USA > Indiana > Decatur County > A Genealogical and biographical record of Decatur County, Indiana : compendium of national biography > Part 34
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The union of William H. and Cora (Sef- ton) Robbins has been blest with one daughter, Willa, born Easter Sunday (April 2), 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Robbins are Bap- tists, and Mr. Robbins is a Republican and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In all things Mr. Robbins is patriotic, always casting his influence on the side of progress and aiding it by liber- ality in a financial way. He is one of the rising young men of the county and many influential friends rejoice in his substantial success.
ANDREW S. GILMOUR.
America has reason for pride in the Scotch element of its population. The Scotch are a hardy, thrifty, honest race who give a stimulus to worthy endeavor and present an example worth emulating wher- ever their lots may be cast. The subject of this notice is descended in all lines from this good stock and is a worthy American rep- resentative of "the land of the thistle," with its traditions, its history, its poetry and its rugged, living love of men for men.
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Andrew S. Gilmour was born at New Haven, Connecticut, April 30, 1833, a son of Gabriel and Janet (Craig) Gilmour. His parents were natives of Scotland, were mar- ried there and came to America in 1832, after having saved money for the venture for some years as occasion presented. From New York they went to Connecticut and Mr. Gilmour engaged in weaving in New Haven. At the expiration of two years, how- ever, he turned his attention to farming. and in 1835 he came west to Indiana and lived in Franklin county in 1835-6. Next he removed to Union county, where he re- mained until 1839, and then came to Deca- tur county and bought a small partially im- proved place near Greensburg, where his son, Andrew S. Gilmour, now lives. He be- gan the improvement of this property and his son has added to it until he owned eighty acres. Not long after his arrival his health failed and he was an invalid until his death, which occurred on Christmas, 1843. His widow and their family survived him. Mrs. Gilmour kept the family together by a brave effort and reared her children to re- spectability and to usefulness. This worthy pioneer woman was a daughter of James Craig, prominent in Scotland as a manu- facturer of carpets. After his death this business was continued in his family and one of his sons became noted as a manufac- turer of Paisley shawls. John Craig, an- other of Mrs. Gilmour's brothers, was a Baptist clergyman, and Archibald Craig. another of her brothers, was a popular Presbyterian minister at Mount Carmel, Indiana, where he died. Her brother, Wil- liam Craig, was prominent as a farmer near Mount Carmel for some years and later iived until his death in Decatur county,
where he was a farmer and coverlet-weaver. Her sister Mary became Mrs. Gilchrist and lived and died in Franklin county. Joseph Gilmour, a brother of Gabriel Gilmour and an uncle of Andrew S. Gilmour, located at Dunlapsville, Union county, Indiana, and after farming there for some time removed to Missouri, where he died. Thomas, a brother, and Agnes, a sister, of Gabriel Gil- mour, came to the United States. Thomas was for a time a grocer in Cincinnati, then a cabinet-maker, but finally located in Deca- tur county, where he lived out his years. Agnes (Mrs. Robert Muir) located in Mis- souri and died there.
Following are the names of the children of Gabriel and Janet (Craig) Gilmour: Andrew S., of whom particular mention will be made further on; Elizabeth M., who married Hugh Gilchrist, a ranchman of Colorado: and Agnes B .. who is a member of the household of her brother on the old family homestead near Greensburg. Mr. and Mrs. Gilmour were stanch Presbyte- rians. Mrs. Gilmour died June 26, 1885.
At the time of his father's death. Andrew S. Gilmour was scarcely ten years old, and he possesses a vivid recollection of the ter- rible dispensation of providence which made their isolated pioneer home the home of the widow and the fatherless. With his boyish hands he did what came in his way to do to keep his mother and her children all under one roof. At twelve, when most boys would be at school and at play, he as- sumed charge of the farm. In his case the task was not merely nominal: for he di- rected the management of the place and (lid most of the hard work. He erected the present buildings on the farm and by judi- cious investment has added greatly to the
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acreage of the estate. In time he bought his married sister's interest in the place. As its sole owner he still further improved it and he has made it a home to which he is bound by many memories and associations and which he will doubtless cling to during life. As a farmer he has a high reputation for the timeliness and the excellence of his products, and in many respects his home- stead and its management are commended by all farmers round about.
In 1863 Mr. Gilmour married Miss Mar- garet Blaine, a native of Scotland, who came over to America with her parents, Thomas Blaine and wife, who settled with their children in Indianapolis, where Mr. . Blaine was engineer in a large factory and -where he and his wife both died. Their children were, besides Mrs. Gilmour, Isa- belle (Mrs. C. Pottage, of Indianapolis); Thomas (who died leaving a wife and two children), and William (who died unmar- ried). Mr. and Mrs. Blaine were lifelong Presbyterians and reared their children in that faith.
Mrs. Gilmour bore her husband six chil- dren and died May 27, 1880. The children were named as follows, in the order of their nativity: Maggie M. (Mrs. L. B. Coch- ran), Gabriel (assisting his father in the management of the farm), Nettie C., Belle B. (Mrs. E. D. Hamilton of Julesburg, Col- orado); James W .; and Charles, married September 13, 1899, to Cora L. Cliristy. The family are all identified with the Pres- byterian church. Mr. Gilmour is a Repub- lican, influential in local affairs, but has never sought or accepted public office. and is a member of the great brotherhood of Freemasons. For years he has given at- tention to scientific farming and to improv-
ing the grade of hogs. He has been suc- cessful in breeding thoroughbred Poland- China hogs which have been awarded premiums at many state and county fairs and have found a ready market in different . states. In all ways he has been public- spirited and helpful to the community, and he is regarded as a model farmer, a good neighbor, a just man in all his dealings and a patriotic citizen who loves the country of his father's adoption and has the utmost faith in its future greatness. His career has been one which reflects upon him the greatest credit. He has been self- reliant, industrious, frugal and honest, never seeking to better his own for- tunes at the expense of those of another. He has made his neighbor's cause his own and in all ways been helpful to those about him whom he saw struggling manfully against adverse circumstances. He. has made his word as good in a financial way as any bond, and he enjoys in a marked degree the confidence of all who know him.
ARCHIBALD C. GILCHRIST.
Archibald C. Gilchrist, a prominent rep- resentative farmer of Washington town- ship. Decatur county, Indiana, comes of families who were pioneer settlers. A son of Hugh and Mehitable (Walker) Gilchrist. he was born in Franklin county, Indiana. July 16, 1846. His father was a native of Kilmarnock, Scotland, born October 4. 1804: his mother was born in Maine, July 6. 1812. They were married in Connecti- cut, where Hugh Gilchrist located at the age of twenty-four, having passed his life to that tinte at his native place. He came
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west soon after his marriage and while still a young man and bought a farm in Franklin county, Indiana, where he made a home and where his children were mostly reared. He had learned the weaver's trade in Scot- land and worked at it in New England and after coming to Indiana, though he was obliged, in the pioneer days, to go to Ken- tucky for wool. After a time he disposed of his farm in Franklin county and came to Decatur county and bought another farm in Clay township, where he died September 29, 1857. His wife survived him until October 5, 1892, and her declining years were passed in Greensburg. He was a strong Republican, but never aspired to public office and usually declined it peremp- torily when it was offered to him. He was in all things a true Scottish-American, a patriotic supporter of the flag under which he has found protection and prosperity. His wife, a daughter of old and representa- tive families of New England, was a wo- man of education and exceptional intellec- tual ability. Many members of her imme- diate family were professional men of note and the family intermarried with the Adams family, of which John, John Quincy and Charles Francis Adams have been conspicu- ous representatives in different genera- tions. One of Mrs. Gilchrist's sisters mar- ried a son of President John Quincy Adams and lived in. Ohio.
The children of Hugh and Mehitable (Walker) Gilchrist were named as follows, in the order of their birth: Sarah (Mrs. Appleton), who was born in New Haven, Connecticut, August 17, 1832, and died March 15, 1853; Mary, born at Mount Carmel, May 2, 1835, died in infancy; Jean- ette, born at Steubenville, Ohio, June 25,
1837, became the wife of H. Robbins, of Decatur county; George E., born at Mount Carmel, December 10, 1843, is now a resi- dent of Brightwood, Marion county, Indi- ana; Archibald C., born at Mount Car- mel, July 16, 1846; Elizabeth, born Oc- tober 4, 1848, died July 7, 1865; Adaline. born November 2, 1850, died October 4, 1851; and Lavina, who was born Septem- ber 7, 1852, and married Joseph Burney. George E. Gilchrist enlisted in the Seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for three years, and served with the Army of the Potomac, participating in many impor- tant battles. At the wilderness fight he was made a prisoner and confined in Libby prison and later at Andersonville, where he suffered all the tortures of sickness and hun- ger. At length one thousand prisoners were transferred from Andersonville to Charleston and confined in a stockade. George was one of the number, and when they were being transferred to another stockade he, with a few others, escaped. Hugh Gilchrist and his wife were consistent members of the Presbyterian church and, so far as was possible, reared their family in that faith.
A. C. Gilchrist was brought up to farm- ing and knows the business from A to Z. When he was twenty-four years old he married and bought and settled on his fath- er's homestead. He made several advan- tageous changes in location and finally lo- cated on his present farm of four hundred acres. He owns another farm of two hun- dred and fifty acres and is largely engaged in general farming and in raising, grading and dealing in stock. He married Miss Minerva J. Robbins, a lady of much intelli- gence, high culture and many accomplish-
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ments, who has borne him children as fol- lows: Charles S., born January 30, 1872, secured a thorough English, classical and scientific education and is a reputable and successful physician at Bennett, Nebraska. He was some time since commissioned a surgeon in the United States army and as- signed to service in the Philippines. John E., born February 25, 1874, lives at In- dianapolis, Indiana. Frank H., born Sep- tember 18, 1876, is a member of his father's household, as is also Luna L., born Septem- ber II, 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Gilchrist are Presbyterians and active and liberal sup- porters of their church and all its interests. Mrs. Gilchrist is a daughter of the late John E. Robbins, one of Indiana's most promi- nent farmers, business men and financiers, and his wife Nancy (Hunter) Robbins, a representative of an honored pioneer family. John E. Robbins was a son of William Rob- bins and a grandson of William Robbins, who came from England and settled in Pennsylvania. After serving the cause of the colonies in the Revolutionary war, he removed to Virginia and later to Kentucky. His children were born in Virginia, and his son William was six years old when the family went to Kentucky. Much other matter of interest concerning this patriot pioneer will be found in the biographical sketches of his great-grandsons, Mrs. Gil- christ's brothers,. who are among the prom- inent residents of Decatur county, where the first William Robbins died in 1834. For - further detailed information concerning William Robbins, the son of the emigrant. and John E. Robbins .. son of the second William Robbins. the reader is referred to the articles above mentioned, in which the genealogical history of the Decatur county
family of Robbins, in its different branches, is fully set forth. John E. Robbins, who was the pioneer agitator for pike roads in this part of the state and was president of the Vernon, Greensburg & Rushville Rail- road Company, and was the founder and president of the Third National Bank of Greensburg, until his death, married Nancy. daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Fares) Hunter, November 7, 1844. He died July 22, 1896. His widow is still liv- ing near Greensburg, aged sixty-nine. Their children were: Sarelda B. (Mrs. Smi- ley), Minerva J. (Mrs. Gilchrist), Ella (Mrs. Kitchin), William H. (a farmer near Greens- burg), Clara (Mrs. Kitchin), John E., Olive (Mrs. McCoy), Frank B. and Lida (Mrs. Elder).
Mr. Gilchrist is an enterprising and pub- lic-spirited man, alive to all local interests and active and generous in their promo- tion. His success in life has been won by the exercise of all those virtues which con- stitute the honest, upright man of worthy ambition, push and perseverance. Patriot- ic to a marked degree, he is influential in his party and always solicitous for the prev- alence of its principles. He is liberal in his views of all questions of public moment, and his liberality extends to his dealing with all liis fellow men, many of whom have found him a true "friend in need."
SAMUEL ADDISON DONNELL.
Fugit township, Decatur county, was ex- ceptionally fortunate in the class of men who became permanent residents here in the days when the country was wild and its possibilities an unknown quantity. These
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pioneers, mostly from the southern and southeastern states, were, almost to a man, of the best type of the frontiersman, for they not only possessed the will, bravery and strength to overcome obstacles, but, above all, they were patriots of high char- acter and lofty principle.
The Donnells, who were of Scotch an- cestry, have been prominent members of this community for about three-quarters of a century. James Donnell, the great-grand- father of our subject, removed from his Vir- ginia home to Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania, in 1775, and in 1784 took his family to Kentucky. There, in company with a few other settlers, he founded Hinkston Station, one of the oldest in that portion of the state. There, in an old burial ground on the bank of the Lick- ing river, repose the mortal remains of our subject's great-grandparents, both, it is said, buried in the same grave. They left three sons, Thomas, who was born in Vir- ginia in 1765; Samuel, who was born in the same state in 1769; and James, whose death occurred in Kentucky, in 1813.
Samuel Donnell and Hannah Quiet were married on the 8th of August. 1793, and their son James, father of our subject. was born in Nicholas county. Kentucky, in 1795. Samuel Donnell and his elder broth- er, Thomas, emigrated to Decatur county, in September, 1823, and located upon a tract of land which had been entered for them, July 21, 1821. Undoubtedly one of the strongest motives in their emigration was the fact that they desired to dwell in a state where slavery was not tolerated. Samuel, especially, had been a strong oppo- nent of the hated system and never ceased to wage war on it, assisting in the organiza-
tion of abolition societies, and, during his residence in Kentucky, preached the doc- trine of gradual emancipation, with the ob- ject of eventually making the state a free one. True to the training and bias of his Scottish ancestry, he was a zealous Presby- terian, and, needless to say, when the great division in that denomination on the subject of slavery came, he sided with the progres- sive branch. After his death the Rev. Mr. Montfort, D. D., pastor of the Presbyterian church at Kingston, Decatur county, said of him: "Though he was not an educated man, in the common acceptation of the term, yet theologians and doctors of divin- ity could sit at his feet and gain knowl- edge." An incident may be given, showing the power which he possessed and the man- ner in which his natural eloquence and stanchness to right principles influenced people. He was an ardent temperance man and upon one occasion he went to Clarks- burg, where a man by the name of Sanders kept .a tavern or hotel, and, as was cus- tomary in those days, he maintained a bar. Mr. Donnell asked permission to address the men assembled in the bar-room, and. being granted his request, he forthwith de- livered one of the most powerful temperance speeches ever made in this county. The wife of the landlord, who felt convicted. though she could not entirely overcome the economical Scotch tendency in her nature. forthwith remarked to her husband that. when the contents of the barrel of whisky which they were then dispensing were gone. that should be the last drop that should ever be sold over their counter; and so it proved.
Though the wife of Samuel Donnell died in 1817, long before he came to this county.
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he remained faithful to her memory for a third of a century. Their children tenderly laid him away to rest, after his death on the 29th of September, 1850, and later they had the remains of the wife and mother brought here from Kentucky and placed by his side. Of their four sons and five daugh- ters not one survives, but all of them came to this- county with the father, and all save Thomas left descendants. They were named as follows: James; Thomas; Cath- erine, wife of Andrew Robinson, Sr .; Julia. wife of Thomas Hamilton; Polly, who mar- ried Andrew Robinson, Jr .; Eliza, wife of Preston E. Hopkins; Samuel A., John C. and Fidelia, Mrs. Harvey Anbrobus.
James Donnell, father of our subject, born in 1795, as previously mentioned, had very limited advantages for an education, but he inherited the talent for public speak- ing which his father before him possessed, and the same desire for the triumph of the right animated him. He was fearless in the expression of his strong anti-slavery views, at a time when it was dangerous in the ex- treme to breathe such sentiments in this locality, and though threats of personal vio- lence were often received by him. On one occasion he engaged in a debate with Judge Hopkins, at Clarksburg, and. though the judge was considered a man of great learn- ing and intelligence, as well as of much experience in public speaking, it was generally conceded that Mr. Donnell more than held his own ground in the argu- ment. He was as true to his con- victions on the subjects of temperance and religion as was his esteemed father, and all who knew him reverenced his opinions. He chose for his wife Sophia, daughter of Thomas Meek. She was born in Lexing-
ton and came to this county with her par- ents at an early day. Six children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Donnell, namely: Samuel A .: Thomas N .; Zerilda, wife of John Lawson, of Kansas; Sophia, wife of Henry Morgan, of Decatur county; Mar- tha, wife of George Hargit; and Fidelia. wife of John W. Miller. Mrs. Hargit and Mrs. Miller are both deceased, and both left several children.
Samuel A. Donnell, who resides at the old homestead where he was born, was or- phaned when he was about ten years old, both of his parents dying in 1838. He then dwelt with his paternal grandfather and Uncle John C. for about ten years, and at his majority returned to the old farm near Spring Hill, where he has continued to live until the present time. He maintains the same high principles of conduct which char- acterized his ancestors, and is held in the same measure of regard by his friends and neighbors. He is a practical farmer, every- thing about his homestead giving evidence of the constant care and wisdom which he exercises in the management of his affairs. He is confidently relied upon to do every- thing within his power to advance the wel- fare of the community in which his lot is cast. Following in the footsteps of his pre- decessors, he is a member of the Presby- terian church.
The marriage of Samuel A. Donnell and Miss Hadassah M. Foster, a daughter of Robert C. and Nancy A. (Rankin) Foster, was celebrated on the 10th of February. 1857. A son and two daughters bless their union, named respectively Robert Foster. Jennie M. and Nettie May. The elder daughter, Jennie, is the wife of Robert S. Lowe, and the younger one is the wife of
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Adam R. Meek, both well-to-do and re- spected citizens of this county. The entire family of Mr. Donnell are identified with the Presbyterian church and are liberal sup- porters of all worthy educational, religious and philanthropic work.
ISAAC SEFTON.
Mr. Sefton is one of the substantial men of Decatur county and an honored citizen of Greensburg, where he has resided for the past three years. since giving up the active management of the farm. He was born in Butler county. Ohio. September 28, 1837. His father. William Sefton, was a son of Henry Sefton, a native of Ireland and the son of an army officer. Henry Sef- ton came to this country and was a pioneer of Butler county, Ohio, where he carried on farming, and there died of cholera in 1834. His children were: William, father of our subject: Henry, who died in Ohio: Mana, Mrs. A. Scott: Jane. Mrs. Hughes; Ellen, Mrs. Hungerford: and Sarah, Mrs. Brevoort. William Sefton was born in But- ler county, Ohio. February 22. 1806, and after his marriage, and the birth of five children, he removed to Indiana. in 1838. settling in Decatur county. on land entered by his father. He there improved a good farm and became a successful and leading citizen. He gradually added to his prop- erty until he was the owner of a large tract of land. He was cautious and conservative in his business operations, and seldom made mistakes in his investments. Personally he was a-man of fine character. social in his disposition, of undoubted integrity, and honored in all his dealings. He had a high
standard of morality, never having used any bad language, and lived up to the com- mandments to the best of his knowledge, although he never united with any church. Mr. Sefton was a Democrat in his political views, and popular with his party, although he never aspired to office. He once served as trustee, at a time when it took only three men to transact all the business for the township of Clinton, where he lived. His death took place October 29, 1868, from a violent attack of pneumonia.
Mr. Sefton was married in 1830 to Cath- erine Shuck, who was born in Butler coun- ty, Ohio, May 5, 1806. She was a daughter of Michael Shuck, of Pennsylvania-Dutch descent, who was a prosperous farmer in Butler county, where he lived until he be- came quite old. After his family had mar- ried and scattered he came to Decatur county, and spent his last days with his daughter, and here he died October 19. 1855. at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. He was a conscientious, religious man, and lived an upright life. His children were six in number: Sarah became the wife of Governor William Bebb, of Ohio: Eliza (Mrs. A. Lawrence), resides in Bartholo- mew county, Indiana: Peggy (Mrs. Mul- holland). resides in Butler county: Han- nah, who died near Vevay, Indiana, was the wife of John Shull; Polly (Mrs. Hall), is a resident of Vevay; and Catherine, the moth- er of our subject, died in Decatur county. Mrs. Sefton was a woman of many admira- ble traits, being a devoted wife and mother. and was a consistent member of the Meth odist church. To the parents of our sub- ject nine children were born, as follows: Henry, born January 25. 1833, lives in Col- orado; Eliza (Mrs. Scott) was born April
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2, 1834, and makes her home in Ohio; Eliz- abeth, born June 22, 1835, never married, and died August 19, 1880; Michael, born April 9, 1836, died June 15. 1869, leaving a wife and one child, the wife being a daugh- ter of James Hamilton and a sister of R. A. Hamilton; Isaac is the subject of this sketch; Edward, born January 31, 1839. is a farmer in Decatur county; Mary. now Mrs. Louis Willie, was born April 19, 1840; Sarah, born October 13, 1844, is the widow of John Anderson and lives in Greensburg: and William W., was born August 11, 1846. and is a farmer in Howard county, Indiana.
Isaac Sefton received only a limited com- mon-school education. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty- eight years old. then married and settled on land which was owned by his father, and which, after the death of the latter, became his own property. The land is in Clinton township, Decatur county, one and a half miles south of Spring Hill, and comprises one hundred and sixty acres. There was only a log cabin on the place when he took possession of it, and he at once set to work to make improvements. A commodious frame house was built, timber was cleared away, fruit trees were planted and crops were sown, and by degrees he purchased more land, until at present he owns three farms in Decatur county, five hundred and thirty-four acres in all, and a farm of sev- enty-one acres in Boone county, Indiana.
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