A History of Clay County Indiana (Volume 2), Part 75

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

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On December 18, 1848, Mr. Edmundson married Elizabeth Friedly. who was born in Harrison township, Indiana. February 17, 1832, a daughter of Daniel and Rebecca Friedly. She died March 30, 1897. leaving five children. William Daniel, Henry R., Columbus Lafayette. Huldah, and Jacob Ashley.

WILLIAM LAWSON BUCKALLEW .- One of the oldest residents of Harrison township. Clay county, and a veteran agriculturist. bearing with ease and dignity his burden of eighty and more years, William L. Buckallew is the owner of a comfortable homestead, on which he has been for many years engaged in his useful calling. A son of James Buckallew. he was born. June 6, 1828, in Harrison county, Indiana, of honored Scotch ancestry, his paternal grandfather, Jonathan Buckallew, having been born and bred in Scotland. The only member of his family, as far as known, to emigrate to America, Jonathan Buckallew settled in Vir- ginia, and there spent the remainder of his life. He reared nine children. five daughters and four sons, the names of the sons being, Jonathan. William, James, and George. Jonathan and William served in the war of 1812, the former losing his life in battle.

A native of Virginia, James Buckallew left home in early manhood, going to Tennessee, where he firmly believed there was a better oppor- tunity for a young man to make a livelihood. He soon afterwards married Mahala Holt, who was born in Wales. and came with her parents, Joel and Elizabeth Holt, and located on the Clinch river, in Knox county, Tennessee, where both her father and mother resided permanently. Com-

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ing with his young wife to Indiana in 1827, he made the long and tedious journey with teams, bringing all of his household effects with him, and for about two years lived in Harrison county. Coming with a colony to Clay county in 1829, he became one of the original householders of Har- rison township. Buying forty acres of land lying a short distance south of the present site of Middlebury, he lived there four years, and then sold out. Then, buying forty acres in Lewis township, he built a cabin of round logs, men coming from ten and twelve miles away to the raising. Two years later, he purchased eighty acres of timbered land about half a mile from his home, and there built a commodious hewed log house, his neighbors from near and far coming to help raise it, which they were two days in accomplishing. For many years after he came to Clay county there were no railroads, and Terre Haute was the nearest market, while Vincennes was the most convenient milling point. His wife, who was proficient in the domestic arts, used to card. spin and weave, and did the dressmaking and tailoring for the family, dressing herself, husband and children in the homespun which she manufactured. He improved a good farm, and lived there until after his second marriage, when he moved to Middlebury, where he died at the advanced age of eighty years. His first wife, Elizabeth ( Holt ) Buckallew, died in 1863, leaving four chil- dren, namely : Sarah Ellen. Mary Ann, William Lawson, and Joel Holt.

But an infant when brought by his parents to Clay county, William L. Buckallew has been a continuous resident here since. He received his early education in the pioneer schools of Harrison township, the first which he attended having been a subscription school taught by Elder John Neal in a log cabin which his father had built. He remained an inmate of the parental household until after his marriage. when he settled on forty acres of land which his father gave him. beginning housekeeping in a small log cabin, which he occupied for four years. Subsequently buying one hundred acres of land in a near-by section, Mr. Buckallew erected a log cabin, riving the boards by hand, putting up a stick and clay chimney, and for a few years having no stove, but doing the cooking by the fireplace. Deer, turkeys and other wild game was abundant. and formed a large part of the family living. He cleared the land and on the farm made improvements of value, each year adding to the beauty and attractiveness of his home estate,

In 1850, Mr. Buckallew married Elizabeth Goble, who was born in Vigo county, Indiana, a daughter of Daniel Goble, and grand-daughter of Thomas Goble, pioneers of that part of the state. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Buckallew. namely: Sarah Ellen, wife of William B. Little, has nine children; James D. married Mary M. Worth, and has three children: and Jcel, who married a Miss Shaw. has one child.

WATSIE C. PELL .- Among the energetic and enterprising young agriculturists of Van Buren township is Watsie C. Pell, who has started out in life with excellent prospects for a prosperous future, his industry, ability and good business tact having already placed him among the prominent husbandmen of this part of Clay county. A native and to the manner born, his birth occurred on the farm where he now resides, August 4, 1885. a son of John F. Pell, Jr., and Mary C. (Stallcop) Pell, of whom a brief sketch may be found on another page of this volume. His grandfather, John F. Pell. Sr., was one of the early pioneers of this

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section of Indiana, coming here in 1838, from Virginia, where his father, John Pell, settled when coming to this country from England, his native home. Further ancestral history appears elsewhere in this work, in connection with the sketch of William F. Pell, an uncle of Watsie C. Pell.

Growing to manhood on the home farm, Watsie C. Pell attended the district school during the days of his boyhood and youth, and was early trained to agricultural pursuits, residing with his parents until their removal to Harmony. He has since continued to occupy the old homestead, which is located in section eleven, and in its management is meeting with signal success. He is prosperously engaged in general farming and stock-raising, exercising great skill and good judgment in his undertakings.

On September 23, 1906, Mr. Pell married Frances Odell Altman, who was born in Van Buren township, which was also the birthplace of her father, Perry Altman. Her grandfather, George Altman, who married Maria Cornwell, was one of the pioneers of this township, and an able factor in developing its agricultural resources. Perry Altman was for many years employed in farming in this locality, and subse- quently turned his attention to mining pursuits, and is now a resident of Harmony. He married Paulina Crabb, a daughter of William and Eliza Williams Crabb, of whom further notice may be found in connec- tion with the sketch of W. H. Cutshaw. Mrs. Pell, who has spent her entire life in Van Buren township, has a large circle of warm friends, and is a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

EMERY LOUDERMILK .- Emery Loudermilk, for many years a promi- nent farmer in Jackson township, was a son of one of its early agricul- turists and was born in Jackson township on the 15th of January, 1846. His grandfather, Stephen A. Loudermilk, was one of the early pioneers of Jackson township. He was born, reared and married in North Caro- lina, and in an early day left that state for Indiana. The wife died en route, but the father continued on with his ten children and settled on the Eel river. Shortly afterward, however, he moved to Jackson town- ship and entered eighty acres of land from the government, to which he later added another tract of eighty acres, and in time cleared his land and placed it under cultivation, remaining in Jackson township until his death at the advanced age of seventy-nine years, six months, and twenty- two days. He was a life-long supporter of Republican principles, and for twenty years was a justice of the peace. He married in Clay county Sarah Bolin, a member of another of the pioneer families here, and they had four children.

William Loudermilk, one of the children by his father's first mar- riage, was born in Randolph county, North Carolina, September 27, 1816. He was sixteen years of age when he emigrated with his father to Indiana, and later he entered forty acres of land on Birch creek, of which he cleared a part, but finally sold that land and bought eighty acres in Jackson township, which he also sold after clearing. and im- proving and then bought one hundred and sixty acres of his present homestead. He later became the owner of two hundred and eighty · acres in the home place and two hundred and twenty acres in the Eel river bottoms, and with the aid of his sons cleared over half of his land. He was an active supporter of Democratic principles, and at one time served

Vol. II-34

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as a director. He became very prominent in the business and public life of his county and elsewhere, having dealt quite extensively in stock in different counties, and during about two years he also operated a saw- mill in Jackson township. His death occurred at the age of seventy-six years. Mrs. Loudermilk bore the maiden name of Mary Wright and was a native of Harrison county, Indiana, born on the 17th of October, 1822, and she was only about six years of age when she came with her parents to Clay county. Her father, Elijah Wright, entered land in Jackson township, this county. After the death of her parents Mrs. Loudermilk was reared in the home of Amos Hedge, D. D., of Jackson township. Nine children, four sons and five daughters, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Loudermilk, of whom four are now deceased, and all were born in Jackson township.

Stephen Loudermilk and his eldest son William named the town of Ashboro, Clay county, and, at that time it was expected it would be the county seat. It was named after the county seat of Randolph county, North Carolina, where . the Loudermilk family came from. Stephen Loudermilk also named Mt. Olive church after their home church in North Carolina. The first money that William Loudermilk ever earned was at the age of eleven years, the sum of $2.75. He gave it to his mother and she advised him to buy a Bible with it, which he did. This Bible he brought with him from North Carolina and about two months before his death he gave it to his grandson, Dennis Loudermilk, request- ing him to keep it for his lifetime.

Emery Loudermilk, the eldest son and second child of William Loudermilk, was married here on the 28th of December, 1869, to Mary C. Neidlinger, born in Canal Dover, Ohio, January 5, 1851, and who was twelve years of age when she came with her parents to Indiana, the family locating in Jackson township, Clay county. Her parents were Jacob and Katherine (Renor) Neidlinger, farming people of this town- ship. Mrs. Emery Loudermilk died in 1901, leaving three children- Dennis, Stella, and Oris. Mr. Loudermilk owned at the time of his death one hundred acres of his father's old homestead, of which he had cleared about fifteen acres. During six months he owned and conducted a store in Asherville, but at the close of that period his property was destroyed by fire and he then returned to his farm. He was an active public worker, voting with the Democratic party, and he was a member of the United Brethren church. In its faith he passed away in death on the 22d of May, 1908.

JOHN THATCHER GARDNER .- The legal fraternity of Clay county is well represented by John Thatcher Gardner, of Clay City, who has brought to the practice of his profession a well-trained mind, and those habits of industry and observation that almost invariably win success in life. A son of George Ray Gardner, he was born, January 22, 1848, in Conewango, Cattaraugus county, New York, of thrifty Scotch ances- try. There is a well-established tradition that five brothers named Gard- ner came from Scotland to America in the very early part of the last century, one of whom, George R., the grandfather of John Thatcher, settled in Vermont. One located in Rhode Island; one in Maryland; one in Ohio; and the other sought a residence in the Sunny South.

George R. Gardner, the emigrant ancestor, located in Windsor,

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Vermont, on coming to New England from his Scottish home, and was there a resident until 1825. Going then with his family to the adjoining state of New York, he took up wild land in Conewango, and by dint of hard labor cleared from the forest a homestead, on which he spent the remainder of his life. He married a Miss Mourton, who ably assisted him in his pioneer labors, in common with her few neighbors carding, spinning and weaving the material from which she made the garments worn by her family.

George Ray Gardner was born in Windsor, Vermont, in 1812, and as a boy of thirteen went with his parents to Cattaraugus county, New York, where he assisted in clearing and improving a farm. After attaining his majority, he secured employment in a saw-mill at Corydon, Pennsylvania, where he became familiar with the details connected with the manufacture of lumber. Returning then to Conewango, New York, he bought land, purchased a saw-mill, and was there profitably employed in the mill and on the home farm until his death, at the ripe old age of four score and four years. He married Lurena Crossfield, who was born in New Hampshire, a daughter of Roswell Crossfield. She survived him just three weeks, passing away when eighty-two years of age. She reared five children, namely : Emma A., wife of H. B. Aldrich, of Cone- wango, New York; Frank T., of Chautauqua county, same state; John Thatcher, of this sketch; William F., a practicing physician of Conewan- go, New York; and George D., also of that place.

After completing his studies in the public schools of his native town, John T. Gardner entered Chamberlain Institute, at Randolph, New York, from which he was graduated in 1871. He subsequently resumed the study of law, which he had previously commenced while teaching school, and later entered the law department of the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated with the class of 1874. Going. then to Union- ville, Putnam county, Missouri, Mr. Gardner taught school for one term, and was there admitted to the bar. Not caring, however, to settle there, he came to Indiana in the fall of 1875, and having opened an office at Middlebury, remained there until the establishment of Clay City, when he came here to reside. Since that time, with the exception of one year spent in the state of Washington, Mr. Gardner has been in active prac- tice in this city, by his professional knowledge, skill and ability winning a lucrative patronage.

In 1880 Mr. Gardner married Caroline Travis, a native of Ohio, and they have five children now living, namely: Lurena, George W., G. Cleveland, Emma Mildred, and John Thurman. Mr. Gardner is an unswerving Democrat in politics, and an earnest advocate of the prin- ciples of his party. Mrs. Gardner is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JOHN C. LEACHMAN .- Noteworthy among the active and practical farmers who have so ably assisted in developing the rich agricultural . resources of Clay county is John C. Leachman, who is successfully em- ployed in general farming and stock raising in Dick Johnson township. He is a native of Indiana, his birth having occurred, February 24, 1840, in Sugar Creek township, Hancock county. He comes of honored pio- ner stock, his father, Richard Leachman, and his grandfather, James Leachman, having settled in this state in 1824, nearly eighty-five years

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ago. His great-grandfather, the emigrant ancestor, was born in Scotland, and after coming to this country spent his years, as far as known, in Virginia.

Born in Virginia, James Leachman lived there until after his mar- riage. In the early part of the nineteenth century, accompanied by his wife and two children, he went to Maysville, Kentucky, where he resided a short time. Not content, however, he crossed the river, located in Brown county, Ohio, where he purchased land, and for a number of years followed farming. In 1824, with his wife, and six of his eight children, he came to Indiana, making the trip with teams. A pioneer of Hancock county, he entered government land in Sugar Creek township, and with true pioneer grit improved from the dense forest a farm, on which he lived until 1853. Disposing of that land, he purchased a farm in Sugar Ridge township, Clay county, and there resided until his death, in February, 1865, at the venerable age of four score and four years. He married Matilda Brown. also a native of Virginia. Her father, Thomas Brown, was a native of England, and the only one of his family, it is thought, to come to the United States. His first wife had previously died in England, and he subsequently married, in Virginia, a Miss Tately. Matilda (Brown) Leachman, wife of James Leachman, died in Ohio, in middle life. She was the mother of the following-named children : George, Thomas, Elizabeth, William, James, Richard, Fanny, and John M.

Richard Leachman was born July 2, 1814, in Brown county, Ohio, and was but ten years old when he came with his parents to Hancock county, Indiana, where he grew to manhood. As a youth, he learned the carpenter's trade, and there followed it a number of years, helping to build up towns and villages. Coming from there to Clay county in 1855, he rented land in Washington township for two years, and then removed to Sugar Ridge township, where for a number of years he worked at his trade. When ready to retire from active labor, he came to Dick Johnson township to spend his closing days with his son John. He died in 1898, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He married Isabelle Bailey, who was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, June 9, 1816, a daughter of Rev. George Bailey.

Rev. George Bailey was born of English parents in Virginia, where he grew to manhood. In 1834 he came to Hancock county, Indiana, locating in Sugar Creek township, on a tract of land that he took up from the government. The country roundabout was then in its primitive wildness; Indians were numerous, but not unfriendly ; and bears, deer, wild turkeys and other game were plentiful. Building a log house, he improved a homestead, on which he spent his remaining days, dying, December 24, 1848. He was a preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist church, and while assisting to redeem a portion of the uncultivated soil, also labored to incline the hearts and minds of the people to religious things. He married Isabelle Christy, a native of England. She survived him, and after his death went to Iowa to live with her children, and died in that state at the remarkable age of one hundred and six years. Her daughter Isabelle, who married Richard Leachman, as mentioned above, died July 8, 1857. To her and her husband nine children were born, namely : James, Martha, John C., Elizabeth, Lucinda, Lloyd, George Ethan, Lewis William, and Richard Thomas.

In the days of his boyhood and youth John C. Leachman conned his books in the pioneer log schoolhouse, in which plain slab benches

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took the place of the chairs used in modern schoolrooms, and boards placed against the sides of the cabin furnished a place upon which the children could write. At the age of eighteen years he began working . with his father at the carpenter's trade, continuing thus employed four years. Going then to Illinois, he worked on a farm a few months, and then returned home. Having in the meantime saved some money, Mr. Leachman continued his studies under the tutorship of William Travis, after which he taught school thirteen terms, one term in Vigo county, three in Parke county, and the remainder in Van Buren and Dick John- son townships. From 1866 until 1869 he was a resident of Vigo county. Coming to Dick Johnson township in the latter year, he was for a number of years employed in farming on rented land. Meeting with encouraging results while thus employed, Mr. Leachman, in 1878, purchased the farm on which he is now residing. His estate contains eighty acres of rich and arable land, well improved and judiciously cultivated, constituting one of the model farms of this vicinity. Here he is prosperously engaged in general farming and stock-raising, in his operations being uniformly successful.

Mr. Leachman has been twice married. He married first, December 24, 1865, Sarah J. Wilson, a daughter of Peter and Mary Wilson. She was born in Van Buren township, and died, October 27, 1900, on the home farm. Mr. Leachman married second, June 23, 1893, Mrs. Mahala (Girton) Wright, who was born in Van Buren township, a daughter of Stephen and Margaret Girton, and widow of Benjamin F. Wright. Stephen Girton was born, it is thought, in Pennsylvania, and as a boy removed with his father, George Girton, to Brown county, Ohio, where the father cleared a farm, and spent his remaining years. In 1837 Stephen Girton, with his wife and three children, came overland to Indiana, making the tedious trip with teams. Entering government land in sections 13 and 24, Van Buren township, he at once built a log cabin for himself and family, and then began the arduous task of clearing and improving a homestead. Working with indomitable perseverance and a resolute will, placed the larger part of his estate under cultivation, erected a comfortable set of frame buildings, and there resided until his death, in 1862. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Van Sandt, survived him, passing away at the age of eighty-seven years, in 1897. She had a large family of children, rearing twelve of them.

Mr. Leachman has five children living, all by his first marriage, namely : Mary Isabelle, Lewis William, Albert Melvin, Ida Ellen, and Richard Otis. Mary I., wife of Harvey Yant, has four children, Hilda, Charlotte, Jesse, and Mary Ellen. Lewis W. married Orpha Webster, and they have three children, Lewis William, Dulcie and Baby. Albert M. married Minnie Yocum. Ida E., wife of Frederick Greenwald, has four children, Clara, Mabel, Clarence, and Carroll. Richard married Charlotte Knapper, and they have two children, William Calvin and Orville. By her first marriage Mrs. Leachman had one child, Lillie, who is now the wife of William Winn, and they have one child, Willie Epperson.

Politically Mr. Leachman is a straightforward Democrat, and since casting his first presidential vote for George B. McClellan has worked for the advancement of his party's interests, and the good of his country. In 1872 he was elected trustee of Dick Johnson township, and was re- elected in 1876 and 1882. Fraternally he is a member of Brazil Lodge,

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No. 264, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons. Religiously both he and his wife belong to the Christian church.

LEWIS ENGLEHART, who is known as one of the most prominent . business men and agriculturists of Jackson township, is a representative of a pioneer family of Clay county, and the history of his parents is given in the sketch of his brother, John W. Englehart, in this work. When a boy of twelve Lewis Englehart came with his parents to Clay county, Indiana, and he completed his educational training in the district schools of Jackson township. His birth occurred in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, June 21, 1853, and after leaving school he spent three years as a clerk in a mercantile store in Bowling Green. Returning then to his father's home- stead he took charge of the farm, and this valuable old place has ever since been his home. He helped to clear its land, and at the time of his father's death he rented eighty acres of the place, and has since become the owner of one hundred and fifty-one acres, all of which is under an excellent state of cultivation. He makes a specialty of the raising of stock, handling thoroughbred English Berkshire hogs and short-horn cattle, and he also owns a house and lot in Terre Haute and property in Indianapolis.

Mr. Englehart married, November 6, 1875, Rosanna Raab, and the history of her father, Valentine Raab, also appears on other pages of this work. She was born in Ohio, but was reared in Clay county, Indiana, and in her girlhood days attended the district schools of Jackson township. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Englehart has been blessed by the birth of four children, namely: Phoebe, the wife of Homer Boyd, a Jackson township farmer; Margaret, deceased; and John A. and Charles F., all of whom were born on the old Englehart homestead. The politics of Mr. Englehart are Democratic, and he is a member of the Red Men and of the Lutheran church.

WILLIAM FRANCIS .- Prominent among the native born represen- tatives of the brave pioneers of Clay county is William Francis, who is one of the most thrifty and prosperous farmers of Harrison township, and possesses in a marked degree those principles that constitute him an honest man and a worthy citizen. A native of Clay county, he was born January 26, 1856, in Washington township, a son of William Jacob Astor Francis. The grandfather, named Joseph Francis, was born, it is thought, in Virginia, but subsequently settled in Kentucky, and from there in the later years of his life came to Clay county, Indiana, to spend his last days.

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A History of Clay County Indiana (Volume 2), Part 75

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

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