USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 45
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considerable land three miles southwest of that place, where both died at about the age of seventy years. James was the youngest in their family of eleven children, the others being as follows: Eli, now a resident of Kankakee, Illinois; Jemima, now Mrs. Winship, who lives on the Wea plains, Tippe- canoe county; Nancy, deceased wife of Thomas Van Meter; Eliza, widow of Moses Fowler, of Lafayette; Martha, widow of Adams Earl, of Lafayette; William, who lives in the south; Elizabeth, who married Austin Vanderbilt and both are now deceased; Hannah, deceased wife of Frank Kennedy, of Springfield, Missouri; and two who died when young.
During his boyhood and youth James Hawkins aided in the work of the home farm and attended the common schools, but later entered the Wabash University, at Wabash, Indiana, where he pursued his studies for three years. Returning home he engaged in farming for his father until the latter's death, when he took charge of his mother's and his own share of the paternal estate, but in 1876 he sold his interest in the land on the Wea plains and came to Benton county, where he bought a farm of six hundred and forty acres three and a half miles southwest of Earl Park, on which he and his wife built an elegant home according to her plans. He died at Earl Park in 1897, hon- ored and respected by all who knew him, for he was a man of strict integrity and sterling worth. Since her husband's death Mrs. Hawkins has success- fully managed the estate, being a woman of more than ordinary business ability. She still owns about six thousand acres of land in Benton county, which she leased to her son, Edward, and her son-in-law, George Hart.
Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins became the parents of six children, all born in Tippecanoe county: Edward C., born August 12, 1859, lives on the old homestead in Benton county; Abigail C., born March 22, 1861, is the wife of George Hart, who has leased a part of the estate; Minerva E., born Septem- ber 4, 1863, is the wife of W. C. Ditton, cashier of the Bank of Earl Park, in which he owns a third interest; Elizabeth M., born December 2, 1865, is living with her grandmother in Chicago; Martha J., born January 23, 1867, is the wife of Charles W. Jewell, a dry-goods merchant of Kankakee, Illinois; and Grace, born January 3, 1875, died in infancy. The family are promi- nent in the best social circles in the communities in which they made their home.
GEORGE W. DYER.
Born in Virginia, July 14, 1831, George W. Dyer, a pioneer of Prairie township, White county, is a son of Zeblon and Eliza (Harness) Dyer, who were natives of the Old Dominion and were married there. The paternal great-grandfather of our subject, James Dyer, was a Virginian, born in 1740, and in 1758, in a fight with the Indians at Fort Sibert, headed by Chief
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Buckhorn, only he and one other man escaped being killed by the red men, but he was held for his bravery, after killing several of the tribe. At eight- een Mr. Dyer was thus captured by the Indians and was held a prisoner two years, at the expiration of which period he accompanied some of the tribe to Pittsburg upon a trading expedition, and while there he managed to elude his captors. Returning to Virginia, he passed the rest of his life there, as did his son, Roger, the grandfather of our subject. He owned a large planta- tion and numerous slaves, but he was a faithful member of the Methodist church, and never sold or maltreated any of his slaves. Of his seven chil- dren only one, Allen, survives, he being still a resident of Virginia. The others were Morgan, James, Susan, Mary, Diana and Zeblon, of whom the last mentioned was the only one who left his native state.
For a few years after his marriage Zeblon Dyer resided in Virginia, but in 1835 emigrated to this state and first located near Dayton, Tippecanoe county. In the spring of the following year he came to this county, and in 1840 he bought land in Carroll county, improved a farm and reared his chil- dren to useful employments. He died in 1880, at the ripe age of seventy- eight years, and was survived eight years by his widow, who was eighty-two years old at the time of her death. Both were members of the Methodist church. They suffered many hardships and privations in the early days here, and not the least was the fever and ague, which cast a blight upon every- thing at times. Mr. Dyer was a good shot, and brought down many a fine deer and other wild game with his old-fashioned gun. Politically, he was a Whig and Republican. Of their seven children, Sarah, Morgan and Susan are deceased, and G. W., Fanny, Mary and Jennie are living.
As he was brought to this state when he was young, George W. Dyer's memories are all of Indiana. He remained on the homestead until he had grown to manhood, when he and his brother purchased the land which con- stitutes his present farm. Some improvement had been made upon this tract, comprising three hundred and forty-two acres, and part of this land they afterward sold. Our subject later purchased his brother's interest, and with redoubled energy set to work to make his farm one of the best in the community. As it stands, the place certainly deserves to be thus classified, for it is well tiled, under high cultivation, and improved with substantial buildings. It is pleasantly situated three miles east of Brookston.
Mr. Dyer had but limited opportunities for an education, but made the best of such advantages as the primitive district schools of this region afforded. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, Ninety-ninth Regi- ment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served in the Army of the Tennes- see. On account of physical disability, the result of long illness, he was granted an honorable discharge in 1863, and returned home. He is a mem-
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ber of Champion Hill Post, No. 171, Grand Army of the Republic. When three years old his first sight of slave-selling came to him. At his Virginia home his mother, brother and himself had crossed a road to get water from a spring, and two men came along with a negro chained, whom they had just bought. This negro used to come to Mr. Dyer's home evenings and play the fiddle, and it seemed a sad affair when Tony, as he was called, was led away in chains, saying, "Good-bye, Morge, I'll never see you again."
In 1866 Mr. Dyer married Mrs. Elnora (née Senseney) Vanscoy, the widow of Jacob Vanscoy, by whom she had had one child. Of the five chil- dren born to our subject and wife the eldest, George G., is an enterprising farmer; Eliza is the wife of Edward Conway; Frank died when in his eight- eenth year; and Grace and Robert are still at home and are of great service to their parents in their busy daily labors.
HARVEY J. HORNADAY.
Mr. Hornaday, a real-estate, loan and insurance man of Lafayette, in which place he has made his home for many years, has been identified with the annals of Tippecanoe county for almost his entire lifetime and has watched its development with great interest. Few men in this vicinity have more friends than he, and no one is more thoroughly respected and highly regarded. In manner he is genial and pleasant, readily making friends and, better still, retaining them.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was a native of Ohio and died in that state, in Preble county, when about sixty-five or seventy years of age. He was a much respected citizen and reared his large family to lives of usefulness. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Noah Vandever, was a southern gentlemen, of the "old school." Born in North Carolina, he became a resident of Ohio at an early day, conducting a farm. His death occurred in the Buckeye state, when he was nearly four-score years old.
The parents of H. J. Hornaday were John and Isabel (Vandever) Horna- day, both born in Ohio. They were members of the Dunkard church and, exemplified in their daily lives the high and noble principles of brotherhood toward their fellow men, which they professed. The father, who was a progressive and successful farmer, became a resident of Cass county, Indiana, about 1843, later removed to Carroll county and in 1860 to this county. Here he settled on a tract of land in Washington township, east of Buck Creek, and improved a farm. He first owned only forty acres, but as time passed he became well-to-do and bought eighty acres more, making of the whole a very desirable homestead. He died at his old home there in 1877, but his
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widow is still living, now about eighty-seven years of age, her home being usually in Battle Ground, with her daughter Sarah, wife of H. A. Wallace. Only three of the twelve children of John and Isabel Hornaday are now liv- ing, the once large and happy family circle having been gradually diminished by the relentless angel of death. Martha, the other daughter who survives, is the wife of B. F. Leadman, and lives near Buck Creek, Indiana. John Hornaday was a man of prominence in his community and held the office of justice of the peace, as well as other minor positions.
The birth of Harvey J. Hornaday occurred on his father's homestead near Flora, Carroll county, March 5, 1848. He was reared in the custom- ary manner of farmers' boys, receiving thorough instruction in the proper methods of agriculture and obtaining a district-school education. During the civil war he was strongly patriotic, and deeply lamented the fact that he was altogether too young to be accepted in the ranks as a soldier. The last year of the conflict, however, he was permitted to join the Union forces, though he was then but sixteen years of age, and for eight months he faith- fully stood at his post of duty, defending the safety of his loved country. During this period he was, for the greater share of the time, a corporal of Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Volunteers.
When the battle-clouds had rolled away, young Hornaday returned home and for the succeeding two years worked on the farm. His tastes did not lie in the direction of an agricultural life, however, and for several years thereafter he sold lightning-rods, and for a time also was employed by the Hall Safe & Lock Company, as a salesman for a few years and for some time as a workman in their factory. Since 1896 he has been engaged in his present lines of business, having his office in Lafayette, where his home has been for about thirty years. In his political affiliations he is a stanch Repub- lican, and at this writing is the popular councilman from the sixth ward. In his religious convictions he is a Methodist, and has belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church of this place for many years. He is an Odd Fellow, a member of Lafayette Lodge, No. 15, of this place.
The pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs. Hornaday is located at Twenty-first and Virginia streets. Mrs. Hornaday was formerly Miss Rachel Timmons, and her marriage to our subject was solemnized August 16, 1870. She is a daughter of Adam and Rachel (Schultz) Timmons. As they never had any children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Hornaday, in the goodness of their kindly hearts, took into their home four children, at different times, and gave the little ones all the tender love and care which they would have bestowed upon their own, had they been so blessed. Two of these children, Charles and Arvilla, are still living; Mrs. Ella Gebhart is deceased, and one died in infancy.
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LEWIS McINTOSH.
Lewis McIntosh, of Pike township, is now the only living representative, save one, of the once large family of Daniel McIntosh, a pioneer of Warren county, Indiana. The birth of the latter occurred in Scotland about 1766, and in his native country he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. After he had worked at his calling for several years he determined to try his fortune in America, and landed in Baltimore in 1801. In that city he found employ- ment in the service of Charles Carroll, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and subsequently he went to Fayette county, Kentucky. His marriage to Jane McCauley was celebrated December 15, 1807, near Lexington, which place was their home for many years. Mrs. McIntosh was of Scotch-Irish parentage, and her birth had occurred October 18, 1783. In later life this worthy couple removed from their old Kentucky home to Madison county, Ohio, where they remained for a period of eleven years. On the 27th of October, 1830, they arrived in Pike township, Warren county, and with characteristic energy the father set about clearing a farm in the forest, for he had settled upon a tract of wild government land. He was successful in his undertaking, and here, as elsewhere, he made hosts of friends and won the respect and admiration of everyone. An excellent mechanic and almost an artist with his few simple tools, he made numerous articles of furniture, fine specimens of his skill, and some of these are still preserved by his children and descendants. His death took place October 29, 1850, and his widow died May 26, 1872. They were strict Presbyterians, having been reared in that faith, and in all of life's relations they were noted for integrity and purity of mind and action. Their sons and two daughters were John, James H., Daniel, Priscilla, Lewis and Rachel; and William and Andrew died in Kentucky. Though only two of the number survive, of those deceased all but William and Andrew attained three-score and ten years, and several were very aged at death.
Lewis McIntosh was born in Madison county, Ohio, February 23, 1824, and was about six years old when he came to this county. Here he has spent his busy and happy life, his attention being given almost entirely to agriculture. January 7, 1866, he married Miss Amelia G. Bartlett, a daugh- ter of Jefferson and Elizabeth M. (Smith) Bartlett, pioneers of Pine township. Four sons and two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh, namely: Harvey S., Frank E., Olive G., Maud, Clifford and Daniel. The two last mentioned died in infancy. Mrs. McIntosh and daughters are mem- bers of the Christian church.
A brief sketch of the history of Jefferson Bartlett and family may be of interest to many of their old friends in this vicinity. Mr. Bartlett was born
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April 11, 1803, in Roanoke county, Virginia, a son of William and Lydia (Powell) Bartlett, the former of Dutch and the latter of Irish origin. Jef- ferson Bartlett grew to manhood in his native state, and went thence to Pennsylvania. In Bucks county he married Elizabeth M. Smith, August 25, 1829, and for a few years they resided in Philadelphia, where Mr. Bart- lett conducted a shoe business. In 1831 the family removed to Warren county, and became early settlers in Pine township. At Rainsville Mr. Bart- lett erected the first mill ever built in that section, and this he continued to operate for some time, then selling the property and engaging in the mer- cantile business. Thus he was the first merchant at Rainsville. In 1840 he went to Attica, Indiana, and embarked in milling, and in 1851 he located on a farm in Steuben township, Warren county. At this homestead Mrs. Bartlett died, October 6, 1865. The father departed this life December 27, 1873, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh. Though he had been born and reared in a slave state, Mr. Bartlett was opposed to slavery on princi- ple, and for a time he was identified with the Wesleyan Methodist church, but later was a freethinker. His wife was of Quaker parentage and she always adhered to the faith of her childhood. Four of their five sons were soldiers of the war of the Rebellion, namely: William H., Charles M., Edward H. and Thomas J. They enlisted in different regiments and all served throughout the conflict between the north and south. William H. and Thomas J. are deceased. Hugh S., the fifth son, is now a resident of Kansas; and Mrs. McIntosh was the only daughter.
THOMAS W. BURT.
Prominent among the enterprising, self-made men of Lafayette is the gentleman of whom this article is penned. He has come up from among the people, has forged his way to the front by honest industry and merit, and probably none of our citizens are more popular among the laboring classes than he. By actual experience as one of them, he knows their needs and wrongs, believing at the same time that right will finally triumph and brotherhood become the key of all men's actions.
He has served as president of the local Typographical Union and as a member of the Central Labor Union, which body he has represented in the state organization. In Masonic circles he stands high, having attained the thirty-second degree and become a member of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Druids and other societies. In politics he has been a stalwart Republican ever since he received the right of franchise, and is recognized to be a good worker for the advance- ment of Republican principles. In 1898 he was chairman of the county
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central committee of his party and conducted the campaign in a most satis- factory manner, receiving special complimentary notices from the state cen- tral committee. In 1894 he was elected city clerk of Lafayette and served in that capacity for four years, acquitting himself most creditably and win- ning many friends by bis manly, straightforward, efficient manner of dis- charging his duties.
The patriotic spirit which animates Thomas W. Burt is a heritage to him, for his honored father gave his life a sacrifice to the preservation of the Union. Thomas Burt, Sr., was a native of Ohio, that state which is the mother of brave men and patriots, and soon after the war of the Rebellion came on volunteered his services to his country. For four years he fought for the stars and stripes, and when he had lived to behold the new era of peace begun, his life paid the price of long continued exposure and hardship on southern battlefields. He passed to the other word in 1865.
Thomas W. Burt, our subject, was but four years old when his father died, as his birth had occurred March 12, 1861. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Rogers and who was a native of Indiana, became the wife of Thomas Bryant in 1868, and young Thomas came to Lafayette that year, where he grew up, received his education and has ever since lived. When entering his fifteenth year he commenced learning the printer's trade, and in 1890 became associated with the Spring-Emerson Stationery Company, one of the oldest and best known concernsof the kind in the state. It was estab- lished in 1836, by John Rosser, and has flourished for over three-score years. In 1897 the company was reorganized, Mr. Burt becoming a partner and the style of the firm being altered to the Burt-Terry Stationery Company. The other interested parties were Frank and Charles Terry. In business affairs Mr. Burt is prompt, courteous and enterprising, making friends of all with whom he has dealings. He is an excellent financier, thoroughly understands the needs of the trade and meets all of his business obligations in a manner which commands respect.
In 1887, in Lafayette, Mr. Burt was married to Miss Elizabeth Kichler, and they have two children, -Edgar and Mary.
ARTHUR J. BRACKNEY.
An honored pioneer of White county, Arthur J. Brackney is a veteran of the civil war, in which great conflict he acted the part of a loyal patriot, distinguishing himself by his devotion to duty, bravery and general reliability. In the private walks of life he has been none the less a true and patriotic citizen, meeting every responsibility in a manly way and striving to perform his duty at all times. 26
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John Brackney, the father of our subject, was of Scotch descent. He was born in Ohio, and, as far as is known, was an only child, but his parents dying when he was quite young he knew but little of his relatives. He was bound out to a farmer of the Buckeye state, and prior to reaching his major- ity he learned the cooper's trade. About 1822 he removed to Indiana and bought a small farm, which he carried on for a few years. Later he sold this property and returned to his native state, where he took a contract on the Miami canal construction, but ultimately lost all he had made in this line, as one of the contractors absconded with his money. In 1830 Mr. Brackney settled at Dayton, Tippecanoe county, renting farms in that vicin- ity for some years. He then entered and improved a farm in Carroll county, rearing his children there. Subsequently to the death of his wife in 1850, he sold his property and lived with a daughter in this county until his death, seven years later. He was a consistent member of the Methodist church, and his entire life was honorable and worthy of emulation. He had mar- ried Miss Mary Wilson, a daughter of Arthur Wilson, of Virginia. She was a native of Ohio and was one of seven children, the others being Jesse, Jackson, Nancy, Maria, Lucy and Sally. Her parents were identified with the Universalist church. Mr. Wilson, who was a carpenter by trade, was the postmaster at Dayton, Indiana, for a number of years, and was promi- nent among the early settlers there. To John and Mary (Wilson) Brackney eleven children were born: Lucinda, Mrs. John D. Compton; Reuben, deceased; Mrs. Sally Hannum, whose husband was a major in the civil war; Mrs. Hannah McC -; Jesse, deceased; Arthur J .; Mrs. Lydia Beard; John, deceased; Elias, who died when returning from service in the Union army; Francis, who died at the age of fifteen years; and Mrs. Marietta Ram- sey. Only three of these are now living.
Arthur J. Brackney was born in eastern Indiana December 31, 1823, and since 1845 he has been a resident of White county. Until 1849 he was employed as a carpenter and farm-hand, then rented land for two years and in 1853 bought the homestead in Prairie township, which he has since cul- tivated. At first he lived in a log cabin, which was supplanted by a better domicile in time, and in addition to this he has made numerous improve- ments upon the place, as the years have rolled by. He is an uncompromis- ing Republican, but does not aspire to occupy public positions.
In August, 1862, Mr. Brackney enlisted for three years or as long as the war should last, in Company F, Ninety-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served in the Army of the Tennessee and went with Sherman on the march to the sea, and though he participated in many hard-fought battles and campaigns he was never wounded nor captured by the enemy. He was quite ill at one time, but refused to go to the hospital, and when his
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health permitted was never absent from his post of duty. He marched to Washington at the close of the war and took part in the grand review. At Indianapolis he received his honorable discharge, June 15, 1865.
In November, 1849, Mr. Brackney married Miss Harriet Bryan, who was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, August 16, 1833, a daughter of John and Susan (Graves) Bryan. They were natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, were married in the Buckeye state, and in 1836 located on land which the father entered in Tippecanoe county. He was a well read man for that day, was a great Bible student, and from his early manhood was a leader in the Christian church. He died in 1841, and his wife departed this life in January, 1847. In the meantime she had married R. Higman, and had become the mother of one child, Milla, who died while young. She was a daughter of Joseph Graves, of Virginia, who came to Indiana about 1831, and passed the rest of his days in Tippecanoe county. One of his sons, Charles, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died at Fort Meigs. The other children were Benjamin, Elijah, Joseph, John, Johnson, Lucy, Harriet, Isaac, Susan, Jacob, Sarah and Daniel. Mrs. Brackney is one of four chil- dren, her sister Mary being the wife of H. H. Meeker; her brother Levi, a resident of Peru, Indiana, and her youngest having died at the age of fifteen years.
To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Brackney two sons and two daughters were born, of whom the eldest, Corydon, died when three years old. Jennie is now Mrs. Cochran; Mary is Mrs. Dimmit, and Charles W. is a well known farmer and stock-raiser of this county. Mrs. Brackney, like her parents before her, is a member of the Christian church.
WILLIAM H. BURKHALTER.
One of the most thrifty, substantial farmers of Tippecanoe county is William H. Burkhalter, of Perry township. A few years ago he came to his present homestead, then a place of eighty acres, and from time to time he added more land to his original purchase, until he now owns two hundred and sixty acres, improved with good buildings, fences, orchards, shade trees and all the accessories of a model country home.
Ullery Burkhalter, great-grandfather of our subject, came to the United States from Germany at an early day and settled in Lehigh county, Penn- sylvania. He was a saddler by trade, and was also a farmer. He owned an entire section of land, which he cleared from the primeval forest and made a valuable homestead. He lived to a venerable age, and was an honored mem- ber of the German Reformed church. His son, Peter, grandfather of our subject, was born on the old homestead in Lehigh county, and he, too, be-
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