USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1
USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
1
OF
Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski
Counties, Indiana.
ILLUSTRATED.
VOLUME II.
977.2 B525 v.2
CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1899.
1308843
y
0
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
CHARLES E. MILLS.
Charles E. Mills, the present prosecuting attorney for the thirtieth ju- dicial circuit of Indiana, and city attorney of Rensselaer from the organiza- tion of the city until his appointment to his present position, is a lawyer of more than local repute, and one of the most prominent members of the Jas- per county bar. He was born in Ottawa, LaSalle county, Illinois, August 7, 1856, and is of English ancestry. His grandfather, Daniel Mills, came to America with his family, but recrossed the ocean, and while there the father of our subject, Daniel C. Mills, was ushered into existence. While he was yet a lad, the family once more crossed the ocean to America, the grandfa- ther becoming associated with the father of our eminent statesman, Roscoe Conkling, in the manufacture of veneering at Cohoes Falls, New York, the first enterprise of the kind in this country. The family afterward moved to Ot- tawa, Illinois, where the grandfather died, and where the father still lives. Charles E. Mills was reared on a farm and attended the public schools dur- ing his youth, afterward entering Adrian College, at Adrian, Michigan. He then passed considerable time in teaching school, and was very successful in this profession. During this period he began the study of law, at Ottawa. He located in Remington, Indiana, in 1885, was admitted to the Jasper county bar in 1888, and moved to Rensselaer three years later. Like many a country-born youth who has attained eminence in our country, he worked his own way, by perseverance and industry, from teaching to law, and from law to official life. He is a deep thinker, and reasons along sound logical lines, convincing his hearers through their common sense rather than by a pyrotechnic display of neatly turned words and phrases. He has built up a
540
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
large general practice in law, prepares abstracts of title and devotes himself to any and all branches of legal business in the state courts.
Mr. Mills chose as the partner of life's vicissitudes, Miss Anna Rebecca Smith, of Marseilles, Illinois, a daughter of Charles P. Smith. They have three sons,-Edward F., Emory S. and Charles Howard. Mr. Mills is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. He is a Republican in politics, and has served his party faithfully. He has been on several local committees, was secretary of the Jasper County Republican Committee in 1894, its chairman in 1896, and from 1894 has been secretary of the Republican committee of the tenth congressional dis- trict. He was a candidate for nomination to the state legislature in 1894 and came within two votes of receiving the nomination, and at no time have his patriotic impulses and extreme good nature been more fully displayed than in his hearty efforts to assist the successful candidate to election. He has a wide acquaintance with public men throughout the state and stands high in the esteem of every one. He takes a commendable interest in all that pertains to the good of the community, and considers as a trouble no act of his that leads to the development and growth of the institutions of this county. One of the many movements with which he has been connected may be mentioned in this connection: this was the organizing, in 1895, of the Jasper County Telephone Company, a corporation that has been of ines- timable value in this progressive age, and of which he has held the office of secretary since its inception.
GEORGE H. SMITH.
George H. Smith, ex-county auditor of Benton county, and one of its enterprising and progressive farmers, resides on section 10, Union township, Benton county, his home being pleasantly located seven miles north of Fowler, Indiana. He was born in Richland county, Ohio, near Shelby, on the 22d day of February, 1844, and there remained on a farm until seven- teen years of age; and being no longer able to content himself at home while his country was endangered, he offered his services to the government, and enlisted November 9, 1861, as a member of Company H, Sixty-fourth Ohio Infantry. With that command he went to the front and served during the war with the Army of the Cumberland. He was wounded at Chicka- manga, and also at Kenesaw mountain. The latter wound being very serious, he was confined in the hospital for seven months. When he had sufficiently recovered, he rejoined his regiment, then stationed at Athens, Alabama, and
541
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
served until January, 1866, when he was honorably discharged, with the rank of corporal, at Columbus, Ohio.
The country no longer needing his services, Mr. Smith returned to his home in Shelby, Ohio, where he remained until the spring of 1871, when he came to Benton county and located upon the farm which has since been his place of residence. Here he has a finely improved tract of land, comprising one hundred and sixty acres. The greater part of this is under a high state of cultivation, and the waving fields of grain indicate the thrift, enterprise and careful supervision of the owner. He has made excellent improvements upon his property and is regarded as one of the leading agriculturists of the community.
Mr. Smith was married, in 1874, to Miss Mary E. Drake, and they have an interesting family of five children: Annie B., Dora, Don Carlos, Edwin and Edna, the last two being twins. In his political views Mr. Smith is a Democrat. He served as trustee of Union township, Benton county, from 1882 until 1886, and in 1892 he was elected county auditor for four years, and discharged the duties of that position in a prompt and able manner. In all his duties of citizenship he displays the same loyalty that he manifested when on southern battle-fields he followed the stars and stripes to victory. Socially he is connected with the Masonic Lodge, No. 444, of Goodland, and of the Order of the Eastern Star, of Fowler. He continues his army relations through his membership in the Grand Army post of Goodland.
JOHN F. MAJOR.
John F. Major, who was engaged in the grocery business at Remington, Jasper county, Indiana, is one of the most genial and popular business men of the town and has been identified with this county most of the time for the past thirty-five years. March 1, 1899, he sold his grocery business to Hart- man & Morris, who are now carrying it on.
Mr. Major comes of Irish ancestors who embraced the Presbyterian faith, and in his make-up are found many of the sterling characteristics peculiar to that class of people. He was the second born in a family of six children, namely: William S., Dakota; John F .; Clara, deceased; Charles S., of Tennessee; George E., Dakota; and Alice, also of Dakota. Their father, George Major, was born in the north of Ireland and came to this country when a boy; their mother was by maiden name Amanda Snoddy.
George Major was one of the early residents of Indiana and figured prominently here at that time. He was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in September, 1819. When only a boy he emigrated to America with his par- ents and settled in Clinton county, Indiana, in 1831. His educational
512
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
privileges were very slight, and he was compelled to work on the farm the most of the time until he was thirty years old. He was fond of study and at such times as he could he would be reading and studying such books as he was able to get hold of. At this age he began teaching school and for a number of winters he worked in this capacity. In 1864 he moved to Jasper county and purchased land near Remington. He was elected county com- missioner about 1866 and held this office three terms. In 1874 he was elected state senator and was re-elected in 1878. In 1882 he was selected as one of the directors of the Indiana Northern prison and served for six years. In 1849 he was married to Amanda, daughter of William and Barbara (Schrader) Snoddy. Their children are named in the second paragraph of this sketch. Mrs. Major died November 22, 1886, and Mr. Major is still living at Bloom- ington, Indiana.
John F. Major was born in Clinton county, Indiana, October 23, 1857, and in the spring of 1864 came with his parents to Jasper county. He was early inured to hard work, his boyhood being filled with more work than play, and his educational advantages were meagre, being limited to a few months' attendance during the winter in the common schools. However, he made the most of his opportunities, and by close observation and contact with the world he has gained a good practical education. In 1881 he went to Michi- gan City and accepted a position in the state prison, remaining one year. At the end of that time he returned to Jasper county and engaged in farming. For four years he carried on agricultural pursuits, after which, broken in health on account of hard work, he sought a change of climate and occupa- tion. The next year he secured a position at Osage Indian agency, in the Indian department, and at the end of the year, there being a complete change made at the agency, he among other officials left, and on his return to Indi- ana he again accepted a position in the prison at Michigan City, where, this time, he remained five years and a half. His next move was to Reming- ton. Here he then purchased the building he now occupies, and the stock of furniture which it contained, and ran the store for about three years. During President Cleveland's administration he was postmaster at Reming- ton, a position he filled most acceptably four years, going out of office May I, 1898. Retiring from the post-office, he again engaged in business at his old stand, opening out a stock of groceries, and has since carried a fine line of goods and counted among his customers the leading people of the place.
Mr. Major is a Democrat, enthusiastic in promoting the best interests of his party, and while he does not seek official honors he has been urged by his many friends to accept office. In the fall of 1898 he was a candidate for the office of county clerk, was elected and will take office May 1, 1900. Fra- ternally Mr. Major is identified with the F. & A. M., in which order he was
543
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
selected worshipful master January 1, 1899; with the I. O. O. F., in which he has the honor of being a past grand; with the K. of P. since 1892, in which he is a past chancellor and is now master of finance; and he is also a member of the Tribe of Ben Hur.
He married Miss Nannie Kirkpatrick, of Warsaw, and they have one child, named Winfred.
JAMES D. SMYTH.
The subject of this biographical review is a "Buckeye" by birth, being born in Ross county, Ohio, on the 18th of December, 1841, and he obtained a practical education in the schools of his native state. His early years in business were spent as a clerk in his father's store, and this apprenticeship served him a good purpose later in life, for most of his mature years were spent in merchandising. In 1866 he came to Oxford, then the county-seat of Benton county, and in 1869 purchased his father's business there and contin- ued it successfully until 1877. In November, 1880, he opened a boot and shoe store, which business he conducted until 1883, when he sold out and removed to Lochiel and opened a dry-goods and grocery store, carrying a heavy stock of general merchandise. He was afterward commissioned post- master of Lochiel, that being the first post-office established in Union town- ship. But the "goddess of fortune " did not always smile upon him. Like others in business during the "panicky " times following 1873, he lost heavily in business, principally on account of the difficulty of collecting old debts. Mr. Symth has, however, ever been an enterprising and public-spirited citi- zen, endowed with indomitable energy and exceptionally good business qual- ities.
He has been a lifelong Republican, active and influential in the councils of the party. In 1896 he was made the Republican nominee for the office of county auditor, being elected in November of that year. He brought to the office a ripe business experience and familiarity with public affairs of his adopted county. He is now serving his first term in this important and honorable position.
Mr. Smyth is a son of Douglass and Rachel (Connor) Smyth. His father was a native of Londonderry, Ireland, where he was born in 1801, and received a thorough education and business training in his native country. His early manhood years were spent as a clerk in Ireland, and in 1832 he came to America and settled in Bourneville, Ross county, Ohio, where in 1838 he was married and entered upon mercantile pursuits, and fifty years of his life were spent in this business. Removing to Oxford, Indiana, he remained here engaged in trade until 1869, when he returned to Ross county, Ohio, where he died in 1873.
544
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
The mother of our subject was a native of Ohio, was a few years younger than her husband and survived him for twenty-five years, her death occurring on the 4th of April, 1898, at the ripe old age of seventy-nine and a half years. It is probable that she also was a descendant of Irish ances- tors, though it is not definitely known.
Six children were born in the family of our subject's parents, three of whom have passed to the unknown "beyond." The eldest of the family is Elizabeth, the widow of Austin Pepper, and she resides in Ross county, Ohio; James D. was the second in order of birth; the third was William, who died in young manhood during the civil war, though not a soldier; Rebecca died about twelve years of age; Cora became the wife of John Giffin and died in Bainbridge, Ohio, June 1, 1898, making the second visit of the "grim destroyer" to the family during the first half of the year; Julia is the wife of Lorenzo Wiley and resides in her native city.
The subject of this sketch was married in Benton county, October 28, 1869, the lady of his choice being Miss Melissa E. Boswell, who was born in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, and removed with her parents to this county in childhood. All the six children of Mr. and Mrs. Smyth are living. The eldest is Miss Bertha, the second Parnham, the third Frank, the fourth Annie, the fifth Nona and the sixth Edna. Parnham is an electrician and civil engineer; Frank is the very efficient deputy county auditor, a pleasant and obliging young gentleman, whose experience in public affairs may later be turned to good account; and the younger children are still in school. Mrs. Smyth and two daughters are members of the Methodist Episcopal church; and Mr. Smyth, although not connected with any religious organ- ization, contributes of his means to the support of the gospel and all other worthy religious and charitable enterprises. He is a prominent member of Oxford Lodge, No. 169, I. O. O. F.
Such in brief is the history of a worthy representative family, traced genealogically from its founder on American soil. We gladly give space to so worthy a record, believing that in the years to come it will be found interesting and valuable to posterity.
JAMES HAY.
One of the prominent old citizens of Brookston is James Hay, an hon- ored veteran of the civil war, who has occupied various official positions of trust and responsibility, his fellow citizens showing the high esteem in which they have ever held him by honoring him with their ballots. In the fratern- ities he ranks deservedly higlı, being a Knight of Pythias and for many years active as an Odd Fellow and a representative of his own lodge in the grand
545
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
lodge of the state; he has been a Master Mason for thirty-three years, and master of lodge five years; with three of his daughters belongs to the East- ern Star, and was one of the organizers of Champion Hill Post, No. 171, G. A. R. His present home, which he purchased in 1897, is situated just east of the corporation limits of Brookston.
The grandfathers of James Hay were both natives of Ireland, Presby- terians in religious faith. James Hay, the paternal grandfather, had a large number of children and died in Pennsylvania, at an advanced age. James Skillen, the maternal grandfather, died in Canada, where he had lived for several years.
The parents of our subject were John and Elizabeth (Skillen) Hay, natives of the Emerald Isle. The father, a shoemaker by trade, followed that calling in Canada until 1848, when he moved to Pennsylvania. After liv- ing there for three or four years he went to Indianapolis, which was his abid- ing place for several years. About 1855 he came to White county and oper- ated a sawmill on the Tippecanoe river at Oakdale about two years. He next followed his trade in Springboro for some years and at last retired to a farm in Prairie township, owning eighty acres a mile east of Brookston. His first wife, Elizabeth, died in Canada, in 1845, and the lady whom he afterward married, Miss Margaret Smith, is still living. By the first mar- riage there were four children: Sarah J .; Mary, wife of Byron Scribner, of Chicago; James; and George, of Prairie township. Five of the eight children of the second union survive, namely: Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Kennedy; Ellen, wife of Chester R. Smith; Margaret, William and Anna. The parents of our subject were both members of the Presbyterian church.
James Hay was born in Quebec, Canada, January 21, 1843, and from the time that he was eight or nine years old he attended the public schools of Indianapolis. When he was about sixteen he commenced learning the black- smith's trade, which calling he followed, altogether, about a quarter of a century. In 1861 he came to Brookston and enlisted in Company A, Forty- sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, as a private. He served for three years and two months and participated in many of the leading and decisive battles of the war, among thiem being the notable engagements with the enemy at Champion Hills, Sabine Cross Roads, Port Gibson, New Madrid, Island No. 10, Vicksburg and Memphis:
Upon his return from fighting for his country Mr. Hay worked at his trade in Indianapolis for about a year, and then was employed on a salary for a like period in this place, after which he bought his employer's shop and ran it, at intervals, until 1878. That year he was elected sheriff, sold his shop, and went to Monticello, where he discharged the duties of his office during his term of four years. At the end of that time he returned to Brooks- 35
546
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
ton and worked at his old trade for two years, and for the following ten years managed a farm belonging to his wife and situated three and a half miles east of Brookston. He was a member of the village board of trustees for one term and was town marshal for one year. Politically he sides with the Republican party.
On the 16th of September, 1866, Mr. Hay married Miss Maria Barr, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Barr. Their five children are Elda E .; Robert J., who married Daisy Holmes and has two children-Paul and Mary; Lola May, now a resident of Chicago; Iva B., who is the wife of Ever Giles, of Prairie township, and has one daughter, Esther; and Pearl. Two of his children-Elda E. and Pearl-are at home. Robert J. is a prominent citi- zen of Brookston and by profession is a teacher.
HON. EDMON G. HALL.
Prominent among the well-known professional men of Benton county stands the name of Edmon G. Hall. We think it was Burke who once said: "The atrocious crime of being a young man I will neither attempt to palliate nor deny." Like that eminent orator, Mr. Hall pleads "guilty to the crime" of being young; yet he has attained a higher degree of prominence, both in his profession and in the political world, than many men attain in a life-time.
The subject of these paragraphs was born in Benton county, Indiana, on the 18th of January, 1864, and even in childhood he laid preference to the profession of a lawyer. In his childish plays he often espoused the cause of a companion under "indictment " and successfully " defended " him. He was furnished with excellent educational advantages-in the high school of Oxford, in his native county, at Purdue University and at the University of Michigan. He entered the law department of the last named institution in 1886 and was graduated two years later.
He immediately came to Fowler, in his native county, and began the practice of his chosen profession. During the first eight years here he was associated with Hon. John T. Brown, after whose death he was alone until April, 1896, when he formed a partnership with Judge Saunderson, which still continues. (See sketch of James T. Saunderson, in this work.) But with commendable ambition to ascend the ladder of fame, Mr. Hall early took an active interest in local politics. He allied himself with the Repub- lican party and took an active part in various political campaigns. As a "stump" speaker he is logical, forceful and " magnetic." He soon became recognized as a " born leader " and was nominated by the joint primaries of Benton and Newton counties as the candidate for representative in the lower
547
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
house of the state legislature. His triumphant success followed at the gen- eral election of 1896. While serving his first term he was recognized by appointments on various committees, and he championed and secured the passage of some needed legislation.
Returning to his constituents and his law practice, he was again honored by a unanimous renomination and was re-elected at the November election of 1898. Endorsed as he was, with indomitable energy, eloquence, self-reli- ance and the prestige of a successful and satisfactory service behind him, he was re-elected by a plurality of eleven hundred and eleven.
Edmon G. Hall is the only son, and second child, of Allen C. and Ellen Z. (Frazier) Hall, both of whom were natives of Warren county, Indiana, and moved to Benton county before the subject of this sketch was born. The father passed his whole life as a farmer and stock-raiser. His genea- logy was traceable to Scotch ancestors, and his wife's to English. Their only children were Edmon G., of this sketch, and Adda, who is the wife of Joseph H. McCord, a prominent and wealthy farmer and stock dealer in Warren county, where he owns a fine farm of one thousand acres. They have six children. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Hall has resided in the beautiful little city of Fowler.
The subject of this sketch was married December 13, 1896, to Miss Alice M. Shoup, a native of Tippecanoe county and daughter of Lewis M. and Rebecca (Atchison) Shoup, now residents of Fowler. Mrs. Hall removed to this county with her parents in childhood, and here she was educated, grew to womanhood and was married. The only child born of this union is May Bernice, whose birth was on December 3, 1897.
Mr. Hall is prominently identified with the social orders, being a mem- ber of the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias fraternities. His wife is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, earnest and zealous in good works. Mr. Hall, though not identified with any religious organization, is nevertheless liberal in the support of the gospel and all other worthy religious and charitable enterprises. He is a young man of prepos- sessing appearance and commanding form, magnetic temperament, eloquent in speech, thoroughly versed in legal knowledge, a hard worker and an honest and conscientious counselor: more could not be said: less would not be true.
HORACE G. GOODWINE.
Horace G. Goodwine is one of the extensive land-owners and farmers of Prairie township, Warren county, and is classed among the enterprising, pro- gressive citizens to whom the advancement and material development of the county are largely due. He was born February 9, 1854, at the home of his
548
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
parents, James and Sophia (Buckles) Goodwine, and throughout his life has been identified with the varied interests of his native county.
His father, James Goodwine, was born in Kentucky, on the 19th of June, 1812, and died at his home in Pike township, Warren county, on the 3rd of January, 1892. Among the honored pioneers who laid the foundation for the present prosperity and improvement of the county and hastened for- ward the work of its development, he was numbered, and for many years he was regarded as one of the most prominent and influential citizens of his part of the state. His parents were James and Elizabeth (Snyder) Goodwine, and the former served as a soldier in the war of 1812 and also participated in the movement against the Indians in 1832 known as the Black Hawk war. During the early childhood of his son James, he removed with his family to Jackson county, Indiana, and thence to Bartholomew county, where his wife died. He afterward brought his family to Warren county, locating in what is now Liberty township. The grandfather of our subject became a very prominent citizen of the community, and served for many years as county commissioner, in a most acceptable and efficient manner. His death occurred in 1851, and the township mourned the loss of one of its valued representatives.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.