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 95

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 95
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 95
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 95

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

presence of mind. At another time he had attended church with his wife and drove away, after the service, without her. His neglect flashing upon his mind, he drove rapidly back, and, on meeting his son David, was asked why he was driving so fast. He exclaimed, "Why, I have. forgotten Emily." Mr. Hadley lived in strict conformity to the doctrines of the Friends' church, but was liberal in his views, and was one of those Friends who joined the progressive element. He gave all his children good educations for the day. His first wife died in 1843, and he married Mary A. Harvey, of Ohio, the daughter of John and Mahala (Plummer) Harvey. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley be- came the parents of four children: Eunice Clark, and Rebecca, who died at the age of twenty years, and two that died in infancy. Mrs. Hadley lived about ten years after mar- riage, and died. Mr. Hadley then married Emily Brown, of this county. She lived until 1882, when she also died. and he married, in his old age, Mary Newlin, of North Carolina, a half-sister of his first wife, who still survives him. Mr. Hadley was a man of more than ordinary ability and possessed a very intelli- gent mind and great force of character. He died April 10, 1892, aged seventy-eight years, in the town of Hadley, which he had laid out on his farm in 1870.

David Hadley, son of the above, and the brother of Hannah, was born October 2, 1842, on his father's farm in Hendricks county, at- tended the Friends" academy at Mooresville, Ind., and taught school one year in Clay town- ship. In 1863 he was appointed superintend- ent of the freedmen s school at Gallatin, Tenn., in which he was, at that time, a teacher, he and his sisters, Hannah and Elida, having gone south for the purpose of assisting in the education of the colored people in the employ of the Freedmen's Aid society. At that time attempts to educate the negro were very un-

popular, and were only possible in the south when the military held control. On the with- drawal of the army the teachers were advised to leave, and were exposed to many indignities and some danger. They persevered against many difficulties, and taught at least one thou- sand negros to read and write and gave them the rudiments of an education. The average attendance was at least five hundred. The school was held in buildings confiscated by the "government, and at different times a barn, a church, and a hotel were utilized for this pur- pose. After the school at Gallatin was closed David Hadley was principal of a school on the plantation of the rebel Gen. Donaldson, under the protection of a United States colored mili- tary company. The colored people showed great eagerness to learn, and appreciated the efforts in their behalf, all ages, classes, condi- tions and colors coming to school. They had to be clothed to render them fit to attend. and the clothing and books were furnished by the Freedmen's Aid society of Cincinnati. and thus the helpless negro slave was helped on his way to become an American citizen. Trans- portation, rations, and buildings for school- houses were furnished by order of Gen. Grant. These young teachers had left a comfortable home and comparative wealth to teach these ignorant people, who had hardly a knowledge of the common decencies of life. After his 1 return home, David engaged in farming on the old homestead, and married, April 28, 1868, Sarah M., daughter of Joel H. and Ruth (Morris) Morris, and to this union were born five children: Josephine M., Morris J., Mary N., Ruth E. and Geraldine B.

Mr. Hadley is a prosperous farmer and a minister in the Friends' church. Hannah Hadley, the daughter of Nathan and Olive (Newlin) Hadley, is the widow of Tillman Hadley, who was born April 13, 1839, received a good common education and became a

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farmer. Like his forefathers, he was a mem- ber of the Friends' church. He married, for his first wife, Susan J., daughter of Charles Coffin, and they had two children: Melmoth K., deceased at sixteen years of age, and Julia B. Mr. Hadley inherited eighty acres of land from his father, which is a part of the farm now occupied by our subject, and on which he settled about 1858. He was a thrifty man and soon accumulated 160 acres. His wife died five years after marriage, and he married, September 8, 1869, Hannah Hadley, our sub- ject. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley became the parents of seven children: Luther; Olive, died aged twenty-one years, nine months; Beulah; Smithy; William; Paul and Seth T. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley settled on the homestead after marriage, Mrs. Hadley inheriting seventy- three acres of land and $2, 500 in cash from her father. By good management, patient labor and their combined efforts, they added to this land until they owned 500 acres. Mr. Hadley died, aged forty-eight years and nine months, on the sixteenth day, first month, 1888. He was a man of devout religious convictions and was looked up to in his church as a prominent member, and was much respected. He was of few words, slow to speak his mind, but of sound and mature judgment. He was origin- ally a republican, but later a prohibitionist.

Hannah Hadley was born in Clay town- ship, fourth day, second month, 1841, received an excellent education and taught one term of school in this township. Her mind had been instilled from her earliest youth, by her father, with a love of liberty and an abhorrence of slavery, and with a desire to assist and uplift the down-trodden slave. In 1862, in company with Job Hadley and his wife, Tacy, she went to Cairo, Ill., and taught the contraband refugees from the south, 'and received no pay for this arduous service except the regular government rations of a soldier. They taught

three months, when a wider field opened in the south, and she went, accompanied by her sister Elida and her brother David, to Gal- latin, Tenn., and taught the colored people in this vicinity for about three years. Mrs. Had- ley lost her health in the south, as she had to endure many privations, and it was some years before she recovered. She is a devout mem- ber of the Friends' church, and her record shows plainly that she is capable of great self- Sacrifice; she is, beside, a woman of excellent business capacity. When her husband died, her eldest son was but sixteen years of age, and she had the entire management of the farm for years. By her sagacity she has added to it until the homestead now consists of 500 acres, and she acquired, in Idaho, 360 acres beside.

...

DMUND R. HADLEY, deceased, was, in his day, one of the most prosper- ous farmers of Eel River township, Hendricks county, Ind., of which territory he was a pioneer. His parents were James T. and Mary (Richardson) Hadley, and his birth took place in Chatham county, N. C. in 1821. At the early age of three or four years he was brought to Indiana by his parents, who located in Hendricks county. Growing to manhood, he here married, August 29, 1839, Sarah A , daughter of Abner and Mary S. (McCowen) Ragan. Mr. Ragan was origin- ally from Virginia, but went with his father to Kentucky when he was a boy. Abner Ragan was the son of Robert and Sally (Samuels) Ragan. Robert Ragan was a pioneer of Ken- tucky, where he went when a young man with four sons: Robert, Abner, Reuben and Thomp- son. Abner Ragan settled in Putnam county, Ind., in 1825, in the green woods, and eight years later, in 1833-5, came to Hendricks county, Ind., and settled in Marion township,

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in the woods, and entered 160 acres. To- himself and wife were born six children, five of whom lived to become of age: Eliza, James, Sarah A., Sophia M. and John. In his later life, Mr. Ragan became a member of the Christian church. His wife died in Put- nam county, Ind., and he afterward married Rosa Smith, but there were no children by this marriage. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, but he died in peace on his home farm. He was an industrious pioneer citizen, ac- cumulated a- goodly property, and was noted for his reasonable and honorable disposi- tion and kind demeanor.

After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Edmund R. Hadley settled in the north part of Marion town- ship, on the Eel river. the farm, which con- sisted of 900 acres, being in two townships. His father had given him 240 acres in the thick woods, and by hard work and thrift he added to it until he acquired the number of acres named. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley were the parents of six children: Mary J., who mar- ried Cyrus Rogers, of Indian Territory; James A., a farmer in Eel River township, who mar- ried Jane Fleece; Sophia E., married Solon Rogers, farmer in Kansas; Taylor, farmer of Eel River township, married to Hattie Kesler; William J., farmer of Eel township, married to Lillie Fleece, and Eva M., married to Charles W. Davis, a banker of North Salem. In 1871, Mr. Hadley bought the 160 acres now occupied by his widow, having given the remainder of his land to his children. In 1872 he moved to this land, and in 1877 built a handsome brick residence costing $9,000, one of the most substantial residences in Eel River township. He died May 30, 1878, aged fifty- seven years. He was a hard-working, indus- trious and very economical man. He was well known for his rectitude in life and tem- perate habits. He was a devout Christian, kind father, and affectionate husband. His

widow resides in the old homestead and has always been a hard-working, faithful woman, noted for her many virtues.

APT. WILLIAM B. WILSON is one of the largest land owners of Union township, Hendricks county, Ind. He springs from a sterling English family, his grandfather, Lemuel Wilson, being a second cousin of Lord Cornwallis and a native of Hali- fax county, Va. He married Susan Griffin, and served his country with distinction in the war of 1812. In 1821 they started to Indiana, but he died in Guilford county, N. C., in 1831. The wife succeeded in reaching Jennings county, Ind., later dying in Johnson county in the same state. Wallis Wilson, son of the above and father of our subject, was born in Halifax county, Va., December 8, 1808. He successfully engaged in teaching many years, being well educated for the age, but he ob- tained it all by self-study. He married Ma- tilda Amick, daughter of Nicholas and Sarah (Foust) Amick. Twelve children were the re- sult of this union, in the order named: William B., Sarah, George, Mary A., Elizabeth, Daniel W., Joel A., Henry, Rebecca, Clara C., Charles and John W. The father and mother, after a life full of usefulness, died in ripe old age, amid familiar scenes-the father, August 23, 1827, and the mother, March 27, 1889. They accumulated over 1, 300 acres of land, which they improved. He was honored by the old-line whig party with the office of county commissioner, and later that of justice of the peace. Although never identified with any church, they always aided all denominations liberally.

Capt. William B. Wilson, subject of this sketch, was born in' Jennings county, Ind., September 14, 1839. He attended the North- western Christian university one year and then

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

matriculated at Hanover college, intending to complete the course. . The conflict of the Civil war called him from the student's desk, but his youthful ambition was never fulfilled. He enlisted July 8, 1861, in company H, Nine- teenth Indiana volunteer infantry, was trans- ferred to the army of the Potomac, and cam- paigned in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsyl- vania, engaging in the battles of Lewinsville, Rappahannock station and Gainesville, August 28, 1860, where a bullet passed through his hat, and in which his and five other regiments withstood the terrible onslaught of twenty- seven regiments of rebels, but with the loss of over fifty-five per cent of the brigade. The next battle was second Bull Run, where he was appointed sergeant. He then took part in the South Mountain battle, in which his captain was wounded and he was appointed to fill his place, commanding the company on the bloody field of Antietam, his regiment only having thirty-seven men out of two hundred remaining, while only three were left out of his company, he being dangerously wounded and still bearing the ball just in front of his heart When able for duty he received commissions of both second and first lieutenant. His brig- ade opened the Gettysburg fight, and during the terrible ordeal every officer and private in his company was killed or injured, he being seriously wounded through the shoulders. He was, however, able to join his regiment in time for the Mine Run fight, and from that time on discharged the duties of captain, but had not yet received his commission. The captain also participated in the following bat- tles: The Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsyl- vania, Po River, North Anna, Bethseda Church, Cold Harbor, Chickahominy, Peters- burg (in which a spent ball inflicted a severe wound on his throat; also, a ball glazed his thigh, causing a wound; and a ball also passed through his clothing and killed a sergeant in

company K), Weldon Railway, Yellow House, etc. The regiment's time having expired, he now organized and was commissioned captain of company G, Twentieth Indiana volunteer infantry, and was in the battle of Boydtown Plank Road. He was honorably discharged December 6, 1864, after serving over three years and five months-a record of which he is justly proud.

After the war, the captain married Mary A. Dixon, who bore one child, Leonidas, now in the United States navy. Mrs. Wilson was a devout member of the Methodist church and died October 12, 1869. The second marriage of Capt. Wilson was to Mary E. McCormick, daughter of John G. and Matilda (Powner) McCormick. For over twenty years Mr. Mc- Cormick was an elder in the Presbyterian church, and was Sabbath-school superintend- ent seventeen years, and was noted for his liberality toward the church. The old demo- cratic party elected him commissioner to erect the court house in Decatur county, Ind. His children were, George, William G., Mary E., James B. He died January 27, 1894; the mother still living. Our subject's children by his second marriage are John W., Lessie M., Ina D., and Charles E. Our subject was elected by the republican party of Jennings county sheriff for two terms. The captain owns a fine farm of 420 acres, improved with first-class buildings, etc. He is an F. & A. M., Odd Fellow and a member of the G. A. R., and his wife is a devout Presbyterian.

ENRY F. KURTZ, one of the old soldiers of Hendricks county, a pris- oner of war seven months, and now a substantial farmer, is of German descent. His great-grandfather came from Germany, and was a pioneer of Kentucky. Jacob Kurtz, the father of our subject, was

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

born in Nelson county, Ky., was a soldier in the war of 1812, and married in Nelson county Allietia Clements, and to them eleven children were born, viz: Katie, William, George, Mary, Sarah, John S. (died two years old), Henry F., Barbara, Jacob, John S. (died an infant), and Eliza. Mr. Kurtz remained in Nelson county until he moved to Putnam county, Ind., of which he was one of the orig- inal pioneers.

Henry F. Kurtz, our subject, was born Feb- ruary 10, 1828, in Nelson county, Ky., and was about six months of age when brought to Indiana by his parents. He was brought up a farmer, and married, October 9, 1851, Margaret L., daughter of Laurence L. and Caroline (Adams) Van Nice, of Hendricks county, next-door neighbors. Mr. Van Nice was a pioneer of Hendricks county, settling, in 1833, in Marion township. He was the son of Peter Van Nice, a pioneer of Mercer county, Ky., who, with his wife, came from Germany. Lawrence Van Nice became the father of eight children by two wives. By the first wife there were five children, all now living, viz .: Mar- garet L., Phoebe E., Harvey N., Isaac N. and David N. After the death of his first wife he married Julia Hadley, in 1848, and by her had three children: William E., James O. and Mary E. Mr. Van Nice is yet living at the age of eighty-six years. He and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which he has been deacon many years. He had three sons in the Civil war, viz .: Harvey N., in company G, Ninety- ninth Indiana volunteer infantry; Sergeant Isaac N. and David M., all in the same com- pany and regiment, and all serving three years to the end of the war. They were in Chal- mer's raid, Vicksburg campaign, and marched from Memphis to Bridgeport; were in the bat- tles of Chattanooga, the Knoxville campaign, and all the battles of the Atlanta campaign,

with Sherman on his famous march to the sea, on the return march to Washington, and pres- ent at the grand review. David M. was shot in the hip at the battle of Atlanta, July 22.

In the spring of 1855, Henry F. Kurtz, our subject, settled, three years after marriage, on his present farm, then consisting of 160 acres, in the woods, which he cleared up from the wilderness, and by thrift and industry, added to it until he now owns 500 acres of fine land. To Mr. and Mrs. Kurtz have been born eight children: Catherine F., Jacob L., Eliza E., William H., deceased; Jennie, Charles E., Oscar, and Wilbert H., deceased. On August 13, 1862, Henry F. Kurtz enlisted, in Marion township, in company G, Ninety-ninth regi- ment, Indiana volunteer infantry. He was in all the battles and campaigns and on July 22, 1864, was taken prisoner at Atlanta, taken to Andersonville and marched, with 3,000 other prisoners, all captured at Atlanta. He was in this notorious prison stockade from August I, 1864, to October 24. He had nothing with him, as the soldiers had stacked their knap- sacks and left blankets and coats behind in coming into battle. He and his major were the only ones captured out of his brigade. The company had been ordered to retreat, and he, not hearing the order, stopped to discharge his rifle at a squad of rebel soldiers; as he started to run his major, who had found a slight shelter, ordered him to stop, or he would be shot all to pieces; they were both immedi- ately captured.

At Andersonville there were 20,000 prison- ers. The heat was intense, and Mr. Kurtz found shelter with two New York soldiers in a hole in a bank. The rations consisted of a little salt, "Nigger peas," one-half pint of raw corn-meal not sifted, and no meat, except per- haps twice, while confined there three months, and a little beef covered with maggots. Mr. Kurtz obtained permission to bring in wood

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

from the forests, under parole, and thus ob- tained a double ration , and a chance to trade with the rebels and guards. He had concealed a ten-dollar greenback by cutting off a button from the waistband of his pants, and putting the greenback in and then sewing on the but- ton. With this money to trade on, and the means of a comrade who was weakly, three of the prisoners started a small trade station, and by this means Mr. Kurtz added to his rations so that he could live; otherwise he would have starved to death. After being confined here three months, Mr. Kurtz was taken to Flor- ence, S. C., a stockade prison, and confined here three months, and here he had little better rations. Mr. Kurtz was exchanged February 28, 1865, sent north, and being emaciated and nearly dead, was sent directly home, where he arrived March 22, 1865. Mr. Kurtz then remained on the home farm and prospered. Mr. Kurtz is one of the substan- tial citizens of Hendricks county who by thrift and honest industry has made a handsome property and reared a respectable family. Mr. Kurtz has an intelligent family, all married and settled around him, and he has assisted them all, the girls with money and the sons with land.

Q OL. THOMAS NICHOLS is one of the oldest settlers of Hendricks coun- ty and of Danville. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war and a colonel in the old Indiana State militia, and has been a prominent and honored citizen of Danville for many years. James Nichols, grandfather of our subject, was from Ireland, and settled at an early date in Pennsylvania. He was the father of James, Erasmus, Jane (who married a Mr. Hill), and these are the names of all his chil- dren now remembered. James Nichols, son of above and father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, at Hillsboro, about twenty-five

miles from Wheeling, Va., and married Rachel Jackson, who was a second cousin of the famous Confederate, Stonewall Jackson. Mr. Nichols was a farmer, and to himself and wife were born the following children: Erasmus, Sarah, Elizabeth (born in Pennsylvania), Thomas, Andrew, and James. Mr. Nichols moved to Kentucky in 1803 and settled in Nelson county, in the wilderness, and cleared up a farm. In 1821 he moved to Indiana, being then about seventy years old, and lived on White river until February 1, 1822, when he moved to Hendricks county, settled in Guilford township, and entered eighty acres of land, which was one of the first farms entered in this county, but three families living here at that time. These were the families of Samuel Jessup, Thomas Lockhart, and a Mr. Kellum, all from North Carolina. In the fall of 1821, when Mr. Nichols was living on White river, eighty bark canoes sailed away bound west, all filled with Indians, and it was a remarkable sight. Mr. Nichols cleared his farm and lived there until he sold out and moved two miles west of Danville, where he bought eighty acres. Thomas and Andrew Nichols, sons of the above, also entered eighty acres each. Mr. Nichols remained here until his death in 1826, aged seventy-eight years. He was a large, tall man, and a typical pioneer farmer. His wife lived to be eighty-one years old and died five years after her husband's demise.

Col. Thomas Nichols was born in Nelson county, Ky., near Bardstown, November 5, 1803; he received the usual limited education of the pioneer, but he gained through life a practical business education. He was seven- teen years of age when he came with his father to Indiana, the journey being made with horses and wagons, and he well remembers the journey, and seeing the Indians leave White river. In 1825 he had entered his first eighty acres in Center township, two miles

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

north of Danville. He married, December 27, 1827, Martha, daughter of James T. Hadley, and to this union were born nine children: Nancy; James, died at eighteen years; Jane, died at eighteen years; Serena, died at thirty- four years, a married woman; William; Eras- mus; Oliver E .; Julia and one who died an infant-all born in Hendricks county. In 1828, Col. Nichols was elected sheriff of this county, serving four years, and moved to Danville, then a small village of four or five houses, and he has since lived here. He was the second sheriff of Hendricks county, and a Mr. Cooper was the first. After this the colonel worked at the carpenter business thirty years and built many of the prominent build- ings of the olden times. In 1833-34-35-36, Col. Nichols represented the county in the state legislature, and in 1844 he was again elected sheriff, serving four years more. In 1860 he was once more elected sheriff, and served four years, making a total service in that office of twelve years. In 1878 he was elected justice of the peace, and has held this office longer than any other citizen in the county; he has tried many cases, and mar- ried, at least, 150 couples. In 1832, he raised a company of fifty-four men at Danville, was elected captain, and served in the Black Hawk war. He went to Chicago- then consisting only of old Fort Dearborn-and, Black Hawk being captured, he returned home. Col. Nichols has been a member of the Methodist church since 1847, and is the first Mason ever made in Hendricks county (in 1846) Western Star lodge, Danville; he has held all the offices, and was master of the lodge twelve years. Politically he was first an old-line whig, throw- ing his first vote for Henry Clay, for president, in 1824, and later he was one of the original republicans of Hendricks county. His sons, William and Erasmus, were soldiers in the Civil war.

Col. Nichols is probably the best known .man in Hendricks county, and has always held the confidence of the people and been elected to many prominent offices. He has always stood high and maintained throughout his long and useful life an unblemished character for in- tegrity. He is now a venerable gentleman of ninety-two years. He was elected colonel of the old State militia in 1825, and held the office until the state abolished the organization. Col. „Nichols has always been a lover of temperance and a foremost advocate of the cause, being one of the foremost promoters of the "Sons of Temperance," which was organized thirty years ago. There were a few saloons in Dan- ville early in its history, but they were well regulated by the people, and for thirty-five years no saloon has ever existed in the city. At a very early day liquor was sold in the pio- neer stores and there was a good deal of drunk- enness, but the "Friends" had a great deal to do with keeping out saloons and the advance- ment of morals among the people of the county.

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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