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 49

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 49
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 49
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 49

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EORGE W. SIMS, a prominent farm- er and stock raiser of Marion town- ship, and gallant ex-soldier, is a na- tive of Rush county, Ind., and a de- scendant of Scotch-English ancestors who came to the United States at an early period and settled in South Carolina. His grand- father, George W. Sims, was a native of South Carolina, a farmer and shoemaker by occupation, and for many years plied both vocations in the above state. He married

Nancy Angle and became the father of .the following children : Elizabeth C., John A. J., William W., Mary A., Christopher C., Karan and Happal, all of whom. with the exception of the last two named, who died in infancy. lived to maturity and became heads of fami- lies. John A. J. Sims, father of the imme- diate subject of this notice, was born in South Carolina, December 23, 1822. When a lad of ten years his father died. after which sad event he was brought by relations to Indiana and grew to manhood in the county of Fay- ette, where, until his twenty-first year. he was the chief support of his widowed mother. and the rest of the family. He attended the common schools when he could spare the time, which was indeed seldom, and being of a nature to adapt himself to his surroundings. worked for some time at the blacksmith trade and afterward utilized his mechanical skill as a manufacturer of pumps. On the thirteenth day of January, 1842. he entered into the marriage relation with Hannah J. Groves of Rush county. Ind., daughter of Donovan and Sarah (Hicks) Groves, and reared a family of children whose names in the order of birth are as follows: George W .. William A., Buena Vista, Nancy E., Judson, Elizabeth J. and Mary, all of whom reached the state of manhood and womanhood and married. In the year 1854 John A. J. Sims with his family moved to Hamilton county, Ind., and six years later he changed his resi- dence to the county of Boone, where he pur- chased a farm of 160 acres and turned his at- tention wholly to the agriculturist's vocation. In 1865, after the return of his boys from the army. Mr. Sims erected a saw-mill. which he operated for a period of nineteen years, the greater part of the time in partnership with his sons, George W. and William, the venture proving a most gratifying success financially. In many respects John Sims has been much

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

more than an ordinary man, his energy and determination, aided and controlled by most excellent judgment, having enabled him to overcome numerous vicissitudes and turn into victory what to many would have been defeat. He has led a life of temperance and sobriety, which, measured by the usual worldly stand- ard, has been most certainly a gratifying suc- cess, and when compared to the highest ideal of manhood as portrayed in the teachings of the Nazarene, which he has always endeavored to exemplify in his daily walk and conversa- tion, it has by no means been a failure. By the exercise of wise forethought, and good business management, he has succeeded in ac- cumulating an estate of over 500 acres of val- uable land, beside other property, which has enabled him to retire from the active duties of life and spend his declining years in comfort and quietude. Politically he is a democrat, and for a number of years has been a deacon of the Christian church. To the assistance of his wife, also, no small meed of praise is due for the prosperity of the family.

George W. Sims, whose name forms the head of this notice, was born on the twenty- sixth day of March, 1848, and spent the years of his youth and early manhood on the home farm, assisting his father and attending school at intervals in the interim. On the twenty- ninth of August, 1862, he entered the army as a private in company H, Fifty-seventh regi- ment Indiana infantry, and took part in a number of campaigns and bloody battles, among which were Stone River, Missionary Ridge, the operations around Atlanta, includ- ing the engagements of Buzzard's Roost, New Hope Church, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain and Peach Tree Creek, in the last of which, on the twentieth day of July, 1864, he was captured and sent to the infamous prison pen at Ander- sonville. His captors proved to be bush- whackers, who were for shooting him forth-

with, and his life was only saved by a chance inquiry by one of the rebels, who appeared to have lived on a plantation in South Carolina adjoining the home of Mr. Sims' annt. Fur- ther conversation between the two revealed the fact that they were distant relations, and the cook, to whom the prisoner was afterward turned over for safe-keeping, was found to be a former employe of Mr. Sims' father while the latter was engaged in the manufacture of pumps. These two fortunate discoveries in- duced the bushwhackers to deal leniently with their captive, and through their interposition the Confederate General Walker endeavored to save the prisoner from the horrors of An- dersonville by offering him the position of groom, which, to the credit of Mr. Sims, he patriotically refused to accept. After an in- carceration of a few months in Andersonville, Mr. Sims was exchanged. and at once rejoined his command, with which he afterward parti- cipated in the battle of Franklin, Tenn., where he received a gunshot wound in his right arm, which necessitated his retirement from the ranks. After spending some time in the Joe Holt hospital at Jeffersonville. Mr. Sims was honorably discharged from the service, and re- turning home engaged in the manufacture of lumber, which he followed, in connection with agricultural pursuits. until embarking in the general mercantile trade at the town of Ter- hune, in the year 1882. Mr. Sims sold goods with very satisfactory results for a period of ten years, at the end of which time he retired to his farm of 100 acres in Marion township, where he has since resided. Politically, Mr. Sims is a democrat, and as such made the race in 1888 for county treasurer, but with the rest of the ticket suffered defeat in the general re- publican "land slide" of that year. While in the goods business he acted as agent for the L., N. A. & C. railroad for a period of six years, and discharged the duties of the position in a man-

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ner highly creditable to himself and to the sat- isfaction of the company and the public geh- erally. Edith Ferguson, wife of Mr. Sims and daughter of William J. and Hannah (Russell) Ferguson, was born June 28, 1853, in Clinton county, of which the parents were early pio- neers. She became the wife of the subject on the tenth day of October, 1872, and has borne him six children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Ida, September 2, 1873; Annie, August 5, 1875: Sarah, November 7, 1877; Estella, November 8, 1880; John W., May 21, 1883; and Effie, September 11, 1886, all living except Effie, who died at the age of five years. Mr. Sims' great aim, so far as his relations with his fellow-men are concerned, has been to be guided and controlled by the Golden Rule, and in all his daily affairs he has ever manifested a generous regard for others, and a strict allegiance to the principles of hon- esty and honor. He is a man of positive temp- erance, firm in his convictions, fearless in his adhesion to principles, and is esteemed by all who know him as an honorable man and model citizen.

J AMES W. SLAGLE, a progressive farm- er of Perry township, Boone county, Ind., was born in Highland county, Ohio, March 17, 1847, a son of Isaac and Anna (Marsh) Slagle, natives of Virginia. From Virginia the parents removed, a year or so after their marriage, to Ohio, and thence, in 1851, to Indiana, where they settled on the farm now owned by James W. They were the parents of six children, viz: John, deceased, Sarah, wife of Mr. Montgomery; Mary. A., married to G. Funkhouser; Benjamin F., Jacob W., and James W.

James W. Slagle was reared, from the age of four years, to manhood, in Boone county, and inured to the hardships of farm life. Oc-

tober 6, 1863, he enlisted in battery I, Fourth Indiana light artillery, and took part in the battles at Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and at other places; in September, 1864, he went to Atlanta, and in January, 1865, went to Chattanooga for the second time, and then again to Nashville, then back to Stone River, and was finally discharged at Indianapolis in August, 1865. On his return home he engaged in farm labor seven years; . then, in 1873, he bought forty acres of good land, engaged in agriculture on his own ac- count, and in 1880, purchased forty acres more, and October 1, 1884, purchased forty acres in addition, all of which, added to forty acres inherited, constitutes a home of 160. His marriage took place in this county, March 24, 1874, to Miss Elizabeth C. Holmes, who was born in Boone county, November 27, 1848, a daughter of Jones and H. and Eliza- beth C. (Sallee) Holmes, and to this union have been born six children, viz: Jessie L., Leonidas L., Dollie F., Leslie A., Leroy L .. and Ross. Mr. Slagle is a republican in poli- tics, and has served as delegate to the state convention from Perry township, and was elected trustee of Perry township November 6, 1894, on the republican ticket by a majority of forty.

LIZABETH J. SLAYBACK. - The biographer is always pleased to record anything relating to the success of womankind in any field of action, but is especially so in giving an account of the subject of this sketch, who is a practical woman of Boone county, and a successful farmer. She is a daughter of James Thorn- berry, one of the original pioneers of the county, and widow of William E. Slayback, who was a prominent farmer of Center town- ship. He was born in Boone county, April

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

23, 1836, the son of William and Anna (Belles) Slayback. The elder, Slayback was one of the' earliest pioneers of Boone county, and was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, coming from Hamil- ton county, Ohio, in 1832, and settling in Wash- ington township. His wife, Anna Belles, was born December 10, 1802, near Trenton, N. J., and removed to Hamilton county, Ohio, with her parents, in early childhood, where she married William Slayback about 1821. They settled on a farm in the wilderness, where she lived until the time of her death. To them were born eight children-Lucinda, Millen, David, Mary, William, Eliza, Jane and Levi. Mr. and Mrs. Slayback were early members of the Baptist church, but later in life became members of the Christian church. Mr. Slay- back became a wealthy and prominent farmer. He inherited the characteristics of his Dutch ancestry and was a man much respected and beloved by all who knew him. He had a dis- tinguished demeanor and fine appearance, and reached the great age of eighty years and died. His wife died January 14, 1894. at the still more advanced age of ninety-two years.

W. E. Slayback, a son of the above, and the husband of our subject, was born April 23, 1826, on the old homestead in Washing- ton township, six miles east of Thorntown. He received the limited education of the pio- neers, and followed through life the vocation to which he was reared-that of a farmer. He married, at the age of twenty-four years, Eliz- abeth J., daughter of James and Jane (An- drews) Thornberry. Mr. Thornberry was born in Kentucky in 1801. His father, John, was one of the original pioneers of that state, and was from an old colonial American family. James Thornberry married in Ohio, and set- tled in Boone county, Ind., 1831-2, in the woods in Washington township. He entered 160 acres of land, which he improved from the virgin forest and increased, by good manage-

ment and industry, until he owned 210 acres of fertile land. He and wife were the parents of twelve children. One died an infant, and eleven grew to manhood and womanhood- Christina, Mary, William, John, Nancy, Abigail, David, Ira, James, Elizabeth and Levi. In 1866 Mr. Thornberry moved to Thorntown and retired from active life. He and wife were members of the Baptist church, of which he was a deacon for many years. Prior to the organization of the republican party he was a democrat, but afterward he affiliated with the former. He had two sons in the Civil war-William and Levi. William sickened and died in hospital after six months' service. He was in a Missouri infantry regi- ment. Levi was in the One Hundred and Forty-third regiment Indiana volunteer infan- try and served four years, and was in many battles. He was wounded and a prisoner at Andersonville nine months. Mr. Thornberry lived to be an aged man, and died in 1878. He was one of the prosperous farmers of Boone county, a man of high character, and brought up an excellent family of children. On the maternal grandfather's side, Mrs. Slayback descends from Arthur Andrews, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His parents were Irish, and he was born six weeks after his parents came to this country. His wife, Christina, was English. Mr. Slayback worked with such steadfast determination to improve his farm that he shattered his consti- tution, and died at the comparatively early age of forty-three years, in 1879 He is well re- membered by many of our citizens for his many good qualities, his unflagging industry, and high sense of honor. To Mr. Slayback and wife five children were born: Lew W., Millroy L., Dora A., Charles G. and Mary A. They all received good common educations. Dora A. married Lewis W. Copeland, a farmer of Boone county; they have two children.

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After the death of her husband Mrs. Slayback assumed the management of her farm, her eldest son being but sixteen years of age. By careful management, prudence and thrift, she brought up her family and improved the farm by having it thoroughly drained, and has now one of the finest farms in Center township, the home bearing all the evidences of taste and refinement. Mrs. Slayback is a devout mem- ber of the Missionary Baptist church, and is a lady of great force of character and good busi- ness ability. Her patience and faithfulness in managing the farm and raising the children since the death of her husband, cannot be spoken of in terms of too much praise.

R OBERT SLOCUM, one of the early pioneers of Boone county, is a native of West Virginia and was born in Harrison county, March 15, 182 ;. His parents were John and Sarah (McCann Slocum, also natives of West Virginia. John Slocum was a son of John, Sr., and Nancy (Martin) Slocum, who were among the early pioneers of West Virginia. His father was Robert Slocum, a native of Chatworthy, Eng .. who emigrated thence to the United States in 1867, landing in Philadelphia in August of that year. In June, 1768, he married Abigail Quinn and settled in Bucks county, Pa., and later removed to Virginia, where he afterward resided until his death at the age of eighty years. He was the father of four children: INCENT E. SMITH, a prominent citi- zen and old settler of Jackson township, is of English-German lineage and was born in Fayette county, Ind., Sep- tember 2, 1823; his father, John P. Smith, was a native of the Eastern states and the son of a Revolutionary soldier whose ancestors settled near Chesapeake bay in the time of the colonies. John P. Smith emigrated to Ohio John Slocum, the grandfather of our subject being the eldest. John was the father of ten children, of whom John Slocum, Jr., was the fourth. He was born in Harrison county, W. Va., May 21, 1803. He was married, May 18. 1826, to Sarah McCann, a native of Harrison county, W. Va., born January 27, 1805. Her parents were Thomas and Martha McCann. natives of Ireland, who emigrated to the in 1818, and two years later pushed further

United States in a very early day. In the spring of 1830 John Slocum moved to Boone county, Ind., entering and settling on the same land on which our subject now resides, where he remained until death. His wife died September 28, 1863, and he died July 3, 1866. They were the parents of nine chil- dren, viz: Sarah, deceased: Thomas; John, deceased; Margaret, deceased; Rebecca, de- ceased; Jane, deceased; Harriet, deceased; Ann deceased, and Robert, our subject, the eldest. Robert came with his parents to Boone county in 1830, and was united in mar- riage April 7, 1851, to Nancy J., daughter of Robert and Rebecca J. Snodgrass. She was a native of Indiana and was born January 17, 1830. After Mr. Slocum's marriage he settled in Washington township and in 1853 removed to Clinton township, where he remained until the spring of 1860; then removed to Washing- ton township and here has since resided. His wife died June 4, 1889, and on November 25, 1889, he married Margaret, daughter of Wil- liam S. and Lucinda (Stuart) Buchanan. She was born in Ohio county, Ind., September 28, 1856. Mr. Slocum is a highly esteemed gen- tleman and is loved by all who know him. He held the office of township trustee of Washing- ton township from 1869 to 1873 and filled the office to the entire satisfaction of his towns- men and with much credit to himself.

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

westward to Fayette county, Ind., where his death subsequently occurred. His wife, Sallie (Eskey) Smith, bore him the following chil- dren: Morgan, Sarah, John, Samuel, Vincent E., Joseph E., Betsy, Nancy, Catherine, Perry and James H.

Vincent E. Smith left the parental roof while quite young and for a number of years was engaged in steam-boating on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers; during the time he was thus employed he served in nearly every capacity, and picked up a fund of practical knowledge by coming in contact with all class- es of men. A strong friend of the Union, he served his country in the late war in company K, Eleventh Indiana volunteer infantry, which formed a part of the command of Gen. Lewis Wallace. Within a short time after entering the army his regiment was transferred to Baltimore, Md., and assigned to guard and camp duty, and it was in that city that he was thoroughly drilled and prepared for active participation in the field. Owing to sickness he did not go to the front, and by reason of his physical disability was subsequently dis- charged from the service. After the war he returned to Indiana and was united in mar- riage to Jane, daughter of James and Telita (Baxter) Williamson. Mrs. Smith is a native of Decatur county, Ind., and the mother of the following children, whose names are given in the order of birth :- Sarah T., Mary J., Cereldia C., James M., Ambrose L. Carrie E. and Ola Dell, the last named deceased. Mr. Smith located on his present place in Jackson township in the year 1871; his place, though small, is well supplied with many of the conveniences of life, and he is justly es- teemed as one of the valuable citizens of the community. Fraternally he belongs to the G. A. R. post, No. 524, in which he has served as commander and chaplain, and for a number of years he has been prominently identified with

the Methodist church, to which his wife also belongs. He has held different official posi- tions in his denomination, including that of steward, and for a period of twelve years a local minister.

...

S ERG'T NICHOLAS BENNETT, the genial and popular landlord of the "Rose House," and a veteran soldier, who served his country faithfully throughout the late Civil war, is a typical American soldier of the western type, tall, erect and manly looking, content to serve his country for his country's good. He springs from sturdy Pennsylvania Dutch stock. Nich- olas Bennett, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, and settled in War- ren county, Ohio, as a pioneer when a young man. He married and reared a large family, cleared up and made a fine farm, and became a prominent and leading man in his county. He lived to the age of eighty years, and died on his farm in Warren county, Ohio. He was the father of four children by his first wife- William, Mary, Abraham and Henry I. By his second wife he was the father of five chil- dren. Mr. Bennett was an old-fashioned pio- neer American farmer, of sterling character. honorable, industrious, and respected by all.

William Bennett, the oldest son of above, was the father of our subject. He was born in Warren county, Ohio, on his father's farm, March 17, 1818, was reared a farmer, and married in Warren county, Ohio, Emeline, daughter of John Cuddy, a farmer of Baltimore county, Md. To Mr. and Mrs. Bennett were born thirteen children-Sarah, Nicholas (our subject), Robert, Jane, Isaac N., Alderson, Henry, Mahala, Rachael. Dora Martha, and three who died in infancy. Directly after marriage Mr. Bennett moved to Boone county, Ind., in the fall of 1838, and settled, in Clinton

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township, in the woods, on land which his father had entered for him. William Bennett and wife were members of the Methodist church for sixty years. Politically he was a democrat, until the formation of the republican party, when he became one of the original republicans of Boone county. He was a strong Union man, and had two sons in the Civil war- Nicholas (see sketch below), and Alderson, who was in company H, Eleventh regiment Indiana cavalry, as a private and served two years. He was in several battles, among them Nashville, Tenn. He died at Eastport, Miss., from the effects of army life. William Ben- nett is still living on his farin, aged seventy- six years, still active and able to work. He has always been a strong, robust man, and a hard laborer throughout life. He has always stood high for true moral character, and integ- rity. His first wife died, and he married Mary M. Richardson, née Graham, the widow of a soldier of the Civil war.

Nicholas Bennett, our subject, was born in Boone connty, Ind., Clinton, township, on his father's farm, November 29, 1840, and was reared among the pioneer scenes of this county. He received a limited common school education, and learned to work on the farm. At the age of twenty years, he enlisted in company G, Eleventh regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry. Col. Lew Wallace and Capt. Gum Carr were his immediate officers. He enlisted for three years, or during the war, on July 23, 1861, at Thorntown, Ind. He served out this enlistment and re-enlisted as a veteran, at Madisonville, Ala., for three years or during the war, and served until July 26, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md. He was in the battle of Fort Henry, Tenn., Fort Donel- son, Shiloh, Corinth, Miss., Champion Hills, Miss., Big Black, Miss., siege of Vicksburg- lasting forty-seven days. He was also in the

battles of Jackson, Miss., Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, and many hard skirinishes. He was wounded at the battle of Cedar Creek, by a shell bursting in the air over his head, a piece of which struck him on both shoulders, making a slight wound.

Mr. Bennett was in all the battles, skir- mishes, and marches of his regiment. At the battle of Champion Hills, company G lost twenty-five killed or wounded, and at Cedar Creek they also lost heavily. The sergeant was one of the first to respond to Abraham Lincoln's first call for 300,000 men, and serv- ed until his services were no longer needed by his country. After this important service he returned home, and engaged in farming. He married, February 9, 1864, Mary, daughter of Caleb and Mariah (Roseyboom) Beach

Mr. Beach is an old settler of Boone county, coming in 1852, and settling in Wash- ington township; he is a substantial farmer, owning 200 acres of good land. He and wife are the parents of eight children-Joseph, Mary, Sarah, Emma, Clarkson, John, Addie (deceased), and Ananias. Mr.and Mrs. Beach were members of the United Brethern church. He is a republican in politics, and was a strong Union man, having one son in the war- Joseph. Mr. Beach was is well known for his honorable traits of character, and is an excel- lent citizen.

After marriage Mr. Bennett lived on a farm in Clinton township for one year, and then was engaged in the mercantile business in Mechanicsburg four years. He was also in the saw mill business in Kirklin five years, and came to Lebanon in 1886 and engaged in the hotel business, and is now landlord of the Rose House, which he conducts in an orderly and liberal manner, supplying a bountiful table, and keeping clean rooms. Fraternally, Mr. Bennett is a member of I. O. O. F., at Kirk- lin, Ind., the Red Men, Winnebago tribe,

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OF BOONE COUNTY.

Lebanon, the G. A. R., Rich Mountain post, No. 42, and has held all the offices in his post, including commander. Politically he is a stanch republican. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have brought up two children-Alice Larkin and Alonzo Hoover. Mrs. Bennett is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church. Sergeant Bennett was assessor of Clinton township, and also marshal of Kirklin for four years. He was one of the delegates to the county con- vention of 1894.

J AMES SMITH, farmer of Perry town- ship, Boone county, Ind., was born in Center township, of the same county, September 20, 1834. His parents, James and Catherine (Birchfield) Smith, were natives, respectively, of North Carolina and Kentucky, and in the latter state their marriage took place, after which event they came to Indiana and lived in Ripley county until 1830, when they bought the land on which the Boone county farm is situate. James Smith, Sr., built the first jail in the county, which jail was constructed of logs. From that point he re- moved to the south part of Center township, thence to Harrison township, where he died in 1876 and his wife in 1879. They were the parents of twelve children, named as follows: Elizabeth, Malinda, Mary J., William, all de- ceased; John J. of Indianapolis; Minerva, Isaac H. and Amanda, dead; James, our subject; Robert and Jackson, both deceased, and Lu- cinda, wife of N. Williams, of Kokomo, Ind.

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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