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 53
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anooga, and fought at Mission Ridge. After going to the relief of General Burnsides they returned to Chatanooga, thence to Al- abama, where they went into winter quarters, opening the season of 1864 with the battle of Resaca, and following it up with the engagements at Allatoona Mountain, Big Shanty, Kennesaw Mountain and the siege of Atlanta, during which time they were under fire for more than one hundred days. He also participated in the encounter at Jonesboro and shared all the privations and trials of soldier life. For more than thirty months he neither slept under a roof or ate a meal from a table, and it was with genuine pleasure that he returned to civilization and home when his duties in camp were ended. He is the father of six children, viz. : Clara, who died at the age of eighteen, just as she was budding into womanhood; 'Ara- minta, wife of Allen Overman: Sarah M., who married M. P. Haines: Margaret A., wife of Harry Hoadley; and Prestina and Benjamin, twins, the former the wife of William Howell. Four of the above were born before Mr. Shields had enlisted.
Mr. Shields has always supported the Republican ticket and gives conclusive grounds for his choice. He is a man whose honesty of intention is paramount in his every action and he well deserves the high place he occupies in public esteem.
JAMES LEANDER BRADFORD.
James Leander Bradford, postmaster of Marion, Grant county, Indiana, is a native this county, was born October 3. 1860, and is a son of Isaac and Susan ( Spray) Brad- ford, natives of Hardy county, West Vir-
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ginia, who came to Grant county, Indiana in 1844, and were members of the Society of Friend's.
Isaac Bradford was a farmer and stock- raiser, and was a man of the precise, careful and methodical habits. He never bought a piece of machinery, or a tool or implement, but what he kept even after worn out, snug- ly stowed away in its proper place ; and now, after his decease, in the barn and other out- buildings, may be found, just as they were when in practical use, his old wooden forks, scythes and cradles, and farming implements and machinery of all kinds. In his latter years Isaac Bradford was compelled to carry a cane, and even this he utilized for other purposes than a support in walking. A hoe blade was attached to the lower end of this staff, and whenever Isaac saw a weed sprouting, perish it must. He passed his life in Washington township after coming to Grant county, and he there owned a home- stead of one hundred and sixty acres. besides other property, worth in all, at least twenty .. five thousand dollars. He was a great reader and in politics, like most of the Society of Friends, was an abolitionist. He was called away June 4, 1900, at the age of eighty-four years and two days.
James Leander Bradford attended the country schools until he was eighteen years of age ; next, he entered the Marion Normal College, studied one term, then returned to the home farm and assisted his father until twenty-one years old, when he either bought or accepted as a gift from his father a trac: of eighty acres of unimproved land in Wash- ington township, on which he at once erected a dwelling. August 16, 1882, James L. Bradford married in Van Buren township, Grant county, Indiana, Sarepta Landress, a
native of that township, born August 31, 1862, a daughter of Lewis Landess, a re- tired farmer. To this union have been born six children, in the following order; Bertha and Bessis, twins ; Lewis, a messenger in the postoffice ; Homer, Harry and Blanch. In religion the family are Presbyterians.
James L. Bradford lived upon his Washı- ington township farm until the spring of 1893, when he came to Marion to accept the position of deputy sheriff under J. T. Will- iams, which office he held one year, and was then appointed drainage commissioner for the county, of which office he was the incum- bent when he was appointed postmaster of Marion in February, 1899. Mr. Bradford assumed charge of the postoffice April 16, 1899, and appointed as his assistant Miss Eva Neal, whom he retained until Septem- ber, 1899, when he appointed William Williams, of Washington township, and a son of J. T. Williams, ex-county clerk, un- der whom Mr. Bradford had served as dep- uty sheriff-all being stanch Republicans. February 10, 1901, E. H. Furree suc -. ceeded Mr. Williams as assistant post- master.
The Marion postoffice was at first sit- uated at the corner of Fourth and Boot streets, but upon making a change of loca- tion in 1900, to Washington and Second streets the citizens, by popular subscription, raised two thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars to buy the fixtures Mr. Bradford suc- ceeded in securing the erection of a new building 42 1-2x98 feet interior space, and here the force make harmonious progress in the performance of their duties. There are now employed in this office ten city carriers and two substitutes, also seven rural car- riers and two sub-carriers, eight clerks, one
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messenger and one janitor, and the office now ranks as second class.
Mr. Bradford has served on the Republi- can district and county central committees. and in 1898 was chairman of the county central committee. He is an Elk and Odd Fellow and a K. of P.
NELSON THOMPSON.
Nelson Thompson, of Franklin town- ship, Grant county, Indiana, was born near Urbana, in Champaign county, Ohio, Au- gust 7, 1831, and was one of seven chil- dren born to Curtis and Fanny (Rector) Thompson. The father was twice married and had fourteen children. Nelson was born on a farm and reared there to the age of eighteen, acquiring an education in the district schools. At eighteen he began work- ing at the trade of a millwright, which he followed for about seven years. In 1861 he came to Grant county and settled on the farm in Franklin township upon which he now lives. His first purchase was of eighty acres in section 9. all unimproved land with the exception of about five acres from which the trees ha:l been cut. He put up a one- room house, eighteen by twenty, of hewed logs, which was his home for years, but as his prosperity increased it gave way to modern buildings and other improvements, and twenty acres more were added to the original purchase, making in all one hun- dre 1 acres. Eighty acres of this has been cleared by him and is now under cultivation, with nothing to show that it was at one time the center of an extensive forest. His farm lies near the gas helt and there are
three wells on it, which makes it valuable property.
Mr. Thompson was married, March 19, 1856, to Miss Martha Miller, and has reared a family of six children, viz .: Benjamin F., a resident of Swayzee; George W., who is on the farm with his father; John N., of this township; Mary F., wife of James A. Dooley : Sarah, wife of Charles Martin : and Eliza, wife of Nelson Shockey. Mr. Thomp- son is a Democrat and from 1883 to 1887 represented his party as justice of the peace to the entire satisfaction of both parties. He is a member of lodge No. 105, F. & A. M., of Marion, is a charter member of the chapter of that city. and is a gentleman who stands high in the community as an hon- orable, upright citizen.
LINDLEY HEATH ESHLEMAN, M. D.
Dr. Lindley H. Eshleman, a favorite and rising young physician and surgeon at Marion, was born in Fayette county, Penn- sylvania. November 20, 1870, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Stoffer) Eshleman, natives of the same county. The parents are of German descent and still living in their native county. The Doctor is the eld- est of the three children born to these par- ents, the other two being Mrs. Minnie Freed, who lives on the home farm in Penn- sylvania, and Mrs. Ella Brown, living on a farm near Waterloo, Iowa.
Dr. Eshleman received his primary ed- ucation in the public schools of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, was a teacher at the age of twenty-one years and followed teach- ing and farming until twenty-five. He
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earned the funds with which to pay his way through college-never receiving a cent from any one without first working for it- and has been self-dependent during his at- tendance at the National Normal Univer- sity at Lebanon, Ohio, where he spent one year in the teachers' course and one year in the study of medicine. It was there that he took his first course of lectures in the science of medicine, in 1894. In 1895 and 1896 he attended two courses in the Ken- tucky School of Medicine at Louisville, from which he was graduated June 20, 1896. In July of the latter year the Doctor came to Marion, where his abilities were at once recognized and where he has estab- lished a large practice and owns a neat and comfortable dwelling, in which his consul- tation rooms are also located. He is a gen- eral practitioner, having no specialties ex- cepting the treatment of diseases of chil- dren, in which he has won a high reputa- tion. The Doctor is a member of the Amer- ican Medical Association and keeps himself fully posted in the progress of the medical profession.
Dr. L. H. Eshleman was married, De- cember 31, 1895, in Uniontown, Pennsyl- vania, to Miss Lora Tarr, a native of Tarr Station, Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania, and a daughter of John and Mar- garet (Hodskin) Tarr, both natives of Westmoreland county. To this marriage three children have been born, the elder of whom, Joseph Otto, born June 17, 1897, was called away when ten days old ; Harvey Davis was born August 30, 1898, and Or- ville Jennings was born October 24, 1900.
The Doctor and his wife are members of Grace Methodist Episcopal church, to the support of which they liberally con-
tribute, and are also members of Queen Court, No. 153, Tribe of Ben Hur, of which the Doctor is medical examiner. The Doc- tor has been a member of Moss Rose Lodge, No. 350, Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, since 1891.
Dr. Eshleman is a most pleasant and affable gentleman, has made hosts of per- sonal friends since residing in Marion, and he and wife are always welcome in the best social circles of the city. As he is devoted to the practice of his profession, he takes but little interest in politics, but is Demo- cratic in his proclivities.
JOHN WOOD. 1
John Wood, the successful stock-raiser and farmer of Franklin township, Grant county, Indiana, furnishes an example in life that is well worthy of emulation. Be- ginning at the age of twelve years as a farm hand he worked for four dollars per month and for several years continued working by the month, in this way gaining sufficient money to buy him a home. The industry and perseverance which characterized his youth are still the dominant traits of his character and to them are due his success. He was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, September 9, 1825, his parents being John and Elizabeth ( Keizer) Wood, to whom were born seven children: Hiram, Mary, Elizabeth, Ephraim, John, Margaret and George. They moved to Rush county, In- diana, in 1834, where our subject grew to manhood and received his education, his first school being the primitive log building. August 28, 1849, he was married to Miss
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Emily E. Rowland, and they became the parents of five children, namely : Mary J., wife of William Acre, of Gas City: Waty, wife of Robert Dooley; Ella, wife of Nor- man Cooper, of Franklin township: Will- iam M .; and John R. About two years after his marriage Mr. Wood came to Grant county with one team and settled in Frank- lin township on the one-hundred-acre farm where he now lives in section 7. The tract was covered with heavy timber and in the center he built his log cabin of one room, eighteen feet square. In later years he added an additional sixty-five acres and the one hundred and sixteen acres which are now cleared and in cultivation has been the work of his own hands. He has tiled and ditched the land until it is in the best pos- sible condition, and has placed thereon all the splendid improvements we now see. He is a progressive farmer and has added stock raising, which he has made a very profit- able business. He has drilled two gas wells on his land, finding gas in paying quantities, and this alone promises to enhance the value of his property very materially.
Mr. Wood has been an elder in the Church of Christ for many years and is a man who is respected by all classes. In politics he is a Republican.
CYRUS G. ROBBINS.
Cyrus G. Robbins, city clerk of Marion, Grant county, Indiana, represents one of the oldlest established families in the Hoosier state, and is the eldest of the six children born to Hiram and Parmelia (Gentry) Rob- bins.
C., was a native of North Carolina, and was nine years of age when brought to In- diana by his parents, who settled near Rich- mond. Wayne county, in 1816, since which time the family name has been prominently identified with the history of the state.
Hiram Robbins, father of Cyrus G., and the eldest child of Moses Robbins, was born near Richmond September 17. 1825, and now resides on his farm near Milton, Wayne county. September 25. 1856. he married Miss Gentry, a native of Wayne county, but whose parents, William and Nancy ( Bell) Gentry, were born in Ken- tucky and were among the pioneers of In- diana. To Hiram and Parmelia Robbins were born three sons and three daughters, of whom Cyrus G. is the eldest ; the second born was Sarah Elizabeth, who was mar- ried to Oliver T. Snyder, and died in Den- ver. Miami county, Indiana, in 1894: Viola Jane, the third child, died in 1875. at the age of fourteen years: Moses W .. the next in order of birth, is a restaurant keeper at Macy, Miami county, and has a family of three children : Mary Emily is the wife of William Shumate, a business man at Den- ver. Indiana ; and John Sheridan, the sixth child, lived in the west a number of years, but died unmarried in Denver. Indiana, May 18, 1898, at twenty-eight years of age. The mother of this family, a pious unas- suming lady, devoted to her home and chil- diren, died on the home farm near Center- ville. Wayne county. Indiana, February 29, 1876.
The paternal great-grandfather of Cy- rus G. Robbins bore the maiden name of Harlan, and was a member of the family from which the distinguished Chief Justice
Moses Robbins, grandfather of Cyrus . Harlan descended.
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BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS.
Cyrus G. Robbins received his prelim- inary education in the common school near Centerville, and then took a full teachers' course in the National Normal school at Lebanon, Ohio, completing his studies there when but eighteen years old. He next en- tered the college at Moore's Hill, Dearborn county, Indiana, and for a year and a half had followed a scientific course of study when the serious illness and death of his mother called him to his home and thus ended his collegiate course. Mr. Robbins next engaged in teaching school, a profes- sion for which his education had peculiarly fitted him, and for eight years followed the vocation in the common schools of his na- tive county, and then entered upon graded- school work in Randolph county; for four consecutive years he taught in Lynn and was elected to fill out another year, but impaired health compelled him to decline this honor. |
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Mr. Robbins next purchased a stock of groceries and for nearly two years con- ducted a store in Lynn, but in 1890 sold out his stock in trade and came to Marion, and until 1893 was engaged in the same line of trade, when he again sold out and was employed in a dry-goods house until his election as city clerk in May, 1898, by the Republican party. Mr. Robbins entered upon the duties of his office September 5, 1898, and no incumbent has ever given bet- ter satisfaction in this responsible position.
September 25, 1878, Cyrus G. Robbins married Miss Elva E. O'Brien, daughter of Thomas and Nancy J. O'Brien, of Wayne county, members of a very prominent fam- ily of Maryland. To Mr. and Mrs. Robbins have been born four children, namely: Ida May, who assists her father in his office, was married, July 25, 1900, to Curtis B.
Waller; Zilpha, who was married, October 22, 1899, to I. C. Bogue, who is at the head of the "domestic" department in the Boston store at Marion; Viola J. and Edna are students in the Marion city schools, Viola J. being in the high school. The eldest daughter, Ida May, received her ed- tication from the Marion Normal College, and is a young lady of rare accomplishments.
Mr. and Mrs. Robbins are zealous mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church and have been reared in its faith since childhood. Fraternally, Mr. Robbins is a member of Samaritan Lodge, No. 105, A. F. & A. M., of Marion, and also of Lodge No. 119, Knights of Pythias, at Lynn, Indiana, of which he is past chancellor commander. A life-long Republican, he has been very active in promoting its success, and while teach- ing in Randolph county was for four years a justice of the peace, which fact, viewed in connection with his present position, is very good evidence of the high esteem in which he is held by his party friends as well as by the community at large.
GEORGE W. FENSTERMAKER, SR.
George WV. Fenstermaker, Sr., is a ven- erable and highly respected resident of Franklin township, where he is actively en- gaged in farming and stock-raising on a well-improved property of one hundred and forty-six acres which he has developed from wild timber land. He was born March 18, 1820, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to George and Mary (Hammer) Fenster- maker and was the third child of a family of six sons and one daughter. But three
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are now living, namely: George W .; Jen- kins, who lives at Springfield, Ohio; and Abraham, a resident of Iowa. In 1826 his parents moved to Dayton, where they lived a few months when they rented a farm, cultivating it for a few years when they moved to Champaign county, Ohio, near Spring Hill, where they resided until 1833, when both parents died in November within four days of each other.
At the age of fourteen George W. Fenstermaker was thrown upon his own re- sources and sought work as a farm hand, receiving for his services the sum of four dollars per month. He had received some education in the subscription schools, walk- ing one and one-half miles to reach the little log school house, and it was well this ad- vantage had been accorded him, as he found little time to attend school after the death of his parents. He continued to work as a farm hand until he had reached his sev- enteenth year, when he went to Bellefontaine where he worked at the trade of a cabinet- maker for one year in order to learn it. He worked another year in Loganville and then went to Springfield, Ohio, working at his trade, and also followed that occupation at Urbana and other places, finally locating in New Burlington, Ohio, where he conducted business, cabinetmaking and undertaking. He was quite successful in this venture and remained there fourteen years, when he de- cided to give up that line of business and turn his attention again to farming.
In 1852 Mr. Fenstermaker came to Grant county and purchased eighty acres of wild land in Center township, erecting a log : house in which he lived two years; he moved to Marion and carried on his trade for three years, when he moved on the farm , ried in Grant county.
in Franklin township now owned and oc- cupiedl by him. This property consists of one hundred and forty-six acres situated in section 21, and has been supplied with mod- ern improvements, making it a most at- tractive, desirable place. He has carried on general farming and stock-raising, al- though there are two paying gas wells on the farm which are a source of income.
Mr. Fenstermaker has been twice mar- ried, the wife of his youth being Miss Mary A. Moore, to whom he was united in 1842, and who left him five children, viz. : James M., who is a resident of Franklin township; John, deceased; Ella, wife of William Knight, of Marion; Cora and Charley, who is also a resident of Franklin township. His second union was with Mrs. Amanda E. Watkins, which has been without issue.
Mr. Fenstermaker is a shrewd business man and was trustee of the township for five years and was also enrolling officer during the Civil war. In politics he is a strong Prohibitionist and his entire life has been conducted in such an upright, consist- ent manner that he has the confidence and good will of all who have had the pleasure of meeting him.
JOHN E. CLARK.
John E. Clark, city treasurer of Marion, Indiana, is a native of Grant county, born in Jefferson township September 26, 1864, and is a son of Simon and Julia (Nottingham) Clark, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Muncie, Del- aware county, Indiana, but who were mar-
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Simon Clark resided on the old home farm in Fairmount township, where he has lived many years and where he is highly re- spected, but Mrs. Julia Clark passed away in May, 1899, deeply mourned not only by the immediate members of the family but by a large circle of attached friends with whom she had been associated during the many years of her residence in the township. The children born to these parents were nine in number, and all are residents of Grant coun- ty with one exception. The eldest of these is Mrs. Ursula Ellen Lemon, who resides on the home farm; Flora C. is married to Arthur W. Jay, a farmer near Marion ; Mrs. Addie C. Buffington lives in Muncie, her husband being a stock-dealer; John E., whose name opens this sketch, is the next in order of birth; Mrs. Josie C. De Long re- sides on a farm in Fairmount township; Mrs. Corintha C. Wimpey lives three and one-half miles south of Marion; Mrs. Etta Woods lives in the village of Fairmount and is the wife of a merchant; Edward C., twin of Etta, is a farmer and dealer in live stock in Jefferson township.
John E. Clark was reared on the home farm, received his early education in the pub- lic school, and this was supplemented by an attendance at the Fairmount Academy, and on coming to Marion in 1882 he engaged in the drug business with Dr. J. L. Lord as a partner. About three years later Mr. Clark disposed of his interest in this firm and be- came manager for the extensive mercantile house conducted by Blumenthal & Co., and held this position when he was elected city treasurer, September 5, 1898, on the Repub- lican ticket. The term of this office is four years, and to transact its business three per- sons are employed.
June 12, 1888, John E. Clark married Miss Florilla Rutherford, a native of Belle- fontaine, Ohio, where she was educated in the city schools and was reared to woman- hood.
Mr. Clark is an enthusiastic worker for his party's success, is a member of the Re- publican county executive committee, and has otherwise been honored by his party friends, with whom he is very popular. Fra- ternally, Mr. Clark is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is P. C. of Grant Lodge, No. 103, and is also a member of the Marion Commercial Club. Mrs. Clark is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and its various societies and is very zealous and active in church work. Socially Mr. and Mrs. Clark stand very high.
JOHN J. STREET.
John J. Street, a prosperous and respect- ed farmer of Franklin township, Grant coun- ty, Indiana, was born near Eaton, in Preble county, Ohio, April 8, 1824, to James M. and Mary M. ( Helmick) Street. James M. Street was a native of Virginia and was twice married, his first wife, Miss Lanier, bearing him four children and dying April 2, 1813. His second wife was Miss Mary M. Helmick, the mother of our subject and five other children. In 1826 he moved to Rush county, Indiana, where he died August 23, 1840.
Upon the death of his father John J. Street, who was now in his sixteenth year, assumed control of the farm-hard work for such young shoulders-but he was equal
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to the task and continued to cultivate and improve it for eleven years. In the mean- time he had been joined in marriage with Miss Almeda Rowland, and in 1851, with her father and John Wood, came to Grant county and located on the farm where he now lives in Franklin township. This land was entered from the government by our subject's father-in-law. Mr. Street now owns eighty acres of this land, all but ten acres of which he has cleared from dense timber. His first house was a log one, built by himself from timber chopped from his own land, but this has disappeared with other evidences of the old times, and the property now takes on a modern, cosy ap- pearance that adds greatly to the general effect.
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His marriage with Miss Rowland re- sulted in the birth of seven children, namely : Waty M., deceased; William R .; Greenbury R., deceased, his death occurring July 5, : 1900; George E .; Louisa J .; John F., de- ceased; and James H., deceased. Mr. Street contracted a second matrimonial alliance, the lady being Mrs. Lucinda Patterson, widow of Samuel Patterson, and daughter of Joshua Draper.
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