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 80

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 80
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 80
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 80

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HARLES TAYLOR MADISON, who is prominently connected with the political and business interests of Kirklin, Clinton county, Ind., well deserves representation in this volume. He was born in Henry county, Ind., May 9,. 1839, and is of Irish descent. His father, Charles Madison, was a farmer of North Carolina, who in his boyhood started out to make his own way in the world. He married Eliza J. May, daughter of Bentley May, a farmer, and to them were born the following children: Caleb, John F., Washington, Thomas, Nicholas Niles, James, Sam, Delilah M., Sarah L., Elizabeth and Charles T. The mother, who was the second wife of Mr. Madison, died at about the age of fifty years. She had been previously married to Mr. Niles, by whom she had three children. Mr. Madison was a whig in politics and died at the age of sixty years.

Charles T. Madison was left an orphan at the age of eleven. His education was neg- lected and his boyhood was one of hardship. After working on a farm he went to Iowa, where he remained four years, and then re- turned to Henry county, Ind., where he en- gaged in farm work for five years.

In April, 1861. Mr Madison enlisted in the Sixth Indiana infantry for the three months' service, and participated in the battle of Philippi, Laurel Hill and Carrick's Ford. Here the regiment voted whether they should continue in service or not, but che majority wished to return home. Mr. Madison re-en- listed on the twenty-fourth of August, in com- pany A, Thirty-sixth Indiana infantry, and from Indianapolis went to Camp Wickliffe, Ky., where he spent the winter. Finally they went to Fort Donelson, thence to Nashville, where amidst great rejoicing they were received by the people, who gathered around them in dense crowds, so that they had to force their way to the state house. They thence proceed-

@ David Maish. Se

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

ed to Shiloh, taking part in the hard-fought battle at that place; then followed the enemy on their retreat to Corinth; later they were sent to the mountain regions of Tennessee, where for several days they lived on parched corn, as Gen. Bragg had cut off their supplies. Later, followed the battle of Perryville, whence they went to Louisville, and later took part in the battle of Stone River, and at Chickamauga. Mr. Madison with his troop saw hard service; he went through the entire Atlanta campaign, serving in the battles of Dalton, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca and Kenesaw Mountain, where Mr. Madison was shot in the left hand and suffered the amputation of one of his fingers. At Big Shanty his wound was dressed, and thence he went to Jeffersonville, where, his term of service having expired, he was honora- bly discharged. For three years and four months he never slept in a house, and for two years after his return his wound so troubled him that he was unable to work.

Mr. Madison was married September 15, 1867, to Sarah A. Harris, who was born April 4, 1851, and is a daughter of Gideon and Jane (Harris) Harris. They became . the parents of the following children: Eliza D., born June 23, 1868; Hoza G. (deceased), born October 12, 1870; Lillie M. (deceased), born December 20, 1872; Gideon H., born July 16, 1875; Osie I., born March 2, 1878; Charles P., born October 18, 1880; Minnie A., born December 31, 1884; Hattie D., born September 28, 1887, and Zepphi, December 26, 1891. Mr. Madison began farming at the time of his marriage, and two years later bought forty acres of land, now free from all indebtedness. Upon it he built a residence and commodious outbuildings, and the place is neat and thrifty in appearance, indicating the careful supervision of an enterprising owner. Mr. Madison is a republican in poli- tics and has served as a delegate to the county

conventions. He is a member of Chickamauga post. No. 40, G. A. R., of which he is now aid de camp, and his son Gideon H. belongs to the Sons of Veterans. C. T. Madison and his wife hold membership with the Christian church, in which he is now serving as trustee. His life has been an honorable and upright one, and all who know him esteem him highly for his sterling worth and strict integrity.

AVID MAISH .- Few men in Clinton county are as well known as the sub- ject of this biography, and to him as much as to any one man is the county largely indebted for its present advanced stage of civilization and the position it occu- pies among the most highly favored sections of the commonwealth of Indiana. David Maish, Sr .. father of our subject, was born in York county, Pa., and his mother, whose maiden name was Hannah Tyson, was also a native of the Keystone state. David Maish, Sr., was one of the early settlers in Clinton county, moving to the same in the year 1836, accom- panied by a family of ten children, whose names are as follows: Sarah, George, Jacob, David, Matthias, Joseph, Catherine, Hannah. Henry, and Frederick. One child, Lydia, died in Pennsylvania, and four children were added to the family after their arrival in In- diana. to-wit-Mary J., Elizabeth, Martha and James D. Mr. Maish arrived in Clinton county six years after its organization, and the country being then new, he had a prodigious amount of hard labor to perform before he could make his investment profitable. The land upon which he settled was covered with a dense for- est growth, and he was obliged to work early and late in order to remove the same and fit the soil for cultivation. With a large family to support, his prospects were often discourag- ing. but, undaunted by his situation, he per-

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severed courageously until his efforts were ulti- . mately crowned with success. In his day, Mr. Maish was a very active participant in all measures for the improvement of the county, and he is remembered as one of the potent factors in the material advancement of the country. He departed this life on the thir- tieth day of May, 1868, after a residence of thirty-two years in the county, and his wife died in 1880.

David Maish, Jr., the immediate subject of this notice, was born May 14, 1823, and he remained with his father on the farm until his twenty-second year, attending such primitive schools as the country afforded at intervals in the meantime. At the age of twenty-two, he left home to bear his part in the struggle of life, his sole amount of available wealth at that time consisting of one shilling in money. He obtained employment in a grist and saw- mill owned by one Samuel Kyger, where he remained three months, receiving for his serv- ices the very modest compensation of nine dollars per month. The following summer, he worked at cistern building for twelve dollars per month, and then engaged with John W. Blair to drive a four-horse team, loaded with merchandise, to La Fayette, Ind. The follow- ing February he again accepted employment with Mr. Kyger for a more liberal compensa- tion, and remained with that gentleman dur- ing the six succeeding years. In 1847 Mr. Maish entered into the marriage relation with Miss Altha Norris, and, immediately there- after, purchased 160 acres of land, upon which his present home is located. About five years after his marriage, a destructive fire occurred in the mill in which he had been em- ployed, reducing it to ashes. Being again thrown upon his own resources, he determined to embark in the milling business for himself. He accordingly rented the Spring Mill property in Washington township for a term of one

year, at the end of which time he removed to his farm and followed agricultural pursuits with the most gratifying success until his re- tirement from the active duties of life in 1880. The married life of Mr. Maish has been blessed with ten children, named, respectively : Will- iam C., George O., Elizabeth M., Hannah E., Willard P., Edward N., Susan J., David T., Altha A., and Emma J. Of these children the following are living: Willard P., Elizabeth M., Edward N., Susan J., and Emma J.

On the twenty-seventh day of July, 1876, Mr. Maish was called upon to part with the faithful companion of his married life, the wife and mother, whose gentle influence had been such a potent power for good in the home cir- cle during a period of twenty-three years. This sad event cast a deep gloom over the family circle and was felt as a personal loss by her many friends throughout Clinton county. In the way of the gospel she lived, and with its blessed rays to light and comfort her through " the dark valley, " she passed peace- fully away beyond the trials of this mortal land to "the inheritance prepared for the saints."

When Mr. Maish first located upon the land now occupied by his beautiful farm, it was a dense wilderness without even a cabin to offer its friendly shelter. With the energy and determination with which his life has ever been characterized he went to work with a will, and in due time built a home for himself and wife and fitted a goodly number of acres for cultivation. The original dwelling, a rude structure built of logs, served its purpose well, and in time was replaced by a more handsome and commodious building, which now stands as a monument to his industry and courageous preseverance under difficulties. Mr. Maish has added to his original purchase from time to time until his possessions in real estate amount to 711 acres. Of this amount 424

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

acres have been cleared and cultivated by him- self. Mr. Maish has ever taken great interest in internal improvements, was especially active in the advancement of railroad facilities, which he aided liberally, and employed valuable time in soliciting subscriptions for the enterprises. He has always favored any and all measures calculated to enhance the interests of the county whenever such have been submitted to the people for their approval by ballot, and he is indeed a public-spirited citizen in all that term implies. As stated above, Mr. Maish re- tired from active life in ISSo, since which time he has lived in Frankfort, where he owns a comfortable home, in which his declining years are being passed. His has indeed been an active life, and his success financially and otherwise is the result of prudence, industry and wise business forethought. Although in his seventy-second year, Mr. Maish still possesses in a marked degree the possession of his faculties physical and mental, and bids fair to live for many years to come. This fact is readily vouched for by the excellent portrait on the page preceding the opening of this biography.

ELCHOR MAISH, a prominent farmer of Center township, Clinton county, Ind., was born in Carlyle, Cumberland county, Pa., February 24, 1837, the son of Joseph and Catherine (Draurbaugh) Maish, natives of York county, Pa. Joseph, the father of Melchor, was a son of Joseph Maish, a native of York county, Pa., and he a son of John H. Maish, who came from Germany in 1751 and first located in Phila- delphia, Pa., whence he moved to York. Mrs. Catherine (Draurbaugh) Maish, mother of Melchoir, was a daughter of Peter Draur- baugh, who married a Miss Gilmore, and was of German descent. To this union were born

two children, Melchor and William H., a more oxtended notice of the latter being given below. The father of these sons died at the age of thirty-eight, in 1843, in York county, and the mother died in 1846, at the age of thirty-four, and after the death of his parents, Melchor made his home with his maternal grandmother, by whom he was reared a farmer. In the fall of 1855 he came to Clinton county, Ind., lived here a year, and then, for two winters and one summer, worked in Johnson county, Iowa. In the spring of 1858 he went through Cincinnati and Pittsburg back to York, Pa., and on January 23, 1859, married Mary Mc- Donald, who was born in York county, Pa., December 31, 1836, and daughter of James H. and Mary (James) McDonald, natives, re- spectively, of Cumberland and York counties, Pa. Jaines H. McDonald was a son of Josiah McDonald, who, with his brother, John, came from Scotland. Josiah settled in Cumberland county. Pa, and John in Ohio. The re- nowned Joseph McDonald, of Indiana, was a first cousin of James H .. the father of Mrs. Maish. Mrs. Mary (James) McDonald, the mother of Mrs. Maish, was a daughter of Owen and Jennie (Brandon) James, natives of Wales. Owen James was a gallant soldier in the war of 1812-15, and at the advanced .age of ninety-four passed from earth in York county, Pa.

Mr. Maish settled on his present farm of 1023 acres in section 12, Center township, Clinton county, August 16, 1864, and here has led a most prosperous agricultural and horticultural career. He is a solid democrat in his politics, and in his religious faith, with his family, adheres to the United Brethren church. His children were named, in order of birth, as follows: Catherine, Elmer H., Margaret, Jane, Clara Ann, Emma D. and William James-all surviving, with the excep- tion of Emma D.

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a ILLIAM H. MAISH, of Center township, Clinton county, Ind., was born in Fairview township, York county, Pa., August 20, 1840, and is, the younger son of Joseph and Catherine (Draurbaugh) Maish (originally spelt Maisch), the details of whose biography are given above in the sketch of Melchor Maish. After the death of his parents, as above related, William H. was reared by his grandmother until the age of twelve, when he was hired out to a farmer, for whom he worked for one dollar and a half per month for two years; then worked for a year for his uncle, George Rockey, and at the latter's death was placed out by his guardian with another farmer at four dollars per month, one dollar less than he could have earned elsewhere. A year later young Maish hired himself out for seven dollars per month, regardless of the wishes of his guardian, and worked for two summers and three winters for the employer of his choice. Being now eight- een years old, he chose for his guardian his brother, Melchor, with whom he lived until February 28, 1861, when he married Eliza Berkheimer, a native of Cumberland county, Pa., and of German descent. The young couple went to farming in Cumberland county, but in 1863 Mr. Maish was drafted into the army. He, however, was exempted on the payment of $300, and in April, 1864, came to Indiana with his brother and others and lo- cated in Carroll county, where he lived until March, 1893, when he came to Clinton county, where his brother had already settled. Here William H. settled on a farm just east of Frankfort, having, however, been quite popu- lar in Carroll county, where he had served as constable for four years and as township as- sessor five terms, being in his politics a stanch democrat.

In 1880 Mr. Maish lost his wife, who had borne five children, viz: Joseph H., George B.,

Catherine (who died at the age of six years), Eliza E., and Mary S. The second marriage of Mr. Maish occurred in 1883 to Amanda Thomas, a native of Carroll county, Ind., and this union has been blessed with one child- Annie Florence. The family are adherents of the Methodist church, and fraternally Mr. Maish is an Odd Fellow. The first wife of Mr. Maish was a daughter of Jesse and Eliza (Kim- mel) Berkheimer, and the second is a daughter of Andrew and Sarah Ann (Baker) Thomas. Mr. Thomas, a native of Virginia, died in 1889, but his widow still lives in Carroll county. Mr. Maish has been very successful in life, having begun on no capital, excepting enough to buy eighty acres of timbered land in Car- roll county, but he now owns 240 acres of im- proved land in that county and a fine farm of forty acres, just east of Frankfort, Clinton county-all gained by his superior sagacity and skillful management.

ENRY MAISH, of Center township, Clinton county, Ind., and a resident thereof since his early childhood, was born in Perry county, Pa., November 21, 1831, and is a son of David Maish, who caine with his family to Indiana about 1836 and settled near Frankfort. Henry went through all the rugged experiences of a farmer boy's life in the wilderness, attending the rude school-house, helpfully clearing away the for- est, and working on the home farm until twenty-three years of age, when, November 16, 1854, he married Catherine Elizabeth Fudge, daughter of the pioneer, David Fudge, a Methodist minister. (See sketch of David Fudge). Miss Fudge was born on the farm owned by Henry Maish May 5, 1835, but was called from her husband to a better land April 27, 1875, after having borne her husband the following children: Mary Seraphina, Novem-

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

ber 20, 1855; Hannah Tabitha, September 8, 1857, deceased; David Fudge, August 19, 1859; Samuel M., October 24, 1861, deceased; William Henry, deceased, and an infant that died unnamed. After his marriage, Henry Maish lived for six years on rented land. His wife then inherited an interest in her father's estate, and by 1861 Mr. Maish had succeeded in buying out the rights of the other heirs and settled on the property. It then consisted of 160 acres, but he has increased it to 273 acres, replaced the old dwelling of two rooms with a modern residence, substituted the di- lapidated barn with commodious modern structures, drained the land, and brought all the 273 acres under a good state of cultivation, with the exception only of twenty-five acres held in reserve. The second marriage of Henry Maish took place February 14, 1877, to Catherine Mikesell, a native of Ohio, to which union four children have been born, viz: Oris T., Pearl, Laura, and Harry (de- ceased). In politics Mr. Maish is a democrat, and with his family in religion is a Methodist. He comes from a very ancient German-Ameri- can family, the earliest of whose ancestors, John George Maish, landed in America Octo- ber 16, 1751, and settled near Harrisburg, Pa. The wife of John George was Catherine Ulp, who became the mother of six children, viz: Joseph, David, Frederick, Dolly, Christine and Catherine, all of whom lived to rear families of their own.

0 AVID FUDGE MAISH, son of Henry Maish, whose biography is given above, was born in Clinton county, Ind., August 19, 1859, where he was reared to farming and where he received a very good common school education. After reaching his majority he farmed for two years on his own account and then took an agency

for the Western Publishing House of Chicago, in whose interests he traveled as salesman or canvasser for such works as the " Royal Path of Life" and others of equal merit, through Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and other states, clear through to California, meeting with abundant success for four years. After this extensive tour through the country, Mr. Maish returned to his native county, where he is now engaged in raising small fruit, in which he is as successful as he had been in his former busi- ness. December 25 (Christmas day), 1889, Mr. Maish was married to Miss Florence May Pauley, who has become the happy mother of two children - Mary Elizabeth and Luella Pearl. Mr. and Mrs. Maish are reputable members of the Methodist church and equally reputable in society circles. Mr. Maish is also an honored member of the Improved Order of Red Men and the Patrons of Husbandry. In politics Mr. Maish is a prohibitionist, having severed his political relations with the demo- cratic party in the campaign of 1886. Since that time he has served his party as county chairman for six consecutive years, and was its candidate for county representative in 1890. He is a man of strong convictions, a forceful and eloquent speaker, and one who will com- mand respect among his fellow-citizens in any department of life.

0 AVID FUDGE, grandfather of Da- vid Fudge Maish, being a pioneer of Clinton county, Ind., and a man of more than ordinary gifts and ability, we deem worthy of mention in this volume. He was born in Warren county, Ohio, March 8, 1810, and there spent his early manhood as farmer, and later as tanner for his brother, John Fudge. August 18, 1834, he was mar- ried to Mary Smith, of Greene county, Ohio; and came to Clinton county, Ind., the same

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

year, settling upon the farm now owned by Henry Maish, Sr. Here Mr. Fudge lived, tilling his farm and clearing away the wilder- ness about him until called to the ministry in 1847. He had been an ardent worker in the Methodist Episcopal church from the time of his conversion in Ohio, and enjoyed the confi- dence and respect of his brethren and friends outside the church in such a degree that, long before his entering the regular work of the ministry, he was called from far and near to conduct funerals, marriages and other religious services. As a revivalist, .he was especially gifted, and Methodism owes much to his abil- ity, and has hardly seen his equal as an organ- izer and leader. Many of the older residents yet living in Clinton county bear testimony to ! his sterling worth and integrity as a citizen. He was the father of several children, of whom Catherine Elizabeth was the first wife of Henry Maish, whose biography is given tle Ground, Ind., March 18, 1847, from that dread disease, black erysipelas, and his remains were placed in the old South cemetery at Frankfort. His widow died May 28, 1863, and her remains were interred by his side.

and Nancy J. (Points) Barnett, natives of In- diana and of Irish descent. Mrs. Maish is one of a family of eight children, was born August 20, 1854, and by her marriage to Mr. Maish has herself been the mother of seven chil- dren, born in the following order: David B., born April 7, 1877; Refina G., in October, 1878; John W., in January, 1880; Walter S., September 10, 1882; Altha J., June 22, 1886; Homer G. C., in December, 1889, and Mary L., September 10, 1892. Mr. Maish has been very popular with the democratic party, and by it was elected county treasurer in 1890, as- suming the duties of his office November 15, of the same year, and filling the position with much ability and most satisfactorily through his term. Fraternally, he is a member of lodge No. 108, I. O. O. F., of Frankfort, and of Dacotah tribe, No. 42, I. O. R. M. Mr. and Mrs. Maish are highly respected members of the M. E. church of Frankfort, and few resi- above. His untimely death occurred at Bat- , dents of the township of Jackson hold higher rank in the esteem of their neighbors.

HOMAS W. MASTERS, one of the prominent citizens of Rossville, Clin- ton county, Ind., a substantial farmer and an old soldier, springs from Penn-

ILLARD P. MAISH, ex- county , sylvania-German stock and an old colonial treasurer and one of the youngest family. Christopher Masters, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania and resided in Lancaster county, where he manu- factured gun barrels for the army in the war of 1812. He married in Pennsylvania and had ten children: Hannah, Jacob, Margaret, John, Aaron, William, Elizabeth, Ann, Ellen and Samuel. Mr. Masters moved to Indiana at an early day and settled at Fairfield, in Frank- lin county, over sixty years since. He was a blacksmith by trade, but bought a mill in Fair- field, and also land, where he passed the re- and most progressive stock growers and farmers of Jackson township, Clinton county, Ind., his native home, was born February 9, 1855, and is a son of David and Altha (Norris) Maish, mention of which well-known family will be found elsewhere in these pages. Willard P., at his majority, took charge of his father's farm, and has been a most successful breeder of draft and fine driv- ing horses, and also buys cattle, sheep and hogs, which he fattens for market. February 4, 1876, he married Mary J., daughter of John . mainder of his days. His business in Penn-

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OF CLINTON COUNTY.

sylvania, had been running a trip hammer and forging iron. He was a prominent Methodist and died at about eighty years of age. John, his son, and father of our subject, was born August 5, 1805, received a common education, learned the blacksmith's trade and was a maker of edged tools. He married in Lancaster coun- ty, Pa., Susannah Harris, and to them were born eight children: Mary, Jacob H., John Q., Jane, Thomas W., William C., Samuel B., and Levi K., the first four born in Lancaster county, Pa., and the last four born in Franklin county, Ind., where Mr. Masters moved in 1835 and bought 150 acres of land and fol- lowed his trade. By thrift he accumulated and added to his farm until he owned over 300 acres, two miles from Fairfield. Both he and wife were members of the Methodist church, in which he held the offices of steward and trustee, and was class leader for many years. He lived to the age of eighty-five years, and died on his farm January 22, 1891, highly re- spected in his county. His wife was born in February, 1807, and died April 1, 1887, aged eighty years.

Thomas W. Masters was born June 26, 1838, in Franklin county, Ind., near Fairfield. on his father's farm. He received a good com- mon education, and, when the war broke out. enlisted at Connersville, Fayette county, Ind., in company L, Forty-first regiment Second Indiana cavalry, September 25, 1861, for three years, or during the war-under Col. Bridge- land, Capt. Isaiah Walker. He was twenty- three years of age and was in many battles and many skirmishes in Kentucky, Alabama, Geor- gia and Mississippi, and was in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth; his regiment was all cap- tured at Hartsville, Tenn., by Gen. John Mor- gan, except a lieutenant and six men, who were on detached service, our subject being one of them. Later, his regiment was paroled and sent back to Indianapolis and remounted , which he held office as steward, and is now 38

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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