USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 32
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On the 4th of October, 1869, Mr. Conner married Sarah E. Darter, who was born in Harrison township, Delaware county, Indiana, July 21, 1851, to Alexander and Margaret ( Mckinley) Darter. The father was born in Fayette county, Indiana, April 5, 1821. . On the 8th of February, 1865, he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regi- ment of Indiana Volunteers, for service in the Civil war, receiving his dis-
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charge on the 4th of the following August. He moved to Butler county, Kansas, in March, 1877, and there his death occurred on the 6th of Janu- ary, 1898. He received the honors of a veteran's burial, for he was an hon- ored member of the G. A. R. post at Douglas, Kansas. During his resi- dence in Delaware county he served for two terms as a county commissioner, also held the office of trustee, and was a Whig and a Republican in his po- litical affiliations. He was a member of the New Light church. On the 22d of January, 1846, Mr. Darter wedded Margaret Mckinley, who was born March 20, 1820, and died on the 22d of October, 1868. They be- came the parents of seven children, but only two are now living, Mrs. Con- ner and Thomas. On the 3d of June, 1869, Mr. Darter married Miss Sarah Ackaman, and of their four children, two sons and two daughters, three are now living, Esley, Addie and Roy. Mrs. Darter is now living in Kan- sas. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Conner: Willis D., who married Eva Stephenson; Margaret E., who died at the age of four years; and Ozro and Olive, twins. Olive is deceased, and Ozro married Maggie Shirk. The fraternal relations of Mr. Conner are with Lodge No. 731, I. O. O. F., and his political affiliations are with the Republican party, of which he is a stanch and active supporter. He is a member of the Chris- tian church.
JOIIN A. SITES. One of the aged and venerable citizens of Delaware county is John A. Sites. His probity, fidelity and sterling worth have won him the unqualified confidence of his fellow townsmen, and now in the even- ing of life his pathway is brightened by the veneration and respect which ever follow an upright career. He has been prominently identified with the interests of Delaware county during the past twenty-two years, but he is a native son of Grant county, West Virginia, born on the 16th of Octo- ber, 1819, to John and Marie (Smith) Sites, both also natives of that com- monwealth. John Sites was prominently identified with the farming and stock-raising interests of West Virginia for many years, there owning five hundred acres of land, and he also served as a justice of the peace during an extended period. He was a member of the Dutch Reformed church, a Whig in his political affiliations, and he lived to the age of seventy-seven years. His wife reached the remarkable age of one hundred and three years, while her mother was one hundred and nine when called to the home beyond. Thirteen children, seven daughters and six sons, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sites, namely: John A., Jacob, James, Izar, Sampson, Charles, Scott, Aaron, Jacob, two that died in infancy, Arthur and Ray Grant.
John A. Sites, the eldest child, offered his services to the Union cause during the period of the Civil war, enlisting in 1861 for three years, and was made a member of Company I, Seventh Regiment of West Virginia Volunteers. Returning home on a furlough, he was reported to the rebels by his own neighbors and was captured and taken to Montura prison, from
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Mr. and Mrs. John A. Sites.
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
whence four weeks later he was transferred to Staunton prison in Rocking- ham county, Virginia, there remaining for six weeks, when he was taken to Castle Thunder prison at Richmond and thence to the famous Libby prison. During eight months he was held as a prisoner of war in that hor- rible prison pen, and at the close of the period the United States gave up three rebel prisoners for Mr. Sites, who was taken to Salisbury, North Carolina, and placed on parole. From there he was taken with others to Richmond, Virginia, and thence with thirteen other prisoners to a parole camp in Maryland, from whence after six weeks they were sent to head- quarters at Wheeling, Virginia. But as the officer in charge there could not read their papers, they having been made out by a drunken man, they were told to return in ten days for their discharge. Returning home, Mr. Sites was again taken prisoner, but succeeded in making his escape, and he then came to Greene county, Ohio, and turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits. From there in the spring of 1885 he came to Indiana and estab- lished his home in Harrison township, Delaware county, where he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land, putting his all, one thousand dollars in money, in this little home. He lost the entire amount, however, and he then became the owner of forty acres of land where he now lives, to which he added another forty-acre tract in 1903, and in the following year he erected his pleasant and comfortable home. For six years Mr. Sites represented his fellow townsmen in the office of road supervisor. His first presidential vote was cast for William H. Harrison, and when Abraham Lincoln made his race for the presidency Mr. Sites fought his way to the polls to cast his vote for the famous statesman. During William McKin- ley's presidential race the family, including Mr. Sites, his brothers and sons, cast thirty-six votes for the Republican candidate. Although born and raised a Dunkard, he is a member of the Friends church.
Mr. Sites first married Elizabeth Bond, who was born in West Virginia and died in 1844 after becoming the mother of six children : Jane, Samuel, Mary, Frances, John and George F. In 1855 Mr. Sites married Miss Mary A. Howland, who was born in Brown county, Ohio, the daughter of Rawlson and Rebecca J. (Gilliand) Howland, the former a native of Adams county, Ohio, and the latter of Ireland. Of their family of two sons and four daugh- ters five are now living: Elizabeth, Martha, Gilmer, Armstrong and Mary. The wife and mother reached the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, and the father was seventy-three when death claimed him. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sites: Albert, Emma, Eve, James, Tessie, Harvey, Minnie, Josephine, Arthur, Drah, Ray and Sibble. The career of Mr. Sites has been an active, useful and honorable one, and to his children he will leave the priceless heritage of an unblemished record.
MORTON F. CARPENTER. Holding a position of considerable promi- nence among the more progressive and successful agriculturists of Dela- ware county is Morton F. Carpenter, a widely and favorably known general
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farmer and stock breeder and raiser of Harrison township. He was born in Jennings county, Indiana, November 5, 1864, a son of William F. and Annie ( Himelick) Carpenter. His father was born in Decatur county, Indiana. January 17, 1835, and died in Harrison township November 27, 1904. and his mother, who was born in Jennings county, Indiana, October 14, 1842, still lives on the homestead farm. Further parental history may be found elsewhere in this volume in connection with the sketch of Josiah Ferguson, who married Mr. Carpenter's sister.
But ten years of age when his parents removed to this county, Morton F. Carpenter was here bred and educated. On attaining his majority he began farming on his own account, at first locating in Harrison township, not far from the old family homestead. Four years later he went to Mun- cie, where he resided for three years, after which he lived for nine years in Washington township. Returning December 23, 1902, to Harrison town- ship, Mr. Carpenter has since been actively employed in farming and stock breeding and raising, having now one hundred and thirty-seven acres of land, the most of which is in a good state of culture. He takes great pride in his stock, keeping a fine grade of cattle and horses, at the head of the latter herd being the famous Belgian stallion "Rubis," an imported draft horse, whose registered number is 2648. His cattle are Durhams and short- horns, the finest grades raised in this part of the state.
Mr. Carpenter married September 25, 1886, Laura C. Ocker, who was born in Wells county, Indiana, January 9, 1866, a daughter of John and Annie M. (Wean) Ocker. John Ocker was a Virginian by birth, having been born in Rockingham county in 1821. Left fatherless when a boy, he came with his widowed mother to Henry county, Indiana, the slow journey being made with teams. The mother entered land in Henry county and with the help of her twelve children cleared and improved one of the finest homesteads in that vicinity, having at one time title to two hundred acres of land. She was a woman of rare courage and ability, and in the log cabin which she erected in the wilderness brought up her children wisely and well. Soon after starting in life for himself John Ocker opened a store near his mother's home, and after a few years in that place sold out and removed to Wells county, where he carried on farming for a number of years. Going then to Mount Summit, he erected a building for a store and residence, and for a while was there employed in mercantile business, and was likewise station agent for the Fort Wayne, Muncie and Richmond Railroad Company, the road being today known as the Lake Erie and Western railroad. Removing from there to Sulphur Springs, four miles west, he remained there as a merchant for four years. Coming from there to Delaware county, Mr. Ocker resided eight months in Gaston, and then removed to his farm, lying four and one-half miles southwest of Gaston, where he spent the remainder of his long and useful life, dying November 10, 1895. Mr. Ocker married Annie M. Wean, who was born in 1824 in Henry county, Indiana, and died July 7, 1868. Seven children were born
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
to them, two of whom are living, namely, Sarah, wife of Edward Myers, and Laura C., wife of Mr. Carpenter. The father was a Democrat in poli- tics, and both he and his wife were members of the United Brethren church.
Five children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter, one of whom, Omer, died at the age of seventeen years, and four are living, namely, Della May, John W., Roxanna and Charley B. Mr. and Mrs. Car- penter belong to the Christian church and pay liberally toward its main- tenance. In his political views Mr. Carpenter is a straightforward Repub- lican.
AMBROSE A. MANRING. Prominent among the substantial representa- tives of the farming community in Harrison township is Ambrose A. Man- ring, who has been here engaged in his chosen vocation for twenty years, as a farmer meeting with most encouraging success. Throughout his years of residence in this vicinity he has ever evinced a warm interest in local progress and improvements, and has heartily endorsed all enterprises cal- culated to benefit the public. A native of Indiana, he was born Setpem- ber 21, 1850, in Bartholomew county, a son of the late James H. Manring.
Born in Kent county, Delaware, December 9, 1823, James H. Man- ring came with his parents to Franklin county, Indiana, in 1835, they, Am- brose and Nancy Manring, being among the earlier pioneers of that part of the state. He subsequently assisted his father in clearing the land, learning to wield the axe most dexterously, thus aptly illustrating the poet's description of the transformation that so rapidly followed the advent of the pioneer :
"The beech and elm and maple, and e'en the sturdy oak,
All bowed beneath the power of the axe's cleaving stroke ; The red man moved afar, the forests disappeared,
And the prosp'ring pale-faced people their pleasant homesteads reared."
Finding farming a congenial occupation, he selected that as his life work. After becoming the head of a household he removed to Madison county, Indiana, bought land that was still in its virginal wilderness, built a log house, and again began the pioneer work of clearing and improving a homestead for himself and his growing family. A man of resolute will and determination, he met with success in his untiring efforts, and having placed a goodly portion of his homestead in a state of cultivation, erected a frame house, in which he spent his remaining days in comfort and pleas- ure, passing to the life beyond June 6, 1906. As a young man he was identi- fied with the Democratic party, but during his 'later years was a strong Prohibitionist. He was a true Christian and a valued member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. For a number of years he was connected with Alexandria Lodge No. 235, A. F. & A. M., and at his death was buried with Masonic honors.
In Franklin county, Indiana, December 25, 1845, James H. Manring married Mary Hammond, who was born January 8, 1830, in that county, and 17
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died April 16, 1902. Six children blessed their union, as follows: Nathan- iel, who married Virginia Garrison; Ambrose A., the subject of this sketch ; Martha C., wife of John Spears: James W., who married Ellen Miller for his first wife, and married second Mrs. Alta ( Blacklidge) Melburn; Ella N., wife of Sylvester Parker : and Edwin B., who married Emma Wise- heart.
Coming from thrifty Scotch ancestry on his father's side and from English ancestry on the Hammond side, his mother's earlier ancestors hav- ing migrated from England to New England, Ambrose A. Manring inherited many of the family traits of both parents. Industrious, active and energetic, he worked on the farm as a boy, obtaining his early education in the win- ter terms of the district school, remaining an inmate of the parental house- hold until twenty-eight years old. Taking upon himself then the responsi- bilities of a married man, he embarked in general farming in Monroe town- ship, Madison county. On October 13, 1886, he took up his residence in Harrison township, and having purchased eighty acres of land, took pos- session of the log cabin standing upon it and has since been here engaged in agricultural pursuits. With the Scotch thrift and English persistency of his ancestors he has labored unceasingly, and in the management of his property has met with substantial rewards. In 1899 Mr. Manring erected a modernly built frame house, and this, with the barn and outbuildings pre- viously built, has added essentially to the value of his improvements. He is a general farmer, raising grain, fruit and stock of a good grade, his or- chard containing one hundred and fifty trees which he has set out.
On October 2, 1878, Mr. Manring married Angelina Mabbitt, who was born June 2, 1855, in Madison county, Indiana, a daughter of Anthony Mabbitt. Mr. Mabbitt spent almost his entire sixty-three years of earthly life in Madison county, although his birth occurred in Union county, In- diana, December 28, 1824, and his death, May 4, 1888. When a young man he took up government land, and in the pioneer labor of clearing and improving a homestead met with phenomenal success. The small log cabin which he reared in the wilderness, and in which he and his bride began housekeeping, was replaced by a commodious frame house, equipped and furnished to meet the needs of the family, and he became one of the lead- ing farmers of Madison county, at one time owning and managing two hundred and fifty acres of land. He was a Jeffersonian Democrat, very prominent in public affairs, and for eight and one-half years served as a justice of the peace. He was a member in good standing of the Baptist church, and generously contributed towards its support. He married Sarah J. Caulgan May 6, 1847, who was born December 19, 1827, and she bore him twelve children, of whom six survive, as follows: Granville, who mar- ried Nancy Long; Angelina, wife of Mr. Manring; Amanda; Rebecca, wife of Davis Vermillion; Caroline, wife of Alfred Morris; and William, who married Laura Miller.
Mr. and Mrs. Manring are the parents of six children, namely : Hubert
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
D., who married Dora E. Lewis; Homer W., who married Carrie Beck; Lenna; Winona, wife of Lloyd McCreery ; Mary J., and Eric Hammond. Hubert D. completed the common school course and received his diploma in 1895, and he also spent one term in Valparaiso College. Homer W. completed the common school course in the year of 1897 and received his diploma. Lenna completed her course in the common schools with the class of 1900, and then took two years' high school work in Bethel High school. She has taken both vocal and instrumental music. Winona com- pleted her common school course with the class of 1900, and also received the same course in the Bethel High school as her sister Lenna. Mary com- pleted her course with the class of 1904, and she also finished the Gaston high school course with the class of 1907. Eric is in the seventh grade of the public schools. He is a lover of history. Mr. Manring is prominent in local fraternal organizations, and does much to promote the good of the orders to which he belongs. He was formerly a member of Alexandria Lodge No. 235, A. F. & A. M., and now belongs to Bethel Lodge No. 731, I. O. O. F., and to Lincoln Rebekalı Lodge, No. 563, of Bethel, of which his wife and two of his daughters, Lenna E. and Mary Jane, are also mem- bers. In this lodge Miss Lenna E. Manring has held all of the offices. Mr. and Mrs. Manring are both faithful members of the Christian church.
HENRY CLEVENGER. A life-long resident of Delaware county, well known as a citizen of worth, Henry Clevenger has been closely identified with the advancement of its agricultural interests, and is now one of the most highly respected and prosperous farmers of Harrison township. A son of the late Thomas Clevenger, he was born September 26, 1850, in Mount Pleasant township, this county, and was there brought up and educated.
A native of Ohio, Thomas Clevenger was born in Licking county in February, 1824. Coming with his parents to Indiana, he was one of the early pioneers of Delaware county, and ably assisted his father in his brave efforts to reclaim a homestead from the wild land which he took up from the government. Embarking in life as a farmer, he was at first located in Mount Pleasant township, but some time in the early seventies removed to Gaston, this county, where he carried on general farming until his death, in 1897. He was patriotic and public spirited, and during the Civil war served in the Union army for a year. He was a Democrat in politics, and a valued member of the New Light Christian church. He married Mary Myers, who was born in 1832, in Licking county, Ohio, and died on the home farm in Gaston in 1895. Seven children were born to them, and six are now living, namely: Henry, the subject of this brief sketch, James, Johanna, Martha, Christina and David.
Brought up on a farm, Henry Clevenger received the many advantages of a rural occupation, and while yet a young man chose to become a tiller of the soil, earning his living by the sweat of his brow. Industrious and ambitious, and having been reared to habits of prudence and economy, he
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saved enough money to warrant him in purchasing land on his own ac- count, and with that object in view came to Harrison township to locate. Buying a farm on section twenty-two, Mr. Clevenger has since been busily engaged in its management, meeting with signal success in his undertakings. It was in 1906 that he erected his comfortable residence and splendid barn, at a cost of $3,000. Laboring with earnest purpose, he has secured a com- petence, being well rewarded for his years of toil. He is now in the prime of life, active, energetic, with a clear head for business, and is a prominent factor in the industrial interests of this part of the county.
On October 27, 1876, Mr. Clevenger married Martha E. Branson, who was born in this township December 29, 1861, a daughter of the late John H. Branson. A native of Delaware county, Mr. Branson was born Febru- ary 10, 1831, and for many years of his active life was engaged in agri- cultural pursuits in Harrison township, having cleared and improved a homestead from land which he took up from the government. One of the early and practical farmers of this township, he was largely instrumental in advancing its growth and prosperity, and his death, May 10, 1902, was a great loss to the community. He married, in Harrison township, Mary A. Fox, who was born in Kentucky March 16, 1836, and died in Cammack November 19, 1899. They became the parents of thirteen children, of whom seven are now living, namely : Elizabeth, wife of Charles St. Clair ; Sarah, wife of John Conner ; Martha E., wife of Mr. Clevenger ; George W., who married Emma Murphy ; Joseph, who married Emma Coplinger ; Edward, who married Myrtle Cunnigum, and Flora, wife of Robert Van Buskirk. Mr. Branson was identified with the Whigs in early life, but after the or- ganization of the Republican party stanchly supported its principles. Both he and his wife belonged to the New Light Christian church, in which he was for many years a deacon. Seven children have been born into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clevenger, namely : Wesley, who died when but thirteen years old, John, who died in infancy, Jesse, Clinton, Mary, Joseph and Bessie. True to the political and religious faith in which he was trained, Mr. Clevenger is a Democrat and belongs to the New Light Christian church. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Eaton.
SPENCER H. BENADUM. In reviewing the early history of Delaware county it will be found that one of the first men to seek a home within its borders was Allen Benadum, the father of Spencer H. It was in the fall of 1840 that he first came here, but after looking the county over he returned to his native commonwealth of Ohio, where his birth had occurred on the 5th of October, 1819, in Fairfield, Lancaster county, but two years after his first visit he came again to Delaware county, Indiana, this time purchasing eighty acres of timber land in Harrison township. Returning later to Ohio, le for the third time made the journey west. This was in the fall of 1848, and he made the trip to Delaware county with team and wagon, accom-
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panied by his wife and six children. They established their home in Muncie and Mr. Benadum resumed his trade of blacksmithing, on High street. In the spring of 1883 he erected a brick shop on East Main street, and there he diligently worked at his trade until he purchased in the fall of 1856 eighty acres of land in Harrison township, adjoining his first pur- chase, and later he added one hundred and sixty acres more to the bound- aries of his estate. In the fall of the same year he transferred his residence from Muncie to his farm, their first home being a little log cabin, but later on this gave place to a frame residence, which was destroyed by fire on the 4th of March, 1866. A log house was then built in its place, and during all this time Mr. Benadum and his sons were actively engaged in clearing the land and preparing it for the plow. In addition to his general farming Mr. Benadum was also extensively engaged in the breeding of Chester White and Poland China hogs. He was successful in his business operation, and Delaware county numbered this pious Christian man among her most honored pioncer residents. For over fifty years he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was also an active worker in the Sons of Temperance. He gave his political support to the Whig party and cast his vote for the first presidential candidate of its successor, John C. Fremont. In his native city of Fairfield, Ohio, February 15, 1838, Mr. Benadum mar- ried Susannah R. Ebright, born in Fairfield December 18, 1816, and they became the parents of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, but only four are now living : Spencer H., the subject of this review ; Almira O., the widow of Dillard Drake; Mary E., the wife of John Gerard, and Will- iam E., who married Rosa Green. The death of Mr. Benadum occurred on his homestead farm in Harrison township January 9, 1893, and on the 18th of December of the same year his wife joined him in the home beyond. She too was a worthy member of the Methodist church, her name having been on its membership role during the long period of fifty-nine years.
Spencer H. Benadum was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, June 21, 1846, and as a boy he worked with his father, assisting him to carry the brick for the erection of the little building in which he so long carried on his trade, and after the removal of the family to Harrison township he as- sisted in clearing the homestead from its dense growth of timber, working on the farm during the summer months and attending school in the winters. Soon after his first marriage he engaged in agricultural pursuits for him- self, but later left the farm and from the fall of 1878 until the fall of 1879 he was engaged in the meat business in Osborn City, Kansas. At the close of that period he returned to Muncie, and after his second marriage re- moved to his farm in Harrison township, this being in the year of 1880, and he has since devoted his entire attention to its cultivation and improvement with the exception of two years, from 1886 to 1888, when he resided in Mun- cie. During the period of the Civil war Mr. Benadum put aside personal considerations and offered his services to his country's cause, becoming a member on the 13th of December,. 1863, of Company G, One Hundred and
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