A History of Clay County Indiana (Volume 2), Part 23

Author: William Travis
Publication date: 1909
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 631

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in good condition. Mr. Modesitt continued in the office of county com- missioner for many years and still higher political honors awaited him, for in 1855 he was chosen to represent his district in the state legislature for a two years' term. He did much toward molding the policy and shaping the history of the county at an early day and no record of this portion of the state would be complete without honorable mention of James W. Modesitt, one of the leading, influential and valued pioneer settlers. Ilis political allegiance was given to the Democracy in support of principles advocated by Jackson and Jefferson. His religious faith was that of the Baptist church. He died October 23. 1893, having for twelve years survived his wife, who passed away in 1881.

Sanford B. Modesitt was reared upon the old homestead farm and pursued his education by attending the country schools in the winter season, the term lasting from forty to fifty days. He later had the privi- lege of attending the Friends' Bloomingdale Academy at Bloomingdale, Indiana, and subsequently he engaged in teaching, following that profes- sion through the winter months until twenty-eight years of age. At that time he married and settled down to the work of the farm. He made an agreement with his parents to care for them as long as they lived and for twenty-three years his filial devotion made their old age happy and comfortable. Mr. Modesitt, coming into possession of the old home farm, carried on the work of further development and im- provement, having two hundred acres of land which he brought under a high state of cultivation, annually gathering rich harvests that found a ready sale on the market. He also bred shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs and his stock-raising interests proved a profitable depart- ment of his business. For fifty-five years he continued to reside upon the farm and then retired from agricultural life, establishing his home in Brazil, where he is now located.

Mr. Modesitt has been married three times. On the 7th of April, 1871, he wedded Eliza Vanness, who was born in Ohio and died August 30, 1900. For his second wife he chose Mrs. Rachel Sheppard, the mar- riage being celebrated November 7, 1902. She was born in Canada and died July 20, 1906. On the 8th of August, 1907, Mr. Modesitt married Mrs. Sarah Witty, who passed away on the 26th of September of the same year. In his political views Mr. Modesitt has always been a Demo- crat and for one term served as township trustee but has never sought nor desired office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his busi- ness affairs, which have been capably managed and have brought to him well merited success.

JAMES MILTON FINLEY, whose name is now on the roll of honored dead, was a prominent pioneer settler of this section of Indiana. He came here at a very early day and was closely associated with its agri- cultural and business development during its formative period. He be- longed to that class of substantial citizens who brought with them into the new west high ideals of citizenship, combined with personal courage and endurance that enabled them to unflinchingly face the conditions and hardships of frontier life. He was born in Guilford county, North Caro- lina, August 29, 1820. His father, George Finley, was, as far as is known, a life-long resident of the old North state, where he engaged in the occupation of farming up to the time of his death in 1832. In early manhood he wedded Mary Ann Bishop, who was born in Maryland and

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was a daughter of George Bishop, who removed from Maryland to North Carolina and subsequently became a resident of Ohio, settling in Preble county, where he resided until called to the home beyond. Fol- lowing the death of her husband in 1832, Mrs. Finley also went to Ohio and lived in Preble county until 1870, when she came to Indiana. In that year she took up her abode in Washington township, Putnam county, where she remained throughout the evening of her days, passing away at the age of eighty-eight years. At her husband's death he left to her the care of a family of seven children, whom she reared to be a credit to her name.

James Milton Finley was a youth in his thirteenth year when he accompanied his mother on her removal from North Carolina to Ohio, where he grew to manhood. In 1840 he again started westward, making an overland journey with teams to Putnam county, Indiana, which was then largely a frontier district, comparatively few settlements having been made within its borders. He entered land in both Putnam and Clay counties, his claim in the latter being situated in Van Buren town- ship. He established his home, however, in Putnam county, building there a log cabin which he occupied, living in true pioneer style. In 1845 he built a log house in Van Buren township, Clay county, was married the same year and took up his abode in his new dwelling. At that time the greater part of all this section of the state was an unbroken wilder- ness with every evidence of frontier life. There were many hardships and privations to be endured from the fact that they were remote from the older centers of civilization where the necessities and comforts of life could be more easily secured. Deer, wild turkeys and other kinds of game was to be had in abundance and the meals were usually prepared over the old fireplace where hung the crane, while the bread was baked in the coals. There were no railroads for some years after the arrival of the Finleys in this district and Lafayette was the nearest market. Mr. Finley took his first load of wheat there and sold it for fifty cents per bushel and at the same time paid three dollars for a barrel of salt. All supplies were very high, while farm products brought a comparatively low price.

Mr. Finley energetically improved and developed his farm, upon which he erected substantial buildings and as the years passed added all the modern accessories and conveniences of a model farm. He con- tinued to make his home there until 1905, when he rented his property and went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Maria Belk, passing away at her home on the 27th of December, 1907, when he had reached the extreme old age of eighty-seven years. He was a tall and athletic man and though time had left its marks upon him, he was mentally strong in his last days and an entertaining talker.

Mr. Finley was married twice. In 1842 he wedded Isarelda Gor- don, who was born in Union county, Indiana, and was a daughter of Levi and Sophia Gordon, both of whom spent their last years in Preble county, Ohio, each living to be about one hundred years of age. Their daughter, Mrs. Finley, passed away in April, 1845, and for his second wife Mr. Finley chose Sarah Ann Belk, who was born in Russell county, Kentucky, in February, 1824, and was a daughter of William Belk, whose birth occurred in the same county in 1801. Her grandfather, John Belk, was a native of Tennessee and became one of the pioneer settlers of Russell county, Kentucky. There he took up several tracts

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of government land, which he cultivated and improved with slave labor. He was a soldier of the war of 1812 and an influential and leading citizen of his community, remaining a resident of Russell county, Kentucky, until his demise. His wife bore the maiden name of Anna Tackett. Their son, William Belk, was reared to agricultural pursuits but at times worked with his brother, who was a cabinet maker. In 1828 he emi- grated to Indiana, accompanied by his wife and three children, making the journey overland with a pair of oxen which were hitched to a cart, while his wife rode horseback. He lived in Clay county for about one year and then crossed the line into Washington township, Putnam · county, where he entered land from the government and at once built thereon a log house. With characteristic energy he began clearing away the heavy timber, cutting down the trees, grubbing out the stumps and preparing the land for the plow. When the national road was being constructed he took a contract to build a part of this highway in Vigo county and removed there in order to better superintend his work. After a year he took up his abode in Van Buren township, Clay county, where he lived for a few years, returning thence to his farm in Putnam county. When the Vandalia Railroad was being built he took a contract to con- struct a portion of it and removed his family to the locality now known as Eagles. There he died a few months later in June, 1848. His wife, who in her maidenhood was Elizabeth Bolin, was born in Adair county, Kentucky, a daughter of Benjamin and Prudence (Calico) Bolin, who . were natives of North Carolina and were pioneers of Adair county, where both spent their last days.

Mrs. Finley is still living at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years and is one of the respected and highly esteemed old ladies of the county. She was but four years of age when her parents moved to Indiana, so has little recollection of other districts than her adopted county, but the incidents of pioneer life had made a deep impress upon her memory, which forms a connecting link between the primitive past with all of its hardships and privations and the progressive present with its com- forts, conveniences and improvements. She recalls many an interesting incident of the early days. In her girlhood she was taught to card, spin and weave and following her marriage dressed her family in homespun. She has lived to witness the wonderful development of this county as it has been converted into a thickly settled district which is the home of a prosperous and contented people, busily engaged with the pursuits of commercial, industrial, professional and agricultural life. Unto Mr. Finley by his first marriage there was born a daughter, who is now the widow of Benjamin F. Belk. By the second marriage there were four children : Joseph R., George, John A. and Robert E. No history of this part of the state would be complete without mention of Mr. and Mrs. Finley, honored pioneer people, whose life record is closely interwoven with the substantial development and progress of this part of the state.

GEORGE W. FINLEY. M. D., who is known as an active and substantial practitioner of Brazil, Clay county, was born April 29, 1855, near Har- mony, in the county named. He is a son of James M. and Sarah Finley and his early education was confined to an attendance of four months of each year in the district schools then buried in the woods of his home neighborhood, the remaining eight months being occupied with farm work. His next decisive steps were as a student at Union Chris-

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tian College and as a teacher in the country schools of Clay and Putnam counties. During his college course he taught in these counties alternately until 1878, when he graduated from the Union institution with the degree of M. S.

Dr. Finley first assumed his professional studies with Dr. R. H. Culbertson, of Brazil, and in 1881 graduated from the Medical College of Indiana, at once settling at Harmony for practice. There he remained for eighteen years, and in 1898 commenced his career at Brazil. He has been an active member of the Clay County Medical Society since its organization in 1885 and is also identified with the state and national bodies, having served as a representative to the national meetings of the American Medical Association at Milwaukee (1893), Baltimore (1897) and Portland ( 1905). At these and other stated meetings he has pre- sented papers which have been published in the regular transactions, and is a familiar contributor to the standard literature of his profession.

JACOB F. HOUSER .- The name of Jacob F. Houser is prominently connected with the industrial interests of Turner, where he has been the proprietor of a general mercantile store since the IIth of September, 1899, and also with its public life, for since 1904 he has served the town as its postmaster. He has been identified with the interests of Turner since marrying and starting in life for himself, and the first seventeen years of his business career was spent in the employ of the Ehrlick Coal Company.

Mr. Houser was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, January 1, 1850, a son of George and Mary ( Whitmyer) Houser. The mother was born and reared in Ohio, and was of Pennsylvania Dutch parentage. The father was born in Germany October 26, 1818, and was but fourteen years of age when he came to the United States and located in Ohio, where he was married and remained until 1854, in that year coming to Indiana and locating in Owen county. In 1858 he moved to Clay county and became the owner of a farm near Bowling Green in Washington township. On the 2d of August, 1862, he enlisted in the Eighty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Company I, and served for one year in the Civil war. He was wounded in action which terminated his service, and he returned to his home and family in Clay county. He voted with the Democracy before the war, and afterward was a Republican. His death occurred at the age of fifty-six years and six months. Mr. and Mrs. Houser had ten children, four sons and six daughters, and eight of the number grew to years of maturity, and four are now living. All but two of the number were educated in the schools of Clay county.

Jacob F. Houser, the third child and second son, attended the dis- trict schools of Washington township, and on the 22d of July, 1879, in Sugar Ridge township, he was married to Anna M. Tribble, who was born near Bowling Green in Clay county, and was reared and educated in Sugar Ridge township and at Staunton, a daughter of William and Charlotte (Sparks) Tribble, prominent early settlers of Washington township. Ten children have also been born of this union-William Frederick, Callie M., Walter, Ross W., Ethel, Ira Lee, Harry, Clarence, Georgia and Inez, all of whom were born and reared in Posey township, but five of the number, Walter, Ross W., Ethel, Harry and Inez, are deceased. Mr. Houser votes with the Prohibition party, and fraternally

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is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Red Men. He is also a member of the United Brethren Church.

ROCHESTER K. S. HOBBS .- The worthy representative of an honored pioneer family of Clay county and a life-long resident of Washington township, Rochester K. S. Hobbs occupies a prominent position among the leading agriculturists of this part of the state, being prosperously engaged in general farming and stock-raising. A son of Rev. Mont- gomery Hobbs, he was born in this township in 1842, and has here spent his life. His grandfather, Hanson Hobbs, a noted abolitionist, freed his slaves, and thereafter was a strong anti-slavery leader, advocating the cause throughout Indiana.

A native of Kentucky, Montgomery Hobbs married in that state Nancy J. Pullum, and in 1826 migrated by way of the Ohio and Wabash rivers to Illinois. Returning to Kentucky in 1828, they remained there four years, then, in 1832, came to Clay county, where he farmed on rented land for awhile, teaching school during the winter seasons. He subsequently entered three hundred and twenty acres of land in sections eleven and twelve, Washington township, and from the dense growth of timber began the strenuous labor of hewing out a farm. Deer, timber wolves, and other wild animals were plentiful, and the Indians had many towns in this vicinity, he and his wife constituting one of the first white families to locate here. He cleared some of his land, and in addition to his agricultural labors was one of the first Baptist ministers of Clay county, preaching in this vicinity until his death in 1853. His wife sur- vived him a number of years, residing on the home farm. She reared eight sons and three daughters, of whom but three children, two sons and one daughter, are now living, namely: Rochester K. S .; Sylvester, of Washington township, of whom a brief sketch may be found on another page of this volume; and Margaret, widow of J. B. Lee, who, with her two children, resides with her brother Rochester K. S.

Acquiring his elementary education in the pioneer log schoolhouse of his day, Rochester K. S. Hobbs completed his studies in the Normal School at Brazil. Choosing for his life occupation that to which he was reared, he made his first investment in real estate in 1861, buying seven- teen acres of land that was covered with heavy timber, and to this he has added by purchase from time to time, having now three hundred and twenty acres of rich and fertile land in Clay county, one hundred acres of which, in Washington township, is under cultivation, the remainder being good pasture land. A skilful and practical agriculturist, he de- votes his attention to general farming and stock growing, raising cattle, Poland-China hogs and sheep, in each branch of his industry meeting with satisfactory pecuniary results. Politically Mr. Hobbs sustains the principles of the Republican party by voice and vote. Fraternally he was a member of Brazil Lodge, A. F. & A. M., from which he demitted, and was one of the first Knights of Pythias in Clay county.

MRS. ELIZA (MCKINLEY) PELL .- A life-long resident of Van Buren township and one of its most highly esteemed and respected women, Eliza (McKinley) Pell was born on the farm where she now resides De- cember 3, 1834, a daughter of George Green Mckinley. Her grand- father, Michael McKinley, was born in Pennsylvania, which was also the birthplace of his wife Elizabeth. He moved to Kentucky and became

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a pioneer of Adair county. Enlisting as a soldier during the war of 1812, he died while in service.

Born July 17, 1802, in Adair county, Kentucky, George Green Mc- Kinley was there bred and educated. Commencing life for himself when young, he rented land in Kentucky and was there employed in tilling the soil for a number of years. Building a flat boat in 1828, he took his crop of corn down the river to market, being accompanied by his wife and children. Selling his entire crop and the boat at Nanchez, he returned to his Kentucky home, packed all of his belongings into a cart, hitched on a pair of steers, and immediately started for Indiana. IIis two small children rode in the cart. while his wife rode a small mare. Arriving safely in Clay county with the four hundred dollars in silver which he had received for his corn and boat, Mr. Mckinley entered two tracts of government land, one in section twenty-seven and one in sec- tion thirty-four of what is now Van Buren township. On the latter he built a log house, in which the family lived for some time. The settlers were then few and far between, there being but two families nearer than Eel river, ten miles away, and for a number of years Spencer, in Owen county, was the nearest post office.

A man of great enterprise, energetic and public-spirited, Mr. Mc- Kinley was what is now popularly called "a live wire." He was ever interested in local progress and improvements, and was among the fore- most in advancing all enterprises of public benefit. When the National Road was completed he built a brick house and a large barn and opened a stage station, which he kept for several years. He was one of the prime movers in the building of the Wabash and Erie Canal, and was largely instrumental in having the Vandalia Railway put through here. At the time it was to be built there were two proposed routes, one being through Parke county, that being the one favored by other contractors, who refused to consider any other way. Mr. Mckinley, who was decid- edly in favor of the Clay county route, attended a meeting of the direc- tors and came forward and took the contract for building through this section of the state, giving the required bonds, and thus securing a rail- road for this county. No individual did more and few, if any, did as much as he in promoting and advancing the welfare of Clay county, and his name will ever be remembered most gratefully for generations to come. He was the first postmaster at Harmony, where the first post office in Van Buren township was established. He was a man of strong character, an ardent Christian, and a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church, contributing generously towards its support and advancement.

Mr. Mckinley married first Barbara Belk, who was born April 1, 1799, in Adair county, Kentucky, and died October 4, 1856, in Clay county, Indiana. She was the mother of four children, as follows : James ; Polly Ann ; Eliza Jane, now Mrs. Pell ; and Rhoda. Mr. McKin- ley married second Hannah Haymaker, by whom he had three children, Victoria, .George and Kansas.

On December 7, 1852, Eliza Jane Mckinley became the wife of Richard Dudley Pell. A native of Kentucky, he was born in Lewis county, a son of John and Rebecca (Ales) Pell. Further parental his- tory may be found on another page of this work in connection with the sketch of William F. Pell. Coming to Indiana when a boy, Mr. Pell acquired a good education for those days, and was subsequently one of

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the first school teachers in Van Buren township. At the time of his marriage he received from his father one hundred and sixty acres of land situated in the northern part of the township, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits for a few years. Settling then on a part of his father-in-law's land, he resided there until his death, in 1886. Mrs. Pell, with her son Oscar and his family, now live on the homestead on the National Road, occupying the commodious brick house built by Mr. Pell in 1871.

Four children blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Pell, namely : George G., of whom a brief sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Cynthia I., who married George Riddell; Charles A., who died aged two years; and Oscar E. Oscar E. Pell was born November 3, 1871, and since leaving school has been successfully engaged in general farming. In 1890 he married Mary E. Early, who was born in Putnam county, Indiana, a daughter of John and Jane (Steele) Early. Mr. Early was a pioneer settler of Putnam county and built the first saw and grist mill erected within its limits, drawing the machinery with teams from Cin- cinnati. The country roundabout was then but thinly populated, and for a number of years after he came here Terre Haute was the nearest . market place and depot for supplies. Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Pell have four children, namely: Cynthia, Bertha, Mary and Edwin. Politically Mr. Pell is a strong advocate of the principles of the Democratic party. Fraternally he is a member of Knightsville Lodge No. 409, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

WILLIAM JAMES WARD .- Among the prominent and influential men of Harrison township is William J. Ward, editor and proprietor of the Clay City Reporter, a bright, newsy paper, which he is conducting with signal success. A son of William Ward, he was born April 5, 1844, in Worcester county, Maryland, and there received his elementary educa- tion in the public schools.

William Ward, a son of James Ward, learned the trade of a shoe- maker when young and followed it in his native state until 1856, when he migrated with his family to Indiana, settling in Worthington, where he spent the remainder of his days. He married Ann Elizabeth Dryden, who was born in Maryland, a daughter of William Dryden. She died in Worthington, Greene county, Indiana, leaving three children, Little- ton; Mary; and William James, the subject of this brief sketch.

Soon after coming with his parents to Indiana, William J. Ward began learning the printer's trade in the office of the White River Val- ley Times, at Worthington, Greene county, and in the years that ensued became well versed in the duties of a newspaper office. Leaving his work in the summer of 1862, Mr. Ward enlisted in August of that year in Company H, Seventy-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he went to the front. While in action at the engagement in Richmond, Kentucky, he was severely wounded, receiving in the thigh a gunshot wound which incapacitated him for further duty. After remaining for a time in the hospital he was honorably discharged from the service on account of physical disability. Returning to Worthington, Mr. Ward resumed his former position in the office of the White River Valley Times, of which he subsequently became a part owner, and for a number of years was connected with that paper. Coming to Clay county in 1889 he purchased the Clay City Reporter, which he has since published.

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Being a versatile writer and an excellent business manager, the paper under his supervision has largely increased in circulation, and as one of the best conducted journals of this locality is eagerly sought by the intel- ligent reading public, while its articles are clipped by exchanges through- out this section of the state.

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A History of Clay County Indiana (Volume 2), Part 23

Author: William Travis Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Number of Pages: 631

Author: William Travis
Publication date: 1909
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 631