USA > Indiana > Greene County > Biographical memoirs of Greene County, Ind. : with reminiscences of pioneer days, Volume III > Part 7
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Mr. Sherwood is a staunch Republican and he is not only popular with his party, but many Democrats sup- ported him when he made the race for county recorder. He was the only Republican candidate on the ticket to be elected, his plurality being three hundred and eighty- five votes. The highest Democratic majority was two hundred and forty-one votes. There was a tie in the vote for sheriff. This will serve to show the subject's popular- ity in his own county.
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Mr. Sherwood was married December 6, 1903, to Bessie May Sheehy, daughter of John and Margaret E. Sheehy, natives of Mansfield, Ohio. Mr. Sherwood's father was Benjamin S. Sherwood, who was born in Washington county, Indiana, in 1827. He married Sarah E. Holmes, who was born in that county in the same year. They spent their youth there and were mar- ried at their old home. Mr. Sherwood, who was a shoe- maker, came to Linton in 1854, and was proprietor of the well known Sherwood hotel for a period of twenty- seven years. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom are living, namely: William H., who has spent his life in teaching music and selling musical instru- ments in Linton; Hugh M. is a hardware merchant in Linton : Daniel A., an attorney, died at the age of twenty- seven years ; Betty J. is the wife of Richard Hardesty. who lives at Sullivan, Indiana; James B. is a coal opera- tor and general merchant at Linton; Edgar H. is the youngest of the family ; Johnie and Mollie died in infancy. Benjamin Sherwood died January 23. 1889, and his wife died April 7, 1898. Daniel Sherwood, grandfather of the subject, came to Linton in the early forties. The subject is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church ; also a mem- ber of the Metropolitan Lodge, No. 193, Knights of Pythias. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, No. 866, both of Linton.
OSCAR FITZPATRICK.
Ex-postmaster of Linton, and one of the enterprising young men of Greene county, Indiana, born at the vil-
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lage of Hobbieville, on the 14th day of February, 1871. being the son of Henry and Mary ( Oliphant) Fitzpatrick. Henry Fitzpatrick, who died in 1883, when the subject was twelve years of age, was a prominent citizen of this county, a representative farmer, and in connection with agriculture, dealt extensively in grain. He was also a soldier in the Civil war, serving in Company B, Eight- eenth Indiana Infantry, until physical disability neces- sitated his discharge before the expiration of his term of enlistment. His widow, who is still living, belongs to one of the old and prominent families of Greene county and stands high in the esteem of a very large circle of friends.
The educational discipline of Oscar Fitzpatrick was acquired in the schools of Bloomfield, and until attaining his majority he lived on the home farm and assisted in the cultivation of the same. In 1892, he came to Linton and opened a restaurant, which he conducted about eighteen months and then accepted a position with Dixon & Strong, dealers in grain and feed, remaining in the employ of this firm until appointed postmaster of Linton, on February 23, 1903.
Mr. Fitzpatrick served as postmaster from the above date until March 17. 1907, a little over four years, and discharged his official functions in an eminently satis- factory manner, proving a very capable and judicious public servant, whose relations with the people were al- ways agreeable, and such as to gain for him many warm personal friends and the confidence of the populace. Hav- ing always lived within the confines of his native county, it is a satisfaction to know that his life is an open book in which his fellow men have found no marred pages, but on the contrary, much there in to be commended.
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Mr. Fitzpatrick votes the Republican ticket and is an ardent supporter of the principles of his party. With exception of postmaster, he has held no office nor sought public preferment. He belongs to the Odd Fellows fra- ternity, the benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America; also holds a member- ship with the Retail Clerks' International Association and has been honored with official trusts in the two organiza- tions last named.
The married life of Mr. Fitzpatrick began in 1891, on April 26th, of which year Ossie Edwards, daughter of John and (Tilly) Edwards, became his wife and help- mate, the following children having been born to the union. Henry Dexter, Dessie Marie, Lawson Craig and Paul, the last named deceased. Mrs. Fitzpatrick belongs to one of Greene county's old pioneer families : her grandfather, John Tillie, settling in the an early day near the village of Solsberry, where he developed a farm and lived to a great age, having passed the century mark by some years when summoned to the spirit land.
The Fitzpatrick name has long been identified with the history of the county, throughout which it is widely known and universally esteemed, the different members of the family belonging to that eminently respectable and law-abiding class of people, who in a quick way, do so much for the material development of the community and the moral uplift of the populace. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzpatrick belong to the Christian church, in Linton. They are not merely nominal Christians, but have always showed their faith by their works.
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ISAIAH MARION PHILLIPS.
The subject, who is among the well known Civil war veterans of Linton, Indiana, was born in Sullivan county, this state, January 22, 1846. Although he was quite a young man when the war between the states broke out. he enlisted as a private in Company I, Seventy-first In- diana Volunteer Infantry, June 8, 1863. and two months later this organization became the Sixth Indiana Calvalry, with which he served over two years. The regiment lost heavily in many battles, especially that of Richmond, Kentucky, and it participated in the. memorable Morgan raid. The subject was with General Sherman in the At- lanta campaign. His regiment was in General Stone- man's divison and participated in the Macon raid, travel- ing almost constantly for eight days and nights and fight- ing three battles. He was one of the troops surrounded. but he was one of fourteen hundred who escaped out of two thousand five hundred, the former refusing to obey the order to surrender. By reason of his disabilities he now receives a liberal pension. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is also a Mason.
The subject attended school after the war and taught for fifteen years in Sullivan, Vigo and Vermilion coun- ties. He also followed farming during this period, con- tinuing the latter until he sold out in 1901. He has not been able to do much work for the past ten years on ac- count of disabilities arising from his career in the army. He came to Linton and purchased a residence in 1901. He remodeled the house which is now known as the Era Hotel, kept by himself and family, and which is known
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to the traveling public to be a well managed and com- fortable hostelry.
The subject was married to Margaret Emeline Cur- rey on August 2, 1877. She was the daughter of Franklin and Susanna M. ( Magill) Currey, natives of Greeneville. Tennessee. The Magill family was represented in the Confederate army and the parents of the subject's wife also had relatives who took active part in the cause of the South. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips had nine children, seven sons and two daughters. The following are the living : Oscar, Arthur, Clara, Paul, Thomas, Emma, Flynn and John.
The subject is the son of Joshua Phillips, who was born in Kentucky, in 1805. He married Sarah McCarty, who was born in Tennessee, in 1806. They were married in Sullivan county, Indiana, and had the following chil- dren : Mary Gordon, of Champaign, Illinois ; Johannah, who died in Orange county, Indiana, in 1854; Thomas, who died in 1851 ; Emily Mahan, who died December 22, 1800: Ann Currans, who is the widow of a soldier ; John L, a physician at Westphalia, Indiana ; Joshua, who died January 31, 1908, at Terre Haute; Lizzie, twin sister of Isaiah, died April 28, 1900. The father of the subject was a farmer in Sullivan county, where he died April 6. 1846. His wife died November 20, 1872.
The Phillips family came from Wales and was estab- lished in the eastern colonies before the Revolutionary war. The subject's great-grandfather was killed in that war. His son, Thomas Phillips, lost his right arm as the result of a wound received at St. Claire's defeat in Ohio. The subject's brothers, Perry and Dr. John L., were soldiers in the Civil war.
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The subject is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is a Republican, but has never held office.
HENRY CLAY MORGAN.
Henry C. Morgan, admittedly the most extensive stock dealer in the state of Indiana, is one of Greene county's native sons and has ever manifested a pardonable pride in the beautiful locality where on the 14th day of August, 1852, he first saw the light of day. In his veins flows the blood of a long line of New England ancestry, also of antecedents that were among the early substantial yeomanry of the good state of Ohio. His father, George C. Morgan, was born in Connecticut, but in early life left his native state to engage in business for himself as a peddler of clocks, in the prosecution of which he traveled extensively over the southern and western states, meet- ing with encouraging success in the undertaking and later with true Yankee foresight, judiciously invested.his earn- ings in southern Indiana real estate, locating in Greene county, in 1854. Mary Alkire, who became the wife of George C. Morgan, was born and reared in Ohio, in which state her marriage also occurred. It was shortly after taking to himself a wife that Mr. Morgan come to this county, as stated above, and settling in Washington town- ship, purchased a large tract of land and engaged exten- sively in farming and stock raising, giving special atten- tion to the latter, and in the course of a few years, became not only the leading stock man in the county, but one of
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the largest in the state, having been among the first in southern Indiana to buy on an extensive scale for the eastern markets. By close attention to his business inter- ests, he added greatly to his holdings and in time became quite wealthy, owning in addition to real estate and other property elsewhere, a stock farm of two thousand acres in Greene county, every square foot of which was acquired through his persevering industry and successful manage- ment.
George C. and Mary Morgan reared a family of five children, the subject of this review being the second in order of birth.
The life of Henry C. Morgan has been devoid of anything strikingly interesting or tragic, having been spent in peaceful pursuit of the honorable calling to which his attention is still devoted, and in which his suc- cess has been so phenomenally signal. He was reared amid the environments of the home farm, where he early be- came familiar with life's practical duties, and in the schools of the neighborhood laid a foundation of an education, which, supplemented and enlarged by intelli- gent observation and multiform business dealings, has made him one of the widely informed men of his com- munity.
A natural trader, he has made many large deals, and in pursuit of his business enterprises, has traveled exten- sively, besides having direct communication with all sec- tions of the country in which the live stock interests have assumed respectable proportions. For sometime past he has been associated with his brother. John L., which partnership is known throughout the length and breadth
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of the land, and which handles more live stock than any other dealer or firm in Indiana. They buy and ship to all the leading markets of this country, hundreds of car- loads, nearly every month, besides making large shipments at intervals, to foreign ports, among which the name of the firm in extensively known and highly rated.
Mr. Morgan's ability and wide experience gives him precedence in business circles. Nevertheless, his deal- ings have been characterized by a strict sense of honor, while his reputation has always withstood the most critical test.
Mr. Morgan has ammassed an ample competency and is regarded as one of the solid and substantial men of his section of the state, owning, in addition to a large amount of personal property, a valuable stock farm in Greene county, consisting of three thousand acres, con- servatively valued at ninety dollars per acre, though real- ly worth considerably more than this figure. Although a business man in all the term implies, he is also public- spirited, ever manifesting a lively interest in the wel- fare of his county and state and discharging the duties of citizenship as becomes a man of his broad mind and liberal ideas.
He is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Morgan was married in the year 1874, to Mary Baker, of Greene county, who has borne him ten children, six of whom are living, namely : Frederick, of Vincennes, Indiana ; Frank, George, Blanche, Phoebe and Bessie, all but Frederick at home. Those dead are Charles O., died aged thirty-two years; Edward died when twenty-two years old: Jesse and Grace died when young.
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Mrs. Morgan, a daughter of one of the representative citizens of Greene county, is a lady of gracious person- ality and popular in the large circle of friends with whom she mingles. Mr. Morgan's preliminary education was received in the public schools, after which he spent some time in Notre Dame University, at South Bend, where he obtained a knowledge of the more advanced branches of learning, together with the personal culture for which that institution is noted.
ALFRED RYORS BUNGER.
In giving the life record in part of the subject of this sketch, no attempt shall be made to give extravagant praise, but simply to note a few of the more important events in the career of one who has at all times and all circumstances endeavored to do his full part in all lines of activity in which he has been a participant. His has been a true, useful and honorable life-a life charterized by perseverance, energy, broad charity and well defined purpose, and he has justly won the unstinted esteem of his neighbors and friends by thus always "keeping the even tenor of his way."
Alfred Ryors Bunger resides on and cultivates a fine farm in section 18. Smith township, Greene county, but Monroe is the county of his birth, which occurred January 24. 1847. the son of Joseph and Magdalene (Walker) Bunger, the father of the former having been a native of Germany, who settled in Virginia in an early day, later
AR Binger Sarah .M. Bunger
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moving to Kentucky, where he farmed for six years, when . he moved to Monroe county, Indiana, in 1824, entering land on which he spent the remainder of his life, having married a Miss House. He died March 8. 1850. His wife died September 21, 1834. The early life of the father of the subject was spent in Virginia, and in Ken- tucky, on a farm until his father, Jacob Bunger, moved to Indianapolis, returning to Virginia he became stage driver from Lewisburg to White Sulphur Springs, later coming to Indiana in about 1833, where he took up farm- ing in Monroe county, remaining there until 1848, when he traded his first farm for another in the same neigh- borhood, on which he spent the rest of his life, leaving the farm as an estate which is now owned partly by William M. Bunger, a brother of the subject of this sketch, and James W. Bunger, a nephew of the subject.
The father of the subject was married to Magdalene ( Harvey) Walker March 20, 1834. Both he and his wife were earnest church members, he being an elder. Joseph Bunger died when almost eighty-six years old, January 27. 1896, and his faithful life companion passed away at the age of seventy-three years, February 25. 1880. Nine children were born to them, four of whom are now living.
Michael E., a brother of the subject, was a soldier in the Civil war, having enlisted in Company F. Eighty- Second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, serving from 1862 to the close of the war, having been mustered in as a sergeant, but when he was discharged he ranked as first lieutenant and adjutant of the regiment. John W., another brother, was a member of Company D, Fiftieth Regiment. of this state, having enlisted in September, 1861, and was
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discharged on account of illness contracted while in line of duty before his term of enlistment expired. Joseph T. now resides at Midland, Indiana.
The early life of Alfred Bunger, our subject, was spent in Monroe county, on his father's farm, and attend- ing the public schools in which he applied himself most assiduously, and later entered the State University for two years. He taught three terms of school in Greene county, and also taught subscription and public schools in Arkansas, where he spent a year and six months, being successful in all his school teaching. After returning home, he came to Greene county, in the spring of 1869. settling on the place where he now resides, his father having pur- chased this farm just previous. In 1871 he purchased in part, the farm jointly with his brother, Joseph T., and later William Muir, father of Mrs. Bunger, purchased the interest of Joseph T., and gave the same to his daughter, and thus our subject and wife became the sole owners of this one hundred and sixty acre tract, a part of which had been given to them by Joseph Bunger, and to which they have added forty-one acres. The land is mostly prairie, other parts being cleared, it is all now under cultivation but about thirty acres. An excellent system of tile drainage is being installed, which the owner hopes will render clover growing more satisfactory ; as it is, the farm will now produce crops of all kinds equal to the time when Mr. Bunger assumed management of it, which fact certainly speaks well of his ability as an agri- culturist, in fact, he has spared no pains to place the farm in a high state of efficiency. Corn is bought and fed on
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the place, together with what the farm produces, to cattle and hogs which he prepares for market. He is a breeder of Polled Durham cattle and Jersey Red hogs, sound judgment always being exercised by the subject in the handling of stock of all kinds, as well as in the manage- ment of his farm.
Mr. Bunger was married to Sarah Muir. May 8. 1873. the daughter of William and Mary A. ( Warman) Muir, the father a native of Ayershire. Scotland, where he was born in 1818, and came to America when eighteen years old, settling in Indianapolis, when, in 1845, he married Mary A. Warman, a native of Bartholomew county. Indiana, but her family settled in Indianapolis when she was eleven years old. He was a weaver of great skill, and an extraordinary fine coverlet woven by him in 1853 is in possession of the family, said to be a rare piece of workmanship in both design and color, by all who have seen it. But he finally gave up his trade and en- gaged in market gardening on ground that is now within the corporate limits of Indianapolis. Moving to Clay county in 1864. he remained there on a farm until his death, June 22. 1888, at the age of seventy years, leav- ing a widow and three children, the mother surviving only a few months.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Bunger has been made happy by the birth of six children as follows : Viola May, the wife of James E. Stahl, a farmer of Greene county, who has two children. Frances E. and Alfred L. : Joseph Leroy is in the United States mail service, living in Terre Haute, married and the father of two children, Paul R. and Alfred R .: William Ervin,
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who is married and engaged in the real estate business in Terre Haute; Alfred Theodore, who died at the age of sixteen years in 1897; Mary Clarenda, who is single and living at home. now ( 1908) a student at Brown's Busi- ness College, Terre Haute: Estella died in infancy. The children of the subject and wife as they grew up took their place as Sabbath school workers, in fact, this is a characteristic of the family.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Bunger are active members of the Presbyterian church, the former having been an elder for thirty-two years, and both diligent workers for many years in the Sunday school, although the church of their membership was four and one-half miles from their home. In politics Mr. Bunger is independent. He was trustee of his township for one term. No people are better known or more highly respected in the community than the Bunger family.
HON. CAMDEN C. RILEY.
The subject, who is mayor of Linton and a member of the Greene county bar, is a native of Montgomery county, Ohio, where his birth occured on the 17th day of March, 1873. His father, Wilson Riley, also a native of the Buckeye state, was born in Montgomery county, in 1834, and in the year 1854 was there married to Mary Frantz, of Pennsylvania, who first saw the light of day in 1832. Wilson Riley, a farmer by occupation, and an exemplary citizen, died near the place of his birth in the.
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month of March, 1881, his wife surviving him until 1906. when she too was called from earthly scenes ; a coinci- dence of some interest is that the same minister who officiated at the burial of the husband, performed the last sad office for the wife when her remains were consigned to the dust, twenty-five years later. The subject and a brother, Milton C. Riley, are the only members of the family in Indiana, the others never having left their native state.
After studying in the district schools, Camden C. Riley completed a high school course in Union county. Ohio, and during the three years following taught school in Montgomery county, spending two or three years in charge of the home school, where he pursued his studies when a boy. Later he took a course in bookkeeping and stenography in the Miami Commercial College, Dayton, Ohio, and in April, 1898, came to Linton, Indiana, to ac- cept the position of bookkeeper and stenographer with the Linton Coal Mining Company, which place he held one and a half years with great credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his employers. Subsequently he filled similar positions with different companies and firms in Linton and elsewhere, and while thus engaged, took up the study of law, which he pursued until his admission to the bar shortly after which he was appointed deputy prosecut- ing attorney, this being his first introduction to the prac- tice of the legal profession. Mr. Riley has been keenly in- terested in political matters ever since boyhood, and on coming to Linton he at once became an active worker in the Republican party, of which he has been an ardent sup- porter from the time of casting his first ballot. In recogni-
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tion of valuable services rendered the party, as well as by reasons of his peculiar fitness for the position, he was elected in 1905, mayor of Linton, the duties of which office he has since discharged, being now ( 1908) on the third year of his term of four years. As chief executive of the city, he has conducted himself in a becoming manner that has won the confidence and esteem of the people of his jurisdiction, being able and prompt in the discharge of his official functions and bringing a dignity to the position that proves him to be the right man in the right place.
Mr. Riley was married in 1897. to Nellie, daughter of Barney and Lettie (Simons) Baker, of Dayton, Ohio. His widow is living and spends her time in the home of her children. Mr. and Mrs. Riley are the parents of three interesting children, one son and two daughters, whose names are Granville, Carrie and Mary. In his fraternal relations the subject is a member of the ancient and honorable Order of Masonry and aims to measure his life according to the high standard of excellence as laid down in the beautiful and sublime principles and precepts of this time honored brotherhood. He is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of the World. Mr. Riley is a young man of excellent parts and well defined purposes, and be- ing in the prime of mental and physical powers, doubtless, has before him a promising future. He possesses the faculty of winning and retaining many warm personal friendships and the high regard in which he is held in the city of his adoption, and the honorable post which he has been called to fill indicate on his part a determination to discharge his every duty and obligation as becomes a good man and worthy citizen.
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HON. OSCAR E. BLAND.
The subject of this biography, a worthy product of Greene county, was born on the parental farm in Rich- land township, November 21, 1877. Senator Bland is the youngest of three sons born to Joseph and Arminda (Shipman) Bland, both natives of Greene county. Joseph Bland was born October 8. 1846, and his wife's birth occurred on the 21st of February, of the same year. They spent their productive years on the farm, which they still own in Richland township, but at present are living retired in Linton, enjoying a well-earned respite from active labors. Both the Bland and Shipman families, as here represented, came to Indiana from North Carolina, where their Welsh ancestors first located on American soil. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, Robert Bland, was a Union soldier during the Civil war, and died a few years after his discharge, presumably from the effects of disease contracted in the army. Richard Shipman, the maternal grandfather, was also a soldier for the preservation of the Union, but did not long survive the close of the war.
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