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 40

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 40
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 40
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 40

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Jacob F. Moore enlisted November 22, 1863, in company F, Fortieth Indiana volun- teer infantry, at Indianapolis, whence he was sent to Nashville and then to Chickamauga; he fought at Rocky Face Ridge and at Resaca; was in the siege of Atlanta, but as he had been seized with camp diarrhea was not able to do duty at Chattanooga. From this disorder he has never recovered. On account of this trouble he was frequently examined, and was sent to the rear further and further until he reached Jeffersonville hospital, where he was confined over six months; thence he was sent to Madison, Ind,, for further treatment, and then to Indianapolis, where he was placed in the invalid corps, from which he was mustered

out October 22, 1865. He returned to his farm and had it cleared, ditched, grubbed of stumps, and converted into a garden spot of 120 acres, with fine groves and pasture lots, which make a beautiful landscape. His build- ings are all substantial and modern in con- struction, and the wonderful change from a wilderness to a paradise has been made through the energy of himself and faithful wife. Mr. Moore has served as a school director for over twelve years and he has done much toward the advancement of the educational interests of his township. He is one of the trustees of the church, and has received from his fellow- citizens many other evidences of their confi- dence and respect.

S TEPHEN MOULTON, a well-to-do farmer, gallant ex-soldier, and influ- ential citizen of Marion township, is a native of Indiana, born September 20, 1835, in the county of Hancock. Pater- nally he is descended from English ancestry, and traces his family history back to his grand- father, whose name was Benjamin Moulton. His father, also named Benjamin, was united in marriage, in Kentucky, to Sarah Curtis, and became the father of the following children : Levi H., Eliza, Rebecca, Alfus, Stephen and George W. The father of these children was an industrious man and exemplary citizen, and died about 1843.

Stephen Moulton was reared on a farm, and, after the death of his father, found a home, for some years, with a Mr. Ward of In- dianapolis, to which place he went for the purpose of learning the tailor's trade ; in this, however, he was disappointed, and after re- maining six years, engaged as a common la- borer on a farm for the sum of four dollars per month. Subsequently, he worked for a lim- ited period in a flouring mill, and then en-

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

gaged in agricultural pursuits, but not being sat- isfied with the latter, 'abandoned them and learned the trade of wool carding, which he followed, with reasonably fair success, for some time. Afterward he engaged in teaming for a saw-mill firm in Marion county, and was similarly employed in the county of Ham- ilton until his marriage, which occurred on the first day of September, 1859, to Miss Mary Newby, daughter of Edward and Mary (Vought) Newby. Immediately after his marriage Mr. Moulton began farming, and was thus engaged until 1862, in August of woich year he entered the army, enlisting in com- pany B, Seventeenth regiment Indiana volun- teer infantry, going first to Indianapolis, thence to Kentucky, where, within a few weeks after leaving home, he participated in the bloody battle of Munfordville. In this en- gagement he was made a prisoner, but being exchanged shortly thereafter, rejoined his reg- iment at Nashville, Tenn., and took part in several active campaigns in that state and Kentucky. Among the battles in which he bore a gallant part were Hoover's Gap, Chat- tanooga and Chickamauga,. in the last named of which he was shot in the left thigh, causing a severe wound, the ball being taken out of the knee-cap. The wound was received in the night, the result of a mistake, his regiment being fired into by a detachment of Federals under the impression that they were the en- emy. On account of this disability, he was removed to the hospital at McMinville, Tenn., where he remained under the surgeon's care until January 20, 1864, and on the eighth of the following June was honorably discharged from the service at Indianapolis. Mr. Moul- ton has a military record of which he feels de- servedly proud, and has in his possession a number of relics of the campaigns and battles through which he passed, including, among others, the bullet which caused him so much

suffering, a cannon ball from the field of Chickamauga, and a cane curiously carved from a piece of timber shot from a tree at Stone River.

On leaving the army, Mr. Moulton returned to Marion county and resumed farming, which he carried on for a period of eight years, and then became a resident of the county of Boone, purchasing, in 1870, the place on which he now resides in Marion township. His farm consists of eighty acres of well improved land, and his buildings are comfortable and substan- tial, bespeaking the contented American home. Owing to disability occasioned by wounds and exposure while in the service, Mr. Moulton has been compelled to undergo much suffer- ing. and his physical condition is such as to render permanent recovery a matter of grave doubt. He does not regret the fact that he willingly gave the best part of his life-to the service of his country, and as a small return is now receiving from the government a pension of $16 per month. The following are the names of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Moulton, and dates of birth: Cyrenius, June 20. 1861; Mary L., July 19, 1865; Edmund V., August 26, 1867; died September 16, 1868; Naomi J., December 28, 1868; Minnie S., March 24, 1873, died April 6, 1883.

J EREMIAH M. NEIDLINGER, dealer in general merchandise, Whitestown, Boone county, Ind., is a native of Lehigh county, Pa., and son of James and Abigail Neidlinger, both parents born in the same state. James and Abigail Neidlinger came to Indiana in 1865, locating at Frank- fort. where they resided until their respective deaths in the years 1891 and 1874. Mr. Neid- linger was twice married, his first wife, whom he married in Pennsylvania and who died in that state, being Christena Stroevinger, who

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bore him three children-William H., Chris- tena and Eliza. By his second wife, whose maiden name was Abigail Fritzinger, he had eight children, whose names in order of birth are as follows-Reuben, Rebecca, James F., Elizabeth, Jeremiah M , Ella, Andrew and Abigail.

Jeremiah M. Neidlinger, whose name in- troduces this sketch, was born February 26, 1855, and spent his youth in Pennsylvania, in the schools of which state he received his educational training. He accompanied his par- ents to Indiana, for a number of years resided at Frankfort, and on the twentieth of August, 1876, at the town of New Augusta, was united in marriage to Laura T., daughter of Jeremiah and Susannah (Pitts) Coble. Mrs. Neidlinger is a native of Indiana, born at New Augusta on the twenty-first day of November, 1859. In the year 1880 Mr. Neidlinger purchased, of Isaac Dye, the Whitestown Flonring mills, and operated the same with success and finan- cial profit until 1883, at which date he disposed of the same to Samuel Butnor, and for a limited period thereafter was engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. Subsequently, he exchanged his farm for a stock of goods at Whitestown, with the mercantile interest of which place he has since been actively identified, his business at this time representing annual sales of from $20,000 to $25,000. His stock, valued at about $12,000, includes all articles of merchan- dise demanded by the general trade, and his business, by far the most extensive in Whites- town, ranks with the best of the kind in Boone county. Mr. Neidlinger is a careful business man, strictly honorable in his dealings, and has more than a local reputation in commercial circles. He and wife are members of the Lutheran church and in politics he supports the democratic party. The names of the chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Neidlinger, together with their dates of birth, are herewith given: Abigail

S., July 1, 1877; Laura P., March 28, 1880; George M., September 23, 1883; Maggie B., December 8, 1885; Jeremiah F., April 3, 1888; Geraldine J., June 19, 1892.

J ESSE NEFF .- When the great Civil war swept over the country, and Abra- ham Lincoln made the first call for troops to defend the Union, the Ameri- can people were pursuing the arts of peace, and the farmer's son was holding the plow and assisting in the support of his father's family.

Jesse Neff, the subject of this sketch, was one of these farmer boys. He is a native In- dianian and descends from hardy Swiss stock- from those people who founded the first per- manent republic in the history of the world. Two brothers of the name were the founders of the family in America, in old colonial times. One settled in North Carolina and one came west. Col. C. C. Nave was a veteran of the Mexican war, was from east Tennessee, and descended from the brother who went to North Carolina. The colonel was well in- formed as to the family history, and stated that the name was originally spelled Nave, and that they were of Swiss ancestry. Col. Nave practiced law for many years in Hendricks county, Ind., and at the time of his death was the oldest practitioner at the bar in the state of Indiana.

From the brother who came west, or his descendants, came its name Neff. John Neff, the grandfather of the subject, was born near Baltimore, Md. He was a farmer and settled in Boyle county, Ky., near Danville, and reared a family consisting of the following children : Jacob, Abraham, Margaret, Martha and Sarah. John Neff came to Hendricks county, Ind., in 1835, and settled in Eel river township, where he entered 160 acres of land, became a prominent and substantial

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

farmer, and lived to the great age of eighty- eight years. Jacob Neff, father of Jesse, was born in Boyle county, Ky., February 22, 1804, received the common education of his day and became a farmer. He married in Boyle county, Ky., Gabriella Skinner, who bore him twelve children : John, William, Elizabeth, James B., Elias, Pantha J., Martha E., Jesse, Lucebra, Emily, Sarah F. and Albert ; the first four were born in Boyle county, Ky .; the remainder in Hendricks county, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Neff were members ef the Christian church, in which he was deacon for some years. In 1863 Mr. Neff moved to Boone county, Ind., and settled near Lebanon on a farm. He died at the age of seventy-fonr years, an honored citizen. He was a stanch republican in politics, was strongly in favor of the Union, and had three sons in the Civil war.

Jesse Neff was born in Eel River township, Hendricks county, Ind., March 17, 1843. He received the common school education of his native county and early learned to work on the farm. At the age of eighteen years he enlisted in company F, Fortieth regiment Indiana vol- unteer infantry, at Lebanon, Ind., for three years, as a private under Col. W. C. Wilson, and Cap. Elias Neff, on October 7, 1861. He served until honorably discharged December 7, 1864, at Nashville, Tenn. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Tenn., fought April 6 and 7, 1862, when Grant, with 45,000 troops, was attacked by 40,000 Confederates under Gen- erals Johnston and Beauregard; the battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862-between 15,000 Federals under Col. Daniel McCook of Buell's army and four divisions of the Confed- erate army under Lewis, Bragg, Polk and Hardee; Stone River, Tenn., December 31, 1862, and January 1, 2 and 3, 1863, between 43,400 Unionists, under Gen. Rosecrans and 62,490 Confederates under Hardee, Polk and Kirby Smith; Missionary Ridge, Tenn., Novem-

ber 24, 25 and 26, 1863, between 80,000 Unionists under Gen. Grant and 50,000 Con- federates under Gen. Bragg, and in Sherman's expedition from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Atlan- ta, Ga. He took part in the battles of Resaca, Ga. May 14, 1864, between Gen. Sherman and Johnston's Confederate army, Rocky Faced Ridge, Pine Mountain, Ga., battle of Calhorn, battle of Burnt Hickory; battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864; battle of Peach Tree Creek, Ga., July 20, 1864, between Gen. Sherman's army and the Confederates under Gen. Johnston; Jonesboro, Ga., August 31, 1864, under Gen. Sherman's army and a heavy force of Confederates, who soon with- drew; then at Lovejoy Station, Ga.

Mr. Neff took part in all the battles as above given of this memorable expedition, and after the Atlanta campaign, the Fortieth regi- ment returned with "Pap" Thomas to Chatta- nooga, and then went to Athens, Ala., and Columbus, Tenn. They fell back with Thomas to Spring Hill, where a hard battle was fought, considering the number of troops engaged. He took part in the battle of Frank- lin, Tenn., on November 30, 1864, between Gen. Schofield's Union force, consisting of two army corps, commanded by Gens. Stanley and Cox, and two corps of Hood's Confeder- ate army under Gens. Lee and Cheatham. This was Sergeant Neff's last battle, and the terrible scenes of that day are vividly im- pressed upon his mind. He witnessed, as a combatant, the final charge of Gen. Hood's Confederates, which is considered one of the most brilliant infantry charges during the war, attacking Gen. Schofield's entire army. It was one of the most desperate scenes ever witnessed on the field of battles. Sergeant Neff was wounded in the storming of Mission- ary Ridge, November 25, 1863. He charged up the ridge with his company and was shot through the right thigh by an ounce ball. He

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was taken to the field hospital, where he re- mained for six weeks under a tent, and was then home on a furlough for six weeks-the only furlough he received during the war. He then rejoined his regiment. He was the sec- ond time wounded in the charge up Kenesaw Mountain, June 28, 1864. This was a slight wound on the right shoulder, which did not trouble him. The veteran soldier, Capt. Bragg, of Lebanon, who was in command of his company, was taken sick just before the' battle of Kenesaw Mountain, and Lieut. J. C. Sharp, temporarily in command of company F, was killed in this charge, and Sergeant Neff commanded the company, from this time until just before the fall of Atlanta, in many hard skirmishes and in the advance on skir- mish line and picket fighting.

After the battle of Chattanooga he was tendered a captaincy of an Alabama white regiment on account of his gallant conduct and meritorious duty as a soldier, but he preferred to remain with his own regiment, the Fortieth Indiana, most of whose men were from his own and neighboring counties. During his serv- ices as a soldier he was on many hard and tedious marches, which greatly taxed his powers of endurance. He well remembers a hard two-days' march from Louisville, Ky., to Bardstown, Ky .. in the month of January, over muddy roads, and another from Mum- fordville, Ky., to Bowling Green, in March, marching sixty-eight miles in two days. He was then a new soldier and carried heavy bag- gage; also a forced march from Nashville, Tenn., to the battle of Shiloh, day and night for six days, with but little sleep, marching all of Sunday night before going into battle. Ser- geant Neff was a strong, active and efficient soldier, and at a time of life when his health and spirits were at their best, and he entered with alacrity and cheerfulness upon his duties, and served his country faithfully and well.

After the war Mr. Neff returned to Lebanon and engaged in the mercantile business with his father and brother John. At the expira- tion of one year he engaged in the mercantile business at Jamestown with an old comrade, John J. Carriger, who married his youngest sister, and remained in this business seven years. In the fall of 1872 he was elected clerk of Boone county on the republican ticket and served four years. He was not a candi- date for re-election, but remained with his successor as deputy clerk for three years. He then engaged with others in the manufacture of implement handles, and while engaged in this business he was chief deputy clerk of De- catur county for three years. He finally sold out his business, and was deputy county clerk for Dr. Reagan for four years. He then as- sisted the present county clerk, Charles W. Scott, in opening his office, for six months. Afterwards he became connected with J. H. Perkins & Co., as one of the managers of their clothing department and in charge of their books. which position he still occupies. Polit- ically he is popular, and was elected council- man from the First ward five terms. He was married in February, 1865, to Miss Mary M., daughter of William and Elizabeth(Piersol) Gal- vin. Mr. Galvin is a farmer of Center town- ship, formerly of Hendricks county, where he owned a farm adjoining Jacob Neff's, so that our subject and his wife were reared together. Mr. Galvin is from an old American family and a member of the Christian church. Mr. Galvin and wife are the parents of nine chil- dren: Mary M. John P., Carrie, William, Albert, Olive, Emily, George A. and Christo- pher C. Politically Mr. Galvin was formerly a stanch republican, but is now a democrat. Jesse Neff is a charter member of Rich Mount- ain post, No. 42, G. A. R., at Lebanon, and has held the office of commander three differ- ent terms in succession, of one year each, and

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

was again elected commander for 1892. He was a delegate to the last national encamp- ment at Indianapolis, representing the Ninth congressional district. Mr. and Mrs. Neff are members of the Christian church, in which he is an elder.

Albert Neff, youngest son of Jacob, en- listed in the regular United States service in 1886, company A, Sixteenth regiment, United States infantry, and served five years on fron- tier duty in Texas and Utah, and re-enlisted in company F, Eighteenth United States in- fantry, and was instantly killed in the city of Laredo, Tex., being accidentally thrown from a wagon.

B. NOE, physician, Thorntown, Ind., is the senior member of the well known medical firm of Noe & Bruce. The doctor is a graduate of the Homopathic Medical college of Missouri, and located in Thorntown in 1890, where he has since been in the continuous practice of his profession, and is one of the leading and suc- cessful physicians of Boone county, Ind.

OSES NEESE is a Tennesseean by birth and a prominent citizen of Worth township, Boone county, Ind. His grandfather, John Neese, a na- tive of Virginia, emigrated in an early day to east Tennessee, having been one of the pio- neers of that part of the state. George Neese, son of the above John, and father of the sub- ject of this mention, was born in Shenandoah county, Va., where he married Catherine Bow- man and afterward emigrated to east Tennes- see, settling in Greene county, subsequently moving to the county of Cocke, where his death occurred in March, 1854, at the age of seventy-two years. Mrs. Neese afterward

came to Boone county, Ind., and departed this life at the home of her son, the subject of this sketch, at a ripe old age. George and Catherine Neese were the parents of a large family, the names of their twelve children being as follows : Michael, Abraham, Samuel, William, John, Solomon, Benjamin, Ambrose, Elizabeth, Susannah, Catherine and Moses.

Moses Neese first saw the light of day in Cocke county, Tenn., February 14, 1825, and married, in his native state, in December, 1848, Miss Mary J. Boyer, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Sims) Boyer. Mrs. Neese, also a native of Tennessee, was born on the twenty- ninth day of October, 1831. Bred a farmer, Mr. Neese has devoted his entire life to the pursuit of agriculture, in which he has met with the most encouraging success both in the state of his nativity and Indiana. He became a resident of the Hoosier state in 1855, mov- ing to Boone county and settling in section twelve, Worth township, where he purchased a farm and continued to reside there until re- moving to the place where he now lives in section eleven in the fall of 1882. As a result of his industry and well directed business fore- sight, Mr. Neese has been enabled to make judicious investments in real estate, and at the present time is the possessor of 408 acres of as fine land as there is in the township of Worth, aside from which he has divided 240 acres among the various members of his family. Mr. Neese adheres to the creed of the Luther- an church, and his daily life has been consist- ent with the teachings of the same. He is highly regarded in the community for his moral worth as well as for his business ability, and it is no disparagement to others when the compliment is paid him of being one of the most popular citizens of the township of Worth. Like his father before him, Mr. Neese is a progenitor of a large family, twelve children in all, and their names are here

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

given : Sarah A., deceased; Amanda J., Sophronia E., Alexander, Jeannette, Jerome, James L., John O., Charles P., Lawrence. C., and twins that died in infancy without being named.

A MBROSE NEESE, a pioneer of Boone county, Ind., and well known farmer of Worth township, now prac- tically retired from the active duties of life, was born in Greene county, Tenn., June 23, 1816, son of George and Catherine Neese, natives of Virginia and of German descent. George Neese and Catherine Bowman were married in their native state, and, in an early day, emigrated to Greene county, Tenn., thence moved to the county of Cocke, in the same state, where the father's death subse- quently occurred.

Ambrose Neese passed the years of his youth and early manhood in his native state and began the pursuit of agriculture in Cocke county, where he purchased land upon which he resided until his removal to Boone county, Ind., in the fall of 1849, where he purchased a tract of land in Worth township, a part of which is now occupied by the original plat of Whitestown, and shortly thereafter bought an eighty acre tract of land adjoining his first place, making his real estate at that time consist of 160 acres. In 1853 he helped sur- vey and plat the village of Whitestown, and about the same time erected the first building on the town site which was used for mercan- tile purposes. Subsequently, he disposed of the original plat, and, after laying out the first and second additions of the village, which at that time was known by the name of German- town, he disposed of his interests to a company organized under the name of Buck, Ground & Co., for the purpose of developing the place.

In the year 1869, Mr. Neese moved to his

present farm, which he had previously pur- chased, and has since continued to reside upon the same place, which at this time consists of 212 acres of good land, containing valuable and substantial improvements. Mr. Neese was married in Cocke county, Tenn., August 23, 1838, to Catherine Winter, who was born in the same county and state February 11, 1818, daughter of Joseph and Catherine Winter. Mrs. Neese departed this life March 3, 1892, after having borne her husband eleven chil- dren; the following are their names: Amelia, born June 14, 1839, married William W. Trout, and resides near Hazelrigg Station, . Boone county; Flora, born February 16, 1841, married Andrew J. Laughner, and lives in Whitestown; Alfred, born September 9, 1843, died November, 13, 1857; Miles, born June 3, 1846, died May 10, 1850; Emma, wife of John W. Bowser, born December 17, 1848; Jerome, born August 20, 1851, lives in Illinois; Isabelle, born August 24, 1854, married Michael Keef, and resides in Lebanon, Ind .; Jesse, born Oc- tober 14, 1857; Salmon H., born May 7, 1862, married Nantie Jennings, and lives with his father on the old homestead; Ida, born October 19, 1865, died November 9, of the same year. Mr. Neese is a member of the Lutheran church, to which his wife also be- longed for a number of years before her death. He is a man highly honored by his many friends and neighbors, and a list of Worth township's representative citizens would be in- complete without his name.

J ACOB OTTINGER, one of the pio- neers of Boone county, is a native of Tennessee, born in Cocke county on the third of September, 1822. His father, Michael Ottinger, was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Winters, was a native of Tennessee,

D. W OSBORN.

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OF BOONE COUNTY

both branches of the family being of German descent. The subject's paternal grandfather, also a native of Pennsylvania, served in the Revolutionary war, and in the war of 1812 was a fifer in the army of Gen. Andrew Jack- son. He was a pioneer of east Tennessee, and had a family of nine children, of whom the names . of seven sons are now recalled, to-wit: George, John, Henry, Michael, Peter, William and Jacob. Michael Ottinger, the subject's father, accompanied his parents to Tennessee when a small boy, married and reared a famliy in that state, and lies buried near the site of the family's original settle- ment. Eleven children were born to Michael and Elizabeth Ottinger, namely: Philip, Jacob, Andrew, Sarah, Catherine, Rachel, Lovina, Elizabeth, Narcissus, Triphena and Joseph.

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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