USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 34
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
began farming, at first in a small way, and while attending to his own land he also worked out by the day in order to secure some ready money. As he could he kept on buying land until at one time he owned 305 acres, and he continued to live on his farm until His death, January 10, 1901. His wife died in December, 1891. They had six children, James, Salena, John, Thomas, Sanford and Oscar. John Heaton attended the local schools of Noble township, and after he had completed his schooling he began to farm, remaining on the home- stead both before and after his marriage. He continued to work in partnership with his father until the latter's death, and then secured the home farm of 130 acres, where he has since continued to live, and where until his retirement he carried on a general line of farming, being quite successful in his operations. Mr. Heaton married Mary Conner, daughter of Thomas and Phoebe (Ryker) Conner, and they have two children, Bert and Vonnie Belle. Bert Heaton married Anna C. George and has two children, Mary and Robert. Vonnie Belle Heaton married Carl Wilson and has three children, Harold, Dorothy and Catherine Louise. Bert Heaton and his wife belong to Little Flat Rock Christian Church and he has been an elder, deacon and Sunday school superintendent of the same. His political convic- tions make Mr. Heaton a Democrat. A quiet, hard-working and thrifty man Mr. Heaton has always done what he considered to be his duty toward his family, church and community, and his present prosperity has been fairly earned through legitimate effort.
W. RILEY RHODES, a well known farmer of Center township, is the scion of one of the old and respected families of the northern part of Rush county, his paternal grandfather having entered land here in an early day, and he has spent his entire life within the bor- ders of this county. By persistent industry, good management and clean living, he has attained not only material success, but also the confidence and respect of the entire community. Mr. Rhodes was born in Center township, this county, on February 6, 1866, and is the son of Lewis R. and Elizabeth J. (Leisure) Rhodes, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Kentucky. Lewis R. Rhodes was brought to Rush county by his parents when four years of age, the trip being made in the typical overland wagons of that early day. He received such education as was possible to obtain in the primitive log-cabin schools of the day and his youthful years were spent in the work of the home farm, for his father had entered eighty acres of land in Center township. Here he remained up to the time of his marriage, when he began farming on his own account. For awhile he operated the home farm on the shares, but eventually he bought the place from his father. He was prospered in his business affairs and at one time was the owner of 400 acres of land in Center township. To himself and wife were born eight children, five of whom are living, namely : W. Riley, Frank, Noah, Serena and Cora. W. Riley Rhodes was reared under the parental roof and secured his education in the Center school. He took an active part in the operation of the home farm, remaining with his father until 1899, when he located where he
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now lives, a place comprising eighty-five acres, which he farmed in partnership with his father until the latter's death. He then inherited this tract, and also bought forty acres adjoining, thus giving him 125 acres all in one body. Here he carries on general farming opera- tions, and also gives some attention to the raising of live stock, feeding about 100 head of hogs a year. He has made many substantial im- provements on the place and is considered an up-to-date and progres- sive farmer. On February 15, 1899, Mr. Rhodes was married to Hattie Sears, who was born in Henry county, Indiana, the daughter of James W. and Mary E. (Emmons) Sears, both of whom were born and reared in Henry county. Mr. Sears was for many years a black- smith at Spiceland. Four of their eight children are living, namely : Eva, Walton, Oscar and Hattie. Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes have a daughter, Myrle V., born on December 12, 1901, who was educated at Center school, being a graduate of the high school. On June 6, 1920, she became the wife of Ralph Moffitt, a farmer in Center township. Po- litically, Mr. Rhodes gives his support to the Democratic party. Per- sonally, he is genial and unassuming and enjoys to a marked degree the good will and esteem of all who know him.
EDWARD A. FARTHING, former trustee of Richland town- ship and former township assessor, and who, after a life of energy and usefulness, is now retired from active labor and enjoying the fruits of his former years of activity, was born in Franklin county, Indiana, on May 10, 1856, and is the youngest of the three children born to his parents, William Alfred and Grabella (Hite) Farthing. The paternal grandfather, Edward Farthing, who was a native of Rockbridge county, Virginia, came to Indiana in an early day, be- coming one of the pioneer settlers of Franklin county, where he entered a large tract of land and there spent the remainder of his days. William A. Farthing, who was born in Rush county, grew to manhood in Franklin county, was married there. After the latter event he located on a small farm in that county, but several years later he moved to Howard county, Indiana, where he bought eighty acres of land and devoted himself to its cultivation. He was sue- cessful and gradually increased his land holdings there to 250 acres. He remained in Howard county until 1873, when he disposed of his holdings there and, coming to Rush county, bought the land where his son, Edward, now lives, the entire tract then comprising 234 acres. Here he conducted general farming and stock raising, with considerable success, until his retirement, when he moved to Clarks- burg, where he lived until going to make his home with his dauglı- ter near Indianapolis, where his death occurred in January, 1902. He was a man of active and industrious habits, keen and sagacious in his dealings and at one time was the owner of 284 acres of land. His wife died in June, 1897. They became the parents of three children, namely : Omer, of Indianapolis; Ella, deceased, and Ed- ward A. Edward A. Farthing was reared on the paternal farm- steads and received his education in the public schools of Iloward
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EDWARD A. FARTHING AND WIFE
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and Rush counties. After completing his studies, he farmed for a while with his father, later renting a part of his father's land in this county. After the latter retired from active labor and moved to Clarksburg, the subject rented the entire farm of 234 acres, which he operated until 1898, when the land was divided among the children, and since that time Mr. Farthing has operated the land belonging to himself and his deceased sister's estate. He has been successful in his operations and is numbered among the progressive and enterprising agriculturists of his section of the county. Mr. Farthing was married to Gertrude Dobbyns, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dobbyns, and to that union were born two chil- dren, Berney, who married Luverne Davis, and Willard, who mar- ried Ione Moore. Mrs. Farthing died on April 17, 1918. Mr. Farthing has always been an ardent supporter of the Republican party, and has been active in his participation in public affairs, having served one term of four years as trustee of Richland town- ship and a six-year term as assessor. He is a member of the Chris- tian church, of which he formerly was an elder, and is keenly inter- ested in every movement calculated to advance or promote the public welfare.
LEWIS E. HITE, whose career is an expression of well-directed and intelligent industry and of devotion to the best interests of the community, has passed his life in Rush and Decatur counties, in both of which he is the owner of land which has come to him through the exercise of thrift, good management and business sagacity. Mr. Hite was born on a farm in Richland township, Rush county, September 7, 1849, a son of William N. and Sarah (Fisher) Hite, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. William N. Hite learned the trade of blacksmith in his native state, and came to Indiana as a young man, becoming an early settler of Richland township, where he entered land from the Government. While gradually getting his land into condition for crops, he worked at his trade in the little shop which he had erected on one corner of his land, but as his operations as a general farmer and stock feeder grew to large proportions, he gave less and less attention to blacksmithing and finally abandoned that trade altogether. When his original eighty acres were cleared, he began to add to his holdings, and at one time was the owner of 460 acres of good land, all located in Richland township, where he was known as a substantial general farmer and feeder of hogs and cattle. His life in this township was passed on the same farm that had been his original home, and there his death occurred on September 27, 1896, when he was eighty-five years of age. Mrs. Hite, who was born in Ohio and came to Indiana in young womanhood, survived him until October 2, 1913, and was also in advanced years at the time of her demise. They were the parents of ten children, of whom six are now living, David F., Lewis E., Winfield, Eliza Jane, Irene and Lola. Lewis E. Hite secured the advantages to be obtained by attendance at the district schools of his day in Richland township,
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after leaving which he began to assist his father in the hard work of clearing and cultivating the home farm. He remained with the elder man until the time of his marriage, when he embarked upon a career of his own, buying ninety acres of land in Richland township, which he increased by industry and good business management to 202 acres, lying in Rush and Decatur counties. He has always been a general farmer and stock raiser and his efforts have been attended by success. Mr. Hite married Mary Elizabeth Miller, who died leaving three sons : Edgar E., who married Eva Cartmel and has one child, Ione ; Albert, who married Cora Dunham and has two children, Edwin and Mary Alice; and Carlos Clair, who is unmarried and resides with his father, whose assistant he is. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Hite married Mrs. Clara (Gross) Bowman. Mr. and Mrs. Hite are members of the Christian church, of which he was formerly treasurer and is at present a member of the board of trustees. His political allegiance is with the Democratic party, but he has avoided the thorny paths of the office-seeker, contenting himself with the casting of an intelligent vote. A man of sterling general worth, he is respected by all with whom he is associated, and presents, in the extent of his success, an example worthy of emulation by the youth of the rising generation.
HERBERT W. CHAPPELL, an energetic and progressive young farmer of Ripley township and the owner of a well-cultivated and valuable piece of property, has passed his entire life in Ripley town- ship, where he was born on April 11, 1895, son and only child of John W. and Marcia (Binford) Chappell, the former a native of North Caro- lina and the latter of Rush county. John W. Chappell came to Rush county from the Old North state in young manhood, and here spent the rest of his life in farming. . While he did not reach advanced years, he profited through his native industry and good management, and at the time of his death was the owner of 114 acres of Ripley township and the possessor of a well-established reputation for honesty, fair dealing and good citizenship. Herbert W. Chappell was given excellent educational advantages in his youth. He first attended the public schools of Walnut Ridge, and after his graduation from the high school there and at Carthage was sent to Earlham College, where he spent two years. Having decided upon a career in agri- culture, he next took a short course in that vocation at Purdue Uni- versity, leaving that institution in order to take over the management of the home farm several years after his father's death. He conducted this for himself and his mother until the latter's demise, when he became the owner of the land. The Chappell farm is one of the model properties of Ripley township, upon which there are improvements of the most modern character, the buildings including a new resi- dence and barn built by Herbert W. Chappell in 1917. In addition to carrying on general farming he has been successful in his stock raising activities, and is shipping about seventy head of hogs to the big markets every year. Mr. Chappell is unmarried. He is a mem- ber of the Walnut Ridge Friends Meeting. In political matters Mr.
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Chappell takes an independent stand, preferring to rely upon his own judgment in his choice of candidates and issues rather than to party dicta.
LUCIEN B. OSBORN, a well known farmer of Rushville town- ship now living retired in Rushville, was born in Union county, this state, but has been a resident of this county most of his life. He was born on July 25, 1849, son of Larkin and May (Howell) Osborn, both of whom spent their last days in this county. Larkin Osborn was a native of Kentucky who came up into Indiana from the Blue Grass state in the days of his young manhood and settled in the neighborhood of Fairfield, where he married and where he remained until in 1851 when he came to Rush county with his family and bought a farm of 225 acres two miles south of town in Rushville township. In addition to his general farming Larkin Osborn engaged quite extensively in the raising of live stock, with particular attention to hogs, and developed a fine piece of property on his farm. On that place he spent his last days. He and his wife were the parents of eight chil- dren, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, Theodore and Lewis, the former of whom also is a resi- dent of Rushville township. Lucien B. Osborn grew on the farm and received his schooling at the Sugar Grove school. He was but four- teen years of age when his father died and he thus early began to assume mature responsibilities, he and his brother Theodore operating the home farm after their father's death. After his marriage Mr. Osborn bought a farm of sixty-nine acres west of town and there made his home for about three years, at the end of which time he sold that place and moved to Shelby county, where he bought a farm of seventy-nine acres. On this latter place he made his home for sixteen years and then returned to Rush county and bought back his old farm west of Rushville and again established his home there. As his affairs prospered Mr. Osborn added to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of 102 acres, all under cultivation, and on this place he continued to make his home until his retirement from the farm and removal to Rushville, where he and his family are very comfortably situated. Though retired from the active labors of the farm Mr. Osborn continues to take a supervisory interest in the place and is still quite extensively engaged in the raising of hogs, with which he has had much success. It was in 1880 that Lucien B. Osborn was united in marriage to Harvina Gruell, who was born in this county, daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Young) Gruell, both of whom also were born in Indiana, the former in the vicinity of Water- loo. Isaac Gruell came to Rush county with his parents in the days of his youth, the family locating on a farm west of Rushville where he grew to manhood. After his marriage he established his home in that same vicinity and there spent the remainder of his life. In addi- tion to his general farming Isaac Gruell carried on a wide practice as a veterinary surgeon and was widely known throughout this and neighboring counties. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, of whom seven still survive, those besides Mrs. Osborn being
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Charles, George, Laban, Newton, Samuel and Jennie. To Mr. and Mrs. Osborn three children have been born, Bert, Fred and Jennie. Bert Osborn has been twice married. His first wife, Lavon Hilligoss, died, leaving him one child, Lowell, and he then married Myrtle Smith, by whom he has two children, John and Thomas. Fred Osborn married Beatrice Austin and has one child, Wilma Mae. Jennie Osborn married Chase Cross and has three children, Ollie, Mary Ellen and Anna Belle. Mr. Osborn is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church.
CHARLES V. SPENCER, vice-president of the Farmers' Fed- eration of Rush county, whose splendid farm is located in Rich- land township, and who has spent practically all of his life in this county, is descended from sterling old Scottish ancestry, his pater- nal grandfather, John Spencer, who was born and reared in Scot- land, having come to this country in an early day. He became ar- dently identified with the then new republic and fought for this country in the War of 1812. Among his children was Rodrick Spencer, who was born in Butler county, Ohio. While the latter was still but a lad, the family moved to Franklin county, Indiana, where he was reared to manhood, and where he was married to Mary Masters, a native of Pennsylvania. Ile became employed as a farm hand, but at the same time he seriously took up the study of surveying and civil engineering, in which he became accomplished and in which he was engaged to a greater or less extent during most of his active years. Some time after his marriage he moved to Metamora, Ind., where he was employed as a clerk and book- keeper, but subsequently he located near Spring Hill, Decatur county, 'and for several years was engaged in teaching school in that vicinity. Several years later Mr. Spencer came to Rush county and located in Richland township, where he bought eighty acres of farm land, to the operation of which he gave his attention. He also gave considerable attention to civil engineering and for twen- ty-four years he served officially as surveyor of Rush county. A few years prior to his death he was elected county assessor, serving about six years, and then, because of the failure of his health, he retired from active life and spent the remainder of his days quietly on his farm. He had been successful in his business affairs and had accumulated an estate of 200 acres, all in Richland township. In addition to general farming, he also had given considerable attention to the raising of live stock, and he held a high rank among the successful agriculturists and public spirited citizens of Rush county. To him and his wife were born five children, of whom two are now living, John L. and Charles V. Charles V. Spencer was reared on the paternal farmstead and received his educational training in the public schools of Richland township. After completing his studies he turned his attention to farming, renting from his father a part of the home farm. In 1895 he re- ceived from his father 120 acres of the farm and he has devoted
CHARLES V. SPENCER
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his attention to farming continuously since. He has achieved a notable success as an agriculturist and has increased his land hold- ings to 390 acres, all of which lies in Richland township. Mr. Spencer also gives serious attention to the raising and feeding of live stock, feeding from 400 to 500 hogs and about two carloads of cattle a year. He is progressive and up-to-date in his methods and no citizen of Richland township occupies a higher place in general esteem than does he. In addition to his agricultural operations, Mr. Spencer is also actively identified with several strong financial institutions in this section of the state, having taken an active part in the organization of the Clarksburg State Bank, of which he has served as president since 1912, and he also assisted in the organ- ization of the Broad Ripple State Bank. In 1920 he was elected vice-president of the Farmers' Federation of Rush county, and is now serving his second term in that capacity. Mr. Spencer was married to Mary Margaret Logan, the daughter of Hugh and Cath- erine Logan, and they are the parents of one child, a son, Howard L. Spencer, who is now a student in the high school at Clarksburg. Mr. Spencer and his family are active members of the Presbyterian church, of which he is now serving as treasurer. Politically, he is a Democrat, and fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Ac- cepted Masons.
JOHN E. KIRKPATRICK, one of the progressive agriculturists of Center township, this county, has performed well his part in life and it is a compliment worthily bestowed to say that this locality is honored in his citizenship. Mr. Kirkpatrick was born in Center town- ship on the 4th day of September, 1866, and is the son of James B. and Malinda M. (Newhouse) Kirkpatrick, both of whom also were born and reared in Rush county, the father in Union township and the mother in Jackson township. James Kirkpatrick followed agri- cultural pursuits throughout his active life, mostly in Center town- ship, where he became the owner of 500 acres of farm land. To him and his wife were born eight children, five of whom are living, namely : Samuel D., William B., John E., Mary and Amanda. John E. Kirk- patrick received his educational training in the Carter school in Center township, and after completing his studies he devoted himself to work on the home farm, remaining with his father until his marriage, when he began farming on his own account, locating on the farm where he now lives and which now comprises 165 acres of land. He first started in as a renter, but later bought thirty-five acres, the remainder of the land coming to him as an inheritance. Mr. Kirkpatrick has made fine improvements on the place, including new buildings and his farm is now one of the best improved and most attractive in this community. Ile carries on a general line of farming and raises about 150 hogs a year. On January 12, 1886, Mr. Kirkpatrick was married to Flora M. Sample, who was born in Marion county, Indiana, but who received her education in the Ball school in Center township, her parents, Asa E. and Sarah A. (Ketley) Sample, having moved to
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Rush county when she was nine years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick was born a son, Lewis M., on November 23, 1896. He attended the Center township common schools, graduated from the Rushville high school, and was then a student for three years in agriculture at Purdue University, at Lafayette, Ind. On Sep- tember 1, 1918, he enlisted in the United States service at Rushville and a few days later was sent to Purdue, going first into the Anto Mechanics' Corps, from which he was transferred to the Motor Trans- port Corps. He was graduated from the Transport Training School at Purdue on October 31, 1918, and on November 27, 1918, was pro- moted to the rank of corporal. After being held at Purdue for two months, he was sent to Fort Sheridan, where he remained for six weeks, and on December 16, 1918, he was transferred to Fort Wingate, New Mexico, where he remained up to the time of his death, which occurred on April 13, 1919, after an illness of one week. His body was brought back to his home and now lies in East Hill cemetery, Rushville. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are members of the Center Christian Church and give their support to all worthy benevolent and charitable objects. Politically, Mr. Kirkpatrick gives his support to the Democratic party. He possesses many splendid qualities of head and heart and enjoys the confidence and esteem of those about him. BIRNIE BEAVER is one of the industrions and reliable farmers of Noble township, classed with the rising generation of agriculturists, who are acknowledged to be as broad and scientific in their methods and as fruitful in valuable results to the community as the workers in any other branch of modern industry. In the field of agriculture it has often happened that the fathers and grandfathers have secured the broad and fertile tracts of land which the sons and grandsons have brought to their full capacity of productiveness. The rough, pre- liminary labors of the pioneers are as necessary as the developing work of the after generations; all combine for the general advance- ment of the wonderful agricultural interests of the country. Mr. Beaver was born in Rushville township, Rush county, June 25, 1888, a son of Morrison and Florence (McGrew) Beaver. He received his education in Noble township, where he was taken as a child, and on leaving school his appreciation of land tillage waned temporarily, and he sought release from the ceaseless round of duties on his father's farm as an apprentice to a drop forger, at Newcastle, Ind. However, after following that vocation for eight and one-half years, he returned to the home place and resumed agricultural activities, and at the present time is farming 160 acres of his father's which he has brought to a high state of cultivation, in addition to twenty-five acres which he rents. He has about fifty to 100 acres in corn and thirty-five acres in small grain, and feeds ont about 200 hogs a year. Mr. Beaver is progressive in his methods and energetic in his work, and is steadily forging his way to a place among the substantial men of his township. He is a Republican. Mr. Beaver married Alicedell Jay, and they are the parents of two children, Florence L. and George Morrison.
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