USA > Indiana > Jay County > Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana : containing portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. > Part 56
USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana : containing portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. > Part 56
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HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.
Benjamin McArthur of Portland, and they are the parents of three children-George Duncan, John Bowman and Alice.
EORGE B. ROSS, who has been identi- tied with the interests of Jay County for many years, was born in Darke Connty, Ohio, October 10, 1827, a son of Nathaniel and Charlotte (Reed) Ross, natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively, the father of Irish and the mother of Scotch ancestry. They spent their last years in Ohio. The father was a farmer and preacher of the United Brethren church, and also a practicing physi- cian. He died after a life of great usefulness, about fifteen years ago, at the age of eighty- seven years, his wife having preceded him about twelve years. George B., our subject, grew to manhood in his native county, where he was reared to the avocatien of a farmer, receiving his education in the common schools of his neighborhood. He was married in Darke County in 1850, to Miss Christena Evans, a daughter of John and Penina (Wil- son) Evans. Mrs. Ross was born in the State of North Carolina, but reared from infancy in Ohio. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ross-Sophia M. married Cal- vin Hudson and died April 1, 1885, leaving a daughter named Ora; Sylvester L. lives in Pike Township; David died aged three years; Lydia is the wife of Christopher C. Wilkin- son, of Pike Township; Susannah, attending school; Ellen died aged five years; Mary died aged three years, and George F., a school boy. Mr. Ross continued to reside in his native county until 1851, when he came with his fam- ily to Jay County, Indiana, and the same year bought forty acres of land in Wayne Town- ship which he immediately began to improve. Being in poor circumstances he was unable
to go on with the improvements, and the fol- lowing year he returned to Ohio, where he remained until 1855. He then returned to Jay County, and for the next six years lived on section 29, Pike Township. He then re- moved to a tract of eighty acres of timber land on section 20, a little west of Bluff Point, clearing a space on which to erect a log cabin. Here he has since made his home
and by diligence and industrious habits he has succeeded well in his agricultural pur- suits. ITis home farm now contains 145 acres of choice land, 100 being cleared and under fine cultivation, a comfortable residence and good out-buildings, beside which he owns a tract of forty acres on section 9 of the same township. Mr. Ross recalls to mind the fact that he started to earn money for himself with an ax borrowed to earn money to buy one. He has done all in his power to give his children good educational advantages, counting nothing lost that contributes to that object. In politics he casts his suffrage with the Democratic party, He has served his township efficiently as magistrate for four years. Mr. and Mrs. Ross and their daugh- ters, Susannah and Lydia, are members of the Society of Friends. Sylvester Ross, the eld- est son, is a member of the Methodist church.
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HOMAS GRAY, retired farmer, was born in Harrison County, Ohio, May 30, 1806, his parents, Elijah and Mary (Moore) Gray, being natives of the State of Pennsylvania. He was reared on a frontier farın in his native county, receiving such edu- cation as the log cabin subscription schools of that early day afforded. When in his fourth year his father died. He remained with his mother until twelve years of age, then lived with the neighboring farmers a few years.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
At the age of sixteen years he was bound out to a tanner, serving an apprenticeship of five years. He was married in 1827 to Miss Catherine Lewis, a daughter of Thomas Lewis, and to them were born nine children as fol- lows-William S., living in Norton County, Kansas; Mary E., wife of Henry P. Ninde, who is deceased; Allicia O., deceased; Esther, deceased; Sarah C. has been twice married, her first husband being John Sumption, and her second being Robert Regester, both of whom are deceased; Thomas L .; Harvey, deceased; David, deceased; and Morgan L., deceased. The latter was a member of the Seventh Indiana Cavalry, in which he served three years, and died in the service of his country during the war. After his marriage Mr. Gray settled in Monroe County, Ohio, where he worked at his trade, that of a tanner, until 1848, when he sold out his business and immigrated to Jay County, Indiana. He purchased a tract of 160 acres of wild land on section 1, Penn Township, and for the third time in his life settled in a dense wilderness. He cleared liis land, which he brought under good cultivation, and there followed farm- ing until 1861, with the exception of about ten years, during which time he carried on a hotel at Camden, and also engaged in the manufacture of brooms. He and his wife have lived together for a period of sixty years, passing through all the trials and hardships of pioneer life, but have lived to enjoy the fruits of their years of toil, and are now sur- rounded with all the necessary comforts of life. Mrs. Gray is now in her eighty-sixth year, and for the past twenty years she has been afflicted with blindness. Both were reared in the faith of the Society of Friends. In politics Mr. Gray was in early life an old line Whig, and a member of the Anti-slavery party. He was an ardent worker in the cause of abolition. While lecturing throughout the
different parts of the country, a reward of $1,000 was offered by the pro-slavery party for him, dead or alive, yet he remained a fear- less advocate for down-trodden humanity. Many advised him to keep out of the State of West Virginia, where the reward had been offered. His answer was-iny business calls me there, if I die, there will many rise to take iny place. He was never known to shrink from that which he believed to be right. After the organization of the Republican party, he voted that ticket, and later affiliated with the Labor party.
OHN W. BARNELL, farmer, Richland Township, is a native of Indiana, born in Wayne County December 27, 1845, a son of William and Margaret Ann (Jordan) Barnell. When an infant he was taken by his parents to Delaware County, Indiana, where he was reared to manhood. His mother died in 1863, and his father is now making his home in Jay County. On attaining the age of twenty-three years our subject left Delaware for Jay County, where he remained three or four years. He then removed to Randolph County, and two years later to Adams County. He remained in Adams County three years, when he returned to Jay County and settled on his present farm on section 26, Richland Township. He has since lived in Blackford and Rush counties, returning to his farm in Richland Township in the spring of 1885, where he has since followed agricultural pursuits. Mr. Barnell enlisted in the war of the Rebellion February 8, 1864, and was assigned to Company K, Nineteenth Indiana Infantry, joining his regiment at Selma, Indiana. The first eu- gagement in which he participated with his regiment was at the battle of the Wilderness.
530
HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.
He went with his regiment to Petersburg, and was in all the engagements which re- sulted in the capture of Petersburg, fall of Richmond and the surrender of General Lee at Appomattax. He then went to Washing- ton, D. C., and with his regiment participated in the grand review of Sherman's army at the close of the war. He received an honorable discharge at Indianapolis, July 17, 1865. IIe is now a member of the Grand Army Post at Redkey, of which he is junior vice-command- er. Mr. Barnell was married April 22, 1869, to Miss Harriet J. Sivee, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of John and Mary Sivee. To them have been born five children-Emily, Minnie, Orville, Mary Margaret and one who died in infancy. Mr. Barnell is a member of the Methodist church, and a trustec of the church at Redkey. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party.
OSIAHI V. JONES, farmer and stock- raiser, is a native of Indiana, born in Wayne County, April 15, 1828. His father, John D. Jones, was born in York County, Pennsylvania, May 27, 1793, a son of Morgan and Hannah (Davis) Jones, the former born February 13, 1761, in Pennsyl- vania, of Welsh descent, and the latter born February 25, 1767. The father of our sub- ject was reared on a farm, and made farming the principal avocation of his life. IIe was married in 1817, to Miss Lydia Vore, who was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1797, a daughter of Jesse and Lydia (Cadwallader) Vore, who were also natives of Pennsylvania, and of German and English ancestry. Ten children were born to them, five of whom still survive-Mahlon, Josiah V. (our subject), Edmund D., Lydia E. (wife of William McFarland), and Hiram G. Isaac,
Hannah D., Ruthanna, Jesse and Louisa are deceased. In 1823 the parents removed with their family to Clinton County, Ohio, and in the fall of 1824 came to Indiana and pur- chased forty acres of land three miles from Richmond, in Wayne County, which the father cleared and improved. He subsequently pur- chased another tract with a saw-mill on it, and in connection with farming he was en- gaged in the manufacture of lumber until 1836, when he sold out and lived on a rented farm for one year. In June, 1837, he came to Jay County, which was then an alınost unbroken wilderness, they being the first family to settle in Camden. Here he entered 200 acres of Government land on sections 27 and 28, Penn Township, but before settling on his land he opened a public house which lie carried on for two years. He then began clearing and improving his land on which he resided one year, when he returned to Cam- den, and for two years was in the butcher's trade. He then returned to his farm, where he died January 13, 1876. His wife died February 12, 1870. Both were members of the Society of Friends. In politics he was formerly a Free-Soiler, and later affiliated with the Republican party. Josialı V. Jones, whose name heads this sketch, was nine years old when brought by his parents to Jay County, and here he grew to manhood amid the scenes and incidents of pioneer life. His youth was spent in assisting his father clear and improve their frontier farm, and in at- tending the log cabin subscription schools of his neighborhood. He completed his educa- tion at Richmond, Indiana, and when twenty- two years of age began teaching school, which he followed during the winter terms, farming in the summer months, for twelve years. He was married March 19, 1857, to Miss Elmira Beedy, born in Portage County, Ohio, a daugliter of Abraham and Hannalı (Ward)
531
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Beedy, the former being a native of New Hampshire, and the latter of South Carolina, and of English descent. Her mother died when she was a child, and a year later her father removed to Portage County, and sub- sequently to Columbiana County, Ohio, where she was reared, and where her father died a year and a half after coming to the county. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones three are deceased-Alonzo B., Will- iam W. and Florence N. Those yet living are-John D., Ida E., Josialı Wilber, Olive L. and Chiarles E. After liis marriage Mr. Jones settled on a tract of forty acres of par- tially improved land on section 27, Penn Township, where he resided nine years, con- verting his land into a well cultivated farm. In 1866 he went to Wayne County,and for nine years was engaged in the woolen-mill, when he returned to his farm in Jay County, where he has since followed agricultural pursuits. By industry and good management he has added to his farm until he has now 100 acres of well improved land, which he has brought under a high state of cultivation. In politics he casts his suffrage with the Republican party. In 1876 he was elected to the office of township trustee, and was re-elected in 1878, serving two terms with honor to him- self and satisfaction to his constituents. IIe is an active worker in the cause of temper- ance, and he and his wife are members of the Society of Friends.
ILLIAM GRIEST, deputy treasurer of Jay County, Indiana, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in York Coun- ty, June 5, 1846. His father, John Griest, was also born in York County, June 26, 1806, and was a son of Jolin Griest, who was a na- tive of Adams County, Pennsylvania, and a
grandson of Daniel Griest, a native of Wil- mington, Delaware, and great-great-grandson of John Griest, who came from England to America in 1713. Jolin Griest, the father of our subject, was reared a farmer, receiving his education in the early subscription schools. In early life lie taught school, but when sixteen years old he was apprenticed to his uncle in a carding-mill and served five years, after which he worked at his trade until 1832, when, on account of the repeal of the tariff on woolen goods, he gave up his business and engaged in farming in his native State until 1850, when he moved to Indiana, and bought an unimproved tract of land on section 15, Penn Township, Jay County, which he cleared and improved and made his home until his death, which occurred June 29, 1874. He was married in 1833 to Hannalı Edmunson, daughter of Thomas Edmunson. She was born in York County, Pennsylvania, in 1837, and died September 17, 1873. They had a family of eleven children, all of whom lived to maturity and eight are still living- Miriam is the wife of Dr. Waldon, of Wells County; Rebecca is the wife of Benjamin Hopkins, of Winchester, Indiana; Maria, widow of John P. Moore; Lewis died in 1852, aged sixteen years; Eliza, wife of William Eberly, of Balbec; Emily died De- cember 18, 1862, aged twenty years; John, of Nemala County, Kansas; William; Amanda, wife of Lewis Meredetli, of Nemaha County, Kansas; Leander died in March, 1872, aged twenty-one years, and Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. John Griest were members of the Society of Friends, by birthright, their ancestors having been Friends for several generations. William Griest was four years old when his parents moved to Jay County, and here he was reared and educated, spend- ing his youth on his father's farm. In 1866 he began teaching, which he continued dur-
532
HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.
ing the winter for twenty years. In 1878 he was elected magistrate, and was re-elected in 1882, serving until 1886, when he was ap- pointed deputy treasurer of Jay County. He is one of the prominent young men of Jay County, where he has passed his life and has been an active worker in political and social circles. He is an ardent supporter of the principles of the Republican party. He is a member of the Society of Friends. He was married September 3, 1874, to Frances Brown, a native of Brookville, Indiana.
J. CRAIG, county commissioner of Jay County, one of the leading busi- ness men of Bryant, is a native of Ohio, born in Mercer Connty, October 1, 1852, a son of H. J. and Alpha (Baker) Craig, natives of Darke County, Ohio, the father of Scotch and Welsh ancestry. The Craig family came to Ohio in 1839 and were among the early settlers of Mercer County. L. J. Craig was reared to manhood in Mercer County, and received his education in the schools of that county. At the age of seven- teen years he commenced to work for the Royer Wheel Company, where he was em- ployed for four years. When twenty-one years old he entered the employ of the firm of S. H. Adams & Company, as a common laborer, but by strict attention to his business, and always having the interests of the com- pany at heart, he was rapidly promoted until he held'a responsible position, which he filled with credit to himself and to the entire satis- faction of the company. After being in their employ but a short time he located at Bryant, to take charge of their extensive business at that point. He is now extensively engaged in dealing in hardwood lumber and ties, and is also contractor for gas and oil wells. He
is still making his home in Bryant, where he has a good house and valuable farm property. Mr. Craig was married July 4, 1878, to Miss L. J. Elberson, who was born and reared in Hancock County, Ohio, a daughter of S. C. Elberson. Four children have been born to this union-Frank, Ada, Grover C. and an infant son. In politics Mr. Craig casts his suffrage with the Democratic party. He was appointed to the office of county commis- sioner in January, 1883, and in November, 1884, he was elected on the Democratic ticket to the same office, for a term of three years, and is serving to the best interests of the county. He has taken an active part in the improvement of the county, and has been instrumental in having built some of the best pikes in Jay County, to be found in the State of Indiana. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, belonging to Lodge No. 88, of Portland.
EV. ELISHA E. BARRETT was born in Southampton County, Virginia, near the city of Jerusalem, November 21, 1799. December 1, 1822, he was married to Miss Mary Barden, of Hartford County, North Carolina, and removed to Hartford County immediately after his marriage. From there he removed in 1827 to Salem, Ohio, and from there, in 1837, to Indiana, locating near Winchester, and in 1860 removed to Illinois, locating upon a farm three-quarters of a mile west of Butler, where he resided until liis death. Mr. Barrett made a public profession of religion in Gates County, Virginia, when about eighteen years of age, and united with the Methodist Episcopal church. In South- ampton County, Virginia, in 1818, he was licensed to preach the gospel, and in Ohio, about seven years afterward, received ordina-
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L. D. Gray
535
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
tion. He preached four years in George- town, Ohio, building up there a strong church. He preached also in Williamsport, Ohio, in Portland, Jay Connty, in Fairview, Randolph County, and in various places in Indiana. In Portland he organized a church with about seventy members. He frequently preached in Butler and vicinity after his re- moval to Illinois, but was not regularly en- gaged in ministerial work. As he traveled in his ministerial work in Indiana on horse- back, when the country was thinly settled, lie sometimes carried corn in his saddle bags on account of the uncertainty of finding feed for his horse. In Williamsport, Ohio, lie spent several years in cabinet work. In 1864 Mr. Barrett was elected to the State Legislature of Illinois for two years, to repre- sent the counties of Montgomery and Chris- tian. Of eleven children not one survives --- Mrs. Mary W. Barrett, wife of Elisha E. Barrett, died June 8, 1880, aged seventy-six years and nine months. Rev. Elisha E. Bar- rett died March 9, 1886, aged eighty-six years, three months and eighteen days. His life illustrated the principles of the religion which he professed. He himself selected as tlie text for his funeral discourse the trium- phant words of the Apostle Paul, " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faitlı," etc.
OHN MOWREY, of the firm of Martin & Mowrey, manufacturers of bending timber and general hard-wood lumber, was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, September 17, 1851. When he was eighteen years of age he came to Clarke County, Ohio, where he was engaged in farmning fifteen years, and in 1882, came to New Corydon, this county. His parents were George and
Susanna (Leedy) Mowrey, natives of Penn- sylvania. The father was born in 1818, in Pennsylvania, and is living in Franklin County, that State; he is a fariner by occupa- tion. The mother was born in 1820, and died in the winter of 1887. Our subject was married April 14, 1874, to Miss Delana Howser, who was born in Jay County, daughter of George Howser; her parents are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Mowrey have two children-Jennie R. and Ada B. The mill of which Mr. Mowrey is part proprietor, was bought at Salem, Ohio, by a inan named John Carter, who removed it to Camden, Indiana, and operated it twelve or thirteen years. It was then purchased by David F. Hoover and Albert Grisell, who moved it to New Cory- don in September, 1885, and operated it un- til purchased by Martin & Mowrey, in December 1, 1886.
LEXANDER RAYN, farmer, section 5, Bear Creek Township, has been a resi- dent of Jay County since 1852. He was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, Novem- ber 13, 1842, son of William Rayn. He came to this connty with his parents when ten years old, the family locating on the farm where he now resides. His youth was passed in assisting at farm work and in attending the common schools. His education was completed at Liber College. When twenty- one years of age he engaged in teaching school and taught several years, being very successful. During the war of the Rebellion, he enlisted, May 2, 1864, in Company E, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Indiana Infantry, serving until November of that year, and was honorably discharged. He was married Au- gust 18, 1867, to Miss Caroline Mendenhall, of Darke County, Ohio, and to this union
536
HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.
were born five children, three of whom are living-Otis, Myrtle and Clarence. Mrs. Rayn died May 30, 1878, and October 14, 1883, Mr. Rayn was married to Alice Huey, of Bear Creek Township, daughter of Peter Huey. Mr. Rayn owns 191 acres of well improved land, a comfortable house, and one of the best barns in Jay County, which was built in 1886, size 46 x 82, basement story nine feet and upper story eighteen feet. In politics Mr. Rayn was reared a Republican, but is now a Democrat. Both himself and wife are highly respected members of society.
OHN V. ARMSTRONG, farmer, section 15, Madison Township, was born in Franklin Towuship, Licking Connty, Ohio, August 16, 1817. He remained in his native county until 1853, then removed to Franklin County, same State. In 1865 he came to this county, settling on his present farm, which had been partially improved. There was an old log cabin on the place, and fourteen acres had been cleared. He lived in this cabin until 1874, when he built his pres- ent commodious frame honse. He was mar- ried March 8, 1840, to Miss Leanna Trout, who was born March 25, 1820, in the same township as her husband. She was reared in Madison Township, same county, and lived there until her marriage. Her father, Henry B. Trout, was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, January 11, 1791, where he passed his younger days, and where he was married in April, 1815, to Phobe Quick. He served two months in the war of 1812. One year after his marriage he removed to Licking County, Ohio, locating in Franklin Town- ship, in the wilderness, but needing more land he moved to Madison Township and made a farm, where he died August 17,
1867. He was a blacksmith by trade and fol- lowed it until he removed to Ohio; after that he followed farming until his death. The mother was also born in Shenandoah County, December 13, 1798, and died October 30, 1877. Both were members of the Protestant Methodist church. They were the parents of twelve children -- Andrew J., George W., Leanna, Emeline, Margaret, Naomi, Derilus, Hannibal, Ruth, John, Phœbe A., and Lo- rinda. All grew to maturity and were heads of families before the first one died. Andrew, George and Emeline are deceased. Mr. Arm- strong, the subject of this sketch, was a son of George and Alice (Vance) Armstrong. The father was born in Redstone, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, January 12, 1791, and when nineteen years of age, removed with his parents to Licking County, Ohio, on the Big Bowling Green River, where they lived five years. They then moved to Franklin Township, same county, where his father, George Armstrong, died April 7, 1840, aged seventy-nine years. He was born in Balti- more County, Maryland. His wife, Elizabeth (Graham) Armstrong, was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, and died in 1850, at the age of eighty-nine years. George lived with his mother until her decease. He was mar- ried August 16, 1816, and removed to Frank- lin County in 1854, where he died February 18, 1863. He served three months in the war of 1812. The mother of our subject was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, in April, 1795, where she grew to woman- hood. She then went to Licking County, Ohio, where she was married, and where she died in January, 1878. They were the par- ents of ten children-John V., George, Eliza, Samuel, Mary, Abraham, Job, Charles H., Joshua and Lucinda. George, Job and Mary are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. John V. Armstrong have had seven children, four of
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
whom are living-Virginia, born February 8, 1841, married Frederick V. Trafzer; John C., born July 17, 1843, married Celian Ort- inan, and after her death Aseneth Money; Olive M., born February 6, 1846, married Hugh W. Mclaughlin; Alice P., born Au- gust 9, 1848, died August 12, 1850; Henry T., born January 12, 1852, died November 21, 1874; George W., born September 9, 1853,. died September 7, 1873; Orlena Isa- bella, born August 12, 1859, married Milton Gillruth Lotz. Mr. Armstrong's grandfather, Jolin Vance, was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he was reared and married. After his marriage he lived there several years, then removed to Licking County, Ohio, where he died in 1837, aged sixty years. His grandmother, Mary (English) Vance, was also born in Shenandoah County, and died in 1825, upon the same farm where her hushand died. Both are buried at Newark, Ohio. Mrs. Armstrong's paternal grandparents, Volantine and Margaret (Painter) Trout, were born in Germany, emigrated to Amer- ica, and located in Shenandoalı County, Vir- ginia, where the grandmother died. Her maternal grandfather, Tunis Quick, was born in England and came to America when a young man, settling in Botetourt County, Virginia, married, and died in Shenandoah County. Her grandmother, Ruth (Garl) Quick, was born in Holland, came to America with her parents who settled in Botetourt County, Virginia. Both died of "Cold Plague " within eight hours after being taken sick, and were buried in one grave.
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