A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph 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 108

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph 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 108
USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph 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 108

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).

tention for the sick and wounded and in the discharge of all the varied and arduous duties of his position, he was zealous, patriotic and self-sacrificing. He rendered valuable service to the cause, and great reliance was placed on his judgment and discretion by Gov. Morton, who frequently commended him in his annual messages to the legislature. His field of labor was varied and extensive, requiring executive ability of a high order, which he developed in a marked degree. In his message of January 6, 1865, Gov. Morton said: "The report of the quartermaster and commissary-general is herewith laid before you, and your attention is especially called to its contents. The admin- istration of this department by Gen. Stone has been highly successful and satisfactory." And under date of January 11, 1867, the following tribute to his fidelity occurs: "The (quarter- master's) department has been a large and cumbersome machine, but has been managed with great fidelity, ability and success, for which Gen. Stone is well entitled to the thanks of the state. His position has been one of great labor and responsibility, and his duties have been performed to my entire satisfaction. Your attention is especially invited to the interesting details in his report." After the close of the war, he returned to the farm in Randolph county, and for a while was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1865, however, he became identified with the bank- ing interests of Winchester, and was one of the organizers of the First National bank of this city. He was elected president, and, by annual re-election, held that position the most of the time until the institution ceased to exist as a national bank in October, 1878. Its circulation was withdrawn, and it was re- organized as a bank under the laws of the state. Gen. Stone was elected president of the new organization, in which capacity he continued to act until 1891, the date of his

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death. One as active as he in the affairs of private and business life is seldom permitted to remain long out of politics; and in his case his friends began to look upon him when quite young as the proper person for important pub- lic positions. In 1847, when only thirty years old, he was nominated by the whig party of Randolph county for the Indiana house of representatives, and elected in the fall of that year. In 1848, he was nominated as a mem- ber of the constitutional convention, and was only defeated by four votes. In 1860, he was elected to the Indiana senate, where he served with distinction, and was honored with im- portant trusts, as a member of various senate committees. The war and his connection with it here interrupted his public life, but after the restoration of peace he again became the standard bearer of his party at the earnest solicitation of friends, and, in 1867, was again elected as the representative from this county in the general assembly of Indiana. In all his public life his actions were characterized by a sincere sense of honor and of duty to his constituents and their best interests. He retired from this position with the good will of his associates and the confidence of the people of the county which he so efficiently served. A review of his career from the farm to the legislature, from there to the department of the army which he so well administered, and to his successful life as a business man and financial manager, proves him a gentleman of rare attainments and versatility. It is a note- worthy fact, too, that his ability was self acquired, his boyhood and youth having been spent in the early days of the country's his- tory, when but few educational privileges ex- isted. His education was practical, rather than scholastic, and served him well in his financial undertakings. In November, 1881, he was elected secretary, treasurer and general manager of the Winchester Wagon works, an

enterprise of great importance among the manufacturing industries of this city. To the details of this business he devoted his energies with the same zeal that had marked his appre- ciation of all the trusts ever confided to him. He founded his greatest pleasure in distribut- ing his means in such a manner as to make others happy. A few years ago he erected a row of neat, tasteful cottages opposite his own palatial home in the suburbs of Winchester, fitting them with many conveniences and lett- ing them out at a moderate rental, thus secur- ing the comfort and happiness of his tenants. In the spring of 1880, he purchased and dona- ted to the town of Winchester forty acres of land for a public cemetery. He purchased the' ground at a cost of $4,000 and had it surveyed and platted at an additional expense of $300, and on the Ist day of March, 1880, secured it to its purpose by a deed, signed by himself and his worthy wife, conveying the premises in trust forever to a board of control, to be used for the purpose designated. On the 3d day of July, 1880, a public dedication was held, at which very appropriate ceremonies were had, and addresses delivered by prominent citizens of Winchester, and others from abroad, and the park named "Fountain Park Cemetery."

We omit to mention in detail his many public and private benefactions, but we feel assured of the sanction of the community when we say that he was a leading spirit in all matters of public interest, and an unselfish worker for the promotion of the public welfare. He was an uncompromising hater of intemper- ance, and many years ago entered the temper- ance ranks as an active worker. He was a prominent member of the Washingtonians, Sons of Temperance, and the Independent Order of Good Templars, and attended the state and general conventions of these orders, serving as grand worthy chief templar for two years, and as grand worthy secretary for an

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equal length of time, and was for a great many years a leading Odd Fellow. His uniformly temperate habits secured for him their usual results, a strong constitution and the preserva- tion of his mental powers in all their vigor. He was simple in his habits, modest and un- assuming in his deportment, prompt and accu- rate in his business methods, and one whose companionship was refining and elevating. Though not himself a church member, he was a cheerful contributor to the support of the Gospel, realizing its affect for good upon the community. In politics, as previously stated, he was formerly identified with the whig party. He cast his first vote for Gen. Harrison, in the ` memorable campaign of 1840, and was always radically anti-slavery in sentiment. Upon the organization of the republican party in 1856, he became one of its adherents, and in the in- tervening years one of its most active and efficient workers. He occupied a place in the hearts of the community which none but he could fill, and was one of those men whose ident- ity with a town wasa public blessing, and whose death was a public calamity. We can not close this sketch of the general's life without saying a few words of her who was so truly his helpmate and such a coadjutor in his suc- cess. Lydia B. Preston was born November 25, 1817, in Hamilton county, near Cincin- nati, Ohio. Her maternal grandfather, Sam- uel Raymond, was one of Cincinnati's earliest pioneers, having located there in 1790. He was a farmer and blacksmith and his sons all engaged in the last named pursuit. His daughter, the mother of Mrs. Stone, mar- ried John Preston, an industrious farmer of Hamilton county, and like the majority of wives in those days, was thoroughly inured to work, lending a helping hand to her husband in his struggle for the acquisition of a fortune. Lydia, the daughter, inherited the habits of industry that were so truly characteristic of the

race by whom the forest was first felled, and under whom civilization was inaugurated and advanced in the west, and these habits became so much a part of her nature as to mark and govern all her life. As illustrative of this fact, it may be stated that she was always known as an early riser, and her promptness in this particular was quite remarkable. By 4o'clock every morning she was up and about her housework, and perhaps there was not a morn- ing during her wedded life in which she did not kindle the first fire, except when prevented by sickness. Trifling as this may appear at first sight, it proved of great advantage to her husband, who was enabled thereby to be al- ways early at his work, ready to meet and direct men in his employ, avoiding unneces- sary waste of time, which delays at home would naturally have occasioned. It was one feature of the course she always pursued, i. e., to help her husband, and its effect was ob- served in the final result. To her energy and good management, her advice and counsel, and the active interest she always manifested in his affairs, her husband acknowledged his indebtedness for his financial success. To a common school education she united the qual- ities of a fine intellect, and was as familiar with business methods as with the details of household work. She united with the Metho- dist Episcopal church when a girl, and in all the years that followed, was a devout and con- sistent member, taking a leading part in all charitable and benevolent work in this com- munity, while in the temperance work she was especially active. She was identified with the Good Templars and other temperance or- ganizations as long as they existed in this community. To the children, she is especially kind and friendly, and in their young hearts her memory is sacredly enshrined by her many kind deeds for the little ones, among whom she was affectionately known as "Aunt

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Lydia." In the social circle, she was a gen- eral favorite, aud her uniform kindness to those with whom she was associated, gained for her their affectionate regard.

3 OSEPH W. THOMPSON, one of the most prominent attorneys at Winches- ter, was born in Shelby county, Ind., July 18, 1853, and is a son of Elias P. and Laurana (Van Scyoc) Thompson. The father, Elias P., was from Scioto county, Ohio; Mrs. Laurana (Van Scyoc) Thompson, was born in Shelby county, Ind., and de- scended from one of the oldest pioneer families of that county. Their marriage took place in Shelby county, October 24, 1839, and in that county they have passed their lives, owning the poineer homestead of both branches of the family, and living in one house for over thirty- eight years. They had born to them the large family of fifteen children, all of whom, save one, still survives, viz .: William A., a promi- nent attorney of Muncie, Ind .; Simeon J., editor of Shelbyville, Ind .; Sallie M., wife of J. W. Thompson, of Bakerfield, Cal .; John E., of Kansas; Susan A., wife of Jacob H. Trees, farmer of Shelby county, Ind .; Benja- min F., farmer of Boone county, Ind .; J. F., a grocery merchant; Joseph W., the subject proper of this sketch; Emma, wife of G. H. Deacon, fruit-grower of Bakersfield, Cal .; Mary J., deceased; Albert W., farmer of Boone county, Ind .; Alice C., wife of William Miller, farmer of Shelby county, Ind .; Edward M., a clerk in Indianapolis; Fannie B., wife of Seth Lisher, a mechanic of note, in Shelbyville, Ind.

Two of the above named sons, Simeon J. and John E., served in the late war, and the former lost a limb in the battle of Missionary Ridge, while leading his company up the moun-

tain. The parents of this large family, cele- brated the golden anniversary of their wedding October 24, 1889, and in 1892 moved to the city of Shelbyville, where they are enjoying in quiet retirement the closing years of a useful and well spent life. The father is a republi- can in his affiliations, but was formerly a whig. He voted for William H. Harrison for presi- dent of the United States in 1840, and for the grandson, Benjamin Harrison, in 1888. Both parents are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church.

Joseph W. Thompson endured the usually early struggles of farm lads on the home place, and received his primary instructions at the country school house of his period. In 1867, he was sufficiently advanced to enter the seminary at Shelbyville, three miles from his home, walking the distance in fair weather and riding horse-back in foul. But he was ambitious and cheerfully took the journey. By the latter part of 1870 he was fully pre- pared for teaching, and taught through the term of 1871-72. He next attended Harts- ville university one term, and eventually graduated from the high school at Shelbyville in 1875. He then studied law for a year with Monks & Thompson at Winchester, after which, he attended college at Frankliu, Ind., for twelve months, and then returned to Win- chester, and during the summer of 1876 re- sumed his law studies under his former pre- ceptors. Going back to Shelbyville he taught school two terms in that city; then passed a few months in the law office of Blair & Ferris of the same place, and in July began practice in partnership with Hon. D. L. Wilson, the connection lasting one year. He then located in Winceester, and formed a partnership with his brother, William A., and A. O. Marsh, under the firm name of Thompson, Marsh & Thompson. This firm continued to conduct a lucrative business until 1883, when Mr. Marsh

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withdrew, and the two brothers went prosper- ously along together until September, 1885, when Mr. Marsh rejoined them. In 1890, William A. Thompson retired and removed to Muncie, the partnership continuing, under the firm name of Marsh & Thompson, until April 1892, when Mr. Marsh permanently with- drew.

Mr. Thompson now stands alone, and is ranked among the leading attorneys of the bar of the county. He is attorney for the rail- roads of the county, and for the county com- missioners, and also commands a large private practice. Mr. Thompson was united in the bonds of matrimony in Shelbyville, June 23, 1880, with Miss Georgiana Kennedy. This gifted lady was born in the city named, April, 8, 1858, is a daughter of George W. and Mary J. (Berwick) Kennedy, and is of Scotch-Irish descent. To this congenial marriage have been born two children, of whom the younger Harold T., still survives, the elder having died in infancy. Mr. Thompson has an excellent law library at his office, and a well selected and extensive private library at his elegent residence. He has prepared and published a law volume known as Indiana Citations. The original volume was published in 1883, and consisted of a complete table of all cases decided by the supreme court of the state, and references showing where and when the cases had been subsequently cited by the court. It also includes all cases of other states, and of foreign countries, which have been referred to by the supreme court of Indiana. As addi- tional volumes of the reports have been pub- lished Mr. Thompson has issued supplements to the original volume, thus keeping the work up to the latest possible period. Four of these supplements have now been issued.

The author is now engaged in revising the entire work and adding new features that will increase its usefulness and convenience to the

legal profession. Of the first editition, the publishers, The Bowen-Merrill Co., of Indian- apolis, had this to say: "The demand for the first edition of Indiana Citations, publish- ed in 1883, was the greatest that had ever been accorded to any local Indiana book published up to that time, and this continued until the edition was exhausted."

In July, 1893, Mr. Thompson purchased an interest in the Woodbury glass factory of Parker, Ind., of which company, one of the leading factories in its line in the county, he is now treasurer. In politics Mr. Thompson is a republican, and an earnest worker in for- warding the interests of his party, but he has never, in any sense, been an office-seeker. Fraternally, he is a Knight of Pythias. In religion, he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and for ten years he has been treasurer of his congregation. Socially, the family mingle with best members of the community, and they enjoy the heart- felt esteem and respect of each and all.

ICHMOND THORNBURG, of the firm of Thornburg & Son, merchant tailors, of Winchester, was born in Wayne county, Ind., September 18, 1819, a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Dennis) Thornburg, natives of Tennessee and North Carolina respectively. They were both pion- eers of Wayne county and died there at a ripe old age. Richmond Thornburg was reared on the home farm, where he remained until about twenty-one years of age, and then for some three years worked at the carpenter's trade. He began working at the tailor trade at twenty-four of age at Economy, Wayne county, where he carried on a shop for fifteen years, when he went to Bloomingport, Ran- dolph county, where he voted for Abraham

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Lincoln in 1860. Here he clerked in a store for six years. Just about the close of the war he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah E. Semans, and then removed to Farmland, and for one year engaged in the dry goods business, when he was burned out. He then went to Camden, Jay county, where he was for one year again in the dry goods business. Next he returned to Farmland, where he remained about six months. Then came to Winchester and most of the time since has been in the present business, in the spring of 1893 form- ing a partnership with his son, Thomas M. Thornburg.

To Mr. and Mrs. Thornburg two children have been born: Thomas M. and Myrtle M. In politics Mr. Thornburg is a republican and he is also a member of Economy lodge, No. 102, A. F. & A. M. In religion he and wife are members of the Society of Friends

Thomas M. Thornburg was born in Win- chester February 25, 1870. He was educated at the schools of this city, and learned the tailor's trade under his father. He also at- tended the John J. Mitchell cutting school, of New York city, from which he graduated in 1889. He is a republican and a member of Winchester lodge, No. 91, K. of P. He is also a member of the Custom Foreman Tailors' association of America.

Myrtle M. Thornburg was born May 5, 1874, graduated from the Winchester high school, and then spent one year at Greencastle in the musical department of the celebrated institution at that place.

EORGE W. VEAL, ex-county treas- urer of Randolph county, Ind., was born in Wayne county, Ind., August 19, 1818. His parents, Enos and Letitia (Platt) Veal, were natives of New

Jersey, and came to Indiana in February, 1816. They settled near Richmond, Wayne county, where the father followed farming until his death, February 23, 1891, the mother having preceded him to the grave July 5, 1824 He was a Jacksonian democrat, but later be- came a republican and was a voter for seventy- four years. By his wife, Letitia Platt, he was the father of three children, namely: George W., Moses P. (deceased), and Rebecca (de- ceased). His second marriage took place in 1826, to Mary Davis, widow of D. Davis, and to this marriage were born seven children.

George W. Veal was reared on the home farm, on which he remained until twenty-two years of age, although he began to work on his own account at the age of twenty, doing general labor. In 1847 he came to Nettle Creek township, Randolph county, where he farmed twelve years, then sold out and re- moved to West River township, where he resided until 1873, on his own farm, and then rented land, until he was elected county treas- urer, in the year 1890, for a term of two years, entering upon his duties in September, 1891. He was married in Wayne county, Ind., April 23, 1840, to Miss Maria Sears, who died June 25, 1867, the mother of fourteen children, namely: Moses P., a volunteer in the Sixtieth Indiana and killed at the battle of Champion Hills, Miss .; Lorenza D., who died in the army at Memphis, Tenn., in March, 1865; an infant who died unnamed; Louisa, deceased; Letitia; Enos, of Wayne county; Andrew, of Muncie; Viola, wife of N. Shoemaker; Jane, wife of Charles Igo, of Labette county, Kan .; Emily B., wife of John C. Harris, of Randolph coun- ty, Ind .; Melissa, married to George McPher son, of Kansas, and two children that died in infancy. Mr. Veal was again married August 12, 1868, choosing for his second wife Martha S. Atkinson, who has borne one child, Cora. As a republican, Mr. Veal served four years as

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assessor of West River township and four years as assessor of White River township. Mr. and Mrs. Veal are members of the Method- ist Episcopal church and he is a Free Mason in high standing, "bright as bright can be." As a public officer he has performed his duties well, and no one stands higher socially.

RANK E. VESTAL, one of the most experienced as well as one of the most congenial railroad officials of the state of Indiana, was born in Sulphur Springs, Henry county, this state, August 8, 1855. His parents were John S. and Mary J. (Bouslog) Vestal. The father was a physician having graduated from the Ohio Medical col- lege at Cincinnati, and having practiced his profession until his death, in 1862. The mother formed a second matrimonial alliance in 1864, with A. J. Griffith, of Lebanon, Ind. To her first marriage there were two children born: Frank E. and William, the latter also a railroad man and a resident of Indianapolis. Frank E. Vestal was about eight years of age when he first left Sulphur Springs, after which he visited New Castle, Indianapolis and Ander- son, attending school chiefly at Anderson and graduating from Bryant & Stratton's business college at Indianapolis, June 11, 1872. At the age thirteen, he entered the express office at Anderson, and, after four years faithful serv- ice, was given a position as clerk in the office of the "Big 4," then known as the Bee Line railroad company, where he remained three years, and was then appointed agent for the company at Union City, Ind., January 1, 1878, and this agency he filled three and a half years; he next acted as private secretary for General Agent White, at Indianapolis, for nine months; was next city yard master until February, 1889; and then agent for two and

one-half years at Versailles, Ohio, after which he came to Winchester, where he has held the agency for this railroad ever since.

October 12, 1876, Mr. Vestal was united in matrimony with Miss Nannie G. Taylor, a native of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, born Novem- ber 15, 1855, and a daughter of Cyrus and Mary (Glenn) Taylor. The union has resulted in the birth of five children, named as follows: Clara Irene, deceased; Eugene Gale; John E .; Frank; Anna and Gerard. Mr. Vestal is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias, and his good nature, if nothing else, makes him a universal favorite with the public.

a DWIN L. WALL is a native of Clin- ton county, Ohio, born near the city of Wilmington, September 3, 1836. His grandparents, John and Mary Wall, were natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent, and in an early day emigrated to Ohio, being among the very first pioneers of Clinton county. Edwin L. Wall's father, Mahlon Wall, was a native of Clinton county, where he died April 28, 1891, within a few rods of the place of his birth. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Vanderburg, was born of German parentage in Albany, N. Y., and departed this life at the old home near Wil- mington, Ohio, in 1891, aged seventy-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Mahlon Wall reared a family of ten children, of whom four are living at this time. Four sons took part in the late war and did gallant service in defense of the national Union: Mahlon W. was captain in the home guards and assisted in guarding Louis- ville when that city was threatened by Gen. Bragg. Robert D. Wall served in the Thirty- ninth Ohio for three years and now resides on the home farm in Ohio. Absalom served three years in the Fortieth Ohio, earned the repu-

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tation of a brave and gallant soldier and died at Camp Chase. Clarence joined the 100-day service and was shot and killed in an engage- ment in Maryland.

Edwin L. Wall was reared to manhood in his native state, and, in addition to farming, early learned the trade of carpentering, which he followed very successfully for a number of years. He entered the army in 1862, enlist- ing January 6, of that year, in company B, Twenty-second Ohio infantry, with which he served gallantly until honorably discharged January 6, 1865. His command was assigned to duty in the western department, army of the Cumberland, and during his period of serv- ice he participated in a number of campaigns and battles, among which were Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Corinth, the Yazoo and Black river expeditions, siege of Vicksburg, and many other engagements, a detailed account of which would far transcend the limits of this sketch. At Corinth Mr. Wall was under fire for a period of thirty-five days, and after the fall of Vicksburg he accom- panied his regiment to Helena, Ark., thence went to Little Rock, where the command was detailed to guard railroad bridges, etc., and rid the country of guerrillas. During his long period of service, Mr. Wall was fortunate in passing through the many trying and danger- ous scenes in which his regiment participated without receiving any injuries worthy of men- tion, and he was off duty but a short time on account of sickness.

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A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph 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 108

Author: Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1474