USA > Indiana > Greene County > Biographical memoirs of Greene County, Ind. : with reminiscences of pioneer days, Volume II > Part 2
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E. H. b. 6avins
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GREENE COUNTY, INDIANA.
E. H. C. Cavins, the prominent lawyer, gallant soldier and public-spirited man of affairs, to an epitome of whose life the reader's attention is herewith respectfuly invited.
Colonel Cavins is descended from good old colonial stock, and points with pardonable pride to the fact that both branches of his family were represented in the struggle for independence, and later his grandfather served iu the Indian war under General Wayne, and his father in the War of 1812. In this connection the fol- lowing incident is worthy of note. Some years ago, in Bloomfield, his grandfather met the grandfather of Mrs. Cavins, who had also been a Revolutionary soldier as well as a hero in the last struggle with Great Britain. In the course of their conversation these old soldiers were pleased to learn that at one time both had served in the same com- mand in the latter war, and were near each other in a number of engagements, notable among which was the battle of the River Raisin, and the battle of Fallen Tim- bers under "Mad" Anthony Wayne.
Elijah H. C. Cavins is one of Greene county's native sons and dates his birth from April 16th, of the year 1832. His boyhood days were passed in such manner as to acquire the vigor of bodily powers, clearness of mind and firmness of character, which contributed in so large degree to his subsequent success, and in the public schools of Bloomfield was laid the foundation of a mental train- ing which, supplemented by the higher courses of study in Asbury University, made him, in due time, a well edu- cated and broadly cultured man. Early deciding to make the legal profession his life work, young Cavins employed his leisure hours to a preliminary study of the same, and
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later entered the law department of the State University. from which he was graduated in 1853, before attaining his majority, being one of the youngest men to finish his course in that institution. With thorough mental dis- cipline and a critical professional training, Mr. Cavins at once engaged in the practice of law at Bloomfield, and, in due time, won recognition as a capable, painstaking at- torney, who made every other interest subordinate to his calling and spared no efforts in looking after the interests of his clients. From the beginning his rise in the profes- sion and success in securing a representative clientele was pronounced and certain, his thorough knowledge of law. with the ability to apply it in the practice causing his serv- ices to be in great demand, so much so, indeed, that for many years his name was connected with the majority of important cases tried in the Greene county court, in ad- dition to which he frequently appeared as counsel in cases of more than ordinary import in other parts of the state. With the exception of three years in the army, Colonel Cavins practiced his profession with success and financial profit until retiring from active life in 1906, rising in the meantime to high standing among the leading lawyers of the state and acquiring a fame which easily placed him at the head of the bar, where his greatest success has been achieved. Since the above year he has been living in honorable retirement at his beautiful home in Bloom- field, though still keeping in touch with court and other legal business, and continuing, as heretofore, to exercise his influence as a leader in public matters, and in no small degree as a moulder of opinion among his fellow men.
Colonel Cavins was one of the first of Greene-coun-
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ty's loyal sons to respond to the call of duty when the national sky became darkened by the ominous cloud of rebellion. On the first call for volunteers in April, 1861, he raised a company and was elected captain. By reason of the quoto being filled, however, the governor did not accept the company until May following, when it be- came Company D. Fourteenth Regiment, Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, the first regiment mustered into the three years' service in the state. The regiment was ordered to West Virginia in July, 1861, just before the battle at Rich Mountain. After that engagement the regiment followed the enemy toward Staunton, to the summit of Cheat Mountain, where it remained during the summer and fall, it being the extreme outpost on that line. He was en- gaged with the regiment in numerous skirmishes and what was then called battles, the principal engagements in that locality being known in history as Cheat Moun- tain and Greenbrier. In the winter of 1861-62 the regi- ment was successively under Generals Kelly, Lander and Shields, and formed a part of Kimball's brigade, and afterward the brigade of General Carroll. The winter campaign was along the line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, from Grafton to Martinsburg, and embraced marches and skirmishes in midwinter. In March, 1862. the campaign extended up the Shenandoah Valley, the principal engagement being near Winchester, on March 23. 1862. After numerous marches and countermarches up and down the valley, and to and from Fredericksburg. attended with many skirmishes, the brigade in June, 1862, was ordered to the Army of the Potomac and arrived there July 2d of that year, and was assigned to the Sec-
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ond Corps. From that time the Fourteenth took part in all the campaigns and battles in which the corps was engaged, including the battles of Winchester, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor and sixty-six other engage- ments, sustaining the remarkable loss of five hundred and ninety-two killed and wounded, there being more than twice as many killed in battle as died of disease. Captain Cavins was promoted to major August 11, 1862; lieuten- ant colonel, January 22, 1863, and commissioned colonel, May 13. 1864. He took part in all the campaigns in which his regiment was engaged until the battle of the Wilderness. At Antietam he had command of the regi- ment before the battle closed and was wounded in the hand. At Fredericksburg he had command of his regi- ment during the entire engagement and was slightly wounded and had ten holes shot in his clothing. At Chan- cellorsville and Gettysburg, he also commanded his regi- ment. during the latter part of the engagements. At Morton's Ford he had command of his regiment. with a leave of absence in his pocket, received the day before, and during the engagement. after Colonel Lockwood was wounded, took command of the Four- teenth Indiana and Seventh West Virginia regiments, having had his horse shot from under him in the engage- ment. A short time before the battle of the Wilderness General Hancock detailed Colonel Cavins to confer with Governor Morton in regard to filling up the regiment, it being greatly reduced in numbers. He failed in his en- terprise, however, and on returning to Washington City the authorities refused to allow him to join his regiment.
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assigning him instead to the command of a provisional battalion, and soon after he was given the command of a provisional brigade, to guard the shipping on the Poto- mac and along the line of supplies for the Army of the Potomac. The last battle in which he was engaged was Cold Harbor, where he had command of a provisional brigade under General Burnside. His term of service expired on June 6, 1864, and on the following day he and his regiment retired from the advance line and re- turned to Indianapolis to be mustered out of service.
A few weeks after he was commissioned adjutant general and inspector general on the staff of Major Gen- eral Hughes, for the Southern Division, of the State of Indiana, in which position he served until the close of the war. His duty as adjutant general did not take him out of the state, except on one occasion, when a part of the Indiana Legion volunteered to go over into Kentucky, near Henderson, to break up some rebel recruiting camps and bands of raiders operating in that vicinity.
With a record replete with duty ably and faithfully performed, and with a name high in the roster of Indi- ana's brave and honorable sons, Colonel Cavins retired from the army, and, resuming his professional labors, soon achieved as distinctive prestige in civil affairs as he had attained in military life. A pronounced Republican in politics and an influential leader of his party in Greene county, he was elected in 1858 to the lower house of the general assembly and took a prominent part in the de- liberations of the same, introducing a number of import- ant bills, which, becoming laws, have had a marked in- fluence on the subsequent history of the state. He is
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still deeply interested in political affairs, contributes much to the success of his party by judicious advice in its coun- sels, and for over a half century his influence and stand- ing have not been called in question.
Colonel Cavins has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1854, and is an active worker in the Grand Army of the Republic Post at Bloomfield. For fifty-five years he has been identified with the Cumberland Presbyterian church, during which time his daily life has harmonized with his religious profession, and since 1854 he has held the office of ruling elder in the Bloomfield con- gregation to which he belongs.
Colonel Cavins was married September 23. 1855. to Ann M. Downing, daughter of Alexander and Lycenia (Anderson) Downing, the union terminating March 7, 1907, after a mutually happy wedded experience of fifty- three years' duration. Colonel and Mrs. Cavins had four children, the oldest of whom, Samuel R., born in 1856, received a finished literary education in Hanover College, was trained professionally in the city of Philadelphia, where he graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medi- cine and practiced medicine successfully until his untimely death in 1887. Mrs. Carrie B. Schell, the second of the family, is the wife of Dr. Schell, of Terre Haute; Mrs. Ida C. Marshall, the second daughter, lives at Franklin. Indiana, where her husband is pastor of the Presbyterian church : Susie C., the youngest of the number, formerly the wife of Charles Drybread, of Franklin, is deceased. In addition to his children, who do all within their power to minister to his comfort in the evening of his long and useful life, Colonel Cavins has nine grandchildren, who
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are also interested in his welfare and delight to do him honor.
ALVA REED THOMAS.
The gentleman whose career we now take pleasure in presenting to the readers of this work is to a con- siderable extent a representative of that class of citizens who win success in life because they deserve to. Such men are not modern Don Quixotes, the story-book char- acter who was always waiting for something to come his way without effort on his part, but such a worthy type as Mr. Thomas believes in going out after the things that are worth while, rather than wasting time in fruit- less waiting, and this principle having been instilled in him early in life has had a tendency to moult his subse- quent career, which has been not only one of success, but also of honor, as we shall see by studying the brief re- view that follows :
Alva R. Thomas was born in Cass township, Greene county, Indiana, July 28, 1870. His parents, William F. and Nancy (Lester) Thomas, representatives of the state's best citizens, are also natives of the Hoosier state, the former having been born in Daviess county, May 3. 1840, and the latter in Cass township, Greene county. The father came to Greene county when a boy and set- tled in Cass township, where he received what education he could in the common schools of those days. After the marriage of the subject's parents, August 29, 1869, they began their happy career near Newberry, Indiana, and
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in 1881 moved to the farm where they now live, having made agriculture a pleasant as well as profitable pursuit. They are both members of the Methodist church and ac- tive workers in the same. The father is a Democrat, but takes no active part in politics. Their home was blessed with the following children : Alva R., our subject ; Laura E., wife of Joseph B. Hassler, who lives in Cass town- ship, Greene county, Indiana; Oliver P., a farmer, also living in that locality.
Alva R. Thomas spent his early life on his father's farm and was favored with such educational advantages as could be secured, and he proved to be an earnest searcher for knowledge, so that upon maintaining his maturity he was well qualified to discharge life's duties and also able to impart this learning to the coming gen- eration, for he at once took to the profession of teaching. It was in the spring of 1889 that he graduated from the common schools and began teaching in the following fall, having been identified with the country schools in his na- tive vicinity ever since. His teaching has been so suc- cessful that he has been able to purchase a neat little farm of twenty acres, upon which stand clean, cozy build- ings. Although he has been in constant demand to fill positions as teacher, being especially well known as an able instructor in arithmetic, history and geography, lie has found time to improve his farm, making it highly productive. His studiousness is shown by the splendid record he has made of ninety per cent. each year in his examinations.
Mr. Thomas has been fortunate in his selection of a life partner, having been married to Eliza E. Strausser,
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GREENE COUNTY, INDIANA.
May II, 1898. She was born, reared and attended school in Center township, Greene county, Indiana, the date of her birth being December 23, 1867. She graduated from the common schools and is, like her husband, above the average in scholarship. When twelve years old she moved with her parents, who were pioneers of Greene county, to Washington township.
Two children, Floriene and Goldiene, twins, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas on March 16, 1900. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Newberry and active Sunday school workers. Mr. Thomas has served as superintendent of the Sunday school and is now a steward in the church. He is a mem- ber of the Modern Woodmen at Newberry. His wife is a member of the Royal Neighbors. The subject is a Dem- ocrat in his political belief, but he takes no active part in politics. He was at one time elected constable. He is considered by all who know him to be thoroughly hon- est and upright in all his dealings, as well as a most energetic citizen.
JOHN HAMILTON.
John Hamilton, who was born in Guernsey county. Ohio, February 14, 1832, went to school only three months but has, in various ways, gathered a fund of gen- eral information. He lived at home until he was nineteen years old and remained in Ohio until 1855, when he came to Greene county, Indiana, after living in Beech Creek
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township for two years. Then moved to Center township where he lived for seven years. After living two years in Highland township he moved back to Beech Creek town- ship, remaining there thirteen years. In October, 1882, he moved to Pleasant Ridge, Richland township, where he has since resided on a forty-one-acre farm, which he has greatly improved.
John Hamilton married Mary M. Davis, who lived in his native community in Ohio, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Rose) Davis, natives of Pennsylvania. She died September 30, 1893, and Mr. Hamilton married Elizabeth M. Heaton on October 16, 1894. She was born in Richland township, Greene county. Indiana, the daughter of William and Nancy (Stone) Heaton, the former a native of Kentucky, the latter a native of Indi- ana. Her paternal grandparents, Kelly and Elizabeth Heaton, came to Center township. Greene county, Indi- ana, where they spent their lives, raising seven children. namely: Nancy, who married William Burns; Katie, who married William Kennedy; Mahala, who married James Stone : Mary, who married John Stone; Malinda, who married Henry Williams: William, father of the subject, who married Nancy Stone; David, who married Carey Burcham and later Sarah Watson. William Hea- ton, who had no schooling, entered one hundred and forty acres of wild land in Richland township. Greene county. Indiana. He was a Republican, and both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church. He died February 5, 1863. Mrs. Heaton died February 12. 1905.
William and Nancy Heaton had the following chil- dren : James W., who married Carey Burcham, living
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in Bloomfield, Indiana; Sarah, who married Adam Harden, living in Richland township, Greene county ; David J., who married Elizabeth Anderson, living in Kansas; Solomon, who married Lydia Uland, living in. Greene county; Elizabeth, wife of the subject of this sketch; John, who married Mary Bullock, living near ยท St. Louis, Missouri; William, who lives on the home place, married Mattie Fips.
John Hamilton had eleven children by his first wife, namely; Joseph, living in Highland township, Greene county, who married Martha Terrill; Hans, deceased, who married Nancy Anderson, now living in Bloomfield, Indiana ; Mary, who first married Edward Walker, then Monroe Masterson, living in Ackron, Iowa; Alvina, who married Isaac Hunter, of Washington township, Greene county ; John, deceased; George, living in Cumberland county, Illinois, who first married Rosie King, then a Miss Yaw; James, deceased; Lyde, wife of George Se- crist, living in Worthington, Indiana ; Caleb, of Calberts- ville, Indiana; Rosie, deceased, who married George Shields, living in Richland township, Greene county ; Henry, a carpenter, living at Worthington, Indiana, who married Jennie Daily. The subject had no children by his second wife.
Hans Hamilton was the father of the subject. He was a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. He married Sarah Ratliff, of Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania. His wife died there and he went to Guernsey county, Ohio, in 1822. He was the only child. His par- ents were natives of Ireland. His second marriage was with Elizabeth Fogle, of German ancestry, who was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania.
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On August 20, 1862, our subject enlisted for service in the Civil war and was mustered in at Camp Thompson September 22d, as private in Company H, Ninety-seventh .Indiana Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was in camp at Indianapolis one month, then went to Louisville, Ken- tucky, thence to Beardstown and on to Memphis, Ten- nessee. The regiment next went to College Hill and then into Mississippi with General Grant : then to Holly Springs and Fort Grissem, where they guarded supplies : next to Mosco, Grand Junction and Lagrange, where, on May 22, 1863. the subject was taken sick and remained in a hospital fourteen days, and later was in a hospital at Fort Pickering thirty days, when he was transferred to a veteran reserve corps, sent to St. Louis, and one month later was pronounced physically disabled for field service and so was on guard duty. He was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, then to Chicago, Illinois ; was a prison guard two months, when he became company cook, and after the surrender of General Lee was sent to Cairo, Illinois, where he was mustered out July 14. 1865.
ARI FIELDS.
Ari Fields, a farmer near Bloomfield, Indiana, is descended from Kentucky ancestors, who came to South- ern Indiana in the early part of the last century, later to Greene county. The subject of this sketch is the son of Isaiah Fields, who was born in 1805 in Pulaski county, Kentucky. Leaving his native state, he came to Law-
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rence county, Indiana, in 1848, later moving to Martin county, where he lived for four years, then came to Greene county, where he preached in the Christian church, also worked a sixty-acre farm in Taylor township. He was a Republican and became well known in several coun- ties. Both he and his wife died in Center township after raising the following children : Wesley, living on a farm in Martin county, Indiana; Elizabeth, who married J. Wagoner, living in Dresden, Indiana : John K., a farmer in Dresden : Sally, who married Lewis Hays, both deceas- ed; David died during the war near Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia, while a member of the Ninety-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry; Ezekiel, a farmer, living near Switz City, Indiana ; Nicey Jane married John Tay- lor, both deceased; Ari, the subject of this sketch; Mary Ann, who married Henry Quinby, both deceased.
Ari Fields was born in Lawrence county, Indiana, November 18, 1847. He attended school in an old log school house, living at home until his parents died. He was married to Mrs. Minerva Clemens, January II, 1894, widow of Andrew Clemens and the daughter of M. C. Folk, of North Carolina, who came to Greene county, Indiana, shortly after his marriage and settled in Center township, where he died in 1902. His widow is still liv- ing at the old home there. Mr. and Mrs. Fields have one son, David Wesley. Mrs. Fields had eight children by her first marriage.
In 1902 Ari Fields came to Richland township and bought fourteen acres of land where he resides. He votes the Republican ticket and is a member of the Christian church. Mrs. Fields belongs to the Baptist church.
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LOVELL RUSAW FERGUSON.
When the Civil war was fully under way, and the integrity of the Union seemed in imminent peril, the call for volunteers was nowhere met with a heartier response than in Indiana. Among those who rallied to the call was the subject of the present chronicle, Lovell R. Fer- guson, who was born in Jackson township, Greene county. Indiana, on January 24, 1847. His father, James Fer- guson, was a native of Kentucky and his mother, Dru- cella (McGill) Ferguson, was born in Virginia. James's parents were very early settlers in the state. They took up government land and finished their days on the farm in Jackson township.
James Ferguson was twice married, six children having been born of the first union, viz .: Thomas; Washington, deceased; Martha, widow of Milford Da- vis, of Jackson township; Mary and Sophia, both de- ceased, and Nancy, whose home is now in Kansas. The children born of the second union are: William, who was a soldier of the Eighteenth Indiana . Volunteers, and died while in the service; Margaret and Tissia, both de- ceased. Our subject was the next in order of birth. Fol- lowing next was Ralph, also deceased. He was a mem- ber of the Eleventh Indiana Volunteers. Many died in infancy.
Lovell's parents were industrious, patriotic and pious people, being members of the Christian church. When Lovell was seven years of age his father died and the boy then made his home with his uncle, Ralston Fergu- son, of Lawrence county, remaining there until he en-
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listed in the army. Upon returning from the service he engaged in farm labor, and on December 29, 1880, was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary A. Byers (nee Fitz- patrick), a native of Greene county. Her parents, Joseph and Sarah (Floyd) Fitzpatrick, were natives of Tennes- see, and came to Indiana in an early day, performing their part in building up the new commonwealth. They were the parents of a noble family of eleven children, enumerated here in the order of their birth: Henry and Dorcas, both deceased; Jane, of Jackson township; Kate, whose home is now in Indianapolis; Thomas, a farmer, now in Illinois; Gustav. deceased; Fletcher, a miner in Sullivan county ; Margaret, deceased; Mary A., the wife of our subject ; John, whose home is at Lyons, and Alice, residing in Jackson township.
Mary has been twice married, her first husband be- ing Joseph Byers, by whom she had one son, John, who married Florence Westmoreland, and is now living at Newberry, Indiana, having a family of three children- Grodene, Jenny and Aldo.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fer- guson, consisting of Margaret, Quincy and Oscar. Mar- garet married Oscar Peterson, and is the mother of two children, Lovell M. and Mary Olive.
On February 6, 1862, Mr. Ferguson enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, remaining in the service about four years, being discharged January 21, 1866, at Macon, Georgia. The greater part of his time was taken up with guard duty and on that account he was not permit- ted to see as much of active service on the field as he
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would have liked. He has been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, is a loyal Republican, and, with his wife, lends substantial support to the Christian church.
Thus he is rounding out his days as a patriot, citi- zen and parent, contributing in an unassuming way to the welfare of the community and the state.
WILLIAM B. MADDOCK.
The true spirit of enterprise and progress has been strikingly exemplified in the career of William B. Mad- dock, a journalist of much more than local repute, whose energetic nature and laudable ambition have enabled him to overcome many adverse circumstances and advance steadily to a prominent and influential position in the pub- lic life of his county and state. As editor and proprietor of one of the leading papers of Indiana he has had much to do in moulding sentiment and directing public thought, and through the medium of his paper his name has become widely known in political circles as a clear and incisive writer. a fearless champion of the principles of his party and a bold advocate of the right in public as well as pri- vate affairs, his influence in these and other respects gain- ing for him a conspicuous place among the representatives of his craft throughout the southern part of the Hoosier state.
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