DAVID ALLEN was born June 6,
1840, on the old homestead where his brother, Smith Allen, now resides, and
not more than one-half mile
from his present home. His father, Stephen Allen, was born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, February
14, 1799, and when a young
boy moved to Butler County, Ohio, with his parents, where he grew to manhood and was married, and
where his two elder children
were born. He removed to this county and settled upon the farm where his son, Smith B., now
lives. He died September 4,
1878, and .is buried in Jefferson Cemetery. The mother of David was born in Butler County, in May,
1804, where she was reared
and educated. She died February 13, 1876, and is buried beside her husband. David finished his
education at Thorntown Academy,
attending
then ten months. He then went to work upon his father's farm, which was divided
before the father's death.
November 21, 1871, he was married to Eliza M. Clark, daughter of John M. and Sarah (Gilkerson)
Clark, the former born in
North Carolina, January 7, 1809, and the latter in Virginia. Mrs. Allen was born April 27, 1845, in
this county. Her father was a
physician, and also a farmer. He brought his family to this county at an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Allen
have one child — Russel Clark,
born November 16, 1873. Mrs. Allen is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Allen is a
Republican in politics, and
independent in religion. His land is thus described: Section 14, east half of southeast quarter, and
south half of east half of northeast
quarter,
and on section 13 has thirty-two acres in west half of southwest quarter. In Perry
Township he has a one-half interest
in
ninety-seven acres. MOSES R. ALLEN was born in
Washington Township, on the farm where he now lives, September 10, 1838, a
son of John and Cynthi (Rush)
Allen. His father was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1805, the seventh son in a family
of twelve children. When he
was seven years of age, in 1812, his parents moved to Butler County, Ohio. The father
being in limited circumstances the
sons
were early obliged to seek employment, and he for some time was engaged in rafting
logs and lumber to New Orleans,
and
also in taking corn and bacon on flat-boats, down the river. He was successful in this
enterprise until the last trip he made. The boat had been tied up for the
night when a tree fell across
it, and the entire contents were sunk in the river, and he lost all he had hitherto made, and was
obliged to walk back to his home.
In
1828 he located in Clinton County, Indiana, where he had a brother, and entered a tract of
land. He worked for the settlers until 1833, when he bought the farm on
which he lived and reared his
family, making it his home until September 28, 1876. He was married in Butler County, Ohio, to
Cynthia Rush, who was born in
November, 1813, a daughter of Moses and Rachel Rush, who came from New Jersey, and are
probably of Welsh descent. The
parents
of our subject lived for thirteen years in their old log cabin, and then his father built a
frame house near the spot
where the new brick house stands. He at that time hauled goods from Cincinnati for a merchant in
Jefferson named Southard. Once,
when
making a trip to Chicago during high water, he came to the Tippecanoe River. The water
was very high and he was
afraid to cross with his horses and wagon, so he unharnessed one horse, mounted it and started across
the river. The current was so
swift that it carried the horse down the stream, throwing him against a rick and unseating his
rider. With almost superhuman effort
he
saved the horse. They then moved up to another ford, where they crossed. The Aliens are
of English ancestry, and are
related to Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary fame. Mr. Allen, the subject of this sketch, was married
September 20, 1860, to Margaret J. Pence, daughter of Michael 0. and
Susanna (Stafford) Pence, and
she was born October 30, 1840. Her father was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, August 17, 1817.
When eighteen years of age he
went to Clarke County, Ohio, where he had a brother living, and where he was married December
12, 1839. He came to this
county in 1858, and settled upon a farm in Washington Township, which he still owns. He lives in Delaware,
Indiana, with his nieces. His
wife died January 25, 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have had six children — John P., born
November 3, 1862; Joseph E.,
born August 4, 1866; Howard Ethan, born July 16, 1870; Thomas W., born July 29, 1876; William
Edmond, born August 14, 1861,
died June 28, 1880; George W., born February 2, 1875, died January 17, 1877. Mrs. Allen had only
one sister, Catherine, who
was born August 13, 1842, and died March 25, 1879. She married William Breckbill, who died April
13, 1876. Moses enlisted August
29,
1862, in Company I, One Hundredth Indiana Infantry, First Division, Fifteenth Army
Corps. He was with his command
during
a part of the siege of Vicksburg, the battle of Jackson, Mississippi, and then via Memphis
to Chattanooga and Mission
Ridge, and the Atlanta and Savannah campaigns, and thence through the Carolinas, and was
present at the surrender of Johnston
to
Sherman. His corps then went to Washington and participated in the grand review by the
President and his cabinet, of
200,000 troops, comprising the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Tennessee. He received two
slight wounds, but was not
disabled for duty. He was in musket range and under fire, including general engagements and
skirmishes and when on picket-duty,
between
sixty and seventy times. After his discharge Mr. Allen returned to his old homestead.
He is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal
church, and in politics affiliates with the Republican party. ABNER BAKER, farmer, section
12, was born in Wayne Township, Butler County, Ohio, April 14, 1808. His
father, Thomas Baker, was
born October 18, 1763; his mother, Lydia (Hand) Baker, was born December 23, 1761, and they were
married January 6, 1784. They
had ten children, four girls and six boys, viz. — Sarah, William, Rachel, Stephen, Thomas, Anna, James,
John, Lucy and Abner. The.
last two named are all that survive. Lucy resides in Butler County, Ohio, near the place of her birth.
The parents were married near
Trenton, New Jersey, and when Washington fought the battle of Trenton the cannon was
distinctly heard by Mrs. Baker. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Baker
removed to Redstone, Pennsylvania,
where
they lived two or three years, then started for Butler County, Ohio, on the
Big Miami River; but hearing
of serious trouble with the Indians, they stopped one year on the Hockhocking River below Wheeling,
then spent a year in Cincinnati.
In
the year 1800 they removed to Monroe, Butler County, Ohio. After that, and to the
present time, it has been called
Baker's
Hill. The mother died in Preble County, Ohio, January 6, 1843, the father having died a
few months previous, in the
same county. The Bakers were originally from England. There were two brothers, Thomas and a
younger one, who came to America
and
settled on Long Island, and afterward removed to New Jersey. Thomas was a family name. The
great-grandfather's name was
Thomas, and several of his descendants. Abner Baker has in his possession a letter written by
his great-uncle, Nathan Baker,
to
his great-grandfather, Thomas Baker, who died of smallpox in Mew Jersey, aged sixty-six years. The
letter was written in 1736.
Abner Baker, the subject of this sketch, passed his early life upon his father's farm. When thirteen
years of age he met with an
accident that materially changed his life-work. While seeking shelter from a storm he made an
unfortunate jump which so
crippled him that he did not recover for several years, and for one year could not talk. At the age of
sixteen he commenced clerking
for one Daniel Holloway, at Richmond. He remained with him one year, then entered the employ
of Jonathan Martin, at
Middletown, Ohio, with whom he remained a year, and so faithfully did he perform his duties that when Mr.
Martin learned that Abner
wished to embark in the mercantile business on his own account he offered to purchase his goods for him,
advance the money without
security or interest, and wait six months for his pay. This promise was faithfully carried out, and in
March, 1828, Abner loaded two
wagons with merchandise and started for La Fayette, Indiana, accompanied by two brothers,
James and John, and a brother-in-law,
John
Cornwhait, the brothers driving a four-horse team, and Mr. Cornwhait a three-horse
team. After two days' drive
the goods were loaded upon a boat, and the brothers and brother-in-law returned home. Mr. Baker
pursued his way, stopping to
trade at every Indian village. At night they would tie up the boat and sleep upon the banks of the
river. One night Mr. Baker
and Captain Wright made their bed together of coverlids that Mr. Baker had carried from home. Mr.
B. arose at daylight, and
turning around espied a large timber rattlesnake lying between Captain Wright and the spot from which he
had just arisen. He shouted
to the Captain, informing him of his dangerous bedfellow, whereupon the Captain gave a sudden bound,
and thus escaped from his
deadly foe. Mr. Baker killed the reptile and preserved the ten rattles for several
years. It was Mr. Baker's plan
to
go directly to La Fayette, having visited that point the year previous; but when he reached Logansport
he was persuaded by General
Tipton to unload his goods at that point and open his store. He was the first person that sold goods
there. General Tipton and his
interpreter were the only settlers. After being there a few days he inquired of the
interpreter what his board-bill would be, and upon being informed that it
would be $14 per week, he
shipped his goods to LaFayette by the first boat. He rented a store from William Digby, paying $4 a
month, and boarded with Colonel
Johnson
for $1.75 per week. Here he remained during the summer. In September he was taken very
ill with fever, and as soon
as he was sufficiently recovered he returned home to recruit his health. His brother William packed up
his goods and kept them until
his return. In February, 1829, he went to Cincinnati and purchased a bill of goods, taking them
himself to La Fayette. During
his journey he camped out at night and was surrounded by wolves every night. The first summer he
was in La Fayette he
purchased 132 feet frontage on Main street, and built a one-story frame house upon it. It was the
first painted house in La
Fayette. Into this new house he put his new goods and his old. About the time he was fairly settled in
his new store, John Ross went
to see him and induced him to come to the new town of Jefferson. He at once purchased two lots of David
Kilgore for $5 each, the
choicest lots in the plat, one being a corner lot and the other adjoining. He bought a third lot of
Samuel Olinger for $25, which
was not as desirable as either of the others. He had a house built for which he paid $10, exclusive of
the door which Mr. Baker was
to furnish himself. For two or three months he had no door except a blanket which his mother had
given him before leaving home.
He
wishes to say for the Indians that he lived in this chinked, undaubed log house, 16x20, with
his blanketed door all summer
without losing any of his goods or being robbed of his money. They would not enter after dark
without being bidden to do so. They encamped within ten rods
of his store, armed with guns
many nights, but he was never insulted nor annoyed by them. Mr. Baker did a very profitable business
until General Jackson removed the
deposits.
At this time he was in debt $9,000 for goods. His creditors were considerably frightened
and came to see him; but
after examining the situation, they went back satisfied that Mr. Baker would pay his debts if not
molested. After settling up his
business
he had $1,300 left. He bought four eight-acre lots in Wabash County and nine in Kosciusco
County, a part of which he still
owns.
He then went to farming, and has since followed that vocation. He now owns between 500 and 600
acres where he resides. His two sons also reside on this farm. The
eighty acres upon which his
barn stands was the first eighty entered in Clinton County, and is described as west half of
southwest quarter of section 12.
Mr.
Baker was the first one married in this county. In August, 1830, he was married to Catherine W. Hood,
daughter of John and Nancy
Hood. She was born in Westport, Kentucky, in September, 1811. Her father purchased a farm in
Indiana, opposite Westport,
where he lived from 1810 until 1829, when he brought his family to this county, settling near
Jefferson, whore they remained until
their
death. They lie buried in Jefferson Cemetery. Mr. Baker put the first headstone and the
first monument in this cemetery
to
the memory of his wife's sister, who was the second person buried there. Mr. Baker's ancestors
came from Scotland and
settled in South Carolina before the Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have had twelve children, of whom
seven are living — Matilda died
at
the age of four weeks; Dr. Robert Fulton is living at Davenport, Iowa, and was at one time a
professor in a medical college;
Hood
S., lives in Warsaw, Indiana; Theodore died when less than two years of age; Henry Clay,
died when about two years old;
Caroline
N., wife of David Todd, who is believed to be the oldest Presbyterian minister in Kansas;
Lucy A., wife of Joseph Burroughs,
a
resident of Wabash, Indiana; Catherine, wife of John Ray, now deceased; John Q., living on a
farm near his father's; Knox,
also a farmer; Linnaeus S., living in Jefferson. Mr. Baker is a liberal Republican in politics. He
has taken the Cincinnati Gazette
fifty-four
years without intermission, and still continues to take it. He was justice of the peace for
many years, his jurisdiction extending
over
the whole county. In 1830 he ran for county clerk, and came within two votes of being
elected. He took the first
paper that was sent to this county by mail, which was the Liberty Ball and Cincinnati Gazette. He
was the first person to bring
dry-goods into the county, and he built the first house on a town lot, and when he built it Chicago was
unknown. He says that people
came from Indianapolis to Jefferson to buy their salt, and for ten years Jefferson sold more dry
goods than Indianapolis. In 18481
Mr.
Baker took 300 barrels of pork to New York, that was packed at Jefferson, and cleared $500 on
it over and above his expenses. He has heard many of the greatest orators
of his day, among them being
Henry Clay (who spoke to 50,000 people), John C. Calhoun, Tom Benton, Ben Butler and
also his father, General Houston
of
Texas, Butler of South Carolina, Jeff Davis, Tom Corwin, General Scott and Cass, and in 1825
heard Lorenzo Dow preach to a
large audience. He is in the enjoyment of good health, and although seventy-eight years old has
in the past year visited eleven
of
the United States and Canada, and is contemplating a visit to the Southern States. WILLIAM M. BRADEN, farmer,
sections 4, 9 and 10, Washington Township, was born March 26, 1837, on the
same farm that his father
entered when he came to this county. His parents were Burr and Mary D. (Jenners) Braden. His
father was born in Loudoun
County, Virginia, in 1802, spending his early life in that county. His educational advantages were
good for those days. His
father was once very wealthy. He was a ship-owner, and during the war of 1812 his vessels were
destroyed by British cruisers. He
was
a slave-holder, and before his death he liberated over 100 slaves, sending them to Liberia; the
greater part of them, however,
came
back to " Old Virginia." The father of our subject moved to La Fayette, Indiana, where he
engaged in the mercantile trade
for
several years, then came to this county in 1830, entered his land and lived on it eight
years, then moved to Jefferson. He inherited quite a large property from
his father, and when he came
to Indiana he brought several blooded horses, with carriages and wagons, and money enough to
purchase a good stock of
dry-goods. He died in 1861, leaving an estate valued at $30,000, though he had previously started each
of his sons in business. He
was formerly a Whig and latterly a Republican. The mother of our subject was born in Virginia, and
died in 1862, and is buried beside
her
husband. William M. was first married March 25, 1863, to Mattie Campbell, daughter of James C.
and Hester (McClure) Campbell.
Her
father was a native of Ohio. He was a harness- maker by trade and came to La Fayette,
Indiana, in a very early day.
He moved to Jefferson about the year 1850, and died here in 1867. Mrs. Braden was born in 1843, in La
Fayette, Indiana, and died
with consumption in 1863. She is buried in Jefferson. Mr. Braden was a second time married, in May,
1865, to Laura V. Watt Her
father was a native of England, and her mother of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Braden have three children —
Mary J., Robert, and Alva.
Mr. Braden owns 240 acres of land on section 9, eighty-four acres on section 10, and
twenty-nine acres on section 4. His early education was received in the
common district school. Later
he attended Wabash College three years. He has never Bought office
though frequently importuned to become a candidate. Politically he is a Republican.
E. P. CARTER,
farmer,
section 31, Washington Township, was born in Clinton County, Indiana, October
1, i841, a son of Richard and
Eleanor (Byers) Carter, and a grandson of Jesse Carter and Ephraim Byers, the former of English
and the latter of Irish descent.
His
paternal great-grandfather, William Carter, was an early settler of Clinton County, where he
died at the age of ninety-two
years, and his grandfather died aged eighty-eight years. His maternal grandfather died in Weston,
Missouri, of cholera, and his
grandmother, Catherine Byers, died in Clinton County. E. P. Carter was reared in his native county,
receiving a good education,
and from 1862 until 1880 (save two years) taught during the winter. He was married January 1,
1861, to Sarah A. Hutchison,
daughter of Robert M. and Elizabeth (Davis) Hutchison. She died October 24, 1865, leaving three
children — Geneva, William H.
and Julia E. December 25, 1868, Mr. Carter married Amy A. Morris, daughter of GK W. and Abia
Morris. To them have been
born eight children, five of whom are deceased, all save one dying in infancy. Allie May, a
very interesting and amiable
little girl, died aged nine years. Those living are— Jennie, Roy and Bert. Mrs. Carter died September
11, 1882. Mr. Carter is a
member of the United Brethren church. In politics he was formerly a Republican but now affiliates
with the Prohibitionists. WILLIAM J. CRULL was born in
Scioto County, Ohio, September 16,
1836.
He attended the common schools, and finished his education at the Ohio Wesleyan University, in
Delaware County. Upon leaving
school he taught five years as a stepping-stone to his business life. He first entered the mercantile
trade at Harrisonville, Ohio,
which he followed seventeen years. He then sold out his business and came to this county. February
21, 1880, he was married to
Emma D. Allen, daughter of Moses and Rachel (Crull) Allen, born September 16, 1854. [See
sketch of Moses Allen.] Mr.
Crull is a son of John H. and Sally (Squire) Crull. His father was born in Scioto County, March 7, 1807,
where he lived, and died
January 9, 1877, within a mile of his birth-place. His grandfather, Samuel Crull, came from Morgantown,
Virginia, to Scioto County,
Ohio, in 1805, and bought a large tract of land and settled his four sons about him; all died upon the
farms he gave them. He was
born in Morgantown, in 1784, where he was reared. He married Jane (Howell) Crull, who was born
in 1786, and died in 1842, in Scioto County. She and her husband are
buried in Harrisonburg
Cemetery. Samuel was in the general call of the war of 1812, and was judge of the Common Pleas
Court in Scioto County four
years. The Crulls were of German ancestry. Two brothers, Jacob and George, were sent to America and
settled in Virginia. Jacob
was
the great-grandfather of William J., and he died in Scioto County. George died in Virginia. It
is said that these two brothers
were
sent to America by people who wished to secure their property left them by their father.
His maternal grandfather's name
was
Nathaniel Squire, and he was born in Connecticut in 1783. He farmed on the Genesee River,
near Elmira, New York, and in
1819 came to Scioto County with his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Bennett. He died in
1853, and his wife died in
1856. Both died near Harrisonville. Mr. Crull's mother was born in May, 1810, near Elmira, New
York, and came with her
parents to Ohio in 1819, where she now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Crull have one son — Finton A., born
March 30, 1882. Mr. Crull is
a Republican in politics. Both were reared Methodists, but neither are members of that church at
present. Mr. Crull owns 326
acres of land in Washington and Perry townships. JOHN W. COLE, farmer, section
31, Washington Township, was born
in
La Porte County, Indiana, February 4, 1843. When he was eight years of age his mother died,
and he went to live with an
uncle, Ira Erwin, who brought him to this county two years later. His parents had four children —
William L., John M., James E.
and Andrew Jackson. William L. and Andrew J. are deceased; the latter was killed at the battle of
Chickamauga. John L. grew to
manhood in this county, and enlisted in Company H, Third Cavalry and Forty-fifth Volunteer
Regiment, under Captain Geddes
at
first, and later, Captain Uriah Young, Colonel Kline commanding a battalion of three
companies. He served as Orderly
at
brigade headquarters. He enlisted September 10, 1861, and was discharged at Camp Crook,
Georgia, September 27, 1864.
He returned to Frankfort, and has remained in this county ever since. His father, John C. Cole,
lives in La Porte, Indiana, and
is
married again. His mother, Elizabeth Cole, died when he was so young that he has very little
knowledge of her. February 29,
1872,
Mr. Cole married Ann Eliza Douglas, daughter of Thomas S. and Lucy M. (Hughes) Douglas. Her
father was born in Ohio, May
3, 1826, where he lived until he was eight years of age, when his father died, and he came to this
county with his mother and nine other children, and settled in Center
Township, then Jackson Township,
where
the family grew to maturity. His mother died in May, at the advanced age of
eighty-one years, and is buried
at
Farmer's Chapel Hill Cemetery. He married in this county in 1848, and is now living in La
Bette County, Kansas. His
wife died October 11, 1863, leaving seven children, Mrs. Cole being the eldest. He again married in
1864, and in 1881 sold his farm
in
Center Township and moved to Kansas. The children are — Ann Eliza, born in this county November
22, 1849; Margaret E.,
William D., Mary V., Lydia J., Lenora B. and Lucy M. Mr. Douglas was a remarkable hunter. Squirrels
used to be so thick around
him that he was obliged to scare them away to enable him to get sight on a turkey. One week he
killed six deer. Mr. and Mrs.
Cole have one child— William A., born July 12, 1868. Mr. Cole has served his township very
acceptably as supervisor of roads.
He
is a member of the United Brethren church, and in politics is independent. ISAAC FICKLE, farmer, section
6, Washington Township, was born
in
Perry County, Ohio, April 2, 1815, son of William and Ann (Thompson) Fickle. His father was born
in Virginia in 1784, and
moved to Perry County with his parents when ten years of age. When he had arrived at maturity he
went into the woods and made
a new farm of 320 acres. He was a man of strong constitution, and cleared his land himself. He commenced
with just money enough to
enter the land from the Government. In the spring of 1834 he sold his farm and came
immediately to Clinton County
and purchased an improved farm, and in the fall brought his family here. He at one time owned
2,600 acres of land. One- half
of
this he had entered from the Government; but before his death he divided it among his children.
His death occurred September 14,
1847,
and he was buried in old Providence Cemetery. The grandfather of Isaac was born in
Germany. His Grandfather Fickle
married
an English woman, whose name is unknown. His mother was born in County Antrim, Ireland,
in 1781. Her parents came to
America when she was eleven years old, first landing in Philadelphia. They remained in
Pennsylvania a short time, then
moved
to Perry County, Ohio. Besides the parents that came to the United States, there were
seven children, viz. — Samuel, Ann,William,
Isaac
and Hugh (twins), John, and Jane. Ann (Isaac's mother) died September 14, 1857,
and was buried beside her
husband. February 14, 1838, Isaac was married to Jane M. Miller,
daughter of Robert and Nancy (Bell) Miller, natives of South Carolina, where the daughter was
also born September 24, 1816.
Her father came to this county in February, 1829, settling in Madison Township, where he lived until
1841, then sold his property
and removed to Mercer County, Illinois, where both parents died. Mrs. Fickle died December 22, 1863,
leaving four children —
William, born August 24, 1839; Robert M., born July 8, 1841; Nancy A., born December 18, 1843,
and Sarah E., born April 18,
1846. May 22, 1873. Mr. Fickle married Sarah E. Wade, daughter of William and Mary E. (White)
Wade, who came from Pennsylvania
to
Jackson County, Ohio, thence to Kansas, where the parents died. The second wife died
January 7, 1877, leaving one
child — Mary E., born July 19, 1876. Robert M., the eldest child, was married October 1, 1867, to
Elizabeth J. Baird, daughter of
Hugh
and Agnes (Buchanan) Baird, natives of Perry County, Ohio. The father was born December 24,
1825, and the mother in 1827.
They came to this county in the fall of 1854. The mother died in Bates County, Missouri. The
father is still living. Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Fickle have two children — Clarence V., born August 29, 1875; Roy C., born September
15, 1879. Robert and his
father are both elders in the United Presbyterian church. Isaac has held the office of supervisor
and of school director. Politically
he
is a Democrat. He came to this county in 1834, his brother John and sister Nancy having come
the spring previous. Nancy
married James Hazlett.
H. R. HAMILTON
was born in Israel Township, Preble County, Ohio, September 8, 1824. When he was
fifteen years of age he came
to this county with his parents and three other children, who first settled on section 27, Madison
Township, where the parents died
several
years afterward. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years old, and December
11, 1845, he married Mary B.
Coulter, daughter of James and Mary Coulter, the former a native of Ireland, and the latter
of South Carolina. Mary B.
Coulter was born in Butler County, Ohio, February 4, 1824. To this union were born seven children,
five of whom are living — Martha
E.,
H. Audley, Jessie W., Charles C. and Barbara J. Mrs. Hamilton is also rearing a granddaughter
named Elizabeth, and a nephew
of Mr. Hamilton is a member of the family. The father of our subject, Alexander Hamilton, was
born in South Carolina, about
sixty miles from Charleston. When he was seven years old his parents moved to Henry County,
Kentucky , remaining there twelve years, then moved to Preble County, Ohio,
where his father died. His
great-grandfather, Alexander by name, came to America in 1775, on the king's bounty, promising
160 acres of land to all emigrants;
but
when he arrived here he was disappointed. He entered the Revolutionary army and served
seven years, the most of the
time under General Greene. He first landed at Charleston, South Carolina, and found himself in the
midst of royalists, who
frequently threatened his life; one man snapped a gun at him seven times, but the gun failed to fire,
and the Tory went away saying,
"
He was not to be killed with bullets." In 1808 be settled in Preble County, Ohio. The father of Mrs.
H. R. Hamilton came to
America when he was about twenty-five years old, settled and was married, and both died in Butler
County, Ohio, the father dying
in
1834, and the mother when Mary was five weeks old. Mary then lived with her grandfather,
James Brown, and two aunts,
Martha and Elizabeth. In 1837 the father with his two daughters (Martha and Elizabeth), and Mary
came to this county and
settled upon the farm now owned by Mrs. Hamilton. The first log cabin built by James Brown is
still standing, but has been clapboarded
since
his death, which occurred April 30, 1838. Martha and Elizabeth are deceased; the
former died May 25,1879, and
the latter January 10, 1881. All are buried in the Providence Cemetery. Mr. Hamilton has one of the
finest brick farm-houses in
the county. It is of the Queen Anne style, and cost $5,000. The inside is of hard wood, with oil
finish, except two rooms. The size
is
64 x 34 feet, the walls are fourteen inches, the partitions are of brick, and the roof is covered with
slate. The architect was John
Hammond, of Frankfort, and the carpentering was done by Jesse Sweet, of Mulberry. The
foundation is five feet of stone,
twenty-six
inches at the bottom and eighteen inches at the top, and was made from broken boulders
found on the farm. The house
has 110,000 brick. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton are members of the United Presbyterian church, of which
Mr. Hamilton is an elder. He
has been appointed administrator of several estates, and politically is a Republican. AMOS HEAVILON, farmer, living
on section 18, Washington Township,
is
the owner of 240 acres of well-improved land. His parents brought him to this county in
October, 1830, when he was two
years
of age. His parents were Joseph and Lydia (Stephen) Heavilon. There were twelve children,
seven of whom came with their
parents. Three had previously died and two had preceded the family to Clinton County. The names
of the children are as
follows — Deborah, born November 24, 1806, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, now living in
Valparaiso, has been twice married,
first
to Samuel Young in Ohio, who brought her to Clinton County in 1829; her husband died twelve
years later and she married
William Thatcher, whose widow she now is; Taylor, born July 17, 1808 (see sketch); Johnson, born
March 13, 1810, in Monmouth County,
New
Jersey, and died July 5, 1811, in same county; Sarah A., born November 6, 1811,
in Butler County, Ohio, died
March 5, 1874, and is buried in Jefferson Cemetery; Polly, born August 17, 1813, in Butler
County, Ohio, and is living with her brother Amos; Lydia, born
July 13, 1815, and died July 3,
1817,
in Butler County; Phebe, born in Butler County, April 5, 1817, and died November 28, 1842;
Catherine, born January 25, 1819,
and
died the following April; Elizabeth, born April 6, 1820, and died February 20, 1883, in Vermilion
County, Illinois; Hannah,
born May 11, 1822, and died September 21, 1847, in Jefferson; Jane, born December 15, 1824, now living
in Paris, the county seat of
Edgar County, Illinois; and Amos, the subject of this sketch and the youngest of
the family. Joseph, the
father of Amos, was born in Monmonth County, New Jersey, August 29, 1780, where he grew to manhood
and was married, removing soon
after
to Butler County, Ohio, supporting himself and his family by working at the carpenter's
trade, which he had learned at
the
home of his boyhood. In 1830 he moved to Clinton County with his family. He was a good workman, an
exemplary citizen, a member
of the M. E. church, and he died leaving an unsullied name. He is buried in Jefferson Cemetery.
The mother of our subject was
born in the same State and county as his father, April 1, 1785, where she was reared and married.
She died in Clinton County,
March 31, 1866, and is buried beside her husband. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a
consistent Christian, being a
member of the Methodist Episcopal church for thirty -five years. The father of Joseph Heavilon,
whose name was Thomas, was
born in England, and came to America after he had reached manhood, settling in New Jersey. His
mother, whose maiden name was
Anna Taylor, was born in New Jersey. The father of his wife, Abram Sutphen, came from Scotland with his
brother Aaron, settling in
New Jersey. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, serving from its beginning until its close. Amos
was born in Butler County,
Ohio, August 15, 1828, and was brought to this county when a babe, and this has been his home ever
since. He commenced a
farmer's life when a boy, renting land when he was ten years of age, his father assisting him. In
this way he toiled for fifteen
years,
when he purchased thirty-seven and a half acres. From this small beginning he added farm to
farm until he owned a large
tract of land. His health becoming impaired he sold all his farms except his present one, which he
has rented mostly for the
past fifteen years, devoting his time to loaning money. He built a barn in 1878 that cost $2,200. In
1882 he built an elegant frame
house
at a cost of $3.000. His life shows the possibilities that America holds out for those who will.
Starting out a humble laborer,
he
has by industry and economy massed an ample fortune. JOSEPH HEAVILON, farmer,
residing on section 12, owns ninety- nine acres on section 12, 120 acres on
section 11, and on section 7, seventy
acres,
a total of 290 acres. He was born in Wisconsin Territory, May 29, 1810, and is a son of
Taylor and Sally (Potter) Heavilon.
[See
sketch of Taylor Heavilon.] When five years of age he came to this county with his parents,
where he was reared and educated
in
the primary studies. He finished his education at Battle Ground Institute, having previously
attended two years at Antioch
College, Ohio. After completing his education he taught school during the winter and worked on the
farm in summer for about
eight years. He worked by the month, and on his father's farm. He has now as good a farm as there
is in the county. February 23,
1865,
he married Jennie P. Carter, who was born in this county January 12, 1848, and died November
19, 1873, and is buried in
Jefferson Cemetery. She left three children — Sally, born February, 1866; Jesse, born September
22,1871; Jennie, born October
22, 1873. For his second wife Mr. Heavilon married Jessie R. Carter, March 14, 1876.
She was a daughter of Richard
J. and Ellen (Byers) Carter and a sister of his first wife. [See sketch of R. J. Carter.] Mrs.
Heavilon was born in Clinton
County on the old homestead November 8, 1856, where she was reared and educated. She attended
the high school at Frankfort
but did not graduate. Mr. and Mrs. Heavilon have five children — Richard, born December 28,
1876; Mary A., born March 2,
1878; Joseph P., born December 22, 1880; Franklin C., born October 10, 1883, and Julia E.,
born October 9, 1885. Mrs.
Heavilon is a member of the Presbyterian church, and in politics Mr. Heavilon affiliates with the
Republican party. TAYLOR HEAVILON came to this
county in the fall of 1829, in company
with
his sister Deborah, and her husband, Samuel Young. In the fall of 1830 he went to Butler
County, Ohio, and brought his
parents to his new home, and they settled upon the farm now owned by his son Joseph. He first bought
five acres of David Kilgore,
and afterward bought 120 acres adjoining the five acres of the heirs of the same man. He and his
youngest brother, Amos,
entered land in partnership, and purchased 320 acres one mile and a half southeast of Jefferson,
which they owned two years,
then divided and the old farm came into Taylor's possession. The parents moved over to keep house for
Amos, who was a bachelor, and
there they both died. For further particulars in the lives of Joseph and Lydia (Sutphen)
Heavilon, parents of Taylor,
see sketch of Amos Heavilon. In 1832 Taylor went to Chicago and worked four years at the
carpenter's trade. In the fall
of
1836 he went to Milwaukee, where he worked at his trade one year. June 17, 1837, he was married to
Sally Potter, who was born in Wells, Rutland County,
Vermont. When she was eight
years of age her family moved to Little Falls, New York, where they lived two years. Sally then
went to Essex County to live
with a sister) where she remained until she was fourteen years old; then went to Crown Point with
her sister and husband, where
they lived about a year; then moved to Ferrysburgh, Ohio, for two years; thence to Milwaukee, where
Sally was married to Mr.
Heavilon. After marriage they lived in Milwaukee three years, then made a claim in Washington
County, Wisconsin. This was
before the land was in market, and when it did come into market Taylor bid off 60 acres, which was
all that came into market at
that time. On this claim he and his wife commenced keeping house. They were eleven miles from
Milwaukee, up the river on
the road to Green Bay. The first six months they were there their nearest neighbor was four
miles away, so they had no neighborhood
quarrels
or jealousies. He sold his land to a Prussian, and returned to Clinton County, settling
in Washington Township. The
first election held in the township was at Mr. Heavilon's house. At that time he was
elected county recorder, and
held the office as long as he lived there, and the election was always held at his house. It was
originally the purpose of Mr. and
Mrs.
Heavilon to settle in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, but changing their minds they returned to Washington
instead, and settled in
Jefferson Village. Here they kept a hotel, and also carried on a
general store, making plenty of money. During this time he improved his farm, and in 1859 settled
upon it, where Mrs. Heavilon
now resides. Taylor H. died December 25, 1 874. He was born July 17, 1808, in Monmouth County,
New Jersey. He left a large
estate. Mr. and Mrs. Heavilon had eleven children, five now living — Lydia, wife of Harmon Auhe;
Joseph; Charlotte, wife of
Mordecai Kyger; Abel, a lawyer and graduate of Chicago University; Franklin; Phebe A. died in
Jefferson at the age of seventeen
months;
Ellen died of consumption at the age of nine years; Sophronia, died aged four years;
Fannie died when two weeks
old; Sally died at the age of four years and two months; Willie died aged about two years. All are
buried in Jefferson Cemetery.
Taylor was a Republican, but not an office seeker. At the first election in "Washington County,
Wisconsin, Mrs. Heavilon was
elected school commissioner. At that time there was not a school in the county, nor more than
twenty-five voters. The majority
were
Democrats, yet she received all the votes. LEANDEE JACOBS, section 7,
Washington Township, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, March 12, 1807, a
son of Samuel and Mary
Jacobs. He came to Clinton County, January 4, 1830, his brother John having preceded him in 1829.
He was married December 30,
1830, to Elizabeth Ryan,who was born in Preble County, Ohio, May 22, 1813. They have had fourteen
children, nine of whom are
living — Richard K., Samuel, Reuben R., John W., Mary, Nancy E., William T., Benjamin A.
and Charles E. In politics
Mr. Jacobs is a Democrat. He is a member of the United Brethren church. ROBERT MATTIX, section 19,
Washington Township, was born in Butler County, Ohio, March 25, 1819, a son
of John and Ann (Greer)
Mattix. In October, 1832, his' parents moved to Clinton County, Indiana, and settled in Washington
Township, where the father
died in 1835, and the mother several years later, aged seventy years. Robert Mattix was but
sixteen years old when his father
died,
and he and his brothers were obliged to work hard to clear the frontier farm. He was married
May 16, 1844, to Phoebe Cornelison,
who
was born in Butler County, Ohio, January 14, 1826, a daughter of Timothy and Elizabeth
(Hunt) Cornelison. Mr. and
Mrs. Mattix have had ten children, eight of whom are living — Ann E., Timothy, Rachel J., Jesse
D., John T., Phoebe E., Alfred
and
Rilla Belle. Ephraim and an infant are deceased. GEORGE R. MATTOX, farmer,
section 36, Washington Township, was born in this township October 27,
1850, and is a son of Ira and
Rachel (Short) Mattox. His father died in this county when George was one year old, and was buried in
the Associated Cemetery. His
mother was born in Ohio and came to this county with her father, where she was married and has
since resided. She now lives
with an adopted daughter, Susanna Fogle. George remained with his mother until he reached his
majority, and attended the
district schools of his township. He then commenced farming for himself. He has had one
brother and three sisters — Alfred,
Christiana,
Rebecca (deceased). Anna (also deceased), and George. August 11, 1876, he was married to
Isabella S. Reichart, daughter
of
Charles and Mary Ann (Owen) Reichart. Her father was barn in Berks County, Pennsylvania,
and died when Isabella was
nine years old, living one year after his removal to this county. He is buried in Egypt Cemetery. Her mother
was also born in Berks
County, where she was reared and educated. Mrs. Mattox was born August 11, 1855, in Pennsylvania,
and came to this county with
her parents where she was married. Mr. and Mrs. Mattox have four children — Rosy M., born
April 17, 1876; Nora M., born
June 22, 1878; John J., born October 3, 1880, and Grace E., born February 27, 1832. Mr. Mittox has
started a carp pond on his
farm near his home on the Spring Branch. He has it partly dug out and has thirty-four carp in it. He
thinks that in two years he
will have all the fish he wants. The place is naturally adapted to carp culture. It is a clear
spring, running plenty of water
in
the dryest seasons. Mrs. Mattox is a member of the Lutheran church. Mr. Mattox affiliates
with the Democratic party. WILLIAM T. McBRIDE was born in
Butler County, Ohio, March 4,
1827, son of James and Jane (Thompson) McBride, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Butler
County. His father was born
in 1786, coming to America with his parents when very young. He died January 28, 1836. William
came to this county with his
parents when he was seven of age. After his father's death he remained with his mother,
attending school in the old log school-house, and rendering such
assistance at home as his years and time would permit. There were nine
children in his father's family
—
John, Peggy, Ann, Jane and James (twins), Andrew, William, Susanna and Thomas. All are
deceased, and five are buried
in the old Providence Cemetery. April 16, 1865, William was married to Eva Bowmaster, daughter of
Solomon and Anna (Weaver) Bowmaster. Her father was born in Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania, in 1823.
He was married in 1842, in Ashland County, Ohio, and in 1848 went to
California, where he was very successful
in
mining. He returned in 1876 and attended the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, after an
absence of twenty-eight years.
Through
his brother-in-law he lost $17,000. He is now living in Winfield, Kansas. Mrs. McBride's
mother was born in Center
County, Pennsylvania, February 8, 1815. She was first married to Samuel Rodeeker. Her death
occurred March 29, 1884. William
McBride
died June 17, 1872, and is buried in Jefferson Cemetery. He left an estate worth $35,000.
There were two children — James
S.,
born January 14, 1868, and William T., born November 24, 1872. Mr. McBride was a
Democrat and a member of the
United Presbyterian church. November 30, 1882, Mrs. McBride was again married to Henry G.
McNutt, who was born near
Dayton, Ohio, March 22, 1830. He was first married to Hannah Fernald, who was born March 14,
1834, and died July 21, 1855,
in Edgar County, Illinois. She left one child — Lawrence, born October 4, 1854. Mr. McNutt
died March 30, 1885, and is
buried in Jefferson Cemetery. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. McBride were — Mary A.,
wife of Edward Ohio; Rachel,
wife of Abram Frederick; Davolt married Eliza Shaunberger; David married, for his second
wife, Mattie Walter; Levi married
Eva
Holmes; John married Rebecca Kean; Kittie first married Captain Clarence, second husband
was Andrew Ernest, and third
husband was Judge Kramer; Fred married Rosa Culbertson. WILLIAM PETERS, JR., was born
September 25, 1803, in Lehigh County,
Pennsylvania,
a son of William and Julia A. (Kern) Peters, natives of the same county. In
1830 the father came to Indiana
and
entered land in Clinton County, and in October, 1831, William, Jr., located on this land. The
same year the father moved his
family
to the county. He died in the fifty-seventh year of his age, his widow surviving until
seventy-three years old. Our subject was married January 13, 1829, to Laura
Steinspring, who was born in
Ohio, December 11, 1814, and died November 4, 1841. Their children were — Henry S., born
November 17, 1830; Julia A.,
October 13, 1832; Adam S., April 18, 1834; Sarah C , March 25, 1836; Augustus A., November 23, 3837;
Lorinda, December 19, 1839;
Elizabeth, October 27, 1841. The latter died in infancy. Mr. Peters was married a second time, to
Elizabeth Gault, who was born
November 25, 1804, and died March 18, 1867. In politics Mr. Peters is a
Democrat. He is a member of the Reformed church.
O. M. PETTY,
farmer,
section 31, Washington Township, was born in Frankfort, this county, May 24,
1839, a son of Charles M. and
Diana D. (Pence) Petty. His father was born in Culpeper County, Virginia. He came to this county
in 1838, bringing his wife
and only son, John A., now sheriff of Clinton County. They came all the way in a covered wagon. He
settled in Frankfort and established
a
tannery in company with his father. Both had learned the trade, and always followed it.
At one time he and an employee
were
hauling lumber along the old Delphi road from Jacob Baughman's saw-mill, when the horses
were frightened at something
and became unmanageable. Mr. Petty, who was driving, was thrown out, run over and instantly
killed. He was buried at
South Cemetery, in Frankfort. He was an exemplary Christian, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and died lamented by
all who knew him. He was one of the founders of the Methodist church at Frankfort. The
mother of our subject was
born in Rockingharn County, Virginia, in 1810, and died July 2, 1881, the day that President Garfield
was shot, on the farm her husband
first
owned in Indiana. There were three sons in the family — John Abner, Charles M. and James
F. All are living in this
county, and two of them reside in Frankfort. Mr. Petty has paddled his own canoe ever since he was
twelve years old. His father's
death
left the estate in an unfortunate condition. He says he has worked many a day for 5 and 10
cents a day. He has often had
to go and buy a sack of corn, bring it home, shell it, take a hand-cart and wheel it a mile and a
half to the mill, and get it
ground to make mush with. And one these sons struggled along until they reached manhood, and have
become useful members of
society. Mr. Petty has served as coroner of Clinton County eight years, and John A. has been sheriff
two terms. Both are representative
men.
After reaching manhood Mr. ^Petty worked by the month nine years. He worked seven
years for one man, Aaron
Bunnell, then bought his present farm in 1861, lived on it five years, then rented it out and removed
to Frankfort where he engaged
in the livery business with his brother. He followed this business, in connection with keeping a
hotel, for a few months, then
sold out and commenced running a hack line from Frankfort to Colfax. This he found more profitable
than anything he had previously
engaged
in. He carried on this business alone about fifteen months when he consolidated with
his brothers, John and James
F., and Isaac Cook. The latter was at that time running a line from Frankfort to La Fayette. This
firm now run two hack lines
and three livery stables. They bought and shipped horses in addition to their other business and
continued for a year and a half
when
our subject sold out his interest, to the other partners, and went into the furniture and
undertaking business with G. W. Goodwin, H. H. Brady and N. M. Hughes as
partners. This partnership continued
five
years, then he bought out Mr. Goodwin and sold to Steele & Clark and engaged in
the grocery business for five
years, though not continuously. Be came to the farm April 8, 1884. In 1860 he married Eliza P. Gray,
daughter of John and Sarah
Douglas Gray, who was born February 23, 1841, on the farm now owned by Mr. Petty. Her
father was a native of Scotland
and
her mother of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Petty have had eight children — Sallie F., Lew
Wallace, Jennie B., Fred, Ada
and Ida (twins), Burt Ray, Mabel Snow, and Maggie A., who died at the age of sixteen months. Mr.
Petty is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal
church, and politically is a Democrat. ROBERT W. SEAGER, farmer,
sections 23 and 24, was born in Jefferson Village, September 20, 1845. He
was only sixteen years old
when he entered the army, enlisting in Company C, Tenth Indiana Infantry, September 18, 1861, and was
discharged with his regiment
September 19, 1864. He was in the Fourteenth Army Corps, General Thomas being his first
brigade commander. He participated
in
the battles of Mill Springs, Kentucky; siege of Corinth, Perryville, Mission Ridge,
Chickamauga, Resaca, Kenesaw
Mountain, Chattahoochee River, and was with Sherman from Chattanooga to Atlanta and Jonesboro, when
his regiment was relieved and
returned to Indianapolis, where it was mustered out. Mr. Seager then returned home to Jefferson
where he lived four years
with his mother, his father having died in 1861. He then went to Tippecanoe County and rented a
farm for a short time, but
finally came back to the old farm, where his brother John then lived, George having died while he was in
Tippecanoe County. He and his
brother John then divided the property, Robert taking his present farm for his share. January
22, 1869, he was married to
Margaret J. Patton, who was born in Missouri, September 6, 1846. She was brought to this county by
her parents when an infant.
Her family finally settled in Perry Township, Tippecanoe County, where she was reared,
educated and married.Her
father, David M. B. Patton, was born in Kentucky, November 25, 1814. He was brought by his parents to
Indiana at an early day. They
afterward removed to Missouri where he was reared to manhood. He studied for the ministry
and commenced preaching in
Indiana after his marriage. He is now on the Burlington Circuit, Indiana. He is a United Brethren.
Her mother, Deborah (Neal)
Patton, was reared in South Carolina, and died in 1884 in Tippecanoe County. Mr. and Mrs. Seager have
five children — George D.,
born Jane 4, 1871, in Jefferson Village; Charles W., born July 2, 1874, in Tippecanoe County; Wilbur
N., born August 7, 1876, in
Tippecanoe County; William R., born July 25, 1878, in Dayton, Indiana, and Jennie C., born
July 8, 1880, in Jefferson Village.
Mr.
Seager has seventy-four acres of land on section 24, and eighty acres on section 23. In
politics he is a Republican.
ISAAC N. SLIPHER has 220 acres
of land on section 12, Washington Township, bought of Moses Harshman, one of
the first settlers of this
county. He was born in Ross, now Madison, Township, Clinton County, November 11, 1844, son of
David and Mary (Scott) Slipher.
His
parents came from Butler County, Ohio, starting March 4, 1830, and traveling by sleigh to
Michigan City. Isaac was
reared and educated in his native town and remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age.
From the time he was twelve
years of age he had managed his father's farm. He then commenced saw-milling and running
threshing machines. He and
his father were partners in the threshing machines for twelve years. He then bought his father's
interest and operated four steam
threshers
fourteen years. He has frequently threshed 50,000 bushels per annum with one machine,
besides milling clover seed.
He and his brother-in-law, William Peters, were partners nineteen years. Isaac then purchased his
interest, and has carried on
his business alone six years. He has three saw-mills in Camden County, Missouri, on the Osage River,
where he has a market from all
points
of the world. In 1884 he bought 640 acres of timber land in Missouri, and is preparing to buy
still more. The market in dry
lumber is improving, and he is now shipping to St. Louis. His timber is burr oak, hickory and black
walnut. His lumber prospects
were never brighter, and lie expects to operate three steam threshers this year. On his farm in
this county he has forty-five
acres of oats, eighty acres of corn, 100 acres of wheat, and sixty acres of clover. His family live
in Camden County,Missouri. He
married Jennie Jones, who was born in Pennsylvania, and was brought to this county by her
parents, Daniel and Mary
Jones, when she was two years of age. Her father kept a hotel in Rossville, where Jennie was
reared. They died in this county,
leaving
a large estate, and are buried in Fair Haven Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Slipher have four children —
Elta M., married, and living
in Osage, Missouri; David J., named after his two grandparents; Daisy L. and Ollie. Mr.
Slipher's farm in this county
was first owned by David Kilgore. Mrs. Kilgore was the first white woman who lived in the county.
She helped to carry rails to
build the first fence. Mr. Slipher has two fish ponds on his farm, and intends to have several
more. He has thirty German carp
that
are large enough to breed. He 'is a member of the Reformed church, and in politics a Democrat. His
grandfather, Stephen Slipher,
voted for George Washington. JOHN SNYDER, deceased, owned
111 acres of land on section 18, and thirty acres on section 7, Washington
Township. He and his wife
came to this county December 10, 1847, traveling with a two- horse covered wagon, and settling near
where Mrs. Snyder now lives.
After her father's death Mr. Snyder bought out the heirs and then settled upon the farm. He was
born in Butler County, Ohio,
November 22, 1825. When he was four years old his parents died, and he was carried to Montgomery
County, Indiana, where he
remained three years, then was taken back to Butler County to the same farm where he was born,
then owned by his uncle,
Samuel Suyder, where he was reared and educated in the common schools. September 20, 1818, he was
married in Preble County,
Ohio, to Eleanor Vansickle, daughter of William and Rachel (Southard) Vansickle. [See sketch
of John Vansickle.] Mrs.
Snyder was born March 15, 1830. To this union have been born six children — William V., born
November 8, 1849, in Preble County;
Garrett
D., born November 3, 1851; Eliza J., born June 19, 1854, wife of Eli Marvin, of
Frankfort; Aaron H., born May 11,
1857;
David J., born July 7, 1860, and died August 25, 1863; James M., born February 7, 1865. Mrs.
Snyder's grandfather, John
Vansickle, was born in Holland. He came to America and settled in New Jersey. Her grandmother's
maiden name was Rachel Van
Fleet. Her Grand- parents Southard were Baptists, and Mrs. Snyder was reared in the same
faith. Mr. Snyder served as
township trustee six years; also served as county commissioner.He was a member of the Reformed church,
and in politics a Democrat. JOSEPH E. STAFFORD was born in
Clarke County, Ohio, February 7,
1825,
where he spent his early manhood and received his education. He was a millwright by trade, and followed
his occupation while he
remained in Ohio; but after coming to this county he abandoned his trade except to repair his
own mill. He settled in this
county in 1854, and jointly with his brother-in-law, Cyrus Fence, purchased the farm and mill of John
"W. Blair. In 1856 they
divided the property, Mr. Stafford taking the farm, and Mr. Pence the mill. When he purchased the
place there was a clearing of
thirty acres, but no house. Mr. Stafford built a house, but as it was located on the mill
property, it went with the mill. He then built another house, as fine a one
as there was in that part of
the county. He was married May 25, 1856, to Mary J. Pence, daughter of Abner C. and Anna J. (Bonnor)
Pence. Her father was born in Rockingham County,
Virginia, June 28, 1808, and when
he
was twenty-five years old he moved to Clarke County, Ohio, where he remained two years, then
came to Clinton County, Indiana,
and
settled in Killmore, where he is still living at a ripe old age. The town of Killmore is situated
on a portion of his farm. He
was a millwright by trade, and followed it in Virginia, but not extensively after coming to this
county. He had a general stock
of
dry-goods in Killmore for a short time. He resides with his son on the farm he first
purchased. Mrs Stafford's mother was born in Alabama, February 11, 1809.
She moved to Ohio when a
widow, having been married only six months when her first husband died. She married Mr. Pence
in Clarke County, Ohio, and
came with him to this county, where she died July 29, 1845. There were four children in the
Pence family — Lucinda, born
March 7, 1836, wife of Andrew Charles, and living in Jackson County, Kansas; Mary J., born July
31,1838, wife of our subject; Cyrus
B.,
born April 15, 1841, is married and living in Killmore; and Martha A., born March 21,
1844. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford
have had five children — Willis, born August 15, 1857, was married November 25, 1883, to Sarah H.
Shanabarger; George S., born
March 15, 1862, is unmarried; Joseph E., born February 4; 1864, married Emma Davidson in 1884;
Pence, born May 10, 1866; all
were born on the old homestead. Mr. Stafford died March 31, 1874, and was buried in
Jefferson Cemetery. He was a
great Republican worker, but did not seek public office. He came to
this county with about $700,and left an estate worth $15,000. The Fences are of German ancestry.
Mrs. Stafford's maternal grandmother's
name
was Christina Croburger. JOHN STARKEY, one of the
pioneers of Clinton County was born in Queen Ann County, Maryland, January 1,
1800. He came to Clinton
County in November, 1830, and entered a tract of Government land, built a log cabin and the next year
returned to Delaware, and
September 2, 1831, was married to Frances Rash, who was born in Kent County, Delaware, March
25, 1810, daughter of Daniel
and Nancy (Dobson) Rash. After his marriage he returned to Indiana, and has now a good farm, well
improved. Mr. and Mrs.
Starkey have had eleven children, seven of whom are living — Nancy R., Daniel L., Elizabeth, Frances
A., Mary W., John W. and
Amanda J. Eliza J., Rebecca, James A. and Curtis B., are deceased. Mr. Starkey has fifty-two
grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
DAVID THOMPSON, a son of Samuel
and Christiana (Harris) Thompson,
was
born July 3, 1825, in Perry County, Ohio. When he was three years of age his parents
immigrated to Clinton County,
Indiana, bringing with them a family of nine children — Jane is the wife Dr. Gamble, of Elk Grove,
Kansas; Elizabeth, widow of
Jacob Ross, lives in Los Angeles, California; Nancy, wife of Alexander McNeal, is deceased;
John lives in Sank County, Wisconsin;
Samuel
and Benjamin are deceased; David is our subject; Christiana is the wife of Alexander
Campbell; Susanna is deceased;
Mary,
the tenth and youngest child, was born in Clinton County, and died when eleven years of age.
The father, Samuel Thompson,
was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1778, and when three years of age came to America
with his parents. They lived
a few years in Pennsylvania and then moved to Perry County, Ohio, where Samuel was married in 1811, to
Christiana Harris, daughter
of Benjamin Harris, and in the fall of 1828 moved to Clinton County, Indiana, where Mr.
Thompson died, April 3, 1853, and
his
widow the 14th day of the following June. David Thompson was married September 13, 1853,
to Mary A. Bartmess a native
of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, born March 28, 1829, a daughter of Jacob and Sophia Bartmess.
Mrs. Thompson died April 14,
1855, leaving one son — Lawrence M., born October 26, 1854. Mr. Thompson was again married April
18, 1859, to Elizabeth Allen,
who was born in Clinton County, Indiana, October 19, 1831, daughter of Stephen and Mary (Ross)
Allen. They have six children— Stephen A., born February 27, 1860; Mary
A., September 19, 1861;
Samuel, July 23, 1863; Christiana, October 19, 1865; Sophia R., February 10, 1868; Olive F.,
March 6, 1870. Mr. Thompson
has been a successful agriculturist, and now owns 700 acres of land in Clinton County, and 320
acres in Vermillion County,
Indiana. THOMAS THOMPSON, farmer,
section 5, Washington Township, was born near Somerset, in Perry County, Ohio,
February 24, 1815, son of
William and Mary (McBride) Thompson. His father was born in Ireland, and remained in his native
country until he was four years
of
age, when his parents brought him to America and settled in Perry County. They were accompanied by
their parents (grand- parents
of our subject), and all died in Perry County. Thomas was married in October, 1838, to Eleanor
Baird, daughter of Alexander and
Hannah
(Huston) Baird, the former a native of America, and the latter of Ireland. Eleanor was
born in 1818, and died May
10, 1882, and is buried in Providence Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson had three children —
William, born December 24, 1840;
John
Huston, born August 23, 1850, and Martha, wife of Elias Hays, and living in Madison
Township. William was a soldier
of
the civil war, enlisting in Second Illinois Cavalry. He was discharged at Springfield, Illinois.
After he was mustered out he
sent home his gun and has never since been heard from. Huston was married March 8, 1882, to Rachel E.
Brelsford, daughter of David
and Rebecca (Lucas) Brelsford. She was born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, January 26, 1858.
Her father was born January
26, 1824, in Butler County, Ohio, near Jacksonborough. He removed with his parents to Tippecanoe
County, where he grew to
manhood. He then crossed the plains to California, being 110 days on the road, and engaged in mining
two years. He then returned via
Isthmus
of Panama, with money enough to purchase the old homestead, his parents having died
during his absence. He died
May 18, 1881. Mrs. Thompson's mother was born August 28, 1827, and died February 9, 1878. Both
are buried at Salem Cemetery, Tippecanoe
County.
Mr. and Mrs. Huston Thompson have one child — Joe, born in April, 1884. Mrs.
Thompson is a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, and he is a Greenbacker in politics. Thomas Thompson came to this
county in 1841, and purchased
160 acres of land, thirty acres of which had been cleared. A log cabin had been built by Thomas
James. It was made of hewed
logs, and was a very nice one. He built his frame house in 1861. He now
has 100 acres under cultivation. His land was first owned by John McBride, an uncle; the
second owner was Thomas James.
Mr.
Thomas has held the office of supervisor and school director several years. He is a member of
the United Presbyterian church,
and
in politics he is a Republican. JOHN VANSICKLE was born in
Butler County, Ohio, October 23, 1822, a son of William and Rachel M.
(Southard) Vansickle, natives
of New Jersey, who accompanied their parent to Ohio in their youth. His paternal grandparents
were John and Rachel ( Van
Fleets Vansickle. The family consisted of eight children — John, Aaron, Eliza, Ellen, Jane, Lot,
William and Newton. When our
subject was six years of age his parents moved to Preble County, joining Butler and Montgomery, and
he lived there until nineteen
years of age, when he went to Middletown to learn the wagon-maker's trade. He worked with
his cousins, the Vail Brothers,
two
years and subsequently worked in West Elkin and Winchester, Preble County, and in Dayton.
In 1844 he came to Indiana
with his mother and next younger brother to visit two sisters who were at Jefferson and a
brother at Greencastle. He remained
a
few weeks and then returned to Ohio and worked at his trade at Middletown until the fall of
1846, when he determined to
immigrate farther West. He had made himself a buggy and had a little mare that was hard to beat on a
travel, so he packed his
tools and clothes, put them in the buggy and started via Indianapolis and Greencastle. He stopped at the latter
place a few days, and then
proceeded to Jefferson, where he opened a shop and lived several years. He finally bought
some land on section 12, Washington
Township,
where he has lived about thirty years. He has 135 acres of good land, and although
he has had many ups and downs
has been, in the main, successful. After he had been in Clinton County about a year he
concluded to get a companion to
share
with him the vicissitudes of life, and two or three weeks later, in September, 1847, was married to
Diana Kyger, daughter of
Samuel and Eve (Oldfather) Kyger, natives of Virginia. Mrs. Vansickle was born in Warren County, Ohio,
in June, 1829, and when she
was about three years of age her parents moved to Clinton County, remaining here until a few days
after her marriage, when they
returned to Ohio, where the father died in 1849. The mother and her family again came, the same
year, to Clinton County,
where they owned a farm and a grist and saw mill, located two miles north of Jefferson. A short time
after their return the latter was totally destroyed by fire. Mr. and
Mrs. Vansickle have had
eleven children, the two youngest of whom, Alphens C. and Eva M., are deceased. The living children
are — James E., aged thirty-eight
years,
married Serada Baker; William H., aged thirty-six; years, married Belle
Montgomery; Joseph A., aged thirty-four
years,
married Hannah Sullivan; Mary E., aged thirty-two years, is the wife of diaries
Smith; Samuel T., aged thirty
years, married Bessie Watson; Charles C., Ada L., Ida M. and Fannie E. at home, aged
respectively, twenty- six,
twenty-three, twenty and eighteen years. They have nine grandchildren. Mr. Vansickle was reared in
the Old School Baptist faith,
his parents being members of that church. He has never sought official honors,
preferring the quiet of home life.
He
has always taken an especial interest in anything that pertains to the agricultural interests of
his county and has been a director
of
the fair seven or eight years, and superintendent of some department the greater part of the
time. While learning his
trade at Middletown he attended the great Tom Corwin rally, at Dayton, Ohio, in 1842, going with a
large company up the canal on
a canal-boat. In politics he was originally a Whig and is now a Republican, expecting to always cast his
suffrage with that party. He
took the enumeration of Washington Township in 1880, and there were very few in the district that
had a better report than he.
He is hale and hearty, and one day in the fall of 1886 plowed sixty-four rounds across an eighty-rod
field, besides doing other work Source: History of
Clinton County, Indiana: Chicago Published by Inter-state Pub. Co., 1886 William H. Kesterson
One of Clinton county's most substantial and highly respected farmers
is William H. Kesterson, now living retired at his picturesque home in
Jefferson township, after a long life of close work and excellent
management on the farm, his place there being one of the choice and
valuable farms of that section of the county. His residence of a score
of years, here has been such as to bring to him the good will and
esteem of his neighbors, for be has not only been industrious but
public spirited and honorable in his dealings with his fellow men. His
record in Tippecanoe county, where he lived for some time, is equally
good. Prior to that he lived in Hamilton county, where he was born on
January 7, 1846, but left there when a boy for Tippecanoe county, where
he remained until about twenty years ago. He also lived in Iowa a few
years when a boy, also in Illinois.
Mr. Kesterson is a son of Thomas and Susan (Norwood) Kesterson. The
father was a native of Tennessee, from which state he came to Hamilton
county, Indiana, when a voting man and there married. The mother of our
subject was born in Hamilton county, this state. These parents spent
their lives on a farm, and were honest, hard working people. Six
children were born to them, four of whom are still living. Thomas
Kesterson was twice married. His children were named Mary E., who is
now deceased; Spicy M., George, William H., our subject; Lousina
(deceased), and Delphina. William H. Kesterson grew to manhood on the
borne farm and he received a good common school education, mostly in
Tippecanoe county and partly in Iowa, where he lived for four years. At
Lafayette, in the fall of 1864, he enlisted as a recruit in the
Seventy-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Company E. mounted infantry,
under Captain Mahon, and although he saw considerable service he was in
no very important engagements. He was with the troops in Alabama and
Georgia, going as far as the city of Macon. Mr. Kesterson was married
on November 12, 1858, to Lillian Douglas, who was born on October 9,
1858, in Clinton county, Indiana. She is a daughter of Morland and Jane
(Craig) Douglas, both natives of Ireland, where they spent their
earlier years, emigrating to America in an early day and here became
well established through their industry. Mrs. Kesterson grew to
womanhood in Clinton county and here received a common school
education.
Seven children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Thomas,
born November 23, 1869: Van, born January 31, 1871, (deceased); Anna
J., born June 27, 1872; Frank, born December 1, 1874, Mattie, born
March 6, 1878; George S., born February 6, 1880; Herman, born March 28,
1882.
Mr. Kesterson began farming when a young man and made this his life
work. He owned a finely improved and productive place of three hnudred
(sic) and twenty-four acres, all tillable but about twenty acres, which
is in timber. It is well tiled and otherwise well improved and is one
of the best farms of Jackson township. He carried on general farming on
a large scale, and is still engaged somewhat in stock raising, formerly
specializing in shorthorn cattle, and now he makes a specialty of Red
Poll cows, Jersey hogs, Shire and Clydesdale horses. He understands
well the handling of all kinds of live stock and no small part of his
competency has been obtained in this manner. He is a member of the
Grand Army of the Republic, is a Progressive in politics, leaning to
the Republican party, however Religiously, he belongs to the Methodist
Episcopal church.
Our subject's son, George S. Kesterson, enlisted for service in the
Spanish-American war on September 18, 1899, at Frankfort in Company A,
Thirty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain William H.
Collier. He was sent to St. Louis, where the company remained until
October 20th of that year, then went by rail to San Francisco, leaving
that city in November on a transport to Philippine Islands, by way of
Honolulu, landing in the city of Manila in December, 1899. From there
the company was sent to Datangus, where it did guard duty, having a few
skirmishes and remaining there until 1900. Then they were sent to
Iloili remaining there until 1901 on guard duty, and having several
skirmishes. These troops were then ordered to San Francisco and were
mustered out on June 30, 1901, in that city. Young Kesterson's
experiences abroad were of much value to him and he talks interestingly
of them.
History of Clinton Co IN. Pages 558 - 560
Contributed by Christine Walters George Washington Kesterson
a prominent young farmer of Columbia Township, Dubois Co., Ind., was
born August 6, 1861; he is the only child of Albert and Martha E.
(Beaty) Kesterson, who were born and married in Dubois County, where
they remained until the Rebellion, when Mr. Kesterson enlisted in
Company G, Forty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry; he was killed in
battle, at Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862; the mother married John W.
Simmons, who is now deceased, and still resides in Columbia Township.
Our subject, George W., made his home with his mother and step-father,
and received a good common school education. He was married, March 9,
1881, to Miss Lucinda Nicholson, daughter of Joseph H. and Elizabeth
(Coonrad) Nicholson. To them were born three children: Charles C.,
William F. and Ida E. Mrs. Kesterson was born November 13, 1863. They
own a good farm of eighty acres, and are energetic and enterprising
young people. Mr. Kesterson is a Democrat in politics.
**From the History of Pike and Dubois Co's IN
**Goodspeed Bros & Co 1885 Colubmia Twp Contributed by Christine
Walters Stillman H. Schildt The weary tourist through the
Big Cimarron section of Montrose county, if he seek an agreeable
shelter from the weather or a hospitable and comfortable place of
repose, will find about five miles south of the village of Cimarron an
imposing dwelling at the edge of a magnificent grove of stately cotton
woods and fronted by a beautiful lawn. This is the home of
Stillman H. Schildt, a prominent man in public and social life, a
leading farmer and citizen of this section and the first settler on
this portion of the Big Cimarron. He has the most attractive
place in this part of the county and is known far and wide for his
hospitality, his public-spirit, and his enterprise in his private
business and in public improvements for the benefit of the community
which he lives. Mr. Schildt was born in 1855 at Plattsburg, New
York, the son of Henry and Mary (Schriber) Schildt, the former a native
of Prussia and the later of another part of Germany. They came to
the United States soon after their marriage and settled in northeastern
New York, where they remained until 1859, when they moved to Wisconsin,
where they mother died on December 26, 1900, at the age of eighty-one,
and where the father is still living at that of eighty-three. He
was a soldier in the Prussian army, and not long after he settled in
Wisconsin enlisted in the Sixth Wisconsin Infantry for defense of the
Union in the Civil war. His people in Prussia were offended at
his enlistment and petitioned President Lincoln for his
dismissal. The President responded to the petition by promptly
appointing him captain of Company F in his regiment. His son
Stillman was the fourth of the six children born to the
household. He moved with the rest of the family to Wisconsin when
he was four years old, and in the village of Mazomanie, that state, he
grew to the age of twenty. He then started in life for himself,
emigrating to Kansas, where he remained three years, then came to
Colorado, and freighted from Alamosa for two years. At the end of
that time he came to what was then Gunnison county and was in the
employ of Otto Meyers on the toll road for two years, after which he
took up the ranch which is now his home, acquiring the land by
pre-emption of the first one hundred and sixty acres and purchase of
the rest of the three hundred and thirty-five he owns. His land
has had careful and skillful attention, and his stock industry has been
made to thrive and prosper by the application of the best methods of
conducting it and the most commodious and comfortable provision for the
welfare of the stock. His specialty is pure-bred Durham cattle,
and he is steadily raising the standard of his herds to the highest
point. His dwelling is a large and handsome one, his grounds
display excellent taste in their arrangement and care, his improvements
on the farm generally are of a high order in character and
conveniences, and the cultivation of his land is carried on in the most
approved manner. Everything on and about the place bespeaks the
man of energy and culture of breadth and spirit, such as his genial
manner, entertaining conversation and considerate hospitality show him
to be. In 1879 he was married to Miss Lucy A. Moore, daughter of
S. R. Moore, of Kansas, who moved from Illinois to that state and
passed the rest of his life farming there. Mr. and Mrs. Schildt
have five children living, Pearl, William, Lorraine, Lucy and
Henriette. A son named Robert died at the age of nineteen years
and was buried in the cemetery at Cimarron, and a daughter named Mary,
who was killed by accident at the age of four, has the same resting
place.
(Source: Progressive Men of Western Colorado, Publ 1905. Transcribed by
Nancy Overlander)
