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 41

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 41
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 41
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 41

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Jacob Ottinger was reared to manhood in Tennessee, and in 1844 came to Boone county, Ind., riding the entire distance on a horse, and taking sixteen days to make the journey. He married in Boone county, August 11, 1853, Lucretia, daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Stultz) Marklin. Mrs. Ottinger was born Octobor 29, 1832, in North Carolina, and was brought to Indiana when a mere infant, her parents moving to this state as early as the the year 1833. After his marriage Mr. Ottin- ger located at the town of Zionsville, where he remained one winter, and the following spring moved on a farm in Eagle Creek town- ship, where he followed agricultural pursuits until the early part of 1855, at which time he became a resident of the township of Worth. Mr. Ottinger assisted in the erection of the first building at Whitestown, which was occu- pied as a store by Mr. Spencer, and he is now an honored resident of the village, having practically retired from active life in 1893. He is the possessor of valuable real estate in Boone county, aggregating over 280 acres, and he has for years occupied a front rank among

the successful agriculturists of the town- ship in which he resides. Measured by the usual standard, his life has indeed been crowned with success, and he is now enjoying the fruits of the labor of his active years, hon- ored and respected by all who know him. Six children constitute the family of Mr. and Mrs. Ottinger, namely: Mary E., Martha J., Sarah A., John M., Cora and Luetta.

0 AVID W. OSBORN, the popular county treasurer of Boone county, Ind., was born in Jackson township, same.county, July 8, 1854, and is of English extraction. His father, Caleb Osborn, came from Russell county, Va., by wagon, in 1851. He had married a Miss Gose in Vir- ginia, and there were born to him six children, viz :. Judith, Elizabeth, Eliza, Mary A., Josephine and James C .- the latter dying as a soldier in the Fifty-fourth Indiana volunteer infantry during the Civil war. On coming to Indiana Mr. Osborn settled on wild land in Boone county, Jackson township, entering eighty acres, which by industry and good man- agement he increased to 240 acres. Caleb Os- born lost his first wife in 1851, and for his sec- ond life-companion married Mrs. Matilda ( Gose) Hudson, who bore him one child, David W., the gentleman whose name opens this notice. Caleb Osborn had been a demo- crat in politics until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he became a republican. He was an influential citizen among the old set- tlers, and was greatly missed from the rural districts when he sold his farm and retired to Jamestown, where he passed from earth a few years later, in the month of February, 1878, at the age of sixty-eight years.

David W. Osborn attended the common schools until the age of eighteen, and then en- tered Asbury (now DePauw ) university,

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

where he devoted himself to hard study for three years. He then engaged in the hard- ware trade at Jamestown, Ind., for five years ; for twelve years he was deputy auditor, and in 1892 was elected treasurer of Boone county on the republican ticket, which office he filled with much credit to himself and for which he was thoroughly qualified through his liberal education and his practical business experi- ence. So well, indeed, did he perform his duties, that he was renominated for the same position June 23, 1894. Fraternally, Mr. Os- born is a Mason-a member of Boone lodge, No. 9 ; he is also a member of the Lebanon lodge, Knights of Pythias, and has passed all the chairs both in the Lebanon and Jamestown lodges. In his domestic relations, Mr. Osborn is most felicitously situated, having married at Lebanon, in 1894, January 3, Miss Mary E. Houston, daughter of the well-known F. M. Houston. Mr. Osborn is considered to be one of the most able officials in the county, and his personal amiability has made him one of its greatest favorites socially. Indeed, so pop- ular did he become during his first term as county treasurer, that as a sequence of his nomination to succeed himself, he was re- elected triumphantly, November 6, 1894, carrying the whole strength of the republican majority, that party making a clean sweep of the county at the date mentioned, thus giving evidence of the wisdom of the republican coun- ty convention in making the renomination, and the popularity of Mr. Osborn with the people. The attention of the reader is called to a truthful likeness of Mr. Osborn on the opposite page, the life-like lineaments of which will be readily recognized by all who have ever met the genial official. Indeed, in all his re- lations in life Mr. Osborn has held a most prominent position, and his generous disposi- tion and broad views have placed him in the lead of his fellow-citizens.

OAH J. PALMER, a well known farmer and ex-soldier of Jackson township, Boone county, Ind., was born in Marion county, this state, February 6, 1843, and was educated in an old- style log school-house. His great-grandfather was born in England and was an early settler of North Carolina. His son John was born and reared in that state, married Esther Patterson, emirgrated to Kentucky contemporaneously with Daniel Boone, making the journey on pack-horses, and the wife carrying a young child and a spinning wheel on one of the ani- mals. He settled in Garrard county on a farm of ninety-six acres, but eventually became one of the wealthiest farmers of the county. Jesse Palmer, his son, came from Kentucky to Boone c. unty, Ind., in 1836, and engaged in rearing thoroughbred horses at Jamestown. He married Rachel Lebo, daughter of Noah and Belle (Smith) Lebo, and to this union were born William C., Emily C., John J., Noah J., Josiah E., Isaac H., George A. and David T. John J. died of typhoid fever at Jamestown, Md., and was buried with the honors of war.

Noah J. Palmer enlisted August 7, 1861, in company A, Twenty-seventh Indiana volun- teer infantry, which regiment lost more men than any other from this state during the late Civil war. The regiment was assigned to the army of the Potomac, and its first engagement was at Winchester, Va., where Mr. Palmer was captured and first sent to Lynchburg, and afterward to Belle Isle, his imprisonment last- ing from May 25, 1862, until September 12. On his parole he was sent to Washington and thence to Fort Delaware, and about Christ- mas, 1862, he rejoined his regiment on the Rappahannock river, and went into winter quarters at Stafford Court House. When spring opened, after a four days' march they reached Chancellorsville, and had a two days' fight (May 2-3, 1863) under Gen. Hooker,

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

who was forced to retreat. Here, also, the Confederate general, "Stonewall" Jackson, met his end, being accidently shot by one of his own men. Mr. Palmer was next at the battle of Gettysburg, which lasted three days -July 1-3, 1863. Here the Union loss was about 23,000 out of 80,000 men and the rebel loss about 25,000 out of 70,000, but it was a great victory for the Union troops. Mr. Pal- mer was next sent to New York city to aid in suppressing the draft riots in July, 1863. He was next sent south and participated in the two days' battle at Resaca, Ga., capturing an entire regiment; his next battle was at Hickory Ridge, and the next at Peach Tree Creek. He then went into the Atlanta campaign, and for twenty days was skirmishing and fighting con- stantly, and was at last shot in the left shoul- der; he was sent to the general field hospital and thence to Chattanooga, where he was mus- tered out September 12, 1864. He then re- turned home and rested a few weeks, when he volunteered in Hancock's veteran corps (or- ganized in Washington city). in company A, Fourth regiment. He was ordered to Win- chester to join Hancock's main army; he lay at this point three weeks, and was then sent back to Washington, where he was placed as a guard over the prisoners implicated in the assassination of President Lincoln. He was then sent to Columbus, Ohio, and thence to Louisville, Ky., then back to Columbus, where he was mustered out February 28, 1866, after an active service of four years, one month and five days. For all this severe service he re- ceives a pension of eight dollars per month.

Mr. Palmer was married in Garrard county, Ky., to Martha E. Johnson, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Patterson) Johnson, and there have been born to them the following children: Ira J., Viola, Josiah, Fannie, Emma, Minnie (deceased), Arthur, Jesse and George. For nine years after his marriage he engaged in 20

farming in Kentucky, in Garrard county, and then came to Jackson township, Boone county, Ind., where he owns a well cultivated farm of forty acres. Mrs. Palmer is a devout member of the Baptist church, while Mr. Palmer is a member of Antietam post, No. 162, G. A. R., in which he has held the offices of quartermas- ter and senior vice-commander. Mr. Palmer and family are held in the highest esteem by the citizens of Jackson township, who greatly admire his military record.

HOMAS JEFFERSON PARR .- Among the successful farmers of Boone county, who have risen to wealth and prominence by their own labors, stands the subject of this sketch. His grandfather was Mathias Parr, who resided in Tennessee on a farm. He was a demo- crat, and that is about all that is known of him, with the exception that he was the father of the following children: David, Jacob (who was in the battle of Horseshoe Bend, where the death blow was given to the Creek Indians by Gen. Jackson, in March, 1814), Matthew, John, Henry (a cripple, who remained single). His son, John Parr, father of T. J., was born in 1807, March 19, in eastern Tennessee. He married, about 1869, Martha Green Burrow, a neighbor girl. This union was blessed with six children, viz., William P., Martha, John N., Mary J. (died when two years old), Ema- line and Thomas J. The rest of the family married and reared families. He was an in- dustrious and very energetic man. He was an active Methodist, at whose cabin the itinerant pioneer preacher, astride his horse, with his leggins, portmanteau containing his clothes, hymn book and Bible, made occasional visits, when the neighbors for miles around congre- gated to hear the word of God expounded by his servant. He served as class leader, stew-

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ard, Sunday-school superintendent, and in fact filled all the offices of the church. He was one of the earliest settlers and entered 160 acres of land on Eagle creek, Marion township, which he cleared, improved, and made into a choice farm. He served one term as town- ship assessor, and was an unswerving demo- crat. He died as he lived, a Christian, leav- ing a good example for his family. The life of his wife was linked with his in church work, and faithfully she labored to bring up the fam- ily in the fear and admonition of the Lord. His age was nearly eighty-four years, hers about sixty. They were buried in Sugar Grove cemetery, Washington township.

Thomas Jefferson Parr was born March 2, 1844, at the home farm in this township. He received the common school education of that day, and was reared as a farmer's son. When yet under age, April 17, 1864, he married Cor- delia Cash, daughter of Benjamin and Eliza- beth (Burnett) Cash. This union has been blessed with one child-John E., born June 15, 1882. The ancestors of the Cash family here follow: The grandfather was Joel Cash. born in Virginia, an extensive farmer, owning at one time five farms. He was an old-line whig. His wife's given name was Elizabeth. But few of the names of their large family can be given-Shadrach, Joseph, Benjamin, Sarah, who married Jacob Tipton. His family and himself moved to Tennessee, where he lived till a great age. Benjamin Cash was born in Virginia, but moved to Tennessee. He was a farmer. By his first marriage was born Shad- rach, who lived to be married. His second marriage was to Elizabeth (Burnett) Cash. Their family comprised the following: Will- iam, Mary J., John, Docia A., died in infancy. Tabitha, Joel J., Cordelia and Benjamin F. The mother died when Benjamin was born, aged about forty-two years. They were peo- ple highly respected and took first rank in the

community. Benjamin was a born trader and rapidly accumulated property, but it was the old saying "come easy, go easy." He was a man of great nerve, for, at the age of forty- eight, he lost his good right arm. His arm was broken and not properly cared for, and mortification had gone so far that it had to be amputated. He held his arm on the table while three surgeons did the work, and he never uttered a groan while he witnessed the operation. He was politically an old-time whig. His third marriage was to a maiden lady, whose given name was Louiza. He lived to be sixty-five years of age and was buried in Hammock cemetery, Hamilton county, Ind. Mrs. Cordelia Parr was left an orphan at the age of eleven years.

Thomas J. Parr rented his father's farm for several years, accumulating and loaning his money until, in the year 1879, he purchased 100 acres, on which he erected good substan- tial buildings. He met with a reverse in for- tune, as his dwelling, which had been erected five years, was burned November 18, 1884, with nearly all the contents. Fortunately he had $900 insurance on the building and con- tents, which did not cover his loss. He began rebuilding a fine residence, costing about $1,- 500, which is elegantly furnished, and they use natural gas, Mr. Parr being also a stock-owner in a natural gas company. He and wife are zealous members of the Methodist denomina- tion, belonging to Lane's chapel. Politically he is a democrat. He has made a success of life by the industry of himself and faithful wife. His brother, William P., attended the univer- sity at DePauw, then the Jefferson Medical college, at Philadelphia, Pa., graduated, return- ing and practicing in his home neighborhood, but moved to Indianapolis, serving on various occasions during the Civil war as a surgeon. He moved to Wichita, Kan., then to Okla- homa city, where he with other professors are

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

engaged in a medical institute. John N. also attended DePauw university and graduated at the Cincinnati Medical college, but, still aspir- ing, he went to Chicago, where he also received a diploma. He is now located at Jolietville, Hamilton county, Ind. John N. has a son that is now taking his second course in a medi- cal college, while another son is a dentist.

Q APT. JOSEPH O. PEDIGO, the popu- lar mayor of Lebanon, springs from French lineage-the name being originally spelt Pergory, by the older members of the family. The founder of the family came to America at a period long ante- dating the war of the Revolution. Edward Pedigo, a Virginia soldier in the Revolu- tionary war, was the great-grandfather of Capt. Joseph O., and his holster and pistols have been handed down to the present genera- tion, showing he was an -officer and rode a horse. He moved with his family to Kentucky and settled in the - ilds of what afterward be- came Barren county, near the head of Beaver creek, about 1790. He cleared a farm and became a substantial farmer and slave owner, and died on his homestead, aged 104 years, a member of the Baptist church. Joseph Pedigo, Sen., son of the above and grandfather of the captain, was born in Patrick county, Va., and was also a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was a man of family, when he went to Kentucky with his father and other Virginians, and was the father of the following chil- dren: William, Nancy, Polly, John, Joseph, Henry, and Edward. Joseph Pedigo, Sen., cleared up a farm, on which he lived until he died of fever, aged sixty-six years, a member of the Baptist church and a substantial farmer and slave owner.

Maj. John Pedigo, son of above, and father of our subject, was born in Patrick

county, Va., and was about seven years of age when taken to Kentucky. He received a com- mon school education and was reared a farmer. He was a great reader, and became an intelli- gent man, and was a colonel in the Kentucky state militia. He married Elizabeth Oldham, and to them were born five children, who lived to mature years: Edward, Charles, William F., Elizabeth and Mary. Mrs. Pedigo died, and he married Jane Polson, and to them were born two children, who also lived to maturity: Harriet and Willis. This wife also di d and he married Jane P. Hobbs, daughter of John and Sarah Obanion, and widow of Dr. Hobbs; the Obanions were of Irish descent, and all old Kentucky families. By this wife nine children were born: Joseph, Robert, Sarah, Alford, Sanford, Elbert, Madi- son T., Josephine (died at eight years) and John W. Col. John Pedigo was the father of eighteen children; one died an infant, one at eight years, and all the others lived to be men and women, and all are living now, except Elizabeth and Sanford. Col. John Pedigo lived to the age of seventy-six years and died in Kentucky in 1859. In politics he was an old-li .. e whig, and afterward a republican and a strong Union man. He had four sons in the Civil war: Joseph O., in company G, Seventy- ninth Indiana volunteer infantry; James A., in company G, Seventy-ninth, Indiana volunteer infantry; Sanford P., company A, Seventieth Indiana volunteeer infantry, and Egbert T., company H, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana volunteer infantry.

Col. John Pedigo was a slave owner, his slaves having been left to him, but was an anti-slavery man in politics. He was a mem- ber, first of the Baptist and then of the Chris- tian church. He had a high character and was respected by all. About the year 1842, Col. John Pedigo's slave Aaron married a slave woman of a neighbor's family, by whom

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

he had five children. The owner, a Mr. Hamilton, sold his farm and was proposing to move to Missouri. Aaron wanted Col. John Pedigo to buy his wife and children, but he was opposed to the buying of slaves, and although Aaron was valued at $2,000, gave him his freedom papers and Aaron rode away to Missouri on his own horse.

Capt. Jos. Pedigo was born December 26, 1835, on his father's farm in Barren county, Ky. He learned to work on the farm, attended college at Danville, Ind., received a good edu- cation and became a school-teacher, and for two years followed this profession in Boone and Hendricks counties, Ind. He married, April 5, 1860, Mary E., daughter of Zenos and Agnes (Bridges) Darnall, an old settler of In- diana from Kentucky. To Capt. and Mrs. Pedigo was born one child, Cora O., wife of Frank P. Byrum, druggist of Lebanon. At the beginning of the war, Capt. Pedigo was a farmer. On August 13, 1862, he enlisted at Indianapolis, in company G, Seventy-ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, and was made a sergeant on the organization of the company. He served in this capacity until the spring of 1864. In 1862 he was in the following bat- tles: Stone River, Chickamaugua, Missionary Ridge and many numerous skirmishes on the route to and at Knoxville. He was in the bat- tle of White House Landing in June, 1864, and guarded a wagon train across the Chicka- hominy river, where a severe running fight was had. He was also in the battle of Perryville, and was later in the pursuit of Gen. Bragg. April 1, 1864, he went before the military examining board at Cincinnati, Ohio, and was commissioned as captain by the war depart- ment and assigned to the Twenty-eighth regi- ment, United States colored troops, as captain. July 30, 1864, he was in the siege of Petersburg, and was in the assaulting party when the ex- plosion of the mine occurred. He remained

in this command until the general march of Grant's army in March, 1865, on to Rich- mond. His regiment was the first infantry regiment to enter Richmond on April 3, and was reviewed by Abraham Lincoln on the next day. In June the command was sent to Indi- anola, Texas; from there they went to Corpus Christi to watch the Emperor Maximillian. Capt. Pedigo was honorably discharged at In- dianapolis, January 7, 1866, and returned to Lebanon and has since been engaged in the practice of law and in the real estate business, having read law after the war. In 1892 he was elected mayor of Lebanon, an office which he still holds.

Fraternally, he is a member of Ben Adhem lodge, No. 472, I. O. O. F., of Lebanon, and has filled all the offices; also is a member of the Red Men, Winnebago tribe, No. 36, and has filled all the offices of the lodge; also a member of Magnolia encampment, I. O. O. F., No. 45, and has here also filled all the offices. He is a member of the G. A. R., Rich Mountain post, No. 42. and has held all the chairs, and a member of the Loyal legion; he is also a member of the Rebecca degree, I. O. O. F., No. 2, as is also his wife. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pedigo are members of the Christian church, and in politics Mr. Pedigo is a repub- lican. No family in the county stands higher in the esteem of their neighbors.

ENRY M. PITTENGER is a typical Boone county farmer, and a native Indianian who served his country as a soldier in the Civil war, and returned home to become a respected citizen, and rear an excellent family. He springs from good old Holland-Dutch stock, who first settled in Pennsylvania, and were soldiers in the war of the Revolution. Nicholas Pittinger, great- grandfather of our subject, was a Presbyterian

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

minister in Pennsylvania. His son, Nicholas, was the grandfather of our subject, went to Ohio at an early day and settled in Darke county as a pioneer, married a Miss Buntin, and reared a family of children. She had one brother in the Revolutionary war. Nicholas Pittinger came to Indiana and settled in Mont- gomery county, six miles northwest of Craw- fordsville, and became a prosperous farmer. His children were : Caroline, Hannah, David, Mary, Nicholas and Elizabeth. Nicholas Pit- tinger, son of above, was the father of our subject ; he was born in Darke county, Ohio, and was but four years of age when brought by his parents to Montgomery county, Ind. He received a common education and attended one term at Wabash college. He was reared a farmer and married Emily, daughter of Henry and Annie ( White ) Hayes. Henry Hayes was a substantial farmer of Montgom- ery county, and an old settler of Madison county, Ind., on the Ohio river, where he fol- lowed boating at an early day. To Mr. and Mrs. Pittinger were born seven children : Henry M., Mary A., William, Lovilla, Amanda, Frank and Charles. After marriage, Mr. Pit- tinger settled on land in Montgomery county, ten miles west of Crawfordsville, where he lived for many years. He made several moves, but finally settled on a farm near the old home, where he died aged sixty-four years. He was an industrious, honorable farmer, a good citi- zen and respected by all. He was a republi- can in politics.

Henry M. Pittinger was born in Montgom- ery county, Ind., June 12, 1843, received a common education and was reared a farmer. At nineteen years of age he enlisted at Indian- apolis, July 14, 1863, in company A, Seven- teenth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, for six months, under Capt. Isaac Wantland. Our young soldier served in Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia in the army of the Cumberland.

He was in the battles of Blue Springs, Tenn., Walker's Ford, Tenn., Bean Station, Straw- berry Plains, and many skirmishes. He suf- fered greatly from hardships, especially the cold winter of 1863-4, and that New Year's day at Strawberry Plains when Longstreet was passing the brigade and had captured all the ambulances, camp equipage, and much of the clothing and knapsacks. They had a severe fight here and suffered greatly from the cold that night, building shelter from the cedar trees and only kept from freezing by great ex- ertion, not having proper clothing, and many suffered from frost-bite. Mr. Pittinger was sick in field hospital for six months with chronic diarrhea, which weakened him, and from which he has never recovered. He served seven months and fourteen days, and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Feb- ruary 24, 1864. After the war he resumed farm- ing in Montgomery county, Ind., and December 7, 1868, he was united in marriage to Mary L., daughter of Samuel and Mary (Walker) Cunningham, of Boone county, and settled in Jackson township in 1847. Mr. Cunningham was born in Virginia and went from there to Ohio, when a lad of twelve years of age, with his father, who afterward settled in Union county, Ind. He reared ten children, viz- Mariah, George, Hannah, John, James, William, Samuel, Nancy, Francis M. and Mary L. Mr. Cunningham died in 1886 in Jackson township, Boone county, at the advanced age of eighty- four years. In political opinion he was a stanch democrat. He was a prosperous farmer and gave each of his children eighty acres of land. He was well known and highly respect- ed for his sterling worth.

After marriage Mr. Pittinger settled on his present farm of eighty acres, to which he has added forty acres by thrift and economy, and now owns a fine farm which he cleared up from the woods. The six children born to Mr.

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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