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 111

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 111
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 111
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 111

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"We depended mostly upon the negroes for direc- tion and food. We applied for their assistance nearly every night; when everything was quiet, we would approach their quarters. All would go up to within 200 yards, then two stop, a third would go to within 100 yards, and the commander of the party go alone to the huts. The negroes were remarkably familiar with each other and the country for a radius of fif- teen miles. Really they seemed to be acquainted with every tree, or stone, or cow-path within that dis- fance. Say we were among a lot of negroes tonight, before leaving we would ask them to give us the names of the most reliable negroes ten, twelve or fif- teen miles ahead, or as far as we would aim to go that night. They were always able to give the names, being plain Joe, Jim, Jerry, as well as tell us

precisely where to find them. They were very minute , in descriptions, could generally give the number of the cabin in the row, the position from the cotton gin. pig-pen or Massa's house, and just the way to ap- proach safest; if there were any dogs; if so, how many and how fierce. There is not an instance on the whole route where we were misled by a negro's description. We not only advised, but asked advice of these negroes in turn. We spoke to thein of try- ing to reach our lines in Georgia, which they unani- inously opposed,-they urged that it would not do at all. The country was not only full of swamps in that direction, but there was the Savannah river to cross, and "Hood's Bigamy," and, worse than all else, the colored people in Georgia would not be our friends. 'Dey is all secesh over dar.'"

There were two great ranges of mountains between them and Knoxville, Tenn., which was 200 miles away in a northwest direction, and taking direction at about forty-five seconds from the north star, they began their march which was full of hardships, adventures and narrow escapes. They relied upon the negroes until they reached North Carolina, when they were assisted by the Union settlers and pro- cured a guide among the mountaineers, who piloted them through to the Union lines, which they reached, ragged and footsore, after a perilous journey of six days.

After his return from the war, Lieut. Had- ley married Mary J., daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Hornaday) Hill. He read law with Jesse S. Ogden, Esq., an old army comrade, and attended the law school at Indianapolis, conducted by Federal Judge David McDonald, and became the law partner of his old friend, Jesse S. Ogden, in 1869, and was elected judge in 1888 of the nineteenth circuit, then com- posed of Marion and Hendricks counties, and held this office until the circuit was divided, in 1889, and has since been judge of the fifty- fifth circuit, being re-elected in the fall of 1894. He was a member of the state senate in 1869 and in 1872. Politically he has been a stanch republican since the organization of the party. The judge was president of the

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First National bank for twelve years and re- signed to take his present position. He was a member of the national convention that nomi- nated Gen. Harrison for the' presidency, and has always taken an active part in politics. He is a member of the G. A. R., Jessie S. Ogden post, No. 164, Danville; fraternally he is a Mason and member of Western Star lodge, Danville. Judge Hadley and wife are mem- bers of the Christian church, of which he has been trustee for many years. They have three children: Kate, Hugh H. and Walter G.

A DDISON HADLEY is one of the well known and honored citizens of Clay township, Hendricks county, Ind., and a philanthropist, who is a direct benefactor of mankind, as the founder of the industrial home for girls at Hadley. Joshua Hadley, the father of our subject, was born the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, 1788, in Chatham county, N. C., and married in that state a Miss Hiatt, who bore him one daughter-Jane-who afterwards mar- ried William White. Mrs. Hadley died in North Carolina two years after marriage with consumption, and Mr. Hadley married Re- becca Hinshaw. Mr. Hinshaw came from Ireland a widower with seven children. The mother of our subject was a member of this last family. To Joshua Hadley by this wife were born eleven children, of whom Milton died an infant; the remainder lived to maturity. They were Mary, who married Henry Rogers; Zeno, who married Rebecca Stawley; Nathan, who married Olive Newlin; Job, who married Hannah Draper, who died, and he next mar- ried Tacy Burgess; Susan, who married Pryor Woodard; Aseneth, who married William Stanley; Ruth, who married Addison Coffin; Mordecai, who married Jane Cloud; Addison,

who married Martha J. Hill; and Esther, who died when eighteen years of age.

Addison Hadley was born September 22, 1830, in Chatham county, N. C., on his father's farm, and was but eight years of age when he came with his parents to Hendricks county, Ind. The journey was made by means of a four-horse wagon and a one-horse cart. They carried a tent and camped out on the way, the distance being 750 miles. The journey occupied four weeks, and was through the wild country, by way of Cumberland Gap, Crab Orchard, and Madison, Ind., where they were building the first railroad built in the state. Mr. Hadley had attended school but three months in North Carolina, and received the education of the day in Indiana, by attend- ing a select Friends' high-school at Moores- ville. He then taught school one term. He was reared a farmer, and when he was but seventeen years of age lost his father, but re- mained with his mother until he was twenty- eight years of age. He married, February 23, 1859, Martha J., daughter of William and Charity (Hawkins) Hill. William Hill was a substantial farmer, and honored member of the Friends' church in Rush county, Ind. He descends from English people, his family being of noble origin. He was the father of six children: Mary Anne, Elizabeth C., Amos H., Samuel B., Martha J. and John R., and died on his farm, aged fifty-seven years, in 1859.

After marriage, Addison Hadley remained on the old homestead until 1882, when he and wife traveled for two years for their health and recreation. On March 1, 1891, he deeded in trust 1 10 acres of land at Hadley, to the Wo- man's Christian Temperance Union, of. Indi- ana, for the establishment of a home for the rearing and education of needy girls of good character. This philanthropic scheme was original with Mr. Hadley, who has all his life been a man of strong religious convictions and

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BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORY

benevolent heart. While visiting his farm on one occasion, he felt impressed with the idea that it would make a fine home for needy and sickly women, especially those with young children. He conferred with philanthropic people of Indianapolis who were old friends of his, and in a few months a plan was formu- lated. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union became interested in the matter, and it was finally decided that an industrial school for needy girls of good character was most needed, the plan being to teach them to be good housewives, to instruct them in horticulture, floriculture, and, to some extent, agriculture and the care of the dairy. They are also to be taught music. The school facilities of the town of Hadley are to be used, if allowed, with the thought that the association with children from good homes will be helpful and beneficial to the young girls, and that their ed- ucation will be higher and more practical. They are not to be recluses in any sense and their moral training will be carefully attended to. A large, substantial and handsome brick building, of practically four stories, has been erected, capable of accommodating 100 girls, and well adapted to its purpose, at an expen- diture of from $15,000 to $16,000. This noble institution is now out of debt. The deed pro- hibits the use of profane language, spirituous liquors, tobacco or narcotics by any of the teachers, or employes about the farm.

In political opinions Mr. Hadley is a stanch prohibitionist and was the nominee on that ticket for state treasurer, and is now supervisor of his township. Although brought up a Friend and still adhering to that doctrine, he is not now a member of any church. His character was greatly influenced by his parents, especially his mother, who instilled into his mind the principles of a true Christian. Mrs. Hadley is a member of the Friends' church, and they are now living pleasantly near the town of Hadley.

J OHN MASTEN, one of the old pioneers of Hendricks county, and a substantial farmer, springs from sterling Scotch ancestors, whose forefathers spelled the name McMarsten. Two brothers came to America in old colonial times, it is said, from England. . Their names were Mathais and Ralph, and both located in Maryland when young men, but Ralph finally settled in New York state and married, and Mathais settled in Delaware and there passed all his days. He was the father of eighteen children, of whom, John, Mathais, Elizabeth, Stephen, Philip, Mary, Sarah, and one who married a McIn- tosh, are remembered. Mathais, son of above, and the grandfather of our subject, was born in Delaware and went, before marriage, to North Carolina, where he settled in Stokes county, now Forsyth county, and married Sarah, daughter of Reuben Stanley, and to them were born nine children: Mathais, who died young; Darius; John; one who died a' young man; Reuben; David; Mary; Sarah and Charlotte. Mr. Masten was a prosperous farmer and justice of the peace, and moved, in 1833, to Hendricks county and settled in the woods, where he entered 160 acres of land and cleared up and made a good farm; was one of the original pioneers of this county and lived to be ninety-one years old. He was a religious man of simple manners and austere morals and a member of the Nicholite church. John Masten, his son and father of our subject, was born in Stokes county, N. C., and married there Sarah, daughter of John and Abigail (Pike) Cosner, and to their union were born fourteen children: Manuel, Mary, David. Hannah, John, Phœbe (died young), William, Mathais, Cyrus, Eli, Sarah J. (died young), Levi (died young), Reuben and Nathan. Mr. Masten came to Hendricks county as a pioneer in 1832, and settled on land which he entered in the thick woods in Franklin township, consisting of 160

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

acres, which, by hard work and thrift, he added. to until he owned over 1,000 acres, and be- came a large farmer and gave all his children homes. Politically he was an old-line whig, but became one of the original republicans of this county. He was a strong Union man in the war, in which he had two sons- Reuben and Nathan. Renben was drowned in the canal at Indianapolis while attempting to save the life of a man named Burkes. Mr. Masten died in Hendricks county, in 1871, aged seventy-two years. He was born in 1799; was a man of industry and thrift, straightfor- ward, and an excellent business man. He owned railroad and bank stock, and was well known throughout the county as a prominent man in an early day. Fraternally, he was made a Mason in North Carolina.

John Masten, our subject, was born August 17, 1827, on his father's farm in Stokes county. N. C., and received the common school education of his day, and was brought by his parents in the fall of 1832 to Wayne county, Ind., and in the spring of 1833 to Hendricks county; the journey was made with horses and wagons. Mr. Masten was brought up among the pioneers, and can well remem- ber the early settlements of early times, when the people all lived in log cabins. He learned farming, and married, at the age of twenty- two years, December 12, 1849, Sarah, daugh- ter of Nathan and Ruth (Jones) Harvey. Mr. Harvey was a farmer, came from Ohio, but was formerly from North Carolina, and was the father of five children: Mary, Sarah, Minerva, Lydia and John. He settled in Clay township. After marriage, Mr. Masten also settled in Clay township, near Coatsville, `where he lived eight years on eighty acres of land, which he partially cleared up. In 1857 he moved to his present farm, consisting of 160 acres, which he cleared up from the thick woods. By thrift and industry he has accumu-

lated 300 acres. He has given his children 1'40 acres and retained 160 for himself. This is a fine farm, with excelllent improvements and well drained. Mrs. Masten was a member of the Friends church (she died in February, 1894). Mr. Masten in politics is a republican. To Mr. and Mrs. Masten were born five chil- dren: Ruth, Cyrus, Emory, Elmer and Anna. Mr. Masten is a non-affiliating Mason, and is also a member of Amo lodge, I. O. O. F. He is a practical and prosperous farmer, noted for his integrity of character. The children are all well educated, and Cyrus taught school thirteen years in this county. Ruth married Jesse C. Hodson, a farmer now deceased, father of one child. Cyrus married Laura Hadley; he is a farmer and father of five chil- dren. Emory married Emma Mendenhall; he is a farmer of Franklin township and father of two children. Elmer married Eve Phillips; he is a farmer on the homestead, and is a practi- cal young man of excellent character.

ATHAN MASTEN, of Clay township, Hendricks county, Ind., one of the soldiers of the Civil war, and a son of one of the pioneer settlers (See sketch of John Masten, the brother of above), was born May 24, 1845, in Franklin township, Hendricks county, Ind. He obtained the limited common education of those pioneer days, learned farming, enlisted at the age of nineteen years at Indianapolis, and was en- rolled July 20, 1863, in company B, One Hun- dred and Seventeenth Indiana infantry, to serve six months, under Capt. William S. King. He was in the siege of Knoxville, Bull's Gap, Clench Mountain, Bean Station, Tazewell, Walker's Ford and several skirmishes. He was always in active service, was sick in hos- pital hardly two weeks, and was in all the bat-

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

tles and skirmishes in which his regiment took part. He was on many hard marches, as his regiment was always at the front and in active service, so that Mr. Masten saw more fighting and was in more battles than many soldiers who were in the war for three years. He was always prompt to do his duty and was a good soldier. On his return home, after a service of seven months and three days, he resumed farming and learned the carpenter's trade. He married, the first time, Pery, daughter of Joseph Bryant, and to Mr. and Mrs. Masten three children were born: Flora G., Nellie A. (died at twenty-three years of age), and Nora. Mr. Masten lived in Lyon county, Kan., two years, and returned in 1870 and settled in Amo, where he since has been in the carpenter business and farming. He is a mem- ber of the G. A. R., Reuben Masten post; No. 431, Amo, and has been commander, is now adjutant and is elected commander for 1895. Mr. Masten married, for his second wife, Oc- tavia, daughter of John and Jane (Wilcox) Williams, and to them were born five chil- dren-William N., Hattie M., Carl S., Lillie E. (deceased), and Elsie M. Mr. and Mrs. Masten are members of the Baptist church, and in politics he is a republican. Fraternally he is a member of the K. of P., Coatsville lodge. The children born to Mr. Masten by his second wife are named as follows: Hattie, married to Charles Morical, brakesman on the Vandalia railroad, and mother of two children, lives in Amo; William, married to Thursa Ed- wards, is a carpenter of Amo. The children by his first wife were named as follows: Flora E., married to Milton West, a farmer of Pecks- burg, has two children; Nora, married to · Harry McRoy, with one child, resides in the west.

The Masten family, it will be perceived, is one of the earliest settled in Hendricks county, and is cherished as among the most respected.

J AMES H. CLAY is one of the most prominent of the pioneers of Eel River township, Hendricks county, Ind. He traces his paternal ancestry to Henry Clay, his great-grandfather, who was the head of one of the first families of old Virginia in the time of the colonies, and was of Scotch- Irish descent. This gentleman finally left his native state and settled in Kentucky contem- poraneously with Daniel Boone, and there 'erected a stone house, which remains until this day. Samuel Clay, son of Henry and grand- father of our subject, was also a native of Vir- ginia, and a valiant defender of American rights in the Revolutionary war, in which he enlisted at the early age of fifteen years, and in which he sustained a severe wound. With" his father, he settled in the wilds of Bourbon county, Ky., where he acquired several hun- dred acres of land and became a leading citi- zen. He married Rachel Wynn, and he and wife ended their days in Bourbon county, strict members of the Baptist church and honored by all who knew them. L. B. Clay, son of the above and father of James H., our subject, was born in Bourbon county, in 1799, was for many years a successful merchant of Lexing- ton, and married Arabella McCowen, to which union were born James H., Olivia, Samuel and Elizabeth, of whom James H. and Samuel alone survive. On relinquishing the mercantile busi- ness in Lexington, Mr. Clay engaged in farming in Bourbon county for some years; then passed a year in Hendricks county, Ind., and then ten years in Missouri, also in the pursuit of agri- culture; he then returned to Bourbon county, Ky., but passed his few declining years in Lex- ington, where he died a comparatively poor man, owing to business reverses, although he had at one time been quite wealthy. He was possessed of remarkable will power and tact, and his business failure was the result, not of a lack of sound judgment, but a too confiding

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

trust in his business friends. His wife was a devout and leading member of the Presby- terian church at Lexington, of which he also was a liberal supporter. Her death was a sad blow to the family she had adorned so well, and the father never became himself again, al- though he was twice again married. . In pol- itics Mr. Clay was an old-line whig and a stanch supporter of the principles of the sage of Ashland.

James H. Clay was born in Lexington, Ky., January 20, 1819, received a fair education, and was reared to farming. He is, however, to a large extent self-educated, and altogether self-made in a business point of view. In con- nection with farming he has also carried on to . a great extent grazing and stock trading. For thirty-five years he has occupied his present farm and has been closely identified with the progress and improvement of Eel River town- ship and Hendricks county. Before gener- ously dividing his estate with his children, his farm land comprised 500 acres, of which he has retained 180 acres for his own use as a homestead. This is adorned with a modern and well-furnished farm residence, and a com- modious barn, and is well stocked with choice grades of cattle and other live stock. Formerly a whig, Mr. Clay has of late years been a stanch democrat. Although the township was strongly republican, as a rule, Mr. Clay has been honored with the office of township trustee. Fraternally he is a member of the North Salem lodge, No. 142, F. & A. M., in which he has filled the office of junior deacon, and in religion he adheres to the Church of Christ, in which he was formerly also a deacon. He is one of the leading men of the township, ·financially, and is a public-spirited citizen, taking great pride in his farm, township and county, and rejoicing in their advancement. The marriage of Mr. Clay took place, most happily, to Miss Susan Fleece, daughter of

Charles and Mary (Harlan) Fleece, and sis- ter of Capt. Jacob Fleece, whose biography will be found on another page. The children born to this happy union were named, in order of birth, as follows: Arabella, Mary C., Sam- uel C., Sallie N., James A., John J. C., Ar- thur E. and Joseph F. Of these, Arthur E. and his wife, Nettie (Stevens) Clay, reside on the homestead with the father; the mother, Mrs. Susan (Fleece) Clay, having departed this life April 29, 1884-a loss which the hus- band and children have never ceased to deplore.

J AMES D. HOSTETTER, the popular county superintendent of schools of Hendricks county, and a native of In- diana, springs from a sturdy German colonial Pennsylvania family. Urick Hostet- ter, a Lutheran, with his family, consisting of wife and seven sons, came from Germany and settled in Lancaster county, Pa. Thomas Hostetter, great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Germany and came with his father to America and settled in Rockbridge county, Va., was a pioneer and passed all his remaining days here. David Hostetter, grand- father of our subject, was born in Rockbridge county, Va. He was a teamster in early days and hauled goods across the Alleghany moun- tians. . He married, in Virginia, a Miss Hicks, and they were the parents of six children: Jane, Sarilda, Martha, Beniah, David and Sherman. Mr. Hostetter moved to southern Ohio and finally, in 1832, moved to Mont- gomery county, Ind., where he was a pioneer and entered 160 acres of land, which he cleared, and on which he resided until his death, in January, 1865, aged eight-four years, at first a member of the Lutheran church and in after years of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. He was a well-to-do farmer and soldier in the war of 1812. Sherman Hostetter, father of

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

our subject, was born in Rockbridge county, Va., September 20, 1809. * He received a limited common education and went to Ohio when a boy, with his father to Montgomery county, Ind., in 1832. He became a farmer and married a Miss Harrison, and they had one child, Mary L. This wife died and he married Mary A., daughter of Abraham and Jennie (Randal) Byrd. Abraham Byrd was of English descent and a settler of Montgomery county, in 1828. The Randals were of Scotch descent. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hos- tetter settled on land in Montgomery county, Ind., and in 1859 moved to Jackson township, Boone county, Ind. He was a substantial farmer, owning 320 acres of land, and died in 1869, aged fifty-nine years. He and wife were members of the Methodist church. He was one of the original republicans of Mont- gomery county, and had two sons in the Civil war, William H. and John B. William H. served three years in the Twenty-seventh In- diana and was in many battles; John B. was in the Eleventh Indiana and served during the latter part of the war, enlisting for twelve months. Mr. Hostetter was a prominent man, and served in the legislature about 1844, from Montgomery county, and from Boone county one term during the war. He was a well known man and highly respected. By his second wife he was the father of ten children, all of whom lived to maturity: William H., John B., Malissa R., Phronisa C., Abraham S., James D., Lewis W., Emma M., Allen H. and Edgar C.

James D. Hostetter, our subject, was born June 3, 1852, in Montgomery county, Ind., on his father's farm, received a good education . and attended the Valparaiso Normal school, became a teacher, and taught in Boone coun- ty two years-in 1874 and 1875, and then in Montgomery county in 1877 to 1889. Most of this time he was principal of graded schools at

Mace and New Ross, Ind., and was generally successful and an efficient teacher, and won the respect of the people. As a teacher he was a strict disciplinarian, and by his methods greatly improved the standing of his schools, in advance of all the old methods of teaching. He came to Hendricks county in 1889, as principal of the North Salem schools and held this position two years, and advanced the schools of that town materially. He then be- came principal of the graded schools of New Winchester in 1892, and remained one year, and in 1892 went to Coatsville and was princi- pal of public schools there. In 1893 he was elected county superintendent of schools of Hendricks county, a position which he holds to the general satisfaction of the teachers and people. The enrollment has increased, the general average attendance is bettered, and more teachers are required; two new school- houses have been erected and the school-build- ings at Pittsboro and Danville have been en- larged with new rooms. The township insti- tutes have increased in attendance and general interest, and the work is much improved. High school work has been added to the schools of Pittsboro, Plainfield and North Salem, new methods have been introduced and the interests of the teachers increased. The teachers are all supplied with works on the subject of pedagogy. Prof. Hostetter is now a resident of Danville. He married, May 26, 1879, at Jamestown, Boone county, Ind., Olive, daughter of Lorenzo and Sarah A. (Morris) Mitchel, and Prof. Hostetter and wife have three children: Morris B., Harlan O. and Merle. Fraternally, he is a member of North Salem lodge, F. & A. M., also a K. of P. of Coatsville lodge, and has been com- mander, master of work, and representative to the grand lodge. Politically he is a repub- lican. Mr. and Mrs. Hostetter are both mem- bers of the Christian church. Mr. Hostetter

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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