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 67
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Holding relations to the Democratic party, Mr. Sharen has ever been faithful to the tenets of the party, his own influence being thrown toward a better and healthier political organization. He and wife are active in the Methodist Protestant church, though he was reared under the teachings
of the United Brethren. Ever a friend to all improvement, he has taken steps to pro- mote the building of pike roads, the making of public drains, has given encouragement to the building of street railways, and in a hun- dred ways has tended to the advancement of the county's best interests.
While counted one of the county's most successful business men he has not reached the present condition without having some of the drawbacks that so often tend to dis- courage and dishearten ; but not being made of the stuff that is readily stopped in its ef- forts he has not allowed the loss by fire upon two or three occasions to dishearten, but on the other hand his efforts have been doubled after those disasters, and with never-falter- ing trust in his own powers and unswerv- ing faith in a greater Power he has gone on, the success for which he longed finally culminating his aspirations.
Nearly all of the greatest half-century the world has ever known has this respected couple traveled life's pathway together, ever working to the mutual advantage and not allowing the little differences of tempera- ment to loosen, but rather to tighten, the bonds with the perfection of which only can the model home exist. Both carry the affec- tion and esteem of all who have known them, the Sharen home having been a favorite re- sort for years of those whose greatest en- joyment is in the society of the congenial and exalting companionship of refined and high-minded people.
FIELDING SCOTT MCKINNEY.
Fielding Scott McKinney, of Marion, Indiana, was born at Piqua, Miami county, Ohio, May 27. 1818, a son of William and
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Sarah (Scott) Mckinney, who were mar- ried in 1807. The father of William was Robert Mckinney, who was a scout during the Revolutionary war, and whose services consisted in part of supplying his corps with wild game. Fielding has distinct recollec- tion of seeing him wearing the moccasins that became part of his invariable costume. He died at Piqua, Ohio, having attained his eighty-fourth year. He had married Esther Layton, in 1771.
Sarah Scott was a native of Kentucky, where she was married to William McKin- ney, removing soon after to Piqua, where her husband practiced medicine for many years. Beside providing a home there for his own father, he had brought his wife's father to Piqua, where he died at the age of eighty years.
A fact that was indelibly impressed upon the mind of Fielding as a youth was that the night of his grandfather's death at Fiqua, more than one hundred miles dis- tant, another grandson-D. R. Mckinney- was so impressed with his grandfather's pres- ence in the room that he roused all the family with the news that something serious was taking place. It was later proven that just at that hour the grandfather had passed to the Farther Shore.
In 1836 Doctor McKinney and family of four sons and three daughters came to Indiana and settled upon a three-hundred- acre tract of land six miles from Marion, in Monroe township, and there, as is told in the biography of E. W. Mckinney, of Marion, resumed the practice of medicine. Hundreds of his descendants and the de- scendants of his many okl friends now for the first time begin to fully realize the bene- fits derived to the community and the county
by his having lived in it. His contribu- tions to the educational, the moral and the religious side of the county's growth was incalculable, nothing having for its object the benefit of the country but found in him an enthusiastic and valued advocate and promoter. But one other doctor was then in the county, so that he was constantly found in the saddle or at the bedside of some stricken one. He was the life and vigor of that part of the county, being the leader in the Christian church and one of the foremost of the old style Jacksonian Democrats, having faith in the power of the people and their ability to successfully set- tle any question of public nature that might arise. A thorough Democrat, he had no compromise with those who sought the centralization of the government, but was ardent in the efforts to make a broader and better citizenship. As a young man he had spent much time with the Indians and had become much attached to them, remaining a warm friend of their chiefs even after com- ing to Indiana. Being strictly temperate in his own life he tried to impress the im- portance of temperance upon others. It was said no one could get their grain cut with- out liquor, but he by a little diplomacy and the providing of a drink called metheglin managed to carry his point, finally seeing the adoption of his plan by nearly all in the community.
His home was the headquarters and cen- tral point of all neighborly gatherings, and at his death, at the age of eighty-four, there was an expression of profound sorrow, the lives of few men who have lived in Grant county having been so in touch with the times and whose life had meant so much to so many. His family of four sons and three
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daughters were Matilda, who married Gid- eon Brandon, becoming later the wife of Dr. Steven D. Ayres, both of whom died in Marion at the advanced age of eighty-eight ; Mariah became the wife of George W. Webs- ster ; Fielding S .; Leander M., who resided east of the Soldier's Home, and whose widow is still living with her son, Dr. George Mc- Kinney, at Gas City; David Roberson Mc- Kinney died three years since-his son, Rob- ert, is connected with the soldier's home ; and Elias William, of whom further mention is found elsewhere in this volume.
Fielding S. Mckinney was about eight- een years old on coming to Grant county, and grew to maturity on the farm. He learned the carpenter trade with his brother- in-law, George Webster, working with him for some six years, when he became a con- tractor for himself, at which he continued for twenty years, being part of that time as- sociated with H. J. Lenox. His weight having increased, he didn't feel like taking the chances incident to platform work, so sold his business and engaged in the conduct of a planing-mill, which he operated for some fourteen years, until 1886, when he retired to enjoy the fruits of many years of diligent labor.
He was married in 1841 to Miss Sarah Ann Oppey, of Marion, with whom he lived for twenty-six years, when she was called away by death. His second wife was Mrs. Malinda A. Lindsay, who was one of the best known women of Marion, where she is recalled by all as the leading milliner for many years. The first mirror ever used in a millinery store in the city was brought by her from Cincinnati by holding it on her lap all the distance. This old mirror is still highly prized by the family, being kept as
an interesting heirloom recalling many of the pleasantest moments of human lives as it has in the past reflected the innumerable human faces. What additional value it would have did it but give out, even though faintly, a shadow of the many faces of the city's fair women, who in the years agone depended upon its story to tell of the added beauty given by the bits of dainty millinery pre- pared by the deft hands of her whose taste was the law that ruled the minds of the city's femininity ! Aunt "Linn" was the ar- biter of the value of lace and ribbon, her rooms being the headquarters of the elite as well as of those less favored with wealth, but whose bonnets must that much the more add to their natural charms. Twenty-six years did she live to be the comfort of the home, though for fifteen years of the time she had become partially helpless from the effects of paralysis.
But three of seven children grew to ma- turity, the eldest being Sarah E. Lytle, of Marion; Tillie is Mrs. L. M. Whistler, of Marion ; and Arthur L. is a tinner at Frank- fort, Indiana. Beside their own children they have opened their doors and arms to two others, one being Abbie Swayzee, now the wife of Charles E. Coffin, and the other being Ida Thornburg, who came at three years and remained till her marriage to James E. Fruchey, and who has one little daughter-Lucile. It is with this lady and her esteemed husband that Mr. Mckinney is passing the latter years of an active and honored career, they by their care and at- tention in a partial manner repaying the kindness of their former benefactor. For upwards of forty years Mr. Mckinney has been a deacon in the Christian Temple, and is now doubtless the oldest survivor of the
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early members,one of the oldest. Mrs. Miner- va Thomas, having but recently passed to her reward. Having the assistance of others ever in mind, he has never refused aid where he could be of help, and with faith in hu- manity has been the victim in some instances of his own kindness of heart, having been a heavy loser by the duplicity of others. A Republican the greater part of his life, he became a Prohibitionist in 1884, and has since acted with the organization of that party, and has been found in its conventions.
WILLIAM DOYLE.
William Doyle, the present trustee of Van Buren township, Grant county, was born on the farm adjoining his present home in the township on the 15th of March, 1847. His father-Samuel Doyle-was born in what are now the city limits of Philadel- phia January 10, 1805, and died September '4, 1870. He was married in Guernsey coun- ty. Ohio, in 1838, to Miss Mary E. Mc- Ciaskey, who was born at Harper's Ferry, Maryland, September 2, 1811. In 1840 they became residents of Van Buren township, residing till their deaths on section 34, where he was survived by her some seven years, her death occurring March 25, 1877. His parents were Mathew and Mary ( McMa- hon) Doyle, who were natives of the Em- erald Isle and who settled in Ohio in 1814, when Samuel was a small boy, having been married in Pennsylvania.
Michael Doyle, an elder brother of Sam- tel, had already settled in Van Buren when Samuel came, having arrived here in June, 1838. The country was then so sparsely
settled, and there being no roads, he had to cut his way for miles through the densest underbrush to reach his land, which he had entered from the government. Samuel also entered a quarter-section of wild land, there- after devoting his life to the making of it into a valuable farm, where he remained the rest of an active and influential life. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, which was recognized by his being chosen as one of the first county commissioners, a position he filled with great credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He was a broad-guage man and was ever in favor of those efforts that would tend to a better condition of the section in which he lived. Few men have ever resided in the township who had more earnest interest in its development or whose circle of warm friends was more extended, and that regard- less of political belief. His house became the headquarters of many others who came to seek homes, some of them remaining be- neath his roof till they had secured cabins of their own. No man was ever turned from his door without substantial help as well as words of comfort and encourage- ment. His efforts meeting with due reward, he added to his original tract till he was the possessor of more than six hundred acres of fine land, most of which he gave to his children, often expressing great satisfaction that he was able to supply them with homes near him. The house he erected and in which he lived for many years is still standing in a fair state of preservation. The brother- Michael-of whom we have made mention, survived till the riper age of eighty-four, passing to his final reward full of years and faith in the future. These two men left an indelible impress upon the growth and vigor
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of the community, no movement toward its development or advancement but received the hearty encouragement and support of these worthy pioneers, to whom so much of iis improvement was due. To these sturdy sons of toil who set themselves in the depths of the wilderness, not knowing whether others would follow so as to ever, during their lives at least, make an inhabitable coun- try, too much credit cannot be accorded. Life to them was one ceaseless round of the hardest labor, many years passing before they began to fully realize the stupendous task they had undertaken, and while many others essayed the task, but soon became dis- couraged and abandoned the effort return- ing to older sections, they pressed on undis- mayed, finally seeing the wilderness turn from wild and swamp and slashing into fertile and productive fields, the golden har- vests yielding a substantial tribute for the labor and effort bestowed upon them. Sam- tel Doyle beside being identified with the official life of the community was foremost in the improvement of stock, priding himself on the excellent quality of his horses espe- cially, often exhibiting them at the fairs and generally with most satisfactory results. During the war the attention of the govern- ment officials was drawn to his stock, many of his breeding being purchased for the use of officers.
His four children were Mary A., wife of Stephen Lease, of Van Buren; Thomas B., William and Michael, the latter being still upon the old homestead. The boyhood of William Doyle was passed on the home farm, where he remained until the death of his father, having been closely associated with him in all his later business transactions. He was married on the 3d of November,
1870, to Miss Sarah J. Hays, daughter of William and Sarah J. ( Nickum) Hays, and who was born in the township three years later than her husband. Her father died in 1898 at the age of seventy-six, her step- mother surviving. Mr. Doyle's family are Ida May, who became the wife of Henry Burris and died two years later; Deborah W., who died at the age of seventeen ; Mary A., wife of Henry Ferguson, of Van Buren; Albert Nickum, the efficient assistant cashier of the Wilson's Bank at Marion. He spent four years in the course at DePauw Uni- versity and was also a teacher for some little time. Violet Y. and Lavanner C. are at home. Receiving one hundred and forty acres of the old homestead, he added till he now has one hundred and sixty acres of as fine a body of land as can be found in the township. He erected a handsome and ex- pensive residence, which, however, was de- stroyed by fire April 1, 1882, entailing a heavy loss. Not dismayed, he at once began the erection of the present one, which is a suitable climax to the generally well-imprved farm, everything being kept up in a well-or- dered and businesslike manner. The farm is well drained, there being vast quantities of various sized tile laid to all essential points of the tract, thus bringing the entire place into a highly productive condition.
Mr. Doyle grows about two thousand bushels of corn each year with other grains in proportion, keeping the stock necessary to consume the product of the fields. He keeps shorthorn cattle, Poland China hogs and all other stock of well selected varieties. He is a director and stockholder in the Grant County Fair Association, in whose exhibits he has been a contestant, carrying off its highest honor upon repeated occasions.
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Among one hundred competitors for the gold watch to the exhibitor of the best corn display of twenty ears the prize was accorded him. His efforts at making the association a success and encouraging others to become interested have been recognized by the man- agement, who consider him one of the fore- most of the county's esteemed citizens. De- voting his entire attention to the conduct of the farm, he has made it his object to adopt the most approved methods of agriculture, holding to a systematic plan of crop rota- tion, stock growing, pasturing and soil en- riching to the end that the best results may be attained and the fertility of the land be retained. Beside the home farm he owns and operates a second small place, the income from his activity making an easy living for the family.
A stanch Democrat in his political faith, Mr. Doyle has taken an active part in the conduct of the party, being generally found in the conventions, serving on its committees and otherwise contributing to the advance- ment of the party. He has served five years as the township assessor, and at the urgent request of his many friends consented to the use of his name for the position to which he has but recently been elected-that of trus- tee of the township-a position that his wide familiarity with the growth and needs of the community make him peculiarly well qual- ified to occupy.
all that makes for better society and ad- vancement of the county of his birth Mr. Doyle is found in the forefront, rendering substantial encouragement to every educa- tional or moral movement.
JAMES R. LEE.
James R. Lee, of Van Buren township, Grant county, was born near Everton, Fay- ette county, Indiana, December 14, 1831. Ilis father was John Lee, and his mother's maiden name was Nancy Ray, both of whom from the year 1847 resided in the commu- 1.ity where their two sons now live. The old Lee homestead is now occupied by Joseph W. Lee and lies some twelve miles to the northeast of Marion in Van Buren township. The parents were excellent representatives of the old style pioneers, whose lives were passd in the wilderness, devoting every en- ergy to the making of a suitable home for themselves and family, which in this case numbered eleven children. Of these ten lived to maturity and four are still living at the close of the nineteenth century. Passing to their eternal homes after reaching the age of nearly four-score, they had seen the wilderness pass from its desolate and im- potent condition to one of the greatest fer- tility and productiveness, the unprolific swamps, filled with miasma and disease, giving way to the luxuriant and frugiferous agricultural community. Much pleasure was derived by them also in the thought that some of the benefits that the section enjoyed had come as the result of their own untiring efforts. They knew all the vicissitudes ac- companying life in the wilds, from the most
Being identified with the Christian church at Van Buren through his wife, he is one of the society's strong financ'al sup- porters, his own life being shaped along the general lines recognized by the teachers of the faith : being an Odd Fellow, he has be- come identified with the Rebekahs, where primitive round-log cabin and the living de- he is joined by his wife and daughter. In , pendant largely upon the forest which
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abounded with game, to the life of comfort, even though laborious. Mere paths afforded the means of going from point to point, and they wound in numberless meandering's in the effort to avoid the swamps and ponds. These they saw replaced by more direct roads, which, after going through varied transformations, were finally evolved into the delightful gravel pikes of to-day. Many years were counted to the credit of Father Time ere the sound of steam engines was heard, but these, too, had come with their constant rumbling, bringing delight to all of the old companions of the worthy couple of whom we speak. They are gone, their places filled by others, who, however, ad- vanced in ideas and filled with ambition are not more honest or companionable. Great credit is due by the modern historian to those who, like this couple, braved the wilds, and it is with reluctance that we pass from them to review the succeeding generations.
James R. Lee remained with his parents till attaining his majority, continuing at farm labor for others till his marriage, at the age of twenty-eight, to Miss Elizabeth Stoker, who resided in Wabash, Indiana. Paying three hundred and fifty dollars for a tract of eighty acres, which is comprised in the present home, he settled upon it in 1860, having to clear the place for his first residence, which was a most rude and un- couth affair. For twelve years this couple trod the pathway of life, having in the time brought seven children into the world, viz. : Nancy May; Stephen M .: Charles S .; Ida F., who was married to Frank Martin and died leaving three children-Sarah E., Nel- lie Jane and James D., who live with their grandfather Lee; Retta, wife of Homer Green, of Blackford county; George R. and
John M., farmers of Van Buren township, Grant county. The Lee farm being in the midst of the fertile oil field of the region, five active wells are bringing in a handsome return to the proprietor, two of them alone being worth upward of one hundred dol- lars per month.
Mr. Lee is a Democrat, the principles of the faith being so well grounded in his in- telligence that the crack of doom will find him true to the basic ideas of the party. He is not one of those men whose minds are sus- ceptible of change upon the presentation of some new ideas, but with the teaching of Jef- ferson, Madison and Jackson established in his heart he holds true to the constitution as the needle holds true to the pole.
It is to such as he that the younger gen- eration must offer obeisance for what they have done in bringing this region to its pres- ent state of fertility, and made it possible for them to have the enjoyments in the way of schools, churches, roads, improved farms and general advancement of the community. While he may lack the lustre that is received by the rolling stone the precious moss borne by the substantial and immovable rock is his il: ample abundance. Free from the osten- tation that often hides the man, there is no difficulty in the student of human nature, knowing that beneath the rough exterior there may be found a true and honest heart. When the years allotted to him shall have been counted and he is laid beside those who have gone before, may it be said that "here l'es an honest man."
HENRY F. CLUNK.
Among those men who have for many years been identified with the business in- terests of Marion, but who are now resting
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from their labors in the enjoyment of well- earned competence and the society of long- 1 time friends, is the gentleman whose life it i is a pleasure to review and whose name stands at the head of this paragraph. He was born at Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1820, being the son of Andrew Clunk, who was a mechanic and born in the same state.
Henry was fourteen years old when his father died. He had been placed in a store at Greencastle the year previous, and as he was the only son the support of the family devolved largely upon him. Of three sis- ters, two had been married, leaving the mother and one sister for him to care for, which he did for several years. His own marriage occurred November 8. 1842, to Miss Catherine Mitchell, a native of Green- castle. She was reared near her husband, being the daughter of George and Susan ( Palmer) Mitchell. After his marriage his mother made her home with her children, finally dying at Marion, a member of his family. at the age of seventy-five years. The mother of Mrs. Clunk, whose husband had died when Catherine was a child, be- came the landlady of the hotel he had op- erated and continued to conduct it for many years, being one of the best known land- ladies of the state. She is well remembered by the citizens of Marion, as much of her later life was passed in the home of her son-in-law. Her death occurred at New- Castle, Indiana, where a daughter resided.
After marriage Mr. Clunk clerked in a store until 1846, when, in company with his brother-in-law, the late clerk of courts at Chambersburg, he engaged in selling goods at that place. Having had twelve years' experience and enjoying the confidence
of his old employers, he had their support and endorsement with the wholesalers at Philadelphia, some of them going there with him to purchase goods. After three years at Chambersburg they removed the stock to New Castle, Indiana, in 1849. A few years later the partner retired and Mr. Clunk came to Marion in 1858 and established himself in the conduct of a general store in company with a man living at Piqua, Ohio. This partner died one year later, leaving some un- expected debts for adjustment. Mr. Clunk having sent him money that had not been ap- plied as was expected. Having a high stand- ing with the jobbers. Mr. Clunk was able to continue the business, which he did. being in various firms, the best remembered being that of Clunk & Byar, who preceded Whipple & Clunk. During the war period he was doing an extensive business at the stand now oc- cupied by the Kiley saloon. Later he was associated with George W. Webster, to whom he sold his interest and engaged in the boot and shoe trade in company with J. D. Byerly, and later with William Hayes, purchasing, at the death of Byerly. a stock he had opened after dissolution with Clunk. He continued in this line of trade in the building he had occupied years before until he closed the establishment. retiring from the ownership of the store, but continued his connection with mercantile life in Marion by clerking for various houses.
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