USA > Indiana > Greene County > Biographical memoirs of Greene County, Ind. : with reminiscences of pioneer days, Volume I > Part 22
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Dr. Cravens on June 12, 1866, was united in mar- riage to Mary L. Routt, daughter of William K. and Esther (Ferguson) Routt, natives, respectively, of Indi- ana and Kentucky, the union resulting in the birth of children as follows: William Routt, M. D., one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Greene county ; George E., a graduate pharmacist, of Bloomfield; Pearl, the wife of Y. L. Slinkard, an attorney at law, of Bloom- field; Maud, who is an assistant to Dr. William R. Cravens, and an infant died unnamed.
Politically Dr. Cravens was an influential Democrat, and was never so engrossed professionally as to lose in- terest in his party or to cease his efforts for its success. Always in touch 'with public affairs, and thoroughly versed on the questions before the people, he had no political aspirations and never sought official preferment at the hands of his fellow citizens.
Socially he was kind, affable and obliging, an ideal husband and father, the life of the home circle and a gen- eral favorite with all classes and conditions of his fellow men, having possessed in a marked degree the generous sympathy and winning personality that attracted and re- tained strong and loyal friendships. In addition to his eminence as a physician and high standing as an esteemed and enterprising citizen, Dr. Cravens did much work for Bloomfield in a material way, as the various improve- ments he made in the city from time to time bear witness, not the least of these being the Cravens Block, a fine two- story brick structure, erected in the year 1898, and which will long stand to perpetuate his memory.
In every walk of life Dr. Cravens was easily the peer
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of any of his fellows in all that constituted true manhood, and during his long period of residence in Greene county his name was synonymous with what was moral and up- right in citizenship. He adorned every circle in which he moved and for years to come his character and career will be cherished by a people who looked upon him as a healer with few equals and no superiors, as a neighbor without guile and as a gentleman without pretense, who, seeing and understanding his duty, strove by all means at his command to do the same as he would answer to his con- science and his God. He died at his home in Bloomfield September 5. 1903, ripe in years and rich in honors, and was followed by a large concourse of sorrowing friends and fellow citizens to the beautiful cemetery, amid the silent shades of which his body, "Life's fitful fever over, rests well."
Mrs. Cravens, a most estimable lady and fit com- panion of a husband so signally loved and honored, still resides in Bloomfield, where her friends are both numer- ous and loyal. Like the doctor. she, too, is identified with the Presbyterian church and possesses a beautiful Chris- tian character, which finds expression in kindly deeds, generous charities and a life void of offense toward God and man.
CHARLES ANDERSON EMERY.
Charles A. Emery was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, March 14, 1839, and is the son of Thomas B. Hays and an adopted son of Ambrose Emery, of Coshocton
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county. Ambrose Emery married Polly Anderson. both natives of Pennsylvania, but they spent most of their lives in Ohio and raised a large family. They moved to Greene county, Indiana, in 1848 and located in Taylor township. He got three hundred and sixty acres of vir- gin land which he cleared, and soon made a splendid home. He was always a farmer, but became widely known and was highly respected. Both he and his wife died in Taylor township.
Charles A. Emery had few opportunities to attend school, which was held, in the vicinity where he was raised, in a log house. In 1860 he went to Albia, Mon- roe county, Iowa, and worked at farming. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, First Regiment, Iowa Cavalry, serving most of the time in Missouri and Arkan- sas, and was in many skirmishes with the Cantrell gang and in a battle near Little Rock, Arkansas. He was taken sick and was in the hospital for some time. He was later a nurse and also took care of the dead and wounded soldiers' effects. Having contracted a disease in his eyes and other sickness while on his way to Little Rock, he was discharged August 23, 1864, after which he came back to Greene county, Taylor township, and later moved to Stafford township, where he lived for three years. He lived in Washington township for twenty-one years, again in Stafford for two years. He finally moved to Richland township, where he now lives and runs a small farm. He has always engaged in farming. He was twice married,. first to Sarah A. Stalcup, of Greene county, in 1866. She died in a few years and he married Martha Quillen, of Taylor township, in 1871, while living in Greene county.
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She was the daughter of William and Sarah Jennings. the latter of Kentucky and the former of Virginia. They were pioneers of Taylor township, Greene county. He died in Richland township; she died in Bloomfield. They had twelve children, nine reaching maturity.
The subject had one child by his first wife, Annie, who married Hubbard Dowden, of Linton, Indiana. Mr. Emery had eight children by his second marriage-Rosie, now deceased, married James Blevins; William H., engi- neer at Bloomfield, Indiana, who married Cora Weaver, and who has two children, Rosie and Weaver; Harvey L., a painter at Paris, Illinois, married Edith Chipman, who has borne him one son, Bruce; Amos E. and Ernest V. both live at home; Elsie J. married Robert Chipman, a farmer of Richland township, and they have one son, Forest ; Vesta E. lives at home, as does also Algie F.
Mr. Emery has always been a farmer. He is well known throughout Greene county and has scores of friends there. He never aspired to office, but has always been a stanch Republican and a member of the Christian church.
RICHARD MATTHEWS DUKE.
Richard M. Duke was among the Kentuckians who emigrated from their native state to Indiana in an early day, and finding farming conditions better in the latter, spent the major part of their lives there. He was born near Covington, February 13, 1837, and died at Bloom- field, Indiana, June 20, 1898. He was the son of John
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and Mary (Matthews) Duke, the former of Tennessee and the latter of Kentucky. They came to Greene county in 1855 and settled near Owensburg, where they undertook to gain a livelihood from an eighty-acre tract of wild land, succeeding so well that they lived there the remainder of their lives, rearing eight children. Those living are: John, at Linton, Indiana; William also lives there; Sarah Hudson lives at Lyons, Indiana; Lewis in Jefferson township, Greene county.
Richard Duke had only a meager education. He spent his boyhood at the old home. He enlisted in the Ninety-seventh Regiment, Company E, Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, at Jonesboro, Indiana, and served three years. Having contracted heart trouble while in the army he was unfit for duty at the front and spent the remainder of the time as a nurse. After the war he lived in Jackson township for two years. Then he moved to Fair Play township, but came back to Jackson township and spent seven years there. In 1886 he came to Rich- land township and bought eighty acres of land, which was only partly cleared. He soon erected several build- ings and made general improvements on the place, which he continued to improve until his death. He was a Re- publican, a member of the Christian church and the Grand Army of the Republic.
Mr. Duke married early in life and raised four chil- dren. William J. is single and lives on the old place. He owns three hundred acres of land and is engaged in stock raising; John G. for nine years taught school and is a farmer in Richland township. He married Belle Greene. They have three children, Ira, Ona and Hazel. Nannie
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married Nelson Zook, of Monticello, Illinois. They have two children, Harold and Cecil. Max, the third child of the subject, is single and is living on the old place, en- gaged in farming, fruit and stock raising. Together with John he raises all kinds of small grains, besides always keeping about one hundred head of fine Hereford cattle and the same number of Shropshire sheep, thoroughbred Poland China and Yorkshire hogs, grade Percheron horses and Wyandotte chickens. They are regarded as among the most progressive farmers and the family is well known in Greene county. Mrs. Duke bore the maiden name of Hannah McDonald, being a daughter of Philip and Margaret (McGill) McDonald. She was born in Jackson township, November 4, 1844, and married Mr. Duke in December, 1860. She resides on the home- stead with her two sons.
WILLIAM GARRISON SHEPHERD.
Both of William G. Shepherd's grandfathers were well known men. John Shepherd, who lived in Fair Play township, Greene county, Indiana, was known throughout the county where he selected to live, and his maternal grandfather, Thomas Bradford, was a judge and held many offices in the gift of the people. He was a Demo- crat and owned a large tract of land in Richland town- ship. William G. Shepherd's father was Charles Shep- herd, who married Lavina Bradford. They were both natives of North Carolina. The former was educated in the home schools and devoted his life principally to
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farming. He was for some time superintendent of the Greene county poor farm. He was a Republican. He died in Fair Play township about 1851, his wife having died three years previous. They had the following children : John, who lives on a farm in Jasper county, Iowa; Mar- tha Ann, wife of William Pluskey. They live in Kansas. Almira married David Neidigh. They are both deceased. William G., the subject of this sketch, and James, who lived in Iowa, now deceased.
William G. Shepherd was born in Richland tow !- ship, March 10, 1846. He attended school a few years at the old log school house in his neighborhood. He and his brother James lived with their grandfather, John Shepherd, for two years. The former then lived with an uncle, Garrison Bradford, of Richland township, up to 1863. He married in 1868 Mary Ann Cook, of Penn- sylvania. They are the parents of eight children. They are: Arabella, wife of Fletcher R. Pearson, of Colum- bus, Indiana; they have two children, Goldie and Harley ; Charles, a miner, who lives at Linton, Indiana, and who married Florence Flory; they have three children, Ro- vena, Olive and Opal; Emery is also a miner and lives at Linton; he married Zoe Greene, and they have four children, Mary, Leotha, Margaret and Geneve; Annie is the wife of Jolin Corwin, of Richland township; they have two sons, Hubert and William Elbert; Stella is the wife of Clyde Vest, also of Richland township; they have one child, Opal; Reed, Elmer and Floyd all live at home.
Mrs. William G. Shepherd is the daughter of Joshua and Catherine (Layman) Cook, the former of England and the latter of Pennsylvania. They married in her native state and came to Greene county, Indiana, in 1851.
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He was in Company E, Fifty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He died during the war and his wife died in Richland township. They had four children -Mary 'Ann, the subject's wife; William H., a farmer in Richland township; John, who died in infancy ; Joshua, who is living in Bloomfield, Indiana.
William G. Shepherd enlisted in June, 1863, in Com- pany A, One Hundred and Fifteenth Volunteer Infantry of Indiana, for six months. He was sent to East Ten- nessee and was in the hospital at Knoxville. He re-en- listed in February, 1864, in Company D, Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, at Bloomfield, and was in the Army of the Potomac, participating in the battles of the Wilder- ness, Cold Harbor, Mine's Run, Spottsylvania, siege of Petersburg, and he followed General Lee to his surren- der, engaging in many skirmishes. He was discharged in July, 1865.
After the war he engaged in farming in Richland township, Greene county, Indiana, until 1868, when he secured the farm where he now lives. He has sold part of the old place, now having but fifty-six acres, on which he carries on general farming, fruit and stock raising. He is a Republican, a member of the church and of the Grand Army of the Republic, is well read and has numer- ous friends in Greene county.
ANDREW CLINTON MULLIS.
The following brief sketch of Andrew Clinton Mul- lis does not tell all the important deeds in the various
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walks of this useful man's life, but it will serve to show what one of grit can do in the face of obstacles. He was born in Taylor township, December 9, 1832. He had no chance to go to school. His father dying when he was twelve years old, he was compelled to stay at home and work on the farm, where he remained until he entered the army in defense of his country. Enlisting in 1862 in Company E, Ninety-seventh Regiment, Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, he served as a private for one and one- half years, then re-enlisted in Company I, Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, and served as brigade teamster until he was discharged in 1865. After the war he rented land in Taylor township, where he lived for sixteen years. Then he bought forty acres in said township and built a home in 1895 and made many substantial improvements, until he now has a fine home and an excellent farm of three hundred acres. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He is a Republican and a member of the Church of God. He married Martha Thompson in 1867. She lived in Bloomfield. They have three chil- dren, namely : Indiana, who married Willis Leggwood, of Bloomfield; Lulu, who married Lucian Chancy, of Mineral City, Indiana ; he was in the Spanish-American war; Winona, who lives at home. Mrs. Mullis is a mem- ber of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
Mr. Mullis is the son of Reuben Mullis, a native of Rush' county, Indiana. He married Nancy Knox, of Ohio. They came soon after they were married to Greene county, where they secured one hundred and sixty acres of land. He was a hard worker and soon had the land cleared and a good home on it, in which he lived until
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his death. He was a Whig and a member of the Meth- odist church. He made his influence felt wherever he went. They had ten children, nine of whom are still liv- ing. They are: Robert, a farmer at Koleen, Indiana ; Margaret, widow of Benjamin Haywood, of Mineral City ; Sarah Ann, wife of James Chaney, also of Mineral City; Sophia, who married Daniel Pruett, both now de- ceased; Andrew Clinton, the subject of this sketch : Thomas, a farmer of Taylor township: Eli, of Taylor township; Alfred, of Taylor township; Malissa. who mar- ried Charles Hasler, of Taylor township.
THOMAS JEFFERSON AXE.
The parents of Thomas J. Axe, Jacob and Eliza (Dorough) Axe, were natives of Pennsylvania, of that sturdy pioneer stock that delights to compel the wild soil to yield them a living. They both went to Ohio when young and married there, remaining in the Buckeye state until 1850, when they came to Greene county, Indiana, and settled in Richland township, securing some wild land, which they cleared and soon had a comfortable home. They were both members of the Church of God. He was always a Democrat. Jacob Axe died there in 1872 and his wife a few years later. Many of their ten children survive. Catherine is the widow of Frank Sullivan, of Washington township. Greene county, In- diana; the widow of William Branstetter: William, liv- ing at Bloomfield, Indiana; Thomas J., the subject ; Ja-
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cob died during the war while a member of the Fifty- ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry ; John, who lives in Washington township; Elizabeth, who died in Ohio; Daniel, living in Taylor township, Greene county, Indiana; Reuben and Almeda, both deceased.
Thomas J. Axe was born in Wayne county, Ohio, July 8, 1839. He attended school in old log school houses what time he did not devote to farming. On July 5, 1861, he entered the Twenty-first Regiment, Indiana Heavy Artillery, Company C, in which he served for over two years, during which time he took part in the follow- ing battles : Donaldsonville, Baton Rouge, siege of Port Hudson, lasting thirty-one days, raid through Texas and many skirmishes. He helped open up the Mississippi- River and concentrate the army on Ship Island. He was discharged on account of poor health and came home in September, 1863.
He was married in 1871 to Mary A. Branstetter, of Brown county, Indiana. She was the daughter of Mi- chael and Susan (Soliday) Branstetter. They came to Greene county, Indiana, and entered land under Presi- dent Van Buren's administration. This land is now owned by the subject of this sketch, who has the original deed to it. Mr. and Mrs. Axe have had two children. Laura is the wife of Charles W. Reed, living in Wright township, Greene county, Indiana. He is a farmer and has one child, Mary C. Susan died young.
Thomas J. Axe has devoted his life to farming. He is a Democrat and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. and Mrs. Axe are members of the Church of God and have many friends and acquaintances through- out the county.
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RICHARD JOSEPH CORBLEY.
Richard J. Corbley is a native of Pennsylvania, hav- ing been born in Lancaster county on June 17, 1833, the son of Eugene and Rose ( White) Corbley, also natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Eugene Corbley was a stonecutter by occupation. He and his wife were de- vout people and exerted a wholesome influence on the life of their community. They were members of the Episcopal church, and ended their days in that state. Their children, four in number, consisted of three daugh- ters, who died young, and our subject, who was reared to manhood in the vicinity of his birth.
In 1854 he made a trip through Ohio, Kentucky and Maryland, and in 1858 emigrated to Greene county. Indiana. He began teaching after arriving here, and fol- lowed this for about forty terms, achieving marked suc- cess at his work. In connection with this he managed to carry on considerable farming and to operate a saw-mill. In May, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Fourteenth In- diana Volunteer Infantry, and was sent to Virginia. For three months he was stationed at Cheat Mountain and later was sent down the Potomac River, taking part in many close engagements, such as Cheat Mountain, Win- chester, Woodstock and others.
Upon being discharged in June, 1862, he returned to Bloomfield and re-engaged in teaching. In October, 1864, he re-enlisted in the army, this time joining Com- pany C, of the First Heavy Artillery, being sent to the South and West. They were located at such points as Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Mobile and Fort Morgan,
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and were mustered out in October, 1865. After reaching home he again resumed teaching. On November 15, 1865, 'he was married to Johanna Elizabeth Casad, a na- tive of Greene county, Indiana, born May 11, 1839, and a daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Sparks) Casad, pio- neer settlers in the county, who took up unimproved gov- ernment land.
In 1861 Samuel Casad enlisted in the Forty-third In- diana Volunteer Infantry, being assigned to the Army of the Southwest. He fell a victim to the fever at Helena, Arkansas, in 1862. His wife survived him until 1879. She was the mother of eight children, seven of whom are still living. They are: Rhoda J., widow of Thomas Linn, living now at Park, Indiana; Elizabeth, wife of our subject; Orphie, wife of William Heaton, of Park, Indiana; Andrew, farmer near Stockton, Kan- sas; Aaron, carpenter at Midland, Indiana; Anna mar- ried John R. Allen and died in Greene county in 1902; Edward, teamster, Greene county, and John, farmer in Warren county.
Mr. and Mrs. Corbley have a family of three chil- dren, consisting of Mary E., wife of U. M. Burcham, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and mother of one son, Joseph M .; Anna, wife of B. L. Johnson, also of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and parents of three children, Catherine, Frederick and Richard; Samuel E. died in his sixth year.
Mr. Corbley has been closely connected with the pub- lic affairs of the city and county, having served as deputy recorder and assistant in the offices of auditor, treasurer and county clerk. He served as township assessor from 1886 to 1890. For eight years he served as secretary to
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the Republican county committee. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, having filled all of the offices in the post, serving for twelve years as commander. He is a member of the Bloomfield Lodge, No. 457, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, having filled all of the chairs and serving for ten years as lodge secretary. His religious affiliations are with the Christian denomination. He helped organize the first teachers' institute held in Greene county. Mr. Corbley is a writer of both prose and verse.
SAMUEL R. CAVINS.
The ancestors of Samuel R. Cavins were Scotch, and emigrated to Ireland, settling in that part of Ireland known as Cavan county.
About the year 1745 three brothers emigrated from Ireland to the United States, and settled in New Jersey One of these brothers moved to Lynchburg, Virginia, and later to Loudoun county, that state, and settled near Wa- terford. He raised a large family, among whom was Jesse Cavins, who with one of his brothers, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Jesse Cavins also raised a large family, and two of his sons, Samuel and John, were sol- diers under General Wayne, in the Indian war. Samuel was killed at the battle of Fallen Timbers. John Cavins was at that battle, and also at River Raisin, and received a land grant near Lexington, Kentucky. He raised a large family, among whom was the subject of this sketch.
Samuel R. Cavins was born April 27, 1792, in Greene
DR. bovins
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county, Kentucky, was a veteran of the War of 1812, a son of a soldier under Wayne in the Indian war, and a grandson of a Revolutionary soldier. While a boy he went to Vincennes, Indiana, and while there General Har- rison, governor of Indian Territory, gave him the first schoolbook he ever owned. This circumstance probably made him a Whig, as his father was a Democrat. About the year 1813 he went from Vincennes with a hunting party down the Wabash and up White river, to a point about one mile south of Bloomfield, where they encamped during the time the party was hunting. This was before there was a white man living in Greene county.
In 1814 he entered the army as a substitute in the Sixth Kentucky Infantry, and served under General Jack- son at the battle of New Orleans. He went to the battle- field of Tippecanoe a year after the battle to assist in gath- ering up the remains of the dead soldiers.
In 1822 he returned to Indiana from Kentucky. and resided a few years in Monroe county. His principal oc- cupation was teaching school.
He studied law at Bloomington, Indiana, in the of- fice of James Whitcomb, who was afterwards governor of Indiana. About that time he taught school at Blooming- ton. Among the persons who attended his school were Joseph A. Wright, afterwards governor of Indiana and United States senator, Judge Maxwell and Mrs. Har- desty, mother-in-law of Hon. D. W. Voorhees. On the 22d day of December, 1825, he was married to Susan Gainey, near Springville, Lawrence county, Indiana. Soon after this time he moved to Lawrence county, near Springville. His occupation at this time was farming, but
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he taught school in the winter time, and made shoes at night. At times he would assist his wife in weaving in the winter season. In 1827 he moved to Jackson town- ship, Greene county. In 1828 he was elected associate judge of Green county circuit court. His commission was issued by Governor Ray, on the 20th day of March, 1829.
In 1833 he moved to a settlement on Indian creek, between Jonesborough and Springville; and clerked in a general store for John Shirley. In 1834 he purchased a farm near Bloomfield, and lived on it until 1835, when he moved to Bloomfield, where he resided until his death on the 7th day of March, 1864.
In 1834 he resigned as associate judge, and was elected clerk of the circuit court for a term of seven years, and recorder for the same time. His commissions as clerk and recorder were issued on the 22d day of August. 1834.
He held the offices of clerk and recorder until 1855. being elected for three consecutive terms, and during that time was ex officio auditor, except during two years.
On the 2d day of March, 1836, he was commissioned by Governor Noble as colonel of the Forty-ninth Regi- ment of Indiana Militia, to hold the office until he was sixty years old.
After the expiration of his term of service as clerk, recorder and auditor he entered upon the practice of law, and had a large practice up to the time of his death. He died after a short illness from typhoid fever.
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