USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 19
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
November 28, 1849, Mr. Dorton married Phebe Rose, a native daughter of that county, born November 8, 1829, and she is now living in Mathews, at the corner of East Eighth street. Of the ten children born to them six are now living : Monroe, who married Samanthia Dunn and is living in Wash- ington township; John, the subject of this review; Harrison, who married Mollie Coleman and makes his home in Blackford county, Indiana ; Albert, who married Mattie Leerd and lives in Delaware county; Rachel, the wife of Albert Moorman, of Grant county, this state ; and Katherine, who married Willard Secrest, of Mathews.
John Dorton was but a little lad of four years when he went with his parents to Grant county, there spending his boyhood days in assisting in the work of the farm and in attending school during the winter months. In company with his brother Monroe he engaged in the livery business at Dunkirk when twenty-one years of age, but after three years in that business he returned to the home farm and assisted in its cultivation during the following two years. At the close of this period he was married, and he then engaged in farming for himself in Washington township, Delaware county, while in 1904 he erected the fine modern home which now adorns the farm. He is operating two hundred and eighty acres of well improved land and he has made the larger part of his holdings by his own industry and unaided efforts. In addition to his farming interests he is also quite extensively engaged in the breeding of live stock, feeding about one hundred and fifty head of hogs each year, from thirty-five to forty head of cattle and from nine to ten horses. Mr. Dorton has ever taken an active interest in the public affairs of his community, voting with the Democratic party and he is a worthy and valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The marriage of Mr. Dorton was celebrated on the 3d of January, 1878. Rosetta Dunn becoming his wife. She is a native daughter of Washington township, born August 15, 1855, and a sketch of her parents, John and Serepta (Littler) Dunn, appears elsewhere. Ten children have been born to bless this union : Florence B., Carl J., Walter H., who married Lucy Mckinney ; Bertha M., Zora Pearl, Harry C., Thomas A., Jesse M., Chleo M. and Pauline I.
B. FRANK DULING is a member of one of the prominent pioneer families of Indiana, and within its borders, in Fairmount township, Grant county, Indiana, he was born on the 11th of January, 1869, a son of William M. and Matilda J. (Wilson) Duling, and on the paternal side a grandson of Thomas and Naney (Miskimens) Duling, both of whom were born in Ohio. In a very early day, however, they left the Buckeye state for Indiana, Mr. Duling walking the entire distance and establishing his home in Grant county, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of timber land in the then wilderness of Fairmount township. After building him a little log cabin he returned to Ohio for his wife and two children, and the remainder of his life was spent on the land which he had entered during the early pioneer
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days of Indiana's history. He served as a trustee of Fairmount township and also served as one of its educators. He was a member of the Protestant Methodist church at Roanoke, Indiana; Zelme, who married Vesta Hickson, this brave Indiana pioneer occurred at the advanced age of eighty-two years.
William M. Duling spent his boyhood days in assisting his father to clear and improve his farm, and his first purchase of land consisted of fifty acres adjoining the homestead. This was heavily timbered, and he built him a two-room frame house, where seven of his children were born. After a time he bought a farm of one hundred and six acres in Jefferson township, Grant county, his present homestead. With his wife he at one time owned six hundred and thirty-three and a half acres, but they gave one hundred and sixty acres to their children, owning the remainder, and in addition to his agricultural pursuits Mr. Duling deals quite extensively in standard bred stock. He is a member of the Protestant Methodist church and affiliates with the Republican party. Mrs. Duling was born in Jefferson township, Grant county, Indiana, January 30, 1844, and in that county she was also married, September 3, 1861, the union resulting in the birth of eight children : Mollie, the wife of Oscar Lewis; John M., who married Lizzie Mann and is living in Fairmount township, Grant county ; Flora L., the wife of Calvin M. Jones, of Jefferson township, Grant county ; B. Frank, of this review ; Nettie E., the wife of Rev. Charles Hobbs, a minister of the Methodist church at Roanoke, Indiana : Zelme, who married Vesta Hickson, and is also living in Jefferson township; Effie May, the wife of Frank Wright, of Washington, D. C .; and David G.
B. Frank Duling was reared as a farmer lad, working on the farm during the summer months and attending the district schools in the winters. When he had attained the age of twenty-four years he was married and engaged in farming for himself. first renting one of his father's farms, but on the 10th of December, 1900, he purchased forty acres of land and his father gave him another tract of forty acres, thus making him the possessor of eighty acres, which he yet owns. In June, 1906, he transferred his residence to Washington township, Delaware county, where he is now farming the old homestead of his father-in-law, John Dunn, Mrs. Duling having received eighty acres of this place as her inheritance. He breeds heavy draft Norman horses, also high grade cattle, hogs and sheep, at the present time having one hundred and seventy-seven head of Duroc and Poland-China hogs; also two hundred head or more of sheep.
By his marriage to Miss Almira Amanda Dunn, a daughter of John and Saerepta (Littler) Dunn, Mr. Duling has become the father of two children : Kenneth L. and Marjorie Dephylis, born November 5, 1895, and June 22, 1899, respectively. Mr. Duling casts his ballot in favor of the Republican party.
JOHN A. HALL. Washington township numbers among its prominent farmers and stock raisers John A. Hall. who was born in Madison county,
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
Indiana, December 1, 1861. His father, Thomas B. Hall, was born in North Carolina, a son of John and Elizabeth ( Parker) Hall. Mr. John Hall spent his life in North Carolina, engaged in blacksmithing and farming. At the age of twenty-two years his son Thomas came to Indiana and located at Alexandria, Madison county, where he secured employment in a chair factory, but later on worked at his trade of blacksmithing near Summitville, while still later he purchased fifteen acres of land. This tract he afterward sold and purchased another of forty-four acres, on which he built a log cabin home, and later added fifty-two acres to its boundaries. He subse- quently traded the fifty-two acres for forty acres near his first purchase of forty-four acres, making him the owner of a farm of eighty-four acres. In 18So he retired from the blacksmithing business and built him a new home, where he spent the remainder of his life and died in March, 1882, receiving the honors of an Odd Fellows burial. He was a member of the New Light Christian church, both he and his wife becoming members of that denomination soon after their marriage, and he was a Jackson Democrat politically. In Madison county, Indiana, Mr. Hall married Susan Hopis, a native daughter of that county, and they became the parents of four children: Mary E., who died in February, 1882, aged seventeen years ; Ida B., the wife of John W. Montgomery, of Fairmount township, Grant county, Indiana ; Sarah M., who died in March, 1882; and John A., the subject of this review. Mrs. Hall died in August, 1872, and for his second wife Mr. Hall married Elizabeth Haskins, who is now living in Madison county, Indiana. They became the parents of five children: Almira, the wife of William Fowler, of Grant county; Retta, the wife of William Harvey, also of Grant county : Amanda, the wife of James Price, of Wayne county, this state; Thomas, who is married; and Addie.
After completing his education in the common and high schools John A. Hall began the work of the farm, working for others after his father's death until his marriage, when he engaged in agricultural pursuits in section 22, Washington township. This farm has ever since remained as his home- stead, and in 1887 he remodeled his residence, making it one of the modern and attractive ones of the community. In addition to his general farming he is quite extensively engaged in stock raising, breeding Shorthorn cattle, Poland-China and Chester White hogs, and Percheron draft and driving horses.
Mr. Hall married, September 5, 1885, Oral L. Sharp, a native daughter of Washington township, born September 5, 1858, her parents being Thompson and Christena ( Bowers) Sharp, whose history will be found elsewhere in this work. One daughter, Jessie G., has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hall. She graduated in the grammar school when thirteen years of age, and in the Gaston high school with the class of 1905. at the age of sixteen years, and she is now completing her fourth year in the Muncie high school. Mrs. Hall was first married to James A. Brady, November 16. 1880. He was born in Harrison township, Delaware county, June 3,
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1857, and died on the 26th of August. 1883. One son was born of that union, Elmer, who died in infancy. Mr. Hall gives his political support to the Republican party, and has fraternal relations with the Red Men, Sioux Tribe No. 123. He is a prominent and worthy member of the Congregational church.
AMOS F. JANNEY was born in Stark county, Ohio, May 5, 1837, a son of Joseph and Sarah ( Hayden) Janney. His paternal grandfather was a native son of Ohio and became one of the first settlers of Delaware county, Indiana, while later he removed to Harrison township of this county, but spent his remaining days in Washington township. His son Joseph was born in Stark county, Ohio, December 11, 1811, and from his native state he made the overland journey to Washington township, Delaware county, Indiana, in October, 1837, and purchased from the government four hundred acres of timber land. His name is recorded among the earliest pioneers of this county, and he was prominently identified with much of its early and subsequent history. His political affiliations were with the Whig party, and religiously he was a member of the Christian church. His death occurred in 1876. Mrs. Janney bore the maiden name of Sarah Hayden, and was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1812. They became the parents of seven children, all of whom grew to years of maturity and six are now living : Mary S., the wife of Joseph Thorn ; Jefferson, who married Christian Myers; Amos F., the subject of this review; Annie, the wife of James T. Broyles ; Harriet, the wife of Isaac Gray ; and William T., who married Elizabeth McCreery.
During his boyhood days Amos F. Janney assisted in the clearing of the homestead farm, attended the district schools during the winter months, and soon after his marriage he built him a log cabin and began agricultural pursuits for himself. He is now the owner of an estate of one hundred and sixty acres, and he has also given to each of his sons forty acres of land and to his daughters one thousand dollars in money.
On the 12th of March, 1857, Mr. Janney wedded Miss Barbara Jane Roberts, who was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, November 16, 1835, and her death occurred on the 10th of November, 1881. She was a daughter of Vincent and Dorcas (Roberts) Roberts, both of whom were born in Dearborn county, Indiana, and they spent their lives in Dearborn and Delaware counties. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Janney five are now living: Dorcas, the wife of Volney Reeves; Vincent R., who married Jane Woodring ; John W., who married Anna Myers; Alice A., the wife of Nathan Brown; and Jacob, who married Della Dunlap. Mr. Janney subsequently wedded Mrs. Cynthia A. ( Weir) Love, who was born on the 4th of March, 1848, the daughter of James B. and Eliza (Slater) Weir, both of whom were born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. The father, born on the 4th of February, 1818, died December 24, 1874, in Delaware county, Indiana, and the mother died on the 4th of December, 1864, aged
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forty-four years, one month and five days. They were married in 1839, and became the parents of seven children, three of whom, James, Cynthia and Watson, are now living. Mr. Weir came to Delaware county with his parents, Thomas and Mary ( Bradshaw) Weir, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania. the father January 8, 1789, and the mother August 31, 1793. In an early day in its history they established their home in Warren county, Ohio, from whence they removed to Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1828, and in 1837 they came to Delaware county and spent the remainder of their lives here. MIr. Weir dying on the 28th of August, 1863. As before stated, James B. Weir came with his parents to Delaware county, and soon after his marriage he erected the little log cabin which became later the birthplace of his daughter Cynthia. She was first married to Joseph Love, February 27, 1876, who died the same year of his marriage, aged twenty- seven years. Two sons and two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Janney, but the daughters, Effie E. and Lillian, both died in infancy. The sons are Emerson and Everet. Mr. Janney and wife are prominent and worthy members of the New Light church, and his political affiliations are with the Democratic party.
LEWIS BOND. From an early period Lewis Bond has been prominently identified with the history of Washington township, Delaware county, but his birth occurred in Hancock county, Ohio, January 22, 1841, a son of William and Elizabeth (Husher) Bond, natives, respectively, of Maryland and Virginia, the father born on the 19th of December, 1786, and died January 16, 1853. and the mother, born September 19, 1801, died December 5, 1876. They were married in the Old Dominion state on the 16th of June, 1836, and became the parents of three children-Mary A, Selina and Lewis. The father had been previously married to Catherine Thomas, who was born in Virginia May 4. 1793, and died on the 31st of March, 1835. Of the twelve children born of that union the only one now living is Elizabeth.
Mr. Bond. the father, accompanied his parents on their removal to Virginia during his boyhood days, and there both of his marriages occurred. He followed the trades of blacksmithing, wagon-making and carpentering, being a fine natural mechanic. In 1836 he removed from his Old Dominion home to Hancock county, Ohio, becoming one of the county's first settlers. There he purchased and cleared one hundred and sixty acres of land, erected him a little log cabin home, and continued his residence in Hancock county during about eight years. At the close of that period, in 1844, he sold his land and removed by team to Miami county, Indiana. Here he entered one hundred and sixty acres of government land, on which had been erected a log cabin, and this was serving as the home of an Indian, Mr. Bond being obliged to pay him thirty dollars to leave the place. With the passing years he succeeded in clearing his land from its dense growth of timber, and in time erected the first frame house in this locality, where the remaining years of his busy and useful life were spent. He became one of the leading men
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of Miami county and was an incumbent of the office of justice of the peace, taking a very active interest in the public affairs of his county, state and country. He voted with the Whig party and was well known throughout the community for his many noble traits of character.
Lewis Bond was but three years of age when the family removed with team and wagon from Hancock county, Ohio, his birthplace, to Miami county, Indiana. His father died when he was but a lad of twelve years, and from that early age he helped support his widowed mother, continuing on the homestead farm until twenty-five years of age. He then began to work for himself in Miami county, and on the 23d of May, 1883, he left his boyhood's home for Delaware county, where he secured employment on the farm of Jesse Nixon, in Union township. In the fall of 1883 he moved with his family into a small house of Mr. Nixon's, which continued as their home until the fall of 1885, when Mr. Bond came to Washington township and rented Mr. Nixon's farm in section 25 for ten years. During this time he had saved enough money to purchase one hundred and three acres of land, thirty-five acres of which was timber land, and in the little log cabin which stood upon this place he made his home until 1899, the year in which his present modern and commodious frame residence was built. The farm also contains many valuable and substantial outbuildings, the timber has all been cleared away, and the fields are fertile and under an excellent state of cultivation. At the present time he is farming one hundred and twenty acres of as fine land as lies in Washington township.
On the 15th of December, 1881, Mr. Bond married Miss Henrietta Wilson, who was born in West Virginia, February 4, 1850, and her death occurred on the 9th of December, 1906. She was the daughter of John M. and Charlotte ( Dotson) Wilson, both also natives of the commonwealth of West Virginia, the father born in 1806, and the mother in July, 1813. His death occurred when he had reached the seventy-fourth milestone on the journey of life, in 1881, but the mother survived until the 3Ist of March, 1899. Of their twelve children, eight daughters and four sons, seven are now living: Angeline, Almira, Mary, Jasper N., Frances, Charlotte and John. Mr. Wilson, the father, spent his life as a farmer in West Virginia. He was a member of the Methodist church and was a Whig in his political affiliations. Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bond, Larmer E. and Jesse C., both of whom are living with their father and assist in the work of the homestead farm. Mr. Bond casts his ballot in favor of the principles of the Republican party, and his religious affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal church.
JOHN BURGESS, deceased, for many years a leading promoter of the industrial interests of Washington township, was born within its borders September 19, 1842, and his death occurred on the 4th of August, 1897. He was a son of David and Elizabethi ( Bryan) Burgess, natives respectively of Ohio and Virginia. It was during a very early epoch in its history that
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
David Burgess came to Indiana. entering land in Washington township, Delaware county, where he was numbered among the leading citizens and honored pioneers. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Burgess, of whom five are now living .- Nancy M., the wife of David Vannetta ; Rebecca, the wife of James McKinley; Martha J., the wife of William Clements ; Joseph, who married Elizabeth Moore: and Ella, the wife of George Hedgeland. Mr. Burgess was a Jackson Democrat in his political affiliations, while his fraternal relations were with Gaston Lodge, I. O. O. F., and he was a member of the Methodist Protestant church.
John Burgess, a son of this Delaware county pioneer, was identified with its agricultural interests throughout his entire life, the early years of his life having been spent in assisting his father to clear and cultivate the homestead. When twenty-one years of age he engaged in that vocation for himself. During the period of the Civil war he enlisted in Company C, Thirty-eighth Regiment, for three years or during the war, but he became afflicted with smallpox, which so affected his eyes that he received an honorable discharge and returned to his home. His father gave him forty acres of timber land, on which had been built a log cabin, but he rented the land and therefore never resided upon it. His first home, however, was a little log house, in which he lived until the erection of his frame dwelling in Harrison township, but afterward he returned to Washington township and spent his remaining days here. He gave his support to all measures which he believed to be of public benefit, and exercised his right of franchise in support of the Democratic party, which he represented in the office of road supervisor at one time. He was a member of the Grand Army Post at New Corner. and was prominent in the church work of the Methodist Protestant denomination.
The marriage of Mr. Burgess was celebrated on the 19th of March, 1867, Miss Lydia Ann Haines becoming his wife. She was born in Clinton county, Ohio, February 19, 1849, the daughter of Amos and Elizabeth N. (Hunt) Haines, natives respectively of Clinton county, Ohio, and Randolph county, Indiana. the father born on the 20th of April. 1823. and the mother on the 20th of February, 1829. They were married in Clinton county, December 23, 1846, and of their four children two are now living, Lydia Ann and Stacy E. The son married Bettie Miner. Mr. Haines became a resident of Indiana in 1854, establishing his home in the then wilderness of Harrison township, where he built him a hewed log house and spent his remaining days here, dying on the 13th of February, 1866. He was a famous hunter in the early days, when game of all kind was plentiful in Indiana, and to him belong the credit of building the first puncheon ditch from Long Pond. He owned at one time one hundred and twenty-seven acres of land. His political affiliations were with the Whig party, and he served at one time as the supervisor of roads. He was reared in the faith of the Quaker religion. Mrs. Haines died on the 27th of October, 1863. Of the twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Burgess seven are now living :
5
William J, Eastes. M. D.
Nors William J. Easter.
Dr. and Mrs. William T. Eastes, family group.
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Elma E., the wife of Oliver Manson : Norah E., the wife of Frank Brown; Joseph E., who married Jessie Snider ; Birdie, the wife of Edwin Vannatta ; Samuel, who married Dessie Wright; Leona C., the wife of Herman E. Cary, and Blanch H. Mrs. Burgess has eleven grandchildren living. She has in her possession three of the old parchment deeds executed under the hand and seal of President Van Buren, bearing the date November 10, 1840. These deeds are valuable relics in her home.
WILLIAM T. EASTES, M. D. The medical profession plays one of the most conspicuous parts in the record of county, state or nation. As a class the twentieth century physician and surgeon is a gentleman of culture, refinement, philanthropy and character. The genial, sunny natured physi- cian ofttimes accomplishes as much in the sick chamber as his remedies. The subject of this review, Dr. Eastes, of Gaston, Delaware county, Indiana, is a gentleman who stands high in the social as well as the professional circles of his home town. He was born at Mount Comfort, Hancock county, Indiana, August 11, 1844. He is a son of Holman and Ruth (Webb) Eastes.
Holman Eastes, the father, was born in Union county, Indiana, Feb- ruary 21, 1817, and passed to his reward February 27, 1880. Mrs. Eastes, his wife, was born in Rush county. Indiana, November 14, 1819, and died April 8, 1901. They were married in Rush county, December 22, 1836, and had eleven children, viz., Lemuel F .. born June 3, 1838, and died aged fifty- seven years ; Addison S., born December 5. 1839, and died September 21, 1858; Lucinda A., born September II, 1841, and died January 28, 1904; William T., subject of this sketch: Sarah Jane, born February 12, 1847, and now living at Marion, Indiana : Jasper N., born December 20, 1848, and died August 4, 1849; Marshall T., born May 29, 1850, and now living in Kansas City Missouri; Albert O., born August 19, 1852, and died August 13, 1862; Meridith P., born August 22. 1854, now living at Huntington, Indiana ; Jessie U., born August 25. 1856, now living at Marion, Indiana, and Jerome S., who was born August 24, 1861, and died March 11, 1863. The senior Mr. Eastes devoted his entire life to tilling the soil and removed from Union county to Hancock county, Indiana, when but a young man. Here he remained until 1856, when he removed to Madison county and in 1878 to Grant county, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was a justice of the peace for eight years, which office he held at the time of his death. He was a life long member of the Methodist Episcopal church ; belonged to Alexandria Lodge No. 235, of the Masonic order, and in politics was a Republican.
Dr. Eastes received his education in the public schools and the Medical College of Indiana, Indianapolis, from which latter institution he received his degree March 3, 1881. He taught school for six terms in Madison, Delaware, and Blackford counties, and then entered the mercantile business in Summitville, Indiana, in which he was engaged for about three years. When he began the practice of medicine he located in Washington town-
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