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 52

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 52
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 52

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).

The subject of this sketch was reared upon the home farm, remaining there until he was twenty-three years old, when he came to this county and entered a half section, and also forty acres, where his family now lives. He came here first in 1829, but did not enter the land until his second visit, in 1832. Imme- diately after his second visit he erected a log cabin, eighteen by sixteen feet, having but one room and a puncheon floor, with a clapboard door and roof. A handsome brick residence now

occupies the place of that primitive log cabin. There were no neighbors between Mr. Black's place and Fort Wayne and he did not often see visitors at his house in those early days. Mr. Black was a justice of the peace and his bailiwick embraced a very large territory. Game was abundant-deer and wolves, especi- ally. Bringing along from Ohio plenty of provisions, clothing, etc., they were not so limited as some others as to food and raiment, their stock lasting until the land yielded of its increase. The work was hard, but their cour- age was great, and Mr. Black's hands and those of his help at home cleared 240 out of 300 acres, changing a great forest into bloom- ing fields that yielded immense harvests of golden grain year by year.

Mr. Black was married in Clark county, Ind., November 14, 1833, to Miss Ruthie Stafford, and came to this county overland with a horse team of his own and with a hired ox-team, making the journey in eight days. This young couple left a home of comfort and luxury, and entered the great primeval forest to brave every peril and privation pertaining to a frontier life. For years there was no school house, no physician, no store, no neigh- bor, no anything. but the wolves that howled by night, the great trees through which the mournful winds sighed and groaned, and hard work every day and all the time. Such priva- tion was necessary in order to prepare the way for the present civilization. For a period of nearly sixty years Mr. Black lived here and saw the forests disappear and flowers smile in the sunlit places where once the dark shadows lay at noontime; saw settlers come one by one and cheerily take up their burden; saw log cabins spring up here and there to give way presently to fine residences; saw the country thickly settled and prosperous; saw himself surrounded by grown up children who loved him; saw himself surrounded by every comfort

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and luxury and honored and respected by his neighbors, and then finally he died, at a good old age, May 31, 1891. His remains lie in the Black cemetery and a handsome monu- ment marks the spot and tells the passerby of the brave old pioneer.

Mr. Black was a sincere christian and a member of the Methodist church. In politics he was a republican, and his faith in that party was so strong that he worked for it with all possible zeal. He filled the offices of justice of the peace, township trustee and other township offices, and always to his own credit and to the good of the community. His success was the result of honest and hard labor, self performed, as he received no assist- ance from any one. Since his death his estimable widow, whom everybody loves for her many good qualities, has remained upon the homestead, carrying on the farm intelli- gently and profitably.

This patriarch and pioneer was the father of ten children, namely: Margaret J., wife of Cyrus St. John, of Albany; Susan E., wife of William Pace, of Indianapolis; James E., a carpenter of Eaton, Ind .; Catherine F., wife of Aaron Brammer; Martha A., deceased; Marietta, wife of John Richey; Seline E., de- ceased; Sarah H., deceased; Ruth, wife of George Younts, and William H., at home. The mother of these children, all of whom are highly respected and useful members of socie- ty, is a sincere and devout christian woman and has proved herself to be a kind and devoted wife, a sensible and loving mother and a good neighbor and friend. All who name her speak in her praise and wish that every one of her declining days of life may be peaceful and happy.

This family, in all its branches, proximate and ultimate, has maintained its respectability wherever known, and this township of Dela- ware may well feel proud of them as its citizens.

0 AVID E. BRAMMER .- All over this great country are men living quiet and unostentatious lives, wearing the simple garb of the agriculturist, but who bear marks, never to be effaced, of the years of the late war, and who showed to the world, at that time, of what material the loyal man is made. Perhaps the day will never come when these heroes will obtain their just due, but a record like this cannot pass by without at least a brief sketch of some of the most worthy. David E. Brammer was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, October 22, 1842, a son of Roland and Catherine (McCorkel) Bram- mer. Both parents had descended from old and highly respected Virginia families. They married in Lawrence county, Ohio, where they remained all their lives, the father dying June 6, 1882, and the mother mother February 23, 1859. 3 The father was aged seventy-three years, one month and twenty-eight days at the time of his death, but the mother had bare- ly passed her forty-sixth year when called to her final rest. They were the parents of the following children: Robert, deceased; Edmund; Mahala, deceased; Andrew; Elizabeth, deceas- ed; William, David; Amanda, deceased, George, Thomas, Jacob and Henry. Mr. Brammer was a well known and influential man in his local- ity, having served as deputy sheriff for several years, and also as constable at different times. He was a worthy citizen, and in early life was a strong whig, later becoming a republican. The family were reared in the faith of the United Brethren church, in which Mr. Bram- mer was much esteemed, and was a notable example of the moral and upright christian gentleman.

David E. Brammer was reared on the home farm, but after the death of his beloved mother he began to work away from home by the month, and, in 1860, went south to take the job of deadening timber and of chopping

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DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

roads through the swamps. This, although very laborious, was profitable work, but the troublous times came on, and in May, 1851, he returned north. Here he engaged in gener- al work until September 15 of the same year, when he enlisted in company K, Second Ohio volunteer cavalry for three years or during the war, serving until May 25, 1865, and partici- pating in a number of battles. At the battle of Stony Creek he was taken prisoner; was sent on to Petersburg, where he was confined two weeks; thence to Richmond, where he was incarcerated in the infamous Libby prison for twenty-one days, only to be succeeded by an imprisonment still worse, at Andersonville, where a wretched existence was dragged out for nine months, before being paroled. At Black river they were kept seven days, and then were taken aboard of the ill-fated steam- er Sultana, he being one of the unfortunate soldiers who were on board when that steamer burned and blew up. His hair was burned from his head, one leg was broken, and he suffered untold agony from scalding. One thumb was so badly scalded that the. nail dropped off. For seven weeks he was cared for in the hospital in Memphis, and was then able to be transported to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he remained two days and then went on home to stay. It is well for agitators to read such tales that they may know what war costs.

After his recovery, Mr. Brammer engaged in farming by the month, but later went south and engaged at steamboating from New Or- leans to Shreveport, La., making several trips as far as Jefferson, Tex., and one as far as Roland, Tex. This occupation he followed one winter, but came to Indiana in March, 1866, locating in Delaware county, where he engaged in working by the month, for five months, and purchased his first piece of prop- erty in 1870. This was a tract of sixty acres, which he bas since increased, until he now

owns 240 acres of valuable land, well im- proved, upon which he resides in great com- fort. Mr. Brammer was married August 5, 1867, in Delaware county, to Miss Sarah Brammer, born in this county, daughter of Edmund and Nancy (Hatfield) Brammer, and three children have been born of this union: Emma Z., deceased; Nancy C., wife of Robert Cultiez, and Martha B., wife of Franklin Pe- terson. Mrs. Brammer is an excellent woman, and a valued member of the Baptist church. Mr. Brammer is a republican.

ENLEY BRAMMER comes from an old and highly respected family and reflects credit on the same. He is a native of Delaware township, where he was born February 20, 1841; being the son of Edmund and Nancy (Hatfield) Brammer. The father was born in Patrick county, Va., January 7, 1801; the son of Edmund and Mary (Lee) Brammer, the mother an aunt of Gen. Robert E. Lee, the great Confederate chieftain. The father of Henley Brammer was but one year old when his parents crossed the mountains, and located in Cabell county, W. Va., where he remained until his eighteenth year, after which the family moved to Law- rence county, Ohio, where the parents died. He then married, went to Fayette county, Ohio, and engaged in farming; remained there until 1836, and then moved to this county, where his death occurred June 18, 1889. The mother of the subject departed this life Janu- ary 10, 1872. This worthy couple had ten children, namely: Roland, Mary, Rachel (deceased), Malinda (deceased), Rebecca (de- ceased), Elizabeth, Mahlon, Sarah A., Aaron and Henley. Edmund and Nancy Brammer were firm believers in the doctrines of the Bap- tist church, and followed its teachings; Mr.

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Brammer was a democrat of the old Jackson school.

Henley Brammer was reared upon the home farın, and now owns a portion of that estate, 180 acres of fine land, well improved. Owing to an accident which resulted in the loss of his left eye at the age of seventeen, his education was somewhat limited, but he has since become the possessor of a fund of prac- tical knowledge both from books and from contact with his fellow men in the business relations of life. He remained at home with his father until the death of the latter, since which time his attention has been devoted to the work of the farm in the township where he now resides. He was married December 13, 1866, to Selina E. Black, born in Delaware county, April 19, 1846; the daughter of Will- iam Black, whose sketch will be found else- where. Two children were born to this union, namely: an infant, deceased, and Will- iam E. Mrs. Brammer died February 2, 1875, and November 18, 1876, Mr. Brammer took to wife Margaret D. Black, daughter of Andrew Black, previously mentioned in these pages. By this union there have been born ten children, namely: Charles, Mary A., An- drew L., deceased, Frank, Selina E., Thomas A., Harry and Anna, twins, David E. and Jose- phine B. In politics Mr. Brammer is a dem- ocrat. He is a kind neighbor, a good friend, and an honest, upright citizen.

BRAHAM CAMPBELL is a promi- nent resident of the town of Albany, where he was for some time engaged in the hotel and livery business. He was born in Delaware county, Ind., April 19, 1844, a brother of David Campbell, of whom mention is made in this volume among the residents of Mount Pleasant township. In the

latter township Abraham was reared on a farm and remained there until 1885, when he moved to the township of Delaware and purchased ninety acres of land, which he improved, and where he put up substantial buildings. He re- mained on this place until 1890, at which time he removed to Shideler, and engaged in the butchering and hotel business, but in 1891 he removed to Albany, where he also became pro- prietor of a hotel, which he ran for some time in connection with the livery business, but has now sold. He has proven himself a fine busi- ness man and seems particularly well suited to the different branches of business in which he has been engaged, but, having disposed of his business in Albany, it is his intention to re- sume farming.

Mr. Campbell was married May 30, 1867, in Douglas county, Ill., to Miss Mary E. Thompson, born in Coshocton county, Ohio, August 13, 1846, daughter of Charles P. and Nancy (Cullison) Thompson, to which union have been born six children, namely: William A., deceased; Nancy E., deceased; J. Ora, Charles T., Arthur H. and Hattie E. Mrs. Campbell is an excellent lady and a consistent member of the Methodist church. Fraternally Mr. Campbell is connected with the I. O. O. F., and is also a well known Mason. Politi- cally he affiliates with the democratic party.

J OHN P. HALE CASTERLINE .- The well known and pleasant gentleman whose name heads this sketch is the editor and proprietor of the Albany (Ind.) Journal. Mr. Casterline was born in Union county, Ind., in the town of Liberty, March 20, 1853, son of Dr. Ziba and Cather- ine (Elwell) Casterline. Dr. Casterline was a native of Washington county, Pa., a son of Ziba and Mary Casterline, who were natives of Pennsylvania and New Jersey respectively.

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DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

Dr. Ziba Casterline was educated in his native state in the excellent common schools, and at the age of nineteen years, began teach- ing, which profession he followed for one year, then attended college, received his diploma, and began the practice of the healing art in the village of Fairfield, Ind. He remained there but a short time, removing thence to Liberty, Union county, Ind., at which place he remained until the opening of the war in 1861. At that time he entered the army as assistant surgeon of the Eighty-fourth Indiana volunteers, for three years, after which he re- turned to Courtland, Ohio, where he engaged in the practice of medicine until 1871; thence to Liberty, Ind., where he remained for three years. While visiting his son in Courtland, Ohio, he died March 27, 1874, and his remains were interred at Liberty. His first wife died in 1859, having been the mother of ten chil- dren, four of whom are living-Anna, the wife of Gen. T. W. Bennett, a prominent politi- tican who for twelve years was mayor of Rich- mond; was appointed governor of Idaho by President Grant, and then served as delegate to congress from Idaho for one term; William M., an attorney and real estate dealer in Cali- fornia, recently elected to the legislature; Cas- sius M. Clay, in the government employ at Washington, and John P. H.

Dr. Casterline was a prominent abolition- ist, his home in Liberty being known as a depot for the underground railroad for runa- way slaves. He was influential in political circles, a leader of the republican party, and fraternally was a Mason. He was also a dea- con in the Presbyterian church, and it is related of him that one of his first official acts was to whip one of his brethern.

John P. H. Casterline was reared in Liberty until seven years of age, and then, on account of his father going into the army, he and his brother went to Cortland, Ohio, where he

remained with his uncle Joel, and attended school in the country until his eighteenth. year, working on the farm in the meantime. In 1870 he apprenticed himself for four years to William Ritezel of the Western Reserve Chronicle, published at Warren, Ohio, and remained with him until the spring of 1876, at which time he made a trip into southern Michigan and Indiana, looking for work. In 1887 he located at Albany, where he started the Albany Journal, and was engaged until June, 1891, in its publication. He then re- moved to Hartford City, where he started the paper known as The Arena, an organ of the F. M. B. A .. which he continued for eight months, then sold and returned to Albany, and in June, 1892, he re-established the Al- bany Journal, which now is generally conceded to be one of the best papers in Delaware county. He was married in Mt. Summit, Ind., September 24, 1884, to Miss Joan Haz- elton, a native of Mt. Summit, Ind., whose parents, William and Elizabeth Hazelton, were also natives of Indiana. By this marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Casterline have been blessed with one child, Anna L., who is now deceased. They are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and always take part in any thing that pertains to religious work. In politics Mr. Casterline affiliates with the re- publican party, and fraternally he is a Mason, belonging to Anthony lodge of Albany, and also is a member of Valentine lodge, K. of P., holding the office of K. of R. and S. In his boyhood days Mr. Casterline was the advance agent for the Rev. P. R. Van Housen, the blind minister, and traveled through eastern Ohio, north Pennsylvania and New York for five months.

Mr. Casterline has never proven recreant to the politics promulgated by his illustrious namesake, John P. Hale, one of the earliest free-soil advocates in the United States senate.

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DELAWARE COUNTY :

RED .L. CHILCOTE, cashier and bus- iness manager of the Citizens' Bank of Albany, is a native of Indiana, born December 20, 1866, in the county of Jasper, where his father, Mordecai Chilcote, had located about five years previous. Almost im- mediately after moving to his new home in Jas- per county, Mordecai Chilcote entered the armny as private in the Ninth Indiana volunteers for the three months' service, and at the expiration of his period of enlistment re-entered the service in company K, Forty-eighth volunteer infantry. This regiment saw very active service in the army commanded by Gen. Grant in Tennessee and Mississippi, and was engaged in some of the bloodiest battles of the war, including Shiloh, Corinth, the operations around Vicks- burg and capture of that city, in all of which Mr. Chilcote took an active part. In 1863 he was promoted to the captaincy of his com- pany, in which capacity he served until the close of the war, having borne the part of a brave and gallant soldier from the beginning of the great struggle until the cessation of hos- tilities in 1865. In September, 1865, Capt. Chilcote was united in marriage, at Rensselear, Ind., to Miss Lizzie Hammond, since which date he has resided in that city. Mrs. Chilcote died January 15, 1865, leaving two children- Fred L., whose name introduces this mention, and Gaylord, present principal of the high school of Los Angeles, Cal.

Fred L. Chilcote, after a regular course in the common schools, attended the high school of Rensselaer, graduating from the same in June, 1885, after which he followed the pro- fession of teaching for two years. In 1887 he entered upon a thorough course of business training in the Eastman Commercial college, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and after he graduated therefrom the following year became principal clerk in his father's office at Rensselaer. Sub- sequently he was elected city clerk of Rensse-

laer, a most deserving compliment to a man so young in years, and after discharging the duties of the position in a manner highly creditable to himself and with satisfaction to the public, he accepted the responsible position of cashier of the bank at Monon, Ind. He continued in the latter capacity until December, 1889, and in the spring of 1890 became assistant cashier of the Commercial bank of Lowell, filling the place very creditably for some time, later ac- cepting a position in the Citizens' State bank of Rensselaer, which he held until the estab- lishment of the Albany bank when he became cashier of the latter. On the 21st day of October, 1891, Mr. Chilcote and Miss Allie Kinney, of Rensselaer, were united in marriage, the fruits of which union are two children: Lizzie and Jennie, twins, whose birth occurred August 16, 1892.

The bank of Albany was organized May 15, 1893, under the name of the Citizens' bank, the management being, D. J. Mann, president; James E. Stafford, vice-president; F. L. Chil- cote, cashier; W. H. Maitlen, J. S. Krohn and W. B. Austin, directors. The enterprise was established under the most favorable auspices, and the high character and integrity of the gentleman connected therewith command the confidence of the public and guarantee its use- fulness as one of the solid financial institutions of Delaware county. The careful commercial education and thorough business training, as well as the extended experience in banking, make Mr. Chilcote thoroughly qualified for the responsible position he holds in the concern, the officers of which, as well as depositors, im- posing in hin the most implicit confidence.

Mr. Chilcote was raised in the Presbyterian church, and while not visibly identified with the denomination, he is a believer in the truths of the Bible, and an earnest friend to all moral and religious movements. He is a member of Anthony lodge, No. 171, A. F. & A. M., of

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Albany, a republican in his political connection, and a highly respected and popular citizen of the community in which he resides.

A RTHUR S. CLARK, a well known business man of Abany, was born in Decatur county, Ind., August 22, 1851, the son of Robert and Frances (Kemper) Clark. Robert Clark is a native of Kentucky and dates his birth from the 27th day of January, 1816. His parents were Woodson and Patience Clark, and he came to Indiana in 1840, and became a resident of Hamilton township, Delaware county, in the year 1859. Robert Clark followed farming very successfully until 1886, at which time he removed to the village of Royertown, where he is now spending his declining years retired from active life. He is, and has been, for many years an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, votes the republican ticket, and is prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity. Of the twelve children born to Robert and Frances Clark the following are living at this time, namely: Sarah, Arthur S., Carrie, Thomas, Stella and Ralph.

Arthur S. Clark was reared on the home farm until his eighteenth year, at which time he apprenticed himself to a mechanic for two and one-half years to learn the trade of a machinist. Later he accepted a position with the Wabash railroad company, in the employ of which he continued for a period of fifteen years, and during the succeding four years was engaged in the mercantile business in the town of Shideler. Abandoning the dry goods trade in 1891, Mr. Clark engaged in the undertak- ing and furniture business, both of which lines he still continues, and in which he has met with well deserved success. He is a practical business man, has a large and constantly in-

creasing trade, and is one of the representa- tive citizens of the town and township in which for so many years he has resided. In his religious belief he adheres to the Methodist creed, in which church he holds the position of trustee, and he has for some time been an active member of the Odd Fellows' fraternity. He also belongs to the brotherhood of Rail- road Firemen and Engineers, and politically is a stanch supporter of the republican party, the principles of which he believes to be for the best interest of the country.

Mr. Clark was married June 27, 1877, in Peru, Ind., to Miss Carrie Bevis, who was born in the city of Zanesville, Ohio, on the IIth day of August, 1851, the daughter of William Bevis. Mrs. Clark is also a member of the Methodist church, and a lady highly re- spected by a large circle of friends in Dela- ware township.

LIJAH E. DAVIS .- In the number of esteemed and worthy citizens of Albany the name of Elijah E. Davis deserves to appear prominently, he being a most useful as well as successful resi- dent of that prosperous town. Mr. Davis was born July 21, 1852, in Delaware county, Ind., being the son of Jacob and Mary (Cake) Davis. Jacob Davis was born in Ross county, Ohio, March 7, 1805, and was the son of John and Rachael (Daugherty) Davis, of Irish and English descent, respectively; who located in Ohio at an early date, John Davis dying there of cholera, in the year 1843. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, all of whom are dead, except one, Mrs. Sarah Vincent, of Black Hawk, Iowa. The father, Elijah, was the eldest son, and followed farming all his life. He was married three times, and died May 28, 1885, in the faith of the Methodist church, in

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which he had lived; his last wife having pre- ceded him to the grave, dying March 4, 1881.

Elijah E. Davis received a common school education and remained with his parents until attaining his majority, when he began farming the old homestead, continuing the same until 1876, at which time he bought fifty acres of land of his own; he resided on the latter until the spring of 1892, devoting part of his atten- tion, the meanwhile, to the manufacture of drain tile, and then removed to the village of Albany and engaged in the hotel business, purchasing and refitting a building which has since became widely known as a favorite resort of the traveling public.

Mr. Davis was married February 1, 1872, to Martha J. Bartlett, born March 2, 1854, and the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Mann) Bartlett, both parents of English ex- traction. The children of this marriage were seven, namely: Norman A., Rosie L., Irene, Lillie R., Thomas C. and Cora M., twins, and Marth C. The mother of this interesting fam- ily departed this life February 24, 1888, dying as she had lived, a consistent member of the Methodist church. Mr. Davis was next mar- ried August 24, 1889, to Mary E. Beard, who was born in Wayne county, Ind., December 1, 1856; being the daughter of John and Su- san (Leisure) Beard. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are earnest members of the Methodist church, and take an active part in all religious work of the local congregation to which they belong. He is an accepted member of the Masonic order, of which body he has been in pleasant relations for many years. Politically he is a republican.

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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 52

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