USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Blackford and Grant Counties : Indiana a chronicle of their past and present with family lineage and personal memoirs > Part 67
USA > Indiana > Grant County > Blackford and Grant Counties : Indiana a chronicle of their past and present with family lineage and personal memoirs > Part 67
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Samuel B. Beshore and Lavina Morrow (see Morrow family) were married in 1872. Her death occurred in 1890 and Samuel B. Beshore passed away in 1911. Four children were born to them. Fred L., Frank M. (who married Emily Gould), and Harry B. Beshore. The sons are associated together in the "B" cigar store, where they enjoy splendid patronage. Their sister, Mary Louise (wife of Wiley M. Heas- lett), lives in Long Beach, California. The second wife of S. B. Beshore, Mrs. Laura Beshore, survives him.
The family record of the late S. B. Beshore is given quite fully in the account of the Beshore-Whisler family under the name of L. C. Beshore elsewhere in this volume. The war record of "Laddy" Beshore, like his civilian record, was that of a good soldier as well as good citizen. He was interested in community affairs, and although he once removed with his family to California, conditions in Indiana suited him better, and Marion was again the home of the family. Mr. Beshore served three years in the Civil war, in the Thirty-fourth Indiana Regiment, after which he was transferred to the One Hundred and Fifty-third, with which regiment he remained until the end of the war, and received an honorable discharge from the service.
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Both Fred L. and Frank M. Beshore inherited the patriotism of their father. One was adjutant of the Third Battalion, while the other was second lieutenant in Company A of the One Hundred and Sixtieth Indiana Volunteer Regiment in 1898, during the Spanish-American war. Both accompanied their command to Cuba and spent one year in the service. The Beshore brothers are interested in community affairs, and while they come of pioneer ancestry their own lives are before them. They have a large circle of acquaintances, and enjoy the confidence of the community. Their parents belonged to the Methodist church and they themselves affiliate with the same denomination. They are all posted on politics, and plan to be up to date in everything. F. L. Beshore has traveled extensively, and yet he is interested in local devel- opments, and likes to see and help Grant county get ahead in the world.
CLARK MILLS. Among the men who have been actively associated with the business and political world of Marion and Grant county for many years may be mentioned the name of Clark Mills. Mr. Mills is a native of this section and is consequently deeply interested in the welfare of the county and its people. He is now engaged in the contracting business and has made a great success of this work, as the number of con- tracts he has carried out for the city of Marion indicate.
Mr. Mills was born in Franklin township, Grant county, Indiana, on the 27th of October, 1855. He is the son of Job and Elizabeth (Willcutts) Mills, both of whom were natives of Grant county. His father was a farmer and died many years ago in October, 1872. His mother only lived a month after his father's death. Eight children were born to Job Mills and his wife, all of whom are now living. These children are as follows: Clark Mills; Sarah A., who married Thomas L. Shaw, a farmer of Liberty township, Grant county; Curtis Mills, who is engaged in farming in Fulton county, Indiana ; Job Mills, also a farmer in Franklin township, Grant county; John Mills, a resident of Liberty township; Jehu Mills, of Marion; Otis Elton Mills, of South Marion, and Mary G. Mills of Marion.
Clark Mills lived on the farm where he was born until he was sixteen years of age. He attended the common schools of the district, but as the eldest in a large family he was early forced to leave school to aid in the support of the family. He went with his family to Kansas when he was just a boy, but after living there for a time he returned to his old home and there engaged in teaming. After a while he married and then went back to farming. He operated the old home place in Franklin township for many years with a considerable amount of success. In 1902 his first election as sheriff of Grant county took place. He served until 1906 in this office, two terms in all, having been re-elected in 1904. He made a highly efficient officer and won the respect of everyone for the way in which he carried out the duties of his office.
After retiring from the office of sheriff he resided in Marion for a year and then returned to the farm. For two years he operated the farm and then he came back to Marion and here went into the con- tracting business, doing a large amount of sewer and street building. As has been mentioned he has done a large amount of work for the city of Marion, and has handled other large contracts.
Mr. Mills was married on August 16, 1880, to Miss Almeda Overman, a daughter of George Overman and Mary J. (Jones) Overman, of Grant county, Indiana, Mrs. Mills having been born in Marion. Seven children have been born to this union, namely: Myrtle, who married Harley Farr, of Marion; Edgar G., of Wayne county, Pennsylvania; Mary, the wife of Arthur Shuggart, of Franklin township; Maud, who is Mrs. Ed
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Clemens, of Marion; Wilbur G., who lives with his parents; R. Lou, who is deceased, and Georgia, who also lives at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Mills are members of the Friends church. Mr. Mills is a member of the Republican party and a member of the American Mechanics.
MRS. LYDIA FRAZIER SEEGAR. The following is more or less detailed mention about some of the "first families of Grant county." Mrs. Seegar is the widow of the late Jasper Newton Seegar, who was a son of Jonathan and Mary (Hendricks) Seegar. Jonathan Seegar was an early day resident, coming within two years after the organization of Grant county. It was in 1833 that he located on the farm in Pleasant township which has never gone out of the family name since he entered the land, Mrs. Lydia Frazier Seegar owning it since the death of her husband.
Jonathan Seegar was married four times, and reared four sets of his own children, one set of step-children, and two sets of grandchildren. He was both father and mother to a large family, each wife leaving an infant at the time of her death. The first wife was Hope Inskep, whom he married and buried in Obio. Her three children were Nelson, Louisa and Martha. The second wife, Mary Hendrick, whom Mr. Seegar married at the old home at Belle Fontaine, Ohio, had six children, namely : David, Jasper N., James, Margaret, Mary Jane, and Viola. The third wife was Mrs. Margaret Davis-Gard, who had two daughters by her husband, Frances and Adeline, and her two children by Mr. Seegar were Byron and Sarah. The fourth wife was Sarah Osborn, and she had two children, Edward and Benton. Thus Mr. Seegar extended fatherly care to fifteen children and reared two sets of his grandchildren -an unusual record in Grant county.
Jonathan Seegar was born in 1803 and died in 1873. Thus he lived the allotted period and certainly did his part toward the biblical injune- tion about multiplying and replenishing the earth. He was "one in a thousand," when it came to coping with difficulties, and although stern, and his word was law, he was a provident father who had the best inter- ests of his children at heart, and none of his children were turned out to shift for themselves because adversity pursued his domestic affairs and because all his wives were short-lived.
The late Jasper Newton Seegar was raised on the Pleasant township farm which became his estate at his death. When the brick was burned on the farm from which that old-fashioned homestead was built, he hauled water in barrels, although he was so small a boy that he did not wear trousers and wore only a "tow linen slip" as his garment. It was an old-time custom to make and burn brick on the farm, and Jonathan Seegar made the brick for the court house that was razed to make room for the present structure. It had to be hauled over the "forty foot pitch," but it was down hill from the Seegar farm to Marion. The See- gar farm was well improved in the day of Jonathan Seegar, and when his son came into possession of it he had the same general policy, and as road superintendent of the Chapel Pike alongside this farm, Mr. Seegar exerted an influence all along the highways, and had pride in the fact that all were well kept farms-the most attractive highway in Grant county. "All Grant County a Park" was his policy along this roadway.
On October 22, 1865, Mr. Jasper Seegar married Lydia Frazier (See chapter on Antebellum Society). Mrs. Seegar relates that the night she was born, February 9, 1844, her father, Nathan Way Frazier, was en- route to Cincinnati with a wagon and was relieved of all his money, $60, at a "half-way" house, but as he had in his wagon produce such as Vol. II-29
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pork and lard, he went on to market and brought baek a load of mer- chandise in exchange, although not all he had planned, because he had lost his ready money. Nathan Way Frazier, whose name will live in Grant county history on account of the "Frazier Farm," adjoining Matter Park, was born in North Carolina, October 1, 1808, and was a son of Abel and Lydia (Way) Frazier. The parents emigrated to Wayne county, Indiana, when he was a baby, and they walked and took turns riding a mule and carrying their small son with them. They were Quakers and it was slavery which eaused them to migrate from North Carolina.
When he was nineteen Mr. Frazier was married in Wayne county to Mary Turner, and like Jonathan Seegar he located in Grant almost as soon as the government land was on the market. The children born to the first marriage were Charlotte Jane, John Turner, James Morrison, and Ruth Ann Frazier. Mr. Frazier's second wife was Martha, daugh- ter of Martin and Mary (O'Dell) Boots (see chapter "From Savagery to Civilization") and their children were: Sarah, Lydia, Monroe, Francis, and Matilda Frazier.
It is not straining a point to say that the marriage of Jasper N. Seegar and Lydia Frazier was the union of two of the "first families of Grant county." Aside from a short residence in Iowa, and a few years on the Frazier farm, they always lived on the Seegar farm in Pleasant until March 1, 1897, when they abandoned farming and lived in Marion. Mr. Seegar's death occurred November 18, 1903, and while Mrs. Seegar owns the farm, she continues her residence in town. Three children were born to their marriage: Viola Nellie, widow of A. W. Friermood, has one daughter, Lucile Friermood, and two step-sons, Roger F. and Glen O. Friermood; Frank Frazier Seegar married Carrie E. Wall (See Wall family) has four daughters-Helen, Dorothy, Mildred and Miriam ; Helen Gertrude, who married R. A. Heavilin, has two children, Marguer- ite and John Seegar Heavilin. Mrs. Seegar has one son and one grand- son in her family of ten, and while the two daughters live in Marion, the son is in the hardware business at Greentown. It was the policy of Mr. and Mrs. Seegar to afford their children the best possible edueation. Mrs. Friermood was a music teacher before her marriage, while Frank F. Seegar and Mrs. Heavilin were public school teachers in their early experience. It was no hardship for the parents to practice self-denial when it meant future efficiency on the part of their children. While Mrs. Seegar has her permanent home with Mrs. Friermood, she is free to visit all her children, and spends considerable time in travel. She is always interested in the welfare of the community.
The late Mr. Seegar was among the first volunteers of the Union army, going out in the three months service in 1861. Later, when he veteranized, he was transferred from the Eighth Indiana to the Thirty- fourth. Resigning, on account of ill health, as lieutenant in Company F, he later re-enlisted in the Eighth Regiment and remained with his regiment until all were discharged in July, 1865, at the close of the war. While he escaped gun shot wounds, he lost his health from ex- posure in the field, and it shortened his days. He was past commander of General Shunk G. A. R. Post of the Grand Army, and Mrs. Seegar is past president and for several years has been seeretary of the Women's Relief Corps, the organization of women which always eooperates with the "boys in blue," who are now so rapidly answering the last bugle call and joining the army of the worthy on the other side of the mystical river. Like other women of her age Mrs. Seegar looks forward to a reunion with those she has known on earth. There are few persons now living who are more intimately identified
Pobertin Van atta.
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with the early history of Grant county than Mrs. Lydia Frazier Seegar. She was glad to remember each of her children with a copy of the Cen- tennial History.
JUDGE ROBERT M. VAN ATTA. No one in Marion county, Indiana, is better known than Judge Robert M. Van Atta, judge of the superior court of this district. He is a man who has won his position through genuine merit. He has had to work for all that life has given him ever since his boyhood days, and as a judge he has not given up the habits of a lifetime, but is just as hard working as he was when teach- ing school in order to earn the money for his legal education. Judge Van Atta was a brilliant and successful lawyer before he was elected to the bench and he was widely known for the care and study which he put on all of his cases, and the successful outcome of many law suits in which he was the attorney. As a judge he is popular, both with the lawyers and the people, proving that he has the qualities of the judicial mind, combined with a far reaching knowledge of the law and tempered with a keen sense of justice.
Judge Robert Van Atta was born at Rensselaer, Indiana, on the 15th of January, 1871. He is a son of John R. Van Atta, who was born in Hoopstown, Pennsylvania, August 2, 1846. John R. Van Atta became a merchant and spent all of his active life in that business. He married Tirzah Coen, who was born on a farm in Fountain county, Indiana. They reside now in Rensselaer, Indiana, Mr. Van Atta having retired from active life. Two children were born to them, a daughter who died August 20, 1906, and the Judge.
Robert M. Van Atta attended the public schools in Rensselaer until 1888, at which time he was graduated from the high school. He then entered the Indiana State University at Bloomington, and in 1893 was graduated from the school of liberal arts, receiving the degree of A. B. During the time in which he was a student at the University, he taught school in order to pay his expenses. He taught for two terms in Jasper county, Indiana, one term being in 1888-89 and another in 1891-92. In this way he was able to complete his college course. Not content with this general education he determined to take up the study of law and after his graduation he again became a teacher with this end in view. He became principal of the Remington, Indiana, high school, remain- ing at this post for the two years following his graduation. In the fall of 1895 he went to Monroeville, Indiana, as superintendent of the schools in that place. He remained there for two years and then was able to return to the University and enter the law school. He remained here during 1897-98 and completed his work for admission to the bar of the state.
It was on September 10, 1898, that he began the practice of law in Marion. He was first alone in his work but later became a partner with C. K. Holloway, the firm being known as Holloway & Van Atta. After this partnership was dissolved he became the senior member of the firm of Van Atta & Myers, George E. Myers being his associate. After the dissolution of this partnership Mr. Van Atta practiced alone until 1903, when he formed a partnership with Field W. Swezey, under the name of Swezey & Van Atta. This firm continued in a very suc- cessful way, with a large clientele until the spring of 1909. During this time Mr. Van Atta became keenly interested in the public improve- ments of the city and as a member of the board of public works during 1908-09, he was very influential in the forwarding of the work of this board.
On the 1st of September, 1910, Mr. Van Atta was nominated as
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judge of the superior court of Grant and Delaware counties and he was elected at the ensuing election for a term of four years, which expires on December 31, 1914. The convention which nominated Judge Van Atta was a notable one and one which will be long talked of in this section. It was held at Fairmount with thirty-six delegates from Grant county and thirty-five from Delaware in attendance. The candidates were George W. Cromer, F. M. McClellan of Muncie, Charles T. Parker of Fairmount and Judge Van Atta. The convention began its sessions at one o'clock on the afternoon of August 31, and continued until five o'clock in the morning of September 1, when Judge Van Atta was nominated on the three hundred and third ballot.
Judge Van Atta is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He belongs to the Marion Golf Club and to the Mecca Club.
Judge Van Atta married Ella A. Buskirk of Bloomington, Indiana, on the 23rd of December, 1896, at Anderson, Indiana. Mrs. Van Atta is a daughter of John and Ella (Broadwell) Buskirk; Mr. Buskirk is a well known lawyer of Bloomington, Indiana, and his wife was born in Lafayette, Indiana. Two children have been born to the judge and his wife, Marjorie and a child who died in infancy.
MARION PUBLIC LIBRARY. Prior to the year 1884 there had been no successful attempt to establish a free public library for the city of Marion. There was, it is true, a private library established in 1880 by prominent citizens of the then town of Marion, who were to pay annually $5.00 for its maintenance. The library was located in the old Court House. It was open on Saturday afternoon to subscribers only.
In the year 1884 at the suggestion of Professor Hamilton S. McCrae, then Superintendent of the Marion Public Schools, R. W. Bailey, Elkanah Hulley and Elijah Kitch, then trustees of the school town of Marion, decided to establish a free public library in conjunction with the public schools. On June the 4th of that year the following was spread of record on the minutes of the Board: "On motion it was decided to levy a tax of 1-3 of a mill on the dollar of all taxable prop- erty in the school town of Marion for the purpose of establishing a free Public Library in connection with the common schools of the town of Marion." This was the beginning of the present City Library. While the amount of the levy for library purposes has varied at times it has always been maintained.
While the levy for library purposes was made in 1884, the library was not fully established until July, 1888. Professor McCrae was succeeded in the management of affairs April 19th, 1887, by Professor J. K. Waltz, who took charge of the library at its opening and became the librarian. He continued in this capacity until he was succeeded by Ida R. Gruwell. Mrs. Gruwell remained in this office for a number of years. It was largely through her efficient work that the library grew to its present dimensions.
The library opened with about 1,000 volumes, most of which had been purchased from the proceeds of a small tax levy. A few, however, were gifts from the Citizens' Library before mentioned, from private libraries and other sources. In 1898 the number of volumes had in- creased to 5,000. At the present time the number of volumes exceeds 24,000.
For the first four years the library was open to the public only on Saturdays. Since that time it has been open daily except Sunday and from 1895 to 1902 it was open two evenings each week from 7 to 9 o'clock. In September, 1897, the "Open Shelf" system of selecting books was adopted and a public reading room fitted up.
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The library first occupied quarters in the Tharp Block, corner Fourth and Branson Streets. In 1889 it was moved to the second floor of the Board of Trade Building on Adams street. In 1890 it was moved to the second floor of the Charles Block on Washington street. In 1891 it was moved to the basement of the High School Building where it remained until 1895 when it was removed to the Mather Block corner Fourth and Branson Streets. In 1897 it was removed to the G. A. R. Hall, 307-311 East Fourth Street where it remained until removed to the new building.
Very early in the history of the library it became evident that it must have a permanent home. The rapid increase in the number of books and the corresponding increase in necessary fixtures made fre- quent change of location next to impossible. Besides this the Library had grown to such proportions that adequate and convenient quarters for its accommodation could no longer be rented.
The first step towards the consummation of the plans for a new building was taken December 3rd, 1900, when at the regular meeting, all members being present, the Board ordered the following for record in their minutes: "The matter of a location for a City Library Build- ing was taken up and it was finally decided that the Flinn lot, corner Sixth and Washington streets was most desirable. A report showing the growth of the library and the need of a permanent home was adopted and the consent of the City Council asked to purchase the lot."
At the meeting of December 7th, 1900, the following additional record was made: "The report of this Board to the City Council hav- ing been approved and the action of the Council having authorized the purchase of a lot for a library building as requested, it is ordered that the lot on the southwest corner of Washington and Sixth streets be pur- chased, the consideration being $6,600 less $600 donated by Peter G. Flinn, the owner, and that warrants be issued in payment therefor to the amount of $6,000.
The next step was to secure funds for the erection of the building. To do this the Board first decided to secure through legislation the privi- lege of issuing bonds. Accordingly a bill was prepared which passed in the legislature being approved and in force February 13th, 1901, authorizing Board of School Trustees, in cities with population of 15,- 000 and over to issue bonds in any sum not exceeding $100,000 for the purpose of erecting buildings for library and school offices to be used in connection with the common schools of said city.
Before proceeding with the bonds the Board having heard of the generous bequests of Hon. Andrew Carnegie, decided to appeal to him for help. Accordingly a letter was draughted and forwarded to Mr. Carnegie, asking aid to which he quickly responded. The present hand- some structure of which every citizen of Marion is justly proud being the outcome.
The library has grown greatly since the new quarters were occupied. The number of volumes is at present more than double the number moved from the little building on Fourth street. Under the present administration many improvements have been added. It is the desire of all in authority to make the library not only attractive to the eye but of real service to the community.
WILLIAM R. YOUNG. The business enterprise of the firm of Young Brothers at Marion has manifested itself in the business of artistic interior decoration, and in that field they occupy an enviable position. As interior decorators and contractors for painting and paperhanging, both William R. and B. F. Young are specialists. They came to Marion
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on Labor Day, 1899, and "labor" has been the program since that time. W. R. Young bought an interest conducted by the late G. D. Elliott, and at his death the firm became Young & Michaels, and sub- sequently Young Brothers, when B. F. Young acquired an interest.
While the Young Brothers came direct from Elwood to Marion, they are natives of Carthage, Indiana, where their father and grandfather before them had been contractors along the same line-painting, paper- hanging and interior decoration. They have always lived in Indiana, and have had their share of patronage since catering to the Marion public as decorators and painters.
They carry a full line of paints in stock, and while not making special efforts to supply the retail trade, they furnish material for all the contracts taken by them. Both W. R. and B. F. Young understand all the details of the business, and furnish estimates on prospective jobs. A specialty with them is interior church decoration, and they have handled a number of contracts in other towns. A considerable part of their patronage comes from farmers, and they recognize the fact that country homes have all the ornamentation which is placed in town houses, and all real estate dealers as well as property owners know the value of paint when offering property on the market. The firm gives employment to a large force of men, and the man who holds a place under Young Brothers must understand the art of painting and decorating in order to hold his position.
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