USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 13
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On the 27th of November, 1892, she wedded Daniel Talbott, a school
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companion and neighbor's son of her girlhood years. When children they played together in youthful innocence, yet no thought of linking together their fortunes for life had ever entered their minds until both were left alone, as the "sear and yellow leaf" of old age came creeping on. (See sketch of Daniel Talbott.)
By the first marriage there were four children, viz .: Sarah, who was born October 24, 1857, on the farm near Oxford, is the wife of B. F. Gep- hart, a prosperous farmer in Warren county; Eva, born June 25, 1860, died December 7, 1863; Frank, whose birth occurred June 29, 1863, is located on the old home farm south of Oxford: this place is better known to the old settlers as the Justus farm; Elmer was born December 14, 1865, and died May 6, 1867.
Mrs. Talbott has in her own right a farm of one hundred and forty acres adjoining the town of Oxford; also a residence in town and other personal property. She has been a member of the Methodist church for thirty years, and is a zealous Christian worker. She has also been a member of the Daughters of Rebekah for twenty-five years, and has held all of the official stations connected therewith. For the benefit of her children, a brief history of the Atkinson family is given below.
Joseph Atkinson was born February 13, 1832, in Ohio, a son of Thomas and Frances Atkinson, also natives of the Buckeye state, and their deaths occurred so near the same time that they were buried in one grave. Joseph came to Indiana in young manhood and readily showed marked success as a money-maker. Whatever he turned his hand to produced flattering results. His only fault, as seen through the critical eyes of his divorced wife, is his uncontrollable appetite for intoxicating liquors.
DANIEL TALBOTT.
It is not often that the biographer finds it necessary to separate a man from his wife in writing a family sketch; but, since the separation is only incidental and the interests of each best subserved by this course, we trust that we may be pardoned for the breach of etiquette.
Daniel Talbott was born April 19, 1837, in Warren county, Indiana, the parental home being in the township of Warren. He is a son of Joseph and Maria (Sever) Talbott, both natives of Ohio. The father accompanied his parents to Warren county, this state, and died there in 1842, at the age of forty years. He was a blacksmith by trade, though a farmer after coming to Indiana. The mother of our subject died in 1839, on the home farm in Warren county ; she was the father's second wife. Her family came from New Jersey to Ohio, in which state her parents were married.
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Our subject is the elder of two sons born by his father's first marriage, the brother being Isaac, who was born in 1839, and is now a retired business man in Wamego, Kansas. One son was born to the father's first marriage ; the maiden name of his first wife was Troth. This brother, whose name is Georgie, is an engineer in a sawmill at Marengo, Iowa. The father's third wife was Mrs. Mary Ann Stunce, and they had two daughters : Avis, the wife of James Ridenour, of Warren county ; and Eliza, widow of John Clark, in the same county.
Our subject attended a subscription school until eleven years of age, when he entered the public schools of Warren county, where he pursued his studies until eighteen years old. By reason of the death of his parents, he lived with his aunt after his sixth year, but went to work by the month at the age of ten. At the age of twenty-one he was married and started on his career as a farmer, on a rented farm. His first real estate was a forty-acre farm in Warren county ; but this he afterward exchanged in part payment for an eighty-acre tract, and in due time added to this until he had a fine farm of one hundred and fifty-one acres, upon which he lived for twenty- nine years, and he still owns the same.
He was married December 29, 1858, in Warren county, to Miss Prudence Moor, a daughter of John and Prudence (Doty) Moor, natives of Ohio. She was born February 14, 1836, and died December 5, 1878. Seven children were born to bless this union: Rosilla, born November 8, 1859, died Novem- ber 22, following; Oliver, who was born December 1, 1860, is a farmer in Warren county; Willard, born November 2, 1863, resides in Whitman county, Washington, where he is a silversmith; Lillis was born October 25, 1865, and married William Cottingham, a painter in Williamsport, Indiana; Avis was born October 18, 1867, and died July 25, 1868; Eva was born August 16, 1869, and is a teacher in the public schools of Warren county; Sylvia, born October 3, 1871, became the wife of William Slager, a farmer in Pickaway county, Ohio.
After the death of his wife, Mr. Talbott kept his family together, per- forming as nearly as possible the obligations of both father and mother. When his children were able to provide for themselves and all were married except the fourth daughter, he felt that he had discharged a sacred duty. In 1892 he removed to Oxford, and November 27 of that year he was united in marriage with Mrs. Rachel (Waymire) Atkinson, whose sketch appears in this work. These elderly people are comfortably situated and liberally pro- vided with means to carry them through to the sunset of life. Their remain- ing years promise a season of happy repose from the harrowing cares of life.
Mr. Talbott, like his estimable wife, is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and he has been an Odd Fellow for eighteen years, having now
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passed the official chairs and is the present vice grand of his lodge. His political affiliations have always been with the Democratic party, though he has never been aggressive in political affairs; he has never sought political office, being more interested in his own personal affairs and the various official positions coming to him through his interest in church and school affairs.
Mr. Talbott is an upright, honorable citizen, sustaining a just and well earned reputation for strict integrity and uprightness of character.
ELIZABETH BROWN.
Probably no man in Jasper county was more widely and favorably known than George H. Brown, recently deceased. He had extensive business interests in the county, was a man of high ideals and noble Christian char- acter, and was beloved and respected by a host of friends. His life was a reproach to wrong-doers, and was well worthy of emulation by the young men of this generation. He was born in Jackson county, Ohio, in May, 1816, and was a son of Zepheniah Brown, who was born in Vermont in 1789, and moved thence to Cayuga county, New York. Here the elder Brown grew to manhood, moving later to Pickaway county, Ohio, where he married Elizabeth Headley, and later moved to Tippecanoe county, in 1827. Here the wife died, in 1842. He bought large tracts of land, and he died in 1875, leaving a large family of eleven children.
George H. Brown came to Jasper county in 1840, locating in Barclay township. All this country was at that time wild land, and but few settlers inhabited it. He entered land in section thirty-four, which he improved and lived upon about eight years. He then exchanged it for other property, speculating considerably in lands and cattle. He was a shrewd man of busi- ness and made a great deal of money in these ventures, owning at one time thirty-two hundred acres of land. He was of untiring industry and energy, and started his children with good farms. He was twice married, first to Nancy Welch, by whom he had one child, who died in infancy. Mrs. Brown died a few years later. He was next united to Miss Elizabeth Nichols, our subject. In 1844 he was elected county commissioner, and served in that office ten years. In 1875 he was elected to the legislature on the Independ- ent ticket, and was re-elected in 1878 by a flattering majority. He filled this office with credit to himself and his constituency, working only for the public good. He was a man of broad knowledge, gained almost entirely through his own efforts. His death occurred February 18, 1896, and caused a loss that will long be felt in the community.
Elizabeth Brown is a daughter of George W. and Rebecca (Lewis) Nichols, and came with her parents in 1839 from Champaign county, Ohio,
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to this state, locating about one mile from the Brown homestead. They endured the hardships of pioneer life, and both parents died in this county, the father in his seventy-seventh year and the mother in her seventy-fifth. Elizabeth Nichols married George W. Brown and reared a family of nine children. These children are now married and many of them have interest- ing families of their own. They are as follows: Caroline, wife of Nelson Randle, has four children, Edward, Juletta, James and Carrie B .; Evaline, the widow of John C. Randle, has four children, Lycurgus, Belle, Cecil Clyde and Grant; Cecelia married a Mr. Moore and has eight children, Ross, Frank, Chase, Elizabeth, Clara, Blanch, Iva and Joseph; George H. has one child, Charles P .; Rebecca is the wife of Hugh W. Porter, of Rensselaer; Margaret M. is the wife of Dr. Carson, of California; Elizabeth is the wife of Benjamin Harris, and they have three children, Cedella, Mildred and Ruth; Isabella is the wife of Rev. J. L. Brady, of Rensselaer; and Rachel A. is the wife of Charles W. Coen, and has one child, Delos. Mrs. Brown resides in a handsome brick edifice which was purchased by her husband. They were both members of the Christian church, and she is still an active worker in that organization, where she is highly esteemed, as, indeed, she is wherever she is known.
CHARLES O. BLIND.
This well known farmer, a trustee of Adams township, Warren county, was born on the farm where he now lives March 11, 1861. He is a son of John and Frances Mary (Gwin) Blind, natives of Ohio, the former of whom came to Indiana with his father at an early day. The sketch of this family will be found in that of Michael Blind on another page of this work. The father of our subject was twice married, his first wife being Harriet Goodfred, by whom he had one child, Marcelius. His second wife was Frances Mary Gwin, born in Medina township, December 15, 1832, and her father was one of the early settlers of that township. Of this marriage four children were born, namely: George N., a farmer in Adams township; Frank B., also a farmer and stock-raiser in the same township; Anna M., wife of C. E. Russell; and Charles O.
The father of our subject came to Warren county about 1826 and located in Medina township, thence removing to Adams township and locat- ing on the farm now occupied by his son Frank, where he remained until 1860, and then removed to the farm where our subject now lives, and where his death took place September 13, 1889, in his sixty-seventh year. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a most estimable man. His widow is still living and resides in Pine Village.
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The boyhood of our subject was spent as is that of farmer lads gener- ally-in work upon the farm in summer and in attendance at the district schools during the winter seasons. He took charge of the home farm in 1884, and since that time has been employed in farming and stock-raising, and is associated with his brother Frank in buying and selling cattle. He owns one hundred and ten acres of land, situated on section 9, two miles east of Pine Village, which is under good cultivation.
Mr. Blind was married January 25, 1886, to Miss Emma J. McCord, and they have had four children,-Anna Frances, Lucy (deceased), Ellen (deceased), and Charline.
In the fall of 1894 Mr. Blind was elected trustee of Adams township, and took charge of the office in August, 1895. He is a Republican in poli- tics and a member of Lodge No. 200, Knights of Pythias, at Pine Village, and holds a membership in the order of American Woodmen. He is an efficient . officer, a useful citizen, and is highly respected by all who know him. The family is connected with the Methodist church.
JAMES A. BURNHAM.
This well known citizen of Rensselaer is a man remarkable for the wide experience and the depth of knowledge which he displays. He has been a resident here since 1861, and is one of the shrewdest and most successful lawyers here. He was born in Hollis, now Dayton, York county, Maine, May 24, 1836, and is a son of Simon and Mary J. (Goodwin) Burnham. His father was a ship carpenter and farmer of Maine, whence he moved to New Hampshire, where he died. Seven sons and eight daughters comprised the family, and all were living at the birth of the youngest child. Three sons and three daughters still survive.
Mr. Burnham remained on the farm until he was sixteen years old, and attended the common schools. He then went to Biddeford, and devoted himself to whatever honorable employment could be secured. He worked for a time in the cotton factory, then at blasting rock and quarrying stone, and while employed in the latter occupation, he assisted in getting out the stone to build the wharf for the Great Eastern. When he was about twenty years old the entire nation was watching the struggle of Kansas in her efforts to throw off the yoke of slavery and proclaim herself a free state. So inter- ested did our subject become in the struggle that he went there in the spring of 1857, and remained four years, rendering such aid as was in his power. Some of the most exciting moments of his life were passed there, and he has often cut meat with a bowie-knife that was used in the sacking of Lawrence. He left the state in February, 1861, and spent a few days in St. Joseph, Mis-
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souri, and the following six weeks in Bloomington, Springfield, and other points in Illinois. He drifted about from place to place, working at anything and everything, and much of the time without money. As he had a ticket over the Panhandle road to Kentland, Indiana, he boarded the train at Peoria, Illinois, with the idea of coming to Rensselaer, where he had a sister living. He remained on the train until it reached what was then known as Carpen- ter's Station, April 13, 1861, one day after the firing upon Fort Sumter. Captain Milroy was raising a company of volunteers to go to the front, and Mr. Burnham felt the voice of patriotism urging him to join, but as plenty of men were found who were anxious to enlist at that time, he remained here and engaged at carpentering or anything by which he could earn a dollar dur- ing the summer. That fall he taught school and in the spring once more took up carpentering. Another call was made for troops, and Mr. Burnham hastened to offer his services. He knew from his experience in Kansas what would be the hardships of a soldier's life, but he felt it to be the duty of every true American to take up arms in defence of the Union. He enlisted in Com- pany A, Eighty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, from Jasper county.
They went to Indianapolis August 29, 1862, were mustered in and armed on the 31st, and went by rail to Louisville, Kentucky, where their regiment, the Eighty-seventh Indiana, concentrated with other troops to repeal an an- ticipated attack on that city, by General Bragg. They formed a part of General Burbridge's brigade and remained in that vicinity about thirty days. Buell's army arrived about the 25th of September, and the Eighty-seventh Regiment was placed in the Third Division, Third Brigade, Fourteenth Army Corps, under General Stedman. On the Ist of the following month the army moved through Kentucky, accomplishing but little. On the 6th of the month they had a skirmish with the enemy at Springfield, and two days later the battle of Perryville was fought. The close of the campaign found the regi- ment near Gallatin, Tennessee, where they remained until near the 15th of January, when they moved fifteen miles south of Nashville, to Triune. They marched to Winchester, that state, thence over the mountains to the mouth of Battle creek, on the Tennessee river, participating in the flank movement that drove Bragg from Chattanooga, He fought in the battle of Chickamauga on the 19th and 20th of September, 1863. Upon reorganiza- tion the regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Four- teenth Army Corps. They took part in the storming of Mission Ridge, and followed the enemy to Ringgold, Georgia, where they had an engagement on February 22, 1864. They then went into camp at Ringgold where they re- mained until May of that year. They were in Sherman's campaign against Atlanta, and took part in the battles of Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain and Peach Tree Creek, and charged and carried the outer works in front of
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Atlanta on the 4th of August, 1864. On the first of September of that year they fought the battle of Jonesboro and then moved to Atlanta. On the 3d of October the Third Division of the Fourteenth Corps was sent to raid Hood, who was harassing the rear of Sherman's army, and after several maneuvers they returned to the main body. On the 16th of November, 1864, they started on Sherman's memorable march to the sea, thence through the Caro- linas to Goldsboro, North Carolina, where they remained until the 10th of the next April. Then they marched on Smithfield, which was still held by the enemy, thence through Raleigh to the vicinity of Holly Springs, where they remained until the surrender of Johnston's army, and then moved on to Richmond, Virginia, thence to Washington, where they took part in the grand review and were mustered out on June 10, 1865. They received a pub- lic welcome home by Governor Morton on the 22d of June, and then retired to private life.
Judge Burnham was united in matrimony to Miss Sarah L. Knox, a native of Great Falls, New Hampshire, who became a resident of Bidde- ford, Maine, in her childhood. They have one child, Este L., who is the wife of Charles Morlan, of Rensselaer, and the mother of three children, - Forest Burnham, Marjorie D. and Dorris A.
As a boy Judge Burnham espoused the cause of Democracy, as against the Whigs, and later allied himself with the Republican party. He taught school after his return from the army, and then became deputy for the county clerk. He has served as deputy in all the county offices, and has done more actual work in the clerical department of the county than any other man here. He was county examiner of schools when that office was merged into that of the county superintendent. He took up the study of law soon after returning to private life, and was admitted to the bar. While in the clerk's office he often helped "the boys " in securing their pensions, without a thought of charging for his services, and in very many cases he carried the matter to a successful termination. In this way the foundation of the pres- ent profitable business as pension agent was started, and he has been known for many years as one of the most reliable pension attorneys. He was elected to the office of justice of the peace eight years ago, in November, 1891, and has tempered justice with mercy in such a manner that he has influenced many erring ones to leave the downward path they were just enter- ing, while his name is a terror to old offenders. He is a stranger to fear, and has faithfully discharged the duties of his office, and so thoroughly con- versant is he with all departments of county affairs that only his innate modesty has kept him from occupying a prominent place in the public trust. He is an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and himself
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organized the Rensselaer Post, No. 84, of which he was first commander. Although brought up a Methodist, he is a zealous member of the Church of God, as is his amiable wife.
NOAH JUSTICE.
Now entering upon his second term as mayor of Lafayette, the subject of this biographical notice is one of the most popular and widely known citizens of Tippecanoe county. Though he has always been a most stanch and loyal worker in the ranks of the Republican party he has never been an office-seeker and never before acted in an official capacity, save as justice of the peace for eight years. His many friends insisted in bringing him forward as a candidate for the mayoralty in 1891, and he made the race against ex-Mayor McGinley, who had held the office for several terms and seemed to be so thoroughly entrenched in the esteem of the people that his defeat was an almost impossible matter. Nevertheless Mr. Justice received but thirteen votes less than his opponent, whose party was then about three hundred votes in the majority in Lafayette. In 1894, in recognition of the splendid race he had made three years previously, the Republicans again nominated Mr. Justice for mayor, and this time he was successful, defeating Dr. W. S. Walker, one of the strongest men the Democrats could have nominated. The excellent manner in which Mr. Justice acquitted himself during his first term of office as mayor led to his renomination and re-election in 1898, and it is safe to say that the ranks of his opponents are rapidly dwindling away. Upright and faithful to the interests of the people, advocating all measures which will be to their lasting benefit, he merits the genuine regard in which he is held by all.
Matthew Justice, the progenitor of the Justice family in the United States, was of Scotch-Irish origin. He removed from the Emerald Isle to Holland in the beginning of the last century and about 1720 came to America, settling in New York. He was the father of seven sons, all of whom were born in this country, and a remarkable fact in connection with them is that they were all soldiers in the Revolutionary war, and three of their number laid down their lives on the altar of our country's liberty. One of these gallant heroes was the great-grandfather of the subject of this article.
A son of Noah and Sarah F. (King) Justice, natives respectively of New Jersey and Delaware, Noah Justice, Jr., was born in Ross county, Ohio, October 16, 1836, and was a child of but three years when his parents brought him to the wilds of Tippecanoe county. They settled upon a farm about three miles north of Lafayette, and there the father was occupied in tilling the soil until his death, which event took place January 10, 1856.
Mach Justice.
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His four children were named respectively George K., Rhoda K., Noah and Sarah A.
In his boyhood our subject attended the district schools of his home neighborhood and gave his dutiful assistance to his parents on the farm. His education was a liberal one for that day and was completed in the Collegiate Institute at Battle Ground, Indiana. He continued to give his attention to agricultural pursuits until he was thirty-one years of age, when he came to Lafayette and read law for a year or more and was admitted to the bar. However, he did not settle down to the practice of law, but drifted into the real-estate business, which has since commanded his attention. By perseverance and well directed energy he became successful and respected in this community, and few of our citizens are held in higher regard than he.
HON. JAMES McCABE.
Whether considered officially, politically or socially, Judge James Mc- Cabe, of Williamsport, Warren county, is a strong personality, -a man who would command attention and respect wherever he went and in any com- pany, however distinguished. As a member of the supreme-court bench in Indiana he won the highest esteem of his associates and peers and made a record which has been rarely surpassed, and his name will long be honored as that of one who assisted materially in elevating the bench and bar of the state to its present exalted standard.
Armstrong McCabe, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was one of the first settlers of Vigo county, Indiana, and lived there until his death. His son, James B., father of the Judge, was born in that county, but re- moved to Darke county, Ohio, in his early manhood, living there but a few years, however. He then returned to this state, and, after passing some years in Kosciusko county, came to Warren county, about 1848. Later he went to Kansas, where he died in 1894. The wife and mother, whose maiden name was Jane Lee, died many years previously. Of her five sons one died in boyhood and the others are still living.
The birth of Judge McCabe occurred in Darke county, Ohio, in 1844, but he was still an infant when his parents resumed their residence in Indiana, and with its welfare he has always been associated. After he had completed his public-school education he took up the study of law with his accustomed energy and application, and after he was admitted to the bar, in 1862, entered at once upon a practice which has grown steadily in importance and volume. The records of the supreme court show that up to the time of his election to the supreme bench of Indiana he had been in- terested in more cases which had been pleaded before that august tribunal 8
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