USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 36
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public offices. For two terms he was trustee of Richland township and for a period of nine years acted as a member of the board of Rush county commissioners. Mr. Patton married Mary E. Humes, who was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, and they became the par- ents of seven children, of whom five are living, C. O., Harry B., John E., Walter E., and Elma. Walter E. Patton secured his education in the schools of Richland township, after leaving which he took up farm- ing with his father and remained at home until the elder man's death in 1903. At that time, Walter E. Patton and his brother, H. B., took over the home place of 280 acres, which they have since operated. Mr. Patton has kept his farm well improved, and has centered his activities in general farming and stock raising. He now has from 100 to 125 acres in corn and eighty acres of wheat, and feeds out about 300 hogs per year and two carloads of cattle. In addition he always keeps a large bunch of mules on his place. He is a man of energy, capability and reliability, and stands high in the esteem of his associates and the confidence of all with whom he has come into contact. In September, 1903, Mr. Patton was united in marriage to Elsie O. Marshall, daughter of John S. and Cora (LaRue) Marshall, of Franklin county, and to this union there has been born one child, a daughter, Pauline, who is attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Patton are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Richland. He is a Mason, belonging to the blue lodge at Milroy, and his political views cause him to support the candidates of the Republican party.
ADOLPHUS T. MAHIN, superintendent of the city light and water plant at Rushville, was born in Walker township, this county, May 4, 1857. His parents were William E. and Elizabeth (Hodge) Mahin, both of whom were born in Rush county and reared and educated in Walker township. William E. Mahin grew up on his father's farm and when prepared to begin farming for himself, bought eighty acres of land in Walker township, paying $8 an acre for a part of it that now commands a price of $250 an acre. He followed agricultural pursuits all his life and at the time of death owned 160 acres in Walker township. There were six children in the family and all are living: Alpheus E., of Connersville, Ind .; Charles W., a minister, residing in Oklahoma; Addie, of Greencastle, Ind .; Melvina, of Kokomo, Ind .; Sarah, of Elwood, Ind .; and Adolphus T. The last named after enjoying public school privileges in Walker township, attended Holbrook College, at Lebanon, Ohio, and later the Eclectic Medical College, Cincinnati, from which institution he was graduated. For the past twenty-two years Mr. Mahin has been identified with the electric light plant at Rushville. The initial installation was in 1892 and by 1894 the plant, the second municipal plant in the state, was in first class order. For four years the plant was located near the C. I. & W. railroad tracks, removal then being made to its present situation, when a water plant was installed. These utilities have been enlarged to about five times the original area, the present capacity of the three engines in use amounting to 1,051 horse power. The electric plant of 855 horse power, has 804
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connections for light and heat, and there are 1,320 water connections for domestic and commercial purposes, water being pumped by electric power from ten driven wells. The success of this great public enter- prise is largely due to Superintendent A. T. Mahin, who has devoted himself closely and effectively to the affairs of the city light and water plant since 1907, prior to which time for six years he had been district manager for the Central Union Telephone Company, with headquarters at Connersville, Ind. On September 8, 1876, Mr. Mahin married Josephine Fouche, who was born in Tipton county, Indiana, a daughter of James B. Fouche. The father of Mrs. Mahin followed milling in both Tipton and Rush counties, for fifteen years being engaged in that industry at Rushville, during which time he lost one mill by fire but immediately rebuilt. Of his eight children the fol- lowing are living : Wilbur T. and Mattie, both of Indianapolis; Frank E., of West Baden, Ind .; and Mrs. Mahin, of Rushville. Mr. and Mrs. Mahin have four children, Maxwell E., Howard, Florence and Mar- garet R., all of whom have domestic circles of their own except the youngest daughter, who resides with her parents. Maxwell E. Mahin is a farmer in Fayette county, Indiana. He married Bertha Hubell and they have two children, Francis and Mildred. Howard Mahin is a farmer in Rush county. He married Hazel Readle, and they have one son, James H. Florence Mahin married William McGuire, an architect of Indianpolis. Miss Margaret R. Mahin was graduated from the Teachers' College at Indianpolis and is now (1921) teaching in the Webb school in Rushville township, this county. Mr. Mahin and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church at Rush- ville, of which he has been treasurer for twelve years. In politics he is a Republican but has never sought public office, serving, however, one term in the city council. He is a member of the Masonic frater- nity and belongs also to the Red Men and the Odd Fellows.
ALBERT M. IIITE. The general farming and stock raising interests of Rush county have a worthy representative in Richland township in the person of Albert M. Hite. Not only does Mr. Hite maintain the reputation for business-like effort established by his father and pioneer grandfather, but has augmented this by a dem- onstration of what may be accomplished when one has youth, am- bition and a clear brain in the twentieth century. Albert M. Hite was born in Decatur county, Indiana, January 27, 1888, a son of Lewis E. and Mary Elizabeth (Miller) Hite. William N. Ilite, father of Lewis E. Hite, was born in Virginia, where he learned the trade of blacksmith, and as a young man came overland to Indiana, and secured eighty acres of land in Rush county. For a time he continued to follow his trade in a little shop on one corner of his farm, but later turned his entire attention to farming and became one of the successful agriculturists and stock feeders of his locality. He accumulated 460 acres of land in Richland town- ship, and died in his eighty-fifth year, in 1896. He married Sarah Fisher, who was born in Ohio, and she survived him until 1913.
ALBERT HITE
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
They had ten children, of whom six are now living: David F., Lewis E., Winfield, Eliza Jane, Irene and Lola. Lewis E. Hite was born in 1849, in Richland township, and as a young man adopted farming, a vocation which he has followed throughout his life, being now the owner of 202 acres, located in Rush and Decatur counties. He now makes his home in Fugit township, in the latter county, where he has a well-cultivated property. Mr. Hite married Mary Elizabeth Miller, who was born in Franklin county, Indiana, and she died leaving three sons: Edgar E., who married Eva Cart- mel; Albert M., and Carlos Clair, the latter of whom is unmarried and resides with his father. After the death of his first wife, Lewis E. Hite married Mrs. Clara (Gross) Bowman. Albert M. Hite re- ceived his education in the public schools of Decatur county and farmed in association with his father until several years after his marriage, when he secured his present property, a farm of ninety- eight and one-half acres in Richland township, this county. Under his judicious management this farm has developed into one of the model properties of its size in the township, it being devoted to gen- eral farming and stock raising. On August 31, 1909, Albert M. Hite married Cora Dunham, who was born in Berrien county, Mich- igan, daughter of Enos and Alice (Hethman) Dunham, natives of that same county, and they have two children, Edwin and Mary Alice. Mr. and Mrs. Hite belong to the Christian church. He is a blue lodge, chapter and council Mason, and is a Democrat.
JOHN R. WEIR, a successful farmer and carpenter of Noble township, this county, was born in Laurel township, Franklin county, Indiana, on October 17, 1857, and is the only child born to his parents, Ashbury and Jeannette (Searne) Weir, the latter a native of Ham- ilton county, Ohio. Ashbury Weir was born and reared in Franklin county, Indiana, and, after completing his education he applied him- self to the vocation of agriculture, which he followed during his entire active life, being the owner of thirty acres of land. He died in August, 1859, and was survived by his widow, whose death occurred in 1902. She had been brought to Franklin county when about twelve years of age, her parents settling north of Brookville. After the death of her first husband, she became the wife of George Weir and to them were born five children, of which number four are living, Oliver N., Malissa, Sarah and Oren. The subject is descended from sterling old English stock and his paternal grandfather, who was of direct English descent, came to Indiana from North Carolina. John R. Weir attended the common schools in Franklin county and when old enough he devoted his energies to work on the home farm, where he remained until he had attained his majority. He then rented a farm, on field rent, operating it until he was twenty-four years of age, then for nine years operated land for cash rent. He then came to Rush county and rented 225 acres of the McCoy farm, to the cultiva- tion of which he devoted himself for thirteen years. He then bought the farm which he now owns, in Noble township, comprising fifty-one
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and a half acres of land, which he operated until 1916, when he retired from farming and has since followed the trade of a carpenter. His farm is well improved and is a valuable tract of land. Mr. Weir was married to Lucinda Huntsinger, the daughter of Adam and Mary (Abercrombie) Huntsinger, and they are the parents of four children, Leora Mae, Sarah Alice (deceased), Jeremy Francis and Goldie Edith, Jeremy Francis Weir married Ella Kingery and they have two chil- dren, Earl Carlos and Maurice. Mr. Weir and his family are identi- fied with the Little Flat Rock Christian Church. Politically, he is a strong adherent of the Republican party, while, fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Laurel and the Improved Order of Red Men at Andersonville.
McCLELLAND APPLE, one of the substantial and well-known citizens of Center township, has spent his life in this county, and has been successful in his business affairs, building up a valuable estate. He was born on the 19th day of April, 1866, in the township now honored by his citizenship, and is descended from sterling old pioneer stock, his paternal grandfather, George Apple, having come to Rush county in 1826 and entered eighty acres of land, a part of the subject's present farm comprising this original entry. The sub- ject's parents were Jabez and Mary A. (Rhodes) Apple, both of whom were born and reared in Center township, Rush county, the father's birth occurring on October 30, 1837, and the mother's on April 5, 1840. The father followed agricultural pursuits all his life and became the owner of 170 acres of land in Center township. To him and his wife were born six children, four of whom are living, namely : Alva A., Mary M., Cora L. and the subject of this sketch. Sarah Jane and Rosa Almoretta died in infancy. McClelland Apple attended the Shively Corner school in Center township, his vacation periods being spent in work on the home farm. He remained with his father until his marriage, when he began farming on his own account, at first renting sixty acres of land in Center township. Hc continued to rent until 1920, when he moved back to the home place, 140 acres of which he bought, and of this land all is tillable excepting about five acres of timber land. Mr. Apple carries on a general line of farming and stock raising, feeding about 150 head of hogs a year. He keeps the place in good repair and is numbered among the pro- gressive and enterprising farmers of Center township. On December 23, 1888, Mr. Apple was married to Ida B. Clark, a native of Center township and the daughter of George W. and Elizabeth (McBride) Clark, the former a native of Hamilton county, Indiana, and the latter born and reared in Rush county. George W. Clark was a farmer, owning ten acres of land in Center township, and also followed the carpenter trade. To him and his wife were born five children, four of whom are living, namely : Anna J., John J., William H. and Ida B .; Fred C. is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Apple have had eight children, of which number seven are living, as follows : Ola C., Mary E., George J., Russell L., Luva L., Clara A., Leroy and Inez M. The deceased child was Mary E., who died at the age of eight years. Ola C. Apple
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who is a farmer in Center township, married Ruth M. Earnest, who died on February 16, 1920. George J. Apple, who is farming in Ripley township, this county, married Mazie M. Newsom. The rest of the children are unmarried and at home. Mr. and Mrs. Apple are members of the Center Christian Church. Politically, Mr. Apple gives his support to the Democratic party and lends his influence to the advancement of every enterprise for the general welfare.
JAMES ARNOLD, who followed farming in Hanover township, Shelby county, for a number of years, but who is now living in Carthage, Rush county, was born on December 11, 1852, in North Caro- lina, a son of Frank and Betsey (Dosset) Arnold, also natives of the Old North state. Frank Arnold, who was a farmer throughout his life, brought his family to Indiana in 1858 and settled in Shelby county, where he acquired land and rounded out his career in the cultivation of the soil. He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom four survive, Alfred, James, Emily and Elizabeth. In his boyhood, James Arnold experienced much of hardship and little in the way of advantages as they are enjoyed by the country lad of the present day. He attended the district school and after his schooling was finished gave his attention to farming in association with his father, remaining under the parental roof until the time of his mar- riage. After his union, he was without capital and his career was therefore started as a renter, which continued to be his status for about twenty years. He then purchased a property of about fifteen acres which he operated for several years, then selling out to pur- chase a forty-acre tract adjoining forty acres which his wife had received as an inheritance from her father. This land was located in Hanover township, Shelby county, and Mr. Arnold continued its operation until 1912, when he disposed of his entire property and moved to Carthage, which has since been his home. While practically retired from active affairs, Mr. Arnold acts as a straw buyer for the Carthage Board and Paper Company. In 1875 Mr. Arnold mar- ried Theodosia Graham, who was born in Shelby county, daughter of James and Margaret (Kendle) Graham, and to this union there were born nine children, of whom seven are living: Walter, of Mor- ristown, Ind., who married Sarah Unger and has three children, Jessie, Glenn and Blanche; Maggie, who married Harry Talbert, of Morristown, and has eight children, Maude, Clifford, Nella, Porter, Harold, Mary, Robert and Myrtle; Frank, of Shelby county, a farmer, who married Ethel Dennis; Pearl, a sawmill man of Washington, Ind., who married Vera Rutherford, and has three children, Earl, Velma and Alice; Oler, a farmer of Shelby county, who married Eva Van- syock, and has three children, Louise, Juanita and Mary; William, of Carthage, who married Grace Holbrook, and has two children, Har- old and Martha J .; and Ona, who married Forest Rawuls, a barber, of Carthage, and has one child, Helen Juanita. Mr. Arnold and his family belong to the United Brethren church at Gwynneville. He has been a supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and for eight years was assessor of Hanover township.
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
JOHN E. IIARRISON, former county commissioner and a well known citizen, farmer and stock raiser of Anderson township, this county, was born in that township on September 20, 1854, a son of Josiah B. and Jane (Ricketts) Harrison, both of whom were born in Nicholas county, Kentucky. Josiah B. Harrison came to Rush county with his parents when he was twelve years old, grew to manhood and was educated in Anderson township, married here and engaged in farming and stockraising in Anderson township all his active life. He prospered and owned a farm of 160 acres. Of his family of seven children five are living: Martha, of Greens- burg, Ind .; I. O., also of Greensburg; Ira, of Illinois; William, of Colorado, and John E., of Anderson township. The last named attended the district schools in his native township, the university at Valparaiso, and the normal school at Danville, one year each, after which he taught school for two years. Mr. Harrison then became a farmer in Decatur county, where he remained eight years, but when ready to settle permanently, he came back to Rush county and in 1888 bought 220 acres in Anderson township. He is now operating 340 acres, all in one body, and carries on general farming and stockraising, feeding 150 head of hogs a year. Mr. Harrison has improved his property and has a comfortable modern farm residence. In 1881 he married Lista Jane Keisling, who was born in Anderson township on October 5, 1861, and died on May 23, 1916. Her parents were Lloyd and Mary Keisling, the latter of whom was born in Rush county and the former in Decatur county. Lloyd Keisling came to Rush county, a miller by trade, in 1852, and settled on the place in Anderson township now owned and occupied by Mr. Harrison. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison have the following children: George, who married Goldie Cox and has two children, Opal M. and Pearl; Orie, who married Frank Kennett, and died in 1908, leaving two children, Russell and Robert; Ben, who married Glendora Harrison and died on March 5, 1920, leaving two children, Dorothy Bernice and Phoebe Jane; Elmer, who mar- ried Lucy Power and has two children, Marjorie and Cecil, and Claude and Lillian, both of whom live at home.' Mr. Harrison is a Republican and served as a member of the board of county com- missioners from 1911 to 1919. He is a member of Milroy Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, at Milroy.
HENRY J. MILLER, a well-known and representative citizen of Rush county, a successful general farmer and stock buyer, at New Salem, was born in Ripley county, Indiana, on February 6, 1882, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Weasel) Miller, the former a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the latter born in Harrison, that state. The father grew to manhood in his native county and then came to Deca- tur county, Indiana, where he was employed as a farm hand for a number of years. Eventually he bought eighty acres of land in Ripley county, on which he located and to the cultivation of which he devoted his attention for almost a half century, when he retired and is now
JOHN E. HARRISON AND WIFE
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
making his home in New Salem. He was married in Decatur county and to this union were born five children, four of whom are now living, namely : Elizabeth, John, Felta and Henry J. Henry J. Miller received his education in the common schools of Ripley county and after the completion of his studies he was employed as a farm hand for several years in that county. He then came to Rush county and for about ten years he was similarly employed and was also engaged in buying stock for Aaron Wellman. He then entered into a partner- ship with Mr. Wellman and for nine years they have continued to buy live stock through this section of the country, being among the best known men in their line of this section of the country. Mr. Miller also looks after the cultivation of 160 acres of land, which he rents in Noble township. He gives considerable attention to the feeding of live stock, having fed about 440 hogs in 1920 and is now feeding about a carload of cattle. In 1901 Mr. Miller was married to Anna Dausch, the daughter of William and Julia Dausch, and their union has been blessed in the birth of two children, Lawrence and Delores. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Roman Catholic church, while, frater- nally, Mr. Miller belongs to the Knights of Columbus, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Modern Woodmen of America.
LEROY BITNER, a well-known farmer of Rush county and a substantial landowner of Center township, was born in that township on May 14, 1876, and is the son of Benjamin F. and Charity (Rich) Bitner, who also were natives of Rush county, the father having been born on February 9, 1839, and the mother on November 5, 1840. Ben- jamin Bitner followed farming during all his active years and became the owner of 290 acres of land in Center township. He and his wife were married on February 5, 1860, and became the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living, namely: Albert, Mary, Ida, Min- nie, India, Walter and Leroy. Leroy Bitner received his education in the school at Mays and then, up to the time of his marriage, he remained at home assisting with the farm work. After his marriage, he rented land and began farming on his own account, carrying on his operations for a year in Center township, moving then to an eighty-acre farm in Ripley township which he rented from his father- in-law for about a year. Mr. Bitner becoming the owner of this farm by inheritance, Mr. Bitner moved to his father-in-law's farm, which he rented for about ten years. At the end of that time he bought the place where he now lives, comprising 109 acres, which he has continued to cultivate to the present time, with success and profit. He is also the owner of 200 acres of land elsewhere in Center township. Mr. Bitner carries on a general line of farming and also gives due attention to stock raising, that most important adjunct to successful farming, and feeds about 350 head of hogs a year. He keeps his farms well improved and is considered one of the leading farmers in his town- ship. On October 18, 1899, Mr. Bitner was married to Stella J. Gilson, who was born and reared in Center township, the daughter of William and Samantha (Kirkpatrick) Gilson, and to them has been born one child, Ruth M., wife of P. Parrish, a farmer in Center township.
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Politically, Mr. Bitner gives his support to the Democratic party and he takes a keen interest in public affairs, giving his support to every movement for the advancement of the general welfare.
W. A. CAMERON, a former farmer in Richland township, but now retired and living in New Salem, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 30, 1857, and is a son of Alonzo and Cordelia (Lee) Cameron. The father, who was born and reared in Cincinnati, was married there and for a good many years he followed the business of contracting, a part of the time in partnership with his father. They erected many of the best buildings in Cincinnati at that time, including the Cincin- nati hospital. To him and his wife were born three children, Lydia, W. A. and one who died in infancy. Lydia is the wife of Robert Dorsey. W. A. Cameron received his educational training in the public schools of Hamilton county, Ohio, and Franklin county, Indiana. At the age of nine years he was brought to the latter county by his grandparents, with whom he thereafter lived. After completing his studies, he remained on the farm with his grandfather until his marriage, when he bought eighty acres of land in Franklin county. He devoted himself to the cultivation of that land until 1906, when he came to Rush county and bought a farm of 246 acres in Richland township. He was eminently successful in his farming operations and seven years after locating there he was able to retire from active work and moved to New Salem, where he is now living. Mr. Cameron married Rachel McCrady, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George MeCrady, and to this union have been born seven chil- dren, of which number two are living, namely: Bessie, who became the wife of Edward Scott and they have three children, Dorothy, Robert and William; George married Jessie Beaver, to which union were born two children, Floyd and Walter Dean. After the death of his first wife, he married Hattie B. Shriner, the daughter of Renatius Shriner. Politically, W. A. Cameron is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, though not an aspirant for public office.
REUBEN B. HENLEY, who during the active years of his career followed two occupations, those of farming and carpentry, in Ripley township, is now living in comfortable retirement at Carthage, where, in possession of a pleasant home, he is enjoying the rewards of an industrious and well-spent life. Mr. Henley was born in Ripley town- ship, Rush county, October 19, 1845, a son of Micajah and Ruth M. (Bentley) Henley, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Rush county, Indiana. Micajah Henley came to Rush county in young manhood and passed the rest of his life here, becoming the owner of 120 acres of land in Ripley township and applying himself industriously to the pursuits of agriculture. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom seven are living: Reuben B., Caroline V., Mary S., Harlan H., Eve H., Lenora and Rose. The third child in order of birth, Lavina, is deceased. Reuben B. Henley was educated in the district schools of Ripley township, where he attended the Beach Grove schoolhouse, and on completing his studies took up farming in association with his father. He was thus employed until
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