USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 17
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SAMUEL D. JONES, a well known veteran of the Civil war, a retired merchant of Milroy and a substantial landowner, was born in Rush county and has lived here all his life, a period of seventy- nine years, during which time the most amazing changes have taken place in conditions and in the manner of doing things hereabout. Mr. Jones is a member of one of the county's pioneer families, his father having come over here from Ohio in 1823 with his family and settled on a farm in Anderson township, where he spent the re- mainder of his life, and thus Mr. Jones grew up well acquainted
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with pioneer conditions and has many interesting stories to tell of the way things were done in those days. He was born on April 29, 1842, son of Henry and Sarah (Cameron) Jones, both of whom were born in Clermont county, Ohio, members of pioneer families in that section of the Ohio river country, and who were the parents of ten children, of whom Samuel D. Jones now is the only survivor. Upon coming here Henry Jones entered a tract of eighty acres in Ander- son township and there developed a good little farm, he and his wife spending their last days on that place. It was on that pioneer farm that Samuel D. Jones was reared, receiving his schooling in the somewhat primitive schools of the period. He was nineteen years of age when the Civil war broke out and it was not long there- after when he enlisted his services in behalf of the Union cause and went to the front as a member of D Company, Sixty-eighth regiment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and with that gallant command served until he lost his right arm in the battle of Chickamauga, in Septem- ber, 1863, and was also wounded in the left arm. On account of this shattering disability he was invalided home after spending some time in a military hospital and on June 29, 1864, received his honorable discharge on the ground of permanent disability. Mr. Jones had been attentive to his studies during his school days and confronted with a disability which rendered ineffectual the training he had received as a farmer he "brushed up" in his studies, prepared him- self for teaching and was for some time after his return from the army engaged as a teacher in the schools of his home township. He then opened a store at Milroy, about the year 1866, and was for thirty-five years or more engaged there in the general merchandise business, continuing his mercantile operations until in 1909 when he sold his stock and retired from business. Since his retirement Mr. Jones has continued to make his home at Milroy and has a very pleasant place there. Despite the shocking disability incurred in his war service Mr. Jones long ago passed that handicap and his diligence in business secured to him ample provision against the "evening time" of his life. In addition to his holdings in the county he is the owner of a farm of 320 acres in Texas and accounts himself well circumstanced for a man who has had to get along with but one arm for the past sixty years. Samuel D. Jones has been twice mar- ried. In 1872 he was united in marriage to Julia Kendall, who died leaving one child, a son, Frank. In 1880 Mr. Jones married Cynthia E. Aldridge, who also was born in this county, daughter of William Aldridge and wife, pioneers here, and to this union four children have been born, Laura, who married M. E. Able and has one child, a daughter, Margaret Ellen; Clifford, who is unmarried; Benjamin II., who married Letta Chambers and has three children, Helen, Samuel and Hoyt Dale, and Wilbur, who is unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members of the Methodist church and have for years taken an interested part in local church work as well as in all neigh- borhood good works. In his political views Mr. Jones is an ardent Republican and has always given a good citizen's attention to local
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civic affairs, but has not been an office seeker. He is an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic and is also a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
JOHNSON A. FANCHER, who died in the spring of 1919, was for many years a prominent figure in the agricultural life of Rush county, and aided materially in its development. By a life of up- rightness, industry and square dealing-a life devoted to the sup- port of whatever was good and true-he won the admiration and regard of a large circle of acquaintances, who sincerely mourned their loss, when, two years ago, he passed into the grateful rest and quiet of the night. Mr. Fancher was born in Blount county, Ten- nessee, on May 20, 1853, and was the son of Caleb S. and Millie (Myers) Fancher, both of whom also were natives of Tennessee. Caleb Faneher was a farmer by vocation and was a successful man, owning 350 acres of land. To him and his wife were born seven children, namely : Naney, William, Frances J. and Martha, living, and Johnson A., Eliza and Mary, deceased. Johnson A. Fancher received a comparatively meager education, his school years being passed during the period of the Civil war, when educational mat- ters were to a considerable extent neglected in the South. How- ever, by habits of careful reading and elose observation of men and events, he became a well-informed man on a wide range of topics and was always an interesting and intelligent conversationalist. Mr. Fancher remained in his native state until twenty-nine years of age, assisting his parents, but at that age he came to Rush county, locating in Jackson township, where for seven years he was em- ployed on the Oldham farm. During the following five years he operated a part of the Oldham farm which he rented. He then located on the George F. Mull farm, south of Homer, which he rented for seven years, and at the end of that time he bought the farm of eighty acres in Posey township where his widow now lives. Eventually he bought forty-eight aeres additional, thus giving him a total of 128 acres. By careful management and wise economy he had earned and saved all the money with which he bought this land and he made many permanent and substantial improvements on the land, which have made them a valuable and attractive prop- erty. Here he was actively engaged in general farming and stoek raising up to the time of his death, which occurred on May 13, 1919, when almost sixty-six years of age. On August 8, 1888, Mr. Faneher was married to HIettie Adams, a native of the township iu which she now lives and the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Six) Adams. Her parents were natives of the state of Kentucky, the father being born in Scott county and the mother in Fleming county. In an early day they came to Rush county and Mr. Adams became a successful farmer in Posey township, where he owned eighty acres of land. Of the eleven children born to him and his wife, but two are now living, John and Mrs. Hettie Fancher. To Mr. and Mrs. Fancher were born two children, Anna F. and George
JOHNSON A. FANCHER AND FAMILY (From photograph taken abont 1900)
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L. Anna became the wife of Fern Downey, who operates a garage at Arlington, and they have four children, Frank, Joy, Janice R. and Edna H. George L. Fancher married Pearl Souder and they have two children, June and Francis L. Mr. Fancher was an earnest supporter of the Republican party. He was a member of the Bap- tist church in Blount county, Tennessee. He was well liked by all who knew him, for he possessed a social nature and maintained a genial and kindly attitude to those about him. His career was a busy and useful one and he had well earned the high position he occupied in the estimation of his fellow citizens.
JAMES O. GUNNING, a well known general farmer in Walker township, this county, was born on January 7, 1867, in Shelby county, this state, a son of Sinclair and Clementine (McCombs) Gunning, the father a native of Shelby county, and the mother, of. Wayne county, Indiana. Their four children survive, Emory, Ella. Elma and James O. The father was a veteran of the Civil war, in which he served four years as a member of the One Hundred First regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. After the war he engaged in farming in Shelby county as long as active. James O. Gunning had public school advantages in his native county, after which he worked at farming until his own marriage. For some years following lie farmed for his father-in-law in Walker township, Rush county. When the latter died the wife of Mr. Gunning inherited the Macy farm, a valuable tract of 160 acres, on which Mr. Gunning carries on farm activities very profitably. It was an January 7, 1904, that Mr. Gunning married Adelma Macy, only child of Lysander and Frances E. (Casto) Macy, the former of whom was born in Rush county and the latter in Shelby county. Mr. and Mrs. Gunning have one child, Ela Frances, who attends school at Manilla. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican.
O. M. OFFUTT, one of the successful farmers of Posey town. ship and a creditable representative of one of the county's respected old families, was born in the township in which he now resides on January 10, 1876, and is the son of George W. and Sarah J. (Beckner) Offutt, both of whom also were born and reared in Rush county. George W. Offutt was a farmer and stock raiser by vocation and at one time he owned 1,400 acres of good land in Posey township. To him and his wife were born six children, all of whom are living, namely : Sabert S., Murley, Jerry B., O. M., Mary I. and Charles J. The subject of this sketch secured his educational training in the Beaver Meadow school house, in Posey township, and the Arlington high school. On completing his studies he went to work on the home farm, and there he has remained ever since with the exception of two years spent on a farm south of Arlington. After his marriage, in 1900, Mr. Offutt began farming on his own account, operating the home farm for one year, following which he was on the farm referred to south of Arlington. Since then he has occupied and operated a part of the home farm, comprising 215 acres of land, on which he carries on general farming operations and stock raising.
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IIe has made a number of improvements on the place and by industry and good management has been successful. On August 8, 1900, Mr. Offutt was married to Margaret Hackelman, who also was born in Posey township, the daughter of Worster and Malissa J. (Clavell) Hackleman, old residents of this county. Of the three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hackelman, Mrs. Offutt is the only survivor. The deceased are Gertrude, who died at the age of twenty-eight years. and Minnie, who died when nine days old. Mr. and Mrs. Offutt have two children, George W. and Lowell H., both of whom are at home. Politically, Mr. Offutt assumes an independent attitude, reserving the right to vote in accordance with the dictates of his own judgment. Fraternally, he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men at Arlington and the Modern Woodmen of America at Rushville. He is a man of vigor and determination, has been successful in practically every undertaking to which he has addressed himself and he enjoys to a marked degree the confidence and regard of all who know him.
W. E. WAGONER, principal of the schools of Posey township and well known as a man of high attainments and practical ability as an educator, was born on May 31, 1889, in Fountain county, Indiana, and was there reared. He attended the common schools of his home neighborhood and the high school at Veedersburg. He then entered Indiana University, where he was graduated in 1912, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. After completing his collegiate work, he went to Mt. Auburn, Shelby county, Indiana, where he became principal of the township schools, serving two years. Then for five years he was principal of the Anderson township schools in Rush county, and for two years he has served in his present position. to the entire satisfaction of his patrons and pupils. Mr. Wagoner has inaugurated some progressive and effective ideas of his own in his educational work and he enjoys a high reputation as a thoughtful and earnest educator. He has jurisdiction over two country schools and the schools at Arlington, employing twelve teachers, and with 257 pupils in the schools. On May 10, 1914, Mr. Wagoner was mar- ried to Glossie Goddard, who was born in Kansas City, Mo., but who, at the age of nine months, was brought to Rush county, which has been her home continuously since. She first studied in the public schools of Rushville, including the high school, and then became a student in Indiana University, where she was graduated the same vear as her husband, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. She is the daughter of George and Nellie (Mull) Goddard. Mr. and Mrs. Wagoner have two children, George A. and Lavonne. Mr. Wagoner is a Republican, a Freemason and a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church. On June 6, 1921, he was elected superintendent of the schools of Rush county.
JAMES M. ELLISON, an experienced farmer and substantial citizen of Walker township, was born in Rushville township, this county, September 26, 1852, a son of William J. and Sarah (Duke) Ellison. His father was born in Rush county and his mother in Kentucky. They had six children born to them, four sons surviv- ing, Fremont, Alonzo P., Elmer E. and James M. The father was a
C
SANFORD N. POSTON
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farmer in Rush county all his life and owned 180 acres of valuable land. His death occurred on July 3, 1891. James M. Ellison had the usual school privileges in boyhood, attending what was known as the Alexander school near his father's farm, and early learned farming. He has never given much attention to any other vocation. For four years before his marriage, Mr. Ellison worked as a farm hand, then rented land for a year, following which he bought sixty acres in Orange township. That land he held and operated for ten years but when his father died he sold it and bought the old home place of 160 acres in Walker township, on which he lives, subse- quently acquiring other tracts and he now owns 295 acres in that township. He has always been a progressive farmer and has encour- aged the raising of good stock, a notable feature of his own industries being his full blood, big type Poland-China hogs, of which he markets about 100 head annually. On January 27, 1881, Mr. Ellison married Lucinda Hodge, who was born in Walker township, daughter of Alfred and Margaret (Miller) Hodge, natives of Rush county and farming people. Mrs. Ellison is one of a family of seven children and has three surviving sisters and one brother, Sarah, Mary, Martha and Alva. Mr. and Mrs. Ellison have two children, Orsa P., a farmer in Rush county, who married Mertie Hungerford, and Floy, who is the wife of Albert Gahimer, a farmer in Walker township. Mr. Elli- son and his family are members of the Christian church at Homer. He has always been a Republican.
SANFORD M. POSTON, former clerk of Rush county, who died at his home in Noble township in the spring of 1910, was born on November 25, 1849, on the farm on which his widow now re- sides, and his death occurred on May 10, 1910. He was descended from sterling old pioneer stock, his paternal grandparents having been Judge Elias and Nancy (Norton) Poston, natives of Ken- tucky, the former born in Fayette county and the latter in Bourbon county. They were married in 1807 and some years after that event they came to Indiana, first locating in Franklin county. In the spring of 1821 they came to what is now Rush county and the next year entered 160 acres in what is now known as Noble town- ship. The date of the entry of this land was March 7, 1822, and the original deed from the Government bearing the name of Pres- ident Monroe is still in the family. Elias Poston was a man of strong character and marked mental ability and he soon took a prominent part in the public life of this pioneer community. In 1822 he was elected the first associate judge of Rush county and the diversity of his talents is somewhat indicated from the fact that he was a successful Baptist minister and also practiced medicine. Among his children was the subject's father, George W. Poston, who was born in Kentucky on March 12, 1826, and who accom- panied his parents on their removal to Rush county, locating in Noble township, where he spent the remainder of his life engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Nancy McNeil, who was born and reared in North Carolina, and they became the parents of six
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children, five of whom grew to maturity, namely : Sanford M., Quincy, Estella, Elizabeth and Ella. Sanford M. Poston received a good education in the public schools of Noble township and then for a time was engaged in teaching school. In the meantime he also became interested in the sawmill business, having bought and sold much lumber, so after a short career as a pedagogne, he re- signed and thereafter devoted his attention to sawmill interests, in addition to which he also farmed the home place of about 600 acres. He became an extensive stock feeder and also bred Poland China hogs and Short-Horn cattle. He was keenly interested in the breeding of thoroughbred track horses and was the owner of "Redfield," one of the best horses of his type in this section of the country. A year prior to his mother's death, the home farm was divided and his portion was 140 acres. He was an energetic worker and a good manager and to this nucleus he added other land by purchase until his holdings amounted to 340 acres, to the operation of which he devoted his attention up to the time of his death. He made many permanent and substantial improvements on the place, developing it into one of the best farms in this section of the county. Though a busy man, Mr. Poston always took a keen interest in local public affairs and an active part in politics as a Republican. He served for five years as assessor of Noble township, and in 1901 he was elected to the office of clerk of the Rush county Circuit Court, serving one term to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. Mr. Poston spent practically his entire life in Noble township and won his way into the affections of the people through his genial address, his obliging nature, his sound business ability and his un- swerving support freely given to all laudable movements looking toward the general welfare of his county. In 1901 Mr. Poston was married to Mary Ellen Bromley, the daughter of Charles D. and Anna (Jones) Bromley, and to them were born two children, George and Estella, both of whom remain at home with their mother, and the former of whom is the sole surviving male member of this branch of the family bearing the Poston name. Mrs. Poston's parents were born respectively, in Pittsburgh, Pa., and Rush county. Mr. Bromley came to Rush county in young manhood and here followed the business of railroad contracting during all of his active years. To him and his wife were born seven children, of which number three grew to maturity, namely: Carl E., Agnes and Mary Ellen. Mrs. Poston is a member of the Christian church, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Woman's Relief Corps, in which she is an officer, the Women's Council and the Nature Study Club of Indi- ana. Mrs. Poston is descended from sterling old pioneer families of Rush county. Grandmother Mary Sharp, the mother of Sarah Jones, was born in Virginia in 1812, whence in 1826, when but fourteen years of age, she came to Rush county, and settled with her family in Walker township. The second session of the commis- sioners' court of Rush county was held at the home of James Lower, who ran a tavern at Rushville and who was a great-uncle of Mrs.
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Poston. Mr. Poston was an attendant at the Methodist Protestant church in New Salem. Politically, he gave his support to the Re- publican party. Fraternally, he was a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he attained to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and was also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
JOHN D. MEGEE, a well known citizen of Rushville, a member of the bar of the Rush Circuit Court and former judge of that court, is a native son of Rush county, born on November 20, 1850, son of William E. and Ellen E. (Morris) Megee, natives of Kentucky and who were but children when they came to Indiana with their re- spective parents, both the Megees and the Morrises having been among the pioneers of Rush county, the former family coming here in 1828 and the latter in 1831. William E. Megee was born in Jessamine county, Kentucky, and his wife at Georgetown, Ky. He became a farmer in this county and at the time of his death in 1864 was the owner of more than 320 acres of land. Though his opportunities for schooling were limited, he having attended school but three months in his life, he improved such opportunities for self-improve- ment as came to him and became known as a self-educated man of no little ability. William E. Megee and his wife were the parents of eight children, two of whom are still living, Judge Magee having a sister, Alice, wife of Taylor Lakin, of Rushville. John D. Megee was reared on his father's farm, receiving his preliminary education in the schools of the county. At the age of twenty, desiring a further education, he entered Lebanon Normal School, Lebanon, Ohio, and for one year took a business course, which he completed. He then commenced his career as a salesmau for T. & R. Pugh, of Washington, Ind., and was with them two years, at the end of which time he became a salesman for J. H. Mauzy, of Rushville, with whom he remained for about two years. Then for two years he was engaged in business in partnership with Z. E. Mauzy and W. A. Caldwell, selling out his interests to these two men to take up the study of law with Ben L. Smith in 1876. Having in due course been admitted to the bar, he was admitted as a partner by his preceptor, with whom he practiced until 1881, when he became one of the incorporators of the Chaffee County Gold and Silver Mining Company of Colorado. For four years he lived in Poncha Springs, Col., in order to devote his entire attention to the mining project as the manager. In 1885, he returned to Rushville to take up again the practice of law, and there has remained ever since. During his career as an attorney Judge Megee has been associated with eight men. When Rush and Shelby counties were separated to make each a judicial circuit he was appointed judge of the Rush Circuit Court for a term of two years. After his term on the bench, Judge Mcgee resumed the practice of his profession, and in September, 1918, formed a partner- ship with William L. Newbold under the firm name of Megee & Newbold. On March 3, 1874, Judge Megee was married to Susan O. Sneed, a daughter of William C. S. Sneed, also of this county, and he and his wife are the parents of two children, Ethel and Anna
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S. Ethel Megee married Hugh Fleehart and has two children, John M. and Florenee C. Anna S. married Carl F. Eveleigh and has one child, Sue Ann. Judge Megee is a member of the Presbyterian church, in which for about six years he was an elder, and for a time superintendent of the Sunday school. Fraternally he is a Freemason and a member of the Knights of Pythias, the former of which has claimed him for over forty-five years. He lias been an active worker in the ranks of the Democratie party, in the cause of which he has done yeoman service. He served as clerk of the Indiana State Senate in 1887 and clerk of the House in 1889, and from 1902 to 1904 he was chairman of the Democratic committee for the Sixth distriet.
HARMONEY L. PARSON, a retired farmer and live stock breeder of Anderson township, now living at Milroy, has been a resident of this eounty all his life and has a wide acquaintance throughout the county. He was born on a pioneer farm in Orange township on October 7, 1855, son of William and Alida (Boyd) Par- son, the latter of whom was born in the state of New York and both of whom spent their last days in Rush county. William Parson was born in Butler county, Ohio, a son of Samuel Parson, who came over into Indiana with his family and settled on an eighty-acre farm in Orange township, this county, thus becoming one of the pioneers of that township. Samuel Parson and his wife were the parents of six children, David, Daniel, William, Eliza Jane, Catherine and Samnel, and the descendants of these in the present generation form a quite numerous connection. William Parson was but a lad when he came to this county with his parents and he grew up on the pioneer farm, in time becoming the owner of the home "eighty" and an adjoining "eighty," which gave him an excellent farm of 160 acres. He had early learned the carpenter trade and in addition to his farming did a great deal of building throughout that part of the county, but death eut short his career right in its prime, his death occurring in 1858. His widow survived him many years, her death occurring on February 28, 1917. William Parson and wife were the parents of five children, four of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being Daniel Parson, of Portland, Ore .; John B. Parson, of Kansas, and Catherine M., of Oakland, Cal. Harmoney L. Parson was but three years of age when his father died. The mother kept her family together and maintained the farm home, the boys grow- ing up as helpful assistants in the labors of the place, and as a young man Harmoney L. Parson began working at farm work on his own behalf. He later became engaged as a contractor in county diteh work and was thus engaged for about ten years, at the end of which time he became the overseer of the 167-aere farm of his annt, Mrs. Anna M. Bowles, and was thus actively employed until the death of his aunt in 1920, and still has supervisory charge of the estate. Mr. Parson has fifty-five acres of his own, which he also supervises besides looking after his aunt's estate. For years he has given con- siderable attention to the raising and buying of live stock and has done well in his operations. Mr. Parson is a Republican. In his fraternal relations he is affiliated with the local lodges of the Masons,
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