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 38
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Mr. Miller has been thrice married, first, January 10, 1863, to Sarah Edwards, born in 1845, in Lawrence county, Indiana, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Young Edwards. She died in 1887, the mother of the follow- ing children: Oliver, who died aged eight months; Dora, residing in Greene county, Indiana, wife of Marion Story, and they are the parents
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM RIGGS
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of four children-Jennie, Olive, Eunice and Odell; Henry, residing in Jefferson township, Sullivan county, married Emma Swady; Easter, who died aged one year; Frank, residing in Jefferson township, married Fannie Moore, whose five children are Edith, Dorothy, Garrett, William and Guy; Margaret, residing in Greene county, Indiana, is the wife of Timothy Pool and their children are Arthur and Paul; Maude, residing in Cass township, Sullivan county, married Frank Chambers, whose four children are Nora, Paul, Bert and Marion; and a child who died in infancy. For his second wife Mr. Miller married, in February, 1888, Elizabeth Craig, who was born about 1840 and died July 1, 1899. There was no issue by this marriage. For the third wife he married, September 30, 1904, Sarah Shepherd, a widow, born in 1841 in Haddon township, Sullivan county, and daughter of Jack Willis. There was no issue by the last marriage.
WILLIAM RIGGS .- One of the most extensive farmers, land owners and coal mine promoters living in Fairbanks township, Sullivan county, is William Riggs, who resides along the Shelburn rural free delivery route No. I. He is a native of this township and was born September 30, 1860, a son of Byron and Elizabeth (Osborn) Riggs. The father was also born in Fairbanks township and the mother in Hamilton township. The paternal grandparents were Hezekiah and Lydia (Engle) Riggs, the grandfather being a native of Virginia and the grandmother of Kentucky. Grandfather Riggs was among the first settlers in Fairbanks township. He entered land in the heavy timber and kept passengers and changed horses on the stage routes from Terre Haute to Vincennes. He owned a large amount of land, the most of which had to be cleared and put in shape for farming purposes. He attained the age of eighty-two years, his wife dying when about eighty years of age. The maternal grandparents were William and Martha (Hill) Osborn, the former born in Kentucky and the latter in Sullivan county, Indiana.
Byron Riggs, the father, was born March 18, 1838, and after his marriage settled near his father's place and bought several hundred acres, which constituted one of the finest farms, and he was one of the best agri- culturists in this section of the state. He kept registered cattle and pure- blooded hogs. He died February 4, 1901. and his wife survived till Octo- ber 13, 1907. William Riggs was the eldest of the four sons and four daughters born to Byron Riggs and wife. Of this family five are now living, namely : Sanbury, of Fairbanks township ; Della, widow of Edward Stone, now residing on her father's place; Florence, residing with her sister, Mrs. Stone; Charles, of Fairbanks township ; and William, of this memoir.
William Riggs spent his boyhood days on the old home farm and attended the district schools. He was married September 30, 1884, to Rosa L. Johnson, born in Fairbanks, January II, 1867, a daughter of Oliver B. and Mary (Van Gilder) Johnson, natives of West Virginia. The grandparents were Barnabas and Elizabeth Johnson, of West Vir-
Vol. II-20
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ginia, and William and Mary Van Gilder, of the same state. Mrs. Riggs' father died July 26, 1900, and the mother, October 4, 1873. After the marriage of Mr. Riggs he moved to the one hundred and sixty acre farm which he farmed until 1893. His father gave him eighty acres and he bought the remainder of the farm from him, in section 27, which was partly improved, but which he has now finely cultivated. His land within Fairbanks township amounts to four hundred acres, and he also has forty- one acres in Turman township and one hundred and eleven in Curry township. His wife owns in her own right one hundred and thirty- five acres.
Besides his large realty holdings, Mr. Riggs owns ten shares of stock in the Scott City Coal Mine Company, of which he is secretary, and he also has a four thousand dollar interest in the mine besides his stock. He owns twenty acres of good coal land. Not alone does his property inter- ests rest in Sullivan county, but he also owns five thousand dollars' worth of stock in coal lands in Illinois and has about eight hundred acres of land in Vigo county, Indiana, nearly all of which is bottom land. His present commodious buildings were erected in 1901. Although his finan- cial interests are large, he superintends his own business affairs. He is one of the largest dealers in cattle and hogs and one of the most extensive feeders in his township.
Politically Mr. Riggs is a Democrat. He is connected with Masonry, belonging to Fairbanks Lodge No. 373 ; also with the Odd Fellows order, Fairbanks Lodge No. 763. Mr. and Mrs. Riggs are the parents of the following children: Elva C., born April 21. 1886; Myrtle Olive, October 22, 1888; Goldie Glenn, June 9, 1891 ; Oral Byron, July 21, 1896; and Mayra Elizabeth, October 17, 1902.
JAMES SPENCER .- The late James Spencer, during many years one of the progressive and substantial farmers and stock raisers of Jefferson township, Sullivan county, was a native of Greene county, Indiana, born in the month of December, 1840, a son of Charles and Mary Spencer. Charles Spencer was born in Virginia and was among the pioneer settlers in Sullivan county, Indiana. He entered government land when he first located here, and continued to reside in the county until his death. He was a farmer and helped to lay the foundation of the present prosperity of this goodly section of Indiana. Eight children were born to this worthy couple : Moses, who died a soldier in the Civil war, after having been out about two years; John, who died in the service of his country in the same conflict, after being out one year; James, of this memoir ; Thomas, a resident of Jefferson township, who also participated in the war ; Armon, residing in Jefferson township ; Mary, deceased ; and Manda, residing at Sullivan, the widow of Joshua Anderson. Charles Spencer, the father, was formerly a Whig in politics and afterward a firm defender of the principles of the Republican party. That the family was ever loyal to the country of their nativity it only needs to be recalled that
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several of its members wore the loyal blue from 1861 to 1865. Both Charles Spencer and wife were strict members of the Baptist church.
James Spencer, son of Charles and Mary Spencer, obtained a com- mon school education, but like a dutiful son spent much of the time in his youth in assisting his father in clearing up and improving their farm. When James first started out in life he worked his brother's land, but in 1861 purchased seventy-two acres in Jefferson township, Sullivan county, to which he removed the same year, and lived there until his death. He possessed one hundred and forty acres, after having given all of his children a comfortable start in life. In politics he was a firm believer in the chief principles laid down by the Republican party. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is also his wife.
As to Mr. Spencer's domestic relations it may be said that he was happily married December 1, 1866, to Sarah J. Padgett, born in Haddon township, Sullivan county, December 20, 1845. The issue by this mar- riage was as follows : William T., a resident of Pleasantville ; Minnie, Mrs. Bedwell, residing in Greene county, Indiana; Rosa, Mrs. Pool, living near Linton, Indiana; Effie, Mrs. Pool, residing at Pleasantville ; Mattie, deceased ; Frank, residing in Jefferson township, Sullivan county ; and Charles, at home with his father. Mr. Spencer departed this life November 10, 1908, and his remains are interred in the Pleasantville, Indiana, cemetery.
JAMES FRANK SPENCER, who owns and operates one of the most productive farms for its size within Jefferson township, Sullivan county, is a native of this township, born June 27, 1879, one mile north of Pleasantville. He is the son of James and Sarah J. (Padgett) Spencer, both of whom are now residing half a mile north of Pleasantville, where they conduct a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. James Spencer was born in Jefferson township and is the son of Charles Spencer, who was one of the first settlers in Sullivan county. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years, and was a farmer all of his life. James Spencer was first a Whig and later a Republican. In his church con- nections he is a Methodist, as is his wife, and in his church work he is very active and holds the office of church steward. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. James Spencer are as follows: William T., a resident of Pleasantville, who married Anna McCart, and they have one child, Everet; Minnie, Mrs. Bedwell, a resident of Greene county, Indiana ; Frank J., of this notice ; Mattie, deceased ; Rose, Mrs. Pool, of Greene county, Indiana ; Effie, Mrs. Pool, residing in Pleasantville ; Charles, who married Garnett Herndon and resides with his father.
Frank J. Spencer was educated at the common schools of Greene county, Indiana. For five years after his marriage he farmed on rented land in Jefferson township, the same belonging to his father. He was then deeded fifty acres by his father, and this he cleared and finely im- proved, and has added thereto seventy acres more, which makes one of the numerous valuable farm tracts within the township. This work of
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clearing and improving has all been accomplished by Mr. Spencer, un- aided by others. He has owned and operated a saw mill and threshing machine for about seven years. He and his brother, William T., owned and operated a coal mine on his brother's farm from 1897 to about 1901, when they sold the property of the mines. Mr. Spencer is a staunch Republican and was the first man of this political party to be elected to any office within Jefferson township, he being made a township trustee in 1904, his term of office expiring in 1909. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, lodge No. 408, at Pleasantville, and also of the Knights of Pythias order, lodge No. 358, at the same place. Being a believer in fraternal life insurance, he wisely holds a membership in the Modern Woodmen of America, camp No. 4929, at Pleasantville, and is one of the trustees of this lodge. He is an honored member of the Rebekahs and Pythian Sisters lodges at Pleasantville, the auxiliaries of the orders just named. Mrs. Spencer is a member of the Rebekahs, the Pythian Sisters and the Royal Neighbors, and is oracle in the last named order.
Mr. Spencer was united in marriage April 7, 1888, to Rebecca Purcell, born near Paxton, February 9, 1866, a daughter of Daniel and Malissa (Pirtle) Purcell. The latter is deceased, but the former resides in Sullivan and is retired. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Spencer: Archie, born October 24, 1889, and now assisting his father on the farm; Delmar, born October 2, 1892, at home ; and Ralph Calvert, who was born September 14, 1894, and died March 6, 1896.
MRS. SARAH E. (BURTON) HOLDSON, who is the daughter of one of the highly respected families of Gill township, Sullivan county, was born August 28, 1849, in the township just named. She is the daughter of Hardon and Nancy ( Pinkston) Burton, both natives of Sullivan county, Indiana. The father was born February 5, 1816, and died in Gill township in 1854. The mother was born in Jefferson township and died in 1857; she was the daughter of Bazzel and Anna (Dwiggins) Burton. Hardon Burton is by occupation a farmer, who owned eighty acres of land. The children born to Hardon and Nancy Burton were as follows: Bazzel, Jr., deceased; Harrison, deceased; Floyd, a resident of Graysville, Indiana, who is a horseman, and who served two years in the Civil war and was wounded in the foot; Nancy E., deceased ; Fidella, deceased ; Lucy A., deceased ; Sarah E., of this notice ; Josephine, residing in Graysville, Indiana, with her brother.
Sarah E. (Burton) Holdson received her education in the public school in Jefferson township. After her father's death her mother mar- ried Andrew Wallace, by whom there was no issue. Mrs. Holdson lived with her step-father until thirteen years of age, after which she sup- ported herself until the date of her marriage, which occurred February 14, 1867, when she was united to Anderson Pinkston, by whom two chil-
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dren were born: Allie, residing at home with her mother, and Fannie, who married John Bedwell, and they reside at Linton, Indiana. For her second husband Mrs. Holdson married Captain James Holdson, born December 20, 1820, in Kentucky, and died December 24, 1894. He came to Sullivan county in 1824 with his parents, and remained here the remainder of his life. When the Civil war broke out in 1861 he raised a company of which he was made captain and served until the war closed. He was wounded five times and carried two of the enemy's bullets with him to his grave. He had also been a soldier in the Mexican war in 1846-47. After the Civil war ended he returned to his farm, which consisted of five hundred acres, and which he operated until his death. He possessed a character so replete with good traits that all were his friends and admirers. Politically he was a staunch and uncompromising Republican who ever worked for the good of that political organization and for the general good of the community in which he lived. When- ever any public improvement was sought to be made, he was foremost in giving it his influence, assisting both by money and time. By the mar- riage of Mrs. Pinkston to Mr. Holdson there were two children born, but Cynthia Ann, born February 6, 1876, died October 5, 1900. The other was James Arthur, born September 28, 1870, in Jefferson township, Sulli- van county, and he follows mining for his occupation. He married Eliza Bedwell.
Mrs. Holdson receives a pension from the government, amounting to twenty dollars a month, on account of her second husband's army service. She looks after her thirty-five acre farm, upon which she raises both grain and stock. She is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was her husband in his lifetime.
GEORGE C. YOUNGMAN, a man of large experience in various avoca- tions, and who has now passed his three score and ten years, will form the subject of this memoir, which very fittingly finds place in this con- nection, it being the story of one of the pioneer characters who has forged his way to the front in the developing of Sullivan county as well as other sections of the middle west. Mr. Youngman was born at the thriving city of Greencastle, Putnam county, Indiana, August 13, 1837, a son from out the family of fourteen children born to Stacy R. and Laurena B. (Mark) Youngman. The parents were both born in Kentucky, which state has furnished so many acceptable "first settlers" in many of the counties of Indiana. The father was born August 24, 1813, and the mother in 1816. They came to Indiana in 1831, locating near Greencastle, on a farm owned by his father. Stacy R. Youngman was a practicing physician of considerable note. He lived at Greencastle until about 1846, when he moved to Cloverdale, in the same county, and there practiced medicine until 1851, when he moved to Owen county, settling in Williamson, where he resided until 1853. He then moved to Greencastle again, and con- tinued his medical practice until 1855 at that place. In 1861 he moved
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to West Liberty, Illinois, and followed his profession until his death, September 1, 1904. His good wife died about 1898. They were the parents of fourteen children, seven of whom are still living, as follows: Eliza J., wife of Dr. Stevens, who is now deceased, and his widow resides with the subject of this sketch; Josephine C., wife of James Barrack, deceased ; James T., of Kansas; Mary, wife of Milton Adams, of West Liberty, Illinois; Nancy E., wife of William Tippet, of Dundas, Illinois ; Elmer H., residing in New York City, connected with the National Bankers' Magasine ; and George C., of this notice.
George C. Youngman obtained his education under many a difficulty unknown to the youth of the twentieth century. He attended the district schools north of Greencastle, Indiana, where there was not a single window light in the entire building, and had other trials which only the stout- hearted can endure and develop under. He was thrown upon his own resources at an early age, his father having a large family to support from a limited means. He went to live with an uncle when aged about eight years, and continued to live with him as long as he worked for others. These good people, Richard J. and Rebecca Tolin, were people who commanded the esteem of all for their sterling traits of character. During the years of 1850 and 1852 he was on a mail route, the first year between Bloomington and Crawfordsville, Indiana. He traveled on horseback a distance of seventy miles, and on the entire route there were but three bridges; but he practically never missed a trip on account of bad roads or high water. His salary was the princely sum of seven dol- lars a month. On his first trip to Bloomington in 1850 he was served with a cup of coffee, which was the first and last cup he ever tasted. In 1860 he rented a farm in this county, and also began threshing wheat with his uncle as early as 1855, and has continued practically ever since that time to be near the busy hum of a threshing machine in its annual season. In 1866 he purchased a house in New Lebanon, which after a few months he sold at a handsome profit. He also engaged in operating a sawmill for a time, but sold and bought his farm, consisting of seventy-four acres, and moved to the premises in the month of March, 1869. Here he has added many valuable and attractive improvements and carried on general farming operations. He purchased forty acres more land not far distant from his home farm, and this he sold in 1908.
It will be observed, as stated in the commencement, that Mr. Young- man has seen many of life's changing scenes, but not near all of his his- tory has been told. For five years he traveled for the Robinson Machine Company, of Richmond, Indiana, as their salesman. Again, he had a touch of Civil war military life, which should not be omitted from this narrative. In January, 1865, the last year of the rebellion, he enlisted as a member of Company G, of the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Indiana Regiment. He entered as a private soldier and was promoted to the rank of sergeant and mustered out of the U. S. service September 27, 1865.
In his politics Mr. Youngman is a staunch Republican, and takes high ground on the subject of temperance ; and in his religious connec- tion he was reared a Methodist, but he is not a member of any church
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organization. He was married March 2, 1862, to Margaret E. Gill, a daughter of George N. and-(Graham) Gill. The grandfather was born in North Carolina and the grandmother in Tennessee. It is be- lieved that her parents were born in Sullivan county, Indiana. Her father was a farmer and also followed the trade of millwright. He removed to Wisconsin, settled near Boscobel, remained a few years, and then went to Arkansas, and finally returned to Sullivan county, Indiana, and remained on his farm until his death in 1867. The mother of Mrs. Youngman died several years before the death of the father.
Mr. and Mrs. Youngman are the parents of three children, but the eldest, born March 3, 1863, died in infancy. Albion D., born June 3, 1864, died in 1904. He was first married to Miss Emma Sherman, born in this county, and they had two children-Ernest, born March 7. 1888, now with the subject. and Ivan, born May 21, 1889. He married, secondly, Miss Jennie Newsom, a native of Illinois, born near Olney, and they had two children-Margaret, born September 4, 1898, and Albion Duane, born February 2, 1900, and died August 1I, 1908. These chil- dren, with the mother, are with Mr. and Mrs. Youngman.
Mr. Youngman was a candidate for trustee of the township and was defeated by only ten votes. He was also a candidate for sheriff, auditor, county commissioner, and county treasurer, and in a county of eighteen hundred Democratic majority he was defeated by only three hun- dred and eighty-one majority votes. He is also a member of Silver's Grand Army of the Republic Post No. 435, and filled all the offices, at New Lebanon, Indiana, and has attended grand encampments at different times.
GEORGE W. HOPEWELL. who was a soldier in the Union cause at the time of the Civil war in this country, and who now resides in Gill town- ship, Sullivan county, on land entered by his father at an early day, was born on the farm where he now resides March 9, 1843. His parents were John and Katherine (Lisman) Hopewell, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. The father came to Sullivan county and took advantage of cheap government land, the warrant for which was signed by President James Monroe. He continued to reside on this land until his death, in about 1849. His wife died there about 1872. He served his country as a soldier during the entire period of the war with Mexico. Their children were eleven in number, and are all deceased but George W. of this notice and one sister, Katherine, the wife of Amos Fiske, residing in Carlisle, where he is now retired, having spent the active years of his life as a mechanical engineer.
George W. Hopewell attended the public schools of New Lebanon, and remained on the old place with his mother until her death, when the farm came into his hands. He soon afterward married and continued to operate the homestead, to which he has from time to time made valuable additions and substantial improvements. Here he still carries on general farming and stock raising. He owns one hundred and ten acres, forty
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acres of which are about a mile and a half west of the homestead. Mr. Hopewell served at the time of the Civil war as a member of Company G, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Indiana Regiment of Infantry, under Cap- tain Parvin. He enlisted at New Lebanon, served about eleven months and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, having been mustered out at Nashville, Tennessee. His service was mostly doing picket duty. He is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church and in politics votes an independent ticket, choosing such candidates as seem in his own judgment best calculated to serve the interests of the people.
He was married, April 21, 1880, to Miss Melissa Owens, a native of Missouri, and a daughter of Elias and Sally Ann (Johnson) Owens. Her parents came to Indiana during the Civil war period, locating. in Sullivan county on a farm, where they died. The death of the father occurred in 1888, and the mother ten years later. The father was a blacksmith, which trade he followed together with farming until his death. To Mr. and Mrs. Hopewell was born one son: Thomas E. Hopewell, born April 17, 1882, and now residing in New Lebanon and assisting his father on his farm. He married Mabel Oldham, born near Palestine, Crawford county, Illinois, and whose parents now live in New Lebanon, Indiana. The father conducts a general merchandise store.
Mr. Hopewell has one of the old deeds signed by President James Monroe, which is one of the oldest deeds found in the county, and this land was never out of the hands of the Hopewell family.
DR. HENRY FRANCIS HARPER, deceased, who up to February, 1898, was one of the leading practicing physicians and surgeons within Sullivan county, Indiana, was born March 5, 1845, near Carlisle, Haddon town- ship, a son of Dr. John Baxter and Isabella (Benefield) Harper. The Doctor's father was a native of Virginia and the mother of Ohio. Their respective parents were early settlers of Haddon township. Dr. John Baxter Harper practiced in and around Carlisle. His wife died when the son Dr. Henry F. was but fourteen months of age, he being the only child born to them. Dr. John B. Harper moved to Merom and began the practice of medicine, and continued until 1886, when he moved to San Diego, California, where he died in 1894. For his second wife he married a widow named Shepherd, of Carlisle. Politically Dr. Harper, the senior, was a Republican.
Dr. Henry F. Harper, of this biography, received his primary educa- tion at the common schools at Merom, at which place he also attended the Union Christian College. After being properly fitted he matriculated at Bellview College, in Philadelphia, from which institution he was gradu- ated in 1868. He then went to Indianapolis, in which city he took up the insurance business, later taking a post-graduate course at Rush Medical College, Chicago. After being thus highly qualified for the medical fraternity he began its practice with his father at Merom, and continued with him until the father moved to California. After that
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