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 72

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 72
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 72
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 72

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George W. Halstead was reared on his father's farm in Fayette county, and received such educational privileges as the common schools of the neighborhood afforded. At the age of twenty-two he began life for himself. For three years he rented a farm and then purchased 160 acres of land in Benton county, Ind., which he owned and operated for eight years. On selling out he bought 170 acres in Johnson county, Ill .; he made his home until 1894 in Benton county, Ind., when he again sold and embarked in the lumber business in Talbot, where he continued until 1894, when he purchased his hotel and removed to Mul- berry. While engaged in the lumber business he also handled tile and coal. In Talbot. Benton county, Ind., he has four lots, upon which is a good house and barn. Hr. Hal- stead has been twice married. On the twen- ty-first of December, 1865, he wedded Susan E., daughter of John I. and Clarissa D. (Utter) Thomas. The father died in 1867, but the mother is still living. Mrs. Halstead passed away December 19, 1884, and was laid to rest in the cemetery in Oxford. Mr. Hal- stead was again married October 10, 1888, his second union being with Mary Stembel, daugh. ter of Theophilus and Martha (Justus) Stembel, the former a native of Maryland, and the lat- ' ter of Ohio. They were of Scotch and Ger- man ancestry respectively. The father was born December 11, 1813, the mother July 3. 1828, and they still reside in Benton county. In their family were twelve children : Eleanor, 34

deceased; Jane, wife of Henry C. Harris; Aus- tin, deceased; Mary; Frank; Elbert of Maine; Isabel, wife of W. R. Phares; Jerome of Salt Lake City, Utah; Perry; Walter; Basil and Oliver. The father of this family is a physi- cian and in former years was one of the most prominent doctors in the state, but for some time he has lived retired. Mrs. Halstead was born May 11, 1853, and by her marriage has one son, Theophilus S., who was born Jan- uary 3, 1890. Our subject and his wife are both members of the Christian church, and in his political views Mr. Halstead is a democrat.

J AMES B. HALL, one of the old and honored citizens of Clinton county, who now resides near Mulberry, was born in Montgomery county, Ind., on the 28th of December. 1833. His parents, Mat- thew and Barbara (Brown) Hall, were both natives of North Carolina, and were of Irish descent. The grandparents on both sides were natives of the Emerald isle and crossed the Atlantic to America in an early day. Matthew Hall, who was born in 1806, emigrated west- ward, in 1828. located in Montgomery county, Ind .. entered 160 acres of land, and improved it until 1839. In that year he sold out and , came to Clinton county. Here he settled on the farm now owned by Joseph Heavilon, and at one time there owned 400 acres of rich and arable land. Both he and his wife are now deceased. A family of eight children graced their union, namely: James B., Margaret, Elizabeth, William, Jane and John, all of whom are yet living, and Mary and Nancy now deceased.

James B. Hall, whose name heads this record, spent the days of his boyhood and youth upon his father's farm. He was a child of only ten years when he was brought by his parents to Clinton county, and here he was

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reared and received a very limited education. He attended the subscription schools, but never was a student in the public schools. After reaching his majority he purchased 160 acres of land in White county, Ind., and upon that farm made his home for three years, de- voting his time and attention to its cultivation. On the expiration of that period he returned to this county, where he and his wife own 160 acres of good land. It is well improved, being supplied with all the accessories and conveni- ences of a model farm. The fields are well tilled and Mr. Hall has put upon the place. a large and comfortable brick residence and a good barn. The farm is neat and thrifty in appearance and indicates to the passer-by the enterprise of the owner. In 1866, Mr. Hall married Miss Nancy, daughter of Isaac and Jane (Miller) Fickle, and by their union have been born three children: Letta J., John C. and William I. Both parents hold membership with the United Presbyterian church, and Mr. Hall belongs to Stone River post, G. A. R. During the late war he enlisted in August, 1861, as a member of company C, Tenth Indi- ana infantry, under Captain Miller, but after ten months was honorably discharged on ac- count of physically disability. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the demo- cratic party. All who know him esteem him highly for his sterling worth and strict integ- rity, and he well deserves representation in this volume.

UGH R. HAMILTON, prominent farmer and stock raiser of Washing- ton township, Clinton county, was born in Preble county, Ohio, Septem- ber 8, 1824, the son of Alexander and Eliza- beth Hamilton. Alexander was the son of Samuel Hamilton, whose father, Alexander, a native of the north of Ireland, served seven

years in the Revolutionary war. From the most reliable information obtainable the Ham- iltons appear to have been originally from Scotland, and it is learned that one Archibald Hamilton, father of the above-named Alexan- der, moved from Scotland to the north of Ire- land a number of years before the dawn of the present century. His son, Alexander, emi- grated to America in the time of the colonies and died a number of years ago in Preble county, Ohio. The subject's grandfather, Samuel Hamilton, was born in South Caro- lina, later removed to Kentucky, thence moved to Ohio, where his death occurred. Alexander Hamilton, father of Hugh R., was a native of South Carolina, born November 8, 1796, and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Ramsey, was born September 19, 1793, in the state of Virginia. Mrs. Hamilton was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Lackey) Ram- sey, natives of Virginia, and of Irish and Scotch descent, respectively. John Ramsey was the son of William Ramsey, who was born in Ire- land. Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton died January 31, 1861, and her husband departed this life on the fourth day of March, 1879. They were the parents of ten children, only one of whom, the subject of this sketch, is now living. The names of the other members of the family are as follows: John L., Samuel, Jane, Eliza, James, Francis R., Mary, David R. and George C.

Hugh R. Hamilton was reared on the farm and received what was termed in those days a good common-school education. He came to Clinton county, Ind., with his father in 1839, and remained under the parental roof until his twenty-seventh year, at which time, on the eleventh day of December. 1845. he entered into the marriage relation with Mary B. Coul- ter, daughter of James and Mary (Brown) Coulter. The father of Mrs. Hamilton was a native of Ireland and an early settler of North

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Carolina. His wife was born in South Caro- lina, and Mrs. Hamilton was their only child, the date of her birth being February 25, 1824. Seven children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton, the following of whom are living: Martha E:, wife of John J. Rich- ards, born August 22, 1853; Hugh A., born February 21, 1856; Jessie, born November 11, 1861; Charles C., born September 15. 1863, and Barbara J., born September 1, 1867. The following are the names of those deceased: Elizabeth, born September 15, 1846, died June 12, 1871; and James B., born November 1I, 1849. died April 26, 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have acquired a comfortable compe- tence of this world's goods, owning a fine farm of 340 acres in Washington township, upon which Mr. Hamilton has erected a fine brick residence-one of the best farm dwell- ings in his part of the county. Politically, Mr. Hamilton is a republican, and as such was twice elected to the office of county com- missioner, the duties of which responsible posi- tion he discharged with ability and commend- able fidelity. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church, in which, since 1852, he has been an elder. Mrs. Hamilton belongs to the same church, and is an earnest, active re- ligious worker.

R EV. THOMAS M. HAMILTON .- The paternal ancestors of the gentle- man whose name introduces this no- tice were Scotch, and his grandfather, John Hamilton, left the old country a number of years ago, immigrating to America in colonial times, and, after the Revolutionary war, set- tling in Kentucky, where his death cccurred. He held a major's commission in the American army during the war of independence and took a courageous part in that struggle from the be- ginning to the end, and distinguished himself

on many a bloody battle-field. He was the father of nine children, named as follows- Abner, Alexander, Ferdinand, John, Archibald, Andrew, Peggy, Betsy and Catherine. Andrew Hamilton, father of Thomas M., was born in Virginia, and when young was taken by his parents to Kentucky, where he subsequently married Mary Miller. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, came to Boone county, Ind., in 1832, entered land and became a well-to-do farmer, and died November 23, 1855. His sec- ond wife was Betsy Randolph, who died in 1834, and in 1837 he was united in marriage to Jane Richardson, whose death occurred in the year 1878. Andrew Hamilton was the father of two children-John R., who died in Febru- ary, 1840, and Thomas M., the subject of this sketch, who first saw the light of day May I, 1822, in Montgomery county, Ky.

Thomas M. Hamilton was about ten years old when brought by his parents to Boone county, Ind., and he grew to manhood on a farm, attending, in the meantime, the sub- scription schools of the country, in which he obtained a fair knowledge of the branches usually taught. On arriving at manhood's es- tate he chose agriculture as a pursuit, and con- tinued the same about twelve years, purchas- ing his first land, consisting of seventy-five acres, in 1843. Subsequently he purchased additional land and now owns 120 acres in the township of Jackson, although for a number of years he has not been actively engaged in farming, merely giving his attention to the management of his place. From early life Mr. Hamilton took deep interest in religious matters, and in 1852 entered the ministry of the United Brethren church, with which he has since been prominently identified. His first circuit had twenty-one appointments, which he filled once every three weeks, and it is a fact worthy of note that, the first year of his ministry, he was constantly on the go

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and preached over 400 sermons. Within the circuit to which he ministered as regular pas- torwere the following congregations: Lebanon, Ladoga, Chambersburg, Green Hill, Concord and Crawfordsville. In 1857 Mr. Hamilton was elected presiding elder, and he has held that important position for a period of twenty- seven years, having been re-elected eight dif- ferent times to the general conference. He is still actively engaged in the work of the min- istry, and bids fair to be of effective service for a number of years to come in the good work to which so many years of his life have been devoted. While not a politician in the sense in which that term is generally under- stood, Mr. Hamilton has ever manifested a deep interest in public affairs and has always maintained that politics should be made a careful study by every true American citizen. He is a republican and as such was elected a member of the state senate in 1868, serving four years, and in 1880 was elected to repre- sent Boone county in the lower house of the general assembly.

Mr. Hamilton was married, December 8, 1840, to Prudence Larkin, daughter of Jona- than and Keziah (Antrim) Larkin, natives of New Jersey and of Irish descent. The family of Mrs. Hamilton can be traced back many generations in the old country to Lord Antrim, one of the old nobility of the Emerald isle. Her grandfather, John Larkin, came to Amer- ica a number of years ago and reared a family, among whom was Jonathan, father of Mrs. Hamilton. He died in 1830 and his wife in 1856. The following are the names of their children: William, Elisha, Sarah, Mariah, Joseph, John and Prudence, the last named being the only member of the family living at this time. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton the following children have been born: John R., born August 9, 1841, is a law- yer of Norton, Kansas; Maria P., born Novem-

ber 25, 1843, married Samuel West and died in the year 1883; George W., born March 25, 1847, died August 22, 1849; Matilda, born August 24, 1849, died May 28, 1876; Larkin P., born December 10, 1852; Andrew A., born September 8, 1857; Abraham L., born Sep- tember 29, 1860; Rosella M., born January 24, 1868. John R. Hamilton, the oldest son, served in the late war in company D, Seven- teenth Indiana infantry, and took part in a number of battles, including Greenbriar, Howes Gap, Chickamauga, and was discharged in June, 1864. He is now a prominent lawyer of Norton, Kan.

J OSEPH HEAVILON, a representative citizen of Washington township, Clin- ton county, Ind., was born in Wiscon- sin, when that state was a territory, on the twenty-ninth day of May, 1840, and is the son of Taylor and Sallie (Potter) Heavilon, Taylor Heavilon came to Clinton county, Ind., in the fall of 1829, in company with his brother- in-law, Samuel Young, and was joined the fol- lowing fall by his parents, from Butler county, Ohio, who settled on a farm now owned by the subject of this sketch. His first purchase of land consisted of 125 acres, and later, in part- nership with his brother, entered a tract of 320 acres about a mile and a half southeast of the present site of Jefferson village, all of which subsequently came to his possession. By oc- cupation Taylor Heavilon was a carpenter, and in 1832 he worked at his trade in Chicago, in which city he erected the first Catholic church. In the fall of 1836 he went to Mil- waukee, Wis., where he worked at his trade one year, and June 17, 1837, he was united in marriage to Sallie Potter, daughter of Abel and Cynthia (Lathrop) Potter, natives of Rutland county. Vt. Mrs. Heavilon was born May 9, 1819, and when eight years of age was taken by her parents to Little Falls, N. Y., thence

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

to Essex county, in the same state, where she lived until her fourteenth year. After residing at several other points, she went to Milwau- kee, where her marriage occurred, as above stated. During the three years following his marriage. Taylor Heavilon followed his trade in Milwaukee and then laid claim to a tract of government land in Washington county. Wis., before that part of the state was open for set- tlement. He became the possessor of 640 acres, upon which he lived for some time, be- ing among the early settlers there, his nearest neighbor for the first six months living at a dis- tance of four miles away. He was elected re- corder at the first election held in Washington county, and held the office as long as he re- mained in Wisconsin. Disposing of his inter- ests there. he returned to Clinton county, Ind , and was for some years engaged in general merchandising in the village of Jefferson, which business he conducted in connection with a ho- tel, both ventures proving financially success- ful. In the meantime he improved the land which he had purchased previous to going west, and in 1859 moved to the place where the widow now resides. Taylor Heavilon was born July 17, 1808, in Monmouth county. N. J., and died in Clinton county, Ind .. Decem- ber 25, 1874. He was a very successful busi- ness man, and left a large estate. The follow- ing of their twelve children are living: Lydia, wife of Harmon Aughe; Joseph, subject of this sketch; Mrs. Charlotte Kyger, Abel, Franklin and Orin. The following are the names of those deceased: Phebe A., Ellen, Sophronia, Fanny, Sallie and William.

. As stated at the beginning, Joseph Heavi- lon is one of the representative men of Clinton county and ranks among the most successful farmers and stock-raisers in the township of Washington. When five years old, he came to Clinton county with his parents, in the com- mon schools of which county he received his

primary education and later was graduated from Bryant & Stratton's Commercial college at In- dianapolis. The training thus received was supplemented by a scientific course at the Battle Ground institute, after which he was engaged in teaching for a period of eight years, working on the farm in the meantime. For some time he carried on the general mercantile business in the village of Jefferson, but for a number of years has devoted his attention ex- clusively to farming and stock raising, being now one of the most successful' men in those lines in the county. He has a farm of 300 acres, well improved, and is largely engaged in raising fine cattle, horses and sheep, and also breeds and deals in fine Shetland ponies. Mr. Heavilon is also engaged in shaving notes, and is one among the largest stockholders of the First National bank of Frankfort, Ind. Mr. Heavilon was elected secretary of the Clinton county Fair association in ISSo, and has served in that capacity ever since. Politically. he is a republican, and as such has been an active worker in behalf of his party in a number of local and general campaigns. On the twenty- third day of February, 1865, Mr. Heavilon and Virginia P. Carter were united in the bonds of wedlock, a union severed by the death of Mrs. Hcavilon, after she had borne three children, namely: Sallie, born February 5, 1866; Jesse, born September 22, 1871; and Jennie, whose birth occurred October 22, 1873. For his second wife, Mr. Heavilon, on the fourteenth of March, 1876, married Jessie A. Carter, a sister of his first wife. Mrs Heavilon was born in Clinton county, Ind., November 8. 1856, and is a daughter of Richard J. and Ellen (Byers) Carter. The following children have been born of this marriage: Richard M .. stu- dent at Purdue university, born December 28, 1876; Harry A., March 2. 1878; Joseph, De- cember 22, 1880; Franklin C, October 10, 1883; Julia E., November 9, 1885; Mary J.,

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June 13, 1887; Daisy, August 13, 1890; Fanny G., September 30, 1892; and Potter, Septem- ber 30, 1894.

J OHN S. HEDGCOCK, a retired citizen of Frankfort, Ind., was born in Ash- ford, Kent county, England, January 24, 1826, and is a son of Vane and Marie (West) Hedgcock, a family of some note in the old country. The youthful days of John S. were variously pursued until he came to America in 1849 Here he first located in Syracuse, N. Y., but shortly afterward moved to Dresden, Ohio, where he prosperously en- tered the boot and shoe business, and May 30, 1852, married Miss Nancy Ross, daughter of James and Nancy Ross. Two years later, 1854, he came to Indiana and located at Michigantown, Clinton county, where he fol- lowed the retail shoe business until the fall of 1864, when he patriotically enlisted in the de- fense of his adopted country in company G, Fifty-first Indiana volunteer infantry, and served until the close of the war. Returning to Michigantown he resumed his business, but finally retired to Frankfort, where he is living in peace and comfort. Unto him and his ad- mirable wife were born the following children, all of whom. that are living, being an honor to his advanced years: James A., John W. Charles V., Oliver P., Lula Marie, Jennie P, and Nellie (the last named deceased. ) Hav- ing had the misfortune of losing his first help- meet. Nancy, February 7, 1.879, Mr. Hedgcock married, August 23, 1880, Miss Elizabeth Hubbard, who came from Huntington, En- gland, about one year before her marriage. Mrs. Hedgcock is a consistent member of the Episcopal church, while her husband is a de- vout Methodist. But at the same time it may be mentioned that Mr. Hedgcock is a Free- mason as well as a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

3 AMES A. HEDGCOCK, president of The J E. Scroggy Manufacturing com- pany of Frankfort, Ind., and a mem- .ber of the firm of Ross & Hedgcock of the same city, was born in Dresden, Ohio, April 6, 1853, and is the son of John S. Hedg- cock, of whom·mention has been made above. James A. received a fair education in the com- mon schools and early learned the shoe- makers' trade of his father. At the age of twenty, James A. started out in life for him- self, going to Danville. Ill .; where for a year he carried on a retail trade in making and selling boots and shoes; thence he returned to Indiana and became a member of the dry- goods firm of Smith & Hedgcock, at Michigan- town'; one year later the firm came to Frank- fort, where they did a leading business until late in the year 1880, when Mr. Hedgcock withdrew, in order to enter upon the duties of county recorder, to which position he had been elected in the fall of the same year, by the democratic party. So satisfactorily did he perform the duties of this office that he was re-elected for another term of four years, in 1884. He then formed a partnership with John A. Ross in the general contracting business, un- der the firm name of Ross & Hedgcock, and a grand success was achieved. (Further men- tion of this extensive firm will be found under . the biography of John A. Ross, on another page of this volume.) The details of Mr. Hedg- cock's entering into partnership with Mr. Scroggy, and the formation of the J. E. Scroggy Manufacturing company, will also be found on another page. It may be here re- marked, that Mr. Hedgcock is a shrewd busi- ness man, and while a close calculator, is a man of very liberal views and generous dispo- sition as well as of a markedly progressive spirit, as has been evidenced in all of the acts of his life.

The marriage of Mr. Hedgcock was most

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

happily consumated on the sixth of April, 1881, with Miss Lena A. Lydick, who bore two children : Archie and Mary. Mrs, Lena A. Hedgcock is the daughter of George Ly- dick, a gallant soldier, who expired February 3. 1863, at Murfreesboro, Tenn., from sick- ness caused by exposure while serving as first lieutenant of company I, Fourth Indiana cavalry. Mr, and Mrs. Hedgcock are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, while Mr. Hedgcock holds membership and affilli- ates with a number of brotherhoods; chief among all is that of the Masonic order, in which he ranks as past eminent commander of

J OHN W. HEDGCOCK, general mer- chant of Michigantown, Clinton county, and senior member of the firm of J. W. Hedgcock & Co., was born February II. 1856, in Clinton county, Ind., and from his youth has been associated with mercantile affairs. He is of English descent, his father, John S., having been born in Ashford, Kent, Eng., but married in Ohio, and in 1854 hav- ing become a resident of Clinton county. To him and his wife, Nancy Ross, have been born the following children: James A., John W., ! erally.

Charles V., Oliver P., Lula, Nellie, an infant deceased, and Jennie. John W. Hedgcock began his business life with no capital but en- ergy and ambition, but he has succeeded in accumulating many hundred dollars' worth of property, including a handsome residence, and a large and well selected stock of general mer- chandise. He first married Luella Barnes, daughter of John A. and Rachael (Robinson) Barnes, the former one of the most noted phy- sicians of Clinton county. But he had the misfortune to lose his wife, May 17, 1881, and September 2, 1882, Mr. Hedgcock mar- ried Miss Nuna Whiteman, daughter of Joseph Frankfort commandery, No. 29, knights temp- ! and Margaret (Hineman) Whiteman, and this lar; a member of Indiana consistory, S. P. R. S., in which organization he has attained to the thirty-second degree, beyond which very few members of the A. A., Scottish rite, can hope to advance. He is also a noble of the mystic shrine in Murah temple, Indianapolis, Ind., and is a member of the I. O. R. MI., the K. of P., and Sons of Veterans. Mr. Hedgcock has, likewise, been officially con- nected with the First National bank, of Frank- fort, Ind., for the past ten years, and holds a social position excelled by few in his thriving city, than whom no one has a greater interest in its prosperity and advancement.

union has been made happy by the birth of three children: Gladys, Ralph S. and Ruth. In politics, Mr. Hedgcock is a stanch demo- crat. but has declined every offer of nomina- tion for office. He and wife are prominent as members of the Methodist church, of which he was formerly a steward for a number of years, and is now a trustee; he is also superintendent of the Sabbath-school. Fraternally, he is a member of Herman lodge, No. 184, F. & A. M., of which he was worshipful master four years, and also several times its representative in the grand lodge. He is a member of Dakota tribe, No. 42, I. O. R. M., and in this he has passed all the chairs, except the highest; like- wise a member of Rubicon lodge, No. 340, K. . of P., in which he has passed all the chairs , and which he has also represented in the grand lodge. He has been identified with the inter- ests of Michigantown since his youth, and is a self-made man in the full sense of the term as usually applied to business men. Socially the standing of himself and family is a most envi- able one. Although still a young man, Mr. Hedgcock has met with unusual progress, both in his career as a member of fraternal as- sociations, as well as his social relations gen-

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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