A History of Clay County Indiana (Volume 2), Part 67

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

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In the boyhood days of John H. Nees there were no free schools in this part of Indiana, but for three months of each year a subscription school was maintained in each district, and in these schools he obtained his early education. The school building was a very primitive structure, being a log cabin furnished with seats which were made by splitting small logs and inserting wooden pegs for legs. There were no desks in front of the rude seats, and a row of glass inserted in place of one log was the only window. On September 5, 1861, Mr. Nees generously offered his services to his country, enlisting in Company B, Thirty-first Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry. With his regiment he took an active part in many noted battles, including among others those of Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Land- ing, Perryville, Murfreesboro and Chickamauga. He was subsequently with Sherman in his march to Atlanta, taking part in the engagements at Dalton, Resaca and Buzzards Roost. On June 21, 1864, in front of Marietta, he was wounded and sent back to the hospital. On account of the expiration of his term of enlistment, Mr. Nees did not rejoin his regiment, but was honorably discharged from the service on September 21, 1864, and returned to his Indiana home.

Resuming the occupation to which he was reared, Mr. Nees carried on farming on rented land for awhile, and then bought the parental home- stead in Jackson township. This, however, he sold before occupying. Subsequently, in 1870, he bought his present estate in Perry township, and has since been most prosperously employed in tilling the soil, having his land in a good state of cultivation.

Mr. Nees married first, October 23, 1864, Nancy J. Gard, who was born in Jackson township, Owen county, a daughter of John H. and Phebe (Nelson) Gard, natives, respectively, of Indiana and Ohio. She died March 2, 1903. Of this union eight children were born and reared, namely : Ulysses Grant, Ettie, William, Leora, Alonzo, Alverta, Otha and Fred. Ulysses G. married Laura Mccullough, and they have three children, Marion, Marie and Berlin. Ettie, wife of John W. Ward, has two children, Fanchon and Essie. William married Mary Huffman, and at his death, at the age of twenty-two years, left one child, Alta. Leora married first William Irvin, by whom she had two children, Zella and William, and by her second marriage, with Edgar Staggs, has one child, Russell. Zella died in April, 1908, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Alonzo married Edith Moss, and they are the parents of four children, Paul, Carl, Earl and Warren. Alverta, the wife of Peter Harris, has seven children, Firmen, Lela, Melvin, Ruth, Dolly, Bessie and Elsie. Otha married Leora Wallace, and they have two children, Wallace and Wendell.

Mr. Nees married second, December 3, 1903, Lucinda Jordan, a daughter of Jacob Jordan and widow of John Kellum. She was born in Morgan township, Owen county, Indiana, August 18, 1855, of pioneer ancestry, her grandfather, Reuben Jordan, having been one of the original settlers of Morgan township. Reuben Jordan came with his wife and three children from North Carolina, his native state, to Indiana, bought a tract of timbered land in Morgan township, and after improving a

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part of it sold out and bought another tract in the same township. On that he built a hewed log house, in which he and his wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Beaman, spent their last years. Jacob Jordan was but a boy when he came with his parents to Morgan township, where he grew to manhood. There after his marriage he purchased land that was still in its original wildness, and was busily engaged in its improvement when the Civil war broke out. Laying aside his axe and plowshare, he enlisted, in September, 1861, in Company B, Thirty-first Indiana Volunteer Infan- try, went with his regiment to the front, and at the battle of Shiloh was so severely wounded that he was unable to rejoin his command. His wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Nichols, was a life-long resident of Morgan township, her death occurring there June 15, 1865. She reared seven of her children, namely: Harriet, Lydia, Lucinda, Mary, Ezra, Ila and Elbert.

Lucinda Jordan married first, in 1873, John N. Nees, who was born in Jackson township, Owen county, a son of William and Martha ( Birch- field) Nees, and grandson of Michael Nees. He was a farmer by occu- pation, and the first year after his marriage lived in Washington town- ship, Clay county. In 1874 he bought land in Lewis township, Clay county, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, December 11, 1877. Mrs. Lucinda (Jordan) Nees then married, March 2, 1880, John Kellum, of Cass township, Clay county. He, too, was a farmer, and for fourteen years resided in Lewis township. Removing then to Clay City, he was there a resident until his death, June 30, 1896. On December 3, 1903, as above mentioned, Mrs. Kellum became the wife of Mr. John H. Nees, the special subject of this sketch. By her first marriage Mrs. Nees had one daughter, Alverda. By her marriage with Mr. Kellum she had one daughter, Lillie Kellum, a successful teacher in Perry township. Religiously Mr. Nees is a consistent and valued mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mrs. Nees and her daughter Alverda are members of the United Brethren church.

JOHN CALHOUN BOLLINGER .- Among the substantial and successful agriculturists of Clay county, whose names are scattered through the pages of this volume none is more worthy of mention than John C. Bollinger, of Lewis township. A man of industry, intelligence, and ex- cellent ability, he has achieved success through his own efforts, and may be properly ranked among the self-made men of our times. A son of John R. Bollinger, he was born, January 1, 1844, in Guernsey county, Ohio. His paternal grandfather, John Bollinger, was born, reared and married in Ohio. With a growing family, he was ambitious to do more than make a bare living, so emigrated with his wife and children to the United States, locating in Buchanan county, Missouri, where he spent the remainder of his life, his four sons, with the exception of John R., making that state their permanent home.

Born in Switzerland, John R. Bollinger attended school in his native land during his youth, and subsequently learned the trade of a weaver, after which he served for three years in the army. Coming to America at the age of twenty-three years, he lived in Ohio until 1847, in the mean- time marrying and establishing a household. In that year, with his wife and four children, he made an overland journey to Buchanan county, Missouri, where he followed farming for about four years. Returning as far east as Indiana in 1851, he lived for a few months in Posey town-

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ship, then came to Lewis township, where, at first, he rented land. He then bought a tract of timbered land, on which a small log cabin was the only building. With true pioneer grit he began the improvement of a farm, working on the land at all times excepting in the winter season, when he operated a loom. Clearing and improving a comfortable home- stead, he resided here until his death, at the age of seventy-two years. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Ovley, was born in Ohio, of German ancestors, and died, a few years after he did, on the home farm. They were the parents of nine children, as follows: Nancy, Wyanna, Mary, John C., Margaret, William, Hezekiah, Louisa, and Henry.

But seven years old when brought by his parents to Clay county, John C. Bollinger remembers well when this section of the country was still in its primitive condition, bears, deer, wolves and wild turkeys infest- ing the woods, while Terre Haute was the nearest market. He assisted his father in the pioneer labor of clearing a farm, and after his marriage began life for himself as an independent farmer on rented land in Lewis township. Fortune smiling upon his efforts, he made money, which, in 1875, he invested in land, buying the homestead property upon which he has since resided. A small part of the land had been cleared when he assumed its possession, and a log cabin had been erected. Working . steadily and intelligently, he has brought his farm to a fine state of culti- vation, and has erected a set of frame buildings that will compare favor- ably with any in the vicinity, his estate being a credit to his industry and good management.

Mr. Bollinger married, April 14, 1867, Lena Elvus Briley, who was born in Westfield, Clark county, Illinois, a daughter of Rev. Absalom and Martha (Steward) Briley, and sister of Flavius J. Briley, of whom a brief sketch may be found elsewhere in this work. Three children have been born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Bollinger, namely: Mattamoras, Vancie, and Opal. Mattamoras married Rufus Brush, and their only child, Lena Vancie Brush, is the wife of Charles Frerry, and has two children, Leon and John R. Opal married James M. Mace, and they have one child, Zenith. Religiously both Mr. and Mrs. Bollinger are members of the United Brethren church and active in its work.

HENRY TIEFEL, one of the most prominent farmers and stock raisers of Posey township, is a native son of the fatherland of Germany, born on the 2d of October, 1835. His parents, George and Eva ( Ballard) Tiefel, were born, reared and married in Germany, and they became the parents of eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom Henry was the seventh born. In 1847 the family set sail for the United States, arriving in this country after an ocean voyage of fifty-one days, and they estab- lished their home in Hamilton, Ohio. In 1853 Mr. Tiefel, the father. bought one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in Posey township, Clay county, Indiana, and in 1856 he purchased another one hundred and sixty acres and the following year moved with his family onto this land. In after years he sold a part of this farm to his son Henry and finally sold the remainder to him, and bought property in Marshall, Illinois, where he lived retired until his death at the age of eighty-four years. He gave his political support after coming to this country to the Democracy and was a member of the Lutheran church.

Henry Tiefel was educated in Germany, and reared in Hancock

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county, Indiana, where his father lived for six years before moving to Clay county, and after coming here he cleared eighty acres of land in Posey township and fenced and improved a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. In 1881 he sold the old homestead and bought two hundred and ninety-two acres of his present homestead. Since then he has sold and deeded away a part of the tract, owning at the present time about two hundred acres. He raises the best grade of stock, making a specialty of Berkshire hogs and short-horn cattle, and he also does a large dairy business, owning about thirty milch cows and about twenty-eight head of young cattle. He takes a prominent and active part in the public life of his community, voting with the Democratic party, and during the long period of seventeen years he has served his township as a supervisor.

The marriage of Mr. Tiefel was celebrated in Posey township on the 29th of August, 1858, when Mary Elizabeth Nolte, a daughter of Adam Nolte, represented elsewhere in this history, became his wife. She was born in Germany and was but six months old when brought by her parents to the United States, and when she was ten years of age she came with them to Indiana. They have had eleven children, of whom four died in infancy, and those living are Magdalena, John Frederick, Mar- garet, Jacob T., Henry L., William M. and Edward L., all born and reared in Posey township. The eldest son, John Frederick, is the present candidate (1908) for the office of commissioner of Clay county. Mr. Tiefel is a member of the Lutheran church.

OSWALD THEODORE CARRITHERS is a member of one of the first families to seek a home in Clay county, and he is now numbered among the county's most prominent farmers and stock raisers, owning a val- uable and well improved homestead in section 36, Jackson township. He was born in Washington township, Clay county, August 15, 1850, and is a grandson of Thomas and Sarah Carrithers, who came from Kentucky to Vigo county, Indiana, in an early day, and from there to Clay county. They were among the first to establish their home here, but subsequently moved around a great deal.

Among their children was James Carrithers, who was born in Vigo county, Indiana, April 12, 1827, and was reared principally in Clay county, having come here with his parents when small, and he remained with them until his marriage, working at different occupations until he finally purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Washington township, which he cleared and improved. In 1860 he traded his Wash- ington township farm for two hundred and eighty acres in Jackson town- ship, of which he cleared a large amount and improved, but in 1872 he left the farm and lived in Center Point until 1880, when he returned to the homestead and died there in his seventy-second year. His wife, Mahala E. Walker, was born in Washington township, Clay county, a daughter of Nathan D. Walker, one of the earliest of the pioneers of the county. Of the eight children of this union, two sons and six daughters, all were born in Clay county, and four are now deceased. Mr. Carrithers, the father, gave his political support to the Republican party, and was a member of the Masonic order.

Oswald T. Carrithers, the first born of the eight children, received his education principally in the schools of Jackson township, and on the 16th of April, 1874, he was married to Mary Euphronia Kennedy, born in Ohio March 22, 1856, a daughter of Dr. William J. Kennedy, a farmer,

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merchant and physician at Center Point. He was born in Ohio and came to Clay county, Indiana, in February of 1857, locating in Sugar Ridge township, near Center Point, where he bought a farm and also taught school for two years. Moving then to Center Point he practiced medi- cine there during the remainder of his life with the exception of four years which he spent in Stockton. He was married in Ohio to Margaret Curry, a native daughter of that state, and Mrs. Carrithers is the younger of their two children, a son and a daughter. The father died in Center Point in 1878. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Carrithers was blessed by the birth of nine children, four sons and five daughters, namely: Ross, Susie, Stella, Porter (deceased ), Ellen, Gertrude and three who died in infancy. All were born and reared in Clay county.

In 1880 Mr. and Mrs. Carrithers moved to Center Point, but after two years there they returned to the farm and located on one hundred and twenty-six acres of land, their present homestead. Mr. Carrithers has been a life-long supporter of Republican principles, an active worker in local party ranks, and he is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity.

FREDERICK MORSE PEAVEY .- Prominent among the energetic and pro- gressive men who have been actively identified with the development and advancement of the agricultural interests of Clay county is Frederick M. Peavey, a well-known and highly esteemed resident of Clay City. Coming from a long line of New England ancestry, he was born, August 2, 1855, in Moultonboro, Carroll county, New Hampshire, a son of Alvin Peavey.

Joseph Peavey, the grandfather of Frederick M., was born,. it is thought, in Maine. He was a man of ability, and for many years was successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits in Tuftonboro, New Hamp- shire, where he spent his last days. His wife, whose. maiden name was Mary L. Drew, was born in Maine, and after the death of her husband went to Boston to live with her children, and died in that city at the very remarkable age of one hundred and seven years. Of her family of eleven sons and two daughters but one child is living, that being Mrs. Lizzie Tower, of South Boston, Massachusetts.

A native of Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, Alvin Peavey was reared to habits of industry, and began his active career in Boston, being first a bell boy in the old United States hotel, in which he subsequently worked his way up until made clerk. He was afterwards employed as hotel man- ager in different places, having served in that capacity in many of the leading hotels of the East, including among others the old Willard's, the National, the Ebbet, and the Kirkwood, in Washington; the Dixon, at Westerly, Rhode Island; and the Fabyan, the famous White Mountain resort, in New Hampshire. Retiring from hotel life in 1892, he assumed charge of the estate of his father-in-law, in Meredith, New Hampshire, and there resided until his death, September 2, 1900. He married first Abbie Augusta Morse, who was born in Moultonboro, a daughter of Calvin and Lydia (Moulton) Morse. She died October 15, 1869, leaving six children, namely : Daniel W., Frederick Morse, George, Elmer Alvin, Mortimer, and Abbie Frances. He married second Mrs. Laura (Ela) Bedee, daughter of Joseph Ela, and widow of Daniel G. Bedee.

Beginning life as his father's assistant, Frederick M. Peavey worked with him in various hotels, remaining in the East until 1873. In that year he came to Indiana to visit his uncle, Hazen Peavey, at Howesville, and being especially pleased with the country roundabout has since been

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a resident of Clay county. He has for many years past been associated with the development of its agricultural resources, having been engaged in general farming in Lewis township, on the Muir estate (which came into the possession of his wife by inheritance), although since 1892 Mr. Peavey has lived in Clay City, employing men to do the farm work, which he superintends.

Mr. Peavey married, December 22, 1878, Margaret Viola Muir, who was born, July 11, 1859, in Indianapolis, a daughter of the late William Muir. Her grandfather, Thomas Muir, was a life-long resident of Ayr- shire, Scotland, but his wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Thomp- son, came to the United States after the death of her husband, and spent her last years in Indiana. Her children, eight in number, all came to this country, namely : James, Thomas, Robert, John, William, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Jane. Born and bred in Ayrshire, Scotland, William Muir there began as a lad of nine years to learn the art of weaving, and became an expert in the making of fine silk paisley shawls. Although he was constantly employed, working from early morn until late at night, he seized every opportunity for acquiring knowledge, studying hard in the evening schools, and thus obtaining a good practical education. Emi- grating to the United States in 1840, he was sixty-five days in sailing across the Atlantic. The following two years he lived in Germantown, Wayne county, Indiana, and then located in Indianapolis, which was a very small city, without any railroad, and was noted, only, as the seat of government. There he started the first loom ever operated in that city, and for a number of years was superintendent of the mill. Subsequently Mr. Muir turned his attention to market gardening, succeeding so well that in 1865, determining to broaden his scope of action, he purchased a tract of land in Lewis township, Clay county, and embarked in general farming and stock-raising on an extensive scale. He added to his landed possessions at different times, becoming owner of two thousand acres of good land, the value of which is steadily increasing. He continued actively employed in agricultural pursuits until his death, in June, 1888, meeting with eminent success in his undertakings. Mr. Muir married Mary Warman, who was born in Indiana, a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Guinn) Warman. She died in 1889, leaving five children, as follows: Thomas Robert, William Henry. Sarah, John, and Margaret Viola. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Peavey, two of whom, Elva and Frederick L., died in infancy, and three are living, namely : Mary Abbie, Frank, and Elmer Alvin. Mary Abbie, wife of John Calvin Allen, has one child, Chester Peavey Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Peavey are members of the Presbyterian church.

SMITH F. AULD .- Prominent among the leading citizens of Coal- mont is Smith F. Auld, who is actively identified with its mercantile inter- ests. is influential in public affairs, and is now rendering excellent service as its postmaster. Coming from substantial Scotch ancestry, he was born, April 19, 1858, in Mount Vernon, Ohio, a son of John W. Auld. His paternal grandfather, Archibald Auld, was born in Scotland, but was reared in Ireland, where his parents settled when he was a small child. Coming to America soon after his marriage, he located in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, where he resided a few years. Migrating from there to Ohio, he became a pioneer of Morrow county, and was there employed as a tiller of the soil until his death, at the venerable age of

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eighty-eight years. He reared four children, namely : James, John W., David, and Mary.

John W. Auld was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and there learned the trade of a millwright. Becoming an expert at his trade, he subsequently made a business of building mills in different localities, and operating them until able to sell at a good profit. He confined his opera- tions in this line mostly to Ohio, and spent his last years in Cleveland, dying in 1876. He was twice married, his second wife, whose maiden name was Jane Hall, bearing him three children, namely: Louisa; Smith F., of this sketch; and Martha. The mother was three times married, her first husband having been Jesse Harris, by whom she had three · children. When Smith F. Auld was three years old, his parents sepa- rated, and, by mutual agreement, he remained with his father, holding no communication whatever with his mother. Twenty years later, learning the whereabouts of his mother, he went to see her, and on being ushered into the room where she sat she immediately recognized him, even before he had time to speak.

At the age of seven years, Smith F. Auld went to Greene county, Pennsylvania, to live with an aunt, and there attended school regularly un- til fourteen years old, obtaining a good elementary education, after which he continued his studies for three years in Columbus, Ohio. After the death of his father he was for three years employed as meat inspector in Armour's packing house in Kansas City, Missouri. Coming then to Middlebury, Indiana, to see his mother, from whom he had been so many years parted, he has since been a resident of Clay county. The first few years after coming here Mr. Auld was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Clay City, but when Coalmont was started he transferred his residence and his business to this place, and here as a general merchant has built. up a large and remunerative trade. Since July 8, 1904, he has also served as postmaster, and has managed the business connected with his office most ably and satisfactorily.

In 1882 Mr. Auld married Amanda M. Kress, who was born in Har- rison township, this county, a daughter of William R. and Lydia Kress. Their union has been made happy by the birth of two children, Clinton H. and Ora E. A prominent member of the Republican party, Mr. Auld has taken an active interest in political affairs. A candidate for the position of county clerk in 1900, he reduced the usual Democratic ma- jority from five hundred to sixty, and in 1902 he was elected county treasurer by a majority of thirty-five votes. A recount being called for, he was beaten by one vote only, and as he did not care to incur the expense of carrying the matter to a higher court gave up the contest. Fraternally Mr. Auld is a member of Martz Lodge, No. 361, I. O. O. F .; Uncas Tribe, No. 68, I. O. R. M .; Unica Council, No. 13, Clay City Camp, No. 95, M. W. A .; and to Royal Americans, No. 134.

CHARLES RAAB .- During many years Charles Raab has been num- bered among the leading farmers and stock raisers of Jackson township, his valuable and attractive homestead being located in section II. He was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, April 22, 1863, and is of German parentage. His father, Valentine Raab, for many years one of the best known farmers and business men of Jackson township, was born, reared and educated in Germany, and coming to the United States when a young

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man and locating in Ohio, he was there married to a native daughter of his own land, Phebe Neihart. Their union was blessed by the birth of fourteen children, eight of whom grew to years of maturity and Charles is the seventh born of those living, four sons and four daughters. In 1864 Valentine Raab emigrated with his family to Clay county and located on what has since been known as the Raab homestead in Jackson town- ship. Purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land, he cleared and improved his farm and made his home thereon during the remainder of his life, dying at the age of eighty-three years and in the faith of the Evangelical church, of which he was long a faithful member. His poli- tics were Democratic.

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A History of Clay County Indiana (Volume 2), Part 67

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

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