USA > Indiana > Clark County > Baird's history of Clark County, Indiana > Part 49
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From the national capitol Mr. Willey was se : with his regiment to Louisville, Kentucky, where, on July 23, 1865, he r eived an honorable dis- charge after three years, seven months and seventeen days of strenuous and honorable service in defense of the National Union.
On leaving the army Mr. Willey returned to Clark county, and shortly
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thereafter resumed the peaceful pursuits of civil life in Utica township where he has since lived and prospered devoting his attention the meanwhile to the ancient and honorable vocation of husbandry in which he has achieved most gratifying success. He has a beautiful and well improved farm of one hun- dred seventy-four acres, the greater part in a high state of cultivation and he also gives considerable time to horticulture which returns him no small part of his income. Mr. Willey cultivates the soil according to modern methods and is a man of practical ideas. He has broadened his mind and added very ma- terially to his mental discipline by reading and intelligent observation in addition to which he has also traveled quite extensively over various parts of the United States visiting many interesting places. In politics he is a Republican but has never asked for office, nevertheless he is well read on the questions of the day and keeps abreast of the times of all imatters of public interest.
Mr. Willey on January 24, 1866, was united in the bonds of wedlock with Eleanora T. Steelman, the marriage resulting in the following children : Charles E., born May 5. 1868; Paulina, August 30, 1870, and James F., who first saw the light of day on April 26, 1874; Charles E., the oldest of the family, married May Cooper and lives in Louisville, Kentucky. James F. chose a wife in the person of Sue Watts, and resides in the city of Jefferson- ville. Paulina is now Mrs. John F. Crum, and makes her home in Utica township where she was born and reared. Mr. Willey is a Methodist in his religious faith and from early life has been an earnest and devout member of the church and a liberal contributor to its support. He has held the office of steward, class leader and trustee and for some years has been the superin- tendent of the Sunday school, besides being interested in various lines of religious and charitable work. Mrs. Willey is also a member of the church and a leader in some of its departments.
HENRY J. LUTZ.
Few families in Clark county can trace so old a genealogy as that of which the above named gentleman is descendant in the third generation. Henry Lutz, the original founder, was born in Germany, but came to America during the later part of the eighteenth century. He settled first in North Carolina, but before 1800 joined the tide then setting in toward the Northwest Territory, and reached Clark county in the vanguard of the rly pioneers. He located in Utica township, entered a tract of wild land which by dint of hard work incident to settlers in the wilderness he eventually converted into a respectable farm. This property has ever since been in possession of his descendants,
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until recently, who by intermarriages with other offshoots of the first comers, now constitute a wide and influential family connection. Joseph A. Lutz, one of the sons of Henry, married Mary I., daughter of Jacob Daly, and niece of D. W. Daly, of Charlestown. Henry J. Lutz, a child by this union, was born in Utica township, Clark county, Indiana, in 1847. As he grew up he attained an elementary education in the neighborhood schools, supple- mented by courses at Hanover College and the Kentucky State University, in Lexington. The death of his parents compelled a shortening of his college career and a return home where he took charge of the farm. In 1886 he bought a farm of two hundred twenty acres a mile northwest of Charlestown to which he moved after a commodious house and suitable out-buildings had been erected. To the cultivation and care of this place he gave his attention until 1908, when he retired from active work and located at Charlestown to spend the rest of his days in a beautiful concrete house, designed and con- structed under his own directions. He is a member of the Christian church, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being regarded as one of the county's substantial citizens in all the relations of life.
In 1870 Mr. Lutz married Rhoda B., daughter of William and Mary Gibson, of Utica township, whose family history will be found in the sketch : of Jacob Gibson. They have seven children ; Adella, Burdette C., Harry, Nora, Clarence P., Fred and Carl. Burdette, who is practicing law in Jefferson- ville, was elected to the State Legislature in 1906 on the Democratic ticket. Harry, who married Pearl Huffstetter, lives on a farm in Charlestown town- ship on the Bethlehem pike. He has three bright little daughters and is re- garded as a progressive young farmer. Clarence married Mamie Harris and is traveling through the South for the Bell Telephone Company. Fred mar- ried Maggie, daughter of William Duesser, and Carl took for his wife, May, daughter of Alois Bastian. Fred and Carl are living on the farm northeast of Charlestown, which their father bought some years ago and recently turned over to their management.
GEORGE T. JACOBS.
The present solid prosperity enjoyed by Clark county may be attributed largely to the early settlers, who became later the prosperous and honored citi- zens of this locality and prepared the way for those who should come after them, leaving a rich inheritance to their children. . mong those who have continued the great work brought to a high state by these pioneers, those of the aftermath, is the subject of this sketch.
George T. Jacobs was born November 14. 1852, in Clark county, the repre-
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sentative of an old and highly respected family who was identified with the pioneer work of this section. He received his education in the local schools after which he began farming and has continued this line of work up to the present in a most satisfactory manner. He is the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and ten acres, which he has improved until it ranks with any in the county. He has a good dwelling and outbuildings, and on his place may be found stock of various kinds, in fact, Mr. Jacobs is a modern farmer in every respect and he owes his success to his indomitable energy and close application to business.
Our subject was united in marriage to Mrs. Kate H. Peet on September 21, 1876. She is a native of Silver Creek township, where she was born in 1853 and where she received her education in the common schools,
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs has been blessed by the birth of three children, namely : Mrs. Dr. E. O. Sage, of Louisville, Kentucky ; Ivan A., who lives in Jefferson township on a farm; Katie E., who is still a member of the home circle.
Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs are Methodists in their religious affiliations. Fra- ternally the subject is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is independent in politics and has never aspired to public office, although he takes a keen interest in all matters pertaining to the good of his communi- ty and county whether political, material, educational or moral, and he and his wife are regarded as people of excellent worth whom everybody properly re- spects.
JAMES A. JOHNSON.
The family of this name in Clark county is descended on the paternal side from old North Carolina stock, and like all true sons of the old Tar State, are justly proud of their lineage. We first hear of Baker Johnson, a native of Rowan county, North Carolina, who caught the western fever in early life and reached Southern Indiana in 1820. He first located in Utica township, but in 1828 moved to a place in grant 73, a mile and a half south of Charles- town. Tilghman Johnson, his son, was born in Rowan county, North Caro- lina, and was but an infant when brought by his father to the wilds of lower Ohio. He became a man of prominence, accumulated property and owned the first government bond amounting to one thousand dollars ever purchased in Clark county. He was a first cousin of President Andrew Johnson, and a good type of the rugged characters who did the work of development in this state during the trying days of the pioneer period. He lived to an advanced age, his death occurring September 3. 1907, after a useful and strenuous life.
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In early manhood he married Mary Neely, a woman of individuality, and marked strength of character, whose career covered the period of early settle- ment, concerning which she talked most entertainingly. Her father was Alex- ander Neely, a native of Maine, who made the long trip to the West at a time when it involved many hardships, as well as many dangers. His wife, Sarah Lanard, was born in 1792, and was one of the first white babies born in Utica township. She was fond of telling how she went over the Ohio Falls in a skiff when there was only one log house to be seen on either side of the river.
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James A. Johnson, a grandson of this worthy couple, was born on his father's farm in Charlestown township, Clark county, in October, 1846. He made his home with his parents until the completion of his twenty-fourth year, when he spent considerable time in traveling through the West and other parts of the country. Eventually he settled down in his native county as a farmer and he has devoted all of his adult life to agricultural pursuits. He has, however, figured considerably in local politics and the record he made is one to be proud of. In 1894 he was elected County Commissioner on the Re- publican ticket and served three years so acceptably that on his retirement in 1898, he received an unusual testimonial from his official associates. This was in the shape of a resolution passed by his fellow-officers in the court-house, commending Mr. Johnson for his honest and fearless devotion to the interests of the people. This was ordered to be spread of record in the Commissioners' Court and constitutes a personal tribute which falls to but few men, under similar subjects. It was, of course, a gratifying surprise to the recipient and will be a proud inheritance for his descendants to the remotest generations. Mr. Johnson's party twice gave him the nomination of County Treasurer, and he has held several minor offices such as Justice of the Peace and others.
In 1872 Mr. Johnson married Alice, daughter of Felix C. and Sophia L. (Haas) Young. The grandparents were Alexander and Elizabeth ( Blizzard) Young, being old residents of Utica township. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have two children, Olive and Clare. The former is married to G. C. Martin, and lives in Charlestown, and has two children. Clare is a member of the home circle. Mr. Johnson is trustee of the Methodist church.
HON. LOUIS SPRIESTERSBACH.
The subject of this review enjoys distinctive prodige among the enter- prising and public spirited citizens of Clark county. ndiana, and who has earned the right to be called one of the progressiv . men of this locality, is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch at this writing performing the duties of Mayor of Charlestown.
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Louis Spriestersbach is a native of the town where he has spent his life, and where his useful talents have been employed, having been born in Charles- town, this county, December 10, 1864, the son of George and Catherine (Wag- ner) Spriestersbach. His father was born in Germany and immigrated to America in 1852. He first settled in Louisville, Kentucky, and two years later came to Charlestown, Indiana, where he was married. He started a black- smith shop, which he conducted in a very successful manner. He is living in Charlestown at this writing, retired from business. His wife was called to her reward in 1896, after a faithful and worthy career. They were the parents of ten children, six of whom are still living.
Our subject was reared in Charlestown, where he attended the public schools, later attending the Barnett Academy, where he applied himself in a manner that resulted in a fairly good education. After leaving school lie de- cided to follow the footsteps of his father and become a blacksmith, conse- quently he set about learning this trade under his father's able instruction, and when his father retired Louis took over the shop and conducted it with marked success until 1897 when he associated with his brother, Julius, in the imple- ment and hardware business. The store continued to grow in magnitude and was patronized from all parts of the county resulting in a very lucrative busi- ness. Our subject has made a financial success all unaided and in an honorable manner. He is a stockholder and one of the directors of the Bank of Charles- town.
Our subject was married September 21, 1899, to Lottie Leonora Jacobs, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, a native of Greencastle, this state. She is a grad- uate of the Jeffersonville high school. She was born in 1876. One son has been born to this union, George Gordon, whose date of birth is recorded as March 22, 1908. Both our subject and wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and are liberal contributors to the same.
Mr. Spriestersbach in his fraternal relations is a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows No. 94, having passed the chairs of the same and represented this lodge in the Grand Lodge of Indiana.
In politics he is a Democrat and is well grounded in his convictions, be- ing ever ready to further the interests of his party by lending his aid in placing the best possible men in local offices. He was elected Mayor of Charlestown in 1904, having taken charge of the office January 1, 1905. He has done a very great deal in improving the town. Among the many things he secured for Charlestown was the building of uniform sidewalks of the best cement for the principal streets.
Our subject is honest in all his business deatings and always ready to do his part in promoting the well-being of the community at large and because of his sterling attributes of character he is held in high regard in the county where his useful life has been spent.
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JAMES D. KIGER.
During the last century one of the most significant facts in the move- ments among civilized nations was the great influx of immigrants into America from European shores. One condition in many of the European countries that led to this movement of their citizens to other lands was the strict military requirements made necessary by the war-like attitude of the powers toward each other. Many of the best people made it a point to bid farewell to the home-land in order to avoid a long term of military service either in active warfare or in the regular militia. Among other countries thus affected, Aus- tria was one, being often engaged in open warfare with neighboring powers, or continuing for the most part under hostile relations with some one of them. One of their citizens that emigrated to America early in the century was Josephi Kiger, the grandfather of the subject of the present review, James D. Kiger, of Clark county, Indiana. Joseph Kiger was born on June 10, 1783, near Vienna, Austria, and after coming to America, was joined in marriage, Feb- ruary 22, 1820, to Maria B. Calfshead, who was born in Bourbon county, Ken- tucky, August 15, 1795. They were the parents of the following children : Casper, Catherine L., Christina, John F., James D., Sarah A. and Mary J. Of this family Christina attained the greatest age, having reached her eighty- third year before death overtook her.
James D. Kiger, our subject, was born in Charlestown township, Clark county, Indiana, on the 24th of November, 1857. His father, James D., was born in Utica township, same county, on the 14th of March, 1829. His mother, Lucy J. (Bottorff) Kiger, became a widow before our subject was born, and later she was again married.
James remained at home until he was nineteen years of age, and received a common school education. He was a boy of steady habits, industrious and economical. Whenever opportunity offered, he worked out and saved his earn- ings, and in this way as he grew to manhood he acquired the habit of frugality, which has characterized him in his later years.
On May 3, 1882, he was married to Elizabeth K. Spriestersbach, daugh- ter of George Spriestersbach. Elizabeth was born in Charlestown, on the 13th of July, 1861, and received her education in the public schools of her native city. They began their married life on the farm where they now live, which embraces two hundred eighty-eight and one-half acres. This farm shows the fruits of good management and close application to work. The improvements are all first class, the soil is kept in excellent condition and the crops are such as any producer may well be proud of.
In conjunction with the farming of the lands, Mr. Kiger has devoted some attention to stock raising. In this he has also had singular success, for he has given close study to the problem of getting good results with the mini- mum of expense.
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Four children have been born of this union, viz : Georgia B., born Febru- *ary 28, 1883; Jessie M., born June 8, 1885, Claude M., born December 23, 1887, and John P., born August 15, 1891. Jesse and Claude graduated from the Charlestown high school, the former in 1905 and the latter in 1907. Claude is now at Purdue University taking the agricultural course, having shown an aptitude for this branch of study, and a strong desire to do research work. John P. died October 17, 1893, and Georgia B. died April 8, 1896.
Mr. and Mrs. Kiger are members of the Presbyterian church, and are loyal supporters of the cause, giving freely not only of their means but their time, as well. Mr. Kiger has for many years been one of the deacons in the church. Although politically a Democrat, Mr. Kiger does not place party above principle, and stands first of all for a just and economic administration of all public affairs.
WILLIAM W. FARIS.
The gentleman whose name furnishes the caption for this article is one who is well known in Clark county, and is held in high esteem for his sterling characteristics and unassuming demeanor. Mr. Faris was born in Charles- town township, on the 22d of September, 1872. He was the son of Dr. W. WV. and Sarah (Coombs) Faris, and the grandson of Capt. John Faris. The latter was a participant in the Indian wars of the Middle West, and became famous as an Indian fighter. He took part in the battle of Tippecanoe, under Gen. William Henry Harrison, and was an efficient sharp-shooter and frontier scout. He married Rebecca Work and to them were born Willis, Mrs. Dr. John Baird, Mrs. Faris, of Princeton, Indiana ; Robert (deceased) and Dr. W. W. Faris, father of our subject. Doctor Faris attended the Chestnut Street Medical College of Louisville, Kentucky, having previously graduated from the Sturgus Academy of Charlestown. He followed teaching for several years, ail became interested in civil engineering. This latter subject became so at- tractive to him that he began to make it a special study, and in time gave up the practice of medicine almost entirely. He served as County Surveyor of Clark county for twenty years, and took up the management of a farm in con- junction with his official duties. He became the owner of about six hundred acres of land and became well fixed financially. His death occurred March 5. 1895. He is still survived by his wife. The three children of this family were: John M., Jesse C., and our subject. Willia : W. was educated in the neighboring district schools and later attended the Charlestown high school, from which he graduated in 1891. He then entered Hanover College, and was in attendance there until he reached the sophomore year.
August 14, 1895, our subject was married to Nannie Barnes, daughter of
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Hon. Willis L. Barnes. She was born on the 4th of June, 1876, and is a woman of excellent tastes and good education. Two children have been born of this union, viz : Jesse C., born June 25, 1896, and Arthur W., born August 13. 1902. The members of this family are affiliated with the Christian de- nomination.
Mr. Faris operates his own farm of one hundred eighty acres, and also the parental estate upon which his mother still resides. His home is a splen- did illustration of what can be accomplished by judicious management and un- tiring energy, and is recognized as a model farm by his friends and neighbors. He is a man of few words and affiliates with the Democratic party, but has never had any aspirations for political prominence. As a citizen, his conduct has been that of a loyal patriot, standing at all times for those views that make for the welfare of the community at large.
Mr. Faris's brother, John M., is connected with the United States War Department, and is storekeeper, now stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison at Indianapolis.
THOMAS JEFFERSON LEWMAN.
Descended from a line of hardy pioneers, Thomas J. Lewman is an excel- lent representative of that type of men who have made themselves masters over circumstances. He was born in Charlestown township, Clark county, In- diana, on the 26th of October, 1846, being the son of Milas and Nancy ( Pra- ther) Lewman, and grandson of Moses Lewman. Milas Lewman was born in North Carolina in 1807, and was twelve years old when he came to Indiana, with his parents, making his home in Utica township, this county. The means of the family were quite limited, their only worldly possessions being the few things that were brought in the wagon in which they made their overland journey.
The family of Moses Lewman consisted of four boys, John, Silas, Milas and Isaiah, and three girls, Celia, Elizabeth and Nancy. These children were thrown largely upon their own responsibility, Moses Lewman having died two years after arriving in Clark county, and were thus made to stand face to face with the problem of making their own way in the world. In this way they all made a most commendable showing, as the mother was permitted to see the day when all of her children were comfortably settled in homes of their own. This did not come easy, as anyone familiar with such unde akings will admit, for i! meant years of hard work, steady application and u iring grit. The mothe . Elizabeth (Cashı) Lewman, died in Utica, at the advanced age of ninety-five years.
Milas Lewman, father of our subject, was especially known among his
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neighbors as industrious and economical, making every move count and wast- ing no time on theories or speculations. He was a man of considerable inde- pendence of thought, and after making up his mind as to what he deemed right, did not hesitate to stand upon his own convictions. Up to the time of the Civil war, he had been a Democrat in politics, but he then saw fit to change his views, and cast his influence from that time on with the Republican party. He passed to his reward on November 19, 1887, having been preceded by his wife in 1886. The latter was the daughter of Judge Samuel Prather, a man widely known for his efficiency on the bench.
Milas and Nancy Lewman were the parents of five children, viz : Samuel P., deceased; Thomas J., our subject; Elizabeth R., wife of Phestus Bowen, of Charlestown township; Edith, wife of William P. Hughes, and Nancy, widow of James Smith.
Our subject was reared on the farm where he now lives. He helped to clear much of the land and had a hand in bringing a large part of it under cul- tivation. His boyhood experiences were not unlike those common to the times. He attended the district school in the winter time, and received a good com- mon school education. Upon reaching maturity he was married to Mary E. Steelman, daughter of James Steelman. She was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1854 and came to Indiana in 1856. Her father died May 5, 1909, in Charlestown township, having acquired the advanced age of ninety-five years.
Mr. Lewman and wife are the parents of two children: Cash A., born March 7, 1885, and Frank S., born October 14, 1887. The former has been joined in marriage to Susan M. Bottorff.
The religious affiliations of this family have been with the Christian denomination. Mr. Lewman is an elder in the Bethany church of Charlestown township, and has been for years superintendent of the Sunday school. In politics he is identified with the Republican party, but he has never aspired to office. feeling that his time was all needed in giving proper attention to his business affairs. He takes great pride in his home, making that the chief object of his thought and care. A visit to his residence will convince one at once that he has succeeded in this to a most satisfactory degree, having all the conveniences and improvements that are needed for the comforts of his remain- ing years.
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