A portrait and biographical record of Boone, Clinton and Hendricks Counties, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana, Part 108

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080

USA > Indiana > Boone County > A portrait and biographical record of Boone, Clinton and Hendricks Counties, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 108
USA > Indiana > Clinton County > A portrait and biographical record of Boone, Clinton and Hendricks Counties, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 108
USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > A portrait and biographical record of Boone, Clinton and Hendricks Counties, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 108

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

married Clinton F. Stave, farmer of Franklin township, and has two children. Alice Reese married James Hamilton, a farmer of Frank- lin township, and has three children. John W. Reese married Minnie B. Wallace, is a farmer on the home farm, and is the father of three children. Eva Reese married Charles Wallace, a farmer of Putnam county, and has two children.' George Reese married Lou E. Bunten, is a farmer of Putnam county, and has one child. Etta Reese married Seldon E. Alley, a farmer of Hendricks county, and has two children. Annie is at home.

e LI JOHNSON, one of the pioneer fathers of Hendricks county, residing in Guilford township since 1857, is of English and Irish extraction. His great-grandfather, Henry Johnson, emigrated from Ireland in company with his family, and located in Randolph county, N. C., where he purchased a plantation, became a leading citi- zen, and was a respected member of the Pres- byterian church. Joseph Johnson, grandfather of our subject, was born in Ireland, and was a mere boy when he came in company with his father to America. He here married Nancy Lytle, owned a plantation and twelve slaves. and took an active part in the Revolutionary war for eight years. He died in Randolph county, N. C., a faithful member of the Pres- byterian church. Lytle Johnson, father of our subject, was born in Randolph county, N. C., in 1793, April 13th. He was reared on his father's plantation, and married Isabel Osborn. daughter of Peter and Susanna (Safright) Os- born, who were members of the Friends church. Their children were born in the fol- lowing order: Eli, Absalom, Abner, Henry, Robert, Sarah, Nancy, Susanna, Synthia and Rachael E. The father and mother were mar- ried in Randolph county, N. C., lived and died

1021

OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

on the old plantation of over 400 acres, and Mr. Johnson also owned a number of slaves. He was a successful farmer, a Jackson Demo- crat, and a devout Methodist, having been a class leader and steward. They had so lived that they had won the confidence and esteem of the entire community.

Squire Eli Johnson, subject proper of this notice, was born in Randolph county, N. C., March 25, 1814, and was reared on his fath- er's plantation and received a very good edu- cation for that early day, attending the old, rude, uncouth log school-house, and using the ancient goosequill pen, but becoming so pro- ficient that he eventually assisted the teacher in the performance of his duties. Shortly after completing his education he bade fare- well to the scene of his boyhood and turned his face to the west, as it was then called, to seek his fortune in the newstates, and in com- pany with others, in 1837, located in Guilford township, Hendricks county, on White Lick creek. In 1841 he married Phoebe Kester, daughter of Richard and Sarah (Patterson) Kester, who were among the early settlers of this township. To this union were born the following children: Sarah J., Lytle, Rachael E. and Martha, all deceased. Mr. Johnson is a stanch republican in politics, although he was formerly a whig, and was honored by the republican party by election, in 1856, to the office of justice of the peace, and has been elected to the same office ever since, a fact that speaks highly for his standing, as a peace- maker, in this community. He has seen the county and township transformed from a primitive wilderness, inhabited by the wild beasts of the forest, into blooming fields and · the abodes of civilized man. Mr. Johnson and wife are members of the Christian church, in good standing; Mr. Johnson is also a mem- ber of the F. & A. M., and has held some of the minor offices. He has a good residence

and two acres of land on the edge of the city of . Plainfield, and a competency for old age, and he and his wife stand deservedly high in the esteem of their neighbors.

S AMUEL LITTLE, of Guilford town- ship, Hendricks county, Ind., is a prominent retired farmer, of Irish de- scent. His grandfather, Thomas Lit- tle, after his marriage, emigrated to Virginia, from which State he soon moved to Mercer county, Ky., when the famous pioneer and hunter, Daniel Boone, was a resident of that State, and where he ever afterward lived on his plantation. He was an old-line whig, and he an wife were both Presbyterians in religion. Alexander Little, son of above and father of our subject, was born in Virginia, February 22, 1770, and was ten years of age when his father emigrated to Mercer county, Ky. He received a good common education, although he was chiefly self-educated. He was a major in the old militia, and during the early history of Indiana participated in repelling many sav- age forays. He married, in Kentucky, Rachael Robinson, daughter of William Robinson, and soon emigrated to Washington county, Ind., where they lived twenty years. He was ap- pointed to the territorial legislature and aided in the organization of the State, and was then honored by election to the State legislature from Washington county several times, and afterward elected circuit judge of Washington county several terms. After twenty years of active, useful life in that county, he came to Hendricks county, Ind., in 1830, and settled in Liberty township, with which township and county he was ever afterward prominently con- nected. Again his ability, worth and public experience were recognized, and he was elected to the legislature several terms. He was an old-line whig, and both he and wife were

1022

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

members of the Presbyterian church, of which he was a liberal supporter financially. He en- tered land, and owned nearly 400 acres at the date of his death, which occurred July 26, 1847. His widow survived him until 1854. The children of this estimable couple were born and named in the following order: Annie, Mary, Martha, Betsey, John, Samuel, Rach- ael, William, Rebecca, Joseph (deceased), Robert and Sarah.

Samuel Little, son of above, was born in Mercer county, Ky., April 26, 1810. He was an infant when his father and mother emigrated to Washington county, Ind., and until twenty years of age lived in that county and then came to Hendricks county, in May, 1830. He married, for his first wife, Rebecca Green, daughter of Robert and Rebecca Green, and by this marriage were born the following named children: Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary A., Joseph (deceased), Robert, Melissa and Thomas. Mrs. Little was a devout member of the Presbyterian church, and in that faith she died March II, 1883, and was sadly missed in the home she adorned so well, in the church and in the neighborhood. The second marriage of Mr. Little was to Mrs. Margaret A. Mc- Knight, widow of Alexander McKnight, and daughter of Norval and Nancy (Hamilton) Peugh, the former of whom is a substantial farmer of Washington county, Ind. Mrs. Nancy Peugh is a Presbyterian; and her hus- band leans toward that church and aids it lib- erally with his finances. Mr. Peugh was an early settler of Washington county and is highly respected and well known. His chil- dren, in order of birth, were named: Benja- min F. and Margaret A. The children borne · by Mrs. Margaret A. Little to her first hus- band, Alexander McKnight, were: Dora (de- ceased), Grizella, Mary, Ida, Robert and Jen- nie (deceased).

Samuel Little, our subject, has lived in

Guilford township, Hendricks county, Ind., sixty-four years, and has seen it changed from a "howling wilderness" to the place it now occupies in the plane of civilization. Bound- less forests aud frog ponds have been swept from the face of the earth, and have been re- placed by productfve farms, that yield their ample reward to the toil of the husbandman and an income to the state, and in bringing about this desirable change Mr. Little has been no inconsiderable factor. Mr. and Mrs. Little are both devout members of the Pres- byterian church, in which Mr. Little was formerly, for some years, an elder, and which he liberally aids financially. Mr. Little is a stanch republican, but never cared for political preferment. He has been very successful in the accumulation of property, and has gener- ously given his children in all, $30,000, re- taining more than that amount for himself. He has made the major portion of this wealth by hard work and honest dealing, and now, in his declining years, lives in the enjoyment of the esteem and regard of his fellow-citizens.

IRAM RAINS, one of the foremost of the business men of Guilford town- ship, Hendricks county, Ind., is a native of the state, was born in Fay- ette county, October 21, 1824, and is de- scended from an old North Carolina family of colonial prestige. His father, James Rains, was born in August, 1795, in Guilford county, N. C., and was twenty-five years of age when he came to Wayne county, Ind., with his par- ents, Joab and Martha (Aldred) Rains, who were also natives of Guilford county, N. C. James Rains was first married in Wayne county, Ind., to Catherine DeMoss, who bore two children, George and Charles, and after the death of this lady Mr. Rains espoused Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Philbert and

1023

OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

Elizabeth Wright, who early became settlers of Wayne county-Philbert Wright having been a Revolutionary soldier, who bore to his grave a scar on his face, inflicted by a British officer. To this second marriage of Mr. Rains, were born a round dozen of children, named as follows: Hiram, Alfred (died in the Mexi- can war in 1847), Catherine, Martha, Vashti, Harvey, Milton, Marion, Levi, David C., Mary and Martin V. . In 1828, James Rains and family removed to Marion county, Ind., where he wrought out a good farm from the woods and tilled it until his death, February 10, 1851, his widow dying in Zionsville, Boone county, Ind., in 1865.

Hiram Rains was reared to agriculture, and on the twenty-fifth day of September, 1851, married Sarah Owen, daughter of Benjamin and Esther (Gibson) Owen, and born Septem- ber 12, 1831. The parents of this lady were natives of Ohio, and in 1837 settled on a farm in the east part of Guilford township, Hen- dricks county, Ind. The parents of Benjamin Owen were Samuel and Jemima (Sanders) Owen, who were members of the Society of Friends, and had entered 240 acres of land in the east part of Guilford township, before the county of Hendricks was organized. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Rains two children were born, and were named Martha A. and Flora. After his marriage, Hiram Rains for two years resided on a farm near Indianapolis, and then sold and moved to or near Oshkosh, Wis., where he passed nine years of his active life, and where he received many valuable hints and gained a great deal of solid informa- tion as to the lumber trade. Returning to Hendricks county, Ind., at the close of the war, · his financial judgment and foresight led him to believe large money could be made in the lum- ber business, and he immediately decided to improve the golden opportunity. After first successfully operating two saw-mills a number

of years and averaging $50 a day, clear money most of the time, supplying hundreds of thou- sands of feet of lumber to Indianapolis, and even so far as Terre Haute, he, in company with Andrew Wilson and Laurence M. Vance, formerly of Indianapolis, contracted to grade through the green woods, lay ties and iron material furnished by the railroad company, on forty-six miles of the old Indianapolis, Law- renceburg & Cincinnati railway. He next bought a large farm adjoining Rainstown, Hendricks county (which town is named in his honor), and where he lived fifteen years, and successfully engaged in its cultivation. He then sold out and retired to a small farm of forty acres one-fourth of a mile east of Plain- field, on the gravel road, where he now resides in affluence and comfort. But his irrepressible business impulses will not be controlled, and, as consequence, he and his brother own and are now operating 2,000 acres of fine timber land in Obion county, Tenn. Hiram Rains also owns sixty acres of cranberry land in Wis- consin, eighteen lots in Pierre, capital of South Dakota, fourteen lots in Indianapolis, and stock in several extensive gold and silver mines in Colorado. The indomnitable spirit of en- terprise possessed by Mr. Rains, and his won- derful business instinct and sagacity, are prob- ably unequaled by those of any man in Hen- dricks county, or, perhaps, in the state of In- diana.

LFRED W. CARTER, an old soldier and retired farmer of Liberty town- ship, but now residing in Plainfield, Guilford township, Hendricks county, Ind., descends from a very old American family. Edward Carter, his grandfather, was a native of Virginia, but emigrated to Ken- tucky, when a small boy, in company with his father, and settled in Lincoln county. He there

1024

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

spent many years of useful life and then emi- grated to Missouri, where he ended his days. John Carter, father of Alfred W., was born in Lincoln county, Ky., in 1802, was always a farmer, but also a shoemaker, and in fact a good mechanic with all tools. He married Martha Alford, born in 1808, daughter of John and Nancy (Hunter) Alford, who came from Virginia. By this marriage John Carter became the father of the following children: Gabriel A., Alfred W., Martha A., John E., Nancy C., Emeline, James E., and William N. Mr. and Mrs. John Carter were married in Lincoln county, Ky., where they spent the remainder of their lives, having from almost nothing accumulated a 100-acre farm. In politics Mr. Carter was a whig; the mother was a member of the Christian church, which the other always aided. The death of the father took place in February, 1864, and that of the mother, in October, 1876.

Alfred W. Carter, our subject, was born in Lincoln county, Ky., April 18, 1833, and was reared a farmer. He attended the rude, un- couth, old log school-house of the pioneer fathers, and was first married, November 6, 1856, to Mary J. Short, daughter of Young and Elizabeth (Stephenson) Short, of Vir- ginia. This union was made happy by the birth of the following children, in the order named: Elizabeth A., Warren Y., Lucy A., Dora F. and Lawrence E. Mrs. Carter died May 12, 1867, a worthy member of the Chris- tian church. Mr. Carter was next married, May 5, 1868, to Margaret J. Hamilton, widow of Peter S. Hamilton, daughter of Peter and Indiana (Drury) De Mott, and there was born to this union one child, Nellie G. The second . Mrs. Carter was called away November 20, 1878. She was also a member of the Chris- tian church. The third marriage of Mr. Car- ter was with Nancy J. Lewallen, widow of Charles R. Lewallen and daughter of William

and Susanna (Williams) Hammonds, of North . Carolina. Her grandfather, George Ham- monds, married Mary Guinn, and they settled and entered land in Morgan county, Ind. Her father, son of the above George Ham- monds, was only eighteen years of age when he married, in Hendricks county, Miss Wil- liams, and there were born to him the follow- ing children: , Sarah M., Nancy J., Jessie G., Mary E., Margaret P., Hannah M., Elzine E., · Martha B., Henry W., Irena and Ida. One child, Mabel, now at school, has been born to A. W. Carter and his third wife. A. W. Car- ter commenced his career in this county a young man of determination, with a capital of one dollar and thirty-five cents, but now owns a farm of 175 acres, improved with a brick farm residence and agood barn, and the soil in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Carter is a stanch republican in politics, and has been assessor of Liberty township five years, and also land appraiser. He has also been ap- pointed administrator of a large number of estates, his business ability being fully recog- nized. All his family belong to the Christian church except his youngest daughter, and when he moved from Liberty township had been elder twenty-five years.

The war experience of Mr. Carter was long and varied. He enlisted, August 12, 1862, in company C, Seventieth regiment Indiana volun- teers, under Gen. Benjamin Harrison, and took part in the campaigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. He fought at Russellville, Ky., and at Resaca was on the main line of action. Here this regiment made an assault and cap- tured a rebel battery, losing ten men, killed and wounded, out of forty-one in his company, and he, also, was slightly wounded by a spent ball, and likewise found that a bayonet had punctured his pants and stocking; he fought at Cassville, and at New Hope church, and was

1025

OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

on the skirmish line on the Marrietta road. Later his regiment was sent to investigate a rebel skirmish line, and found twelve masked cannon; here fifty-one men were soon killed and wounded. That night Mr. Carter was sent out with six men on picket (our subject being corporal), and took up a position, and had to remain all next day and part of the night, as he could not escape nor be relieved, and was all this time without food; he was also at Lost Mountain, and at Kenesaw Mountain, where his regiment was on the right wing; at Marietta he was taken sick and confined in hospital for a time; on recovery he rejoined his regiment, near Wilmington, N. C., but, not being able to march, by order of the regimental surgeon, was sent back to Washington and joined a regiment near by, in Maryland. He was honorably discharged, June 5, 1865, and is now a member of Jesse Ogden post, G. A. R., at Danville. He is also a dormant member of the Odd Fellows, and holds a position in the esteem of his fellow-citizens that is enviable in the extreme. Mr. Carter has recently erected a handsome, modern frame dwelling .on one of the principal residence streets of Plainfield, and here enjoys the society of his numerous friends, to whom he dispenses a lib- eral hospitality.

J ABIN VESTAL, a substantial farmer of Guilford township, Hendricks county, Ind., descends from one of the oldest English families in the country. A couple of Englishmen, Thomas and William Vestal, brothers, came to America in the May- flower; of these two, Thomas settled later.in North Carolina and was the progenitor of our subject.

David Vestal, grandfather of Jabin, owned a plantation in Chatham county, N. C. He attained considerable eminence in the Friends'

church, was a whig in politics, and he and his wife died in that county. Benjamin Vestal, father of Jabin, was born in Chatham county, married, and settled on a farm adjoining .his father's, where he died. He married Ruth Newlin, daughter of John, who married a Miss Hadley, and his children were born in this or- der: Edith, Achsa, Eli. Phineas, Sallie, Ludah, Ann, Jabin, Ruth, Elwood, Emma and Rhoda. The father and mother were active and promi- nent in the Friends' church, and the father was a whig in politics. He died in August, 1828, on the old farm where he first settled, and the mother sold the place and then immigrated to Hendricks county, Ind., in 1832, and en- tered land in Guilford township. She made the change on account of the slavery question and so as to have all her family together, out of a slavery state. The mother died Septem- ber 24, 1858, having lived to see her family nearly all married and doing successfully in the world for themselves.

Jabin Vestal, our subject, was born in Chat- ham county, N. C., February 3, 1815, and was about seventeen when his mother came to Hen- dricks county, Ind., since which time he has been greatly interested in its prosperity and growth. He married Charity Lowder, daugh- ter of Matthew and Ruth (Hockett) Lowder, and this union has been blessed with the fol- lowing children: John N., Warren L., Hiram and Miriah J. All our subject's sons were in the three years' service in the Civil war, and of these Warren was wounded at Atlanta, and honorably discharged with the rank of colonel. Mrs. Charity Vestal died in October, 1845, and the second marriage of Mr. Vestal was with Catherine Richards, daughter of John and Parmelia (Walston) Richards, who lived on a farm in Mason county, Ky. After seven children were born to them they moved to Vermilion county, Ill., and bought a farm, on which the mother lived two years only; the

1026

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

father, however, lived sixteen years on this farm and then passed away. " He was deacon for many years in the Baptist church, and also took an active interest in old-line whig politics, the date of his death being October 6, 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Richards' children were named as follows: Hester A., James, Thomas Y., Susan J., Nancy, Ferby, Mary and Catherine. Our subject's children, by his second marriage, were born in the following order: William B., Ester P. (deceased), Elwood (deceased) and Leantha (deceased). Mr. Vestal owned, formerly, a farm of 189 acres, which he has generously divided with his children, retaining sixty acres, only, for himself. He was once a whig, but later became a stanch republican, and is now a prohibitionist. He is an inde- pendent in church matters, but was formerly a Friend. Mr. Vestal was one of the earliest abolitionists of Hendricks county, and has, with his family, occupied a very high position socially.

EORGE CUMBERWORTH, a highly respected citizen of Guilford township, Hendricks county, Ind., was born in Lincolnshire, England, April 22, 1842. His grandfather, John Cum- berworth, was a citizen-farmer and passed his life in his native county of Lincoln, where he reared a family, among whom was his son ‘ John, the father of the gentleman whose name opens this sketch. John Cumberworth, the younger, was born January 20, 1802, and while still a resident of Lincolnshire, farmed on rented land. He there first married Lydia Keal, who bore two children, John K- and . George, and died in 1845. For his second wife John Cumberworth chose Martha Mar- wood, by which union was born one child, Charles, who now lives near Colfax, Ind. The father died in England in May, 1878, in the

faith of the established church, of which his wife was also a member, and in the consola- tion of which she also passed away.

George Cumberworth was reared to farm- ing and was educated in the common schools of England. At the age of twenty-four years he came to the United States, and for two and one-half years worked in a tile factory in Rich- land county, Ohio, and then came to Indiana and located in Marion county, where he con- tinued at the same employment for about eighteen months, when he returned to Rich- land county, Ohio, and married, March 17, 1870, Miss Joanna Curran, daughter of Thomas W. and Mary (Barton) Curran. The father, Thomas W. Curran, was a native of Mansfield, Richland county, Ohio, and was always closely identified with theinterests of his native county. He was a republican in politics, and for three years served in the Civil war, in the Fifteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, and for several months was incarcerated in Libby prison. He served his fellow-citizens several years as justice of the peace, and was for three years mayor of Shelby. To him and wife were born the fol- lowing children: Joanna, David B., Charles M. (deceased), Adell (deceased), William, Edith, Martha J. (deceased), and James A. The mother of this family died September 23, 1887, a member of the Methodist church, and the father was called to rest August 9, 1892. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. George Cumberworth were named, in order of birth, as follows: George G., Charles C., Bessie B., Erma F. (deceased), Roy K., Chester W. (de- ceased), Iris J., and Berenice B. The grand- father of Mrs. Cumberworth, Joseph Curran, was an early settler of Richland county, Ohio, married a Miss Wilson, and both were mem- bers of the Methodist church. After his mar- riage, Mr. Cumberworth resided in Madison county, Ind., for some years, then made his home in Marion county for eight years, and

1027

OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

then settled on his present place at Plainfield, where he has resided twelve years. He owns" a neat two-story modern-built dwelling of brick and a good tile factory. He and family enjoy in full the confidence and respect of the entire community.

ERRY R. TULLEY, one of the most intelligent and enterprising business men of Plainfield, Hendricks county, Ind., was born in Dorchester county. Md., July 8, 1852, and comes from one of the old families of that state, of Colonial antiquity. His grandfather, Augustus Tulley, was of German descent, was a highly esteemed citi- zen and farmer of the state named, and reared a family of great respectability. William F. Tulley, son of Augustus and father of Perry R., was also a native of Maryland, and there married Miss Mary Thompson, daughter of Richard Thompson, a member of one of the old ante-Revolutionary families, and soon after his marriage brought his wife and children to Indiana and located in Madison county, where Mrs. Mary Tulley ended her days and was buried in the cemetery at Pendleton, leaving a family consisting of Augustus F., Emma. Perry R., Annie and Mary (the last named also deceased). Soon after the decease of his wife, . William F. Tulley returned to his native state and remarried, and has ever since been identified with its welfare.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1080

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080