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 26
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 26
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 26
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OF BOONE COUNTY.
daughter of James H. and Serepta (Prater) Acton, natives of Kentucky. This seoond union has been blessed with one child-Earl O. Mr. and Mrs. Dickerson are members of the Baptist church, and in politics he is a democrat. His pension for his war services is $16 per month.
a ILLIAM J. DEVOL .- This young man is one of the prominent busi- ness men of Lebanon, and assist- ant cashier of the First National bank. His great grandfather, Arphaxed DeVol, was a farmer of Ohio, and the father of Ezekiel, Hiram, W. J .. Thomas, Clark, Mervin, Benjamin F. and Stephen, eight sons. Arphaxed DeVol married Polly Dye, and they were residents of Morgan county, Ohio, and pioneers, and Mr. DeVol was a large farmer. He lived to be an aged man. Ezekiel DeVol, grandfather of William J .. our subject, was born in Morgan county, Ohio. He became a farmer and lived all his life on the old De Vol homestead on Meigs creek. Morgan county, Ohio. He married Nancy Fouts, daughter of Samuel Fouts, and to them were born seven children: Lorinda, William J., Clark, Lemon, Charles F., Barbara and Fremont. Mr. and Mrs. DeVol were members of the Methodist church, and he was class leader. He was a substantial farmer and a man of high character, beloved by all and noted for his honorable character. He died, on his farm, at the age of sixty-three. Mr. W. J. DeVol, father of William J., was born in Morgan county, Ohio, September 18, 1833. He received a good common school education, and was married at the age of twenty-three years, in Morgan county. October 29, 1856, to Frances E., daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Green) Adams. Samuel Adams was born in Brooke county, Va., of an
American family of English stock. He mar- ried in that county, moved to Ohio, and set- tled in Morgan county, among the pioneers, where he cleared up a farm and passed all his life. He was a member of the Christian church, and a disciple of the famous Alex- ander Campbell. He organized the first Christian church in Morgan county, on Meigs creek, and was elder many years. This church is still in existence. Mr. Adams served many years as a local preacher-indeed, until he was too old to preach. He was greatly respected by the people. He had an intelligent mind, was a wide reader and in later life was an un- tiring student of the Holy Bible. He was first married to Eliza Irwin, and to them were born four children: Sarah, David, William and Nancy. Mrs. Adams died in Virginia and Mr. Adams next married Elizabeth Green. By the second marriage there were seven children: Mary, John, Samuel, Elizabeth, Frances E., Alvira and Rose. Mr. Adams lived to be seventy-nine years of age. In politics he was a republican, and once served as a member of the Ohio state legislature. William J. DeVol and wife settled on Meigs creek, Morgan county, Ohio, where he en- gaged in the mercantile business. He re- mained there some time and enlisted. in Octo- ber. 1861, at McConnellsville, Ohio, in com- pany C, One Hundred and Twenty-second regiment, O. V. I., for three years, as a pri- vate, but was promoted to corporal. He had served thirteen months when he was dis- abled by exposure on a severe march and was honorably discharged in November, 1862. He was in the battle at Winchester and in many severe skirmishes. After this service for his country he returned home and entered the mercantile business, and continued until October 10, 1867. He then engaged in farming in Center township, Boone county, Ind., and died two years later, in 1869, Sep-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
tember 12, aged thirty-six years, from the effects of army exposure. Mr. and Mrs. DeVol were strict members of the Christian church. Mr. DeVol was a member of the I. O. O. F., and. in his politics was a sound re- publican. He had a kind heart, an honest character, and was loved by all. To Mr. and Mrs. DeVol were born five children: Rebecca A., Rose A., Nancy, William J., and Charlie. Mrs. DeVol now resides in Lebanon.
Judge W. J. DeVol, the grand-uncle of our subject, was born in Ohio, December 28, 1814, went to Missouri, settling in Crawford county, where he married Rebecca Thompson, but they were the parents of no children. He became a large farmer and was elected county judge. About 1865 he came to Lebanon and bought land. He also inherited 880 acres of land from his brother, Clark DeVol, who came to Boone county at an early day, was a bachelor and well known as an honest and worthy man. Judge DeVol became wealthy and was the first president of the First National bank of Lebanon. He died at seventy-one years of age in 1886, a member of the Missionary Bap- tist church; in politics was a democrat.
W. J. DeVol was born in Morgan county, Ohio, August 3, 1867, and was but two months old when brought to Boone county, Ind. He received the education of the public schools of Boone county and Lebanon, and began busi- ness life as a clerk at the age of twenty-two years in the First National bank in Lebanon. September 30, 1893, he was elected assistant cashier, an office which he still fills with credit to himself and satisfaction to the bank. He is a member of the Christian church, having joined at thirteen years of age, and has always taken an active interest in religious matters and the study of the Bible; he was made deacon in his church at the age of twenty-three years, and he is also teacher of the Sunday school. He
is likewise a member of Lebanon lodge, No. 45, K. of P. Mr. DeVol is a young man of excellent character and of high purposes in life. As a bank cashier he is pleasant and affable, and his rare judgment with regard to men with whom he deals allows him to be accommodating to an unusual extent.
J OHN THOMAS DINSMORE, a sturdy and prosperous farmer of Harrison township, Boone county, Ind., is of Irish extraction, but is a native In- diana, having been born in Decatur county, this state, August 4, 1829. His great-grand- father, James Dinsmore, a weaver by trade, was the first of the family to come from Ire- land to America, and here located in Mary- land, where he learned tanning, and then moved to Virginia.
Thomas Dinsmore, son of James and grandfather of John T., was a patriot in the American army in 1812, and in Virginia was married to Martha Oglesby, and then moved to Tennessee, and later to Kentucky. and still later to Decatur county, Ind., then to Bar- tholomew county, and finally to Boone county, where, in 1839. he bought eighty acres of land, on which his grandson, Pleasant J. Dinsmore, now resides. In that early day this tract of land was a wilderness infested with packs of wolves, but at the same time a com- pensation was afforded by the presence of droves of deer that furnished meat for many a good dinner. Grandfather Thomas Dinsmore was a highly respected citizen and quite prominent in the early days of Boone county. He was a member of the United Brethren church, and a Freemason, and held rank with the best in the social circles of his township and county. He had born to him the following children, all of whom he reared to lives of usefulness and
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OF BOONE COUNTY.
to be valuable members of society : William, Rebecca, Jacob and James (twins), Editha, John, Jackson, Easter, Martha and Peter Oglesby. Jacob, here mentioned, became the father of John Thomas, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Montgomery county, Ky., July 26, 1805, and married Elizabeth Fear, who was born March 27, 1810, and bore her husband the following children : John Thomas, Sarah A., Martha J., Eliza A., Will- iam F., Pleasant J., Francis M., Mary E., Elizada and Elmaza (twins) and Simon P., of three of whom separate sketches will be found in adjacent pages. Jacob Dinsmore settled in Harrison township, Boone county, Ind., in 1841, in the month of February, entering eighty acres of land in the wilderness, on which his son, William F., is now living, and which he afterward increased to 200 acres.
In politics Jacob Dinsmore was first an old- line whig, later. became a democrat, and finally joined the republican party during the war for the perservation of the Union. He was a liberal supporter of schools and churches, was a member of the regular Baptist church, and assisted in the erection of the Antioch church edifice in Harrison township, of which congregation Mrs. Dinsmore was also a mem- ber. Mr. Dinsmore lived to reach a ripe old age, and his death was occasioned by an acci- dent. On a sleety and icy day he fell and dislocated a hip joint, but was unable to en- dure the pain of replacement, and fifteen days later, March 15, 1891, passed away at the age of eighty-six years, mourned by a large circle of sympathizing friends. His amiable and beloved wife was called from earth July 20, 1864, at the age of fifty-four years, hon- ored by all who knew her. John Thomas Dinsmore came to Boone county with his father in 1841. He was reared on the home farm and early was taught lessons of industry and thrift.
LEASANT J. DINSMORE, a highly respected farmer of Harrison town- ship, Boone county, Ind., was born in Hendricks county, Ind., June 2, 1840, and was reared on his father's farm. His grandfather, Thomas Dinsmore, was a na- tive of Virginia, but early settled in Kentucky, where he took an active part in the war of 1812. Subsequently he came to Indiana and settled on the farm in Boone county now oc- cupied by the subject of this sketch. Thomas married Martha Oglesby, who became the mother of the following children: Rebecca, Jacob and James (twins), Jackson, Editha, Esther, John, Patsey and Peter. Jacob Dins- more, son of Thomas and Martha, was born in Kentucky, married Elizabeth Fear, daugh- ter of John and Sallie (Graham) Fear, and in 1841 came to Indiana and settled in Boone county. To this worthy couple were born the following family: John T., Sallie Ann, Martha Jane, Eliza Ann, William F., Pleasant J., Francis M., Elma A. and Elzada (twins), Ellen and Simon P.
Pleasant J. Dinsmore was inured in his youth to the hardships of farm life, but at the same time acquired that knowledge of agricul- ture so essential in building up his fortune as a farmer in later years, and in implanting in his system those germs of substantial health that constitute a far greater blessing to man than the mere possession of land or money, but, at the same time, are the chief means by which man, with the aid of an ordinary intelli- gence, is able to accumulate wealth and to es- tablish for himself a good name and a position of respectability with his neighbors, which Mr. Dinsmore has happily done. August 31, 1866, he married Sarah Ann Chitwood, daughter of Noah and Rebecca (Richardson) Chitwood, and at once settled on a farm of forty acres, to which, by his skill and industry, he has since added until he has now a model farm of 100
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
acres, well improved in all respects and in a high state of cultivation, such as no one but a well trained agriculturist, like Mr. Dinsmore, could place it under. The moral training of Mr. Dinsmore has been equal to his physical training, and for years he has been a consist- ent and honored member of the Christian church, of which he is a deacon, and to which he is a liberal contributor from his purse as well as his moral influence and personal labor.
In politics Mr. Dinsmore is an adherent of the republican party, which he believes to be the party of purity and truth, and the devel- opment of the principles of which he believes to be the best for the government of his native land, for whose defense he gallantly served during the war for its disruption and destruc- tion. At the early stage of hostilities designed by traitors to produce this dire result, he en- listed, December 17. 1861, at Lebanon, Ind., in company F, Fortieth Indiana volunteer in- fantry, and had his first experience in the awful events of war in Kentucky, whence he marched to Nashville, Tenn., where he was seized with an illness that confined him to the military hospital for two weeks. On recuperating, he rejoined his regiment on the sanguinary field of renowned Corinth, Miss., whence his com- mand was sent in pursuit of the rebel general, Braxton Bragg, who had inade quite a repu- tation in Mexico, with his "little more grape," in his capacity as captain under Zach. Taylor, while assisting to add to the expanse of the territory of that glorious republic which he was now seeking to annihilate. This pursuit of the rebel general brought Mr. Dinsmore to Louisville, Ky., after a long and weari- some march, and another march of many hours took him to Stone river, where occurred a very severe battle that lasted two days. On the first day of this baptism of blood and fire the Union forces were forced from the field, but on the second day Mr. Dinsmore assisted
in achieving a most glorious victory. Mur- freesboro next held the regiment in camp a few days, and then a fatiguing march took it to the memorable battle of Chattanooga, where, after the capture of the city, Mr. Dinsmore was placed on guard duty. Here, surrounded by rebels, he was engaged in numerous skir- mishes and the defense of the city against a superior force until relief came to hand. Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge were the next severe engagements in which Mr. Dinsmore participated, and nobly he bore his part through these historic conflicts. The cam- paign through Georgia next tested the en- durance and courage of Mr. Dinsmore. At- lanta was eventually captured by Gen. Wil- liam Tecumseh Sherman, September 2, 1864, and the torch applied to the city. Thence Mr. Dinsmore was sent to the bloody field of Frank- lin, Tenn., in which he bore a brave and noble part, November 30, 1864, and was thence sent to Nashville, where he received an honorable discharge, and for his valiant military service is now receiving a pension of $10 per month from the government. Further reference to the family of Mr. Dinsmore will be found in the sketches of his brothers, John T. and Wil- liam F., to be found in close proximity to this notice.
a PILLIAM F. DINSMORE, born Feb- ruary 20, 1838, in Hendricks county, Ind., was but two years of age when brought to Boone county by his father, who settled the farm on which William F. now lives, and of whom further details of the family history will be found in the biographies of his brothers, John T. and Pleasant J., on adjacent pages. William F. was reared to the hard work, as well as to the enjoyments and independence, of farm life in Harrison township, of which he is one of the
289
OF BOONE COUNTY.
most respected citizens. He received a very fair common school education, and availed himself to the utmost of its advantages, becom- ing a licensed minister of the Baptist church, as well as serving fifteen years as moderator -. his church work, indeed, extending through a period of thirty-eight years. He stands high as an example of the Christian gentleman, and his ministerial labors have met with the decided approbation of his hearers in the num- erous churches in which he has preached. In politics he is an ardent republican, and he is an equally ardent patriot, having enlisted at Lebanon, Ind., in August, 1862, in the war for the preservation of the Union. He was first sent with his regiment to Cincinnati, Ohio; thence to Louisville, Ky., where he was assigned to the pursuit of the rebel Bragg, through Kentucky; in the fight at Murfreesboro, Tenn., in December, 1862, he was severely wounded in his left leg and sent to the hospital. His wound was so serious as to disable him for further active service, and after being out about seventeen months, he was returned to his home. From this injury he has never recovered and it has been a source of pain and annoyance ever since. He has received some recompense, however, from a grateful country, having been granted a pension, at first, of $4 per month; then of $6, then of $12, then of $16, then of $17, and for the past two years has been receiving $24.
Mr. Dinsmore is the owner of a highly improved and well ditched farm of 160 acres in Harrison township, Boone county, all of which, excepting nine acres, is the result of his own intelligent labor and well-directed efforts, he being universally recognized as a model agriculturist. He is a warm advocate of good schools and contributes liberally from his means to both school and church, and is every ready to perform any and every duty per- taining to the good citizen. He married Rachel
P., daughter of Jonas and Elizabeth Charity Holmes, and this union has been blessed by the birth of the following-named children: Jacob H., Elizabeth Charity, Sarah Frances (deceased), John William, Mary Etta, Eliza A., Clarinda J., Clara Ellen, Dora, Francis Marion, Della A., Senia, Arta, and one deceased, Oka. Mr. Dinsmore is a kind and indulgent husband and father, greatly beloved by his family and respected by his neighbors, and is one of the substantial and useful citizens of Boone county.
ENRY T. DODSON, who was one of the largest stock buyers and farmers of Boone county, Ind., was born in Wayne county, Ky., August 2, 1825. His grandfather, George Dodson, was a Bap- tist preacher and was born in Virginia, in which state he married Lottie Lockhart, moved to Wayne county, Ky., preached there many years, and in 1827 brought his wife and other members of his family to Boone county, Ind., being a pioneer of Eagle Creek township. It is thought that he organized the first con- gregation of the regular Baptist denomination in the eastern part of Boone county, and preached in Eage Creek township until super- annuated, dying at the age of seventy-five years. His only co-laborer in the vineyard of the Lord in those early days was a preacher named Benjamin Harris, who entered the field a very short time after Mr. Dodson's coming. Rev. George Dodson and wife were the par- ents of eleven children, of whom seven came to Indiana and were named Elizabeth, Nancy, Minna, Polly, Robert, Thomas and Ruel; the names of those remaining in Kentucky have passed from memory.
Thomas Dodson, son of Rev. George Dod- son, was born in Virginia and married in Wayne county, Ky., to Polly, daughter of
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Matthew Morrow, and their offspring were seven in number, named George, Henry T., James, Jesse, John, Thomas and Fannie. In 1827, Thomas and his wife and two children came also to Boone county and were pioneers of Eagle Creek, settling twelve miles south- east of what is now Lebanon, where there was then no clearing nor any town. He followed a track through the woods, as there of course were no roads, took up a comfortable home, and was the owner of between 200 and 300 acres, which he divided among his children before he died, at the advanced age of ninety- two years. He and wife were members of the Baptist church, and in politics he was an old- line whig. He was venerated as an old settler and highly esteemed as a man of solid worth.
Henry T. Dodson was about eighteen months old when brought by his parents to Indiana. His brother George was about four years old, and the two children and their mother came through the woods on horse-back, while the father trudged through on foot, which was frequently the custom of the pioneers in those remote days. Henry T. received his educa- tion in the primitive. log school-house erected in his neighborhood, and was reared to the hard work of clearing and cultivating the home farm. October 18, 1847, he married Susannah Bishop, who was born in Washing- ton county, Va., October 23, 1827, a daughter of William and Susannah (Hutton) Bishop. Mr. Bishop was also a native of Virginia, was a soldier in the war of 1812, came to Boone county, Ind., in 1835, and settled on Eagle creek, with his wife and six children- Jane, Edward, Fannie, Elizabeth, Susannah and Elias. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop were mem- bers of the Methodist church and in politics he was a democrat. He was a well-to-do farmer, was a man of industry and high character, and died at the age of seventy-two years, much respected by all who knew him.
To Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Dodson have been born three children, who grew to maturity, and were named Thomas W., Sarah F., and Eliza A., all of whom have been educated in the best manner afforded by the schools of the district. After his marriage Mr. Dodson con- tinued to reside on the old homestead at Eagle creek until 1874, adding to his agri- cultural pursuits the trading in stock, and was in this particular business longer than any other man in Boone county. In the last year named he settled on his magnificent stock farm of 202 acres, one mile from Lebanon, which was fully equipped with every con- venience for the carrying on of both farming and stock growing and improved with a most desirable dwelling. He was in all likelihood the most extensive stock buyer in Boone county, and his name was known, near and far, as a dealer of the most scrupulous in- tegrity. Mr. and Mrs. Dodson are respected members of the Methodist church and are quite liberal in their donations to all chari- table and meritorious objects. In politics he is a stanch democrat, but has never been an office seeker, preferring that others should per- form public functions while he himself should devote his time to the vocations in which he had been so successful through life and in which he won so enviable a reputation with his friends and neighbors of Boone county. He retired from active business in 1890.
J AMES F. DOWNING is one of the old and substantial farmers of Clinton town- ship, Boone county, Ind. His father was James Downing, born in 1784, in Donegal county, Ireland. He was reared a Catholic, and owned a copy of the "Douay" Bible, published by authority of the pope, from the "Donay" university, bears date of No- vember S, 1609, and is in good preservation,
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OF BOONE COUNTY.
and highly prized by the family. He crossed ing what was then a wilderness. When the the ocean in 1819, landing in New York. He weather was inclement he attended the sub- scription school, which was held in the log school-house. When he was of age he still lived with his parents, caring for them, as the other children left home to do for themselves; he sacrificed his feelings and prospects to do his duty to his parents. When James F. was forty-one years of age he married, April 28, 1868, Mary A. Witham of Warren county, Ohio, who was forty years old. This mar- riage has been blessed with two children : Lillie M., born May 9, 1870; Sylvester W., born September 10, 1871. He was a member of Terrapin grange, No. 424, and he is also a stanch republican. He owns 200 acres of land, seventy-five being in timber, but the rest is under a good state of cultivation. He has a fine residence, which cost over $2,000; a good barn, and all the buildings that denote a prosperous farmer. Years ago he drew wheat by wagon to La Fayette, some thirty-seven miles distant, and now he has a good gravel road and several good markets not far distant. His health is not good, for in his strong man- hood he was a great worker, and helped to clear 100 acres of heavy timber. was educated to the business of a gardener, and was a fine botanist as well. He married at Providence, R. I., Avis Giddings, who was born in 1795 near Devires, England, and her religious teachings were those of a Presbyte- rian. She emigrated about two years later than her husband, landing at Providence, R. I. They settled in Queens county, Long Island. at "Hell Gate," where he followed his garden- ing business, as well as fruit growing. Their children were all born in the state of New York, and were named as follows: John G .. who served in the Civil war: Edward, who died at the close of the war; James F., Eliza- beth J., and Mary M. Except Edward, all are living and married. Mr. Downing deter- mined to try the west, so he started Novem- ber. 1833, with his family, having one horse and an ox team, and was eleven months on the way, landing here October 11, 1834. He entered 120 acres of land in what is now Clin- ton township and accumulated eighty acres more. The Indians had just left for their reser- vation, and Mr. Downing and James tore down some of their huts that stood on the banks of Terrapin creek. There was just one house between that stream and Brown's Won- der. He was politically a democrat. His death occurred in February, 1868, aged eighty- three; that of his wife in 1879, aged the same as her husband. Both were buried in the Me- chanicsburg cemetery, Boone county, Ind.
James F. Downing was born January 17. 1827, on Long Island, eight miles from the city of New York. He was taught to work almost from the first, and as his father was a gardener, James made three trips a week with produce for the markets of New York city, six- teen miles constituting a round trip. After moving to this county with his parents, he picked and burned bush, and assisted in clear-
The early life of Mr. and Mrs. Downing was spent in the log cabin, with puncheon floor, clapboard roof, and clay chimney. The family have a hammer that shows the many hard hits that it gave, as well as a workbasket that was brought with the family from New York state. Mrs. Downing has her grand- father's wedding stockings, made of silk, figured, and worn with knee breeches. Also his father's cane of bamboo, that is very old. All these relics are highly prized and well cared for. Mary A. Witham was born Decem- ber 28, 1827, in Warren county, Ohio, on a farm. She is a believer in the Universalist doctrine. She is a good and faithful helpmate and has done a mother's duty. Her mother's
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