USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
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He has been twice married, first in 1868, to Letha Ann West, who was born in Ohio, the daughter of George West, one of the early and honored pioneers of Delaware county, but he afterward moved to Wells county, Indiana, and there passed away in death. The three children born of this union are: Elizabeth, the wife of C. Wellington; J. Frank, the immediate
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subject of this review; and Charles, a resident of Yorktown. Mrs. Down- ing died in 1880, a consistent member of the Methodist church, and in 1882 the Doctor married Maria Lizzie West, a daughter of William West, of Ohio, where his daughter was born. They were Methodists in their religions affil- iations. The only child born of this union died in infancy. Dr. Downing affiliates with the Methodist church, and also holds membership relations with the different medical associations and with the order of Odd Fellows. He upholds the principles of the Republican party.
LOUIS R. STEWART, who is prominently identified with the educational and agricultural interests of Delaware county, is of Scotch-Irish descent, and the progenitor of the family in this country came from the north of Ire- land at a very early day in the history of the new world. After some pros- pecting he settled in Pennsylvania, where he became identified with educa- tional interests, and each generation of the family has since produced com- petent educators.
Timothy Stewart, Sr., the grandfather of Louis R., was born in Ken- tucky in 1790, and during his early manhood he engaged in flatboating to New Orleans, that occupation then requiring the hardiest and sturdiest of manhood, as well as bravery and fearlessness. After his marriage he aban- doned the occupation and settled among the pioneers of Delaware county, about 1827, which was then a sparsely settled community, and game and wild beasts roamed at will. During those early days Mr. Stewart bought, improved and sold a number of farms and later engaged in the manufacture and sale of the old-style log pumps, thus filling a long-felt want in this new country, and the part which he took in its development and improvement makes his name worthy of an honored place in the history of Delaware county. He was enterprising and public spirited, charitable to the needy and afflicted, and was well known and honored. He was a stanch Democrat in his political affiliations. Mr. Stewart was married in Ohio to Catherine Criswell, a native daughter of that commonwealth, but a member of an old orthodox Quaker family of Pennsylvania. The family later transferred their residence to Ohio. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart: Timothy, Jr., John, William, Nancy Sullivan, James, Eliza Russell, Rachael Ratliff, and Joseph. The last named died while serving his country in the Civil war.
Timothy Stewart, Jr., was born in Delaware county, Indiana, in 1830, and he was here reared to agricultural pursuits and received an excellent educational training for those early days. In 1859 he made the journey to Pike's Peak, Colorado, and for five years continued the search of the precious metal, returning at the close of that period to the states and bought and sold farms in Missouri and Illinois. Returning at length to Delaware county, hie purchased what was known as the old Jones farm, but later traded this for another farm, and after making one or two more changes finally located on one hundred and sixty acres of land, a portion of which
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his son Louis now owns. The country at that time was heavily covered with timber and it was no small task to improve land and place it under cultivation, but this labor was performed many times by Mr. Stewart, and he won for himself a name among the leading agriculturists of Delaware county. He was a Democrat in his political affiliations, and his death occurred on the 15th of July, 1904. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Malinda Jones, was born in this county in 1841, and she is now living. She is a daughter of Henry and Nancy Hardwick Jones, both well-known pioneer families of Delaware county. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Jones were the following children: William, Levi, Rachael, Mary, Sarah, Catherine, Francis, Delila, Martha, and Malinda. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Stewart: Louis R., the subject of this review ; Dora, who has been three times married, first to H. Antrim, by whom she had one son, afterward to George Pool and third to Richard Fletcher ; Pres- ton, a farmer ; Clinton ; and Emma, the deceased wife of Jesse Cohn. Wal- ter, Harvey and Lena died in childhood.
Louis R. Stewart was born in Mt. Pleasant township, Delaware county, Indiana, April 24, 1868, and was reared as a farmer lad, receiving his ele- mentary education in the district schools, and later became a student in Angola College of Steuben county, this state. He remained under the parental roof until his marriage, and when twenty-one years of age he began teaching school, having continued in that occupation for eighteen years, and in that time he has done much to advance the educational stand- ard of this community. During his vacations he busies himself at paper- hanging and in looking after his farm and his stock-raising interests. He has also spent considerable time as a clerk in a general store when not engaged in the schoolroom. His valuable homestead is adorned with a commodious residence and farm buildings, and his fields are under an excel- lent state of cultivation. In political matters he reserves the right to vote irrespective of party ties, and fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias order.
In 1889 Mr. Stewart was united in marriage to Miss Amanda V. Koontz, a daughter of Lorenzo D. and Matilda (Green) Koontz. The father was born in Fayette county, Indiana, but was reared in Delaware county, a son of Jacob and Debora (Coombs) Koontz, both natives of the Old Domin- ion state of Virginia, where they were married. Jacob's father claimed Germany as the place of his nativity, but in an early day came to this coun- try and established his home in Virginia, there spending. the remainder of his life. His children were Joseph, Isaac, Mary Rodenback, and Jacob. Jacob Koontz was married in Virginia, and soon afterward, in 1820, emi- grated westward and for a few years resided in Brownsville, Ohio. He thence moved to Fayette county, Indiana, and located at Alpina, near where he purchased land and improved a farm. In about 1827 he sold that place and moved to Henry county, Indiana, where he purchased and improved another farm, and in 1829 he platted the town of Middletown. He had
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also purchased land in Jay county and was making progress in the business world when he was stricken with milk sickness and died in 1830. He was an enterprising and public-spirited citizen and was very popular in the com- munities in which he resided. His political affiliations were with the Whigs. After his death his wife cared for and kept the children together, and later became the wife of William Dougherty, a native of Ohio, and of Irish descent. Soon after their marriage they moved to Mt. Pleasant township, Delaware county, where Mr. Dougherty entered the last tract of land left by the government for entry. He improved his farm and spent the remain- der of his life there. He proved a cruel stepfather and was not even kind to his own children. In her earlier life Mrs. Dougherty was a member of the Methodist church, but after coming to this county she became a spiritualist and died in that faith. She was buried at Yorktown, and in later years her son, J. Harvey Koontz, brought his father's remains from Middletown and placed them by her side. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Koontz were born the following children : Mary, the wife of J. Reed; Jane, the wife of W. Hunt- ington; Addison, who died from wounds received at a sugar camp; B. Frank, who made two trips to California, in 1850 and again in 1852, and died from exposure in the mountains; Lorenzo D., who is prominently engaged in farming and stone quarrying ; J. Harvey, prominently identified with the business and political interests of Delaware county, and a former member of the state legislature. By the mother's second marriage to Mr. Dougherty four children were born: Sarah Guthrie, Isabell Erphue. Debra Williams, and B. Frank.
Lorenzo D. Koontz attained to manhood's estate in Delaware county, and in 1850, imbued with the gold fever, he went to California and became a successful miner. After his return to Delaware county he resumed his agricultural labors and later engaged in the quarrying of stone, erecting a commodious brick residence west of Muncie, where he remained until his death in 1893. He was a prominent politician and used his influence in support of Republican principles. He is yet survived by his wife, who has reached an advanced age, and is a worthy member of the Methodist church. The ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Koontz are: Jacob, identified with saw milling interests; William, who died leaving three children; Mary, the wife of M. Yingling; Deborah, the wife of O. Moore; Ellen, wife of W. Crawford; Albert, who died leaving a wife and two children; Urilla, the wife of M. Case; Amanda, the wife of Mr. Stewart; Josephine, Mrs. Wil- liam Wilson; and Maud, who died at the age of fourteen years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have been born three children: Alma, born October I, 1891 ; Bernice, born November 21, 1899; and Meredith, born November II, 1902. Mrs. Stewart is a member of the Methodist church.
J. W. HENSLEY. Mr. Hensley is a native son of the Blue Grass state of Kentucky, born on the 7th of December, 1829, and he is a representative of one of Delaware county's earliest and most honored pioneer families. He
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is a son of William and Sarah (Peterson) Hensley, natives respectively of Kentucky and North Carolina. William was a son of James and Sally (Icenangoe) Hensley, the former of whom served throughout the period of the Revolutionary war and also assisted Daniel Boone and others in ridding the country of the hostile red men and opening up the country for civiliza- tion. He carved out a farm from the wilderness, and in 1830 moved with his family to Rush county, Indiana, where he improved a good farm and , again assisted in opening a frontier country for future development. The family underwent all the hardships and difficulties of life on the frontier, and after living and laboring there for many years this honored pioneer couple came to Delaware county and settled in Mt. Pleasant township, whence they were called to their final rest. Mr. Hensley became widely known in his community, and commanded the confidence and highest esteem of all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. His political support was given to the Democratic party, and he was a consistent and worthy member of the Primitive Baptist church. In his family were the following children: Wil- liam, the father of our subject; John, James, Harrison, Aquilla, Sally, and Nancy, the last named the wife of Lorenzo Dow.
William Hensley was born and grew to years of maturity in Kentucky, where he was also married, and in 1830 he made the journey with the remainder of the family to Rush county, Indiana. Three years later he came to Delaware county and located on the three hundred and twenty acres of land entered by his father, which he improved but later sold. Mov- ing to Illinois, he was engaged in farming there for a few years, when he sold his possessions there and returned to Delaware county. His cash capital was limited in those early days, and to support his family he worked hard early and late, performing such labor as making rails from deadwood oak timber at thirty-seven and a half cents a hundred, cutting cord wood at ten cents a cord, and any other honest labor he could get to do in those days. As his sons grew to mature years he gave them good, honest instructions and started them out to battle for themselves, and all proved an honor to the honored family name. Mr. Hensley continued on in the struggle of life and finally became the possessor of a good farm and in later years he was able to enjoy a quiet rest, passing away on his old homestead at the age of sixty-eight years. He took an active interest in all public affairs of the com- munity, but never aspired to office, and was well and favorably known for his many excellent traits of character. He was a worthy and consistent member of the Dunkard church. Mrs. Hensley preceded her husband in death several years, dying in the faith of the Methodist church. Her maiden name was Peterson, and her father moved from his native state of North Carolina to Kentucky and later to Indiana, where he entered land from the government in Delaware county. A number of years afterward he sold his possessions here and moved to Coles county, Illinois, where he was success- fully engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death at an advanced age. He was a member of the Christian church, and in his family were two
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children, Sarah and William. The son located in Illinois. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hensley : James W., the subject of this review; Caziah, Mrs. Shoemaker; John, who died while serving his coun- try in the Civil war; Almeda, the wife of William Humbert; Wesley, deceased; and Elizabeth, the wife of A. Walford. By a second marriage, to Miss Stoffel Tanner, of Rush county, Indiana, Mr. Hensley had four children: Sarah, the wife of Alfred Jones; Christopher, a farmer and min- ister in this township; Narcissus, the wife of Mike Waymire; and Melissa, the wife of William Waymire.
J. W. Hensley came with his parents to Delaware county during his early boyhood days, and when but twelve years of age he began working for wages, remaining in the employ of one man for seven years and of another for three years, and for three years he also operated a grist mill for Joe Aebo and worked on his farm, and with whom he also learned the cooper's trade. Before attaining his twenty-first year his wages were given to his father and on reaching his majority he was twelve dollars and fifty cents in debt, his efforts being thereafter devoted to paying off his indebted- ness. He continued as a farm hand until able to purchase forty acres of land, but little improved, and he was obliged to deny himself many comforts to obtain a start on this new farm. As his means permitted he bought more land, finally becoming the possessor of three hundred and thirty acres, all in one body, and two hundred and seventy acres of which is under an excellent state of cultivation. Mr. Hensley also has property interests in Yorktown, including five acres in the western part of the town, where he has erected a commodious dwelling and barn, has set out fruit trees and shrubbery, and has made for himself an attractive and pleasant home in which to spend the remainder of his useful life. He rents his farm, and busies himself in look- ing after his varied interests.
Mr. Hensley was first married to Miss Susan Humbert, who was born in Delaware county, a daughter of Elias and Rose (Cline) Humbert, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ohio. The father, of German descent, was numbered among the early pioneers of Delaware county, where he became a prominent farmer and carpenter, having assisted in the erection of many of the buildings of Delaware county. He was a member of the Christian church and affiliated with the Democracy, and his death occurred in this county. He was the father of two children: William, a prominent farmer in Mount Pleasant township, and Susan, who became the wife of Mr. Hens- ley. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hensley : Samuel, of Muncie ; William, on the homestead farm; Sarah, who became the wife of H. M. Childs, and at her death left two children; Abram, of Yorktown; Jacob, a farmer; and Lewis, of Anderson. The wife and mother died on the 15th of November, 1889, a worthy and consistent member of the Methodist church, and in 1890 Mr. Hensley married Mrs. Nancy Luce, the widow of James Luce, and the mother of eight children: Judy Benson; Francis M., a farmer; Ada Hollis, Catherine Ellis, Mary Bell, Martha Ellis, Amanda
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Ellis, and David, of Yorktown. Mrs. Hensley is a daughter of Francis and Mary (Price) McNary, both of whom were born in North Carolina, but they were married in Delaware county, Indiana, where they became promi- nent and well-known farming people and early pioneers. The father, who was a stanch Democrat, died in 1899. He was reared in the Quaker faith, but later in life became a member of the Methodist church. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. McNary were five children: Mary, who died in young womanhood ; Nancy, the wife of Mr. Hensley; Samuel, who served as a soldier in the Civil war, and is now a retired farmer of Yorktown; Cal- vin, who also served in that conflict, and has since died; and Amanda, now Mrs. Bunyon. Mr. and Mrs. Hensley are members of the Baptist church, and his fraternal relations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
SAMUEL STEWART. Mr. Stewart is a descendant of one of the earliest and best known families of Delaware county, and within its borders he was born on the 5th of November, 1859. He is a son of Samuel and Anna (Summers) Stewart, both of whom were born in Highland county, Ohio, but their marriage was celebrated in Delaware county. The former was a son of Samuel Stewart, one of the earliest pioneers of Delaware county. Entering land from the government here, he made for himself an excellent farm home, and assisted in furthering the moral and physicial conditions of the community. In establishing his home here he underwent the deprivations and hardships of true pioneer life, for the country was then sparsely settled, and wild game, including deer, bear and turkey, was plentiful. The moc- casin tracks of the red men had scarcely been obliterated and their nearest neighbor was many miles away, but in spite of all these hardships Mr. Stew- art carved a splendid home in the wilderness, and as his children left home to begin the battle of life for themselves he materially assisted them in start- ing. He became well and prominently known throughout this section of the county, and was honored for his many sterling traits of character. He remained on the old homestead farm until death claimed him, and in his family were the following children: John, James, Warren, Samuel, Jane Stradling, Mrs. Henry Jones and others whose names cannot now be recalled.
Samuel Stewart, the father of the subject, remained under the parental roof until he attained to mature years, when he married and began farm- ing the old homestead. He later purchased the interests of the other heirs and became the sole possessor of the old farm, raising his family there, and there he passed away in death in 1859. He devoted his entire attention to his farming and stock raising interests, and became the owner of a fine estate. When the Republican party was inaugurated he transferred his affiliations thereto from the Whigs and remained loyal to its principles, although he never cared for the honors or emoluments of office, preferring rather to continue on in life as a plain, honest farmer. His wife survived him and kept their family of young children together, rearing them to lives
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of usefulness and honor. She was a daughter of William Summers, a native of Ohio, but a very early resident of Delaware county, Indiana, where he entered land from the government and assisted to blaze the way for future civilization. To make a good living for a family in those early days meant hard and arduous labor, but Mr. Summers gave his entire atten- tion to his farm and its products, and became recognized among the promi- nent agriculturists of his day. From the Whigs he, too, transferred his rela- tions to the Republican party. In his family were the following children : R. T., a well-known physician; Terrell and Simon, both popular farmers; Mahala, now Mrs. Williams; Mrs. James Tomlinson; Anna, the wife of Mr. Stewart ; and two, the sixth and seventh in order of birth, whose names are not remembered. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were born eight children : Perry, who is living retired in Muncie; William, a former assessor of Dela- ware county ; Simon, a prominent farmer ; Sarah, who married Perry Wil- liams, and is now deceased; Eliza, Mrs. Storer; Amanda, Mrs. Heath; Marion, a druggist of Muncie ; and Samuel.
Samuel Stewart was born and reared on the old Stewart homestead in Delaware county, and he is now the third Samuel of the third generation to own the land entered from the government by his grandfather. He remained under the parental roof until attaining mature years, and later purchased the interests of the other heirs and became the sole owner. This is one of the oldest homesteads of the county and also one of its most excellent farms, and Mr. Stewart there continued the work inaugurated by his ancestors and gave his entire attention to farming and stock raising until 1903, when he removed to Yorktown. He cleared some of the land, has also done some trading, and has kept the farm in an excellent state of cultivation, having repaired and remodeled the house, has put the old barn in good order as well as erecting a new one, and has been eminently suc- cessful in his various occupations. The farm is now rented, he having retired from its active labor in 1903 and removed to Yorktown. Here he has erected four dwelling houses, all of modern architecture, and his own commodious residence is a two-story structure attractively and conveniently located. When he first came to Yorktown Mr. Stewart purchased a stock of hardware, and conducted the sale of general hardware, wagons, buggies and light implements for two years, when he closed out his store.
In February, 1888, Mr. Stewart married Miss Clara Landrey, a mem- ber of a prominent early family of Delaware county. She was born in 1866, a daughter of Richard and Hannah (Summers) Landrey, and the father was a son of Joseph Landrey, numbered among the earliest pioneers of the county. Mr. Richard Landrey was a stanch Republican in his political affil- iations, and both he and his wife were worthy members of the Christian church. In their family were the following children: Clara, the wife of Mr. Stewart; Joseph, a prominent agriculturist; Bessie, who died at the age of twenty years; Mary, at home; and Grace, now Mrs. J. Cromer. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have been born five children: Christine, a student in
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the commercial school at Muncie; Julia, Howard, Ralph and Dorothy. Mrs. Stewart and daughters are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Stewart affiliates with the Republican party.
DARIUS A. NASH was for many years prominently identified with farm- ing interests of Tipton and Rush counties, Indiana, but is now living retired at his pleasant home in Yorktown. On the paternal side he is descended from three brothers who emigrated from the north of Ireland to the Ameri- can colonies. Later the brothers became separated, one having disappeared, and his subsequent life is not known ; one was killed on Commodore Perry's vessel on Lake Erie during the fight with the British in 1813, and the third became the progenitor of this branch of the family in America.
Richard Nash, Sr., a son of this Irish emigrant, was born in Delaware in 1754, and at the time of the Revolutionary war he became engaged in carrying supplies, wheat, flour and wood, from different points to Phila- delphia, but he was taken prisoner at Delaware Bay and carried to the Island of Bermuda, where he was detained for some time. He was later released and brought back to Philadelphia as a guide, and after the close of the war he removed to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he was married to Jane Barr. She was born in Ireland in 1762. After that event he settled in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, from whence in 1804 he moved to Mason county, Kentucky, going from there in 1810 to Adams county, Ohio, and in 1831 he located in Fayette county, Indiana, where he spent the remainder of his life, and died in July, 1837. His children were James, Samuel, Jane, Susan, Sarah and Richard, Jr.
Richard Nash, Jr., was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, December 30, 1798, accompanied his parents on their various moves, and for a number of years in his younger life was engaged in running keel boats on the Ohio and tributary rivers from Pittsburg to New Orleans, a lucrative business in those early days. He was married in Adams county, Ohio, in 1821, to Mary, a daughter of Robert and Isabell (Russell) Hastings, both of whom were born in Ireland. In the same year of his marriage Mr. Nash moved to Fayette county, Indiana, where he entered and improved a farm, and remained there until the death of his wife, in August, 1827. In the following year he returned to Ohio and resumed his old vocation as a river man, continuing thus successfully until in 1832. While making a trip up the Ohio river to a salt works, sixty miles above Marysville, the boat was wrecked by a storm and half of the crew were lost. Shortly after this dis- astrous event Mr. Nash abandoned the river business and returned to his Fayette county farm, where he was later married to Margaret Moffit, of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, born in 1806. He then made a perma- nent settlement on his homestead farm and remained there until death claimed him in 1887, at a ripe old age. Robert was the only child by his first marriage. His children by the second marriage were: William G., Sarah, Isaac T., Eliza, John S. and Oliver L.
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