USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Franklin County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Union County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Fayette County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
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MORDECAI D. DODDRIDGE.
It is now eighty-five years since the family to which this well-known · citizen belongs became identified with Wayne county, and its various mem- bers have won for the name an enviable distinction by their intelligence and worth. This high reputation is in no way diminished in this generation, and
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our subject, who is counted among the leading agriculturists of Washington township, displays in a marked degree the admirable characteristics which the name suggests.
The family is of English origin and was founded in America during colonial days, some of its representatives settling in New England, others in Pennsylvania. The Indiana branch springs from Joseph Doddridge, who left England early in the eighteenth century and first settled in New Jersey, whence he removed to Maryland, where several of his children were born. Among them was Philip Doddridge, who when grown removed with his parents to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he married. His son John was born in that state, May 2, 1786, and there married Avis Manches- ter, a native of Rhode Island. In 1814 Philip Doddridge, his son John, David Jenkins and John Spahr formed a colony and came to the territory of Indiana. Building a flatboat, they floated down the Ohio, with all their possessions, families and stock, to Cincinnati, where they sold the boat and then started across the country for the new Eldorado, cutting their own road in many places. Arriving at the twelve-mile purchase, Wayne county, Philip Dodd- ridge entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, where the family settled and improved a farm, which is now occupied by David J. Doddridge. He also entered other large tracts and gave each of his children a farm. In Eng- land the family was connected with the Episcopal church, but on coming to free America joined the Methodist church, and soon after locating in Indiana Philip Doddridge and his son John were instrumental in organizing one of the first churches in this region. For a time services were held in the differ- ent cabins, but at length these two gentlemen gave the land for a church and cemetery, and the first house of worship, which was a log structure, was erected in 1816. In honor of the family it was named Doddridge Chapel. It was a historic church, and its converts are now scattered throughout many states. In 1832 the congregation erected a brick edifice, and when it became too small it was replaced, in 1876, by a more commodious and modern struct- ure, which is still in use. It is a standing monument to Philip and John Doddridge. Many of the old settlers were laid to rest in the cemetery adjoining the church. The children of Philip Doddridge were Mrs. Hannah Jenkins, Mrs. Sabra Spahr, Mrs. Walters, and John.
John Doddridge carried forward the work inaugurated by his father, and after the latter's death inherited the home farm, on which he erected a good brick residence, which is still in use. He entered other lands in Tipton and Marshall counties, and, being quite successful in his undertakings, he left a large estate. He was a leader in all church work, and as an exhorter trav- eled throughout the country, attending meetings within a radius of twenty miles. He wasa man honored and respected wherever known, and his death,
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which occurred in 1851, was widely and deeply mourned. His faithful wife, who was also an earnest church worker, survived him for many years, dying in 1883, at the advanced age of ninety-three. In their family were eight children, all born in Indiana with the exception of Isaac, the father of our subject. The others were: Philip, who died in Washington township, Wayne county; John, who died in Kansas; Mrs. Phoebe Baker; Mrs. Eliza Ream; Sarah, wife of Rev. McMullen; David J., who resides on the old homestead; and Mrs. Nancy McMullen.
Isaac Doddridge was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 19, 1809, but was reared on the Indiana frontier, and his education was necessarily limited, as there were few schools in this section at that time. At the age of twelve he commenced driving a four-horse team to Cincinnati, Ohio, in the freighting business, in which he was interested for many years. After his marriage, in 1834, he moved to Union county, Indiana, where he bought land and improved a farm, remaining there eleven years. He then purchased the Lambert farm, in Wayne county, which was his home for the same length of time, and spent the remainder of his life on the old Dickson Hurst farm, where he died January 27, 1896. He was a very industrious and energetic man, and became one of the largest landowners of the county, having at one time three thousand acres, divided into well improved farms, many of which he rented. His tenants have nothing but praise to say of him, as he was a most kind and liberal landlord. He was quiet, genial and companionable, never allowing business or trivial things to worry him; and he was a man of unquestioned integrity and honor. He kept well-posted on public questions, and was an ardent supporter of the Republican party. On the 27th of March, 1834, he married Miss Sarah Weekly, who was born in North Carolina in 1816, a daughter of Isaiah and Agatha (Fishback) Weekly, who came to Indiana in 1819 and located in Wayne county, where her father developed a farm in the midst of the forest. He led the quiet, honest and unassuming life of a farmer, and was an earnest member of the Methodist church. His children were: Fanny, wife of P. Jenkins; Sarah, mother of our subject; Betsy, wife of Philip Doddridge; and Mordecai, all now deceased with the exception of Mrs. Jenkins. To Isaac Doddridge and wife were born eleven children, namely: Mary, who first married John Wright, and secondly William Wright: Phœbe, who died March 27, 1884; Francena, wife of W. Kramer; Eliza, wife of H. Houseworth; John H., a Methodist minister of Bloomington, Indiana; Isaiah, a farmer; Mordecai, our subject; Lurena, wife of John Judkins; Benjamin, who died in 1890; Wilbur, a farmer; and James, a resident of Milton.
Mordecai Doddridge was reared to the honest toil of a farmer and was educated in the common schools and the National Normal of Ohio. After
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completing his education he engaged in teaching school, in both Wayne and Union counties, until his marriage. After his marriage he settled on a farm owned by his father west of Doddridge chapel, and commenced life in ear- nest. In 1896 he purchased what is known as the Isom Small farm of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he has since added forty acres, and there he continues to make his home, engaged in general farming and stock-raising, with good success. He feeds most of the products of his farm to his stock. That he stands high in his community and is very popular with his fellow citizens is shown by his election to the office of trustee in a strong Demo- cratic township when he is a Republican. He is a leading member and active worker in the Methodist church, and has held all of the church offices. He has been called upon to settle many estates, which demonstrates the fact that the people place the utmost confidence in him. He was appointed executor of his father's will and this required great care and attention, as the estate was large.
On the 12th of September, 1883, Mr. Doddridge married Miss Mary J. Spahr, who was born. in Abington township, Wayne county, May 1I, 1854, and they have become the parents of two children: Joseph I., born July 23, 1886; and Sarah E., born May 29, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Doddridge hold membership in the Doddridge Chapel Methodist church, and occupy an enviable position in social circles.
Mrs. Doddridge's paternal grandfather, John Spahr, was one of the colony previously mentioned who came to Wayne county in 1814 and settled in Abington township, where Mrs. Doddridge's father now lives. There he spent the remainder of his life and was actively and prominently identified with the moral and material development of the county. He was twice mar- ried and by the second union had two children: Joseph B., father of Mrs. Doddridge; and Nancy, wife of Isaac Jenkins, who was also a member of the colony of 1814 and is still living in Centerville. Joseph B. Spahr has spent his entire life upon his present farm, and as an agriculturist has met with marked success. He has made a specialty of the raising of short-horn cattle. He is a sincere and consistent Christian, a member of the Methodist church, and his life is well worthy of emulation. Formerly he was a Democrat in politics but for many years has affiliated with the Prohibition party and is a stanch adherent of its principles. He married Miss Matilda Burgess, a daughter of Richard and Susan Burgess, natives of Virginia and honored pioneers of Wayne county. By occupation her father was a farmer, miller and millwright. His children were Alexander and Leander, both farmers of Wayne county; Matilda, the first wife of Joseph B. Spahr and the mother of Mrs. Doddridge; and Martha, the second wife of Mr. Spahr.
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HON. BRANSON L. HARRIS.
One of the families which have been prominent in the history of Wayne county from its early days was founded here several years prior to the begin- ning of the war of 1812 by Benjamin Harris, the grandfather of the subject of this memoir. The Harris family originated in Wales, and some time during the last century one Obediah Harris, with two of his brothers, made a settlement in Virginia. They were members of the Society of Friends, and sought the greater religious liberty which they were permitted to enjoy in the young American colony. Obediah Harris lived in North Carolina for a number of years, and there his son Benjamin was born. In 1810 Obediah Harris and his youngest son and namesake, both of whom were ministers of the Quaker church, came to Indiana and passed the remainder of their days in the northern part of Wayne and the southern part of Randolph counties.
It was subsequent to his marriage to Miss Margaret England that Ben- jamin Harris determined to try his fortunes in the new northwest, and made his removal with his family to Indiana, and located on land about six miles north of Richmond, Wayne county. He and his estimable wife spent the rest of their lives here, and of their large family, most of whom grew to maturity, married, and had homes of their own, only one, Elizabeth, the youngest daughter, is now living, her home being in Fountain City, this state. Those who have passed away were Obediah, Barsheba, Pleasant, James, John, Rebecca, Margaret, David, Sarah, Aaron and Nathan.
James Harris, the father of Branson L. Harris, was born in North Caro- lina, and was a lad of fourteen years when he accompanied his parents in their removal to Indiana. During the war of 1812 he entered the army and served for several months on behalf of his country, for which offense against the teachings of the Quaker church he was turned out of the society. He managed to survive that affliction, however, and later became a faithful mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal denomination. As a young man, he per- formed the hardest kinds of pioneer labor, such as clearing away the forests, splitting rails, raising log cabins, and breaking the virgin soil with the crude implements of that period. Thus he earned the money with which to pur- chase a little tract of land for himself. His first home was on a farm of eighty acres, in Green township, west of Williamsburg, but this property he sold three years later and entered a quarter-section of land in the south- eastern part of the same township. About 1827 he exchanged that place for one owned by his eldest brother Obediah, it being near the center of the same township. There he spent the rest of his busy and prosperous life, his death occurring in July, 1854. Quiet and industrious,
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upright and gentle, he was a most worthy and respected citizen, faithful in the discharge of all his duties. Though he was a Whig with strong anti- slavery principles, he did not desire to serve in public positions, preferring to keep out of politics, but was a justice of the peace for several years. In the early part of 1816 he married Naomi, daughter of John and Sarah Lewis. She was a native of North Carolina, whence she emigrated to this state with her parents, and she survived her husband a number of years. To James and Naomi Harris five sons and two daughters were born, Branson L. being the eldest; Winston E. is a resident of Williamsburg, Wayne county; Addi- son R. died at the age of three years; Milton R. died a number of years ago; Allen M. lives in Richmond, this county; Hannah, deceased, was the wife of William Campbell; and Sarilda is the wife of William Thornburg.
The birth of Branson L. Harris took place April 21, 1817, upon his father's old homestead in Green township. His entire life, eighty-two years has been spent in Green and Clay townships, his attention chiefly devoted to agriculture. In his young manhood he worked for neighbors until he had saved a little capital, and his next step was to rent a farm. Later he bought a small tract of land, and added to this as he could afford. At last he had one hundred and seventy acres of finely improved land, lying in one body, and this he sold some years ago, buying instead his present farm adjoining Green's Fork.
An eventful day in the history of our subject was September 19, 1839, when his marriage to Miss Martha Young was solemnized. She was born March 23, 1817, in the same locality, and they had grown up together. Her parents were Jesse and Ruth (Martindale) Young, respected early settlers of Green township. Two sons blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Harris, namely: Addison and Alonzo M. The latter, who was born September 13, 1845, and resides on the farm near his parents, is married and has one daugh- ter, Lenora, who is the only grandchild of our subject and wife. The elder son, whose birth took place October 1, 1840, was educated in Christian (now Butler) University, near Indianapolis, and later read law in that city, with Barber Howland as his preceptor. He won a splendid reputation as a mem- of the legal profession, and became about equally prominent in the ranks of the Republican party in this state. In the spring of 1899, after he had adundantly proved his ability in the state senate, where he had previously served the people, he was appointed by President Mckinley to the very responsible and important post of minister to Austria and is now representing this great government in the court at Vienna.
By a rather remarkable coincidence Branson L. Harris and his dis- tinguished son were members of the legislative body of Indiana at the same time, serving in the lower and upper house, respectively. The former was
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elected to represent his county in the general assembly of the state as early as 1852, and in 1875 and 1877 was honored with re-elections, thus serving, altogether, three terms. About 1850 he was given the office of justice of the peace, acting in that capacity for some five years, and he also served as town- ship trustee. Both he and his sons have been stanch Republicans, keeping themselves thoroughly posted upon all of the great questions of the day. Mr. and Mrs. Harris, who are loved and revered by all who know them, were largely influential in the founding of the Christian church at Green's Fork, and have contributed liberally of their time, means and zeal toward its upbuilding.
JESSE BOND.
Jesse and Phœbe Bond, the grandparents of Henry T. and Abner D. Bond, of Clay township, and of Lewis Bond, of Cambridge City, Wayne county, were among the earliest of the pioneers of this county, as they arrived here in 1807. Their ancestors were members of the Society of Friends, and its princples were believed in and practiced by them throughout their lives. The founder of the Bond family in America was one of the col- onists who accompanied William Penn; and a son, Joseph Bond, was the father of Stephen Bond, who settled in Virginia, and of Edward and Samuel, who located in North Carolina, while the other sons, Benjamin, Silas and John, remained in Pennsylvania. Edward Bond, who, as mentioned, removed to the south, married a Miss Mills, and to them were born the following named children: Benjamin, Edward, John, Joshua, William, Jesse, Joseph, Anne and Keziah.
Jesse Bond was born in 1779, married Phobe Commons, a daughter of Robert and Ruth (Hayes) Commons, and in 1807 they emigrated from Vir- ginia to what was then the territory of Indiana. For a few years they lived upon land which now is the site of Earlham College, near Richmond. Then removing to the homestead, which is in the possession of Abner Bond, his grandson, Jesse Bond spent more than half a century there, passing to his reward upon the 4th of April, 1862. His devoted helpmate died many years previously, when in her sixty-third year, June 30, 1845. By the aid of his sons he had succeeded in clearing and greatly improving the old farm, which is situated about a mile south of the present town of Green Fork, in Clay township. For his day he was considered in quite affluent circumstances in his later years, but the life which he and his household led was simple and devoid of expensive luxuries, as this was a matter of long habit and religious training. He was a man of high standing in the community and influential in the Quaker church, often preaching and assisting in the services. Need- less to say his integrity and uprightness of word and deed won for him the love and high regard of every one with whom he was associated.
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To Jesse Bond and wife were born several children, namely: Nathan, whose birth took place in 1803, and whose wife was formerly Tamar Kent- worthy; Robert, born in 1804, and married Rachel Thornburg; John, born in 1806, and married Mary Barnett; William C., born in 1808, and married Hannah Locke; Enos, born in 1810, and wedded Susanna Hoover; Isom, born in 1812, and married Dinah Kentworthy; Ruth, born in 1814, and mar- ried William Nicholson; Hannah, born in 1816, wife of John Wilson; Isaac, born in 1818, and married Katherine Eirgood; Jesse, born in 1820 and was three times married,-first to Jane Cox, then to Harriet Hank, and finally to Belle King; and Lydia, born in 1822, became the wife of Oliver Menden- hall. With the exception of Jesse and his wives, all were residents of Wayne county at the time of their marriage. In 1899 the only survivors of the family of Jesse Bond, the senior, are William, Jesse, Hannah and Lydia.
Robert Bond, the father of Henry T., Abner D. and Lewis Bond, was born in Virginia in 1804, and consequently was very young when he was brought to this county, with whose welfare his own was thenceforth to be connected. The lady of his choice was Rachel Thornburg, a daughter of Henry Thornburg, an early settler of Jefferson township, Wayne county. She was a native of Tennessee, and came to this section with her parents in childhood. After his marriage, Robert Bond located upon land adjoining his father's homestead, and on this property he and his estimable wife passed the rest of their days. Following the worthy example of his father, he adhered to the Society of Friends and illustrated the noble ideals which he cherished in his daily life. Loved and mourned by a large circle of sincere friends, he entered the silent land on the 28th of March, 1864. Of the six sons and two daughters born to himself and wife, and reared to maturity, only three, H. T., A. D. and Lewis, survive. John, Milton, Larkin, Emily and Lydia E. have passed away.
Henry T. Bond was born upon the parental homestead in Clay town- ship, February 10, 1827, and on the 4th of September, 1860, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Boyd. Her father, Robert Boyd, was one of the pioneers of Wayne county and later removed to Henry county, where he spent the rest of his life. Mr. Bond was bereft of his wife, who died in Octo- ber, 1897, leaving three children: Robert B., Emma F. and James Edgar.
Abner Bond, who resides upon the old homestead formerly owned by his grandfather, Jesse Bond, was born April 19, 1836. His marriage to Miss Mary E. Scott, a daughter of John and Jane (Willetts) Scott, was solemnized in 1860. To Mr. and Mrs. Bond the following named children were born: Emma Celeste, September 24, 1861; Mand, March 16, 1865; Virgia Blanche, April 14, 1877; and Edith A., May 20, 1882. The eldest daughter became the wife of A. R. Jones, of Centerville, Wayne county, and died November
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4, 1889, leaving two children: Forest B., who was born April 8, 1876, and Mary Lucile, born October 24, 1879. Maud, the second daughter of Mr. Bond, married William Woodruff, and resides near her father's home. Vir- gia Blanche died February 4, 1878. Edith A. is living with her father on the farm.
The Bond brothers are highly respected by those who have known them from their boyhood, and they are indeed worthy representatives of this hon- ored pioneer family. At all times they have been safely relied upon to use their influence, and means if need be, in the advancement of whatever has been for the good of the community.
ISHAM SMELSER.
During the pioneer epoch in the history of Wayne county, the Smelser family was founded within its borders by Jacob and Elizabeth (Smith) Smel- ser, who, leaving their homes in Kentucky in 1822, took up their residence in Boston township, Wayne county, Indiana, where they spent their remain- ing days. The members of the family took an active and prominent part in the development of this section of the state, aided in transforming its wild lands into rich farms, and in other ways promoted the progress and advance- ment which made a once wild region the home of a contented, prosperous people. Jacob Smelser lived to witness much of the development of the county, his death occurring December 8, 1875, when he had reached the advanced age of ninety-one years. His wife passed away April 7, 1869, at the age of seventy-five years. They had nine children: Harriet, widow of William Byers, and a resident of Richmond; Solomon, who is mentioned in connection with the sketch of Nicholas Smelser, of Harrison township, Union county; Catherine, who married Isaac Esteb, of Boston township, Wayne county; Margarey, deceased wife of John Sedgwick; James, who died leaving a widow, who now lives four miles east of Richmond; Isham, of this review; Jacob, a resident of Frankton, Madison county, Indiana; Minerva, wife of James Hart, of Harrison township, Union county; and Tracy, widow of Zachariah Osborn, of Boston township, Wayne county.
Isham Smelser, whose name heads this article, was born on the old family homestead in Wayne county, November 23, 1823, and was therefore reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life. He aided in the arduous task of clearing wild land and converting it into fertile fields, continuing to assist his father until his marriage, when he began farming on his own account. The. first land he owned was a tract of one hundred and eighty-two acres, given him by his father, and with characteristic energy he began its development. He was very industrious and enterprising, and as his financial resources increased he added to his landed possessions until he was the owner of an
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extensive and valuable property. In connection with the cultivation of his fields, he engaged in raising cattle in large numbers. He fed these for the town market, and found that branch of his business a very profitable one. His capable management, enterprise, well directed efforts and honorable dealings were the important factors in his prosperity and brought him a very handsome competence.
In 1850 Mr. Smelser and Miss Henrietta Farlow were united in mar- riage. The lady was a daughter of John and Catherine Farlow, of Harrison township, Union county, where the family located at a very early day. It was in that locality that Mrs. Smelser was born, and there her marriage occurred. Four children were born of this union: John F. and Richard E., who reside on the old family homestead, now owned by the latter; Jacob S., a resident farmer of Boston township, Wayne county; and Mary E., wife of Walter W. McConahan, of Center township, Wayne county. Both Richard and John are members of the Knights of Pythias fraternity, of Abington, Indiana. The former owns four hundred and five acres of land,-the old family homestead, -and the latter is the owner of a valuable farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Boston township. They carried on business in partnership for five years, but have since dissolved their business relations. They are both men of executive ability and enterprise and are numbered among the leading citizens of the community. The father of this family was a faithful member of the Universalist church, very regular in his attendance on its services, and was fond of an argument on religious topics, on which he was well informed. Straightforward in all his business dealings, loyal to his duties of citizenship, he commanded the respect and confidence of his fellow men, and by his death the community lost one of its valued citizens. He passed away September 28, 1882, in his fifty-ninth year, and his wife, sur- viving him some time, died December 15, 1893, at the age of sixty-seven years.
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