USA > Indiana > Grant County > Centennial History of Grant County Indiana > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113
Coming to the immediate family of Frank H. Kirkwood, some addi- tional facts may be stated concerning his father, John Drennen Kirk- wood, mentioned in the family last named, and who died in 1905 near Matthews, in Grant county. Reared in Fayette county, he became a skilled workman as a carpenter and builder, a trade he followed for a number of years. In 1859, he settled in Grant county, where he bought some land near Matthews. He had married a widow with two daughters, and on the removal to Grant county he bought eighty acres for each of these daughters. Then by his active management and ability he secured two hundred and forty acres for himself in Jefferson township. Thus practically all his attention after he came to Grant county was given to agriculture, and in his time he was known as one of the most successful men in Jefferson township. In politics, like the majority of the Kirk- woods, he was a Democrat. Though he and his wife held to no church, he was in every sense a Christian. John D. Kirkwood was married in Fayette county to Mrs. Ruth Burgess whose maiden name was Crawford. She was born in Fayette county in 1824, and died in Jefferson township of Grant county, December 16, 1902. By her first marriage to Israel Burgess there were two daughters, Margaret and Sarah (Sallie). Mar- garet is the widow of William Millspaugh, of Delaware county, Indiana, and has a family; Sarah married Leander Millspaugh, a farmer in Jef- ferson township, and they have a family of children. To the marriage of John Drennen Kirkwood and Mrs. Burgess were born two children: Brooks, born in 1868, and died Setember 23, 1906, married Bell Corn, who now lives at Muncie and has a son Marcus.
Mr. Frank H. Kirkwood, the older of the two sons of John Drennen Kirkwood, was born July 2, 1858, in Fayette county, Indiana, and since 1859 his home has been in Grant county. His early education was unusually good for the time, and all his active career has been devoted to farming. His is one of the fine rural estates in Jefferson township, comprising one hundred and twenty-five acres of first-class land, with about one hundred acres in cultivation, and in a high state of improve- ment. He is the owner also of another tract, consisting of eighty acres. That is in section thirty-six of Fairmount township. His home is on section thirty-seven, and the improvements about the place indicate his progressive character as a leading Grant county farmer. A well fur- nished and attractive residence, nicely painted white and of one and a half story, is the prominent feature, while a large basement barn, forty by one hundred feet, is another valuable improvement. Mr. Kirkwood believes in the rotation of crops, and has had much success in growing the staple cereals, corn, wheat, oats and clover. In order to preserve the fertility of his soil and keep all his grain crops at home, he raises hogs, and cattle, and feeds practically all his grain on his own land.
Mr. Kirkwood was first married in Grant county to Mollie Richards,
Digitized by Google
JOHN D. KIRKWOOD
Digitized by
Digitized by
945
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
a daughter of L. G. Richards. She was born and reared in Jefferson township, and at her death left a daughter Florence. Florence is the wife of Lewis Johnson of Matthews, in Grant county, and their children are Arthur B., Twila, and Ruby E. The second wife of Mr. Kirk- wood was Nettie M. Jones, who died while giving birth to twins, who did not survive their mother. The present Mrs. Kirkwood was before her marriage, Lydia D. Oliver, a daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Lugar) Oliver. Mrs. Kirkwood was born in Mills township, where she was reared and educated. Her father Edward Oliver, still lives on the old homestead at the age of seventy-two. He was born in Ohio. His wife Elizabeth, died in Mill township January 24, 1904, and was a native of Mills township, where she spent all her life, her parents having been among the pioneers in Grant county. Mr. Oliver is a Democrat, and he and his wife had no church affiliations.
Mr. Frank H. Kirkwood and his present wife are the parents of four children : Walter E., born July 22, 1891, educated in Fowlerton and now manager of one of his father's farms, married Vedah P. Thom, and they have one son, Hubert Drennen, aged two years; Chester J., born January 12, 1895, educated in the Fowlerton public schools and the Fairmount high school and lives at home; Orin B., born April 6, 1897, is attending school; Russell A., born July 28, 1899, is also in school.
Mr. and Mrs. Kirkwood are members of the United Brethren church of Fowlerton, and in politics he is a Democrat.
WILLIAM PAUL STOVER. On section twenty-five of Jefferson town- ship is the Stover homestead, a farm under the management of that family for upwards of forty years, the present proprietor being William Paul Stover, a young and progressive agriculturist, who succeeded his father in the management of the estate, and has the reputation in the neighborhood of being a "live wire" and in every way a most pro- gressive citizen. He has a beautiful home, farm buildings much above the average of even Grant county and has a large acreage of regular farm crops and raises a number of high grade cattle and hogs and other live stock.
His grandfather, William David Stover, was born in Virginia, and of Virginia parentage, though of German ancestry. He married a Miss Bushyoung, born in Virginia, and of the same lineage as her husband. Before they came west, all of their five children were born. They are as follows: John and Catherine, both of whom married and had chil- dren, and both now deceased; Mary, who died in the spring of 1912, and left children; Samuel G .; David, the youngest of the family, who is now a farmer in Blackford county, and has a family of five daughters.
Samuel G. Stover, father of W. P. Stover, was born in Roanoke county, Virginia, on Christmas Day of 1843. When he was seventeen years old his parents came to Indiana, and in 1861 settled in Henry county. Both his parents died in Henry county, his father when past eighty years of age and his mother some twenty years before. They were substantial farming people, and devout members of the United Brethren church. Samuel G. Stover after he became of age took up his independent career in Delaware county, where he met and married Miss M. Emma Shirey, who was born in this state. After four or five years on a Delaware county farm, they came in 1876 to Grant county and bought one hundred and sixty acres in section twenty-five of Jeffer- son township. Later their enterprise and careful management enabled them to increase their acreage by the purchase of eighty acres more, and there Samuel Stover labored and lived out the useful years of his existence until his death on March 1, 1912. He had his farm well
Digitized by Google
946
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
improved, and in every direction on the old homestead can still be seen the evidence of his thrift and diligence. His wife died on the same farm, July 28, 1909. She was born in Virginia in 1845, and when twelve years of age accompanied her parents to Delaware county.
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel G. Stover were active in the Methodist Epis- copal church, and he was a Republican in politics. Their children were: Cora, who died at the age of six months; one that died in infancy; Marion, who also died in infancy ; Florence, wife of William J. Williams, a farmer in Blackford county, and they had two children, Samuel M. and Robert Paul; Pearl, who died February 3, 1910, at the age of twenty-four, was unmarried, and was a graduate of the University of Indiana at Bloomington; William Paul Stover, the youngest of the chil- dren, was born on the home farm in Jefferson township, February 9, 1890. Though only a few years past his majority he has already made a record of accomplishment such as many older men would envy. With the class of 1908 he graduated from the Upland high school, and has since been attending strictly to business as a farmer. Since coming into possession of the estate he has erected one of the finest barns in Jefferson township, a large and commodious structure of modern style as to sanitation and convenience, and built on ground dimensions of seventy by thirty-six feet, with a cow barn sixteen by fifty feet. A comfortable old farm residence was erected by his father twenty-seven years ago, and still affords the comforts of a good home.
Mr. Stover was married in Grant county in 1912 to Miss Nettie Roberds, who was born in Blackford county, May 1, 1886, and was educated in the public schools. Her parents were Joseph A. and Anna Eliza (Wilson) Roberds. Anna Eliza Wilson was a daughter of Moses Wilson. The Roberds family live on a farm in Licking township of Blackford county, and are prosperous and well to do people. Mr. and Mrs. Stover have no children, and are popular among the younger members of Jefferson township in social circles. They attend the Pleasant Grove Methodist church.
ALVIN DICKERSON. No other merchant or business man now operat- ing in Upland was in business there when Alvin Dickerson started, and he is not only the oldest established merchant, but foremost in everything that concerns the advancement and prosperity of that flourishing little community. With good natural endowments, he has had a thorough training, and his success in business is based upon the solid foundation of accomplishment and experience.
Alvin Dickerson was born in Delaware county, Indiana, on a farm, January 17, 1865, and belongs to one of the old families of eastern Indiana. His grandfather, Richard Dickerson, came from Ohio to Indiana in the year 1836 and entered land direct from the government in Washington township of Delaware county. In order to pay his fees and take out his patent, he had to go to the Fort Wayne land office. On the land thus acquired he lived and labored until he had made an excel- lent home, his estate comprising eighty acres, and he was one of the interesting early settlers of that community. When not following his regular vocation as a farmer, during the early years he did a great deal of teaming for Cincinnati merchants, hauling merchandise from the Ohio city to different points in eastern Indiana. That was of course years before the first railroad was built into this section, and the Over- land trail from Cincinnati northwest was the most frequented highway of transportation and nearly every merchant got his goods by that route, and the farmers sent their produce to market largely the same way. Richard Dickerson died before the Civil war and was fifty-six years
Digitized by Google
947
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
of age at the time. During his residence in Ohio he married a Miss Hart and she died in Delaware county about the same time as her hus- band and about the same age. They became the parents of three sons and six daughters. The only one now living is R. Huston, living in Fowlerton, Grant county. Another son was Joshua. John Dickerson, father of the Upland merchant, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, June 26, 1831, and died August 28, 1913, when past eighty-two years of age. His death occurred at Upland. On the old homestead in Dela- ware county he spent his youth and when ready to make his first independent venture bought forty acres of wild land in the same vicinity. That continued to be his home until the fall of 1865, when he moved over into Grant county, and bought one hundred acres in section six of Jefferson township. After many years of prosperous farming activity, he moved in 1900 to Upland, which village remained his home until his death. His widow still lives in the village. Her maiden name was Mary Hollis, and she was born in Jefferson township in 1838, a daughter of William Hollis, who came from his native Ohio to Grant county and entered land in Jefferson township, getting his patent with the signature of Martin Van Buren, then president of the United States. There he lived amid the changing scenes which marked the progress of the country from pioneer stage into the modern times, and died on the land which his labors had converted into a productive farm, at the age of seventy-eight years. He was three times married, and Mrs. John Dickerson was the child of his first wife. John Dickerson voted the Democratic ticket, and he and his wife had no church affilia- tions. Of their five children, four were daughters, and three of them are married and living in Grant county with families of their own. One daughter, Luna, is very successful as a teacher, and has for several years filled a responsible position in the government educational system in the Philippine Islands.
1 Alvin Dickerson grew up in Grant county, attended the district schools of his neighborhood, and later was sent to the State Normal where he studied and qualified himself for the work of teaching which was his regular occupation for eight years. His first school he taught at the age of nineteen. In January, 1892, Mr. Dickerson came to Upland and contributed his resources of capital and enterprise to the little community then existing there. From the start on a modest scale he has been increasingly successful and his large general store is now located in the center of the village on Main Street and supplies every- thing needed by the people of this locality. Mr. Dickerson also owns a comfortable home in the village and a farm of thirty-two acres in Jefferson township.
Mr. Dickerson is a Prohibition voter in political affairs. He was married in his home township to Miss Jennie Walker, who was born and reared and educated in Jefferson township, a daughter of William C. and Sarah Walker, concerning whom further information will be found elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Dickerson was for several years pre- ceding her marriage a 'successful and popular teacher in Grant County. To their marriage have been born two children : Cloyd, now twenty years of age, in his freshman year at Purdue University; Geneva, aged nineteen, graduated in the same class with her brother from the high school in 1912, and now lives at home and is a student of music. Mr. and Mrs. Dickerson have membership in the Presbyterian church.
EZEKIEL JONES. The first carload of ice and the first carload of coal that came to Upland for distribution and use in the community were shipped to Ezekiel Jones. The shipment of ice was made on August
Digitized by Google
1
948
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
1, 1900, and the first car of coal came to him in January, 1903. Mr. Jones records those facts as important points in his commercial history, and from a beginning when a car of coal meant a very large transaction to him and also to the community he has developed both lines of business for summer and winter, until at the present time he handles annually about forty carloads of coal and some twelve carloads of ice. The business has been built up on a basis of fair dealing, and courteous and reliable treatment of his customers.
Ezekiel Jones was born in Wells county, Indiana, September 15, 1847, but has lived in Grant county since early boyhood. His parents were Oliver and Catherine (Miller) Jones. The father was born in Ohio and the mother in Virginia, and both went to Wells county early in life, where they met and were married. Grandfather Daniel Jones was the founder of the family in Indiana, entering land on Salmonia River in Wells county during the thirties and with the aid of his older sons he went vigorously to work and cleared up a wilderness and con- verted it into a productive farmstead. Mr. Jones spent all the rest of his life on the land for which he had secured a patent direct from the government and his death occurred when eighty-one years of age. His wife also died when quite old. In all that section of Wells county his was renowned as the first brick home and it is interesting to note that the clay was dug from pits on the farm and was burned in kilns as a local and native industry. Oliver Jones was a Baptist in religious faith, and in politics he followed the policies of the Whig party. Oliver Jones and wife finally moved from Wells county to Grant county, and spent many years in the active pursuit of farming in Jackson town- ship. Later they returned to Wells county where Oliver Jones died in August, 1899, at the age of seventy-four years, survived by his widow, who passed away September 13, 1912, when eighty-four years old. She was a Methodist Protestant in faith, had for sixty-four years lived and worked in that church, and was one of the first of the denomi- nation in her part of the state. Oliver Jones later in life joined the same denomination. He was in politics a Democrat. Oliver Jones and wife had three sons and five daughters, and three of the daughters are still living and all are married.
Ezekiel Jones was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Grant county. After his marriage he moved to Marion and was for three years employed in the glass factory there, after which he returned to Upland, and has since been one of the active business men in this community.
Mr. Jones was married in Huntington county, Indiana, to Miss Emma Layman, a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Peggy) Layman. Her parents lived and died on a farm in Huntington county, her father hav- ing entered the land from the government. Both were quite old when death came to them, about eighty years of age. They had moved from Ohio in the early days to Huntington county, and lived honorable and upright lives, and were strict members of the Baptist faith. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of the following children: Nora A. is the wife of Theodore Trout, of Mill township, and they have five living children; Sarah Leola is the wife of Thomas Hewitt of Mill township and they have a son and two daughters; Joseph Lloyd is employed in the Upland Flint Glass works, and is married and has one daughter; Oliver Floyd is assisting his father in the coal and ice trade, and is married and has a son and daughter. Three of the sons, born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones died young. Mr. Jones and wife both worship in the United Brethren church, of which he is a trustee. He and his sons vote the Democratic ticket.
Digitized by Google
Digitized by
MR. AND MRS. ABRAHAM M. LUCAS AND DAUGHTER
Digitized by
949
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
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
Digitized by Google
950
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY
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 four 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.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.