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 49
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Henry Clay McCullick went to school but thirteen days, there being but few school facilities until after he had attained his ma- jority. His parents being uneducated, he, by his own efforts, learned to read, write and cipher. The first lesson he learned to read as a whole was the third chapter of Matthew,
after which he soon learned to read well, an accomplishment which he cultivated through life. He remained with his father until he was nearly twenty-five years of age. The latter having been confined to the house for fourteen years a sufferer from white swelling, Henry C., aided by his sister, Lindy A., cleared the farm, she working with him every day. Just before he was twenty-five years of age he put out the first crop, of which he received a share, which was one-fourth of the product. The next year he went to work on his own land, hav- ing traded a yoke of oxen, a one-horse wagon and a colt for a tract of land in the woods. He went to work clearing it up, and the first summer had cleared thirteen acres, built a house and got himself a wife. He moved into the house before it had any win- dows. This farm was in section 30, Chester township, on which he lived until 1872, when he purchased the Hammer farm and moved on to that. This farm is now occu- pied by Isaac McCullick. In the year 1870 he owned three hundred and fifty-five acres of land, which he sold for ten thousand dol- lars, but owing to the failure of the parties to meet the payment either of interest or principal he was compelled to take back the land. He moved onto the farm where he now lives in 1880. His present home is a farm of sixty and three-fourths acres of finely improved land. The subject has de- voted his time exclusively to farming, oc- cassionally shipping stock, etc.
Mr. McCullick has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was married November 23, 1850, was Elizabeth Ander- son, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Cochran) Anderson, natives of Virginia. Elizabeth was born in March, 1827, and
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died March 7, 1875. As a result of this mar- riage nine children were born: Jasper, de- ceased; Nun, a resident of Montpelier, In- diana, acquired a high education; Lot; Wyley, deceased ; Isaac, a farmer in Chester township; William, a resident of Wells' county ; Sarah J., deceased; Lucy, the wife of William Alexander, of Fairmount, Indi- ana. For his second wife Mr. McCullick married Mandania McIntyre, the widow of Thomas McIntyre and daughter of Robert Hathaway, this marriage occurring August 18, 1876. To this union one child was born, Emma, now living at home with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. McCullick are both workers in the church of Christ. Politically the sub- ject is a Prohibitionist, having never voted any other ticket save once when he voted for the Hon. A. N. Martin for congress.
RUFUS B. CLARK.
While in old England they boast of their ancestry back for twenty generations or more and in New England they lay claim to more than half as many, here in the west if we can look back upon our family tree a hundred years and see nothing to be ashamed of, we are liable to strut a little and feel some semblance of the aristocratic thrill that is supposed to bespeak the blue blood of no- bility. There are many in the west possess- ed of such a family tree. Some it impells to put on airs and affect superiority. Others view it in the purely American sense, that a man's worth is neither increased or di- minished by what those who preceded him have or have not been. Of the latter class is the Clark family of Wells and Hunting-
ton counties, one of whom is the subject of this sketch, Rufus B. Clark, of Liberty town- ship, Wells county, Indiana. He has a fam- ily of which he might boast, but he is too much interested in the affairs of his own life to waste time with such foolishness. He is a young man, but a very successful one. He was born in the township where he now resides January 9, 1874, and, though only in his twenty-ninth year, is as capable and thorough a business man as one can en- counter.
The paternal grandparents of Rufus B. Clark were Sargeant and Eunice (Irwin) Clark, natives of North Carolina, who came in the winter of 1838-9 from their native state to Huntington county, Indiana, travel- ing the entire distance in a wagon. They entered a tract of eighty acres of govern- ment land in Salamonie township, and here built a home, cleared the land and reared their family. They were the parents of eight children, viz: Martha J., deceased ; John I., who was the father of Rufus R., the subject; Rachael, wife of John Radcliff, of Newark, Ohio; Roscoe L., a resident of Huntington county, Indiana, residing on part of the old homestead; Landona, wife of Amos L. Carl, of Beamer, Indiana; Hannah, Lewis and Jasper. Of all the early in- habitants of Huntington county, none are remembered with kindlier feelings than Sar- geant and Eunice Clark. They were natur- ally unselfish, kind and generous, and to those gifts they added a benevolence and hospitality that is popularly supposed to be peculiarly prevalent in the south. They spent nearly as much time caring for neigh- bors in need as they did in looking after their own affairs, yet did not slight or neglect the latter. Mr. Clark helped to build roads,
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bridges, churches and school houses, never exacting renumeration for his services; in- deed, he would felt offended if asked what his charge was. His good wife was con- stantly, in her motherly way, on some errand of mercy or charity.
The maternal grandparents of Rufus B. Clark were George and Nancy (Hampton) Helm. They were natives of Tennessee, but came from that state, by wagon, in 1838, to Huntington county, Indiana, and settled on the bank of the Salamonie river about two miles below Warren. The most numerous inhabitants of the county at that time were Indians. There, in the depths of the wilder- ness, June 6, 1846, Nancy Helm, the mother of Rufus B. Clark, was born. Her birth place is now in the township of Jefferson. In the early days of the settlement the peo- ple were obliged to go to Preble county, Ohio, for supplies. It was a long, tedious journey, through the trackless woods. The round trip frequently required weeks in ac- complishment, especially during inclement weather or when the streams were swollen. On one such trip the husband and father, George Helm, was away six weeks and his intrepid little wife with her three small chil- dren remained alone in the cabin, during the day in the mortal dread of the red savages with whom the woods were peopled, and at night almost equally in fear of the wild beasts of the forest. Mr. Helm cleared and improved this land and made it his home up to the time of his death. George and Nancy Helm were the parents of eight children, viz: Lorinda, widow of James Gill; John A. died on the old home place; William is a resident of Huntington, Indiana; Nancy, wife of John I. Clark; Sarah was the wife of Jacob Irwin, but is now de-
ceased; Jane died at the age of sixteen years; David at the age of seventeen and James died when he was but two years old. The parents were among the most enterpris- ing, public spirited and prosperous of the early settlers. Nancy Helm died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John I. Clark, in the fall of 1874.
John I. Clark, father of the subject, grew to manhood on his father's farm in Salamonie township, attended the public schools and received a fair common school education. He worked by the day, week or job until he was twenty-three years of age, when he rented the farm of George Helm, making his home in the Helm family. For five years he continued on this farm, and was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Helm, a daughter of the family in which he had been boarding. He then purchased eighty acres of land in Liberty township, Wells county, Indiana, which was then unimproved, but now forms part of the farm owned by him and on which he still re- sides. The size of this farm has been con- stantly increased by purchase until it now comprises three hundred and twenty acres. It is well fenced, ditched and otherwise im- proved. In 1882 Mr. Clark built a barn, forty by eighty feet, which was added to in 1896 and it is now one hundred and five feet in length. In 1886 he erected a model home, large, commodious, well finished and hand- somely furnished, among the best in the en- tire county, while the other buildings on the farm correspond well with those mentioned. John I. and Nancy Clark are the parents of four children, viz : Viola P., wife of Albert Minniear, a resident of Liberty township; Rufus B. is the subject; Garnet E., wife of John C. Smith, a resident of Huntington ;
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Lester E., the youngest of the family, is still unmarried and resides with his parents. In September, 1901, John I. Clark, the father of this family, was stricken with paralysis and has been helpless ever since. His good wife and youngest son, Lester, accord him every care and make him as comfortable and cheerful as possible in his affliction. Though still only a youth, Lester is much interested in the work of the farm and in the breeding and feeding of blooded stock. He is at- tending the graded school at Liberty Center and will finish the course this year. Both parents have been members of the Methodist Protestant church a number of years, at Beamer. During his entire career John I. Clark has been strictly a temperance man and was ever ready to advance the work of churches and schools in the interest of mor- ality, religion and learning. In politics he was always a stanch Democrat, as was his father before him. Like the wise and provi- dent man that he is, he has made ample provision for his children, as after laying aside a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres for his faithful wife, each of their children will be presented with a tract of forty acres.
Rufus B. Clark attended the public schools of his native township until he was twenty years of age. He then, in connec- tion with Albert Minniear, his brother-in- law, began the cultivation of his father's farm, receiving for their services a share of the crop and for four years they contin- ued thus, steadily prospering. On the 4th day of December, 1898, Rufus B. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Zora A. Burman, a lady of intelligence and refinement, born in Franklin county, Ohio, October 4, 1874. She is a daughter of George W. and Lydia
(Trimmer) Burman, natives of Ohio. The parents of George were Daniel and Harriett Burman. George was twice married, his first wife being Sallie Hempy, who accom- panied him to Indiana when he emigrated from Ohio. Two children were born to them, both of whom are now dead, as also is the mother. His second wife was Lydia A. Trimmer, a native of Ohio, where they were married and where they resided a number of years, when he returned with his wife to Huntington county, locating near Pleasant Plain. Both are still living, residents of Warren county, Indiana. Her parents were John and Sarah (Stumbaugh) Trimmer, natives of Pennsylvania, who moved to Fair- field county, Ohio, in the early 'forties. There they resided until the death of Mrs. Trimmer, when her husband came to Hunt- ington county, Indiana, and made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Lydia A. Burman until his death, which occurred January I, 1892. To this marriage two children were born, viz: Etta, wife of Elsie Thompson, of Liberty township, and Zora A., wife of Rufus B. Clark.
The place owned by Rufus B. Clark is known as the Hickory Grove Stock Farm. About the time of his marriage he erected a fine residence upon the place and in 1899 built a barn thirty-six by fifty-six feet, in 1892, increasing its size to fifty-four by fifty-six feet. He has cleared, fenced, ditched and otherwise improved the land un- til it is today one of the best kept farms in the county. The finest well in that lo- cality is on the premises, always supplied with abundance of pure healthful water for man or beast. He has also a large orchard of fine, thrifty young trees of all kinds. He breeds the Ohio Improved Chester hogs,
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Hereford cattle and a general class of sheep. most of the cattle being thoroughbreds. He carries on general farming and always aims to feed more grain than he raises on the premises, not that he wants to raise less grain, but that he aims to feed more stock. He is the owner of stock and other personal property that will easily reach in value two thousand dollars.
To Mr. and Mrs. Rufus B. Clark two children have been born, viz : Hazel F., born February 26, 1900, and Howard Russell, born August 14, 1902. The parents are members of the Methodist Protestant church of Beamer, having united with that denomination in May, 1902. He is a mem- ber of Lodge No. 747, I. O. O. F., at Liberty Center, and in politics is a Democrat, active and zealous in all campaigns. There are few men in this country of whom it can truthfully be said they never drank intoxi- cating liquor, chewed tobacco, smoked, play- ed cards or indulged in any species of gamb- ling. That statement, however, can truth- fully be made regarding the subject of this sketch, Rufus B. Clark. He is a moral, model, manly man. If men of his kind were more numerous this country and this world would be greatly improved.
WILLIAM D. MARKLEY.
Among the prosperous native-born far- mers of Harrison township, Wells county, Indiana, William D. Markley stands most prominent. He is a son of John and Ma- linda (Wilson) Markley, was born April 25, 1841, and Harrison township has al- ways been his place of residence.
John Markley, the father of William D., came from Madison county, Ohio, to Wells county, Indiana, in 1836, and entered one hundred and eighty-five acres of forest land in section 18, Harrison township, where there had about half a dozen settlers pre- ceded him, including Dan and Adam Miller, Thomas Van Horn and Higgins Gentry. Mr. Markley put up the inevitable log cabin for temporary, shelter and set resolutely to work to clear up a farm, or rather to clear off the heavy timber surrounding his cabin. He added gradually to his possessions until he owned about six hundred acres, but con- tinued to make a dwelling of his original cabin the remainder of his life. He was a very public-spirited gentleman and did all his means would allow in assisting finan- cially the making of public improvements. He was well known throughout the county of Wells, although a quiet, unassuming man, and was recognized as a useful citizen and a good neighbor, being deeply mourned at his death, which took place in the faith of the Christian church, and his name is still kept green in the memory of his surviving relatives and friends. In politics he was a Republican, but never was officious or inter- meddling in forcing his views upon others. and as a farmer was one of the most success- ful stock raisers in his township. To John and Malinda (Wilson) Markley were born eleven children, of whom eight grew to ma- turity, namely: Rachel, now the wife of Stephen Adsit; Rev. J. J., of Lancaster township; William D., with whose name this biographical record opens ; Ellen, widow of Ben Studabaker; Matilda, married to Capt. E. Y. Sturgis ; Lewis P., of this town- ship; Samuel, of Elwood, Indiana; Wilson, still in this township.
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William D. Markley was reared to farm- ing on the old homestead, but was given an opportunity to attend school three months each year until he was eighteen years old. He was quite apt at his studies and on re- linquishing these engaged in teaching school in Wells county until he was twenty-three years of age, when, in 1864, he married Miss Mary E. Dougherty, a native of Darke county, Ohio, and a daughter of William and Margaret (Studabaker) Dougherty, as well as a sister of the Hon. Hugh Dougherty. To the marriage of W. D. and Mary E. Markley were born five children, viz : Cora, who was a teacher in Wells county for several terms and was then married to Jules Meredith; Franklin, deceased; Carrie, wife of Earnest Morrow; Anna, married to Arthur Markley, and Jane, wife of Gus Baker. Mrs. Mary E. (Dougherty) Mark- ley was called from earth in 1884, and Mr. Markley chose for a second helpmate Mar- garet Dellinger, whom he married in No- vember, 1891, and this union has been brightened by the birth of one child, Marie, born June 27, 1895.
Mr. Markley is a member of the Chris- tian church at Six Mile and is also one of the trustees. He is very active in his church work, contributes liberally toward its sup- port and maintenance and lives strictly up to its teachings. In politics Mr. Markley is a stanch Republican in principle, but seldom takes an active part in advancing the inter- ests of the party, excepting in the way of regularly casting his vote in its favor, as he has never felt any desire for holding a pub- lic office, although he is very popular in his township and he and family are among the most prominent and respected residents of Wells county and Harrison township.
J. B. GAVIN.
The man who makes the greatest success in life is not always he who starts with the greatest advantages and best opportunities. This is well exemplified in the case of J. B. Gavin, the subject of this sketch. He was born in the county of Galway, Ireland, August 10, 1845, but only the first two years of his life were spent in his native land. In 1848 his parents, with all their children, emigrated to America and located in Ross county, Ohio. They remained there six years, when, in 1854, they moved to Harrison township, Wells county, Indiana, where Mr. Gavin has since resided. The parents of J. B. Gavin were George and Mary (Benton) Gavin, natives of Ireland, as were their ancestors for many genera- tions. In his early manhood, in his native land, George Gavin was a member of the Royal Irish constabulary, or government po- lice force, and as such did duty in many of the cities of Ireland. On locating in Ameri- ca he devoted himself to farming. He was a man of good education and during the winter months found plenty of employment teaching. After moving to Wells county, for three years he rented land, but finding that unprofitable he determined to purchase a place of his own. A tract of eighty acres. was bought in Liberty township and as soon as a home was prepared thereon the family moved and occupied it. It is the same land on which his grandson and namesake now lives, and a debt was incurred for the great- er part of the purchase price. This land was cleared, improved and added to until it be- came a superb farm of two hundred and ten acres, all in one body. To George and Mary Gavin seven children were born, viz:
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Robert, now a resident of Liberty township; Mary was the wife of Joseph Cobbum, but is now deceased; Sarah is the wife of Harri- son Snow and they live in Kansas; J. B. is the subject of this sketch and will be more particularly referred to hereafter; Delilah died at the age of ten years; Henry J. died at the age of eight years; Henrietta died on the voyage from Ireland. The father of this family served a number of terms as town- ship trustee. He was a Democrat, took an active part in politics and made his influence widely felt. His death occurred December 12, 1882.
J. B. Gavin attended the public schools of Liberty township until he was eighteen years of age. The yearly term was seldom longer than three months during the winter. George, the father, and Robert, the elder brother of J. B. Gavin, were both teachers and their attendance at school being con- sidered much more important than that of. the latter, he was often required to remain at home working when he should have been at school. His advantages for securing an education, therefore, did not equal those of the other children of the family. He, how- ever, was an apt pupil and when he did at- tend, it was to some purpose. When he reached the age of twenty his father ac- corded him a share of the crop raised on the farm, and this arrangement was con- tinued until his marriage and for five years thereafter.
On March 31, 1870, James B. Gavin was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Hedges, who was born July 6, 1848, in Harrison township, Wells county, Indiana. She was the daughter of Robert and Sophia (Kirk- wood) Hedges. The father of Robert was Elijah Hedges, a native of Virginia, but the
progenitor of the family came from Eng- land. Robert Hedges was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, where . he married Sophia Kirkwood, a native of Pennsylvania, and there he devoted himself to farming for a number of years. He moved his family to Harrison township, Wells county, in 1846, and there he still lives at the age of eighty- five years. Sophia died in August, 1870. Robert and Sophia Hedges were the par- ents of thirteen children, all of whom were living at the time of their mother's death, though three have died since. These were the children: Mary J., wife of Alex. Lati- more; Luicinda was the wife of Daniel Tuttle, but is now dead; Jonas, deceased ; Rebecca is the wife of J. B. Gavin, the subject; James married Eunice Neff ; Elizabeth was the wife of Philip Ulmer, but is now dead; William resides in Whitley county, Indiana; Julia, wife of George Ulmer, superintendent of the Orphans' Home; Joseph; George resides in Kansas; Lewis resides in Pulaski county, Indiana; Samuel resides in Liberty town- ship; John resides in Harrison township. Robert Hedges was three times married, a daughter, Alice, being born to him by his last marriage.
For five years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Gavin resided on the Gavin homestead, in the family of his parents, he operating the farm for his father. In 1875 he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres where he now resides. The place was only partially cleared when pur- chased, and in buying it he incurred an in- debtedness of one thousand six hundred dollars. Through his industry and good management he paid off the debt within a. very short time and purchased eighty acres
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more, adjoining his farm on the north and unimproved. In 1881 he erected a barn seventy by forty feet, large, commodious and substantial. The following year he added another eighty acres to his already extensive farm, joining it on the west and later he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old home place .. He is now the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of superb farming land, in one body, all well ditched and under cultivation. His three sons have each a portion of this land, which they cultivate, each having a comfortable residence on his portion, with good, substan- tial barn and outbuildings. In 1889 Mr. Gavin erected for himself and family a beau- tiful, spacious home of nine rooms, artistic- ally finished and richly furnished. It is such a home as one rarely meets with in the rural districts.
From boyhood J. B. Gavin has devoted his life to farming and stockraising and has clearly demonstrated that a comfortable fortune can be amassed in that business in a few years. When he and his wife began housekeeping for themselves, in 1875, their home was a little two-room structure which it would be a misnomer to term a cottage. They were rich in nothing but health, strength, industry and perseverance. By coupling prudence and economy with other good gifts which nature had bestowed upon them, they have accomplished results that many would believe impossible. The latest assessment rolls of the county show the valuation of their personal property alone to be two thousand one hundred dollars. Mr. Gavin is one of Liberty township's heaviest taxpayers and also the owner of considerable property in Bluffton, the county seat.
To Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Gavin eight chil-
dren have been born, viz: George M., born May 23, 1871, married Lucy Huffman, and they are the parents of one child, James Frederick; Charles B., born July 29, 1873, married Lydia Bays, resides on part of his father's farm and has four children, Harry, Cecil, George and Garrett ; William J., born October 22, 1874, married Anna Howard, resides on part of his father's farm, and has two children, Victoria and Mary ; Mary A., born November 25, 1876, is the wife of Benjamin Buckner and they have one child, William J .; Francis F., born June 27, 1879, resides at home with his parents; Minnie and Ninnie, born July 20, 1882; Minnie died July 25, 1882, and Ninnie died Sep- tember 12, 1887 : Theopolis, born April 13, 1888. Mrs. Gavin is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, an active work- er in all religious and charitable work and contributes liberally to every worthy cause. Mr. Gavin is a member of Lodge No. 747, I. O. O. F., at Liberty Center, and is much interested in lodge work. In politics he is a Democrat, and takes a deep interest in the success of his party, wielding an influence which aspirants for office are exceedingly anxious to secure. He is still practically in the prime of life. The weight of the fifty- seven years that he has seen sets lightly on his shoulders and his physical condition would indicate that existence had yet nearly half a century in store for him. Humanity is benefited by such lives as his.
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