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 50
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He was happily married, April 1, 1858, to Mary S. Thomas, born in West Virginia, near Green Brier, April 16, 1840, daughter of James and Nancy Thomas, she being the youngest of her parents' four children. The father and mother were both natives of and died in West Virginia when Mary was but a small girl. The father was a blacksmith. The children of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Riggle are as follows: Flora L., deceased ; Harris G., of Curryville, Indiana ; William W., of Danville, Illinois, a miner ; Charles W., Emma G. and Sylvester A., all deceased ; Rozella, of Curryville, Indiana, a miner; and Benjamin, of Sullivan county, also a miner.
ANDREW J. CONLEY .- Distinguished for his patriotic services during the Civil war, and as a man of honor and integrity, Andrew J. Conley is numbered among the citizens of good repute and high standing in Sulli- van county, his residence being in Cass. A native of Indiana, he was born May 8, 1838, a son of Thomas Conley, and grandson of John Conley. His great-grandfather on the paternal side was for many years a resident of Kentucky, and there reared his seven sons. Born and reared in old Kentucky, John Conley was a pioneer settler of Sullivan county, Indiana, where he lived a number of years before going to Illinois to take up land. From the Prairie state he came back to Indiana, and after living a while in Sullivan county bought land in Knox county, and there began the improvement of a farm. Subsequently selling his land, he moved to Missouri, and settled in Texas county, where he spent the remainder of his life.
A Kentuckian by birth, Thomas Conley came with his parents to Indiana, and with them settled in Sullivan county. While yet a young man, he married Lucinda House, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Michael House. She died in early life, leaving five children, Joseph, Jane, Andrew J., Dicey, and Nellie. After the death of his wife, he removed with the family to Clay county, Illinois, where he died within a short time, his death occurring in 1846. His orphaned children then returned to Indiana, and until able to care for themselves lived with their paternal grandparents.
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Spending the days of his boyhood and youth with his Grandfather Conley, Andrew J. Conley was brought up in Sullivan and Knox counties, and remembers well when all of this section of the country was a wilder- ness, and deer, bears, wolves and wild turkeys were plentiful, and Vin- cennes, twenty miles away, was the principal market place. The family dressed in homespun, which was made by his mother, and until nine years old, when he had his first pair of shoes, he went barefoot the year round. Beginning the battle of life on his account at the age of seventeen years, Mr. Conley went to Illinois, and was there employed in farming until after the breaking out of the Civil war. Then, on July 2, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and with his regiment spent the following winter at Allenville, Missouri. Going in the spring of 1862 to Tennessee, he took part in the engagement at Fort Donelson, and was afterwards at the front in the battles at Shiloh and Corinth. Going thence to Memphis, he remained there a brief time, then went to Helena, Arkansas, from there going to Grand Prairie, Arkansas, then back to Helena. With his command he then joined Grant's forces at Vicksburg, and with his regiment was in active service at the battles of Olive Church, Fourteen-Mile Creek, Raymond, Jackson, Cham- pion Hill, Bakers Creek, Black River, and at the siege and capture of Vicksburg. Going then to Jackson, Mississippi, he was in the seven- days siege, and later participated in the battle of Canon Crow Bayou, from there going by way of New Orleans to Baton Rouge, and subse- quently fought in the battles at La Mine river, Morganza Bend, and at Atchafalaya Bayou. The following winter he spent with his regiment at Fort Pickens, Florida, going from there in the spring to Pensacola, thence to Mississippi, where he assisted in the capture of Fort Blakeley, and of Mobile. Going then by boat to Montgomery, news was received while his regiment was on its way to that place of the surrender of Lee and his forces. Mr. Conley spent two months in Mobile, being there at the time of the explosion, but escaped injury. Going from there to Galveston, Texas, he was there mustered out of service November 15, 1865, and was sent by way of New Orleans to Indianapolis, where he received his honorable discharge. Returning to Sullivan county, Mr. Conley rented a farm for one year, and then learned the carpenter's trade, which he has since followed successfully.
Mr. Conley married first, in 1867, Nancy Jane Risley, who was born in Knox county, Indiana, and died, August 23, 1878, in Sullivan county. On September 5, 1880, Mr. Conley married for his second wife Martha Gambill. She was born, February 23, 1849, in Wright township, Greene county, where her father, Robert Gambill, spent the greater part of his life. Her grandfather, Martin Gambill, moved from Tennessee to Indiana at an early day, becoming one of the pioneers of Greene county, where he improved a farm, on which he spent the remainder of his years. But a boy when he came with his parents to Indiana, Robert Gambill there grew to manhood. Choosing farming as his life work, he was there employed in tilling the soil until 1902, when he came to Cass township, and thereafter made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Conley until his death,
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January 24, 1907. The maiden name of his wife was Nancy Humphreys. She was born in Putnam county, Indiana, a daughter of Henson and Mary (Nosler) Humphreys, and died, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Conley, April 14, 1904. By his first union Mr. Conley had one child, Franklin M., and by his present marriage has two children, Nellie and Lizzie May. Franklin M. married Lillie Parker, and they have two sons, Robert and Emil. Nellie, wife of Luther Keene, has two children, Bernice and Edith May.
RUFUS O. WILLARD, one of the old and honored farmers of Sullivan county, residing in Gill township, was born January 8, 1838, on the farm on which he now lives. He is a son of Orson and Elizabeth ( Mccutcheon) Willard, the father born in Utica, New York, March 14, 1787, while the mother was a native of Virginia. Orson Willard came to Indiana in 1807, before it had been admitted as a state, and he entered government land and remained until 1852, when he left his farm in the hands of a tenant and went to California and there took up more govern- ment land within the Waukeen Valley. This western trip he made over- land, arriving August 7, 1853. He took a large lot of cattle there with him and engaged in farming, remaining there until his death in 1854. His wife had died in 1840. Politically he was a Whig before the forma- tion of the Republican party and he was a candidate for senator in 1844. Orson and Elizabeth Willard were the parents of three children: Lenora, deceased, was the wife of Captain James H. Garrett, also deceased ; Isabelle, wife of Colonel John A. Garrett ; he is dead, and she is residing in Newton, Iowa ; Rufus O., of this sketch.
Rufus O. Willard received his education at the schools of New Lebanon, Carlisle and Waveland, Indiana. His father died when he was fifteen years of age, in California, where the son remained on the farm, caring for the stock and estate in general until it was. disposed of and then started with his mother for Indiana, coming by the Panama water route to New York City, arriving June 16, 1854. He then resided in Carlisle and attended school about five years. He then went onto the farm which he now occupies, going to this farm in April, 1862. He possesses the original patent to this tract of land, the instrument bearing the signature of President Jackson. Mr. Willard has lived here con- tinuously ever since his settlement, with the exception of the winter of 1907-08, which he spent in Florida, being absent four and a half months. This farm contains one hundred and sixty acres, which for many years was farmed by his sons until 1907, when it was rented. Though he was himself actively engaged on the farm, Mr. Willard made a specialty of stock-raising, in which he was very successful.
Mr. Willard has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1866 and stands for all that is good and truly progressive in the community in which he has resided so many years. Politically he is a radical Republican. He was married May 7, 1860, to Miss Mary Owens, born in Carlisle, August 5, 1842, daughter of B. F. and Sarah (Barker)
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Owens. Her father was a native of Macon, Georgia, as was also the mother. Mrs. Willard's parents resided in Indiana but a short time, then returned to Macon, where they died several years since. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Willard are as follows: Louisa, wife of C. L. Engle, residing in Gill township, on a farm, and they have eight chil- dren; Anna, wife of Rush L. Davis, a farmer, they have six children ; Katherine, wife of E. W. Sanders, of Detroit, Michigan, a traveling sales- man and manufacturer of porcelain, and they are the parents of two chil- dren ; Laura, wife of F. H. Huntworth, of Chehalis, a professor in the high schools; they have two children; Mary, unmarried, residing in Seattle, Washington, at the head of the science department of the high schools; Roxie, deceased, was the wife of Greenfield Wolf, of Sullivan and they had two children; Orson, married Marjorie Benefield, of Car- lisle, and resides at Lawrence, Kansas, temporarily ; Belden, unmarried and at home.
DR. JOHN W. LISMAN, a practicing physician of New Lebanon, Sulli- van county, is a native of Haddon township, this county, born December 20, 1853, son of John and Elizabeth (Johnson) Lisman, both of whom were born near Carlisle, Indiana, the father November 19, 1814, and the mother September 20, 1814. They were farmers all of their lives. Grand- father Lisman came from Kentucky and the grandparents Johnson came from Vincennes, Indiana. The great-grandparents, on the paternal side, came from Germany and on the maternal side from Virginia, but were of English descent. The doctor's father remained on his farm until the death of his wife about 1890, after which he resided with his children until his own death, which occurred July 8, 1906. In his family were five children, born in the following order: Samuel, a practicing physician at Oaktown; Malinda, wife of George McCarnie, a farmer ; Frederick, residing on the old homestead, near Carlisle: Dr. John W., of this sketch ; Sarah F., who died at the age of twelve years, in 1873.
Dr. Lisman attended school at Carlisle, Indiana, and remained at home until he reached his majority. Having decided to enter the medical profession, he matriculated at a medical college at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which institution he graduated in 1878. Prior to his entering college he studied under a brother for two years. He began practice at New Lebanon, Sullivan county, where he is still located and enjoying a lucrative practice. During the passing of the years the doctor has accumulated a handsome competency and owns a two hundred and twenty acre tract of land, besides having one of the best residences in Sullivan county, which was built in 1895. On account of failing health he has had to diminish his once very extended practice, not being able to longer stand the severe winter weather. The doctor is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Rebekahs and Ben Hur fraternities. He has been Noble Grand in the first named order. In his political views Dr. Lisman adheres to the Democratic party, while in his church relations he is con- nected with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a member of the advisory board since such an office was created.
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September 13, 1885, he was married to Elizabeth Springer, born May 4, 1864, daughter of John D. and Hester F. (Creager) Springer. The mother is a granddaughter of General French and both her parents were born in Gill township, Sullivan county. The father died in 1894 and the mother, born May 22, 1831, died in 1905. In the Springer family were the following children: Perry, deceased; Lucy, deceased; Urzilla, wife of John Arbaugh, residing in California; Elizabeth (Mrs. Lisman) ; Clara, wife of J. G. Brokaw; Teressa, deceased, was wife of J. K. Kalson ; Jesse, deceased. Dr. Lisman and wife had two children: John, born August, 1886, died October of the same year ; and Claud, born Jan- uary 5, 1888, unmarried and attending school at Greencastle, Indiana.
L. E. COTE, the proprietor of one of the leading bakery establishments of Hymera, has been the architect of his own success and has builded wisely and well. He was left an orphan at the early age of thirteen years, and he was only a lad of seven at the time of his father's death. He made his home with a sister until he was fifteen, and then started out in life to battle for himself, working for others during the first year. He then started on his career as a baker, learning the trade under the able instruc- tion of Wells & Boettler, of St. Louis, Missouri, and he continued with that firm for five years, working as a journeyman baker until 1902, when he came to Hymera and established the bakery of which he is yet the pro- prietor. In connection therewith he now also has a restaurant and confec- tionery department, cigars and tobacco, a fancy grocery department and does a general bakery business. His store is up-to-date in all its depart- ments, and he enjoys a large and profitable trade.
Mr. Cote is a native son of St. Charles, Missouri, born May 14, 1879, a son of John B. and Sophia (Osgood) Cote, both of whom were also born in that state, and the father was of Canadian French descent. He enlisted as a private in a Missouri regiment during the Civil war, and served as a soldier for three years, in the meantime being advanced to the position of a corporal. Soon after the close of the war he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he worked for others and remained there until his death in 1886. His wife died seven years later, on the 14th of August.
On the 28th of September, 1901, L. E. Cote was united in marriage to Miss Dorothy Doernhoefer, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, December 20, 1878, a daughter of John Conrad and Katherine (Lykam) Doernhoefer, who were also from the fatherland. The father was a farmer and died in that country on the 26th of May, 1904, and the mother is still living there. Mr. Cote is independent in politics and is a member of the Catholic church at Sullivan.
MARION F. WILLIS .- A native-born citizen of Sullivan county, a soldier in the Civil war, and the representative of a pioneer family, Marion F. Willis, of Sullivan, is eminently deserving of mention in a work of this character. He was born in Haddon township, this county,
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February 20, 1844, a son of John A. Willis, of Virginia ancestry. Born in Virginia in 1808, John A. Willis was taken by his parents, when a small child, to Kentucky, where he was reared and where he married. About 1830 he followed the trail of the emigrants to Indiana, and in Haddon township, Sullivan county, took up a tract of wild land, from which he improved a good homestead, and there resided until his death, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. He was twice married, and reared twelve children. His second wife, mother of Marion F., was Sarah Boatman. She was born in Jessamine county, Kentucky, and died in Sullivan county, Indiana, at the age of eighty-three years. William Willis, son of John A., served three years in the Civil war, enlisting as a private in Company E, Forty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and being promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. Returning home after receiving his honorable discharge, he was engaged in agricultural pur- suits until his death. Tilghman Willis, another son of John A., enlisted, at the age of seventeen years, in Company D, First Indiana Heavy Artillery, and served for fifteen months, when he was honorably dis- charged. He afterwards attended Christian College, at Merom, Sulli- van county, and became a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, for six years being the presiding elder of the Bloomington district.
Having completed his early studies in the district schools, Marion F. Willis attended the Sullivan High School, obtaining a practical edu- cation. In 1864 he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty- ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was with his regiment until receiving his honorable discharge, in July, 1865. Beginning a profes- sional career in 1867, Mr. Willis taught school successfully for twelve years, being employed in Haddon, Cass, Hamilton and Turman town- ships. Locating then in Sullivan, he has since worked at the shoe- maker's trade and has here built up an excellent patronage. Mr. Willis has been twice married. He married first, at the age of twenty-four years, Minerva Fogg, who spent her entire life in Indiana, passing away in 1885. He married for his second wife Maria Robbins, also a native of Indiana. By his first marriage Mr. Willis had four children: Arthur R., Luella, Sarah M., and Catherine G. By his second union he has two children, William D. and Walter Ray.
JACOB F. HOKE, well known in mercantile and banking circles at Sulli- van, Indiana, through his long experience in such lines of business, is a native of Haddon township, Sullivan county. He was born on the old Hoke homestead, two and a half miles southeast of Carlisle, August 15, 1839, a son of Jacob and Rosanna (Brentlinger) Hoke, whose family history will be found elsewhere in this work in the sketches of William F. Hoke and John A. Hoke. Jacob F. Hoke was reared on a farm and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he embarked in the mercantile business, at Sullivan, with James S. Walls, in December, 1859, and continued doing business under the firm name of Walls &
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Hoke for about two years. Early in 1861 Walls entered the army, leaving Mr. Hoke alone in the business until early in 1862, when he himself enlisted as a member of the Eighty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Regiment, belonging to Company H. He entered the army August 15, 1862, and served until November, 1864, enlisting as a private, and was promoted to first lieutenant, serving under Captain William T. Crawford, whose sketch appears in this work. Jacob F. Hoke participated in several skirmishes and battles. He was with Sherman on his famous march to the sea. He was mustered out at Atlanta, Georgia, November, 1864.
Soon after coming home he engaged in the hardware trade with W. H. Crowder, Sr., under the firm name of Crowder and Hoke, which firm continued until 1872, when Mr. Hoke bought his partner's interest and conducted the business alone until 1889. He then sold out to his sons- in-law, Long and Warren. Mr. Hoke and William H. Crowder organized the Sullivan County Bank and in 1892 Mr. Hoke bought a controlling interest in the Farmers' State Bank of Sullivan and conducted the same until 1897, when the two banks were consolidated-the Sullivan County Bank and the Farmers' State Bank-taking the name of Sullivan State Bank, September 1, 1897, since which date Mr. Hoke has been the presi- dent of the institution. He is also a stockholder and director in the Citi- zens' Trust Company of Sullivan; stockholder in the Crawford County State Bank, at Robinson, Illinois ; stockholder in the American National Bank of Indianapolis, and is president of the American Box Ball Com- pany of Indianapolis. He resides at Sullivan, in one of the finest resi- dences of the town-first known as the Captain Briggs residence.
Politically Mr. Hoke is a supporter of the general principles of the Republican party. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, to the Knights Templar degree and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias order and the Grand Army of the Republic. He was happily married in March, 1864, to Elizabeth Ann Maxwell, born in Sullivan county, Indiana, Sep- tember, 1840, and who died in 1882. Three children were born of this union : Cora, wife of John T. Beasley, of Terre Haute ; Nellie, wife of C. E. Warren, of Sullivan; Helen, deceased. For his second wife Mr. Hoke married, in March, 1884, Ellen (Wright) Long, widow of Robert Long. She was born in Ohio, July, 1839. Believing in enjoying the competency they have acquired with the passing of the years, they have spent the past nine winters in various parts of the south, including Florida, Cuba, Mississippi and California. In their church connections Mr. Hoke and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
W. H. McKEE, the leading merchant in Hymera, was born in Turman township of Sullivan county January 20, 1859, a son of William M. and Jane ( Bennett) McKee, the father a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and the mother of New Lebanon, Sullivan county, born in 1829. During the early history of this community William M. McKee established his home here and for some years was engaged in farming, but gradually drifted
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into politics and became very prominent in the public life of this part of the state. During several years he served the county of Sullivan as a judge, and he also represented his district in the legislature. His death occurred on the 26th of January, 1869, and he was loved and honored for his many noble characteristics. The mother survived until the 9th of January, 1907.
W. H. McKee was left fatherless when a lad of ten years and about four years later he began working in a store at Merom as a salesman. After about four years in the store he entered the Union Christian College of that city, working his own way through the college, and after the completion of his course he went to Illinois and rented a farm in that state for two years. From there he returned to Merom, but going to Kansas later he was employed in a mercantile store there for one year, from whence he went to Trumbull county, Illinois, where he farmed on a place of his own for ten years, and then selling his land there went to Robinson and served as the deputy postmaster for four years. After a similar period spent as a merchant at that place he sold his possessions there and came to Hymera and opened the largest mercantile store in the city, carrying an extensive and complete line of groceries, fancy notions, queensware, etc., and is annually transacting a large and remunerative business. He owns his own home in the city, a commodious and com- fortable dwelling.
Mr. McKee was married, September 29, 1886, to Lenora Trimble, a daughter of James B. and Mary (Dunlap) Trimble, the father a native of Kentucky and the mother of Illinois. The town of Trimble in Illinois was named in honor of the father, and the parents were married in that state and resided there until their death, the father in February of 1881 and the mother in 1892. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McKee: Blanche, Loren T. and Chauncey S. Loren T. is attending Rose College and preparing for the profession of a civil engineer. Mr. McKee is a Republican in his political affiliations and is a member of the Methodist church. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Tribe of Ben Hur and Modern Woodmen of America.
DR. JAMES E. MCCONNELL, a graduate of both Louisville and Rush Medical colleges and formerly engaged in substantial practice at Carlisle. was born near that city, December 23. 1869, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Corbin) McConnell. Both father and son were born on the same farm, the former on April 1, 1816. William McConnell was a farmer and a carpenter, but agriculture was his mainstay until his death, August 3, 1887. The mother was born in Jessamine county, Kentucky. April 8, 1827, and when nine years of age was brought by her parents to Haddon township, this county. The latter died near Carlisle and Mrs. McConnell passed away in that city, on the 13th of November, 1899. William McConnell married Maranda Shake for his first wife, and she died only a few months afterward. By his second wife ( Elizabeth
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Corbin) he had eleven children-Mary and Juda, deceased ; Hannah, now the wife of John S. Howard; Eliza, Mrs. Charles J. Spencer ; Elizabeth, who married Dolphin Sheperd and resides in Dugger; William F., who lives in Martinsville, Indiana; Jennie, wife of William H. Moody, resid- ing at Jacksonville, that state; James E., of this sketch; and three died in infancy.
James E. received his early training on his father's farm and in the district schools of his home township. He studied medicine for several years, as opportunity offered in the midst of his agricultural labors and his duties as a school teacher, and in January, 1902, entered Louisville Medical College for a regular course. He remained there for two years and was then matriculated at Rush Medical College, Chicago, from which he graduated with the class of June, 1895. In the month following his graduation from Rush Medical College Dr. McConnell opened an office for general practice at Carlisle. In 1902 he had taken a course in advanced therapeutics in the New York School and in 1905 also pursued post-graduate work in the New York Polytechnic; so that his professional training was especially thorough when he settled in Carlisle for general practice. Besides making substantial advances in his profession, the doctor soon developed a decided business talent, being one of the organizers of the Carlisle Co-operative Telephone Company and its president-treasurer. He was president of the Sullivan County Medical Society and identified with the Indiana State Medical Associa- tion and the American Medical Association. Fraternally, he belonged to the Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and, in Masonry, had membership in the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council. His recent removal to Colorado, on account of his health, is a pronounced loss to Carlisle. He is now practicing medicine in Delta, Colorado.
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