USA > Indiana > Putnam County > Biographical and historical record of Putnam County, Indiana > Part 32
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1865; Alfred, deceased, born February 19, 1867: Mary, born February 19, 1870, died March 31. 1870. Mrs. Pickel died November 14. 1970. June 14. 1871, Mr. Pickel was married to Miss Sophia J. Me Ferrin, daughter of Richard and Mary MeFerrin, who was born in Montgomery County, Indiana. Octo- ber 30, 1845. To this union two children were born- -- John A., born May 5, 1872, and Lina M., born May 5. 1875. George W. married Matilda C. daughter of Eli and Mary Anderson, and they have one child- Nellie: Marens A. married Rose H., dangh- ter of Willis and Nancy Dawson, and they have one child Glenn; Susan M. married James W., son of David Il. and Mary Hillis. and they have one child -- Fred P. Mr. Piekel's early education was limited, having attended school only sixteen months in his life. The school was held in an old log school-house, with clapboard roof, puncheon floor, no glass in windows, slab seats and slab writing-desks. He worked as far as long division. in Smiley's old arithmetic. In his boyhood days, after coming to Indiana. Mr. Pickel worked for a man named John- son, near Brick Chapel. this county, with the understandling that he was to ocenpy his evenings in study; and it was due to this training, in a large degree, that Mr. Pickel is able to carry on his largely increasing business. He has one of the largest Inumber yards and mills in the county, and ships, an- nually, over 100 carloads of hard lumber. When the civil war broke ont, Mr. Pickel esponsed the Union cause, and in 1862 he enlisted in Company B, Fifty-fourth Indiana Infantry, serving fifteen months. He was in the battles of Haines' Bluff, Mississippi, and Arkansas Post, Arkansas. Ile was dis- charged December 8, 1563. by expiration of term of enlistment. In 1865 he re-enlisted,
II. PICKEL, a leading Inmber mer- chant of Carpentersville, came to Put- nam County when a young man and started in the lumber business, in which he is still engaged. He was born in Davidson County, North Carolina, October 10, 1830, son of George HI. and Susanna (Haines) Pickel, the former born in 1800 and the lat- ter in 1812. They had five children -- Alex- ander H., Alpha, Catherine, Marcus, and George A., deceased. The father of our sub- ject died about 1850. In 1851 his mother again married and had four more children. Mr. Pickel, our subject, was married Septem- ber 5, 1854, in North Carolina, to Mary C., danghter of George and Mary Knonse, who was born August 31, 1886. Her par- ents had seven children, she being the young- est. Mr. and Mrs. Pickel had five children George W., born July 8, 1860; Marens 1., born April 2, 1863; Susan M .. born April 27, : serving five months in the Eleventh Indiana
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged at Baltimore. Ile served as justice of the peace eight years, and town trustee three terms. Ile is a member of the Odd Fellows frater- nity, and has been deputy department grand master of his lodge. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for seven- teen years. In politics Mr. Pickel is a Re- publican, and has been from the organization of the party. munity. Our subject was reared to manhood in this county, and has been a life-long farmer, receiving a common school education. March 18. 1874, he was married to Miss Mary Wells, danghter of Joseph and Mary Wells, early settlers of Marion Township, having come from Preble County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Reat have had four children, two of whom are liv- ing --- Arthur L. and Amy I. He located on his present farm, section 33, Marion Town- ship, in 1874, and has been a resident there ever since. Ile owns 160 acres of excellent land. He is one of the trustees of the Method- AMES C. REAT, farmer and stock-raiser of Marion Township, was born in Picka- way County, Ohio, December 2, 1834, son of High and Margaret Reat. His father was a native of Frederick County, Maryland. and removed to Ohio in an early day. His mother was born in Berkeley County, Vir- ginia, and also emigrated to Ohio in an early ist Episcopal church at Mount Meridian, of which he is a member. In politics he is a Republican. Angust 9, 1862. he enlisted in Coles County, Illinois, in Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-third Ilinois Infantry, and subsequently became a member of Gien- eral Wilder's Mounted Infantry, with which brigade he remained until the war closed. day. Ilis maternal grandfather, Nicholas : He was honorably discharged July 5. 1865, Weitzel, was a Revolutionary soldier, and . at Springfield, Illinois. He participated in his father was a soldier in the war of 1812. the battles of Perryville.Chickamauga, Milton, Kenesaw Mountain, Dallas, siege of Atlanta, Selma and numerous others of minor im- portance. After the war he returned to his home in Putnam County, Indiana. In the fall of 1849 he came to this county with his parents, who settled on section 32, Marion Township, having purchased 280 acres of land. The father remained there until about 1563, in which year he removed to Greencastle, where he died in 1964. Ilis wife died in 1872. They were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are living --- John FOIIN S. MILLMAN, farmer, and dealer in furs, formerly latter, resides on sec- tion 26, Floyd Township, where he owns 242 acres of land. He was born in Cadiz, Harrison County, Ohio, April 10, 1822, a son of John and Barbara (Shelea) Millman, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion, August 15, 1862. and was assigned to Company G. Ninety-ninth Indi- ana Infantry, and served two years and ten months. He participated in many noted bat- N., of Kansas; George W., of Illinois; Eliza- beth J., wife of Philip Amerman, of Green- castle; Mary, wife of James Wells, of Greeneastle; James C., Robert L., living at Charleston, Illinois; Rev. Austin HI., pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Tusco- la, Illinois, and Charlotte, who is deceased. The father was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics a Repub- lican. He was widely and favorably known, and his death was a great loss to the com-
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tles, and at one time was under fire from the : George A. and Martha E. Fuqua, also pio- 6th of May until the last day of August. neers of this county, where she was born He was engaged in the battles at Savannah. . September 25, 1959. They have one child -- Vicksburg. Jackson, Lookont Mountain, Johnnie V. Mr. Wells purchased forty acres of land from his father, who died in 1591, lamented by all who knew him. Hle was a kind father and an indulgent husband. Will- iam A. is meeting with good success in farming, and is a promising young man. Postoffice, Greencastle. Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, and with Sherman on his famous march to the sea, and the battle of Goldsboro, being in every battle in which his regiment was engaged, as well as some when he was on detached Anty. After his discharge he returned to more peaceful pursuits, and has been quite successful in all his operations. He has probably purchased more furs than all the other dealers in the county. Mr. Millinan was married in Floyd Township. January 10. 1845, to Mary E. Lewis, who was born in 1520. They have had three children- - Tamar. Mont- gomery M. and George K., the latter being deceased. Montgomery is in business with his father, but pays special attention to buy- ing and shipping cattle. Mrs. Milhnan's mother, Charlotte (Bright) Lewis, was a na- tive of New Jersey, of English ancestry, and claimed to be a descendant of the famous navigator, Sir Francis Drake. In politics Mr. Millman is a Republican. He has lived in Floyd Township fifty years, and all his voting and working of roads has been done in this township. He has never missed an election except when he was in the army. 1
SUSAN M. JOHNSON was born in Tennessee in 1925, daughter of Elijah and Polly Yeates, who were born in Kentucky. Her father was born in 1793, and her mother in 17:5. She was married January 29. 1842. to Anderson Johnson, son of Thomas Johnson, of this conaty. Of their seven children six are living . William M., Albert W., Samuel E .. Charles Y .. Marion M. and Martha A. William M. married Mollie Ireland. a daughter of John Ireland, and they have five children -- Blanche, Nellie, Ella. Charles and Franklin. Charles married Anna Reeves, daughter of Stacy Reeves, and they have one child- - James Anderson. Ma- rion married Florence Thompson, and they live at Bridgeton. Parke County, this State. Martha married Walter, son of James Titus, and they have two children . Harry and Flora; they live in Petersburg. Virginia. Mr. Johnson died in 1559. He was killed by the cars at Cloverdale, and only lived five hours after the accident ocenrred. He was born in North Carolina. His parents had
T TILLIAM A. WELLS, farmer, resides on section 12, Madison Township, where he owns seventy-three acres of land. He was born on this farm October 18. 1861, son of Peter and Nicey Wells, Inine children who lived to the age of twenty- who were pioneers of Putnam County. The five years. The country was thinly settled parents reared twelve children, six of whom when Mr. and Mrs. Johnson settled here, but mother cooked the dinner for the men that are living. Our subject has been reared a there were no improvements. Mr. Johnson's farmer. Ile was married in this county in 1883 to Miss Eliza Enqua, daughter of : raised the first building in the now lovely
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
city of Greencastle. Mrs. Johnson has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church twenty-seven years. She owns 160 acres of land.
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ILLIAM PURSELL, one of the old- est living settlers residing in his locality, is a native of Bourbon County, Kentucky, where he was born July 1, 1815, son of Thomas and Melinda Pursell, natives of Virginia. His father was of Eng- lish descent, and a soldier in the Revolution- ary war, having settled in Kentucky previous to that war. In 1823 he removed with his family to Putnam County, Indiana, locating in Floyd. Township, where he passed the remainder of his days. His death occurred about the year 1827. He was the father of five children, two of whom are living --- William and Mary A. He was a public- spirited man, and ready to assist any enter- prise that would benefit the community. Politically he affiliated with the Democratic party. William, the subject of this sketch, was reared to manhood in this county, and has been a life-long farmer. He was married October 6, 1836, to Miss Zerelda Moss, dangh- ter of Israel Moss, an early settler of this county. To this nnion eight children have been born-Elizabeth, who married Reuben Arnold; Sallie A., who became the wife of James Arnold; Melinda M., now Mrs. Joseph C. Butler; Frances, wife of William Arnold; Charles, William; Lydia, who married Elijah Wilkinson, and Emma, wife of George Gowin. William Pursell located upon his present farm, which is situated in the western portion of Marion Township, about twenty-seven years ago, and has resided there ever since. He owns 183 acres of excellent land, all in a good state of cultivation. He is a self-made
man, having acquired his property by hard labor and good management. lle is a worthy and consistent member of the Christian church, of which he has served as deacon. Politically he is a Democrat, and has served creditably as school director. He was afflicted by the loss of his wife November 27, 1886. Among all the pioneers of Putnam County no one is more highly esteemed than is Mr. Pursell.
ANIEL M. REEL was born in Mont- gomery County, Ohio, October 25, 1825, and in June, 1826, his parents brought him to this county, where he was reared on a farm until he was fourteen years of age. John Reel, the father of Daniel, built a carding-machine and leased it to an Englishman, William Heaps, who operated it for two years. He carded wool and manu- factured cloth. He then sold it to William Neese. Daniel worked in the mill for some time. He was married November 28, 1844, to Miss Rachel A. McElroy, who was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1827. She was brought to Putnam County by her parents, where she was reared and educated. Her father, William McElroy, was born in America, but his parents were Irish. Her mother was born in Pennsylvania, and her parents were Pennsylvania Dutch. Mr. and Mrs. Reel have four children-Lawrence D., Daniel F., Mollie and Charles D. The deceased are -William, Francis, J. R., James and John A. Reelsville was platted by John Reel, the father of our subject, and was laid out by the county surveyor, William Shields, now deceased. Mr. Reels erected the first build- ing before it was laid out, and after that he built another dwelling and a store-house. The latter is now being used as a store by G. M.
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Foster. The next building was a house that has since been taken down and removed by Edward Iluffinan. Mr. John Reel was born in Virginia, and was partly raared in that State. Ile subsequently removed to Mont- gomery County, Ohio, where he was married, and lived there until he came to this county, June 14, 1826, with his wife and four chil- dren. He located on the east side of Walnut Fork of the Eel River, about a quarter of a mile east of Reelsville, but feeling that that side of the river was unhealthy, he built on the opposite side, on the same site where his son Daniel now lives, and the house he built is still standing and is used for a store-room by his son. In this house John Reel breathed his last, and he lies buried in the Reelsville cemetery, the land being donated by him. John and his brother, Henry Reel, now of Harrison County, Iowa, at one time built a keel-boat and loaded it with various supplies of meat, flour, meal and whisky, and started down the Ohio River, thence down the Mis- sissippi River, and up the Arkansas to Little Rock, where they sold their supplies aud also their boat. They bought a mule, which they loaded with guns and provisions, and started on their return trip for home on the Miami River, whence they had started. They came across the Wabash, near where Vincennes now is, and struck the Eel River near Bowl- ing Green, and coming up the stream they found James Athey, a white man, and stayed over night with him. He selected the site for a mill where Reelsville now is. It was in the fall of 1821, and they passed through this part of Putnam County, and in June, 1826, John Recl brought his family here. In November of the following year he built a log mill and commenced to grind corn about the middle of the month. He had one run of burrs, made of boulders, called " nigger heads," and these run the mill for abont ten
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years. He then built a frame mill. 50 x 54 feet. and three run of stone, which was swept away by a flood in August, 1975. At that time the mill was owned by Daniel Reel. John Reel was the father of eleven children, of whom four are living - Daniel, John A., Joseph HI. and Elizabeth. His wife was formerly Sarah Beason, who was born in South Carolina, and when a child, in 1808, emigrated to Montgomery County, Ohio, with her parents, where she was reared and married. She survived her husband two years. During the war of 1812 John rau away to join: the army. He carried his gun and swam the Miami River in order to ac- complish his purpose. The money that was paid him for his services was afterward used in Putnam County. He paid $75 of this money to buy a skillet that could now be purchased for 50 cents.
ATHARLES SUMNER BRIDGES, as- sistant cashier of the Central National Bank, of Greencastle, is the oldest of four children of William and Nannie F. (Dar- nall) Bridges, and was born at Morton, this county, November 9, 1862. When he was two years of age his parents removed to within two miles of Greencastle, settling on a farm; and in 1579 they became residents of Greencastle. During that year Charles en- tered Asbury University, graduating with the class of '83. Ile was then engaged in the live stock business with his father antil 1884, when he accepted the position of assistant cashier of the Central National Bank, at Greencastle. In 1885 he was chosen trustee of Greencastle Township, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of his father. Feb- ruary 10, 1886, he was married at Cisco, Illinois, to Miss Flora Manlove, daughter of
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
David Manlove (deceased) and Mrs. Margaret (Alexander) Hinson, of Cisco. She graduated at DePauw University with the class of '85. They have one son, born in March, 1887. Mr. Bridges is a member of the Universalist church of Greeneastle, and belongs to the College fraternity Phi Delta Theta. books with which to proseente his studies. Ile was married in Floyd Township, October 20, 1850, to Miss Ruhama, daughter of Mar- tin and Mary (Cartright) Wright, who was born in Liberty, Union County. Indiana, May 8, 1850. To this union were born twelve children, five of whom are now living- Ann Eliza, Catherine, Nelson 11., Al- bert P. and Lee O. Amanda E., Robert D., Florence, Malinda A. and Rosa Belle are OSIAS II. ROBINSON, M. D., of Floyd Township, was born in Washington Connty, Virginia, July 28, 1825, son of James Robinson, who was born in Virginia in 1799. and Lavinia (Hopkins) Robinson, a native of the same State. His parents re- moved to this county in 1831, when he was but six years old. They had eleven children -- Joanna (deceased), Abijah, Josias II., An- , which is now a thriving village. In 1558 deceased, and two children died in infancy. In 1851-52 Mr. Robinson attended the In- diana Central Medical College, which was the medical department of Asbury Univer- sity. In the fall of 1852 he began practice in Effingham County. Illinois, where he re- mained six years, being instrumental in lay- ing out the town of Mason in that county, derson M.,Cassandra, Clotilda (deceased), Juli- ana Evaline (deceased), Jane, Lawson (deceased) : he removed to his early home, exchanging property and practice with Dr. William and James. His father was a school-teacher by ; Mathews, and has since been a resident prac- occupation, and many good citizens of this ; tieing physician of Floyd Township, residing county received all the education they ever on section 27. where he carries on farming in acquired from him. He followed teaching / connection with his profession. In 1875 he until his death, which occurred in April, attended the Indiana Medical College, of In- dianapolis, where he graduated. . In 1858 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket as joint Representative of Effingham and Fay- 1847. The doctor was not - born with a silver spoon in his mouth." He went to school until he was ten years old, and after that, until he was fourteen years old, he ; ette counties, Illinois, which he declined. went to school in winter and worked at farm- . He also received a nomination for Represent- ing in the summer. He then worked : ative from the Republicans of Putnam Coun- ont as a farm hand, working for 85 a ; ty, which he did not accept. Politically he month until his twenty-third year- the last has always been a Jeffersonian Democrat, and on the breaking out of the civil war became a firm supporter of the Government. Dur- ing the war he was commissioned several times by Governor Morton to visit the army to aid the medical department. He was made a Mason in 1858, in Effingham County, and has filled every office in the lodge, with the exception of master. Religionsly he be- six years at the nursery business. The first three years he worked for Reuben Ragan, of Marion Township. this county, and the last three for Aaron Aldridge, of Indianapolis. During the time he was at Indianapolis he devoted all his spare time to the study of medicine, under the guidance and instruc. tion of Dr. William Mathews, of Floyd Township, who generously lent him the lieves in a common origin and des-
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tiny for the human family --. the Fatherhood i of good land. He was married May 1, 1834, of God and Brotherhood of Man," gen- to Lucy A. Hurst, a daughter of Jesse and erally known as Universalism. It is a ' Nancy Hurst, and to this union were born common acknowledgment that the doctor twelve children, nine of whom are living ---- has one of the most logical minds in , Sallie, wife of William McCammoek; Joel. Putnam County, and to-day stands in the front rank of its physicians. He is genial and courteous, and his door is ever open to friend and stranger alike, being hospitable and generous to a fault.
Nancy J .. wife of Samuel J. Bird; Bethena. wife of William II. Hicks; Orlena, wife of M. L. Buis; Martha, wife of William II. Reetor; Elizabeth, wife of J. K. Burgess; Mary, wife of Milo Skelton, and Lucy A .. wife of M. F. Dosett. The deceased are --- Cynthia, David HI. and George W. Mrs. Lucy A. Dobbs died July 13, 1875, aged sixty-three years, four months, and after a married life of forty-one years and two months. She joined the regular Baptist
FLUGII II. DOBBS, a pioneer of Putman County, was born in East Tennessee May 11, 1515, a son of Joel and Sarah Dobbs, natives also of Tennessee, of Scotch- : church at Mill Creek the fifth Sunday meet- Irish descent. His ancestors came to Amer- ica prior to the Revolutionary war. In the fall of 1829 Joel Dobbs came to Putnam acres of land in Marion Township, on section
ing in 1872. She was a kind and loving wife and mother, and an obliging neighbor. February 21, 1876. Mr. Dobbs married Cyn- County with his family and entered eighty . thia A. Skelton, daughter of John Skelton. In polities Mr. Dobbs is a Democrat. He 33. now owned by J. C. Reat. He first ; has served a short time as justice of the peace. He is a member of the regular Bap- tist church. dating his experience back to 1860, but was baptized on Sunday, May 16, 1886, by Eller J. Whitlock.
erected a callin, principally of becch poles, 16x18 feet, in which to shelter his family. He resided in this county bat a short time, removing to Mill Creek Township, Morgan Connty (now Putnam). In the fall of 1837 he went to Missouri, where he passed the remainder of his days. He had a large fam- ily of children. of whom the following are known to be living -- Hugh II .. Russell L., ! Bethina P., who married William H. Parker; Anderson E., Fidell HI., William, Archibald 1 .. , Orlena, Sallie, Melinda, Mary and Annie. Hle was twice married, and the nine first named were the children of his first wife. 1
Our subject was in his fifteenth year when ; to this county when William was three years he came to Putnam County, and here he was reared and was edneated in the pioneer schools of his time. Ile settled on the farm where he now lives on section 35, Marion Township, in 1856, and now owns 276 acres ; married to Miss Serena, daughter of Nelson
ILLIAM DILLS. teamster, resides on section 11. Madison Township, where he owns 155 acres of land, besides over 400 acres in other places. Ile was born in Shelby County, Ohio, Angust 19, 1840, son of John and Agnes (Moreland) Dills, natives of Kentucky. The father came of age. Hle reared six children, of whom two are living -Watson P. and Caroline. Will- iam was reared a farmer, and has always fol- lowed that occupation. In 1567 he was
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
and Millie Woods, natives of Kentucky. She was born in this county in 1846, her parents being early settlers of the county. They had six children, four of whom are living-Otho C., Walter S., Charles E., Laura (deceased), Alonzo and an infant. Mr. Dills is a Demo- crat in politics. He had eighty acres of land to start with in life, besides a little stock. He has been very successful, and is univer- sally respected.
TRTILLIAM F. BROWN, member of the firm of Maze & Brown. proprietors of the steam saw-mill at Cloverdale, was born in Garrard County, Kentucky, Au- gust 10. 1538, a son of Thomas L. and Eliza- beth (Burroughs) Brown. His father was born in Virginia in 1802 in Culpeper County, close to Culpeper Court-House, and went with his parents to Kentucky, where he was married, and where his parents died. He was reared on the farm. and removed to Put- nam County, settling in Greeneastle Town- ship, where he lived five years. He then removed to Washington Township, where he still resides. The mother died in Cloverdale Township in the fall of 1877. She was born in 1802, and was the mother of seven chil- dren, four of whom were boys. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. William F. came with his parents to this county when fifteen years of age, receiving a connnon school education. He was reared a farmer, and remained at home nuti! twenty- eight years of age, when he engaged in farm- ing for himself, in Tazewell County, Illinois, loeating there in 1863. In the fall of 1835 he returned to Putnam County and resumed farming in Washington Township. In 1873 he removed to Cloverdale Township, where he followed farming until 1882, then went to
Kansas and remained until the following spring. Later, he returned to this county and formed a partnership with David R. Maze and engaged in his present business --... sawing and dealing in hard-wood lumber, In politics Mr. Brown is a Democrat and has held local offices. He is a member of San- ders Lodge, No. 307, I. O. O. F., at Clover- dale. Ile was married November 24, 1861, to Mary Burroughs, born in Mercer County, Kentucky, June 24, 1843, and to this union three children were born -- Sarah E., Martha I. and JJohn W. Mrs. Brown died October 24, 1875, a worthy member of the Baptist church. Mr. Brown was again married, his second wife being Lovina J. Cristenbery, whom he married November 28, 1876. She was born in this county July 27, 1834, and died No- vember 29, 1882, in Kansas. She was a member of the Baptist church. Besides his mill property Mr. Brown owns village prop- erty. He became a member of the Baptist church in 1852. Hle commenced life for himself a poor man, and all he has he has earned by industry and good management.
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