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 20

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 20
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 20
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 20

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).

LI BROWN, M. D., now standing at the head of the surgical and medical profession in Boone county, Ind., with his residence at Thorntown, was born in Sugar Creek township, in the same county, April 9, 1846. His parents were Seth and Alice (Rich) Brown, the former of whom was born in Guilford county, N. C., March 28, 1815, and was a son of James and Mary (Hud- dleston) Brown, who were also natives of North Carolina and the former a planter: James and Mary had born to them the follow- ing children: John, Israel, James and Mary, all now deceased, and Seth. The family were all members of the Friends' church. James Brown came to Indiana in 1829 and located in Wayne county, resided there until 1840, and then came to Boone county, and bought 160 acres in Sugar Creek township, where his death occurred in 1845, his wife surviving un- til 1851. Seth Brown, father of Eli, our sub-

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

ject, was twenty-one years of age when he came to Boone county; and here married Alice Rich and had born to him the following named children: Cyrena A., wife of I. N. Barker; Sarah, wife of William J. McBain; Deborah, married A. A. Macy; Martha, Asenath, James F., and William A. The father of this family died, a member of the Friends' church, De- cember 3, 1887.

Eli Brown was physically strengthened by work on the home farm and intellectually by attendence at the common school until 1867, when he became a teacher in the schools of Tippecanoe county for a year, following with three years in McDonald county, Ill., and then at different places until he had run the circle of ten years as teacher, reading medicine dur- ing the decade. In 1877 he attended the medical department of the university at Ann Arbor, Mich., and this was followed by attend- ance at the Eclectic school of medicine at Cincinnati, Ohio, until graduation in June, 1879, when he began practice in Thorntown, where his skill and ability were at once recogniz- ed. May 15, 1478, the doctor married, at Leba- non, Ind., Mary C. Burns, who was born in Boone county July 27, 1854, a daughter of David M. and Eliza (Clark) Burns, natives of Kentucky. While this lady is a Presbyterian in her religion, Mr. Brown is a Qnaker or Friend in his mode of worship. In his politics Mr. Brown is republican, and in 1888 was elected township trustee and was re-elected in 1890. His farm of 100 acres is a model of neatness, and his residence in town is a delight to the eye.

EORGE B. BROWN is one of the en- terprising younger business men of Lebanon and the proprietor of the "Elite Steam" laundry. He is a native of Boone county and descends from an

old American family. Thomas Brown, the grandfather of our subject, was one of the pioneers of Owen county, Ky. He died in that state, a wealthy farmer and slave owner. George W. Brown, the father of our subject, was born in Owen county, Ky., April 5, 1820, received. the usual pioneer education and mar- ried, in Kentucky, Martha E. Toon, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Toon.

George W. Brown and wife had born to them fourteen children, all of whom lived to be grown except one who died an infant. Their names are: Mary, Charles, Edward, Al- bert, Lizzie, Cassie, James, Cora, Mattie, George B., Lida, Fannie and John. Mr. Brown came to Boone county in 1843 and settled on land in Center township, consisting of 320 acres which were covered with very heavy timber. This he cleared up and made into a fine farm. He engaged in the saw-mill busi- ness, prospered, and finally owned about 700 acres, of land. Fraterally Mr. Brown was a Mason, member of Boone lodge, No. 9, of Lebanon. In religion he was a member of the Christian church, of which Mrs. Brown is a member. He lived to be sixty-eight years old and died Nov. 13, 1888, in Lebanon; he was a very successful, energetic business man, noted for his honorable character. He reared one of the respected families of Boone county, to whom he left a handsome property.

George B. Brown, son of above, was born on his father's farm in Center township, April 18, 1865. He was early taught to work on the farm, attended the public school and ac- quired a practical education. He became a collector for the Singer Sewing Machine com- pany, and continued this vocation successfully during the years 1890-1-2. In 1893 he bought the Lebanon laundry property, greatly improv- ing the building and putting in six complete steam baths, fitted with all modern conven- iences, dressing rooms and parlors. The

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waters of these baths have decided mineral properties, which are medicinally beneficial and have a great tendency to relieve rheuma- tism. They are kept in a clean, orderly man- ner, and the attendance is ample. They are well patronized by the best people in Lebanon. The "Elite Steam Laundry" is well equipped with the latest machinery, with modern appli- ances, and turns out laundry work in a highly satisfactory manner, doing a large and pros- perous business. Mr. Brown votes with that great party founded by Jefferson and Jackson, and is a stanch democrat. Fraternally he is a K. P., Lebanon lodge, No. 45. While young, Mr. Brown is an excellent business man, quiet and pleasing in his demeanor, and is very popular. He owns the building and lots occupied by his steam laundry, which is valuable property, the lots being 60x120 feet.

a ALEB O. BROWN, a thriving young farmer and stock raiser of Jefferson township, Boone county, Ind., was born in Montgomery county, Ind., May 28, 1860, and is a son of John S. and Eliza A. (Osborn) Brown, also natives of the Hoosier state and of English descent. They were the parents of four children, viz: Sara J., wife of William B. Denny; Dicey O., wife of Parson B. Chambers; Caleb O., and George E., the latter of whom died in January, 1886. The mother of these children died in 1886, and the father in June, 1890. The family settled in Boone county in the year in which Caleb O. was born (1860), and here the latter was reared on his father's farm, receiving a good education in the schools of his neighborhood. He is now the proprietor of a fine farm, and makes a specialty of feeding stock for market, and in this industry is regarded as the most enterprising man of his age in Boone county. His marriage took place February 5, 1885, to

Miss Rebecca Todd, daughter of Joseph and Ann R. (Pinkerton) Todd, natives of New Jer- sey and of English descent. It is said that "Death loveth a shining mark, " and mythology informs us that "whom the gods love die young." It was so in this case. After giving her young husband a pledge of her blissful love-whom they named Hazel-she was stricken by the "insatiate archer" April 20, 1887-her mortal remains being now in re- pose in the cemetery, near Dover, a village of Boone county. But time cures all, and Mr. Brown married Miss Clara B. Edwards March 13, 1889, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Dice) Edwards, both the parents being of En- glish descent and natives, respectively, of Ohio and Virginia. To this second marriage of Mr. Brown have been born two children. Helen and Ruby. The parents are both mem- bers of the Presbyterian church, and their standing in social circles is as desirable as it is deserving. In politics Mr. Brown is a re- publican, and in his fraternal relations is a member of the Masonic lodge at Thorntown- its charter number being 113.

ENRY C. BRUSH is an old soldier. and a substantial farmer and honored citizen of Lebanon, Boone county, Ind. He springs from sterling Scotch and old colonial New Jersey stock. John Brush, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the Revolution, in which two of his brothers were also soldiers, and were killed at the battle of Cowpens. They all came from Scotland. John Brush, the son of the above and grandfather of our subject, settled at an early period in Shelby county, Ky .. where he married Miss Elizabeth Todd, and to them were born seven children, viz .: George, Blakely, David, James, Jane, Nancy and Mary. Mr. Brush moved to Indiana and

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

settled in Montgomery county; near Wave -. land, as a pioneer, and here passed the re- mainder of his days. He became a prosperous farmer and gave to each of his children 160 acres of land. He was a typical old-time pio- neer settler and a whig in politics. James Brush, the father of our subject, was born in Shelby county, Ky., on a farm, in 1811, and came with his parents, when but nine years of age, to Indiana. He was reared a farmer and married Elizabeth McCormick, after which they settled in Montgomery county, Ind., near Ladoga, and remained there until he retired from active life, at which time he located in Jamestown. James Brush and his wife Eliza- beth were the parents of seven children, as fol- Iows: John A., Ann, Elizabeth, Jennie, Sallie, Eliza and Henry Brush, all born on the farm in Montgomery county, Ind. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brush were members of the Metho- dist church, in which he was a class leader and steward. He was a Henry Clay whig in poli- tics; afterward a republican and a strong Union man. During the war, in which he had two sons-John A., in the Eleventh regiment, In- diana volunteer infantry, under Col. Lew Wal- lace; he was later in the Second Indiana cav- alry, and served through the remainder of the war, during which time he was in many hard battles; Henry Brush's military history will be given below in this sketch. Mr. Brush died at the age of seventy years, an honored and re- spected man.

Henry C. Brush was born January 15, 1847. He received a common school educa- tion, was reared a farmer's boy, and enlisted at the early age of sixteen, August 10, 1863, in company G, One Hundred and Sixteenth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, in answer to a call for six-month men, under Capt. Rob- ert W. Harrison and Col. William C. Kise. He served seven months and was honorably discharged at LaFayette, Ind., March 1, 1864.

His service was in eastern Tennessee, during which time he participated in the battles of Blue Springs, Greenville, Knoxville, Walker's Ford and Tazewell. He saw a great deal of hard marching and was in several hard skir- mishes, doing active service all the time of his enlistment except one week, when he was in hospital at Knoxville. He was in all the bat- tles, marches and skirmishes of his regiment, and was but little over seventeen years of age when he returned home. He then attended the high school at Ladoga, Ind., and at Greencastle, Ind., one term. Mr. Brush was married June 24. 1869, in Hendricks county, Ind., to Fanny A., daughter of Walter and Mary M. (Spears) Davis. Walter Davis was born in Montgomery county, Ky., December 12, 1823, and was a pioneer and wealthy farmer of Hendricks county, Ind. He was of Welsh descent, while the Spears were of Scotch descent. They reared the following children-John S., Quincy A., Martha E., Nancy A., Robert F., Fanny A. and Charles E. Mrs. Davis having died, Mr. Davis mar- ried Mary A. Scott, who bore him five chil- dren, viz: Walter S., Lorenzo D., Thomas, Myrtle and Edgar L. Mr. Davis was a repub- lican and a member of the M. E. church, in which he took great interest, having become a member at the early age of nineteen years. In 1835 he moved with his father to Eel River township, Hendricks county, Ind., where he lived the remainder of his days, and died Janu- ary 11, 1893. Two of his sons are graduates of DePauw university, one of whom, Walter S., has taken a post-graduate course at Cornell university and in Germany, and has lately won high honors in the Chicago university. John S. was a soldier in the Fifty-first regiment Indiana volunteer infantry, and was in Gen. Straight's raid. He died of sickness during his service, and was buried in the National cemetery at Nashville, Tenn. He was but

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twenty-one years of age and was a devout Christian. Quincy A. was also a soldier in an Indiana regiment.

Mr. and Mrs. Brush soon after their mar- riage located on a farm near Jamestown, on which they resided for three years, and then resided in Jamestown for eight years In 1879 they removed to Lebanon, Ind., where they still reside. Mr. Brush engaged in the livery business, also in buying and shipping horses, in which line he did a large business for several years. Since that time he has been engaged in stock dealing and farming. He is a stanch repulican in politics, a member of the Masonic fraternity, Boone lodge, No. 9, is also a non- affiliating Odd Fellow and a K. of P. He is, beside, a member of the G. A. R., Rich Moun- tain post. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brush are members of the Methodist church. They are the parents of six children, three now living: Ada M., Forest G. and Eva L; those de- ceased are Laura, aged "six years, Otto T. aged seven years, and Jewel, an infant. Mr. Brush is one of the substantial citizens of Leb- anon, where he owns valuable real estate, beside a good farm in the country. He is well known for his integrity of character and he has one of the most pleasant homes in Lebanon and an interesting and highly respected family. Mrs. Brush is a lady of high character, of · cultivated and cordial manners, and a true helpinate in all that term implies.

J AMES H. BURNHAM is a pratical agriculturist of Sugar Creek township and a well known citizen of Boone county. He descends from an old colonial American family of Irish descent, his great-grandfather having come from Ireland and settling in Virginia, and having fought as a soldier in our war of independence, and finally becoming a farmer. Joshua Burnham,

his son and grandfather of our subject, was born in Virginia, married a Miss Elliot and settled in Sugar Creek township, Boone coun- ty, Ind., in 1828-29. He had probably first settled at an earlier period on the Blue river in Indiana. After a short residence in Sugar Creek township, he moved to Washington township, where he entered a farm now known as the Crose farm and owned by Gabriel Ginn. He afterward moved to Michigan, but returned and settled in Clinton county, where he died aged seventy years. His children are-Ivy, James, Abraham, Myer, Harvey, Matthew, William, Perry C., Sarah, Ira, and Orpha. Mr. Burn- ham was a substantial farmer and highly thought of by the old settlers, to whom he was well known. Ivy Burnham, father of our sub- ject, was probably born on the Blue river in Indiana, and was brought up among the In- diana pioneers, while the Indians were still scattered throughout the state. He had the usual limited education of the pioneer, and married, in Washington township, this county, Maria L., daughter of Benjamin Sweeney. Benjamin Sweeney was a soldier in the war of 1812, and married, in Kentucky, a Miss Smith. He entered his land in Washington township in 1828, lived to the age of ninety years and died in Houston, Texas. After mar- riage, Ivy Burnham settled in Michigan, but afterward moved to Clinton county, Ind., where he died in 1847. He was the father of nine children-Miles, Mary E., Abraham, Sarah, Benjamin, James H., Matthew, Martha and Susan F. He was an old-time whig poli- tically, and two of his sons fought as soldiers in the Civil war-Benjamin F, in company G, Twenty-sixth regiment Indiana volunteer in- fantry, served four years, six months, and was in many battles. Matthew was in company K, Fortieth regiment Indiana volunteer infan- try, and died two months after enlistment. Mr. Burnham was a man of integrity of char-

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

acter, a practical farmer and a good citizen. He and his wife were members of the Chris- tian church.

James H. Burnham, our subject, was born in Clinton county, Ind., October 2, 1842. He gained his education in the public schools and was reared a farmer. He was united in mar- riage to Annie. L., daughter of Robert and Nancy (Evans) Hebb, of Taylor county, W. Va., which was their native state and where they married and began domestic life on a farm in the county of Taylor. They there re- mained until their deaths in the years 1852 and 1882 respectively. They were for many years meinbers of the Methodist church, and were much respected in the locality in which they lived for their many excellent traits of character. Their family were as follows: William, Jehu, Sarah, Martha, Anna and Vir- ginia, living; Joseph, John, David and Josina deceased, and Sybrant. William Hebb, one of the sons, is now living in Albany, Delaware county, Ind., an honored citizen. The mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Burnhamn has been blessed with seven children: Myrtle E., Minnie O., Lillian L., Mary F., Josina, Rob- ert, and Bennie S. (dead). After marriage Mr. Burnham settled on the Ross farm in Washington township, which he afterward bought. He now resides in Sugar Creek township on a farm of ninety acres, which is one of the best farms in Boone county. The children are all well educated, and the daugh- ter, Mary F., graduated at the Thorntown high school. Mr. and Mrs. Burnham are de- vout members of the Christian church, all the family being members of the same church, ex- cept two of the younger children. Mr. Burn- ham is a church trustee and politically he is a "dyed-in-the-wool" republican. He is one of the older members of Thorntown lodge, No. 113, A. & F. M., in which he has filled nearly all the offices and has been an official ten years. 11

Mr. Burnham stands high among the people of Boone county as a man of great intelligence, integrity and good judgment. He is a practi- c'al business man, capable of holding any office in the country.

ILLIAM C. BURK, the old-estab- lished druggist of Thorntown, Boone county, Ind., was here born Octo- ber 29, 1851, a son of Samuel M. and Adeline R. (Landon) Burk. Samuel M. Burk was a native of Calhoun county, Ky., and was reared on the farm until sixteen years of age, when he was employed as a clerk in a dry-goods store in Terre Haute, Ind., until 1850, when he came to Boone county and taught school for eight consecutive years and then engaged in the practice of law, which he followed until his death, February 2, 1892. For three years he was a valiant soldier in the late war as member of company K, Fortieth Indiana volunteer infantry, in which he was assistant quartermaster until the close of hos- tilities. when his term expired. His marriage took place, at Terre Haute, in 1850, to Miss Landon, a native of Connecticut, and to the union four children were born, viz: William C .; Abbie, wife of J. R. Rickoff, coffee and tea merchant of Lima, Ohio; Kate M., wife of William Tucker, merchant of Boone county, Ind., and Alene, wife of Samuel Decker, a farmer of Montgomery county, Ind. Mrs. Adeline R. Burk still resides in Thorntown. The deceased Mr. Burk was a member of the I. O. R. M., was a democrat, and for two years served as post-master; he was every where regarded as an upright and worthy gen- tleman.

William C. Burk was reared in Thorntown, Ind , and attended the graded schools until sixteen years of age; he was then employed for two years as a clerk in a poultry and produce

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market, and then for two years served as deputy post-master under his father, and, for the following two years, under Israel Curry, in the same position; then for two years, under George Coulson; for the next three years he was deputy under L. M. Cox; he was then appointed postal clerk on the Big Four and ran between Cincinnati and Chicago for a year, resigned, and engaged in the drug busi- ness in Thorntown in partnership with T. C. Laughlin. At the close, of two years, Mr. Laughlin withdrew from the firm and Mr. Burk has since conducted the business on his own account solely, carrying a stock valued at $4, 500, consisting of fancy drugs and medi- cines and all such goods as are usually dealt in by first-class druggists. William C. Burk was most happily married at Frankfort, Ind., January 12, 1876, to Orlena M. Green, who was born at Zionsville, Boone county, Ind., February 14, 1858, a daughter of John D. and Zerelda (Gill) Green, natives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Burk are consistent members of the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Burk is trustee and treasurer. Since 1891 he has been vice president of the Thorntown bank and is also a stockholder in the Lebanon National bank; he is a thirty-second degree Freemason, Scottish rite; is a Knight of Pythias, and in politics is a republican. He is attentive to his business, and in social circles he and wife occupy an enviable po- sition.

AVID M. BURNS. - There is no pro- fession in life of more importance and usefulness than that of surveyor and civil engineer. Until a country is surveyed, and the towns, roads and ditches laid out, there is no system in its settlement, and its crooked by-paths and by-roads of the early settlers marks its state of un-civilization.

With the surveyor comes system and prosper- ity. Another vocation of equal importance and civilization is that of the school-teacher, and it is safe to say that without his efforts, the people of the United States would have lapsed into barbarism, or at least would have retrograded from the condition of their Euro- pean ancestors. David M. Burns, our subject, has honored both of these professions and his life is marked by his efforts as a public bene- factor. He springs from sterling Scotch an- cestry. John Burns, the grandfather of our subject, was a descendant of the famous Scotch Presbyterian covenanters who fled from Scot- land to Ireland on account of religious perse- cution. The founders of the family in America were three brothers-John, Andrew and one whose name is not remembered. John was the original pioneer, coming before his brothers and settling in Pennsylvania a short time be- fore the Revolutionary war. He served throughout that war, nearly eight years, and was in the battles of Trenton, Camden and many others. He was wounded in the arm at the battle of Brandywine and was one of those heroes who passed through the terrible winter with Washington at Valley Forge. He mar- ried Catherine Gray and settled in Nicholas county, Ky., among the pioneers, a short time after the Revolutionary war. Here he cleared up a farm in the wilderness and his home was blessed with ten children-William, John, James, David, Andrew, Jennie, Polly, Robert, Thomas and Joseph. He became an exten- sive land owner and gave all the children good farms. He lived to be seventy-four years of age and both he and wife were members of the Presbyterian church. In political opinions he was an old-time whig. He was a typical Amer- ican pioneer and a man of high character.

Andrew Burns, father of our subject, was born in Nicholas county, Ky., August 29, 1795. He had more than an ordinary education for

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

his time and taught school in Kentucky for many years, and also taught vocal music. He married Nancy, daughter of Archibald and Jane (Farris) Brown. (For a sketch of Archibald Brown, see biography of Capt. John A. Brown. ) After marriage Mr. Burns settled in Nicholas county, Ky., on a farm adjoining his father's. In 1834 he moved to Orange county, Ind., and in 1836 he came to Boone county and settled on a farm now owned by our subject, two miles north of Lebanon. He died two years later, on his forty-third birthday. He was a hard-working pioneer citizen. He and wife were members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Burns was a man of stanch virtues. His children are-John B., Archibald, William W., David M. and Elvira F., all born in Nicholas county, Ky.

David M. Burns, our subject, was born in Nicholas county, Ky., on his father's farm, February 10, 1832, and was but two and one- half years of age when his father settled in Indiana. After the death of his father his mother returned to Kentucky, and afterward married Jonathan Parish, and one son was born to this union-Jonathan M. Mrs. Parish was accidentally killed by the discharge of a gun, May 27, 1845.

David M. Burns received a common school education, and then attended a select school in Montgomery county, Ky., and afterward at Sharpsburg academy, his cousin, James Harvey Burns, being his teacher at both institutions. The professor was a graduate of Georgetown college and an educator of wide abilities and experience. David M. Burns began teaching at Wren's school-house in the select school of his cousin, as an assistant, when he was nine- teen years of age, and afterward taught in Nicholas county one year. On July 1, 1852, he married, in Nicholas county, Ky., Elgiva J., daughter of Thomas and Jane (Grimes) Clark. Mr. Clark was from an old American

family of German stock, was an old settler of Nicholas county, a prominent farmer and just- ice of the peace, and a class leader in the Methodist church.

To Mr. and Mrs. Burns two children were born-Mollie C., who married Dr. Eli L. Brown, of Thorntown, and Nancy E., who mar- ried Thomas W. Huckstep, a surveyor and civil engineer of Lebanon. Both the dangh- ters were born in Boone county, where Mr. Burns settled in October, 1852, on the farm first occupied by his father. Mr. Burns lived on this farm until 1855, then resided in Lebanon until 1857, and then lived on his farm until 1886. He then returned to Lebanon, where he now resides. He taught school the winter of 1853 in Washington township, and in 1855 was principal of a select school at Lebanon. In 1856-7 he was principal of a department of the schools at Lebanon. He was principal of the public schools at Thorntown in the years 1858-59-60-61-62, and during this time was appointed deputy county surveyor of Boone county, in 1858, and was elected county sur- veyor in 1860, and held this important office until 1876, the long period of sixteen years, a deputy serving under him while he was in the army. Mr. Burns was principal of the High school of Lebanon until December 10th, 1863, on which date he enlisted at Lebanon in com- pany H, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth regi- ment (Eleventh cavalry), under Capt. Mason S. Hamilton, Col. Rober tStewart. His serv- ice was principally in Alabama, where he served one year, when he was taken sick from exposure, and was in hospital at Nashville, Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis, and was honorably discharged at the latter place on account of disability, April 17th, 1865, On returning to Lebanon he resumed teaching, and the winter of 1865-6 he taught at Mechan- icsburg and the next winter at Thorntown. He taught the high grade of the Lebanon pub-

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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