USA > Indiana > Washington County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Harrison County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Crawford County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Clark County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Scott County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Floyd County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Jennings County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
USA > Indiana > Jefferson County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 30
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family, where he was educated. When twenty-four years old he studied law under the supervision of Judge Scott, in Charleston, Ind., and in 1830 was admitted to the bar. IIe married Angelina M. Lorain the same year. [Three of their seven children are yet living], and located for the practice of his profession at Paoli, Ind., which was his home for several years. He finally moved to New Albany where he ranked as one of the ablest attor- neys for more than thirty years.
In 1844 he was an elector on the Whig ticket and was twice elected to the Indiana House of Representatives. He was a man of sterling integrity and uncompromising honesty; and died Oct. 15th, 1869, at Pekin.
A. B. Collins, the subject of this sketch, was reared and educated in private schools of his native town and for two years was a student at Asbury University. He read law with his father and after being admitted to the Floyd county bar practiced his pro- fession from 1858 to 1865, but then removed to Pekin, Washington county, and followed merchandising and farm- ing until 1871, when he removed to Salem, where he has since resided, actively engaged in legal pursuits. In May, 1875, Miss Maria Luckwood became his wife, this lady being a member of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Collins is one of Salem's best attorneys, and as a Democrat in poli- tics has twice represented this [Wash- ton] county in the State Legislature.
WILLIAM RUDDER - The jun- ior member of the firm of Rudder & Son, was born Dec. 12th, 1845, being the oldest of six children born to James and Elizabeth [ Barnet ] Rudder. His father was a native of Kentucky, from which State he removed to Indi- ana in 1842, settling about one and one-half miles east of what is now known as Campbellsburg. Prior to the year 1863 he was engaged in farm- ing, and since that time has been con- nected with the milling business.
He has been a minister of the Chris- tian Church.
William, the subject of this sketch, had good facilities for obtaining a good practical education, enough to enable him to teach in the common schools.
October 26th, 1865, his marriage with Nancy E. Purlee was solemnized. The union has been blessed with seven children. James L .; Cora E .: Stella M .; William H .; Lawrence E .; Lula D. and Dessie, all living except the eldest daughter who died in 1885.
He is not a member of any church but contributes to churches in general.
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He is a Mason, is a staunch Democrat, has served his township as Trustee for twelve years, was elected in 1886 to the Sheriff's office of his county, was appointed in 1885 to fill the unexpired term of Mackintosh, resigned, and was re-elected in 1886.
His wife died in 1886. Mr. Rudder makes a good officer, and is one of the county's good men.
DR. CHRISTIAN L. PAYNTER -An old practitioner of Salem, was born in Washington county, Indiana, February 19th, 1824, and is a son of Catherine (Etzler) Paynter. the former born in Maryland, in 1785, and the latter in Virginia in 1793. They emi- grated to Washington county in 1822, and settled on a farm three miles south of Salem, where C. L. Paynter was raised.
John Paynter was a lieutenant in the war of 1812, and died in July, 1868. His widow died in 1879. Dr. Paynter secured a fair education in youth, taught school to some extent, and on the breaking out of hostilities between the United States and Mexico he became a member of Company D, Second Indiana Regiment. He served through Buena Vista, and on the expi- ration of his term of enlistment, returned to his native county and soon
afterward began the study of medicine with Dr. A. M. Jones at Corydon.
In 1853 he graduated from the Louisville Medical University, and for many years has occupied a prominent position among the physicians of Salem and surrounding counties. He is a member of the Washington county and State Medical Societies.
February 5th, 1836, he married Miss Sarah J. Smith, of Hardin county, Kentucky.
William H., a young attorney of Salem ; Mary L., and Horace M. are their children living.
JOHN A. ZARING-Lawyer of Salem was born in Scott county, Indiana, October 30th, 1848, and is the eldest son of James W. and (Carlyle) Zaring. He assisted his father in carrying on the farm, attending school during the winter, until by diligence in his studies he was enabled, at the age of eighteen, to pass an examination for a teacher's certificate. From that time until he was twenty-two, he worked on the farm during the summer, and taught school in the winter. In the spring of 1870 he entered the State University at Bloomington, Indiana, where he spent three years, graduating from the Law Department in the spring of 1874. After teaching school one term,
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he settled in Salem, Indiana, and began the practice of law in which he has successfully continued. He was for several years associated in practice with Hon. Horace Heffren until the death of the latter, when he soon forined a partnership with Hilton B. Hottell, a talented young lawyer of Salem, and this partnership continues to the present time.
Mr. Zaring was married to Miss Minnie Heffren, daughter of Hon. Horace Heffren, deceased. They have one child, a daughter, Mable.
Mr. Zaring is one of the most polished speakers at the Washington county bar, and by his close attention to business and his upright and gentle- manly bearing is fast winning a way to prominence as a lawyer in his com- munity.
JUDGE BENJAMIN P. DOUG- LASS-Of Harrison county, was born at New Market, Shenandoah county, Virginia, July 22d, 1820. He is a son of Adam and Nancy [ Penny- backer] Douglass. Ilis ancestors. on his father's side were Scotch from the north of Ireland. His grandfather was a captain in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and on the quelling of the insurrection was compelled to flee to this country. On his mother's side
they came from Pennsylvania, her people having settled there at the time of William Penn, Isaac Pennybacker, his mother's brother, was United States Senator from Virginia and also Judge of the Circuit Court. Benjamin P. attended the common school in Vir- ginia when a small boy and removed with his parents to Harrison county, Indiana, in 1834, where they settled on a farm. His father, being a fine classical scholar himself, undertook the educa- tion of his son, thereby affording him an excellent education, an advantage of which he availed himself to the fullest extent. On finishing his course he con- tinued for a time with his father, work- ing on the farm, studying hard and teaching school, for which his education had so thoroughly qualified him.
He continued in these occupations until 1849, when he was chosen County Auditor.
This election was somewhat remark- able, he being a Democrat and the district at that time being strongly Whig, a convincing proof of the esteem in which he was personally held by those who knew him. He was then strongly solicited to become Clerk of the county which, however, he declined. In 1857 he was elected as Representa- tive to the State Legislature from Harrison county, where he served one session.
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In 1858 he embarked in mercantile business in which he continued until 1867, when he was appointed by a board of commissioners to fill an unex- pired term in the Auditor's office for the purpose of placing his accounts in better order.
In 1868 he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court. After the expiration of his term of office he entered regu- larly upon the profession of law at Corydon, where he continued until 1885 when he was appointed as Special Agent of the Land Office, with headquarters in New Mexico, in which capacity he still serves [1889].
He was one of the directors and President of the Pike road from Cory- don to New Albany, of which he was one of the projectors. He was also one of the directors and engineer during the construction of the Air Line R. R.
He was married at Louisville, July 1835 to Annie Pope, daughter of Edmund Pendleton Pope, a prominent lawyer of Louisville.
They have two children, one daugh- ter, now dead, and one son born July, 1859, now in Colorado.
The Judge, himself, is a man of commanding appearance. His habits are those of ascholar and a gentle- man.
HORACE HIEFFREN-Was born in Dryden, Tompkins county, N. Y., May 27th, 1831, and was the eldest son of Elijab and Julia A. (Dunham) Heffren. His father was a farmer. His mother's brother, Cyrus L. Dunham, was a very prominent man in State affairs, being one of the leading attorneys of Indiana, and also repre. sented the State in Congress. Mr. Heffren spent his early life on the farm, attending school during the winter, and at the age of seventeen taught school three terms.
In October, 1850, he emigrated to Brownstown, Jackson county, Indiana, and in the following spring began the study of law in the office of C. L. Dunham and J. M. Lord at Salem. He was admitted to the bar in 1852 and admitted to practice in the Supreme Court, on motion of the Hon. William T. Otto, May 29th, 1855. In 1852 he began the practice of law at Salem, Indiana, and resided there till his death. In October, 1856, he was elected State Senator, and intro- duced a bill which became a law : "To provide for transferring the certificates of the stock of the State, providing for a registry of the same; to prevent a fraudulent issue thereof, and provid- ing a punishment for a violation of the provisions of this act."
In 1857, through the manipulations
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of the joint session in an attempt to defeat the election of United States Senator, a point of order being raised, Mr. Heffren spoke against time, as per arrangement, and succeeded in electing the United States Senator from his party.
In 1861 he was elected joint repre- sentative from the counties of Wash- ington and Harrison without opposi- tion, and was the Democratic candidate for Speaker of the House, receiving the entire party vote. The same year he assisted in raising the Thirteenth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer In- fantry of which he was commissioned Major and afterward promoted Colonel. In October he was transferred to the Fiftieth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, which he assisted to recruit, and was sent to Tennessee with a portion of the regiment. In September, 1862, he was compelled to resign owing to ill health. Returning to Salem, he resumed the practice of law, to which he devoted the remainder of his life. In the fall of 1882 he was again elected to the House of Representatives from Washington county, served as the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and was the acknowledged leader of the Democratic side of the House in that session. For four years he was engaged in writing the history of Washington county, which he pub-
lished from week to week in the Salem Democrat. For thirty-five years Mr. Heffren was a leading man in the Democratic party, and it was greatly indebted to him for its thorough organization and its success under many adverse and trying circumstances.
He was married October 23d, 1855, to Miss Mary Persise. She died some years ago ; two children survive.
Mr. IIeffren was made a Free Mason in 1852. He took all the degrees through Knighthood and was a repre- sentative in the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of the State.
He was closely identified with the growth and prosperity of Washington county. He was regarded as standing at the head of the legal fraternity in his county, and was highly respected as a citizen and gentleman.
DAVID ALVIS [deceased]-A pioneer of Washington county, was born in about 1788 in the Old Domin- ion, which was also the native State of his parents, Jesse and Mary [Malory] Alvis. Jesse Alvis was an old revolutionary war soldier, and in about 1806 removed to Shelby county, Kentucky, where David Alvis, in about 1812, married Ellen McKniley, and from whence he emigrated with his family, in February 1816, to what
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is now known as Washington county, Indiana, settling near Pekin on the South Fork of Blue river.
In a few years David returned to Kentucky, and on his return brought his aged parents who ever afterward made Indiana their home.
The Alvis family saw much of the hardships and inconveniences of pio- neer life, and have been in some way identified with the prosperity of the county from its organization down to the present.
Mrs. Ellen Alvis died in 1863, fol. lowed by her husband in 1868. Per. haps the most widely known of their children is W. M. Alvis, who was born in Pierce township, September 6th, 1823, and has always made Wash- ington county his home.
Much of his life has been passed in teaching school, and for eight years he has served as Treasurer of the county, being elected to that office four times.
Miss C. D. Lapping became his wife in 1850, and J. Albert and J. D. were their children, the latter being the only survivor.
The mother dying in 1856, Mr. Alvis married Miss A. M. Motsinger in 1858. Two children, A. C. and Charlie M. have been born to them.
D. A. JENNINGS- Editor of the Salem Democrat, was born in
Noble county, Ohio, June 22d, 1855.
Heis a son of Judge A. P. Jen- nings, native of Ohio and served as Probate Judge; his mother - Sarah A. Archer- born in Ohio. After attending the common and normal schools, he entered Adrian College, Michigan, from which he graduated at the age of twenty-one, receiving two degrees - Bachelor of Arts and Bach- elor of Science. Later he attended lectures at the University at Halle and Freiburg, Germany, being lectures on civil law, remaining there for one and one-half years; but remained altogether two years in Europe study- ing. He came back, went West in 1879 and in 1880 edited the Independ- ent at Castle Rock, Colorado. At Denver, Col., he was admitted to the bar at which place he practiced law, but continued there but a few months when he returned to Ohio and was employed in teaching school.
In 1884 he took charge of the Press and practiced law at Caldwell, Ohio. He continued to run this paper till the 9th of November, 1887, when he came to Salem and purchased the Salem Democrat -the oldest paper in Washington county.
He was married in 1880 at Boulder, Col., to Miss Belle Zora King, of Castle Rock. They have two children, Myra and Warner.
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Since Mr. Jennings has taken charge of the Salem Democrat the circulation of the paper has considerably increased and has been improved in many respects and now is one of the best edited county newspapers in the District.
FRED. L. PROW-Attorney at law and merchant of Salem, Indiana, a son of James W. Prow, who was born in North Carolina, the 1st of January, 1>12, and emigrated with his father, Christian Prow, and settled in Washington county, Indiana, about 1818.
James W. Prow married Elizabeth L. Stephens, who was born in East Tennessee in 1818; emigrated with her parents while quite young and settled at Paoli, Orange county, Ind., and afterwards removed to Bono, Lawrence county, where she and James W. Prow were married in 1836.
James W. Prow served several terms as Justice of the Peace and one term as County Commissioner of Lawrence county ; he was in the mer- cantile business for years at Bono. He removed to Salem in 1863 and served several terms as Justice of the Peace. He was a commercial repor- ter and collector ; he died in March, 1880.
The subject of this sketch was born at Bono, Lawrence county, Indiana, October 22d, 1836, and was raised there, receiving only the advantages of a common school education, except meager private instruction and per- sonal application to books for about a year after quitting school. He enlisted in the Fiftieth Indiana Vol- unteers in September, and served with it in all its campaigns up to the battle of Parker's Cross Roads, December 31st, 1862, where, while acting as mounted orderly for Col. C. L. Dunham, commanding a brig- ade, he received special mention in Dunham's official report of the battle, for bravery on the field. See Soldier of Indiana [Ind. Tp. Library], Vol. 2, p. 278.
" In the rush, the Fiftieth made a bayonet charge, which carried it into and through the enemey's lines. Dun- ham's horse was shot from under him, but his orderly, Frederick L. Prow, dismounting in the midst of a terrible fire, supplied the loss by his own deprivation."
In January, 1863, he was transferred to the Signal Corps U. S. A., and with its detachments participated in the battles before the siege of Vicks- burg. The following spring and sum- mer he participated in the Tennessee and Georgia campaigns, including the
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siege of Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta. His term of service expir- ing soon after the surrender of the latter place, he returned to Indiana and engaged in mercantile business at Dover Hill, Indiana, and removed from there to Salem, Indiana, in 1871.
He was married to Lucretia A. Montgomery, daughter of Dr. James Montgomery, at Bono, Lawrence county, in January, 1866. He served about four years as Justice of the Peace in Martin county ; studied law with Thos. M. Clarke, and with him opened a law office in Salem in 1872; in 1876 was elected Prosecuting Attor- ney for his circuit and re-elected in 1878; the three commissions being signed by Governors Morton, Hendricks and .Williams. In 1885 he retired from active practice and opened a general store, to which he devotes most of his attention ; only collecting and doing a little legal business for his friends.
JOHN F. READ-Counselor at law, of Jeffersonville, is a member of a family which has been identified more or less with the history of the State, since it emerged from its terri- torial condition. On both sides he descended from Kentuckians who emigrated to Indiana at an early date.
He was born on Indiana soil, October 4th, 1822, and is the eldest of four children of James G. and Mary (Mahan) Read. His father repre- sented his District in the Legislature for over twenty years. In 1828 he received the Democratic nomination for Governor against the Whig candi- date and was defeated by a small majority. In 1834 he was again the candidate of his party for Governor, and again suffered a defeat at the' hands of the dominant party, but it could well be said by his opponents : "A few more such victories and we are lost."
He was the editor and proprietor of the first newspaper published at Vincennes, Indiana, which naturally reflected his politics in an eminent degree. Uncompromisingly Demo- cratic in his convictions, lie conducted his paper with an eye single to the interests of his party, while dealing firmly but courteously with his oppo- nents. He was well known as a ready writer and fluent and graceful speaker. He laid out the City of Washington, Daviess county, where he resided for many years. In early life he had been engaged in mercantile business, and had succeeded in accumulating a com- petence.
John F. Read was educated at Hanover College, Indiana, from which
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he graduated in the class of 1845, under the presidency of Professor Me Masters. In 1846 he commenced the practice of law at Jeffersonville, where he has been for more than thirty years actively engaged in the profes- sion. His present law partner is Jonas G. Howard.
Mr. Read has served one term in the State Legislature and eight years in the land office of the State - four years under the administration. of James K. Polk and four under Frank. lin Pierce.
The e positions were filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public, but it is not alone in pub- lic or professional life that Mr. Read has influenced the development of his city and State.
He has always been a truly public spirited citizen, not given to the encouragement of visionary schemes, but aiding everything that in his judg- ment had a tendency to enliven or improve the business interests of the community.
In 1846 Mr. Read married Miss Eliza Kegwin. She died in 1852, leaving a daughter who is the wife of Mr. Sage, of Jeffersonville.
In 1855 Mr. Read married Miss Eliza Pratt, daughter of Joseph R. Pratt, of Georgetown, Kentucky. They have a family of eight children.
CAPTAIN . ALLEN W. BROWN -Ex-Treasurer of Jennings county, Vernon, Indiana, was born in Jennings county, Indiana, November 27th, 1827, and was the eldest son of John and Jane (McGill) Brown. His grand- father Brown served both in the revo- lutionary war and the war of 1812. His uncle, John McGill, was in the war of 1812, and his grandfather Me- Gill spent seven years in the revolu- tionary army. Captain Brown was brought up on his father's farm and employed his time in agricultural labor, and assisting his father in his saw-mill, until he was twenty-one years of age; in this time having been only a part of three months at school. He has, however, since obtained a good English education. When a good- sized boy, he worked for some time at 123 cents per day.
In 1848 he built a saw-mill which he operated one year. He then sold it, and after spending some time in the South, worked in the ship-yard at Madi- son.
In 1850 he returned to Jennings county, re-purchased his mill and car- ried it on for about four years. He also built a flouring mill at Seipio, in which he had a one-third interest, which he conducted for a year or two. He then sold his mill property, and for a short time was in no regular business.
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In 1856 he purchased another saw- mill and operated it until August, 1862, when he sold out and enlisted as a private in Co. B., Eighty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was soon after commissioned Second Lieutenant, and then rose to the rank of Captain. He was with his regiment during all its important actions from the battle of Chattanooga to that of Atlanta, except the battle of Murfrees- boro when he was on sick leave in Indiana. Owing to ill health he resigned in November, 1864, and returned home. He soon after pur- chased an interest in a store at Scipio which he carried on two years; then selling out he returned to his farm, which he has since continued to manage.
He was elected Treasurer of Jen- nings county in 1876, and re-elected in 1878. In politics he is an earnest Republican, and has been an energetic worker, contributing much to the suc- cess of his party. He is a member of the Baptist Church.
In July, 1853, he married Miss Euphemia Wilkins, daughter of a farmer of Jennings county. They have four children living; three sons and one daughter. Captain Brown is a genial and social gentle- man, and is esteemed by all who know him.
GENERAL LEVI SPARKS-
Late of Jeffersonville, was born at Church Hill, Queen Anne county, Maryland, November 21st, 1814. He came to Indiana in 1836, and settled in Washington, Daviess county, but after remaining there one year he removed to Jeffersonville and entered the dry goods house of W. D. Beach. In 1840 he engaged in the dry goods trade in partnership with Peter Myers. This connection continued for eight years when Mr. Myers retired and Mr. Sparks continued in business for him- self until his death, which occurred March 26th, 1875. He was an active Democrat, and was a prominent mem- ber of his party. From 1845 to 1869 he was a member of the City Council of Jeffersonville, and proved himself to be one of the best servants that the city has ever had.
In 1869 he was elected Mayor of the city, and again in 1871. Few men in public or private life have been more devoted to the interests of the city than Mr. Sparks. To him is largely due the location of the Govern- ment Arsenal at Jeffersonville, which contributes in no small degree to the prosperity of the place. He was for a number of years a member of the District and State Democratic Central Committee. Every duty which devolved upon him was performed
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with energy, sagacity and fidelity. He was a member of every National Con- vention from 1852 until his death. He was an intimate friend of Governor Hendricks, Senator McDonald and M. C. Kerr.
PROF. JAMES G. MAY - Was born in Lincoln county, Indiana, April 21st, 1805. He was the eldest son of nine children - two brothers and two sisters born to Jacob and Eleanor (McDonald) May. The May family history is briefly this : In the year 1700 a crowd of students of colleges and universities of a portion of Germany, heated by the drinking of crambam- buli, a German drink, uttered treason- able sentences against the crowned heads and potentates of their native country, and threatened to deprive them of their kingly power.
George May, great-grandfather of James G., the subject of this sketch, together with his brother John and thirteen others, escaped arrest and in sailors' disguise took passage to America, landing at Philadelphia in 1701. John May's descendants set- tled in North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia, afterwards spreading to Ken- tucky, Indiana and Ohio.
George May was the fatherof seven sons and two daughters, and Jacob,
grandfather of James G., was the oldest. George died at Philadelphia. Jacob settled in Maryland and settled near Baltimore and there Jacob, father of James G., was born. Jacob, the second, settled in Kentucky in 1783 at the age of ten years with his parents. Ile came to Indiana in 1825 and died at Martinsville, in Washington county, in 1832.
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