A history of Sullivan County, Indiana, closing of the first century's history of the county, and showing the growth of its people, institutions, industries and wealth, Volume II, Part 3

Author: Wolfe, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), b. 1832 ed; Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago (Ill.)
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: New York ; Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 508


USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > A history of Sullivan County, Indiana, closing of the first century's history of the county, and showing the growth of its people, institutions, industries and wealth, Volume II > Part 3


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Thomas E. Ward, the fifth child in his parents' family, received his early education in his native place and labored on the farm until he was twenty-three years of age. He then started out in life on his own account following farming until the autumn of 1907, when he purchased a resi- dence in Sullivan. During the winter months for fifteen years he worked in the coal mines. In November, 1906, he was elected county treasurer of Sullivan county, taking his office January 1, 1908. He was elected on the Democratic ticket, which party he has always supported. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is advanced in that order to the Encampment. He also holds a membership with the Modern Woodmen of America, at Sullivan.


October 16, 1886, he was married to Katie Waggoner, who was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, January 14, 1867, daughter of William H. and Mary (Snow) Waggoner. Her mother is residing in Oklahoma. Five children were born to Thomas E. Ward and wife: Lillie E., born July 15, 1889, a graduate of Lyons Business College, of Sullivan, Indiana, with the class of 1907, and now assisting her father in his official duties as treasurer ; Ivy Fern, July 27, 1891, attending school at the State Normal at Terre Haute ; Tressie May, May 3, 1893, attending high school; Ver- nice Keitha, March 5, 1900; and Roy Anderson, October 17, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Ward and family are members of the Church of Christ; he is an elder and trustee of this church, at Palmer Prairie, Sullivan county.


ARTHUR ELMER DEBAUN, the efficient clerk of the Sullivan circuit court, Indiana, was born in Fairbanks township, Sullivan county, March 2, 1870, son of James P. and Rebecca J. (Dilley) DeBaun. His father, who was also a native of the same township, was born March 14,


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1839, and died February 10, 1899. Abraham DeBaun, the grandfather, was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, November 27, 1813, and came to Sullivan county, Indiana, in 1831 with his father and mother, Samuel and Mary (Devine) DeBaun. Samuel DeBaun was a native of Virginia, born in 1776, and his father was a soldier in the Revolutionary cause. His powderhorn is now highly prized by Arthur E., of this sketch. Samuel, the great-grandfather, died in Sullivan county, Indiana, in 1833, and the grandfather, Abraham DeBaun, died April 3, 1900. The wife of Abra- ham, Elizabeth Pogue, was born in Fort Knox, near Vincennes, Indiana, July 28, 1816, and died July 17, 1884. She was five months old when her parents, James Pogue and wife, in the fall of 1816, with two other families, settled in Fairbanks township. These three original settlers and their families consisted of James Pogue, Joseph Thomas, and Leduwick Ernest. The mother of Arthur E. DeBaun, also a native of Fairbanks township, was born in 1845, and died February 1, 1871. She was the daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Johnson) Dilley. Her father was born in Ohio in 1806 and died in 1872; he came from Lawrence county to Sullivan county, and was among the pioneer settlers of that region. Nancy Johnson was born in 1813 in Ohio and died in 1887 ; she came with her parents to Sullivan county about 1820. The above named were farmers by occupation and helped to start the first enterprises in this part of the state. James P. DeBaun was married twice, his second wife being Sarah Ann Lee, who was born in Illinois, May 23, 1853, and died August 23, 1901. The three children born of the first union were: Iverson W., born 1866, died in infancy ; Walter Scott, born January 22, 1868, resides in Fairbanks township; Arthur Elmer, of this memoir. There was no issue by the second marriage. James P. DeBaun was a Democrat of the stanch and uncompromising type and always followed farming. He and his wife were members of the Christian church.


Arthur Elmer DeBaun, who was reared on his father's farm was permitted to attend the public schools, and later entered DePauw Uni- versity, at Greencastle, where he spent six years, graduating in the Liberal Arts course in the class of 1897. He then followed teaching school for two terms in Fairbanks township. Desiring to follow the legal profession, he took a law course in the Indiana Law School at Indianapolis and was graduated in 1901. In the spring of 1902, he went to Sullivan, becoming deputy county clerk, which position he held until he was seated as clerk, March 28, 1908, being elected to the office in 1906. He is a Democrat, and was elected on that ticket. Mr. DeBaun is a member of the Christian church.


RICHARD LEVY BAILEY, county surveyor of Sullivan county, is a native of Hamilton township, this county, born December 14, 1866, son of Marshal and Caroline (Bivins) Bailey. Bedford, Lawrence county, Indiana, was the birthplace of the father, who was born Jan- uary 3, 1836. Mr. Bailey's mother was also a native of the same place and has been dead a number of years. The father married a second time,


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a Mrs. Scott, who is also deceased. For his third wife, he married Mrs. Sarah Sutton, and they are now residents of Hamilton township, where the father has resided for forty-four years. Marshal Bailey and Caro- line Bivins were united in marriage in Lawrence county and came to Sullivan county, locating in Hamilton township, in the early autumn of 1863, settling on the place on which he still resides. His ancestors were of German and Scotch-Irish lineage. At one time the father owned about three hundred acres of land, but his present tract contains only one hundred acres. Politically he is a Democrat. Both he and his first wife were members of the Christian church. Their children were eleven in number. Six are deceased, and the surviving are: Richard L .; Dr. W. A., residing at Sullivan; Lola, wife of William Bolinger, of Sulli- van; Tressie Eaton, residing in Gill township, Sullivan county; Inez, wife of Ward Hawkins, residing in Sullivan. There was no issue by Marshal Bailey's second and third marriages.


Richard L. Bailey attended the district schools of his home town- ship and later the Southern Indiana Normal school at Mitchell, graduat- ing from the scientific course in the class of 1884. He then attended the State University at Bloomington for one year. The next three years of his life he spent in farming and teaching school, after which he entered the law office of George G. Reily, at Vincennes, Indiana, remained there eighteen months and was admitted to the bar in 1889. ' He then asso- ciated himself with Charles G. McCord, 'of Vincennes, in the abstract business for three years. He next went to Texas, and assisted in organ- izing Armstrong county of that state. There he was chosen deputy county clerk and served about two years. In the meantime, he had entered a section of land, which he finally sold, and after traveling through the West a short time, he returned to Vincennes, where he was made county surveyor of Knox county, which office he held for one term. He next became a contractor in building levees along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, in which work he continued until 1900, when he returned to Sul- livan county, Indiana, and established himself in the profession of a civil engineer. He was appointed county surveyor in August, 1900, and was elected to that office in the month of November, 1900, taking his office December, 1901. He served, however, under the ex-county surveyor from August, 1900, until his regular term commenced, and which will expire January 1, 1909. He was elected to this office on the Democratic ticket, of which party he is a firm supporter. Mr. Bailey has taken nine degrees in Masonry ; he now holds membership at Sullivan. He was a charter member of the Elks order at Sullivan; he belongs to the Tribe of Ben Hur, having joined that order in Knox county, but now belongs to the lodge at Sullivan.


He was married December 28, 1893, to Gertrude Benefield, born in Hamilton township, a daughter of John and Sarah (McGrew) Benefield. Her father is deceased and the mother is residing in Sullivan. She was born in Hamilton township, while her husband was a native of Lawrence county, Indiana. They were farmers and he came to this county when a boy. Mrs. Bailey attended the Sullivan high schools and Indiana State


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Normal, at Terre Haute. She then taught school in the district schools of Sullivan county for nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey are the parents of one daughter: Juanita, born September 14, 1894.


JOHN WILLIAM LINDLEY, a representative of the legal fraternity at Sullivan, is a native of Crawford county, Illinois, born December 19, 1867, a son of Samuel and Harriet (Hollenbeck) Lindley. The father was also a native of Crawford county, Illinois, born in April, 1833, and is still living in that county, on a farm. The mother was born in Clarke county, Illinois, September, 1842, and still survives. The grandfather, William A. Lindley, was a native of North Carolina, and came to Illi- nois a single man, settling in Crawford county, about 1800, where he resided until about fifty-six years of age. He was a farmer, of English descent, and reared a family of seven children. Grandfather Hollenbeck came from Dutch ancestry of New York.


Samuel Lindley, the father, always kept the farm on which he was born and reared and the title has never been changed. Politically, he is a Democrat of uncompromising terms. Among the local positions he has held may be mentioned that of supervisor. Both he and his wife are exemplary members of the Baptist church. Originally, the Lindley fam- ily were of the Quaker religious faith. The children born to Samuel and Harriet (Hollenbeck) Lindley are: Emma, wife of E. H. Boyd; Charles E., a resident of Crawford county ; Mollie, deceased; John William, of this sketch; Ollie J. (twin sister of John W.), now wife of Charles H. Voorheis, of Crawford county ; Ola, wife of J. H. Neff, residing in Sul- livan county ; Samuel E., of Sullivan, a dentist.


John William Lindley was reared midst the scenes and labors inci- dent to farm life and attended the common schools, after which he attended the Southern Illinois Normal University, graduating with the class of 1892. He then taught school one year in the city schools of Robinson, Illinois, and read law in the same city, at the same time, with Bradbury & McHatton. He remained with this firm for two years and passed the examination before the appellate court, August 3, 1894, and was admitted to the bar at Robinson. December 19, 1894, he began practice in Sullivan, Indiana, in partnership with John C. Briggs, with whom he remained until August 1, 1899, since which he has practiced independently. He has been connected with nearly every criminal case tried within Sullivan county in the last four or five years, thus proving his ability as a rising attorney. He was prosecuting attorney for the Fourteenth judicial district for 1903-04.


Mr. Lindley is a member of the Sullivan County Bar Association. Politically, he affiliates with the Democratic party and in his fraternal relations is connected with the Knights of Pythias, Elks and Modern Woodmen of America.


He was happily married, in September, 1901, to Zona Lacey, who was


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born in Sullivan, Indiana, September, 1877. She received her education in the county of her birth. Her parents are Edward P. and Margaret Lacey, both of whom still reside in Sullivan, her father being a teacher in the public schools. Two children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lindley : Price, born in 1903, and Lois M., born in 1904. The par- ents are members of the Baptist church.


FRANK M. DOUTHITT, who is engaged in the clothing business at Sullivan, was born April 14, 1871, in Jefferson township, Sullivan county, Indiana, a son of Thomas M. and Lydia M. (Wells) Douthitt. The father was a native of the same township and county, born on the old original Douthitt homestead, eight miles east of Carlisle, which place was settled by the grandfather. Thomas M., the father, was born April 23, 1845, and still lives on the old farm, with his wife, who was also born within the same township, in 1848. He has always followed farming, and was also quite a noted stock raiser. He is still able to attend to his finely improved hundred-acre farm. In his politics he is decidedly a Democrat. He has taken much interest in the welfare of his county, having served one term as county commissioner, and was a justice of the peace one term, etc. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church, known as Indian Prairie church. They are the parents of five children, born in the following order : William T., an attorney; George E., resid- ing in Carlisle; Frank M., of this notice; Louretta, died February 22, 1905 : John E., residing on a farm adjoining the old homestead.


Being reared on his father's farm, Frank M. Douthitt had the advan- tages of the public schools of his native county. He taught school one term in Jefferson township. He then went to Sullivan and began clerking for McCammon & Wolfe, beginning April 27, 1892. 'This was in a clothing store, in which he remained until December 1, 1900, at which time he opened a store on Jackson street, and put in a good stock of clothing and gentlemen's furnishings, which line of business he still carries on in a successful manner. His store is the largest of its line within the town of Sullivan.


In his political views Mr. Douthitt supports the Democratic party, believing, as he does, that this best represents the general interests of the country. He is one of the directors in the Sullivan Building and Loan Association, and has other business interests within the county.


Mr. Douthitt was married, November 24, 1896, to Miss Anna Boat- right, a native of Sullivan, born October 1, 1871, and educated in Sulli- van, having graduated from the high school. She was engaged in the millinery business with a sister at the time of her marriage. She is the daughter of William and Ellen (Pearson) Boatright, both of whom are now residing in Sullivan. The children born to Mr. Douthitt and wife are as follows : Paul Schuyler, born August 23, 1897; Thomas Edward, born May 3, 1900; Joseph Boatright, born August 30, 1903.


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IRA GLIDDEN, one of the business factors of Sullivan, doing a mer- cantile business, was born August 30, 1866, at Lewisville, Indiana, a son of Frederick Eugene and Julia (Martin) Glidden. Both of the parents were natives of Rush county, Indiana; the father was born in 1834 and died in 1900, at Lewisville, Indiana, while the mother was born in 1841 and is now residing at Lewisville. The father was a jeweler, and was engaged in a jewelry business at Greenfield, Indiana, for a number of years. In 1884 he went to Sullivan, where he conducted a jewelry and shoe business until 1888, then returned to Greenfield and retired from active business life.


Being eight years old at the time his parents moved to Greenfield, Ira Glidden was there educated in the public schools. He remained with his father until twenty-one years of age, then engaged in the clothing trade, with W. E. Woods, of Sullivan, Indiana, serving as a clerk for twelve years, and gaining a thorough knowledge of the business. His next experience was as a commercial traveler out of Indianapolis for three and a half years. He was with Henderickson & Lefler, hatters. After quitting the road, he returned to Sullivan, where he was again employed by W. E. Woods for a short time, and in 1904 engaged in business for himself, conducting a tailor shop. The following year he, with John F. Douthitt, bought the clothing business belonging to J. W. Wolfe & Son, and they have conducted the store to the present time in a most satisfac- tory and profitable manner. Their store is the most thoroughly up-to- date one in Sullivan. He is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the U. C. T. of Indianapolis.


Mr. Glidden was united in marriage, August 29, 1888, to Lola Moore, born in Sullivan in 1862, where she was educated. Her parents were Robert A. and Susan (Robison) Moore, the father living with his daugh- ter, Mrs. Glidden, and the mother being deceased. Mr. Moore is one of the pioneers of the dry goods trade in Sullivan. He retired from a long and prosperous mercantile career, in the latter part of the eighties. Mr. and Mrs. Glidden have two daughters: Nellie and Susan.


JAMES R. BROWN, lawyer and abstracter, practicing at Sullivan, is a native of Wabash county, Illinois, born September 14,-1872, son of John and Eliza (Cisel) Brown. The father was born in 1832 and died in November, 1872. The grandfather, James Brown, a native of England, born about 1795, came to the United States in 1820, locating in Virginia. He removed to Illinois and there spent the remainder of his days. Grand- father Thomas Cisel was born in Ohio in 1807, and went to Illinois on a raft, run down the Wabash river, in 1814. The family settled at a point within Wabash county. He was of English descent, and always followed farming for his livelihood. The Cisels were all radical Demo- crats, while the Browns were Republican in their political views.


John Brown, the father of James R., was also a sturdy farmer who, at the date of his death, owned about two hundred and fifty acres of


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choice land. He took a deep interest in church work, belonging to the Methodist Episcopal denomination, and was a trustee in that church nearly all of his life. The five children born to Mr. and Mrs. John Brown were named as follows, in the order of their birth: Mary, Aura, and Leander, deceased ; Laura M., wife of H. A. Price, of Allendale, Illinois, where he is engaged in the mercantile business; James R., of this memoir. After the death of the father, the mother married, in 1882, J. V. B. Wright. She died in April, 1899. There were no children by this marriage, and Mr. Wright now resides on a farm in Knox county, Indiana.


James R. Brown was reared in Allendale, Illinois, to which place his mother moved four months after the death of the husband and father. The son, having finished his course at the public schools of Allendale, entered and graduated from the scientific course with the class of 1895, at the Central Normal College at Danville, Indiana. He then entered the State University, at Bloomington, Indiana, from which institution he was graduated in 1896. He was admitted to the bar of the supreme court of Indiana in the same year. He then began the practice of law at Martinsville, Indiana, forming a partnership with W. H. Pigg. This law firm removed to Sullivan in 1897, and continued in the practice until 1900, since which date Mr. Brown has been in independent practice. He also conducts an abstract business, with Joseph S. Schroeder, who in this branch of the business is a partner. This is the only abstract office within Sullivan county, and they do a large business and carry it on along approved and correct lines. Mr. Brown is secretary of the Sullivan County Loan Association ; also president of the Sunday School Asso- ciation, as well as being treasurer of the Tri-State Oil Company, all of which causes him to be a very busy man. In fraternal society matters he is connected with the Masonic, Ben Hur, Modern Woodmen and Royal Neighbors societies. In Masonry, he belongs to the blue lodge and Eastern Star degrees.


August 28, 1896, Mr. Brown was married to Sadie Holsen, a native of Wabash county, Illinois, born January 25, 1875. She was educated in her native county. Her parents were Frederic and Nancy (Kneippe) Holsen, the former born in Germany and now living in Wabash county, and the latter a native of Wabash county, where she died in 1892. The father is a grain dealer and miller, living at Allendale, Illinois. Five sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown: John Stanley, Rolland, Thomas Cisel, Darrel and Marcell. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Brown is financial secretary, and he has been a class leader for the last six years.


ADAM VINCENT MINICH, farmer and stock raiser of Sullivan county, residing in Sullivan, was born May 9, 1857, in Haddon township. He is a son of Pleasant Alexander and Sarah (Corbin) Minich, both parents being natives of this county. The father was born June 6, 1822, and still


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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY


lives on the old Minich homestead in Haddon township, south of Car- lisle. The mother, born January 25, 1832, also survives. The grand- father, Adam Minich, was born in Virginia and his father and mother came from Germany. The grandfather settled in Tennessee and moved from that state to Sullivan county, Indiana, where he died November 16, 1826. He, with a brother, came to Sullivan county, and entered tracts of government land. Adam Minich was a saddlemaker by trade and employed a small wooden mallet with which to pound the impressions in the leather he used for making the saddle skirts with. This implement is now possessed by Adam V., of this notice, and highly prized as a family relic.


Pleasant Alexander, the father, has always followed farming for his livelihood and has made a success of tilling the soil. He now owns two hundred and fifty acres of valuable land. The first house, which he erected in 1856, is still standing on his farm, in the rear of the substantial brick structure erected in 1878. In his political views, Pleasant A. Minich is a Democrat, and in church faith a Methodist. He and his wife were the parents of three children, as follows: Adam V., of this sketch; Will- iam Franklin, born August 22, 1859, married and resides at home with his father ; Charles Theodore, died in infancy.


Adam V. Minich obtained his early education at the public schools and was reared to farm labor, and taught habits of frugality and industry. He lingered beneath the parental roof until twenty-four years of age, at which time he began to farm independently in Haddon township, remain- ing there until the autumn of 1903, when he moved to Sullivan. He still owns his farm, which is a part of the old homestead. In Sullivan, he has erected a commodious and modern styled residence, at the corner of Section and Johnson streets. While residing in the town, he still oper- ates his farm, in which he takes much interest. Politically, he is a firm believer in Democratic policies and platforms. He was elected on this ticket in the fall of 1902 as treasurer of Sullivan county, taking his seat January 1, 1904, and serving four years. He has never been a candidate for any other public office. He is numbered with the Masonic fraternity, being connected with Carlisle Blue Lodge, No. 3, F. and A. M .; Jeru- salem Chapter, No. 81, of Sullivan, and the Council of the same place. He is also counted among the brotherhood of the Modern Woodmen of America, at Carlisle, Lodge No. 3332.


November 17, 1881, he was united in marriage to Ollie M. Collins, a native of Haddon township, born July 8, 1857, daughter of J. O. and Sarah Watson Collins, the former born in Kentucky and coming to Indiana in his youth, with his father. He died in Haddon township in the latter part of the nineties and Mrs. Collins still lives in that township. Mr. and Mrs. Minich have no children of their own, but adopted a girl named Mabel and raised her to womanhood. She is still with her foster parents and unmarried. She taught school several terms in Haddon township as well as in the graded schools at Farmersburg and Carlisle. Mrs. Minich is one of a family of nine children, six of whom still live. They are as follows: Finley O., residing in Haddon township; Mrs.


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Minich; Robert, residing on a farm in Tennessee; Dudley Odell, of Haddon township; Eugene L., of Winchester, Tennessee, a hardware merchant; Ora L., unmarried and at home with her mother.


ESOM RUBEN LEACH, head of the firm of E. R. Leach & Co., of Sullivan, was born March 16, 1855, in Grant county, Indiana, a son of Edward and Emily (Brewer) Leach, both of whom died in Sullivan county. The father came to this state from the East with his father and mother, and he was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Grant and Sullivan counties, moving to the last named county in 1864. In 1887 he went to Nebraska and returned about 1890. When he first came to Sullivan county, he settled in Cass township and raised one crop, and then moved to Sullivan, where he engaged in business. He and his wife were mem- bers of the old style Baptist church and exemplary Christians. Their children were as follows: William Jasper, residing in Sheridan, Ne- braska; Rachael Ann, deceased; Charles Milton, residing in Grant county ; George W., resides at Sullivan; James S .; Esom R., of this review ; Lucinda L., wife of William Lucas; Richard E., of Sullivan ; Mary, deceased ; John W., deceased. The mother of these children died in 1865. For his second wife, Mr. Leach married Mrs. Sallie Martin. The children born of the second marriage were as follows: Levy, Emily, Jesse, John, Bessie, Oliver, Daisy, and Marten.




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