USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 19
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MR. AND MRS. SYLVESTER GWINNUP
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with the Free and Accepted Masons. He is a man of sterling qual- ities of character and is held in the highest regard by the entire community.
ALBA HURST, a progressive farmer of Walker township, was born in that township on March 16, 1871, a son of James E. and Mary (Zike) Hurst, both of whom were born in Rush county. Of their family of nine children there are eight living, Alonzo, Alba, Winifred, Della, George, Pluma, Emmons and Anna V. In boyhood Alba Hurst attended school in Walker township and later had school advantages at Homer. He has been a farmer almost all his life and a hard-working one. Following his marriage he operated a farm of eighty acres belonging to his father-in-law. Later his wife inherited this farm and Mr. Hurst through his interest and industry has made it one of the most valuable as well as most presentable farms in Walker township. He not only has put in a fine system of ditching and built substantial fencing around the property, but has replaced all the old structures with new and modern buildings. Mr. Hurst. is a careful farmer and in addition to doing well in grain and other crops, raises about sixty head of hogs every year. On December 23, 1891, he married Fannie M. Miller, who was born in this county, a daughter of John B. and Sarah (Clingman) Miller, whose other chil- dren are Bert, Rue and Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Hurst have two children : Ethel, wife of Wilbur Mahan, who is in the United States railway mail service and a resident of Rushville, and has two children, Grayson J. and Lewis Mull, and Ella, who is the wife of Joseph Cotton, a farmer in Walker township. Mr. Hurst and his family are members of the Baptist church at Homer. He is a Republican but has never desired public office, although at one time he con- sented to serve to fill out another's term as township trustee, and during that period of four months proved entirely efficient.
JOHN McCOY, a general farmer with large interests in Posey township, was born in this county, June 9, 1863, a son of Thomas and Mary (Moran) McCoy, both of whom were born in Ireland. When a boy of seven, the father came to Montreal, Canada, where he lived until 1856 when he came to Rush county to take up the career of farming in which he was to become so eminently successful. The mother came to Rush county from Niagara Falls, New York, in 1858 and married Mr. McCoy that same year. Mr. McCoy was an indus- trious, capable farmer, and at the time of his death had acquired 400 acres of fine land in Posey township. He and his wife had eight, children, John, Frank, Joseph, Rosa, Thomas, Mary, William and Elizabeth, all living in Rush county at this writing (1921). John McCoy attended the Concord school in Rushville township when a boy, early beginning to help his father, with whom he remained until his marriage, after which he rented land and carried on farming operations for himself. At his father's death he received eighty acres from the estate to which he has since added until he now owns 220 acres, all lying in Posey township. General farming and stock raising have engaged his attention and yearly he markets 150 head
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of hogs and some fine cattle. August 4, 1890, Mr. McCoy married Elizabeth Sullivan, born in Rush county, a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Lenan) Sullivan. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan were the parents of twelve children of whom the following survive: Joseph, William, Leo, Mary, Margaret and Katherine. Mr. and Mrs. McCoy have an adopted son, Thomas Saunders, and the family belong to St. Mary's Catholic Church at Rushville. Mr. McCoy is well known in fraternal circles at Rushville, being a member of the Rushville lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and also of Rushville Lodge, No. 769, Knights of Columbus. Mr. McCoy is deeply interested as a good citizen in public affairs both in local and state questions, and has always voted with the Democratic party.
FRED H. FINLAW, M. D., of Arlington, who has within a dozen years advanced to an enviable position among the physicians of Rush county, a locality well known for the high order of its medical talent, was born at Camden, N. J., on the first day of June, 1882, and is the son of Dr. James P. and Elizabeth (Bowlus) Finlaw. The subject received his elementary education in the public schools of Camden, including three years of high school. Then, having deter- mined to devote his life to the healing art, he matriculated in the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati where he was graduated on April 29, 1908, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. During the following year he served as resident physician at the Seton Hospital, but in October, 1909, the Doctor came to Rush county and entered upon the active practice of his profession at Moscow. Two years later he came to Arlington, where he has since remained and where he has built up a large and representative patronage throughout the sur- rounding country. He is a close and constant student of every phase of the science to which he has devoted himself and has gained an enviable reputation as a successful physician. During the recent World war Doctor Finlaw entered the service and was sent to the medical officers' training camp at Camp Greenleaf, Ga., where he became a member of the staff with the rank of first lieutenant. He remained there until December 31, 1918, when he was transferred to the Hospital Train Service at Newport News, Va., where he remained nine months. He received an honorable discharge from the service at Camp Taylor, Louisville, Ky., on September 25, 1919, and at once resumed his practice at Arlington. On April 27, 1910, Doctor Finlaw was married to Lydia P. Shepard, who was born and reared in Maysville, Ky. Politically, Doctor Finlaw is independent, voting according to the dictates of his judgment, regardless of party lines. Fraternally, the Doctor belongs to Phoenix Lodge, No. 62, Free and Accepted Masons, at Rushville; Beech Grove Lodge, No. 399, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Arlington; and the Modern Woodmen of America at Rushville. He is a member of the Indiana Eclectic Medical Association and the National Eclectic Medical Asso- ciation. Religiously, he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Arlington. The Doctor is a man of kindly dis- position and generous impulses and is deservedly popular throughout the community where he lives.
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HARRY A. KRAMER, who has built up an important business enterprise at Rushville and accumulated a comfortable portion of this world's goods entirely through his own efforts and industry, was born in Indianapolis on February 26, 1874, the son of Henry and Maria (Mueller) Kramer, both of whom were born in Germany, where they were married. Shortly after their marriage they came to this country, realizing that there was infinitely more opportunity for advancement on this side of the Atlantic. They settled in In- dianapolis, where he followed the trade of butcher which he had learned in Germany. He later removed to Crawfordsville continuing in the same line of enterprise, following it the remainder of his days. To him and his wife were born ten children, eight of whom are now living. Six of the sons became butchers, and among them Harry A., who saw that by the application of modern business principles, suc- cess could as readily be attained in this as well as in any other calling. He received his education in the schools of Crawfordsville and after completing the prescribed course of study, he learned the trade of butcher with his father. When his father undertook the operation of a slaughter house in Crawfordsville he assisted him in every way possible, and remained with the older man until 1899 when he came to Rushville. Having become convinced that this city was well suited to his purpose, he bought out the Kohlhier meat market, and con- ducted this retail establishment with success for about seven years. Then, wishing to enlarge the scope of his operations, he opened his wholesale meat and packing house in the location now occupied by his business. He has steadily added improvements and up-to-date equipment and a refrigerating plant. His plant has a capacity of 500 hogs per week, and he is now installing a large scraping machine having a capacity of 100 hogs per hour. The Kramer Packing Com- pany is the manufacturer of "Excelsior" hams and bacon, brands which are favorably known throughout this section of the state. In addition to his packing interests, Mr. Kramer is the proprietor of one retail market in Rushville. Mr. Kramer married Elizabeth Pun- tenney, a daughter of George and Josephine Puntenney, and they are the parents of one son, William. Mr. and Mrs. Kramer are earnest members of the United Presbyterian church, and fraternally. Mr. Kramer is a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In his political belief he counts himself among the members of the Democratic party, although he has never striven for political preferment on his own account.
ROBERT KENNEDY, a well known retired farmer of this county, who is now making his home at Rushville, was born on February 3, 1848, in North Carolina. His parents were Henry and Sabra (Hilton) Kennedy, the father a native also of North Carolina and the mother of Maryland. They had nine children born to then. and two of these are living, Nora and Robert. The father was a cabinet-maker by trade, but Robert early decided to become a farmer, and after his school days were over, he came to Indiana and secured work as a farm hand in Rush county. He never afterward changed his mind in favor of another vocation, but kept on working on
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farms for eight years, when through industry and economy he was able to purchase a farm of 120 acres, situated in Noble township, and afterward bought the adjoining farm of 120 acres. He remained on this property as a general farmer and stock raiser for thirty-four years, during part of the time managing to ship at least one car load of cattle and three of hogs yearly. After this long period of profita- ble farming he leased his land and retired to a comfortable home at Rushville. During his eight years of residence in Noble township Mr. Kennedy served efficiently as road supervisor, being elected to the office on the Republican ticket. On December 15, 1871, he married Mary Barnes, who was born in Rush county, daughter of Aaron and Ann (Laughlan) Barnes. She died on May 12, 1906, and her burial was in East Hill cemetery. She left two children, Jesse B. and Clyde C. Jesse B. Kennedy, who is in the United States railway mail service, lives at Irvington, Ind. He married Florence Sipe, and they have two children, Lela and Donald B., the former of whom is the wife of Dr. Cullen Sexton, of Rushville. Clyde C. Kennedy is a civil engineer and lives in San Francisco, Cal. He married Mable Roberts and they have four children, Richard, Louise, Robert and Mary. On December 23, 1908, Robert Kennedy married Emma Newby, who was born in Davidson county, North Carolina, daughter of Henry and Delia (Kennedy) Newby. The father of Mrs. Kennedy was a shoemaker and also a farmer. Of his eleven children the fol- lowing are living : Henry, Emma, Nancy, Sally, Robert, Maggie, Carl. John, William, Edward and Rosa. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are mem- bers of the Christian church at Rushville.
JOSEPH H. RICH, who died at his farm home in Union town- ship early in 1919, was born in that township and spent the greater part of his life there. He was a member of one of the old families of Rush county, was a well known and influential citizen of the community in which he so long resided and it is but fitting that there should be carried in this volume of biography relating to the families of this county some modest tribute to the excellent mem- ory he left at his passing. Josepli II. Rich was born on a farm in Union township on September 2, 1850, son of Robert W. and Phoebe (Shawahan) Rich, both of whom also were born in Rush county, members of pioneer families here. Robert W. Rich was a good farmer and followed that vocation all his life, developing a good property in Union township. Of the three children born to him and his wife the subject of this memorial tribute was the only one that grew to maturity. Reared on the home farm in Union township, Joseph H. Rich received his schooling in the local schools and as a young man continued farming with his father until his marriage at the age of twenty-three when he rented a farm in that neighborhood and began operations on his own account. Not long afterward he moved up into Madison county to engage in farming, but did not remain there long, presently returning to Rush county. Upon his return here he bought a farm of ninety-seven acres in Union township, established his home there and on that place
MR. AND MRS. JOSEPII II. RICHI
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
spent the remainder of his life, doing well his part in the general community life, his death occurring there on February 3, 1919. Joseph H. Rich was a member of the Fairview Christian church, as is his widow, and was a member of the local lodge of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows at Falmouth. In his political affiliation he was a Democrat. On March 13, 1873, Joseph H. Rich was united in marriage to Hetty Penwell, who was born in the neighboring county of Fayette, and to this union two children were born, a son and a daughter, Roy and Ethel, both of whom are living. Roy Rich married Agatha Adams and has two children, Edna, wife of Royal Burton, and Paul. Ethel Rich married Hasting Fielding. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Rich has moved from the farm in Union township to the pleasant village of Falmouth, where she is now living comfortably situated. As noted above she was born in Fayette county and her parents, William Reed and Jane (Rea) Penwell, also were born in that same county, members of old fam- ilies there. William Reed Penwell was a farmer for years in Fayette county and then moved with his family over into Rush county, where he became engaged in farming and where he and his wife spent their last days. They were the parents of two children, Mrs. Rush and her sister, Viola.
SAMUEL DARNELL, a well known retired farmer of Anderson township, this county, now living at Milroy, where he has made his home for the past two or three years, is a Kentuckian by birth but has been a resident of Indiana since he was twenty years of age and has spent the major part of his life in this county. Mr. Darnell was born in Scott county, Kentucky, September 14, 1850, son of John G. and Melissa (Arrowsmith) Darnell, both of whom were born in Nicholas county, that same state, members of pioneer families there, but whose last days were spent in Indiana. John G. Darnell was reared in Nicholas county, Kentucky, the county of his birth, and was married in Scott county, Kentucky. He was reared as a farmer and after his marriage continued to farm in his home county unti! the year 1870 when he came to Indiana with his family and located in Decatur county, where he rented a farm, but after awhile he came with his family up into Rush county, rented a farm here and remained until about the year 1880, when he moved to White county. this state, and bought a farm on which he spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, J. W. (deceased), Samuel, Eliza, Anna, Sarah, Helen, Catherine, Christina, Edward and Melvina. As noted above, Samuel Darnell was about twenty years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents and he remained with them until he attained his majority when he began farm work on his own account. After his marriage he rented a farm and in the following year bought a farm of eighty acres in Anderson township, this county, and there established his home, continuing to make his residence there until in 1918 when he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Milroy, where he and his family are now living. It was in 1886 that Samuel Darnell was
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united in marriage to Amanda Morgan, a daughter of Evan and Mary Ann (Ricketts) Morgan of this county, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Lena, who married Benjamin God- dard and has two children, Helen Margaret and Mary Frances. Mr. and Mrs. Darnell are members of the Christian church and take a proper interest in church work and in the general good works of their home community. In his political views Mr. Darnell is a Democrat.
D. EZRA CARMONY, a well-known and substantial farmer of Walker township, this county, and who also is a member of the firni of Carmony Bros., funeral directors at Morristown, in the neighbor- ing county of Shelby, is a native son of Shelby county, but has been a resident of Rush county for more than ten years, having made his home here after his marriage, a very sensible step which he has had no occasion to regret. He was born on a farm in Union township, Shelby county, February 20, 1888, son of Thomas F. and Emma J. (Youngs) Carmony, both of whom were born in that same county. members of old families in the Morristown neighborhood. Thomas F. Carmony was a well-to-do farmer, a vocation which he followed all his life, and was the owner of 244 acres. He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children, nine of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being Grace A., Flora L., Albert R., Harry E., Laura E., Fern, Lillian and Charles E. Reared on the home farm, D. Ezra Carmony received his schooling in the neighbor- hood schools and early became interested in the funeral director's necessary calling, becoming associated with his brother, Albert R. Carmony, in the undertaking business at Morristown, about 1915. In order fully to equip himself along this line he entered the Askin training school for embalmers at Indianapolis and after a course there was graduated from that institution with highest honor. The firm ranks among the best qualified undertakers in the state. In 1910 Mr. Carmony came over into Rush county and located on the Hertsel homestead farm in Walker township and has since made that place his home, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Besides managing the Hertsel farm Mr. Carmony rents an additional sixty acres, making the total acreage which he handles, about 300 acres and is quite extensively engaged, in addition to his general farming, in the raising of live stock, feeding about five car loads of hogs and a car load of cattle annually. Ile still retains his interest in the business of Carmony Brothers at Morristown. It was on February 24, 1909, four days after attaining his majority, that D. Ezra Carmony was united in marriage to Olive L. Hertsel, of this county, and to this union three children have been born, L. Clarine, Vera Lavon (deceased), and Bernetta T. Mr. and Mrs. Carmony are members of the Methodist church at Manilla and take a proper interest in church work as well as in the general social activities of their home community. Politically, Mr. Carmony is a Democrat, but has never been particularly active in politics. Mrs. Carmony is a member of one of the old families of Rush county, her father, Michael Hertsel, having been born here. Her mother, who before her mar-
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riage was Kathryn Borger, was born in Cincinnati. Michael Hertsel was a substantial farmer of Walker township, where Mrs. Carmony was born, and he and his wife were the parents of two children, Mrs. Carmony having a brother, Jacob C. Hertsel.
CHARLES JOHNSON, a well known Posey township farmer who has passed his life here, was born in the township in which he now resides on January 24, 1876, and is the son of Benjamin S. and Stacia A. (Alexander) Johnson, who were born on August 11. 1835, and May 12, 1838, respectively. Benjamin S. Johnson was a native of Brown county, state of Ohio, whence he was brought to Indiana by his parents when he was six years old, the family locating in Rush county. Here he was educated and on attaining years of maturity he applied himself to agricultural pursuits, following that vocation in Posey township the remainder of his life. He was suc- cessful and became the owner of 240 acres of land. He gave special attention to the breeding and raising of hogs, of which he handled great numbers. Mrs. Johnson was born and reared in Rush county and by her union with Mr. Johnson she became the mother of ten children, namely: Cansada, who is living in the neighboring county of Henry; Callie, who lives in California; Thomas S. (deceased) ; Bruce, Charlotte, Luvine C. and Mary, of this county; Ora A., of Kansas City, Mo., and Charles and Lelah, of this county. Charles Johnson was educated in district school No. 8, Rushville township, and after completing his studies he remained on the home farm. working for his mother until her death, since which time he and his three sisters, Charlotte, Mary and Lelah, have made their home there. They own 160 acres of land, which is well improved and highly cul- tivated. Mr. Johnson carries on a general line of farming, raising all the crops common to this section of the country, and also gives attention to live stock, feeding about 350 head of hogs annually. Mr. Johnson takes a justifiable pride in the general condition of the farm, which, under his direction and efforts, has become known as one of the best and most attractive in his section of the country. Politically, Mr. Johnson gives his support to the Democratic party, while he sustains fraternal relations with the Knights of Pythias lodge at Rushville. Personally, he is a man of genial disposition and obliging manner and he enjoys the friendship and good will of a host of acquaintances.
JOHN T. BUSSELL, a member of one of the prominent pioneer families of Rush county, was born in Union township on June 19, 1851, the son of James and Elizabeth Jane (McMillin) Bussell. James Bussell was born in Greene county, Ohio, February 4, 1820, the son of Samuel and Sarah (Morgan) Bussell, the former of Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, the latter a native of Vir- ginia. During the War of 1812 Samuel Bussell served in the Ameri- can army, and in 1821 decided to come west. Accordingly, in Sep- tember of that year, he came to Indiana and in Rush county entered a tract of land, then a virgin wilderness, in the southeast quarter of section 19 in Union township. On February 2, 1822, he brought his family to the cabin which he had erected-his son James then being
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not quite two years old. Opportunities for education were extremely limited in that early day, and James had, therefore, to depend almost solely on his native ability to make a success of his life. At the age of twenty-one he commenced farming the home place, and at his father's death bought eighty acres of it, increasing his holdings to 341 acres before his death. James Bussell was twice married and by his first wife had a son, James A. Bussell. On March 18, 1847, he took for his second wife Elizabeth Jane McMillin, a daughter of John and Susan McMillin, pioneers of Rush county, and they became the parents of four children : Susan J. (deceased), John T., Jessie F. and Emeline, who died at the age of two years. John T. Bussell attended the public schools of Union township, and then took up farming in conjunction with his father, with whom he remained until he was married, at which time he entered business for himself, renting fields from his father for several years. He then was able to buy a farm of 120 acres, which he has since owned, besides an eighty acre tract added later. Here he has always done a general farming busi- ness and raised a large amount of stock, and with characteristic progressiveness has made splendid improvements on it. He is inter- ested in all modern agricultural methods, and has greatly increased the productivity of his soil by scientific crop rotation and fertiliza- tion. He was married in 1878 to Nancy Smith, a daughter of George and Mary Smith, and to their union there have been born three children : Blanche, who married Claude Thompson; Guy, who mar- ried Clara Shafer and has three children, Philip, Clarence, and Edgar; and John C., who is unmarried. Mr. Bussell is a member of the Christian church, in the work of which he long has been interested, having held the offices of elder, deacon and clerk, and in his political belief is a Republican.
WILLIAM H. NELSON, than whom no citizen of a past gen- eration in Rush county was better or more favorably known, was long an enterprising and progressive farmer and stock raiser and a citizen who, while advancing the interests of himself and family, never neglected his duties to the public. Whatever of success he attained was entirely owing to his individual efforts, his energy and natural ability. From a modest beginning he gradually attained a prominence in his county which entitled him to the high esteem which he enjoyed among his neighbors. Mr. Nelson was born in Anderson township, this county, March 3, 1842, and was the son of Capt. Christian and Faticia (Cooper) Nelson, the former a native of Denmark and the latter born and reared in Greenfield, Ind. The subject received a common school education, attending the school at Arlington. In his boyhood days he worked on the farm for his father, and so continued up to the time of his marriage, when he started out on his own account by renting a por- tion of his father's farm, to the operation of which he devoted himself for about five years. He then bought 100 acres of land in Posey township, where he and his good wife established their home and there they resided for about thirty years, or until Mr. Nelson
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