Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 97

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

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GARRISON L. HOOD. A native son of Grant county, of a family that has borne a respected name in this section for sixty years or more, Mr. Hood has applied the efforts of his adult years to agriculture, and while not the richest citizen, nor largest land holder in Green township, yet he possesses a good homestead, has reared and provided well for his children, and is held in high esteem throughout his neighborhood.

Garrison L. Hood, who resides on Section twenty-one of Green town- ship, and is proprietor of what is known as the James Rhodes farm, was born in Liberty township of Grant county, February 10, 1856. His parents were Wiley and Sarah J. (Reeves) Hood. His father came from North Carolina, first locating in Rush county, Indiana, spending a short time on a farm north of Rushville, and in 1852 moved to Grant county, finding his home in Liberty township. Afterwards he moved to the vicinity of Point Isabel, which continued to be his home until his death. He was an honored and substantial man in his home community, served as trustee of Green township for one term, and in politics was a supporter of the Democratic principles. He was the father of twelve children, ten of whom are living at the present time, named as follows: Mary A., wife of Wash Wood, of the same name, but no relative; Nancy, wife of William Main, of Grant county ; William A., a resident of Sway- zee; Alfred W., a carpenter, and a member of the township advisory board; Albert M., of Monroe county, Indiana; Garrison L; Rebecca, wife of James Noble, of Madison county, Indiana; Ida, who died in infancy ; James F .; Ellen; and one that died unnamed in infancy ; Tina, wife of Jacob Bach; and Oscar L., of Swayzee.

Garrison L. Hood was reared on a farm in Liberty township, until he was ten years old, and then moved with the family to Green town- ship. He had a substantial education in the district schools, and was reared to habits of industry and honest dealings. He has followed farm- ing practically all his career, and at the age of twenty-six, in July 10, 1881, married Miss Nancy B. Brand. Mrs. Hood was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, April 29, 1862, and was educated in the schools of Green township of Grant county. Mr. and Mrs. Hood became the parents of two children. Rena is a graduate of the common school, and was a teacher for some years before her marriage to Marcus Lane. They have one child, Hanley. William is a graduate of the common schools, is a farmer of Green township, and married Flossie Webb; they have two children, Helen and Wayne.

The family are members and attendants of the Christian church at Leisureville. Mr. Hood is one of the elders in the church and fraternally he is affiliated with Point Isabel Lodge No. 510, I. O. O. F., of which he is past noble grand, and a member of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. In politics a Democrat, he has never taken much part in purely political affairs, although always a good friend of local enterprise and public- spirited effort. Mr. Hood is the owner of fifty acres of well cultivated and improved land in section twenty-one, one mile west and five and a

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half miles south of Swayzee. He is a general farmer and stockman, and has a good reason to be satisfied with his accomplishments in life.

HON. HARVEY M. McCASKEY. Present trustee of Green township and a former member of the legislature, Mr. McCaskey is a substantial farmer and citizen, a resident for half a century in Grant county, and has had a career of exceptional activity, including service when a boy as a Union soldier, and the many years spent in educational work. He has provided well for the temporal necessities of life, and is rich in the esteem paid by a community to its leading citizens.

In Ripley county, Indiana, Harvey M. McCaskey was born January 19, 1849, a son of William and Jane (Salyers) McCaskey. The father was a native of Ohio and the mother of Indiana, and both moved to Grant county in 1862, locating in Green township. The father lived here until his death in 1885, and the mother passed away in 1874. They were the parents of seven children, four of whom are living in 1913. Jeremiah lives in Missouri; Robert has his home in Green township; and Elizabeth is the wife of James Byrd of Oklahoma.

Harvey M. McCaskey was thirteen years old when the family moved to Grant county, and he completed his education in the schools of this locality. The Civil war was in progress when the family moved to Grant county, and he was one of the boys whose patriotism flamed higher and higher at each succeeding campaign, until in 1863, when he was fourteen he could resist the passion no longer and enlisted in Company K of the One Hundred and Thirtieth Infantry. He served from the time of his enlistment as one of the very youngest Union soldiers, until December, 1865. He saw a great deal of hard service, too, and partici- pated at the battle of Resaca, at Burnt Hickory, the siege of Atlanta, the great battles at Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee, was sent around through Washington to the Carolinas, and fought his last battle at Kingston, North Carolina.

After he had returned home he remained on the home farm at work for several years, and in the meantime had determined to fit himself for teaching, and finally entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, where he was graduated in the scientific course in 1875. Both before and after his graduation there he taught school in Grant and Madison counties, and altogether gave sixteen years of his effort to educational work. In 1876 Mr. McCaskey married Miss Harriet Noble, who was born in Rush county, Indiana. The five children of their marriage are mentioned as follows: Dr. Carl H. is a graduate of the Indiana College of Medicine at Indianapolis, and now practices in Indianapolis, where he specializes in the nose, throat and ear diseases; Dora is a graduate of the common schools and the wife of Charles Ward- well; Carrie is a graduate of the common schools and the wife of B. H. Leisure; Pearl graduated from the common schools and lives at home: Dr. G. H., the youngest, has also taken up medicine and is a successful practitioner at West Newton.

The family are members of the Methodist church at Rigdon. of which Mr. McCaskey is one of the trustees. He is past noble grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also belongs to the Encamp- ment, having passed the chairs in both degrees. A Republican in poli- tics, he has long been active in public affairs, and in 1893 and 1895 was elected representative from Grant county in the lower house of the legis- lature. The first term he was elected by a majority of fifteen hundred, and the second time approval was given to his candidacy by a majority of twenty-five hundred. He is now serving as trustee of Green town- ship, and was chosen to the office by a plurality of twenty-five votes. Re-

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calling old army associations, he is a member of Beason Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. McCaskey owns and operates one hundred and sixty acres of land in section thirty-six, his farm being the south- west quarter of that section, and its location is ten miles southwest of Fairmount.

GEORGE W. BLACK. The primary accomplishment of a successful career is the establishment of a home and a suitable provision for a family. This itself is a creditable performance, especially when the circumstances of the early life have been those of poverty and privation. One of the most estimable citizens of Swayzee, Mr. Black started life a very poor boy, and before he was in his teens was contributing to the support of his father and mother, and dutifully cared for them until their death. Besides this he has built up a splendid estate as a farmer, in Sims township, and is one of the most influential citizens in Grant county.

George W. Black was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in February, a son of Henry and Charlotte (England) Black. The grandparents on both sides came from Germany. The parents spent their last years in Sims township, at the home of their only son, George, who gave them all the comforts during their declining years.

In his boyhood days his attendance at the common schools was very much limited owing to the impoverished condition of the family and when nine years of age he began earning his first money. He then went to work for Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Sites in Fairfield county, Ohio, and lived there until twenty-one years old. When he was eighteen he had saved two hundred dollars and paid that amount upon a home in which he established his parents and in two years more had the place paid for. In 1878 he came to Grant county for the first time, and in 1882 was married and returned to Ohio for a few months. He then estab- lished himself permanently in Sims township. He was married to Miss Eliza M. Mauler of Grant county, daughter of Seth and Ursula Mauler, who entered land in Sims township, and began making a home for themselves. They went in debt in order to secure some land, and both worked very hard and deprived themselves of all but the necessities of life, in order to get a start. After locating here Mr. Black sent for his parents, and also kept them above the line of want. At the present time Mr. Black is owner of two hundred and forty eight acres of land, ninety- five acres of which is in Green township. It is regarded as some of the best and most productive soil in Grant county, and its improvements are hardly second to any to be found in this section. Mr. Black as his resources have increased, has invested nearly all his surplus in land, and included in his estate are eighteen acres adjoining the town of Swayzee. On that place he has his beautiful modern home, fitted up with all the conveniences and facilities which make living comfortable and attractive.

Mr. and Mrs. Black are the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living in 1913. Pearlie is a graduate of the common schools and the Marion Business College and is the wife of Frank Retz. They have two children, Ruth and Charles. Clifford is a farmer in Green town- ship. He married Lena Mahoney, and they have two children, Bertha and Ava. Minnie is the wife of David Fansler, and they have three chil- dren, Lucille, Vera and Walter G. Ernest is a farmer in Sims township. He married Hazel Knee, and they have one child, Signa. Dale was killed by a stroke of lightning a few years ago. Lottie is a graduate of the Swayzee high school and lives at home. Fay was born in 1902, and is a school girl, and the youngest is Ada.

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Mr. Black is affiliated with Swayzee Lodge, A. F. & A. M., with the Knights of Pythias, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is past noble grand of the Odd Fellows. Some years ago Mr. Black was appointed by the United States Commissioner of the general land office as assistant superintendent of the Indian Reservation in northern Min- nesota, and discharged the duties of that office for about two years, at the end of which time he returned to Grant county. He is an active member of the Republican party, and for twenty-four years has been a member of the County Central Committee of Sims township. He has never been an active seeker for office, but some time ago was a candidate for sheriff. Besides his farming interests, Mr. Black has built up a large business as a contractor, and has an excellent organization and all the facilities and experience of a successful worker in the construction of gravel roads and streets. He has constructed a great deal of this class of public improvement, and his business is growing each year.

BOYD LADD, SR. Sixty years of residence in Grant county constitute in Mr. Ladd one of the men whose view comprehends a greater and by far the most important time in which this county has been growing under the impetus of white men's efforts. The obligations which fall to man in the course of such long years have been worthily discharged by Mr. Ladd, and now when well beyond the limits of three score and ten, he enjoys peace and contented days, and the regard of many friends.

Boyd Ladd, Sr., has his home in section fifteen of Sims township, his dwelling being one mile north and one and one-half mile west of Swayzee. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana, on July 19, 1837, and comes from one of the old families of this state. His parents were William and Isabelle (Boyd) Ladd. William Ladd, who was born in North Carolina in 1796, was brought to Wayne county, Indiana, at the age of eighteen years, in 1814, two years before Indiana was admitted to the Union. His death occurred near Jonesboro in Grant county. Grandfather Wil- liam Ladd was a Revolutionary soldier, and first moved out to Indiana in 1812, bringing his family three years later. The maternal grand- father was Samuel Boyd, who had also seen service on the American side in the Revolutionary war, and came to Wayne county, Indiana, in 1814, passing his remaining days in that county.

Boyd Ladd, Sr., is the only one living in 1913 of a family of nine children. When he was sixteen years old the family moved to Grant county, and since that time he has been continuously a resident of this locality. He went to school in Wayne county and finished in Grant county. In 1860 he married Mary H. Powell, who was born in Ohio and came to Grant county at the age of eight years. They are the parents of seven living children, named as follows: Olive, the widow of William Bryant; Margaret, wife of James Life; Frank J., of Sims township; Carrie, wife of Ulysess Minor, of Lafayette, Indiana; Lindy, unmarried and living at home; Arlington, a teacher in a high school in Texas, was graduated from high school in Grant county, and was a student in DePauw University ; Boyd Ladd, Jr., is a mail carrier on the rural free delivery route No. 31 out of Swayzee.

The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Swayzee. In politics Mr. Ladd has voted the Republican ticket since 1860, and during his early career did his share toward preserving the union of states. He enlisted in Company B of the One Hundred and Fifty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and saw nine months of service during the closing period of the war. Mr. Ladd is the owner of fifty acres of land in Sims township, but is now living retired and enjoying the fruits of a well spent life. He gets a pension as an old soldier of twenty-two dollars and a half per month.

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ISAAC F. LAWSHE, M. D. For many years a physician in western -

Grant county, though now retired, Mr. Lawshe at the present writing has just closed a long term of service as postmaster at Swayzee, and is also owner of a fine country home and farm on the outskirts of this little city of Grant county.

Isaac F. Lawshe is a native son of Indiana, born at Somerset, in Wabash county, January 18, 1859, a son of Henry D. and Hester A. (Richmond) Lawshe. The father was born in New Jersey, and the mother in Switzerland county, Indiana, and they were married in south- ern Indiana by Rev. T. A. Goodwin, a minister of the Methodist church. After the marriage the parents located at Connersville, and about 1850 settled in Wabash county at Somerset. The father, who was a cabinet maker and undertaker, spent fifty years in the village of Somerset in those occupations, and was one of the most honored men of his com- munity. His latter days he spent in the home of his son, Dr. Isaac, at Swayzee. The father was a man of quiet, upright character, did his part in his community, and provided well for his family who have since lived to do him credit. Of his eight sons three died in early life, one at the age of twenty-one, and three are living in 1913. Thomas Lawshe lives at Converse, in Miami county. Isaac F. is the second in age of those living; and A. L. Lawshe is the most prominent of the family in larger affairs, having formerly been third assistant postmaster general at Washington, and since resigning that place on account of ill health went west and is now superintendent at San Carlos, Arizona, of the Indian Reservation and school.

Isaac F. Lawshe spent his boyhood in the village of Somerset, where he grew to manhood and received such education as the public schools could give him. When he had definitely decided upon a career he took up the study of medicine, and afterwards matriculated in the Kentucky school of medicine, where he pursued a full course and was graduated in 1881, with the degree of M. D. His first place of practice was at Syca- more, in Howard county, Indiana, where he remained from August, 1881, until March, 1885. At the latter date he came to Swayzee, and continued in active practice there until 1895, in the latter year selling out to Dr. Fisk. In 1899 Dr. Lawshe was appointed postmaster at Swayzee, and has held that place until in May, 1913. Three different commissions by three different presidents have been given him, as title to the office since he began his service. Dr. Lawshe has always taken an active part in local politics, and is one of the stanch supporters of the old time Republican party, a firm believer in its principles and fallacies, which through half a century have kept the nation whole and prosperous.

On November 17, 1881, Dr. Lawshe married Sarah F. McConn, who was born in Wabash, and was educated in the public schools of that city. Her father, Thomas C. McConn, was a contractor and builder in Wabash. To the marriage of Dr. Lawshe and wife have been born two children. Gertrude M. is the wife of George A. Newkirk, of Sims township, and a graduate of the public schools, they have one son, George Lawshe New- kirk; Charles H. is a graduate of the high school, and of the pharmacy department at Purdue University, and now the leading druggist at Swayzee; he married Rachael L. Spears, and has two sons, Charles H. and Leland M. Dr. Lawshe is one of the deacons in the Christian church at Swayzee, and fraternally is affiliated with Swayzee Lodge No. 65, I. O. O. F., of which he is past noble grand, and a member of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, and is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. His career has been a prosperous one, and one of the most satisfying evidences of the same is his fine farm of eighty acres, half a mile east of Swayzee on the Marion & Roseburg pike. This estate is known

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throughout this part of the county as the East Lawn Farm. The Kokomo and Marion Traction line runs it cars close to the home, and the Clover Leaf Railway also bisects the land. Dr. Lawshe devotes practically all his attention to his farm. He occupies a beautiful home in what is known as the Clover Leaf addition to Swayzee.

DAVID P. DROOK. The oldest building contractor in Grant county is D. P. Drook, whose home is at Mier, in Richland township. Mr. Drook began business as a contractor in 1879, and a detailed list of his work would include a large number of the gravel roads and other important public enterprises. He has built a great many highways in both Grant and surrounding counties. For the past twenty years his home and headquarters have been in Mier. In 1897 he built from Anderson to Alexandria the interurban railroad, a line which has the distinction of connecting the first two cities by electric interurban in America. This road was begun and finished in the same year, 1897. Mr. Drook also operates a large mercantile enterprise at Mier.

David P. Drook was born in Richland township of Grant county, February 14, 1854, a son of Jacob and Nancy (Taylor) Drook. His mother died in 1875 and the father is still living. There were fourteen children in the family, seven of whom are yet living: James M., John, Sam, Jacob, Saloma, wife of Eli Ward, Cynthia, widow of Jack Davis of Swayzee and David P.

David P. Drook was reared in Richland township, had a district school education, and early learned the value and necessity of hard work. At an early age, on September 2, 1872, he married Ruth Barnes, a daughter of Cyrus and Matilda Barnes. Four children were born to their union, namely : Forest E., of Marion, Indiana; Rhoda, of Indianapolis; Dolphia, and Edna, of Indianapolis. The mother of these children died Septem- ber 24, 1891. In September, 1894, Mr. Drook married Hattie Rethford. Her death occurred August 30, 1909, and she left three children, Paul C., Delores and Catherine. In 1911, Mr. Drook married Julia For- sythe, of Gas City. They are active members of the Methodist Protestant Church, and fraternally Mr. Drook is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias at Converse. He is a Democrat in politics, and has taken much part in public affairs.

OSCAR D. MELTON. Editor and proprietor of the Swayzee Press, Mr. Melton since 1906 has been a successful Grant county newspaper man. The Swayzee Press was established in 1894, and is now issuing its twentieth volume. Under Mr. Melton's management it has been brought to its highest standard of influence and patronage, and has an excellent circulation over the western side of Grant county. Mr. Melton is an experienced printer and publisher, learned the fundamentals of his trade when he was a boy ; is a University graduate, for a number of years was connected with public school work, and has brought to the conduct of his paper not only experience, but a broad and liberal knowledge of books and affairs.

Oscar D. Melton was born in Jerome, Howard county, Indiana, May 14, 1871. His parents were John F. and Mary C. (Ellis) Melton. The Melton family came from Rush county to Howard county, Grandfather Melton having been a native of Virginia, while his wife was from North Carolina. On the Ellis side the family was from Tennessee, established in Howard county many years ago. John F. Melton, the father, was reared in Rush county, where he had a public school education, and became a successful teacher in Howard county. Later he took up the carpenter trade, and for ten or twelve years was a harness maker at

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Jerome. After that he moved to Amboy, in Miami county, where he still resides. He was the father of four children: Oscar D .; Laura, who graduated from the Amboy high school, and is now a teacher of music at Amboy; Hiram L., a graduate of the Amboy high school, formerly a teacher in the public schools, and now editor of the Amboy Independent; Esta, the wife of Charles A. Warne of Middletown, Indiana.

Oscar D. Melton spent his boyhood at Jerome, in Howard county, until he was eight years old, and attended the public schools there. He completed his public school course in the grades and high school at Amboy, graduating from the latter in 1889. In the meantime he had learned something of printing, and by that work and by teaching was enabled to pay most of his way through the University. Entering the Indiana State University in the spring of 1893, he completed the course and received the degree of A. B. with the class of 1901. Mr. Melton has been connected with different schools, and with different publication enterprises. He was the founder of the Amboy Herald, a monthly paper at first, but after two years enlarged to a six column folio and made a weekly, and at the same time conducted a job printing office. While in the newspaper business at Amboy he also taught school during the win- ters. He was for one year employed in a printery at Indianapolis. For three years he was assistant principal of the Amboy high school, and later was a teacher of science at Peru and also at Bloomington, Indiana. Moving to Swayzee in 1906, he bought the Swayzee Press, and has since given all his efforts to making this a first class paper.

Mr. Melton married Elizabeth Douglass, who is an educated and accomplished woman, and has been of great assistance to her husband both in home and his business career. They are the parents of one son, John D., born in 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Melton have membership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Swayzee, and he is superintendent of the Sunday school. Fraternally he is affiliated with Amboy Lodge No 664, I. O. O. F. His politics is Prohibition, and recently he was his party's nominee for the office of county treasurer of Grant county.

DAVID WALLACE LEISURE. Among those citizens of Grant county, Indiana, who have made a success in agricultural lines, may be men- tioned David Wallace Leisure, of Sims township. Mr. Leisure is a native of this state and has lived practically all of his life in Grant county, where he has gained many friends during his long years here. He comes of farming stock and has worthily upheld the traditions of his family by making a success in this line himself. He is not only prominent as a farmer but has also taken a keen interest in public affairs and has served his township in more than one capacity.

Mr. Leisure was born in Hancock county, Indiana, on the 25th of July, 1855. His father was Ben Leisure, whose birth took place in Kentucky. The latter removed from Kentucky to Rush county, Indiana, in his young days and there met and married Miss Martha A. Loer, who was a native of Ohio. She died in Rush county in 1856, her little son, David, being only a year old. One other son was born of this union, Oliver A., who is a farmer and miner of Arizona. After the death of his first wife Mr. Leisure married again in Grant county and lived in this county until his death.

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Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 97

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

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