Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 23

Author: Rolland Lewis Whitson
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Indiana > Grant County > Centennial History of Grant County Indiana > Part 23

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ing. He is now very glad the only town clock is there. The regret of the citizens is that there are not other town clocks scattered about in the different localities.

Samuel and Hannah Hulley were a well known family in the early history of Marion, and the late Joseph Hulley and his family are all of the name immediately identified with local history aside from Elkanah Hulley. On March 20, 1873, Elkanah Hulley was married to Miss Amanda Jane Neal, a daughter of Thomas J. and Elizabeth Brownlee Neal. Mrs. Hulley has spent her entire life in Marion. Her parents were contemporary with the early families, and her father was in the galaxy of old-time Marion business men once known to everybody. Mrs. Hulley has two living brothers, Charles E., and Rev. Tom C. Neal, while Dr. James C. Neal, who died a few years ago, was the Neal-Brownlee family historian. Her sisters were: Mrs. Kate Condo and Miss Mary Eliza- beth Neal.

The three sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Hulley are: Lewis S. Hulley, who married Miss Mabel Heichert, and their children are Philip H., Katherine, and Elkanah; the second son is Ernest N. Hulley, who married Miss Estella Oliver, and their children are Oliver S. and Cath- erine Lorain Hulley ; the third son is Dr. Edwin S. Hulley, who married Miss Margaret Anderson, and their children are: Joanna Jane, and Margaret Frances Hulley. Lewis S. Hulley lives in Cleveland, Ohio, and Ernest N. Hulley in Allegan, Michigan, while Dr. E. S. Hulley lives in Marion.

The Hulley family belongs to the First Methodist Church in Marion, and for forty years Mr. Hulley has been chief usher there. He was for years superintendent of the Sunday school, and has been church trustee for many years. The Neal family is all musical, and Mrs. Hulley and her sons are all singers in demand at all times. Mrs. Hulley's voice has been heard in song at funerals where she hardly knew the family, but in calling together a quartet for such occasions, when an alto voice is lacking, all musical committees seem to know that they may depend upon her. The Hulley home is near the Hulley church, and Sundays rarely pass without Mr. and Mrs. Hulley in the congregation there. Few Marion families are more intimately associated with all the affairs of the community.

WILLIAM HILLSAMER. The Hillsamer and related families have been identified with Grant county since the first decade of its organization. The various members have been as a rule farmers and always good citi- zens, and have borne the responsibilities of life with exceptional integrity and beneficent service.

William Hillsamer, so well known in business and civic affairs in Marion county, was born on a farm in Washington township in Grant county, now known as the James Charles farm, on July 8, 1867. His parents were Mark and Edith (Woolman) Hillsamer. Edith Woolman was born in Marion in 1836, the Woolmans being one of the first families to locate in the city of Marion. Mark Hillsamer was born in Warren county, Ohio, August 15, 1835, and was a son of David and Caroline (Gage) Hillsamer.

David Hillsamer, the grandfather, and the original founder of the family in Grant county, brought his family to Monroe township in 1841, but after eighteen months bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Washington township. The purchase price was eight hundred dol- lars. The deed which is now in the possession of William Hillsamer in Marion, is a very interesting document, not only for its age, it date being December 8, 1841, but particularly because the name of Robert

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MRS. FREDERICK WILHELM

FREDERICK WILHELM

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Marshall, the grandfather of Vice-president Marshall of the United States was signed to the document as its writer. Since the date of that deed the land has been in the Hillsamer family down to the present time. David Hillsamer lived on that farm until his death in 1877, when he was sixty-seven years of age, his birth having occurred in 1810. His wife died many years earlier.

Mark Hillsamer, whose birth has already been mentioned was seven years old when the family came to Grant county. He spent all his career as a farmer and owned a place adjoining that of his father in Washington township, where he lived until he removed just a few years before his death to 229 N. Washington Street in the city of Marion. There his death occurred October 12, 1909. He was a prominent mem- ber of the United Brethren church in Marion. His widow is still living, and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Louisa Martin in Wash- ington township. There were ten children in the family of the parents, nine of them now living, namely : Lucy H., wife of Robert Thompson, of Marion; Louise E., wife of Stephen Martin, on a farm in Washington township; Marion F., who owns and occupies the old homestead; Miss Jennie, of Marion; Morton, of Marion; William; Mary D., wife of Charles Oglesby, a farmer in Washington township; Walter, who owns and farms the old estate of his grandfather in Washington township; Harve, who was killed in a railroad wreck at Logansport; and Charles, who has his home on a farm in Washington township.

William Hillsamer, having been born on a farm, and educated in the district schools, spent his youth in the occupation of the country, and remained on the home farm until he was twenty-two. He then went into the meat business in Marion, and has continued in this line of trade ever since. For some time he had a market up town, but for the past eighteen years has been at his present location on North Wash- ington Street. He began business in 1888. He is both a wholesale and retail dealer in meats. For the past four years he has been identified with the automobile business. On North Washington Street he owns a concrete block, one half of which is given up to his meat market and the other half to his automobile salesroom. Among the other progres- sions which his business management has acquired, and which helps to constitute him one of the prosperous men of Grant county, is a sixty- acre farm just at the edge of the city limits and half a mile from the business center, and he also is interested in other affairs.

On September 6, 1893, Mr. Hillsamer married Mamie E. Hedrick, daughter of J. G. and Mary (Hoover) Hedrick, of Bunker Hill, Miami county. Their son Glen is associated with his father in business. The son Roy died at the age of seven years. Mr. Hillsamer is a member of the Marion board of park commissioners, and is now serving his third year as secretary of the board. He has been a Republican since he cast his first vote, and fraternally is affiliated with the Benevolent Crew of Neptunes in Marion. Mrs. Hillsamer belongs to the Baptist Church.

FREDERICK WILHELM. Prominent among the agriculturists of Grant county stands Frederick Wilhelm, a sterling citizen of Jefferson town- ship, who is deserving of a tribute to his worth. At all times a most true and loyal citizen, faithful to the best interests of his country whether in peace or in war, he is honored and highly respected by all who have his acquaintance. More than sixty-five years have passed since he located here, and he has always had deeply at heart the well-being and improvement of his adopted state, and has used his influence wher- sver possible for the promotion of industries and institutions calculated to be of lasting benefit to this section. Mr. Wilhelm was born at West-

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minster, Carroll county, Maryland, March 6, 1844, a son of Frederick and Margaret (Duncus) Wilhelm, and a member of an old Prussian family which is reviewed elsewhere in this work, in the sketch of John Wilhelm.

The father of Mr. Wilhelm was born in Prussia, December 5, 1812, and there his parents spent their lives. He grew up in his native place, received ordinary educational advantages, for some time followed the vocation of farmer, and finally learned the trade of stone mason. As such he went to Bremen and Havre, Germany, and at the latter place was married to Margaret Duncus, who was born in Bremen, September 5, 1813. She was of pure German ancestry and was a lady of many attainments and excellent education. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm went to Russia for a short time, but soon returned to Bremen, from whence they took passage on a sailing vessel "Elizabeth" for the United States, a journey that consumed sixteen weeks. During this trip their oldest child, a daughter, was born and was named after the ship on which they were traveling. After landing at Baltimore, Maryland, the father secured employment with a Maryland planter, and for some years worked not far from the capital, but in 1847 turned his face toward the West and brought his family, including his three- year-old son Frederick, down the river to Wheeling, West Virginia, thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, and from there, in a one-horse wagon to Indianapolis, Indiana. Subsequently the family moved to Delaware county, and during the next year Mr. Wilhelm purchased forty acres of land on school section No. 16, in Jefferson township, Grant county. Establishing their home in a little log cabin, these brave and sturdy pioneers started to clear and improve their property, and as the years passed erected a good house and substantial outbuildings and increased their possessions until they had between 300 and 400 acres. There the father died October 1, 1868. The mother, who survived him for a long period, come to Upland, Indiana, in her later years, and here passed away November 5, 1905, being a little past the advanced age of ninety- two years. Before coming to the United States Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm were members of the Lutheran church, but here early joined the Shiloh Methodist Episcopal church, and throughout the remainder of their lives continued to support its movements liberally. Mr. Wilhelm was a Republican in his political views, was a stanch Union man, and lived to see the cause he considered just triumph. Of the children of the Wilhelms, Frederick, John and Noah still survive. Their sister, Eliza- beth, died at the age of twelve years in Jefferson township, and a brother, David, died when three years of age.

Frederick Wilhelm has been a resident of Grant county from the time he reached his fourth year. Here he received his education in the district schools, during the securing of which he assisted his father and brothers in the work of the homestead, and it was but natural that he should adopt the vocation of farmer, which he has followed through- out his life. In 1873 he sold the forty acres which he had purchased from his father on section 16, and bought his present home of eighty acres on section 15, then partly improved with a log cabin. Later he built his present eight-room house, with basement, painted white, a structure which would grace any property, and in 1888 erected a sub- stantial barn. His other improvements are modern in character, and his land is now nearly all under cultivation, yielding him handsome returns for the labor he expends upon it. He has ever been known to be honorable in business transactions, and has won his success through no chicanery. Earnest, persistent effort has overcome the obstacles

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that have arisen in his path, and he bears well the American title of self-made man.

While still residing with his parents, Mr. Wilhelm enlisted August 8, 1862, in Company C, Eighty-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out of the Union service July 19, 1865. Between these dates he took part in some of the most sanguine battles of the great Civil war, his first important engagement being at Mum- fordville, Kentucky, where he really received his baptism of fire, On September 15, 16 and 17, 1862, occurred the battle of Mumfordville, Ken- tucky. and on September 17, the entire regiment was captured. The same day the regiment was paroled and on October 1, 1862, it reached Indianapolis where they were all furloughed home for twenty-seven days, then on October 27, 1862, the regiment all met again at Indianapolis where they were in a parole camp until December 5, 1862, when the regi- ment joined the Army of the Mississippi, then under Gen. Sherman, later under Gen. Grant. Following this he participated with that hard- fighting organization in the battles under Gen. A. J. Smith, of the Sixteenth Army Corps, and throughout the Red river campaign and up and down the Mississippi under General Banks. His engagements toward the close of his service included Tupelo, Nashville, Yellow Bayou and Mobile, and after the latter he received his honorable discharge, having made a record for bravery and faithfulness to duty of which any man might well be proud.

Mr. Wilhelm was married November 5, 1868, in Jefferson township, to Miss Jane Crow, who was born in Washington township, Delaware county, Indiana, September 5, 1844, and there reared and educated, coming to Grant county in 1864. She is the daughter of John and Nancy (Johnson) Crow, the former born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, in 1813, and the latter in Guernsey county, Ohio, about the year 1816. They were married in the latter county and came at onee to Delaware county, Indiana, starting their married life on a farm in Washington township, which had been entered from the Government in 1835 by the father of Mrs. Crow. After making a number of improvements, Mr. and Mrs. Crow came to Grant county and located in Jefferson township, and here the mother died in 1887, and the father, July 19, 1891, both in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which they had been lifelong members. To. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm there were born the following children : Nora E., who became the wife of Willis Miller, of Anderson, Indiana, and has one son, Ralph, attending school; John R., a resi- dent of Dobson, Blaine county, Montana, who married Druzie Winchell, of Marion, Indiana, and has four children living, Aline, Lewis, Fred- erick and Paul, all living at home, also one child, Hester, who died aged two years; Minnie M., who is the wife of the Rev. William C. Asay, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Sharpsville, Tipton county, Indiana, and has two children, Frederick Waldo Asay and Wendell Wilhelm Asay; B. Harley, a farmer of Union township, Delaware county, Indiana, who married Gertrude Keever and has a daughter, Opal; Bertha L., a graduate of Taylor University of Upland, and now a teacher in the Frankton schools, Madison county; Alta, the wife of John Webster, of Jay county, now living at Othello, Adams county, state of Washington, who has one daughter, Lucile; and Charles, now engaged in operating his father's land, who married Grace Randolph, of Upland. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm are consistent members of the Pres- byterian church at Matthews. He is a Republican in politics, but has not cared for public affairs except as they affect the interests of his community. He has a firm hold on the confidence and respect of his fellow-townsmen, due not less to an irreproachable life than to a recog- nition of his many sterling traits of character.

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J. CLARENCE CARR, one of the most active young business men in the city of Marion, Indiana, is a prominent figure in the real estate world in this section of the state. He is of that type of modern business men who are firm believers in the practicality of progressive methods of doing business and who are not afraid of inno- vations. Although of Southern birth and parentage, Mr. Carr shows none of the traits commonly associated with the easy going Southerner. He is active and energetic and although still a young man he has made a reputation as a business man of ability.

J. Clarence Carr was born on the 21st of December, 1871, in Isle of Wight county, Virginia. He is the son of Solomon J. and Mary (Vaughn) Carr, both of whom were born in Virginia. On both his father's and mother's side his ancestors came to Virginia in the early days of the country from England. Solomon J. Carr was a large land owner and a contractor in Virginia, and he died in that state in 1875. Mrs. Carr lived until 1903. They were the parents of four children, three of whom are now living. These are Darius W. Carr of Windsor, Vir- ginia; Claudius L. Carr, of Lewisburg, West Virginia; and J. Clarence Carr.

The childhood and youth of J. Clarence Carr were entirely spent within the bounds of his native state. He received his earlier education in the common schools of the state and later spent two years in a military academy at Suffolk, Virginia. He began his business career as a shoe salesman for his brother at Newport News, Virginia, and later went to Norfolk, where he managed a shoe store for another brother. He re- mained here for two years and then he engaged in the management of a merchandise brokerage office in the same city. After two years in this line he determined to come further west and so in 1896 he came to Marion, Indiana. Here he first engaged in the merchandise brokerage business, but after a year of this he decided there was a greater opening in the real estate field and so became engaged in real estate, insurance and first mortgage real-estate loans. He has built up a flourishing business and in addition has established a fine reputation for fair and upright dealing, a fact that is constantly increasing the volume of his business.

Mr. Carr was married on the 31st of December, 1893, to Miss Carrie E. Jones, of Norfolk, Virginia. She is the daughter of the Reverend C. J. Jones, D. D., who for two years was the pastor of the Christian Temple in Marion. He died in 1907. Mrs. Carr is a woman of culture and education and she and her husband are very popular in the social world of Marion.

Mr. Carr is a member of the First Methodist Church, and in addi- tion to being one of the stewards is very much interested in Sunday School work, being secretary of tha body. He is a Republican in poli- tics and a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the Ben Hurs.

SAMUEL WOODS. One of the oldest of the pioneer settlers of Grant county, Indiana, is Samuel Woods, who came to Grant county in 1859. He is well known and highly respected throughout the county, and although he is now retired from active business and is also almost totally blind, yet he takes just as keen an interest in the events that occur in the outside world and in matters of local interest as he ever did. He served his country faithfully in the days of the Civil war, and the hard working and upright life that he has always led surely entitles him to the respect and friendship which is so generously accorded him through- out the county.

Samuel Woods was born on the 22d of February, 1837, in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. His father was John Woods, who was also born

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in Pennsylvania, but what his mother's name was Mr. Woods does not know, for she died when he was but a babe in arms. John Woods earned his living in a number of ways. He taught school at one time and at another conducted a hotel, and for some time was a superintendent of construction on the Pennsylvania and Ohio canal.

Samuel Woods lived in Pennsylvania until he was twenty-two years of age and then he came to Grant county, where he has lived ever since. It was only a few years after he had settled in Grant county that the Civil war came to a head and Samuel Woods enlisted as a member of Company "H," Eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. During his mili- tary service he suffered a terrible misfortune in having his eyes burned so badly that now he is scarcely able to see.

For eighteen years Mr. Woods worked at his trade of wagonmaker in Marion, but when his eyes became so affected that he could not see clearly enough to continue in his trade he took up teaming and worked at that for some time. He has now retired from business and makes his home with his adopted daughter, Mrs. Washburn.

For many years Mr. Woods has been a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and has always been a loyal and active member of this ancient fraternity. He joined the order in 1863 when he was home from the front on a furlough and he is consequently one of the oldest Masons in the county in point of membership. In his religious beliefs he is a member of the Friends church, having been affiliated with this church for thirty years.

On the 24th of September, 1868, Mr. Woods was married to Harriet M. Malott, who was born and reared in Grant county. She died on July 29, 1911. They had no children, but they adopted a daughter, Maud May Hollingsworth, who is now Mrs. Effie Washburn, of Marion.

JESSE T. BRADFORD. The Bradford family, of which Jesse T. Brad- ford, now retired, is the head, has long been prominent in Grant county, having been established here since October, 1843. Thus seventy years of identity with the county has given a wide acquaintance to the family in these parts, and each succeeding year has added its quota to the well established position of the family in honor and esteem in which it is held by the public. Seventy years on the farm is the honorable record of Jesse Bradford, but his residence in Marion dates back only to the year 1906, when he retired from active life and settled down to the peace and quiet of a retired life in the city.

Jesse T. Bradford was born on January 20, 1836, and is the son of George and Elizabeth (Chell) Bradford. The father was a native of West Virginia, born in that state in 1783, and the mother also was a Virginian by birth. In 1843 George Bradford came to this county, having been a visitor to Indiana some two years previous, when he bought a piece of land and made ready in some measure to transplant his Virginia family to Indiana soil. His farm was a quarter section in Washington township, and here the family settled, making their home for some years. In 1855 the senior Bradford died, after having passed twelve years in his new home. The Bradford family is one of English stock, while the Chells are of German ancestry. John Bradford, the father of George, who established the family in Indiana, came from England where he was born, and settled in Virginia, where they settled in Hardy county, now called Grant county, Virginia. George Brad- ford was twice married. He first married Mary Stingley and to them were born four sons, namely : John, George, Leonard and Daniel, none of whom are alive today. The second wife was Elizabeth Chell, the mother of Jesse Bradford. Sixteen children were born to this latter

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union, concerning whom brief mention is made here as follows: Rachel, who married John McNamara, is now deceased; Isaac, Henry, Moses, Casper, Joseph, and William R. are all deceased; Catherine, who married David Schuff, is living in Washington township, and is about eighty-five years old, as is her husband; Rebecca married George W. Camblin and lives at Falls City, Nebraska; Mary J. is dead; Elizabeth Ann is the wife of Amos Harlan, of Huntington county, Indiana; Jesse T, of this review ; the remaining four, whose names are not available at this point, died in infancy.

Jesse T. Bradford was not what might have been called an educated man, his schooling being represented by sixty-five days attendance in the common schools of his home community. He lived on the home farm until he was twenty-five, at which time he moved to a place of his own, a quarter mile distant from the home place, located on section fifteen, in Washington township, and there he lived for forty-seven years. He still owns a share in the old home farm in section sixteen, but it is long since he took an active interest in the work of the place.

Mr. Bradford, like his father, has been twice married. His first wife was Lucy J. Gaines, who was reared in Washington township, Grant county, and to their union, which was solemnized on November 4, 1860, were born four sons: Elmer, deceased; Walter J., of Marion; Oscar C., of whom mention is made at length in another Bradford sketch to be found elsewhere in this work; and another child, who died in infancy. On the fifth day of March, 1874, the wife and mother passed away, and on April 11, 1875, Mr. Bradford married Angeline Silvers, who bore him five children. One of the number died in infancy and the others were: Frank S., now living on the home farm; Clarence W., an attorney of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Ernest B., of Laporte, Indiana; and Clinton B., a resident of Grant county.

Mr. Bradford was for many years a stanch Republican in his political faith, but he later embraced Prohibition, although his support, in the main, is given to the man he regards most fitted for service, regardless of party affiliations. He is one of the honored and honorable men of the county, and his position has long been a prominent one in his community and wherever he is known.

OSCAR P. BRADFORD. A native of the town of which he is now acting trustee, and a young business man of ability, is Oscar C. Bradford, who was born December 18, 1869, in Washington township, Grant county. He is a son of Jesse T. and Lucy J. (Gaines) Bradford, and it may be mentioned here that the Bradford family is one of the best known fam- ilies in Grant county today, being mentioned at greater length in the sketch of Jesse T. Bradford, preceding this brief review.

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Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 23

Author: Rolland Lewis Whitson Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Rolland Lewis Whitson
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1034