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LEAR

Hiram F. Lear - This prominent citizen of Wolcott, White county, Indiana, was born in Culpeper, Virginia, January 21, 1821, and is descended from illustrious ancestors. His paternal grandfather, John Lear, was of English birth, but took up arms in the defense of American liberty. He, together with John Sanders and George Washington, carried the body of General Braddock to the rear, at his death, while his comrades, the " Virginia Blues," saved the day. General Braddock's sister, living in England, sent to each of the three ten pounds sterling and a new cockade. Mr. Lear has seen the one owned by his grandfather, which is now in the Culpeper court-house in Virginia.  The maternal grandparents were of English descent and named Spicer, and through them he claims to be descended from Pocahontas. His father, Nathaniel M. Lear, was born in Fork Erie, Virginia, and lived there until 1837, when he moved to Belmont county, Ohio, and seven years later to Union township, White county, Indiana. He farmed here for two years and then moved to Parke county, where he purchased eighty acres of land near Rockville. He died on this farm in 1867, at the age of seventy- two years. He was twice married, — first to Miss Mariah Spicer, who was born in Virginia, and died at the age of twenty-five years. Mr. Lear can remember being taken to her funeral when he was twenty-two months old, so strong an impression did it make on his youthful mind. She left three children: John, who died at Monticello; Hiram, our subject; and Joseph, who resides near Bethany, Missouri. The father was married in 1825, to Mary Spicer, a sister of his first wife. She died in 1840. Twelve children were the result of this marriage, of whom we chronicle the following items : Julia is the wife of Jordon Crane, of Nebraska ; Sarah is the widow of Bart. Bunnel, of Wolcott ; Albert and Frank are dead ; Elizabeth is the wife of John Cox, of Rockville, Indiana ; Caroline is the wife of Daniel Cox, of Rockville ; William is deceased ; Mary Jane is the wife of James McClane, of Brooklyn, Indiana ; and the others died in infancy. When Hiram Lear was sixteen years old he accompanied his parents from Virginia to Belmont county, Ohio, and later to White county, Indiana. He remained at home, near Monticello, until he had attained his twenty-first birthday, when his father gave him a Spanish milled dollar and bade him make his fortune. He secured work of neighboring farmers, first of Thomas Bunnell, near Monticello, for whom he worked for ten dollars a month, later for M. Kenton, at twelve dollars a month. Then he and his brother John rented eighty acres in the vicinity of Chalmers, and followed agricultural pursuits there for several years. In 1844 he started by himself and entered his first forty acres in 1855, at Winamac. He added another forty each year until he had four hundred acres five miles from Wolcott. Afterward he bought one hundred and twenty acres, at five dollars an acre, and kept adding to this until he owned eight hundred acres. He has given to each son a farm and still retains the old home of two hundred and forty acres, besides two hundred acres near Chalmers. He has done general farming and raised large numbers of stock, having from fifty to one hundred head of cattle and two hundred sheep, but he has now retired from the stock business and does only general farming. From 1853 to 1859 he was engaged in the general mercantile business at Monon, Indiana, with William Watson as partner, but his interest is now centered in his farm property. Mr. Lear was married in 1857, in Big Creek township, to Margaret A. Burns, a daughter of John and Malinda (Forgeson) Burns, who came to this county from Germany in 1833. She was born July 4, 1831, and has been a helpmate in every sense of the word. She is a most prepossessing lady and has a host of warm friends here. They have a large family of children, viz. : Frank, of Monticello; Charles, on the Big Creek farm; Thomas, James and Fay are on farms adjoining their father; Zora is deceased, as is also Samuel; Bert is a student; David died in infancy; Jennie is at home, as are Bessie and Hugh. Mr. Lear is a Republican in politics, but has never devoted his time to the cause of his party. He was formerly a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Rensselaer. He was born in a Methodist family but reared in a Quaker atmosphere, having been practically adopted by a Quaker family for three years. These teachings developed a fine sense of justice that is one of his dominating qualities, and has enabled him to quiet many a neighborhood quarrel. He has a strong personality that is felt throughout the entire community. - Biographical History of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski Counties, Indiana, Volume II... - Pages 795-797 - by Lewis Publishing Co - Tippecanoe County (Ind.) - 1899

LINEBARGER

Andrew Linebarger, farmer, Montezuma, whose portrait appears in this work, is one of Parke county's old and respected pioneers. He was born in Lincoln county, North Carolina, June 8, 1815, and is the son of John and Mary Linebarger, both of whom are natives of' Pennsylvania. They removed to Parke county in 1822, and settled on Section 16, Reserve township. There they remained but a short time, and then entered land in Sec. 17. They both remained honored and respected residents of Parke county until their deaths; the father died in 1847 and the mother in 1857. The early life of our subject was spent in a comparatively new country, and he had such facilities for obtaining an education as were afforded by the old subscription system of schools at that time. Having been raised on a farm he followed that line of business when he had grown to man's estate and began a business life on his own account. Later in life he became quite extensively interested in stock growing, a business in which he has been very successful, and within the last ten years he has also dealt extensively in grain. He has for some time been one of the largest stock and grain shippers in the western part of Parke county. Mr. Linebarger is, though interested in the stock and grain trade, well known as one of the large land-holders of Reserve township. Though an active and successful business man, Mr. Linebarger has still given due time and attention to the cause of religion and to the building up of the Methodist church, of which he has been a member since he was fourteen years old. This was probably due to the early teachings of his parents, who in after years became members of his family and resided with him till their deaths, which occurred as before stated. Though he was a member of a family of eight children, he is the only one now a resident of Parke county. Mr. Linebarger has been twice married: in 1836 to Miss Elizabeth Burton, a native of Indiana; she died in 1846. He was married again in 1847, to Miss Mary, daughter of Joel and Susanah Warner, who were among the early and prominent settlers of Parke county, 1832 being the date of their settlement; his death occurred in 1842, and Mrs. Warner's in 1868. Mrs. Linebarger is still living and has the respect and love of her children and husband. She is also a consistent member of the Methodist church. The family of Mr. Linebarger by his first wife are: Geo. H., Mary A., Win. S., David, Levi J. and Andrew J.; and by his present wife: Lewis C., Joel, Samuel C., Jacob, Elizabeth, Ida B., Ludah C., Emma O., and Louisa A. The name of the deceased is Joseph H. All of those living are already, or give promise of becoming as they grow to years of maturity, honored and respected citizens of the community.- Beckwith, H. W.. History of Vigo and Parke Counties, 1880, Page 178

LUTHER

C. W. Luther, grocer, Bloomingdale, is a native of Penn, born in 1837, and at three years of age his parents came to Greensburg, Indiana, thence to Shelby county, where Mr. Lather was raised to manhood, during which time he served an apprenticeship at the printer's trade. In 1861, when the rebellion broke out, he was among the first to enlist. He served one year and three months in Co. A, 16th Ind. Vols. Afterward he reenlisted in Co. F, 70th Ind. Vols., in which he served until the close of the war, having participated in the battles of Resaca, where he was slightly wounded, Peach Tree Creek and Kennesaw Mountain. He went out as a private and was honorably discharged as second sergeant. After the close of the war he went to Louisville, Indiana. In 1866 he married Miss Mattie Smith, and soon after moved to Grant county, Indiana, where he followed farming for six years, and afterward came to Hillsborough, Indiana, where he engaged in the mercantile business for five years and kept the post-office at the same time at that place. In 1879 he became a citizen of Bloomingdale, where he has since been engaged in the grocery business, and by his former experience in the business he is able to judge the quality of goods in his line and only buys the best. When he sells to his many customers he establishes their confidence in their choice of a place to trade.- Beckwith, H. W.. History of Vigo and Parke Counties, 1880, Page 306