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 6
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While Mr. Drake was yet on the farm, he made a reputation as a specialist in raising Poland-China swine, all registered. He shipped about one hundred and fifty head annually to all parts of the United States. He also handled registered Holstein cattle, though not on so extensive a scale as he did the hogs mentioned. He still owns land of much value-eighty acres within Curry township and two hundred and twenty acres one mile west of Sullivan. Politically, Mr. Drake affiliates with the Democrats. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order at Sullivan.
One of the important events of Mr. Drake's life was his marriage, May 4, 1878, to Elma Gaskins, who was born in Curry township, and died April 4, 1882. Two children were the result of this union: Perry, born March 14, 1879, married and resides on a farm; Olive, born August 3, 1881, is unmarried and at home. Both attended the schools in Sullivan. For his second wife, Mr. Drake married, March 1, 1883, Julia Denney, born in Curry township, Sullivan county, a daughter of William Denney, now of Sullivan. The date of her birth was July 29, 1863. Her mother died when the daughter was but a mere child. By Mr. Drake's second marriage, four children were born: LeRoy, born May 14. 1885, a grad-
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uate of the Bennett Medical College in Chicago, with the class of 1906; he also attended one of the medical colleges at Indianapolis, and then began practicing medicine at Middletown, Vigo county, Indiana, but removed to Palatine, Illinois, in January, 1908; Goldie, born November 30, 1887, unmarried, a graduate of the high school in 1905; she is now attending Franklin College, from which she expects to graduate in 1909; Claudie, born in September, 1891, attending high school; Lola, born August 22, 1894, also in the high school. Mr. Drake and his family are members of the Baptist church.
JAMES DOUGLAS SMITH .- One of the owners of the Arc Amusement Company of Sullivan, Indiana, and the tonsorial artist whose finely equipped parlor is at the Davis House, is James D. Smith, who was born June 24, 1864, in Vigo county, Indiana, in Fayette township, son of James and Nancy (Posey) Smith. The father, a native of Sullivan county, was born in Jefferson township in 1832, in the month of Novem- ber, and died in Oklahoma in May, 1906. The mother was born in the same township as her husband, and they were united in marriage in Sul- livan county. The grandfather of James D. Smith was among the early settlers of Sullivan county, who took government land and resided there the remainder of his life.
James Smith, the father, made agriculture his occupation. He farmed in Vigo county one or two seasons, then moved back to Farmer's Prairie in Hamilton township, Sullivan county, where he purchased sixty acres of land. After residing there for nineteen years he sold out and moved to Shelburn, Indiana, where he lived a retired life for two years. He then moved to his farm in Curry township, where his wife died. He married Mrs. Thomas Chambers, of Cass township, Sullivan county, but subsequently they separated and he moved to Dugger, where he was engaged at various business enterprises for a time, but about 1902 he went to Oklahoma, bought a farm there and remained there until his death. Politically, he was a Democrat. Both he and his first wife were members of the Christian church. They were the parents of the following chil- dren : Homer, deceased; Marshal B., a barber of Hymera; Emma A., of Oklahoma; Charles, of Sullivan ; James D., of this notice; William, of Washington, North Dakota ; and two who died in their infancy.
James D. Smith was reared on the farm and obtained a common- school education. He remained at home with his father until twenty years of age, when he engaged in the barber business, learning his trade at Dugger, Indiana, after which he conducted a shop there himself for about ten years, and then went to Sullivan, and later to Linton, where he remained a year and a half, then returned to Sullivan, where he has since been engaged in the barber business. In September, 1898, he opened his shop in the New Davis hotel, where he makes use of four barber chairs and conducts a first-class shop. He is also a half owner in the Arc Amuse-
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ment Company, which is located on North Court street, opposite the Davis Hotel.
In his political views, Mr. Smith is in accord with the Democratic party. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias orders at Sullivan. He was married May 18, 1889, to Lavina Campbell, born in Hamilton township, Sullivan county, Indiana, October 22, 1872, a daughter of Thomas M. and Jane (Spence) Campbell. She received her education in her native township at the public schools. One daughter has been born of this union : Dorothy, born May 10, 1900. Mr. Smith is a member of the Christian church, while his wife is connected with the Presbyterian. Mr. Smith's paternal grandfather was twice married and was the father of twenty-one children.
WILLIAM F. WAGNER, one of the proprietors of the Sullivan Monu- ment Company, was born August 4, 1864, in Terre Haute, Indiana, a son of William and Catherine (Emerick) Wagner. William Wagner was a native of Wittenburg, Germany, born August 13, 1826, and died May 29, 1900, at Clinton, Indiana, his home, however, being in Terre Haute. The mother was born in Trenton, New Jersey', in 1837, on the twentieth day of November, and she died March 20, 1906, in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia. Her husband located in Terre Haute in October, 1852, when yet a single man, and they were married there in January, 1863. He had learned the stone-cutter's trade in Germany, and also worked some at the stone monument industry. After going to Terre Haute, he built the State Normal College buildings at that place, as well as the Marble Block on Wabash avenue, the Old Opera house, the Episcopal church and the Presbyterian church. The stone used in the construction of the two last named buildings was quarried at Pottsville, Indiana, and floated down on rafts. He also built a great many store buildings at Paris, Illinois, and Brazil and Vincennes, Indiana. He engaged in the monument busi- ness at Terre Haute in 1854, on Third street, under the firm name of Wagner, Crossley & Webber, which firm continued for about ten years. Mr. Wagner then engaged in the building stone business, in which he remained until 1875, when he formed a partnership with F. B. Palmer, under the firm name of Palmer & Wagner, which business relation existed for seven years, when the name of the firm was changed to Wagner & Ripley. They continued as a firm for five years, when the business was conducted as Wagner & Son, and so operated until the father's death.
Politically, Mr. Wagner was a supporter of the Democratic party. He belonged to the Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Workmen lodges. His wife was a member of the Roman Catholic church and was of German descent. Eleven children were born of this union, four of whom died in infancy, and the others were: William F. and George W. (twins), George W. being now deceased ; Lewis F., residing at Newman,
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Illinois; Edward, deceased; Catherine, deceased; Josephine, residing at Los Angeles, California ; Mamie B., of Los Angeles, wife of Arthur W. Harris, has three daughters.
William F. Wagner was reared in the city of Terre Haute, receiving his education at the public schools and being graduated from the Old Garvin Commercial College in 1882. Believing that every man was more independent by having perfect knowledge of some one of the trades, he mastered that of stone-cutter, under his father's directions, working with him until his death, in 1900, since which time Mr. Wagner was engaged at Clay City, Clay county, Indiana, up to 1905 and in Sullivan since then. During 1905 he entered into a partnership with M. E. Drake, under the firm name of Drake & Wagner, but now styled the Sullivan Monument Company, which concern is doing an extensive and profitable business in the artistic production of substantial monuments and kindred marble and stone work.
In his political views, Mr. Wagner is a firm believer in the general principles laid down in the platforms of the Democratic party. In his fraternal affiliations, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Modern Wood- men of America and the Tribe of Ben Hur of Sullivan. He was united in marriage, March 6, 1884, to Nora E. Bressler, a native of Clay county, Indiana. She was reared on a farm and received her education at the common schools, remaining at home with her people until the date of her marriage. She is the daughter of Daniel H. and Matilda (Zenor) Bressler. The father was born in Pennsylvania, and his father conducted one of the old-time stage route hotels or taverns in that state. Mrs. Wag- ner's mother was born in Clay county, Indiana, and both parents are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are the parents of one daughter-Jessie May, born December 19, 1886. In their religious convictions, both Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
LEANDER R. BOTTS, a retired farmer of Sullivan county, was born June 30, 1837, in Coshocton county, Ohio, son of John and Nancy (Mor- ris) Botts. The father was born in Pennsylvania in 1796 and died in 1847, in Hocking county, Ohio. The mother was born in Maryland in 1798 and died July 1, 1859, in Sullivan county. She was of French extraction and the father of German. He was a farmer and they were married in Ohio. Leander R. Botts received a limited education in Hock- ing county, Ohio, and started out in life for himself at the age of eighteen years, working as a farm hand, and when twenty-two years old he began farming for himself. He also taught school, continuing in this calling until thirty years of age, farming summers and teaching in the winter months. In 1859 he came to Hamilton township, Sullivan county, Indiana. He followed teaching in Hamilton, Jackson, Fairbanks and Curry town- ships. He next took up the business of stock dealer, in conjunction with his farming operations, following the same ten years. He once owned
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John M. Branson.
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a hundred and fifty acres in Hamilton township. He remained on the farm until 1904, when he retired to Sullivan, where he purchased a city residence property. He still owns eighteen acres in his home township. Politically, Mr. Botts votes the Democratic ticket. He is a member of blue lodge of the Masonic fraternity at Sullivan.
March 1, 1860, he was married to Elizabeth Rusher, born in Sullivan county, Indiana, February 10, 1836, daughter of Minor and Mary (Mar- low) Rusher, both natives of Kentucky. The father was born in 1806 and died in Sullivan county, Indiana, April 30, 1867, and the mother born August 31, 18II, died February 22, 1888. They were of Ger- man descent and emigrated to Sullivan county in 1828, being num- bered among the very early settlers of the county. The five children born of this union are as follows: Hettie, born June 1, 1861, wife of Joseph Wyman, and residing in Hamilton township; George F., September 10, 1864, now resides on Jackson street, Sullivan, Indiana; William H., October 10, 1866; Maggie, born May 29, 1870, died in February, 1876; Flora C., born February 8, 1876, died May 5, 1896. Mrs. Botts has been a consistent member of the Christian church for many years.
For his years, Mr. Botts has a remarkable memory, as is illustrated by the list of his old school teachers, beginning with the first, and which list he desires to keep as a record for the future: Miss Stratton, in Lick- ing county, Ohio; Mr. Kelsey, James G. McBroom, Nathan England, Henry Lincoln, Rosie O'Neil, Ephraim Woodard, Phebe Sudlow, Jesse Griggsby, all of Hocking county, Ohio; Samuel Edginton and Robert Wolfenbarger, of Coshocton county, Ohio. When Mr. Botts first came to this township the land was all timbered heavily, and this was removed by log rollings, which lasted about two weeks, each spring. He relates how the school teachers of the "fifties" were paid a dollar a day. Also how in his boyhood days they all lived on their own resources, making their own clothing, sugar, molasses, etc. He notes the great transforma- tion since those pioneer days in the Buckeye and Hoosier states, and is glad to have been a participant in changing the wilderness to a fertile, prosperous and highly enlightened section.
JOHN MCNABB BRANSON .- No philosopher ever made a truer state- ment than the one who proclaimed that the greatest man in the world can do no more than to do well the thing which lies nearest to him; and it may be added that greatness lias usually been achieved through the faculty and determination to accomplish with faithfulness and forethought the affairs of family and home community before going afield for other honors. Measured by this approved standard, John McNabb Branson, well known primarily as a substantial farmer and a stock raiser, has made his useful and honorable life one unvarying success, and his manly and intelligent efforts have never ceased to assist in the agricultural, educational and religious development of Curry township and Sullivan
1
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county. He comes of an old Virginia family, his father migrating from the Old Dominion (through Tennessee and Georgia) to this Indiana region, where he became one of its foremost pioneers. The son was born in Cocke county, Tennessee, on the 25th of April, 1836, being a son of Michael, Jr., and Sarah (McNabb) Branson. The father was a native of Pittsylvania county, Virginia, where he was born in September, 1805, and died in Curry township, Sullivan county, March 22, 1888. The mother was born in Cocke county, Tennessee, and died on the farm ad- joining the homestead now occupied by John M., in 1890. The paternal grandfather, a native of Virginia, spent his life within its limits as a farmer, stock raiser and a distiller. By his wife he became the father of ten children, and the sons are as follows: James, was a resident of Missouri, and was a farmer ; George, was a renowned Baptist minister, itinerant, district, and preached in four or five counties in Indiana ; he died in the state of Iowa; Asa, was a farmer and stock dealer ; he pur- chased lands in Jackson township, and there died; Michael was the father of John McNabb Branson; Luke L., was a Baptist minister in North Carolina, also an agriculturist; Joseph was an agricurturist, resided in Missouri, and there died. There is no records given of the daughters. Michael Branson, Jr., received an unusually broad education for one of those days, and during his lifetime practiced three professions, as well as became remarkably successful in agricultural enterprises. He was first a school teacher, practiced medicine, preached from the pulpit of the Baptist church, and during the last twenty years of his life not only returned to his labors as a physician but profitably engaged in farming. From Virginia he first removed to Cocke county, Tennessee, and in 1844 transferred his homestead to Hamilton county, that state, later going to Cass county, Georgia, and finally in 1849 locating with his family in Curry township. Here he entered the last quarter section of canal land and resided until his death, occupied as a farmer, a physician and a man of public affairs. For many years he served as a justice of the peace, and as early as 1857 represented the county in the state legislature for one term. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, never turning from the straight path as laid down by the fathers of the party. The four children born to this strong and good man were as follows: Samuel, for a time a school teacher prior to his death, at the age of twenty years; Nancy Branson Curry, who died after rearing three children; John M. Branson, of this review ; and Felix, who married M. J. Curry and died some dozen years ago, leaving four children. The children of this family were all well educated, and honored their parents, themselves and the communities of their residence.
John M. Branson spent the first twenty-five years of his life on the home farm, securing an education and faithfully assisting his parents. He then mastered the cooper's trade, and after being employed in that line for some time opened a shop at Shelburn, which he operated for several years before his marriage. Subsequently, he purchased land in Curry township and commenced to farm on a tract of forty acres. His holdings have since been increased to one hundred and eighty acres, and
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he now owns not only one of the most valuable farms in this locality, but one of the finest residences in Farmersburg. Mr. Branson was a resident of the town for seven years while his children were attending school there, but now lives on his fine farm, engaged in the raising of standard crops and live stock and making a specialty of the breeding of horses. In politics he is a Populist Democrat, has been somewhat active in the local field, and has served for one term as assessor. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and for many years has been prominently con- nected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Farmersburg lodge was established in 1885, and he has filled all the chairs in it, is a member of the Encampment, and has served as a delegate to the grand lodge.
On May 10, 1866, John M. Branson married, as his first wife, Martha A. Zink, who was born in Jackson township, Sullivan county, In- diana, in November, 1848, and died June 20, 1885, being buried in Littleflock cemetery, Shelburn. The children of this union were as fol- lows: (1) Stella, born February 14, 1876, who is teaching music in the girls' department of the State School at Redwing, Minnesota, having been educated at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, and also taught music in Chicago; (2) George Austin Branson, was born May 14, 1878, in Curry township, and is now engaged in the implement business in Hindsburg, Illinois. He married Golden Knight, having been educated at Danville, Indiana; (3) Flossie, who was born November 4, 1882, married Robert C. Brownlee, and resides in St. Louis. She is a graduate of the Farmersburg high school, attended the State Normal, taught two years, is also a graduate of the Protestant Association Hospital of St. Louis, and is a lady of thorough culture and earnestness of purpose ; (4) Clarence Michael Branson was born on the 13th of June, 1885, and is pursuing a law course at Bloomington, Indiana. He attended the normal school at Danville two years and taught for a like period, having now three displomas to his credit. He is married to Martha Inez Sparks.
As his second wife, John M. Branson married, on July 11, 1887, Miss Margaret McMillan, born in Philadelphia, March 18, 1852, daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Geddes) McMillan. Mrs. Branson's father was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1820, and died at Little Rock, Arkansas, in March, 1859. The mother, born in the Scotch city named in 1822, died at Galveston, Texas, in 1858, being at the time a temporary resident seeking health in the south. Mrs. Branson's father came to the United States in 1838 and first located in Woodville, Mississippi, where as a tailor he associated himself with his uncle. He followed that trade throughout life, and at the time of his death owned a flourishing establishment in Little Rock. Margaret McMillan was graduated from a scientific course at the female college in Oxford, Ohio ; afterward removed to Natchez, Mississippi, where she remained two years; and in 1870 located in Park county, Indiana, where for the seventeen years prior to her marriage to Mr. Branson she taught the literary and musical branches. She is a Presbyterian, while the children of the family are members of the Metho- dist church.
Vol. II-4
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY
ARTHUR DENNY CUTLER, representing the legal profession in an able manner at Carlisle, Indiana, is a native of the state of Illinois, and was born at Dallas, Hancock county, of that state, November 15, 1875. He is a son of Rev. William Alonzo and Mary Ann (Denny) Cutler. William Alonzo Cutler was born at Alton, Illinois, November 28, 1843, and he was the son of Alonzo Cutler, born in Massachusetts, October 16, 1804, at Warren, and who died August 26, 1896, at Brooklyn, New York. He was a manufacturer and real estate dealer and resided in Chicago and St. Louis for some years. He married Elizabeth Upham, who was born November 2, 1804, in Enfield, Massachusetts, and who died in Chicago, December 25, 1863. They were the parents of the following named children : Marshal, deceased; Julia, deceased; Harriet ; Mary ; William Alonzo.
Rev. William Alonzo Cutler was reared and received a common school education at Alton and was graduated from Jacksonville College, in Illinois, where he took the literary course. In the days of the Civil war he was a soldier from Illinois, enlisting in April, 1864, for one hun- dred days, and mustered into Company "C," One Hundred and Forty- fifth Illinois Regiment Volunteer Infantry, at Camp Butler, Springfield. Illinois. He served about six months in southwestern Missouri, near Rolla, under General Rosecrans, and was mustered out in the fall of 1864, at Camp Butler. He then chose the ministry and followed that profession in the Presbyterian church all his life. Among the places in which he was pastor may be named : Fairmount, Minnesota ; Broadhead, Wisconsin; Clear Lake, Iowa; Kansas, Illinois; Charlestown, Knights- town, Sullivan and Carlisle, Indiana; Rankin, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the last named place being where he is now preaching. His wife, the mother of Arthur Denny, was born in England, in Stafford- shire, July 31, 1852, a daughter of John and Ellen (Samuels) Denny. Her parents came to America in the sixties and settled in Morrison county, Minnesota, where they remained until overtaken by death. They were the parents of six children.
The children of Rev. William Alonzo Cutler and wife were as fol- lows: Everett Alonzo, born June 3, 1873, now pastor of the Westminster church at Milwaukee, Wisconsin; he is a graduate of Hanover College and McCormick Theological Seminary, of Chicago; Arthur Denny, of this notice, of whom further mention is made; William Murray, born December 20, 1877, now a cashier in the bank at Rankin, Illinois; he graduated from the Sullivan high school; Grace Hattie, born December 18, 1881, resides with her parents at Milwaukee.
. Arthur Denny Cutler was educated in various towns in Illinois and Indiana, after which he entered Earlham College, at Richmond, Indiana, for one year and one term, then entered Hanover College, remaining four years and two terms, graduating with the class of 1894. Having chosen the law for his life's profession, he began the study of that science with John T. Hays, of Sullivan, Indiana, in 1894, remained under his precep- torship one year and then located in Carlisle in 1896, since which time he has carried on an independent law practice. He is the only attorney
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of the place. He was admitted to the bar November 14, 1896, and was admitted to practice in the supreme and appellate courts in 1900. He was owner of the Carlisle News from September, 1899, to April, 1907: He is a director and one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Carlisle. In his political affiliations, Mr. Cutler is a supporter of the Republican party. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and is fully up with the advanced age in which he lives. He was united in marriage, November 7, 1900, to Tillie H. Sallee, born in Carlisle, Novem- ber 23, 1875, daughter of William H. and Rebecca (Ford) Sallee, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Cutler are the parents of three children : George, Charles Nelson, and Mary Rebecca. Mrs. Cutler is an exem- plary member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Cutler has a library of over five hundred volumes, professional and otherwise, and his neat and well arranged office is commendable.
EDLEY W. ROGERS, editor of the Carlisle (Indiana) Neves, is a man of good southern stock, with a substantial strain of French Huguenot blood, and ancestral influences, with a strong individuality and a thorough practical training, have combined to make him a forcible and pithy jour- nalist and a substantial all-around newspaper man. A native of Loo- gootee, Indiana, he was born on the 28th of August, 1885, and is a son of W. Q. and Margaret Olly (Pirtle) Rogers. The father was born in Adamsville, Tennessee, September II, 1847, and the mother in Carlisle, Indiana, February 21, 1853, the latter being a daughter of William and Mary Ann (Ferree) Pirtle. The founder of the Ferree family in the United States was Madam Mary Ferree, who was a French Huguenot and fled from France with her children, one of her fellow voyagers being William Penn. It was in the colony of the great Quaker leader that Madame Ferree settled with her family, in 1708, and laid the foundation of the first Huguenot community in this section of the country. Later generations of the family located in Indiana and made their home near Paxton. Among the pioneers to this locality were Joel and Mary (Leeth) Ferree. Their son, Philip Copeland, married Margaret Trim- ble, and Mary Ann Ferree, a daughter by this union, became the mater- nal grandmother of Edley W. Rogers. The latter was born near Paxton, Indiana, September 8. 1830, and died February 25, 1907, as the wife of Isaac Newton Markee and the mother of Mrs. W. Q. Rogers.
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