USA > Indiana > Greene County > Biographical memoirs of Greene County, Ind. : with reminiscences of pioneer days, Volume III > Part 16
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Greene, where his death occurred on January 1, 1879. In his native state he did a thriving business as a ship carpenter and millwright, and after becoming a resident of Indiana, followed the latter trade in connection with building and also devoted some attention to agriculture. He also constructed flat boats in an early day to carry produce to New Orleans and intermediate points on the Mississippi river and earned wide repute as a skillful mechanic. Hs wife, who was Elizabeth Lillie, was born December 19, 1811, near where her parents were very early settlers. They, with other pioneers, were frequently obliged to take refuge in a block house to escape massacre by the Indians, and experienced all the vicissitudes com- mon to the perilous times in which they lived. Of the five children of this estimable couple, John Thomas. whose birth occurred on the 24th of March, 1845. was the fourth in number. When a young man, John Thomas taught school for some years and later engaged in agri- cultural pursuits near Newberry, Greene county, where he married and reared a family. The maiden name of his wife was Martha J. Benham. She was born May 3. 1852, the daughter of Israel and Amanda Benham, early settlers of Greene county, and departed this life, Septem- ber 20, 1892.
Marion A. Thomas, son of John and Martha Thomas, is a native of Greene county, born on the family homestead near Newberry July 17, 1873. He was reared to farm labor, and after completing the common school course entered the Northern Indiana Normal University at Valparaiso, from the commercial department of which he was graduated in due time with a creditable record.
BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS
Mr. Thomis engaged in merchandising at Newberry and continued that line of trade until 1906, when he disposed of his stock the better to make the race for county re- corder, for which office he was nominated that year by the Democratic party.
Since the above date, Mr. Thomas has devoted his attention to the insurance and real estate business at Jasonville, in connection with which he also transacts the duties of town treasurer, moving to the latter place in 1901. He has been a leader of the local Democracy for some years. He has filled all the offices in the Pythian lodge, to which he belongs, and as a zealous and consistent Methodist is active in the various lines of church work and an influential member of the congre- gation worshiping at Jasonville.
Mr. Thomas, on April 29. 1899, was united in the bonds of wedlock to Pearl Brown (see sketch of Captain Brown), who has presented him with two children, Charles MI. and Pearl, the former born May 19, 1902. the latter on the 12th of May, 1906. Mrs. Thomas is a member of the Christian church.
ALFRED M. BEASLEY.
Alfred M. Beasley, attorney at law and one of the leading members of the Greene county bar, is a native of Martin county, Indiana, and a descendant of Scotch- Irish ancestors, who came to this country from. England in colonial times and settled in Vriginia. On the ma-
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ternal side he is of English extraction, antecedents of his mother's family having been among the early pioneers of North Carolina. Aaron Beasley, subject's father. was born March 1, 1831, in Lawrence county, Indiana, and married in the year 1852. Rebecca Barnes, whose birth occurred on the 15th day of May. 1832, in the county of Martin. Having devoted the greater part of his life to agricultural pursuits and meeting with success in his chosen calling. Aaron Beasley is now living in retire- ment at Linton, though still owning the homestead in Martin county on which he so long resided. He was a loyal Union man during the rebellion, an ardent support- er of President Lincoln, and served during the entire period of the war as recruiting officer of Martin county. Physically incapacitated for military duty, he rendered valuable service to the state and nation by inducing others to enter the army, having sent many men to the front during his incumbency as recruiting officer. Mrs. Beasley died in 1889, the mother of ten children, Alfred M. being the youngest of the number. Winnie, Nancy J. and Mahala E. died in infancy. James died at the age of thirty-five. John L. is a large farmer and stock raiser of Martin county and trustee of the township in which he lives. Rebecca is the wife of Lewis Kail, of Indian Springs, and Aaron Grant, lives in Linton. Wil- liam T. is a farmer of Daviess county, this state, and George, of Linton, is one of the well-known and pros- perous business men of Greene county.
Alfred M. Beasley was born at Burns City. Martin county, on the 18th day of April, 1875. After finish- ing the common school branches he entered the State
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Normal School at Terre Haute, with the object in view of fitting himself for teaching, which profession he fol- lowed with marked success for a period of seven years. Not caring to devote his life to educational work, he dis- continued it at the expiration of the time indicated, but meanwhile, actuated by a laudable ambition to increase his scholastic knowledge, he spent three years in the State University, and by this splendid mental discipline. laid broad and deep the foundation for his future career in one of the most responsible and exacting of the learned professions. Having decided to make law his life work, he began the study of the same at Bloomfield in the office of Cavins and Henderson, and later entered the law department of the State University, in order that he might prepare himself for the practice of law, where he prosecuted his studies and researches until his admis- sion to the Greene county bar in 1904, since which time he has practiced at Linton, where he has a large and lucrative legal business.
Mr. Beasley entered the law with a mind well forti- fied by mental and professional training, and from the beginning his practice has grown steadily in volume and importance until he now occupies a commanding place among the younger members of a bar long noted for the high order of its legal talent. He is well versed in the principles of jurisprudence, familiar with the methods of practice, and, by reason of his familiarity with the law, has become a safe and reliable counselor, whose ad- vice and opinions are seldom, if ever, at fault, and whose painstaking industry and success in prosecuting or de- fending causes have gained him an honorable reputation
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and quite an- extensive clientele. At one period he weilded an influence in the field of journalism, having for three years edited the Linton Record, during which time the paper became very popular and earned for him creditable repute as a clear, logical writer of vigorous .English, to say nothing of his facile pen and elegant dic- tion in treating of the more sentimental subjects.
In politics Mr. Beasley is strongly Republican. In 1900 he was nominated for the legislature, but went down in defeat with the rest of the ticket, the county being at that time Democratic by a very large majority. In secret fraternal and benevolent circles he has long been quite prominent, especially in Odd Fellowship, being a leader in the local lodge to which he belongs, besides holding the high office of grand herald of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. He has also been prominent in the encampment, Rebecca lodge and Court of Honor, hav- ing filled the principal chairs in each and contributed largely to their growth and success. He holds member- ship in the Improved Order of Red Men, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, in all of which he has been honored with high official stations.
Mr. Beasley is a married man and the father of two living children, who answer to the names of Kern G. and Ray M. Mrs. Beasley was formerly Miss Anna Gertrude Morgan, daughter of Thomas and Melissa Morgan, of Stockton township, the ceremony by which her name was changed to the one she now bears having been solemnized on August 31st of the year 1901, and useless to add that the subsequent life of this couple has been happy and harmonious.
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JAMES MADISON HUMPHREYS.
James Madison Humphreys, funeral director and (lealer in furniture, is a native of Greene county, born on Lot 3, of the original plat of Linton, March 6. 1859. His father, Madison Humphreys, also born in Greene county, belonged to one of the earliest pioneer families of this part of the state and the name has been intimately associated with the county from the beginning of its his- tory. Madison Humphreys was a farmer by occupation. an honest, hard-working man, and most exemplary neigh- bor and citizen. By industry and thrift he accumulated a handsome competence, including valuable land, some of which is still in possession of his family. In his young manhood he married Elizabeth Lund, who was born in England, but came to this country with her parents in childhood and spent the remainder of her life in Greene county, Indiana, dying at the age of sixty-four, in 1897. Mr. Humphreys departed this life December. 1858, about three months prior to the birth of the subject of this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys were the parents of three children that grew to maturity, the oldest of whom, a son, by the name of Richard, died shortly after attain- ing his majority. Clara E., widow of John Middleton. lives in Terre Haute. Several children died in infancy. of whom Stephen Hale received a name.
James M. Humphreys received a common school education, and, when old enough to begin life for him- self, turned his hands to any kind of honorable labor lie could find to do. In this way he spent the time until his twenty-first year, when he entered the Clark and Sullivan
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School of Embalming at Indianapolis to fit himself for the undertaking business, to which he had already de- voted considerable attention. In due time ( 1895) he was graduated from that institution, after which he resumed control of the business he had established five years pre- vious to that date, and which he has since conducted with success and financial profit, being at this time proprietor of the largest and most complete furniture and under- taking establishment in the city. Mr. Humphreys carries a full stock of the latest and most approved styles of furniture, also a complete line of caskets and other goods pertaining to sepulture, and, being an accomplished un- dertaker, familiar with every detail of the profession, his patronage has grown steadily in volume and import- ance until he now easily stands at the head of both lines of business in the city of Linton. Mr. Humphreys is a Democrat, but has never held office nor sought public honors of any kind. Like the majority of wide-awake enterprising men, he manifests a lively interest in frater- nal matters, being an active and esteemed member of the Masonic, Elks and Odd Fellows orders, and also belongs to the insurance organization known as the Woodmen of the World, and in religion is identified with the Methodist Episcopal church.
On August 29. 1878, was solemnized the ceremony by which Mr. Humphreys and Ida B. Listman were made husband and wife. Mrs. Humphreys is a native of Stockton township, Greene county, the daughter of Francis A. and Caroline Listman, and has borne her husband five children, the oldest of whom, a son, by the name of Elmer, dying when only six months old. Ira
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O., the second son, is associated with his father in busi- ness. He is married and the father of one child. Homer L., the third in order of birth, employed in the store, is also a man of family, consisting of a wife and daughter. Oscar is his father's assistant, and Mary, the youngest of the number, is pursuing her studies in the Linton schools.
Mr. Humphreys was chief of the first fire department and served fourteen years in the volunteer company and about three years after the city took up the work as paid department and is the only one now living of the first brigade.
RICHARD P. IRWIN.
Richard P. Irwin is one of the enterprising merchants of Jasonville. Although a Buckeye by birth, he became a Hoosier by adoption, having been born in Butler coun- ty, Ohio, on July 29, 1850, the son of Robert and Jane (Demoret) Irwin, the former being a native of Penn- sylvania and the latter of Ohio. Robert Irwin was the only child of the family, and came to Ohio in an early day, and there finished his days. Mr. Demoret, the ma- ternal grandfather of our subject, was a Frenchman and was born in 1760. He came to America during the early days of our national history, and is reported to have ar- rived on the same vessel with Lafayette. He was fired with the same patriotic spirit that pervaded the hearts of the liberty-loving French, and enlisted under the American banner during the remainder of the Revolu-
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tionary war. After ths struggle was over he continued his trade as a cooper and ultimately made his way to Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1815 he removed to Butler county, Ohio, and there rounded out his days, passing to rest in 1820. There were thirteen children born into the family, nine of whom reached maturity.
Robert Irwin, father of our subject, was reared to manhood in the state of Pennsylvania and came to But- ler county, Ohio, after attaining his majority. He also followed the cooper's trade and continued in that work until the end of his days, which occurred at the age of fifty-two, in the community to which he had come. Eleven children were born into this family, eight of whom attained their majority.
Richard attended a normal course in Ohio, in addi- tion to the regular instruction afforded by the local schools of Ohio and Indiana. He was deeply interested in the question of education and devoted twenty years of his life to the work of teaching. In this he showed a fine spirit for professional advancement and took an ad- vanced stand on questions pertaining to educational work.
In 1891 he decided to enter mercantile life and turned his attention to that line. He came to Jasonville and opened up a drug store, which he continued to con- duct for three years. He was the justice of the peace and postmaster and engaged in general merchandise to the present time.
One of Mr. Irwin's brothers, Joseph, was a member of an Indiana regiment during the Civil war, and did valiant service in the cause of Old Glory.
In 1894 Richard Irwin was joined in marriage to
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Sarah Gibson, a most estimable lady, born in Ohio, and the daughter of Lewis and Louisa (Trego) Gibson. They were industrious and energetic, coupling this with a wholesome Christian spirit which made them most de- sirable neighbors.
Mr. and Mrs. Irwin are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, contributing liberally both of their time and means to the progress of the church work in the community. In addition to this Mr. Irwin has been an interested worker in the local lodges. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being past master, also a member of the Red Men and the Tribe of Ben Hur. He is a Democrat in politics and in addition to the offices mentioned above he has served as town clerk.
WILLARD JONAS HASTINGS.
Willard Jonas Hastings, the subject of this biog- raphy, not only had the enterprise to take hold of op- portunities as they arose, but had the energy to push them forward to a successful issue. He is a Greene coun- ty citizen, having been born near Bloomfield August 21. 1869. His parents, James M. and Margaret ( Slinkard) Hastings, were also Hoosier born and his paternal grand- father, William Hastings, was an early settler in Daviess county, Indiana, having taken up a tract of government land, which he brought under cultivation and to which he subsequently made additions, accumulating in time a substantial footing as a farmer. Eight children were born into that family.
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Mr. Hastings's maternal grandfather, Mr. Slinkard, was a merchant who carried on business both at New- berry and at Vincennes. He was of an energetic teni- perament and succeeded in establishing a thrifty volume of trade. He and his wife were esteemed members of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Hastings, our subject, received his early educa- tion in the county public schools, and showed industry and power of application even as a boy in school. His studious temperament led him later to take up more ad- vanced work, and he attended for several terms the Cen- tral Normal College at Danville.
After spending about four years at farming on his own responsibility, he laid plans for entering mercantile life. For two years he operated a general store at Elli- son, meeting with gratifying success. This was followed by a change to Jasonville, where he was engaged in a like occupation for two years longer. Seeing favorable opportunity for a change, he became engaged for the next three years in the real estate business, after which he established the repsent hardware concern. In this he has also met with signal success. He maintains an excellent class of stock, and stands high in business circles as a man of good judgment and keen dis- crimination.
In 1897 Mr. Hastings was joined in marriage to Lizzie Gheen, daughter of John H. and Mary ( Thorn) Gheen, and this event has been followed by a most pleas- ant and happy home life. Four children have graced this union, two of whom are deceased. The surviving ones are Aulta, the first born, and Mary Margaret, one of twins.
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Mr. and Mrs. Hastings are fully alive to their obli- gations, not only as parents and neighbors, but as mem- bers of society as well. They affiliate with the Christian denomination and are ready and willing supporters of the religious duties devolving upon the community.
Furthermore, Mr. Hastings has found time in the midst of his busy career to join in the fraternal life of the neighborhood. having affiliated himself with the Masons and also the Elks. In both of these orders he is regarded as a valuable exponent of the tenets of the order, being ready at all times to discharge his full obligations as opportunity arises.
Although a Republican, he has never made any ef- fort at political prominence, but always takes a firm stand for honest and straightforward management in public affairs.
THOMAS IRWIN PADGETT, M. D.
Paternally Dr. Padgett is of Scotch extraction, his mother's family being of English descent. His grand- father. Benedict Padgett, came to this country from Scotland when a lad of twelve, and, after spending some time in Maryland, moved with his parents to Pennsyl- vania, thence to Ohio, and still later, to Greene county, Indiana, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying at the age of seventy-six years. He was a tailor by trade, a zealous Presbyterian in his religious faith and is remembered as a man of many sturdy qualities, whose influence was ever on the side of morality and correct
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living and whose death was deeply lamented by all who knew him.
George David Padgett, father of the doctor, was the oldest of a family of seven children, and by occupa- tion a tiller of the soil, in addition which he also spent some years as a teacher in the public schools. He came to Indiana when a young man, bought a farm in Greene county, on which he spent the remainder of his days, de- parting this life at the age of fifty-six. His wife, Lydia Irwin, a native of Ohio and a descendant of one of the early English immigrants to that state, bore him seven children, of whom the doctor is the third in order of birth. Dr. Thomas I. Padgett is a native of Greene county, Indiana, and dates his birth from September 16th of the year of 1862. He was reared to the honor- able pursuit of agriculture and received his preliminary mental discipline in the public schools, subsequently com- pleting a high school course, and after his graduation devoted four years to farm labor. Having decided to make the medical profession his life work, he entered, at the expiration of the time indicated, the Hospital Medical College, Louisville, Kentucky, from which he was graduated June 18. 1889, into the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and immediately thereafter located at Pleasant- ville, Sullivan county, where he practiced his profession with encouraging success during the eight years ensuing, when he sought a larger and more inviting field in the city of Terre Haute.
The doctor remained at the latter place from 1897 to 1901, when he removed to Jasonville, where he has since practiced with success and financial profit, and, as
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previously stated, he is now recognized as one of the most progressive physicians and surgeons in his section of the state, besides attaining enviable standing as a pub- lic spirited citizen. In the year 1882 Dr. Padgett was united in marriage with Nellie Gilmore, of Sullivan coun- ty, Indiana, daughter of Reuben and Caroline ( Thixton) Gilmore, who died in 1897, leaving two children, Alta, born in 1884, wife of John E. Young, and George David. whose birth occurred in 1887. The doctor's second mar- riage was solemnized in 1899 with Mrs. Eva E. Wright (nee Young), who was born in 1872 in Vigo county, the union being without issue.
In politics Dr. Padgett is a Democrat, but not an ardent politician, devoting so much time to his profes- sion that he has little leisure for public matters. He is identified with the Masonic, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias fraternities, and in re- ligion the Baptist church holds his creed.
WILLIAM HENRY HIXON, M. D.
Few medical men of Greene county have achieved the distinctive success in their profession or risen to the conspicuous place in public esteem as the well known and popular physician and surgeon whose name introduces this sketch. Dr. William Henry Hixon, a native of Owen county, Indiana, and for many years one of the leading men of his calling in the county of Greene, is descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry, and traces his
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genealogy back to an early period in the history of Pennsylvania, from which state his paternal grandfather moved to Ohio in pioneer times, thence, about 1850, to Owen county. Indiana, when he entered land, improved a farm and spent the remainder of his days. Of the family of eight children left by this ancestor, the last member, a daughter, died in June, 1908, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. George Reed, of Delaware. one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was an uncle of the paternal grandmother of Dr. Hixon.
William Hixon, the doctor's father, was the third of the above family in order of birth. He was a farmer by occupation, spent the greater part of his life in Owen county and then died at the age of sixty-two years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Lydia Isennoggle. lived to be eighty-two years old and was the mother of four children, namely : Thomas M., John W., William Henry, of this review, and Mary B., now Mrs. William M. Mellick, of Owen county. William and Lydia Hixon were a pious, God-fearing couple, active workers in the Methodist church and much given to good works. Among the poor and needy of their neighborhood they lived full lives, reared their children to honorable man- hood and womanhood, and left to their descendants names and characters above reproach.
Dr. William H. Hixon was born December 21, 1853, spent his early life under the parental roof in Owen county and received his education in the public schools. When a young man he turned his attention to carpentry, which he followed for a period of ten years and then took up the study of medicine, which he prose-
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cuted under the direction of a competent perceptor dur- ing the three years following. Actuated by a laudable desire to add to his professional knowledge, he subse- quently entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Indianapolis, and, after a course at that institution, located at Vandalia, Owen county, where, in due time. he built up quite a lucrative practice. At the expiration of two years the doctor left that place and opened an office at Catterac, but after a year there moved to Adel, where he remained three years in the enjoyment of a very satisfactory professional business, changing his residence, at the end of the time indicated, to Newark.
After spending four years at the latter point, Dr. Hixon located at the town of Farmers, where, during a period of eighteen consecutive years, he built up an ex- tensive practice and won enviable standing in the line of his calling, forging to the front among the representative professional men of his part of the state and gaining much more than local repute as a skillful physician and surgeon. From Farmers he removed to Jasonville, where he has followed his chosen calling for four years with the suc- cess that has marked his career since the beginning, and where he not only holds an influential place among his professional brethren, but stands high socially and keeps in close touch with all enterprises and movements which tend to benefit the public and advance the interests of his fellow men.
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