USA > Indiana > White County > A standard history of White County Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. I > Part 55
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ZACHARIAH ROTHROCK
Zachariah Rothrock was born in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, Octo- ber 8, 1814, and first came to White County in 1835, but in 1837 returned to Pennsylvania where he lived until 1846, when he came back to Indiana and engaged in building boats on the old Wabash and Erie Canal. In 1850 he was married to Catharine Opp, by whom he had three children, one of whom, John A., was for some years prior to his death the owner of the White County Democrat and county superintendent of schools. The two daughters still live in White County. In 1853 he removed to his farm about four miles northeast of Monticello, where he lived until his death, which occurred March 11, 1886. In 1871 his wife died and in 1873 he married Mrs. S. M. Heaton. Mr. Rothrock was held in high esteem by all who knew him.
JAMES C. RUFING
Probably one of the best known men in Monticello during twenty years prior to 1897 was James C. Rufing, painter and decorator and leader of the Monticello band. In this latter capacity he had a reputation extend- ing all over Northern Indiana ; and his enthusiasm and geniality, coupled with a tireless energy, for many years gave Monticello a splendid musical
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organization. He was twice married, his last wife, who survived him, being Mrs. Lillie Owens, widow of the late Harry P. Owens, and daugh- ter of John Switzer, one of Monticello's early residents. He died April 30, 1897, leaving six children by his first marriage, viz .: James and William, Bernice, Ota, Hazel and Elizabeth, all since married and removed from Monticello.
DR. WILLIAM H. SAMPSON
Dr. William HI. Sampson, an old physician of Brookston, died at his home in that town April 5, 1913. He was a Hoosier, born in Janesville, December 8, 1839, and became a soldier of the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry during the year of his marriage, 1861. After serving through- out the Civil war, he located at Springsboro and there practiced medi- cine until 1876, after which he continued his professional career at Brookston until his death. He was the father of six children. As a leading Mason and a member of the Baptist Church, his funeral services were conducted under the forms both of religion and fraternity.
JOHN SAUNDERS
John Saunders, an old-time resident of Monticello, whither he came as a young man in 1854, died in his later home at Lake Cicott, Cass County, on the 25th of October, 1912, at the age of nearly seventy-nine years. His remains were brought to Monticello and interred under the joint auspices of the Methodist Church and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, to both of which bodies he owed a long allegiance. The deceased was an Ohio man, born at Lancaster, Fairfield County, Decem- ber 11, 1833. He was one of eight children born to William and Matilda Saunders, who had migrated from England during the previous year. In 1854, as stated, John Saunders located at Monticello, where he re- sided continuously until 1905, when he moved to Lake Cicott. In Feb- ruary, 1857, he married Miss Sarah Imes, a sister of Richard Imes. The three sons and one daughter of that union survive, their mother dying December 22, 1879. By his second marriage to Mrs. Margaret L. Neas he had no children. His widow lives at Lake Cicott.
WILLIAM E. SAUNDERSON
William E. Saunderson, who died at Monticello, May 15, 1874, in his thirty-eighth year was serving his second term as sheriff of White County. His wife died in October, 1873, and after her death Mr. Saunderson's health began to decline and his death came after a long and painful illness. He was quite popular, a good sheriff and a worthy citizen. His brother, Judge James E. Saunderson, now lives in Fowler, Indiana.
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CALEB SCOTT
A medical practitioner of sixty years' activity in White County, Dr. Caleb Scott finally succumbed to the demands of ninety years and on October 2, 1911, died at the home of his married daughter, Mrs. Hattie L. Wilkerson, in Idaville. His remains were interred at the Warden Cemetery near Sitka. The deceased was born in Wayne County, Indiana, and in 1827, when Caleb was about six years old, the family moved to Cass County, near Burnettsville. He early showed an inclination and a talent in treating the sick and, having studied under several local physicians, he moved to Burnettsville in 1847, and the succeeding sixty years he devoted to the practice of his profession, mostly in Eastern White County, with the exception of one year which he spent in Illi- nois. In 1868 he located on his farm in Liberty Township, upon which he resided until 1906 when he went to reside with his daughter, Mrs. Wilkerson, at whose home he died. Doctor Scott was thrice married and left as descendants, eight children, thirty grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
JACOB H. SEXTON
Jacob H. Sexton was born in Cabell County, West Virginia, November 28, 1819; died January 24, 1896. He came to White County in 1852 and located on what was known as the Jordon Grove farm, where he resided to the time of his death, a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, whose home was noted for its genial hospitality.
ALEXANDER R. SHAFER
Alexander R. Shafer, a native of White County, a. son of Samuel Shafer, was born on December 25, 1838. On July 3, 1887, he married Miss Alberta Osman, by whom he had one child, a daughter, now living in Illinois. He died the latter part of March, 1895, at his home south of Monticello, having spent his entire life in White County. A life of fifty- six years spent in one locality is a good test of a man's wearing qualities and Mr. Shafer stood the test. His brother, John P. Shafer, still lives about five miles south of Monticello.
JOHN M. SHAFER
John M. Shafer was perhaps as well known in and about Monticello as any one who lived here the latter half of the last century. He was the son of Andrew and Sarah Shafer, was born in Delaware County, Indiana, September 30, 1845, and ten years later came with his father's family to White County, where his life was spent. When a lad of eight- een he enlisted in the service of his country, but was rejected on account of his age, but he made a second attempt, was accepted and went as a private in Company B, One Hundred and Forty-second Indiana Volun- teers, under command of Captain Thomas, and was honorably discharged
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in July, 1865. On February 17, 1869, he married Miss Isabella Clingan and to this union were born four children, three of whom, George A., of Peru, Lulu S. Bernfeldt, of Logansport, and Mary E. Springer, of Col- umbus, Ohio, are yet living.
He was an ardent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and, "his word is as good as his bond," was the words of confidence on the lips of men with whom he did business. He died at his home in Monti- cello, July 20, 1911.
LINAS H. SHANK
Linas H. Shank, a well known citizen of Chalmers, died of heart disease in the streets of Chalmers, in July, 1912. He was a local re- publican leader and an esthusiastic Knight of Pythias.
SAMUEL SHENK
Samuel Shenk, an old resident of White County, was born in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, October 15, 1829, being one of the six children of Abraham and Magdalena (Overholser) Shenk, both of Pennsylvania. His father died at the old home when Samuel was but ten years old, but for eight years he worked and attended school, then for six years he labored on a farm and in the spring of 1856 he came to White County, locating on the farm of 160 acres, which he has owned for almost sixty years, and which is now one of the best farms in White County. On October 26, 1852, he married Catharine M. Behm, of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. To them was born one son, Henry D., and a daughter, Clara B., both now living in Monticello. Mr. Shenk retired from the farm and in the spring of 1902 moved to Monticello where his wife died May 8, 1914.
ELIZABETH SILL
Elizabeth Sill, widow of William Sill, died at her home in Monti- cello, September 6, 1882, in her eightieth year. She was a perfect type of the grand heroic wives and mothers who laid the foundations upon which the superstructure of our society rests today. Her husband was commissioned by Gov. Noah Noble, on July 18, 1834, clerk of the White Circuit Court, which for two years held its sessions at the home of George A. Spencer in Big Creek Township and she could recall remi- niscences of Judge John R. Porter, the first circuit judge, whose circuit included all the territory north of Putnam County, to Lake Michigan, of Andrew Ingram, the first, and Joseph A. Wright, afterwards governor, the second prosecuting attorney of the White Circuit Court. All these men, in their day, sat at the hospitable board presided over by Mrs. Sill, as did Albert S. White, John Pettit, Tighlman A. Howard, Edward A. Hannegan, Henry S. Lane and many others whose lives form an im- portant part of the history of the State of Indiana. In fact Mrs. Sill in her life linked together the past and present of our history for more than half a century. She nobly filled the duties of wife, mother and Vol. 1-32
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friend. She was the mother of three daughters, Miranda J. Reynolds, deceased, who married James C. Reynolds; Sarah, who married Sylvanus Van Voorst, and who died many years ago; and Georgiana, widow of the late Calvin Reynolds, who now lives with her son, William M. Reynolds, about a mile east of Monticello. She was also the mother of Robert W. Sill and Milton M. Sill, both deceased, and through each of these sons and daughters she has left descendants who are now living among us active and useful lives. Of all the pioneer women of White County none filled a larger space in our local history than Mrs. Sill. She was a Christian woman and well and worthily did she illustrate in her life the virtues and graces of her chosen faith.
MILTON M. SILL
Milton M. Sill, son of William Sill, who erected the first house in Monticello, was born in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, May 20, 1833, came with his parents to Monticello in the fall of 1834, and died here at the home of his son, Charles W. Sill, June 22, 1903, after a continuous resi- dence of nearly sixty-nine years. During this long period his activities were closely interwoven with the town's social, professional and business life. He had been a teacher in the public schools, editor of the Monticello Herald, an employee in the paymaster general's office at Washington, filled the position of provost marshal and the offices of county surveyor and county sheriff; also justice of the peace. At the time of his death he was engaged in writing a history of White County, which was printed serially in the White County Democrat during 1901, 1902 and the first half of 1903, but which he did not live to complete. December 3, 1859, he was married to Mary McConahay, who died October 10, 1873, leaving him with five small children, William, Charles, Bertha, Nina and Ed- ward, all of whom reached adult age and were living at the time of his death. He never remarried. His funeral was under the auspices of Libanus Lodge No. 154, F. & A. M., of which he was long an active member.
WILLIAM SILL
William Sill was one of the very first settlers in Monticello, having come here in 1834, when he erected the first house built in Monticello on lot No. 1, being at the southwest corner of Marion and Bluff streets. He was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, August 9, 1801, and on Novem- ber 22, 1822, was married to Elizabeth Martin, who died in Monticello, September 4, 1882. His father, Adam Sill, was a native of England and came to the United States about the close of the Revolutionary war and after a brief residence in New York removed to Kentucky. In 1830 William Sill removed to Tippecanoe County and in the autumn of that year removed to near the present location of Brookston, where he taught a school and in 1834 came to Monticello. In 1834 he was elected to the offices of clerk, auditor and recorder, which offices he held until his death on January 7, 1846. He was the father of the late Capt.
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Robert W. Sill, one time sheriff of White County, Miranda J. Reynolds, Milton M. Sill and Mrs. Georgiana Reynolds, all of whom, except the last named, are dead. William Sill was a pioneer of White County. For twelve years after its organization he wrote all the records of its three principal offices and filled all these positions with honor to himself and credit to the family name.
JAMES P. SIMONS
James P. Simons, recorder of White County for eight years, and for almost twenty years editor of the White County Democrat, has been a resident of Monticello and its immediate vicinity nearly all his life. He was born in Prairie Township, southeast of Brookston, November 9, 1856, and was the oldest of nine children born to George II. and Mary (Welch) Simons. His ancestors were residents of the mountainous region now composing the eastern part of the present state of West Virginia, and, as the name indicates, were of Semitie origin. His great- great-grandfather, Christian Simon, as the name was then spelled, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He left three sons, Jacob, George and Abraham; the last two being only half brothers of the first. A son of Jacob Simon, also named Jacob, married his half cousin, Priscilla Simon, daughter of the above named George, and to them on August 29, 1837, was born George H. Simons, who came with his father's family to White County in 1848, locating a few miles south of Monticello, where his father died May 16, 1853. January 23, 1856, George H. Simons was married to Mary Welch. George H. died at his home south of Monticello May 19, 1913, and his wife, Mary, died in March, 1914. Both are buried in Riverview Cemetery, east of Monticello.
At the age of eighteen James P. Simons began teaching in the public schools of White County, his first school being at Badger Grove, in Prairie Township, in the winter of 1874-5. His last term was at the Smith schoolhouse, south of Reynolds, in the winter of 1882-3. In November, 1882, he was elected recorder of White County and moved to Monticello in 1883. He was re-elected in November, 1886, serving until July 7, 1891. In December, 1894, he formed a partnership with Mr. A. B. Clarke and purchased the White County Democrat from John A. Rothrock, and continued as editor of that paper until May, 1914, when he sold his interest to the Democrat-Journal-Observer Company, the present publishers.
September 21, 1881, he was married to Miss Sarah E. Johnson, of Reynolds, whose father, Jeremiah B. Johnson, was a member of Com- pany G, Forty-sixth Indiana Volunteers, and was killed at the battle of Jackson, Mississippi, in July, 1863. Her mother, Emily .J. Johnson, never re-married and died at her daughter's home in Monticello, July 17, 1915, at the age of eighty-three. To James P. and Sarah E. Simons have been born seven children, Walter A., Frank L., Maude, Howard J., George B., Hazel and Esther, all of whom are still at the parental home except Frank, who resides in Fresno, California, and Howard, who
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was married to Miss Faye Hanawalt, June 27, 1915, and resides at Fowler, Indiana.
HIRAM SLUYTER
Born in Ulster County, New York, January 16, 1829, Hiram Sluyter came with his parents to White County in probably 1837 or 1838, locating in Liberty Township, just south of the present village of Buffalo, where he resided until his death, December 7, 1900, at the age of nearly seventy- two years. Mr. Sluyter was one of the successful farmers of the county and was held in high esteem. He served twelve years as justice of the peace. September 29, 1850, he was married to Elizabeth J. Dibra, and to them were born three sons, of whom Francis M. and Samuel D. are still living, and the latter being a well known physician, formerly of Chalmers and now practicing his profession in Wolcott.
REV. GILBERT SMALL
Rev. Gilbert Small was born in Argyle, New York, February 7, 1828. He was a graduate of Argyle Academy and Union College and later studied in the Associate Theological Seminary at Cannonsburg, Pennsyl- vania. He became pastor of the United Presbyterian Church in Indian- apolis, where he remained some years, until 1867, when he located at Idaville. He severed his relations with the United Presbyterian Church in 1877 and united with the Presbyterian Church, filling vacancies in the Logansport Presbytery for several years. About 1890 he quit the active ministry and devoted himself to his books and to writing for various periodicals. He founded the Idaville Observer for his two sons in 1886. In 1896, at the age of sixty-eight years, he united with the Masonic fraternity, receiving the blue lodge, chapter and council degrees at Monticello, and for some four years prior to his death he was an able contributor to Masonic literature, his contributions to the Masonic Advocate being copied in Masonic publications all over the world. He died July 20, 1904, at the age of seventy-six, leaving two sons, twins, William R. and Albert G., now residents of Indianapolis; a daughter, Mrs. McArthur of Troy, New York, and a son, Dr. Harry E. Small.
JACOB CLAY SMITH
Jacob Clay Smith was born in Lafayette, Indiana, January 28, 1845, died in Monticello, August 4, 1905. He joined the Tenth Indiana as drummer boy at the beginning of the Civil war, and later became a private in Company C, Sixty-ninth Indiana. He located in Monticello in 1869, where he was employed in the Herald office for a time and later in the Constitutionalist office. In 1878 he founded the Nationalist, a populist paper, which he continued to publish intermittently until a short time before his death. He was married in 1873 to Miss Euphemia Black, who is still living with their only daughter, Mrs. Stella Black, in Indianapolis.
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MAHLON F. SMITH
Mahlon F. Smith, a veteran of the Civil war, who as a mere boy served, under Capt. John C. Brown, in the Twentieth Indiana Infantry, was born in White County in 1842 and died at his White County home, March 20, 1891, leaving a widow and one son, Bernard. The widow died some years ago and the son married and is now living in Fowler, Indiana. Captain Brown was a great admirer of Mr. Smith, who assisted in carry- ing the captain to the rear in an engagement wherein the captain was seriously wounded, and at his death wrote a beautiful tribute to the memory of Mr. Smith in which he said he was absolutely devoid of fear and was a soldier in the truest sense of the word. His wife, whom he married in 1868, was a Miss Mary Kenton, a granddaughter of Simon Kenton of Indian fighting fame.
MRS. MARY A. SMITH
Mrs. Mary A. Smith was a daughter of William M. Kenton, and granddaughter of Simon Kenton, the noted pioneer and Indian fighter. She was born in Big Creek Township, southwest of Monticello, March 10, 1841; was married to Mahlon F. Smith, who died some years prior to her death, leaving her one child, Berney K. Smith, now a resident of Kokomo.
HENRY SNYDER
Henry Snyder, who claims to be the oldest continuous resident of White County, was born at the northwest corner of Main and Jefferson streets in Monticello, on March 31, 1837, when there were less than half a dozen buildings in the town. He is a son of Rev. Abraham and Margaret Falk Snyder, and with his father, assisted by numerous yokes of oxen, boasts of having broken up more acres of new land than any other man in the county. He also assisted, about the year 1850, in digging the first or old race on the east side of the river opposite Monticello.
In 1861 he enlisted in the three months' service, his term expiring on July 4th of that year, but as on that date he was fighting the battle of Rich Mountain, Virginia, he was not discharged until several days later. On October 13, 1861, he re-enlisted in Company E of the Forty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry and was commissioned second lieutenant. On June 12, 1862, he was promoted to captain of his company. Mean- while on December 8, 1861, he was married to Miss Charlotte Downs and the day after his marriage left to join his company in Logansport and was with his command for three years and one day. Captain Snyder participated in the battles of Champion Hill, sieges of Vicksburg and Jackson, as well as many other union engagements and was also in the famous expedition of General Banks up Red River in which for 200 days he was in hearing of guns of the enemy.
At Sabine Cross Roads he commanded his regiment where he lost over
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100 men and on the retreat was shot in the right leg by a sharpshooter and carries the ball yet in his leg. This put him out of active duty.
Captain Snyder holds a cane given him by the Old Settlers' Associa- tion of White County at its annual meeting in 1913 for being the oldest continuous resident of the county.
He is one of the four living charter members of the Knights of Pythias Lodge No. 73 in Monticello. A member of Tippecanoe Post No. 51, G. A. R. A member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and an ardent republican. His wife, to whom was born no children, died February 24, 1913, since which time he has lived in the old home awaitng only the time when he, too, can be "mustered out."
JOHN SNYDER
John Snyder, one of the early settlers of White County, purchased 275 acres of land near the present site of Guernsey in 1848. This he sold in 1876 and purchased a farm in Liberty Township but removed to Monti- cello several years later. He was born in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1821, and in early life followed the trade of tanner. He was twice married, first to Nancy Way in 1841, who died in 1852, leaving three children. In 1854 he was again married to Nancy J. Bratton, who, with four children, survived him. Among the earliest recollections of the writer, reaching way back to early childhood at the beginning of the Civil war, is Uncle Johnny Snyder as a neighbor when neighbors were scarce and a friend when friends were most needed. His visits were always welcome and visits to his hospitable home were always a treat.
PHILIP SNYDER
Philip Snyder, an old veteran dropped out of the ranks at his home in Norway, September 4, 1909. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, July 4, 1833, he married Sarah J. Hanaway, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in 1854, and for several years lived on what afterward became the great battlefield. He gave his services to his country in the great conflict be- tween the states and at its close came back to White County, where he farmed for several years and then engaged in the woolen factory and dry goods business in Monticello. He was buried with military honors by Tippecanoe Post, G. A. R.
DANIEL P. SPEARS
Daniel P. Spears, born in Erie County, Ohio, December 29, 1822, died at his home in Morrison, Illinois, March 27, 1906. He was one of the early business men of Monticello, being in partnership here with W. R. Davis from 1851 to 1858. In the latter year he located in business in Morrison, Illinois, and was one of the successful merchants of that city. December 6, 1858, he was married to Miss Mary Shafer, daughter of Mrs. Susan Shafer, who resided about five miles south of Monticello, and sister
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of John P. Shafer, who still resides there. The widow, three sons and one daughter are still living.
JAMES S. SPENCER
James S. Spencer, one of the pioneer newspaper men of White County, still lives in Liberty Township. He was born in Adelphi, Ross County, Ohio, March 18, 1838, and came to Monticello with his father's family in 1848, in and near where he has resided for more than two-thirds of a century. He was married December 25, 1860, to Emma L. Skinner, of Valparaiso, Indiana, to whom were born seven children: Schuyler C., DeFoe, Bessie L., James H., Kizzie and Pearl, twins, and Emily S., the latter three dying in infancy. DeFoe died April 4, 1894, aged twenty-eight years, leaving a wife, Mrs. Anna B. and one son, DeFoe. In 1859 Mr. Spencer founded the Spectator, now the Herald. He is a Civil war veteran and for eight years was engaged in the drug busi- ness in Remington. His oldest son, Schuyler C., is the leading lawyer of Seattle, Washington. James H. is a contractor in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia, and his daughter, Bessie, is the wife of I. W. McOwen, connected with the Joliet, Illinois, Daily News. Mr. Spencer is a man of positive character, a member of the Presbyterian Church and ardent in his sup- port of the temperance cause.
WILLIAM SPENCER
At Zanesville, Ohio, on November 5, 1833, was born to Dr. Robert and Eleanor Spencer, a son who later was christened William and became one of the prominent pioneers of White County. His father was a successful physician and after several years of general practice he was elected professor of anatomy in Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1855, and held that position for seven years when he was appointed sur- geon of the Seventy-third Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service in 1863. A few years later his widow died of a disease of the heart and both are buried in the old cemetery north of Monticello. Dr. William Spencer studied medicine with his father for a time and in 1855 graduated from the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. For six years he engaged in the practice with his father at Monticello when he entered the military service and was commis- sioned captain of Company E, Forty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, but after seven months' service he resigned to accept a position with his father in the Seventy-third Indiana Regiment. He was captured by the Confederates in Morgan county, Alabama, on April 30, 1863, and was held a prisoner until November 22d of the same year when his exchange was effected. On April 16, 1864, he accepted a commission as surgeon of the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry but later was transferred and served for a time on the staff of General Jackson and on August 5, 1865, was discharged when he returned to Monticello, opened a drug store and engaged in the practice of medicine. Doctor Spencer was married on
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