USA > Indiana > Putnam County > Biographical and historical record of Putnam County, Indiana > Part 38
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Bowen, of Marion Township. Six of their seven children are living - - Henry W., Sel- don L .. Benjamin F., Oliver P., Theodore C. and Frederick W. He settled in his present home in 1876, where he has 350 aeres of land. Ile is a Republican in politics, and has held the office of constable two years. and was justice of the peace nine years. He also served as trustee of Jefferson Township two years. Both himself and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. His entire attention is devoted to farming and stock-raising, in which he has been very suc- cessful. Mr. Vaughan's parents came to Putnam County in 1864, and now reside at Mount Meridian.
STESA O. FORDICE, of Russell Town- ship, was born in Morgan County, Ohio, town of Bristol, February 17, 1816, son of William and Ruema Fordice, natives of Scotland. the former born about 1740, and the latter about 1755. They had rine children, seven of whom are living. . One sister is in Lawrence County, Ohio, and the others reside in this State. Asa was married in 1555 to Mary V. Chambers, daughter of George W. and Nancy Chambers, who was born in 1822. ller parents were natives of Kentucky, and had five children, three of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Fordice have seven children-Charles, Sarah A., Clara, Ella, Anna, Emma and Morton. Clara married Willis Blackly, and their children are -- Ray and Ralph. Alice married Robert Ashby, and they have four children -- Thomp- son, Frederic, Wallace and Sena. Mr. For- dice had very limited advantages for an education; could only attend school during the unpleasant weather. being obliged to work during the pleasant weather. Hle owns
700 acres of land. and has made all his property by his own exertion. He com- menced for himself without a dollar. Both himself and wife are members of the Presby- terian elmurel.
T& EWIS M. BUIS, a pioneer of Putnam County, was born in this county, May 15, 1533, a son of Caleb and Margaret Buis, who were among the first settlers of the county. His father was a native of Vir- ginia, and from there removed to Tennessee, thence to this county, locating in Warren Township. He subsequently settled in Jef- ferson Township, where he died November 18, 1870. His mother died in 1954. Of their large family of children. only six sur- vive- William R., Dr. G., of Wayne County; Lewis M., Caleb F., Levi, of Clay County, Illinois, and Jane, wife of G. Prichard, of Owen County. Caleb Buis was a promi- nent man, and assisted in every worthy en- terprise. None knew him but to respect him. Himself and wife were members of the Regular Baptist church. He entered land in Jefferson Township, and like all pio- neers, endured hardships and privations. Lewis M. Buis was reared to manhood in his native county, and received a limited educa- tion in the common schools of his time. He has always been a farmer, and has done a great deal of pioneer work. He was married October 13, 1854, to Rebecca Wallace, daughter of Enoch and Winnie Wallace, who were natives of Tennessee and early settlers of Putnam County. Of their eleven chil- dren, nine are living-Albert E., James G., Alonzo, Reason, Lawrence, Florence, Orpha O. and Pearl M. Mr. Buis owns 212 aeres of good land, and has been a very success- ful agriculturist. One of his aunts, Mrs.
Esco. W. Trubb
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Mary Nosler, of Clay County, is said to have been the first lady married in Jefferson Township.
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LLEN BUTCHIER resides in Clinton Township, where she owns a farm of fifty acres. From this farm she has made a support for herself and family of four children for the past twenty years. She has had six children -- Columnbes and Richard, deceased; Amelia, Tra. Amanda and Milton C. Amelia married P. Shunkwiler, son of Daniel and Ruth Shunkwiler, and has one child- - Pearl. Mrs. Butcher's husband, El- ! enteen years; Minnie is also deceased. Po- sepns Buteher, died April 1, 1867. He was ; litically Mr. Grubb is a Republican. He is a farmer by occupation, and resided on the : a member of Putnam Lodge, No. 45. I. O. farm at the time of his decease. Ile was a : G. T., at Greencastle.
devoted husband, a kind and affectionate father, and a zealous member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. The three umnar- ried children are living at home. taking care of their aged mother. Mrs. Butcher and all of her children are members of the Method- ist Episcopal church.
tucky. He participated in the battle of Uniontown, where he was taken prisoner, but was paroled and sent to Indianapolis, where, at the expiration of his term of service, he was discharged. Ile engaged in the lumber trade at Greencastle in 1877, and associated J. C. Ratliff with him under the firm name of Ratliff & Grubb. In 1885 they mutually dissolved the partnership, and Mr. Grubb continued the business alone. March 12, 1862, he was married in Madison Township to Miss Mary E. Perkins, and they have four living children -- Henry II., Otis, Myrtie and Stella; Frances Ann died at the age of two years; Oliver died April 25, 1856. agui ser-
ANIEL L. HENRY, the leading ice dealer of Greeneastle. residing on see- tion 8, Greencastle Township, was born in East Tennessee November 11. 1832. Ilis father. John Henry, was born in Virginia. and of German ancestry. His mother was born in Tennessee, and of English descent. In 1535 he came to Indiana with his parents. who settled near Bloomington, and remained there until 1848, then removed to Putnam
EORGE W. GRUBB. dealer in lumber. 1 lath, shingles, etc., at Greencastle, was born in Madison Township, this county, January 2, 1812. second son of the ten chil- . County, where the father died, and where the dren of Joseph and Aun (Crieks) Grubb, "mother now resides. Daniel L. followed who came to this county in 1837. He was farming and milling until 1573, since which time he has been engaged in the ice trade, putting up from 1,500 to 2,500 tons per annum. He is meeting with good success. Mrs. Henry was formerly Sarah E. Reeves, daughter of John and Eliza Reeves, early residents of this county. They have had twelve children, ten living --- Margaret, wife reared a farmer in his native county, and educated in the district schools. Upon leav- ing the farm, at the age of nineteen years, he engaged in saw-milling in Putnam and Parke counties until 1886. In 1964 he en- listed in the Union service as a private in Company I. Seventy-eighth Indiana Infantry, to serve sixty days, and was on duty in Ken- : of J. S. Morris, of Kentucky; Martha, wife
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
of J. M. Hillis, of this county; Mary, now Mrs. 1. W. Wheeler, of Kansas; Ollie, who became the wife of George W. Clark, of Clay County, this State; Anna, wife of Robert Scobee, of this county: Emma, Nellie, Jessie, Jasper and Daniel T. The deceased are Ida and one that died in infancy. Mr. Henry has served as supervisor and as school director. His father was a soldier in the late war, and died from wounds received at Uniontown, Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Henry are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in polities he is a Republican. Ile has a younger sister, who married John W. Urp, who is engaged in the banking business.
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August 19, 1855, died October 29, 1884; Mary R., born March 15, 1857, and Julia D., born January 1, 1860, married M. M. Hart and resides at Indianapolis. Mrs. Foster died March 18, 1862, and November 23, of that year, Mr. Foster was married to Amanda K. East, born in Monroe County, this State, June 18, 1845. To this union have been born three children-Effie M., born February 15, 1564; Eugenia B., born February 24, 1868, and Roland A., Forn January 24, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Foster are members of the Christian church, of which he has been dea- eon about fifteen years. Effie M. is a music teacher, and Engenia is assistant postmaster. The father of Mr. Foster was a soldier in the war of 1812. The father of Mrs. Foster, Bailey East, was born in Kentucky, and settled in Monroe County, this State, in 1530. He was His wife, Mary (Berry) East, was also born in Kentucky, and now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Foster. She has had nine children, seven daughters and two sons.
PARAVEN T. FOSTER, merchant and postmaster, Cloverdale, was born in ! a Baptist preacher, and died in the army. Lawrence County, Indiana, February 25, 1828, son of Stummel Foster, a native of Winchester, Virginia, who located in Law- rence County in an early day, and afterward removed to Jackson County, Indiana. The father died in 1872, aged eighty-one years. The mother, Mary Craig Foster, was also a native of Virginia, and was married in that RICHAEL M. HURST, a son of Jack- son Hurst, resides on section 1, Jef- ferson Township, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was born in Putnam County, April 8, 1845, where he was reared and educated. lle spent fifteen years in the mercantile business, and was engaged in raising stock at the same time. October 29, 1863, he was married to Miss Cynthia Dobbs, daughter of II. HI. Dobbs, of this county, and they have had one child -- Louisa J., wife of Chandler B. Hill, of Marion Township. Mrs. Hurst died May 15, 1870, and February 26, 1876, he married Miss Matilda Parker, danghter of William State. The parents had six children, all of whom were boys, and all but one are living. They were members of the Missionary Bap- tist church. Our subject was reared on a farm in his native county, and received a common-school education. Ile came to this county in 1855, where he engaged in the mercantile business. Ile was appointed postmaster in June, 1885. an office he now holds. He has been a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity thirty years. September 26, 1852, he was married to Julia A. East, born in Monroe County, Indiana, November 29. 1833, and they had four children-Homer T., born Angust 31, 1853; Alva C., born | HI. Parker, now deceased. To this union six
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
children have been born, five of whom are : Hezekiah IL .. born October 11, 1829; Isaac living -- Elmer E .. Magdola, Arthur R., , S., born April 8, 1831: Mary C., born Jan- Lottie R. and Courtland C. Mr. Hurst ; nary 25, 1833, now deceased; JJames S .. born owns 163 acres of as gard land as can be . December 9, 1934, died January 5, 1886; found in his township, and has been a suc_ cessful farmer. He built his present fine residence in 1885. IIe is a Democrat in politics, and has served as justice of the peace four years. Religiously he belongs to the Regular Baptist church.
JOHN S. PERRY, deceased, was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, October 11. 1807. His father. Sylvester Perry, was born in Vermont, September 27, 1773, and died February 4, 1s 21. He was a member of the famous Boston tea-party. He was married in Kentucky in 1806, to Elizabeth Stewart, and they had nine children, three of whom were boys. The father had been previously married, and by this marriage had two children. He died February 4, 1821, and Mrs. Perry died June 24, 1523. Mr. Perry was a potter by trade, having served an apprenticeship of five years and three months. The family located in Floyd County, this State, about 1510. and the father served as sheriff of that county. John S. was married in Floyd County, November 13, 1528, to Sarah Swarts, who was born in Clark County, Indiana, July 6, 1812. They removed to Putnam County in 1931, landing at Putnamville in November, where Mr. Perry engaged in the pottery business until June, 1545. Ile then removed to his farm on section 22, which he had purchased in 1841, and lived upon the farm until his death, April 12, 1874. Mrs. Perry died An- gust 28, 1863, and Mr. Perry afterward mar- ried, December 5, 1964, Mary Ann Renfro. By the first marriage were nine children - 31
John W., born December 7, 1836; George W., born May 26, 1585; Nancy E., born January 5, 1842; Charles O., born June 15, 1846: Albert S .. born February 5, 1552, died September 15, 1552. Elizabeth U., a child of the last marriage, was born October 6, 1866, and died May 28. 1868. Mr. Perry was a man of public spirit and enterprise, and gave all of his children a good education, two of his sons being college graduates. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he was formerly a Whig, and afterward a Republican. He served as town- ship trustee, and meetings were held at his house in Putnamville for several years. The present Methodist church was organized at his house, and he was elected trustee.
- TXTILLIAM BICKS. foreman of the Bainbridge saw and planing mill, was born in Monroe Township, this county, November 8. 1\33. His father, Reason Bieks, now deceased. was a native of Mason County. Kentucky, and came to this county in October. 1933, settling in the woods, where there were but four aeres of ground cleared. His land was situated on the northeast quarter of section 34, where he died in January, 1876. ilis wife, for- merly Nauey Inlet. was a daughter of John Hulet. His parents had nine children -. Charles W., William, Hiram. John F., Me- lissa, Francis M., Matthew S .. Reason P. and Stacy R. Hiram and John F. are deceased. Our subjeet was reared on the old homestead, which was set off to him after his father's death. He was educated in the subscription
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
schools that were held in the primitive log school-house, with split-pole seats, puncheon Hoors, greased paper for windows, clapboard roof, with huge fireplace in one end of the room. Mr. Bieks was married October 6, 1859, to Miss Phobe A. Boiland, daughter of Nicholas Boiland, an early settler of Montgomery County, this State, where he located in 1827. Mr. and Mrs. Bieks have had eight children, five of whom are living .- Inez M .. Reason N., Melissa, Orpheus and Roscoe S. The deceased are Laura C., Ellsworth and Eddie L. Mr. Bieks never . seeks official honors, but has held several offices of trust. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in polities a Republican.
for thirteen years. His wife is also a mem- ber of that church. In polities he is a Dem- verat. and has served as school director and supervisor. Mrs. Gibson's father was a pio- neer of Putnam County, having settled here in 1837, and remained until his decease.
FAON. FINIS EWING MCLEAN, de- ceased, was born in Logan County, Tel, Kentucky, February 19, 1806, and was reared to manhood in his native county. He was a lawyer by profession, and became quite noted as a criminal lawyer. He was for- merly a member of the Cumberland Presby- terian church, his father, Ephraim MeLean, having been the first ordained minister in that denomination, which church was organ- ized by the act of his ordination. Ile filled many offices of honor and trust, having
AAMES M. GIBSON. farmer and stock- raiser, Washington Township, was born ! been judge of the Court of Kentucky, and was several times elected to the State Legis-
in Blair County, Pennsylvania, August 10, 1>30, son of James and Jane Gibson. also . lature. He was Congressman from that natives of Pennsylvania. His patenral an- "State in 1550 and 1951. during which term ce tors were English, and his maternal Ger- ; of office he acted as one of the pall-bearers of man. His grandfather. John Gibson, was a President Taylor, for whom he was an elector soldier in the Revolutionary war. His parents ; at large from the State of Kentucky. He had nine children, eight of whom are living first married Lucy thay, and they had six - William, Jaenb, Mary A., Jane Elizabeth, . children, four of whom are living - Thornton, Sarah. Aggie and James M. James was Finis L., Rev. E. G., a minister in the Cum- reared to manhood in his native county, and : berland Presbyterian church at Mereed City, received a common-school education. Ile California, and Lucy. His second marriage came to this county in 1852. and has resided occurred at Savannah, Missouri, June 19, here ever since. April 13, 1853, he married : 1562, with Miss Isabella Cassell, with whom Elizabeth Hart, daughter of Thomas Hart, a , he was living at the time of his death. She pioneer of Putnam County, and now deceased. ! was a daughter of Abram and Sophia Cas- sell, who were 'natives of Virginia and Maryland respectively. To this union two children were born -. Ewing and Anna M. (deceased). Mr. MeLean removed to Green- castle with his family in 1865, where he re- Seven of their twelve children are now living -Celinda A., Sarah, wife of Fletcher Bond; Josie, John, Martha and Ella. Mr. Gibson located upon his present farm in 1953, and owns 120 acres of land. He is a member of the Baptist church, and has served as deacon | mained until his death, which occurred
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
April 12, 1881. In politics he was a Whig until the dissolution of that party, after which he was not actively engaged in politics in behalf of either of the great parties. The MeLeans trace their ancestry back nearly two centuries. Two brothers. John and Charles, of the MeLean clan of Scotland. immigrated to the United States. John settled in New York, and there reared a large family, now constituting half the inhabitants of a county, and scattered everywhere. Charles settled in North Carolina and married the daughter of Ephraim Moore, from whom sprung the Me- Leans of this vicinity and the ancestors of our subject. An interesting anecdote is re- lated of Ephraim Moore. At a great age he married a girl of sixteen years, and at his wedding he joined in the dance, saying as he stepped on the floor,
" Make room for old Ephraim Moore,
Who dances his reel at one hundred and four." That was his age, and this was his second wife. One ancestral grandmother, with whom Charles MeLean. the great-great- grandfather of our subjeet. inter-married, was his first wife's daughter by a former Imsband. This Charles and wife reared three sons -- John, Ephraim and Charles, Of John nothing is known. Ephraim was the father of all the MeLeans immediately connected with our subject -George, Charles. Ephraim, Judge Alna, Dr. Robert, Ephraim M .. Ew- ing's mother, Sam. MeLean, and probably the mother of Ephraim Banks. In the latter part of the last century Ephraim MeLean removed from North Carolina and settled on Duck River, in Tennessee, with all his family. Ile resided there several years, and then re- moved to Kentucky, settling in Todd County, near Logan County, then returned to Dnek River, where he remained until he was very old. He and his wife, who was also very oldl. then removed to Greenville, where they spent
their last days, and died at the house of Judge Alna MeLean. Their sons, Charles, Sammel and Ephraim, continued to reside on Duck River, where they reared large fami- lies; some of their children are still in Ken- tueky, mostly in Madison County. Ephraim was drowned in Duck River. Charles Mc- Lean, a brother of old Ephraim McLean and father of Judge MeLean, was the grandfather of our subject, and was born and reared in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He there married Mrs. Susan Allison, who was a widow with two young sons-Robert and Sammel Allison. To this union were born three children, and they continued to live in that county until all their children were mar- ried. the father of our subject being the youngest child. The grandmother, whose maiden name was Susan Howard, was an ex- traordinary woman one of the noblest and self-sacrificing heroines of the American Revolution. Her husband being too old to enter the service, she sent three sons, Samuel and Robert Allison, and John MeLean, who fonght the Tories all the British from the beginning until the close of the war. The father of Finis E. was too young, or he. too, would have been sent. She joined her hus- band most heartily in selling their large estate for the support of the soldiers and the credit of the Continental papers of the Government of America. This grandmother was the only child of Dr. Howard and his first wife, of Philadelphia, and she was reared in affluence, with great care and tenderness was highly educated and greatly beloved by her parents. Being of the old English family of Howards, she was proud and high-spirited, and rebelled against insult and oppression. When she was about sixteen years of age her mother died, and the father married a step-mother, who was very tyrannical. Family jars were the natural result, but the father took the part of
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
the step-mother. The daughter returned in- union four children have been born-Graeic 1 .. , Bert S .. James P. and Lyle. Mr. Gard- i her owns seventeen acres of land in Madison Township, and three lots in Russellville. Ile served as assessor four years, and as justice of the peace eight years. Ile is a member of the Christian church. sult for insult, and the father undertook to punish her in the street. Under great ex- citement she hell up her hand and declared she would leave the house, and would marry the first man that asked her to be his wife. Across the street there worked a fine-looking blacksmith, who, without presuming to make her acquaintance, had long admired her beauty and worth, overheard her remarks, and as soon as her father stopped into the house, the FJACKSON HURST, a pioneer of Putnam County, was born in Claiborne County. Tennessee, July 11, 1816, son of William and Fanny Hurst, natives of Virginia. His blacksmith, Allison, up and claimed that as he was the first one to ask her to be his wife, he should hold her to her promise. She replied that she would never go back on her grandfather, John Hurst, was a soldier of the vow. They were married and fled to North : Revolutionary war and fought under General Carolina, where the husband lived only a few , Washington. In 1522 his father entered years and died, leaving the two sons before mentioned. She afterward married the grand- father of Finis E. MeLean. When her father died he left a large estate, but she never claimed any part of it, nor allowed her chil- dren to do so. Her husband made the tongs they commenced housekeeping with, and she used them all her life. They still remain in the hands of some of her descendants.
eighty acres of land on Deer Creek, Marion Township, and one year later removed his family to his new home. He was the first settler in his neighborhood. He first built a log house and then commenced the work of clearing his farm, assisted by his sons. Like all pioneers, he endured many hardships and privations, and did a great deal of hard work. lle was the father of seven children, three of whom are living. Jackson, Jefferson, and Melinda, wife of Henderson Wright, of Wayne County, Iowa. He was an enterpris- ing man, and did a great deal toward develop- ing the interests of the county. He was a highly esteemed by all who knew him. Jack- son Hurst, our subject, was seven years old when he came to Putnam County. He tance from Highland County, Ohio, being about twenty days on the road. He has always followed farming for an occupation, and has continued to reside in Putnam County. He was married May 7. 1885, to Miss Louisa Miller, and they had twelve
FORGE W. GARDNER, farmer, see- tion 11, Russell Township, was born in that township May 1. 1846, son of : member of the Regular Baptist church, and Andrew and Nancy ( Everman) Gardner, the ' former a native of North Carolina and now deceased, the latter a native of Kentucky. The parents were early settlers of Putnam , assisted in driving the cattle the entire dis- County George W. was reared a farmer and educated in the common schools of his father's district. He was married in 1868, to Miss Sarah E. Webster, who died six months later. February 20, 1872, he was married to Alice J. Winn, daughter of Charles B. Winn, of Russellville. To this . children, six of whom are living Fannie
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
M., wife of William Beadle, of Mill Creek Township; Michael M., Levi, a resident of Owen County, this State; Columbus J., of Jefferson Township; Melinda C., wife of David Phillips, of Morgan County, Indiana; Louisa M., wife of James II. Grimes, of Mount Meridian. The deceased are-Will- iam S .. Nancy J., George W .. James B., Squire J. and Pleasant O. Mrs. Hurst died December 14, 1876, and September 8, 1880, Mr. Hurst married Aley J., widow of Daniel Ilunter, of this county. She was a daughter of William and Harriet Talbott, early settlers of this county. To this union have been born two children - - Ida .A., and one that died in infancy. By her first marriage Mrs. Hurst had one child --- Ira C., now deceased. After living in various places, Mr. Hurst finally settled on section 4, Jefferson Town- ship, where he owns 160 acres of good land. He has experienced all the phases of pioneer life. Hle has attended log-rollings as many as seventeen days in succession, exclusive of Sundays. In politics he is a Democrat, and has served as justice of the peace nine years; also as real estate appraiser, and assessor. . Himself and wife are mem- bers of the Regular Baptist church, of which he has served as clerk about twenty years.
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