USA > Indiana > Union County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 34
USA > Indiana > Fayette County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 34
USA > Indiana > Franklin County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 34
USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 34
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health he raised a company and again entered the service, as captain, remain- ing as such until the close of the war. Mrs. Cory lived in Missouri until she was twenty-five years of age, when she married Mr. Logan and came to Franklin county, where he died. She is a lady of much literary ability, has written several songs and other verses, and has contributed many excellent articles to the children's department of the Western Christian Advocate. Mr. Cory is a man of extensive and varied reading. He is a Master Mason and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
JOSEPH HAYS.
For many years Joseph Hays has been identified with the agricultural interests of Franklin county, his home being in Blooming Grove township, He was born in Warren county, Ohio, September 6, 1818, a son of David and Mary (Kelsey) Hays. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, was a soldier in the war of 1812 and assisted in the noted defense of Fort Meigs. The mother was a native of Kentucky. The paternal grandparents of our subject, Joseph and Mary Hays, were born in New Jersey, but spent the last years of their lives in Franklin county, Indiana, where the parents of our subject took up their abode about 1830, making their home in Brookville township. They had a family of seven children, but only two are now living: Mary Jane, wife of Virgil Millspaugh; and Joseph. Those who have passed away are Asa, Eliza Ann, Abigail, Lydia A. and Elizabeth.
Joseph Hays was only twelve years of age when he came with his par- ents to Franklin county, and since that time he has witnessed its growth and aided in its development and upbuilding. His educational privileges were quite limited, but his training at farm work was not meager. He assisted in the cultivation of the home farm until his marriage, which occurred October 29, 1849, Miss Martha J. Allen becoming his wife. Her parents were Josiah and Sarah (Harvey) Allen. The Allens were among the earliest pioneer families of the county. John Allen, the grandfather of Mrs. Hays, was a native of Pennsylvania and was of Quaker parentage. The records show that on the 6th of July, 1805, he entered the northeast quarter of section 29, Brookville township, which tract embraced the whole southeastern portion of the city of Brookville and also extended across the river. He proceeded to lay out lots and erected a mill, which is generally conceded to have been the first mill in Brookville, although one was erected by Mr. Butler about the same time. The history of John Allen's settlement in this county is not obtainable, but it is certain that he came at the beginning of the century and that he and his sons, Solomon and Josiah, were engaged in the improvement of the land before mentioned as early as 1805. In the fall of that year the sons returned to Pennsylvania, where Solomon engaged in teaching school
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through the winter, while Josiah was busied in collecting the material for building a mill. In the spring of 1806 they loaded a flat-boat with goods and inachinery, including the millstones, made their way down the Ohio river and in due time reached Brookville. They then began work on the mill, which was soon in operation. John Allen was an energetic, industrious man. He laid out the whole of the southeast part of Brookville, built the first mill, engaged in many other lines of business and was the first justice of the peace there. He finally removed to Blooming Grove township, and at his death was buried on the Hays farm, which was then the property of his son, John Allen, Jr.
Josiah Allen, his son, and the father of Mrs. Hays, was born in Wash- ington county, Pennsylvania, January 10, 1789. In 1805 we find him assisting his father in improving his land in Brookville, and departing for Pennsylvania, returning the following spring with the millstones and other machinery for the mill then in process of construction. In 1816 he was married to Sarah Harvey, daughter of Caleb Harvey, of Wayne county, Indiana. They became the parents of ten children, three of whom are living, in 1899, namely: Martha J., now Mrs. Hays; Sarah J .; and William Henry. Those who have departed this life are: John M., David Oliver, Caleb H., Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Rebecca J. and Robert. About 1818 Josiah Allen removed to Union, where he died September 13, 1874. His wife, who was born in North Carolina, February 12, 1895, died on the sixty-eighth anniversary of her birth. He was a most worthy and esteemed citizen and took an active part in the early development of Brookville and of Franklin county.
During their early married life Mr. and Mrs. Hays resided in Springfield township, Franklin county, and in 1857 they removed to their present farm, in Blooming Grove township, where they have now resided for the long and continuous period of forty-two years. Mr. Hays has made farming his life work, and his industry and business ability brought to him success. He is now largely leaving the management of the homestead, however, to his son. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hays were born seven children, as follows: Mary E .. Sarah Frances, Caleb Harvey, Laura Jane, Josiah Allen, Grace Greenwood and Nora Belle; but all have now passed away with the exception of the second son.
Josiah Allen Hays was born November 10, 1865, was educated in the public schools and has always lived at the old homestead with the exception of two years spent at Anderson, Franklin county, and at Brookville. On the Ist of December, 1889, he married Miss Hattie Parvis, daughter of John and Marietta (Sullenberger) Parvis, of Brookville.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hays are now numbered among the older residents of Franklin county and are most highly esteemed people. They have led
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honorable, upright lives, commanding the confidence of friends and neighbors, and they have witnessed almost the entire progress and development of the county, so that they are numbered among the honored pioneers.
FRANKLIN J. BROWN.
This well known citizen of Richmond, Indiana, was born here February 8, 1843, and is a son of Eli and Martha (Hawkins) Brown. Eli Brown was a native of Guilford county, North Carolina, from which state he came to Indiana in 1813. He was a hatter by trade and followed that business for several years. He also engaged in the mercantile business, being one of the first merchants here, and remained in that business until his retirement from active life. He also operated a flour and oil mill, having as a partner in this venture, Bazil Brightel. Their mill was on the site now occupied by the piano works, and there they utilized the water as a power to carry on their mills, being the first to make use of it. They continued this enterprise many years, and he was successful in that as in other business affairs and became quite wealthy. He finally gave up active business and passed the remainder of his life on his farm, about two miles from Main street, on Union pike. He built the brick house which is now there, about the year 1861. He was married to Miss Martha Hawkins, a native of South Carolina, but a resident of this state since her sixth year. She survived her husband ten years and died in her seventy-eighth year, he dying at the age of seventy-eight years. Their married life extended over a period of more than fifty years, -an unusual event. Eli Brown was the first city treasurer of Richmond, and built the second house that was put up after the town was laid out. He was an early member of the orthodox Friends' church, and was a man of excel- lent reputation and unsullied character. A large family of children was born to them, all of whom grew up to be industrious, useful citizens, as follows: Elam succeeded his father in the store, but later, in company with his brother Alfred, went to Bethlehem, Hamilton county, where they were in business several years, but both returned to their native town, where Elam was deputy treasurer of the county for years, and died at the advanced age of seventy- five years; Anna married Elihu Morrow, and lived in Richmond until her death, at the age of seventy years; Alfred died when sixty-six years old, hav- ing lived in Richmond for many years; Jane, who married Hoxie Kenyon. and lived at Westfield, this state, was fifty years of age at the time of her death; Oliver was a druggist at Westfield, and also died at the age of fifty years; William is a harness-maker in Richmond; Amos was a brick-mason, and after leaving the army he moved to Kansas, where he died at the age of forty years; Franklin J. is represented in this sketch; and Joseph is employed in the plow factory in Richmond.
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Franklin J. Brown was reared to manhood in Richmond, where he attended the public schools and entered the office of the county clerk, as deputy to General Meredith. He was also deputy under Samuel Slagel, the successor of the General, for two years, when he enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-third Indiana Regiment, Company A, and served with his com- pany under Sherman. After his term of enlistment had expired he returned and resumed his duties as deputy clerk under Mr. Slagel until the death of that gentleman, when he turned his attention to agriculture. He took charge of the farm upon which his father had spent his declining years, and after his mother had passed away he purchased the property, which contains one hun- dred and fifty-six acres. He now rents this farm, as well as the one he owns in Howard county.
Mr. Brown is an earnest worker in the Republican party, and has served on the county committee for several years. He is generally to be found in all county, district, congressional and state conventions, and is a recognized leader in political circles.
CHARLES DOUTHIT.
By many speculative men farming is not regarded as a promising field for financial investment and commercial dealings. This is as good a field in which to turn money over as the average one of whatever kind. Success or failure will depend on how the investments are to be made and when and how they are to be closed out. Whether they will be managed wisely depends on the man who has them in hand. The man of whose successful career it will now be atttempted to present some account did well in this field, and that under conditions which were apparently overlooked by others.
Charles Douthit, son of John and Nancy (Connoway) Douthit, was born in Liberty township, Union county, Indiana, September 28, 1821. His father came out from Ohio, unmarried, and married Miss Connoway, in Lib- erty township. A few years afterward he returned with his family and died there in 1826. His widow, who was a sister of the father of J. W. Conno- way, lawyer, of Liberty township, returned, with her sons, to her father's home, where she kept her little family together, and where she died at the age of seventy-eight. Her sons were named Charles, Jacob and James.
Charles Douthit was a member of the family of his grandfather Conno- way until he was fifteen years old. He then began to work out by the month and continued to do so until he had saved enough money to buy a wagon. He then settled in Fayette county, Indiana, and worked rented land until he was about twenty-five years of age. On Febru- ary II, 1846, he married Miss Martha Elizabeth Showalter, sister of James Showalter, of Liberty, and a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania.
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She was born January 11, 1828, and had been brought to Brownsville by her parents when she was four years old. After his marriage Mr. Douthit bought land along the Whitewater river, on the hills and in the hollows of Liberty township. In this enterprise he was encouraged and had the financial help of Johnnie Harlan. At the end of the three years he sold the property and settled his account with Mr. Harlan, and then bought eighty acres in Shelby county, Indiana, for eight hundred dollars. He built a comfortable house and barn on this property, cultivated it profitably and, four years later, sold it for thirty-five dollars an acre. He next bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Fayette county, at thirty-five dollars an acre, and not many years afterward sold it at fifty-five dollars an acre. In 1866 he purchased his present home farm on the bluff, overlooking Brownsville and the White- · water valley. This farm originally contained two hundred and eighty-six acres. Mr. Douthit later bought on the east side of the river and gave one hundred acres of the farm on the bluff to his son, Charles Fremont. He has also given sixteen hundred and twenty-five dollars in cash to each of his remaining children.
Following is something of interest concerning the children of Charles and Martha Elizabeth (Showalter) Douthit. John died in infancy. Mary Frances married Mr. Grimes, of Anderson, Indiana. Nancy Jane died at the age of thirteen. Joseph died in infancy. Jaines, who was interested in a lumber-manufacturing enterprise, died of consumption soon after he attained his majority. Charles Fremont Douthit was born near Alquina, Fayette county, June 14 1863, and is engaged in mixed farming on one hundred acres of the original bluff farm given him by his father. He is a successful and pop- ular man and a leading local Republican. He has been sent a delegate to sev- eral important conventions and served his fellow citizens four years as town- ship trustee. During his service in this office the Brownsville high-school building was erected, and there was much other public business in which he was active and influential. He married, December 19, 1889, Miss Carrie May School, of Lyons Station, Fayette county, Indiana, and they have children named Maud, Bernice and Mildred. The family are members of the Luther- an church at Lyons Station. Huldah, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Douthit, married John Stevens, of Harrison township. Ephraim lives at Brownsville. William died in childhood. Martha Malvina married Horace Cross, who is connected with the New York Store at Indianapolis. Of the grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Douthit we give the following record: Besides Maud, Bernice and Mildred, children of Charles Fremont, there are thirteen others, named as follows: Pearl and Vera, children of Mary Frances (Douthit) Grimes, Cecil, Spencer Lewis, Guy, Ruby, Roy, Everett and Dessie, children of Huldah (Douthit) Stevens; Eunice and Vivian, children of Ephraim
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Douthit; and Eva (wife of Nathan Stanley) and Ray, children of Margaret Ann (Douthit) Conners. Mr. Douthit has always been most devoted to his family and he and his wife may be said to have lived almost wholly for their children, who would do credit to any family in the state and all of whom the parents have started in life most generously.
Mr. Douthit's brother, James, married first, Melissa Mills, and, second, Lucinda Abernathy, of Union county, and he lived and died in Shelby county, Indiana, leaving a large family. He was a carpenter and builder. Jacob, the older brother, married Nancy Grimes, and had several children. He also removed to Shelby county, where he died.
JOHN THOMPSON.
This highly respected citizen of Mount Carmel is from an honored pio- neer family and is closely connected with the development of the material interests of Franklin county. He was born in the vicinity of his present residence, June 9, 1822, reared on his father's farm and attended the old- time subscription school held in the typical log school-house in the country. His parents were James and Sarah (Ginn) Thompson, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Culpeper county, Virginia, who were inar- ried in Kentucky. The great-grandfather of our subject came from Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania, in which state he remained a resident until James, the father of our subject, was born.
The latter came to Cincinnati in 1813, and in 1816 moved to Franklin county, Indiana, where he brought a small tract of land, which he improved. Three years after his settlement here he married. Obtaining a good start he prospered and added to his landed estate. Later he changed his location and built a two-story brick house, in which John, our subject, still resides. He also erected a good barn and made many other improvements. Politically he was a Whig, but never aspired to office. He was, however, very public- spirited and full of enterprise, doing all he could for the construction of good roads and the improvement of the country generally. His wife, née Sarah Ginn, was the daughter of Lawrence Ginn, of Virginia, who located in Fayette county, when he improved a farm and finally died. He was a strong Jacksonian Democrat, and, like Jackson himself, had " no use" for a man who did not live up to his word. His parents came from England and were of the industrious class of English yeomanry. Their children were: Elizabeth, Mrs. Banthann; Mary, Mrs. Walingfort; Sarah, the mother of our subject; Phebe, Mrs. Warman; and Thomas, who served for a time as sheriff of Henry county and was a prominent citizen.
The children of Mr. Thompson, John's grandfather, were: Moses; Jane, Mrs. Colwell; John; James, the father of our subject; William, and Mary,
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who married John Hunter. James Thompson's children were: Mary J., Mrs. Myers; John, our subject; Phebe, Mrs. Hahnn; James, who died when aged fourteen; Sarah, who died when young; William, who now resides at Salt Lake City; and Lawrence, who died young. Their mother, who was a devout Methodist, died in September, 1871, and their father died October 5, 1840.
John Thompson, the subject proper of this sketch, remained at his parental home after his father's death, providing for his widowed mother during her life-time; then by the will of his father he received two-thirds of the homestead; later he purchased the remainder, and he has since greatly added to the extent and improved character of the place; and besides he owns lands in Iowa. He has a beautiful homestead and is accounted a prominent man in his section of the state. He has ever contributed his share toward the development of the locality in which he lives. In 1860 he engaged in merchandising at Mount Carmel, conducting a general store there for nine years, after which he sold out and paid especial attention to the breeding of Poland-China hogs, for which he found a ready market in many states of the Union, as well as at home. He exhibited at state and county fairs and usually was a formidable competitor, capturing the highest premiums. He is a stockholder in the turnpike company and one of the directors. In the matter of public education he has ever been an important factor; and to the advance- ment of all good causes in the Presbyterian church, he has liberally contrib- uted, although he is not a member of that body. Politically' he has voted the Democratic ticket, though never but once has he allowed himself to be a candidate for public office.
For his wife Mr. Thompson was united with Miss Mary W. Jenkins, of an honored pioneer family. She was born at Springfield, Ohio, December 9, 1827, a daughter of Crocker Jenkins, who was a pioneer there from Barn- stable, Massachusetts. He had come with his parents first to Cincinnati, in 1814, in which city his father died. The family afterward came to White- water township, Franklin county, this state, and entered land. Here he married and afterward went to Springfield, Ohio, to learn his trade, that of wagon-maker. Remaining four years there, he returned to Indiana, settling on the homestead, where he carried on farming and also the manufacture of wagons, plows and coffins; and there he spent the remainder of his life, dying October 7, 1866. His good wife died September 25, 1877. They were both members of the Universalist church. Their children were Crocker P., Oren, Lydia and Elisha. Crocker Jenkins' children were Lemuel; Almira, Mrs. Case; Mary W., the wife of our subject; Alfred, an attorney at Harrison; Samuel, a saddler now deceased; Salome, Mrs. Herron, a physician; and Elhanan, deceased. Our subject and his estimable wife are the parents of
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the following named children: Sarah Orpha, wife of L. Biddenger; Mary Viola, deceased at the age of twelve years; James C., residing at Jamaica, Iowa; William J., also a citizen of Iowa; and John A., a practicing physician of Cincinnati, Ohio. All these children received a good education and are worthy citizens.
ELISHA' BURK.
Elisha Burk, who resides on section II, Jennings township, Fayette ·county, Indiana, is one of the oldest citizens of the county as well as one of its earliest settlers. He is a native of the Buckeye state. He was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, January 29, 1810, and is of Irish origin, his grand- father Burk having been born in Ireland. Ulick Burk, his father, was a native of Baltimore county, Maryland, where he was reared and where he married Rachael Jones. In 1809 they emigrated to Hamilton county, Ohio, where he cleared and improved a farm, and where they passed the rest of their lives and died. He was a man of strong constitution and great industry and personally had charge of his farm until he was well advanced in years. He died at the age of eighty-five. His wife survived him a number of years, both passing away at the old homestead.
Elisha Burk is one of a family of eleven children, and is the only son and eldest of the three survivors, the other two being Mrs. Mary Swales, who resides in Dearborn county, Indiana, and Mrs. Rachael Lemon, of Alquina, Fayette county, Indiana. These three at this writing, 1899, are aged eighty-nine, eighty-seven and eighty-one years, respectively. The first of the family to come to Fayette county, Indiana, was John Burk, the eldest son of Ulick, and he settled in Jennings township, where he spent the rest of his life, and where he died in December, 1893. The second child, Nancy, spent her life in Ohio and never married. Stephen passed his life and died in Hamilton county, Ohio. Elisha was the next in order of birth. Then ·came Mary, and then another daughter, who died in infancy. Elizabeth remained unmarried, and spent her life and died in Ohio. Rachael, as already stated, lives in Jennings township, Fayette county. Susan died unmarried. Rebecca married and removed to Iowa, where she died, leaving a daughter who now has a large family. Ulick Burk, named for his father, went to Iowa, where he raised a company for service in the war of the Rebellion, of which company he was made captain. He was wounded in the service and contracted a disease, from the effects of which he died at his home in Iowa.
Elisha Burk, the immediate subject of this review, grew to manhood in his native state. At the age of thirty he was united in marriage to Anna Green. She was born in Maryland, in 1820, and went to Ohio with her parents, Benjamin and Nancy (Tibbett) Green. The ancestors of the
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Tibbett family came to this country from England in colonial times, and the writer of this article, as he obtained these facts from the venerable Elisha Burk, sat in a chair that Mrs. Burk's ancestors brought from England many years more than a century ago.
In the fall of 1843 Mr. Burk came to Fayette county, with his wife and their (then) only child, Sarah Ann. The latter grew to womanhood and married Thomas Jefferson Jarvis, and she died in Iowa, in November, 1896. Of Samuel Ross, Mr. Burk bought the fine farm which he still owns and on which he lives, and the brick house which was on the place at the time of purchase and in which he and his family lived for many years, is still stand- ing, though a modern and attractive residence was built some years ago. On this farm nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Burk, five of whom are still living, -one son and four daughters. They are Nancy Elizabeth, Mary Josephine, Eliza Jane, Lewis Cass, and Martha Frances. Those deceased were A. Douglas, Charles Edmund and two infants. The wife and mother, Mrs. Anna Burk, died February 28, 1888. Their marriage was solemnized January 7, 1841, and thus their married life covered forty-seven years.
Mr. Burk inherited from his ancestors a strong constitution. He has been active and energetic all his life, and although he has reached the remark- able age of ninety years his mind is still clear and his physical health, except for some trouble from rheumatism, is good.
On reaching his majority, Mr. Burk cast his first presidential vote for Andrew Jackson, in 1832, and .since then he has supported the Democratic party. He is a member of the Christian church. In his pleasant home he is passing the evening of life, surrounded with comforts and happy in the enjoyment of warm friendships.
MRS. MARY APPLEGATE.
Mary (Wilson) Applegate, widow of the late John A. Applegate, of a prominent family of Franklin county, is the primary subject of this sketch.
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