USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 27
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 27
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 27
USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 27
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 27
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 27
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 27
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Robert McCord came to Warren county in 1822, with his father's family, and grew to manhood in Liberty township. In the spring of 1855 he pur- chased the farm on which our subject now lives, and which comprised four hundred acres. He resided there and in that vicinity until his death, which took place in 1885, when he was in his sixty-sixth year. He was twice mar- ried, his first wife being Hannah Rhodes, by whom he had eight children, namely: Harriet, deceased; Elizabeth, who is the widow of Isaac Jones and lives in Pine Village; James W. is in California; Elnora is the wife of A. W. Gephart and they live near Pond Grove; Jane married Allen Eberly and lives near Pine Village; Joseph H. is our subject; Jonathan lives in California; and Alice is deceased. For his second wife Mr. McCord married Mrs. Lydia Kid- ney, widow of James Kidney, and four children were born of this union: Rebecca, who lives near Pond Grove; Lilley, the wife of Levin Wright; Sam- uel is a resident of Pond Grove; and Robert is deceased.
Joseph H. McCord has always lived on the home farm, with the excep- tion of three years, and upon attaining his majority took entire charge of the place. To the original land he has added from time to time, and, besides the home place, comprising three hundred and twenty acres, he owns three other farms, of one hundred and fifty-five, one hundred and five, and one hundred and ninety-one acres, respectively, which are located in Adams and Warren townships. His home is located four miles southeast of Pine Village, on the Rounseville and Green Hill road, and is a highly-improved and well- managed farm.
On October 10, 1880, Mr. McCord was united in marriage to Miss Addie Hall, who was born in 1860, a daughter of Allen and Ellen (Frazier) Hall. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McCord: Robert, James, Mary, Addie, Ellen and Josie. In his political belief our subject is a stanch Repub- lican, and in his religious affiliations is a consistent member of the Christian church at Pine Village. He and his family possess the high regard of a large circle of friends.
JACOB CLOUSE.
On no one industry does the prosperity of our country depend in so large a measure as on the agricultural. Give prosperity to the farmer and the wheels of commerce run smoothly for all, while, on the contrary, as has been demonstrated in recent years, adversity for him affects alike merchant, man-
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ufacturer and laborer. The staple products of all kinds-food, clothing, and many of our luxuries-are, directly or indirectly, the result of his labor, mak- ing him pre-eminently the benefactor of mankind. Among those farmers who have occupied a prominent place iu the history of Jasper county is the gentleman whose biography we here present. Born June 21, 1824, in Cum- berland county, Pennsylvania, he was yet a young man when he came with his parents to this state, where he has established a most enviable record for industry, integrity and honorable dealing.
John Clouse, the father, also was a native of Cumberland county, Penn- sylvania, and grew to manhood in that county. There he was joined in wed- lock with Miss Barbara Shuff, moved to Holmes county, Ohio, in 1838, and later, in 1844, came to this county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He obtained a grant of state land in what is now the town of Barkley, to which he brought his family the following year. This land, with the help of his sons, he improved and converted into a fertile farm. The mother was called away to the invisible world, leaving a family of five children. The father married another wife, their union being without issue. John, the third child of the family, went to California during the gold excitement in that state, accompanied by one Jack Kenton, and lost his life by the blowing up of the steamer Pearl in the harbor of San Francisco. The other five are at this writing (1899) alive and are as follows: Jacob, our subject; Mrs. Hester Lakins; William, a resident of Illinois; Mrs. Mary Wolcott; and Jackson, also a resident of Illinois,
Jacob Clouse was about twenty years of age when he came with his father to this state. The first summer he worked on the farm of Jared Ben- jamin, a well-known pioneer of Jasper county. The following year he was in the employ of George Spitler, another pioneer. In 1847 he enlisted in the Fifth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, and proceeded to Vera Cruz to join the army under General Winfield Scott, one of the most famous generals of the Mexican war. There was a cessation of hostilities soon after, and he returned home and assisted his father on the farm. He was married in 1849 and settled on unimproved land, which he bought and placed in a high state of cultivation. This farm he still owns, and made his home until the fall of 1893, when he moved to the city of Rensselaer.
He has been twice married, the wife of his youth being Elmina Parker, a daughter of Bunyan Parker. She was born in 1833, was married at the age of sixteen and died in 1866, leaving five children to be cared for. These children are all living and are as follows: Mary E., born September 1, 1850; Margaret Minerva, born April 21, 1852; Levi F., born September 24, 1855; Ezra, born January 17, 1859; and John W., born July 9, 1862. In 1870 Mr. Clouse placed at the head of his household Miss Margaret McElfresh, a
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native of Maryland. They have one son, William, born February 27, 1874. They are earnest and consistent members of the Christian church, and have the good will and respect of the entire community. They have a beautiful home in this city, the residence surrounded by four acres of lawn and orchard, which contains grapes and an abundance of small fruit of different kinds. This property was unimproved when purchased by Mr. Clouse, and he has made of it a pleasant home in which to spend the evening of life.
WILLIAM M. HOOVER.
This well known farmer and stock-raiser in Marion township, Jasper county, was born in Ross county, Ohio, 'August 27, 1844, where he was reared upon a farm and received his early education at a subscription school, later attending the public school. He came with his father's family to Indi- ana when only eighteen months old and has spent his entire life on the old homestead, which was left to him by his father's will.
In August, 1862, Mr. Hoover, then only seventeen years old, enlisted in the army and served for three years, -until the close of the war. He was a member of Company A, Eighty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which formed a part of the Army of the Cumberland, their first brigade commander being George H. Thomas, commonly known as "Pap " Thomas; the brigade was afterward commanded by General Gleason. Schryock was the first colonel and later Gleason. Mr. Hoover saw considerable hard service and partici- pated in some of the most noted battles of the war, among them those of Chickamauga, Lookout mountain, Kenesaw mountain and Knoxville, ending with the siege of Atlanta. At the time of Lee's surrender he was at Raleigh, North Carolina, from which place his command marched to Richmond, thence to Washington, and took part in the grand review. He was mustered out in that city and received his honorable discharge at Indianapolis. Dur- ing his experience as a soldier he received several wounds, some of them serious, but from all of which he recovered. He receives a pension.
After his return from the army, Mr. Hoover resumed his work on the farm and after his father's death took charge of the home place, where he still lives and tenderly cares for his mother, who makes her home with him. He has added to the original farm, which now comprises four hundred and eighty acres, which he has under a fine state of cultivation, and is largely engaged in raising and feeding cattle and hogs and shipping them to market. He also owns another farm, of one hundred and twenty acres, besides prop- erty in Rensselaer, and has been very successful in his business enterprises. As a life-long Democrat he has been an active worker for his party, but is popular with all parties, as was shown in his election as county treasurer,
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when he had seven hundred Republican majority to overcome. On taking charge of this office Mr. Hoover found the county badly in debt, but, by skillful financiering and an insistence on what he knew to be right, he suc- ceeded in collecting taxes from the railroads and all other corporations, bringing the county warrants up to par and leaving a safe surplus in the treasury. He filled the office with great credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the community, and is to-day probably the most popular Democrat in the county.
Mr. Hoover was married February 14, 1867, to Miss Nancy J. Adams, who was born in Miami county, Indiana, August 4, 1848. She is a daughter of Isaac and Ann (Iddings) Adams, who were early settlers of Indiana, whence they came from Ohio about 1846. The children of the Adams fam- ily were: Henry, Elizabeth, Sarah, Joseph, Nancy, William, Mary and Marion. The mother was a member of the Missionary Baptist church. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoover three children have been born, namely: Alford A. and William I., farmers in Jasper county; and Frank L., who is at home with his parents.
Mr. Hoover is a member of Post No. 184, G. A. R., of Lodge No. 143, I. O. O. F., and of Encampment No. 201, all at Rensselaer. He has passed all the chairs of Odd Fellowship and is a member of the grand lodge of Indiana. Both he and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal church.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, Jonathan Hoover, was a native of Virginia and a slave-owner, who removed to Ohio before that state was admitted to the Union. He set his slaves free when Virginia was declared free, and for a number of years was engaged in freighting with teams from Richmond to points in Ohio and other places. He settled in Ross county, Ohio, where he followed farming until his death. His children were: Calista, Eliza, Isabelle, Elizabeth, and Alford, the father of our subject. Alford Hoover was born January 8, 1819, in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, but grew to manhood in Ohio, where he at first followed the trade of a cooper in Ross county and later became a farmer. In 1846 he emigrated to Indiana, settling in Warren county, removing in 1854 to Jasper county. Here he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which was a small log house containing but one room, eighteen by twenty-four feet. He improved this place, adding to it by degrees until he owned a large tract of land on which he farmed and raised stock.
Alvord Hoover was married in 1840 to Miss Margaret Rozell, who was born in Fayette county, Ohio, August 23, 1820. Her father was Ebenezer Rozell, a native of Maryland, and her mother was Esther Cobler, of New Jersey, both being of German descent. They were married in Ohio and dur- ing the war of 1812 Mr. Rozell was detailed to work in a gunsmith shop, he
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being a blacksmith by trade. He received a pension during the latter part of his life. Both he and his wife died in Ohio, the latter at the age of ninety years. They were members of the Protestant Methodist church. Twelve children were born to them: Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia, Margaret, Lewis, Zachariah, Barzilla, James, Esther J., Martin, Caroline and Ebenezer.
The father of our subject died July 30, 1885, and his wife, who makes her home with her son on the old homestead, has reached the ripe age of seventy-eight years. She is a consistent Christian woman and is strong in the faith of the Methodist denomination, to which church she and her husband belonged for many years. The children of this worthy couple, of whom but two, William M. and Mrs. Ann E. Richey, are now living, were as follows: Thornton J. was a merchant at Attica Indiana; Ann E. has been twice married, her first husband, H. Iliff, dying while a soldier in the civil war; she is now the wife of O. K. Richey; William M. is our subject; Amanda J. died in infancy; George O. died in 1888; and Sarah E. in 1863.
JAMES MURDOCK.
American biography furnishes many illustrations of self-made men, and the Hoosier state and her various counties are not without their quota of this class. Perhaps no better example of the self-made man in Indiana can be cited than James Murdock, of Lafayette, president of the Merchants' Na- tional Bank of this place.
Mr. Murdock was born in county Sligo, Ireland, in 1837, son of John and Sabina (Kelley) Murdock, the former a native of Scotland, the latter of Ireland. Of their family of nine children only three are now living, viz .: Eliza, widow of John Stephens, and James and Thomas. John Murdock, the father, was a farmer, who left Ireland for Canada in 1848, and moved in 1850 from Canada to the United States, locating first in New York state, thence going west to Vermilion county, Ohio, and afterward to Wayne county, Indiana, at which latter named place he died in 1853. His widow survived him until 1878, and died at the age of sixty-seven years, in Lafay- ette, Indiana. He was a member of the Episcopalian church and she of the Catholic.
James Murdock was reared in Ireland, and received a limited common- school education there. After coming to America he continued his studies by attending night school for a short time, and in 1853 he started out to make his own way in the world, moving to Lafayette and there engaging in whatever kind of honorable occupation he could secure. After working in a brick yard, driving team, etc., he turned his attention to farming, in a small way, with his brothers, in the river bottoms about Lafayette, and was thus 50
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occupied for several years. In 1859 he engaged in the grocery and produce business in Lafayette, which he carried on for over twenty years, in the meantime, however, making other business ventures, as contractor in bridge building, railroad and gravel road construction, etc.
He was elected township trustee and afterward sheriff of Tippecanoe county for one term. Subsequently he was chosen warden of the Indiana State Prison North at Michigan City, which responsible position he filled for twelve years. Shortly after the discovery of natural gas in Indiana he be- came associated with friends in Lafayette, Chicago and New York and organized the Citizens' Natural Gas Company, of Lafayette, of which he was president. In 1890 he was one of the organizers of the Merchants' National Bank, of Lafayette, of which he has since been president. He is also president of the Indiana School Book Company, organized in 1888. Mr. Murdock is also general manager of a number of natural and artificial gas companies of Ohio and Indiana. In addition to his other interests Mr. Murdock is largely interested in farming near his home city.
James Murdock was married in Lafayette July 4, 1860, to Miss Joanna Bourk. Ten children blessed their union-seven sons and three daughters- seven of whom died in infancy. Of the three surviving, Charles, cashier of the Merchants' National Bank of Lafayette, married Miss Mollie Lillis, of Kansas City, Missouri, and they have one child, Charles. Samuel T. Mur- dock, general manager of the Lafayette, the Logansport and Wabash Valley Gas Company and the Ohio and Indiana Gas Company, married Miss Addie Gordon, of Elkhart, Indiana, and two sons and a daughter have been born to them, -James, Gordon and Mary, -the daughter now attending college at Manhattanville, New York.
Mrs. James Murdock died October 29, 1891. She was a member of the Catholic church, as is also Mr. Murdock and his children. Mr. Murdock lives at 1114 State street with his son Samuel. Personally he is affable and one whose kindly disposition marks him as a gentleman in the truest and best sense of the word. Politically he has always been a supporter of the Demo- cratic party.
ROBERT A. PARKISON.
Robert A. Parkison, a resident of Barkley township, Jasper county, is a descendant of an honored pioneer family and a well-to-do farmer. He was born in Jasper county, March 16, 1861, a son of William K. and Mary (Bark- ley) Parkison, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father came to Indiana in 1837, his wife having come the preceding year. She was the daughter of Henry A. Barkley, who emigrated from Ire-
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land to America when a young man and settled in Pennsylvania, where he was married. He came to Jasper county, Indiana, in 1837, entered a large tract of land and became a successful farmer and stock-raiser. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church, and he belonged to the Ma- sonic fraternity. Their children were: Robert, Isabelle, John, Mary (mother of our subject), William, James, Rose and Henry.
William K. Parkison was a son of John G. Parkison, who came from Ohio to Indiana and settled in Jasper county in 1837. He entered land, which he improved, but later opened a country store, in which he kept a general assortment of goods and did an extensive business in this, also car- rying on farming and handling stock. He made a success of all his enter- prises, and took an active part in the development of the new country in which he lived. He was a useful and highly respected citizen. In politics he was a Whig, and filled offices of honor and trust in the county. He died about 1856, leaving a fine estate. His wife, who was a daughter of Simon Kenton, died a few years after her husband. Simon Kenton was a celebrated character in the history of the west. He emigrated at a very early day to the frontiers of Kentucky, and became a noted Indian fighter, taking a prom- inent part in the Indian wars. He was constantly to be found on the frontiers of the newly formed states, where he acted as scout and defender of the settlers from their dusky foes. He built the first cabin on the spot where Cincinnati now stands, and later took up his abode where the city of Urbana was afterward built. In his old age he went to Logan county, Ohio, and made his home with a daughter there until his death. Some years afterward the people of Urbana had his remains removed to that city, where a suitable monument was erected to mark his last resting place. The chil- dren of John Parkison and wife were: Eliza A., William K., Addison, Mar- garet, Emma, Joseph, Jane, Julliette, Isabelle, Franklin and Martha. The parents were members of the Methodist church.
William K. Parkison, father of our subject, was born in Ohio and removed with his father to White county and later to Jasper county, Indiana, when seventeen years old. He lived at home until his marriage, when he settled in Barkley township near his father's place, and began farming on his own account. He was successful as a farmer and stock-raiser, became the owner of large tracts of land and left a large estate to his children. He was a man of much public spirit and enterprise, and of undisputed honesty and integrity. A stanch Republican, he was also popular with all parties and filled many offices of honor and trust. He was defeated only once in his candidacy and that was when he ran for county commissioner. He fulfilled all the duties of his public positions most satisfactorily. He died September 4, 1888, his wife surviving him until January 27, 1892. Of the children of
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this worthy couple we make the following observations: John, a soldier in the civil war, was killed in a skirmish, by a sharp-shooter at Rocky Face Ridge; Miller died at the age of twenty-one years; George B., Harvey E. and James R., are farmers in Jasper county; Mary J., is the wife of G. Moody, of Rensselaer; and Robert A. is the youngest.
Robert A. Parkison received his education in the common schools and was reared upon his father's farm, where he was born and where he still resides. To the portion of the estate left to him he has added by purchas- ing the interest of some of the other heirs and now owns five hundred and thirteen acres of fine land, all under cultivation or in pasture. Besides gen - eral farming he raises, feeds and ships cattle and hogs. He has prospered in all his undertakings and is one of the representative agriculturists of the county.
Mr. Parkison was married December 22, 1883, to Miss Mary E. ยท Rogers, who was born in Morgan county, Indiana, May 3, 1860, and is a daughter of John and Mary (Anderson) Rogers, prominent citizens of Jasper county. The other children of the Rogers family besides Mary E., are Sarah E., David, James and Catherine. To our subject and his wife six chil- dren have been born, namely: William K., John R., George, Fannie F. (deceased), Mary E., Ida R. and Jennie.
Mr. Parkison is a leader in the Republican party in his locality, and while he has never been an aspirant for office he was selected at the county convention as the nominee for county treasurer in 1898, and was elected and will take the office January 1, 1900. He is popular with all classes of society and is ever ready to assist in whatever tends to the growth and progress of his community. He belongs to Iroquois Lodge, No. 243, I. O. O. F. at Rensselaer.
JOSEPH YEOMAN.
Joseph Yeoman became a resident of Jasper county, Indiana, in Sep- tember, 1844. He was born in Fayette county, Ohio, September 2, 1826, being the eldest child of Stephen B. and Hannah (Smith) Yeoman. Stephen B. Yeoman was born in Tompkins county, New York, September 10, 1801. The family were originally from England, coming to America in early colo- nial times and taking part in her struggle for independence. They are a numer- ous family and are well known in Jasper county, where many branches are represented. Stephen Yeoman was a son of James and a grandson of Stephen Yeoman. James Yeoman moved from New York to Fayette county, Ohio, when Stephen was in his youth, and there passed the remainder of his life. On July 28, 1825, Stephen B. Yeoman and Miss Hannah Smith were united
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in matrimony, the lady having came to that state with a sister. She was born in Berkeley county, Virginia, now West Virginia, in January 1803, and her parents continued in that state until their death. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Yeoman resided for many years in Ohio, coming in Septem- ber, 1844, however, to this county and settling in Newton township. They purchased of William Mallatt three hundred and twenty acres of slightly improved land, upon which they settled. This land was largely prairie, and in addition to farmning Mr. Yeoman engaged in the manufacture of spinning wheels, chairs, etc., and being a skillful mechanic he was soon in the way to prosperity when his career was cut short by death. September 9, 1845, about a year after locating here, his death occurred, but even in this short time of residence he had gained the reputation of being an honorable, upright man. Both he and his wife were members of the Primitive Baptist church and were worthy Christian people. The labor and responsibility of educating and supporting a large family now devolved upon the mother, and so faithfully did she accomplish this seemingly impossible task that they grew up to become citizens of worth and are now highly esteemed. The family consisted of ten children, the eldest of whom is Joseph, our subject, then a youth of nineteen years, and the youngest born shortly after the death of her husband. Mrs. Yeoman displayed an energy and soundness of judgment that carried her through many difficulties, and was successful in a task that would have appalled the stoutest-hearted man. This most esti- mable mother was spared to her family until they had all reached years of usefulness and discretion, and at last laid down her burden, on January 14, 1875, at the age of seventy-two years. Such a noble, sacrificing life could not help winning affection, and we find that she was beloved not only by her family but also by a wide circle of friends.
Joseph Yeoman rendered what assistance was in his power to caring for the fatherless family, and remained at home seven years, until the younger members were able to contribute their aid. Eight of them are now living. When he was twenty-six years old Joseph was married, the bride being Miss Rachel A. Moore, and the nuptials occurring on November 28, 1852. Her parents were Robert and Elizabeth (Mckinley) Moore, the former of whom was born and reared in the state of Kentucky, and the latter in Brown coun- ty, Ohio. They were early settlers of Johnson county, this state, where Mrs. Moore died, leaving Mrs. Yeoman motherless at the age of ten years. In 1849, the father and his four children sought a home in Jasper county, but he afterward returned to Johnson, where he died, in January, 1856. Two brothers of Mrs. Yeoman, Robert and Joseph, now reside in that coun- ty, while her only sister, Mrs. Martha Wion, is living in Decatur county, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Yeoman have been born nine children, of whom but four are
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