 
Scott's  resignation,  October  31;  appointed 
Edwin  M.  Stanton  Secretary  of  War,  Jan- 
uary 14,  1862,  and  September  22,  1862, 
issued  a  proclamation  declaring  the  free- 
dom of  all  slaves  in  the  States  and  parts  of 
States  then  in  rebellion  from  and  after 
January  i.  1863.  This  was  the  crowning 
act  of  Lincoln's  career — the  act  by  which 
he  will  be  chiefly  known  through  all  future 
time — and  it  decided  the  war. 


Johnson  assumed  the  Presidency,  and  active 
measures  were  taken  which  resulted  in  the . 
death  of  Booth  and  the  execution  of  his 
principal  accomplices. 

The  funeral  of  President  Lincoln  was 
conducted  with  unexampled  solemnity  and  * 
magnificence.  Impressive  services  were 
held  in  Washington,  after  which  the  sad 
procession  proceeded  over  the  same  route 
he  had  traveled  four  years  before,  from 
Springfield  to  Washington.  In  Philadel- 
phia his  body  lay  in  state  in  Independence 
Hall,  in  which  he  had  declared  before  his 
first  inauguration   "  that  I  would  sooner  be 


October  16, 1863,  President  Lincoln  called  ;  assassinated  than  to  give  up  the  principles 
for   300,000   volunteers    to    replace    those     ot  the  Declaration  of  Independence."     He 


whose  term  of  enlistment  had  expired ; 
made  a  celebrated  and  touching,  though 
brief,  address  at  the  dedication  of  the 
Gettysburg  military  cemetery,  November 
19,  1863;  commissioned  Ulysses  S.  Grant 
Lieutenant-General  and  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States, 
March  9,  1864;  was  re-elected  President  in 
November  of  the  same  year,  by  a  large 
majority  over  General  McCIellan,  with 
Andrew  Johnson,  of  Tennessee,  as  Vice- 
President;  delivered  a  very  remarkable  ad- 
dress at  his  second  inauguration,  March  4, 
1865;  visited  the  army  before  Richmond  the 
Game  month;  entered  the  capital  of  the  Con- 
federacy the  day  after  its  fall,  and  upon  the 
surrender  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee's  army, 
April  9,  was  actively  engaged  in  devising 
generous  plans  for  the  reconstruction  of  the 
Union,  when,  on  the  evening  of  Good  Fri- 
day, April  14,  he  was  shot  in  his  box  at 
Ford's  Theatre,  Washington,  byJohnWilkcs 
Booth,  a  fanatical  actor,  and  expired  early 
on  the  following  morning,  April  15.  Al- 
most simultaneously  a  murderous  attack 
was  made  upon  William  H.  Seward,  Secre- 
tary of  State. 

At  noon  on  the  15  th  of  April  Andrew 


was  buried  at  Oak  Ridge  Cemetery,  near 
Springfield,  Illinois,  on  May  4,  where  a 
monument  emblematic  of  the  emancipation 
of  the  slaves  and  the  restoration  of  the 
Union  mark  his  resting  place. 

The  leaders  and  citizens  of  the  expiring 
Confederacy  expressed  genuine  indignation 
at  the  murder  of  a  generous  political  adver- 
sar)'.  Foreign  nations  took  part  in  mourn- 
ing the  death  of  a  statesman  who  had  proved 
himself  a  true  representative  of  American 
nationality.  The  freedmen  of  the  Soutib 
almost  worshiped  the  memorj-  of  their  de- 
liverer; and  the  general  sentiment  of  the 
great  Nation  he  had  saved  awarded  him  a 
place  in  its  affections,  second  only  to  that 
held  by  Washington. 

The  characteristics  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
have  been  familiarly  known  throughout  the 
civilized  world.  His  tall,  gaunt,  ungainly 
figure,  homely  countenance,  and  his  shrewd 
mother-wit,  shown  in  his  celebrated  con- 
versations overflowing  in  humorous  and 
pointed  anecdote,  combined  with  an  accu- 
rate, intuitive  appreciation  of  the  questions 
of  the  time,  are  recognized  as  forming  the 
best  type  of  a  period  of  American  history 
now  rapidly  passing  away. 


»-■,■  J^--,"  Jii_ii_  Jjaa  a 


'y^K£.,C.^i^- 


^^/J^yt^ 


ANDREW     JOHNSON. 


P*^ 


^;s&'-S;S^'->^NDREW  JOHNSON, 

-  '  the  seventeenth  Presi- 
1^  ,  ^  dent  of  the  United 
^^                         «"     States,    1865-9,    '^^'''S 

—  b  o  r  n  at  R  a  1  c  i  g  h  , 
rr^'  ^  North  Carolina,  De- 
'-*     ^^     c  ember  29,    1808. 

His  father  died  when 
he  was  four  yeais  old,  and  in 
his  eleventh  year  he    was  ap- 
pi  enticed  to  a  tailor.     He  nev- 
ci    attended   school,    and    did 
not  learn  to  read   until  late  in 
his   apprenticeship,    when    he 
W     suddenly  acquired  a  passion  for 
obtaining  knowledge,  and  devoted 
all  his  spare  time  to  reading. 

After  working  two  years  as  a  journe}-- 
man  tailor  at  Lauren's  Court-House,  South 
Carolina,  he  removed,  in  1826,  to  Green- 
ville, Tennessee,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  and  married.  Under  his  wife's  in- 
structions he  made  rapid  progress  in  his 
education,  and  manifested  such  an  intelli- 
gent interest  in  local  politics  as  to  be 
elected  as  "  workingmen's  candidate  ','  al- 
derman, in  1828,  and  mayor  in  1830,  being 
twice  re-elected  to  each  office. 

During  this  period  he  cultivated  his  tal- 
ents as  a  public  speaker  by  taking  part  in  a 


debating  society,  consisting  largely  of  stu- 
dents of  Greenville  College.  In  1835,  and 
again  in  1839,  ^e  was  chosen  to  the  lower 
house  of  the  Legislature,  as  a  Democrat. 
In  1 841  he  was  elected  State  Senator,  and 
in  1843,  Representative  in  Congress,  being 
re-elected  four  successive  periods,  until 
1853,  when  he  was  chosen  Governor  of 
Tennessee.  In  Congress  he  supported  the 
administrations  of  Tyler  and  Polk  in  their 
chief  measures,  especially  the  annexation 
of  Texas,  the  adjustment  of  the  Oregon 
boundary,  the  Mexican  war,  and  the  tariff 
of  1846. 

In  1855  Mr.  Johnson  was  reelected  Gov- 
ernor, and  in  1857  entered  the  United 
States  Senate,  where  he  was  conspicuous 
as  an  advocate  of  retrenchment  and  of  the 
Homestead  bill,  and  as  an  opponent  of  the 
Pacific  Railroad.  He  was  supported  by  the 
Tennessee  delegation  to  the  Democratic 
convention  in  i860  for  the  Presidential 
nomination,  and  lent  his  influence  to  the 
Breckenridge  wing  of  that  party. 

When  the  election  of  Lincoln  had 
brought  about  the  first  attempt  at  secession 
in  December,  i860,  Johnson  took  in  the 
Senate  a  firm  attitude  for  the  Union,  and 
in  Ma}^,  1861,  on  returning  to  Tennessee, 
he  was  in  imminent  peril  of  suffering  from 


lii 


s 


m 


popular  violence  for  his  loyalty  to  the  "  old 
fiag."  He  was  the  leader  of  the  Loyalists' 
convention  of  East  Tennessee,  and  during 
the  following  winter  was  very  active  in  or- 
ganizing relief  for  the  destitute  loyal  refu- 
gees from  that  region,  his  own  family  being 
among  those  compelled  to  leave. 

By  his  course  in  this  crisis  Johnson  came 
prominently  before  the  Northern  public, 
and  when  in  iS'Iarch,  1862,  he  was  appointed 
by  President  Lincoln  military  Governor  of 
Tennessee,  with  the  rank  of  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral, he  increased  in  popularity  by  the  vig- 
orous and  successful  manner  in  which  he 
labored  to  restore  order,  protect  Union 
men  and  punish  marauders.  On  the  ap- 
proach of  the  Presidential  campaign  of  1864, 
the  termination  of  the  war  being  plainly 
foreseen,  and  several  Southern  States  being 
partially  reconstructed,  it  was  felt  that  the 
Vice-Presidency  should  be  given  to  a  South- 
ern man  of  conspicuous  loyalty,  and  Gov- 
ernor Johnson  was  elected  on  the  same 
platform  and  ticket  as  President  Lincoln; 
and  on  the  assassination  of  the  latter  suc- 
ceeded to  the  Presidency,  April  15,  1865. 
In  a  public  speech  two  days  later  he  said: 
"  The  American  people  must  be  taught,  if 
they  do  not  already  feel,  that  treason  is  a 
crime  and  must  be  punished;  that  the  Gov- 
ernment will  not  always  bear  with  its  ene- 
mies; that  it  is  strong,  not  onl}-  to  protect, 
but  to  punish.  In  our  peaceful  history 
treason  has  been  almost  unknown.  The 
people  must  understand  that  it  is  the  black- 
est of  crimes,  and  will  be  punished."  He 
then  added  the  ominous  sentence:  "  In  re- 
gard to  my  future  course,  I  make  no  prom- 
ises, no  pledges."  President  Johnson  re- 
tained the  cabinet  of  Lincoln,  and  exhibited 
considerable  severity  toward  traitors  in  his 
earlier  acts  and  speeches,  but  he  soon  inaug- 
urated a  policy  of  reconstruction,  proclaim- 
ing a  general  amnesty  to  the  late  Confeder- 
ates, and  successively  establishing  provis- 
ional Governments  in  the  Southern  States. 


These  States  accordingly  claimed  represen- 
tation in  Congress  in  the  following  Decem- 
ber, and  the  momentous  question  of  what 
should  be  the  policy  of  the  victorious  Union 
toward  its  late  armed  opponents  was  forced 
upon  that  body. 

Two  considerations  impelled  the  Repub- 
lican majority  to  reject  the  pohcy  of  Presi. 
dent  Johnson:  First,  an  apprehension  that 
the  chief  magistrate  intended  to  undo  the  re- 
sults of  the  war  in  regard  to  slavery;  and,sec- 
ond,  the  sullen  attitude  of  the  South,  which 
seemed  to  be  plotting  to  regain  the  policy 
which  arms  had  lost.  The  credentials  of  the 
Southern  members  elect  were  laid  on  the 
table,  a  civil  rights  bill  and  a  bill  extending 
the  sphere  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  were 
passed  over  the  executive  veto,  and  the  two 
highest  branches  of  the  Government  were 
soon  in  open  antagonism.  The  action  of 
Congress  was  characterized  by  the  Presi- 
dent as  a  "  new  rebellion."  In  July  the 
cabinet  was  reconstructed,  Messrs.  Randall, 
Stanbury  and  Browning  taking  the  places 
of  Messrs.  Denison,  Speed  and  Harlan,  and 
an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  by 
means  of  a  general  convention  in  Philadel- 
phia to  form  a  new  party  on  the  basis  of  the 
administration  policy. 

In  an  excursion  to  Chicago  for  the  pur- 
pose of  laying  a  corner-stone  of  the  monu- 
ment to  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  President 
Johnson,  accompanied  by  several  members 
of  the  cabinet,  passed  through  Philadelphia, 
New  York  and  Alban}',  in  each  of  which 
cities,  and  in  other  places  along  the  route, 
he  made  speeches  justifying  and  explaining 
his  own  policy,  and  violently  denouncing 
the  action  of  Congress. 

August  12,  1867,  President  Johnson  re- 
moved the  Secretary  of  War,  replacing 
him  by  General  Grant.  Secretary  Stanton 
retired  under  protest,  based  upon  the  ten- 
ure-of-office  act  which  had  been  passed  the 
preceding  March.  The  President  then  is- 
sued a  proclamation  declaring  the  insurrec- 


ANDREW    JOHNSON. 


tion  at  an  end,  and  that  "  peace,  order,  tran- 
quility and  civil  authority  existed  in  and 
throughout  the  United  States."  Another 
proclamation  enjoined  obedience  to  the 
Constitution  and  the  laws,  and  an  amnesty 
was  published  September  7,  relieving  nearly 
all  the  participants  in  the  late  Rebellion 
from  the  disabilities  thereby  incurred,  on 
condition  of  taking  the  oath  to  support  the 
Constitution  and  the  laws. 

In  December  Congress  refused  to  confirm 
the  removal  of  Secretary  Stanton,  who 
thereupon  resumed  the  exercise  of  his  of- 
fice; but  February  21,  1868,  President 
Johnson  again  attempted  to  remove  him, 
appointing  General  Lorenzo  Thomas  in  his 
place.  Stanton  refused  to  vacate  his  post, 
and  was  sustained  by  the  Senate. 

February  24  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives voted  to  impeach  the  President  for 
"  high  crime  and  misdemeanors,"  and  March 
5  presented  eleven  articles  of  impeachment 
on  the  ground  of  his  resistance  to  the  exe- 
cution of  the  acts  of  Congress,  alleging,  in 
addition  to  the  offense  lately  committed, 
his  public  expressions  of  contempt  for  Con- 
gress, in  "  certain  intemperate,  inflamma- 
tory and  scandalous  harangues"  pronounced 
in  August  and  September,  1866,  and  there- 
after declaring  that  the  Thirty-ninth  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States  was  not  a 
competent  legislative  body,  and  denying 
its  power  to  propose  Constitutional  amend- 
ments. March  23  the  impeachment  trial 
began,  the  President  appearing  by  counsel, 
and  resulted  in  acquittal,  the  vote  lacking 


one  of  the  two-thirds  vote  required  for 
conviction. 

The  remainder  of  President  Johnson's, 
term  of  office  was  passed  without  any  such 
conflicts  as  might  have  been  anticipated. 
He  failed  to  obtain  a  nomination  for  re- 
election by  the  Democratic  party,  though 
receiving  sixty-five  votes  on  the  first  ballot. 
July  4  and  December  25  new  proclamations 
of  pardon  to  the  participants  in  the  late 
Rebellion  were  issued,  but  were  of  little 
effect.  On  the  accession  of  General  Grant 
to  the  Presidency,  March  4,  1869,  Johnson 
returned  to  Greenville,  Tennessee.  Unsuc- 
cessful in  1870  and  1872  as  a  candidate  re- 
spectively for  United  States  Senator  and 
Representative,  he  was  finally  elected  to  the 
Senate  in  1875,  and  took  his  seat  in  the  extra 
session  of  March,  in  which  his  speeches 
were  comparatively  temperate.  He  died 
July  31,  1875,  and  was  buried  at  Green- 
ville. 

President  Johnson's  administration  was  a 
peculiarly  unfortunate  one.  That  he  should 
so  soon  become  involved  i«  bitter  feud  with 
the  Republican  majority  in  Congress  was 
certainly  a  surprising  and  deplorable  inci- 
dent; yet,  in  reviewing  the  circumstances 
after  a  lapse  of  so  many  years,  it  is  easy  to 
find  ample  room  for  a  charitable  judgment 
of  both  the  parties  in  the  heated  contro- 
versy, since  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  any 
President,  even  Lincoln  himself,  had  he 
lived,  must  have  sacrificed  a  large  portion 
of  his  popularity  in  carrying  out  any  pos- 
sible scheme  of  reconstruction. 


!ar^ 


PRESIDENTS     OF     THE     UNI  TED    STATES. 


iii^iiii^iaii«» 


I 


'■«^^*:r-i«i^^j*^-^>^^ 


<M4«»S'i-#»i«S-'#<S*'##i^i^i^ 


I-^'^^'L^SSES  SIMPSON 
GRANT,  the  eight- 
eenth President  of  the 
United  States,  iSeg-';/, 
^\  as  born  April  27,  1822, 
at  Point  Pleasant, 
^  Clermont  County, 
His  father  was  of  Scotch 


descent,  and  a  dealer  in  leather. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  en- 
tered the  Military  Academy  at 
West  Point,  and  four  years  later 
graduated  twenty -first  in  a  class 
of  thirty-nine,  receiving  the 
commission  of  Brevet  Second 
Lieutenant.  He  was  assigned 
to  the  Fourth  Infantry  and  re- 
mained in  the  army  eleven  years.  He  was 
engaged  in  every  battle  of  the  Mexican  war 
except  that  of  Buena  Vista,  and  received 
two  brevets  for  gallantry. 

In  1848  Mr.  Grant  married  Julia,daughter 
of  Frederick  Dent,  a  prominent  merchant  of 
St.  Louis,  and  in  1854,  having  reached  the 
grade  of  Captain,  he  resigned  his  commis- 
sion in  the  army.  For  several  years  he  fol- 
lowed farming  near  St.  Louis,  but  unsuc- 
cessfully ;  and  in  i860  he  entered  the  leather 
trade  with  his  father  at  Galena,  Illinois. 

When  the  civil  war  broke  out  in  1861, 
Grant  was  thirty-nine  years  of  age,  but  en- 
tirely unknown  to  pubUc  men  and  without 


any  personal  acquaintance  with  great  affairs. 
President  Lincoln's  first  call  for  troops  was 
made  on  the  15th  of  April,  and  on  the  19th 
Grant  was  drilling  a  company  of  volunteers 
at  Galena.  He  also  offered  his  services  to 
the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  but  re- 
ceived no  reply.  The  Governor  of  Illinois, 
however,  employed  him  in  the  organization 
of  volunteer  troops,  and  at  the  end  of  five 
weeks  he  was  appointed  Colonel  of  the 
Twenty-first  Infantry.  He  took  command 
of  his  regiment  in  June,  and  reported  first 
to  General  Pope  in  Missouri.  His  superior 
knowledge  of  military  life  rather  surprised 
his  superior  officers,  who  had  never  before 
even  heard  of  him,  and  they  were  thus  led 
to  place  him  on  the  road  to  rapid  advance- 
ment. August  7  he  was  commissioned  a 
Brigadier-General  of  volunteers,  the  ap- 
pointment having  been  made  without  his 
knowledge.  He  had  been  unanimously 
recommended  by  the  Congressmen  from 
Illinois,  not  one  of  whom  had  been  his 
personal  acquaintance.  For  a  few  weeks 
he  was  occupied  in  watching  the  move- 
ments of  partisan  forces  in  Missouri. 

September  i  he  was  placed  in  command 
of  the  District  of  Southeast  Missouri,  with 
headquarters  at  Cairo,  and  on  the  6th,  with- 
out orders,  he  seized  Paducah,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Tennessee  River,  and  commanding 
the  navigation  both  of  that  stream  and  of 


g^ig^PS»~a^a' ■«■—■-■'■■'' 


C/LrSSES    S.    GRANT. 


the  Ohio.  This  stroke  secured  Kentucky 
to  the  Union ;  for  the  State  Legislature, 
which  had  until  then  affected  to  be  neutral, 
at  once  declared  in  favor  of  the  Govern- 
ment. In  November  following,  according 
to  orders,  he  made  a  demonstration  about 
eighteen  miles  below  Cairo,  preventing  the 
crossing  of  hostile  troops  into  Missouri ; 
but  in  order  to  accomplish  this  purpose  he 
had  to  do  some  fighting,  and  that,  too,  with 
only  3,000  raw  recruits,  against  7,000  Con- 
federates. Grant  carried  off  two  pieces  of 
artiller}^  and  200  prisoners. 

After  repeated  applications  to  General 
Halleck,  his  immediate  superior,  he  was 
allowed,  in  February,  1S62,  to  move  up  the 
Tennessee  River  against  Fort  Henry,  in 
conjunction  with  a  naval  force.  The  gun- 
boats silenced  the  fort,  and  Grant  immedi- 
ately made  preparations  to  attack  Fort 
Donelson,  about  twelve  miles  distant,  on 
the  Cumberland  River.  Without  waiting 
for  orders  he  moved  his  troops  there,  and 
with  15,000  men  began  the  siege.  The 
fort,  garrisoned  with  21,000  men,  was  a 
strong  one,  but  after  hard  fighting  on  three 
successive  days  Grant  forced  an  "  Uncon- 
ditional Surrender"  (an  alliteration  upon 
the  initials  of  his  name).  The  prize  he  capt- 
ured consisted  of  sixty-five  cannon,  17,600 
small  arms  and  14,623  soldiers.  About  4,- 
000  of  the  garrison  had  escaped  in  the  night, 
and  2,500  were  killed  or  wounded.  Grant's 
entire  loss  was  less  than  2,000.  This  was  the 
first  important  success  won  by  the  national 
troops  during  the  war,  and  its  strategic  re- 
sults were  marked,  as  the  entire  States  of 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee  at  once  fell  into  the 
National  hands.  Our  hero  was  made  a 
Major-General  of  Volunteers  and  placed  in 
command  of  the  District  of  West  Ten- 
nessee. 

In  March,  1862,  he  was  ordered  to  move 
up  the  Tennessee  River  toward  Corinth, 
where  the  Confederates  were  concentrat- 
ing a  large  army  ;    but  he  was  directed  not 


to  attack.  His  forces,  now  numbering  38,- 
000,  were  accordingly  encamped  near  Shi- 
loh,  or  Pittsburg  Landing,  to  await  the 
arrival  of  General  Buell  with  40,000  more; 
but  April  6  the  Confederates  came  out  from 
Corinth  50,000  strong  and  attacked  Grant 
violently,  hoping  to  overwhelm  him  before 
Buell  could  arrive  ;  5,000  of  his  troops  were 
beyond  supporting  distance,  so  that  he  was 
largely  outnumbered  and  forced  back  to  the 
river,  where,  however,  he  held  out  until 
dark,  when  the  head  of  Buell's  column 
came  upon  the  field.  The  next  day  the 
Confederates  were  driven  back  to  Corinth, 
nineteen  miles.  The  loss  was  heavy  on 
both  sides ;  Grant,  being  senior  in  rank  to 
Buell,  commanded  on  both  days.  Two 
days  afterward  Halleck  arrived  at  the  front 
and  assumed  command  of  the  army,  Grant 
remaining  at  the  head  of  the  right  wing  and 
the  reserve.  On  May  30  Corinth  was 
evacuated  by  the  Confederates.  In  July 
Halleck  was  made  General-in-Chief,  and 
Grant  succeeded  him  in  command  of  the 
Department  of  the  Tennessee.  September 
19  the  battle  of  luka  was  fought,  where, 
owing  to  Rosecrans's  fault,  only  an  incom- 
plete victory  was  obtained. 

Next,  Grant,  with  30,000  men,  moved 
down  into  Mississippi  and  threatened  Vicks- 
burg,  while  Sherman,  with  40,000  men,  was 
sent  by  way  of  the  river  to  attack  that  place 
in  front;  but,  owing  to  Colonel  Murphy's 
surrendering  Holly  Springs  to  the  Con- 
federates, Grant  was  so  weakened  that  he 
had  to  retire  to  Corinth,  and  then  Sherman 
failed  to  sustain  his  intended  attack. 

In  January,  1863,  General  Grant  took 
command  in  person  of  all  the  troops  in  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  and  spent  several  months 
in  fruitless  attempts  to  compel  the  surrender 
or  evacuation  of  Vicksburg;  but  July  4, 
following,  the  place  surrendered,  with  31,- 
600  men  and  172  cannon,  and  the  Mississippi 
River  thus  fell  permanently  into  the  hands 
of  the  Government.      Grant  was    made  a 


PRESIDENTS     OF     THE     UNITED    STATES. 


Major-General  in  the  regular  army,  and  in 
October  following  he  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  Division  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  same  month  he  went  to  Chattanooga 
and  saved  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
from  starvation,  and  drove  Bragg  from  that 
part  of  the  country.  This  victory  over- 
threw the  last  important  hostile  force  west 
of  the  AUeghanies  and  opened  the  way  for 
the  National  armies  into  Georgia  and  Sher- 
man's march  to  the  sea. 

The  remarkable  series  of  successes  which 
Grant  had  now  achieved  pointed  him  out 
as  the  appropriate  leader  of  the  National 
armies,  and  accordingly,  in  February,  1864, 
the  rank  of  Lieutenant-General  was  created 
for  him  by  Congress,  and  on  March  17  he 
assumed  command  of  the  armies  of  the 
United  States.  Planning  the  grand  final 
campaign,  he  sent  Sherman  into  Georgia, 
Sigel  into  the  valley  of  Virginia,  and  Butler 
to  capture  Richmond,  while  he  fought  his 
own  way  from  the  Rapidan  to  the  James. 
The  costly  but  victorious  battles  of  the 
Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  North  Anna  and 
Cold  Harbor  were  fought,  more  for  the 
purpose  of  annihilating  Lee  than  to  capture 
any  particular  point.  In  June,  1864,  the 
siege  of  Richmond  was  begun.  Sherman, 
meanwhile,  was  marching  and  fighting  daily 
in  Georgia  and  steadily  advancing  toward 
Atlanta ;  but  Sigel  had  been  defeated  in  the 
valley  of  Virginia,  and,  was  superseded  by 
Hunter.  Lee  sent  Early  to  threaten  the  Na- 
tional capital ;  whereupon  Grant  gathered 
up  a  force  which  he  placed  under  Sheridan, 
and  that  commander  rapidly  drove  Early, 
inasuccessionof  battles,  through  the  valley 
of  Virginia  and  destroyed  his  army  as  an 
organized  force.  The  siege  of  Richmond 
went  on,  and  Grant  made  numerous  attacks, 
but  was  only  partially  successful.  The 
people  of  the  North  grew  impatient,  and 
even  the  Government  advised  him  to 
abandon  the  attempt  to  take  Richmond  or 
crush  the  Confederacy  in  that  way ;  but  he 


never  wavered.  He  resolved  to  "  fight  it 
out  on  that  line,  if  it  took  all  summer." 

By  September  Sherman  had  made  his 
way  to  Atlanta,  and  Grant  then  sent  him 
on  his  famous  "  march  to  the  sea,"  a  route 
which  the  chief  had  designed  six  months 
before.  He  made  Sherman's  success  possi- 
ble, not  only  by  holding  Lee  in  front  of 
Richmond,  but  also  by  sending  reinforce- 
ments to  Thomas,  who  then  drew  off  and 
defeated  the  only  army  which  could  have 
confronted  Sherman.  Thus  the  latter  was 
left  unopposed,  and,  with  Thomas  and  Sheri- 
dan, was  used  in  the  furtherance  of  Grant's 
plans.  Each  executed  his  part  in  the  great 
design  and  contributed  his  share  to  the  re- 
sult at  which  Grant  was  aiming.  Sherman 
finally  reached  Savannah,  Schofield  beat 
the  enemy  at  Franklin,  Thomas  at  Nash- 
ville, and  Sheridan  wherever  he  met  him  ; 
and  all  this  while  General  Grant  was  hold- 
ing Lee,  with  the  principal  Confederate 
army,  near  Richmond,  as  it  were  chained 
and  helpless.  Then  Schofield  was  brought 
from  the  West,  and  Fort  Fisher  and  Wil- 
mington were  captured  on  the  sea-coast,  so 
as  to  afford  him  a  foothold  ;  from  here  he 
was  sent  into  the  interior  of  North  Caro- 
lina, and  Sherman  was  ordered  to  move 
northward  to  join  him.  When  all  this  was 
effected,  and  Sheridan  could  find  no  one  else 
to  fight  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  Grant 
brought  the  cavalry  leader  to  the  front  of 
Richmond,  and,  making  a  last  effort,  drove 
Lee  from  his  entrenchments  and  captured 
Richmond. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  final  campaign 
Lee  had  collected  73,000  fighting  men  in 
the  lines  at  Richmond,  besides  the  local 
militia  and  the  gunboat  crews,  amounting 
to  5,000  more.  Including  Sheridan's  force 
Grant  had  1 10,000  men  in  the  works  before 
Petersburg  and  Richmond.  Petersburg  fell 
on  the  2d  of  April,  and  Richmond  on  the 
3d,  and  Lee  fled  in  the  direction  of  L3Mich- 
burg.      Grant  pursued   with    remorseless 


CTLISSES    S.    GRANT. 


energy,  only  stopping  to  strike  fresh  blows, 
and  Lee  at  last  found  himself  not  only  out- 
fought but  also  out-marched  and  out-gen- 
eraled.  Being  completely  surrounded,  he 
surrendered  on  the  9th  of  April,  1865,  at 
Appomattox  Court-House,  in  the  open  field, 
with  27,000  men,  all  that  remained  of  his 
army.  This  act  virtuall}'  ended  the  war. 
Thus,  in  ten  days  Grant  had  captured 
Petersburg  and  Richmond,  fought,  by  his 
subordinates,  the  battles  of  Five  Forks  and 
Sailor's  Creek,  besides  numerous  smaller 
ones,  captured  20,000  men  in  actual  battle, 
and  received  the  surrender  of  27,000  more 
at  Appomattox,  absolutely  annihilating  an 
army  of  70,000  soldiers. 

General  Grant  returned  at  once  to  Wash- 
ington to  superintend  the  disbandment  of 
the  armies,  but  this  pleasurable  work  was 
scarcely  begun  when  President  Lincoln  was 
assassinated.  It  had  doubtless  been  in- 
tended to  inflict  the  same  fate  upon  Grant ; 
but  he,  fortunately,  on  account  of  leaving 
Washington  early  in  the  evening,  declined 
an  invitation  to  accompany  the  President 
to  the  theater  where  the  murder  was  com- 
mitted. This  event  made  Andrew  Johnson 
President,  but  left  Grant  by  far  the  most 
conspicuous  figure  in  the  public  life  of  the 
country.  He  became  the  object  of  an  en- 
thusiasm greater  than  had  ever  been  known 
in  America.  Every  possible  honor  was 
heaped  upon  him ;  the  grade  of  General 
was  created  for  him  by  Congress;  houses 
were  presented  to  him  by  citizens ;  towns 
were  illuminated  on  his  entrance  into  them  ; 
and,  to  cap  the  climax,  when  he  made  his 
tour  around  the  world,  "all  nations  did  him 
honor"  as  they  had  never  before  honored 
a  foreigner. 

The  General,  as  Commander-in-Chief, 
was  placed  in  an  embarrassing  position  by 
the  opposition  of  President  Johnson  to  the 
measures  of  Congress ;  but  he  directly  man- 
ifested his  characteristic  loyalty  by  obeying 
Congress  rather  than  the  disaffected  Presi- 


dent, although  for  a  short  time  he  had 
served  in  his  cabinet  as  Secretary  of  War. 

Of  course,  everybody  thought  of  General 
Grant  as  the  next  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  he  was  accordingly  elected  as 
such  in  1868  "by  a  large  majority,"  and 
four  years  later  re-elected  by  a  much  larger 
majority  —  the  most  overwhelming  ever 
given  by  the  people  of  this  country.  His  first 
administration  was  distinguished  by  a  ces- 
sation of  the  strifes  which  sprang  from  the 
war,  by  a  large  reduction  of  the  National 
debt,  and  by  a  settlement  of  the  difficulties 
with  England  which  had  grown  out  of  the 
depredations  committed  by  privateers  fit- 
ted out  in  England  during  the  war.  This 
last  settlement  was  made  by  the  famous 
"Geneva  arbitration,"  which  saved  to  this 
Government  $1 5,000,000,  but,  more  than  all, 
prevented  a  war  with  England.  "  Let  us 
have  peace,"  was  Grant's  motto.  And  this 
is  the  most  appropriate  place  to  remark 
that  above  all  Presidents  whom  this  Gov- 
ernment has  ever  had,  General  Grant  was 
the  most  non-partisan.  He  regarded  the 
Executive  office  as  purely  and  exclusively 
executive  of  the  laws  of  Congress,  irrespect- 
ive of  "  politics."  But  every  great  man 
has  jealous,  bitter  enemies,  a  fact  Grant 
was  well  aware  of. 

After  the  close  of  his  Presidency,  our 
General  made  his  famous  tour  around  the 
world,  already  referred  to,  and  soon  after- 
ward, in  company  with  Ferdinand  Ward, 
of  New  York  City,  he  engaged  in  banking 
and  stock  brokerage,  which  business  was 
made  disastrous  to  Grant,  as  well  as  to  him- 
self, by  his  rascality.  By  this  time  an  in- 
curable cancer  of  the  tongue  developed 
itself  in  the  person  of  the  afflicted  ex- 
President,  which  ended  his  unrequited  life 
July  23,  1885.  Thus  passed  away  from 
earth's  turmoils  the  man,  the  General,  who 
was  as  truly  the  "  father  of  this  regenerated 
country"  as  was  Washington  the  father  of 
the  infant  nation. 


PRESIDENTS    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


UTHERFORD  BIRCH- 
ARD  HAYES,  the  nine- 
teenth President  of 
the  United  States, 
i877-'8i,  was  born  in 
Delaware,  Ohio,  Oc- 
tober 4,  1822.  His 
anccstiy  can  be  traced  as  far 
back  as  1280,  when  Hayes  and 
Rutherford  were  two  Scottish 
chieftains  fighting  side  by  side 
with  Baliol,  William  Wallace 
and  Robert  Bruce.  Both  fami- 
lies belonged  to  the  nobility, 
owned  extensive  estates  and  had 
a  large  following.  The  Hayes 
family  had,  for  a  coat  of-arms,  a 
shield,  barred  and  surmounted  by  a  flying 
eagle.  There  was  a  circle  of  stars  about 
the  eagle  and  above  the  shield,  while  on  a 
scroll  underneath  the  shield  was  inscribed 
the  motto,  "  Recte."  Misfortune  overtaking 
the  family,  George  Hayes  left  Scotland  in 
1680,  and  settled  in  Windsor,  Connecticut. 
He  was  an  industrious  worker  in  wood  and 
iron,  having  a  mechanical  genius  and  a  cul- 
tivated mind.  His  son  George  was  born 
in  Windsor  and  remained  there  during  his 
life. 

Daniel  Hayes,  son  of  the  latter,  married 
Sarah  Lee,  and   lived   in    Simsbury,   Con- 


necticut. Ezekiel,  son  of  Daniel,  was  born 
in  1724,  and  was  a  manufacturer  of  scythes 
at  Bradford,  Connecticut.  Rutherford 
Hayes,  son  of  Ezekiel  and  grandfather  of 
President  Hayes,  was  born  in  New  Haven, 
in  August,  1756.  He  was  a  famous  black- 
smith and  tavern-keeper.  He  immigrated  to 
Vermont  at  an  unknown  date,  settling  in 
Brattleboro  where  he  established  a  hotel. 
Here  his  son  Rutherford,  father  of  Presi- 
dent Hayes,  was  born.  In  September,  1813, 
he  married  Sophia  Birchard,  of  Wilming- 
ton, Vermont,  whose  ancestry  on  the  male 
side  is  traced  back  to  1635,  to  John  Birch- 
ard, one  of  the  principal  founders  of  Nor- 
wich. Both  of  her  grandfathers  were 
soldiers  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

The  father  of  President  Hayes  was  of  a 
mechanical  turn,  and  could  mend  a  plow, 
knit  a  stocking,  or  do  almost  anything  that 
he  might  undertake.  He  was  prosperous 
in  business,  a  member  of  the  church  and 
active  in  all  the  benevolent  enterprises  of 
the  town.  After  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812 
he  immigrated  to  Ohio,  and  purchased  a 
farm  near  the  present  town  of  Delaware. 
His  family  then  consisted  of  his  wife  and 
two  children,  and  an  orphan  girl  whom  he 
had  adopted. 

It  was  in  1817  that  the  family  arrived  at 
Delaware.     Instead    of    settling   upon  his 


s 


RUTHERFORD    B.    HAYES. 


loS 


farm,  Mr.  Hayes  concluded  to  enter  into 
business  in  the  village.  He  purchased  an 
interest  in  a  distillery,  a  business  then  as  re- 
spectable as  it  was  profitable.  His  capital 
and  recognized  ability  assured  him  the 
highest  social  position  in  the  communitj-. 
He  died  July  22,  1822,  less  than  three 
months  before  the  birth  of  the  son  that  was 
<l<-stined  to  fill  the  office  of  President  of  the 
United  States. 

Mrs.  Hayes  at  this  period  was  very  weak, 
and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  so  feeble 
at  birth  that  he  was  not  expected  to  live 
beyond  a  month'  or  two  at  most.  As  the 
months  went  by  he  grew  weaker  and  weaker 
so  that  the  neighbors  were  in  the  habit  of 
inquiring  from  time  to  time  "  if  Mrs. 
Hayes's  baby  died  last  night."  On  one  oc- 
casion a  neighbor,  who  was  on  friendly 
terms  with  the  family,  after  alluding  to  the 
boy's  big  head  and  the  mother's  assiduous 
care  of  him,  said  to  her,  in  a  bantering  way, 
"That's  right!  Stick  to  him.  You  have 
got  him  along  so  far,  and  I  shouldn't  won- 
der if  he  would  really  come  to  something 
yet."  "  You  need  not  laugh,"  said  Mrs. 
Hayes,  "  you  wait  and  see.  You  can't  tell 
but  I  shall  make  him  President  of  the 
United  States  yet." 

The  boy  lived,  in  spite  of  the  universal 
predictions  of  his  speedy  death;  and  when, 
in  1825,  his  elder  brother  was  drowned,  he 
became,  if  possible,  still  dearer  to  his  mother. 
He  was  seven  years  old  before  he  was 
placed  in  school.  His  education,  however, 
was  not  neglected.  His  sports  were  almost 
wholly  within  doors,  his  playmates  being 
his  sister  and  her  associates.  These  circum- 
stances tended,  no  doubt,  to  foster  that 
gentleness  of  disposition  and  that  delicate 
consideration  for  the  feelings  of  others 
which  are  marked  traits  of  his  character. 
At  school  he  was  ardently  devoted  to  his 
studies,  obedient  to  the  teacher,  and  care- 
ful to  avoid  the  quarrels  in  which  man)^  of 
his   schoolmates   were  involved.     He  was 


always  waiting  at  the  school-house  door 
when  it  opened  in  the  morning,  and  never 
late  in  returning  to  his  seat  at  recess.  His 
sister  Fannie  was  his  constant  companion, 
and  their  affection  for  each  other  excited 
the  admiration  of  their  friends. 

In  1838  young  Hayes  entered  Kenyon 
College  and  graduated  in  1842.  He'  then 
began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Thomas  Sparrow  at  Columbus.  His  health 
was  now  well  established,  his  figure  robust, 
his  mind  vigorous  and  alert.  In  a  short 
time  he  determined  to  enter  the  law  school 
at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  where  for 
two  years  he  pursued  his  studies  with  great 
diligence. 

In  184s  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at 
Marietta,  Ohio,  and  shortly  afterward  went 
into  piactice  as  an  attorney-at-law  with 
Ralph  P.  Buckland,  of  Fremont.  Here  he 
remained  three  years,  acquiring  but  limited 
practice,  and  apparently  unambitious  of 
distinction  in  his  profession.  His  bachelor 
uncle,  Sardis  Birchard,  who  had  always 
manifested  great  interest  in  his  nephew  and 
rendered  him  assistance  in  boyhood,  was 
now  a  wealth)^  banker,  and  it  was  under- 
stood that  the  young  man  would  be  his 
heir.  It  is  possible  that  this  expectation 
may  have  made  Mr.  Hayes  more  indifferent 
to  the  attainment  of  wealth  than  he  would 
otherwise  have  been,  but  he  was  led  into  no 
extravagance  or  vices  on  this  account. 

In  1849  he  removed  to  Cincinnati  where 
his  ambition  found  new  stimulus.  Two 
events  occurring  at  this  period  had  a  pow- 
erful influence  upon  his  subsequent  life. 
One  of  them  was  his  marriage  to  Miss 
Lucy  Ware  Webb,  daughter  of  Dr.  James 
Webb,  of  Cincinnati;  the  other  was  his 
introduction  to  the  Cincinnati  Literary 
Club,  a  body  embracing  such  men  as  Chief 
Justice  Salmon  P.  Chase,  General  John 
Pope  and  Governor  Edward  F.  Noyes. 
The  marriage  was  a  fortunate  one  as  every- 
body knows.     Not  one  of  all  the  wives  of 


PRESIDENTS     OF     THE     VS'ITED    STATES. 


our  Presidents  -.vas  more  universally  ad- 
mired, reverenced  and  beloved  than  is  Mrs. 
Hayes,  and  no  one  has  done  more  than  she 
to  reflect  honor  upon  American  woman- 
hood. 

In  1856  Mr.  Hayes  was  nominated  to  the 
office  of  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  but  declined  to  accept  the  nomina- 
tion. Two  years  later  he  was  chosen  to  the 
office  of  City  Solicitor. 

In  1861,  when  the  Rebellion  broke  out, 
he  was  eager  to  take  up  arms  in  the  defense 
of  his  country.  His  military  life  was 
bright  and  illustrious.  June  7,  1861,  he 
was  appointed  Major  of  the  Twenty-third 
Ohio  Infantry.  In  July  the  regiment  was 
sent  to  Virginia.  October  15,  1 861,  he  was 
made  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  his  regiment, 
and  in  August,  1862,  was  promoted  Colonel 
of  the  Seventy-ninth  Ohio  Regiment,  but 
refused  to  leave  his  old  comrades.  He  was 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  South  Mountain, 
and  suffered  severely,  being  unable  to  enter 
upon  active  duty  for  several  weeks.  No- 
vember 30,  1862,  he  rejoined  his  regiment  as 
its  Colonel,  having  been  promoted  Octo- 
ber 15. 

December  25,  1862,  he  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  Kanawha  division,  and  for 
meritorious  service  in  several  battles  was 
promoted  Brigadier-General.  He  was  also 
brevetted  Major-General  for  distinguished 


services  in  1864.  He  was  wounded  four 
times,  and  five  horses  were  shot  from 
under  him. 

Mr.  Hayes  was  first  a  Whig  in  politics, 
and  was  among  the  first  to  unite  with  the 
Free-Soil  and  Republican  parties.  In  1864 
he  was  elected  to  Congress  from  che  Sec- 
ond Ohio  District,  which  had  always  been 
Democratic,  receiving  a  majority  of  3,098. 
In  1866  he  was  renominated  for  Congress 
and  was  a  second  time  elected.  In  1867  he 
was  elected  Governor  over  Allen  G.  Thur- 
man,  the  Democratic  candidate,  and  re- 
elected in  1869.  In  1874  Sardis  Birchard 
died,  leaving  his  large  estate  to  General 
Hayes. 

In  1876  he  was  nominated  for  the  Presi- 
dency. His  letter  of  acceptance  excited 
the  admiration  of  the  whole  country.  He 
resigned  the  office  of  Governor  and  retired 
to  his  home  in  Fremont  to  await  the  result 
of  the  canvass.  After  a  hard,  long  contest 
he  was  inaugurated  March  5,  1877.  His 
Presidency  was  characterized  by  compro- 
mises with  all  parties,  in  order  to  please  as 
man}'  as  possible.  The  close  of  his  Presi- 
dential term  in  1881  was  the  close  of  his 
public  life,  and  since  then  he  has  remained 
at  his  iiome  in  Fremont,  Ohio,  in  Jefferso- 
nian  retirement  from  public  notice,  in  stink- 
ing contrast  with  most  others  of  the  world's 
notables. 


-\: 


yAA/ES    A.     GARFIELD. 


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sis:^3^^^535^5ELij^i^ic-£.i^3A^.ri33n.^i^r^^s^r^i^ 


vrvrv^b^^i 


AMES  A.  GARFIELD, 
twentieth  President  of 
the  United  States,  1881, 
was  born  November  19, 
1 83 1,  in  the  wild  woods 
o  f  Cuyahoga  County, 
Ohio.  His  parents  were 
Abram  and  EUza  (Ballou) 
Garfield,  who  were  of  New 
•  England  ancestry.  The 
senior  Garfield  was  an  in- 
dustrious farmer,  as  the 
rapid  improvements  which 
appeared  on  his  place  at- 
tested. The  residence  was 
the  familiar  pioneer  log  cabin, 
and  the  household  comprised  the  parents 
and  their  children — Mehetable,  Thomas, 
Mary  and  James  A.  In  May,  1833,  the 
father  died,  and  the  care  of  the  house- 
hold consequently  devolved  upon  young 
Thomas,  to  whom  James  was  greatly  in- 
debted for  the  educational  and  other  ad- 
vantages he  enjo3-ed.  He  now  lives  in 
Michigan,  and  the  two  sisters  live  in  Solon, 
Ohio,  near  their  birthplace. 

As  the  subject  of  our  sketch  grew  up,  he, 
too,  was  industrious,  both  in  mental  aad 
physical  labor.  He  worked  upon  the  farm, 
or  at  carpentering,  or  chopped  wood,  or  at 
any  other  odd  job  that  would  aid  in  support 
of  the  family,  and  in  the  meantime  made  the 


most  of  his  books.  Ever  afterward  he  was 
never  ashamed  of  his  humble  origin,  nor  for- 
got the  friends  of  his  youth.  The  poorest 
laborer  was  sure  of  his  sympathy,  and  he 
always  exhibited  the  character  of  a  modest 
gentleman. 

Until  he  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age, 
James's  highest  ambition  was  to  be  a  lake 
captain.  To  this  his  mother  was  strongly 
opposed,  but  she  finally  consented  to  his 
going  to  Cleveland  to  carry  out  his  long- 
cherished  design,  with  the  understanding, 
however,  that  he  should  Vxy  to  obtain  some 
other  kind  of  employment.  He  walked  all 
the  way  to  Cleveland,  and  this  was  his  first 
visit  to  the  city.  After  making  many  ap- 
plications for  v/ork,  including  labor  on 
board  a  lake  vessel,  but  all  in  vain,  he 
finally  engaged  as  a  driver  for  his  cousin, 
Amos  Letcher,  on  the  Ohio  &  Pennsyl- 
vania  Canal.  In  a  short  time,  however,  he 
quit  this  and  returned  home.  He  then  at- 
tended the  seminary  at  Chester  for  about 
three  years,  and  next  he  entered  Hiram  In- 
stitute, a  school  started  in  1850  by  the 
Disciples  of  Christ,  of  which  church  he  was 
a  member.  In  order  to  pa}'  his  way  he 
assumed  the  duties  of  janitor,  and  at  tunes 
taught  school.  He  soon  completed  Ihe  cur- 
riculum there,  and  then  entered  Williams 
College,  at  which  he  graduated  in  1856, 
taking  one  of  the  highest  honors  of  his  class. 


PRESIDENTS     OF    THE     UN/TED    STATES. 


Afterward  he  returned  to  Hiram  as  Presi- 
dent. In  his  youthful  and  therefore  zealous 
piety,  he  exercised  his  talents  occasionally 
as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  moral  and  religious  convic- 
tions, and  as  soon  as  he  began  to  look  into 
politics,  he  saw  innumerable  points  that 
could  be  improved.  He  also  studied  law, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1859. 
November  11,  1858,  iNIr.  Garfield  married 
Miss  Lucretia  Rudolph,  who  ever  after- 
ward proved  a  worthy  consort  in  all  the 
stages  of  her  husband's  career.  They  had 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living. 

It  was  in  1859  that  Garfield  made  his 
first  political  speeches,  in  Hiram  and  the 
neighboring  villages,  and  three  years  later 
he  began  to  speak  at  county  mass-meetings, 
being  received  everywhere  with  popular 
favor.  He  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate 
this  year,  taking  his  seat  in  January,  i860. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion  in  1861,  Mr.  Garfield  resolved  to 
fight  as  he  had  talked,  and  accordingly  he 
enlisted  to  defend  the  old  flag,  receiving 
his  commission  as  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  tlie 
Forty-second  Regiment  of  the  Ohio  Volun- 
teer Infantr}',  August  14,  that  year,  rle 
was  immediately  thrown  into  active  service, 
and  before  he  had  ever  seen  a  gun  fired  in 
action  he  was  placed  in  command  of  four 
regiments  of  infantry  and  eight  companies 
of  cavalry,  charged  with  the  work  of  driv- 
ing the  Confederates,  headed  by  Humphrey 
Marshall,  from  his  native  State,  Kentucky. 
This  task  was  speedily  accomplished,  al- 
though against  great  odds.  On  account  of 
his  success,  F'resident  Lincoln  commissioned 
him  Brigadier-General,  January  11,  1862; 
and,  as  he  had  been  the  youngest  man  in 
the  Ohio  Senate  two  years  before,  so  now 
he  was  the  youngest  General  in  the  army. 
He  was  witii  General  Buell's  army  at  Shi- 
loh,  also  in  its  operations  around  Corinth 
and  its  march  through  Alabama.  Next,  he 
was  detailed  as  a  member  of  the  general 


court-martial  for  the  trial  of  General  Fitz- 
John  Porter,  and  then  ordered  to  report  to 
General  Rosecrans,  when  he  was  assigned 
to  the  position  of  Chief  of  Staff.  His  mili- 
tary history  closed  with  his  brilliant  ser- 
vices at  Chickamauga,  where  he  won  the 
stars  of  Major-General. 

In  the  fall  of  1862,  without  any  effort  on 
his  part,  he  was  elected  as  a  Representative 
to  Congress,  from  that  section  of  Ohio 
which  had  been  represented  for  sixty  years 
mainly  by  two  men — Elisha  Whittlesey  and 
Joshua  R.  Giddings.  Again,  he  was  the 
youngest  member  of  that  bod}',  and  con- 
tinued there  by  successive  re-elections,  as 
Representative  or  Senator,  until  he  was 
elected  President  in  1880.  During  his  life 
in  Congress  he  compiled  and  published  by 
his  speeches,  there  and  elsewhere,  more 
information  on  the  issues  of  the  day,  espe- 
cially on  one  side,  than  any  other  member. 

June  8,  18S0,  at  the  National  Republican 
Convention  held  in  Chicago,  General  Gar- 
field was  nominated  for  the  Presidencj",  in 
preference  to  the  old  war-horses,  Blaine 
and  Grant ;  and  although  many  of  the  Re- 
publican party  felt  sore  over  the  failure  of 
their  respective  heroes  to  obtain  the  nomi- 
nation, General  Garfield  was  elected  by  a 
fair  popular  majority.  He  was  duly  in- 
augurated, but  on  July  2  following,  before 
he  had  fairly  got  started  in  his  administra- 
tion, he  was  fatally  shot  by  a  half-demented 
assassin.  After  very  painful  and  protracted 
suffering,  he  died  September  19,  1881,  la- 
mented by  all  the  American  people.  Never 
before  in  the  history  of  this  countrj-  had 
anything  occurred  which  so  nearly  froze 
the  blood  of  the  Nation,  for  the  moment,  as 
the  awful  act  of  Guiteau,  the  murderer. 
He  was  duly  tried,  convicted  and  put  to 
death  on  the  gallows. 

The  lamented  Garfield  was  succeeded  by 
the  Vice-President,  General  Arthur,  who 
seemed  to  endeavor  to  carry  out  the  policy 
inaugurated  by  his  predecessor. 


^L-Ly\ 


CHESTER    A.    ARTHUR. 


I 


ESTER  ALLEN 
ARTHUR,  the  twcn- 
hist  Chief  Execu- 
tne  of  this  growing 
icpublic,  i88i-'5,  was 
bom  in  Franklin 
C  o  u  n  1 3' ,  Vermont, 
Octobei  5  1830,  the  eldest  of  a 
famih  of  two  sons  and  five 
daiiThtei';.  His  father,  Rev. 
Di  Willi  im  Arthur,  a  Baptist 
clergyman,  immigrated  to  this 
country  from  County  Antrim, 
Ireland,  in  his  eighteenth  year, 
and  died  in  1875,  in  Newton- 
ville,  near  Albany,  New  York, 
after  serving  many  years  as  a  successful 
minister.  Chester  A.  was  educated  at  that 
old,  conservative  institution.  Union  Col- 
lege, at  Schenectady,  New  York,  where  he 
excelled  in  all  his  studies.  He  graduated 
there,  with  honor,  and  then  struck  out  in 
life  for  himself  by  teaching  school  for  about 
two  years  in  his  native  State. 

At  the  expiration  of  that  time  young 
Arthur,  with  $500  in  his  purse,  went  to  the 
city  of  New  York  and  entered  the  law  office 
of  ex-Judge  E.  D.  Culver  as  a  student.  In 
due  time  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  when 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  intimate 


friend  and  old  room-mate,  Henry  D.  Gar. 
diner,  with  the  intention  of  practicing  law 
at  some  point  in  the  West ;  but  after  spend- 
ing about  three  months  in  the  Western- 
States,  in  search  of  an  eligible  place,  they 
returned  to  New  York  City,  leased  a  room, 
exhibited  a  sign  of  their  business  and  al- 
most immediately  enjoyed  a  paying  patron- 
age. 

At  this  stage  of  his  career  Mr.  Arthur's 
business  prospects  were  so  encouraging 
that  he  concluded  to  take  a  wife,  and  ac- 
cordingly he  married  the  daughter  of  Lieu- 
tenant Herndon,  of  the  United  States  Navy, 
who  had  been  lost  at  sea.  To  the  widow 
of  the  latter  Congress  voted  a  gold  medal, 
in  recognition  of  the  Lieutenant's  bravery 
during  the  occasion  in  which  he  lost  his 
life.  Mrs.  Artnur  died  shortly  before  her 
husband's  nomination  to  the  Vice-Presi- 
dency, leaving  two  children. 

Mr.  Arthur  obtained  considerable  celeb- 
rity as  an  attorney  in  the  famous  Lemmon 
suit,  which  was  brought  to  recover  posses- 
sion of  eight  slaves,  who  had  been  declared 
free  by  the  Superior  Court  of  New  York 
Cit}'.  The  noted  Charles  O'Conor,  who 
was  nominated  by  the  "  Straight  Demo- 
crats" in  1872  for  the  L^nited  States  Presi- 
dency, was  retained  b\-  Jonathan  G.  Lcm- 


114 


PRESIDENTS    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


mon,  of  Virginia,  to  recover  the  negroes, 
but  he  lost  the  suit.  In  this  case,  however, 
Mr.  Arthur  was  assisted  by  William  M. 
Evarts,  now  United  States  Senator.  Soon 
afterward,  in  1856,  a  respectable  colored 
woman  was  ejected  from  a  street  car  in 
New  York  City.  Mr.  Arthur  sued  the  car 
company  in  her  behalf  and  recovered  $500 
damages.  Immediately  afterward  all  the 
car  companies  in  the  city  issued  orders  to 
their  employes  to  admit  colored  persons 
upon  their  cars. 

Mr.  Arthur's  political  doctrines,  as  well 
as  his  practice  as  a  law3'er,  raised  him  to 
prominence  in  the  party  of  freedom ;  and 
accordingly  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to 
the  first  National  Republican  Convention. 
Soon  afterward  he  was  appointed  Judge 
Advocate  for  the  Second  Brigade  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  and  then  Engineer-in- 
Chief  on  Governor  Morgan's  staff.  In  1861, 
the  first  year  of  the  war,  he  was  made  In- 
spector-General, and  next,  Quartermaster- 
(xeneral,  in  both  which  offices  he  rendered 
great  service  to  the  Government.  After 
the  close  of  Governor  Morgan's  term  he 
resumed  the  practice  of  law,  forming  first  a 
partnership  with  Mr.  Ransom,  and  subse- 
quently adding  Mr.  Phelps  to  the  firm. 
Each  of  these  gentlemen  were  able  law3'ers. 

November  21,  1872,  General  Arthur  was 
appointed  Collector  of  the  Port  of  New 
York  by  President  Grant,  and  he  held  the 
office  until  July  20,  1878. 

The  next  event  of  prominence  in  General 
Arthur's  career  was  his  nomination  to  the 
Vice-Presidency  of  the  United  States,  under 
the  influence  of  Roscoe  Conkling,  at  the 
National  Republican  Convention  held  at 
Chicago  in  June,  1880,  when  James  A.  Gar- 
field was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  ticket. 
Both  the  convention  and  the  campaign  that 
followed  were  noisy  and  exciting.  The 
friends  of  Grant,  constituting  nearly  half 


the  convention,  were  exceedingly  persist- 
ent, and  were  sorely  disappomted  over 
their  defeat.  At  the  head  of  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  was  placed  a  very  strong  and 
popular  man  ;  yet  Garfield  and  Arthur  were 
elected  by  a  respectable  plurality  of  the 
popular  vote.  The  4th  of  March  following, 
these  gentlemen  were  accordingly  inaugu- 
rated ;  but  within  four  months  the  assassin's 
bullet  made  a  fatal  wound  in  the  person  of 
General  Garfield,  whose  life  terminated 
September  19,  1881,  when  General  Arthur, 
ex  officio,  was  obliged  io  take  the  chief 
reins  of  government.  Some  misgivings 
were  entertained  by  many  in  this  event,  as 
Mr.  Arthur  was  thought  to  represent  espe 
cially  the  Grant  and  Conkling  wing  of  the 
Republican  party ;  but  President  Arthur 
had  both  the  ability  and  the  good  sense  to 
allay  all  fears,  and  he  gave  the  restless, 
critical  American  people  as  good  an  ad- 
ministration as  they  had  ever  been  blessed 
with.  Neither  selfishness  nor  low  parti- 
sanism  ever  characterized  any  feature  of 
his  public  service.  He  ever  maintained  a 
high  sense  of  every  individual  right  as  well 
as  of  the  Nation's  honor.  Indeed,  he  stood 
so  high  that  his  successor,  President  Cleve- 
land, though  of  opposing  politics,  expressed 
a  wish  in  his  inaugural  address  that  he 
could  only  satisfy  the  people  with  as  good 
an  administration. 

But  the  day  of  civil  service  reform  had 
come  in  so  far,  and  the  corresponding  re- 
action against  "  third-termism"  had  en- 
croached so  far  even  upon  "second-term" 
service,  that  the  Republican  party  saw  fit 
in  1884  to  nominate  another  man  for  Presi- 
dent. Only  by  this  means  was  General 
Arthur's  tenure  of  office  closed  at  Wash- 
ington. On  his  retirement  from  the  Presi- 
dency, March,  1885,  lie  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law  at  New  York  City,  where  he 
died  November  18,  1886. 


^^  ^.^^   <r>i^^^--f 


alio  VER    CI.  E  VEL  A  ND. 


^S^ 


^. 


i'^> 


ROVER  CLEVE- 
LAND, the  twenty- 
second  President  of  the 
I'liited  States,  1885—, 
was  born  in  Caldwell, 
Essex  County,  New 
Jersey,  March  18, 
The  house  in  which  he 
was  boin,  a  small  two-story 
•^$jfX^-  ■  wooden  building,  is  still  stand- 
^^Se^^^-^  ^"rt-  ^^  ^^'-^s  the  parsonage  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  of 
which  his  lather,  Richard 
Cleveland,  at  the  time  was 
pastor.  The  family  is  of  New 
England  origin,  and  for  two  centuries  has 
contributed  to  the  professions  and  to  busi- 
ness, men  who  have  reflected  honor  on  the 
name.  Aaron  Cleveland,  Grover  Cleve- 
land's great-great-grandfather,  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  but  subsequently  moved  to 
Philadelphia,  where  he  became  an  intimate 
friend  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  at  whose 
house  he  died.  He  left  a  large  family  of 
children,  who  in  time  married  and  settled 
in  different  parts  of  New  England.  A 
grandson  was  one  of  the  small  American 
force  that  fought  the  British  at  Bunker 
Hill.  He  served  with  gallantry  through- 
out the  Revolution  and  was  honorably 
discharged  at  its  close  as  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  Continental  army.  Another  grandson, 
William  Cleveland  (a  son  of  a  second  Aaron 


Cleveland,  who  was  distinguished  as  a 
writer  and  member  of  the  Connecticut 
Legislature)  was  Grover  Cleveland's  grand- 
father. William  Cleveland  became  a  silver- 
smith in  Norwich,  Connecticut.  He  ac- 
quired by  industry  some  property  and  sent 
his  son,  Richard  Cleveland,  the  father  of 
Grover  Cleveland,  to  Yale  College,  where 
he  graduated  in  1824.  During  a  year  spent 
in  teaching  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  after 
graduation,  he  met  and  fell  in  love  with  a 
Miss  Annie  Neale,  daughter  of  a  wealthy 
Baltimore  book  publisher,  of  Irish  birth. 
He  was  earning  his  own  way  in  the  world 
at  the  time  and  was  unable  to  marry;  but 
in  three  years  he  completed  a  course  of 
preparation  for  the  ministry,  secured  a 
church  in  Windham,  Connecticut,  and 
married  Annie  Neale.  Subsequently  he 
moved  to  Portsmouth,  Virginia,  where  he 
preached  for  nearly  two  years,  when  he 
was  summoned  to  Caldwell,  New  Jersey, 
where  was  born  Grover  Cleveland. 

When  he  was  three  years  old  the  family 
moved  to  Fayetteville,  Onondaga  County, 
New  York.  Here  Grover  Cleveland  lived 
until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  the  rugged, 
healthful  life  of  a  countr}'  bo}-.  His  frank, 
generous  manner  made  him  a  favorite 
among  his  companions,  and  their  respect 
was  won  by  the  good  qualities  in  the  germ 
which  his  manhood  developed.  He  at- 
tended the  district  school  of  the  village  and 


PRESIDENTS    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 


was  for  a  short  time  at  the  academy.  His 
lather,  however,  belie%'ed  that  boys  should 
be  taught  to  labor  at  an  early  age,  and  be- 
fore he  had  completed  the  course  of  study 
at  the  academy  he  began  to  work  in  the 
village  store  at  $50  for  the  first  year,  and  the 
promise  of  $100  for  the  second  year.  His 
work  was  well  done  and  the  promised  in- 
crease of  pay  was  granted  the  second  year. 

Meanwhile  his  father  and  family  had 
moved  to  Clinton,  the  seat  of  Hamilton 
College,  where  his  father  acted  as  agent  to 
the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Home  Missions, 
preaching  in  the  churches  of  the  vicinit}'. 
Hither  Grover  came  at  his  father's  request 
shortly  after  the  beginning  of  his  second 
year  at  the  Fayetteville  store,  and  resumed 
his  studies  at  the  Clinton  Academy.  After 
three  years  spent  in  this  town,  the  Rev. 
Richard  Cleveland  was  called  to  the  vil- 
lage church  of  Holland  Patent.  He  had 
jireached  here  only  a  month  when  he  was 
suddenly  stricken  down  and  died  without 
an  hour's  warning.  The  death  of  the  father 
left  the  family  in  straitened  circumstances, 
as  Richard  Cleveland  had  spent  all  his 
salary  of  %\,ooo  per  year,  which  was  not 
required  for  the  necessary  expenses  of  liv- 
ing, upon  the  education  of  his  children,  of 
whom  there  were  nine,  Grover  being  the 
fifth.  Grover  was  hoping  to  enter  Hamil- 
ton College,  but  the  death  of  his  father 
made  it  necessary  for  him  to  earn  his  own 
livelihood.  For  the  first  year  (1853-4)  ^e 
acted  as  assistant  teacher  and  bookkeeper  in 
the  Institution  for  the  Blind  in  New  York 
City,  of  which  the  late  Augustus  Schell  was 
for  many  years  the  patron.  In  the  winter 
of  1854  he  returned  to  Holland  Patent 
where  the  generous  people  of  that  place, 
Fayetteville  and  Clinton,  had  purchased  a 
home  for  his  mother,  and  in  the  following 
spring,  borrowing  S-'5,  he  set  out  for  the 
West  to  earn  his  living. 

Reaching  Buffalo  he  paid  a  hasty  visit  to 
an   uncle,    Lewis  F.  Allen,  a    well-known 


stock  farmer,  living  at  Black  Rock,  a  few 
miles  distant.  He  communicated  his  plans 
to  Mr.  Allen,  who  discouraged  the  idea  of 
the  West,  and  finally  induced  the  enthusi- 
astic boy  of  seventeen  to  remain  with  him 
and  help  him  prepare  a  catalogue  of  blooded 
short-horn  cattle,  known  as  "  Allen's  Amer- 
ican Herd  Book,"  a  publication  familiar  to 
all  breeders  of  cattle.  In  August,  1855,  he 
entered  the  law  office  of  Rogers,  Bowen 
ct  Rogers,  at  Buffalo,  and  after  serving  a 
few  months  without  pay,  was  paid  $4  a 
week — an  amount  barely  sufficient  to  meet 
the  necessary  expenses  of  his  board  in  the 
family  of  a  fellow-student  in  Buffalo,  with 
whom  he  took  lodgings.  Life  at  this  time 
with  Grover  Cleveland  was  a  stern  battle 
with  the  world.  He  took  his  breakfast  by 
candle-light  with  the  drovers,  and  went  at 
once  to  the  office  where  the  whole  day  was 
spent  in  work  and  study.  Usually  he  re- 
turned again  at  night  to  resume  reading 
which  had  been  interrupted  by  the  duties 
of  the  day.  Gradually  his  employers  came 
to  recognize  the  ability,  trustworthiness 
and  capacity  for  hard  work  in  their  yoimg 
employe,  and  by  the  time  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  (1859)  he  stood  high  in  their  con- 
fidence. A  year  later  he  was  made  confi- 
dential and  managing  clerk,  and  in  the 
course  of  three  3'ears  more  his  salary  had 
been  raised  to  $1,000.  In  1863  he  was  ap- 
pointed assistant  district  attorney  of  Erie 
Count}'  by  the  district  attorney,  the  Hon. 
C.  C.  Torrance. 

Since  his  first  vote  had  been  cast  in  1858 
he  had  been  a  staunch  Democrat,  and  until 
he  was  chosen  Governor  he  always  made 
it  his  duty,  rain  or  shine,  to  stand  at  the 
polls  and  give  out  ballots  to  Democratic 
voters.  During  the  first  year  of  his  term 
as  assistant  district  attorne}',  the  Democrats 
desired  especially  to  carry  the  Board  of  Su- 
pervisors. The  old  Second  Ward  in  which 
he  lived  was  Republican-  ordinarily  by  250 
majority,  but  at  the  urgent  request  of  the 


!-<     jI^SMSSSSi 


GRO  VEli     CL  E  VELA  ND. 


party  Grover  Cleveland  consented  to  be 
the  Democratic  candidate  for  Supervisor, 
and  came  within  thirteen  votes  of  an  elec- 
tion. The  three  years  spent  in  the  district 
attorney's  office  were  devoted  to  assiduous 
labor  and  the  extension  of  his  professional 
attainments.  He  then  formed  a  law  part- 
nership with  the  late  Isaac  V.  Vanderpoel, 
ex-State  Treasurer,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Vanderpoel  &  Cleveland.  Here  the  bulk 
of  the  work  devolved  on  Cleveland's  shoul- 
ders, and  he  soon  won  a  good  standing  at 
the  bar  of  Erie  County.  In  i86g  Mr. 
Cleveland  formed  a  partnership  with  ex- 
Senator  A.  P.  Laning  and  ex-Assistant 
United  States  District  Attorney  Oscar  Fol- 
som,  under  the  firm  name  of  Laning,  Cleve- 
land &  Folsom.  During  these  years  he 
began  to  earn  a  moderate  professional  in- 
come; but  the  larger  portion  of  it  was  sent 
to  his  mother  and  sisters  at  Holland  Patent 
to  whose  support  he  had  contributed  ever 
since  i860.  He  served  as  sheriff  of  Erie 
County,  i87o-'4,  and  then  resumed  the 
practice  of  law,  associating  himself  with  the 
Hon.  Lyman  K.  Bass  and  Wilson  S.  Bissell. 


The  firm  was  strong  and  popular,  and  soon 
commanded  a  large  and  lucrative  practice. 
Ill  health  forced  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Bass 
in  1879,  and  the  firm  became  Cleveland  & 
Bissell.  In  1881  Mr.  George  J.  Sicard  was 
added  to  the  firm. 

In  the  autumn  election  of  1881  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  Buffalo  by  a  majority  of 
over  3,500 — the  largest  majority  ever  given 
a  candidate  for  mayor — and  the  Democratic 
city  ticket  was  successful,  although  the 
Republicans  carried  Buffalo  by  over  1,000 
majority  for  their  State  ticket.  Grover 
Cleveland's  administration  as  mayor  fully 
justified  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  b}' 
the  people  of  Buffalo,  evidenced  by  the 
great  vote  he  received. 

The  Democratic  State  Convention  me( 
at  Syracuse,  September  22, 1882,  and  nomi- 
nated  Grover  Cleveland  for  Governor 
on  the  third  ballot  and  Cleveland  was 
elected  by  192,000  majoritv.  In  the  fall  of 
1884  he  was  elected  President  of  the  United 
States  by  about  1,000  popular  majority, 
in  New  York  State,  and  he  was  accordingly 
inaugurated  the  4th  of  March  following. 


u^ 


HISTORY  OF  INDIANA. 


^'^b^^^e^'^^t^:^?^^,^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


w%'^mmm  mmmmw^wm^ 


PREHISTORIC    RACES. 


CIENTISTS  have  as- 
cribed  to  the  Mound 
Builders  varied  origins, 
and  though  their  diver- 
gence of  opinion  may  for 
a  time  seem  incompati- 
ble with  a  thorough  in- 
^Cotigation  of  the  subject,  and 
tend  to  a  confusion  of  ideas,  no 
doubt  wliatever  can  exist  as  to 
the  comparative  accuracy  of 
conclusions  arrived  at  by  some 
of  them.  That  this  continent  is 
co-existent  with  the  world  of 
the  ancients  cannot  be  ques- 
tioned; the  results  of  all  scien- 
tific investigations,  down  to  the  present  time, 
combine  to  establish  the  fact  of  the  co-exist- 
ence of  the  two  continents.  Historians  and 
learned  men  differ  as  to  the  origin  of  the  first 
inhabitants  of  the  New  World;  the  general 
conclusions  arrived  at  are,  that  the  ancients 
came  from  the  east  by  way  of  Behring's 
Strait,  subsequent  to  the  confusion  of  tongues 
and  dispersion  of  the  inhabitants  at  the  time 
of  the  construction  of  the  Tower  of  Babel, 
1757  A.  M.  The  ancient  mounds  and  earth- 
works scattered  over  the  entire  continent  tend 


to  confirm  the  theory  that  the  Mound  Build- 
ers were  people  who  had  been  engaged  in 
raising  elevations  prior  to  their  advent  upon 
this  continent.  They  possessed  religious 
orders  corresponding,  in  external  show,  at 
least,  with  the  Essenes  or  Theraputse  of  the 
pre-Christian  and  Christian  epochs,  and  to 
the  reformed  Therapntte,  or  monks,  of  the 
present. 

Every  memento  of  their  coming  and  their 
stay  which  has  descended  to  us  is  an  evidence 
of  their  civilized  condition. 

The  free  copper  found  within  the  tumuli, 
the  open  veins  of  the  Superior  and  Iron 
Mountain  copper  mines,  with  all  the  imple- 
ments of  ancient  mining,  such  as  ladders, 
levers,  chisels  and  hammer-heads,  discovered 
by  the  explorers  of  the  Northwest  and  the 
Mississippi,  are  conclusive  proofs  that  these 
prehistoric  people  were  highly  civilized,  and 
that  many  flourishing  colonies  were  spread 
throughout  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

Within  the  last  few  years  great  advances 
have  been  made  toward  the  discovery  of  an- 
tiquities, whether  pertaining  to  remains  of 
organic  or  inorganic  nature.  Together  with 
many  small  but  telling  relics  of  the  early 
inhabitants  of  the  country,  the  fossils  of  pre- 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


historic  animals  have  been  uneartlied  from 
end  to  end  of  this  continent,  many  of  which 
are  remains  of  enormous  animals  long  since 
extinct.  Many  writers  who  have  devoted 
their  lives  to  the  investigation  of  the  origin 
of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  this  continent, 
and  from  whence  they  came,  have  fixed  a 
period  of  a  second  immigration  a  few  centu- 
ries prior  to  the  Christian  era,  and,  imlike 
the  first  expeditions,  to  have  traversed  North- 
eastern Asia  to  its  Arctic  confines,  then  east 
to  Behring's  Strait,  thus  reaching  the  New 
World  by  the  same  route  as  the  first  immi- 
grants, and,  after  many  years'  residence  in  the 
North,  pushed  southward  and  commingled 
with  and  soon  acquired  the  characteristics  of 
the  descendants  of  the  first  colonists. 

The  Esquimaux  of  North  America,  the 
Sanioieds  of  Asia  and  the  Laplanders  of  Eu- 
rope are  supposed  to  be  of  the  same  family; 
and  this  supposition  is  strengthened  by  the 
affinity  which  exists  in  their  languages.  The 
researches  of  Humboldt  have  traced  the  Mex- 
icans to  the  vicinity  of  Behring's  Strait; 
whence  it  is  conjectured  that  they,  as  well  as 
the  Peruvians  and  other  tribes,  came  origi- 
nally from  Asia. 

Since  this  theory  is  accepted  by  most  anti- 
quarians, there  is  every  i-eason  to  believe  that 
from  the  discovery  of  what  jnay  be  termed 
an  overland  route  to  what  was  then  consid- 
ered an  eastern  extension  of  that  country, 
that  the  immigration  increased  annually  until 
the  new  continent  became  densely  populated. 
The  ruins  of  ancient  cities  discovered  in  Mex- 
ico and  South  America  prove  that  this  conti- 
nent v>'as  densely  populated  by  a  civilized  peo- 
ple prior  to  the  Indian  or  the  Caucasian  races. 

The  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  indeed 
the  country  from  the  trap  rocks  of  the  Great 
Lakes  southeast  to  the  Gulf  and  southwest 
to  Mexico,  abound  in  monumental  evidences 
of  a  race  of  people  much  further  advanced 


in  civilization  than  the  Montezumas  of  the 
sixteenth  century. 

The  remains  of  walls  and  fortifications 
found  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  the  earth-works 
of  Yincennes  and  throughout  the  valley  of 
the  Wabash,  the  mounds  scattered  over  the 
several  Southern  States,  also  in  Illinois,  Min- 
nesota and  Wisconsin,  are  evidences  of  t!ie 
advancement  of  the  people  of  that  day  toward 
a  comparative  knowledge  of  man  and  cosmol- . 
ogy.  At  the  mouth  of  Fourteen-mile  Creek, 
in  Clark  County,  Indiana,  there  stands  one  of 
these  old  monuments,  known  as  the  "  Stone 
Fort."  It  is  an  unmistakable  heir-loom  of  a 
great  and  ancient  people,  and  must  have 
formed  one  of  their  most  important  posts. 

In  Posey  County,  on  the  Wabash,  ten  miles 
from  its  junction  with  the  Ohio  River,  is 
another  remarkable  evidence  of  the  great 
numbers  once  inhabiting  that  country.  This 
is  known  as  the  "  Bone  Bank,"  on  account  of 
the  human  bones  continually  washed  out  from 
the  river  bank.  This  process  of  unearthing 
the  ancient  remains  has  been  going  on  since 
the  remembrance  of  the  earliest  white  settler, 
and  various  relics  of  artistic  wares  are  found 
in  that  portion  of  Indiana.  Another  great 
circular  earth- work  is  found  near  New  Wash- 
ington, and  a  stone  fort  near  the  village  of 
Deputy. 

Yigo,  Jasper,  Sullivan,  Switzerland  and 
Ohio  counties  can  boast  of  a  liberal  endow- 
ment of  works  of  antiquity,  and  the  entire 
State  of  Indiana  abounds  with  numerous  rel- 
ics of  the  handiwork  of  the  extinct  race. 
Many  of  the  ancient  and  curiously  devised 
implements  and  wares  are  to  be  seen  in  the 
State  Museum  at  Indianapolis. 

The  origin  of  the  red  men,  or  American 
Indians,  is  a  subject  which  interests  all  read- 
ers. It  is  a  favorite  with  the  ethnologist, 
even  as  it  is  one  of  deep  concern  to  the  ordi- 
nary reader. 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


Tho  difference  of  opinion  concerning  our 
aboriginals,  among  aiitliors  M'ho  Lave  made  a 
profound  study  of  races,  is  both  curious  and 
interesting. 

Blunienbach  treats  tiiein  as  a  distinct  vari- 
ety of  the  human  family.  Dr.  Latham  ranks 
them  among  the  Mongolidfe.  Morton,  Nott 
and  Glidden  claim  for  the  red  men  a  distinct 
origin. 

Dr.  Robert  Brown,  our  latest  authority, 
gives  them  as  of  Asiatic  origin,  which  is  cer- 
tainly well  sustained  by  all  evidence  which 
has  thus  far  been  discovered  bearing  upon  the 
question. 

Differences  arising  among  communities 
produced  dissensions,  which  tended  to  form 
factions  and  tribes,  which  culminated  in  wars 
and  gradual  descent  from  a  state  of  civiliza- 
tion to  that  of  barbarism. 

The  art  of  hunting  not  only  supplied  the 
Indian  with  food,  but,  like  that  of  war,  was 
a  means  of  gratifying  his  love  of  distinction. 
The  male  children,  as  soon  as  they  acquired 
sufficient  age  and  strength,  were  furnished 
with  a  bow  and  arrow,  and  taught  to  shoot 
birds  and  other  small  game. 

Their  general  councils  were  composed  of 
the  chiefs  and  old  men.  When  in  council 
they  usually  sat  in  concentric  circles  around 
the  speaker,  and  each  individual,  notwith- 
standing the  iiery  passions  that  rankled  within, 
preserved  an  exterior  as  immovable  as  if  cast 
in  bronze.  Laws  governing  their  councils 
were  as  strictly  enforced  and  observed  as  are 
those  of  similar  bodies  among  modern  civil- 
ized and  enlightened  races. 

The  dwellings  of  the  Indians  were  of  the 
simplest  and  rudest  character. 

The  dwellings  of  the  chiefs  were  some- 
times more  spacious,  and  constructed  with 
greater  care,  but  of  the  same  materials,  which 
were  generally  the  barks  of  trees. 

Though  principally  depending  on  hunting 


for  food,  they  also  cultivated  small  patches  of 
corn,  the  labor  being  performed  by  the  women, 
their  condition  being  little  better  than  slaves. 

EXPLORATIONS    BY    TUE    WHITES. 

The  State  of  Indiana  is  bounded  on  the 
east  by  the  meridian  line  which  forms  also 
the  western  boundary  of  Ohio,  extending  due 
north  from  the  mouth  of  tho  Great  Miami 
River;  on  the  south  by  the  Ohio  River,  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Wabash;  on  the  west  by  a  line  drawn 
along  the  middle  of  the  Wabash  River  from 
its  mouth  to  a  point  where  a  due  north  line 
from  the  town  of  Yincennes  would  last  touch 
the  shore  of  said  river,  and  thence  directly 
north  to  Lake  Michigan;  and  on  the  north 
by  said  lake  and  an  east  and  west  line  ten 
miles  north  of  the  extreme  south  end  of  the 
lake,  and  extending  to  its  intersection  with 
the  aforesaid  meridian,  the  west  boundary  of 
Ohio.  These  boundaries  include  an  area  of 
33,809  square  miles,  lying  between  37°  47' 
and  41°  50'  north  latitude,  and  between  7° 
45'  and  11°  1'  west  longitude  from  Wash- 
ington. 

After  the  discovery  of  America  by  Colum- 
bus, in  1492,  more  than  150  years  passed 
before  any  portion  of  the  territory  now  com- 
prised within  the  above  limits  was  explored 
by  Europeans.  Colonies  were  established  by 
rival  European  powers  in  Florida,  Virginia 
and  Nova  Scotia,  but  not  until  1670-'72  did 
the  first  white  travelers  venture  as  far  into 
the  Northwest  as  Indiana  or  Lake  Michigan. 

These  explorers  were  Frenchmen  by  the 
names  of  Claude  Allouez  and  Claude  Dablon, 
who  probably  visited  that  portion  of  the  State 
north  of  the  Kankakee  River.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  M.  Joliet,  an  agent  of  the  French 
Colonial  Government,  accompanied  by  James 
Marquette,  a  Catholic  missionary,  made  an 
exploring  trip  as  far  westward  as  the  Missis 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


sippi,  the  banks  of  wliicli  they  reached  June 
17,  1673. 

In  1682  La  Salle  explored  the  West,  but 
it  is  not  known  that  he  entered  the  region 
now  embraced  within  the  State  of  Indiana. 
He  took  formal  possession  of  all  the  Missis- 
sippi region  in  the  name  of  Louis,  King  of 
France,  and  called  the  country  Louisiana, 
which  included  what  is  now  the  State  of 
Indiana.  At  the  same  time  Spain  claimed 
all  the  country  in  the  region  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  thus  the  two  countries  became  com- 
petitors for  the  extension  of  domain,  and 
soon  caused  the  several  Indian  tribes  (who 
were  actually  in  possession  of  the  country) 
to  take  sides,  and  a  continual  state  of  warfare 
was  the  result.  The  Great  Miami  Confed- 
eracy ot  Indians,  the  Miamis  proper  (an- 
ciently the  Twightwees),  being  the  eastern 
and  most  powerful  tribe,  their  country  ex- 
tended from  the  Scioto  River  west  to  the 
Illinois  Hi  ver.  These  Indians  were  frequently 
visited  by  fur  traders  and  missionaries  from 
both  Catholic  and  Protestant  creeds.  The 
Five  Nations,  so  called,  were  tribes  farther 
east,  and  not  connected  with  Indiana  history. 

The  first  settlement  made  by  the  white 
man  in  the  territory  of  the  present  State  of 
Indiana  was  on  tlie  bank  of  the  river  then 
known  as  tlie  Ouabache,  the  name  given  it 
by  the  French  explorers,  now  the  river 
Wabash.  Francis  Moi-gan  de  Vinsenne,  who 
served  in  a  military  regiment  (French)  in 
Canada  as  early  as  1720,  and  on  the  lakes  in 
1725,  first  made  his  advent  at  Vincennes, 
possibly  as  early  as  1732.  Records  show 
him  there  January  5,  1735  He  -was  killed 
in  a  war  with  the  Chickasaw  Indians  in  1736. 
The  town  which  he  founded  bore  his  name, 
Vinsenne,  until  1749,  when  it  was  changed 
to  Vincennes. 

Post  Vincennes  was  certainly  occupied 
prior  to  the  date  given  by  Vinsenne,  as  a 


letter  from  Father  Marest,  dated  at  Kas- 
kaskia,  November  9,  1712,  reads  as  follows: 
"  The  French  have  established  a  fort  upon  the 
river  Wabash,  and  want  a  missionary,  and 
Father  Mermet  has  been  sent  to  them,"  Mcr- 
met  was  therefore  the  first  preacher  of  Chris- 
tianity stationed  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
Vincennes  has  ever  been  a  stronghold  of 
Catholicism.  Contemporaneous  with  the 
church  at  Vincennes  was  a  missionary  work 
among  the  Ouiatenons,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Wea  River,  which  was  of  but  sliort 
duration. 

NATIONAL    POLICIES. 

The  wars  in  which  France  and  England 
were  .engaged,  from  1680  to  1697,  retarded 
the  growth  of  the  colonies  of  those  nations 
in  North  America.  The  English,  jealous  of 
the  French,  resorted  to  all  available  means  to 
extend  their  domain  westward,  the  French 
equally  active  in  pressing  their  claims  east- 
ward and  south.  Both  sides  succeeded  in 
securing  savage  allies,  and  for  many  years 
the  pioneer  settlers  were  harrassed  and  cruelly 
murdered  by  the  Indians  who  were  serving 
the  purposes  of  one  or  the  other  contending 
nations. 

France  continued  her  effort  to  connect 
Canada  with  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  by  a  chain 
of  trading-posts  and  colonies,  which  increased 
the  Jealousy  of  England  and  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  the  French  and  Indian  M-ar. 

This  war  was  terminated  in  1763  by  a 
treaty  at  Paris,  by  which  France  ceded  'to 
Great  Britain  all  of  North  America  east  of 
the  Mississippi  except  New  Orleans  and  the 
island  on  which  it  is  situated. 

The  British  policy,  after  getting  entire 
control  of  the  Indiana  territory,  was  still 
unfavorable  to  its  growth  in  population.  In 
1765  the  total  number  of  French  families 
within  the  limits  of  the  Northwestern  Terri- 


Bistort  of  Indiana. 


tory  did  not  exceed  600.  These  were  iu 
Bettlements  about  Detroit,  along  the  river 
Wabash,  and  the  neigliborhood  of  Fort  Char- 
tres  on  the  Mississippi. 

Of  these  families,  eighty-five  resided  at 
Post  Vincennes,  fourteen  at  Fort  Ouiatenon, 
on  the  AYabash,  and  ten  at  the  confluence  of 
tlie  St.  Mary  and  St.  Joseph  rivers. 

The  colonial  policy  of  the  British  Govern- 
ment opposed  any  measures  which  might 
strengthen  settlements  in  the  interior  of  this 
country,  lest  they  become  self-supporting  and 
independent  of  tlie  mother  country. 

Thomas  Jefferson,  the  shrewd  statesman 
and  then  Governor  of  Virginia,  saw  from  the 
first  that  actual  occupation  of  western  lands 
was  the  only  way  to  keep  them  out  of  the 
hands  of  foreigners  and  Indians. 

He  accordingly  engaged  a  scientific  corps, 
and  sent  them  to  the  Mississippi  to  ascertain 
the  point  on  that  river  intersected  by  latitude 
36°  30',  the  southern  limit  of  the  State,  and 
to  measure  its  distance  to  the  Ohio.  He 
entrusted  the  military  operations  in  that 
quarter  to  General  Clark,  with  instructions 
to  select  a  strong  position  near  the  point 
named,  and  erect  a  fort,  and  garrison  the  same, 
for  protecting  the  settlers,  and  to  extend  his 
conqiiests  northward  to  the  lakes.  Conform- 
ing to  instructions,  General  Clark  erected 
"  Fort  Jefferson,"  on  the  Mississippi,  a  few 
miles  above  the  southern  limit. 

The  result  of  these  operations  was  the 
addition  to  Virginia  of  the  vast  Northwestern 
Territory.  The  simple  fact  that  a  chain  of 
forts  was  established  by  the  Americans  iu 
this  vast  region,  convinced  the  British  Com- 
missioners that  we  had  entitled  ourselves  to 
the  land. 

During  this  time  other  minor  events  were 
transpiring  outside  the  territory  in  question, 
wliich  subsequently  promoted  the  early  set- 
tling of  portions  of  Indiana. 


On  February  11,  1781,  a  wagoner  named 
Irvin  Hinton  was  sent  from  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, to  Ilarrodsburg  for  a  load  of  provi- 
sions. 

Two  young  men,  Richard  Rue  and  George 
Holman,  aged  respectively  nineteen  and  six- 
teen years,  accompanied  Hinton  as  guards. 
When  eight  miles  from  Louisville  they  were 
surprised  and  captured  by  the  renegade  white 
man,  Simon  Girty,  and  twelve  Indian  war- 
riors. They  were  marched  hurriedly  for 
three  days  through  deep  snow,  when  they 
reached  the  Indian  village  of  Wa-proc-ca- 
nat-ta.  Hinton  was  burned  at  the  stake.  Rue 
and  Holman  were  adopted  in  the  trilie,  and 
remained  three  years,  when  Rue  made  his 
escape,  and  Holman,  about  the  same  time, 
was  ransomed  by  relatives  in  Kentucky.  The 
two  men  were  the  first  white  men  to  settle 
in  Wayne  County,  Indiana,  where  they  lived 
to  a  good  old  age,  and  died  at  their  homes 
two  miles  south  of  Richmond. 

EXPEDITIONS      OF       COLONEL       GEORGE       ROGERS 
CLARK. 

In  the  spring  of  1776  Colonel  George 
Rogers  Clark,  a  native  of  Virginia,  who 
resided  in  Kentucky  at  the  above  date,  con- 
ceived a  plan  of  opening  up  and  more  rapidly 
settling  the  great  Northwest.  That  portion 
of  the  West  called  Kentucky  was  occupied  by 
Henderson  &  Co.,  who  pretended  to  own  the 
land,  and  held  it  at  a  high  price.  Colonel 
Clark  wished  to  test  the  validity  of  their 
claim,  and  adjust  the  government  of  the 
country  so  as  to  encourage  Immigration.  He 
accordingly  called  a  meeting  of  the  citizens 
at  Harrodstown,  to  assemble  June  6,  1776, 
and  consider  the  claims  of  the  company,  and 
consult  with  reference  to  the  interest  of  the 
country. 

The  meeting  was  held  on  the  day  ap- 
pointed, and  delegates  elected  to  confer  with 


lILSTOnr    OF    INDIANA. 


the  State  uf  Virginia  as  to  the  propriety  of 
attaching  the  new  country  as  a  county  to 
that  State. 

Many  causes  prevented  a  consummation 
of  this  object  until  1778.  Virginia  was 
favorable  to  the  enterprise,  but  would  not 
take  action  as  a  State;  but  Governor  Henry 
and  a  few  other  Virginia  gentlemen  assisted 
Colonel  Clark  all  tliey  could.  Accordingly 
Clark  organized  his  expedition.  He  took  in 
stores  at  Pittsburg  and  Wheeling,  and  pro- 
ceeded down  the  Ohio  to  the  "  falls,"  where 
he  constructed  some  light  fortifications. 

At  this  time  Post  Vincennes  comprised 
about  400  militia,  and  it  was  a  daring  under- 
taking for  Colonel  Clark,  M-ith  his  small  force, 
to  go  up  against  it  and  Kaskaskia,  as  he  had 
planned.  Some  of  his  men,  becoming  alarmed 
at  the  situation,  deserted  him. 

He  conducted  himself  so  as  to  gain  the 
sympathy  of  the  French,  and  through  them 
the  Indians  to  some  extent,  as  both  these 
people  were  very  bitter  against  the  British, 
who  had  possession  of  the  lake  region. 

From  the  nature  of  the  situation  Clark 
concluded  to  take  Kaskaskia  first,  which  he 
did,  and  succeeded  by  kindness  in  winning 
them  to  his  standard.  It  was  difficult,  how- 
ever, for  him  to  induce  the  French  to  accept 
the  Continental  paper  in  payment  for  provi- 
sions. Colonel  Vigo,  a  Frenchman  who  had 
a  trading  establishment  there,  came  to  the 
rescue,  and  prevailed  upon  the  people  to  ac- 
cept the  paper.  Colonel  Vigo  sold  coffee  at 
$1  a  pound,  and  other  necessaries  of  life  at 
an  equally  reasonable  price. 

The  post  at  Vincennes,  defended  by  Fort 
Sackville,  was  the  next  and  all-important 
position  to  possess.  Father  Gibault,  of  Kas- 
kaskia, who  also  had  charge  of  the  church 
at  Vincennes,  being  friendly  to  the  Amer- 
icans, used  his  influence  with  the  people  of 
the  garrison,  and  wow  them  to  Clark's  stand- 


ard. They  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
Virginia,  and  became  citizens  of  the  United 
States.  Colonel  Clark  here  concluded  treaties 
with  the  several  Indian  tribes,  and  placed 
Captain  Leonard  Helm,  an  American,  in 
command  of  Vincennes.  On  learning  the 
successful  termination  of  Clark's  exjjedition, 
the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  declared 
all  the  settlers  west  of  the  Ohio  organized 
into  a  county  of  that  State,  to  be  known  as 
"  Illinois  '•  County ;  but  before  the  provisions 
of  the  law  could  be  made  effective,  Henry 
Hamilton,  the  British  Lieutenant-Governor 
of  Detroit,  collected  an  army  of  thirty  regu- 
lars, fifty  French  volunteers  and  400  Indians, 
and  moved  upon  and  took  Post  Vincennes  in 
December,  1778.  Captain  Helm  and  a  man 
named  Henry  were  the  only  Americans  at 
the  fort,  the  only  members  of  the  garrison. 
Captain  Helm  was  taken  prisoner,  and  tlie 
French  disarmed. 

Colonel  Clark  was  at  Kaskaskia  when  he 
learned  of  the  capture  of  Vincennes,  and  de- 
termined to  retake  the  place.  He  gathered 
together  what  force  he  could  (170  men),  and 
on  the  5th  of  February  started  from  Kas- 
kaskia, and  crossed  the  river  of  that  name. 
The  weather  was  wet,  and  the  lowlands  cov- 
ered with  water.  He  had  to  resort  to  shoot- 
ing such  game  as  chanced  to  be  found  to 
furnish  provisions,  and  use  all  the  ingenuity 
and  skill  he  possessed  to  nerve  his  little  force 
to  press  forward.  He  waded  tlie  water  and 
shared  all  the  hardships  and  privations  with 
his  men.  They  reached  the  Little  Wabash 
on  the  13th.  The  river  was  overflowing  the 
lowlands  from  recent  rains.  Two  days  were 
here  consumed  in  crossing  the  stream.  The 
succeeding  days  they  marched  through  water 
much  of  the  time,  reaching  the  Big  Wabash 
on  the  night  of  the  17th.  The  18th  and 
19th  were  consumed  trying  to  cross  tlie  river. 
Finally    canoes  were    constructed,  and   the 


,_™___,': 

?;;!!^^.!!"'^'!![ 


=^^i 


BiStOnt    OF    INDtAHA. 


entire  iorco  crossed  the  main  stream,  but  to 
iind  the  lowlands  under  water  and  consider- 
able ice  formed  from  recent  cold.  His  men 
mutinied  and  refused  to  proceed.  All  the 
persuasions  of  Clark  had  no  effect  upon  the 
half-starved,  and  half-frozen,  soldiers. 

In  one  company  was  a  small  drummer  boy, 
and  also  a  Sergeant  who  stood  six  feet  two 
inches  in  socks,  and  stout  and  athletic.  He 
■was  devoted  to  Clark.  The  General  mounted 
the  little  drummer  on  the  shoulders  of  the 
Sergeant,  and  ordered  him  to  plunge  into  the 
water,  half-frozen  as  it  was.  He  did  so,  the 
little  boy  beating  the  charge  from  his  lofty 
position,  while  Clark,  sword  in  hand,  fol- 
lowed them,  giving  the  command  as  he  threw 
aside  the  floating  ice,  "  Forward."  The  efl'ect 
v.-as  electrical;  the  men  hoisted  their  guns 
above  their  heads,  and  plunged  into  the  water 
and  followed  their  determined  leader.  On 
arriving  within  two  miles  of  the  fort,  General 
Clark  halted  his  little  band,  and  sent  in  a 
letter  demanding  a  surrender,  to  which  he 
received  no  reply.  He  next  ordered  Lieu- 
tenant Bayley  with  fourteen  men  to  advance 
and  fire  on  the  fort,  while  the  main  body 
moved  in  another  direction  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  strongest  portion  of  the  town. 
Clark  then  demanded  Hamilton's  surrender 
immediately  or  he  would  be  treated  as  a 
murderer.  Hamilton  made  reply,  indignantly 
refusing  to  surrender.  After  one  hour  more 
of  fighting,  Hamilton  proposed  a  truce  of 
three  days.  Clark's  reply  was,  that  nothing 
would  be  accepted  but  an  unconditional  sur- 
render of  Hamilton  and  the  garrison.  In 
less  than  an  hour  Clark  dictated  the  terms  of 
sui'render,  February  24,  1779. 

Of  this  expedition,  of  its  results,  of  its 
importance,  as  well  as  of  the  skill  and  bravery 
of  those  engaged  in  it,  a  volume  would  not 
suffice  for  the  details. 

This  expedition  and    its    gifrantic   results 


has  never  been  surpassed,  if  equalled,  in 
modern  times,  when  we  consider  that  by 
it  the  whole  territory  now  included  in  the 
three  great  States  of  Indiana,  Illinois  and 
Michigan  was  added  to  the  Union,  and  so 
admitted  by  the  British  Commissioners  to 
the  treaty  of  peace  in  1783.  But  for  the 
results  of  this  expedition,  our  western  bound- 
ary would  have  been  the  Ohio  instead  of  the 
Mississippi.  When  we  consider  the  vast 
area  of  territory  embracing  2,000,000  people, 
the  human  mind  is  lost  in  the  contemplation 
of  its  eflects;  and  we  can  but  wonder  that  a 
force  of  170  men,  the  whole  number  of  Clark's 
troops,  should  by  this  single  action  have  pro- 
duced such  important  results. 

General  Clark  reinstated  Captain  Helm  in 
command  of  Vincennes,  with  instructions  to 
subdue  the  marauding  Indians,  which  he  did, 
and  soon  comparative  quiet  was  restored  on 
Indiana  soil. 

The  whole  credit  of  this  conquest  belongs 
to  General  Clark  and  Colonel  Francis  Vigo. 
The  latter  was  a  Sardinian  by  birth.  He 
served  for  a  time  in  the  Spanish  army,  but 
left  the  army  and  engaged  in  trading  with  the 
Indians,  and  attained  to  great  popularity  and 
influence  among  them,  as  well  as  making 
considerable  money.  He  devoted  his  time, 
influence  and  means  in  aid  of  the  Clark 
expedition  and  the  cause  of  the  United  States. 

GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  NORTHWEST. 

Colonel  John  Todd,  Lieutenant  for  the 
County  of  Illinois,  visited  Vincennes  and 
Ivaskaskia  in  the  spring  of  1779,  and  organ- 
ized temporary  civil  government.  He  also 
proceeded  to  adjust  the  disputed  land  claim. 
With  this  view  he  organized  a  court  of  civil 
and  criminal  jurisdiction  at  Vincennes.  This 
court  was  composed  of  several  magistrates, 
and  presided  over  by  Colonel  J".  M.  P.  Legras, 
who  was  then  commander  of  the  post. 


al»B*HJaiSgK'l 


.■i^B,a,MiiM,M»«,ii„g_B»ig.i»«»»»«««»«»«Wiia»MMg«BagH*aBB=as«JgSJ! 


130 


EI8T0RT    OF    INDIANA. 


This  court,  from  precedent,  began  to  grant 
lands  to  the  French  and  American  inhabitants. 
Forty -eight  thousand  acres  had  been  disposed 
of  in  this  manner  up  to  1787,  when  the  prac- 
tice was  proliibited  by  General  Ilarmar. 

In  the  fall  of  1780  La  Balma,  a  French- 
man, made  an  attempt  to  capture  the  British 
garrison  of  Detroit  by  leading  an  expedition 
against  it  from  Kaskaskia. 

He  marched  with  his  small  force  to  the 
Britisli  trading-post  at  the  head  of  the  Mau- 
mee,  where  Fort  Wayne  now  stands,  plun- 
dered the  British  traders  and  Indians,  and 
retired.  While  in  camp  on  his  retreat,  he 
was  attacked  by  a  bandof  Miamis;  a  number 
of  his  men  were  killed,  and  the  expedition 
was  ruined.  In  this  manner  war  continued 
between  the  Americans  and  their  enemies 
until  1783,  when  the  treaty  of  Paris  was 
c'onchided,  resulting  in  the  establishment  of 
the  independence  of  the  United  States. 

Up  to  this  time  the  Indiana  territory  be- 
longed by  conquest  to  the  State  of  Virginia. 

In  January,  1783,  the  General  Assembly 
of  that  State  resolved  to  cede  the  territory  to 
the  United  States.  The  proposition  made  by 
Virginia  was  accepted  by  the  United  States, 
and  the  transfer  confirmed  early  in  1784.  The 
conditions  of  the  transfer  of  the  territory 
fo  the  United  States  were,  that  the  State  of 
Virginia  should  be  reimbursed  for  all  expen- 
ditures incurred  in  exploring  and  protecting 
settlers  in  the  territory ;  that  150,000  acres 
of  land  should  be  granted  to  General  Clark 
and  his  band  of  soldiers,  who  conquered  the 
French  and  British  and  annexed  the  terri- 
tory to  Virginia. 

After  the  above  deed  of  cession  had  been 
accepted  by  Congress,  in  the  spring  of  1784, 
tlie  matter  of  the  future  government  of  the 
territory  was  referred  to  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  Messrs.  Jefferson,  of  Virginia; 
Chase,  of  Maryland;  and  Howell,  of  Rhode 


Island;  which  committee,  among  other 
things,  reported  an  ordinance  prohibiting 
slavery  in  the  territory  after  1800,  but  this 
article  of  the  ordinance  was  rejected. 

The  ordinance  of  1787  has  an  interesting 
history.  Considerable  controversy  has  been 
indulged  in  as  to  who  is  entitled  to  the  credit 
of  framing  it.  This  undoubtedly  belongs 
to  Nathan  Dane;  and  to  Rufus  King  and 
Timothy  Pickering  belongs  the  credit  for 
the  clause  prohibiting  slavery  contained  in  it. 

Mr.  Jefferson  had  vainly  tried  to  secure  a 
system  of  government  for  the  Northwestern 
Territory  excluding  slavery  therefrom.  The 
South  invariably  voted  him  down. 

In  July,  1787,  an  organizing  act  without 
the  slavery  clause  was  pending,  which  was 
supposed  would  secure  its  passage.  Congress 
was  in  session  in  New  York.  July  5  Eev. 
Manasseli  Cutler,  of  Massachusetts,  came  to 
New  York  in  the  interest  of  some  land  spec- 
ulators in  the  Northwest  Territory.  lie  was 
a  graduate  of  Yale;  had  taken  the  degrees  of 
the  three  learned  professions — medicine,  law 
and  divinity.  As  a  scientist,  in  America 
his  name  stood  second  only  to  that  of 
Franklin. 

He  was  a  courtly  gentleman  of  the  old 
style.  He  readily  ingratiated  himself  into 
the  confidence  of  Southern  leaders.  He 
wished  to  purchase  5,500,000  acres  of  land 
in  the  new  Territory.  Jefferson  and  his  ad- 
ministration desired  to  make  a  record  on  the 
reduction  of  the  public  debt,  and  this  was  a 
rare  opportunity.  Massachusetts  representa- 
tives could  not  vote  against  Cutler's  scheme, 
ns  many  of  their  constituents  were  interested 
in  the  measure;  Southern  members  M'ere 
already  committed.  Thus  Cutler  held  the 
key  to  the  situation,  and  dictated  terms, 
which  were  as  follows: 

1.  The  exclusion  of  slavery  from  the 
Territorv  forever. 


HI8T0RT    OF    INDIANA. 


2.  Providing  one-tliirty-sixtli  of  all  the 
land  for  public  schools. 

3.  Be  it  forever  remembered  that  this 
compact  declares  that  religion,  morality  and 
knowledge  being  necessary  to  good  govern- 
ment and  the  liappiness  of  mankind,  schools 
and  the  means  of  education  shall  always  be 
encouraged. 

Dr.  Cutler  planted  himself  on  this  plat- 
form, and  would  not  yield,  stating  that 
unless  they  could  procure  the  lands  under 
desirable  conditions  and  surroundings,  they 
did  not  want  it.  July  13,  1787,  the  bill 
became  a  law.  Thus  the  great  States  of 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan  and  Wis- 
consin— a  vast  empire — were  consecrated  to 
freedom,  intelligence  and  morality. 

October  5,  1787,  Congress  elected  General 
Arthur  St.  Clair  Governor  of  the  JSTorth- 
western  Territory.  He  assumed  his  official 
duties  at  Marietta,  and  at  once  proceeded  to 
treat  with  the  Indians,  and  organize  a  Terri- 
torial government.  lie  first  organized  a 
court  at  Marietta,  consisting  of  three  judges, 
himself  being  president  of  the  court. 

The  Governor  with  the  judges  then  visited 
Kaskaskia,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  civil 
government,  liaving  previously  instructed  Ma- 
jor Ilamtramck,  at  Vincennes,  to  present  the 
policy  of  the  new  administration  to  the  sev- 
eral Indian  tribes,  and  ascertain  their  feelings 
in  regard  to  acquiescing  in  the  new  order  of 
things.  They  received  the  messenger  with 
cool  indifference,  whicli,  when  reported  to  the 
Governor,  convinced  him  that  nothing  short 
of  military  force  would  command  compliance 
with  the  civil  law.  He  at  once  proceeded  to 
Fort  Washington,  to  consult  with  General 
Harmar  as  to  future  action.  In  the  mean- 
time he  intrusted  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Territory,  "Winthrop  Sargent,  the  settlement 
of  tlie  disputed  land  claims,  who  found  it  an 
arduous  task,  and  in  his  report  states  that 


he  found  the  records  had  been  so  falsified, 
vouchers  destroyed,  and  other  crookedness, 
as  to  make  it  impossible  to  get  at  a  just 
settlement,  which  proves  that  the  abuse  of 
public  trust  is  not  a  very  recent  discovery. 

The  General  Court  in  1790,  acting  Gov- 
ernor Sargent  presiding,  passed  stringent 
laws  prohibiting  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liq- 
uors to  Indians,  and  also  to  soldiers  within 
ten  miles  of  any  military  post;  also  prohib- 
iting any  games  of  chance  within  the  Terri- 
tory. 

Winthrop  Sargent's  administration  was 
highly  eulogized  by  the  citizens.  lie  had 
succeeded  in  settling  the  disputed  land  ques- 
tion satisfactory  to  all  concerned,  had  estab- 
lished in  good  order  the  machinery  of  a  free, 
wise  and  good  government.  In  the  same  ad- 
dress Major  Hamtramck  also  received  a  fair 
share  of  praise  for  his  judicious  management 
of  public  affairs. 

The  consultation  of  Governor  St.  Clair  and 
General  Harmar,  at  Fort  Washington,  ended 
in  deciding  to  raise  a  large  military  force 
and  thoroughly  chastise  the  Indians  about 
the  head  of  the  Wabash.  Accordingly  Vir- 
ginia and  Pennsylvania  were  called  upon  for 
troops,  and  1,800  men  were  mustered  at  Fort 
Steuben,  and,  with  the  garrison  of  that  fort, 
joined  the  forces  at  Vincennes  under  Major 
Ilamtramck,  who  proceeded  up  the  Wabash 
as  far  as  the  Vermillion  River,  destroying 
villages,  but  without  finding  an  enemy  to 
oppose  him. 

General  Harmar,  with  1,150  men,  marched 
from  Fort  Washington  to  the  Maumee,  and 
began  punishing  the  Indians,  but  with  little 
success.  The  expedition  marched  from  Fort 
Washington  September  30,  and  returned  to 
that  place  November  4,  having  lost  during 
the  expedition  183  men  killed  and  thirty- 
one  wounded. 

General  Harmar's  defeat   alarmed  as  well 


'.; 


■■■■■■■■■"■■■■■■■a 


133 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


as  aroused  the  citizens  in  the  frontier  counties 
of  Virginia.  They  reasoned  that  the  sav- 
ages' success  would  invite  an  invasion  of 
frontier  Virginia. 

A  memorial  to  this  eft'ect  M'as  presented 
before  the  State  General  Assembly.  This 
'memorial  caused  the  Legislature  to  authorize 
tlie  Governor  to  use  such  means  as  he  might 
deera  necessary  for  defensive  operations. 

The  Governor  called  upon  the  western 
counties  of  Virginia  for  militia;  at  the  same 
time  Charles  Scott  was  appointed  Brigadier- 
General  of  the  Iventuchy  militia,  now  pre- 
paring for  defending  their  frontier. 

The  proceedings  of  the  Virginia  Legisla- 
ture reaching  Congress,  that  body  at  once 
constituted  a  board  of  war  consisting  of  five 
men.  March  9,  1791,  General  Knox,  Secre- 
tary of  War,  wrote  to  General  Scott  recom- 
mending an  expedition  against  the  Indians 
on  the  AVabash. 

General  Scott  moved  into  the  Indian  set- 
tlements, reached  the  Wabash;  the  Indians 
principally  fled  before  his  forces.  He  de- 
stroyed many  villages,  killed  thirty-two  war- 
riors and  took  fifty-eight  prisoners;  the 
wretched  condition  of  his  hpj'scs  prevented 
further  pursuit. 

March  3,  1791,  Congress  invested  Govern- 
or St.Clair  with  the  command  of  8,000  troops, 
and  he  was  instructed  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  to  march  to  the  Miami  village  and  es- 
tablish a  strong  and  permanent  military  post 
there.  The  Secretary  of  War  gave  him  strict 
orders,  that  after  establishing  a  permanent 
base  at  tlie  Miami  village,  he  seek  the  enemy 
Mith  all  his  available  force  and  make  them 
feel  the  eftects  of  the  superiority  of  the  whites. 

Previous  to  marching  a  strong  force  to  the 
]\nami  town,  Governor  St.  Clair,  June  25, 
1791,  authorized  General  Wilkinson,  with 
500  mounted  men,  to  move  against  the  In- 
dians on    the  Wabash.     General  Wilkinson 


reported  the  results  of  this  expedition  as  fol- 
lows: "  I  have  destroyed  the  chief  town  of 
the  Ouiatenon  nation,  and  have  made  prisoners 
of  the  sons  and  sisters  of  the  King;  I  have 
burned  a  Kickapoo  village,  and  cut  down 
400  acres  of  corn  in  the  milk." 

EXPEDITIONS  OF  ST.  CLAIR  AND  WAYNE. 

The  Indians  had  been  seriously  damaged 
by  Harmar,  Scott  and  Wilkinson,  but  were 
far  from  subdued.  The  British  along  the 
Canada  frontier  gave  them  much  encourage- 
ment to  continue  the  warfare. 

In  September,  1791,  St.  Clair  moved  from 
Fort  Washington  with  a  force  of  2,000  men 
and  a  number  of  pieces  of  artillery,  and  No- 
vember 3  he  reached  the  headwaters  of  the 
Wabash,  where  Fort  Recovery  was  afterward 
erected,  and  here  the  army  camped,  consist- 
ing of  1,400  effective  men ;  on  the  morning 
of  November  4  the  army  advanced  and  en- 
gaged the  Indians  1,200  strong. 

The  Americans  were  disastrously  defeated, 
having  thirty-nine  officers  and  539  men 
killed  and  missing,  twenty-two  officers  and 
232  men  wounded.  Several  pieces  of  artil- 
lery and  all  their  provisions  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Indians;  estimated  loss  in  prop- 
erty, S32,000. 

Although  no  particular  Llame  was  attached 
to  Governor  St.  Clair  for  the  loss  in  his  ex- 
pedition, yet  he  resigned  the  office  of  Major- 
General,  and  was  succeeded  by  Anthony 
Wayne,  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary war. 

General  Wayne  organized  his  forces  at 
Pittsburg,  and  in  October,  1793,  moved  west- 
ward from  that  jioint  at  the  head  of  an  army 
of  3,600  men. 

He  proposed  an  offensive  campaign.  The 
Indians,  instigated  by  the  British,  insisted 
that  the  Ohio  River  should  be  the  boundary 
between   their  lands   and   the    lands    of  the 


HISTORY    OF    1X1)1  AS. 


133 


United  States,  and  were  sure  tliey  could 
niaintain  that  line. 

General  Scott,  of  Kentucky,  joined  General 
Wayne  with  1,600  mounted  men.  They 
erected  Fort  Defiance  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Auglaize  Eiver.  August  15  the  army 
moved  toward  the  British  fort,  near  the 
rapids  of  the  Maumee,  where,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  August  20,  they  defeated  2,000 
Indians  and  British  almost  within  range  of 
the  guns  of  the  fort.  About  900  American 
troops  were  actually  engaged.  The  Ameri- 
cans lost  thirty-three  killed  and  100  wound- 
ed, tlie  enemy's  loss  being  more  than  double. 
AVayne  remained  in  that  region  for  three 
days,  destroying  villages  and  crops,  then  re- 
turned to  Fort  Defiance,  destroying  every- 
thing pertaining  to  Indian  subsistence  for 
many  n;iles  on  cacli  side  of  his  route. 

September  14,  1794,  General  Wayne 
moved  his  army  in  the  direction  of  tlie  de- 
serted Miami  villages  at  the  confluence  of 
St.  Joseph's  and  St.  Mary's  rivers,  arriving 
October  17,  and  on  the  following  day  the 
site  of  Fort  Wayne  was  selected.  The  fort  was 
completed  November  22,  and  garrisoned  by 
a  strong  detachment  of  infantry  and  artillery 
commanded  by  Colonel  John  F.  Hamtramck, 
who  gave  to  the  new  fort  the  name  of  Fort 
Wayne.  General  Wayne  soon  after  con- 
cluded a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  Indians  at 
Greenville,  in  1795. 

ORGANIZATION    OF    INDIANA    TEEEITOEY. 

On  the  final  success  of  American  arms  and 
diplomacy  in  1796,  the  principal  town  within 
the  present  State  of  Indiana  was  Vincennes, 
which  comprised  fifty  houses,  presenting  a 
thrifty  appearance.  Besides  Yincennes  there 
was  a  small  settlement  near  where  Law- 
renceburg  now  stands.  There  were  several 
other  small  settlements  and  trading-posts  in 
the  present  limits  of  Indiana,  and  the  num- 


ber of  civilized  inhabitants  in  the  Territory 
was  estimated  at  4,875. 

The  Territory  of  Indiana  was  organized  by 
act  of  Congress,  May  7,  1800,  the  material 
features  of  the  ordinance  of  1787  remaining 
in  force,  and  the  inhabitants  were  invested 
with  all  the  rights  and  advantages  granted 
and  secured  by  that  ordinance. 

The  seat  of  government  was  fixed  at  Yin- 
cennes. May  13,  1800,  William  Henry  Har- 
rison, a  native  of  Yirginia,  was  appointed 
Governor,  and  John  Gibson,  of  Pennsylvania, 
Secretary  of  the  Territory ;  soon  after  Will- 
iam Clark,  Henry  Yanderburg  and  John 
Griffin  were  appointed  Territorial  Judges. 

Governor  Harrison  arrived  at  Yincennes 
January  10,  1801,  when  he  called  together 
the  Judges  of  the  Territory  to  pass  such  laws 
as  were  deemed  necessary  for  the  new  govern- 
ment.    This  session  began  March  3, 1801. 

From  this  time  to  1810,  the  principal  sub- 
jects which  attracted  the  citizens  of  Indiana 
were  land  speculations,  the  question  of  Afri- 
can slavery,  and  the  hostile  views  and  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Shawnee  chief,  Tecumseh, 
and  his  brother,  the  Prophet. 

Up  to  this  time  the  Sixth  Article  of  the 
ordinance  of  1787,  prohibiting  slavery,  had 
been  somewhat  neglected,  and  many  French 
settlers  still  held  slaves;  many  slaves  were 
removed  to  the  slave-holding  States.  A  ses- 
sion of  delegates,  elected  by  a  popular  vote, 
petitioned  Congress  to  revoke  the  Sixth  Ar- 
ticle of  the  ordinance  of  1787.  Congress 
failed  to  grant  this,  as  well  as  many  other 
similar  petitions.  When  it  appeared  from  the 
result  of  a  popular  vote  in  the  Territory,  that  a 
majority  of  138  were  in  favor  of  organizing  a 
General  Assembly,  Governor  Harrison,  Sep- 
tember 11,  1804,  issued  a  proclamation,  and 
called  for  an  election  to  be  held  in  the  several 
counties  of  the  Territory,  January  3,  1805, 
to  choose  members  of  a  House  of  Represent- 


Hl.sTOiil-   0/   lNt)lANA. 


\\\ 


ativcs,  who  should  meet  at  Yincennes  Feb- 
ruary 1.  The  delegates  were  elected,  and 
assembled  at  the  place  and  date  named,  and 
perfected  plans  for  Territorial  organization, 
and  selected  five  men  who  should  constitute 
the  Legislative  Council  of  the  Territory. 

The  first  General  Assembly,  or  Legisla- 
ture, met  at  Vincennes  July  29,  1805.  Tlie 
members  constituting  this  body  were  Jesse 
B.  Thomas,  of  Dearborn  County;  Davis 
Floyd,  of  Clark  County;  Benjamin  Park 
and  John  Johnson,  of  Knox  County;  Shad- 
rach  Bond  and  William  Biggs,  of  St.  Clair 
County,  and  George  Fisher,  of  Piandolph 
County. 

July  30  the  Governor  delivered  his  first 
message  to  the  Council  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. Benjamin  Park,  who  came  from 
New  Jersey  to  Indiana  in  1801,  was  the  first 
delegate  elected  to  Congress. 

The  Western  Sun  was  the  first  newspaper 
published  in  Indiana,  first  issued  at  Vin- 
cennes in  1803,  by  Elihu  Stout,  of  Kentucky, 
and  first  called  the  Indiana  Gazette,  and 
changed  to  the  Sun  July  4,  1804. 

The  total  population  of  Indiana  in  ISIO 
was  24,520.  There  were  33  grist-mills,  14 
saw-mills,  3  horse-mills,  18  tanneries,  28 
distilleries,  3  powder-mills,  1,256  looms, 
1,350  spinning  wheels.  Value  of  woolen, 
cotton,  liemp  and  flaxen  cloths,  $159,052;  of 
cotton  and  woolen  spun  in  mills,  $150,000; 
of  nails,  30,000  pounds,  $4,000;  of  leather, 
tanned,  $9,300;  of  distillery  products,  35,950 
gallons,  $16,230;  of  gunpowder,  3,600  pounds, 
$1,800;  of  wine  from  grapes,  96  barrels, 
.  $6,000,  and  50,000  pmnds  of  maple  sugar. 
During  the  year  1810,  a  commission  was 
engaged  straightening  out  the  confused  con- 
dition of  laud  titles.  In  making  their  report 
they,  as  did  the  previous  commissioners, 
made  complaints  of  frauds  and  abuses  by 
oificials  connected  with  the  land  department. 


The  Territory  of  Indiana  was  divided  in 
1809,  when  the  Territory  of  Illinois  was 
erected,  to  comprise  all  that  part  of  Indiana 
Territory  west  of  the  Wabash  River,  and  a 
direct  line  drawn  from  that  river  and  Vin- 
cennes due  north  to  the  territorial  line  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Canada.  For 
the  first  half  century  from  the  settlement  of 
Vincennes  the  place  grew  slowly. 

Tlie  commandants  and  priests  governed 
with  almost  absolute  power;  the  whites  lived 
in  peace  with  the  Indians. 

The  necessaries  of  life  were  easily  pro- 
cured ;  tliere  was  nothing  to  stimulate  energy 
or  progi-ess.  In  such  a  state  of  society  there 
was  no  demand  for  learning  and  science;  few 
could  read,  and  still  fewer  could  write;  they 
were  void  of  public  spirit,  enterprise  or 
ingenuity. 

OOVEENOK    HARBISON    AND    THE    INDIANS. 

Immediately  after  the  organization  of  In- 
diana Territory,  Governor  Harrison  directed 
his  attention  to  settling  the  land  claims  of 
Indians.  He  entered  into  several  treaties 
with  the  Indians,  whereby,  at  the  close  of 
1805,  the  United  States  had  obtained  46,000 
square  miles  of  territory. 

In  1807  the  Territorial  statutes  were  re- 
vised. Under  the  new  code,  the  crimes  of 
treason,  murder,  arson  and  horse-stealing 
were  made  punishable  by  death;  burglary, 
robbery,  hog-stealing  and  bigamy  were  punish- 
able by  whipping,  fine  and  imprisonment. 

The  Governor,  in  his  message  to  the  Leg- 
islature in  1806,  expressed  himself  as  believ- 
ing the  peace  then  existing  between  tlie 
whites  and  the  Indians  was  permanent.  At 
the  same  time  he  alluded  to  the  probability 
of  a  disturbance  in  consequence  of  enforce- 
ment of  law  as  applying  to  tlie  Indians. 

Altliough  treaties  with  the  Indians  defined 
boundary  lines,  the   whites   did   not  strictly 


1 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


observe  them.  They  trespassed  on  the  In- 
dian's reserved  rights,  and  thus  gave  hira  just 
groTinds  for  his  continuous  complaints  from 
1805  to  1810.  This  agitated  feeling  of  the 
Indians  was  utilized  by  Law-le-was-i-kaw,  a 
brother  of  Tecnmseh,  of  the  Shawnee  tribe. 

He  was  a  warrior  of  great  renown,  as  well 
as  an  orator,  and  had  an  unlimited  influence 
among  the  several  Indian  tribes. 

He  used  all  means  to  concentrate  the  com- 
bined Indian  strength  to  annihilate  the 
whites.  Governor  Harrison,  realizing  the 
progress  this  Prophet  was  making  toward 
opening  hostilities,  and  hoping  by  timely 
action  to  check  the  movement,  he,  early  in 
1808,  sent  a  speech  to  the  Shawnees  in 
which  he  advised  the  people  against  being 
led  into  danger  and  destruction  by  the 
Prophet,  and  informed  them  that  warlike 
demonstrations  must  be  stopped. 

Governor.  Harrison,  Tecnmseh  and  the 
Prophet  held  several  meetings,  the  Governor 
charging  them  as  being  friends  of  the  British, 
they  denying  the  charge  and  protesting 
against  the  farther  appropriation  of  their 
lands. 

Governor  Harrison,  in  direct  opposition  to 
their  protest,  continued  to  extinguish  Indian 
titles  to  lands. 

While  the  Indians  were  combining  to  pre- 
vent any  further  transfer  of  lands  to  the 
whites,  the  British  were  actively  preparing 
to  use  them  in  a  war  against  the  Americans. 

Governor  Harrison,  anticipating  their  de- 
signs, invited  Tecnmseh  to  a  council,  to  talk 
over  grievances  and  try  to  settle  all  differ- 
ences without  resort  to  arms. 

Accordingly,  August  12,  1810,  Tecumseh, 
with  seventy  warriors,  marched  to  the  Gov- 
ernor's house,  where  several  days  were  spent 
without  any  satisfactory  settlement.  On  the 
20th,  Tecumseh  delivered  his  celebrated 
speech,  in  which  he  gave  the  Governor  the 


alternative  of  returning  their  lands  or  meet- 
ing them  in  battle.  In  his  message  to  the 
Legislature  of  1810,  the  Governor  reviewed 
the  dangerous  attitude  of  the  Indians  toward 
the  whites  as  expressed  by  Tecumseh.  In 
the  same  message  he  also  urged  the  establish- 
ment of  a  system  of  education. 

In  1811  the  British  agent  for  Indian  af- 
fairs adopted  measures  calculated  to  secure 
the  Indians'  support  in  a  war  which  at  this 
time  seemed  inevitable. 

In  the  meantime  Governor  Harrison  used 
all  available  means  to  counteract  the  British 
influence,  as  well  as  that  of  Tecumseh  and  the 
Prophet,  with  the  Indians,  but  without  suc- 
cess. 

The  threatening  storm  continued  to  gather, 
receiving  increased  force  from  various  causes, 
until  the  Governor,  seeing  war  was  the  last 
resort,  and  near  at  hand,  ordered  Colonel 
Boyd's  regiment  to  move  to  Vincennes,  where 
a  military  organization  was  about  ready  to 
take  the  field. 

The  Governor,  at  the  head  of  this  expedi- 
tion, marched  from  Vincennes  September  26, 
and  encamped  October  3  near  where  Terre 
Haute  now  stands.  Here  they  completed  a 
fort  on  the  28th,  which  was  called  Ftirt  Har- 
rison. This  fort  was  garrisoned  with  a  small 
number  of  men  under  Lieutenant  Miller. 

Governor  Harrison,  with  the  main  army, 
910  men,  marched  to  the  Prophet's  town  on 
the  29th,  where  a  conference  was  opened,  and 
the  Indians  plead  for  time  to  treat  for  peace; 
the  Governor  gave  them  until  the  following 
day,  and  retired  a  short  distance;  from  the 
town  and  encamped  for  the  night.  The  In- 
dians seemed  only  to  be  parleying  in  order  to 
gain  advantage,  and  on  the  morning  of  No- 
vember 7,  at  4  o'clock,  made  a  desperate 
charge  into  the  camp  of  the  Americans.  For 
a  few  moments  all  seemed  lost,  but  the  troops 
soon  realizing  their  desperate  situation,  fought 


with  a  determination  equal  to  savages.  The 
Americans  soon  routed  their  savage  assail- 
ants, and  thus  ended  the  famous  battle  of 
Tippecanoe,  victoriously  to  the  whites  and 
honorably  to  General  Harrison. 

The  Americans  lost  in  this  battle  thirty- 
seven  killed  and  twenty-five  mortally  wound- 
ed, and  126  wounded.  The  Indians  left 
thirty -eight  killed  on  the  field,  and  their  faith 
in  the  Prophet  was  in  a  measure  destroyed. 
November  8  General  Harrison  destroyed  the 
Prophet's  town,  and  reached  Vincennes  on 
the  18th,  where  the  army  was  disbanded. 

The  battle  of  Tippecanoe  secured  peace 
but  for  a  short  time.  The  British  continued 
their  aggression  until  the  United  States  de- 
clared war  against  them.  Tecumseh  had  fled 
to  Canada,  and  now,  in  concert  with  the  Brit- 
ish, began  inroads  upon  the  Americans. 
Events  of  minor  importance  we  pass  here. 

In  September,  1812,  Indians  assembled  in 
large  numbers  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Wayne 
with  the  purpose  of  capturing  the  garrison. 
Chief  Logan,  of  the  Shawnee  tribe,  a  friend 
to  the  whites,  succeeded  in  entering  the  fort 
and  informing  the  little  garrison  that  General 
Harrison  was  coming  with  a  force  to  their 
relief,  which  nerved  them  to  resist  the  furious 
savage  assaults. 

September  6,  1812,  Harrison  moved  with 
his  army  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Wayne.  Sep- 
tember 9  Harrison,  with  3,500  men,  camped 
near  the  fort,  expecting  a  battle  the  follow- 
ing day.  The  morning  of  the  10th  disclosed 
the  fact  that  the  enemy  had  learned  of  the 
strong  force  approaching  and  had  disappeared 
during  the  previous  night. 

Simultaneous  with  the  attack  on  Fort 
Wayne  the  Indians  also  besieged  Fort  Har- 
rison, then  commanded  by  Zachariali  Taylor, 
and  succeeded  in  destroying  considerable 
property  and  getting  away  M-ith  all  the  stock. 
About  the  same  time  the  Indians  massacred 


the  inhabitants  at  the  settlement  of  Pidgeon 
Hoost. 

The  war  now  being  thoroughly  inaugurated, 
hostilities  continued  throughout  the  North- 
west between  the  Americans  and  the  British 
and  Indians  combined.  Engagements  of 
greater  or  less  magnitude  were  of  almost 
daily  occurrence,  the  victory  alternating  in 
the  favor  of  one  or  the  other  party. 

The  Americans,  however,  continued  to  hold 
the  territory  and  gradually  press  back  the 
enemy  and  diminish  his  numbers  as  well  as 
his  zeal. 

Thus  the  war  of  1812  was  waged  until  De- 
cember 24,  1814,  when  a  treaty  of  peace  was 
signed  by  England  and  the  United  States  at 
Ghent,  which  terminated  hostile  operations 
in  America  and  restored  to  the  Indiana  set- 
tlers peace  and  quiet,  and  opened  the  gates 
for  immigration  to  the  great  and  growing 
State  of  Indiana  as  well  as  the  entire  North- 
west. 

CIVIL    MATTERS. 

The  Legislature,  in  session  at  A'incennes 
February,  1813,  changed  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment from  Vincennes  to  Corydon.  The  same 
year  Thomas  Posey,  who  was  at  the  time 
Senator  in  Congress,  was  appointed  Governor 
of  Indiana  to  succeed  Governor  Harrison, 
who  was  then  commanding  the  army  in  the 
field.  The  Legislature  passed  several  laws 
necessary  for  the  welfare  of  the  settlement, 
and  General  Harrison  being  generally  suc- 
cessful in  forcing  the  Indians  back  from  the 
settlements,  hope  revived,  and  the  tide  of  im- 
migration began  again  to  flow.  The  total 
white  population  in  Indiana  in  1815  was  es- 
timated at  63,897. 

GENERAL    REVIEW. 

Notwithstanding  the  many  rights  and 
privileges  bestowed  upon  tlie  people  of  the 
Northwestern  Territory  by  the  ordinance  of 


nisTonr  of  Indiana. 


1787.  they  were  far  from  eiijo^-iiig  a  full 
form  of  republican  government.  A  freehold 
estate  of  500  acres  of  land  was  a  necessary 
(junlification  o  become  a  member  of  the 
Legislative  Council.  Each  member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  Wiis  required  to 
possess  200  acres  of  land;  no  man  could  cast 
a  vote  for  a  Representative  but  such  as  owned 
iifty  acres  of  land.  The  Governor  was  in- 
vested with  the  power  of  appointing  all  civil 
and  militia  officers,  judges,  clerks,  county 
treasurers,  county  surveyors,  justices,  etc. 
He  had  the  power  to  apportion  the  Repre- 
sentatives in  the  several  counties,  and  to 
convene  and  adjourn  the  Legislature  at  his 
pleasure,  and  prevent  the  passage  of  any 
Territorial  law. 

In  1809  Congress  passed  an  act  empow- 
ering the  people  of  Indiana  to  elect  their 
Legislative  Council  by  a  popular  vote;  and 
in  1811  Congress  abolished  property  qualifi- 
cation of  voters,  and  declared  that  every  free 
white  male  person  who  had  attained  to  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  paid  a  tax, 
should  exercise  the  right  of  franchise. 

The  Legislature  of  1814  divided  the  Terri- 
tory into  three  judicial  circuits.  The  Gov- 
ernor was  empowered  to  appoint  judges  for 
the  same,  whose  compensation  should  be 
S~00  jier  annum. 

The  same  year  charters  were  granted  to 
two  banking  institutions,  the  Farmers'  and 
Mechanics'  Bank  of  Madison,  authorized  cap- 
ital 8750,000,  and  the  Bank  of  Vincennes, 
$500,000. 

OKGANIZATION    OF    THE    STATE. 

The  last  Territorial  Legislature  convened 
at  Corydon,  in  December,  1815,  and  on  the 
14th  adopted  a  memorial  to  Congress,  pray- 
ing for  authority  to  adopt  a  Constitution 
and  State  Government.  Mr.  Jennings,  their 
delegate  in  Congress,  laid  the  matter  before 


that  body  on  the  28th;  and  April  19,  1810, 
the  President  approved  the  bill  creating  the 
State  of  Indiana.  The  following  May  an 
election  was  held  for  a  Constitutional  Con- 
vention, which  met  at  Corydon  June  15  to 
29,  John  Jennings  presiding,  and  "William 
Hendricks  acting  as  secretary. 

The  people's  representatives  in  this  As- 
sembly were  an  able  body  of  men,  and  the 
Constitution  which  they  formed  for  Indiana 
in  1816  was  not  inferior  to  any  of  the  State 
constitutions  which  were  existing  at  that 
time. 

The  first  State  election  was  held  the  first 
Monday  of  August,  1816,  and  Jonathan  Jen- 
nings was  elected  Governor,  Christopher 
Harrison,  Lieutenant-Governor,  and  William 
Hendricks  .was  elected  Representative  to 
Congress. 

The  first  State  General  Assembly  began 
its  session  at  Corydon  November  4,  1816, 
John  Paul,  Chairman  of  the  Senate,  and  Isaac 
Blackford,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. 

This  session  of  the  Legislature  elected 
James  Noble  and  Waller  Taylor  to  the  Sen- 
ate of  the  United  States;  Robert  A.  New, 
Secretary  of  State;  W.  II.  Lilley,  Auditor  of 
State,  and  Daniel  C.  Lane,  State  Treasurer. 

The  close  of  the  war,  1814,  was  followed 
by  a  rush  of  immigrants  to  the  new  State, 
and  in  1820  the  State  had  more  than  doubled 
her  population,  having  at  this  time  147,178. 
The  period  of  1825-'30  was  a  prosperous 
time  for  the  young  State.  Immigration  con- 
tinued rapid,  the  crops  were  generally  good, 
and  the  hopes  of  the  people  raised  higher 
than  ever  before. 

In  1830  there  still  remained  two  tribes  of 
Indians  in  the  State  of  Indiana,  the  Miamis 
and  Pottawatomies,  who  were  much 
to   being  removed  to   new  territory.     This 
state  of  discontent  was  used  by  the  celebrated 


BISTORT    OF    INDIANA. 


warrior,  Black  Hawk,  who,  hoping  to  receive 
aid  from  the  discontented  tribes,  invaded 
the  frontier  and  slaughtered  many  citizens. 
Others  fled  from  their  homes,  and  a  vast 
amount  of  property  was  destroyed,  This 
was  in  1832,  and  known  as  the  Black  Ilawk 
war. 

The  invaders  were  driven  away  with  severe 
punishment,  and  when  those  who  had  aban- 
doned their  homes  were  assured  that  the 
Miamis  and  Pottawatomies  did  not  contem- 
plate joining  the  invaders,  they  returned  and 
again  resumed  their  peaceful  avocations. 

In  1837-'38  all  the  Indians  were  removed 
from  Indiana  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
very  soon  land  speculations  assumed  large 
proportions  in  the  new  State,  and  many  ruses 
were  resorted  to  to  bull  and  bear  the  market. 
Among  other  means  taken  to  keep  out  specu- 
lators was  a  regular  Indian  scare  in  1827. 

In  1814  a  society  of  Germans,  under  Fred- 
erick Eappe,  founded  a  settlement  on  the 
Wabash,  tifty  miles  above  its  mouth,  and 
gave  to  the  place  the  name  of  Harmony.  In 
1825  the  town  and  a  large  quantity  of  land 
adjoining  was  purchased  by  Robert  Owen, 
father  of  David  Dale  Owen,  State  Geologist, 
and  of  Robert  Dale  Owen,  of  later  notoriety. 
Robert  Owen  was  a  radical  philosopher,  from 
Scotland. 

INDIANA    IN    THE    MEXICAN    WAE. 

During  the  administration  of  Governor 
Whitcomb,  the  United  States  became  in- 
volved in  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  Indiana 
was  prompt  in  furnishing  her  quota  of  vol- 
unteers. 

The  soldiers  of  Indiana  who  served  in  this 
war  were  five  regiments,  First,  Second, 
Third,  Fourth  and  Fifth.  Companies  of  the 
the  three  first-named  regiments  served  at 
times  with  Illinois,  New  York  and  South 
Carolina  troops,  under  General  Shields.    The 


other  regiments,  under  Colonels  Gorman  and 
Lane,  were  under  other  commanders. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  comprised  ten  com- 
panies; was  organized  at  Jefl'ersonville,  by 
Captain  K.  C.^Gatlin,  June  5,  1847,  and 
elected  Major  Willis  A.  Gorman,  of  the 
Third  Regiment,  Colonel;  Ebenezer  Du 
mont,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  W.  McCoy, 
Major.  They  were  assigned  to  General  Lane's 
command,  and  the  Indiana  volunteers  made 
themselves  a  bright  record  in  all  the  engage- 
ments of  the  Mexican  war. 

INDIANA    IN    THE    WAR    FOR    THE    UNION. 

The  fall  of  Fort  Sumter  was  a  signal  for  an 
uprising  of  the  people,  and  the  State  of  In- 
diana M-as  among  the  first  to  respond  to  the 
summons  of  patriotism,  and  register  itself  on 
the  national  roll  of  honor.  Fortunately  for  the 
State,  she  had  a  Governor  at  the  time  whose 
patriotism  has  seldom  been  equaled  and 
never  excelled.  Governor  Oliver  P.  Morton, 
immediately  upon  receiving  the  news  of  the 
fall  of  Sumter,  telegraphed  President  Lin- 
coln, tendering  10,000  troops  in  the  name  ot 
Indiana  for  the  defense  of  the  Union. 

The  President  had  called  upon  the  several 
States  for  75,000  men;  Indiana's  quota  was 
4,683.  Governor  Morton  called  for  six  regi- 
ments April  16,  1861. 

Hon.  Lewis  Wallace,  of  Mexican  war  fame, 
was  appointed  Adjutant-General;  Colonel 
Thomas  Morris,  Quartermaster-General,  and 
Isaiah  Mansur,  of  Indianapolis,  Commissary- 
General.  Governor  Morton  was  also  busy  ar- 
ranging the  finances  of  the  State,  so  as  to 
support  the  military  necessities,  and  to  his 
appeals  to  public  patriotism  he  received 
prompt  and  liberal  financial  aid  from  public- 
spirited  citizens  throughout  the  State.  On 
the  20th  of  April  Major  T.  J.  Wood  arrived 
from  Washington,  to  receive  the  troops  then 
organized,  and  Governor  Morton  telegraphed 


BISTORT    OF    INDIANA. 


the  President  that  he  could  place  six  regi- 
ments of  infantry  at  the  disposal  of  the  Gov- 
ernment; failing  to  receive  a  reply,  the 
Legislature,  then  in  extra  session,  April  27, 
organized  six  new  regiments  for  three 
months  service,  and  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  the  first  six  regiments  were  already 
mustered  into  the  general  service,  were 
known  as  "  The  First  Brigade  Indiana  Vol- 
unteers," and  were  numbered  respectively: 
Sixth  Eegiment,  Colonel  T.  T.  Crittenden; 
Seventh  Regiment,  Colonel  Ebenezer  Du- 
mont;  Eighth  Eegiment,  Colonel  W.  P.  Ben- 
ton; Ninth  Eegiment,  Colonel  E.  H.  Milroy; 
Tenth  Eegiment,  Colonel  T.  T.  Eeynolds; 
Eleventh  Eegiment,  Colonel  Lewis  Wallace. 
The  idea  of  these  numbers  was  suggested 
from  the  fact  that  Indiana  was  represented 
in  the  Mexican  war  by  one  brigade  of  five 
regiments,  and  to  observe  consecutiveness 
the  regiments  comprised  in  the  first  division 
of  volunteers  were  thus  numbered,  and  the 
entire  force  placed  under  the  command  of 
Brigadier-General  T.  A.  Morris,  with  the 
following  stafi":  John  Love,  Major;  Cyrus 
C.  Hines,  Aid-de-camp,  and  J.  A.  Stein, 
Assistant  Adjutant-General.  They  rendered 
valuable  service  in  the  field,  returned  to  In- 
dianapolis July  29,  and  the  six  regiments, 
with  the  surplus  volunteers,  now  formed  a 
division  of  seven  regiments.  All  organized 
for  three  years,  between  the  20th  of  August 
and  20th  of  September,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Twelfth,  which  was  accepted  for  one 
year,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  John  M. 
Wallace,  and  reorgaiiized  May,  1862,  for 
three  years,  under  Colonel  W.  H.  Link.  The 
Thirteenth  Eegiment,  Colonel  Jeremiah  Sul- 
livan, was  mustered  into  service  in  1861, 
and  assigned  to  General  McClellan's  com- 
mand. 

The   Fourteenth    Eegiment   organized    in 
1861,    for   one  year,  and   reorganized    soon 


thereafter  for  three  years,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Kimball. 

The  Fifteenth  Eegiment  organized  June 
14,  1861,  at  LaFayette,  under  Colonel  G.  D. 
Wagner.  On  the  promotion  of  Colonel 
Wagner,  Lieutenant-Colonel  G.  A.  Wood  be- 
came Colonel  of  the  regiment  in  November, 
1862. 

The  Sixteenth  Eegiment  organized,  under 
P.  A.  Ilackleman,  of  Eichmond,  for  one 
year.  Colonel  Hackleman  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  luka.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thomas 
J.  Lucas  succeeded  to  the  command.  The 
regiment  M-as  discharged  in  Washington,  D. 
C,  in  May,  1862;  reorganized  at  Indianapo- 
lis May  27,  1862,  for  three  years,  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  active  military  operations 
until  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  Seventeenth  Eegiment  was  organized 
at  Indianapolis  June  12,  1861,  under  Colonel 
Hascall,  who  was  promoted  to  Brigadier- 
General  in  March,  1862,  when  the  command 
devolved  on  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  T. 
Wilder. 

The  Eighteenth  Eegiment  was  organized 
at  Indianapolis,  under  Colonel  Thomas  Pat- 
terson, August  16,  1861,  and  served  under 
General  Pope. 

The  Nineteenth  Eegiment  organized  at 
Indianapolis  July  29,  1861,  and  was  assigned 
to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  Colonel 
Solomon  Meridith.  It  was  consolidated  with 
the  Twentieth  Eegiment  October,  1864,  under 
Colonel  William  Orr,  formerly  its  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel. 

The  Twentieth  Eegiment  organized  at  La 
Fayette,  for  three  years  service,  in  July,  1861, 
and  was  principally  engaged  along  the  coast. 

The  Twenty-first  Eegiment  was  organized, 
under  Colonel  I.  W.  McMillan,  July  24, 1861. 
This  was  the  first  regiment  to  enter  New  Or- 
leans, and  made  itself  a  lasting  name  by  its 
various  valuable  services. 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


The  Twenty-second  Eegiraent,  under  Col- 
onel Jetf.  C.  Davis,  joined  General  Fremont's 
Corps,  at  St.  Louis,  on  the  17th  of  August, 
1861,  and  performed  gallant  deeds  under  Gen- 
eral Sherman  in  the  South. 

The  Twenty-third  Battalion  was  organized, 
xinder  Colonel  W.  L.  Sanderson,  at  New  Al- 
bany, July  29,  1861.  From  its  unfortunate 
marine  experiences  before  Fort  Henry  to 
Bentonville  it  M-on  unusual  honors. 

The  Twenty-fourth  Battalion  was  organ- 
ized, under  Colonel  Alvin  P.  Hovey,  at  Vin- 
cennes,  July  31,  1861,  and  assigned  to 
Fremont's  command. 

The  Twenty-fifth  Regiment  was  organized 
at  Evansville,  for  three  years,  under  Colonel 
J.  C.  Yeach,  August  26,  1861,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  eighteen  battles  during  its  term. 

The  Twenty-sixth  Battalion  was  organized 
at  Indianapolis,  under  W.  M.  Wheatley,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1861,  and  served  under  Fremont, 
Grant,  Heron  and  Smith. 

The  Twenty-seventh  Regiment,  under  Col- 
onel Silas  Colgrove,  joined  General  Banks 
September  15,  1861,  and  was  with  General 
Sherman  on  the  famous  march  to  the  sea. 

The  Twenty-eighth  Regiment,  or  First 
Cavalrj',  was  organized  at  Evansville  August 
20,  1861,  under  Colonel  Conrad  Baker,  and 
performed  good  service  in  the  Virginias. 

The  Twenty-ninth  Battalion,  of  La  Porte, 
under  Colonel  J.  F.  Miller,  was  organized  in 
October,  1861,  and  M'as  under  Rousseau, 
McCook,  Rosecrans  and  others.  Colonel 
Miller  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brig- 
adier-General, and  Lieutenant-Colonel  D.  M. 
Dunn  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
regiment. 

The  Thirtieth  Regiment,  of  Fort  "Wayne, 
under  Colonel  Silas  S.  Bass,  joined  General 
Rousseau  October  9,  1861.  The  Colonel  re- 
ceived a  mortal  wound  at  Shiloh,  and  died 
a  few  days  after.     Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  B. 


Dodge  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
regiment. 

The  Thirty-first  Regiment  organized  at 
Terre  Haute,  under  Colonel  Charles  Cruft,  in 
September,  1861,  and  served  in  Kentucky 
and  the  South. 

The  Thirty-second  Regiment  of  German 
Infantry,  under  Colonel  August  Willich,  or- 
ganized at  Indianapolis  August  24,  1861,  and 
served  with  distinction.  Colonel  Willich  was 
promoted  to  Brigadier-General,  and  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Henry  Yon  Trebra  succeeded  to 
the  command  of  the  regiment. 

The  Thirty-third  Regiment,  of  Indianapo- 
lis,was  organized,  under  Colonel  John  Coburn, 
September  16,  1861,  and  won  a  series  of  dis- 
tinctions throughout  the  war. 

The  Tliirty-fourth  Battalion  organized  at 
Anderson,  under  Colonel  Ashbury  Steele, 
September  16, 1861,  and  gained  a  lasting  rep- 
utation for  gallantry  during  the  M-ar. 

The  Thirty-fifth,  or  First  Irish  Regiment, 
oi'ganized  at  Indianapolis,  under  Colonel  John 
C.  Walker,  December  11,  1861.  On  the  22d 
of  May,  1862,  it  was  joined  by  the  Sixty- 
first,  or  Second  Irish  Regiment,  when  Colonel 
Mullen  became  Lientenant-Colonel  of  the 
Thirty-fifth,  and  soon  after  its  Colonel. 

Tiie  Thirty-sixth  Regiment  was  organized, 
under  Colonel  William  Grose,  at  Richmond, 
September  16, 1861,  and  assigned  to  the  army 
of  the  Ohio. 

TheThirty-seventh  Battalion  was  organized 
at  Lawrenceburg,  September  18,  1861,  Col- 
onel George  W.  Ilazzard  commanding,  and 
was  with  General  Sherman  to  the  sea. 

The  Thirty-eighth  Regiment  was  organized 
at  New  Albany,  under  Colonel  Benjamin  F. 
Scribner,  September  18,  1861. 

The  Thirty-ninth  Regiment,  or  Eighth 
Cavalry,  was  organized  as  an  infantry 
regiment,  under  Colonel  T.  J.  Harrison, 
at    Indianapolis,    August     28,     1861.      In 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


1863  it  was  reorganized  as  a  cavalry  reg- 
iment. 

The  Fortieth  Eegiment  was  organized  at 
La  Fayette,  under  Colonel  W.  C.  Wilson, 
December  30,  1861,  and  subsequently  com- 
manded by  Colonel  J.  W.  Blake,  and  again 
by  Colonel  Henry  Learning,  and  saw  service 
with  Buell's  army. 

The  Forty-first  Eegiment,  or  Second  Cav- 
alry, the  tirst  complete  regiment  of  horse 
raised  in  the  State,  was  organized  at  Indian- 
apolis, under  Colonel  John  A.  Bridgland, 
September  3,  1861;  was  with  General  Sher- 
man through  Georgia,  and  with  General 
"Wilson  in  Alabama. 

The  Forty-second  Regiment  was  organized 
at  Evansville,  under  Colonel  J.  G.  Jones, 
October  9,  1861,  and  participated  in  the 
Sherman  campaign. 

The  Forty-third  Battalion  was  organized  at 
Terre  Haute,  under  Colonel  George  K.  Steele, 
September  27,  1861,  and  assigned  to  Pope's 
army;  was  the  first  regiment  to  enter  Mem- 
phis, and  was  with  Commodore  Foote  at  the 
reduction  of  Fort  Pillow. 

The  Forty-fourth  Regiment  was  organized 
at  Fort  Wayne,  under  Colonel  Hugh  B. 
Reed,  October  24,  1861,  and  attached  to 
General  Cruft's  Brigade. 

The  Forty-fifth,  or  Third  Cavalry,  was  at 
difterent  periods,  1861-'62,  under  Colonel 
Scott  Carter  and  George  H.  Chapman. 

The  Forty-sixth  Regiment  organized  at 
Logansport,  under  Colonel  Graham  N.  Fitch, 
in  February,  1862,  and  was  assigned  to  Gen- 
eral Pope's  army,  and  served  under  Generals 
Sherman,  Grant  and  others. 

The  Forty-seventh  Regiment  was  organized 
at  Anderson,  under  Colonel  I.  R.  Slack,  early 
in  October,  1862,  and  was  assigned  to  Gen- 
eral Buell's  army,  thence  to  General  Pope's. 
In  December,  1864,  Colonel  Slack  was 
promoted  to  Brigadier-General,  and  Colonel 


J.  A.  McLaughton  succeeded  to  the  command 
of  the  regiment. 

The  Forty-eighth  Regiment  was  organized 
at  Goshen,  under  Colonel  Norman  Eddy, 
December,  6  1861,  and  made  itself  a  bright 
name  at  the  battle  of  Corinth. 

The  Forty-ninth  Regiment  organized  at 
Jeffersonville,  under  Colonel  J.  W.  Ray, 
November  21,  1861,  and  first  saw  active  ser- 
vice in  Kentucky. 

The  Fiftieth  Regiment,  under  Colonel 
Cyrus  L.  Dunham,  was  organized  at  Sey- 
mour in  September,  1861,  and  entered  the 
service  in  Kentucky. 

The  Fifty-first  Regiment,  under  Colonel 
Abel  D.  Streight,  was  organized  at  Indian- 
apolis December  14,  1861,  and  immediately 
began  service  with  General  Buell. 

The  Fifty-second  Regiment  was  partially 
raised  at  Rushville,  and  completed  at  Indian- 
apolis by  consolidating  with  the  Railway 
Brigade,  or  Fifty-sixth  Regiment,  February 
2,  1862,  and  served  in  the  several  campaigns 
in  the  South. 

The  Fifty- third  Battalion  was  raised  at 
New  Albany,  with  the  addition  of  recruits 
from  Rockport,  and  made  itself  an  endurable 
name  under  Colonel  W.  Q.  Gresham. 

The  Fifty-fourth  Regiment  organized  at 
Indianapolis,  under  Colonel  D.  J.  Rose,  for 
three  months,  June  10, 1862,  and  was  assigned 
to  General  Kirby  Smith's  command. 

The  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  organized  for 
three  months,  under  Colonel  J.  R.  Malion, 
June  16,  1862. 

The  Fifty-sixth  Regiment,  referred  to  in 
the  sketch  of  the  Fifty-second,  was  designed 
to  be  composed  of  railroad  men,  under  Col- 
onel J.  M.  Smith,  but  owing  to  many  railroad 
men  having  joined  other  commands,  Colonel 
Smith's  volunteers  were  incorporated  with 
the  Fifty-second,  and  this  number  left  blank 
in  the  army  list. 


The  Fifty-seventli  Battalion  was  organized 
by  two  ministers  of  tlie  gospel,  the  Eev.  I.  W. 
T.  McMullen  and  Eev.  F.  A.  Hardin,  of 
Kichmond,  Indiana,  November  18,  1861, 
Colonel  McMullen  commanding.  The  regi- 
ment was  severally  commanded  by  Colonels 
Cyrus  C.  Haynes,  G.  W.  Leonard,  Willis 
Blanch  and  John  S.  McGrath. 

The  Fifty-eiglith  Kegiraent  was  organized 
at  Princeton,  under  Colonel  Henry  M.  Carr, 
in  October,  1861,  and  assigned  to  General 
Buell's  command. 

The  Fifty-ninth  Battalion  was  organized 
under  Colonel  Jesse  I.  Alexander,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1862,  and  assigned  to  General  Pope's 
command. 

The  Sixtieth  Eegiment  Avas  partially  or- 
ganized at  Evansville,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Eichard  Owen,  in  November,  1861, 
and  perfected  its  organization  at  Camp  Mor- 
ton in  March,  1862,  and  immediately  entered 
the  service  in  Kentucky. 

The  Sixty-first  Eegiment  was  partially 
organized  in  December,  1861,  under  Colonel 
B.  F.  Mullen.  Li  May,  1862,  it  was  incor- 
porated with  the  Thirty-fifth  Eegiment. 

The  Sixty-second  Eegiment,  raised  under 
Colonel  William  Jones,  of  Eockport,  was 
consolidated  with  the  Fifty -third  Eegi- 
ment. 

The  Sixty-third  Eegiment,  of  Covington, 
under  Colonel  James  McManomy,  was  par- 
tially raised  in  December,  1861,  and  im- 
mediately entered  upon  active  duty.  Its 
organization  was  completed  at  Indianapolis, 
February,  1862,  by  six  new  companies. 

The  Sixty-fourth  Eegiment  was  organized 
as  an  artillery  corps.  The  War  Department 
prohibiting  consolidating  batteries,  put  a  stop 
to  the  movement.  Subsequently  an  infantry 
regiment  bearing  the  same  number  was 
raised. 

The  Sixty-fifth  Eegiment,  under  Colonel 


J.  W,  Foster,  completed  its  organization  at 
Evansville,  August,  1862. 

The  Sixty-sixth  Eegiment  organized  at 
New  Albany,  under  Colonel  Eoger  Martin, 
August  19,  18.62,  and  entered  the  service 
immediately  in  Kentucky. 

The  Sixty-seventh  Eegiment  was  organ- 
ized in  the  Third  Congressional  District, 
under  Colonel  Frank  Emerson,  and  report. "1 
for  service  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  in  Au- 
gust, 1862. 

The  Sixty-eighth  Eegiment  organized  at 
Greenburg,  under  Major  Benjamin  C.  Slia\\ , 
and  entered  the  service  August- 19,  ISf. ,', 
under  Colonel  Edward  A.  King,  with  Maj-r 
Shaw  as  Lieutenant-Colonel. 

The  Sixty-ninth  Eegiment  was  organi:;<'i 
at  Eichmond,  under  Colonel  A. Bickle;  v.  : 
taken    prisoners    at    Eichmond,    Kentucl;;  : 
when  exchanged  they  reorganized  in   ISd'J, 
Colonel  T.  W.  Bennett  commanding. 

The  Seventieth  Eegiment  was  organized 
at  Indianapolis,  August  12,  1862,  under 
Colonel  B.  Harrison,  and  at  once  marched  to 
the  front  in  Kentucky. 

The  Seventy-first,  or  Sixth  Cavalry,  was 
an  unfortunate  regiment,  organized  at  Terre 
Haute,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Melville  D. 
Topping,  August  18,  1862.  At  the  battle 
near  Eichmond,  Kentucky,  Colonel  Topping 
and  Major  Conklin,  together  with  213  men, 
were  killed;  347  taken  prisoners;  only  225 
escaped.  The  regiment  was  reorganized  un-' 
der  Colonel  I.  Bittle,  and  was  captured  by 
the  Confederate  General  Morgan  on  the  28th 
of  December,  same  year. 

The  Seventy-second  Eegiment  organized 
at  La  Fayette,  under  Colonel  Miller,  August 
17, 1862,  and  entered  the  service  in  Kentucky. 

The  Seventy-third  Eegiment,  under  Colo- 
nel Gilbert  Hathaway,  was  organized  at 
South  Bend,  August  16,  1862,  and  saw  ser 
vice  under  Generals  Eosecrans  and  Granger. 


Ui STORY    OF    INDIANA. 


Tlio  Seventj-fourtli  Regiment  was  par- 
tially organized  at  Fort  Wayne,  and  com- 
pleted at  Indianapolis,  August  22,  1862,  and 
repaired  to  Kentucky,  under  command  of 
Colonel  Charles  W.  Chapman. 

The  Seventy-fifth  Regiment  was  organized 
within  the  Eleventh  Congressional  District, 
and  marched  to  the  front,  under  Colonel  I. 
W.  Petit,  August  21,  1862. 

The  Seventy-sixth  Battalion  was  organized 
for  thirty  days'  service  in  Jiily,  1862,  under 
Colonel  James  Gavin,  of  Newburg. 

The  Seventy-seventh,  or  Fourth  Cavalry, 
was  organized  at  Indianapolis,  August,  1862, 
under  Colonel  Isaac  P.  Gray,  and  carved  its 
way  to  fame  in  over  twenty  battle-fields. 

The  Seventy-ninth  Regiment  organized  at 
Indianapolis,  under  Colonel  Fred.  Ivnefler, 
September  2,  1862,  and  performed  gallant 
service  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  Eightieth  Regiment  was  organized 
within  the  First  Congressional  District,  un- 
der Colonel  C.  Denby,  August  8,  1862,  and 
left  Indianapolis  immediately  for  the  front. 

The  Eighty-first  Regiment,  under  Colonel 
W.  "W".  Caldwell,  organized  at  New  Albany, 
August  29,  1862,  and  was  assigned  to  Gen- 
eral Buell's  command. 

The  Eighty-second  Regiment,  under  Colo- 
nel Morton  C.  Hunter,  organized  at  Madison, 
August  30,  1862,  and  immediately  moved  to 
the  front. 

The  Eighty-third  Regiment,  under  Colo- 
nel Ben.  J.  Spooner,  organized  at  Lawrence- 
burg,  Sejjtember,  1862,  and  began  duty  on 
the  Mississippi. 

The  Eighty-fourth  Regiment  organized  at 
Richmond,  Indiana,  September  8, 1862,  Colo- 
nel Nelson  Trusler  commanding,  and  entered 
the  field  in  Kentucky. 

The  Eighty-fifth  Regiment  organized  under 
Colonel  John  P.  Bayard,  at  Terra  Haute, 
September  2,  1862.  and  with  Coburn's  Bri- 


gade surrendered  to  the  rebel  General  For- 
rest in  March,  1863. 

The  Eighty-sixth  Regiment  left  La  Fayette 
for  Kentucky  under  Colonel  Orville  S.  Ham- 
ilton August  26,  1862. 

The  Eighty-seventh  Regiment  organized 
at  South  Bend,  under  Colonels  Kline  G. 
Sherlock  and  N.  Gleason,  and  left  Indianap- 
oplis  for  the  front  August  31,  1862,  and  was 
with  General  Sherman  through  Georgia. 

The  Eighty-eighth  Regiment  organized 
within  the  Fourth  Congressional  District, 
under  Colonel  George  Humphrey,  and  moved 
to  the  front  August  29,  1862,  and  was  pres- 
ent with  General  Sherman  at  the  surrender 
of  General  Johnston's  army. 

The  Eighty-ninth  Regiment  organized 
within  the  Eleventh  Congressional  District, 
under  Charles  D.  Murray,  August  28,  1862. 

The  Ninetieth  Regiment,  or  Fifth  Cavalry, 
organized  at  Indianapolis,  under  Colonel 
Felix  W.  Graham,  August  to  November, 
1862,  assembled  at  Louisville  in  March,  1863, 
and  participated  in  twenty-two  engagements 
during  its  term  of  service. 

The  Ninety-first  Battalion,  under  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel John  Mehringer,  organized  in 
October,  1862,  at  Evansville,  and  proceeded 
at  once  to  the  front. 

The  Ninety -second  Regiment  failed  to  or- 
ganize. 

The  Ninety-third  Regiment,  under  Col- 
onel De  "Witt  C.  Thomas,  organized  at  Mad- 
ison October  20,  1862,  and  joined  General 
Sherman's  command. 

The  Ninety-fourth  and  Ninety-fifth  Regi- 
ments were  only  partially  raised,  and  the 
companies  were  incorporated  with  other  regi- 
ments. 

The  Ninety-sixth  Regiment  could  bring 
together  but  three  companies,  which  were  in- 
corporated with  the  Ninety-ninth  at  South 
Bend,  and  the  number  left  blank. 


I 


;«; 


^^»g»g»«Mw*'M"Bi"i»«»ai"'^"'Hga5 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


The  Kinety-seventh  Kegiment  organized 
at  Terra  Haute,  under  Colonel  Kobert  F.  Cat- 
tersoii,  September  20, 1861,  and  took  position 
at  the  front  near  Memphis. 

The  Ninety-eighth  Eegiment  failed  to  or- 
ganize, and  the  two  companies  raised  were 
consolidated  with  the  One  Hundredth  Regi- 
ment at  Fort  Wayne. 

The  JSTinety-ninth  Battalion  organized  in 
the  Ninth  Congressional  District,  under  Col- 
onel Alex.  Fawler,  October  21,  1862,  and 
operated  with  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps. 

The  One  Hundredth  Regiment  organized 
at  Fort  "Wayne,  under  Colonel  Sanford  J. 
Stoughton,  and  joined  the  army  of  the  Ten- 
nessee November  26,  1862. 

The  One  Hundred  and  First  Regiment 
was  organized  at  Wabash,  under  Colonel 
William  Garver,  September  7,  1862,  and  im- 
mediately began  active  duty  in  Kentucky. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Second  Regiment 
organized,  under  Colonel  Benjamin  F.  Gregry, 
at  Indianapolis,  early  in  S\\\j,  1864. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Third  Regiment 
comprised  seven  companies  from  the  counties 
of  Hendricks,  Marion  and  Wayne,  under  Col- 
onel Lawrence  S.  Shuler. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Regiment 
was  recruited  from  members  of  the  Legion 
of  Decatur,  La  Fayette,  Madison,  Marion  and 
Rush  counties,  under  Colonel  James  Gavin. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifth  Regiment  was 
formed  from  tlie  Legion  and  Minute  Men, 
furnished  by  Hancock,  Union,  Randolph, 
Putnam,  Wayne,  Clinton  and  Madison  coun- 
ties, under  Colonel  Sherlock. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Sixth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  Isaac  P.  Gray,  was  organized 
from  the  counties  of  Wayne,  Randolph,  Han- 
cock, Howard  and  Marion. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Seventh  Regiment 
was  organized  in  Indianapolis,  under  Colonel 
De  Witt  C.  Ruggs. 


The  One  Hundred  and  Eighth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  W.C.Wilson,  was  formed  from 
the  counties  of  Tippecanoe,  Hancock,  Car- 
roll, Montgomery  and  Wayne. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Ninth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  J.  R.  Malion,  was  composed  of 
companies  from  La  Porte,  Hamilton,  Miami 
and  Randolph  counties,  Indiana,  and  from 
Coles  County,  Illinois. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Regiment 
was  composed  of  companies  from  the  counties 
of  Henry,  Madisun,  Delaware,  Cass  and  Mon- 
roe ;  tliis  regiment  was  not  called  into  the  field. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Regiment, 
from  Montgomery,  La  Fayette,  Rush,  Miami, 
Monroe,  Delaware  and  Hamilton  counties, 
under  Colonel  Robert  Canover,  was  not  called 
out. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twelfth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  Hiram  F.  Brax,  was  formed 
from  the  counties  of  Lawrence,  Washington, 
Monroe  and  Orange. 

The  One  Iliindred  and  Thirteenth  Regi- 
ment, from  the  counties  of  Daviess,  Martin, 
Washington  and  Monroe,  was  commanded  by 
Colonel  George  W.  Burge. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fourteenth  Regi- 
ment, under  Colonel  Lambertson,  was  wholly 
organized  in  Jolmson  County. 

These  twelve  last-named  regiments  were 
organized  to  ineet  an  emergency,  caused  by 
the  invasion  of  Indiana  by  the  rebel  General 
John  Morgan,  and  disbanded  when  he  was 
captured. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifteenth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  J.  R.  Mahon,  was  organized  at 
Indianapolis  August  17,  1863. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  Charles  Wise,  organized  Au- 
gust, 1863,  and  served  in  Kentucky. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Seventeenth  Regi-- 
ment,  under  Colonel  Thomas  J.  Brady,  or- 
ganized at  Indianapolis  September  17,  1863. 


T^!^^'^^:zZ'^^'z^'^^!!^^^i^t!^^i^^i^'^^^z\ 


ni STORY    OF    INDIANA. 


Tlie  One  Hundred  and  Eigliteeuth  Eegi- 
ment,  under  Colonel  George  W.  Jackson, 
organized  September  3,  1863. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  Eegi- 
ment,  or  Seventh  Cavalry,  Avas  organized, 
under  Colonel  John  P.  C.  Shanks,  in  October, 
1SG3;  made  an  endurable  name  on  many 
fields  of  battle.  Many  of  this  regiment  lost 
their  lives  on  the  ill-fated  steamer  Sultana. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twentieth  Eegi- 
ment  was  organized  in  April,  1864,  and 
formed  a  portion  of  Erigadier-General  Ho- 
vey's  command. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-first  Eegi- 
ment,  or  Ninth  Cavalry,  was  organized  at 
Indianapolis,  under  Colonel  George  W.Jack- 
son; this  regiment  also  lost  a  number  of  men 
on  the  steamer  Sultana. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-second 
Eegiment  failing  to  organize,  this  number 
became  blank. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-third  Eegi- 
ment, uhder  Colonel  John  C.  McQuiston, 
perfected  an  organization  in  March,  1864, 
and  did  good  service. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fourth 
Eegiment,  under  Colonel  James  Burgess, 
organized  at  Eichmond  March  10,  1864,  and 
served  under  General  Sherman. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth  Eegi- 
ment, or  Tenth  Cavalry,  under  Colonel  T.  M. 
Pace,  completed  its  organization  at  Columbus, 
May,  1863,  and  immediately  moved  to  the 
front.  This  regiment  lost  a  number  of  men 
on  the  steamer  Sultana. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-sixth  Eegi- 
ment, or  Eleventli  Cavalry,  organized  at 
Indianapolis,  nnder  Colonel  Eobert  E.  Stew- 
iirt,  in  March,  1864,  and  entered  the  field  in 
Tennessee. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Seventh 
Eegiment,  or  Twelfth  Cavalry,  under  Colonel 
Edward  Anderson,  organized  at  Kendallville 


in  April,  1864,  and  served  in  Georgia  and 
Alabama. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth 
Eegiment  organized  at  Michigan  City,  under 
Colonel  E.  P.  De  Hart,  March  18,  1864,  and 
served  under  General  Sherman  in  his  famous 
campaign. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-ninth  Eegi- 
ment organized  at  Michigan  City,  nnder  Col- 
onel Charles  Case,  in  April,  1864,  and  shared 
in  the  fortunes  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-eighth. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  Eegiment 
organized  at  Kokomo,  under  Colonel  C.  S. 
Parish,  March  12,  1864,  and  served  with  the 
Twenty-third  Army  Corps. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-first  Eegi- 
ment, or  Thirteenth  Cavalry,  moved  from 
Indianapolis  to  the  front,  under  Colonel  G. 
M.  L.  Johnson,  April  30,  1864. 

April,  1864,  Governor  Morton  called  for 
volunteers  to  serve  one  hundred  days.  In 
response  to  this  call: 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-second  Eegi- 
ment, under  Colonel  S.  C.  Yance,  moved 
from  Indianapolis  to  the  front  May  18, 1864. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-third  Eegi- 
ment moved  from  Eichmond  to  the  front 
May  17,  1864,  under  Colonel  E.  N.  Hudson. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Eegi- 
ment, under  Colonel  James  Gavin,  moved 
from  Indianapolis  to  the  front  May  25, 1864. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fifth  Eegi- 
ment, composed  of  companies  from  Bedford, 
Noblesville  and  Goshen,  and  seven  companies 
from  the  First  Congressional  District,  entered 
the  field,  under  Colonel  W.  C.  Wilson,  May 
25,  1864. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-sixth  Eegi- 
ment, from  the  First  Congressional  District, 
moved  to  the  front,  nnder  Colonel  J.  W. 
Foster,  May  24,  1864. 

The    One    Hundred    and    Thirty-seventh 


EISTOBT    OF    INDIANA. 


Eegiment,  under  Colonel  E.  J.  Kobinson, 
moved  to  the  front  May  28,  1864. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-eiglith  Regi- 
ment perfected  its  organization  at  Indian- 
apolis, under  Colonel  J.  II.  Shannon,  May 
27,  1864,  and  marched  immediately  to  the 
front. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-ninth  Regi- 
ment was  composed  of  companies  from  various 
counties,  and  entered  the  field,  under  Colonel 
George  Ilumphrev,  in  June,  1864. 

All  these  regiments  gained  distinction  on 
many  fields  of  battle. 

Under  the  President's  call  of  1864: 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  Thomas  J.  Brady,  proceeded 
to  the  South  November  16,  1864. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-first  Regi- 
ment failing  to  organize,  its  few  companies 
were  incorporated  in  Colonel  Brady's  com- 
mand. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second  Regi- 
ment moved  to  the  front  from  Fort  Wayne, 
under  Colonel  I.  M.  Comparet,  in  November, 
1864. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-third  Regi- 
ment reported  at  Nashville,  under  Colonel  J. 
T.  Grill,  February  21,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-fourth  Regi- 
ment, under  Colonel  G.  W.  Riddle,  reported 
at  Harper's  Ferry  in  March,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-fifth  Regi- 
ment, from  Indianapolis,  under  Colonel  W. 
A.  Adams,  joined  General  Steadman  at  Chat- 
tanooga, February  23, 1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth  Regi- 
ment, under  Colonel  M.  C.  "Welch,  left  In- 
dianapolis March  11,  1865,  for  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-seventh  Reg- 
ment,  under  Colonel  Milton  Peden,  moved 
from  Indianapolis  to  the  front  March  13, 
1865. 


The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-eighth  Regi- 
ment, under  Colonel  N.  R.  Ruckle,  left  the 
State  Capital  for  Nashville  February  28, 1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Forty-ninth  Regi- 
ment left  Indianapolis  for  Tennessee,  under 
Colonel  W.  H.  Fairbanks,  March  8,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Regiment, 
under  Colonel  M.  B.  Taylor,  reported  for 
duty  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley  March  17, 
1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Regi- 
ment arrived  at  Nashville,  under  Colonel  J. 
Ilealy,  March  9, 1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-second  Regi- 
ment organized  at  Indianapolis,  under  Col- 
onel W.  W,  Griswold,  and  left  for  Harper's 
Ferry  March  18,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-third  Regi- 
ment organized  at  Indianapolis,  under  Col- 
onel O.  H.  P.  Carey,  and  reported  immedi- 
ately at  Louisville  for  duty. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth  Regi- 
ment left  Indianapolis  for  West  Virginia, 
under  Major  Simpson,  April  28,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth  Regi- 
ment, recruited  throughout  the  State,  were 
assigned  to  the  Ninth  Army  Corps  in  April, 
1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-sixth  Bat- 
talion, under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Charles  M. 
Smith,  moved  for  the  Shenandoah  Valley 
xipril  27,  1865. 

All  these  regiments  made  a  fine  record  in 
the  field. 

The  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  of  Colored 
Troops  was  recruited  throughout  the  State  of 
Indiana,  and  placed  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Charles  S.  Russell,  who  was 
subsequently  Colonel  of  the  regiment.  The 
regiment  lost  heavily  at  the  "Crater,"  Peters- 
burg, but  was  recruited,  and  continued  to  do 
good  service. 

The  First  Batterv  was  organized  at  Evans- 


i^»iP«"^«'J"g' 


niSTOET    OF    INDIANA 


ville,  under  Captain  Martin  Klauss,  August 
16,  1861,  and  immediately  joined  General 
Fremont's  army;  in  1864  Lawrence  Jacoby 
was  promoted  to  the  captaincy  of  the  battery. 

The  Second  Battery,  under  Captain  D.  G. 
Rubb,  was  organized  at  Indianapolis  August 
9, 1861.   This  battery  saw  service  in  the  West. 

The  Third  Battery,  under  Captain  W.  W. 
Fryberger,  organized  at  Connersville  August 
2-1:,  1861,  and  immediately  joined  Fremont's 
com  maud. 

The  Fourth  Battery  recruited  in  La  Porte, 
Porter  and  Lake  counties,  and  reported  to 
(ieneral  Buell  early  in  1861.  It  was  first 
commanded  by  Captain  A.  K.  Bush,  and  re- 
organized in  October,  1864,  under  Captain 
]>.  F.  Johnson. 

The  Fifth  Battery  was  furnished  by  La 
Porte,  Allen,  Whitley  and  IN'oble  counties, 
couimanded  by  Captain  Peter  Simonson,  re- 
ported at  Louisville  November  29,  1861; 
during  its  term  it  participated  in  twenty  bat- 
tles. 

The  Sixth  Battery,  under  Captain  Fred- 
erick Behr,  left  Evansville  for  the  front  Octo- 
ber 2,  1861. 

The  Seventh  Battery  was  organized  from 
various  towns:  first  under  Captain  Samuel  J. 
Harris;  succeeded  by  G.  li.  Shallow  and  O. 
H.  Morgan. 

Tlie  Eighth  Battery,  under  Captain  G.  T. 
Cochran,  arrived  at  the  front  February  26, 
1862,  and  entered  upon  its  real  duties  at 
Corinth. 

Tlie  Ninth  Battery,  under  Captain  N.  S. 
Thompson,  organized  at  Indianapolis  in  Jan- 
uary, 1862,  and  began  active  duty  at  Shiloh 
in  January,  1865;  it  lost  fifty-eight  men  by 
the  explosion  ot  a  steamer  above  Paducah. 

The  Tenth  Battery,  under  Captain  Jerome 
B.  Cox,  left  Lafayette,  for  duty  in  Kentucky, 
in  January,  1861. 

The  Eleventh  Battery  organized  at  La  Fay- 


ette, and  left  Indianapolis  for  the  front,  under 
Captain  Arnold  Sutermeister,  December  17, 
1861 ;  opened  fire  at  Shiloh. 

The  Twelfth  Battery,  from  Jeffersonville, 
perfected  organization  at  Indianapolis,  under 
Captain  G.  W.  Sterling;  reached  Nashville 
in  March,  1862.  Captain  Sterling  resigned 
in  April,  and  was  succeeded  by  Captain  James 
E.  White,  and  he  by  James  A.  Dunwoody. 

The  Thirteenth  Battery,  under  Captain 
Sewell  Coulson,  organized  at  Indianapolis 
during  the  winter  of  1861,  and  proceeded  to 
the  front  in  February,  1862. 

The  Fourteenth  Battery,  under  Captain  M. 
H.  Kidd,  left  Indianapolis  April  11,  1862, 
entering  the  field  in  Kentucky. 

The  Fifteenth  Battery,  under  Captain  I. 
C.  II.  Von  Schlin,  left  Indianapolis  for  the 
front  in  July,  1862.  The  same  year  it  was 
surrendered  with  the  garrison  at  Harper's 
Ferry,  reorganized  at  Indianapolis,  and  again 
appeared  in  tlie  field  in  March,  1862. 

The  Sixteenth  Battery  under  Captain 
Charles  A.  Naylor,  left  La  Fayette  for  the 
front  in  June,  1862,  and  joined  Pope's  com- 
mand. 

The  Seventeenth  Battery  organized  at  In- 
dianapolis, under  Captain  Milton  L.  Miner, 
May  20, 1862;  participated  in  the  Gettysburg 
battle,  and  later  in  all  the  engagements  in 
the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

The  Eighteenth  Battery,  under  Captain 
Eli  Lilly,  moved  to  the  front  in  August, 
1862,  and  joined  General  Eosecrans'  army. 

The  Nineteenth  Battery,  under  Captain  S. 
J.  Harris,  left  Indianapolis  for  Kentucky  in 
August,  1862,  and  performed  active  service 
until  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  Twentieth  Battery,  under  Captain 
Frank  A.  Kose,  left  the  State  capital  for 
the  front  in  December,  1862.  Captain  Rose 
resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  Captain 
O  shorn. 


148 


HISTORY    OP    IN-JDTAlfA. 


The  Twenty-first  Battery,  under  Captain 
"W.  W.  Andrew,  left  the  State  capital  for 
Covington,  Kentucky,  in  September,  1862. 

The  Twenty-second  Battery  moved  from 
Indianapolis  to  tlie  front,  Tinder  Captain  B. 
F.  Denning,  December  15,  1862,  and  thi-ew 
its  first  shot  into  Atlanta,  where  Captain 
Denning  was  killed. 

The  Twenty-tliird  Battery,  under  Captain 
I.  II.  Myers,  took  a  position  at  the  front  in 
1862. 

The  Twenty-fourth  Battery,  under  Captain 
J.  A.  Simms,  moved  from  Indianapolis  to  the 
front  in  March,  1863,  and  joined  the  Army 
of  the  Tennessee. 

The  Twenty-fifth  Battery,  under  Captain 
Frederick  C.  Sturm,  reported  at  Nashville  in 
December,  1864. 

The  Twenty-sixth,  or  "  Wilder's  Battery," 
was  recrui'^ed  at  Greensburg  in  May,  1861, 
and  became  Company  "  A "  of  the  Seven- 
teenth Infantry,  with  Captain  Wilder  as  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel. Subsequently  it  was  converted 
into  the  "  First  Independent  Battery,"  and 
became  known  as  "  Eigby's  Battery." 

The  total  number  of  battles  in  which  the 
soldiers  of  Indiana  were  engaged  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  Union  was  308. 

The  part  which  Indiana  j^erformed  in  the 
war  to  maintain  the  union  of  the  States  is 
one  of  which  the  citizens  of  the  State  may 
well  be  proud.  In  the  number  of  troops 
furnished,  and  in  tiie  amount  of  contribu- 
tions rendered,  Indiana,  in  proportion  to 
wealth  and  population,  stands  equal  to  any 
of  her  sister  States. 

The  State  records  show  that  200,000  men 
entered  the  army;  50,000  were  organized  to 
defend  the  State  at  home;  that  the  number 
of  military  commissions  issued  to  Indiana 
soldiers  was  17,114,  making  a  total  of  267,- 
114:  men  engaged  in  military  afi'airs  during 
the  war  for  tlie  Union. 


FINANCIAL. 

In  November,  1821,  Governor  Jennings 
convened  the  Legislature  in  extra  session,  to 
provide  for  the  payment  of  interest  and  a 
part  of  the  principal  of  the  public  debt, 
amounting  to  $20,000.  The  state  of  the 
public  debt  was  indeed  embarrassing,  as  the 
bonds  executed  in  its  behalf  had  been  as- 
signed. 

This  state  of  aftairs  had  been  brought 
about  in  part  by  mismanagement  of  the 
State  bank,  and  by  speculators.  From  181G 
to  1821  the  people  liad  largely  engaged 
in  fictitious  speculations.  Numerous  banks, 
with  fictitious  capital,  were  established;  im- 
mense issues  of  paper  were  made,  and  the 
circulating  medium  of  the  country  was 
increased  four-fold  in  the  course  of  three 
years. 

This  inflation  produced  the  consequences 
which  always  follow  such  a  scheme.  Conse- 
quently the  year  1821  was  one  of  great 
financial  panic. 

In  1822  the  nev/  Governor,  William  Hen- 
dricks, took  a  hopeful  view  of  the  situation. 
In  consequence  of  good  crops  and  the  grow- 
ing immigration,  everything  seemed  more 
promising. 

In  1822-'23  the  surplus  money  was  prin- 
cijjally  invested  in  home  manufactures,  which 
gave  new  impetus  to  the  new  State.  Noah 
Noble  was  Governor  of  the  State  from  1831 
to  1837,  commencing  his  duties  amid  peculiar 
embarrassments.  The  crops  of  1832  were 
short.  Asiatic  cholera  came  sweeping  along 
the  Ohio  and  into  the  interior  of  the  State,  and 
the  Black  Hawk  war  raged  in  the  Northwest. 
All  these  at  once,  and  yet  the  work  of 
internal  improvements  was  actually  begun. 

The  State  bank  of  Indiana  was  established 
January  28,  1834.  The  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, by  its  own  terms,  ceased  to  be  a  law 
January  1,  1857.    At  the  time  of  organization 


BISTORT    OF    IKDtANA 


149 


the  outstanding  circulation  was  $4,208,725, 
with  a  debt,  due  principally  from  citizens  of 
the  State,  of  66,095,368. 

The  State's  interest  in  the  bank  was  pro- 
cured by  issue  of  State  bonds,  the  last  of 
which  was  payable  in  1866,  the  State  thus 
placing  as  capital  in  the  bank  $1,390,000. 

The  nominal  profits  of  the  bank  were 
$2,780,604.  This  constituted  a  sinking  fund 
for  the  payment  of  the  public  debt,  the  ex- 
penses of  the  Commissioners,  and  for  the 
cause  of  common  schools. 

In  1836  the  State  bank  was  doing  good 
service;  agricultural  products  were  abundant, 
and  markets  were  good. 

In  1843  the  State  M-as  suftering  from  over 
banking;',  inflation  of  the  currency  and  decep- 
tive speculation. 

Governor  Whitcomb,  lS43-'49,  succeeded 
well  in  maintaining  the  credit  of  the  State 
and  effecting  a  compromise  with  its  creditors, 
by  which  the  State  public  works  passed  from 
the  hands  of  the  State  to  the  creditors. 

In  1851  a  general  banking  law  was  adopted, 
which  again  revived  speculation  and  inflation, 
wliich  culminated  in  much  damage.  In  1857 
the  charter  of  the  State  bank  expired,  and 
the  large  gains  of  the  State  in  that  institu- 
tion were  directed  to  the  promotion  of  com- 
mon school  education. 

October  31,  1870,  found  the  State  in  a 
very  prosperous  condition;  there  was  a  sur- 
plus in  the  treasury  of  $373,249.  The  re- 
ceipts of  the .  year  amounted  to  $3,605,639, 
and  the  disbursements  to  $2,943,600,  leaving 
a  balance  of  $1,035,288.  The  total  debt  of 
the  State  in  November,  1871,  was  $3,937,821. 

Indiana  is  making  rapid  progress  in  the 
various  manufacturing  industries.  She  has 
one  of  the  largest  wagon  and  carriage  manu- 
factories in  the  world,  and  nearly  her  entire 
wheat  product  is  manufactured  into  flour 
within   the   State.     In   1880  the  population 


was  1,978,301,  and  the  true  valuation  of 
property  in  the  State  for  1880  was  $1,584,- 
756,802. 

IXTEENAL    IMPEOVEJIENTS. 

This  subject  began  to  be  agitated  as  early 
as  1818,  and  continued  to  increase  in  favor 
until  1830,  when  the  people  became  much 
excited  over  the  question  of  railroads. 

In  1832  the  work  of  internal  improvements 
fairly  commenced.  Public  roads  and  canals 
were  begun  during  tliis  year,  the  "Wabash  and 
Erie  Canal  being  the  largest  undertaking. 

During  the  year  1835  public  improvements 
were  pushed  vigorously.  Thirty-two  miles 
of  the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal  were  completed 
this  year. 

During  1830  many  other  projected  works 
were  started,  and  in  1837,  when  Governor 
Wallace  took  the  executive  chair,  he  found  a 
reaction  among  the  people  in  regard  to  the 
gigantic  plans  for  public  improvements.  The 
people  feared  a  State  debt  was  being  incurred 
from  which  they  could  never  be  extricated. 

The  State  liad  borrowed  $3,827,000  for 
internal  improvements,  of  which  $1,327,000 
was  for  the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal,  the  re- 
mainder for  other  works. 

The  State  had  annually  to  pay  $200,000 
interest  on  the  public  debt,  and  the  revenue 
derived  which  could  be  thus  applied  amounted 
to  only  $45,000  in  1838. 

In  1839  all  work  ceased  on  these  improve- 
ments, with  one  or  two  exceptions,  and  the 
contracts  were  surrendered  to  the  State,  in 
consequence  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature  pro- 
viding for  the  compensation  of  contractors 
by  the  issue  of  treasury  notes. 

In  1840  the  system  of  improvements  em- 
braced ten  different  works,  the  most  impor- 
tant of  which  was  the  Wabash  and  Erie 
Canal.  The  aggregate  length  of  the  lines 
embraced    in    this   system    v,-as  1,289  miles, 


BISTORT    OF   INDIANA. 


aiul   of  this  only  140  miles  Lad  been  com- 
pleted. 

lu  1840  the  State  debt  amounted  to  $18,- 
469,146;  her  resources  for  payment  were 
such  as  to  place  her  in  an  unfavorable  liglit 
before  the  world,  but  be  it  recorded  to  her 
credit,  she  did  not  repudiate,  as  some  other 
States  of  the  Union  have  done.  In  1850,  the 
State  having  abandoned  public  improve- 
ments, private  capital  and  enterprise  pushed 
forward  public  work,  and  although  the  caiuil 
has  served  its  day  and  age,  and  served  it  well, 
yet  Indiana  has  one  of  the  finest  systems  of 
water-ways  of  any  State  in  the  Union,  and 
her  railroad  facilities  compare  favorably  with 
the  majority  of  States,  and  far  in  advance  of 
many  of  her  elder  sisters  in  the  family  of 
States.  lu  1884  there  were  5,521  miles  of 
railroad  in  operation  in  the  State,  and  new 
roads  being  built  and  projected  where  the 
demand  justified. 


In  1869  the  development  of  mineral  re- 
sources in  the  State  attracted  considerable 
attention.  Near  Brooklyn,  twenty  miles  from 
Indianapolis,  is  a  fine  sandstone  formation, 
yielding  an  unlimited  quantity  of  the  best 
building  material.  The  limestone  formation 
at  and  surrounding  Gosport  is  of  great  va- 
riety, including  some  of  the  best  building 
stone  in  the  world. 

Men  of  enterprise  worked  hard  and  long 
to  induce  the  State  to  have  a  survey  made  to 
determine  tlio  quality  and  extent  of  the  min- 
eral resources  of  the  State. 

In  1869  Professor  Edward  T.  Cox  was  ap- 
pointed State  Geologist,  to  M'hom  the  citizens 
of  Indiana  are  indebted  for  the  exhaustive 
report  on  minerals,  and  the  agrrcultural  as 
well  as  manufacturing  resources  of  the  State. 

The  coal  measures,  says  Professor  Cox, 
cover  an  area  of  6,500  sqiiare  miles,  in  tlic 


southwestern  part  of  the  State,  and  extend 
from  Warren  County  on  the  north  to  the 
Ohio  River  on  the  south,  a  distance  of  150 
miles,  comprising  the  counties  of  Warren, 
Fountain,  Parke,  Vermillion,  Vigo,  Clay, 
Sullivan,  Greene,  Knox,  Daviess,  Martin, 
Gibson,  Pike,  Dubois,  Vanderburg,  War- 
wick, Spencer,  Perry  and  a  portion  of  Craw- 
ford, Monroe,  Putnam  and  Montgomery. 

This  coal  is  all  bituminous,  but  is  divis- 
able  into  three  well-marked  varieties;  cak- 
ing coal,  non-caking  coal,  or  block  coal,  and 
cannel  coal.  The  total  depth  of  the  seams 
or  measures  is  from  600  to  800  feet.  The 
caking  coal  is  in  the  western  portion  of  the 
area  described,  ranging  from  three  to  eleven 
feet  in  thickness.  The  block  coal  prevails  in 
the  eastern  pa;  t  of  the  field,  and  has  an  area 
of  450  square  miles;  this  coal  is  excellent  in 
its  raw  state  for  making  pig-iron. 

The  great  Indiana  coal  field  is  within  150 
miles  of  Chicago  or  Michigan  City  by  rail- 
road, from  which  ports  the  valuable  Superior 
iron  ores  are  loaded  from  vessels  that  run 
direct  from  the  ore  banks. 

Of  the  cannel  coal,  one  of  the  finest  seams 
to  be  found  in  the  country  is  in  Daviess 
County,  this  State.  Here  it  is  three  and  a 
half  feet  thick,  underlaid  by  one  and  a  half 
feet  of  block  caking  coal.  Cannel  coal  is  also 
found  in  great  abundance  in  Perry,  Greene, 
Parke  and  Fountain  counties. 

Numerous  deposits  of  bog-iron  ore  arc 
found  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  and 
clay  iron-stones  and  impure  carbonates  are 
found  scattered  in  the  vicinity  of  the  coal 
field.  In  some  places  the  deposits  are  oi 
considerable  commercial  value.  An  abund- 
ance of  excellent  lime  is  also  found  in  Indi- 
ana, especially  in  Huntington  County,  where 
it  is  manufactured  extensively. 

In  1884  the  number  of  bushels  of  lime 
burned   in  the  State   were  1,244,508;   lime- 


ET8T0BT    OF    INDIAlifA. 


stone  quarried  for  building  purposes,  6,012,- 
110  cubic  feet;  cement  made,  362,014 
bushels;  sandstone  quarried,  768,376  cubic 
feet;  gravel  sold,  502,115  tons;  coal  mined, 
1,722,089  tons;  value  of  mineral  products  in 
the  State  for  the  year  1884,  $2,500,000; 
value  of  manufactured  products  same  year, 
$163,851,872;  of  agricultural  products, 
$155,085,663.  Total  value  of  products  in 
the  State  for  the  year  1884,  $321,437,535. 

AGEICULTDEAL. 

In  1852  tlie  Legislature  authorized  the 
organization  of  county  and  district  agricult- 
ural societies,  and  also  established  a  State 
Eoard  of  Agriculture,  and  made  suitable  pro- 
visions for  maintaining  the  same,  the  hold- 
ing of  State  fairs,  etc. 

In  1873  suitable  buildings  were  erected  at 
Indianapolis,  for  a  State  exposition,  which 
was  formally  opened  September  10,  of  that 
year.  The  exhibits  there  displayed  showed 
that  Indiana  was  not  behind  her  sister  States 
in  agriculture  as  well  as  in  many  other  in- 
dustrial branches. 

As  stated  elsewhere  in  this  work,  the  value 
of  agricultural  products  in  the  State  for  the 
year  1884  amounted  to  $155,085,663. 

In  1842  Henry  Ward  Beecher  resided  in 
Indianapolis,  and  exercised  a  power  for  good 
aside  from  his  ministerial  work.  He  edited 
the  Indiana  Farmer  and  Gardener,  and 
through  that  medium  wielded  an  influence 
toward  organizing  a  society,  which  was  ac- 
complished that  year.  Among  Rev.  Beech- 
er's  co-laborers  were  Judge  Coburn,  Aaron 
Aldridge,  James  Sigarson,  D.  V.  CuUey, 
Eeuben  Ragan,  Stephen  Hampton,  Cornelius 
Eatlift",  Joshua  Lindley,  Abner  Pope  and 
many  others.  The  society  gave  great  en- 
couragement to  the  introduction  of  new  va- 
rieties of  fruit,  but  the  sudden  appearance  of 
noxious  insects,  and  the  want  of  shipping 


facilities,  seriously  held  in  check  the  advance 
of  horticulture  in  accordance  with  the  desires 
of  its  leaders. 

In  1860  there  was  organized  at  Indianap 
olis  the  Indiana  Pomological  Society,  with 
Reuben  Ragan  as  President,  and  William  II. 
Loomis  as  Secretary. 

From  tliis  date  interest  began  to  expand, 
but,  owing  to  the  M-ar,  but  little  was  done, 
and  in  January,  1864,  the  title  of  the  society 
was  changed  to  that  of  the  Indiana  Horticult- 
ural Society. 

The  report  of  the  society  for  1868  shows 
for  the  first  time  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of 
$61.55. 

The  society  has  had  a  steady  growth,  and 
produced  grand  results  throughout  the  State, 
the  product  of  apples  alone  in  the  State  for 
the  year  1884  being  4,181,147  bushels. 

EDUCATION. 

The  subject  of  education  is  the  all-impor- 
tant subject  to  any  and  all  communities, 
and  the  early  settlers  of  Indiana  builded 
greater  than  they  then  knew,  when  they  laid 
the  foundation  for  future  growth  of  the  edu- 
cational facilities  in  the  State. 

To  detail  the  educational  resources,  its  ac- 
complishments from  its  incipiency  to  the 
present  date,  would  require  a  number  of 
large  volumes;  but  as  space  in  this  work  will 
not  permit,  and  as  the  people  have  access  to 
annual  State  reports  of  the  school  system  in 
detail,  we  will  here  give  only  the  leading 
features  and  enormous  growth,  as  well  as 
flourishing  condition  of  Indiana's  school  sys- 
tem to  the  present  time. 

The  free-school  system  was  fully  established 
in  1852,  which  has  resulted  in  placing  Indi- 
ana in  the  lead  of  this  great  nation  in  ed- 
ucational progress.  In  1854  the  available 
common  school  fund  consisted  of  the  congres- 
sional township  fund,  the  surplus   revenue 


fund,  the  saline  fund,  the  bank  tax  fund  and 
miscellaneous  fund,  amounting  in  all  to 
82,460,600. 

This  amount  was  increased  from  various 
sources,  and  entrusted  to  the  care  of  the  sev- 
eral counties  of  the  State,  and  by  them  loaned 
to  citizens  of  the  county  in  sums  not  exceed- 
ing $300,  secured  by  real  estate. 

In  1880  the  available  school  fund  derived 
from  all  sources  amounted  to  $8,974,455.55. 

In  1884  there  were  in  the  State  children 
of  school  age,  722,846.  Number  of  white 
children  in  attendance  at  school  during  the 
year,  461,831;  number  of  colored  children  in 
school  during  the  year,  7,285;  total  attend- 
ance, 469,116 ;  number  of  teachers  employed, 
13,615,  of  whom  145  were  colored. 

And  lastly  we  are  pleased  to  say  that  In- 
diana has  a  larger  school  fund  than  any  other 
State  in  the  Union.  The  citizens  may  well 
be  proud  of  their  system  of  schools,  as  well  as 
the  judicious  management  of  its  funds,  which 
have  been  steadily  increased,  notwithstand- 
ing the  rapid  increase  of  population,  which 
has  demande(5  an  increased  expenditure  in 
various  ways,  which  have  all  been  promptly 
met,  and  the  educational  facilities  steadily 
enlarged  where  any  advancement  could  be 
made. 

In  1802  Congress  granted  lands  and  a 
charter  to  the  people  residing  at  Vinceunes, 
for  the  erection  and  maintenance  of  a  semi- 
nary of  learning;  and  five  years  thereafter  an 
act  incorporating  the  Vincennes  University 
asked  the  Legislature  to  appoint  a  Board  of 
Trustees  and  empower  them  to  sell  a  town- 
ship of  land  in  Gibson  County,  granted  by 
Congress  for  the  benefit  of  the  university. 
The  sale  of  the  land  was  slow  and  the  pro- 
ceeds small;  the  members  of  the  board  were 
apathetic,  and  failing  to  meet,  the  institution 
fell  out  of  existence  and  out  of  memory. 

In  1820  the  State  Legislature  passed  an 


act  for  a  State  University.  Bloomington 
was  selected  as  the  site  for  locating  the  insti- 
tution. The  buildings  were  completed  and 
the  institution  formally  opened  in  1825. 
The  name  was  changed  to  that  of  the  "  In- 
diana Academy,"  and  subsequentlj',  in  1828, 
to  the  "  Indiana  College."  The  institution 
prospered  until  1854,  when  it  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  and  9,000  volumes,  with  all  the 
apparatus,  were  consumed.  The  new  col- 
lege, with  its  additions,  was  completed  in 
1873,  and  the  routine  of  studies  continued. 

The  university  may  now  be  considered 
on  a  fixed  basis,  carrying  out  the  intention 
of  the  president,  who  aimed  at  scholarship 
rather  than  numbers.  The  university  re- 
ceives from  the  State  annually  $15,000,  and 
promises,  with  the  aid  of  other  public  grants 
and  private  donations,  to  vie  with  any  other 
State  university  within  the  republic. 

In  1862  Congress  passed  an  act  granting 
to  each  State  for  college  purposes  public 
lands  to  the  amount  of  30,000  acres  for  each 
Senator  and  Representative  in  Congress.  In- 
diana having  in  Congress  at  that  time  thir- 
teen members,  became  entitled  to  390,000 
acres;  but  as  there  was  no  Congress  land  in 
the  State  at  that  time,  scrip  was  instituted, 
under  the  conditions  that  the  sum  of  the 
proceeds  of  the  lands  should  be  invested  in 
Government  stocks,  or  other  equally  safe 
investment,  drawing  not  less  than  five  per 
centum  on  the  par  value  of  said  stock, 
the  principal  to  stand  undiminished.  The 
institution  to  be  thus  founded  was  to  teach 
agricultural  and  the  mechanical  arts  as  its 
leading  features.  It  was  further  provided 
by  Congress  that  should  the  principal  of  the 
fund  be  diminished  in  any  way,  it  should  be 
replaced  by  the  State  to  which  it  belongs, 
so  that  the  capital  of  the  fund  shall  remain 
forever  undiminished;  and  further,  that  in 
order  to  avail  themselves  of  the  benefits  of 


BISTORT    OF    INDIANA. 


dl 


this  act,  States  must  comply  with  the  pro- 
visos of  the  act  within  live  years  after  it 
became  a  law,  viz.,  to  erect  suitable  buildings 
for  such  school. 

March,  1865,  the  Legislature  accepted  of 
the  national  gift,  and  appointed  a  board 
of  trustees  to  sell  the  land.  The  amount 
realized  from  land  sales  was  $212,238.50, 
which  sum  was  increased  to  $400,000. 

May,  1869,  John  Purdue,  of  La  Fayette, 
offered  $150,000,  and  Tippecanoe  County 
$50,000  more,  and  the  title  of  the  institu- 
tion was  established — "Purdue  University." 

Donations  were  also  made  by  the  Battle 
Ground  Institute,  and  the  Institute  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

The  building  was  located  on  a  100-acre 
tract,  near  Cliauncey,  which  Purdue  gave  in 
addition  to  his  magnificent  donation,  and  to 
which  eighty-six  and  one  half  acres  more 
have  since  .been  added.  The  university  was 
formally  opened  March,  1874,  and  has  made 
rapid  advances  to  the  present  time. 

The  Indiana  State  Normal  School  was 
founded  at  Terre  Haute  in  1870,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  act  of  the  Legislature  of  that 
year. 

The  principal  design  of  this  institution  was 
to  prepare  thorough  and  competent  teachers 
for  teaching  the  schools  of  the  State,  and  the 
anticipations  of  its  founders  have  been  fully 
realized,  as  proven  by  the  able  corjDS  of 
teachers  annually  graduating  from  the  insti- 
tution, and  entering  upon  their  responsible 
missions  in  Indiana,  as  well  as  other  States 
of  the  Union. 

The  Northern  Indiana  Kormal  School  and 
Business  Institute,  at  Valparaiso,  was  organ- 
ized in  September,  1873.  The  school  occu- 
pied the  building  known  as  the  Valparaiso 
Male  and  Female  College  building.  This 
institution  has  had  a  wonderful  growth;  the 
first  year's  attendance  was    tliirty-five.     At 


this  time  every  State  in  the  Union  is  repre- 
sented, the  number  enrolled  being  over  3,000. 
All  branches  necessary  to  qualify  students  for 
teaching,  or  engaging  in  any  line  of  buei- 
ness,  are  taught.  The  Commercial  College 
connected  with  tlie  school  is  of  itself  a  great 
institution. 

In  addition  to  the  public  schools  and  State 
institutions  there  are  a  number  of  denomi- 
national and  private  schools,  some  of  which 
have  a  national  as  well  as  a  local  reputa- 
tion. 

Notre  Dame  University,  near  South  Bend, 
is  the  most  noted  Catholic  institution  in  the 
United  States.  It  was  founded  by  Father 
Sorin,  in  1842.  It  has  a  bell  weighing 
13,000  pounds,  the  largest  in  the  United 
States,  and  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world. 

The  Indiana  Asbury  University,  at  Green- 
castle,  Methodist,  was  founded  in  1835. 

Howard  College,  not  denominational,  is 
located  at  Kokomo;  founded  in  1869. 

Union  Christian  College,  Christian,  at 
Merom,  was  organized  in  1858. 

Moore's  Hill  College,  Methodist,  at  Moore's 
Hill,  was  founded  in  1854. 

Earlliam  College,  at  liichmond,  under 
the  management  of  the  Orthodox  Friends, 
was  founded  in  1859. 

Wabash  College,  at  Crawfordsville,  under 
Presbyterian  management,  was  founded  in 
1834. 

Concordia  College,  Lutheran,  at  Fort 
Wayne,  was  founded  in  1850. 

Hanover  College,  Presbyterian,  was  found- 
ed at  Hanover  in  1833. 

Hartsville  University,  United  Brethren, 
was  founded  at  Hartsville  in  1854. 

Northwestern  Christian  University,  Dis- 
ciples, is  located  at  Irvinton;  organized  in 
1854. 

All  these  institutions  are  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 


154 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


\\\ 


Di^ 


BENEVOLENT  AND  PENAL  INSTITCTIONS. 

By  the  year  1830  the  influx  of  paupers 
and  invalid  persons  was  so  great  as  to  demand 
legislation  tending  to  make  provisions  for 
tlie  care  of  such  persons.  The  Legislature 
was  at  first  slow  to  act  on  the  matter.  At 
the  present  time,  however,  there  is  no  State 
in  the  Union  which  can  boast  a  better  system 
of  benevolent  institutions. 

In  behalf  of  the  blind,  the  first  efibrt  was 
made  by  James  M.  Ray  in  1846.  Through 
his  eflbrts  William  H.  Churchman  came 
from  Kentucky  with  blind  pupils,  and  gave 
exhibitions  in  Mr.  Beecher's  church  in  Indi- 
anapolis. These  entertainments  were  attended 
by  members  of  the  L^islature,  and  had  the 
desired  effect.  That  body  passed  an  act  for 
founding  an  institution  for  the  blind  in  1847. 
The  buildings  occupy  a  space  of  eight  acres 
at  the  State  capital,  and  is  now  in  a  flourish- 
ing condition. 

Tlie  first  to  awaken  an  interest  in  the  State 
for  the  deaf  and  dumb  was  William  Willard, 
himself  a  mute,  who  visited  Indianapolis  in 
1843.  He  opened  a  school  for  mutes  on  his 
own  account  with  sixteen  pupils.  The  next 
year  tlie  Legislature  adopted  this  school  as  a 
a  State  institution,  and  appointed  a  board  of 
trustees  for  its  management.  The  present 
buildings  were  completed  in  1850,  situated 
east  of  the  city  of  Indianapolis.  The  grounds 
comprise  105  acres,  devoted  to  pleasure 
grounds,  agriculture,  fruits,  vegetables,  flowers 
and  pasture. 

The  question  in  regard  to  taking  action  in 
the  matter  of  providing  for  the  care  of  the 
insane,  began  to  be  agitated  in  1832-"83.  Iso 
definite  action  was  taken,  however,  until  1844, 
when  a  tax  was  levied,  and  in  1845  a  com- 
mission was  appointed  to  obtain  a  site  for  a 
building.  Said  commission  selected  Mount 
Jackson,  near  the  State  capitol. 

The   Legislature   of  1846   instructed   the 


commission  to  proceed  to  construct  a  suitable 
building.  Accordingly,  in  1847,  the  central 
building  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $75,000. 

Other  buildings  have  been  erected  from 
time  to  time,  as  needed  to  accommodate  the 
increased  demand,  and  at  the  present  time 
Indiana  has  an  institution  for  the  insane 
equal  to  any  in  the  West. 

The  State  hospital  not  afl'ordiiig  sufficient 
accommodations  for  her  insane,  March  7, 
1883,  an  act  providing  for  the  location  and 
erection  of  "  Additional  Hospitals  for  the 
Insane  "  was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  and 
March  21  commissioners  were  appointed. 
After  careful  consideration  three  sites  were 
located,  one  at  Evansville,  one  at  Logansport 
and  one  at  Richmond,  called  respectively  the 
Southern,  Northern  and  Eastern  hospitals. 
The  Southern  Indiana  Hospital  for  Insane  is 
located  four  miles  east  of  Evansville,  and  is 
built  on  the  corridor  plan.  The  buildings 
are  situated  near  the  center  of  the  hospital 
domain,  which  consists  of  160  acres  of  highly 
improved  land.  The  structure  proper  con- 
sists of  a  central  oblong  block,  which  is  prac- 
tically the  vestibule  of  the  entire  hospital. 
From  the  first  floor  and  the  two  galleries 
above,  entrance  is  had  into  the  four  lateral 
wings.  The  total  capacity  is  162  patients. 
This  building  has  been  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$391,887.49. 

The  Korthern  Indiana  Hospital  for  the 
Insane  is  located  a  mile  and  a  half  west  of 
Logansport,  on  a  tract  of  land  including  281 
acres,  lying  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Wabash 
River,  and  is  built  on  the  pavilion  plan.  At 
the  center  of  the  ridge,  in  the  maple  grove,  is 
situated  the  administration  house.  This  is 
flanked  on  each  side  by  tire  pavilions,  ar- 
ranged in  a  straight  line,  which  are  intended 
and  designed  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
sick  and  infirm.  On  either  side  of  the  above 
named  group,  205    feet   distant,  are   located 


HISTORY    OF    INDIANA. 


1 


two  pavilions,  alike  in  every  particular,  in- 
tended for  quiet  patients.  This  hospital  has 
a  capacity  for  342  patients,  and  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $417,992.98. 

The  Eastern  Indiana  Hospital  for  the  In- 
sane is  located  on  a  tract  of  306  acres,  two 
miles  west  of  Richmond,  and  is  constructed 
on  the  cottage  plan.  The  buildings,  seven- 
teen in  number,  are  arranged  in  and  around 
three  sides  of  a  quadrangle,  1,000  feet  long, 
by  700  feet  broad,  near  the  center  of  the 
farm,  the  third,  or  northern  side,  being  closed 
in  by  a  grove.  The  southern  front  contains 
the  administration  house;  the  eastern  front, 
five  houses  for  female  patients,  and  the  west- 
ern front,  similar  houses  for  male  patients. 
This  hospital  has  a  capacity  of  448  patients, 
and  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  §409,867.88. 

The  first  penal  institution  established  in 
the  State,  known  as  the  State  Prison  South, 
is  located  at  Jeifersouville.  It  was  estab- 
lished in  1821,  and  was  the  only  prison  un- 
til 1859.  Before  this  prison  was  established, 
it  was  customary  to  resort  to  the  old-time 
punishment  of  the  whipping-post.  For  a 
time  the  prisoners  were  hired  to  contractors ; 
later,  they  were  employed  constructing  new 
prison  buildings,  which  stand  on  si.xteen 
acres  of  ground.  From  1857  to  1871,  they 
were  employed  manufacturing  wagons  and 
farm  implements.  In  1871  the  Southwestern 
Car  Company  leased  of  the  State  all  convicts 
capable  of  performing  labor  pertaining  to  the 
manufacture  of  cars.  This  business  ceased  to 
be  profitable  to  the  company  in  1873,  and  in 
1876  all  the  convicts  were  again  idle. 

In  1859  the  Legislature  passed  an  act 
authorizing  the  construction  of  a  State 
prison  in  the  north  part  of  the  State,  and  ap- 
propriated $50,000  for  that  purpose:  Michi- 
gan City,  on  Lake  Michigan,  was  the  site 
selected,  and  a  large  number  of  convicts  from 
the  prison  South,  were  moved  to  that  point 


and  began  the  work  which  has  produced  one 
of  the  best  prisons  in  the  country.  It  difi'ers 
widely  from  the  Southern,  in  so  much  as  its 
sanitary  condition  has  been  above  the  average 
of  similar  institutions. 

The  prison  reform  agitation,  which  in  this 
State  attained  telling  proportions  in  1869, 
caused  a  legislative  measure  to  be  brought 
forward  which  would  have  a  tendency  to 
ameliorate  the  condition  of  female  convicts. 

The  Legislature  of  1873  voted  $50,000 
for  the  erection  of  suitable  buildings,  which 
was  carried  into  effect,  and  the  building  de- 
clared ready  in  September,  1873,  located  at 
the  State  capital,  and  known  as  the  Indiana 
Heformatory  Institution  for  "Women  and 
Girls.  To  this  institution  all  female  con- 
victs in  other  prisons  in  the  State  were  im- 
mediately reinoved,  and  the  institution  is 
one  of  the  most  commendable  for  good  re- 
sults to  be  found  in  any  State. 

In  1867  the  Legislature  appropriated  $50,- 
000,  for  the  purpose  of  founding  an  institu- 
tion for  the  correction  and  reformation  of 
juvenile  offenders.  A  Board  of  Control  was 
appointed  by  the  Governor,  who  assembled 
in  Indianapolis,  April  3,  1867,  and  elected 
Charles  F.  Coffin  as  President.  Governor 
Baker  selected  the  site,  fourteen  miles  from 
Indianapolis,  near  Plainfield,  where  a  fertile 
farm  of  225  acres  was  purchased. 

January  1,  1868,  a  few  buildings  were 
ready  to  receive  occupants;  the  main  build- 
ing was  completed  in  1869.  Everything  is 
constructed  upon  modern  principles,  '  and 
with  a  view  to  health  and  comfort.  The  in- 
stitution is  in  a  prosperous  condition,  and 
the  good  eflects  of  the  training  received  there 
by  the  young  well  repays  the  tax-payers,  in 
the  way  of  improving  society  and  elevating 
the  minds  of  those  who  would  otherwise  be 
wrecked  on  life's  stream  befoi'e  attaining  to 
years  of  maturity. 


^    v..t 


'^sS^^m^^yi^A 


Prominent  Men  of  Indiana. 


■2^i^i^^i^^ 


■^^ 


i 


"^J.U/^ 


'^U^ 


OLIVER    PEIUIT   MORTON. 


LIVEE  PEERT  MOE- 
TOX,  the  War  Governor 
of  Indiana,  and  one  of 
the  most  eminent  United 
States  Senators,  was  born 
j-,,^  '2^'<>2  in  Salisbury,  Wayne 
-^  County,  til  is  State,  August  4, 
1823.  The  name,  which  is  of 
_.  ,,.  ^  English  origin,  was  originally 
'o'lSj^  Throckmorton.  When  young  Oli- 
^  iTvO"  ^^'''  ^^came  a  lad  he  attended  the 
l\^(^  academy  of  Professor  Hoshour  at 
Q_^'j\^  Centreville,  in  his  native  county, 
r"  \)  but  could  not  continue  long  there, 
as  the  family  was  too  poor  to  defray  his 
expenses.  At  the  age  of  fifteen,  therefore, 
he  was  placed  with  anolder  brother  to  learn 
the  hatter's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  four 
years.  Determining  then  to  enter  the  pro- 
fession of  law,  he  began  to  qualify  himself  by 
attending  the  Miami  University,  in  1843, 
where  he  remained  two  years.  Eeturning  to 
Centreville,  he  entered  the  study  of  law 
with  the  late  Judge  Newman.  Succeeding 
well,  he  soon  secured  for  himself  an  inde- 
pendent practice,  a  good  clientage,  and  rapidly 
I'ose  to  prominence.  In  1852  he  was  elected 
circuit  judge;  but  at  the  end  of  a  year  he 
resigned,  preferring  to  practice  as  an  advocate. 
Up  to  1854  Mr.  Morton  was  a  Democrat 
in  his  party  preferences;  but  the  repeal  of 
the   Missouri    Compromise    caused    him    to 


secede,  and  join  the  incoming  Republican 
party,  in  which  he  became  a  leader  from  its 
beginning.  lie  was  a  delegate  to  the  Pitts- 
burg Convention  in  1856,  where  he  so  ex- 
hibited his  abilities  that  at  the  next  Repub- 
lican State  Convention  he  was  nominated  for 
Governor  against  Ashbel  P.  Willard,  the 
Democratic  nominee.  His  party  being  still 
young  and  in  the  minority,  was  defeated; 
but  Mr.  Morton  came  out  of  the  contest  with 
greatly  increased   notoriety    and  popularity. 

In  1860  Judge  Morton  received  the  nomi- 
nation for  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Indiana, 
on  the  ticket  with  Henry  S.  Lane,  and  they 
were  elected;  but  only  two  days  after  their 
inauguration  Governor  Lane  was  elected  to 
the  United  States  Senate,  and  Mr.  Morton 
became  Governor.  It  was  while  filling  this 
position  that  he  did  his  best  public  work, 
and  created  for  himself  a  fame  as  lasting  as 
the  State  itself.  He  opposed  all  compromise 
with  the  Rebellion,  and  when  the  Legislature 
passed  a  joint  resolution  providing  for  the 
appointment  of  peace  commissioners,  he 
selected  men  who  were  publicly  known  to 
be  opposed  to  any  compromise. 

During  the  dark  and  tedious  days  of  the 
war,  in  1864,  Governor  Morton  defeated  Jo- 
seph E.  McDonald,  in  the  race  for  Governor, 
by  a  majority  of  20,883  votes.  The  next 
summer  lie  had  a  stroke  of  partial  paralysis, 
from  which  he  never  fully  recovered.     The 


disease  so  aifected  the  lower  part  of  his  body 
and  his  limbs,  that  he  was  never  afterward 
able  to  walk  without  the  assistance  of  canes; 
but  otherwise  he  enjoyed  a  high  degree  of 
physical  and  mental  vigor.  In  December 
following  he  made  a  voyage  to  Europe,  where 
he  consulted  eminent  physicians  and  received 
medical  treatment,  but  only  partially  recov- 
ered. In  March,  1866,  he  returned  to  the 
executive  chair  to  resume  his  official  duties. 

In  January,  1867,  Governor  Morton  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  Senate,  being 
succeeded  in  his  State  duties  by  Lieutenant- 
Governor  Baker.  In  1873  Senator  Morton 
was  re-elected,  and  he  continued  a  member 
of  that  body  while  he  lived.  In  that  position 
Mr.  Morton  ranked  among  the  ablest  states- 
men, was  one  of  the  four  or  five  chiefs  of  his 
party,  and,  being  Chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Privileges  and  Elections,  he  did  more  in 
determining  the  policy  of  the  Senate  and  of 
the  Kepublican  party  than  any  other  member 
of  the  Senate.  It  was  during  this  period  that 
the  many  vexed  questions  of  the  reconstruc- 
tion period  came  up,  and  with  reference  to  all 
of  them  he  favored  radical  and  repressive 
measures  in  dealing  with  the  rebellious  States. 

In  the  spring  of  1877  Senator  Morton 
went  to  Oregon  as  Chairman  of  a  Senate 
Committee  to  investigate  the  election  of  Sen- 
ator Grover,  of  that  State,  and  while  there  he 
delivered,  at  Salem,  the  last  political  speech 
of  his  life.  During  his  return,  by  way  of 
San  Francisco,  he  suffered  another  paralytic 
stroke,  and  he  was  brought  East  on  a  special 
car,  taken  to  the  residence  of  his  mother-in- 
law,  Mrs.  Burbanks,  at  Richmond,  this  State, 
and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days  there, 
dying  November  1,  1877.  The  death  of  no 
man,  with  the  exception  of  that  of  President 
r>incoln,  ever  created  so  much  grief  in  Indi- 
ana as  did  that  of  Senator  Morton.  The 
lamentation,  indeed,  was  national.    The  Presi- 


dent of  the  United  States  directed  the  flags 
on  public  buildings  to  be  placed  at  half-mast, 
and  also  that  the  Government  departments 
be  closed  on  the  day  of  the  funeral.  The  re- 
mains of  the  great  statesman  were  interred 
at  the  spot  in  Crown  Hill  Cemetery  where 
he  stood  on  Soldiers'  Decoration  Day,  in 
May,  1876,  when  he  delivered  a  great  speech 
to  a  large  assemblage.  Never  before  did  so 
many  distinguished  men  attend  the  funeral 
of  a  citizen  of  Indiana. 

Personally,  Senator  Morton  was  character- 
ized by  great  tenacity  of  purpose  and  shrewd 
foresight.  Taking  his  aim,  he  ceased  not 
until  he  attained  it,  without  compromise  and 
without  conciliation,  if  not  by  the  means  first 
adopted,  then  by  another.  As  Governor  of 
Indiana  he  exhibited  wonderful  energy,  tact 
and  forethought.  He  distanced  all  other 
Governors  in  putting  troops  in  the  field,  and 
he  also  excelled  them  all  in  providing  for  their 
wants  while  there.  His  State  pride  was  in- 
tense, and  in  respect  to  tlie  general  character 
of  the  people  of  his  State  he  brought  Indiana 
"out  of  the  wilderness"  to  the  front,  since 
which  time  the  Hoosier  State  has  been  more 
favorably  known.  In  the  great  civil  war 
which  tried  the  mettle  and  patriotism  of  the 
people,  Indiana  came  to  the  front  under  his 
guidance,  yea,  to  the  forei'ront  of  the  line. 
As  a  legislator,  he  originated  and  accom- 
plished much,  being  naturally,  as  well  as  by 
self-discipline,  the  most  aggressive,  bold  and 
clear-headed  Eepublican  politician  of  his 
time.  He  was  also  well  versed  in  the  sciences, 
especially  geology;  and  even  in  theology  he 
knew  more  than  many  whose  province  it  is 
to  teach  it,  although  he  was  not  a  member  of 
any  church. 

A  statue  of  Senator  Morton  is  placed  in 
one  of  the  public  parks  at  Indianapolis  by 
the  contributions  of  a  grateful  common- 
wealth. 


?- 
^^p^ 


V 


•^-  <^  H<^^^^-AA^y.xyn2 


'TMOMAS    A.   HENDRICKS. 


l: 


nOMAS  ANDREWS 
HENDRICKS,  elected 
Vice-President  of  the 
United  States  in  1884, 
was  born  in  Musking- 
um County,  Oliio,  near 
the  city  of  Zanesville,  Septem- 
ber 7,  1819.  The  following 
spiing  the  family  moved  to 
Madison,  this  State,  and  in 
1S22  to  Shelby  County,  where 
they  opened  up  a  farm  in  a 
spaisely  settled  region  near  the 
center  of  the  county.  It  was 
here  that  Thom.as  grew  to  man- 
hood. After  the  completion  of 
his  education  at  Hanover  College  he  studied 
law  in  the  office  of  his  uncle.  Judge  Thomson, 
at  Chanibersburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  due 
time  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 

In  1848  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature; 
in  1850,  to  the  convention  which  framed  the 
present  Constitution  of  the  State,  being  an 
active  participant  in  the  deliberations  of  that 
body;  in  1851  and  1852,  to  Congress;  in 
1855,  was    appointed    Commissioner  of  the 


General  Land  Office,  which  he  resigned  in 
1859;  1863-'69, United  States  Senator;  1872- 
'77, Governor  of  Indiana;  and  finally,  July  12, 
1884,  he  was  nominated  by  tlie  Democratic 
National  Convention  at  Chicago  a-;  second  on 
the  ticket  with  Grover  Cleveland,  which  was 
successful  in  the  ensuing  campaign;  but  a 
few  days  before  he  should  begin  to  serve  as 
Speaker  of  the  Senate,  November,  1885,  he 
suddenly  died  at  his  home  in  Indianapolis. 

Going  back  for  particulars,  we  should  state 
that  in  1860  he  was  candidate  for  Governor 
of  Indiana  against  Henry  S.  Lane,  and  was 
defeated  by  9,757  votes,  while  the  Repub- 
lican majority  of  the  State  on  the  national 
ticket  was  23,524,  showing  his  immense 
popularity.  Again,  in  1868,  Conrad  Baker 
defeated  him  by  1,161  votes,  when  Grant's 
majority  over  Seymour  in  the  State  was 
9,579,  and  this,  too,  after  he  had  so  bitterly 
opposed  the  policy  of  Lincoln's  administration, 
and  thereby  lost  from  his  constituency  luaiiy 
Union  sympathizers.  And  finally,  in  1872, 
his  majority  for  Governor  over  General 
Thomas  M.  Brown  was  1,148;  the  same  year 
Grant's  majority  in  the  State  over  Greeley 


'M^MMllMMWgl^ ! 


PBOMISEKT    MEX    OF    IXDIANA. 


was  22,924.  Governor  Hendricks  was  the 
only  man  elected  on  his  ticket  that  year, 
excepting  Professor  Hopkins,  who  was  chosen 
to  a  non-political  office. 

In  1876  Governor  Hendricks  was  a  con- 
spicious  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  being 
the  favorite  of  the  Western  Democracy;  but 
the  East  proved  too  powerful,  and  nominated 
Tilden,  giving  Hendricks  the  second  place  on 
the  national  ticket,  thereby  strengthening  it 
greatly  in  the  "West. 

During  the  intervals  of  official  life,  Mr. 
Hendricks  practiced  law  with  eminent  suc- 
cess, being  equally  at  home  before  court  or 
jury,  and  not  easily  disturbed  by  unforeseen 
turns  in  a  case.  He  had  no  specialty  as  an 
advocate,  being  alike  efficient  in  the  civil  and 
criminal  court,  and  in  all  kinds  and  forms  of 
actions.  "When  out  of  office  his  voice  was 
frequently  heard  on  the  political  questions  of 
the  day.  Indiana  regarded  him  with  pride, 
and  among  a  large  class  he  was  looked  upon 
as  the  leader  of  the  Democracy  of  the  "West. 
His  adherents  rallied  around  him  in  1880, 
and  his  name  was  again  prominent  for  the 
Presidential  nomination,  and  might  have 
been  carried  were  it  not  for  the  opposition  of 
the  friends  of  Mr.  McDonald. 

As  his  views  on  governmental  affairs  were 
critical,  definite  and  positive,  he  had  many 
political  enemies,  but  none  of  them  have  ever 
charged  him  with  malfeasance  in  offi.ce,  or 
incompetency  in  any  of  his  public  positions. 
He  was  a  man  of  convictions,  conservative, 
eloquent  in  public  address,  careful  of  his 
utterances,  and  exceedingly  earnest. 


Mr.  Hendricks  belonged  to  a  family  noted 
in  the  history  of  Indiana.  His  uncle,  "Will- 
iam Hendricks,  was  secretary  of  the  conven- 
tion that  formed  the  first  Constitution  of  the 
State;  was  Indiana's  first  Eepresentative  in 
Congress,  her  second  Governor,  and  for  two 
full  terms  represented  it  in  the  Senate  of  the 
United  States.  A  cousin,  John  Abram  Hen- 
dricks, fell  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Eidge  while 
leading  his  regiment  against  the  enemy;  and 
another  cousin,  Thomas  Hendricks,  was 
killed  in  the  Teche  country  while  serving  in 
the  Union  army.  Mr.  Hendricks'  father  was 
an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  he 
himself  %yas  baptized  and  brought  up  under 
the  auspices  of  that  denomination.  He  never 
joined  any  church  until  1867,  when  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal church,  retaining  his  Calvinistic  views. 
In  person  Mr.  Hendricks  was  five  feet  nine 
inches  high,  weighed  about  185  pounds;  his 
eyes  gray,  hair  of  a  sandy  hue,  nose  largo 
and  prominent,  complexion  fair  and  inclined 
to  freckle,  and  his  mouth  and  chin  were 
expressive  of  determination  and  tenacity. 
He  wore  no  beard  except  a  little  near  the  ear. 
He  was  a  man  of  good  habits,  health  good, 
step  firm  and  prompt,  and  voice  resonant  and 
steady. 

After  his  nomination  for  the  Yice-Prcsi- 
dency  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  campaign, 
delivering  a  number  of  powerful  addresses, 
and  while  waiting  for  his  term  of  official 
service  to  begin,  death  ended  his  days  and 
cast  an  indescribable  shade  of  gloom  over  his 
family.  State  and  nation. 


>^' 


8CHUTLER    COLFaS. 


ffV^^ 


W  SCHUYLER  COLFAX,  ii 


^^^t/^'M»^^»####^«i'^##^'i>^'<W-«»«»^^, 


'HIS  eminent  statesman 
was  born  in  New  York 
Citj,  March  23,  1823, 
the   only   son   of  his 
widowed  inother;  was 
taught  in  the  common 
schooL  of  tlie  city,  finished  his 
education  at  a  high-school  on 
Ci'Obby  street,  and  at  ten  years 
of  age  he  had  received  all  the 
school   t''aining  he  e\er  had. 
Alter  clerking  in  a  store  for 
three  years,  he  removed  to  In- 
diana   with    his   mother   and 
V^V\^    stepfather,  Mr.  Mathews,  set- 
^  ^  tling   in   St.    Joseph  Connty. 

Here,  in  the  village  of  New  Carlisle,  the 
j^oiith  served  four  years  more  as  clerk  in 
a  store;  then,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years, 
he  was  appointed  deputy  county  auditor, 
and  to  fulfill  his  duties  he  moved  to  the 
county  seat.  South  Bend,  where  he  remained 
a  resident  until  his  death. 

Like  almost  every  Western  citizen  of 
any  mental  activity,  young  Colfax  took 
a  practical  hold  of  political  matters  about 
as  soon  as  he  could  vote.  He  talked  and 
thought,  and  began  to  publish  his  views, 
from  time  to  time,  in  the  local  newspaper  of 
the  place.     His  peculiar  faculty  of  dealing 


fairly,  and  at  the  same  time  pleasantly,  with 
men  of  all  sorts,  his  natural  sobriety  and 
common  sense,  and  his  power  of  stating 
things  plainly  and  correctly,  made  him  a 
natural  newspaper  man.  He  was  employed 
during  several  sessions  of  the  Legislature,  to 
report  the  proceedings  of  the  Senate  for  the 
Indianapolis  Journal,  and  in  this  position 
made  many  friends.  In  1845  he  became 
proprietor  and  editor  of  the  St.  Joseph  Val- 
ley Eegister,  the  South  Bend  newspaper, 
which  then  had  but  250  subscribers;  but 
the  youthful  editor  had  hope  and  energy,  and 
after  struggling  through  many  disappoint- 
ments, including  the  loss  of  his  ofiice  by  fire, 
he  succeeded  in  making  a  comfortable  living 
out  of  the  enterprise. 

Mr-  Colfax  was  a  Whig  so  long  as  that 
party  existed.  In  1848  he  was  a  delegate  to 
the  convention  which  nominated  General 
Taylor  for  President,  and  was  one  of  the  sec- 
retaries of  that  body.  The  next  year  he  was 
a  member  of  the  State  Constitutional  Con- 
vention, being  elected  thereto  from  a  Demo- 
cratic district.  Soon  afterward  he  was 
nominated  for  the  State  Senate,  but  declined 
because  he  could  not  be  spared  from  his  busi- 
ness. His  first  nomination  for  Congress  was 
in  1851,  but  was  beaten  by  200  votes,  which 
was  less  than  the  real  Democratic  majority 


1^0 


Prominent  mmn  of  Indiana. 


in  his  district.  His  successful  competitor 
was  Dr.  Graham  N.  Fitch,  who,  along  wi^-h 
Mr.  Bright,  became  so  conspicuous  in  the 
^ujiport  of  Buchanan.  In  1852  he  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Whig  National  Convention 
that  nominated  General  Scott,  and  was  again 
secretary. 

Franklin  Pierce,  the  Democratic  nominee, 
was  elected  President,  and  during  his  term 
the  Wliig  party  was  dissolved  upon  the  issue 
of  slavery,  and,  naturally  enough,  Mr.  Colfax 
drifted  m  with  the  party  of  freedom.  So  did 
the  people  of  his  Congressional  district;  for, 
after  having  given  their  Democratic  repre- 
sentative 1,000  majority  two  years  before, 
tliey  now  nominated  and  elected  Mr.  Colfax 
to  succeed  him  by  about  2,000  majority. 

The  Congress  towhicli  he  was  thus  elected 
is  noted  for  the  tedious  struggle  in  the  elec- 
tion of  a  Speaker  of  the  House,  resulting, 
February  2,  1856,  in  the  choice  of  N.  P. 
Banks.  Mr.  Colfax,  who  was  second  in  the 
race  for  the  Speakership,  exhibited  wonderful 
parliamentary  tact  in  staving  off  the  South- 
erners, who  at  times  seemed  on  the  point  ot 
success.  As  to  parties  at  this  time,  they 
■were  considerably  broken  np,  comprising 
"Anti-Nebraska"  (Eepublican),  Democrats, 
Know-Nothings  and  nondescripts.  During 
tliis  and  the  succeeding  Congress,  to  which 
Mr.  Colfax  was  elected,  he  delivered  several 
telling  speeches,  some  of  which  were  printed 


almost  by  the  million  and  distributed  tu 
the  voters  throughout  the  North.  These 
speeches  were  full  of  solid  facts  and  figures 
with  reference  to  the  Pro-Slavery  party, 
especially  in  Kansas,  so  that,  by  a  sort  of 
play  upon  his  name,  the  people  often  re- 
ferred to  him  as  "Cold-facts." 

In  1860  Mr.  Colfax  was  elected  to  Con- 
gress the  third  time,  and  in  1862  the  fourth 
time.  In  December,  1863,  he  was  chosen 
Speaker  of  the  House,  which  position  he  re- 
tained to  the  end  of  the  term  for  which 
Lincoln  and  Johnson  were  elected,  exhib- 
iting pre-eminent  jiarliamentary  skill  and 
an  obliging  disposition.  Equally  polite  to 
all,  he  was  ever  a  gentleman  worthy  of  the 
highest  honor. 

The  favorable  notoriety  gained  by  his 
"  cold  facts  "  against  slavery,  parliamentary 
ability,  his  power  of  debate,  and  his  suavity 
of  manner,  led  the  Eepublican  party  in  IStls 
to  place  him  on  the  national  ticket,  secf.nd 
only  to  the  leading  soldier  of  the  Union, 
U.  S.  Grant.  Being  elected,  he  served  as 
President  of  the  Senate  with  characteristic 
ability  throughout  his  term.  Then,  retiring 
from  political  life,  he  devoted  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life  to  lectures  upon  miscella- 
neous topics;  and  it  was  during  a  lecturing 
tour  in  Minnesota  that  he  was  stricken  down 
v,'ith  his  final  illness.  He  died  at  Mankato, 
that  State,  January  13,  1885. 


^[f 


i 


V  - 


(7^ 


JAMES    D.    WILLIAMS. 


•>>aAMES  D.  WILLIAMS. 


m^ 


t^iSn'iSn>ii^i&i't&?(Sg>B^O 


^it'^'^Si^^i^^'mt's^mi' 


m 


ERE  ■we  have  present- 
3d  a  practical   illustra- 
tion of  the  type  of  man 
pi  educed    by   a  young 
and  vigorons  republic, 
wlucb    had,   but  a  few 
■5  ears      preceding      his 
buth,  a-^&eited,  with  justice,  and 
successful])  maintained,  her  claim 
to  assume  her  rightful  position  as 
one  of  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
James  D.Williams  was  born  in 
Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  January 
8,  1808,  soon  after  that  State  had 
assumed   her   place   among  that 
galaxy  of  stars  destined  to  become  tlie  great- 
est nation  in  the  world. 

In  cliildhood  he  removed  with  his  parents 
to  Knox  County,  Indiana,  where  he  received 
a  common-school  education,  and  grew  to 
manhood  a  tiller  of  the  soil. 

He  entered  the  theater  of  life  at  a  time 
when  the  stage  scenery  was  of  the  most 
gigantic  grandeur  ever  beheld  by  the  eye  of 
man.  Nature  in  her  stupendous  splendor 
was  around  and  about  the  young  actor,  and 
he  readily  imbibed  the  spirit  of  his  sur- 
roundings, and  was  filled  with  enthusiastic 
hope  for  tlie  future  greatness  of  the  vast  and 
beautiful  conntry,  which  but  awaited  the  call 
of  the  husbandman  to  answer  in  bountiful 


harvests  to  his  many  demands.  With  young 
Williams  the  grandeur  of  the  scene  tilled  his 
soul  with  a  hopeful  determination  to  act 
well  his  part  in  the  great  drama  before  him, 
as  the  reader  will  find  wJiile  following  him 
down  life's  pathway. 

Wlien  he  attained  to  manhood  he  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  and  stock-raising,  and 
became  widely  known  as  a  practical  and  suc- 
cessful Indiana  farmer. 

He  had  closely  observed  the  passing  events 
in  tlie  clash  and  conflict  of  political  parties, 
and  his  fellow  citizens  saw  in  him  the  qual- 
ified elements  of  a  representative  man,  and 
he  was  frequently  elected  as  a  Democrat  to 
represent  his  county  in  the  Lower  House  of 
the  Legislature,  M'here  he  discharged  the 
duties  devolving  upon  him  with  marked 
ability  and  even  beyond  the  expectations  of 
his  constituents.  The  sagacity  and  ability 
with  which  he  dealt  with  public  measures 
in  the  Lower  House  opened  the  avenue  to 
higher  honors  and  more  weighty  responsi- 
bilities. 

In  1859  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate, 
where  he  continuously  served  his  constitu- 
ency until  1867,  maintaining  the  reputation 
he  had  gained  in  the  LoM'er  House  for  ability 
and  the  faithful  performance  of  duty,  and 
still  developing  a  capacity  for  a  wider  field 
of  operations. 


PROMINENT   MEN    OF   INDIANA. 


He  was  not  permitted  to  long  live  in  the 
home  life  which  he  so  much  enjoyed.  The 
able  and  faithful  manner  in  which  he  had 
discharged  his  duties  as  a  public  servant,  his 
common  sense  and  social  manner,  made  him 
i'riends  even  among  his  political  opponents, 
lie  bore  honors  conferred  upon  him  nobly 
but  meekly,  never  ceasing  to  gratefully  re- 
member those  to  whom  gratitude  was  due  for 
the  positions  of  honor  and  trust  to  which 
they  had  called  him. 

He  was  destined  to  spend  his  life  as  a 
public  servant.  His  fellow  citizens  again 
elected  him  to  the  State  Senate  in  1871,  and 
in  1874  he  was  again  crowned  with  higher 
honors,  and  was  elected  to  rejjresent  his  dis- 
trict in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
where  he  displayed  the  same  ability  in  deal- 
ing with  public  questions  that  he  had  in  the 
legislative  body  of  his  State.  During  his 
term  in  Congress  he  served  in  tlie  impor- 
tant position  of  chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Public  Accounts. 

He  was  a  prominent  and  leading  member 
of  the  Indiana  State  Board  of  Agriculture  for 
seventeen  years,  and  served  as  its  president 
for  three  years.  ISTo  one  citizen  of  Indiana 
was  more  deeply  interested  and  active  in  de- 
veloping and  promoting  the  agricultural  and 
other  industrial  resources  of  his  State  than 
lie.  One  leading  feature  of  his  ambition  was 
to  be  in  the  front  rank  of  progress,  and  to 
place  his  State  on  a  plane  with  the  sister 
States  of  the  prosperous  Union.  He  was 
equally  active  in  the  educational  interest  of  his 
fellow  citizens,  and  advocated  facilities  for 
diffusing  knowledge  among  the  masses,  plac- 
ing an  education  within  the  reach  of  children 
of  the  most  humble  citizen. 

He  gathered  happiness  while  promoting 
the  welfare  of  others,  and  step  by  step,  year 
by  year,  his  friends  increased  in  numbers 
und  warmed    in   devotion    to    their   trusted, 


faithful  and  grateful  servant.  He  was  rapid- 
ly growing  in  State  popularity,  as  he  had 
long  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  his  own  county 
and  district,  and  in  his  quiet,  unassuming 
way  was  building  larger  than  he  knew.  His 
plain  manner  of  dress,  commonly  "  blue 
jeans,"  caused  him  to  become  widely  known 
by  the  sobriquet  of  "  Blue  Jeans,"  of  which 
his  admirers  were  as  proud  as  M-ere  those  of 
"  Old  Hickory  "  as  applied  to  Andrew  Jack- 
son, or  "  Eough  and  Eeady  "  as  applied  to 
General  Zachariah  Taylor. 

The  civil  war  had  made  fearful  inroads  in 
party  lines;  the  public  questions  to  be  set- 
tled immediately  following  the  close  of  the 
war  involved  problems  which  many  leading 
men,  who  had  previously  acted  with  the 
Democratic  party,  could  not  solve  satisfacto- 
rily to  themselves  from  a  Democratic  stand- 
point; hence  they  cast  their  fortunes  with 
the  popular  party,  the  Eepublican. 

The  Democratic  party  had  been  impatient 
ly  but  energetically  seeking  State  supremacy. 
James  D.  Williams,  so  far  as  tried,  had  led 
the  column  to  success,  why  not  make  him 
their  Moses  to  lead  them  to  possess  the 
promised  land.  State  Supremacy? 

The  centennial  anniversary  of  American 
independence,  1876,  seemed  to  them  the  auspi- 
cious period  to  marshal  their  forces  under  an 
indomitable  leader  and  go  forth  to  conquer. 

They  accordingly  in  that  year  nominated 
the  Hon.  James  D.  "Williams  for  Governor, 
and  the  Eepublicans  nominated  General  Ben- 
jamin Harrison,  a  military  hero  and  a  lineal 
descendant  of  General  W.  II.  Harrison.  Tlie 
contest  will  stand  m  history  as  the  most  ex- 
citing campaign  In  the  political  history  of 
the  United  States,  and  resulted  in  the  elec- 
tion of  the  Democratic  leader.  His  services 
as  Governor  of  the  State  were  characteristic 
of  his  past  public  life.  He  died,  full  of  hon- 
ors, on  November  20,  1880. 


*^ 


y^^c^^A 


(a 


ROBERT    DALE    OWE  I,' 


1 


■fx>' 


M^^^^HHn^^r'T5-?:r^J??^?Hr^H--r^r^^r-'=^T^'7Tp7J;:j^ 


i  ^ROBERT  DALE  OWEN, }^ 


_^^.^^„^,^,^-^P-P„^^.^p,^,^^„^^^.^-.p.-j,^^  ^  J 


)OKING  outside  of  the 
realm  of  statesmen,  we 
find  that  the  most  emi- 
nent citizen  of  Indi- 
ana not  now  living 
^ci,'  ''  '-'^^-^"*  was  the  learned 
Scotchman  named  at  the  head  of 
this  sketch.     Eobert   Owen,  his 
father,  was  a   great   theorist  in 
social  and  religious  reforms.    He 
was  born  in  Newtown,  Montgom- 
eryshire, North  AVales,  March  14, 
1771,  where  he   died  November 
19,  1858. 

He  (the  father)  entered  npon  a 
commercial  life  at  an  early  age,  and  subse- 
quently engaged  in  the  cotton  manufacture 
at  New  Lanark,  Scotland,  where  he  introduced 
important  reforms,  having  for  their  object 
the  improvement  of  the  condition  of  tlie 
laborers  in  his  employ;  afterward  he  directed 
his  attention  to  social  questions  on  a  broader 
scale,  publishing  in  1812  "  New  Yiews  of 
Society,  or  Essays  upon  the  Formation  of  the 
Human  Character,"  and  subsequently  the 
"  Book  of  the  New  Moral  "World,' '  in  which 
he   advocated  doctrines   of  human  equality 


and  the  abolition  of  class  distinctions.  Hav- 
ing won  a  large  fortune  in  his  business,  he 
M-as  able  to  give  his  views  a  wide  circulation, 
and  his  followers  became  numerous;  but, 
being  outspoken  against  maiiy  of  the  gen- 
erally received  theological  dogmas  of  the 
time,  a  zealous  opposition  was  also  aroused 
against  him.  After  the  death  of  his  patron, 
the  Duke  of  Kent,  he  emigrated  to  this 
country,  in  1823,  and  at  his  own  expense 
founded  the  celebrated  communistic  society 
at  New  Harmony,  this  State.  The  scheme 
proving  a  failure  he  returned  to  England, 
where  he  tried  several  similar  experiments 
with  the  same  result;  but  in  spite  of  all  his 
failures  he  was  universally  esteemed  for  his 
integrity  and  benevolence.  His  later  years 
were  spent  in  efforts  to  promote  a  religion  of 
reason,  and  to  improve  the  condition  of  the 
working  classes. 

His  eldest  son,  the  subject  of  this  biographi- 
cal sketch,  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland, 
November  7,  1801 ;  was  educated  at  Fellens- 
berg's  College,  near  Berne,  Switzerland ;  came 
with  his  father  to  the  United  States  in  1823, 
and  assisted  him  in  his  efforts  to  found  the 
colony  of  New  Harmony.     On  the  failure  of 


that  experiment  he  visited  France  and  Eng- 
land, but  returned  to  this  country  in  1827 
and  became  a  citizen.  In  1828,  in  partner- 
ship with  Miss  Frances  Wright,  he  founded 
"The  Free  Enquirer,"  a  weekly  journal  de- 
voted to  socialistic  ideas,  and  to  opposition  to 
the  supernatural  origin  and  claims  of  Chris- 
tianity. The  paper  was  discontinued  after 
an  existence  of  three  years.  In  1832  he 
married  Mary  Jane  Kobinson,  of  JS'ew  York, 
who  died  in  1871.  After  marriage  he  settled 
again  in  New  Harmony,  where  for  three  suc- 
cessive years  (1835-'38)  he  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature.  It  was  through  his 
influence  that  one-half  of  the  surplus  revenue 
of  the  United  States  appropriated  to  the 
State  of  Indiana  was  devoted  to  the  support 
of  public  schools.  From  1843  to  1847  he 
represented  the  First  District  of  Indiana  in 
Congress,  acting  with  the  Democratic  party; 
took  an  active  paat  in  the  settlement  of  the 
northwestern  boundary  question,  serving  as 
a  member  of  the  committee  of  conference  on 
that  subject,  and  introduced  the  bill  organ- 
izing the  Smithsonian  Institute,  and  served 
for  a  time  as  one  of  the  regents.  In  1850  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Indiana  Constitutional 
Convention,  in  which  he  took  a  prominent 
part.  It  was  through  his  efforts  that  Indiana 
conferred  independent  property  rights  upon 
women.  In  1853  he  went  to  Naples,  Italy, 
as  United  States  Charge  cV Affaires,  and  from 
1855  to  1858  he  held  the  position  of  Min- 
ister. 

In  1860,  in  the  New  York  Tribune,  he 
discussed  the  subject  of  divorce  with  Horace 
Greeley,  and  a  pamphlet  edition  of  the  con- 
troversy afterward  obtained  a  wide  circula- 
tion. 

After  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion, 
Mr.  Owen  was  a  warm  champion  of  the 
policy  of  emancipation,  and  the  letters  which 
he  addressed  to  members  of  the  cabinet  and 


the  President  on  that  subject  were  widely 
disseminated.  "When  the  proposition  was 
made  by  certain  influential  politicians  to 
reconstruct  the  Union  with  New  England 
<'  left  out  in  the  cold,"  Mr.  Owen  addressed 
a  letter  to  the  people  of  Indiana  exposing 
the  dangerous  character  of  the  scheme, 
which  the  Union  Leagues  of  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  published  and  circulated 
extensively.  In  1862  he  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Commisson  on  Ordnance  Stores, 
and  in  1863  was  Chairman  of  the  American 
Freedmen's  Commission,  which  rendered  val- 
uable service  to  the  country. 

Mr.  Owen  was  a  prominent  Spiritualist  in 
his  philosophical  views,  and  publislied  sev- 
eral remarkable  works  inculcating  them. 
His  mind,  in  his  later  years,  beginning  to 
totter,  he  was  often  too  credulous.  He  also 
published  many  other  works,  mostly  of  a 
political  nature.  To  enumerate:  he  pub- 
lished at  Glasgow,  in  1824,  "  Outlines  of 
System  of  Education  at  New  Lanark ;"  at  New 
York,  in  1831,  "Moral  Physiology;"  the 
next  year,  "Discussion  with  Origen  Bachelor 
on  the  Personality  of  God  and  the  Authentici- 
ty of  the  Bible;"  and  subsequently,  "Pocahon- 
tas," an  historical  drama;  "  Hints  on  Public 
Architecture,"  illustrated ;  "  Footfalls  on  the 
Boundary  of  Another  World,"  probably  his 
most  wonderful  work;  "The  Wrong  of  Slav- 
ery, and  the  Right  of  Freedom;"  "Beyond 
the  Breakers,"  a  novel;  "The  Debatable 
Land  between  this  World  and  the  Next," 
and  "Threading  My  Way,"  an  autobiography. 

The  giant  intellect  of  Mr.  Owen  being 
linked  to  a  large  and  tender  heart,  his  sym- 
pathies were  constantly  rasped  by  witnessing 
the  boundless  but  apparently  needless  amount 
of  sufi'ering  in  the  world,  and  chafed  by 
the  opposition  of  conservatism  to  all  efforts 
at  alleviation,  so  that  in  old  age  he  was  liter- 
ally worn  out.     He  died  at  an  advanced  age. 


I 


ENERAL   k 

.  — Jii.' 


j.^^^ 


m 


m 


%^^^^^^ 


I  STORY. 


TOPOGRAPHY 


EKMILLION,  spelled 
witli  two  Z's,  is  from  the 
French  vermilion, 
spelled  with  one  Z,  and  signi- 
iies,  according  to  "Webster,  "  a 
bright  red  sulplmret  of  mercury, 
^'  consisting  of  sixteen  parts  of  sul- 
^\  phur  and  one  hundred  parts  of 
mercury."  This  substance,  he 
remarks,  is  sometimes  found  na- 
^  tive,  of  a  red  or  brown  color,  and 
is  then  called  cinnabar.  Used  as 
a  pigment.  The  word  is  a  literal 
translation  of  the  Miami  Indian 
word  pe-auk-e-shaw,  which  was  given  to  the 
Vermillion  Eivers  on  account  of  the  red  earth 
or  "keel"  found  along  their  banks.  This 
substance  was  produced  by  the  burning  of  the 
shale  overlying  the  outcrops  of  coal,  the  latter 
igniting  from  tlie  autumnal  tires  set  by  the 
aborigines.  From  the  rivers  the  county  was 
named. 

The  position  which  Vermillion  County  oc- 
cupies in  the  world  can  best  be  indicated  by 
describing  the  geodesic  situation  of  Newport, 


the  county  seat,  which  is  near  the  middle  of 
the  county.  This  point  is  39°  55'  north  of 
the  ecjuator  of  the  earth,  and  therefore  the 
north  star  appears  to  the  observer  here  at  that 
angle  above  the  horizon.  Newport  is  also 
87°  10'  west  longitude  from  Greenwich  (Lon- 
don, England),  and  railroad  standard  time, 
which  is  here  conformed  to  that  of  tlie 
ninetieth  meridian,  is  about  eleven  minutes 
slower  than  local,  or  sun-time.  Newport 
is  also  about  520  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
ocean,  and  fifty  feet  above  the  low- water  mark 
of  the  Wabash  River  opposite. 

The  beautiful,  picturesque  scenery  of  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  is  equal  to  that  of 
any  otlier  in  the  State.  The  modest  mean- 
derings  of  the  classic  old  "Wabash,  which  ever 
and  anon  are  hiding  their  silvery  waters  away 
amid  the  luxurious  foliage  of  the  forest  trees, 
give  to  its  eastern  border  a  lineal  presenta- 
tion of  romantic  beauty  such  as  attracts 
universal  attention,  while  the  long  range  of 
bench  hills  which  skirt  the  western  boi-der  of 
this  garden  valley  throw  along  its  railroad 
line  a  continued  display  of  panoramic  rural 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


beauty  wliich  even  without  any  coloring, 
might  be  termed  "  the  lovely  valley  of  the 
West."  Tlie  county,  stretching  its  narrow 
length  along  the  river  for  thirty-seven  miles, 
is  wholly  made  up  of  beautiful  scenery. 

All  the  minor  streams  draining  Vermillion 
County  ai-e  of  course  tributary  to  the  Wabash, 
and  most  of  them  have  a  general  southeasterly 
direction.  Spring  Brancli,  or  Creek,  flows 
southwesterly  through  the  northeast  corner 
of  Highland  Township.  Coal  Brancli  flows 
south  near  the  western  border.  Big  Yer- 
niillion  River  winds  southeasterly  through 
the  sonthwest  corner  of  Highland  and  the 
northern  portion  of  Eugene.  Little  Vermill- 
ion River  wends  its  way  through t  he  south- 
western corner  of  Eugene,  and  empties  into 
the  Wabash  near  the  middle  of  the  east  side 
of  Vermillion  Township.  Jonathan  Creek, 
in  the  western  part  of  Vermillion  Township, 
flows  northeasterly  into  the  Little  Vermill- 
ion. Bi-ouillet's  (pronounced  in  American 
style,  IvH-lefs)  Creek  is  wholly  in  Clinton 
Township,  running  at  first  southeasterly  and 
then  east,  into  the  Wabash;  and  the  Little 
Raccoon  Creek,  in  Helt  Township,  runs 
southeasterly,  rather  toward  the  northeastern 
corner  of  the  township,  into  the  Wabash  be- 
tween Highland  and  Alta. 

GEOLOGY. 
From  one-fourth  to  one-third  of  Vermillion 
Connty  consists  of  the  rich  bottoms  and  ter- 
races of  the  valleys  of  the  Wabash  and  its 
affluents,  the  Big  and  Little  Vermillion 
Rivers  and  Norton's  Creek.  The  main  ter- 
race, or  "  second  bottom,"  is  especially  de- 
veloped in  the  region  between  Perrysv'ille 
and  Newport,  a  fact  probably  resulting  from 
the  combined  action  of  the  two  main  tributa- 
ries in  this  county.  The  terrace  is  from  one 
to  four  miles  wide,  furnishing  a  broad  stretch 
of  rich,  well  drained  farming  lands,  having 


an  average  elevation  of  about  forty  feet  above 
the  present  (or  "  first")  bottoms.  Below 
Newport  the  blnfts  approach  the  r-iver  so 
closely  that  the  terrace  is  nearly  obliterated, 
and  the  immediate  bottoms  become  very  nar- 
row. At  the  mouth  of  Little  Raccoon  Creek 
the  bottoms  are  considerably  widened;  but 
the  terrace  has  no  considerable  extent  until 
we  reach  the  head  of  Helt  Prairie,  about  si.x 
miles  north  of  Clinton,  whence  it  stretches 
southward,  with  an  average  width  of  one  to 
three  miles.  About  three  miles  below  Clin- 
ton it  narrows  again  as  we  approach  the 
month  of  Brouillet's  Creek  and  the  county 
line. 

At  the  first  settlement  of  the  country  the 
bottoms  were  heavily  timbered,  but  a  large 
proportion  of  the  terrace  was  devoid  of  tim- 
ber. We  are  scarcely  permitted  to  believe 
that  these  timberless  tracts  were  originally 
prairie,  as,  on  account  of  their  nature  and 
fav^orable  situation,  we  should  presume  tluit 
they  were  grounds  cleared  and  cultivated  hy 
the  same  aboriginal  race,  possibly  the  Mound- 
Builders,  for  mounds  abound  in  this  region, 
and  the  annual  tires  prevented  a  re-occupation 
by  trees  or  shrubbery. 

Rising  from  the  upper  bottom  lands  we 
find  bhiffs,  more  or  less  abrupt,  which  attain 
a  general  level  of  120  to  130  feet  above  the 
river,  and  form  the  slightly  elevated  border 
of  Grand  Prairie.  The  most  gradual  ascent 
is  to  the  westward  from  Perrysville,  favorable 
for  the  construction  of  the  present  railroad. 
South  of  the  Big  Vermillion  the  blufl's  are 
much  steeper,  where  a  moderate  grade  for  a 
railroad  can  be  found  only  by  tracing  one  of 
the  smaller  streams.  These  blufts,  being  too 
steep  for  cultivation,  are  still  covered  with 
timber,  which  consists  principally  of  oak, 
hickory,  maple  and  walnut,  and  toward  the 
soutiiern  end  of  the  county,  beech.  In  many 
of  the  ravines,  and  along  the  foot  of  the  blufl's. 


■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.■^■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■"■"^Hi 


INTRODUCTORY. 


185 


there  are  large  groves  of  sugar  maple.  Near 
the  principal  streams  this  timbered  region 
extends  westward  to  the  State  line.  The 
nortliern  and  middle  portions  of  the  county 
are  in  great  part  a  portion  of  the  Grand 
Prairie,  which  covers  all  eastern  Illinois,  from 
the  forest  of  the  Little  Wabash  to  Lake  Mich- 
igan. 

Yermillion  County  is  singularly  blessed 
with  spj-ings,  bursting  forth  from  below  the 
boulder  clay  of  the  drift  period.  Some  of 
these  springs  are  very  strong. 

The  alluvium  of  the  river  bottoms  have  the 
common  features  of  river  deposits.  A'egetable 
remains  are  mingled  with  find  sand  and  mud 
washed  from  the  drift  beds  higher  up  the 
streams,  and  occasional  deposits  of  small 
stones  and  gravel,  derived  either  from  the 
drift  or  from  the  rock  formations  into  which 
the  rivers  have  cut  their  winding  ways.  The 
only  definite  knowledge  obtained  as  to  the 
depth  of  these  beds  refers  to  the  prairie  be- 
tween Eugene  and  Perrysville,  where  wells 
have  been  sunk  si.vty  feet  through  alluvial 
sand,  and  then  encountered  six  to  ten  feet 
of  a  soft,  sticky,  blui.h  mud  filled  with  leaves, 
twigs  and  trunks  of  trees,  and  occasionally 
small  masses  of  what  appears  to  have  been 
stable  manure.  This  stratum  is  sometimes 
called  "Noah's  Barnyard."  The  lake-bottom 
deposits,  of  corresponding  age,  which  com- 
monly underlie  the  soil  of  the  Grand  Prairie, 
have  been  found  west  of  the  State  line,  con- 
sisting of  marly-clays  and  brick-clay  subsoil, 
and  probably  exist  equally  under  such  por- 
tions of  the  prairie  as  extend  into  this  county. 

Tiiere  are  several  very  good  gravel  beds  in 
the  county,  principally  developed  since  the 
building  of  the  railroads. 

The  boulder-clay  referred  to  above,  which 
forms  the  mass  of  the  drift  formation,  is  a 
tough,  bluish  drab,  unlaminated  clay,  more 
or  less  thoroughly  filled  with  fine  and   coarse 


gravel,  and  including  many  small  boulders. 
On  the  bluff  west  of  Perrysville  this  bed  was 
penetrated  to  a  depth  of  about  100  feet  before 
reaching  the  water-bearing  quicksand  com- 
monly found  beneath  it.  Out-crops  of  110 
feet  have  been  measured,  and  the  bed  very 
probably  attains  a  thickness  of  125  feet  or 
more  where  it  has  not  been  worn  away.  It 
is  much  thinner  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
county.  From  the  difference  in  character  of 
the  included  boulders  at  different  levels,  we 
are  led  to  the  conclusion  that  the  currents 
which  brought  the  materials  composing  these 
beds  flowed  in  different  directions  at  diilerent 
times. 

Illustrating  the  above  remarks  we  give  a 
section  from  a  brancli  of  Johnson's  Creek,  in 
Eugene  Township:  Boulder  clay,  with  peb- 
bles of  Silurian  limestone  and  trap,  thirty  feet; 
yellow  clay,  with  fragments  of  coal,  shale, 
sand-stone,  etc.,  four  inches;  boulder  clay, 
with  pebbles  of  Silurian  limestone,  twenty- 
live  feet;  ferruginous  sand,  a  streak;  boulder 
clay  from  the  northwest,  with  pebbles  of  va- 
rious metamorphic  rocks  and  trap,  and 
nuggets  of  native  copper,  fifty  feet. 

The  section  of  rocks  exposed  at  the  Horse- 
shoe of  the  Little  Vermillion  exhibits  the 
following  strata:  Black,  slaty  shale;  coal, 
two  and  a  half  to  four  feet;  fire-clay  and  soft- 
clay  shales,  with  iron-stones,  fifteen  feet; 
argillaceous  (clayey)  limestone,  one  to  two 
feet;  dark  drab  clay  shale,  one  foot;  coal,  four 
to  live  feet;  light-colored  fire-clay,  two  f<.et; 
dark-colored  lire-clay,  one  foot;  soft,  drab 
shale,  with  iron-stones,  ten  to  fifteen  feet; 
fossiliferous,  l)lack  slaty  shale,  often  pyritous, 
with  many  large  iron-stone  nudides,  two  to 
three  feet. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  boulders  and 
pebbles  of  these  beds,  especially  those  con- 
sisting of  limestone  and  the  metamorphic 
rocks,  are  finely  polished  and  striated  on  one 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


or  more  of  their  sides,  showing  the  power  of 
the  forces  which  were  engaged  in  their  trans- 
portation from  their  original  beds.  Nuggets 
of  galena  (suljihide  of  lead)  and  of  native 
copper  are  occasionally  met  with,  and  have 
had  the  usual  effect  of  exciting  the  imagina- 
tions of  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  fact 
that  the  rocks  which  contain  these  metals  do 
not  occur  nearer  than  the  galena  region  of 
Nortliern  Illinois. 

The  "coal  measures,"  as  given  in  the  para- 
graph preceding  the  last,  furnish  the  only 
rock  formations  to  be  found  in  the  county. 
There  seem  to  be  no  outcrop  of  beds  overlying 
this  section.  The  first,  or  uppermost,  vein  of 
coal  is  covered  by  a  few  feet  of  soil  only. 
The  argillaceous  limestone  below  it  is  very 
thinly  laminated,  being  mingled  with  much 
clay;  but  the  shales  covering  the  next  vein 
constitute  a  fair  working  roof. 

The  sandy  iron-stones  areinteresting  to  the 
fossil  hunter,  as  they  contain  numerous  frag- 
mentary remains  of  lishes,  insects,  etc.  Fos- 
siliferous  strata  of  an  interestiiig  character 
continue  exposed  along  the  Little  Veriuillion 
to  its  mouth  and  down  the  Wabash.  Out- 
crops of  the  above  mentioned  strata  are  found 
along  the  principal  streams  throughout  the 
county. 

In  ascending  the  Big  Vermillion  we  find 
on  its  south  bank,  a  mile  below  Eugene,  a 
bluff  of  banks  of  from  twenty-tive  to  thirty 
feet  of  irregularly  bedded,  highly  ferruginous, 
coarse-grained  sandstone,  often  containing 
comminuted  plant  remains,  with  some  large 
fragments  of  trees,  etc.  Some  of  the  beds 
are  sutticiently  solid  to  make  good  building 
stone.  In  quarrying  them  many  fine  trunks 
and  branches  of  Lepidodendron  and  Sigillaria 
have  been  found,  with  a  few  fruits  of  Trig- 
onocarpum.  In  the  vicinity  are  some  fine 
large  stems  of  Syringodendron  Porteri. 

Wells  sunk  below  the  limestone  at  Perrys- 


ville,  to  a  reported  depth  of  ninety  feet,  are 
said  to  have  encountered  no  coal;  but  coal 
may  be  found  in  the  vicinity,  in  consequence 
of  the  irregular  dip  of  the  strata. 

Good  coal  underlies  most  of  the  surface  of 
Vermillion  County,  and  is  now  mined  abun- 
dantly at  various  points.  A  total  thickness 
of  eight  feet  would  probably  be  a  small 
enough  estimate  for  the  coal  underlying  every 
square  mile  of  the  county.  Since  the  advent 
of  railroads  many  large  coal  mines  have  been 
opened  and  worked,  although  some  have  been 
wholly  or  in  part  abandoned,  either  on  account 
of  competition  in  other  parts  of  the  country 
or  of  finding  better  mines  in  the  vicinity. 

The  principal  iron  ore  found  in  the  county 
is  an  impure  carbonate,  occurring  in  nodules 
and  irregular  layers  or  bands.  These  nodules 
once  were  supplied  to  a  furnace  on  Brouillet's 
Creek,  where  they  yielded  thirty-tliree  per 
cent,  of  iron.  The  ore  in  the  county  varies 
from  twenty-five  to  forty-five  per  cent,  of 
iron.  Along  the  bottoms  of  Norton's  Creek, 
near  the  head  of  Plelt's  Prairie,  a  bed  of  bog 
iron  ore,  said  to  be  three  feet  thick  and  cov- 
ering six  to  eight  acres,  has  been  discovered. 

Zinc  blende  (sulphide  of  zinc),  frequently 
occurs,  in  small  quantities,  in  the  cracks  and 
cavities  of  some  of  the  iron-stone  nodules. 
Its  appearance  at  one  place  on  the  Little 
Vermillion  gave  rise  to  the  so-called  "  Silver 
Mine." 

The  second  bottoms,  or  terrace  prairies,  in 
Vermillion  County,  in  order  from  the  north, 
are  named  Walnut  Mound,  Eugene  or  Sand, 
Newport  and  Kelt's.  The  soil  is  a  black, 
sandy  loam,  producing  the  richest  crops. 
These  terraces  comprise  about  three-tenths  of 
the  county,  and  are  from  tliirty-five  to  sixty- 
five  feet  above  low-water  mark,  while  the 
higher  portions  of  the  county  are  from  250 
to  270  feet  above  low- water. 

Says  Professor  Collett,   in   his  Geological 


INTRODUCTORY. 


Keport  for  1880:  "  Remains  of  the  maimnotli 
have  been  discovered  in  nearly  all  sections  of 
of  Indiana.  They  have  consisted,  as  a  rule, 
of  the  most  compact  bones  of  these  animals, 
as  the  teeth,  tusks,  jaws  and  thigh-bones. 
Some  of  the  best  preserved  teeth  of  the  mam- 
moth were  found  in  the  counties  of  Vigo, 
Parke,  Yermillion,  AVayne,  Putnam  and  Van- 
derbiirg.  Thirty  individual  specimens  of  the 
remains  of  the  mastodon  have  been  found  in 
tliis  State,"  etc. 

Reading  the  above  report  inspired  a  wag- 
gish son  of  the  Muse,  Judge  Buskirk,  formerly 
Attorney-General  of  the  State,  to  indict  the 
following  warning: 

It  thus  appears  that  Professor  Collett, 
Our  State  geologist 
And  paleontologist, 
Is  digging  up  for  his  learned  wallet 
Every  colossal 
Dirty  old  fossil 
In  the  shape  of  jaw-bones,  tusk  and  teeth. 
He  is  able  to  find  our  swamps  beneath. 
Handed  down  from  the  old  heroic 
Ages,  named  the  Paleozoic. 
When  he  strikes  a  huge  nasty  one 
Named  Giganteus  Mastodon, 


Or  in  the  beds  of  ancient  ponds 
Digs  up  big  Bison  latifrons, 
Or  an  Elephas  Americanus, 

And  others  the  name  of  which, 

Preserving  the  fame  of  which. 
To  pronounce  is  enough  to  cause  tetanus. 
It  seems  that  at  once,  with  his  fossil-stuffed 

wallet. 
Out  marches  the  palaeontologist  Collett, 

And  with  his  little  hammer 

And  scientific  grammar 
First  knocks  a  mammoth  tooth. 

To  put  into  his  grip-sack; 
Tlien  constructs  an  awful  name 

By  means  of  which  to  skip  back 
With  a  great  rhonchisouant  fury,  on 
The  epochs  carboniferous  and  Silurian. 

Now  allow  me  as  a  friend,  Professor  Collett, 
To  advise  you  to  put  up  your  learned  wallet. 
Until  the  present  Legislature  has  adjourned ; 
Or  else  by  misadventure  it  might  come  to  pass 
Some  day  you'd  strike  the  bones  of  a  mammoth 

ancient  ass ; 
And  when  by  the  Legislature  the  circumstance 

was  learned, 
At  once  you'd  feel  the  tempest  of  their  ire 
Roused  by  your  sacrilege  upon  their   ancient 

sire,  "^ 

And  straight  they'd  have  your  salary  in  no  fix,— 
Worse  than  you  ever  knocked  a  tooth  from  a 

Jeffersoni  Megalouyx. 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


MOUND-BUILDERS. 


HE  following  sketches 
of  the  Mound-Builders, 
Indians,  etc.,  are  com- 
piled from  data  furnish- 
ed l>y  lion.  John  Collett. 
When  tirst  explored 
hy  the  white  race,  this  county 
was  occupied  by  savage  Indians, 
without  fi.xed  habitation,  averse 
to  labor  and  delighting  only 
in  war  and  the  cliase.  Their 
misty  traditions  did  not  reach 
i^^JX^^  Ji^  liack  to  any  previous  people 
or  age,  but  numerous  earth- 
works are  found  in  this  region 
of  such  extent  as  to  require  for 
their  construction  much  time  and  the  per- 
sistent labor  of  many  people.  Situated  on 
river  bluffs,  their  location  combines  pictur- 
esque scenery,  adaptability  for  defense,  con- 
venience for  transportation  by  water,  and 
productive  lands.  These  are  not  requisites 
in  the  nomadic  life  of  red  men,  and  identifies 
the  Mound-Builders  as  a  partially  civilized 
people.  Their  mounds  and  other  works  are 
ot  such  extent  tliat  it  required  years  of  labor. 


with  basket  and  shovel,  to  erect,  and  such  co- 
ordination of  labor  as  to  indicate  the  rule  of 
priestly  government  or  regal  authority;  they 
were  certainly  to  that  extent  civilized.  The 
vastness  of  their  work  indicates  a  large  com- 
munity of  people,  so  that  governments  were 
necessary,  which  must  have  had  civil  power 
to  request  and  require  the  necessary  labor. 
The  implements  found  in  the  graves,  mounds 
and  tombs,  were  more  often  domestic  and 
agricultural,  and  indicate  a  peaceful,  obedient 
race.  Tlieir  temples  were  defended  by  bul- 
warks of  loving  hearts  rather  than  by  warrior 
braves.  Many  of  the  religious  emblems  and 
articles  of  utility  made  of  stone,  point  back 
to  the  earliest  forms  of  sentiment  represented 
by  the  fire  and  sun  worshipers  of  Central 
Asia,  and  give  a  clue  to  the  reason  why  their 
favorite  habitations  and  mounds  were  as  a 
rule  never  placed  beneath  the  eastern  blufl's 
of  streams,  but  on  the  other  hand  were  so 
located  in  elevated  positions  or  on  the  west- 
ern bluifs,  that  when  the  timber  was  cleared 
away  and  the  land  reduced  to  cultivation,  a 
long  outlook  was  given  to  the  east  and  to  the 
sunrise,  from  which  direction  their  expected 


ABORIOINAL. 


Messiah  or  ruler  was  to  come.  Similar  cus- 
toms still  prevail  in  Mexico. 

Traditions  intimate  that  the  tribes  were 
driven  southward  from  the  northern  portion 
of  the  continent,  and  these  traditions  are  cor- 
roborated bj  the  discovery  of  relics  in  this 
region  made  from  material  found  only  far  to 
the  nortli. 

Clusters  of  mounds  are  found  in  Yermiil- 
ion  County  on  Mound  Prairie,  near  the 
Shelby  battle-ground,  and  nearly  all  along 
the  tract  between  Eugene  and  Newport,  many 
of  them  twenty  to  forty  feet  in  diameter, 
four,  five  or  six  feet  high,  and  the  clusters 
containing  from  ten  to  eigiity  mounds.  One 
memorable  mound  is  situated  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  town  of  Clinton,  from  which  earth 
was  removed  for  road  building  about  1830. 
In  it  were  found  stone  implements  of  the 
Mound-Builders,  accompanied  with  copper 
lieads,  five  copper  rods,  half  an  inch  in  diame- 
ter and  eighteen  inches  long,  showing  that  it 
■was  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  Mound-Builder's 
works,  whilst  they  were  also  accompanied 
with  other  implements  imported  from  the 
north. 

Another,  on  the  Head  farm  near  Newport, 
had  copper  rods  or  spear  heads  and  smaller 
stone  implements.  These  were  probably 
burial  mounds.  A  majority  of  them  con- 
tained no  relics,  but  were  simply  abandoned 
mounds  of  habitation.  Mr.  Pigeon  in  his 
volume  called  "  Dacoudah,"  says  he  noticed 
figured  mounds  of  men  and  beasts  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Little  Vermillion,  three  or 
four  miles  from  its  mouth.  A  burial  mound 
near  the  northeast  corner  contains  a  chief  in 
a  sitting  position  at  the  center.  Radiating 
from  his  body  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel 
were  five  persons,  slaves  or  wives,  to  wait 
upon  him  in  the  other  world.  His  useful 
implements  for  the  other  world  were  a  great 
number  of  copper  beads,  from  a  half  inch   to 


an  inch  and  a  quarter  in  diameter,  seven 
copper  axes,  one  of  which  contained  unmelted 
virgin  silver  as  it  occurs  at  Lake  Superior, 
varying  in  weight  from  two  to  eight  pounds, 
and  seven  copper  rods,  (spear-heads),  with 
pots  and  crocks  containing  black  mold  as  if 
it  were  food.  The  streams  near  their  homes 
afforded  fish  for  food,  and  the  implements 
found  indicated  that  they  were  skilled  in 
handling  fish  spears  and  gigs.  The  soil  sur-* 
rounding  their  homes  was  always  the  choicest, 
with  the  addition  of  beautiful  and  engaging 
scenery.  The  relics  found  in  their  mounds 
show  that  in  their  more  northern  homes  in 
Wisconsin,  Minnesota  and  Michigan,  the 
common  northern  material,  the  striped  slate 
and  copper,  was  abundant.  In  Vermillion 
County  relics  of  this  character,  were  scarce 
and  precious,  if  not  holy.  At  more  southern 
points  striped-slate  implements  of  northern 
stone  are  very  rare,  while  the  precious  copper 
could  no  longer  be  used  in  implement-making, 
but  was  beaten  into  the  finest  of  sheets  and 
bent  over  ornamental  pendants.  All  these, 
and  the  customs  of  their  burial,  indicate  an 
Asiatic  origin,  and  prove  conclusively  that 
in  their  migration  to  this  region  they  pass  by 
more  northern  regions,  including  Lake  Su- 
perior. 

Afterward  the  northern  barbarian  came,  of 
an  intermediate  race  between  the  Mound- 
Builder  and  the  red  man.  The  Mound- 
Builders  were  driven  away  by  this  irruption, 
their  property  seized,  many  of  their  wives 
made  captive  and  adopted  by  the  new  people. 
Many  of  the  customs  of  the  old  people  conse- 
quently remained  with  the  new  comers,  and 
the  latter  also  deposited  their  dead  in  the  old 
mounds,  ovei'  the  remains  of  the  more  ancient 
people.  The  number  of  individuals  thus 
found  buried  together  number  from  five  to 
2,000  or  3,000.  Their  graves  and  relics  from 
the  tombs  are  the   only  story  of  their  lives. 


BISTORT    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


\\\ 


Throughout  all  these  a  deep  spirit  of  religious 
devotion  is  indicated,  as  well  as  a  belief  in 
the  existence  of  another  world,  and  that  im- 
plements of  a  domestic  nature  were  necessary 
to  the  comfort  of  the  departed. 

On  the  Moore  farm,  three  miles  nortliwest 
of  Eugene,  Mr.  Zeke  Sheward,  in  making  an 
underground  "  dug-out,"  for  the  storing  of 
vegetables,  on  a  small  mound  surrounded  by 
giants  of  the  original  forest,  found  at  a  depth 
of  three  feet,  and  at  least  one  foot  below  the 
surface  of  the  surrounding  soil,  some  pieces 
of  metal  about  the  size  of  a  teaspoon  handle, 
and  one  coin.  On  analysis  they  were  found 
to  be  made  of  lead,  antimony  and  tin.  The 
coin  had  in  relief  easily  identified  figures  of 
a  worshiped  crocodile  of  Egypt  or  a  holy 
water-dog  of  America,  and  word  characters 
much  resembling  those  of  China  or  Ilindo- 
stan.  Prof.  W.  D.  Wiiitney,  of  Yale  College, 
one  of  the  most  thorough  linguists  of  America, 
believed  the  characters  to  be  Arabic,  but  of  so 
ancient  a  date  that  the  Oriental  Society  was 
unable  to  read  them.  The  director  of  the 
British  Museum  in  London  determined  them 
to  be  ancient  Hindostanee,  but  of  so  ancient 
a  date  that  no  scholar  in  England  could  read 
the  inscription.  Trees  and  their  remains 
indicate  an  age  of  over  2,000  years  for  these 
mounds. 

In  March,  1880,  while  a  company  of  gravel- 
road  workers  were  excavating  gravel  from 
the  bank  on  the  ridge  at  the  southwest  corner 
of  the  Newport  fair-ground,  live  human 
skeletons  were  found,  supposed  to  be  tlie 
remains  of  fndians  buried  at  that  point  in  an 
early  day.  In  the  gravel  bank  along  the 
railroad,  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  fair- 
ground, another  skeleton  was  found.  No 
implements  of  war  were  found  with  the  bones, 
but  ashes  were  perceivable,  which  would  indi- 
cate that  they  were  the  remains  of  Indians. 
Aftei'  burying  the  dead  it  was  their  custom, 


in  some  parts  of  the  country,  to  build  a  fire 
over  the  corpse.  Many  of  the  skeletons  thus 
discovered,  as  well  as  a  large  portion  of  the 
bones  of  the  lower  animals,  on  exposure  to 
the  air  crumble  away  so  easily  that  it  becomes 
impossible  to  preserve  them  for  exhibition. 

A  collection  of  a  dozen  skeletons  shows,  by 
measurements  of  the  thigh  l)ones  found,  that 
the  warriors,  including  a  few  women,  average 
over  six  feet  and  two  inches  in  height. 
Without  animals  for  transportation,  their 
bones  were  made  wonderfully  strong  by  the 
constant  carrying  of  heavy  burdens,  and  their 
joints  heavily  articulated,  and  the  troclianters 
forming  the  attachments  of  muscles  show 
that  they  were  a  race  not  only  of  giant  stature 
but  also  of  more  than  giant  strength. 

Manyj-elics  from  these  mounds,  as  well  as 
from  the  surface  of  the  earth  elsewhere,  have 
been  collected  by  old  resident  physicians  and 
others,  especially  Professor  John  Collett,  late 
State  Geologist,  and  Josephus  Collett;  and 
an  interesting  museum  may  here  and  there 
be  found  presenting  great  variety  of  arrow 
points,  spear-heads,  stone  axes,  tomahawks, 
pestles,  mortars,  aboriginal  pottery,  pipes, 
ornaments,  bones  of  Indian  skeletons,  etc. 
These  collections  also  generally  include  an 
odd  variety  of  geological  and  anatomical 
specimens. 

INDIANS. 
At  the  advent  of  the  wbite  man  to  the 
Wabash  Valley,  the  Indians  had  ceased  from 
their  long  warfare  and  were  living  in  a  state 
of  quietude.  They  had  no  fixed  villages  or 
places  of  residence.  For  a  few  months 
their  homes  were  at  some  point  for  summer, 
and  at  another  location  for  winter;  and  their 
wigwams,  made  of  deer-skins  and  bufi'alo 
hides,  could  be  easily  removed,  or  be  suljsti- 
tuted  by  others  made  from  the  bark  of  trees. 
Many  of    the    older   settlers    can    remember 


1i^ 

I 


seeing  trees  the  bark  of  which  had  beeu  torn 
off  in  zigzag  fashion  seven  or  eight  feet  from 
the  ground  for  the  construction  of  wigwams. 
All  along  the  banks  of  creeks  and  rivers  were 
circular  fire  holes  in  which  they  cooked  their 
food,  and  at  night  would  sleep  upon  the 
ground  with  their  feet  hanging  down  in  the 
warm  places  thus  made. 

The  Wabash  River  was  by  them  called 
Wahbahshikka;  by  the  French,  Ouabache; 
the  Vermillion  was  called  Osanamon,  but  by 
the  French  a  name  which  signifies  Yellow, 
lied  or  Vermillion  afterward  translated  into 
English  as  Yellow  Kiver. 

The  Miamis  occupied  a  portion  of  the 
county,  but  their  general  territory  was  east 
of  the  AValjash.  They  were  a  tall  straight 
race,  of  handsome  countenance, — especially 
the  girls — brave  and  terrible  as  enemies, 
kind  and  faithful  as  friends,  and  chivalrous  in 
disposition. 

The  Kickapoos,  or  Mosquitans,  originally 
from  the  north  and  northwest,  occupied  the 
regions  south  and  southwest  of  the  Big  Ver- 
million River,  but  occasionally,  by  comity  of 
neighbors,  camped  for  a  greater  or  less  time 
north  of  the  Vermillion,  on  their  neighbor's 
territory.  The  Pottawatomies,  also  of  north- 
ern origin,  owned  the  territory,  and  their 
rights  were  recognized  by  the  Government  in 
treaties.  The  county  was  at  times  the  home 
of  each  of  these  tribes,  who  at  the  zenith  of 
their  power  had  their  headquarters  at  the 
Big  Springs,  a  half  rnile  south  of  Eugene, 
and  the  place  was  known  among  the  whites 
as  Springfield.  There  the  councils  of  their 
confederacy  were  lield,  decisions  as  to  wars 
and  other  difficulties  determined,  the  great 
treaty  with  the  British  merchants  made,  and 
the  Governor  of  Virginia  took  possession  of 
immense  tracts  of  land  on  the  Lower  Wabash. 
Many  of  the  early  settlers,  as  Esquire  James 
Armour.  Samuel  Groenendyke,  Sr.,  and  Irvin 


Uigby,  can  recollect  meetings  held  there 
comprising  800  to  1,000  individuals.  The 
Bottawatomies  were  of  a  rather  subdued  dis- 
position, somewhat  stoop-shouldered  and  of 
unpleasant  countenance;  the  Kickapoos,  on 
the  other  hand,  were  a  warlike  race,  quarrel- 
some in  disposition,  addicted  to  controversy 
and  happy  only  in  giving  and  receiving 
blows. 

It  is  believed  that  the  early  explorers  and 
the  French  missionaries  passed  down  or  up 
the  Wabash  as  early  as  1702, — or  even  as 
early  as  1670.  The  missionaries,  being 
Jesuits,  were  very  successful  by  their  winning 
methods  in  making  converts  among  tlie  sav- 
ages. Near  the  Indian  village  on  section  16, 
township  17  north,  9  west,  on  cutting  down 
a  white  oak  tree,  the  rings  of  growth  over  the 
scar  made  by  a  white  man's  ax  showed  that 
the  incision  was  made  not  later  than  1720. 

In  1790,  or  later,  General  Hamtramck  led 
an  expedition  of  Indiana  volunteers  and 
militia  from  Vincennes  to  attack  the  non- 
aggressive  Indians  and  their  village  on  the 
Shelby  farm  near  the'  mouth  of  the  Vermill- 
ion. These  were  the  remnants  of  tlie  now 
weakened  Pottawatomie  and  Kickapoo  tribes. 
This  was  their  favorite  camping  ground;  the 
confluence  of  tiie  rivers  gave  them  opportu- 
nities for  taking  fish,  which  were  then  very 
abundant;  the  adjoining  terrace  lands  were 
filled  M'ith  thousands  of  the  greatest  variety 
of  plum  bushes  and  grape-vines,  and  it  was 
known  as  the  great  plum  patch.  The  expe- 
dition, in  two  columns,  crossed  the  Indian 
ford  at  Eugene,  just  north  of  the  present 
mill-dam,  where  stepping  stones  were  placed 
for  crossing  the  stream  at  low  water.  Thence 
they  marched  in  a  circuitous  manner  to  at- 
tack the  village  in  the  rear,  when  the  direct 
division  should  attack  it  at  the  same  time 
from  the  south.  The  warriors  and  braves 
were  off  on  a  hunting  expedition,  and  there 


were  none  to  molest  or  make  afraid  these 
"gallant"  soldiers  except  the  broken-down 
old  men,  the  women  and  tlie  children,  and 
these  were  unmercifnlly  slaughtered  in  the 
coldest  of  cold  blood!  It  is  not  a  matter  of 
wonder,  therefore,  that  the  Indians  of  this 
region  snbseqnently  took  part  in  the  battles 
of  Fallen  Timbers  and  Tippecanoe. 

A  portion  of  the  Indians  of  this  county 
became  connected  with  the  confederacy  that 
fought  the  battle  of  Fallen  Timbers  near  Fort 
Recovery,  Ohio,  and  participated  in  the 
treaty  of  Greenville,  which  they  tried  to  ob- 
serve; but  later  a  smaller  division  of  tliem 
were  compelled  to  join  the  confederacy  of 
Tecumseh  at  Tippecanoe.  i 

La  Chappelle  is  tlie  name  of  the  tirst  j 
French  trading  post  established  at  the  Ver- 
million village,  near  Hamtramck's  battle 
ground,  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  33, 
18  north,  9  west,  by  M.  Laselle,  fatlier  of 
Hon.  Charles  Laselle,  one  of  the  distinguish- 
ed lawyers  of  Logansport,  this  State.  Another 
trading  post  was  subsequently  established  by 
an  Englishman  on  the  John  Collett  farm, 
sections  9  and  16.  It  was  the  custom  of  the 
French  traders  here  to  strike  small  lead 
medals,  in  siz3  a  little  less  than  a  silver  quar- 
ter of  a  dollar,  with  a  few  figures  and  initial 
letters  upon  them,  and  tack  them  upon  trees 
at  the  mouths  of  the  tributaries  claimed,  as  a 
sign  of  possession. 

The  Indians  of  the  southern  end  of  tlie 
county  did  their  trading  at  stockades  in  Sul- 
livan and  Kno.x  counties.  Among  the  earliest 
traders  were  two  brothers.  Frenchmen,  named 
I3rouillet,  which  was  generally  pronounced 
by  the  Americans,  Bruriet.  For  some  reason 
the  Indians  of  that  region  entertained  a  strong 
enmity  toward  one  of  these  brothers.  He 
was  captured  and  brought  to  their  village, 
near  the  mouth  of  a  creek  south  of  Clinton, 
tiiat   now    liears   liis   name.     At  once  it  was 


decided  to  burn  him  at  the  stake;  and  to  the 
stake  he  was  fastened,  with  buckskin  thongs. 
After  the  men  had  ceased  talking,  the  squaws, 
according  to  Indian  custom,  had  a  right  to 
be  heard.  An  aged  squaw,  who  had  had  a 
son  killed  in  warfare,  demanded  the  right  to 
adopt  the  prisoner  as  a  substitute  for  her  lost 
son;  and,  whilst  this  privilege  was  generally 
granted,  on  this  occasion  the  demand  was 
refused,  although  she  pleaded  earnestly  ainl 
long.  In  her  wild  but  heroic  determination, 
she  seized  a  butcher-knife,  and  before  any  one 
could  interfere,  cut  the  prisoner  loose,  pointed 
to  a  canoe  on  the  sandy  shore  of  the  Wabash, 
and  told  liim  to  run  and  save  his  life  if  he 
could.  He  did  run.  Pushing  the  canoe  out 
into  the  water  as  far  as  possible,  and  giving 
it  directive  force  toward  the  middle  of  the 
river  he  sprang  aboard,  and, lying  flat  in  its 
bottom,  paddled  it  into  the  stream  ))eyond 
the  reach  of  the  Indians'  rifles  and  escaped. 
This  incident  gave  name  to  Brouillet's  Creek. 

The  Brouillets  took  wives  from  the  Miami 
tribe.  The  wife  of  the  elder  Brouillet  be- 
longed to  a  family  in  the  line  of  promotion 
to  the  chieftianship.  On  his  death  the  mother 
returned  to  her  people,  and  the  children  were 
entitled,  according  to  Indian  law,  to  her  jjropei- 
home  and  position  among  her  people.  Her 
eldest  son  grew  up  an  athletic  and  vigorous 
young  man,  and  became  one  of  the  chiefs  of 
the  Miamis.  He  was  equitable  in  his  deal- 
ings, and  energetic  in  his  duties,  and  chival- 
rous as  a  commander.  His  prudence  served 
to  avoid  in  a  great  measure  any  difiiculties 
with  his  wliite  neighbors,  wlio  were  constantly 
encroaching  upon  his  territory  and  often  in- 
flicting injustice  upon  his  people.  Frequently 
the  young  men  desired  to  avenge  their 
wrongs,  but  he  was  able  to  prevent  the  butch- 
ering episodes  of  Indian  warfare  and  retalia- 
tion. 

loseidius     Collett,     Sr.,     after    sm 


ABORIGINAL. 


through  the  then  swampy  grounds  of  Hen- 
dricks and  Montgomery  Counties,  found  that 
his  camp  was  without  sufficient  provisions, 
and  all,  including  himself,  were  more  or  less 
sick.  On  the  return  march  of  Harrison's 
army  to  Fort  Harrison,  now  Terre  Haute,  he 
directed  the  others  to  go  on  and  secure  food, 
and  leave  him  on  the  bank  of  Raccoon  Creek 
in  a  little  tent.  Chief  Brouillet  came  to  him, 
offered  his  services  to  kill  game  and  to  dress 
and  cook  it  for  him,  and  to  care  for  him,  M'hich 
he  did  as  carefully  and  gently  as  could  a 
woman.  Fifty  years  afterward,  when  an  old 
man  of  eighty,  Mr.  Collett  only  could  recall 
the  scene  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  declared 
that  Chief  Brouillet  was  the  best  looking 
man  that  ever  trod  the  banks  of  the  Wabash, 
and  was  as  kind  hearted  as  he  was  brave. 

In  the  march  to  Tippecanoe,  the  confeder- 
ate Indians  had  prepared  an  ambuscade  for 
Harrison's  army  at  the  narrow  pass  between 
the  high  rocky  bluffs  and  the  Wabash  River, 
at  Vicksburg,  near  Ferrysville.  The  army 
forded  the  river  near  Montezuma  and  marched 
up  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  and  thus 
avoided  that  ambuscade.  They  crossed  the 
Little  Vermillion  near  the  present  railroad 
bridge,  passed  up  the  hollow  just  back  of 
Joe  Morehead's  residence.  Remnants  of 
their  corduroy  bridge  may  be  seen  in  the 
miry  bottom  of  Spring  Branch,  near  the  brick 
house  on  the  Head  farm.  On  that  march  the 
useless  shooting  of  a  gun  was  prohibited, and 
even  loud  talking,  under  penalty  of  death. 
Judge  Naylor,  of  Crawfordsville,  who  was 
one  of  the  volunteers,  tells  the  incident  that 
on  Oak  Island,  on  S.  S.  CoUett's  farm,  a 
frightened  deer  jumped  over  the  outer  rank 
of  men,  and  finding  himself  hemmed  in,  ran 
in  various  directions  over  the  enclosed  space; 
and,  although  the  soldiers  needed  fresh  meat, 
they  were  not  permitted  to  shoot  the  animal. 
It  was  allowed  to  get  away  in  safety.     On 


the  two  spring  branches  on  the  John  Collett 
farm,  sections  9  and  16,  corduroy  roads  may 
be  seen  to  this  day. 

The  army  marched  as  close  to  the  river 
bank  as  possible  for  the  protection  of  the 
pirogues  and  keel-boats,  which  carried  corn 
for  their  horses  and  provisions  for  the  men. 
Spies  reported  that  on  account  of  low  water, 
further  navigation  was  impracticable  at  Coal 
Creek  bar.  The  boats  were  landed  near 
where  Gardner's  old  ferry  was  once  estab- 
lished, on  the  John  Collett  farm,  until  a 
reconnoisance  could  be  made  and  a  site  for  a 
stockade  reconnoisance  could  be  selected. 
It  was  determined  to  build  the  stockade  on 
the  farm  of  the  late  J.  W.  Forter,  at  a  point 
known  as  Porter's  eddy,  and  that  it  should 
partially  overhang  the  river  so  as  to  protect 
the  boats  and  their  stores.  Such  a  fqrt  could 
usually  have  been  built  in  one  day,  but  in  the 
bnstle  and  hurry  of  handling  they  lost  half 
their  axes  in  the  water.  One  of  these  was  a 
long  time  afterward  found,  and  it  was  con- 
sidered curious  that  a  new  axe,  unused,  and 
mounted  with  an  unused  handle,  should  be 
found  tliere,  nntil  Judge  Naylor  explained 
the  fact  that  many  axes  were  there  lost  on 
the  occasion  just  referred  to,  while  the  men 
were  busily  engaged  in  building  the  blockade. 
Fersons  are  now  living  who  remember  having 
seen  parts  of  the  stockade. 

The  Kentuckians  and  the  mounted  rifie- 
men  recruited  their  horses  on  the  rich  blue- 
grass  pastures  in  the  river  valley  bottoms,  on 
the  Forter  and  Collett  farms. 

A  sergeant  and  eight  men  were  left  toguard 
the  stockade.  About  seven  days  afterward  a 
wild  looking  soldier  returned,  reporting  a 
disastrous  battle  at  Tippecanoe,  the  defeat 
and  destruction  of  the  whole  army,  that  he 
alone  was  left  to  tell  the  story,  and  that  they 
must  quickly  destroy  the  post  and  retreat  to  a 
safe  place.     The  sergeant's  reply  was,  "  I  was 


I 


ordered  to  hold  this  post;  I  shall  do  so;  and 
as  for  yon,  deserter  and  coward,  my  men  will 
pnt  you  upon  the  ridge-pole  of  the  stockade, 
and  tie  your  feet  together.  If  the  In- 
dians come  you  will  catch  the  first  bullet  and 
shall  be  the  first  to  die.  We  will  die  at  our 
post  of  dut}^" 

The  army  marched  through  the  prairie 
regions  west  of  Perrysville  to  where  State 
Line  City  now  stands,  and  near  which  place 
they  pass  the  north  boundary  of  the  county. 

Major  James  Blair  and  Judge  J.  M.  Cole- 
man settled  on  section  16,  township  17  north, 
9  west,  between  Eugene  and  Newport,  before 
the  land  in  that  region  was  offered  for  sale 
by  the  Government.  The  prairie  was  known 
as  Little  Vermillion,  or  Coleman's  Prairie. 
These  two  men  had  always  been  pioneers. 
Blair  had  been  one  of  the  heroes  of  Perry's 
victories  on  Lake  Erie,  and  afterward  held 
conspicuous  positions  of  honor  and  trust  in 
the  community  and  State;  but  at  this  time 
he  and  Coleman  were  })eacemakers  between 
the  Indians,  whose  confidence  they  had;  and 
they  knew  that  Indians,  if  properly  treated, 
could  be  trusted. 

Se-Seep,  or  Siie-Sheep.  a  small,  Ijow-legged, 
stoop-shouldered,  white-haired  man,  110  years 
old,  was  chief  of  the  Pottawatomies  and  their 
allied  Kickapoos.  Their  territory  ranged 
from  the  Little  Vermillion  to  Pine  Creek, 
including  the  north-half  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, all  of  "Warren,  and  the  west-half  of  Foun- 
tain. Se-Seep  had  been  a  gallant  fighter  in 
the  defense  of  his  people  and  coimtry  at  the 
battle  of  Fallen  Timbers  (Wayne's  Victory), 
and  afterward  in  the  terrible  defeat  of  his 
people  at  Tippecanoe.  Brave  and  heroic  in 
battle,  after  signing  the  treaties  of  peace  with 
the  American  authorities,  he  was  faithful  and 
trustworthy,  and  finally  became  a  reliable 
friend  of  the  white  people.  He.  became  the 
liero  of  a  serio-comic  incident  wherein  Noah  I 


Hubbard,  who  settled  on  Indian  land  where 
Cayuga  now  stands,  became  the  butt  of  ridi- 
cule. Hubbard  was  cultivating  a  portion  of 
a  ten  acre  tract.  One  day  the  Indians  crossed 
at  the  army  ford  and  "  stole  "  roasting  ears 
and  squashes  as  rental.  Hubbard  found 
Se-Seep  with  some  ears  of  corn  and  two 
squashes  within  the  folds  of  his  blanket,  and 
he  undertook  to  castigate  the  chief  with  a 
cane.  Se-Seep  did  "  not  scare  worth  a  cent," 
but,  dropping  the  squashes  and  corn,  chased 
Hubbard  out  of  the  field  with  a  stick.  Then 
Hubbard  went  to  Blair  and  Coleman  and  de- 
manded that  they  should  call  out  the  rangers 
and  the  mounted  riflemen,  declaring  that  the 
Indians  were  destroying  liis  property  and  that 
they  should  be  dealt  with  and  punished. 
They  refused  to  call  out  the  rangers,  but  said 
he  might  notify  them  to  assemble  at  their 
house  the  next  morning.  He  did  so,  and  the 
next  morning  some  of  the  riflemen  also  as- 
sembled and  commenced  practice,  shooting  at 
a  mark.  The  Indians  had  camped  for  the 
night  a  mile  north,  at  the  famous  Bufi'alo 
spring  near  the  residence  of  the  late  John  W. 
Porter.  Blair  introduced  to  the  Indians  the 
matters  of  difi'erence,  and  concluded  to  have  an 
imitation  Indian  pow-wow.  Accordingly,  he 
and  Coleman,  who  had  been  chosen  as  arbitra- 
tors, rejiaircd  to  a  plum  thicket  with  a  well  worn 
testament,  a  wooden-covered  spelling-book,  a 
dilapidated  almanac,  and  a  remnant  of  an  old 
law  book,  as  authorities.  Here  they  held  a 
sham  court,  chattering  gibberish,  and  gesti- 
culating like  Indians,  and  finally  rendered 
the  following  verdict:  That  the  two  litigants 
settle  the  whole  matter  by  a  fist  fight.  The 
decision  was  no  sooner  announced  than  the 
little  old  Indian  chief,  who  was  dressed 
only  with  a  blanket  belt,  threw  it  off  and 
made  rapidly  for  Hubbard.  Of  course  the 
latter  ran,  and  ran  as  fast  as  he  could,  mount- 
ed his  pony  and  was  soon  out  of  sight.     The 


ABORIGINAL. 


Indians,  who  were  scarcely  ever  known  to 
langh,  indulged  heartily  on  this  occasion. 

Se-Seep  was  finally  murdered,  in  a  foul 
manner,  at  Nebnker's  Springs,  Fountain 
County,  at  the  age  of  110  years,  by  a  lazy, 
vicious  renegade  Indian  named  Namqua. 
He  had  a  splendid  son,  who  at  the  of  seven- 
teen years  was  killed  by  falling  fifty  feet 
from  a  tree  while  fighting  a  bear,  near  the 
residence  of  John  Collett. 

Although  no  battles  nor  skirmishes  in  con- 
nection with  the  war  of  1812  took  place  in 
this  county,  the  "  Vermillion  country"  was 
two  or  three  times  crossed  by  belligerents. 
From  a  copy  of  General  John  Tipton's  jour- 
nal, kindly  lent  us  by  Stephen  S.  Collett, 
Esq.,  of  Newport,  we  extract  the  following 
paragraphs. 

Tipton  was  an  illiterate  man  but  a  daring 
fighter,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1811,  he,  as  a 
private  in  Captain  Spencer's  Harrison  County 
Riflemen,  journeyed  from  Corydon,  that 
county,  down  the  Wabash  to  Fort  Harrison, 
four  miles  north  of  Terre  Haute,  and  up  the 
same  stream  again,  in  the  Indian  campaign 
which  ended  in  the  hloody  battle  of  Tippe- 
canoe. The  company  compi-ised  forty-seven 
men,  besides  oflicers,  and  these  were  joined 
by  Captain  Heath  and  twenty-two  men.  In 
going  down]tlie  river  they  guarded  a  keel-boat 
of  provisions  for  Camp  Harrison,  and  con- 
cerning this  trip  we  quote: 

"October  6. — We  moved  early;  one  mile, 
came  to  the  river  at  the  coal  bank;  found  it 
was  below  the  Vermillion  half  a  mile;  we 
took  coffee;  moved  after  the  boat  started 
down.  The  coal  bank  is  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Wabash.  We  went  through  a  small 
prairie;  crossed  the  river  to  the  west  side; 
went  in  on  the  head  of  a  bar  and  came  out  on 
the  lower  end  of  another  on  the  west  side; 
went  through  a  small  prairie,  then  came  to  a 
big  prairie,  where  the  old   Vermillion  town 


was.  We  crossed  the  Wabash  half  a  mile 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Vermillion  River 
before  we  came  to  the  above  town.  Crossed 
the  Vermillion  River,  took  a  south  course 
through  timbered  land,  and  then  through  a 
prairie  with  a  good  spring  and  an  old  Indian 
hut;  then  tlirougli  a  beautiful  timbered  ground 
to  a  small  creek,  and  stopped  to  let  our  horses 
graze;  then  went  through  a  good  land  with  a 
ridge  on  our  right,  out  of  which  came  four 
springs,  and  for  two  miles  nothing  but  large 
sugar  and  walnut.  The  hill  and  the  river 
came  close  together.  We  found  a  good  coal 
bank  fourteen  miles  below  Vermillion.  AV^e 
then  crossed  to  the  east  side,  went  three 
miles  and  camped  with  the  boat;  after  coming 
twenty  miles  and  finding  two  bee  trees,  left 
them." 

On  the  31st,  coming  northward,  the 
following  entry  is  made: 

"  We  moved  early.  Two  of  the  oxen  miss- 
ing. Three  of  our  men  sent  to  hunt  them. 
We  crossed  Raccoon  Creek.  Saw  our  men 
who  went  to  guard  the  boats  on  the  29th; 
they  left  us.  We  came  to  the  river  where 
we  camped  on  our  return  fi-om  Vermillion  on 
the  night  of  the  sixth;  thence  up  to  the  ford. 
Saw  our  boat  guard  just  crossing  the  river. 
We  halted  until  the  army  came  up,  then  rode 
the  river,  which  was  very  deep,  then  ca:nped. 
Our  boat  guard  and  the  men  who  went  to 
hunt  the  oxen  came  up,  when  we  left  the 
guards.  We  took  a  north  course  up  the  east 
side  of  the  Wabash  and  crossed  to  the  west,  witli 
orders  to  kill  all  the  Indians  we  saw.  Fine 
news.  The  Governor's  wagon  was  left  this 
morning  in  consequence  of  the  oxen  being  lost. 
All  the  army  crossed  in  three  hours.  We 
drew  corn. 

"  Friday,  November  1. — I  was  sent  with 
eighteen  men  to  look  for  a  way  for  the  army  to 
cross  the  Little  Vermillion.  Marched  at  day- 
break; canje  to  the  creek;  found  and  marked 


tlie  road:  waited  till  the  army-came  np;  went 
on  and  camped  on  the  river  two  miles  below 
the  Big  Vermillion.  Captain  Spencer,  my- 
self and  three  others  went  np  to  the  Big  Ver- 
million; retnrned  to  camp.  General  Wells, 
with  forty  men,  and  Captain  Berry  with  nine 
men,  had  come  up.  Our  camp  marched  in 
front  to-day,  as  usual,  which  now  consisted 
of  thirty-seven  men,  in  consequence  of  Captain 
Berry   and    Lindley    being   attached  to    it. 

"  Saturday,  November  2. — A  fine  day. 
Captain  Spencer,  M'ith  ten  men  went  out  on  a 
scout.  Onr  company  not  parading  as  usual, 
the  Uovernor  threatened  to  brake  the  officers. 
I  staid  in  camp.  The  army  staid  here  to 
bnild  a  block  house  on  the  bank  of  the 
Wabash  three  miles  below  Vermillion,  in  a 
small  prairie.  The  house,  twenty-five  feet 
square,  and  a  breast-work  from  each  corner 
next  the  river  down  to  the  water.  Took 
horses  and  drew  brush  over  the  prairie  to 
break  down  the  weeds.  This  evening  a  man 
came  from  the  garrison:  said  last  niglit  his 
was  boat  llred  upon.  One  man  who  was  asleep, 
was  killed.  Three  boats  came  up,  unloaded; 
went  back  taking  a  sick  man  with  them. 
One  of  Captain  Bobb's  men  died  to-night." 

"  Sunday,  the  3d. — A  cloudy  day.  We 
moved  early.  Our  company  marched  on  the 
right  wing  to-day.  Crossed  the  Big  Ver- 
million, through  a  prairie  six  miles,  through 
timber,  then  through  a  wet  prairie  with 
groves  of  timber  in  it,"  etc. 

Thus  we  have  quoted  all  of  General  Tip- 
ton's journal  that  pertains]  to  Vermillion 
County.  Under  date  of  November  7,  1811, 
he  gives  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Tippe- 
canoe, in  a  paragraph  scarcely  longer  than 
tiie  average  in  his  journal,  as  if  unaware  that 
the  action  was  of  any  greater  importance  than 
an  insignificant  skirmish.  Tipton  was  pro- 
moted from  rank  to  rank  tintil  he  was  finally 
made  General,  His  orthography,  punctuation, 


etc.,  were  so  bad  that  we  concluded  not  to 
follow  it  in  the  above  extracts.  Nearly  every 
entry  in  his  jonrnal  not  quoted  above  opens 
with  the  statement  that  the  weather  was  very 
cold.  He  also  makes  occasional  mentions  of 
the  soldiers'  drawing  their  rations  of  whisky, 
— from  one  to  three  or  four  quarts  at  a  time. 

In  Harrison's  march  to  Tippecanoe  his 
boats  (pirogues)  could  not  pass  Coal  Creek 
bar,  spoken  of  under  date  of  October  31 
above  and  for  their  protection  he  built  a 
stockade  fort  at  the  head  of  Porter's  eddy, 
the  precise  locality  being  the  northeast  quar- 
ter of  section  9,  17  north,  9  west.  Here  he 
left  the  sergeant  and  ten  men  to  guard  them. 
The  remains  of  the  heavy  timbers  were  still  to 
be  seen  in  1888.  Corduroy  or  pole  bridges 
buried  in  mud  may  yet  be  seen  on  the  spring 
branches  on  the  farms  of  Hon.  John  Collett, 
S.  S.  Collett  and  the  Head  family, —  sec- 
tions 9,  and  15,  17  north,  9  west. 

General  Harrison  also  had  caches  in  this 
county  along  the  Wabash. 

According  to  one  of  the  treaties,  General 
Harrison  made  a  purchase  for  the  Govern- 
ment, the  northern  line  of  which,  west  of  the 
AVabash,  extended  from  a  point  directly  op- 
posite the  mouth  of  the  Big  Eaccoon  Creek 
northwesterly.  This  tract  was  opened  for 
white  settlement  long  before  the  northern 
portion  of  the  county  was,  which  i-emained 
in  the  possession  of  the  Kickapoos  and  Potta- 
watomies  for  a  few  years  longer. 

FIKST  WHITE  SETTLER. 

In  the  year  1816,  John  Vannest,  a  man 
who  was  not  afraid  of  the  Indians,  in 
company  with  a  man  named  Hunter,  who  was 
also  a  hunter  by  occupation,  ventured  west 
of  the  Wabash  to  select  land  for  a  permanent 
home.  Arriving  at  a  point  aboiit  a  mile 
north  of  where  Clinton  now  stands, — the 
e}(act  spot  being  the  southeast  corner  of  sec- 


ABORiaiNAL. 


tioii  9,  township  14  north,  range  9  west,  they 
halted  for  the  night.  Hunter  soon  seared  up 
a  deer,  which  was  killed,  and  thus  they  liad 
a  choice  supper  of  fresh  venison.  After  the 
night's  rest  Mr.  Vannest  looked  about  a  little, 
and  without  tramping  around  further  con- 
cluded that  tiiat  spot  was  about  as  good  as 
any  he  would  likely  find.  Keturning  to 
his  temporary  home  at  Fort  Harrison,  about 
four  miles  this  side  of  Terre  Haute,  he  waited 
a  short  time  for  the  day  of  the  Government  land 
sales  to  arrive  at  Vincennes.  Repairing 
thither,  he  entered  three  quarters  of  section  9. 
Subsequently  he  bought  the  remaining  quar- 
ter of  William  Bales.  This  land  is  on  the 
second  batton,  very  high  and  beautifully  un- 
dulating, but  originally  covered  with  timber. 
Had  he  proceeded  a  little  further  north  he 
would  have  found  a  beautiful  little  prairie, 
which  would  be  land  already  cleared  for  him ; 
but  that  point  was  either  unknown  to  him, 
or  it  was  too  near  or  over  the  line  between 
Government  land  and  the  Indians.  Besides, 
at  the  stage  of  the  country's  development 
existing  at  that  time  it  was  not  believed  that 
the  prairies  could  be  cultivated,  or  dwelt  upon 
with  comfort,  on  account  of  the  greater  and 
more  constant  cold  winds. 

On  the  beautiful  timbered  land  above  de- 
scribed, Mr.  Yannest,  settled  bringing  with 
him  his  wife  and  several  children.  Erecting 
lirst  a  log  cabin  on  the  west  side  of  his  land,  he 
cocupied  it  for  a  long  period,  when  he  built  a 
large  brick  residence,  from  bricks  he  had  made 
near  by.  It  was  the  first  brick  building  in 
the  county.  The  mason  employed  upon  it 
was  a  Mr.  Jones,  residing  toward  Newport. 
This  house  finally  became  unsafe  and  was 
torn  away. 

The  land  which  Mr.  Vannest  obtained  re- 
mains  mostly  in  the  possession  of  his  descend- 
ants to  this  day;  and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  from  this  tract  no  less  than  forty-five 


men  entered  the  service  of  their  country  dur 
ing  the  late  war. 

John  Vannest,  Jr.,  son   of  the  precedin 


was  the  first  white  child  born 
County,    though    this    honor 


11  Vermillion 
as  also  been 
claimed  for  the  late  Hon.  William  Skidmore, 
of  Ilelt  Township. 

John  Vannest,  Sr.,  died  September  28, 
184:2,  at  age  of  sixty-two  years,  and  liis  wife 
Mary,  August  29,  1824,  aged  forty  years,  and 
they  lie  buried  in  the  Clinton  cemetery, 
north  of  the  village.  A  daughter,  Mrs. 
Sarah,  widow  of  Scott  Malone,  stilloccupies 
the  old  homestead,  being  the  oldest  female 
resident  of  Clinton  County.  She  well  re- 
members the  time  when  the  girls,  as  well  as 
the  boys,  had  to  "  go  to  meeting  "  and  to 
school  barefoot,  sometimes  walking  and  some- 
times on  horseback.  The  school  and  the 
meetings  were  held  in  the  characteristic  pio- 
neer log  school-house,  with  puncheon  floor, 
raud-and-stick  chimney,  flat  rails  for  benches, 
a  slab  pinned  up  for  a  writing  desk,  and 
greased-paper  windows.  These  and  otlier 
pioneer  customs  are  described  in  detail  else- 
where in  this  volume. 

Mrs.  Malone  and  her  twin  sister,  Jane, 
were  born  August  6,  1812,  and  were  conse- 
quently about  four  years  old  when  their 
parents  nioved  with  them  to  this  county.  It 
was  a  remarkable  fact  that  these  sisters,  as  long 
as  the  latter  was  living, — who  died  in  old  age, 
—  always  resembled  each  other  so  closely  in 
their  personal  appearance  that  even  their  child- 
ren often  mistook  one  for  the  other.  Jane 
married  Thomas  Kibby,  and  died  in  March, 
1880.  [It  is  from  Mr.  Kibby  and  Mrs. 
"Malone  that  we  have  learned  many  fiicts  of 
this  early  history.] 

Mrs.  Vannest  had  two  narrow  escapes  from 

death    at    the   hands   of  the   Indians.     The 

origin  of  this  vengeance  on   the  part  of  the 

was   as    follows;     Two    white 


soldiers  at  Camp  Harrison  became  engaged  in 
a  quarrel  one  day,  and  one  of  them  in  attempt- 
ing to  shoot  the  other,  carelessly  missed  his 
aim  and  killed  an  Indian  Sqnaw  beyond. 
Thereupon  the  reds  vowed  they  would  kill 
the  first  white  "  squaw  "  who  should  cross  to 
this  side  of  the  Wabash  Eiver.  Accord- 
ingly they  watched  their  opportunity,  and 
made  two  attempts  to  take  the  life  of 
Mrs.  Vannest.  On  the  first  occasion  her  life 
was  saved  by  the  timely  interference  of  a 
friendly  Indian,  and  the  other  time  by  the 
violent  interference  of  iier  relatives  and  friends. 
Directly  after  this  her  husband  took  her  back 
to  Fort  Harrison,  where  she  remained  until 
the  "holy  ardor"  of  the  fiery  savages  had 
died  down. 

Most  of  the  early  settlers  throughout  the 
county  are  mentioned  in  the  histories  of  the 
respective  townships.     See  Index. 

In  the  first  portion  of  this  volume  is  given 
a  description  of  the  features  of  pioneer  life 
in  this  part  of  the  country,  of  the  privations 
and  sicknesses  suffered,  as  well  as  of  dangers 
from  Indian  and  beast,  and  of  the  abundance 
of  wild  game. 

WILD  GAME. 

Several  circular  "  hunts  ■'  or  "  drives  "  have 
been  held  in  this  county;  but  as  tliey  have 
been  conducted  without  the  employment  of 
dogs,  their  success  lias  not  been  great.  The 
largest  competitive  chase  ever  held  in  this 
county  was  in  early  day,  and  lasted  three 
months.  Two  leaders  were  chosen;  they 
picked  their  men  and  divided  the  neighbor- 
hood in  two  parties  for  a  compass  often  miles; 
they  were  to  bring  in  the  scalps  of  the  slain 
animals  at  the  end  of  three  months,  and  the 
leader  who  showed  the  most  scalps  could  de- 
mand five  gallons  of  whisky  as  a  treat  from 
the  beaten  side.  A  wolf,  fox,  crow,  coon  or 
mink   scalp  was  to  be   considered   equal  in 


value  to  five  other  scalps.  A  squirrel  or 
chipmunk  scalp  counted  one.  On  the  ap- 
pointed day  the  opposing  forces  assembled. 
The  committees  began  counting  early  in  the 
morning,  and  completed  theexciting  task  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  it  was 
ascertained  that  over  70,000  scalps  had  been 
taken !  Thus,  by  a  general  rivalry  the  settlers 
enjoyed  the  execution  of  a  plan  which  proved 
the  means  of  safety  and  protection  to  tlieir 
crops. 

EAELY  NAVIGATION. 

In  the  settlement  of  Indiana,  before  the 
age  of  canals,  railroads,  or  even  wagon  roads, 
the  Wabash  Valley  was  the  center  of  attraction, 
for  it  was  the  only  means  of  transportation 
of  products  and  supplies.  Hence  the  towns 
and  villages  along  the  river  were  the  centers 
of  trade  and  civilization.  All  the  adjoining 
region  to  the  east  in  Indiana  and  to  tlie 
west  in  Illinois  were  compelled  to  bring 
their  produce  to  the  Wabash  for  transpor- 
tation to  New  Orleans  and  other  southern 
markets.  At  first,  flat-boats  by  hundreds 
and  thousands,  forty,  fifty,  eighty,  one-hun- 
dred and  one-hundred  and  twenty-five  feet 
long  were  built,  loaded  with  pork,  hogs,  beef, 
cattle,  corn,  wheat,  oats  and  hay,  and  sent 
south.  Five  hundred  of  these  boats  have 
been  sent  out  of  the  Big  Vermillion  from 
Eugene,  Danville  and  other  points  on  that 
stream  in  one  year.  Scarcely  a  day  in  the 
long  April,  May  and  June  floods  but  that 
from  twenty  to  forty  of  these  boats  would 
pass.  They  were  generally  manned  by 
a  steersman, — who  was  also  captain, — four 
oarsmen,  with  long  side  sweeps,  and  one 
general  utility  boy,  who  did  the  cooking. 
Supplies  of  food  were  taken  along;  and  no 
boat  was  considered  safely  equipped  which 
had  less  than  twenty  gallons  of  whisky. 

To  the  boatmen  these  trips  were  occasions 


ABORIGINAL. 


199 


of  joyous  festivity;  and  the  wonderful  stories 
which  they  bronght  hack  of  the  dangers  and 
terrors  of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  tlie  strange,  mysterious  eddies  in  which 
yet  might  ilow  for  weeks, — especially  the 
"Widow  Woman's  eddy,  tiie  Grand  Gulf,  the 
i^rick-house  Point,  the  Red  Church — were  as 
remarkable  as  Scylla  and  C'liaribdis  in  Roman 
song  and  story.  Dozens  of  captains  and  ex- 
pert boatmen  resided  at  Clinton,  Eugene  and 
Perrysville.  The  boatmen  would  sometimes 
return  from  the  southern  markets  on  foot 
through  the  Cherokee  nation.  The  greatest 
danger  to  whicii  they  were  exposed,  however, 
was  an  attack  from  some  of  the  noted 
Jlurrell's  gang  of  robbers  in  Southern  Illi- 
nois and  AVestern  Kentucky.  "While  many 
from  Southern  Indiana,  Ohio,  and  Eastern 
Kentucky  were  robbed  and  murdered  by  these 
desperadoes,  all  the  "V^ermillion  County  men 
fortunately  came  through  safely. 

Captain  N.  H.  Adams,  who  died  at  Eugene 
fiom  an  over-supply  of  whisky,  started  in 
ISll  with  a  loaded  boat  from  the  Wabash, 
and  had  landed  at  New  Madrid,  Missouri, 
wlien  the  terrible  earthquake  occurred,  dur- 
ing the  night,  which  was  dark  and  stormy. 
The  trees  were  shaken  and  the  crash  and 
noise  of  nature,  and  the  horror  of  the  alarmed 
people  of  the  doomed  town,    rendered    the 


scene  more  terrific  than  imagination  can  con- 
ceive. And  what  could  have  been  the  feel- 
ing of  those  who  witnessed  the  current  of  the 
Mississippi  turned  furiously  up  stream  for 
hours!  It  seemed  that  the  bottom  of  the 
river  had  fallen  out.  Wlien  the  cavity 
made  by  the  "earthquake  was  filled,  the 
current  resumed  its  natural  flow,  but  the 
sunken  lauds  and  broken  or  inclined  forest 
trees  showed  that  over  a  large  adjoining 
region  a  terrible  earthquake  had  taken  place. 

Mercantile  and  other  supplies  were  wagoned 
across  the  Alleghany  mountains,  were  taken 
down  the  Ohio  in  flat-boats,  transferred  to 
keelboats  and  brought  up  the  Wabash  by 
push-poles  and  cordelling  by  ropes  which 
were  sent  out  in  advance,  tied  to  trees,  and 
wound  up  on  improvised  capstans. 

The  first  steamer  on  the  Wabash  made  its 
appearance  about  1820,  an  event  of  signal 
importance  and  popular  excitement.  x\li  the 
people  both  wondered  and  rejoiced.  The 
screaming  fife,  the  throbbing  drum  and  the 
roaring  cannon  welcomed  the  new  power. 
Afterward  steamers  became  more  common, 
one  or  more  passing  every  day.  At  one  time, 
when  Vermillion  was  at  its  flood,  and  the 
river  at  Perrysville  obstructed  by  ice,  as 
many  as  eleven  steamers  sought  harbor  at 
Eugene. 


''HE  territory  comprising 
Vermillion  County  was 
originally    a     part    of 
Vigo  County.    In  1821 
Vigo  County   was  di- 
vided by  the  organiza- 
tion of  Parke  County,  which 
comprised  Vermillion  as  a  part 
of  it,  and  Roseville,  on  the  Big 
Raccoon  Creek,  was  the  county 
seat. 

In  1823,  by  an  act  of  the 
Legislature  of  the  State,  Parke 
!^t^  Cwinty  was  divided  by  the 
AV abash  River,  the  part  west 
of  the  river  being  organized 
as  Vermillion  County,  and  named  from  the 
rivers.  The  Big  Vermillion  had  been  for 
many  years  tlie  boundary  between  tlie  pos- 
sessions of  the  Peaukeshaws  on  the  south  and 
the  Kickapoos  and  Pottawatomies  on  the 
north,  and  during  the  period  of  ownership  by 
France  it  was  a  part  of  the  boundary  between 
Canada  and  Louisiana. 

Vermillion  County  was  created  by  an  act 
of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  January 
2,  1824.     The  full  text  is  as  follows: 

"  Section  1.  Be  it  enacted- hij  the  General 
Assenihly  of  the  State  of  hidiana^  That  from 


and  after  the  first  day  of  February  next,  ail 
that  part  of  the  counties  of  Parke  and  Wabash 
included  within  the  following  bounds  shall 
form  and  constitute  a  new  county,  that  is  to 
say:  Beginning  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Wabash  River,  where  the  township  line 
dividing  townships  numbered  thirteen  ami 
fourteen  north  of  the  base  line,  of  range 
number  niiie  west  of  the  second  principal 
meridian  crosses  the  same;  thence  west  to 
the  State  line;  thence  north  to  the  line 
dividing  townships  numbered  nineteen  and 
twenty  north;  thence  east  to  the  Wabash 
River;  and  thence  south  with  the  meanders 
of  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

"Section  2.  The  said  new  county  shall, 
from  and  after-  the  first  day  of  February  ne.xt, 
be  known  and  designated  by  the  name  of  the 
county  of  Vermillion,  and  it  shall  enjoy  all 
the  rights,  privileges  and  jurisdictions  which 
to  a  separate  and  independent  county  do  or 
may  properly  belong  or  appertain:  Provided 
always,  That  all  suits,  pleas,  plaints,  actions 
and  proceedings  which  may  before  the  first 
day  of  Marcli  next  have  been  commenced, 
instituted  and  jjending  within  the  county  of 
Parke,  shall  be  prosecuted  to  final  judgment 
and  cficct  in  the  same  manner  as  if  this  act 
had  not  been  passed:   Provided  also,   That 


OOVERNMENTAL. 


201 


the  State  and  county  taxes  wliicli  are  now 
due  within  the  bounds  of  the  said  new  county 
shall  lie  collected  and  paid  in  the  same  man- 
ner and  l)y  the  same  otticers  as  the}'  wonld 
have  been  if  the  creation  of  the  said  new 
county  had  not  taken  place. 

"Section  3.  Eobert  Sturgus  and  Samuel 
Caldwell,  of  the  county  of  Vigo,  Moses  Rob- 
bins,  of  Parke  County,  William  Pugh,  of 
Sullivan  County,  and  AVilliam  Mcintosh,  of 
tlie  county  of  Putnam,  are  hereby  appointed 
commissioners,  agreeably  to  the  act  entitled 
'Au  act  for  the  fixing  of  the  seats  of  justice 
in  all  new  counties  hereafter  to  be  laid  off.' 
The  commissioners  above  named,  or  a  major- 
ity of  them,  shall  convene  at  the  house  of 
James  Blair,  in  the  said  new  county  of  Ver- 
million, on  the  first  Monday  of  March  next, 
and  immediately  proceed  to  discharge  the 
duties  assigned  them  by  law.  It  is  hereby 
made  the  duty  of  the  sheriff  of  Parke  County 
to  notify  the  said  commissioners  either  in 
person  or  by  written  notice  of  their  appoint- 
ment, on  or  before  the  first  day  of  February 
next:  and  the  said  sherift"  of  Parke  County 
shall  receive  from  the  said  county  of  Ver- 
million such  compensation  therefor  as  the 
county  commissioners  of  said  new  county  of 
Vermillion  shall  deem  just  and  reasonable; 
who  are  hereby  authorized  to  allow  the  same 
out  of  any  monies  in  the  treasury  of  said 
county,  not  otherwise  appropriated,  in  the 
same  manner  as  other  allowances  are  made. 

"Sectiox  4.  The  Circuit  Court  of  the 
county  of  Vermillion  shall  meet  at  the  house 
of  James  Blair,  in  the  said  new  county  of 
Vermillion,  until  suitable  accommodations 
can  be  had  at  the  seat  of  justice;  and  so  soon 
as  the  courts  of  said  county  are  satisfied  that 
suitable  accommodations  can  be  had  at  the 
county  seat,  they  shall  adjourn  their  courts 
thereto,  after  which  time  the  courts  of  the 
said  county  shall   be  holden  at  the  seat  of 


justice  of  said  county  established  by  law: 
Provided  alwajs,  That  the  Circuit  Court 
shall  liave  authority  to  adjourn  tiie  court 
from  the  house  of  James  Blair  as  aforesaid, 
to  any  other  place,  previous  to  the  comple- 
tion of  the  public  buildings,  should  the  said 
court  or  a  majority  of  them  deem  it  ex- 
pedient. 

"Section  5.  The  Board  of  County  Com- 
missioners of  the  said  county  of  Vermillion 
shall,  within  six  months  after  the  permanent 
seat  of  justice  of  said  county  shall  have  been 
selected,  proceed  to  erect  the  necessary  pub- 
lic buildings  thereon. 

Section  6.  The  agent  who  shall  be  ap- 
pointed for  the  sales  of  lots  at  the  seat  of 
justice  of  said  new  county  shall  reserve  and 
receive  ten  per  centum  out  of  the  proceeds 
ot  all  donations  made  to  the  said  county,  and 
also  out  of  the  proceeds  of  all  sales  made  of 
lots  at  the  county  seat  of  said  county,  and 
pay  the  same  over  to  such  person  or  persons 
as  may  be  appointed  by  law  to  receive  the 
same,  for  the  use  of  a  county  library  for  the 
said  county  of  Vermillion,  whicii  he  shall 
pay  over  at  such  time  and  place  as  may  be 
directed  by  law. 

"  Section  7.  The  powers,  privileges  and 
authorities  that  are  granted  to  the  qualified 
voters  of  the  county  of  Dubois  and  others 
named  in  the  act  entitled  'an  act  incorpo- 
rating a  county  library'  in  the  counties 
therein  named,  approved  January  28,  1818, 
to  organize,  support  and  conduct  a  county 
library,  are  hereby  granted  to  the  qualified 
voters  of  the  county  of  Vermillion;  and  the 
same  powers  and  authorities  therein  granted, 
and  the  same  duties  therein  required  of  the 
several  officers  and  persons  elected  by  the 
qualified  voters  of  Dubois  and  other  counties 
therein  named,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
into  effect  the  provisions  of  the  act  aforesaid, 
according  to  the    true    intent    and    meaning 


thereof,  are  hereby  granted  to  and  required 
of  the  otticers  and  other  persons  elected  by 
tlie  qualified  voters  of  the  county  of  Yer- 
niillion. 

"  Section  8.  The  said  county  of  Vermill- 
ion shall  have  both  civil  and  criminal 
jurisdiction  over  all  the  country  north  of  said 
county,  which  is  or  may  be  included  in  ranges 
nine  and  ten  west,  to  the  northern  boundary 
of  the  State. 

"  Section  9.  The  said  new  county  of  Ver- 
million shall  be  attached  to  the  counties  of 
Pike  and  Vigo,  for  the  purpose  of  electing 
Representatives  to  Congress,  and  to  the  same 
Senatorial  and  Eepresentativedistricts  to  which 
said  counties  now  belong,  for  the  purpose  of 
electing  Senators  and  Representatives  to  the 
General  Assembly,  and  to  the  first  return  dis- 
trict for  the  purpose  of  returning  votes  for 
electors  of  President  and  Vice-President  of 
the  United  States." 

For  the  space  of  a  year  Vermillion  County 
thus  had  jurisdiction  over  more  than  a  hun- 
dred miles  of  country  north  and  south — to 
Lake  Michigan,  but  a  few  miles  from  the 
modern  city  of  Chicago.  The  presidential 
election  referred  to  in  the  closing  sentence 
was  that  at  which  John  Quincy  Adams  was 
chosen,  and  during  the  administration  of 
President  Monroe.  It  takes  us  back  almost 
to  "  ancient  "  history. 

The  county  is  thirty-seven  miles  long, 
north  and  south,  by  an  average  of  seven  miles 
in  width,  east  and  west.  It  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Warren  County,  on  the  east  by 
the  "Wabash  River,  or  Fountain  and  Parke 
counties,  on  the  south  by  Vigo  County,  and 
on  the  west  by  the  State  of  Illinois,  that  is, 
by  Edgar  and  Vermillion  counties,  that  State. 

The  county  seat  was  located  at  its  present 
point,  in  what  was  then  (1824)  a  wilderness, 
by  Commissioners  Robert  Sturgis,  Samuel  M. 
Caldwell,  William   Pugh   and  William  Mc- 


intosh, of  adjoining  counties.  A  fifth  com- 
missioner was  probably  appointed,  but  did 
not  act.  Tradition  gives  four  reasons  wliy 
the  seat  of  government  was  fixed  at  Nepurt: 
First,  the  site  is  nearly  central;  second,  it 
was  convenient  to  a  good  big  spring,  and  to 
a  grist  and  saw  mill  on  the  Little  Vermillion 
River;  third,  those  who  owned  the  land  were 
more  liberal  in  their  donations  to  the  county 
than  were  others  who  sought  the  seat  of  g"\  - 
ernment  elsewhere;  and  fourth,  a  few  have 
intimated  that  the  commissioners  were  bought 
up  by  parties  in  interest;  but  of  course  no 
proof  of  this  lias  ever  been  given;  the  first 
three  reasons  are  sufficient.  There  has  never 
since  been  a  serious  effort  made  to  remove  the 
county  seat;  and,  although  Dana  may  out- 
grow the  other  towns  in  the  county  and 
some  cay  bid  strong  for  the  honor,  the  pres- 
ent railroad  system  of  the  county  constitutes 
an  additional  reason,  and  a  more  cogent  rea- 
son than  all  the  others  combined,  for  retain- 
ing the  seat  of  county  government  at  its 
present  place.  It  is  more  convenient  than 
any  other  point  in  the  county  can  be,  unless 
Dana  should  grow  to  a  city  and  become  a 
kind  of  railroad  center. 

EAELT    ACTS    OF    THE    COMJIISSIONEKS. 

The  earliest  acts  of  the  commissioners  of 
Vermillion  County  were  recorded  in  a  "home- 
made" book  manufactured  for  the  purpose 
by  the  clerk.  Tiiis  record  was  left  in  some 
place  e.xposed  to  the  depredations  of  mice, 
which  mutilated  it  seriously,  and  some  of  the 
minutes  therefore  cannot  be  deciphered.  In 
March,  1882,  by  order  of  the  commissioners, 
as  much  of  this  mutilated  record  as  was  pos- 
sible was  carefully  transcribed  in  a  large, 
well-bound  book  of  modern  manufacture. 
This  transcript  begins  with  the  minutes  of 
the  March  session  of  1824,  the  year  the  county 
was  organized,  and  therefore  but  very  little 


GOVERNMENTAL. 


203 


of  tlie  record  is  really  lost.  Tliis  iirst  session 
was  held  at  the  residence  of  James  Blair, 
situated  near  the  southeast  corner  of  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  16,  in  township 
17  north,  of  range  9  west.  That  was  on  the 
west  side  of  the  old  wagon  road  leading  from 
Eugene  to  Newport,  and  about  half  way 
heuwecn  those  two  towns.  As  these  earliest 
acts  of  the  County  Legislature  gather  increas- 
ing interest  with  lapsing  years,  we  p'-int  the 
tirst  few  pages  ot  them. 

"  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  board  of  com- 
missioners of  Vermillion  County,  begun  and 
held  at  the  house  of  James  Blair,  on  Tuesday, 
the  23d  day  of  March,  1824,  and  the  com- 
missioners having  their  certificates  of  election, 
and  having  taken  the  necessary  oath,  took 
their  seats.  Commissioners  present — John 
Haines,  Thouias  Durliam  and  Isaac  Cliambers. 

"  1st.  Ordered,  That  William  W.  Kennedy 
be  and  is  hereby  appointed  clerk  of  the  board 
of  commissioners  of  Vermillion  County  for 
this  session. 

"  2d.  Ordered,  That  Caleb  Bales  be  and  is 
hereby  appointed  lister  of  the  County  of  Ver- 
millioi',  upon  his  giving  bond  and  security. 

"  3d.  Ordered,  That  all  that  part  of  the 
County  of  Vermillion  contained  in  the  fol- 
lowing bounds,  to  wit:  Beginning  at  the 
Wabash  River  where  the  line  dividing  town- 
ships 13  and  14  crosses  the  same,  thence  with 
said  line  to  the  line  dividing  the  States  of 
Lidiana  and  Illinois,  thence  north  to  the  line 
dividing  townships  14  and  15,  thence  east 
with  said  line  to  the  Wabash  River,  thence 
south  with  said  river  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, shall  constitute  the  township  of  Clin- 
ton; and  that  the  election  in  said  township 
be  held  in  said  township  at  the  house  of  John 
Sargeant,  in   Clinton. 

"  4th.  Ordered,  That  all  that  part  of  the 
county  of  Vermillion  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing bounds,  to  wit:  Beginning  at  the  Wabash 


River  where  the  line  between  townships  14 
and  15  crosses  the  same,  thence  west  with 
said  line  to  the  line  dividing  the  States  of 
Indiana  and  Illinois,  thence  north  with  said 
line  to  the  center  of  township  16,  thence  east 
with  said  central  line  to  the  Wabash  River, 
thence  south  with  said  river  to  the  place  of 
beginning, — shall  constitute  the  township  of 
Ilelt,  and  that  elections  for  said  township  be 
held  at  the  house  of  John  Van  Camp. 

"5th.  Ordered,  That  all  that  part  of  Ver- 
million County  contained  in  the  following 
bounds,  to  wit:  Beginning  at  the  Wabash 
River  at  the  center  of  township  16,  thence 
west  with  said  central  line  to  the  line  dividing 
the  States  of  Indiana  and  Illinois,  thence 
north  with  said  line  until  it  strikes  the  Big 
Vermillion  River,  thence  east  with  said  river 
until  it  empties  into  the  Wabash,  thence 
south  with  said  river  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, shall  constitute  the  township  of  Ver- 
million; and  that  elections  in  said  township 
be  held  at  the  school-house  on  section  16  in 
township  16. 

"  6th.  Ordered,  That  all  that  part  of  Ver- 
million County  contained  in  the  following 
bounds,  to  wit:  Beginning  at  the  Wabash 
River  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Vermillion 
River,  thence  west  with  said  river  to  the  line 
dividing  the  States  of  Indiana  and  Illinois, 
thence  north  with  the  said  line  to  the  line 
dividing  townships  19  and  20,  thence  east 
with  said  line  to  the  Wabash  River,  thence 
south  with  said  river  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, shall  constitute  the  township  of  High- 
land, and  that  elections  in  said  township  be 
held  at  the  house  of  Jacob  Andrick." 

The  next  four  orders  appoint  inspectors  of 
the  elections  first  to  l>e  held  in  the  above 
described  townships — Salmon  Luck,  for  Clin- 
ton; William  Bales,  for  Helt;  John  Gardner, 
for  Vermillion;  and  Jacob  Haines,  for  High- 
land. 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


The  next  four  orders  direct  that  justices 
of  the  peace  be  chosen  at  these  elections,  and 
that  the  sheriff  give  due  notice  of  the  time, 
place  and  purposes  of  the  same. 

The  succeeding  four  orders  appoint  consta- 
bles for  the  townships — Cliarles  Trowbridge, 
for  Clinton;  John  Harper,  for  Ilelt;  Jacob 
Custer,  for  Yermillion;  and  George  Han- 
sucker,  for  Highland;  upon  their  giving  bond 
and  security. 

The  above  constitutes  the  business  of  the 
first  day's  session. 

Clinton  and  Helt  townships  remain  un- 
changed to  this  day;  but  the  other  two  town- 
ships have  been  made  into  three,  as  follows: 
The  line  between  Vermillion  and  Eugene 
townships  is  the  line  dividing  sections  19  and 
30  of  surveyed  township  17  north  and  10 
west,  running  east  to  the  northeast  corner  of 
section  21,  township  17  north  and  9  west, 
thence  north  a  half  mile,  and  thence  east  to 
the   river;    the    line  dividing   Eugene    and 


ig  sec- 


Highland  townships  is  the  line  divid 
tions  19  and  30  of  township  18  north  and  10 
west,  running  east  to  the  river;  and  from  the 
northern  side  of  Highland  Township  has 
been  cut  off  one  tier  of  sections  of  Congres- 
sional township  19  nortli,  9  west,  and  thrown 
into  Warren  County. 

On  the  second  day  -^  the  session  the  fol- 
lowing were  appointed  grand  jurors  for  the 
May  (1824)  term  of  the  Circuit  Court:  David 
W.  Arnold,  Horace  Luddington,  Rezin  Shel- 
by, Andrew  Thompson,  John  Tipton,  William 
Coffin,  John  Scott,  Jesse  Higgins,  Morgan 
De  Puy,  AVilliam  Hedges,  John  Tannest, 
William  Boyles,  James  Andrews,  James 
Harper,  Sr.,  and  James  Davis;  and  tlie  fol- 
lowing as  petit  jurors:  Joel  Dicken,  Robert 
Elliott,  James  Groenendyke,  John  Thompson, 
Simeon  Dicken,  Isaac  Worth,  Lewis  Zebres- 
key  [or  Zabriskie],  Benjamin  Shaw,  Alexan- 
der   Bailey,    William    Rice,    Harold  Hayes, 


Amos  Reeder,  William  Hamilton,  John  Clo- 
ver, Ralph  Wilson,  John  Wimsett,  Abraham 
Moore,  John  Maxadon,  Joseph  Dillow, 
Thomas  Matheny,  John  E.  Anderson,  0\  ed 
Blakesley,  John  Van  Camp,  and  Joshua  Skid- 
moi-e. 

For  some  reason,  however,  the  most  of 
those  appointed  as  grand  jurors  failed  to 
serve,  as  the  Circuit  Court  record  for  the  May 
(1824)  term  opens  by  giving  the  following 
named  gentlemen  as  constituting  the  grand 
jury:  Simeon  Dicken,  Ralph  Wilson,  Joseph 
Schooling,  Obed  Blakesley,  James  Harper, 
Sr.,  Carter  Hollingsworth,  Joshua  Skidmore, 
Amos  Reeder,  Joel  Dicken,  Robert  Elliott, 
Jesse  Higgins,  John  Thompson,  John  Tipton, 
Joseph  Dillow,  Ludlow  Ludwick,  James 
Davis  and  William  Rice. 

This  day  they  also  appointed  "  superintend- 
ents "  of  the  school  sections — Harold  Hughes 
for  Clinton  Township,  William  Bales  for 
Helt,  James  Davis  for  Vermillion,  William 
Coflin  for  that  in  17  north,  9  west,  in  High- 
land Township,  Hoi'ace  Luddington  in  18 
north,  and  Jacob  Andrick  in  19  north,  also 
in  Highland. 

For  overseers  of  the  poor,  John  Vannest 
was  appointed  for  Clinton  Township,  James 
Andrews  and  Augustus  Ford  for  Helt,  Zeno 
Worth  and  John  Tipton  for  Vermillion,  and 
John  Haines  and  AVilliatn  Gonger  for  High- 
land. 

John  Collett  was  appointed  ''agent  for 
laying  out  a  county  seat,"  and  also  "for  sell- 
ing such  lots  as  were  donated  by  John  Jus- 
tice and  George  Miner  for  the  use  of  tiie 
county,  and  such  lands  as  were  by  them  do- 
nated as  more  fully  appears  by  their  bonds." 
Josephus  Collett  and  William  Fulton  were 
accepted  as  security  for  John  Collett. 

Alexander  Bailey  was  appointed  collector 
of  State  and  county  tax. 

James  Blair  was  appointed  agent  for  the 


GOVERNMENTAL. 


library  of  the  county,  and  authorized  to  re- 
ceive the  moneys  appropriated  for  the  pur- 
pose from  the  sales  of  the  county  seat  lots. 
(There  is  no  "  county  library  "  now.) 

On  the  third  day  of  this  session  the  bills 
of  the  sheriff  and  commissioners  appointed 
by  the  State  government  to  locate  the  county 
seat,  were  audited  and  ordered  paid.  Will- 
iam Fulton  was  allowed  §35  "  as  a  sheriff  in 
organizing  the  county  of  Vermillion,"  and 
also  $2.50  for  obtaining  a  copy  of  the  laws 


regi 


ilati 


the    duties    of    sheriffs 


counties. 

John  Collett  was  authorized  to  receive  a 
deed  of  the  land  for  the  county  seat  from 
John  Justice,  Josephus  Collett  and  Stephen 
Collett,  the  land  being  "  all  that  part  of  the 
west  halt  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section 
26,  in  townsliip  number  17  north,  of  range 
9  west,  which  may  be  south  of  the  Little 
Vermillion  Creek,  should  the  same  contain 
more  or  less." 

"William  Fulton  was  substituted  for  Alex- 
ander Bailey  as  collector  of  taxes. 

For  the  May  (1824)  session  the  same  com- 
missioners first  met  at  the  house  of  James 
Blair,  and,  before  transacting  any  business, 
adjourned  to  4  p.m.,  at  the  house  of  Josephus 
Collett,  at  Vermillion  Mills.  At  this  place 
Mr.  Haines  did  not  appear.  The  other  two 
commissioners  decreed  that  ferry  licenses  be 
$7;  "  that  the  clerk  list  all  property  liable  to 
taxation  for  county  purposes  to  the  full 
amount  allowed  by  law;  "  that  tavern  licenses 
be  $5;  that  the  seat  of  justice  shall  be  known  as 
"  the  town  of  Newport,"  and  that  the  lots  in 
said  town  be  laid  off  according  to  the 
following  form,  viz:  Lots  sixty-six  feet  in 
front,  and  1811  feet  in  depth;  the  main  street 
to  be  100  feet  in  breadth,  all  other  streets 
eighty  feet;  the  alleys  running  north  and 
south  to  be  thirty-three  feet,  those  east  and 
west,    sixteen;  and  that  tlie  sale  of  lots  take 


place  on  the  first  Monday  in  June  next,  at 
the  public  square  in  said  town,  one-fifth  of 
the  purchase  money  to  be  paid  in  hand,  the 
residue  in  four  seini-annnal  installments;  and 
one-half  of  the  lots  donated  to  the  county 
only  shall  be  offered  at  said  time." 

Next,  the  county  was  divided  into  thirteen 
road  districts,  and  supervisors  for  them  were 
appointed. 

James  Blair  was  authorized  to  run  a  ferry 
at  Perrysville,  at  the  following  rates:  Wagon 
and  five  horses,  75  cents;  wagon  and  four 
horses,  62^  cents;  wagon  and  three  horses, 
50  cents;  wagon  and  two  horses,  37|-  cents; 
man  and  horse,  12^  cents;  pedestrian,  6J 
cents;  neat  cattle,  4  cents  a  head;  hogs  and 
sheep,  2  cents  a  head. 

John  Gardner  was  authorized  to  run  a  ferry 
across  the  Wabash  about  two  miles  north  of 
Newport. 

For  the  proceedings  of  the  next  day  the 
record  says  that  "the  grand  and  petit  jurors, 
being  duly  selected  for  the  present  year,  M-ere 
deposited  in  a  box  prepared  for  that  pur- 
pose !"     No  wonder  they  dreaded  to  serve  ! 

"  License  to  vend  foreign  merchandise  for 
the  present  year  [remainder  of  1824]  was 
established  at  $10." 

At  the  June  (182^  session  the  commis- 
sioners ordered  a  conwact  to  be  let  for  the 
building  of  a  court-house  of  the  folloM'ing  de- 
scription: "36  feet  in  length,  and  24  feet  in 
depth;  containing  two  jury  rooms,  to  l)e  fur- 
nished with  a  window  of  fifteen  lights,  and  a 
door  opening  from  each  into  the  court-room; 
the  latter  to  have  eight  feet  for  a  passage  be- 
tween it  and  the  jury  room;  balance  of  six- 
teen feet  to  be  finished,  laid  off  and  worked 
in  a  semicircular  form,  in  a  workmanlike 
manner;  with  seats  for  the  judges,  bar  and 
jury;  with  bannisters  to  separate  the  said 
court  and  jury  rooms,  eight  feet  one  from 
the  other  across  said  court-house,  at  the  dis- 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


tance  of  eight  feet  from  said  jury  rooms,  ex- 
cept so  much  as  may  be  necessary  for  the 
admission  of  persons  in  and  to  the  Lar  and 
court,  which  said  space  is  not  to  exceed  three 
feet;  and  the  said  court-room  is  to  be  fur- 
nished with  three  windows  of  fifteen  lights 
eacli,  and  two  good  doors.  Said  building  is 
to  be  erected  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the 
public  square,  of  good,  substantial  frame  of 
a  ten-foot  story,  covered  with  joint  shingles; 
and  said  frame  is  to  be  settled  on  a  sufficient 
number  of  eighteen-inch  blocks  two  feet 
long." 

June  26,  1824,  the  board  of  commissioners 
met  and  awarded  to  John  Justice  the  con- 
tract for  building  the  above  described  court- 
house, for  $345,  the  structure  to  be  completed 
by  the  first  of  the  following  November. 


PLAN  OF  FIRST' COURTHOUSE. 

Although  the  commissioners  refused  to 
accept  this  building  when  Mr.  Justice 
thought  he  had  it  completed,  it  was  used  for 
courts  and  pnblic  meetings  of  all  kinds  until 
another  was  erected,  of  brick.  The  county 
paid  Mr.  Justice  in  part;  he  sued  for  the 
balance,  and  finally  recovered  it,  the  Supreme 
Court  ordering  the  county  to  pay  the  full 
amount  and  the  cost  of  the  proceedings. 

In  February,  1831,  the  coramistioners  had 
a  plan  for  a  new  court-house  drawn  up,  and 
advertised  for   proposals  for  furnishing  the 


material  with  whicb  to  build  it.  James  Skin- 
ner, being  tlie  lowest  responsible  bidder,  was 
awarded  the  contract  for  furnishing  the 
brick,  at  $3.50  per  thousand;  and  Stephen 
B.  Gardner  was  promised  $2.50  a  perch  for 
the  stone.  Other  material  was  contracted 
for,  and  the  court-house  completed  under  the 
immediate  supervision  of  the  county  com- 
missioners, and  was  occupied  until  Januaiy 
29,  1844,  at  half  past  eleven  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon,  when  it  was  partly  burned  down. 
The  commissioners  called  a  session  immedi- 
ately and  arranged  for  repairing  the  building. 
It  WHS  fully  repaired,  and  re-occupied  during 
the  following  summer.  This  served  until 
1868,  when  the  present  beautiful  structure 
was  built. 

In  June,  1828,  the  board  of  commissioners 
let  the  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  first 
jail,  which  was  to  be  16  x  28  feet  in  ground 
area,  two  stories  high,  of  hewed  timbers, 
with  a  partition  of  twelve  feet  for  debtors' 
and  criminals'  room,  lower  story  eight  and  a 
half  feet  in  the  clear,  upper  story  eight  feet, 
with  partition  as  below,  to  be  built  of  double 
timbers  8  x  10  inches  thick,  or  wider  if  con- 
venient; roof  to  be  of  joint  shingles,  etc.,  etc. 
Samuel  Hedges  was  the  contractor,  who  was 
to  receive  for  the  work  $369. 

In  connection  with  the  same  building  was 
to  be  a  clerk's  office,  16  x  14  feet,  one  story 
nine  feet  in  the  clear,  two  fifteen-light  win- 
dows, one  door,  etc.,  etc.  For  this  Mr. 
Jledges  was  to  receive  $116. 

This  building  was  erected  in  due  time, 
according  to  contract. 

PROBATE  KECOED. 

The  first  page  of  the  probate  record  begins 
thus: 

"  Order  Book  1.  Probate  Court,  April  16, 
1827.     Present,  the  Honorable  Jacob  Castle- 


GOVERNMENTAL. 


iiiau  and  Jacob  Andrick,  Associate  Judges  of 
Vermillion  Count}'. 

"Court  was  adjourned  to  meet  at  the 
clerk's  office  in  Newport. 

''Ordered,  That  Phebe  Miller  be  and  she 
is  hereby  appointed  guardian  of  Matilda 
Miller,  of  lawful  age  to  choose  a  guardian, 
and  Eliza  Ann,  Charlotte,  Jothani,  Jacob, 
John,  Lucretia  and  Massey  Miller,  infant 
heirs  of  Joshua  Miller,  deceased,  that  she 
give  bond  in  the  sum  of  §600,  and  that  John 
Haines  and  John  Gardner  be  approved  as 
sureties. 

"On  motion  of  James  Groenendyke,  ordered 
that  John  Armour,  John  Tipton  and  Robert 
Elliott  be  and  they  are  hereby  appointed  coin- 
missiouers  to  make  a  partition  of  the  real 
estate  of  John  Groenendyke,  deceased,  among 
the  heirs  of-  said  deceased,  and  report  to  the 
next  terra. 

''Ordered.,  That  Sarah  Lamphier,  adminis- 
trutri.x  of  the  estate  of  Elijah  Lamphier,  de- 
ceased, be  allowed  the  following  credits,  she 
having  filed  sufficient  vouchers  to  that  eflect: 
[Here  follows  a  list  of  expenses,  footing  up 
812.] 

"Ordered,  That  Hiram  Shepherd,  admin- 
istrator of  the  estate  of  William  W.  Ken- 
nedy, deceased,  be  allowed  a  credit  of  $39  on 
said  estate,  he  having  produced  sutKcient 
vouchers  for  the  sum. 

"Ordered,  That  court  adjourn  till  court  in 
course. 

"Jacob  Andeick. 
"Jac.  Castlkman." 

Mr.  Andrick's  name  is  signed  mostly  in 
German  letter,  while  Mr.  Castleman  swings 
a  fancy  pen  in  modern  style. 

FIRST    MARBIAGES. 

The  first  marriages  within  the  present 
bounds  of  Vermillion  County  are  probably 
recorded    at  the   county   seats  of   Parke  and 


Vigo  counties,  as  the  record  at  Newport 
opens  with  certificates  at  the  rate  of  almost 
one  a  week,  or  forty  for  the  year  ending  May 
1,  1825.  The  record  here  begins  with  the 
following,  in  the  order  here  given : 

1.  Jesse  McGee,  Minister  of  the  Gospel, 
married  Moorman  Hayworth  and  Elizabeth 
Mardick,  May  30,  1824;  and  June  2,  same 
year,  Hugh  Johnson  and  Polly  Tipton. 

2.  John  Porter,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  May 
10,  1824,  married  Philo  Heacock  and  Dian- 
tha  Smith;  June  10  following,  Joshua  Dean 
and  Susan  Nolan;  June  27,  Isaac  I>.  Potter 
and  Semiah  Seymour;  July  1,  Noah  Kirken- 
dol  and  Mary  Wallen;  and  August  12,  Ashur 
Sargent  and  Delilah  Cooper,  etc. 

Some  of  the  above  names  are  probably 
wrongly  spelled. 

THE    CIRCUIT    COURT. 

The  first  civil  suit  brought  into  the  Circuit 
Court  was  instituted  by  Mark  Hays  against 
Mary  Hays  for  divorce.  The  case  was  con- 
tinued for  several  terms  and  ended  by  Mark 
having  to  pay  Mary's  lawyers'  fees,  dis- 
missing and  pa^'ing  costs,  and  then  the 
twain  living  together  thereafter.  "  Vermillion 
County,"  says  M.  G.  Rhoades,  Esq.,  "has  the 
reputation  of  settling  more  lawsuits  by  com- 
promise than  any  other  county  in  the  State. 
This  effect  may  be  directly  traceable  to  the 
example  set  in  the  case  just  related." 

The  fii'st  volume  of  the  Circuit  Court  record 
opens  thus:  "May  Term,  1824.  Pleas  be- 
gun and  held  before  the  Honorable  Jacob 
Call,  President  of  the  First  Judicial  Circuit 
in  the  State  of  Indiana,  and  Jacob  Andrick 
and  Jacob  Castleman,  Associate  Judges  for 
the  county  of  Vermillion,  at  the  house  of 
James  Blair,  on  Thursday,  the  sixth  day  of 
May,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  twenty-four. 

"  State  of  Indiana  vs.  Josephus  Collett  and 


Ealpli  Wilson."  This  was  for  assault  and 
battery,  although  no  memorandum  of  the  fact 
is  entered.  Tlien  follows  the  plea  of  indict- 
ment, which  is  interesting  on  account  of  the 
heavy  wording  characteristic  of  that  day. 
Thus: 

"The  jurors,  for  and  in  the  name  and  body 
of  the  county  of  Vermillion,  upon  their  oaths 
present  that  Josephus  CoUett,  late  of  the 
township  of  Vermillion,  laboring  [laborer?], 
and  Ralph  Wilson,  late  of  the  same  town- 
ship and  county  aforesaid,  laborer,  on  the 
fifth  day  of  March,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-four, 
with  force  and  arms,  at  [in  ?]  the  township 
aforesaid,  in  the  county  aforesaid,  did,  in  a 
certain  public  place,  to  wit,  the  house  yard  of 
James  Blair,  being  a  puljlic  place,  did  agree 
to  fight  at  fisticulis,  and  then  and  there 
actually  did  fight,  and  then  and  there,  in  a 
rude,  insolent,  angry  and  unlawful  manner, 
did  touch,  strike,  beat,  bruise,  wound  and  ill- 
treat  each  other,  to  the  terror  of  the  citizens 
of  the  State  of  Indiana,  then  and  there  being 
contrary  to  the  force  of  the  statutes  of  that 
case  made  and  provided,  and  against  the  peace 
and  dignity  of  the  State  of  Indiana. 

"  Georgk  R.  C.  Sullivan,  Pros.  Atty." 

Among  the  tautologies  and  slips  of  the  pen 
in  the  above  document,  is  the  old  familiar 
phrase,  "  with  force  and  amis,"  connected 
with  a  case  of  simple  "fisticufis  !"  "Arms" 
were  employed,  no  doubt  I — two  by  each 
party. 

According  to  tradition,  the  \^hole  court 
were  indictable  as  accessories  to  the  affray, 
as,  while  they  had  no  regular  business  on 
hand  for  the  day,  they  "  adjourned  to  see  the 
fun!" 

At  the  second  term  of  the  court  Mr.  Col- 
lett  pleaded  guilty  and  was  fined  §2;  but  Mr. 
Wilson  continued  his  case  for  several  terms, 
and  was  ultimately  fined  $10, — -for  the  use  of 


the  county  seminary.  Judge  John  R.  Porter 
presided  at  this  term  of  court.  His  circuit, 
by  the  several  changes  that  were  made,  ex- 
tended from  the  Ohio  to  Lake  Michigan. 

Of  course  it  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  fol- 
low the  criminal  records  further,  or  even  give 
any  statistics  of  crime  in  this  county.  In 
reading  a  modern  newspaper  one  often  gets 
the  impression  that  "  this  section  of  tiic 
country"  is  awfully  addicted  to  crime,  for- 
getting that  it  is  the  province  of  the  paper  tn 
gather  and  publish  all  that  is  sensational, 
though  other  things  be  excluded.  In  reading 
the  modern  newspaper,  therefore,  one  is 
almost  constantly  looking  at  the  worst  side 
of  society. 

There  has  been  but  one  case  of  capital 
punishment  in  Vermillion  County,  a  lu-ief 
account  of  which  wc  now  proceed  to  give. 

THE    SCAFFOLD. 

Walter  AVatson  was  executed  April  3, 1879, 
for  iiaving  murdered  Ezra  Compton  at  High- 
land January  10,  preceding. 

Watson  was  born  in  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  March  20,  1852,  and  when  grown 
was  five  feet  nine  inches  in  height,  weighed 
about  165  pounds,  and  had  a  light  complexion 
and  auburn  hair.  When  he  M-as  fourteen 
years  of  age  his  mother  died,  a  little  before 
which  time  he  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church;  but  in  1876  he  joined  the  Baptist 
church,  and  December  25,  1877,  married 
Mary  E.  Sharp,  a  memberof  the  same  church. 
His  father  kept  house  but  a  short  time  after 
his  mother's  death,  and  he  and  his  brother 
were  consequently  left  to  shift  for  themselves. 
He  was  generally  industrious,  however,  work- 
ing mostly  on  a  farm,  and  some  as  a  car- 
penter; he  carried  mail  four  months,  and  was 
also  engaged  in  numerous  other  odd  jobs,  in 
various  places. 

Being  a  creature  ot  high  temper,  he  occa- 


GOYERNMENTAl.. 


sioiially  had  a  fight,  and,  according  to  what 
he  said,  was  always  victorions.  The  hist 
light  he  liad  was  with  a  man  named  Lon 
Glaric,  in  Illinois.  Tliej  snapped  revolvers 
at  each  other,  hut  neither  of  tlie  revolvers 
fired.  The  ti'ouble  began  on  the  qncstion 
who  should  go  home  with  a  certain  girl. 
After  the  revolvers  failed,  the  parties  clinched, 
when  Watson  gained  the  victory  and  marched 
off  with  the  girl. 

Watson  never  made  a  practice  of  getting 
drunk,  but  would  occasionally  drink  with  a 
friend.  He  had  such  a  disposition  as  one 
would  suppose  was  developed  by  being  teased 
and  tantalized  when  an  infant;  was  fretful, 
suspicious,  overbearing  and  ugly;  but  in  jail 
he  was  always  kind  to  his  fellow  prisoners 
and  to  the  jailor,  Spencer  H.  Dallas. 

January  9, 1879,  Watson  went  to  High- 
land and  purchased  of  Ezra  Compton  25 
cents  worth  of  soap,  on  credit.  The  next 
(\-Ay  his  brother  Florence  bought  an  ax 
at  the  same  place,  and  in  paying  for  it  he 
handed  Mi-.  Compton  a  $2  bill  to  change. 
The  latter,  not  being  well  acquainted  with 
the  brothers,  and  thinking  this  was  the  same 
who  had  bought  the  soap  the  preceding  day, 
reserved  pay  for  it  also,  in  making  the  change. 
Florence  asked  for  an  explanation,  when 
Compton  said  he  supposed  he  desired  to  pay 
for  the  soap  also.  Then  Florence  had  to 
explain  that  it  was  his  brother  who  obtained 
the  soap,  and  added  that  it  was  all  right,  and 
mark  that  debt  cancelled  also. 

Arriving  home,  Florence  told  his  brother 
Walter  that  he  thought  it  was  "  a  little  thin  " 
to  buy  so  small  a  quantity  of  soap  and  having 
it  charged.  Walter  denied  the  charge,  flew 
into  a  terrible  rage  and  declared  he  would 
have  satisfaction  out  of  Compton.  Seizing 
his  brother's  revolver  I'lom  an  adjoining 
room,  he  sallied  forth,  despite  the  entreaties 
of  his  wife,  and  walked  to  the   village,  two 


miles  away,  bent  on  revenge.  First,  he  de- 
manded to  know  of  Mr.  Compton  why  he  had 
caused  his  brother  to  pay  for  the  soap  when 
he  had  promised  to  wait  on  him  till  he  could 
get  the  money.  Mr.  Compton  explained  the 
matter  to  him,  but  he  was  too  greatly  excited 
to  be  reasonable.  Even  handing  back  the 
twenty-five  cents  by  Mr.  Compton  had  no 
effect  in  cooling  down  the  boiling  caldron. 
Compton  then  ordered  him  out  of  the  store. 
He  withdrew  for  a  moment,  but  stepping 
back  upon  the  threshold,  he  pointed  the  deadly 
weapon  toward  his  victim,  and  exclaimed, 
"  D — n  you !  I'll  shoot  you  anyhow,"  and 
fired  the  fatal  shot,  which  passed  into  Comp- 
ton's  body  in  the  inguinal  region  and  lodged 
in  the  spinal  column.  The  poor  man  died 
the  next  day. 

Immediately  after  the  shooting,  Watson 
started  for  home,  brandishing  his  revolver 
and  making  terrible  threats  of  what  he  should 
do  if  Compton  should  attempt  to  follow  him. 
He  told  several  parties  in  bravado  style  tliat 
he  had  killed  Compton,  and  had  a  few  more 
pills  left  for  any  of  his  friends  who  might 
sympathize  with  him.  Late  that  evening  he 
was  arrested. 

The  next  month  he  was  indicted  for  mur- 
der in  the  first  degree,  and  tried  during  that 
term  of  court,  Thomas  F.  Davidson,  Judge. 
The  attorneys  for  the  prosecution  were  Prose- 
cutor A.  P.  Harrell,  and  Messrs.  Jump  & 
Cnshman  and  K.  B.  Sears.  As  Watson  was 
poor  and  had  no  means  to  employ  legal  talent. 
Judge  Davidson  appointed  Messrs.  Rhoads& 
Parrett  and  J.  C.  Sawyers  to  defend  him. 
The  jury  consisted  of  William  Collett,  T.  J. 
Stark,  Solomon  Ilines,  M.  J.  liudy,  AVallace 
Moore,  William  C.  Groves,  J.  S.  Shaner,  R. 
C.  Jones,  J.  R.  Gouty,  J.  R.  Dunlap,  Alfred 
Carmack  and  John  Van  Duyn,  who  on  the 
first  ballot  unanimously  found  the  accused 
guilty.     The  usjial  steps  for  a  n,ew  trial,  coin- 


BISTORT    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


mutation  of  sentence,  etc.,  were  made,  but  in 
vain,  and  on  the  3d  of  April,  between  12  and 
1  o'clock,  Walter  Watson  was  hanged  in  the 
jail  yard,  in  the  presence  of  a  few  spectators, 
who  were  admitted  by   ticket. 

Ezra  Compton,  the  murdered  man,  was  a 
young  gentleman  of  integrity  and  high  char- 
acter, and  had  been  married  but  four  weeks. 
By  steady,  hard  manual  labor,  protracted  for 
six  years,  he  had  managed  to  save  $1,300, 
which  but  a  few  weeks  previous  to  his  mur- 
der he  had  invested  in  general  merchandise, 
and  was  commencing  as  a  merchant  at  High- 
land, lie  had  not  an  enemy  in  the  world, 
except  the  high-tempered,  unreasonable  Wal- 
ter Watson,  a  few  hours  before  the  linal 
tragedy. 

The  renuiins  of  the  executed  criminal  were 
interred  in  Kelt's  Prairie  Cemetery,  where 
his  father  and  others  guarded  the  place 
for  several  nights  to  prevent  body-snatching 
by  physicians.  Becoming  weary  of  such 
duty,  they  buried  about  six  inches  of  heavy 
plank  over  the  coffin,  making  it  a  tedious  task 
for  vandals  to  "  resurrect  "  the  remains. 

Many  citizens  thought  that  Florence  Wat- 
son was  as  much  to  blame  as  Walter,  if  not 
more,  as  he,  knowing  his  brother's  ungovern- 
able temper,  inflamed  his  passions  by  inti- 
mating that  Crompton  was  afraid  to  trust 
him  any  more,  etc.,  and  left  the  county  after- 
ward refusing  to  help  his  accused  brother. 

But  there  is  a  sequel  to  the  above  tragedy, 
portrayed  in  the  Indianapolis  Herald  in  terms 
characteristic  of  the  old-fashioned  novel.  It 
describes  Mrs.  Watson  as  a  remarkable  hero- 
ine. She  was  determined  to  accompany  her 
husband  to  the  scaffold,  despite  the  remon- 
strance of  all  around  her.  One  of  the  attend- 
ing ministers  remarks  in  gentle  accents, 
"  Mrs.  Watson,  this  will  never  do."  As  quick 
as  the  lightning's  flash  she  turned  on  him, 
replying,  "  1  should  not  have  expected  this 


from  a  minister.  When  I  was  married  I 
promised  a  minister  that  I  would  cleave  to 
my  husband  '  for  better  or  for  worse,'  and  1 
am  going  to  keep  that  promise  as  far  as  God 
will  let  me." 

Mrs.  Watson  was  a  small  woman,  but  with 
a  great  soul.  Her  face  was  a  study  for  an 
artist,  being  a  blonde  of  pronounced  tyjte, 
with  high  and  broad  forehead,  irregular 
features,  but  exquisite  in  their  delicacy  fi,nd 
mobility;  eyes  large  and  intelligent.  At 
one  moment  her  mouth  would  indicate  great 
tenderness  and  sweetness  of  disposition,  but 
in  an  instant  her  lips  would  compress  with  a 
firmness  that  would  fill  one  with  surprise. 

She  assisted  in  arranging  her  husband  for 
the  final  scene,  and  even  contributed  some 
articles  to  his  wardrobe — a  neck-tie  and  a 
pair  of  slippers.  The  latter,  with  her  own 
hands,  she  placed  upon  his  feet,  and  put 
the  tie  around  his  neck  with  a  care  and  de- 
tail that  could  not  have  been  out  of  place  had 
she  been  decking  him  out  for  a  mari-iage 
feast.  She  then  combed  his  hair,  and,  after 
having  finished  the  last  loving  touch,  re- 
marked, "  Xow  you  are  ready,  Walter,  and  I 
will  go  M'ith  you."  Holding  her  husband's 
hand,  the  brave  little  woman  accompanied 
him  to  the  scatfold,  amid  the  stillness  that 
was  absolutely  painful.  They  took  seats  side 
by  side;  she,  tenderly  taking  his  hand  in 
hers,  caressed  it,  and  then,  giving  away  to 
tears,  she  fell  wailing  upon  his  breast.  Thus 
they  sat,  while  prayers  ascended  to  heaven 
asking  mercy  upon  the  doomed  man,  she 
sobbing  upon  his  bosom  and  he  calm,  await- 
ing his  fate. 

The  sheriff'  changed  the  scene,  saying, 
"  Stand  up,  Walter  Watson."  The  wife  arose 
with  him.  "  Good  by,  Walter,"  were  her 
parting  words  as  she  once  more  passionately 
kissed  him.  Then  turning  her  pale  face,  full 
of  bitterness  and  reproach,  upon  the  specta- 


^ 


GOVERNMENTAL. 


tors,  she  fell  into  the  loving  arms  of  some 
female  friends  and  was  borne  away. 

After  the  execution,  the  body  of  her  dead 
husband  was  delivered  to  her.  She  had  been 
weeping  loud  and  bitterly,  but  she  heroically 
dried  lier  eyes,  approached  the  coffin,  looked 
lovingly  upon  the  dead  face,  kissed  his  lips, 
eyes  and  brow,  arranged  the  neck-tie  with 
tender  hands  once  again,  and  quietly  said, 
"  JS'ow  please  close  the  coffin  and  let  no  one 
yce  my  Walter  again.  I  cry  no  more.  God 
have  mercy  upon  me  and  little  baby!  '' 

EARLY  JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  all  the  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  with  dates  of  commissions, 
who  were  appointed  for  Vermillion  County 
previous  to  1830: 

James  Blair,  Zeno  Worth,  William  Ar- 
nold, John  Hair,  Sr.,  Michael  Patton,  John 
Porter,  James  Andrew  and  Joseph  Schooling, 
August  7,  1824;  Christian  Zabrisky,  October 
10,  1825;  John  Gardner,  December  17, 
1825;  Samuel  Paish,  October  16,  1826;  Nor- 
man D.  Palmer,  IS'ovember  1,  1826;  Jacob 
Custer,  March  19,  1827;  John  T.  Chunn, 
June  11,  1827;  Isaac  Keys,  January  2,  1828; 
John  Anglin,  February  24,  1828;  John  Ar- 
mour, June  13,  1828;  James  Groenendyke, 
June  13,  1828;  John  Payne,  December  8, 
1828;  Thomas  Chenoweth,  June  19,  1829; 
Joseph  Shaw,  September  18,  1829;  George 
Hansncker,  September  18,  1829;  Joseph 
Schooling,  September  18,  1829. 

OFFICIAL    REGISTER. 

Below  are  given  the  names  of  the  incum- 
bents of  the  several  county  offices,  with  the 
dates  of  their  legal  assumption  of  office, 
from  the  organization  of  the  county  in  1824 
to  the  present  yer.r,  1887.  The  names  and 
dates  are  strictly  correct,  being  obtained  from 


the  official  records  in  the  Secretary  of  State's 
office  at  Indianapolis. 


William  Fulton,  February  1,  1824;  Caleb 
Bales,  September  8,  1825;  Charles  Trow- 
bridge, August  14,  1828;  William  Craig, 
August  28,1832;  Allen  Stroud,  August  16, 
1834;  William  Bales,  August  13,  1838; 
Charles  Trowbridge,  August  8,  1842;  Owen 
Craig,  August  20,1846;  Eli  Newlin,  August 
25,  1848;'Ricliard  Potts,  August  12,  1852; 
James  II.  Weller,  November  18,  1856;  Isaac 
Porter,  November  18,  I860:  Harvey  D. 
Crane,  November  18,  1861;  Jacob  S.  Steph- 
ens, November  18,  1868;  Lewis  II.  Beck- 
man,  November  18,  1872;  Spencer  II. 
Dallas,  November  18,  1876;  William  C. 
Myers,  November  18,  1880;  John  A.  Darby, 
November  18,  1884. 

CLERKS  AND    REOJRDERS. 

James  Thompson,  April  22, 1824  (declined 
to  qualify);  William  Kennedy,  September  8, 
1824  (died  in  office);  James  T.  Pendleton, 
August  29,  1826;  Stephen  B.  Gardner,  Au- 
gust 27,  1827;  John  W. Push.  June  8,1833; 
Alexander  B.  Florer,  April  22,  1838.  Offices 
separated  in  the  spring  of  1852. 


James  A.  Bell,  April  22,  1852;  William 
E.  Livengood,  April  22,  1860;  James  A. 
Bell,  April  22,  1868;  William  Gibson,  April 
22,  1872;  James  Roberts,  April  22,  1880; 
Alfred  R.  Hopkins,  April  22,  1884. 


Alexander  B.  Florer,  April  22,  1852;  An- 
drew F.  Adams,  November  2,  1861;  Robert 
E.  Stephens,  November  2,  1865;  Jacob  A. 
Souders,    November   2,   1874;  Cornelius  S. 


! 


i( 


Davis,  October  26,  1878;  Melville  B.  Carter, 
November  13,  1886. 

TREASURERS. 

William  Utter,  November  23,  1852; 
George  11.  Sears,  November  23,  1854; 
George  W.  Englisb,  November  23,  1856; 
James  A.  Foland,  November  23,  1860; 
James  A.  Bell,  November  23,  1864;  Samuel 
B.  Davis,  November  23,  1865;  James  A. 
Foland,  November  23,  1870;  James  Os- 
borne, November  23,  1874;  John  H.  Bogart, 
November  23,  1876;  Henry  O.  Peters,  No- 
vember 23,  1880;  William  L.  Porter,  Novem- 
ber 23,  1884. 

ASSOCIATE  JUPGES. 

Jacob Castleiuan,  April 22, 1824 (resigned); 
Jacob  Andrick,  April  22,  1824;  Christian 
Zabrisky,  February  4,  1828;  Joseph  Hain, 
Aug'.ist  14,  1828  (resigned  on  being  elected 
Judge);  John  Porter,  April  22, 1831  (resign- 
ed); Alexander  Morehead,  August  19,  1831; 
Mattliew  Stokes,  JVJarch  4,  1835  (resigned); 
Robert  G.  Roberts,  August  18,  1835  (resign- 
ed); Charles  Johnston,  July  11, 1836;  Joseph 
Shaw,  August  9,  1836  (removed  from  coun- 
ty); Alexander  Morehead,  April  22,  1838 
(resigned) ;  Joel  Hume,  August  27,  1838 
(resigned);  Ashley  Harris,  August  11,  1840; 
Eli  Brown,  August  11,  1840  (removed  from 
county);  James  M.  Morris,  October  17, 1842. 
Office  abolished  by  Constitution  of  1852. 

PROBATE  JUDGES. 

Asaph  Hill,  August  14,  1829;  John  W. 
Rush,  January  8,  1833  (resigned);  Rezin 
Shelby,  May  6,  1833;  Francis  Chenoweth, 
August  19,  1847.  Office  abolished  by  Con- 
stitution of  1852. 

AUIIITORS. 

David  Shelby,  August  30, 1854;  Henry  D. 
Washburn,  June  7, 1856;  George  W.  English, 


November  18,  1860;  James  Tarrence,  No- 
vember 18, 1864;  Thomas  Cnshman,  Novem- 
ber 18,  1872;  Elias  Pritchard,  November  18, 
1880. 

SURVEYORS. 

Greenup  Castleman,  March  6, 1824;  James 
Osborn,  November  11,  1826;  John  Collett. 
August  30,  1854;  Edward  Griffin,  November 
18,  1856;  John  Fleming,  November  2,1857; 
David  Shelby,  November  2,  1859;  B.  E. 
Rhoads,  November  2,  1860;  Daniel  Shelby, 
November  2,  1861;  James  M.  Lacy,  Novem- 
ber 7,  1862;  Buskin  E.  Rhoads,  November  2, 
1863;  John  Davis,  November  7,  1864; 
Martin  G.  Rhoads,  October  28,  1865;  Will- 
iam F.Henderson,  October  26,  1870;  John 
Henderson,  October  30,  1872;  Richard  Hen- 
derson, October  30,  1874;  John  Ilendei-son, 
October  30,  1876;  Piatt  Z.  Anderson,  Octo- 
ber 30,  1878;  Fred  Rush,  November  13, 
1884. 

CORONERS. 

Matthew  Stokes,  September  8, 1824;  Carter 
Hollingsworth,  August  29,  1826;  Matthew 
Stokes,  August  14,  1828;  Edward  Marlow, 
August  28,  1832;  Matthew  Stokes,  August 
16,  1834  (resigned);  Peter  J.  Yandever, 
August  18,  1835;  Alfred  T.  Duncan,  August 
9,  1836;  William  Malone,  August  14,  1837; 
Leonard  P.  Coleman,  August  10,  1841;  Will- 
iam Malone,  August  8, 1842;  Durham  Hood, 
August  23,  1844;  Daniel  C.  Sanders,  August 
25,  1848;  Joseph  E.  Ilepner,  August  23, 
1850;  Andrew  Dennis,  August  12,  1852; 
John  Vanduyn,  August  30,  1854;  Robert 
Elliott,  November  18,  1856;  David  Smith, 
November  2,  1857;  George  Luellen,  Novem- 
ber 18,  1858;  John  L.  Howard,  November  2, 
1861;  R.  Harlow  Washburn,  October  30, 
1868;  Tliomas  Brindley,  October  30,  1870; 
Hezekiah  Casebeer,  October  30,  1880; 
Thomas  Brindley,  October  30,  1882, 


OOVERNMENTAL. 


EARLY  CAMPAIGNIMG. 

As  a  relic  of  tlie  enthusiasm  -wliicli  existed 
in  the  old  Whig  party  at  the  date  mentioned, 
the  following  letter  will  prove  interesting. 
It  was  signed  l>j  prominent  citizens  of  Per- 
rysville. 

Pekeysville,  Ind.,  July  10,  1844. 
Dk.  R.  M.  Waterman,  Lodi: 

Respected  Sir: — Owing  to  the  political 
excitement  of  the  times,  and  to  the  expected 
visit  of  Mr.  R.  W.  Thompson  to  our  place  on 
next  Friday,   with  all    creation    besides,  we 


have  been  induced  to  ask  you  to  favor  the 
AVhigs  of  this  place  with  the  loan  of  your 
cannon  for  PMday  next.  We  wish  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  noise  of  this  little  loco-foco  pocket 
piece,  with  a  few  rounds  from  a  Whig  gun. 
Yours,  etc., 
Thomas  II.  Smith,  —  Parnes,  John  Kirk- 
patrick,  David  Hulick,  James  Plair,  P.  H. 
P.oyd,  M.  Gookins,  C.  R.  Jewett,  R.  Haven, 
W.  II.  Prown,  Joseph  Cheadle,  AV.  P.  Mof- 
fatt,  J.  S.  Paxter,  R.  J.  Gessie,  S.  Parnes, 
A.  Hill,  C.  F.  McNeill,  Jacob  Sherfy,  Austin 
Pishop,  J.  S.  Stephens,  P.  R.  Howe,  John  R, 
McNeill,  A.  Dennis,  G.  II.  McNeill. 


^^ 


UISTOItY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


'HE  greatest  difference 
l)et\\een  the  Northern 
and  the  Southern  States 
of  this  Union  evidently 
lias  always  related  to 
the  institution  of  slave- 
ry; but  thib,  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  republic,  engendered 
other  prejudices,  especially  in 
the  South  against  the  customs 
of  the  Yankee,  so  that,  in  course 
of  time,  and  in  accordance  with 
that  feature  of  human  nature' 
licli  inclines  to  find  other 
faults  than  the  main  one  with 
the  opposite  party,  the  South- 
ern people  began  to  hate  the  Northern  more 
on  account  of  certain  "  Yankee"  customs  than 
on  account  of  abolitionism  itself.  Like  a 
mass  of  food  in  a  nauseated  stomach,  the 
slavery  question  would  not  remain  settled, 
after  all  the  attempts  at  compromise  in  1820, 
1850  and  1854,  so  that,  on  the  approach  of 
the  Presidential  election  of  1860,  it  became 
evident,  on  account  of  the  division  of  the 
Democratic  party,  that  the  "  abolition  "  party 


would  for  the  first  time  elect  their  nominee 
for  President  of  the  United  States.  He  was 
elected,  and  the  most  hot-headed  Southern 
State  immediately  led  off  in  a  reltellion,  other 
States  following  during  the  winter.  They 
mustered  their  military  forces,  and  by  the 
12th  of  April,  1861,  concluded  they  were 
ready  to  commence  shooting.  On  that  day 
they  opened  upon  Fort  Sumter  and  comjielled 
it  to  surrender. 

As  to  the  part  taken  by  the  Vermillion 
County  people  in  suppressing  this  great  in- 
surrection, we  give  a  brief  sketch  of  the  re- 
spective regiments  in  which  this  county  wa» 
represented  by  volunteers. 

FOCKTEENTH     IXFANTRY. 

The  patriotism  of  Vermillion  County  was 
quick  to  demonstrate  itself,  as  a  company  was 
formed  at  Clinton  within  three  or  four  weeks 
after  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Sumter,  the 
first  overt  act  of  rebellion.  This  was  organ- 
ized as  Company  I  of  the  Fourteenth  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry,  with  Philander  E.  Owen 
as  Captain,  who  was  during  the  war  promoted 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  when  John  Lindsey  was 


«SS«??sa«is5S? 


^^iga«5gBgMg»gBgg.fa'^?ag5»y»^"i^»«^  ;  ^ 


THE    CIVIL     WAR. 


commissioned  Captain  to  sncceed  him.  Cap- 
tain Lindsey,  who  enlisted  as  First  Lieuten- 
ant, was  mustered  out  June  24,  1864,  on  the 
expiration  of  his  term.  Upon  his  promotion 
to  the  position  of  Captain,  William  P.  Has- 
kell, who  had  been  appointed  Second  Lieuten- 
ant of  the  organization,  was  commissioned 
First  Lieutenant  to  till  the  vacancy,  and  was 
discharged  November  25,  1863,  for  promo- 
tion in  the  Fourth  liegimentof  United  States 
colored  troops.  James  M.  Mitchell  was  pro- 
moted tVom  the  ottice  of  Second  Lieutenant 
to  that  of  P''irst  Lieutenant.  The  Colonels 
of  the  Fourteenth,  in  succession,  were:  Na- 
than Kimball,  of  Loogootee,  who  was  pro- 
moted Brigadier  General;  William  Harrow, 
of  Vincennes,  also  promoted,  and  John  Coons, 
of  Vincennes,  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Spottsylvania  •  Court-House,  Virginia,  May 
12,  1864. 

The  Fourteenth  Regiment  was  originally 
organized  at  Camp  Vigo,  near  Terre  Haute, 
in  May,  1861,  as  one  of  the  six  regiments  of 
State  troops  accepted  for  one  year.  Upon  the 
call  for  three  years  troops  the  regiment  vol- 
unteered almost  unanimously  for  that  ser- 
vice. The  new  organization  was  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  at  Terre  Haute, 
June  7, 1861,  being  the  lirst  three  years  regi- 
ment mustered  into  service  in  the  whole  State 
of  Indiana.  On  its  organization  there  were 
1,134  men  and  otiicers.  They  left  Indianap- 
olis July  5,  fully  armed  and  equipped,  for  the 


seat   ot    war 


Western    Vi 


•gini 


They 


served  on  outpost  duty  until  October,  when 
they  had  their  first  engagement  at  Cheat 
Mountain,  with  Lee's  army,  losing  three 
killed,  eleven  wounded  and  two  prisoners. 
Their  second  engagement  was  vii'tually  in  the 
same  battle,  at  Greenbrier,  October  3,  when 
they  lost  live  killed  and  eleven  wounded. 

March  23,  1862,  under   General    Shields, 
Colonel  Kimball  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Har-  | 


row,  they  participated  in  the  decisive  battle 
of  Winchester,  when  they  lost  four  killed 
and  fifty  wounded. 

Besides  a  great  deal  of  marching  and  other 
duty,  they  marched  839  miles  between  May 
12  and  June  23,  a  part  of  which  time  most 
of  the  men  were  without  shoes  and  short  of 
rations.  In  July,  for  some  twenty  days,  they 
were  kept  on  outpost  duty  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  coming  in  contact  with  the 
enemy  almost  night  and  day.  August  17 
they  participated  in  the  great  battle  of 
Antietam,  serving  in  Kimball's  brigade  of 
French's  division,  it  being  the  only  portion 
of  the  line  of  battle  tliat  did  not,  at  some 
time  during  the  engagement,  give  waj'.  On 
this  account  the  men  received  from  General 
French  the  title  of  the  "Gibraltar  Brigade." 
The  Fourteenth  was  engaged  for  four  hours 
within  sixty  yards  of  the  enem3''s  line,  and, 
after  exhaustiiig  sixty  rounds  of  cartridges, 
they  supplied  themselves  with  others  from 
the  boxes  of  their  dead  and  wounded  com- 
panions. In  this  fight  the  men  were  reduced 
in  number  from  320  to  150  !  Soon  afterward 
they  were  still  further  reduced  at  the  battle 
of  Fredericksburg. 

April  28,  1863,  being  a  little  recruited  by 
some  of  the  wounded  recovering,  they  were 
at  the  front  in  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville, 
and  also  at  the  desperate  battle  of  Gettysburg, 
where  they  lost  heavily,  but  did  splendid 
work.  Even  after  this  they  engaged  in  sev- 
eral severe  fights,  and  some  of  the  men  re- 
enlisted,  December  24,  1863.  This  noble 
regiment — what  there  was  left  of  it — was 
finally  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
July  12,  1865. 

SIXTEENTH    INFANTRY. 

This  was  first  organized  in  May,  1861,  as  a 
one-year  regiment,  containing  some  volun- 
teers from  Vermillion  County.     Pleasant  A 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


Hackleman,  of  Eusliville,  wasthe  first  Colonel, 
and,  on  his  promotion-  to  the  brigadier- 
generalship,  Thomas  J.  Lucas,  of  Lawrence- 
bnrg,  was  placed  as  Colonel.  Horace  S. 
Crane,  of  Clinton,  this  county,  was  mustered 
in  as  Second  Lieutenant  of  Company  I,  and 
mustered  out  w-ith  the  regiment  as  Sergeant. 
May  27,  1862,  this  was  re-organized  for 
three  years  service,  but  was  not  mustered  in 
until  the  nineteenth  of  August.  On  the  30tli 
of  this  month  it  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Richmond,  Kentucky,  losing  200  men  killed 
and  wounded  and  600  prisoners!  After  the 
defeat  the  prisoners  were  paroled  and  sent  to 
Indianapolis,  and  were  exchanged  November 
1.  The  regiment  afterward  participated  in 
the  Vicksburg  campaign,  and  did  great  duty 
in  Texas  and  at  Arkansas  Post,  where  it  was 
the  first  to  plant  the  Union  colors  within  the 
fort.  Its  loss  was  seventy-seven  men,  killed 
and  wounded.  In  April  it  participated  in  a 
successful  engagement  at  Port  Gibson,  and 
during  the  ensuing  several  mouths  it  was 
engaged  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  in  which 
it  lost  sixty  men,  killed  and  wounded.  Sub- 
sequently it  had  several  skirmishes  with  the 
enemy  in  Louisiana,  and,  in  the  expedition 
np  the  Red  River,  sixteen  engagements.  The 
regiment  was  mustered  out  at  New  Orleans, 
June  30,  1865. 

EIGHTEENTH    INFANTKV. 

Company  C,  of  this  regiment,  was  wholly 
made  up  of  Yermillion's  noble  sons,  and  all 
its  officers  in  the  roster  are  credited  to  New- 
port. John  C.  Jcnks  was  promoted  from 
Captain  to  Major;  James  A.  Bell,  from  First 
Lieutenant  to  Captain;  Josiah  Campbell  and 
William  B.  Hood,  from  private  to  Captain; 
Harvey  D.  Crane  and  Oscar  B.  Lowroy,  from 
Sergeants  to  First  Lieutenants;  William  II. 
Burtut  was  promoted  from  private  to  First 
Lieutenant;  AVilliam  M,  Mitchell,  from   pri- 


vate to  Second  Lieutenant;  William  W.Zener, 
from  First  Sergeant  to  Second  Lieutenant,  and 
then  to  Adjutant;  Jasper  Nebeker  was  Second 
Lieutenant,  and  died  in  the  service;  Robert 
H.  Nixon  and  John  Anderson  wer  eSergeants; 
the  Corporals  were  Samuel  B.  Davis,  soon 
disabled  by  disease,  and  now  editor  of  the 
Iloosier  State;  John  F.  Stewart,  James  O. 
Boggs,  Alonzo  Hostetter,  Aaron  Ilise,  James 
Henry,  Charles  Gerrish  and  John  A.  Henry. 
John  F.  Leighton,  of  the  recruits,  was  pro- 
moted from  the  ranks  to  the  position  of  Cor- 
poral. Hugh  H.  Conley,  another  recruit, 
has  since  become  a  prominent  citizen  of  the 
county. 

Thomas  Pattison,  of  Aurora,  was  the  first 
Colonel  of  the  Eighteenth,  and  on  his  resigna- 
tion, June  3,  1862,  Henry  D.  Washburn,  of 
Newport,  succeeded  him.  The  latter  was 
brevetted  Brigadier  General  December  15, 
1864,  and  mustered  out  July  15,  1865. 

The  first  service  rendered  b}'  this  regiment 
— which  was  mustered  in  August  16,  1861 
— was  in  Fremont's  march  to  Springfield, 
Missouri.  Soon  afterward  at  Black  Water, 
it  participated  in  capturing  a  large  number 
of  prisoners.  In  March,  1862,  it  was  en- 
gaged in  the  fierce  contest  at  Pea  Ridge, 
where  its  brigade  saved  from  capture  another 
brigade,  and  the  Eighteenth  recaptured  the 
guns  of  the  Peoria  Artillery.  After  several 
minor  engagements  in  Arkansas  it  returned 
to  Southeastern  Missouri,  where  it  was  on 
duty  during  the  ensuing  winter.  The  fol- 
lowing spring  it  was  transferred  to  Grant's 
army,  and,  as  part  of  the  divis'ion  commanded 
by  General  Carr,  participated  in  the  flanking 
of  the  enemy's  position  at  Grand  Gulf,  and 
May  1,  in  the  battle  at  Port  Gilison,  captur- 
ing a  stand  of  colors  and  some  artillery;  also, 
on  the  15th,  at  Champion  Hills,  and  on  the 
ITtli,  at  Black  River  Bridge.  From  the  lUtli 
until  July  4,  it  was  employed  in  the  fanmus 


siege  of  Vicksburg,  where,  during  the  assault, 
it  was  tlie  first  regiment  to  plant  its  colors  on 
the  enemy's  works. 

After  tlie  capitulation  of  Vicksburg,  July 
4,  1863,  the  regiment  moved  to  New  Orleans, 
and  during  the  fall  participated  in  the  cam- 
paign up  the  Teche  River,  and  in  the  opera- 
tions in  that  part  of  Louisiana.  November 
12,  it  embarked  for  Texas,  wliere,  on  tlie  17tli, 
it  was  engaged  in  the  capture  of  a  fort  on 
Mustang  Island,  and  also  in  the  successful 
attack  on  Fort  Esperanza,  on  the  26th.  After 
a  furlough,  in  the  winter  and  spring  of  1864, 
it  joined  General  Butler's  forces  at  Bermuda 
Hundred,  in  July,  where  it  had  several  severe 
skirmishes.  August  19,  it  joined  General 
Sheridan's  Army  of  the  Shenandoah.  In  the 
campaign  that  followed,  the  regiment  par- 
ticipated in  t-he  battle  of  Opequan,  losing 
fifty-four,  killed  and  wounded;  also,  in  the 
pursuit  and  defeat  of  Early,  seven  killed  and 
wounded;  and  in  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek, 
October  19,  losing  fifty-one,  killed  and  wound- 
ed, besides  thirty-five  prisoners. 

From  the  middle  of  January,  1805,  for 
three  months,  the  Eighteenth  was  assisting  in 
building  fortifications  at  Savannah.  May  3, 
it  was  the  first  to  raise  the  stars  and  stripes 
at  Augusta,  Georgia.  "Was  mustered  out 
August  28,  1865. 

THIKTY-FIKST    INFANTRY. 

This  regiment,  in  which  were  a  number  of 
volunteers  from  Vermillion  Count}-,  was  or- 
ganized at  Terre  Haute,  September  15,  1861, 
for  three  years'  service.  The  colonels  were, 
in  order,  Charles  Cruft,  of  Terre  Haute,  John 
Osborn,  of  Bowling  Green,  John  T.  Smith, 
of  Bloomfield,  and  James  E.  Hallowell,  of 
Bellmore.  It  participated  in  the  decisive 
battle  of  Fort  Donelson;  in  the  battle  of 
Shiloh,  where  it  lost  twenty-two  killed,  110 
wounded  and   ten    missing;  in   the  siege  of 


Corinth;  was  stationed  at  various  places  in 
Tennessee;  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Stone 
Iviver  and  Chattanooga,  of  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, Nashville,  etc.,  and  was  on  duty  in  the 
Southwest  until  late  in  the  fall  of  1865, 
many  months  after  the  termination  of  the 
war. 

FOETY-THIRD    INFANTRY. 

Company  I,  of  this  regiment,  was  from 
Vermillion  County.  Samuel  J.  Hall  was 
Captain  from  the  date  of  muster,  October  9, 
1861,  to  January  7,  1865,  the  close  of  his 
term  of  enlistment;  and  then  Robert  B. 
Sears  was  Captain  until  the  regiment  was 
mustered  out.  He  was  promoted  from  the 
position  of  Corporal  to  that  of  First  Lieuten- 
ant, and  finally  to  that  of  Captain.  David  A. 
Ranger,  of  Toronto,  was  First  Lieutenant. 
William  L.  Martin,  of  Newport,  was  first  the 
Second  and  then  the  First  Lieutenant.  George 
W.  Shewmaker  was  Second  Lieutenant  for  the 
first  seven  and  a  half  months.  John  Love- 
lace was  first  a  private  and  then  Second  Lieu- 
tenant. 

George  K.  Steele,  of  Rockville,  was  Colo- 
nel of  the  regiment  until  January  16,  1862; 
William  E.  McLean,  of  Terre  Haute,  until 
May  17,  1865,  and  John  C.  Major  from  that 
time  till  the  regiment  was  mustered  out. 

The  first  engagement  this  regiment  had 
was  the  sieges  of  New  Madrid  and  Island 
No.  10.  Next  it  was  attached  to  Commodore 
Foote's  gunboat  fleet  in  the  reduction  of  Fort 
Pillow,  serving  sixty-nine  days  in  that  cam- 
paign. It  was  the  first  Union  regiment  to 
land  in  the  city  of  Memphis,  and,  with  the 
Forty-sixth  Indiana,  constituted  the  en- 
tire garrison,  holding  that  place  for  two 
weeks,  until  reinforced.  In  July,  1862,  the 
Forty-third  was  ordered  up  AVhite  River, 
Arkansas,  and  subsequently  to  Helena.  At 
the  l)attle  at  this  place  a  year  afterward,  the 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


regiment  was  especially  distinguished,  alone 
supporting  a  battery  that  was  three  times 
charged  by  the  enemy,  repulsing  each  at- 
tack, and  linally  capturing  a  full  rebel  regi- 
ment larger  in  point  of  numbers  than  its  own 
strength. 

It  aided  in  the  capture  of  Little  Kock.  At 
this  place,  January  1,  1864,  the  regiment  re- 
enlisted,  numbering  aboiit  400.  Next  it  was 
in  the  battles  of  Elkins'  Ford,  Jenkins' 
Ferry,  Camden  and  Marks'  Mills,  near  Saline 
River.  At  the  latter  place,  April  30,  the 
brigade  to  which  it  was  attached,  while  guard- 
ing a  train  of  400  wagons  returning  from 
Camden  to  Pine  Bluffs,  was  furiously  attacked 
by  about  6,000  of  Marmaduke's  cavalry.  The 
Forty-third  lost  nearly  200  in  killed,  woiinded 
and  missing  in  this  engagement.  Among 
the  captured  were  104  of  the  re-enlisted  vet- 
erans. 

The  regiment  next  came  home  on  veteran 
furlough,  but  while  enjoying  this  vacation 
they  volunteered  to  go  to  Frankfort,  Ken- 
tucky, which  was  threatened  by  Morgan's 
cavalry,  and  where  they  remained  until  the 
rebel  forces  left  Central  Kentucky.  For  the 
ensuing  year  it  guarded  the  rebel  prisoners  at 
Camp  Morton,  near  Indianapolis.  After  the 
war  was  over  it  was  among  the  first  regi- 
ments mustered  out,  being  mustered  oxit  at 
Indianapolis,  June  14,  1865.  Of  the  164 
men  captured  from  this  regiment  in  Arkansas 
and  taken  to  the  rebel  prison  at  Tyler,  Texas, 
ten  or  twelve  died. 

SEVENTY-FIRST     INFANTRY,     SUBSEQUENTLY     THE 
SIXTH    CAVALRY. 

Company  A  of  this  regiment  was  exclu- 
sively from  Yermillion  County.  Andrew  J. 
Dowdy,  of  Clinton,  was  Ca])tain;  Robert 
Bales,  of  Clinton,  First  Lieutenant;  William 
O.  Norris,  of  the  same  place.  Second  Lieuten- 
ant,    killed     at    the     battle     of    Richmond, 


Kentucky;  Joseph  Hasty,  from  Newport, 
succeeded  him  as  Second  Lieutenant;  First 
Sergeant,  William  O.  Washburn,  of  Clinton; 
Sergeants — Francis  D.  Weber,  of  Newport, 
Johnson  Malone,  Alexander  M.  Staats  and 
George  W.  Scott,  of  Clinton;  Corporals — 
Joseph  Brannan,  Richard  M.  Rucker,  Lewis 
H.  Beckman,  Larkin  Craig,  Daniel  Buntin, 
Reuben  H.  Glearwaters,  John  L.  Harris  and 
Charles  Blanford;  Musicians,  George  W.  Har- 
bison and  James  Simpson.  Most  of  these 
were  credited  to  Clinton,  though  some  of 
them,  as  well  as  many  of  the  privates,  which 
were  accredited  to  Clinton,  and  some  to  New- 
port, were  from  Helt  Township. 

The  Colonel  of  this  regiment  was  James 
Biddle,  of  Indianapolis. 

The  Seventy-first  was  first  organized  as  in- 
fantry, at  Terre  Haute,  in  July  and  August, 
1862.  Its  first  duty  was  to  repel  the  invasion 
of  Kirby  Smith  in  Kentucky.  August  30  it 
was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Richmond,  Ken- 
tucky, with  a  loss  of  215  killed  and  wounded, 
and  847  prisoners.  After  the  latter  were  ex- 
changed, 400  men  and  ofiicers  of  the  regiment 
were  sent  to  Mnldraugh's  Hill  to  guard  tres- 
tle work;  and  on  the  following  day  they  were 
attacked  by  a  force  of  4,000  rebels  under 
command  of  General  John  H.  Morgan,  and 
after  an  engagement  of  an  hour  and  a  half 
were  surrounded  and  captured.  The  remain- 
der of  the  regiment  then  returned  to  Indian- 
apolis, where  they  remained  until  August  26, 
1863. 

During  the  ensuing  autumn,  with  two  ad- 
ditional companies,  L  and  M,  they  were  or- 
ganized as  a  cavalry  regiment,  and  were  sent 
into  Eastern  Tennessee,  where  they  engaged 
in  the  siege  of  Knoxville  and  in  the  opera- 
tions against  General  Longstreet,  on  the  IIol- 
ston  and  Clinch  rivers,  losing  many  men  in 
killed  and  wounded.  ISfay  11,  1S04,  they 
joined  General    Sherman's  ai-my  in  front  of 


TSE    CIVIL    WAR. 


Dal  ton,  Georgia,  wlierc  it  was  assigned  to  the 
cavalry  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  com- 
manded by  General  Stonenian.  They  en- 
gaged in  the  battles  of  Resaca,  Cassville, 
Kenesaw  Monntain,  etc.,  aided  in  the  capture 
of  Alatoona  Pass,  and  was  the  first  to  take 
possession  of  and  raise  the  flag  upon  Lost 
Monntain.  In  Stoneinan's  raid  to  Macon, 
Georgia,  tlie  Sixth  Cavalry  lost  166  men. 

Returning  to  Nashville  for  another  equip- 
ment, it  aided  General  Rousseau  in  defeating 
Forrest  at  Pulaski,  Tennessee,  September  27, 
and  pursued  him  into  Alabama.  In  the  en- 
gagement at  Pnlaski  the  regiment  lost  twenty- 
three  men.  December  15  and  16  it  participated 
in  the  battle  at  Nashville,  and,  after  the  re- 
pulse of  Hood's  army,  followed  it  some  dis- 
tance. In  June,  1865,  a  portion  of  the  men 
were  mustered  out  of  the  service.  The  re- 
mainder were  consolidated  with  the  residual 
fraction  of  the  Fifth  Cavalry,  constituting 
the  Sixth  Cavalry,  ami  they  were  mustered 
out  in  September  following. 

EIGHTY-FIFTU    INFANTKV. 

Company  D,  of  this  regiment,  was  made 
up  from  the  southern  portion  of  Vermillion 
County.  William  Reeder,  of  Rockville,  was 
Captain  until  June  10,  1863,  and  thencefor- 
ward Caleb  Bales,  of  Toronto,  was  Captain, 
being  promoted  from  the  rank  of  Second 
Lieutenant.  The  vacancy  thus  made  was 
fllled  by  Elisha  Pierce,  of  Clinton,  who  was 
promoted  from  the  position  of  First  Sergeant. 
The  Sergeants  were  James  W.  Taylor,  of  To- 
ronto, William  A.  Richai'dson,  John  A.  C. 
Norris  and  David  Mitchell,  of  Clinton;  and 
the  Corporals  were  Brazier  E.  Henderson, 
Ben  White,  Samuel  Craig,  James  Andrews, 
Valentine  Foos,  Harrison  Pierce,  Joseph  Foos 
n;id  Wesley  A.  Brown.  Musicians,  Andrew 
•I.  Owen  and  John  A.  Curry. 

The  Colonels  of  the  Eighty-fifth  were  John 


P.  Baird,  of  Terre  Haute,  to  July  20,  1864, 
and  Alexander  B.  Crane,  of  the  same  city, 
until  the  mustering  out  of  the  regiment. 

This  regiment  was  organized  at  Terre 
Haute,  September  2,  1862.  Its  first  engage- 
ment was  with  Forrest,  with  Colonel  John 
Coburn's  brigade,  March  5,  1863,  when  the 
whole  brigade  was  captured.  The  men  Avere 
marched  to  Tullahoma,  and  then  transported 
to  Libby  Prison  at  Richmond,  amid  much 
suffering,  many  dying  along  the  route. 
Twenty-six  days  after  their  incarceration  the 
men  were  exchanged,  and  stationed  at  Frank- 
lin, Tennessee,  where  they  fought  in  skir- 
mishes until  Bragg's  army  fell  back.  The 
following  summer,  fall  and  winter  the  Eighty- 
fifth  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  Murfrees- 
boro,  guarding  the  railroad  from  Nashville 
to  Chattanooga.  It  participated  in  every  im- 
portant engagement  in  the  Atlanta  campaign, 
being  in  the  terrible  charge  upon  Resaca,  and 
in  the  battles  at  Cassville,  Dallas  Woods,  Gol- 
gotha Church,  Gulp's  Farm  and  Peach  Tree 
Creek.  At  the  last  mentioned  place  it  did 
deadly  work  among  the  rebels. 

This  brave  regiment  then  followed  Sher- 
man in  his  grand  march  to  the  sea,  and  back 
through  the  Carolinas,  engaging  in  several 
battles.  At  Averysboro  it  was  the  directing 
regiment,  charging  the  rebel  works  through 
an  open  fleld,  but  suffered  greatly.  It  de- 
stroyed a  half  mile  of  railroad  in  forty  min- 
utes, corduroyed  many  miles  of  wagon  road, 
and  after  a  twenty-mile  march  one  day  it 
worked  hard  all  night  making  a  road  up  a 
steep,  muddy  bluff,  for  which  they  were 
highly  complimented  by  Generals  Siierman 
and  Slocum,  M'ho  had  given  directions  for  the 
work  and  were  eye  witnesses  to  its  execution. 
After  several  other  important  movements,  it 
had  the  pleasure  of  looking  as  proud  victors 
upon  Libby  Prison,  where  so  many  of  them 
had  suffered  in  captivity  in  1802.     Marching 


HISrORY    OF    YBllMILLION    COUNTY. 


to  Washington,  it  was  mustered  out  of  ser- 
vice, June  12,  1865.  The  remaining  recruits 
were  transferred  to  the  Thirty-third  Indiana, 
who  were  mustered  out  July  21,  at  Louisville, 
Kentucky. 


THE     ONE     HUMDRED     AND 

FANTKY, 


WENTV-NINTH      IN- 


contaiiiing  Company  K  from  Vermillion 
County,  was  recruited  from  the  Tenth  Con- 
gressional District  during  the  winter  of 
18G3-'64,  rendezvoused  at  Michigan  City, 
and  was  mustered  into  service  March  1, 1864, 
with  Charles  Case,  of  Fort  Wayne,  as  Colo- 
nel, and  Charles  A.  Zollinger,  of  the  san:e 
city,  as  Lieutenant  Colonel.  Of  Company  K, 
John  Q.  Washburn,  of  Newport,  was  Captain; 
Joseph  Simpson,  of  Highland,  First  Lieuten- 
ant, and  the  Second  Lieutenants  in  succession 
were  Thomas  C.  Swan,  of  Clinton,  Joseph 
Simpson,  of  Highland,  William  F.  Eddy,  of 
Warsaw,  and  James  Roberts,  of  Clinton. 
Henrj'  J.  Howard,  of  Toronto,  was  Sergeant. 
Corporals — Jasper  Hollingsworth,  Granville 
Gideon  and  John  A¥.  Nixon,  of  this  county, 
besides  others  from  other  counties. 

After  marching  a  great  deal,  the  first  bat- 
tle in  which  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
ninth  regiment  engaged  was  the  severe  contest 
at  Resaca,  opening  the  celebrated  campaign 
of  Atlanta.  This  was  a  great  victory  for  the 
Union  troops.  Tiie  next  battle  was  that  at 
New  Hope  Church.  Before  and  after  this, 
however,  there  was  almost  constant  skirmish- 
in  very  rainy    weather.     July  19,  1864, 


the  regiment  was 


igage 


d  in  a  severe  fitjht 


near  Decatur,  Georgia,  where  they  lost  heav- 
ily. Soon  afterward  they  were  in  the  fight 
at  Strawberry  Run,  where  they  lost  twenty- 
five  men,  but  enabled  General  Hascall  toturn 
a  position  whicli  our  forces,  a  brigade  of  Gen- 


eral Schofield's  corps,  had   failed  to  turn  the 
day  before. 

Thence,  until  mid-winter,  tlie  regiment 
were  kept  busy  guai'ding  and  engaging  in 
skirmishes.  November  29  occurred  the  bat- 
tle of  Franklin,  where  the  enemy  were  re- 
pulsed with  great  loss.  During  the  latter 
portion  of  the  winter  they  were  marching 
and  skirmisliing  around  near  the  coast  of 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  and  engaged  in 
the  battle  of  Wise's  Forks,  where  the  enemy 
met  with  signal  disaster.  The  regiment  was 
engaged  in  provost  duty  about  Raleigh  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1865,  and  August  29  was 
miistered  out  of  the  service. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  foregoing  is  of  course  but  a  meager 
outline  of  what  the  brave  patriots  of  Ver- 
million County  did  for  their  country  during 
the  last  war;  and  those  who  did  not  go  to  the 
battle-field  did  their  duty  also,  in  giving 
moral  support  to  the  Government  and  labor- 
ing with  heart  and  hand  in  raising  materia! 
supplies  and  comforts  for  these  in  the  field. 
Soldiers'  aid  societies,  county  and  township 
levies,  etc.,  were  forthcoming  in  due  time, 
and  tlie  people  of  this  division  of  the  com- 
monwealth were  not  behind  in  those  noble 
and  terribly  self-sacrificing  offices  which  a 
gigantic  insurrection  devolves  upon  them. 

It  would  be  a  pleasure  were  we  able  to 
print  here  a  list  of  the  soldier  dead  of  Ver- 
million County  in  glowing  colors;  but  a  list 
only  of  those  in  Vermillion  Township  has 
been  compiled,  and  we  concluded  that  unless 
we  could  get  all  we  had  better  not  print  any. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  in  this  county  will  be  able  in 
the  course  of  time  to  complete  the  list. 


m 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


^^3^,^^^,_^^,^-^^,„^^-,^^^^-^,^^^^^^^^,^ 


ll       MISCELLANEOUS,  i   0, 


J:^^^^^^:^^:^:^^^^^::^^^^^:^-^^:^^^^^ 


RAILROADS. 


CHICAGO    &  E.\STERN  IIXIXOIS. 


lIOUGir  railroad  lines 
running  cast  and  west 
t  li  ro  VI  g  li  Vermillion 
County  were  projected 
as  long  ago  as  1847, 
the  north  and  south 
line  was  first  coni- 
ted,  is  the  most  important  in 
county,  and  will  therefore  be 
■  first  topic  under  this  head. 
The  division  from  Evansville  to 
re  Haute  was  built  as  early  as 
)3-'54:;  but  the  link  tlirough 
s  county,  connecting  Terre 
Haute  with  Danville  was  not  completed  until 
it  was  taken  up  by  Josephus  Collett,  Jr.,  in 
1868-'69.  This  wealthy  and  enterprising  gen- 
tleman, with  the  assistance  of  O.  P.  Davis, 
Nathan  Harvey,  William  E.  Livengood,  Jo- 
seph B.  Cheadle  and  others,  held  rousing 
mass  meetings  throughout  the  county,  when 
they  explained  the  advantages  of  the  road  and 
the  feasibility  of  building  it  with  a  very  light 
tax.    But  little  opposition  or  indifference  was 


manifested.  All  tlie  townships  in  the  county, 
in  1869,  voted  for  a  two  per  cent  tax — the 
limit  of  the  law — or,  rather,  one  per  cent,  in 
addition  to  the  one  per  cent,  voted  b}'  the 
county,  provided  it  should  be  needed. 

While  this  enterprise  was  pending,  a  few 
men  elsewhere  organized  themselves  as  the 
"  Eaccoon  A^alley  Eailroad  Company,"  osten- 


Har 


nony, 


Clay 


sibly  to  build  a  road  fror 
County,  to  a  point  on  the  State  line  near  the 
road-bed  of  the  old  "  Indiana  &  Illinois  Cen- 
tral liailroad  Company,"  passing  through 
Clay,  Parke  and  Vermillion  counties;  but  it 
was  generally  supposed  by  the  citizens  here 
that  that  was  merely  a  ruse,  just  prior  to  the 
vote  to  be  taken  on  the  north  and  south  line, 
to  defeat  the  latter.  Additional  discourage- 
ment was  also  derived  from  other  projected 
east  and  west  lines,  notably  the  narrow-gauge 
route  through  Eugene  Township,  in  which 
the  people  along  the  line  felt  much  interest. 

The  ensuing  election,  however,  gave  a  de- 
cided majority  for  aiding  the  nortli  and  south 
line,  then  called  the  "Evansville,  Terre 
Haute  &  Chicago  Eailroad."  This,  under 
the  management  of  Mr.  Collett  was  com- 
pleted, in  1870,  to    the  great  joy  of  the  peo- 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


pie  of  Vermillion  County,  but  not  "  to  the 
joy  "  of  most  of  tlie  villages  along  the  route; 
for,  strange  to  say,  it  seemed  to  be  the  object 
of  those  in  power  to  work  in  the  interests  of 
Terre  Hante  and  Dauville,  and  accordingly 
located  the  road  a  mile  or  so  distant  from  all 
the  villages  on  and  near  the  M-est  bank  of  the 
Wabash  except  Clinton.  This  location  of  the 
road  has  had  the  desired  effect,  iu  building 
up  Terre  Haute  and  Danville.  To  prove  the 
advantages  of  railroad  communication,  even 
Clinton  has  been  set  forward  of  all  the  other 
towns  in  the  county. 

Mr.  Collett  was  made  president  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  road,  which  position  he  held  until 
May  1,  1880,  when  the  link  was  leased  to  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Company,  the 
present  operators.  The  subsequent  year  ef- 
forts were  made  for  leasing  the  whole  line  to 
the  Louisville  &  Nashville,  and  were  nearly 
successful.  The  present  lessee  pays  the  pro- 
prietors $75,000  a  year  rental,  besides  all 
taxes  and  expeuses  for  repairs.  The  road  has 
a  funded  debt  of  $1,100,000,  the  interest  on 
which  is  six  per  cent. 

On  this  line  there  are  34^  miles  of  main 
track,  which  in  1880  was  assessed  at  $17,000 
per  mile;  seven  miles  of  side-track,  assessed 
at  $2,500  per  mile,  and  rolling  stock  at 
$1,300. 

The  stations  arc,  in  order  commencing  at 
the  south — Clinton,  Summit  Grove,  Hills- 
dale, Opeedce,  Newport,  Walnut  Grove, 
Cayuga  (or  Eugene),  Perrysville,  Gessie, 
Riley sburg  and  perhaps  two  or  three  ]ioints 
of  less  importance. 

INDIANAl'OLIS,  BLOOMINGTON    it  WESTKUN. 

The  first  railroad  proposed  through  Vermil- 
lion County  was  an  cast  and  west  line,  through 
the  northern  portion,  projected  as  early  as  1847, 
and  known  in  short  as  the  Wabash  route,  to 
run  from  Toledo,  Ohio,  to  Springtield,  Illinois. 


Stock  was  subscribed  in  this  county,  and  a 
route  surveyed.  The  first  eifort  was  to  build 
the  road  to  Paris  and  then  to  St.  Louis;  and 
after  considerable  grading  was  done,  the  en- 
terprise was  placed  under  anew  management, 
who  located  the  road  through  La  Fayette, 
Attica,  Danville  and  Springfield  to  St.  Louis, 
and  completed  it  in  1851-'52,  without  touch- 
ing any  part  of  this  county.  After  the  final 
location  of  the  road  in  this  jnanner  the  people 
of  Vermillion,  of  course,  lost  all  interest  iu  it. 
This  road  has  had  various  names:  at  present  it 
is  known  as  the  Wabash,  St.  Louis  &  Pacific. 
The  most  active  men  here  to  work  for  the 
location  of  this  road  through  Vermillion 
County  were  James  Blair,  J.  F.  Smith,  J.  N. 
Jones,  of  Perrysville,  and  Joseph  Moore  and 
Robert  A.  Barnett,  of  Eugene. 

After  struggling  and  waiting  for  many 
tedious  years,  a  company  was  finally  formed 
which  was  accommodating  enough  to'give  \gy- 
million  County  two  and  one-fifth  miles  of  track 
and  a  flag  station,  completing  it  in  1871-'72. 
This  has  long  been  known  as  the  Indianapolis, 
Bloomington  &  Western  Railway  Company, 
but  we  understand  they  have  recently  been 
merged  into  another,  comprising  an  extendeii 
system  of  railways.  In  1880  their  track  in 
this  county  was  assessed  at  $6,700  per  mile. 

TOLEDO,  ST.  LOUIS  &  KANSAS  CITY  RAILWAY  (nAR- 

kow-gauge). 

In  this  road  the  citizens  of  Eugene  Town- 
ship were  more  interested  than  any  other 
section  of  the  county.  They  took  subscrip- 
tions and  voted  a  tax,  but  the  original  com- 
pany failed  to  come  to  time  and  did  not 
realize  subscriptions,  stock  or  tax.  The  link 
here  was  then  known  as  the  Frankfort  & 
State  Line  Road.  The  Toledo,  Cincinnati  & 
St.  Louis  Railroad  Company  constructed  the 
road,  of  a  narrow  gauge,  in  1882,  but,  like 
the  other  company,  left  the  village  of  Eugene 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


223 


a  mile  and  a  half  to  one  side,  crossing  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Road  at  Cayuga. 
About  two  years  ago  the  company  was  re- 
organized under  the  name  given  in  our  head- 
ing, and  proceeded  immediately  to  enlarge 
the  track  to  the  standard  width,  put  on  first- 
class  rolling  stock  and  made  the  road  in  all 
respects  as  good  as  the  best. 

The  longest  bridge  on  its  route  is  across 
tiie  Wabash  opposite  Eugene,  having  five 
spans  of  160  feet  each.  Of  this  line  there 
are  eight  and  a  half  miles  of  main  track  in 
his  county,  assessed  in  1880  at  $12,000  per 
mile,  and  one  mile  of  side  track,  assessed  at 
$(100. 

INDIANAPOLIS,  KECATUR  ,V  SPRINGFIELD. 

This  railway  was  completed  about  1874, 
without  much  ado  in  raising  stock,  or  sub- 
scriptions or  tax  in  this  county.  Many  years 
ago,  about  1852-'5-4, — during  the  great  period 
of  railroad  projects  every  where, — the  "Indiana 
&  Illinois  Central  Railway  Company"  nearly 
completed  the  grading  on  this  route.  The 
road  is  now  leased  from  the  old  Indianapolis, 
Bloom ington  &  Western  Railway  Company. 
It  has  nine  and  a  half  miles  of  main  track  in 
this  county,  assessed  in  1880  at  $5,000  per 
mile,  and  the  rolling  stock  at  $1,700.  It  has 
two  stations  in  Vermillion  County,  namely — 
Hillsdale,  where  it  crosses  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  track,  and  Dana,  an  enter- 
prising town  two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the 
State  line. 

AGRICULTURAL. 

Every  acre  of  Yermillion  County  is  good 
farming  land.  About  one-fourth  the  area 
was  originally  prairie,  and  most  of  this  prairie 
is  of  the  common  black-soil  variety.  Nearly 
all  the  rest  of  the  county  is  second  bottom. 
All  this  area,  Ijping  easily  and  well  drained, 
is  available  for  profitable  cultivation.     The 


lower  bottom  lands  are  rich,  much  of  it  being 
subject  to  inundations,  which  leave  a  sediment 
equal  to  the  best  compost,  and  are  therefore 
the  best  for  corn,  except  that  the  floods  and 
frosts  are  often  untimely.  As  high  as  si.xty- 
five  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre,  and  110 
bushels  of  corn,  have  been  raised  in  Yermil- 
lion County. 

In  pioneer  times  hemp,  flax  and  cotton 
were  raised  here  to  a  considerable  extent. 
The  flax  and  cotton  were  "home-made"  into 
clothing.  Every  cabin  was  a  factory,  on  a 
small  scale.  The  machinery  for  the  manu- 
facture of  flax  consisted  of  a  brake,  a  wooden 
knife  to  swingle  out  shives  witli,  and  a  hackle 
to  remove  the  tow  and  straighten  out  the  lint. 
They  also  used  the  small  spinning-wheel 
("jenny")  to  twist  it  into  thread.  For  cot- 
ton, a  hand  gin  was  used,  and  hand  cai-ds 
were  employed  to  make  it  into  rolls,  which 
were  spun  into  thread  upon  a  large  spinning- 
wheel.  A  day's  work  for  a  woman  was  to 
card  and  spin  from  six  to  eight  cuts.  Ready- 
made  clothing  was  not  then  known.  Nearly 
every  man  was  his  own  shoemaker.  Some  of 
the  settlers  employed  an  itinerant  cobbler, 
who  went  from  house  to  house  in  the  fall  and 
winter  seasons  with  hiskit  of  tools,  which  was 
quite  limited,  and  boarded  with  the  family 
where  he  worked  until  they  were  shod  all 
around,  or  until  the  leather  was  all  used  up. 
If  there  was  not  enough  to  go  round  the 
youngest  had  to  go  barefoot  all  winter,  which 
was  frequently  the  case. 

At  first  the  settlers  could  not  enter  less 
than  160  acres  of  land,  M'hich  at  the  Congress 
price,  $2  an  acre,  amounted  to  more  than 
most  of  the  settlers  could  pay.  This  hardship, 
however,  was  soon  recognized  by  Congress, 
who  reduced  the  amount  that  might  be  en- 
tered to  forty  acres,  and  the  price  to  $1.25, 
so  that  any  one  who  could  raise  $50  could 
obtain  a  respectable  home. 


lii 


Agricultural  history  strictly  involves  more 
statistics  than  the  average  reader  has  the  pa- 
tience to  study,  or  even  refer  to,  and  we  must 
therefore  omit  at  least  the  details,  contenting 
ourselves  with  only  a  few  general  results. 

Of  wheat  there  was  raised  in  Vermillion 
County,  in  1880,  635,501  bushels;  1881, 
307,938 bushels;  1882,569,i20  bushels;  1883, 
14,955  bushels;  1884,  411,624  bushels. 

Of  corn,  in  bushels,  there  was  raised,  in 
1880, 662,701 ;  1881,  564,108 ;  1882, 970,051 ; 
1883,  832,260;  1884,  1,126,065. 

Of  oats,  during  those  years,  from  54,000 
to  104,000  bushels  was  raised;  of  barley,  from 
none  to  1,760  bushels;  of  rye,  from  100  to 
6,180  bushels;  Irish  potatoes,  18,000  to 
37,000  bushels;  sweet  potatoes,  48  to  840 
bushels;  buckwheat,  160  bushels  (only  the 
crop  for  1883  is  reported);  tobacco,  from  200 
to  3,000  pounds;  timothy  seed  saved,  200  to 
800  bushels. 

The  diminution  of  certain  crops  does  not 
indicate  actual  decline  of  the  agricultural 
interest  generalh',  as  more  ground  is  devoted 
to  pasturage  certain  periods  than  others. 

A  county  agricultural  society  was  organ- 
ized in  1866,  the  tirst  year  after  the  termina- 
tion of  the  war,  and  a  successful  fair  held. 
That  society  continued  to  bold  annual  -ex- 
liibitions  on  their  grounds  northeast  of  New- 
port until  1879,  when,  apparently  on  account 
of  the  railroad  running  through  the  grounds 
and  becoming  more  and  more  a  nuisance, 
public  interest  so  declined  that  they  practi- 
cally disbanded.  In  1880  a  joint  stock  com- 
pany was  orgaTiized,  but  they  failed  to  do 
anything.  Last  year,  liowever,  two  agri- 
cultural associations  were  organized  in  this 
county,  namely,  the  Vermillion  County  Fair 
Association,  liaving  its  headquartei-s  at  Eu- 
gene, and  the  Vermillion  County  Joint  Stock 
Societ}',  with  ]iead(]uarters  at  Newport.  Both 
held  fairs  last  year,  the  latter  with  success, 


but  the  former  with  a  red  need  aggregate  of 
receipts  on  account  of  rainy  weather.  Tiiey 
will  try  it  again  this  year.  At  the  Newport 
fair,  which  was  held  the  first  week  of  Octo- 
ber, the  total  receipts  were  over  $2,200. 
Every  premium  was  paid  in  full.  Two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  stalls  were  occupied  by  horses 
and  cattle,  steam  water-works  and  reser- 
voirs. No  drunkenness  nor  gambling  on  the 
ground,  and  everything  passed  otf  (quietly. 

rOPCLATION    AND    WEALTH. 


Townships, 

Personal  prop- 

inchuling 

Pop.  in 

erly  in 

towns.     Sq.  miles. 

1880. 

1883. 

Clinton,       42 

3,000 

S    643,675 

Helt,            72 

3,027 

1,411,745 

Vermillion,  45 

2,215 

1,086,385 

Eugene,       33 

1,340 

680,870 

Highland,    00 

2,433 
12,015 

1,300,950 

257 

$5,123,625 

The  data  for  tlie  above  figures  are  some- 
what characterized  by  discrepancy,  but  for 
practical  purposes  they  are  sufhciently  exact. 
The  real  estate  is  estimated  at  about  §6,000,- 
000  for  the  county.  The  total  wealth  of  tlie 
county  may  now  be  given  in  round  numbers 
at  about  $12,000,000. 

The  taxes  in  1880  were,  for  State  purposes, 
$17,219;  county,  $21,683;  town,  village  and 
school  district,  $16,962.  The  bonded  debt 
then  was  $27,600;  floating,  $100;  no  sink- 
ing fund. 

There  were,  in  1880,  forty-seven  manufac- 
turing establishments,  with  an  invested 
capital  of  $127,700,  employing  105  hands, 
to  whom  were  paid  in  wages  that  year  (end- 
ing May  31, 1880),  $22,025;  value  of  materi- 
als, $166,732;  of  products,  $222,946. 

Tlie  population  of  most  of  the  villages 
grown  a  great  deal  since  the  last  Federal  cen- 
sus was  taken.     The  estimates  given   by  th 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


residents  of  the  respective  villages  are  given 
in  the  township  histories  on  succeeding 
pages.  The  school  enumeration,  being  about 
one-tliird  of  the  total  population,  gives  cor- 
roboration of  the  estimates  adopted. 

It  has  often  been  a  subject  of  remark  that 
there  is  something  aT)out  Vermillion  County 
that  is  very  favorable  to  longevity.  In  1877 
it  was  ascertained  that  there  were  ninety-six 
voters  in  the  county  between  seventy  and 
eighty  years  of  age,  nineteen  between  eighty 
and  ninety,  and  two  over  ninet3-.  At  that 
time  Jesse  Richmond  was  the  oldest  man  in 
the  county,  being  ninety-five  years  of  age, 
and  his  wife,  who  was  then  still  living,  was 
ninety-four  years  old. 

THOKOUGHFAEES. 

In  addition  to  the  account  we  have  given 
of  the  railroads,  we  should  note  the  advance 
made  over  the  rest  of  the  territory.  At  first 
the  Wabash  River  constituted  the  only  outlet 
for  the  exports  of  the  county,  and  hence  fiat- 
boating  was  a  prominent  pursuit,  many  of  the 
old  settlers  having  made  twenty  to  fifty  trips 
to  I^ew  Orleans.  James  L.  Wishard  once 
made  the  return  trip  on  foot,  but  generally 
the  voyagers  returned  by  steamboat.  "Will- 
iam Swan  and  "Wesley  Southard  each  made 
about  sixty  trips  to  New  Orleans. 

In  the  fall  season  goods  were  brought  from 
Evansville  and  Cincinnati  by  wagon.  The 
men  often  went  in  companies  for  mutual  pro- 
tection and  assistance,  with  five  or  six  horse 
teams.  One  of  the  lead  horses  always  wore 
a  set  of  bells.  If  a  team  got  stuck  in  a  mud- 
hole  or  on  a  hill,  it  was  the  custom  for  any 
teamster  with  the  same  number  of  horses  to 
make  an  efi'ort  to  ])ull  the  wagon  out.  In 
case  of  success  the  bells  changed  ownership. 
In  this  way  the  bells  were  constantly  changing 
from  one  to  another.     In  a  few   years  the 


river  boats  superseded  this  expensive  mode  of 
shipping. 

The  surface  of  Vermillion  County  is  natu- 
rally far  more  favorable  for  wagoning  than 
most  counties  in  the  State.  In  addition  to 
this,  the  enterprise  of  the  citizens  has  added 
the  following  well-finished  turnpikes:  One 
from  Newport  to  Walnut  Grove  and  Eugene; 
Newport  to  Quaker  Point;  from  a  point  on 
the  latter  to  Dana;  from  Dana  to  Clinton; 
from  Clinton  to  the  State  line,  on  the  Paris 
road;  Clinton  to  the  county  line,  on  the  road 
to  Terre  Haute;  from  Perrysville  southwest 
about  eighty  miles. 

EDUCATION. 

Vermillion  County  is  confessedly  ahead  of 
most  others  in  this  latitude  in  the  character 
of  her  public  schools.  As  the  people  "  take 
pride  "  in  this  institution,  so  do  the  teachers. 
Institutes  and  normals  have  been  faithfully 
attended  and  zealously  and  profitably  con- 
ducted. 

Helt,  Eugene  and  Highland  townships 
have  graded  schools,  while  Vermillion  Town- 
ship united  until  recently  with  Newport  in 
sustaining  a  graded  school,  and  the  town  of 
Clinton  has  an  excellent  graded  school,  to 
which  the  pupils  of  the  township  are  some- 
times admitted. 

Arrangements  have  been  made  by  the 
school  board  for  a  uniform  length  of  school 
session  throughout  the  county.  The  per  cent, 
of  enrollment  was  raised  from  78  in  1882- 
'83,  to  85  in  •1883-'84,  and  the  per  cent,  of 
attendance  correspondingly  increased.  In 
1874  it  was  reported  that  418  children  who 
had  attended  school  could  not  read.  The 
number  has  been  growing  smaller  each  year 
until  none  are  so  reported  by  the  last  enu- 
meration, although  there  are  probably  a  few. 

The  last  log  cabin  school-house  was  supeiN 


!«L— •«!«-_»: 


seded  many  years  ago.     The  respective  town- 


ii 


ps  n<jw  have  the 

following: 

Clinton, 

Brick. 
3 

Frame 
9 

Ilelt, 

3 

20 

Verniillion, 

1 

12 

Eugene, 

1 

7 

Highland, 

1 

11 

9  59 

Estimated  value  of  school-houses  and  lots, 
$59,000;  of  school  apparatus,  globes,  maps, 
etc.,  about  S4,000.  Number  of  teachers  em- 
ployed in  the  county,  about  eighty-five.  The 
enumeration  of  school  children  (six  to  twenty- 
one  years  of  age)  for  September,  1886,  was 
4,291,  and  the  enrollment  8.467,  or  about 
eighty  per  cent. 

The  county  seminary  at  Newport  was 
built  in  early  days,  under  the  general  law 
appropriating  a  fund  for  the  purpose.  The 
same  building,  with  an  addition,  constitutes 
the  present  "public-school  "  house. 

The  earnestness  of  the  teachers  in  seeking 
professional  knowledge  is  shown  by  their 
large  attendance  at  the  various  normal  schools 
of  the  State,  their  general  habit  of  reading 
educational  journals,  and  the  wide-spread  in- 
terest taken  in  institutes  and  associations.  The 
townships  principals  appointed  to  preside 
over  and  superintend  the  township  institutes 
are  expected  to  organize  and  direct  the  work 
of  the  "  Teachers'  Eeading  Circle." 

Atone  of  the  institutes  the  following  in- 
genious poem  was  read,  which  deserves  a 
place  in  this  work: 

A   PEDAGOGICAL   POEM. 

Written  for  the  Hoosier  State,  by  C.  W.  Joab. 

I'm  Tvith  vou  here,  my  teachers  dear, 

To  read  a  little  poem. 
I  often  have  some  queer  ideas  about  the  calami- 
ties and 
Jlisfortunes  in  the  teacher's  sad  career, 

y^n'  I  thought  you'd  like  to  kiiow  'em. 


We  tug  and  sweat,  with  care  we  fret, 

In  this  vacation  toiling. 
Now    just    give   me    your     undivided   attention 

while  I  speak  of  some  misfortunes 
With  which  our  pathway  is  beset: 

To  do  so,  I  am  spoiling. 

For  years  we  toil,  in  constant  broil 

To  get  an  education; 
And  after  many  disappointments. 
Burdened  with  anguish  and  turmoil. 

We  get  a  situation. 

The  most  of  men  consider  then 

That  we  from  care  are  free,  sir; 
But  I'd  have  you  understand  that  I've 
The  business  tried, time  and  again: 

We're  in  up  to  our  knees,  sir. 

With  all  our  might,  from  morn  till  night, 

Our  weary  brain  we  rob,  sir; 
For  when  you  manage  a  house  full   of  little   sav- 
ages 
In  a  village  school,  you're  right,— 

You  "have  no  idle  job,"  sir. 

You'll  meet  with  scorn,  sure  as  you're  born ; 

Some  men  will  be  your  foes,  sir. 
Yes,    some    old    fogies  can  not  digest  the   solid 
kernel  of  truth;  they  hanker  after  husks  and 
chaff 
And  small  potatoes  and  soft  corn ; 
I've  met  with  such  as  those,  sir. 

In  humor  grum,  they  will  not  come. 

To  see  tlie  order  there,  sir, 
And  witness  the  fact  that  some  pupils 
Are  stupid,  lifeless,  deaf  and  dumb. 

And  view  the  subject  fair,  sir. 

But  all  Ihey  know  about  the  show- 
Is  what  by  chance  they  hear,  sir. 

They  are  ever  ready  to  catch  all  tales  of  scandal 
and  idle  gossip 

As  the  children  homeward  go. 
Believing  all,  I  fear,  sir. 

Some  say  that  you  will  never  do : 

The  pupils  do  not  mind,  sir. 
They  plainly  tell  you   to   give   the  little  youk^rs 

regular  old  Sam  Hill, 
And  just  to  put  Ihem  through. 

And  not  to  be  too  kind,  .sir, 


i 


i^g»s^-^is»8ii»»~«-»»"»g-"-"-»-iW.i»nir'»^»J»i«Bii'"«*iii»«"ia'; 


Bui  when,  forsooth,  you  flog  a  youth, 

His  pa  comes  in  to  beat  you. 
"See  here!  what  right  had  you  to  whip  Biy  boy? 

1  know  the  facts  iu  the  case : 
My  children  tell  the  truth." 

And  that's  the  way  they  treat  you. 

Day  after  day,  for  little  pay. 

We  work,  witli  few  vacations; 
And  bear  all  this  meanness  and  abu>e 
In  a  good-natured,  Christian  way, — 

Iu  never-ending  patience. 

COUNTY    SOCIETIES. 

Veniiilllon  County  Medical  Societij. — In 
July,  1869,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Newport, 
comprising  James  McMeen  and  William  C. 
Eichelbarger,  of  Eugene;  Hiram  and  Lewis 
Shepherd,  of  Quaker  Point;  Henry  C.  Eaton, 
of  Brouillet's  Creek,  and  M.  L.  Hall  and  C. 
Leavitt,  of  Newijort,  — for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  county  medical  society.  They 
a<ljourned  to  meet  again  a  week  or  two  after- 
ward, but  we  tind  no  account  of  further 
meetings  until  1873,  when  they  organized, 
electing  I3r.  I.  B.  Hedges,  of  Clinton,  presi- 
dent. The  membership  subsequently  attained 
twenty-two  in  number,  but  the  association 
was  permitted  to  "  run  down  "  in  the  course 
of  about  four  years. 

Western  Indiana  Scientific  Association. — 
The  scientific  spirit  of  AVilliam  Gibson,  then 
of  Newport  but  previously  of  Perrysville,  led 
him  during  the  summer  of  1875  to  call  a 
meeting  of  the  friends  of  science  with  the 
view  of  organizing  for  efficient  work.  In 
August,  tliat  year,  a  preliminary  meeting  was 
held  at  Newport,  comprising,  among  others. 
Professor  !>.  E.  Rhoads,  William  Gibson,  M. 
L.  Hall,  William  L.  Little,  Jesse  Houchin. 
P.  Z.  Anderson  and  Samuel  Groenendyke, — 
the  last  two,  however,  sending  letters  of 
regj-et  for  tlieir  absence. 

At  the  next  meeting,  August  30,  they  or- 
ganized as  the  "  Westeni  Indiana  Ilistorical 


and  Scientific  Association,"  with  a  con- 
stitution and  by-laws,  "  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  discovery  in  geology,  archaeology 
and  other  kindred  sciences;  for  our  mut- 
ual improvement  therein,  and  for  securing 
a  cabinet  of  natural  history  and  a  collection 
of  minerals  and  fossils  as  will  illustrate  the 
resources  and  wealth  of  Vermillion  and  ad- 
joining counties  in  these  respects."  The  con- 
stitution was  signed  by  John  Collett,  William 
L.  Little,  William  Gibson,  H.  H.  Conley,  M.  L. 
Hall,S.  E.  Davis,  M.  G.  Ehoads,  Jesse  Hou- 
chin, W.  C.  Eichelberger,  Samuel  Groenen- 
dyke, B.  E.  lihoads  and  P.  Z.  Anderson.  Mr. 
Collett  was  elected  President,  M.  G.  Rhoads, 
Vice-President;  AVilliam  L.  Little,  Treasurer; 
H.  II.  Conley,  Corresponding  Secretary;  M. 
L.  Hall,  Recording  Secretary,  and  AVilliam 
Gibson  Librarian  and  Curator. 

But  the  association,  like  most  others  of  the 
kind,  forgot  to  provide  (or  perhaps  could  not) 
for  longevity  by  finding  successors  for  the 
most  active  man.  Mr.  Gibson,  the  moving 
spirit,  after  fitting  up  and  filling  a  neat  little 
building  with  specimens,  moved  away:  the 
soul  gone,  the  organism  was  ot  course  dead. 

The  Patrons'' Mutual  Aid  Society,  or  Ver- 
million County  Fire  Insurance  Company,  was 
organized  in  the  summer  of  1879,  by  the 
Patrons  of  Husbandry,  and  is  still  flourishing. 

The  County  Bible  Society,  with  auxiliary 
societies  in  the  respected  townships,  and  the 
County  Sunday -school  Association,  similarly 
organized,  are  still  at  work,  the  latter  quite 
vigorously.  These,  especially  the  former,  are 
old  institutions. 

A  county  temperance  organization,  as  a 
result  of  the  '•  blue-ribbon  movement,  "  was 
eflected  February  16, 1882,  at  Newport.  The 
meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Capt.  R.  B. 
Sears,  of  Newport,  a  member  of  the  State  or- 
ganization. i)r.  E.  T.  Spotswood,  of  Perrys- 
villcj  was  chosen  temporary  chairman,  and  E: 


!i 


H.  Hayes,  of  Clinton,  'secretary.  The  per- 
manent officers  elected  were,  William  Gibson, 
President;  Thomas  Cushman,  Secretary;  0. 
S.  Davis,  Ti-easurer.  Vice  presidents  were 
appointed  for  the  various  townships,  and  an 
executive  committee.  Mrs.  Emma  Molloy, 
a  noted  temperance  lecturer,  was  invited  to 
make  a  canvass  of  the  county.  The  con- 
stitution of  the  grand  council  was  adopted. 
The  members  adopted  resolutions  to  vote  for 
none  but  temperance  men  for  offices,  and 
favoring  a  prohibitory  liquor  law  for  the  State. 
Not  being  a  religious  or  a  secret  society,  of 
course  it  died. 

THE  COUNTY  POOR  FAEM,  OR  INFIRM.\EY. 

The  farm,  about  two  miles  south  of  New- 
port, near  the  Clinton  road,  and  comprising 
a  quarter  section  of  land,  Avas  first  entered  by 
Wilbur  and  Davis  from  the  Government;  sub- 
sequently Peter  Smith  became  the  owner,  and 
upon  it  as  security  he  borrowed  a  sum  of 
money  from  the  county;  failing  to  pay,  the 
land  became  the  property  of  the  county,  and 
many  years  ago  was  made  a  resort  for  the 
helpless  poor.  The  land  is  valued  at  $35  an 
acre.  The  buildings  hitherto  used  being 
almost  valueless,  the  county  this  year  (1887) 
is  having  erected  a  magnificent  brick  build- 
ing, to  cost  815,750.  It  includes  a  depart- 
ment for  the  ins^ane.  The  plan  for  this 
structure  was  drafted  by  Mr.  Buntin,  an 
architect  of  Indianapolis.  The  building  is 
two  stories  high,  with  basement  under  the 
whole  ground  area,  which  is  40  x  108  feet. 
Can  be  heated  with  either  steam  or  hot  air. 
There  are  thirty-two  rooms  for  inmates,  six 
of  which  are  iinished  for  occupation  by  the 
insane.  Five  rooms  are  set  apart  for  the 
superintendent  and  his  family.  The  contract 
for  the  erection  of  this  building  was  let 
March  30,  1887,  to  Moore  &  McCoy,  of 
Danville,  Illinois.     The  present  superintend- 


ent is  Joseph  Conrad,  who  has  had  the  office 
since  the  spring  of  1881.  His  salary  is 
$600.  Average  number  of  inmates,  about 
twenty. 

POSTOFFICES. 

The  postoffices  of  Vermillion  County, 
enumerating  from  Clinton  northward,  are  as 
follows: 

Clinton. 

St.  Bernice,  at  Jonestown,  in  the  north- 
western portion  of  Clinton  Township. 

Summit  Grove,  on  the  C.&  E.  I.  11.  R.,  in 
Helt  Townihip. 

Toronto,  at  or  near  Bono,  Ilelt  Township. 

Hillsdale,  in  Helt  Township,  at  the  crossing 
of  the  C.  &  E.  I.  and  the  I.,  D.  &  S.  R.  Rs. 

Dana,  in  the  northwestern  portion  of  Helt 
Township,  on  the  1.,  D.  &  S.  R.  R. 

Newport. 

Quaker  Hill,  at  a  place  sometimes  called 
"  Quaker  Point,"  eight  miles  west  of  New- 
port and  in  Vermillion  Township. 

Cayuga,  in  Eugene  Township,  at  the 
crossing  of  the  C.  &  E.  I.  and  the  T.,  St.  L. 
&  K.  R.  Rs.. 

Eugene. 

Perrysville. 

Gessie,  on  the  C.  ct  E.  I.  R.  R.,  in  the 
western  portion  of  Highland  Township. 

Rileysburg,  on  the  same  road,  two  miles 
northwest  of  Gessie. 

Walnut  Grove,  Brownton,  Highland,  Atla, 
Opeedee,  etc.,  are  names  of  other  points  in 
the  county   where    there    are  no  postoffices. 

XOTABLE  METEOROLOGICAL  EVENTS. 

The  winter  of  18I8-'19  was  so  mild  that 
but  one  light  snow  fell,  which  was  on  the 
night  of  February  18.  Livestock  of  all  kinds 
wintered  well  without  being  fed. 

November  18,  1842,  the  Wabash  River, 
although  full,  was  frozen  over,  and  remained 


so  until  April  2.  The  day  preceding  the 
break-up  a  man  with  four  yoke  of  oxen 
hauled  saw-logs  upon  a  wagon  across  the 
river  at  Perrysville. 

In  August,  1875,  and  in  February,  1883, 
and  also  in  February,  1884,  the  floods  of  the 
Wabash  rose  unusually  high  and  swept  away 


hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  worth 
property. 

COUNTY  WALL  MAP. 

A  good  wall  map,  3x6  feet,  of  Vermillion 
County  was  published  in  1870-'72,  by  James 
Tarrance,  County  Auditor,  who  afterward 
moved   to  Terre  Haute  and  then  to  Texas. 


Ij 


! 


Ul  STOUT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


EARLY    SETTLERS. 


OIIN  VANNEST,  tlie  first 
settler  of  Vermillion  Comi- 
ty, located  on  section  9  of 
this  townsliip,  in  1816.  See 
a  previous  chapter  for  par- 
ticulars. The  second  settler 
in  the  county,  John  Beard, 
also  located  in  this  township, 
building  the  first  house  in  the 
town  of  Clinton,  and  in  1819 
or  1820  the  first  mill  in  the 
county,  afterward  known  as 
Patton's  Mill,  three  and  a  half 
miles  southwest  of  C'linton. 
lie  was  also  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in 
the  county. 

William  Hamilton  came  in  March,  1818. 
His  son  John  is  the  oldest  living  resident  of 
the  county,  and  very  frail.  William,  another 
son,  died  about  1878. 

Nelson  Eeeder,  deceased,  was  but  two 
years  old  when  his  parents  came  from  Ohio 
and  settled  here  in  1818, 


Judge  Porter,  from  New  York  State,  set- 
tled here  in  1819.  His  son  Charles,  born  in 
1816,  was  a  good  citizen,  but  ended  his  life 
by  suicide. 

John  J.  Martin,  who  died  about  three 
years  ago,  was  in  his  second  year  M'hen  his 
parents  immigrated  to  this  township  in 
1819. 

The  same  year  Daniel  McCulloch,  who 
was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York  in  1797, 
settled  in  Clinton  Township,  upon  a  farm 
five  miles  southwest  of  Clinton,  where  he 
died  a  number  of  years  ago.  W.  B.,  his  sun, 
who  was  born  in  1830,  is  still  a  resident 
here. 

John  Wright,  Sr.,  now  an  undertaker  at 
Clinton,  was  born  in  New  York  State  in 
1818,  and  in  1820  his  parents  brought  him, 
in  emigration,  to  this  county.  George  Wright 
came  in  1832,  and  died  many  j'ears  ago. 
His  wife  Mary,  who  was  born  November  13, 
1805,  in  New  York,  came  to  Indiana  in  1S17. 
settling  near  Terre  Haute,  and  in  1832  came 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP. 


to  this  county,  where  she  died  December  18, 
1882.  Her  only  surviving  child,  "William 
Wright,  has  been  county  commissioner. 

Major  Chunn,  an  officer  in  the  regular 
array,  came  here  from  Terre  Haute  some 
time  previous  to  1820,  and  was  an  efficient 
soldier  in  driving  away  the  Indians;  was 
also  a  participant  in  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe. 
He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  here  for  many 
years.  His  son  Thomas  is  still  a  resident  of 
this  township. 

John  Clover,  from  Ohio,  located  in  Clinton 
Township  in  1821,  with  his  son  Joseph  A., 
who  is  yet  living  six  miles  west  of  Clinton. 

Joshua  Dean,  who  was  born  in  Virginia  in 
1801,  settled  liere  in  1822,  and  died  about 
ten  years  ago. 

A  family  named  Andrews  located  in  this 
township  the-  same  year,  in  which  were  sev- 
eral sons. 

Henry  and  Eli  Shew,  natives  of  Xorth 
Carolina,  were  boys  when  they  became  resi- 
dents of  Clinton  Township.  The  former  was 
born  in  1815  and  came  in  1825,  and  the 
latter,  born  in  1819,  was  brought  here  in 
1823. 

Captain  AVilliam  Swan  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania in  1802,  settled  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship in  1823,  was  a  member  of  the  first  jury 
in  tlie  county,  followed  the  river,  making  over 
sixty  trips  to  New  Orleans  on  both  rafts  and 
flats,  was  a  Universalist  in  his  religious  be- 
lief, and  a  Freemason,  and  died  January  29, 
1887,  at  Clinton. 

Washington  Potter,  still  living,  was  about 
eight  years  old  when,  in  1823,  he  was  brought 
to  this  township.  He  is  a  native  of  Ohio, 
and  a  carpenter  by  trade. 

Silas  Davis,  a  cooper  and  farmer,  now 
living  in  Kansas,  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1818, 
brought  here  in  1823,  and  lived  here  many 
years. 

The  parents  of  William  and    Israel  Wood 


came  in  1824.  The  latter  are  still  residents 
here. 

John  W.  Hedges  came  also  in  1824.  His 
son,  Dr.  I.  B.  Hedges,  was  born  October  30, 

1819,  died  February  24,  1883,  and  was 
buried  in  Clinton  Cemetery.  He  was  a  re- 
spectable, well  known  physician,  of  many 
years'  standing  in  his  native  county. 

In  1824  came  also  Mr.  Crabb,  father  of 
Walter  G.,  who  was  born  in  Fayette  County, 
Ohio.  Tlie  former  moved  into  Parke 
County. 

James  H.  Allen,  of  Clinton,  born  in  Ohio 
in  1822,  has  been  a  resident  here  sines  1827. 

John  Payton,  an  early  merchant  of  Clin- 
ton, was  born  in  Ohio  in  1818,  and  settled 
here  in  1828. 

This  year  also  came  James  Clark,  Sr.,  from 
Ohio,  where  he  was  born  in  1798,  became  a 
farmer  a  mile  and  a  half  west  of  Clinton, 
and  is  now  deceased. 

Samuel  Davidson,  also  deceased,  was  born 
in  Ohio  in  1817,  and  settled  in  this  township 
in  1830.  Martin  M.  Davidson,  born  in  Ohio 
in  1829,  was  brought  here  in  1832,  lived 
here  many  years,  and  is  now  a  resident  of 
Terre  Haute. 

George  W.  Edwards,  of  Clinton,  was  born 
in  this  State  in  1827,  and  became  a  resident 
here  in  1830. 

Andrew  Eeed,  born  in  Nortli  Carolina  in 

1820,  settled  here  in  1830. 

Thomas  Kibby,  who  was  born  in  this  State 
in  1810,  came  to  Clinton  Township  in  the 
fall  of  1830,  and  is  still  a  resident  here. 

Benjamin  K.  Whitcomb,  born  in  Vermont 
in  1798,  and  his  cousin  and  business  partner, 
John  Whitcomb,  came  in  1828,  .settling  in 
the  village  of  Clinton,  where  they  were 
among  the  first  merchants,  pork  packers,  etc. 
John  died  August  29,  1830,  aged  forty-one 
years.  Benjamin  H.  died  April  23,  18G1, 
and  his  wife,  Anna  S.,  died  May  21,  1800, 


UISTOJRT    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


at  the  age  of  fifty-five  and  a  half  years. 
John  R.  Whitcoinb,  another  merchant,  born 
in  Ohio  in  1804,  first  settled  in  Edgar  Coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  1832,  and  in  the  village  of 
Clinton  in  1834.  He  died  in  March,  1873, 
leaving  a  widow  (third  wife),  who  is  living  a 
half  mile  west  of  town.  His  first  wife, 
Eunice,  died  May  15, 1832,  aged  only  twenty- 
three  years. 

Scott  Malone,  who  married  Miss  Sarah, 
one  of  the  twin  daughters  of  John  Vannest, 
came  from  Ohio,  and  resided  here  until  his 
death  a  few  years  ago. 

Simeon  Taylor,  horn  in  Indiana  in  1818, 
settled  in  this  county  in  1831,  and  died  a  few 
years  ago.  His  brother,  John  F.,  born  in 
Ohio,  in  1816,  came  in  1833,  and  is  yet 
living. 

In  1832  there  settled  in  Clinton  Township, 
Thomas  G.  Wilson,  born  in  Yirginiain  1804; 
William  J.  Noblitt,  born  in  Tennessee  in 
1825,  and  still  living  here;  Benjamin  Harri- 
son, born  in  Virginia  in  1805,  was  justice  of 
the  peace  many  years,  and  is  still  living:  his 
M'ife  died  this  year  (1887);  their  son  Robert, 
born  in  the  "  Old  Dominion"  in  1831,  is  still 
a  resident  of  this  township. 

Eobert  H.  and  Adaliue  (West)  Nichols, 
came  in  1835.  He  died  here  in  1872,  aged 
fifty-live  3'ears,  and  she  in  1874,  aged  sixty- 
five. 

Huram  B.  Cole,  John  Ferral  and  John 
Marks  were  early  merchants  of  Clinton.  The 
latter  went  South.  Ferral- died  February  25, 
1832,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  years. 

In  1836  came  William  Payton  and  Philo 
Harkness,  who  are  still  living  here.  Payton 
was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1814,  and  Harkness 
in  New  York  in  181G. 

In  1837  came  Reuben  Propst,  and  the  next 
year  Isaac  Propst,  natives  of  Virginia,  but 
finally  moved  away. 

Aquilla  Nebekerjborn  in  Delaware  in  1815, 


located  in  Clinton  Township  in  1837.  lie 
was  a  man  of  liberal  views,  a  good  citizen 
and  a  kind  neighbor.  He  died  February  10, 
1880,  after  a  long  period  of  illness.  II  i.-^ 
widow  died  in  January,  1881,  an  exempl:;iv 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Jesse  Spangler,  born  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1807,  settled  here  in  1837,  and  died  about 
1881. 

D.  F.  Fawcett  came  from  Virginia  in  1833, 
settling  near  Goshen,  Vigo  County,  and  then, 
in  1837,  in  this  county,  near  the  southwest 
corner.  He  died  in  1845,  in  Jasper  County. 
Illinois.  Mrs.  Fawcett  died  in  1837,  in  this 
township. 

Many  others  we  could  mention  who  came 
in  pioneer  times,  resided  liere  many  years, 
becoming  prominent  citizens,  and  died  in 
honored  old  age,  or  are  still  living. 

MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS. 

The  opening  of  the  iron  mines  and  build- 
ing of  the  "  Indiana  Furnace,"  in  section  27, 
township  14,  range  10,  Clinton  Township, 
commenced  in  1837.  In  1839  the  furnace 
was  in  full  blast.  Stephen  P.  Uncles  was 
the  chief  owner  and  superintendent.  Asso- 
ciated with  him  were  Hugh  Stuart  and  Ches- 
ter Clark,  the  firm  name  being.  Uncles  &  Co. 
Years  later,  the  lands  and  works  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Stuart  &  Sprague,  and  still  later 
to  E.  M.  Bruce  &  Co.,  the  Co.  being  David 
Sinton. 

In  1859,  George  B.  Sparks,  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Clinton,  bought  a  controlling  interest, 
and  under  the  firm  name  of  G.  B.  Sparks  (N: 
Co.,  the  business  was  continued  until  1864. 
Captain  John  Lindsey,  who  still  resides  near 
the  site  of  the  old  Furnace,  was  many  yeais 
its  superintendent.  He  relates  that  of  the 
hundreds  of  men  employed  then,  all  but  one, 
a  pattern-maker,  voted  regularly  the  Demo- 
cratic  ticket,  and  jokingly  says,  no  others 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP. 


could  get  eniploymeat.  The  company's  office 
and  large  general  supply  store,  and  a  score  or 
two  of  cabins  of  more  or  less  pretensions, 
made  quite  a  village.  Castings  of  nearly  all 
kinds,  largely  stoves,  were  turned  out.  Pig 
iron  in  large  quantities  were  also  produced. 

The  works  were  among  tlie  early  enter- 
prises of  the  Wabash  Valley,  and  distributed 
a  large  amount  of  money  among  the  early 
settlers  as  well  as  furnishing  employment  to 
all  comers — of  the  right  political  ftvith  (ac- 
cording to  Captain  Lindsey)!  The  1,700 
acres  of  land  connected  with  the  plant  is  now 
owned  by  George  B.  Sparks,  and  devoted  to 
agricultural  purposes,  and  all  that  remains  to 
indicate  the  site  of  the  old  "  Indiana  Fur- 
nace" is  here  and  there  debris  of  rotting 
and  rusting  machinery,  and  one  or  two  log 
cabins. 

The  "  Norton  Creek  Coal  Mines  "  are  lo- 
cated on  the  line  between  Clinton  and  Helt 
townships,  on  section  5  of  Clinton  Township, 
and  section  32  of  Helt  Township.  Their  de- 
velopment commenced  in  December,  1884. 
F.  A.  Bowen  was  the  proprietor,  and  Charles 
P.  Walker,  of  Clinton,  the  superintendent 
and  manager.  In  the  spring  of  1885,  under 
the  general  laws  of  Wisconsin  the  "  Norton 
Creek  Coal  Mining  Company,"  was  organ- 
ized, with  a  paid  up  capital  of  $40,000,  with 
its  general  office  at  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
II.  M.  Benjamin,  of  that  city,  is  the  presi- 
dent of  the  company,  and  Charles  P.  Walker, 
of  Clinton,  superintendent  and  treasurer,  and 
general  agent  for  Indiana.  Connected  with 
the  property  are  255  acres  of  land.  The 
mines  are  about  two  and  one-half  miles  west 
of  the  "  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad,"  and  con- 
nected by  a  spur  track.  The  company  also 
own  the  old  "  Briar  Hill "  mines,  on  section 
'J,  Clinton  Township,  but  they  are  not  now 
operated. 

On  the   southeast  portion   of  section  5  is 


located  the  company's  large  mercantile  estab- 
lishment and  local  office,  which,  with  twenty- 
seven  tenement  houses,  constitutes  quite  a 
village,  called  "Geneva,"  named  in  honor  of 
a  daughter  of  Superintendent  Walker.  The 
sales  of  coal  in  1886  reached  $160,000,  and 
and  the  mei'cantile  establishment  $42,000. 
Near  the  mines  are  several  tenement  houses, 
and  at  the  Briar  Hill  mines  eleven  houses. 
All  are  occupied  by  employes  of  the  com- 
pany. The  business  is  increasing,  owing  to 
the  excellent  quality  of  coal  produced.  Com- 
mencing with  the  winter  of  1887-'88  an 
average  working  force  of  300  men  are  em- 
ployed. 

In  Clinton  Township  there  are  three  or 
four  saw-mills,  besides  two  in  town,  and  one 
grist-mill. 

One  of  the  chief  business  interests  of 
Clinton  Township  is  the  immense  stock  farm 
of  Claude  Mathews  at  Hazel  Bluff,  on  Brouil- 
et's  Creek,  some  three  miles  from  Clinton. 

It  is  said  that  in  early  day  crime  became  so 
prevalent  in  the  southern  part  of  Vermillion 
County  that  a  vigilance  committee  was  organ- 
ized, wjio  executed  a  lynching  or  two  and 
thus  effectually  checked  the  evil. 

Some  years  ago  the  Indianapolis  &  St. 
Louis  Bail  road  Company  talked  some  of  run- 
ning a  track  through  this  portion  of  the 
county',  but  no  subscriptions  were  taken. 
When  the  Cleveland  &  St.  Louis  railroad  was 
projected  via  Clinton,  a  little  effort  was  made 
for  it,  but  nothing  accomplished.  Now  the 
Anderson,  Lebanon  &  Paris  Kailroad  is  pro- 
posed, by  way  of  Clinton,  and  A.  V.  Brown 
is  the  leading  citizen  of  the  place  working 
for  it,  in  conjunction  with  Eockville.  Sec- 
tions of  this  line,  in  other  counties,  are 
already  bnilt  and  used. 

In  this  township,  outside  of  Clinton,  Henry 
C.  Eaton,  of  Brouillet's  Creek,  has  been  the 
principal   practicing   physician.     Ilev.  S.  S. 


Sims  is  a  United  Brethreti  minister  residing 
also  on  this  creek.  Betliel  United  Brethren 
Cluircli  is  located  five  miles  southwest  of 
Clinton,  and  the  "Union  Class,"  of  the  same 
church,  worsliip  at  a  point  six  and  a  half 
miles  southwest  of  Clinton. 

The  Centenary  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
is  located  about  five  miles  west  of  Clinton, 
where  Lewis  Walraven  is  class-leader;  and 
Trinity  Church,  nearly  south  of  Clinton,  is  a 
place  wliere  a  prosperous  class  worships,  of 
whom  John  Ryan,  Harrison  Cole  and  William 
'Wright  are  official  members.  These  two 
classes  are  in  the  Clinton  Circuit,  of  which 
Kev.  J.  B.  Combs  is  preacher  in  charge,  with 
residence  at  the  parsonage  in  Clinton.  This 
is  in  the  Greencastle  District,  Northwest 
Indiana  Conference,  of  which  Rev.  A.  A. 
(lee  is  presiding  elder.  Clinton  Circuit,  in- 
cluding the  town,  had  300  members  lastyear. 

CLINTON. 

The  town  of  Clinton  was  laid  out  in  1824, 
liy  William  Harris,  a  resident  of  Martin 
County,  Indiana,  who  was  a  Government 
surveyor,  and  named  the  place  in  honor  of 
DeWitt  Clinton,  of  New  York. 

Up  to  the  time  the  railroad  was  assured, 
about  1868,  the  growth  of  Clinton  was  slow, 
hut  during  all  that  long  ante-railroad  period 
it  was  nevertheless  the  entrepot  for  an  agri- 
cultural district  around  it  fifty  miles  or  more 
in  diameter.  Across  the  Wabash  the  peoi:)le 
traded  mostly  at  Terre  Haute,  only  fifteen 
miles  distant  from  Clinton,  and  always  an 
absorbing  factor  in  the  country  trade. 

The  first  mercantile  establisiiment  opened 
at  this  point  was  by  John  and  Benjamin  R. 
Whitcomb,  who  kept  a  general  store.  Other 
early  business  men  of  Clinton  were  John 
Payton,  John  R.  Whitcomb,  Huram  B.  Cole, 
Jolm  Ferrel,  and  John  Marks.  Later,  were 
James  McCnliocli,  Ctis  il.  Conkoy.  Jones  & 


Chestnut,  from  Paris,  Illinois,  Leander  Mun- 
sell,  from  the  same  place,  Alanson  Baldwin, 
of  Baldwinsville,  Illinois,  O.  &  D.  Bailey, 
of  Bloomfield,  Illinois,  who  were  exten- 
sive pork-packers  at  this  point.  This  was 
for  a  long  period  a  prominent  shipping  point 
for  pork. 

Minor  business  men  were,  J.  W.  and  Field- 
ing Shepard,  and  Volney  Hutchison,  me- 
chanics, who  afterwai'd moved  into  the  country 
and  became  successful  farmers;  S.  E.  Patton, 
cooper;  H.  F.  Redding,  carriage-maker  and 
blacksmith,  and  others. 

Many  of  the  buildings  occupied  by  the 
above  parties  are  still  standing,  on  the  bank 
of  the  river  near  tlie  wagon  bridge,  where  tiie 
old  boat  landing  was,  as  monumental  2'elies 
of  the  steamboat  period.  How  many  scenes 
of  the  past,  and  associations  concerning  the 
characteristics  of  the  early  business  men  of 
Clinton,  does  their  venerable  presence  still 
suggest! 

Clinton  is  now,  and  has  long  been,  the 
largest  town  in  Vermillion  County;  but  what 
its  population  is  we  cannot  ascertain.  It  is 
variously  estimated  at  1,200  to  1,800.  The 
town  is  beautifully  located,  streets  running 
"  square  with  the  world,"  and  withal  it  is  a 
pleasant  place  in  every  respect. 

It  was  first  incorporated  about  1848  or 
1849,  by  a  special  act  of  the  Legislature, 
which  empowered  the  trustees  to  prohibit 
the  sale  of  intoxicants.  In  later  years,  about 
1879,  the  town  was  re-incorporated,  under 
the  general  law.  It  is  divided  into  five 
wards,  from  each  of  which  one  trustee  is 
elected  biennially.  The  general  officers  are 
elected  annually, — the  president  being  elect- 
ed by  tlie  board,  and  the  other  officers  by  the 
people  directly. 

On  account  of  the  absence  of  the.  old  rec- 
ords, we  are  unable  to  give  a  complete  list 
of  officers.     Since  1880  the    following  have 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP. 


I 


served:  Presidents — Neil  J.  McDougall, 
1880-'84;  Decatur  Downing,  1885;  W.  L. 
Morev,  1886-'87.  Clerks— D.  C.  Johnson, 
1880  j  L.  O.  Bishop,  1881;  Decatur  Downing, 
1882;  J.  M.  Hays,  1883-'8-i;  Ed.  H.  John- 
son, 1885-'87. 

Here,  as  elsewhere,  have  been  the  usual 
contests  with  the  liquor  traffic.  The  most 
remarkable  movement  in  modern  times  was 
the  "woman's  crusade"  of  187'^'76.  In 
1874  a  band  of  praying  women  laid  siege  to 
a  saloon  day  and  night,  being  on  duty  in  di- 
visions and  by  turns.  The  proprietor  sur- 
rendered. In  April,  1875,  a  company  of 
forty  hidies,  headed  by  Mrs.  Maloneand  Mrs. 
Kibby,  marched  in  double  file  to  the  saloon 
owned  by  Tice  &  Mechler,  to  hold  an  inter- 
view with  the  proprietors;  but  on  arrival 
found  the  fbrt  evacuated  and  the  doors  wide 
open.  The  ladies  guarded  the  place  until 
evening  and  then  retired.  The  next  night 
one  of  the  proprietors  was  arrested,  and  while 
he  was  in  custody  the  citizens  gathered  at 
the  point  of  contest  and  demolished  every- 
thing that  contained  intoxicating  liquor.  Tlie 
proprietor  sued  fifteen  of  the  citizens  for 
$5,000  damages,  but  the  case  was  compro- 
mised or  dismissed.  Otlier  events  of  this 
crusade  occurred,  but  of  minor  importance. 

"While  on  the  subject  of  municipal  govern- 
ment, we  may  notice  that  under  corporate 
management  the  streets  have  been  graded  and 
macadamized,  nuisances  generally  kept  in 
abeyance,  and  a  satisfactory  government  gen- 
erally administered. 

pnrsiciANS. 

Dr.  Joseph  Hopkins,  from  Ohio,  was  the 
first  physician  to  locate  in  Clinton,  in  1830 
or  previously.  He  was  an  acceptable  practi- 
tioner. Died  out  West,  leaving  a  wife  and 
two  daualiters. 


Dr.  Erstman  was  here  a  short  time,  about 
the  same  period. 

Dr.  I.  S.  Palmer,  a  well  educated  graduate 
of  a  medical  college  at  Philadelphia,  settled 
in  Clinton  during  its  pioneer  period,  accumu- 
lated some  property,  but  finally  became  in- 
temperate and  lost  it,  althongh  he  was  a 
gentleman  of  a  shrewd  intellect.  He  finally 
lost  his  life  in  a  horrible  manner,  althoiigh 
not  drunk  at  the  time.  Visiting  &  patient 
across  the  "Wabash  one  day  about  fifteen  years 
ago,  he  noticed  on  his  return  many  squirrels 
in  the  woods.  On  arriving  home  he  took 
his  gun,  and  started  out  to  indulge  in  the 
sports  of  the  chase.  "While  crossing  the  river 
on  the  ice,  he  broke  through,  but  held  him- 
self from  being  drawn  under  by  clinging  to 
the  edge  of  tlie  ice;  and  there  he  lield  fast 
until  parties  had  arrived  from  points  a  mile 
or  more  distant  for  his  rescue.  But  his 
strength  gave  out  and  he  went  nnder,  never 
more  to  be  seen;  his  body  was  never  re- 
covered. Charles  Knowles  nearly  lost  his 
life  in  his  efforts  to  save  him. 

Dr.  "William  Kile,  from  Ohio,  was  a  man 
of  great  energy  and  industry,  and  with  an 
extended  practice  he  accumulated  a  handsome 
amount  of  property.  This  lie  finally  sold 
and  went  to  Paris,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged 
in  mercantile  business,  and  also  ftirming  and 
handling  live-stock,  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  ultimately  banking.  In  visiting  patients 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Wabash  he  would 
sometimes  swim  his  horse  across  the  river  on 
his  return,  rather  than  to  come  a  few  miles 
out  of  his  way  to  the  wagon  bridge.  One 
tinie  he  was  violently  attacked  with  small- 
])ox,  when  scarcely  any  one  expected  he  could 
survive;  but  his  "vitativeness"  was  so  large 
that,  as  he  was  being  taken  out  into  the 
country  for  treatment,  passing  a  store,  he 
called  out  to  the  proprietor,  "Save  me  that 
largest  pair  of   boots,   v.'ill   yon  V     He    had 


B?g«««w»«»B»a 


.a»,MiM«nai«»w»»«" 


imsTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


L 


vory    large   feet.     He   died    at   Paris    many 
years  afterward. 

Dr.  Perkins,  a  botanic  physician,  practiced 
liere  a  number  of  years,  and  finally  removed 
to  Oregon. 

Dr.  Rollin  Whitcomb,  a  botanic  physician 
from  New  York,  came  in  1841,  and,  after 
practicing  here  a  number  of  years,  moved 
away,  and  returned  again  and  remained  until 
his  deatli. 

Dr.  I.  B.  Hedges  was  a  boy  when  his 
parents  brought  him  here  from  New  York  in 
1824:.  Commencing  practice  about  1845,  he 
])roved  to  be  a  successful  physician  as  well  as 
business  man.  On  dying  here  three  or  four 
years  ago,  he  left  considerable  property  to 
his  family,     lie  was  a  man  of  high  standing. 

Dr.  P.  R.  Owen  came  to  Clinton  about 
1854,  from  New  GoshcL,  Indiana,  but  was  a 
native  of  Ohio.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
war  lie  enlisted  in  the  army,  was  elected 
Captain  of  Company  I,  Fourteenth  Indiana 
Infantry,  promoted  Major  and  then  Lieuten- 
ant Colonel  of  his  regiment;  came  home  and 
jH-acticed  his  profession  until  1871,  when  he 
died,  leaving  a  widow  and  several  children. 
He  was  also  an  excellent  Methodist  preacher. 
The  Grand  Army  post  at  Clinton  is  named 
in  his  honor. 

Dr.  Corkins,  after  practicing  here  a  while, 
moved  to  Texas. 

Dr.  William  Reeder  practiced  medicine  at 
Clinton  for  a  period  before  the  war,  in  which 
he  enlisted  and  held  some  ofhce.  About 
1874  he  moved  to  Texas,  where  he  is  now 
following  his  profession. 

Dr.  J.  C.  Crozier  ai-rived  here  also  some 
time  before  the  war,  entered  the  army  as  a 
Surgeon,  continued  in  the  service  until  the 
;dose,  then  practiced  here  a  number  of  years, 
and  finally  went  to  Washington,  D.  C,  where 
he  has  for  a  number  of  years  been  engaged  I 
in  the  pension  department.  | 


Dr.  William  H.  Stewart,  who  came  from 
Illinois  and  practiced  medicine  here  two  or 
three  years,  was  in  Terre  Haute  when  last 
heard  from. 

The  present  physicians  of  Clinton  are  Drs. 
Henry  Nebeker,  J.  H.  Bogart  and  C.  M. 
White. 

LAWYERS. 

James  R.  Baker,  although  he  did  not  prac- 
tice law  a  great  deal,  may  be  counted  among 
the  bar.  He  left  here,  entering  the  Method- 
ist ministry. 

Lyman  J.  Smith  practiced  law  at  Clinton 
three  or  four  years,  and  moved  to  Paris, 
Illinois. 

"Judge"  John  Porter,  who  lived  in  the 
country  in  this  township,  followed  the  law  to 
some  e.xtent,  was  a  man  of  considerable  lit- 
erary attainments,  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, etc.  He  died  some  time  before  the  war 
period. 

Also,  some  time  before  the  last  war,  a  man 
named  Ragan  was  a  practitioner  of  law  at 
Clinton  for  about  a  j-ear. 

Henry  D.  Washburn  was  born  in  Yermont, 
in  March,  1832;  came  to  this  county  about 
1S50;  taught  school  three  or  four  years — 
principally  in  Helt  Township  and  some  at 
Newport;  studied  law  while  teaching,  with 
Thomas  C.  W.  Sale  at  Newport;  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1853,  and  opened  office  at  New- 
port; was  in  partnership  with  M.  P.  Lowry 
for  a  time;  elected  auditor  of  the  county  in 
1854,  serving  one  term;  entered  the  army  as 
Captain  of  Company  C,  Eighteenth  Indiana 
Infantry,  promoted  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and 
then  Colonel,  and  Brevetted  General  and 
then  Major  General,  serving  in  the  army 
about  four  years,  first  in  Missouri,  next  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  then  in 
Georgia;  but  in  1864,  before  the  termination 
of  the  war,  was  elected,  while  a  resident  of 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP. 


S37 


Clinton,  to  the  lower  house  of  Congress, 
against  Daniel  W.  Voorhees,  serving  from 
March,  1865,  to  March,  1869,  having  been 
re-elected;  was  appointed  in  the  latter  year 
by  President  Grant  to  the  office  of  Surveyor- 
General  for  the  Territory  of  Montana;  and 
while  holding  this  office  he  died,  in  January, 
1871,  at  Clinton,  leaving  a  wife  and  two 
children.  Commanding  a  company  of  fifty 
men,  he  made  the  first  thorough  exploration 
of  tlie  Yellowstone  Valley,  in  1870,  in  which- 
journey  the  exposure  brought  on  the  illness 
which  proved  fatal.  In  his  religion  he  was  a 
Methodist,  in  his  social  relations  a  Knight 
Templar,  and  in  his  politics  a  Republican, 
and  a  good  campaignist  for  his  party.  Mrs. 
Washburn  now  resides  in  Greencastle,  this 
State.  Dr.  A.  A.  Washburn,  her  son,  is 
practicing  medicine  at  Atwood,  Illinois;  and 
her  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Professor  J.  B. 
De  Motte,  of  De  Pauw  University,  at  Green- 
castle. 

Henry  A.  White,  a  native  of  lielt  Town- 
ship, this  county,  practiced  law  at  Clinton  a 
number  of  years,  and  is  now  in  Kansas. 

M.  B.  Davis,  a  native  of  this  county,  and 
a  graduate  of  Asbury  University  at  Green- 
castle, was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1881,  com- 
menced practice  while  a  very  young  man, 
and  was  in  partnership  for  a  short  time  with 
11.  H.  Conley,  of  Newport,  and  in  1885  left 
for  Beatrice,  Nebraska,  where  he  is  now  prac- 
ticing law  and  has  an  interest  in  the  Beatrice 
liejniblican. 

Tiie  present  lawyers  of  Clinton  are  Daniel 
C.  Johnson,  Piatt  Z.  Anderson,  Benjamin  R. 
AVhitcomb,  I.  II.  Strain  and  Melvin  B.  Davis. 


In  1873  the  Clinton  Exponent  was  estab- 
lished by  B.  S.  Blackledge  and  James  R. 
Baker,    Esq.,  in   Allen's    picture    gallery,    a 


short  distance  west  of  the  present  Argus 
office,  and  was  Republican  in  politics.  F.  L. 
Whedon,  from  Ohio,  edited  the  paper  for  a 
short  time.  After  a  time  Baker  sold  his  in- 
terest to  his  partner,  and  Mr.  Blackledge 
conducted  the  paper  alone  until  the  first 
week  of  November,  1876,  when  he  sold  to 
Lyman  E.  Knapp.  In  June,  1877,  he  sold 
to  R.  S.  Knapp,  but  King  Alcohol  foreclosed 
a  mortgage  on  the  institution  and  killed  it. 
It  raised  its  fainting  form  at  Perrysville,  as 
the  Perrysville  Exponent,  gasped  a  few 
months,  and  breathed  its  last.  In  1877  H. 
A.  White,  a  lawyer  of  Clinton,  bought  the 
office  material,  returned  with  it  to  Clinton, 
and  started  the  Western  Indianian,  in  the 
building  now  occupied  by  Harry  Dudley  as  a 
meat  market.  Subsequently  it  was  removed 
to  the  room  now  occupied  by  the  Argus.  By 
this  time  the  organ  was  "National"  in  its 
politics. 

White  sold  out  to  T.  A.  Kibby,  H.  S. 
Evans  and  John  McMahon.  The  last  men- 
tioned soon  left,  and  Evans  became  editor  and 
publisher,  Kibby  remaining  as  a  silent  part- 
ner. Then  Evans  left,  and  Mr.  Kibby,  in 
September,  1879,  leased  the  off.ce  to  L.  O. 
Bishop  and  Mont.  L.  Casey.  In  June,  1880, 
this  firm  bought  the  Clinton  .Herald,  to 
which  the  Western  Indianian  had  been 
changed  by  Mr.  Evans,  and  published  it 
until  July  1,  1882,  when  Mr.  Bishop  sold  to 
Casey.  August  31,  Mr.  Bishop  started  the 
Saturday  Argots.  In  twelve  or  fifteen  montlis 
the  Herald  suspended.  Shortly  afterward 
Alexander  Myers  tried  his  hand  at  the  busi- 
ness of  journalism,  by  starting  the  Toma- 
hawh  and  Scalping-Knife,  which  he  imme- 
diately changed  to  the  Democrat:  died  in 
six  weeks.  In  June,  1884,  Mr.  Casey  came 
out  with  the  Clinton  Siftlngs,  which  sifted 
occasionally  and  irregularly  along  for  about 
three  years,  when  it  entirely  sifted  out. 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


All  the  above  nsM-spapers,  except  the  Argiis, 
were  pi-inted  upon  the  same  press. 

During  the  summer  of  1887  Mont.  L. 
Casey  started  "  Caser/s  Si/tings,"  as  an  organ 
laboring  for  the  "elevation  of  morals  and 
horse-thieves,"  and  as  tlie  only  "  religious  " 
paper  iu  the  county  and  the  "best  advertising 
medium  on  earth,"  published  every  Friday 
evening,  "  the  Lord  permitting,"  and  on 
Saturday  morning  "  any  %vay." 

It  seems  that  the  ^4/yHS-eyed  journal  has 
come  to  stay,  having  a  clear  tield  and  run- 
ning steadily.  It  is  a  "  free,  untrammeled 
newspaper  for  the  people,"  handicapped  by 
no  idiosyncrasy.  In  connection  with  the 
paper,  Mr.  Bishop  has  also  a  good  job  office. 

Lucius  0.  Bishop  was  born  iu  Clinton,  a 
son  of  Francis  M.  and  Melinda  (Anderson) 
Bishop,  April  17,  1859.  Approaching  the 
years  of  manhood  he  began  the  study  of  law 
in  the  office  of  Henry  A.  White,  in  his  native 
town,  but,  before  completing  his  course,  he, 
in  partnership  with  Mont.  L.  Casey,  leased 
the  printing  office  of  the  Clinton  Herald,  in 
1879,  since  which  time  he  lias  been  engaged 
as  a  journalist  and  job  printer,  as  above  re- 
lated. He  is  a  rising  young  man,  and  being 
endowed  with  energy  and  mental  activity,  he 
is  destined  to  make  a  mark  in  this  world  of 
life.  lie  is  a  member  of  the  order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the 
literary  societies  and  other  local  enterprises  of 
the  community. 

LATE     ENTEEPEISES. 

The  Clinton  Building  and  Loan  Associa- 
tion was  organized  in  March,  1882,  and  is 
still  alive.  William  L.  Morey  is  president, 
and  J.  W.  Robb,  secretary. 

Clinton  Building  and  Loan  Association 
Xo.  2  was  organized  January  1,  1887,  with  a 
capital  stock   of    $50,000.     David  McBeth, 


President;  J.  W.  Robb,  Secretary;  and  W. 

A.  Hays,  Treasurer. 

The  Clinton  Natural  Gas  Company  was 
organized  in  the  spring  of  1887,  witli  a  capi- 
tal stock  of  $2,000  to  $1,000.  C.  Mathews, 
President;  John  Whitcomb,  Vice-President; 
W.  H.  Hamilton,  Secretary;  N.  C.  Anderson, 
Treasiirer.  The  other  directors  ai"e  J.  J.  Hig- 
gins,  Decatur  Downing,  J.   E.  Knowles,  C. 

B.  Knowles  and  W.  A.  Hays.  The  material 
for  the  derrick,  etc.,  is  now  (June)  on  the 
ground,  and  the  company  intend  to  com- 
mence drilling  within  a  few  days,  in  the 
western  portion  of  the  town. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

The  first  school-house  in  Clinton  Township, 
as  elsewliere  described,  was  a  log  structure 
of  the  most  primitive  kind,  located  at  tlie 
Davidson  hill,  a  mile  west  of  town,  when  the 
only  school  books  were  the  English  Reader, 
AVebster's  Elementary  Spelling  Book  and  tlie 
New  Testament,  and  sometimes  a  copy  of 
Daboll's  Aritlimetic.  Since  then  a  remark- 
able growth  of  the  present  free-school  system 
has  taken  place.  In  the  meantime,  according 
to  the  character  of  the  respective  periods,  two 
or  three  attempts  have  been  made  toward  the 
establishment  of  special  or  select  schools  of 
an  advanced  order.  For  example,  just  pre- 
vious to  tlie  war,  Myrain  G.  Towsley's  Mili- 
tary Institute  and  the  Farmers'  College,  which 
went  down  on  account  of  the  war  coming  on. 
Part  of  the  building,  a  large  frame,  was 
afterward  converted  into  an  opera  house,  and 
the  wings  into  dwelling-houses. 

The  present  fine  school  building,  of  six 
rooms,  v/as  erected  in  1881,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$8,000,  including  seating,  furnishing  and 
the  ground.  The  enrollment  last  year  was 
368.  The  school  is  divided  into  ten  or  twelve 
grades,  and  prepares  its  graduates  for  admis- 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP. 


239 


sion  into  the  State  University.     The  principal 
is  J.  H.  Tomlin,  who  has  six  assistants. 

SOCIETIES. 

Freemasonry  was  organized  in  Clinton  pre- 
vious to  D.  A.  Eanger's  arrival  here  in  1843, 
but  interest  in  it  declined  and  the  charter 
was  surrendered. 

Jerusalem  Lodge,  No.  9D,  F.  cfi  A.  M., 
received  its  charter  May  29,  1850,  and  has 
ever  since  then  been  kept  alive.  The  charter 
members  were — Sylvester  Redlield,  Worship- 
ful Master,  who  afterward  moved  to  Nebraska, 
John  N.  Perkins,  Hiram  Barnes,  John  li. 
Whitcomb,  Benjamin  E.  Whitcorab,  William 
S.  Price,  James  Gazsoway,  James  McCuUoch, 
Nathan  Sidwell,  J.  J.  Moore  and  William 
Barrick.  The  present  membership  is  fifty- 
six,  with  these  officers:  James  Robert,  Wor- 
shipful Master;  Eobert  B.  Bailey,  Senior 
Warden;  Jasj)er  Frisk,  Junior  Warden;  N. 
C.  Anderson,  Treasurer;  D.  A.  Eanger,  Sec- 
retary; II.  I).  Dudley,  Senior  Deacon;  John 
Ilorney,  Junior  Deacon;  and  William  Hughes, 
Tyler. 

Ainant  Lodge,  No.  35G,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  was 
instituted  November  16,  1870,  with  about 
twelve  members,  who  have  increased  to  about 
seventy-five.  The  present  officers  are — A.  V. 
McWethy,  Noble  Grand;  J.  II.  Black,  Vice 
Grand;  Frank  Swinehart,  Eecordiug  Secre- 
tary; W.  H.  Hill,  Permanent  Secretary;  John 
II.  Birt,  Treasurer.  The  past  grands  num- 
ber twenty-three.  The  lodge  has  an  unusu- 
ally nice  room  for  their  meetings. 

Clinton  Encampment,  No.  US,  was  char- 
tered May  16,  1876.  Present  officers— W. 
II.  Hill,  Chief  Priest;  ^N.  II.  Cale,  Senior 
Warden;  Harry  Swinehart,  Junior  Warden; 
J.  il.  Blagg,  High  Priest;  W.  F.  Wells,  Per- 
manent Secretary;  Ed.  II.  Johnston,  Scribe; 
J.  II.  Black,  Treasurer. 


Vermillion  Lodge,  No.  182,  Degree  of 
Rebekah,  was  organized  July  9,  1877.  It  has 
at  present  about  forty  active  members.  The 
officers  are — Mrs.  Anna  Davis,  Noble  Grand; 
Miss  Ella  Bishop,  Vice-Grand;  Mrs.  Katie 
McWethy,  Treasurer;  Lillie  Birt,  Recording 
Secretary;  Miss  Lulu  Allen,  Permanent  Sec- 
retary. 

F.  E.  Owen  Post,  No.  3^9,  G.  A.  R.,  was 
instituted  April  15,  1884.  (See  a  j)recedinf,r 
page  for  a  sketch  of  Dr.  Owen).  The  Post 
was  organized  X)j  Captain  li.  B.  Sears, 
of  Newport,  mustering  officer,  with  about 
twenty-five  or  tliirty  members.  They  now 
number  fifty-four,  and  are  in  prospei'ous 
condition.  Officers — L.  H.  Beckman,  Post 
Commander;  Cornelius  Quick,  Senior  Vice 
Commander;  T.  B.  Wells,  Junior  Vice  Com- 
mander; S.  Weatherwax,  Adjutant;  J.  II. 
Wilson,  Quartermaster;  William  Kelp,  Chap- 
lain; D.  A.  Ranger,  Quartermaster  Sergeant; 
Enoch  Whitted,  Sergeant.- 

Cotmcil  No.  3,  Sovereigns  of  Indiistni. 
was  organized  May  5,  1874,  with  twenty-five 
members.  James  A.  Greenwalt  was  elected 
President;  David  McBeth,  Vice-President; 
J.  C.  Campbell,  Secretary;  T.  Victor,  Treas- 
urer; S.  B.  Blackledge,  Lecturer;  J.  C.  Hall. 
Steward;  D.  Moore,  Inside  Guard. 

The  A.  O.  IT.  W.  organized  here  eight  or 
ten  years  ago;  soon  had  thirty  or  forty  mem- 
bers, but  in  about  a  year  they  practically  dis- 
banded. Perry  Jones,  superintendent  of  a 
coal  mine  in  tiie  vicitiity  at  the  time,  Avas 
master  workman  of  the  lodge.  He  moved 
away  some  years  ago.  Probably  he  constituted 
the  soul  of  the  lodge,  and  \vlien  he  went  away 
the  body  died. 

Some  eight  years  ago  an  orchestra  was  or- 
ganized in  Clinton,  which  is  still  efficient, 
and  more  recently  a  cornet  band,  led  by  White 
and  Wells. 


Methodism. — Itinerant  Methodist  minis- 
ters of  pioneer  times  were  especially  marked 
fur  their  energy  and  daring  in  threading  the 
wild  woods  and  prairies  in  search  of  the  iso- 
lated settler,  for  the  purpose  of  preaching  to 
liiin  the  gospel  and  of  organizing  "classes" 
(church  congregations)  as  soon  as  he  could 
iind  three  or  four  residents  who  were  zealous 
enough  to  meet,  coming  from  far  and  from 
near.  The  first  Methodist  class  in  Yermill- 
ion  Connty  was  organized  some  time  previ- 
ous to  1830,  at  the  house  of  John  Tannest, 
the  first  settler  of  the  county,  comprising 
besides  Mr.  Vaniiest  himself,  also  his  brother, 
and  George  Eush,  James,  Amos  and  Joseph 
Reeder,  the  Brannons,  etc.  The  minister, 
who  walked  his  rounds,  preached  here  every 
four  weeks.  Revs.  Smith  and  McGinnis  are 
remembered  as  being  among  the  early  Meth- 
odist preachers  in  this  section. 

Not  having  space  to  detail  the  particulars 
of  Methodist  history  from  that  time  to  the 
present,  we  are  obliged  to  leap  in  our  imagi- 
nation over  half  a  century,  to  the  present 
period. 

At  the  present  time  the  Clinton  society 
comprises  ninety-four  members.  Class-leader, 
L.  II.  Beckman.  Stewards,  James  M.  Hayes 
and  Robert  Allen.  The  flourishing  Sunday- 
school  is  superintended  by  John  Whitcomb 
and  L.  IT.  Beckman.  Pastor,  Rev.  J.  B. 
Combs,  now  in  his  second  year  here,  and  oc- 
cupying the  parsonage,  a  neat  residence  in  a 
retired  place.  This  circuit  is  in  the  Green- 
castle  District,  Northwest  Indiana  Conference. 
Rev.  A.  A.  Gee,  of  Greencastle,  is  the  pre- 
siding elder. 

As  to  a  house  of  worship,  the  Methodists 
jiassed  from  the  log-cabin  residence  and 
f-chool-house  to  a  frame  church,  erected 
mainly  by   the  Presbyterians  in   1831;  and 


next  into  a  frame,  38  x  60  feet,  built  about 
1852,  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,400,  which  is  now 
used  as  a  dwelling;  and  finally,  in  1883,  they 
reared  their  present  massive  and  imposing 
brick  edifice,  40  x  80  feet  in  ground  area,  at 
a  cost  of  §6,500. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Churdt 
of  Clinton,  was  organized  in  1876,  by  Kev. 
W.  S.  Langford,  of  Rockville,  at  the  time,  who 
was  also  pastor  for  a  while.  The  class,  led 
by  George  Harris,  started  out  with  only  six 
members,  but  now  numbers  about  twenty, 
with  Mrs.  Lida  Brown  as  class-leader.  Stew- 
ards, "William  Bowen,  John  Cooper,  Elbert 
Brown,  John  Bowen  and  John  Walker.  Sun- 
day-school, of  about  fifteen  pupils  generally, 
is  superintended  by  James  Bowen.  The 
pastor  is  Rev.  W.  R.  Hutchison,  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Lost  Creek,  Yigo  County;  this  is  his 
third  year.  The  church  building,  26  x  80 
feet  in  dimensions,  was  erected  in  1881,  at 
a  cost  of  $250,  and  is  free  from  debt.  It  is 
located  in  the  central  part  of  town. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  at  Clinton  was 
also  organized  in  pioneer  times,  being  the 
first  to  erect  a  house  of  worship  in  the 
county,  in  1831,  with  the  aid  of  the  Method- 
ists. Ennning  down  somewhat  in  the  course 
of  years,  they  were  re-organized  about  1850, 
by  Rev.  John  Gerrish,  of  Ilelt  Township,  who 
died  in  the  spring  of  1887,  in  Kansas.  There 
are  now  fifty-five  members.  The  ruling 
elders  are  E.  V.  lirown  and  David  McBeth. 
They  maintain  a  Sunday-school  the  year 
round,  with  an  average  attendance  of  ninety 
pupils,  superintended  by  D.  C.  Johnson.  The 
present  pastor  is  Rev.  L.  G.  Hay,  D.  D.,  of 
Terre  Haute,  who  has  been  serving  as 
"  stated  supply  "  since  the  first  of  February 
1887.  Former  pastors  (or  supplies)  have 
been,  so  far  as  can  be  conveniently  remem- 
bered, Revs.  James  Boggs,  in  1855;  John 
A.    Tiffner,    of  Bono,    two   or    three  years; 


3  ' 


CLINTON    TOWNSHIP. 


John  Hawks,  of  Eockville,  two  or  three 
years;  Thomas  Griffith,  of  Montezuma,  three 
or  four  years,  and  L.  H.  Davidson,  who  re- 
sided here  at  the  time,  two  years.  The  first 
church  bnikling  was  converted  into  a  barn,  and 


is  still  used  as  such.  The  present  house  of 
worship  was  erected  about  1852,  is  a  frame 
40x70  feet  in  dimensions,  and  located  cen- 
trally, on  the  school-house  lot. 


EARLY  SETTLERS. 


'HE    following    list    of 
early    settlers  of  Kelt 
Township,   altliougli 
apparently  systematic, 
can   not    be    supposed 
to  be  complete  or  free 
fruiii  error, but  it  is  as  accurate, 
we  trust,  as  such  data  can  gen- 
erally be  made.     The  years  in- 
dicated at  the  head  of  the  re- 
spective  paragraphs    are    the 
years  in  which  those  mentioned 
came   liere   as  settlers,  except 
where  otherwise  specified. 

1817-'18.— In  the  winter  of 
1817-'18  came  Obadiah  Swayze, 
who  occupied  as  a  "squatter"  one  of  the 
three  cabins  just  built  by  the  Helts,  spoken 
of  in  the  next  paragraph.  He,  however,  re- 
mained as  a  permanent  citizen.  His  remains 
now  lie  buried  in  Helt's  Prairie  Cemetery, 
with  his  wife,  two  sons  and  a  daughter.  He 
has  a  grandson,  "Wesley  "Wright,  living  in 
Kansas  City. 

1818. — Daniel  Holt,  after  wliom  the  prai- 
rie and  the  township  Avere  named.  He  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  in  1791,  was  a  soldier 


in  the  war  of  1812  under  General  Harrison, 
and  died  March  25,  1879,  a  good  man  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
George,  John  and  Michael  Helt — all  now  de- 
ceased. C.  B.,  Thomas,  Hiram,  E.  B.  and  F. 
M.  Helt  were  all  born  here  in  pioneer  times. 
Augustus  Ford,  from  Ohio,  long  since  de- 
ceased. His  son  John,  born  in  Ohio  in  1809, 
came  with  him,  and  died  May  6,  1882,  an 
exemplary  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  after  having  lived  upon  the  farm 
first  occupied  lor  half  a  century.  Mr.  Rod- 
ney, from  Maine.  John  Skidmore,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  Hon.  "V\'illiam 
Skidmore,  who  was  born  February  19,  1819, 
died  several  years  ago.  George  Skidmore 
was  born  in  1824,  and  Josiah  Skidmore  in 
1831.  Samuel  Eush,  father  of  James,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio  in  1817.  This  year,  or  soon 
afterward,  C.  C.  Hiddle  (or  John  Hiddle,  ac- 
cording to  one  authority),  and  John  Martin 
came  and  built  the  first  cabins  on  Hiddle's 
Prairie. 

1819 — Samuel  Ryerson,  who  died  January 
31,  1862,  at  Clinton.  His  wife,  Phebe,  died 
in  the  fall  of  1874,  at  the  age  seventy-nine 
years.     She  wa*  a  remarkable  woman.     At 


UELT    TOWNSHIP. 


tlie  age  of  twelve  years  she  had  never  heard 
one  pray.  At  that  time  she  attended  a 
Methodist  meeting,  where  the  expected 
preacher  did  not  arrive,  and  the  class-leader 
sang  and  prayed,  which  was  tlie  means  of  her 
conviction  and  conversion,  and  she  remained 
a  zealous  member  of  tlie  church  all  her  life. 
She  and  her  husband  formed  the  first  Method- 
ist class  on  Helt's  Prairie,  consisting  of 
eight  persons,  soon  after  their  settlement 
here.  A  short  time  before  her  death  she  willed 
§1,500  to  the  Missionary  Society,  $500  to 
Asbury  University,  $200  to  the  educational 
fund  of  this  county,  and  $200  to  the  Biblical 
Institute  at  Evanston,  Illinois,  besides  other 
sums,  to  various  individuals. 

Matthew  Harbison  came  this  year.  Joseph 
Harbison  was  born  in  this  township  in  1834. 

1820.— Mr.  Hood,  father  of  Charles  D. 
and  S.  S.,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Ten- 
nessee, in  1814  and  1815,  and  are  still  living 
here.  According  to  one  authority,  Joel  IIol- 
lingsworth  arrived  in  Ilelt  Township  this  year. 

1821.— Abraham  and  Enoch  White.  The 
latter  was  born  in  Kentucky,  in  1814.  James 
Harper.  Stephen  Harrington,  who  was  born 
in  Ohio  in  1814,  was  a  resident  here  during 
most  of  the  connty's  existence.  Warham  (or 
"  Wirnm ")  Mack,  born  in  Ohio  in  1801, 
died  here.  The  other  Macks  came  later:  see 
under  1832  and  1886. 

1822. — William  Andrews,  Sr.,  tanner  and 
farmer,  born  in  Ohio  in  1807,  (see  under 
1832),  and  died  of  heart  decease  in  De- 
cember, 1879,  two  miles  southwest  of  St. 
Bernice,  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren 
church.  (For  others  by  the  name  of  Andrews, 
see  under  1832.)  John  Conley.  M.  A.  Con- 
ley,  long  a  resident,  was  born  in  this  town- 
ship this  year.  James  Conley,  born  in  Ohio 
in  1817,  is  still  living  here.  William  Conley 
was  another  pioneer. 

1823. — Alanson  Church.     Ills  son  Josiah 


was  born  here,  September  29,  1823,  and  died 
January  7,  1884,  two  and  a  half  miles  west 
of  Summit  Grove.  Eleven  of  his  twelve 
children  are  still  living.  John  Peer,  Sr., 
born  in  Virginia  in  1803,  and  deceased.  John 
Peer,  Jr.,  a  resident,  was  born  here  in  1834. 
The  Pearman  family;  of  the  younger  mem- 
bers, John  is  living,  I'enjamin  is  dead,  and 
besides  these  there  M-ere  S.  D.  and   AVilliam. 

1824. — John  Van  Camp,  whose  house  this 
year  was  where  the  first  township  election 
was  held,  moved  to  Missouri.  John  Langs- 
ton,  father  of  Oliver,  of  Dana.  William  L. 
Malone,  born  in  Ohio  in  1805,  deceased. 
Richard,  his  son,  was  born  in  the  same  State, 
in  1826,  and  lives  in  Dana. 

1825.— Caleb  Bales,  Sr.,  from  Virginia, 
died  in  1836.  Caleb  Bales,  Jr.  is  living. 
George  Bales,  early  settler,  father  of  Robert, 


is  dead.     William  Bales,  boru  in  Vi 


rginia  in 


1827,  settled  in  this  county  in  1831.  Will- 
iam F.  Bales  was  born  here  in  1829. 
Chandler  Tillotson,  who  came  to  the  county 
abont  this  pei'iod,  is  dead.  Daniel  G.  and 
G.  B.  Tillotson  were  born  here  in  1825. 
1826.— Edwin  (or  Edmund),  William  and 
Elijah  James.  S.  R.,  Joseph,  W.  A.  and  S. 
S.  James  are  all  natives  of  this  C(ninty.  Mr. 
Keyes,  father  of  Dr.  C.  F.  Keyes.  The 
doctor  was  born  in  Indiana,  in  1822,  brought 
up  in  Ilelt  Township,  became  a  competent 
physician,  although  somewhat  eccentric  in 
style,  and  died  at  Dana,  February  8,  1884, 
leaving  a  wife  and  five  children.  John  Van- 
duyn  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1803,  still  i-e- 
sides  in  this  township.  M.  Thompson.  Mr. 
Rhoades,  father  of  Stephen,  was  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1822.  William  Kearns,  born 
in  Kentucky  in  1806,  is  dead.  John,  his 
son,  was  born  in  1832,  and  is  still  living  here. 
Samuel  Pyle,  was  two  years  old  at  this  time, 
when  he  was  brought  here;  he  is  still  a  resi- 
dent of  this  township. 


1827. — Washington  Engram,  bom  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1812.  John  0.  Rogers,  born  this 
year  in  Helt  Township,  resides  in  Dana. 
Asa  Mack  came  this  year  or  previouely.  His 
son,  Dr.  Erastus  Mack,  was  born  this  year, 
and  another  son,  N.  B.,  born  in  1832,  went  to 
California. 

1828. — Joel  Ilollingsworth,  who  was  born 
in  South  Carolina  in  1801,  died  May  30, 
1875,  in  this  township.  (See  sketch  of 
Simon  Hollingsworth,  in  the  biographical  de- 
partment of  this  work.)  George  Hollings- 
worth, a  carpenter,  was  born  in  1827,  In- 
diana, and  was  brought  here  in  1839. 

1829.— The  French  family.  Eelix  French, 
born  here  this  year,  went  to  Michigan.  Sam- 
uel French,  long  a  resident.  Joseph  and 
John  Staats,  brothers,  are  still  living  here. 
Joseph,  born  in  Virginia  in  1801,  came  in 
1830,  and  John,  who  was  born  in  Ohio  in 
1806,  came  in  1829.  Israel  and  Abraham 
Leatherman  were  lads  when  they  arrived  this 
year.  Samuel  Hoagland  (deceased),  was  born 
in  this  county  in  1829,  and  was  a  citizen  here 
for  a  life  time.  Wesley  Southard  (deceased), 
was  born  in  Virginia  in  1811.  William 
Ruisell,  Sr.,  born  in  Virginia  in  1797,  is  still 
living  here.  David  and  Mahlou  Russell 
were  born  here,  in  1830  and  1833. 

1830. — James  L.  Wishard,  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1794,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812,  and  died  two  or  three  years  ago.  John 
O.  Wishard,  born  in  the  same  State,  in  1805, 
came  in  1834,  and  is  now  deceased.  J.  H. 
Wishard,  a  life-long  resident,  born  this  year. 
James  L.  Payton,  born  in  Kentucky  in  1800, 
is  dead.  James  Payton,  born  in  1835,  also 
deceased.  A.  M.  Payton,  born  in  Kentucky 
in  1823,  was  seven  years  of  age  when  brought 
here.  James  A.  Edmanston,  born  in  Indiana 
in  1828,  was  brought  here  in  1830  and  lived 
here  many  years,  but  is  now  living  in  Illinois. 
Robert  Norris,  born    in   South   Carolina  in 


1796,  died  here  in  1878.  His  sons,  John 
and  Lewis,  are  living.  John  T.  Boren,  Sr., 
born  in  Tennessee  in  1800,  is  not  living.  J. 
T.  Boren,  Jr.,  was  born  in  this  county  in 
1831.  Jacob  Miller,  born  in  Kentucky  in 
1818,  is  still  a  resident  here.  Mary  E.  Mil- 
ler, born  in  North  Carolina  in  1816,  came  iu 
1831.  John  and  O.  R.  Blakesley,  born  here 
in  1830  and  1833,  remained  as  residents  until 
their  death. 

1831. — Joseph  Jones,  born  in  Kentucky  in 
1810;  Matthew  Jones,  born  in  North  Carolina 
in  1818;  Thomas  Jones,  shoemaker,  born  in 
the  same  State  in  1820;  and  AViley  Jones, 
born  also  in  the  same  State  in  1824,  all  came 
this  year.  Wiley  soon  moved  on  to  Illinois. 
William  Jones,  an  old  resident,  was  born  in 
Indiana  in  1829. 

1832. — James  Andrews  came  previously 
to  1834.  John  Andrews,  still  living  here. 
Sara  Eliza  Andrews,  born  in  1820,  married 
Mr.  Dethrick  and  moved  West.  Hannah 
Andrews,  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1823, 
came  to  this  county  in  1839.  John  W.  Reed, 
born  in  North  Carolina  in  1822,  resided 
here  from  1832  until  his  death  September  14, 
1885,  at  Dana.  David  Reed,  born  in  North 
Carolina  in  1825,  is  still  living.  P.  M. 
Stokesberry,  born  in  Ohio  in  1808,  is  not 
now  living.  James  H.  White,Vho  was  born 
in  Teunessee^in  1805;  and  O.  J.  White  was 
born  this  year  in  Helt  Township.  William 
Higbie,  born  in  Ohio  in  1814,  lived  here 
until  recently. 

1833. — J.  S.  Fisher  (deceased),  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1808.  Benjamin,  James  and 
Joseph  Fisher,  pioneers,  and  life-long  citizens, 
are  all  deceased.  Benjamin  Miles,  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1813,  is  still  living  here.  Mr. 
Foncannon,  from  Virginia.  H.  W.  and  John 
R.  Roshstan,  living  in  Dana.  James  A. 
Elder  and  James  R.  Finnell,  the  former  from 
Ohio,   and  the   latter  from  Kentucky,  were 


both  eleven  years  of  age  when  brought  here 
in  1833,  and  are  still  living  in  Helt  Town- 
ship. O.  Chambers  and  Charles  Craig  were 
burn  here  tliis  year. 

1834. — Saninel  Aiknian,  born  in  Indiana 
in  1814,  is  living  in  Dana.  Robert  Mc- 
Dowell, born  in  Kentucky  in  1820,  is 
deceased.  J.  D.  McDowell,  born  in  this 
county  in  1836,  is  a  life-long  resident.  Mr. 
Johnson,  some  time  this  year  or  previously. 
John  R.  Jolmson,  born  in  Ohio  in  1833,  was 
brouglit  here  in  1834;  and  S.  Johnson  was 
born  liere  in  1835. 

1835. — Samuel  Tullis,  born  in  Virginia  in 
1794,  resided  here  until  his  death,  at  Bono, 
October  14,  1877,  a  member  of  the  Christian 
ciiurch.  His  wife  died  two  months  previously. 
Jolm  Jenks,  born  in  Vermont  in  1803,  is  not 
living.  S.  Ponton,  born  in  A'irginia  in 
1787,  is  deceased.  John  8.  Ponton,  born  in 
Ohio  in  1831,  died  here  about  a  year  ago. 
John  Jackson,  who  had  several  sons,  and  is 
deceased.  Anflrew  Jackson,  born  in  Oliio  in 
1823,  is  still  living  here.  Joseph  Jackson. 
James  C.  Burson.  Isaac  N.  BuUington,  born 
in  Kentucky  in  1807. 

1836. — Cephas  Mack,  born  in  Massachu- 
setts in  1815,  died  April  29,  1885,  in  Ilelt 
Township.  His  brother,  Spencer,  born  in 
the  same  State,  in  1818,  settled  here  in  1838, 
and  is  not  living. 

1837. — Benjamin  Harper,  born  in  Virginia 
in  1796,  died  August  2,  1877.  His  wife, 
Charlotte,  died  March  2,  1884,  aged  nearly 
eighty-two  years.  John  R.  Porter,  born  in 
Massachusetts  in  1824,died  in  1878.  James  F. 
Barnett,  Sr.,  born  in  Kentucky  in  1815,  after 
settling  here  became- a  merchant  in    Eugene. 

1838. — Henry  Mitchell,  blacksmith,  born 
in  New  York  in  1809,  died  here,  June  20, 
1881.  AVilliam  M.  Price,  born  in  Maryland 
in  1811,  is  still  a  resident  of  this  township. 
W.  C.  and  Abel  Randall,  from  Oiiio. 


1839. — William  Thompson,  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1818,  died  here  in  the  spring  of  1887. 
David  D.  Thompson,  born  in  the  same  State, 
in  1827,  died  i^^ebruary  1,  1880.  Erastus 
Crane,  born  in  Vermont  in  1804,  resided  in 
Helt  Township  from  1839  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  Elijah  and  N.  E.  Taylor,  Reuben 
Puffer,  F.  S.  Aye  and  many  others. 

1840. — Stephen  Milliken,  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1803;  deceased.  J.  L.  Powers,  born 
in  Virginia  in  1803;  also  deceased. 

Other  early  settlers  were — Samuel  Rice, 
William  Hays,  Peter  Higbie,  Henry  Bogart, 
Richard,  Isaac  and  John  Sliort,  Carmack, 
etc.,  etc.,  nearly  all  of  whom  are  dead. 

MISCELLANEOUS    ITEMS. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  Helt  Town- 
ship was  Honorable  William  Skidmore,  in 
1819;  and  it  is  not  a  settled  point  whether 
he  or  Jolm  Vannest,  Jr.,  of  Clinton  Town- 
ship, was  the  first  born  in  the  county. 

The  first  church  building  in  the  township 
was  the  Salem  Church,  on  Helt's  Prairie, 
erected  in  1848. 

The  first  school  was  taught  on  this  prairie, 
prior  to  1830. 

The  first  mill  in  the  township  was  built 
upon  the  bank  of  Coal  Branch,  a  little  stream 
which  takes  its  rise  in  the  central  part  of  the 
township  and  flows  southwest.  This  mill 
was  built  by  William  Anderson  in  1836,  but 
it  has  long  since  fallen  into  disuse,  and  Coal 
Branch  looks  as  if  it  could  never  have  run  a 
mill. 

The  Davis  Ferry,  at  Opeedee,  about  three 
and  a  half  miles  below  Newport,  was  a  fa- 
mous place  in  early  day,  as  it  was  the  favorite 
place  of  crossing  the  Wabash  for  those  who 
were  traveling  north,  the  second  bottoms  on 
the  west  side  of  the  river  attbrding  much 
better  wagon  roads  than  the  east  side.     By 


! 


this  route  some  teaming  was  done  even  to 
Chicago. 

Helt  Township  has  contributed  an  inter- 
esting share  to  the  science  of  archseology.  In 
the  summer  of  1884,  a  number  of  workmen, 
while  digging  gravel  in  the  mound  Just  east 
of  William  Bales'  place,  brought  to  light  the 
skeletons  of  more  than  half  a  dozen  of  the 
aborigines.  Various  relics  were  found,  con- 
sisting of  bone  and  stone.  There  was  no 
metallic  tool  of  any  sort  in  the  grave.  Under 
the  skull  of  the  first  skeleton  found, —  un- 
doubtedly the  chief  or  sachem  of  the  tribe, — 
was  perhaps  half  a  bushel  of  arrow-heads.  A 
pipe  was  found,  the  bowl  of  which  was  per- 
fectly hollowed.  It  was  made  of  a  hard 
species  of  soapstone. .  Was  it  his  calumet  of 
peace?  Two  pieces  of  what  one  would  sup- 
pose to  be  a  tish-spear,  made  from  the  aiitler 
of  a  deer,  was  procured  from  the  heap  of 
arrow-heads,  together  with  the  jaw-bones  of 
a  dog  and  several  beaver  teeth.  One  spear- 
head, six  inches  long,  the  middle  portion  of 
which  was  gone,  had  barbs,  about  an  inch 
apart,  on  one  side  only.  The  absence  of  fire- 
arms indicates  that  these  remains  have  been 
lying  here  since  a  period  prior  to  the  advent 
of  the  white  man. 

March  31,  1883,  occurred  the  first  "  fox 
drive"  ever  held  in  Vermillion  County.  The 
citizens  placed  themselves,  according  to  ad- 
vertised programme,  in  a  kind  of  circle  around 
a  large  section  of  territory,  mostly  in  Helt 
Township.  They  started  forward  at  9:30  A. 
M.  All  the  marshals  exercised  due  diligence 
to  keep  the  uien  in  proper  shape,  none  of 
whom  wei-e  allowed  to  be  intoxicated  or  to 
have  a  dog  or  gun.  The  east  and  north  di- 
visions, having  to  travel  over  a  very  broken 
section  of  the  country,  and  some  of  the  men 
also  disobeying  orders,  permitted  eight  foxes 
to  escape.  At  half  past  11  o'clock  men  and 
boys  could  be  seen   in  every  direction,  about 


800  strong,  approaching  the  center;  and  it 
was  also  observed  at  this  moment,  that  three 
red  foxes  were  surrounded.  Forming  into  a 
ring  about  forty  yards  in  diameter  on  the 
meadow  near  the  Conley  school-house,  three 
of  the  most  active  young  men  entered  the 
ring  to  captvire  the  game  by  their  unassisted 
hands.  One  fox,  which  was  crippled  in  try- 
ing to  pass  out,  was  soon  caught;  but  the 
other  two  were  chased  for  some  time,  when 
finally  one  of  them  broke  the  line  where 
some  women  were  standing  and  got  away. 
The  remaining  one,  after  being  chased  fur 
some  time  by  dififerent  ones,  was  finally  caught 
by  Fred  Ford. 

William  Darnell  was  called  for,  who  at 
auction  sold  the  two  foxes  to  the  highest 
bidder,  Richard  Wimsett,  of  Opeedee.  Every 
one  present  enjoyed  the  sport. 

It  could  plainly  be  seen  that  many  impor- 
tant improvements  could  be  made  in  the  plan 
and  execution  of  the  "  drive,"  and  accordingly 
the  next  spring,  March  15,  1884,  they  tried 
it  again,  on  a  larger  scale,  Muthout  catching 
a  single  fox.  The  conclusion  was  that  there 
were  no  foxes  on  the  ground  to  be  caught; 
but  some  say  the  territory  was  too  large.  It 
comprised  a  portion  of  Helt  and  Vermillion 
Townships. 

In  looking  through  the  ijlesoi  the  Iloosicr 
State  five  to  twenty  years  back,  one  finds 
many  crimes  and  misdemeanors  reported  from 
every  part  of  the  county, — appropriate  enough 
for  a  newspaper  but  inappropriate  in  a  general 
history  like  this.  The  execiition  of  Walter 
Watson,  for  the  murder  of  Ezra  Compton  at 
Highland,  has  already  been  related  in  this 
w'ork.  AVe  hope  every  reader  will  pardon  us 
for  introducing  one  more  item  from  that 
newspaper,  as  an  example  of  the  amusing 
style  in  which  many  of  the  squabbles  in  this 
county  were  related. 

"  Hair   Pulling:  a  Church  Scene  in  Helt 


BELT    TOWNSHIP. 


Township:  Two  Belligerent  Females  Get  on 
Their  Muscle  and  Make  the  Hair  Fly.  It 
becomes  our  sad  duty  this  week  to  record  a 
big  hair  pulling  by  a  couple  of  young  women 
of  Helt  Township.  Both  bear  a  respectable 
character,  and  also  a  first-class  temper.  The 
time  was  Sunday,  December  20,  1874,  and 
the  Brick  Church,  three  miles  west  of  High- 
land, was  the  place.  The  young  ladies  met 
in  the  aisle  after  services  were  over,  and,  after 
a  few  hot  words,  the  hair  pulling  commenced, 
and  was  continued  with  fury  for  several 
minutes,  hair,  ciirls  and  chignons  flying  in 
every  direction,  to  the  dismay  of  the  as- 
sembled multitude.  Both  will  now  have  to 
wear  wigs  for  a  spell,  to  conceal  their  prairie 
heads  from  public  gaze.  It  is  through  fear 
that  we  withhold  their  names  from  the  public; 
for  we  don't  want  to  be  put  to  the  necessity 
of  buying  a  wig  these  hard  times." 

TORONTO. 
This  is  the  name  of  the  postoffice  at  the 
village  called  Bono,  in  the  southwestern  part 
of  the  township.  The  village  was  started  in 
1848,  by  Tilly  Jenks  and  others,  when  the 
site  was  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  tim- 
ber and  under-brush.  The  first  store  was 
established  by  James  Bacon,  between  1850 
and  1860.  In  the  spring  of  1863,  Edward 
English  established  a  grocery,  selling  out  in 
August  of  the  same  year  to  Francis  M. 
Austin,  who  now  keeps  a  "general  store"  at 
the  place.  John  F.  Hays  is  another  merchant 
here.  The  village,  although  never  laid  out 
and  platted,  has  all  the  elements  of  a  little 
town.  The  population  now  is  over  eighty. 
There  is  one  physician  here,  three  church 
organizations,  —  Presbyterian,  Baptist  and 
Methodist, — one  church  building,  a  school- 
house,  blacksmith  shop  and  a  post  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  In  early  day 
a  society  of  Sons  of  Temperance  existed  here, 


and  later,  in  the  '60s,  a  lodge  of  the  Good 
Templars.  The  postoflice  was  established 
here  in  1871,  with  Francis  M.  Austin  as  post- 
master, who  still  holds  the  office.  There 
being  anotlier  Bono  in  Indiana,  the  postoffice 
was  named  Toronto,  the  office  by  this  name  a 
mile  and  a  half  north  having  been  previously 
discontinued. 

John  C.  Jenl-s  Post,  No.  263,  G.  A.  7?., 
was  chartered  with  the  following  officers 
and  members:  Francis  M.  Austin,  Post 
Commander;  William  L.  Kerns,  Senior  Yicc- 
Commander;  Henry  Barnhart,  Junior  Vice- 
Commander;  George  W.  Campbell,  Quarter- 
master; Edwin  Tiffany,  Chaplain;  Lewis  II. 
Beckman,  Adjutant;  Henry  H.  Aye,  Ofiictr 
of  the  Day;  A.  J.  Pitts,  Surgeon;  Solomon 
Carpenter,  John  Beard,  William  F.  Morrison, 
Francis  C.  Combs,  William  A.  Goodwin  and 
John  Myers.  The  post  is  in  good  working 
order,  enjoying  peace  and  hainiony.  Mem- 
bership, twenty-six,  meeting  the  first  Satur- 
day of  each  month.  Present  officers — Henry 
H.  Aye,  Post-Commander;  W.  F.  Kerns, 
Senior  Vice-Commander;  Henry  Barnhart, 
Junior  Vice-Commander;  Stej^hen  Jenks, 
Quartermaster;  William  A.  Goodwin,  Chap- 
lain; L.  L.  Goodwin,  Adjutant;  F.  M.  Austin, 
Officer  of  the  Day ;  Edwin  Tiffany,  Officer  of 
the  Guard. 

This  is  the  most  appropriate  place  we  can 
find  for  the  list  of  deceased  soldiers  of  tlie 
last  war,  from  Helt  Township,  compiled 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic. 

Aikman,  Elijah  Andrews,  Edward 

Aikman,  James  Andrews,  John 

Aikman,  William  Andrews,  James 

Amerman,  Henry         Anderson,  John  P. 
Bride,  James  Blakesley,  Albert, 

Brady,  James  Burnett,  Samuel 

Burnett,  William  Clark,  John 

Castle,  Dirah  Crane,  Benjamin 


HISTOriT    OF     VEItMILLION    COUNTY. 


Dorsliam,  Christopher 
Ford,  Josephus,  Lean- 

der  and  Perry- 
Fisher,  James 
Gerrish,  Charles 
Gosnold,  Oscar 
Harbison,  James 
Harris,  John 
Hamilton,     Benjamin 
James,  Joseph  L. 
Jackson,  Ross 
Longfellow,      "William 
JIalone,  William  C. 
Millikin,  Lintott 
Miller,  H.  B. 
Martin,  William 
Morgan,  Marion 
Osborn,  William 
Pollard,  Absalom 
Price,  David 
Staats,  George 
Smith,  John 
Strain,  George 
Spriggs,  Enoch 
Taylor,  Leroy 
Thompson,  James 
White,  Frank 
Winesburg,  Henry. 
Ashnry  Lodge,  JS^o.  320,  F.  db  A.  M.,  was 
organized  at  Bono  in  1861,  but  the  meraber- 
sliip  is  now  transferred  to  Dana,  which  see. 
Toronto  Presbyterian   Church  was  organ- 
ized as  early  as  1850  or  '51,  by  Kev.  Gerrish, 
the  house  of  worship   was    built  during   the 
latter  year.     It  is    a  frame,  36x40   feet   in 
dimensions,  and  is  still    in  a   good   state  of 
preservation.     Among  the  early  members  of 
the  church  were   James  A.    Elder  and  wife, 
Samuel  Elder  and  wife,  etc.     Rev.   John  A. 
Tiflany  was  pastor  from  1858  to  1866.  There 
are  now  about  twenty  commnnicants;  a  large 
proportion  are  changing  their  membership  to 
Dana.     Rev.  Thomas   Griffith  is   the  present 


Curry,  John 
Ford,  Henry 
Foncannon,  Joseph 
Foticannon,  John 
Gamell,  Charles 
Gerrish,  Lucien 
Hendrixon,  Elliott 
Harper,  Daniel 
Homida}',   David 
Hunter,  Solomon 
James,  Solomon  R. 
Luck,  Edward 
Malone,  William 
Mitciiell,  Benson 
Mack,  Reuben 
McNamer,  John 
Martin,  Levi 
Nebeker,  Jasper 
Pearman,  Sebert 
Potterofi",  Marion 
Paulley,  James 
Skid  more,  Asa 
Smitli,  William 
Southard,  John  P. 
Straight,  Elmor 
Tullis,  Samuel 
Wellman,  Louis 
Whiteliead,  Thomas 


pastor.  A  union  Sunday-school  is  kept  up 
throughout  the  year:  Edwin  Tiflany,  super- 
intendent. A  union  prayer-meeting  is  sus- 
tained in  the  church  by  the  Presbyterians, 
Baptists  and  Methodists. 

laddie's  Prairie  Baptist  Chitrch. — In 
1852  a  branch  or  "  mission  "  of  the  Bloom - 
field  Baptist  Church  was  established  at 
Toronto,  and  July  23,  1853,  it  was  organized 
as  a  separate  body  in  the  Toronto  Presby- 
terian Chapel,  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Riley.  The 
constituent  members  were  Chandler  Tillotson, 
John  Depuy,  James  Drinen,  Reiiben  Pufter, 
Daniel  G.  Tillotson,  John  Newton,  A.  II. 
Depuy,  Hannah  Martin,  Mary  Newton,  Eliza 
J.  Depny,  Harriet  Puffer,  Elizabeth  Tillotson, 
Rebecca  Tillotson,  Rametha  Scott,  O.  Z. 
Derthic,  Harriet  Derthic,  Adalinc  Derthic 
and  Mary  Derthic. 

Revs.  John  and  G.  W.  Riley  were  preach- 
ers in  1852,  the  latter  being  the  first  pastor. 
Up  to  August,  1861,  the  following  were  either 
pastors  or  supplies:  Revs.  Joseph  Shirk, 
William  McMasters  and  A.  J.  Riley;  thence 
to  the  present.  Revs.  William  McMasters 
1861-'62;  Melvin  McKee,  1862-'63;  Will-' 
iam  McMasters,  1863-'65;  Melvin  McKee, 
1865-'66;  D.S.French,  1866-'68;  William 
McMasters,  1868-'77;  A.  J.  Riley,  1877-'79; 
G.  T.  Willis,  1879-'82;  J.  M.  Kendall,  1883; 
no  pastor,  1882-'86,  except  a  few  months  in 
1883;  W.  T.  Cuppy,  1886-'87. 

Services  every  fourth  Sunday. 

Toronto  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was 
organized  in  February,  1853,  by  Rev.  John 
Lach,  who  had  just  conducted  a  successful 
series  of  revival  meetings  here.  He  died 
twenty  years  ago.  Among  the  first  members 
were  John  Jenks  and  family,  William  Jordan 
and  wife,  Mrs.  Tiller  Jenks,  John  R.  Wish- 
ard  and  wife,  Almeda  Jenks  (now  Eatoii), 
and  others.  In  1875  a  great  revival  was  held 
by  Rev.  Jacob  Musser.     There  are  now  about 


/'S-'^-^'^'^' 


KELT    TOWNSHIP. 


sixty  members,  Avitli  Stephen  Jenks  as  class-, 
leader.  Services  every  two  weeks,  by  Rev. 
William  Smitb,  in  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Sunday-school,  union:  Peter  Aikman,  super- 
intendent. 

JONESTOWN. 

Tliis  point  is  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Ilelt  Township.  It  was  named  for  Philip 
Jones,  who  owned  a  part  of  the  ground  upon 
which  it  was  founded.  It  was  laid  out  in 
1862,  by  Junes  tt  Wellman,  the  surveying 
being  done  by  James  Osburn,  now  of  Dana, 
assisted  by  Josepli  C.  Lane  and  DeWitt  Wat- 
son. A  log  cabin  was  upon  the  site,  and  also 
a  better  dwelling,  erected  by  Dr.  Grimes  the 
previous  year.  John  Amnierman  established 
the  first  store.  There  are  now  two  general 
stores,  one"  drug  and  grocery  store,  a  flouring- 
mill,  built  in  1879,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  car- 
penter and  a  cabinet-maker,  a  post  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Kepublic,  a  brick  school- 
house,  a  United  Brethren  church,  one  phy- 
sician, a  justice  of  the  peace,  a  constable,  and 
a  postoffice,  named  St.  Bernice,  there  being 
another  Jonestown  in  the  State.  The  office 
was  established  here  in  1863,  with  Dr.  Wil- 
son Grimes  as  postmaster.  It  was  first  named 
"Jones,"  but  it  was  soon  found  that  there 
was  already  a  Jones  postoffice  in  Indiana. 

The  population  is  about  100.  There  are 
four  brick  buildings  in  the  place, — the  school- 
house,  a  store  and  two  dwellings.  The  store, 
a  fine  business  block,  was  built  in  1880,  by 
William  D.  JVIcFall,  who  occupies  it  with  his 
large  stock  of  goods  and  the  postoffice,  he 
being  the  present  postmaster. 

Dr.  Tliomas  M.  Lownsdale,  practicing  phy- 
sician at  Jonestown,  was  born  in  Petersburg, 
Indiana,  August  12,  1841,  graduated  at  the 
Cincinnati  College  of  Medicine  and  Surgery 
in  February,  1875,  and  came  to  this  place  in 
October,  1885. 


Pleasant  Chaj^el  United  Brethren  Church 
was  organized  first  at  Sugar  Grove,  Edgar 
County,  Illinois,  in  pioneer  times,  and  re- 
moved to  Pleasant  Hill  School-house,  No. 
13,  about  1867.  Their  present  commodious 
church  edifice,  30.\42  feet  in  size,  and  cost- 
ing SI, 350,  was  erected  in  1875.  There  are 
now  eighty  or  ninety  members.  Services 
every  two  weeks,  conducted  by  Rev.  S.  S. 
Sims.  Prayer-meeting,  Wednesday  evening. 
Sunday-school  all  the  year,  at  9:30  A.  M. 
Class-meeting  when  there  is  no  preaching. 

A  Christian  Church  was  organized  here  in 
April,  1883,  with  nineteen  members,  now 
increased  to  fifty-two.  Elders — Walter  Paul- 
ley  and  James  Holston.  Pastor — Elder 
Williams,  of  Parke  County.  Sunday-school 
during  the  summer. 

HILLSDALE, 

situated  mostly  on  section  2,  Township  15 
north,  range  9  west,  Ilelt  Township,  was  laid 
out  in  1873,  by  E.  Montgomery.  The  first 
house  was  built  by  Hart  Montgomery  soon 
afterward,  and  the  same  year  he  and  his  son 
established  the  first  store,  comprising  a  gen- 
eral stock.  A  saloon  came  next,  and  the  third 
building  was  a  dwelling,  erected  by  Levi 
Bonenbrake.  There  are  now  two  general 
stores,  a  restaurant,  a  church  (Methodist), 
and  one  physician.  Dr.  Erastus  Mack.  The 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  and  the  Indian- 
apolis, Decatur  &  Springfield  Eailroads  cross 
at  this  point,  having  a  union  depot. 

Just  across  the  Little  Kaccoon  Creek  south 
is  the  hamlet  of  Alta,  where  there  are  a 
blacksmith  and  a  machinist.  The  two  vil- 
lages are  regarded  as  one,  and  taken  together 
they  contain  a  population  of  200. 

The  mineral  resources  are  good,  coal, 
building  stone  and  fire-clay  being  mined  in 
abundance.  The  fire-clay  is  of  the  very  liest 
quality,   and    there   is    an  excellent   opening 


ii 


liere  for  the  investment  of  capital.  A  mile 
nortli  is  a  fire-brick  factory  doing  a  profitable 
business.  Coal,  wood  and  M'ater  being  plen- 
tiful here,  a  flonring-inill  would  also  do  well 
at  this  point. 

The  factory  referred  to  is  the  Montezuma 
Fire-Brick  Works,  Iniilt  in  1872-'73,  by 
Burns,  Porter  A:  Collett.  It  is  now  owned 
and  run  by' Joseph  Burns.  The  main  build- 
ing is  70.\90  feet,  \vi4;h  an  addition  30x40 
feet,  used  as  a  boiler  and  machinery  room. 
The  proprietor  uses  the  Foster  A:  Kinehart 
crushers,  the  Martin  brick  machine  and  the 
Totten  dry-pan.  The  power  is  fLirnished  by 
the  Sinker-Davis  fifty-horsc-power'  engine. 
Capacity,  10,000  lirick  daily.  The  brick 
made  at  this  factory  will  not  glaze  or  melt, 
are  of  the  best  quality  and  used  in  several 
States.  The  drying  rooms  are  underlaid  with 
a  series  of  furnaces,  which,  when  heated, 
transmit  the  heat  through  the  tile  flooring 
upon  which  the  damp  l)rick  are  laid  for  dry- 
ing. 

JIaJo,'  Ami  Post,  No.  370,  G.  A.  L'.,  was 
chartered  July  13,  1884,  with  the  following 
members:  J.  A.  Souders,  L.  Xewell,  J.  Y. 
Whitson.  AV.  A.  James,  T.  S.  King,  B.  G. 
Senders,  W.  J.  Lake,  A.  B.  Casebeer,  J.  W. 
Justice,  II.  Casebeer,  Cooper  Jackson,  J.  W. 
.A[iddlebrook,  Dr.  E.  Mack,  J.  A.  Luce,  E. 
Short,  A.  Pearman,  F.  M.  Lake,  William 
Pearman  and  W.  A.  lioeback, — nineteen  in 
all.  The  first  officers  were — Cooper  Jackson, 
Post  Commander;  W.  A.  James,  Senior  A'ice- 
Commauder;  J.  A.  Luce,  Junior  Vice-Com- 
mander; A.  B.  Casebeer,  Adjutant;  J.  F. 
Whitson,  Quartermaster;  J.  A.  Senders,  Ofli- 
cer  of  the  Day.  There  are  now  twenty-one 
members,  who  meet  on  the  second  and  fourth 
Saturday  evenings  of  each  month,  in  the 
Hillsdale  school-house.  The  present  ofiicers 
..re — W.  A.  James,  Post  Commander;  A.  B. 
Casebeer,    Senior    Vice-Commander:     B.    G. 


Senders,  Junior  Vice-Commander;  J.  F. 
Wliitson,  Adjutant;  Samuel  Lane,  Quarter- 
master; Cooper  Jackson,  Officer  of  the  Day. 

The  Methodist  Ejnscojxd  Church  at  Hills- 
dale was  organized  July  11,  1880,  by  Eev. 
Thomas  Bartlett,  with  the  following  mem- 
bers: J.  W.  Casebeer,  class-leader;  S.  E. 
James,  Matilda  James,  Margaret  Owens,  Dr. 
E.  Mack,  Mrs.  Mack,  Martha  Strowbridge, 
Ella  Casebeer,  Martha  Casebeer,  A.  B.  Case- 
beer, C.  M.  Casebeer,  E.  M.  Casebeer,  Sarah 
Wilson,  Mary  McLaughlin,  Jane  Williamson, 
Wallace  Thompson,  Mrs.  Thompson,  Eliza- 
beth Newell,  E.  Wilson,  Thomas  J.  William- 
son, Bertie  Casebeer,  Billy  Ponton,  Charles 
Bassett  and  Mrs.  Mary  Marvin. 

The  present  church  edifice,  a  fine  frame 
34  X  40  feet,  and  costing  $1,650,  was  built  in 
1883-'84,  principally  with  money  bequeathed 
by  a  Sister  Bricker.  The  ground  was  dona- 
ted by  Mrs.  Mary  Gibson.  Trustees — J.  W. 
Casebeer,  J.  T.  Ponton,  S.  E.  James,  W. 
A.  James,  E.  Mack,  A.  B.  Casebeer  and 
Charles  Bassett. 

The  first  pastor  was  Eev.  J.  F.  McDaniels, 
two  years  or  more;  the  second,  E.  R.Johnson, 
two  years,  or  until  1884;  tlien  Eev.  Joy 
was  pastor  from  the  fall  of  1884  until  the 
fall  of  1885,  J.  T.  AYoods  till  March,  1887, 
since  which  time  W.  A.  Smith  has  liad  charge. 
Preaching  every  two  weeks.  Sunday-sclioo! 
is  maintained  throughout  the  year.  The 
membership  of  the  clinrch  is  now  about 
twenty-five.     Class-leader.  William  TiucheK 


is  a  hamlet  of  about  150  inhabitants  a  mile 
north  of  Hillsdale.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest 
trading  points  in  the  county,  having  been  in 
pioneer  days  a  stage  station  on  the  route 
between  Terre  Haute  and  La  Fayette.  For 
many  years  a  postofiice  was  tliere,  but  when 
Hillsdale  was  started  it  was  transferred  to  the 


EELT    TOWNSHIP. 


latter  place,  and  the  name  correspondingly 
changed.  Tlie  leading  merchant  of  Highland 
is  W.  J.  Hendrix,  who  keeps  a  full  line  of 
general  merchandise,  and  has  a  good  trade. 
There  are  also  a  small  grocery  and  drug  store 
here,  and  a  blacksmith  shop. 

A  "  Christian"  Church  exists  at  this  point, 
organized  in  early  day.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  estimated  at  about  thirty;  but  tliey 
are  not  strong.  Elders — John  Pearman  and 
Israel  Leatherman.  Minister — Elder  Mar- 
shall, who  resides  near  Eockville,  Park 
County.    Sunday-school  througliout  the  year. 

SUMMIT    GROVE, 

is  a  hamlet  situated  on  the  northwest  quarter 
of  section  26,  and  the  northeast  quarter  of 
section  27,  township  15  north,  i-ange  9  west, 
Holt  Township.  It  was  surveyed  by  A.  Fitch, 
March  14,  1871,  and  tlie  plat  recorded  De- 
cember 23  following.  The  first  house  was 
a  store  I'oom  bnilt  by  A.  H.  Depuy,  in  the 
spring  of  1872.  The  second  was  a  residence 
bnilt  -by  N.  T.  Leiton,  the  same  year.  The 
first  blacksmith  shop  was  built  by  Otho 
Chambers.  William  Skidmore  also  built  a 
warehouse  earl^^  in  1872,  which  burned  down 
in  May  of  the  same  year.  The  present  ware- 
house was  erected  by  Leiton  &  Depuy,  in  the 
fall  of  that  year.  Tiiere  are  now  two  stores, 
one  blacksmitli  shop,  one  harness  and  shoe 
shop  combined,  a  saw-mill,  a  warehouse,  and 
a  postoffice.     Population,  sixty-four. 

Sale  in  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  meet- 
ing a  mile  north  of  Summit  Grove,  is  a 
])ioueer  institution.  The  first  Methodist 
preaching  in  the  neighborhood  was  by  Pev. 
Mr.  Chamberlain  in  1821-'22.  The  next 
preacher  was  Ilev.  Dr.  William  James,  a 
N'irginian,  who  had  lived  awhile  at  Mansfield, 
Ohio,  and  then  in  Butler  Coun'ty,  that  State, 
and  came  to  this  county  in  October,  1822, 
when  he  preached  in    the  log  barn  of  John 


Helt,  and  later  in  a  small  log  cabin  school- 
house  with  split-pole  seats.  He  preached 
and  practiced  medicine  until  1826,  when  he 
started  for  New  Orleans  with  a  boat  load  of 
corn,  and  died  on  the  way.  The  next  minis- 
ter was  Rev.  Warner,  from  Parke  County, 
who  organized  the  class  in  this  neighborhood 
in  the  spring  of  1828,  in  the  log  school- 
house  on  Kelt's  Prairie,  under  the  name  of 
Kelt's  Prairie  Class.  Samuel  Ryerson  and 
wife  were  the  leading  members.  Other 
members  were  John  Kelt  and  wife,  Samuel 
Rush  and  wife,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Helt,  Mrs. 
Mary  Helt,  Edmund  James  and  wife,  Collon 
James  and  John  James  and  wife. 

These  people  worshiped  in  the  school- 
house  and  in  the  house  of  Samuel  Rush  until 
1846,  when  they  built  a  frame  house  at  the 
center  of  section  22,  township  15  north,  9 
west.  In  1878  this  building  was  sold  and  a 
commodious  brick  structure  erected  on  the 
same  foundation,  about  32  x  60  feet  in 
dimensions,  at  a  cost  of  $2,838.36.  The 
present  trustees  are  Robert  Davis,  A.  L.  Mack, 
Wright  James,  N.  T.  Leiton,  Albert  Miller 
and  D.  E.  Strain,  Jr.  There  are  now  over 
100  communicants.  Public  services  and 
class-meeting  every  two  weeks.  Pastor — 
Rev.  W.  A.  Smith.  Class-leaders— James 
Harrington,  James  A.  Miller,  Wright  James, 
Martin  Harper  and  Frank  Kelt.  Sunday- 
school  sustained  throughout  the  year  and 
superintended   by  N.  T.  Leiton. 

OTHEE  CnUECHES    IN    IIELT  TOWNSHIP. 

Spring  Hill  Class,  Methodist  Ediscojxd., 
was  organized  in  1834,  in  the  house  of  Joel 
Blakesley,  with  Samuel  Rush  and  wife,  Joel 
P>lakesley  and  wife,  Zachariah  D.  James  and 
wife,  Jane  Ford,  Sarah  Ponton,  Stephen  Har- 
rington and  wife,  William  Kearns  and  wife, 
Lydia  Jackson,  Enoch  White  and  wife,  Mar- 
tha Ponton,  Betsey    Ponton,  and  Nathaniel 


Biinies  and  wife.  In  1835  they  built  a  liewcd- 
log  house,  near  the  center  of  section  10, 
township  15,  range  9,  which  tliey  used  sev- 
eral years.  The  class  was  then  known  as 
"  Goshen."  They  next  removed  to  the  scliool- 
house  a  half  n^ile  north.  The  present  house, 
of  worship,  a  frame  30x40  feet,  w-as  built  in 
1879,  at  a  cost  of  $1,775.  There  are  now 
about  tliirty  members.  Sunday-scliool  all 
the  year,  with  A.  Harvey  Kearns  as  superin- 
tendent. Trustees — William  A.  James  and 
Moses  Thompson.  Pastor — Kev.  James 
Smith.  The  present  name  of  the  class, 
"  Spring  Hill,"  was  adopted  at  the  time  of 
tlie  building  of  the  present  church. 

Ashunj  Chapel,  Methodist  Episcopal. — 
The  class  meeting  here  was  organized  as  early  as 
1830.  One  of  the  iirst  ministers  was  Rev. 
DeLap.  Services  were  held  at  private  resi- 
dences and  in  school-houses  until  1850,  wlien 
a  frame  church,  80  x  40  feet  was  erected  on 
tlie  southeast  quarter  of  section  36,  township 
16,  range  10.  The  most  successful  revival 
was  held  in  1852,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
Arthur  Badley,  who  was  living  in  Iowa 
wh.en  last  heard  from.  Among  the  pastors 
who  have  had  charge  of  this  church  since  the 
building  of  the  present  house  of  worship 
have  been  Revs.  J.  W.  Parrett,  Shaw, 
Thomas  I'artlett,  Salsbury,  Clark  Skinner, 
McDaniel,  Wood,  Barnard,  Nebeker,  Barnett, 
Morrison  and  E.  R.  Johnson.  The  class  has, 
of  later  years,  been  considerably  reduced  in 
number,  and  they  now  have  no  regular 
preacliing. 

The  Center  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  organized  about  fifty  years  ago,  at  the 
residence  of  James  Wishard,  where  services 
were  held  for  many  years.  In  1853  the 
present  commodious  frame  structure  was 
erected,  30  x  40  feet  in  size,  at  a  cost  of  about 
ftl,400.  Present  membership,  ninety-seven. 
Class-leaders,  George  Campbell  and   Alanson 


Church.  Stewards,  H.  P.  McCown,  B.  F. 
Smith  and  Henry  Shaffer.  Class-meeting 
every  two  weeks,  and  public  sevices  every 
two  weeks.  Prayer  meeting  every  Thursday 
evening  during  the  winter.  Sunday-school 
all  the  year,  at  9:30  a.  m.  Rev.  J.  B.  Combs, 
of  Clinton,  is  the  present  pastor. 

Liberty  Class,  United  Brethren  Ch^irch, 
was  organized  in  1878,  by  Rev.  Henry  ]S'o- 
lan,  with  about  sixteen  or  eighteen  members, 
in  Liberty  school-house,  on  section  15,  town- 
ship 15,  range  10.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev. 
Thomas  0.  Baty,  who  served  from  the  fall  of 
1878  to  the  fall  of  1880;  W.  A.  Wainscott, 
1880-'83;  James  Smith,  1883-'84;  Levi  Byrd, 
1884-'86;  S.  S.  Sims,  1886  to  the  present. 
Membership  twenty-six,  worshipping  still  in 
Liberty  school-house.  Class-leader,  Frank 
Skidmore.  Thomas  Skidmore,  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday-school,  which  is  at  present 
maintained  only  during  the  summer,  but 
efforts  are  made  to  continue  it  the  year  round. 
Public  service  every  three  weeks.  A  prayer- 
meeting  is  also  sustained. 

Midwaij  United  Brethren  Church  was 
organized  in  1857,  by  Rev.  Joel  Cowgill, 
with  probably  fifteen  or  twenty  members,  in 
the  Castle  school-house,  which  is  still  their 
place  of  worship,  though  it  has  been  pur- 
chased by  them  and  converted  into  a  church. 
Its  size  is  22  x  30  feet,  and  is  situated  on 
section  13,  township  15,  range  10.  Public 
services  were  discontinued  August  28,  1887, 
with  no  definite  plans  for  the  future. 

United  Brethren  Chnrcli  at  Ilancman 
Chapel. — As  the  nucleus  of  this  society, 
services  were  first  held  here  over  fifty  years  ago, 
in  the  house  of  Christopher  Haneman,  de- 
ceased, the  principal  founder.  The  class  was 
organized  as  early  as  1837,  with  a  few  mem- 
bers, among  whom  were  Christopher  Hane- 
man and  wife,  Harriet -McDowel,  George 
AVellman  and  wife,  Jeremiah  Hammond  and 


HBLT    TOWNSHIP. 


wife,  Silas  Hollingsworth  and  wife.  Emily 
Bales  and  Isaac  Johnson  and  wife.  The 
present  church  edifice,  a  brick  structure,  was 
begun  in  1842,  but  not  completed  until  1872, 
thirty  years  afterward.  It  stands  on  section 
6,  township  15,  range  9. 

Among  the  many  ministers  who  have 
preached  here  were  Revs.  John  Shoey,  Will- 
iam Eckles,  Andrew  Wimset,  Mr.  Conoyer, 
John  Miller,  Thomas  Hamilton,  Joseph  Nye, 
Mr.  Nugen,  John  A.  Mast  and  Samuel  Potts. 
There  are  now  twenty-eight  communicants  in 
good  standing.  Class-leader,  "William  Under- 
wood. Trustees,  Jacob  Underwood,  William 
Underwood  and  Richard  Malone.  Sunday- 
school  half  the  year,  superintended  by  Miss 
Delia  Boren.  Pastor,  Rev.  S.  S.  Sims. 
Public  services  once  in  three  weeks.    ■ 

Tennessee  Valley  Baptist  Church  was 
organized  in  September,  1872,  in  the  Staats 
school-house,  by  Rev.Wil]iamMcMasters,who 
had  been  preaching  here  some  time  previ- 
ously, sustaining  the  point  as  a  "mission" 
of  iliddle's  Prairie  Baptist  Church.  The 
first  members  were  Thomas  Dugger  and  wife, 
Benjamin  T.  Dugger  and  wife,  James  G. 
Lewis  and  wife,  Henry  J.  Howard  and  wife, 
Rosa  J.  Pierce  (now  Underwood),  James  A. 
Dugger  and  wife  and  John  F.  Dugger,  all  of 
whom  came  by  letter  from  the  Kiddie's 
Prairie  Church.  Rev.  McMasters  was  the 
pastor  of  this  new  church  from  the  date  of 
its  organization  until  his  death  in  1886.  He 
was  an  industrious,  earnest  worker,  endearing 
himself  to  all.  Rev.  John  H.  Rusraisel  suc- 
ceeded him,  and  is  the  present  minister. 
Public  services  on  the  second  and  fourth 
Sunday's  of  each  month.  Sunday-school 
throughout  the  year,  with  James  G.  Lewis 
as  superintendent.  Trustees,  Benjamin  T. 
and  John  F.  Dugger  and  James  G.Lewis. 
Deacons,  Benjamin  T.  Dugger,  James  G. 
Lewis  and  L.  L.  Goodwin.     Clerk,    John   F. 


Dugger.  Communicants  about  ninety.  The 
present  house  of  worship,  a  neat  frame  30  x 
45  feet  in  size,  was  erected  in  1875,  at  a  cost 
of  $1,600.  It  is  situated  on  the  northeast 
quarter    of  section  18,   township  15,  range  9. 

DANA. 

The  Indianapolis,  Decatur  iz  Springfield 
Railroad  was  completed  through  Vermillion 
County,  laterally,  and  through  Helt  Township 
longitudinally,  in  1873.  In  April,  1874,  the 
railroad  company  fixed  upon  a  point  on  their 
road  near  the  head  of  the  Little  Raccoon 
Creek  and  about  two  and  a  half  miles  east  of 
the  western  boundary  of  the  township  for  a 
"  town,"  naming  the  place  "  Dana,"  after  one 
of  the  stockholders  in  the  road.  For  a  depot 
Samuel  Aikman  donated  a  half  interest  in 
forty  acres,  John  B.  Aikman  a  half  interest 
in  twenty  acres,  and  Samuel  Cofland  a  half 
interest  also  in  twenty  acres.  Besides,  these 
gentlemen  gave  $1,500  cash.  The  land  thus 
donated  became  the  town  plat. 

The  next  year  W.  M.  Taylor  built  the  first 
business  house  in  the  place,  a  frame,  in  which 
he  kept  a  general  store  and  the  postofliee. 
The  postmasters  since  Mr.  Taylor's  period  of 
service  have  been  John  Bilsland  and,  since 
April  18,  1885,  John  W.  Redman. 

Dana  is  the  most  rapidly  growing  town  in 
Vermillion  County,  comprising  a  shrewd  and 
enterprising  class  of  business  men,  and  sur- 
rounded by  an  unusually  good  agricultural 
district. 

It  was  incorporated  in  January,  1886,  since 
w'hich  time  the  trustees  have  been  John  Linn, 
President,  D.  W.  Finney  and  W.  T.  Davis; 
II.  Wells,  Clerk;  J.  E.  Bilsland,  Treasurer; 
and  John  Malone,  Marshal. 

The  school  trustees  are  G.  O.  Newton, 
Charles  Hunt  and  J.  O.  Rogers,  appointed 
by  the  above  town  board.  The  school-house, 
a  brick  structure  27  x  62  feet .  in  dimensions 


and  two  twelve- foot  stories  high,  was  built 
hy  the  towuship  in  1879,  the  contract  price 
being  $2,200.  It  is  now  the  property  of  the 
town  corporation.  It  has  three  rooms.  The 
enrollment  of  pupils  is  about  150.  Fred 
Rush  is  the  principal. 

(By  the  way,  the  historian  was  referred  to 
the  stone  over  the  door  for  the  date  ot  the 
building.  Repairing  thitlier,  he  found,  in- 
stead of  any  date,  only  the  legend,  "  Keep 
out  of  debt!") 

The  Dana  News  was  established  in  October, 
1885,  by  M.  L.  Griffith,  from  Monticello, 
Illinois,  as  a  Democratic  organ.  April  15, 
1887,  he  sold  it  to  the  present  proprietor, 
J.  L.  Smith,  who  immediately  enlarged  it  to 
a  six-column  quarto,  making  it  the  largest 
paper  in  the  county,  and  during  the  first  ten 
weeks  (up  to  date  of  this  writing)  increased 
the  subscription  list  by  250!  He  has  in 
every  way  improved  the  paper,  still  conduct- 
ing it  in  the  interests  of  the  Democracy.  In 
connection  with  the  paper  Mr.  Smith  has  a 
nice  little  job  office. 

Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  New  England,  in 
1860.  When  he  was  an  infant,  his  father 
was  hilled,  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  His 
mother  then  returned  with  her  three  children 
to  New  York,  and  placed  them  for  six  months 
in  an  orphans'  home  on  Randall's  Island. 
In  May,  1867,  he  and  one  sister  were  brought 
to  Wiliiamsport,  Indiana,  where  they  were 
indentured  out.  Mr.  Smith  was  in  the  care 
of  various  parties, — of  Hugh  James  for  eight 
years.  Up  to  the  conclusion  of  this  period 
he  had  had  no  educational  advantages,  and 
his  noble  nature  asserted  itself  in  an  effort  to 
educate  himself  in  spite  of  his  poverty  and 
the  absence  of  sympathizing  relatives.  Ac- 
cordingly, during  the  school  year  of  1875-'76 
!ie  worked  for  his  board  and  sent  himself  to 
school.  lie  came  to  Vermillion  County  in 
1878,   whore  he   worked   for  one  man,  on  a 


farm,  for  five  years,  attending  school  during 
the  winter  seasons.  In  1881-'82  he  attended 
the  Terre  Haute  Normal  School,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1882  he  began  teaching,  in  Helt 
Township,  continuing  in  the  profession  five 
consecutive  years, — up  to  the  time  of  his 
purchase  of  the  Dana  News.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

Mr.  Griffith  returned  to  Monticello,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  became  foreman  of  a  printing- 
office. 

Dana  has  a  cornet  band,  organized  in 
1885  and  led  by  Carl  Temple. 


Dr.  Hiram  Shepard  was  born  in  Newport, 
this  county,  graduated  at  the  Miami  Medical 
College  at  Cincinnati,  and  has  been  practic- 
ing at  Dana  since  1874. 

Dr.  Granville  O.  Newton  M-as  liorn  in  Helt 
Township,  this  county,  graduated  at  the  above 
mentioned  college,  and,  after  practicing  in 
the  country  in  this  township  for  a  time,  came 
to  Dana,  in  September,  1885. 

Dr.  Thomas  C.  Hood,  also  a  native  of  this 
township,  graduated  at  Jefferson  Medical 
College  at  Philadelphia  in  1884,  located  in 
Terre  Haute  for  a  short  time,  and  moved  to 
Dana  in  1885. 

A  full  sketch  of  Dr.  Otis  M.  Keyes  appears 
in  the  biographical  department  of  this  work. 

Dr.  John  C.  Harrison  was  born  in  Craw- 
fordsville,  Indiana,  was  a  soldier  in  the  late 
war,  graduated  in  medicine  at  the  Eclectic 
Medical  College  of  Cincinnati,  began  to 
practice  in  partnersliip  with  his  brother  in 
1868,  and  located  in  Dana  in  1886. 

Dr.  A.  H.  DePuy,  who  practiced  in  licit 
Township  1856-'71,  is  now  a  resident  of 
Chicago,  but  sometimes  re-visits  this  point 
as  a  physician.     He  is  a  regular  graduate. 

Dr.  Frank  Foncannon,  another  native  of 
Helt  Township,    practiced  in   this   township 


ii^ 


-^—71! 


HELT    TOWNSHIP. 


Sou 


but    a   sliort    time,    and    went    to    Emporia, 
Kansas. 

Dr.  Cadle,  from  Newport,  was  here  during 
tlie  season  of  1885,  and  went  to  Terre  Haute. 

SOCIETIES. 

Ashay  Lodge,  No.  3S0,  F.  &  A.  J/".,  was 
ori;;inized  at  Bono  in  1865,  the  charter  being 
dated  May  24,  that  year.  fSelah  (or  Sahla) 
Temple  was  the  first  master,  for  two  years. 
Tliomas  Edmanston  (or  Edmnntson)  was  the 
Jirst  senior  warden  and  Thomas  S.  Hood, 
juniur  warden.  The  lodge  was  instituted  by 
Aquilla  Nebeker,  assisted  by  others.  Some 
years  ago  the  place  of  meeting  was  removed 
to  Dana.  The  present  membership  is  about 
thirty,  and  the  officers,  George  W.  Sturm, 
AVorshipful  Master;  C.  N.  Hunt,  Senior 
Warden;  Joel  Hollingsworth,  Junior  War- 
den; W.  M.  Taylor,  Secretary;  C.  Bales, 
Treasurer;  O.  M.  Keyes,  Senior  Deacon; 
AVilliam  F.  Ford,  Junior  Deacon;  William 
P>.  Wood,  Chaplain;  G.  W.  Allen,  Tyler. 

Bana  Lodge,  No.  581,  L.  0.  0.  F.,  was 
instituted  February  10,  1881,  with  eighteen 
members,  and  Hiram  Shepard,  Noble  Grand; 
Julius  C.  Groves,  Vice  Grand;  and  Fred 
Rush,  Secretary.  The  present  membership 
is  forty,  and  officers,  Solon  Johnson,  Noble 
Grand;  L.  H.  Eeed,  Vice  Grand;  H.  AVells, 
Secretary;  G.  H.  Fisher,  Permanent  Secre- 
tary; J.  M.  Taylor,  Treasurer;  Samuel  Jack- 
son, Inner  Guard;  T.  J.  Hutchinson  and  H. 
Herbin,  Supporters.  The  lodge  has  a  very 
nicely  furnished  room  in  the  Peer  Block. 
Tlie  furnishings  and  regalia  cost  about  §2,000. 

//.  D.  Washhurn  Post,  No.  220,  G.  A.  R., 
was  organized  in  1883,  with  about  eighteen 
members,  and  the  following  officers:  William 
B.  Hood,  Post  Commander;  G.  H.  Fisher, 
Senior  Vice-Commander;  O.  13.  Lowry,  Quar- 
termaster; H.  Wells,  Adjutant;  J.  B.  Fillinger, 
Officer  of  the  Day.     The  present  member- 


ship is  twenty-six,  and  the  officers:  J.  B. 
Fillinger,  Post  Commander;  G.  W.  Saxtou, 
Senior  Vice-Commander;  James  Burnett, 
Junior  Vice-Commander;  J.  N.  McClure, 
Adjutant;  James  Knight,  Officer  of  the  Day; 
Henry  Thomasmeyer,  Quarter-master;  G.  H. 
Fisher,  Quarter-master-Sergeant;  Daniel  Ri- 
land.  Officer  of  the  Guard;  J.  C.  Harrison, 
Surgeon ;  W.  B.  Hood,  Chaplain.  Financially, 
the  post  is  in  fair  condition.  This  year  they 
are  building  a  hall,  being  the  second  story  of 
the  brick  business  block  to  be  erected  by 
Charles  Norris,  wliich  is  to  be  22  x  50  feet  in 
dimensions.  For  a  sketch  of  H.  D.  Wash- 
burn, in  honor  of  whom  the  post  is  named, 
see  historv  of  Clinton. 


Methodism  in  Helt  Township  has  of  course 
existed  from  the  earliest  pioneer  period,  and 
has  always  been  strong  and  influential.  The 
Methodist  class  in  Dana  was  organized  in 
1879  by  Rev.  Daniel  Morrison,  of  the  Green- 
castle  District,  Northwest  Indiana  Confer- 
ence. The  pastors  since  liis  time  have  been 
Revs.  Elijah  Johnson,  J.  C.  McDaniels,  Mr. 
Woods  and  William  Smith,  the  present  in- 
cumbent, wlio  lives  west  of  Terre  Haute,  al- 
though there  is  a  parsonage  at  Ilelt's  Prairie. 
There  were  about  forty  members  at  the  time 
of  organization,  led  by  J.  O.  Rogers.  Tlie 
present  membership  is  about  sixty,  and  the 
class-leaders,  J.  O.  Rogers  and  Andrew  Car- 
mack.  Sunday-school  is  maintained  through- 
out tlic  year,  with  an  attendance  of  sixty  to 
100,  superintended  by  J.  O.  Rogers.  The 
liouse  of  worship,  30  x  50  feet,  was  erected  in 
1882,  at  a  cost,  including  grounds,  of  $1,800. 

The  Toronto  Presbyterian  Church,  at 
Bono,  was  organized  many  years  ago,  but  the 
members  are  now  changing  their  places  of 
meeting  to  Dana,  wlu^-e  they  have  just  com- 
pleted one  of  the  most  beautiful  frame  church 


Bistort  of  vermillion  county. 


edifices  in  the  nation.  Its  size  is  32  x  54 
feet,  besides  a  "rostrum"  8x14  feet;  its 
style  is  of  course  modern  and  of  fancy  finish, 
and  the  cost  about  |l2,800,  not  counting  the 
pews  and  other  funiture.  It  was  dedicated 
June  26,  1887,  by  Rev.  T.  D.  Fyfle,  of  Eose- 
ville  Indiana.  The  location  is  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  village,  in  Samuel  Aikman's 
addition.  The  leading  men  in  building  this 
church  were  "W.  M.  Taylor,  Samuel  Aikman 
and  Samuel  Hall. 

Dana  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in 
1880,  with  twelve  members,  by  Rev.  G.  T. 
Willis,  of  Hoopeston,  Illinois.  Pastors,  Revs. 
Willis,  Cartwright,  of  Fountain  County,  In- 
diana, William  McMasters  of  Montezuma, 
Palmer,  of  Waveland,  and  Mr.  Franklin.  At 
present  there  is  a  vacancy.  The  membership 
numbers  twenty.  Charles  Thompson  has 
been  deacon  from  the  time  of  organization, 
and  G.  H.  Fisher,  at  the  first  clerk,  is  now 
also  deacon,  Elizabeth  Thomas  Meyer,  clerk. 
The  church,  a   fancy  brick  structure,  in    the 


northern  part  of  the  village,  is  36  x  60  feet  in 
dimensions,  and  was  erected  this  year  (18S7) 
at  a  cost  of  about  $2,500,  not  counting  the 
pews. 

Dana  Christian  Church  was  organized 
temporarily  about  the  first  of  September, 
1886.  A  Sunday-school  of  about  sixty  pupils 
is  superintended  by  Prof.  A.  J.  Wilson.  A 
few  zealous  Christians,  led  by  Rev.  J.W.  Jarvis 
and  his  business  partner,  John  Morris — al- 
though the  latter  is  not  a  member  of  the 
church — have  just  built  a  tine  house  of  wor- 
ship at  Dana,  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
town,  the  first  church  erected  by  this  people 
in  Vermillion  County.  It  is  a  brick  struct- 
ure, 32  X  54  feet  in  ground  area,  neatly  fin- 
ished and  furnished  in  modern  style,  and  cost 
$2,335.38.  It  was  dedicated  April  17, 1887, 
by  Elder  L.  L.  Carpenter,  of  Wabash,  Indi- 
ana. The  present  membership  of  the  church 
is  about  fifty.  Elder  J.  W.  Jarvis  is  the 
"  temporary  "  pastor. 


VERMILLION    TOWNSHIP. 


I  VERMILLION  TOWNSHIP 


PIONEERS- 


ONCERNING  some  of 
the  earliest  dates  in  tlie 
owing    compilation, 
there  is,  as  is  always  the 
ease  in    such   sketches, 
some  doubt,  as  it  is  iin- 
pofe'iible  for  tlie  historian  to   rec- 
oncile   contradictory    accounts,    to 
\erify  all  the  guesses  or  to  fill  out 
the  blanks  desired. 

1819. — Alexander  and  Elizabeth 
Morehead,  natives  of  Ohio,  settled 
in  Vermillion  Township  either  this 
year  or  in  1822  (authorities  vai-y). 
They  died  in  184i  and  1849  re- 
spectively. Their  son  Samuel  is  now  a  resi- 
dent of  ISTewiJort.  Jacob  A.  Morehead,  who 
died  many  years  ago,  and  Joseph  A.  More- 
head,  still  living,  were  both  born  in  this 
county  in  1826. 

1820. — Richard  and  Susan  (Henderson) 
Ilaworth,  said  also  to  be  the  first  settlers  of 
Vermillion  Township,  came  from  Tennessee 
in  the  fall  of  1820.  Mr.  Haworth  died  in 
1850,  aged  fifty- seven  years,  and  his  wife  died 
in  1854,  also  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven.     (See 


biography  of  George  F.  Ilaworth.)  John 
Hopkins,  who  died  in  1873,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-eight  years,  was  a  lad  of  fifteen  years 
when  in  1820  he  became  a  resident  of  this 
couhty.     His  mother  is  yet  living. 

1821. — Joel  Dicken  came  from  Prairie 
Creek,  Kentucky,  settling  where  Newport 
now  stands.  His  son,  Benjamin  K.,  long  a 
resident  in  the  vicinity,  was  born  in  1818, 
and  died  recently  in  Michigan  or  AVisconsin. 
Daniel  V.  Dicken,  born  in  this  county  in 
1822,  find  Simeon  Dicken,  both  died  in  this 
township.     M-irtha  E.,  widow  of  the  latter,  \ 

was  born  in  North  Carolina,  September  1, 
1821,  brought  to  this  county  in  1826  or 
1827,  and  died  December  30,  1881.  Another 
Martha  Dicken  was  born  in  Kentucky  in 
1804,  and  emigrated  to  this  county  in  1822, 
and  died  February  18,  1882.  Joseph  Eggle- 
ston,  father  of  William  the  lawyer,  came  to 
this  county  in  1821,  and  died  many  years 
ago.  John  L.  Eggleston,  boru  in  1827,  is  a 
resident  of  Newport. 

1822.— To  this  year  is  credited  John  Wim- 
sett,  from  Virginia,  who  died  many  years 
ago.     Jacob  Wimsett,  boru  January  8,  1827, 


(S 


is  still  a  resident.  Jacob  Ciistar  settled  this 
year  on  the  Vermillion  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  above  Newport.  Philemon  Thomas 
came  this  year  and  remained  a  resident  until 
his  death  in  1860.  His  wife,  n4e  Catharine 
Custar,  came  in  1828,  and  is  still  living.  (See 
sketch  of  Jacob  Thomas.)  Nathan  Thomas 
was  five  years  old  when  in  1827  he  was 
brought  to  tliis  county. 

1823. — Carter  and  Catharine  Ilollings- 
worth,  from  North  Carolina.  Mrs.  Ilollings- 
worth  died  in  1880,  aged  eighty-eight  years. 
Eber  IloUingsworth,  born  in  Union  County, 
Indiana,  in  1822,  was  brouglit  to  this  county 
the  next  year.  He  is  a  well  known  farmer 
and  stock-trader  two  miles  west  of  Newport. 
Henry  Hollingsworth,  born  in  this  State  in 
1830,  recently  died  in  Newport. 

1824. — Anna,  widow  of  William  Hender- 
son, became  a  resident  of  this  county  in 
1824. 

1826. — Adam  Zener,  born  in  Kentucky  in 
1803,  came  to  Clark  County,  this  State  in 
1812,  and  in  1826  to  this  county,  where  he 
remained  until  his  death,  March  14,  1877,  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Either  this  year  or  next  came  Philip  W.  Os- 
mon,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1803. 
His  son,  Archibald  W.,  born  in  1829,  is  a 
farmer  ten  miles  southwest  of  Newport,  and 
Jabez  B.,  born  in  1836,  resides  at  Newport. 
(See  sketch.)  Jeremiah  and  Mary  (Taylor) 
Highfill,  from  Maryland:  he  died  about  1867, 
aged  eighty-five  years,  and  she  in  1852,  at 
the  age  of  about  sixty  years.  See  sketch  of 
their  son  John,  who  was  born  here  in  1828. 

1827.— Richard  Potts,  who  was  sheriff  two 
terms,  and  died  in  1875.  His  widow  died  in 
1883,  at  the  old  homestead  two  and  a  half 
miles  south  of  Newport.  Of  their  two  chil- 
di-en,  Thomas  died  a  number  of  years  ago, 
and  Charles  P.  survives. 

1828.— Robert  Wallace,    a  native  of  Vir- 


ginia, became  a  resident  of  Vermillion  Town- 
ship this  year,  and  died  at  Newport,  May  27, 
1881,  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  years.  Hu 
was  a  man  of  line  physical  appearance,  and 
was  never  sick  to  exceed  a  week  during  hi> 
life.  William  Wallace,  who  was  born  in 
Ohio  in  1817,  and  was  ten  or  eleven  years  of 
age  when  brought  to  this  county,  died  several 
years  ago.  Joshua  Nixon,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1813,  came  to  Newport  this  year,  and  resided 
here  until  his  death.  May  23,  1875,  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  James  Asbury,  born  in  Virginia  in 
1815,  is  still  residing  on  section  21.  (Sec 
sketch.)  Aaron  Jones,  from  New  Jersey, 
and  William  Jones,  from  Union  County,  In- 
diana, both  came  this  year;  the  former  is 
dead  (see  sketch),  and  the  latter  is  still  living 
in  this  township.  Samuel  Jones,  born  in 
Ohio,  came  in  1830,  and  died  about  1881. 
George  Brindley,  born  in  Kentucky  in  1800, 
died  in  1878;  and  his  wife  Sarah,  born  in 
1806,  died  in  1867.  (See  sketch  of  John 
Brindley,  a  son.)  Benjamin  Shepherd,  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1808,  and  David  Brown,  born 
in  Indiana  in  1823,  are  still  living  in  this 
township. 

1829. — Robert  Stokes  settled  in  this  town- 
ship in  1829,  and  is  still  an  active  man,  re- 
siding in  Newport.  His  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Rebecca  Wallace,  was  born  June 
8,  1809,  in  Virginia,  and  died  November  25, 
1884.  They  were  married  January  31,  1833. 
Of  their  five  children,  none  are  living  except 
Finley.  Samuel  Davis,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1811,  is  also  still  living  in  Newport.  Eliza- 
beth Frazer,  widow  of  William,  who  died  in 
1873,  aged  fifty-seven,  was  born  in  this  State 
in  1822,  and  is  still  living. 

1830. — Jacob  Sears  came  from  North  Car- 
olina, and  died  in  1859,  aged  eighty-five.  His 
wife,  nee  Mary  Hofstetter,  died  in  1856,  aged 
eighty.     (See    sketch  of  Daniel    Sears.)    E. 


Jackson,  Sr.,  born  in  Ohio  in  1807,  lives  in 
Dana.  Thomas  J.  Brown,  born  in  Kentucky 
in  1801,  died  in  this  township.  Iloss  Clark, 
born  in  Ohio  in  1797,  died  in  this  township 
in  the  fall  of  1878;  the  farm  is  still  occupied 
by  his  son,  G.  W.  Jacob  and  Mary  (Harlin) 
Groves,  from  East  Tennessee;  he  was  born 
in  1794,  and  died  in  1843;  she  died  in  1873. 
(See  sketch  of  William  C.  Groves  who  was 
born  in  Tennessee  in  1817,  and  has  been  a 
resident  here  since  1830.)  William  L. 
Tincher,born  in  Kentucky  in  1814,  was  living 
in  Montezuma  a  short  time  ago.  William 
W.  Doss,  born  in  Kentucky  in  1817,  is  living 
in  Montezuma;  his  sou  Winchester  still 
resides  in  this  township.  Eobert  S.  JSTorris, 
from  South  Carolina,  died  in  1877,  seventy- 
three  years  old.  See  sketch  of  his  son  John, 
who  was  born  here  in  1834.  Other  life-long 
residents  of  this  township,  who  came  this 
year  when  children,  are  Richard  and  John 
W.  Clearwater,  John  L.  White,  James  H. 
Hutson,  George  Weller,  etc. 

1831. — William  Nichols,  born  in  Virginia 
in  1804,  died  October  11,  1876.  Isaac  and 
Henry  Nichols,  boys  when  brought  here  in 
early  day,  lived  here  many  years  and  are 
both  now  deceased.  Isaac  and  Mary  Carraack, 
from  Tennessee,  settled  in  the  Lebanon  neigh- 
borhood, he  died  in  1863.  Alfred,  a  son, 
born  in  Tennessee  January  8,  1814,  died  May 
18,  1817;  and  Andrew,  another  son,  lives  in 
Dana.  Henry  Wiltermood,  born  in  this 
State  in  1821.  Charles  Herbert,  from  Ken- 
tucky; his  son,  William  J.,  born  in  1819,  is 
still  living  here,  on  eection  27.  (See  sketch.) 
John  Henderson,  from  Ohio,  still  living,  on 
section  7.  (See  sketch.)  Archibald  B.  and 
Melissa  Edmoiiston;  the  latter  died,  a  widow, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-three,  in  1865.  Samuel 
Deheaben  lives  near  Newport,  Charles  S. 
Little  is  deceased. 


1832.— H.  F.  Jackson,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1798,  died  in  Missouri.  John  Jackson  and 
wife  Lydia,  from  Ohio;  the  latter  died  De- 
cember 21,  1880,  at  the  age  of  seventy-four 
years.  Joseph  Jackson,  from  England,  de- 
ceased. Ezra  Clark,  born  in  Ohio  in  1811, 
lives  in  Highland.  John  G.  Gibbon,  born 
in  Oliio,  1819,  remained  here  till  his  decease, 
Julius  Bogart,  born  in  Tennessee  in  1811, 
still  living  here.  William  B.  Hall,  who  died 
here  in  1863,  aged  forty-two;  his  wife  died  in 
1872.  (See  sketch  of  Samuel  J.  Hall.)  James 
A.  Elder,  born  in  Brown  County,  Ohio;  de- 
ceased. James  Reniley,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1823,  who  finally  committed  suicide. 

1833. — Eli  Newlin  came  from  North  Caro- 
lina to  Montezuma,  Indiana,  in  1828,  and  to 
this  county  in  1833,  where  he  died  in  1872, 
aged  seventy  years.  His  wife,  nee  Mary 
Edwards,  died  in  1886,  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years.  (See  sketch  of  Alfred  R.  Newlin.) 
Alexander  Dunlap,  born  in  Maryland  in 
1813,  is  still  living  in  this  township. 

1834.— John  C.  Johnson,  born  May  16, 
1807,  in  Belmont  County,  Ohio,  married 
February  24,  1833,  Miss  Elizabeth  Shaver,  a 
lady  of  superior  education,  and  the  next  year 
located  in  this  county,  arriving  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Little  Vermillion,  April  8.  Here  he 
entered  a  small  tract  of  land,  built  a  cabin 
and  began  life  on  what  is  known  as  the  "  first 
bottom."  In  1854  he  built  a  new  liouse, 
which  he  occupied  until  1880,  when  he 
moved  to  Newport,  where  he  died  February 
22,  1883,  after  having  brought  up  an  exem- 
plary family  of  children.  In  1834  came  also 
Benjamin  Davis,  who  died  in  1854,  at  thj 
age  of  sixty-four  years.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Rusha  Sears,  died  in  1869, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years. 

1835.— John  S.  Bush,  born  in  this  State  in 
1828,  still  living  here,  blind.     William  Huff, 


i 


V'\ 


■■■i«"oi»ia"»"M"«"«« 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


born  in  Kentucky  in  1812,  and  Jained  Duzan, 
born  in  the  same  State  six  years  later,  both 
now  residing  in  Newport. 

1836. — David  Aldridge,  born  in  North 
Carolina  in  1790,  and  died  September  11, 
1877,  being  at  the  time  about  the  oldest  citi- 
zen in  the  county.  lie  was  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812. 

1837. — Isaac  Tropts,  long  a  resident  of  this 
townsiiip,  was  nine  years  old  when  he  came 
to  the  county  in  1837. 

1838. — Hiram  Hastey,  born  in  Indiana  in 
1818,  was  a  harness-maker  at  Newport,  where 
he  died.  J.  F.  Weller,  merchant  at  Newport, 
now  at  Petersburg,  Indiana,  was  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1818. 

1839.— T.  W.  Jackson,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1816,  still  living  here. 

1840.— Hugh  Dallas,  born  in  Ohio  in  1813, 
still  living.     (See  sketch.) 

Mr.  Dillow  came  some  time  prior  to  1810, 
from  Virginia.  Abel  Sexton,  still  one  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  of  Newport,  was 
born  in  New  York  in  1820,  and  settled  in 
tliis  county  in  1813.  (See  sketch.)  Other 
prominent  citizens  of  Vermillion  Township, 
who  either  settled  here  or  were  born  here  in 
pioneer  times,  are  Alvah  Arrasmith,  living; 
Tiionias  G.  Arrasmith,  wagon-maker  at  New- 
port, now  in  Terre  Haute;  Samuel  and  G.  W. 
Clark,  living;  David  Fry,  living;  James 
Kaufman,  who  now  lives  in  Dana;  Leonard 
Sanders,  deceased;  his  sons,  Samuel,  Daniel 
and  William,  are  living;  John  Rice,  who  died 
in  1880,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years;  his  son, 
William  Z.,  is  sketched  in  the  biographical 
department  of  this  work:  Daniel  E.  Jones, 
who  became  a  wealthy  citizen  of  Chicago  and 
died  there;  Major  John  Gardner,  IFenry 
Betson,  etc. 

Colonel  William  Craig  was  born  in  New- 
port in  1831,  graduated  at  West  Point  in 
1853,   having  for   his   class-mates   Generals 


McPiierson,  Philip  Sheridan  and  Schofield; 
crossed  the  western  plains  in  1854  as  Lieuten- 
ant and  Aid-de-Carap  on  General  Garland's 
staff;  served  in  the  regular  army  ten  years, 
being  one  of  the  best  Indian  fighters,  ami 
greatly  admired  by  Kit  Carson  and  others; 
and  finally  died  in  the  Southwest,  in  1880. 


The  above  are  the  initials  of  one  of  tlie 
most  prominent  citizens  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty; namely,  Oliver  P.  Davis,  and  have  also 
become  the  name  of  the  1,300  acre  farm 
which  he  owns  tliree  to  four  miles  below 
Newport,  and  of  the  railroad  station  at  that 
point,  when  it  is  generally  spelled  Opedee. 

Hon.  O.  P.  Davis  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire in  1814;  learned  the  art  of  paper- 
making;  came  to  Indiana  in  1838,  traveling 
by  coach,  steamboat,  canal  and  horseback, 
througli  the  States  of  New  York,  Ohio, 
Michigan  and  the  province  of  Canada.  In 
New  York  he  rode  behind  the  first  locomo- 
tive built  in  that  State,  then  running  out  of 
Albany.  At  Toronto,  Canada,  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  book  bindery  and  mill,  doing  the 
work  more  rapidly  and  efiiciently  than  any  of 
the  native  hands.  In  Ohio  he  fell  in  with  a 
jolly  dentist,  of  whom  he  began  to  learn  the 
art  of  dentistry,  afterward  practicing  his  new 
trade  at  Fort  Wayne.  After  residing  at 
Logansport  and  Delphi,  this  State,  for  a  time, 
he  went  to  Greencastle  and  commenced  the 
study  of  law  in  the  oflice  of  Edward  W. 
McGoughey,  read  two  years,  and  then  in 
1840,  moved  to  this  county  and  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  continuing  for  five 
years.  Since  then  he  has  been  a  tradesman 
and  agriculturist.  At  first  he  purchased  forty 
acres,  to  which  he  has  since  made  additions 
until  he  has  1,300  acres  of  rich  Wabash  bot- 
tom, whereon  he  sometimes  raises  immense 
crops  of  corn,  occasionally  50,000  bushels  or 


more,  and  sometimes,  by  flood  or  frost,  he 
also  loses  immense  crops.  The  sediment  de- 
posited by  the  Wabash  floods  keeps  the  soil 
very  rich.  During  the  year  of  the  famine  in 
Ireland,  Mr.  Davis  took  to  New  Orleans  by 
llat-boat  25,000  bushels  of  corn,  some  of  which 
he  bought  at  18  cents  a  bushel,  and  sold  it  at 
45  cents  to  §1  per  bushel.  He  is  said  to 
have  sold  in  one  season  §18,000  worth  of 
corn  raised  by  his  own  hands. 

Mr.  Davis  is  familiar  with  legislation, 
being  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention of  1850,  a  member  of  the  General 
Assembly  three  terms,  a  delegate  to  various 
important  conventions,  etc.  In  his  politics 
he  has  been  a  Democrat,  Republican,  Nation- 
al, etc.,  and  in  his  religion  he  is  a  "  free- 
thinker." He  is  a  man  of  firm  principles 
and  a  high  sense  of  justice. 

MISCELLANEOUS     ITEMS. 

One  night  some  years  ago,  Mr.  H.  F.  Jack- 
son, residing  about  three  and  a  half  miles 
south  of  Newport,  heard  his  dog  making  a 
terrible  noise.  About  midnight  he  arose, 
went  out,  and  discovering  the  smoke-house 
dour  open,  concluded  it  had  been  inadvert- 
ently left  open  by  the  family,  closed  it,  and 
returned  to  bed,  thinking  all  was  safe.  But 
by  closing  the  smoke-house  door  he  unawares 
locked  up  a  thief  within.  Next  morning  Mr. 
Jackson  reconnoitering  around  to  see  what  he 
could  discover,  noticed  a  hole  in  the  ground 
dug  out  under  the  wall  of  the  smoke-house. 
The  thief  had  to  work  his  way  through  a 
large  puddle  of  water  in  order  to  get  out, 
thinking  doubtless  that  he  was  lucky  to  get 
off  as  well  as  he  did. 

In  September,  1873,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brennan, 
living  a  mile  west  of  Newport,  received  a 
visit  from  their  daughter,  whom  they  thought 
they  had  lost  twenty-one  years  previously, 
when  they  left  her  temporarily  in  the  care  of 


some  one  at  New  Orleans  during  a  fearful 
siege  of  cholera.  She  had  been  found  during 
the  preceding  summer  by  a  relative  in  Ohio, 
advertising  in  the  Irish  Republic,  a  Boston 
newspaper.  She  was  then  a  resident  of  New 
Orleans  and  the  mother  of  four  children. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brennan,  on  learning  their 
daughter  was  still  alive  and  residing  in  New 
Orleans,  immediately  concluded  to  visit  her; 
but  before  starting  they  received  a  letter  from 
her  stating  that  she  was  coming  to  see  them. 
Accordingly  she  soon  arrived  at  Newport, 
late  at  night,  on  her  way;  and  such  was  her 
an.xiety  to  see  her  parents  that  night,  although 
it  was  dark  and  raining,  that  she  engaged  a 
team  and  was  immediately  taken  out  to  the 
desired  goal,  where  a  meeting  occurred  too 
exciting  to  describe.  The  daughter  remained 
until  spring.  Her  mother  died  a  few  weeks 
after  the  visit. 

Of  anecdotes  of  the  chase,  perhaps  the 
latest  is  the  account  of  the  "  fox  drive  "  had 
February  26,  1886,  in  this  township,  when 
200  men,  women  and  children  succeeded  in 
catching  one  fox. 

A  great  human  curiosity  exists  in  Vermil- 
lion Township.  Ludia  J.  Clark,  about  three 
and  a  half  miles  southwest  of  Newport,  was 
born  in  March,  1882,  and  at  the  age  of  five 
years  weighed  105  pounds,  and  was  apparent- 
ly as  mature  in  her  intellect  and  physical 
development  as  a  girl  in  her  'teens.  At  the 
date  of  writing,  July,  1887,  she  is  still 
gaining  in  weight  as  rapidly  as  ever.  Her 
parents  do  not  seem  to  be  characterized  by 
anything  abnormal. 

Quaker  Hill,  sometimes  called  Quaker 
Point,  is  the  name  of  a  fine  neighborhood  in 
a  romantic  section  of  country  on  Jonathan 
Creek  near  the  western  boundary  of  Vermill- 
ion Township.  The  place  takes  its  name 
from  the  fact  that  an  unusual  proportion  of 
the  settlement  consists  of  "  Quakers."     The 


postoffice  is  at  a  cross  road  on  low  ground 
in  the  woods,  but  in  a  beautiful  situation,  and 
is  called  "  Quaker  Hill." 

Dr.  Joseph  C.  Cooke,  of  the  Willow  Brook 
farm  near  Quaker  Hill,  was  an  influential 
physician  here  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
was  born  in  Piqua  County,  Ohio,  in  1819, 
emigrated  to  this  county  in  1845,  died  Janu- 
ary 22,  1875,  and  was  buried  under  the 
honors  of  the  order  of  Patrons  of  Husbandry, 
his  funeral  being  attended  by  probably  a 
thousand  persons. 

Drs.  John  Gilniore,  Hiram  and  Lewis 
Shepard  and  P.  H.  Swaim  are  or  have  been 
practitioners  of  medicine  at  Quaker  Hill  or  in 
the  vicinity. 


The  Hopewell  FrleniVs  Chiirch  was  or- 
ganized many  years  ago,  and  is  of  the  same 
"monthly  meeting"  with  Friends'  Chapel 
and  Pilot  Grove  in  Hlinois.  The  present 
membership  here  is  230.  Ministers,  James 
P.  Haworth,  William  F.  Henderson  and 
Kuth  R.  Ellis.  The  minister  at  Friend's 
Chapel  is  Noah  Dixon,  and  at  Pilot  Grove, 
John  Folger,  and  meetings  are  held  at  each 
of  these  places  in  turn.  The  overseers  at 
Hopewell  (or  Quaker  Hill)  are  Jonathan  E. 
and  Kate  E.  Ellis,  and  Albert  and  Jane  Hen- 
derson. Dinah  T.  Henderson  is  recorder. 
The  church  building,  a  frame,  was  erected  in 
1873,  at  a  cost  of  $1,250. 

The  Lehanon  Methodist  Exjhcopal  Church, 
east  of  Quaker  Hill,  was  organized  in  pioneer 
days.  The  present  membership  is  about  thirty_ 
Class-leader,  Robert  Holliday;  stewards,  R. 
P.  Little,  J.  L.  Thomas,  Frank  Carmack  and 
Samuel  R.  AVhite.  Pastor,  Rev.  R.  S.  Martin, 
of  Newport.  The  church  building,  a  frame, 
30  X  36  feet  in  dimensions,  was  built  over 
thirty  years  ago.  Sunday-school  is  main- 
tained all  the  year,  with  an  average  attendance 


of  fifty   pupils  and    superintended    by  Miss 
Ella  Little. 

Vermillioii  Chajjel,  Methodist  Ejpiscoj'il 
Church,  three  and  a  half  miles  south  and  a 
little  west  of  Newport,  has  a  membership  of 
about  twenty.  Class-leader,  W.  P.  Carmack ; 
steward,  Allen  Clearwaters;  Pastor,  Rev.  R. 
S.  Martin,  of  Newport.  The  Sunday-schuil 
was  recently  organized.  The  old  churcli 
building,  erected  about  forty  years  ago,  has 
recently  been  sold,  to  give  place  to  a  flue 
brick  church,  costing  $1,500  or  $1,800, 

Bethel  Church,  United  Brethren,  two 
miles  southwest  of  Newport,  was  organize! 
many  years  ago.  Present  number  of  mem- 
bers, forty-seven  or  forty-eight.  Class-leadtT, 
Levi  Erindley;  steward,  Thomas  White.  Nn 
Sunday-school  at  present.  The  house  c!' 
worship,  about  28  x  36  feet  in  ground  arcvi, 
was  built  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  years  ago. 

0_pedee  Church,  United  Brethren,  organ- 
ized about  1880,  has  increased  in  membership 
from  eight  to  sixteen.  No  class-leader  at 
present.  Steward,  Miss  Ella  Wimsett.  A 
good  Sunday-school  has  recently  been  estab- 
lished, of  which  E.D.Brown  is  superintendent. 
Meetings  are  held  in  a  school-house. 

Ira  Mater,  of  Hillsdale,  is  a  local  preacher 
of  this  denomination. 

A  few  United  Brethren  are  meeting  at  the 
Eggleston  school-house,  preparatory  to  organ- 
ization. They  have  a  Sunday-school,  of  whii-li 
Mr.  Dixon  is  superintendent. 

Rev.  B.  F.  Dungan,  of  Newport,  is  pastur 
of  all  the  United  Brethren  churches  in  Ver- 
million Township. 

NEWPORT. 

The  location  of  the  county  seat  of  govern- 
ment at  this  point  has  already  been  sketched. 

The  first  dry-goods  store  here  was  opened 
by  Daniel  E.  Jones,  with  a  lot  of  goods  so 
small  that  it  seemed  one  could  carry  them  all 


VERMILLION    TOWNSHIP. 


in  an  arni-fiiU  or  two.  He  obtained  his  start 
thus:  He  was  shipping  some  hogs,  a  part  of 
which  died.  These  were  rendered  into  soap, 
which  was  sold  for  the  goods.  Mr.  Jones 
afterward  became  wealthy,  and  went  to 
Chicago,  where  he  became  a  millionaire  and 
finally  died. 

The  first  good  residence  built  at  jS^ewport 
was  the  building  nortli  of  the  present  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  recently  occupied  by 
Mrs.  Hiram  Hasty  and  now  by  Frank  Turner- 
Conspicuous  in  this  town  are  several  very 
old,  large  planted  trees.  A  number  of  locust 
trees  were  planted  here  in  1832,  which  are 
now  over  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  one  apple 
tree,  near  the  soTithwest  corner  of  the  public 
square,  appears  to  be  over  three  feet  in  diame- 
ter four  feet  from  the  ground,  though  at  this 
point  the  tree  bifurcates  and  is  hollow.  Decay 
will  soon  overtake  the  growth  and  bring  the 
venerable  old  tree  down. 

The  old  court-houses  and  jails  are  noticed 
in  a  previous  chapter.  The  present  tine 
court-house  was  built  in  1866,  at  a  cost  of 
over  §30,000.  County  ofiices  below,  large 
and  neatly  kept,  court-room  above.  The  old 
log  jail  was  many  years  ago  superseded  by  a 
brick  building  on  the  hill,  which  is  now  used 
as  a  residence.  The  present  jail,  and  sheriflf's 
residence,  built  in  1868,  is  a  good,  substantial 
brick  structure  on  East  Market  street. 

Newport  was  incorporated  as  a  town  early 
in  the  spring  of  1870.  By  the  records  of 
March  28,  that  year,  we  find  that  the  first 
trustees  were — AVilliam  E.  Liven  good,  Presi- 
dent, Clark  Leavitt,  Benjamin  K.  Dicken  and 
E.  Y.  Jackson;  J.  A.  Souders,  Clerk.  The 
presidents  and  clerks  serving  since  that  time 
have  been:  Presidents — E.  Y.  Jackson,  1871; 
James  A.  Bell,  1872-'73;  F.  M.  Bishop, 
1874;  S.  H.  Dallas,  1875;  James  A.  Foland, 
1876-'78;  William  P.  Henson,  1879;  Oliver 
Knight,    1880;      James    Hasty,     1881-'82; 


Robert  Landon.  1883;  Calvin  Arrasmith, 
1884;  Kobert  B.  Sears,  1885;  John  W.  Cross, 
1886-'87.  Mr.  Landon  died  in  1885;  all  the 
rest  are  living.  The  clerks  have  been — 
Eobert  B.  Sears,  1871;  J.  Jump,  1872-'74; 
J.  A.  Souders,  1875-'78;  J.  C.  Sawyer,  1879; 
John  JSr.  Hartman,  1880;  Oliver  H.  Knight, 
1881;  J.  C.  SaA\7er,  1882;  O.  B.  Gibson, 
1883-'86;  William  F.Thornton,  1887. 

Newport  is  divided  into  four  wards,  with 
one  trustee  from  each  ward. 

Three  attempts  have  been  made  to  dissolve 
the  corporation.  The  last  one  was  made 
June  21,  1877,  when  the  question  was  put  to 
vote,  and  a  majoi'ity  of  nineteen  was  given  in 
favor  of  continuing  the  corjiorate  capacity  of 
the  town. 

The  population  of  Newport  is  estimated  at 
600  to  700.  The  village  is  beautifully  situ- 
ated but  retired, — rather  more  so  than  the 
citizens  wish.  Its  only  railroad  passes  nearly 
a  mile  distant. 

There  was  for  a  long  time  a  good  grist- 
mill at  Newport,  on  Market  street,  named 
the  "  Eureka  Mills,"  run  by  steam.  It  was 
built  by  James  A.  Bell,  deceased,  who  sold 
to  Curtis  &,  White;  who  in  turn  sold  to 
B.  J.  Abbott;  and  while  it  was  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  latter,  January  26, 1882,  it  was 
burned  down,  by  a  careless  act  of  some  em- 
ployee, and  has  never  since  been  rebuilt.  The 
loss  was  $3,500. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Newport  was 
organized  in  1871,  by  Josephus  and  John 
Collett,  Abel  Sexton,  Isaac  Porter,  R.  H. 
Nixon  and  Clark  Leavitt,  and  opened  their 
place  of  business  in  a  fine  brick  building, 
erected  and  fitted  up  for  the  purpose,  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  public  square.  Its 
"  national "  character  was  afterward  surren- 
dered, and  the  bank  changed,  by  the  same 
board  of  directors,  into  the  "Vermillion 
County    Bank,"    with    a    paid  up  capital  of 


$60,000  and  a  surplus  of  over  $6,000,  con- 
tiiiuiug  to  do  a  general  banking  business.  In 
January,  1880,  it  was  again  changed,  taking 
tiio  name  of  »  Collett  &  Co.'s  Bank,"  and 
comprising  Prof.  John  Collett,  of  Indianapo- 
lis, Stephen  S.  Collett,  of  Newport,  Mrs. 
Mary  H.  Campbell,  of  Crawfordsville,  and 
Joshua  Jump  of  Newport.  Since  then  Mrs. 
Campbell's  stock  has  been  transferred  to  Mrs. 
Lieutenant  M.  T.  May,  of  Greencastle;  and 
now  S.  S.  Collett  is  general  manager,  and  J. 
D.  Collett,  cashier.     Capital,  $27,000. 

THE  OLIVE    BRANCH. 

The  predecessor  of  the  Hoosier  State  was 
the  Olive  Branch,  the  iirst  paper  printed  in 
Newport,  and  established  by  A.  J.  Adams, 
now  of  Danville,  Illinois,  and  edited  by  A.  D. 
Patten.  The  number  for  December  29, 1853, 
which  we  presume  was  the  first  number, 
sliows  the  motto  of  the  organ  to  have  been, 
"  We  hold  the  balance  with  an  equal  hand, 
And  weigh  whatever  justice  doth  demand." 
The  paper  was  AVhiggish  in  politics,  becom- 
ing Kepublican  on  the  organization  of  that 
party. 

The  number  above  referred  to,  like  all  the 
country  papers  of  that  day,  has  but  little 
local  news  or  original  matter  in  it,  the  salu- 
tatory, a  column  in  length,  being  about  all 
the  original  matter  in  this  number.  The 
following  gentlemen  were  advertised  as  con- 
tributors to  the  paper:  Rev.  David  Taylor, 
Terre  Haute;  Eobert  Eoss,  Principal  of  the 
Terre  Haute  graded  school;  Samuel  Taylor, 
Principal  of  the  Newport  Seminary;  Dr.  H. 
H.  Patten,  Princeton,  Indiana;  and  Dr.  J.  S. 
Sawyer,  Vincennes,  Indiana. 

The  latest  telegraph  news  in  the  paper  was 
dated  December  17,  twelve  days  before  the 
date  of  issue.  A  long  letter  from  W.  S. 
Turner,  Bodega,  California,  dated  October  31, 
1853,  is  published.     Charity  Moss  and  Susan- 


nah Dyke  give  notice  that  they  will  apply  at 
the  next  term  of  the  common-pleas  court  for 
a  divorce;  "William  Utter,  the  county  treasurer^ 
gives  notice  that  he  will  be  at  Perrysville  the 
5th,  Eugene  the  6th,  Indiana  Furnace  the 
10th,  and  Clinton  the  11th,  days  of  January. 
1854,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  taxes  due 
for  the  year  1858;  Joseph  Eeeder,  of  Clinton 
Township,  advertises  an  astray  mare  taken  up 
liy  him,  and  appraised  at  $55  before  Esquirt' 
Ben  Harrison;  Eichard  Potts,  Sheriff,  adver- 
tises a  tract  of  land  in  Clinton  Township  for 
sale,  belonging  to  Isaac  Van  Nest,  and  in 
favor  of  Benjamin  E.  and  John  Whitcomb. 
At  that  time  James  A.  Bell  was  county 
clerk. 

W.  A.  Henderson  was  the  only  merchant 
of  Newport  who  had  an  advertisement  in  tlie 
paper.  He  occupied  about  one  inch  of  space 
in  notifying  the  people  that  he  kept  drugs, 
all  kinds  of  patent  medicines,  groceries  and 
flour.  J.  M.  Hood  gives  notice  that  he  is  a 
notary  public,  and  also  keeps  the  telegraph 
office,  on  the  east  side  of  the  public  square, 
with  ^Y.  A.  Henderson.  Dr.  J.  E.  AVillitts 
flings  his  card  to  the  breeze  as  a  physician 
and  surgeou.  T.  C.  W.  Sale,  H.  D.  Wash- 
burn, S.  CI.  Malone  and  D.  M.  Jones  have 
cards  in  this  number  advertising  themselves 
as  attorneys  at  law. 

Most  of  the  advertisements  are  of  Terre 
Haute  business.  There  is  an  item  of  news 
stating  that  the  Evansville  &  Terre  Haute 
Eailroad  was  completed  between  those  two 
points. 

The  price  of  the  Olive  Branch  was  placed 
at  $1.50  a  year  if  paid  in  advance,  $2  at  the 
end  of  six  months  and  $2.50  at  the  end  of  a 
year. 

THE  HOOSIER  STATE. 

The  Olive  Branch  was  changed  to  the 
Hoosier   State  in   1855,   and   published   at 


/S./d,^Si>v^ 


■■■■■■■■■■■"■^ 


VERMlLLloi^    TOWNSHIP. 


Clinton  for  a  time,  but  brought  back  to  New- 
port, where  it  has  since  remained.  The 
proprietors  and  editors  have  been  Pratt  & 
Adams,  James  M.  Hood,  Samuel  II.  Huston 
(1855,  at  Clinton),  Mr.  Campbell,  Mitchell, 
Vaul  (1858),  a  company,  William  E.  Liven- 
good,  George  W.  English  (1862-'63),  Colonel 
II.  D.  Washburn,  S.  B.  Davis,  Joseph  B. 
Cheadle  and  S.  B.  Davis  again.  It  is  almost 
impossible  now  to  give  all  the  above  names 
in  exact  chronological  order. 

Pratt  returned  to  Ohio.  Hood,  who  was 
brought  up  in  this  county,  left  here  for  the 
West.  Vaul  moved  to  La  Fayette,  continu- 
ing in  the  newspaper  business.  Washburn 
died  in  1871  (see  sketch  of  him  in  the  history 
of  Clinton).  Cheadle,  Congressman  elect,  is 
now  editing  the  Frankfort  Banner. 

The  number  of  the  Hoosier  for  January 
17, 1863,  for  an  example  ot  the  straightness  of 
the  times,  had  only  four  columns  to  the  page, 
was  but  little  larger  than  a  sheet  of  foolscap, 
and  was  filled  with  war  news.  In  the  winter 
and  spring  of  1875,  "  Buffalo  Bill"  wrote  for 
the  Hoosier  State  a  history  entitled  "  Three 
Years  in  Utah,"  which  was  published  serially. 
Samuel  Brenton  Davis,  editor  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  Hoosier  State,  was  born  June 
3,  1842,  in  Parke  County,  Indiana,  and 
named  after  a  Methodist  minister,  a  favorite 
of  his  parents.  The  latter  are  Robert  and 
Melvina  (Taylor)  Davis,  natives  of  Virginia, 
who  reside  in  Ilelt  Township,  this  county, 
which  was  also  the  the  home  of  Samuel 
Brenton  from  1856  to  1861. 

Mr.  Davis  was  brought  up  on  the  farm, 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  at 
Bloomingdale  Academy.  In  July,  1861,  he 
enlisted  in  Company  C,  Eighteenth  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry,  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Pea  Ridge,  and  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
besides  a  number  of  skirmishes,  and,  after  a 
service  of  one  and  a  half  years,   he  sufi'ered 


an  attack  of  the  measles,  when  on  a  force 
march,  and  he  took  cold,  whicli  settled  in  his 
right  arm  and  leg,  crippling  him  for  life. 
He  is  obliged  to  use  crutches.  After  his 
return  from  the  army,  he  was  clerk  for  a 
time  in  a  store  at  Clinton.  In  1866  he  was 
first  elected  county  treasurer,  and  in  1868  re- 
elected to  the  office.  While  he  held  the 
office  the  treasury  was  robbed  of  about  $36,- 
000  (see  full  account  elsewhere),  by  experts 
who  wedged  the  vault  doors  open  during  the 
night;  over  §21,000  of  the  money  was  re- 
covered from  the  Wabash  River,  in  which 
stream  the  robbers  had  dropped  it  when  hard 
chased  by  citizens.  In  1868,  Mr.  Davis  pur- 
chased the  office  of  the  Hoosier  State.  On 
the  close  of  his  term  as  treasurer,  October, 
1870,  he  devoted  his  whole  attention  to  this 
paper.  In  1870,  Joe  B.  Cheadle  purchased 
it,  but  nine  months  subsequently  Mr.  Davis 
bought  it  again,  and  has  ever  since  been  the 
editor  and  proprietor.  He  raised  the  circu- 
lation from  216  on  the  credit  system  to  912 
on  the  cash  system. 

As  an  editor,  Davis  is  enterprising,  fearless 
and  witty.  The  file  of  the  Hoosier  State, 
exhibits  to  the  historian  an  extraordinary 
amount  of  lively  local  correspondence,  and  of 
editorial  patience  and  liberality.  While  Mr. 
Davis  has  ever  been  a  staunch  Republican,  he 
can  acknowledge  a  victory  gained  by  the 
opposite  party  with  better  grace  than  any 
other  editor  known  to  the  writer.  Besides 
the  office  above  referred  to,  Mr.  Davis  has 
also  been  chosen  trustee  of  Vermillion  Town- 
ship, being  elected  in  April,  1886,  by  ten 
majority  in  a  Democratic  township.  Is  a 
a  member  of  the  order  of  United   Workmen. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  married  Sarah  C. 
Canady,  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Elizabeth 
Canady, — parents  now  deceased.  She  is  a 
native  of  this  township.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  are — Bird  II.,  a  well  edu- 


VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


cated  young  man;  Ora  DeLos,  a  lad  exhibiting 
considerable  talent  as  a  draftsman  and 
mechanic;  Fred,  Ren  M.,  liobert  Enoch,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  one  and  a  half  years,  and 
Melvina. 

About  1871-'72  an  attempt  was  made  to 
start  an  opposition  paper  in  Newport,  Dem- 
ocratic in  politics,  under  the  name  of  the 
VfrmilUon  Transcn'j)t,  by  Harrison  Jump, 
who  ran  it  some  fifteen  months,  sinking 
si, 900,  an  1  sold  the  office  to  other  parties, 
who  took  it  away.  Mr.  Jump  returned  to 
Ohio,  where  he  entered  the  grocery  business. 

But  we  are  not  yet  done  with  the  Iloonler 
State.  It  has  been  a  remarkable  paper  for 
local  correspondence  and  terse  editorials,  and 
we  cannot  refrain  from  giving  two  or  three 
of  the  most  innocent'but  amusing  specimens: 

"  We  learn  through  the  medium  of  a  pot- 
bellied gander  from  the  jungles  of  Brown  town 
that  G.  "\V.  Rodenbaugh  intended  to  demand 
our  name  for  cliarging  him  witli  getting 
drunk  and  flogging  his  wife.  We  never 
made  any  such  charge,  and  appeal  to  the 
columns  of  the  Iloosier  State  to  prove  it.  A 
lew  meddlers  are  trying  to  make  a  fool  of 
Rodenbaugh  by  telling  him  that  every  per- 
sonal item  in  the  Iloosier  is  directed  at  him. 
We  will  make  him  'a  present  of  a  pair  of 
heavy  boots  if  he  will  agree  to  wear  them  out 
in  kicking  the  —  coat-tail  of  every  meddling 
sneak  who  mentions  such  things  to  him  in- 
cluding Mr.  Brown[town],  who  will  merit 
and  receive  onr  sincere  thanks  by  simply 
minding  his  own  business." 

In  December,  1874,  an  amusing  incident 
occurred  in  Newport,  thus  wittily  reported 
by  the  Iloosier  State: 

"Somnambulism,  or  One  Night  in  Walter 
Place's  Bar  Room.  A  young  trump  card 
from  Clinton,  named  Jaqnes,  came  up  to 
attend  the  big  dance  at  tlie  hotel  Place;  and 
after  he  had  exercised   nature  about  all  she 


was  able  to  bear,  lie  concluded  to  rest  his 
weary  bones  on  a  bench  in  the  bar-room.  In 
a  short  time  he  was  in  the  arms  of  Morpheus, 
and  soon  afterward  he  arose,  as  usual  in  his 
somnambulistic  fits,  walked  around  the  room, 
then  took  a  seat  on  the  bench,  and,  in  the 
presence  of  several  persons  divested  himself 
of  most  of  the  clothing,  preparatory  to  lying 
down  again,  supposing  the  bench  was  a  bed. 
At  this  juncture  he  was  aroused  from  his 
sleep  by  the  deafening  roars  of  laughter  by 
those  present.  On  coming  to,  he  looked 
worse  than  a  defeated  candidate,  and  proposed 
to  '  set  up '  the  cigars  if  the  boys  would  keep 
'mum.'  Of  course  the  boys  accepted  of  the 
treat,  '  pledging  their  sacred  honor  '  never  to 
hint  it  to  Bren  Davis  of  the  Iloosier  State, 
or  to  any  one  else!  " 

Another  extract  is  given  in  the  history  of 
Helt  Townshij),  on  a  preceding  page. 

KEMARKABLE    CASES    OF    ROBBERY. 

The  three  following  accounts  are  also  from 
the  famous  Iloosier  State: 

On  Monday  night,  April  18,  1870,  over 
$35,000  was  stolen  from  the  county  treasury 
vault,  which  had  been  faithfully  closed  and 
locked.  The  treasurer  was  S.  B.  Davis,  then 
and  now  the  editor  of  the  Iloosier  State. 
The  doors  were  forced  open  by  steel  wedges, 
which  were  driven  by  a  sledge.  Neighbors 
heard  the  noise  but  not  distinctly  enough  to 
have  their  suspicions  aroused. 

The  next  day  Orville  White,  who  had  just 
learned  of  the  burglary,  saw  two  men  carry- 
ing a  sachel  across  the  i'arms  about  three 
miles  north  of  Clinton.  Calling  two  railroad 
hands  to  his  assistance,  they  gave  chase,  call- 
ing upon  the  suspected  fugitives  to  halt. 
They  struck  for  the  river,  and  leaving  a  por- 
tion of  their  clothing  upon  the  bank,  began 
to  swim  across.  Mr.  White  an.d  his  com- 
panions arriving,  saw   a  farmer    on    the  op- 


VERMILLION    TOM'KSHIP. 


posite  bank  whom  they  knew,  and  halloed 
to  him  to  kill  the  rascals  as  they  came  oi;t. 
The  man  approached,  but  the  rascals,  getting 
into  shallow  water,  drew  their  revolvers  and 
iired  at  him.  Mr.  White  then  requested  his 
assistant  to  watch  the  thieves  until  lie  could 
raise  a  posse  to  take  them.  Discovering  a 
wallet  in  the  river,  Mr.  White  waded  in  and 
obtained  it,  and  found  it  contained  $16,354. 
He  then  went  home,  mounted  a  horse  and 
started  for  Clinton  to  raise  a  posse;  but  in 
the  meantime  the  scoundrels  reached  the  op- 
posite shore,  about  a  mile  below  where  they 
entered  the  stream,  soon  found  two  railroad 
hands,  and  drew  their  revolvers  upon  them, 
commanding  them  to  give  up  their  clothing 
in  great  haste,  as  they  "had  got  into  a  row 
and  had  to  swim  the  river  to  save  their 
lives."  Returning  to  the  river  they  got  into 
a  skiff  and  floated  down  past  Clinton  under 
the  cover  of  the  night,  and  tlius  succeeded 
in  getting  away. 

The  event  created  a  great  sensation 
throughout  the  country.  It  seems  that,  from 
the  elaborate  and  systematic  execution  of  the 
burglary,  very  skillful  operators  were  en- 
gaged in  it. 

It  turned  out  the  very  next  day  after  Mr. 
White's  discovery  of  the  fugitive  criminals, 
that  one  of  the  assistants,  whom  he  hastily 
picked  out  from  a  company  of  railroad  hands 
near  by,  was  the  receiver  of  a  large  amount 
of  money  at  that  time,  in  a  mysterious  man- 
ner, but  was  not  present  at  the  robbery. 

May  13,  §5,210  more  of  the  money  was 
found  in  a  sachel  lodged  on  the  roots  of  a 
Cottonwood  a  mile  and  a  half  below,  where 
the  thieves  commenced  to  swim  the  river; 
!?15,320  were  never  recovered. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  night  of  Oc- 
tober 12,  1883,  a  most  brutal  outrage  was 
committed  by  a  band  of  robbers  upon  Elias 
Lamb  and  his  family  at  their  residence  near 


Newport.  In  the  house  were  Mr.  Lamb  and 
wife  and  a  married  daughter  from  Wayne 
County  visiting  them.  Between  three  and 
four  o'clock  the  dog  made  considerable  noise. 
Mrs.  Lamb  went  to  the  window  to  see  what 
was  the  matter,  and  hist  the  dog,  which 
would  only  plunge  out  into  the  darkness  and 
then  retreat.  Not  discovering  anything,  she 
returned  to  bed.  But  the  dog  kept  up  a 
howling,  and  acted  as  if  some  one  was  en- 
croaching upon  the  premises.  In  a  few  min- 
utes Mr.  Lamb  went  out  to  see  whether  he 
could  discover  anything  wrong.  Returning 
to  his  room  he  had  scarcely  lain  down  when 
the  door  to  an  adjoining  room,  against  which 
stood  a  large  bureau,  was  burst  open,  and  the 
bureau  fell  to  the  floor  with  a  terrible  crash, 
breaking  everything  that  was  upon  it.  Be- 
fore the  two  could  get  out  of  bed  they  were 
seized  by  two  burglars  and  a  demand  made 
for  their  money.  Mr.  Lamb  gave  them  all 
he  had,  $25.  The  demand  being  repeated  to 
his  wife  she  said  she  had  §1.75  up  stairs. 
The  villiains  made  her  get  it  without  light- 
ing a  lamp,  at  the  point  of  her  life.  They 
then  declared  that  there  was  more  money  in 
the  house,  and  that  they  would  kill  them  if 
they  did  not  give  it  up.  Mr.  Lamb  an- 
swei-cd  that  they  might  kill  them,  l)ut  could 
not  get  any  more  money,  for  there  was  no 
more  in  the  house.  Then  they  assaulted  him 
and  threatened  to  kill  them  both  if  tb.ey  did 
not  pay  over  more  money.  They  first  pom- 
meled him  awhile  and  then  fired  two  shots, 
one  of  them  grazing  Mrs.  Lamb's  head,  split- 
ting open  her  ear.  Mr.  Lamb,  although 
bodly  bruised  and  one  eye  closed,  managed 
to  get  out  of  doors,  where  he  pulled  the  bell- 
rope,  which  frightened  the  burglars  away. 

The  daughter  referred  to,  who  was  sleeping 
in  another  room,  crawled  under  the  feather 
bed  and  thus  escaped  discovery.  Their  son 
John,  who  was  sleeping  in  a  house  a  hundred 


yards  distant,  upon  hearing  the  bell,  ran  over 
to  his  parents'  house;  and,  finding  that  they 
were  suffering  for  want  of  medical  treatment, 
proposed  to  go  immediately  for  a  physician, 
but  they,  fearing  the  rascals  might  return 
and  do  further  mischief,  begged  liim  to  re- 
main with  them  until  daylight. 

During  the  morning  the  tracks  of  the  rob- 
bers were  traced  both  ways  between  their 
residence  and  town,  but  no  further  clew  was 
ever  obtained  for  their  discovery. 

May  5,  1884,  the  postoffice  was  robbed  of 
>^350  during  the  night.  The  safe  was  blown 
open.  The  burglars  were  frigliteued  away  by 
the  passing  of  a  young  man  in  tlie  vicinity 
before  they  obtained  all  tliat  tliey  liad  intended 
to.     Tiie  thieves  were  never  caught. 

ATTORNEYS    OF    NEWPORT. 

.Daniel  M.  Jones,  a  native  of  this  county, 
attended  AVabash  College,  not  quite  finishing 
the  course,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1852 
or  ~'o3,  a  member  of  the  Legislature  about 
1861,  as  a  Republican,  was  an  active  partisan, 
a  natural  orator,  and  a  shrewd  lawyer,  and 
died  in  the  fall  of  1865,  leaving  a  widow  and 
three  children.  She  is  a  sister  of  Stephen  S. 
Collett,  and  resides  in  Newport.  The  son, 
Frank,'  is  studying  medicine.  Mr.  Jones' 
father,  Lewis  Jones,  was  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Eugene  Township. 

Henry  D.  Washburn,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  men  of  Vermillion  County,  prac- 
ticed law  liere  awhile  before  the  war.  See 
history  of  Clinton,  on  a  previous  page,  for  a 
full  sketch. 

L.  C.  Allen,  born  near  Highland,  this 
county,  studied  law  under  the  preceptorship 
of  M.  G.  Rhoads,  Esq.,  of  Newport,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar;  was  justice  of  the  peace 
1868-'72,  when  he  occasionally  had  a  little 
case.  He  was  a  man  of  firm  principles,  but 
sometimes  a  little  rough.     At  one  time,  when 


the  attorneys  in  a  suit  before  him  got  to 
wrangling  and  using  profane  language,  ho 
"stood"  it  as  long  as  he  tliought  he  ought  to, 
when  he  blurted  out,  "  I'll  be  G — d  d — d  if 
you  don't  quit  swearing  I'll  fine  you!"  Mr. 
Allen  left  Newport  about  ten  years  ago,  and 
is  now  deputy  clerk  at  Covington,  Indiana. 
Nathan    Harvey  was  born    and    raised  in 

I  Parke  County,  this  State,  and  educated  at  the 

I  Bloomingdale  school,  a  Quaker  institution, 
under  the  teaching  of  Barnabas  Hobbs,  for- 

[  merly  State  Superintendent  of  Public  In- 
struction.    He  was  a  young  man  of  fair  mind 

I  and  scholarship.  On  coming  to  Newport,  he 
taught  school  in  the  seminary  during  the  war, 
a  couple  of  years,  and  then  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  C.  Johnson.  In  the  practice  of 
law  he  became  a  partner  of  William  Eggles- 
ton,  but  did  not  practice  more  than  two  or 
three  years  when  he  died,  during  a  session  of 
court.  His  widow,  with  three  children,  lives 
near  Newport.  Mr.  Harvey  was  an  honorable 
man  and  would  have  become  a  solid  prac- 
titioner had  he  lived. 

Robert  A.  Parrett,  a  native  of  this  State, 
was  young  when  his  parents  settled  with  him 
in  Newport.  Ilis  father  was  a  traveling 
Methodist  minister.  Robert  was  brought  up 
here.  Commencing  a  course  at  the  Asbury 
University,  he  had  reached  a  point  in  the 
freshman  or  sophomore  year  when,  on  account 
of  delicate  health,  he  had  to  desist.  He  then 
read  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Jump,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  and  practiced  his  profes- 
sion for  a  time.  In  the  fall  of  1875  he  was 
admitted  as  a  partner  of  C  E.  it  M.  G. 
Rhoads,  in  which  relation  lie  remained  until 
January,  1880.  Since  then  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  farming,  near  Newport.  He  was  a 
good  office  lawyer,  a  good  bookkeeper  and 
attentive  to  business;  but,  on  account  of 
delicate  health,  his  father  and  friends  advised 
him    to   quit   the   practice  of  law   and  adopt 


VERMILLION    TOWNSHIP. 


some  mode  of  life  requiring  more  physical 
and  less  mental  activity. 

Professor  B.  E.  Rhoads  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, May  1,  1834.  In  1836  the  family 
came  to  Richmond,  Indiana,  in  a  one-horse 
wagon ;  next  they  came  to  Hancock  County, 
near  Indianapolis;  in  1837,  to  Parke  County; 
then  to  Waveland,  Montgomery  County, 
where  the  subject  attended  Waveland  Acade- 
my (Presbyterian).  Entering  Wabash  College 
in  the  junior  year,  he  graduated  there  in 
1859.  Next,  he  came  to  Clmton,  this  county, 
and  taught  in  the  Farmers'  College  part  of  a 
year.  Then  he  studied  law  In  the  office  of 
Judge  Maxwell,  at  Rockville,  Parke  County, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar,  came  to  Newport  in 
1861,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. Was  in  partnership  with  his  brother 
M.  G.,  1865-'79.  In  1865-'66,  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature.  In  1878  he 
moved  to  Terre  Haute,  where  he  has  since 
been  a  resident;  but  that  year  he  crossed  the 
ocean  with  his  family,  and  spent  thirteen 
months  in  England  and  on  the  continent  of 
Europe. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1881  he  was  ap- 
pointed judge  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Vigo 
Connty,  serving  until  November,  1882.  For 
live  j-ears  he  was  one  of  tlie  trustees  of  the 
State  University  at  Bloomington,  where  he 
was  also  professor  of  law  for  a  time.  In 
Terre  Haute  he  owns  a  nice  property.  In  his 
religion  he  is  a  Presbyterian,  being  for  a  time 
an  elder  in  the  Motfatt  Street  Church,  in  that 
city. 

In  1876  Professor  Rhoads  married  Miss 
Ida,  daughter  of  Robert  D.  Moffatt,  of  Perrys- 
ville.  Their  children  are  Sarah,  born  in 
1877,  and  Daniel  Moffatt,  born  in  1880. 

John  D.  Cushman  was  born  and  reared  in 
Perrysville,  this  county.  His  father,  Thomas 
Cushman,  being  elected  county  auditor  in 
the  fall  of  1872,  moved  to  Newport  with  his 


family,  and  here  John  D.  studied  law,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  began  practice;  was 
in  partnership  with  Joshua  Jump  for  a  time; 
was  in  the  office  of  Messrs.  Rhoads,  where  he 
proved  himself  a  good  oflice  hand,  a  fine 
penman,  intelligent  business  man,  etc.  He 
was  also  a  good  public  speaker,  but  he  did 
not  practice  at  the  bar  a  great  deal.  In  the 
fall  of  1875  he  went  into  the  Southern  States 
and  traveled  for  six  months.  Returning,  he 
resumed  law  practice,  which  he  followed, 
sometimes  by  himself  and  sometimes  in  part- 
nership, until  his  death  six  or  seven  years 
ago.  lie  was  a  young  man  of  great  prom- 
ise. 

Thomas  C.  W.  Sale  was  a  lawyer  here  many 
years  ago,  and  before  the  last  war  went  to 
Paris,  Illinois,  where  he  received  an  appoint- 
ment as  Indian  agent,  and  he  -was  in  the  far 
West  for  a  long  period  in  the  fulfillment  of- 
the  duties  of  that  office.  He  returned  to 
Paris,  where  he  is  now  living. 

Samuel  G.  Malone,  who  also  practiced  law 
here  before  the  war  period,  removed  to 
Decatur,  Illinois,  where  he  accumulated  a 
fortime  of  $75,000  or  $100,000,  but  lost  it 
all.  He  is  now  a  farmer  in  Helt  Township, 
this  county. 

AVilliara  Eggleston  was  born  in  this  county, 
in  1833,  and  educated  here,  attending  the 
common  schools  and  the  county  seminary  at 
Newport,  after  he  was  a  grown  man.  He 
was  naturally  indiistrious  and  persevering. 
Taking  to  the  study  of  law,  in  due  time  he 
qualified  himself  for  practice  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  about  1859.  Of  course  he  worked 
up  considerable  practice,  by  a  hard  struggle, 
making  many  errors,  and  in  the  course  of 
fifteen  years'  practice  acquired  a  handsome 
competence.  He  next  entered  upon  a  mer- 
cantile business  with  his  brother,  and  they 
failed,  losing  all  they  had;  during  this  mer- 
cantile   experience,    however,    William    pro- 


ceeded   with  his   law    practice.     lie   was    a 
successful  attorney. 

"While  here  he  wrote  and  published  three 
works:  1.,  Treatise  on  County  Commission- 
ers; 2.,  a  legal  work  on  Damages;  and  3.,  a 
play  entitled    "The   Broken-hearted    Wife," 


(  being    a  story  of  woman's    love   and  man's 

{  unfaithfulness,  and    consisting  of  facts  that 

t  occurred  a  few  years  ago. 

\  Mr.    Eggleston    moved    to    Terre    llante 

I  about  1877. 

i  Y.  E.  Witmer,  probably  about  fifty  years 

I  ago  came  from  Ohio  to  Newport,  and  prac- 

5  ticed  here  five  or  six  years,  and    moved  to 

I  some  point  toward  Logansport  about  six  or 

I  seven  years  ago,  where  he  has  since  died.  He 

!  was  a  man  of  the  "spread-eagle"   style,  not 

(  deeply  versed,  but  executive,  working  up  law- 

j  suits  whether  they  should  be  worked  up  or  not. 

!  "William  L.  Little,  a  graduate  of  Asbury 

i  University,    became   a    Methodist    minister, 

i  preached  here  a  year  or  two ;  then  followed 

I  farming    about    seven    miles    southwest    of 

I  Newport,  in  which  he  succeeded  well;  next 

»  he  practiced  law  at  Newport,  settled  a  few 

i  estates,   etc.,  and  then    became  a  merchant, 

(  and  finally    moved   to  Hutchinson,    Kansas, 

{  about  1882.     Mr.  Little  had  a  fair  intellect, 

i  and  a  good  degree  of  information  on  general 

j  subjects,  and  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  the 

{  county.     About  1862-'72  he  acted  as  county 

i  examiner,  and  then  for  six  or  eight  years,  or 

j  more,  he  was  county  superintendent  of  schools. 

)  James  Blanchard,  a  native  of  this  county, 

I  received  a  good  classical  education  and  was  a 

(  good    penman,  on    which    account    he    was 

)  employed    much  in    the    stores,  and  county 

I  offices,  as  an  accountant,  copyist,  etc.     Pick- 

1  ing  up  a  little  law  in  the  meantime,  he  was 

I  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  in  the  course  of  his 

i  practice  he  had  several  partnerships.     He  was 

i  a  good  assistant  in  preparing  papers,  conduct- 

J  ing  correr^pondence,  making  collections,  etc. 


About  three  or  four  years  ago  he  moved  to 
Terre  Haute  to  assist  his  brother  Ben,  and 
from  there  he  went  to  South  Hutchinson, 
Kansas,  where  he  is  now  engaged  in  real- 
estate  business. 

Ben  Blanchard,  though  nominally  a  lawyer, 
never  conducted  a  suit.  He  is  now  in  Terre 
Haute,  in  the  real-estate  and  abstract  business. 

Joseph  B.  Cheadle.  present  Congressman, 
elect  from  the  Ninth  District,  was  born  in 
this  county,  read  law  in  the  office  of  Judge 
Maxwell  at  Eockville,  admitted  to  the  bar  here 
about  1868,  became  deputy  collector  of  inter- 
nal revenue,  was  a  candidate  for  nomination 
for  a  number  of  offices,  gradually  drifted  out 
of  the  law  into  editorial  work,  had  charge  of 
the  Hoosier  State  nine  months  in  1870,  then 
the  Ilockville  Rejnihlican  and  Rockviile 
Tribune,  and  is  now  editor  of  the  Frankfort 
Banner,  Clinton  County.  Frank,  courteous 
and  polite,  he  is  popular;  clever  and  ambitious, 
he  is  a  good  business  man;  is  a  good  story- 
teller, and  a  genial  companion. 

Joshua  Jump,  born  in  Ohio  in  1843,  stud- 
ied law  with  R.  N.  Bishop,  at  Paris,  Illinois, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  came  to  New- 
port in  1869,  where  his  partnerships  were  in 
succession  with  "William    Eggleston,  Robert 

B.  Sears,  James  Blanchard,  John  D.  Cush- 
man  and  from  March,  1879,  to  March,  1885, 

C.  Vf.  "Ward.  He  was  circuit  judge  from 
March,  1885,  to  November,  1886.  In  June, 
1887,  he  removed  to  Terre  Haute.  He  is  a 
Democrat,  and  has  participated  in  politics  to 
some  extent,  being  a  delegate  to  a  number  of 
conventions  and  member  of  the  State  Central 
Committee. 

Adam  Littlepagc,  from  "West  Virginia, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  here  February  0' 
1883,  formed  a  partnership  with  John  A. 
"Wiltermood  for  two  or  three  years,  married 
a  daughter  of  Stephen  S.  Collett,  and  returned 
to  "West  Virginia. 


VERMILLION    TOWNS  EI  P. 


213 


John  A.  Wilterinoocl,  Postmaster  at  New- 
port, was  appointed  to  this  position  Septein- 
her  5,  1885,  succeeding  John  Kichardson. 
lie  was  liorii  in  Vermillion  Township,  a  son 
of  Joseph  W.  AViltermood,  and  brought  up 
at  fanning,  most  of  his  early  life  being  spent 
ill  Eugene  Township.  He  attended  the  State 
Normal  at  Indianapolis  in  1878-'79,  taught 
school  three  years,  studied  law  in  the  office 
of  Judge  Jump,  admitted  to  practice  Febru- 
ary 6,  1883,  associated  professionally  with 
II.  II.  Conley  two  years,  and  with  Adam 
Littlepage  two  or  three  years. 

The  present  bar  at  NeM-port  comprises  M. 
G.  Rhoads.  B.  S.  Aikman  (Rhoads  &  Aikman) 
C.  AV.  Ward,  O.  B.  Gibson  (Ward  &  Gibson), 
II.  H.  Conley  and  J.  C.  Sawyer.  Sketches  of 
most  of  tliese  will  be  found  in  the  regular 
biographical  department  of  this  volume. 

B.  S.  Aikman  is  a  young  man  born  in  this 
county,  a  son  of  Barton  Aikman,  an  early 
settler,  graduated  at  the  State  Normal  School 
at  Terre  Haute,  read  law  in  the  office  of  M. 
G.  Rhoads,  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the  fall  of 
1886,  and  has  been  a  partner  of  Mr.  Rhoads 
since  January  1,  1887. 

In  the  winter  of  lS74:-'75  Mest^rs.  Jump 
and  M.  G.  Rhoads  were  attorneys  for  a  fugi- 
tive from  Illinois,  charged  with  stealing 
horses,  and  succeeded  in  releasing  hiin  from 
the  custody  of  an  officer.  This  raised  con- 
siderable excitement  among  the  citizens  of 
Newport,  and  indignation  meetings  were 
held  here,  and  also  in  other  parts  of  the 
county.  The  officer  holding  the  fugitive  had 
not  the  proper  authority. 

PHYSICIANS. 

Of  the  past,  we  can  mention  only  these: 
Dr.  J.  R.  Willetts  practiced  here  previous  to 
the  war  period,  and  moved  away.  He  was 
time  in  partnersltip  witli  Dr.  Griffin, 
E.  T.   Collett,   son  of 


f<ir 

V\hn  is  deceased.      Dr 


Josephus  Collett,  Sr.,  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Louisville  Medical  College,  practiced  here  and 
in  Eugene  Township,  and  in  1878  committed 
suicide  in  Kansas,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight 
years.  Drs.  Clark  and  P.  H.  Leavitt  prac- 
ticed here  a  number  of  years,  a  portion  of  the 
time  in  partnership.  The  former  moved  to 
Danville,  Illinois,  in  1875,  where  he  is  now 
living,  and  the  other  died  in  Newport.  Dr. 
E.  Thompson  moved  to  Illinois  and  died  there. 
He  left  Newport  in  the  fall  of  1874. 

The  physicians  now  practicing  in  Newport 
are  Drs.  M.  L.  Hall,  Lewis  Shepard  and 
James  Wallace. 

Yermillion  County  is  comparatively  a 
poor  place  for  physicians  to  find  much  to  do. 
As  before  stated,  the  country  here  is  remark- 
able for  a  healthy  and  long-lived  population. 
They  have  never  been  visited  by  epidemics, 
and  even  that  singular  disease,  milk-sickness, 
which  used  to  prevail  here,  is  now  entirely 
absent,  the  last  case  occurring  ten  or  twelve 
years  ago. 

EDUCATION. 

Newport  has  .always  had  a  good  school. 
According  to  the  provisions  of  tlie  State"  law, 
a  county  seminary  was  established  here  in 
pioneer  times,  and  flourished  until  the  later 
free-school  system  converted  it  into  a  o-raded 
school  about  1852.  The  building  was  of 
brick.  To  it  additions  have  been  made,  and 
it  is  still  occupied.  The  location  is  on  the 
bluff,  overlooking  the  broad  and  romantic 
valley  of  the  ^Little  Vermillion  River.  The 
new  portion,  comprising  two  rooms  was 
added  by  the  town  of  Newport,  at  a  cost  ot 
about  §1,000,  and,  the  muncipality  having 
bought  the  township's  interest  in  the  in- 
stitution, all  partnership  between  the  two 
civil  divisions  was  dissolved  last  year,  1886. 
The  building  now  has  four  rooms,  and  corre- 
spondingly a  full  board  of  teachers  comprises 


a  principal  and  three  assistants.  Tlie  depart- 
ments are  the  high  school,  grammar,  inter- 
mediate and  primary.  The  enrollment  last 
year  was  156.  The  principal  for  the  year 
1887  -'88  is  Edward  Aikman.  The  school 
has  two  literally  societies, — the  Philadel- 
pliians  and  the  Sapplionians. 

SOCIETIES. 

Ncioport  Lodge,  No.  209,  F.  ib  A.M.,  was 
chartered  May  25,  1857;  and  the  first  officers 
were  James  A.  Bell,  Worshipful  Master; 
Eldridge  M.  Groves,  Senior  Warden;  James 
Tarrance,  Junior  Warden;  Andrew  J.  Adams, 
Treasurer;  Joseph  B.  Cheadle,  Secretary; 
Seth  Knight,  Senior  Deacon;  William  Black- 
stone,  Junior  Deacon;  J.  L.  Thomas  and  T. 
J.  Arrasmith,  Stewards;  R.  H.  Nixon,  Tyler. 
The  munber  of  meni1)ers  was  twenty-three, 
who  met  in  the  same  hall  tliat  is  still  used. 
The  present  membership  is  thirty-one,  and 
the  officers,  R.  C.  Sears,  Worsliipful  Master; 
R.  II.  Nixon,  Senior  Warden ;  E.  D.  Wheeler, 
Junior  Warden;  Abel  Sexton,  Senior  Deacon; 
J.  II.  Kerdolff,  Junior  Deacon;  A.  R.  Hop- 
kins, Secretary;  Charles  Potts,  Treasurer; 
Elias  Pritchard  and  Gr.  W.  Clark,  Stewards; 
and  II.  S.  Cady,  Tyler.  Financially,  the  lodge 
is  strong. 

Verrnillion  Lodge,  No  59 i,  L  0.  0.  F., 
was  organized  in  the  room  over  the  furniture 
store  of  David  Hopkins,  by  Past  Grand 
Hiram  Shepard,  of  Dana  Lodge,  under  a 
charter  granted  May  18, 1882,  on  the  petition 
of  Robert  E.  Stephens,  Lewis  Shepard, 
Thomas  Cushman,  F.  Y.  Wade,  Julius 
Groves  and  J.  M.  Taylor.  Tlie  following 
members  were  elected  officers  and  duly  in- 
stalled: Lewis  Shepard,  Noble  Grand;  Eobert 
E.  Stephens,  Vice-Grand;  Thomas  Cushman, 
Secretary;  J.  M.  Taylor.  Treasurer.  At  the 
time  of  this  organization  there  were  thirteen 
members.     There  are  now  thirty-seven  mem- 


bers, and  the  present  officers  are,  M.  G. 
Rhoades,  Noble  Grand;  H.  A.  Conley,  Vice- 
Grand;  Matthew  Ly tie.  Recording  Secretary; 
Thomas  Cushman,  Permanent  Secretary;  W. 
P.  Henderson,  Treasurer.  The  society  is  now 
in  a  very  prosperous  condition.  The  furni- 
ture, equipments  and  regalia  cost  about  $600, 
and  the  room  is  an  unusually  nice  one, 
38  x  50  feet  in  dimensions,  exclusive  of  the 
vestibules. 

Hope  Lodge,  No.  268,  Daughters  of  Be- 
hekah,  was  chartered  November  18,  1886, 
and  the  first  officers  elected  January  22,  1887, 
with  ten  members.  Thomas  Cushman, 
Noble  Grand;  Mrs.  D.  S.  Hopkins,  Vice- 
Grand;  Mrs.  Dessie  Johnson,  Secretary;  Mrs. 
Mary  Henson,  Treasurer.  The  membership 
is  now  (June,  1887)  thirteen,  who  are 
zealous,  with  a  good  exchequer.  They  com- 
prise the  best  talent  in  the  conununity. 

Shiloh  Post,  No.  Ji.9,  Q.  A.  B.,  was  organ- 
ized March  22,  1882,  with  R.  J.  Hasty,  Post 
Commander;  J.  II.  Kerdolff,  Senior  Vice- 
Commander;  J.  A.  Darby,  Junior  Vice- 
Commander;  R.  H.  Nixon,  Surgeon;  Z. 
Thornton,  Chaplain;  A.  C.  Brokaw,  Officer  of 
theDay;T.  A.  McKnight,  Officerof  the  Guard  : 
who  were  duly  installed  by  Mustering  Officer 
R.  B.  Sears.  The  appointed  officers  were  J. 
W.  Harlan,  Adjutant;  J.  C.  Bailey,  Quarter- 
Tuaster  Sergeant;  William  C.  Myers,  Ser- 
geant-Major.  The  officers  comprised  the 
whole  membership.  The  post  has  not  been 
meeting  lately,  but  the  present  officers  are, 
Edward  Brown,  Post  Commander;  R.  II. 
White,  Junior  Vice-Commander;  John  A. 
Darby,  Officer  of  the  Day;  John  Richard- 
son, Quartermaster;  William  Bennett,  Sur- 
geon; II.  II.  Conlej',  Chaplain;  C.  S.  Davis, 
Adjutant;  Vf.  P.  Henson,  Sergeant-JMajor; 
J.  C.  Dillow,  Quarterinaster-Sei-geant.  There 
are  about  thirty  members  in  good  standing. 
The    time   of  meeting  is  every  second    and 


VERMILLION    TOWNSHIP. 


fourth  Friday  evening  of  the  montli,  in  Place's 
Hall. 

A  company  of  Sons  of  Veterans  was  or- 
ganized March  20,  1884,  with  Frank  Hasty 
for  Captain.  Commencing  with  ten  mem- 
bers, they  reached  sixteen,  but  they  soon  lost 
their  zeal,  holding  their  last  meeting  Decem- 
ber 19,  1884.  They  contemplate  reorganiz- 
ing. Their  last  Captain  was  William  F. 
Thornton. 

The  A.  0.  U.  W.  organized  a  lodge  at 
Newport  March  4,  1879,  with  a  membership 
of  sixteen,  and  Dr.  M.  L.  Hall  as  Past  Mas- 
ter AVorkman;  E.  B.  Sears,  Master  Work- 
man ;  "W.  P.  Henson,  Grand  Foreman ;  Joseph 
Dillow,  Overseer;  C.  S.  Davis,  Kecorder; 
George  W.  Odell,  Financier;  L.J.  Place,  Ee- 
ceiver;  L.  D.  Dillow,  Gnard;  Henry  Dil- 
low, Inside  .Warden;  Lou  Coil,  Outside 
Warden.  The  charter  was  surrendered  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1883.  At  one  time  they  had  as 
many  as  twenty-live  or  thirty  members. 

The  Neviport  Light  Guards  were  organ- 
ized under  the  military  law  of  the  State,  with 
over  forty  members,  and  J.  A.  Souders,  Cap- 
tain. They  obtained  from  the  State  an  equip- 
ment of  fifty  guns  and  tlie  necessary 
accoutrements.  But  in  a  year  or  two  they 
got  to  quarreling  over  the  captaincy,  some 
favoring  J.  A.  Souders,  Init  a  majority  E. 
H.  Nixon,  and  consequently  let  their  inter- 
est  in    the  drill  die. 

The  Newport  Cornet  Band  was  organized 
a  number  ot  years  ago,  went  down,  and  reor- 
ganized, or  a  new  organization  effected.  John 
A.  Darby  and  J.  W.  Hartman  are  the  only 
present  members  who  were  members  of  the 
iiriginal  organization.  The  present  members 
are,  John  A.  Darby  and  Quincy  Myers,  E 
flat;  Ernest  Darby  and  Albert  Wheeler,  B 
flat;  J.  W.  Hartman,  solo  alto;  William 
Sharp,  second  alto;  W.  C.  Arrasmith  and 
Joseph  Hopkins,  B  flat  tenor;  L.  M.  Wheeler, 


B  flat  baritone;  Fred  Duzan,  E  flat  tuba; 
William  Brown,  snare  drum;  Henry  Garrett, 
base  drum.  This  accommodating  band  "  dis- 
courses sweet  music  "  every  Sunday  afternoon 
at  the  court-house.  The  players  are  skillful, 
and  have  often  rendered  satisfactory  service 
on  public  occasions. 


TEMPERANCE. 


Newport  has  had  the  usual  fights  over  the 
temperance  question,  and  the  usual  temper- 
ance societies.  Skipping  over  the  long  pe- 
riod l)efore  the  war,  we  notice  that  since  the 
war  about  the  first  public  movement  was  the 
organization  of  a  lodge  of  Good  Templars,  in 
1868,  with  the  following  officers:  Eev.  J.  E. 
Wright  (Methodist  traveling  minister  here  at 
the  time),  Betsy  Griflin,  Joseph  Hopkins, 
Benjamin  Carter,  Ivy  A.  Astor,  Sally  Can- 
ady,  John  Wigley,  Eebecca  Huft"  and  Joseph 
B.  Cheadle.  The  lodge  has  long  since  ceased 
to  exist. 

The  next  movement  was  the  tidal  wave  of 
the  "  woman's  crusade  "  in  1874,  which  struck 
Newport  with  some  violence  and  persistency. 
Meetings  were  held  at  the  churches,  speeches 
made,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  wait 
upon  the^  two  saloonists  of  the  place,  who 
soon  closed  their  dram  shops  and  signed  a 
pledge  not  to  open  again  in  Newport.  A 
firm  of  druggists,  however,  comprising 
William  M.  and  William  L.  Triplett  (father 
and  son),  refused  to  sign  the  same  pledge, 
ofiering  one  of  their  own  drafting,  which 
allowed  them  to  sell  liquor  for  "  medical, 
mechanical,  chemical  and  sacramental  pur- 
poses." They  were  publicly  charged,  in  a  set 
of  formal  resolutions,  with  selling  liquor  by 
wholesale  for  drinking  purposes,  but  they  de- 
nied having  done  so  for  a  long  time.  The 
controversy  over  their  case  M-as  long  and  bit- 
ter, but  they  held  their  ground.     Since  then 


Wi 


the  senior  member  of  the  firm  has  died,  and 
the  junior  has  moved  away. 

In  December  following  an  enraged  woman 
from  the  country  came  into  town  and  smashed 
in  the  windows  of  a  saloon  where  her  hus- 
band was  spending  too  much  of  his  time, 
made  a  general  "  scatterment"  among  thein- 
ma'tes  and  soon  persuaded  her  loafing  husband 
to  take  a  straight  line  for  home. 

In  1877  the  Murphy,  or  blue-ribbon  move- 
ment struck  Newport  like  a  cyclone.  At  tlie 
very  first  meeting  153  signed  the  pledge,  and 
in  a  few  days  afterward  probably  as  many 
more.  But  the  red-ribbon  movement,  inau- 
gurated by  Tyler  Mason  in  1879,  proved  to 
have  more  vitality.  Of  this,  Thomas  Cush- 
maii,  William  Gibson  and  Robert  B.  Sears 
were  in  succession  presidents. 

A  "Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union 
was  organized  in  Newport,  in  which  the  lead- 
ers were  Mrs.  Zachariah  Thornton,  Mrs.  Ram- 
sey, Mrs.  Ervin  Lamb,  Mrs.  Sears  and  others. 
At  one  time  they  had  forty  or  filty  members 
or  more,  but  their  meetings  have  been  discon- 
tinued. In  connection  with  the  Perrysville 
union,  they  for  a  time  edited  a  temperance 
column  in  the  Hoosier  State. 

Order  of  Eclampsus  Vitus! — Thi  sis  the 
high-sounding  title,  apparently  Greek  or 
Latin,  of  an  imaginary  secret  society,  taking 
its  rise  at  Newport  and  other  points  in  this 
county  probably  about  fifteen  years  ago, 
whose  entertainment  consists  in  blindfolding 
the  candidate  for  initiation  and  playing  a 
variety  of  make-believe  tricks  upon  him. 


The  Presbyterians  organized  a  church  here 
many  years  ago,  ran  down  and  reorganized  in 
the  spring  of  1875,  by  Rev.  Mitchell,  of 
Clinton,  with  only  seven  members.  The 
ruling  elders  were  M.  G.  Rhoads  and  I.  B. 
Fusselman,  now  of  Danville,   Illinois.     Mr. 


Rhoads  and  his  wife  are  the  only  members 
now,  and  there  is  no  regular  preacliing.  The 
church  building,  a  frame  about  40x50  feet, 
on  Market  street  a  little  ea?t  of  the  public 
square,  was  erected  probably  about  forty 
years  ago,  soon  after  the  first  organizatiosi 
was  effected,  and  is  now  occupied  by  the 
United  Brethren.  There  has  never  been  a 
resident  pastor  at  Newport.  Among  the 
earlier  pastors  were  Rev.  J.  Hawks,  of  Ptr- 
rysville,  some  thirty  years  ago,  who  died 
about  ten  years  afterward;  Rev.  Henry  Ba- 
con, now  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  then  of  Covington, 
Indiana;  after  a  vacancy.  Rev.  Mitchell 
preached  once  a  month  for  a  part  of  a  year, 
1875-'76. 

The  Methodists  organized  a  class  at  New- 
port in  primitive  days.  In  time  they  built  a 
church.  When  this  became  old,  and  the  con- 
gregation too  large  for  it,  it  was  sold  and 
some  time  afterward  torn  down.  Tlie  pres- 
ent large  edifice  was  erected  about  1851,  ex- 
cept that  eighteen  feet  have  since  been  added. 
The  present  membership  is  175,  including  a 
few  probationers.  The  class-leaders  are  Rev. 
John  A.  Farrett,  a  local  preacher,  and  Abel 
Sexton.  Exhorter,  John  Henson.  Stewards — 
II.  H.  Conley,  C.  S.  Davis,  David  Hopkins, 
James  Hasty  and  Joshua  N.  Davis.  Sunday- 
school  all  the  year,  with  an  average  attend- 
ance of  125,  superintended  by  Abel  Sexton 
for  the  last  twenty  years.  Rev.  Ricliaid  S. 
Martin,  pastor,  occupying  the  very  fine  par- 
sonage on  East  Market  street,  built  in  1882. 
The  greatest  revivals,  or  periods  of  special 
interest,  were  under  the  ministrations  of 
Revs.  Richard  Robinson,  about  1860,  W.  A. 
Smith  and  J.  H.  Hollingsworth. 

The  United  Brethren  Church  at  Newport 
was  organized  in  1870,  by  Rev.  Samuel  Gar- 
rigus,  who  was  then  a  resident  of  Bellmore, 
Parke  County,  but  is  now  at  Crawfordsville, 
tliis  State.     The  society  at  first  comprised  but 


twelve  or  fourteen  members,  but  it  has  in- 
creased to  ninety,  principally  under  the  labors 
of  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  B.  F.  Dungan, 
within  the  last  few  months.  The  first  class- 
leader  was  C.  M.  P.arkes;  the  present  class- 
leader  is  Eettie  R.  Smith;  assistant 
class-leader,  Mrs.  Belle  Thornton.  These 
ladies  have  a  very  large  field  of  spiritual 
work,  compared  with  class-leaders  generally. 
A  lively  Sunday-school  of  about  seventy  pu- 
pils is  maintained  throughout  the  year,  super- 
intended by  Mrs.  Thornton.  The  steward  of 
the  church  at  this  point  is  Z.  P.  Thornton. 
The  society  at  present  worships  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  on  Market  street,  one  block 
east  of  the  public  square,  but  they  contem- 
plate building  a  house  of  worship  this  year. 
A  pleasant  house  is  rented  for  a  parsonage  in 
the  west  part  of  the  village. 

Eev.  B.  F.  Dungan,  minister  in  charge  of 
the  United  Brethren  churches  of  the  Newport 
Circuit,  Upper  "Wabash  Conference,  was  born 


in  Fountain  County,  Indiana,  in  1863.  His 
parents,  Benjamin  T.  and  Hannah  (Camp- 
bell, nee  Shoup)  Dungan,  are  both  living  in 
Parke  County.  Both  the  parents  are  natives 
of  Ohio;  father  of  Scotch,  German  and  Irish 
ancestry,  and  the  mother  of  German.  Mr. 
Dungan  was  brought  up  on  a  farm,  and  has 
always  been  an  industrious,  hard-working 
laborer,  both  with  mind  and  body.  Was  or- 
dained a  local  preacher  in  the  church  of  his 
choice  June  28,  1883,  and  since  September, 
1885,  ho  has  been  a  member  of  the  annual 
conference.  Having  a  strong  physical  foun- 
dation and  a  high  ambition,  he  is  a  ''  man  of 
destiny  "  in  its  noblest  sense.  June  13, 1883, 
he  married  Miss  Mary  Taulby,  daughter  of 
C.  Columbus  and  Eraeline  Taulby,  and  a  na- 
tive of  Boone  County,  Indiana.  Both  her 
parents  are  deceased.  Since  September,  1886, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dungan  have  been  residents  of 
Newport. 


SETTLEMENT. 


N  this  township,  more 
than  any  other  in  the 
county,  where  the  In- 
dian villages,  the  In- 
dian battlefields,  the 
first  trading  posts  and 
the  first  settlements.  While  the 
first  settler  in  the  county  was 
John  Vannest,  in  Clinton  Town- 
in  1816,  Eugene  Township 
was  more  rapidly  settled  at  the 
beginning  than  was  Clinton.  It 
was  in  Eugene  Township  that  the 
Groenendykes,  Thompsons,  Por- 
ters, Armours,  Colletts,  Hepburns, 
Colemans,  Malones,  Naylor, 
Slielbys,  etc.,  settled,  all  on  the  Big  Vermill- 
ion Kiver.  Most  of  these  have  numerous 
and  prominent  descendants.  Although  the 
first  mill  in  the  county  is  claimed  for  Clinton 
Township, — built  by  John  Beard  in  1819  or 
'20, — probably  the  first  large  and  reliable 
mill  in  the  county  was  built  by  John  Groenen- 
dyke,  about  the  same  time  or  shortly  after,  on 


the  Big  Yerniillion,  at  the  point  in  the 
nortliern  portion  of  the  village  of  Eugene 
still  occupied  by  the  largest  and  best  mill  in 
the  county. 

The  following  list  of  early  settlers  is  not 
designed  to  be  a  complete  catalogue;  it  is 
only  a  chronological  classification  of  some  of 
the  most  impoitant  arrivals,  from  the  data 
available. 

1816. — Noah  Hubbard,  with  a  wife  and  a 
large  number  of  children.  After  residing 
here  many  years  he  became  a  Mormon  and 
went  to  Missouri,  to  join  liis  people,  then  to 
Nauvoo,  Illinois,  remaining  with  them  until 
they  were  driven  away  from  there,  about 
1847,  when  he  returned  to  this  county  and 
began  preaching  the  peculiar  doctrine.  Ee- 
joining  the  Mormon  colony  at  Council  Bluft's, 
Iowa,  he  died  there.  His  wife,  Catharine, 
then  returned  to  this  section  of  the  country, 
and  finally  died  near  this  county,  in  Illinois. 
Their  daughter,  Pamelia,  married  a  man 
named  Curtis. 

1818. — Isaac  Coleman  settled   three  miles 


iSSSHSSS^ 


EUGENE    TOWNSHIP. 


south  of  Eugene,  on  the  little  prairie  since 
known  by  his  name.  Judge  J.  M.  Coleman 
came  to  the  township  a  subsequent  year,  from 
Virginia,  settling  on  section  16,  17  north,  9 
west,  and  was  long  intimately  associated  with 
the  Colletts.  He  had  helped  [to  lay  out  the 
city  of  Indianapolis,  and  also  the  town  of 
Terre  Haute,  where  he  also  built  the  old 
coTirt-house.  In  this  county  he  was  one  of 
the  first  grand  jurors  and  associate  judges. 
He  afterward  moved  to  Iowa  City,  where  he 
built  the  State  house,  died  and  was  buried. 

This  year  came  Major  James  Blair,  who 
settled  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  16, 
17  north,  9  west;  and  at  his  cabin  on  this 
place  was  held  the  first  court  in  the  county. 
Mr.  Blair  had  been  a  sharp-shooter  on  Lake 
Erie,  under  Commodore  Perry,  in  the  war 
of  1812,  when  he  was  detailed  to  shoot  at  the 
Indians  in  the  rigging  of  the  British  war 
vessels;  but  at  the  very  first  fire  of  Perry's 
artillery  the  Indians  were  so  frightened  that 
they  hastily  "  scuttled  "  down  into  'the  hold, 
and  there  were  no  Indians  for  Mr.  Blair  to 
do  his  duty  upon.  As  his  vessel  sailed  past 
the  British  men-of-war,  he  could  see  the 
glittering  tin  canisters  down  through  the 
muzzles  of  their  guns.  For  his  faithful  ser- 
vices, Mr.  Blair  received  a  medal  from  the 
Government.  On  one  occasion,  after  he 
became  a  resident  of  this  county,  he  was  a 
candidate  for  the  Legislature,  he  attended  a 
shooting-match,  participated,  and  aimed  so 
well  that  every  naan  present  voted  for  him  at 
the  ensuing  election!  On  still  another  occa- 
sion he  played  an  amusing  trick  upon  the 
simple-minded  pioneers  and  Indians,  in  the 
settlement  of  a  controversy  between  them. 
See  section  on  Indians. 

Blair  married  a  daughter  of  Judge  Coleman, 
resided  for  a  time  on  Coleman's  Prairie,  and 
then  moved  up  the  river  and  founded  Perrys- 
ville,  which  place  he  named  in  honor  of  his 


brave  commander.  Commodore  O.  II.  Perry, 
remaining  there  until  his  death. 

Both  Blair  ,and  Coleman  had  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  Indians,  and  lived  in 
friendship  with  them  for  a  number  of  years. 
It  frequently  fell  to  theii-  lot  to  act  as  peace- 
makers between  the  Indians  and  what  were 
termed  the  "border  ruffians,"  who  were  much 
the  worse  class  of  the  two.  These  two  pio- 
neers always  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of 
Se-Seep,  the  last  chief  who  lived  in  the 
vicinity,  who  was  said  to  be  110  years  old 
when  he  was  foully  murdered  by  a  renegade 
Indian  of  his  own  tribe.  Like  the  fading 
autumn  leaves,  the  aborigines  of  the  forest 
died  away.  The  guns  and  dogs  of  the  white 
man  frightened  away  the  game  from  their 
hunting  grounds,  or  destroyed  it,  and  the 
virtue  of  a  dire  necessity  called  upon  them  to 
emigrate,  to  make  room  for  the  ax  and  plow, 
the  cabin  and  the  school-house,  of  the  incom- 
ing white  man. 

1819. — John  Groenendyke  came  from  near 
Ovid,  Cayuga  County,  New  York,  first  to 
Terre  Haute  in  1818,  and  the  next  year  to 
this  county,  settling  on  the  Big  Vermillion 
where  Eugene  now  stands.  He  was  the  father 
of  James — who  built  the  "  Big  Vermillion," 
the  first  large  grist-mill  in  the  county  already 
referred  to — and  Samuel,  and  the  grandfather 
of  Hon.  John  Groenendyke  and  his  cousin 
Samuel,  and  also  the  grandfather  of  the  pres- 
ent Colletts.  The  name  was  originally  Van 
Groenendycke,  which  the  express  agent  at  Eu- 
gene, Samuel,  has  abbreviated  still  further  to 
Grondyke — a  word  of  two  syllables,  the  first 
syllable  being  pronounced  groan.  The  first 
family  of  this  line  came  to  America  from 
Holland  with  the  Knickerbockers  in  1617, 
settling  in  New  Amsterdam  (New  York). 

1821. — James  Armour  settled  here  soon 
after  Mr.  Groenendyke,  and  assisted  in  build- 
ing the  mill;  he  moved  to  Illinois  over  twenty 


HISTORY    OF     VEIIMILLION    COUNTY. 


years  ago.  Alexander  Arrasraitli,  born  in 
Kentucky,  in  1795,  emigrated  to  Sullivan 
County,  Indiana,  in  1818,  and  in  1821  (or 
1824  according  to  one  authority)  to  this 
county.  lie  died  at  his  residence  two  and  a 
half  miles  south  of  Eugene,  January  15, 
1875,  having  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  for  forty  years.  He  was 
the  father  of  Richard  Arrasmith,  born  in 
Sullivan  County  in  1818,  and  of  Thomas  Ar- 
rasmith, a  wagon-maker  at  Newport. 

1822.— William  Thompson,  father  of  James, 
John  and  Andrew,  and  of  Mrs.  Jane  Shelby, 
from  Pennsylvania,  settling  near  the  big  spring 
a  mile  south  of  Eugene,  since  known  by  his 
name.  Their  descendants  have  been  economi- 
cal, industrious  and  fortunate,  accumulating 
a  large  amount  ot  property.  This  year  also 
came  Benjamin  Shaw,  from  Vigo  County, 
but  originally  from  Kentucky,  and  settled 
near  Eugene,  and  afterward  on  the  Little 
Vermillion,  about  live  miles  west  of  New- 
port, where  he  died  nearly  half  a  century 
afterward.  The  widow,  nee  Elizabeth  Elli- 
ott, who  was  born  in  Shelby  County,  Ken- 
tucky, October  21,  1802,  survived  until 
November  19,  1884,  when  she  died  in  Terre 
Haute,  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband  she  moved  to 
Eugene  and  lived  there  until  1879.  They 
were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  three  of 
whom  survived  their  mother,  namely,  Mrs. 
Wilson  Naylor,  Mrs.  John  Groeneudyke  and 
Robert  E.  Shaw,  who  was  born  here  in  1829; 
they  all  reside  in  Terre  Haute.  Andrew  Tip- 
ton, born  in  Kentucky  in  1800,  came  here  in 
1822,  and  remained  until  his  death,  and  J. 
W.  Tipton,  from  Ohio,  settled  on  the  Wabash 
River.  His  daughter  Polly  married  Mr. 
Johnson,  and  died  April  2,  1876,  in  the 
eighty-second  year  of  her  age,  a  member  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church. 

1823. — Lewis  Jones  located  here  probably 


about  1823,  and  died  many  years  ago.  J.  A. 
J  ones,  born  in  1821,  was  brought  here  in 
1823. 

1824. — Jones  Lindsey,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1818,  came  here  this  year.  The  next  year 
there  arrived  Oliver  Lindsey,  born  in  the 
same  State  in  1807.  Both  are  still  living  in 
this  county.  Judge  Rezin  Shelby,  who  be- 
came very  wealthy,  died  many  years  ago. 
His  wife,  nee  Jane  Thompson,  who  came  twn 
years  previously,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1798,  and  died  but  a  few  years  ago.  Their 
son.  Major  David  Shelby,  died  in  the  last 
war. 

1825. — The  parents  of  James  Shewanl, 
who  was  born  this  year.  Ezekiel  Sheward 
died  fifteen  or  eighteen  years  ago. 

1826.— William  Fultz,  Sr.,  born  in  Penn- 
sjdvania  in  1805,  with  his  wife  Nancy,  came 
to  Eugene  Township  either  this  year  or  in 
1828,  locating  on  Sand  Prairie.  They  had 
thirteen  children,  and  are  not  now  living. 
The  parents  of  Joseph  Holtz,  who  was  born 
in  Ohio  in  1822,  came  to  the  coxmty  this 
year.  John  Holtz,  born  in  the  same  State 
the  same  year,  settled  here  in  1834. 

1827. — Samuel  W.  Malone,  born  in  Ohio 
in  1810,  came  to  Helt  Township,  this  county, 
in  1824,  and  to  Eugene  in  1827,  where  he  is 
still  living,  running  a  hotel.  W.  M.  New- 
man, born  in  Virginia  in  1811,  still  living 
here.  Mariin  Patrick  came  some  time  prior 
to  1827.  Hiram  Patrick,  born  here  in  1829, 
is  still  here,  and  William  Patrick,  born  in 
this  county  in  1831,  lived  here  many  years 
and  went  to  Missouri.  Thomas  Patrick  is 
yet  another  old  resident.  This  year  or  pre- 
viously came  the  father  of  John  Ross,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio  in  1829,  and  brought  here 
the  same  year. 

1828. — Ignatius  Sollars,  who  died  in  June, 
1833.  Nancy,  wife  of  Truman  Sollars,  died 
September  15,  1869,  aged  fifty-seven  and  a 


EUGENE    TOWNSHIP. 


half  years.  Mrs.  Jane  Case,  widow  of  Philo 
Case,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1809,  and 
died  here  long  ago.  Matthew  Cole,  born  in 
Ohio  in  1824,  was  brought  to  this  county  in 
1828,  as  was  also  Jesse  Smith,  from  Tennes- 
see, the  year  of  his  birth.  The  latter  died 
long  ago.  This  year  came  also  W.  L.  Nay- 
lor,  and  the  next  year  Lewis  T.  Naylor,  who 
is  living  here.  Both  were  born  in  Ohio,  W. 
L.  in  1821,  and  Lewis  T.  in  1826.  Benja- 
min Naylor,  another  old  resident,  was  born 
also  in  1826.  Jacob  lies,  who  died  many 
years  ago,  was  the  father  of  James  B.,  born 
in  1829,  and  Jacob  H.,  born  in  1833,  both  in 
this  county. 

1829.  —  John  Hepburn,  Sr.,  who  was 
born  in  Virginia  in  1800,  died  here  about 
1880.  John  Hepburn  Jr.,  was  born  in  this 
county  in  1833.  William  Hepburn  was 
born  in  Ohio  in  1823,  and  was  brought  here 
in  1829.  (The  above  name  is  pronounced  he- 
burn.)  Enoch  W.  Lane,  born  in  Ohio  in 
1798,  died  over  thirty  years  ago. 

1830. — John  Sims,  born  in  Virginia  in 
1808,  lived  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  Eugene 
a  number  of  years  ago.  "Crate"  Sims,  his 
son,  was  born  in  Virginia  the  same  year. 
Charles  S.  Little,  from  Virginia,  located  near 
Eugene  in  1830,  aad  died  in  1852,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-three  years.  His  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Kachel  Moore,  died,  seven  miles 
southwest  of  Newport,  in  1881,  aged  eighty- 
one  years.     (See  sketcli  of  Eufus  P.  Little.) 

Eev.  Enoch  Kinsbury  came  from  Massa- 
chusetts to  Eugene  about  the  year  1830,  and 
organized  the  Presbyterian  church  which  still 
survives  at  that  place.  His  wife  Fanny  G. 
taught  school  there  for  a  time.  Their  eldest 
son,  James  G.  Kingsbury,  one  of  the  editors 
and  publishers  of  the  Indiana  Farmer  at 
Indianapolis,  was  born  at  the  residence  of 
Dr.  Asa  E.  Palmer  two  miles  north  of 
Eugene,  in  1832.     The  same  year  the  family 


removed  to  Danville.  Illinois,  where  Mr. 
Kingsbury  organized  a  church  and  preached 
for  many  years.  He  also  acted  as  a  home 
missionary,  preaching  in  neighboring  counties 
both  in  Indiana  and  Illinois,  till  the  close  of 
his  life  in  1868. 

1831. — Harrison  Alderson,  who  died  in 
early  day.  His  wife  Elizabeth,  born  in  Vir- 
ginia in  1822,  has  ^also  been  long  deceased. 

1832.— Philo  and  Milo  Hosford,  twins, 
born  in  New  York  in  1811.  Milo  died  in 
January,  1880,  a  man  having  always  been 
noted  for  equauimity,humility  and  trustworth- 
iness. Was  long  in  the  employ  of  Samuel 
Grondyke.  Joseph  Wigley,  this  year  or 
previously;  now  dead.  William  was  born  in 
this  county  this  year.  Either  this  year  or 
next  came  Joseph  and  Sarah  Moore,  from 
Ohio;  the  latter  is  still  residing  here.  She 
was  born  in  Maryland  in  1803. 

1833. — Isaac  A.  Brown,  Sr.,  born  in  Tennes- 
see in  1816,  settled  "Brown  Town,"  and  is  still 
living.  Has  weighed  in  his  life-time  over  300 
pounds.  W.  F.  Shelato,  a  resident,  was  born 
in  this  county  in  1833. 

1834. — John  Eheuby,  either  this  year  or 
before,  from  Illinois,  where  he  had  settled  in 
1826.  William  , Eheuby  was  born  in  this 
county  in  1834.  J.  W.  Boyd,  who  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1828,  died  a  number  of 
years  ago. 

1837.— The  parents  of  Edward  B.  and 
Joseph  Johnson;  father  died  many  years  ago. 
Edward  B.  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1830,  and 
Joseph  in  this  county,  in  1834.  Goldman 
M.  Hart,  born  in  Tennessee  in  1809,  died  in 
1886;  widow  survives.  James  C.Tutt,born  in 
Virginia  in  1816,  now  living  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  county. 

1839. — Barney  Vandevander,  born  in  Illi- 
nois in  1827,  is  a  resident  of  Eugene. 

Other  pioneers,  whose  years  of  arrival  are 
not   given,    are:    Zeno    Worth   and   Shubael 


niSTORT    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


il 


Gardner,  from  North  ^Carolina,  who  settled 
Walnut  Grove:  Mr.  Worth  selected  lands 
which  have  been  held  by  his  family  to  the 
fourth  generation.  Alexander  Eichardson 
and  wife  Mahala  at  Eugene,  he  died  in  In- 
dianapolis in  1864  (or  '74),  and  she  March  3, 
1880,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  She  was 
born  in  Knox  County,  Kentucky,  and  was  but 
eight  years  of  age  when  her  parents  moved  to 
this  State,  settling  at  Bloomington.  Lewis 
HoUingsworth  was  born  in  this  county  in 
1835.  On  Coleman's  Prairie  settled  families 
by  the  name  of  Wilson,  Dicken,  Hopkins,  etc 
John  K.  Porter,  A.  M.,  circuit  judge  for 
many  years,  and  an  advanced  farmer  between 
Eugene  and  Newport,  was  born  in  Pittsfield, 
Massachusetts,  February  22,  1796,  of  an 
"old  English"  family;  graduated  at  Union 
College,  Schenectady,  New  York,  in  1815, 
taking  the  first  honors  of  his  class;  studied 
law,  and  in  1818  became  a  pa-tner  of  his  pre- 
ceptor; about  1820  he  came  to  Paoli,  Orange 
County,  Indiana,  wliere  he  was  county  clerk, 
postmaster  and  circuit  judge.  Wliile  there 
he  married  Mary  Worth.  Keceiving  from 
the  Legislature  the  appointment  as  President 
Judge  of  Western  Indiana,  he  moved  to  this 
county,  settling  in  Eugene  Township.  His 
circuit  extended  from  the  Ohio  River  to 
Lake  Michigan.  His  term  expired  in  1837. 
Here  he  was  elected  judge  of  tlie  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  for  the  counties  of  Parke  and 
Vermillion,  which  office  he  held  until  his 
death,  about  1850.  He  was  a  prominent 
statesman  in  early  day,  in  laying  the  founda- 
tion of  Indiana  Jurisprudence.  Was  a  close 
reader  of  Eastern  agricultural  papers,  and 
also  of  the  ancient  classics,  and  foreign  quar- 
terly reviews  and  magazines.  His  conversa- 
tional powers  were  accordingly  very  great, 
and  his  letters  and  contribiitions  to  the  press 
were  gems  of  eloquence.  He  was  in  cor- 
resjiondence,  more  or  less,  with  such  men  as 


General  Harrison,  Henry  Clay,  Daniel  Web- 
ster, etc.,  besides  many  Georgia  "  colonels." 
Prominent  men  of  Indiana  were  often  his 
guests.  He  was  the  leading  spirit  in  all  pub- 
lic mass  meetings  in  his  neighborhood  as- 
sembled for  deliberation  on  measures  of  public 
welfare.  AVas  president  of  the  Logansport 
convention,  which  gave  initial  direction  to 
the  construction  of  the  Wabash  Valley  Eail- 
road. 

As  an  agriculturist  he  was  scientific  and  in 
advance  of  all  his  neighbors, — so  far  indeed 
as  often  to  excite  their  ridicule.  He  led  in 
the  rearing  of  fine-wooled  sheep,  and  in  the 
cultivation  of  Switzer  lucerne,  ruta-bagas, 
sugar  beets,  moris  multicaulis,  Baden  coi-n 
and  hemp.  Although  these  rare  things  never 
were  remunerative  in  cash,  they  paid  well  in 
pleasure. 

Judge  Porter's  children  were  John  AV.,  de- 
ceased, Isaac,  Dewey  and  Abba.  Jolin  W. 
married  Henrietta,  daughter  of  Andrew 
Tipton,  a  neighbor,  and  their  family  con- 
sisted of  two  sons  and  four  daughters.  Tlie 
widow  is  still  living,  on  the  old  homestead. 
Isaac  is  a  successful  business  man  of  Dan- 
ville, Illinois.  Dewey  is  a  farmer  on  the  old 
homestead.  Abba  married  Dr.  Davidson,  of 
California,  who  afterward  returned  to  this 
coimty  and  died  on  his  farm  near  the  old 
homestead. 

MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS. 

;^ugene  Township,  as  will  be  seen  from 
several  pages  of  this  work,  is  noted  for  an- 
tiquities. Besides  those  related  in  the  intro- 
ductory chapters  of  this  history,  we  specify 
two  or  three  more  in  this  connection,  for  want 
of  a  better  classification. 

In  1869  Prof  John  Collett  discovered  in  a 
mound  near  Eugene  a  small  coin  upon  wliicli 
was    an  untranslatable    inscription,  in  char- 


■-■-■■-^■■giCT 


'■■■■■■nMaWMgia'aS 


EUGENE    TOWNSHIP. 


acters  closely  resembling  Arabic.  The  mound 
was  covered  with  full-grown  forest  trees. 

Early  settlers  near  Eugene  found  an  ax 
growing  in  the  heart  of  an  oak  witli  125 
rings  of  growth  outside  of  it,  thus  indicating 
that  the  implement  was  left  there  as  early  as 
1712,  probably  by  a  French  missionary. 
While  it  is  generally  understood,  and  is  gen- 
erally true,  that  a  ring  of  wood  growth  indi- 
cates a  year's  time,  the  question  has  recently 
been  mooted  by  botanists  whether  it  is  always 
exactly  true,  as  some  of  them  seem  to  have 
evidence  that  there  is  variation  both  ways, — ■ 
that  it^,  that  some  unfavorable  seasons  pro- 
duce no  distinct  ring,  while  other  and  more 
favorable  years  sometimes  produce  two  rings. 
Different  kinds  of  trees,  different  stages  of 
development  and  different  situations  also  pro- 
duce variatit)ns. 

In  zoology,  the  following  incident  illus- 
trates a  rare  trait  of  aninral  nature:  One 
evening  about  sundown,  in  April,  18G8,  as 
<'Eel"  Vickers,  who  lived  about  four  miles 
northwest  of  Eugene,  was  returning  home 
from  a  house-raising,  he  was  suddenly  alarmed 
by  the  scream  of  a  lynx,  which  he  soon  dis- 
covered was  in  pursuit  of  him.  Being  un- 
armed, he  dared  not  give  battle,  and  began 
to  run  homeward  with  all  his  might.  Of 
course  the  beast  could  easily  enough  have 
overtaken  Vickers  at  a  bound  or  two,  when- 
ever it  desired,  but  such  is  feline  nature  that 
it  occasionally  rested  a  moment  and  screamed 
most  territically.  When  Vickers  approached 
his  house  the  animal  jumped  around  in  trout 
of  him,  to  intercept  his  passage  to  the  house; 
but  at  this  critical  moment  the  dogs  arrived 
and  chased  it  away.  Its  previoiis  yelling  had 
alarmed  them  and  brought  them  out  just  in 
time,  but  with  not  a  second  to  lose  ! 

November  7,  1874,  George  Barbour,  a 
cooper  from  Browntowu,  went  to  Eugene, 
with  five  or  six  other  hands,  and  he,  with  two 


or  three  others,  became  very  drunk.  On 
their  way  home  Barbour  was  murdered,  in 
this  township,  and  his  body  so  concealed  that 
it  was  not  found  until  January  18  following, 
when  a  man  named  Smith  was  passing  along 
the  road  and  chanced  to  notice  a  dog  at  some 
distance, devouring  a  suspicious-looking  mass! 
The  victim  was  a  man  about  twenty-four  years 
of  age.  In  his  pockets  were  found  several 
photographs,  two  or  three  letters,  and  a  re- 
ceijjt  from  the  Coopers'  Union,  of  Terre 
Haute,  for  quarterly  dues  as  a  member  of 
that  organization. 

EUGENE. 

This  village  was  laid  out  by  S.  S.  Collett, 

in  1827,  about  the  "Big  Vermillion"  mill  of 

James  Groenendyke,  on  a  most  eligible  site. 

Samuel  W.  Malone,  the  present  hotel-keeper, 


who  located  here  in  1827,  is  the  oldest  liv 


mg 


resident,  and  is  still  an  active  man.  James 
F.  Naylor,  fatiier  of  William  L.,  came  the 
next  year. 

As  previously  remarked,  Eugene  is  another 
example  of  those  niimerous  towns  that  were 
killed  by  the  railroad  passing  just  at  killing 
distance;  but  it  is  a  beautiful  place  for  a 
quiet  residence.  The  present  population  is 
estimated  at  about  500.  Two  or  three  con- 
spiciious  features  strike  the  stranger  who 
visits  the  place.  One  is,  a  most  magnificent 
row  of  sugar-maple  shade  trees  for  a  distance 
of  two  squares  on  the  west  side  of  the  main 
business  street.  Each  tree,  with  a  perfectly 
symmetrical  head,  covers  an  area  of  forty  feet 
in  diameter.  In  the  western  part  of  the 
village  is  the  most  beautiful,  perfect,  large 
white  elm  the  writer  ever  saw. 

The  ground  upon  which  Eugene  is  situated 
is  just  sandy  enough  to  be  good  for  garden- 
ing, and  at  the  same  time  prevent  being 
muddy  in  rainy  seasons.  Wells  are  sunk 
only  eighteen  or  twenty  feet  to  find  the  purest 


r 


284 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNT  t. 


water,  in  a  bed  of  gravel.  Several  large 
springs  are  in  the  vicinity.  The  river  here, 
especially  below  the  mill-dam,  aft'ords  the 
best  fishing  of  all  points  probably  within  a 
radius  of  iifty  miles  or  more.  Fish  weighing 
sixty  pounds  or  more  are  sometimes  caught, 
and  German  carp,  one  of  the  planted  tish, 
weighing  eight  pounds,  are  occasionally  cap- 
tured. 

The  country  here  is  all  underlaid  with 
coal.  There  is  one  vein  of  nine  feet,  with 
only  a  seam  of  ten  or  twelve  inches  di- 
viding it. 

Among  the  modern  enterprises  of  Eugene 
is  the  organization  of  the  Joint  Stock  Fair 
Association,  who  held  their  iirst  fair  last  fall, 
beginning  September  28,  1886.  James  Ma- 
lone,  President;  H.  D.  Sprague,  Vice-Presi- 
dent; John  S.  Grondyke,  Secretary;  M. 
G.  Ilosford,  Assistant  Secretary;  II.  O. 
Peters,  Treasurer;  J.  E.  Whij^ple,  Assistant 
Treasurer;  J.  E.  Bennett,  Superintendent; 
G.  L.  Watson,  Assistant  Superintendent. 
Directors — -J.  II.  lies,  Samuel  Grondyke,  N. 
Vl.  Tutt,  Eli  ]\IcI)aniel,  Dr.  E.  A.  Flaugher, 
Fred  Iliberly,  William  Collett,  Henry  Dicka- 
5on,  Milton  Wi-ight,  John  Lane  and  James 
Arrasmith, — a  formidable  list  of  the  best 
names  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county. 
Their  exhibition  last  fiill  was  greatly  cur- 
tailed by  rainy  weather. 

On  the  bank  of  the  river  here  was  erected 
Ijy  James  Groenendyke,  some  time  previous 
to  1824,  a  water,  saw  and  grist-mill,  which, 
with  its  successors,  has  enjoyed  the  greatest 
notoriety  of  all  in  the  county.  While  Mr. 
Coleman  owned  it  many  years  ago,  the  dam 
was  washed  away,  and  the  present  mill, 
erected  in  1885,  is  the  third  building  on  the 
site,  two  others  having  been  burned  down. 
It  is  a  large  roller  mill,  owned  and  managed 
l>y  Samuel  Bowers,  recently  from  Danville, 
Illinois. 


There  is  no  newspaper  at  Eugene.  The 
Eugene  News  Letter  was  started  by  Dr.  B. 
M.  Waterman  at  Eugene  in  1837,  the  first 
newspaper  in  Vermillion  County.  It  lived 
but  six  months.  Eobert  B.  Dickason,  now  of 
Perrysi'ille,  was  a  compositor  in  the  office. 
Thus  Eugene  Township  has  been  the  seat  ot 
the  first  and  of  the  last  newspapers  of  tl- 
county. 


or  Eugene  Station,  is  the  name  of  the  depot 
at  the  railroad  crossing  a  mile  and  a  quarter 
southeast  of  Eugene.  An  ambitious  little 
village  is  springing  up  about  the  station.  A 
fine  grist-mill,  several  stores,  a  newspaper, 
etc.,  are  in  full  blast.  The  place  was  at  first 
called  Osonimon,  after  an  Indian  chief  of  that 
name. 

The  "Cayuga  Mills"  were  built  in  1885 
by  the  Cayuga  Milling  Company,  consisting 
of  Samuel  K.  Todd,  Monroe  G.  Ilosford  and 
Eli  H.  McDanieL  It  is  a  frame  building, 
36  X  42  feet,  four  stories  high,  and  has  the 
full  roller  process,  with  a  capacity  of  100 
barrels  a  daj'.  The  engine  is  the  Ide  auto- 
matic, sixty-four-horsepower.  All  the  modern 
improved  processes  for  purifying  the  wheat 
and  manufacturing  first-class  flour  are  placed 
in  the  mill,  including  the  recently  invented 
Case's  automatic  wheat  weigher.  Mr.  Todd 
is  the  experienced  miller  who  runs  the  works. 
The  mill  was  built  in  a  wheat-field,  and  was 
the  first  at  the  station. 

May  14,  1887,  is  the  date  of  the  first  issue 
of  the  Cayuga  Journal,  by  James  E.  Whipple. 
It  is  a  six-column  folio,  "independent  in  all 
things  and  neutral  in  nothing."  The  pro- 
prietor and  editor  was  born  at  Vinton,  Iowa, 
September  8,  1857,  the  son  of  Lucien  \\. 
Whipple,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  Eugene 
from  1840  to  the  present,  except  a  few  years 
in    loM-a.     Mr.  Whipple  was  brought  up  in 


EUGENE    TOVtNSUIP. 


Eugene,  where  lie  was  bookkeeper  for  Mr_ 
Peters  a  few  years,  and  was  also  insurance 
agent.  He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace,  and 
is  now  deputy  prosecuting  attorney,  and 
secretary  of  the  Cayuga  Building  and  Loan 
Association.  He  married  Ellen  Thompson, 
daughter  of  John  Thompson,  deceased.  They 
have  one  child,  named  Blaine. 

Among  the  physicians  of  Eugene  we  may 
mention  Dr.  K.  M.  Waterman,  who  came 
here  previous  to  1837  and  lived  here  until  his 
death,  aboiit  1867  or  '68,  except  a  short  time 
at  Lodi,  Indiana,  whence  he  entered  the 
army.  Pie  was  a  "  regular  "  physician,  from 
lihode  Island,  and  started  the  iirst  newspaper 
in  Vermillion  County,  as  elsewhere  noticed. 
Dr.  James  McMeen  practiced  here  many 
years,  and  in  1886  removed  to  Danville, 
Illinois.  Dr.  "William  C.  Eichelberger  is 
another  physician  of  Eugene. 

Previous  to  1871  the  village  of  Eugene 
had  but  three  and  a  half  months'  school  per 
annum,  the  only  fund  for  maintaining  it 
l>eing  that  which  was  drawn  from  the  State, 
and  the  school-house  was  an  incompetent 
frame.  In  1872-'73,  Anthony  Fable,  the 
trustee,  levied  the  first  tax  for  the  support  of 
schools,  and  also  for  the  erection  of  a  brick 
school-house  worthy  of  the  place.  He  met 
with  sonic  opposition,  a  few  individuals  think- 
ing he  transcended  his  authority.  They 
obtained  an  injunction  restraining  the  collec- 
tion of  the  tax,  but,  through  the  intervention 
(if  Messrs.  Jump  &  Eggleston,  attorneys  at 
Newport,  the  injunction  was  dissolved,  and 
tlie  work  went  on.  The  people  also  were 
generally  convinced  that  if  a  new  school-house 
were  not  built  then  it  would  be  many  years 
before  one  would  be  built.  Accordingly  the 
structure  was  completed  in  1873,  at  a  cost  of 
$f],000.  It  has  four  rooms;  the  school  is 
graded,  and  kept  six  months  in  the  year;  and 
everything    now    seems    to    be     p: 


smoothly.  James  Malone  is  the  present 
trustee.  Mr.  Fable  was  trustee  1869-'81, 
and  for  a  time  sustained  school  nine  months 
to  the  year. 

SOCIETIES. 

A  Masonic  lodge  was  organized  at  Eugene 
in  1847,  with  forty-six  or  forty-seven  mem- 
bers. Among  the  first  officers  were  C.  M. 
Comages,  Worshipful  Master;  Harvey  Skel- 
ton.  Senior  Warden;  Dr.  E.  M.  Waterman, 
Junior  Deacon;  George  Sears,  Secretary; 
Anthony  Fable,  Treasurer;  Mr.  Elsley,  Tyler. 
Mr.  Fable  is  the  only  one  of  the  original 
official  board  who  is  now  living.  The  mem- 
bership in  the  course  of  time  reached  sixty  in 
number,  comprising  men  from  almost  all 
parts  of  the  county.  The  lodge,  however, 
ran  down  about  thirty  years  ago,  as  other 
lodges  were  organized  at  neighboring  points 
and  drew  away  the  membership.  Newport, 
Lodi  and  Perrysville  obtained  their  nuclei 
from  the  Eugene  lodge.  Harvey  Skelton 
was  the  last  master. 

Setting  Sun  Lodge,  No.  583,  I.  0.  0.  F., 
was  organized  April  27, 1881,  with  seventeen 
members,  and  the  following  officers:  Will- 
iam II.  Hood,  Noble  Grand;  E.  B.  Johnson, 
Vice  Grand;  H.  O.  Peters,  Treasurer;  D.  W. 
Bell,  Secretary.  The  present  membership  is 
twenty-seven,  and  the  officers  are:  D.  L.  Pe- 
ters, Noble  Grand;  James  Thomas,  Vice- 
Grand;  J.  T.  Iliggins,  Secretary;  D.  W. 
Bell,  Treasurer. 

Eugene  Post,  No.  2'B,  G.  A.  R.,  was  or- 
ganized in  1876,  with  about  twenty-two 
members,  afterward  increased  to  thirty-five, 
but  now  there  are  only  ten.  The  first  officers 
were:  William  C.  Eichelberger,  Post  Com- 
mander; E.  B.  Johnson,  Senior  Vice-Com- 
mander; Thomas  Thompson,  Junior  Vice- 
Commander;  William  Johnson,  Adjutant; 
L.  R.  Whipple,  Officer  of  the  Day;  John  C. 


BISTORT    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


Si 


Pierce,  Cliaplain,  and    Yan  Bureii  Armour, 

.     Present  officers:     R.  M.  Stnrms,  Post 

Commander;  E.  B.  Johnson,  Vice-Com- 
mander; L.  R.  Whipple,  Adjutant;  William 
J.  Ladd,  Officer  of  the  Day;  William  Morris, 
Officer  of  the  Guard ;  Homer  Lunger,  Chap- 
lain; Thomas  Patrick,  Quartermaster;  David 
Cummins,  Surgeon. 

The  Sons  of  Veterans  once  organized  here 
and  held  a  few  meetings. 

E%i<jene  Council,  No.  J/.,  Sovereigns  of  In- 
dustry, was  organized  in  August,  1874,  but 
surrendered  its  charter  a  few  months  after- 
ward. It  had  some  thirty-five  inembers. 
John  Grondyke  was  President,  Joseph  Mc- 
Clellan,  Vice-President,  and  Jesse  Wallace, 
Secretary.  The  work  of  the  society  was 
mainly  of  an  intellectual  and  social  nature. 

Eugene  Lodge,  No.  351,  I.  0.  G.  T.,  was 
organized  January  24,  1873,  and  ran  until 
about  1884,  since  which  time  meetings  have 
been  suspended.  At  one  time  it  had  as 
many  as  seventy  members.  W.  II.  Hood 
was  the  last  elected  cliief,  and  II.  H.  Ilosford, 
lodge  deputy.  Tiie  Good  Templars  had  or- 
ganized once  or  twice  previously,  and  "ran 
down." 

The  "red-ribbon"  movement  was  intro- 
duced here  by  Tyler  Mason,  and  the  "blue- 
ribbon"  organization  by  George  McDonald. 
Samuel  Chambers,  known  as  "Silvertop,"  a 
tamous  temperance  organizer,  reorganized  the 
blue-ribbon  society,  and  James  Dunn,  an 
old-time  rouser,  reorganized  it  again.  In 
February,  1886,  a  total  abstinence  society, 
compose'd  mainly  of  reformed  drunkards, 
was  organized,  with  Captain  W.  S.  Jewell  as 
President;  L.  R.  Whipple,  Vice-President; 
J.  E.  Whipple,  Secretary;  Ben  Lang,  Treas- 
urer, and  David  Iliggins,  Sergeant-at-Arms. 
From  some  cause,  but  no  reason,  the  society 
was  dubbed  the  "Reformed  Roosters." 

The  "woman's  crusade"  never  struck  Eu- 


gene, but  a  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  was  established  here,  of  which  Mrs. 
AVhitlock  was  president.  The  organization 
was  effected  by  Mrs.  Dr.  Spotswood  and 
Mrs.  Johnson,  of  Perrysville,  but  it  was 
suffered  to  go  down. 

There  is  no  living  temperance  organization 
now  in  Eugene. 

THE    CHURCUKS. 

The  Eugene  Preshyterian  Church  was  first 
organized  in  1826,  when  the  first  meetings 
were  held  at  the  house  of  William  Thomp- 
son, a  log  cabin  a  little  west  of  the  depot,  on 
the  Big  Vermillion.  The  name  at  first  was 
the  "River  and  County  Vermillion  Ciiurch," 
and  comprised,  April  29,  1826,  Asa  Palmer, 
William  Thompson,  William  Wilson,  Ann 
Wilson,  William  Armour,  Ruhama  Armour, 
Eliza  Rodman,  Hannah  Laughlin,  Margaret 
Caldwell,  Mary  West,  Mavy  Thompson,  Lucy 
Thompson  (who  afterward  became  the  wife 
of  Samuel  Grondyke,  Sr.),  and  Susan 
Wilson. 

The  first  minister  was  Rev.  James  Hum- 
mer, and  other  ministers  who  have  since 
served  have  been  Revs.  Baklridge,  Kings- 
berry,  Cozad,  Conklin,  C.  K.  Thompson, 
Venable,  Crosby,  Henry  ]\[.  Bacon  and  W. 
Y.  Allen,  of  Rockville.  During  Rev.  Ba- 
con's time,  1856-'59,  the  church  grew  to  tlie 
number  of  forty  communicants,  but  from 
that  time  to  1866  they  were  withoTit  a  regu- 
lar supply.  In  1867  Rev.  Allen  began 
preaching  for  tliem  once  a  month,  and  the 
church  has  sustained  services  until  the  pres- 
ent date.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  T.  D. 
Fyfte,  of  Roseville,  who  preaches  here  every 
four  weeks.  The  ruling  elders  have  been 
Asa  Palmer,  William  T.  Kelly,  David  Wills, 
James  Steele,  Robert  Kelly,  A.  J.  Richard- 
son, R.  II.  Ellis  and    Anthony  Fable.     Mr. 


EUOENE    TOWNSHIP. 


Fable  is  the  only  incumbent  of  tliat  office  at 
present. 

Tlie  present  ineuibersliip  is  about  tifty. 
Sunday-school  is  maintained  all  the  year, 
with  George  L.  Watson  as  superintendent. 

The  second  place  of  meeting  was  a  brick 
dwelling,  and  the  third  is  the  present  neat 
frame  church,  36  x  60  feet,  erected  in  1859, 
in  partnership  with  the  Methodists,  at  a  cost 
of  $3,000,  and  economically  built.  It  is 
located  centrally  in  the  village  of  Eugene. 

The  Ifount  Olivet  Cumherland  Preshy- 
tcrian  Church  is  three  and  a  lialf  miles 
southwest  of  Eugene. 

Of  the  Ilefhodist   Episcopal    Church    at 


Eugene  we  cannot  give  so  complete  a  history, 
on  account  of  its  more  changeful  nature,  the 
old  records  not  being  kept  and  the  old  mem- 
bers dead  or  moved  away.  Of  course  the 
Methodists  were  early  organized  at  this  point, 
as  they  generally  are  on  the  frontier.  The 
members  number  about  fifty:  twenty-seven 
joined  last  winter.  At  this  writing  (June, 
1887),  there  are  no  class-leaders:  the  steward 
is  E.  McClellan.  The  society  worships  in 
the  church  which  it  built  in  union  with  the 
Presbyterians,  just  described. 

At  Cayuga  the  Methodists  are  about 
to  build  a  church,  although  they  are  not  yet 
organized  at  that  point. 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


HIGHLAND  TOWNSHIP,    i  m 


^'^s^g/''  '^'^"^''^"'^^'"'^^^^'^  -^^'S^'^ 


jIIE  time  of  arrival  or 
Ijirtli  in  this  comity  of 
tlie  pioneers  is  indicated 
by  the  years  at  the  liead 
of  the  respective  para- 
graplis. 
1822.  — G.  S.  Hansicker, 
born  in  Virginia  in  1792,  died 
iboiit  ten  or  twelve  years  ago. 
son,  H.  C,  was  born  in 
this  county  in  1832.  George 
Ilicks,  a  soldier  of  the  "  Revo- 
lutionary war"  (one  says),  was 
a  pioneer  here;  but  possibly 
lis  is  a  mistake  for  George 
W.  Ilicks,  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1795, 
and  died  in  1878.  His  wife,  nee  Mary  Cur- 
tis, was  born  in  1803  and  died  in  1868. 
Jacob  Ilain,  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1799,  is 
dead;  his  wife  is  still  living. 

1823. — David  Goif.  born   in    Connecticut 


in  1799,  remained  a  resident  here  until  his 
death,  September  7,  1881.  His  brother  Al- 
mond died  here  about  twenty  years  ago,  and 
his  brother  Brainard  moved  to  La  Porto 
County,  this  State,  where  he  died.  His  son 
Philander,  born  in  1834,  in  this  township,  is 
still  a  resident.  Lemon  Chenowith,  who  is 
still  living  near  Perrysville. 

1824. — John  Chenowith,  settling  on  the 
Waba-h,  died  in  1857.  Lie  was  the  father 
of  Lemon,  just  referred  to,  and  also  of  Hiram, 
an  older  son.  Thomas  Chenowith  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of 
1850,  and  Isaac  Chenowith  was  State  Senator 
lS44-'45.  Isaac  was  born  in  Kentucky,  in 
1794,  arrived  here  in  March,  1825,  and  died 
in  April,  1856.  William  Chenowith,  born 
in  Ohio  in  1823,  was  brought  here  in  1832, 
and  is  still  a  resident  here.  Solomon  M. 
Jones,  born  in  East  Tennessee,  April  3,1812, 
died  March  15,  1887,  leaving  a  family  of  ten 


atOHLAND    TOWNSHIP. 


children.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Black 
ilawk  war.  John  N.  Jones,  Sr.,  was  horn 
Septemher  10,  1809,  came  here  in  18 — ,  was 
a  partner  of  J.  F.  Smith  in  milling  and  mer- 
chandising for  many  years,  and  died  June  25, 
1874.  YV^illiam  Skinner,  from  Ohio,  came 
this  year  or  previously,  and  died  a  few  years 
afterward.  His  son  Norman  was  born  in 
Ohio  in  1816,  and  died  about  six  years  ago, 
and  his  son  Henry  was  born  in  this  county  in 
1825,  and  is  still  a  resident.  Thomas  "Wright, 
who  is  said  to  have  brought  the  first  hogs 
into  Yermillion  County.  One  of  his  oxen 
dying,  he  cailtivated  his  first  crop  of  corn 
with  a  single  ox.  Milton  Wright,  born  here 
in  1832,  is  living  in  this  township,  and 
Stephen  Wright  is  dead.  Both  these  were 
sons  of  Thomas. 

1825. — John  Fnltz,  above  Perrysville,  died 
many  years  ago.  His  sons  wei-e  John,  An- 
drew and  William  V.,  all  deceased.  Allen 
Rodgers,  from  New  HamjDshire,  died  in  Iowa 
or  Wisconsin  many  years  ago.  J.  M.  Eodg- 
ers,  his  son,  born  in  New  Hampshire  in  1815, 
died  in  the  spring  of  1887. 

1826. — James  Blair,  who  had  settled  before 
this  in  Eugene  Township,  under  which  head 
see  a  sketch  of  him.  He  died  at  Perrysville, 
May  11,  1861,  aged  seventy-nine  years,  and 
Sarah  C,  his  wife,  October  16,  1872,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-three  years.  Robert  I).  Mof- 
fatt,  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1812,  for  many 
years  a  merchant  at  Perrysville,  at  which 
place  he  still  resides,  retired  since  1874. 
David  Beauchamp,  in  range  10,  had  a  large 
family,  and  died  about  1870-'75.  John  W. 
Beauchamp,  born  in  Ohio  in  1821;  Andrew, 
his  brother,  born  in  1828,  in  this  county,  is 
living  in  Illinois.  Hiram  Shaw,  born  in  Ohio 
in  1805;  E.  G.  Shaw,  born  in  this  county  in 
1830,  an  old  resident. 

1827. — Benjamin  Whittenmyer,  born  in 
Pennsylvania  in    1799,  died   in  1879.     His 


son  Henry  is  a  resident.  Parents  of  Harvey 
Hunt,  who  was  born  in  this  State  in  1820 
and  is  a  citizen  here  still.  William  Flesh- 
man,  deceased:  his  son  Amos,  still  livino- 
here,  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1822. 

1828. — Jonas  Metzger,  a  soldier  of  the 
war  of  1812,  from  Ohio,  died  February  9, 
1872,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  He  settled 
first  in  Eugene  Township,  and  in  Highland 
Township  in  1833.  Constantine  Hughs, 
from  Virginia,  deceased;  his  son  Ehud,  born 
in  that  State  in  1817,  is  still  living  here,  as 
is  also  Calvin,  born  in  the  same  State  in 
1826.  Israel,  William  and  John  Hughes 
were  pioneers  on  Coal  Branch. 

1829. — AVilliam  Nicholas,  born  in  Virginia 
in  1809,  still  living  liere.  Moses,  Daniel 
and  Charles  Bowman,  from  Virginia.  Daniel 
remained  here  until  his  death,  and  Charles 
died  in  the  West.  J.  S.  Stutler,  born  in 
Ohio  in  1820,  now  deceased.  Ezekiel  San- 
ders, born  in  Virginia  in  1827,  died  July  10, 
1875.  He  first  settled  in  Eugene  or  Ver- 
million Township,  it  is  said. 

1830.— Richard  Sliute,  father  of  Daniel, 
John,  Epraim,  etc.  Elisha  N.  Reynolds,  born 
in  Maryland  in  1804,  died  some  years  ago. 
G.  H.  Reynolds,  born  in  1835,  is  a  resident 
here.  John  Tate,  born  in  Ohio  in  1807,  still 
living  here.  Thomas  J.  Mitchell,  born  in 
Ohio  in  1808,  living  in  Perrysville.  James 
A.  Prather,  born  in  Xentucky  in  1814,  died 
here  within  the  last  two  years.  Joseph 
Briner,  now  living  in  Perrysville. 

1831. — Herbert  Ferguson,  born  in  Virginia 
September  15,  1799,  died  January  26,  1877; 
Elizabeth  B.,  his  wife,  was  born  January  17, 
1813,  and  died  May  27,  1884.  William  T., 
born  in  1832,  is  their  son.  Ephraim  Betzer, 
from  Ohio,  came  previous  to  1831.  Jacob 
Betzer,  born  in  Ohio  in  1805,  died  four  or 
five  years  ago.     Aaron  Betzer  went  West. 

1832. — Captain  Andrew  Dennis,  a  boatman, 


born  in  New  Jersey  in  1801,  died  in  Danville 
a  few  years  ago.  John  Hoobler,  a  United 
Brethren  minister,  born  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1801,  died  in  Illinois.  William  Trosper, 
born  in  Kentncky  in  1808,  died  in  this  town- 
ship December  9,  1886.  Nehemiah  Cossey, 
from  Maryland,  first  to  Parke  County  and  in 
1832  to  this  county;  died  long  ago.  His  son 
Peter,  born  in  that  State  in  1812,  is  also 
deceased.  Fielding  Pabourn,  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1815,  died  here  a  few  years  ago. 
"William  H.  Carithers  from  Ohio,  long  since 
deceased,  was  the  father  of  Jonathan,  Frank 
and  Henry,  all  of  whom  are  living.  William 
Callihan,  a  potter  by  trade,  from  Ohio,  moved 
on  to  Danville;  was  father  of  Emanuel  and 
Simeon.  M.  B.  Carter,  present  county 
recorder,  was  born  in  this  county  in  1832. 

1833.— J.  F.,  Will  P.,  Thomas  H.,  G.  H. 
and  David  Smith,  from  Virginia,  born  1812 
-'20.  G.  H.  died  in  1879;  the  rest  are  still 
living  here.  Thomas  Gouty,  this  year  or 
previously,  died  Jane  10,  1863,  aged  sixty- 
one  years.  Elias,  his  son,  was  born  here  in 
1833.  Henry  Gouty  may  have  settled  in 
this  township  a  year  or  two  later;  he  died  in 
1864,  and  his  wife  Rebecca  died  in  1874,  at 
the  age  of  seven ty-tive  years.  David  Gouty 
is  their  son.  John  S.  Kirkpatrick,  a  miller, 
born  in  Kentucky  in  1812,  lived  at  Gessie 
awhile,  and  moved  to  Danville,  Illinois,  where 
he  died.  Norman  Cade,  died  soon  after 
arrival.  His  son  David  has  left  the  county, 
and  Henry  still  lives  here.  Jacob  Givens, 
born  in  Virginia  in  1815,  died  here.  James 
Hanson,  father  of  Smith  Hanson. 

1834. — Jacob  Rudy,  born  in  Switzerland 
in  1818,  died  M'ithin  a  few  years.  Martin 
Rudy,  his  father,  died  some  years  ago.  James 
Rndy  is  still  a  resident.  Peter  Switzer, 
deceased.  His  son  Wesley,  boi'n  in  Ohio  in 
1821,  is  living. 

1835.— Thomas  Moore,  who  died  in  1843; 


was  the  father  of  Joseph  and  Washington. 
T.  H.  Harrison,  born  in  Virginia  in  1810, 
still  living  in  this  township. 

1836.— John  R.  and  George  H.  McNeill, 
from  Maryland,  the  former  born  in  1811  and 
the  latter  in  1818.  Lewis  and  John  Butler, 
from  Ohio,  the  former  born  in  1813  and  the 
latter  in  1816;  Lewis  is  deceased  and  John  is 
living  in  Vermillion  Township.  Elijah 
Roseberry,  who  died  May  25,  1857,  aged 
fifty-one  and  a  half  years,  and  Catharine,  his 
wife,  who  died  August  5,  1879,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-nine  and  a  half  years.  Thomas  Cush- 
man,  born  in  New  York  in  1814,  now  a 
resident  of  Newport.     Has  been  auditor. 

1837. — James  J.  Lewis,  born  in  Maryland 
in  1805;  still  living  here.  His  son  J.  A., 
born  in  this  State  in  1835,  died  several  yeais 
ago;  Joshua,  another  son,  lives  at  Cayuga; 
and  Meredith  resides  in  this  township.  Robert 
J.  Gessie,  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1809,  is  still  a  resident  here  (see 
sketch).  Elhanau  Stevens,  born  in  Maryland 
in  1816,  is  a  resident.  Price  Cliezem,  long 
since  deceased.  Charles  Chezem,  born  in 
Indiana  in  1827  has  been  long  a  resident. 

1838.— Walter  B.  Moffatt  born  in  this 
State  October  4,  1822,  died  August  14,  1882. 
Horatio  Talbert,  long  since  deceased ;  his  son 
Henry,  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1816,  died  a 
few  years  ago.  Samuel  Harris,  born  in 
Virginia  in  1819,  moved  to  another  section 
of  the  country. 

1839. — John  Dunlap,  deceased,  born  in 
Ireland  in  1809.  Samuel  Swingley  and 
Samuel  Watt,  from  Ohio. 

The  following  names  we  have,  without  the 
date  of  settlement  being  given : 

John  N.  Jones,  long  associated  with  J.  F. 
Smith  in  the  milling  and  mercantile  busi- 
ness; Joseph  Cheadle,  father  of  Joseph  B., 
present  member  of  Congress,  was  born  May 
9,  1789,  in    one  of  the  Eastern  States,  and 


HIGHLAND    TOWNSHIP. 


died  in  this  township  June  19, 1863;  William 
B.  Palmer,  who  died  eight  or  ten  years  ago; 
William  Ilutsonpiller,  carpenter  at  Perrys- 
ville  who  died  many  years  ago;  Daniel 
Mossbei-ger,  who  also  died  many  years  ago; 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Howard,  deceased; 
John  McFall;  Archibald  Billing,  who  died 
April    16,    1870,    at    the    age    of    lifty-two 


years;  his  father  died  here,  previous  to  1833. 
Mr.  Thomas  II.  Smith  remarks  that  there 
are  but  three  persons  now  keeping  house  in 
Highland  Township  who  were  in  tliat  rela- 
tion in  1833,  when  he  came  here,  namely, 
Mrs.  Chestie  Ilain,  Adaline  V.  Jones  and 
Mrs.  Glover. 


!• 


1 


ERRYSVILLE  was  laid 
out  in  1826,  by  James 
Blair,  on  a  beautiful 
elevation  on  the  bank  of 
the  "Wabash  Eiver,  and 
named  by  him  in  hon- 
'"'^  or  of  his  commander 
on  Lake  Erie  during  the  war  of 
1812,  Commodore  O.  H.  Perry. 
For  a  long  time  it  was  the  most 
populous  town  in  the  county,  and 
was  an  entrepot  for  a  large  section 
of  country  to  the  north,  west  ajid 
south  of  it.  In  commercial  im- 
portance it  was  for  a  number  of 
years  far  ahead  even  of  Danville, 
Illinois,  a  supremacy  which  was  held  until 
the  present  system  of  railroads  was  projected. 
Since  then  it  has  been  a  dead  town,  so  dead 
that  its  very  quietness  is  striking.  Even  the 
voice  of  children  on  summer  evenings,  so 
common  in  villages  elsewhere  is  scarcely  to 
be  heard  at  their  rollicking  plays,  and  the 
passing  days  are  "  one  eternal  Sabbath." 
Grass  and  weeds  have  overgrown  the  streets, 


and  the  lovely  shade-trees  continue  to  do 
their  sweetest  duty. 

Among  the  early  business  men  here  per- 
haps J.  F.  Smith,  T.  II.  Smith,  J.  N.  Jones 
and  Robert  D.  Moli'att  have  been  the  most 
conspicuous.  The  old  warehouses  and  grist- 
mill still  used  to  some  extent  on  the  bank  of 
the  river,  were  built  and  run  for  many  years 
by  Smith  &  Jones,  and  are  yet  owned  by  the 
senior  partner,  J.  F.  Smith,  Mr.  Jones  having 
died.  The  latter  also  built  another  grist-mill 
at  the  wharf,  ■which  was  burnt  down.  March 
31,  1884,  occurred  perhaps  the  gi-eatest  fire 
that  ever  visited  Perrysville,  which  entirely 
consumed  the  three  principal  business  houses, 
fine  brick  structures,  two  stories  high  besides 
basement,  the  property  of  the  Smith  Brothers. 
The  origin  of  the  fire  was  from  the  roof  of  an 
adjoining  building.  By  this  tire  the  Masonic 
hall,  with  its  records  and  paraphernalia,  was 
destroyed. 

The  Perrysville  Woolen  Mill  was  erected 
in  the  western  part  of  town  a  ycai-  or  two 
after  the  war,  by  Riggs,  Head  &  Co.,  who 
furnished  the  machinery  mainly  from  Coving- 


H 


PEBRTSVILLE. 


ton,  Indiana,  where  tliey  had  previously  been 
running  a  similar  factory.  The  Perrysville 
institution  was  run  until  1881,  with  only 
partial  success.  During  the  latter  year,  after 
the  mill  had  been  standing  idle  a  few  montlis, 
Jj.  O.  Carpenter  purchased  the  building  and 
power,  and  converted  it  into  a  flonring-mill, 
of  two  run  of  buhrs  and  a  capacity  of  about 
seventy  or  eighty  barrels  of  flour  per  day  of 
twenty-four  hours. 

H.  S.  Comingore  &  Son's  "  Perrysville 
Stove  AVorks,"  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
village,  is  a  modern,  neat  establishment,  brick, 
erected  in  June,  1884.  It  comprises  two  Ls, 
the  foundry  being  25  x  110  feet  in  dimensions 
and  the  flnishing  room  25  x  84.  This  firm 
started  in  business  in  Perrysville  in  1858,  in 
a  small  frame  building  a  little  to  the  north- 
west of  tb.eir  present  place;  it  has  recently 
been  torn  down  and  removed. 

A  young,  ambitions  little  institution  is  the 
Perrysville  Creamery,  on  the  bank  of  the 
river.  Capacity  of  the  works,  about  2,000 
pounds  of  butter  per  week.  E.  A.  Lacey, 
secretary  of  the  company,  is  the  superinten- 
dent. J.  F.  Compton  is  president  and 
treasurer. 

Perrysville  has  been  an  incorporated  town. 
The  first  municipal  election  was  held  January 
15,  1881,  when  the  following  were  elected 
trustees:  First  Ward,  William  Collins;  Second 
Ward,  Jolm  R.  McNeill;  Third  Ward,  Samuel 
Shaner.  W.  M.  Benefiel  was  elected  Clerk; 
Rezin  Metzger,  Assessor;  Lewis  A.  Morgan, 
Treasurer;  and  Peter  S.  Moudy,  Marshal. 
Mr.  Shaner  was  elected  President.  J.  F. 
Smith  was  the  next  president  of  the  board. 
Mr.  Morgan  resigned  his  ofiice  as  treasurer 
and  Mr.  Benefiel  was  appointed  in  his  place, 
still  retaining  the  clerkship.  The  third  presi- 
dent was  Lewis  Morgan,  when  John  T.  Lowe 
was  elected  clerk  and  treasurer. 

In  the  fall  of  1884  the  question  whether 


the  corporate  capacity  of  the  place  should  be 
continued  was  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
citizens,  and  was  decided  in  the  negative  by 
a  small  majority.  Under  the  corporate  gov- 
ernment the  streets  were  macadamized,  the 
poll  tax  for  the  village  being  kept  within  its 
limits,  and  an  additional  tax  raised.  Also  a 
calaboose  was  built.  A  town  board  of  educa- 
tion managed  the  school  affairs. 

That  fine,  large  brick  school-house  in  the 
southern  part  of  town  was  erected  in  1862, 
when  Thomas  Cushman  was  trustee.  In  the 
basement  are  three  rooms,  on  the  first  floor 
four,  besides  tlie  hall,  and  on  the  second  floor 
four.  The  belfry  tower  contains  also  a  room 
thirty  feet  square.  The  school  is  graded,  and 
is  taught  by  six  or  seven  teachers.  Enroll- 
ment, about  170;  average  attendance,  about 
130  or  140.  G.  W.  Dealand,  who  has  been 
the  popular  principal  for  the  last  four  years, 
was  elected  county  superintendent  of  scliools 
on  the  first  Monday  of  June,  1887. 


As  before  stated,  the  first  newspaperprinted 
in  Vermillion  County  was  the  News-Letter^ 
at  Eugene,  in  1837,  which  continued  but  six 
months.  Mr.  K.  B.  Dickason,  of  this  i)lace, 
woi-ked  on  the  paper.  The  office  was  pur- 
chased by  J.  H.  Jones  and  moved  to  Perrys- 
ville the  same  year,  where  he  published  the 
Perrysville  Banner.  About  two  years  after- 
ward Clapp  &  Eoney  had  the  paper,  when  it 
was  called  the  Vermillion  Register.  Nexl 
it  was  the  \^evrys,vi\\e  Rej}uhlican,  with  Aus 
tin  Bishop  as  editor  and  proprietor.  Then 
Mr.  Dickason  published  here  the  Perrysville 
Eagle,  1852-'55,  which  he  sold  to  Mr. 
Ro'oinson,  and  he  to  Benjamin  Snodgrass, 
who  finally  let  it  die;  and  that  was  the  last 
of  the  newspaper  business  in  Perrysville, 
although  several  attempts  to  establish  other 
journals  have  been  made.    These  papers  were 


394 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


generally  independent  in  politics.  The  Reg- 
ister or  Banner  was  Democratic.  The  press 
used  was  the  one  which  was  first  brought  into 
Indiana  in  1804,  to  Yincennes,  whereon  the 
Western  Sun  was  printed. 

From  the  number  of  the  Perrysville  Ban- 
ner for  February  2,  1839,  the  Iloosier  State 
in  1875  copied  the  following  items,  all  of 
which  will  gather  increasing  interest  as  years 
roll  by: 

J.  K.  Jones  was  editor  and  proprietor. 
This  is  the  twenty-fourth  number  of  its  issne. 
It  contains  five  columns  to  the  page,  and  was 
published  at  §2  per  year  if  paid  in  advance; 
otherwise  §3.  The  number  contains  a  large 
amount  of  Congressional  and  Legislative 
news  of  this  State,  and  but  very  little  origi- 
nal or  local  matter. 

Hiram  Barnes,  of  Perrysville,  advertises 
for  a  "  professional  "  man  to  take  charge  of 
an  ox  team.  Edmund  James,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  of  Helt  Township,  publishes  an  attach- 
ment notice  on  the  atiidavit  of  Silas  Rhoades, 
against  the  chattels  of  Simon  and  Martin 
Gilbert.  The  name  of  Permelia  Smith  ap- 
pears as  administratrix  of  the  estate  of  Dan- 
iel Smith.  George  W.  Palmer,  J.  P.,  notifies 
the  readers  that  Ephraim  Driscol,  of  Highland 
Township,  had  taken  up  an  estray  steer  four 
years  old,  which  was  appraised  at  $12  by 
James  Welch  and  Tom  Lowers.  James 
Thompson,  school  commissioner  of  the 
county,  gives  fair  warning  that  he  will  sell 
fifteen  tracts  of  land  for  taxes  if  not  paid 
before  the  day  of  sale.  S.  &  B.  Turman  no- 
tify the  people  where  they  can  procure  cheap 
dry  goods,  etc.  "William  "Whipps  gives  no- 
tice of  his  appointment  as  administrator  of  the 
estate  of  Thomas  J.  Heed,  lately  deceased.  Per- 
rin  Kent  also  gives  notice  to  the  efi"ect  that  he 
has  taken  out  letters  of  administration  on  the 
estate  of  John  Taylor,  late  of  Warren  County, 
deceased.     The  widow  and   heirs   of  Jacob 


Parke  give  due  notice  that  they  will  make 
application  to  the  next  court  to  have  com- 
missioners appointed  to  assign  and  set  ofl"  the 
widow's  dower  in  the  real  estate  of  said  dece- 
dent. Dr.  Waterman  gives  notice  that  the 
partnership  heretofore  existing  between  him- 
self and  Dr.  Small  is  dissolved.  Crawford 
&  Jackson,  proprietors  of  an  oil  mill,  adver- 
tise that  they  will  give  the  highest  price  for 
flax  and  hemp  seed,  or  castor  beans.  George 
W.  Palmer  offers  a  one-horse  wagon  and 
harness  for  sale  cheap  for  cash.  J.  W. 
Downing,  J.  P.,  gives  notice  that  an  iron- 
gray  mare,  taken  up  by  James  Rush,  was 
appraised  by  William  P.  Dole  and  A.  M.  II. 
Robinson  at  §45  before  him  on  the  24th  day 
of  November,  1838.  William  Bales,  sherift', 
advertises  the  real  estate  of  John  Fosdick  for 
sale  at  public  auction,  to  satisfy  a  judgment 
in  favor  of  Silas  Kellough,  William  Dunning 
and  Isaiah  Dill.  Joshua  Skidmore,  of  Clin- 
ton, gives  notice  as  follows:  ""Whereas,  my 
wife  Mary  has  left  my  bed  and  board  without 
just  cause  or  provocation,  I  do  hereby  warn 
all  persons,  body  politic  or  coi'porate  and  of 
whatsoever  name  or  title,  not  to  credit  or 
harbor  her  on  my  account,  as  I  am  deter- 
mined not  to  pay  any  debts  of  her  contract- 
ing after  this  date,  January  1,  1839."  The 
names  of  Durham  Hood  and  Margaret  Craft 
appear  as  administrators  of  the  estate  of  John 
Craft,  late  of  Eugene.  Roseberry  &  Jewett, 
dry  goods  merchants  of  Perrysville,  occupy 
about  one-third  of  a  column  in  enumerating 
their  large  arrival  of  new  goods.  William 
J.  Nichols  and  James  H.  Cory,  of  Eugene, 
inform  the  people  where  to  get  their  saddles 
and  cheap  harness.  Dr.  T.  S.  Davidson  ten- 
ders his  professional  services  to  the  citizens 
of  Perrysville  and  adjoining  country.  Hall 
&  Gessie  announce  the  reception  of  new 
goods  in  a  two-inch  card.  Jones  &  Smith 
call  attention   in    a  four-inch  card  to   their 


PERRTSVILLE. 


stock  of  fall  and  winter  goods.  Nathan  Reed 
and  J.  H.  McNiitt  request  that  those  in- 
debted to  them  for  professional  services  come 
forward  and  square  up  by  cash  or  note  imme- 
diately. Jacob  Riley  informs  the  readei's 
that  he  has  found  a  silk  handkerchief,  sup- 
posed to  be  worth  |1.2o,  which  theownercan 
have  by  paying  for  the  advertisement.  G. 
W.  Palmer,  J.  P.,  gives  notice  that  John 
Fultz  has  taken  up  two  estray  heifers,  which 
were  appraised  at  §6  each  by  Samuel  Lacy 
and  James  Crawford,  before  him,  December 
15,  1838. 

John  S.  Kirkpatrick  flin»s  the  following 
card  to  the  breeze:  "  Now  Look  Out.  The 
undersigned,  having  sold  his  entire  stock  of 
groceries,  a  circumstance  follows  which  can- 
not possibly  be  avoided, — that  his  accounts 
must  be  closed;  those  knowing  themselves  to 
be  indebted  will  please  make  arrangements  to 
square  the  '  yards  '  by  note  or  '  plank  up  the 
simon '  immediately."  Miller  &  Seal  warn 
their  delinquent  custon:ers  to  look  out  for  a 
thunder  gust,  and  say,  "  Money  we  must 
have — peaceably  if  we  can  and  forcibly  if  we 
must."  George  W.  Palmer,  J.  P.,  advertises 
two  estray  cows  taken  up  by  Horatio  Talbert, 
of  Highland  Township,  and  appraised  at  $7 
and  §9  by  Henry  Green  and  Thomas  Moore, 
January  5,  1839. 


Dr.  Dinwiddle,  said  to  be  a  surgeon  of  the 
regular  army,  was  the  first  physician  located 
at  Perrysville.  He  left  some  time  in  the 
'40s. 

Dr.  Thornton  S.  Davidson  came  about 
1839,  and  died  here  aboiit  1851-'o2. 

Dr.  Reynolds  was  probably  the  next,  who 
left  about  1850. 

Dr.  R.  M.  Waterman,  after  practicing  here 
awhile,  moved  to  Eugene,  where  he  started 
the  Neios-Letter,  and  then  to  Lodi,  Fountain 

20 


County,  where  the  postoiffice  was  named  after 
him,  "Waterman ;  served  in  the  army,  as  Cap- 
tain of  Company  A,  Thirty-first  (?)  Indiana 
Yolnnteer  Infantry,  and  contracted  a  disease 
from  which  he  soon  afterward  died. 

Dr.  A.  1).  Small,  not  a  graduate,  was  in 
partnership  with  Waterman  and  others, 
became  feeble  with  age,  and  finally  died  in 
Milwaukee. 

Dr.  John  Stuart  Baxter,  from  Virginia, 
was  a  good  surgeon,  in  partnership  with  Dr. 
Spotswood  for  a  time,  and  died  in  Perrysville, 
in  1853. 

Dr.  Dexter  F.  Leland,  from  some  of  the 
Eastern  States,  arrived  here  about  1850,  was 
a  partner  of  Dr.  Spotswood,  a  physician  of 
gentlemanly  manners,  and  died  in  three  or 
four  years. 

Dr.  Lewis  Clark  came  in  1854,  was  an 
energetic  man,  practiced  here  three  or  four 
years,  and  died  in  Kansas. 

Dr.  Lewis  Frazee,  eclectic,  was  born  in 
New  Jersey  in  1815,  came  to  Perrysville  in 
1863,  and  died  here  December  20,  1881. 
His  first  wife  and  all  the  nine  children  by  her 
died  before  him.  Their  son  George  M.  began 
practice  here  in  1870,  and  died  in  1878. 

Dr.    J.  M.  Wilkerson  arrived  here  about 
1851  or  '52,  and  left  a  few  years  afterward. 
Dr.  L.  M.  Meering  came  about  the  same 
time,  remaining  only  a  year. 

Dr.  John  Kemp,  botanic,  was  here  a  few 
years  a  long  time  ago. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Ballard,  from  Waveland,  prac- 
ticed here  from  1857  until  his  death. 

Dr.  Joseph  H.  Olds  came  before  the  war, 
and  entered  the  army,  whence  he  did  not 
return  to  this  county.  He  was  a  physician 
of  considerable  attainments. 

Dr.  Crooks,  a  young  man  in  p-trtnership 
with  Dr.  Clark  for  a  period,  moved  to 
Lebanon,  where  he  died. 

Dr.  B.  I.  Poland,  eclectic,  from  State  Line 


(a  village),  came  to  tliis  place  a  lew  years  ago' 
and  two  or  three  years  afterward  moved  to 
Dixon,  Illinois.  He  was  rather  an  oculist 
and  aurist.     "Was  a  gentleman. 

The  present  physicians  of  Perrysville  are 
Drs.  E.  T.  Spotswood,  James  T.  Henderson, 
James  Webb,  J.  W.  Smith  and  D.  B.  John- 
son. Dr.  Johnson  has  been  here  since  1870. 
Dr.  Webb,  eclectic,  was  brought  up  in  Foun- 
tain County.  Dr.  Smith  is  a  graduate,  has 
been  a  resident  of  Perrysville  a  few  years  as 
a  practitioner,  bnt  is  now  traveling.  For  a 
biography  of  Dr.  Spotswood,  see  the  index 
for  another  page.  Specimens  of  his  poetry 
are  also  given  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

SOCIETIES. 

Unity  Lodge,  JSTo.  lU,  F.  c6  A.  If.,  at 
Perrysville,  was  organized  about  1850  or 
before,  and  increased  in  time  to  thirty-four 
members.  The  earliest  record  extant  is 
dated  May,  1853,  which  gives  as  officers  at 
that  time:  A.  Hill,  Worshipful  Master;  J.  S. 
Baxter,  Senior  Warden;  W.  P.  Johnson, 
Junior  Warden;  E.  D.  Moifatt,  Secretary; 
G.  H.  McNeil],  Treasurer;  W.  B.  Moffatt, 
Senior  Deacon;  James  Starr,  Junior  Deacon; 
and  Andrew  Dennis,  Treasurer.  The  other 
members  were  E.  Brydon,  A.  C.  Blue,  John 
Leech,  James  Benefiel,  John  L.  Stoll,  Harvey 
Knapp,  James  Martin  and  Lewis  L.  Gebhart. 
The  charter  was  surrendered  to  Abel  Sexton 
in  May,  1859. 

Unity  Lodge,  No  3U,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was 
chartered  May  29,  1867,  with  the  following 
officers:  W.  B.  Moffiitt,  Worshipful  Master; 
James  Hemphill,  Senior  Warden;  Jacob  S. 
Stephens,  Junior  Warden;  William  Jerrauld, 
Secretary;  Ilobert  E.  Townsley,  Treasurer; 
H.  M.  Townsley,  Senior  Deacon;  John  Wolf, 
Junior  Deacon ;  Thomas  Scott,Ty]er.  The  pres- 
ent membership  is  forty-six,  and  the  officers: 
Daniel  Lyons,  Worshipful  Master;  George  E. 


Hicks,  Senior  Warden;  John  B.  McNeil, 
Junior  Warden;  W.  A.  Keerns,  Secretary; 
W.  A.  Collins,  Treasurer;  John  S.  TileV, 
Senior  Deacon;  Martin  L.  Wright,  Junior 
Deacon;  D.  W.  Patterson  and  M.  J.  Eudy, 
Stewards;  W.  P.  Hargrave,  Chaplain;  and 
Smith  McCormick,  Tyler. 

Unity  ChiX])teT,  No.  50,  0.  E.  8.,  at  Ptr- 
rysville,  was  instituted  March  17,  1882,  by 
Willis  D.  Engle,  District  Deputy,  from 
Indianapolis,  with  fifteen  members;  and  the 
first  officers  were — Elizabeth  Collins,  Wor- 
shipful Master;  James  Howard,  Worshipful 
Prelate;  Mrs.  Sophie  Eudy,  A.  M.;  and 
Mrs.  Helen  B.  Johnson,  Secretary.  Tiie 
present  officers  are — Mrs.  Helen  B.  John- 
son, AVorshipful  Master;  Mr.  M.  J.  Eudy, 
Worshipful  Prelate;  Mrs.  James  Frazec. 
A.  M.;  Miss  Anna  Eobinson,  Secretary; 
Mrs.  Amanda  Henderson,  Treasurer;  Mis3 
Imo  Collins,  Conductres;  and  Mrs.  Dora 
Lyons,  Assistant  Conductresss.  The  present 
membership  is  between  thirty-five  and  forty, 
and  the  chapter  'is  in  a  good  financial  con- 
dition. It  meets  the  first  Friday  evening 
after  each  full  moon,  in  Masonic  Hall. 

Charity  Lodge,  No.  32,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  was 
chartered  April  20,  1846,  by  D.  D.  G.  M. 
George  Brown.  The  first  officers  were  Irad 
Abdill,  Noble  Grand;  Charles  Boyles,  Vice 
Grand;  T.  S.  Davidson,  Secretary;  Thomas 
Cushman,  Treasurer;  John  Dunlap,  Warden; 
C.  N.  Gray,  Conductor;  Samuel  Watt,  Guar- 
dian; John  A.  Minshall,  Eecording  Secretary. 
The  present  officers  are — G.  W.  Dealand, 
Noble  Grand;  W.  G.  Chenowlth,  Vice  Grand ; 
C.  W.  Ayres,  Eecording  Secretary;  J.  T. 
Chisler,  Permanent  Secretary;  W.A.Collins, 
Treasurer.  Tliere  are  nineteen  members,  who 
own  the  building  in  which  their  neat  and 
well  equipped  lodge  room  is  contained.  To- 
tal value  of  all  tlieir  property,  $1,318.60. 
During  the  war  the  lodge  was  kept  alive  by 


PERBT8VILLE. 


live  or  six  faithful  members.  Of  the  old 
members,  John  Dnnlap  died  about  two  years 
ago;  Irad  Abdill  and  William  Callihan  are 
living  in  Danville.  Of  the  charter  members, 
Thomas  Cushman,  of  Newport,  is  the  only 
one  living  in  the  county. 

Uiyhland  Encampment,  No.  163,  was 
instituted  December  7,  1885,  by  D.  D.  G.  P. 
David  McBeth,  of  Clinton.  First  officers — 
W.  M.  Beneliel,  Chief  Priest;  J.  T.  Chisler, 
High  Priest;  C.  W.  Ayres,  Senior  Warden; 
Alexander  Yan  Sickle,  Junior  Warden;  D. 
W.  Patterson,  Scribe;  W.  G.  Chenowitli, 
Treasurer.  Present  officers — J.  T.  Lowe, 
Chief  Priest;  William  G.  Chenowith,  High 
Priest;  D.  W.  Patterson,  Senior  Warden;  W. 
T.  Conner,  Junior  Warden;  W.  M.  Benefiel, 
Scribe;  W.  A.  Collins,  Treasurer.  There 
were  nine  members  at  first,  and  there  are  nine 
or  ten  at  present. 

Rehekah  Lodge,  No.  118,  Daughters  (or 
Degree)  of  Eehekah,  was  instituted  July  24, 
1882.  First  officers:  M.  B.  Carter,  Noble 
Grand;  J.  T.  Chisler,  Vice  Grand;  Sallie  E. 
Carter,  Secretary;  C.  W.  Ayres,  Treasurer; 
S.  Watt,  Guardian.  The  other  charter  mem- 
bers were  W.  M.  Benefiel,  W.  II.  Benefiel, 
Thomas  D.  Clarkson,  J.  H.  Benton,  W.  A. 
Collins,  J.  T.  Lowe,  Anna  Benefiel,  L.  Chis- 
ler, M.  Benefiel,  Susan  L.  Clarkson  and  R.  E. 
Watt.  The  present  officers  are:  Imo  Collins, 
Noble  Grand;  Cora  Chisler,  Vice  Grand; 
Mary  Ayres,  Treasurer;  Kittie  Chisler,  Secre- 
tary; W.  M.  Benefiel,  Warden.  Tlje  mem- 
bership has  been  about  thirty  from  the  first 
to  the  present. 

Vermillion  Lodge,  No.  113,  K.  of  P., 
was  organized  December  31,  1884,  by  Dis- 
trict Deputy  Talley,  of  Coal  Creek,  assisted 
by  members  from  various  lodges.  There  were 
sixteen  charter  members,  and  the  first  officers 
were:  Dr.  James  T.  Henderson,  Chancellor 
Commander;    F.  S.  Smith,  Vice-Chancellor; 


L.  A.  Morgan,  Master  of  Finance;  M.  J. 
Eudy,  Master  of  Exchequer;  D.  H.  Cade, 
Keeper  of  Eecords  and  Seals;  W.  A.  Collins, 
Prelate;  G.  R.  Hicks,  Master  at  Arms;  A.  E. 
Marlat,  Inner  Guard;  E.  A.  Lacey,  Outer 
Guard.  There  are  now  twenty-six  members, 
comprising  the  best  men  of  the  community, 
who  are,  in  their  lodge  relations,  in  perfect 
harmony.  They  have  a  lodge  room  of  their 
own,  and  are  in  fair  financial  condition. 

The  present  officers  are:  J.  C.  Wright, 
Past  Commander;  W.  M.  Collins,  Chancellor 
Commander;  Ned  Spotswood,  Vice-Chancel- 
lor; H.  F.  Eoyce,  Prelate;  M.J.  Eudy,  Mas- 
ter of  Finance;  W.  T.  Ferguson,  Master  of 
Exchequer;  J.  T.  Henderson,  Keeper  of  Eec- 
ords and  Seals;  D.  Mossbnrger,  Master  at 
Arms;  J.  M.  Howard,  Inner  Guard;  Smith 
McCormick,  Outer  Guard;  W.  A.  Keerns, 
District  Deputy. 

Richard  E.  Spotswood  Post,  No.  188, 
G.  A.  R.,  was  organized  in  January,  1878, 
with  the  following  officers :  Major  J.  S.  Stevens, 
Post  Commander;  B.  O.  Carpenter,  Senior 
Vice-Commander;  M.  B.  Carter,  Junior  Vice- 
Commander;  Dr.  E.  T.  Spotswood,  Adjutant. 
The  membership  has  diminished  from  thirty- 
two  to  fifteen.  Eegular  meetings,  alternate 
Saturday  evenings.  B.  O.  Carpenter  is  the 
present  Commander,  and  George  Watt,  Senior 
Vice-Commander. 

The  Woman^s  Christian  Temperance  Union 
of  Perrysville  was  organized  in  December, 
1881,  with  Mrs.  Dr.  Spotswood,  President; 
Mrs.  H.  B.  Johnson,  Vice-President;  Mrs. 
Sallie  Carter,  Secretary;  Mrs.  J.  M.  Mills, 
Corresponding  Secretary;  Mrs.  M.  J.  Eudy, 
Treasurer.  Commencing  with  a  membership 
of  only  ten,  they  soon  increased  to  forty;  but 
now  there  are  only  twenty-five.  To  the  pres- 
ent time  they  have  kept  up  gospel  meetings, 
and  have  exerted  a  marked  influence  in  giving 
the  people  a  temperance  education.     For  a 


time  they  edited  a  column  in  the  Hoosier 
State.  The  present  official  board  is  the  same 
as  the  first,  except  that  Mrs.  Lydia  Hepbnrn 
is  Recording  Secretary,  vice  Mrs.  Sallie  Car- 
ter, deceased. 

An  Equal  Suffrage  Club  was  organized  at 
Perrysville  July  21,  1882,  by  the  election  of 
Mrs.  Sarah  S.  Spotswood,  President;  Rev.  J. 
S.  White,  Vice-President;  Lillie  Kirkpatrick, 
Recording  Secretary;  Icabenda  Hain,  Treas- 
urer; Executive  Committee — Anna  McClin- 
tick,  Honorable  J.  F.  Compton,  D.  C.  Smith, 
Mrs.  Lucy  Maynard  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Smith. 
The  club  "immediately  went  down." 

CHURCHES. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  of 
course  an  eventful  history,  extending  back  to 
pioneer  times,  which  is  difficult  to  trace.  At 
present  it  is  a  strong  and  influential  society 
of  133  members,  besides  probationers.  Class- 
leaders,  B.  O.  Carpenter  and  J.  F.  Compton; 
stewards — David  Smith,  Mrs.  Rebecca  K. 
McNeill,  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Moftatt,  Mrs.  Hannah 
B.  Johnson,  Mrs.  Sophia  S.  Rudy,  B.  O. 
Carpenter,  J.  F.  Compton  and  Mrs.  Amanda 
M.  Ferguson.  Rev.  J.  H.  Mills  is  a  local 
preacher.  Sunday-school  all  the  year,  with 
an  average  attendance  of  seventy-five,  super- 
intended by  B.  O.  Carpenter.  In  connection 
with  the  church  here  are  several  auxiliary 
societies, — missionary,  social,  etc.  The  house 
of  worship,  built  of  brick,  was  erected  in 
1843,  and  its  outside  measurements  are 
44x52  feet.  Value,  .^3,000,  though  that 
money  would  not  build  it  now.  Locality, 
southwest-central  part  of  town.  A  good 
parsonage  exists  on  the  adjoining  lot  east. 

Rev.  W.  P.  Hargrave,  the  pastor  since  the 
fall  of  1884,  is  a  son  of  the  late  celebrated 
Rev.  Richard  Hargrave,  so  well  known 
throughout  the  State  of  Indiana  as  the  trum- 
pet-voiced  Gabriel   of  the  same  church,  in 


which  he  was  for  many  years  a  presiding 
elder.  He  had  the  best  voice  for  the  pulpit, 
and  was  probably  the  most  eloquent  of  all  in 
the  United  States.  He  published  a  volume 
of  sermons,  which  passed  through  several 
editions.  He  died  in  1879,  near  Attica,  this 
State,  and  his  wife,  nee  Nancy  Porter,  died  in 
1871.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born 
in  1832,  in  Crawfordsville,  Indiana;  learned 
harness-making;  taught  school;  entered  As- 
bury  University  in  1849,  graduating  in  1854; 
practiced  law  until  1880,  when  he  joined  the 
Northwest  Indiana  Conference  as  a  Methodist 
minister.  In  the  practice  of  law  he  enjoyed 
great  success,  and  during  that  time  he  was  a 
resident  of  Viucennes  and  Evansville.  "While 
at  the  latter  place  he  was  circuit  judge  for 
six  years  and  a  half;  was  also  prosecutor  for 
seven  years.  During  the  last  war  he  volun- 
teered his  services  as  a  soldier;  was  elected 
Captain  of  Company  G,  Ninety-first  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry;  was  on  detached  duty 
during  most  of  the  time  of  his  services,  when 
his  official  station  was  generally  equivalent  to 
the  rank  of  brigadier-general ;  and  toward  the 
close  he  was  chief  commissary  of  musters  at 
Knoxville,  Tennessee.  Mr.  Hargrave  was 
married  September  25,  1860,  to  Miss  Martha 
Erskine,  a  native  of  Vanderburgh  County, 
Indiana,  who  died  October  18,  1886,  in 
Perrysville. 

A  Presbyterian  Church  was  once  organized 
at  Perrysville,  and  after  struggling  along 
with  a  precarious  existence  for  a  number  of 
years,  it  became  utterly  dissolved,  when  it 
counted  about  fifteen  or  sixteen  members. 
Their  house  of  worship,  which  they  bought  of 
the  Universalists,  became  unsafe,  and  was 
sold  in  1882,  for  $150,  and  afterward  torn 
away.  The  trustees  were  D.  C.  Smith,  John 
E.  Robinson  and  H.  S.  Collier.  Mr.  Smith 
was  also  ruling  elder.  Pastors  or  supplies 
were   Revs.   John   Hawks,   Mr.    Steele,    R. 


PERRTSriLLE. 


AVells,  William  Buffert,  etc.,  and  the  last  one 
serving  was  Rev.  Tarrauce,  who  was  at  the 
time  (1872-'73)  a  resident  of  Covington, 
Indiana.  There  has  been  no  regnlar  preach- 
ing since  1873,  when  there  were  twenty-one 
members.  There  are  now  probably  about 
half  a  dozen  members. 

The  United  Brethren  CJnirch  at  Perrys- 
ville  was  organized  many  years  ago.  The 
present  membership  is  aboiit  eighty.  Class- 
leader,  John  Patterson;  stewards,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Smith  and  Mrs.  Rose  Hain.  Sunday-school 
is  maintained  throughout  the  year,  with  an 
attendance  of  sixty  to  seventy,  superintended 
by  Rev.  J.  S.  Brown,  who  has  also  been  the 
pastor  of  this  circuit  for  the  last  three  years. 
lie  is  a  native  of  Parke  County,  this  State; 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  came  to  this 
county  and  worked  on  a  farm  two  miles 
southwest  of  Newport;  entered  a  school  in 
Ohio  in  the  fall  of  1881,  graduating  in  the 
spring  of  1884,  since  which  time  he  has  held 
his  present  relation,  as  a  member  of  the 
Upper  Wabash  Conference.  He  occupies  the 
parsonage  at  Perrysville,  in  an  extremely 
retired  portion  of  the  village,  in  the  north- 
western part,  and  has  three  or  four  appoint- 
ments in  his  circuit. 

The  church  edifice  at  Perrysville,  a  frame, 

34x48    feet,  erected    twenty-five    or    thirty 

years  ago,  is  a  neat  building,  centrally  located. 

At  Perrysville  also    resides    the    presiding 

elder.  Rev.  II.  Ellwell. 

The  Cross-EoadsUnited  Brethren  Church, 
two  miles  west  of  Perrysville,  was  organized 
over  forty  years  ago,  and  a  large  frame  church 
built  also  in  early  day.  The  membership 
there  numbers  about  seventy-five,  of  whom 
the  leader  is  Mrs.  Sarah  Park,  and  stewards, 
Jacob  Brown  and  Richard  Spandau.  Sunday- 
school  throughout  the  year,  with  an  average 
attendance  of  about  eighty,  superintended  by 
John  Park. 


Mound  Chapel,  United  Brethren,  30  x  40 
feet,  erected  ten  or  eleven  years  ago,  is  lo- 
cated three  miles  and  a  half  north  of  Perrys- 
ville. The  class,  now  comprising  about  forty 
members,  was  organized  eleven  or  twelve 
years  ago:  leader,  Mrs.  Jane  Mitchell;  stew- 
ard, Nathan  Jacobs.  Sunday-school  during 
the  summer,  of  about  fifty  pupils  probably, 
superintended  by  the  class-leader,  Mrs. 
Mitchell. 

A  "  Christian''^  church,  with  about  a  half 
dozen  members,  was  organized  at  Perrysville 
five  or  six  years  ago,  by  Elder  Gilbert  Lane 
Harney,  of  Indianapolis,  but  they  kept  up 
services  only  a  few  weeks.  The  leading  mem- 
bers were  C.  S.  Brummett  and  wife,  John 
Emanuel  Sinks,  Sarah  Bailey,  Mrs.  Ilettie 
Lacey,  and  others. 

The  Universalist  Church  at  Perrysville 
was  organized  in  1842,  and  afterward  erected 
a  house  of  worship,  a  frame  about  36  x  50 
feet  in  size,  but,  being  unable  to  pay  for  it, 
they  finally,  in  1850,  sold  it  to  the  Presby- 
terians, and  subsequently  disbanded.  They 
numbered  as  high  as  fifty  or  sixty  members 
at  one  time.  Among  the  ministers  are  promi- 
nently remembered  Revs.  E.  Manford,  the 
celebrated  editor,  a  resident  of  Terre  Haute 
at  the  time,  B.  F.  Foster,  of  Indianapolis, 
George  McClure,  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  but  an 
itinerant,  and  Mr.  Babcock,  of  some  point 
east  of  Indianapolis.  The  minister  organiz- 
incr  the  church  was  Rev.  Marble,  of  Fountain 
County,  who  preached  once  a  month  for  about 
a  year.  The  leading  members  were  Robert 
J.  Gessie  (trustee  and  mortgagee!).  Dr. 
Thornton  S.  Davidson,  Dr.  Porter,  Jlessrs. 
Lawless,  Watt,  etc.  They  had  a  fioiirishing 
Sunday-school. 

GESSIE. 

The  village  of  Gessie,  on  the  railroad  three 
miles    northwest  of  Perrysville  station,  was 


(i 


M 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


\\ 


laid  out  in  1872  by  Eobert  J.  Gessie  and 
named  for  liini.  (See  sketch  of  Mr.  Gessie 
elsewhere  in  this  volume.)  The  population 
of  the  village  is  now  140. 

The  business  men  of  the  place  are,  J.  C. 
Stutler,  general  store;  L.  A.  McKnight,  gen- 
eral store  and  grain;  D.  M.  Hughes,  drugs 
and  groceries;  John  Cade,  postmaster,  drugs 
and  groceries;  A.  Van  Sickle,  blacksmith; 
Silas  Hughes,  wagon  and  repair  shop  and 
wood-work;  C.  L.  Eandall,  painter  and  job- 
ber; John  Haworth,  station  agent;  David 
Hughes,  William  Saltsgaver  and  David  Metz- 
ger,  stock  dealers;  H.  C.  Smith  &  Co.,  pro- 
prietors of  tile  factory.  This  mill  was  built 
by  Smith,  Strausser  &  Stutler  in  1884,  who 
made  in  one  year  about  §6,000  worth  of  tile. 
In  1885  tlie  tirin  name  became  H.  C.  Smith 
i&Co. 

Dr.  William  Isaiah  Hall,  who  purchased 
the  first  lot  in  Gessie  and  built  the  tirst  house, 
is  still  a  practicing  physician  of  the  place. 
Dr.  James  Barnes,  who  was  for  a  time  in 
partnership  with  Dr.  Hall,  is  also  practicing 
here. 

The  United  Brethren  Church  at  Gessie 
was  oi'ganized  about  1879,  by  Rev.  F.  E. 
Penny,  of  Danville,  Illinois,  wlio  moved  to 
tills  place  the  following  year.  The  trustees 
were  L.  A.  McKnight,  Charles  Hay  and  Har- 
vey Hughes;  and  Isaiah  Thompson  the  class- 
leader.  There  are  now  seventeen  members; 
class-leader,  J.  C.  Stutler;  stewards,  J.  C. 
Stutler  and  Katie  Goudy.  The  Sunday-school 
is  maintained  most  of  the  year,  with  an  at- 
tendance of  forty  pupils;  superintendent, 
John  Haworth.  The  pastors  have  been  Eovs. 
J.  A.  Smith,  of  Gessie,  J.  Knowlea,  of  State 
Line,  Kaufman,  of  Perrysville,  S.  C.  Zook, 
who  lived  below  Newport,  J.  li.  Horner,  who 
lived  here,  and  Van  Allen,  who  lived  a  mile 
south  of  Caynga.  The  church  building  wds 
erected  by  the  Christians,  about  1877,  a  frame 


24x40  feet,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000,  and  in  1879 
they  sold  it  to  the  United  Brethren. 

The  Union  Sunday-school  in  Gessie  is 
maintained  independently  of  denominational 
supervision,  and  its  existence  of  course 
diminishes  the  attendance  at  the  United 
Brethren  Sunday-school.  It  has  been  running 
since  January,  1887,  and  L.  A.  McKnight  is 
superintendent. 

Hoicard  Chaj^el.,  Methodist  Einscojpal 
Chxirch.,  two  miles  north  of  Gessie,  is  a  brick 
bnilding  30  x  50  feet  or  more  in  dimensions, 
built  over  thirty  years  ago.  The  society  has 
been  in  existence  since  pioneer  days.  Tliere 
are  now  about  thirty  members,  with  Joseph 
Nichols  as  class-leader.  Stewards,  James  J. 
Lewis,  Meredith  Lewis,  Henry  Saltsgaver, 
David  Bennett  and  Dr.  W.  I.  Hall.  Mr. 
Saltsgaver  is  also  Sunday-school  superinten- 
dent. Pastor,  Eev.  Warren,  of  State  Line, 
where  the  parsonage  is.  Among  the  minis- 
ters of  tlie  past  the  most  prominent  in  mem- 
ory are  Revs.  Cooley  Hall  (father  of  Dr. 
Hall),  Wilson  Beckner,  Samuel  Beck,  White- 
field  Hall,  etc. 

The  chapel  is  named  after  Joseph  Howard, 
who  donated  the  ground  and  led  the  enter- 
prise of  building  the  church,  and  was  after- 
ward trustee,  etc.  He  resided  there  until 
1866,  and  moved  West,  and  finally  died  in 
Nebraska.  His  wife  has  since  died.  Mr. 
Howard  was  buried  in  Nebraska,  although  his 
monument  is  in  the  graveyard  here.  None 
of  his  people  reside  at  present  in  this  county. 
On  coming  liere  from  Ohio,  about  1825,  he 
settled  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  John 
Fox;  was  very  poor,  a  cooper  and  farmer  by 
occupation,  but  by  economy  he  at  length 
became  wealthy,  maintaining  all  the  while  an 
unsettled  reputation. 

A  few  years  ago  a  portion  of  the  above 
society  organized  a  small  class  in  Gessie  and 
began    the   erection  of  a  small  church;  bnt, 


^^'■-■-■-^'''■'■'Vl'^^ 


■  ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■"a^aMn'M-^-^gJ 


PERRYSVILLE.  301 


before  it  was  compIeteJ,  it  was  blown  down 
and  tlie  little  band  returned  to  Howard 
Chapel. 

Hojiewell  Baj^tist  C7i2irc/<,iih-ame  bnilding 
abont  two  miles  north  of  Gessie,  is  the  place 
of  meeting  of  a  society  which  was  organized 
many  years  ago  by  the  Rabonrns.  Among 
tlie  prominent  early  members  were  Wesley 
and  Keese  Rabonrn,  Fielden  Rabonrn,  Mr. 
Blankensliip  and  others,  and  of  the  ministers 
the  most  prominently  remembered  are  Revs. 
James  Smith,  John  Orr,  Mr.  Whitlock,  Mr. 
Stipp  and  Samuel  Johnson.  Mr.  Stipp  was 
a  Freemason,  and  some  of  the]  members  of 
the  church,  not  believing  that  freemasonry 
was  consistent  with  Christianity,  seceded, 
under  the  leadership  of  Elder  Johnson,  so 
that  since  that  time  two  small  societies  are 
weakly  sustained  at  the  same  place  of  meet- 
ing, called  respectively  the  "  Stippites  "  and 
the  "  Johnsonites."     Elder  Stipp  is  now  dead. 


Elder  Johnson  came  from  Fountain  County 
in  1871,  purchasing  the  old  Joseph  Howard 
residence.  Ehud  Hughes,  Philander  Goff, 
Samuel  Johnson  and  Ephraira  Sh\ite  are 
official  members. 

In  1877  Byron  Stevens,  a  "Christian" 
residing  near  Lowe  Chapel,  about  three  and  a 
half  miles  southwest  of  Gessie,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  friends  built  the  church  in 
Gessie  which  two  years  afterward  they  sold 
to  the  United  Brethren,  as  before  stated.  He 
was  a  minister,  and  he  and  James  Prather 
were  trustees.  They  organized  a  small 
church  society  at  Gessie,  which  soon  ran 
down.  Elder  Myers  preached  regularly  for 
them  for  a  time. 

Rileysburg,  formerly  called  Riley,  is  a 
flag  station  two  miles  northwest  of  Gessie, 
where  there  are  a  postoflice,  a  store  and  a  tile- 
mill. 


i««««»-^»»»». 


'■"■■■■■'iii^ 


'HE  surviving  old  set- 
tlers have  from  time  to 
time  held  reunions, 
picnics,  etc.,  refreshing 
one  another's  memories 
of  pioneer  experiences. 
At  the  close  of  the  4th  of 
July  celebration  at  Clinton  in 
l^Sl,  an  association,  for  the 
purposes  of  nmtnal  entertain- 
ment and  preservation  of  his- 
tory, was  organized  by  the 
clectiDU  of  the  following  offi- 
cers: James  A.  White,  Sr., 
of  Ilelt  Township,  President; 
Decatur  Downing,  of  Clinton, 
Secretary;  W.  G.  Crabb,  of  Clinton,  Treas- 
urer; A^ico- Presidents,  for  the  respective 
townships — John  Hamilton,  Clinton;  Abel 
Sexton,  Vermillion;  S.  W.  Malone,  Eugeue; 
and  Pi.  J.  Gessie,  Highland;  and  Executive 
Committee — J.  H.  Pogart,  John  Wright  and 
P.P.  Morey,  of  Clinton;  William  Wisliard, 
of  Helt;  and  George    II.  McNeill,  of  Perrys- 


ville.  This  committee  was  given  the  author- 
ity to  call  a  meeting  of  the  society,  but  it  is 
said  that  they  never  even  met,  for  any  pur- 
pose, and  thus  the  association  died. 

It  happens,  however,  that  the  chief  poet 
of  Vermillion  County,  Dr.  E.  T.  Spotswood, 
of  Perrysville,  knows  how  to  celebrate  pioneer 
times,  in  true  Hoosier  dialect,  and  we  here 
insert  two  specimens  from  his  happy  mind. 

The  first  was  published  in  a  newspaper  of 
an  adjoining  county,  over  the  nom  de  j^Iwd^^ 
of  '•  Daniel  Dundell." 

THE  nOOSIER    HOEDOWN,  OK    BACKWOODS    r)A^•CE 
OF  THE  OLDEN  TIME. 

To  the  Edytur:  Sur:  These  lines  is 
most  respeckfullee  dedykatuted  to  all  uv  the 
yung  fellers  who  run  around  here  when  the 
Coal  Prancli  wuz  small  an'  the  water  wuz 
fust  turned  into  the  Wabash, — sich  yung 
chaps  as  John  CoUett,  Tom  Cushman,  O.  P. 
Davis,  Abe  Sexton,  John  W.  Parrett,  R.  J. 
Gessie,  K.  D.  MofFatt,  Lem  Chenoweth, 
Smith  EalJj  an'  all  uv  the  boys  uv  that  crowd 


303 


who  cnin  tii  this  kentry  when  it  wuz  new  an' 
mostly  in  a  state  ov  natur,  an'  likewise  peple; 
also  thereof  before  it  wuz  so  improved  that 
all  natur  is  druv  out  uv  it.  In  the  good  old 
times,  when  workin  wuz  more  respektable 
than  loafin',  when  steal  in  wuzent  called 
spekilaslmn,  when  honesty  wuz  konsidered 
the  best  policy,  when  brass  didn't  count  for 
brains,  an'  cheek  for  moral  principul,  when 
inuney  wuzent  alius  the  measure  uv  the  man, 
when  sham  and  shoddy  wuznt  on  top,  an' 
modest  woi'th  an'  manhood  on  the  under  side 
in  the  fite,  but  when  brains,  pluck,  honesty 
an"  mussel  wud  win  agin  the  world, — to  these 
yuug  chaps  uv  olden  time  1  dedykate  the 
poem,  an'  subscribe  myself  in  the  Coal  Branch 
Hollow,  whar  they  will  alius  find  the  latch- 
string  out,  a  smokin'  hot  corn  pone,  a  bowl 
uv  cold  buttermilk,  a  clean  gord  in  sparklin' 
water,  a  rousin'  hickory  log  fire,  an  a  warm 
wellcum  from  thar  friend, 

Daniel  Dundell. 
Coal  Branch  Hollow, 

A'^orinillion  Co.,  Indianny. 


THE   COAL    BR.\NCH   DANCE. 

Down  upon  the  Coal  Branch,  in  the  Indianny  State, 
Whar  things  go  movin'   slow  along  at  the  good  old- 
fashioned  gait, 
Thar  men  an'  wimmen  good  belong,  an'  gals  that  ar 

the  sweetest, 
An'  boj's  that's  hansum,  tutf  an'  strong,  an'  jes  bilt  up 

the  neatest, — 
Whar  the  people  all  ar'  sociable,  an'  thar  aint  no  falls 

pretenses 
Dividin'   uv   the   nabors   up    with    pride   an'    folly's 

fences, — 
Whar  work  an'  frolic,  band   in  band,  goes  movia'  on 

like  friends; 
An'   when   one  gits  in  trouble  all  to  him  their  help 

extends; 
An'  when  a  feller  gits  behind  an'  lags  along  the  road, 
You'll  find  'em  all  together  jined  to  help  him  lift  his 

load, — 
That  is  to  say,  if  he's  "  all  squar,"   an'  aint  no  ornery 

That  won't  at  workin'  take  his  share,  but  goes  from 
bad  to  wuss,- 


Then  every  nabor  will  turn  out  at  any  kind    uv  work. 
An'  help  the  chap,  an'  not  a  man  among  them  all  will 

shirk. 
They  make  a  frolic  uv   their  work,  an'  call  in  every 

nabor. 
An'  wind  it  all  up  with  a  dance,  to  liten  up  thar  labor. 

Late   in  the   fall  when   craps   is   ripe,   an'  the   grass 

around  is  wiltin'. 
The  gals  they  go  a-slippin'  round  a  gittin'  up  a-ciuiltin'. 
An'  the  boys  all  round  they  understand 
Will  cum  an'  lend  a  helpin'  hand. 
In  shuckin'  corn  or  clearia'  land ; 
Then,  when  the  corn  is  gathered  in, 
An  safely  stowed  up  in  the  bin. 
The  fodder  piled  up  in  the  shock, 
Enough  to  feed  the  winter  stock, — 
The   quilt   is  tuck  from  out  the  frame,  a-lookiu'  new 

and  neat ; 
It's  stitched  an'  tacked  an'  herad  an'  sode  an'  finished 
up  complete. 

Then,  when  the  long  day's  work  is  dun, 
An'  night  curas  with  the  settin'  sun. 
An'  all  havo  had  a  glorious  treat. 
At  supper  time,  uv  things  to  eat, — 
Uv  hog  an'  hominy,  pork  an'  beans, 
Uv  corn  an'  cabbage  an'  sich  greens, — 
Uv  nicnacks  sweet  which  you  will  find 
The  wimmin  have  been  mixin', — 
Besides  'most  every  other  kind 

Uv  first-rate  chicken  fixin', — 
Jes  now,  when  every  one  about 

Is  full  uv  fun  all  over. 
Is  when  the  Coal  Branch  blossoms  out, 
An'  feels  herself  in  clover. 
From  corn-cob  pipes  the  old  ones  smokes, 
An'  chats  and  laffs  an'  cracks  thar  jokes, 
An'  smiles  an'  winks  an'  slyly  pokes 
Thar  fun  at  the  younger  bashful  fokes. 

From  bright  tin  cups  their  cider  sips. 

An'  stands  with  hands  upon  thar  hips, 

A-lookin'  pleased  between  thar  nips, 

To  see  thar  sturdy  boys  an'  gals  so  rapid  growin', 

Expectin  soon  that  each   thar  own  row  will  be  hoein', 

An'  all  the  wliile  with  biznes  eyes  they  are  sum  items 

takin'. 
Which  shortly  in  the  by  an'  by  they'll  use  in  sly  match 

makin'. 
Then,  when  uv  jucy  punkin  pie   they  all   have  eat  a 

lunchen, 
Each  feller  hunts  his  pardner  up  an'  steps  out  on  his 
punchen. 
The  gals  are  standin'  round  in  rows, 
Tricked  out  in  spankin'  calicoes. 
All  waitin'  to  be  chosen. 


Each  feller  in  his  blue-jeans  close 
Is  lookin'  round  him  as  he  goes 
A-huntin',  as  we  may  suppose 
Fur  his  own  Mary  Susan. 

The  fiddler  cums 'an'  with  him  brings 

His  pockets  full  uv  iiddle-striugs, 

An'  in  he  cums  a-saunterin'  soon. 

An'  thrums  the  strings, — the  sly  old  coon, 

An'  gives  the  notes  a  twang  or  two 

Which  sets  a-pattin'  every  shoe, 

A-timin'  to  the  tune. 
An'  now  the  dance  no  longer  lingers. 
The  fiddle's  neck   he   tickles  fast  with  niml 

fingers. 
An'  quick  as  lightniu'  to  an'  fro. 
With  all  his  might  he  swings  the  bow. 

He  draws  it  twice  across  the  strings, 
Which  on  the  floor  the  dancers  brings ; 
He  gives  the  bow  another  draw, 
When  they  all  call  for  the  "  Arkinsaw." 
With  a  loud  voice  he  yells  the  call, 
"  Honers  ter  yar  pardners,  all !" 

An'  then  the  fun  gits  goin'. 
Thar's  steppin'  high  an'  steppin'  low 
As  round  an'  round  the  dancers  go, 
Jes  like  it  wuz  a  circus  show 

Whilst  the  music  cums  a-flowin'. 

Sometimes  they  cut  the  pigin  wing. 
An'  then  they  try  the  Highland  Fling, 
They  jump  an'  slide  an'  skip  an'  hop, 
A-gittin  higher  every  pop. 

It's  a  fact  which  'taint  no  use  deny  in', 

That  soon  from  off  that  floor  the  splinters  gits  a-flyi 
To  the  fiddle's  time  they  music  beat 
With  clatteria',  patterin'  busy  feet, 
As  in  an'  out  they  wind  an'  wheel 
Thro'  old  Virginia's  lively  reel. 
Or,  like  the  flyin'  corn  they  husk. 
They  capper  in  the  Money  Musk, 
Or  Fisher's  Hornpipe  contra  dance 
With  springin'  steps  they  danglin'  glance. 
With  ringin'  laflT  an'  jestin'  jeer,  * 

An'  cheeks  aglow  with  merry  cheer. 

The  gals  they  giggle,  lafT  and  smile 
An'  wud  a  very  saint  beguile. 

Whilst  round  an'  round  a-spinnin'. 
The  boys  ketch  up  the  roarin'  fun. 
Each  feller  thinkin'  he's  the  one, — 

From  ear  to  ear  is  grinnin'. 
When  bang!  thar  goes  a  fiddle  string, 
Which  to  an  eend  this  set  will  bring. 


With  hankichers  all  drippin'  wet. 
The  gals  wipe  off  the  surplus  sweat, 
A-fixin'  fur  another  set 

Which  soon  they'll  have  a-goin'; 
Whilst  the  boys,  all  tuckered  out  of  wind. 

Are  a-settin'  round  a-blowin'. 

If  you  are  fond  uv  nat'ral  ways, — uv  old-time  country 

dancin'. 
Cum  out  upon  the  Coal   Branch  an'  see   our  gals  an' 

boys  a-pranciu' ; 
An'  I'm  sure  that  if  you  do 
That  you  will  larn  a  thing  or  two; 
For  yon  will  see  with  your  own  eyes 
The  human  hart  without  disguise, 
An'  larn  sum  lessons  if  you're  wise. 
Which  thro' life's  journey  you  will  prize; 
That  happiness  an'  sweet  content 
Ai'e  oft  with  simplest  pleasures  blent; 
That  graspin'  greed  an'  pride  will  bring 
To  akin'  harts  the  keenest  sting; 
Whilst  nature's  plain  an'  simple  ways 
Will  light  with  joy  your  sunset  days. 

The  following  was  composed  for,  and  read 
at,  the  Independence  celebration  and  old  set- 
tlers' reunion  held  July  4,  1887,  at  Newport: 

FOURTH  OF  JULY  POEM. 

BV  DR.  E.  T.  SPOTSWOOD,  OF  PERRVSVILLE,  INDIANA. 

Old  friends  an'  neighbors,  howdy  do  1 1  give'youhearty 

greetin'. 
An'  welcome  warm  to  all  uv  you  to  this  Old  Settlers' 

meetin', 
I  think  'tis  good  to  meet  agin,  an'  peepin'  through  our 

glasses. 
Be  tellin'  how  we  used  to  do,  when   we  wuz  lads  an 

lassies. 
An'  since  we  hev  together  come,  in  love  which  never 

tires. 
With  friendship's  torch,  we'll  kindle  up  the  long,  long 

smoulderin'  flres 
Uv  memories  that  hev  long  grown  dim;  an'  faded  like 

a  dream. 
From  the  shaddowy  past  we  will  recall  an'  make  with 

life  to  gleam. 
Old  Time,  that  cruel,  heartless  thief,  whilst  we  hev 

bin  on  duty. 
Each  year  hez  bin  a  robbin'  us   uv  some  bright  line 

uv  beauty; 
Fur  our  faces,  all  so  bloomin'  once,  ar'  now  dried  up 

an'  wrinkled. 
An' our  hair  thet  was  so   bonnie   brown   is  now  with 

gray  besprinkled ; 


Our  eyes  tbet  once  wer'  bright    ez  stars,  hev  now 

grown  dim  an'  hazy; 
An'  the  dimples  thet  wuz  on   our  cheeks   hev   faded 

like  the  daisy. 
Our  limbs  wer'  strong  an'   active  once,  but  now  you 

see  it  is 
Thet  they  ar'  weak   an'   tottery,  an'  stiff  with  rheu- 

matiz; 
But  never  mind,  we  ar'  young  agin,  in  heart,  If  not  in 

body ; 
An'  we'll  jest  hunt  up   a  shady   place  wher'  the  grass 

is  green  an'  soddy. 
An'  set  right  down  to  spinnin'  yarns,   an'   old  stories 

we'll  untwine, 
Uv  how  the  old  things  used   to  be,  in  days  o'  Auld 

Lang  Syne. 
Our  hopes  an'  fears,   our  joys  an'  tears,  an'  old  loves 

we  will  recall. 
An'  jog  each   failing  memory  'till  we   clearly  bring 

back  all. 
An'  from  the  long  forgotten  past,  old  treasures  we  will 

bring 
Uv  memories  sweet  of  the   "  olden  time  "  thet  still 

around  us  cling; 
Frum  the  hazy  mist   uv  vanished  years,  the   hurried 

past  again  appears. 
An'  the  echoes  uv  long  ago  will  break  upon  our  listen- 
ing ears, 
While  visions  uv  our  early  days  like  shadows  throng 

around  us. 
An'  tighten  up  the  loosening  cords  thet  to  the  past  hez 

bound  us, 
An'  then  ouce  more  the  magic  spells,  thet  glided  life's 

young  mornin'. 
Will  gently  steal  on  every  heart,  an    again  bring  back 

the  dawnin'. 
As  memory  brings  frum  by-gone  years  on  fancy's  fly- 
ing wings. 
The  sunny  scenes  uv  the  far-off  time,    frum  whence 

our  rapture  springs. 

We  boys  an'  gals   uv  other  days  our  lives  will   now 

live  over. 
An'  dream  agin  uv  the  happy  time  when  we  wandered 

through  the  clover. 
An'  over  hills,  through  woodlands  green,  down  shady 

glens  we  strayed. 
An'  waded   in  the  babblin'   brook,   an'  in  its  waters 

plaj'ed. 

An'  gathered  flowers  on  the  bank,  an'  in  the  grape- 
vine swing. 

We  tossed  our  sweethearts  high  in  the  air,  an'  made 
the  grove  to  ring 

With  joyous  laughter,  free  from  care,  an'  spent  the 
live  long  day 


305 


'Till  wearied  out,  with  tired  feet,  we  homeward  wound 

our  way ; 
When  our  days  wer'  bright  ez  the  morning  light  an' 

our  futer  hed  no  shadder. 
To  cast  its  darkness  on  our  paths,  an  make  our  hearts 

feel  sadder ; 
When  the  hours  all  blithe  an'  golden  sped  quickly  in 

ther  flight 
An'  our  hearts  wer'  filled  with  bounding  hope  an'  the 

onlook  glowed  with  light; 
When  with   truth   an'  dauntless  courage  our  hearts 

would  overflow. 
An'  hope's  bright  rainbow  spanned  the  sky  an'  bid  us 

forward  go. 

Our  schoolmates  uv  the  long  ago,  who  'neath  the  oak 

tree's  shade 
Around   the  old  log  schoolhouse   hev  often  with  us 

played, 
Ar'   scattered   like   the   autumn   leaves  frum  ocean's 

shore  to  shore. 
Some  hev  to  fame  an'  fortune  grown,  an'  in  life's  battle 

sore 
Some  hev  failed,  while  sirugglin'  on,  but  brave  their 

part  they  bore. 
But  the  many  who  wer  with  us  then,  hev  left  an'  gone 

before. 
Today  we'll  call  all  back  agin,  once  more  be  gals  an' 

boys, 
An'  try  to  feel  as  we  did  then,  when  filled  with  youth- 
ful joys. 
Our  long  forgotten  jokes  an'  scrapes,  we'll  now  tell  on 

each  other, 
Uutil  the  laughing  tears  run  down,  an'  not  a  thing 

we'll  smother. 
With  the  sweet  old  songs  we  used  to  sing 
Once  more  we'll  make  these  old  woods  ring. 
An'   show   these  .young  folks  settia'  'round  thet  the 

music  uv  that  day, 
Wuz  better  than   the  German  waltz,  or  furrin  trills 

that  now  they  sing  an'  play. 
The  music  thet  we  loved  uv  old,  wuz  the  spinnin- 

wheels'  sweet  hummin'; 
The  flax-break's  thud,  as  with  steady  beat  all  day  it 

kep  a  drummin' ; 
The  rattlin'  uv  the  shuttle,  to  the  loom-beam's  meas- 
ured thumpin'. 
But  on  pianies  an'  organs  they  now  grind  music  out 

by  poundin'  an  a  pumpin'. 
You  will  perhaps  quite  easy  see,  without  any  kind  uv 

trouble, 
Thet  the  old  way  did'ent  cost  so  much,  hut  wuz  fur 

more  profitable. 

O!  ther'  hez  bin  a  mighty  change;  but  I  think  'twill 
be  confessed 


306 


msTonr  of  vermillion  county. 


That  it  liezent  bin  in  every  case,  not  alius  for  the  best- 
Don't  you  mind   the  old  log  schoolhouse  wher'  we 

learned  so  many  things, 
As  readzw^r,  vi\-i\.ing,  spelh'w?  and  other  useful  ingaf 
All   this  is  changed,  an'  fur  the   wuss,  fur   In  ape-in 

arter  colleges, 
They  don't  teach  nuthin'  very  much,  except  what  ends 

in  ologies; 
They  skip  clean   over  common  things  an'  don't  seem 

much  inclined 
To  lay  good,  strong  foundations  for  the  trainin'.uv  the 

mind. 
They  try  to  teach  too  many  things,  an'  ther  teachin's 

kinder  scatterin' ; 
An'  that's  the  reason   why  you   see  we  now  hev  so 

much  smatterin'. 
'Tis  true  they  make  a  mighty  show,  an'  uv  everything 

they  prattle ; 
But  'lis  not  exactly  what   they  need,  in  fitein'  life's 

stern  battle. 

An'  so  it  is  in  other  things.    Jist  see  your  politics: 
The  best  men  all  must  stand  aside  fur  the  tuflfest  kind 

uv  bricks. 
In  by-gone  days  the  people  asked.  Is  he  honest?  Is  he 

capable? 
But  now  the  only  question  is,  la  the  candidate  available  ? 
Which  simply  means.  Can  the  fellow  win?  an'  if  so  is 

he  saleable? 
We  old  folks  can,  I  think,  complain  that  among  'the 

ugly  things 
Thet  now  exist,  that  this  great  land  is  run  by  rotten 

rings ; 

An'  moral  worth  an'   brilliant  brains   hev   very  little 
chance 


Agin  the  chap  with   a  bank   account,  who  makes   a 
large  advance. 

But  we  cannot   mend  these  matters, — by   frettin'  ner 

by  howlin'  , 
An'  these  young  folks  say  we  old   folks  keep  an  ever- 

lastin'  growlin' ; 
So  we'll  jist  quit  an'  let  them  try ;  fur  we  hev  had  our 

day. 
We've  fought  our   fight,  we've  made  our  marks,  an' 

we  hev  sed  our  say. 
An'  the  evening  shadows  round  us  close,  an'  we  must 

soon  away 
An'  leave  these  young  folks   on  ther'  guard  to  find  a 

better  way. 
It   is  a  fact  we  ar'  growin'    old,  'an   old  Time,  who 

never  lingers. 
Will  soon  place  on  our  beating  hearts  his  cold  an'  icy 

lingers; 
An'  then  we'll  strike  our  movin'  tents,  an'  soon  we'll 

get  our  orders 
To   quickly  take  our    line    uv    march    beyond  life's 

changeful  borders, 
Where  we'll  tind   another  campin'  ground,  in  a  place 

beyond  the  river; 
Where  all  old  settlers'  meet  agin,   an'  all   shall  camp 

together. 
In  a  camp  where  all   ar'  young   agin,   an'  no  ties  we 

there  shall  sever. 
But  to  our  names,  when  roll   is  called,   we'll  answer 

Aye  forever. 
That  meetin'  will  be  comin'  soon,   an'  if  we  but  live 

accordin', 
T'will  be  the  grandest  meetin'   yet,  away  beyond  the 

Jordin. 


i', 


i 


■  ■■■■■■■■■■»■■■■■■■■■■■'; 


BIOOBAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


m^ 

m, 


fOIIN  COLLETT  (second),  State  Geolo- 
gist, 1879-'84,  is  a  resident  of  the  old 
homestead  near  Engene,  though  he  spends 
most  of  his  time  at  Indianapolis.  He  was 
born  at  Engene  January  6,  1828,  the  eldest 
Bon  of  Stephen  S.  and  Sarah  (Groenendyke) 
CoUett.  (A  sketch  of  his  parents  is  given 
elsewhere  in  tliis  volume).  He  was  only  fif- 
teen years  old  when  his  father  died,  and  upon 
him  devolved  much  of  the  care  of  his  father's 
estate  of  5,000  acres,  and  also  the  interests 
of  his  younger  brothers  and  sisters,  of  whom 
there  were  seven.  In  the  discharge  of  these 
duties  he  exhibited  extraordinary  ability,  and 
was  also  faithful  in  carrying  out  the  policy 
of  his  father.  The  most  important  feature  of 
this  policy  was  good  education  for  all  his 
children.  The  plans  for  this  were  success- 
fully executed.  Mr.  Collett  pursued  his 
higher  studies  at  Wabash  College,  where  he 
graduated  in  1847  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Arts,  and  where  five  years  later  he  received 
the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  In  1S79  that 
institution  conferred  upon  him  the  additional 
distinction  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy.  For  a 
number  of  years  after  arriving  at  the  age  of 


manhood  his  time  was  devoted  to  farming 
and  miscellaneous  business  connected  with  it; 
and  he  also  frequently  had  charge  of  impor- 
tant estates.  In  these  matters  he  was  re- 
markably shrewd,  prompt  and  honest.  He 
never  permitted  his  own  private  affairs  to 
interfere  witli  the  responsibilities  he  had 
undertaken  for  the  interests  of  others;  and 
amid  all  these  cares  he  also  found  time  for 
scientific  studies,  and  participated  in  i)ul.)lic 
affairs.  His  ability  and  integrity  were  both 
so  conspicuous  that  his  fellow  citizens  recog- 
nized these  qualities  in  him,  and  sought  op- 
portunities to  give  testimonials  to  the  fact  by 
honoring  him  with  office.  Accordingly,  in 
1870,  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  counties 
of  Parke  and  Vermillion  in  the  State  Senate, 
where  he  served  through  two  regular  sessions 
and  one  called  session.  While  a  Senator  he 
originated  the  clause  in  the  Baxter  Bill  which 
has  since  become  a  part  of  the  general  law 
of  the  State,  ranking  public  drunkenness  with 
crime.  Another  of  his  propositions,  which 
has  since  been  generally  accepted,  was,  that 
the  owners  and  not  the  public,  should  be  held 
responsible   for   the   live   stock  running   at 


I 

t 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


!! 


ilL 


large.  He  was  prominent  in  advocating  tlie 
law  providing  for  the  construction  of  gravel 
roads,  under  wliicli  State  gravel  roads  have 
been  made  throughout  Indiana;  but  he  was 
most  forward  in  advocating  compulsory  edu- 
cation, at  a  time  when  very  few  dared  to  favor 
such  a  measure.  Also,  he  rendered  great 
service  to  the  cause  of  education  by  assisting 
Hon.  James  D.  Williams,  then  a  Senator  from 
Knox  County,  and  since  Governor,  to  obtain 
the  passage  of  a  law  requiring  that  the  sur- 
plus bank  funds  be  distributed  among  the 
counties  to  be  loaned  at  interest  for  the  bene- 
fit of  common  schools,  instead  of  leaving  it,  as 
before  that  was  the  case,  only  in  charge  of  the 
State  officers  to  inure  to  their  benefit  ex- 
clusively. Also,  he  saved  from  defeat  the 
bill  providing  for  county  superintendents  of 
schools,  and  he  was  the  first  to  advocate  the 
establishment  of  a  State  home  for  the  feeble- 
minded. Mr.  Collett  was  a  "Whig  in  early 
life,  and  became  a  Republican  upon  the  or- 
ganization of  thatj^arty;  but,  notwithstanding 
his  zeal  in  the  cause  of  Republicanism,  he 
was  the  choice  of  Governor  Williams  in  1879, 
for  the  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics  and 
Geology,  then  just  established.  In  assuming 
the  position,  he  found  himself  under  the 
necessity  of  devising  the  methods  for  gather- 
ing statistics,  and  although  embarrassed  for 
the  M^ant  of  sufficient  appropriations  of  money, 
he  succeeded  in  collecting  much  valuable  in- 
formation on  a  great  variety  of  important 
subjects.  This  was  compiled  in  two  volumes 
of  over  500  pages  each,  on  a  plan  which  has 
not  since  been  materially  departed  from. 
While  serving  in  this  ofiice,  his  influence  led 
the  State  House  Board  to  institute  a  series 
of  scientific  tests,  which  resulted  in  perma- 
nently establishing  the  superiority  of  Indiana 
building  stone  over  the  other  kinds  that 
before  had  been  in  use;  and  thus  was  devel- 
oped in  his  State  an  industry  which  every  year 


brings  great  wealth  to  the  people.  But  Mr. 
Collett's  greatest  notoriety  is  as  a  scientist, 
especially  in  the  departments  of  Geology  and 
Palfeontology.  When  but  eight  years  old  he 
displayed  a  remarkable  aptitude  in  the  collec- 
tion and  classification  of  geological  specimens. 
As  he  grew  older  his  talents  in  these  respect? 
became  so  marked,  that  scientific  men  in  all 
parts  of  the  United  States  opened  correspond- 
ence with  him,  and  received  great  benefit 
from  his  contributions  to  science.  For  the 
last  ten  or  fifteen  years  no  man  has  been  a 
more  enthusiastic  and  successful  student  of 
the  hidden  treasures  of  the  earth's  crust  in 
this  region;  nor  has  any  one  furnished  more 
valuable  or  welcome  information  to  the  sci- 
entific world.  From  1870  to  1878,  as  As- 
sistant State  Geologist,  he  contributed  nearly 
1,000  condensed  pages  of  matter  concerning 
the  counties  of  Sullivan,  Dubois,  Warren, 
Lawrence,  Knox,  Gibson,  Brown,  Vanderburg, 
Owen,  Montgomery,  Clay,  Putnam,  Harri- 
son and  Crawford.  While  State  Geologist, 
1879-'84:,  he  compiled  four  volumes,  aver- 
aging over  500  pages  each,  on  the  Geology 
and  Palffiontology  of  Indiana,  which  have 
become  standard  books  of  reference  in  all 
parts  of  the  civilized  Avorld.  These  reports 
embrace  a  large  number  of  illustrations  of 
great  value  to  students  of  science  as  Avell  as 
to  miners.  The  report  of  1883-'84  gave  to 
the  public  the  first  geological  map  of  Indiana 
ever  published.  Even  when  ajjpropriation 
from  the  State  funds  fell  short,  Mr.  Collett 
advanced  thousands  of  dollars  from  his  own 
purse  to  keep  his  assistants  in  the  field  and 
his  department  steadily  running;  and  for  this 
the  State  is  still  indebted  to  him.  Since  the 
expiration  of  his  term  as  State  Geologist  he 
has  been  engaged  in  various  literary  and 
business  enterjjrises,  which  allow  him  rest  and 
quiet,  and  to  make  trips  in  difterent  directions 
across  the  continent.     In  all  the  positions  he 


BIOORAPIIICAL    SKETOHEl- 


luis  held  he  has  exhibited  a  remarkable  ca- 
pacity for  excessive  hard  labor  and  endurance, 
both  mental  and  physical,  often  doing  much 
more  than  one  would  suppose  was  possible 
for  any  man  to  do.  In  religion,  Mr.  CoUett 
is  a  believer  in  Christianity,  and  his  predi- 
lections are  in  favor  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  In  keeping  with  the  instincts  of  the 
family,  he  still  maintains  his  residence  at  the 
old  homestead  near  Eugene,  where  his  chief 
enjoyment  consists  in  agricultural  pursuits 
and  scientiiic  studies.  In  stature,  he  is  six 
feet  two  inches  high,  straight  as  a  plumb- 
line,  and  of  a  military  bearing;  his  eyes  are  a 
piercing  gray;  complexion  fair;  hair  formerly 
auburn,  but  both  that  and  his  beard  are  now 
snow  white  and  of  patriarchal  length ;  mouth 
wide,  and  of  an  aifable  outline;  nose  indi- 
cating a  marked  character;  in  motion,  he  is 
quick  and  determined.  In  the  prime  of  life 
he  could  outwalk  three  ordinary  men,  and 
hence  have  the  advantage  in  rambling  over 
hill  and  dale  in  the  examination  of  the  earth 
and  collection  of  specimens.  In  walking,  he 
does  not,  as  many  do,  keep  his  eyes  just  before 
his  toes,  but  cast  forward  at  a  great  distance, 
indicating  energy  and  high  ambition.  . 


.#.-> 


of  Ver- 


^^[LIAS  PRITCHARD,  auditor 
^M,  million  County,  Indiana,  is  serving  his 
"^^  second  term,  having  been  elected  in  the 
fail  of  1880,  and  again  in  1884,  his  present 
term  expiring  in  1888.  He  is  a  representa- 
tive of  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of  Ver- 
million Countj'.  His  father,  Ezekiel 
Pritcliard,  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina, 
removing  thence  when  a  yonng  man  to  Penn- 
sylvania, and  from  there  to  Ohio,  where  he 
married  Eleanor  Watson,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania. About  1828  they  moved  to  Indi- 
ana    and    settled     in     Clinton     Township, 


Vermillion  County,  where  he  died  July 
12,  1838.  He  entered  120  acres  of  land 
on  section  5,  township  14,  range  9, 
which  he  partially  improved,  building  a 
log  house,  setting  out  an  orchard  and 
erecting  necessary  farm  buildings.  He  was 
a  hard-working,  honest  and  respected  citizen, 
and  had  many  friends  among  the  pioneers. 
He  left  at  his  death  a  widow  and  fourteen 
children,  seven  sons  and  seven  daughters,  all 
of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  and  all  but  one 
of  the  deceased  left  families.  Those  living 
are — John,  of  Joliet,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Payton  and  Mrs.  Maria  Hill,  of  Clinton 
Township;  Mrs.  Mary  Cottrell,  of  Terre 
Haute;  Johnson,  of  California;  Mrs.  Martha 
Curtis,  of  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  and  Elias. 
Elias  Pritcliard  was  born  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship, (Jctober  12,  1838,  and  has  always  been 
identified  with  his  native  county.  He  was 
reared  a  farmer,  remaining  on  the  farm  until 
twenty-four  years  of  age,  when  he  was  em- 
ployed as  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store,  and  in 
1870  engaged  in  business  for  himself  at  Bono, 
which  he  continued  until  his  election  in  1880 
to  his  present  position.  He  is  an  efticient 
public  ofticer,  fulfilling  his  duties  conscien- 
tiously and  with  painstaking  care.  Mr 
Pritcliard  married  Miss  Mary  A.  Patrick,  of 
Edgar  County,  Illinois,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Maria  (Nichols)  Patrick.  They  have  had 
four  children,  of  whom  only  one,  a  son,  is 
living— Ordie  E.,  born  April  18,  1879. 
Their  eldest,  Ella  M.,  died  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen years,  and  Grace  and  Blanche  aged  re- 
spectively six  and  nine  months.  In  politi 
Mr.  Pritcliard  is  a  Republican,  being  the  only 
one  of  his  family  who  votes  that  ticket.  He 
cast  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  Lincoln  in 
1860,  and  has  voted  for  every  Repul)lican 
nominee  since,  with  the  exception  of  1864, 
when  he  was  absent  from  the  State.  He  is 
one  of  the  prominent  and  substantial  citizens 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


of  Yermillion  Comity,  public-spirited  and 
influential  in  promoting  all  worthy  enter- 
prises. 


-^>^ 


«P.  POTTS,  farmer  and  stock-raiser, 
section  3,  Vermillion  Townsliip,  is  a 
®  native  of  Vermillion  County,  born 
April  17,  1848,  a  son  of  Eicbard  and  Rebecca 
(Jackson)  Potts.  His  father  was  from  Mon- 
mouth County,  New  Jersey,  and  his  mother 
from  Clermont  County,  Ohio.  They  came  to 
Veritiillion  County  in  1845,  making  this 
their  home  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  The 
father  died  in  1875,  aged  seventy-four  years, 
and  the  mother  in  1885,  at  about  the  same 
age.  The/  had  two  sons — Thomas,  who  is 
now  deceased,  and  our  subject.  C.  P.  Potts 
was  reared  a  farmer,  an  occupation  he  has 
always  followed  successfully,  and  now  has  680 
acres  of  valuable  land.  In  his  stock-raising 
he  makes  a  specialty  of  cattle,  and  in  his 
herd  are  many  valuable  lireeds.  He  is  one 
of  the  enterprising  farmers  of  his  township, 
and,  although  not  yet  forty  years  old,  is  one 
of  the  substantial  and  prominent  citizens  of 
the  county.  He  was  married  in  1876  to  Jo- 
sephine Culley,  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  born  in  1852,  a  daughter  of  Jolm 
and  Martha  Culley.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Potts 
have  two  children — Clara  B.  and  Joseph  G. 
Mr.  Potts  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity. Lodge  No.  209.  In  politics  he  casts 
his  suffrage  with  the  Kejiublican  party. 


fAMES  RUSH,  a  pioneer  of  Helt  Town- 
ship, resides  on  section  24.  He  was  born 
in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  IMarch  25, 
1817,  a  son  of  George  Hush,  who  came  to 
Indiana  in   1818,  and  lived  in  Parke  County 


a  year,  and  in  1819  moved  to  Vermillion 
County,  where  he  settled  in  the  woods  among 
Indians  and  wild  animals,  and  in  this  county 
James  was  reared.  One  summer  500  Indians 
were  encamped  near  their  house.  They  were 
generally  peaceable  and  gave  the  settlers  but 
little  trouble.  Mr.  Push  has  always  been  a 
farmer  and  has  done  a  great  deal  to  advance 
the  interests  of  agriculture  in  his  township. 
He  was  married  February  23, 1854,  to  Dorcas 
Andrews,  daughter  of  James  Andrews,  who 
came  to  Vermillion  County  from  Butler 
County,  Ohio,  in  1823,  and  settled  on  the 
farm  where  Mr.  Hush  now  lives,  and  where 
Mrs.  Push  was  born  July  30,  1825.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Push  have  had  five  children;  but 
three  are  living — Fred,  Mark  and  Mary  E. 
Mrs.  Push  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church. 


fOHN  P.  McNeill,  of  Perry svi lie,  was 
born  in  AVaterford,  Loudoun  County, 
Virginia,  February  25,  1811,  a  son  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Mayne)  McNeill.  He 
came  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  with  his 
father's  family  in  1836  and  here  he  has  since 
made  his  home,  a  period  of  fifty-one  years. 
He  was  reared  to  the  avocation  of  a  farmer 
which  he  made  his  life  work,  and  in  his 
chosen  work  has  met  with  excellent  success. 
Beginning  life  with  no  capital  but  health  and 
a  determination  to  succeed  he  has  by  his 
persevering  energy  and  habits  of  industry  be- 
come classed  among  the  most  prosperous  of 
the  many  successful  citizens  of  Highland 
Township.  Mr.  McNeill  has  been  twice 
married.  January  1,  1840,  he  married  Miss 
Martha  Rudy,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
a  daughter  of  Martin  Rudy,  one  of  the  county's 
early  settlers.  Mrs.  McNeill  died  May  15, 
1848,    leaving    two    children  —  Irene,    born 


BIOOBAPHIOAL    SKETCHES. 


October  23,  1846,  uow  the  wife  of  The- 
ophilus  Holloway,  of  Yigo  County,  Indiana, 
id  Frank,  born  February  6,  1848,  an  artist 
living  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Mr.  Mc- 
Neill was  married  a  second  time  to  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  (liudy)  Barger,  a  sister  of  his 
first  wife,  and  to  this  union  were  born  seven 
children,  four  sons  and  three  daughters — 
Scott,  Albert,  John  B.  and  Charles  G.,  and 
Josephine,  wife  of  F.  A.  Walker;  Anna 
Laura,  wife  of  Thomas  J.  Armsrong,  and 
Jennie  Lind  living  at  home.  In  his  relig- 
ious belief  Mr.  McNeill  inclines  toward 
Unitarianism,  although  he  has  a  greater  re- 
spect for  good  deeds  than  for  creeds.  He  has 
been  a  student  of  religious  literature  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  and  has  found  so  many 
conflcting  theories  that  he  long  ago  jlecided 
to  take  reason  for  his  guide.  His  motto  is: 
"  Do  not  unto  others  that  which  you  would 
not  have  others  do  unto  you."  In  politics  he 
was  in  early  life  a  Whig,  casting  his  first 
■presidential  vote  for  Henry  Clay.  He  now 
affiliates  with  the  Eepublican  party.  Mr. 
McNeill  is  one  of  the  active  and  public 
spirited  citizens  of  Yermillion  County,  and 
is  ever  ready  to  aid  in  the  promotion  of  what- 
ever enterprise  he  believes  is  for  the  best  in- 
terests of  his  fellow  men. 


fOHN  WRIGHT,  a  worthy  representative 
of  one  of  the  earliest  pioneer  families  of 
_  Yermillion  County,  is  a  native  of  New 
York  State,  born  in  Ontario  County,  March 
22,  1818,  a  son  of  George  and  Anna  (Handy) 
Wright,  the  father  born  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  and  the  mother  a  native  of  Massachu- 
setts. In  1819  they  came  to  Indiana  with 
their  family  of  nine  children,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  being  then  a  babe.  After  one 
year's  residence  in  Terre  Haute,  they,  in  1820, 


came  to  Yermillion  County,  and  in  the  forest 
of  Clinton  Township  established  their  future 
home  on  Lenderman  Creek,  five  miles  south- 
west of  Clinton.  The  county  at  that  time 
was  a  wilderness,  containing  but  few  families, 
being  inhabited  principally  by  Indians  and 
wild  animals.  George  Wright  was  a  poor 
man,  able  only  to  secure  a  tract  of  160  acres, 
and  most  of  his  children  were  too  young  to 
render  any  assistance  in  their  struggle  for  a 
livelihood.  Labor  in  the  pioneer  settlement 
commanded  no  money.  There  were  no  mills 
in  the  country,  and  corn  when  raised  had  to 
be  pounded  into  meal  in  huge  improvised 
mortars.  Gradually  the  opening  in  the 
forest  grew  larger  and  the  circumstances  of 
the  family  improved,  and  the  boys,  each  year 
added  strength  to  the  woi'king  force!  Two 
children  were  added  to  the  family  in  their 
pioneer  home.  Mrs.  Wright  did  not  live  to 
see  the  fruition  of  her  hopes,  dying  in  1827, 
in  her  forty-first  year.  Mr.  Wright  was 
spared  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  years  of  per- 
severing toil,  having  a  comfortable  home. 
He  died  in  1844  at  the  age  of  sixty-si.\  years. 
He  was  a  hard  working  man,  full  of  energy 
and  ambition,  and  was  kind  and  accommoda- 
ting to  all,  and  lie  is  still  favorably  remem- 
bered by  many  of  the  old  pioneers.  Of  his 
eleven  children,  si.x  sons  and  five  daughters, 
all  have  passed  away  but  John,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  and  Truman  who  lives  in  Edgar 
County,  Illinois.  John  Wright  associates 
his  earliest  recollections  of  life  with  events  in 
the  pioneer  days  of  Yermillion  County.  His 
educational  advantages  were  limited,  but  con- 
tact with  the  world  has  enabled  him  to  fully 
overcome  the  deficiencies  of  his  youthful 
days.  He  was  reared  to  the  avocation  of  a 
farmer,  and  he  has  made  farming  his  princi- 
pal occupation  through  life,  though  the  past 
si.x  years  he  has  lived  retired  from  active  life, 
I  in  Clinton,  where  he  owns  a  good  residence, 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


and  considerable  city  property,  includin 
about  a  half  interest  in  the  Opera  House 
block.  Mr.  Wright  was  united  in  marriage 
October  6,  1836,  to  .Miss  Margaret  Nickle, 
who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1816,  and 
was  a  daughter  of  James  Nickle,  one  of  the 
county's  pioneer  men.  Of  the  six  children 
born  to  them  but  three  are  living — Lucius  H., 
of  Clinton  Township,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry  during  the  war; 
Mrs.  Narcissus  Payn,  of  Clinton  Township, 
and  John  O.,  of  Wichita,  Kansas.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wright  were  pioneers  of  Jackson  County, 
Iowa,  locating  there  in  1838.  One  year  later 
they  removed  to  Galena,  Illinois,  where  Mrs. 
Wright  kept  a  boarding  house  two  years,  Mr. 
AVright  being  engaged  in  smelting  and  haul- 
ing lead  ore.  They  then  returned  to  Jackson 
County,  Iowa,  where  Mr.  Wright  followed 
farming  six  years.  Returning  to  Indiana 
with  a  little  capital,  he  purchased  eighty  acres 
of  land  in  Vigo  County,  and  there  resided 
thi-ce  years,  when  he  removed  to  Edgar 
County,  Illinois,  where  his  wife  died.  Mr. 
Wright  was  subsequently  married  to  Miss 
•Mary  Chunn,  who  was  born  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship, Vermillion  County,  in  1827,  a  daughter 
of  John  T.  Chunn,  who  was  a  Major  in  the 
war  of  1812,  in  the  Virginia  Volunteers.  To 
this  union  six  children  were  born,  all  of  whom 
are  residing  in  Clinton  Township  or  city. 
They  are  as  follows — David,  Mrs.  Margaret 
Smith,  a  widow,  Mrs.  Naomi  Hale,  Mrs. 
Maria  Van  Dyne,  Ulysses  G.  and  William  C. 
In  1858  Mr.  Wright  again  returned  to  Ver- 
million County,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
a  resident  of  Clinton  Township,  and  during 
this  time  he  has  witnessed  the  marvelous 
growth  and  development  of  the  county,  in 
which  he  has  done  las  full  share.  On  settling 
in  the  county  he  bought  800  acres  of  land, 
and  by  his  good  management  he  added  to  his 
i-eal  estate  until  he  had  1,400  acres.     He  has 


given  his  children  a  good  start  in  life,  and 
yet  owns  about  700  acres,  and  all  his  proper- 
ty has  been  acquired  by  fair  and  honorable 
means.  Mr.  Wright  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternitj'.  In  politics  he  was  in 
early  days  a  V/hig,  an  ardent  supporter  and 
admirer  of  Henry  Clay,  and  since  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Republican  party  lias  voted  that 
ticket. 


■^-*. 


fOHN  McKEILL,  deceased,  formerly  a 
resident  of  Perrysville,  was  born  in  Tus- 
carora  Valley,  Pennsylvania.  After  liv- 
ing for  a  time  in  Loudoun  County,  Virginia, 
and  Frederick  County,  Maryland,  he  came,  in 
November,  1836,  with  his  family  to  Perrys- 
ville. While  residing  in  Maryland  he  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  foremost  citizens  of 
Frederick  County,  filling  many  honorable 
positions  in  society.  For  many  years  he  was 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  so  clear  was  his 
head  in  legal  matters,  and  so  impartial  his 
judgments,  that  no  appeal  was  ever  taken 
from  his  docket.  He  was  an  intense  anti- 
slavery  man  and  an  active  member  of  the 
Maryland  Colonization  Society,  the  object  of 
which  organization  was  to  colonize  the  colored 
people  in  Liberia,  Africa.  He  was  once  offered 
the  position  of  Probate  Judge  of  Frederick 
County  by  the  Governor  and  Council, — a 
life  appointment, — but  declined  it,  having 
determined  to  move  West.  He  was  well 
posted  in  Governmental  matters.  Was  a 
prominent  and  useful  member  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  church,  well  informed  as  to  her 
policy  and  doctrines.  After  he  came  to 
Perrysville  he  purchased  a  lot  for  a  churcli 
building,  and  was  one  of  the  leading  spirits  in 
the  enterprise  of  erecting  the  church.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Hannah  Mayne, 
and  they  had  a  large  family  of  children  noted 


AlOQBAPmOAL   SRBTCBas, 


817 


for  their  energy  and  industry.  Mr.  McNeiil's 
father,  John  McNeill,  emigrated  from  Scot- 
land previous  to  the  Eevolutionary  war,  in 
whicli  contest  he  Joined  tlie  patriot  forces  and 
remained  with  tliein  to  the  end.  In  one 
engagement  he  was  shot  twice,  and  he  bore  his 
ho!K>raljle  scars  to  the  grave.  During  his  term 
III'  service  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of 
ehief  baggage-mastei".  He  had  married  Miss 
-Me\'ey,  a  lady  of  Scotch  decent,  who  had 
eliai'ge  of  the  family  while  he  was  in  the 
ai-iiiy. 


^sON.  GEORGE  II.  McNEILLof  Perrys- 
'  I  \  vilie,  Indiana,  son  of  John  and  Hannah 
%;|  (Mayne)  McNeill,  was  born  in  Middle- 
town  Valley,  Frederick  County,  Maryland, 
February  22, 1818.  His  father  was  of  Scotch 
descent,  and  his  mother  of  German  descent. 
His  father  was  a  prominent  and  highly 
res])ected  citizen  of  Frederick  Coirnty,  Mary- 
land, and  while  residing  in  that  county  held 
several  offices  of  profit  and  honor.  Born  upon 
a  farm,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  had  only 
such  opportunities  as  were  oflTered  in  the 
country  schools,  taught  principally  during 
the  winter  seasons,  and  the  use  of  a  well 
selected  general  library,  owned  by  his  father, 
through  which  means  he  acquired  a  fair  edu- 
cation, and  formed  a  taste  for  general  reading, 
whicli  has  followed  him  through  life,  and 
enabled  him  to  become  well  posted  in  many 
branches  of  science  and  literature,  ranking 
him  among  the  able  self-made  men  of  the 
country.  In  the  fall  of  1836  he,  with  his 
fatlier's  family, emigrated  to  the  then  far  west, 
and  located  at  Perrysville,  on  the  Wabash 
River,  in  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  where 
his  father  died  in  1843,  and  his  mother  in 
1856,  and  where  his  only  living  brother,  John 
R.    McNeill,   now  resides,  his  other  brother. 


Judge  C.  F.  McNeill,  having  recently  died. 
To  his  honored  parents,  who  were  old  style 
Methodists,  and  were  members  of  that  church 
almost  from  its  first  organization,  the  McNeill 
family  are  greatly  indebted  for  whatsoever  is 
good  or  honorable  that  may  pertain  to  them. 
Mr.  McNeill  has  resided  in  Perrysville  ever 
since  he  came  to  this  county  and  was  always 
actively  engage  in  some  business.  When 
young  he  read  medicine  extensively  witii  the 
view  of  entering  into  its  practice,  but  con- 
cluded to  go  into  the  drug  business  and  did 
so  in  1845  which  he  has  continued  up  to  the 
present  time  and  made  it  a  decided  success. 
He  has  always  kept  a  complete  assortment, 
and  of  the  very  best,  and  managed  tiie  busi- 
ness witir_  such  care,  and  so  tlioroughly 
trained  his  assistants,  that  during  his  forty- 
two  years  in  business,  not  a  single  accident 
has  occurred  from  putting  out  wrong  articles. 
In  1845  he  married  Rebecca  Kinno}^  Beers, 
one  of  a  family  remarkable  for  their  natural 
abilities,  and  noted  as  the  best  of  cooks  and 
housekeepers.  The  result  of  tiii.s  marriage 
was  three  sons — Milton  ]\[.,  William  Kinney 
and  George  H.  Milton  M.  McNeill  reside? 
in  tiie  city  of  Danville,  Illinois,  is  farming 
largely,  and  doing  a  successful  hard-wood 
lumber  business.  He  married  Ruliama  Rus- 
sell Bell,  daughter  of  Wm.  M.  Bell.  William 
K.  McNeill  remained  with  his  parents  aiding 
in  the  home  business  and  is  now  trustee  of 
Iligiiland  Township.  George  H.  McNeill, 
Jr.,  died  in  his  infancy.  Mrs.  McNeill  took 
charge  of  the  drug  business  in  1850  and  ran 
it  for  ten  years,  managing  it  with  ability, 
training  her  sons  to  the  business,  learning 
them  habits  of  industry,  and  inculcating 
principles  of  honor  and  morality  as  only  a 
mother  can  do.  Her  home  is  a  model  one 
where  hosts  of  people  have  been  kindly 
entertained.  For  fortj'-two  years  past  she 
has  been  an  active  member  of  the  Methodist 


Episcopal  church  in  Perrysville.  Mr.  McNeill 
has  been  county  surveyor  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, Indiana,  was  for  a  number  of  years,  exam- 
iner of  school  teachers  for  the  coimty,  and 
has  been  a  notary  public  continuously  for 
over  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He,  under  order 
of  court,  has  been  a  commissioner  to  divide 
real  estate  among  the  heirs  of  deceased 
persons  often er  tliau  any  person  that  has  ever 
i-esided  in  the  county.  He  was  also  enrolling 
officer  for  Highland  Township,  and  always 
had  mucli  to  do  with  public  affairs  and  filled 
the  various  positions  with  credit  and  ability. 
In  addition  to  the  drug  business  lie  and  his 
son  William  K.  McNeill  are  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising  on  tlieir  farms  near 
Perrysville.  Mr.  McNeill  is  a  Republican 
and  has  been  an  active  member  of  that  party 
since  its  organization — is  an  unwavering  be- 
liever in  the  truths  of  the  Bible  and  in  ortho- 
dox Christianity,  as  taught  in  the  standard 
authorities  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
He  was  eminently  loyal  to  the  Government 
during  the  rebellion,  and  never  became  dis- 
pondent  during  its  darkest  days — expressing 
Ills  views  as  he  often  did  "that  the 
Lord  of  Hosts  was  not  dead  and  that  the 
Devil  did  not  reign — therefore  the  Government 
would  finally  triumph  and  the  rebellion  be 
put  down."  Mr.  McNeill  is  outspoken  in 
whatever  views  he  may  hold — is  public 
spirited,  charitable,  liberal  and  kindly  disposed 
but  will  not  suffer  his  rights  trampled  upon. 
At  the  age  of  nearly  seventy  years,  does  as 
much  work  and  pushes  his  business  as 
energetically  as  when  young. 


fAVID  W.  BELL, an  active  and  enterpris- 
ing business  man,  is  a  native  of  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  born  at  Eugene, 
Deccmlier  20,   1856,  a  son  of  Tliomas  W. 


Bell,  of  Eugene,  who  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  here.  David  W.  passed  his  boyhood 
at  Eugene,  receiving  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  this  place.  At  the  age  of  fourteen 
he  went  on  a  farm,  where  he  farmed  for 
three  years.  He  went  to  Terre  Haute  in  tlie 
spring  of  1876  and  was  tliere  engaged  in  tlie 
drug  business  until  1879,  wlien  he  returned 
to  Eugene  where  lie  has  since  been  engaged 
in  the  drug  and  general  mercantile  business. 
He  is  associated  with  William  W.  Hosford, 
and  both  being  live  business  men,  have 
established  a  good  trade  which  is  steadily  in- 
creasing. Mr.  Bell  is  the  present  accommo- 
dating postmaster  at  Eugene,  having  been 
appointed  to  this  office  in  1885,  his  commis- 
sion bearing  tlie  date  of  April  27,  1885,  and 
signed  by  Grover  Cleveland. 

IgENJAMIN  HARRISON,  one  of  the 
Wa%  old  and  honored  pioneers  of  Vermillion 
^'"  County,  dates  his  birth  February  S, 
1805,  in  Rockingham  County,  Virginia.  His 
parents,  William  and  Molly  Harrison,  were 
also  natives  of  Rockingham  County,  his 
father  being  one  of  the  prominent  men  vl' 
the  county.  He  was  also  a  Captain  in  tlie 
war  of  1812.  The  subject  of  this  sketcli 
grew  to  manhood  in  his  native  county,  where 
he  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  whieli 
he  made  the  principal  avocation  of  his  life. 
His  education  was  limited  to  a  few  months 
attendance  at  the  subscription  schools  of  that 
early  day.  In  1825  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Ohio,  they  settling  in  Gallia 
County,  but  the  following  year  he  returned 
to  Virginia,  and  was  married  in  his  native 
county  to  Miss  Jane  A.  Bright,  January  3, 
1827.  They  were  reared  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood, and  were  playmates  in  early  life. 
Siie  was    born  in    Rockingham   County,  tlie 


iH55MSH5SS 


BIOORAPHICAL   8EBTCBEB. 


date  of  her  birth  being  January  19,  1806. 
Tliirteen  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harrison,  of  whom  seven  are  living  at  the 
l)i-esent  time — Mrs.  Abbie  Davidson,  born  in 
Virginia;  Eobert,  also  a  native  of  Virginia; 
Mile;  Calvin;  Charlotte,  living  with  her 
lather;  Franklin  and  Joseph.  The  remain- 
ing children  died  in  early  childhood,  with  the 
exception  of  Alexander,  who  died  in  1876  at 
the  age  of  thirty-seven  years.  Mr.  Harrison 
continued  to  reside  in  Ilockingham  County 
until  October,  1832,  when  he  came  with  his 
family  to  Vermillion  County,  and  made  his 
jiioneer  home  on  Brouillet's  Creek,  where  he 
bought  a  tract  of  320  acres.  After  clearing 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  acres  of  this  land  he 
sold  it,  and  in  1837  he  removed  to  his  pres- 
ent farm  on  section  19,  Clinton  Township, 
where  he  now  owns  about  500  acres  of  land, 
200  acres  being  bottom  land,  and  imexcelled 
in  the  county.  April  2, 1887,  he  was  bereaved 
by  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  had  shared 
with  him  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  life  for 
over  sixty  years.  Mr.  Harrison  was  reared  a 
Democrat,  but  at  the  time  of  the  Rebellion 
he  stood  firmly  by  the  administration  of 
President  Lincoln,  and  since  then  has  been 
one  of  the  active  Republicans  of  Vermillion 
County.  Perhaps  no  man  in  Indiana  has 
filled  successively  the  office  of  magistrate  as 
long  as  the  subject  of  this  sketch — a  period 
of  thirty-eight  years.  In  1842  he  was  elected 
justice  of  the  peace,  holding  that  office  until 
1880,  when,  on  account  of  his  advanced  age, 
he  refused  a  re-election.  During  his  term  of 
office  he  proved  an  efficient  officer,  and  his 
decisions  M'ere  always  wise  and  just.  One 
fact  in  his  official  career  speaks  well  for  his 
wise  judgment,  that  not  two  cases  decided  by 
him  were  appealed  to  the  higher  courts. 
During  his  long  residence  in  the  county  he 
has  gained  the  confidence  and  respect  of  the 
entire  community,  and     made    many    warm 


friends.  Particularly  is  he  loved  and  honored 
by  his  children,  who  have  all  settled  around 
the  old  home. 


fECATUR  DOAVNING,  of  Clinton,  is 
one  of  the  representative  men  of  Ver- 
million County.  He  was  born  in  Clin- 
ton, Indiana,  January  23,  1836,  a  son  of 
Jonathan  Downing,  who  was  born  in  the  State 
of  Maryland  June  12,  1806,  and  a  grandson 
of  William  Downing,  who  settled  near 
Columbus,  Ohio,  moved  to  Clinton,  Indiana, 
in  1818,  and  died  here  March  7,  1822,  aged 
forty-six  years,  his  widow  surviving  until 
March  27,  1842.  Jonathan  Downing  passed 
his  youth  principally  in  Ohio.  In  1820,  two 
years  before  the  death  of  his  father,  he  came 
to  Clinton,  Indiana,  then  strong,  amljitious 
and  of  good  habits,  and  sought  employment 
among  the  pioneer  farmers,  but  shortly  after 
i-eaching  manhood  he  commenced  an  active 
business  career.  In  the  employment  of 
others  as  clerk  he  gained  experience,  and  be- 
came the  business  partner  of  B.  R.  Whit- 
comb,  in  Sullivan  County,  and  later  he 
established  himself  in  the  grocery  trade  at 
Clinton.  Some  years  later  he  was  elected 
magistrate,  and  served  efiiciently  in  that 
capacity,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  con- 
stituents. In  1846  he  removed  to  Newport, 
Vermillion  County,  where  for  a  short  time  he 
kept  a  hotel,  and  also  bought  and  shipped 
produce  to  New  Orleans  and  other  points.  In 
1848  he  returned  to  Clinton,  where  he  died 
in  1849.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Eliza  (Hiatt) 
Downing,  still  survives,  and  makes  her  home 
with  her  son  Decatur  Downing,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  She  was  born  at  Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania,  September  6,  1815,  a  daughter 
of  Robert  Payton,  who  with  his  family  moved 
to  Kentucky  when   Mrs.  Downing  was   quite 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COVNTT. 


yonng,  and  died  at  Covington  not  long  after- 
ward. Mrs.  Payton  with  her  iive  children, 
of  whom  Mrs.  Downing  was  the  eldest,  in 
1827  moved  to  YeriTiillion  County,  where  all 
died  with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Downing  and 
Mrs.  Margaret  Mitcliell,  of  Clinton.  The 
mother  was  again  married  to  James  Booher, 
who  died  in  1845.  She  died  in  February, 
1849,  aged  fifty-iive  years.  The  two  children 
born  to  her  second  marriage  are  deceased. 
Mrs.  Downing  was  first  married  December 
20,  1829,  to  Thomas  J.  Hiatt,  who  died 
March  3,  1834.  She  married  Jonathan 
Downing  December  20,  1884.  Jonathan  Mas 
twice  married,  taking  for  his  first  wife  Miss 
E^e  Hammond,  who  died  October  23,  1828. 
She  left  at  her  death  two  children  whose 
names  are  Mrs.  Delilah  Doty,  now  living  in 
Madison  County,  and  Mrs.  Perie  Charlton, 
who  died  at  Tuscola,  Illinois.  Decatur  Down- 
ing, whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  has  been 
all  his  life  identified  with  Vermillion  County, 
and  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in 
promoting  any  enterprise  which  tends  to- 
ward its  advancement.  His  educational  ad- 
vantages were  limited  to  the  common  schools 
of  the  county,  and  of  these  he  made  good 
use,  and  in  the  broadest  sense  he  may  be 
called  a  self-made  man.  But  thirteen  years 
old  when  his  father  died  lie  was  taken  into 
the  home  of  John  Payton,  his  maternal  uncle, 
with  whom  lie  remained  as  an  employe  in  his 
M-arehouse  and  mercantile  establishment, 
until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  during 
this  time  he  laid  the  Ibundation  of  his  suc- 
cessful business  career.  When  twenty-two 
years  old  he  became  a  partner  in  his  uncle's 
business  at  Toronto,  Vermillion  County, 
which  business  relation  existed  until  1873. 
Mr.  Downing  was  married  October  18,  1860, 
to  Miss  Matilda  Eichardson,  who  was  born 
in  Clinton  Township,  Vermillion  County, 
March  7.  1842,  a   daughter  of  William   A. 


Richardson.  She  died  at  Toronto  November 
30,  1873.  Clearing  his  business  relations 
with  his  uncle,  Mr.  Downing  with  his  only 
surviving  child,  Sarah  Eliza,  who  was  born 
August  29,  1861,  again  established  his  resi- 
dence in  Clinton.  He  has  lost  two  children: 
Frank,  who  died  October  9,  1865,  aged  over 
three  years,  and  Blanche,  who  died  July  24, 
1869,  aged  six  months  and  thirteen  days. 
Since  returning  to  Clinton  Mr.  Downing  has 
been  one  of  the  active  business  men  of  the 
place.  In  1875  he  became  senior  member  of 
the  firm  of  Downing  &  Nelson,  dealers  in 
produce  and  agricultural  implements.  In 
1876  the  firm  was  changed  to  Downing  A: 
Hamilton,  erecting  a  large  warehouse  to  ac- 
commodate their  increased  trade.  This  firm 
continued  until  1887,  when  Mr,  Downing  re- 
tired from  the  business.  September  21, 188G, 
he  married  for  his  second  wife  Mrs.  Saiah 
Sophia.  (J  aques)  Ilaselett,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Vannest)  Jaques,  and  a  grand- 
daughter of  John  Vannest,  the  first  settler  of 
Vermillion  County.  She  was  born  near  the 
pioneer  home  of  her  grandfather  in  Clinton 
Township,  March  9,  1844.  She  was  first 
married  toAVilliam  J.  Haselett,  who  was  born 
in  Putnam  County,  Indiana,  July  15,  1843, 
and  to  this  union  were  born  four  children — 
Mallie  B.,  Edith  L.,  William  J.  and  Emma 
G.,  the  third  child,  who  died  aged  two  years. 
Besides  his  fine  residence  and  other  property 
in  Clinton  Mr.  Downing  owns  three  tarms  in 
Clinton  Township  aggregating  570  acres.  In 
politics  he  was  identified  witli  the  Republican 
party  from  its  organization  until  within  the 
past  few  years.  In  1886  he  was  the  candi- 
date on  the  National  Labor  Reiorm  party  and 
endorsed  by  the  Republican  party  for  elec- 
tion to  the  Indiana  General  Assembly  in  his 
district  comprising  Sullivan,  Vigo  and  Ver- 
million counties,  and  although  having  a  plu- 
rality of  1,200  votes  to  overcome  was  defeated 


SiOOHAPBICAL    SKi!TCM'B. 


only  by  thirty  votes,  wliicli  shows  the  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held  among  the  men  whom 
he  has  lived  so  long.  He  has  served  as  com- 
missioner of  Vermillion  County  several  years 
with  honor  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction 
of  his  constituents. 


irOMAS  CUSIIMAN,  depntj  treasurer 
of  Vermillion  County,  is  one  of  the 
veteran  officials  of  the  county.  He  is 
a  pioneer  of  the  county,  locating  in  Perrys- 
ville  in  January,  1836,  where  he  resided  until 
1872,  when  he  was  elected  auditor  of  the 
county,  and  moved  to  Newport,  where  he  has 
since  lived.  He  was  born  in  Onondaga 
County,  New  York,  October  15,  1814.  His 
father,  Seth.Cnshman,  was  born  in  the  State 
of  New  York  and  was  a  direct  descendant  of 
Robert  Cushman  who  came  to  America  in  the 
Mayflower  in  1620.  He  was  reared  in  his 
native  State  and  there  married  Nancy  Eun- 
yau,  a  native  of  the  same  State,  of  English 
descent,  her  parents  belonging  to  a  prominent 
family  in  New  England  who  later  settled  in 
New  York.  In  the  spring  of  1818  Seth 
Cushman  moved  with  his  family  to  Sullivan 
County,  Indiana.  Immigrating  West  seventy 
years  ago  was  a  slow  and  tedious  undertaking. 
Several  fan)ilies  accompanied  Mr.  Cushman, 
the  party  going  by  ox  team  to  Olean,  New 
York,  when  they  constructed  a  flat-boat  and 
floated  down  the  Alleghany  and  Ohio  rivers 
to  Evans ville.  Here  they  separated,  each 
family  going  its  own  way.  Mr.  Cushman, 
bought  a  team  at  Evansville  and  went  north 
to  Princeton,  where  he  spent  the  winter.  The 
following  spring  he  went  to  Sullivan  County, 
and  pre-empted  forty  acres  of  land  which  he 
began  to  improve.  His  family  at  that  time 
consisted  of  eight  children,  their  ages  ranging 
from    two    to    twenty  years.     Mr.    Cushman 


did  not  live  long  to  see  his  pioneer  home 
develop  and  the  country  around  it  become 
improved.  From  the  effect  of  exposure  and 
the  malarial  character  of  the  country  he  con- 
tracted disease  which  resulted  in  his  death  in 
the  spring  of  1821.  He  was  reared  a  Quaker, 
and  possessed  that  high  moral  and  religious 
nature,  characteristic  of  that  sect.  Honest 
and  upright  in  all  his  dealings,  he  and  his  wife 
were  worthy  representatives  of  that  brave 
pioneer  element  that  is  fast  jmssing  away. 
After  the  death  of  the  father  the  family 
remained  together  and  the  boys  continued  the 
improvement  of  the  farm  and  also  added  to 
it.  In  1829,  when  fifteen  years  of  acre, 
Thomas  went  to  Vincennes  and  obtained 
employment  in  the  store  of  Tomlinson  & 
Eoss,  where  he  remained  five  years.  He 
then  went  to  Perrysville,  and  engaged  in 
general  merchandising  with  George  Uishop 
and  E.  D.  Moff'att.  In  1841  Mr.  Eishop 
withdrew  and  the  firm  of  Mofl^att  &  Cushman 
continued  until  Mr.  Cushman's  removal  to 
Newport  in  1872.  Mr.  Cushman  was  married 
in  Perrysville,  in  1847,  to  Susan  E.  Firth,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  where  her  parents  died 
when  she  was  a  child  and  she  and  a  sister 
afterward  had  a  home  with  Elijah  Eoseberry 
and  with  him  came  to  Vermillion  County  in 
1844.  Mrs.  Cushman  died  in  March,  1859, 
leaving  five  children,  only  one  of  whom  is 
living — William  J.,  now  of  Danville,  Illinois. 
In  1862  Mr.  Cushman  married  Mary  A. 
Baxter,  widow  of  Dr.  John  S.  Baxter.  She 
died  in  July,  1883,  leaving  a  daughter, 
Carrie  Glauton,  now  the  wife  of  AYilliam  L. 
Galloway,  of  Wichita,  Kansas.  Mr.  Cush- 
man began  life  poor  and  whatever  success  he 
has  gained  has  been  due  to  his  own  cft'orts. 
In  early  life  he  was  a  Whig,  but  since  its 
organization  has  been  allied  to  the  Ecjiublican 
party.  His  first  presidential  vote  was  cast 
for  General  Harrison  in  1840.     There  never 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


having  been  a  society  of  FrienJs  formed  in 
Newport,  Mr.  Cuslunan  has  cast  his  lot 
with  the  Methodists. 


fAMES  A.  ELDER,  section  3,  Ilelt  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Brown  Countj,  Ohio, 
Lorn  October  2,  1822,  a  son  of  Samuel 
and  Marj  (McCane)  Elder,  his  father  a  native 
of  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania,  and 
his  motlier  of  Ireland.  His  grandfather, 
Samuel  Elder,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and 
came  to  America  soon  after  his  marriage. 
Samuel  Elder,  Jr.,  left  his  native  State  in 
1816,  and  moved  to  Brown  County,  Ohio, 
where  he  lived  until  1832,  when  he  moved 
to  Yermillion  County,  Indiana,  and  settled 
in  Ilelt  Township,  where  his  wife  died  in 
1852.  In  the  summer  of  1869  he  went  to 
New  York  to  visit  friends,  and  died  there 
July  6,  of  that  year.  James  A.  Elder  was 
reared  on  a  farm  in  Vermillion  County,  and 
was  educated  in  the  log  cabin  schools.  He 
has  always  devoted  his  attention  to  farming, 
and  has  been,  as  a  result  of  economy  and 
good  management,  successful,  and  now  owns 
a  ilne  farm  of  423  acres  where  he  resides, 
and  also  143  acres  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois. 
He  makes  a  specialty  of  stock-raising,  and 
has  some  very  line  graded  varieties  of  both 
cattle  and  hogs.  He  takes  pride  in  having 
his  farm  and  stock  equal  to  any  in  the 
county,  and  devotes  his  entire  attention  to 
improving  his  property.  He  takes  an  inter- 
est in  the  material  welfare  of  the  county,  but 
prefers  to  leave  the  duties  devolving  on  an 
officeholder  to  those  who  have  such  asjnra- 
tions,  his  time  being  taken  up  with  his  own 
private  business,  although  he  has  servfed 
three  years  on  the  board  of  county  commis- 
sioners. Mr.  Elder  was  married  April  1, 
1852,  to  Euphamia  Slieely,  daughter  of  George 


Sheely.  She  died  the  following  August,  and 
January  18,  1855,  Mr.  Elder  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  James  Morgan.  To  them  were 
born  two  children  —  George  and  Harriet. 
George  married  Mattie  Tem])le,  and  is  living 
in  Ilelt  Township;  Harriet  is  the  wife  of 
Oscar  Gibson,  of  Newport.  IMrs.  Elder  died 
November  10,  1862.  March  26,  1864,  ISIr. 
Elder  married  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Fisher,  daughter 
of  Eichard  Dicken,  who  died  December  13, 
1875,  leaving  two  children — Clara  A.,  wife 
of  Fisher  McHoberts,  and  Samuel.  February 
1,  1877,  Mr.  Elder  married  Susan  R.,  daugh- 
ter of  Adna  Beach.  He  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


^^LDRIDGE  HARLAN,  farmer  and  stock- 
°\rfli  raiser,  section  17,  Vermillion  Township, 
^^  is  a  native  of  Vermillion  County,  born 
November  30,  1840,  a  son  of  Cornelius  C. 
and  Martha  (Tate)  Harlan,  natives  of  Tenn- 
essee, of  English  descent.  His  paternal  an- 
cestors came  to  America  in  an  early  day,  four 
brothers  coming  together,  two  of  them  set- 
tling in  Tennessee,  one  in  North  Carolina, 
and  one  in  Kentucky.  After  his  marriage, 
Cornelius  Harlan  came  to  Indiana  and  bought 
200  acres  of  land  in  Vermillion  County,  and 
on  this  farm  our  subject  was  reared  and  early 
learned  the  lessons  that  have  been  of  benefit 
to  him  since  he  commenced  life  for  himself. 
When  he  started  for  himself  he  had  $180, 
and  from  this  beginning  he  has  kept  on  until 
he  is  now  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of 
the  township.  His  homestead  contains  170 
acres  of  valuable  land,  and  his  residence  and 
farm  buildings  are  comfortable  and  commodi- 
ous. He  has  made  a  specialty  of  dealing  in 
and  raising  stock,  and  has  made  a  success  of 
this  enterprise.  When  his  father  located  on 
his  farm  it  was  a  tract  of  wild   laml,  and  the 


improvements  have  all  been  made  by  him, 
and  in  all  his  labor  he  has  been  ably  assisted 
by  his  estimable  wife.  Mr.  Harlan  was  mar- 
ried in  1864,  to  Matilda  Merriman,  who  was 
born  in  Vermillion  Connty  in  1838,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Manson  P.  and  Anna  (Campbell)  Mer- 
riman. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harlan  have  fonr 
fhildren — Lanra,  Calla,  Thomas  C.  and  Josie 
15.  Their  two  eldest  daughters  have  taught 
several  terms  in  this  and  Vigo  counties,  and 
are  both  successful  and  popular  teachers.  Tlie 
eldest  daughter,  Laura,  will  graduate  in  the 
State  Normal  in  1888.  Mr.  Harlan  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  Lodge  No. 
209.     In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 


►^H 


fOIlN  BRINDLEY,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  section  1),  Vermillion  Township, 
was  born  in  Harrison  County,  Indiana, 
January  4,  1825,  a  son  of  George  and  Sarah 
(Blunk)  Brindley,  natives  of  Kentucky,  of 
German  descent,  the  fether  born  June  20, 
1800,  died  in  1878,  and  the  mother  born 
in  1806,  died  March  3,  1867.  The  parents 
came  with  their  family  to  Vermillion  Coi;nty 
in  1828,  and  lived  here  the  rest  of  their 
lives.  They  had  a  family  of  thirteen  chil- 
dren, six  of  whom  are  living — Margaret,  wife 
of  Eev.  Joshua  Rogers,  of  Decatur;  John; 
Andrew,  of  Perrysville;  Eli,  George,  and 
Susanna,  wife  of  Edward  Brown.  They  were 
members  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and 
were  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  the  old  set- 
tlers who  shared  with  them  the  hardships 
and  pleasures  of  pioneer  life.  John  Brindley 
was  reared  in  Vermillion  Township,  and  now 
owns  129  acres  of  its  best  land.  AVlien  he 
started  in  life  for  himself  he  was  without 
means  but  by  habits  of  industry  he  has  ac- 
quired a  good  property.  He  was  married 
September    3,    1846,   to  Sarah,  daughter    of 


John  and  Julia  A.(Breimer)  Luellen,  natives 
of  Pennsylvania,  of  Welsh  and  German  de- 
scent. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brindley  have  had  five 
children,  three  of  whom  are  living — Francis 
L.  married  Emma  J.  Eeeder,  and  has  three 
children — Morris  A.,  Eva  A.  and  Lucy  B., 
Thomas  E.  married  Charity  Ratliff;  Alonzo 
married  Lucy  Merriman,  and  lives  on  the 
liome  farm.  In  politics  Mr.  Brindley  is  a 
Democrat. 

_  m    .    ,^  fT  ^^  ^ 

r^T  jr  KLVILLE  B.  CARTER,  a  prominent 
'.  I, \/.\-  '^■'•izen  of  Newport,  was  born  and 
^|¥i^  reared  in  Highland  Township,  Ver- 
million Connty,  a  son  of  Absalom  and  Sid- 
ney (Chenoweth)  Carter,  who  were  among  the 
pioneers  of  Vermillion  County,  coming  from 
Ohio,  their  native  State,  in  an  early  day.  The 
father  was  a  man  of  much  intelligence,  and 
became  one  of  the  leading  men  in  the  early 
history  of  the  county.  He  taught  school  at 
Perrysville,  this  county,  for  many  years,  and 
also  held  the  position  of  justice  of  the  peace, 
for  some  time.  He  subsequently  removed  to 
Baltimore,  Warren  County,  Indiana,  where 
he  lived  a  considerable  time,  but  finally  re- 
turned to  Perrysville,  where  he  died,  when 
the  subject  of  the  sketch  was  a  boy.  His 
wife  was  a  daughter  of  John  Chenoweth,  an 
early  settler  of  Highland  Township.  She 
died  in  Perrysville  in  1881.  They  were  the 
parents  of  two  children — Sylvanus,  who  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  K,  Sixth  Indiana  Cavalry, 
and  died  at  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  in  1863; 
and  Melville  B.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Melville  B.  Carter  was  also  a  soldier  in  the 
late  war,  enlisting  in  18G1  in  Company  B, 
Eleventh  Indiana  Infantry,  and  was  in  active 
service  over  four  years.  He  was  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Fort   Donelsnn,   and   at   the    battle  of 


I — 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


Shiloh  under  General  Lew  Wallace,  and  also 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  Champion  Hills 
and  siege  of  Vicksburg.  He  was  then  trans- 
ferred east,  and  participated  in  the  engage- 
ments at  Winchester  and  Cedar  Creek.  He 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service  in  August, 
1865,  having  escaped  without  wounds,  but 
returning  home  with  his  health  somewhat 
impaired.  Mr.  Carter  Avas  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Fanny  ]\Ioftalt,  a  daughter  of  AYalter 
B.  Moffatt,  of  Perrjsville.  She  died  in  1869, 
leaving  at  her  death  a  daughter  named 
Grace.  After  the  war  Mr.  Carter  engaged  in 
farming  in  Highland  Township,  which  he 
followed  successfully  until  1886.  In  the  fall 
of  that  year  he  was  elected,  on  the  llepubli- 
can  ticket,  recorder  of  Vermillion  County, 
as  successor  to  C.  S.  Davis,  who  had  tilled 
the  oftice  about  nine  year.s.  Since  assuming 
the  duties  of  the  office  Mr.  Carter  has  given 
entire  satisfaction,  making  an  efficient  and 
popular  county  officer. 


fRANCIS  M.  BISHOP  of  Clinton,  was 
born  in  Sturbridge,  Massachusetts,  De- 
cember 27,  1833,  but  since  boyhood  his 
life  has  been  spent  in  Indiana,  and  since 
1852  at  Clinton.  His  father,  Iliram  Bishop, 
was  born  at  Manchester,  Connecticut,  and 
early  in  life  he  was  left  an  orphan.  He  was 
then  adopted  by  Mr.  Uriah  Childs,  and  while 
in  his  teens  was  thrown  upon  his  own  re- 
sources. He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade 
wliicli  he  followed  until  M'ithin  a  few  years 
of  his  death.  He  was  married  November 
25,  1830,  in  Connecticut,  to  Miss  Sabrina 
Chapman,  and  several  children  were  born  to 
them,  among  whom  was  Edwin  C,  who  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek,  Virginia, 
while  bravely  carrying  the  colors  of  his  regi- 
ment,  the    Eigiiteenth  Indiana   Volunteers; 


Mrs.  Sarah  Vanuest,  who  died  at  home  in 
1868,  leaving  one  son  named  Edwin;  and 
Francis  Marion,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Iliram  Bishop  came  with  his  family  to  Clin- 
ton, Vermillion  County,  in  1852,  to  construct 
the  wagon  bridge  across  the  Wabasli,  which 
still  stands  as  a  monument  to  the  mechanical 
skill  of  an  early  day.  He  purchased  prop- 
erty in  Clinton,  and  became  a  permanent 
citizen.  He  was  an  active,  enterprising  man, 
and  did  much  toward  building  up  the  town, 
erecting  a  number  of  residences  and  public 
buildings.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  order.  He  was  a  consistent  Christian, 
and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  convictions, 
and  great  moral  courage,  and  was  among  the 
few  who  early,  fearlessly  and  openly  espoused 
the  cause  of  abolition,  and  waged  war  upon 
slavery.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Clinton, 
March  12,  1875.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Sabrina 
Bishop,  was  born  at  Asliford,  Connecticut, 
July  1,  1810,  inheriting  a  strong  New  Eng- 
land constitution  which  has  carried  her 
through  the  many  vicissitudes  of  life  for 
seventy-seven  years.  Slie  is  still  actively  en- 
gaged in  business  at  Clinton.  She  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  her. 
Francis  M.  Bishop,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  after  reaching  manhood,  learned  the 
marble  cutter's  trade  at  Terre  Haute,  and 
subsequently  established  marble  works  at 
Clinton, which  he  conducted  until  1868,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  painting 
and  decorating.  He  was  married  in  1858  to 
Miss  Melinda  Anderson,  of  Perrysville,  this 
county,  who  died  in  February,  1871,  leaving 
three  children — Lucius  O.,  now  editor  and 
proprietor  of  the  Sat^brday  Anjus&i  Clinton; 
Edwin  A.,  engaged  in  a  mercantile  establish- 
ment at  Frankfort,  Indiana,  and  Ella.  Mr. 
Bishop  was  again  united  in  marriage  in  Sep- 


ii 


BIOORAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


teinber,  1875,  taking  for  liis  second  wife  Miss 
Jennie  Iliglifill,  of  Newport,  Vermillion 
County.  Two  children  liave  been  born  to 
bless  this  union,  their  names  being  Floj^,  and 
Ethel.  His  second  wife  died  at  her  home  in 
Clinton,  June  28,  1886. 


fOIIN  II.  LINN,  manager  of  the  "  Flour 
Exchange,"  Dana,  Indiana,  is  a  native  of 
Ohio,  born  in  Hocking  County,  October 
9,  1843,  a  son  of  Adam  Linn,  who  was  born 
in  Guernsey '^County,  Ohio,  his  father,  Josejjh 
Linn,  being  a  pioneer  of  that  county.  John 
11.  was  raised  in  his  native  State  on  a  farm, 
remaining  at  home  until  after  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Rebellion;  when,  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Seventy- 
tifth  Ohio  Infantry.  He  served  three  years 
and  nearly  three  months,  and  participated  in 
several  active  engagements.  During  the  time 
of  service  he  was  eighteen  months  in  thecit^- 
of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  on  special  detail,  and 
finally  discharged  at  Jacksonville,  Florida. 
After  his  return  from  the  war,  he  taught 
school  ill  Ohio  for  eight  years,  then  came  to 
Montezuma,  Indiana,  where  he  was  employed 
for  six  years  in  the  grain  business  by  Col.  E. 
M.  Benson.  While  in  Montezuma,  he  was 
assessor  of  Eeserve  Township  two  years,  and 
twice  elected  clerk  of  the  Town  Board.  He 
moved  to  Dana  in  1882,  where  he  has  since 
lived.  He  is  a  staunch  Democrat,  and  noted 
for  his  unshrinking  fidelity  to  the  principles 
of  sobriety,  integrity,  industry  and  economy. 
He  is  now  president  of  the  Town  Board  of 
Dana,  and  enjoys  the  honor  of  being  its  prin- 
cipal incorporator.  Mr.  Linn  was  married 
February  25,  1866,  to  Nancy  J.  Crawford. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  them,  two 
of  whom  are  living — Carrie  A.  and  Ealph  W. 
Their  eldest  daughter,  Alice  M.,  died  aged 


sixteen  years,  and  Flora,  their  youngest 
daughter,  at  the  early  age  of  one  year  and 
one  month.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Linn  are  both 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


ILO  .1.  KUDY,  of  I'errysville,  is  a 
son  of  Jacob  Rudy,  who  was  a  native 
^%^^^  of  Switzerland,  and  came  to  America 
when  a  boy  with  his  father,  Martin  Rudy. 
Jacob  was  the  eldest  of  four  children.  Ho  was 
reared  in  Lycoming  County,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  and 
was  married  to  Catherine  Lilly.  In  the  fall  of 
1833  he  moved  to  Indiana,  and  the  following 
year  to  Vermillion  County,  and  settled  in 
Highland  Township,  about  a  mile  south  of 
Perrysvil-le,' where  for  several  years  he  worked 
at  his  trade,  and  the  latter  part  of  his 
life  was  engaged  in  farming.  About  1812 
he  moved  to  Wisconsin,  where  his  wife  died 
soon  after,  and  the  family  then  returned  to 
Vermillion  County,  and  here  the  fatlier  died 
in  the  fall  of  1880.  He  was  married  the 
second  time  after  his  return  to  this  county. 
To  his  first  marriage  were  born  four  children, 
three  sons  and  one  daughter.  Martin,  who 
besides  on  the  homestead,  and  Milo  J.  being 
the  only  surviving  members  of  the  family. 
Catherine  and  John  died  in  childhood.  Mr. 
Rudy  was  an  industrious  man,  and  although 
he  was  poor  when  he  came  to  this  county,  he 
worked  hard  at  his  trade  and  with  the  money 
earned  invested   it   in    real  estate,  which  ad- 


vanced in  value,  and  made  him  wealthy, 
enabling  him  to  leave  his  sons  considerable 
property.  He  possessed  in  a  large  degree 
that  spirit  of  economy  and  energy  cliaracter- 
istic  of  the  German  people,  and  was  a  worthy, 
respected  citizen.  Milo  J.  Rudy  was  born  in 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  in  1840.  He 
was  married  in  1869  to  Miss  Sophia  S.  Seas 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


who  was  born  in  Y\oyd  County,  Indiana,  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Harriet  Seas.  Sam- 
uel Seas  was  born  January  30, 1807,  in  Cum- 
berland, Alleghany  County,  Maryland,  and  in 
1832  moved  to  Illinois,  and  two  years  later 
to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  where  he 
married  Harriet  English,  December  21, 1834. 
Tliey  afterward  moved  to  Floyd  County,  and 
subsecjuently  returned  to  Perrysville,  and  in 
1868  went  to  Covington,  Indiana,  where  Mr. 
Seas  died  in  September,  1875.  Mrs.  Seas  died 
January  31,  1880.  She  was  born  December 
13,  1818.  They  had  a  family  of  six  children, 
Mrs.  Ivudy  being  the  only  one  who  lived  till 
maturity.  Mrs.  Seas  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Seas  is  a 
worthy  member  of  the  Vermillion  Lodge, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Ko.  113;  also  a  member 
of  the  Unity  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M.,  No.  314. 


fllOMAS  W.  EELL,  tailor,  Eugene,  is  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  March 
31,  1825,  his  father,  Thomas  Bell, 
being  a  native  of  Ireland.  The  latter  came 
to  the  United  States  with  his  widowed  mother 
during  the  Eevolutionary  war,  his  brother, 
John  Bell,  having  served  seven  years  in  that 
memorable  struggle.  Thomas  W.,  our  sub- 
ject, learned  the  tailor's  trade  at  his  birth- 
])lace,  and  worked  at  it  in  various  places  in 
Pennsylvania.  He  went  to  Kew  Middletown, 
Ohio,  in  1849,  but  shortly  after  went  to  Dar- 
lington, thence  to  Beaver,  Pennsylvania. 
From  Beaver  he  removed  to  Vernon,  Indiana, 
remaining  there  si.x  months.  He  lived  in 
ditlerent  places  in  Indiana  until  September, 
1850,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a  resident 
of  Eugene.  He  was  married  in  April,  1853, 
to  Miss  Melinda  Bennett,  a  daughter  of  Cray- 
tun  Bennett,  and  tlieir  two  sons,  William  and 
David   \V.,  arc  numbered   among  the  entei-- 


prising  young  business  men  of  Eugene.  Mr. 
Bell  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Kebell- 
ion,  serving  eight  months  in  Company  E, 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-ninth  Indiana  In- 
fantry. 


fOHN  H.  BOGART,  M.  D.,  of  Clinton, 
and  the  oldest  resident  physician  of  Ver- 
million County,  is  a  native  of  this  county, 
born  in  Helt  Township  June  27,  1845,  a  son 
of  Henry  and  Sarah  I.  (AYishard)  Bogart, 
both  of  whom  came  to  tlie  coimty  when 
young.  The  father  of  our  subject  died  when 
the  latter  was  six  months  old.  The  mother  is 
now  living  in  Clinton,  where  she  has  resided 
since  1850.  She  is  now  the  widow  of  Benja- 
min F.  Morey,  whom  she  married  about 
1852.  Dr.  Bogart,  our  subject,  is  the  only 
living  child  of  his  father.  He  commenced 
the  study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  I.  B.  Hedges 
in  1866  at  Clinton,  and  in  1867-'68  he  at- 
tended lectures  at  the  Michigan  State  Uni\er- 
sity  at  Ann  Arbor,  graduating  from  that 
institution  in  1869,  and  the  same  year  began 
the  practice  of  medicine  at  Clinton,  where  he 
has  gained  a  large  and  lucrative  practice. 
Dr.  Bogart  M-as  married  May  14,  1872,  to 
Miss  Melissa  A.  Nebeker,  who  was  also  born 
in  Helt  Township,  Vermillion  County,  in 
1852,  a  daughter  of  Aquilla  Kebeker.  Both 
of  her  parents  are  deceased.  They  are  the 
parents  of  two  children — Paul  and  Zona. 
The  doctor  owns  quite  large  interests  in  city 
property,  besides  two  well  improved  farms, 
one  beiiig  the  old  Kebeker  homestead  in  Helt 
Tovvnsliip.  Dr.  Bogart  enlisted  in  the  war 
of  the  Rebellion  in  November,  18G3,  in  Com- 
pany C,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-third  In- 
diana Infantry,  his  regiment  being  assigned 
to  tlie  Twenty-third  Army  Corps  under  C4en- 
eral  Scholield.     He  subsequently  joined  Sher- 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


man's  army  and  was  in  the  campaign  against 
Atlanta.  During  the  last  year  he  was  a  hos- 
pital steward.  In  politics  he  is  a  ivepnbli- 
can,  and  from  1876  nntil  1880  he  held  the 
office  of  treasurer  of  Vermillion  County,  lie 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  be- 
longing to  Jerusalem  Lodge,  No.  99,  of 
Tcrre  Haute  Chapter,  No.  11,  and  Comman- 
dery  No.  16. 


fOIlN  O.  IIOGEIIS,  one  of  the  enterpris- 
inw  farmers  of  Kelt  Township,  was  born 
^,^i  in  Vermillion  Township,  January  8, 
1827,  and  has  always  lived  within  three  miles 
of  his  birthplace.  He  was  a  son  of  John 
Rogers,  who  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  in 
1789  accompanied  his  father,  James  Rogers, 
to  the  United  States  and  located  in  Kentucky, 
and  from  there  moved  to  Chillicothe,  Ohio, 
where  James  Rogers  built  one  of  the  first 
houses  in  the  place.  An  uncle  of  our  sub- 
ject, Samuel  Rogers,  was  captured  by  the  In- 
dians daring  the  Indian  war  in  Kentucky, 
but  escaped  and  took  with  him  an  Indian 
gun  and  shot-pouch  and  strap  of  an  Ameri- 
can officer  which  the  Indians  had  taken  from 
a  soldiei'.  The  strap  is  now  in  the  possession 
of  our  subject,  who  values  it  as  an  inter- 
esting heirloom.  In  1821  John  Rogers  came 
to  Vermillion  County  and  settled  on  Kelt's 
Prairie,  then  a  wild,  nninhabited  tract.  John 
O.  was  born  on  the  prairie,  three  miles  north- 
east of  Dana,  and  here  he  has  spent  his  life. 
He  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  has  made  agri- 
culture the  vocation  of  his  life.  He  now 
owns  400  acres  of  fine  land,  divided  into 
three  farms,  the  greater  part  of  the  land 
under  cultivation.  Mr.  Rogers  was  married 
December  8,  1870,  to  Ruth  Kerns,  a  daughter 
of  William  Kerns.  She  died  in  1876  leaving 
two  children — William  and   Irvin.     In   Au- 


gust, 1877,  Mr.  Rogers  married  Rebecca 
Ilutson,  daughter  of  David  Hutson.  They 
have  one  daughter — Sarah.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rogers  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 


copal church.     Mr.  Rogers  has  ser 
tice  of  the  peace  sixteen  years. 


•ed 


as  jus- 


fMiWl    ^^'  ^^^I^-^^S,  a  prominent  attorney 
-flfmll^      of  Vermillion,  and  the  oldest  legal 


yitj\''l:v\f  oi  V  ermuiion,  auu  me  Oldest  lega 
■^4*1?=®  practitioner  at  Newport,  is  a  native 
of  Indiana,  born  in  Hancock  County,  Septem- 
ber 28,  1836.  His  father,  George  Rlioads, 
was  born  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
German  descent.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Sarah  Geiger,  and  to  them  were  born  six 
children,  all  of  wdiom  are  still  living — Mrs. 
Eliza  Young,  a  resident  of.  Putnam  County, 
Indiana;  Henry  E.  and  William  F.,  living  at 
Waveland;  George,  a  practicing  physician  at 
Shelby ville,  Illinois;  Baskin  E.,  a  prominent 
attorney  at  Terre  Haute,  and  formerly  judge 
of  the  Superior  Court,  and  Martin  G.,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  In  the  fall  of  1835 
the  father  came  with  his  family,  then  con- 
sisting of  wife  and  five  children,  to  Indiana, 
making  the  journey  in  a  one-horse  wagon. 
The  father  then  entered  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Hancock  County,  but  soon  after  disposed 
of  this  purchase  and  removed  to  Parke  County, 
where  he  remained  about  two  years.  He 
then  settled  at  Waveland,  Montgomery  Coun- 
ty, where  he  died  June  20,  1875,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-six  years.  His  widow,  the  mother 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  1797,  and  is  now 
living  with  her  son  at  Waveland.  Martin  G. 
Rhoads  was  educated  at  the  academy  at 
Waveland  preparing  for  the  junior  class  of 
the  college,  but  owing  to  an  affliction  of  his 
eyes  he  was  prevented  from  taking  the  college 
course.  For  a  considerable  time  he  followed 
the  teacher's  profession,  becoming  a  jjopular 


IHSrORT    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


and  very  successful  instructor.  He  began  the 
study  of  law  during  the  war  of  theliebellion, 
and  was  admitted  to  tlie  bar  at  Newport, 
Indiana,  in  August,  1865,  and  since  that 
time  has  been  constantly  engaged  iu  practice, 
and  his  career  as  a  lawyer  has  been  a  success- 
ful one.  lie  began  the  practice  of  law  with 
his  brother,  Judge  Rlioads,  with  whom  he 
was  associated  until  about  1877.  He  is  now 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Rhoads  &  Aikman, 
this  firm  having  been  formed  but  recently. 
Mr.  Ehoads  was  united  iu  marriage  to  Miss 
Fannie  Mofi'att,  a  daughter  of  Robert  D. 
Moffatt,  of  Perrysville,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  two  children — Paul  Moifatt  and 
Helen.  Mr.  Rhoads  -was  surveyor  of  Ver- 
million County  for  a  term  of  two  years.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  is  a  strong- 
adherent  and  an  able  exponent  of  the  princi- 
ples of  the  party  of  his  choice. 


mOBERT  BALLENTINE  STOKES,  a 
'^W^  worthy  representative  of  one  of  the  old 
'''^^  pioneer  families  of  Vermillion  Count}', 
was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Ohio,  the  date 
of  his  birth  being  September  15,  1810.  He 
is  tlie  only  surviving  sou  of  Matthew  and 
llarminah  Stokes,  the  father  born  June  27, 
1774.  Nathaniel  Stokes,  the  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina, 
from  which  State  he  removed  to  Kentucky. 
Later  he  settled  Avith  his  familj'  at  Columbia, 
near  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  during  his  resi- 
dence at  that  place  he  and  his  son  Matthew- 
worked  at  Cincinnati.  In  1791  when  St. 
Clair  was  defeated  l)y  Indians  at  Fort  Recov- 
ery, Ohio,  Matthew  Stokes  assisted  in  bury- 
ing the  dead  slain  by  the  Indians.  He  was 
married  in  Ohio  to  llarminah  Skidniore,  a 
descendant  of  a  proinineiit  Kentucky  family. 
They  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  eight  of 


whom  grew  to  maturity  and  liad  families  of 
their  own.  Their  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  Skid- 
more  Winsett,  of  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  who 
was  born  February  14,  1822,  and  Robert  B., 
the  subject 'of  this  sketch,  are  the  only  sur- 
vivors of  the  family  at  the  present  writing. 
Soon  after  his  marriage  Matthew  Stokes 
settled  near  Columbus  in  Franklin  County, 
wliere  he  lived  until  1820,  when  he  started 
with  his  family  for  the  Wabash.  They  went 
down  the  Scioto  River  to  the  Ohio,  tiieuce  to 
the  mouth  of  the  "Wabash  and  up  the  Wabash 
to  Clinton.  After  living  four  years  on  Ilelt's 
Prairie  the  family  settled  two  miles  south  of 
Newport,  where  the  father  made  his  home 
until  liis  death  December  16,  1840.  Hi,- 
wife  was  born  January  1,  1779,  and  died  in 
the  year  1835.  Robert  Ballentine  Stokes, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  a  lad  of 
ten  years  when  he  came  with  his  father's 
family  to  Vermillion  County,  where  lie  has 
since  lived,  a  period  of  sixty-seven  years. 
He  was  married  January  31,  1833,  to  Miss 
Reljecca  Wallace,  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  a 
daughter  of  William  Wallace,  one  of  tlu' 
early  pioneers  of  Vermillion  County,  settling 
here  in  1829.  He  was  bereaved  by  the  death 
of  his  wife  November  25, 1874,  after  journey- 
ing down  life's  pathway  together  for  fifty 
years.  She  was  a  consistent  Christian,  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  cliurch, 
and  was  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  Of 
the  six  children  born  to  them,  one  son, 
Robert  Finley,  is  the  only  one  living.  He 
was  born  in  Vermillion  County,  February  14, 
1843,  and  is  living  on  the  old  Iiomestead  of 
his  father.  Isabella,  vrife  of  John  Stakley, 
died  February  22,  1870;  James  W.  was  born 
January  1,  1841,  and  died  February  10, 
1867;  and  three  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Stokes 
entered  a  tract  of  eightj'  acres  in  Vermillion 
Township,  in  1832,  and  has  succeeded  well 
in    his    agricultural    pursuits,     and     is     now 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES 


enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  years  of  toil,  sur- 
rounded with  all  the  necessary  comforts  of 
life.  During  his  residence  here  he  has  taken 
a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  township, 
and  no  one  in  this  section  of  the  country  is 
more  highly  respected  than  he.  Although  a 
member  of  no  church,  he  has  a  great  respect 
for  religion.  He  has  always  been  a  great 
Bible  reader  and  tries  to  live  according  to  its 
precepts. 


ffg^EZIN  METZGER,  of  PerrysviUe,  is  a 
iWt  representative  of  one  of  tlie  early  pio- 
^"^^  neer  families  of  Yermillion  County,  his 
father,  Jonas  Metzger,  having  settled  here 
with  his  family  as  early  as  1828.  The  father 
was  a  native" of  Pennsylvania,  born  December 
7,  1793.  AVhen  a  young  man  he  went  to 
Ohio,  and  was  married  in  that  State  Decem- 
ber 24,  1818,  to  Miss  Mary  Craig,  who  was 
born  in  Ohio,  June  4,  1803.  They  reared  a 
family  of  twelve  children,  six  sons  and  six 
daughters,  to  maturity,  of  whom  six  are  still 
living — David  H.,  the  eldest  son,  now  living 
in  Kansas,  was  born  OctoTier  13,  1819,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  serving 
three  years  in  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and 
Thirteenth  Illinois  Infantry;  Rezin,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch;  Mrs.  Sarah  Ann  Simpson, 
living  in  Dakota;  Mrs.  Indiann  Glover,  re- 
siding in  Greene  County,  Missouri;  Mrs.  Ann 
Maria  Runyon,  of  Vermillion  County,  Illi- 
nois, and  Mrs,  Martha  Ann  McKiljl)en,  living 
in  Florida.  On  coming  to  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  the  family  settled  on  the  Big  Ver- 
million River  in  Eugene  Township,  living  on 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Shelby  farm  some 
live  years.  The  father  then  bought  a  farm 
in  Highland  Township,  about  three  miles 
north  of  Perrysville,  where  he  lived  with  his 
family  until    1865,  when  the    infirmities  of 


age  compelled  him  to  retire  from  active 
labor,  and  he  purchased  a  home  in  Perrys- 
ville, where  he  lived  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  February  29,  1872.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  serving  under 
Captain  Shelby,  of  Kentucky.  He  was  reared 
to  the  avocation  of  a  farmer,  which  he  fol- 
loM-ed  until  he  retired  from  active  life.  He 
was  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  esteemed  by 
all  for  his  honest,  upright  character,  and  left 
as  an  inheritance  to  his  children  a  name  of 
which  they  may  well  be  proud.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  religious  principles,  striving 
to  do  right  at  all  times.  In  politics  he  was 
a  "Whig  in  early  life,  but  was  identified  with 
the  Republican  party  from  its  organization. 
His  widow  still  survives,  and  is  living  with 
her  son,  Eezin,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
four  years.  Rezin  Metzger,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch,  is  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  born  in  Highland  Town- 
ship, August  23,  1837,  and  has  always  made 
his  home  in  his  native  county.  He  lived 
with  his  parents  until  his  marriage,  after 
which  they  made  their  home  with  him,  and 
his  mother,  who  is  now  rendered  helpless  by 
the  infirmities  of  age,  is  his  especial  care,  and 
he  is  happy  in  surrounding  her  with  all  the 
necessary  comforts  of  life.  In  July,  1862, 
Mr.  Metzger  enlisted  in  the  Seventy-first  In- 
diana Infantry,  and  August  80,  1862,  only 
about  a  month  after  he  entered  the  service, 
he  received  a  severe  gun-shot  wound  in  the 
right  hip  at  the  battle  of  Richmond,  Ken- 
tucky. His  injury  rendered  him  unfit  for 
further  duty  in  the  army,  and  he  has  never 
fully  recovered  from  the  effects  of  this  wound. 
He  was  married  December  31,  1868,  to  Miss 
Roxy  F.  Jones,  a  native  of  Crawfordsville, 
Indiana,  and  daughter  of  A.  T.  Jones,  and 
to  them  have  been  born  four  children,  named 
William,  Grace,  Daisy  and  Jonas.  J\Ir. 
Metzger  ever  endeavors   to  follow  the   pre- 


VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


cepts  and  example  of  liis  father,  who  instilled 
into  the  minds  of  his  children  the  principles 
of  well  doing.  Politically  Mr.  Metzger  is  a 
Eepuhlican,  casting  his  first  Presidential  vote 
in  1860  for  Abraham  Lincoln. 


tLEXANDER  KINDERMANN, 
a  prominent  and  skillful  physician  and 
surgeon,  residing  at  Eugene,  was  born 
December  5,  1858,  in  Eugene  Township,  this 
county,  where  the  town  of  Ca^'uga  now 
stands.  His  father,  Gottfiied  Kindermann, 
being  a  farmer,  he  was  reared  to  the  same 
avocation,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Eugene.  He  read  medi- 
cine under  the  preceptorship  of  Dr.  W.  C. 
Eichelberger,  now  of  Terre  Haute,  Indiana, 
and  February  21,  1883,  he  graduated  from 
Rush  Medical  College,  of  Chicago,  Illinois, 
standing  at  the  head  of  his  class.  He  took 
special  courses  in  eye  and  ear,  dental  surgery 
and  dermatology,  and  Avhile  in  college,  and 
also  after  his  graduation  he  practiced  surgery 
with  eminent  success.  He  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  medicine  in  Eugene,  March  14, 
1883,  and  being  well  versed  in  the  knoM'ledge 
of  his  chosen  profession,  he  has  succeeded  in 
estaljlishing  a  large  and  lucrative  practice. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Alumni  of  Chicago. 
Gottfried  Kindermann,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, resides  on  section  18,  Eugene  Township, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising.  He  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  Germany, 
born  March  26,  1826,  a  son  of  Hohan  Her- 
man Kindermann.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Prussian  army  three  years  and  four  months, 
serving  through  the  French  Revolution  and 
the  Danish  war,  and  during  that  time  sent 
the  money  he  earned  to  his  mother.  He  was 
married  in  his  native  country  in  1855,  to 
Miss    Fredricka    Heidbreider,  and    to  them 


v/ere  born  six  children,  three  still  living — 
Hohan  F.,  of  Vermillion  Township,  married 
Lena  Hahn;  Alexander,  our  subject,  and 
Samuel,  married  Sally  Hahn  and  has  one  son 
named  Gottfried.  The  father  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1856,  landing  at  ]^ew  York  City  with 
but  little  means,  and  this  was  soon  used  for 
hotel  and  railroad  accommodations.  lie  soon 
came  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and 
settled  in  Eugene  Township,  where  he  has 
since  made  his  home.  When  he  landed  in 
Eugene  he  was  in  debt  to  the  amount  of  $54, 
and  to-day  he  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of 
240  acres,  which  he  has  acquired  by  his  own 
untiring  industry  and  perseverance,  and  is 
classed  among  the  successful  and  most  re- 
spected citizens  of  his  township.  Roth  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church. 


?i~|'  M.  DAVIS,  a  prominent;  agriculturist 
JjT'L  of  Vermillion  County,  engaged  in 
-^''^  farming,  and  raising  and  dealing  in 
stock  in  Vermillion  Township,  is  a  represent- 
ative of  one  of  the  old  pioneer  families  of 
the  county.  He  is  a  son  ^of  Benjamin  and 
Ruth  (Sears)  Davis,  his  parents  being  of 
Scotch  and  German  descent.  They  came  to 
Vermillion  County  in  1834,  where  they  made 
their  home  until  death,  the  father  dying  in 
1854  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years,  and  the 
mother  in  1869,  aged  sixty-two  years.  They 
were  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  of  whom 
only  two  are  living — F.  M.  and  Daniel.  F. 
M.  Davis  is  a  native  of  Vermillion  County, 
the  date  of  his  birth  being  February  10,1838. 
He  was  reared  to  the  avocation  of  a  farmer 
which  he  has  made  his  life  work.  His  edu- 
cational advantages  were  very  limited,  but  by 
close  observation  he  acquired  a  good  business 
education.     He  being  the  eldest  son,  the  care 


Pr 


Y      ^>%- 


Mr.A.a^^ 


'/. 


^Clt/l'y>ta//'i'yL 


and  responsibility  of  his  mother  and  her 
eleven  children  rested  on  him  after  his  father's 
deatl),  and  for  eighteen  years  he  was  the 
mainstay  of  the  family.  He  was  married  in 
Vermillion  County  in  1871,  to  Miss  Sarah 
E.  Bennett,  who  was  born  on  tlie  farm  where 
she  now  resides,  October  9,  1851.  Of  the 
eight  children  born  to  this  union  only  three 
are  living — Martha,  Ida  and  Noah.  Five  died 
in  infancy.  Mr.  Davis  commenced  life  a 
poor  boy,  entirely  without  capital,  and  his 
success  has  been  due  to  his  own  efforts,  and 
to-day  he  is  classed  among  the  prosperous 
men  of  his  township.  lie  is  now  the  owner 
of  a  line  farm  on  section  9,  Vermillion  Town- 
ship, containing  152  acres,  beside  which  he 
owns  100  acres  of  land  in  another  part  of  the 
county.  Quiet  in  manners,  and  of  industri- 
ous habits,  upright  and  honorable  in  all  his 
dealings  he  has  gained  the  conildence  and  es- 
teem of  all  who  know  him.  In  politics  he 
afhliates  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church. 


^AMES  S.  liOGERS,  an  old  settler  of 
J'jj:  A'crmillion  County,  was  born  in  Frank- 
W"  lin  County,  Ohio,  July  26,  1813,  a  son 
of  John  Rogers,  who  was  Ijorn  in  County 
Monaghan,  Ireland,  who  came  to  America  in 
1789.  In  1824  James  S.  came  with  his 
parents  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and 
settled  on  lielt's  Prairie,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood,  his  youth  being  spent  in  assisting 
his  father  improve  a  frontier  farm.  He 
learned  the  wagon-maker's  trade  when  ayoitng 
man,  at  which  he  worked  about  eighteen 
years.  In  1877  he  moved  to  Dana,' where 
for  ten  years  he  has  been  an  honored  citizen. 
Fcbniarj5, 1835,  he  was  married  to  Margaret 
Widlace,  daughter  of  William  Wallace,  an 
early  settler  of  Vermillion  Township.    Their 


only  son,  JohuW.,  is  deceased.  He  married 
Sarah  J.  Carmack,  daughter  of  Andrew  Car- 
mack,  of  Vermillion  Township.  Mrs.  Rogers 
died  in  1878.  Mr.  Rogers  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  churcli. 


fACOB  ILES,  one  of  the  old  and  respected 
pioneers  of  Vermillion  County,  who  is 
now  deceased,  was  born  in  Rockingham 
County,  Virginia,  May  10,  1791,  a  son  of 
Henry  lies,  who  was  a  native  of  Germany. 
His  father  was  a  soldier  in  the  United  States 
service  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
Jacob  lies  was  a  tailor  by  trade.  He  left 
his  native  State  for  Ohio,  when  a  young  man, 
and  in  the  winter  of  1820-'21,  he  located  at 
Terre  Haute,  Indiana.  He  was  married  Jan- 
uary 1,  1822,  to  Miss  Hannah  Stevenson, 
and  to  them  were  born  six  children,  three  of 
whom  died  in  childhood.  Those  yet  living 
are — Mrs.  Martha  J.  Naylor,  James  B.  and 
Jacob  H.  Mr.  lies  entered  land  in  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  one  mile  north  of 
Eugene  at  the  first  Government  land  sale 
here,  and  later  he  entered  much  land  in  Illi- 
nois. He  removed  with  hisfamily  to  hisland 
near  Eugene  iu  1829,  when  Indians  and  wild 
animals  were  numerous,  and  here  they  ex- 
perienced many  of  the  vicissitudes  of  pioneer 
life.  Mr.  lies  died  July  29, 1863,  his  widow 
surviving  until  March  23,  1886.  They  were 
honored  and  respected  people  and  beloved  by 
all  who  knew  them. 


,ATTIIEW  W.  SCOTT,  retired  farmer, 
and  now  Residing  in  the  city  of 
^  Clinton,  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
has  been  identified  with  the  interests  of  the 
county  siuce  October  12,   18'47,  when  he  es- 


niSTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


tablished  liis  residence  on  sectfon  15,  Clinton 
Township.  He  bought  160  acres  of  land 
wliich  was  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of 
timber  and  with  his  limited  means  the  work 
of  clearing  and  improving  it  depended  upon 
his  determination  to  succeed  in  spite  of  all 
obstacles,  as  time  went  he  invested  his  earn- 
ings in  land  until  he  was  the  owner  of  810 
acres,  nearly  all  of  which  is  in  one  tract,  and 
the  most  of  it  in  cultivated  fields  or  in  pas- 
ture land,  only  about  sixty  acres  being  re- 
served for  timber.  A  portion  has  been  given 
to  his  children,  but  he  still  retains  485  acres, 
divided  into  three  farms  which  are  leased. 
He  also  has  several  residence  lots  in  Clinton, 
three  of  which  are  improved  and  occupied  by 
tenants.  January  5, 1882,  Mr.  Scott  moved 
to  Clinton,  and  is  now  living  on  West  street 
where  he  has  a  fine  residence,  and  has  settled 
down  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  many  years 
of  toil  and  hardship.  Mr.  Scott  was  born  in 
Jefferson  County,  Indiana,  February  17, 
1823,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Rebecca  (Cruson) 
Scott,  his  father  a  native  of  Fleming  County, 
Kentucky,  born  September  30,  1797,  and  his 
mother  born  near  Manchester,  Ohio.  They 
wei-e  married  in  Oliio,  where  the  father  had 
lived  from  the  age  of  eleven  years.  The 
mother  died  at  the  age  of  forty-six  years,  the 
father  surviving  her  many  years  and  dying 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  To  them 
were  born  nine  children  who  lived  till  ma- 
turity, but  five  of  whom  are  living — John, 
Joseph,  Matthew  W.,  Mary  A.  and  Asenath. 
Matthew  was  the  fifth  of  the  family.  He 
was  reared  to  the  vocation  of  a  farmer,  which 
he  has  followed  through  life,  and  by  his  in- 


dustrious habits  and 


persevermg  energy 


met  with  good  success.  He  has  shipped  con- 
siderable stock  to  Chicago,  and  also  shipped 
some  to  Cincinnati  and  Indianapolis.  He 
made  two  trips  on  the  Mississippi  River  in 
the  years  of  1842-'43;  and   on  October  11 


and  12,  1846,  he  was  in  Chicago  with  horses 
for  sale.  He  then  walked  from  Chicago  to 
Greeucastle,  in  three  days.  He  remained 
at  home  until  twenty  years  of  age,  when  he 
went  to  Putnam  County,  Indiana,  and  re- 
mained three  and  a  half  years,  when  he  moved 
to  Vermillion  County.  Mr.  Scott  was  mar- 
ried in  Putnam  County,  March  10,  1847,  to 
Miss  Mary  Mann,  a  native  of  that  county, 
born  July  9,  1829,  a  daughter  of  Levi  Mann. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scott  have  been  born  eight 
children,  three  sons  and  five  daughters — Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Mann,  of  Clinton;  Mrs.  Arabelle 
McClain,  of  Lawrence  County,  Missouri; 
Leonard  D.,  of  Vigo  County,  Indiana;  Levi 
S.,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead  on  section 
15,  Clinton  Township;  Mrs.  Hannah  Moss, 
of  Greene  County,  Indiana;  Dollie;  Matthew 
M.,  junior  member  of  the  firm  Edwards  & 
Scott,  dealers  in  boots  and  shoes,  Clinton, 
and  deputy  postmaster,  and  Gertrude,  who  is 
the  youngest.  Mr.  Scott  is  a  public-spirited 
man  and  takes  an  especial  interest  in  the 
cause  of  education,  giving  his  children  the 
advantages  of  the  best  schools.  In  politics 
he  afiiliates  with  the  Democratic  party.  Ho 
and  his  wife  are  niembers  of  the  Presbyterian 
church. 


^TyREDERICK  WALTER,  a  prominent 
^ri  and  enterprising  farmer  of  Clinton 
''\^  Township,  residing  on  section  17,  was 
born  near  Worth,  in  Alsace,  France,  now  a 
province  of  Germany,  the  date  of  his  birth 
being  November  13,  1834.  His  parents, 
Michael  and  Louisa  Walter,  were  natives  of 
Germany.  When  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  a  child  of  three  years,  they  came  to  the 
United  States,  and  made  their  home  in  Erie 
County,  New  York,  ten  miles  eastof  Buffalo, 
where  they  spent  the  rest  of  their  lives,  the 


ntOGRAPHlCAL    SKETOHES. 


335 


1 


father  dying  in  his  forty-ninth  year  in  Jnly, 
1844,  and  the  mother  dying  in  1855,  aged 
fifty-five  years.  Four  of  their  children  lived 
to  maturity — Mrs.  Magdalena  Clonse,  now 
residing  in  Kansas;  Frederick,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch;  Jacob,  who  died  at  the 
home  of  our  subject,  in  1859,  and  Mrs. 
Louisa  Taylor,  living  in  Clinton  Township. 
Frederick  Walter  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  has  always  followed  the  avoca- 
tion of  a  fanner.  He  was  married  in  Erie 
County,  New  York,  in  September,  1854,  to 
Miss  Sarah  Kinsley,  who  was  born  in  Ger- 
many September  15,  1836,  but  reared  from 
childhood  in  the  State  of  New  York.  Her 
parents  embarked  with  their  family  for 
America  in  the  year  1844,  her  mother  dying 
on  the  voyage,  and  was  buried  in  the  ocean. 
Her  father  settled  in  New  York  State  where 
he  was  again  married.  He  died  in  Erie 
County,  that  State,  in  1860,  leaving  his  chil- 
dren to  the  care  of  their  step-mother.  Of  the 
ten  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walter 
seven  are  living — Mrs.  Louisa  S.  Foltz, 
Charles  F.,  John  F.,  George  W.,  EfRe  E., 
Julia  and  Richard.  The  younger  children 
aic  at  home  with  their  parents,  and  none  live 
far  from  the  parental  roof.  The  children 
deceased  are  William,  who  died  aged  one 
year  and  ten  months;  Cora,  aged  nine  years, 
and  a  daughter  who  died  in  infancy.  John 
F.  has  been  blind  since  seven  years  of  age, 
and  is  now  a  vigorous  man.  He  is  success- 
fully engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brooms, 
and  has  his  workshop  near  his  father's  house, 
and  few  men  are  more  skilled  in  their  work  or 
better  able  to  go  about  the  country,  buying 
material  or  selling  their  wares.  Mr.  Walter 
came  with  his  family  to  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  in  the  spring  of  1857,  and  April  14 
of  the  same  year  settled  on  the  land  which 
they  now  occupy,  the  jjlace  being  one  of  tlie 
early  pioneer  homes  of  the  county,  formerly 


owned  and  occupied  by  Judge  Cliarles  Por- 
ter. Mr.  Walter  also  brought  with  him  to 
the  county  his  youngest  brother  and  sister, 
for  whom  he  cared  after  their  mother's 
death  until  they  reached  maturity.  When 
Mr.  Walter  settled  on  his  homestead,  tlie 
property  having  been  so  long  neglected  and 
unoccupied,  was  almost  in  a  state  of  its 
natural  wildness.  His  capital  then  consisted 
of  $350,  with  which  he  purchased  forty  acres 
of  his  land,  which  he  at  once  began  to  clear 
and  improve,  having  no  stock  or  team  to  as- 
sist him  in  the  work.  With  the  aid  of  his 
excellent  wife,  and  by  his  own  industry  and 
energy,  combined  with  habits  of  economy,  he 
has  acquired  a  good  property,  his  homestead 
of  130  acres  being  now  one  of  the  finest  and 
best  cared  for  farms  in  this  part  of  Clinton 
Township.  Both  himself  and  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church,  and  among  the 
res])ected  citizens  of  Clinton  Township.  In 
politics  he  is  an  ardent  Kepublican. 


fAMES  C.  SAWYER,  one  of  the  leading 
lawyers  of  Vermillion  County,  and  a 
member  of  the  law  firm  of  Conley  & 
Sawyer,  of  Newport,  is  a  native  of  Indiana, 
born  in  Hendricks  County,  Sejitember  8, 
1848.  When  he  was  quite  young  his  father, 
John  Sawyer,  died,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years  he  began  life  for  himself,  working  on  a 
farm  during  the  summer  months,  and  in  the 
winters  attending  school.  Being  thrown  upon 
his  own  resources  at  an  early  age,  and  desir- 
ous of  obtaining  an  education  with  but  little 
opportunity  for  instruction,  he  early  acquired 
habits  of  industry  and  persevering  energy. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  by  studiously 
improving  such  opportunities  as  were  attain- 
able, he  had  qualified  himself  to  teacii  a 
country  school,  and   for  some  time  folhiwed 


ESmSmS^'II 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


tlie  vocation  of  a  teaclier,  studying  as  oppor- 
tunity afforded.  He  studied  law  principally 
without  a  preceptor,  and  whatever  success 
he  lias  attained  has  been  due  to  his  own 
efforts.  lie  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Ver- 
million County  at  Newport,  in  1876,  and  im- 
mediately entered  upon  his  legal  career.  He 
practiced  alone  about  one  year,  and  was  then 
associated  with  C.  Ward  for  two  years.  He 
then  practiced  alone  for  several  years  when 
tiie  firm  of  Sawyer  &  Gibson  was  formed 
which  continued  about  two  and  a  half  years. 
Tlie  tirm  of  Conley  &  Sawyer  was  formed  in 
November,  1886.  Mr.  Sawyer  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Amanda  Duncan,  a  native 
of  Hendricks  County,  Indiana,  who  came  to 
Vermillion  County  in  1877.  Their  only  son, 
Herbert,  was  born  in  Newport.  In  politics 
Mr.  Sawyer  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party. 


l^OP.ERT  J.  GESSIE,  one  of  the  repre- 
^|rV;  sentative  citizens  of  Vermillion  County, 
^^\\  was  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, November  5,  1809.  His  father. 
Christian  Gessie,  was  also  a  native  of  Cuiii- 
berland  County,  born  January  17,  1788,  and 
for  some  time  was  a  merchant  in  the  town  of 
Newville,  that  county.  He  died  March  12, 
1816,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years.  After 
the  death  of  his  father,  Robert  J.  went  to  the 
home  of  an  uncle  where  he  lived  until 
reaching  the  age  of  seventeen  years.  He 
then  started  in  life  on  his  own  account,  leav- 
ing his  uncle's  house  on  foot  with  knapsack 
on  iiis  l)ack,  and  walked  to  Trenton,  New 
Jersey,  where  he  was  first  engaged  as  clerk 
in  a  hotel,  remaining  in  this  position  about  a 
year.  He  then  clerked  in  a  store  for  a  time 
when  he  secured  a  position  as  clerk  in  the 
chancellor's  office.     He  was  married  at  J\lur- 


risville,  opposite  Trenton,  in  November, 
1829,  to  Miss  Sarah  Yard,  who  was  born  in 
New  Jersey,  and  immediately  after  his  mar- 
riage he  took  his  first  trip  west  accompanied 
by  his  wife,  going  to  Philadelphia  by  boat, 
thence  by  stage  to  Pittsburgh,  and  from  there 
by  boat  down  the  Ohio  River  to  New  Albanj-, 
Indiana.  After  remaining  in  Indiana  about 
a  year  lie  returned  to  New  Jersey  in  the  fall 
of  1830,  passing  the  following  winter  at  the 
home  of  his  fatiier-in-law  at  Morrisville.  He 
then  turned  his  attention  to  teaching,  and 
taught  his  first  school  at  Pennsylvania  Manor, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1832  he  taught  at  liatboro,  north 
of  Philadelphia.  In  the  spring  of  1833  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gessie  again  started  westward,  stop- 
ping at  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he  began 
teaching  school,  but  soon  after  accepted  a 
position  as  clerk  in  a  store  in  that  town.  In 
the  spring  of  1835  he  went  to  Chicago,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  found  employment  as  a  clerk, 
and  remained  there  until  1837.  That  year 
he  came  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Perrys- 
ville,  and  in  the  spring  of  1838  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  Asaph  Hill,  which  lasted 
several  years.  During  this  time  he  purchased 
the  farm  in  Highland  Township  on  which  he 
now  resides.  After  the  dissolution  of  the 
partnership  above  referred  to  Mr.  Gessie 
spent  some  time  in  settling  up  his  business, 
and  also  carried  on  a  general  agency  for  a 
number  of  years.  In  1848  he  was  elected 
to  the  Indiana  State  Legislature,  serving  two 
terms.  In  the  spring  of  1853  he  went  to 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of  selling 
goods  for  the  firm  of  Blachly,  Simpson  & 
Co.,  and  being  a  successful  merchant  he  ren- 
dered valuable  service  to  tiie  company.  In 
1862  the  firm  of  Blachly,  Simpson  &  (Jo. 
went  into  liqui<1ation,  and  Mr.  Gessie  re- 
mained   to    assist    in    settling    the   business, 


which  occupied  about  two  years.  Mrs.  Gessie 
died  in  March,  1864,  leaving  two  sons-William 
and  Charles.  Mr.  Gessie  was  married  a  sec- 
ond time,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Morse,  a  rela- 
tive of  the  famous  electrician  Professor 
Morse.  Since  1864  Mr.  Gessie  has  lived 
somewhat  retired  from  active  life,  residing  on 
his  beautiful  farm  near  the  village  of  Gessie, 
this  town  being  laid  out  on  his  land  and 
named  in  honor  of  him.  In  politics  Mr. 
Gessie  was  originally  a  Whig,  but  has  been  a 
staunch  llepublican  since  the  organization  of 
that  party.  Keligiously  he  is  a  strong  be- 
liever in  the  principle  of  universal  salvation. 
Mr.  Gessie  has  always  taken  an  active  inter- 
est in  the  advancement  of  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation. No  man  has  been  more  prominently 
connected  with  the  histor}'  of  Vermillion 
County,  and  none  are  better  known  or  more 
highly  respected  than  Eobert  J.  Gessie,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch. 


t^  ,ARON  ir.  WADE,  deceased,  was  born 
jsV  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  in  1819,  a  son 
^  of  Aaron  and  Julia  (Ward)  Wade,  of 
English  descent.  When  he  was  five  years  of 
age  his  parents  moved  to  Parke  County, 
Indiana,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and 
lived  until  1857,  when  he  moved  to  Vermill- 
ion County,  making  this  his  home  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  March  22,  1886.  In 
earl 3'  life  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade 
and  later  devoted  his  attention  to  I'arming,  at 
which  he  was  successful  and  at  his  death  left 
a  good  farm  of  260  acres,  where  his  widow 
and  her  family  now  live.  Mr.  Wade  was  an 
upright,  honorable  Christian  gentleman,  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  was  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He 
was  married  in  1849  to  Laura  Vanlaudingham, 
a  native  of  Greene  County,  Indiana,  born  in 


1827,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Van- 
laudingham. Iler  grandfatlier  Hamilton 
was  a  cousin  of  the  distinguished  Alexander 
Hamilton,  and  her  grandmother  was  a  cousin 
of  Commodore  Thomas  McDonough,  of  the 
United  States  Navy.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade 
were  born  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living — Belle,  wife  of  John  T.  Harris,  of 
Indianapolis;  Thomas  V.,  James  D.,  Laura, 
wife  of  Julius  Groves;  Emma  and  John  A. 
Samuel  is  deceased.  Mrs.  Wade  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  one  of 
its  active  workers.  She  is  a  prominent  citi- 
zen of  the  townshi])  and  has  many  friends, 
who  honor  her  for  her  man}'  womanly 
qualities. 

— ^.^-s«:->|»--- — 


,|J|.ELSON  C.  ANDERSON,  one  of  Ver- 
iMfJ  million  County's  most  active  and  enter- 
'^4k  prising  business  men,  was  born  in 
Wood  County,  West  Virginia,  the  date  of 
his  birth  being  August  13,  1837.  He  is  the 
ninth  in  a  family  of  ten  children  of  Edward 
and  Elizabeth  (Statts)  Anderson,  both  of  his 
parents  being  natives  of  Wood  County,  AVest 
Virginia.  They  came  with  their  five  young- 
est children  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
and  made  their  home  near  Clinton  in  1853, 
where  the  father  bought  a  tract  of  160  acres. 
He  did  not  live  long  in  his  new  home,  his 
death  occurring  in  September,  1855,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-seven  years,  his  widow  surviving 
him  until  1859.  Their  children  are  as  fol- 
lows: Michael,  still  living  in  Wood  County, 
Virginia,  being  seventy-six  years  old  July 
10, 1887;  John  came  to  Vermillion  County  a 
few  years  after  his  parents  had  settled  here, 
and  is  now  living  in  Helt  Township;  Samuel 
and  Peter  died  in  West  Virginia;  Mrs.  Sarah 
Smith  died  in  Vermillion  County;  Mrs.  Eliza 
Hupp,  Mrs.  Rebecca  Sparks   and  Elijah  also 


BISTORT    OP    VERMILLION    COUNTT. 


died  in  this  county;  Nelson  C,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Payton,  living 
in  Ilelt  Township.  Nelson  C.  Anderson 
commenced  his  business  career  in  1856  as 
clerk  in  the  mercantile  establishment  of  John 
"Whitcomb,  with  whom  he  remained  a  few 
years.  In  1860  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ann 
M.  Fisher,  of  Clinton,  and  the  year  following 
Iiis  marriage  he  engaged  in  farming.  He 
subsequently  re-entered  the  employ  of  Mr. 
Whitcomb,  becoming  his  partner  in  1866, 
\\lien  the  business  was  conducted  under  the 
linn  name  of  Whitcomb,  Anderson  &  Co., 
tiie  late  A.  L.  Whitcomb  being  the  silent 
partner.  Mr.  Anderson  finally  sold  out  his 
interest  in  the  business,  and  in  company  with 
tiie  late  General  11.  D.  Washburn  who  had 
been  appointed  Survey-General  for  Montana, 
and  others,  started  for  Fort  Benton.  On 
account  of  the  low  water  the  company  spent 
three  months  on  the  Missouri  Kiver,  when 
failing  to  go  farther  by  river  Mr.  Anderson 
returned  to  Vermillion  County,  reaching  his 
home  in  July.  He  then  bought  back  his 
interest  in  the  mercantile  basiness,''and  after 
several  years  of  successful  trade  the  partner- 
ship was  dissolved,  Mi-.  Anderson  retaining 
the  grocery  stock  and  trade.  Tliis  biisiness 
he  has  largely  increased  and  it  now  aggregates 
over  $40,000  per  year.  As  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Shirkie  &  Co.  Mr.  Anderson  is 
developing  a  coal  mine  a  half  mile  west  of 
Clinton.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Hamilton  &  Anderson,  the  leading  grain 
operators  in  tiie  county,  and  also  dealers  in 
agricultural  implements.  Besides  the  busi- 
ness above  mentioned  he  has  large  interests 
in  improved  city  property  in  Clinton,  and  is 
classed  among  the  prosperous  men  of  the 
county.  He  has  been  the  architect  of  liis 
own  fortune,  having  acquired  all  he  has  by 
persevering  energy  and  good  business  man- 
agement, and   he  well  knows  how  to  use  liis 


capital.  Mr.  Anderson  lost  liis  wife  by  death 
in  1861,  and  in  November,  1865,  he  married 
Miss  Thurza  Nebeker,  who  is  a  sister  of  Sey- 
mour and  Dr.  Henry  Nebeker.  They  are  the 
parents  of  one  child — Shelden  S.,  born  June 
23,  1870.  In  politics  Mr.  Anderson  has 
always  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party. 
Vermillion  County  has  no  more  active,  public 
spirited  man  than  N.  C.  Anderson,  the  suIj- 
ject  of  this  sketch,  and  none  are  more  highly 
respected. 


l^ROF.  FFtED  RUSH,  principal  of  tlie 
''iW  ^^"^^  schools  and  surveyor  of  Vermillion 
^  County,  was  born  in  Clinton,  March  20, 
1858,  a  son  of  James  Rush,  of  Ilelt  Town- 
ship, a  pioneer  of  Vermillion  County.  He 
was  reared  a  farmer  but  was  given  a  good 
education,  completing  his  studies  at  the 
National  Normal  School,  at  Lebanon,  Oiiio. 
He  has  been  engaged  in  teaching  about  ten 
years  and  is  one  of  the  most  successful  teacli- 
ers  in  the  county.  In  the  fall  of  1884  he 
moved  to  Dana  and  took  charge  of  the  public 
schools  and  the  same  fall  was  elected  county 
surveyor  and  was  re-elected  in  1886.  Sep- 
tember 13,  1882,  Mr.  Rush  was  mai-ried  to 
Anna  M.,  daughter  of  Jackson  Ilinkle  of 
Farmersburg,  Indiana.  They  have  had  three 
children,  two  of  whom  are  living — Philip  S. 
and  Donald  C.  Mrs.  Rush  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Rush  is  a 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order. 


fllARLES  W.  WARD,  of  Newport,  is 
one  of  the  well-known  members  of  the 
"^l  bar  of  Vermillion  County.  He  was 
admitted  at  Newport  about  1869,  but  prac- 
ticed little  at  tills  place  until  1875,  when  he 


hlOQBAPIIICAL    SKETGIiBS. 


formed  a  partnership  with  Eobert  B.  Sears, 
wliich  terminated  a  year  or  two  later.  lie 
then  became  associated  with  J.  C.  Sawyer  in 
the  practice  of  law,  and  still  later  with  Jndge 
Joshua  Jnmp,  and  following  Joshua  Jump 
came  Josephus  C.  Davis.  The  present  firm 
of  Ward  &  Gibson  was  formed  in  November, 
ls86,  and  both  members  of  the  firm  being 
prominent  in  the  legal  profession,  they  have 
succeeded  in  building  xip  a  large  and  success- 
ful practice.  Mr.  Ward  dates  his  birth  in 
Bradford,  New  Hampshire,  March  10,  1848, 
a  son  of  Sylvester  Ward,  who  died  when  our 
subject  was  a  child  of  three  or  four  years. 
In  1857  Mr.  Ward  came  to  Indiana  to  make 
liis  home  with  the  family  of  his  nncle,  Sena- 
tor O.  P.  Davis.  He  attended  school  for 
some  time  at  Bloom ingdale,  Parke  County, 
and  in  1868  he  entered  the  high  school  at 
Perrysville,  Vermillion  County.  In  1864:  he 
returned  to  New  Hampshire  and  spent  two 
years  at  the  New  London  Academy,  return- 
ing to  Indiana  in  1866,  and  continued  to  re- 
side in  tlie  family  of  Mr.  Davis  until  he 
began  the  study  of  law.  Mr.  Ward  was 
united  in  marriage  January  12,1870,  to  Miss 
Florence  Montgomery,  a  daughter  of  Dr. 
AVilliam  G.  Montgomery,  of  Warren  County, 
Indiana,  and  a  granddaughter  of  Stephen  S. 
Cdllett,  one  of  the  old  and  honored  pioneers 
of  Vermillion  County. 


^ANIEL  SIIUTE,  a  representative  citi- 
zen of  Highland  Township,  residing  on 
section  20,  is  a  son  of  Richard  Shute, 
who  came  to  Vermillion  County  among  the 
early  pioneers,  locating  near  the  present  site 
of  the  Howard  Chapel  in  Highland  Town- 
sliip,  in  October,  1829.  Eichard  Shute  was 
a  native  of  England,  coming  to  America 
wlieu  a  lad    of  ten  years,  his  family  settling 


in  Ohio  in  an  early  day.  He  wa8  married  in 
Lawrence  County,  Ohio,  to  Hannah  McCart- 
ney, and  to  them  were  born  nine  children, 
five  of  whom  were  born  in  Vermillion  County. 
Of  the  children  yet  living  four  sons,  Daniel, 
John,  Ephraim  and  Jehu,  are  residents  of 
Highland  Township,  this  county.  Richard 
Shute  died  January  12,  1853,  his  widow  sur- 
viving almost  twenty  years,  her  death  occur- 
ring August  26,  1872.  Daniel  Shute,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  is  ^  native  of  Ohio, 
born  in  1820,  being  about  nine  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  immigrated  to  Vermillion 
County.  He  distinctly  remembers  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  country  sixty  years  ago,  and 
lias  witnessed  the  many  wonderful  changes 
which  have  caused  the  wilderness  to  be  trans- 
formed into  well  cultivated  farms  and  thriving 
towns  and  villages.  His  wife  was  formerly 
Miss  Jane  Gouty,  a  daughter  of  Henry  Gouty, 
one  of  the  old  pioneers  of  the  county.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shute  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children — Henry,  married  to  Mary  Rodgers; 
David,  married  to  Mariah  Foster;  Elizabeth 
E.,  wife  of  Samuel  Rodgers;  Mel vina,  Mary, 
wife  of  Scott  Virgin;  Joseph  M.,  married  to 
Ella  Ricliardson,  and  Sarah,  wife  of  Lewis 
Johnson.  In  politics  Mr.  Shute  affiliates 
witli  the  Republican  ticket. 


fAMES  B.  ILES,  an  active  and  prosper- 
ous farmer  and  stogk-raiser  of  Eugene 
Township,  is  a  worthy  representative  of 
one  of  the  old  pioneer  families  of  Vermillion 
Count}',  his  father  having  settled  on  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  our  subject  in  the  year  1828. 
James  B.  was  born  on  this  farm  in  a  log 
cabin  near  the  site  of  his  present  residence, 
June  4,  1829,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Hannah 
(Stephenson)  lies,  his  father  born  in  Rock- 
ingham County,  Virginia,  May  10,  1791,  and 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNT f. 


his  niotlier  a  native  of  Tennessee,  born  No- 
vember 1,  1796.  His  father  was  taken  to 
Fairlield  County,  Ohio,  by  his  parents  when 
a  boy,  where  he  spent  liis  yoiith  in  clearing  a 
farm.  He  learned  the  tailor's  trade  in  that 
county.  In  1820  he  went  to  Terre  Haute, 
Indiana,  where  lie  worked  at  his  trade  some 
time.  After  coming  to  Eugene  Township  he 
made  farming  his  principal  avocation,  in 
whicli  he  was  eminently  successful,  accumu- 
lating much  property.  He  made  his  home 
in  Eugene  Township  until  his  death,  July 
29,  1863.  His  widow  died  March  23,  1886, 
in  her  eighty-ninth  year.  They  were  the 
parents  of  six  children,  three  still  living — 
Mrs.  Martha  J.  Nailer,  James  B.,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  and  Jacob.  James  B.  lies 
was  reared  on  the  old  homestead,  receiving 
such  education  as  the  rude  log  cabin  schools 
of  those  early  days  afforded.  He] was  married 
March  14,  1857,  to  Miss  Elizabetli  Tever- 
baugh,  a  daugliter  of  John  Teverbaugh,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  six  children — Nora, 
William,  Mary,  Etiie,  Hannah  and  Martha. 
Nora  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Peters,  of  Brim- 
field,  Illinois,  who  has  been  prominently 
identified  with  the  interests  of  Eugene,  and 
for  four  years  was  treasurer  of  Vermillion 
County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peters  had  one  daugh- 
ter, Josie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years. 
Mr.  lies  owns  over  1,200  acres  of  land,  and 
is  classed  among  the  substantial  citizens  of 
the  county,  where  he  is  esteemed  by  all  who 
know  him.  lie  was  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic lodge  at  Eugene  until  it  disbanded. 


fOIIN  HENDERSON,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  resides  on  section  7,  "Vermillion 
Township,  where  .he  owns  250  acres  of 
choice  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  was  born  in  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 


near  his  present  homestead,  August  20, 1831, 
a  son  of  William  and  Anna  (Haworth)  Hen- 
derson. His  father  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  of 
English  descent,  and  the  mother  of  Tennessee, 
of  English  and  Irish  descent.  In  1822  his 
parents  came  to  this  county  and  settled  in 
Vermillion  Township,  where  his  father  died 
March  14,  1857,  aged  forty-nine  years.  His 
mother  is  still  living,  making  her  home  with 
her  son  William.  Of  their  six  cliildren  but 
two  are  living — John  and  William  F.  John 
Henderson  was  married  in  Parke  County, 
Indiana,  in  1870,  to  Dinah  Towell,  a  native 
of  Parke  County,  born  January  7,  1837, 
daughter  of  George  and  Mary  (Lindley) 
Towell.  Mr.  Henderson  has  served  two 
terms  as  county  surveyor.  His  educational 
advantages  were  somewhat  limited,  being 
confined  to  the  common  schools,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  six  months  spent  at  Bloomingdale 
Academy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henderson  are 
birthright  members  of  the  society  of  Friends. 
He  is  a  firm  adherent  to  the  principles  of 
prohibition,  and  always  gives  his  support  to 
any  enterprise  that  tends  to  the  elevation  of 
society  or  the  material  lienefit  of  the  town- 
ship or  county.  He  is  an  active  worker  in 
the  church,  taking  an  especial  interest  in  tlir 
Sunday-school  and  its  interests. 


fANIEL  W.  FINNEY,  dealer  in  hard- 
ware, farm  implements  and  building 
naaterial,  successor  to  Lowrey  &  Fisher, 
Dana,  Indiana,  is  a  native  of  the  Iloosier 
State,  born  in  Parke  County,  October  8,1837. 
a  son  of  Robert  Finney,  who  was  born  in 
North  Carolina,  of  Irish  descent,  and  came 
to  Indiana  M'ith  his  parents  when  a  boy,  and 
was  here  married  to  Malinda  linnt,  who  was 
of  Scotch  descent.  The  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  Joseph  Finney,  was  a  soldier  in  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SSEtCllMS. 


341 


war  01  1812.  Daniel  W.  Finney  was  reared 
on  a  farm  in  liis  native  county.  lie  was 
given  good  educational  advantages,  and  for 
a  time  attended  Clooiningdale  Academy.  He 
came  to  Vermillion  County  in  March,  1862, 
and  located  on  a  farm  one  mile  northeast  of 
Dana.  In  1870  lie  hegan  dealing  in  grain  in 
Dana,  which  he  continued  until  1887,  when 
he  hought  the  stock  of  Lowrey  &  Fisher, 
lie  carries  a  capital  stock  of  about  $5,000, 
and  has  a  large  trade  which  is  constantly  in- 
creasing. He  is  one  of  the  prominent  busi- 
ness men  of  Dana,  where  he  has  lived  for  a 
(piarter  of  a  century,  and  has  a  large  circle  of 
friends  among  the  business  men  of  the  county. 
He  was  married  December  15,  1859,  to  Gilla 
Huffman,  daughter  of  Lawson  Huifnian,  of 
Parke  County,  Indiana.  To  them  have  been 
lioru  seven  <;hildren,  five  of  whom  are  living 
— Cora  E.,  Alice  M.,  Annis,  William  P.  and 
Maude.  One  son,  Edgar  F.,  died  at  the  age 
of  four  years.  Mr.  Finney  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity.  Although  he  takes 
an  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  town 
and  county,  he  never  seeks  official  honors,  the 
cares  of  his  business  demanding  his  attention 
to  such  an  extent  that  he  has  no  time  to 
devote  to  the  duties  devolving  on  a  public 
officer. 


fOIIN  Q.  WASHBURN,  general  mer- 
cliant,  Clinton,  Indiana,  was  born  in 
AVayne  County,  Ohio,  October  13,  1833, 
a  son  of  James  A.  and  Mary  A.  (Kane) 
Washburn.  His  parents  moved  to  Vermill- 
ion County,  and  located  in  Newport  in  1850 
His  father  was  a  man  of  prominence  in  public 
affairs  and  was  appointed  postmaster  at  New- 
port under  the  administration  of  President 
Fillmore,  and  was  holding  that  office  at  the 
time  oF  his  death.      His  widow  survived  him 


several  years.  Hon.  Henry  D.  Washburn, an 
older  brother  of  John  Q.,  was  one  of  Indiana's 
prominent  statesman.  He  was  one  of  the 
bravest  of  the  volunteer  officers  from  Indiana 
during  the  war  of  tlie  Rebellion,  raising 
Company  C,  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  was  afterward  made  Lieutenant-Colonel 
of  the  regiment.  He  was  subsequently 
promoted  to  Brigadier-General  and  brevet 
Major  General.  In  1815  he  made  tlie  run 
for  Congress  in  this  district  against  Dan 
Voorhees,  the  sitting  jneinbei',  and  defeated 
him,  and  in  1867  was  re-elected,  running 
against  Hon.  Solomon  Claypool.  In  1869  he 
was  appointed  Survey-General  of  Montana 
Territory,  and  was  holding  that  office  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  in  January,  1871,  at  the 
early  age  of  thirty-nine  years.  John  Q. 
Washburn  came  to  Vermillion  County,  in 
1852,  two  years  after  his  parents  and  joined 
them  at  Newport,  where  he  lived  until  after 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business.  In  September, 
1861,  he  responded  to  the  call  of  duty  and 
enlisted  in  defense  of  his  country,  serving 
faithfully  fifteen  months  when  he  was  dis- 
charged on  account  of  sickness.  Regaining 
his  health  he  again,  in  the  spring  of  1864, 
went  to  the  front  as  Captain  of  Company  K, 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-ninth  Indiana 
Infantry,  joining  the  grand  ai-my  of  General 
Sherman  at  Resaca,  as  a  part  of  General 
Schofield's  corps,  the'gallant Twenty-third,  and 
participated  in  the  hard-fought  Atlanta  cam- 
paign and  later  in  the  historic  battles  at 
Franklin  and  Nashville,  where  Hood's  army 
was  practically  destroyed.  Later,  still  as  a 
part  of  the  Twenty- tliird  Corps,  the  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-ninth  joined  Sherman 
at  Goldsboro,  North  Carolina,  and  was  present 
at  the  sun'ender  of  General  Johnston's  arm}', 
the  closing  drama  of  the  war.  Captain 
AVashbnrn  in  all  this  campaign  did  well  and 


manfully  a  soldier's  part.  Since  his  return  to 
civil  life  his  career  has  been  no  less  honorable 
than  that  as  a  soldier.  He  has  made  mer- 
chandising the  chief  occupation  of  his  life 
and  there  are  none  who  are  more  popnlar  as  a 
merchant  than  he.  Genial  and  courteous  he 
has  hosts  of  friends  and  has  been  a  successful 
tradesman.  lie  has  lived  in  Clinton  since 
1875,  and  has  one  of  the  most  complete  and 
well  stocked  stores  in  the  city.  Pie  was 
married  in  October,  1866,  to  Laura  N. 
Nebeker,  a  native  of  Halt  Township,  born 
April  23,  1843,  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Aquila 
Nebeker.  They  have  two  children — Annie 
and  Dana.  In  politics  Mr.  Washburn  is  a 
stannch  supporter  of  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party. 


tILLIAM  L.  POETER,  county  treas- 
urer of  Vermillion  County,  is  a 
worthy  representative  of  one  of  the 
pioneer  families  of  the  connty,his  grandfather, 
John  Porter,  having  settled  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship as  early  as  1821.  lie  was  a  native  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  where  he  was  reared 
and  married,  coming  directly  from  that  State 
to  Vermillion  County,  and  in  an  early  day 
was  an  associate  judge  of  the  county.  Charles 
Porter,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  but 
four  years  old  when  brought  by  his  jjarents  to 
Vermillion  County.  lie  grew  to  manhood 
in  Clinton  Township,  and  was  married  to  Miss 
Annie  Morris,  her  father,  Samuel  Morris, 
being  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county. 
They  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  four 
sons  and  six  daughters,  all  living  but  one 
daughter,  and  are  residents  of  Vermillitm 
County.  Charles  Porter  died  in  1878,  his 
wife  having  died  four  years  previous.  Will- 
iam L.  Porter,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  a 
native  of  Vermillion  County,  born  in  Clinton 


Township,  in  the  year  1848.  His  father 
being  a  farmer  he  was  reared  on  the  farm,  but 
subsequently  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter, 
and  his  general  occupation  has  been  that  of  a 
carpenter  and  bridge  builder.  He  has  met 
with  success  in  all  his  undertakings,  and  is 
now  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  in  Clinton 
Township.  For  his  wife  he  married  Miss 
Susan  E.  Clark,  who  was  born  in  Clinton 
Township,  Vermillion  County,  a  daughter  of 
James  Clark.  Mrs.  Porter  died  March  15, 
1886,  leaving  three  children — John  W., Essie 
E.  and  Byron  E.  In  his  political  views  Mr. 
Porter  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party, 
casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  U.  S. 
Grant  in  1872.  In  the  fall  of  1884  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  county  treasurer  as 
successor  to  Henry  Peters,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1886  he  was  re-elected,  and  has  proved  him- 
self to  be  an  efficient  and  trustworthy  official 
in  all  respects,  and  by  his  honorable  dealings 
he  has  gained  the  confidence  and  respect  of 
the  entire  community. 


UCIEN  R.  WHIPPLE,  patent  right 
jnt,  Eugene,  was  boi'n  in  Licking 
•'^''  County,  Ohio,  February  6,  1834,  a  son 
of  Enoch  Whipple  who  was  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, and  a  son  of  Amiali  Whipple.  The 
latter  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  a  brother  of  William  and  Abraham 
Whipple,  the  former  a  signer  of  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence,  and  the  latter  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Lucien  R. 
Whipple,  t::e  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Logansport,  Indi- 
ana, in  1839,  and  to  this  county  in  1840,  in 
which  year  they  settled  in  Eugene.  In  1856 
he  went  to  Vinton,  Iowa,  returning  to  this 
county  in  18G0.  He  enlisted  in  the  late  civil 
war   in    Compau}'    K,    Seventy-first    Indiana 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKELGHES. 


343  t 


Iiiftintry,  afterward  known  as  -the  Sixth  Cav- 
ali-y,  and  while  in  the  service  participated  in 
twenty-nine  engagements,  including  the  bat- 
tles of  Richmond,  Nashville,  Stoneman  Eaid, 
Murfreesboi'o,  Buzzard  lloost,  Resaca  and 
Allatoona  Pass.  He  was  captured  by  Mor- 
gan's men,  but  soon  after  paroled  and  ex- 
changed. Mr.  Whipple  was  married  October 
26,  1856,  to  Miss  Sarah  Sheward,  a  daughter 
of  Ezekiel  Shewai-d,  and  to  them  were  born 
six  children,  four  of  whom  are  yet  living — 
James  E.,  Edward  G.,  Frank  M.  and  Mrs. 
Anna  M.  Fultz.  In  politics  Mr.  Whipple 
affiliates  with  the  Republican  party.  Mrs. 
Whijjple  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church. 


fHARLES  B.  KNOWLES,  one  of  the 
substantial  citizens  of  Clinton,  has  been 
actively  identified  with  the  interests  of 
that  city  since  1860,  in  which  year  he  and 
his  brother,  James  E.  Knowles,  established 
their  residence  there.  Each  own  and  occupy 
a  very  fine  residence  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood, and  together  are  owners  of  valuable 
city  property  and  real  estate,  beside  320  acres 
outside  the  city.  Charles  B.  Knowles  was 
born  in  Vanderburg  County,  Indiana,  on  the 
parental  homestead,  eight  miles  north  of 
Evansville,  January  11,  1827,  the  eldest  son 
of  Charles  and  Mary  Ann  (Maidlow)  Knowles, 
who  were  of  English  birth,  the  father  born  in 
Kent,  England,  December  14,  1801,  and  the 
mother  born  in  Hampshire.  The  ancestors 
of  the  Knowles  family  came  from  Normandy 
with  William  the  Conqueror,  and  fought  at 
the  battle  of  Hastings.  Charles  Knowles, 
the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  came  from 
England,  and  settled  with  his  family  in  Van- 
derburg County,  Indiana,  in  1817.  He  died 
in  1835.     His  widow  survived  him  several 


years,  and  died  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
at  the  home  of  her  daughter  Mrs.  Joseph 
Woodwell.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  James  Maidlow,  left  England  with 
his  family,  and  settled  in  Vanderburg  County 
shortly  after  the  war  of  1812,  where  he  died 
in  March,  1852,  in  his  eigiity-eighth  year. 
Charles  Knowles  and  Mary  Ann  Maidlow 
M-ere  married  in  Vanderburg  County,  where 
tiiey  passed  the  remainder  of  their  life,  and 
there  reared  to  maturity  a  family  of  eigiit 
children.  The  first  death  in  the  family  was 
that  of  their  son,  Edmund  M.  He  was  born 
April  29,  1837,  and  during  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  he  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Forty- 
second  Indiana  Infantry,  and  engaged  under 
General  Granger  at  the  battle  of  Chickainan- 
ga.  He  was  taken  prisoner  and  confined  in 
Libby  Prison,  later  under  fire  at  Charleston, 
and  still  later  at  Columbia,  South  Carolina, 
where  he  made  his  escape.  He  was  recap- 
tured, stripped  of  his  uniform,  taken  out  of 
prison,  and  shot  to  death.  The  parents  of 
our  subject  began  life  in  Vanderburg  County 
in  limited  circumstances,  but  by  industry  and 
good  management  they  acquired  a  good  prop- 
erty, and  by  fair  and  honorable  dealings 
gained  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who 
knew  them.  The  father  was  liberal  in  his 
religious  views,  but  the  mother  was  a  member 
of  the  Episcopal  church.  Charles  B.  Knowles, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  to  man- 
hood on  his  father's  farm,  and  the  habits  of 
industry  and  economy  learned  in  his  youth 
have  guided  him  in  later  years.  Leaving  the 
old  home  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  he 
went  south,  and  mastered  the  art  of  printing, 
commencing  at  Carrolton,  Mississippi,  as 
compositor.  He  spent  eight  years  in  south- 
ern cities  and  towns,  finding  employment  in 
New  Orleans,  Natchez,  Little  Rock,  and  other 
places.  In  1858  he  published  a  paper  at 
Arkadelphia,  Arkansas.     His  last  work  at  his 


HISrOBT    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


trade  was  ou  the  Mempliis  AjJpeal.  He  re- 
turned to  Indiana  late  in  the  year  1854,  and 
the  following  year  became  associated  with  his 
brother,  James  E.,  and  Lnke  Grant,  in  milling 
and  tlic  dry  goods  business  in  Warrick  Coun- 
ty. Their  mill,  which  cost  $10,000,  was 
destroyed  by  tire  in  1859,  thus  breaking  up 
the  company.  September  25,  1859,  Mr. 
Knowles  was  united  in  marriage  in  Warrick 
County,  to  Miss  Emily  E.  Ashle^',  who  was 
born  near  Booneville,  that  county,  October  4, 
1842,  a  daughter  of  AVilliam  G.  and  Sophia 
(Bosley)  Ashley.  Tlieir  only  child,  Anna, 
was  born  June  28,  1860.  She  is  now  the 
wife  of  Charles  E.  Pittman,  a  dental  surgeon 
of  Evansville,  Indiana.  In  1860  the  Knowles 
brothers,  in  company  with  Arthur  M.  John- 
son, built  a  flat-boat,  and  loading  it  with  corn, 
started  in  February,  1861,  for  the  lower  Mis- 
sissippi markets.  James  E.  Knowles  and  Mr. 
Johnson  returned  by  the  last  boat,  leaving 
for  Louisville  before  the  blockade  of  the  river. 
Charles  B^  remained  behind  to  finally  close 
up  their  business,  and  was  detained  nearly 
two  weeks,  returning  by  railroad,  by  the  way 
of  Nashville  &  Louisville  from  Memphis,  this 
then  being  the  only  route  open.  Politically 
Mr.  Knowles  is  of  Democratic  antecedents, 
and  he  himself  is  classed  as  Independent.  A 
natural  student,  he  keeps  well  posted  on  all 
matters  of  public  interest.  In  his  religious 
views  he  is  liberal. 


f|LISHA  A.  LACEY  is  a  representative 
L  of  one  of  the  pioneer  tamilies  of  Ver- 
"^  million  County,  Indiaiia.  His  father, 
James  Madison  Lacey,  came  here  with  his 
father,  James  Lacey,  who  settled  with  his 
family  in  Vermillion  County  in  the  year 
1837.  James  Lacey,  the  paternal  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  of 


English  ancestry,  the  eighth  son  of  Eichard 
Lacey,  and  was  born  in  the  State  of  New 
Jersey,  July  6,  1778.  He  married  Mary 
Biglow,  who  was  born  February  14,  1785,  a 
daughter  of  Nicholas  Biglow,  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  the  Eevolution.  She  died  in  Ver- 
million County  the  29th  day  of  September, 
1848,  aged  sixty-three  years.  In  1801  Mr. 
Lacey  and  his  wife  emigrated  from  New  Jer- 
sey to  the  State  of  New  York,  where  they 
resided  a  number  of  years,  and  reared  a  fam- 
ily of  five  children.  From  New  York  he 
moved  to  Indiana,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in 
Vermillion  County,  Highland  Township,  and 
about  two  miles  north  of  Perrysville.  This 
was  his  home  until  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  while  temporarily  residing 
with  his  daughter  in  Warren  County,  this 
State,  on  the  8th  day  of  October,  1855.  He 
was  a  man  of  intelligence,  courageous,  and 
fond  of  adventure,  and  the  deep  forests  of 
central  New  Y'ork,  abounding  with  wild  ani- 
mals, aftbrded  ample  opportunity  for  the 
young  and  athletic  pioneer  to  gratify  his 
fondness  for  the  chase.  Some  of  the  tales  of 
his  early  adventures  would  adorn  a  page  in  a 
history  of  pioneer  life  in  the  State  of  New 
York.  He  and  his  brother,  while  prospect- 
ing for  salt,  discovered  the  mineral  springs 
of  Dryden,  New  York,  known  as  the  "Dry- 
den  Springs,"  that  have  since  become  quite  a 
place  of  resort  for  invalids,  a  large  sanita- 
rium having  been  erected  there.  Of  his  five 
children  who  came  with  him  to  Indiana,  Mar- 
garet, the  oldest,  married  Syra  Aldrich,  and 
died  in  July,  1855;  Esther  died  in  Septem- 
ber, 1839;  Susan  married  Jacob  Dolsen,  and 
died  in  March,  1876;  James  Madison,  whose 
history  will  be  briefly  given,  and  Benjamin, 
the  youngest,  who  studied  medicine,  became 
a  physician,  practicing  in  Dallas,  Edgar 
County,  Illinois,  where  he  died  in  1867. 
James  Madison  Lacey  was    born    in  Toinp- 


BIOGRAPHIGAL    SKETCHES 


kins  Comity,  New  York,  November  28, 
1814.  In  tlie  year  1837  lie  accompanied 
liis  father  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
and  engaged  in  teaching  school,  having  re- 
ceived an  academic  education  at  Cazenovia, 
New  York.  In  1839  he  returned  to  New 
York,  and  was  married  March  24,  1841,  to 
Anna  Maria  Albright,  who  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Dryden,  New  York,  February  3, 
1821,  a  daughter  of  Elisha  Albright.  Soon 
after  his  marriage  he  returned  to  Indiana 
and  resumed  teaching,  lieing  one  of  the  early 
and  successful  teachers  of  the  towns  of  Per- 
rysville  and  Eugene.  After  teaching  a  num- 
ber of  years,  he  settled  on  a  j^art  of  the  land 
purchased  by  his  fatiier,  where  he  lived  until 
his  death,  wliich  occurred  March  21,18(51. 
lie  was  one  of  the  representative  citizens  dt' 
VermillioiT  County;  he  was  a  close  reader 
and  well  informed  on  all  of  the  general  topics 
of  the  day.  He  was  quiet  and  unassuming 
in  his  manners,  was  a  fine  conversationalist 
and  a  good  speaker,  expressing  his  views 
easily  and  clearly,  and  was  a  valuable  and  in- 
structive associate.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Democrat  of  a  pronounced  type,  and  was  an 
able  advocate  of  tlie  principles  of  that  party. 
In  religious  faith  lie  was  a  Universalist.  Ilis 
only  cliiid,  Elisha  A.  Lacey,  is  the  ouly  de- 
scendant of  this  pioneer  family  who  bears  the 
name  of  Lacey  in  Vermillion  County.  He 
was  born  in  Dryden,  Tompkins  County,  New 
York,  February  16,  1842,  his  parents  having 
returned  to  their  native  State  for  a  brief 
j)eriod.  In  his  infancy  lie  was  brought  to 
Vermillion  County,  where  he  has  spent  most 
of  his  life.  In  1857  he  was  sent  back  to 
Dryden,  and  attended  the  high  school  of  that 
place,  graduating  in  1859.  On  his  return  he 
engaged  in  teaching  for  a  few  years,  and 
since  tlien  lias  given  his  attention  to  agricul- 
ture. He  resides  two  and  oiie-lialf  miles 
nortli  of  Perrysville.  on  a  fine  farm  of  370 


acres.  He  was  married  November  2,  1863, 
to  Martha  Ellen  Wright,  who  was  born  Octo- 
ber 3,  1844,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Wright,  a 
pioneer  of  this  county.  They  have  five  daugh- 
ters— Lizzie,  Cora,  Minnie,  Bertha  and  Grace. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Lacey,  like  his  father,  is  a 
Democrat,  and  in  1882  was  the  candidate  of 
his  party  for  the  office  of  liepresentative  to 
the  State  Legislature.  He  is  a  man  of  abil- 
ity and  of  good  address.  Ilis  history  will  be 
finished  by  the  future  historian  of  Vermillion 
County. 


,vmLFKED  E.  NEWLIN,  one  of  the  self- 
.(^\  iiiaile  men  of  Vermillion  County,  cn- 
~:~  -aged  in  tkrming  and  stock-raising  on 
section  4,  Vermillion  Township,  is  a  native 
of  Indiana,  born  in  Parke  County,  March  30, 
1832.  His  parents,  Eli  and  Mary  (Edwards) 
Newlin,  were  natives  of  North  Carolina,  and 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Indiana,  locating 
in  Parke  County  in  1828.  In  1833  they 
came  with  their  family  to  Vermillion  County 
and  settled  in  Vermillion  Township,  where 
they  passed  the  remainder  of  their  life.  The 
father  became  a  prominent  man  in  the  county, 
and  for  two  terms  held  the  office  of  sheriff. 
He  also  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  started  in  life  poor,  but  by 
his  persevering  energy  and  industrious  hab- 
its combined  with  good  management  he  suc- 
ceeded well  in  life,  and  at  his  death  left  an 
estate  of  300  acres.  He  often  went  security 
for  a  friend,  and  in  almost  ever}'  instance  was 
obliged  to  pay  the  amount  himself.  He  was 
a  man  of  sterling  worth,  honest  and  upright 
in  all  his  dealings,  and  was  universally  re- 
spected. He  died  in  1872,  aged  seventy 
years.  His  widow  survived  until  1886,  dying 
at  the  ad\anced  age  of  eighty  years.  They 
reared  two  children — V.   Ii-eua,  wlio  is  now 


L^. 


msTonr  of   vermillion  countt. 


L 


deceased,  and  Alfred  R.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Alfred  R.  Newlin  has  always  fol- 
lowed the  avocation  of  a  farmer,  and  from  a 
small  beginning  he  has  become  one  of  the 
prosperous  citizens  of  his  township.  He  is 
now  the  owner  of  a  tine  farm  containing  600 
acres,  his  land  being  well  improved  and  well 
cultivated.  Mr.  Newlin  was  married  in  Ver- 
million County  in  1852  to  Miss  Elvira  Hud- 
son, a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1831,  and  a 
daughter  of  David  and  Margaret  Hudson. 
They  have  had  ten  children  born  to  them,  of 
whom  eight  are  yet  living — Elvira  and  Al- 
raira  (twins),  the  former  married  to  Willis 
Asbury,  and  has  seven  children,  and  the  lat- 
ter the  wife  of  George  Carnack,  and  has 
three  children ;  Achsah,  wife  of  Frank  Car- 
nack; Finetta,  wife  of  AVilliam  Dehaven; 
Joseph,  Lewis,  Robert  and  Clendore,  living 
at  home  with  their  parents.  Eli  and  Mary 
F.  are  the  names  of  those  deceased.  Mr. 
Newlin  is  an  active  and  public-spirited  citi- 
zen, and  in  every  movement  calculated  to 
beneiit  his  toM'nship  or  county  he  always 
manifests  a  deep  interest.  Quiet,  unassum- 
ing in  his  manners,  and  strictly  honorable, 
he  has  gained  the  respect  of  all  who  know 
him. 


ONROE  G.  HOSFORD,  a  member 
cif  the  Eugene  Milling  Company  at 
~:  ^  Cayuga,  is  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  born  in  Eugene,  February 
4,  1845,  a  son  of  Philo  Ilosford,  of  Eugene, 
who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
county.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  and  educated  in  Eugene,  and  in  1863 
he  began  clerking  in  a  mercantile  establish- 
ment. In  1877  he  engaged  in  mercantile 
pursuits  on  his  own  account,  which  he  con- 
tinued until  1882,  when  he  began  operating 


the  old  mill  at  Eugene.  In  1884  he,  in  com- 
pany with  Samuel  K.  Todd  and  Eli  H.  Mc- 
Daniel,  built  a  large  flouring-mill  at  the 
present  site  of  Cayuga,  where  tliey  have  es- 
tablished an  extensive  business  which  is 
steadily  increasing.  Mr.  Hosford  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  C.  Simpson,  a 
daughter  of  Nicholas  Simpson  who  is  now 
deceased,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  three 
children,  named — Charles,  Daisy  and  Lenore. 
Mr.  Ilosford  is  an  active  and  public-spir- 
ited citizen,  and  is  always  interested  in  an^^ 
enterprise  which  has  for  its  oltject  tlic  ad- 
vancement of  his  township  or  county.  He 
has  served  as  township  trustee  one  term,  and 
for  [several  years  was  notary  public.  Mrs. 
Hosford  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Eugene. 


fOHN  GORDON  CAMPRELL,  a  promi. 
nent  citizen  of  Clinton,  with  whose  in. 
terests  he  has  been  identified  for  many 
years,  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  near  Pel- 
fast,  December  25,  1825,  a  son  of  John  and 
Lillie  (Gordon)  Campbell,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Scotland  and  descendants  of  the 
old  Covenanters.  The  Gordon's  through 
many  generations,  were  the  devoted  adherents 
and  followers  of  the  Dukes  of  Argyle,  and  of 
Presbyterian  faith.  The  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject had  a  family  of  eight  children,  all  of 
whom  are  living — John  Gordon,  the  eldest, 
is  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  William  came 
to  America  in  1848,  and  since  1855  has  been 
a  resident  of  Clinton,  this  county;  Andrew 
lives  on  the  home  farm  in  Ireland,  the  farm 
being  named  Bradkeel ;  Mrs.  Anna  McLaugh- 
lin and  Mrs.  Isabella  McMillan  live  near  the 
old  home;  James  is  at  the  old  homestead; 
Sarah  Ann,  unmarried,  and  Mrs.  Margaret 
Baxter.     The  first  death  in   the  family  was 


i — 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


347 


tliat  of  the  father,  which  occurred  in  1844,  at 
the  age  of  forty-five  years.  The  mother  still 
survives,  and  is  living  at  the  homestead  in 
Ireland  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  John  G.  Campbell,  when  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  came  to  the  United  States  to 
visit  his  uncle  John  Gordon,  at  Lancaster, 
Pennsylvania,  his  uncle  having  died  in  1882, 
in  Champaign  County,  Ohio.  After  visiting 
a  few  months  he  thought  it  was  better  for 
him  to  remain  in  America.  Even  the  return 
voyage  was  enough  to  deter  him,  having 
spent  six  weeks  and  five  days  in  the  passage 
over.  Going  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  had 
relatives,  he  engaged  as  clerk,  where  he  re- 
mained as  such  for  some  time.  lie  then  went 
to  Baltimore,  Maryland,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed in  the  same  capacity.  He  was  mar- 
ried at  Baltimore,  March  2,  1852,  to  Miss 
Matilda  Elison,  who  was  born  in  the  same 
district  in  Ireland  as  her  husband,  in  the  year 
1827.  They  have  had  six  children  born  to 
them — Isabella,  born  December  9,  1852,  liv- 
ing at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana;  William  G., 
born  July  16,  1854,  died  November  8,  1859; 
Mrs.  Sarah  Jane  Reynolds,  born  July  2, 1858; 
resides  at  Plainfield,  Indiana;  Matilda,  born 
November  28,  1860;  John  G.,  born  May  11, 
1862,  is  proprietor  of  the  Nachusa  Hotel  at 
Dixon,  Illinois,  and  Ruth,  who  died  in  infan- 
cy. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell  resided  in  Bal- 
timore until  coming  to  Clinton  in  1855.  His 
brother  had  preceded  him  here  a  short  time, 
and  opened  a  drug  store,  which  he  entered  as 
a  clerk,  and  finally  established  himself  in  the 
same  business,  which  he  continued  for  a  period 
of  twenty  years.  In  1861  he  was  appointed 
postmaster  of  Clinton  by  President  Lincoln, 
he  being  the  first  Republican  postmaster  in 
Vermillion  County.  He  was  reappointed  to 
the  same  ofiice  in  1865,  serving  in  that  ca- 
pacity eight  years.  Mr.  Campbell  has  voted 
the  Republican  ticket  since  the  days  of  John 


C.  Fremont.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  con- 
sistent Presbyterians  in  their  religious  belief, 
adhering  to  the  faith  of  their  ancestors. 


fOIIN  E.  BILSLAND,  dealer  in  groceries 
and  provisions,  Dana,  Indiana,  was  born 
in  Covington,  Indiana,  May  27,  1853,  a 
son  of  John  Bilsland,  a  resident  of  Ilelt 
Township,  who  came  to  Vermillion  County 
in  1856.  and  settled  on  the  old  Daniel  Whiza- 
ker  farm.  John  E.  was  reared  on  this  farm, 
remaining  with  his  parents  until  twenty-two 
years  old.  He  was  given  good  edncational 
advantages,  attending  the  common  schools 
and  Clinton  Institute.  In  1875  he  came  to 
Dana,  and  in  1876  embarked  in  business  on 
his  own  account.  He  carries  a  stock  valued 
at  Irom  $1,500  to  $2,000,  doing  an  annual 
business  of  about  $10,000,  and  controlling 
the  greater  part  of  the  trade  of  the  town  in 
his  line.  Mr.  Bilsland  was  mai-ried  October 
30,  1877,  to  Alice  Stivers.  Mr.  Bilsland  is 
treasurer  of  the  town  of  Dana,  and  is  one  of 
its  most  prominent  citizens. 


-i->^J*|- 


Ig^UGH  H.  CONLEY,  one  of  the  leading 
lffl|  members  of  the  bar  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
TfsJd  ty,  and  a  prominent  and  influential 
citizen  of  Newport,  dates  his  birth  in  this 
county,  January  14,  1843,  being  a  represent- 
ative of  one  of  the  early  families.  His 
father,  Elijah  M.  Conley,  died  when  he  was 
an  infant.  His  mother,  Nancy  (Downing) 
Conley,  was  born  in  the  State  of  Delaware, 
in  1798,  being  the  only  daughter  of  William 
Downing,  one  of  the  old  and  honored  pioneers 
of  Vermillion  County.  She  is  still  living, 
being  one  of  the  oldest  persons  in  the  county. 
Elijah  M,  Conley  and  wife  were  thfc  parents 


HI8T0MT    OF    VERMILLION    GOV  NTT. 


of  seven  children,  of  whom  one  son,  Jonathan, 
(lied  in  childhood.  Of  the  six  who  grew  to 
maturity,  five  are  yet  living — Mary,  Phosbe, 
AVilliam  W.,  Elijah  P.  and  Hugh  11.,  all  with 
the  exception  of  Elijah  P.  who  lives  in  Owen 
County,  being  residents  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty. Hugh  H.  Conley  was  reared  to  the 
vocation  of  a  faruier.  He  was  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  the' Kebollion,  enlisting  September 
9,  18G2,  in  the  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  during  his  term  of  service  participated 
in  some  of  the  most  important  events  of  the 
war.  He  was  in  the  siege  of  Yicksburg, 
after  which  he  took  part  with  his  regiment  in 
Banks's  Texas  expedition.  He  re-enlisted 
with  his  regiment,  January  1,  1864,  at  In- 
dianola,  Texas,  and  came  home  on  a  fur- 
lough. At  this  time  a  part  of  the  Nineteenth 
Corps,  to  which  his  regiment  belonged,  had 
been  transferred  to  the  eastern  army,  and  at 
the  expiration  of  their  furlough  the  members 
of  the  regiment  joined  General  Sheridan,  and 
took  part  in  the  famous  Shenandoah  cam- 
paign, participating  in  the  battles  of  Win- 
chester, Fisher's  Hill  and  Cedar  Creek,  where 
Sheridan  made  his  famous  ride.  At  the  last 
mentioned  battle  Mr.  Conley  received  a  severe 
gunshot  wound  in  the  left  leg  which  resulted 
in  his  being  sent  to  McClellan  hospital  near 
Philadelphia,  and  from  there  transferred  to 
the  hospital  at  Indianapolis,  where,  after 
undergoing  a  siege  of  small-pox,  together 
with  the  sufferings  occasioned  by  his  wound, 
he  wai  discharged  May  24,  1865,  for  disa- 
bility, after  the  war  had  closed,  but  before  the 
final  discharge  of  his  regiment.  After  the 
war  Mr.  Conley  attended  school  for  some  time, 
first  at  Bloomingdale  academy,  and  later  at 
the  State  Normal  at  Terre  Haute.  After 
leaving  school  he  engaged  in  teaching,  pur- 
suing at  the  same  time  tliestndy  of  law.  He 
continued  to  teach  school  until  he  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  law  in  1877,  in  which  year  he 


was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Newport.  J.  C. 
Sawyer  has  been  associated  with  him  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  since  November, 
1886,  under  the  firm  name  of  Conley  &  Saw- 
yer, and  like  his  pirtner  Mr.  Conley,  is  a  self- 
made  man.  Mr.  Conley  married  Mi&s  Mary 
A.  Saunders,  a  daughter  of  Doctor  Edward 
a'-.d  Mary  Saunders,  both  of  whom  are  de- 
ceased, the  latter  dying  shortly  after  her 
daughter's  birth,  and  the  former  when  she 
was  a  mere  child.  Five  children  have  been 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conley,  of  whom  their 
eldest,  Lulu  M.,  died  in  infancy.  Those  liv- 
ing are— Paul  H.,  Carl  H.,  William  B.  and 
Edith  A.  In  politics  Mr.  Conley  is  a  Repub- 
lican. He  held  the  office  of  superintendent 
of  schools  of  Vermillion  County  for  three 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  resigned 
that  position  to  take  the  office  of  prosecuting 
attorney,  a  position  he  creditably  tilled  for 
four  years.  Mr.  Conley  is  a  member  of  the 
Odd  Fellows  order,  and  is  a  comrade  of  Shiloh 
Post,  G.  A.  R,  at  Newport. 


fAxMES  E.  KNOWLES,  a  prominent  and 
enterprisingcitizenofClinton,Vermil]ion 
County,  was  born  at  the  family  home- 
stead in  Scott  Township,  Vanderburg  County, 
Indiana,  December  28,  1830.  His  parents, 
Charles  and  Mary  Ann  (Maidlow)  Knowles, 
were  natives  of  England,  and  when  young 
were  brought  to  America  by  their  respective 
parents,  who  settled  in  Vanderburg  County 
in  its  pioneer  days.  Tlie  subject  was  reared 
to  a  farm  life,  and  was  early  inured  to  hard 
work,  but  the  lessons  of  persevering  industry 
learned  in  those  days,  have  been  of  lasting 
benefit  to  him.  Being  of  an  adventurous 
spirit,  Mr.  Knowles,  in  company  with  others, 
chartered  a  steamer  in  1852,  and  loading  the 
same  with  os,  teams  and  provisions  embarked 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


349 


tor  St.  Josepli,  Missouri,  and  from  tliere 
went  overland  to  California,  leaving  the 
Missouri  River  May  27,  and  reaching  their 
destination  August  25.  They  immediately 
engaged  in  placer  mining,  which  they 
followed  successfully  nearly  three  years.  Mr. 
Knowles  returned  via  the  Nicaraugua  route, 
reaching  home  July  3,  1855.  In  1856  he  in 
company  with  his  brother,  Charles  B.,  and 
Luhc  Grant,  engaged  in  the  milling  and  dry 
goods  business  in  Warrick  County,  and 
erected  a  mill  at  a  cost  of  $10,000.  In  the 
spring  of  1859  the  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire 
and  tiie  company  was  pi-actically  bankrupted. 
In  the  fall  of  1860  the  brothers  in  company 
with  Arthur  McJohnson,  raised  means  from 
their  friends,  and  built  a  flat-boat  which  they 
loaded  with  5,600  bushels  of  corn,  and  in 
February,"  1861,  started  for  the  Lower  Missis- 
sippi River  markets.  They  reached  Memphis 
the  day  after  the  inaugural  message  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  was  received,  and  there  found 
the  excitement  intense.  They  disposed  of 
tlieir  cargo,  and  received  in  settlement  checks 
on  New  Orleans  banks.  They  were  so 
fortunate  as  to  sell  all  their  corn  and  even 
the  boat,  and  to  get  their  checks  cashed  only 
the  day  before  the  banks  of  New  Orleans 
suspended  payment.  Mr.  Knowles  made  the 
return  trip  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  on  the 
steamer  Autocrat,  the  last  boat  passing 
between  those  points  until  the  opening  of  the 
Mississippi  River  after  the  war,  permitting 
it  again  in  the  language  of  President  Lincoln 
to  "  pass  unvexed  to  the  sea."  The  same 
season,  1861,  Mr.  Knowles  and  his  brother 
established  a  grocery  at  Clinton.  In  1862 
they  raised  at  a  great  profit,  twenty  acres  of 
tobacco  on  rented  land,  and  the  next  year 
they  raised  a  still  larger  crop.  In  the  spring 
of  1861  they  bouglit  eighty  acres  of  land  at 
$25  per  acre,  adjoining  the  city  plat,  and  by 
platting    an    addition,   and  selling  lots  they 


have  realized  a  large  profit.  They  also 
bought  174  acres  across  the  Wabash  River  at 
$10  per  acre,  which  has  proved  a  profitable 
investment.  The  brothers  each  own  a  very 
fine  residence,  and  are  near  neighbors.  Mr. 
James  was  first  married  in  Vanderburgh 
County,  Indiana,  December  15,  1859,  to  Miss 
Pluma  Wilcox,  of  Evansville.  She  was  born 
near  Wellington,  Ohio,  in  1835,  and  being 
left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age,  slie  was 
reared  by  Doctor  Wilcox,  of  Evansville.  Her 
only  living  child,  Morton  E.,  was  born  A[)ril 
24,  1862.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  American 
Veterinary  Institute  of  New  York  City,  and 
has  now  a  lucrative  and  increasing  practice  at 
Terre  Haute.  September  25,  1884,  Mr. 
Knowles  married  Miss  Delia  Elliot,  a  native 
of  Indiana,  born  in  Knox  Township,  Septem- 
ber 25,  1848,  a  daughter  of  Virgil  Homer 
and  Caroline  (Marks)  Elliott.  Both  of  her 
parents  are  deceased,  her  father  dying  Octo- 
ber 8, 1880,  aged  sixty-eight,  and  her  mother 
October  9,  1885,  aged  sixty-one  years.  In 
politics  Mr.  Knowles  is  an  Independent, 
though  of  Republican  antecedents. 


l.^w^. 


I^ENRY  STURN,  an  active  and  enterpris- 
1K)  ^"S  agriculturist,  engaged  in  farming 
"ifSli  on  section  26,  Helt  Townshiji,  was  born 
in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  the  date  of  his  birth 
being  September  4,  1835.  He  was  reared  in 
his  native  country,  and  in  the  spring  of  1854 
he  came  to  America.  He  first  settled  in 
Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
spent  two  years.  He  then  spent  one  year  in 
Butler  County,  Ohio,  and  in  1857  came  to 
Vermillion  County,  where  he  worked  as  a 
hired  hand  for  one  year.  He  then  rented 
land  and  by  industry  and  good  management 
he  was  successful  in  his  farming  pursuits,  and 
by  tlie  assistance  of  his  noble  iind  excellent 


liL'lpmeet  he  has  become  the  owner  of  his 
present  fine  farm  containing  160  acres  of 
choice  land.  He  was  married  December  12, 
1859,  to  Miss  Margaret  "VV.  Parsons,  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  Parsons,  who  is  now  deceased, 
she  being  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  Edgar 
County,  October  20,  1840.  They  are  the 
parents  of  eight  children — George  W.,  Mary 
I.,  John  U.,  Harry  C,  Hattie  11.,  Edgar  W., 
Frederick  and  Charles.  Mr.  Sturn  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order,  in  which  he 
takes  an  active  interest.  Two  of  his  sons, 
George  and  John,  are  also  members  of  Dana 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  which  George  is 
Master.  The  father  of  our  subject,  John 
George  Sturn,  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1872,  and  died  in  AVashington  Territory  in 
1877. 


fANIEL  EUNYON,  residing  two  miles 
north  of  Perrysville,  is  one  of  the  old- 
est men  in  Highland  Township,  and 
among  the  most  respected  citizens  of  Yer- 
million  County.  He  is  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
born  in  Mason  County,  July  31,  1802,  being 
reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  county.  His 
father,  David  L.  Eiinyon,  was  born  in  New 
Jersey,  emigrating  from  that  State  to  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  lived  until  his  death.  He 
was  the  father  of  five  sons  and  six  daughters, 
of  whom  two  sons  and  three  daughters  are 
living  at  the  present  time — Daniel,  our  sub- 
ject; David,  who  lives  in  Fleming  County, 
Kentucky,  on  the  old  homestead,  and  the 
daughters  are  also  residents  of  Kentucky. 
Daniel  Kunyon,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  came  to  Indiana  in  1858,  and  located 
at  West  Lebanon,  where  he  kept  a  hotel  one 
year.  He  was  then  engaged  in  the  same 
business  about  a  year  at .  Attica,  and  from 
there  removed   to  Williamsport,   where  he 


lived  two  years.  He  then  came  to  Yermill- 
ion  County,  and  kept  hotel  at  Perrysville 
one  year,  when  he  removed  to  Mound  Prairie, 
Warren  County,  where  he  followed  agricul- 
tural pursuits  for  eight  years.  In  18G5  he 
returned  to  Yermillion  County,  and  settled 
on  the  place  where  he  has  since  made  his 
hom'e.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Jane  Marshall,  died  March  27,  1876.  Of  the 
eleven  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Run- 
3'ou  only  four  are  living — John,  Daniel, 
James,  born  August  27,  1844,  now  living  on 
thfe  old  homestead  with  his  father,  and  Mary, 
also  living  at  home.  Seven  children  are  de- 
ceased—  LeRoy  died  in  his  twenty-second 
year;  William  died  aged  about  twenty  years; 
Doll}',  deceased  wife  of  Fi'ancis  Florida,  and 
Martha,  deceased  wife  of  Elijah  Lowe,  and 
three  who  died  in  childhood.  Martha,  the 
infant  daughter  of  his  daughter  Martha,  was 
reared  in  the  home  of  Mr.  Runyon.  ISIr. 
Runyon,  as  was  his  wife,  is  a  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church. 


ILLIAM  NICHOLS,  deceased,  was 
born  in  Yermillion  County,  Indiana, 
May  3,  1885,  a  son  of  William  and 
Rhoda  (Martin)  Nichols,  natives  of  Yirginia 
and  North  Carolina,  respectively,  and  early 
settlers  of  Yermillion  County,  where  they 
spent  the  last  years  of  their  lives.  They  had 
a  family  of  thirteen  children,  but  four  of 
whom  are  living.  William  Nichols  was  reared 
a  farmer  and  followed  that  vocation  all  his 
life.  Although  poor  when  he  started  for 
himself,  he  was  successful  and  at  his  death 
left  a  good  farm  of  115  acres.  He  was  mar- 
ried November  30,  1856,  to  Jane,  daughter 
of  Payton  and  Anna  (Campbell)  Merriinan. 
To  them  were  born  four  children — Brenton, 
Elma,  Oscar  and  Edgar.     Brenton  married 


BIOORAPHIGAL      SKETCHES. 


Laura  Zeller,  and  lias  two  children — Clara  A. 
and  Geneva,  and  Oscar  married  Amanda  Cur- 
tis. Mr.  Nichols  died  in  1875.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and 
an  honored  citizen  of  the  township.  His 
widow  resides  on  the  old  homestead.  She  is 
also  a  memher  of  the  United  Brethren  church. 


:iLLIAM  L.  MOBEY,  of  the  "  Morey 
Company,"  dealers  in  drugs,  grocer- 
ies and  notions,  Clinton,  Indiana, 
was  born  in  that  city  September  20,  1854,  a 
son  of  Benjamin  F.  and  Sarah  (Wishard) 
Morey.  Benjamin  F.  Morey  was  one  of  the 
prominent  and  influential  citizens  of  Clinton, 
where  all  his  manhood  life  was  spent,  and 
who  for  thirty-four  years  was  identiiied  with 
its  material  and  social  interests.  He  was 
born  in  Preble  County,  Ohio,  in  1828,  and  in 
1848  located  in  Clinton,  where  for  about 
twenty-iive  years  he  worked  at  the  black- 
smith's trade.  In  1S73  he  embarked  in  the 
grocery  business,  building  up  a  large  trade. 
In  June,  187G,  he  sold  out  his  stock  of 
groceries,  taking  a  two  months  vacation, 
when,  in  August,  he  purchased  a  drug  store, 
admitting  his  son  William  L.  as  a  partner. 
They  added  jewelry,  books  and  notions  to  the 
drug  stock,  and  in  1884  also  added  a  stock  of 
groceries.  He  was  married  in  1852  to  Mrs. 
Sarah  I.  (Wishard)  Bogart,  the  M'idow  of 
Henry  Bogart,  who  died  in  1846,  leaving  one 
child,  John  II.,  who  is  now  a  prominent 
physician  of  Clinton.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Morey  were  borji  two  children — William  L. 
and  Frank,  wife  of  Dr.  Charles  M.  White,  of 
Clinton.  B.  F.  Morey  died  October  10,  1885, 
from  a  stroke  of  appoplexy.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He 
was  a  prominent  Mason,  a  member  of  Jerusa- 
lem   Lodge,    at   Clinton    and    Terre    Haute 


Chapter,  and  also  of  Amant  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F. 
In  politics  he  was  a  staunch  supporter  of  the 
Bepublican  party.  He  was  a  public-spirited, 
upright  man  and  left  an  honorable  name  as 
the  inheritance  of  his  children.  He  was  a 
careful  business  man  and  accumulated  a  com- 
fortable property.  William  L.  Morey  has 
spent  his  life  in  Clinton,  where  his  primary 
education  was  received,  but  later  attended 
Wabash  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1876.  Immediately  after  his  leaving  school 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  his  father, 
the  firm  name  then  becoming  B.  F.  Morey  & 
Son,  which  has  been  changed  since  his  father's 
death  to  The  Morey  Company.  He  has  a 
good  business,  his  annual  sales  amounting  to 
about  $20,000,  and  is  numbered  among  the 
prosperous  young  merchants  of  the  county. 
He  is  one  of  the  prominent  Republicans  of 
the  younger  class,  and  in  the  campaign  of 
1880  was  chairman  of  the  Clinton  Township 
Committee.  He  is  serving  his  second  term 
as  mayor  of  Clinton,  as  chairman  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees'  by  courtesy  is  called.  He 
was  married  October  25,  1882,  to  Miss  Clara 
Swinehart,  a  native  of  Terre  Haute,  Indiana, 
born  September  8,  1860,  a  daughter  of  B.  H. 
and  Ann  (Palmer)  Swinehart.  They  have 
two  children — Lois  and  Benjamin  F. 


fOSIAII  C.  JACKSON,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing business  men  of  Hillsdale,  was  born 
in  Helt  Township,  Yermillion  County, 
Indiana,  November  30,  1843,  a  son  of  John 
and  Lydia  (Short)  Jackson,  the  father  being 
a  native  of  Kentucky.  He  was  one  of  the 
early  pioneers  of  this  county,  settling  right 
in  the  woods  of  Helt  Township  in  1832, 
v.-liere  he  built  a  small  log  cabin  in  which  he 
lived  many  years.  He  died  on  the  land  on 
which  he  first  settled,  April  3,  1853.     He 


was  the  father  of  seventeen  children,  nine  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity.  Josiah  C.  Jackson, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketcli,  was  reai-ed  on 
the  home  farm,  and  received  such  educational 
advantages  as  the  subscription  schools  of  that 
early  day  aflbrded,  attending  schools  taught 
in  log  cabins  with  puncheon  floors,  clapboard 
roofs  and  slab  seats.  During  the  late  war  he 
enlisted  in  Company  D,  Eighty-fifth  Indiana 
Infantry,  remaining  in  the  service  of  his 
country  almost  three  years.  Among  the  en- 
gagements in  which  lie  participated  may  be 
mentioned  the  battles  of  Resaca,  Lost  Moun- 
tain, Kenesaw  Mountain  and  Peach  Tree 
Creek.  lie  was  taken  sick  after  the  last 
mentioned  battle,  which  was  the  last  engage- 
ment in  which  he  took  part.  He  returned  to 
his  home  in  Vermillion  County  and  engaged 
in  farming.  November  6,  1867,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Priscilla  C.  Shane,  daughter 
of  James  D.  Shane,  of  Effingham  County, 
Illinois.  They  are  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren— James  C,  Lela,  Ida  B.,  Ira  E.,  Cyrus, 
Bertha,  Adaline  and  Ethel  C.  Mr.  Jackson 
engaged  in  his  general  mercantile  business 
in  1883,  and  now  carries  a  capital  stock  of 
$3,000,  doing  an  annual  business  of  §5,000, 
and  also  deals  extensively  in  stock  and  grain. 
He  still  lives  on  his  farm,  where  he  is  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock-raising.  His 
farm  contains  120  acres  of  fine  land,  and  is 
located  on  section  4,  Helt  Township.  In 
politics  Mr.  Jackson  is  a  staunch  Itepublican, 
but  never  seeks  official  honors.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  .Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic, 
and  takes  an  active  interest  iu  that  organiza- 
tion. 


tOBEET  B.  SEARS,  one  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  Vermillion,    is    the    present 
State  Senator  of  the  district  comprising 
Parke  and  Vermillion  counties,  being  elected 


on  the  Republican  ticket  in  the  fall  of  1886, 
receiving  a  majority  of  623  votes  over  his 
opponent,  Joseph  L.  Boyd.  He  is  a  son  of 
George  H.  Sears,  who  was  born  in  Harrison 
County,  Indiana,  in  August,  1818,  coming 
to  Vermillion  County  with  his  father,  Jacob 
Sears,  when  a  boy.  Jacob  Sears  was  a  native 
of  North  Carolina,  removing  thence  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  from  there  to  Harrison  County, 
Indiana.  On  coming  to  Vermillion  County 
he  settled  in  Vermillion  Township,  three 
miles  southwest  of  Newport,  where  he  cleared 
and  improved  a  farm,  on  which  he  resided 
until  his  deatli.  George  Sears  was  one  of 
the  representative  citizens  of  Vermillion 
County,  and  long  one  of  the  prominent  mer- 
chants of  Eugene.  In  1854  he  was  elected 
treasurer  of  the  county,  but  died  before  his 
first  term  expired,  although  not  before  he 
had  received  the  nomination  for  a  second 
term,  the  date  of  his  death  being  July  30, 
1856.  He  left  at  his  death  a  widow  and 
three  sons,  all  living  at  the  present  time  but 
his  youngest  son,  George  0.,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  years.  Robert  B.  Sears, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  the  eldest 
sou  in  his  father's  family,  and  wa;  born  in 
Eugene,  Vermillion  County,  January  6, 1844. 
He  was  about  twelve  years  old  when  his 
father  died,  and  alter  his  death  the  family  re- 
turned to  the  homestead  farm.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  years  our  subject  enlisted  in 
Company  I,  Forty-third  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  after  serving  in  the  ranks  about  a  year 
and  a  half  he  was  promoted  to  Orderly  Ser- 
geant, and  soon  after  to  First  Lieutenant,  and 
June  24,  1865,  he  was  mustered  out  as  Cap- 
tain of  his  company.  He  was  constantly  in 
active  service,  and  participated  in  all  the  en- 
gagements in  which  the  Forty-third  took 
part,  and  during  the  last  twenty  months  of 
his  service  he  commanded  his  company. 
After  the  war  he  was  engaged  as  clerk  iu  a 


iagBftW»M,M«IBa.W,W»M«M«M_M«W_g_W»»E»SMan»5iWS 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


wholesale  clotliiiig  store.  In  18G8  he  re- 
turned to  Veniiillioii  County,  and  hegan  the 
study  of  law  with  the  law  tirm  of  Eggleston 
&  Harvey,  and  in  1870  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  at  Newport.  In  1872  he  was  elected 
prosecuting  attorney  for  the  counties  of  Parke, 
Yerinillion,  Vigo  and  Sullivan,  serving  as 
such  two  years.  In  1881  he  was  elected 
assistant  secretary  of  the  State  Senate,  and  in 
January,  1883,  received  an  appointment  as 
clerk  in  the  Treasury  department  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  but  on  reaching  that  city  he  was 
transferred  to  the  Pension  and  Interior  de- 
partment, lie  resigned  this  position  six 
months  later,  and  returned  to  his  home  in 
Newport  and  resumed  his  law  practice.  In 
1884  he  was  elected  to  the  lower  branch  of 
the  Genera]  Assembly  of  Indiana,  and,  as 
above  stated,  became  State  Senator  in  1886, 
in  wliich  position  he  is  serving  with  credit 
to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents. 
Mr.  Sears  was  united  in  marriage,  March  20, 
1870,  to  Miss  Ivy  Aston,  a  daughter  of  lire 
Aston,  who  was  a  prominent  merchant  in  the 
early  history  of  Newport.  He  died  in  1863. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sears,  of  whom  three  died  in  early  in- 
fancy. Claud,  their  only  surviving  child, 
was  born  February  29,  1873. 


flllLO  HOSFORD,  one  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  Eugene  Township,  is  a 
.'^,  native  of  Ontario  County,  New  York, 
born  September  18,  1811,  a  sou  of  Ambrose 
llosford,  a  native  of  Connecticut.  The  father 
removed  to  Dearborn  County,  Indiana,  with 
his  family  in  1821,  settling  in  Lawrenceburg, 
and  died  near  there  in  1824.  Philo  llosford 
came  with  his  twin  brothei-,  Milo,  to  Craw- 
fordsville  in  1832,  and  in  the  spring  of  1833 
to    Euaene,  wiiere    he    has    since    made    his 


home.  He  was  married  November  4,  1841, 
to  Miss  Evaline  Wigley,  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
Wigley,  and  of  the  six  cliildren  born  to  this 
union  three  are  yet  living — Monroe  C,  llich- 
ard  AV".  and  Eliza.  One  son,  Charles  C,  and 
a  daughter,  Naomi,  died  after  reaching  ma- 
turity. Mrs.  llosford  died  June  18,  1883. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Milo  llosford,  twin  brother  of  our  subject, 
was  married  the  November  following  his  ar- 
rival in  the  county,  to  Miss  Maria  Holtz,  and 
to  them  were  born  two  children — Henry  H., 
and  Lucy,  now  the  wife  of  Prof.  David 
Meade,  of  Danville,  Illinois.  Mr.  Milo  llos- 
ford lived  at  Eugene  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  January  22,  1880.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
one  of  the  most  respected  men  of  Vermillion 
County. 


mOMER  LUSADDER,  residing  on  section 
fml  22,  Highland  Township,  is  one  of  the 
=^(1  representative  citizens  of  Vermillion 
County.  His  father,  John  Lusadder,  settled  on 
the  i)lace  now  occupied  by  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  in  1856.  He  was  born  in  Ohio, 
December  18,  1819.  He  resided  many  years 
in  Fountain  County,  Indiana,  before  settling 
in  Vermillion  County,  and  was  married  while 
a  resident  of  the  former  county,  to  Mrs.  Sarah 
Ann  (Beers)  Prevost,  who  was  born  April  1, 
1817,  and  died  July  13,  1867.  To  them 
were  born  six  children,  two  of  whom  are 
deceased.  The  names  of  those  yet  living  are 
— Snowdon,  Homer,  John  and  Franklin. 
John  Lusadder  married  for  his  second  wife. 
Miss  Mary  J.  Nal)ors,  and  to  this  union  a 
daughter,  named  Lura,  was  born.  He  died 
April  4,  1872,  in  his  iifty-third  year.  His 
widow  still  survives.  Homer  Lusadder,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  is  a  native  of  Foun- 


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BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


tail!  County,  Indiana,  the  date  of  his  birth 
being  March  17,  1853.  He  was  about  three 
years  of  age  wlien  bronglit  by  his  parents  to 
this  county,  where  he  lias  since  lived.  His 
father  being  a  farmer,  he  was  reared  to  the 
same  occupation,  becoming  a  thorough,  prac- 
tical agriciilturist.  He  now  owns  and  occupies 
the  homestead  farm  which  contains  150  acres 
of  well  improved  and  highly  cultivated  land. 


-^•2<'IV 


tUGH  DALLAS,  deceased,  was  one  of 
the  well  known  pioneers  of  Yermillion 
County.  He  was  born  in  Knox  County 
Ohio,  in  1813,  a  son  of  Alexander  and  Sarah 
Dallas.  He  commenced  life  in  moderate 
circumstances.  He  came  to  Vermillion 
County  in  1840,  and  bought  a  large  amount 
of  land  which  increased  in  value  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  one  of  the  wealthies 
men  in  Yermillion  Township.  He  was  an 
honorable,  upright  business  man  and  gained 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom 
he  had  any  deal.  He  died  September  17, 
1875,  leaving  a  large  number  of  friends  to 
mourn  his  loss  and  his  memory  is  revered  by 
all  who  knew  him,  especially  the  old  settlers 
who  remember  his  many  kindly  acts  and 
hearty  assistance  in  their  times  of  need.  Mr. 
Dallas  was  married  inOhio  County,  Yirginia, 
in  the  year  1834,  to  Miss  Sarah  Hardesty, 
who  was  bom  in  Knox  County,  Ohio,  in 
1815.  To  them  were  born  nine  children, 
eight  of  whom  lived  till  maturity,  and  five 
are  now  living.  The  children  in  order  of 
their  birth  are  as  follows — Mary  C.  T., 
deceased;  Spencer  H.,  Hugh  A.,  deceased; 
iam   Henry    Harrison,    Sarah    E.,  Mrs. 


W 


Yirginia  C.  Hain,  deceased;  Martha  J.,  wife 
of  James  Chips;  Euth  A.  and  an  infant  son, 
deceased.  James  Chips  and  wife  have  had 
born   to  them  seven  children — Mary,   Lura, 


William    Spencer,    Samuel,    and   three   who 
died  in  infancy.     They  reside  in  Newport. 


fOSHUA  LEWIS,  general  merchant, 
Cayuga,  is  a  native  of  Yermillion  Coun- 
ty, Indiana,  born  in  Highland  Township, 
January  1,  1843,  a  son  of  James  J.  Lewis,  a 
native  of  Maryland,  who  settled  in  Highland 
Township  in  1837,  where  he  still  resides. 
Our  subjeet  was  reared  to  the  avocation  of  a 
farmer,  and  his  education  was  received  prin- 
ci])ally  in  the  Perrysville  graded  school.  He 
subsequently  engaged  in  teaching  school, 
which  he  followed  for  fifteen  years,  teaching 
seven  years  in  Ciierokee  County,  Kansas.  He 
served  two  years  in  the  late  war  in  Company 
II,  Twentieth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  during 
his  term  of  service  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Fort  Hatteras,  the  seven  days  in  front  of 
Eichmond,  and  other  engagements.  He  also 
witnessed  the  fight  between  the  Monitor  and 
the  Merrimac.  March  30,  1865,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Marinda  Harrison,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  II.  Harrison,  one  of  the  old 
pioneers  of  this  county,  who  made  his  way  up 
the  Wabash  from  Yincennes  l)y  poling  a  flat- 
Ijoat.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewis  are  the  parents  of 
five  children — Frank  E.,  Cassie,  Henry  W., 
Marinda  E.  and  William  J.  Mr.  Lewis 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Gessie, 
this  county,  in  1881.  He  established  his 
present  business  at  Cayuga  in  1886,  removing 
his  family  to  this  place  in  June,  1887.  He 
is  now  associated  in  business  with  his  son 
Frank  who  is  also  assistant  postmaster.  They 
carry  a  full  line  of  dry-goods,  groceries,  pro- 
visions, glass  and  queeusware,  their  capital 
stock  being  valued  at  $3,500,  and  their  annu- 
al sales  amounting  to  about  $8,000.  While 
living  in  Kansas  Mr.  Lewis  lacked  but  two 
votes  of  being  elected  Probate  J  udge  on  the 


-?"?""""*"T«''*''"''"''«*°*«"«'""'''«"«"-""*""-'*»"»"«'^  ■=■■•■  ■'■-*'«'°'^°^^^*'"^ 


BtOORAPHtCAL    SKMTCHES. 


355 


fiepublican  ticket,  and  at  the  same  election 
tlie  county  went  300  majority  for  Greeley  for 
President.  In  politics  he  still  affiliates  with 
the  Republican  party.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Anny  of  the  Eepublic.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  respected  members  of 
society. 


ftLlVER  P.  M.  PONTON,  engaged  in 
j|  farming  on  section  2,  Helt  Township, 
>  is  a  worthy  representative  of  an  old  and 
honored  pioneer  family  who  settled  in  Ver- 
million County  in  the  early  days  of  the 
county.  He  was  born  on  the  family  home- 
stead in  Helt  Township,  one-half  mile  from 
his  present  residence,  the  date  of  his  birth  be- 
ing December  23,  1861,  and  is  a  son  of  the 
late  John  Ponton,  who  was  born  near  Chilli- 
cothe,  Ohio,  being  brought  to  this  county 
when  but  four  years  of  age.  The  father  be- 
ing a  farmer,  our  subject  M-as  reared  to  the 
same  avocation,  which  he  has  made  his  life 
work.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  the  county.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  September  30,  1885,  to 
Miss  Mary  A.  Amos,  a  daughter  of  William 
H.  Amos,  a  resident  of  Montezuma,  Indiana, 
and  to  this  union  one  child  has  been  born, 
named  John  W.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six 
months.  Mrs.  Ponton  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church   at  Montezuma. 


4EWIS  11.  BECK  MAN,  engaged  in  the 
llt/F  S'''^c®ry  business  at  Clinton,  and  one  of 
""„--  the  active  and  enterprising  businessmen 
of  the  town,  is  a  native  of  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  born  November  16,  1841.  His  par- 
ents, Henry  and  Mary   Beckinan,  were  born. 


reared  and  married  in  Germany,  coming  to 
the  United  States  soon  after  their  marriage. 
They  landed  at  New  Orleans,  where  they 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  James  Davis, 
whose  home  was  near  Newport,  Vermillion 
County.  The  father  was  a  blacksmith  by 
trade,  and  being  induced  to  come  to  this 
county,  he  followed  that  avocation  in  Ver- 
million Township  until  a  short  time  before 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1844.  His  wife 
had  died  the  year  before.  Lewis  H.  Beck- 
man,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  believes 
himself  to  be  the  only  living  representative 
of  his  branch  of  the  family  in  America.  His 
brother,  John,  who  was  born  while  his  par- 
ents were  at  New  Orleans,  shortly  after  their 
arrival  in  America,  died  at  the  age  of  twelve 
years.  After  the  death  of  his  parents,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  found  a  good  home 
with  the  family  of  James  L.  "Wishard,  of 
Helt  Township.  He  received  such  educa- 
tional advantages  as  the  district  schools  of 
that  early  day  aiforded.  In  June,  1862, 
while  in  his  twenty-first  year,  he  volunteered 
in  defense  of  the  Union,  enlisting  in  Company 
A,  Seventy-first  Indiana  Infantry.  August 
31  his  regiment  was  in  battle  at  Ilichmond,' 
Kentucky,  and  in  that  engagement  Mr.  Beck- 
man  was  shot  through  the  left  leg.  Many  of 
the  unhurt  of  his  regiment  were  captured  and 
paroled,  and  all  of  the  wounded,  Mr.  Beck- 
man  with  those  paroled,  being  sent  North, 
and  soon  after  recovered  from  the  effects  of 
his  wound.  The  regiment  was  exchanged, 
and  was  again  in  the  field  before  the  close  of 
the  year  1862,  and  several  months  following 
was  engaged  in  guarding  rebel  prisoners  at 
Indianapolis.  In  the  summer  of  1863  tlie 
regiment  was  recruited  and  reorganized,  and 
became  known  as  the  Si.xth  Indiana  Cavalry. 
During  the  operations  at  and  around  Knox- 
ville  in  the  winter  of  1863-'64  the  regiment 
made  part  of  General  Burnside's  force.     At 


the  opening  of  General  Sherman's  campaign 
against  General  Johnston's  rehel  army  which 
culminated  in  the  capture  of  Atlanta,  the 
Sixth  Indiana  Cavalry  joined  the  former  at 
Buzzards'  Eoost,  Georgia,  and  did  hard  work 
and  gallant  service  during  that  campaign. 
The  regiment  also  took  part  in  the  ill-starred 
raid  of  General  Stoneman  at  Sun  Shine 
Church,  south  of  Atlanta,  where  many  were 
killed,  wounded  and  taken  prisoners.  Among 
the  latter  was  Mr.  Beckman,  who  was  shot 
through  the  left  thigh,  and  his  sufferings  from 
this  serious  wound  were  rendered  more  than 
ordinarily  severe  by  lack  of  proper  care.  For 
four  weeks  he  was  confined  in  Macon,  Geor- 
gia, over  one  month  at  Andersonville,  and  at 
Charleston  and  Florence  four  and  a  half 
months.  He  was  finally  paroled  and  returned 
to  his  home.  After  being  exchanged,  April 
19,1865,  he  rejoined  his  regiment  at  Pulaski, 
Tennessee,  and  in  June,  1865,  he  received  an 
honorable  discharge  from  the  army,  after 
which  he  returned  to  A^ermillion  County  and 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  September 
10,  1868,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Laura  E.  Crane,  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  born  in  Helt  Township,  April  26, 
1853,  a  daughter  of  Carlton  Crane.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Beckman  made  their  home  in  Helt 
Township  until  he  was  elected  to  the  office 
of  county  sheriff'  in  October,  1872,  when  he 
moved  to  Newport.  He  was  re-elected  to  the 
same  office,  serving  in  that  capacity  four  years, 
and  in  1876  returned  to  his  farm  in  Helt 
Township.  He  remained  on  his  farm  until 
the  spring  of  1884,  when  he  removed  to 
Clinton.  In  January,  1885,  he  established 
his  present  grocery  business,  and  by  his 
genial  and  accommodating  manners,  and 
strict  attention  to  the  wants  of  his  customers 
he  has  built  up  a  good  trade,  his  sales  amount- 
ing to  over  $13,000  per  annum.  In  politics 
Mr.  Beckman  is  a  Republican,  and  is  promi- 


nent in  the  councils  of  his  parly.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  is  a 
member  also  of  Owen  Post,  No.  329,  G.  A. 
R.,  and  in  1887  he  was  elected  commander 
of  the  post.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  them,  of 
whom  three  are  living,  named  Alice,  Charles 
and  Bay.  Their  third  child,  Lena  Belle,  died 
at  the  age  of  nine  months. 


fOIIN  W.  BARRETT,  of  Newport,  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  fami- 
lies of  Indiana.  His  father.  Rev.  Robert 
Parrett,  was  born  in  England,  February  1-4, 
1791,  and  was  married  in  1814  to  Martha 
Mason.  In  1816  they  sailed  from  Hull, 
England,  and  after  a  voyage  of  ninety  days 
landed  in  New  York.  They  spent  a  few 
weeks  in  New  Jersey,  then  came  west  and 
located  near  Lawrenceburg,  Indiana,  and  two 
years  later  removed  to  Vincennes,  where  they 
lived  about  a  year.  In  the  meantime  he 
entered  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Posey  County, 
to  which  he  removed,  and  built  a  log  cabin, 
making  his  home  there  six  years.  In  De- 
cember, 1824,  he  moved  to  Evansville  and 
bought  forty-five  acres  near  that  city,  and 
several  years  later,  bought  160  acres  adjoin- 
ing, and  of  this  made  a  homestead,  living  on 
it  until  his  death  in  1859.  His  wife  survived 
him  about  ten  years.  A  part  of  his  land  is 
now  included  in  the  site  of  Evansville,  and  is 
known  as  Parrett's  addition.  Mr.  Parrett 
was  a  Christian  gentleman,  and  the  founder 
of  Methodism  in  Evansville,  and  a  memorial 
window  has  been  placed  in  Trinity  church, 
that  city,  in  his  honor.  He  was  a  successful 
business  man,  acquiring  considerable  wealth, 
which  he  used  freely  in  the  support  of  tlie 
Gospel  and  all  worth}'  enterprises.     He  was 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


one  of  the  founders  of  the  old  State  Bank  of 
Indiana,  which  atterward  became  the  Evaus- 
ville  National  Bank,  and  was  one  of  its  direc- 
tors for  many  years.  At  his  death  lie  left  a 
record  of  which  his  descendants  may  well  be 
])roud.  He  was  not  a  man  of  liberal  ediica- 
tion,  bnt  of  great  natural  ability,  and  was 
always  greatly  interested  in  the  canse  of 
edncation,  and  was  one  of  ten  who  gave  $1,000 
each  toward  the  founding  of  Asbury  College 
at  Greencastle,  Indiana.  He  and  his  wife 
were  the  parents  of  ten  children  who  grew  to 
maturity,  all  of  whom  became  worthy  and 
influential  citizens.  Three  sons  and  two 
daughters  are  yet  living,  Jolm  W.  being  the 
eldest  of  this  number.  The  second  son.  Rev. 
Richard  M.  Parrett,  is  a  citizen  of  Patoka, 
Indiana,  and  William  F.  is  judge  of  the  First 
Judicial  Cfrcuit,  his  residence  being  at 
Evansville.  Jane  is  the  wife  of  Hon.  Alvah 
Johnson,  of  Evansville,  and  Eva  M.  is  the  wife 
of  Hon.  Union  Bethel,  of  Newburg,  Warren 
County,  Indiana.  The  eldest  of  the  family, 
Mary  A.,  was  born  on  the  ocean  while  the 
parents  were  en  route  for  America.  She 
became  the  wife  of  Hon.  John  S.  Hopkins, 
and  died  at  their  homestead  in  Evansville 
in  1885.  The  third  son,  Robert,  was  a 
siiccessiul  attorney,  a  graduate  of  Asbury 
College,  and  at  one  time  a  member  of  tlve 
State  Legislature.  He  was  Major  of  the  One 
Hundredth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  was  killed 
at  Yicksburg  in  18G3.  The  youngest  son, 
Joseph  B.,  died  at  the  age  of  thirty  years, 
and  Mrs.  Martha  Roberts  and  Mi-s.  Sarah 
Reed,  died  several  years  ago.  John  W.  Par- 
rett, whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  born 
at  Lawrenceburg,  Indiana,  August  10,  1818, 
and  was  reared  at  Evansville  from  his  sixth 
year.  He  joined  the  Methodist  church  when 
twenty  years  of  age,  and  in  1842  entered  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  and  for  nineteen  years 
was  a  member  of   the    Indiana  Conference. 


He  was  then  granted  a  location  and  settled  on 
a  farm  in  Yermillion  County  which  he  had 
bought  in  1850.  Although  not  in  the  regular 
work  of  the  ministry  he  is  always  ]-eady  to 
aid  the  cause  of  Christianity,  and  has  many 
calls  which  he  is  glad  to  answer,  to  fill  neigh- 
boring pulpits  and  perform  other  duties  de- 
volving on  a  Christian  minister.  From  the 
De  Pauw  Advocate  we  learn  that  he  was 
present  at  a  meeting  of  the  Northwest  Con- 
ference held  at  Greencastle,  Indiana,  when 
tlie  report  of  the  committee  on  education 
showed  a  lack  of  about  $5,500  on  the  amount 
assumed  by  the  Conference  on  the  De  Pauw 
fund.  The  first  meeting  of  the  lay  and  cleri- 
cal conterences  failed  to  raise  the  amount  by 
$1,500.  Colonel  Ray  delivered  a  long  speech, 
followed  by  Doctor  John  in  a  short,  compact 
speech,  and  then  came  the  prince  of  beggars. 
Bishop  Bowman,  but  the  Bishop  seemed  to 
have  lost  his  grip  or  the  contract  was  too 
much  for  him.  Things  were  dragging  and 
failure  seemed  inevitable  when  Rev.  John  AY. 
Parrett,  then  a  local  preacher  from  Newport, 
arose  in  the  back  part  of  the  room,  and  strode 
forward  in  an  awkward  way,  and  began  as 
nobody  else  could,  to  talk,  taking  the  manage- 
ment of  the  meeting  abruptly  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  Bishop,  and  by  volleys  of  wit  and 
wisdom,  of  anecdote,  and  sayings,  wise  and 
otherwise,  now  eloquent,  now  pathetic,  and  at 
times  ludicrous  beyond  description,  he  man- 
aged to  raise  the  last  $1,500.  Mr.  Parrett 
was  first  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  W.  Mick, 
a  daughter  of  Judge  John  Mick,  and  to  them 
were  born  three  children — Richard  W.,  Ed- 
mund J.,  w-ho  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years,  and  John  W.,  who  died  aged  seventeen 
years.  Mrs.  Parrett  died  in  December,  18-43, 
and  in  March,  1850,  Mr.  Parrett  was  again 
married  to  Miss  Lydia  Zener,  a  daughter  of 
Adam  Zener,  one  of  the  substantial  men  of 
Newport,  and  founder  of  the  Methodist  church 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


of  tliis  town.  To  this  union  two  children 
have  been  born,  named  Eobert  A.  and  Martha 
E.     In  politics  Mr.  Parrett  is  a  pronounced 

Republican. 


1 


fHOMAS  KIBBY  has  been  a  resident  of 
Clinton  Township  since  1830,  and  for 
many  years  one  of  its  active  and  ener- 
getic citizens.  He  was  born  in  Clarke  Coun- 
ty, Indiana,  February  8, 1810,  a  son  of  Lucius 
Kibby,  a  New  Englander  by  birth.  AVhen 
young  the  father  visited  Canada,  where  he 
was  seized  and  pressed  into  the  British  army, 
and  was  compelled  to  serve  a  short  time  be- 
fore he  found  an  opportunity  to  escape  and 
return  to  his  home  in  New  England.  He 
was  a  son  of  Amariah  Kibby,  a  ship  carpen- 
ter by  trade,  which  he  also  learned  in  early 
life  and  became  proficient  in  all  kinds  of 
wood- work.  He  worked  for  a  time  at  Fort 
Pitt,  now  Pittsburgh,  and  there  built  a  fiat- 
boat  for  himself,  and  with  his  family  passed 
down  the  river  to  Fort  Washington,  now  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  thence  to  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio, 
in  Clarke  Comity,  where  Thomas  Kibby  was 
born.  Being  of  an  adventurons  spirit,  he 
volunteered  and  fought  under  General  Harri- 
son at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  November  5, 
1811.  During  his  residence  in  Clarke  Coun- 
ty the  Indians  were  hostile,  and  many  an  ad- 
venture and  narrow  escape  he  and  his  family 
had  with  them.  In  1814  he  moved  his  fam- 
ily to  the  vicinity  of  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
where  he  was  engaged  as  a  builder  three 
years,  and  was  defrauded  of  nearly  $3,000 
due  on  contract  work,  by  his  employer.  In 
1817  he  left  Tennessee,  coming  to  Indiana, 
when  he  settled  with  his  family  near  Terre 
Haute,  in  the  AVabash  Valley.  He  erected, 
under  contract,  the  first  frame  buildincf  at 
Teric  Haute.     In  1818  he  removed  to  Parke 


County,  Indiana,  where  he  cleared  a  farm 
from  the  forest,  remaining  there  a  few  years, 
when  he  went  to  Clark  County,  Illinois,  and 
from  there  to  Dubuque  County,  Iowa,  where 
he  lived  until  his  death,  at  the  advanced  agf 
of  eighty-five  years.  Thomas  Kibby,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  was  the  youngest  of 
his  four  children,  and  is  the  only  one  now 
living.  When  he  was  quite  young  his  mother 
died,  and  although  his  father  mai-ried  again, 
he  hardly  had  a  home.  His  schooling  was 
very  limited,  and  the  care  and  advantages  so 
common  to  the  boys  of  to-day  were  denied 
him.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  years  he  left  his 
father's  home  and  began  the  battle  of  life  for 
himself,  and  his  lessons  were  well  learned  in 
the  school  of  experience.  He  early  in  life 
became  a  self-reliant  man,  strong  both  men- 
tally and  physically.  Like  many  of  the  ad- 
venturous yonth  of  those  years,  he  became  a 
boatman,  making  his  first  trip  to  New  Or- 
leans at  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  In  1831 
he  became  a  pilot,  and  began  with  increased 
wages  to  save  money.  He  has  made  over 
sixty  trips  to  New  Orleans.  August  4, 1833, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  Yannest,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio,  August  6,  1812,  and  who 
died  March  20, 1880.  Her  lather,  John  Van- 
nest,  was  the  first  settler  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, having  settled  on  section  9,  Clinton 
Township,  as  early  as  1816.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kibby  were  born  eight  children,  as  fol- 
lows— John  and  Martin  died  in  infancy; 
Isaac,  living  near  his  father;  Sarah  Jane  died 
aged  ten  years;  Elizabeth  died  aged  twelve 
years;  Stuart  died  in  infancy;  Thomas  A., 
residing  with  his  father,  and  Susan  W.,  wlio 
was  a  school-teacher,  died  aged  twenty-three 
years.  Thomas  A.  was  a  soldier  in  the  war 
of  the  Eebellion,  enlisting  October  9,  1861, 
and  was  in  the  service  of  his  country  for 
three  years.  March  12,  1882,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Josie  Lyday,  a  native  of 


-  I  (, 


BIOOBAPHIGAL    SKETCHES. 


Vermillion  County,  born  December  16, 1858, 
and  they  are  tlie  parents  of  two  children — 
John  Vannest  and  Jane.  Since  he  aban- 
doned flat-boating,  Mr.  Kibby  has  devoted 
his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
has  occupied  his  present  farm  on  section  9, 
Clinton  Township,  since  1862.  The  home- 
stead is  located  one  mile  north  of  Clinton, 
and  contains  ninety  acres  of  choice  land,  and 
is  part  of  the  estate  of  his  father-in-law,  John 
Vainiest.  Besides  this  farm  Mr.  Kibby  owns 
a  good  farm  of  220  acres,  located  on  sections 
7  and  8  of  Clinton  Township. 


fOlIN  T.  PONTON,  deceased,  was  born 
in  Ohio,  January  30, 1830,  a  son  of  Obe- 
diah  Ponton,  who  was  a  Virginian  by 
birth.  He  was  brought  to  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, Indiana,  in  the  fall  of  1833,  by  his  widowed 
mother,  she  locating  on  section  3,  Helt  Town- 
ship, on  the  land  now  occupied  by  the  widow 
of  our  subject.  Here  he  was  reared  amid  the 
scenes  and  incidents  of  pioneer  life,  attend- 
ing school  in  the  primitive  log  cabins  with 
their  puncheon  Hoor  and  clapboard  roof, 
where  he  received  but  a  limited  education. 
He  was  married  August  5,  1860,  to  Miss 
Polly  Kearns,  a  daughter  of  William  Kearns, 
and  a  native  of  Helt  Township,  born  in  1835. 
Mr.  Kearns  settled  in  Helt  Township  in  1831. 
He  spent  the  last  six  years  of  his  life  in 
Montezuma,  Indiana,  wliere  he  died  Septem- 
ber 9,  1884.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ponton  were 
born  three  children,  of  whom  two  are  living, 
Oliver  P.  M.  and  William  S.,  the  latter  living 
on  the  old  homestead  with  his  mother.  Mr. 
Ponton  died  August  8,  1886,  his  death 
causing  universal  regret  throughout  the  com- 
munity where  he  had  lived  for  so  many  years. 
He  was  a  kind  and  affectionate  husband  and 
father,  being  strongly  attached  to  his  home 


and  family.  He  was  a  consistent  Christian, 
and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  for  thirty-five  years. 


fAMES  ROBERTS,  one  of  the  prominent 
men  of  Vermillion  County,  at  present 
engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  at  Clin- 
ton, is  a  native  of  Edgar  County,  Illinois, 
born  February  13,  1844.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  coming  to  the  United  States 
when  twenty-six  years  of  age.  The  mother 
of  our  subject,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Elizabeth  Beers,  was  born  at  Bridgeport, 
Connecticut,  in  1799.  She  was  first  married 
in  Onondaga  County,  New  York,  to  Isaac 
Carman,  and  in  1836  came  with  her  husband 
to  Clinton.  Mr.  Carman  died  a  few  years 
later,  leaving  his  widow  with  four  children — 
Jotham,  the  eldest,  went  to  the  Mexican  war 
I  and  has  never  since  been  heard  from ;  Mrs. 
Emeline  Bradshaw,  the  second  child,  lives  in 
Clinton;  Mrs.  Mary  Freeman  lives  in  Coles 
County,  Illinois,  and  Jonathan  resides  at 
Eugene  Cit}',  Oregon.  Mrs.  Carman  and 
John  Roberts  were  married  in  Edgar  County, 
Illinois,  in  1842.  Pie  died  in  1856.  She 
retained  her  mental  and  physical  vigor  to  a 
remarkable  degree  until  her  death  which 
occurred  October  31,  1887,  aged  eighty-eight 
years.  She  made  her  home  with  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  who  is  the  only  child  of  her 
second  marriage.  James  Roberts  was  reared 
to  a  farm  life,  and  in  his  youth  received  a 
good  common-school  education.  February  3, 
1864, he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-ninth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  par- 
ticipated in  General  Schofield's  corps  in  the 
Atlanta  Campaign  in  which  his  regiment  did 
gallant  service,  taking  part  in  the  battles  of 
Resaca,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  ChattaUoochie  River,  and  the  battles 


in  frontof  Atlanta,  in  all  of  which  Mr.  Eoberts 
manfnlly  acted  a  soldier's  part.  After  the 
fall  of  Atlanta  the  regiment  as  part  of  the 
Twenty-third  Corps,  turned  north,  and  fonglit 
in  the  heroic  battles  of  Franklin  and  Nash- 
ville, Tennessee,  where  General  Hood's  army 
was  practically  destroyed.  Mr.  Roberts  re- 
ceived an  honorable  discharge  September  13, 
1865,  when  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Yer- 
million  County.  Since  November  21,  ISTd, 
when  he  entered  tiie  mercantile  establishment 
of  Whitcomb,  Anderson  &  Co.,  as  clerk,  he 
has  been  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits, 
with  the  exception  of  fonr  years  when  he  was 
serving  as  clerk  of  Vermillion  County,  having 
been  elected  to  that  office  in  1878.  In  1882 
he  became  a  partner  in  the  mercantile  lirm  of 
A.  L.  Whitcomb  &  Co.,  at  Clinton.  January 
1,  1885,  he  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness to  Mr.  Whitcomb,  and  bought  a  farm  in 
Clinton  Township.  Later  he  opened  a  grocery 
at  Clinton  which  he  continued  but  a  short 
time,  when  closing  out  he  engaged  in  general 
merchandising  with  B.  H.  Morgan  and  John 
Q.  Washburn  under  the  firm  name  of  Roberts 
&  Co.  P^'ebruary  1,  1887,  they  divided  their 
stock  and  Mr.  Roberts  became  associated  in 
business  with  B.  H.  Moi'gan,  at  the  old  stand 
formerly  occupied  by  A.  L.  Whitcomb  &  Co. 
Besides  his  business  interests  in  Clinton  Mr. 
Roberts  owns  a  fine  farm  of  145  acres  located 
on  sections  12  and  14,  Clinton  Township. 
Mr.  Roberts  was  united  in  marriage  February 
20,  1876,  to  Miss  Laura  Hagar,  a  daughter  of 
J.  M.  and  Jane  Hagar,  her  father  being 
deceased.  Her  mother  is  still  a  resident  of 
Clinton.  The  only  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Roberts,  a  son  named  Arthur,  was  born 
November  7,  1876.  Mr.  Roberts  is  one  of 
the  leading  members  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
in  Vermillion  County,  and  in  1887  was 
appointed  Master  of  Jerusalem  Lodge,  No- 
99,  a,t  Cliuton,    He  is  also  a,  member  pf  Owen 


Post,  No.  329,  G.  A.  R.,  of  which  he  is 
Adjutant.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  He 
is  now  serving  his  fourth  term  as  township 
treasurer,  which  shows  the  confidence  and 
esteem  in  which  he  is  held. 


H-^- 


0 


KORGE  H.  REYNOLDS,  of  Highland 
Township,  is  a  son  of  Elias  Nelson  Rey- 
iinlds,  a  pioneer  of  Vermillion  County. 
Elias  N.  Reynolds  was  born  in  Maryland 
September  2,  1804.  He  was  left  an  orphan 
at  an  early  age,  and  learned  the  trades  of 
wheelwright  and  chairmaker,  serving  an  ap- 
prenticeship of  fiveyears,  completing  it  when 
he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  He  then  went 
to  Zanesviile,  Ohio,  where  he  taught  school 
for  a  time,  and  in  the  fall  of  1830  came  to 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and  settled 
about  four  miles  northwest  of  Perrysville. 
Here  he  entered  100  acres  of  land,  which  he 
partially  improved,  living  on  it  about  si.\ 
years,  and  also  in  the  meantime  taught  sev- 
eral terms  of  school.  About  1838  he  moved 
to  a  farm  about  three  and  a  half  miles  north- 
west of  Perrysville,  near  the  present  site  of 
Gessie,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  August  26,  1877,  being  at  that  time 
within  a  few  days  of  his  seventy-third  birth- 
day. He  was  one  of  the  highly  respected 
men  of  the  county,  and  was  one  of  its  pub- 
lic-spirited citizens.  He  was  well  educated 
for  his  day,  and  always  took  an  interest  in  the 
cause  of  education.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Democrat,  but  during  the  war  was  a  strong 
supporter  of  the  Government.  He  was  mar- 
ried May  8,  1828,  near  Circleville,  Ohio,  to 
Rebecca  Craig,  a  daughter  of  David  Craig,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  who  moved  to  Ohio  in 
an  early  day  and  built  the  first  cabin  on  the 
present  site  of  the  city  of  Chillicothe.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Reynolds  had  three  sons,  but  one  of 


\L 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETGUES. 


whom,  George  H.,  survives.  David  J.  M-as 
born  April  12,  1829,  and  died  January  14, 
1850;  William  W.,  born  September  15, 1831, 
died  January  16,  1874.  George  IT.  lleynolds 
was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  in 
Highland  Township,  July  28,  1835.  He 
was  married  December  31,  1857,  to  Marinda 
Bainbridge,  a  daughter  of  Stephen  Bain- 
bridge,  an  early  settler  of  Iligldand  Towu- 
siiip.  They  have  si.x  children  living — James 
B.,  born  July  25,  1859;  Flora  Belle,  born 
January  15,  1861;  Mary  C,  born  December 
22,  1868;  William  M.,  born  November  19, 
1871;  Elias  Nelson,  born  February  2,  1874, 
and  Callie,  born  June  5,  1881.  Their  third 
child,  Lanny  J.,  was  born  May  9,  1864,  and 
died  September  15,  1866.  Mr.  Reynold's 
mother  makes  her  home  with  him  and  is  act- 
ive and  in  -good  health  for  one  of  her  years. 
Mr.  Reynolds  owns  about  300  acres  of  land 
in  Highland  Township. 


tMOS  J.  BETSON,  one  of  tlie  prosperous 
agriculturists  of  Vermillion  County, 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising  on 
section  7,  Vermillion  Township,  was  born  in 
Oneida,  Now  York,  in  the  year  1845.  His 
parents,  Henry  and  Mary  A.  (Johnson)  Bet- 
son,  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  of 
English  descent.  They  came  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  with  their  family  in  1847, 
remaining  here  till  1875.  They  then  removed 
to  Chrisman,  Illinois,  M'here  the  father  died 
in  1875.  The  mother  still  resides  in  Chris- 
man.  Amos  J.  Betson,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  reared  to  the  avocation  of  a 
farmer,  which  he  has  followed  through  life, 
and  in  his  youth  received  but  a  limited  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  his  day.  He  was 
married  in  Parke  County,  Indiana,  in  1874, 
to  Miss  Louisa  Rubottora,  who  wa§  bora  in  i 


that  county  in  1853,  a  daughter  of  Milton 
and  Lula  Rubottom.  Tiiey  are  the  parents 
of  seven  children  named — Maude,  Rosa,  Lula, 
Roy,  Garnet  J.,  Bernicc  and  ReMe  C.  Mr. 
Betson  commenced  life  for  himself  M'ithout 
capital,  at  first  renting  land,  but  by  his  per- 
severing industry  and  good  business  manage- 
ment he  has  succeeded  well,  having  by  his 
own  eflbrts  accumulated  liis  present  fine 
property.  He  owns  327  acres  of  land  where 
he  resides,  besides  forty-nine  acres  in  another 
section.  He  has  a  fine  brick  residence, 
erected  by  himself,  and  his  entire  surround- 
ings show  care  and  thrift.  He  raises  a  variety 
of  crops,  most  of  whicli  he  feeds  to  his  stock. 
In  politics  he  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party.     Post  office,  Newport,  Indiana. 


1 


ACHARIAH  D.  JAMES,  late  of  Ver- 
W  f  million  Count}',  but  now  a  resident  of 
■1-v  '  Montezuma,  Parke  County,  was  born  in 
Virginia,  August  30,  1811,  a  son  of  Dr. 
William  13.  and  Elizabeth  James.  In  the  fall 
of  1811,  when  our  subject  was  an  infant,  his 
parents  removed  from  Virginia  to  Jefferson 
County,  Ohio,  making  the  entire  trip  on 
horseback,  his  mother  carr3'ing  him  all  the 
way.  In  1816  the  family  settled  in  Mans- 
field, Ohio,  among  the  early  settlers,  the 
father  preaching  the  first  sermon  preached  in 
that  place,  and  superintended  the  building  of 
the  first  church  there.  He  immigrated  to 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  in  1822,  where 
he  practiced  medicine  and  preached  the  gos- 
pel until  1826.  In  that  year  he  took  a  load 
of  corn  to  New  Orleans  on  a  flatboat,  and  on 
the  return  trip  died  at  Vicksburg,  Missis- 
sippi. Our  subject  was  about  eleven  years  of 
age  when  his  father  settled  in  this  county, 
and  here  he  was  reared  to  manhood  amid  the 
wild  surroundings  of  pioneer  life.  He  helped 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


!i 


cut  the  first  wheat,  and  gather  the  first  corn 
raised  on  the  Swayze  farm  on  Kelt's  Prairie. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  Kovember  4, 
1830,  to  Miss  Jane  Sividmore,  the  eldest  of 
eight  children  of  Joshna  Skidmore,  and  to 
this  union  five  children  were  born,  of  whom 
.  three  are  yet  living,  naniedAVilliain  A.,  a 
resident  of  Ilelt  Township;  John  S.,  engaged 
in  the  grocery  trade  in  Danville,  Illinois,  and 
Henry  H.,  a  practicing  physician  of  St.  Ber- 
nice,  this  county.  Mr.  James  followed  farm- 
ing until  1852,  when  he  removed  to 
Montezuma,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business  some  sixteen  years.  He 
then  dealt  extensively  ingrain  and  stock  for 
a  time,  and  is  now  living  retired  from  act- 
ive business  life,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his 
years  of  toil  and  industry.  Mrs.  James  died 
January  23,  1873,  and  Mr.  James  was  a 
second  time  married  November  20,  1873, 
to  Mrs.  Anna  R.  Elder,  a  native  of  Clinton 
County,  New  York,  widow  of  Samuel  Elder 
and  daughter  of  Mason  Meade.  Mr.  James 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  since  1828,  his  wife  having  also 
been  a  member  of  the  same  church  many 
years.  In  his  political  views  he  affiliates 
with  the  Eepublican  party. 


fEORGE  A.  CRA13B,  one  of  the  leading 
business  men  of  Clinton,  engaged  in 
dealing  in  groceries,  was  born  at  Clinton 
Locks,  in  Parke  County,  Indiana,  January  22, 
1859,  a  son  of  Walter  G.  and  Eliza  (Tiiayer) 
Crabb.  His  father  was  born  in  Ohio,  August 
2,  1816,  a  son  of  John  W.  Crabb,  who  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Wabash  Valley, 
and  who  made  his  home  on  Walker's  Bluffin 
Parke  County,  this  State,  in  1821.  Walter 
G.  Crabb,  when  a  young  man,  by  th-  death 
ot    his    father,   had   the  care  of  the    family 


thrown  upon  him,  his  elder  brothers  having 
married  and  left  home.  A  few  years  later  he 
married  a  Miss  Hanson,  and  to  them  were 
born  eleven  children,  of  whom  only  three  are 
now  living — Azro  P.,  of  Idaho  Territory; 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  White,  of  Helt  Township, 
Yermillion  County,  and  Winfield  S.,  residing 
in  Iowa.  The  mother  and  the  remaining 
eight  children  are  buried  at  Clinton  Locks. 
The  second  wife  of  Walter  G.  Crabb  was  a 
Miss  Laney,  who  died  shortly  after  her  mar- 
riage. He  was  again  married  to  Miss  Eliza 
Thayer,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  to  this 
union  five  children  were  born,  of  whom 
George  A.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  the 
eldest,  and  excepting  his  sister,  Mary  E.,  of 
Clinton,  is  the  only  one  living.  Three  of  the 
children  died  in  infancy.  Walter  G.  Crabb 
led  an  active  biisiness  life,  and  was  among  the 
first  traders  at  Clinton  Locks,  a  place  of  im- 
portance during  the  days  of  the  operation  of 
the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal.  He  erected  a 
warehouse  which  is  still  standing  there,  and 
was  a  contr-actor  in  the  construction  of  the 
canal.  He  carried  on  a  ferry  there  for  eleven 
years,  crossing  the  Wabash  at  Clinton.  In 
1862  hq,  became  identified  with  this  place, 
and  until  the  spring  of  1865  he  owned  and 
operated  a  steam  grist-mill  one  and  a  half 
miles  west  of  Clinton.  In  1865  he  erected 
the  brick  grist  and  merchant  mill  at  Clinton, 
which  he  operated  until  his  death,  and  which 
is  now  a  part  of  his  estate.  He  died  August 
22, 1884.  His  wife  died  November  12, 1877, 
aged  forty-five  years.  All  the  brothers  and 
sisters  of  Walter  G.  Crabb  are  deceased,  with 
the  exception  of  Mrs.  Mary  Welton,  who 
resides  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois.  The  edur 
cation  of  Mr.  Crabb  was  limited  to  a  few 
montlis  attendance  in  the  subscription  schools. 
He  became  a  thorough,  practical  business 
man,  and  in  all  respects  was  a  self-made  man. 
His  father,  once   w^U-to-do  in  this  world's 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


303 


goods,  became  a  poor  man  through  tlie  failure 
of  others,  and  left  his  family  in  limited  cir- 
cumstances, and  every  dollar  owned  by  Wal- 
ter Ct.  C'rabb  was  earned  by  himself,  and  at  his 
death  he  left  a  fair  estate.  In  politics  he  was 
first  a  Whig,  but  affiliated  with  the  Republi- 
can party  from  its  organization.  While  not 
a  professing  Christian  he  gave  freely  of  his 
means  toward  the  building  of  churches,  and 
also  purchased  books  for  a  Sixnday-school  at 
Clinton  Locks,  of  which  he  was  superintend- 
ent. He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, and  was  buried  with  Masonic  honors. 
George  A.  Crabb,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  reared  from  the  age  of  three  years 
in  Clinton,  and  his  education  was  obtained  in 
the  schools  of  Clinton.  At  the  age  of  fifteen 
years  he  took  charge  of  his  father's  books, 
aiid  assisted  his  father  in  his  mill  nntil  es- 
tablishing himself  in  his  present  business, 
March  li,  1883.  October  16,  1881,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Metta  V.  Davidson,  who  was 
born  at  Clinton,  September  8,  1860,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Jane  Davidson,  both  of  whom 
are  deceased.  Their  only  child,  Metta  Amelia, 
was  born  December  22,  1885.  In  politics 
Mr.  Crabb  casts  his  suffrage  with  the  Ilepub- 
lican  party. 

^^DWARD  A.  FLAUGIIEIt,  M.  D., 
rj.  a  prominent  physician  and  surgeon  of 
'b^'  Cayuga,  was  born  in  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, Illinois,  September  7,  1846,  a  son  of 
Zachariah  Flaugher.  His  father  was  born  in 
Brown  Connty,  Ohio,  February  22,  1811,  and 
died  in  Vermillion  County,  Illinois,  Decem- 
ber 3,  1865.  He  being  a  farmer,  our  subject 
was  reared  to  the  same  avocation,  and  his 
education  was  received  priiicipally  in  the 
Industrial  Universily  of  Champaign,  Illinois, 
from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  June, 

24  - 


1868.  He  then  began  reading  medicine  with 
Dr.  W.  T.  Summers,  of  Urbana,  Illinois,  and 
later  read  under  the  preceptorship  of  Dr. 
Balch,  of  Georgetown.  During  the  year 
1871  he  attended  the  St.  Louis  Medical 
College  one  term,  and  in  1881  he  spent  one 
term  at  the  Ohio  Medical  College  of  Cincin- 
nati, and  two  terms  at  the  Indiana  Medical 
College  at  Indianapolis,  graduating  from  the 
latter  college  in  March,  1883.  Dr.  Flaugher 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
1870,  which  he  has  since  followed  M'ith  the 
exception  of  the  time  spent  at  college.  He 
makes  a  specialty  of  diseases  ot  the  eye  in 
which  he  is  very  successful,  and  has  become 
identified  with  the  prominent  medical  men 
of  this  part  of  the  county.  He  located  at 
Eugene  in  August,  1870,  and  in  1876  went 
to  Williamsport,  Warren  County,  returning 
to  Eugene,  in  January,  1880.  He  removed 
his  office  to  Cayuga  in  October,  1884,  being 
the  first  settler  at  this  place.  He  estab- 
lished a  drug  and  grocery  store  at  Cayuga, 
the  pioneer  store,  which  he  carried  on  in 
connection  with  his  medical  practice  until 
March  17,  1885,  when  he  disposed  of  his 
business  to  Nathan  Tutt.  He  was  appointed 
postmaster  at  Cayuga  in  March,  1886,  and 
still  holds  that  position.  He  has  now  a 
good  practice  at  this  place.  Dr.  Flaugher 
was  married  August  28,  1874,  to  Miss  Mary 
J.  Greer,  whose  father  was  George  W.  Greer, 
an  early  settler  of  Eugene  Township.  Of 
the  two  children  born  to  this  union  but  one  is 
living,  a  daughter  named  Mary  E. 


fHOMAS  HENRY  HARRISON,  one 
of  the  old  and  honored  pioneers  of 
J  Highland  Township,  residing  on  sec- 
tion 31,  about  five  miles  west  of  Perrysville, 
was    born    in    Oliio  County,  "W'l'st  Vii'ginia, 


UISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


January  1,  1810.  His  father,  John  Harri- 
son, removed  from  Baltimore,  Maryland,  to 
West  Virginia,  and  later  settled  with  his 
family  in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
died  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a 
child.  He  was  a  nailer  by  trade,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  nails  at  Pitts- 
burgh. After  his  death  the  family  returned 
to  West  Virginia,  remaining  there  until  1819, 
then  moved  to  Monroe  County,  Ohio.  Tiie 
mother  was  a  second  time  married,  to  William 
Harris,  who  died  in  the  United  States  army, 
and  to  this  union  two  sons  were  born,  named 
Charles  and  Samuel.  In  1834  the  mother 
immigrated  with  her  family  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  M'here  she  died  April  9, 
1861,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years. 
Thomas  Henry  Harrison,  whose  name  heads 
this  sketch,  arrived  in  Perrysville  for  the  first 
time  December  20, 1834.  January  29, 1835, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Marinda 
Henthorn,  a  daughter  of  William  D.  Hen- 
thorn,  who  came  to  Vermillion  County  at  the 
same  time  as  the  Harrison  family.  He  then 
settled  on  the  land  now  occupied  by  our  sub- 
ject, where  he  lived  until  his  death,  his  wife 
also  dying  at  the  homestead  some  time  be- 
fore. Of  the  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henthorn  only  four  daughters  are  living  at 
the  present^time.  Eleven  children  have  been 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison,  of  whom 
seven  are  yet  living — Virginia,  Richard, 
Susan,  Marinda,  Mary  C,  Charles  and  Mar- 
garet M.  Their  eldest  son,  William  M.,  was 
a  member  of  Company  K,  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry,  in  the  war  of 
the  Pebcllion.  He  was  wounded  at  tlie  bat- 
tle of  Perryville,  Kentucky,  but  died  of  pneu- 
monia at  Gallatin,  Tennessee,  January  13, 
1863,  in  his  twenty-sixth  yeai-.  The  remain- 
ing children  who  are  deceased  are — John, 
who  died  August  18,  1846,  aged  six  years; 
Thomas  B.,  died  in  his  thirty-second   year, 


July  4,  1883,  at  Jonesboro,  Arkansas,  and 
one  who  died  in  infancy,  unnamed.  In  April, 
1835,  shortly  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Harri- 
son went  to  Porter  County,  Indiana,  return- 
ing to  Perrysville,  Vermillion  County,  in 
October  of  the  same  year.  In  August,  1838, 
he  settled  on  the  place  where  he  has  since 
resided,  with  the  exception  of  one  year.  As 
will  be  seen  Mr.  Harrison  has  been  a  resident 
of  Highland  Township  about  fifty-four  years, 
and  is  now  the  only  representative  of  his 
father's  family  living  in  Indiana.  He  has 
always  been  an  active  and  public  spirited 
citizen,  being  interested  in  all  enterprises 
which  tend  toward  the  advancement  of  his 
township  or  county.  In  politics  he  was  in 
early  life  a  Whig,  but  in  later  years  a  Re- 
publican. 


fRANCIS  M.  RILEY,  of  Rileysburg, 
was  born  on  the  homestead  which  he 
now  owns  and  occupies,  April  14,  1844, 
and  is  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of 
Vermillion  County.  Jacob  Riley,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  was  one  of  the  early  pioneers 
of  the  county,  settling  on  the  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  his  son  in  1842.  He  was  born  in 
Hardin  County,  Kentucky,  in  1803,  where  he 
was  reared,  and  received  a  fair  education  con- 
sidering the  lack  of  educational  advantages 
in  that  early  day.  He  came  to  Perrysville, 
Vermillion  County,  in  1827,  and  engaged  in 
teaching  school,  in  which  he  had  considerable 
experience.  He  was  married  at  Perrysville 
in  1831,  to  Elizabeth  Nichols,  sister  of  Will- 
iam Nichols,  of  Highland  Township,  and  to 
this  union  were  born  four  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Three  of  the  sons  yet  survive — 
Geoi-ge  Harding,  Frank  M.  and  Jacob.  Will- 
iam, the  eldest  son,  died  in  Green  County, 
Wisconsin,  March  3, 1865,  and  the  daughter, 


IT--  r 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCEES. 


Naucy,  died  February  19, 1861.  She  was  the 
wife  of  Isaac  Rouse,  and  left  at  her  death 
three  children.  The  father  established  the 
first  harness  shop  in  Perrysville,  where  he 
carried  on  the  business  until  1842.  He  then 
sold  out  and  purchased  100  acres  of  the  Riley 
homestead,  on  which  he  located.  He  added 
largely  to  his  original  purcliase  until  he 
owned  about  600  acres,  becoming  one  of  the 
wealthy  and  influential  men  of  Highland 
Township.  He  died  at  the  homestead,  No- 
vember 1,  1880.  The  mother  of  our  subject 
died  May  4,  1868,  and  after  her  death  the 
father  married  again.  His  widow  still  sur- 
vives and  is  making  her  home  in  Danville. 
Francis  M.  Riley  is  one  of  the  leading  farm- 
ers and  stock-raisers  in  Yermillion  County. 
He  was  the  first  to  introduce  the  Poll-Angus 
breed  of  cattle  into  the  county,  and  is  making 
a  success  in  the  raising  of  this  valuable 
breed.  He  is  also  engaged  in  tlie  manufac- 
ture of  tile,  this  enterprise  being  carried  on 
under  the  firm  name  of  Riley  &  Shute.  The 
works  of  this  firm  are  at  Rileysburg,  where  a 
superior  quality  of  tile  is  produced.  Mr. 
Riley  served  four  months  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  being  a  member  of  the  Seventy- 
first  Illinois  Infantry.  He  was  married  May 
8,  1877,  to  Miss  Martha  W.  Rodgers,  who 
was  born  in  AVarren  County,  Indiana,  March 
25,  1860,  her  father,  Elislia  Rodgers,  being 
still  a  resident  of  that  county.  Politically 
Mr.  Riley  affiliates  with  the  Republican 
party.  He  is  at  present  one  of  tlie  commis- 
sioners of  Vermillion  County,  having  been 
elected  to  that  office  in  the  fall  of  1884,  and 
re-elected  in  the  fall  of  1888.  He  has  a 
beautiful  farm  of  327  acres  of  land,  160  of 
which  belonged  to  the  original  homestead, 
and  its  entire  surroundings  ai-e  indicative  of 
the  enterprise  and  industry  of  the  owner. 
On  the  building  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern 
Illinois  Railroad,  a   station   wns   gecured  at 


Rileysburg,  through  the  influence  of  Mr. 
Riley.  The  name  was  originally  Riley,  but 
there  being  another  station  on  the  railroad 
bearing  that  name,  the  name  of  this  station 
was  changed  to  Rileysbui-g  in  the  spring  of 
1885.  The  place  was  formerly  but  a  flag 
station,  but  is  now  a  regular  station,  ami 
is  a  place  of  some  importance,  where  con- 
siderable shipping  is  carried  on.  Mr.  Riley 
takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
town,  and  every  movement  calculated  to  aid 
in  building  up  the  place  has  his  encourage- 
ment and  assistance. 


fTEPHEN  STEVENSON  COLLETT, 
deceased,  was  a  resident  near  Eugene. 
He  was  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
Collett,  a  sketch  of  whom  we  give  elsewhere. 
Born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1792,  he  was  nine 
years  old  when  the  family  came  West  with 
him,  traveling  by  flat  boat  down  the  Ohio 
River  to  Lime  Rock,  Kentucky,  in  1800.  He 
came  to  this  State  in  1818,  in  company  with 
his  brother,  Josephus,  tlieir  father  having  been 
appointed  deputy  United  States  Surveyor  in 
the  Maumee  Valley.  Stephen  himself,  as 
deputy  United  States  Surveyor  for  a  part  of 
Indiana  Territory,  made  the  first  surveys  of 
the  counties  of  Owen,  Putnam,  Montgomery 
and  Tippecanoe.  He  was  subsequently  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  pursuits  at  Teire  Haute, 
where  the  firms  of  Linton  &  Collett,  and 
Rose  &  Collett,  had  extensive  business 
relations  in  the  fur  trade  with  John  Jacob 
Astor,  with  headquarters  at  Mackinac.  In 
1827  he  removed  to  Eugene,  Vermillion 
County,  of  which  village  plat  he  was  the  first 
proprietor,  and  where  he  engaged  in  the 
shipping  of  farm  products  and  general  mer- 
chandise by  flat-boats  to  New  Orleans.  He 
was  chosen  as  a  Whig  of  the    Ifenry  Chiy 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


school  to  represent  Vermillion  County  in  the 
House  of  Eepresentatives  for  the  sessions  of 
1833-'35 ;  then  was  senator  from  Parke,  Yer- 
million  and  Warren  connties  in  1835-'36  and 
from  Parke  and  Yermillion  in  1842-'44. 
During  all  his  legislative  career  he  served 
with  marked  ahility;  was  a  member  of  the 
standing  committees  on  Finance,  Education 
and  Agriculture;  and  was  one  of  the  nine 
members,  including  Governor  AVhitcomb  and 
Calvin  Fletcher,  who  voted  against  the 
internal  improvement  scheme,  which  after- 
ward proved  so  disastrous.  Although  he 
had  had  but  little  opportunity  for  school 
education,  he  acquired  studious  habits,  be- 
came posted  in  history  and  general  literature. 
Although  not  a  member  of  any  church,  he 
maintained  a  steadfast  faith  in  the  general 
principles  of  Christianity,  especially  the 
Golden  Paile.  He  died  December  28,  1843, 
at  Browning's  Hotel,  Indianapolis,  while 
serving  as  State  Senator,  and  the  Legislature 
passed  resolutions  of  sincere  respect  concern- 
ing him,  and  many  members  delivered 
eloquent  eulogies.  Senator  Bradley,  for  ex- 
ample, said:  "By  his  energy,  sagacity  of  in- 
tellect and  integrity,  which  was  never  soiled 
by  a  stain  nor  darkened  by  a  cloud  of  suspicion, 
he  deservedly  attained  a  high  place  in  public 
estimation."  Representative  Thomas  Dowl- 
ing,  of  Vigo  Coimty,  said:  "  As  a  merchant 
he  was  upright,  scrupulously  honest,  direct 
and  plain  in  his  dealings;  as  a  farmer  he  was 
distinguished  for  his  good  taste  and  industry; 
as  a  neighbor  he  was  kind  and  obliging;  as  ;'. 
friend,  tirm  and  steadfast;  as  a  legislator, 
conscientious,  prudent  and  upright;  as  a 
politician,  devotedly  attached  to  the  great 
principle  of  constitutional  liberty."  On  his 
farm  he  was  a  pioneer  in  the  introduction  of 
fine  stock,  and  improved  varieties  of  grain 
and  other  farm  products.  His  clover  field  in 
1832  was  a  curiosity,  as  it  was  one  of  the  earliest 


in  the  State;  and  even  at  that  early  day  he 
secured  short-horn  Durhams  from  the  herd 
of  Heniy  Clay.  In  1835  he  owned  and  bred 
Ilaserac,  the  fsistest,  thoroughbred  English 
race-horse  in  the  West.  In  1838--39  he  had 
herds  of  fine  wooled  sheep,  Berkshire  hogs, 
etc.  Neighbors  for  a  hundred  miles  around 
obtained  of  him  improved  varieties  of  live- 
stock and  of  grain.  In  1822  Mr.  Collett 
married  Sarah  Groenendyke,  of  Terre  Haute, 
and  their  family  comprised  three  sons  and 
five  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  living  except 
two  of  the  daugliters.  The  sons  are — Hon. 
John  Collett,  State  Geologist,  1879-'84; 
Stephen  S.,  a  successful  farmer,  and  manager 
of  the  bank  of  Collett  &  Company  at  New- 
port, this  State;  and  Josephus,  a  farmer, 
merchant,  banker,  railroad  manager,  etc., 
now  residing  at  Terre  Haute.  (See  sketch  of 
these  elsewhere  in  this  volume).  The  daugh- 
ter, Emily,  married  Dr.  W.  G.  Montgomery,  for 
several  years  Senator  from  Warren  County. 
Mary  married  J.  P.  Campbell,  deceased,  who 
was  a  successful  merchant  and  active  Repub- 
lican politician  of  Crawfordsville;  Ellen  mar- 
ried D.  M.  Jones,  a  Newport  (Indiana) 
attorney,  and  Representative  from  Vermillion 
County  of  the  Legislature  during  the  war; 
Jennie  married  James  II.  Turner,  of  Terre 
Haute;  and  Clara  married  Crawford  Fair- 
banks, also  Terre  Haute. 


•i^^ 


T^.  A^'ID  McBETH,  manufacturer  of  har- 
I  ,)  iK'ss,  saddles,  etc.,  and  dealer  in  buggies 
■i0^  and  wagons,  Clinton,  was  born  in  Logan 
County,  Ohio,  August  1,  1845,  a  sou  of 
Robert  and  Maria  (Gunn)  McBeth,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Ohio,  and  of  Scotch 
and  Irish  parentage.  Robert  Gunn,  the  ma- 
ternal grandiather  of  our  subject,  was  Indian 
agent  in  Ohio,  in  its  pioneej-  days,  and  built 


the  first  liouse  at  Bellefontaine,  that  State. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  are  deceased,  the 
father  dying  of  cholera  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
in  1850,  aged  thirty-nine  years,  and  the  mother 
at  Springfield,  Ohio,  at  the  home  of  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  I.  A.  Hazel,  in  1872,  in  her 
sixty-third  year.  Tliey  were  the  parents  of 
six  children,  of  whom  David  is  the  youngest. 
His  two  brothers  are  deceased.  His  sisters 
are — Mrs.  Maria  Bane,  of  Battle  Creek,  Mich- 
igan; Minerva  Goodale,  also  living  in  Battle 
Creek,  Michigan,  and  Mrs.  Hazel,  living  in 
Denver,  Colorado.  David  spent  his  youth 
in  Hichland,  a  small  town  in  Logan  County. 
Li  July,  1861,  he  went  to  Columbus,  Ohio, 
to  learn  the  harness  trade.  In  February, 
1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Third  Uni- 
ted States  Cavalry,  serving  a  term  of  three 
years.  The  regiment  first  had  headquarters 
at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  and  later  while  Mr. 
McBeth  was  with  it  at  Fort  Sheldon,  New 
Mexico.  In  February,  1867,  he  was  dis- 
charged from  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
and  resumed  work  at  his  trade,  saddle  and 
harness  making,  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  at  which 
he  had  previously  served  an  apprenticeship, 
commencing  when  sixteen  years  old.  In 
March,  1869,  he  came  to  Clinton,  establishing 
his  present  business  at  this  place.  In  1870 
he  returned  to  Ohio  for  his  bride.  Miss  Jennie 
Ilarsha,  whom  he  married  at  Bellefontaine, 
October  5,  1870.  She  is  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, born  April  6,  1846.  Her  father  died 
many  years  ago,  and  her  mother,  Mrs.  Mary 
P.  Harsha,  now  Mrs.  Burns,  is  living  at 
Charlevoix,  Michigan.  Five  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McBeth,  of  whom 
only  two  are  living,  named  Mabel  and  Mary. 
Both  Mr.  McBeth  and  wife  are  meml)ers  of 
tlie  Presbyterian  church.  In  politics  he  has 
always  voted  the  Republican  ticket.  Mr. 
McBeth  is  a  man  of  splendid  business  quali- 
fications,  and   by  his   strict  attention  to  his 


ti-ade  he  has  established  a  large  business,  and 
by  his  fair  and  honorable  dealings  has  gained 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  wlio  know 
him. 


fOIIN  WESLEY  CASEBEER,  retired 
farmer  and  merchant,  Hillsdale,  was  born 
in  Mansfield,  Ohio,  January  22,  1831,  a 
son  of  John  Casebeer,  who  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
educated  in  the  Mansfield  public  schools. 
He  came  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  in 
November,  1849,  in  his  nineteenth  year, 
crossing  the  Wabash  River  at  Raccoon  Ferry. 
He  remained  in  tlie  county  but  a  few  days, 
when  he  went  to  Coles  (now  Douglas)  Coun- 
ty, Illinois,  five  miles  below  Newman,  where 
his  cousin,  Jolm  Casebeer,  now  resides.  He 
returned  to  Mansfield  in  the  fall  of  1851, 
making  the  trip  on  horseback.  In  1853  he 
came  again  to  this  county  and  settled  in  Helt 
Township,  where  he  has  since  made  his  liomc. 
He  was  married  August  27,  1855,  to  Martha 
Rush,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Rush,  who  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  county,  and 
one  of  the  first  school-teachers  of  Helt  Town- 
ship. Six  children  have  been  born  to  this 
union,  of  whom  four  are  yet  living — Alvin 
B.,  married  Miss  Annie  Fultz,  and  lives  near 
Eugene,  this  county;  John  W.,  Jr.,  married 
Miss  Jennie  McDole,  and  lives  on  the  old 
homestead  near  Hillsdale;  Ithimer  M. entered 
De  Pauw  University,  September  14,  1887; 
Mary  A.  married  George  James,  of  Hills- 
dale, and  they  are  the  parents  of  one  cliild 
named  Mervin  E.  When  the  Evansville, 
Terre  Haute  &  Chicago  (now  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois)  Railroad  was  being  built, 
Mr.  Casebeer  was  a  contractor  on  the  road, 
building  one  mile  of  the  grade.  He  engaged 
in  the  saw-mill  business  in  Hillsdale  in  1870, 


372 


BSW.iM»M-1»»a"«1»M-W-l"««»-M«*«"-|lgMg-"-W-1iMiaUiWB«i»M«W-«Bia(li 


niSTORr    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


wliich  he  followed  some  two  or  three  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1881  he  established  his  mer- 
cantile business,  which  he  carried  on  snccess- 
fnlly  until  late  in  the  year  1885,  when  he 
sold  his  stock  of  goods  to  Joseph  Flinii, 
although  he  still  owns  the  store  bnilding. 
He  is  also  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  choice 
land  in  Ilelt  Township,  besides  town  property 
in  Alto  and  Hillsdale.  He  has  been  a  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  for  thirty  years,  and  is  a  liberal  sup- 
porter toward  all  benevolent  institutions. 
Mrs.  Casebeer  is  also  an  active  member  of 
the  same  church,  is  president  of  the  Woman's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Salem 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is  an  ardent 
temperance  and  Sabbath-school  worker.  Few 
men  in  the  county  are  more  widely  knowu  or 
more  generally  respected  than  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  Genial  in  temperament,  chari- 
table toward  the  unfortunate,  active  in  the 
support  of  every  movement  calculated  to  pro- 
mote the  piiblic  welfare,  he  takes  a  prominent 
position  in  the  community,  and  has  gained 
the  confidence  of  all  who  know  him. 


tEASON  H.  SWINEHART,  hardware 
merchant,  Clinton,  established  his  resi- 
dence and  business  at  this  place  in 
April,  1871.  He  was  born  in  Holmes  County, 
Ohio,  February  22,  1822,  a  son  of  Daniel  and 
Yesta  (Hogland)  Swinehart,his  father  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  of  German  descent,  and  his 
mother  a  native  of  Ohio.  In  1841  the  family 
moved  to  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  where  the 
parents  lived  until  their  death,  the  mother 
dying  in  1848,  aged  fifty  years,  and  the 
father  dying  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six 
years.  Reason  H.  Swinehart  was  married  at 
Terre  Haute,  April  12,  1857,  to  Miss  Ann 
Palmer,    and    to   them   have   been  born   six 


children  as  follows — Emma  died  in  infancy; 
Clara,  born  September  8,  1860,  is  the  wife  of 
W.  L.  Morey,  of  Clinton;  Harry,  born  July 
20,  1863;  Frank,  born  January  15,  1866; 
Daniel,  died  in  infancy,  and  Elizabeth,  born 
at  Clinton,  August  15,  1871.  Soon  after 
locating  in  Terre  Haute  Mr.  Swinehart  com- 
menced work  at  the  tinner's  trade  which  he 
followed  until  establishing  his  hardware  busi- 
ness in  Clinton.  His  sons,  Harry  and  Frank, 
both  of  whom  are  young  men  of  fine  business 
qualifications,  assist  him  in  his  business. 
Both  are  members  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order, 
and  Harry  is  at  present  Junior  Warden  of 
Clinton  Encampment,  No.  143.  The  father 
and  sons  are  members  of  Amant  Lodge,  No. 
356,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  have  passed  all  the 
chairs  of  the  lodge.  In  politics  Mr.  Swine- 
hart is  independent,  but  of  Democratic 
antecedents. 


l^^ILLIAM  A.  JAMES,  section  11,  Helt 
•   1/ \/'    Township,  was   born  in    Yermilliou 

.^.^"j  County,  Indiana,  September  16, 
1831,  a  son  of  Zachariah  D.  and  Jane  (Skid- 
more)  James.  His  father  M-as  born  in  Vir- 
ginia in  1811,  and  in  1822  came  with  his 
parents  to  Vermillion  County,  where  he  was 
reared  and  married.  Of  a  family  of  five 
childx-en,  but  three  are  living — William  A., 
John  S.,  a  grocer  of  Danville,  Illinois,  and 
Dr.  Harry  H.,  of  St.  Berniee.  William  A. 
James  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Helt  Town- 
ship. He  was  given  good  educational 
advantages,  attending  school  in  Paris  and 
Blooniington,  Illinois,  and  after  leaving 
school  taught  a  short  time.  In  1862  ho 
enlisted  in  defense  of  his  country  and  M-as 
assigned  to  Company  B,  Eighty-fifth  Indiana 
Infixntry,  and  served  six  months.  After  his 
return  home  he  clerked  in  his  father's  store 


BIOQRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


ill  Montezuma,  and  in  1867  returued  to  Ver- 
million County.  In  1869  he  settled  on  the 
farm  where  he  now  lives,  which  contains  128 
acres  of  valuable  land,  all  well  improved  and 
under  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  and  his 
residence  and  farm  buildings  are  commodious 
and  convenient.  Mr.  James  was  married 
February  5,  1856,  to  Frances  Iloughland, 
daughter  of  AVilliam  Houghland.  They  have 
had  seven  children,  but  two  of  whom  are 
living — Charles  W.  and  Harry  E.  The 
latter  married  Ida  B.  Rose,  and  is  now  a 
telegraph  operator  of  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  Mr. 
James  is  a  member  of  the  Gi-and  Army  of  the 
Republic,  the  Ancient  Order  of  the  United 
AVorkman  and  the  Patrons  Mutual  Aid  So- 
ciety of  Yermillion  County.  He  and  his 
wife  are  niembers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Politically  Mr.  James  is  a  Republi- 
can. He  is  one  of  the  prominent  and  pros- 
perous citizens  of  the  township  where  he  has 
spent  his  life. 


fESSE  HOUCHIN  was  born  in  Pike 
County,  Ohio,  November  10,  1825.  He 
is  of  Scotch  and  Welsh  ancestry,  but  for 
three  generations  preceding  him  his  paternal 
ancestors  were  natives  of  Virginia.  His 
father,  Jesse  Houchin,  was  born  in  Amherst 
County,  Virginia,  June  10,  1770.  His  grand- 
father, William  Houchin,  was  born  in  Buck- 
ingham County,  as  was  also  his  great-grand- 
father, John  Houchin.  His  mother  was  Mary 
Allison,  daughter  of  Thomas  Allison,  of  New 
York  State.  Five  of  his  uncles  were  soldiers 
ill  the  war  of  1812,  Moses  and  Charles 
Houchin,  and  Jesse,  James  and  Daniel  Alli- 
son. His  parents,  soon  after  their  marriage 
moved  to  Greenbrier  County,  West  Virginia, 
and  in  1820  to  Pike  County,  Ohio,  and  from 
there  in  1830  to  Vermillion  C'ounty,  Indiana, 


settling  first  in  Highland  Township,  Initsoon 
after  moved  to  Warren  County,  where  they 
lived  twenty  years.  Jesse  Houchin  remained 
M-ith  his  parents  until  manhood,  and  in  his 
youth,  when  not  employed  in  the  work  of  the 
farm,  attended  the  subscription  schools.  In 
February,  1851,  lie  moved  to  a  farm  in  Helt 
Township,  Vermillion  County,  and  there  im- 
proved a  farm  on  which  he  lived  until  No- 
vember 10,  1886,  when  he  moved  to 
Montezuma,  but  keeps  his  farm  of  320  acres 
well  stocked  with  horses,  cattle,  hogs  and 
sheep  as  heretofore;  and  raising  crops  of 
grain  and  grass.  Mr.  Houchin  was  married 
April  9,  1846,  to  Elizabeth  Jackson,  daughter 
of  John  Jackson.  They  have  had  eight 
children — Martha  S.,  John  S.,  Mary  M., 
Jessie  E.,  Alice  C,  Daniel  V.,  William  E.  and 
Lawrence  Bruce.  Daniel  and  William  are 
deceased.  Martha  married  William  Malone, 
of  Helt  Township,  and  has  nine  children; 
John  married  Eudora  Johnson;  Mary  is  the 
wife  of  Silas  Davis,  and  has  eleven  children; 
Jessie  is  the  wife  of  James  M.  Morgan ;  Alice 
is  the  wife  of  Frank  P.  Thorn,  and  has  one 
child;  Daniel  married  Alice  S.  Earles,  and 
at  his  death  left  one  child.  Mr.  Houchin  has 
been  a  prominent  citizen  of  Vermillion 
County  for  thirty-five  years.  He  is  in  no 
sense  a  politician,  but  is  interested  in  pro- 
moting the  material  welfare  of  his  township 
and  county,  and  is  always  ready  to  assist  any 
enterprise  worthy  of  his  support. 

^-^^wf^«~ 


fAVID  A.  REED,  a  representative  of 
one  of  the  old  and  respected  pioneer 
families  of  Vermillion  County,  was  born 
in  Stokes  County,  North  Carolina,  Septem- 
ber 28,  1824.  His  father,  Jacob  Reed,  was 
also  a  native  of  Stokes  County,  his  father  be- 
ing a   native    of  Germany,    and    coming    to 


HISTORY    OF    VEmtlLLION    COUNTY. 


North  Carolina  wlien  sixteen  years  of  age. 
The  parents  of  our  suT)jeet  came  to  Yermill- 
ion  County  in  1831  and  settled  on  the  same 
section  where  he  now  resides,  the  land  at  the 
time  of  their  settlement  being  in  a  state  of 
nature.  David  A.  Keed  was  reared  on  this 
farm,  and  in  his  youth  attended  the  rude  log 
cabin  subscription  schools,  receiving  such 
education  as  could  be  obtained  therein.  He 
was  inarried  December  11,  1849,  to  Nancy 
M.  Wishard,  a  daughter  of  John  O.Wishard, 
who  settled  in  Vermillion  County  as  early  as 
December,  1829.  Eleven  children  were  born 
to  this  union,  of  whom  seven  ai-e  living — 
Jane,  John  J.,  Margaret  E.,  Mary  E.,  Sarah 
A.,  Barbara  A.  and  Laura  B.,  all  married  with 
the  exception  of  Laura.  Mr.  aud  Mrs.  Eeed 
have  now  fifteen  grandchildren.  Mr.  Eeed 
has  made  farming  the  principal  occupation  of 
hi.s  life,  and  by  his  own  persevering  industry 
and  economy  he  has  accumulated  his  present 
tine  property,  he  having  commenced  life  for 
himself  entirely  without  means.  He  is  now 
the  owner  of  249  acres  of  choice  land,  and 
resides  on  section  28,  Helt  Township.  In 
connection  with  his  general  farming  he  de- 
votes considerable  attention  to  stock-raising, 
making  a  specialty  of  graded  stock.  Mr. 
Reed  has  been  a  member  cf  the  Methodist 
Protestant  church  from  the  age  of  sixteen 
years,  and  has  always  given  liberally  of  his 
means  toward  the  support  of  the  gospel.  He 
is  an  active  Sabbath-school  worker,  and  has 
served  as  superintendent  or  teacher  for  more 
than  forty  years.  In  his  political  views  he 
affiliates  with  the  Eepublican  party.  His 
son,  John  J.  Reed,  is  one  of  the  rising  young 
agriculturists  of  Helt  Township,  and  is  the 
owner  of  a  good  farm  of  lOlJ  acres  on  sec- 
tion 28  of  the  same  township.  He  was  born 
in  Helt  Township,  Yermillion  County,  July 
17,  1852,  where  he  was  reared  a  farmer,  and 
educated  in   the  common  schools.     He  was 


united  in  marriage  March  2'J,  1881,  to  Ros- 
etta  Heidle,  whose  father,  John  M.  Heidle, 
was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Helt  Township. 
They  are  the  parents  of  three  children — 
Jesse  A.,  Margaret  E.  and  an  infant  son  yet 
unnamed. 


fAMES  F.  CARMACK,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  resides  on  his  father's  farm  on 
section  7,  Vermillion  Township.  He  is 
the  owner  of  a  good  farm  of  fifty  acres,  all 
well  improved,  located  elsewhere  in  the  co\in- 
ty.  He  was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now 
lives,  in  1854,  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Rachel 
Carmack.  His  mother  is  deceased  and  his 
father  now  lives  in  Dana.  He  was  reared  a 
farmer,  and  since  starting  in  life  for  himself 
has  been  successful,  and  is  now  numbered 
among  the  representative  citizens  of  his  town- 
shij).  He  was  married  in  1883  to  Margaret 
A.,  daughter  of  A.  R.  and  Alvira  Newlin, 
pioneers  of  Vermillion  County.  In  polities 
Mr.  Carmack  is  a  Democrat.  He  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 


##fT:ILLIAM  SLxVTER,  of  Dana,  was 
'■1/V/-   1'"i"ii  ill  Vermillion  Township,  Ver- 

.~  J  inillion  County,  Indiana,  July  3, 
isiy,  a  son  of  James  aud  Melissa  (Hifill)  Sla- 
ter. His  father  was  born  in  the  State  of  Ohio, 
coming  to  this  county  when  a  young  man, 
where  he  lived  until  his  death.  His  mother 
is  still  living,  and  makes  her  home  with  her 
son-in-law,  William  Reed,  about  three  and  a 
half  miles  from  Dana.  He  was  reared  to  the 
avocation  of  a  farmer,  and  his  education  was 
obtained  in  the  common  schools  of  the  county. 
When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  learned  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  followed  until 
May,  1886.  In  1870  he  went  to  Iowa,  where 
he  spent  over  nine  years,  working  at  his  trade 
in  Mount  Pleasant  and  Ottumwa.  In  1880  he 
went  from  Iowa  to  Colorado,  and  in  1886 
left  La  Junta,  Bent  County,  tha^t  State,  for 
Yermillion  County,  and  has  since  been  a 
resident  of  Dana.  Mr.  Slater  was  united  in 
marriage  April  10,  1875,  to  Miss  Jennie 
Moore,  who  was  born  in  Henry  County,  Iowa, 
October  6,  1861,  a  daughter  ot  Peter  and 
Caroline  (Gallagher)  Moore,  her  father  de- 
ceased, and  her  mother  living  in  Trenton, 
Iowa.  Two  children  have  l»een  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Slater,  named  Pearl  and  Mont'. 


IIOMAS  THOMPSON,  the  genial  pro- 
•^;||j  V  prietor  of  the  Cayuga  House,  is  a  native 
^J  of  Indiana,  born  in  Putnam  County, 
June  14, 1839,  his  father,  Gari'ison  Thompson, 
who  is  now  deceased,  being  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  that  county.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  his 
native  county,  receiving  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  his  neighborhood.  He 
was  married  April  1,  1861,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Smith,  a  daughter  of  James  H.  Smith,  of 
Iniinbridge,  Indiana,  and  to  them  have  been 
born  five  children — Gertrude,  Cora,  Frank, 
Fred  and  Maude.  Gertrude  married  John 
Owens,  of  Putnam  County,  and  they  are  the 
the  parents  of  three  children,  na;med  Glen, 
Ethel  and  Georgeann.  Mr.  Thompson  was  a 
member  of  Company  B,  Forty-third  Indiana 
Infantry,  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and 
participated  in  the  battles  of  New  Madrid, 
Island  No.  10,  Helena,  Little  Eock,  Mem- 
phis, Fort  Pillow,  Cameron  and  Marks  Mill, 
being  taken  prisoner  at  the  last  mentioned 
place.  He  was  then  sent  to  Tyler,  Texas, 
where  he  was  imprisoned  ten  months.  He 
remained  in  the  service  of  liis  country  almost 


four  years,  when  he  returned  to  his  home. 
He  came  to  Eugene  in  1885,  and  in  January, 
1887,  came  to  Cayuga  and  took  charge  of  the 
Junction  Hotel  until  his  present  commodious 
hotel  was  erected.  He  has  served  during  the 
past  two  years  as  justice  of  the  peace,  in 
which  office  he  is  serving  witli  credit  to  him- 
self and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents.  He 
is  a  comrade  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
pixblic.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  church. 


fOSEPII  A.  CLOVER,  section  11,  Clin- 
ton Township,  is  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  earliest  families  of  the  neighbor- 
hood. He  was  born  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
August  6,  1818,  a  son  of  James  and  Eliza 
(Aspril)  Clover,  his  father  a  native  of  the 
Allegheny  Mountain  district  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  his  mother  of  Delaware.  The  par- 
ents were  married  in  Pennsylvania,  but  about 
1817  moved  to  Ohio,  locating  near  Cincinnati, 
and  thence  in  1822  to  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana.  They  settled  on  section  11,  Clinton 
Township,  on  what  is  now  the  homestead  of 
our  subject.  The  country  was  then  a  wilder- 
ness, their  nearest  neighbor  being  Truman 
Ford,  who  lived  three  miles  southeast.  The 
father  was  in  limited  circumstances,  but  had 
enough  to  pay  for  eighty  acres  of  land,  and 
help  maintain  his  family  until  he  could  clear 
a  few  acres  and  raise  food.  The  nearest  mill 
was  at  Eugene,  twenty-iive  miles  distant. 
He  was  [a  great  lover  of  the  chase,  and 
generally  furnished  his  neighbors  with  veni- 
son. He  killed  the  only  bear  ever  killed  in 
his  neighborhood.  His  house  was  surmounted 
with  selected  antlers,  and  was  known  far  and 
near  as  the  "Buck  Horn  House."  James 
Clover  died  in  the  prime  of  life,  February  26, 
1836,  aged  forty-live  years,  his  widow  follow- 


iiig  liiin  in  May  of  the  following  year.  They 
had  a  family  of  eight  children — one  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  two  in  Ohio,  and  five  in  Ver- 
million County.  Jane  is  now  the  wife  of 
James  Martin,  of  Grundj-  County,  Illinois^ 
Malinda  is  the  widow  of  Solomon  Stults,  of 
Clinton  Township;  Delilah,  deceased,  was 
tlie  wife  of  Joseph  Ileeder;  Letitia,  deceased, 
was  the  wife  of  Wesley  Fatton;  John  D. 
lives  in  Texas;  Samuel  F.,  and  Margaret 
wife  of  William  Kirkendall,  live  in  Livingston 
County,  Illinois.  Joseph  A.  was  the  second 
child  and  eldest  son,  and  after  the  death  of 
liis  parents  he  kept  the  family  together,  until 
after  his  sisters  were  married.  He  then, 
April  2,  1848,  married  Drnsilla  Eeeder,  who 
was  born  in  Yerniillion  Township,  October  9, 
1821,  a  daughter  of  Amos  Eeeder,  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  the  county.  Her  mother 
died  when  she  was  a  child,  and  her  father 
February  24,  1836.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clover 
liave  had  five  children — Jane  ^(deceased,  wife 
of  Garrett  Ames);  Isabell,  Amos  (deceased), 
AVilliam  E.,  and  James,  of  Clinton  Township. 
Mr.  Clover  has  a  good  property  of  156  acres, 
which  was  formerly  the  home  of  liis  father, 
around  whicli  cling  many  fond  memories. 
He  abounds  in  reminiscences  and  anecdotes 
of  pioneer  life,  and  if  anytliing  of  importance 
lias  been  by  him  forgotten,  his  friends  cannot 
be  made  to  believe  it.  A  practical  joker, 
many  are  the  pranks  played  by  him,  but  none 
are  ever  wounded  to  the  heart,  and  a  visit  to 
him  is  one  long  to  be  remembered.  Wlien 
foin-teen  years  of  age  he  killed  a  huge  buck, 
and  was  afterward  called  the  champion  boy 
hunter.  The  chase  was  his  delight,  but  when 
eighteen  years  old  he  sliot  his  last  deer. 
While  hunting  he  had  wasted  his  last  shot 
on  a  very  large  buck,  but  succeeded  in  only 
wounding  him.  The  deer  could  not  run 
away,  and  the  determined  young  hunter 
would  not,  but  closing  in  upon  him  with  his 


knife,  fought  it  to  the  death,  leaving  the 
scene  half  naked,  and  wounded  and  torn  in  a 
way  frightful  to  see.  The  deer  was  dead  and 
beheaded,  but  com^jlete  recovery  for  the 
reserved  best  in  the  fight  was  a  work  of  con- 
siderable time.  4  When  cured  of  his  wounds 
he  was  cured  of  deer-liunting.  The  buck  as 
it  roamed  at  will,  and  the  doe  witli  the  grace- 
ful fawn,  were  never  more  disturbed  by  him. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  During  the 
war  he  advocated  the  war  measures,  but  since 
its  close  has  been  a  man  of  peace. 


jP^iON.  WILLIAM  SKIDMOEE,  who  was 
Wm\j  prominently  identified  with  the  growth 
"iS'd  and  development  of  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  during  his  life,  was  the  first  white 
child  born  in  the  county,  a  son  of  John  Skid- 
more,  the  date  of  his  birth  being  February  lU, 
1819.  He  was  born  with  but  onehand,  his  left 
hand,andone-thirdofthat  arm  being  gone.  Yet 
in  spite  of  this  he  was  able  to  chop  trees,  and 
do  other  work  required  in  the  clearing  and 
making  of  a  farm,  seemingly  as  well  as  any 
one.  He  was  reared  amid  the  wild  surround- 
ings of  pioneer  life,  and  during  his  early  life 
he  frequently  hauled  corn  to  the  Wabash 
Eiver,  which  he  sold  for  ten  cents  a  busliel, 
and  has  often  taken  apples  to  Chicago,  Illi- 
nois. He  was  a  self-made  man  in  every  sense 
of  the  word,  and  became  one  of  the  most 
proininent  men  in  the  county  where  lie  has 
always  lived.  He  was  twice  married,  taking- 
for  his  first  wife  Elizabeth  Pearman,  and  of 
the  three  children  born  to  tliem  two  are  yet 
living — Thomas  J.  and  Mrs.  Sarali  J.  Free- 
man. Mr.  Skidmore  was  married  a  second 
time  to  a  widow  named  Mrs.  Amelia  Ilelt, 
and  to  this  union  five  children  were  born — 
William  Henry,  George  F.,  Mary  E.,  Jasper 
F.  and   Caroline  F.     By  her  first   marriage 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


377 


Mrs.  Skidinore  has  two  children — Mrs.  Serena 
Depny,  and  Mrs.  Clarinda  Garner.  Mr. 
Skidmore  filled  many  of  the  official  trusts  of 
his  township  and  county,  and  twice  repre- 
sented the  county  in  the  State  Legislature,  in 
the  years  from  18G6  to  1870.  In  the  early 
history  of  the  county  he  served  as  constable 
and  justice  of  the  peace.  While  holding  the 
former  office  he  was  called  one  time  hy  the 
citizens  to  assist  in  arresting  a  man  whom 
tliey  had  chased  into  Mr.  Swazey's  cellar. 
Mr.  Skidmore  went  into  the  cellar  when  he 
was  shot  by  the  man  in  the  right  arm  below 
the  ell)ow.  Never  heeding  this  he  sncceeded 
in  arresting  his  man  before  he  had  time  to 
do  more  harm,  wresting  from  his  grasp  a 
second  freshly-loaded  pistol  and  holding  until 
the  citizens  came  to  his  help  and  bound  their 
prisoner.  "  lie  carried  the  bullet  received 
there  in  his  arm  to  his  grave.  He  was  a 
consistent  Christian  and  an  active  worker  in 
the  Methodist  church  for  many  years.  Even 
when  a  boy  he  would  walk  over  the  settlement 
and  tell  the  people  of  the  near  approach  of 
some  religious  meeting.  He  died  in  May, 
1881,  in  the  triumphant  hope  of  a  blessed 
immortality. 


^^;rEPIIEN  S.  COLLETT,  of  Newport, 
Ivs^l  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  earliest 
^^^  pioneer  families  of  Vermillion  County. 
He  was  born  in  Eugene  in  December,  1829, 
and  Yermillion  County  has  always  been  his 
home.  In  his  youth  he  received  good  edu- 
cational advantages,  attending  Wabash  Col- 
lege three  years.  He  has  been  an  active 
business  man,  and  for  many  years  was  one  of 
the  prominent  merchants  of  Newport.  He 
assisted  in  organizing  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Newport,  serving  as  its  cashier  some 
time.     Since  that  time  he  has  been  connected 


w'ith  the  banking  interests  of  Newport,  at 
present  being  general  manager  of  CoUctt  ik 
Co.'s  Bank.  Mr.  Collett  married  Miss  Jennie 
Dunlap,  a  daughter  of  Alexander  Dunlap, 
and  they  have  four  children,  three  sons  and 
one  daughter — John,  cashier  in  Collett  & 
Co.'s  Bank;  Samuel  D.,  Fred  D.  and  Eva, 
wife  of  Adam  B.  Littlepage,  of  Charleston, 
West  Virginia.  In  politics  the  Colletts  were 
old  line  Whigs  in  the  days  of  that  party,  and 
later  liave  affiliated  w'ith  the  llepublican 
party.  In  religion  they  are  liberal  in  their 
views. 

fAMES  J.  LEWIS,  one  of  the  old  and 
highly  esteemed  pioneers  of  Highland 
Township,  is  a  native  of  Maryland,  born  in 
Worcester  County,  January  1,  1805,  a  son  of 
James  and  Sarah  Lewis.  He  was  early  in 
life  left  an  orphan,  liaving  no  remembrance 
of  his  parents.  After  their  death  he  was 
taken  to  the  home  of  his  grandfather  Lewis, 
the  grandfather  dying  when  our  subject  was 
ten  years  of  age.  Two  years  later,  when  he 
was  about  twelve  years  of  age,  he  accompanied 
his  grandmother  and  uncle  to  Pickaway 
County,  Ohio,  and  here  he  had  his  first 
experience  of  frontier  life.  He  grew  to  man- 
hood in  Pickaway  County,  and  was  there 
married  to  Miss  Margaret  King,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  whose  parents  removed  to  that  State 
from  Maryland  in  an  early  day.  In  October, 
1830,  accompanied  by  his  father-in-law,  Isaac 
King,  he  immigrated  to  Indiana,  settling  in 
Rush  County,  and  two  years  later  removed  to 
Hancock  County,  where  Mr.  King  continued 
to  reside  until  his  death.  In  November, 
1837,  Mr.  Lewis  came  with  his  family  to 
Vermillion  County,  and  has  since  that  date 
been  a  resident  of  Highland  Township,  and 
since  March,  1851,  he   has  resided  on  section 


\\\ 


8,  about  six  miles  east  of  Danville,  Illinois. 
Mrs.  Lewis  died  April  3,  1857,  and  April  10, 
1859,  Mr.  Lewis  was  again  married  to  Mrs. 
Mary  (Vandine)  Craviston,  widow  of  Samuel 
Craviston.  Bj  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Lewis 
had  fourteen  children,  eleven  of  whom  reached 
maturity.  Six  are  living  at  the  present  time 
whose  names  are — Isaac,  Eleanor,  Sarah, 
Nancy,  Joshua  and  Meredith.  Those  who 
died  after  reaching  maturity  are — John  W., 
James  A.,  Samuel  C,  Elizabeth  and  Mary. 
Though  now  in  his  eighty-third  year  Mr. 
Lewis  is  still  active,  and  in  good  health,  and 
is  surrounded  with  all  the  necessary  comforts 
of  life.  He  has  been  a  faithful  and  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
for  fifty-nine  years. 


fOSIAII  SKIDMORE,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  section  22,  Helt  Township,  was 
born  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  present 
home  March  13,  1831,  a  son  of  Jolm  Skid- 
more,  who  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
English  descent.  John  Skidmore  came  to 
Yermillion  County  in  1818,  and  entered  160 
acres  of  land  in  Ilelt  Township,  and  in  the 
fall  of  the  same  year  moved  his  family  to 
their  new  home.  February  19,  1819,  his 
son  William  was  born,  and  had  the  honor  of 
being  tlie  first  white  child  born  in  the  county. 
lie  died  in  1881,  aged  sixty-two  years.  At 
the  time  of  Mr.  Skidmore's  settlement  in  tlie 
county  he  had  few  neighbors  except  Indians, 
and  there  was  not  a  house  between  his  place 
and  Fort  Dearborn,  the  present  site  of  Chicago, 
Illinois,  on  the  west,  the  Wabash  River  on 
the  east  and  Fort  AVayne  on  the  north.  His 
first  home  was  a  log  cabin  and  his  furniture 
was  of  the  most  primitive  description.  He 
cleared  and  improved  Ins  land  until  it  was 
one  of  the  best  in  the  township,  and  made  it 


his  home  until  his  death.  Josiah  Skidmore 
was  reared  in  his  native  township,  and  is  a 
prominent  and  influential  citizen  in  the 
county.  He  was  married  February  25, 1855, 
to  Phoebe  A.  White,  daughter  of  Enoch 
White,  a  pioneer  of  the  county.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  White  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church. 


tUFUS  P.  LITTLE,  farmer  and  stock, 
raiser,  resides  on  section  16,  Vermillion 
Township,  where  he  owns  a  good  farm 
of  119  acres,  and  in  addition  to  this  he  owns 
ninety-three  acres  on  another  section.  His 
homestead  is  well  improved,  his  buildings 
being  commodious  and  convenient  and  his 
land  being  well  drained  and  under  good  cul- 
tivation. He  is  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  born  April  16,  1837,  a  son  of  Charles 
and  Rachel  (Moore)  Little,  his  father  a  native 
of  Virginia  of  Irish  descent  and  his  mother 
of  Ohio,  of  Irish  and  Welsh  descent.  His 
parents  came  to  Vermillion  County  in  1830, 
and  settled  near  Eugene,  where  they  lived 
seven  years  and  then  moved  to  the  farm  where 
our  subject  now  lives,  where  the  father  died 
in  1854,  aged  fifty-seven  years.  The  mother 
died  November  27,  1881,  on  her  eighty-first 
anniversary.  They  had  a  family  of  nine 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — Theo- 
dore and  William,  of  Kansas;  Rufus  P.;  Lu- 
cretia,  wife  of  Joseph  James;  Rowena,  wife 
of  Francis  Walthall;  Charles,  and  Eliza  J. 
At  tiie  time  of  his  father's  death  Rufus  I', 
was  the  oldest  child  at  home,  and  the  respon- 
sibility of  managing  the  farm  fell  on  him, 
and  although  he  was  only  seventeen  years 
old,  he  assumed  the  work  of  a  man  and  was 
the  main  dependence  of  his  mother  and  the 
younger  children.  He  was  married  in  1803 
to  Sarah  J.  McNeely,  who  was  born  in  Ver- 


BIOGBAPHIGAL    SKETCHES. 


million  County  in  1846,  and  died  in  1868, 
leaving  two  children — Ella  and  Ennice.  In 
1869  he  married  Anna  Noyes,  a  native  of 
Indiana,  born  in  1836.  They  have  three 
children — Fred  CI.,  Grace  and  Clifford  R. 
Mr.  Little  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Ejiiscopal  church. 


/^^APTAIN  JOHN  LINDSEY,  residing 
°j\y.  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  old  Indiana 
'4--'^  Furnace,  Clinton  Township,  came  to 
Vermillion  County,  November  4,  1839,  and 
the  day  following  his  arrival  he  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Furnace  company.  Soon  after 
he  became  superintendent  of  the  furnace,  and 
had  charge  of  its  working  force  until  he  en- 
tered the  army.  He  was  born  at  Portsmouth, 
Scioto  County,  Ohio,  November  4,  1814,  a 
son  of  William  D.  and  Rhoda  (Wilson)  Lind- 
sey,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  mother  of  New  Jersey.  Tlie  father  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  serving  in  a 
company  commanded  by  his  brother,  John 
Lindsey,  wlio  died  at  Eugene,  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  lifty  years  ago.  The  par- 
ents of  our  subject  were  married  in  Scioto 
County,  Ohio,  June  21,  1813,  and  of  the  nine 
children  born  to  them,  he  was  the  eldest. 
The  remaining  children  are  as  follows— John- 
son, still  residing  in  Scioto  County,  Ohio; 
James  in  Vigo  County,  Indiana;  AVilson  in 
Franklin  County,  Missouri;  Sely,  who  is  blind, 
lives  with  his  brother  James;  Martha  Jane, 
deceased  wife  of  John  V.  Bly;  William  D. 
lives  in  Crawford  County,  Illinois;  Harriet 
Ann,  widow  of  Edward  Walton,  lives  in 
Iowa,  and  Angeline  died  aged  thirteen  years. 
Captain  John  Lindsey,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  a  self-made  and  self-educated  man, 
his  entire  attendance  at  school  being  but  three 


months  in  the  subscription  schools  of  his  day. 
As  soon  as  old  enough  he  began  work  in  iron 
production  and  became  a  molder.  His  father 
was  a  boatman  on  the  Scioto  Rivev  until 
coming  to  Vermillion  County.  All  the  fam- 
ily came  to  this  county  togetlier,  with  the 
exception  of  Johnson,  the  second  son,  who 
remained  in  Ohio.  The  father  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Furnace  company,  but  not  long 
afterward  he  settled  on  a  tract  of  160  acres, 
bought  by  our  subject,  where  he  died  March 
5,  1872,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  His  widow  survived  until  Noveml'er 
4,  1875,  dying  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven 
years,  cared  for  until  her  death  by  her  son 
John.  Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage 
March  30,  1845,  to  Miss  Mahala  Boyce,  a 
native  of  New  Hampshire,  born  in  1819, 
coming  in  1839  to  Vermillion  County,  with 
herfather.  He  wasan  emjjoye  of  the  Furnace 
company  in  Clinton  Township.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lindsey  a  daughter  was  born  Deceu^ber 
16,  1846,  who  died  the  day  of  her  birth,  Mrs. 
Lindsey  dying  four  days  later.  Her  father 
died  the  same  year  he  came  to  this  county, 
her  mother  surviving  until  1874.  Three  of 
her  sisters  and  one  brother  are  living,  named 
Polly,  Roxanna,  Diana  and  Edwin,  all  with 
Captain  Lindsey,  members  of  the  same  house- 
hold. No  man  in  Vermillion  County  is  more 
widely  known  or  more  warmly  greeted  wher- 
ever he  goes  than  Captain  Lindsey.  He 
recruited  almost  all  of  Company  I,  Fourteenth 
Indiana  Infantry,  sixty  of  the  men  in  its 
ranks  being  employes  under  liim  from  one 
to  ten  years.  The  Fourteenth  was  the  first 
three  years  regiment  from  Indiana  to  reach 
the  front,  and  participated  in  McClellan's 
first  battle  at  Rich  Mountain,  West  Virginia. 
July  12,  1861,  and  at  Winchester,  Virginia, 
in  Shields'  battle  with  General  Stonewall 
Jackson,  March  23,  18G2.  At  Winchester 
Captain  Lindsey  was  shot  through  the  right 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


thigh,  necessitating  a  surgical  operation  which 
shortened  his  limb  three  and  a  half  inches. 
For  gallantry  there  he  was  oflFered  a  Major's 
commission,  but  lie  determined  to  remain 
with  his  own  company,  who  regarded  him  as 
a  father  rather  than  an  officer.  lie  also  de- 
termined if  he  could  to  remain  by  his  men  in 
the  field  at  the  battle  of  Antietam,  and  went 
in  using  a  crutch  and  cane,  but  under  the 
excitement  of  that  day  he  was  soon  able  to 
do  duty  witliout  either.  But  his  active  ser- 
vice ended  there.  As  Assistant  Provost- 
Marshal  in  charge  of  Camp  Lindsey,  at  Terre 
Haute,  under  Colonel  K.  W.  Thompson,  Pro- 
vost-Marshal, he  placed  over  1,400  men  in 
the  field.  His  own  personal  popularity  did 
much  toward  saving  Clinton  Township  for 
any  draft.  As  Assistant  Provost-Marshal 
his  services  only  ended  with  the  end  of  the 
war,  covering  four  years  and  six  months.  He 
now  receives  a  pension  of  824  a  month.  His 
wife's  brothers,  Edwin  P.  and  Danvers  C. 
Boyce,  were  soldiers  in  tlie  Eighty-fifth  Indi- 
ana Infantry,  and  his  brother  William  Lindsey 
served  in  his  company,  and  was  detailed  to 
care  for  him  when  wounded.  Captain  Lind- 
sey, when  the  war  commenced  was  a  radical 
Democrat,  and  from  that  time  was  as  strong  a 
Pepublican.  He  is  a  comrade  of  Owen  Post, 
No.  329,  G.  A.  E.,  and  a  member  of  Sanford 
Lodge,  No.  330,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 


fOIIN  F.  LANGSTON,  one  of  the  most 
active  and  enterprising  citizens  of  Sum- 
mit Grove,  was  born  in  Helt  Townsliip, 
Yermillion  County,  Indiana,  near  Dana, 
February  18,  1849,  a  son  of  John  M.  and 
Mary  (Skidmore)  Langston,  who  were  among 
the  early  pioneers  of  the  county.  In  his 
yuntli  he  received  a  fair  common  school  edu- 
cation.    He  was  roared  a  tarraer,  and  made 


that  his  principal  vocation  until  1882,  wh-.n 
in  September  of  that  year  he  came  to  Summit 
Grove  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business, 
and  has  since  established  a  good  trade,  carry- 
ing a  full  line  of  general  stock,  and  also  sells 
champion  harvesters,  and  other  agricultural 
implements.  lie  also  deals  in  grain,  poultry 
and  general  country  produce,  and  in  addition 
to  his  business  he  is  express  and  railroad  agent 
at  Summit  Grove  as  well  as  assistant  post- 
master. Mr.  Langston  was  married  April 
14,  1874,  to  Miss  Eliza  Jackson  by  whom  he 
liad  two  children,  both  of  whom  are  deceased. 
Mrs.  Langston  died  February  2,  1877,  and 
Mr.  Langston  was  again  married  Marcli  15, 
1885,  to  Mrs.  Sarah  V.  Shannon,  widow  of 
the  late  Frank  Shannon,  and  a  daughter  of 
John  Taylor,  of  Vermillion  County.  Tiicy 
are  the  parents  of  one  cliild,  a  daughter  named 
Jennie  Mabel.  Mr.  Langston  never  seeks 
official  honors.  He  is  a  man  of  strict  integ- 
rity, honorable  in  all  his  dealings,  and  dur- 
ing his  residence  at  Summit  Grove  has  gained 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  all  who  know  him. 


W(  )KTII  W.  POETEPt,  a  worthy  repre- 
i^ciitative  of  one  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
l=B^5r-i  ty's  old  pioneer  families,  is  a  native 
of  this  county,  born  in  Eugene  Township, 
June  11,  1857.  His  father,  John  W.  Porter, 
who  is  now  deceased,  was  also  a  native  of 
Vermillion  County,  a  son  of  the  noted  Judge 
John  E.  Porter,  who  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  of  the  early  settlers.  John  W. 
Porter  was  a  farmer  and  a  stock-raiser, 
vocation  he  followed  until  his  death  which 
occurred  June  15,  1873.  The  maiden  name 
of  his  wife  was  llettie  Tipton,  and  they  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  seven  of  whom 
yet  survive — Mary,  Abbie,  Jennie,  Minnie, 
John,  Zoe  and  Worth  W.,  the  subject  of  this 


sketch.  One  daughter,  named  Lizzie,  died 
after  her  marriage,  leaving  a  family  of  three 
children.  Worth  W.  Porter  was  reared  to 
agricultnral  pursuits  on  the  home  farm  in 
Eugene  Township,  and  in  his  youth  received 
a  fair  common-school  education.  lie  was 
married  November  29, 1879,  to  Miss  Louisa 
Campbell,  a  daughter  of  Hogan  Campbell,  of 
Eugene  Township.  This  union  has  been 
blessed  with  three  childreTi,  named  Jessie, 
Jennie  and  Clarence.  Mr.  Porter  resides  on 
section  9,  Eugene  Township,  where  he  owns 
sixty-three  acres  of  choice  land,  and  in  con- 
nection with  his  general  farming  is  engaged 
in  dealing  in  stock.  Both  he  [and  his  wife 
are  members  of  tlie  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church,  and  among  the  most  respected  citizens 
of  Eugene  To^vnship. 


tOBERT  H.  NIXON,  one  of  the  leading 
business  men  of  Newport,  succeeded 
James  F.  Weller  in  the  drug  business 
February  11,  1863,  the  business  having  been 
established  by  John  Q.  Washburn  in  the 
early  history  of  the  town.  Mr.  Nixon  has 
been  longer  in  business  than  any  of  the  busi- 
ness men  of  Newport,  and  by  his  accommo- 
dating manners,  reasonable  prices  and  strict 
attention  to  the  wants  of  his  customers,  lie 
has  met  with  excellent  success.  lie  began 
life  a  poor  boy,  and  by  his  good  man- 
agement lias  acquired  a  competence.  He 
was  born  in  Newport,  Vermillion  County, 
May  24, 18-42,  and  here  he  grew  to  manhood. 
In  Jul}',  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  C, 
Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  served  in 
Missouri  under  General  Fremont.  After 
being  in  the  service  a  year  he  was  discliarged 
for  disability,  a  bronchial  affection  brought 
on  by  c.Npcsiire.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Maria  Hefflemau,  a  i;ative  of  Vermill- 


ion County,  born  May  4,  1844,  her  parents, 
Elias  and  Phoebe  Ileffleman,  coming  from 
Ohio  to  this  county  in  an  early  day.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Nixon  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  two  sons  and  five  daughters.  In 
politics  Mr.  Nixon  is  a  Eepublican,  castin<>- 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln in  1864.  Mr.  Nixon  is  the  only  son  of 
Joshua  and  Margaret  Ni.xon.  Tlie  fiither  was 
born  in  Adams  County,  Ohio,  where  he  was 
reared  to  the  avocation  of  a  farmer.  He 
was  of  Irish  descent,  his  parents  being  natives 
of  the  Emerald  Isle.  After  coming  to  New- 
port, Vermillion  County,  he  engaged  in 
building  and  running  flat-boats  down  to  New 
Orleans  by  way  of  the  Wabash,  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  rivers.  He  was  married  in  Ohio 
after  locating  in  Newport,  to  Miss  Margaret 
Lovejoy,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Lovejoy,  a 
descendant  of  the  family  of  which  Owen 
Lovejoy  was  a  member.  She  is  now  deceased. 
In  1847  the  father  of  our  subject  engaged  in 
the  business  of  cabinet  making  and  under- 
taking at  Newport  wliich  he  followed  until 
his  death.  He  was  an  honest,  industrious 
citizen,  and  was  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  His  brother,  Robert  Nixon,  came  to 
Newport  as  early  as  1836.  He  was  a  car- 
penter by  trade,  and  Avas  also  engaged  for  a 
time  in  flat-boating  with  his  brother.  He 
removed  to  Kansas  in  1872,  where  he  is  now 
living  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-three 
years. 


MAMES  B.  RICHARDSON,  residing  on 
'Mi  section  6,  Highland  Township,  is  a  native 
'^  of  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  born  in 
Eugene  Township,  October  27, 1830,  a  son  of 
Alexander  and  Mahala  (Cox)  Richardson,  tlie 
former  born  in  Bedford  County,  rennsylva- 
nia,  in  1799,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Ken- 


UIHTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


i 


tucky,  boru  in  Knox  County  in  1810.  The 
father  of  our  subject  came  to  Yermillion 
County  in  1826,  having  lived  a  short  time 
previous  in  Bloomington,  Indiana.  lie  made 
his  home  iu  Eugene  Township  until  about 
1832,  wlien  he  removed  to  rerrysville.  In 
early  life  he  learned  the  art  of  distilling,  and 
later  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
pumps,  which  he  followed  man)'  years,  sup- 
plying the  early  settlers.  Later  in  life  he 
followed  the  occupation  of  farming.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Eebellion  he 
resolved,  although  then  sixty-three  years  of 
age,  to  offer  his  services  to  the  Government, 
which  were  accepted,  and  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Thirteentli  Missouri  Infantry.  He 
entered  the  army  through  motives  of  pure 
patriotism,  and  gave  his  life  for  his  country, 
lie  fought  with  his  regiment  at  Fort  Donel- 
son,  wliere  he  became  disabled  from  the 
effects  of  the  exposure  he  had  undergone,  and 
■was  soon  after  transferred  to  the  Invalid 
Corps.  He  died  at  Indianapolis,  March  28, 
1861.  The  mother  of  our  subject  died  at  the 
home  of  her  son,  James  B.  Richardson,  March 
3,  1880,  aged  seventy  years  and  three  days. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Amos  Cox,  a  native  of 
jSIorth  Carolina,  who  settled  iu  Kentucky 
when  twenty-five  years  old.  He  subsequently 
came  to  Indiana,  and  settled  near  Blooming- 
ton  in  an  early  day.  Four  of  the  sons  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alexander  Richardson  were 
soldiers  in  the  late  war.  Edward  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  C,  Twelfth  Illinois  Infantry; 
was  -wounded  in  the  left  arm  at  the  battle  of 
Shiloh,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  died  a 
few  months  later.  Alexander  enlisted  with 
his  father  in  the  same  regiment,  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  His  regiment,  the 
Thirteenth  Missouri,  after  a  time  was  con- 
solidated with  the  Twenty-second  Ohio,  and 
was  afterward  known  as  the  Twenty-second 
Oliio,     Henry  G.,  the  youngest  son,  was  too 


young  to  enter  the  service  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  but  later  served  as  a  member  of 
Company  D,  Fifty-seventh  Indiana  Infantry. 
James  B.  Richardson,  tbe  subject  of  this 
sketch,  enlisted  first  in  the  Twelfth  Illinois 
Infantry  for  ninety  days,  and  later  became  a 
member  of  the  Sixth  Indiana  Cavalry,  in 
which  he  served  during  the  last  two  years  of 
the  war,  being  on  duty  in  Kentucky,  Tennes- 
see, Alabama  and' Georgia,  and  was  actively 
engaged  during  his  whole  term  of  service. 
The  remaining  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Richardson  are  as  follows — Horace,  the  eldest 
son,  resides  in  Vernon  County,  Missouri; 
Homer  died  in  1853,  aged  about  twenty 
years;  Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  Esau  McFall, 
of  Danville,  Illinois;  Mary  is  the  wife  of 
Peter  Olipliant,  also  living  in  Danville,  Illi- 
nois. James  B.  Richardson  was  reared  in 
Vermillion  County,  to  the  avocation  of  a 
farmer,  and  is  still  engaged  in  agricultur;il 
pursuits.  He  has  resided  on  his  present 
homestead  since  18i4,  with  the  exception  of 
the  time  spent  in  the  war,  and  is  classed 
among  the  most  respected  and  intelligent 
men  in  Highland  Township.  In  politics  he 
is  a  strong  adherent  to  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  has  served  his  town- 
ship as  assessor  several  times.  Mrs.  Rich- 
ardson was  formerly  Miss  Corintha  JS^ichols, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  AVilliam  Nichols,  of 
Highland  Township.  Five  children  have  been 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richardson,  whose 
names  are — Homer,  Snsan  A.,  Ettie,  Emma 
and  James  J. 


fOIlN  PEER,  farmer,  section  3,  Helt 
Township,  Yermillion  County,  was  born 
in  the  same  township,  August  12,  1833, 
a  son  of  John  Peer,  who  was  born  in  Frank- 
lin County,  Ohio,  nejir  ColnuiLius.     He  came 


niOGRAPHICA  L    SKETCHES. 


to  Veriiiillion  County,  Indiana,  when  a  boy, 
Avliere  he  hired  out  as  a  farm  hand.  He  sub- 
sequently settled  near  Newport,  and  in  1831 
moved  to  Ilelt  Township,  where  he  made  his 
home  until  his  death.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  his  education  was 
obtained  in  the  rude  log  cabin  subscription 
schools  of  pioneer  days,  with  their  slab  seats 
and  puncheon  floor.  He  was  married  in 
Scptemlter,  1857,  to  Miss  Mahala  Crusour,  a 
(laughter  of  Moses  Crusour,  deceased.  Ten 
children  were  born  to  them,  of  whom  nine 
are  still  living—William  F.,  Mary  C,  David 
]\1.,  Martha  J.,  Emma,  James  O.,  Pi-ior,  Lydia 
A.  and  Rlioda  E.  Mrs.  Peer  died  July  7, 
1879,  and  December  14, 1884,  Mr.  Peer  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Lucy  E.  Dicken,  a  daughter  of 
Joseph  Fisher,  and  widow  of  Joel  Dicken. 
P)y  her  first  marriage  she  had  Ave  children, 
two  of  whom  are  deceased — Henry  F.,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  and  Mar- 
tha A.,  died  in  her  seventh  year.  The  names 
of  her  living  children  are — Allen  P.,  Flora 
P.  and  William  A.  Mr.  Peer  has  always  fol- 
lowed farming,  in  which  he  has  been  very' 
successful,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  140  acres 
of  choice  land.  In  connection  with  his  gen- 
eral farming  he  is  engaged  in  stock-raising. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order. 
He  and  his  wife  and  his  three  eldest  daugh- 
ters are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 


fiCllOLAS  T.  LEITOiV,  farmer,  section 
26,  Helt  Township,  was  born  in  Ross 
County,  Ohio,  August  25,  1834,  a  sou 
of  Thomas  Leiton,  a  native  of  Virginia,  and 
an  early  settler  of  Ohio.  In  1836  the  family 
came  to  Vei'million  County,  Indiana,  and 
settled  in  Ilelt  Township  where  in  connection 


with  working  at  his  trade,  blacksmith,  the 
father  engaged  in  farming.  Nicholas  T.  was 
reared  a  farmer  and  has  always  devoted  his 
attention  to  agriculture,  a  vocation  he  has 
follo\v(,'d  with  protit.  He  now  owsis  a 
tine  farm  of  140  acres,  all  well  improved,  and 
his  residence  and  farm  buildings  are  models 
of  comfort  and  convenience.  Mr.  Leiton  was 
given  good  educational  advantages  attending 
in  his  childhood  the  common  school  and  later 
the  Farmer's  Institute,  at  Clinton,  and  the 
Newport  graded  schools,  and  after  leaving 
school  he  taught  live  or  six  winter  terms. 
He  is  a  man  of  intelligence  and  well  informed 
on  all  the  general  topics  of  the  day,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  respected  citizens  of  his 
township.  He  was  married  March  2,  1862, 
to  Mary  White,  daughter  of  Enoch  White, 
an  early  settler  of  Helt  Township.  Their 
only  child  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Leiton  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  of  which  he  is  Sunday-school 
superintendent.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. 


M 


i;s.  SARAH  (VANNEST)  MA 
LONE  is  the  oldest  resident  now 
living  in  Yermillion  (bounty,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Taylor)  Van- 
nest,  the  pioneer  family  of  the  county.  Poth 
of  her  parents  were  born  in  Pennsylvania,  but 
married  in  the  State  of  Ohio.  Her  father 
visited  Vermillion  County  early  in  the  year 
1816,  and  selected  lands  on  section  9,  Clinton 
Township,  a  mile  above  the  present  site  of 
Clinton,  which  he  purchased  a  tthe  Vincennes 
land  sales,  and  immediately  moved  his 
family,  then  consisting  of  wife  and  four 
children,  to  their  future  home.  They  settled 
in  a  hastily  erected  log  cabin  in  the  south- 
west quarter  of  the  section,  and  soon  after  began 


rSSSSM^SSSB 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


I 


to  be  troubled  by  tlieir  ludiau  neighbors. 
It  is  said  that  not  long  before  their  arrival, 
in  a  quarrel  between  two  soldiers,  a  gun 
discharged  by  one  of  them,  missed  the  other 
and  killed  a  squaw,  and  for  this  the  Indians 
vowed  that  the  first  white  woman  who 
crossed  the  Wabash  should  be  killed.  Mrs. 
Vannest  therefore  became  the  object  of  their 
retaliating  vengeance,  and  two  attempts  to 
murder  her  were  frustrated,  once  by  a 
friendly  Indian  who  had  become  attached  to 
the  family,  and  another  time  by  the  interfer- 
ence of  her  brother.  Mr.  Vannest  then  re- 
moved his  family  for  safety  to  Fort  Harrison, 
but  returned  himself  and  pi-osecuted  the  work 
of  clearing  and  preparing  his  land  for  crops. 
Not  long  after  this  the  trouble  with  the  Indians 
ceased,  and  the  family  returning  to  their  pio- 
neer home  lived  ever  afterward  in  peace. 
Mr.  Tannest  was  possessed  of  considerable 
means,  and  carried  on  the  work  of  improve- 
ment with  characteristic  energy,  and  soon 
became  the  owner  of  the  entire  section, 
nearly  all  of  which  is  still  in  possession  of 
his  descendants.  It  is  claimed  that  from  this 
section  over  forty  men  entered  the  service  of 
the  Government  during  the  war  of  the  Re- 
bellion. The  Yannest  home  was  the  abode 
of  hospitality'.  Mr.  Yannest  never  turned 
any  one  from  his  door,  especially  a  man  in 
need,  and  never  failed  to  helji  the  needy  if 
called  upon.  He  was  a  man  who  feared 
nothing,  and  his  true  courage  was  often 
tested  in  the  early  days  of  the  county.  Active 
and  energetic  he  rapidly  acquired  a  good  prop- 
erty. In  1835  he  Imilt  a  brick  house,  two 
stories  in  height,  where  Mrs.  Malone  now 
lives,  which  in  those  years  was  considered 
one  of  the  best  residences  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship. He  lived  in  this  house  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  September  28,1842,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-two  years,  leaving  an  estate 
consisting  of  section  9  (610  acres),  besides  a 


farm  of  160  acres,  also  in  Clinton  Township, 
and  lands  in  Parke  County.  Mrs  Mary 
Yannest  died  August  29,  1824,  aged  forty 
years.  The  four  eldest  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Yannest  are — Leah,  deceased,  wife  cif 
Carr  Malone;  Samuel,  deceased;  Mrs.  Sarah 
Malone  and  Jane  (twins),  the  latter  deceased, 
wdfe  of  Thomas  Kibby.  The  children  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yannest  after  coming  to  Air- 
million  County  are — John,  who  was  tlie  firtl 
M-hite  child  born  in  the  county;  Betsey,  de- 
ceased, wife  of  Isaac  S.^Palmer;  Mary  married 
John  Jacques,  and  died  in  March,  1848 ;  Isaac, 
living  in  Helt  Township.  Mrs.  Sarah  Malonr, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  marriid 
January  12,  1834,  to  Scott  Malone,  who  wa^ 
born  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  June  15,  ISdS. 
a  son  of  Hartley  Malone.  He  was  reared  in 
his  native  State,  and  early  in  life  learned  the 
cooper's  trade.  He  was  among  the  pioneers 
of  Yeruiillion  County,  settling  in  Helt  Town- 
ship in  an  early  day.  He  became  a  flat-boat- 
man and  a  competent  river  pilot,  and  fol- 
lowed the  rivers  many  years  before  and  aftti' 
marriage.  He  then  settled  down  on  the 
Yannest  homestead,  and  many  years  aftei'- 
ward  rebuilt  the  old  brick  house,  the  founda- 
tion of  which  was  becoming  unsafe.  Mr. 
Malone  died  March  30,  1860,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  In  politics  he  was  first 
a  "Whig,  but  atfiliated  with  the  Republican 
party  from  its  organization.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Malone  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children — Johnson,  now  a  resident  of  Clinton ; 
Stuart,  who  died  aged  five  years;  Mary  M., 
died  in  infancy;  Martha  J.,  wife  of  Henry  A. 
White,  died  February  6,  1887,  leaving  four 
children;  Walter  S.  died  December  28,  1886, 
j  at  the  home  of  his  mother  aged  forty - 
I  four  years;  Ruam  died  in  her  twenty- 
third  year  in  1867:  Morton  died  in  18S3.  at 
the  home  of  his  mother,  aged  thirty-six  years; 


niOG  IIA  Pine  A  L    s  KE  TCIIKS. 


Fanny  nian-ied  Alouzo  Ilostetter,  and  died  at 
(Jlinton  ill  1875,  aged  twenty-live  years;  John, 
the  youngest,  is  living  on  tlie  homestead 
with  his  mother.  He  was  born  January  3, 
1853,  and  April  5,  1875,  was  married  to  Miss 
Rose  Aldrich,  a  daughter  of  Montorville 
Aldrieli.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with 
live  children,  wliose  names  are  Fannie,  Scott, 
George,  Clyde  and  Ralph. 


fOJIN  NORRIS,  farmer  and  stock-raiser, 
resides  on  section  22,  Vermillion  Town- 
ship, where  he  owns  218  acres  of  choice 
land.  He  is  a  native  of  Vermillion  County, 
born  November  7,  1834,  a  son  of  Robert  S. 
and  Martha  (Nichols)  Nori'is,  natives  of  South 
Carolina.  The  parents  came  to  Indiana  in 
1!S30,  and  settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by 
our  subject,  which  at  that  time  was  an  uncul- 
tivated tract  of  land.  On  this  farm  they 
passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  the  father 
dying  in  1877,  aged  seventy-three  years. 
They  had  a  family  of  seven  children,  four  of 
whom  are  living — Elizabeth,  Caroline,  John 
and  Lewis.  When  they  came  to  Indiana  they 
were  poor,  but  they  went  bravely  to  work  and 
by  economy  and  good  management  accumu- 
lated a  good  property,  owning  at  one  time  800 
acres  of  valuable  land.  John  Norris  vv'as 
reared  a  farmer,  and  has  made  agriculture  his 
lifework.  He  was  married  in  185S  to  Martha 
Merriman,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  born  in 
1837.  They  had  four  children— Clara  and 
Clarissa  (twins),  the  latter  being  the  wife  of 
'Benjamin  Nicholas;  William  A.  and  an  in- 
fant unnamed.  Mrs.  Norris  died  and  in  1866 
]V[r.  Norris  married  Sarah  E.  French,  who 
was  born  in  Parke  County,  Indiana,  in  1838,  a 
daughter  of  Philip  and  Sarah  French.  They 
have  three  children — Rohert  S.,  George  and 
Philip.     Mr.  Norris  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 


sonic fraternity.  Lodge  No.  320,  which  he 
has  served  as  treasurer.  In  politics  he  affili- 
ates with  the  Democratic  party. 


•T^OAII  HEDGES,  a  representative  of  one 
■'I  j  of  the  old  and  honored  pioneer  families 
^.  L  of  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  was 
born  in  Clinton  Township,  April  19,  1836. 
His  father,  William  Hedges,  was  born  in 
Otsego  County,  New  York,  October  24, 
1801,  and  in  1819,  when  eighteen  years 
old,  was  in  Vermillion  County  on  Govern- 
ment survey.  In  1823  he  married  Pamelia 
Alden,  and  directly  after  his  marriage  he 
came  to  this  county  and  established  his  resi- 
dence in  Clinton  Townshijj,  being  one  of  the 
first  settlers,  making  a  permanent  home  not 
long  afterward  on  section  25.  Here  he  lived 
until  shortly  before  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  the  city  of  Clinton,  October  24,  1873,  on 
the  seventy-second  anniversary  of  his  birth. 
He  came  to  the  county  in  limited  circum- 
stances, having  not  over  $200  capital,  but  be- 
ing an  active,  energetic  man  he  soon  stood 
well  to  the  front.  He  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  and  often  worked  at  this  occupation 
for  50  cents  a  day.  He  became  the  owner 
of  about  700  acres  of  land,  and  after  giving 
his  children  a  good  start  in  life,  he  left  a  good 
estate.  He  was  a  man  of  pul)lic  spirit,  and 
did  much  towai-d  developing  the  resources  of 
the  county.  In  1844  he  erected  a  saw-mill 
on  Brouillet's  Creek,  and  some  timelater  added 
to  it  a  grist-mill.  Some  twenty  years  after- 
ward he  moved  his  mill  to  Clinton,  and  there 
operated  it  until  his  death.  During  his 
later  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  L'^nited 
Brethren  church.  His  widow  still  survives 
and  is  living  with  her  married  daughter,  Mrs. 
Alma  Shew,  near  her  pioneer  home,  lieing 
now  eighty-four  years  of  age.     Eleven  cliil 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


dreu  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Hedges — Mrs.  Irene  Shew,  of  Clinton  Town- 
ship; Mrs.  Mary  A.  Shew,  also  of  Clinton 
Township;  Samuel,  who  died  January  1, 
1873;  Milton,  a  resident  of  Terre  Haute,  In- 
diana; Noah,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch; 
Columbus  C,  of  Clinton  Township;  Mrs. 
Alma  Shew;  AVilliam  was  a  member  of  the 
Fourteenth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  was  killed 
at  the  battle  of  Chancellorville,  Virginia,  in 
1863;  Mrs.  Catherine  Hall  resides  on  part  of 
the  old  homestead  in  Clinton  Township, 
and  two  children  who  died  in  early  life.  Noah 
Hedges  has  spent  all  of  his  life  in  Vermill- 
ion County,  and  now  lives  on  section  25, 
Clinton  Township,  not  eighty  rods  from  his 
birth-place.  He  has  been  twice  married,  and 
a  daughter  of  his  first  wife  became  the  wife 
of  Charles  E.  Welker.  She  died  in  CUnton 
Township  February  24,  1883,  in  her  twenty- 
third  year,  after  about  one  year  of  married 
life.  Mr.  Hedges  married  his  present  wife, 
formerly  Miss  Hannah  Tennis,  *March  17, 
1872.  She  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  Janu- 
ary 12,  1848,  a  daughter  of  Allen  and  Mary 
Tennis.  The  father  died  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship during  the  war  of  the  Kebellion.  Her 
mother  is  yet  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hedgts 
have  tive  children  living — Baraba  I.,  May- 
nard  A'.,  Ernest  V.,  Maud  II.,  Esta  JE. 
Their  fifth  child,  a  son  named  Charles  E., 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Hedges  is  a  thorough, 
practical  farmer,  which  is  well  indicated  by 
his  farm  of  120  acres  of  finely  cultivated 
laud.  He  is  a  member  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren church.  Mrs.  Hedges  belongs  to  the 
Baptist  church. 

fLIAS  LAMB,  of  Newport,  was  born  in 
Kandolph    County,     North     Carolina. 
'^^*'  about  sixteen  miles  north  of  Ashland, 


the  date  of  his  birth  being  September  24, 
1814.  In  April,  1829,  his  parents,  Joseph 
and  Lydia  (Adamson)  Lamb,  left  North  Caro- 
lina for  Indiana,  bringing  their  family  to 
Wayne  County.  There  the  parents  lived  on 
a  farm  until  tlieir  death,  the  mother  dying 
in  1844,  and  the  father  in  1855.  They  were 
members  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  Of  the 
nine  children  born  to  them  seven  grew  to 
maturity,  of  whom  five  are  living  at  the  pres- 
ent writing  as  follows — Esther,  Elias,  Mur- 
nen,  Joseph  and  Ithamer.  Of  the  above,  all 
with  the  exception  of  one  son  is  living  in 
Indiana.  Elias  Lamb,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  March  23,  1837,  he 
married  Miss  Susannah  Bish,  a  native  of 
Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  born  November  17, 
1818,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  Elizabeth 
Bish,  with  whom  she  came  to  Wayne  County, 
Indiana,  in  1836.  Her  2:)arents  lived  in 
Wayne  County  many  years,  and  subsequently 
removed  to  Miami  County,  where  the  mother 
died.  Later  the  father  returned  to  Wayne 
County  and  died  on  the  old  homestead.  j\[r. 
and  Mrs.  Bish  reared  a  family  of  ten  children 
to  maturity,  of  whom  two  sons  and  four 
daughters  yet  survive.  After  their  marriage 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lamb  settled  in  Wayne  County, 
living  there  many  years.  Mr.  Lamb  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade  at  which  he  worked  in 
connection  with  farming.  In  1870  he  came 
to  Vermillion  County,  locating  on  a  farm 
near  Perrysville.  In  March,  1873,  he  bought  ' 
and  removed  to  a  farm  in  Vermillion  To^\Il 
ship,  where  he  lived  until  March  3,  ISST, 
when  he  purchased  the  pleasant  home  in 
Newport  where  he  now  resides,  enjoying  thr 
fruits  of  a  well  spent  life.  Mr.  and  IMre. 
Lamb  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  Manh 
23,  1887,  at  which  there  was  a  large  attend- 
ance of  the  old  settlers,  and  nearly  all  of  their 
children  and  grandchildren  were  also  present. 


BIOORAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


Thej  liave  Lad  ten  cliildren  born  to  them — 
Azel  E.,  Irvin  R.,  Elizabeth  J.,  John  V., 
Leanna,  Carrie,  Merritt  C,  Eluiira  C,  and 
L^'dia  F.,  living,  and  Lewis  K.,  their  fourth 
child,  died  aged  one  and  a  half  years.  They 
have  in  1887,  twenty  living  grandchildren 
and  eight  great-grand  children.  October  12, 
1883,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lamb  were  attacked  by 
burglars  at  their  home,  Mr.  Lamb  being 
severely  injured,  and  has  never  fully  recovered 
from  the  etfects.  In  1841  he  and  his  wife 
united  by  letter  M'ith  the, United  Brethren 
church  in  Wayne  County,  and  recently  trans- 
ferred their  letters  to  the  same  church  in 
Nevvjxirt.  Politically  Mr.  Lamb  was  a  Free- 
Soiler  until  1856,  since  which  he  lias  affiliated 
with  the  liepublican  party.  They  are  among 
the  most  respected  citizens  in  Vermillion 
County,  and  are  ever  foremost  in  deeds  of 
Christian  cliarity  and  benevolence. 


— V-^-f*!^-— 

tlENZI  M.  WHITE,  one  of  the  active 
and  enterprising  agricultui-ists  of  Ilelt 
Township,  residing  on  section  27,  was 
born  in  the  same  township,  near  his  present 
home,  January'  31,  1841,  a  son  of  James  A. 
White,  one  of  the  old  and  respected  pioneers 
of  Vermillion  County.  lie  was  reared  to 
the  avocation  of  a  farmer,  which  he  has  made 
his  life  work,  and  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  neighl)orhood,  and  at  the 
I'armer's  Home  Institute  at  Clinton,  Indiana. 
lie  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  and  was  assigned  to  Company  D, 
Eighty-tifth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  partici- 
pated in  a  number  of  important  engagements, 
including  the  battles  of  Resaca,  Buzzard's 
Roost,  Dallas  Woods,  Kenesaw  Mountains, 
Cassville,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  siege  of  At- 
lanta, Averysboro  and  Bentonville.  He  -was 
with  Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea,  thence 


to  Washington,  where  he  participated  in  the 
grand  review.  He  was  in  the  service  three 
years,  and  was  discharged  as  Orderly-Ser- 
geant at  the  close  of  the  war.  May  19,  1867, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Davis,  a  na- 
tive of  Montgomery  County,  Indiana,  and 
daughter  of  Robert  Davis,  now  a  resident  of 
Helt  Township.  Mr.  White  has  a  fine  farm 
of  eighty  acres,  where  in  connection  with 
his  general  farming  he  is  engaged  in  stock- 
raising,  making  a  specialty  of  graded  Hol- 
stein  cattle.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  Mrs.  White  is  a 
member  of  tiie  Methodist  Episcopal  cliurch 
at  Salem. 


HfHOMAS  J.  SKIDMORE,  a  prominent 
^)f  and  successful  agriculturist  of  Vermill- 
^^  ion  County,  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising  on  section  15,  Helt  Township, 
was  born  in  the  same  township,  near  his 
present  farm,  February  14,  1850,  a  son  of 
the  late  Hon.  William  Skidmore.  His  youth 
was  passed  on  the  home  farm,  and  in  attend- 
ing tlie  schools  of  his  neighborhood,  where  he 
received  a  fair  common-school  education.  He 
has  always  followed  farming  and  has  now  a 
valuable  farm  of  106  acres  well  improved 
and  under  good  cultivation,  the  surroundings 
of  his  place  showing  the  owner  to  be  a  thor- 
ough, practical  farmer.  September  7,  1871, 
he  married   in  Clarke    County,  Illinois,  Miss 


irgim 


Wright,     whose     father,      Richard         ) 


Wright,  is  still  a  resident  of  Clarke  County. 
Four  cliildren  have  been  born  to  this  union, 
named — Estella,  Harvey,  Jesse  and  IMetta 
A.  Mr.  Skidmore  has  been  a  member  of  the 
United  Brethren  church  since  the  age  of 
nineteen  years,   with   the    exception   of  four 


years 


when    he    belonged  to    the    Methodis 


Protestant  church.     He  is    now  steward  of 


.■■■»ag.»i,M,a»»«»«>ia»Si 


HISTORY    OP    VSRMILLION    COUNTY. 


the  United  Brethren  clmreh  and  superintend- 
ent of  the  Salilmtli-school.  Ills  wile  is  a 
consistent  meniher  ol'  tlie  same  eluirch. 


flMPSON  W.  COFFIN,  residing  on  sec- 
tion 8,  Eugene  Township,  was  born 
May  10,  1829,  on  the  old  liotnestead, 
commonly  called  the  Cullett  farm,  and  located 
one  and  a  quarter  milesfrom  his  present  home. 
His  father,  Dr.  William  Coftin,  who  is  now 
deceased,  came  to  this  county  from  Guilford 
County,  North  Carolina,  in  1822,  and  settle 
in  Eugene  Township  in  the  spring  of  1823, 
entering  land  from  tlie  Government.  At  the 
time  of  his  settlement  Indiaus  and  wild  ani- 
mals were  numerous,  and  he  often  traded 
with  the  Indians.  On  one  occasion  a  number 
of  Indians  came  to  his  house  all  intoxicated 
but  two  who  remained  sober  to  take  care  of 
the  others.  Little  damage  was  done  liy  them 
at  tliat  time  except  the  breaking  of  a  large 
looking-glass.  For  ten  years  Dr.  CotKn  was 
associated  in  the  practice  of  medicine  with 
Dr.  Scott,  late  of  Xewpoi-t.  The  mother  of 
our  subject.  Eunice  (,'ottin,  was  a  daughter  of 
Zeno  Wortii.  The  parents  of  our  subject  liad 
a  family  of  nine  children,  two  of  wlioni  died 
young.  The  names  of  those  who  reached 
maturity  are  as  follows — Berkley  (deceased). 
Nelson  (a  prominent  physician  of  Monticello, 
Illinois),  Laura  (deceased),  Emily  (living  in 
Clarke  County,  Iowa),  Simpson  W.,  Mary  and 
Miriam  (deceased).  Simpson  W.  Coffin,  our 
subject,  was  reared  to  the  avocation  of  a 
farmer,  and  was  educated  at  the  Bloomington 
(Indiana)  University,  and  AVabash  College  of 
Crawfordsville.  He  was  married  April  0, 
1856,  to  Miss  IJache!  A.  Tutt,  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Melinda  (Neel)  Tutt,  who  reside 
in  Ilelt  Township,  town  of  Highland,  this 
county.     Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Coffin  are  the  parents 


j  of  three  children  named — Milton,  William 
j  and  Belle.  Mr.  Coffin  has  met  with  good 
I  success  in  liis  agricultural  pursuits,  and  is 
j  now  the  owner  of  220  acres  of  choice  land. 
j  He  devotes  his  entire  attention  to  farming 
!  and  stock-raising,  making  a  specialty  nf 
graded  stock.  Mrs.  Coffin  is  a  member  ni' 
;  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church. 


HILANDER  GOFF,  of  Highland  Tour,^ 
^    ship,  is  a  representative  of   one  of  tlir 
earliest  pioneer  families  of  \'ermilii''ii 
County,  his  father,   David  Goff,  settling    in 
j  Highland    Township    in     1823.      The    Gutf 
family  originated    in  Wales,    three  brothei.- 
coming   to   America  in  an  early  day  in    tlic 
history  of  the  country,  one  of  whom  settle  I 
in  Canada,  one  in  Rhode  Island  and  the  otln  r 
in    New  Jersey.     David    Golf  was  born    in 
Connecticut  in  1798,  and   in  1804,  when  li.^ 
was  but  six  years  old,  his  father  immigrated 
to  Western  New  York,  settling    in  MonruL- 
\  County.     In  1815  David,    then  a  youth  of 
j  seventeen  years,  left  the  homestead  and  with 
I  his    brothers,    Brainard   and    Almon,  started 
I  West,  gradually  working  their  way  until  they 
{  reached  Carlisle.  Indiana,  where  they  worked 
for  some  time  in  a  distillery.     In   1823  they 
j  came  up  the   Wabash  River   to   Perrysviile, 
I  stopping  along  the  route  and  working  at  all 
j  points   where   new  towns   were  building,  bc- 
I  tween  Carlisle  and  Covington.     They  did  not 
I  then  decide  to  locate  at  Perrysviile,  but  con- 
tinued their  journeyings  to  what  is  now  the 
'  city    of    ("hicago.     They    soon    returned    to 
Perrysviile  and  assisted    in  erecting  the  first 
'  building    in    the    place   and     also    at    Terr^' 
i  Haute,    and     now     decided      to    end     tlieii- 
journeyings    and  locate.     David  and   Almon 
entered  eighty  acres  of  land  about  two  milis 
west    of    Perrysviile     and    Brainard     locate! 


■s»a»-«»»»»»i 


about  a  mile  west  of  them.  David  and  Almon 
spent  the  rest  of  tlieir  lives  in  this  county, 
living  to  be  over  eighty  years  old,  and 
r>rainard  died  in  La  Porte,  Indiana.  David 
Goff  became  a  worthy  and  respected  citizen 
being  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  was  for  forty  years  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  cluirch.  He  married  Mary  Hughes, 
who  was  born  in  Loudoun  County,  Virginia, 
November  9,  1807,  and  died  October  6,  1866. 
^[r.  Goff  died  September  7,  1881.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  two  sons 
and  six  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  living  and 
all  but  two  residents  ot  Vermillion  County. 
Philander  Golf  was  horn  in  Highland  Town- 
ship, near  where  he  now  lives,  September  30, 
1834.  He  has  been  married  three  times. 
His  first  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Eliza- 
beth Gouty;  died  April  2L,  1863.  To  them 
were  born  three  children,  but  one  of  whom, 
Jeremiah, is  living.  Mr.GofFwas  married  the 
second  time  to  Mrs.  M'arintha  (Cossey) 
(louty,  and  to  them  were  born  live  children, 
only  one  of  whom,  AVilliam  H.,  is  living.  His 
jiresent  wife  was  Anna  Elizabeth  Fox,  a 
daughter  of  John  L.  Fox,  and  they  have  six 
children — Flora  I'elle,  Lewis  D.,  John  B., 
Lilly  B.,  Stillman  and  Etfie.  Mr.  Goff  has 
lived  on  his  iiresent  homestead  since  1860, 
where  he  has  a  fine  farm  and  beautiful  liome. 
His  two  eldest  sons  are  married  and  reside 
im  farms  near  their  father,  given  them  by 
their  grandparents  on  the  mother's  side. 
Air.  Goff  is  a  Democrat  in  politics. 


j  In  18  65  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  with 
Dr.  J.  C.  Cook,  rem  lining  under  his  instruc- 
tion two  years,  when  he  went  to  the  Miami 
Medical  College,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  at- 
tended lectures  two  years,  graduating  in  1868. 
In  the  same  year  he  began  his  practice  at 
Quaker  Hill,  remaining  there  until  1874, 
when  he  moved  to  Newport,  where  he  has 
since  built  up  a  large  practice.  Dr.  Shepard 
was  married  in  1874  to  Susie  Llannahs,  a 
native  of  Ohio.  They  have  one  child — Grace. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order, 
Vermillion  Lodge,  No.  594.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Democrat.  Dr.  Shepard  has  a  good  home 
in  the  village  of  Newport. 


ALVIN  B.  HAPtPtlSON,  a  member  of 
M-,   the  Harrison  family  who  settled  in  Ver- 
illion   County    among  ihe  early  pio- 


wasborn   in   Clinton  Townsh 


th 


tEWIS  SHEPAPJ),  ]\L  D.,  a  prominent 
physician  of  Newport,  is  a  native  of 
Vermillion  County,  born  November  15, 
1839,  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Eliza  (Johnson) 
Shepard.  He  was  raised  in  this  county, 
spending  his  early  life  on   his  father's  farm. 


county,  March  7,  1837,  and  now  resides  on 
section  19  of  the  same  township,  within  forty 
rods  of  his  father's  homestead.  His  father, 
Benjamin  Harrison,  settled  here  with  his 
family  about  the  year  1832,  and  did  much 
toward  developing  the  early  resources  of  the 
county,  and  lived  and  died  an  honored  and 
respected  citizen.  With  the  exception  of 
five  months  spent  in  Knox  County,  Illinois, 
during  the  year  1860,  Mr.  Harrison  has  always 
lived  in  Vermillion  County,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  his  birthplace.  He  was  early  in  life 
inured  to  farm  work,  and  has  always  followed 
the  avocation  of  a  farmer,  although  for  the 
past  four  years  he  lias  also  been  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  tile.  lie  was  united  in 
marriage  November  27,  1861,  to  iliss  Amer- 
ica Eviston,  a  native  of  Parke  County,  Indi- 
ana, born  November  3,  1843,  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Olive  Eviston.  Her  parents 
settled    in    Clinton    Township,   this    county, 


when  she  was  a  cliild,  her  father  dying  here 
a  few  years  ago.  Iler  mother  is  still  living^, 
aged  eiglity-four  years.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harrison  eleven  children  have  been  born  as 
follows:  Mrs.  Olive  Wood,  of  Clinton  Town- 
ship; Douglas  <lied  iMarch  20,  1885,  aged 
twenty-two  years;  Bruce;  Colman;  Annie, 
wlio  died  in  childhood;  Charles,  Frank, 
Thomas,  Arabella,  Nellie  and  Callie.  In 
politics  Mr.  Harrison  is  a  Republican,  and  is 
a  strong  adherent  to  the  principles  of  that 
j.arty. 


iMvmiCHAEL  KELT,  deceased,  who  was 
nm\\f  prominently  identified  with  the  early 
*^^3,^  history  of  the  county,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  January  22,  1788,  a  son  of 
John  Helt,  who  was  of  German  descent.  He 
was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he 
followed  through  life.  He  was  married 
August  31,  1815,  to  Elizabeth  Aye,  a  native 
of  Maryland,  and  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Aye, 
who  was  of  German  and  English  descent. 
To  them  were  born  seven  children,  four  still 
living — Mrs.  Celina  ilitchell,  Catheriue, 
Charles  B.  and  Nancy.  Catherine  was  the 
second  white  child  born  in  Vermillion  County, 
the  date  of  her  birth,  being  March  23,  1819, 
and  is  the  oldest  li^•ing  native  born  citizen  in 
the  county.  She  has  never  married  and  is 
living  with  her  maiden  sister  on  a  part  of  the 
old  homestead.  The  names  of  the  deceased 
children  are  Johu,  Hiram  and  Ireiia.  Shortly 
after  his  marriage  Michael  Helt,  with  his 
wife,  his  two  brothers,  Daniel  and  George, 
his  sister  Elizabeth,  with  her  husband  Augus- 
tus Ford,  his  father,  and  John  Skidmore  and 
tamily,  started  in  a  tlat-boat  at  Columbus, 
Ohio,  for  Indiana,  floating  down  the  Scioto 
iliver  t(i  the  Ohio,  and  from  there  to  the 
month  of  the  Wabash  Itiver,  then  i.olcd  it  to 


Vincennes,  Indiana,  where  the  little  colony 

lived  about  three  years.     In  1818  they  came 

to  Vermillion  County,  settling  on  and  around 

j  the  prairie   which   was   subsequently  named 

I  Helt's  Prairie  at  a  settler's  meeting,  in  honor 

1  of  John  Helt  and  his  three  sons.     John  Helt 

j  died  aged  seventy  yeai-s,  niore  than  fifty  years 

1  ago.     When  they  settled  here  the    counti'y 

j  was  nothing  but  a  wilderness,  wild  animals 

I  roamed  through  the  forest,  and  Indians  were 

the  only  inhabitants,  but    were  not  tronble- 

!  some.     Their  nearest  trading  point  was  Terre 

Haute,  and  their  milling  was  done  sixty  miles 

I  from  their  home.     They  worked  hard  to  make 

i  a  home  out  of  the    forests  for  their  family, 

i  and  by  persevering  industry  and  strict  econo- 

j  my  in  the   pioneer   days,   their   efforts  were 

crowned  with  success.       Mr.  Helt  died  at  his 

home  in  Helt  Township,  August  5, 1864,  and 

his  wife  died  September  13, 1867.     Both  were 

earnest  Christians,   and  consistent  meniheis 

of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church   for  many 

years. 


fOHN    CLARK,  a  worthy  representatiw 
of  one  of  the  old  and  respected  pioneer 
families  of  Verniillion  County,  isanativi 
I  of  Butler  County,  Ohio,  born   September  ;5, 
I  1829,  and  was  but   tliree   years  of  age  when 
:  his    parents,    Ezra   and     Nancy   (Fullwiden 
I  Clark,  settled    in   Vermillion   Township,  this 
I  county,  near  Newport.      His  fatlier  was  born 
in  Butler  County,  Ojiio,  and  is  now  living  in 
]  Helt  Township,   Vermillion    County,   a    hah- 
old    man,   eighty-seven    years   of    age.     The 
mother  of   our   subject   was   i)orn    in    iS'orth 
Carolina,  and  was  of  German  ancesti-y.      She 
died  in   1864:,  after  having  reared  five  chil- 
dren to  maturity.     Two  beside  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  are  yet  living,  name.l  Mrs.  Martha 
Sears  an.l    ]\[rs.   Mary   K.    I'.etson,  b,,th   resi- 


BtOORAPHICAL    SKSTOUJSS. 


dents  of  Yennillion  Township.  The  father 
was  again  inarried  to  Miss  Abbie  Pierson, 
and  by  his  second  marriage  has  reai-ed  a  fam- 
ily of  four  children.  John  Clark,  the  subject 
(if  tliis  sketch,  was  reared  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits on  the  home  farm,  and  has  always  fol- 
lowed the  a\'ocation  of  a  farmer,  in  which  he 
has  met  with  good  success.  He  was  united 
in  marriage,  August  16, 1853,  to  Miss  Rachel 
Smith,  who  was  born  in  Clinton  Township, 
\'ermillion  County.  Her  father,  James  Smith, 
(lied  when  she  was  three  years  old.  They 
eomiuenced  housekeeping  on  a  tract  of  eighty 
acres  deeded  him  by  his  father,  located  in 
Yermillion  Towusliip.  Three  years  later  they 
removed  to  Clinton  Township,  and  settled  on 
the  farm  where  they  have  since  made  their 
home.  This  property  is  very  finely  located 
cm  the  Hazel  I'.lutf  gravel  road,  two  miles 
west  of  Clinton.  Mrs.  Clark  died  on  this 
farm,  Xoveniber2y,  1879,  in  her  forty-eighth 
year.  July  25,  1880,  Mr.  Clark  was  inarried 
a  second  time  to  Mrs.  Charity  (Bruce)  Downs, 
a  native  of  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  born 
March  8,  1843.  Hei-  parents,  James  and 
Nancy  (Carney)  Bruce,  were  born  in  the  State 
of  Virginia,  liut  mai-ried  in  Kentucky,  and 
moved  to  Illinois  from  that  State.  Mrs. 
Clark  was  abimt  four  years  of  age  when  lier 
father  died.  Her  mother  died  some  twenty- 
two  years  ago.  Mrs.  Clark  was  first  married 
to  Abram  Downs,  September  29,  1868,  and 
they  resided  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  February  27, 1871, 
at  the  age  of  tw^enty-seven  years.  Mr.  Clark 
has  193  acres  of  choice  land  in  his  homestead, 
and  also  owns  forty  acres  of  improved  land 
on  section  16,  Clinton  Township.  He  has  a 
neat,  comfortable  residence,  good  farm  Iniild- 
ings,  and  the  entire  surroundings  indicate  the 
care  and  thrift  of  the  owner.  In  politics  he 
has  always  voted  the  Democratic  ticket.  He 
is    an    active    and    enterprising   citizen,  and 


every  movement  calculated  to  promote  the 
welfare  of  his  township  or  county  has  his 
encouragement  and  support. 


fMITII  H.  SAMUELS,  manufacturer  and 
dealer  in  brick  at  Cayuga,  is  a  native  of 
Ohio,  born  in  Pickaway  County  De- 
cember 25,  1841,  a  son  of  Peter  and  Eleanor 
(Vinson)  Samuels,  both  of  whom  aredeceased. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  brought  up  on 
a  farm,  receiving  his  education  principally  at 
Bloomingdale  Academy,  Parke  County,  In- 
diana, and  during  tlie  year  1869  he  taught 
school  for  one  terra.  On  the  6th  day  of  July, 
1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army,  in  Com- 
pany H,  Twenty-first  Indiana  Infantry,  serv- 
ing in  this  company  two  years.  Immediately 
after  the  surrender  of  New  Orleans  his  regi- 
ment made  an  expedition  into  western  Louisi- 
ana, and  at  Bayou  Bceuf  captured  a  battery 
of  three  guns,  which  was  subsequently  used 
by  detail  from  his  regiment,  and  with  such 
efficiency  that  General  B.  F.  Butler  converted 
the  entire  regiment  into  heavy  artillery,  with 
two  additional  companies,  and  when  fully  re- 
cruited the  organization  numbered  1,9U() 
men.  Mr.  Samuels  served  four  years  and 
two  months,  and  participated  in  the  battles  of 
Baton  Kouge,  Donaldsonville,  Franklin,  siege 
of  Port  Hudson  (forty-seven  days  and  nights), 
Fort  Morgan,  Spanish  Fort,  Forts  linger  and 
Tracy,  and  Fort  Blakely.  At  the  last  named 
place  the  battery  to  which  our  subject  be- 
longed alone,  with  two  thirty-pounder  Parrott 
rifles,  whipped  the  Huntsville  and  Nashville 
Confederate,  wooden,  and  the  Morgan  iron- 
clad gunboats.  This  occurred  April  8, 1865, 
on  the  extreme  right  of  Fort  Blakely,  and 
was  really  the  last  battle  of  the  war.  Mr. 
Samuels  was  appointed  Bugler  at  Mobile, 
Alabama,  and  was  mustered  out  as  such,  and 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION     COUNTY. 


the  old  bugle  he  used  in  the  war  is  still  in 
his  possession,  and  becomes  dearer  and  more 
valued  every  year.  While  in  infantry  Mr. 
Samuels  was  wounded  in  the  right  shoulder, 
at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana,  August  5,  1862, 
where  2,500  Union  troops  defeated  J.  C. 
Breckenridge,  with  6,000  rebels,  who  left  his 
wounded,  including  one  General  (Clark)  on 
the  field.  Since  the  war  Mr.  Samuels  has 
been  nearly  exclusively  engaged  in  the  gen- 
eral mercantile  business.  He  was  married 
September  30,  1886,  to  Miss  Nancy  Isabelle 
Wann,  a  daughter  of  William  li.  Wann,  of 
Lodi,  Indiana.  They  are  the  parents  of  one 
child,  a  daughter  named  Ellen  V.  Mr.  Sam- 
uels came  to  Cayuga  in  1886,  where  lie  has 
built  a  comfortable  home,  and  is  one  of  the 
substantial  and  most  respected  citizens  of  the 
place,  lie  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, also  of  the  Knights  of  Labor  and 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  lie  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church. 


»^"*|-->*Hj*-'"- — 

ILLIAM  WRIGHT,  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  one  of  tiie  old  and 
respected  pioneer  families  of  Ver- 
million County,  was  born  on  the  homestead 
which  he  now  owns  and  occupies,  the  date  of 
his  birth  being  December  4,  1831.  He  is  a 
son  of  (George  and  Mary  (Briggs)  Wright, 
and  a  grandson  of  George  Wright,  Sr.,  who 
settled  here  as  early  as  1820.  George  Wright, 
the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  ability,  ambitious  and  ener- 
getic, and  made,  considering  the  disad- 
vantages of  the  times,  rapid  progress.  He 
was  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  kind  and 
generous  almost  to  a  fault,  and  if  in  his 
])Ower  to  aid  he  never  turned  away  a  needy 
man  from  his  door.  Politically  he  was 
always  loyal  to  the  Whig  party.     In  religions 


views  he  never  doubted  God's  goodness,  and 
believed  in  the  final  salvation  of  all  nien. 
His  death,  which  was  a  source  of  universal 
regret  throughout  the  count}',  occurred  De- 
cember 4,  1852,  on  the  day  his  son  William 
attained  his  majority.  He  was  born  in  On- 
tario County,  New  York,  July  11,  1801. 
He  commenced  life  for  himself  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years,  but  came  to  Yermillion 
County  about  the  same  time  as  his  parents 
settled  here,  in  1820.  He  was  married  in 
1822  to  Miss  Mary  Briggs,  who  was  born 
near  Seneca,  in  Lake  County,  New  York,  in 
1806,  a  daughter  of  John  Briggs.  Her  par- 
ents came  to  Indiana  and  settled  in  Vigo 
County  in  1816.  Both  were  natives  of 
England.  Soon  after  their  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wright  commenced  housekeeping 
at  the  Wright  homestead,  where  all  their 
five  children  were  born.  Two  children  died 
in  infancy;  their  daughter  Jane  married 
James  Rush,  and  died  six  months  after  her 
marriage;  Ann  became  the  wife  of  William 
AVood,  and  is  now  deceased,  and  William  is  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  The  mother  was  a 
strong,  lion-liearted  woman,  and  feared  noth- 
ing. She  was  accustomed  to  all  kinds  of 
manual  labor,  and  worked  out-doors  as  well 
as  in-doors.  In  the  early  years  of  the  county 
wild  game  and  wild  animals  roamed  almost 
undisturbed  through  the  woods,  and  wolves 
would  even  gather  near  their  house  to  cat 
the  crumbs  swept  from  the  family  table.  At 
one  time  Mrs.  Wright  drove  away  a  l)ear 
that  was  feasting  upon  the  body  of  a  live 
hog.  She  lived  to  witness  the  marvelous  de- 
velopment of  Vermillion  County,  to  see  its 
forests  vanish  and  become  replaced  by  the 
homes  of  thousands  of  people.  Slie  died  De- 
cember 9,  1883,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her. 
William  Wright,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  reared  at  the  homestead,  and  has 
succeeded,   by   inheritance   and    purchase,  to 


Oy^k'n.  1^ K/?-t 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKSrCIIES. 


B95 


the  ownership  of  tlie  same.  October  14, 
1852,  lie  married  Miss  Charlotte  Robertson, 
daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Robertson, 
formerly  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  but  early 
settlers  of  Sullivan  County,  Indiana,  where 
Mrs.  Wright  was  born  September  25,  1833. 
Ijotli  of  her  parents  died  of  apoplexy,  in 
Vigo  County,  this  State.  Ten  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright,  as  fol- 
lows— Mary  died  in  infancy;  George,  living 
in  Clinton  Township;  Landon  died  in  in- 
fancy; Lincoln,  of  Clinton  Township;  Jose- 
phine died  aged  two  years;  Mrs.  Glendora 
G.  Pittenger,  of  Vigo  County;  Charles,  at 
home;  Freddie  died  in  infancy;  Burt  and 
xVnna,  at  home.  The  homestead  where  our 
subject  has  spent  his  life  is  located  on  the 
line  between  sections  31  and  32,  Clinton 
Township,  and  within  a  few  feet  of  the  east 
door  of  his  present  residence  may  still  be 
seen  the  lai-ge  flat  stone  which  made  the 
fonndation  of  the  rude  double  chimney  which 
served  the  double  log  honse  of  his  parents. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Wright 
cast  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  John  C. 
Fremont,  and  since  then  has  been  a  staunch 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party.  In  1868 
he  was  elected  county  commissioner,  serving 
one  term.  He  has  held  official  positions  of 
trust  iti  Clinton,  serving  as  trustee,  clerk, 
etc.  Since  the  year  1808  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  takes 
an  active  interest  in  that  ora-anization. 


tMOS  FLESHMAN,  a  prominent  and 
enterprising  citizen  of  Iligldand  Town- 
■^  fhip,  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in 
IIarri^oIl  County,  October  12,  1822,  a  son  of 
William  and  Sarah  Fleshman,  old  pioneers  of 
Vermillion  Countv.     The  father  of  our  sub- 


ject was  born  in  Greenbrier  County,  Virginia, 
November  18,  1795,  and  was  of  Gei-nian  de- 
scent. When  about  ten  years  of  age  he  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  Kentucky.  He  sub- 
sequently engaged  in  flat-boating  on  the 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  making  a  num- 
ber of  trips  to  New  Orleans,  and  on  two  oc- 
casions, he  walked  the  entire  distance  from 
that  city  to  Louisville,  Kentucky.  While  on 
a  flat-boat  trip  to  New  Orleans  in  1815  the 
celebrated  battle  of  New  Orleans  took  place 
between  the  British  and  the  American  army. 
He  had  reached  Natchez,  Mississippi,  when 
that  event  occurred,  and  was  pressed  into  the 
service  for  duty  if  necessity  required.  He 
reached  New  Orleans  soon  after  the  l)attle, 
and  visited  the  scene  of  the  recent  contest 
where  the  terrible  slaughter  made  by  the 
American  army  under  General  Jackson  in 
the  ranks  of  the  British  under  General  Paek- 
ingham  was  plainly  visible.  Ou  these  trips 
he  passed  through  many  strange  experiences 
and  vicissitudes  of  fortune.  On  one  occasion 
returning  from  New  Orleans  he  made  his 
way  by  helping  work  a  barge  loaded  witli 
merchandise  up  the  river.  It  was  hard  work 
and  their  progress  was  very  slow — so  slow 
that  frequently  when  stopping  in  the  evening 
for  the  night,  they  could  look  back  and  see 
the  smoke  of  their  fires  of  the  previous  night. 
They  were  ninety  days  making  the  upward 
trip.  AVhen  a  young  man  William  Flesh- 
man  came  to  Indiana,  and  was  married  in 
this  State  in  1815,  to  Miss  Sai'ah  Charley,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  born  August  3,  1798, 
who  was  brought  to  Harrison  County,  Indi- 
ana, when  a  child.  They  lived  in  Harrison 
County  until  1827,  when  in  October  of  that 
year  they  came  to  Vermillion  County.  Mr. 
Fleshman  then  located  on  eighty  acres  of 
land  in  Highland  Township,  which  had  been 
entered  by  Isaac  Chenoweth.  A  log  cabin 
had   been  built   on  the    land.  14x16  feet  in 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COtTNTT. 


size,  ill  which  the  family  of  Mr.  Fleshinaii, 
tlien  consisting  of  nine  persons,  and  anotlier 
family  of  three,  passed  the  first  winter.  The 
food  in  those  days  was  easily  attainable. 
Deer  and  other  wild  game  was  abundant,  and 
the  choicest  venison  could  be  secured  with 
but  little  trouble.  The  wearing  apparel  of 
the  family  was  made  by  the  mother  from  iiax 
which  she  spun  and  wove  with  her  own  hands, 
and  later  when  sheep  were  introduced,  she 
prepared  garments  by  the  same  labor.  Their 
humble  cabin  was  occupied  by  the  family  | 
about  six  years,  when  a  more  commodious 
residence  was  biiilt.  Mr.  Fleshman  was  very 
successful  in  his  agricultural  pursuits,  and 
was  enabled  to  add  to  his  original  purchase 
from  time  to  time  until  at  his  death  he  pos- 
sessed over  400  acres  of  choice  land.  He 
died  at  his  homestead  August  14,  1853,  his 
widow  surviving  until  April  12,  1866.  Both 
were  worthy  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  of  which  he  was  a  class- 
leader  for  many  years,  and  in  the  pioneer 
days  religious  services  were  held  at  his  house. 
They  are  yet  remembered  by  many  of  the 
early  settlers,  for  their  many  excellent  traits 
of  character.  They  were  the  parents  of 
thirteen  children,  four  sons  and  nine  daugh- 
ters. Six  of  their  children  are  still  living — 
Christena,  wife  of  George  Wier,  of  Logans- 
port,  Indiana;  Amos,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  John  W. ;  Sarah,  wife  of  David 
Iloobler;  Martha  and  Mary  (twins),  the 
former  married  to  Frederick  Hoobler,  and  the 
latter  the  wife  of  Jacob  Zigler.  The  last 
four  are  residents  of  Livingston  County,  Illi- 
nois. Amos  Fleshman,  whose  name  heads 
this  sketch,  is  the  only  representative  of  his 
father's  family  living  in  Vermillion  County. 
He  was  but  five  years  of  age  when  brought 
to  the  county,  where  he  has  since  lived,  a 
period  of  sixty  years.  lie  was  reared  a  farmer, 
which  avocation  he  still  follows,  and  is  classed 


among  the  successful  agriculturists  of  the 
county.  His  farm  adjoins  the  old  homestead 
of  his  father,  a  part  of  the  latter  being  in- 
cluded in  his  farm.  Beside  his  home  farm 
in  Highland  Township,  which  consists  of  365 
acres  of  valuable  land,  he  also  owns  208  acres 
located  elsewhere  in  the  same  township.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  November  5,  1845, 
to  Miss  Susan  A.  Smith,  a  native  of  Virginia, 
born  August  6,  1824,  a  daughter  of  David 
and  Susan  Smith.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fleshman 
are    the  parents    of  two    daughters — Sarah, 


James  A.  Barnes,  of  Gessie,  and 
ife  of   George  AV.  Dealand,   the 


wife  of  Dr 
Mary  J., 

present  superintendent  of  public  schools,  re- 
siding at  Perrysville.  They  have  two  grand- 
sons, children  of  their  daughter  Sarah — 
Johuie,  born  February  15,  1877,  and  Robbie, 
born  December  27,  1878.  In  politics  Mr. 
Fleshman  casts  his  suffrage  with  the  Repub- 
lican party. 


fAMES  C.  LEAVIS,  a  .^^ettler  of  Vermillion 
County,  and  an  active  and  public-spirited 
citizen,  was  born  in  Carter  County,  Ten- 
nessee, May  23,  1885.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  Ashe  County,  North  Carolina.  He 
was  a  gunsmith  by  trade,  but  lived  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  on  a  farm.  Our  subject  was 
reared  to  the  avocation  of  farming,  which  Ir- 
has  followed  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  In 
his  boyhood  he  attended  the  common  and 
subscription  schools  of  his  neighborhood, 
completing  his  education  at  Taylorsville 
Academy,  of  Johnston  County,  Tennessee. 
He  then  taught  school  some  ten  or  twelve 
years.  In  1863  Jie  went  north,  and  enlisted 
in  defense  of  the  Union  as  State  Guard,  stop- 
ping first  at  Mecca  Mills  in  Parke  County, 
Indiana,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he 
came    to  Vermillion    County.     He   went  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


his  home  in  Tennessee  in  August,  1865,  and  , 
in  the  spring  of  1866  returned  to  Parl^e 
County.  In  the  spring  of  1867  lie  came  to  i 
Vermillion  County-,  and  has  since  made  his 
home  in  Helt  Township,  his  farm  heing  on 
section  7,  where  he  owns  sixty-eight  acres  of 
good  land.  January  4,  1866,  Mr.  Lewis  was 
married  to  Miss  Nancy  J.  Uugger,  and  to 
tills  union  eiglit  children  have  been  born  as 
follows — Frederica  1.,  Addie  X.,  Mollie  E. 
(deceased),  William  F.,  James  Lawson,  D- 
Edgar,  Nannie  E.  and  Ferry  M.  Mr.  Lewis 
was  deputy  assessor  of  Helt  Township  for 
two  years,  and  is  now  serving  his  second  year 
as  township  assessor,  having  been  elected 
such  in  April,  1886.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 


•ILLIAM  J.  HERBERT,  retired  far- 
mer, residing  on  section  27,  Verinill- 
I'^ojIpH  ion  Township,  isone  of  the  prominent 
])ioneer&  of  the  county.  He  was  born  in 
Campbell  County,  Kentucky,  March  25, 1819, 
a  son  of  Charles  and  Elizabeth  Herbert.  His 
father  died  at  New  Orleans  in  1821,  leaving 
his  wife  with  three  small  children.  In  1831 
the  mother  with  her  family  came  to  Indiana, 
and  settled  in  Vermillion  County,  bringing 
with  her  a  capital  of  $100.  She  died  in  Coles 
County,  Illinois,  in  1868.  William  J.  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  Vermillion,  amid  the 
privations  and  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  lie 
began  farming  at  the  age  of  twelve  years, 
struggling  for  a  living  here  until  1839,  when 
he  removed  to  Coles  County,  Illinois,  having 
but  $3  in  money,  and  this  he  had  borrowed. 
At  that  time  the  country  was  in  a  primitive 
condition,  no  mills  nor  railroads,  which  made 
it  hard  for  the  early  settler.  Mr.  Herbert, 
by  hard  Avork  and  jiersevering  industry,  suc- 
ceeded   in    getting    a    good    hcnne    in  .Coles 


County,  where  he  lived  many  years.  In  1875 
he  went  to  California,  but  not  liking  tliat 
country  he  removed  in  1876  to  Kansas, 
and  in  1881  he  returned  to  Indiana.  With 
the  exception  of  seven  years  spent  in  the  dry 
goods  business,  Mr.  Herbert  has  always  fol- 
lowed agricultural  pursuits,  in  which  he  has 
been  highly  successful,  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  sixty-three  acres  of  well  improved  land 
located  a  half  mile  from  Newport,  an  eighty 
acre  farm  in  Douglas  County,  Illinois,  be- 
sides valuable  town  property  in  Newport,  all 
of  which  he  has  acquired  by  years  of  perse- 
vering toil  and  good  management.  He  is  now 
living  athisJiome  near  Newport,  surrounded 
with  all  the  comforts  of  life,  and  enjoyingthc 
fruits  of  his  years  of  toil.  Mr.  Herbert  was 
first  married  in  1837  to  Miss  Martha  G. 
Arasmith,  who  was  born  in  Sullivan  County, 
Indiana,  in  1816,  and  died  in  the  year  1878. 
To  them  were  born  nine  children,  five  of  whom 
are  living — America  Ann,  wife  of  Charles 
Odell;  Mahala,  wife  of  Robert  Carnahant; 
Belle,  wife  of  John  Gregg;  Louisa,  wife  of 
Jackson  Brown,  and  William  Alexander,  v/hu 
married  Miss  Queen  Smith.  Mr.  Herbert 
was  married  a  second  time,  March  10, 1881, 
to  Mrs.  Mary  Nixon,  a  daughter  of  William 
Hopkins.  She  was  born  in  the  year  1830,  and 
in  1872  married  the  late  Joshua  Nixon,  ilrs. 
Herbert  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Ejiiscojial  church  for  thirty-seven  yeai-s,  and 
Mr.  Herbert  has  been  a  member  of  the 
church  for  forty-seven  years.  Politically  he 
is  a  Democrat. 


fOSEFH  BURKS,  proprietor  of  the  .Mon- 
tezuma Fire  Brick  Works,  located  one 
_  mile  north  of  Hillsdale,  A^ermilliuii 
County,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Picka- 
way County,   March  17,   1822.     His  father. 


VERMILLION    COUNTT. 


i 


James  Hiiriis,  was  one  of  tlic  pioneers  of 
Parke  Conuty,  Indiana,  settling  there  as  early 
as  1828,  on  M'ild  land  when  wild  animals  and  In- 
dians were  nnmerous.  The  latter  camped  with- 
in a  half  mile  of  his  home.  The  father  being  a 
farmer,  our  suhject  was  reared  to  the  same 
avocation,  his  youth  being  spent  in  assisting 
in  clearing  and  improving  the  home  farm 
and  in  attending  the  rude  log  cabin  subscrip- 
tion schools  of  his  neighboi-hood.  Air.  JJurns 
was  first  married  in  18-17  to  Caroline  Yan- 
landigham,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Yaidan- 
digham.  Mrs.  Burns  left  at  her  tleath  one 
child,  Cai-oline,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Enos 
Kuhn,  of  Lawrence,  Kansas.  Mr.  Burns  was 
married  a  second  time  in  1857  to  Mary  Mil- 
likin,  whose  father,  Stephen  Millikin,  was  an 
early  settler  of  Ilelt  Township,  A^erniillion 
County.  Seven  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  of  whom  four  are  yet  living — Mary 
L.,  Edward  H.,  Belle  and  Joseph.  In  1851 
Mr.  Burns  purchased  the  ferry  property, 
wJiich  he  has  since  owned,  operating  it  him- 
self for  twenty  years,  and  now  running  it  by 
hired  help.  In  1872  he  built  a  warehouse 
near  whore  his  factory  now  stands,  and  in 
1873  Josephus  Collett,  Isaac  Porter  and  him- 
self built  the  Montezuma  Fire  Brick  Works, 
which  he  has  since  operated  successfully.  He 
is  also  the  owner  of  a  line  tract  of  300  acres 
of  land,  surrounding  his  factory.  lie  is  a 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order,  and  a 
much  respected  citizen,  having  by  his  fair 
and  honorable  dealings  gained  the  conlidenee 
and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 


-.ILaEsaa 


fE(_)RGE  W.  EUWAPvDS,  the  present 
efficient  postmaster  at  Clinton,  is  a 
native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Lawrence 
(bounty,  November  11,  1827,  and  is  the  fifth 
child  and  third  son  born  to  JohnE.  and  Mar 


garet  (Brindley)  Edwards.  His  parents  cauir 
to  Vermillion  among  the  pioneers  of  182U. 
crossing  the  Wabash  River  midway  between 
Newport  and  Clinton.  They  established  their 
home  in  the  forest  about  one  and  a  half  miles 
south  of  Newport,  their  old  homestead  beini; 
owned  by  Charles  Potts.  There  the  family 
lived  ]nany  years,  and  finally  changed  their 
residence  to  Ilelt  Township,  where  the  parents 
died  when  but  little  past  the  meridian  of  life. 
George  W.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
reared  and  educate<:l  in  Vermillion  County, 
where  he  has  lived  from  the  age  of  two  yeais 
with  the  exception  of  five  or  six  years.  He 
was  the  first  man  who  left  Vermillion  County 
to  try  his  fortune  in  the  California  mines, 
joining  a  party  nunibe'ing  twenty-one  in 
Coles  County,  Illinois.  They  commenceil 
their  weary  march  on  March  9,  1850,  which 
occupied  175  days.  Their  route  ran  througli 
Fort  Hall,  Fort  Kearney  and  Fort  Laramie, 
and  at  these  places  M'ere  seen  the  only  build- 
ings in  2,000  miles.  Dr.  Joseph  Goodman, 
their  only  physician,  died  on  the  plains  of 
Kansas,  after  a  few  hours  sickness,  which  led  to 
gloomy  forebodings,  but  no  other  loss  was  met 
with.  During  the  journey  Mr.  Edwards  rode 
not  more  than  ten  miles.  He  spent  two  years 
in  California,  in  mining  and  prospecting  with 
varied  success,  the  wild  life  agreeing  with 
him,  and  in  this  tiuie  he  improved  his  health 
if  not  his  wealtli.  He  I'eturned  via  the  Isth- 
mus of  Panama,  reaching  the  old  home  in  the 
fall  of  1852,  and  shortly  afterward  he  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business  at  Highland,  this 
county.  In  1854  he  was  married  to  Mis^ 
Mary  A.  Derr,  a  native  of  Columbiana  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two 
children — Maurice  C,  a  young  man  of  good 
business  qualifications,  residing  on  the  liio 
Grande  River  in  Texas,  and  Etta  L.,  at  home 
with  her  parents.  In  1868  Mr.  Edwards 
removed    with    his    family  to  Terre    Haute, 


BIOGBAPUICAL    SKETCHES. 


Indiana,  remaining  there  three  years,  since 
which  time  he  has  made  his  home  in  Clinton, 
this  county,  lie  lias  been  an  active  business 
man  nearly  all  his  life  since  reaching  man- 
hood, and  has  done  much  toward  building  up 
the  town  of  Clinton.  He  erected  and  for  a 
time  owned  the  linest  residence  in  the  place. 
During  tlie  past  few  years  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  the  boot  and  shoe  business,  and  in 
1885  he  associated  with  him  in  business, 
Matthew  W.  Scott,  thus  forming  the  present 
tirm  of  Edwards  &  Scott.  He  has  been  a 
life-long  Democrat,  and  one  of  the  leading 
members  of  that  party  in  the  county,  and 
with  the  change  of  administration  he  was 
appointed  to  the  ofhce  of  postmaster,  whicli 
he  has  filled  since  1885,  Mr.  Scott  acting  as 
his  deputy.  Mr.  Edwards  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  belonging  to  the  lodge 
at  Clinton.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  among 
the  respected  people  of  Clinton. 


:ILL1AM  HENRY  SKIDMOIIE,  a 
'If^ll  worthy  representative  of  one  of  the 
prominent  pioneer  families  of  Ver- 
million County,  was  born  in  Helt  Township, 
September  4,  1853,  a  son  of  Hon.  William 
and  Amelia  Skidmore.  He  was  reared  on 
the  home  farm  in  his  native  county,  and  in 
his  youth  received  good  educational  advant- 
ages in  the  seminary  at  Sullivan,  Indiana, 
lie  subsequently  taught  a  school  for  three 
years  during  the  winter  terms,  being  a  popu- 
lar and  successful  instructor.  He  is  now  de- 
voting his  attention  to  general  farming  and 
stock-raising,  and  is  the  owner  of  a  tine  farm 
containing  115  acres  of  valnahle  land  on 
section  14,  Helt  Township,  where  he  resides. 


Mr.  Skidmore  was   i 
tuber  19,    1880,    ti 


iiited 
Miss 


n    marri.qge    Oc- 
Annie  Mavs,    a 


daughter  of  James  Mays,  a  resident  of  Tus- 
cola, Illinois.  Mrs.  Skidmore  is  a  lady  of 
culture  and  relinemeut.  She  is  a  graduate  u^ 
the  State  University  of  Bloomington,  Indi- 
ana, where  she  received  the  honors  of  hei' 
class.  She  was  a  teacher  in  this  county,  and 
won  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  her 
pupils.  She  is  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Christian  church  at  Dana. 

piIN  IlIGHFILL,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  section  16,  Vermillion  Townshiji, 
was  born  in  Vermillion  County,  Septem- 


4,    1828,  a  son  of  Jeremiah  and   Mai 


(Taylor)  Highfill,  natives  of  Maryland,  of 
English  and  Irish  descent.  They  left  their 
native  State  for  Kentucky,  and  thence  in 
1826  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana.  The 
mother  died  in  1852,  aged  about  sixty  years, 
and  the  father  in  1857, aged  eighty-five  years. 
They  reared  a  family  of  seven  children,  but 
two  of  whom  are  living — Mrs.  Melissa  Slater, 
widow  of  James  Slater,  and  our  subject.  John 
Highfill,  was  roared  amid  the  scenes  and 
incidents  of  pioneer  life.  He  received  but 
limited  educational  advantages,  attending 
school  in  the  rude  log  cabin  school-houses  of 
his  day,  wdiere  the  window  lights  were  of 
greased  paper,  and  the  seats  were  of  slabs, 
and  with  puncheon  floor  and  clapboard  roofs. 
He  was  brought  up  on  the  home  farm,  where 
he  plowed  with  wooden  mold  board  plows, 
and  the  harvests  in  those  days  were  cut  with 
reap  hooks.  The  first  reaping  machine  seen 
by  our  subject  in  operation  was  one  bought 
by  his  father-in-law  in  1856.  The  machine 
was  attached  to  the  front  wheels  of  a  wagou, 
and  the  bundles  raked  off  by  hand.  He  re- 
members when  the  women  spun  and  wuve 
the  ch'th  for  most  all  the  clothing  worn  in 
those  days.     He  has  always  followed  farming 


and  has  ever  been  an  energetic,  industrious 
man,  and  l>y  economy  and  good  management 
has  acquired  considerable  property.  His 
homestead,  a  part  of  which  was  inherited  by 
him,  now  contains  300  acres  of  land,  and  his 
improvements  are  among  the  best  in  his 
township.  Mr.  liighfill  was  married  April 
24,  1855,  to  Elizabeth  H.  Hudson,  a  native 
of  Clermont  County,  Ohio,  borsi  March  20, 
1828,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Margaret 
(Jackson)  Hudson.  Her  parents  came  to  this 
county  in  1830,  and  here  her  father  died  in 
18<i0,  aged  sixty-six  years,  and  her  mother  in 
1872,  aged  seventy-two  years.  Mrs.  liighfill 
is  the  third  of  eight  children.  The  others 
yet  living  are — Benjamin  F. ;  Alvira,  wife  of 
Alfred  Newlin;  Euhama,  wife  of  John  O. 
Rodgers;  Cleopatra,  wife  of  Richard  Mitchell, 
and  Rebecca,  wife  of  Robert  F.  Stokes.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Highlill  have  had  born  to  them  one 
child — Amelia  Florence,  now  the  wife  of  Ura 
A.  Johnson,  of  Vigo  County.  She  has  two 
children — Elizal>eth  C.  and  John  C.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  liighfill  are  active  member.'^  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  A  new  bi'ick 
chapel  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  the 
fall  of  1887,  of  which  Mr.  liighfill  is  a 
trustee. 


XOCH    AVHITTED,  a   ].rominent  and 

f  progressive  agriculturist  of  Yermilliou 
County,  resides  on  section  13,  Clinton 
Township.  When  he  settled  at  this  place  in 
August,  1856,  his  farm  of  eighty  acres  was 
covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber.  The 
woi-k  of  clearing  the  forest  occupied  several 
years,  but  his  land  is  now  well  improved  and 
under  fine  cultivation.  He  is  a  native  of 
North  Carolina,  born  in  Chatham  County, 
November  11,  1828,  a  son  of  Jonatha:i  and 
Nancy    Whitted.      When     he     was    in    his 


eighth  year  his  parents  immigrated  to  Parke 

County,     Indiana,    where    they    made    their 

home    until    1855.     They  then    removed   to 

Boone  County,  Iowa,  where  the  mother  died 

a  few  years  later.    The  father  then  returned  to 

Indiana,  and  lived  in  Clinton  Township,  this 

county,  until  his  death.     Enoch  Whitted,  the 

subject  of  this  sketch,   reached  manhood  in 

Parke    County,    and    was    married    in     that 

county  to  Miss  Eliza  Ilise,  who  was  born  and 

reared  in  the  same  county.     They  continued 

to  reside  in  Parke  County,  until  establishing 

their  residence  in  Clinton  Township,  in  185(1 

j  Nine  children  were  born  to  them  as  follows-  - 

I  George;  John  F.,  died  aged  seventeen  year.-; 

■  William  resides   in  Clinton;  Mrs.  Josephine 

I  Clark  of  Clinton  Township;  Idora  died  in  her 

second  year;    Charles,    Lulie,    Florence    ami 

i  Cora,  the  last  four   yet  at  home  with  their 

I  parents.     Mr.   Whitted   enlisted   in   the   war 

I  of     the    Rebellion,    and    went    to    the  front 

in      Company      A,      Seventy-iirst      Indiana 

I  Infantry,  being    mustered    into   the    United 

States  service    August  18,   1862.     His  first 

engagement    was    at    Richmond,    Kentucky. 

where  he  was  wounded  in   the  right  leg,  and 

I  made  his  escape  to  the  hospital  at  Lexington, 

Kentucky.     After  spending   a  few  weeks  in 

the  hospital  he  returned  to  his  home.     He 

rejoined  his  regiment  in  January,  1863.     In 

j  the  summer  of  1863  the  regiment  returned 

I  to  Indianapolis,  and  was  re-organized,  become 

I  ing  known  as  the  Sixth  Indiana  Cavalry,  and 

!  was  part  of  the  force  under  General  I'urnside 

at    Knoxville,   the    following    winter.      This 

regiment  subsec^uently  joined  Sherman's  army 

I  at  Buzzard's  Roost,  Georgia,  and  participated 

in    the    campaign    which    culminated  in  the 

capture  of  Atlanta.     It   was  afterward  sent 

North,  and  was  under   General   Thomas  at 

Nashville,  where  it  had  part  in  the  battle  and 

pursuit  wliich  destroyed   Hood's  army.     Mr. 

Whitted  was  honorably  discharged  at  Pulaski 


BIOORAPHICAL 


ill  June,  1865,  when  he  returned  to  liis  liome 
ill  Clinton  Township.  He  receives  a  pension 
from  the  (Tovernment  for  the  services  in  the 
war.  lie  is  a  comrade  of  Owen  Post,  G.  A. 
K.  lie  also  belongs  to  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity, bfinga  member  of  Jerusalem  Lodge,  No. 
!JH.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  with 
Prohibition  proclivities. 


fAMES  ('.  STUTLER.  general  merchant, 
and  one  of  the  acti\'e  business  men  of 
Gessie,  is  a  son  of  Joseph  S.  Stiitler,  and 
a  grandson  of  William  Stntler,  one  ol'  the  old 
and  honored  pioneers  of  Vermillion  County. 
The  latter  settled  in  Highland  Township  in 
1830,  where  lie  died  one  year  later,  leaving  a 
widow,  who  died  at  the  age  of  about  seventy- 
seven  years,  and  si.\  children.  Of  the  chil- 
dren but  two  are  living  at  the  present  time — 
Francis  W.,  of  Parke  County,  Indiana,  and^ 
Mrs.  Sarah  Randall,  of  Gessie.  Joseph  S. 
Stutler,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Ohio,  in  the  year  1820,  and  was  but  two 
years  old  when  brought  by  his  parents  to  this 
county,  and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life 
in  Highland  Township.  He  married  Miss 
Laviiia  Cossey,  a  daughter  of  Nehemiah  Cos- 
se}',  and  of  the  eight  children  born  to  them, 
but  four  are  living — William  H.,  of  Highland 
Township,  born  August  7,  1842;  James  C, 
our  subject,  who  w^as  born  yeptembor  13, 
1813;  Peter  F.,  born  October  17,  1849,  and 
Mrs.  Christiana  Jane  Gouty,  born  August  5, 
1854.  Four  children  are  deceased — Lewis 
B.,  born  January  8,  1845,  died  December  7, 
1849;  Robert  Amos,  born  January  16,  1856, 
died  j\lay  15,  1880;  Joseph  B.,  born  February 
9,  1862,  died  February  8,  1863,  and  Edmond 
S..  born  Novem!)er  13,  1864,  died  October 
9,  1865.  P>oth  parents  are  deceased,  the 
lather    dying    November    2,    1878,    and    the 


mother  July  20,  1881.  James  C.  Stutler, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  reared  in 
the  vicinity  he  now  lives,  in  Highland 
Township,  where  he  was  born,  and  with  the 
excejition  of  a  residence  of  ten  years  in  Kan- 
sas, he  spent  his  life  here.  He  has  been  twice 
niari-ied.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Elizabeth 
Lewis,  a  daughter  of  James  J.  Lewis,  of 
Highland  Township.  She  died  May  23, 1870, 
leaving  at  her  death  two  children — Charles 
J.,  born  July  29,  1865,  now  a  telegi-aph  oper- 
ator, was  married  July  24,  1887,  to  Effie  Isl. 
Wingfield,  and  Corban  E.,  born  March  12, 
1868,  and  died  October  4,  1875.  Mi:  Stut- 
ler was  united  in  marriage  a  second  time  to 
Miss  Martha  A.  Nichols,  a  daughter  of  Cor- 
lian  Nichols.  Six  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union,  as  follows:  Ida  M.,  born 
August  29,  1873;  Sarah  L.,  June  2,  1876; 
William  C,  December  13,  1878,  and  Piukey 
L.,  born  June  30,  1881,  and  died  in  in- 
fancy in  Cherokee  County,  Kansas.  The 
three  eldest  M-ere  natives  of  Cherokee  .County, 
Kansas.  Mr.  Stutler  established  his  present 
mercantile  business  at  Gessie,  March  16, 
1881,  and  by  his  accommodating  manners, 
and  fair  and  honorable  dealings,  he  has  Iniilt 
up  a  good  trade,  and  gained  the  conlidence 
and  respect  of  his  man}-  customers. 


fHOMAS  J.  NICHOLS,  carpenter  and 
joiner,  Vermillion  Township,  is  a  na- 
^J  ti\c  of  Vermillion  County,  born  in 
1844,  a  son  of  Robert  II.  and  Adaline 
(West)  Nichols,  his  father  a  native  of  Union 
County,  Indiana,  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and 
his  mother  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  of 
French  descent.  His  parents  came  to  Ver- 
million County  in  1842  and  settled  in  Clin- 
tdii  Township;  m.ivcd  to  Ilelt  Township  in 
1849,  where  the   father  died    in   1872,  aged 


VERMILLION    GOVNTT. 


fifty-five  years,  and  the  mother  in  1874,  aged 
sixty-five  years.  They  had  a  family  of  two 
children — Jaines  and  Thomas,  the  former 
being  dead.  Thomas  J.  Nichols  was  married 
in  1862  to  Ann  Jones,  who  was  born  in  Ver- 
million County,  ill  1847,  a  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel Jones,  a  pioneer  of  the  county.  They 
have  had  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing— Bell,  Adaline,  Robert,  Maria,  Bert  and 
John  C.  In  August,  1862,  Mr.  Nichols 
enlisted  in  Company  B,  Eighty-fifth  Indiana 
Infantry,  and  served  three  years,  and  partici- 
pated in  many  of  the  hardest  fought  battles 
of  the  war.  He  was  with  Sherman  from 
Chattanooga  to  the  sea,  and  was  mustered 
out  at  Indianapolis  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
After  his  return  home  he  began  to  work  at 
his  trade,  which  he  has  since  continued.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Nichols  are  members  of  the  Society 
of  Friends.  In  politics  Jie  casts  his  sufirage 
with  the  National  party.  Mr.  Nichols  is  a 
master  mechanic  and  one  of  the  best  in  the 
county. 


■»S*>^ 


fXAWSON  L.  GOODWIN,  farmer, section 
Wit  '^'^'  ^^^^  Township,  was  born  in  Carter 
W'  County,  Tennessee,  December  22,  1837, 
a  son  of  Alfred  L.  Goodwin.  He  was  reared 
and  educated  in  his  native  county,  attending 
the  common  schools  and  Pine  Grove  Acade- 
my at  Taylorville.  When  twenty-one  years 
old  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  at  which 
he  worked  fifteen  years.  He  enlisted  in  the 
defense  of  his  country  in  the  war  of  the  Ee- 
bellion,  and  was  assigned  to  Company  G, 
Thirteenth  Tennessee  Cavalry,  and  partici- 
]iated  in  the  battles  at  Bull's  Gap,  Morris- 
town,  Carter's  Depot,  Kingsport,  Marion, 
Saltville  and  others.  He  served  twenty 
months,  when  he  was  discharged  on  account 
of  general  orders  of  the  war  department,  and 


now  draws  a  pension.  Mr.  Goodwin  was 
married  March  3,  1861,  to  Mary  A.  E.  Dug- 
ger,  a  native  of  Carter  County,  Tennessee,  a 
daughter  of  William  C.  Dugger.  To  them 
have  been  born  ten  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living — Allison  S.,  Frank  L.,  Indiana  M., 
Stella  N.,  Ellsworth  and  Clindham.  Two 
children  died  in  infancy,  and  two,  Mary  E. 
and  William  B.,  when  four  years  of  age.  Mr. 
Goodwin  came  to  Vermillion  County  in  186G, 
and  has  since  lived  in  Ilelt  Township.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Baptist 
clinrch.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Bepublie. 


fOHN  FOBD  was  born  in  Delaware 
County,  Ohio,  August  18,  1809,  and 
died  at  his  home  on  section  10,  Helt 
Township,  Vermillion  County,  May  6,  1882. 
His  father,  Augustus  Ford,  was  a  native  of 
the  State  of  Virginia.  He  was  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  of  Vermillion  County,  com- 
ing here  when  our  subject  was  but  a  child, 
when  the  surrounding  country  was  a  wilder- 
ness, and  inhabited  principally  by  Indians 
and  wild  animals.  Here  he  and  his  family 
experienced  many  of  the  privations  and  hard- 
ships of  pioneer  life.  Their  nearest  milling- 
place  was  Shaker  Prairie,  twenty  miles  away, 
and  at  that  time  traveling  was  very  ditficnlt, 
there  being  no  roads  but  mere  Indian  trails. 
John  Ford,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
reared  amid  the  wild  surroundings  of  life  in 
a  new  country,  and  was  early  inured  to  hard 
work,  his  youth  being  spent  in  assisting  his 
father  clear  and  imjirove  his  land.  He  was 
married  March  24,  1831,  to  Miss  Jane  Skid- 
more,  a  daughter  of  John  Skidmore,  who 
was  among  the  early  pioneers  of  the  county, 
making  his  home  here  in  the  year  1818.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ford  eleven  children  were  born, 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCEEh 


403 


four  of  whom  arc  living  at  tlie  present  time 
— Albert,  Edwin,  Mary  and  Martlia.  Three 
sons,  Henry,  Josephus  and  Leander,  died  in 
the  army  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 
Caroline,  Elizabeth  J.,  Elijah  and  Sarah  are 
also  deceased.  Mr.  Ford  was  a  representative 
citizen  of  the  county  and  took  an  active  in- 
terest in  any  enterprise  which  had  for  its  ob- 
ject its  growth  or  advancement.  He  was  a 
kind  and  aft'ectionate  husband  and  father,  and 
a  devout  Christian,  having  been  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  chnrch  at  Spring 
Hill  for  over  thirty  years.  His  widow  is  a 
member  of  the  same  church.  She  still  re- 
sides on  the  old  homestead  in  Helt  Township, 
vvhei-e  she  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
all  wliu  know  her. 


fRANCIS  MAPtlOX  WRIGHT,  a  native 
of  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  was 
■^"  born  on  section  31,  Clinton  Township, 
February  20,  1840,  a  son  of  Philander  and 
Catherine  (Swan)  AVright,  and  a  grandson  of 
the  old  and  honored  pioneer,  George  "Wright, 
who  settled  in  this  neighborhood  in  1820. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  were  married  in 
Clinton  Township,  where  they  spent  the 
remainder  of  their  lives.  The  father,  a  most 
worthy  man,  died  in  June,  1856,  his  death 
being  caused  by  the  accidental  discharge  of 
a  gun.  The  mother  survived  her  husband 
about  twenty  years.  They  were  the  parents 
of  nine  children — Mary  Ann,  who  died  in 
infancy;  Oliver,  living  in  Clinton  Township; 
Francis  Marion,  or  Marion,  as  he  is  called; 
Levi,  living  in  Clinton  Township;  Mrs.  Mary 
J.  Salyer,  deceased;  Philander  and  James, 
residents  of  Kansas;  Mrs.  Thnrsy  Foltz,  of 
Clinton  Township,  and  Mrs.  Laura  Keesel,  of 
East  Tennessee.  Marion  Wright,  the  subject 
of   this    sketch,   was    reared    in    his    native 


township,  to  agricultural  pursnits,  and  has 
always  followed  the  avocation  of  a  farmer. 
He  received  twenty-iive  acres  of  land  from 
his  father's  estate,  and  from  this  beginning 
he  has  acquired  a  iine  property  by  his  per- 
severing industry  and  good  management. 
He  resides  on  the  same  section  where  he  was' 
born,  where  he  has  a  fine  farm  of  288  acres, 
most  of  which  is  improved,  and  ranks  not 
only  as  an  agriculturist,  but  as  a  citizen, 
among  the  best  in  Clinton  Township.  Mr. 
Wright  was  married  February  20,  1862,  to 
Miss  Catherine  Fnnkhouser,  who  was  born 
in  Vigo  County,  Indiana,  February  11,  1844, 
a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Hila  Fnnkhouser. 
Her  father  died  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Vigo  County,  where  her  mother  yet  lives. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  have  four  children 
living — Levi,  married  and  living  in  Clinton 
Township;  and  Nettie,  Wirt  and  Warren, 
still  at  home.  Arthur,  the  fourth  child  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright,  died  in  infancy. 
Mr.  Wright  volunteered  in  defense  of  the 
Union  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  but 
was  rejected  as  physically  disqualified  for 
active  service.  In  politics  he  is  an  ardent 
Republican.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  worthy 
and  consistent  members  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren church. 


IfRWIN  R.  LAMB,  of  Newport,  is  a  native 
|]j  of  Indiana,  born  in  Wayne  County, 
4  March  19, 1840,  a  son  of  Elias  Lamb.  He 
was  reared  in  Wayne  County,  making  his 
home  there  until  coming  to  Vermillion 
County.  He  has  been  twice  married,  taking 
for  his  iirst  wife  Miss  Melissa  Bailey,  March 
15,  1860.  She  died  November  29,  1875, 
leaving  a  family  of  four  children,  named — 
Alma  S.,  Martha  E.,  Frank  A.  and  May 
Belle.     May  18,  1879,  Mr.  Lamb  married  for 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


his  second  wife  Mrs.  Mary  Elizabeth  (Jac'^- 
son)  Hall,  who  was  born  August  14,  1838,  a 
daughter  of  Arthur  Jacks  .n,  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Vermillion  County.  Mrs. 
Lainb  was  iirst  married  to  James  R.  Hall, 
who  was  a  member  of  Company  A,  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-iifth  Illinois  Infantry, 
in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  He  left  at  his 
death  a  family  of  five  children  who  are  yet 
living,  their  names  being — John  C.  F.  Hall^ 
Bertha  Hall,  Allen  W.  Hall,  Josephine  Hall 
and  Efiie  Hall.  Arthur  Jackson,  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Lamb,  was  a  native  of  North  Caro- 
lina, born  in  1814,  and  when  four  years  old 
was  taken  by  his  father,  Corben  Jackson,  to 
Wayne  County,  Indiana,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood,  and  was  there  married  to  Miss 
Ellen  Cook,  who  was  born  in  Union  County, 
Indiana,  in  1816.  To  this  union  eight  chil- 
dren were  born,  four  of  whom  grew  to  matur- 
ity— Alonzo,  the  eldest,  was  a  soldier  in 
Company  E,  Twenty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry, 
and  was  killed  at  the  hard  fought  battle  of 
Chickauiaugain  1863;  the  second  child,  Mary 
Elizabeth,  is  the  wife  of  our  subject;  Edgar, 
the  third  child,  was  the  first  man  to  volunteer 
in  defense  of  the  Union  from  the  township  in 
which  he  lived,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle 
of  ilission  Ridge;  Theodoi-e  Jackson,  though 
but  a  boy,  entered  the  service  of  his  country, 
and  later  was  a  member  of  the  Seventy-third 
Indiana  Infantry.  Hedied'at  home  April  1, 
1862,  from  disease  contracted  in  the  army. 
Mr.  Jackson  was  a  carpenter  and  builder, 
and  a  superior  workman.  In  1846  he  came 
with  his  famil}'  to  Vermillion  County,  and 
built  a  saw-mill  on  the  Little  Vermillion 
River  on  Horse  Shoe  Bend,  one  of  .the  most 
beautiful  locations  in  the  county.  He  operated 
the  mill  until  1851  when  he  removed  to 
Ceorgetown,  Vermillion  County,  Illinois^ 
and  later  he  settled  in  AVabash  County,  where 
he    spent    the    remainder   of  his  life,  dying 


February  10,  1873,  in  his  fifty-ninth  year. 
His  wife  died  of  cholera  July  29,  1855,  and 
after  her  death  Mr.  Jackson  was  twice  married. 
He  was  a  minister  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  for  thirty  years.  He  was  an  upright 
and  honorable  citizen  and  was  highly  esteemed 
for  his  many  excellent  characteristics. 


ILLIAM  F.  KERNS,  an  enterpris- 
ing agriculturist  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
^ir^i  ty,  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising  on  section  11.  Helt  Township,  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  early  pioneer 
families  of  the  county.  He  was  born  in  Helt 
Township,  May  2, 1839,  a  son  of  William  and 
Agnes  (Skid more)  Kerns.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  came  to  Vermillion 
County  in  1825.  The  maternal  grandfatli.  r 
of  our  subject,  whose  name  was  John  Skid- 
more,  settled  in  the  county  as  early  as  l^l^. 
William  F.  was  reared  on  his-father's  honn  - 
stead  to  the  avocation  of  a  farmer,  which  lir 
has  made  his  life  work.  He  recei\ed  his 
education  in  the  common-schools  of  his 
neighborhood,  and  at  Bloomingdale  Academy, 
and  subsequently  engaged  in  teaching  school 
which  he  followed  during  the  winter  terms 
for  seven  years,  teaching  three  years  in  the 
same  school  district  at  Spring  Hill.  During 
the  late  war  he  was  a  member  of  Company  I, 
Forty-third  Indiana  Infantry,  serving  his 
country  for  fifteen  months.  He  was  married 
November  6,  1864,  to  Miss  Catherine  Saxtun, 
a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Saxton,  who  \\:is 
among  tlie  early  settlers  of  Helt  Townsliip. 
Five  of  the  seven  children  born  to  them  aif 
yet  living,  their  names  being  as  follow.-  - 
Leila  A.,  DeWitt  C,  Eva  G.,  Mervin  E.  an.l 
Gordon.  Mr.  Kerns  is  classed  among  the 
prosperous  citizens,  l)eing  the  owner  of  r24('> 
acres  of  valuable  land,  which  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


40S 


by  industry  and  good  manageuient.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  a  stauneli  Eepnblican.  lie  lias 
served  many  years  as  justice  of  the  peace  and 
notary  public,  and  in  188G  was  elected  county 
commissioner,  and  in  all  these  public  trusts 
he  has  served  with  credit  to  himself  and 
satisfaetioti  to  his  constituents.  Pie  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  llepublic. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  memliers  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


fOSEPII  WESLEY  REEDER,  a  repre- 
sentative of  one  of  the  early  pioneer 
families  of  Vermillion  County,  resides 
on  the  homestead  on  section  28,  Clinton 
Township,  where  he  was  born  August  26, 
18-45.  The  "history  of  the  family  in  this 
county  dates  back  to  the  year  1822,  when 
Joseph  Keeder,  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, with  his  family,  came  from  the  State  of 
Ohio,  and  settled  in  the  forest  on  section  21 
of  Clinton  Township,  and  commenced  the 
work  of  improving  eighty  acres  of  wild  land, 
lie  WHS  liorn  in  Pennsylvania,  his  wife, 
Eleanor  (^Stockton)  Reeder,  being  a  native  of 
the  same  State.  Both  died  at  an  advanced 
age  in  Clinton  Township.  Their  children  in 
order  of  their  birth  are  as  follows:  John, 
Nelson,  James,  Joseph,  Amos  and  Ellen,  all 
of  whom  married  and  settled  in  Vermillion 
County.  All  died  in  Clinton  Township  ex- 
cept Joseph,  who  died  in  Illinois,  and  John, 
who  died  in  Iowa.  The  grandfather  was  a 
prosperous  man,  and  became  the  owner  of 
over  400  acres  of  land,  which  during  his  life 
he  divided  among  his  children.  Nelson 
Keeder,  his  second  son,  was  the  father  of  our 
subject.  He  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born 
January  10,  1816,  and  was  but  four  years  of 
age  when  brought  to  Vermillion  County. 
When  a  young  man  he  married  a  Miss  Eliza- 


beth Round,  a  lady  of  German  ancestry.  To 
them  were  b(irn  six  children — Mrs.  Sarah 
Clark,  of  Veniiillinii  Tuwi.ship;  Mrs  Martha 
Dewey,  of  Clinton  Township;  Silas  died  aged 
seventeen  years;  Ellen  died  aged  sixteen 
years;  Joseph  Wesley,  and  Hi  ram  who  died 
aged  twenty-live  years.  The  mother  died  in 
1848,  and  the  father  was  married  a  second 
time  to  Mrs.  Mary  (Luellen)  Wyatt,  who  made 
a  good  mother  for  his  children.  To  this  union 
three  children  were  born — Frank  L.,  of  Clin- 
ton Township;  James  M.,  also  living  in 
Clinton  Township,  and  Mrs.  Mary  lielle 
Blunk,  of  Danville,  Illinois.  By  her  first 
marriage  Mrs.  Nelson  Reeder  had  one  child, 
John  Wyatt,  who  was  a  soldier  in  Company 
I,  Fourteenth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  died  on 
Cheat  Mountain,  and  was  brought  home  for 
burial.  The  father  of  our  subject  died  in  the 
spring  of  1880,  leaving  an  estate  of  about  600 
acres.  As  a  citizen  he  was  loyal  and  public- 
spirited,  a  generous  and  kind  hearted  neigh- 
bor, and  an  affectionate  hnsband  and  father. 
In  politics  he  was  an  ardent  Republican. 
His  widow  still  survives,  and  makes  her  home 
with  her  son  Frank  and  her  daughter  Mrs. 
Blunk.  Joseph  Wesley  Reeder,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch,  has  always  lived  on  the 
old  iiomestead  where  he  was  born,  except  the 
time  spent  in  the  service  of  his  country  dur- 
ing the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  While  in  his 
seventeenth  year,  July  10,  1862,  he  enlisted 
in  Company  A,  Seventy-first  Indiana  Infan- 
try. He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Rich- 
mond, Kentucky,  and  was  one  of  the  men 
who  escaped  capture  that  day.  In  1863  the 
regiment  was  reorganized,  and  recruited  at 
Indianapolis,  taking  the  field  as  the  Sixth 
Indiana  Cavalry.  The  winter  following  it 
was  under  General  Burnside  at  Knoxville 
and  vicinity,  and  was  part  of  the  cavalry  force 
under  General  Sherman  at  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, although  Ml-.  Reeder  was  on  duty  as 


II.M,W,J»«-«»M»W^»!»»_W«H«I1»M 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


'  I  ^ 


IVt 


Orderly  for  General  Scholiekl.  lie  rejoined 
his  regiment  after  that  campaign  ended,  and 
was  in  battle  at  Nashville,  under  General 
Thomas  in  December,  1864.  He  passed 
through  the  war  unscathed,  and  was  honor- 
ably discharged  at  Fnlaski,  Tennessee,  when 
he  returned  home  and  engaged  in  more 
peaceful  pursuits.  November  27,  1867,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Ann  Smith,  a 
daughter  of  Joseph  Smith.  She  was  born  in 
West  Virginia,  July  4,  1848,  and  was  but 
seven  years  old  when  her  parents  came  to 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and  settled  in 
Clinton  Township,  where  she  was  reared. 
Both  of  her  parents  are  now  deceased.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Reeder  are  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren— Lura  May,  Van  Valzah,  Thursa  Ellen, 
Joseph  Nelson  and  Etta  Glehdora,  all  yet 
nnder  the  home  roof.  Mr.  lieeder  erected  his 
present  commodious  I'esidence  in  1881,  which 
was  built  with  a  view  to  comfort  and  conven- 
ience. His  homestead  contains  200  acres  of 
finely  improved  land.  In  politics,  like  his 
father,  he  is  a  stannch  Eepnblican.  He  is  a 
a  member  of  Amant  Lodge,  No.  356,  of  Clin- 
ton, and  has  passed  all  the  chairs  of  his  lodge, 
ami  has  represented  his  lodge  in  the  grand 
lodge  of  the  State. 


►i^+S- 


fOIIN  HARLIN,  farmer  and  dealer  in 
graded  stock,  resides  on  section  8,  Ver- 
million Township,  where  he  owns  300 
acres  of  land.  He  is  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  born  April  23,  1839.  a  son  of  Cor- 
nelius and  Martha  (Tate)  Ilarlin,  natives  of 
Tennessee.  He  was  reared  in  his  native 
county,  and  is  now'one  of  her  most  enterpris- 
ing citizens.  His  fine  farm  is  under  good 
cultivation,  but  he  makes  a  specialty  of  raising 
stock,  the  most  of  which  he  sells  on  the  farm, 
although  he  occasionally  senils  a  shipment  to 


jjj  BtocK,  Liie  iiiosu  oi  WHICH  iie 

31         although  he  occasionally  sei 

I 1.. 


Chicago.  Mr.  liarlin  was  married  October 
17,  1871,  to  Hattie  A.  Shepard,  daughter 
of  I'en  and  Eliza  Shepard,  pioneers  of 
Newport,  Vermillion  County,  where  Mrs. 
Harlin  was  born  March  15, 1844.  In  politics 
Mr.  Ilarlin  is  a  Democrat. 

tOBERT  A.  CRAIG,  an  enterprising 
agricultnrist  of  Eugene  Township,  re- 
siding on  section  8,  was  born  in  Cler- 
mont County,  Ohio,  November  7,  1826,  a  sou 
of  John  and  Isabel  (Wishard)  Craig,  both 
deceased,  the  father  having  been  born  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania.  Our  subject  leai-iied 
blacksmithing  in  his  boyhood,  and  worked  at 
that  trade  for  a  period  of  thirty-five  ycai-s. 
He  came  to  Indiana  in  1847,  locating  in  Clay 
County.  He  was  married  August  18,  1849, 
to  Miss  Margaret  Price,  a  daughter  of  Isit.cI 
and  Margaret  (Gordon)  Price,  both  of  whom 
are  deceased.  To  this  union  nine  children 
were  born — Sarah,  Alex,  Francis  M.,  Martha, 
Samuel,  Amanda,  Dollie  B.  (deceased),  .James 
and  William  E.  Mr.  Craig  served  in  the 
Seventh  Indiana  P.attery  during  the  war  <.!' 
the  Rebellion,  and  participated  in  the  battles  d  I' 
Pittsburgh  Landing,  Stone  River,  Chieka- 
mauga,  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Rid^-^-. 
Resaca,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  siege  of  Atlaiifa. 
Jonesboro,  and  a  number  of  skirmisln-. 
While  in  battle  their  Captain  always  told  bis 
men  to  have  the  last  shot.  Mr.  Craig  has  ic 
ceived  a  pension  from  the  Government  sim  r 
1865  for  his  services  during  the  war.  lie 
came  to  Vermillion  County  in  the  spring  nf 
1867,  settling  in  Eugene  Township  where  he 
has  since  made  his  home.  He  is  the  owner 
of  a  fine  farm  of  170  acres  and  is  no\v  en 
gaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  He  has 
a  fine  stone  quarry,  containing  the  best 
quality  of  sand  stone,  which  is  used  in  build 


'J"S»iii»i."Bi«-"-"«"«"-"-"»"-"-"-"-*'-"J"-"-"B"-'>'Ji^-.ig'J  P 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETOHES. 


ing  bridges  tlirougliout  the  siirroiinding 
country.  In  politics  Mr.  Craig  affiliates  with 
the  Republican  party.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian  churcli. 


fEORGE  W.  WATSON,  one  of  the 
respected  citizens  of  Eugene  Township, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  farming,  was 
born  in  LaSalle  County,  Illinois,  September 
8,  1858,  a  son  of  Alva  Watson,  of  Danville, 
Illinois.  His  father  settled  in  Danville  when 
our  subject  was  quite  small,  and  here  he  was 
reared,  receiving  his  education  in  the  schools 
of  that  city.  He  has  always  followed  the 
avocation  of  a  farmer,  in  which  he  has  met 
with  fair  success.  He  came  to  Vermillion 
Coiinty,  Indiana,  in  1876,  and  has  since  made 
liis  home  in  Eugene  Township,  and  during 
his  residence  here  has  won  many  friends  by 
his  fair  and  honorable  dealings,  and  genial 
disposition.  He  was  united  in  marriage  in 
February,  1882,  to  Miss  Taicinda  Sprouls,  a 
daughter  of  Andrew  Sprouls,  of  Eugene 
Townshi]).  They  are  the  parents  of  three 
children,  named  Edith  Grace,  Eu  Dora  and 
Daniel  A. 


tENRY  B.  JAMES,  an  active  and  enter- 
prising agriculturist  of  Vermillion 
County,  was  born  on  the  homestead  on 
section  17,  Plelt  Township,  where  he  now 
resides,  January  29,  1852,  his  father,  Samuel 
R.  James,  being  still  a  resident  of  the  same 
township.  He  was  reared  to  the  vocation 
of  a  farmer,  which  he  has  followed  tlirough 
life,  and  in  his  youth  he  attended  the  schools 
of  the  county,  there  he  received  a  fair  common 
school  education.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
October  11,  1876,  to  Miss  Virginia,  a  daugh- 


ter of  Jolm  S.  Anderson,  of  Helt  Township, 
Vermillion  County.  Mrs.  James  died  in  the 
year  1880,  and  in  1882  Mr.  James  was  again 
married  to  Miss  Caroline  Dinsmore,  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  Dinsmore  who  is  now  deceased. 
Tliey  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  their 
names  being  as  follows — Homer,  Golda  and 
Samuel.  In  connection  with  his  general 
farming  Mr.  James  devotes  some  attention  to 
stock-raising,  making  a  specialty  of  graded 
stock.  He  is  a  thorough,  practical  farmer, 
and  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  143  acres 
where  he  resides.  He  is  a  man  of  strict 
integrity,  honorable  in  all  his  dealings,  and 
is  numbered  among  the  respected  citizens  of 
Helt  Township. 


ILLIAM  A.  GOODWIN,  section  8, 
Helt  Township,  was  born  in  Carter 
County,  Tennessee,  October  18, 
1839.  His  father,  Alfred  L.  Goodwin,  was 
a  native  of  the  same  county,  born  in  1815, 
and  was  a  son  of  Lawson  Goodwin,  a  hero 
of  the  war  of  1812.  William  A.  was  reared 
a  farmer  in  his  native  county,  but  when  a 
young  man  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  at 
which  he  has  worked  thirty  years.  He  came 
to  Indiana  in  Jul}',  1866,  and  lived  in  Parke 
County  two  years,  and  in  1868  moved  to 
A^ermillion  County.  His  homestead  con- 
tains twelve  acres  of  good  land  which  he 
cultivates  in  addition  to  working  at  his  trade. 
Mr.  Goodwin  enlisted  during  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion  in  Company  A,  was  transferred  to 
Company  G,  Thirteenth  Tennessee  Cavalry, 
and  served  two  years,  participating  in  many 
hard  fought  battles  and  campaigns.  He 
served  two  years,  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged. Mr.  Goodwin  was  married  in  the 
fall  of  1861  to  Elizabeth  Mitchell,  daughter 
of  Hider  M.  Mitchell,  of  Taylorsville,  Ten- 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


iiessee.  She  died  in  1863  leaving  one  child, 
John  A.,  now  of  Compton,  Kentucky.  No- 
vember 1-4,  1866,  Mr.  Goodwin  was  married 
to  Mrs.  Susan  Dvkes,  daughter  of  James 
Xntirrass.  To  tliem  were  born  two  children, 
hut  one  is  living — William  L.  Mrs.  Good- 
win had  two  children  l)jlier  lirst  marriage — 
Nancy  J.  and  Thomas  M.  Dykes.  Mrs. 
Goodwin  died  July  9,  1873,  and  March  19, 
1874,  Mr.  Goodwin  married  Susan,  daughter 
of  E.  Moore.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goodwin  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  lie  is  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public. 


riLLIAM  WOOD,  a  worthy  repre- 
,.  ,,  ,A  sentative  of  one  of  the  early  pioneer 
<'^J^-i  families  of  Vermillion  County,  is  a 
native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Terre  Haute, 
October  21,  1822,  a  son  of  Ichabod  and  Catli- 
erine  (Mai's)  Wood.  lie  was  the  fourth 
white  child  born  in  Ten-e  Haute,  and  is  now 
probably  the  only  one  of  the  four  living.  He 
was  but  a  year  old  wlien  his  parents  settled 
in  Clinton  Township,  Vermillion  County, 
and  since  that  time  has  always  lived  in  the 
township.  He  has  occupied  his  present 
homesteiid  on  section  82,  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  and  has  one  of  the 
best  improved  farms  in  his  neighborhood. 
Mr.  Wood  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
James  K.  Polk  in  1844,  and  has  never  since 
missed  a  general  election,  his  last  vote  being 
cast  for  Grover  Cleveland.  During  his  early 
manhood  lie  spent  a  few  years  tlat-boating, 
making  eight  trijis  to  New  Orleans.  He 
was  first  married  to  ^liss  Ann  Wright,  in 
April,  1849.  She  was  born  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship on  section  82  where  lier  brother  William 
"Wright  now  li\es,  a  daughter  of  George 
Wi'igiit,    Jr.,  une    of  Vermillion    County's 


j  pioneers.  A  year  after  their  marriage  Mr. 
I  and  Mrs.  Wood  settled  on  land  which  they 
I  owned,  and  to  them  were  born  three  children 
I  — George,  now  living  in  Clinton  Township; 
I  Jane,  who  died  in  her  nineteenth  year,  and 
Ann,  who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Wood  died 
I  in  March,  1855,  and  Mr.  Wood  was  married 
a  second  time  to  Miss  Jane  Ballard  who  died 
not  long  after  her  marriage.  Mr.  AVood  was 
again  nuirried  January  19,  1862,  to  Miss 
Mildred  C.  Hall,  a  native  of  Virginia,  liorn 
in  Rockingham  County,  April  21,  1841. 
where  she  was  reared  and  educated.  In  1858 
she  accompanied  her  parents.  Andrew  and 
Elizabeth  (Jordan)  Hall,  to  Paris,  Illinois, 
where  her  inother  died  in  1858,  aged  fifty- 
one  years.  Her  -father  is  still  living,  aged 
eighty  years.  She  came  to  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty in  1860,  where  she  has  since  lived.  To  Mr. 
Wood  and  his  present  wife  have  been  l)orn 
two  children — Andrew,  living  at  home,  r.ml 
Israel,  who  died  in  infancy.  Although  ile- 
prived  almost  entirely  of  educational  advant- 
ages in  liis  youth,  Mr.  Wood  has  by  constant 
reading  and  close  ol)servation  become  oiu- -i 
the  Ijest  posted  men  in  his  township,  and  : 
greatly  interested  in  public  aifairs.  He  li  i 
served  several  terms  as  assessor  in  Clint' 
Township,  and  it  is  no  disparagement  t 
others  to  say  that  the  township  never  had  a 
more  efficient  officer.  He  is  a  member  of  tlic 
Masonic  fraternity,  belonging  to  Jerusalem 
Lodge,  No.  99,  at  Clinton  for  many  years. 
Ichabod  Wood,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  and  reared  at  Middlel)ury,  Massachusetts. 
He  came  west  when  a  young  man,  and  for 
several  years  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade 
at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana.  He  was  married 
there  to  Miss  Catherine  Mars,  who  was  a  na- 
tive of  Bordentown,  New  Jersey,  and  to  this 
union  the  following  children  were  born- 
William,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Priscilla 
died  in  early  childhood;   Israel    lives   on  sec 


inOdRA PHICAL    SKETCHES. 


tion  24,  Clinton  Township;  and  Mary  Ann 
died  in  cliildiiood.  On  coming  to  Clinton 
Townsliij),  A'erniiilioii,  they  settled  on  sec- 
tion 24,  in  a  rude  log  cabin,  where  Mrs. 
Wood  tanglit  one  of  the  iirst  schools  in  the 
township.  The  father  often  had  to  leave  his 
family  to  find  employment  at  his  trade.  lie 
did  not  live  to  make  many  improvements  on 
his  place,  his  death  occurring  about  1828. 
His  widow  subsequently  married  William 
Swan,  and  reared  another  family.  She  died 
in  Clinton  Township  in  September,  1875. 


f|LONZ()  L.  MACK,  farmer  and  stoclc- 
I  raiser,  section  15,  Helt  Township,  was 
^  born  May  20,  1844,  a  son  of  Spencer 
Mack,  wdio  came  to  Vermillion  County,  with 
his  parents  when  a  boy,  settling  in  Helt 
Township,  where  he  grew  to  maidiood  and 
silent  his  life,  lie  was  by  trade  a  black- 
smith and  also  carried  on  a  farm,  being 
assisted  in  his  occupations  by  his  sons. 
Alonzo  Mack  remained  with  his  parents  until 
manhood.  He  was  given  a  good  education 
attt'iiding  the  district  schools  and  the  high 
school  at  Montezuma.  In  1863  he  enlisted 
in  the  war  of  the  Kebcllion  and  was  assigned 
to  Company'  C,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
third  Indiana  Infantry,  and  served  twenty 
months,  participating  in  many  severe  battles, 
some  of  the  more  important  being  Resaca, 
Xashville  and  Kingston.  After  his  retnrn 
fi'om  the  war  lie  clerked  si.x  months  in  the 
store  of  M.  P.  Hedges  at  Clinton,  and  since 
then  has  devoted  his  attention  to  agriculture. 
He  owns  a  good  farm  of  145  acres,  and  Mrs. 
Mack  owns  eighty  acres.  He  pays  special 
attention  to  stock-raising,  having  fine  short- 
horn cattle  and  Poland-China  hogs.  Mr. 
Mack  was  married  October  21,  1866,  to  Isabel 
White,  a  daughter  of  Enoch  White,  an  early 


settler  of  Helt  Township.  They  have  had  nine 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — Eschol 
L.,  Nettie  G.,  Annie  G.,  Serena  I5.,  Roy  W., 
Daisy  and  Forrest.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mack  arc 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


Ij^.Ill.V^M  S.  CADY,  one  of  the  active  and 

Qpiiblic-spii'ited  citizens  Newport,  was 
..  _,  l)()i-ii  in  AV^cstern  New  York  near  ]\Ioiint 
Morris  on  the  Genesee  River,  February  22, 
1826.  His  father,  Jabez  Cady,  was  a  native 
of  Steuben  County,  New  York,  born  Decem- 
ber 13,  1801,  where  he  was  reared,  and  was 
there  married  to  Miss  Sybil  Church,  a  native 
of  the  same  county,  and  after  his  marriage  he 
located  on  the  Genesee  River  but  subsequent- 
ly returned  to  Steuben  County.  The  Cady 
family  is  of  Scotch  ancestry,  Jonathan  Cady, 
the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  coming 
from  Scotland,  to  America,  and  settling  in 
New  York  State  in  a  very  early  day.  When 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  eleven  years 
old, his  parents  removed  to  Washtenaw  County^ 
Michigan,  remaining  there  until  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  when  the 
family  settled  in  Ripley  County,  Indiana. 
Jabez  Cady  was  a  carpenter  and  buiklcr  by 
occupation,  and  December  22,  1861,  he  was 
killed  by  falling  from  a  scaffold  on  which  he 
was  working.  His  widow  survived  him  some 
three  years.  Of  the  si.x  children  born  to 
them,  live  are  yet  living — Harriet  A.,  Hiram 
S.,  Susan  A.,  Manly  S.  and  Sarah.  One  son, 
named  Delos  L.,  died  in  the  army  in  1861. 
Hiram  S.  Cady  came  to  Indiana  in  1849,  and 
April  19,  1849,  he  was  married  in  Ripley 
County,  to  Miss  Lucinda  1).  Knapp,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  and  Susan  Knapp,  who  were 
natives  of  Connecticut  and  Vermont,  respec- 
tively. The  parents  of  Mrs.  Cady  settled  in 
Ohio  soon  after  tlieir  marri.ige,  and  in  1886 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    GOTTNTT. 


removed  to  Kijjley  County,  where  they  made 
their  home  until  their  death.  They  had  a 
family  of  nine  children,  eight  of  whom  reached 
maturity.  Four  of  their  children  are  yet 
living — Ann,  Aden  W.,  Lucinda  D.  and  Mary 
N.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cady  have  had  seven  chil- 
dren born  to  them  of  whom  two  are  deceased — 
Harriet  E.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  yearsj 
and  Mary  L.,  who  died  aged  two  months_ 
The  names  of  those  living  are — William  W., 
Esther  L.,  Zilla  R.,  Linna  M.  and  Lou  A. 
Mr.  Cady  learned  the  trade  of  carpentering 
and  bridge  building,  which  he  has  made  the 
principal  avocation  of  his  life.  After  his 
marriage  he  lived  two  years  in  Bartholomew 
County,  Indiana,  going  thence  to  Jackson 
County.  He  remained  at  Jackson  County 
until  1872,  when  he  came  to  Vermillion 
County,  and  has  since  been  a  resident  of 
Newport.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cady  and  all 
their  children  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  are  active  in  promoting 
Christian  enterprises,  and  charitable  objects. 
In  all  his  life  Mr.  Cady  has  never  drank 
liquor,  nor  played  a  game  of  cards.  Mr. 
Cady  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
General  Taylor  in  1848,  and  subsequently 
voted  for  all  the  Whig  candidates,  until  the 
organization  of  the  liepublican  party,  since 
which  time  he  has  voted  that  ticket.  Mr. 
Cady  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
belonging  to  the  lodge  at  Newport. 


WILLIAM  P.  CARMACK,  farmer  and 
stock-raiser,  resides  on  section  8, 
Vermillion  Township,  where  he  owns 
eighty-five  acres  of  good  land,  nnder  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  is  a  native  of  Ver- 
million County,  born  July  4,  1841,  a  son  of 
Andi'ew  and  Rachel  (Nichols)  Carmack,  na- 
tives of  Tennessee,  and  early  settlors  of  Ver- 


million County,  now  living  in  Dana.  Will- 
iam P.  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and 
with  the  exception  of  three  years  has  always 
followed  agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  given 
good  educational  advantages  and  has  taught 
three  winter  terms  of  school.  He  was  married 
in  1866,  to  Mary  E.  Asbury,  who  was  born 
in  Vermillion  County,  in  1847,  a  daughter  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  (Jones)  Asbury.  They 
have  nine  children — Ida  M.,  Sarah  E.,  Rachel 
J.,  Fred  O.,  Elsie  L.,  William  R.,  Robert  R., 
Carrie  B.  and  Mabel  F.  In  politics  Mr. 
Carmack  atfiliates  with  the  Republican  party. 
He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  church. 


l^ENRY  II.  AYE,  fanner  and  stock-raiser 
I'm)  section  9,  Helt  Township,  Vermillion 
"jfS'lft  County,  was  born  on  the  farm  which  he 
now  occupies,  the  date  of  his  birth  being 
May  14,  1846.  His  father,  Henry  Aye,  was 
a  native  of  Maryland,  and  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  pioneers  of  Vermillion  County,  Indi- 
ana, coming  here  in  1839  from  Marion 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  had  lived  from  boy- 
hood. The  father  being  a  farmer,  our  subject 
was  reared  to  the  same  vocation,  which  he 
has  followed  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Montezuma,  Indiana,  and  the  Indianapolis 
Commercial  College.  He  was  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  enlisting  July  19, 
1862,  in  Company  C,  Sixth  Indiana  Cavalry, 
or  Seventy-first  Mounted  Infantry.  He  was 
discharged  February  11,  1863,  for  disability, 
caused  by  a  gun-shot  wound  received  at  the 
battle  of  Richmond,  Kentucky.  He  now 
draws  a  pension  from  the  Goverment.  Mr. 
Aye  was  united  in  marriage  February  5, 
1870,  to  Miss  Minnie  James,  a  daughter  of 
the  late  Daniel  James.     Four  children  have 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


been  born  to  them,  of  whom  only  two  are 
living,  named  Beatrice  and  William  Curtis. 
Mr.  Aye  is  the  owner  of  ninety  acres  of  choice 
land,  forty  acres  being  located  across  the  line 
in  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  the  remainder 
being  in  Ilelt  Township.  He  never  seeks  to 
hold  public  office,  preferring  to  devote  his 
time  to  the  duties  of  his  farm,  and  by  his 
ijuiet,  unassuming  manners  and  industrious 
habits  he  has  gained  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  all  who  know  him.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eepiiblic. 


^*^ 


fACOD  UNDERWOOD,  who  has  been 
identified  with  the  county  many  years, 
,^  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, December  28,  1818,  a  son  of  Will- 
iam and  Elizabeth  (Huffman)  Underwood. 
In  1828  they  removed  to  Coshocton  County, 
Ohio,  where  lie  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and  at- 
tended subscription  school,  taught  in  the 
rude  log  cabins  with  their  puncheon  floors, 
clapboard  roof  and  slab  seats.  When  a  young 
man  he  taught  school  a  short  time.  He 
spent  a  few  years  in  Licking  County,  Ohio, 
and  in  the  fall  of  1854  he  came  to  A^ermillion 
County,  Indiana,  settling  where  he  now  lives 
on  section  5,  Helt  Township.  He  has  made 
farming  the  principal  vocation  of  his  life, 
and  is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  contain- 
ing eighty  acres  of  choice  land,  well  improved 
and  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  Mr. 
Underwood  was  united  in  marriage  August 
21,  1842,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Slater,  who  was  a 
daughter  of  Nehemiah  Slater.  They  had 
born  to  them  eleven  children,  of  whom  four 
are  deceased.  The  names  of  those  yet  living- 
are  as  follows — Mary  E.,  William,  Joseph, 
Elizabeth  J.,  David  S.,  Emma  A.,  and  Henry 
O.  Mrs.  Underwood  died  November  12, 
1869,  and  February  16,1873,  Mr.  Underwood 


was  again  married  to  Mrs.  Rosa  J.  Uierce, 
widow  of  Albert  S.  Pierce,  and  a  daughter 
of  Thomas  and  Hannah  Dugger.  To  this 
union  three  children  have  been  born,  named 
— Thomas,  Rhoda  and  Cyrenia  C  Mr.  Un- 
derwood is  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren 
church,  and  his  wife  belongs  to  the  Baptist 
church. 


fAMUEL  R.  JAMES,  farmer  an,l  stock- 
raiser,  resides  on  section  3,  Ilelt  Town- 
ship, where  he  has  a  tine  farm  ot 
eighty  acres.  He  was  born  in  Helt  Town- 
ship, Vermillion  County,  August  2,  1826,  a 
son  of  Dr.  William  James,  who  was  the 
pioneer  physician  of  the  county,  practicing 
medicine  here  when  the  Indians  were  the 
principal  inhabitants.  Our  subject  was  reared 
to  the  vocation  of  a  fiirmer,  receiving  such 
education  as  could  be  obtained  in  the 
rude  log  cabin  subscription  schools  of  that 
early  day.  He  was  married  March  16,  1848, 
to  Matilda  Hougland,  who  was  born  in  Helt 
Township  in  1829,  a  daughter  of  William 
Hougland,  who  came  to  this  county  from 
Ohio  among  the  early  pioneers.  Nine  cliil- 
dren  were  born  to  this  union  of  whom  six 
are  yet  living — Maurice  H.,  Henry  B.,  Caro- 
line, Joseph  F.,.  George  W.  and  Robert  C, 
all  of  whom  are  married  and  living  near  the 
old  homestead.  Maurice  married  Caroline 
Kearns,  and  of  their  four  children,  two 
named  Harvey  L.  and  John,  are  living. 
Henry  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
being  Virginia  Anderson,  who  left  at  her 
death  two  children — Myrtle  M.  and  V.  Ger- 
trude. He  was  subsequently  married  to  Caro- 
line Dinsmore,  and  to  this  union  four  children 
have  been  born,  three  still  living — Homer, 
Golda  and  Samuel.  Caroline  married  Charles 
Bassett,  and  has  two  children — Albert  and 
Ethel.     Joseph  married   Alice    Randalls  and 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTt. 


h:i3  three  children-  Lslia,  Edna,  and  an  in- 
fant daughter  yet  unnamed.  George  married 
Ella  Casebeer  and  they  have  one  child,  named 
Mervin.  Robert  married  Ella  Pearnian. 
Mr.  James  has  served  his  township  as  as- 
sessor two  terms,  and  during  the  present 
year  acted  as  assistant  assessor.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  an  organi- 
zation in  wliich  he  takes  an  active  interest. 
He  is  a  worthy  member  of  the  Metlicniist 
Episcopal  church,  and  a  respected  citizen  of 
Vermillion  County. 


fAYTON  M.  MERRIMAN,  deceased, 
was  one  of  the  enterprising  farmers  of 
„  the  early  days  of  Vermillion  County. 
He  was  born  in  Tennessee,  January  16,  1806, 
a  son  of  Jesse  and  Mary  ]V[erriman,  and  when 
a  young  man  came  to  Indiana,  and  settled  in 
Vermillion  County.  He  owned  at  his  death 
ninety-nine  acres  on  section  9,  Vermillion 
Township,  and  eighty  acres  on  another  sec- 
tion. He  died  in  May,  1856,  leaving  many 
friends  to  mourn  his  loss.  He  was  married 
September  8,  1831,  in  Tennessee,  to  Anna 
Campbell,  who  was  born  January  16,  1808, 
and  died  September  28,  1839.  To  them  were 
born  live  children — Mary  E.,  wife  of  James 
Horlin;  Jane,  widow  of  William  jSTichols; 
Martha,  deceased;  Matilda,  wife  of  Eldridge 
Horlin;  and  Rachel,  deceased.  April  5,  1840, 
Mr.  Merriman  married  Julia  A.  Sears, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Hoffstetten) 
Sears,  natives  of  Kentucky.  They  had  a 
family  of  five  children — Isabel,  Amanda, 
John  il.,  R.  T.  and  Bruce  E.  Amanda  mar- 
ried Allen  Frazer  and  has  two  children — Urc 
M.,  and  James  H.  Bruce  married  Alice 
Rice,  and  has  two  children — Collett  and 
Jessie.  John  M.  resides  on  the  homestead 
with  his  mother,  and  has  charge  of  the  farm. 


which  contains  ninety  acres  of  valuable  land. 
In  politics  Mr.  Merriman  was  a  Democrat. 
He  and  his  wife  were  among  the  first  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church  in  Vermillion 
County. 


i 

fHILO  HARKNESS,  residing  on  section 
34,  Clinton  Township,  was  born  in  Al- 
legany County,  New  York,  August  29, 
1816,  a  son  of  Robert  and  Roxalana  (Boyce) 

i  Ilarkness,  the  father  born  in  Maine,  and  the 
mother  in  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  They 
were  married  in  New  Hampshire,  and  after 
the  birth  of  their  two  eldest  children,  they 
removed  to  Allegany  County,  New  York, 
where  four  children  were  born  to  them.  In 
1825  the  father  decided  to  work  his  way  to 
the  west  with  his  family  to  see  if  he  could 
better  their  circumstances,  he  being  a  pot)r 
man.  The  following  winter  was  spent  at 
Rochester,  New  York,  where  their  youngest 
child  was  born.  A  short  time  was  then  spent 
at  Buffalo,  New  York,  when  the  family  came 
to  Indiana,  reaching  Fort  Harrison  Prairie  in 
August,  1826.  For  several  years  Mr.  Hark- 
ness  was  compelled  to  make  changes  of  resi- 
dence to  find  work  to  support  his  family,  but 
his  home  was  always  in  Vigo  County.  He 
died  in  the  fall  of  1832,  his  widow  surviving 
until  1846.  She  died  at  the  home  of  our 
subject.  The  following  children  were  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Harkness — Almira, 
deceased;  Mary  died  aged  twelve  years,  the 
year  the  family  came  to  Indiana;  Rossel; 
Philo,   the   sul)ject  of   this  sketch;    Ophelia, 

j  deceased;  ^Vnianda,  and  Roxie,  deceased. 
Philo  Ilarkness  has  lived  in  Western  Indiana 
from  the  age  of  ten  years.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  years  he  was  thrown   upon  his  own 

I  resources  by  the  death  of  his  father,  and  has 

!  never  owned  a  dollar   not  honestly  earned   by 


^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


413 


himself.  He  was  united  in  marriage  Sep- 
tetnber  19,  1844,  to  Miss  Lnratia  Ward,  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  born  September  12, 
1S24,  a  daughter  of  Elijah  M.  Ward.  Her 
parents  settled  in  Indiana  when  she  was  a 
child  of  six  years.  J3oth  are  \w\\'  deceased. 
iS'iiie  children  liave  been  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Harkness  as  follows — Mary  died  after 
her  marriage  leaving  a  family;  Albert;  Laura; 
Elizabeth,  died  aged  seventeen  years;  Harri- 
son, Nancy,  Morton,  Tina  and  Tena  (twins) 
the  latter  dying  in  infancy.  Mr.  Harkness 
has  a  valual)le  farm  of  l-to  acres,  most  of 
which  he  entered  from  the  Government,  and 
it  has  been  his  home  ever  since  his  marriage. 
By  industry,  economy  and  good  management 
he  has  succeeded  well  in  life,  winning  a  good 
name,  and  a  competence  sufficient  to  spend 
his  declining  years   in  comfort. 

fONATHAN  E.  ELLIS,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  section  9,  Vermillion  Township, 
was  born  in  Vermillion  County,  Illinois, 
December  3,  1841,  a  son  of  Levi  and  Mary 
(Haworth)  Ellis,  his  father  a  native  of  Ohio, 
of  Scotch  and  Welsh  ancestry,  and  his  mother 
of  Indiana,  of  Scotch-Irisli  descent.  The 
father  moved  to  Vermillion  County,  Illinois^ 
in  1836.  The  parents  were  married  January 
10,  1838,  and  reared  a  family  of  Hve  children, 
three  of  whom  are  living — Rebecca,  wife  of 
George  F.  Iloskins;  Jonathan  E.,  and  Su- 
sanna, wife  of  Micajah  Haworth.  One  son, 
William  F.,  was  a  soldier  in  tlie  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  and  was  wounded  at  Chickamauga, 
captured,  and  died  in  Andersonville  prison. 
Their  eldest  son,  Richard  H.,  was  a  promi- 
nent citizen  of  Eugene  Townsliip.  The 
father  died  in  Vermillion  County,  Illinois, 
April  27,  1847,  aged  thirty-five  years,  and 
the  mother   in  1864.     After  the  death  of  his 


father,  Jonathan  Ellis  was  brought  to  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  and  remained  liere 
ten  years.  He  then  returned  to  Illinois  and 
remained  there  three  years,  then  came  back 
to  this  township,  where  he  was  living  at  the 
l)reaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  and  in  1862 
he  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Seventy-third  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  and  served  three  years.  He 
participated  in  the  battles  at  Perryville,  Stone 
River,  Chickamauga,  Mission  Ridge,  Resaca, 
New  HopeChurch, Kenesaw  Mountain,  Rocky 
Face  Gap,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Atlanta,  Frank- 
lin, Nashville,  and  many  others  of  less  im- 
portance. He  was  discharged  at  Camp  Butler 
and  returned  liome  at  the  close  of  the  Mar. 
He  was  married  September  1,  1870,  at  Lel)a- 
non,  Warren  County,  Ohio,  to  Kate  E.  Linder, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Lucinda  (Neice)  Lin- 
der, lier  father  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  her 
mother  of  Pennsylvania,  both  of  German  de- 
scent. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ellis  have  two  children 
— William  F.  and  Samuel  L.  Mr.  Ellis  set- 
tled on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  Novem- 
ber 4, 1884.  He  owns  132  acres  of  valuable 
land,  all  under  cultivation,  and  his  improve- 
ments are  among  the  best  in  the  township, 
and  his  residence  a  large  brick  building.  In 
politics  Mr.  Elljs  affiliates  with  the  Republi- 
can party.  He  and  his  family  are  members 
of  the  society  of  Friends. 


fOHN  S.  KEARNS,  a  worthy  representa- 
tive of  one  of  the  old  and  honored  pio- 
neer families  of  Vermillion  County,  is 
engaged  in  general  farming  on  section  4, 
Helt  Township,  where  he  has  forty-two  acres 
of  valuable  land.  Ilisfather,  AV'illiam  Kearns, 
was  born  in  Virginia,a  son  of  William  Kearns, 
who  immigrated  to  Kentucky  as  a  slave 
holder  in  an  early  day.  William  Kearns,  Jr., 
left  his  father's  home  when  sixteen  years  old, 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


ill 


and  came  on  foot  to  Danville,  Illinois,  where 
there  was  one  log  cabin  used  as  an  Indian 
trading  post.  He  foiind  employment  in  the 
salt  works  fifteen  miles  west  of  Danville, 
where  he  M'as  engaged  two  years.  He  then 
came  to  A'eriuiliion  County,  locating  at 
Springfield,  near  the  present  site  of  Eugene, 
and  here  he  helped  make  the  first  brick  in 
the  county,  and  built  the  first  brick  chimney 
made  in  the  count}',  which  was  placed  on  the 
cooper  shop  where  he  learned  his  trade,  that 
of  a  cooper.  He  built  a  cooper  shop  in  Halt 
Township,  and  made  the  barrels  in  which  the 
first  pork  of  the  county  was  packed.  He 
married  Miss  Agnes  Skidmore,  a  daughter  of 
John  Skidmore,  an  early  settler  of  the  county, 
and  to  them  were  born  nine  children,  seven 
of  whom  grew  to  maturity — John,  Polly, 
Mrs.  Euth  Eogers  (deceased),  William  F., 
Mrs.  Ellen  J.  Carter,  Mrs.  Caroline  James 
and  Albert  Harvey.  William  Kearns  died 
August  27,  1884,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
He  was  always  a  hard-working  man,  and  did 
much  toward  building  up  the  county.  He 
was  a  minister  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  for  some  time,  and  was  an  active 
worker  for  the  cause  of  Christianity.  He 
came  to  the  county  when  it  was  principally 
inhabited  by  Indians  and  wild  animals,  and 
made  his  home  right  in  the  woods,  where  he 
experienced  all  the  hardships  and  privations 
incident  to  pioneer  life,  but  by  persevering 
industry  and  good  management  he  made  a 
good  home  out  of  the  forest,  and  lived  to 
enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  years  of  toil.  John  S. 
Kearns,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  is  a 
native  of  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  born 
in  Helt  Township,  June  8,  1831.  He  was 
reared  amid  the  scenes  of  pioneer  life,  and  in 
liis  boyhood  attended  school  in  the  rude  log 
cabin  schools  of  that  early  day  with  tlieir 
puncheon  floors,  clapboard  roof,  and  slab 
seats,  and  greased  paper  for  wimlows,  receiv- 


ing here  but  a  limited  education.  He  w;i> 
married  September  20,1855,to  liachel  Spriggs, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  Spriggs,  and  to  tluin 
were  born  three  children,  all  of  whom  aie 
deceased.  Mrs.  Kearns  died  June  19,  1861, 
and  December  31,  1863,  Mr.  Kearns  was 
married  to  Miss  Parthena  J.  Ivie,  a  daughter 
of  John  Ivie,  of  Harrison  County,  Missouri. 
They  are  the  parents  of  four  children  nameil 
— Oscar,  Ruhama  C,  U.  S.  Grant  and  Ellen 
J.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kearns  are  menibLT.^ 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Spring 
Hill. 


►>«- 


PANIEL  HELT,  one  of  the  earliest  set- 
tlers of  Helt  Township,  was  born  in 
Washington  County,  Pennsylvania,  Oc- 
tober 22, 1791,  a  son  of  John  Helt.  In  1815 
Daniel  Helt  accompanied  his  father  to  Yin- 
cennes,  Indiana,  and  in  the  fall  of  1817,  they 
came  to  Vermillion  County,  and  built  a  cabin 
and  in  the  spring  of  1818  moved  the  taniily 
into  it.  The  country  at  that  time  was  inhabited 
by  Indians  and  wild  animals  and  tliey  had 
many  thrilling  adventures,  which  Mr.  Helt 
never  tired  of  relating,  and  many  are  remem- 
bered by  his  family.  The  Indians  were  in 
the  habit  of  coming  to  the  houses  of  the 
white  settlers  for  provisions  and  at  one  time 
when  the  larder  was  nearly  empty  Mr.  Helt 
refused  to  give  them  anything.  At  this  they 
became  angry  and  came  to  liis  house  with 
the  intention  of  killing  him,  but  he  was  absent 
from  iiome  and  tiius  avoided  a  quarrel.  At 
one  time  an  Indian  went  to  the  house  of  his 
father,  John  Helt,  and  demanded  either  his 
gun  or  his  pappoose  (his  son  George),  but  Mr. 
Helt  told  him  he  could  liave  neither,  but  if 
lie  did  not  leave  he  would  gladh'  give  him 
the  contents  of  the  gun.  Mr.  Helt  was  a 
veteran  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  had  no  fear 


■■'■"■■■■■■■'''■"■'^■■■■«i''a"ai"i« 


■■-■-■■»■-■■■■■-■-■-"-■-■-■-■ 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


oar 

1 


of  the  Indians.  They  were  obliged  to  go  to 
Yinceunes  to  mill,  and  were  some  times  three 
or  four  weeks  in  making  the  trip.  Mr.  Helt 
was  married  June  17,  1819,  to  Mary  M.  Ely, 
daughter  of  George  Ely.  To  them  were  born 
nine  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — 
Francis  M.,  Henry  E.,  Phoebe  (now  Mrs. 
Jacob  Miller),  Catherine  (now  Mrs.  Wm. 
Hammon),  and  Mary  J.  (wife  D.  E.  Strain). 
A  daughter,  Lucinda,  died  at  the  age  of  two 
3'ears,  and  two  sons,  George  and  Eli,  after 
they  had  reached  manliood.  Eli  left  a  wife 
and  four  children.  Mr.  Ilelt  died  March  15, 
1879,  in  the  eighty-eighth  year  of  his  age, 
and  Mrs.  Ilelt  September  30,  1884,  in  her 
ninety-first  year.  They  were  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


tENIlY  AYE,  deceased,  who  was  identi- 
fied with  the  early  history  of  Ilelt 
Township,  was  born  in  Maryland  in 
November,  1794,  a  son  of  Jacob  Aye,  who 
was  a  Revolutionary  soldier  of  some  note. 
His  education  was  limited,  as  the  schools  of 
those  days  were  of  short  sessions.  At  the 
age  of  seventeen  he  volunteered  in  Lieutenant 
Devaull's  Company  of  Ohio  Militia,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  after  peace  was  de- 
clared. An  the  age  of  thirty  he  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  the  Eev.  Simon  Jones, 
the  first  settler  of  the  Welch  Hills,  Licking 
County,  Ohio,  and  alter  his  marriage  settled 
near  Calidonia,  Marion  County,  Ohio.  He 
migrated  to  Indiana  in  the  fall  of  1839,  and 
settled  in  the  woods  on  section  9,  Helt  Town- 
ship, where  he  cleared  the  land  and  built  a 
comfortable  home  for  his  family.  In  politics 
lie  was  a  Whig,  and  a  Republican;  in  religion 
he  was  an  old-time  Methodist.  His  house 
was  always  open  to  receive  the  itinerant,  and 
no  stranger  was  allowed  to   go  away  hungry. 


He  died  as  he  lived,  an  honored  citizen  and 
Christian  gentleman.  His  widow  still  lives 
on  the  old  homestead  with  her  eldest  son, 
Francis,  in  the  eighty-fourth  year  of  her  age. 
They  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children — 
Francis  S.,  Eliza,  Eufiis  B.,  Nancy,  Jacob, 
Phoebe  A.,  Rachel,  Nathan,  Viiial  S.,  Maria, 
Mary,  Electa,  Henry  II.  and  Albert.  Ten 
are  still  living. 


-^H 


ILLIAM  PHEUBY  is  a  native  of 
Yermillion  County,  born  in  Eugene 
Township,  near  Eugene,  April  28, 
1833.  His  father,  John  Rheuby,  was  born 
near  Perryville,  Kentucky,  in  the  year  1800, 
and  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  the 
battle  of  Perryville  was  fought  on  the  farm 
where  he  was  born.  John  Rheuby  was  left 
an  orphan  at  an  early  age,  and  in  1812  he 
immigrated  to  Washington  County,  Indiana, 
with  his  Uncle  Nathaniel  Green.  He  came 
to  Yermillion  County  in  1830,  and  settled  in 
Eugene  Township  when  Indians  and  wild 
animals  were  the  principal  inhabitants.  He 
was  a  soldier  during  the  Black  Hawk  War. 
He  married  Rachel  Dickerson,  and  of  the  four 
children  born  to  them  two  are  yet  living — 
William,  our  subject,  and  Kinzer  who  lives 
in  Finney  County,  Kansas.  One  son,  Na- 
thaniel, died  in  hospital  at  Madison,  Indiana, 
during  the  late  war.  The  fatlier  died  in 
June,  1875.  AVilliam  Rheuby  was  reared  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  has  always  followed 
the  vocation  of  a  farmer.  He  received  a 
common-school  education  in  the  schools  of 
this  county,  and  subsequently  taught  four 
terms  in  Jiis  home  district  in  the  old  log 
cabin  school-house.  He  was  married  October 
12, 1859,  to  Miss  Eliza  Sprouls,  a  daughter  of 
the  late  James  Sprouls.  To  them  have  been 
born  ten  children,  six  of  whom  are   living, 


sssi 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


named — Joliu  A.,  Alva  E.,  Laura  A.,  Gould 
G.,  Deborah  G.  and  Morton  C.  Alva  E. 
married  Robert  C.  JMesbitt,  of  Yermilliou 
County,  Illinois,  and  has  two  children — 
Elizabeth  Estella  and  William  K.  Laura  A. 
married  George  IL  Mitchell,  then  of  George- 
town, Illinois,  and  has  one  son — Harlan  R. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mitchell  are  now  living  in 
Pawnee,  Kansas.  Mr.  liheuby  resides  on 
section  30,  Eugene  Township,  where  he  owns 
109  acres  of  choice  land.  He  is  engaged  in 
general  farming  and  stock-raising,  making  a 
specialty  of  hog  raising.  He  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  Rebellion,  being  a  member  of 
Company  A,  Thirty-first  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Tunnel  Hill, 
Buzzard  Roost,  Dalton  and  Resaca.  After 
the  last  mentioned  battle  he  was  detailed  to 
the  Commissary  department  where  he  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 
Both  ho  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


:ILL1AM  R  BREMER,  inerehant, 
Quaker  Hill,  Indiana,  has  a  well 
assorted  stock  of  dry-goods,  boots 
and  shoes,  hats,  patent  medicines,  groceries, 
qneen'sware,  tin  and  hardware  and  notions. 
He  located  at  Quaker  Hill,  February  14, 
1881,  and  has  built  up  a  good  trade,  his 
genial  manners  and  honorable  dealings  gain- 
ing the  confidence  of  the  public.  He  was 
born  in  Jefferson  County,  Kentucky,  Septem- 
ber 15,  1851,  a  son  of  Simeon  R  and  Mary 
K.  (McPherson)  IJremer,  natives  of  Kentucky, 
iiis  father  of  German  and  his  mother  of  Scotch 
descent.  William  P.  was  reared  on  a  farm, 
receiving  but  limited  educational  advantages, 
but  by  observation  and  reading  has  acquired 
a  good  business  education.     He  was  married 


in  Vigo  County,  Indiana,  November  2n. 
1881,  to  Melissa  L.  Iluntvvork,  who  was  burn 
in  that  county  March  6,  1859,  a  daughter  nt 
Jacob  and  Catherine  Huntwork.  They  have 
one  child— Bertlia  B.  Mr.  Bremer  is  a 
member  of  the  Cdd  Fellow's  order,  Newport 
Lodge,  No.  594.  In  politics  he  affiliates 
with  the  Prohibition  party.  In  1885  he  w;i> 
appointed  postmaster  at  Quaker  Ilill.  and 
still  holds  that  position. 


fOHN  BILSLAND,  one  of  tiie  uld  and 
respected  citizens  of  Helt  Townshiji, 
residing  on  section  10,  is  a  native  of 
Ohio,  born  in  Ross  County,  September  '2^. 
1808.  His  father,  Alexander  Bilsland,  w,-- 
born  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  wa-  : 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  subject  <■( 
this  sketch  was  reared  to  the  vocation  of  :i 
farmer,  and  in  his  youth  received  such  educa- 
tion as  could  be  obtained  in  the  subscription 
schools  of  that  early  day.  The  schools  of 
that  time  were  held  in  the  most  primitive 
style  of  log  cabins,  built  with  clapboard  roof, 
puncheon  tloor,  slab  seats,  greased  paper 
used  for  windows,  and  a  huge  iire-place  across 
one  end  of  the  room.  He  began  learning  tiie 
carpenter's  trade  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years, 
an  occupation  he  followed  for  forty  years. 
He  was  married  October  25,  1832,  to  Mahala 
De  Haven,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  I)e  Haven, 
and  of  the  seven  children  born  to  this  unimi 
only  two  are  now  living — Mrs.  Emma  TayN  ; 
and  Mrs.  Gabrianna  Arnold.  One  son  namtii 
Frank,  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  tiie  Rel)ell- 
ion,  and  was  killed  in  the  West.  Mrs. 
Bilsland  died  July  10,  1849,  and  ISlay  21, 
1850,  Mr.  Bilsland  was  married  a  second 
time  to  Eliza  Seweli,  daughter  of  David 
Sewell,  and  to  them  were  born  two  children 
named  John  E.  and  Euseba  Malone.     Mrs. 


BIOGRAPniGAL    SKETCHES. 


417 


Bilsland,  the  second  wife  of  our  subject,  died 
February  10,  1884.  Mr.  Bilsland  came  to 
Verniillion  County,  December  31,  1850,  set- 
tling -where  he  now  lives  in  Helt  Township. 
He  has  by  his  industrious  habits,  and  good 
business  management  prospered  through  life, 
and  yet  owns  197  acres  of  valuable  land, 
after  having  given  to  his  children  314  acres 
of  land,  all  of  which  he  acquired  hy  fair  and 
honorable  dealings.  He  is  a  memljer  ^of  the 
Masonic  fraternity.  In  politics  he  attiliates 
with  the  liepublican  party. 


T^  K^^  II ARYEY  L.  GKIMES,  aresident  of 
M  II, 'It  Township,  was  born  in  AYatertown* 
~^  ^\';lshiIlgton  County,  Ohio,  August  19' 
1857.  His  father,  Dr.  Wilson  Grimes,  who 
is  now  deceased,  was  also  a  native  of  Ohio. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emily 
Harris,  a  daughter  of  Morgan  Harris  who  is 
a  resident  of  Helt  Township,  and  to  them 
were  born  eight  children  as  follows — Mrs. 
Dr.  Bradley,  John,  Anna,  Mrs.  Dr.  Xewton, 
Harvey  L.  (our  subject),  Morgan,  Jonas  and 
Ruth.  The  fatlier  came  with  his  family  to 
Yermillion  County,  Indiana,  in  1861.  In 
1870  the  family  removed  to  Edgar  County, 
Illinois,  where  the  father  died  in  1871,  the 
mother  and  family  returning  to  this  county 
in  1872.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  to  the  vocation  of  a  farmer,  receiving 
in  his  boyhood  the  benefits  of  the  common 
schools.  He  made  the  most  of  his  oppoi-tuui- 
ties,  and  by  close  observation  and  diligent 
study  he  became  a  well  educated  man,  and 
since  1878  he  has  followed  the  teacher's  pro- 
fession both  summer  and  winter,  becoming  a 
successful  and  popular  instructor.  He  lives 
with  his  mother  who  is  now  in  her  sixty-first 
year.  He  began  preaching  the  gospel  in  tiie 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  1886,  and  has 


now  four  appointments.  He  has  held  the 
position  of  Secretary  of  the  County  Sabiwtli- 
School  Association,  and  takes  an  active 
interest  in  Sabbath-school  work.  He  has 
collected  a  fine  library,  his  liooks  being  valued 
at  %qQO. 


tARON  MARTIN,  a  farmer  of  Clinton 
Township,  was  born  in  Rockingham 
County,  North  Carolina,  January  25, 
1824,  a  son  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Riddle) 
Martin,  who  M-ere  born,  reared  and  married 
in  that  State.  In  1827  they  came  north 
with  their  family,  and  after  a  short  residence 
in  Ohio,  they  settled  in  Shelby  County,  Indi- 
ana, remaining  there  until  1837.  They  then 
removed  to  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  life  in  that  and  A"er- 
million  County,  Indiana,  both  dying  in  Ed- 
gar County  many  years  ago.  Aaron  Martin, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  has  spent  most  of 
his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  nearly 
all  his  life  since  reaching  manhood  has  been 
spent  in  A^ermilliun  County.  He  now  re- 
sides on  section  22,  Clinton  Townshij),  M'here 
he  is  engaged  in  farming  and  coal  mining. 
He  is  the  owner  of  forty  acres  of  land  where 
he  resides,  and  a  tract  of  ten  acres  located  in 
another  part  of  Clinton  Township.  Mr.  Mar- 
tin was  united  in  marriage  February  14, 
1850,  to  Miss  Hannah  Norton,  who  was  born 
in  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  April  25,  1829,  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Hannah  Norton. 
She  came  with  her  parents  to  Yermillion 
County,  Indiana,  in  1848,  they  shortly  after 
removing  across  the  line  to  Edgar  County, 
Illinois,  where  they  lived  until  their  death, 
the  father  dying  in  September,  and  the 
mother  in  November,  1883.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Martin  have  seven  children  living — Mrs. 
Missouri    Bell,    of  Clinton  Township;  Mrs. 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


Charity  Haupt,  of  Lyon  County,  Kansas; 
Mrs.  Laura  Pennington,  of  Edgar  County, 
Illinois,  and  Elizabeth  Adon,  of  Edgar  Coun- 
ty, Illinois;  George  S.,  Emma  and  Delia,  at 
home  with  their  parents.  Two  of  their  chil- 
dren, named  Sarah  O.  and  Erancis,  are 
deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin,  with  four 
of  their  daughters,  Missouri,  Elizaheth, 
Laura  and  Emma,  are  members  of  the  Prot- 
estant Methodist  church.  In  politics  Mr. 
Martin  is  a  Republican  with  Prohibition 
proclivities. 


tEVI  S.  SCOTT,  a  prominent  and  enter- 
prising agriculturist  of  Vermillion 
County,  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  was  born  on  the  liomestead  where  he 
now  resides,  on  section  15,  Clinton  Tonwship, 
the  date  of  his  birth  being  October  29,  1855, 
a  son  of  Matthew  W.  Scott,  who  is  now  a 
resident  of  Clinton.  He  was  reared  to  the 
vocation  of  a  fanner,  and  all  his  life  has 
been  spent  in  this  neighborhood.  The  home- 
stead upon  which  he  resides  was  his  father's 
tirst  home  in  Clinton  Township,  and  here  he 
lived  until  January  5, 1882,  when  he  removed 
to  Clinton.  He  still  owns  the  property,  his 
son,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  managing  the 
same,  and  at  the  same  time  carries  on  his 
own  farm  on  section  21,  where  he  has  160 
acres  of  choice  land,  the  latter  being  known 
as  the  McPheter's  farm  to  old  settlers.  Levi 
S.  Scott  was  united  in  marriage  September 
10,  1878,  to  Miss  Susannah  Scott,  a  daughter 
of  James  and  Emily  Scott.  Though  of  the 
same  namehis  wife  was  not  arelative.  She  was 
born  in  Connorsville,  Indiana,  May  27, 1855. 
Her  parents  now  reside  in  Charleston,  Illi- 
nois. Two  children  have  been  born  to  Mr. 
and  ]\Trs.  Scott,  named  Grace  D.  and  Ivan  AV. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Scott  afhliates  with 


the  Democratic  party.  Mr.  Scott  is  classed 
among  the  active  and  public-S])irited  men  of 
his  township,  and  every  enterprise  calculated 
to  advance  the  interests  of  his  township  or 
county  has  his  encouragement  and  assistance. 

fHARLES  P.WALKER,  superintendent 
and  treasurer  of  the  Norton  Creek  Coal 
Mines,  and  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  of  Yermillion  County,  is  a  native  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  born  October  22,  1819. 
His  father,  Christopher  Walker,  was  a  mer- 
chant in  that  city,  and  later  was  in  the  mer- 
cantile trade  at  Connorsville,  Indiana,  and 
from  Connorsville  he  removed  to  Logansport, 
Indiana.  He  became  interested  in  railroad 
enterprises,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1869,  he  was  the  treasurer  of  the  Chicngi) 
&,  Great  Eastern,  now  known  as  the  Pan- 
Handle  Railroad.  Charles  P.  Walker,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  received  a  good  busi- 
ness education,  and  early  in  life  became  one 
of  the  clerical  staff  in  the  railroad  treasurer's 
oflice,  under  the  supervision  of  his  father. 
He  has  been  a  resident  of  Clinton  since  the 
spring  of  1874,  and  during  his  residence  in 
Vermillion  County  he  has  been  engaged  in 
coal  production.  About  300  men  on  an 
average  are  employed  by  the  Norton  Creek 
Mining  Company,  and  in  his  position  as 
treasurer  Mr.  Walker  is  trusted  with  the 
management  of  large  interests.  The  com- 
pany, in  order  to  accommodate  their  exten- 
sive business,  erected  a  large  building  for 
mercantile  trade,  and  put  up  several  tene- 
ment houses  to  accommodate  their  employes, 
in  Clinton  Township,  two  and  a  half  miles 
northwest  of  Clinton,  and  gave  this  villnge 
the  name  of  Geneva,  in  honor  of  Mr.  Walk- 
er's second  daughter.     Mr.  Walker  was  mar- 


//^^^  C^fcKjU 


l>C-X.^y^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL    HKETOHES. 


ried  in  Logausjjort  in  1872,  to  Miss  Jennie 
Sam  mis,  a  native  of  Brooklyn,  New  York, 
and  of  the  five  children  born  to  them  only 
three  are  living — Nettie,  Geneva  and  Charles 
P.  r'anuie  died  in  her  third  year,  and  Eachel 
died  in.infancy.  Mr.  Walker  belongs  to  both 
the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  orders.  He  is 
an  active,  public-spirited  citizen,  and  is 
always  interested  in  the  welfare  of  his  town 
or  count v. 


ADISON    NOLAN 


I'^AUiouiN  i>(ui^AiN  is  a  native  oi 
Yermillion    County,    Indiana,    born 

"^^  May  10,  1837,  and  a  worthy  repre- 
-fiilative  of  one  of  the  earliest  pioneer  fam- 
ilies of  the  county.  His  parents,  Samuel  and 
Sarah  (Cellars)  Nulan.  were  born,  reared  and 
May  10,  1816,  were  married  in  Shenandoah 
County,  Virginia,  where  their  three  eldest  chil- 
d  ren  were  born.  They  left  the  Shenandoah  Val- 
ley for  A^ermillion  County,  Indiana,  in  1820, 
and  settled  in  the  woods  on  section  33,  Ilelt 
Township.  The  father  in  his  younger  days 
was  a  school-teacher,  and  followed  that  voca-- 
tion  eight  years.  He  brought  with  him  to 
the  county  quite  a  cash  capital,  and  being  a 
man  of  great  energy  and  good  business  man- 
agement, he  was  soon  classed  among  the 
most  prosperous  farmers  in  the  county.  At 
one  time  he  suifered  quite  a  loss  by  having 
§1,450  in  currency  stolen  from  his  residence. 
After  reaching  manhood  he  affiliated  with 
the  Whig  party,  and  became  a  strong  anti- 
slavery  man,  and  naturally  became  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Republican  party.  He  was 
a  consistent  Christian  and  a  member  of  the 
Protestant  Methodist  church.  He  retained 
his  mental  and  physical  vigor  until  about 
three  3'ears  before  his  death,  which  occurred 
February  9,  1872,  in  bis  eighty-first  year. 
His  estate,  outside  of  his  personal  property, 


consisted  of  about  1,500  acres  of  land.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  died  in  1851.  The 
children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Nolan 
are  as  follows — Angeline  first  married  John 
Ilollingsworth,  and  after  his  death  married 
Benjamin  Ailsher  and  reared  a  family  by 
each  marriage;  she  died  in  Kansas  in  1883, 
aged  sixty-five  years.  Alfred  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-eight  years,  leaving  a  widow  and 
two  children;  John  died  in  June,  1883,  aged 
sixty-two  years;  James  died  aged  fortj'-eight 
years,  leaving  a  widow  and  one  child;  Mrs. 
Emily  Dustheiiner,  a  widow,  residing  in 
Kansas;  Alcain,  living  in  EdgarCounty,  Illi- 
nois; Melinda  died  aged  two  years;  Mrs. 
x\manda  Hollingsworth,  deceased;  Jeftersou 
was  a  member  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Illinois 
Infantry,  and  died  July  25,  1865,  in  Edgar 
County,  Illinois,  aged  thirty-three  years; 
Mrs.[Lydia  Schrader,  a  resident  of  California; 
Madison,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Milton, 
who  now  lives  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Seventy-ninth  Illinois  In- 
fantry. Samuel  Nolan  was  a  second  time 
united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Lucinda  Fitzger- 
ald, who  survived  him  about  four  j'ears. 
Madison  Nolan,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  reared  on  the  homestead  of  his 
parents,  and  educated  in  the  schools  of  his 
neighborhood.  With  the  exception  of  the 
time  spent  in  the  late  war  and  two  years  in 
Kansas  and  Missouri,  he  has  always  lived  in 
Vermillion  County  and  near  the  home  of  his 
birth.  While  a  young  man  he  taught  two 
terms  of  school.  He  was  a  loyal  and  ardent 
supporter  of  Abraham  Lincoln's  administra- 
tion, and  August  12;  1862,  he  enlisted  in 
defense  of  the  Union,  becoming  a  member  of 
Company  D,  Eighty-fifth  Indiana  Infantry. 
Tlie  regiment  left  Indiana  September  3  fol- 
lowing, and  was  employed  on  guard  and 
garrison  duty  and  in  protecting  lines  of  com- 
munication in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  until 


r 


.J 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


the  beginning  of  tlie  Atlanta  campaign.  In 
tlie  campaign  cnlminating  in  the  capture  of 
Atlanta  the  regiment  did  gallant  service,  and 
followed  the  banners  of  Sherman  to  the  sea, 
and  through  the  Carolinas.  At  Averasboro, 
North  Carolina,  in  one  of  the  last  engage- 
ments of  the  war,  March  16, 1865,  Mr.  Nolan 
was  so  severely  wounded  in  the  left  arm  as 
to  necessitate  its  amputation.  He  now  re- 
ceives a  liberal  pension  from  the  Gorernment. 
June  29,  1865,  he  was  honorably  discharged 
from  David's  Island  Hospital  on  Long  Island 
Sound.  He  was  united  in  marriage  Decem- 
ber 31,  1868,  to  Miss  Harriet  L.  Stillwell. 
a  native  of  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  and  a 
daughter  of  John  Stillwell.  She  died  April 
20.  1870,  aged  twenty  years,  leaving  at  her 
death  one  child  named  Vachel,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  ten  years.  Mr.  Nolan  was  mar- 
ried a  second  time,  April  20,  1871,  to  Miss 
Minerva  A.  Scissel,  who  was  born  in  Ohio 
June  20,  1844,  but  reared  and  educated  in 
Edgar  County,  Illinois,  and  there  taught 
several  schools,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
James  Scissel.  They  are  the  parents  of  one 
daughter,  Cora,  a  young  lady  of  fine  literary 
and  musical  accomplishments.  Mr.  Nolan  is 
the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  140  acres  on  sec- 
tion 4,  Clinton  Township,  where  he  resides, 
with  excellent  building  improvements.  His 
residence  is  surrounded  by  shade  and  orna- 
mental trees,  and  everything  about  the  place 
indicates  the  owner  to  be  a  thorough,  practical 
farmer.  In  politics  Mr.  Nolan  is  an  ardent 
Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the  United 
l>retliren  church,  and  a  respected  citizen  of 
the  county. 


-^^^ 


jANIEL  E.  STRAIN,  farmer  and  stock- 

I;  raisci-,  section   20,  Ilelt  Township,  was 

born  in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  March  2, 


1821,  a  son  of  William  Strain,  a  native  of 
Kentucky.  His  father  and  an  uncle,  Thomas 
Strain,  were  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
both  were  present  at  Hull's  surrender  at 
Detroit.  His  grandfather,  Thomas  Strain, 
was  a  native  of  Scotland.  In  1833  his  parents 
moved  to  Shelby  County,  Indiana,  and  lived 
a  few  miles  southeast  of  Indianapolis  si.\ 
years  and  in  1839  he  came  to  Vermillion 
County,  where  he  has  since  lived  with  the 
exception  of  about  five  years  spent  in  Edgar 
County,  Illinois.  He  is  one  of  the  prosperous 
farmers  of  Helt  Township,  where  he  owns  a 
good  farm  of  160  acres.  He  makes  a  special- 
ty of  graded  stock,  having  some  of  the  best 
cattle  and  hogs  in  the  county.  Mr.  Strain 
was  married  in  1850  to  Mary  Helt,  daughter 
of  Daniel  Helt,  a  pioneer  of  Vermillion 
County.  To  them  have  been  born  six  chil- 
dren— Isaac,  America,  Charles  H.,  Elizabeth, 
James  (deceased),  and  Joseph.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Strain  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.      In  politics   he  is  a  Republican. 


^...-.iMl.^n^ 

fAMES  r.  HAAYORTH,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  section  7,  Vermillion  Township, 
is  a  native  of  Vermillion  County,  born 
in  1834,  a  son  of  Richard  and  Susannah 
(Henderson)  Ilaworth,  natives  of  Tennessee 
and  South  Carolina  respectively.  His  parents 
lived  for  some  time  in  Ohio,  and  from  that 
State  moved  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
in  1820,  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  wild  land  in 
Vermillion  Township,  their  nearest  neighbor 
at  that  time  being  sixteen  miles  distant. 
This  land  they  improved  and  made  their 
home  until  their  death.  James  P.  was  reared 
on  his  father's  farm,  and  now  owns  a  part  of 
the  old  homestead.  After  nearly  seventy 
years  of  cultivation,  the  hmd  in  this  section 
has  proven  to  be  immensely  rich,  affording 


BIOORAPHIGAL    SKETCHES. 


heavy  crops  of  all  kinds  of  grain  grown  in 
this  climate.  Its  adaptation  to  the  different 
kinds  of  grasses  is  admirable.  Blue  grass 
and  white  clover  are  natives  in  this  soil;  they 
make  a  luxuriant  growth,  thus  affording  an 
abundant  pasturage  for  all  domestic  animals, 
thus  making  stock-raising  a  paying  enter- 
prise. He  was  married  in  1858  to  Eebecca 
Tiiornton,  a  native  of  Yermillion  County, 
Illinois,  born  in  1837,  a  daughter  of  Joshua 
and  Sarah  (Brown)  Tiiornton.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ilaworth  have  had  eight  children,  six  of 
whom  are  living — Justin,  Rosella,  liichard, 
John  T.,  Lucy  and  Dayton  D.  Justin  mar- 
ried Matilda  Mills,  and  has  two  children — 
Lucy  and  Huher.  Rosella  is  the  wife  of 
Cassius  Hester.  Mr.  Ilaworth  and  his  family 
are  members  of  the  society  of  Friends.  In 
politics  he  affiliates  with  the  Prohibition 
party. 


flLLIAM  I.  HALL,  M.  D.,  the 
pioneer  physician  of  Gessie,  was 
l"=?y^I  born  in  Williamsport,  Warren  Coun- 
ty, Indiana,  in  May,  1841,  his  father,  Rev. 
Colbratli  Hall,  being  among  the  ffrst  farmers 
and  preachers  of  that  county,  where  he  still 
lives.  Rev.  Colbrath  Hall  is  a  native  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  born  January  20,  1806, 
and  although  in  his  eighty-second  year,  he  is 
still  active,  and  y^t  engaged  in  the  ministry. 
Dr.  Hall  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native 
county,  and  enlisted  from    there   in   August, 

1862,  in  Company  E,  Eighty-sixth  Indiana 
Infantry.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Perryville,  bnt  in  December,  1862,  he  was 
compelled  to  go  to  the  hospital  on  account  of 
illness.  On  his  recovery  he  was  detailed  for 
hospital  duty  at  Nashville,  and  this  hospital 
service  was  his  first  school  in  medicine.  He 
remained  on  hospital  duty  until  the   close   of 

1863,  when    discharged  for  disability.     He 


then  returned  home  and  shortly  after  his  re- 
turn, he  was  appointed  i)y  Gove,  nor  Morton, 
Assistant  Military  Agent  of  the  State  of  In- 
diana, with  headquarters  at  Chattanooga, 
which  position  he  occupied  until  after  the 
fall  of  Atlanta,  when  he  resigned.  During 
his  service  in  the  hospital  he  liad  laid  the 
foundation  for  medical  study,  and  on  his  return 
from  Chattanooga,  he  entered  the  drug  store 
of  his  brother-in-law  at  Williamsport,  and  at 
the  same  time  studied  medicine.  In  Octobei-, 
1865,  he  entered  the  medical  department  of 
the  Michigan  State  University  at  Ann  Ar- 
bor, where  he  remained  until  .\pril,  1866, 
when  he  returned  to  Williaiiis])ort.  In  the 
spring  of  1867,  he  began  the  practice  of 
medicine  at  Jelferson,  in  Clinton  County, 
Indiana.  During  the  winter  of  lS69-'70, 
he  attended  the  Ohio  Medical  College  at 
Cincinnati,  graduating  from  that  institution 
in  the  spring  of  1870.  In  1870  he  came  to 
Iligliland  Township,  Vermillion  County,  and 
when  the  railroad  station  was  located  at  Ges- 
sie, in  1872,  he  established  himself  at  this 
place  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  He  purchased 
the  first  lot  and  erected  the  first  house  on  the 
village  plat,  and  has  ever  since  been  one  of 
the  most  active  and  public-spirited  men  of 
the  place.  Dr.  Hall  was  married  at  Jeffer- 
son, to  Miss  Elizabeth  Hall  of  that  place, 
and  tliey  are  the  parents  of  three  children — 
Wendell  Velpeau,  a  student  at  AVabash  Col- 
lege; William  B.  and  Mary  Henrietta.  In 
politics  the  doctor  is  a  Republican,  and  is  a 
warm  supporter  of  tlie  principles  of  his  party. 


fEORGE  FRANKLIN  SKIDMORE,  re- 
siding  on   section   16,  Helt  Township, 
Yermillion  County,  is  a  blacksmith   by 
trade,  also  carries  on  a  general   repair  shop, 


and  also  works  a  little  in  wood,  lie  is  a 
skillful  and  reliable  workman,  and  is  meeting 
with  good  success  in  liis  business.  He  is  a 
native  of  Ilelt  Township,  this  county,  the 
date  of  liis  birth  being  January  13,  1855, 
and  is  a  son  of  Hon.  William  Skidmore,  now 
deceased,  who  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  the 
county  for  many  years.  Our  subject  was 
leared  to  the  vocation  of  a  farmer  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Ilelt  Township,  and  received 
his  education  principally  in  Liberty  school- 
house,  lie  owns  nineteen  and  a  half  acres  of 
choice  land  where  he  resides.  He  was  united 
in  marriage,  October  31,  1878,  to  Miss  Su- 
sannah Tillotson,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Tillot- 
son,  her  father  being  deceased.  Three  children 
liave  l)een  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Skid- 
more,  whose  names  are  Cora  B.,  George  W. 
and  Hoy  B.  JBoth  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Skidmore 
are  active  and  consistent  Christians,  the  for- 
mer being  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren 
church  at  Liberty,  and  the  latter  being  a 
member  of  the  I'aptist  church  at  Toronto. 


1^11.  IIENHY  T.  WATKINS,  physician 
y*\  iMn  and  surgeon,  St.  Bernice,  Vermillion 
^^  Connty,  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
July  14, 1850.  His  father,  John  C.  AVatkins, 
who  is  now  deceased,  was  a  native  of  England, 
coming  to  the  United  States  when  a  young 
man.  For  thirty  years  he  was  engaged  in 
contracting  and  building  in  Cincinnati.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  and  educated 
in  Cincinnati. graduating  from  the  high  school 
at  that  city  in  1868.  He  subsequently  attended 
the  Miami  Medical  College  of  Cincinnati.  He 
graduated  from  Ilahnneman  Medical  College, 
of  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  is  also  a  graduate  of 
the  Kentucky  School  of  Medicine,  at  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  taking  a  special  course  in 
chemistry  and    surgery  while    at  Louisville. 


He  took  special  courses  in  Chicago  in  diseases 
of  the  eye  and  ear,  and  in  diseases  of  women 
and  children,  and  is  now  making  a  specialty 
of  tliese  diseases.  He  came  to  St.  Bernice  in 
1881.  Dr.  Watkins  was  married  in  the 
spring  of  1869,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  P.  McAwane, 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  children, 
named  Annie  and  Alma.  The  Doctor  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 


f'EOPtGE  W.  STULTZ.  one  of  Clinton 
f  Township's  representative  citizens,  re- 
L  siding  on  section  21,  is  a  native  of  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  born  in  Clinton 
Township,  October  29, 1841.  George  Stultz, 
the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  one  of 
the  early  pioneers  of  the  county,  coming  with 
his  family  from  Ohio,  and  settling  on  section 
85,  Clinton  Township,  about  the  year  1832, 
where  he  lived  until  his  death.  His  second 
son,  Solomon  Stultz,  was  the  father  of  our 
subject.  He  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  settled  in  this  county.  He 
married  Miss  Zenia  A.  Groves,  and  of  the  eight 
children  born  to  this  union  our  subject  was 
the  eldest.  The  other  children  are — Lewis 
G.,  who  served  in  the  Seventy-first  Indiana 
Infantry,  and  the  Sixth  Indiana  Cavalry  dur- 
tng  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  is  now  living  in 
Clinton  Township;  Joseph  II.,  a  resident  of 
Edgar  County,  Illinois;  Drusilla  J.  and  Will- 
iam died  after  reaching  maturity,  and  three 
*who  died  in  infancy.  In  1852  the  family 
removed  to  Knox  County,  Missoiiri,  where 
the  mother  died  in  February,  1854,  aged 
thirty-two  years.  Not  long  alter  his  wife's 
death  Solomon  Stultz  returned  to  this  county, 
and  about  six  months  later  he  married  Mrs. 
Melinda  Ileeder,  widow  of  William  Reeder, 
by  whom  she  had  five  children.  Mr.  Stultz 
then  settled  on  section  21,  Clinton  Township, 


BIOORAPniCAL    SKETCBES. 


the  former  home  of  "\Yilliam  Reeder,  and  to 
his  second  marriage  were  born  three  children 
— Alfred  C,  of  Clinton  Township;  John,  who 
died  in  infancy,  and  Mrs.  Nettie  G.  Gray,  of 
Clinton.  The  father  died  in  February,  1886- 
He  was  a  worthy  and  consistent  member  of 
the  Baptist  church,  and  a  much  respected 
citizen.  His  widow  still  survives,  and  lives 
at  the  old  home  in  Clinton  Township.  George 
W.  Stultz,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was 
reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  has  always 
followed  the  vocation  of  a  farmer.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  log  cabin  subscrip- 
tion schools  of  his  neighborhood,  where  he 
made  the  most  of  his  limited  advantages. 
When  the  war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  the 
Fourteenth  Indiana  Infantry  for  three  months, 
but  went  to  the  front  in  Company  H,  Six- 
teenth Indiana  Infantry,  under  an  enlistment 
for  one  year,  which  he  served  in  Maryland  and 
Virginia.  October  25,  1863,  he  married 
iliss  Sarah  Clark,  who  was  born  on  the 
homestead,  where  she  now  lives,  the  second 
child  of  James  and  Serena  (Bright)  Clark. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Hamilton  County, 
Ohio,  in  1800,  and  was  first  married  in  his 
native  State  to  Miss  Sarah  Round,  and  three 
of  the  children  born  to  this  union  are  yet 
living — Mrs.  Jane  Halter  and  Mrs.  Lydia 
Crabb,  residents  of  Washington  Territory, 
and  Mrs.  Mary  Stone,  of  Clinton.  Mr.  Clark 
settled  in  Vermillion  County,  when  it  was  a 
dense  forest,  and  when  Indians  and  wild 
animals  were  the  principal  inhabitants.  He 
was  again  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  James 
S.  Sinitli,  who  was  born  and  reared  in  the 
State  of  North  Carolina.  To  this  union  live 
children  were  born,  Mrs.  Stultz  being  the 
second  child.  Of  the  others,  Joseph  S.  and 
James  G.  live  in  Clinton  Township  near  Mrs. 
Stultz;  Mrs.  Delia  Ann  Martin  lives  in  Kan- 
sas, and  Mrs.  Susan  E.  Porter  is  deceased. 
Mr.  Clark  died  April  11,  1877,  his  widow 


surviving  until  September  16,  1880,  both 
dying  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years.  Mrs. 
Clark  was  twice  married  before  becoming  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Clark,  taking  for  her  first  husband 
Jesse  B.  Co.x,  and  ^for  her  second  husband 
James  S.  Smith.  She  was  a  member  of  the 
Missionary  Baptist  church.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Stultz  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  all 
yet  alive  under  the  home  roof;  their  names 
being — Charles  A.,  Samuel  C.  and  George  R. 
Five  of  their  children  are  deceased — Lewis 
M.,  died  in  his  eighth  year;  Lawrence  E., 
aged  four  years;  Lena,  aged  four  years,  and 
two  who  died  in  infancy.  As  before  stated 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stultz  make  their  home  on  the 
old  homestead  of  her  parents,  which  is  located 
on  the  Hazel  Bluff  Gravel  road,  and  contains 
120  acres  of  choice  land.  Besides  this  farm 
Mr.  Stultz  owns  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  also 
located  in  Clinton  Township.  In  polities  he 
is  an  ardent  Republican,  and  prominent  in 
local  politics.  He  held  the  othce  of  trustee 
of  Clinton  Township  from  1882  until  1886, 
serving  as  such  with  credit  to  himself,  and  to 
the  best  interests  of  his  township.  He  is  a 
meml)er  of  tiie  Odd  Fellows  order,  belonging 
to  Amant  Lodge,  No.  350,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of 
Clinton.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  worthy 
members  of  the  Methodist  church. 


fACOB  MILLER,  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  j^ioneers  of  Vermillion  County, 
[  residing  on  section  22,  Ilelt  Township, 
was  born  in  Lewis  County,  Kentucky,  Febru- 
ary 28,  1818.  His  father,  Jacob  Miller,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  a  son 
of  Jacob  Miller,  who  was  a  native  of  Ger- 
many. The  mother  of  our  subject,  Barbaia 
(Fried)  Miller,  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  and 
of  German  descent.  The  parents  came  with 
their  fomily  to  Indiana  in  1831,  they  settling 


in  Parke  Comity.  In  those  days  they  paid 
$1.50  per  Imndred  for  pork,  and  corn  was 
sold  as  low  as  8  and  10  cents  per  bushel 
along  the  Wabash,  and  as  there  was  no  mar- 
ket for  it,  it  was  shipped  by  flat-boat  to  New 
Orleans.  In  1832  the  family  came  to  Ver- 
million County,  and  located  in  Ilelt  Town- 
ship, where  our  subject  was  reared,  his  early 
life  being  spent  in  assisting  on  the  home 
farm  and  in  attending  the  subscription  school, 
where  he  received  but  a  limited  education. 
When  a  lad  of  fourteen  years  he  found 
employment  as  cook  on  a  keel-boat  which 
carried  salt  and  goods  from  the  Eapids  on 
the  Wabash,  in  low  water,  to  Terre  Haute, 
Covington  and  La  Fayette.  When  fifteen 
years  old  he  helped  to  drive  400  head  of 
hogs  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  walking  the  entire 
distance  home.  In  early  manliood  he  made 
iive  trips  to  New  Orleans  on  a  flat-boat,  with 
produce,  returning  by  steamer  to  Evansville, 
Indiana,  sometimes  making  the  remaining 
distance  by  stage,  and  sometimes  walking 
home  from  Evansville.  He  has  always  been 
a  great  walker,  sometimes  walking  forty  miles 
in  one  da3^  In  his  younger  days  he  raked 
and  bound  wheat,  keeping  up  with  the  cradle, 
for  $1  a  day.  In  one  day  he  bound  183  dozen 
sheaves,  making  him  the  champion  of  the 
county,  and  in  fact  thei-e  is  not  another  par- 
allel case  on  record  in  the  county.  In  one 
day  he  raked  and  bound  six  acres  of  oats  for 
Silas  Davis,  Sr.,  receiving  in  payment  a 
twenty-two-gallon  vinegar  keg,  iron  bound 
and  painted,  which  keg  is  still  in  his  pos- 
session. He  began  life  on  his  own  account 
in  limited  circumstances.  About  that  time 
he  had  gone  security  for  $250,  which  he  had 
to  pay;  but  by  hard  work  and  persevering 
energy  he  has  succeeded  well  in  his  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  and  has  now  a  competence 
for  his  declining  years.  His  farm  where  he 
resides  contains  153  acres  of  well-improved 


land,  under  a  fine  state  of  cultivation.  ]\Ir. 
Miller  was  married  June  20,  1841,  to  IMiss 
Phcebe  A.  Helt,  whose  father,  Daniel,  was 
among  the  early  settlers  of  this  county. 
Eight  children  have  been  born  to  them,  as 
follows — Indiana  (deceased),  Mary  J.  (^de- 
ceased), Daniel,  Sylvester,  Bloomer,  Charles 
F.,  Emma  and  Jacob,  Jr.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Miller  and  a  number  of  their  children  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  church. 
In  polities  he  is  a  Republican. 


►>»^^ 


[EORGE    R.    HOPKINS, 

?  p-.ominent  and    progressi\ 


one  of  the 
3  farmers  of 
W^  Clinton  Township,  and  a  much  respected 
citizen,  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  Edgar 
County,  November  3, 1851,  a  son  of  William 
and  Kesiah  Hopkins.  The  father  died  many 
years  ago,  but  his  widow  still  survives,  Ijeing 
yet  a  resident  of  Edgar  County.  They  were 
the  parents  of  two  children — Mrs.  Cassandra 
Layton,  who  lives  in  Illinois,  and  George  R. 
The  latter  was  reared  to  the  vocation  of  a 
farmer,  which  he  has  made  his  life  work,  and 
ranks  among  the  thorough,  practical  farmers 
of  Vermillion  County.  He  resides  on  sec- 
tion 17,  Clinton  Township,  where  he  has  a 
well  improved  and  very  productive  farm  of 
120  acres,  all  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, with  the  exception  of  thirty-five  acres 
reserved  for  timber.  Mr.  Hopkins  keeps  up 
with  the  spirit  of  the  age  in  availing  himself 
of  improved  methods  in  farming.  In  1873 
Mr.  Hopkins  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Josephine  Skidmore,  a  daughter  of  Joshua 
Skidmore,  one  of  the  prominent  early  settlers 
of  Clinton  Township.  To  this  union  two 
children  were  born,  both  of  whom  are  de- 
ceased— Ada,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three 
years,  and  Mary,  aged  one  month.  ISIrs. 
Hopkins  died  in  1876,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 


BIOORAPBICAL    SKETCHES. 


427 


three  years.  Mr.  Hopkins  was  again  married 
December  28,  1882,  to  Miss  Annabel  Harri- 
son, a  daughter  of  Robert  Harrison,  and  a 
granddaughter  of  Benjamin,  an  early  pioneer 
of  Clinton  Township.  In  politics  Mr.  Hop- 
kins is  a  Republican,  and  a  strong  adherent 
to  the  ])rinciples  of  that  party. 


;ILLIAM  BALES,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  resides  on  section  36,  Helt 
Township,  where  he  owns  a  half  in- 
terest in  320  acres  of  valuable  land,  lie 
was  born  in  Lee  County,  Virginia,  June  22, 
1827,  a  son  of  George  Bales,  who  was  born 
the  valley  of  the  James  River,  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  in  1830  brouglit  his  family  to  In- 
diana, and  settled  on  what  is  now  the  farm 
of  liis  son  William.  At  the  time  of  his 
sett]en:ent  in  Vermillion  County  it  was  a 
lieavily  timbered  tract,  and  was  infested  with 
deer,  wolves,  wild  cats  and  otlier  animals. 
William  Bales  was  reared  in  tlie  midst  of 
this  wildness,  and  in  his  early  life  was  obliged 
to  undergo  many  hardships  unknown  to  the 
young  people  of  Vermillion  County  to-day. 
He  began  to  assist  his  father  when  very 
young,  and  as  lie  was  only  allowed  to  attend 
school  wlien  liis  services  were  not  required 
at  home,  his  education  was  limited;  bnt  he 
lias  taken  an  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his 
county,  and  is  well  posted  on  all  topics  of 
general  importance.  He  learned  tlie  carpen- 
ter's trade  wlien  a  young  man,  and  has  fol- 
lowed it  in  connection  with  the  cultivation  of 
his  tarm,  and  has  built  many  of  the  l)est 
liouses  in  his  neighborhood.  Mr.  Bales  was 
married  February  28,  1862,  to  Ann  Ander- 
son, daughter  of  Calvin  Anderson.  To  Mr. 
aTid  Mrs.  Bales  have  been  born  nine  children, 
all  at  home — Pharaba,  Effie,  Esther,  Myrtle, 
Ida,  George,  Mattie,  AVilhelmina  and  Mary. 


Mr.  Bales  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity. Ho  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
United  Brethren  church. 


f  MARTIN  SMITH,  one  of  Highland 
Township's  active  and  enterprising  cit- 
®  izens,  was  born  in  Blair  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1834.  He  was  reared  to  manhood 
in  his  native  State,  remaining  there  until 
twenty  years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Galion, 
Crawford  County,  Ohio,  remaining  tliere 
until  1865.  Mr.  Smith  was  engaged  in  rail- 
roading for  twenty-five  years,  and  during  the 
last  fifteen  years  of  that  time  he  was  engi- 
neer on  the  Wabash  road.  He  resided  in 
Springfield,  Illinois,  until  1880,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Vermillion 
County.  He  was  married  in  1876  to  Miss 
Isabella  Barnett,  a  daughter  of  George  W. 
and  Jane  (Moore)  Barnett.  She  was  born  on 
the  old  homestead,  where  she  still  lives,  in 
1845.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  the  parents 
of  two  children,  named  Florence  and  Pearl. 
Both  parents  of  Mrs.  Smith  were  representa- 
tives of  early  pioneer  families,  and  the  Bar-, 
nettfamilyhas  long  been  recognizedamongthe 
progressive  families  of  Vermillion  County, 
Illinois.  James  Barnett,  the  great-grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Smith,  was  of  Irish  descent. 
He  married  a  Miss  O'Connell,  an  Irish  lady, 
and  reared  a  large  family.  He  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  died,  and  soon  after  his  death  his 
widow  removed  with  her  family  to  Kentucky. 
George  Barnett,  Sr.,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Smith,  also  reared  a  large  family,  six  sons, 
James  D.,  Robert  E.,  William  R.,  John  M. 
George  W.  and  Elbert,  and  two  daughters, 
grew  to  maturity,  all  being  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky. The  father  removed  from  Kentucky 
with  all  his  family   but  James,  who  was  en- 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNT T. 


gagrid  in  teaching  in  Davies  Cloinity  Indiana, 
and  settled  in  Ycnnillion  County,  Illinois,  in 
the  summer  of  1828.  James  subsequently 
settled  in  the  same  coiinty,  where  he  died. 
Robert  E.  and  George  W.  subsequently  be- 
came residents  of  Vermillion  County,  Indi- 
ana, the  former  coming  in  the  year  1830,  in 
which  year  he  began  clerking  in  the  store  of 
J.  and  S.  S.  CoUett  at  Eugene.  Four  years 
later  he  formed  a  partnership  with  S.  S.  Col- 
lett  and  Nathaniel  Adams,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Collett  &  Adams.  About  1845  he 
bought  out  Mr.  Collett  and  became  associated 
in  business  with  Joseph  Moore,  Mr.  Adams 
having  died,  this  partnership  continuing 
until  1853.  In  1858  Robert  Barnett  returned 
to  his  farm  in  Vermillion  County,  Illinois, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  George  AV.  Bar- 
nett, the  father  of  Mrs.  Smith,  was  much 
younger  than  his  brother  Robert,  and  came 
to  this  county  some  time  after  he  settled 
here.  He  began  life  at  Eugene  as  a  clerk, 
and  later  engaged  in  business  for  himself. 
He  was  married  at  Eugene  to  Miss  Jane 
Moore,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Moore,  and  to 
them  were  born  two  children — Isabelle,  wife 
of  ]\Ir.  Smith,  and  Thomas,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  seventeen  years.  They  lived  in  Ver- 
million County,  Illinois,  for  a  short  time 
after  their  marriage,  but  in  1845  returned  to 
this  county  and  settled  in  the  south  part  of 
Highland  Township.  In  1851  during  the 
gold  excitement  in  California,  Mr.  Barnett 
went  to  that  State.  Mrs.  Barnett  died  at  the 
homestead  in  Highland  Township,  October 
13,  18G9. 


fOSEPII   C.  LYNN,  farmer    and    stock- 
raiser,  Helt  Township,  near  St.  Bernice, 
was    born  in    Prince    William    County, 
Virginia,  August  13,  1828,  a   son  of  Josej)h 


C.  Lynn,  a  native  of  the  same  county.  His 
father  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
spent  his  life  in  his  native  State.  Our  sub- 
ject was  reared  on  a  farm,  receiving  but  a 
limited  education  in  the  schools  of  the  early 
day.  He  remained  in  his  native  State  until 
1854,  when  he  moved  to  Washington  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  the  tanner  and 
currier's  trade  until  1860,  when  he  went  to 
Missouri,  but  remained  there  only  a  few 
weeks,  returning  east  as  far  as  Vern^illion 
Coiinty,  and  located  in  Helt  Township,  where 
he  has  since  lived.  He  owns  thirty-one  and 
a  half  acres  of  land,  but  pays  special  atten- 
tion to  farming  and  stock-raising,  his  stock 
being  of  the  graded  Poland-China  and  Ches- 
ter white  hogs  and  Holstein  cattle.  Mr. 
Lynn  was  married  March  18,  1856,  to  Mary 
E.  Dowell,  daughter  of  Jesse  Dowell.  Mrs. 
Lynn  died  September  12,  1877,  leaving  two 
children — Annie  V.  and  William  T.  Mrs. 
Lynn  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
and  an  earnest,  consistent  Christian.  Mr. 
Lynn  is  also  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 
He  is  an  honorable,  upright  man,  and  is  held 
in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him,  and 
has  been  appointed  in  several  instances  ad- 
ministrator to  settle  up  estates,  always  giving 
entire  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 


-Sm5- 


fOSEPII  A.  MOREHEAD,  farmer  and 
stock-raiser,  resides  on  section  26,  Ver- 
million Township,  where  he  owns  646 
acres  of  good  land,  166  acres  of  which  was  a 
part  of  the  old  homestead,  entered  from  the 
Government  by  his  father.  He  is  a  son  of 
Alexander  and  Elizabeth  Morehead,  natives 
of  Ohio,  who  came  to  Vermillion  County  in 
1822,  and  settled  on  the  farm  which  our  sub- 
ject now  owns,  where  the  father  died  in  1844, 
and  the  mother  in  1849.     They  had  a  family 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


of  five  children,  but  two  of  whom,  Joseph 
A.  and  Saimiel,  arc  living.  Joseph  A.  More- 
head  was  born  in  1826,  and  his  youth  was 
spent  in  assisting  liis  father  clear  and  improve 
the  farm,  his  educational  advantages  being 
limited.  lie  has  been  industrious  and  bj 
good  management  has  acquired  a  valuable 
property,  lie  was  married  in  1848  to  Sarah 
J.  Eggleston,  a  native  of  Scioto  County, 
Ohio,  born .  in  1824,  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Nancy  Eggleston,  j^ioneers  of  Vermillion 
County,  coming  in  the  year  1825.  Her  par- 
ents both  died  in  1855.  They  reared  a  family 
of  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are  living. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morehead  have  had  nine  chil- 
dren, five  of  whom  are  living — Alexander, 
Hitha,  Margaret,  Horace,  and  Joseph  E. 
Alexander  manned  Alice  Isles,  and  Margaret 
is  the  widow  of  Wilson  Ilarshaw,  and  her 
daughter,  Mabel,  is  also  deceased.  Elizabeth, 
Henrietta,  and  two  infants  ai'e  deceased.  In 
politics  Mr.  Morehead  is  a  Republican.  He 
is  one  of  the  influential  men  of  Vermillion 
County,  and  one  of  her  most  liberal  and 
charitable  citizens. 


<)P,ERT  BALES,  farmer,  and  lessee  of 
the  St.  Bernice  flouring  mills,  resides 
on  section  35,  Helt  Townsliip,  on  the 
homestead  where  lie  was  born  September  22, 
1^.5:3.  His  father,  George  Bales,  came  to 
Wimillion  County  in  1830.  and  entered  280 
acnes  of  Government  land,  which  he  cleared 
and  improved.  Robert  Bales  was  reared  a 
farmer  until  sixteen  years  old,  when  he  began 
to  work  at  the  carpenter's  trade  which  he 
followed  the  greater  part  of  the  time  until 
1887,  when  he  leased  the  St.  Bernice  mills, 
which  he  has  since  superintended,  and  at  the 
^:llll(■  time  has  attended  to  his  farm.  He 
liwiis  a  half  interest  in  320  acres  of  valuable 


land,  which  is  under  good  cultivation.  Mr. 
Bales  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  in 
Company  A,  Seventy-first  Indiana,  Sixth 
Cavalry,  and  served  two  years.  He  partici- 
pated in  the  battles  of  Richmond,  Resaca, 
Cassville,  Tilton,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Buz- 
zard's Roost,  Campbell's  Station,  siege  of 
Knoxville,  Bull's  Gap,  and  others  of  miiujr 
importance,  serving  as  First  Lieutenant  of 
his  company.  Mr.  Bales  was  married  in 
March,  1865,  to  Nancy  A.  McCowan,  daugh- 
ter of  Cold  well  McCowan.  To  them  liave 
been  born  six  children,  three  of  whom  are 
living — Minnie,  Annie  and  Morton  C.  T\Ir. 
Bales  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic. 


^RANCIS  C.  COMBES,  section  17,  Helt 
rrt|  T'jwnship,  is  a  native  of  Vermillion 
*^  County,  born  in  Helt  Township  Febru- 
ary 25,  1830,  a  son  of  Thomas  Combes,  who 
came  from  Virginia  to  this  county  when  a 
young  man.  He  was  reared  a  farmer,  his 
educational  advantages  being  limited  to  the 
suljscription  schools.  In  the  fall  of  1847  he 
went  to  Iowa,  and  lived  in  Davis,  Appanoose 
and  Van  Buren  counties  until  the  spring  of 
1860,  when  he  returned  to  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty. He  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion 
in  Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
third  Indiana  Infantry,  and  served  nearly  two 
years,  participating  in  several  severe  conflicts, 
including  the  siege  of  Atlanta.  After  his 
return  home  he  engaged  in  farming,  which 
he  has  since  continued.  He  was  married  De- 
cember 23,  1852,  to  Mary  A.  Steele,  daughter 
of  James  Steele,  of  Seattle,  Washington 
Territory.  They  have  had  four  children — 
Sarah  F.  (deceased),  Alice  J.,  J.  Minnie  and 
Fannie  B.  Alice  married  William  F.  Mor- 
rison, of  Indianapolis,  and  has  had  two  chil- 


BISTORT  OF  Vermillion  countT. 


(Jreii,  but  one,  AVilliain  F.,  now  living.  The 
eldest  chilti,  an  infant  son,  is  deceased.  Min- 
nie is  the  wife  of  Alexander  Harrison,  of 
Hamilton,  Ohio,  and  has  fonr  children — 
Lewis  F.,  Harry  and  Nellie  (deceased),  and 
Fannie.  Fannie  married  Stephen  Mears,  of 
Detroit,  Michigan,  and  has  fonr  children — 
Willie  G.  and  Tomie  G.  (twins),  Mabel  and 
Dollie.  Mr.  Combes  is  in  politics  a  stannch 
Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  tlie  Republic. 


tEOlS  ARD  SHEW,  a  son  of  John  P.  and 
Sarah  (York)  Shew,  was  born  on  the 
homestead  of  his  parents  in  Clinton 
Township,  Vermillion  County,  May  24,  1834. 
The  parents  came  here  from  Wilkes  County, 
North  Carolina,  as  early  as  1826.  Of  the 
cliildren  born  to  them  in  North  Caro- 
lina three  are  yet  living — Mrs.  Hila 
Funkhonser,  a  widow,  residing  in  Yigo 
County,  Indiana;  Mrs.  Zilpha  Freeman,  also 
a  widow,  residing  in  Arkansas,  and  Mrs. 
Dorothea  Hay,  living  in  Jones  County,  Iowa. 
The  children  born  to  the  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject, after  settling  in  Vermillion  County,  are 
— Daniel,  now  a  resident  of  Pawnee  County, 
Nebraska;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Starks,  living  in 
Edgar  County,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Emeline  Knight, 
living  in  Clinton  Township,  this  county; 
Mrs.  Mary  Byerly,  living  in  Jones  County, 
Iowa,  and  Leonard,  our  subject,  the  youngest 
of  the  family.  Boston,  their  eldest  son,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry 
in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  died  from 
wonnds  received  in  battle.  A  daughter,  Lucy, 
became  the  wife  of  Sylvester  Seeds,  and  after 
marriage  they  moved  to  Kansas,  where  she 
died.  Leonard  Shew  was  but  seven  weeks  old 
when  his  mother  died.  His  father  survived 
her    many   years,  dying  October  15,    1873, 


when  over  eighty  years  of  age.  He  was 
always  a  hard-working  man,  but  he  never  be- 
came rich.  He  was  a  consistent  Christian, 
and  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  active  work- 
ers in  the  United  Brethren  church,  of  which 
lie  was  a  member  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  was  kind-hearted  and  generous,  always 
giving  to  the  poor  and  needy.  LeonardShew, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  is  a  man  who 
attends  strictly  to  his  own  affairs,  and  is 
much  respected  throughout  the  community 
where  he  has  made  his  home  for  so  many 
years.  He  commenced  life  for  himself  with- 
out capital,  and  by  his  own  efforts  he  has  ac- 
quired a  comfortable  home.  Before  and  after 
his  marriage  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's 
trade,  which  he  followed  nntil  1875,  and  is 
now  devoting  his  entire  attention  to  his  farm. 
His  homestead  consists  of  eighty-nine  acres 
of  choice  land,  and  is  a  part  of  the  property 
once  owned  by  William  Hedges,  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Clinton  Township.  Mr. 
Shew  was  nnited  in  marriage  in  1860,  to 
Miss  Alma  C.  Hedges,  a  daughter  of  Will- 
iam Hedges,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  four 
children — Mrs.  Arietta  E.  Kehoe,  of  Clinton ; 
Mrs.  Ida  Etta  Bumgardner,  of  Clinton  Town- 
ship, and  Elza  Eschol  and  Everett  C,  still  at 
home  with  their  parents.  In  politics  Mr. 
Shew  votes  the  Democratic  ticket  at  general 
elections,  but  in  local  elections  he  votes  inde- 
pendent of  party  ties. 


R.  CUTHBERT  F.  KEYES,  deceased, 
born  near  Dugee  Ferry,  in  Indiana, 
in  the  year  1822,  and  in  1826  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Vermillion  County, 
where  he  was  reared  to  manhood.  His  father 
was  a  gunsmith  and  wagon-maker,  and  while 
he  kept  his  slaves  at  work  in  the  gun  factory 
the  white  men  worked  at  the  wagon  yard,  and 


BIOOBAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


he  liimself  ran  Ijoats  on  the  Potomac  Iliver. 
After  his  father's  death  he  lived  with  his 
mother  and  uncle,  attending  school  at  Clinton. 
riding  to  and  fro  every  night  and  morning. 
He  spent  a  portion  of  his  younger  life  clerk- 
ing in  a  store  for  his  uncle,  and  passed  from 
this  to  the  study  of  medicine  with  Drs.  Kile 
and  Palmer  at  Clinton.  He  studied  medi- 
cine some  time  and  during  this  time  he  had 
to  work  for  his  board,  doing  any  little  odd 
jobs  he  could  fiud,  but  this  only  helped  to 
make  the  man  he  afterward  became.  He  then 
went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  attended  one 
term  of  lectures.  June  30,  1846,  he  married 
Miss  Jane  Bales,  they  beginning  their  mar- 
ried life  on  the  farm.  Here  he  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  followed 
until  he  went  to  St.  Louis  to  attend  a  second 
term  of  lectures.  In  this  term  his  eyes  be- 
gan to  fail  and  he  became  blind.  He  still  con- 
tinued the  lectures,  Prof  Van  Zandt  giving 
him  the  privilege  of  this  term  free,  and  at 
the  close  commended  him  for  his  close  atten- 
tion and  industry,  although  he  was  stone 
blind.  His  eyes  were  treated  in  the  city  at 
the  same  time.  At  the  time  of  the  birth 
of  his  son.  Dr.  O.  M.  Keyes,  he  was  blind. 
When  he  returned  to  his  home  from 
St.  Louis  he  found  by  the  care  and  in- 
dustry of  his  wife  that  his  affairs  had 
been  kept  in  good  order.  He  subsequently 
moved  to  Clinton,  but  becoming  dissatisfied 
he  returned  to  his  farm,  where  he  practiced 
medicine  until  his  death.  On  the  morning 
of  that  event  he  arose,  ate  a  hearty  breakfast 
and  started  for  Bono,  about  three  miles  south 
of  Dana,  to  see  a  patient.  On  his  way  he 
suffered  a  sudden  and  severe  attack  of  conges- 
tion of  the  stomach  and  bowels.  He  suc- 
I  ceeded  in  reaching  Bono,  and  leaving  his 
•  team  unhitched,  staggered  into  Frank  Aus- 
tin's store,  where  lie  fell  on  the  floor  exclaim- 
ing as  he  fell  that  he  had  come  there  to  die. 


He  was  taken  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Austin, 
where  everything  possible  was  done  to  alle- 
viate his  intense  agony.  Dr.  Hall  was  sent 
for,  but  one  hour  before  he  arrived,  and  at 
ten  o'clock  that  same  evening  the  restless 
spirit  of  the  old  veteran  took  its  flight  to 
that  bourne  whence  no  traveler  returns.  No 
man  in  tlie  county  was  more  successful  in 
his  methods  of  treatment  than  Dr.  Keyes, 
and  iione  had  a  more  extensive  professional 
experience.  He  never  refused  a  call  because 
the  patients  were  poor.  He  was  one  of  the 
few  who  followed  his  profession  not  for  the 
purpose  of  amassing  a  great  fortune,  but  be- 
cause he  took  delight  in  alleviating  the  suf- 
ferings of  his  fellow  mortals.  He  was  a  man 
of  kind  disposition,  and  noble  and  generous 
impulses,  and  was  ready  to  make  any  sacri- 
fices for  the  accommodation  of  a  friend  and 
neighbor.  Though  somewhat  eccentric  in 
his  style,  his  warm  and  sympathetic  nature, 
his  kind  and  generous  disposition  made  him 
a  host  of  friends.  Dr.  Keyes  left  a  wife, 
three  sons  and  two  daughters  in  sad  bereave- 
ment by  his  death.  Thus  one  by  one  the  old 
pioneers  pass  away  leaving  the  world  and  the 
duties  incumbent  upon  life  to  the  rising  gen- 
ei'ation. 


,^[LI  SHEW,  deceased,  late  of  Clinton 
WJL  TownsJiip,  was  born  in  Wilkes  County, 
^i  North  Carolina,  July  11,  1819,  and 
died  October  24,  1887.  He  was  a  son  of 
Daniel  and  Eve  D.  (York)  Shew,  honored 
pioneers  of  Vermillion  County,  they  having 
settled  in  the  forest  on  section  31,  Clinton 
Township,  as  early  as  1826.  Our  subject 
had  but  a  faint  remembrance  of  the  long 
wagon  journey  from  North  Carolina,  but  he 
distinctly  remembered  his  early  life  in  Clin- 
ton Township,  the  abundance  of  game,  and 


I! 


the  old  log  scliool-liouses  where  he  received 
his  limited  education.  Like  the  youth  of  his 
early  day,  he  was  inured  to  hard  toil  when 
quite  young.  His  father  built  a  small-^inill, 
which  he  operated  in  connection  with  his  farm, 
and  this  furnished  plenty  of  work  for  his  boys. 
Ho  died  al'ter  the  close  of  tiie  war  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty  years.  His  wife  died  some 
six  years  before.  Of  their  family,  Eli  was  the 
fourth  child.  Two  of  their  sons,  named  Henry 
and. Joel,  are_^still  residents  of  Clin  ton  Township. 
With  the  exception  of  a  short  residence,  from 
the  spring  of  1856  until  the  fall  of  that  year,  in 
Richland  County,  Wisconsin,  and  from  that 
time  to  the  spring  of  1857  spent  in  Jones 
County,  Iowa,  Eli  Siiew  lived  in  Clinton 
Township  from  the  time  of  his  coming  here 
with  his  parents,  and  always  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  his  father's  pioneer  home.  April  4, 
1847,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Adaline  Hedges,  a  daughter  of  William 
and  Permelia  Hedges.  She  was  born  on  their 
homestead  in  Clinton  Township,  near  her 
present  home,  August  23,  1825.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Shew  commenced  housekeeping  in 
limited  circumstances,  but  by  their  industri- 
ous and  frugal  habits,  they  succeeded  in 
making  a  good  home  for  their  family.  The 
homestead  contains  110  acres  of  choice  land, 
of  which  sixty  acres  are  well  improved,  and 
under  good  cultivation.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shew 
had  eight  children  born  to  them.  The  eldest, 
Mrs.  Permelia  A.  Tennis,  lives  in  Clinton 
Township.  Two  children,  named  Clarinda 
and  LeoJiard  M.,  died  in  early  childhood. 
Lurena,  deceased,  wife  of  William  P.  Atkins, 
left  at  her  death  a  family  of  seven  children. 
William  D.  is  living  with  his  parents.  Mil- 
ton P.,  the  sixth  child,  died  young.  John  E. 
married  Margaret  E.  Bright  and  lives  in 
Clinton  Township.  Edwin  N.  married  Betty 
L.  Foltz,  and  they  are  living  with  Mrs. 
Shew.     In    politics  Mr.  Shew  was  a    meni- 


I  ber   of  the  Greenback   party,  but   of  Whi 
and  Ecpublican  antecedents.     Mrs.   Shew  is 
a  member  of  the   Missionary  Baptist  church. 


T-tTILLIxVM  HUC4HES,  one  of  the  suc- 
"^-w\/    cessfnl    agriculturists    of    Higlilund 

i'-^^I^J  Township,  residing  on  section  2s,  is 
a  representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  fami- 
lies of  Vermillion  County.  His  father,  Con- 
stantine  Hughes,  was  born  in  Loudoun 
County,  Virginia,  January  10,  1782,  where 
he  grew  to  manhood,  and  married  Miss  Han- 
nah Giftbrd.  Fourteen  children  were  born 
to  them,  of  whom  ten  reached  maturity,  and  . 
of  these  oidy  three  are  living — Ehud,  living 
in  Vermillion  County;  Coustantine,  residing 
in  Nebraska,  and  William,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  In  1829  the  father  immigrated  with 
his  family  to  Indiana,  locating  first  at  Clin- 
ton, Vermillion  County,  where  he  remained 
until  the  following  spring.  The  family  then 
lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Perrysville  about  six 
months,  when  they  settled  on  the  land  now 
owned  and  occupied  by  our  subject.  Here 
the  parents  lived  until  their  death,  the  father 
dying  May  23,  1848,  and  the  mother  Janu- 
ary 7,  1857.  They  were  niucli  esteemed 
among  the  early  settlers  for  their  many  ex- 
cellencies of  character,  and  for  many  years 
were  faithful  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 
In  his  political  views  the  father  was  a  Demo- 
crat. AVilliam  Hughes,  whose  name  heads 
this  sketch,  was  liorn  on  the  homestead  where 
he  now  lives,  the  date  of  his  birth  being 
November  9,  1830,  this  having  been  his  home 
for  fifty-seven  years.  Mr.  Hughes  has  been 
twice  married,  taking  for  his  first  wife  ]\[iss 
Cynthia  Ann  Smi 
Smith,  one  of  the  < 
She  died  in  185G, 
Harvey,    now  living    in    Kansas;    John, 


king  tor  nis  nrst  wiie  JMiss 
lith,    a  daughter    of  James  I 
i  early  settlers  of  the  county. 
,   leaving    three  children —  { 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


Highland  Tuwnship,  and  James  A¥.  Mr. 
Hughes  was  married  a  second  time  to  Miss 
Hester  Ann  Spry,  wlio  was  born  in  Highland 
Township  in  1834,  her  father,  David  Spy, 
coming  to  the  county  in  an  early  day,  and  is 
now  living  at  Perrysville.  Her  mother  died 
many  years  ago.  Of  the  seven  children  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hughes  six  are  living — 
Martha  E.,  David  M.,  Annie  J.,  Charles  G., 
Albert  and  Oral.  Their  fourth  child,  a  son, 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Hughes  has  always 
followed  agricultural  pursuits  in  which  he 
has  met  with  excellent  success.  He  has  213 
acres  of  choice  hind  where  he  resides,  167 
acres  of  which  was  the  old  homestead  of  his 
father.  Beside  his  home  farm  he  owns  other 
land  in  Highland  Township,  having  alto- 
gether 455  acres  of  choice]  land.  In  politics 
he  attiliates  with  the  Democratic  party,  al- 
though he  believes  in  voting  for  the  man 
best  titled  for  office  regardless  of  party  ties. 
In  matters  of  moral  and  social  progress  he  is 
among  the  leading  citizens  of  his  county. 


tBEL  SEXTOX,  a  prominent  and  enter- 
prising citizen  of  Vermillion  County, 
with  whose  interests  he  has  been  iden- 
tified for  many  years,  is  a  native  of  Oneida 
County,  Xew  York,  a  son  of  Jlsaac  J.  Sexton, 
a  native  of  Connecticut.  The  Sexton  family 
are  of  French  origin,  and  among  the  early 
settlers  of  Connecticut.  When  our  subject 
was  young  he  was  taken  by  liis  father  to 
Fulton  County,  New  York,  his  mother  having 
died  in  Oneida  County,  the  father  making 
his  home  in  Fulton  County  until  his  death. 
He  was  twice  n:arried,  and  by  his  first  wife 
had  a  family  of  four  children — Mrs.  Mary 
Ann  Bingham,  of  Columbus,  Wisconsin; 
Abel,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Andrew  O., 
'     2;rain    merchant  of  Columbus,  AVisconsin, 


and  the  present  mayor  of  that  city,  and  Kalph, 
the  youngest  son,  now  lives  in  Gloversville, 
Fulton  County,  New  York.  Abel  Sexton 
grew  to  manhood  in  Fulton  County,  and  his 
father  being  a  farmer  he  was  reared  to  the 
same  avocation.  The  farm  being  small  and 
there  being  a  number  of  sons  in  the  family, 
he  decided  to  try  some  other  vocation,  and 
early  in  life  began  learning  the  carpenter's 
trade,  but  soon  after  entering  upon  his  trade 
he  accepted  a  situation  with  an  auctioneer, 
M'ith  whom  he  traveled  about  the  country  in 
the  pursuit  of  his  business.  This  occurred 
in  1840,  when  he  was  about  twenty  years  old. 
He  subsequently  traveled  in  his  business  as 
auctioneer  with  the  circus  of  Raymond,  AYar- 
ing  &  Co.,  which  was  traveling  through  the 
country  at  that  time,  going  with  it  as  far  as 
Cincinnati,  several  months  being  consumed 
in  making  the  trip.  He  left  the  circus  at 
Cincinnati,  and  traveled  to  Kentucky,  and 
the  following  season  he  and  a  young  man 
from  New  York  State,  with  whom  he  ti-aveled, 
decided  to  return  to  their  native  State,  and 
accordingly  set  out  on  horseback,  reaching 
their  destination  about  a  month  later.  After 
spending  a  few  weeks  at  his  home,  Mr.  Sex- 
ton returned  to  Kentucky,  where  he  continued 
auctioneering  for  some  time.  About  1843  he 
came  to  Indiana,  locating-first  at  La  Fayette, 
and  in  the  month  of  October,  1844,  he  came 
to  Newport,  where  he  spent  four  years.  He 
then  went  to  Columbus,  AVisconsin,  where 
his  brother  lived,  and  after  remaining  there 
about  four  years  he  returned  to  Newport, 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  Mr. 
Sexton  was  married  at  Newport  to  Miss  Lu- 
cretia  Blanchard,  November  5,  1845.  Mrs. 
Sexton  was  born  in  Perry  County,  Indiana, 
May  21, 1826,  and  in  September  of  the  same 
year  her  father,  AVilliam  Blanchard,  came  to 
Vermillion  County  and  settled  in  A'ermillion 
i  Township,   where  he  died  about  tM-o   years 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


later.  The  inotlier  married  a  second  time, 
and  lived  in  Vermillion  County  until  her 
death  in  May,  1863.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sexton 
are  the  parents  of  one  daughter,  Mary  Ellen, 
now  the  wife  of  Robert  E.  Stephens,  of  New- 
port. Mr.  Sexton  has  been  one  of  the  lead- 
ing- merchants  of  Newport  for  twenty-five 
years,  beginning  here  before  the  time  of  rail- 
roads. He  brought  his  stock  of  goods  with 
wliich  he  commenced  business,  from  La  Fay- 
ette. In  1861  he  erected  the  store  building 
now  occupied  by  II.  B.  Riioads.  In  1862 
he  bought  160  acres  of  land  adjoining  the 
villag'e  of  Newport  on  the  east,  and  on  about 
ten  acres  of  this  tract  he  laid  out  an  addition 
to  the  town  in  March,  1872.  He  was  presi- 
dent of  tlie  First  National  Bank  of  Newport 
for  five  years,  being  one  of  the  organizers  of 
that  institution.  He  was  a  director  of  the 
bank  during  its  entire  existence,  and  also 
after  it  was  changed  to  the  Yermillion  Coun- 
ty Bank.  In  early  life  in  his  political  views 
he  was  a  Whig,  casting  his  first  Presidential 
vote  for  Henry  Clay  in  1844,  but  has  been 
a  Republican  since  the  organization  of  that 
party.  For  fil'teen  years  he  served  as  com- 
missioner of  Vermillion  County.  He  and 
his  wife  are  worthy  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  at  Newport. 


^^TESLEY  SWITZER,  who  has  been 
-.Cjl'Mp   identified  with  the  interests  of  Ver- 

l  .«i>^  million  County  for  many  years,  is  a 
native  of  Ohio,  born  March  24,  1821.  His 
home  is  on  section  6,  Highland  Township, 
the  land  having  been  entered  by  his  brother 
John  Switzer  about  the  year  1824.  After 
partially  improving  the  land  he  had  sold  it 
to  his  father,  Peter  Switzer,  who  settled  here 
in  1834.  Peter  Switzer  was  a  native  of  the 
State  of  Virginia,  born  May  9,  1769.     He 


was  reared  in  his  native  State,  and  was  there 
married  October  24,  1794,  to  Mary  Hoover, 
who  was  born  in  Virginia  May  3,  1774. 
They  left  Virginia  for  Ohio,  and  were  among 
the  pioneers  of  Pike  County,  where  the  father 
cleared  a  large  farm  of  heavily  timbered  land. 
Several  of  his  children  had  settled  in  Indiana 
before  he  came  to  the  State,  in  1834.  He 
lived  on  the  land  now  occupied  by  his  son, 
Wesley,  until  his  death  which  occurred 
November  14,  1844.  He  was  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  church  for  many 
years,  and  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  all. 
In  politics  he  was  a  AVhig.  His  widow  sur- 
vived him  about  four  years,  her  death  taking 
place  November  26,  1848,  in  her  seventy-fifth 
year.  Peter  Switzer  and  wife  had  born  to 
them  ten  children,  seven  sons  and  three 
daughters,  and  of  this  once  numerous  family 
only  three  are  living — Absalom  in  Marion 
County,  Illinois;  Mary  Ann,  wife  of  Charles 
Loney,  of  Grant  County,  "Wisconsin,  and 
Wesley,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  latter 
came  to  Vermillion  County  with  his  parents, 
at  that  time  a  lad  of  about  thirteen  years, 
and  here  he  grew  to  manhood  amid  the  scenes 
incident  to  pioneer  life.  He  was  married 
June  3,  1841,  to  Miss  Nancy  Henderson,  a 
native  of  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  born  July 
12,  1823.  This  union  was  blessed  with 
twelve  children,  nine  of  whom  are  living — 
Mary  Ann,  William,  Sarah,  John,  Peter, 
David,  Rose  Ann,  Lincoln  and  Nancy  Main. 
After  a  married  life  of  more  than  forty  yeai-s 
Mrs.  Switzer  died  April  10,  1882.  Siie  was 
a  devoted  wife  and  mother,  a  kind  neighbor, 
and  was  respected  by  all  who  knew  her. 
Wesley  Switzer  has  made  farming  the  prin- 
cipal avocation  of  his  life,  and  is  classed 
among  the  prosperous  agriculturists  of  High- 
land Township,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  the 
farm  on  which  he  settled  with  his  father's 
family  in  1834.     He  is  always  interested  in 


I 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCUES. 


any  movement  calculated  to  promote  the 
public  welfare,  and  by  his  honorable  and 
upright  dealings  he  has  gained  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  the  entire  community. 


-^-^^5-1- 


tNDREAV  J.  BECK,  a  progressive 
farmer  of  Highland  Township,  is  a 
native  of  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  born 
June  2,  1838,  a  son  of  Nicholas  and  Sarah 
Jane  (Ferguson)  Beck,  the  latter  dying  when 
our  subject  was  a  child.  He  was  reared  in 
his  native  State,  remaining  there  until  April, 
1861.  He  then  went  to  Vermillion  County, 
Illinois,  and  in  June  following  he  came  to 
Highland  Township,  this  county.  In  the  fall 
of  1861  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Forty- 
third  lndiana"Iufantry,  and  was  in  the  service 
of  his  country  until  June  14,  1865.  He 
participated  in  many  of  the  severe  engage- 
ments of  the  Southwest,  including  the  bat- 
tles of  Island  Ko.  10,  New  Madrid,  Fort 
Donelson,  siege  of  Fort  Pillow,  the  liattles  at 
Memphis,  Helena,  Jenkins  Ferry  and  Marks 
Mill.  Mr.  Beck  was  married  in  Highland 
Township,  in  1866,  to  Miss  Nancy  A.  Shaw, 
who  was  born  in  the  same  township  in  1837. 
Mrs.  Beck  is  a  daughter  of  Hiram  Sliaw,  one 
of  the  well  known  and  highly  respected  jiio- 
neers  of  Highland  Township.  He  was  l)orn 
in  Ohio,  in  1805,  coming  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  with  his  mother  when  a 
young  man.  His  father  was  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812,  and  died  in  the  army  before 
the  close  of  the  war.  The  ShaM-  family  first 
settled  in  Eugene  Township,  and  later  came 
to  Highland  Township.  Mr.  Shaw  purchased 
land  on  sections  17  and  18,  in  the  south  part 
of  the  township,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  February,  1878,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  His  wife, 
Rachel  (Gerrard)  Shaw,  died  the  following 


May.  They  left  a  family  of  seven  children 
— Alias,  Samuel,  Mrs.  Nancy  A.  Beck,  Ra- 
chel (wife  of  Courtland  Mack),  Hannah  (wife 
of  John  Lunger),  Caleb  and  Martin  Luther, 
all  yet  living  but  Martin  L.,  who  has  since 
died  in  Kansas.  The  following  children  died 
before  tlie  parents:  Mary  Elizabeth,  Cynthia, 
Hiram  and  Sarah  Jane.  At  his  death  Mr. 
Shaw  left  a  valuable  property,  which  he 
had  acquired  by  persevering  industry  and 
good  management,  and  the  farm  occupied 
by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beck  is  a  part  of  his  old 
homestead.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beck  have  had 
born  to  them  five  children,  of  whom  four  are 
living— Malind  E.,  born  July  9,  1868:  Mar- 
tin A.,  born  December  8,  1870;  Laura  Ettie, 
born  February  10, 1873,  and  Sarah  May,  born 
May  10,  1878.  The  eldest  child,  a  son,  died 
May  3,  1877,  in  his  tenth  year. 


fOIIN  ANDREWS,  a  prosperous  agricult- 
urist of  Vermillion  County,  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising  on  section  18, 
Helt  Township,  was  born  in  Clermont  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  February  19,  1811,  a  son  of  James 
Andrews  who  is  now  deceased.  The  fatlier 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  an 
early  settler  of  Ohio.  He  came  to  Helt 
Township  among  the  early  pioneers,  settling 
in  Helt  Township  in  1823,  when  Indians  and 
wild  animals  were  the  principal  inhabitants. 
Here  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
amid  the  wild  surroundings  of  pioneer  life, 
and  was  early  in  life  inured  to  hard  work. 
He  received  but  limited  educational  advan- 
tages, and  never  attended  school  until  reach- 
ing the  age  of  eighteen  years.  He  has  always 
followed  farming  with  the  exception  of  1832- 
'33  when  working  in  the  lead  mines  at  Ga- 
lena, Illinois.  He  has  been  very  successful 
in  his  agricultural  pursuits,   and  is  now  the        | 


II I  STOUT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


owner  of  a  fine  farm  o±  250  acres  of  choice 
land.  Mr.  Andrews  was  married  August  14, 
1834,  to  Miss  Amanda  Klioads,  daughter  of 
Silas  Khoads,  and  to  this  union  were  born 
thi-ee  children,  one  son,  Sihis,  being  the  only 
one  living.  A  son  named  James  was  killed 
in  the  Eebellion  while  fighting  for  the  Union. 
Their  daughter,  Elizabeth,  died  after  her 
marriage,  leaving  at  her  death  two  children. 
Mrs.  Andrews  died  in  1840,  and  in  1841  Mr. 
Andrews  was  married  again,  taking  for  his 
second  wife.  Miss  Margaret  Rhoads,  a  sister 
of  his  former  wife.  Of  the  ten  children  born 
to  this  union  seven  are  jet  living — Caroline, 
Harriet,  William,  Ira,  Otis,  Annie  and 
Laura. 


fOIIN  W.  BEAUCHAMP,  of  Highland 
Township,  was  born  in  the  State  of  Ohio, 
in  1821,  of  French  descent,  and  is  a  son 
of  David  Beauchamp,  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  pioneers  of  Vermillion  County.  He 
was  born  in  the  State  of  Delaware  in  1799, 
and  when  young  was  taken  by  his  parents 
to  Ohio,  where  they  made  their  home  until 
death.  He  was  married  in  Ohio  to  Miss 
Dorothy  Jubinal,  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
and  to  them  were  born  twelve  children^ 
seven  sons  and  five  daughters.  In  October, 
1826,  Mr.  Beauchamp  brought  his  family, 
then  consisting  of  his  wife  and  four  chil- 
dren, to  this  county,  and  settled  on  section 
6,  Highland  Township,  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Henry  Parks.  He  cleared  and 
improved  this  place  and  resided  here  until 
his  death.  Here  his  wife  died  March  14, 
1851,  and  he  afterward  married  Mrs.  Ma- 
tilda (Henthorn)  Hines,  a  daughter  of  Will- 
iam rienthorn,  and  to  this  union  one  son, 
Thomas,  was  born,  who  died  in  childhood. 
Mr.    Beauchamp   came  to  the  county  a  poor 


man,  but  by  years  of  persevering  industry  and 
economy  he  became  the  owner  of  a  good 
farm,  and  in  his  later  years  was  in  com- 
fortable circiunstances.  He  died  March  27, 
1868.  Of  the  children  of  his  first  marriage, 
five  of  the  sons  are  residents  of  Missouri, 
and  one, son  lives  near  Oakwood,  Illinois; 
a  daughter  lives  in  Iowa,  and  another  daugh- 
ter lives  in  Illinois.  Three  of  the  daughters 
are  deceased.  John  W.  Beauchamp,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  is  the  only  member 
of  his  father's  family  now  living  inlndiaiKi. 
He  was  but  five  years  old  when  brought  {<  > 
this  county,  and  although  so  young  he  re- 
members incidents  of  the  journey  to  the 
county.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Yerinill- 
ion  County  for  sixty-one  years,  and  has  always 
taken  an  active  interest  in  its  growth  and 
advancement.  He  was  married  August  17, 
1843,  to  Miss  Amanda  Hughs,  who  was  born 
in  Virginia,  March  14,  1823,  and  to  this 
union  the  following  children  were  born — 
James  C,  who  was  born  October  14, 1844, 
enlisted  in  the  Fifty-seventh  Indiana  In- 
fantry, during  the  war  of  the  Eebellion,  and 
died  in  Kentucky  a  few  months  after  his  en- 
listment; William  Mc,  born  November  15, 
1846,  served  during  the  last  year  of  the  war 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifteenth  Indiana 
Infantry;  Margaret  Ann,  wife  of  William 
Miller,  was  born  December  10,  1849;  Bar- 
bara E.,  born  July  8,  1851,  is  the  wife  of 
Perry  Jones;  Asbury  M.,  born  August  24, 
1853;  Clark  J.  was  born  March  4,  1856,  and 
died  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age;  Mary 
F.  was  born  November  17,  1858,  and  died 
February  8,  1880,  and  Charley  Mc,  born  No- 
vember 16,  1860.  Mr.  Beauchamp  was  be- 
reaved by  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  had  been 
a  faithful  helpmeet  for  over  forty-three  years, 
her  death  taking  place  at  the  homestead  in 
Highland  Township,  December  27,  ISSC. 
Mr.  Beauchamp  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm. 


BIOGRAPHICAL      SKETCHES. 


and  a  pleasant  home  in  Iligliland  Township, 
where  lie  has  made  his  home  since  the  year 
1855,  and  is  one  of  the  respected  men  of  his 
township. 


fAMES  SMITH,  an  active  and  enterpris- 
ing citizen  of  Highland  Township,  has 
lived  on  the  same  farm  where  he  now 
resides  since  1866.  He  is  a  native  of  Indi- 
ana, born  in  Fountain  County,  December  13, 
1834,  a  son  of  Khoads  Smith,  who  was  born 
in  Scott  County,  Kentucky,  August  29,  1803. 
Berryraan  Smith,  the  paternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  re- 
moving thence  in  1820,  to  Scott  County, 
Kentucky,  settling  on  Mayor  Hum's  farm, 
five  miles  from  Georgetown,  where  he  made 
his  home  for  twenty-live  years.  He  then  im- 
migrated to  Indiana,  and  settled  in  Fayette 
County  near  Connersville,  where  he  resided 
seven  years,  removing  from  there  to  Fountain 
County,  Indiana,  where  he  died  in  1839. 
Rhoads  Smith  was  united  in  marriage  at 
Connersville,  to  Miss  Christiana  Conner,  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  whose  father, 
Daniel  Conner,  was  a  native  of  the  same  State. 
They  resided  a  number  of  years  after  their 
marriage  in  Fountain  County,  Indiana,  and 
linally  removed  to  Yermiilion  County,  Illi- 
nois, about  the  year  1849,  where  the  father 
of  our  suliject  died  in  1882.  He  was  a 
worthy  and  consistent  Christian,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  for  a  period  of 
sixty-five  years.  James  Smith,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch,  was  reared  in  his  native 
county.  On  reaching  manhood  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Lucretia  Goff,  a  daughter  of 
David  Goff,  and  to  them  have  been  born 
seven  children,  live  sons  and  two  daughtei's. 
Mr.  Smith  has  a  good  farm  and  a  pleasant 
home,  and  most  of  the  improvements  on  his 


place  have  been  made  by  himself,  erecting 
his  present  residence  and  l)arn  and  making 
other  substantial  improvements,  the  entire 
surroundings  of  the  place  indicating  the  care 
and  thrift  of  the  owner.  Mr.  Smith  lias  been 
a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  since  June 
16,  1855,  and  has  been  engaged  in  the  min- 
istry about  ten  years.  He  is  a  preacher  of 
much  force  and  earnestness,  and  well  informed 
on  scriptural  subjects,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
respected  citizens  of  Highland  Township. 


tEVI  A.  Mcknight,  one  of  the  active 
and  progressive  business  men  of  Ver- 
million County,  was  the  pioneer  mer- 
chant of  Gessie,  establishing  his  business  at 
this  place  in  the  spring  of  1871.  He  was 
born  in  Xenia,  Ohio,  June  1,  184:6,  a  son  of 
Linton  McKnight,  Avho  removed  from  Vir- 
ginia, his  native  State,  to  Ohio,  and  in  1850 
to  Fountain  County,  Indiana,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death.  The  father  being  a  farmer, 
our  subject  was  reared  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, his  youth  being  spent  in  assisting  with 
the  work  of  the  farm,  and  in  attending  the 
public  schools  of  his  neighborhood.  In  his 
twentieth  year  he  began  teaching  school.  In 
1865  he  came  to  Highland  Township,  A^er- 
million  County,  where  he  taught  two  years, 
when  lie  was  appointed  principal  of  the 
school  at  Eugene,  a  position  he  held  two 
years.  He  then  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business  at  Boswell,  in  Benton  County,  where 
be  remained  until  the  building  of  the  rail- 
road through  Vermillion  County,  and  the 
establishing  of  the  station  at  Gessie,  \vhen 
he  removed  to  this  place.  In  connection 
with  his  general  mercantile  business  he  is 
also  engaged  in  buying  grain,  and  is  the 
leading  grain  and  general  merchant  of  the  ' 
place.     Mr.  McKniarht  has  been  twice  mar-        i 

_J 


n  I  STORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNT  T. 


ried,  taking  for  his  first  wife  Miss  Flora  E. 
Bennett,  who  was  a  daughter  of  David  Ben- 
nett, Sr.,  who  for  many  years  was  a  prominent 
and  successful  fanner  of  Highland  Township, 
but  now  a  resident  of  Danville,  Illinois.  The 
maiden  name  of  the  present  wife  of  Mr. 
McKnight,  was  Sarah  Belle  Erwin,  she  being 
a  i-elative  of  Eobert  J.  Gessie.  Mr.  Mc- 
Knight is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity. In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  |an 
able  advocate  of  the  principles  of  that  party. 


fOHN  lUCHARDSON  is  one  of  the 
active  business  men  of  Newport,  and  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  pioneer 
families  of  Vermillion  County.  His  father, 
Benjamin  Richardson,  was  a  native  of  South- 
ern Ohio,  born  April  28,  1808,  a  son  of 
Joseph  Richardson,  who  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  this  county,  father  and  son  settling 
about  two  miles  northwest  of  Newport, 
where  Benjamin  Richardson  lived  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  February  18,  1870. 
His  wife,  Elizabeth  Richardson,  was  born 
May  16, 1818,  and  died  September  16, 1866. 
They  reared  a  family  of  three  sons  and  three 
daughters — Willian:,  of  Eugene  Township; 
John,  our  subject,  living  in  Vermillion  Town- 
ship; Sarah,  wife  of  Dr.  Ira  Gillum,  of  Mil- 
ford,  Illinois;  Florinda,  who  resides  with  her 
sister  Mrs.  Gillum;  Franklin,  living  near 
Georgetown,  Illinois,  and  Jane,  wife  of  But- 
ler Gillum,  of  Sylvania,  Parke  County,  Indi- 
ana. The  parents  of  our  Subject  had  born  to 
them,  besides  those  already  mentioned,  six 
children,  who  died  before  reaching  maturity. 
John  Richardson,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in  Vermillion 
Township,  March  21,  1843,  and  here  he  was 
reared  to  the  vocation  of  a  farmer.  He  en- 
listed July  26,  1862,  in  the   war  of  the  Eel 


hellion,  and  served  in  the  Sixth  Indiana 
Cavalry,  until  June  17,  1865,  being  in  active 
service  all  the  time.  He  served  in  Kentucky 
under  General  Sherman,  and  in  Tennessee 
and  Georgia,  and  was  at  the  battle  of  Rich- 
mond, Kentucky,  and  the  siege  of  Knoxville, 
Tennessee.  He  was  in  the  Atlanta  campaign, 
and  participated  in  the  battles  attending  that 
campaign,  and  was  in  Stoneraan's  Macon 
raid.  Mr.  Richardson  and  another  soldier 
named  Lucien  Wliipple,  now  of  Eugene 
Township,  were  the  only  members  of  their 
regiment  that  escaped  capture  or  death,  in 
this  last  mentioned  expedition.  In  April, 
1865,  the  regiment  went  from  Pulaski,  where 
they  were  mustered  out  of  the  service.  Mr. 
Richardson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Susan  H.  Hart,  a  daughter  of  Gold  M.  Hart, 
and  a  native  of  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
the  date  of  her  birth  being  June  22,  1839. 
To  this  union  have  been  born  three  children, 
named — Willie  E.,  Ella  and  Annie  Laura. 
Mr.  Richardson  has  established  a  good  busi- 
ness in  Newport,  where  he  deals  in  stationery, 
tobacco  and  cigars,  confectionery  and  fruits, 
and  by  his  fair  and  honorable  dealing  he  has 
gained  the  contidence  of  all  who   know  him. 


fAVID  GOUTY,  a  resident  of  Gessie, 
and  a  representative  of  one  of  the  well- 
known  pioneer  families  of  Vermillion 
County,  is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in 
Highland  Township,  December  9,  1828.  His 
father,  Henry  Gouty,  was  born  in  the  State 
of  ]\Iaryland  in  1800.  He  went  from  his  na- 
tive State  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Rebecca  Whitsell,  and  to 
them  were  born  eight  children,  all  of  whom 
reached  maturity,  and  of  this  once  large 
family  only  two  are  living  at  the  present 
time — Jane,  wife  of  Daniel  Shute,  of  High- 


land  Township,  and  David,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  The  names  of  the  deceased  are — 
Henry,  Thomas,  Jeremiah,  Zachariah,  Eliza 
and  Elizahetli.  From  Oliio,  Mr.  Henry  Gouty 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  Parke  County, 
Indiana,  and  later  removed  to  Vermillion 
County,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  October  14,  1858,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-eight  years.  His  wife  also  died  in  this 
county  in  Highland  Township,  aged  seventy- 
four  years  and  ten  months.  David  Gouty, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  is  one  of  the 
oldest  native  born  citizens  living  in  Highland 
Township,  and  few  men  have  become  better 
known  or  more  universally  respected  through 
the  township  than  he.  He  has  been  three 
times  married,  taking  for  his  first  wife  Miss 
Minerva  Shute.  He  was  a  second  time  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Eliza  Cosse^-jwhose  father  was  one 
of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  county.  The 
maiden  name  of  his  present  wife  was  Cath- 
erine Hoobler.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Eev. 
John  Hoobler,  who  settled  in  the  county  in 
the  year  1832.  Mr.  Gouty  has  but  one  child, 
a  son,  by  his  second  marriage.  His  son, 
"William  Henry,  was  born  in'Highland  Town- 
ship, in  1864.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Flora  Eodgers,  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
Eodgers.  They  reside  on  the  homestead 
farm. 


fXOCH  GEOEGE  SPAEKS,  a  repre- 
sentative citizen  of  Yermillion  County, 
was  born  on  his  father's  homestead  in 
Highland  Township,  July  19,  1843.  His 
father,  Daniel  Sparks,  was  born  in  Maryland, 
near  Baltimore,  in  1805,  and  when  a  lad  went 
with  his  parents  to  Ohio,  they  settling  near 
Kingston  where  he  lived  many  years.  He 
was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  named 
Miss  Margaret  Towers.     Of  the  children  born 


to  this  union,  three  are  still  living,  a  son  and 
two  daughters.  The  father  came  with  his 
family  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  about 


1835,  and  made  a  tem 


porary 


ittlement  near 


Eugene.  Shortly  afterward  he  settled  on 
section  9,  Highland  Township,  where  he 
spent  the  rest  of  his  life.  Here  his  wife  died 
in  1839,  and  the  following  year  heAvas  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Fleming,  who  was 
born  in  Pickaway  County,  Ohio,  in  1818. 
She  was  brought  to  Vigo  County,  Indiana,  in 
early  childhood,  and  when  eleven  years  old  to 
Veimiillion  County,  where  she  was  reared. 
Seven  children  were  born  to  this  second  union 
of  whom  only  three  survive — Enoch  George, 
our  subject,  who  was  the  eldest  child  of  this 
marriage;  Annie  M.,  wife  of  Eev.  J.  B. 
Combs,  and  Warner  who  left  his  home  a 
number  of  years  ago,  and  his  location  is 
unknown.  Of  those  deceased — Daniel  died 
in  his  sixth  year;  Joseph  F.,  died  May  31, 
1873,  in  his  twenty-seventh  year;  Edith,  wife 
of  Samuel  B.  Lewis,  died  October  8,  1883,  in 
her  thirty-second  year,  and  one  child  died  in 
infancy.  Their  son,  Joseph  F.,  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  the  Eebellion,  serving  two  years 
in  the  Seventy-first  Indiana  Infantry.  He 
was  in  the  ranks  about  a  year  when  he  was 
placed  on  detached  service,  and  served  in  the 
commissary  department.  He  was  a  young 
man  of  high  ability,  and  for  sometime  was  a 
student  at  Greencastle,  Indiana.  He  studied 
law  with  Ehoads  Brothers,  at  Newport,  Indi- 
ana, and  subsequently  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  law  at  Danville,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death.  The  father  of  our  subject  died  ]\[arch 
24,  1866.  He  was  an  honest,  upright  citizen, 
and  was  much  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  began  life  poor,  but  by  persevering  in- 
dustry, combined  with  good  business  ability, 
he  acquired  a  good  competence,  and  was  the 
owner  of  200  acres  of  fine  land.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  before  his  death  he  was  in  poor 


HISTORY    Of    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


I 


healtli.  He  M'as  strictly  temperate  in  all 
things,  and  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  for  many  years. 
His  widow  is  still  living  on  the  homestead,  on 
which  he  settled  over  tifty  years  ago.  Enoch 
George  Sparks,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch, 
was  reared  at  the  homestead,  to  the  vocation 
of  a  farmer,  and  has  always  made  his  home 
in  Highland  Township.  He  now  resides  on 
section  16,  where  he  has  a  fine  farm,  and  a 
pleasant  home.  His  farm  is  one  of  the  finest 
improved  in  his  township,  as  may  be  indi- 
cated by  the  fact  that  he  has  expended  about 
§5,000  in  improvements.  Before  her  mar- 
riage the  name  of  Mrs.  Sparks  was  Miss  Susan- 
nah Cossey,  she  being  a  danghter  of  Peter 
Cossey,  who  settled  in  Highland  Township 
among  the  early  pioneers.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sparks  have  five  children  living  named — 
Mary  Lnella,  wife  of  Daniel  Gouty;  Edith, 
Enoch  George,  Elizabeth  and  Grace.  Their 
eldest  child,  Peter  Franklin,  died  at  the  age 
of  five  years.  Politically  Mr.  Sparks  casts 
his  suffrage  with  the  Republican  party. 


:ILLIAM  N.  HOSFOPD,  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Hosford  i^:  Bell,  gen- 
eral merchants,  Eugene,  was  born  in 
Eugene  Township,  Vermillion  County,  Indi- 
ana, February  3,  1858,  his  father,  Lemon 
Hosford,  being  a  native  of  the  State  of  New 
York.  He  spent  the  first  thirteen  years  of 
his  life  on  his  fatlier's  farm,  and  his  educa- 
tion was  obtained  in  the  schools  at  Pana, 
Illinois.  He  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness at  Eugene  in  February,  1879,  in  which 
year  the  'present  firm  was  formed.  They 
curry  on  two  stores  now,  having  in  the  fall  of 
1887  added  a  large  dry  goods,  clothing  and 
grocery  establishment  to  their  already  exten- 
sive business,   their    other    store   containing 


drugs,  paints,  oils,  groceries,  etc.  Both  mem- 
bers of  the  firm  are  active  business  men,  and 
by  their  accommodating  manners,  and  strict 
attention  to  the  wants  of  their  customers, 
they  have  built  up  a  good  trade  which  is 
steadily  increasing.  Mr.  Hosford  was  post- 
master of  Eugene  from  1879  until  1886.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He 
was  married  in  April,  1880,  to  Miss  Anna 
Boyd,  a  daughter  of  the  late  Josiah  Boyd, 
and  to  them  have  been  born  two  children, 
named  Fred  and  Hazel. 


piPlIRAIM  SHUTE,  one  of  the  success- 
(",'.  fill  agriculturists  of  Highland  Town- 
"^^  ship,  resides  near  Howard  Chapel, 
where  his  father,  Pichard  Shnte,  settled  in 
the  year  1829.  Richard  Shute  and  his  wife, 
Hannah  (McCartney)  Shute,  had  a  family  of 
fifteen  children,  all  yet  living  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  daughters,  Minerva  and  Re- 
becca. The  names  of  those  yet  living  are — 
William,  living  in  Illinois;  Daniel,  John, 
Ephraim  and  Jehu,  residents  of  Highland 
Township,  Vermillion  County;  Mahala,  wife 
of  William  Nicholas;  Sarah  Ann,  widow  of 
Peter  Cossey;  Susan,  wife  of  Reece  A.  Ra- 
bnrn;  Marian,  wife  of  Rezin  Howard,  living 
in  Missouri;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Gouty,  and  three 
sons,  Joseph,  Richard  and  Hai'rion,  living 
in  Missouri.  Ephraim  Shute,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  born  in  the  State  of  Ohio  in 
1827,  and  was  but  two  years  old  when  his 
parents  immigrated  to  Vermillion  County. 
He  was  reared  on  the  homestead  to  the 
vocation  of  a  farmer,  and  has  resided  on  the 
same  place  almost  sixty  years.  The  farm  on 
whicli  he  resides  contains  240  acres  of  well- 
improved  land,  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, besides  which  he  has  fifty  acres  elsewhere 
in  the  same  township,  and  also  a  half  section 


BIOGRAPEICAL    SKETCHSS. 


of  valuable  land  in  Kansas.  Mrs.  Shiite  was 
formerly  Miss  Elziua  Guft",  a  daughter  of 
David  Goff,  who  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
Vermillion  County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shute 
are  tlie  parents  of  ten  children,  whose  names 
are  as  follows — Martha,  David  (living  in  Mis- 
souri), Hannah,  Aurelia,  Elias  M.,  Squire, 
Philander,  Marintha,  Marah  Helen  and  Eph- 
raim  A.,  the  two  latter  being  deceased.  Mr. 
Shute  has  always  manifested  a  deep  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  his  township  and  county, 
and  every  enterprise  for  the  public  welfare 
has  liad  his  encouragement  and  support. 


fOIIN  COLLETT,  Se.,  was  born  near  Wil- 
mington, Delaware,  in  1762,  a  descendant 
of  an  old  English  family  whose  traditions 
say  that  their  remote  ancestry  came  from 
Normandy  to  Britain  with  AVilliam  the  Con- 
queror, and  shared  in  the  division  of  Saxon 
property  assigned  to  his  favorite  warriors. 
The  name  Collett  is  indirectly  derived  from 
the  ancient  Nicholas,  through  the  following 
intermediate  forms:  Nicoletus,  Coletus,Colet, 
Collett.  A  quaint  volume  now  in  the  library 
of  his  grandson,  John  Collett,  of  Indianapo- 
lis, tells  of  an  ancestral  John  Colet,  who  was 
Dean  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  tlie  reign  of 
Henry  VII.  and  VIII.,  and  founder  of  St. 
Paul's  School  for  Boys,  and  whose  father, 
Sir  Henry  Colet,  while  serving  his  second 
term  as  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  became 
treaty  bondsman  for  his  monarch,  Henry 
VI I.,  with  the  Dutch  Republic.  A  branch 
of  the  Collett  family,  who  were  "  Round- 
heads" with  Cromwell  for  the  Common- 
wealth, left  England  on  the  restoration  ot 
Charles  II.,  and  after  a  brief  sojourn  in  Ire- 
land two  brothers  came  to  America,  about 
the  year  1755,  landing  at  Wilmington,  Dela- 
ware.    The  family  early  removed  to  the  val- 


ley of  the  Juniata,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  at 
the  age  of  nineteen  years  the  subject  of  this 
memoir^  became  a  soldier  under  Washington. 
After  his  marriage  to  a  German  lady  near 
the  junction  of  the  Juniata  and  Susquehanna, 
he  made  his  home  among  the  hills  and 
mountains  of  Huntingdon  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  found  after  the  lapse  of  more  than 
fifty  years  that  his  mind  was  liappy  in  re- 
viving tlie  memories  of  the  "bright,  blue 
Juniata,  and  its  rushing,  silvery  current." 
In  1800  he  removed  with  his  family  and 
little  property  in  a  flat-boat  down  the  affluents 
of  the  Ohio  River,  and  the  river  itself,  to 
Lime  Rock,  opposite  the  present  town  of 
Portsmouth,  Ohio.  His  objective  point  was 
the  new  capital,  Chillicothe,  and  unloading 
his  horses  and  wagons,  lie  cut  out  the  first 
road  from  the  landing  to  Chillicothe,  which 
road  was  long  known  as  "Collett's  Trail." 
When  the  seat  of  government  was  removed 
to  Columbus,  he  went  with  his  family,  and 
erected  the  first  shingle-roof  house  in  that 
place,  which  is  now  a  considerable  city.  He 
was  appointed  to  several  public  trusts  in  both 
these  towns.  At  that  time  he  kept  tavern, 
before  "hotels"  were  "invented,"  and  was 
known  as  the  kind  and  generous  landlord. 
He  was  appointed  United  States  Deputy  Sur- 
veyor, and  surveyed  large  tracts  of  land  in 
the  swamps  of  the  Maumee  Valley.  One  of 
his  comrades  was  Captain  Riley,  famous  as 
the  author  of  "Riley's  Narrative  of  Wreck 
and  AVonders  on  the  African  Coast;"  and  he 
would  mildly  remark  that  Captain  Riley 
could  discover  as  many  terrors  and  wonders 
in  the  swamps  of  the  Maumee  as  in  Africa. 
In  1818  he  was  directed  to  make  surveys  in 
Central  Indiana,  and  came  West  by  Indian 
trail,  passing  the  spot  where  the  city  of  In- 
dianapolis is  now  located.  In  1819  he  sur- 
veyed parts  of  the  counties  of  Owen  and 
Putnam,  making  his  liome  at  Terre  Haute. 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


i 


In  1825  he  inos'ed  to  Eugene.  During  the 
early  jears  of  his  residence  here  he  was 
active  in  political  circles  and  public  affairs, 
lie  began  merchandising  at  Clinton,  and 
later  engaged  in  the  same  business  at  the 
Little  Vermillion  Mills;  was  a  useful  citizen 
and  a  popular  man.  When  Newport  was 
founded  he  erected  the  building  known  as 
Place's  Hotel,  and  was  land  agent  for  the 
sale  of  lots.  He  considered  the  bottom  lands 
in  and  about  Opedee  to  be  the  richest  he  had 
ever  seen  in  his  wide  experience,  and  main- 
tained a  ferrj  known  as  CoUett's  Ferry,  about 
a  mile  south  of  Opedee.  As  an  examjile  of 
pioneer  custom,  when  one  afternoon  a  train 
of  moving  wagons  crossed  at  his  ferry,  bear- 
ing the  household  goods  of  the  Worth  family 
from  North  Carolina,  he  asked  where  they 
were  going  and  what  preparations  they  had 
on  their  land.  They  replied  that  they  were 
going  to  section  9,  township  17  north,  9  west, 
— the  present  residence  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  Por- 
ter,— and  that  they  would  live  in  their  wagons 
until  they  could  get  time  to  erect  a  cabin. 
His  answer  was,  "Make  ready  to  entertain 
your  neighbors  and  friends  to-morrow,  and  I 
will  send  word  around  that  new-comers  have 
arrived;  to-morrow  night  your  cabin  will 
be  built,  roofed  and  ready  for  occupation." 
Within  twenty-four  hours  their  house  was 
completed,  and  Mr.  Worth  ever  afterward 
held  this  act  as  one  of  the  kindest  that  had 
ever  been  done  for  him.  Another  anecdote 
we  may  relate  in  this  connection.  In  those 
early  times  there  were  no  prohibitionists. 
Coffee  and  tea  were  scarce  and  high.  Whisky 
was  a  cheap  necessity  of  life.  It  was  taken 
for  medicine,  as  a  beverage,  and  used  in  the 
communion  service.  They  all  used  it;  and 
every  merchant  and  shop-keeper  was  expected 
to  have  glasses  and  jugs  of  the  liquor  free  to 
the  public,  on  his  counter  or  table.  It  ap- 
peared, however,  that  in  a  few  families  it  was 


not  viewed  by  the  women  as  entirely  com- 
mendable. In  such  cases,  when  the  annual 
account  current  was  rendered,  the  landlord's 
books  would  show  that  certain  neighbors 
were  charged  every  week  or  oftener  with  a 
quart  to  a  half  gallon  of  gunpowder !  Al- 
though advanced  in  life  when  he  came  to 
this  county,  Mr.  Collett  was  still  a  stalwart 
man  and  maintained  a  soldier's  bearing;  was 
nearly  six  feet  high,  with  high,  full  face, 
slightly  stooped,  with  thin  grayish  dark  hair, 
hazel  eyes,  and  elastic  step  even  in  old  age. 
lie  was  always  kind  and  tender  in  his  dis- 
position, entertaining  a  horror  for  any  of 
the  improprieties  or  indecencies  of  life.  In 
every  essential  he  was  a  gentleman  of  the 
"old  school,"  dressed  somewhat  old-fashioned, 
wore  his  hair  in  a  queue,  as  is  seen  in  por- 
traits of  Washington  and  the  men  of  the 
Revolution.  lie  was  a  man  of  excellent 
judgment,  slu-ewd  in  the  selection  of  good 
land,  and  dignified  in  his  conduct.  One 
good  characteristic  he  exhibited  in  the  train- 
ing of  his  children,  was  that  he  never  allowed 
them  to  sleep  in  bed  with  their  limbs 
"cuddled"  up;"  and  the  result  was  a  pecu- 
liarly soldier-like  erectness  of  stature  enjoyed 
by  his  descendants.  He  died  in  Eugene  in 
1834,  aged  seventy-two  years,  and  was  buried 
in  the  Collett  family  cemetery.  Ilis  most 
intimate  friends  desired  that  the  most  appro- 
priate sentiment  should  be  engraved  upon 
his  tombstone,  namely,  "An  honest  man  is 
the  nublest  work  of  God."  His  wife,  Eliza- 
beth, died  at  Columbus,  Ohio.  His  two  sons, 
Josephus  and  Stephen  S.,  and  daughters, 
Emily  and  Mary,  came  with  him  to  Terre 
Haute.  Emily  died  and  was  buried  in  the 
cemetery  at  Terre  Haute;  and  in  mcmoi'y  of 
her  acts  of  kindness  many  children  within 
the  circle  of  her  acquaintance  were  named 
Emily.  Mary  married  Mr.  Dillow  in  Co- 
lumbus, and    after   residing  for   a   time    in 


BlOaBAPBlCAL    SKBTGHES. 


1 


Terre  Haute,  came  to  Newport,  where  she 
died  and  was  buried  in  the  Collett  cemetery. 
She  had  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  all 
of  whom  are  deceased.  William,  her  oldest 
son,  was  a  stout  blacksmith,  and  a  kind- 
hearted  neighbor.  Jack,  the  second  son, 
kept  tavern,  and  was  ]:)robablj  the  most 
"entertaining"  host  in  all  the  country,  full 
of  anecdotes,  good  at  imitation,  and  generous 
and  liberal  in  all  his  ways. 


^-^rTILLIAM  13.  WALTHALL,  farmer 
■v4'/'V])  and  stock-raiser,  resides  on  section  6, 
I'-o^J  Yermillion  Township,  where  he  owns 
a  good  farm  of  ninety  acres  and  in  addition 
to  this  he  o.wns  a  tract  of  120  acres  of  land 
in  Illinois.  He  was  born  in  Dinwiddle 
County,  Virginia,  January  25,  1818,  a  son  of 
William  B.  and  Martha  (Bailey)  AValthall, 
who  were  also  natives  of  Virginia,  and  of 
English  descent.  They  were  birthright 
members  of  the  Friends'  church,  and  en- 
deavored to  instill  into  the  minds  of  their 
children  from  an  early  age  the  principles  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ.  In  the  year  1830,  the 
parents,  thinking  it  better  on  account  ot  their 
children  to  live  in  a  free  State,  moved  with 
their  family  to  Ohio,  the  mother  having  near 
relatives  in  that  State,  being  on  the  road  one 
month  and  a  day  before  reaching  their  desti- 
nation, locating  in  Clinton  County.  In  the 
father's  family  were  seven  children,  three 
daughters  and  four  sons,  our  subject  being 
the  eldest  son  and  fourth  child.  The  parents 
lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  living  to  see  the  chil- 
dren of  tlieir  youngest  child.  Their  seven 
children  reached  an  average  of  over  sixty-nine 
years  before  death  entered  their  home,  and 
six  are  yet  living.  Being  born  and  reared 
until  twelve  years  of  age  in  a  slave-holding 
community  William  B.  learned  to  hate  slavery 


in  all  its  forms,  and  early  in  life  began  to 
oppose  the  system  by  speaking  of  its  evils 
among  his  schoolmates,  and  in  trying  to 
teach  colored  people  to  read  and  write,  and 
with  his  advancing  years  his  hatred  of  the 
institution  increased.  He  stood  with  the 
Free-Soil-  party,  and  cast  the  iirst  and  only 
vote  in  the  county  for  John  P.  Hale  for 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  continued 
to  fight  slavery  to  its  bitter  end  in  1863.  He 
continued  in  the  work  of  reform  through 
life,  and  in  early  manhood  gave  up  the  use  of 
tobacco,  and  joined  the  army  of  its  opposers. 
Mr.  Walthall  grew  to  manhood  in  Clinton 
County,  Ohio,  remaining  there  until  attaining 
the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  and  in  the  win- 
ter of  1842  he  left  the  parental  roof  to  iind 
a  home  in  the  then  far  west.  After  travel- 
ing on  horseback  for  eight  days  he  reached 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and  settled  on 
the  farm  where  he  now  1  i ves.  He  was  married 
in  this  county,  March  9,  1842,  before  a 
monthly  meeting  of  the  religious  Society  of 
Friends,  to  Sarah  Ilaworth,  who  was  born  in 
Ohio,  in  1817,  a  daughter  of  Kichard  and 
Susanna  (Henderson)  Ilaworth.  This  union 
was  dissolved  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Walthall, 
April  28,  1854,  after  a  happy  married  life  of 
twelve  years.  She  had  a  birthright  member- 
ship in  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  was  a 
worthy  and  consistent  Christian.  She  left  at 
her  death  four  children — Martha  A.,  Thomas 
E.,  Francis  and  Levi.  Martha  married 
Steven  Cross,  and  has  one  child — Charlie. 
Thomas  married  Sarah  J.  Likens,  and  they 
are  the  parents  of  ten  children.  Francis 
married  Roena  Castle,  and  to  them  one  child 
has  been  born  who  is  now  deceased.  Levi 
married  Elizabeth  Cox,  and  to  them  have 
been  born  seven  children.  Mr.  Walthall  was 
a  second  time  united  in  marriage,  in  the 
autumn  of  1855,  to  Lydia  J.  Branson,  a 
daughter  of  Aqiiilla  and  Lydia  (Ellis)  Bran- 


son,  former  residents  of  Belmont  County, 
Ohio,  who  immigrated  to  Illinois  in  1841. 
Twelve  children  were  born  to  this  union,  six 
sons  and  six  daughters.  Seven  of  the  chil- 
dren yet  survive — David  B.,  Sarah,  Lydia, 
Allen  J.,  Almedia,  William  H.  and  Smith. 
Believing  that  knowledge  is  power  Mr. 
Walthall  has  endeavored  to  give  his  children 
a  good  education,  and  three  of  them  have 
been  students  at  Earlham  College  near  Eich- 
mond,  Indiana.  lie  is  now  in  his  seventieth 
year,  and  is  still  hale  and  hearty,  having 
inherited  from  his  parents  a  sound  constitu- 
tion. Statistics  proved  that  the  longevity  of 
the  Friends  is  much  greater  than  of  others, 
which  privilege  is  only  attained,  in  accordance 
with  the  Bible,  by  honoring  our  parents  and 
the  observance  of  the  laws  of  health  from 
early  childhood.  Mr.  Walthall's  membership 
in  the  Society  of  Friends  was  transferred  by 
letter  from  Dover  Monthly  meeting,  Clinton 
County,  Ohio,  to  Vermillion  monthly  meeting 
of  Friends  Vermillion  County,  Illinois,  in  the 
year  1842.  In  1873  a  new  monthly  meeting 
of  Friends  was  established  at  Hopewell,  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  of  which  Mr.  Wal- 
thall is  a  member.  In  1843  he  was  appointed 
overseer,  and  in  1853  he  was  made  elder  in 
the  church  by  the  Vermillion  monthly  meet- 
ing, the  latter  office  being  now  subject  to 
change  every  three  years.  His  last  appoint- 
ment as  elder  was  in  1886  by  the  Hopewell 
monthly  meeting.  Mr.  Walthall  is  a  mem- 
ber of  no  secret  organization,  having  in  early 
life  taken  a  decided  stand  against  secrecy  and 
Baal  worship  in  lodges.  When  a  young  man 
he  found  the  appetite  for  strong  drink  increas- 
ing upon  him,  and  then  resolved  to  embrace 
the  principles  of  teetotalism,  to  which  he  has 
since  firmly  held,  ever  with  an  increasing 
desire  to  destroy  the  rum  power  that  the 
nation  may  be  saved  from  the  demon  of 
alcohol.     In  1876  he  joined   the   American 


party  and  has  since  voted  for  its  candidates 
and  was  the  only  man  in  his  township  to 
vote  for  John  P.  St.  John  for  President,  thus 
standing'firm  for  his  principles  though  all  be 
against  him.  This  is  characteristic  of  the 
man,  and  his  honest,  upright  living  has  won 
him  many  friends  who  trust  and  honor  him 
for  his  straightforward,  unwavering  integrity. 

IgROWN  H.  MORGAN,  general  mer- 
■ml  ^^^^°*''  Clinton,  is  a  native  of  Virginia, 
^^  born  at  Middlebrook,  Augusta  County, 
September  30,  1861,  a  son  of  William  and 
Eliza  (Flinn)  Morgan,  both  of  whom  were 
born,  reared  and  married  in  the  State  of 
Virginia.  They  left  Virginia  May  1,  1874, 
and  the  same  month  settled  at  New  Uoshen, 
Vigo  County,  Indiana,  remaining  there  until 
August,  1876,  since  which  time  they  have 
been  residents  of  Clinton,  Vermillion  Count}-. 
Seven  children  have  been  born  to  them,  their 
names  in  order  of  their  birth  being  as  fol- 
lows— Sallie  (wife  of  William  H.  Cole,  of 
Clinton),  John  II.  (living  in  A^igo  County, 
Indiana),  Mrs.  Eutie  Shepherd  (deceased), 
Mrs.  Mollie  E.  Hanger  (living  in  Middle- 
brook,  Virginia),  Wilfred  (a  resident  of  Clin- 
ton), Mrs.  Maggie  Shepherd  (living  in 
Hartford  County,  Kansas),  and  Brown  H., 
the  subject  of  tiiis  sketch.  The  father  is 
engaged  in  wagon  manufacturing  and  repair- 
ing at  Clinton.  Brown  H.  Morgan  came 
with  his  parents  to  Clinton  in  August,  1876, 
and  here  he  grew  to  manhood.  Three  days 
after  reaching  Clinton,  August  15,  1876,  he 
entered  the  general  mercantile  establishment 
of  A.  L.  Whitcomb  as  clerk,  and  January  1 
he  became  a  partner  in  the  l)usiness,  and 
February  1,  1887,  after  the  death  of  Mr. 
Whitcomb,  he  became  sole  owner  of  the  stock. 
He  is  a  young  man  of  splendid  business  qual- 


^^ 


"■!_ 


^:<yi\y 


// 


BlOORAPHtCAL    SKUTCHHS. 


447 


itications,  and  is  conducting  the  largest  mer- 
cantile establishment  in  Vermillion  County, 
and  one  of  the  largest  in  Western  Indiana. 
Tiie  sales  of  this  establishment  are  over 
$50,000  annually.  In  politics  Mr.  Morgan 
afKliates  with  the  Republican  party.  He  is 
jirominent  in  social  circles,  and  is  identiiied 
with  both  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows 
orders. 


fOSEPIUIS  COLLETT,  Sr.,  deceased,  a 
prominent  pioneer  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, was  born  in  Huntingdon  County, 
Pennsylvania,  February  24,  1787,  and  after- 
ward removed  to  Columbus,  Ohio.  March 
18,  1816,  he  was  appointed  deputy  sheritf  of 
Ross  County,  that  State,  by  Thomas  Steel, 
then  sheriif,  and  November  5,  1818,  he  was 
elected  sheriff",  and  faithfully  served  out  his 
term.  April  28,  1820,  he  was  appointed 
deputy  United  States  Surveyor  by  Governor 
GritRn,  who  was  then  surveyor-general  of  the 
Northwest  Territory,  and  in  this  capacity 
he  surveyed  a  district  of  country  which  em- 
braces a  large  portion  of  the  counties  of 
Hendricks,  Montgomery,  Boone  and  Tippe- 
canoe. In  1825  he  removed  to  this  county, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death, 
near  Eugene,  on  AYednesday,  February  21, 
1872.  During  the  early  period  of  his  resi- 
dence in  this  county,  he  was  an  influential 
participant  in  the  politics  oil  this  district, 
and  in  all  matters  of  public  interest.  He 
was  also  a  man  of  sagacity  and  prudence  in 
the  management  of  his  property.  Starting 
with  but  little  capital,  he  amassed  a  large 
fortune,  which  was  estimated  at  the  time  of 
his  death  at  about  $130,000.  He  used  to 
say,  '<  The  young  man  who  won't  dig  and 
work  for  himself  will  never  become  wealthy; 
for  it  is  o-rubbino;  for  one's  self  that  teaches 


him  to  economize."  He  was  a  man  of  origi- 
nal characteristics,  vivid  positiveness  and 
strong  will.  Though  a  little  vindictive,  as 
is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  men  of  his  positive 
nature,  he  was  uniformly  kind,  courteous  and 
obliging.  His  hospitality  was  of  the  old- 
school  order, — broad,  generous  and  liberal. 
His  table,  loaded  with  the  richest  viands, 
and  his  sideboard  with  the  best  of  liquors, 
always  had  two  or  three  extra  plates  for  ex- 
pected guests.  No  friend  could  be  forgiven 
who  did  not  partake  of  its  bounties.  Many 
such  friends  as  Judge  John  R.  Porter,  &"ena- 
tors  E.  A.  Hannegan  and  Albert  S.  White, 
Congressmen  Henry  S.  Lane  and  Richard  W. 
Thompson,  and  the  Judges  of  the  Indiana 
and  United  States  Courts  were  frequent  par- 
takers of  his  hospitality.  On  one  occasion, 
when  his  house  was  crowded  with  such  guests, 
word  was  brought  to  him  after  night  that  a 
poor,  ragged  man  wanted  to  come  in  out  of 
the  storm  and  stay  all  night.  They  said 
they  had  told  him  that  the  house  was  full; 
but  Mr.  Collett  insisted  on  seeing  liim.  The 
"  intruder  "  was  brought  in,  and  at  once  re- 
cognized as  poor,  crazy  Jack  Stinson,  of 
Williamsport.  Immediately  the  old  feeling 
of  hospitality  and  duty  tramped  down  the 
necessities  of  the  case,  and  Mr.  Collett  met 
him  with  a  graceful  bow  and  a  kind  shake  of 
the  hand,  and  introduced  him  as  an  Ohio 
friend  to  the  assembled  judges  and  lawyers, 
as  having  been  formerly  in  their  profession, 
but  recently  in  bad  health  and  unfortunate. 
Said  he,  "  He  was  my  friend  in  days  long 
ago,  and  I  am  still  his  friend."  He  was  a 
welcome  guest  to  all  there  assembled;  and, 
being  so  treated,  his  insanity  disappeared  and 
reason  was  for  the  time  restored.  Mr.  Col- 
lett was  always  a  friend  to  the  ]ioor,  and  no 
beggar  ever  went  away  empty  from  his  door. 
His  early  educational  facilities  were  limited 
to  a   few   months'  attendance    at   school   in 


448 


msTonr  of  Vermillion  coVNtY. 


Ohio,  and  in  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  used 
to  remark,  luimorously,  tliatlie  was  in  danger 
of  spelling  Congress  with  a  K;  but  even  a 
classic  scholar  would  wonder  why  his  language 
was  so  correct  as  it  was,  and  modeled  so  ex- 
actly after  the  Latin  style.  It  could  be  ex- 
plained only  by  the  fact  that  in  his  young 
manhood  he  was  "  major  domo "  in  the 
household  of  Governor  Worthington,  of  Ohio, 
a  highly  educated  Virginian  of  the  strictest 
rules  of  courtesy  and  politeness.  That  po- 
sition was  to  him  a  good  school.  He  was 
present  when  the  Legislature  established  a 
new  county,  cut  off  from  that  portion  of 
Parke  County  lying  west  of  the  Wabash 
Eiver.  When  asked  to  give  a  name  to  the 
county,  he  said  the  principal  stream  was  the 
Vermillion  River,  and  suggested  the  name 
Vermillion  for  the  county,  which  was  adopted. 
Mr.  CoUett  took  especial  pains  with  his  dress 
and  appearance.  Everything  about  his 
premises  must  also  be  kept  neat  and  in  its 
place.  His  horses  were  symmetrical,  attract- 
ive and  good  travelers.  His  hogs  and  sheep 
were  of  the  finest  breeds,  and  kept  in  good 
condition;  and  his  cattle  were  also  the  very 
best.  The  following  instance  illustrates  his 
generous  disposition.  Learning  that  the 
Methodist  church  in  the  village  was  paying 
its  preacher  only  $17  or  $18  a  year,  with 
which  he  had  to  support  himself,  wife,  baby 
and  horse,  he  was  amazed  and  furiously  angry. 
He  sent  the  young  man  a  $5  bill,  and  re- 
quested him  at  his  earliest  convenience  to 
take  dinner  with  him.  Though  somewhat 
reluctant,  the  young  minister  was  prevailed 
upon  to  accept.  Arriving  at  the  house  of 
his  benefactor,  he  was  met  with  the  kindest 
welcome,  and  a  feast  was  served  to  himself 
and  family.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  visit, 
Mr.  Collett  loaded  the  young  man  with  luxu- 
ries, and  engaged  to  send  him  immediately  a 
barrel   of  the    best    flour,    a  barrel    of  corn 


meal,  a  quarter  of  beef  and  potatoes  and 
apples  enough  to  last  him  through  the  winter. 
The  yox;ng  man  was  surprised  and  over- 
whelmed. At  another  time  the  Presbyterian 
minister  at  Perrysville  was  starving  out  un- 
der similar  circumstances.  He  wrote  a  plead- 
ing letter  to  Mr.  Collett,  who  immediately 
headed  a  subscription  which  made  the  poor 
minister  comfortable.  Such  instances  of 
generosity  were  common  in  the  life  of  Mr. 
Collett.  He  became  a  Freemason  in  Novem- 
ber, 1815,  at  Franklinton,  Ohio.  In  relig- 
ious sentiment  he  was  liberal,  if  not  free  and 
easy.  He  wanted  it  distinctly  understood 
that  he  was  no  Calvinistic  Presbyterian,  but 
preachers  of  all  denominations  were  equally 
welcome  guests  at  his  table  and  fireside. 
Sometimes,  after  hearing  a  good  sermon,  he 
would  say  to  the  preacher,  "  I  was  delighted 
with  your  discourse:  almost  thou  persuaded 
me  to  be  a  Christian."  He  had  unbounded 
faith  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  professed 
on  his  death-bed  to  have  always  been  a  be- 
liever in  the  Christian  religion,  and  had  had 
frequent  visions  and  communications  which 
he  declared  could  come  only  from  those  pur- 
porting to  deliver  them.  He  had  vestiges  of 
what  has  been  called  "  second  sight."  One 
time,  during  a  severe  spell  of  sickness,  it 
seemed  to  him,  at  a  moment  when  he  was 
partially  awake,  that  he  was  in  the  other 
world,  holding  a  conversation  with  a  spirit. 
The  result  of  that  conversation  was  that  it 
was  not  yet  time  for  him  to  leave  the  material 
world  by  ten  years.  On  fully  awakening  in 
the  morning,  he  was  really  distressed  to  iind 
his  soul  still  in  the  body.  He  did  live  just 
ten  years  longer,  dying  at  the  age  of  ciglity- 
flve  3'ears.  On  one  occasion,  when  his  friends, 
John  R.  Porter  and  Edward  A.  Hannegan, 
were  at  his  house,  they  all  became  particu- 
larly serious,  feeling  that  a  s|)irit  from  the 
other  world  was  influencing  them;  and  they 


^1 


then  and  there  solemnly  pledged  to  each 
other  that  after  death  the  first  one  to  enter 
tlie  next  world  wonld  return  if  he  could,  and 
announce  to  the  others  the  fact  that  there 
was  a  spirit  world,  etc.  Judge  Porter  died 
first,  and  the  other  two  never  afterward  re- 
ceived any  communication  from  him. 


'ILLIAM  M.  HAMILTON,  senior 
member  of  the  firm  of  Hamilton  & 
I'-spTj  Anderson,  is  one  of  the  leading  busi- 
ness men  of  Clinton,  and  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative citizens  of  the  town.  He  was  born 
in  Clinton,  September  17,  1843,  a  son  of 
James  and  Mary  (Hines)  Hamilton,  and  with 
the  exceptiou  of  the  time  spent  in  the  service 
of  his  country,  he  has  always  lived  in  his 
native  place.  The  history  of  the  Hamilton 
family  in  Vermillion  County  dates  with  the 
settlement  of  his  grandfather,  William  Ham- 
ilton, who  crossed  the  Wabash  Eiver  March 
17,  1818,  and  shortly  afterward  settled  on 
section  4,  Clinton  Township.  He  and  his 
wife,  formerly  Margaret  Pierce,  were  born  in 
the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  but  married  in 
Ohio.  James,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Ohio,  and  was  their  eldest  son.  Their 
second  son,  John,  is  living  on  section  8,  Clin- 
ton Township.  He  was  also  born  in  Ohio. 
Nine  children  were  born  to  them  after  com- 
ing to  Vermillion  County,  of  whom  only 
their  daughters,  Mrs.  Mary  Sprague,  of 
Chicago,  and  Mrs.  Emily  Hubbard,  are  now 
living.  AVilliam  Hamilton  was  a  kind  neigh- 
bor, and  always  did  all  in  his  power  to  re- 
lieve the  needy.  His  home  in  the  pioneer 
days  was  the  abode  of  hospitality,  and 
although  he  was  not  rich  in  this  world's 
goods,  he  enjoyed  what  he  had,  and  died  at 
the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  His  widow  sur- 
vived him    several  years.     James   Hamilton 


ved  at  the  home  of  his  parents  until  reach- 
ing manhood.  He  married  Mary  Hines,  and 
of  their  three  children  William  M.  is  the 
only  one  living.  The  father  of  our  subject 
died  in  1848,  when  he  was  five  years  of  age. 
His  mother  was  a  second  time  married  to  Mr. 
N.  Chappell,  and  after  his  death  she  was 
again  married  to  John  Straine.  She  died  in 
Helt  Township,  this  county,  at  an  advanced 
age.  William  M.  Hamilton,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch  was  early  in  life,  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources,  and  has  made  his 
own  A\'ay  through  life,  his  inheritance  from 
his  father's  estate  not  exceeding  $^250,  but  the 
hard  lessons  ^learned  in  his  youth  have  been 
of  lasting  benefit  to  him  in  battling  with  the 
stern  realities  of  life.  Before  reaching  the 
age  of  eighteen  years  he  enlisted  in  defense 
of  the  Union  in  Companj'  C,  Eighteenth  In- 
diana Infantry,  and  his  first  engagement  was 
at  the  memorable  battle  of  Pea  Pidge,  Arkan- 
sas. He  was  in  the  operations  of  General 
Grant  in  the  Vicksburg  campaign,  partici- 
pating in  the  battles  of  Magnolia  Hills, 
Champion  Hills,  Jackson  and  Raymond,  and 
the  siege  of  the  city  of  Vicksburg.  Later  he 
served  with  his  regiment  in  the  Gulf  Dejjart- 
ment,  and  in  August,  1864,  was  honorably 
discharged.  After  his  return  from  the  war 
he  attended  the  Commercial  College  at  Indi- 
anapolis, and  later  engaged  in  clerking  at 
Clinton.  In  December,  1868,  he  married 
Miss  Fannie  Keegan,  a  native  of  Vanderberg 
County,  Indiana,  and  a  daughter  of  Patrick 
Keegan,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  one  child, 
named  Estella.  In  1873  Mr.  Hamilton  began 
dealing  in  grain  and  agricultural  implements 
at  Clinton,  with  Alonzo  Shepherd  and  William 
Nelson,  under  the  firm  name  of  Nelson,  Shep- 
herd &  Co.  Changes  ensued  in  the  business, 
and  in  1876  Mr.  Hamilton  became  associated 
with  Decatur  Downing,  with  whom  he  has  ex 
tensively  engaged  in  the  same  business,  under 


the  name  of  Downing  &  Hamilton.  In  the 
summer  of  1887  the  interest  of  Mr.  Downing 
was  bought  by  N.  C.  Anderson,  when  the  firm 
name  was  changed  to  Plamilton  &  Anderson. 
In  politics  Mr.  Hamilton  is  a  Republican.  He 
has  served  on  the  school  board  and  in  the  city 
council  with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction 
to  his  constituents.  He  is  a  member  of  both 
the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  orders. 


fOSEPHUS  COLLETT  (second),  a  promi- 
nent railroad  manager  and  business  man 
of  Terre  Haute,  who,  however,  is  still  a 
voter  in  Vermillion  County,  was  born  in 
Eugene,  this  county,  August  17,  1831.  (For 
his  parentage,  see  sketch  of  Stephen  S.  Collett, 
Sr.)  He  obtained  his  early  education  in  a 
log-cabin  school-house  near  his  birth-place, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  entered  Wabash 
College;  but  before  completing  the  full  literary 
course  lie  was  obliged  to  abandon  study  on 
account  of  feeble  health  and  a  serious  disease 
of  the  nerves  of  the  eyes.  A  cure  of  the 
latter  complaint  for  some  time  afterward 
seemed  hopeless;  but  he  finally  recovered, 
when  he  resorted  to  agriculture  and  dealing 
in  live  stock,  in  botli  which  branches  of  busi- 
ness he  had  great  success.  About  1869  he 
engaged  in  mercantile  business  at  Newport, 
including  pork-packing  and  dealing  in  grain. 
The  pork  and  grain  he  shipped  to  New  York 
and  New  Orleans,  soon  commanding  a  fine 
trade.  Lack  of  transportation  facilities  then 
engaged  his  attention.  After  the  failure  of 
several  previousatlempts  at  securing  railroads, 
he  consulted  Chauncey  Rose,  a  worthy  friend 
of  the  family  through  three  generations,  who 
zealously  enlisted  his  sympathies  with  advice 
and  money.  The  result  was  the  building  of 
tlie  Evansville,  Terre  Haute  &  Chicago  Rail- 
road, running  through  the  whole  length  of 


Vermillion  County.  Mr.  Collett  became 
president,  and  held  that  office  until  the  road 
was  leased  to  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
Railroad  Company,  who  now  operate  it. 
Unlike  other  railways,  this  road  was  built  at 
such  close  contract  prices,  without  the  inter- 
mediate profits  of  middle  men  and  speculators, 
and  its  alignments  and  grades  were  so  per- 
fectly surveyed,  that  it  has  been  classed  as  a 
model  railroad  in  economy  of  cost  and  con- 
struction. "While  nearly  all  new  railroad 
enterprises  of  the  country  have  passed  through 
the  hands  of  receivers  and  assignees,  this  road, 
under  the  management  of  Mr.  Collett, — wlm 
was  not  only  its  president  but  also  its  supur- 
intendent  andjtreasurer, — survived  the  crush- 
ing effects  of  the  hard  times  of  1873-'79;  and 
by  universal  consent  the  credit  for  this 
successful  management  is  given  to  him. 
Even  in  the  personal  supervision  of  the  track, 
he  has  never  been  afraid  to  ride  ujjon  a 
locomotive;  and  he  made  it  a  point  to  see 
every  rail,  tie  and  timber  on  his  route  once  a 
month.  He  has  also  been  engaged  in  many 
other  railroad  enterprises  and  large  business 
ventures.  He  built  the  Otter  Creek  Valley 
Railroad  through  Vigo  and  Clay  counties,  the 
Genesee  Valley  Railroad  in  New  York  State, 
and  in  the  construction  of  the  Columbus  iV: 
Sunday  Creek  Railroad,  which  opens  up  a 
new  approach  to  the  Hocking  Valley  coal 
region,  was  suparintendent  of  the  Nevada 
Central  Railroad  two  years,  is  now  manager 
of  the  Austin  &  Northwestern  Railroad  in 
Texas,  and  is  profitably  interested  in  the 
improvements  and  extensions  that  have  given 
such  growth  to  San  Diego,  California,  the 
great  sanitarium  of  tlie  Pacific  coast.  He  is 
also  interested  more  or  less  in  a  number  of 
mining  and  manufacturing  enterprises,  not 
only  at  Terre  Haute,  but  also  in  other  places 
in  Indiana  and  at  various  points  in  the  west. 
And  he  has  been  fortunate  in  nearly  every 


enterprise  that  he  has  undertaken.  In  notic- 
ing his  successful  career  any  one  will  readily 
conclude  that  "good  luck"  is  a  fiction,  and 
that  good  management  and  persistent  effor 
constitute  the  lever  of  victory.  Mr.  Collett 
is  also  known  for  his  many  acts  of  kindness 
and  benevolence  which  he  has  peri'ormed  in 
his  peculiarly  quiet  manner.  He  is  a  leader 
ill  all  public-spirited  enterprises  that  come 
within  his  scope  of  action.  On  the  death  of 
Mr.  Rose,  so  widely  known  for  his  munifi- 
cence, it  was  found  that  Mr.  Collett  had 
been  appointed  one  of  the  executors  of  his 
will.  The  latter  was  also  elected  one  of  the 
trustees  of  Rose  Polytechnic  Institute  at 
Terre  Haute,  and  is  president  of  the  board. 
In  his  political  principles  our  subject  is  a 
Republican;  in  manner,  quiet  and  unobtru- 
sive; toward  Strangers,  reticent;  to  friends,  a 
genial  and  whole-souled  companion.  He  has 
also  a  scientific  taste,  being  particularly  inter- 
ested in  geology  and  arciia?ology,  and  having 
one  of  the  finest  arcliffiologieal  collections  in 
the  west,  in  some  respects  the  best  in  the 
world,  comprising  over  12,000  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  the  stone  age. 


fE0RC4E  W.  JACKSON,  farmer  and 
stock-raiser,  resides  on  section  10,  Ver- 
million Township,  where  he  owns  300 
acres  of  valual)Ie  land.  He  was  born  in  Cler- 
mont County,  Ohio,  July  3,  1816,  a  son  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  (Newkirk)  Jackson,  his 
father  a  native  of  Virginia,  of  English  de- 
scent, and  his  mother  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
German  descent.  In  1832  his  parents  came 
to  Indiana  and  located  in  Vermillion  Town- 
ship, Vermillion  County,  where  the  father 
died  in  1847.  They  had  a  family  of  eight 
eiiildren,  l)ut  two  of  whom  are  living — 
George  W.  and   Edward,  of  Dana.     George 


W.  Jackson  was  reared  a  farmer,  an  occupa- 
tion he  has  tlius  far  followed.  His  first  start 
as  a  farmer  for  himself  was  on  100  acres,  to 
which  he  has  added  until  he  now  owns  his 
present  vahialile  farm.  He  was  married  in 
1815  to  Mary  Driver,  a  native  of  Oliio,  born 
in  Parke  County  in  1822,  a  daugliter  of 
Abram  and  Mary  (Rogers)  Driver,  early  set- 
tlers of  Vermillion  County.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jackson  have  had  five  children — Joseph  mar- 
ried Mary  Lorman,  and  has  two  children — ' 
Fray  and  Free;  Manford  married  Ella  Fir- 
man; Sarah,  wife  of  Silas  V.  Morgan,  has 
two  children — Maude  and  Claude;  Charles 
and  Harry  are  at  home.  Mr.  Jackson  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  a  Democrat. 


•T*¥T1LLIAM  H.  HOOD  was  born  in 
■    l/\/)    Eugene,    Vermillion    County,    Indi- 

^■%^  ana,  February  28,  1840,  a  son  of 
Durliam  Hood,  who  was  a  native  of  Tennes- 
see, and  an  early  settler  of  this  county,  com- 
ing here  when  the  surrounding  country  was 
principally  inhabited  by  Indians  and  wild 
animals.  He  followed  flat-boating  for  many 
years,  going  to  New  Orleans  more  than 
twenty  times,  and  in  later  years  he  worked 
at  the  Ijlacksmith's  trade.  William  II.  Hood, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  brought  up  in 
Eugene,  and  was  educated  in  the  schools  of 
this  place.  He  enlisted  in  the  late  war  in 
Company  M,  Second  Colorado  Cavalry.  He 
was  in  the  service  two  years,  taking  part  in  a 
number  of  engagements,  all  of  them  being  with 
the  Indians.  He  with  his  company  was  sta- 
tioned at  Fort  Douglas,  Utah,  guarding  the 
overland  mail  route  and  telegraph  at  that 
place,  and  were  sent  to  arrest  some  Indians 
who  had  murdered  some  white  people,  and  in 
their   struggle    sixty-seven    men  out  of  140 


HISTORY    OP     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


were  killed  or  wonnded,  and  of  300  In- 
dians all  but  one  were  killed.  Mr.  Hood  was 
wounded  in  tins  engagement,  and  sent  to 
hospital,  where  he  remained  three  weeks.  He 
returned  to  his  home  in  Eugene  in  1863,  and 
for  eight  or  ten  years  following  followed  the 
butcher's  trade,  and  also  worked  in  the  pork 
packing  houses  at  Newport,  Eugene  and  Dan- 
ville, Illinois.  Ho  is  now  living  retired  from 
active  business  life.  He  was  married  Sep- 
tember 16,  1883,  to  Mrs.  Evaline  Craig,  a 
daughter  of  John  Holtz.  She  died  July  18, 
1885.  She  had  three  children  by  her  first 
marriage,  their  names  being  John,  Ella  and 
Claude.  Mr.  Hood  is  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  order,  and  is  a  comrade  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Eepnblic. 


f|SCAR  B.  GIBSON,  one  of  the  rising 
0)  young  attorneys  of  Vermillion  County, 
^  began  his  professional  career  in  New- 
port, in  the  fall  of  1880.  In  that  year  he 
was  admitted  to  the  Vermillion  County  bar, 
and  for  one  year  following  he  was  in  the  law 
office  of  Jump  &  Ward,  of  Newport.  He 
then  became  associated  with  J.  C.  Sawyer, 
which  partnership  continued  until  the  pres- 
ent firm  of  Ward  &  Gibson  was  formed  in 
November,  1886.  Mr.  Gibson  is  a  native  of 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  born  in  Helt 
Township  in  November,  1859,  a  son  of  Ed- 
mond  Gibson.  He  received  his  primary 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  Helt 
Township,  and  subsequently  was  a  student  at 
Asbury  University  at  Greencastle,  Indiana, 
for  four  years.  For  his  wife  Mr.  Gibson 
married  Miss  Hattie  Elder,  a  daughter  of 
James  A.  Elder,  a  resident  of  Helt  Township. 
Mr.  Ward  is  an  active  and  public-spirited 
m:in,  and  is  always  interested  in  any  enter- 
prise which  has  for  its  object   the  welfare  of 


the  public,  and  every  movement  calculated  to 
aid  in  building  up  his  town  or  developing  its 
business  interests,  has  his  encouragement  and 
assistance. 


fAMES  DUZAN,  a  representative  of  one 
of  the  early  pioneer  families  of  Ver- 
,^  million  County,  is  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
born  in  Mason  County,  July  31,  1818.  His 
father,  William  Duzan,  was  also  a  native  of 
Mason  County,  Kentucky,  and  there  grew  to 
manhood,  and  married  Miss  Sarah  Williams, 
a  daughter  of  Charles  Williams,  who  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  William 
Duzan  settled  with  his  family  in  Ver- 
million Township,  Vermillion  County,  Indi- 
ana, in  February,  1835.  He  made  his  home 
in  this  county  for  upward  of  twenty  years, 
when  he  removed  to  Parke  County,  Indiana, 
and  engaged  in  farming,  and  was  also  post- 
master at  Howard,  that  county,  for  a  number 
of  years.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  in 
Parke  County.  They  were  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  of  whom  only  three  are  now 
living — James,  their  eldest  child,  and  our 
subject;  Peter  E.,  living  at  Dora  in  Wabash 
County,  and  Catherine,  widow  of  Dr.  Sur- 
baugh,  residing  at  Harveysburg,  Fountain 
County,  Indiana.  James  Duzan,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch,  was  seventeen  years  of  age 
when  he  came  with  his  father  to  this  county. 
He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  with  his 
father,  and  has  followed  that  pursuit  much 
of  his  life.  He  also  ran  a  cooper's  shop  in 
Vermillion  Township  for  twenty-six  years. 
His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Sarah 
Ann  Myers,  was  born  in  Mason  County, 
Kentucky,  and  died  in  this  county  in  August, 
1880,  leaving  a  family  of  five  children — 
Mary  Jane,  John,  Fred,  Maria  and  Lizzie. 
In  politics  Mr.  Duzan  was  formerly  a  Whig, 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


but  has  been  a  Republican  since  the  organi- 
zation of  that  party.  In  religion  he  was 
reared  a  Methodist,  but  is  not  identified  with 
any  church. 


tEWIS  COIL,  a  representative  of  one  of 
the  old  and  respected  pioneer  families 
of  this  part  of  Indiana,  was  born  at 
Eugene,  Vermillion  County,  November  28, 
1836,  a  son  of  Jonas  and  Olive  (Smith)  Coil. 
His  fatlier  was  a  carpenter  by  occupation, 
and  worked  quite  extensively  at  bridge- 
building.  In  the  early  days  of  the  county 
he  also  followed  teaming,  hauling  goods  from 
Evansville,  which  at  that  time  was  the  only 
mode  of  transportation.  lie  was  of  German 
origin,  and  was  reared  in  the  State  of  Ohio, 
his  family  coming  from  Pennsylvania  in  an 
early  day.  He  was  married  in  Ohio  to  Miss 
Olive  Smith,  who  was  also  reared  in  that 
State,  and  to  them  were  born  six  children,  of 
whom  three  died  in  early  childhood.  Those 
yet  living  are — Lewis,  the  eldest,  and  the 
subject  of  this  sketch;  Mary,  wife  of  R.  W. 
AVinders,  of  Scotland,  Illinois,  and  Myrick, 
living  in  Vermillion  County,  Illinois.  The 
father  came  with  his  family  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  about  1830,  settling  in  Eu- 
gene Township.  He  resided  at  Eugene  until 
about  1842,  when  he  went  to  Champaign 
County,  Illinois,  dying  there  some  two  years 
later.  His  widow  subsequently  married  James 
Burk,  who  died  at  Eugene  not  long  after  their 
marriage.  She  was  a  third  time  married  to 
James  Johnson,  who  is  also  deceased.  She 
has  one  son  by  her  last  marriage,  John  S. 
Johnson,  living  in  Missouri.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  a  three  years'  residence  in  Mis- 
souri, and  four  years  spent  in  Kansas,  Lewis 
Coil,  our  subject,  has  spent  his  life  in  Ver- 
million County.    He  was  a  lirave  and  gallant 


soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  enlisting 
in  September,  1863,  in  Company  C,  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-third  Indiana  lufiintry, 
and  on  the  organization  of  the  company  he 
was  made  First  Duty  Sergeant.  He  served 
in  the  army  of  General  Sherjnan  the  greater 
part  of  his  terra  of  service,  in  the  Twenty- 
third  Corps,  and  was  in  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign, his  regiment  taking  an  active  part  in 
that  campaign.  His  regiment  then  served 
under  General  Thomas  in  the  JS^ashville 
campaign,  thence  np  the  Ohio  River  to 
Cincinnati,  and  from  there  by  railroad  to 
Washington.  From  Washington  the  regi- 
ment went  to  Fort  Fisher,  North  Carolina, 
by  steamer,  down  the  Atlantic  coast,  thence 
to  Newbern.  Later  the  division  to  which 
our  subject  belonged  had  a  sevei'e  engage- 
ment near  Kingston,  North  Carolina,  with 
the  Confederate  General  Bragg.  July  1, 
1865,  Mr.  Coil  was  commissioned  Second 
Lieutenant  by  his  company.  He  joined 
General  Sherman  at  Goldsboro,  and  from 
there  went  to  Charlotte,  where  he  was  mus- 
tered out  of  the  service  with  his  regiment 
August  25,  1865.  He  received  no  wounds 
while  in  the  army,  and  during  his  two  years' 
service  was  in  the  hospital  only  one  night. 
After  the  war  he  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits.  March  19,  1868,  he  married  Miss 
Lizzie  Eberhort,  who  was  born  in  Crawford 
County,  Ohio,  in  1816,  a  daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Elizabeth  Eberhort.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  Coil  are  natives  of  Germany,  the 
father  born  May  20,  1820,  and  the  mother 
born  February  8,  1826.  On  coming  to 
America  they  first  settled  in  Ohio,  removing 
thence  to  Missouri,  and  are  still  living  in 
Monitor  County,  that  State.  They  have  had 
born  to  them  ten  children,  as  follows — Mary, 
born  in  1811;  Lizzie,  in  1816;  John,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1849;  Rosa,  born  in  ISoO,  died  Octo- 
ber 24,1856;  Ileury.  born  in  1852;  William. 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


in  1854;  Rosina,  in  1858;  Martha,  in  1860; 
Sarah,  in  1862,  and  Amelia,  in  1870.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Coil  have  two  children — Leora  E., 
born  in  Missouri,  October  15,  1873,  and 
Annie  C,  in  Illinois,  December  9,  1876. 
Mr.  Coil  now  makes  his  home  at  Newport, 
where  he  has  held  the  position  of  agent  for 
the  American  Express  Company  since  1883. 


fEOEGE  B.  SPARKS,  one  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  Clinton  Township,  has  been 
identified  with  Vermillion  Connty  since 
May,  1859.  He  was  born  in  Lawrence 
County,  Ohio,  November  9,  1830,  the  only 
son  and  the  second  of  three  children  of  John 
and  Sarah  (Sinton)  Sparks.  His  father  was 
Ijorn  in  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania. 
His  mother  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  but  was 
reared  from  a  child  in  the  United  States.  They 
were  married  in  Adams  County,  Ohio,  and 
after  their  marriage  settled  in  Lawrence 
County,  where  the  mother  died  in  1833,  and 
the  father  July  31,  1847.  They  had  three 
children.  The  eldest  daugliter  is  Mrs.  Mary 
Jane  McCauslen  of  Steubenville,  Ohio,  and 
the  youngest,  Sarah  B.,  died  in  childhood. 
George  B.  was  reared  by  his  maternal  grand- 
mother, Mrs.  Mary  Sinton,  in  Adams  County, 
Ohio.  When  his  father's  estate  was  settled 
although  it  was  not  large  he  received  enough 
to  be  of  material  benefit  to  him  when  he 
started  in  life  for  himself  From  the  time  of 
his  first  starting  in  the  business  life  he  was 
for  many  years  connected  with  iron  produc- 
tion, and  when  he  came  to  Yermillion  Coun- 
ty, in  1859,  he  bought  a  controlling  interest 
in  tlie  old  Indiana  Furnace,  six  miles  west  of 
Clinton,  which  was  one  of  the  early  enter- 
prises of  the  Wabash  Valley.  Under  the 
firm  name  of  G.  B.  Sparks  &  Co.  the  pro- 
duction of  iron  and  the  foundry  business  was 


continued  until  1864  when  the  mine  was  aban- 
doned and  has  fallen  into  disuse.  The  build- 
ings which  at  one  time  were  occupied  by 
hundreds  of  miners  and  their  families  have 
been  torn  down  or  have  by  gradual  decay 
become  things  of  the  past,  and  the  1700  acres 
which  are  still  owned  by  Mr.  Sparks  are 
devoted  to  agricultural  purposes.  Mr.  Spai-ks 
is  an  enterprising  progressive  man  and  his 
farm  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  township, 
having  all  the  most  modern  conveniences  for 
carrying  on  his  work,  and  thus  saving  labor 
and  increasing  his  products.  He  came  to 
Vermillion  County,  a  single  man,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  state  of  celibacy  until  Novem- 
ber 25,  1875,  when  he  was  mari'ied  to  Miss 
Margaret  Brown,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  Brown,  who  settled  in  Vermillion 
County,  in  1853,  remaining  residents  of  the 
county  until  their  death.  She  was  born  in 
Ii-eland  and  was  brought  to  America  when 
but  five  years  of  age,  living  in  Pennsylvania 
four  years  and  coming  thence  to  Vermillion 
County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sparks  have  one 
child— Edward  M.,  born  September  23, 1876. 
In  politics  Mr.  Sparks  is  an  ardent  supporter 
of  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party, 
casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  John  C. 
Fremont.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  Jerusalem  Lodge,  No.  99,  and 
Terre  Haute  Chapter,  No.  11,  and  has  passed 
all  the  chairs  of  his  lodge. 


^ROF.  GEORGE  L.  WATSON  was  born 
WM  in  Lenawee  County,  Michigan,  March  4, 
-^  1855,  a  son  of  Levi  Watson,  who  has 
been  a  resident  of  Westfield,  Illinois,  since 
December,  1867.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
received  his  education  in  Westfield,  gradn;it- 
ing  from  the  college  in  that  city  in  1874,  and 
subsequently  followed  the  teacher's  profession 


BIOQRAPHWAL    SKETOIIES. 


witli  eminent  success  for  ten  years.  For 
one  year  lie  was  principal  of  the  schools  of 
Tower  Hill,  Illinois,  and  for  two  years  was 
the  teacher  of  mathematics  in  the  Green  Hill 
Seminary  (Indiana).  He  came  to  Eugene, 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  in  1880,  and  for 
four  years  was  principal  of  the  schools  of  this 
phice.  In  1883,  one  year  before  he  aban- 
doned his  profession,  he  engaged  in  the  hard- 
ware business  in  Eugene,  which  he  has  since 
followed,  being  associated  witli  Mr.  Fultz 
under  the  firm  name  of  Watson  &  Fultz. 
This  firm  carries  a  full  line  of  hardware,  furni- 
ture, and  farm  implements,  their  capital 
stock  valued  at  from  $4,000  to  $5,000,  and 
their  annual  sales  amounting  to  $12,000. 
Professor  Watson  was  united  in  marriage 
May  23,  1878,  to  Miss  Ada  E.  Evans,  and  to 
this  union  three  children  have  been  born 
named — Essie  Glenn,  Frank  and  Lucile. 
While  a  resident  of  Illinois  Mr.  AVatson 
served  as  townsiiip  and  village  clerk  for 
several  years,  and  in  1880  was  nominated  on 
the  Eepublican  ticket  in  Warren  County, 
Illinois,  for  the  office  of  county  surveyor, 
which  honor  he  declined,  coming  to  this 
county  before  the  election.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  are  worthy  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  among  the  respected  citizens  of 
Eusene. 


llflLEY  JONES,  section  34,  Helt 
Township,  was  born  in  Stokes  Coun- 
ty, North  Carolina,  March  27,  1824, 
a  son  of  Philip  Jones,  a  native  of  the  same 
county  who  came  to  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  witli  his  family  in  1882,  and  settled 
in  llelt  Township.  When  Mr.  Jones  came 
to  Indiana  he  had  a  family  of  small  children 
and  was  $45  in  debt.  He  sold  a  pony  to  pay 
his    indebtedness  but  was  tlien  left  without 


even  a  cow  or  pig.  He  and  his  wife  and 
children  were  obliged  to  work  hard  to  make 
a  living.  Wiley  Jones  was  reared  on  the 
pioneer  homestead,  in  the  log  cabin,  and  iu)\v 
has  one  of  the  puncheons  which  composed 
the  floor.  He  has  always  given  his  attention 
to  agriculture,  and  now  owns  seventy-three 
and  a  half  acres  of  good  land.  His  land  has 
a  tine  vein  of  coal  underlying  it  and  he  lias 
leased  three  mines,  which  yield  a  good  quality 
of  coal.  Mr.  Jones  was  married  January  29, 
1846,  to  Elizab  Dawes,  daughter  of  William 
Dawes,  of  Hillsdale.  They  have  had  thirteen 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — William 
F.,  John  N.,  Benjamin  F.,  Harrison,  Cliarles 
A.,  Ozias  and  Sarah  A.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones 
are  members  of  the  United  Brethren  church. 


LLIAM  C.  GROVES,  section  16, 
\'ermillion  Township,  where  he  is 
.■=Sj^j  engaged  in  farming  and  dealing  in 
stock,  owns  a  fine  farm  of  370  acres,  all  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation.  When  he  settled 
on  his  farm  it  was  wholly  unimproved,  Imt  he 
went  bravely  to  work  and  now  has  one  of  the 
best  farms  in  the  township,  his  improvements 
testifying  more  than  words  can  to  the  thrift 
and  enterprise  of  the  owner.  He  was  born 
in  East  Tennessee  November  4,  1817,  a  son 
of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Harlan)  Groves,  natives 
also  of  Tennessee,  of  German  descent.  His 
parents  came  to  Indiana  in  1831,  and  settled 
in  Vermillion  Township,  where  the  father 
died  December  9,  1843.  He  was  born  Octo- 
ber 17,  1794.  The  mother  survived  her 
husband  thirty  years,  her  death  occurring  in 
1873.  They  reared  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren, but  two  of  whom  are  living — Eachel 
and  our  subject.  William  C.  Groves  was 
fourteen  years  old  M'hen  his  parents  came  to 
Indiana,  and  here  he  was  reared  amid  pioneer 


UISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


scenes,  aud  has  lived  to  see  the  many  changes 
that  have  transformed  the  wilderness  into 
the  present  prosperous  county.  He  was 
married  in  1841  to  Elizabeth  E.  Bozart,  a 
native  of  East  Tennessee,  born  in  1819,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  Bozart.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  four  children,  three  are  living 
— Julius  C,  who  married  Louisa  Wade,  and 
has  one  child,  Clarence;  John  B.  married 
Hattie  Davis,  and  Ella,  wife  of  J.  D.  Hun- 
ter, of  Illinois,  has  three  children — Collett, 
Florence  and  Columbus.  Mr.  Groves  started 
the  lirst  tile  factory  in  the  county  in  1867, 
and  has  carried  on  this  business  quite  exten- 
sively, employing  six  men  the  greater  part  of 
the  year.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Groves  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  pO'li- 
tices  he  affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party. 


good  business.  Mr.  Sanders  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Alice  Hildren,  December 
30,  1886,  she  being  a  daughter  of  the  late 
Charles  Hildren.  Mrs.  Sanders  was  born  in 
Fountain  County,  Indiana. 


:J^-»^■ 


^,.^,.^„J., 


jj^.ARRY  E.  SANDEES,  one  of  the  active 
jjfM)';  young  business  men  of  Eugene,  and  a 
TS'*  representative  of  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  pioneer  families  of  Vermillion 
County,  was  born  in  Highland  Township, 
this  county,  March  13, 1863,  a  son  of  Ezekiel 
Sanders,  a  native  of  the  same  county,  his 
father  lieing  one  of  Vermillion  County's 
early  settlers.  Harry  E.  Sanders  was  reared 
in  his  native  county,  and  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  his  neighbor- 
hood. He  worked  as  a  farm  hand  until 
December,  1885,  when  he  came  to  Eugene 
and  established  his  present  livery  business, 
in  whicli  he  is  meeting  with  good  success. 
He  has  now  two  stables,  one  located  at  Eu- 
gene and  another  at  the  railroad  crossing  in 
Cayuga,  and  keeps  on  hand  nine  good  horses, 
live  buggies  aud  carriages,  besides  two  spring 
wagons,  and  by  his  fair  and  reasonable 
prices  and  accommodating  manners  he  has 
gained    many  customers  and    established    a 


lANIEL  SEARS,  retired  iiirmer,  reside, 
on  section  4,  Vermillion  Township, 
where  he  owns  a  farm  of  sixty  acres  of 
land.  He  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Ken- 
\  tucky,  June  20,  1808,  a  son  of  Jacob  and 
Mary  (Huftstutter)  Sears,  natives  of  North 
Carolina  and  Pennsylvania,  respectively,  aud 
both  of  German  descent.  They  came  to  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  in  1830,  and  lived 
until  their  death  on  the  land  on  which  tluy 
I  first  settled,  the  mother  dying  in  1856,  agnl 
I  about  eighty  years,  and  the  father  dying  in 
1859,  at  the  age  of  eighty-live  years.  Tiuv 
reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  l)ut  tlirct 
of  whom  are  living  at  the  present  time — 
]  Daniel,  our  subject;  Elizabeth,  Midow  of 
I  Andrew  Shoult-s,  and  Julia,  widow  of  Manson 
'  Meriman.  ■  Daniel  Sears  was  reared  to  the 
vocation  of  a  farmer,  and  in  his  boyhood  re- 
ceived such  education  as  the  farmer  boys  of 
his  day.  He  was  first  married  in  Harrison 
County,  Indiana,  in  1831,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Soppinfield,  who  was  born  in  North  Carolin;i, 
in  1808,  and  to  them  were  born  eiglit  chil- 
dren, only  two  of  whom  are  now  living — 
George  II.,  of  Missouri,  who  married  Nanry 
M.  Alexander,  and  has  five  children,  and 
Jackson  A.,  of  Newport,  M'ho  married  liosa 
A.  Filson,  and  has  two  children.  George 
served  three  years  in  the  war  of  the  Bebell- 
ioii,  and  although  he  participated  in  many 
hard-fought  battles  he  returned  home  at  the 
close  of  the  war  without  a  scratch.  Mrs. 
Sears  died  in  1848,  and  Mr.  Sears  was  again 
married  in  1855,  to  Miss  Martha  Clark,  born 


mOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  in  1827,  a  daughter 
of  P^zra  and  Nancy  Ch^rk.  Mrs.  Sears  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Mr.  Sears  belongs  to  the  Christian  church. 
Being  one  of  the  old  pioneers  Mr.  Sears  has 
witnessed  the  surrounding  country  change 
from  a  wilderness  to  its  present  prosperous 
condition,  and  has  become  well  and  favorably 
known  throughout  the  county.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Democrat.     Postoffice,  Newport. 


AMES  M.  NICHOLS,  of  Newport,  is  a  son 
"^lill   of  William  Nichols,  an  old  and  respected 


pioneer  who  settled  in  Vermillion  Town- 
ship, about  1833.  The  father  was  born  in 
Amherst  County,  Virginia,  May  1, 1795,  and 
when  a  young  man  went  to  Mercer  County, 
where  he  was  married  June  11,  1818,  to 
Rhoda  Martin,  a  native  of  North  Carolina, 
born  February  13,  1798.  Thirteen  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  eleven  of  whom 
reached  maturity,  and  of  these  only  four  are 
now  living — James  M.,  who  was  their  eldest 
child;  Jeremiah,  Sarah  and  Lucinda.  When 
the  father  came  to  this  county  his  family 
consisted  of  his  wife  and  seven  childi-en. 
They  nuide  the  journey  in  a  wagon  drawn  Ijy 
five  liorses,  being  abont  three  weeks  on  the 
road.  The  father  lived  in  this  county  until 
his  death  which  occurred  October^ll,  187G, 
his  widow  surviv^ing  until  August  25,  1881. 
He  was  a  man  of  energy  and  much  force  of 
character,  and  highly  respected  throughout 
the  community  in  which  he  lived.  lie  always 
followed  agricultural  pursuits,  and  at  different 
times  owned  considerable  land.  In  early  life 
he  was  a  AVhig,  and  later  a  Republican. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  consistent  members 
of  the  United  Brethren  church  for  many 
years.  James  M.  Nichols,  whose  name  heads 
this    sketch,    was    born   in    Mercer    Coi>ntv, 


Kentucky,  June  19,  1819,  and  lias  made  his 
home  in  Vermillion  County,  since  coming 
here  with  his  parents,  and  remembers  cpiite 
well  how  the  country  looked  almost  sixty 
years  ago.  He  was  married  May  11, 1843, 
to  Miss  Cassandra  Arrasmith,  born  in  Eugene 
Township,  this  county.  May  25,  1824,  a 
daughter  of  Alexander  and  Jane  (Gray) 
Arrasmith,  who  were  natives  of  Kentucky, 
and  North  Carolina  respectively,  the  father 
being  of  German  parentage.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  Nichols  settled  in  Eugene  Township  in 
1817,  and  there  their  eight  children  were 
born  four  of  whom  are  still  living — Thomas 
G.,  James  A.,  William  B.  and  Mrs.  Nichols. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nichols  have  had  born  to  them 
eight  cliildren  all  living  and  married  but  one 
who  died  in  infancy.  They  are  as  follows — • 
Martha  Jane,  wife  of  Daniel  Wise;  Richard 
E. ;  Isabel,  wife  of  Alexander  Frazer;  Rhoda 
M.,  wife  of  David  Jones;  Lucinda,  wife  of 
John  Q.  Adams;  America  A.,  wife  of  Joseph 
M.  AVimsett  and  George  Omar.  Mr.  Nichols 
has  made  farming  his  life  work  although  in 
the  early  days  of  the  county  he  taught  school 
about  seven  years.  His  homestead  is  on 
section  33,  Vermillion  Township.  He  also 
owns  his  father's  homestead,  his  real  estate 
consisting  of  224  acres  of  land.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  have  been  worthy  members  of  the 
Methodist  Protestant  church  for  forty  years, 
and  all  that  time  have  taken  The  Telescope, 
the  organ  of  that  church.  In  politics  Mr. 
Nichols  is  a  Republican. 


tON.  JOHN  WHITCOMB,  one  of  the 
leading  citizens  of  Vermillion  County, 
and  of  AYestern  Indiana,  is  a  native  of 
Ohio,  born  in  Preble  County,  August  20, 
1821,  a  son  of  Benjamin  R.  and  Anna  (Sut- 
ton) Whitcomb,  the  f^ither  being  a  native  of 


'■^'■"■■■' 


458 


HISTORY    OF     VEHMILLION    COUNTY. 


Vermont.  The  mother  was  a  daughter  of 
one  of  the  old  pioneers  of  the  Buckeye  State, 
and  was  born  in  Preble  County  in  1801. 
Benjamin  ii.  Whitcomb,  in  1813,  when 
lifteen  years  of  age,  emigrated  with  his 
father  from  Vermont  to  Preble  County, 
(Jhio,  where  he  was  married.  In  1827  he 
brought  his  family  to  Indiana,  and  for  two 
years  lived  at  Terre  Haute,  where  he  engaged 
in  packing  pork,  shipping  down  tlie  river. 
From  Terre  Haute  his  business  was  trans- 
ferred to  Roseville,  Parke  County,  and  carried 
on  there  one  season.  In  1830  he  became  a 
resident  of  Clinton,  Vermillion  County,  en- 
gaging in  business  at  this  place  the  same 
year.  He  was  the  pioneer  merchant  of  Clin- 
ton, and  was  in  the  strictest  sense  of  tlie 
term  a  self-made  man.  A  man  of  strict  in- 
tegrity, his  ^vord  was  considered  as  good  as 
his  bond,  and  often  was  worth  as  much  to 
iiini  in  business  as  large  capital  was  to  other 
men.  He  was  active  and  enterprising  in 
business  matters,  and  was  always  successful. 
The  capital  which  he  brought  with  him  to 
this  county  was  mainly  invested  in  salt,  then 
worth  more  than  money.  lie  brought  herds 
(if  cattle  from  the  East,  which  he  sold  to 
good  advantage  in  the  new  countrj-.  lie 
also  dealt  extensively  in  pork  as  a  packer  and 
sliipper,  and  made  many  trips  to  New  Or- 
leans on  his  own  flat-boats,  and  was  generally 
the  strongest  as  well  as  the  jolliest  man  in 
the  crew.  He  never  forgot  a  favor  nor  the 
name  or  face  of  any  man  with  whom  hfc  had 
any  dealings.  No  man  has  ever  been  more 
favorably  remembered  by  tlie  pioneers  and 
early  settlers  than  he.  In  politics  he  was 
first  a  Whig,  and  later  a  Bepublican.  He 
was  an  ardent  supporter  of  John  C.  Fre- 
mont, with  whoni  he  was  personally  ac- 
quainted. In  his  later  years  he  was  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 
He    died    in    IRfil,    the   death    of   his   wife 


taking  place  about  one  year  before.  Five  ot 
the  children  born  to  them  are  living — Mrs. 
Derexa  Barber,  living  near  Terre  Haute; 
John,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch;  Mrs. 
Susan  F.  Warren,  a  M'idow,  residing  at  Terre 
Haute;  James,  living  in  Florida,  and  Mrs. 
Carrie  Watson,  living  in  Colorado.  Two 
daughters  and  one  son,  born  in  this  county, 
died  in  early  childhood.  John  Whitcomb, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  but  a  child 
when  brought  by  his  parents  to  Vermillion 
County,  and  his  elementary  education  was 
obtained  in  the  schools  of  Clinton,  com- 
pleting his  education  at  Wabash  College. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  entered  his 
father's  mercantile  establishment,  and  tliere 
the  foundation  of  his  successful  business 
career  was  laid.  He  became  his  father's 
trusted  assistant,  and  later  became  a  partner 
in  the  business,  which  continued  until  1851:. 
He  then  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business 
at  Urbana,  Illinois,  but  before  the  war  re- 
turned to  Clinton  and  commeiieed  an  active, 
successful  business  career,  which  continued 
until  1881,  since  which  time  he  has  led  a 
comparatively  retired  life.  He  has  always 
been  a  public-spirited  man,  taking  an  active 
interest  in  the  advancement  of  his  township 
or  county,  but  has  never  been  an  office- 
seeker.  In  politics,  like  his  father,  he  was  a 
Whig,  and  since  its  organization  has  affiliated 
with  the  Eepublican  party.  In  the  campaign 
of  1856  he  was  elected  to  the  Indiana  (ren- 
eral  Assembly,  the  first  Ilepublican  ever 
elected  from  his  district,  but  he  retired  from 
the  iield,  his  business  demanding  his  whole 
attention.  During  the  years  1868  and  1869 
he  was  a  partner  in  a  M'holesale  hardware 
store  in  Indianapolis,  but  not  having  the  ex- 
clusi\e  management,  he  retired  from  that 
business.  He  has  large  real  estate  interests 
in  Vermillion  County  and  vicinity,  most  of 
his  land  being  well   improved  and  very  ]iro- 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


(.1  active.  He  also  has  large  tracts  of  land  in 
Illinois,  Iowa,  Kansas  and  Florida.  Mr. 
"Whitcomb  has  been  twice  married.  He  was 
first  married  in  February,  1848,  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet Wliitcomb,  who  was  born  in  Ohio  in 
1827,  and  died  in  1868,  leaving  at  her  death 
five  children — Charles,  now  a  hardware  mer- 
cliant  in  Clinton;  Clara;  Anna,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  twcntj-five  years;  Benjamin  H., 
dealer  in  agricultural  implements  at  Clinton, 
and  Cora,  wife  of  F.  M.  Shepurdson,  of 
Granville,  Ohio.  Mr.  Whitcomb  was  mar- 
ried a  second  time,  January  30,  1870,  to 
Miss  Lydia  A.  Parks,  a  daughter  of  Barzilla 
Parks,  of  Washington  County,  New  York, 
where  she  was  born  April  29, 1840.  To  this 
union  three  children  have  been  born,  as  fol- 
lows— Larz  A.,  Arthur  W.  and  Nena.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitcomb  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  cliurch. 


li 


ILLIxYM  C.  COOK,  farmer,  section 
0,  Vermillion  Township,  is  a  native 
~J^  of  Vermillion  County,  and  a  repre- 
sfiitative  of  one  of  its  pioneer  fiimilies.  His 
parents,  Dr.  Joseph  and  Margaret  (Dallas) 
Cook,  were  well-known  and  prominent  citi- 
zens of  the  county.  His  fother  was  one  of 
the  largest  farmers  and  stock-breeders,  his 
>tock  farm  consisting  of  1,560  acres  of  fine 
bind,  and  beside  this  he  stood  higli  in  his 
profession  and  was  well  known  all  over  the 
county  and  this  part  of  the  State.  He  died 
in  1875,  aged  fifty-five  years,  lamented  by  all 
who  knew  him.  His  family  consisted  of 
thirteen  children,  five  of  whom  are  living — 
William,  Charles  F.,  Joseph  F.,  Addison  and 
Bertie  C.  Charles  married  Cora  Patrick  and 
has  two  children — Flota  and  Grace.  Joseph 
married  Drue  Campbell  and  has  three  chil- 
dren— Nettie,  Eoy  and  Mary.    Addison  lives 


in  Edgar  County.  He  married  Bell  Camp- 
bell and  has  one  child — Jennie.  William  C. 
Cook  has  a  good  farm  of  120  acres,  and  is 
one  of  the  successful  young  farmers  of  the 
county.  He  was  married  October  16,  1879, 
to  Lucinda,  daughter  of  Enos  and  Jennie 
(Cloy)  Campbell,  pioneers  of  Vermillion 
County.  They  have  two  children — Clyde  C. 
and  Fleetwood.  Mr.  Cook  is  a  member  of 
the  Odd  Fellows  order,  Lodge  No.  594,  at 
Newport. 


fS.  DAVIS,  a  member  of  the  real  estate 
firm  of  Dalla  &  Davis,  and  one  of  the 
*  active  and  enterprising  business  men 
of  Newport,  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in 
Parke  County,  in  the  year  1844.  His  father 
removed  with  his  family  to  Vermillion 
County,  in  1856,  and  is  now  living  near 
Summit  in  Helt  Township.  Our  subject  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  enlist- 
ing in  December,  1863,  in  Company  C, 
Twenty-tliird  Indiana  Infantry.  He  was  in 
the  Twenty-third  Corps  in  the  Atlanta  and 
Nashville  campaign  and  after  the  close  of  the 
Nashville  campaign  he  was  transferred  east 
with  that  corps,  and  operated  in  North  Caro- 
lina, and  participated  at  the  close  of  the  war 
in  the  grand  review  at  Washington.  After 
the  war  Mr.  Davis  attended  school  for  a  time, 
then  went  to  Salina,  Kansas,  where  he  pre- 
empted a  claim,  and  remained  there  engaged 
in  farming  about  five  years.  He  then  sold 
his  farm  and  returned  to  Vermillion  County, 
and  for  a  time  taught  school  during  the  win- 
ter terms,  and  during  the  summer  montlis 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick.  Kc 
Avas  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  about 
three  years,  in  business  at  Newport,  Highland 
and  Hillsdale.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  A.  Martin,  a  native  of  Parke 


County,  Indiana,  and  a  daughter  of  John  U. 
^fartiii,  and  they  are  tlie  parents  of  three 
f'nikh'en  named — Slaggie  B.,  Nellie  C.  and 
"Wilfred  P.  Mr.  Davis  has  been  a  resident 
of  Newport  since  1878,  in  which  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  ottice  of  county  recorder,  to 
succeed  J.  A.  Sanders.  lie  tilled  that  ofiice 
satisfactorily  some  eight  years  and  in  the  fall 
of  1886  was  succeeded  by  M.  15.  Carter,  the 
present  incumbent.  In  politics  Mr.  IJavis  is 
a  Republican,  casting  his  lirst  presidential 
vote  in  1868  for  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 


|BM|OSES  I30W:\1AX  a  ivpresentative 
WM%  favmerof  Highhuul  Township,  resides 
"^^^^^  on  section  30,  i-ange  10,  township 
19.  His  father,  Thomas  Dowuuxn,  was  born 
on  the  south  branch  of  the  Potomac  Piver  in 
A'irginia  in  1769,  and  was  there  ma'-ried  to 
Jane  Phoads  a  native  of  the  same  neighbor- 
hood. In  1828  he  came  to  Indiana  and 
settled  on  the  land  now  owned  by  their  son 
^^oses,  the  farm  having  been  in  the  possession 
of  the  family  nearly  si.xty  years.  Their 
nearest  neighbor  at  that  time  was  Henry 
Goudy,  three  miles  distant.  Mr.  Cowman 
v>-as  nearly  sixty  j-ears  old  when  he  came  to 
Indiana  and  had  voted  for  President  Wash- 
ington in  his  native  State.  He  died  in 
September,  1853,  his  wife  surviving  him 
about  four  years.  They  had  two  children 
when  they  came  to  Indiana — Maria  and 
.Moses.  Maria  married  Stephen  Bainbridge 
and  died  many  ^^ears  ago.  Moses  Bowman, 
the  only  surviving  member  of  his  father's 
family,  was  born  in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia, 
July  11,  1812,  and  was  about  sixteen  years 
old  when  his  father  came  to  Indiana.  His 
early  life  was  thus  inured  to  the  hardships  of 
a  pioneer,  and  he  has  many  recollections  of 
the  trials  and    pleasures  oP   that    onrly    day. 


Game  of  all  kind  was  abundant,  deer  were 
seen  in  large  numbers  every  day,  bears  were 
plentiful  and  Indians  still  used  the  forests 
and  prairies  for  a  hunting  gi'ound.  He  has 
been  a  hard  working  man  and  has  succeeded 
his  father  in  the  ownership  of  valuable  land, 
and  is  now  one  of  the  highly  esteemed  ol<l 
settlers  of  Highland  Township.  Mr.  J'.ow- 
nian  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife 
was  Nancy  Miller,  a  daughter  of  Cornelius 
^[iller,  who  settled  in  Highland  Township 
about  1830.  Mrs.  Bowman  died  Decemlier 
25,  1874,  aged  fifty -nine  years.  They  had  a 
family  of  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living — Thomas,  Alice,  Ellen,  Catherine  and 
George.  John,  Mary  and  Cornelius  are 
deceased.  The  present  Mrs.  Bowman  was 
formerly  Mrs.  Sally  (Gadbury)  Warner, 
widow  of  Joseph  Warner.  In  his  political 
views  Mr.  Bowman  is  a  Democrat  and  in 
religion  is  independent. 


^,J?ILLIAM  Y.  RICE,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  section  9,  Vermillion  Town- 
L"=-^t^  ship,  is  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers 
of  the  county.  He  has  a  valuable  farm  of 
160  acres  all  well  improved  with  a  pleasant 
residence, his  surroundings  denoting  thrift  and 
enterprise,  and  in  addition  to  his  homestead 
has  a  farm  of  160  acres  on  another  section. 
Mr.  Pice  was  born  in  Floyd  County,  Indiana, 
September  28,  1822,  a  son  of  Jehu  and 
Catherine  (Smith)  Rice,'natives  of  Kentucky, 
his  father  being  of  German  descent.  His 
parents  came  to  Indiana  in  1818  and  located 
in  Floyd  Township  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  They  reared  a  family  of  eight  children, 
six  of  whom  are  living.  William  Y.  Rice 
remained  on  the  farm  with  his  parents  during 
his  youth  and  on  leaving  home  went  to  learn 
the  shoemaker's  trade,  serving  an  apprentice- 


iW-iB«»>.»i.»,»»n»Bj«r^raiSga.H«»»w.M»««e.w^»-.»-a-iM-M«MnS^-"aa»!"aa«"ifc«'g''maag 


BIOOBAPHIGAL    SKETCBE8. 


)  ot"  iowv  years.  He  worked  at  bis  trade 
twenty  years,  and  thns  got  Lis  start  on  the 
road  to  affluence.  He  invested  his  savings 
in  land,  and  now  lias  two  ot"  the  best  farms 
Vermillion  Township.  He  has  made  his 
property  by  economy  and  hard  work,  and 
can  now  look  back  over  a  life  of  industry  and 
can  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  own  labors.  Mr 
Ivice  was  married  in  Floyd  County  in  1850, 
to  Mary  E.  Baker,  who  was  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania,  in  1828.  They  have 
three  children — Carrie  A.,  Charles  L.  and 
Mary  F.  Carrie  is  the  wife  of  David  Knssell 
and  has  two  children — Alice  and  Clarence. 
Mr.  Rice  has  held  the  otfice  of  supervisor  of 
his  township.  He  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  Christian  church. 


tl^ILLIAM  H.  CATES,  of  the  firm  of 
IhII  Nixon  &  Cates,  dealers  in  lumber, 
l-=^U-I  grain  and  agricultural  implements, 
Cayuga,  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Foun- 
tain County,  Aiigust  25,  1851,  a  son  of  David 
Cates,  who  is  still  a  resident  of  Fountain 
County.  He- was  reared  on  the  home  farm  in 
his  native  county,  and  his  education  was  re- 
ceived principally  in  the  iS'ortliern  Indiana 
Normal  School  and  the  Business  College  at 
Valparaiso,  Indiana,  graduating  from  the 
commercial  department  of  the  latter  institu- 
tion in  1875.  For  three  years  lie  taught 
daring  the  winter  terms  in  Fountain  County, 
and  in  the  summer  months  worked  on  a  farm. 
He  was  then  engaged  as  station  agent  at 
Cates,  Fountain  County,  for  the  Toledo,  St. 
Louis  &  Kansas  City  Railroad  Company 
until  September,  1886,  wlien  he  came  to 
Cayuga,  Vermillion  County,  and  established 
his  present  business.  The  lirm  carries  a  full 
line  of  pine  and  poplar  lumber  and  all  kinds 
of  building  material,  and  agricultural  imple- 


ments, and  also  deals  extensively  in  grain, 
having  between  July  23  and  October  19  of 
1887  shipped  forty-three  car  loads  of  wheat. 
Mr.  Cates  was  united  in  marriage  September 
17,  1879,  to  Miss  Harriet  E.  Lindley,  a  na- 
tive of  Parke  County,  Indiana,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Nathan  Lindley,  Avho  is  now  deceased. 
Of  the  four  children  born  to  them,  three  are 
living — Minnie  S.,  Anna  L.  and  Lizzie  M. 
Mr.  Cates  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Labor.  His  wife  belongs  to  the  Society  of 
Friends. 


§AVID  SMITH,  one  of  tlie  old  and  re- 
spected pioneers  of  Vermillion  County, 
^5?  who  is  now  deceased,  was  born  in  Bucks 
County,  Pennsylvania,  August  9,  1793,  a  son 
of  John  Frederick  and  Elizabeth  (Paul) 
Smith,  the  father  being  a  native  of  Germany. 
John  Frederick  Smith  came  to  America  when 
twelve  years  of  age,  the  rest  of  his  father's 
family  dying  at  sea.  He  grew  to  manhood 
in  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  married.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution, 
and  at  one  time  was  a  member  of  General 
Wasliington's  body  guard.  David  Smith,  our 
subject  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Virginia, 
where  he  was  married  to  Miss  Susan  Hun- 
sicker,  and  to  them  were  born  thirteen  chil- 
dren, of  whom  eight  are  still  living — John 
F.,  William  P.,  Thomas  IL,  David,  Walton 
C,  Mrs.  Susan  A.  Fleshman,  Mrs.  Mary  J. 
Leseur  and  Joseph  M.  He  left  Virginia 
with  his  family,  then  consisting  of  wife  and 
eleven  children,  September  17,  1833,  coming 
to  Indiana    by  wagon.     The    family  lived  on 


rented    land 


Highland    Townsl 


million  County,  about  two  years,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1836  made  a  permanent  settlement 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  southwest  of 
Perrysville,  the  original    farm  being  still  in 


462 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


possession  of  the  family.  Here  Mr.  Smith 
made  his  home  until  his  death,  January, 
1872,  in  his  eightj-nintli  year.  His  widow 
survived  until  October  21,  1878,  aged  nearly 
eighty-eight  years.  David  Smith  was  a  suc- 
cessful business  man,  as  well  as  a  highly 
esteemed  citizen,  and  acquired  a  large  amount 
of  land,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he 
owned  over  1,100  acres  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty's best  soil.  lie  made  two  bequests  before 
his  death,  one  of  $0,000  to  the  Westfield  Col- 
lege, and  another  of  §2,000  to  the  missionary 
fund.  After  the  death  of  Mrs.  Smith  the 
estate  was  divided  into  ten  shares  by  the 
heirs,  and  almost  all  of  the  land  is  still  in 
possession  of  the  family. 


^OIIX  L.  EGGLESTON,  a  son  of  Joseph 
till  Eggleston,  one  of  the  old  and  honored 
^^  pioneers  ot  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
was  born  in  Vermillion  Township,  this  coun- 
ty, November  26,  1827,  and  is  perhaps  the 
oldest  native  born  citizen  now  living  within 
its  limits.  His  father  was  born  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  in  February,  1799,  of  English 


orig 


n,  and   his   grandfather  was  a  soldier 


the  Eevolutionary  war.  When  about  fifteen 
years  old,  Joseph  Eggles,ton  came  west  with 
his  mother,  his  father  being  deceased,  and 
settled  near  Portsmoutli,  in  Scioto  County, 
Ohio,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  mar- 
ried Nancy  Lindsey,  a  native  of  Ohio.  Of 
the  nine  children  born  to  this  union  six  still 
survive — Mrs.  Sarah  Jane  Morehead,  of  New- 
port; John  L.,  our  subject;  Mrs.  Mary  J. 
Weller, living  in  Dakota;  Benjamin,  in  Ash- 
land, Oregon;  William,  an  attorney  of  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana,  and  Henry  H.,  in  Jonesboro, 
Arkansas.  In  1824  the  fathei-  immigrated 
with  his  family  to  Indiana,  and  settled  in 
Eucrene  Township,  this  county.     About  two 


years  later  he  entered  eighty  acres  of  land 
farther  south  in  the  same  township,  on  which 
he  lived  nine  years,  when  he  sold  out  and 
returned  to  Ohio,  but  two  months  later  lir 
returned  to  Vermillion  County,  and  enteii'^l 
land  in  Vermillion  Township,  which  he  im- 
proved and  lived  on  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  March  13, 1854.  His  wife  died  but 
five  days  before  her  husband.  In  politics 
Joseph  Eggleston  was  a  Whig,  and  all  of  bi- 
sons have  been  identified  with  the  Republi- 
can party.  John  L.  Eggleston,  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch,  has  spent  his  life  in  \ry- 
million  Township,  and  has  made  farming  hi- 
principal  vocation.  His  homestead  contain- 
eighteen  acres  of  choice  land,  besides  whicli 
he  has  a  tract  of  forty  acres  in  the  samr 
township.  He  was  first  married  to  iliss 
Nancy  Powers,  whose  father,  Luther  Powers, 
was  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  this  connty. 
She  died  in  August,  1871,  leaving  four  chil- 
dren— Selden  B.,  Flora  E.,  Edwin  S.  and 
Laoma  E.  Mr.  Eggleston  was  a  second  time 
married,  to  Miss  Margaret  Sanders,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Capt.  Leonard  Sanders,  who  was  also 
a  pioneer  of  this  county,  and  was  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  1812.  Mr.  Eggleston  held  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  four  yeais, 
which  position  he  filled  with  credit  to  him- 
self and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents. 


USHOMAS  JACKSON  MITCHELL, 
^fljk  Je.,  a  worthy  representative  of  an  old 
^•^  pioneer  family  of  Vermillion  County, 
is  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in  Highland 
Township,  December  7,  1834,  and  is  a  son  of 
Thomas  J.  and  Susannah  (Ricketts)  Mitchell. 
Mr.  Mitchell  was  reared  to  the  vocation  of  a 
farmer,  which  he  has  followed  through  life. 
He  has  always  lived  in  Highland  Township, 
and  has  seen  it  change  from  a  wilderness   to 


BIOOBAPHICAL    8KBTCBE8. 


a  well  settled  country,  covered  with  well 
cultivated  farms,''and  prosperous  villages.  He 
is  one  of  tlie  prosperous  farmers  of  his  town- 
ship, his  farm  containing  250  acres  of  choice 
land,  his  residence  being  three  and  a  half 
miles  from  Perrysville.  He  was  nnited  in 
marriage  to  Nancy  J.  Wright,  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  Wright,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this 
county.  Of  the  six  children  born  to  them 
only  two  daughters  are  living,  named  Joseph- 
ine and  Flora.  Their  daughter  Ellen  mar- 
ried Herschel  V.  Cade,  and  died  in  February, 
1884;  McClellan  died  aged  ten  yeai's;  Dex- 
ter died  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  and 
i-ewis  died  aged  eighteen  months. 


fILBEET  L.  MOCK  is  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative business  men  of  Highland 
Township.  His  father,  Wareham  Mock, 
was  born  in  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  in  1804, 
a  son  of  Richard  Mock,  who  was  born  in 
Scotland  and  came  to  America  when  a  boy. 
Uichard  Mock  was  a  Methodist  minister,  and 
was  a  chaplain  under  General  Washington 
during  tlie  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  also 
at  the  same  time  served  in  the  capacity  of 
drummer.  He  came  to  Yennillion  County 
with  his  son  Wareham,  and  died  many  years 
ago,  being  one  of  the  last  survivors  of  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  He  had  five  sons — 
Erastus,  Asa  H.,  Richard,  Wareham  and 
Samuel.  The  last  three  became  residents  of 
Yennillion  County,  and  all  are  now  deceased, 
Wareham  l)eing  the  last  to  pass  away.  He 
was  one  of  the  well-known  pioneers  of  the 
county,  and  for  many  years  was  a  flat-boat 
]iilot  from  "Vermillion  County  to  New  Or- 
leans. He  was  married  in  Ohio  before  com- 
ing to  Indiana  to  Elizabeth  Shilling,  and  to 
them  were  born  seven  children,  but  three  of 
\\\\ovA  are  living — Barbara,  widow  of  Horace 


Brown;  Elizabeth,  widow  of  William  Stock- 
well,  and  Gilbert.  Philena,  Henry,  Christo- 
pher and  Edna  are  deceased.  Gilbert  Mock 
was  born  in  Helt  Township,  Vermillion 
County,  April  3,  1831.  He  married  in  his 
early  life  Mary  Holdman,  a  daughter  of 
William  Holdman.  She  died  March  8, 1879, 
leaving  three  children — Armstead,  Daniel 
and  Mary.  November  6,  1881,  Mr.  Mock 
married  Rebecca  (Hartman)  Deyo,  daughter 
of  George  Hartman,  and  widow  of  Nelson 
Deyo.  She  had  been  twice  married  before 
her  marriage  to  Mr.  Mock,  her  first  husband 
being  David  Rennager.  She  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia in  1820,  and  was  about  twelve  years  of 
age  when  herparents  removed  to  Indiana.  Her 
father  died  in  1843,  and  her  mother  April 
15,  1886,  the  latter  being  eighty-eight  years 
old  at  the  time  of  lier  death.  Of  a  family  of 
three  sons  and  nine  daugliters  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hartman,  two  sons  and  seven  daugh- 
ters are  living — Priscilla,  Rebecca,  Polly, 
Sally,  William,  Christina,  Andrew  J.,  Isa- 
bella and  Zerilda.  The  deceased  are  Eliza- 
beth Ann,  Nancy  and  John  A.  Mrs.  Mock 
has  reared  four  children,  two,  Sarah  and 
Martha  Hartman,  being  the  children  of  her 
brother  John,  and  two,  David  and  Mary  Jane 
Lonw.being  relatives  of  her  first  husband. 


fAMES  H.  WILSON,  senior  member  of 
the  firm  of  Wilson  &  Crane,  dealers  in 
drugs,  school  books,  stationery  and  oils, 
at  Clinton,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  at  Spring- 
field, March  19,  1839,  a  son  of  John  B.  and 
Eliza  C.  Wilson.  His  father  was  born  in 
Kentucky,  and  his  mother,  who  is  still  living, 
is  a  native  of  Virginia.  They  were  married 
in  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  in  185(),  when  our 
subject  M-as  sixteen  years  old,  the  family  left 
Springfield    for   Fairfield,    Iowa,  whci-e  they 


p-' 


BISTORT    OP    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


resided  until  a  short  time  before  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war.  They  tlien  removed  to 
Schu^'ler  County,  Illinois,  where  the  father 
died  in  October,  1865,  aged  fiftj-three  years. 
The  mother  still  resides  on  the  old  homestead 
in  Schuyler  County.  The  suljject  of  this 
sketch  preceded  his  parents  to  Fairfield,  Iowa, 
a  few  months,  where  he  was  engaged  for  two 
years  as  clerk  in  a  drug  store.  From  there 
lie  went  to  Lexington,  Missouri,  remaining 
there  but  a  short  time  when  he  went  to  Car- 
thage, Illinois,  in  March,  1859,  and  engaged 
as  clerk  in  a  mercantile  house,  which  position 
he  held  until  ]\[ay  9, 1861,  when  he  enlisted  in 
Company  t).  Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry.  He 
was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service 
May  29,  1861,  and  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran 
December  23,  1863,  his  service  reaching  until 
July  10,  1865.  His  regiment  was  on  guard 
duty  until  February,  1862,  in  Missouri, 
when  it  became  engaged  in  the  operations  on 
the  Mississippi.  The  regiment  took  part  in 
tlie  siege  of  Island  No.  10,  the  capture  of 
Fort  Pillow,  under  General  Pope,  the  siege  of 
Corinth,  under  General  Buell  in  his  cam- 
paign against  General .  Bragg,  during  which 
time  they  v/erc  once  besieged  at  I^ashville, 
Tennessee,  in  1863.  They  also  fought  at 
Chickamauga,  and  in  the  campaign  under 
General  Sherman  for  possession  of  Atlanta 
the  regiment  did  heroic  work,  and  followed 
the  banners  of  Sherman  to  the  sea,  up  through 
the  Carolinas,  and  to  the  grand  review  of 
Sherman's  grand  army  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
Mr.  Wilson  gallantly  performed  a  soldier's  part 
in  all  the  battles  of  his  regiment,  passing 
through  all  unscathed,  and  after  his  discliarge 
returned  to  his  home  in  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1872.  He  then  went  to  Douglas 
County,  Kansas,  and  there  followed  farming 
two  years,  and  after  visiting  Ohio,  he,  in 
March,  1875,  became  a  resident  of  Clinton. 
Here  he  first  entered  tlie   drug  store  of  P. 


Z.  Anderson  &  Co.,  and  later  was  employed 
by  B.  F.  Morey.  He  established  his  present 
business  August  15,  1883,  in  which  he  is 
meeting  with  good  success.  Mr.  Wilson 
was  married  at  Eaton,  Preble  County,  Ohio, 
December  23,  1865,  to  Miss  DamiaNourse, 
who  was  born  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  Janu- 
ary 19,  1843,  a  daughter  of  E.  B.  Nourse. 
In  politics  Mr.  Wilson  affiliates  with  the 
Republican  party.  He  is  a  comrade  of  Owen 
Post,  No.  329,  G.  A.  Pt.,  and  is  at  present 
holding  the  ofiice  of  quartermaster  of  the 
post. 


fILAS  N.  TODD,  foreman  of  the  CHiy- 
uga  Lumber  Company,  Cayuga,  was 
born  in  Putnam  County,  Indiana,  June 
15,  1845,  his  father,  John  M.  Todd,  who  is 
now  deceased,  having  been  a  native  of  tln' 
State  of  Kentucky.  He  was  reared  on  the 
home  farm  in  his  native  county  until  attain- 
ing the  age  of  fifteen  years,  when  his  parents 
removed  to  Terre  Haute,  and  there  he  was 
employed  in  spoke  manufactories,  working 
for  three  different  companies  there.  He  was 
then  in  the  employ  of  Booth,  Delany  &  Co., 
of  Dennison,  Illinois,  for  three  years,  and 
also  went  to  Lyon  County,  Kentucky,  where 
he  helped  build  a  spoke  factory  in  Kuttawa, 
for  the  same  company.  He  came  to  Eugene, 
Yermillion  County,  in  1881,  returning  to 
Terre  Haute  in  1883,  and  in  January,  1SS7, 
came  to  Cayuga,  bringing  his  family  here  in 
the  following  June.  The  Cayuga  Lumlioi- 
Company  is  one  of  the  leading  industries  i<\: 
this  place,  and  under^^the  skillful  management 
of  Mr.  Todd  the  business  is  steadily  increas- 
ing. Mr.  Todd  enlisted  in  the  late  war  in 
Compairy  D,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-sixtli 
Indiana  Infantry.  He  was  soon  after  taken 
sick  with  measles  and  sent  to  tlie   hospital. 


J 


BIOQBAPHICAL    SKETVRES. 


where  he  received  his  discharge  before  taking 
part  in  any  service.  He  was  married  x\iigust 
9,  1868,  to  Christian  Larkins,  a  daughter  of 
Saiitbrd  Larkins,  deceased,  and  to  them  liave 
been  born  fonr  cliildren  named — Dora  M., 
Clova  L.,  Callie  B.,  and  Benjamin  F.  Mr. 
Todd  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 
Mrs.  Todd  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
chnrcli  of  Terre  Haute. 


;ILLIAM  H.  BENEFIEL,  who  was 
one  of  the  old  and  honored  pioneers 
%'^\  of  Vermillion  County,  was  born  in 
Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  a  son  of  Samuel 
and  Elizabeth  Benefiel.  Samuel  Benefiel 
died  in  Kentucky,  and  in  1826,  his  widow 
came  with  her  son,  "William  H.,  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  where  she  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  lier  days.  She  died  in  IBoTi, 
aged  seventy-two  years.  William  H.  Bene- 
fiel was  twice  married,  taking  for  his  first 
wife  Miss  Mary  Hunt,  and  to  them  were  born 
seven  children,  of  whom  three  are  living  at 
the  present  time.  Mr.  Benefiel  was  a  second 
time  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Margaret 
(Smith)  Criveling,  a  native  of  New  Jersey, 
and  a  daughter  of  Jesse  Smith.  She  was  first 
married  in  her  native  State,  to  William 
Criveling,  and  to  this  union  seven  children 
were  born,  all  now  deceased.  William  Criv- 
eling was  also  an  old  pioneer  of  Vermillion 
County,  coming  here  in  1830,  his  wife  follow- 
ing some  two  or  three  years  later.  Tliey 
settled  in  Perrysville,  where  Mr.  Criveling 
followed  his  trade,  that  of  a  carpenter,  until 
his  death.  Several  years  later  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  Benefiel  and  Mrs.  Criveling  took 
place,  and  to  them  one  child,  a  son  William 
M.,  was  born,  the  date  of  his  birth  being 
August  2,  1850.  He  is  now  a  resident  of 
Perrysville,  where  he  is  classed  among   the 


active  and  enterprising  citizens.  William  H. 
Benefiel  died  July  22,  1885,  his  widow  sur- 
viving him  until  November  24, 1886.  While 
he  never  attained  to  wealth,  Mr.  Benefiel  was 
an  industrious  citizen,  and  was  liighly  es- 
teemed by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade.  In  the  early  history  of 
the  county  he,  with  Mr.  Criveling,  built  a 
number  of  flat-boats  for  the  purpose  of  trad- 
ing between  Perrysville  and  New  Orleans. 
He  was  a  natural  mechanic,  and  in  early  life 
also  learned  the  trade  of  a  wheel-wright.  He 
made  many  spinning  wheels  after  coming  to 
Perrysville.  He  was  always  interested  in  the 
advancement  of  his  township  or  county,  and 
was  a  worthy  representative  of  the  brave  old 
pioneers. 


I 


FORMAN,  farmer  and  stock- 
•,  section  15,  Vermillion  Town- 
-^'^p-  ship,  was  born  in  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
in  1827,  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Hines) 
Forman,  natives  of  Ohio,  of  German  descent. 
When  Amos  was  a  boy  his  parents  came  to 
Vermillion  County,  and  here  he  was  reared, 
spending  his  youth  on  his  father's  farm.  He 
has  devoted  his  attention  to  agriculture  and 
now  has  a  fine  farm  of  224  acres,  the  greater 
part  under  cultivation,  and  his  building  im- 
provements are  among  the  best  in  the  county. 
He  is  purely  a  self-made  man,  having  no 
capital  when  he  started  for  himself,  but  by 
good  management  he  has  acquired  a  compe- 
tence for  his  declining  years.  His  first  money 
was  earned  by  running  a  ferry-boat  on  the 
river  and  from  money  with  these  earnings  he 
made  his  first  purchase  of  land.  Mr.  For- 
man is  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  the 
township.  He  votes  with  no  particular  party, 
giving  his  sufltrage  to  the  man  he  considers 
best- fitted  for  the  ofiice.     He  was  married  iu 


UISTUBY    OP     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


1847,  to  Ellen  ILmkins,  wlio  died  in  1866, 
leaving  two  children — Samanthaaud  Martlia. 
Sainantha  is  the  wife  'of  William  Swindle 
and  has  one  child — Ida,  and  Martha  is  the 
wife  of  Charles  Wintennede,  and  has  one 
child — Mona.  Mr.  Fornian  then  married 
Martha  Bush,  wlio  died  in  1877,  leaving  tliree 
children — Charles,  Ella  and  Noah.  Ella  is 
the  wife  of  Munford  Jackson.  Mr.  Forman 
married  for  his  third  wife,  Harriet  Burson, 
and  to  them  were  born  two  children — Burley 
and  Burton.  His  wife  died  in  1885  and  m 
1886  he  married  Mrs.  Jane  (Hollingsworth) 
Hannahs. 


tARRY  H.  JAMES,  M.  D.,  residing  at 
St.  Bernice,  was  born  in  Helt  Township, 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  June  5, 
1810,  a  son  of  Zachariah  D.  James,  of  Mon- 
tezuma, Indiana.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  a  small  boy  when  his  parents  removed 
from  their  farm  in  Helt  Township,  to  Monte- 
zuma, and  there  he  grew  to  manhood,  receiv- 
ing his  education  principally  at  Asbury,  now 
De  Pauw  University,  at  Greencastle.  He 
left  the  University  in  1861  while  in  his 
junior  year,  to  eidist  in  the  Union  army, 
when  he  was  assigned  to  Company  G,  Sixth 
Indiana  Calvary.  He  participated  in  fifty 
engagements  including  the  battles  of  Rich- 
mond, Chattanooga,  Resaca,  Dalton's  Woods, 
Peach  Tree  Creek,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  At- 
lanta, Mission  Ridge,  Nashville  and  Dallas. 
He  served  almost  four  years,  enlisting  as  a 
private,  acting  as  Captain  the  greater  part  of 
his  term  of  service  and  was  discharged  as 
First  Lieutenant.  He  was  disabled  in  the 
service  and  now  draws  a  pension.  Dr.  James 
was  married  January  23, 1861,  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth AVade,  a  daughter  of  the  late  John  Wade. 
Mrs.  James  died  in  January,  1873,  leaving 


at  her  death  two  children,  named  Feury  K. 
and  Edward  B.  Mr.  James  was  again  mar- 
ried in  September,  1876,  to  Miss  Annie  Mor- 
rison, a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Morrison, 
who  is  deceased.  Tliree  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union,  of  whom  only  one  is  liv- 
ing, named  ^Schell  I.  In  March,  1869,  Dr. 
James  graduated  from  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  Michigan  State  University,  at 
Ann  Arbor,  and  the  same  year  located  at 
Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  where  he  practiced 
medicine,  and  carried  on  a  drug  store  until 
1875.  He  then  removed  to  Clinton,  Ver- 
million County,  and  in  April,  1877,  settlerl 
at  St.  Bernice  where  he  has  since  made  his 
home,  practicing  his  chosen  profession  until 
within ]the^  past  year  and  a  half,  when  his 
health  began_^failing  him.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  an  or- 
ganization in  which  he  takes  an  active  interest. 


--.-^^^ 


ILLIAM  D.  McFALL,  general  mer- 
chant at  St.  Bernice,  and  also  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock-raising 
and  dealing  in  stock,  is  a  native  of  Virginia, 
born  in  Augusta  County,  February  14,  1850, 
his  father,  William  McFall,  having  been  born 
in  Albermarle  County,  Virginia.  He  was 
reared  to  the  vocation  of  a  farmer,  and  re- 
ceived a  common-school  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  neighborhood.  He  came  to 
Vigo  County,  Indiana,  in  1871,  and  from 
there  went  to  Edgar  County,  Illinois.  He 
came  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  in  1877, 
and  has  since  been  a  resident  of  St.  Bernice. 
On  first  coming  to  Indiana  in  1871  he  had 
but  §20.20  with  which  to  commence  business, 
and  by  his  own  efforts  he  has  accumulated  a 
fine  property,  and  become  classed  among  the 
well-to-do  citizens  of  the  county.  He  is  nuw 
the   owner   of  a   fine  farm  of  815   acres  of 


clioice  land.  He  has  established  a  good 
liusiness  at  St.  Bernice,  carrying  a  full  line  of 
di'y  goods,  clothing,  groceries,  boots  and  shoes, 
hats  and  caps,  hardware,  etc.  'His  capital 
stock  is  valued  at  $5,000,  and  his  annual 
business  amounts  to  about  $12,000.  In  poli- 
tics Mr.  McFall  is  a  Democrat.  He  is  the 
present  efficient  postmaster  at  St.  Bernice, 
having  been  appointed  in  October,  1885,  and 
assumed  the  duties  of  that  oihce  November 
4,  following.  Mr.  McFall  was  married  Jnne 
11,  1874,  to  Miss  Victoria  Dyer,  a  daughter 
of  the  late  Joel  Dyer.  Of  the  live  children 
born  to  them,  four  are  living,  named  Freder- 
ick, Claude,  Lncy  B.  and  Eosa.  Mr.  McFall 
is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  a  much  respected  citizen. 


^.AMILTON  BETSON,  farmer  and  stock- 
I[M\'  raiser,  resides  on  section  8,  Vermillion 
■^^l&  Township,  where  he  owns  a  fine  farm  of 
415  acres,  all  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion. This  property  he  has  acquired  by  years 
of  persevering  toil,  economy  and  good  man- 
agement. Possessed  of  an  indomitable  will 
that  laughs  at  obstacles,  he  has  come  from  a 
life  of  hardship  to  one  of  ease  and  comfort 
and  can  now  look  back  over  a. well  spent  life, 
and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  years  of  labor.  Mr. 
Betson  was  born  in  Otsego  County,  New 
York,  May  8,  1831,  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Mary  A.  (Johnson)  Betson,  natives  also  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  of  English  and  Ger- 
man ancestry.  In  1857  the  family  moved 
to  Indiana  and  settled  in  Vermillion  County, 
but  two  years  later  the  parents  went  to 
Chrisman,  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  died  in  1875,  and  the  mother  still 
lives.  They  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  six 
of  whom  are  living,  Hamilton  being  the 
fourth  child.     Mr.    Betson    was    married  in 


Vermillion  County,  in  1857,  to  Mary  E. 
Clark,  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in  1838, 
a  daughter  of  Ezra  and  Nancy  (Fullandei-) 
Clark,  natives  of  Ohio,  of  French  and  German 
descent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Betson  have  had 
eight  children,  six  of  whom  are  living — 
Florence,  Arthur,  Alice,  Frank,  Claude  and 
Theodocia.  Florence  is  the  wife  of  Alonzo 
Truitt  and  has  three  children — Clark,  Clayton 
and  Delbert.  Mr.  Bet.son  is  a  member  of  the 
Odd  Fellows  order,  Newport  Lodge,  No.  650. 


fDMUND  T.  SrOTSWOOD,  M.  D.,  of 
Perrysville,  the  oldest  practicing  physi- 
cian in  Vermillion  County,  was  born  in 
the  city  of  Richmond,  Virginia,  October  10, 
1827.  He  is  a  direct  descendant  of  Sir  Alex- 
ander Spotswood,  a  Major  General  in  the 
British  army,  and  Governor  of  the  Virginian 
Colony  from  1710  to  1723.  Alexander  Spots- 
wood  was  of  Scotch  parentage,  and  was  born 
on  board  a  British  man-of-war  in  the  port  of 
Tangia.  He  was  literally  bred  in  the  army 
from  his  childhood,  and  by  his  genius  and 
courao-e  served  with  distinction  under  the 
Duke  of  Marlborough.  He  was  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  Blenheim,  where  he  was  acting 
as  Deputy  Quartermaster-General.  He  was 
sent  to  America  by  the  King  of  England  as 
Governor  of  Virginia.  He  was  a  man  of 
creat  ability,  and  no  name  is  more  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  history  of  Colonial 
Virginia  than  his.  He  developed  the  first 
mines  and  erected  the  first  iron  furnace  in 
America,  and  was  the  first  to  introduce  iron 
into  the  colonies,  for  which  he  was  called  the 
Tubal  Cain  of  America.  He  was  the  first  to 
bring  the  writ  of  haheas  cot])us  to  America. 
In  1739  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Postmas- 
ter-General of  the  Colonies,  and  it  was  he 
who    promoted    Benjamin    Franklin    to    the 


UI8T0RT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


postniastersliip  of  the  province  of  Pennsylva- 
nia. Governor  Spotswood  died  at  Annapolis, 
Maryland,  June  7,  1840,  while  on  his  way  to 
Central  America  to  take  charge,  as  Major 
General,  of  the  British  troops  in  that  coun- 
try. Dr.  Edmund  T.  Spotswood  is  a  son  of 
Robert  and  Eliza  L.  (Henning)  Spotswood, 
the  father  dying  when  he  was  a  child  of  five 
years.  His  motlier  was  a  daughter  of  "Will- 
iam Waller  Henning,  who  was  a  prominent 
lawyer  of  Virginia,  and  an  author  of  law 
books.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  a 
woman  of  culture  and  refinement,  and  pos- 
sessed of  high  scholarly  attainments.  She 
was  a  poetess  of  high  rank.  After  the  death 
of  Mr.  Spotswood  she  married  Eev.  John  F. 
Scliermerhorn,  of  New  York.  They  subse- 
quently came  to  Indiana,  and  settled  in  Car- 
roll County.  The  mother  died  at  the  home 
of  Dr.  Spotswood,  at  Perrysville,  March  8, 
1873,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  Dr. 
Spotswood,  the  subject  of  this"  sketch,  was 
fourteen  years  old  when  he  accompanied  his 
mother  and  stepfather  to  Carroll  County,  In- 
diana, and  there  he  grew  to  manhood  on  their 
farm  near  the  Tippecanoe  Hiver,  receiving 
his  literary  education  .at  home  under  the  in- 
struction of  his  mother.  In  1852  he  gradu- 
ated from  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago, 
Illinois,  and  the  same  year  located  at  Perrys- 
ville, Vermillion  County,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  was  married  May  17,  1853,  to 
Miss  Sarah  Schermerhorn,  a  daughter  of  Rev. 
John  F.  Schermerhorn,  of  New  York.  Five 
children  have  been  born  to  them,  of  whom 
only  the  two  youngest  survive — Edwin,  living 
in  Terre  Haute,  and  Mary,  at  home  with  her 
parents.  Edith  died  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years;  ■\Velford  at  the  age  of  four  years,  and 
Bernard  aged  seventeen  years.  Soon  after 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion 
Dr.  Spotswood  extended  his  professional  ser- 
vices to  the  Goveniraent.     Immediately  after 


the  battle  of  Shiloli,  in  April,  1862,  he,  in 
company  with  Governor  Morton  and  Miles 
Fletcher,  tlie  Superintendent  of  Public  In- 
struction, started  as  a  volunteer  surgeon  to 
the  field  of  battle.  On  arriving  at  Evans- 
ville  it  was  found  that  a  large  number  of  the 
wounded  had  been  transferred  to  that  place. 
He  therefore  accompanied  such  of  the 
wounded  as  were  able  to  be  removed,  to  In- 
dianapolis, where  he  was  offered  by  the  Gov- 
ernor any  position  as  surgeon  that  was  in  his 
power  to  grantj'^but  none  being  desirable,  the 
Doctor  returned  to  Perrysville.  August  18, 
1862,  he  was  appointed  Surgeon  of  the 
Seventy-first  Indiana  Infantry,  and  remained 
with  the  regiment  about  eighteen  months, 
when  he  was  compelled  to  resign  on  account 
of  disease  of  the  eyes  acquired  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  official  duties,  and  from  this 
aflliction  he  has  never  fully  recovered.  As 
soon  as  he  had  sufficiently  recovered  he  re- 
sumed his  medical  practice  at  Perrysville,  in 
which  he  is  still  engaged.  He  has  long  been 
a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion, and  in  his  profession  ranks  high.  The 
doctor  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
politics.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature 
as  an  anti-Nebraska  Democrat.  He  was  tlir 
first  man  to  give  his  allegiance  to  the  Repub- 
lican party  in  Vermillion  County,  and  affili- 
ated with  that  party  until  1876,  when  he 
became  connected  with  the  National  Green- 
back party.  He  is  now  independent  in  his 
political  views.  He  is  a  speaker  of  marked 
ability,  and  iniierits  mucli  of  his  motliei-"s 
poetical  genius.  In  1854  Dr.  Spotswond 
was  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  of 
Indiana,  and  with  one  exception  was  the 
yoimgest  member  in  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives at  the  following  session.  While  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  he  introduced  \\w 
following  resolution,  which  was  the  first  e\'i'r 
otiered  in  the  Indiana  Legislature  relative  to 


r 


^1 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


the  establishment  of  State  Normal  Schools: 
"Kesolved,  That  the  committee  on  education 
be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency 
of  establishing  a  State  Normal  School,  in 
wiiich  persons  who  design  to  make  teaching 
a  profession  shall  receive  instruction  free  of 
charge;  Provided,  they  bind  themselves  to 
teach  for  a  specified  term  of  years  within 
the  State  of  Indiana;  and  also  if  it  is 
deemed  expedient  to  establish  such  schools, 
whether  it  would  be  practicable  to  establish 
it  on  the  'Manual  Labor  Plan,'  so  as  to  make 
it  a  self-supporting  institution  as  near  as 
possible,  with  leave  to  report  by  bill  or  other- 
wise." The  doctor  was  also  the  first  to 
agitate  in  the  Legislature  the  establishment 
of  a  State  Bureau.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  reared  in  the  Episcopal  faith,  but  there 
being  no  cluirch  of  that  denomination  in  his 
neighborhood,  he  has  affiliated  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Genial  in  his 
manner,  well  informed  on  the  general  topics 
of  the  day,  and  possessed  of  fine  conversa- 
tional powers,  the  doctor  is  an  interesting 
and  instructive  companion,  and  no  man  is 
lietter  known  or  more  highly  respected 
throughout  Vermillion  County  than  he. 

fAVID  A.  RANGER,  one  of  the  early 
settl&i's  of  Vermillion  County,  was  born 
in  Colerain,  Massachusetts,^  May  20, 
1827,  a  son  of  Moses  and  Jane  (Smith)  Ran- 
ger, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  same 
State.  Moses  Ranger,  Sr.,  and  Orin  Smith, 
grandfathers  of  our  subject,  were  heroes  of 
the  Revolution,  and  Moses  Ranger,  Jr.,  was 
a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  David  A. 
Ranger  left  the  old  home  in  Massachusetts 
when  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  coming  to 
Clinton,  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  that 
year,  1843,  he  entered  the  employ  of  James 


McCulloch,  general  merchant  and  pork- 
packer.  He  was  a  faithful  employe,  and  was 
often  entrusted  by  his  employer  with  large 
interests,  making  trips  to  the  northwest  in 
charge  of  stock  for  sale,  and  to  the  lower 
rivers  in  charge  of  pork  and  grain.  He  re- 
mained in  the  constant  employ  of  Mr.  Mc- 
Culloch until  the  opening  of  the  war  for  the 
Union,  when  his  patriotism  would  not  allow 
him  to  remain  in  the  rear.  His  work  be- 
came known,  and  he  was  commissioned  First 
Lieutenant,  and  October  19,  1861,  he  was 
mustered  with  Company  I,  Forty-third  Indi- 
ana Infantry.  Their  first  effective  service 
was  at  New  Madrid,  and  they  also  partici- 
pated in  the  engagements  at  Island  No.  10, 
Tiptonville,  Fort  Pillow,  and  the  capture  of 
Memphis.  July  4,  1863,  they  fought  and 
repulsed  General  Price's  army  at  Helena, 
Arkansas.  The  winter  of  1863-'64  Lieuten- 
ant Ranger  spent  at  home,  recruiting  for  his 
company.  March  15,  1864,  with  sixteen  i-e- 
cruits,  he  joined  his  regiment,  which  was 
with  General  Steele  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas. 
In  the  campaign  of  1864,  at  Mark's  Mill, 
Arkansas,  Lieutenant  Ranger  was  wounded 
in  the  left  thigh,  breaking  the  femur  bone, 
and  cutting  the  sciatic  nerve,  thus  disabling 
him  for  further  service,  and  of  course  necessi- 
tated his  discharge.  He  now  receives  a  pen- 
sion of  $24  per  month.  Never  since  his 
return  from  the  army  has  he  been  able  to 
resume  his  busy,  active  life  of  former  years, 
but  he  has  by  no  means  been  simply  a  looker- 
on.  In  1865  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
magistrate,  an  office  he  held  continuously 
until  1878,  when  he  declined  a  re-election. 
He  is  now  a  member  of  the  city  council, 
where  he  has  served  many  years.  He  is  one 
of  the  oldest  Masons  in  Vermillion  County, 
and  is  at  present  secretary  of  Jerusalem 
Lodge,  where  he  has  lieen  an  lionorable  and 
useful  member  for  over  a  third  of  a  century 


HISTORY    OP     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


He  has  never  married,  and  lias  no  relatives 
near  him.  His  parents  left  Massachnsetts  in 
1854,  and  settled  in  llosendale,  Fond  du  Lac 
County,  AVisconsin,  where  he  occasionally 
visited  them  before  their  death.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  ever  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  public  affairs  of  the 
county.  He  is  a  comrade  of  Owen  Post, 
No.  3'29,  G.  A.  E. 


tDDISON  L.  WHITCOMB  was  born  in 
Clinton,  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
■^.r^  in  the  year  1839,  and  died  at  his  birth- 
place October  7,  1886.  His  father,  John  R. 
Whitcomb,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
county,  settling  at  Clinton  in  1831,  where  he 
became  one  of  the  leading  business  men. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated  in 
the  schools  of  Clinton,  where  he  made  the 
most  of  his  educational  advantages.  Soon 
after  reaching  his  majority  he  began  to  show 
that  capacity  for  business  which  later  made 
him  one  of  the  most  successful  merchants  in 
Western  Indiana.  He  began  his  business 
career  as  clerk  in  his  father's  mercantile 
establishment.  Eventually  he  engaged  in 
business  for  himself,  never  halting  in  his 
successful  course,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
was  the  head  of  the  firm  of  A.  L.  Whitcomb 
&  Co.,  the  leading  establishment  of  the  kind 
in  Vermillion  (^ounty.  He  was  the  architect 
of  his  own  fortunes,  having  commenced  life 
a  poor  boy,  but  through  persevering  energy 
and  good  management  he  became  wealthy, 
having  at  the  time  of  liis  death  four  farms 
in  Clinton  Township,  real  estate  in  the  city 
of  Clinton,  and  personal  property  exceeding 
in  value  875,000.  Mr.  AVhitcomb  was  united 
in  marriage,  December  25,  1861,  to  Miss 
Eraeline  A.  Greene,  a  daughter  of  James  M. 
and  Julia  (Halstead)  Greene.     She  was  born 


in  Erie  County,  New  York,  May  12,  1841 
coming  to  Clinton  with  her  parents,  where 
her  mother  died  July  5,  1875.  Her  father 
was  at  one  time  a  business  partner  of  Mr. 
Whitcomb.  After  the  death  of  his  wife  he 
returned  to  his  old  home  in  Erie  County, 
New  York.  Mrs.  Whitcomb  was  their  only 
child.  She  still  makes  her  home  in  Clinton, 
where  her  husband  died.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Whitcomb  united  with  the  Christian  cluirch, 
of  which  she  is  still  a  member.  He  was  a 
member  of  no  secret  societies.  In  politics 
he  always  affiliated  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  although  he  never  aspired  for 
official  honors,  he  was  not  lacking  in  interest 
in  public  affairs.  He  was  a  highly  respected 
citizen,  and  his  death  was  mourned  by  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 


ere     ^ 


fACOB  C.  PETERS,  general  merchant, 
Cayuga,  was  born  in  Circleville,  Ohio, 
the  date  of  hi?  birth  being  December  8, 
1856.  He  is  a  son  of  Newton  and  Margaret 
I  (Harren)  Peters,  of  Circleville,  both  being 
natives  of  Ohio,  the  father  born  in  Stouts- 
ville,  Fairfield  County,  and  the  mother  born 
in  Delhi,  Hamilton  County.  Jacob  C.  was 
reared  in  Circleville,  receiving  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  that  place.  He  learned  the 
carriage  painter's  trade,  which  he  followed 
four  years  before  coming  to  this  county.  Jn 
1875  he  came  to  Eugene,  and  for  ten  years 
following  was  employed  as  clerk  in  the  store 
of  his  brother,  H.  0.  Peters,  after  which  he 
was  associated  with  his  brother  as  partner  for 
two  3'ears,  and  in  September,  1887,  he 
bought  his  brother's  interest.  The  broth- 
ers had  established  their  business  in 
Cayuga  in  1885,  since  which  time  it  has 
steadily  increased  until  it  has  become  one  of 
the  leadintr  mercantile  establishments  in  Eu- 


'-//^^  ,^^>0^^^ 


BIOQRAPHIGAL    SKETCHES. 


gene  To^vnsllip.  They  deal  in  dry  goods, 
clothing,  hats  and  caps,  boots  and  shoes, 
groceries,  hardware,  queensware,  and  gents 
furnishing  goods,  carrying  a  capital  stock  of 
§3,500,  their  annual  business  amounting  to 
about  $12,000.  Mr.  Peters  was  married  June 
14,  1882,  to  Miss  Olie  Parren,  who  was  born 
iu  Perrysville,  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  a 
daughter  of  William  Parren,  who  is  now  de- 
d eased. 


fLATT  Z.  ANDERSON,  attorney  at  law, 
and  one  of  the  prominent  and  enterpris- 
ing citizens  of  Clinton,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  city  since  November  7,  1856. 
He  is  a  native  of  West  Virginia,  born  in 
Wood  County,  December  28,  1838,  a  son  of 
Michael  and  Prudence  (White)  Anderson, 
both  of  whom  were  Virginians  by  birth.  The 
maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  George 
White,  married  for  his  second  wife,  Rebecca 
Jackson,  who  is  still  living,  aged  seventy- 
nine  years,  and  is  an  aunt  of  the  late  General 
Thomas  Jackson,  familiarly  known  as  Stone- 
wall Jackson.  Michael  Anderson  still  resides 
on  the  old  homestead  in  West  Virginia  which 
has  been  the  family^home  for  forty-five  years. 
His  -wife  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years. 
Besides  our  subject,  three  of  their  children 
are  living,  William  P.,  Cummings  and 
Elizabeth,  their  homes  being  in  West  Vir- 
ginia. Soon  after  coming  to  Vermillion 
County,  the  sul)ject  of  this  sketch  entered  the 
mercantile  establistment  of  Dale,  Livengood 
&  Co.,  of  Clinton,  as  a  clerk,  and  later  was 
employed  in  the  same  capacity  for  John 
Whitcomb,  liecoming  his  partner  in  1866,  the 
business  being  conducted  under  tlie  fii-m 
name  of  AVhiteomb,  Anderson  &  Co.,  for  two 
years.  Mr.  Anderson  then  retired  from  the 
linn,  and  in  company  with  Dr.  Bogart, 
engaged  in  tlie  drug  business.     Buying  the 


interest  of  his  partner  soon  after,  he  continued 
the  business  alone  until  1875.  In  1879  he 
was  elected  county  surveyor,  and  a  more 
thoroughly  competent  and  efficient  officer 
than  Mr.  Anderson  the  county  has  never  had. 
He  served  in  this  capacity  four  years,  and 
during  this  time,  under  his  supervision  and 
direction,  all  the  graveled  roads  of  the  county 
were  made,  and  the  principal  bridges  built. 
He  also  served  twelve  years  as  magistrate, 
from  the  year  1861.  In  1872  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  tlie 
practice  of  law.  In  connection  with  his  law 
practice  lie  does  an  agency  business  in  real 
estate,  insurance  and  collecting.  Mr.  Ander- 
son was  united  in  marriage  September  1, 
1859,  to  Miss  Jennie  Nourse,  who  was  born 
at  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  June  28,  1837,  a  daugh- 
ter of  E.  B.  Nourse,  then  a  resident  of  Nauvoo, 
but  now  living  in  Clinton,  Indiana.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Anderson  are  the  parents  of  seven  cliil- 
dren — Eva,  wife  of  John  Payton;  Lawrence  B., 
Claude  M.,  Max,  Clifford,  Piatt  Z.  and  Forrest 
G.  Mr.  Anderson  cast  his  first  presiden- 
tial vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  has  ever 
since  been  a  staunch  adherent  to  the  Republi- 
can party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity.  Mr.  Anderson  has  always  mani- 
fested a  deep  interest  the  town  in  which 
he  lives,  and  in  every  movement  calculated  to 
aid  in  building  up  the  place  or  developing 
its  business  interests  has  his  encouragement 
and  assistance. 


l^ILGHMAN  FONCANON  resides  on 
fX.  section  35,  Helt  Township,  where  he 
W  owns  a  fine  farm  of  200  acres,  160 
acres  of  which  he  entered  from  the  Govern- 
ment. He  was  born  in  Mifflin  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, August  7,  1812,  a  son  of  Jacob 
Foncanou,  a  native  ot  the  same  county,  who 


moved  to  Perry  County,  Ohio,  in  1815.  Tilgh- 
nian  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Ohio,  and  when 
eighteen  years  old  began  to  learn  the  brick 
mason's  trade  at  Lancaster,  at  which  he 
worked  twelve  years.  In  1842  he  came  to 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and  located  in 
lielt  Township,  where  he  has  since  lived.  He 
was  married  August  11,  ISiO,  to  Sarah, 
daughter  of  John  and  Christina  May.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foncanon  have  been  born  ten 
children,  eight  of  whom  are  living — Tliomas 
Jefttrson,  Emily,  Isabelle,  Charles  A.,  Mark, 
Georgiann  and  Christiann  (twins),  and  Elva 
All  are  married  and  settled  near  the  old  home- 
stead. Mr.  Foncanon  has  twenty  grandchil- 
dren living,  and  one  great-grandchild. 


IfSAAC  KICE,  faruiei'  and  stock-raiser,  re- 
M  sides  on  section  15,  Vermillion  Township, 
■^  where  he  owns  173  acres  of  land  under 
cultivation,  and  twenty  acres  of  timber  land. 
lie  has  a  valuablcjproperty,  which  he  has 
acquired  by  years  of  toil  and  economy,  hav- 
ing nothing  when  he  started  for  himself,  his 
iirst  money  being  earned  by  hauling  wood 
and  running  a  threshing  machine.  lie  has 
made  a  specialty  of  stock-raising,  and  has 
some  very  tine  cattle  and  horses.  Mr.  liice 
was  born  in  Floyd  County,  Indiana,  March  7, 
1832,  a  son  of  John  and  Catherine  (Smith) 
Rice,  natives  of  Kentucky,  of  German  de- 
scent, who  were  early  settlers  of  Floyd 
County,  where  they  spent  their  last  days.  In 
1857  Mr.  llice  came  to  Vermillion  County 
and  settled  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives, 
which  at  that  time  was  a  tract  of  wild,  uncul- 
tivated land.  He  was  married  in  1858  to 
Christina  Burkhart,  a  native  of  Floyd  County, 
born  in  1834:,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Burkhart. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rice  have  been  born  four 
children,  one  of  whom,  John  W.,  is  deceased. 


Those  living  are — James  A.,  Alice  and  La 
fayette.  Alice  is  the  wife  of  Bruce  Merri- 
man,  and  has  two  children — Collettand  Jessie 
B.  Mr.  Rice  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows order.  Lodge  No.  5G3.  In  politics  lit- 
is a  Republican. 


tENRY  NEBEKER,  M.  I).,  one  of  the 
leading  physicians  of  Clinton,  is  a 
member  of  one  of  the  old  and  promi- 
nent families  of  Vermillion  County.  lie 
was  born  in  Helt  Township,  this  county, 
June  16, 1854,  a  son  of  Aquilla  and  Naomi 
(Wright)  Nebeker,  his  father  a  native  of 
Newport,  Delaware,  and  his  mother  of  On- 
tario County,  New  York.  They  were  mar- 
ried in  Vermillion  County,  having  come  to 
the  county  when  young.  The  early  life  of 
our  subject  was  spent  on  a  farm,  completing 
his  literary  education  at  De  Pauw  University 
at  Greencastle,  Indiana.  His  preparatory 
medical  studies  were  commenced  in  the  office 
of  Drs.  Hedges  and  Bogart,  in  Clinton,  and 
in  1873  he  attended  the  medical  department  of 
the  Michigan  State  University,  at  Ann  Arlior, 
Michigan.  In  1875-'76,  he  was  a  student 
at  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphi.i, 
graduating  from  that  institution  in  March  nt 
the  latter  year,  and  immediately  after  he  com- 
menced the  practice  of  medicine  at  Clinton. 
He  is  devoted  to  his  profession,  and  has  e.-- 
tablished  a  large  and  lucrative  practice  whicli 
is  gradually  increasing.  September  6,  1877, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ida  M. 
Wilson,  who  was  born  December  27,  1857, 
in  Parke  County,  Indiana,  a  daughter  of 
E.  G.  AYilson,  who  is  still  a  resident  of  Parke 
County.  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Nebeker  are  the 
parents  of  two  children  named  Ray  B.  ami 
Mark  E.  In  politics  the  doctor  is  identified 
with  the  Republican  party.     He  is  a  promi- 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETOnES. 


neiit  Mason,  and  belongs  to  Jerusalem  Lodge, 
No.  99,  and  Terre  Haute  Chapter,  No.  11. 
The  doctor  is  a  man  of  puljlic-spirit,  taking 
a  deep  interest  in  the  town  where  he  resides, 
and  every  enterprise  calculated  to  aid  in 
huilding  up  the  place  has  ins  encouragement 
and  assistance. 


,7^:  AMUEL  J.  HALL,  an  active  and  enter- 
^>^  prising  agricnlturfst  of  Vermillion 
.--  Township,  residing  on  section  16,  is  a 
native  of  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  born 
April  13,  1835.  His  parents,  William  B. 
and  Nancj'  (Jordan)  Hall,  were  of  English 
descent,  the  father  a  native  of  the  State  of 
Virginia,  and  the  mother  born  in  Kentucky. 
Slie  left  her  native  State  in  1822,  coming  to 
Parke  County,  Indiana.  Tiie  parents  of  oxir 
sul)ject  lived  in  Parke  County  until  1830 
wlien  the}'  removed  to  Vermillion  County, 
residing  here  until  their  death,  the  father 
dying  December  10,  1863,  and  the  mother  in 
tiie  year  1872.  Tiiey  reared  a  family  of  thir- 
teen children,  as  follows — Mrs.  Harriet  Davis, 
T;ibitha  (deceased),  Mrs.  Lacy  A.  Lemon, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  AVoodward,  Mrs.  Mary  Saun- 
ders, Charles  II.,  Samuel  J.,  Mrs.  Emily 
Dunlap,  Mrs.  Amanda  Utter,  Mrs.  Ellen 
Hopkins,  Melvin  L.  (a  prominent  physician 
of  the  county,  residing  at  Newport),  James 
W.,  and  John  D.  The  latter  Avas  a  member 
of  Company  C,  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  died  while  out  on  the  field  in  Missouri. 
Samuel  J.  Hall,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  which  he 
has  made  the  principal  vocation  of  his  life. 
lie  was  a  soldier  in  the  M'ar  of  the  Rebellion, 
enlisting  October  9,  1861.  He  raised  a 
company  know  as  Company  I,  Forty-third 
Indiana  Infantry,  and  served  three  and  a  half 
rears.     He  was  in  the  engagements  at  New 


Madrid  and  Riddle's  Point,  then  helped  to 
take  the  city  of  Memphis,  Tennessee,  holding 
it  seven  days.  He  was  at  the  siege  of  Fort 
Pillow,  being  fifty-six  days  under  fire,  and 
was  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  also  on  the 
expedition  up  White  River  and  at  the  battle 
of  Helena.  Part  of  the  time  he  had  command 
of  two  companies.  Colonel  Bell  having  sur- 
rendered his  forces  to  him.  He  also  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Little  Rock,  and  other 
engagements  of  minor  importance.  He  was 
on  the  Red  River  expedition,  and  was  at  the 
battle  of  Marks  Mill,  where  half  of  his  com- 
pany was  killed  and  the  remainder  captured 
with  the  exception  of  himself  and  one  man. 
For  his  gallant  conduct  at  the  battle  of 
Helena  Mr.  Hall  received  a  leave  of  absence 
for  thirty  days  from  General  Grant.  He  was 
mustered  out  at  Indianapolis,  when  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  Vermillion  County, 
and  resumed  farming.  In  1867  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Ileail, 
who  was  born  in  the  year  1817,  a  daughter 
of  Francis  and  Emeline  (Lucas)  Head.  In 
connection  with  his  general  farming  Mr. 
Hall  devotes  some  attention  to  raising  and 
dealing  in  stock.  He  is  one  of  the  prosperous 
men  of  Vermillion  Township,  where  he  has  a 
valuable  farm  of  540  acres,  400  acres  being 
well  improved  and  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation. Politically  ]\Ir.  Hall  aiiiliates  with 
the  Republican  party. 


fOHN  L.  PETERS,  an  active  an  enter- 
prising business  man  of  Cayuga,  is  a 
native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Circleville, 
March  3,  1858,  a  son  of  Newton  Peters,  who 
is  still  a  resident  of  Circleville.  He  was 
reared  and  educated  at  his  birthplace,  remain- 
ing there  until  1871,  when  he  came  to  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  and  made  his  home 


\  lJi*T!!?^  "~'!!:;Jr^' '!^  *"*"?f^ 


BISTORY    OP    VERMILLION     COUNTY. 


at  Eugene  until  1887.  He  then  removed  to 
Cayuga  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness, and  by  his  genial  and  accommodating 
manners,  and  strict  attention  to  the  wants  of 
Ills  customers,  he  is  doing  a  thriving  business. 
He  carries  a  full  line  of  dry  goods,  ladies'  and 
gents'  furnishing  goods,  millinery,  hats,  caps, 
boots  and  shoes.  May  3,  1881,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Ellen  G.  Edmonds,  a 
daughter  of  Edmoud  Edmonds,  uf  Eugene. 
Mrs.  Peters  was  born  in  Eugene,  and  has 
spent  her  life  in  this  county.  Mr.  Peters 
never  seeks  oflieial  honors,  preferring  to  de- 
vote his  entire  attention  to  his  business 
rather  than  hold  public  office. 


who  resides  in  Horida,  with  her  mother.  Mr. 
Zerner  died  in  March,  1876.  He  was  a  con- 
sistent member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
clinrch  for  forty  years,  and  an  upright,  hon- 
I  orable  gentleman. 


^^4r^^ 


imDAM  ZERNER,  deceased,  was  one  of 
l^i  tlie  brave  pioneers  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
^#5^  ty,  who  settled  in  Newport  when  that 
now  prosperous  town  consisted  of  but  log 
huts.  He  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born 
in  Bourbon  County,  February  3,  1803,  and 
was  of  German  ancestry.  When  he  was  a 
lad  his  father  died,  and  in  1812,  he  came 
with  his  mother  to  Indiana,  she  locating  near 
Madison.  The  date  of  his  settlement  at 
Newport,  this  county,  was  in  the  year  1826, 
and  here  he  continued  to  live  until  his  death. 
He  M-as  first  married  in  Newport  in  1828,  to 
^[iss  Mary  Hopkins,  whose  father,  James 
Hojikins,  was  one  of  the  well  known  pioneers 
of  the  county.  To  this  union  nine  childi-en 
were  born,  of  whom  eight  are  still  living,  five 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Only  two  of  the 
children  make  their  home  in  Indiana — Mrs. 
Parrett,  who  was  born  in  Fewport  in  1831, 
and  the  eldest  of  the  children  now  living, 
and  Hobert  Zerner  who  resides  in  Indiana- 
polis. Mrs.  Zerner  died  in  1861,  and  Mr. 
Zerner  married  for  his  second  wife  Miss 
Liiviea  Statts.  by  whom  he  had  one  daughter. 


fANlEL  G.  TILLOTSON,  deceased,  was 
born  in  Ilelt  Township,  Yermillion 
County,  Indiana,  May  8, 1825,  a  son  of 
Chandler  Tillotson,  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
and  an  old  and  honored  pioneer  of  this  coun- 
ty. He  came  to  Indiana  in  1819,  locating 
first  at  Fort  Harrison,  near  the  present  site 
of  Terre  Haute,  and  in  1823  came  to  Yer- 
million County,  and  was  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers on  Heidle's  Prairie  in  Helt  Township. 
Daniel  G.  was  reared  in  his  father's  pioneer 
home,  his  youth  being  spent  in  assisting  in 
the  work  of  clearing  and  improving  the  farm 
and  in  attending  the  rude  log  cabin  subscrip- 
tion schools  of  that  early  day,  where  he 
received  but  a  limited  education.  He  was 
married  March  25,  184:5,  to  Miss  Rebecca 
Barkley,  a  daughter  of  William  Barkley,  who 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1829  he 
removed  to  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  settling 
near  the  Indiana  State  line.  Ten  children 
were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tillotson,  seven 
of  wliom  ai-e  living — Delia  B.  married  Pryor 
Randall,  who  resides  near  Scotland,  Illinois, 
and  they  have  four  children  whose  names  ai-e 
Daniel,  Orval,  William  T.,  Electra;  George 
B.  married  Clementina  Wishard,  and  has  two 
children;  Elizabeth  A.  married  Rev.  John 
Rusmisel,  of  Helt  Township,  and  their  only 
child  is  named  Beiilah;  Susannah  is  tlie  wife 
of  Frank  Skidmore,  of  Helt  Township;  Mary 
E.,  Clara  J.,  and  Demetrius  married  Siba 
Wi.shard,  and  has  one  child  named  Minor  R. 
Demetrius  Tillotson  is  a  minister  in  the 
Methodist   Ep'^^copal   cluirch,  and   resides  at 


'■■"■-■'■B'"Bi»is'»a««a»r^Wi^HS-a!^i;»5r»Jgi— ,«MBi»»Baiin^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL    8EETCRES. 


Toronto,  this  county.  One  son,  William  T., 
died  after  reaching  maturity.  He  married 
Ilattie  Swan,  and  left  at  his  death  three  chil- 
dren, named  George,  Cliftbrd  and  Nellie. 
Daniel  G.  Tillotson,  our  subject,  was  an 
active  worker  for  the  cause  of  Christianity, 
and  was  a  strong  pillai'  in  the  Heidle's  Prai- 
rie Baptist  church,  and  for  sevei'al  years  was 
a  deacon  in  the  church.  He  died  August  10, 
1880,  his  death  causing  universal  regret 
throughout  the  community  where  he  had 
spent  so  many  years. 


l^OBERT  HARRISON,  a  worthy  repre 
'';:[f\;  sentative  of  one  of  the  old  pioneer 
"^'A  families  of  Vermillion  County,  was 
horn  in  llockingliam  County,  Virginia, 
October  11,  1832,  a  son  of  Benjamin  and 
Jane  Ann  (Bright)  Harrison,  who  settled  on 
section  15,  Clinton  Township,  when  the 
snbject  of  this  sketch  was  a  year  old.  He 
was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  early 
in  life  inured  to  hard  work  on  liis  father's 
farm.  Ilis  educational  advantages  were  very 
limited,  receiving  such  as  the  subscription 
schools  of  that  early  day  afforded.  He 
remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  his 
marriage,  which  occurred  February  6,  1855, 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Fisher.  She  was  born  in 
Sliel!)}'  County,  Kentucky,  June  23,  1833, 
and  from  infancy  was  reared  in  A^erraillion 
County,  Indiana,  her  parents, '  James  and 
Elizabeth  (Briscoe)  Fisher,  having  settled  in 
Helt  Township  in  1834.  The  father  died 
about  1843  on  the  farm  which  he  had  cleared. 
Her  mother  afterward  married  Samuel  David- 
son, and  both  are  now  deceased,  the  former 
dying  in  1880.  After  their  marriage  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Harrison  settled  near  his  father's 
homestead  on  section  15,  Clinton  Township, 
where  they  have  since  made  their  home,  and 


have  their  farm  of  sixty  acres  well  improved 
and  under  fine  cultivation.  They  are  the 
parents  of  five  children,  all  but  one  married, 
and  living  near  their  parents.  The  eldest, 
Benjamin,  married  Miss  Eliza  Caniery,  who 
died  December  1,  1885,  leaving  at  her  death 
six  children  whose  names  are — Warren,  Dan- 
iel, Stella,  Annabelle,  Isaac  and  Sarah.  James, 
the  second  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrison, 
married  Miss  Josie  Chunn,and  they  have  one 
child  named  Agnes.  The  third  child,  Anna- 
belle,  is  the  wife  of  George  R.  Hawkins. 
Jane  Ann,  the  next  child,  is  the  wife  of 
Sherman  Bullock,  and  Briscoe,  the  youngest 
son,  is  still  at  home  with  his  parents.  In  his 
political  views  Mr.  Harrison  afiiliates  with 
the  Republican  party.  Mr.  Harrison  is  a 
man  of  strict  integrity,  fair  and  honorable  in 
all  his  dealings,  and  during  liis  long  residence 
in  Clinton  Township  has  gained  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  all  who  l<]iow  him. 


fllOMAS  J.  MITCHELL,  Se.,  of  Per- 
rysville,  one  of  the  old  and  honored 
t  pioneers  of  Highland  Township,  was 
born  in  Champion  County,  Oiiio,  October  26, 
1808,  a  son  of  James  and  Susannah  Mitchell. 
When  he  was  eight  years  old  his  parents  set- 
tled in  Nicholas  County,  Kentucky,  and 
when  he  was  fifteen  they  removed  to  Ripley 
County,  Indiana,  and  in  1830  came  with 
their  family  to  Vermillion  County.  The 
father  settled  four  and  a  half  miles  northwest 
of  Perrysville,  and  after  residing  in  this 
county  a  number  of  years  he  went  to  White 
County,  Indiana,  where  he  died.  After  his 
death  liis  widow  returned  to  Ripley  County, 
Indiana,  where  she  spent  the  remainder  of 
her  days.  They  reared  a  family  of  seven 
children  to  maturity,  of  whom  three  are  jet 
living.     Thomas  J.  Mitchell    was  the  fourth 


HiSTORV    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


child  in  liis  father's  family',  and  is  the  oldest 
of  those  yet  living.  He  has  been  a  resident 
of  this  county  since  1830,  and  during  his 
long  residence  in  Highland  Township  he  has, 
by  Iiis  fair  and  honorable  dealings  and  cordial 
manners,  gained  many  friends  and  won  the 
respect  of  all  who  know  him.  His  wife  was 
formerly  Miss  Susannah  Eicketts,  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Mary  Ricketts,  who  settled  in 
Highland  Township  as  early  as  1830.  where 
both  died  many  years  ago,  on  the  farm  now 
owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  ^litchell.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  liicketts  are  buried  on  this  farm, 
where  they  settled  so  many  years  ago.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Mitchell  have  had  born  to  them  ten 
fhilibvn.  of  whom  seven  arc  yet  living — 
Thomas  J.,  .Jr.,  John  "W".,  Mary  Ann,  Zacha- 
riah  G.,  Elias  (t.,  Isabelle  and  Margaret 
J'elle  (twins).  Three  of  their  children  are 
deceased — Hiram,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
forty-one  years;  Jacob,  died  in  his  eighteenth 
year,  and  a  son  who  died  in  infancy. 

tARYEY  HUNT, of  Highland  Township, 
was  born  in  Clay  County,  Indiana,  Sep- 
tember 28,  1818,  the  eldest  in  a  family 
of  si.x  children  of  Tunis  and  Elizabeth  (Lud- 
dington)  Hunt,  the  father  being  a  native  of 
New  Jersey.  In  1810  the  parents  started 
for  Indiana,  and  in  1825  came  to  Vermillion 
County,  and  settled  in  Highland  Township, 
where  the  father  lived  until  his  death,  about 
1830,  his  willow  surviving  him  many  years. 
Harvey  Hunt  has  lived  in  Highland  Town- 
ship since  seven  years  of  age,  and  has  Avit- 
nessed  the  material  changes  that  have  taken 
]>]ace  in  his  neighliorhood  during  the  past 
sixty  years.  He  began  life  poor,  but  by  per- 
severing industry  and  economy  he  acquired 
a  line  property.  He  M-as  married  in  1841  to 
Laura   Goft',  a  dauofhter  of  Abnon    Goff.  one 


of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  county,  and  of 
the  four  children  born  to  them  three  are 
living — Angeline,  wife  of  Henry  Yolkill; 
Almon,  married* Carrie  Spry,  and  Mary,  wife 
of  Howard  Rodgers.  A  son,  William,  died 
^larch  17, 1887,  leaving  a  wife  and  one  child. 
After  a  married  life  of  thirty-eight  years  Mrs. 
Hunt  died  December  2,  1879.  She  was  a 
kind  and  loving  wife  and  mother,  and  was 
beloved  bv  all  who  knew  her. 


fEORGE  B.  TILLOTSON,  one  of  the 
leading  farmers  and  stock-raisers  of 
Yermillion  County,  was  born  in  Helt 
Township,  this  county,  July  80,  1850,  a  son 
of  the  late  Daniel  G.  Tillotson.  His  early 
youth  was  passed  on  a  farm,  and  his  education 
was  obtained  in  the  common  schools  of  Yer- 
million County.  He  engaged  in  the  mercan- 
tile business  in  Toronto  in  1870,  having  for 
two  years  previous  clerked  in  the  store  of 
F.  N.  Austin.  He  carried  a  good  and  well 
selected  stock  of  general  merchandise  and 
established  a  large  trade,  continuing  his  busi- 
ness at  Toronto  until  1883.  In  that  year  he 
came  to  his  present  farm  on  section  14,  Helt 
Township,  where  he  has  seventy-seven  acres 
of  valuable  land,  and  has  since  devoted  his 
attention  to  his  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
makes  a  specialty  of  raising  Mambrino  trot- 
ting horses,  and  has  one  large  Mambrino, 
named  Sir  Isaac,  which  he  has  shown  at 
seventeen  fairs,  and  which  has  carried  off  the 
first  riblwns  sixteen  times.  He  has  also 
three  other  stallions,  two  of  which  he  has 
exhibited  at  fairs,  receiving  premiums  on 
each.  ]\[r.  Tillotson  was  married  January  30, 
1879,  to  Miss  Clementina  Wishard,  daughter 
of  John  R.  Wishard,  who  is  now  deceased. 
Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union 
named  Mary  Grace  and  Arminta  Fay.     ^fr. 


m 


■■-■-■-■■■-■-■-■■■-■-■-■J 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


Tillotson  is  a  member  of  tlie  Odd  Fellows 
order.  In  his  religions  faith  he  is  a  Baptist, 
and  a  niemher  of  that  denomination.  Mrs. 
Tillotson  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal chnrch. 


fABEZ  B.  OSMON,  a  farmer,  residing 
at  eNwport,  is  a  representative  of  one  of 
the  old  and  respected  pioneer  families  of 
Vermillion  Coimty.  He  is  a  native  of  Ver- 
million County,  born  in  the  township  in  which 
he  now  resides,  May  5,  1836,  his  parents, 
Pliilip  W.  and  Matilda  (Williams)  Osmon, 
coming  to  the  county  about  1827,  when  they 
settled  in  Vermillion  Township.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  1803.  He 
followed  farming  during  his  life,  in  which  he 
was  very  successful,  owning  at  the  time  of 
his  death  400  or  500  acres  of  choice  land. 
He  died  in  1880  in  Newport,  at  the  present 
home  of  our  subject.  He  was  a  faithful 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  an  exemplary  citizen.  Eleven  of  his 
twelve  children  grew  to  maturity,  and  of 
these  only  three  are  living  at  the  present 
time — xVrchibald  W.,  a  farmer,  residing  ten 
miles  southwest  of  Newport;  Matilda  C. 
wife  of  John  Ingram,  of  P^dgar  County,  Illi- 
nois, and  Jabez  B.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Jabez  B.  Osmon  was  reared  in  his  native 
county  to  the  vocation  of  a  farmer,  and  is 
now  the  owner  of  440  acres  of  well  cultivated 
land  lying  some  nine  or  ten  miles  west  of 
Newport,  located  partly  in  this  State,  and 
partly  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  besides 
which  he  has  a  tract  of  160  acres  of  rich  bot- 
tom land  east  of  Newport.  He  has  spent 
liftcen  years  of  his  life,  from  1857  until 
1872,  on  that  portion  of  his  farm  which  lies 
ii!  Edgar  County,  and  while  tliere  served 
three   years    as    county    commissioner.     He 


spent  one  j'ear  in  the  service  of  his  country 
as  a  member  of  the  Fifty-ninth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, joining  his  regiment  at  Athens, 
Georgia,  on  its  return  from  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign. The  regiment  then  joined  General 
Thomas,  who  was  engaged  in  chasing  Hood's 
forces  out  of  the  country,  Mr.  Osmon  being 
a  participant  in  all  the  battles  and  skirmishes 
of  that  exciting  campaign.  Besides  fartning 
Mr.  Osmon  has  followed  other  lines  of  busi- 
ness to  some  extent,  as  that  of  flat-boating 
at  an  early  day,  and  also  followed  the  lumber 
trade  in  this  county.  In  the  latter  line  he 
met  with  two  disastrous  losses  by  fire,  at  one 
time  losing  $1,000  in  lumber  at  a  mill  near_ 
his  present  residence,  and  in  1880  lie  met 
with  a  loss  equally  as  great,  in  the  burning 
of  a  saw  mill  on  the  Little  Vermillion,  in 
which  he  had  a  half  interest.  At  another 
time  he  lost  another  thousand  by  the  burning 
of  his  barn,  and  about  $4,000  by  the  burning 
of  his  residence  and  contents  in  1874,  this 
house  being  erected  but  two  years  previous, 
on  his  return  from  Illinois.  He  rebuilt  his 
residence  which  is  located  on  a  tract  of  three 
acres  on  the  bluff  in  the  eastern  part  of  New- 
port, the  house  being  about  half  way  between 
the  base  and  the  summit  of  the  bluff,  and 
overlooking  river,  bluff  and  valley  scenery  as 
beautiful  as  any  in  the  West.  Mr.  Osmon  is 
a  bachelor.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  is  classed  among  the  mnst  re- 
spected men  in  Newport. 


■■^^ 


tNDREW  SPPtOULS,  a  representative 
of  one  of  the  old  and  respected  pioneer 
families  of  Vermillion  County,  is  a 
native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Belmont  County, 
December  31,  1826.  His  father,  James 
Sprouls,  settled  in  Vermillion  County,  near 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COVNTT. 


the  present  home  of  our  subject,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1829,  where  he  made  his  lioine  until  his 
death.  Andrew  Sprouls  was  reared  to  the 
vocation  of  a  farmer,  and  received  a  limited 
education  in  the  rude  log  cabin  subscription 
schools.  He  has  always  followed  the  cooper's 
trade  in  connection  with  liis  farming  pursuits, 
and  for  several  years  ran  a  shop  at  Eugene. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  April  27, 1851,  to 
Miss  America  Pribble,  a  daughter  of  James 
Pribble,  who  came  from  Ohio  to  Vermillion 
County,Indiana,  in  an  early  day.  Of  the  eight 
children  born  to  this  union  seven  are  living — 
James,  Lucinda,  Douglas,  Thomas,  Jennie, 
George  and  Lillie  G.  Lucinda  married  George 
W.  Watson  of  Eugene  Township,  and  has 
three  children — Grace,  Dora  and  Daniel. 
Douglas  married  Mary  "Watson,  and  has  three 
childi'en — Florence,  Alva  and  Charlie.  Jennie 
married  Lionah  Worth,  of  Wvmore,  Nebraska. 
George  married  Eebecca  Naylor,  a  daughter 
of  Lewis  Nay  lor,  and  they  have  one  child 
named  Elva.  JMr.  Sprouls  resides  on  section 
29,  Eugene  Township,  where  he  has  266  acres 
of  fine  land.  Li  connection  with  his  general 
farming  he  devotes  some  attention  to  stock- 
raising,  making  a  specialty-  of  hogs.  He  has 
been  a  resident  of  Eugene  Township  since 
1855,  and  in  1859  settled  on  the  farm  where 
he  now  resides.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternitj',  and  affiliated  with  the 
lodge  at  Eugene  when  in  existence. 


fACOr.  L.  THOMAS,  an  active  farmer 
and  stock-raiser  of  Vermillion  Township, 
resides  on  section  i],  where  he  has  520 
acres  of  as  good  land  as  can  be  found  in 
the  county,  being  a  part  of  the  stock  farm  of 
the  late  Dr.  Joseph  Cook.  Mr.  Thomas  was 
born  in  A^ermillion  County,  Indiana,  April 
12,  1838,  a  son  of  Philemon  and  Catlierine 


(Custer)  Thomas.  They  were  among  the 
pioneers  of  the  county,  the  father  having 
come  here  in  1822,  and  the  mother  in  1828. 
The  father  died  in  January,  1860,  and  the 
mother  is  still  living  on  the  old  homestead, 
where  she  has  resided  for  sixty-five  years. 
The  father  being  a  farmer,  Jacob  L.  was 
reared  to  the  same  occupation,  which  he  has 
made  his  life  work.  He  was  first  married  in 
Vermillion  County,  Illinois,  in  1866,  to  Miss 
Eliza  Bates,  who  was  born  in  Licking  County, 
Ohio,  in  1844,  and  to  them  were  born  two 
children — Clay  and  Torrence  (deceased).  Mrs. 
Thomas  died  in  1874,  and  for  his  second  wife 
he  married  Margaret  J.  (Dallas)  Cook,  a  na- 
tive of  Wheeling,  Virginia,  born  in  1835,  and 
widow  of  Joseph  C.  Cook,  late  of  Vermillion 
County.  Mr.  Thomas  devotes  considerable 
attention  to  stock-raising,  making  a  specialty 
of  thoroughbred  Jersey  cattle,  of  which  lie 
has  a  tine  herd  of  six.  He  has  one  mare 
registered.  Politically  he  affiliates  with  the 
Kepublican  party.  He  is  a  member  of  New- 
port Lodge,  No.  209,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church. 


f|TIS  M.  KEYES,  M.  D.,  one  of  the 
nj  leading  physicians  and  surgeons  of 
v"  Vermillion  County,  was  liorn  in  Ilelt 
Township,  this  county,  three  miles  from 
Dana,  August  3,  1854,  his  father,  Dr.  Cuth- 
bert  Keyes,  also  being  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County.  He  was  reared  principally  on  a 
farm,  and  in  his  youth  received  good  educa- 
tional advantages,  in  the  common  schools  of 
his  neighborhood  and  at  the  academy  at 
Bloomingdale,  Indiana.  After  completing 
his  education  he  taught  school  four  j'cars  in 
Vermillion  and  Parke  Counties.  He  subse- 
quently attended  the    Kentucky    School    of 


!5aiH^"^SL- 


BIOORAPHWAL    SKETCHES- 


Medicine,  at  Louisville,  and  graduated  from 
that  institution  June  28,  1877,  with  the 
liiglicst  honors,  receiving  the  gold  medal 
which  at  that  time  was  awarded  to  the  person 
graduating  with  first  honors  in  all  branches. 
In  the  fall  of  1877  he  located  at  Dana,  and 
immediately  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine, where  he  has  since  built  np  a  large  and 
lucrative  practice,  and  by  his  kind  and  cordial 
disposition,  "and  honorable  dealings  he  has 
gained  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who 
know  hiin.  August  7,  1878,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Labelle  Hunt,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Isaac  Hnnt,  of  Dana.  One  child  has 
been  born  to  this  union,  named  Paul  H.  The 
doctor  is  a  member  of  both  the  Masonic  and 
Odd  Fellows  orders,  and  takes  an  active  in- 
terest in  these  organizations,  lie  has  held 
the  office  of  tdwnship  trustee  one  term,  and 
is  at  present  a  member  of  the  board  of  health 
of  Dana. 


nOSEPII  MOOIIE,  an  old  and  honored 
pioneer  of  Eugene  Township,  Vermillion 
"^  County,  now  deceased,  was  born  in  the 
State  of  Ohio,  near  Columbus,  in  1803,  a  son 
of  Thomas  Moore.  He  came  to  this  county 
in  the  year  1833,  and  the  first  winter  after 
coming  he  spent  at  Eugene.  lie  then  settled 
on  a  tract  of  wild  land,  in  Eugene  Township, 
where  Indians  and  wild  animals  were  the 
principa''.  inhabitants.  He  was'  married  to 
Miss  Sarah  Dunlap,  a 'daughter  of  Joseph 
Diinlap.  Her  brother  James  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812.  Ten  children  were  born 
to  ilr.  and  Mrs.  Moore,  eight  of  whom  still 
s!ii-vive,  their  names  being  as  follows — Re- 
1"  ica,  Thomas,  Jane,  Ellen,  Wallace,  Robert, 
•  !■  i|>h  and  Louise.  Mr.  Moore  always 
■.ved  the  vocation  of  a  f\irmer,  and  in  his 


owing  to  his  industrious  habits  and  good 
management,  and  at  his  death  left  a  large 
landed  estate,  M-hich  he  had  acquired  by  fiiir 
and  honorable  dealings.  He  died  September 
8,  1861,  his  death  causing  universal  regret 
throughout  the  community,  where  he  made 
his  home  for  so  many  years.  His  widow 
still  lives  on  the  old  homestead.  Her  grand- 
daughter, Blanche  Moore,  whose  mother  died 
when  she  was  an  infant,  is  being  reared  by 


*-'-^J"'v»-'f-" 


;ltural    pursuits    was    ^-ery     successful,  | 


fOIIN  R.  STAIIL,  one  of  the  successful 
teachers  of  Vermillion  County,  resides 
on  section  22,  Vermillion  Township, 
where  he  owns  forty  acres  of  good  land  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  is  a  native  nf 
Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  born  June  10, 
1851,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Catherine  (Iluin- 
rickhous)  Stahl,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  of 
German  descent.  In  1858  his  parents  moved 
to  Vermillion  County,  and  settled  in  Eugene 
Township,  where  the  father  died  in  1884. 
The  mother  is  now  living  in  Illinois.  They 
had  a  family  of  six  children,  four  of  whom 
are  living — Beulah,  wife  of  Michael  "Will- 
fang;  Henry,  of  Illinois;  John  R.,  Eli  and 
Daniel  (twins,  the  latter  deceased),  and  Eliza- 
beth E.,  deceased.  John  R.  Stahl  commenced 
teaching  school  in  1873,  and  has  taught  thir- 
teen winters,  and  in  the  meantime  in  the 
summer  has  attended  the  Indiana  State  JS'or- 
inal  School  five  terms,  the  llrookville,  Ohio, 
LTnion  Academy  one  term,  the  Georgetown, 
Illinois,  Academy,  one  term,  and  has  been 
under  the  instruction  of  Prof.  John  Hurty, 
of  Paris,  Illinois,  four  months.  He  takes 
advantage  of  every  opportunity  he  has  to 
better  fit  him  for  his  profession,  and  is  fast 
gaining  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  teacher. 
Mr.  Stahl  was  married  in  1880  to  Lucy  Bell, 


^ 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


h 


a  native  of  Vermillion  County,  born  in  New- 
port November  12,  1858,  daughter  of  James 
A.  and  Elizabeth  (Van  Camp)  Bell,  pioneers 
of  the  countj.  Her  father  died  in  1872. 
Of  a  family  of  nine  children,  but  four  are 
living — three,  William  E.,  Susan  and  Minnie, 
being  at  home  with  their  mother.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stahl  liave  tiiree  children — Bessie, 
Mabel  and  Maude. 


fOXATHAN  CAPJTHERS,  who  has 
been  identified  witli  the  interests  of 
Vermillion  County  for  many  years,  re- 
sides on  section  29,  Highland  Township, 
about  one  mile  west  of  the  village  of  Gessie_ 
He  is  a  worthy  representative  of  one  of  the 
early  pioneer  families,  his  father,  William  H. 
Carithers,  having  settled  in  Highland  To\vn- 
siiip  with  his  family  in  1829.  William  H. 
Carithers  was  a  native  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  born  January  19, 1800.  When  a  young 
man  he  M-ent  to  Ohio,  and  was  married  in 
that  State  to  Miss  Eleanor  Decker,  a  native 
of  New  Jersey,  born  April  1,  1802.  They 
reared  a  family  of  eight  children  to  maturity 
— George,  now  living  in  Warren  County, 
Indiana;  Jonathan,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Mary,  deceased;  Catherine,  also  deceased; 
William  H.,  a  resident  of  Allamakee  County, 
Iowa;  Henry  C,  Francis  M.  and  Martha 
Jane,  residents  of  Vermillion  County.  Will- 
iam H.  Carithers,  Sr.,  lived  ou  the  land  on 
which  he  first  settled  in  Highland  Township, 
and  which  is  now  owned  by  his  sons,  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  Septenilier  15, 
1851.  He  was  one  of  the  prominent  and 
substantial  citizens  of  his  townsliip,  and  his 
children  have  become  representative  citizens. 
His  widow,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  died 
December  2,  1867.  Jonathan  Carithers  is  a 
native  of  Ohio,  born  January  4,  1824,   and 


was  quite  young  when  brought  by  his  parents 
to  Indiana.  He  has  lived  in  the  county  for 
fifty-eight  years,  and  is  classed  among  the 
most  respected  citizens  of  Highland  Town- 
ship. Mrs.  Carithers  was  formerly  Mary 
Elizabeth  Preston,  a  daughter  of  Bennett 
Preston,  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  High- 
land Township.  She  was  born  in  Kentucky 
in  1830,  coming  with  her  parents  to  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  in  1834.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Carithers  are  the  parents  of  four  cliil- 
dren^William  P.,  Charles  L.,  Elizabeth  J. 
and  Mary  Frances.  In  politics  Mi-.  Carithers 
was  formerly  a  Whig,  casting  his  first  Presi- 
dential vote  for  Zachary  Taylor  in  1848.  He 
now  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party. 


fAMES  ASBURY,  blacksmith,  resides  on 
section  21,  Vermillion  Township,  where 
he  owns  114  acres  of  valuable  land.  He 
was  born  in  Virginia,  January  21,  1815,  a  soti 
of  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Talbott)  Asbury,  na- 
tives of  Virginia,  his  father  of  English  and 
his  mother  of  Irish  descent.  Joseph  Asbury 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Eevolution, 
and  served  five  years.  In  September,  1815, 
the  parents  started  for  Kentucky,  but  before 
they  reached  there  the  father  died.  The  fol- 
lowing spring  the  mother  continued  her  jour- 
ney to  Kentucky,  and  died  there  in  1835.  In 
1828  James  Asbury  came  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  and  settled  in  Newport. 
He  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  of  an  older 
brother.  After  learning  the  trade  he  worked 
two  years  in  a  saw-mill  and  in  that  way  got 
money  enough  to  start  a  shop  of  his  own, 
which  he  carried  on  eighteen  years,  when 
he  bought  the  farm  where  he  now  livc^;. 
He  has  a  good  home  and  is  in  comfortable 
circumstances,  the  result  of  a  life  of  industry 
and    good    management.     Mr.   Asbury   was 


BIOGRArUIGAL    SEETUUES. 


iiiurried  in  1836  to  Elizabeth  Jones,  a  uative 
uf  Jventucky.  To  them  were  born  twelve 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living — James 
AV.,  of  Vermillion  Township;  Isabel,  wife 
nf  Rufus  Elder,  of  Illinois;  Mary  E.,  wife  of 
"William  P.  Car.mack;  John  W.,  of  Kansas; 
(ifurge  and  Benjamin  S.,  of  Yermillion 
(  utuity,  and  Eliza,  wife  of  William  T.  Davis. 
Airs.  Asbury  died  in  1882,  and  in  1883  Mr. 
Asbury  married  Sarah,  widow  of  Henry 
AVisc.  They  have  two  children — Daniel  and 
James  R.  In  politics  Mr.  Asbury  affiliates 
with  the  Eepnblican  party. 


-f^EYMOUE  NEBEKER,  Clinton,  Indi- 
\S,\  ana,  is  a  representative  of  one  of  tlie 
.'  early  ftimilies  of  Vermillion  County. 
1 1  r  was  born  in  this  county,  in  Helt  Town- 
ship, July  18,  1847,  a  son  of  Aquila  and 
Naomi  (AVright)  Nebeker,  his  father  a  native 
of  Delaware,  and  his  mother  of  New  York. 
The  parents  came  to  Vermillion  County  in 
an  early  day  and  settled  in  licit  Township, 
where  they  lived  nntil  1865,  when  they 
moved  to  Clinton,  where  the  father  died  in 
1  ^^0,  aged  sixty-five  years.  He  was  for 
many  years  one  of  the  county's  prominent 
citizens  and  at  one  time  represented  it  in  the 
State  Legislature.  His  widow  survived 
until  January,  1883,  dying  at  the  age  of 
sixty-four  years.  They  had  a  family  of  four 
son  and  five  daughters — Jasper,  a  member  of 
the  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry,  died  while 
in  the  service  of  his  country,  during  the  war 
for  the  Union.  Mrs.  Laura  AVashburn  and 
Mrs.  Thirza  Anderson  reside  in  Clinton. 
Seymour  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mrs. 
M:iria  "Whitcorab  is  deceased;  Mrs.  Melissa 
llogart  and  Dr.  Henry  live  in  Clinton;  Mrs. 
Myrtle  A.  Bassett  (deceased),  and  Bird  A.,  of 
Elpaso,  Texas.     Seymour  Nebeker  passed  his 


youtli  on  a  farm  and  has  for  the  greater  i)art 
of  his  mature  life  devoted  his  time  to  agri- 
culture. In  1869  he  accompanied  General 
H.  D.  AVashburn,  then  of  Clinton,  to  his 
field  of  labor  as  surveyor-general  of  Montana 
Territory.  He  spent  four  years  in  that  Terri- 
tory on  the  surveyor's  staft',  his  chief  after 
General  AYashburn's  death  being  John  E. 
Blaine,  a  brother  of  James  G.  Blaine,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1870  began  surveying  under 
contract,  the  work  aflbrding  ample  remunera- 
tion. In  the  autumn  of  1873  he  returned  to 
Vermillion  County,  where  he  has  since  lived. 
April  7,  1876,  he  married  Miss  Susan  Staats, 
who  was  born  in  Helt  Township,  November 
2,  1845,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Cummings)  Staats,  natives  of  A^irginia, 
where  they  were  married,  coming  to  Indiana 
in  an  early  day.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nebeker  have 
two  children — Edna,  born  April  10,  1878, 
and  Mary  Louise,  born  August  21,  1883. 
Mr.  Nebeker  commenced  married  life  on  a 
farm  two  miles  and  a  half  north  of  Clinton, 
which  he  still  owns,  and  where  he  lived  until 
after  the  deatli  of  his  father,  in  1880,  when 
he  moved  to  Clinton  and  has  since  lived  on 
the  homestead  of  his  parents  in  that  city. 
His  farm  contains  240  acres  of  valuable  land, 
and  he  still  superintends  iis  culture.  In 
politics  Mr.  Nebeker  has  always  been  identi- 
fied with  the  Republican  party,  casting  his 
first  Presidential  vote  for  U.  S.  Grant.  lie 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  Jerusalem 
Lodge,  No.  99,  at  Clinton. 


T^.TILLIAM  A.  SHELATO,  proprietor 
VJ Ali  °*  ^^^^  livery  and  feed  stable,  Newport 
l*=^^j  City,  Indiana,  is  a  native  of  A^ermill- 
ion  County,  born  in  1857,  a  son  of  Frank 
and  Maria  (Thornton)  Shelato,  also  natives  of 
Vermillion  County,  of  German  descent.  They 


are  now  among  the  prominent  citizens  of 
Eugene  Township.  William  A.  was  reared 
a  farmer  and  followed  that  vocation  until 
1882,  when  he  established  a  livery  stable  in 
Eugene,  remaining  there  three  years,  and  in 
March,  1886,  removed  to  Newport,  where  he 
has  a  good  stable  well  equipped  with  both 
carriage  and  saddle  horses,  buggies  and 
carriages.  Mr.  Shelato  was  married  in  1880 
to  Inez  Wlllermoon,  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  born  in  1863,  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Martha  (Slakely)  "Willermoon. 


.' \/ U  homestead  where  he  resides,  on  sec- 
~  tion  16,  Highland  Township,  the  date 
of  his  birth  being  January  1,  1835.  His 
father,  Thomas  Wright,  was  one  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  Highland  Township,  where  he 
located  in  the  fall  of  1824.  He  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania  in  1799,  and  when  a  boy  was 
taken  by  his  parents  to  Ross  County,  Ohio, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood.  In  the  fall  of 
1824  his  mother  came  with  her  family  to  In- 
diana (the  father  having  died  in  Ohio),  and 
settled  in  Vermillion  Conuty.  Thomas  Wright 
at  tliat  time  was  about  twenty-four  years  of 
age.  On  coming  to  the  county  he  entered 
land  on  section  10,  Highland  Townshiji,  near 
the  present  farm  of  his  son  Milton.  After 
entering  his  land  he  had  no  means  left,  his 
last  dollar  being  given  to  pay  for  his  land. 
He  at  once  began  improving  his  land,  but 
almost  before  he  had  made  a  beginning  the 
team  which  he  had  brought  with  him  and  on 
which  he  depended  for  clearing  and  breaking 
his  land,  died.  This  was  a  heavy  loss  to  him, 
as  he  had  no  means  of  purchasing  another 
team.  Hearing  that  Lewis  Evans,  of  War- 
ren County,  had  a  bull  ho  wished  to  dispose 
of  and  take  his  pay  in  work,  Mr.  Wright  saw 


his  opportunity  and  at  once  engaged  to  split 
rails  for  Mr.  Evans,  and  after  doing  a  certain 
amount  of  work  he  received  the  animal  above 
referred  to.  He  hitched  the  bull  to  the  plow 
and  broke  the  land  on  which  he  raised  his 
first  crop  of  grain,  and  by  muzzling  the  bull 
to  prevent  it  from  eating  the  grain,  he  was 
able  to  use  it  in  cultivating  his  first  corn 
crop.  From  this  beginning  Mr.  Wright  ad- 
vanced to  the  front  rank  of  the  pioneer  farm- 
ers of  Highland  Township,  and  at  his  death 
in  1855  was  numbered  among  the  wealthy 
farmers  of  his  county.  He  was  twice  mar- 
ried, being  married  in  Fountain  County,  In- 
diana, in  1830,  to  Sarah  Thompson,  a  native 
of  Kentucky,  and  an  estimable  wife  and 
mother.  She  died  in  1814,  leaving  a  family 
of  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom 
two  sons  and  two  daughters  are  still  living 
— Milton,  Cyrus,  and  Mrs.  Nancy  J.  Mitchell 
and  Mrs.  Martha  E.  Lacy,  both  living  in 
Highland  Township.  For  his  second  wife 
Mr.  Wright  married  Mrs.  Joan  (Beers)  Na- 
bors.  Thomas  Wright  was  a  typical  pioneer, 
upright,  honest,  industrious,  and  unassuming 
in  his  manners  and  habits.  He  accumulated 
a  competence,  and  by  his  own  efforts  accumu- 
lated 1,000  acres  of  excellent  land.  Politi- 
cally he  was  a  Whig  of  the  Abolition  type. 
For  many  years  he  was  a  consistent  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Milton 
Wright,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  grew 
to  manhood  on  the  home  farm,  being  reared 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he  has  made 
his  life-work,  and  attending  the  schools  of 
his  neighborhood,  where  he  received  his  edu- 
cation. He  is  a  prosperous  farmer  and  a 
representative  citizen  of  Highland  Township, 
where  he  has  a  fine  farm  of  280  acres,  this 
being  a  part  of  the  land  once  owned  by  his 
father.  Mr.  Wright  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Nancy  A.  Provost,  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  Provost,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Ver- 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


million  County.  They  have  two  cliildren — 
Eva,  wife  of  Henry  Truinan,  of  Highland 
Township,  and  Stephen  G.,  who  was  born 
August  9, 1868,  a  native  of  Highland  Town- 
ship, Vermillion  County. 


|-:^4^. 


1 


I^LFEED  R.  HOPKINS,  the  present 
''  efficient  clerk  of  Vermillion  County,  is 
■i,"^  a  native  of  this  county,  born  at  New- 
port, September  3,  1841,  and  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  at  his  birth-place. 
His  parents,  John  and  Elizabeth  Hopkins, 
were  among  the  pioneers  of  the  county,  set- 
tling here  when  the  surrounding  country  was 
almost  a  wilderness.  Mr.  Hopkins  has  been 
twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  jSTellie 
Hall,  a  daughter  of  AVilliam  B.  Hall,  one  of 
Vermillion  County's  early  settlers.  She  died 
in  1874,  leaving  at  her  death  two  daughters 
named  Helen  and  Maggie.  The  maiden 
name  of  his  present  wife  was  Laura  Wallace, 
slie  being  a  daughter  of  AVilliam  and  Mary 
Wallace,  of  whom  both  are  deceased.  Mr. 
Hopkins  was  in  the  mercantile  business  at 
Newport  from  1869  until  1875.  In  1882  he 
was  elected  to  fill  the  office  of  county  clerk, 
and  was  re-elected  in  the  fall  of  1886,  his 
term  of  office  expiring  in  1890.  In  politics 
he  is  a  staunch  Republican,  and  was  elected 
to  liis  present  office  on  that  ticket. 


fOIIN  GRIMES,  an  enterprising  agricult- 
urist, who  has  been  identified  with  the 
interests  of  Vermillion  County  many 
years,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Noble 
County,  October  29, 1846.  His  father,  Wil- 
son Grimes,  who  is  now  deceased,  was  born 
in  Ross  County,  Ohio.  In  1860  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  Dent  County,  Missouri, 


and  in  the  spring  of  1861  came  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  and  laid  out  the  village  of 
Jonestown,  and  built  the  iirst  house  in  the 
place.  John  Grimes,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  brought  up  on  a  farm,  and  has 
always  followed  agricultural  piirsuits,  and  in  , 
his  youth  he  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation. He  was  united  in  marriage,  May  1, 
1873,  to  Miss  Belle  Newton,  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  John  Newton,  an  early  settler  of  this 
county,  who  is  now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Grimes  are  the  parents  of  one  child,  Ethel 
A.,  who  was  born  September  18, 1874.  They 
make  their  home  on  section  15,  Helt  Town- 
ship, where  they  have  a  fine  farm  of  140 
acres,  well  improved  and  under  good  culti- 
vation, beside  which  they  own  a  tract  of 
eighteen  acres  of  timber  land  in  Illinois. 


t GRACE  WELLS,  senior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Wells  &  Peer,  dealers  in  gro- 
ceries, boots  and  shoes,  Dana,  was  born 
in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  November  25,  1844. 
His  father,  Horace  Wells,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased, was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and 
settled  in  Cincinnati  in  1837,  where  he  was 
superintendent  of  the  Wells  Type  Foundry 
many  years,  holding  a  controlling  interest  in 
the  stock.  Horace  Wells,  our  subject,  was 
reared  at  his  birth  place,  receiving  his  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  that  city.  During 
the  late  war  he  was  a  member  of  Company 
B,  Second  Missouri  Cavalry,  and  while  in  the 
service  participated  in  many  important  bat- 
tles including  the  engagements  at  Lexington, 
Paris,  Moore's  Mill  and  Pea  Ridge.  He 
went  to  Illinois  in  1864  where  he  followed 
farming  until  1869.  In  December,  1870,  lie 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  as  station  agent  and  oper- 
ator, at  Desoto,    Illinois.     In  August,  1875, 


L 


p 


486 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Indianapolis,  I  11,  1868,  to  Keziah  Crusour,  daiighter  of 
Decatur  and  Springfield  Eailroad  as  station  I  Moses  Crusour.  Tliey  have  had  eight  cliil- 
agent  at  Attwood,  Illinois,   remaining  there     dren,  four   of  whom  are  living — Ira,  Sarah, 


until  June,  1877,  when  he  came  to  Dana, 
Vermillion  County,  holding  the  position  of 
station  agent  at  this  place  until  November, 
1886.  He  engaged  in  his  present  business 
in  March,  1887,  in  which  he  has  met  with 
good  success.  January  14,  1875,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Matthews, 
a  daughter  of  James  Matthews,  of  Areola, 
Illinois.  Of  the  four  children  born  to  tliis 
union,  three  are  living — Charles,  Albert  and 
Clyde.  One  son,  named  Dallas,  met  his  death 
by  suffocation  in  the  Dana  Grain  Elevator  in 
June,  1886,   at    the    age  of  six  years.     Mr. 


John  and  Frederick.  Mr.  Peer  was  post- 
master at  Toronto  about  five  years.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order.  Two  of 
his  brothers,  AViliiam  and  Benjamin,  were 
soldiers  in  tlie  war  of  the  liebellion. 


•V^fF- 


;ni-MKON  HOLLINGSWOETH,  farmer 
\^A  and  stock-raiser,  resides  on  section  14, 
■^■^  Vermillion  Township,   where  he  owns 
150  acres  of  land  under  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation.    He    is    a    native    of    Vermillion 
AVells  belongs  to  both  the  Masonic  and  Odd  I  County,  born   May  25,  1832,  a  son  of  Joel 
Fellows  orders.    Mrs.  AVells  is  a  worthy  mem-     and  Lydia  (Sprague)  Hollingsworth,  natives 


ber  of  the  Presbyterian  church 


Hf. 


fESSE  L.    PEER,    dealer    in    dry   goods 

I   slioes  and    notions,   Dana,  Indiana,  is  a 

native    of  Vermillion    County,    born  in 


of  South  Carolina,  who  came  to  Indiana  in 
1820,  and  settled  in  Vermillion  County,  be- 
ing among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Helt  Town- 
ship. The  mother  died  in  1852,  aged 
forty -four  years,  and  the  father  in  1875,  aged 
seventy-two  years.  They  had  a  family  of 
eleven  children,  but  four  of  whom  are  living 
— Hiram  and  Mary  J.,  of  Kansas;  John  W., 
of  Missouri,  and  Simeon.  The  father  lived 
to  see  the  county    which  he  helped  to  settle 


Helt  Township,  March  8,  1840,  a  son  of  John 

and  Jane  (Dawson)  Peer,  his  father  a  native 

of  Virginia,  and    his   mother   of  Kentucky. 

His  father  came  when  a  boy  with  his  parents  |  one  of  the  best  in  the  State,  and  became  one 

to  Vermillion  County,   Indiana,  and   settled  j  of  its  most  prominent  and  influential  citizens. 

Simeon  Hollingsworth  was  reared  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Helt  Township,  remaining  at 
home  until  manhood,  when  he  started  in  life 
for  himself,  and  by  good  management  has 
acquired  a  good  property.  He  was  married 
in  1852  to  Lucinda  Johnson,  who  was  born 
in  Shelby  County,  Indiana,  in  1830.  a  daugh- 
ter of  Isaac  and  Mary  Johnson,  pioneers  of 
Vermillion  County.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hollings- 
worth have  liad  two  children,  but  one  is  liv- 
ing— Joel,  who  is  still  living  at  home.  He 
married  Sarah,  daughter  of  James  and  Nancy 
Hendricks,  and  has  one  child — Caleb.     Mr. 


near  Eugene.  Jesse  L.  Peer  was  reared  a 
farmer,  and  followed  that  vocation  until 
1867,  when  he  became  crippled,  the  result 
of  a  kick  from  a  horse,  and  being  unable  to 
attend  to  his  farm  moved  to  Toronto,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business,  remaining 
there  until  1874,  when  he  located  in  Dana, 
and  opened  a  general  store.  In  1886  he 
closed  out  his  grocery  department  but  now 
has  a  good  line  of  dry  goods,  carpets,  boots 
and  shoes,  wall  paper  and  notions.  His  stock 
is  valued  at  about  §6,000  and  he  has  a  good 
paj'ing  trade.     Mr.  Peer  was  married  June 


BIOORAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


Ilollingswortli  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  Asburj  Lodge,  No.  320.  In  poli- 
ties he  affiliates  with   the    Repnblican    party. 


IT^.VTHAN  JACOBS,  of  Highland  Town- 
7  -hip,  was  born  in  Gallia  County,  Ohio, 
~'C  .Fanuary  4,  1811.  His  father,  Daniel 
Jacobs,  was  born  near  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
and  when  a  young  man  moved  to  Gallia 
County,  Ohio,  where  he  married  Sarah  Ens- 
niinger,  and  when  an  old  man  moved  to 
Douglas  County,  Illinois,  where  he  died.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was 
taken  prisoner  at  Fort  Meigs.  In  1830 
Nathan  Jacobs  accompanied  his  mother  and 
stepfather  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
where  he  has  since  lived.  His  mother  died 
in  Highland  Township.  Nathan  Jacobs  is 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county,  which  he 
has  seen  develop  from  a  wilderness  to  its 
present  advanced  state.  He  has  been  twice 
married  and  has  six  children,  one  son  and 
live  daughters.  In  politics  Mr.  Jacobs  is  a 
Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the  United 
]"!rethren  church. 


f^ICIlARD  M.  RUCKER,  a  resident  of 
"iMi  Clinton,  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in 
*^^  Jackson  County,  December  16,  1831,  a 
sun  of  Terrill  and  Lovina  Rucker.  In  his 
youth  he  learned  the  cooper's  trade,  which  he 
followed  until  he  went  in  defense  of  his 
country  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  in  1858  to  Miss  Minerva 
J.  Sleath,  a  native  of  Burlington,  Iowa,  born 
August  9,  1837,  and  of  the  thirteen  children 
born  to  this  union  four  died  in  infancy. 
Those  yet  living  are — Mrs.  Gracie  Groves,  of 
Edgar  County,  Illinois;  John,  Minerva,  Rich- 


ard M.,  Samuel,  Addison,  Isabelle  and 
Charles.  Mr.  Rucker  enlisted  in  June,  1802, 
in  Company  A,  Seventy-first  Indiana  Infan- 
try, leaving  the  State  with  his  regiment  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  August.  August  31 
they  encountered  the  rebel  army  under  Gen- 
eral Kirby  Smith  at  Richmond,  Kentucky. 
His  regiment  lost  heavily  in  this  engagejnent. 
losing  all  the  field  officers,  and  the  large i' 
part  of  the  regiment  including  Mr.  Rucker 
were  taken  prisoners  and  paroled  on  the  field. 
The  paroled  prisoners  were  sent  North,  but 
exchanged  and  in  the  field  again  before  the 
close  of  the  year,  and  employed  in  protecting 
lines  of  communication.  During  the  sum- 
mer of  1863  the  regiment  returned  to  Indi- 
anajiolis,  and  after  being  recruited,  was 
re-organized  and  became  the  Sixth  Indiana 
Cavalry.  It  joined  Burnside's  army,  and 
campaigned  in  the  vicinity  of  Knoxville  during 
Burnside's  operations  at  that  place.  The 
regiment  was  part  of  Burnside's  force,  and 
was  actively  employed  in  the  campaign  of 
General  Sherman  against  General  Johnston's 
army,  which  culminated  in  the  capture  of 
Atlanta.  The  Sixth  Indiana  Cavalry  joined 
Sherman's  army  at  Buzzard's  Roost  and  did 
splendid  service  in  that  campaign.  During 
the  Stoneman  raid  at  Sunshine  Church  Mr. 
Rucker  was  shot  through  the  right  lung,  and 
with  the  most  of  his  regiment  was  again 
taken  prisoner.  At  Hillsborohis  wound  was 
treated,  but  not  skillfully.  Later  he  was  im- 
prisoned at  Macon,  Georgia,  and  still  later  at 
Andersonville.  From  Andersonville  he  was 
taken  to  Mellen,  Georgia,  and  from  there 
paroled,  and  sent  to  the  parol  camp  at  Annap- 
olis, Maryland.  During  all  these  changes 
Mr.  Rucker  was  much  debilitated,  with 
hardly  more  than  a  hold  upon  life.  He  was 
finally  exchanged  and  again  joined  his  regi- 
ment, but  never  afterward  did  much  1 
service.     At  the  close  of  the  war  he  recei 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


an  honorable  discharge.  lie  now  receives  a 
pension  of  $15  a  month.  In  politics  he  affil- 
iates with  the  Democratic  party.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
and  is  officer  of  the  day  in  Owen  Post,  at 
Clinton. 


fEREMIAH  CONLEY,  one  of  the  popu- 
lar young  men  of  Dana,  was  born  in 
Edgar  County,  Illinois,  December  23, 
1861.  His  father,  John  Conley,  was  a  native 
of  County  Waterford,  Ireland,  and  in  1848 
came  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in 
Illinois,  and  in  1862  moved  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  locating  at  Montezuma, 
where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  days.  Jere- 
miah Conley  was  reared  in  Montezuma,  being 
only  about  a  year  old  when  his  parents  moved 
to  Indiana.  He  was  given  good  educational 
advantages,  attending  the  schools  of  Monte- 
zuma, and  thus  l)ecame  fitted  to  enter  upon 
an  active  business  life.  In  1882  he  located 
in  Dana,  where  by  his  upright  aud  honorable 
dealings  and  pleasant  manners  he  has  gained 
many  friends.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Cath- 
olic church  and  of  the  Hibernian  Brother- 
hood. 


fEORGE  WELLS,  deceased,  was  born  in 
Sevier  County,  Tennessee,  October  27, 
1810,  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Eve  (Houck) 
Wells,  who  were  of  English  and  German 
descent  respectively.  Our  subject  was  reared 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  made  that  the 
principal  vocation  of  his  life.  He  received 
but  limited  educational  advantages  in  the 
schools  of  his  day,  but  close  observation  and 
contact  with  the  world  supplied  to  a  large 
deajree  his  lack  of  education.     He  was  married 


in  Sevier   County,  Tennessee,  November  9, 

1830,  to  Miss  Sarah  Earnest, a  nativeof  Greene 
County,  Tennessee,  born  January  19,  1814,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  S.  and  Rachel  (Lottspeech) 
Earnest.      They    left    Tennessee    in    March, 

1831,  each  riding  a  horse  and  a  third  horse 
used  as  a  pack  horse,  was  loaded  with  house- 
hold effects  and  wearing  apparel,  and  in  this 
manner  they  journeyed  to  Indiana,  and  settled 
in  the  then  dense  forest  of  Rush  County,  and 
in  their  home  in  that  county  all  their  chil- 
dren wlio  are  now  living  were  born.  In 
1852  the  family  removed  to  Jasper  County, 
Illinois,  where  they  lived  until  coming  to 
Clinton,  Vermillion  County,  in  1866.  After 
settling  in  Clinton  Mr. Wells,  owing  to  his  fail- 
ing health,  led  a  comparatively  retired  life 
until  his  death.  He  died  May  7,  1880.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  from  childhood,  and  a  consistent 
Christian.  For  a  great  many  years  he  was  a 
local  preacher,  and  was  always  ready  when- 
ever and  wherever  he  could  aid  in  building 
up  the  Master's  cause.  Mrs.  Wells  who  is 
yet  a  resident  of  Clinton  is  in  good  health, 
and  bids  fair  to  spend  many  more  years  of 
useful  life.  Mr.  Wells  held  the  office  of 
magistrate  for  eight  years,  performing  the 
duties  of  that  office  in  an  efficient  aud  satis- 
factory manner.  He  was  a  strong  anti-slavery 
man,  and  his  hatred  of  slavery'finally  induced 
him  to  leave  Tennessee.  His  father  was  oin' 
of  the  heroes  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  fnnn 
Virginia.  Ten  children  were  born  to  ili. 
and  Mrs.  Wells. — Mrs.  Martha  Jane  Birt, 
living  in  Clinton;  Hannah  E.  died  in  infancy; 
Mrs.  Louisa  Mitchell  lives  in  Parke  County, 
this  State;  Mrs.  Sarah  Ann  Walling  died  in 
Clinton  Township;  Amos  E.,  a  farmer,  living 
in  Florida,  Parke  County,  Indiana;  Thomas 
B.,  resides  in  Clinton,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion,  serving  three  years  in 
the  Twenty-first  Illinois  Infantry,  the  regi- 


BIOGRAPHICAL      SKETCHES. 


inent  first  commanded  by  General  Grant; 
William  F.  the  j'oungest  son.  Williani  1<\ 
Wells  was  born  May  18, 1850,  and  has  always 
lived  with  his  parents.  At  the  age  of  thir- 
teen years  he  became  the  main  reliance  of  his 
father,  and  as  he  advanced  in  years,  he 
became  the  supporter  of  the  family.  He 
completed  his  education  at  Farmers  Home 
Institute  at  Clinton,  when  nineteen  years  of 
age,  and  the  three  following  winters  taught 
school  in  Parke  County.  In  1872  he  com- 
menced working  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  and 
while  thus  engaged  received  an  injury  to  his 
right  hand.  He  then  sought  lighter  employ- 
ment, and  was  engaged  as  clerk  in  the  mer- 
cantile establishment  of  Whitconib,  Anderson 
tfe  Co.  He  is  now  engaged  as  building  con- 
tractor. In  politics  he  is  au  ardent  Repub- 
lican, and  prominent  in  all  the  local  councils 
of  his  party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
and  Odd  Fellows  orders,  and  also  belongs  to 
the  Knights  of  Labor. 


— ~-.-iH^^i;— — 

fOim  W.  REDMAN,  furniture  dealer 
and  undertaker,  Dana,  is  a  native  of 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  born  in 
Helt  Township,  January  25,  1855.  His 
father,  Wesley  Redman,  was  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, coming  to  Vermillion  County  with  his 
]'arents  when  a  boy,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death.  Qur  subject  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
common-schools  of  his  native  county.  He 
followed  farming  two  years,  and  in  July, 
1876,  he  engaged  in  his  present  business,  at 
Dana,  where  he  lias  built  up  a  good  trade, 
becoming  one  of  the  leading  business  men 
of  the  place.  Mr.  Redman  was  married  No- 
vember 13,  1877,  to  Maria  Taylor,  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  Taylor,  one  of  the  old  and  honored 
pioneers  of  the  county,  who  is  now  deceased. 


Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union — 
Charles  (deceased)  and  Claude.  Mr.  Red- 
man has  held  the  office  of  postmaster  of 
Dana  since  April  13,  1885,  being  one  of  tlie 
first  appointed  in  Western  Indiana  under 
President  Cleveland's  administration.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order,  in  whicli 
he  takes  an  active  interest.  Mrs.  Redman  is 
a  worthy  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church. 


fLAUDE  MATTHEWS,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing agriculturists  of  Vermillion  County, 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising 
on  section  19,  Clinton  Township,  was  born  at 
Bethel,  Bath  County,  Kentucky,  December 
14,  1845.  His  parents,  Thomas  A.  and 
Eliza  Ann  (Fletcher)  Matthews,  were  born 
and  reared  in  the  State  of  Kentucky,  to  which 
State  the  Matthews  family  removed  from 
Maryland  in  an  early  day,  the  Fletcher  family 
coming  from  A^irginia.  The  parents  of  our 
subject  died  in  Kentucky,  the  mother  at  the 
old  home  in  March,  1846,  aged  twenty  years, 
and  the  father  at  Covington,  in  1885,  aged 
sixty-si.\  years.  Claude,  their  only  child, 
was  given  liberal  educational  advantages,  and 
graduated  at  Center  College,  at  Danville, 
Kentucky,  in  the  class  of  1867,  and  January 
1,  1868,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Martha  A.  R.AVhitcomb,  born  at  Indianapolis 
July  1, 1847,  the  only  child  of  Governor  James 
Whitcomb,  one  of  the  prominent  statesman 
of  Indiana.  Governor  Whitcomb  was  born 
near  Windsor,  Vermont,  in  December,  1795, 
and  when  he  was  eleven  j-ears  of  age  his 
father  settled  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  At  this 
time  he  began  to  show  great  fondness  for 
study  and  books,  and  finally  worked  his 
way  into  Transylvania  University,  located  at 
Lexington,    Kentucky,  and    graduated    from 


_li 


that  iustitution  at  tlie  liead  of  his  class, 
lie  then  studied  law  aud  commenced  liis 
legal  practice  at  Bloomington,  Indiana,  in 
1822,  soon  standing  in  the  front  rank  in  his 
profession.  In  1830  he  was  elected  to  the 
State  Senate,  and  in  1836  he  was  appointed 
Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office  at 
"Washington,  D.  C,  resuming  the  practice  of 
law  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  in  1841.  In 
1843  he  was  the  nominee  of  the  Democratic 
party  for  Governor  of  Indiana,  to  which  office 
he  was  elected,  his  celebrated  document, 
"  Facts  for  the  People  "  contributing  largely 
to  his  election,  and  bj  an  increased  majority 
lie  was  re-elected  in  1846.  During  his  iirst 
term  he  recommended  the  establishment  of 
the  now  celebrated  benevolent  institutions  of 
the  State.  No  public  man  in  the-State  had 
more  to  do  with  the  establishment  of  our 
common  school  systeni  and  the  creation  of  the 
school  fund  then  did  Governor Whitcomb.  In 
1849  Governor  AVhitcomb  was  elected  United 
States  Senator,  and  died  during  his  term  of 
office  at  New  York  City  October  4,  1852. 
Self-taught  he  became  eminent  in  learning, 
and  a  leader  among  men,  but  his  power  was 
always  used  for  the  elevation  and  good  of  all, 
for  he  was  devoted  to  his  country  and  his 
God.  March  24, 1846,  he  married  Mrs.  Martha 
Ann  (Renulek)  Hurst,  at  her  father's  home  in 
Pickaway  County,  Ohio.  She  died  July  17, 
1847,  sixteen  days  after  the  birth  of  her  child, 
Mrs.  Matthews.  After  the  mother's  death 
she  was  placed  with  lier  mother's  sister,  Mrs. 
Margaret  Seymour,  of  Poss  County,  Ohio, 
witli  whom  she  lived  until  her  marriage. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Matthews 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children  — 
Mary  Fletcher,  born  November  5,  1869; 
Ilenick  Seymour,  January  4, 1872,  and  Helen, 
February  28,  1878.  Mr.'  Matthews  is  the 
owner  of  2,000  acres  of  selected  lands,  in- 
cluding bottom,  table  aud  ridge  lauds,  with 


timber  aud  coal  in  abundance.  He  has  up- 
ward of  1,300  acres  of  bottom  and  table  lands 
under  cultivation  in  Vermillion  County, 
these  lands  being  unexcelled  in  quality  of 
soil.  He  also  has  large  real  estate  interests 
in  Texas.  The  homestead  property  in  Clinton 
Township,  known  as  the  Hazel  Pluff  Farm, 
consists  of  about  600  acres.  His  residence 
is  pleasantly  located  in  a  natural  grove,  on 
high  ground  overlooking  the  valley  of  Brouii- 
lett's  Creek,  about  three  miles  southwest  of 
Clinton.  Mr.  Matthews  is  a  lover  of  good  stock, 
and  devotes  considerable  attention  to  general 
stock-raising,  and  as  a  b-eeder  has  gained  quite 
a  reputation.  Among  the  stock  bred  on  his 
farm  are  found  trotting  bred  horses,  Jersey  and 
short-horn  cattle.  South  Down  sheep, Berkshire 
hogs  and  Shetland  ponies.  Strictly  honor- 
able in  all  his  dealings,  he  has  gained  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  all  who  know  him, 
and  made  many  friends,  and  being  lib- 
eral toward  public  enterprises  he  is  a  valuable 
citizen.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Politically  he  is  identified  with  the 
Democratic  party,  and  without  being  a  strong 
partisan  is  a  warm  believer  in  the  principles  of 
that  party.  Mr.  Matthews  has  never  been 
ambitious  of  political  preferment,  but  in  1876, 
against  his  desire,  was  selected  by  his  party 
to  make  the  race  for  Eepresentative.  This  he 
did  and  was  elected  by  over  200  majority, — 
the  Republican  State  ticket  carrying  the 
county  by  over  350  majority.  Mr.  Matthews 
was  the  first  Democrat  to  represent  Vermill- 
ion County,  and  while  there  did  good  and  effec- 
tive work.  To  him  more  than  any  one  else 
is  due  the  passage  of  the  Free  Gravel  Road 
Bill, — which  has  been  the  means  of  placing 
Vermillion  County  in  the  front  rank  of 
coimties  having  such  improved  highways. 
In  1880  Mr.  Matthews  was  a  prominent  can- 
didate for  the  nomination  of  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor, but  in  the  close  tight  between  Landers 


andGray  to  harmonize  party  discords  Governor 
Gray  was  given  the  place,  without  opposition 
ill  the  convention,  Mr.  Matthews  strongly 
and  heartly  supporting  the  proposition — pre- 
ferring advancement  of  party  rather  than 
self-interest.  In  1882  Mr.  Matthews  was 
induced  to  make  the  race  for  State  Senator 
for  the  counties  of  Parke  and  Yermillion, 
together  rolling  up  a  Eepublican  majority  of 
900.  With  such  heavy  odds,  although  mak- 
ing a  highly  creditable  race,  he  was  defeated 
hy  about  300 — reducing  the  Republican 
majority  in  the  two  coimties  by  nearly  600 
votes.  He  is  quietly  and  contentedly  pur- 
suing his  business  of  farming,  iirin  in  the 
belief  that  it  is  the  grandest  and  the  noblest 
occupation  in  life. 


3()1IN  L.  FOX,  one  of  the  respected  citi- 
zens of  flighland  Township,  is  a  native 
of  Warren  County,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of 
George  and  Elizabeth  (Link)  Fox.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of  Mary- 
land, and  a  son  of  Frederick  Fox,  who  was 
born  on  the  ocean  while  his  parents  w^ere 
immigrating  to  America.  The  Fox  family 
first  settled  in  Maryland,  where  the  grand- 
father kept  tavern  at  the  foot  of  the  Fox 
Mountain  for  many  years.  The  father  of  our 
subject  crossed  the  mountains  with  his  father 
and  settled  in  Ohio  in  1807,  making  his  home 
in  that  State  until  his  death.  John  L.  Fox, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  reared  to 
manhood  in  liis  native  county,  and  was  there 
married  to  Miss  Susan  Ann  Ililligass,  wiio 
was  born  and  reared  in  Montgomery  County, 
Ohio.  Mr.  Fox  lived  in  Warren  County 
until  1857  when  he  came  with  his  family, 
then  consisting  of  wife  and  five  children,  to 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana.  The  children 
born    to   Mr.  and   Mrs.    Fox  are — Anna  E., 


Mary  S.,  Catherine,  Margaret  P.,  John 
Adams  and  Daniel,  all  born  in  Ohio,  with  the 
exception  of  Daniel,  who  was  born  in 
Highland  Township,  Vermillion  County,  in 
1860.  Mr.  Fox  has  met  with  good  success 
in  his  agricultural  pursuits,  and  at  one  time 
was  the  owner  of  331  acres  of  choice  land. 
His  farm  now  contains  186  acres,  under  good 
cultivation,  the  entire  surroundings  showing 
the  owner  to  be  a  thoi-ough  practical  farmer. 


T|P,ENRY  SHEW,  residing  on  section  36, 
tefji  Clinton  Township,  is  one  of  the  active 
'^i  and  prominent  citizens  of  Vermillion 
County,  and  a  worthy  representative  of  one 
of  the  early  pfoneer  families  of  the  county. 
He  was  born  in  Wilkes  County,  North  Caro- 
lina, November  14,  1815,  his  parents,  Daniel 
and  Eve  D.  (York)  Shew,  being  natives  of 
the  same  State,  the  former  of  German  and 
the  latter  of  English  ancestry.  They  with 
their  family,  then  consisting  of  six  children, 
left  their  native  State  and  with  teams  made 
the  journey  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana, 
in  1826,  and  settled  in  the  forest  on  section 
31,  Clinton  Township.  Here  the  father 
bought  a  tract  of  sixty-two  acres,  which  he 
improved,  and  resided  upon  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  not  long  after  the  close  of  the 
war,  in  his  eighty-first  year.  He  erected  a 
saw-mill  on  Jennings  Creek  which  he  oper- 
ated abont  thirty  years.  His  wife's  death  oc- 
curred aboiit  six  years  before  he  died,  in  her 
sixty-sixth  year.  Both  were  members  of  the 
United  Brethren  church.  The  children  liorn 
to  them  are  as  follows — Philip  was  a  member 
of  an  Indiana  regiment,  and  died  in  the  late 
war  at  Knoxville,  Tennessee;  Henry,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch;  Joel,  living  in  Clinton; 
Eli,  of  Clinton  Township;  Mrs.  Mary  M. 
Moulton,  residing  in  Tennessee;  Sarah  died 


.■F_ia_W»BI„«»»»» 


niSTOnY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTT. 


aged  about  twelve  years;  Leonard  M.,  living 
in  San  Francisco,  California;  Wasliingtoii, 
living  in  Clinton  Township,  and  Mrs.  Ma- 
tilda Vergen,  deceased.  Henry  Shew,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  was  reared  to  a  farm 
life,  but  after  reaching  manhood  he  learned 
the  coopei-'s  trade,  which  he  followed  some 
fifteen  years,  since  which  he  has  devoted  his 
time  almost  exclusively  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, lie  was  united  in  marriage  July  2, 
1840,  to  Miss  Irene  Hedges,  a  daughter  of 
William  Hedges,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
the  county.  She  was  born  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship, at  the  pioneer  home  of  her  parents, 
December  3,  1823.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shew 
have  been  born  five  children  as  follows — Ly- 
sander,  residing  in  Clinton  Township,  near 
his  parents;  Lura  Ann,  widow  of  Jolm  Hay, 
resides  in  Kansas,  where  her  husband  died; 
Levi  L.,  living  near  the  parental  home,  served 
three  years  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  in 
the  Seventy-first  Indiana  Infantry,  and  Sixth 
Indiana  Cavalry;  Direxa,  is  the  wife  of 
Thomas  P.  Pinson,  of  Clinton  Township; 
Alma  C.  is  the  wife  of  James  Puat- 
man,  of  Clinton  Township.  Mr.  Shew 
commenced  life  with  no  capital,  but 
strong  hands,  and  a  determination  to  make 
life  a  success,  and  his  energy  combined  with 
integrity  and  good  business  habits,  has  en- 
abled him  to  obtain  a  competence  for  his 
declining  years.  When  he  settled  on  his 
homestead  in  Clinton  Township  it  was  covered 
with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber.  He  now 
owns  over  400  acres,  the  greater  part  of 
which  is  well  improved.  In  politics  Mr.  Shew 
is  a  Pepnblican  of  Whig  antecedents.  He 
served  almost  three  terms  as  magistrate  of 
Clinton  Township,  being  appointed  to  the 
(.ffiee  during  the  war  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and 
elected  the  two  succeeding  terms.  He  is 
liberal  in  his  religious  views,  believing  in 
the  goodness  of  God  toward  all  his  children. 


Mr.  Shew  is  widely  known  throughout  tlie 
township  where  he  resides,  and  few  local  men 
possess  the  confidence  and  i-espect  of  the 
public  to  a  greater  extent  than  he,  being 
trusted  liv  all  who  know  him. 


fOSEPH  A.  SANDERS,  farmer  and 
stock- raiser,  resides  on  section  5,  Yei-- 
-.■c  million  Township,  where  he  owns  170 
acres  of  choice  bind  all  undei-  cultivation. 
He  was  born  in  Marion  County,  Indiana, 
March  17,  1856,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Clarissa 
(McV^ey)  Sanders,  natives  of  Ohio,  his  father 
of  English  and  his  mother  of  Irish  descent. 
Of  a  family  of  ten  children  eight  are  living. 
Joseph  A.  Sanders  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  and  has  always  followed  farming  with 
the  exception  of  a  short  time  spent  in  Ten- 
nessee and  Kentucky  in  the  lumber  business. 
In  1877  he  located  in  Vermillion  County, 
and  is  now  one  of  the  prosperous  young  men 
of  the  county.  Mr.  Sanders  was  married  in 
1879  to  Margaret,  daughter  of  James  and 
Mary  Lindsey,  pioneers  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, now  living  in  Eugene  Township.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sanders  have  two  children — Lindsey 
and  Ferris.  They  are  members  of  the  society 
of  Friends.  In  politics  ilr.  Sanders  casts  his 
suflrage  with  the  Republican  party. 


^^|HUD  HUGHES,  one  of  the  representa- 

ftive  citizens  of  Highland  Township, 
resides  on  section  18,  and  is  the  oldest 
surviving  son  of  Constantine  Hughes,  one  of 
the  old  and  honored  pioneers  of  Vermillion 
County,  who  settled  here  in  the  year  182s. 
Our  subject  was  born  in  Harrison  County, 
Virginia,  February  14,  1817,  being  in  his 
eleventh  vear  when  he  came  with  his  father 


.iiB-»»ii««»_»,M_«_»,iiii^«,««TS»i?»a»ig 


BIOOBAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


493 


to  this  county.  He  well  remembers  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  surrounding  country  when 
he  first  came  here,  nearly  sixty  years  ago,  at 
which  time  Indians  were  the  principal  inhab- 
itants, wliite  settlers  being  scarce.  Deer  were 
then  abundant,  and  some  bears  were  still 
found  in  the  county,  and  hunting  parties  of 
Indians  were  frequently  seen  about  the  cabins 
c^f  the  early  settlers.  ]Mr.  Hughes  has  lived 
cm  his  present  place  since  his  marriage,  wliich 
occurred  December  19,  1844,  to  Miss  Cassie 
Ellen  Bowman.  Mrs.  Hughes  was  born  Sep- 
tember 11,  1828,  a  daughter  of  Charles  Bow- 
man, who  came  from  Virginia  to  Vermillion 
County,  Indiana,  in  an  early  day.  She  died 
April  1,  1879,  after  a  happy  married  life  of 
nearly  thirty-five  years.  Nine  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hughes,  si.x  of  whom 
are  yet  living — Elmond,  Owen,  David,  Cath- 
erine, Nancy  Ann  and  Almira.  Their  daugh- 
ter Mary  was  the  wife  of  George  Y.  Stipp, 
and  died  in  her  twenty-si.xth  year.  Two  sons, 
named  Franklin  'E.  and  Charles  W.,  died  in 
infancy.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Hughes 
affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  has 
long  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  as  was  also  his  wife,  and  by  his  fair 
and  honorable  dealing  he  has  gained  the  con- 
iideuce  and  respect  of  all  who  know  him. 


OSIAII  HENDEESON,  who  has  been 
dentified  witli  the  history  of  Vermillion 
W^  County  for  many  years,  is  a  native  of 
Itock  Castle  County,  Kentucky,  born  March 
7,  1823,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth 
(^  Vance)  Henderson,  the  father  born  in  Au- 
gusta County,  Virginia,  and  the  mother  born 
in  Pennsylvania.  They  were  married  in 
Kentucky,  and  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  a  child  they  settled  in  Shelby  County, 
that  State,  living  there  until  1839.     In  the 


fall  of  that  year  they  removed  to  Edgar 
County,  Illinois,  and  in  the  spring  of  1840 
the  father  purchased  200  acres  of  timber  land 
on  section  9,  Clinton  Township,  Vermillion 
County,  and  immediately  brought  his  family 
to  their  new  home.  He  was  an  active,  en- 
ergetic man,  and  by  his  persevering  industry 
lie  cleared  and  improved  land,  and  made  a 
good  home  lor  his  family.  He  lived  to  at- 
tain the  age  of  ninety-six  years,  spending  his 
last  years  at  the  home  of  our  subject.  He 
died  in  1869.  His  wife  died  in  1840,  the 
year  of  their  settlement  in  the  county,  being 
in  her  fifty-third  year  at  the  time  of  lier 
death.  To  the  parents  of  our  subject  were 
born  nine  children — George,  who  is  supposed 
to  be  dead,  left  his  parents  in  Kentucky 
twenty-five  years  before  the  late  war,  and  later 
lived  in  New  Orleans;  Seneca  died  after 
reacliing  manhood,  in  Vermillion  County; 
Milton  died  in  Jasper  County,  Illinois;  Mrs. 
Sarah  Sparks  living  in  Clinton;  Mrs.  Nancy 
Taylor,  living  in  Dana;  Josiah,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch;  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Myers,  deceased, 
and  Samuel,  the  fifth  child,  died  in  Tennes- 
see in  1840,  Josiah  Henderson  was  reared 
to  the  life  of  a  farmer,  remaining  on  the 
home  farm  irntil  twenty-four  years  of  age, 
assisting  his  father  to  pay  for  his  land.  On 
leaving  home  he  received  $20,  this  being  all 
lie  had  to  commence  life  for  himself.  He 
purchased  a  tract  of  forty  acres  on  section  10, 
Clinton  Township,  where  he  still  resides, 
having  lived  in  this  neighborhood  since  sev- 
enteen years  of  age.  He  has  met  with  suc- 
cess in  his  agricultural  pursuits,  and  has 
added  to  his  original  purchase  until  his  home- 
stead contains  167  acres,  his  place  being  well 
improved  and  under  good  cultivation.  Mr. 
Henderson  was  married  in  1856  to  Miss  Su- 
san Hunter,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Sarah 
Hunter,  and  to  this  union  six  children  were 
born,  three  of  whom  died  in   early  childhood. 


f; 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


Those  3'et  living  are — Mrs.  Sadie  Wolf,  liv- 
ing in  Clinton  Township;  Mrs.  Ilattie  Alex- 
ander, of  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  Mrs.  Laura 
Porter,  of  Clinton  Township.  Mrs.  Hender 
son  died  December  25,  1879,  aged  tifty-three 
years.  She  was  an  affectionate  wife  and 
mother,  and  a  consistent  Christian,  and  died 
in  the  faith  of  the  Christian  church.  Mr. 
Henderson  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church.  In  politics  Mr.  Henderson  was 
formerly  a  Whig,  and  was  one  of  the  organ- 
izers ot  the  Republican  party  in  this  county. 
He  now  classes  himself  as  an  Independent. 
He  alwaA's  manifests  a  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  his  township  tn-  county,  and  any 
enterprise  calculated  to  promote  their  ad- 
vancement has  his  encouragement  and  support. 


fOHN  W.  WHITED,  residing  in  Dana, 
Yermillion  County,  is  a  native  of  Indi- 
-A-  ana,  born  in  Shelby  County,  the  date  of 
his  birth  being  January  16,  1858.  He  is  a 
son  of  Azariah  and  Louisa  (Warner)  Wiiited, 
who  are  both  deceased,  the  father  having 
been  born  in  Shelby  County,  Indiana.  The 
mother  was  a  daughter  of  Alexander  Warner. 
John  W.  was  reared  to  the  vocation  of  a 
farmer  on  his  father's  farm,  and  in  his  youth 
he  received  his  education  in  the  common- 
schools  of  his  neighborhood.  In  1868  he 
went  with  his  parents  to  Harrisonville,  Mis- 
souri, but  in  the  fall  of  1870  returned  to  In- 
diana, the  family  locating  in  Clay  County, 
where  the  father  died  March  9,  1876.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  survived  until  Febru- 
ary, 1881,  when  she  died  in  Owen  County, 
Indiana.  During  his  residence  at  Dana  Mr. 
Whited  has  by  his  genial  manners  and  fair 
and  honorable  dealings,  won  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  all  who  know  hira.  He  is  a 
Viiung    man   of  public    spirit,    and   talvos    an 


active  interest  in  the  advancement  of  the 
town  in  which  he  makes  his  home.  The  par- 
ents of  our  subject  had  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren, eight  of  whom  still  survive,  their  names 
being  as  follows — John  W.,  Alex,  Chauncey, 
Alice,  Laura  B.,  Robert,  Emma  and  Jesse. 


fEROME  M.  JEXKINS,  one  of  Clinton 
Township's  leading  young  men,  was 
,^  liorn  in  Clark  County,  Ohio,  July  21, 
1859.  His  father,  Abraham  M.  Jenkins, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  remaining  in  his 
native  State  until  eighteen  years  of  age.  He 
then  became  a  resident  of  Ohio,  and  January 
31,  1856,  he  was  married  .at  Springfield, 
Clark  County,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Abrams.  a 
daughter  of  James  Abrams.  She  was  born 
in  Dutchess  County,  New  York,  in  1831, 
coming  to  Ohio  in  the  year  1852.  In  April, 
1865,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jenkins,  with  their  only 
child,  then  in  his  sixtli  year,  moved  frc)m 
Ohio  to  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  and  in  the 
fall  of  the  same  year  they  settled  on  section 
12,  Clinton  Township,  Yermillion  County, 
Indiana.  The  father  lived  to  improve  this 
place,  and  bring  his  land  under  good  cultiva- 
tion. He  died  in  August,  1881,  aged  sixtj'- 
one  years.  Quiet,  unassuming,  industrious 
and  strictly  honorable  in  all  his  dealings  he 
gained  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who 
knew  him.  In  politics  he  was  in  early  life  a 
Whig,  and  later  affiliated  with  the  Republi- 
can party.  He  was  for  many  years  a  consis- 
tent member  of  the  Methodist  church,  as  is 
also  his  widow.  Jerome  M.  Jenkins,  v.-hosc 
name  heads  this  sketch,  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Clinton  Township,  and 
made  good  use  of  his  educational  advantages. 
Like  his  father,  he  is  Republican  in  his 
political  views,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in 
political    and    public  affairs,    and    is    ranked 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


400 


among  the  leading  men  of  the  yonnger  class 
in  his  party.  Although  i-earcd  on  a  farm,  he 
is  not  fond  of  a  farmer's  life,  and  is  prepar- 
ing himself  by  attending  commercial  schools, 
for  an  active  business  career.  He  resides 
with  his  widowed  mother  on  the  old  home- 
stead on  section  12,  Clinton  Township,  their 
farm  containing  103  acres  of  valuable  land. 


•^ 


3 AMES  K.  DUNLAP  is  a  native  of  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  born  at  Perrys- 
•  ,^  ville  in  September,  1838,  and  is  a  worthy 
rt'jn-esentative  of  one  of  the  pioneer  tarailies 
of  the  county.  Plis  father,  John  Dunlap,  was 
a  native  of  Ireland,  born  June  8,  1808.  He 
came  to  America  when  a  young  man,  locating 
lirst  in  Canada,  removing  thence  to  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  He  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  an 
(H'cMipation  he  followed  many  years.  He  was 
married  in  Cincinnati,  to  Miss  Nancy  Dean, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1812.  Of  the  four  children  born 
to  them  only  two,  James  R.,  the  eldest,  and 
^[ary  J.,  are  living,  the  latter  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Perrysville.  Susan  and  Daniel 
are  deceased.  The  latter  was  a  gallant  soldier 
in  the  war  of  the  Eebellion,  enlisting  in  the 
1-^leventh  Indiana  Infantry,  in  which  he  served 
two  years.  He  was  a  young  man  of  excellent 
i.usincss  ability,  which  fact  was  recognized 
liv  (General  Rawlins,  under  whom  he  served 
as  clerk  nearly  two  years,  during  the  latter 
part  of  his  term  of  service.  He  died  in 
1865,  of  disease  contracted  in  the  service. 
John  Dunlap  made  his  home  in  Cincinnati 
For  a  number  of  years,  and  in  1837  came  to 
Perrysville,  Vermillion  County,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  for  a  time.  He  then 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  his  stock 
<'!)nsisting  of  ready-made  clothing  and  gen- 
tlemen's furnishings,  keeping  the  tirst  store 


of  the  kind  in  Perrysville.  He  was  long  one 
of  the  prominent  business  men  of  the  town, 
and  was  very  successful  in  business,  acquiring 
a  competence.  He  died  February  1,  1878. 
For  several  years  prior  to  his  death  he  had 
suffered  greatly  from  rheumatism.  His  wife 
died  July  25,  1879.  Both  were  worthy  and 
consistent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  In  early  life  the  father  was  a 
Democrat  in  his  political  views,  but  later  be- 
came a  Republican,  and  was  ever  after  a 
warm  advocate  of  the  principles  of  that  party. 
James  R.  Dunlap,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  reared  in  Vermillion  County,  and 
received  a  good  business  education  under  his 
father,  in  whose  store  he  served  as  clerk.  He 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  for  him- 
self at  Urbana,  Illinois,  in  1858,  which  he 
followed  until  August,  1862,  when  he  enlisted 
in  Company  G,  Seventy-sixth  Illinois  Infan- 
try. He  served  with  his  regiment  aliout 
nine  months,  when  he  was  detailed  for  ser- 
vice in  the  Signal  Corps.  After  being  under 
instruction  at  Memphis,  Tennessee,  for  three 
months,  he  reported  to  General  McPherson, 
on  whose  staff  he  served  as  signal  officer. 
After  the  death  of  that  gallant  officer  he 
served  in  the  same  capacity  under  General 
Frank  P.  Blair.  He  was  with  Sherman  on 
his  march  to  the  sea  and  through  the  Caro- 
linas,  during  which  expedition  he  had  charge 
of  about  thirty  men  and  subordinate  officers. 
His  position  in  the  Signal  Corps,  though 
arduous,  was  a  desirable  one.  His  duties 
necessitated  a  vast  amount  of  riding,  proba- 
bly not  less  than  17,000  miles  during  his 
term  of  service.  After  the  war  he  was 
associated  in  business  with  Iris  father  for  a 
time.  In  1868  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Russell  Bell,  a  daughter  of  William  M.  Bell, 
an  early  settler  of  Vermillion  County.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Dunlap  have  had  born  to  them  ten 
children,  of   whom    nine    are    living — Louis 


496 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


M.,  Edgar  E.,  Grace  D.  D.,  Bessie  B.,  Daniel 
A.,  M.  Gene,  James  R.,  Jr.,  Illne,  and  an  in- 
fant yet  unnamed.  One  child,  John,  died 
aged  two  years.  They  have  a  beantiful  home 
on  section  3,  Highland  Township,  surrounded 
by  480  acres  of  valuable  land.  Besides  the 
home  farm  Mr.  Dunlap  owns  land  in  another 
part  of  the  same  township.  He  is  a  comrade 
of  the  Grand  Army  post  at  Perrysville,  and 
also  belongs  to  the  Society  of  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee.  In  politics  he  atWiates  with 
the  Eepublican  party.  In  1880  he  was  elected 
county  commissioner,  and  served  as  such  four 
years.  Mrs.  Dunlap  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


fHOMAS  J.  NICHOLS,  carpenter  and 
joiner,  Vermillion  Township,  is  a 
native  of  Vermillion  County,  born  in 
1844,  a  son  of  Kobert  H.  and  Adaline  (Westj 
Nichols,  his  father  a  native  of  Union  County, 
Indiana,  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  his 
mother  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  of  French 
descent.  His  parents  came  to  Vermillion 
County  in  1835,  and  settled  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship, where  the  father  died  in  1872,  aged 
fifty-five  years,  and  the  mother  in  1874,  aged 
sixtj'-five  years.  They  had  a  family  of  two 
children — James  and  Thomas,  the  former 
being  deceased.  Thomas  J.  Nichols  was 
married  in  1862,  to  Ann  Jones,  who  was 
born  in  Vermillion  County  in  1847,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Jones,  a  pioneer  of  the  county. 
They  have  had  nine  children,  six  of  whom 
are  living — Bell,  Adaline,  Robert,  Maria, 
Bert  and  John  C.  In  August,  1862,  Mr. 
Nichols  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Eighty-fifth 
Indiana  Infantry,  and  sers-ed  three  years,  and 
participated  in  many  of  the  hardest-fought 
battles  of  the  war.  He  was  with  Sherman 
from  Chattanooga  to  the  soa,  and   was   mus- 


tered out  at  Indianapolis  at  the  close  of  the 
war.  After  his  return  home  he  began  to 
work  at  his  trade,  which  he  has  since  con- 
tinued. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nichols  are  members 
of  the  society  of  Friends.  In  politics  he 
casts  his  suffrage  with  the  Prohibition  party. 

-H^->.f*>- 


fHOMAS  S.  HOOD,  private  banker, 
and  dealer  in  real  estate,  Dana,  was 
born  near  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  De- 
cember 6,  1815,  a  sou  of  Thomas  Hood,  who 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812.  Charles  Hood,  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  was  also  a  native  of  Virginia. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  Revolutionary  war,  and 
participated  in  many  hard-fought  battles. 
Thomas  Hood,  Sr.,  came  to  Indiana  with  his 
family  as  early  as  1821,  when  he  settled  on 
Honey  Creek  in  the  vicinity  of  Terre  Haute. 
In  1823  the  family  came  to  Vermillion 
County  when  the  surrounding  country  was 
nothing  but  a  wilderness,  and  principally  in- 
habited by  Indians  and  wild  animals.  They 
settled  right  in  the  woods,  and  began  making 
a  home  out  of  the  forest,  and  here  they  ex- 
perienced all  the  hardships  and  privations 
which  usiially  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  pioneer. 
Their  sheep  were  kept  in  pens  at  night  to 
protect  them  from  the  wolves  which  were 
then  quite  numerous,  and  even  during  the 
daytime  had  to  be  closely  watched.  Deer 
and  wild  game  were  numerous,  and  the  trusty 
rifle  of  the  pioneer  kept  the  larder  well  sup- 
plied with  meat.  When  the  Hood  iiimily 
settled  in  the  county  not  a  house  was  to  l>e 
seen  on  the  prairie  surrounding  Dana.  Their 
trading  was  done  at  Terre  Haute,  a  distance 
of  twenty-eight  miles  from  their  home. 
Thomas  S.  Hood,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  was  in  his  eighth  year  when  brought 
to  this  county,  and  here  he  was  reared  amid 


mSSSSMMMm* 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


tlie  wild  surroundings  of  pioneer  life.  He 
attended  school  taught  in  the  primitive  log 
cabins  with  their  puncheon  floor,  clapboard 
roof,  slab  seats  and  stick  and  clay  chimney. 
He  began  life  poor.  Ilis  first  house  was 
built  of  logs,  and  at  night  he  could  see  the 
stars  through  the  roof  of  his  humble  cabin, 
and  his  furniture  was  of  the  rudest  descrip- 
liiin.  He  followed  fanning  lantil  within  the 
past  four  years,  since  which  time  he  has  lived 
;i  fired  from  the  active  duties  of  farm  life, 
lul  is  now  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  years  of 
I'al.  He  lias  met  with  good  success  through 
life,  and  still  owns  240  acres  of  land  after 
having  given  to  his  children  about  300  acres, 
in  1883  he  settled  at  Dana,  where  he  has 
since  carried  on  his  present  business,  being 
associated  in  his  general  banking  business 
with  James  Osborn.  Mr.  Hood  was  married 
April  29,  1839,  to  Rebecca  Aye,  a  daughter 
of  John  Aye.  Twelve  children  have  been 
born  to  them  of  whom  five  are  living — Will- 
iam, Mrs.  Savilla  Duncan,  Mrs.  Mary  Allen, 
Mrs.  Catlierine  Fillinger  and  Thomas  C. 
Four  daughters,  named  Cornelia,  Laiira, 
Caroline  and  Isabelle,  died  after  reacliing 
maturity.  Mr.  Hood  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternitv. 


flJSHA  RODGERS,  now  of  Mound 
Township,  Warren  County,  Indiana,  is 
■yi  a  son  of  Allen  Rodgers,  who  settled  in 
Highland  Township,  Vermillion  County,  in 
1824.  Allen  Rodgers  was  a  native  of  Xew 
Kngland,  and  was  reared  in  New  Hampshire. 
He  was  married  in  Connecticut  to  Sarah 
Warner,  a  native  of  that  State,  and  together 
they  moved  to  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  and 
thence  to  Vermillion  County;  settling  first 
•1  ar  the  present  site  of  Perrysville,  entering 
'  'juarter  section  of  land  and   baying  a  tract 


adjoining  the  entry.  They  lived  on  this  land 
several  years  and  then  moved  to  Benton 
County,  Iowa,  where  the  father  died.  The 
mother  died  at  the  house  of  her  son,  Elisha, 
several  years  later.  They  liad  a  family  of 
eight  children,  only  two  of  whom,  Elisha  and 
John  are  living.  Elisha  Rodgers  was  bom 
in  Connecticut  April  14,  1812.  He  came 
West  with  his  parents  and  for  several  yeai's 
was  a  resident  of  Vermillion  County.  He 
now  owns  a  fine  farm  of  about  500  acres 
where  he  resides  in  Warren  County.  He  has 
been  twice  married  and  has  a  family  of  six- 
children.  In  politics  he  has  been  a  Repub- 
lican, since  the  organization  of  that  party 
but  cast  liis  first  Presidential  vote  for  Gen- 
eral Jackson. 


fLDER  JOHN  W.  JARVIS  was  born  in 
Parke  County,  Indiana,  November  10, 
1854,  a  son  of  John  Jarvis,  who  lives 
near  Waveland,  Indiana.  He  was  reared  a 
farmer,  but  was  given  good  educational  ad- 
vantages and  when  sixteen  years  old  began  to 
teach  and  has  taught  sixty  terms.  When 
thirteen  years  old  he  united  witli  the  Christian 
church  and  when  fifteen  began  preaching  and 
was  ordained  when  sixteen.  He  preached  at 
different  places  in  Parke  and  Vigo  counties, 
and  had  charge  of  the  Rosedale,  Parke 
County,  church  two  years.  In  1881  he  went 
to  Tabor,  Iowa,  and  remained  abotit  two  years, 
but  when  entering  upon  the  third  year  of  liis 
work  there  his  health  failed  and  he  was 
obliged  to  retire  for  awhile  and  June  4, 188G, 
located  in  Dana,  Indiana,  and  formed  a  part- 
nership in  the  grocery  business,  the  firm 
being  Jarvis  &  Norris.  Since  coming  to 
Dana  he  has  organized  a  church  and  has 
built  a  fine  brick  church,  which  is  the  first  of 
that    denomination    in    Vermillion     County. 


BBSMSSSSSSaSS 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


11  is  labors  here  have  beeu  successful  and 
there  is  now  a  strong  church  in  Dana,  the 
result  of  his  untiring  efforts.  Mr.  Jarvis 
was  married  February  15,  1876,  to  Leah  M. 
Jordan,  a  daughter  of  George  W.  Jordan. 
To  tliem  have  been  born  live  children,  but  all 
have  died  of  epidemics. 


►Iwj. 


;ILLIAM  P.  FORTNER  is  a  native 
of  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  born 
March  16,  1845,  a  son  of  John  and 
Catherine  (Hall)  Fortner,  natives  of  Ohio. 
He  remained  at  home  until  the  breaking  out 
of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  when,  in  1862, 
he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Seventy-lirst  In- 
diana Infantry,  and  served  seven  months. 
He  was  taken  prisoner  by  Kirby  Smith  at 
the  battle  of  Richmond,  Kentucky,  but  was 
soon  after  paroled  and  sent  home  his  time 
having  expired.  He  subsequently  enlisted 
in  the  Sixty-sixth  Illinois  Sharpshooters, 
where  he  served  twenty-seven  months.  He 
participated  in  twenty-one  hard-fought  bat- 
tles, including  the  engagements  on  Sherman's 
march  to  the  sea.  Mr.  Fortner  was  married 
in  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  in  1875,  to 
Theressa  J.  Cook,  who  was  born  in  Vermillion 
County,  Illinois,  in  1853,  a  daughter  of  Mil- 
ton Cook.  They  have  two  children — John 
M.  and  Minnie  M.  In  politics  Mr.  Fortner 
is  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Societv  of  Friends. 


tON.  JAMES  OSBORN, a  lumber  dealer 
of  Dana,  Indiana,  was  born  in  Ver- 
million Township,  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  January  8,  1838.  His  father,  James 
Osborn,  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  came  to  Indi- 
ana in  1820.  settling  in  the  wilderness,  where 


the  principal  inhabitants  were  Indians  and 
wild  animals.  Our  subject  was  reared  on 
his  father's  farm,  remaining  at  home  until 
manhood.  He  was  given  good  educational 
advantages,  attending  the  schools  of  his  na- 
tive county.  He  gave  his  attention  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  1882,  when  he  moved 
to  Dana,  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness, which  he  continued  about  three  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1886  he  began  dealing  in 
lumber,  keeping  on  hand  a  good  supply  of 
all  kinds,  both  hard  and  soft  wood,  and  has 
built  up  a  good  trade.  While  he  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  he  also  for  several  years 
bought  and  shipped  grain  quite  extensively. 
Mr.  Osborn  has  always  been  a  prominent 
man  in  this  county,  and  represented  his  dis- 
trict one  term  in  the  Legislature.  In  1S74 
he  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  county  and 
served  two  terms.  He  is  an  active  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  Mr.  Osborn  was 
married  March  26,  1862,  to  Margaret  M. 
Martin,  a  native  of  Bond  County.  Illinois, 
and  a  daughter  of  John  Martin. 


^  i:XRY  CADE  was  born  at  his  father^ 
:  p  )  homestead  in  Highland  Township,  Ver- 
■=^(1  million  County,  Indiana,  October  29, 
1835,  a  son  of  Dorman  Cade,  one  of  the  well 
known  and  much  respected  pioneers  ofthecoun- 
ty.  Dorman  Cade  was  born  and  reared  in  tlic 
State  of  Ohio,  and  was  there  married  U< 
Susan  Ernhart,  who  was  also  a  native  of  the 
same  State.  Soon  after  their  marriage  tliej' 
came  to  Vermillion,  and  settled  on  section  33, 
Higliland  Township,  on  land  entered  from 
the  Government,  which  the  father  improved, 
and  lived  on  until  his  death.  His  wife  died 
on  this  farm  in  1835,  leaving  at  her  death  a 
family  of  five  children,  all  of  whom  reached 
maturity.     But  two  are  living  at  the  present 


BIOORAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


time — David  wliolives^in  Vermillion  County, 
Illinois,  and  Henry  E.,  the  subject  of  this 
.-kL'tcli.  James,  the  eldest  son,  married,  and 
removed  to  Iowa,  where  he  lived  until  his 
ileuth.  Their  daughter  Susan  is  the  deceased 
wife  of  Barton  Mattox.  liichard,  another 
sun,  was  twice  married.  He  died  in  Highland 
Township,  on  the  homestead  which  is  still 
occupied  by  his  widow.  The  father  of  our 
subject  was  again  married,  but  his  second 
wife  lived  but  a  short  time  after  her  marriage. 
In  politics  Dorman  Cade  affiliated  with  the 
Democratic  party,  although  hewas  notastrong 


par 


tizan,  believino;  that  the  best  men  should 


be  supported  regardless  of  party  ties.  In 
religious  faith  he  was  a  Methodist,  and  an 
earnest  and  sincere  believer  in  the  doctrines 
of  that  church.  Henry  E.  Cade,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  reared  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  which  he  has  followed  through  life, 
and  has  spent  his  life  in  Highland  Township, 
with  the  exception  of  a  year's  residence  in 
Green  County,  Wisconsin,  and  by  his  genial 
and  accommodating  numuers  and  fair  and 
honorable  dealing  he  has  gained  the  conti- 
dence  and  esteem  of  the  entire  community. 
Mr.  Cade  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Kuth  P.  Lowe,  who  was  born  on  the  home- 
stead, where  she  now^  lives,  August  31,  1836, 
the  youngest  child  of  Elijah  and  Kachel 
Lowe.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cade  are  the  parents 
of  three  sons,  named — Lewis,  Ilerschel  and 
David.  Elijah  Lowe,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Cade,  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  born  Novem- 
ber 29,  178G.  He  settled  in  Ohio  in  an 
early  day,  and  was  married  in  that  State  to 
Miss  Rachel  Chenoworth,  who  was  born  in 
Ohio,  October  24,  1792.  They  came  to  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  from  Ohio,  in  1826, 
being  among  the  pioneers  of  the  county. 
Mr.  Lowe  died  in  the  county  June  18,  1857. 
his  widow  surviving  him  a  number  of  years. 
She  died  in   Kansas,  August  1,  1873.     Mr. 


and  Mrs.  Lowe  were  the  jjarents  of  eight 
children,  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  who 
grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood.  Mrs. 
Cade  and  her  brother  Joseph,  who  lives  in 
Kansas,  are  the  only  surviving  members  of 
the  family. 


fAMUEL  W.  MALONE,  who  has  been 
identified  with  the  interests  of  Ver- 
million County  for  many  years,  was 
born  in  Eoss  County,  Ohio,  June  9,  1810,  a 
son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  (Lamb)  Malone.  He 
was  reared  to  the  vocation  of  a  farmer,  and 
in  his  youth  received  but  limited  educational 
advantages.  He  came  with  his  parents  to 
Vermillion  County  in  1824,  settling  in  Helt 
Township,  and  in  1827  came  to  Eugene 
Township,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home. 
He  has  always  followed  agricultural  pursuits, 
in  which  he  has  always  been  very  successful 
and  is  now  the  owner  of  455  acres  of  faruiing 
land,  besides  property  in  Eugene. 


fEORGE  F.  HAWORTH,  farmer  and 
and  stock-raiser,  resides  on  section  6, 
Vermillion  Township,  where  he  owns 
sixty  acres  of  good  land,  and  in  addition  to 
this  owns  fifty  acres  in  another  tract.  He  is 
a  native  of  Vermillion  County,  born  August 
25,  1831,  a  son  of  Richard  and  Susanna 
(Henderson)  Haworth,  his  father  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  of  English  descent,  and  his  mother 
of  South  Carolina,  also  of  English  ancestry. 
The  parents  came  to  Vermillion  County  in 
1820,  and  were  the  first  settlers  in  Vermillion 
Township,  their  nearest  neighbors  being 
sixteen  miles  distant.  The  father  died  Sep- 
tember 13,  1850,  aged  fifty-seven  years,  and 
the  mother  in   1854,  aged  fifty-seven  years. 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


Of  tlieir  six  childreu  but  three  are  living — 
El  wood,  of  Kansas ;  George  F.  and  James  P. 
George  F.  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  lias  by 
his  industry  and  good  management  made  a 
success  of  that  calling.  He  was  married  in 
Parke  County,  Indiana,  to  Marian  Ileynolds, 
who  was  born  in  1832,  a  daughter  of  Mahlon 
and  Ruth  Reynolds,  pioneers  of  Parke  Coun- 
ty, coming  from  North  Carolina  in  an  early 
day.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Haworth  have  had  seven 
children,  but  four  of  whom  are  living — Flora, 
Lillian,  William  B.  and  Almira.  Emma, 
Mahlon  and  Albert  are  deceased.  Flora  is 
the  wife  of  S.  S.  Cook,  and  has  one  child — 
Everett.  Lillian  is  the  wife  of  John  A. 
Curran,  and  has  one  child — Etta.  In  politics 
Mr.  Haworth  casts  his  suffrage  with  the  Pro- 
hibition party.  He  and  his  wife  are  birth- 
right members  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 


:ILLIAM  M.  BELL,  deceased,  who 
was  one  of  the  representative  citizens 
of  Yermillion  County,  was  born  in 
Mason  County,  Kentucky,  November  18, 
1818.  When  he  was  a  child  his  father  died, 
and  while  still  young  he  removed  with  his 
mother,  Mary  (Early)  Bell,  to  Vigo  County, 
Indiana.  In  early  manhood  he  engaged  in 
mercantile  pursuits  in  Terre  Haute,  and  in 
1846  he  came  to  Yermillion  County,  and 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Perrys- 
ville.  He  was  married  in  Perrysville,  in 
1848,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Russell,  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Yermillion  County,  and  to  this 
union  were  born  two  children — Mary,  wife  of 
James  R.  Dunlap,  of  Highland  Township, 
and  Ruhama,  wife  of  M.  M.  McNeill,  of  Dan- 
ville, Illinois.  Not  long  after  his  marriage 
William  M.  Bell  went  to  Terre  Haute  and 
again  engaged  in  business  in  that  city.  In 
1852,  after  the  death  of  his  father-in-law,  he 


settled  on  the  Russell  homestead,  situated  in 
the  northern  part  of  Highland  Township, 
this  county,  and  here  his  wife  died  October  8 
of  the  same  year.  January  7,  1855,  he  was 
again  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Carrie 
Reeves,  who  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  Ohio, 
a  daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Browuj 
Reeves.  She  removed  with  her  parents  to 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  M'liere  she  was  reared  to 
womanhood,  and  in  1851  the  family  settkd 
in  Terre  Haute,  Indiana.  Mr.  Reeves  died 
in  1853  at  Cincinnati,  while  on  a  visit  to  that 
city.  His  widow  survived  until  1884,  having 
attained  her  ninetieth  year.  Four  children 
were  born  to  the  second  marriage  of  Mr.  J'ell, 
of  whom  only  two  are  living — Elizabeth,  wife 
of  Albert  McNeill,  and  Carrie  Bell.  Katie 
died  in  infancy  in  the  year  1860,  and  George 
Marlin  died  in  1875,  aged  fourteen  years. 
Mr.  Bell  was  an  earnest  and  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  as  is 
his  widow.  He  was  always  liberal  towai'd 
the  support  of  the  gospel,  and  toward  benev- 
olent institutions,  and  was  active  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  any  enterprise  which  had  for 
its  object  the  best  interests  of  his  fellow  men. 


y^N<ALEB  BALES,  deceased,  one  of  the 
flfe  earliest  pioneers  of  Yermillion  County, 
W'^  Indiana,  was  born  in  Tennessee,  Sep- 
tember 25, 1795,  a  son  of  William  Bales.  He 
was  reared  in  his  native  State,  and  when  a 
young  man  came  to  Indiana.  He  was  a  farm- 
er by  occupation,  and  was  one  of  the  most 
active  in  developing  the  agricultui'ul  resources 
of  the  county,  although  he  did  not  live  to 
see  the  consummation  of  his  hopes.  He  died 
June  18,  1836,  leaving  his  widow  with  a 
family  of  small  children  to  fight  the  battle  of 
life  alone.  Mr.  Bales  was  married  May  23, 
1827,    to    Emily    Spangler,    a    daughter   of 


J 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


501 


11 


Frederick  Spangler,  who  settled  in  Vermillion 
County  in  1824.  To  them  were  born  five 
children — William  F.,  Catherine  (deceased), 
Josephine  (deceased),  Mrs.  Martlia  Carson 
and  Caleb.  Mrs.  Bales  makes  her  home  witli 
her  son  Caleb,  and  is  now  in  the  eighty-first 
year  of  her  age.  Mr.  Bales  was  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  1812,  serving  under  General 
Jackson,  and  2jarticipated  in  the  battle  of 
New  Orleans. 


— -^'^i^^^h;— — 

Jf^OBERT  DAVIS,  an  old  and  respected 
J-fu  settler  of  Vermillion  County,  residing 
'^-lilii  on  section  22,  Helt  Township,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Virginia,  born  in  Montgomery  Coun- 
ty, January  29,  1810.  His  father,  John 
Davis,  was  a  native  of  the  same  county,  and 
was  a  son  of  Jeremiah,  a  native  of  Wales, 
who  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the 
lioN'olution.  He  was  reared  in  the  Allegheny 
]\Ioiintains  in  his  native  county,  and  received 
such  education  as  the  subscription  schools  of 
tliat  early  day  afforded,  among  his  school 
mates  being  William  B.  Preston,  afterward 
in  General  Taylor's  cabinet.  Colonel  Bob 
Preston  who  become  his  militia  Colonel,  John 
I>.  Floyd  and  brothers,  all  of  whom  afterward 
aci^uired  a  national  reputation.  In  early 
manhood  he  learned  the  plasterer's  and  brick 
mason's  trade,  which  he  followed  for  twenty- 
five  years.  He  was  married  January  19, 
1836,  to  Miss  Melvina  Taylor,  a  daughter  of 
George  Taylor,  and  to  them  were  born  eleven 
cliildren,  eight  still  living — William  T.,  a 
butcher,  living  at  Dana;  Samuel  B.,  editor  of 
the  Iloosier  State,  of  Newport;  Cornelius 
S.,  ex-county  recorder,  of  Newport;  Thomas 
C,  minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  of  Lodi,  Indiana;  Melvin  B.,  attor- 
ney and  editor  of  the  Beatrice  liejmhlican, 
of  Beatrice,  Nebraska;  Charles  W.,  at  home; 


Amanda,  wife  of  Jasper  Andrews,  of  Helt 
Township;  and  Mary  J.,  wife  of  Rienzi 
White,  of  Helt  Township.  One  son,  Robert 
N.,;died  in  California  in  the  fall  of  1884,  at  the 
age  of  thirty-three  years.  In  the  fall  of  1839 
Mr.  Davis  immigrated  with  his  family  to 
Montgomery  County,  Indiana,  and  lived  in 
the  vicinity  of  Waveland  until  the  spring  of 
1855  when  he  came  to  Vermillion  County, 
and  settled  on  the  place  where  he  now  lives, 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Davis  began  life  entirely  without 
means,  but  went  to  work  with  willing  hands 
and  stout  hearts  to  make  a  home  out  of  the 
wilderness,  and  their  eflPorts  have  been 
crowned  with  success,  and  their  home-farm 
now  contains  280  acres  of  choice  land.  In 
1879  Mr.  Davis  visited  his  birth  place  where 
he  met  many  of  his  boyhood  friends.  He 
never  seeks  official  honors,  preferring  the 
quiet  home  life,  although  he  takes  an  active 
interest  in  the  advancement  of  his  township. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  cluircli. 


ILLIAM  RUSSELL,  one  of  the  old 
and  honored  pioneers  of  Vermillion 
County,  is  a  Virginian  by  birth,  born 
in  Shenandoah  County,  April  28, 1797,  a  son 
of  David  Russell,  who  was  also  a  native  of 
Shenandoah  County,  Virginia,  and  was  a 
soldier  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
Our  subject  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Muskingum  County,  Ohio,  during  the  war 
of  1812,  and  shortly  afterward  settled  in 
Licking  County,  same  State.  In  1829  lie  came 
toVermillion County,  Indiana,  when  he  settled 
on  his  present  farm  which  at  that  time  was 
a  heavily  timbered  tract  of  land.  He  has 
been  twice  married,  taking  for  his  first  wife 
Miss  Jane  Slater,  who  was  a    daughter   of 


UISTORY    OP     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


"William  Slater,  and  of  the  five  children  born 
to  this  union  only  two,  named  John  and 
Mahlon,  are  living.  The  maiden  name  of 
his  second  wife  was  Miss  Mary  A.  Shoemaker, 
she  being  a  daughter  of  the  late  Hezekiah 
Shoemaker.  Six  children  have  been  born  to 
this  union,  of  whom  four  are  j'et  living — ■ 
William,  Samuel,  Richard  and  Hezekiah. 
On  coming  to  the  county  Mr.  Russell  entered 
eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm,  and  by  in- 
dustry, frugality  and  good  management  he 
has  succeeded  well  in  making  a  comfortable 
home  out  of  the  forest,  and  his  present  fine 
farm  of  3J:3  acres  has  been  acquired  by  his 
own  eft'orts.  He  is  a  man  of  strict  integrity, 
honorable  in  all  his  dealings,  and  during  his 
long  residence  in  the  county  ho  has  gained 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who  know 
him. 


fALEB  BALES,  section  36,  Ilelt  Town- 
ship, is  a  native  of  Vermillion  County, 
born  July  26,  1836,  a  son  of  Caleb  and 
Emily  (Spangler)  Bales.  His  father  was  born 
in  Tennessee  and  came  to  Indiana  in  an  early 
day.  He  helped  to  raise  the  first  log  house 
on  the  present  site  of  Terre  Haute.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Helt  Township, 
and  made  it  his  home  until  his  death.  His 
widow  now  makes  her  home  with  her  son 
Caleb,  and  although  eighty  years  of  age  is 
still  well  and  active,  her  only  infirmity  being 
blindness.  Caleb  Bales,  Jr.,  was  reared  in 
his  native  county,  his  youth  being  spent  on 
his  father's  farm  and  at  school.  He  was 
given  good  educational  advantages,  attending 
the  schools  of  Georgetown,  Illinois,  and  New- 
port, Indiana.  AVith  the  exception  of  about 
six  years  he  has  always  followed  agricultural 
pursuits.  Three  years  of  this  time  he  was 
serving  his  country  in  the  war  of  the  Rebell- 


ion, and  three  years  were  spent  in  California, 
mining.  He  went  to  California  in  March, 
1856,  and  returned  to  Indiana  in  1859.  He 
enlisted  in,1862  in  Company  D,  Eighty-fifth 
Indiana  Infantry,  and  was  commissioned  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  of  his  company,  and  was 
subsequently  promoted  to  Captain,  serving  in 
the  latter  capacity  about  eighteen  months. 
He  participated  in  many  notable  battles  and 
campaigns,  some  of  the  more  important  be- 
ing Resaca,  New  Hope  Church,  Dallas, 
Culp's  Farm,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  the  Atlanta 
campaign,  with  Sherman  to  the  sea,  Averas- 
boro,  Bentonville  and  Raleigh.  He  was  in 
line  at  the  grand  review  of  the  army  at 
Washington  in  June,  1865,  and  was  soon 
after  discharged  and  returned  home.  In  his 
agricultural  pursuits  he  has  been  successful, 
and  now  owns  201  acres  of  valuable  land  and 
an  interest  in  eighty  acres  in  another  tract. 
Mr.  Bales  was  married  December  25,  1865, 
to  Mary  Jordan,  daughter  of  Edward  Jordan, 
a  pioneer  of  Vermillion  County.  She  died 
August  20,  1871,  leaving  two  children — 
Harrison  and  Edward.  In  November,  1879, 
Mr.  Bales  married  Mrs.  Naomi  Newbanks,  a 
daughter  of  John  Jenks.  Their  only  child 
is  deceased.  Mr.  Bales  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity.  Mrs.  Bales  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


tOBERT  PEER,  section  28,  Ilelt  Town- 
ship, was  born  on  the  old  homestead  on 
section  33,  January  11,  1846,  a  son  of 
John  and  Jane  (Dawson)  Peer,  his  father  a 
native  of  Ohio,  and  his  mother  of  Kentucky. 
The  parents  came  to  Vermillion  County  when 
they  were  children  and  were  here  reared  and 
married.  Tlie  father  died  on  the  old  home- 
stead, February  14,  1878,  aged  seventy-four 
years.     The  mother  still  lives  at  an  advanced 


J 


BIOGBAPUICAL    SKETCHES. 


age.  Robert  Peer  was  reared  a  farmer,  a  vo- 
cation  he  has  always  followed.  He  now  owns 
235  acres  of  valuable  land,  which  is  well  im- 
proved, his  residence  and  farm  buildings 
l)eing  among  the  best  in  the  township.  He 
was  married  in  September,  1873,  to  Angeline 
J'radbury,  a  native  of  Edgar  County,  Illinois, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Bradbury.  Mr.  Peer  is 
one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  the  town- 
ship where  he  spent  his  life.  He  is  not  an 
aspirant  for  official  honors,  but  in  everything 
that  is  of  benefit  to  the  community,  either 
materially  or  socially,  he  is  always  ready  to 
give  his  support. 


fOLOMON  AVEATHERWAX,  wlio  has 
been  identified  with  A^ermillion  County 
since  the  autumn  of  1857,  was  born  in 
Erie  County,  New  York,  August  7,  1838. 
His  parents,  Philip  and  Betsey  (Doningberg) 
AVeatherwax,  were  natives  of  New  York,  and 
spent  their  live?  in  that  State  dying  in  Erie 
County.  Our  subject  was  reared  in  his 
native  State,  remaining  with  his  father  until 
coming  to  A'^ermillion  County  at  the  above 
date.  He  oftered  himself  under  the  first 
call  of  President  Lincoln  for  three  months 
volunteers,  but  the  quota  of  Indiana  having 
been  filled,  he  returned  East,  and  at  Buft'alo, 
New  York,  he  enlisted  in  Company  H, 
Twenty-first  New  York  Infantry.  He  was  a 
scout,  with  six  other  members  of  his  regi- 
ment, in  the  campaign  of  General  McClellan 
against  Richmond.  He  afterward  rejoined 
his  regiment,  and  was  in  the  campaign  under 
General  Pope.  He  was  wounded  in  the  left 
thigh  and  ankle  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  August  30,  1862,  and  for  six  months 
and  twenty  days  was  under  hospital  treat- 
ment at  Alexandria  and  at  the  Army  Square 
Hospital  at  AVashington.     As    soon    as  able 


he  returned  to  his  home,  receiving  an  honor- 
able discharge.  He  now  receives  a  pension. 
In  1863  he  returned  to  Yermillion  County, 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  In  186G 
he  married  Miss  Joanna  Porter,  who  was 
born  in  Clinton  Township,  a  daughter  of 
Charles  Porter,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
county,  and  a  sister  of  AA^.  L.  Porter,  the 
present  treasurer  of  A^ermillion  Count}-. 
Mrs.  AA^eatherwax  died  in  1872,  leaving  one 
son  named  Aldo,  who  still  lives  with  his 
father.  Mr.  AA^eatherwax  was  again  married 
in  October,  1884,  to  Miss  Laura  Groves, 
daughter  of  Abraham  Groves,  and  to  this 
union  one  child,  named  Edna,  has  been  born. 
Mr.  AVeatherwax  is  adjutant  of  P.  R.  Owen 
Post,  No.  329,  G.  A.  R.,  and  is  a  leading 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order,  having 
passed  the  chairs  in  Amant  Lodge,  No.  356, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and 
also  of  Clinton  Encampment,  No.  143.  In 
politics  he  has  always  been  a  Republican. 
He  is  at  present  trustee  of  Clinton  Town- 
ship, which  office  he  fills  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  his  constituents. 


fRASTUS  MACK,  AI.  D.,  one  of  the 
leading  physicians  and  surgeons  of 
Hillsdale,  was  born  in  Helt  Township, 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana, "September  29, 
1827,  a  son  of  Harvey  and  Sallie  A.  (Church) 
Mack.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  a  pioneer  of  this  county,  having 
settled  here  with  his  parents  when  Indians 
and  wild  animals  were  the  principal  inhab- 
itants. He  died  at  Memphis,  Tennessee,  in 
I  1848,  while  on  his  way  to  New  Orleans  with 
i  two  flat-boats  which  were  loaded  with  corn 
which  he  and  his  sons  had  raised  that  year. 
j  His  wife  came  to  Vermillion  with  her  parents 
in  a  very  early  day,  where  she  was  married. 


She  died  wlien  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
a  child.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm,  receiving 
in  his  boyhood  such  education  as  the  rude 
log  cabin  subscription  schools  of  that  early 
day  afforded.  In  later  years  he  attended  the 
academy  in  Georgetown,  Illinois,  and  the 
Vermillion  Academy  in  this  county,  and 
subsequently  taught  school  some  seven  or 
eight  years.  During  the  late  war  he  enlisted 
as  a  private  in  Company  E,  Twenty-first  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  General  Grant's  first  regi- 
ment, he  being  its  Colonel.  Dr.  Mack 
remained  in  the  service  of  his  country  over 
four  years,  and  participated  in  a  number  of 
important  engagements,  iucluding  the  battles 
of  Fredericktown,  Perryville,  Stone  River, 
Cliickamauga,  Atlanta  campaign,  Franklin 
and  Nashville.  He  was  on  active  duty  for 
eleven  days  in  the  front  line  in  the  Atlanta 
campaign.  He  was  mustered  out  as  First 
Lieutenant,  having  been  neither  wounded 
nor  sick  during  his  entire  term  of  service. 
At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  he  was 
engaged  in  dentistry  and  photography,  but 
after  the  war  he  attended  medical  lectures  at 
the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  He  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
1866  at  Tower  Hill,  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained until  coming  to  Hillsdale,  Vermillion 
County,  in  1873.  Since  becoming  a  resident 
of  this  place  he  has  established  a  large  medi- 
cal practice,  being  well  skilled  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  profession.  Dr.  Mack  was 
married  May  22,  1878,  to  Miss  Matilda  R. 
Hiukle,  a  daughter  of  Jackson  Ilinkle,  of 
Farraersburg,  Sullivan  County,  Indiana.  They 
have  two  children,  named  Mabel  and  Raul. 
The  doctor  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, and  also  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Ejjiscopal  church.  Politically  he 
is  a  staunch  Republican.  Genial  in  temper- 
ament,  charitable    toward    the    unfortunate, 


and  being  active  in  the  support  of  every 
movement  calculated  to  promote  the  public 
welfare,  he  takes  a  prominent  position  in  the 
community,  and  is  respected  by  all  who  know 
him. 


fllOMAS  P.  PIXSON,  residing  on 
section  35,  Clinton  Township,  was  born 
^%"-  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  August  31, 
1838,  a  son  of  Allen  and  Margaret  (Noblitt) 
Pinson.  His  parents  were  born  in  the  State  of 
Virginia,  reared  in  Kentucky,  and  married 
in  Illinois.  In  1841  they  settled  in  Vermill- 
ion County,  Indiana,  on  the  land  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  our  subject.  To  them  were 
born  six  children  as  follows — Mrs.  Sarah  E. 
Bumgardner,  living  in  Clinton  Township; 
Thomas  P.,tlie  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Jeremiah, 
a  resident  of  Vigo  County,  Indiana;  David,  re- 
siding in  Missouri;  Andrew  J.,  a  physician  re- 
siding in  Clinton,  and  Mrs.  Martha  Shew. 
also  living  in  Clinton  Township.  The  fathei- 
was  a  liberal,  progressive  man,  and  while  in 
moderate  circumstances  he  did  much  toward 
aiding  his  children.  He  was  particularly 
interested  in  the  advancement  of  the  cause  ot 
education,  and  gave  a  school-house  site  to 
his  neighborhood.  He  was  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Ciiristian  church.  He  died 
in  1845,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-three  year.-. 
Twenty-five  years  after  his  death  his  widow 
married  J.  D.  Bozarth.  She  is  again  a  widow, 
and  is  cared  for  by  her  son  Dr.  A.  F.  Pinson. 
Three  of  her  sons,  Jeremiah,  David  and 
Andrew  J.  were  soldiers  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion.  Jeremiah  lost  a  leg  at  the  battle 
of  Shiloh.  David  served  his  country  three 
years.  Andrew  J.  first  enlisted  for  a  term 
of  six  months,  and  again  enlisted  for  one 
year.  Thomas  P.  Pinson,  whose  name  head,^ 
this  sketch,  was  reared  to   the  vocation  of  a 


BIOOBAPIIICAL    SKETCHES- 


^1 

I  \ 


fitriner,  ou  the  place  where  he  now  resides. 
lie  was  married  April  13,  1862,  to  Miss 
Direxa  Shew,  a  daughter  of  the  pioneer 
Henry  Shew,  and  was  born  on  the  old  home- 
stead of  her  parents  in  Clinton  Township, 
October  9,  1846.  They  commenced  house- 
keeping on  the  homestead  which  they  now 
occupy,  and  have  since  resided  here  with  the 
exception  of  1863-1864  when  they  lived  on 
the  old  homestead  of  Mrs.  Pinson's  parents. 
They  then  bought  out  the  interest  of  the 
other  heirs  in  the  Pinson  homestead,  which 
consists  of  198  acres  of  choice  land,  all  but 
twenty  acres  being  well  improved  and  very 
productive.  The  original  homestead  con- 
tained but  si.xty  acres,  the  remainder  being 
added  since  they  first  settled  here.  In  con- 
nection with  his  farming  Mr.  Pinson  is  doing 
a  little  mercantile  trade.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pin- 
son are  the  parents  of  four  children — Ora  E., 
wife  of  "William  Haskell,  living  near  her 
parents  on  a  part  of  the  estate;  Henry  S., 
Maggie  I.  and  Elva  G.  at  home  with  their 
parents.  A  family  picture  represents  five 
generations  of  the  Pinson  family,  including 
Mrs.  Pinson,  her  mother,  and  grandmother, 
her  daughter,  Ora  E.  and  a  child  of  Ora's 
named  Edna  M.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pinson,  and 
their  two  eldest  daughters  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  National  Eeform  party. 


^.^ 


fHOMAS  E.  WALTHALL,  farmer  and 
stock-raiser,  section  7,  Vermillion 
-^  Township,  is  a  native  of  Vermillion 
County,  born  in  1845,  a  son  of  William  B- 
and  Sarah  (Haworth)  Walthall,  pioneers  of 
the  county.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  was  given  good  educational  advan- 
tages attending  the  schools  of  his  neighbor- 
hood.    He  has  always  devoted  his  time  to 


agriculture  and  now  has  a  good  farm  of  forty 
acres,  all  well  improved.  Mr.  Walthall  was 
married  in  Vermillion  County,  Illinuis,  tn 
Sarah  J.  Likens,  who  was  born  in  that 
county  in  1845,  a  daughter  of  Peter  Likens. 
They  have  nine  children — Florence,  Priscilla, 
Mary,  Terrence,  Leitha,  Glenn  E.,  Frank, 
Hermos  and  Grace.  Mr.  AYalthall  casts  his 
suffrage  with  the  Prohibition  party.  He  and 
his  family  are  birthright  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends. 


WILLIAM  J.  HENDRICKS,  an 
progressive     bu 


inter- 
•iness 
nan  of  Highland,  and  a  second 
cousin  of  Hon.  Thomas  A.  Hendricks,  was 
born  in  Wythe  County,  West  Virginia,  July 
3,  1846,  a  son  of  Jerome  and  Alice  Jackson, 
the  former  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  born 
in  Surry  County,  near  the  Virginia  line.  He 
is  now  deceased.  The  mother  of  our  subject 
is  still  living  in  Virginia,  aged  seventy-two 
years.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
on  a  farm  and  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  county.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Piebellion,  enlisting 
in  Company  C,  Sixteenth  Maryland  Infantry 
for  three  years.  He  was  in  several  small  en- 
gagements, but  was  detailed  as  teamster  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  while  in  the  service. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  April  22,  1866, 
to  Miss  Mary  AValker,  a  daughter  of  John 
Walker,  who  is  now  deceased.  Four  of  the 
five  children  born  to  this  union  are  living, 
their  names  being  as  follows — Fred,  Annie, 
Estella  and  Edward.  After  the  war  he  settled 
near  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  where  he  followed 
farming  until  1870.  He  then  went  to  Edgar 
County,  Illinois,  thence  to  Cumberland 
County,  Illinois,  in  1873,  where  he  resided 
until  1881.     In  that  year   he  came  with  h 


family  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  and 
settled  at  Highland.  In  December,  1885,  he 
cstahlished  his  present  grocery,  and  carries  a 
full  line  of  groceries  and  provisions,  notions, 
glass  and  queensware.  Genial  and  accommo- 
dating in  his  manners,  he  has  by  his  strict 
attention  to  the  wants  of  his  customers  and 
fair  and  reasonable  prices  built  up  a  good 
trade,  and  gained  the  confidence  and  respect 
of  all  with  whom  he  has  business  or  social 
intercourse.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  order,  an  organization  in  which  he 
takes  au  active  interest. 


tUCIUS  II.  WEIGHT,  residing  on  sec- 
tion 17,  Clinton  Township,  where  he  has 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  is  a  son  of  John 
and  Margaret  (Nichol)  "Wright,  and  a  grand- 
son of  the  pioneer,  George  Wright,  who 
settled  in  Clinton  Township,  in  1820.  He 
was  born  December  17,  1839,  during  the 
residence  of  his  parents  in  Jackson  County, 
Iowa,  and  the  first  years  of  his  life  were  spent 
there.  The  balance  of  his  youthful  days  were 
passed  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  and  Ver- 
million County,  Indiana,  having  lived  in  the 
latter  county  continuously  since  1858  except 
the  time  spent  in  the  service  of  his  country 
(luring  the  war  of  the  Eebellion.  He  en- 
listed in  the  service  of  his  country,  in 
Company  C,  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry 
(the  second  company  raised  in  Yermillion 
County),  and  served  in  Missouri  in  Fremont's 
campaign  against  rebel  General  Price.  Suf- 
fering from  an  attack  of  measles,  and  broken 
down  by  hard  marching,  he  was  left  behind 
at  Syracuse,  Missouri,  and  for  nearly  three 
months  was  cared  for  by  a  staunch  Union 
farmer  named  Greene.  Recovering  slowly, 
he  was  iinable  for  duty,  and  received  an  hon- 
orable  discharge,   when   he    returned  to  his 


home.  He  now  receives  a  pension  from  the 
Government.  January  20,  1866,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Porter, 
who  was  born  in  Clinton  Township,  Vermill- 
ion County,  December  29,  1844,  a  daughter 
of  the  pioneer  Charles  Porter.  The  following 
February  they  commenced  housekeeping  on 
the  old  Jimmy  Nichols  farm  in  Clinton 
Township,  and  although  making  several 
changes  since  their  marriage  before  settling 
on  section  17,  they  have  always  made  thei 
home  in  Clinton  Township,  and  are  amonj 
the  most  respected  residents  of  the  township. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  have  six  children  liv- 
ing— Jennette  E.,  wife  of  Franklin  Bumgard- 
ner,  of  Clinton  Township;  Joanna  M.,  Lealie 
E.,  Bertha  E.,  Dana  F.  and  William  L.  Mr 
Wright  and  his  wife  are  worthy  members  of 
the  Methodist  church.  He  is  a  member  ot 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  belonging  to  their 
lodge  at  Clinton.  In  politics  he  has  always 
affiliated  with  the  Republican  party,  casting 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln. 


fIDGAR  VAN  SICKLE,  telegraph  oper- 
L  ator  and  station  agent  for  the  Indian- 
'''■  apolis,  Decatur  &  Springfield  Railroad 
Company,  also  express  agent  and  postmastt  r 
at  Hillsdale,  is  a  nati\e  of  New  York  State, 
born  in  Chautauqua  County,  February  5, 1849 
a  son  of  James  N.  and  Sarah  (Shearer)  Van 
Sickle,  his  father  having  been  born  at  Black 
Rock  (now  Buflalo),  New  York.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  reared  in  his  native  State, 
where  he  received  a  common-school  education. 
In  1864  he  went  to  the  oil  regions  of  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  was  engaged  in  drilling 
for  oil  for  two  years.  In  1866  he  went  to 
Canada,  where  he  ran  an  engine  in  oil  works 
for   one   year.     He  returned  to  the  United 


BIOORAPIIICAL    SKETCHES. 


States  in  1867,  and  engaged  in  the  patent 
right  bnsiness  with  his  father,  and  traveled 
in  that  line  through  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois 
and  Michigan  until  1873,  and  in  January  of 
that  year  located  at  Montezuma,  Indiana, 
where  he  carried  on  the  dnig  business  three 
years.  While  a  resident  of  Montezuma, 
(October  6,  1873,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Anna  McMasters,  a  daughter  of  the 
late  Kev.  AV"illiara  McMasters,  who  was  an 
eminent  Baptist  minister,  and  a  prominent 
Mason  and  Odd  Fellow.  Mr.  Van  Sickle 
came  to  Hillsdale,  Yermillion  County,  in 
1877,  buying  a  stock  of  goods,  and  for  eight 
years  following  was  engaged  in  general  mer- 
cantile jiursuits.  He  sold  out  his  business 
September  1,  1886,  and  entered  the  employ 
of  the  railroad  company,  taking  charge  of  the 
otlice  October  1,  1886.  He  has  been  express 
transfer  agent  here  for  nine  years,  and  since 
1885  has  held  the  position  of  postmaster,  and 
is  filling  all  the  above  positions  with  honor 
to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents. 
Mr.  Yan  Sickle  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  and  is  trus- 
tee of  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  at  Montezuma. 


PINSON,  M.  D.,  is  a  Ver- 
(^\  million  County  man  by  birth,  born 
'^;^-  April  2,  1844,  in  Clinton  Township,  on 
the  homestead  of  his  parents,  Allen  and  Mar- 
garet M.  (Noblitt)  Pinson.  There  his  youth 
was  spent  in  assisting  his  father  on  the  farm 
and  in  attending  the  district  schools.  At  the 
age  of  eighteen  years  he  began  attending 
school  at  Westfield,  Illinois,  and  later,  attend- 
ed school  at  Clinton,  Indiana.  He  commenced 
the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of  Drs. 
Swaford  &  Johnsou,  at  New  Goshen,  Vigo 
County,  Indiana,  in  the  spring  of  1868,  and 
after  reading  one  year  he  attended  a  course  of 
medical    lectures,  and  taught  school  the  fol- 


lowing winter.  He  prosecuted  his  studies 
with  occasional  interruption  until  February 
28,  1873,  when  he  received  his  diploma  at 
the  Indiana  Medical  College  at  Indianapolis. 
In  the  fall  of  1873  he  commenced  the  practice 
of  medicine  at  Libertyville,  Vigo  County,  and 
in  1875  removed  to  Nevins,  Illinois,  remain- 
ing there  one  season.  He  then  returned  to 
Libertyville,  where  he  continued  the  practice 
of  his  profession  until  1880.  In  that  year 
lie  removed  to  New  Goshen,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1886  he  settled  at  his  present  residence  on 
section  27,  Clinton  Township,  Vermillion 
County.  His  farm,  which  contains  115  acres 
of  land,  is  carried  on  by  a  tenant,  the  doctor 
giving  his  entire  time  to  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  in  which  he  is  meeting  with  good 
success.  Dr.  Pinson  was  married  July  25, 
1874,  to  Miss  Nannie  Ward,  a  native  of 
Fayette  Township,  Vigo  County,  Indiana, 
her  father,  A.  J.  Ward,  being  still  a  resident 
of  that  county.  Three  children  have  been 
born  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Pinson,  whose  names 
are — Margaret  M.,  Martha  and  Ethel  May. 
The  doctor  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  enlisting  first  in  the  six  month's 
service  in  Company  K,  One  Hundred  and 
Fifteenth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  served  in 
East  Tennessee  under  Captain  Peauchant. 
His  second  enlistment  was  for  one  year,  in 
Company  E,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty- sixth 
Indiana  Infantry.  Dr.  Pinson  and  his 
wife  are  worthy  members  of  the  Church  of 
Christ.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  belonging  to  New  Goshen  Lodge, 
No.  557. 


^hV^H^^.^*- 

fOMUND  JAMES,  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  pioneei's  of  Vermillion  County, 
who  is  now  deceased,  was  born  in  the 
State  of  Virginia,  May  30,  1803.  a  son  of 
Rev.  Dr.  William  James.     He  became  a 


Hisronr  ov   vermillton  county. 


i 
'I 


dent  of  tills  county  as  early  as  1822,  when 
tlie  principal  inhabitants  were  Indians  and 
wild  animals.  lie  settled  in  Ilelt  Township 
when  the  surrounding  country  was  nothing 
hut  a  wilderness,  and  here  he  made  liis  home 
until  his  death  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  was  married  June  9,  1822,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Swank,  a  daughter  of  Jacob 
Swank,  and  to  them  were  born  twelve  chil- 
dren, of  whom  eight  are  livingatthe  present 
time — William,  Edmund,  Joseph,  Collon, 
Crews,  Permelia.  Mary  and  Lydia.  Mr. 
James  held  the  ottice  of  justice  of  the  peace 
for  a  period  of  eighteen  years,  and  made  a 
wise  and  just  judge.  His  death  occurred 
April  2,  186.4,  causing  universal  regret 
throughout  the  township  where  he  had  made 
his  home  for  so  many  years.  His  widow  still 
survives,  living  at  Summit  Grove,  in  her 
eighty-third  year.  She  has  had  sixty-nine 
grandchildren,  and  sixty-five  great-grand- 
children. 


WILLIAM  F.  BALES,  farmer  and 
stock-raiser,  section  1,  Ilelt  Town, 
ship,  was  born  on  the  Ijales  home- 
stead near  where  he  now  lives  September  12, 
1829,  a  son  of  Caleb  Bales  an  honored  pio- 
neer of  Helt  Township.  He  was  reared  in 
the  wilds  of  Vermillion  County,  when  the 
country  was  infested  with  Indians  and  wild 
animals,  and  when  educational  advantages 
were  meager.  His  early  life  was  spent  in 
iielping  to  clear  his  father's  land  and  in  pre- 
paring it  for  cultivation.  He  has  always 
given  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
at  which  he  has  been  successful  and  now 
owns  a  good  farm  of  342  acres.  He  makes  a 
specialty  of  stock-raising  having  some  of  the 
best  grades  of  cattle  and  hogs.  Mr.  Bales 
was    married    October    0,    1851,    to    Xancv 


Meriwether,  daughter  of  David  Meriwether. 
They  have  five  children  —  Emily,  George, 
Julia,  Frank  and  Carrie.  Emily  is  the  wife 
of  Oliver  Staats  and  George  married  Jennie 
Vannest.  Mr.  Bales  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity. 


^^ILLIAM  B.  HOOD,  a  worthy  repre- 
*M^||  sentative  of  one  of  the  old  pioiieer 
[-i^^H  families  of  Vermillion  County,  was 
born  in  Helt  Township,  this  county,  Decem- 
ber 17,  18-39,  a  son  of  Thomas  S.  Hood,  a 
resident  of  Dana.  He  was  reared  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits  on  his  father's  farm,  and  re- 
ceived such  education  as  the  schools  of  his 
neighborhood  afforded  in  his  youth.  He 
served  four  years  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
being  a  member  of  Company  C,  Eighteenth 
Indiana  Cavalry,  and  participated  in  a  num- 
ber of  hard-fought  engagements,  including 
the  battle  of  Pea  Eidge,  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
battles  of  Champion  Hills,  Black  River 
Bridge,  Winchester,  Fisher's  Hill  and  Cedar 
Creek.  He  entered  the  service  as  a  private 
and  was  promoted  to  Second  Lieutenant,  but 
was  not  mustered  out  as  such.  At  the  time 
of  his  discharge  he  held  the  rank  of  Captain. 
He  was  married  in  Novend)er,  1862,  to  Miss 
Sarah  E.  Payne,  a  daughter  of  the  late  Moses 
Payne.  To  this  union  six  children  were  born, 
of  whom  four  are  yet  living,  named  ^^ettie. 
Charles,  Mamie  and  Robert  AValters.  Mrs. 
Hood  died  November  7, 1878,  and  Novembei 
24.  1879,  Mr.  Hood  married  Miss  Harriet 
Widner,  a  daughter  of  Amos  Widner,  who 
is  deceaseil.  To  tliis  union  one  child  lias 
been  l)orn,  a  daughter  named  Laura.  JMr. 
Hood  is  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  30,  Helt  Township,  where  he  resides, 
but  farms  on  320  acres.  He  also  devotes 
some    attention   to   stock-raising,     making  a 


■■'■■■'■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■' 


^^jH«j^'"«ii;;wj^^^^^s  \ 


■■Jig"!] 


BIOORAPIIICAL    SKETCnES. 


tm 


specialty  of  Berkshire  hogs  and  short-horn 
cattle.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  also  belongs  to  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 


^OlIN  SKIDMOEE,  deceased,  was  one  of 
'  \  tlie  first  pioneers  of  Helt  Township,  Ver- 
~i  million  County,  and  during  his  life  was  an 
active  and  enterprising  citizen.  He  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  August  27,  1783, 
his  father  being  of  English  descent,  and  a 
soldier  during  the  Revolutionary  war.  His 
mother  was  a  native  of  Germany,  coming  to 
America  when  iive  years  of  age.  Her  parents 
and  the  rest  of  her  family  died  of  cholera  on 
shipboard"  while  en  route  for  America.  Our 
subject  was  taken  to  Kentucky  by  his  parents 
in  his  boyhood,  his  father  dying  in  that  State. 
Tlie  family  then  removed  to  Columbus 
County,  Ohio,  where  the  mother  died  at  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-six  years.  Mr.  Skid- 
more  came  to  Indiana  with  a  colony,  they 
building  a  keel  boat  at  Columbus  in  which 
they  floated  down  the  Scioto  to  tlie  Ohio 
River,  thence  to  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash 
River,  and  from  there  to  Vincennes,  where 
they  remained  two  years  or  until  the  year 
1818.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  they  came  to 
licit  Township  our  subject  having  preceded 
them  in  the  spring  of  1818  and  raised  a  crop. 
His  house  was  the  farthest  north  in  the  coun- 
ty, and  no  house  was  between  his  and  old 
Fort  Dearborn,  now  Chicago.  Mr.  Skidmore 
was  first  married  May  26,  1807,  to  Mary 
Hopper,  and  of  the  six  children  born  to  this 
union  three  arc  living — Mrs.  Catherine 
Tweedy,  Mrs.  Jane  Ford,  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Potter.  His  son  William,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased, was  the  first  white  child  born  in 
Vermillion  County.     Mr.  Skidmore   married 


for  his  second  wife  Jane  Hopper,  a  sister  of 
his  deceased  wife,  April  2,  1822.  Of  the 
seven  children  born  to  this  marriage  three  are 
yet  living — Mrs.  Mary  IIelt,'John,  of  Douglas 
County,  Illinois,  and  Josiah.  On  coming  to 
the  county  Mr.  Skidmore  entered  160  acres 
of  land  on  section  22,  Ilelt  Township,  which 
he  owned  until  his  death.  Here  he  kept  a 
public  house  for  forty  years,  which  was  the 
traveler's  stopping  place  between  Vincennes 
and  Fort  Wayne  or  from  Chicago.  He  served 
as  justice  of  the  peace  several  years,  and  was 
quite  a  prominent  man  in  the  early  history 
of  the  county.  He  died  December  7,  1803, 
his  widow  surviving  until  April  2,  1870. 
r>oth  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  and  consistent  Christians. 


^fAMES  ANDERSON  WHITE,  farmer 
^1  and  stock-raiser,  section  33,  Ilelt  Town- 
^^  ship,  was  born  in  Roane  County,  Ten- 
nessee, October  4,  1805,  a  son  of  AVilliam 
White,  a  native  of  AVashington  County,  Vir- 
ginia. William  White  was  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  1812,  serving  under  General  Jackson, 
and  after  the  close  of  that  struggle,  in  1815, 
brought  his  family  to  Indiana,  and  lived  a 
year  in  Knox  County.  In  1816  he  moved 
to  Sullivan  County,  and  thence  in  1822  to 
Fountain  County,  where  he  lived  twelve  years. 
He  entered  5,920  acres  of  land,  the  most  of 
which  was  in  Vermillion  County,  but  he  sold 
the  greater  part  to  new  comers  before  it  was 
improved.  He  came  to  Vermillion  County 
in  183-4  and  made  his  home  w-ith  his  son 
James.  He  was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war.  He  was  married  four  times  and 
had  a  family  of  seven  children,  four  of  whom 
are  living— James  A.,  Serena,  now  Mrs. 
Coates,  of  Fountain  County;  Franklin,  of 
California,  and  Henry  A.,  of  Augusta,  Kan- 


HISTORY    OF     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


sas.  James  A.  White  was  reared  on  a  fron- 
tier farm,  and  liad  but  limited  educational 
advantages,  being  unable  to  write  when  he 
was  twenty-one  years  old.  He  came  to  Ver- 
million County  in  August,  1832,  and  settled 
near  where  he  now  lives.  He  lived  in  a  tent 
two  months,  until  he  could  get  a  house  built, 
lie  has  cleared  and  improved  his  land  and 
now  owns  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  town- 
ship. Mr.  White  was  married  January  27, 
1831,  to  Martha  \\.  Elder,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, daughter  of  David  Elder.  To  them 
have  been  born  eleven  children,  -seven  of 
whom  are  living — Orville  J.,  Florence  E., 
Kienza  M.,  James  A.,  Jr.,  Pique,  Serena,  and 
Dr.  Charles  M.  Two,  Maria  L.  and  William 
Franklin,  died  after  reaching  maturity  and 
two  died  in  childhood.  William  was  a  sol- 
dier during  the  war  of  the  Eebellion  and  j 
gave  his  life  in  defense  of  his  country's 
honor. 


Township,  and  has  one  child  named  Quincey 
Lee.  Mrs.  Helt  had  two  children  by  her  Urst 
marriage — John  Franklin  and  Sarah  J., 
deceased  wife  of  Huston  Southard,  who  left 
at  her  death  three  children  named  Roy, 
Emma  and  Dolly.  ]Mr.  Helt  was  an  active 
and  succes-ful  farmer,  and  followed  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
March  15,  1876.  He  was  a  man  of  strict 
integrity,  honorable  in  all  his  dealings,  and 
b}'  his  genial  manners  and  cordial  disposi- 
tion made  many  friends. 

,^„g.S..I.gH^ 


tIRAM  HELT,  one  of  the  old  and  re 
spected  pioneers  of  Helt  Township  who 
is  noM-  deceased,  was  born  in  the  same 
township  on  section  28,  where  he  was  living 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  the  date  of  his  birth 
being  May  1,  1824.  His  father,  Michael 
Helt,  was  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  the 
county.  Our  subject  was  reared  a  farmer, 
receiving  in  his  youtli  such  educational 
advantages  as  the  pioneer  log  cabin  subscrip- 
tion schools  of  that  early  day  afforded.  He 
went  to  California  during  tlic  gold  excite- 
ment, where  he  mined  for  three  years,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Vermillion  County. 
i[arch  18,  1860,  he  was  mai-ried  to  Mrs. 
ifary  Langston,  widow  of  John  Milton 
Langston,  and  daughter  of  John  Skidmore. 
Of  the  four  children  born  to  this  union  two 
are  living  Alma  E.  and  Ulysses  M.  The 
fcivmi'r  married   William  .T.   Russell,  of  Helt 


f|DAM  PEARMAN,  contractor  and 
I  builder,  residing  on  section  35,  Helt 
^  Township,  Vermillion  County,  was  born 
in  the  same  township.  May  7,  1844,  a  son  fif 
John  and  Rachel  (Dinsniore)  Pearman,  tlio 
father  being  a  native  of  llardin  County, 
Kentucky,  born  September  27,  1817.  His 
father,  Sebert  Pearman,  was  also  a  Ken- 
tuckian  by  birth,  and  M*as  a  soldier  in  tlu' 
war  of  1812.  He  came  with  his  family  to 
Vermillion  County,  in  1829,  the  father  ot 
our  subject,  being  at  that  time  but  twehc 
years  of  age.  He  settled  right  in  the  womls 
when  animals  and  Indians  were  the  priiicijial 
inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country,  and 
here  they  passed  through  privation  and  hard- 
ship incident  to  pioneer  life.  The  family 
came  to  the  county  in  a  wagon  drawn  by  two 
yoke  of  o.xen,  fording  the  White  and  Wabash 
rivers.  Their  nearest  milling  point  was  Eu- 
gene, a  distance  of  sixteen  miles  from  their 
home.  Sebert  Pearman  was  a  millwright, 
and  during  one  winter  he  operated  the  mill 
at  Eugene.  The  mill  on  Big  Vermillion 
River  near  Danville  was  built  by  him.  Adam 
Pearman,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  passed 
his  youth  in  assisting  his  father  with  the 
work  of  his  farm,  and  attending   the  schools 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES. 


of  his  neighborhood  where  he  received  a  fair 
coninion-sehool  education.  He  served  in  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion,   enlisting  in  Company 

I,  Fourteenth  Indiana  Infantry.  He  re- 
mained with  that  company  over  a  year  when 
it   was  consolidated  with  companies    E  and 

II,  Twentieth  Indiana  Infantry,  at  the  battle 
of  Richmond,  Kentucky,  where  our  subject 
was  captured.  He  was  paroled  on  the  field, 
and  soon  after  wont  into  camp  at  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana.  He  is  now  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  Septem- 
ber 8,  1871,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha 
Long,  a  daughter  of  John  Long,  of  Bloom- 
ingdale,  Indiana.  They  have  three  children 
— J.  Curry,  Oscar  and  James  Yf alter.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  His  parents  were  also  members  of 
the  same  denomination.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  nine  children,  of  whom  only  two  are 
living  at  the  present  time — Samuel  and 
Adam.  Samuel  married  Margaret  Lowe,  and 
has  four  children,  named  Nora,  Thomas,  Ef- 
lie  and  Bessie.  He  makes  his  home  in 
Xeinaha  County,  Kansas.  Henry  C,  a 
lirother  of  our  subject,  was  killed  at  the  bat- 
tie  of  the  Wilderness  while  serving  his 
ciiuntry  in  the  late  war. 


^APTAIN  TIPTON,  of  Eugene  Town- 
(  ship,  came  to  this  point  when  there 
^^\  were  no  roads,  no  towns  noi-  people  be- 
tween, near  the  Ohio  line  and  the  Wabash 
River,  the  only  guide  being  the  compass.  He 
was  a  tall,  broad-shouldered,  erect,  soldierly 
man,  florid  complexion,  his  aubuni  hair  sadly 
thinned  in  his  old  age.  He  was  a  scout  to 
(General  Wayne,  after  the  sad  defeat  of  Sin- 
clair and  others  in  Ohio.  He  often  pierced 
the  hostile  lines  of  the  Indians  and  brought 
back    information    that    none    but  the    most 


cunning  and  bravest  could  acconiplish  or  do. 
He  was  always  active  in  good  acts  at  home, 
and  died  full  of  years. 


.^+4^ 


fOLUMBUS  C.  HEDGES,  farmer  and 
tile  manufacturer,  residing  on  section 
25,  Clinton  Township,  was  born  at  the 
pioneer  home  of  his  parents,  William  and 
Pamelia  (Alden)  Hedges,  in  Clinton  Town- 
ship, April  19,  1836.  His  parents  were 
natives  of  Otsego  County,  New  York.  When 
but  eighteen  years  of  age,  in  1819,  the  father 
was  in  Yermillion  County,  Indiana,  on  a 
Government  survey.  After  his  marriage, 
probably  in  the  year  1824,  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  the  county,  and  not  long  afterward 
settled  on  section  25,  Clinton  Townshiji.  He 
was  an  active  and  energetic  man,  and  built 
and  operated  a  saw-mill,  one  of  the  pioneer 
mills  of  the  county,  on  Brouillett's  Creek. 
He  died  at  Clinton,  October  24,  1873.  His 
widow  is  still  living.  Of  their  large  family 
the  following  children  still  survive— Mrs. 
Irene  Shew,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Shew,  Mrs.  Alma 
Shew,  Noah,  and  Columbus  C,  our  subject, 
all  residing  in  Clinton  Township.  Columbus 
C.  has  always  lived  in  Clinton  Township,  his 
present  home  being  a  part  of  the  large  estate 
which  his  father  left  at  his  death.  He  was 
married  in  1858  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Funk- 
houser,  a  native  of  Vigo  Count\%  Indiana, 
and  a  daughter  of  Isaac  E.  Funhouser.  The 
children  born  to  them  are  as  follows — ]Mrs. 
Emma  Tice,  living  in  Arkansas;  Martha  died 
aged  fourteen  years;  Albert  died  in  infancy; 
Mrs.  Eva  Beard,  also  deceased;  AVilliain  TL. 
living  near  his  parents  in  Clinton  Township; 
Carrie,  at  home;  Mrs.  Nettie  M.  Welker,  of 
Edgar  County,  Illinois;  and  Sadie,  Ollie  B., 
InsTo.,  Alden  F.,  Berdella,  Mary  and  Lota, 
all  living  at  home.     Mr.  Hedges  establisiied 


HISTORY    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


! 


his  tile  factory  in  1885,  which  he  has  since 
operated  witli  success,  manufacturing  ahout 
100,000  tiles  annually.  In  polities  he  was 
formerly  a  Republican,  but  now  votes  with 
the  National  Labor  Reform  party. 


fOHN  H.  STAATS,  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser,  section  7,  Ilelt  Township,  was 
born  in  Mason  County,  West  Virginia, 
April  7,  1806,  a  son  of  Isaac  Staats.  In 
December,  1829,  he  came  to  Indiana  and 
settled  in  Helt  Township,  Yermillion  County, 
where  he  has  since  lived.  He  was  obliged  to 
undergo  many  privations  and  hardships,  but 
he  was  determined  to  make  for  himself  a 
home  in  the  new  country,  and  kept  bravely 
at  work  on  small  wages,  but  being  economi- 
cal and  persistent  he  accximulated  enough  to 
paj'  for  his  land,  and  finally  by  industry  and 
energy  got  it  cleared  and  under  cultivation. 
In  1833  he  went  to  Chicago  and  was  em- 
ployed in  driving  oxen  and  hanling  rails  at 
$1  per  day  and  boarding  himself.  At  that 
time  the  West  was  principally  inhabited  by 
Indians,  and  Mr.  Staats  tells  many  interest- 
ing incidents  of  adventures  he  had  with 
them.  His  life  has  been  one  of  hard  work, 
but  he  can  look  back  and  recall  many  pleas- 
ant events  that  have  served  to  lighten  his 
labor,  and  he  is  now  reaping  the  reward  of 
his  industry,  and  his  many  friends  testify  to 
the  honest  integrity  and  genuine  hospitality 
that  have  been  his  chief  characteristics.  Mr. 
Staats  was  married  September  21,  1884,  to 
Malinda  Miles,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Miles,  an  early  settler  of  Helt 
Township.  To  Mr. .  and  Mrs.  Staats  were 
born  five  children,  only  one  of  whom,  Mary, 
is  living.  Thomas,  Isaac  and  Elijah,  triplets, 
died  in  childhood,  and  Benjamin  M.  lived 
until  manhood  and  married  Margaret,  daugh- 


ter of  Samuel  Aikman,  and  at  his  death  left 
one  son,  Fred  A.,  who  is  now  a  resident  of 
Dana.  Mary  mai'ried  Jacob  C.  I'oncanon, 
and  to  them  have  been  born  five  children — 
T.  Frank,  a  physician  of  Emporia,  Kansas; 
J.  Albert,  of  Helt  Township;  Virginia,  wife 
of  Albert  Southard,  of  Kelt's  Prairie;  Charles, 
deceased,  and  Edwin.  Mr.  Foncanon  was 
born  in  Perry  County,  Ohio,  October  22, 
1829,  and  came  to  Vermillion  County  in 
1852.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion,  enlisting  in  Company  B,  Eighty- 
fifth  Indiana  Infantry,  and  served  eight 
months,  when  he  was  discharged  on  account 
of  disability.  He  is  now  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  Mrs.  Staats 
died  April  21,  1880.  She  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  a  con- 
sistent, earnest  Christian.  Mr.  Staats  and 
his  daughter  are  also  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church. 


■:-J^Y\\^(m  JAMES  BLAIR  was  one  of 
/  \/  1,  the  oldest  citizens  of  the  county,  and 
"^."".■"^  in  fact  of  this  section  of  the  country. 
He  was  somewhat  stooped  and  round-shoul- 
dered in  his  old  age,  but  still  of  commanding 
figure,  soldierly  step,  and  frank,  manly  coun- 
tenance. He  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812,  and  assisted  in  building  from  the  green 
forests  the  ships  which,  under  the  gallant 
Perry,  won  the  battle  of  victory  on  Lake 
Erie.  In  an  early  day  he  came  to  the  Wa- 
bash and  settled  among  the  Indians,  north 
of  the  line  of  Harrison's  purchase,  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Hon.  John  CoUett,  on 
section  16,  range  9.  His  old  friend  Coleman 
settled  in  a  neighboring  cabin,  same  station, 
and  farmed  on  the  adjoining  prairie.  Major 
Blair  by  his  soldierly  qualities  and  fair  and 
manly  course  of  life  won  the  love  and  respect 


of  the  Indians,  especiallj'  Chief  See  Seep 
(She  Sheep),  one  of  the  lieroes  of  the  battle 
of  Falling  Timber,  "NYaiiTie's  Victory,  and 
also  Tippecanoe,  but  afterward,  obedient  to 
the  treaty,  he  (Se  Seep)  was  faithful  to  the 
whites.  The  Major's  course  of  life  also  won 
as  well  the  full  confidence  of  the  whites. 
Hence  lie  was  a  peacemaker,  and  prevented 
or  averted  war  and  battle  many  times.  lie 
afterward  was  propirietor  of  Perrysville.  lie 
was  several  times  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  probably  served  once  as  Senator. 
During  the  period  of  the  construction  of  the 
Wabash  Canal  he  was  State  Commissioner, 
and  although  handling  millions  of  money,  he 
accounted  for  every  cent,  and  was  as  poor 
when  be  retired  from  the  position  as  wlien  he 
entered  upon  the  duties.  Such  integrity  and 
honesty  is  worthy  the  rememljrance  of  old 
Vermillion. 


IIILO  CURTIS,  one  of  the  prominent 
farmers  of  Clinton  Township,  Vermill- 
,  ion  County,  residing  on  section  29,  is  a  son 
of  Amos  and  Mary  (Wright.)  Curtis,  who  were 
among  the  old  and  respected  pioneers  of  the 
county.  His  father  was  born  in  Canandaigua 
County,  New  York,  and  was  first  married  in 
his  native  State  to  Miss  Abigail  Cargill,  who 
died  in  Vermillion  County.  Their  only 
child,  Almira,  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Gifl'ord, 
and  died  at  Brazil,  Indiana,  leaving  at  lier 
deatli  two  children.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject was  a  daughter  of  the  pioneer  George 
AV^right,  and  a  sister  of  John  Wright,  now  a 
resident  of  Clinton.  Philo  Curtis,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  was  born  on  the 
homestead  of  his  parents  on  section  31,  Clin- 
ton Township,  May  3,  1838,  and  with  the 
exception  of  one  year  spent  in  Vermillion 
County,   IlHuois,  he   has  wassed    his   life 


Clinton  Township.  He  was  but  eiglit  years 
of  age  when  his  father  died,  but  his  mother 
managed  to  keep  her  family  together  until 
they  became  old  enough  to  start  in  life  for 
themselves.  She  died  in  1869,  leaving  a 
family  of  four  children — Handy,  the  eldest 
child,  now  lives  in  Crawford  County,  Kansas; 
Amos  lives  in  Edgar  County,  Illinois;  Mrs. 
Mary  A.  Browning  lives  in  Montgomery 
County,  Kansas,  and  Philo,  our  subject.  One 
son,  George,  died  at  the  age  of  eleven  years. 
The  mother  was  a  con.-istent  Christian,  and  a 
loving  wife  and  mother,  and  her  memory  is 
yet  fondly  cherished  by  her  children.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Philo  Curtis  was  early  in  life  inured 
to  hard  work,  beginning  when  a  boy  to  assist 
with  the  work  of  the  farm,  but  the  lessons  then 
learned  have  been  of  lasting  benefit  to  him, 
fitting  him  for  the  duties  of  later  life.  He 
has  always  followed  the  vocation  of  a  farmer, 
and  by  his  own  industry  and  energy  he  has 
acquired  a  fine  property.  His  home  farm 
contains  200  acres  of  well  improved  land,  with 
good  residence  and  out  buildings,  the  entire 
surroundings  of  the  place  showing  the  owner 
to  be  a  thorough,  practical  farmer.  ]Mr. 
Curtis  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  mar- 
riage taking  place  April  25,  1867,  to  Miss 
Isabclle  Swan,  a  daughter  of  Joshua  Swan. 
To  this  union  three  children  were  born — 
Elmer,  who  died  in  infancy;  Elsie,  who  died  in 
October,  1867,  aged  three  years,  and  Francis 
M.,  who  died  in  December,  1871,  aged  six 
years.  Mrs.  Curtis  died  April  25, 1867,  and 
January  20, 1870,  Mr.  Curtis  married  for  liis 
second  wife  Miss  Laura  A.  Scott,  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Jane  (Clover)  Scott,  her  fatlicr 
now  deceased.  Her  mother  is  a  daughter  of 
John  Clover,  who  was  one  of  the  early  pio- 
neers of  this  county.  She  is  now  Mrs.  Jane 
Martin.  Mrs.  Curtis  is  a  nativeof  Livingston 
County,   Illinois,  liorn  July  20,  1849.     Mr. 


BISTORT    OF    VERMILLION    COUNTT. 


and  Mrs.  Curtis  are  the  parents  of  live  cliil- 
dren— Adelbert  S.,  George  E.,  Oral,  Jennie 
B.  and  Mary  Ann.  In  politics  Mr.  Curtis 
affiliates  with  the  Kepublican  party.  Both 
himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Missionary 
Baptist  church,  and  among  the  most  respected 
citizens  of  Clinton  Township. 


fllOMAS  B.  MYERS,  one  of  the  most 
active  and  enterprising  young  farmers 
residing  in  Clinton  Township,  Vermill- 
ion County,  was  born  in  tlie  same  township, 
April  20,  1852,  his  parents,  Thomas  and 
Mary  J.  (Henderson)  Myers,  being  natives  of 
Kentucky.  They  came  to  Vermillion  County, 
Indiana,  when  young,  Avith  their  respective 
parents,  who  were  among  the  early  pioneers 
of  the  county.  The  paternal  grandparents  of 
our  subject  soon  after  settled  in  Edgar  County, 
Illinois.  Thomas  B.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  but  four  days  old  when  his  father 
died,  his  mother  dying  the  following  April. 
Their  eldest  child,  Alexander  J.,  six  years 
our  subject's  senior,  is  now  a  resident  of 
Clinton  Township.  From  a  babe  our  subject 
was  reared  by  Josiah  Henderson,  his  mater- 
nal uncle,  in  whose  family  he  foiind  a  good 
home  until  past  tlie  age  of  twenty-four  years. 
He  was  then  married  February  22,  1877,  to 
Miss  Emma  Holmes,  who  was  born  in  Fay- 
ette Township,  Vigo  County,  Indiana,  April 
7,  1855,  a  daughter  of  John  S.  and  Lydia 
(Groves)  Holmes.  Her  father  died  at  his 
home  in  Vigo  County,  where  her  mother  still 
resides.  Since  their  marriage,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  years  spent  in  Edgar  County, 
Illinois,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers  have  resided  in 
Clinton  Township,  Vermillion  County.  Two 
children  have  been  born  to  them,  of  whom 
only  one  is  living — Charles  M.,  who  was  bora 
June  23,  1878.     Their  youngest  cliild,  Glen- 


nie  G.,  was  born  December  28,  1879,  and 
died  December  6,  1884.  Mr.  Myers  is  the 
owner  of  an  improved  farm  of  100  acres, 
located  in  Fayette  Township,  Vigo  County. 
Since  1883  he  has  managed,  on  a  lease,  one 
of  the  best  farms  in  Clinton  Township, 
owned  by  Mrs.  A.  L.  Whitcomb,  located  two 
and  a  quarter  miles  from  Clinton,  and  con- 
taining 400  acres  of  valuable  land.  In  con- 
nection with  his  general  farming  Mr.  Myers 
deals  quite  extensively  in  stock,  buying  and 
selling,  as  well  as  buying  and  feeding  for 
market.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church,  and  among  the 
most  respected  citizens  of  Clinton  Township. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order, 
belonging  to  Amant  Lodge,  No.  85(),  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  and  has  held  several  minor  offices  in  the 
lodge.  Mrs.  Myers  is  a  member  of  the  Re- 
becca Lodge  at  Clinton.  In  politics  Mr. 
Myers  casts  his  sulFrage  with  the  Democratic 
pai-ty. 


l^EZEKIAH  CASEBEEPv,  a  prominent 
lUil  ^i*-'^^'^  °^  Helt  Township,  residing  on 
"iS'd  section  9,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in 
Coshocton  County,  December  80,  1844.  His 
father,  David  Casebeer,  came  to  A^ermillion 
County  in  1850,  and  in  1854  settled  with  his 
family  in  Helt  Towashiji,  and  here  our  sub- 
ject was  reared  to  manhood.  He  was  early- 
inured  to  hard  work,  beginning  when  a  mere 
lad  to  assist  in  the  work  of  the  farm,  re- 
ceiving but  limited  educational  advantages. 
He  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  in 
Company  C,  Eighteenth  Indiana  Infantry, 
and  was  in  the  service  of  his  country  over 
four  j'ears.  He  participated  in  a  number  of 
imjjortant  engagements,  including  the  battles 
of  Pea  Ridge,  Grand  Gulf,  Port  Gibson,  Ray- 
mond, Champion  Hill,  Black  River  Bridge, 


siege  of  Yicksburg,  Jackson,  Winchester, 
Cedar  Creek  and  Fisher's  Hill.  He  was 
united  in  marriage,  July  5,  1869,  to  Miss 
l£annali  Mitchell,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Mitchell,  deceased.  Of  the  five  children 
liorn  to  them  only  two  survive,  named  Luke 
and  Mamie.  One  daughter,  Eiiie,  died  in 
jjer  fourteenth  year.  Mr.  Casebeer  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade  when  a  young  man,  an 
occupation  he  has  followed  for  twenty  years. 
During  the  past  ten  years  he  has  operated  a 
saw-mill  and  threshing  machine,  meeting 
with  good  success.  He  held  the  office  of 
ronstable  three  or  four  years.  He  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  coroner,  but  declined 
to  serve.  He  is  now  holding  the  office  of 
justice  of  the  peace,  serving  with  credit  to 
himself  and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents. 
He  is  a  ihember  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
liepublic. 


i-5»-l^» 


fOIlN  HOOBLER  was  a  Unitarian 
preacher,  a  man  of  limited  education; 
still  he  was  upright  and  honest  in  all 
things,  and  represented  his  county  both  in 
the  Senate  and  Legislature. 


^^rOGE  A.  HILL,  of  TerrysviUe,  was  a 
[  (  anadian  by  birth.  He  accumulated 
'7i  euiisidcrablu  in  land  and  money.  He 
was  a  man  of  many  excentricities  of  charac- 
ter, and  while  not  generally  liked  by  his 
neighbors,  was  highly  respected.  He  repre- 
sented his  county  in  the  Legislature,  and  was 
familiarly  known  as  "Judge"  by  having  been 
associate  judge  when  it  required  three  men 
to  fill  the  judge's  bench.  He  married  Miss 
Mary  Groenendyke,  of  Eugene,  whose  family 
was  one  of  the  old  pioneers,  and  to-day  well 


and  favorably  known  among  the  representa- 
tive families  of  the  cwmty.  Mrs.  Hill  died 
early,  leaving  a  daughter,  Ellen,  who  was  the 
pet  of  the  CoUett  and  Groenendyke  families 
during  her  childhood.  She  married  P.  C. 
Eoimceville,  of  Camden,  Arkansas,  and  during 
the  stormy  times  of  war  was  in  the  rebel  re- 
gion. She  and  husband  are  buried  at  Eu- 
gene. Their  two  sons,  living  in  La  Fayette, 
Lidiana,  are  the  heirs  of  the  Hill  farm. 
Judge  Hill  is  buried  in  the  Groenendyke 
burying  ground  in  Eugene. 


Jps^ENPtY  C.  EATON,  M.  D.,  who  has 
^M\j  been  a  resident  of  Vermillion  County 
"^i  since  the  fall  of  1851,  was  born  in 
Lawrence  County,  Illinois,  July  1,  1829,  a 
son  of  Alvin  Eaton,  who  was  a  native  of 
Canandaigua  County,  New  York.  His  mother 
was  also  a  native  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  had  a  family  of 
six  children  of  whom  only  two  are  living, 
Henry  C,  and  his  twin  brother,  Charles  G., 
who  is  a  resident  of  Helt  Township,  Vermill- 
ion County.  The  boys  were  left  orj-dians  at 
an  early  age,  when  they  were  bouud  out  to 
different  parties,  our  subject  going  to  live 
with  a  man  named  Samuel  Harris.  Mr. 
Harris  removed  to  Eockville,  Indiana,  in 
1836,  and  there  our  subject  was  reared  receiv- 
ing his  education  in  the  schools  of  that  town, 
and  working  the  farm  of  Mr.  Harris  from  the 
time  he  was  old  enough  until  his  fifteenth 
year.  He  was  married  September  13,  1858, 
to  Miss  Almeda  Jenks,  her  father,  John  Junks, 
being  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Vermillion 
County.  Of  the  six  children  born  to  this 
union  four  are  yet  living— "Wilbur  F.,  of 
Helt  Township,  married  Mrs.  Alma  (Patrick) 
Wishard,  and  has  three  children— Mary  E.. 
wife  of  Harvey  Thomas  of  Helt  Township, 


HISTORY    OP     VERMILLION    COUNTY. 


has  one  child;  Orissa  O.  and  Edwiu  S.  The 
doctor  received  his  medical  education  at  tlie 
Miami  Medical  College  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
He  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  1868  in 
Edgar  County,  Illinois,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1869  came  to  Toronto,  Vermillion  County, 
where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  his  chosen 
profession,  and  being  well  skilled  in  that 
pursuit,  has  gained  a  large  and  successful 
practice,  and  has  secured  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  the  entire  community.  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Eaton  and  their  two  daughters  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


=ACOB  II.  BERTOLET,  dealer  in  hard- 
wood lumber  and  railroad  ties,  is  one  of 
the  prominent  business  men  of  Cayuga. 


fAMES  II.  BURNSIDE,  one  of  the  re- 
spected men  of  Vermillion  County,  and 
an  active  and  enterprising  citizen,  is  a 
native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Putnam  County, 
i'ebruary  25, 1837.  His  father,  James  Burn- 
side,  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  one  of 
the  early  pioneers  of  Putnam  County,  where 
he  entered  land  from  the  Government  in  the 
early  history  of  tlie  county.  He  being  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  reared  to  the  same  pursuit,  and  in 
his  youth  he  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation. He  has  always  followed  farming,  and 
in  connection  with  his  agricultural  pursuits 
he  has  for  the  past  fourteen  years  operated  a 
threshing  machine,  and  now  owns  his  third 
Massillon  thresher,  and  the  Birdsali  Ti-action 
Engine,  and  can  thresh  1,000  bnshels  of 
wheat  or  1,500  bushels  of  oats  in  a  day.  In 
1862  he  ca!ue  to  Vermillion  County,  settling 
the  same  year  in  Helt  Township.     In  1867 


he  went  to  Edgar  County,  Illinois,  remaining 
there  until  1876,  since  which  he  has  made 
his  home  in  Ilelt  Township,  Vermillion 
County,  where  he  owns  a  tract  of  twenty 
acres.  He  is  a  worthy  member  the  United 
Brethren  church. 


fAMES  A.  POLAND  was  born  in  Greene 
County,  Ohio,  near  Xenia,  in  September, 
1823.  He  lived  with  his  parents  on  the 
farm  until  1836.  When  he  was  in  his  thir- 
teenth year  he  removed  to  LaFayette,  Indi- 
ana, where  he  was  engaged  in  merchandizing 
with  his  uncle,  clerking  for  him  until  1848. 
In  1847  he  married  Miss  Catherine  A.  Braw- 
ley,  and  before  removing  from  LaFayette  in 
1848,  they  had  one  son,  AYilliam  B., 
born  to  them.  In  that  year  (1848)  the  family 
removed  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  set- 
tling in  Perrysville,  in  Highland  Township, 
where  he  immediately  engaged  in  merchan- 
dizing for  himself,  bringing  his  stock  of 
goods  with  him.  He  remained  there  until 
1860,  when  he  was  elected  county  treasurer, 
and  moved  with  his  family  to  Newport,  and 
entered  upon  his  official  duties;  was  re- 
elected in  1862,  and  at  the  expiration  of  his 
second  term,  he  with  his  family,  returned  to 
Perrysville,  Highland  Township,  when  he 
commenced  clerking  for  John  M.  Dunla]i, 
taking  charge  of  the  business.  In  1870  he 
was  again  elected  treasurer  of  the  county, 
and  removed  to  the  county  seat,  serving  that 
term,  and  was  re-elected  to  fill  the  same  office 
in  1872,  and  having  served  the  two  years,  he 
in  1872  retired  from  politics,  and  with 
his  family  lived  in  Newport  until  1887,  when 
they  removed  to  Danville,  Illinois,  where  he 
is  at  present  engaged  in  the  buying  of  stock 
and  produce.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foland  have  had 
born  to  them  two  children,  one  son  and  one 


daughter.  The  lattei-  was  born  in  Perrysville 
in  1851.  In  1872  she  was  married  to  James 
L.  Ford,  and  tiiey  have  one  chikl,  Kate  F. 
Mr.  Foland  was  an  old-line  Whig,  but  upon 
the  organization  of  the  Eepublican  party  he 
allied  himself  to  that  party,  and  has  been  one 
of  the  most  prominent  workers  in  the  county. 
He  cast  his  first  vote  for  Zachary  Taylor. 
Mrs.  Foland's  religious  views  are  in  favor  of 
Methodism,  while  he  was  brought  up  in  the 
old  Presbyterian  faith,  and  still  adheres  to 
that  belief. 


fOIIN  S.  HOUCHIN,  a  progressive  and 
enterprising  citizen  of  Vermillion  Coun- 
ty, Indiana,  residing  on  section  15,  Ilelt 
Township,  dates  his  birth  in  Vermillion 
County,  Illinois,  September  18,  1848,  and  is 
a  son  of  Jesse  Houchin,  who  is  yet  a  resident 
of  this  county.  John  S.  was  brought  by  his 
parents  to  Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  in 
1850,  where  he  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and 
educated  in  the  common  schools.  He  has 
been  a  resident  of  this  county  since  the  year 
1850,  with  the  exception  of  the  time  spent  in 
Parke  County,  Indiana,  during  the  years 
1871-'72.  He  was  married  September  22, 
1868,  to  Miss  Eudora  A.  Johnson,  who  was 
born  in  Greene  County,  New  York,  Septem- 
ber 10,  1818,  a  daughter  of  Jolm  D.  John- 
son, deceased.  Mr.  Houchin  has  followed 
saw-milling  or  the  lumber  trade  the  greater 
part  of  his  life,  and  has  owned  and  operated 
a  saw-mill  eleven  years.  He  and  his  brother, 
Bruce  Houchin,  own  and  operate  the  Belle- 
ville thresher,  which  is  propelled  by  the  Gar, 
Scott  &  Co.  Traction  Engine,  and  can  thresh 
2,500  bushels  of  oats  or  1,500  bushels  of  wheat 
in  a  day.  Our  subject  also  devotes  considerable 
attention  to  general  farming  and  stock-raising, 
and  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  139  acres 


where  he  resides.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
building  committee  on  the  Springhill 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  which  was  built 
between  the  years  1879  and  1881.  He  is  a 
public-spirited  man,  and  takes  an  active  inter- 
est in  any  enterprise  which  tends  toward  the 
advancement  of  his  township  or  county. 


fEOEGE  W.  SAXTOX,  an  enterprising 
citizen  of  Helt  Township,  residing  on 
section  32,  was  born  in  Helt  Township, 
Vermillion  County,  Indiana,  May  11,  1838, 
a  son  of  Benjamin  Saxton,  a  native  of  Ohio, 
who  settled  here  when  the  surrounding  coun- 
try was  in  a  state  of  nature,  living  in  the 
county  until  his  death.  Our  subject  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, which  he  has  always  followed,  and  in 
bis  youth  he  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  his  neighborhood. 
He  served,  three  years  in  the  late  war,  a 
member  of  Company  A,  Thirty-first  Indiana 
Infantry,  enlisting  as  a  private,  and  was  dis- 
charged with  the  rank  of  Sergeant.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Fort  Donelson, 
Shiloh,  Stone  River,  Chickamauga,  liesaca 
and  Atlanta.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
May  6,  1865,  to  Miss  Sarali  E.  Wait,  a 
daughter  of  William  H.  Wait,  wlio  is  de- 
ceased. To  them  have  been  born  nine  chil- 
dren as  follows;  Addie  (deceased),  Cora  B., 
Ruric  O.,  Otis,  Victor  O.,  Oliver,  Mary  L., 
Georgia  E.  and  Benjamin.  Mr.  Saxton's 
farm  contains  146  acres  of  choice  land,  and 
he  is  classed  among  the  successful  farmers 
and  stock-raisers  of  his  township.  Since  1878 
he  has  been  engaged  in  threshing,  his  ma- 
chine being  the  X'ichols'  Shepard  make  of 
Battle  Creek,  Michigan.  His  engine  is  of 
the  same  manufacture,  and  is  a  traction  of 
ten  horse  power,  capacity  being  1,500  bush- 


HISTOltY    OF     VERMILLION    COVNTT. 


els  of  wheat,  or  2,000  bushels  of  oats  per 
day.  Mr.  Saxton  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  and  also  belongs  to  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Eepublic. 


i^Mf.. 


l^jOBERT  D.  MOFFATT,  retired  mer- 
Wml  chant,  Perrysville,  was  born  in  [New 
"=!.*  Jersey,  in  1812,  and  came  to  Perrysville 
in  1836,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  place,  being  one  of  the  leading 
merchant  until  1874.  His  family  consists  of 
a  wife  and  four  children,  and  it  is  a  note- 
worthy fact  that  death  has  not  visited  his 
family  since  his  marriage.  One  of  his  daugh- 
ters is  the  wife  of  Judge  and  Professor  B.  E. 
Rhoads,  formerly  of  Newport  and  now  of 
Terre  Haute;  another  daughter  is  the  wife  of 
M.  G.  Rhoads,  of  Newport,  and  a  third  is  the 
wife  of  John  F.  Compton,  a  business  man  of 
Perrysville.  Mr.  Moffatt's  son.  Ward  E.,  is 
a  druggist  in  Terre  Haute.  Mr.  MofFatt  has 
been  a  public-spirited  citizen  here,  taking  an 
active  interest  in  the  material  prosperity  of 
the  community.  In  his  political  principles 
he  was  first  a  AVhig,  then  Republican,  but  for 
the  last  fifteen  years  he  may  be  considered 
independent. 

fLI  BRINDLEY,  farmer  and  stoek- 
raiser,  resides  on  section  9,  Yermilliou 
Township,  where  he  owns  240  aci-es  of 
land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He 
is  a  practical  farmer  and  an  enterprising  pub- 
lec-spirited  citizen  of  the  county,  where  he 
has  spent  his  life.  He  was  born  in  Yermill- 
iou Township,  January  20,  1838,  a  son  of 
George  and  Sallie  (Blunk)  Brindley,  natives 
of  Kentucky,  of  German  descent,  and  early 
settlers  of  Veraiillion  County.    Eli  Brindley 


was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  early 
learned  lessons  of  thrift  and  sobriety  that 
have  resulted  in  prosperity  and  have  made 
him  one  of  the  representative  men  of  his 
township.  He  was  married  in  1862  to  Lu- 
cinda  Nichols,  who  was  born  in  Vermillion 
County  in  1838.  a  daughter  of  William  and 
Rlioda  (Martin)  Nichols.  They  have  had 
five  children,  but  two  of  whom  are  living — 
Louvicia,  wife  of  D.  Barker,  and  Loretta, 
wife  of  E.  Axton.  Mr.  Brindley  in  politics 
casts  his  suffrage  with  the  Democratic  party. 
He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  United 
Brethren  church. 


w 


ILLIAM  C.  BOG  ART  is  a  native  of 
million  County,  Indiana,  born  in 
_?Tj  \"ermillion  Township,  September  6, 
1841.  His  father,  Julius  Bogart,  was  born 
in  Carter  County,  East  Tennessee,  June  16, 
1811,  a  son  of  Henry  Bogart,  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  who 
brought  his  family  to  Vermillion  County  and 
settled  in  Helt  Township  in  1829.  The 
father  of  our  subject  is  still  a  resident  of  the 
county,  living  at  Quaker  Point,  iu  Vermillion 
Township.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  Lu- 
cinda  Bogart,  was  a  daughter  of  Isaac  Car- 
mack.  She  died  in  1872.  Of  the  eight 
children  born  to  the  parents  of  our  subject 
only  four  are  living — Isaac,  Mrs.  Amanda 
Lemons,  Henry  and  William  C.  One  daugh- 
ter, Mary,  died  after  her  marriage,  leaving  at 
her  death  three  children.  The  Bogart  family 
were  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  county, 
and  have  been  identified  with  its  history 
from  its  earliest  years.  William  C.  Bogart, 
whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  passed  his 
youth  in  assisting  with  the  work  of  his  fath- 
er's farm,  and  attending  the  schools  of  his 
neighborhood.     He  is  one  of  the  prosperous 


agricultiirirtts  of  Yeriiiillion  Counh-,  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock-raising  on  section  16, 
Helt  Townsliip,  being  tlie  nwncr  of  543  acres 
of  line  land.  He  was  unitf<I  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Sarah  Shaw,  a  daughter  of  Cliarles 
Shaw,  who  is  deceased.  Three  of  the  fonr 
children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bogart  are 
living,  named  as  follows:  Charles,  Isaac  and 
Maude.  Both  Mr.  Bogart  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  United  Brethren  cluirch,  and 
among  the  respected  citizens  of  Plelt  Town- 
ship. 


J|g||ILLIAM  JONES,  one  of  the  self-made 
Wfflif  'lien  of  Vermillion  County,  engaged 
1-^i^)  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  on 
section  5,  Vermillion  Township,  is  a  native 
of  Indiana,  born  in  Union  County,  in  1819. 
His  parents,  Aaron  and  Pheba  (\Yatkin) 
Jones,  were  natives  of  Kew  Jersey,  and  in 
1828  came  with  their  family  to  Vermillion 
County,  and  here  made  their  home  until 
death.  Here  the  father  made  a  good  home 
for  his  family,  out  of  the  forest,  the  country 
at  the  time  of  their  settlement  being  in  a 
state  of  nature.  He  experienced  many  of  the 
liardships  and  privations  of  pioneer  life,  but 
lived  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  years  of  toil. 
He  was  one  of  the  honored  pioneers  who 
was  prominently  identified  with  the  early 
history  of  the  county,  and  was  well  and  favor- 
ably known  throughout  the  county.  William 
Jones,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared 
amid  the  wild  surroundings  of  pioneer  life,  and 
was  early  in  life  inured  to  hard  work,  assisting 
his  father  clear  and  improve  their  frontier 
farm,  but  the  lessons  of  persevering  industry 
learned  in  his  youth  have  been  of  lasting 
benefit  to  him.  He  has  always  followed  the 
vocation  of  a  farmer,  and  by  his  own  unaided 
effort  he  has  gained  a  competence  for  his  de- 
clining years.      He   is   now  the   owner   of  a 


:  line  farm   of  160  acres,  the  greater  part  of 
which   is   well    improved  and   under  a  high 
j  state   of  cultivation.     Mr.    Jones    has    been 
three  times  married,  his  first  marriage  taking 
I  place  in  Knoxville,   Illinois,    in   1840,  with 
I  Miss  Sarah  AVatkin,  who  left  at  her  death 
I  four  children,  named,  Matilda,   Pheba,  Philo 
!  and  Milo.     Matilda  married  Joseph  Maxwell, 
,  who  died  leaving  a  family  of  three  children 
I  named — Sarah  E.,  Catherine  B.  and  ilalinda 
F.     Pheba  first  married  John  Ilichards,  who 
died  leaving  her  with   two  children  named 
Frank  and  Flora.     She    is  now  the  wife  of 
;  Frank  Dicken.     Philo  Jones  married  Hannah 
I  J.  Coursin,  and  they  have  two  children — Will- 
I  iain     and    Thomas.       Milo    Jones    married 
Jennie  Faught  and  they  have  two  children — 
I  Sheila  and  Daisy.     For  his  second  wife  Mr. 
'■  William   Jones  married   Catherine  Coursin, 
and  to  this  union  three  children  were  born — 
I  Ellen  married  Joseph  Fortuer  and  they  have 
four  children,  named,  Eubie,  Gertie,  Effie  and 
I  Garnett.    Alexander,  the  second  child,  married 
Bell   Nichols,  and  their  children  are — Wil- 
son,    Ora    and     Orda;     and    Vorhees,    the 
i  youngest  child,  is  still  unmarried.     William 
Jones -married  for  his  third  wife  Miss  Mahala 
I  Myers.     In  politics  Mr.  Jones  is  a  Democrat. 
{  He  has  served  as  supervisor,  which  office  he 
filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire 
satisfaction   of  his   constituents.     Postofhce, 
!  Newport,  Indiana. 


tllABVEY  KEPtNS,  engaged  in  farm- 
ing (in  section  4,  Helt  Township,  Ver- 
®  million  County,  was  born  on  the  old 
homestead,  which  he  now  occupies,  the  date 
of  his  birth  l>eing  June  27, 1854.  His  father, 
William  Kerns,  who  is  now  deceased,  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  county,  and  a 
much  respected  citizen.     He  was  a  farmer  by 


ject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  to  the  same 
pursnit,  which  he  has  followed  the  greater 
part  of  his  life.  He  received  good  educa- 
tional advantages  in  his  youth,  attending  the 
Bloomingdale  Academy,  and  the  seminary  at 
Sullivan,  Indiana.  After  completing  his 
education  he  taught  school  for  two  years,  and 
was  considered  a  very  successful  teacher.  He 
has  since  devoted  his  attention  to  general 
farming,  and  owns  a  tract  of  tliirty  acres 
where  he  resides,  his  land  being  well  im- 
proved and  very  productive.  Mr.  Kerns  was 
married  September  15,  1878,  to  Miss  Catlier- 
ine  S.  Shane,  a  daughter  of  James  Shane,  of 
Effingham  County,  Illinois.  Two  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union,  named  Law- 
rence J.  and  Edgar  O.,  of  whom  the  former 
is  deceased.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
among  the  respected  citizens  of  the  county. 


EWIS  H.  KEED,  druggist,  St.  Bernice, 
p  Indiana,  was  born  in  Ilelt  Township, 
'  December  20,  1849,  a  son  of  John  W. 


Reed,  a  native  of  Stokes  County,  Nortli 
Carolina,  born  August  3,  1822.  His  grand- 
ftither,  Jacob  Reed,  who  was  also  a  native  of 
Stokes  County,  came  with  his  family  to  In- 
diana in  1831  and  settled  in  Vermillion 
County.  Lewis  II.  Reed  was  reared  in  Ilelt 
Township,  on  a  farm.  He  was  given  good 
educational  advantages  and  after  leaving 
school,  taught  eight  years.  In  March,  1879, 
he  moved  to  St.  Bernice,  and  engaged  in  the 
drug  business,  which  he  has  since  followed. 
His  stock  is  valued  at  81,500  and  consists  of 
a  full  line  of  drugs,  medicines,  groceries, 
stationery  and  notions.  He  does  an  annual 
business  of  $5,000,  which  is  constantly  in- 
creasing. Lie  had  charge  of  the  postoffice 
live  years,  but  on  the  change  in  the  adminis- 
tration resigned  his  position.  In  politics  he 
is  an  ardent  Republican.  lie  now  holds  a 
commission  as  a  notary  public.  He  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  He  was  married  July  11,  1880, 
to  Isabel  Beneticl,  a  native  of  Edgar  County, 
Illinois,  daughter  of  Robert  Benefiel,  who 
was  killed  by  a  hose  striking  him  on  the 
head;  he  died  in  1888. 


ii