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 28

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 28
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 28
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 28

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sonian democrat, and he and wife were con- sistent and devout members of the Regular Baptist church.

Bradford Epperson, son of above and the subject of this sketch, was born in Shelby county, Ky., on his father's farm, October 21, 1819, and was but seven years of age when he came with his parents to Putnam county, Ind. He attended the pioneer subscription school of his day, held in an old log cabin with split logs for seats, and here he learned to read and write, and enough arithmetic for the practi- purposes of a pioneer. He followed the busi- ness of saw and grist inilling when young. In 1844, January 19, our subject married in Iroquois county, Ills., Satilla, daughter of Dr. Eli and Delilah (Adams) Budd. Dr. Budd was from an old American family, and prac- ticed medicine many years in Parke county, Ind., but moved to Iroquois county, Ills .- near Springfield-where he died. He was an honorable citizen and an able physician. He and wife were the parents of the following children: Marcus, Eli S., Elliot, David, Satilla, Perrilla and Merrillo. After marriage Mr. Epperson lived one year in Illinois and then returned, with his wife, to Putnam county, Ind., remaining a short time, and then went to Hendricks county, and engaged in the mill- ing business with his father, in which they con- tinned eight years, doing a good business in all kinds of mill work. Our subject then settled in Boone county, about 1854, upon 106 acres in Center township. In 1868 he came to his present farm, which is pleasantly situated two miles from Lebanon, is well improved with substantial buildings-and here Mr. Epperson has elected to spend the remain- der of his days in the well earned peace of an honorable, industrious and self-respecting life. He has always been well known as a moral, temperate and hard-working man. He is in favor of good schools and has given all his

children the advantages of a good education. These are William, Charles, Josephine, Nancy, Tabitha and Perrilla, who are all well settled in Boone county, except Delilah, who resides in Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Epperson are both members of the Christian church and he is a democrat politically. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity-Boone lodge, No. 9, Lebanon. Mr. Epperson has reared one of the most respected families in Boone county. The sons are law-abiding citizens and valued members of the community.

HOMAS B. EVANS, of Center town- ship, Boone county, Ind., is one of the most practical, progressive and successful farmers of this township. He is of Welsh-Irish stock and is of the third generation in America. His grandfather, Da- vid Evans, on coming from Wales, settled on land in Pennsylvania, in 1784, and was mar- ried to Susannah Sayers, in 1790, at the bride's home in New Jersey, after which they lived in Washington county, Pa., where he followed farming, and, being fond of hunting, was considered a good marksman. Later, in the year 1805. they emigrated to Pickaway county, Ohio, where he died in 1827, the father of seven sons, named Lemuel, John, David, Evan, Jonathan, Aaron, and Samuel. With her family, Mrs. Evans moved from Ohio to Henry county, Ind., in 1836, and died in the fall of the same year. David Evans, the father of this family, served his adopted country in the war of 1812, and his flint-lock musket is still held in the possession of his de- scendants as a cherished relic of their ances- tor's patriotism. David Evans lived to be quite an aged man and died in Pickaway county, Ohio. Evan Evans, son of David, and father of Thomas B. Evans, the subject of our sketch, was born on his father's farm in Pickaway

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county, Ohio, August 12, 1801, received as good an education as the common-schools of his day afforded, and married, in Ohio, Jane Bell, who bore four children that lived to ma- turity and were named, in order of birth, Jona- than, Evan A., Margaret J. and Thomas. B. After his marriage, Evan Evans passed ten years in the state of Pennsylvania, and then, in 1834 or 1835, came to Indiana, and entered 760 acres in Boone county, on part of which his son, Thomas B., now resides. This land was heavily timbered, but by diligence and hard work Mr. Evans succeeded in clear- ing up one of the best farms in Center township. Mr. and Mrs. Evans were pious members of the Baptist church, in which he was a deacon for many years, and in politics he was a democrat. He was a most success- ful farmer, was an honorable gentleman, and died in 1888, at the advanced age of eighty- seven years.

Thomas B. Evans, the subject proper of this biographical notice, was born, in 1841, on the farm he now owns and occupies in Center town- ship, Boone county. He received the ordinary schooling usually accorded to farm lads, the chief attention of his younger days being de- voted to agriculture and the care of the home farm, thus becoming an expert and scientific farmer. At the age of twenty-four, August I I, 1864, he married Nancy J., daughter of Will- iam and Mary (Copeland) Cobb, and to this harmonious union have been born four chil- dren, in the following order: Florence J., Melya, Sylvia L. and Lenora D. As was his father, Mr. Evans is a stanch democrat, but is such from principle, and not for emolument or - official position. Mrs. Evans is an active and devoted member of the Christian church, and her daily walk through life shows the sin- cerity of her faith in the doctrines and the teachings of that religious denomination. Mr. Evans is a believer in agricultural progression,

and his farm of 320 acres is in all probability the best improved and most highly cultivated of any in Center township, if not in Boone county. He works it scientifically, brings to bear in its cultivation the lessons learned from his long experience and close observation, and every year enhances its value, instead of al- lowing it to depreciate. It is underdrained, probably, by more rods of tiling than any other farm of its size in the county, and its outward conveniences and adornments are unequaled, his farm buildings being especially attractive, convenient and substantial. His dwelling is an ornamental and pleasant place of residence, and all things show the controlling power of a master hand and an experience supplemented with good taste and a wise lookout toward the ulterior end to be attained-profit. Mr. Evans is a thoroughly honorable man, and is imbued with all those gracious qualities of benevolent tendencies which make his fellow-citizens happy and himself respected.

B OBERT J. FERGUSON, a very prominent farmer of Sugar Creek township, Boone county, Ind., is "native here, and to the manor born," his birth having taken place October 7, 1850. His parents were David and Abigail (La Follette) Ferguson, of whom the former was born near Liberty, Union county, Ind., March 2, 1814, and the latter in Harrison county, Ky., November 25, 1813, their mar- riage taking place in Putnam county, Ind., July 5. 1838. They were members of the regular Baptist church, and were highly esteemed by the members of that religious or- ganization, and respected by all who knew them. Their parents first removed to Jeffer- son township, Boone county, Ind., in the fall- of 1838, and then settled in Sugar Creek township, same county, in 1857, and bought a

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farm of 120 acres, to which they added until they owned 320 acres, and on this farm, the present home of Robert J. Ferguson, the father died October 18, 1876, and the mother April 14, 1888. They were the parents of three children, viz: Mary J., Eliza A. and Robert J. Ferguson. David Ferguson was a successful man through life, and his estate, at death, was valued at $25,000. He never had a law suit, being honest to the core and treat- ing all business relations with promptness and liberality. In politics he was a democrat.

Robert J Ferguson, beside becoming a practical farmer, was well educated at the dis- trict school. He remained with his parents until their death, and he and his sisters are still on the old homestead, which now comprises 380 acres, nearly all in one body. Mr. Fer- guson makes a specialty of thoroughbred horses, derived from the "Smuggler " and ". Wilkes" stock and other distinguished families. In politics Mr. Ferguson is a dem- ocrat, and in religion he and his sisters are faithful believers in the Baptist doctrine, and are all highly respected by their neighbors and acquaintances.

J OHN C FERREE .- As the name indi- cates, the gentleman whose name intro- duces this biography is of French de- scent. His great-grandfather came from the old country in an early day and settled in one of the Atlantic states, where William Fer- ree, the grandfather, for many years a resident of North Carolina, was born. After her hus- band's death the wife of William Ferree came to Indiana, where she made her home with her son John; at the time of moving to this state she owned a number of slaves, whom, on account of her religious convictions, being a member of the Society of Friends, she gener- ously liberated John Ferrce, father of John

C., was a native of North Carolina, born in the year 1795, and married in his native state Priscilla Ward. In 1821 he emigrated to Ran- dolph county, Ind., later moved to the county of Morgan, where he entered government land and purchased other real estate. He disposed of his interests in Morgan county in 1858 and emigrated to Iowa, where he purchased a farm upon which his death subsequently occurred; the following are the names of his children: William, Daniel and Ebaline, all three of whom died while young; Henderson, Sallie, Priscilla, Susan, Ann, Jemima, Hannah, John C. and · Daniel D. surviving until maturity. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ferree were birthright members of the Society of Friends, and noted for their strict adherence to the pure, simple, teachings of that faith.

John C. Ferree was born in Morgan county, Ind., February 13, 1839, was reared a farmer, and accompanied his parents to Iowa in the year above mentioned. He was united in marriage July 2, 1861, to Martha Ross, daugh- ter of Joseph and Susan (Green) Ross, and has one child, a son, Otis O. Ferree. In Septem- ber. 1864, Mr. Ferree entered the army, enlist- ing in company D, Twenty-ninth Indiana in- fantry, and shortly after entering the service was assigned to post duty at Chattanooga, Tenn. During the winter of 1864 he con- tracted a severe cold, which settled on his lungs and caused him much suffering, and he has never entirely recovered from this sickness. He suffered partial deafness for a period of over six months, and his sense of hearing, still defective, causes him no little annoyance at intervals. During his period of service he participated in several campaigns in Alabama and other southern states, and some time pre- vious to the termination of his period of enlist- ment was detailed as clerk, which position he filled very creditably until the close of the war. The place was one of great responsibility, but

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he discharged its every duty in such a manner as to elicit the warmest praises from his supe- rior officer. While thus employed he wrote a history of his regiment, a copy of which was sent to the war department and deposited in the archives at Washington city. Mr. Ferree was honorably discharged from the service June 25, 1865, since which time he is the re- cipient of a very liberal pension from the gov- ernment. Before entering the army Mr. Fer- ree was a skillful mechanic and he resumed his trade, that of carriage-making, at the close of . the war, and continued the same for a period of fifteen years. Subsequently he engaged in the mercantile trade at Center Valley and did a very flourishing business for three years, at the end of which time he disposed of his stock and purchased a small farm in Jackson town- ship, where he resided until 1890, when he located in Jamestown, where he owns a good home and is supplied with every comfort. Mr. Ferree has retired from the active duties of life, but still looks after the management of his farm. He is an intelligent, enterprising citizen, a close observer of the events of the day, and enjoys the esteem and confidence of his neigh- bors and friends.

R EUBEN H. FLINN .- Boone county, Ind., is the favorite home of many veterans of the Civil war, and among them is Reuben H. Flinn, our sub- ject, a soldier who deserves more than a pass- ing space in our record. His grandfather, William Flinn, was one of the pioneers of Ken- tucky. He descended from an old colonial Amer- can family of Irish ancestry. He became a sub- stantial farmer and was the father of three children who are remembered-Valentine, John and William. He lived to be more than eighty years of age. Valentine Flinn, father of our subject, was a farmer of Nicholas county,

Ky., and married there Susannah Sacre. To them were born ten children in the following order: John R., Alfred, William W., Marion F., George W., Reuben H., Johanna C., Mary J., Rowena E. and Thomas D. About 1833, Mr. Flinn moved to Indiana and located in Clinton county, where he remained four years and then went back to Kentucky, and in 1853 returned to Clinton county, and came to Boone county in 1855, and here passed the remain- der of his days. Both he and wife were mem- bers of the Missionary Baptist church. He voted with the democrats until 1856, when he became one of the original republicans. Mr. Flinn was a typical American pioneer and straightforward in his manner of dealing. He was loyal to the Union and had four sons in the Civil war-Alfred, in the One Hundred and Forty-eighth regiment, Indiana volunteer in- fantry; William W., in company D, One Hun- dred and Fifty-third regiment, Indiana volun- teer infantry; George W., company D, Seven- ty-second regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, belonging to Wilder's brigade; and Reuben H.

Reuben H. Flinn was born August 13, 1840, in Franklin county, Ky. He received the pioneer education of his day, and was thirteen years of age when he came with his father to Indiana. He followed the pursuit of agricul- ture. At the breaking out of the war, filled with patriotism to serve his country, he enlist- ed on May 8, 1861, in Washington township, Boone county, Ind., in company H, Fifteenth regiment. Indiana volunteer infantry, and served three years. He veteranized in Jan- uary, 1864, and was transferred to company C, Seventeenth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Macon, Ga., and was honorably discharged, having served his country as a soldier four years and three months. He was in the battles of Stone River, Missionary Ridge and many skirmishes. In the Seventeenth

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regiment he was mounted, and in the famous Wilson raid. He was in a severe skirmish at Ebinceger Church, Ala., at Selma, and a skirmish before Macon. Mr. Flinn was never wounded nor sick enough to be in hospital, and was never a prisoner. He took part in all the battles and skirmishes of his regiment, and was always ready for active duty. At Missionary Ridge a shell passed directly back of his head, so close that the rush of air knocked him down, and at Stone River he had a narrow escape from death. After the war he lived in Carroll county, Ind., on a farm for about eighteen months, and in 1867 he re- turned to Boone county. He married, Jan- uary 17, Missouri G., daughter of William L. and Eliza (Mitchell) Martin. William L. Martin was a mechanic, born in Maryland, moved to Cincinnati, and came to Indiana and settled in Scott county, as a pioneer, in 1838. To Mr. and Mrs. Martin were born nine chil- dren : Mary F., James E .; William H., Missouri G., Adelia O., Arthur E., Elvira U., Granville E. and John F. Mr. Martin de- scended from an old colonial American family of English stock. His son, James E., was a soldier in the Civil war, company G, Eleventh regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry. He was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Forty-sixth regiment, Arkansas cavalry. He afterward became a physician. He was an honorable citizen and a member of the Method- ist church. After marriage Mr. Flinn settled at Thorntown, engaged in farming, and in 1885 bought his present property, consisting of forty-six acres of land in Center township, and with his pension of fourteen dollars per month is in comfortable circumstances. Mr. and Mrs. Flinn have three children now living : Charles O., C. A. and Roy E. Both Mr. and Mrs. Flinn are members of the Christian church, of which he is secretary and trustee. In political opinions he is a stanch republican.

Mr. Flinn has a clean record as a soldier and did not shrink from his duty. He faced death for his country at Stone River and Missionary Ridge, and his name, honored as a soldier, will be handed down to his sons and descend- ants as long as the old flag for which he fought waves in the breeze.

ILLIAM P. FEATHER, a sub- stantial farmer of Advance, Jack- son township, Boone county, Ind., was born in Putnam county, Ind., August 22, 1835. His great-grandfather and wife came from Germany and settled in Bed- ford county, Va., where their son Philip, grandfather of William P., was born, and where he married Mary Dilly, who bore fifteen children. One of these fifteen, Adam Feather, the father of our subject, was born in Bed- ford county, Va., January 9, 1803, and when twenty-five years of age came to Indiana and located in Bainbridge, Putnam county. He was a blacksmith and married Tillie Graves, daughter of Peter and Jane Graves, pioneers of that county. The children born to this union were William P., Henry, Eliza, Jane, Nannie, Ellen and Julia. Mr. Feather was a most excellent mechanic and always had all the business he could attend to. He lived to be eighty-two years of age, but lost his wife in 1854-he passing his latter years with his son, William P. His wife's father was a soldier in the war of 1812.

William P. Feather was married in Put- nam county, March 6, 1859, to Sarah, daughter of Joseph P. and Julia A. (Shell) Boyd. Grandfather Boyd came from Ken- tucky and was a pioneer of Fayette county, Ind., where he died, an elder and pillar of the Presbyterian church; Grandmother Boyd mar- ried William Hillis, of Putnam county, and she was mother of the following childre

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Joseph P. and Elizabeth (twins), Nancy, Irvin, Harvey and Polly Ann. Joseph P. Boyd was born in Fayette county, Ind., January 19, 1809, was reared a farmer, and after moving to Putnam county married Julia A. Shell, daughter of Louis and Nancy (Solace) Shell. Louis Shell was a veteran of the war of 1812, and was a pioneer of Putnam county, and there were but few houses between his farm and Greencastle. He was a strict Presbyterian, was an elder, and a Sabbath-school superin- tendent for over fifty years, and was greatly respected, not only in the church but through- out the township. Joseph P. Boyd was a prosperous farmer and a devout Presbyterian, of which faith his wife was a strong adherent. In politics he was first a democrat, but later a republican. His death took place in February, 1875, his widow surviving until November 9, 1884. She was ninety-six years old, never wore glasses in her life, and cut two teeth when she was eighty. The only doctor she ever had was at her death bed.

After his marriage, Mr. Feather lived on his farm in Putnam county five years, and in 1864 came to Boone county and settled on his present farm of eighty acres, then a com- plete wilderness, without a vestige of improve- ment, excepting a log cabin. But Mr. and Mrs. Feather both went hard to work and converted this wilderness into one of the most fertile and best improved farms in Jackson township. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Feather were named as follows: Emma H., born June 25, 1860; Julia M., July 22, 1862; Dora, October 27, 1864; Charles R., August 2, 1867; Ella F., January 6, 1870 and died March 17, 1891. (She graduated from the New Ross academy in 1888, and had been granted å license to teach, but at that moment all the positions had been filled; she taught, . however, two terms of summer school at Advance, Ind. She married William White-

cotton June 15, 1890, and had one child, Jennie, deceased.) Nina M. Feather, the next child in the family, was born January 9, 1872, and Lulu, the youngest, June 14, 1876. William P. Feather has had his war experience, but has never had full recompense for his services. October 3. 1861, he enlisted for three years, at Camp Vigo, in company B, Forty-third I. V. I., and was doing camp duty at Terre Haute, in active preparation for the field, when he was permanently injured in the line of duty, and constantly suffers from his wound. He was discharged October 27, 1861, as being utterly unfit for further military duty, but, on account of his name having been omitted from the adjutant-general's roll, through mistake of some careless officer, he has never been able to secure a pension. Mrs. Feather is a consistent member of the Methodist church, and with her husband stands deservedly high in the esteem of the residents of Jackson township.

J OHN W. FORBES, a leading citizen of Jackson township, Boone county, Ind., was born in Rockbridge county, Va., June 27. 1844. His grandfather, William Forbes, was born in the same county, was of English descent, was a patriot of the Revolutionary war, and died in his native county at the age of seventy-five. His wife bore the maiden name of Sarah Campbell, and became the mother of the following children: William A., George, Samnel, Bartlett (who was a soldier in the war with Mexico and fought at Buena Vista and Cerro Gordo), and Jasper. William A. Forbes, father of John W., was born in Virginia June 27, 1822. He was a wheel-wright by trade when young, but was ordained a minister in the U. B. church, was a leader in the Kansas-Missouri conference, and is still engaged in the good work. He

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married Elizabeth Sphor, daughter of Jacob and Barbara Sphor, and to this marriage were born John W., Sam, Joseph and Mary.

John W. Forbes was reared a farmer and at the proper age married Jennie Carty, daughter of John P. and Jennie (Saliers) Carty, and this union has been blessed by the birth of Acena V., Mary E., Dora B. and Charles M., all still living. The father of Mrs. Forbes was a prominent farmer of Knox county, Ky., owning 500 acres. He was an ardent Union man and fed the Federal soldiers when occasion offered, and for this the rebels retali- ated by devastating his farm and stealing every thing they could carry off. He had a son and a son-in-law in the Union army and lost his fortune through his sympathy with the Union cause. He died in Boone county, Ind., at the age of seventy, and his wife died in Parke county, Ind., at the same age. John W. Forbes enlisted at the age of eighteen, in Leb- anon, in company F, Fifty-fourth Indiana volunteer infantry, and was sent directly to Vicksburg, was placed in Gen. Sherman's com- mand, and was in the famous fight of seven days and nights in the open fields-sometimes having something to eat and sometimes noth- ing-and under constant fire. One hundred and fifty men, on one occasion, were killed in one hour and a half. Mr. Forbes was struck by a ball just under the ear, but the wound was slight, and he had two bullet holes in his coat and one through his cartridge-box, and had several other narrow escapes. His next experience was at Arkansas Post. The second enlistment of Mr. Forbes was October 20, 1863, in company D, Sixty-eighth Indiana vol- unteer infantry, when he was sent to Chatta- nooga, Tenn. Next he was under Gen. Thomas at Nashville, where the buttons were shot off his coat sleeve. He was at Franklin, Tenn .; at Decatur, Ala .; at Bridgeport; at Jackson, Miss .; at Port Gibson, Miss., and at Port

Hudson, La. On returning from the war, Mr. Forbes resided on his farher's farm in Boone county, Ind., for a short time, and then passed five years in Missouri and Kansas, as his health, which had been impaired by his severe war experience, would not permit of his stay at that time in this climate. On his final return home he purchased his present farm of thirty-five and a half acres, which is improved with substantial buildings and is well fenced and ditched, and here he has since resided, honored by all who know him. He and wife are consistent members of the United Brethern church, and in politics he is a devoted repub- lican. Mr. Forbes is also a member of Advance lodge, No. 524, G. A. R., and has filled the office of sergeant-quartermaster. Mr. Forbes has recovered from the government back pay to the amount of $800, and has been allowed a pension-first of $4 per month, but since increased to $8-for his faithful and gallant service.

J OSEPH FRASER, of Lebanon, Ind., is one of the leading photographers of Boone county and springs from Scotch- Irish ancestry. His father, William Fraser, was a blacksmith and resided many years in Pittsburg, Pa. He married Ellen Travers and lived to be sixty-five years of age. He went to Canada in 1859 and resided there the latter part of his life. He was an industri- ous and honorable man. Joseph Fraser was born in Pittsburg, Pa., October 7, 1858. His parents took him to Canada when he was about one year old, and he was there reared on a farm in Bruce county and received a good common school education. He learned the blacksmith's trade, at which he worked ten years, three and a half of which were passed in the United States. He was married at Fayette, Boone county, Ind., in February,

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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