USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical memoirs of Wells County, Indiana : embracing a comprehensive compendium of local biography, memoirs of representative men and women of the county whose works of merit have made their names imperishable, and special articles by Hugh Dougherty [et al.] > Part 31
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quire how he did it, all that is necessary to say is that when there's a will there's a way.
Sanford H. Templin was born October II, 1845, in Henry county, Indiana. He is the son of Terry and Rachael (Johnson) Templin. The father was a native of High- land county, Ohio, a son of Robert and Eunice Templin, both natives of Ohio. The Templins were of English ancestry and the Johnsons of Welsh. Terry Templin grew to manhood in his native state, married Rachael Johnson and settled down to his life on the farm. In 1830 he moved his family to Delaware county, Indiana, his parents accompanying him. All settled in the same neighborhood where they re- mained until after the death of Robert Tem- plin, grandfather of the subject. His wife Eunice died at the home of her son Timo- thy, in Howard county, some years after.
On first coming to Indiana Terry Tem- plin engaged in farming. He followed this for a number of years, when he embarked in the manufacturing business. He opened a small factory, foundry and shop at Blountsville, Henry county, and engaged in the manufacture of such agricultural im- plements as were in use at the time. He was very successful and continued in the busi- ness up to the time of his death, January 23, 1855. To him and his wife Rachael thirteen children were born and at the time of his death his wife and eleven children were living. Sanford, the subject, was then only nine years of age. The children are : Sarah A., born February 23, 1829, de- ceased ; Nancy J., born November 3, 1830, deceased; Mary E., born December 5, 1832, deceased; Lancey J., born December 20, 1834, deceased, was a minister in the Meth- odist Episcopal church; Eunice, born De-
P. B. ALBERSON. LOG CABIN HOUSE ERECTED ABOUT 1850.
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cember 30, 1836, deceased; Catharine, born March 5, 1836, is the wife of Ephraim Carey, and resides in Dallas, Texas; Eliza- beth, born May 24, 1843, is the wife of Alex- ander Chalfant; Grace A. is the wife of Will- iam Faulkner, a resident of Nottingham township; Sanford H., the subject of this sketch, will be more particularly referred to hereafter; Rachael L., born October 17, 1847, deceased; Charles E., born July 10, 1851 ; Seneth A., born June 24, 1854, is the wife of F. M. Campbell and resides in Ran- dolph county ; Letitia died in infancy, De- · cember 28, 1859. Rachael, the mother of these children, died at the home of her son, Sanford H., April 17, 1884, the latter years of her life having been spent under his roof, where she was tenderly cared for.
Delaware and Henry counties each con- tributed to the education of Sanford H. Templin. Until he was eighteen years of age he attended the public schools and se- cured a fair education. The family being poor at the death of his father, every re- source had to be taken advantage of to sup- ply the wants of the widowed mother and children, and Sanford, therefore, early had to learn to work. At the age of ten years he began to work for neighboring farmers by the month. Unselfishly, willingly, even gladly, the little fellow gave up every dol- lar that he earned to supply the necessities of his mother and sisters and he continued to do so as long as occasion required. When not employed by the month he chopped cord wood, was engaged in this class of work at the time of his marriage and continued it for five years thereafter. On February 4, 1865, he was united in marriage to Miss Judith M. Faulkner, a native of Randolph county, born January 16, 1847. She was
the daughter of Solomon and Ruth (Bales) Faulkner. Solomon Faulkner was born in Virginia, March 26, 1799, his wife Ruth on August 26, 1808, and they were married in 1825. His parents were David and Jud- ith Faulkner, natives of Wales, while her parents were John and Lois Bales. Some three years after marriage Solomon and Ruth Faulkner moved to Randolph county, Indiana, and there remained on the same farm until their deaths.
Fourteen children were born to Solo- mon and Ruth Faulkner: Isaiah M., born September 16, 1826, died August 27, 1895 ; Nathan, born November 29, 1827, died Jan- uary 27, 1895; Jason and Jabert were twins, born November 22, 1829; the latter died on the day of his birth, the former liv- ing until October 21, 1834; Mary, born January 15. 1832, is the widow of Jacob Booher; Rachael, born December 27, 1833, is the widow of Henry Hill; Jesse, born January 21, 1836, resides in Muncie, Illi- nois; Phoeba J. and Betsie E., twins, born March 17, 1838; the latter died December 7, 1882, and the former is the wife of Aaron H. Pucket; John, born November 29, 1841, is a resident of Delaware county ; William, born September 13, 1842, re- sides in Wells county; Lois A., born May 25, 1844, is the wife of William Williams; Judith, born June 16, 1847, is the wife of Sanford H. Templin, the subject of this sketch : Martha E., born June 2, 1849. died February 22, 1854.
After marriage Sanford H. and Judith Templin established themselves at house- keeping at Windsor, Randolph county. They purchased a small house, paying five dollars down, and the greater part of the purchase money was paid in labor and in
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truck which he raised in his garden. They started out in their married life with the purpose of never paying rent and so far they have fulfilled their purpose. Their present prosperous condition and good financial standing gives promise of their be- ing able to continue to do so. As a wedding portion her father gave her a cow and three sheep and her mother gave her a half dozen chickens and some household necessities. While commendably industrious, Sanford had saved nothing from all his hard labor, because what he earned was mostly devoted to his mother and sisters. For several years he chopped cord wood, then put in two years scoring timber to be used in the building of bridges, receiving for this work one dollar and a half a day. Jonathan Clevenger was his employer and from him he purchased a piece of ground, nine acres in extent, and all his earnings, while scoring timber, went to pay for this land. Mean- while Solomon Faulkner, father of Mrs. Templin, died and Sanford traded his nine acres to his brother-in-law, William, for his interest in the Faulkner farm. He and his wife then moved to the farm and took up their residence there.
As showing how thrifty and economical people were in those days, the first year they were on the farm Mrs. Templin took one hundred and twenty-five pounds of wool from her sister's sheep, carded and spun it with her own hands, gave half of the thread for weaving it into cloth and out of this cloth she cut and made garments for the family. She did this without in the least interfering with her regular work, caring for her household, looking after her children, milking three cows and making butter therefrom, raising her chickens and
gathering the eggs. They remained on this place about three years, when they traded their interest in it for eighty acres of land, incurring thereby an indebtedness of four hundred dollars. The greater part of this land was woods, but the trees on forty acres of it had been deadened by girdling. There were no ditches or fences on the place and the log house, when they moved into it, had been "chinked," but not "daubed." For a window there was a hole in the side of the structure and a bed quilt supplied the place of a door. Once while the mother was out milking, the sheep went in and frightened the babies nearly to death. At another time they were short of milk for nine weeks. The cows wandered off and were not found for that length of time.
It was the purpose of Mr. Templin to plant ten acres of corn on his place the first year, but he only succeeded in preparing the ground and planting about eight acres. Between clearing, ditching, fencing, plow- ing and planting, to say nothing about gathering his crop and feeding his stock, he was kept quite busy the next few years. When the project of digging the Wilson creek ditch was inaugurated Mr. Templin was one of its chief promoters. Year by year, through hard work and good manage- ment, he prospered and added to his worldly possessions. In 1888 he built a large barn and in 1891 he erected a comfortable, com- modious residence. He has added, by pur- chase, forty acres to his farm on the south. It was nearly all clear and he incurred some indebtedness in securing it, but every dol- lar of it has been paid off long ago. Last year he purchased forty acres on the north, which gives him one hundred and sixty acres, all in one body. On this place he has
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five oil wells that are now bringing him fifteen dollars per month. At one time they were good ones, producing the first year not less than two thousand dollars.
To Mr. and Mrs. Sanford H. Templin three children have been born, viz: Leticia Jane, born November 8, 1865, married George Chenoweth, and they have four children, Clarence, Elma, Charley and Owen; Cary, born November 20, 1867, was twice married, his first wife, whose 'maiden name was Ella Kelley, having died five months after marriage; he later married Ebbie Chenoweth, and they have three children, Chester R., deceased, Roswell M., Clinton H .; George, born March 20, 1870, married Ollie Settle, and they have two children, Lawrence and Helen. The family are members of the United Brethren church and are active in church and charitable work. The father is a trustee of the church near his home, where they attend, and his son Cary is a trustee of the church at Petro- leum.
In addition to land which he owns, the personal property of Sanford H. Templin will schedule upward of two thousand five hundred dollars. Considering how small their beginning was, this is quite a showing for the work they have done and the sav- ings they made. In' politics he has always been a Republican and is generally quite active in his party's interest, especially dur- ing important campaigns. He has served as a member of the county central commit- tee a number of years, was deputy assessor and has frequently attended the state con- vention as a delegate. He is a man of abil- ity and influence in his locality whose opin- ions are deferred to, whose influence is courted and whose worth is well appre- ciated.
Before closing this sketch, it will be worthy of note to state that the original Templin ancestor was a sailor, having served as such on the "Mayflower" when she brought her famous passengers to Plymouth Rock. He made thirteen trips across the Atlantic, but finally gave up his seafaring life and settled in Pennsylvania, and from him the entire Templin family in the United States is descended. The sub- ject's great-grandfather Templin felled the first tree in Cincinnati when the fort there was built.
A. W. SOURS.
This enterprising young agriculturist of Nottingham township, Wells county, Indi- ana, is the eldest of the seven children that constitute the family of Samuel and Cynthia (Houdyshell) Sours, and was born in the eastern part of Nottingham township, April 19, 1849.
Samuel Sours was born in Virginia, from which state he was taken when young to Ohio by his parents, George and Nancy (Gentis) Sours. In 1837 the family came from Ohio to Wells county, Indiana, which was at that time a dense wilderness. George Sours, the grandfather of A. W., on arriv- ing in Wells county, entered the two-hun- dred-and-forty-acre tract of land now owned by C. B. Funk, and here passed the remain- der of his life. To George and Nancy Sours were born five children, in the following or- der : Henry, deceased; Samuel, father of A. W .: Jane, deceased ; Eliza, married to J. M. Powers, and Mary, wife of Jerome Reiff.
Samuel Sours grew to manhood virtually in Wells county and was here married. His wife was born in Hocking county, Ohio, a
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daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Roberts) Houdyshell, who were of German descent. At his marriage Samuel settled on a part of the old place, where he lived until about 1864, when he purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in section 17, on which he lived until advancing years ren- dered him too feeble for the active work of life, when he and wife went to live with their children. The death of Samuel Sours occurred April 10, 1898, but Mrs. Cynthia Sours, at the age of seventy-six years, still survives. The seven children born to Samuel and Cynthia Sours were named in order of birth as follows : A. W., whose name opens this biographical record; John, a far- mer in Adams county, Indiana; George, a resident of Muncie, Indiana; Eliza, de- ceased ; Melissa, wife of Oliver Richardson, also of Muncie; Adeline, who died an in- fant, and Amarillis, married to John Conan, a prominent citizen of Adams county, Indi- ana.
A. W. Sours received his earlier educa- tion in the district schools of Nottingham township, Wells county, Indiana, and later attended the public school at irregular inter- vals until he reached the age of twenty-one years. This irregular attendance was oc- casioned by the constant call for his services in clearing up the old homestead from the heavy timber with which it was encumbered, a work which occupied his time until he reached his twenty-third year, when he be- gan working out on his own account by the month, and at this he continued about four years. He was frugal and industrious and during this period accumulated sufficient funds to purchase his present farm of forty acres, which he has entirely cleared off and converted into a perfect garden spot.
August 23, 1876, Mr. Sours was united in marriage with Miss Martha E. Runyon, who was born in Adams county, Indiana, May 24. 1852, a daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Nicholas) Runyon, natives of Virginia, whence they went to Ohio and from the Buckeye state came to Indiana and settled in Adams county, where Benjamin Runyon was serving as county commissioner at the time of his death, and where his wife also died. To Mr. and Mrs. Runyon were born seven children, named as follows : Jane, Sarah, John, George, Martha, Mrs. Sours, Laura M. and Clarissa.
A. W. Sours at his marriage began housekeeping in a cabin that had already been built on the farm. Mr. Sours at this time owned a team and his wife brought a cow from the home of her parents, and with these personal effects they began the earnest work of matrimonial life. Mr. Sours worked hard and succeeded in clearing up his forty acres and about 1897 was able to purchase another tract of the same size, all of which land is now well drained, although it was originally all a swamp, especially the first purchase. He erected a comfortable dwelling about fifteen years ago and now has one of the best farms of its dimensions in the county. He raises the crops usual to the latitude, and gives a great deal of atten- tion to the breeding of shorthorn cattle, Poland China hogs, mixed with Durocs, and also Shropshire sheep, and is altogether a successful live stock breeder and general farmer.
Mr. and Mrs. Sours have had no chil- dren born to them, but in the kindness of their hearts they took to their home Mary E. Runyon when she was but eleven years of age, and have reared her with all the af-
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fection and care they could have bestowed upon a daughter of their own. Mr. Sours and wife are members of the Christian church at Linn Grove, to the support of which they are very liberal and in the work of which they take a most active and effect- ive part. Mr. Sours is a member of Lodge No. 634, I. O. O. F., at Geneva, Indiana, and he, wife and Miss Runyon are members of Rebekah Lodge No. 327, of the same or- der at the same place. Mr. Sours is a Democrat in politics and has served his party as trustee of Nottingham township with fidelity and ability. He believes in good roads and objects to wooden bridges, but favors all improvements that conduce to the convenience and benefit of the general public.
The following obituary notices, relative to Mrs. Sours' parents and to the subject's father, are here reprinted and will un- doubtedly prove of interest to the reader :
Sister Elizabeth Nichols was born in Page county, Virginia, January 2, 1821, moved with her parents to Champaign county, Ohio, when eleven years of age and was married to Benjamin Run- yon, June 19, 1838. She moved with her husband to Hartford township, Adams county, in 1843. In 1853 she professed Christ and was baptised by Rev. C. Skinner into the Canaan Baptist church. Her life was one of faithfulness to her God, her church and her family. She was the mother of sixteen children, nine of whom reached mature years and eight of whom are still living. The death of Sister Runyon had been expected; her disease was consumption and for months she had been waiting by the River and when the Ferry- man came to ferry her over she was fully pre- pared. With a peace of mind prevading her soul like a clear, calm stream, she sank sweetly, trust- ingly into the arms of death without a struggle. Hers was the death of a Christian. On her dying lips the song of glory quivered. She departed this life March 2, 1888, at the age of sixty-seven years and two months, on her old homestead, surrounded by her family and friends. She leaves many to
mourn her departure. The funeral sermon was preached from the text found in Psalms 23:4.
Benjamin Runyon was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, February 6, 1819, departed this life October 25, 1879, aged sixty years eight months and twenty days. While young he moved with his parents to Champaign county, Ohio. He was married to Elizabeth Nichols June 19, 1838, and moved with his family to Adams county, In- diana, in 1843. In 1853 he was converted and joined the Canaan Baptist church, of which he was a faithful and consistent member until death. He was one of the pioneers of the county and helped to fell the forest and make for himself a home. He served as justice of the peace for twelve years, after which he was elected county commissioner, and was serving his second term at the time of his death. He leaves to mourn his loss a wife, nine children, eleven grandchildren, six brothers, one sister and a host of friends; but our loss is his gain. Funeral services were conducted at his home by his pastor.
We are called upon this week to chronicle an event the like of which has not occurred since the formation of Adams county, viz: the death of a county official. Benjamin Runyon, commis- sioner from the third district, after a lingering sickness of several months, departed this life last Saturday morning, October 25, 1879, aged sixty years, eight months and twenty days. Benjamin Runyon was of that class of men who will rather suffer wrong themselves than do wrong to others. In his official capacity as a member of the com- missioners' court he was always on the side of right and justice. He was first elected commis- sioner in 1874, and re-elected in 1876; his full term would not have expired until December, 1880. A large concourse of people paid the last sad rites to his memory last Sabbath afternoon.
On April 10, 1898, in Hartford township, Adams county, occurred the death of one of the oldest pioneers of the county in the person of Samuel Sours. The deceased was born August 28, 1821, in Augusta county, Virginia, and died aged seventy-five years, seven months and twelve days. He was married December 19, 1847, to Cynthia Howdyshell, to which union were born seven children, three sons and four daughters, two of whom have preceded him to the spirit world. The remaining five were present at the
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funeral to mourn the departure of a kind and af- fectionate parent. Brother Sours in early life united with and became one of the charter mem- bers of the Christian church, in which he lived a consistent Christian life to the day of his death. Brother Sours came to Wells county, Indiana, in 1837 and settled in Nottingham township. In his early life he was a brickmaker and it was he who made the brick for the old court house of Wells county. Around and in connection with his life cluster many interesting facts and scenes of the early settlers in the forests of Wells county. Father Sours has gone to his reward, and peace to his ashes. May we all draw a lesson from the peaceful life of one who was always ready to do good.
WILLIAM BLOXSOM.
When it comes to tracing ancestry in this country back to a remote period, there are few persons in Indiana who can do better in that line than William Bloxsom, of Not- tingham township, Wells county, who is the subject of this sketch. His great-grand- father was Richard Bloxsom, a native of Dundee, Scotland, who came to America about the middle of the last century, when he was a young man, settled in Virginia, was one of the colonial troops who went out under Washington to fight the Indians and participated in that most unfortunate affair, known in American history as Brad- dock's defeat. His wife was Anna, a native of Virginia. Their son was William Blox- som, grandfather of the subject hereof. The wife of William was Mary, a native of New Lewisburg, Virginia, and their son was James Bloxsom, whose wife was Anna Rob- inson, and they became the parents of Wil- liam Bloxsom, the subject of this sketch.
After returning from the Indian war Richard Bloxsom secured a tract of land in
Virginia, married and settled down, like the typical Virginia gentlemen of the period, upon a plantation. He owned slaves, planted, garnered his crops and prospered. Though an intense patriot during the Revo- lutionary war, the hostilities did not affect him much financially. In the latter part of his life he became a member of the Friends church and as slavery is obnoxious to the teachings of that creed, in 1804 he liberated his slaves. In those days a plantation without slaves was an insupportable incum- berance, so he sold out and moved to Ohio. He brought with him his wife and five chil- dren, William, Charles Gregory, Gideon, Anna and Mary.
William, grandfather of the subject hereof, first settled in Belmont county, Ohio, and later moved to Clark county about 1820. He and his wife were the parents of six chil- dren, viz : James, father of William, the sub- ject : William ; Ann, wife of Jonathan Mor- gan, of Clark county, Ohio; Elizabeth, wife of John King, a resident of Knox county, Indiana; Maria, wife of Albert Westfall, both deceased; Sarah, wife of Charles Scott, of Clark county, Ohio, who later moved to Grant county, Indiana. All are now de- ceased.
James Bloxsom was a native of Belmont county, Ohio, where he was reared to man's estate. About 1828 he emigrated to Knox county, Indiana, locating near Vincennes. In 1831 he was united in marriage to Anna Robinson, a native of Knox county, and daughter of Abner and Naomi Robinson. They settled in Vincennes where he opened a harness shop and engaged in business. In 1843 he moved his family to Grant county, Indiana, locating in Washington township. He and his wife were the parents of the fol-
MRS. WILLIAM BLOXSOM.
WILLIAM BLOXSOM.
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lowing children: Cynthia married Norman Gwinn, a native of Oregon, to which terri- tory she traveled, overland, in a wagon, with her uncle and aunt ; Malinda, wife of James Crispin, of Jay county, settled near Penn- ville about 1852 ; William, the subject of this sketch, will be more particularly referred to · hereafter; Naomi, wife of John Flinn, of Grant county ; James married Christena J. Tinsley in 1868, is now a resident of Not- tingham township. The mother of this family died on the old home place in Wash- ington township, Grant county, in the spring of 1848. Her husband did not long sur- vive her, dying on the same farm in 1851.
William Bloxsom, the subject of this sketch, was born near Vincennes, Knox county, Indiana, September 21, 1839. He was only nine years of age when his mother died and eleven at the death of his father. The orphan boy was placed in the care of his uncle and aunt, Jonathan and Ann Mor- gan, near Pennville, Jay county, where he remained until he was twenty-one years of age. He received a fair common-school edu- cation, such as the conditions of those days warranted, and on attaining his majority and going out into the world to do for him- self was not left wholly penniless by the good people who were his foster parents. October 25, 1860, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary McDaniel, a native of Athens county, Ohio, born November 26, 1840.
Abraham and Mary (Wymer) Mc- Daniel were the parents of Mary McDaniel, wife of William Bloxsom. They were na- tives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. He was a son of Peter and Isabell McDaniels, who were also natives of Pennsylvania. They moved to Ohio in their married life and in that state Abraham grew to manhood
and married Mary Wymer. In 1848 they moved to Darke county, Ohio, and in 1851 settled in Nottingham township. Wells county, Indiana, and about 1856 he located in Penn township, Jay county, Indiana, and there died in 1868. They were the parents of four children, viz : Jemima, wife of D. H. Shinn, of Jay county ; Jeptha married Sarah J. Shinn, of Blackford county ; Nahum mar- ried Melissa Dowley and moved to Okla- homa, where he died; Mary, wife of the sub- ject of this sketch.
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