USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware county, 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 25
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lation, being satisfied with legitimate gains; in short, he possesses those correct business principles which when directed and controlled by good judgment, seldom fail of insuring suc- cess.
Mr. Gray was married June 24, 1877, to Miss Jennettia Griffis, daughter of Robert Griffis, an old and prominent physician of Middletown, Henry county; two children re- sulted from this union: Owen Leslie, who died at the age of twenty-two months, and Myron Herbert, a bright boy of twelve, whose birth occurred on the 7th day of Sep- tember, 1881. Mr. Gray has been a life- long republican, but his ambition has never run in the direction of seeking office, never having been a candidate for any position. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and the order of Maccabees, and for some years has been a prominent Odd Fellow. He became identified with the Christian church in 1870, since which date his life has been a practical exemplification of his religious pro- fession.
EORGE R. GREEN, M. D., the well known physician whose name introduces this sketch, is one of the most skillful and experienced of the city of Muncie, where he has many brother practitioners. He was born in Hamilton township, Delaware county, Ind., October 15, 1851, a son of Andrew J. and Massy (Johnson) Green, and a grandson of William Green, who was a native of New York and of English descent. William Green in an early day moved from from New York to Ohio, and from that state to Delaware county, Ind., where he purchased a tract of land in Niles township, being among the earliest pioneers of that section. Andrew J. Green was born in Athens county, Ohio, and accompanied his
GropGreen
GEO. W. GREENE.
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parents to Delaware county, Ind., when a child, and was here reared and educated. Af- ter attaining his majority he engaged in teach- ing school and also preached in the Christian church, later practicing medicine and continu- ing the latter profession for many years. He was a man of many gifts, mainly self-educated, and proved his business acumen by the enter- ing of a tract of land in Hamilton township, which he cleared and made very valuable. His death occurred January 5, 1885, his wife still surviving him and residing in the city of Muncie. She was a North Carolinian by birth, and a daughter of James Johnson, who was an early settler of Wayne county.
Dr George R. Green was reared in Ham- ilton township, received his literary education in the high school of Muncie, and after leaving school engaged in teaching for three years, read law for one year, and then began the study of medicine under his father. Subse- quently, in 1877, he graduated from the col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons, and the year following received an ad eundem degree from the Medical college of Indiana. He was a very bright and intelligent student, and during his course was selected from the class to be assistant to the demonstrator of anatomy, and graduated with high honors. Actuated by a commendable desire to excel in his profession, the doctor has since supplemented his medical education by a post-graduate course in the New York Polyclinic, and has also taken pri- vate instructions in gynecology at New York. Dr. Green began his medical practice in Roy- erton, Ind., but in June, 1885, came to Muncie, where he has since enjoyed an excel- lent and remunerative practice in Delaware and adjoining counties. He is a member of the Delaware County Medical society, the Del- aware District society, and the Indiana State Medical society, in the deliberations of which bodies he has taken an active and prominent
part. He has served as president of the County Medical society, and is also a member of the American Medical association. Frater- nally he has connected himself with the Masonic fraternity, K. of P. and the A. O. U. W., and politically is a republican. Dr. Green is a married man, his marriage to Miss Mary E. Monroe, daughter of Hugh Monroe, of Ohio, having taken place in 1871, and three children, Dwight, Earl and Bessie, with Mrs. Green, comprise the pleasant family. They are all valued members of the Presby- terian church, in which body the doctor is an elder.
EORGE WASHINGTON GREENE. -The following sketch of this most estimable gentleman was published at the time of his decease, in the local press of Muncie. George Washington Greene was born in White Hall, Washington county, N. Y., October 6, 1829, and died at his resi- dence in Muncie, Ind., June 30, 1887. Mr. Greene was one of the early settlers of Muncie. His mother, whose maiden name was Char- lotte Gilbert, was a sister to Goldsmith C., William and Edmund Gilbert, who were among the pioneers of Muncietown. She was first married at her home in New York to Mr. Fuller, who died there, and subsequently she was united in marriage to George W. Greene, father of the subject of this sketch.
Mr. and Mrs. Greene and their family, con- sisting of three children, came to Muncietown in 1830 and settled on the southeast corner of Walnut and North streets, where the father afterward died. Charles H. Greene, a third son, was born about six weeks after his father's death. Mrs. Greene was afterward, November 5, 1837, married to William S. Collins, and the family then moved to what has since been known as the "Kirby Pasture
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land," on the Middletown pike After the mother's death the family was broken up, the children going to different parts of the country, George W., or "Wash" as he was familiarly called, being taken into the family of his uncle, Goldsmith C. Gilbert, with whom he lived un- til that gentleman's death in 1844, when he began working as a farm laborer in the north- ern part of the county. He did not remain long in the country, however, but soon came to Muncie and served an apprenticeship at the tailor's trade under William Perkins, whose shop stood on the ground now occupied by the Little block. He took charge of the busi- ness when he had "served his time," and carried on tailoring until he entered the army. After his return from the war he was elected clerk of Delaware county circuit court in 1866, and entered upon the discharge of his official duties August 23, of the following year. He was re-elected and held the office until August 23, 1875, when he retired with the record of honorable service, having earned the reputa- tion of an honest and efficient officer. After his retirement from office he engaged in no active business, but occupied his time in look- ing after his property and managing his farm. Mr. Greene was married to Miss Nancy H. Fleming on October 6, 1851 ; she died in Mun- cie, December 13, 1857, aged twenty-eight years, three months and twenty-three days. The first child, George, died at the age of about six months. Their second and last child, Ella, wife of H. B. Athey, survives her father, and her only child bears his name, Georgie G.
By no means the least interesting part of the life of George W. Greene is his career as a soldier. He enlisted in company E, Nine- teenth Indiana volunteers, July 29, 1861, and immediately thereafter was commissioned first lieutenant. Upon the honorable discharge of Capt. Luther B. Wilson, Lieutenant Greene
was promoted captain of the company, and was at the head of his men when taken prison- er at the battle of Gettysburg on the first day of that memorable fight, July 1, 1863. He was first taken to Libby prison, where he was confined for ten months, and was one of the daring fellows who, with Col. A. D. Streight of Indianapolis, tunneled a way out of the horrible prison pen and made their escape. Unfortunately, Capt. Greene was recaptured and returned to prison. He was then con- fined in Danville, Macon, and Charleston rebel prisons until March 12, 1865, at which time, he was paroled prisoner of war, and dis- charged at Washington, D. C. After long confinement in these prison pens in the south he became very much reduced in body and spirit, and was very sick and unable to walk. Capt. Greene never fully recovered from the effects of his twenty months' starvation and prison life, and suffered constantly, some- times severely, with rheumatism and bone fever, and his death was caused by general wearing out of a debilitated body. Mr. Greene was a good and faithful soldier, a brave and efficient officer, a generous and faithful friend, and a citizen in whom the people of Muncie and Delaware county placed the most implicit confidence. He was known and respected throughout Delaware county, and in his death all who knew him realized that they had lost a friend.
R ALPH S. GREGORY was born in Delaware county, Ind., February 28, 1846. He lived upon a farm until fifteen years old, when he entered the high school at Muncie, Ind. After com- pleting the course of study there he entered Wabash college, where he continued his studies until 1862, when he entered the army as a private soldier in company B, Eighty-
THE R. S. GREGORY FAMILY.
.
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fourth Indiana volunteer infantry. He remained in the army about two years, when, on account of failing health, he was honorably discharged at Shellmound, Tenn., having attained the rank of orderly sergeant. On returning home, having regained his health, he again entered Wabash college and remained there through the junior year. He then entered Asbury university, now Depauw university, where he graduated with honors in the class of 1867. The year following his graduation he was superintendent of the high school of the city of Huntington, Ind. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1869, and has since continued the practice of that profession. His practice in both the civil and criminal courts has been successful and lucrative. He has won an enviable reputation for himself as an advocate, and is known throughout the state. He has won especial distinction in the prac- tice of the criminal law. He has a large library of the best text books and law reports, in addition to which he has a private library composed of the choicest works on history, art and literature. He belongs to many of the leading secret and fraternal societies, such as the Masons, Knights Templar, Knights of Pythias, and the Improved Order of Red Men, and has held many of the great offices in these societies, and especially in that of the Im- proved Order of Red Men, in which order he has been the great Incohonee, which is the chief officer of the order in the world. He is a close observer of men and things, and per- haps no one in Delaware county has a wider and more intimate acquaintance with the peo- ple of the state than he. He has always been a republican since his majority, except in the campaign of 1892, when his study of the tariff, and the attitude of certain leading statesman on the subject of bi-metalism, or the coinage of gold and silver as money upon a parity and equality, compelled him to with-
hold his political influence from the success of the republican candidates. He is a firm be- liever in bi-metalism, and recognizes that silver money has been the established friend of the people, and that without its use as money the masses must necessarily be at a disadvan- tage with the rich or the security holders. He believes the Mckinley bill as constructed was, and is, the most ingeniously prepared personal legislation that was ever devised by man. He is not a free trader, but believes in such a tariff as will sufficiently raise revenues to maintain the government, and that that tariff should be so placed as to protect labor and the industries in the true spirit of Ameri- can independenoe.
Mr. Gregory has a wife and two children, Walter Leon, and Florence Madden Gregory. Mrs. Anna C. Gregory, the mother of these, was born at Piqua, Ohio, in 1863, a daughter of Timothy C. Madden, of Irish parentage; was educated in her native city, and is highly accomplished in music. The pictures of his wife and children are in a group in this volume, on the opposite page from his own. He is cool in discussion and forms no dislike for any one who honestly entertains an opin- ion differing with his.
F. GRIBBEN, the accommodating ticket agent of the "Big 4" railroad company at Muncie, Ind., was born in Pittsburg, Pa., June 4, 1852, and there attended the public schools until sixteen years of age, subsequently taking a special course at book keeping in the high school, and also served an apprenticeship at iron molding at Union City, Ind., where his father was partner in the foundry of White, Gribben & Co., and served from 1868 to 1871, when he returned to Pittsburg and worked in the
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Westinghouse air brake works, at his chosen trade, and a year and a half later returned to Union City and took charge of the Wooley & Fischers Electric Light company's molding department for a year; worked three months in the freight office of the "Big 4" and was then transferred to Muncie and was baggage master for eight years, and in August, 1890, was appointed to his present position. During his residence in Union City he was city clerk for seven years, on the Ohio side, and was the first president of the Delaware county and Gray club, of Muncie, a democratic organiza- tion. He was married in Union City, in 1873, to Miss Laura J. Dill, daughter of John W. Dill, of Greenville, Ohio, and has two chil- dren-Pearl M., at home, and Perry A., an employe of the Kirby house.
Andrew J. Gribben, father of the subject, B. F. Gribben, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1818, and settled in Union City, Ind., in 1868, and engaged in the foundry and machine business until 1872. While not licensed a lawyer, he was well posted in legal matters, and during the last few years of his life was engaged in real estate transactions. He was mayor, justice of the peace, and president of the board of education at different times, and died in August, 1890, honored by his fellow citizens as a useful member of society and as an upright man. He married Harriet A. Verner, and had born to him five children, viz: Mary A., wife of Charles A. Gould, of Pittsburg ; B. F., whose name opens this sketch ; Perry, yardmaster at Anderson ; Belle, wife of Herman C. Scranton, of Union City ; and Lizzie M., wife of James E. Folley, of Anderson. The mother is still living in Union City, aged sixty-four.
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
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