USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 52
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
Miles Walters, a son of John and Rebecca Walters, was born on the old Walters farm in Salem township, August 29, 1840, and on the 11th of June, 1863, was married to one of the township's native daughters, Juliann Cham- bers, who was born on October 10, 1842. Her father, James Chambers, is thought to have had his nativity in North Carolina, born May 8, 1800, but he came to Indiana when a young man and in Bartholomew county wedded Susan Drybread, a daughter of Joseph Drybread, one of the county's earliest settlers. The young couple after their marriage drove with a team to Delaware county, where Mr. Chambers secured a tract of government land in the northwest section of Salem township, erected the little log cabin home in which his daughter, Mrs. Walters, and her children were born, and commenced to clear his farm, but death claimed him in 1842. His widow with her children afterward went back to Bartholomew county, but after four years returned to the homestead here, where the children attained to mature
1065
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
years and where the mother continued to reside until her death, August 21, 1882. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Walters, William Albert, whose name introduces this review; James C., who died in infancy ; Smith, a farmer of Center township; and Mary Isabelle, who married Bruce Kiser and lives in Salem township.
William A. Walters was born in Salem township August 1, 1864, and in his early youth attended the district schools near his home, but his educa- tion in later years has been greatly supplemented by extensive reading. He began at an early age to work on the farm, and he remained with his parents until 1886, going thence to Butler county, Kansas, and resuming his agri- cultural labors, but in 1887 returned to his Delaware county home and has since been engaged in farming and adding to the old Chambers estate. He takes an active interest and keeps well informed in public affairs, and is a member of the Christian church.
EDWIN R. STEWART was born six miles from Springfield, Ohio, De- cember 3, 1829, a son of James Stewart, who was born in Mason county, Kentucky, and a grandson of William Stewart, whose birth occurred in the "Red Stone country" of Pennsylvania in 1771, of Irish ancestry. He moved from his native commonwealth to Kentucky and resided for some years in Mason county, from whence he journeyed to Clinton county, Ohio, and fol- lowed his trade of a tailor for many years. From there he came to Delaware county during an early period in its history and established his home in Yorktown, where he spent the remainder of his life and died on the 7th of January, 1836. His wife was born in 1771 and died September 18, 1844. She and her husband reared the following children: Timothy and John, twins; Sally, James, Zeddic, Matilda, Norris and Joseph.
James Stewart was about twelve years of age when with his parents he moved to Ohio, where he was reared, and leaving the parental home he went to Springfield and learned the trade of a brick mason. After thoroughly mastering the trade he became a contractor and builder, and he continued his residence in Clark county until 1843. Accompanied by his wife and eight children he then made the overland journey to Indiana, driving two teams and bringing the household goods, also driving five cows and forty sheep. They stopped each night at a tavern, and arrived in Delaware county after six days of travel. Mr. Stewart had visited here the year before and purchased two hundred acres of land in Salem township, about fifty acres of which had been cleared and a small log cabin and a log stable constituted the im- provements at that time. He superitended the clearing and developing of his land and at the same time worked at his trade in Muncie, Yorktown, Anderson and other places, and many of the older brick buildings of the county represent his handiwork, and in most cases he also manufactured the brick. After retiring from business he sold his farm and lived with his children until his death, July 3, 1895, when he had reached the age of ninety- four years, his death resulting from a fall. On the 16th of March, 1826, 25
1066
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
Mr. Stewart wedded Matilda McBeath, who was born in Ohio, August 1, 1797, and her father, Alexander McBeath, was born in Pennsylvania in 1770 and was of Scotch descent. He moved to Ohio and became one of the pioneers of Clark county, entering government land about three miles from Springfield, and resided there until his death. He was a well educated man and was a cooper and cabinet-maker. Mrs. Stewart died October 18, 1832, and on the 5th of November, 1833, Mr. Stewart wedded Drucilla Reynolds, who was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, November 20, 1804, and died in Salem township, Delaware county, December 14, 1888.
Edwin R. Stewart was twelve years of age when he came with his parents to Indiana, so he well remembers the incidents of the journey hither as well as the pioneer life in Delaware county, and his mind is stored with many pleasant reminiscences of the early days here. He attended school and assisted on the farm, while later he learned the carpenter's trade, and he remained at home with his parents until 1852. In that year he started for California, going first to Cincinnati, thence down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, where he boarded a steamer for Greytown, thence via the Nicaragua river and lake, and then with a companion he secured a mule which they took turns in riding to the coast. Here they boarded a sail boat and finally arrived in San Francisco after sixty-three days of weary and arduous travel. Mr. Stewart went at once to the mountains and followed both mining and carpentering, and during his sojourn there he assisted in the building of a chute three-fourths of a mile long and a flume fourteen miles long, four feet wide and thirty-two inches deep. In 1856 he made the return journey to Delaware county, crossing the isthmus by rail and return- ing via New York, and in the year following his arrival home he bought one hundred and forty-eight acres and began the improvement of his present farm. The land at that time was heavily timbered, and during the first year he succeeded in clearing twenty acres and also completed the erection of a log cabin, to which he brought his bride in 1858, and since that time he has performed the work of clearing and draining the entire tract, while in addition he has also built a commodious brick residence, a large barn and other farm buildings. The brick of which the house is constructed was burned on his farm and the greater part of the timber used is a product of the land. In August, 1884, he purchased eighty acres more of land adjoining the first.
On the 31st of January, 1858, Mr. Stewart married Margaret J. Shepp, who was born in Middletown, Henry county, Indiana, March 28, 1839. Her father, Jonathan Shepp, claimed Rockingham county, Virginia, as the place of his nativity, and his father, John Shepp, was a native of the fatherland of Germany. He ran away from home when quite a young man, and coming to America fought with the colonists in the Revolutionary war. After the war he settled in Roanoke county, Virginia, and his death there occurred about 1840. The maiden name of his wife was Margaret Dashner, and she was born in Pennsylvania and died in Roanoke county, Virginia. Jona-
1067
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
than Shepp, born October 9, 1807, came from his native state to Delaware county, Indiana, about 1835, and for a time lived at Middleton and followed his trade of a cabinet-maker. From there he came to Salem township and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, continuing its cultivation and improvement until his death, July 15, 1896. He had married Lydia Fenwick, who was born in Highland county, Ohio, December 18, 1817, a daughter of James and Nancy Ann ( Hart) Fenwick. James Fenwick was born in Sussex county, Delaware, and his father, William Fenwick, was born in Lewes, that county. Delaware was also the birthplace of James Fenwick, the father of William, and his father, Thomas Fenwick, was the American ancestor of the family. He was born in either England or Scot- land, and after coming to America he established his home in Virginia, where he had been granted a tract of land, and from there it appears that he removed to Delaware. His son James, as far as is known, as well as the latter's son William, spent their entire lives in Delaware. James Fen- wick removed from that commonwealth to Ohio, and several years later, in 1833, came to Delaware county, Indiana, and entered a tract of land in what is now Salem township. He was one of the first to take up his abode in that township, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have seven living children: Flora Alice, Oliver Kelley, Milton Harrison, Mary Isabella, Matilda Jane, Lillie Indiana and Edwin Richard. Mrs. Stewart is a member of the First Christian church of Daleville. Mr. Stewart is a Republican politically.
CLINTON GOODPASTURE. The name of Goodpasture has long been prominently associated with the history of Delaware county, Indiana, and the ancestry is traced to the Blue Grass state of Kentucky, the birthplace of John Goodpasture, the great-grandfather of Clinton. He moved from his native commonwealth to Ohio and became one of the early pioneers of War- ren county. He was always a farmer, and spent the remainder of his life in Warren county. Solomon Goodpasture, his son, and also a native of Kentucky, embraced the occupation of his father and became an agricul- turist. About 1850, accompanied by his children, he came to Indiana, and with the exception of a short time he spent the remainder of his life with his children in Delaware and Wabash counties, his death occurring in the former on the 8th of October, 1872. His wife bore the maiden name of Sarah McAllister, and died in Warren county, Ohio, May 1, 1849. She was of Scotch ancestry.
Jesse Goodpasture, a son of Solomon and Sarah Goodpasture, was born in Warren county, Ohio, April 10, 1826, and was reared to agricultural pursuits and resided with his parents until after his mother's death. Soon afterward he came to Indiana and located on a farm in Delaware county. In 1852 he started with twenty-six others for the land of gold in California, and, going to Madison, this state, sailed down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers to St. Joseph, Missouri, where they secured several pairs of
1068
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
oxen and two wagons and thus continued the journey overland to the Pacific coast, landing in northern California after traveling for one hundred and twenty-six days. During the first two years in the Golden state Mr. Goodpasture followed mining, and then with a partner he purchased some mules and established a pack train to transport supplies to the mines, the supplies being carried on the backs of the animals. In 1856 Mr. Goodpas- ture made the return journey home, via the Isthmus of Panama, and after resting for a time journeyed to Indian Territory and Texas on horseback. In 1862 he purchased one hundred and thirty-one acres of land on sections 31 and 36, Salem township, about one-third of the land having been cleared, and a log house and stable constituted the improvements. In time he cleared the greater part of the land and by subsequent purchases added to the acreage, erected good farm buildings, and his house occupied an emi- nence overlooking the White river valley. There this well-known and hon- ored Delaware county pioneer spent the remainder of his active and useful life and passed away in death June 30, 1899. He had married, in 1862, Barbara Hupp, who was born in Clark county, Ohio, June 14, 1832. Her father, John Hupp, was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, of German ancestry, and from his native state he made the overland journey with teams to Ohio and became one of the first residents of Clark county. About 1840, accompanied by his wife and seven children, he resumed his westward jour- ney with teams and established his home in Salem township, Delaware county, where he purchased a large tract of partially improved land about two miles east of Daleville. Several years later he moved to that city, and there he resided during the remainder of his life. He was familiarly known as Major Hupp, and he served several years as a justice of the peace. His wife was, before her marriage, Catherine Zirkle, also a native of Virginia, and she, too, spent her last years in Daleville. She became the mother of ten children, three of whom still reside in Indiana. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Goodpasture: Clinton, the subject of this sketch; Carroll, a practicing physician in Washington, D. C .; Milo, a farmer in Hancock county, Indiana ; and Nettie, the wife of John M. Hancock, of Salem town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Goodpasture were members of the United Brethren church.
Clinton Goodpasture, the first born of their children, had his nativity in a little log house which stood on the bank of the White river, on section 31, Salem township, January 21, 1863, and during his boyhood days he attended the district schools near his home, later entering the normal at Dan- ville. When he had reached the age of nineteen he entered the schoolroom as an instructor and taught for one term, and with that exception he has followed the tilling of the soil as a life occupation. In 1886 he purchased the farm he yet owns, in section 7, Salem township, but after the death of his father he left this farm and returned to the old homestead. He married in 1885 Anna E. Rinker, born in Morgan county, Indiana, a daughter of John B. and Elizabeth (Clark) Rinker, natives respectively of Washington
1069
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
and Morgan counties, Indiana. They have three children: Nellie, Walter, and Merrill. Mr. and Mrs. Goodpasture are members of the United Breth- ren church, and he is also a member and the secretary and treasurer of the Delaware County Farmers' Fire Insurance Company.
JOHN MORTON HANCOCK, a resident farmer of Salem township, was born in Mt. Pleasant township, Delaware county, Indiana, October 13, 1868, a son of Pollard Hancock, one of the prominent early settlers of Delaware county. He received his early educational training in the district schools near his boyhood's home, and this was supplemented by attendance at the normal schools in Portland and Danville. He then entered the schoolroom as a teacher and taught for one term, after which he followed various pur- suits until in 1901 he located on the farm where he now resides, it being a part of the Goodpasture homestead, and known as River View Farm.
Mr. Hancock married, in 1891, Nettie Goodpasture, who was born on the farm where she now resides, a daughter of Jesse and Barbara Goodpas- ture. Mr. and Mrs. Hancock have four children: Floyd, Carl, Otis and John. Mr. Hancock is a Republican in politics and has served as township trustee and as a member of the county council. His wife is a member of the United Brethren church.
FRANKLIN TAYLOR KILGORE, M. D. The Kilgores are perhaps one of the best known and most prominent families of Delaware county. The ancestry in America is traced to the Keystone state of Pennsylvania, which is thought to have been the birthplace of Abel Kilgore, and he was of Scotch descent. He became one of the early residents of Harrison county, Ken- tucky, where he resided until coming to Indiana. He became a resident of this state during its early pioneer history and located near Blooming Grove, Franklin county, where he secured land and engaged in farming until late in life or until he lost his sight. During his active business career he had dug many wells and did much blasting, and in an unexpected explosion he lost one eye. He was then in middle life, and later he lost the sight of the other eye, and he thereafter made his home with his son David until his death at the age of eighty-four years. The maiden name of his wife was Rebecca Cuzic.
Hon. David Kilgore, their son and the grandfather of the Doctor, was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, in 1804, and he early in life began the study of law. He remained with the family in Franklin county until 1830, when with a bundle of clothes, four law books and four dollars and seventy cents in money, constituting his entire worldly possessions, he started on foot for Delaware county, where he secured a tract of government land in Mount Pleasant township and at once began the practice of law there. He was successful from the start and his rise was rapid, and in 1839 he was elected the judge of the Indiana circuit court, then comprising the counties of Ran- dolphi, Grant, Delaware, Jay, Blackford, Madison, Wells and Adams, and
1020
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
continued in that high official position for seven years. He was then elected to the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth congresses, in session during Buchanan's administration, and he was one of the organizers of the Republican party and a stanch supporter of its principles. During the first year of the Civil war he was instrumental in establishing the Indiana Hospital at Washington, an act highly appreciated by the brave boys in blue; was also one of the pro- moters of the "Bee Line" railroad and served as a director of the company for twenty years, and was one of the directors of the Citizens National Bank of Muncie and of the First National Bank of Indianapolis. He was a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, and received all of the council de- grees in the local order of the Masonic fraternity. Judge Kilgore married Mary Van Matre, a daughter of one of the pioneers of Delaware county, Absalom Van Matre, and their sons were represented in the Civil war. Alfred commanded a company in the Thirty-sixth Regiment of Indiana Volunteers and later served as a district attorney and as a member of the Indiana legislature. James served as a lieutenant in the same regiment, and David, the only son now living, served as captain of the Nineteenth Regi- ment.
Dr. Tecumseh Kilgore, a son of Hon. David and Mary Kilgore, was born in Salem township, Delaware county, Indiana, and received his literary training in its public schools and in Mount Pleasant and Muncie. He began the study of medicine at Yorktown under the preceptorship of Dr. Jump, and at the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the Eighty-fourth Indiana volunteers and was appointed hospital steward, later receiving the rank of regimental surgeon in the Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry, and he served until the close of the conflict. Returning thence to his private duties he practiced for a time at Chesterfield, and coming then to Mount Pleasant township he practiced here until his death, November 17, 1876. Dr. Kilgore first wedded Maria Goodpasture, who bore him two children, Albert Clarence and Franklin T .: and for his second wife he chose Mary Dilts, a native of Chesterfield, Madison county, and a daughter of Taylor Dilts. She was also a second time married, becoming the wife of Cyrus J. Titus, of Spring City, Tennessee, and her death occurred May 11, 1892. By the second mar- riage one daughter, Grace J., was born.
Dr. Franklin T. Kilgore, a son of Dr. Tecumseh Kilgore, is a native son of Salem township, Delaware county, born March 2, 1876, and in his youth he attended school in both Indiana and Tennessee. He early turned his attention to the study of medicine and graduated from the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis in 1898. During his first year in the profession he practiced at Parker, Randolph county, whence he returned to Delaware county and practiced at Cowan for six months, was for four years a prac- titioner at Ingalls, Madison county, and coming then to Dalesville formed a partnership with Dr. W. S. Brandon, his present associate.
Dr. Kilgore married in 1898 Blanche M. Patterson, who was born in Mount Pleasant township to Thomas A. and Olive Patterson, natives re-
1071
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
spectively of Royerton and Mount Pleasant. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Kilgore have been born two children, Mary Olive and Edna Evelyn. Fraternally the Doctor is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Red Men, and he also affiliates with the County and State Medical Societies.
J. FRANK DOWNING, M. D. One of the best known and most success- ful medical firms of Delaware county is that of Downing & Downing, promi- nently engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Yorktown. The junior member, Dr. J. Frank Downing, was born in Vermilion county, Illi- nois, February 25, 1874, and after attending the public schools he entered the Central Normal School of Danville, Indiana. Deciding to enter the pro- fession in which his father had attained such an eminent success, he began reading under that gentleman's able preceptorship, and while thus engaged he also accompanied his father on his rounds of professional duties, thus early obtaining a useful and valuable information in diagnosing disease. In 1893 the son commenced a course of medical lectures at the Indiana Medical College of Indianapolis, in which he graduated in 1897, and shortly after- ward joined his father in the forming of the firm of Downing & Downing. They have an extensive library of ancient and modern works in medicine and surgery, and both the Doctor and his father are constant students and keep themselves well informed relating to the new discoveries being con- stantly made in these sciences. They also have a well equipped office, abundantly supplied with all modern appliances for the successful treatment of all cases of surgery, and their devotion to the duties of the profession, combined with a comprehensive understanding of the principles of the science of medicine and surgery, have made them successful and able prac- titioners, whose prominence is well deserved. Dr. J. Frank Downing is a member of the Delaware County, the State and the Mississippi Valley Soci- eties, and is also the physician for the Children's Home. He was elected by his fellow townsmen to the office of trustee, and in this capacity he has mate- rially assisted in keeping the roads of Mt. Pleasant township in an excellent condition, and at the same time he carefully looks after the poor and needy of the township and gives a close supervision to its schools. He has invested quite extensively in Yorktown property, and in his political affilia- tions he is a Republican. In his fraternal relations he is a member of the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Red Men and the Modern Wood- men of America.
Dr. Downing is the son of Dr. Jonathan R. and Letha (West) Down- ing, both of whom were born in Ohio, but they were married in Delaware county. The father, born in Logan county on the 18th of October, 1844, came with his parents to Delaware county in 1850, and was reared to matu- rity on a farm here. He is a son of Israel and Elizabeth (Rector) Downing, natives respectively of Maryland and Ohio, and they were married in the latter state. Israel Downing was a son of John Downing, who established his home with the American colonies and served through the war for inde
1072
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
pendence as major of his regiment. He proved a valuable acquisition to the colonists in those early and trying days, and his name is honored and revered with others of the brave pioneers who paved the way for American independence. He in time established his home in Maryland, where he spent the residue of his life.
Israel Downing was born and reared in Maryland, and after attaining to mature years moved to Ohio, where he identified himself with agricul- tural pursuits and was later married. In 1850 he established his home in Delaware county, Indiana, and in this then frontier settlement he improved a good farm and braved the dangers and hardships of a pioneer life. He was a consistent and worthy member of the United Brethren church, and in this county, where he had so long lived and labored, he passed away in 1854. By his first marriage he had eight children, and by a second marriage he became the father of three: Daniel, at the Soldiers' Home in Dayton, Ohio ; Jonathan R .; and Samuel, a physician of Hobbs Station, Indiana.
Dr. Jonathan R. Downing was a little lad of six years when his father settled in the wilds of Delaware county, and growing to years of maturity here he remained at home until his enlistment in 1863 for service in the Civil war, entering Company G, Ninth Indiana Cavalry, under Colonel Jackson, and was consigned to the Army of the Tennessee. He continued in service until the close of the conflict, and in the interim participated in many of its hotly contested engagements. While guarding the Sulphur trussels in Alabama, he with others was made a prisoner of war and was retained for six months at a Confederate prison known as Castle Morgan, at Cahaba, Alabama, during which time they received rough treatment and were obliged to undergo the hardships of a southern prison. He was paroled at the close of the war, and after receiving his honorable discharge returned home and soon afterward entered upon the study of medicine. He later attended lectures at the Indiana Medical College of Indianapolis for one term, after which he entered upon the practice of his chosen profes- sion. Later, however, in 1878, he was among the graduates of this college. Previous to this, in 1868, Dr. Downing had located in Champaign county, Illinois, and after his graduation he resumed the practice of his profession at that place. In 1882 he returned to Delaware county, Indiana, locating at Yorktown, where he has ever since remained in continuous and successful practice. When he entered upon the duties of his profession here the pre- vailing diseases were chills, fever and malaria, and the sometimes almost impassable roads of the community made the life of a medical practitioner in those early days a hard and laborious one, but Dr. Downing never shrank from his duty, and his labors have been rewarded with success.
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.