USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 51
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
In the Blue Grass state Thomas Carl Henry spent the days of his boy- hood and youth, and going to Ohio attended the National Normal University. In 1889 he entered the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, from which he received his diploma in 1892, but previous to his matriculation therein he had studied medicine under the able instructions of his father. Thus well equipped with an excellent knowledge of the principles of the profession which he had chosen as his life work Dr. Henry began practice in Scott county, Kentucky, in 1892, the year of his graduation, but three years later he transferred the scene of his operations to Jackson county, Michigan, where he remained in practice for about ten years. During that time, how- ever, he took a post graduate course in New York city, and in 1905 he estab- lished his home in Cowan, Delaware county, Indiana, where he has gained an enviable position in the ranks of the medical fraternity. The doctor also owns a farm in Scott county, Ker ky, consisting of four hundred and sixty-three acres, and in addition as an interest in the Cowan drug and hardware store. His practice ex nds over the entire township of Monroe and vicinity.
During his residence in Jackson, Michigan, on the 20th of January, 1903, Dr. Henry married Jessie M. McKitchen, a native daughter of that commonwealth, and one son and one daughter have blessed their union, Malcolm F. and Geraldyne. The political affiliations of the Doctor are with the Democracy, and he has fraternal relations with the Knights of the Maccabees, the Knights of Pythias and the Masonic order. In the line of
1057
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
his profession he is connected with the Delaware County Medical Society and the Indiana State Medical Society.
THOMAS FUSON. Monroe township's well known and prominent citi- zen, Thomas Fuson, is a veteran of the Civil war and bears an honorable record for brave service in the cause of freedom and union, and in the paths of peace he has also won an enviable reputation through the sterling quali- ties which go to the making of a good citizen. His birth occurred in Logan county, Ohio, January 28, 1845. His father, John Cummins Fuson, a deceased farmer of Monroe township, was born and reared in Ohio, where he was for a period engaged in agricultural pursuits, and he married one of the commonwealth's native daughters, Artie E. Golden, by whom he had nine children, five sons and four daughters, of whom Thomas is the eldest son and the second child in order of birth. In 1848 the family came to Indiana and located in Monroe township, where Mr. Fuson, Sr., purchased a farm, erected a little log cabin and began the work of clearing and culti- vating his land. After two years, however, he sold the place and purchased ninety-six acres of the present homestead, of which he cleared the larger part, and with the passing years added to the boundaries of the place until at the time of his death, in October, 1890, he was the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land. His entire possessions were but the merited tribute to his industry and ability. He began life in Delaware county without capital, building the ladder on which he rose to prominence, and at the same time he lived a life of usefulness to his fellow men. As a Republican he took an active part in the public affairs of his community.
When Mr. Thomas Fuson was a lad of sixteen years, in 1861, he en- listed for service in the Civil war, entering the Nineteenth Indiana Iron Brigade, Company E, with which lie served for two years, and during the time participated in many of the historic battles of the war, including those of second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fairfax, the Wilderness, Slaughter Mountain and several others. Receiving his discharge in 1863 on account of disability Mr. Fuson returned to his home in Monroe town- ship. At the time of his father's death he received sixty acres as his share of the estate, making him the owner of one hundred and fifty acres of rich and fertile land, most of which is under an excellent state of cultivation, and in addition to his general agricultural pursuits he makes a specialty of the raising of fine stock.
Mr. Fuson married on the 4th of August, 1864, Catherine Gibson, who was born in Delaware county, Indiana, July 15, 1844, the daughter of Andy and Rebecca (Carmichael) Gibson, who were numbered among the early pioneers of Delaware county and among the prominent and influential agri- culturists of Monroe township. Mrs. Fuson died June 10, 1872. Six child- ren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fuson, two sons and four daughters, namely : Alonzo, Hettie, Rachel, John C., Nettie and Julia. Mr. Fuson married, in December, 1881, Mary E. Thomas. She was born in North Carolina, a
1058
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
daughter of Mangum and Sarah ( Harrold) Thomas, both natives of North Carolina, from whence they came to Indiana in 1864 and settled in Henry county. Later they came to Delaware county and spent their last years in Monroe township. The children born to Mr. Fuson by his second marriage are Belle, Ethel, Anna, Hazel and May. All of the eleven children were born and reared in Monroe township, and four are deceased, Rachel, John C., Nettie and Julia. Mr. Fuson is a Republican in his political affiliations, and is an active worker in the ranks of the party. During the long period of ten years he served on the advisory board of Monroe township.
JOEL CHALFANT, deceased, was one of the best known residents of Monroe township, where for many years he was prominently identified with its farming and stock-raising interests. He was a native son of Ohio, born on the 5th day of August, 1827. His father, Jesse Chalfant, long since de- ceased, was numbered among the prominent agriculturists of Perry township, but was a native of Pennsylvania. He was married there to one of the . commonwealth's native daughters, Elizabeth Winders, and they became the parents of eleven children. In an early day the family emigrated to Ohio, the birthplace of their son Joel, and in 1837 they continued their westward journey to Delaware county, Indiana, the mother making the entire trip on horseback. Purchasing a farm of eighty acres in Perry township, Mr. Chalfant, Sr., at once began to clear and cultivate his place, and he there re- sided until his life's labors were ended in death.
Mr. Chalfant, of this review, also purchased a farm of eighty acres in Perry township, walking the entire distance to Ohio to have the seal placed on his deed. In 1865 he moved to the present homestead of the family, purchasing three hundred and ten acres, which in time he succeeded in clearing and placing under cultivation, and in addition he made many sub- stantial and valuable improvements thereon.
In 1846 Mr. Chalfant married Synthia Jackson, to whom were born one son and six daughters, and two of the number are now deceased. The wife and mother is also deceased. On the 17th of October, 1872, Mr. Chalfant married Nancy J. Gibson, whose birth occurred in Monroe township No- vember 28, 1852, the daughter of Garrett Gibson, whose birth occurred in Ohio. He was a son of Valentine Gibson, whose genealogy will be found on other pages of this work. Garrett Gibson was three years of age when brought by his parents to Delaware county, Indiana, the family home being established in Monroe township, where he received his educational training in its primitive log schools. He married one of Wayne county's native daughters, Elizabeth Clements, whence her parents removed from Tennessee in a very early day and were numbered among the county's earliest residents. Of the thirteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Gibson, nine sons and four daughters, all except one were born and reared in Monroe township. Six children, three sons and three daughters, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Chal- fant, Sarah E., Chadd, Jesse G., Cynthia E., Glennie G. and Marshall H.,
1059
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
but Sarah E., the first born, is deceased. All were born on the family home- stead. Mr. Chalfant gave a lifelong support to the principles of the Repub- lican party and was a member of the Christian Friends church. His death occurred when he had reached the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten. He was one of the best known men of Delaware county, honored and revered by all who knew him.
DAVID H. JONES. The gentleman whose name introduces this review, David H. Jones, one of the leading farmers and stock raisers of Monroe township, is a representative of one of the honored old pioneer families of Delaware county. His birth occurred in its township of Salem, January I, 1852, his father, James H. Jones, having established his home there in a very early day, removing thither from his native commonwealth of South Carolina, where he was born in 1819. He made the journey to Indiana with his parents during his boyhood days, the family locating in Fayette county, and for a more extended historical review of these early settlers see the genealogy of J. F. Jones on other pages. From Fayette county Mr. James H. Jones came to Delaware county in 1832, purchasing one hundred acres of land in Salem township. While clearing the place of its dense growth of timber he also added to its boundaries until he became the owner of one hundred and eighty acres, all in one body and rich and fertile land. He succeeded in clearing the most of this tract and became one of the leading agriculturists of the community.
In Salem township Mr. Jones married one of Delaware county's native daughters, Martha Steward, her father, James Steward, having established his home within its borders in a very early day, coming from Ohio. Mrs. Jones was reared and educated in Delaware county, and by her marriage became the mother of three sons, John, Samuel and David. The wife and mother died during the childhood days of her youngest son, and the father afterward married Martha Bennett, a native daughter of Illinois, six children having been born of their union. After her death Mr. Jones married Fanny Lambert, one of Virginia's native daughters. Mr. Jones gave a lifelong support to the principles of the Democracy, was also a member of the Grange, and his death occurred when he had reached the ripe old age of eighty years.
The public schools of Salem township furnished David H. Jones with the educational training which he was permitted to enjoy in his youth, and he remained at home until his marriage, assisting in clearing and cultivating his father's farm. After his marriage he lived on the Tomlinson farm and other rented places until his removal to his present homestead in 1882. The farm consists of one hundred and twenty acres of excellent land, well im- proved and containing many valuable and substantial improvements. He performed the arduous labor of clearing about twenty acres of the tract.
On the 4th of February, 1877, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Mary A. Tomlinson, born in Center township, Delaware county, in 1854, and
1060
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
a representative of one of the county's earliest families. Her father, James A. Tomlinson, took up his abode here in a very early day, journeying from South Carolina and becoming identified with its agricultural interests. The two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones both died in infancy. The Democracy receives Mr. Jones' political support and his fraternal relations are with the Red Men.
WINFIELD SCOTT BRANDON, M. D., a prominent and well known member of the medical profession in Daleville, was born in Grant county, Indiana, June 26, 1852, a son of Joseph Franklin Brandon, who was born in Bourbon county Kentucky, November 14, 1812, and a grandson of Joseph Brandon. The last named was a prominent early resident of Bourbon county and was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a farmer but not a slaver owner, and he spent his last years in Bourbon county and died at the age of ninety-five years. There his son Joseph was born and reared and there he also learned the carpenter's trade. From the Blue Grass state he came to Indiana in 1836 and established his home in Delaware county, where he learned the miller's trade and operated the first mill built in this section of the state. The mill was located at Yorktown, and he continued its operation for fourteen years, later buying a mill in Grant county, twelve miles west of Marion, but after a number of years he sold it and returned to Delaware county. He located at Daleville and spent the remainder of his life here, dying on the 18th of December, 1891. He married on the 2d of March, 1837, Mary A. Saxon, who was born in Fayette county, Indiana, near Connersville, January 8, 1820, a daughter of William Saxon, born in Georgia, and a grand- daughter of Alexander Saxon, also a native of that state. He came from there to the then territory of Indiana and was one of the first white settlers. At that time the red men were its principal inhabitants and their neighbors were the wild animals of the forests. The Saxon family first lived in a dwelling hastily constructed of poles, and their chief means of subsistence were the products of the farm and wild game. The women of the family would card, spin and weave the clothing for the family, and the most primi- tive pioneer conditions prevailed on every hand. Mr. Saxon secured two hundred acres of government land and in time cleared and improved an excellent farm and erected a good frame dwelling on an elevation overlook- ing Williams creek, a beautiful spot. There he resided until his death at a good old age.
William Saxon was seventeen years of age when with his parents he came to Indiana, and here he was married first to Nancy Orr, who was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, a daughter of John and Susan Orr, pioneers of Fayette county, Indiana. In 1836 he came to Delaware county and re- sided for twenty years in Mount Pleasant township, and at the close of that period moved to Grant county, where he died at the age of seventy-five years. He was four times married and reared nineteen children, eleven of whom were born of the first marriage. Mrs. Brandon was the second child
1061
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
of the first marriage, and she now makes her home with her son, Dr. W. S. Brandon, in Daleville, having reached her eighty-seventh year. She reared five children, Francis Jane, John C., Nancy A., Susan and Winfield Scott. The elder son, John C., lost his life as a soldier in the Civil war. Mrs. Brandon has fourteen grandchildren, thirty-five great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren living.
Dr. Brandon attended school steadily during his early youth, and at the age of eighteen years he began teaching and continued in the profession until the age of twenty-six. In the meantime he had begun the study of medicine, and in 1876 attended medical lectures at the Cincinnati Medical College and began practice in Grant county. In 1881 he attended lectures at Buller University, and from 1881 until 1889 practiced at Andrews. During that time he also took a post graduate course in a New York hospital, and since 1889 he has been numbered among the prominent practitioners of Daleville. At the present time he is associated in the profession with Dr. Frank Kilgore.
In Van Buren county, Indiana, Dr. Brandon married Mary G. Green, a native of that county and a daughter of Lott and Polly Green. Their two children are Chloe and Della L. Dr. Brandon and his wife are members of the Christian church, and he is also a member of the County and State Medical societies, and served as president in 1907.
CALAWAY PIERCE, one of the oldest residents of Delaware county, was born in Montgomery county, West Virginia, September 17, 1822, a son of Thomas Pierce, born in Botetourt county, Virginia, in 1796, and a grandson of Richard Pierce, who was born in the mother country of England. He came with six brothers to America in colonial times, and the seven brothers served their adopted country in its war for independence. Richard Pierce first located on Long Island, and after the war moved to Botetourt county, Virginia, where he purchased land and spent the remainder of his life. The maiden name of his wife was Peggy Knight, whom he married before leav- ing his native country, and there she was also born. She survived her husband many years and died at the home of a daughter in Michigan.
Thomas Pierce, their son, ran away from home at the age of sixteen years and enlisted in the war of 1812, in which he served with two brothers, and after the close of the conflict he secured warrants for one hundred and sixty acres of land. At the time of his marriage he located in Montgomery county, Virginia, but in 1827 removed to Miami county, Ohio, and in 1832 came to Indiana. He was accompanied on the trip to this state by his family, and they made the journey with two yoke of oxen and one large, old-fashioned Virginia wagon, cooking and camping out on the way. On arriving in Delaware county he secured land in what is now Salem township, section 9, where he erected a hewed log house, cleared and improved his land, and there passed away in death in 1859. He had married a native daughter of Virginia, Susanna Thompson, but her father, John Thompson,
1062
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
was a native of Scotland, as was also his wife. He was a farmer and spent the last years of his life in Virginia. Mrs. Pierce preceded her husband in death, dying on the 23d of August, 1840, in her fortieth year, and of the eleven children born to them eight were reared, Malinda, Calaway, Rebecca, Arminta, Amanda, Jane, Susanna and Eliza.
Calaway Pierce was a boy of ten years when the family home was estab- lished in Indiana, and at that time Delaware county was a wilderness, govern- ment land being then on the market and the Indians and the animals of the forests were its principal inhabitants. Muncie at that time was but a hamlet and not a railroad traversed the county, and for some years after the family located here at Cambridge, in Wayne county, was their nearest market for grain. The young lad remained with his father until he started out for himself in 1839, and he soon began learning the carpenter's trade and fol- lowed the occupation for twenty-one years. At the close of that period, in 1859, he purchased the old homestead farm of one hundred and twenty acres, but in 1864 traded the land for another farm in Mount Pleasant town- ship, which he sold one year later, and he then rented until 1867. In that year he bought eighty acres in Salem township and maintained his residence thereon until he sold the land in 1882 and purchased a farm near by. He also disposed of this by sale in 1891 and has since lived retired in Daleville.
On the IIth of June. 1849, Mr. Pierce was united in marriage to Ruanna Goodpasture, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, a daughter of Solomon and Sally Goodpasture. She was called to the home beyond in 1879, and in 1883 Mr. Pierce married Mrs. Matilda McAllister, who was born in Miami county, Ohio, September 15, 1828, a daughter of Benjamin Luce, a native of Kentucky and a pioneer resident of Miami county, Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Ann Ohio Girrard, a native of Ohio and a daughter of John Girrard, one of the prominent early residents of that commonwealth. Mrs. Pierce first married William Hand, who was born in Miami county, and died at the age of twenty-four years. She after- ward married Andrew McAllister, who came from his native state of Ohio to Delaware county, Indiana, in 1831, and his deathi occurred in 1881. To this union were born four children who are vet living, Frank, Henry, Morton and Joseph A. A daughter, Katie A., married William Dillinger and died in Virginia in 1898, and another daughter, Belle, died in infancy. By his first marriage Mr. Pierce had eight children, but only four are now living, Thomas, Calvin, Walter and William. A son, John, met his death by acci- dent at the age of twelve years. Florence married Frank Dietrich and died in 1888. James died when about forty years of age. Martha married Oliver Bowers and died in 1884.
PETER BRUNER DICK, M. D. The name of Dr. Peter B. Dick is promi- nently associated with the early history of Delaware county and is enrolled among its well known and successful medical practitioners. He traces his ancestry to the fatherland of Germany, from whence with two brothers came
...
1063
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
Henry Dick, the grandfather of the Doctor, to America and established his home in Virginia, where he afterward lived and died. There also Hierone- mus Dick was born, and he emigrated to Ohio to become one of the early pioneers of Highland county, and there he purchased land and spent the remainder of his days. He followed farming as a life occupation. He was killed in 1840 by a falling tree, his death occurring in the prime of his man- hood and he left his widow with the care and support of their eight children. She bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Bruner, and was a native of Mary- land. In 1846, with a team and accompanied by five of her children, she made the overland journey to Indiana, and the first stop was in Jay county, where they resided for five years, and then went over the line to Randolph county, which lies just south of Jay county. In 1863 she went to Olmstead county, Minnesota, and spent her last years at the home of a son there.
Dr. Dick, a son of Hieronemus and Mary Ann Dick, was born in High- land county, Ohio, April 27, 1838, and was eight years of age when he came with his mother to Indiana, and it may be said that he "grew up with the country." At the time of the location of the family here not a railroad traversed the county and much of its land was in its primitive state, the greater part of its inhabitants still living in the primitive log cabins of the early days. Deer and other kinds of game was plentiful and all was then new and wild. The young lad made the best of his opportunities in this new and undeveloped country, attending the pioneer schools and later the Liber College, and at the age of eighteen he began teaching and taught for twenty- two terms. During this time he also began the study of medicine, and for two years studied with Dr. Noah Simmons, of Union City, Indiana, as his preceptor, and in 1874 he graduated from the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati. Previous to entering college, however, he had practiced at Union City for two years, and in 1867 he came to Daleville and entered upon a several years' practice, at the close of the period removing to a farm in sec- tion 8, where he has ever since resided with the exception of a period of five years spent in Kansas, whither he went in 1885 to restore his health. His name is prominently enrolled among the pioneer physicians of Delaware county, and he practiced here in the early days when the physicians prepared many of their own medicines from the native herbs, the gathering of the herbs and the digging of medicinal roots forming a considerable part of their earnings.
Dr. Dick has been three times married, wedding first, in 1859, Elizabeth Vinson, who was born in Darke county, Ohio, a daughter of Elder Harrison Vinson, and she died three months after her marriage. In 1862 he wedded Mattie Vail, a native of Jay county, Indiana, and a daughter of William Vail, a minister in the Society of Friends and a native of Ohio. She died in 1866, and in 1870 he married Sally Shepp, a daughter of Jonathan and Lydia Shepp. Two sons were born of the second marriage, Ulysses Seward and Orville Dewey, but both died in infancy, and the only child of the third union was Merchant Kenneth, who met his death in a railroad accident when
1064
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
twenty-four years of age. He had married Maggie Fletcher, who with her only child, Hazel India, now resides in Muncie. Dr. Dick and his wife are members of the Christian church, and he is also a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity.
WILLIAM ALBERT WALTERS. The Old Dominion state of Virginia was the home of the Walters family during the early days of the country's history, and there the grandfather of William Albert, John Walters, had his nativity. When a young man he came to Indiana and enrolled his name among the early pioneers of Delaware county. During a few years he re- sided in Salem township, and during the time entered government land in Mount Pleasant township, on which he erected a log cabin and in due time cleared and improved the greater part of his land. Although he never learned a trade he was a natural mechanic and did the carpentering on his own buildings and the repair work on his farm utensils. He resided on his homestead in Mount Pleasant township until his death. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Richman. She was born in Washington county, Virginia, but her father, Henry Richman, was a native of Maryland, but he resided in Virginia for some years, and in 1832 came from that state to Indiana. His first location in this state was in Henry county, where the family occupied a log cabin for a few months, and during the time Mr. Richman visited what is now Salem township and entered a tract of government land, the north- west quarter of section 8. He erected a substantial log house, splitting puncheons for the floor and clapboards with which to make the door, and the log stable which he also erected at that time is still standing and is in use. At the time of his settlement here Delaware county was a wilderness, with deer and other wild game in profusion, and he resided on the farm until his death a few years later. The maiden name of his wife was Rebecca Tetters. She was born in Virginia, a daughter of Peter Tetters, and she survived her husband for several years. Her son, Daniel Richman, is yet a resident of Salem township.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.