USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Blackford and Grant Counties : Indiana a chronicle of their past and present with family lineage and personal memoirs > Part 19
USA > Indiana > Grant County > Blackford and Grant Counties : Indiana a chronicle of their past and present with family lineage and personal memoirs > Part 19
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ABRAHAM M. LUCAS. One of Grant county's pioneer families, mem- bers of which have for many years been identified with the agricultural interests of this section, is that bearing the name of Lucas, and a worthy sentative thereof is found in the person of Abraham M. Lucas, who is is now carrying on successful operations on his farm in Center township. Mr. Lucas has resided in Center township all of his life, having been born on his father's farm, five miles southeast of Marion, September 23, 1865, and is a son of Israel and Mary ( Williams) Lucas.
The parents of Mr. Lucas were born in Mercer county, Ohio, and there reared and educated, and shortly after their marriage came to Grant county, Indiana, locating on a farm five miles southeast of Marion, on the Soldiers' Home pike. Mr. Lucas was a well educated man, and in order to add to his resources during his early years engaged in teaching school in Center township. As the years passed, however, he turned his entire attention to agricultural work, and eventually became one of the prosperous men of his community, owning two well-developed farms in Center township. His death occurred about 1873. Five children were born to Israel and Mary Lucas, of whom three still survive: I. W., a carpenter and contractor living on East Tenth street, Indianapolis ; Orpha L., who is the wife of James Thomason, of Marion, Indiana; and Abraham M.
Abraham M. Lucas received only limited educational advantages, as his father died when he was but eight years old and the services of the youth were needed in the operation of the home property. He made the most of his opportunities, however, and subsequent reading and obser- vation have made him a well-informed man. Reared to agricultural pur- suits, he has made farming his life work, and through well-directed effort has become one of the substantial men of Center township, owning a handsome property, consisting of 138 acres, 93 acres in the farm upon which he lives and 45 acres about one-quarter mile east of the farm, and possessing in the highest degree the esteem and respect of those who have had dealings with him. Mr. Lucas has made enormous improve- ments on his property, and by the use of modern methods and machin- ery has gained a reputation as a progressive and enterprising agricul- turist. General farming has received the greater part of his attention, but his activities in stock raising have also been rewarded with success.
On May 23, 1889, Mr. Lucas was united in marriage with Miss Mary Swartz, who was born and reared in Center township, and to this union there have been born two children: Gladys M., a graduate of the com- mon schools, who died at the age of seventeen years; and Lucetta, born November 1, 1893, who has been given good educational advantages and now lives at home with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas are consistent members and liberal supporters of Griffin Chapel of the Methodist church. Politically he is a Democrat, but has taken no active part in public matters, although he has ever been ready to assist in movements making for the public welfare.
GEORGE W. JONES. One of the men whose enterprise has contributed to the trade and general activities of the village of Upland is George W. Jones, whose earlier life was spent in Jefferson township in farming pursuits and who for a number of years has been in the feed and grain business at Upland. Mr. Jones is a man of recognized integrity and fair dealing, has a host of friends in the vicinity and has never failed to hold up his end of responsibilities, whether in private or in business life.
The family to which George W. Jones belongs was established in Grant county many years ago by Joshua Jones, father of George W. Jones. Joshua was the son of Lewis Jones, who lived and died
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MR. AND MRS. ABRAHAM M. LUCAS AND DAUGHTER
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in Ohio, was twice married and had children by both wives. Joshua Jones, of the first marriage, was born in Greene county, Ohio, March 7, 1819, and grew up on his father's farm. When about twenty years of age he crossed the state line to Indiana and the young man without capital found employment among the farmers of Blackford county for several years. Then moving into Jefferson town- ship, Grant county, he bought some land, most of which was located in the wilderness, and by hard work cleared up and made a good farm. That was his home for nearly sixty years, and at his death in August, 1909, he was able to look back upon a lifetime of industry and gratify- ing accomplishments. He was a Democrat and a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. Joshua Jones was married in Jefferson town- ship to Miss Malinda A. Owings, who was born in Ohio and came with her father, Nicholas Owings, when a young child to Jefferson township. Mrs. Joshua Jones died on the old homestead in Jefferson township in 1905. She was an active member of the Methodist church.
The family record of George W. Jones in his immediate generation is noteworthy in several respects. He was the fifth in a family of nine children, eight of whom reached adult age, and of those only one is deceased, seven living, Mary J. having died when twenty-one. All the fonr sons and three daughters are still living and are married or have been married, and the youngest is more than fifty years of age and the oldest is now seventy. The record of the children is briefly as fol- lows: Harriet, widow of Michael Houck, living in Upland; Lydia, who is the widow of Edwin Fergus and lives in California, having a son and daughter; Lewis M., a farmer of Jefferson township, and his four daughters are all married; John W., one of the foremost farmers in Jefferson township; George W .; Thomas Eli, who lives in Jonesboro, and has a son who is married; Sarah E., the wife of William Ginn, a farmer in Jefferson township, and they are the parents of two sons.
Like the other children George W. Jones was born on the old home- stead in Jefferson township, in section twenty-two, on February 14, 1853. His youth was spent in the same vicinity, and while growing up on the farm he had the cultured advantages afforded by the local school. He continued to attend school as opportunity offered until about twenty years. To farming he gave his first serious efforts, and in that industry laid the foundation for his subsequent prosperity. In 1891 Mr. Jones gave up active supervision of farming, and for a short time ran a restaurant, but has since been in the feed and grain business at Upland. He built his present yards and buildings, especially adapted for the convenience of the trade, in 1905. His home is located close to his place of business, and he has lived here continuously for twenty-two years. Mr. Jones has always taken much interest in local affairs, has served one term as town treasurer, has been liberal whenever a com- munity undertaking was proposed, but has been reticent as to the honors of political life. In politics he votes the Democratic ticket.
Mr. Jones was married in his native township to Miss Mary E. Ginn, who was born in Henry county, Indiana, and was fifty-eight years of age on October 1, 1913. When she was a young woman she came with her parents to Jefferson township, and the Ginn family to which she belongs has suitable representation on other pages of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and very active in the affairs of their local society. Their two daughters are : Clara, the wife of A. J. Kuhn, who is associated with Mr. Jones in business at Upland, and they have a daughter, Hildred; Ginevra is the wife of Thomas L. Secrist, and they have one daughter. Martha E., and their home is in Santa Barbara, California.
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ELGE W. LEACH. One of the most competent and trusted young business men of Grant county is Elge W. Leach, cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Matthews. Mr. Leach has the entire executive manage- ment of this well known and substantial institution, and it is largely owing to his genial personality as cashier and his careful and sys- tematic conduct of the bank's affairs that the resources and business of the bank have been steadily mounting in importance since he first became connected with the business. As a man who has gained success and has gone considerable distance on the way to prosperity, Mr. Leach attributes his good fortune largely to the influence and counsel of his good wife, who for some time assisted him in the bank, and is not only an excellent housewife, but is thoroughly competent as an ac- countant and business woman.
Mr. Leach was appointed assistant cashier of the Farmers State Bank in March, 1909, and the following year was promoted to his present position, since which time he has had all the executive duties to perform. The Farmers State Bank of Matthews was established in 1907, with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars. In March, 1909, an entire new management took charge, and since that date its prosperity has been steadily increasing, but along natural and healthy lines. The personnel of the executive management is as follows: A. D. Mittank, president; George Fred Slater, vice president; E. W. Leach, cashier ; and C. J. Jones, assistant cashier. The Farmers State Bank is a county, township and town depository ; its total resources in February, 1913, were reported as about ane hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, and its relation to the prosperity of this thriving farming com- munity is well indicated by the fact that in its vaults and on its books are accounts with depositors aggregating in the total nearly one hundred thousand dollars.
Elge W. Leach was born in Fairmount township, August 3, 1879. He was reared and educated in the public schools, graduated from the Fairmount Academy in the Class of 1901, and the following three years were spent as a teacher. At the same time his services were employed in an office, and he also did farm work. With this varied experience and equipment, he was well prepared for his present vocation. Mr. Leach's grandfather was Esom Leach, born in Virginia, reared in Frank- lin county, Indiana, and after his marriage there to Lucinda Corn, came to Grant county and acquired a large tract of land, comprising more than five hundred acres, partly by purchase and partly by entry from the government. The rest of his years were spent in residence at this estate in Grant county, and his career was one of special prosperity. He died when past seventy years of age, and his widow survived him ten or twelve years, and was a very old woman when taken away. They were both communicants of the Primitive Baptist Church. Their family comprised thirteen children in all, and eight sons and two daughters are still living. Of these children, John B. Leach, father of the Matthews banker, was born in Fairmount township, March 4, 1854, and has lived in this vicinity ever since, making his home on a farm there at the present time. He was married in Jefferson township to Miss Hester Richards, a daughter of Jacob and Susan (Gillespie) Richards. The Richards family has been identified with Grant county for all the years since early settlement, and both Mrs. Leach's parents died here when old people. Jacob Richards was an early minister of the Primitive Baptist Church at Matthews, the church usually being known as the Harmony church, and he lived and labored for many years in the cause of religion, spending much of his time in traveling and riding about the country horseback, covering the large territory and carrying
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the gospel to many isolated communities during the early days. Mrs. Hester Leach was born in Jefferson township in 1857, and still is smart and active and has been a good mother to her children. These children of John B. Leach and wife were: Elge W .; Jacob E., a farmer in Fair- mount township, who married Blanch Duling, and has three children, Lloyd, Carl, and Helen; Minnie is the wife of Ernest O. Crecraft, living in Fowlerton, and their children are John A. and Dora Lee; Fern is the wife of Nacy Wood, living in Fowlerton, and they have no children ; Mr. Elge W. Leach was married in Jefferson township to Miss Sarah Anderson. Mrs. Leach, who was born in Jefferson township July 22, 1882, also graduated from the Fairmount Academy with the class of 1901, the same class with her husband, and is an intelligent and cul- tured woman whose presence in Matthews society is one of secure ad- vantage and esteem. Her parents were Augustus and Elizabeth (Dean) Anderson, who for many years were farmer residents of Jefferson town- ship. Her father died there in May, 1910, and the widow lives on the old farmstead, being about fifty-five years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Ander- son were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which Mrs. Leach is also associated. Mr. Leach is a Democrat in politics.
THOMAS F. SCOTT. People who lead busy and useful lives are not often portrayed in public prints, for it is only the abnormal that is observed by the current press. That work of homemaking, of efficient performance of daily duties and responsibilities is at the same time the most vital and important as well as the least likely to attract general attention. Among Grant county people who excel in this matter of running a business with quiet efficiency and making a fine home, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Scott are well worthy of a record in the Centennial history. Their attractive rural home is in section twenty-eight of Jefferson township.
Mr. Thomas F. Scott is the third bearer of that Christian name in as many successive generations. His grandfather, Thomas Scott, was born in Ireland in 1775, was of what is known as Scotch-Irish stock, and after his marriage to an Irish girl came to America about 1800. The only means of crossing the Atlantic at that time was by sailing vessels, and a number of years elapsed before the introduction of steam navigation. From the Atlantic coast Thomas and his young wife came on to Ohio, lived for a few years at Steubenville, on the Ohio river, where his son Thomas Jr. was born about 1804 or 1805. Later the family moved to Noble county in the same state where Grandfather Thomas died when probably quite an old man. His sons and his widow later went to Guernsey county, Ohio, where she died when very old. She was the mother of five sons and three daughters who grew up and married.
Thomas Scott, second of the name, was married during his resi- dence in Noble county, where he became of age, and the maiden name of his wife was Nancy McCoy, who was probably born in Ohio and of similar ancestry to her husband. After their marriage, Thomas and wife located in Guernsey county, where they were pioneers and undertook the tasks allotted usually to the pioneers in the middle west of clearing the dense forests and making a landscape of cultivated fields where had formerly been only the haunts of wild beasts and Indians. By his labor he improved one hundred and sixty acres of land. During the early years of their residence there the nearest town or village was five miles away and the mill and post office was three miles from their house. Thomas Scott II, was remarkably well fitted for the hard labor of pioneering. He was regarded as one of the most skillful wielders of an ax in his entire community, and it was his greatest pleasure to
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swing that implement hour after hour in the woods, that kind of work as hard as any that man does, being with him a part of athletic pleasure. His first home was a little cabin built of round logs, which was replaced somewhat later by a hewed log house, of a story and a half, and what was known as a double building, being divided by a partition, and with a stone fireplace and chimney. It was a somewhat pretentious home for that community, and had the same place as a brown-stone front mansion would in later years. In 1842, having sold his Ohio home, Thomas Scott came out to Grant county, and again became a pioneer, securing one hundred and sixty acres of wild land in section thirty-four of Jefferson township. There he made a large clearing and by his own efforts or under his supervision nearly all the land was cleared up. His death occurred in Jefferson township in 1870. A hard-working, thrifty and honorable gentleman, he lived long years and ever enjoyed the confidence and esteem of the community. His wife followed him in death in 1874. They were both Methodists, and from his affiliation with the Whig party he came naturally into the ranks of the Republicans. There were nine children born to them, three were married, and two are still living. Hugh married and left a wife and four children, in order to enlist in the Civil war, as a member of the Eighty-Fourth Indiana Regiment, going out in 1862, and after participation in a number of campaigns contracted smallpox at Nashville, and died from that disease in Nashville. The living sons are John A., who is now married and lives in Kansas with his family, and Thomas F.
Thomas F. Scott III, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, February 24, 1842. He was nine years old when his parents moved to Grant county. He has spent practically all his life in this county, and until his father's death was an active assistant on the home farm.
A great mutual confidence and esteem existed between father and son. Mr. Scott has spent nearly all his life on the farm he now occu- pies, which was the homestead cleared by the sturdy hands and skillful ax of his father. It is regarded as one of the best homes in the vicinity, all the land is highly improved and cultivated through the maximum of production, and of its building improvements a big red barn was erected some twenty-five years ago, and the commodious nine-room house has long been the shelter of the Scott family. Mr. Scott is an extensive raiser of good cattle, hogs and horses, and keeps the only herd of Angora goats in his township, and perhaps the only one in the county.
On August 12, 1862, Mr. Scott enlisted in Company C of the Eighty- Fourth Indiana Regiment of Infantry, the same regiment in which his brother saw service. His service continued with that regiment until June 14, 1865, and his record of military performance was notable for its regularity and faithful performance. He was in every engagement in which his regiment participated excepting one, and twelve of these were quite severe fights. He had one narrow escape from death when a bullet cut a hole through his hat above his right ear, but otherwise he went through without injury. He came out as corporal of his company.
Mr. Scott was married in Jefferson township to Miss Uree A. Slater, who was born, reared and educated in Jefferson township, had spent all her life here, and belongs to a family long prominent among the leading farmer citizens of the vicinity. Her parents were William and Mary (Tacy) Slater, both of whom came to Grant county from Noble county, Ohio, and made settlement on land that was new, although it had known one or two owners since being acquired from the government. Their location was on section twenty-seven of Jefferson township where they developed a good home and farmstead and lived until death took them away when about sixty years of age. There were four children in the Slater family, and all are living and married.
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Mr. and Mrs. Scott have the following children: 1. Charles married Florida James, lives on a farm in Scott county, Indiana, and their chil- dren are Hugh and Dorothy. 2. Carrie is the wife of Clarence Needler, farmers of Jefferson township and their children are Carl, Ray, Cecil, Ernest, Harmon, Thomas and Anna Emeline. 3. Minnie R. is one of the most popular teachers in Jefferson township, has taught in the Matthews schools for the past twelve years, and lives at home. 4. Harry, who is a farmer in Scott county, married Ella Lizenbeck, and their children are Frances, Florence J. and Ruth. 5. Norah, is unmarried, and is a clerical worker at Muncie. 6. Bertha, is also employed at Muncie. 7. Ella lives at home. 8. Clarence W. is now his father's assistant in the management of the homestead. 9. Thomas W. also lives at home and works on the farm. 10. Anna M. was edu- cated in the local public schools like the other children, and lives at home. 11. Ada Z. is a sophomore in the Matthews high school.
Mr. and Mrs. Scott and family are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and Mr. Scott and sons are regular voters of the Repub- lican ticket. Mrs. Scott is one of the vigorous minded and capable women of Grant county, possessing an alert intelligence, is broadly informed on the issues of the day, and has many progressive ideas in home management and in affairs of social improvement. She deserves much credit for her success in rearing and educating her large family of children, and all of them are exceedingly proud of their mother. Mrs. Scott owns in her own right a fine tract of improved land, com- prising one hundred and seventeen acres, in section thirty-two and thirty-three of. Jefferson township.
JOHN H. SCOTT. On section twenty-six of Jefferson township is located one of the substantial country homes of Grant county. It is not a pretentious homestead, its owner is a quiet, efficient worker, and man- ager of his resources, and his farm indicates his individual character. It comprises seventy-five acres of as good land as can be found in the vicinity, and one of the evidences of his thrift and prosperity is a com- fortable white house, standing in the midst of a grove of trees, erected by him in 1898. A good barn and all other facilities for up-to-date farming are on the place. Mr. Scott is one of the very excellent farmers, and he and his wife, who has worked alongside of him throughout their married career, have succeeded in building up a modest little fortune and in rearing a family of good children. More than that could hardly be said in praise of anyone, and it is an accomplishment to be proud of.
Mr. Scott is a great-grandson of Thomas Scott, who was born in Ireland in 1775, and was of what is known as Scotch-Irish stock, and after his marriage to an Irish girl, came to America about 1800. A full account of the family history will be found in the sketch of Thomas F. Scott which precedes this.
Of the family of Thomas Scott II, Hugh Scott was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, in 1829. He married a native girl of the same county, Elizabeth Deeren, who was born May 26, 1834. After his marriage and the birth of one child, Adeline, Hugh Scott and wife moved to Indiana, and in 1851 bought some new land with a log cabin standing upon it in Grant county. They were in very moderate circumstances, and their first place comprised only forty acres. However, by the combined industry and thrift of husband and wife they were beginning to see light abead, and in fair way to prosperity when the war broke out. With the many responsibilities of a family, Hugh Scott remained at home dur- ing the first year, but when the heavy calls for volunteers came, in the summer of 1862, he enlisted on August 9 of that year in the Eighty-
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fourth Regiment of Indiana Infantry. Much hard fighting and many campaigns did he participate in, but it was not the bullets of an enemy which brought his death. The fatal disease of smallpox again and again attacked the armies on both sides, and after one scourge he was vacci- nated and returned home for a furlough, and finally got well. He then returned to the army, though unfit for service, and at Nashville con- tracted the most virulent form of the disease, and died while in the hos- pital, March 10, 1865, just as the war was entering its final stage. He left a widow with five small children, and four of these by her frugality and care she reared to manhood and womanhood. She kept the little home, kept her children about her, inculcated good morals and habits of thrift and industry, and there she died, honored and respected by her descendants, February 5, 1909. She, as well as her husband, was a mem- ber of the Methodist church. Of their little family the following are still living : Sallie, wife of H. H. Walker, a farmer in Jefferson township, and the father of a large family. Fletcher, a resident of Hartford City, Indiana, and who by his marriage to Melissa Hudson has six children; and John H.
John H. Scott was born on the old Scott farm, in Jefferson township, November 23, 1861, and was reared and educated in that vicinity. As soon as his youthful strength permitted he did all he could to assist his widowed mother, and lived at home until his marriage to Lucinda Leach, in 1890. She was born in Fairmount township, May 7, 1868, a daughter of William J. and Ellen J. (Havens) Leach, of the prominent family of that name in southern Grant county. Her father still lives on the Leach farm at Fowlerton. He was born February 2, 1840, and has lived as a farmer all his life. His wife, who was born April 23, 1843, died April 17, 1888. They were members of the Primitive Baptist church. The other children in the Leach family were as follows: Charles E. of Fowlerton, who has five children; Anna, the wife of Chalmer Kerr of Fairmount township, and the mother of five children; Martha C., wife of Shirley Hancock, of Jefferson township, and they have four children. The little family of Mr. and Mrs. Scott are as follows: Effie, who died in infancy; Ira Pearl, who was educated in the grade schools and lives at home; Sarah Ellen, aged eighteen and living at home, hav- ing completed the common school course; William Harvey, who assists his father on the home farm; Ancil Everett, who is attending school ; and Arlie W., also a school boy. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are members of the Methodist church, and his political affiliation is with the Republican party.
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