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 96

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 96
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 96
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 96

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a LDER ERASMUS D. THOMAS, one of the leading citizens of Center town- ship, Hendricks county, Ind., a preacher in the Regular Baptist church for the long period of forty years, springs from an old colonial American family of Welsh descent, three brothers by the name having come from Wales about 1765 or 1770, one of whom, John, was the great-grand- father of our subject, and settled in New York state; one settled in Maryland and one in Vir- ginia. Elder Minor Thomas, grandfather of our subject, was born in New York state between Seneca and Cayuga lakes in 1770, and married, in that state, Nancy Fairchild, and they were the parents of one child, David F., who was an infant when his mother died; Elder Thomas next married Nancy Winans,

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and they became the parents of William, Ellen, Rachel and Samantha. Elder Thomas was a farmer of New York state, where he reared his family, and in 1820 came to In- diana, all of his family coming with him- some of whom were married-and settled in Fayette county, near Connersville. . Elder Thomas had been a preacher from the time he was first married, and was one of the first Regular Baptist preachers in Indiana. He entered 200 acres of land and was a prosper- ous farmer. This land was covered with a dense forest, from which he cleared and made a good farm. Beside the 200 acres, he gave his children money with which to enter land. Before leaving New York state, his second wife died, and he married Lydia Hall, a widow, and to them were born three children: New- ton, Nancy, and Angeline. The first two died infants, but Angeline is yet living in Indian- apolis, the wife of John Bates. Elder Thomas lived about ten years in Indiana and died in 1830 at sixty years of age, leaving a handsome - property. He was a very devout Christian, a thorough student of the Bible and a clear ex- pounder of the Scriptures, and one of the old- est pioneer preachers of his day in his church. Throughout his life he was highly revered as a follower of Christ and guide to others.

David F. Thomas, father of our subject, was born September 12, 1793, in Tompkins county, N. Y., on his father's farm, received a common education, and learned farming. He married, in his native county, Phoebe, daughter of John and Mary Cole. John Cole was from an old American colonial family, of English descent, and one of eight sons. His father was a sea-faring man and followed whale fish- ing, and when the Revolutionary war broke out, he and seven of his sons fought all through the struggle. John, being too young, ran a grist- mill. The family finally settled in Tompkins county, N. Y., and then settled at a place 45

called Cole's Corners. John Cole was a promi- nent farmer and reared a family of six children: Cyrus, Harvey, Libbeus, Phoebe, Thersy and Eliza. Mr. Cole died an aged man, on his farm, a devout member of the Baptist church. David F. Thomas and wife settled first in Tompkins county, N. Y., and in 1819, after the birth of one child, moved to and settled on the Little Miami river, in Ohio, lived there one year, and then joined his father in Fayette county, Ind., in 1820, where he cleared up a good farm and remained until he retired and passed his remaining days with his children. He died at the residence of our subject. He and wife were the parents of three children: Harriet, born in New York state; Minor, born in Ohio, and Erasmus D., born in Indiana. Mr. Thomas was a devout member of the Baptist church, of which he and wife became members in New York, in 1819. When a young man he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and served on the frontier. He was highly respected by the people as a man of integrity.

Erasmus D. Thomas, our subject, was born November 18, 1821, on his father's farm in Fayette county, Ind., received the limited education of the pioneer days, first in the old log school-house, and then in one of the first frame school-houses in the " New Purchase." He became a farmer, and worked on his father's farm until of age. He married, in Fayette county, Mary G., daughter of Elder Wilson and Mary (Grigg) Thompson. Elder Thompson was from Lebanon, Ohio, but for- merly from the state of Kentucky. He was a Regular Baptist preacher, and substantial farmer, and preached until he died, at the age of seventy-eight years, in Howard county, Ind. He was a man of intelligence and ability, and represented Fayette county in the state legis- lature for two terms. He was the father of seven children, viz .: Griggs M., Rebecca, Minerva, James L., Jeremiah (died at fourteen

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

years), Mary G. and John A. After marriage, Elder Thomas settled on a new piece of land in the woods in the Miami Purchase, buying ninety acres, on which he was the first settler. He assisted to organize Tipton county, Ind., in 1844, and to lay out Tipton, the county seat, and is now the only survivor of the men engaged in this work. He was elected the first auditor of the county, but not being eligible, did not serve. Elder Thomas remained on his farm two years, during which time he cleared up eighteen acres, and then, on account of his father and mother, returned to the old home and re- mained four years, and then moved to Han- cock county, . Ind., "and bought 100 acres of land and lived here two years, and then moved to Marion county, Ind., where he bought 160 acres and lived here eight years, and then, in 1863, came to his present farm in Hendricks county, and bought a farm of 113 acres, to which he has added, and now owns 140 acres. To Elder and Mrs. Thomas have been born ten children: John A., Phoebe E., Charles, Lewis E., Harriet, William, Erasmus, Ed- ward, Marshall and Hattie M. Mrs. Thomas died in 1870, and he married, in 1871, Mary E. Holcombe, née Rosborough, daughter of James and Sarah (Watters) Rosborough. Mr. Rosborough was born in Gibson county, Ind., son of Joseph R., an Irishman, who settled in South Carolina, and moved to Gibson county in 1815.

James Rosborough was the father of eight children: Nancy, Mary E., Margaret L., Jo- seph, Lucilla, Lora, Martha and Bell. Mr. Rosborough was a farmer and miller and had one of the first mills in Gibson county, and be- came prosperous. He was a member of the Baptist church, and died at the age of forty- nine years, much respected for his integrity. By this second marriage Elder Thomas is the father of six children: Harvey C., Joseph (died an infant), Frank, Mamie, Raymond, and Nel-

lie. Elder Thomas was converted to the cause .of Christ at the age of nineteen years and be- gan preaching, having also taught school since nineteen years of age, -teaching five years in his last school in Marion county, at Acton. He was a preacher in Fayette county, Ind., and has since preached the Gospel for the long period of forty-four years, preaching in one church in Marion county, "Big Run Church," nine miles southeast of Indianapolis, for forty- "one years, and has preached in Danville thirty- nine years and in his own neighborhood thirty- one years; has been universally successful in his ministry, and is held in high esteem in the county and wherever known. He has been prospered by thrift and economy, and is in good circumstances. He has lived a sincere chris- tian life and brought up a large and highly re- spected family of children, and is an example of having led a correct and moral life. He has two sons in the Regular Baptist ministry, and one son who is a lawyer at Bedford, Iowa. Elder Thomas is the father of fifteen children now living, twenty-five grandchildren, and three great-grand-children. In politics he is a democrat. He is in favor of education and has served as school trustee and has given all his children good educations, several of them attending higher institutions and becoming school-teachers. He has also reared several other children besides his own, among them Dr. Aubrey W. Holcombe. whom he brought up from four years of age and educated. The doctor is a graduate of a well-known medical college, and is now a practicing physician of Kokomo.

J OSEPH B. SELLERS, of company I, Twenty-seventh Indiana volunteer infantry, First division, Twelfth and Twentieth corps, is one of those vet- erans of the Civil war of whom Hendricks

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

county may well feel proud. He springs from an old American family of German origin. His grandfather Sellers was a pioneer of Kentucky. The great-grandfather on the maternal side was William Brown, who came from Ireland and served all through the war of the Revolu- tion, and settled on a farm on the James river in Virginia. John C. Sellers, the father of our subject, was born in Garrard county, Ky., March 26, 1796, married Fannie Brown, and they became the parents of thirteen children, four of whom are now living, viz: Rebecca, now Mrs. Gilmore, born in 1830; John Lay- man, born in 1836; Martha, now Mrs. Ruark, born in 1838; and Joseph, born in 1843. The deceased are: Lucy Ann, married Robert Leach; she was born in 1822 and died May 16, 1846; James Washington, born in 1823 and died June 11, 1865; Mary, born in 1826, died October 12, 1853; Nancy (Mrs. Tasbot), born in 1834, died February 8, 1872; Fannie E., twin sister to John L., born in 1836, died November, 1851; and Sarah, born in 1840, died February 9, 1840; Elizabeth, born 1828, died October 16, 1858; Amanda, born 1832, died November 13, 1836; William, born 1824, died October 15, 1850.

Mr. Sellers came to Putnam county in 1832, bringing with him $200, with which he entered eighty acres of land in section five, Warren township, all of which was wooded, ten acres of which being deadened but not cleared up. From time to time he entered eighty-acre lots until he accumulated 400 acres, earning the money to make the entries by working for twenty-five cents per day. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, being a member of Capt. Davidson's company of Col. Dick Johnson's famous regiment of mounted infantry. They were mostly engaged in the northern frontier, and were in the celebrated charge where Te- cumseh, the great Indian chief, was killed. He died near Putnamville, Ind., November 1,

1874, aged seventy-eight years, seven months and six days. He was a respected citizen, a man of character, good judgment and intelli- gence. He was a ruling elder in the Presby- terian church. His wife died March 8, 1878, near Putnamville, Ind., on the old homestead. She was born near Fredricksburg, Va., and came to Garrard county, Ky., in early life, and to Putnam county in 1825, with her husband and two children. She was a woman of pru- dence and excellent judgment, and was pos- sessed of the many virtues of the pioneer mother.

Joseph B. Sellers, our subject, was born February 8, 1843, on his father's farm in Put- nam county, Ind., received the common edu- cation of his day, and was reared a farmer. August 17, 1861, he enlisted in company I, Twenty-seventh regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry, under Capt. Joel McGrew, at Put- namville, Ind., for three years or during the war, and was mustered into the United States service September 12, 1861. He served three years and was honorably discharged, his term of service having expired while he was home on furlough, suffering from wounds which necessitated the amputation of his leg. He was in the battles of Newtown, Va., May 22, 1862; Winchester, May 23; Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862, when he was shot through the lower right leg, the ball just missing the bone. He was sent from the battle field to Fairfax, where he was in the hospital in the seminary building for one week. He was then taken to Newark, N. J., where he remained until November 10, 1862, where he rejoined his regiment. He was in the battle of Chancel- lorsville, May the second and third, 1863, and was detailed to come after the regimental teams and was under a severe fire from rebel shells. He was in the battle of Resaca, Ga., May 15, 1864; New Hope church, May 25, 1864, and here his left leg was shot through

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

by a minie ball, four inches below the knee. He was assisted to the rear by a comrade and lay that night on a stretcher, withont shelter. The next day, at eleven o'clock, his leg was amputated, the bone being badly shattered. He was taken three days later to Kingston, Ga., in an ambulance, with another wounded man, whose left leg had been amputated in about the same manner, and who lay in the ambulance under the effects of morphine, and, as the vehicle rocked and jolted over the rough roads, his well leg would strike the wounded leg of Mr. Sellers, causing great distress. He seemed to be partly unconscious, paid no at- tention to Mr. Sellers' remonstrances, and made but little effort to steady himself. Dur- ing the night the situation became terrible, as the wounded soldier lay heavily on Mr. Sellers' wounded leg. As morning broke, an officer, who was riding with the driver, came to make inquiries as to the welfare of the wounded soldiers. In answer to Mr. Sellers' complaint, the officer spoke to the soldier, and receiving no reply, shook him slightly, and found him dead. Mr. Sellers had been remonstrating during the night with a corpse. Mr. Sellers was next taken to Chattanooga, where he was in hospital two weeks, and was then in hos- pital at Nashville, Tenn., until July 8, 1864, where his father carne for him and took him home. On the seventeenth of August, 1864, he went to Indianapolis, his term of service having expired, and received his discharge. For eighteen months thereafter he was unable to do any work and suffered greatly.

In 1866 he was elected treasurer of Put- nam county on the republican ticket and served with credit to himself and satisfaction to the people. He married September 27, 1868, Viola E., daughter of Elias and Mary E. (Stillwagon) Kiser, and to this marriage have been born six children: Cora B., Grant, Frank, Earnest, Stella (deceased aged nine

months), and Homer. After serving his coun- ty as treasurer, he settled on a farm two miles from the old homestead, and engaged in stock- raising until 1891, when he moved to North Salem, Hendricks county, and bought a flour- ing mill and the Central hotel. Here he still resides and does a successful business. He is a member of the G. A. R., and was com- mander of Putnamville post while he resided in that vicinity. He is now a member of the Joseph Fleece Post, of North Salem. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F., North Salem lodge, and of the Knights of Honor. Mr. Sellers and wife are both members of the Presbyterian church, in which he was an elder at Putnamville. He is a stanch republican, politically. He is a large, robust man, weigh- ing 275 pounds, and stands six feet three and one-half inches high. His great weight has always made the loss of his limb an ad- ditional grievance to him, and he has cause to remember the rebel bullets. He was a gallant soldier, and did his duty cheerfully and prompt- ly, and his active mind and good memory retain a good many interesting reminiscences of the war. Mr. Sellers is a man of marked character, stands high as an honest man and a good citizen, and has raised a most respected family. In regard to his application for the position of postmaster of Greencastle, Ind., no better comment can be made than presenta- tion of copies of the following letters of com- mendation:

NEOSHO, Mo., January 27, 1889.

This certifies, That I have known Private Joe Sel- lers all his life. His father was known throughout the community where he lived some fifty years, as honest John Sellers, and the family, a large one, have the same character. Joe was one of the first boys to enlist and go out in company I, Twenty-seventh In- diana infantry, of which I was second lieutenant. Joe was a good soldier and did his duty upon the Balls Bluff, Winchester, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg campaigns in the east, and lost his left leg at New Hope Church in Georgia. He has been treasurer of Putnam county,

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Ind., and in the last campaign made a good race on the republican ticket for representative from the same county. I take pleasure in recommending his hon- esty, general integrity, as an old comrade for the po- sition he aspires. Respectfully,

J. C. WILLIAMS, Ex-lieutenant, Twenty-seventh Indiana.

LIBRARY OF JOHN CLARK RIDPATH, GREENCASTLE, IND., March 11, 1889. To the President :

I have been solicited to give a letter recommend- ing the appointment of Capt. Joseph B. Sellers as postmaster of Greencastle. There are several worthy applicants for this position. While I do not presume to recommend one of these to the disparagement of the rest, I do say that Capt. Sellers has many and strong claims upon the administration and the party. He is an honest man, universally esteemed, thor- oughly in the confidence of the people. He is espec- ially in favor with the republican party in Putnam county. He is a glorious old soldier, who gave a leg in battle that the nation might live. He is especially worthy of trust, as it respects public office, and would in any official position be a faithful and honest public servant. Respectfully,

JOHN C. RIDPATH.

PILL A. KING, the able editor and proprietor of the Danville Gazette, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 5, 1864, and is the oldest of the living children of E. Douglass and Ruth (War- ner) King. E. Douglass King, the father of our subject, was born in Uniontown, Pa., and came to Indiana in 1869, as editor of the Fort Wayne Sentinel, and was also the publisher of the first directory published in that city. In February, 1878, he founded the Hendricks County Democrat, and in September, ISSo, he established the Gazette. He is now a resi- dent of Washington, D. C., holding a position in the government printing office. Will A. King, our subject, was reared and educated in Danville, but at an early age entered the print- ing office of his father, who had an experience of thirty years as an editor, and under his

guidance not only acquired the mechanical knowledge of the business, but, having literary abilities of a high order, became thoroughly competent to assume any position connected with newspaper work. In 1880 he became co-publisher with his father in founding the Gazette, of which he is now sole editor, and it is now the acknowledged democratic organ of Hendricks county. Mr. King married Miss Jennie, daughter of John C. and Sarah J. (Parker) Hill, and this union has been blessed with three children: Ruth A., Sarah J., and Robert H., and is one of the esteemed and progressive young citizens of Danville. His journal is kept fully abreast of the times, is newsy and spicy, and is not only an able party organ, but is also a desirable family and busi- ness newspaper. Mr. King is not only adapted by his early training for the responsible posi- tion he so ably fills, but is fitted by nature for the intricate and subtle duties that devolve upon the editor of a journal devoted to the in- terests of a powerful party, and these asser- tions are amply sustained by the fact that he has met with the entire approval of not only the members of his party, but of the public at large.

J ONATHAN S. MARSHALL, ex-sheriff, an old soldier and the present com- mander of Jesse S. Ogden post, No. 164, G. A. R., at Danville, Hendricks county, Ind., is a native of Parke county, Ind., and was born April 23, 1845, of Scotch-Irish origin. His great-grandfather, Alfred Mar- shall, was an old settler of North Carolina. Alfred had a brother who came to America at the same time and settled in Virginia, and from him descended the Virginia Marshalls, including the famous chief justice. Alfred Marshall, son of the immigrant Alfred, and grandfather of Jonathan S., was born in North

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Carolina, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and passed his days in his native state. A third Alfred Marshall, son of the one last named and father of Jonathan S., our sub- ject, was a native of Chatham county, N. C., was reared a farmer and early came to Indi- ana, locating in Parke county, but later mov- ing to the Indian reserve. in 1846, and settling in Howard county, nine miles southwest of Kokomo. Subsequently he returned to Parke county, where he died in 1868. He had vol- unteered, at the late age of fifty-six years, in company C, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, served one year, and took part in several skirmishes, but his health was greatly impaired by this service. He also had five sons in the Union army, all being as patriotic as himself, to-wit : Thomas S., company B, the One Hundred and Seven- teenth Indiana volunteer infantry, and in sev- eral battles; Mahlon W., who served over three years in the Eighty-fifth Indiana volun- teer infantry, was in many battles, was taken prisoner near Danville, Ky., and was confined in Libby prison six months; Eli served three years, enlisting in the Fifty-first and veteran- izing in the One Hundred and Forty-eighth In- diana volunteer infantry; he took part in the battles of Munfordsville and several other en- gagements; William was in the Twenty-sev- enth Iowa volunteer infantry, and served three years. The military record of Jona- than S. will be given below. The above five sons were members of a family of thirteen children born to Alfred Marshall and his wife, Hannah, who was a daughter of Joshua and Sarah Woody, nine of which children were named, in order of birth, as follows: Thomas S., Emeline, Mahlon, Margaret, Eli L., Jona- than S., William, Elizabeth and Ellen. Jona- than S. Marshall has still in his possession an old-fashioned, flint-lock rifle, believed to be ninety-five years old, and which belonged to

his father, and is still in very good condition. Jonathan S. Marshall was but sixteen years of age when he enlisted, June 1, 1862, at In- dinapolis, in company H, Fifty-fourth Indiana volunteer infantry. He served four months and was mustered out in the same city. June 9, 1863, he enlisted in company L, First In- diana heavy artillery, -or Twenty-first Indiana volunteer infantry,-and served nearly three years, or until honorably discharged at India- napolis, January 22, 1866. He took an active part in the skirmish at Shepherdsville, Ky., with the rebel general, Morgan, in the artillery service, was also at the battles of Baton Rouge, Fort Morgan, Fort Gaines, Fort Span- ish, Fort Huger, and Fort Blakely; he was neither sick, wounded nor taken prisoner dur- ing his term of service, but, on the contrary, took an active part in all the engagements in which his battery fought. Nevertheless, rup- ture of the tympanum and deafness were caused by the incessant discharge of artillery and rheumatism caused by exposure while in the service. Mr. Marshall has a vivid recollection of the storming of Fort Spanish, on which his battery opened fire April 1, 1865, and in- cessantly kept it up until the fort surrendered on the tenth of the same month, this being the hottest engagement in which Mr. Marshall had taken part. Fort Blakely also made a stubborn resistance, and surrendered on the fourteenth. After his discharge, Mr. Mar- shall began farming in Hendricks county, Ind., and on September 23, 1867, married Miss Nancy A., daughter of James and Lucy (Mc- Coy) Clemens, to which marriage have been born seven children, viz : Alfred, Leonora, Ella, William, Otis, Milton, and Nellie M. (deceased). Mr. Marshall was employed at shoemaking in Pecksburg for about five years, then ran a portable engine, and was next in the saw-mill business until 1888, when he was elected on the republican ticket sheriff of

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OF HENDRICKS COUNTY.

Hendricks county, and served two years with much credit to himself. He has since then been employed in the threshing business, own- ing a first-class machine. In 1892 he was appointed by the town board engineer of the Danville water-works, and still holds the po- sition. Fraternally, Mr. Marshall is a mem- ber of Silcox lodge, No. 123, I. O. O. F., at Danville, in which he has filled the office of noble grand; is also a member of the grand lodge and of the encampment, and holds the Rebecca degree. As already noted, he is com- mander of the J. S. Ogden post, G. A. R. He and wife are members of the Lutheran church, of which he has been a deacon for ten years, and their daily walk through life shows the sincerity of their profession. Mr. Marshall is a gentleman of the strictest integrity and cor- rect habits, and has won for himself the re- spect of the entire community.

RS. NANCY E. BOWEN, of New Winchester, Ind., is one of the ladies of Hendricks county who manage their own farms. She is the widow of James Bowen, who was born June 15, 1834, in Putnam county, on Raccoon Creek, and who graduated from the commer- cial college at Franklin, Ind. He was reared in the mercantile business, his father, Anthony Bowen, being a merchant and farmer at New Maysville, Putnam county, Ind. Anthony Bowen married Amanda Vincent, and they were the. parents of three children: Joseph B., James and Andrew J. James Bowen mar- ried December 31, 1857, Nancy E., our sub- ject, daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Bryant) Higgins. Thos. Higgins was one of the pioneers of Hendricks county who entered his land. He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children: Michael, Rhoda, Eliza- beth (died at sixty-five years of age), Anthony

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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