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 25

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 25
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 25
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 25

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

class of 1866. This lady is a daughter of Samuel and Mary Gath, who came from Hali- fax, England, to this country in 1840. She was born at Oxford, Ohio, May 21, 1845. In 1881 they moved to Thorntown, Ind., and for three years successfully conducted together the public schools. July 23, 1884, Mr. Crist took an active part in the first hotly contested battle at Indianapolis against the rum power, and his espousal of the prohibition cause neces- sitated the resignation of himself and wife from the public schools. Since that time they have battled side by side for moral reform, and Mr. Crist has been honored by his party as candi- date for the following positions: Representa- tive for Boone county in 1886, delegate to the national convention at Indianapolis in 1888, state superintendent of public instruction in 1890. delegate to the national convention at Cincinnati in 1892, and for member of congress from the ninth Indiana district in 1894. Although Mr. Crist has passed his fifty- seventh mile post he is still hale and hearty, enjoying life in his suburban home, where he rests from active duties and watches the edu- cation of his son, Mark, at Purdue university (class of 1896), who is preparing to take up his line of battle for the good cause.

AVID CROSE, one of Boone coun- ty's enterprising and highly esteemed pioneers, claims Indiana for his na- tive country and was born in Tippe- canoe county April 27, 1835. His parents were Benjamin and Cynthia (Martin) Crose, who were natives of Kentucky. The father, Benjamin, was born in Bourbon county, Ky., January 22, 1813, and the mother, July 16, 1813. Benjamin was a son of Jonathan and Susan (Utterback) Crose, who were natives of Bourbon county, Ky. Jonathan Crose was born February 2, 1791, and Susan (Utter-

back) Crose was born March 23, 1787. They came to Indiana and located in Tippecanoe county in 1830, whence they removed to Boone county in 1835. They had a family of nine children, viz : Reuben, born January 3, 1811 (deceased); Benjamin; Andrew J., born March 26, 1815; George W., born February 24, 1817; Henry H., born January 30, 1819; Covington, born June 2, 1822; William F., born December 20, 1824; Jonathan, Jr., born December 29, 1827, and Michael. These children were all born in Bourbon county, Ky., with the exception of Michael, who was born in Tippecanoe county, Ind. Benjamin Crose, subject's father, came with his parents to Tippecanoe county, Ind., where he was joined in wedlock with Miss Martin, by whom were born to him three children, two that died in infancy and David, our subject, the youngest. Mrs. Crose died January 24, 1838, and Mr. Crose died in Washington township, Boone county, August 4, 1879.

David Crose, our subject, came with his father to Boone county when a small boy and has resided in the county ever since. He was married September 10, 1857, to Martha E. Bovee, who was born in Clinton county, Ind., March 2, 1841, and is a daughter of Erastus and Elizabeth (Hill) Bovee. After Mr. Crose's marriage he settled on the same farm on which he now lives, which farm comprises 160 acres of fine land, under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Crose makes a specialty of raising and breeding thoroughbred Poland China hogs, also other good stock. He has done much to improve the live stock of Boone county and is widely known throughout the county as an energetic and enterprising man. His union to Miss Bovee has been blessed with ten children, viz .: Marion F., born August 26, 1858, and died November 11, 1858; William B., born February 2, 1860; Mary E., born October 24, 1861, and died December 12, 1887; Clement

Ade. Daily

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

L., born May 8, 1863, and died October 4. 1887; Synthia E., born October 11, 1864; James W., born May 17, 1866; Sarah A., born January 15, 1871, and died February I, 1871; Pearly A., born October 2, 1872, and died August 30, 1879; Edgar L., born June II, 1877; Walter F., born April 12, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Crose are members of the Chris- tian church. Mr. Crose has always taken much interest in the progress of Boone county, and is a patron of every enterprise that prom- ises to be of benefit to the public at large, never hesitating to put his hand in his pocket when the public weal demands his aid. His private charities he keeps to himself, but his liberality is well known, notwithstanding. Up- right in all his transactions, he has won the respect of the entire community.

A MERICUS C. DAILY, a prominent business man of Lebanon, Boone county, Ind., and a well known politician whose reputation is state wide, is the descendant of an old and well known family of Luzerne county, Pa., and springs from the sterling Scotch-Irish stock which added so much character to the early history of the Keystone state. His great- grandfather, David Daily, a native of the north of Ireland, came to America in com- pany with two brothers in the times of the colonies. He was a patriot in the War of Independence, throughout which he served with distinction. One of his brothers settled in Virginnia, the other in Montreal, Canada, and both became widely and favorably known in their respective localities. David Daily. grandfather of Americus C., was for some years a farmer of Luzerne county, Pa., in | which state he married Elizabeth Overfield, a member of a distinguished family, and reared ten children. He was a poineer of Ohio, 13

moving to Miami county, that state, as early as 1816, and resided there until 1833, at which time he came to Boone county, Ind., locating near Thorntown, where his death occurred in 1860, at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. Charles Daily, son of the above and father of Americus C., was born December 23, 1810, in Luzerne county, Pa., and by occupation was a harness maker, which calling he follow- ed at various places for a period of twenty- five years. He married in Clark county, Ohio. Mary Hay, daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Johnson) Hay, and became the father of six children, the following being their names: Benjamin O., who was born in Craw- fordsville, Ind., Americus C., Henry H., Samuel R., Charles O., and David H., who were born in New Carlisle, Ohio. It is a fact worthy of note that no death occurred in the family of Mr. Daily or in any of the families of his children until he had been mar- ried over sixty years. Charles Daily became a resident of Boone county, Ind., in 1880 and retired from active life about the same year in very comfortable circumstances. Financial- ly he met with most encouraging success, was for many years a class leader in the Methodist church, and died ripe in years and full of honors at Lebanon, November 2, 1893, at the advanced age of eighty-three. The chief characteristics of this most excellent man was strict integrity, a high sense of honor and a retiring disposition, and he is remembered as a great lover of his home and family. Mrs. Daily, in every respect a fit companion and helpmate of such a husband, is still lingering on the shores of time, having reached the good old age of eighty=two years.

Americus C. Daily, the principal facts of whose life are herewith set forth, was born March 10, 1835. in New Carlisle, Ohio, in the schools of which place he received his element- ary education. Later, he pursued his studies

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for some years in the Linden Hill academy, where he obtained a'knowledge of the higher branches of learning under the instruction of Prof. Thomas Harrison, A. M., D D., a noted educator of Ohio, formerly assistant editor of the Western Christian Advocate, and subse- quently president of Moore's Hill college. The following notice of Mr. Daily, given without solicitation by Professor Harrison, is indeed a most flattering testimonial to the young man's assiduity and worth as a student: "Over thirty years ago, while I was principal of Lin- den Hill academy in Ohio, Mr. A. C. Daily was a student of the institution. His parents were upright and industrious citizens and he early learned from them the importance and advantage of a correct life. Too much cannot be said of his many excellent qualities. As a student he had a strong, clear and vigorous intellect, and he readily grasped the various branches of knowledge he studied. His indus- try and perseverance were unceasing. His moral character was without a blemish. He was always respectful to his instructors and obedient to the regulations of the institution. He was kind and obliging to his fellow-stu- dents, and among them was a universal favor- ite. His parents assisted him in obtaining an education and he faithfully co-operated with them in the great work."

the office of county auditor, the duties of which position he discharged in a manner highly creditable to himself and satisfactory to his constituency for one term, and in 1867, in partnership. with Judge L. C. Dougherty and Maj. Harvey G. Hazelrigg, organized the Leb- anon Bank, a private institution, which from the beginning had the confidence of the peo- ple and proved highly successful. In 1882 the bank was reorganized as the Lebanon National bank, with A. C. Daily as president; Levi Lane, vice president, and Samuel S. Daily cashier; the capital stock at that time being $60,000. This bank has a large line of de- posits, and under its most excellent and suc- cessful business management has become one of the best known and popular institutions of the kind in central Indiana. Mr. Daily is public spirited in all the term implies, and has been untiring in his efforts toward building up the city of Lebanon and developing the re- sources of Boone county. For six consecu- tive years he was secretary of the Boone County Agricultural society, much of the suc- cess of which is due to his executive ability, and he has always been liberal with his means in the promotion of any and all enterprises having for their object the moral and material well-being of the community. For some years he was treasurer of the Indiana Trotting and Pacing Horse Dealers' association, a state or- ganization.

In 1855, when twenty years of age, Mr. Daily came to Boone county, Ind., and ac- cepted the position of deputy county treasurer Fraternally Mr. Daily is a Mason of the thirty-second degree, and also belongs to the I. O. O. F., both subordinate lodge and en- campment, in the former of which he has held -- every official position. He is a member of the grand lodge of the state and was honored by being chosen to represent Indiana in the Sov- ereign grand lodge at Topeka, Kans., in 1890, and in St. Louis in 1891. It will thus be seen that Mr. Daily's life has been one of great ac- under his uncle, John C. Daily, in which ca- pacity he continued until the expiration of the latter's term of office, when he became clerk in the auditor's office, discharging the duties of the same until 1860. In that year he was appointed clerk of the Boone county circuit court to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death of Henry Shannon, and in 186t was elected trustee of Center township. In 1862 Mr. Daily was complimented by being elected to , tivity; his official and business career is without

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the slightest taint of suspicion, and he stands deservedly high among the people of Boone county, who have long since learned to re- spect him for his integrity and other excellent traits of character. Mr. Daily is a republican in politics, and as such has been untiring in his efforts to promote the interests of his party in Boone county and throughout the state. In April, 1894, he was nominated for the office of auditor of the state, and in the November following was triumphantly elected by a state plurality of 44,773, his majority in his own county of Boone being 158 ahead of his ticket, showing him to be a prime favorite. For this position his abilities eminently fit him, and in this connection it is proper to quote from the note of Prof. Harrison, to which reference was made in a preceding paragraph, relative to his ability to fill positions of trust, in the event of his election; "That he has succeeded so ad- mirably as a noble American citizen is only what may be expected. To whatever position the votes of the people may elevate him he will most assuredly fill with the highest credit."

Mr. Daily has a beautiful home in Lebanon and an interesting family consisting of a wife and two children. He married Maggie F. Mc- Corkle, daughter of Solomon and Ruth Culver McCorkle, of Champaign county, Ohio, and the names of their children are Charles E. and Blanche. Mrs. Daily is a member of the Methodist church, and Mr. Daily holds the po- sition of trustee in the Lebanon congregation.

J AMES M. DAVIS is a native of Boone county, Ind., and was born in the village of Thorntown, March 22, 1838, He is a son of Joseph and Hannah B (Moore) Davis, natives of New Jersey and Ohio respectively, and of English and Irish ex- traction. Joseph Davis was a son of England, who came to the United States in a very early

day, settling in New Jersey. Being of a speculative turn of mind, he went to New Orleans, La., with a flat-boat of flour and pork, and while there was taken sick and died. His widow afterward moved to Troy, Ohio, and later to Thorntown, Ind., where she died at the home of one of her sons. They were the parents of eight children, viz : William, George, Eliza, John. Ephraim, James, Joseph and Charles. Joseph, the father of our sub- ject, the next to the youngest member of the family, was born at Trenton, N. J., February 26, 1796, and went with his mother to Troy, Ohio, when a small boy. He learned the tailor's trade, which occupation he followed for a number of years. He was married at Circleville, Ohio. March 2, 1820, to Hannah B. Moore, who was born at that place January 14. 1802. In the spring of 1832 or 1833 he moved to Thorntown. Ind., and engaged in tailoring until 1853, when he purchased land in Washington township, on which he settled and engaged in farming until his death, which occurred February 23. 1877, his wife having died August 31, 1876. They were the parents of twelve children, viz: Eliza, Catherine, Amanda, Melvina, Elizabeth A., Carolina, Henry C., William S., James M., Edwin, Alethia E. and Elizabeth E.

James M. Davis was married in Clinton county, Ind., January 10, 1861, to Sarah A .. daughter of Dr. Isaac T. and Louisa C. (Canby) Wilds, who were among the first settlers of Clinton county, Ind. Dr. Wilds was the first physician to locate in Clinton county, and his oldest son was the first male child born in Frankfort. They were the par- ents of nine children, viz : George M., Mary E., Sarah A., William W., Frances C., James W., John R., Edward T. and Francis S. Mr. Davis now lives on the old home farm and owns 1'40 acres of fine land well improved. Five children were born to him, viz: Lillian

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L., born October 5, 1861, now Mrs. George W. Sims, and residing in Kansas; George M., born April 13, 1863, married to Ary E. Bren- ton, and residing in Kansas; Minnie, born July 19, 1866, died July 20, 1866; Frank W., born September 15, 1868, married to Viola B. Luse, and living in Kansas; and Clint B., born March 10, 1872, at home. Mr. Davis is a fine man in the true sense of the word and he and family have ever enjoyed the full esteem of their neighbors, wherever it may have been their lot to be located. In Boone county, especially, are the residing members of the family held in the highest regard.

J OHN C. DAVIS .- The great rebellion left its scorching name, not only in the shape of a great debt to burden the American people, but it filled the country with the maimed, sick and helpless, and these disabled soldiers made the noblest sacrifices for their country. as throughout these long years the blighting hand of war has been laid heavily upon them, and there is no soldier in Boone county, who is more entitled to the sympathies and respect of his fellow-citizens, than John C. Davis. His grandfather was a farmer of Ohio in the Miami valley. His son John was the father of our subject, was born in Ohio, and reared near Cincinnati. He re- ceived a good English education, and came to Indiana when a young man, settling in Frank- lin county, where he married Elizabeth A . daughter of Andy Caldwell, and they were the parents of eight children-John C., Nancy J., Andrew J., Sarah, Mary A., Samuel, Nelson and Franklin. In the fall of 1832, Mr. Davis came to Boone county and settled in the woods on Eagle creek, one-half mile east of Ralston, where he entered eighty acres of land, cleared up a farın and made a good home. He at one time taught school in Union town-

ship. Mr. and Mrs. Davis were both devout members of the Methodist church. In politi- cal opinions he was first an old-time whig and afterward an original republican and a stanch adherent to the Union cause, having three sons in the Civil war : John C .; Andrew J., in company F., Fortieth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, who was in several battles, in one of which he was wounded; and Samuel S., who was in an Indiana infantry regiment, '100-day's service, and was in battle. John Davis, father of these soldier sons, was a man of high character, honored and respected by all who knew him. He brought up an ex- cellent family of children, all of whom are of temperate and moral character. He lived to be seventy-two years of age.

John C. Davis wasborn in Franklin county, Ind., September 28, 1832, was two years old when brought to Boone county, and early learned to work at clearing land. His educa- tion consisted of what he could learn in our pio- neer schools. He enlisted April 23, 1861. This was the first call made by Father Abra- ham for three-months' men, which roused the patriotism of the Hoosier boys to the fullest extent, and he enlisted at Lebanon, company I, Tenth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, under Capt. Kise. This was the first company that enlisted at Lebanon to go to the front. He served out this enlistment and was honora- bly discharged at Indinapolis, Ind., August 6, 1861; re-enlisted in company F, Fortieth reg- iment, Indiana volunteer infantry, for three years or during the war, served until the close, and was honorably discharged at Indinapolis, August 28, 1865. His battles were at Rich Mountain, Shiloh, Kenesaw Mountain, and Peach Tree creek. He was under the artillery fire in a skirmish in front of Atlanta and was stunned by a shell. He fell senseless on the field and was carried to the rear for dead. His mind was affected by the concussion, and he

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

was taken to the field hospital. Imagining them to be rebels, he escaped from his guards and ran directly into the rebel lines, thinking he was rejoining his regiment. He was cap- tured by them and taken to Andersonville a prisoner, and was confined in this celebrated stockade until the close of the war. Being in this demented condition, he suffered terribly from thirst, starvation and exposure, and when released was a mere skeleton and could hardly walk. Being still shattered in mind, he in some manner, while being conveyed home, left the train and found himself in Ken- tucky among strangers. He recovered his mind sufficiently to write home to his brother, Samuel, who was a farmer in Boone county, who immediately went to Kentucky, and brought him home. With careful nursing, he partially improved, but still remains in a de- bilitated condition, and to this day can remem- ber but little of his terrible experience in Andersonville. On December 19, 1867, he mar- ried Angelina A., daughter of Washington and Dorcas J. (Russell) Phillips.

Mr. Phillips was an old pioneer in Boone county, living many years in Washington township. where he entered his land and cleared up his farm of 160 acres from the woods. To Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were born seven children-Oscar; Franklin, a soldier in the Civil war two years and wounded in battle -Minerva, Angelina, Thomas B .- a soldier in the war three years and in several battles- Rosswell R .- a soldier in the 100-day service. Mrs. Phillips was a member of the Methodist church. She died, and Mr. Phillips married Susan Wallace, and they had six children- Mary, John, Alice, Jennie, Asbery and Lew. Mr. Phillips was born in Ohio in 1806, and died in Boone county in 1890, aged eighty- four years. He was a sturdy Boone county pioneer, upright in his dealings, and set a good example to his children. After marriage, Mr.

Davis settled on his present farm of eighty acres, right in the woods. Being in a disabled condition, he could do but little work and was obliged to hire most of the clearning done, but he still was industrious and frugal, and assisted by his faithful and energetic wife, who is an excellent manager, he has converted his land into a fertile farm, and erected substantial buildings. The home of this old soldier has been brightened by the birth of one daughter -- May V. They are all members of the Metho- dist church, of which Mr. Davis has been class- leader. In politics he is a republican and votes against the men who caused his affliction. In his old age Mr. Davis is out of debt and enjoys the solid comforts of a good home. His course has always been marked for moral- ity and temperance.

SAAC J. DAVIS is a member of the fa- mous firm of Davis Bros., the propri- etors of the largest livery, feed and sale stables in Boone county, Ind., with headquarters at Lebanon. Their father, Jo- siah Davis, the son of a Kentucky family of English descent, is a citizen of Ladoga, Mont- gomery county, Ind, where he was formerly a substantial farmer, but is now leading a retired life. He married Miss M. J. Carson, and there were born to them the following named children: James C., John, Isaac T., Mary J., Lucy and Effie. Mr. Davis is a respected member of the Baptist church, and a citizen highly honored for his integrity of character by the inhabitants of Ladoga and Montgomery county.

Isaac T. Davis was born in Montgomery county, Ind., March 5, 1849, and was reared on his father's farm, receiving as good an edu- cation as the schools of his district could possi- bly afford. He began his business life as a buyer and shipper of horses, and that he made

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a success of this traffic is proven by his present prosperous and extensive trade. He started in the livery business at Ladoga about the year 1870, and for three years carried on a thriving trade, and then moved to Jamestown, Boone county, Ind., where for another period of three years he was equally successful in the same line. About 1876 he came to Lebanon, where he and his brother, James C., have established their present immense sale and livery stable. Their purchases and shipments of horses have been enormous, and last season the sum paid out for animals in this vicinity alone exceeded $60,000, and their shipments extended east as far as Newark, N. J., and throughout the inter- mediate country the firm are known as respon- sible and reliable business men of undoubted integrity. Personally, Isaac T. Davis is a very popular citizen. In politics a democrat, he filled the important office of sheriff of Boone county from 1882 to 1884, to the entire satis- faction of the public; he is a member of Leb- anon lodge, No. 45, Knights of Pythias, and has filled all the offices within the lodge; he is also a member of the Baptist church and lives in accordance with its teachings. His mar- riage took place at Lebanon, May 2, 1876, to Miss Maggie Andrews, and he has had born to him four children, who are named L.yle, Carl A., William and Beulah. These brothers, Isaac T. and James C. Davis, as will be well understood from the foregoing, constitute the firm of Davis Bros., proprietors of one of the best equipped livery stables in Indiana, to say nothing of their large buying. operations. The spacious barns are always neat and clean, and their teams on hire include every variety of rig, from the saddle horse to the farm-horse team when demanded, and their high style of turnouts has never been known to fail to give satisfaction, while their moderate charges have invariably met the approbation of all their pa- trons.

ALVIN DICKERSON, of Perry township, Boone county, Ind., is a native of Hendricks county, this state, and was born July 21, 1839. His parents, Andrew and Mahalia (Dodd) Dickerson, were born and were married in Floyd county, Va., and there the father fol- lowed farming, school-teaching and carpenter- ing until 1830, when he brought his family to Indiana and entered land in Hendricks county, where his death occurred in 1847, and that of his wife in 1890, both being members of the Society of Friends. Their ten children were named Lucinda, Jackson, Ennis, Julia Ann, Floyd, Calvin, Darius, Mary E., Ellen, and Sarah.

Calvin Dickerson abided with his mother until his enlistment, September 7, 1861, in company C, Fifty-first Indiana volunteer in- fantry, in which he served three years and five months, returning home March 8, 1865. All this time he was on active duty, except when he was a prisoner for fifteen days, having been captured by Gen. Forrest at Rome, Ga., while on a raid, and during a short period of confine- ment in hospital, having been shot through both legs at the siege of Nashville. After his return he resumed farming, and two or three years later bought a farm of forty acres in the woods, on which he lived ten years, then came to Perry township, Boone county, bought another farm of forty acres, now increased to 180 acres, and this has since been his home. August 10, 1865, he married Harriet Holley, who was born in Hendricks county, Ind., September 21, 1844, a daughter of John and Frances Holley, natives of Kentucky. To this union of Calvin and Harriet were born five children, viz: Charles M., Capitolia, Fran- ces, John A. and Asa. The mother of these died August 17, 1876, and in 1877 Mr. Dick- erson married Margaret Acton, a native of Ripley county, Ind., born June 12, 1851, and

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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