USA > Indiana > Grant County > Biographical memoirs of Grant County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography with portraits of many national characters and well-known residents of Grant County, Indiana. > Part 105
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Mountain region, ever striking out with a prospecting outfit, upon hearing of new fields, generally to find that they were very much overrated or that the really desirable claims had already been taken by others. The years failed to reimburse him, all ef- forts finally ending in disaster and discour- agement, so that he turned his attention to the making of mill machinery, flumes and .other work of that nature. This proving more remunerative, he continued it, becom- ing an extensive contractor, and all his con- tracts yielding a handsome return. One mill that he erected on the Yuba made him two thousand dollars in a few months, while still another yielded seven thousand dollars profit. Keeping on in this line, hav- ing established an enviable reputation as a reliable and successful contractor, he found himself, after building thirteen mills, worth something like twenty-two thousand dol- lars. Then, having as he thought the op- portunity of a life-time, he invested all this in a quartz mill, but within twenty days after it was completed it failed, wiping out all his hard-earned capital, again reducing him to the depths of poverty. Thoroughly | disheartened and with less than a thousand dollars of the many thousand he had made, he set once more to work at contracting to recoup the shattered fortunes, resolving that as soon as a competence had been attained he would return to the east and not again risk his all in speculation. After erecting two more mills he counted up the gains, finding himself with a little less than two thousand dollars to show for seventeen years of the hardest kind of work, coupled with all the hardships any one had ever experi- enced in the west.
In 1870 Mr. Bell came to Indiana, and two years later to Van Buren township, Grant county, since when he has resided im his present pleasant home, where he lives in the comfort and ease that well corre- sponds with the exciting years he has passed in the new west among the roughest and wildest of white men and often with still wilder Indians.
Upon the outbreak of the Rebellion he raised a company of men, mostly miners, and reported to the government at San Francisco; but upon examination he was the only one rejected, a gunshot wound he had received in his youth being considered sufficient cause for rejection. The company was one of the first in the field, and won for itself lasting honors at Ball's Bluff, where several of its members were killed. In 1862 Mr. Bell became associated with the famous scout, Kit Carson, with whom: he went on several expeditions against the hostile Indians. The feeling during the continuance of the Rebellion was such as. to excite the Indians to greater violence than before for years, there being many out- breaks and numerous massacres, the gov- ernment sending several regiments of troops into the Indian country. However, such men as Carson and his few devoted followers (lid more to settle the Indian question for many years than all of the efforts of the government. Several massacres were avoid- ed by the prompt action of Carson and his companions, on some of these occasions there being no one but Bell to keep him close company. The lack of numbers never deterred the old scout, who felt safe as long as Bell was his companion. He had taken a strong liking for the younger man some
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years before, upon seeing his terrific and accurate marksmanship in a contest, and at that time sought the acquaintance of the boy. They had ever after remained friends, but it was during those excursions after the hos- tiles that his friendship grew into a brother- ly love and affection, which had been ce- mented by the great dangers they had met together. Armed with repeating rifles and two true revolvers, they were, even when alone, a force in themselves, almost a match for all the Indians that they were liable to encounter. They have been surrounded by savages, decorated with war paint and rid- ing the well-trained and hardy ponies; but by the exercise of caution and strategy, coupled with fearlessness, they were able to kill so many of the enemy that the others withdrew. They became mortally afraid of Carson, and almost equally so of Bell, whose aim was not less unerring and whose hostility was not less vehement. The last raid of Mr. Bell after the Indians, who had massacred five families, was in company with about fifty others, under his command, the result being the destruction of the en- tire party of redskins except one.
Mr. Bell had frequent encounters, when single-handed, once a crowd of two hun- dred and fifty running him for two whole days before he could reach safety. He re- calls three incidents of single encounters with as many powerful Indians, and whose skill in strategy and the use of the rifle was almost equal to his own, though the result in each instance proved the superiority of the white man in the end. His many en- counters with the wild animals of the mount- ains were little less interesting and danger- ous than those with Indians, in one of which
he killed a sixteen-hundred-pound grizzly, one of the largest ever kille.l in the mount- ains. He once met a she bear with two cubs on the side of the mountain, shot both barrels of his rifle into her mouth, killed the dam and captured the cubs, selling them later for fifty dollars each. Some of the old Mexican customs prevailed for many years in the mining country, especially that of bear batting, during one of which con- tests he saw a bear kill four bulls, being finally killed by the fifth. "During all those years there was ample excitement to fill a life-time, the participant being now content settle down to the quiet life of the average Grant county farmer. Although constantly thrown with the roughest of men, and though feeling no special superiority, he managed to refrain from the indulgence in gambling and other demoralizing habits, through the means of which he saw dozens of promising young men drawn to ruin. Though he associated with gamblers, often loaning them sums of money. he never lost a cent by such accommodations.
Mr. Bell was married several years since to Miss Elizabeth Chance, of Butler coun- ty, Ohio. This lady died August 28, 1900, after passing more than thirty years as the companion of this gentleman. Three chil- dren survive her : John K., a fruit-grower of Allegan county, Michigan; Laura Eliza- beth, wife of Albert Ray, who operates the farm; and Ellery Channing, of Van Buren.
Mr. Bell has a host of warm personal friends, who find in him a most congenial and companionable associate, his fund of in- cidents, in most of which he has been a participant, affording a never-failing source of entertainment and amusement.
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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS.
CHARLES R. JONES, M. D.
Charles R. Jones, M. D., a regular prac- ticing physician and surgeon of Jonesboro, Grant county, Indiana, is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born in Miami county, Ohio, near West Milton, October I, 1829, son of Daniel H. and Amelia (Jones) Jones.
Charles R. remained under the parental roof, assisting his father with general farm work and attending the common schools, until seventeen years of age, when he went to Richmond, Indiana, serving there a four- years' apprenticeship at the carriage-mak- er's trade, but not feeling satisfied with his education acquired thus far, entered the Friends' Boarding School, of Richmond, re- maining there two terms, then returned to West Milton, Ohio, where he worked at his trade until December. 1855, when he came to Jonesboro. Here he started a car- riage factory, which he carried on success- fully until the breaking out of the Civil war, when patriotism overbalanced business and he organized a company of volunteers and with it joined the Eighty-ninth Indiana Regiment, his company being known as Company C, of that regiment, of which Mr. Jones was chosen captain. The first active service seen by this company was at Mumfordsville, Kentucky, where Captain Jones was taken prisoner with his command by General Bragg's army and held for sev- eral days, when he was paroled, returning first to Indianapolis and then back to Jones- boro, but remained here but a short time, when he again went to Indianapolis, and there was exchanged and returned to the front as captain, going to Fort Pickering and doing guard duty for a time, but, owing
to failing health, he resigned and in 1863 came back to Jonesboro.
After returning from the war he was engaged in clerking in a store for some time, and the pleasure and comfort of home life soon restored him to his usual health, but soon tiring of so quiet a life and long- ing for the excitement of battle and wish- ing to do his share in this great conflict, in November, 1863, he again enlisted, be- coming a member of the Seventh Indiana Cavalry as a private, but after serving as such for but one day was promoted to com- missary sergeant. Mr. Jones seemed to be in line of promotion, as he was within a short time promoted to orderly, then to second lieutenant. He was versed in mili- tary tactics, and the higher officers showed their appreciation of this fact by his pro- motions. He was honorably discharged in Austin, Texas, January 26, 1866, as second lieutenant. He then returned to his home in Jonesboro, and for a short time followed his old trade of carriage-making, but as his life-long desire had been to be a physician, he took up the study of medicine, reading with Dr. Jones, of Jonesboro, until prepared to enter the medical college of Cincinnati, and in 1876 was graduated from the Eclec- tic Medical College of that city, after which he located in Jonesboro, where he now en- joys a lucrative practice and has the confi- dence of all his friends. He is gentle and kind in the sick room, a feature which makes him the more popular.
Charles R. Jones was united in mar- riage in 1856 to Miss Amanda Walling, who died in May, 1870. Mr. Jones was again united in marriage in 1880, selecting as his second wife Miss Adelaide Dolman. Dr. Charles R. Jones is not only popular
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with his immediate patients, but with the public at large, as they have chosen him to fill various public offices, some of which we now mention. He was trustee of Mill town- ship in 1860, township clerk for two years, a member of the town council for two years, and is the present health officer of Jones- boro.
Fraterrally Dr. Jones is a member of the I. O. O. F., an order which he has been a member of since 1855, in which he has i filled many of the chairs and has been a faithful worker; he is also a member of Magnolia Post, G. A. R., in which he has also held many offices. In religion Dr. and Mrs. Jones are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a member since 1871. Socially Dr. Jones and wife are among the best fam- ilies of Jonesboro, and are loved and re- spected by all who know them.
WILLIAM P. ROUSH.
William P. Roush, one of the most prominent citizens and honored ex-soldiers of the Civil war, was born in Wayne coun- ty. Indiana, near Hagerstown. July 31, 1836, son of Isaac and Mary ( Miller ) Roush.
Isaac Roush removed his family to Grant county from Wayne county in 1842, select- ing Grant county as their future home, and located on a farm in section 35 in what is now Mill township, and is now the home of Otis T., a brother of William P. Roush, but a vastly different home to what it was when the parents moved there. as then the improvements consisted of a log cabin, with outbuildings to correspond with the house. On this farm Isaac Roush and wife lived many years, and here it is they raise.l their
eleven children which graced their home. The father lived to the advanced age of eighty-three years, passing away in 1897, and his wife lived to be eighty-one years of age, and died in 1898. They were both consistent members of the Presbyterian church.
Isaac Roush was a man of marked abil- ity and very successful in his business. At the time of his death he owned three hun- dred acres of highly cultivated land, with all conveniences accorded to farm life, and other valuable property amounting t > twen- ty thousand dollars. To this union there were born eleven children, all of whom are living and all married with the exception of the youngest.
William P. Roush was but six years of age when his parents located in Mill town- ship and here on the old homestead he was reared to manhood, assisting his father in the farm work and taking advantage of the com . mon schools during the winter months. When twenty-one years of age he began for himself by renting the old home farm and became engaged in farming, where he remained until thirty-one years of age, when he removed to the farm where we now find him.
On April 12, 1868, William P. Roush was united in marriage to Miss Anna M. Lucas, daughter of Thomas M. Lucas. Mr. and Mrs. Roush are the parents of three children, but the death angel twice visited this home and took from these parents the two daughters who were sent to bless and brighten their hearts. Minnetta and Ber- tha await on the other shore to welcome their parents and brother. Walter, the only living child of Mr. and Mrs. Rush, is a student in Purdue University of Lafayette,
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Indiana, where he is taking a scientific course. He is a bright young man and a good student, and the parents have just cause to feel proud of this their only child.
William P. Roush has been a successful man in all his undertakings and has accu- mulated by his own efforts a fine farm of one hundred and forty acres, situated in sections 35 and 36, one hundred and twenty acres of which are under a high state of cultivation, where Mr. Roush carries on general farming and stock-raising, in both of which he has been successful. This farm is well drained, having eleven hundred rods of tiling on it, and also well improved, all of which has been accomplished by his own industry and good management.
Mr. Roush has always been public spir- ited and patriotic, and might well here say has been a life-long Republican and an ar- (lent worker in his party ; is also an ex-sol- dier of the Civil war, having enlisted in October, 1861, in Company H, Twelfth In- cliana Volunteer Infantry, with Major Steele as first lieutenant. He went first with his company to Sharpsburg, Mary- land, then into Virginia, doing guard duty on the Potomac river, and was discharged in May, 1862, when he returned to his home; but again having a desire to do his part in that great conflict, re-enlisted in September, 1864, in Company E, Fifty- eighth, for ten months, and participated in that memorable "march to the sea" with Sherman, was with General Sherman dur- ing the Atlanta campaign, and served his country until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged and returned to his home in Grant county.
Mr. Roush and wife are consistent mem . bers of the Presbyterian church, in which
they are valuable assistants and in which Mr. Roush has been an elder for twenty years. Mr. Roush is a genial gentleman and one of the representative men of his township, and is esteemed by a large circle of friends.
JOHN M. SMITH.
John M. Smith, a venerable pioneer of Grant county, resides in the same house in Green township where he took up his resi- dence forty-five years ago (1856) at the time of his settlement in the county. When he settled on this farm it was covered with a dense forest and much of it was so wet as to be called swamp land. This he cleared, drained and otherwise improved until it is now numbered among the better class of farms of Green township.
John M. Smith was born in Adams county, Ohio, on the 4th day of October, 1817, being a son of Joel and Isabelle A. (McAdow) Smith, natives respectively of Ohio and Marylandl. He received such educational advantages as the country schools of his day afforded, and wa; reared to the life of a farmer. He also learned the trade of brick laying, which he followed in connection with agricultural pursuits for more than sixty years. The 4th day of July, 1845, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Ann, daughter of William and Dorcas (Spurgeon) Nesbitt. Her ances- tors resided in America for several genera- tions and came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, where she was born April 13, 1825.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of eleven children, viz. : Joel married Martha A. Miller; Isabelle D. became the wife of Robert Todd and died one year later; Mary
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E. became the wife of Morris L. Curless; Catherine Sarah married Nathaniel Hog- gatt ; William N. married Eliza Phillips and resides at Elwood; Wealthy Ann is now Mrs. Elkanah Small; Marthia Sophro- nia is the wife of Nathan Hoggatt; Louisa C. is the wife of Marcus E. Parker; Susan Melvina married Charles F. Lawson ; Electa V., wife of W. H. Friermood; and Matilda .Ann died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith are earnest Chris- tians, holding membership in the Church of Christ. In politics Mr. Smith was for many years identified with the Democratic party, but for some time past has used his fran- chise independent of party ties. He was elected assessor of his township and so well did he serve his constituents that they con- tinued him in the office for seven years. His career has been an honorable one and well worthy of emulation by his numerous de- scendants.
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AUGUST WILLIAM HERBST.
August William Herbst, a native of Germany and possessed all the sterling qual- Sims township, Grant county. Ind'ana, and a prosperous young agriculturist, with every indication of a bright future before him, was born on the estate he still occupies and successfully cultivates, the date of his birth being January 21, 1875.
August Henry and Susannah (Sinner) Herbst, parents of August William, came respectively from Indiana and Wisconsin, and were married December 1, 1873, and to their union were born August William. on the day mentioned above, and Amy, born March 9, 1881. The latter was married April 14. 1900, to L. Warranburg.
.August William Herbst received his
early education in the district schools of Sims township, and this was supplemented by an attendance at the Marion high school from which he was graduated at the age of nineteen years, after which he worked in the glass factory in Swayzee until April, 1900. He then settled on the old homestead, which he successfully cultivated one year.
December 25. 1897, Mr. Herbst was joined in marriage with Miss Nellie Parson, (laughter of George W. and Mary C. ( Frier- mood ) Parson, and this union has been crowned by the birth of one child, Freddie M., who came to bless the home June 30, 1899. The father of Mrs. Herbst came from Ohio, and her mother is a native of the Hoosier state. She had an uncle who took an active part in the defense of the nation's flag during the Civil war, and a brother of the mother of Mr. Herbst. named Conrad Sinner, was also in the Union service, but on account of physical disability was princi- pally detailed as hospital nurse throughout the entire period of hostilities.
The Herbst family were originally from
ities for which the Teutonic race is so justly renowned all the world over. The grand parents of the gentleman whose name stands at the opening of this sketch came to Amer- ica in 1858 and settled in Sims township, Grant county. Indiana, where the father passed away May 14. 1883.
August William Herbst is a very pop- ular young citizen as well as useful one. He is a charter member of Knights of Pyth- ias lodge No. 451, of Swayzee, has held the office of financial secretary, and other offices, including that of vice-chancellor, and is now prepared to fill the few remaining chairs of his lodge.
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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS.
Although he worked five years in early manhood in the glass factory at Swayzee, in the packing department, he does not seem to have lost any of the skill he acquired in boyhood while working on the farm, and has now as neat and well cultivated a place as any of its dimensions in Grant county.
In politics Mr. Herbst is a member of the Republican party, but has never felt any particular ambition for office holding.
WILLIAM J. SMITH.
William J. Smith, son of John and Mary Ann (Thomas) Smith, was born in Union township, now Mill township, Grant coun- ty, Indiana, March 31, 1837, and was edu- cated in subscription schools of pioneer days.
His great-grandfather, John Smith, was a native of North Carolina, and, com- ing to Indiana, located in Richmond. The maternal grandfather, Solomon Thomas, was justice of the peace and township trus- tee many years. He married a Miss Par- ker and reared six children: Nancy, Mrs. Samuel Russell; Mary, Mrs. John Russell ; Marticia, Mrs. Samuel Russell; John; By- ron and Parker.
William J. Smith was engaged in farm- ing until October 16, 1863, when he enlist- ed in Company K, One Hundred and Thir- tieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into service in December, 1863, at Kokomo. The regiment left Kokomo in February, 1864, for Nashville, and was as- signed to the command of Major General WV. T. Sherman and soon ordered to the front. The first duty was a march of eight- een days at Resaca, Georgia, where they
arrived May 19, 1864. The first engage- ment was Buzzards' Roost, Georgia, and this was followed by one hundred and twen- ty days under fire in that memorable Geor- gia campaign to Jonesboro, thence back to Tennessee to look after the army of Gen- eral Hood, with whom they had numerous encounters. At Nashville they were placed under command of General George H. Thomas, then followed more battles against General Hood's command, thence to Wash- ington, District of Columbia, Alexandria and Fort Fisher, and by boat to Morehead City, and was on the march to Raleigh, North Carolina, when they met the army. of General Sherman at Goldsboro. A few days later the army of General Johnston surrendered and the war was over, but his regiment was held at Charlotte, North Car+ olina, until December 5, 1865, when they, left for Indianapolis and were discharged there on the 15th. Mr. Smith was wounded on August 6, 1864, near Atlanta, Georgia, by the concussion of a shell, burning his coat from his side and injuring him so seriously as to confine him to the regimental hospital for six weeks, and then, through the influence of his regimental surgeon, was ordered into camp until ready for duty.
William J. Smith was married October 16, 1858, to Martha Ann Morland, daugh- ter of David and Mary Elizabeth (Jones) Morland. She was born February 25, 1838. They have had seven children, viz .: Ida May, born July 22, 1860 (Mrs. T. B. Win- cett), and they have one child, William Harland, born December 14, 1883; David LeRoy, born April 19, 1862, of San Fran- cisco, California, who married Irene Mc- Cormick, and they have three children- Grace, Nellie and Veda; Curtis Watson,
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born September 23, 1867: Ralph Tiner born August 11. 1870, and died in 1881, Wilmina was born August 6, 1864, and died in 1866; an infant, deceased; and Clella Maud, born June 27. 1875.
The parents of Mr. Smith are both na- tives of Randolph county, North Carolina, the father being born December 22, 1813, died in September, 1889, and the mother, born June 29, 1813, died in February, 1891. The father came with his family from North Carolina with the Hiatt family and settled in old Union township, where he married Mary Ann Thomas, daughter of Solomon and Ann (Morris) Thomas, in September, 1830. Theirs was the first mar- riage license issued in the county, and they were married by his father, who was the first judge of Grant county. They were Quakers, and became the parents of nine children, viz .: Mary Jane; James R., of Starke county, Knox P. O .; William j .. whose name opens this biographical re- view; Rolland, of Fairmount ; Leander, of Marion; Anna, of Fairmount : Mrs. Robert Hastings; and two died in infancy.
Mr. Smith is a member of Benson Post, No. 386, G. A. R., of Fairmount, Indiana, and has been its commander, officer of the day and senior vice commander, junior vice commander and surgeon of the post.
ELIHU W. PEMBERTON.
Elihu W. Pemberton, one of the most enterprising business men of Mill township. Grant county, Indiana, was born November 27, 1837, two and a half miles from Jones- boro, in this same township, and is a son of John H. and Susan ( Hollingsworth ) Pem- berton, natives of Miami county, Ohio,
where their marriage took place, the result of this marriage being five sons and three daughters, only four of whom now survive.
In 1833, John H. Pemberton brought his family from Ohio to Grant county, In. diana, locating on the banks of the river in Mill township, erected a woolen mill, and also purchased a small farm of thirty-five acres, on which Elihu W. was born-and was for fifteen years engaged in wool manu- facturing and then moved to Jonesboro, where he manufactured woolen goods until luis death. in 1856, at the age of forty-four years. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and in politics was a free-soiler : was largely interested in the "underground railway," and was ever ready to assist a fugitive slave in gaining his freedom. Mrs. Susan Pemberton was spared until 1888. when she passed away at the age of seventy- seven, also in the faith of the Society of Friends.
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