Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 31

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

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Charles F. Marley grew up on a farm, and after completing his edu- cation decided that farming offered the best opportunities for a success- ful career, and since his marriage he and his wife have owned and operated four hundred acres of land lying in section eight, one hundred acres in section three, and fifty acres in section nine, all in Jefferson township. Fine farm buildings, including a dwelling of twelve rooms, a large barn on the main farm, sixty by one hundred and twenty feet in ground dimensions, and many other notable improvements indicate the progressive management of the Marley estate. Mr. Marley has learned the secret of making a high-priced land pay profits, and he does this by feeding all the grain and other crops to hogs, cattle, sheep and horses of the better grade, and his stock always command the top- notch prices, when sent to market.

On February 8, 1909, in Jefferson township, Mr. Marley married Miss Elva Johnson, who was born in Jefferson township in 1885, a daughter of Noah Johnson, whose career as that of one of Grant county's well known former citizens is sketched on other pages. Mrs. Marley grew up in this county, had a public school education, and has entered spiritedly and actively into the plans and career of her husband. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Marley are as follows: Geneva; Joseph J .; James Robert; and Charles, who died when three months old.

AMOS PUGH. One of Grant county's sterling citizens, for many years an active farmer of Jefferson township, and a man whose quiet and upright character, left its impress in his community, was the late Amos Pugh, who died at his homestead in section fourteen of Jefferson township, April 12, 1905.

Amos Pugh was born in that township, on the old Pugh estate, entered by his father, on July 17, 1844, and was sixty-one years of age, when death came to him. He was reared and educated in his home locality, and from young manhood followed farming, and with such industry and good management that he left his family in good circum- stances. From 1884 until his death he lived on a farm of forty acres in section fourteen. His personal labors had entered into the develop- ment of that place, and among its improvements are a comfortable nine-room house, surrounded with attractive grounds, and also a good barn. Mr. Pugh lived his later years as almost an invalid, and his death was from bright's disease.

The parents of the late Amos Pugh were Marshall and Elizabeth Pugh, who were born in Virginia. were married in Ohio and in the latter twenties, or early thirties came to Indiana and took up land. in the wilderness of Grant county. Their first log-cabin home was built in the green woods, and as they possessed the hardy character of the

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typical pioneers they prospered in proportion to their efforts. Marshall Pugh was born in 1795, and his wife in 1804. They were working mem- bers of the Methodist faith, and assisted in the organization of the old Shiloh M. E. Church, and Marshall Pugh gave the cemetery in which the body of himself and wife now lie side by side. They had a large family of children, and the only survivor is Alfred, a justice of the peace at Upland, who lives with his children.

On January 18, 1866, Amos Pugh was married in Jefferson town- ship to Margaret Walker, who was born in that locality August 27, 1842, and is now living on the Pugh homestead. She was reared and educated in her native township, and after her marriage entered actively into the plans and works of her husband and was a good manager and largely responsible for the success which came to both of them. Since her husband's death she has lived on the farm, and has done much to increase its value and improvements. Mrs. Pugh is a daughter of John and Miriam (Case) Walker. John Walker was born in Virginia, a son of Joseph Walker, and when a young man moved to Ohio, where he married in Preble county. Two children were born in that county, and in 1834, the Walker family came on further west and found location in Grant county. The journey was made across the country with wagon and team, and they entered upon their possessions in Grant county as typical pioneers. The portion of the land which he secured for his homestead was in the school section, and the father devoted many years of labor to the clearing up and developing of a home. A man of excep- tional education, he not only did farming, but spent the winter seasons for a number of years in teaching in the community. His death occurred in Jefferson township in July 1845, when only thirty-six years of age. Some years later his widow married Jesse Ballinger, and they reared a family, and died on their farm in Grant county, she being past seventy- five years of age, and he a little older. There were six children in the Ballinger household. John Walker and wife also had six children. namely: Samuel, who died in 1908, in Jefferson township, where he was a farmer, and left two children; Catherine, became the wife of James Needler, and they are both now deceased, leaving a family; Mary died after her marriage to William Simons, who now lives at Summits- ville, Indiana; Sarah J., died when nine months old. The next in line is Mrs. Pugh, and William C. Walker, deceased, was a well known carpenter of Grant county, to whom is accorded separate space in this volume.

Mrs. Pugh is a member of the Jefferson Christian Church as was her husband. The latter always voted the Democratic ticket. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Pugh was William Elmer, who was born October 21, 1866, was well educated, took up the occupation of milling, and after some years spent in that business he died at the home of his parents, November 5, 1894. He was at that time less than thirty years of age, was a young man of great promise, and very popular in the community. In politics he gave his support to the Prohibition cause and voted for the candidate, Mr. St. John. Mrs. Pugh has also fostered two children, and has given them the care and affection of a true mother. The first of these is Effie, who was well educated in the public schools, and who married O. C. Needler, a successful young farmer in Jeffer- son township, and a son of Joseph Needler. Mrs. Pugh also reared a niece, Lois E. Simons, and she was married at the Pugh homestead to Louis Hanley.

THOMAS J. LUCAS. Among the old families of Grant county, that bearing the name of Lucas has been identified with this region since

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the days when the wilderness and the Indians prevailed. Its members have followed farming chiefly as their occupation, though the name is also represented in the profession and in public affairs. Mr. Thomas J. Lucas of Fairmount has for many years been a successful farmer, and is now active in public affairs as county commissioner from the third district of the county.

The family ancestry goes back to early Scotch settlers of America, The first home of the family in America was in the state of Virginia, . where the Lucases and related families lived for several generations. The grandfather of Thomas J. Lucas was Basil Lucas, a native of Virginia, who married a Miss Milburn. . A recent investigator of this family records has shown that Mr. Lucas is a direct kinsman of General Thomas Jefferson Lucas, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, and also in the war with Mexico during the 40s. General L. J. Lucas was a son of General Lucas, who gained distinction as a soldier under Napoleon in the French wars. Basil Lucas was also related to William Penn, the founder of the Pennsylvania colony.

After his marriage in Virginia, Basil Lucas emigrated to Highland county, Ohio, where he was one of the early settlers, and where he followed farming. He died when about eighty years of age, and his wife was probably about the same age at the time of her death. They were Methodists in religion, and the father voted the Democratic ticket. The children of these parents were: 1. Basil, Jr., a farmer, who came to Grant county, where he died. He reared two daughters who grew to maturity. 2. Joseph Lucas located in Randolph county, Indiana, mar- ried and had a family of six children of whom one is still living. 3. John, married in Ohio, then came to Randolph county, Indiana, later to Grant county, where he died. He left the following named children : Noah, Julia, David, Anna, and Mary, the last two being still alive. 4. Rev. Simeon came to Randolph county, and spent all his active career as a preacher for the Methodist Church. He was married in Ohio, and he and his wife left a family of children. 5. Noah, lived and died in Ohio, where he was married and had two sons. 6. Thomas Milburn was the father of Thomas J. Lucas, and his family record is given at greater length hereafter. 7. William was a veteran of the Mexican war, and for his services in that conflict received a grant of land in the oid Indian Reserve in Grant county. After improving this estate he moved to Ohio and died in Allen county of that state. ' He was a devout Metho- dist, and a great worker for his church. He was married but had no children. William Lucas was also distinguished as a powerful athlete; and in the early days often wrestled with the Indians. 8. Sarah married a Mr. Allison, and they lived and died in Illinois, leaving two daughters. 9. Anna married a Mr. Bragg, and they spent their lives in Ohio as farmers. In their family was one son who proved his bravery as a Union soldier during the Civil war. 10. Amos, was married, lived in Ohio, and left one son.

Thomas Milburn Lucas, the father, was born in Highland county, Ohio, June 10, 1814. Growing up on a farm, he was one of a number of children, and owing to such a large family and the pioneer circumstances of the times, it was often difficult for the parents to provide all the necessities of life. The children went barefoot throughout the summer season, and as the procuring of shoes was not an easy matter some of the children often went without until well into the winter season. Shortly after he became of age, Thomas M. Lucas was married on May 23, 1839, in Ohio, to Mary Moore Shoemaker. She was born in New Jersey, March 30, 1813, and was a child when she came over the Alleghany Mountains in wagon and team to Highland county with her parents.

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Her father, George Shoemaker, married a Miss Moore. Both her par- ents lived and died on a farm in Ohio, and reached advanced age. The Shoemakers were all Methodists.

In Ohio was born George M. Lucas, the first child of Thomas M. and wife. After his birth the family moved to Grant county. The father had come to this county in 1840, locating a tract of government land on Barren Creek in Jefferson township. He then rode all the way back to Southern Ohio, and after entering and making his first payment on the land at the land office at Fort Wayne, finally set out in 1842 with his young wife and child across country to their new home. The settlement of the Lucas family in Jefferson township was in the midst of the green timber, and their first home was a primitive log cabin, with greased paper for window light, with a puncheon floor, and with a door made of slabs hung on wooden hinges. Practically all the expe- riences which have been described as a portion of the early settlers of Grant county were participated in by the early Lucas family. Among other things they had to pay a pound of pork for a pound of all the salt used in their establishment. Thomas M. Lucas prospered as a farmer, and eventually owned three hundred and twenty acres of land, having put three hundred acres of this under cultivation and improve- ment. His death occurred in March, 1874, while his wife survived him several years. Mrs. Lucas, the mother, as a housewife in those pioneer days probably had no superior. She was noted for her excellent cook- ery, and her children remember that she was as fussy about the clean- liness of her puncheon floor on the old cabin as any modern housewife is about the hardwood floors which are now found in so many Grant county homes. Both father and mother were life-long Methodists, and took part in the first organization of the church in their section of the county. Thomas M. Lucas was an official of the church, a class leader, a trustee, and superintendent of the Sunday school.

The children of Thomas M. Lucas and wife are given the following records on these pages: 1. George died when twelve years of age. 2. Lavina is the wife of Levi Moorman, and lives at Matthews in Grant county. They are the parents of one son, Albert. 3. Albert Lucas, a retired farmer in Jonesboro, of Grant county, married Louisa Kidner, and their children are Otto and Armenta. 4. John, lives in Jefferson township, a prosperous farmer, and married Clementine Jenkins, and their children are Lona, William, Florence, Daisy, Inez, Albert, Charles, and Elizabeth. 5. Anna M. is the wife of William P. Roush, living in Mill township, where they are substantial farming people. Their chil- dren are Nettie and Walter, both the children being now deceased. Walter was a student of Purdue and went with a party of students to Indianapolis to a football game, but the train was wrecked and he was killed. 6. Thomas J. was the youngest of the family.

Mr. Thomas J. Lucas was born in Jefferson township at the old homestead, December 18, 1849. His early training was received in the public schools. Taking up the career of farming he early accumulated some property, developed a good homestead, and still has his old farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres in Jefferson township. It is improved with an excellent barn, a comfortable dwelling, and on its feed lots and pastures run a number of horses, hogs and sheep. He raises corn, oats and wheat, and feeds practically all his crop to his stock. Mr. Lucas continued a resident on the home farm until 1892, when he moved to a house in town, at 117 South Sycamore Street. This is now one of the attractive homes of Fairmount.

September 25, 1872, in Jefferson township, Mr. Lucas married Amanda Dunn. She was born in Jefferson township, December 13, 1852,

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GEORGE NEEDLER AND WIFE

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and received her education in the same locality with her husband. Her parents were Harmon and Mary (Minnick) Dunn. Her father was born in Delaware county, Indiana, about 1822 or 1823. Her mother was a native of Rockingham county, Virginia. They were married in Grant county, and started out as farmers in the midst of the wilderness. They hewed a home out of the woods, and were among the substantial pioneer settlers in this section of the state. Mr. Dunn died during the last year of the Civil war in 1864, being in the prime of life. His widow died some years later, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joseph W. Littler, when seventy-six years of age. The Dunns were Presby- terians in religious faith. The children of the Dunn family were Elzina, widow of Robert F. Careins, and lives at Matthews, and has three sons; Amanda, the second, is Mrs. Lucas; Loretta is the widow of I. H. Shoe- maker, and has one son and two daughters, and lives in Oklahoma City; Calvin died at the age of twenty-two; Elizabeth is the wife of J. W. Littler, living in Jefferson township, and the mother of four daughters.

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Lucas comprise the following children : Dr. Wilbur was born June 22, 1872, was liberally educated and prepared for his profession in the Northwestern University at Chicago, where he was graduated M. D. in 1903. He is now in successful practice at Pueblo, Colorado, and was married October 7, 1908, to Edith M. John- son of that city, and they have one daughter, Edith Lenore, born Decem- ber 26, 1910. 2. Carl Dunn Lucas, D. D. S., was born October 24, 1879, graduated from the dental college of Indianapolis, in the class of 1902, and has a high rank as a practitioner of dentistry, and also through his other professional relations. He is a member of the faculty of the Indianapolis Dental College, and has gained a great reputation as a lecturer. on dentistry throughout the central states and the west. He married Effie Janet Carter, of Arcadia, Indiana, and they have a son, Carl, Jr. 3. Mabel, was born November 14, 1884, was educated in the Fairmount Academy, and married Dr. L. D. Holiday. Their children are Murrey L. and Philip L. 4. Georgia was born November 9, 1889, was educated in the city grammar and high schools, studied music in the Marion Conservatory, under Professors Owen & Nusbaum, and was later a student under Miss C. Louise Dunning of New York City, but now at Portland, Oregon. Miss Lucas is now taking a normal course, and as a student of great ambition and talents is preparing herself to teach the Dunning course of music.

Mr. and Mrs. Lucas are attendants at the Congregational Church. Mr. Lucas is now serving his second term as county commissioner of Grant county from the Third District, having been chosen on the Demo- cratic ticket. He has also served a term on the Fairmount City Council, and as a successful business man his services to the public have been greatly appreciated by the local citizenship. He is affiliated with Lodge No. 383, I. O. O. F., and with Lodge No. 381, Knights of Pythias, at Fairmount. He has passed all the chairs in these orders. In politics he is regarded as one of the leading Democrats of Grant County and has served as chairman of the township committee, and has frequently attended as a delegate the county, state and congressional sessions.

GEORGE NEEDLER. For seventy-nine years George Needler has lived in Grant county. His recollections cover almost three-quarters of a cen- tury, and he is one of the few survivors of the actual period of pioneer circumstances and events in Grant county. At the present time nearly every section of land in the entire area of Grant county is more or less improved, and every section is a praiseworthy tribute to the hardy en- deavors and the courage and ability of the pioneers. Of those who came

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in the vanguard of civilization and assisted in the clearing up of one of these sections, the Needler family is not only one of the oldest, but through the worthy character of its various members is one of the most prominent. The Needler family originated in Germany, where the great- grandfather George Needler was born, and where he was married, and . partly reared his family. About 1790 he crossed the Atlantic with his little household, and on the voyage his wife succumbed to the hardship of the long trip, and was buried at sea. With his four sons, George Needler landed in Philadelphia, where he lived until his death at a good old age. His son George Needler, Jr., married Mary Snyder, who, though her name belies the assertion, is said to have been born in Ireland. After his marriage George, Jr., pursued his trade of cooper for a short while, then moved to the vicinity of Winchester, Virginia, and while there his family of six sons were born, whose names were: James, George, John, Jacob, David and Abner. About 1807 or 1808 the family left Virginia and settled in Guernsey county, Ohio, their location being on lands reserved by the government for school purposes. Some years were spent in that vicinity, and by the combined labors of all the household, a substantial home was added. Some of the sons got their first capital and start in life through employment in the salt works in that vicinity. Then in 1832, James Needler, the oldest of the children, came to Indiana, and in the wilderness of Jefferson township of Grant county, acquired four hundred acres direct from the government. The following year he again came out and built a log cabin in the midst of the wilderness, and there in 1834 he brought his young wife and his father and brothers also came and thus the household was reunited in the valley of the Mississin- ewa. However, the mother of James died during the journey out to Grant county, and thus was enacted one of the tragedies of pioneer life. Her body was laid to rest at the roadside at Darby Plains near Urbana, Ohio. After they were all settled and started in the regular pursuits of a pioneer community, George Needler Junior was quietly taken from life at an old and vigorous age. He had been cutting wheat and still had his sickle in his hand when death called him.

James Needler was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1797, grew up in Virginia and Guernsey county, Ohio, learned the trade of cooper, though practically never followed it, and on coming to Grant county was soon followed by all his brothers except Abner, who remained behind. Abner later came to Grant county, still later went to Missouri and died there. James Needler lived the life of an industrious pioneer and cleared up two hundred acres of land in Jefferson township. There he pursued his vocation as a farmer until his retirement, and he spent his last days at the home of a son in Hartford City, where he died in 1881 at the age of eighty-four years. He was a Democrat in politics, belonged to the Presbyterian church, and was an upright and honored citizen. He mar- ried Rebecca Ward, a daughter of Captain John Ward, who held a com- mission in the United States Army during the War of 1812, and who died about 1815. Rebecca Ward was born about 1807, was reared in Ohio, in the family of some Irish people, until her marriage. She died at the old home in Jefferson township, about 1870. Her religion was that of the Methodist church.

Mrs. George Needler was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, May 14, 1832, about two years before the family left that region and settled in Grant county. His career has been one of great activity, and of con- siderable variety. For four years he taught school, was in the business of manufacturing tile for eight years, served in the office of county com- missioner four years, and aside from those activities has spent the greater port of his life as a farmer and stock dealer. His success has fluctuated,

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and at one time he was the owner of two hundred acres, but reverses reduced his property until he now possesses about sixty acres, and yet is still in fair circumstances, and is regarded as a man of reliable integrity.

Mr. Needler was first married in Blackford county, Indiana, to Lydia Cunningham. She was born and reared in that county, her birth taking place in 1832, and she died in 1891. The children by her marriage were as follows: Franklin died after his marriage leaving two children, who live with their mother in Oklahoma; Mary M. is the wife of W. H. Coffin, a farmer in Delaware county, and they have children; Clementine lives in Muncie, the wife of Willard Nolan, and their children are five in num- ber; Emazetta is the wife of Charles Dodson, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and they have one daughter; Andrew J. is a resident of Muncie, and has a family of two children; Charles is a farmer in Jefferson township, and has six children. For his second wife Mr. Needler married Elizabeth Monroe, who was born in Grant county, July 23, 1844, a daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Shirar) Monroe, who came from Pennsylvania, were settlers first in Ohio, and later came to Grant county in 1840, where they were among the early farmer settlers. Mr. Monroe died March 28, 1856, and his wife on March 27, 1875. They left two sons and two daugh- ters, who are still living and three of them are married.

JOHN BORREY. The era of natural gas brought many able citizens to Grant county-men of large and varied industrial and commercial experience, whose enterprise and energy has done much to develop the county during the last thirty years. After a number of years as a suc- cessful glass manufacturer, John Borrey has chosen Fairmount as the home of his quiet years and prosperous retirement. . With an ample share of the world's goods, he shows a fine sense of responsibility toward his community, and is employing his means and influence for the im- provement of his home locality.

Few Grant county families have so interesting a history as that of the Borreys. They are of French ancestry, and Mr. Borrey's grandparents lived and died in Alsace. This border province of the German Empire has been changing destinies during the last century, so that a native of Alsace may properly claim to be either a native of France or of Ger- many. At the time of the Napoleonic wars, Alsace was taken from Ger- many and made a part of the French Empire. So it remained until the Franco-Prussian war of 1871, when it became one of the prizes of the war, and was returned to Germany and has since been a part of the German Empire. The grandparents of John Borrey spent their lives in Alsace while it was under French dominion. They were Catholics in religion, and the grandfather followed the family occupation of glass blowing. Mr. Borrey has no information concerning the names of his grandparents. However, it is known that there were four children, two sons and two daughters, the sons having been John and Michael, and one of the daughters named Elizabeth. These children were born in Alsace, but subsequently all moved into Germany, where they spent their lives in quiet industry and comfortable home life. They all reared families of their own and for many years had their homes at Sauerbroke, Germany.

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Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 31

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

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