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 58

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 58
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 58
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 58

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J OHN BARNER (decensed), father of D. P. Barner, whose biography will be found below, was born in Surry county, N. C., January 11, 1810, and died in Frankfort, Ind., March 31, 1892. His par- ents were of American birth, but of French, German and Irish descent. In the year 1814, with his parents, he emigrated to and settled in Bledsoe county, Tenn. His father, Horatio Barner, was a millwright by occupation. At

this early day in the settlement of the central west there were but few opportunities to at- tend school, but while working on a farm and learning cabinet-making, John managed by honest industry and perseverance to obtain quite a good education. It was on the 27th day of March, 1828, when eighteen years of age, that he left his parental home. He jour- neyed from Pikeville, Tenn., to Bloomington, Ind., alone, walking the entire distance. Here he found employment at his trade during the winter of 1828-29. In the spring of 1829 he went with his employers to Indianapolis. He was next employed about six months in a cabinet-maker's shop in Logansport, but re- turned to Indianapolis in the spring of 1830. It was in this city, February 27, 1831, that John Barner and Miss Mary E. Darnell were united in marriage. They lived in Indianapo- lis until the following spring, when they moved to Frankfort, arriving here on the 19th of May, 1832. To this union were born five children: John H., David P., Mrs. Mary E. Hill, Mrs. Jndith B. Sample and Mrs. India S. Ghere. The first named, John H. Barner, died April 22, 1885. The ever faithful and beloved mother departed this life June 21, 1884.

In 1834 Mr. Barner was appointed post- master of Frankfort and served continuously until 1849, when he resigned, that he might give his time more fully to the duties of clerk of the circuit court, to which office he had been duly elected in 1843. Father Barner was the leading spirit in the organization of the Clin- ton county Old Settlers' association, and for seventeen years its competent secretary. For forty years he was a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He en- joyed meeting men as men, but he specially revered this order for its work's sake. He loved the brothers of this society as he loved himself, and they in turn reverenced him with affectionate veneration. He was an

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

honorable member of the Clinton county bar for thirty-two years. , In legal matters he was a safe counselor, and in all his official and professional transactions he showed the minutest care. He was a master of details, but it was as a pure, gracious, manly, chris- tian man that his children and his grand- children, his friends and neighbors, will re- member him. His christian life began at his mother's knee when he was but three years of age. He united with the Methodist Episcopal church in May, 1831, and his active church life began at the old Wesley Chapel in Indianapo- lis, sixty-two years ago. He served as teacher and officer in the Sunday-school of that church, and he assisted in organizing the first Metho- dist Sunday-school in Frankfort, in February, 1841. For thirty years he was either a teach- er or officer in the school, and for eighteen years was its capable superintendent. For nearly sixty years he was a member of the official board of this church, serving up to the time of his death with marked loyalty and fidelity as president of the board of trustees.

Mr. Barner was a delegate from this, the old Eighth congressional district, to the national democratic convention in 1852, which resulted in the nomination of Franklin Pierce for president. At that time it took some five days to make the trip to the city of Baltimore, where the convention was held, by the various modes of travel-stages, steamboats and a small part by rail. What a contrast now, when we think of its taking only a few hours to make this trip.

Mr. Barner's was the first golden wedding celebrated in Frankfort, at which there were a large number of the family friends in attend- ance, on the 27th day of February, 1881, at the old family homestead on the east side of the public square of Frankfort, on which oc- casion the following brief history of this old couple was read by one of the family friends:

"John Barner and Mary Darnell were married at Indianapolis, on Sunday, February 27, 1831, by Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, now deceased, at the late resi- dence of Isaac N. Phipps, now deceased. Mr. Barner went to work in his cabinet shop on the lot now oc- cupied by the Bates House the next day after his marriage; commenced housekeeping in a few days and was furnished with a joint of bacon by his neigh- bor and friend, the late Calvin Fletcher. In about a week afterward, this young couple started on a pleasure trip on board the steamboat, General Han- na, the first and last steamer that ever came up from of White river, which event was hailed with the roar of cannon. They ascended the river quite a distance, with a jovial company from the city; and there was also a small artillery company in attendance, and all returned that evening. This couple came to Frank- fort, May 19, 1832, in a wagon drawn by oxen, mak- ing the distance in five days from Indianapolis. Their first dwelling was in a brick house on Ken- tucky avenue: the next in a double log cabin, oppo- site the present site of the new state house; the next at Frankfort in a log cabin on the next lot north of this; next in the old log frame, south of this; and since July 4, 1865, in their present dwelling, where they are on this, the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage, happy to meet their children. grand-chil- dren, friends and acquaintances. By this marriage there have been born two sons and three daughters: John H., David P., Mary E., Judith and Indiana S .: they have seven grandchildren living: Emma M. Whitcomb, John H. Barner, Jr., Willie B. Hill, Bird E. Barner, Mabel C. Barner, Alba B. Ghere and Helen Barner: and three dead: Ella and Mattie U. Hill and Lee G. Barner, and one great-grandchild living. Bertha Whitcomb, all of those living being present this evening, except John H., Jr., who is in a distant clime on account of ill health."

The death of this venerable citizen took place Thursday morning, March 31. 1892, and memorials in his honor were passed by the official board of the Methodist Episcopal church of Frankfort, by the Women's Foreign Mis- sionary society, by Frankfort lodge, No. 108, f. O. O. F., and by the Clinton county bar. At the meeting of the latter for this purpose, addresses were made by Capt. J. N. Sims, P. W. Gard, H. Y. Morrison, Joseph Claybaugh, J. V. Kent, J. C. Suit, Rev. W. MfcKendry Darwood, of Yonkers, N. Y., and Sam Van- ton. At his demise the remains lay in state at his former residence, from two till five o'clock, Saturday afternoon, April 2, and were viewed by hundreds of mourning friends. The obsequies in honor of Mr. Barner took place Sunday, April 3, 1892, at the M. E. church, of which he was an ardent member. The

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ceremonies were most impressive and the floral display very elaborate. Orations were made by Rev. W. B. Slutz, Rev. S. B. Town, and Rev. Thomas Meridith, and the funeral cortege, which forined on Tuesday morning, at 9:30, proceeded to the I. O. O. F. cemetery. The attendance of the representative Odd Fellows was the largest ever assembled to pay homage to their dead, and under the auspices of this noble order were the mortal remains of the lamented John Barner laid in their last resting place.

AVID PARRY BARNER, banker and broker, and second son of the late John Barner and his wife, Mary E. Darnell, was born October 29, 1833, in Frankfort, Clinton county, Ind., which is still his place of residence. He ac- quired a liberal education in the schools of his native city, and passed his. Saturdays and va- cations in the offices of the Clintonian, Com- piler and Clinton News, acquiring a knowledge of typography, and in the winter of 1852 en- tered the office of the Sentinel at Indianapolis as a compositor, and so worked until the fol- lowing spring, when he entered Asbury uni- versity, at Greencastle, Ind., and after a par- tial course, returned to Frankfort and taught school during the winter of 1854. He next entered the office of his father, who was at that time clerk of Clinton county. He taught school in the country during the winter of 1855, and served as an assistant clerk in the lower house of the state legislature during the session of 1857. He then returned to Frank- fort and resumed his duties in the clerk's office, and in 1859 was elected to succeed his father, who had retired after a faithful service of fif- teen years.

October 19, 1858, at Jefferson, Ind., Mr. Barner was united in marriage with Miss

Mattie M. Hopkinson, daughter of Mrs. Lydia Hopkinson, now deceased. To this union have been born four children, viz : John H., deceased; Bird E .; Mabel C., and Lee G., the latter also deceased. In October, 1863, Mr. Barner was re-elected county clerk. It is a matter of pride with Mr. Barner that he was the first native-born citizen in Clinton county elected to fill a county office. May 1, 1868, he and his father engaged in the banking bus- iness, under the firm-name of D. P. Barner & Co. January 6, 1869, this firm consolidated with Carter, Given & Co., proprietors of the International bank, of which Mr. Barner was elected cashier, which position he retained un- til July 22, 1871, when the International was converted into the First National Bank of Frankfort, of which institution Mr. Barner was chosen cashier, and which office he accept- ed at the solicitation of Wm. R. Carter, now deceased, who for some years ably filled the position of president. Mr. Barner honorably and efficiently discharged his responsible duties as cashier until September 25, 1893, having filled the position continuously for twenty-two years-a term of service not often equaled, and of which anyone might well be proud. Under his management the First National bank steadily advanced to a condition of en- viable prosperity. Mr. Barner is generally ack owledged by men who are versed in such matters as the best judge of credit in this county, and as a safe and conservative banker. Unlike many men whose life work consists in the management and control of money Mr. Barner has never become its slave. The needy and suffering could not appeal to a more indulgent source of relief; nor could they who desired to engage in any legitimate enterprise find a more enthusiastic supporter.

In June, 1876, Mr. Barner was elected to attend the democratic national convention at St. Louis, Mo., in the interest of Gov. Hen-

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

dricks as a nominee for the presidency. Mr. Barner is an earnest friend of public education, and during his term as member of the school board of Frankfort the handsome school edi- fice in the Second ward, was built in 1873. He is the only survivor of the board of trustees with whom he was associated in that enter- prise-Messrs. James H. Paris and Samuel D. Ayers-who have since died.

ON. SAMUEL O. BAYLESS, a prominent member of the Frankfort bar and of the bar of the supreme court of the state, is a son of John N and Christiana (Cosner) Bayless, and was born in Tippecanoe county, Ind., June 24, 1848. John M. Bayless was born in Butler county, Ohio, January 3, 1813. and was a son of Platt and Fannie (McGary) Bayless, who were born and married in New Jersey, where Platt Bayless was engaged in farming. In 1802 they moved to Butler county. Ohio, and and there remained until 1833, when they came to Indiana and settled in Tippecanoe county, in the eastern part of which Platt Bayless entered 160 acres of forest land, which he cleared and cultivated until his death, which occurred in 1856. his widow surviving until 1861. They were the parents of the follow- ing children: John M .; Sarah Ann, wife of Ezra Bush, now decaased; Cyrus; Martha J., wife of William H. Sims, of Mulberry, Clinton county; Platt, of Lincoln, Neb .; and Samuel, who went to Texas before the opening of the late war, and of whom all trace is lost.

John M. Bayless was only twenty years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in shoe- making, at which he worked in the village of Dayton, Tippecanoe county, until 1842, when he purchased land and engaged in farming in same county, which vocation he followed until

March, 1879, when he moved to Frankfort and retired from active labor. His first farm com- prised eighty acres only, but before he retired he had increased it to 300 acres, and had erected one of the finest farm dwellings in the county. During his residence in Tippecanoe county he assisted in the organization of the Tippecanoe & Clinton county Farmers' Mutual Insurance company; was elected its first presi- dent and held this position until his retirement from the farm. He was also for a number of years president of the board of trustees of the Dayton seminary. The first marriage of John M. Bayless took place, in Tippecanoe county, August 25, 1839, to Harriet Isabella Paige, who was a member of the first white family that settled in that county, and was of English extraction, and to this marriage were born three children-two sons who died in infancy, and a daughter, Sarah, who grew to maturity, but is now also deceased. The mother of these children died November 3, 1845. The second marriage of John M. Bayless took place, in Tippecanoe county, July 25, 1847, to Christi- ana Cosner, a native of Virginia, born July 6, 1826, and the daughter of Adam and Margaret (Michaels) Cosner. To this felicitous union were born eight children, all of whom are de- ceased save two-Samuel O., the subject proper of this sketch, and John Q., of Frank- fort. The greatly lamented John M. Bayless departed this life, at Frankfort, October 3d, 1892. In his religious belief he was a life-long and consistent Universalist; never bitter in the advocacy of his views, but broad and compre- hensive in his love for mankind, with charity and tolerance for all. He was a Mason, be- longing to the Dayton lodge, of which he was an active member at the time of his death. This lodge had charge of the burial ceremo- nies. In politics Mr. Bayless was a republican from the organization of that party. At the beginning of the war, having passed the age of

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

active service, he was appointed and served as enrolling officer in Tippecanoe county. He was an ardent union and anti-slavery man and rendered material assistance to the cause. Mr. Bayless was a kind, gentle and genial compan- ion, a true and steadfast friend, and an honest man free from deception of any kind. His in- tegrity was spotless and irreproachable.

Samuel O. Bayless, the subject of this bio- graphy, was reared on the home farm, alter- nating his labor with study. His preliminary education was received at the common schools of Tippecanoe county, supplemented by a course of one year in the high school of Frank- foot, Clinton county, and a year at Lombard university, Galesburg, Ill., where he took a special course in political economy. In Octo- ber, 1868, at the age of twenty, he entered the law department of the Michigan university at Ann Arbor, and up to this time had never en- tered a court room nor even read a law book. After a course of two years, he graduated (March 27, 1870), and went to Selma, Ala., where he practiced until the fall of the same year, when he settled in Frankfort, Ind., where he has met with a success unrivaled. In 1871 he formed a co-partnership with Judge J. C. Suit. This partnership continued until January 1, 1873, when the partnership was discontinued and he practiced alone until No- vember, 1874. At that time he associated himself in practice with Hon. A. E. Paige, under the firm-name of Paige & Bayless. This partnership continued until the elec- tion of Mr. Paige to the position of judge of the Clinton circuit court, in October, 1884. This firm did a large and lucrative business during the ten years of its existence. In May, 1885, he associated with him W. H. Russell, Esq., under the firm name of Bayless & Rus- sell. This partnership continued one year, and again, in January, 1889, Charles G. Guen- ther became the partner of Mr. Bayless, under

the firm name of Bayless & Guenther. This relation still exists. To revert, however, to the initiatory practice of Mr. Bayless in Frank- fort, it may be mentioned that it was soon made manifest that Mr. Bayless had a peculiar faculty for handling the legal affairs of c rpor- ations. He was selected as local attorney for the railroad companies then constructing their lines through the county, and his reputation was soon established on a permanency, and his corporation business has steadily and rap- idly increased from year to year, until he now stands without a peer in Indiana in this par- ticular class of litigation.

In 1884 he accepted the position of general attorney for the Indianapolis and Chicago di- vision of the Monon route, or Louisville, New Albany & Chicago railway company, which position he held two years; in 1886 he was ap- pointed general attorney for the Toledo, St. Louis & Kansas City, or "Clover Leaf" railroad company, for Indiana, which of- fice he held until 1892, when he accepted the position of assistant general solici- tor for the same company, and had entire charge of the litigation of the company in In- diana and Illinois; in May, 1893, he was ap- pointed assistant general counsel for the receiver of this company, which position he still holds. Mr. Bayless is also special attorney for the Lo- gansport and Terre Haute division of the Van -. dalia line, and also the local attorney with the Lake Erie & Western railroad company. Mr. Bayless is also called upon quite frequently to act as counsel for the "Big Four," or Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis company, as well as for the Wabash company as local coun- sel. Beside his railroad connection, he is at- torney for the Central Union Telephone com- pany in Indiana, and has been the counsel for the water-works, gas and other corporations at Frankfort. In March, 1894, he was admitted to the bar of the United States supreme court.

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Mr. Bayless was most happily united in marriage, in Clinton county, November 21, 1872, to Miss Emma D. Clark, daughter of Dr. John M. and Sarah V. (Gilkerson) Clark, prominent residents of the county. This lady was born August 18, 1852, is highly ac- complished, and is a member of the Presby- terian church. Two children have blessed this union, and are named Coralyn C. and Florence G. Mr. Bayless is a thirty-second degree Mason, a K. of P., a member of the I. O. R. M. and of the B. & P. O. E. In politics he is a republican, and in 1874 was elected mayor of Frankfort, and filled the office for three con- secutive terms of two years each. For a num- ber of years he was chairman of the republican county central committee, and a member of the republican state central committee. His name has frequently been mentioned as a can- didate for the position of congressman on the republican ticket in this congressional district. This, however, he has always declined on account of his extensive law practice. It is needless here to comment upon the career or character of such a man as Samuel O. Bayless.

e DWARD C. BEAVER, agent of the Terre Haute & Indianapolis railway and for twenty-four years a promi- nent citizen of Frankfort, was born on the tenth day of January, 1848, in Mont- gomery county, Ohio. His father, John N. F. Beaver, for a number of years a business man of Dayton, Ohio, was born in Cumber- land county, Pa., the son of Nicholas Beaver, also a native of the Keystone state. John N. F. Beaver, married in . Montgomery county, Ohio, Miss Caroline Snyder, who was born in 1821 and died in the city of Dayton in the year 1861. Mr. Beaver died in the same city, in 1856, at the age of thirty-seven years. The following are the names of their five children:

Frederick P., Edward C., Harriet A., Charles and Alice Ida, all living with the exception of Charles. The subject of this sketch is in possession of some interesting facts relating to his paternal family history, which he traces back through many generations to the old coun- try, notably to the city of Strasburg, then be- longing to France but now subject to Germany. In that city were seven brothers, French Huguenots, who, by reason of religious perse- cution in France, during the latter part of the sixteenth century, were compelled to leave their native country and seek a home elsewhere, which they did by escaping to the United States. They settled in various parts of Pennsylvania and other eastern states, and left a number of descendants, who became prominently known in various sections of the Union. It is from one of the brothers referred to that the subject of this sketch is descended, and he has inherited in a marked degree many of the sterling traits which characterized his sturdy ancestors. Mr. Beaver's maternal grandfather was of Pennsylvania birth and a descendant of an old and well known Holland family that came to America at a very early period in the history of the country.

Edward C. Beaver received a good educa- tion in the public schools of Dayton, Ohio, but was compelled to lay aside his books at the early age of fifteen and rely upon his own ex- ertions for a livelihood. When sixteen years old, he accepted a clerkship in a dry-goods house at Ripley, Ohio, and after continuing in that capacity for a period of nearly five years, during which time he became familiar with every detail of the business, he accepted a sim- ilar place in the city of Portsmouth, where he re- mained for a limited period. He next moved to Liberty, Ind., and learned telegraphy, and accepted his first position as an operator with the C. H. & D. railway at Oxford, Ohio, where he remained for six months as operator,

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and for about one year in the double position of operator and agent. Mr. Beaver next ac- cepted an offer from the old L. C. & S. W., now the Vandalia company, to take charge of the telegraph offiee at Frankfort, Ind., and entered upon the discharge of his duties in January, 1872, at which date the line had not completed telegraphic communications with this city; hence, for a short time his position was that of assistant agent. Mr. Beaver was the first operator at this point, and held the position until 1875, at which date he severed his connection with the road and embarked in the dry-goods business, continuing the same for a period of five years. In 1880, he again entered the employ of the Vandalia as agent as Frankfort, and has since discharged the du- ties of the position in a manner highly satis- factory to the company by which he is em- ployed. Mr. Beaver is an accomplished rail- road man, thoroughly familiar with every detail of his office, and is highly esteemed for his knowledge of the business in general and his unusual adaptability to its duties. Frater- nally he is a member of the I. O. O. F. and politically affiliates with the republican party. For two years he served the city of Frank- fort as a member of the common council, aside from which he has held no civil office nor has he been an aspirant for official honors, politi- cal or otherwise. In 1873 Mr. Beaver was united in marriage to one of Frankfort's most estimable young ladies-Miss Amanda D. Gas- ter-a union blessed by the birth of one child, a daughter, Anna Pearl Beaver. Mr. Beaver and family are esteemed members of the Pres- byterian church of Frankfort.

The arduous duties pertaining to teleg- raphy, as is well known, are exceedingly wear- ing upon the constitution, but Mr. Beaver has been able to bear the wear and tear, and at the same time maintain his impertur- bability.

ETER BEEBOUT, one of the foremost farmers of Michigan township, Clin- ton county, Ind., was born in Fay- county, Ind., September 22, 1830, and is of German extraction. William Bee- bout, his father, was born and reared in Fay- ette county, Pa., from which state he moved to Ohio, and a few years later came to Indiana, and purchased and improved a farm in Fayette county. He married Catherine Walters, daughter of Michael Walters, a noted Indian fighter. Mr. Walters was at one time cap- tured by the redskins, who, admiring his brav- ery, did not burn him at the stake, and in about three years he made his escape. Will- iam Beebout died while the younger children of his family were yet small, but the mother managed to keep the family together and to educate them and rear them to be an honor to her name. In her old days she made her home with her son, our subject.

Peter Beebout, whose name heads this biography, was reared a farmer and was educat- ted in the old-fashioned log school-house. De- cember 15, 1852, he married Miss Ann Parker, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Benbow) Parker. Mr. Parker was a native of New Jer- sey, of German descent; he farmed for some time in Henry county, Ind., in 1852 came to Clinton county, and at his death was the own- er of 200 acres of land. He lost his wife Sep- tember 7, 1870, and his own death occurred July 26, 1888. Mr. Beebout settled on his present farm in 1857. It then consisted of 110 acres and was but little improved; it was after- ward increased to 400 acres, but he has geul- erously given most of this to his married chil- dren, retaining for himself 180 acres only. On this he has a substantial but plain dwelling and a large bank barn, He handles registered stock, including Polo-Angus cattle and Poland China hogs. In politics Mr. Beebout is a democrat, but, although he has been frequently

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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