USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 22
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FOUR GENERATIONS OF MOORE FAMILY From left to right . Andrew Moore. Earl B. Moore, Lowell Moore,
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bought 300 acres of land where he is now living in Richland town- ship, and he has operated this land and managed his affairs so well that he has increased his land holdings to 671 acres, lying in Rush and Franklin counties, though he is confining his personal efforts to the 300 acres at his home. He carries on general farming and also gives some attention to live stock, feeding annually from 300 to 400 hogs and thirty head of cattle. Mr. Moore was married to Alma V. Watson, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Watson, and ten children have blessed their union. Nine of them survive, namely : Earl, who married Iva Henderson and they have five children, Lowell, Hubert, Lois, Maurice and Gleda; Edward mar- ried Hazel Hebb and they have one child, William; Harold married Hazel Gwinnup and they have two children, Seth and Mary; Charles married Hazel Roach and they have two children, Maxine and Marium; Mary, deceased; Andrew, Luella, W. Lon, Thelma and Iloward. Mr. Moore gives his support to the Democratic party and has served the public as trustee of his home township and for one term as a member of the board of county commissioners from his district. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed through the official chairs, and the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks.
OMER P. MULL, a well-known farmer and stockraiser of Walker township, this county, was born in that township on August 24, 1853, a son of William and Elizabeth (Jones) Mull, both of whom were born in Rush county and spent their lives here. They had a family of eight children, seven of whom are living, Madaline, Clarissa, Alice, Nella. Omer P., Jacob A. and Earl. William Mull was one of the substantial farmers of Rush county and at the time of his death owned 1,040 acres of land situated in Walker and Rushville townships. Omer P. Mull and his brothers and sisters attended the Alexander school in Walker township as did many of Mr. Mull's neighbors still living in this section, but he also had high school advantages at Rushville. He then worked on the home farm for his father until he was twenty-five years old, when his father recognized the value of his services by purchasing and bestowing on Mr. Mull the farm on which he has lived ever since. He has 113 well improved acres in his place and carries on general farming and raises cattle and hogs. being able to ship about a carload of each annually. On August 1, 1878, Mr. Mull married Ada M. Lines, who was born in Noble town- ship, this county, daughter of Aaron and Elizabeth (McWain) Lines, both natives of Rush county and farming people, Mr. Lines also being a carpenter. Mrs. Mull has two sisters and two brothers, Sarah E., LeRoy, Mollie and Charles E. Mr. and Mrs. Mull have had nine children : Eulalia B., who is teaching in the Shelbyville schools; Hallie, who married William Webster, a farmer of Rush county, and has two children, Harry and Mull; Artie A., now living at Rushville, who married Ollie Edwards and has one son, James; Charles E., who died at the age of thirty years; Max, an enterprising business man of
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Dayton, Ohio, manager of a chain of restaurants, who married Eva Allen ; Donald L., a merchant at Homer, who married Myra Hester, who died on June 10, 1917, leaving three children, Marjorie, Frederick and Martha; Noble, who is a draftsman for the Dayton Steel & Con- struction Company, Dayton, Ohio; J. Blount, who is completing a course in chemistry at Purdue University; and Helen, who is now attending the Shelbyville high school. Mr. Mull and his family belong to the Christian church at Homer. He is a Republican in his political convictions.
W. T. LAMPTON, M. D., one of the best known physicians in Rush county, who for more than a quarter of a century has been practicing his profession at Milroy and who is widely known through- out that whole section, was born in Breckinridge county, Kentucky, August 27, 1855, son of the Rev. Henry T. and Mary Catherine (Browne) Lampton, both of whom also were born in Kentucky. The Rev. Henry T. Lampton, who was a Baptist minister, was a son of Thomas C. and Nancy (Vershee) Lampton, who had come to this country from Durham, England, and had settled in Kentucky. In 1871 the Rev. Henry T. Lampton came to Indiana with his family and located at Rockport, where his last days were spent. He and his wife were the parents of three children, Doctor Lampton having two sisters, Catherine and Nancy. Reared in Kentucky, Dr. W. T. Lamp- ton was early prepared for the exacting profession to which he had devoted his life. After four years at Transylvania University he attended the medical college of the University of Kentucky for three years and in 1879 was granted his Doctor of Medicine degree. For three years after attaining his degree the Doctor practiced his pro- fession at Olney, Illinois, and then entered the medical college of Bellevue Hospital at New York, where he took three years of intensive, practical post-graduate work and in 1886 was awarded an honorable supplemental degree. Thus admirably equipped for the further prac- tice of his profession the Doctor located at Kansas City, Missouri, and remained there until in 1888 when he went to Chicago and was for several years engaged in practice in that city. In 1895 the Doctor returned to Indiana and opened an office at Milroy, where he ever since has been engaged in practice and where he has long been recognized as one of the substantial and influential factors in the general life of that community. In 1900 Dr. W. T. Lampton was united in marriage to Ethel Tompkins, daughter of Ira and Arkansas Tompkins, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Ellendore. Dr. and Mrs. Lampton are members of the United Pres- byterian church at Milroy and have ever taken an interested part in the general good works of the church, the Doctor having for some time been serving as a member of the board of trustees of the church. In his political views the Doctor is a Demorat and has taken a gener- ally active interest in the affairs of that party in this county and in local civic affairs generally. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Milroy and takes a proper interest in the activities of that popular fraternal
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organization. The Doctor also is a member of the American Medical Association. the Indiana State Medical Association and the Rush County Medical Society and in the affairs of these several professional organizations takes a warm interest.
DAVID E. BARNARD. The thriving and hospitable village of Manilla includes among its residents many who have stepped aside from the paths of labor to allow to pass the younger generation with their high hopes and ambitions. Among these retired residents none is more highly esteemed than David E. Barnard, a highly respected octogenarian, who for many years was engaged in agricultural pur- suits in Posey township, this county, Mr. Barnard was born in Wayne county, Indiana, November 2, 1840, a son of Barzillai G. and Rachael (Robert) Barnard, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Virginia. The parents were married in Fayette county, Indiana, and the father followed farming throughout his life, for the most part in Rush county, where he owned about 300 acres of land. There were eleven children in the family, of whom five are living, Ambrose, Herman J., Mary E., Helen G. and David E. David E. Barnard received his education in the public schools of Posey township, this county, to which community he had taken by his parents when six years of age. He began working on his father's farm, but at this point the peaceful routine of his life was disturbed by the advent of the Civil war, and on July 21, 1862, he enlisted for service in the Union army, and was mustered into the service on August 16, 1862, as a member of Company C, Sixteenth regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served nearly three years, being mustered out on July 20, 1865. During his service in the army Mr. Barnard showed himself a valiant and faithful soldier and rose in rank, eventually receiving an honorary commission as first lieutenant from Governor Morton. After leaving the army, Mr. Barnard worked at several different occupations, principally farming, until his marriage in 1869, at which time he became the proprietor of a country store in Posey township, which he conducted for three years. He then turned his attention again to farming, which he followed with success in Posey township until 1920, when he retired from active pursuits and took up his residence at Manilla. At this time he and his wife are the owners of 122 acres of valuable land in Posey and Walker townships. Mr. Barnard was married on October 28, 1869, to Jennie Swain, who was born in Walker township, this county, daughter of Prior and Louisa (Coffin) Swain, natives of North Carolina, who followed agricultural pursuits in Walker town- ship for many years. Of their two children, Mrs. Barnard survives. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard have had four children, of whom three are living, Omar P., a traveling salesman living at Charlottesville, Indiana, who married Lulu Macy and has four children, David I., Glenn R., Kenneth S. and Perry L .; Marshall S., a telegraph operator for the Pennsylvania railroad at Franklin, Indiana, who married Pearl Taylor and has one child, Dorothy A .; and Dr. Roy F. Barnard, a dental practitioner of Shelbyville, Indiana, who married Minnie
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Schlissmann and has two children, J. Paul and Elizabeth F. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard are members of the Little Blue River Friends Church. He is a Republican in his political sentiment and a strong supporter of the principles of his party.
WILLIAM A. HOWELL, one of Anderson township's sub- stantial farmers and landowners furnishes in his life an excellent example to the younger generation of the meaning of surmounting difficulties along the highway of life. Left a soldier's orphan when but a boy, Mr. Howell faced an apparent handicap to progress, for he was compelled by the stern necessities of the case to go to work at an age when most boys are enjoying the provisions of tender care and comfort; but he was possessed of youthful strength, a courage to face obstacles and a fine will to do and he kept going ahead until in due course he became the owner of an excellent farm and has long been regarded as one of the substantial citizens of his community. Mr. Howell was born on a farm in Jennings county, Indiana, April 10, 1853, son of Alpheus and Eliza (Byrom) Howell, both natives of Ohio. Alpheus Howell came into Indiana from Ohio when a young man and began working on a farm in Jennings county. There he was married, his wife also having come to this state from Ohio, and was living there when the Civil war broke out. Despite the fact that he had eight small children, a fact which ordinarily would be regarded as a sufficient "hostage to fortune" to require every precaution against undue chance, his patriotic fervor impelled him to enlist his services in behalf of the Union cause and he went to the front a soldier in I Company of the Fifty-second regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was serving with that gallant command when he died in 1864 from a wound received in battle. His widow did not long survive him, her death occurring in April, 1865. This patriotic couple had eight children, as noted above, and seven of these are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being Joseph, Samuel, Elizabeth, Chauncey, Sarah and Lydia. William A. Howell was but eleven years of age when his patriotic father met a gallant soldier's death and it was but a few months later that he was doubly bereft by the death of his mother. The children of this orphaned family thus were left without their natural protectors and providers and thus when he was but a mere lad William A. Howell was compelled to start as a farm hand, doing a man's work before he had a man's strength to do the same, but his pluck and courage kept him going and he got along, meantime picking up such schooling along the way as the limited school terms to which he had access permitted. He married in Jennings county and then rented a farm there, remaining in that county until about 1890 when he came up into Rush county with his family and became engaged here as a farm hand and was for nineteen years thus engaged. In the meantime he was saving something every year and in 1900 bought a little tract of twenty-one acres, and gradually added to that until four
WILLIAM A. HOWELL AND WIFE
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years later when he had a tract of sixty acres, onto which he moved and thus began farming on a place of his own. There he remained until in September, 1907, when he moved to the place he now owns, an excellent farm of 140 acres, and there resided until he moved to Milroy in 1916, he and his family being very comfor- tably situated. In addition to his general farming Mr. Howell gives considerable attention to the raising of live stock, has a well equipped farm plant, and is doing well in his operations. It was in 1875 that William A. Howell was united in marriage to Emma Story, who also was born in Jennings county, daughter of Thomas and Josephine Story, and to this union one child has been born, a son, William Hollis Howell, who married Theresa Rogers and has two children, Edwin and Neva. Mr. and Mrs. Howell are members of the Christian church and take a proper part in church work as well as in the general good works of their neighborhood. Mr. Howell is a Republican but has never taken a particularly active part in political affairs, although always interested in movements having to do with better local government and the promotion of the community welfare along all lines.
WILLIAM L. HERKLESS. Since its establishment in Rush county at an early period in this community's history the Herkless family has sustained unfailingly the most intelligent and practical interests of the locality. In the third generation of this family to contribute to the development of the county is found William L. Herkless, the owner and operator of a valuable tract of land in Ripley township, where he is adjudged by his fellow-citizens a most progressive agriculturist. Mr. Herkless was born on April 17, 1881, in Ripley township, a son of Milton and Eunice (Winslow) Herkless. Milton Herkless was also born in Ripley township, and after acquiring his education at the Earnest schoolhouse began farming the home place. At the death of his father, at a comparatively early age, he assumed the management of the property, a tract of 160 acres which he conducted for his mother until the latter's demise. He was a man of high standing in his community, upright in business, sound in citizenship and faithful in his friendships, and had the esteem and respect of all. The only child of his parents, William L. Herkless was given good educational advantages in his youth, first attending the public schools of Carthage and being later given an agricultural course at Purdue University. With this preparation, he returned to the home farm, and not long thereafter was given its management. In conducting the operations on this 160-acre tract he secured val- uable training and experience, and in 1906, after his marriage, pur- chased eighty acres of land in partnership with his father, with whom he continued to farm for four years. In 1910 Mr. Herkless bought seventy-four acres in Ripley township, which he operates in con- junction with the eighty acres before mentioned. He is a capable general farmer, and has also met with success in his activities as a stock raiser. At this time he is feeding out about four carloads each year and is constantly extending the scope of his activities. His
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property is conducted along modern lines and his modern buildings and equipment reflect the progressive ideas of the owner. On June 3, 1903, Mr. Herkless married Gertrude B. Gilson, who was born in Center township, this county, daughter of Robert and Ellen (Graham) Gilson, farming people of that township. To Mr. and Mrs. Herkless there has been born one daughter, Mildred, who is attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Herkless arc members of the Chris- tian church, which they attend at Carthage. In politics he supports the Democratic party.
JACOB D. TODD, a native son and honored citizen of Rush county, now living in retirement at his comfortable home in Center township, and who as an agriculturist ranked among the best in his community, was born in the township now honored by his citizenship, on May 21, 1854, and is the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (David) Todd, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Bourbon county, Kentucky. Andrew Todd came down the Ohio river from Pennsylvania as far as Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where he remained for a time and then, in 1839, he came on to Rush county. During the ensuing ten years he was employed by the day as a farm hand, but he then engaged in farming on his own account, buying acres eighty of land in Center township, to which he later added thirty-seven acres. making his holdings here 117 acres, and on this farm he made his home up to the time of his death, which occurred on April 18, 1890. His wife had died on November 18, 1887. Of the seven children who blessed their union three are now living, Joseph W., Leah and Jacob D. Jacob D. Todd received his educational training in the Ball school, in Center township, and remained on the home farm, assisting his father in its operation up to the time of his marriage, in 1886, when he began farming for himself on an eighty-acre farm which he and his brother owned. They also rented the homestead of 117 acres and farmed it. For about ten years after his marriage the subject and his wife lived with his parents, but at the end of that time they moved to the place where they now reside, the homestead comprising seventy-nine acres of fine land. Mr. Todd has done a great deal of ditching on this farm and has made many other valuable improve- ments on it, including some important improvements on the buildings. For a number of years he successfully operated this farm, but is now retired and rents the fields, retaining for his own use the home, where he is now quietly enjoying the fruits of his former years of effort. Mr. Todd has been twice married, first, on September 9, 1886, to Mary E. Sample, who was born and reared in Hancock county, Indiana, the daughter of George and Susan (Williams) Sample, and to this union was born a daughter, Vessie P. The latter became the wife of Ernest Cook, of Columbus, Indiana and they have two children living, Garnet and Naomi. Mrs. Mary E. Todd died on January 29, 1891, and on April 19, 1893, Mr. Todd was married to Mrs. Eliza J. (Reeves) Jones, who was born and reared in Center township, Rush county, the daughter of Jesse and Sallie (Johnson) Reeves, both of whom were natives of Ohio. They had four children,
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of whom two are living, Mrs. Todd and her brother Clinton. By a former marriage Mrs. Todd is the mother of a daughter, Addie M .; who is the wife of Richard E. Sample, who is engaged in the furniture business at Knightstown, Indiana. Politically, Mr. Todd is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party and has served for six years as a member of the advisory board of Center township. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Knightstown. He has ever taken a deep interest in the welfare of the community and is held in high regard.
AL A. REEVES, who has long been regarded as one of the most progressive agriculturists and public spirited citizens of Center town- ship, in which he has spent practically his entire life, was born in that township, on May 2, 1872, and is the son of O. M. and Lucinda (Talbert) Reeves, both of whom were also natives of Center township. Mr. Reeves followed farming throughout his active life and was the owner of sixty acres of land in Center township. To him and his wife were born three children, all of whom are living, namely : Arthur, Munson and Al A. The subject of this review is indebted to the public schools of Center township for his educational training, he having attended the Demick school. From the time he was old enough he devoted himself to the work of the home farm, where he remained until his marriage, in 1894, when he began farming on his own account, renting land for that purpose for about twelve years. Mrs. Reeves then inherited the farm where they now live and they at bnce moved onto it. The farm consists of eighty-three acres of fine tillable soil and here Mr. Reeves carries on a general line of farming. He also gives some attention to the raising of live stock, feeding about 125 hogs each year. He has made many improvements on the place, the general appearance of which indicates him to be a man of taste and good judgment. On October 17, 1894, Mr. Reeves was married to Nora Gilson, a native of Center township and the daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Wells) Gilson, both of whom were born and reared in Rush county. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves have a son, Lowell M., born on April 21, 1908. Politically, Mr. Reeves gives his support to the Demo- cratic party. He is deeply interested in public events and supports every movement for the advancement of the general welfare.
FLOYD M. WILLIAMS, who by a life of persistent and well applied energy and commendable industry along honorable lines has earned the right to specific mention in the history of his county, was born in Henry county, Indiana, on September 5, 1884, and is the son of Charles E. and Charlotte (Watts) Williams. The mother was born in England, but at the age of two and a half years she was brought to the United States by her parents, and she received her education at Oberlin, Ohio. Charles E. Williams was born in Rush county and was reared and educated in Knightstown. IIe has fol- lowed farming here during the major portion of his life, mostly in Center township, where he owns 150 acres of land, and he also owns 153 acres of land in Henry county. Of the three children born to him and his wife two are now living, Carroll and Floyd. Floyd
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M. Williams received his educational training in the public schools of Knightstown and after completing his studies he engaged in the busi- ness of a florist at the latter city for about one and a 'half years. He was also employed at several other occupations prior to his marriage, but after that event he engaged in farming in Ripley township, Rush county, where he rented eighty-three acres of land. After operating that land for five years, Mr. Williams moved to the place where he now lives, comprising 150 acres, which he rents from his father. He carries on general farming operations, in which he has met with pro- nounced success, and he also has gained a wide reputation as a success- ful breeder of thoroughbred big-type Poland China hogs, raising and selling them for breeding purposes. He raises about 150 hogs a year and usually conducts semi-annual sales of his animals. He keeps his place in good shape and is considered a good farmer. On December 6, 1906, Mr. Williams was married to Pearl Hotchkiss, who was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, the daughter of George K. and Belle (Jolly) Hotchkiss, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New Marion, Ind. Mr. Hotchkiss, who was a stonemason by trade, enjoyed the respect and esteem of the entire community in which he lived. He was the father of seven children, of whom six are living, namely: Gay, Julia, Audrey, Leona, Thomas, Harvey (who died at the age of twenty-five years) and Pearl. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are the parents of two children, Hollis and Margaret, both of whom are attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Knightstown. Politically, Mr. Will- iams is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, while he also belongs to Lodge No. 99, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Lodge No. 236, Knights of Pythias, both at Knightstown,
W. H. FRY, one of the well known and substantial farmers and landowners of Union township, was born on the place on which he is now living, on rural mail route No. 1 out of Falmouth, and has lived there all his life, a period of more than three score years. He was born on October 9, 1857, son of Henry and Eliza Jane (Bishop) Fry, who were for years influential residents of Union township. Henry Fry was a Pennsylvanian by birth, born in Wash- ington county in the old Keystone state, and was but eight years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents, Elijah and Sarah Fry, the family locating in Union township, this county. There Henry Fry grew to manhood and after his marriage to Eliza Jane Bishop, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, and whose parents had located in this county during the days of her girlhood, estab- lished his home in that township, becoming the owner of a farm of ninety acres on which he spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom but two are now living, W. H. Fry and his brother Elijah. Reared on the home farm in Union township, W. H. Fry completed his schooling in the Fairview Academy and from the days of his boyhood was a valued assistant to his father in the labors of the home farm. After his marriage he continued on the home place, giving his earnest
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