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 65

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 65
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 65

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 mother's death occurred February 17, 1880. The father, by occupation, is a car- penter and he reared a family consisting of the following children, namely: Eliza, wife of Enoch Drumm; Sophia, wife of Samuel Drumm; Sarah, wife of Robert A. Johnson; James W., Mary, wife of Rev. L. T. Holsinger, Isaac Kern and Susan E., wife of James Harris.

Joseph E. Kern accompanied his parents from Virginia to Indiana and grew to manhood on the farm, attending, in the meantime such schools as the country afforded. He resided for some years near Oakville, Delaware coun- ty, and after beginning life for himself moved to his present farm, consisting of sixty acres of well improved land, situated in Monroe town- ship, Delaware county, where he has since resided. Mr. Kern is a man of intelligence and excellent judgment and has been compli- mented by his fellow citizens by being elected to the responsible position of township trustee, the duties of which he has discharged in a highly commendable manner.

Mr. Kern was married January 21, 1877, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Hayden and Nancy Yelton, and his family consists of three children, Walter, Hayden and Jacob; the old- est child, whose name was Frank, is deceased. The parents of Mrs. Kern were natives of Kentucky and early settlers of Hancock coun- ty, Ind. Subsequently they removed to the county of Henry, and afterward purchased the present home west of New Castle, on the 18th day of June, 1865. By his first marriage with Nancy Hopkins, Hayden Yelton had the fol- lowing children: Varonia A., deceased; Mrs. Elizabeth Kern; Charles A., Amelia M., wife of Dr. R. Marshall; Sarah J., wife of Stephen Harlan: Mary L., wife of James Baughn, Peter, deceased, and Hayden. Two years after his first wife's death, Mr. Yelton married Jennie Cook, by whom he has one child, Joel

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C. Mr. and Mrs. Kern are members of the Society of Friends, in which church he has been an assistant in the ministry for five years. In politics Mr. Kern is an ardent republican and is one of the representative men of Mon- roe township.

SAAC LENOX was born in Delaware county, Ind., Monroe township, and is a son of John and Nancy (Brown) Lenox. He was reared to manhood on the farm, and like the majority of country boys his life was comparative uneventful. His opportuni- ties for acquiring an education were somewhat limited, and the schools he attended were sup- ported by voluntary subscription and lasted but two or three months of the year. His life has been one of great industry, and, actuated by a determination to succeed, he early en- gaged in farming upon his responsibility, and in 1858 purchased a tract of wood land from which he cleared and developed a beautiful home, owning at this time a highly improved farm of 160 acres. He was married April 12, 1855, to Catherine, daughter of James and Thankful A. Masterson, to which union the fol- lowing children were born: Borter, Thankful A., died June 5, 1858; Thomas, died June, 1861; James, John T., Nancy, wife of Alonzo Cooper, and three children who died in infancy unnamed. The mother of these children died March 19, 1888, and lies within the silent shades of the Rees cemetery, where a hand- some marble shaft with an appropriate epitaph serves, to mark her last resting place. Mrs. Lenox was held in high esteem by her many friends and neighbors, and bore, nobly, her part towards the founding of the comfortable home where the family now reside. She was a woman of many excellent qualities, uniformly kind and considerate to all, and her life was a grand simple poem of toilsome duties well

and uncomplainingly done. Mr. Lenox in his political affiliations was originally a whig and cast his first presidential vote for Gen. Win- field Scott. Since the birth of the republican party he has been one of its supporters, and takes great interest in the leading questions of the day, but has never been an aspirant for official position.

John P. Lenox, son of Isaac and Catherine Lenox, was born November 1, 1864, in Dela- ware county, Ind., and has passed the greater part of his life within the limits of his native township. He received a liberal education, early became a farmer, and, in addition to agriculture pursuits, pays considerable atten- tion to stock raising, which he has pursued very profitably. His life has been marked by industry and thrift, and he is a true type of that large and progressive class of American farmers to whose industry our western country is largely due for much of its present advance- ment and prosperity. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and takes an active interest in the affairs of the fraternity. Mr. Lenox was married April 4, 1888, to Miss Sina Skinner, daughter of William and Eliza- beth Skinner, a union blessed with the birth of one child, namely, Hazel A. Lenox. Mrs. Lenox is a consistent member of the Society of Friends and a lady highly respected by every body in the community.

ORTER LENOX, the eldest son of Isaac and Ann Lenox, was born in Monroe township, Delaware county, Ind., January 12, 1856. He was educated at the country schools and remained on the home farm with his father until twenty- one years of age, when he began general farm- ing on his own account, and this pursuit he has successfully followed until the present

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time, living on the farm of his father, which comprises 160 acres, and is situated five miles south of Muncie. October 29, 1889, he married Miss Ann Evans, who was born in Henry county, Ind., August 18, 1856, and is the daughter of David and Elizabeth (Johnson) Evans. The father is a native of Ohio, and is now fifty-five years of age. Miss Evans had the misfortune to lose her mother, June 25, 1871, when the former was very little more than an infant. She was thus thrown upon the world at a tender age, but was taken charge of by Mrs. Catherine Gibson, her aunt, and Mr. William Gibson, her uncle, who reared her with parental affection and care until her marriage. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lenox has been born one son, William Clifford, who consummated the happiness of his parents August 20, 1890. The parents enjoy the esteem of all their neighbors and are con- sidered to be among the most worthy of the county, Mrs. Lenox being an exemplary member of the Methodist church, of which he, also, is an attendant. In politics he is a republican, and is a faithful worker for his party at the polls.

3 OHN LOSH (deceased) was born in Northumberland county, Pa., June 18, 1819, the son of John and Susannah Losh, parents both natives of the same state. John Losh was reared a farmer and came to Delaware county in 1855, and pur- chased the farm still in possession of the family, upon which he resided until his death. He was married November 5, 1840, to Mary Tompson, daughter of Robert and Matilda Tompson, and became the father of the follow- ing children: Matilda, wife of James Watson; Robert T., died June 21, 1849; Martha, wife of Oliver Carmichael; Wilson, died June 24,

1865; John F., died June 21, 1885; infant, de- ceased, and Charles M. Losh, a resident of the city of Muncie. Mr. Losh was always a hard working man, was upright and honorable in his dealings, won universal respect and confi- dence, and was valued as a substantial and public spirited citizen, and loved as a friend and neighbor. He departed this life at Eaton Rapids, Mich., on the 17th day of July, 1880.

Mrs. Losh was subsequently united in mar- riage to Aaron Lackey, son of Joseph and Ad- die Lackey. Mr. Lackey was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1821, and has always followed the farmer's occupation. He has been a resi- dent for some years of Monroe township, where he is universally respected, and as a citizen oc- cupies a conspicuous place in the estimation of his friends and neighbors. Mrs. Lackey is a highly esteemed lady in the community in which she resides, and her life has been fraught with kind words and good deeds. She has indeed been a helpmate, and in the later years of her life many are the friends that rise up and call her blessed. Mrs. Lackey has lived in Monroe township continuously since 1841. She and her former husband settled in the southwest part of this township, where they cleared a farm from the green. She came to her present place of residence in 1853.

BRAHAM McCONNELL is an in- dustrious and highly respected farmer of Monroe township, and possesses in an eminent degree the esteem and confidence of a large circle of friends through- out the county. Mr. McConnell was born in Delaware county, Ind., June 17, 1843, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Covault) Mc- Connell. He was reared a farmer, has followed that useful occupation all his life, and at this time has a well improved place of seventy-

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nine acres, which is under a very successful state of cultivation. As a tiller of the soil Mr. McConnell has met with well deserved success, and by well directed effort has ac- cumulated a sufficiency of this world's goods to enable him to live in comparative independ- ence. He served his township as assessor for one term, acted as supervisor for a period of about seven years, and he has always taken an active interest in promoting the well being of his neighborhood and community.

Mr. McConnell was united in marriage October 30, 1864, to Elizabeth Fuson, who departed this life April 6, 1867, deeply lament- ed by all who knew her. She was a consistent member of the United Brethren church, and a lady of many excellent traits of character. On the 16th day of February, 1868, Mr. McCon- nell married his second wife, Frances E. Heath, who died May 14, 1886. Like the first Mrs. McConnell, she was a woman whose life was fraught with good deeds, a sincere christian, and a fond and loving mother. To the second marriage the following children were born: Minnie O., Bertha L., Mary V., Harvey H., Charles N., Curtis O., Jessie L., and three whose deaths occurred in infancy. Mr. Mc- Connell, on the 7th day of April, 1887, mar- ried his present wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Gossett, a union blessed with the birth of one child, Asa Mabel McConnell. Mrs. McConnnell was born in Henry county, Ind., November 9, 1856. John and Elizabeth Gossett, the parents of Mrs. McConnell, were prominent members of the United Brethren church, and most excellent citizens. Of their family of eight children, three are living at this time, Rebecca R., wife of B. B. Richards; Mrs. McConnell and Malinda, wife of William Miller.

Mr. McConnell has an army record of which he feels deservedly proud and which proves him to have been one of the brave de-

fenders of the national Union in the dark days of the Rebellion. On the 22nd day of Octo- ber, 1861, he enlisted in company E, Fifty- seventh regiment Indiana volunteer infantry, and was actively engaged in the service for a period of four years, during which time it was his lot to take part in a number of bloody battles. October 3, 1862, his regiment went to Louisvile, thence to Prairieville, and after leaving Nashville, was engaged in the battle of Stone River, January 1, 1863, where Mr. McConnell received a severe gun shot wound in the face, which necessitated his remaining in the hospital for a period of six weeks. Sub- sequently he rejoined his command and par- ticipated in the battle of Chattanooga in the summer of 1863, and afterward took part in the battle of Mission Ridge. He re-enlisted at Knoxville in the spring of 1864, from which time until June, of that year, he was almost continually under fire, having taken part in nearly all the battles around Atlanta. At Kenesaw Mountain he was shot in the left shoulder and right hand, from the effects of which wounds he remained in the hospital eight months. He was then sent to Rock Island, Ill., thence to Springfield, where he remained until honorably discharged Novem- ber 12, 1865, reaching home one month later than that date. Mr. McConnell is a promi- nent member of the United Brethren church, belongs to the Knight of Honor and is promi- nently identified with the F. M. B. A. Mr. McConnell is a stalwart and true republican.

J ESSE W. McKIMMEY, a native of In- diana, was born in Salem township, Delaware county, and was the son of James and Susanah (Adamson) McKim- mey, parents natives of North Carolina and Indiana respectively. Mr. McKimmey was

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reared a farmer, and spent the greater part of his life within the boundary of his native county, and always followed agriculture as his occupa- tion. He was married, in 1860, to Lucinda Clevenger, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Clevenger, who bore him four children, namely: Sanford 1 .. , Elnora A., wife of John Lowe; James O., died in infancy, and Charles B., also deceased. Mrs. McKimmey dying, Mr. McKimmey, two years later, was united in marriage to Rebecca (Sharpe) Bowers, daugh- ter of Edward and Anna Sharp, a union blessed with the birth of three children, namely: In- fant, deceased August, 1877, March M. and Erie E. Mrs. McKimmey, who had previously been married to Jacob Bowers, was one of the family of fourteen children, whose names are as follows: Nancy, wife of Benj. Sourewine; Thompson, William, Mary, wife of Noah Bowers; Amanda, wife of Rev. Mr. Quick; Minerva, deceased; George, deceased; infant, deceased; John, Martha, wife of Ira Kidwell; Loretta J., wife of Solomon Skinner-she died March 7, 1888; Joseph P., died March, 1890, and Sophia C., wife of Rev. W. R. Lowe. Mrs. McKimmey is the ninth in order of birth.

The wedded ·life of Jacob Bowers and Re- becca Sharpe resulted in the birth of thirteen children, as follows: L. C., Edward M., Isabella A., Oliver P., Russell, Cora L., wife of William P. Gilmore; Amanda, died in 1859; John C., died in 1858; infant, died August, 1862; Martha, died 1863; infant, died Octo- ber, 1869, and Earl O., died 1870. After his marriage, Mr. Bowers moved to the present home farm, where he lived until his death, which was caused by an accident at the rais- ing of a neighbor's barn, on June 6, 1873. By a life of industry and prudent management, Mr. Bowers became the possessor of a reason- able amount of this world's wealth and at the time of his death was in very comfortable cir- cumstances. In the affairs of business and

every day life his actions were governed by a high sense of honor and right, and by a long life of usefulness he gained and retained the confidence of all with whom he came in con- tact. Mrs McKimmey's father and mother died in the years 1854 and 1877, respectively. They were prominent members of the Dis- ciples church, belonged to the Independent Order of Good Templers, and were people highly respected in the community where they resided.

B MARSHALL, M. D., a well known physician and surgeon of Cowan, is a native of Delaware county, Ind., born April 9, 1840, the son of Miles and Elizabeth (Bell) Marshall. The doctor's an- cestors paternally were among the early settlers of Tennessee, in which state his grand- parents, Thomas and Hannah Marshall, were born, and from which they emigrated many years ago to Indiana, locating in Wayne coun- ty, where Miles Marshall was born September 13, 1811. The family were among the pio- neers of Wayne county, where a number of descendants still reside. Miles Marshall was, by occupation, a farmer, and he was known as a successful, reliable man. He was married in Wayne county, Ind., 1834, to Elizabeth Bell, and reared a family consisting of the following children: Thomas, Margaret, Miles, Reuben, Hannah, wife of J. H. Templin, William H., Jacob W., deceased; Jane Eliza- beth, wife of J. B. Jackson, Rebecca E., who was the wife of Albert Ofterdinger; Horace, deceased, and John B. The father died March, 1886; the mother is still living.

Doctor Marshall was educated in the com- mon schools and grew to manhood on a farm. After reaching the years of his majority he taught school for some years in Delaware and Henry counties, in all eight terms, pursuing

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his literary studies in the mean time. Orig- inally, he had no intention of entering the medical profession, but while teaching con- cluded to prepare himself for the practice of the healing art, and, accordingly, began the study of the same about the year 1872. In 1874, in order the better to prepare himself for the medical profession, he entered the Miami college of Medicine, of Cincinnati, in which he took two courses of lectures. In 1877 he located in the permanent practice of his pro- fession at the village of Cowan, where he re- mained until 1879, at which time he moved to Gifford, Champaign county, Ill, thence one year later to Ogden, same county and state, where he practiced for about twenty months, returning to Cowan December, 1881, where he has since resided. Dr. Marshall is well read in the principles of the healing art, keeps fully abreast of the times and is now in the enjoyment of a lucrative practice, in which he has met with well deserved success. In politics a republican, he has never been am- bitious for official preferment, all of his atten- tion having been given to the practice of his chosen calling. September 1, 1888, the doctor was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Yelton, who was born in Henry county, Ind., Novem- ber 5, 1856, the daughter of Hayden and Nancy (Hopkins) Yelton. In 1889 Dr. Mar- shall was president of the Delaware county Medical society. He is also secretary of the Cowan Exploring company.

ILLIAM H. NEFF .- Prominent among the representative citizens and manufacturers of the gas belt of Indiana is William H. Neff, whose birth occurred on the 19th of Septem- ber, 1848, in Rockingham county, Virginia. His father, Elias Neff, was born in the same

county and state March 1, 1818, and there married Sarah Ritchey, also of Virginia birth, who became the mother of three children, namely: George, William H., and Catherine, wife of George Will, the first named being de- ceased. The mother of these children de- parted this life in the year 1854 and subse- quently Elias Neff was united in marriage with Margaret Lamb of Rockbridge county, Va., who bore him fourteen children, of whom the following are living: Michael, Sarah, Mathias, Ada, Lewis, Alice and John. Mrs. Neff dying, Mr. Neff afterward wedded Leana Miller by whom he had one child, Hannah. By occu- pation Elias Neff is a carpenter and cooper, both of which trades he has carried on, since early manhood, in his native county and state, where he still resides.

The early life of William H. Neff was passed amid the ordinary routine of home duties, and while still young he entered upon an apprenticeship to learn carpentering with one William Toppin, of Rockingham county, under whose guidance he continued for a period of eight months. Becoming proficient in his chosen calling, he worked about one and a half years with an uncle, Jacob Ritchey, at the end of which time, thinking that the west afforded better advantages to a young man, he came to Indiana, locating in Henry county, where, for a brief period, he found employment as a wood chopper, and later made rails, for a short time, in the same locality. For about one year he was employed as a farm laborer by O. E. Clevenger, Esq., of Delaware county, and later resumed car- pentry, which he carried on until. 1882, having in the meantime devoted much atten- tion to the perfecting of an improved washing machine, for which he obtained letters patent in the year noted. Satisfied that the machine of which he was the patentee possessed supe- rior merits, he began its manufacture at Cowan,

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Delaware county, in 1882, on a small scale, employing three workmen. After continuing at the business for some time he disposed of his establishment to R. M. Ball, of Cowan, now of Muncie, and for one year thereafter was engaged in the general mercantile trade at the former place. Discontinuing the goods business, Mr. Neff again turned his attention to the manufacture of washing machines, which he has since continued, being at this time the proprietor of the largest and best equipped factory for the exclusive manufacture of these necessary articles of household comfort and convenience in the United States. The story of Mr. Neff's experience as a manufacturer would form an interesting chapter, and for the benefit of those whose lives are beset with discouragements, caused by repeated miscarry- ings of well laid plans, the following brief out- line, gleaned from a published account written by himself, is given: In 1882, as already stated, he commenced the business with a cash capital of $10 and an indebtedness of $200 hanging over him. He made his own ma- chinery, principally out of wood, which cost him $2, thus leaving him $8 with which to pur- chase material for the machines. After judi- ciously spending the $8, and having one man to furnish steam power, he proceeded to busi- ness, and the first week manufactured six washers, which were painted and sold the week following. He continued in this way until March, 1883, when he purchased a horse and horse power, which, attached to his machinery, greatly facilitated the means of manufacturing and enabled him to place the products of his factory on the market in greater numbers. Through the medium of the machines previ- ously sold, the merits of the washer went abroad, in consequence of which the demand increased to such an extent that an establish- ment of greatly enlarged capacity became nec- essary, accordingly he purchased a larger

building, which was supplied with improved machinery, operated by a ten-horse power en- gine. Under the new conditions he was en- abled to manufacture about 100 washers per week, yet in less than twelve months he was again obliged to enlarge his buildings and grounds and purchase new and better ma- chinery, including a twenty-five horse power engine, thus turning out a large number of machines to meet the demands of the con- stantly increasing trade. He continued in this manner with the demand gradually spreading and crowding until 1891, when, for the fourth time he was compelled not only to enlarge his old buildings, but to erect new and more com- modious structures and add to the space al- ready occupied until, as stated in a preceding paragraph, his factory is the largest and most thoroughly equipped establishment of the kind in the United States. The machine he makes is known as "The Perfection Washer," which, as the name implies, has no superior in the market. The almost phenomenal sales during the few years past is proof sufficient that the Perfection is duly appreciated by the public, and in view of the continued demand it is safe to predict that within a comparatively brief period the capacity of the factory will again have to go through a process of enlargement.

Mr. Neff is a wide awake, progressive man, fully alive to the interest of his business and the general prosperity of the community. Personally he is very popular with all, and those who know him best, unite in pronounc- ing him a true type of the broad minded, in- telligent and courteous gentleman. He is a supporter of the democratic party, and while not a partisan in the sense of aspiring to offi- cial honors, he has decided opinions on all public questions and expresses the same in a manner not to be misunderstood whenever occasion makes it necessary. With the I. O. O. F. local lodge, No. 561, he has been identi-

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fied for some years and is also a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, belonging to Cheyenne tribe, No. 133.

Mr. Neff and Miss Helen Fulton were made man and wife on the 6th day of Novem- ber, 1871. Mrs. Neff was born in Delaware county, Ind., in 1852 and she is the mother of the following children: Sanford, an employe in his father's factory: Alberta May, wife of Jacob- Rinker; Edward, also works for his father: John, Lillie and Nellie.

EORGE NICHOLS (deceased -Few residents of Monroe township were more highly esteemed and universally respected than the late George Nich- ols, whose death was felt as a personal loss to the community in which he formerly resided. He was born in Delaware county, Ind., on the 14th day of May, 1857, the son of John and Martha (Lyons) Nichols. He became a suc- cessful farmer, and displayed good ability as a financier, having accumulated during his life, a comfortable fortune, which he left to his widow, who still resides upon the home place. As a member of the German Baptist church, he exemplified the teachings of the Christian religion in his daily life, and as a citizen few men in the township enjoyed, in as great a degree, the confidence of the community. Educated in the common schools, which he attended at intervals in his youth, he was not, in the strict sense of the word, a scholar so far as books were concerned, but, possessing a fund of practical common sense, he was enabled to discharge very successfully the duties of a very active life. He was married September 11, 1878, to Ida L. Hill, daughter of Charles and Eunice Hill, to which union the following children were born: Charles E. deceased; Lemuel N., Arletta J., Roscoe J.,

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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 65

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