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 115

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 115
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 115
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 115

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OBERT H. MILLER, of Lincoln township, Hendricks county, was born March 2, 1831, in Marion county, Ind., and is the eldest of the family of twelve children born to John D. and Anna

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(Barkley) Miller. Henry Miller, the grand- father of Robert H., was of German extrac- tion, was born in Pennsylvania October 27, 1778, and when a young man sought his for- tune in the west, first locating in Kentucky, where he resided until 1831, when he selected Washington township, Hendricks county, Ind., as his permanent home, and here purchased 160 acres of land, which he cleared and other- wise improved. He became a man of much influence in the community and for many years served his fellow-citizens as justice of the peace and was quite active as an old-line whig. In his religious views he was a Baptist, and on his farm was erected the first church for that denomination in Washington township, of which he was one of the organizers. His first marriage was with Nellie Cameron, by whom he became the father of nine children; his sec- ond wife bore the maiden name of Sarah Tout, and his third was Mrs. Elizabeth Walker. The death of this hardy pioneer took place January 4, 1863, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. John Morris, in Rush county, Ind. John D. Miller, the second son of Henry Miller, mentioned above, and the father of Robert H., was born in Scott county, Ky., march 10, 1805, and in 1831 came to Indiana and until 1834 resided in Marion county, and then moved to Washington township, Hendricks county, where he purchased a small farm of eighty acres, engaged in farming, and increased his possessions to 400 acres, and here passed his remaining years in affiuence.

Robert H. Miller was educated in Washing- ington township, Hendricks county, and here reared to farming. In 1871 he purchased 160 acres of land in Lincoln township, of the same county, on which he resided until 1874, when he disposed of this property and bought his present farm of 120 acres, which he made his home until 1875, when he again sold out and removed to Nebraska; but he was not over-

pleased with the change, and within the year returned and re-purchased the farm in Lincoln township, which he has since increased to 155 acres and which he has placed under a fine state of cultivation, and put in a condition that will favorably compare with any farm of its dimensions in the township. In politics Mr. Miller first affiliated with the old-line whigs, but of late he has cast his franchise with the republican party. In his religious views he adheres to the Presbyterian faith, and frat- ernally he is an Odd Fellow. He is united in wedlock with Martha J., daughter of Isaac Clark, and by this marriage is the father of four children, viz: John B., Isaac, Annie and Joseph.

PILLIAM K. JOHNSON, of Lin- coln township, Hendricks county, Ind., is a son of Jesse and Jane (Simcox) Johnson. The father was born in Greenbrier county, Va., but when young emigrated to Ohio, but later came to Indiana and purchased land in Marion county, where he passed the remainder of his life in farming. His children were named Aaron, Samuel, John, Ann, James, William K., Elisha, Mary J. and Sarah (deceased). The father of this family died in July, 1878, at the advanced age of ninety-two years; the death of his wife took place September 30, 1846, and the remains of both were interred in Marion county.

William K. Johnson was born March 20, 1819, in Ohio, but he was reared in Marion county, Ind., and remained on the home farm until his marriage at the age of twenty-three, and for three years thereafter, when he en- tered eighty acres in Marion township, and farmed until 1848, when he purchased a tract of eighty acres in Lincoln township, on which he still resides, and which he cleared and

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

improved; he then purchased the eighty acres adjoining, and now has as fine a farm as there is in the township, being the oldest pioneer farmer. In early life Mr. Johnson was a demo- crat in his political affinities, but on the forma- tion of the republican party, became identified with that organization, and has since been one of its most ardent supporters. He was one of the original members of the Clermont M. E. church, in which he has been class leader for over forty years, and in which he has also served as trustee and steward. The marriage of Mr. Johnson took place, in 1842, to Vir- ginia, daughter of Joseph Patton, of Marion county, Ind , an old settler of that county. The children born to this union were named Joseph, Nelson (deceased), Lavinia (deceased), Frank, and one that died in infancy.

HOMAS J. WATSON, a substantial farmer, of Brown township, Hen- dricks county, Ind., was born in Mid- dle township of the same county, June 25th, 1838, and is of English descent. His grandfather, William Watson, was a citi- zen of Fleming county, Ky., was a planter, and died an honored citizen of the county in which he lived. His son William, a native of Fleming county, married Mary Weaver, who bore the following-named children : Elizabeth, Thomas J., Eliza J., Marion F. and Annie E. In 1840 the family came to Hendricks county, Ind., and here the father entered land in Mid- dle township, when but a few families lived within the limits of the township and the country around was a primitive wilderness, . and this land he increased to 240 acres, carv- ing out from the woods a beautiful home. The father was a Jacksonian democrat in his poli- tics, and in his religion was a Methodist, being a deacon of his congregation, although he was

liberal in his aid to all denominations and was an ardent friend of the public school system.

Thomas J. Watson received his early edu- cation in the old style log school-house of his native township, and was reared on the home farm. He married Miss Amanda F. Wright, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Raziane) Wright, early settlers and highly respected members of the Christian church. The chil- dren born to Thomas J. and wife were named William (died an infant), Adolphus, Virgil S., and D. N. C. On removing to Brown county, Mr. Watson bought a farm comprising 100 acres and has since been successfully engaged in farming and stock raising.

J OHN A. HUFFORD, farmer, of Mid- dle township, Hendricks county, Ind., is of German descent, but a native of this county. His grandfather, David Hufford, was a resident of Bourbon county, Ky., where he was a farmer, and where he passed his life. His son, Joel Hufford, the father of our subject, was born in Bourbon county in June, 1808, was reared a farmer, and married, in Kentucky, Miss Louisa Miller, who bore six children-William N., John A., Gideon F., Adeline, David J. and Mary J. Mr. and Mrs. Hufford came to Hendricks county, Ind .. in 1832, accumulated 306 acres of land, and here the father was elected township trustee; he died in June, 1881, a member of the Baptist church, in which he was a deacon; his widow is a member of the same denomina- tion.

John A. Hufford's birth took place January 28, 1834. He was educated in the pioneer log school-house, was reared to farming, and on October 25, 1855, married Julia A. Parker, daughter of William O. and Mary (Patterson) Parker, and to this union were born three children, viz: William J., Charles and Mary

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

J .- the last named being now deceased. Mrs. Hufford died April 29, 1881, and in April, 1882, Mr. Hufford married Mary E. Gentry, daughter of Harvey and Rebecca (Thorpe) Gentry, of Kentucky originally, but married in Center township, Hendricks county, Ind. To the second marriage of Mr. Hufford has been born one child-Pearl. Mr. Hufford is now the owner of a choice farm of 320 acres, and is one of the leading citizens of Middle township.

J OHN A. JORDON, of Pittsboro, Mid- dle township, Hendricks county, Ind., and now largely engaged in the lumber business, is a native of the county and was born November 3, 1843. and is of colo- nial descent. His paternal great-grandfather, Aquilla Jordon, was a planter of Botetourt county, Va., and a patriot of the Revolution- ary war, but who lived through the gallant struggle and died in peace at his home. His son, also named Aquilla, was born on the old plantation, married Elizabeth Curtis, and ended his days in his native county of Bote- tourt. George W. Jordon, son'of Aquilla Jor- don, the younger, was also born in Botetourt county, Va., but left his native state at the age of fourteen years, and for two years resided in Ohio, then came to Hendricks county, Ind., where he entered land from the government and acquired a competency. He married Ta- bitha McCormick, daughter of Samuel Mc- Cormick, to which union was born five chil- dren, four living, viz: William T., Susan A., John A. and Mary A. The parents were de- voted members of the Christian church, which they liberally aided with their means, and in the faith of which the father died July 24, 1885, and the mother on December 24, 1872.

John A. Jordon was reared in Middle town- ship and married, January 9, 1870, Miss

Amelia M. Dillon, daughter of Mark an So: phia (McCann) Dillon, of Boone county. this marriage being blessed with the birth of the following children, in the order named below: Vietta J., Ida B., Carrie E. and William E.

On the eighteenth day of August, 1862, Mr. Jordon enlisted in company H, ninety-ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, and served in the campaigns of Kentucky, Tennessee, Missis- sippi, Arkansas, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Virginia. He took an active part in the battles at Vicksburg, Jackson, Mis- sionary Ridge, Germantown, Knoxville, Dal- ton, Chattanooga, and was in the Atlanta cam- paign; also at Resaca, Kingston, New Hope Church, Altoona Pass, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta, Chattahoochie River, Jonesboro, and was with Sherman in his march to the sea; was at Fort McAllister, at Fayetteville, and in a hundred skirmishes beside; saw the city of Columbia burned; was at Raleigh, N. C., when the war closed, and took part in the grand review at Washington, D. C. He re- ceived his discharge June 5, 1865, and is now an honored member of G. A. R. post, No. 451.

J AMES R. MARTIN, a prominent farmer of Liberty township, Hendricks county, Ind., is the son of James and Annie (Vermillion) Martin, who came from an old Kentucky family. To James Martin and his wife were born nine children, named William, Elizabeth, Richard, John, Mary, Garrett, Delilah, Simon J. and Frank. Of this family, four of the boys served in Indiana regiments during the Civil war, viz: William, in the Seventh; John, in the One Hundred and Twenty-first; . Garrett, in the same, and James R., in the Seventieth. James R. Mar- tin was born March 2, 1840, in Mercer coun- ty, Ky., on his father's farm, and in 1860 came to Hendricks county, Ind., where he

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

engaged in farm work until his enlistment, in July, 1862, at Clayton, for three years, in company C, Seventieth Indiana volunteer in- fantry, Capt. Zachariah Reagan and Col. Ben. Harrison. He served faithfully until mustered out at Indianapolis, in June, 1865, on account of the close of the war, when he resumed work as a farm hand, at $15 to $20 per month, for about six years, when he bought his present farm and married Miss Elizabeth Hunt, daughter of Ithamer Hunt, seven children be- ing the result-of this union, viz: Newel (de- ceased), Ira H., Vercio (deceased), Martin M., Charles H., Ithamer, and one that died un- named. After his marriage Mr. Martin first located in Douglass county, Ill., where he re- sided ten years, and then returned to Hen- dricks county, . Ind., and bought 100 acres, which he has since increased to 380 acres. Mrs. Martin is a devout member of the church, and in politics Mr. Martin is a republican; he is also a comrade in the G. A. R.

J OHN W. TROTTER, the present effi- cient Hendricks county surveyor, and who has filled this important office since 1886, with the exception of one term, springs from sterling English stock, nine brothers of the name coming to Virginia in old colonial times. The great-grandfather of our subject was James Trotter, who came from Virginia and brought his wife and a large family of children and settled near. North Salem, and entered his land prior to 1830. He at one time owned 1,400 acres of land, which he had entered and bought. James Trotter, his son, was the grandfather of our subject. He was born in Madison county, Ind., where his father stopped a short time and then came to Hendricks county, when James was a child. He became a substantial farmer and was trustee of Eel River township

several terms, having been elected by the repub- lican party, which he helped to-found. He married Sarah Whitt. To them were born five children, who were raised to manhood and womanhood: John C., William W., Elizabeth, Catherine and James M. He lived to be about sixty-three years of age, his wife having died four years before his death at the age of sixty, and was a respected citizen. James M., the father of our subject, was born February 3, 1841, in Eel River township, on his present farm, received a common school education and became a farmer and merchant. He married Nancy E. Crose, June 7, 1860, and to this union were born six children: John W., Flor- ence Rosalin, James W .. E. Gretta, Mary C. and Moretta M. Mr. and Mrs. Trotter are members of the M. E. church and he is a church trustee. Mr. Trotter is a substantial farmer and stock raiser, a man of high char- acter and respected by all. He has been an invalid for years, and sought health by residing with his family in Tennessee in 1875 and in Minnesota in 1879.

John W. Trotter, our subject, was born October 15, 1861, in Eel River township and received a good common school education, and then attended school at the Central Nor- mal college, Danville, Ind., completing the teachers' course, and then taking the course of engineering and surveying. He was teaching his fourth school when he was twenty-one years old and has taught altogether for ten years. He was elected county surveyor in 1886, at the age of twenty-four years, being the youngest county official ever elected in Hendricks county. He always receives large majorities, and usually runs ahead of his ticket. Under his supervision many gravel roads have been constructed, and during his term of office he alloted and re-surveyed more than seventy- five public ditches, and is also well-known throughout the county as a land surveyor and

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partitioner of estates. In politics he is an active, ardent, hard-working and enthusiastic republican. Mr. Trotter and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, which Mr. Trotter joined at St. Paul, Minn., at the age of eighteen years, and is now serving his fourth year as superintendent of the largest Sunday-school in Hendricks county. He is also a member of the offi- cial board of his church. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Silcox lodge, No. 123, and has passed all the chairs, including noble grand, and has been representative to the grand lodge. He is also a member of the encamp- ment, No. 47, and has passed the chairs in the same. Mr. Trotter married, October 12, 1887, Mary E. Jeffers, daughter of William and Nancy (Cradick) Jeffers, and erected a tasteful and elegant residence on South Wash- ington street, in 1894. Mr. Trotter is associ- ated with George T. Pattison in business, under the firm name of Trotter & Pattison, as ab- stractors of titles and real estate, loan and in- surance agents. Mr. Trotter is a young man to have been county surveyor for eight years, and his long term of office attests his thorough mastery of his business, his faithfulness and ability, and the confidence which the people of Hendricks county repose in him.

ARON ACTON, of Liberty township, Hendricks county, Ind., is one of the old soldiers from Indiana who fought in over thirty battles in the late Civil war, and shed glory upon the name of Indiana's volunteers. He was born in Ripley county, Ind., July 22, 1839, and is a son of Aaron and Mary A. (Woodfell) Acton, and was reared to farming and carpentering, and worked at his trade in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and other states, and finally located in Hendricks county, Ind., in February, 1861, on August 13 of

which year he enlisted, at Belleville, in com- pany B, Seventh Indiana volunteer infantry. for three years, and served until honorably discharged at Indianapolis, March 17, 1865, with the rank of sergeant, after having taken part in over thirty' batt'es and endured many months of incarceration in rebel prisons, in which his weight was reduced from 165 to ninety-three pounds, and after having been wounded six times. After his return to. Hen- dricks county he was confined to his bed by sickness for several months, and then resumed his trade, which he followed ten years. Janu- ary 31, 1869, Mr. Acton was united in mar- riage at Clayton, Ind., with Amanda I., daugh- ter of Samuel B. and Mary A. Hall, and the result of this marriage is one child, still liv- ing-Glenrose. Mr. and Mrs. Acton are both members of the Christian church, and Mr. Acton is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the G. A. R.

ILBERT B. McCLAIN, of Plainfield, Ind., was one of the soldiers who, in the early pride of his manhood, served faithfully in his country's serv- ice, endured the hardships and vicissitudes of army life and fought bravely in some of the hardest battles of the war. He was born April 14th, 1838, in Washington township, Hen- dricks county, Ind., and is the son of Michael and Jane (Palmer) McClain. The McClains were of sterling Scotch ancestry. The grand- father of our subject, also a soldier, was killed in battle in the war of 1812. He was a farmer, near Lexington, Ky., where he reared a family of children, as follows : Richard, Mary, James, Phillip, John, Euphens, Michael, William, Mar- garet and Henry. Michael McClain, father of our subject, was born in Kentucky. He mar- ried near Lexington, Ky., and to him were born ten children, one of whom died an infant,

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

the others being named: Mary A., James H., Martha F., Susan J., Sarah A., Gilbert B., Bascom S., John W. and Juretta B. Mr. McClain moved to Indiana with his family after the birth of the third child, about 1822, and settled in Washington township on land now occupied by his son John W. He reached the age of fifty-five years and died on July 25th, 1856. In religion he was a Methodist and his wife was a Baptist, and in political views he was an old-line whig and a strong anti- slavery man. He owned at his death 300 acres of fine land, mostly cleared. He had two sons in the Civil war, our subject and Bascom J.

Gilbert B., our subject, received a com- mon education and attended one term at Greencastle in the preparatory department of Asbury university. At the age of about twenty- three years he enlisted at Plainfield in company K, Seventy-ninth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, under Capt. Joseph W. Jordan and Col. Fred Naphler, for three years, or during the war. On September 2, 1862, he was mus- tered into the United States service and served nearly three years, being honorably discharged at Indianapolis. on account of the closing of the war, in June, 1865. During his service Mr. McClain was first promoted to corporal and then duty sergeant, and then orderly ser- geant. He was offered a captaincy, but re- fused. He was in the battles of Crab Orchard, Ky., Stone River, Tenn., Chickamaugua, Missionary Ridge, and was in the Atlanta cam- paign, participating in most of the battles, viz: Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Pumpkin Vine Creek, Atlanta, Ga., Lovejoy Station, and in many hard skirmishes that earlier in the war would have been called bat- tles. Mr. McClain was shot through the hat at Peach Tree Creek, and at the battle of Atlanta a ball grazed his shoulder blades, cut- ting a flesh wound across his back, which did

not prevent him from the active discharge of his duty, although he was unable to carry his knapsack for a time. After this campaign he was in the great battles of Franklin and Nash- ville. He then went with his regiment to Huntsville, Ala., and was at Jonesboro, Tenn., when Lee surrendered at Appomattox, and soon after returned home.

After the war Mr. McClain settled down to farming, and married, January 14, 1866, Amanda, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Cox) Walker. Mr. Walker was an old soldier, of Lincoln township, this county, where he also became a substantial farmer. He and wife are the parents of-Anna, Robert, Nancy, Albert, Amanda, Tama G. and Jane. Mr. Walker lived to be sixty-six years of age, and died on his homestead of an accident. Mr. McClain settled on part of the old McClain homestead, of which he inherited twenty-two acres, to which, by hard work and thrift, he has added until he owns 266 acres of fine fertile land, on which he has erected a taste- ful residence and other substantial farm build- ings, and has one of the pleasantest homes in the township. To Mr. McClain and wife four children have been born: Bascom W., Ru- dolphus S. (deceased at fourteen months), Adrian R., and Gilbert R. (deceased, aged eleven months). Mr. McClain is an honored member of the Joseph C. Miller post, G. A. R., Avon, of which he has been quartermaster. Mrs. McClain is a devout member of the Chris- tian church, and a woman of great industry and many virtues, and high character and abil- ity. Mr. McClain is one of the prosperous farmers of Washington township, and stands deservedly high for his manly traits of char- acter. He has been superintendent of his township, and is a public-spirited man, in favor of good roads and schools. He was one of the prominent promoters of the county road between Plainfield and Pittsboro.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

O OLUMBUS WEST, of Pecksburg. Ind,, is one of the leading farmers of Hendricks county. The family were old settlers of North Carolina, Chat- ham county, and there Abraham West, of Scotch-Irish descent, and the founder of the family in America, was born, and there mar- ried Sanai, daughter of Jacob and Phoebe Had- ley. Mr. West moved to Hendricks county, Ind., in 1828, settling in the woods in Clay township, where he entered and bought 600 acres of land, and died in 1856, at about sixty- two years of age.

Columbus West, our subject, was born November 13, 1831, in Clay township, on his father's farm, and received the pioneer educa- tion of his day in the old pioneer school-house of this county. Mr. West began to work on the farm when a small boy and assisted to clear the place. He married, at the age of twenty-three, April 7, 1854, Tabitha, daughter of Eli and Polly (Rhodes) Staley, pioneers of Marion county, coming about 1831 or 1832. To Mr. and Mrs. Staley were born thirteen children : Peter, Nancy, William, John, Peggy, Polly, Betsy, Mary A., Lucinda, Mi- nerva, Tabitha, Sarah and Kittie, all of whom lived to marry and rear families, except Peter. Mr. Staley died at the age of sixty-five, in Mor- gan county.

After marriage, Mr. West settled on IIO acres of cleared land, a part of his present homestead, in Franklin township. He added to this, by thrift, energy and hard labor, until he owned 700 acres, clearing a large portion of it himself, and making a fine productive prop- erty. Mr. and Mrs. West are the parents of ten children, eight having lived to grow up and two dying infants. They are Phoebe, Ellen, Lucy M., Nancy J., Oliver M., John A., George W., Henry and Milo, all born in Franklin town- ship on the home farm. Mr. West assisted them all to homes, retaining a good home of

140 acres, upon which he has erected a taste- ful residence and good farm buildings. Mr .. West and his faithful wife are numbered among the successful pioneers of Hendricks county, who have done their part to settle up and improve the county, and, by self-denial, hard work and industry, have gradually accumulated property and reared a respected family of chil- dren. Lucy married George Harvey, a farmer of Liberty township, and they have one child, Herbert. Oliver M., a farmer of Franklin township, married Effie Wall, and has one child, Amy E. Nancy J. married John Baird, a farmer of Franklin township; two children, Grace E. and Ellen C. George W. married Alva Wall. He is a farmer in Franklin town- ship. Henry, a farmer, married Alba Harlen; one child, Fern. John A. married Ada Har- rison. He is a farmer of Clay township.

ENRY HUFFORD, one of the old, est pioneers of Hendricks county- Ind., son of George and Elizabeth (Castle) Hufford, was born in Wood- ford county, Ky., in 1812. The father was born in Maryland, about 1758, and when a young man pushed westward into the then un- known wilds of Kentucky, being among the first settlers of that state. There he cleared a , farm from the woods, married Elizabeth Cas- tle, also from Maryland, and spent a useful life until struck down by the hand of an assas- sin in 1828. The following year his widow married William Florence, sold the little Ken- tucky home and emigrated in wagons to Hen- dricks county, Ind., where they bought a farm of eighty acres and entered eighty more ad- joining, which now constitute the Hufford homestead. In 1840 Mr. Florence died. The widow continued to carry on the farm till her death in 1860, when it passed by purchase in- to the hands of its present owner.

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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