USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 56
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 56
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The Clark family were from the north of Ireland, of "Scotch-Irish " descent. Peter Clark was born in county Cavan, Ireland, and in Edinburg, Scotland, married Mary Clark, a native of that city and a daughter of Law- rence Clark. Peter was a butcher by occupation. He emigrated to Amer- ica about 1844, locating at Kingston, Canada. He was a soldier in the Mexi- can war, enlisting in a New York regiment of volunteer infantry, and, serving throughout the war, participating in the battles of Palo Alto and Buena Vista, and siege of the city of Mexico. Returning to Kingston he lived there a few years and then moved to Scottsville, Monroe county, New York. His chil- dren were James, Mary Ann, Patrick H., Lawrence (now captain of the police
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force of Lafayette, Indiana), Margaret, Susan, Peter J., Elizabeth and Philip.
Mr. Clark enlisted in the civil war at Scottsville, in the Thirteenth Reg- iment of New York Volunteer Infantry, under the three-year call, and was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg, when he was about sixty years of age. He had engaged in the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, etc. He was a brave soldier, prompt with every duty. In his general habits he was indus- trious and honest, and in every way a good citizen. Politically he was a Republican.
James H. Clark, our subject, was but two years old when brought to Pulaski county by his parents in their emigration hither from Scottsville, New York. His father continuing in the butcher business, he early learned the same, meanwhile obtaining a common-school education. December 15, 1863, he enlisted in the army for the Union as a private in Company M, Fourth New York Heavy Artillery, under the three-year call, and was hon- orably discharged at Hart's Island, New York Harbor, September 27, 1865. He was in the battles of the Wilderness, which were continuous from May 5 until June 3, 1864; Chancellorsville, Spottsylvania Court House, Bloody · Angle, Cold Harbor, Petersburg. Weldon Railroad and Weldon plank road, Hatcher's Run, Deep Bottom, explosion of the Petersburg mine, Ream's sta- tion and Five Forks, and was present at the surrender of Lee at Appomattox Court House. Of course, he participated in many skirmishes besides the great battles above mentioned,-indeed, in all the engagements in which his regiment took part, and was neither wounded nor taken prisoner, and was in the hospital but three days. Of his family there were his father and three of his sons in the civil war. John was in Company C, One Hundred and Eighth Regiment of New York Infantry, enlisting for three years, and was in the bat- tles of South Mountain and Antietam, and died from the effects of exposure in army life; and Peter was in the same company and regiment as was Mr. Clark, the subject of this sketch.
Returning home he resumed the butcher trade, in the employ of a large packing-house, being an expert in this line, working in Pittsburg, Buffalo, Detroit and Lafayette. He first came to Indiana in 1865 and remained two years, returning to New York. In 1873 he came again to Indiana. In 1877 he married and engaged in agricultural pursuits, but for the past twenty-two years he has been engaged in farming and contracting for building, in Carroll county, this state. In 1895 he settled on Gifford marsh, and a year after- ward moved to Cass township, where he still resides. He is a well known and reliable builder and has taken many responsible contracts. In his polit- ical views he is a Republican. Fraternally he is a member of Booth Boyd Post, G. A. R., at Delphi, Indiana, of which he has been commander; of
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Lodge No. 571, I. O. O. F., at Cutler, Carroll county, in which he has filled all the chairs, including that of noble grand; and of the Oclahoma Tribe, I. O. R. M., No. 178, at Flora, this state.
On the 24th of September, 1877, he was united in matrimony with Miss Jessie Arvilla Colwell, who was born at San Pierre, Starke county, this state, October 11, 1854, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (McDaniels) Colwell. The Colwells are of Scotch-Irish and German ancestry, and the McDaniels are of an old colonial family, also of Scotch-Irish descent. James Colwell was born in Champaign county, Ohio, about 1833, and his children were Robert, Mertie, Jessie A., Annette and Mary. He resided in Clinton county, this state, for many years, was a soldier in the civil war, in the Indiana vol- unteer infantry, and is yet living.
Mr. Clark's children are Mary E., Hugh, Thomas (deceased in infancy), Cleona, Peter J., Margaret A., Annie, Lena and Gertrude Marie.
SAMUEL ARCHER.
This citizen of Medaryville, Pulaski county, is one of the pioneers of Cass township, and a veteran of our great civil war. He was born Decem- ber 4, 1835, in Champaign county, Ohio, a son of Benjamin and Susannah (Swisher) Archer.
The Archers are of sterling Scotch descent. Benjamin was a son of David Archer, who was a pioneer of Logan county, Ohio, and who, it is believed, came to that state from Pennsylvania. Benjamin's children were William, John, James, Benjamin, David, Joseph, Thomas and Polly. Ben- jamin Archer was born in 1811, in Logan county, Ohio, and was married in Champaign county, that state, to Susannah Swisher, a native of that county, and a daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Nogle) Swisher. Nicholas Swisher was of the Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, and was a pioneer of Cham- paign county, where he had a good farm. His children were named George N., John, Betsy, Joseph, Susannah, Nicholas, Nathan and Samuel. Nicho- las Swisher moved to Indiana, in 1850, locating in Jasper county, on an improved farm of eighty acres. He finally died on this place, aged about seventy years. After his marriage, Benjamin Archer continued to reside in Champaign county for a time. In the spring of 1845 he emigrated to this state, settling in Cass township, Pulaski county, on land which he had pre- empted. two miles northeast of where Medaryville now is, and lived there until 1846, when he lost it to a dishonest neighbor, who slipped in ahead of him and paid the fees, and thus secured the property from the government. He next settled a mile west of Rensselaer, living there from fall till spring.
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when, the entire family being sick with malarial complaints, he was obliged to move again. Returning to Cass township, he located a mile and a half north of where Samuel Archer now resides. Here he lived a few years. About 1850 he bought eighty acres where our subject now lives: improving the place, he made of it a fine farm, building upon it good structures and rendering the premises generally inviting. In 1853 he bought eighty acres more, on forty of which his son David now lives. His children were named Aaron, Samuel, Sarah E., Joseph, David, Perry, Nicholas and Mary. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, but became a Republican on the organi- zation of that party. He lived to be fifty-five years old. He and his wife were members of the Baptist church, but in later life of the New-Light church, a branch of the Christian church. He was an upright, temperate and moral man, training his children to be honest and truthful and indus- trious. He was a strong Union man. Four of his sons enlisted for service in the civil war; but one, Nicholas, was rejected because of ill health. The others were David, Perry and Samuel. Perry was in many battles, and, after many years of ill health, died, from the effects of army life.
Samuel Archer, the subject of this sketch, was ten years old when he came with his parents to Indiana, and can well rember the journey. His father came here with Isaac Nogle, an uncle of Samuel. Starting about March 20, 1845, with a two-horse wagon, they were three weeks in making the journey. The children in this emigration were Aaron, Samuel, Joseph, David and Perry. When he arrived in Pulaski county, Mr. Archer had but fifty cents in money, and in property he owned one of the horses and the wagon, besides a little bed-clothing. He lived with Mr. Nogle until the ensuing autumn, when he built his own cabin, which was of logs, and in this humble structure he lived through the winter as well as he could, subsisting mostly on wild game and on corn obtained from Mr. Nogle.
Young Samuel attended school but a part of one term and that was in the pioneer log school-house. He began work on the farm at an early age, having the usual experiences of pioneer children. The forest was alive with deer, raccoons, minks, wild hogs, ducks, geese, plover, snipe, quails and prairie chickens, -the last named in countless numbers. In those early days the pioneers obtained their meat for their families mainly from the hogs, deer and small game, there being no time when a plenty of it could not be ob- tained; and young Samuel killed many wild hogs and deer in his boyhood.
July 1, 1855, he was united in marriage with Isabel J. Reynolds, who was born May 28, 1837, in Clark county, Ohio, a daughter of John M. and Catharine (Swisher) Reynolds. By this marriage there were the following children: Eveline, born November 1, 1856; Margaret A., October 18, 1858; Susannah C., July 15, 1860; Martha E., May 4, 1862; Harvey J., June 2,
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. 1868; and Susannah, March 16, 1875; and Mrs. Archer died in childbirth on the date last mentioned. For his second wife Mr. Archer married Barbara A. Pullins, who was born in Champaign county, Ohio, March 20, 1856, a daughter of Archibald and Sarah Ann (Ropp) Pullins. This marriage took place in Gillam township, Jasper county, March 7, 1876, and to this union have been born Melinda G., December 28, 1877; Silvia M., August, 1878; Celina, March 25, 1880; John B., June 9, 1881; Simon W., September 4, 1885; Elmer E., December 30, 1887; Milo Clifford, February 25, 1891; and Alfred E., May 2, 1896.
Archibald Pullins was born in Champaign county, Ohio, about 1832, a son of Samuel V. Pullins, who was a pioneer of that county and of sturdy Pennsylvania-Dutch stock. Samuel Pullins' children were named Joseph, William, Archibald, Hannah, Mary, Rebecca and Elizabeth. Samuel Pullins died in Champaign county, at an advanced age. In that county he married Sarah Ropp, who was born in 1835, a daughter of Simon and Barbara J. (Demry) Ropp. He moved to Indiana about 1850, but four years later returned to Ohio and remained there three years; then, coming again to this state, he purchased eighty acres in Jasper county four miles west of where Samuel Archer now lives. This wild tract he improved, and later sold it and removed to Gillam township, where he bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, and upon it erected a tasteful residence; and here he passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1894. He was a class-leader in the Methodist Episcopal church, and was active and influential. His children were named Ibby Ann, Barbara Ann, James, Preston, Elmer, Elias, Frank and Charles.
Samuel Archer settled on land in Cass township, which he obtained of his father and which he had helped to improve. He received as his share of the landed estate sixty acres, wild land, which he developed into a good farm, and there he established and equipped a comfortable home. Thus the place where he now lives is a part of the old homestead.
Mr. Archer is a veteran of the civil war, enlisting January 27, 1865, at Medaryville, and being mustered in at La Porte, this state, as a private of Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-first Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry, to serve one year or during the war, and he was honorably dis- charged at Indianapolis, September 27, 1865, having been mustered out in Tennessee. He was engaged in battles at Nashville and other points in Tennessee; was active as a soldier and did his full duty promptly and cheer- fully. Politically he is a Republican, and socially he is a member of Guild Post, G. A. R., at Medaryville. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are influential citizens, held in high regard by all who know them.
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JUSTUS L. SIMPSON.
All the honor that belongs to the high-minded, public-spirited citizen belongs of right to Justus L. Simpson, of Francesville, Indiana, but it is as a soldier that Mr. Simpson has the strongest claim on the admiration of his fellow citizens. He is not only a soldier, but the grandson of a soldier, and his service in the war of the states in behalf of the Union was so heroic and his sufferings were so great that his military experience was exceptional in many ways.
Mr. Simpson was born on a farm near Gilbertsville, Otsego county, New York, May 16, 1837, a son of William and Lovina (Young) Simpson. His father's father did gallant service in the war of 1813-14. Records of other wars in America and in England bear the name of Simpson so prominently that there can be no question that Justus L. Simpson inherited the military instinct and predilection in an unusual degree.
August 30, 1862, when he was a little past twenty-five years old, he enlisted at Gilbertsville, New York, as a private in Company G, One Hun- dred and Fifty-second Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, to serve three years or during the war. He served until honorably discharged, Feb- ruary 4, 1865, on account of wounds received in a charge in the battle of Hanover Court House, Virginia. He participated in a charge on the rebel works at the battle of Suffolk, Virginia, and in the Wilderness campaign he was under constant fire for twenty-two days, from May 2 to May 24, 1864. The principal battles of this series were those of the Wilderness, Spottsyl vania Court House, North Anna Court House and Hanover Court House. In the last named engagement he was shot, May 24, 1864, under the follow- ing interesting circumstances: His regiment was deployed for service on the skirmish line. After twenty-four hours' arduous service it was relieved and sent to the rear among the reserves, but was almost at once called upon to relieve a regiment which had exhausted its ammunition, and took its place on the firing line in the woods, where it was under direct and galling fire in front of the enemy. The soldiers availed themselves of such shelter as trees offered, and Comrade Simpson gained the slight protection of the tree, whose trunk was about six inches in diameter. He was on his knees, loading his musket, when he found that a rebel sharpshooter had him in range. One shot struck the tree directly in front and in range of his forehead, and a second and a third shot narrowly missed him. A lieutenant standing about a rod in his rear cautioned him to look out as a sharpshooter had located him. As many as nine or ten shots came close to him, and soon he was struck, the ball pass- ing through the flesh of the upper part of the left leg, and through the right leg, cutting off the leaders and making a fearful wound. Comrade Simpson
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attempted to gain the shelter of a large tree a little distance in the rear, but found he could not walk. The lieutenant ordered two men to take him to the shelter of the tree. There he fainted, and, according to his vivid imagina- tion, beautiful flowers, trees and fine white houses appeared to him with re- markable distinctness and minuteness. This pleasing illusion was followed by loud noises and great distress. Still unconscious, he was carried to the rear in a rubber blanket by four comrades, who finally procured a stretcher, and he was taken to the field hospital, about two and a half miles from the place where he was shot. His wound was dressed, and he lay in the hospital until next day, when he was taken to the Potomac river and by steamboat to Washing- ton, where he was placed in the Columbia College Hospital, and remained until about August 20, when he was transferred to Philadelphia and placed in Judicial Square Hospital. Gangrene in his wounds set in soon after, and then he fully expected death from day to day. The physician at Judicial Square Hospital told him he had but one chance for his life, and that was at Turner Lane Hospital. He was so weak that he was removed only with great difficulty, stimulated by four ounces of brandy. Here Dr. King, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was his physician. This very skillful surgeon re- moved the mortified flesh with much difficulty by repeated burnings. The operation was a terrible one, and it is impossible to realize Mr. Simpson's sufferings. The flesh was eaten away until he could have put his hand into the wound. His brother George visited him in September, 1864, and when he first saw him thought he was dead, so deathly was his appearance and so awful his condition of emaciation and weakness as he lay for fresh air under a tent. The patient did not know his brother. Mr. Simpson feels that he owes his life to Dr. King, to the Sanitary Commission, and to benevolent ladies who came every day to visit the sick and bring them flowers and deli- cacies. Until wounded Comrade Simpson was always an active soldier, and was in all the campaigns, marches, battles and skirmishes in which his regi- ment took part, and was prompt and cheerful in the discharge of all his duties. He received a severe sunstroke in 1863, and still feels the effects of it. He was then on a forced march, but did not leave his regiment.
He left his home in New York state, April 14, 1865, for Illinois, and went directly to Kankakee. After a short visit he went to Iroquois county, Illinois, as a cattle-herder, and remained there one year. As he rode a horse he could do this kind of work, but was very lame, and could not get his heel to the ground for two years after he left the service. For two years after- ward he was overseer for the firm of Milk, Bancroft & Serring on a farm of six hundred and fifty acres, all planted in corn. Later, and until 1871, he managed another large farm. Meantime, December 22, 1868, he had mar- ried, at Kankakee, Illinois, Susan E. Clemans, a native of Wayne county,
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New York, and a daughter of Lorenzo and Sarah (Kelly) Clemans. Lorenzo Clemans was born in Wayne county, New York, in a house which had been built in the pioneer days by his father, Dr. Asaph Clemans. Dr. Clemans, whose mother was a sister of General Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame, was of Puritan stock and married Orpha Ives, a daughter of Moses Ives, who was a Revolutionary soldier from Connecticut. They had children named Moses, Asaph, Rensselaer, Putney, Nancy, Clarissa, Polly and Susannah. The Doctor, who took his medical degree in Rochester, New York, was in his day a distinguished physician and a man of much property, who acquired a considerable landed estate, most of which is now owned by his descend- ants. In political faith he was for many years an old-line Whig. He was one of the organizers of the Republican party and voted for Fremont and for Lincoln. He was an active member of the Methodist church and a class- leader in his organization, and died aged seventy-two, after a busy and use- ful life.
Lorenzo Clemans, son of Asaph Clemans and father of Mrs. Simpson, was born about 1818, and died aged seventy-eight. He was a successful farmer and married Sarah Kelly, a native of Oneida county, New York. The fam- ily of Kelly is prominent in New York, especially in Buffalo, and Mrs. Lo- renzo Clemans' sister, Mary, married a general of the Confederate army. Mrs. Clemans had two brothers, named Joseph and Ezekiel. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Clemans were named Oscar, Lydia, Orson, Susan E., Ann, Colista, Rensselaer and George. Oscar, who was a member of a New York infantry regiment, died the death of a soldier during the civil war.
In 1875 Justus L. Simpson removed, with his wife, to Newton county, Indiana, and managed a cattle ranch for Lemuel Milk, of Kankakee, Illinois, until 1876, when he bought his present farm in Salem township, which was known as the old Nathaniel Waple farm. He has lived on this place since 1876, and has improved it by drainage and by the erection of new buildings. His residence, in the midst of a beautiful grove, is one of the most tasteful and attractive in this part of the county, and the hospitality dispensed under its roof is as generous as it is spontaneous. To Mr. and Mrs. Simpson have been born five children: Jennie A., Cora M., Romeo, Jessie Ray and Sher- rie. Romeo died in infancy; the others survive. Jennie A. and Cora M. became well known school-teachers. The former taught at Francesville and at other points in Pulaski county for nine years and is now the wife of Will- iam Bechdolt, of Oregon. Cora M. has had an experience of ten years in the public schools and is now teaching in the high school in Salem township. She attended the normal school at Valparaiso, Indiana, and Terre Haute state normal. Jessie Ray lives in Oregon, and Sherrie on the home farm. Mrs. Simpson and her daughters are members of the Christian church. Com-
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rade Simpson is a Grand Army man and a good Republican. While a resi- dent of Newton county he served the people of McClellan township as assessor and as trustee. He is influential in his part of the county, because those who know him have confidence in his integrity and good judgment.
DAVID ARCHER.
This well-known resident of Pulaski county is honored as one of Cass township's leading citizens and as one of its old soldiers of the civil war. His father was one of the pioneers here. Mr. Archer was born in Cham- paign county, Ohio, June 9, 1843, a son of Benjamin and Susannah (Swisher) Archer. For a more complete early history of the Archer family, see the bio- graphical sketch of Samuel Archer in this work. David Archer was reared among the pioneers of this county, and attended the old log-cabin school dur- ing the winters until he was seventeen years old. He was reared a farmer. February 7, 1862, he enlisted, at Medaryville, for service in the civil war, as a private of Company I, Twentieth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged December 22, 1862, in Virginia, on account of wounds received at the battle of Peach Orchard, June 25, 1862, where he was shot in the left hip. He returned home and re-enlisted, at Medaryville, and was mustered into the United States service at Michigan City, Indi- ana, January 21, 1864, as a private of Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was honorably
discharged April 10, 1866, at Raleigh, North Carolina. He participated in engagements at the following named points in Georgia: Dalton, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Lost Mountain, Burnt Hickory, Rough and Ready, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, and also those at Columbus, Tennessee; Kings- ton, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; and Franklin, Tennessee. During his first enlistment he was in battle in front of Rich- mond, Virginia, until he was wounded as stated. He was in field hospital and in the General Stone Hospital, Washington, D. C., and it was several months before he recovered. He enlisted thirteen men in northern Indiana before he went to the front on the second enlistment. He took these men to camp at Michigan City and was there taken sick with black measles, and on the way to the front he became so sick that he was taken from the train at Jeffersonville, Indiana, and placed in a hospital, and came near death. It was some weeks before he could be sent away. He was transferred to the New York barracks, and from there to Fort Wood, New York, for ten days, and then joined his regiment and served with it until honorably dis- charged after the close of the war. In South Carolina he was detailed to
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look after government property, and at one time was detailed as hospital steward.
After the war he returned home and engaged in farming. He was mar- ried April 29, 1866, in Cass township, Pulaski county, Indiana, to Mary Ann Reynolds, who was born November 6, 1843, in Clark county, Ohio, a daugh- ter of John M, and Catharine (Swisher) Reynolds. Catharine Swisher was born October 24, 1815. The Reynolds were an old colonial American family, of Scotch-Irish descent. John M. Reynolds was born in Pennsyl- vania March 20, 1833. His children were named Eli C., born January 26, 1835; Isabel J., May 28, 1837; Sarah E., March 21, 1839; James D., Au- gust 21, 1841; Mary Ann, November 6, 1843; Joseph S., September 22, 1846; John R., November 5, 1850; Nancy E., November 19, 1852. After
their marriage Mr. and Mrs. David Archer settled in Cass township. They have lived on their present farm twenty-five years. This tract of eighty acres Mr. Archer has improved from the wilderness, only five acres having been cleared when he settled on it.
Mr. Archer has been troubled greatly by his old wound, and has been much of the time unable to do any hard work. Politically he is a Repub- lican. He is a member of Guild Post No. 121, Grand Army of the Republic, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is an honored citizen in good circumstances, and has the welfare of the community at heart, being helpful in every important relation.
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