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 26

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 26
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 26

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B. F. Gribben has most successfully won his way through the world by his almost un- aided self-exertion, and much credit is due him for his perseverance.

R OSCOE C. GRIFFITH .- The busi- ness interests of the city of Muncie, Ind., are well represented by the le- gal profession, and the subject of the present sketch has done his share in promot- ing the various enterprises which have served to make this place known throughout the state. Roscoe C. Griffith was born December 15, 1863, in Huntington, Ind., and is the son of William H. and Seraphina (Clark) Griffith. William H. Griffith was born in the same county and state, January 9, 1834, and was the son of Jesse Griffith, a native of Pennsyl- vania, and one of the pioneers of Huntington county. He helped to cut the first road from Huntington to Goshen, and was one of the first jurymen in the first court held in Hunt- ington. Politically he was a democrat and a man of great prominence at that time. Wil- liam H. Griffith, his son, was reared on the farm and subsequently learned the trade of baker, engaging in that business in South Charleston, Ohio, but afterward returned to Huntington county, Ind., where he followed his chosen calling for a number of years. He, too, was a member of the democratic party, as his father had been; also was a prominent Mason, and treasurer of his home lodge for many years. He reared a family of seven children, six of whom are yet living, as fol- lows: Adorah J., wife of Frank H. Minnich, of Muncie; David M., of Huntington; Roscoe C., Leota S., at home; Charles E., of Muncie: and Clark C.

Roscoe C. Griffith received his education in the schools of Huntington, graduating from the high school of that city in 1883, and in October of the same year entered the law department of the university of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, in which he completed the pre- scribed course, graduating in June, 1885, and receiving the degree of B. of L. He began the practice of his profession in Huntington,

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and in 1886 he was appointed deputy prose- cutor of that county, but resigned the office in March, 1888, to remove to Muncie, where he has since conducted a very successful legal business, and now is the attorney for the Mun- cie Savings & Loan association. In May, 1890, Mr. Griffith was made manager of the Galliher sub-addition to the city, and filled that position until September, 1892, when he resigned it to engage in a general real estate business, and in February, 1889, became a partner in the insurance agency of Shipley & Wright. Fraternally, Mr. Griffith is a char- ter member of Muncie lodge, No. 38, Knights of Maccabees, being past commander in the same, and is also a member of the K. of P. Politically he is a democrat, and his counsels and advice are of value to the party. Mr. Griffith was married August 12, 1886, to Miss Clara L. Marson, daughter of John Marson, of Wayne county, Ind. Both he and wife are members of the First Baptist church. Mr. Griffith is one of the enterprising citizens of Muncie, progressive, and active, and not only urges_others to duty but sets the example, put- ting his own shoulder to the wheel. He is one of the organizers of the Citizens' Enter- prise company, and has devoted time and en- ergies to the success of that corporation, besides taking an active interest in all move- ments having for their object the moral and material welfare of his adopted city, with the growth and development of which he has been so prominently identified.

ON. THOMAS S. GUTHRIE, a well known and prominent citizen of Indi- ana, is a native of Ohio, born in Madison county, that state, August 10, 1830, the son of John C. and Jency J. Guthrie, who emigrated to Ohio in the year

1826 from Campbell county, Va. The family, although poor, had always been honorable and highly respected, and consisted of the parents, eleven sons and one daughter. At the time of their settlement in Madison county, the country was comparatively a wilderness-bear and deer were yet frequently seen, and game of all kind was found in great abundance. With his brothers, Thomas early engaged in agricultural labor and assisted in clearing up five farms-four in Ohio and one near Winter- set, Iowa, about the year 1849 or 1850. At the age of twenty-two, Mr. Guthrie found himself with but limited educational training, there being no school nearer than the town of Mechanicsburg, distant about nine miles from his home. This obstacle, however, did not deter him from carrying out his intention of receiving an education. Accordingly, he made arrangements to walk the distance on Monday mornings and return home on Friday evenings, and so well did he succeed in his studies, that in 1853 he received a certificate entitling him to teach in the public schools. His first effort in this direction was in the town of Carysville, Champaign county, Ohio, where he remained some months, teaching during the winter and working at manual labor during the summer season. He was ambitious to succeed, and during this period studied medicine, and later practiced to some extent at Millerstown, Ohio, during 1856-57, but did not long continue in that profession.

On March 1, 1856, he was married to Miss Mary A. Comer, and they had born to them a son, J. A., and twenty-two years later a daughter, Rubie. From early boyhood Mr. Guthrie had been religously inclined, and at the age of nineteen connected himself with the Methodist church, but sometime after- ward, his views having undergone a change, withdrew from that religious body and joined the Universalists in 1853, with which demomi-

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nation he has since been prominently identi- fied. He preached a sermon in Palestine, Shelby county, in 1854, but did not formally engage in the work of the ministry until 1858, at which time he was received into fellowship with the Ohio convention. Since that date he has served as pastor of Universalist churches in Eaton, Cleveland and Springfield, Ohio, and at Lafayette and Muncie, Ind., in the latter place filling the pulpit for a period of eleven years. As a preacher, Mr. Guthrie is eloquent and logical, and for years has been considered one of the ablest expounders of the peculiar doctrine of his denomination in cen- tral Indiana. He is a pleasing and popular orator, and for special occasions is frequently sent for at long distances, going to Cleveland, Ohio, Bloomington, Ill., and other cities on such missions. As already stated, Mr. Guthrie's early educational advantages were somewhat limited, and, feeling the need of more extended literary knowledge, he entered college at Canton, N. Y., in 1870, being at that time forty years of age, and made rapid and substantial progress in the various higher branches of learning.

Mr. Guthrie at one time engaged in busi- ness, which, proving very successful, enabled him to accumulate a handsome competence, and he is now living in very comfortable cir- cumstances. At the breaking out of the great civil war he responded to his country's call for volunteers, and enlisted, declining the po- sition of captain of his company, but ten days later was promoted chaplain and served in that capacity until the discharge of the regi- ment at the expiration of its term of service in 1864. During his military career he partici- pated in a number of engagements, including the taking of Lexington, Va., battle of Cum- berland, and Hunter's defeat at Lynchburg, in the last of which he, with his comrades, endured great suffering. He was honorably discharged

September 2, 1864, and has a military record of which he feels deservedly proud. He is a member of. the Grand Army and of the Loyal Legion, and proudly wears a badge placed upon him by ex-Pres. Hayes, who was at that time commander of the Loyal Legion com- mandery.

Inheriting the Virginia blood of his ances- tors, Mr. Guthrie grew up pro-slavery in name and a democrat, but at the early age of twelve years began to oppose the nefarious institu- tion of African servitude, which led to a com- plete change in his political convictions. He voted for John C. Fremont and for all suc- ceeding republican candidates for the presi- dency, and has contributed largely to the suc- cess of the republican party in nearly every local and general election for the last quarter of a century. Mr. Guthrie was elected a member of the Fifty-seventh general assembly of the state by a majority of 1,456. He fig- ured fairly in the legislative body. He intro- duced bills on free text books; to forbid the playing of base ball on Sunday; on local option; on fees and salary, and favored the bill that did pass, and labored to have it take effect at the publication of the laws. He also introduced a bill, the object of which was to prevent capital punishment. Mr. Guthrie is now permanently located in Muncie, and has been prominently identified with a number of its principal business interests, having been a charter member of the Economic Gas com- pany, the first co-operative gas company of the city. He takes pleasure in recalling the stirring scenes of the late war, is popular with the surviving comrades of company B, One Hundred Fifty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, and is a member of the G. A. R. Post at Springfield, Ohio. He is also prominent in Masonic circles, having taken a number of degrees, including that of Sir Knight, and belongs to the lodge meeting in Muncie.

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RANK D. HAIMBAUGH, editor of the Muncie Herald, was born in Fair- field county, Ohio, in September, 1856, and is a son of David and Margaret N. (Leonard) Haimbaugh. The family came to Indiana, and located in Fulton county in 1863, and here he was thoroughly trained to the hard labor of tilling the soil, being the only boy in the family.

Until seventeen years of age he pursued his studies in the common schools preparatory to teaching, and an attendance at the Roches- ter high school, from which he graduated in 1878. In 1880 he completed the scientific course at the Western Indiana Normal school at Valparaiso, from which he also graduated. The five years following he was engaged in teaching, during four of which he was princi- pal of the Brookston (Ind.) Academy. In 1885, without any solicitation on his part, the trustees of his native county, Fulton, elected him county superintendent of schools, and during his two years' incumbency of the office, through his capability and thoroughness, these schools were placed upon a very high plane.

In 1887 he engaged in the life insurance busines in Iowa and Indiana, but, this voca- tion not proving congenial to his taste, he bought an interest in the Miami county (Ind.) Sentinel, in 1889. He did some very excel- lent editorial work on this journal until April, 1891, when he sold his interest, removed to Muncie and bought a half share in the Herald, of which paper he is now the editor. He soon made his mark as a strong, logical and fear- less writer, who never hesitates to express his conviction as to the right or wrong of any public question. He became very popular socially and politically, and in 1889 was elect- ed door-keeper of the Indiana house of repre- sentatives, and that popularity still clung to him, as, in 1891, he was again elected door- keeper, an honor never before conferred on

any individual-that of being elected to the office for two consecutive terms. In 1893 he was elected, by a unanimous vote, secretary of the democratic editorial association of the state, showing the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow democratic journalists throughout the state. His acquaintance with the leading men of Indiana, especially with those of the democratic party, and his sound judgment in matters political, although not professing to be a politician, make him a valuable factor in party councils, and his voice is never unheeded. He is a strong tariff re- former, and is regarded as an eloquent politi- cal orator, as he handles his subject in the hustings with the ease and clearness that come from well-founded convictions.

In May, 1890, Mr. Haimbaugh was united in marriage with Miss Emma Elginfritz, of Warsaw, Ind., the union being blessed with one child, Paul A., whose presence in the household adds sunshine to the already bright and happy home of the parents. Mr. Haim- baugh, it will be perceived, has raised himself to his present elavated position solely through his own talents and persevering industry.

ALVIN HAINES, a successful busi- ness man of Muncie, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, September 5, 1841, son of Stacy and Judith Haines, an appropriate mention of whom is found else- where in this volume. Mr. Haines was reared on the home farm until his thirteenth year, and then removed, with his parents, to the village of Sligo, Ohio, where he attended school until eighteen years of age. On quit- ting school he apprenticed himself to a Mr. Andrews to learn the blacksmithing trade, at . which he worked for a period of three years, or until August, 1862, when he entered the

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army, enlisting in company I, Seventy-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry. with which he served until the close of the war. He was with his command in the Tennessee and Georgia cam- paigns and participated in all the battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta, through all which he passed without receiving the slightest injury. At one time, he was confined to the hospital at Nashville on account of sickness, but re- covered in time to take part in the great battle fought near that city which resulted in the de- struction of Hood's army. He was sent to Goldsborough, N. C., in 1865, and in June of that year was honorably discharged from the service at Washington, D. C. Returning home at the close of the war, Mr. Haines en- gaged in farming for two years, and then embarked in the grocery business, which he carried on with a reasonable degree of success until March, 1869, at which time he disposed of his stock and moved to Muncie.

On coming to this city he engaged in the dry goods trade until 1878, at which date he began handling feed, and also embarked in the ice trade, both of which lines he conducted until 1884, and the former of which occupied his attention until 1891. In the latter year he disposed of his feed store and opened a meat market, which he conducted with success and financial profit until June, 1893. Mr. Haines has managed his various business enterprises with judicious care, and since becoming identi- fied with the commercial interests of Muncie, he has been recognized as one of the city's efficient and progressive citizens. He was married September 5, 1867, to Mary T. Har- vey, of Clinton county, Ohio, daughter of Simon and Ann (Townsend) Harvey, to which union three children have been born, namely: Walter H., a business man of Pueblo, Col .; Harvey C., deceased; and Frank, who resides with his parents at home. Mr. and Mrs. Haines are consistent members of the Society

of Friends; in politics Mr. Haines is a repub- lican.

AVID T. HAINES, one of the repre- sentative business men, and for many years a prominent citizen of Dela- ware county, is a native of Ohio and a member of an old Virginia family which settled in the "Buckeye" state before the dawn of the present century. John Haines, the grandfather of David T., was born in Vir- ginia August 15, 1769, and married in Freder- ick county, W. Va., December 4, 1792, Eliza- beth Allen, whose birth occurred on the 10th day of May, 1768. Shortly after marriage they moved to Warren county, Ohio, and set- tled in Wayneville, where he built the first mill in that part of the state, which began operations in 1797. Subsequently, he dis- posed of the mill and moved to Greene county, Ohio, entered a tract of land in the vicinity of Xenia, cleared a farm and reared a family of nine children, eight of whom grew to years of maturity. He died in November, 1823, and was buried on the old home farm near Xenia, where an appropriate monument marks the place; his wife died in Highland county, Ohio. Stacy Haines, son of John Haines and father of David T., was born August 2, 1795, in Frederick county, Va., and was united in mar- riage December 3, 1817, in Highland county, Ohio, to Judith Terrell, who became the mother of twelve children; David T., Noah, Mary, Amos, Samuel T., John, Sarah, Stacy A., Martha wife of John Moore; Judith A., wife of George Breckney; Edwin A. and Cal- vin. Of these children David T., Stacy, Martha, Judith, Edwin A., Calvin and Allen are still living. Stacy and Judith Haines were birthright members of the Society of .

Friends, to which both branches of the family have belonged for several generations. The

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father died October 5, 1854, and on the 6th day of January, 1861, the mother was called away.

David T. Haines was born in Xenia, Ohio, October 1, 1818. He was reared on the home farm in Ohio, and in the common schools received an education, which, supplemented by subsequent years of association with the world, has enabled him to transact the duties of an active business life. While still young, he was engaged in teaming to Cincinnati, Dayton and other points, and at the age of twenty years began learning the trade of mill- ing in Clinton county, Ohio, in the mill pur- chased there by his father in 1838. He con- tinued the trade for twelve years, and in 1848 he came to Muncie, Ind., where, until 1853, he was engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business. To Mr. Haines is largely due the credit for the general system of inter- nal improvements which did so much towards developing central Indiana and Delaware county, and in locating the Fort Wayne & Southern railroad through this part of the state, of which company he was secretary from 1853 until its failure in 1855. He continued as custodian of the archives, stocks, bonds and books of the company until 1868, when they were turned over to John C. Parker, who attempted to rebuild the road from Jefferson- ville to Muncie. After the failure of this proj- ect, he assisted in organizing the company that built the road from Fort Wayne to this city, now the Ft. W., C. & L., of which he was secretary and treasurer, and later became vice-president of the road until sold to Chas. H. Dalton and others. He was elected an official in 1868 of the company that construct- ed the road from Connersville to Fort Wayne, which was subsequently leased to the Cincin- nati railroad company, after which he became secretary and a director of the same line, since known as the Fort Wayne & Cincinnati road. He was one of the committee that bought the

iron for the road and the first six engines that are still in use by the company. He contin- ued with the company until it disposed of its interest to a Boston syndicate, and retained his official connection until the road changed hands. Practically Mr. Haines had personal charge of the construction of the road, and it was by his exertions alone, and careful man- agement; that the company was enabled to complete the work at the time specified, in order to receive the subsidy promised by the citizens of Muncie and Delaware and Wells counties. He was identified with the com- pany until the sale of the line in 1872, at which time he devoted his attention largely to the grain trade in Muncie and other points, and in 1867 began to speculate in Kansas real estate. In 1865 he began buying grain in Chicago, later extended his operations in this line to Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1875 became prominently identified with the Muncie Machine works, of which he was a director and of which he afterwards became general manager. In 1881 Mr. Haines moved to Kan- sas, where he remained until 1892, at which time he returned to Muncie.

Mr. Haines was married October 10, 1841, to Deborah Sever, of Warren county, Ohio, where her birth occurred on the 17th day of October, 1819; she bore her husband three children, namely: Elma, wife of A. G. F. Janes of Topeka, Kan; Adelbert, of Kansas City, Mo., and Melvina, widow of Samuel C. Gregg. Mrs. Haines died in 1852, and De- cember 7, 1853, Mr. Haines was united in marriage with Elizabeth Dragoo, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Crantz) Dragoo. Mrs. Haines is a native of West Virginia and dates her birth from May 19, 1827. To Mr. Haines' second marriage three children have been born: Elizabeth, wife of J. N. Smith ; Allen, of this city, and David T., a commission merchant in Kansas City, Mo.

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Mr. Haines is a man of the highest stand- ing in the community, and his reputation has been gained by a long course of honest and straightforward conduct. He was a member of the common council of Muncie for two terms, and is entitled to the honor of introdu- cing Odd Fellowship to the city-being a member of the original lodge organized here in 1849. He was the original proprietor of the National hotel, which he conducted three and one half years under the name of the Haines house, and it was by his capital that the building was erected. In his political affiliations Mr. Haines is a republican, and in religion is a member of the Society of Friends, to which denomination his wife and different members of the family belong.

RCHIBALD HAMILTON, deceased, was one of the most successful agri- culturists and general business men of Centre township, Delaware county, Ind., and was born in Monongalia county, Va. (now West Va.), February 19, 1828, the son of Stephen and Elizabeth (McAbee) Hamilton. He was the youngest son in a family of eight children: Alvin, farmer near Lyndon, Kan .; Washington, deceased when a young man; Henry (see sketch of Milton Hamilton), Selina, wife of Silas Bates, farmer near Jerseyville, Ill .; Mary, first wife of William Walling, of Muncie; Thomas, deceased, was a farmer near Deepwater, Mo .; Stephen, farmer of Centre township, and Archibald, whose name heads this sketch. Archibald was but two and a half years old when brought to Centre town- ship, where his father entered 160 acres of land, on which Archibald was reared, and of which he in due time became part proprietor with his father until the latter's death. After receiving a fair amount of schooling in his

neighborhood, but a still larger amount of farm training, he started for the gold fields of California with a company, of which his father and brother, Stephen, were also members, and of which party Archibald was the youngest. Having been fairly successful in the mines, Archibald returned, in 1851, and invested $800 of his earnings in a part of the old homestead and engaged in raising and dealing in live stock, in which enterprise his brother, Henry, afterward became associated, and which they together carried on until some time in 1868, when the partnership was dissolved. Then Archibald bought out the other heirs to the home farm, which then comprised 404 acres, and took upon himself the care of his parents. For the last fifteen or eighteen years of his life, Mr. Hamilton rented out this property and other that he had accumulated, amount- to 600 acres of farm land and numerous valu- able town lots.

In December, 1887, Mr. Hamilton was married to Miss Harriet Fleming. Her par- ents, Isaac and Amelia Fleming, were from Marion county, West Va., and settled in Henry county, Ind., in 1855. The father died in 1857, leaving a widow and seven chil- dren. His remains were interred in the ceme- tery at Hillsboro, Ind. In 1865 the widow removed to Muncie, Ind., where she ended her days in March, 1892, at the age of seventy- nine, leaving as her survivors one son and three daughters, viz: Hugh H. Fleming, whole- sale hardware merchant of Sedalia, Mo .; Harriet, widow of Archibald Hamilton; Mrs. Amanda Coffeen, widow of Zelomir Coffeen, and Lydia, wife of George H. Andrews. Three children, deceased, were named David, Pres- ton and Charles.

Archibald Hamilton was called from life July 5, 1890. He was a mian of extraordinary business sagacity and yet of great tenderness of heart. His good qualities are summed up

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in the few sentences following: He was very liberal with the poor and afflicted; was never extortionate with his tenants, but always gen- erous in his benefactions to public enterprises of merit; he was possessed of remarkable financial ability and was a wonderful mental mathematician; he was lenient to an extreme with his debtors, and seldom made a forclos- ure, and was, in the full sense of the term, a large-hearted, sympathetic man. He was a lover of fine horses and always drove a good one, and his æsthetic tastes are exemplified in the remodeling of his late residence, now occupied by his amiable and ladylike widow. His name will be remembered with gratitude by hundreds of recipients of his bounty, and his loss deplored by his family till time to them shall cease.

ILTON HAMILTON, commission salesman, sale and livery stable keeper, Muncie, is a native of Dela- ware county, Ind., born in Centre township, January 3, 1853. His father, Henry Hamilton, was a native of West Virginia and son of Stephen and Ann (McAbee) Hamilton, who were among the pioneers of Delaware county, settling, many years ago, about three miles north of Muncie, upon 380 acres of land purchased from the government. Henry Ham- ilton was but eleven years of age when he ac- companied his parents to this county, and he grew to manhood amid the stirring scenes of pioneer times. It is stated that he never knew the use of a shoe until after his eleventh year, and during his youth he bore his full share in contributing toward the support of the family in their new home in the woods. He received his educational training in the indifferent country schools of that period, and at the age of twenty-four went to Illinois and entered a tract of government land in Henry county, that

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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 26

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