USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 5
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CHARLES T. ADDISON, who has been prominently identified with the agricultural life of Posey township for years, was born in Ilancock county, Indiana, on February 19, 1879, and is a son of Thomas J. and Elizabeth M. (Cathon) Addison, the former a native of
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Shelby county, Indiana, and the latter born and reared in Rush county. Thomas J. Addison was a farmer by vocation throughout his active life, mostly confining his operations to Hancock county, though he was the owner of 327 acres of land in Shelby, Rush and Hancock counties. To him and his wife were born five children, all of whom. are living, namely : William A., Delphina, Orlando F., Charles T. and Ruth A. Charles T. Addison received his education in Rush county, attending the Clark school. He remained at home, assisting his father in the farm work, until his marriage, when he rented a tract of land from his father and began work on his own account. At the time of his father's death, the subject inherited forty acres of land and he also bought fifty-two acres, giving him a total of ninety- two acres, all located in Posey township, and to the cultivation of this land he has since devoted his attention, meeting with splendid success. He is progressive and up-to-date in his methods, keeping the place in good repair, and carries on a diversified system of farm- ing, raising the crops common to this locality. He also gives some attention to live stock, raising and marketing about 150 head of hogs annually. On December 12, 1900, Mr. Addison was married to Beu- lah D. Collins, a native of Rush county, and the daughter of Eli and Nannie May (Beckner) Collins, and to their union have been born three children, Delphina M., Mary M. and Eli F., all of whom are attending the public school at Arlington. Mr. and Mrs. Addison are earnest members of the Friends church at Riverside. Politically, Mr. Addison gives his support to the Democratic party. He takes a keen interest in public affairs and gives his support to every movement for the advancement of the general welfare.
JOHN H. HEEB, of Noble township, is representative of the progressive agricultural element of Rush county. He was born in Fayette county, Indiana, April 19, 1863, a son of Philip P. and Julia A. (Thompson) Heeb, the latter a native of Rush county. Philip P. Heeb was born in Germany and was a child of seven years when brought to the United States, the family coming on out to Indiana and first settling in Franklin county. There the youth acquired his educational training in the country schools, but when he was fourteen. years of age removed to the home of his brother-in-law at Orange. While residing there he became apprentice to the trade of wagon and buggy making, after mastering which he followed that vocation for a number of years. Later he turned his attention to farming near Glenwood, in Noble township, where he purchased 150 acres, and continued to carry operations thereon until his death in 1904. He was a man of industry and good judgment, and a citizen who had the respect and esteem of those among whom he spent his life. He and his worthy wife, who was a native of Rush county, were the parents of three children: John H., Walter S. and Elizabeth Mertie, who married Oscar Churchill, who is deceased. John H. Hecb acquired his educational training in the public schools of Orange, Ind., and Noble township, and on leaving school applied himself to learning all the particulars of the business of farming, under the able direction of lis father. He remained with the elder man until the time of his
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
marriage, when he embarked upon operations on his own account, taking over the ownership, with his wife, of his present farm of sixty-five acres, located in Noble township. Mr. Heeb is a general farmer and a grower of live stock, in both of which departments he has made a success. On December 22, 1886, he was united in mar. riage to Elizabeth, daughter of Isaac J. and Elizabeth (Gregg) Har- rell, and to this union there have been born three children: Bon W., who married Lula Pullman and has three children, Newell W., Mary Elizabeth and Helen B .; Earl, who married Olive Stevens and has one child, Ruth Lorene, and Hazel T., who married Ed. F. Moore and has one child, William Wallace. Mrs. Heeb was born on the property on which she is now making her home, her parents being respectively natives of Harrison, Ind., and Rush county. Isaac J. Harrell came to Rush county in young manhood and engaged in farming, and here resided the rest of his life. He married Elizabeth Gregg, daughter of Judge John Gregg, who came to Rush county at an early day from Kentucky and entered land in Noble township from the Government, on which he erected a log cabin. He became widely and favorably known as a man of influence in his community. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Harrell, Elizabeth and George. Mr. Heeb is a Democrat, but is not a politician. He and his wife are generous supporters af various movements, educational, reli- gious and civic, and are held in high esteem in the community in which they have spent so many years.
LINCOLN GUFFIN, proprietor of the Guffin Dry Goods Com- pany's store at Rushville, and one of that city's popular and pro- gressive business men, is a native of Rush county, having been born in Noble township, September 23, 1864, a son of Andrew and Clara (Brooks.) Guffin, both of Rush county. Andrew Guffin spent his entire life in the county, owning 300 acres of land in Noble township, and was recognized as one of the shrewd and able agriculturists of the community until the time of his death in 1903. He and his wife reared a family of nine children: Alice, who married Dr. W. T. Cooper ; O. F., Lincoln, Nellie, who married O. J. Myers; Lncy, who married Alonzo Keisling; Andrew, Claude, Maude, who married John K. Stiers, and Theodosia, who married Claude B. Hunt. Lin- coln Guffin was educated in the common schools of the county and at. Little Flat Rock Seminary, from which he was graduated in 1884. Thereafter he taught school and assisted his father about the farm. teaching for three years at the Hinchman school and then at New Salem. "Ile then gave up the profession of educator in favor of farming, continuing on the land until the spring of 1893, when he removed to Rushville, being first employed as a clerk by William Bliss. After one year in this position, he clerked for six years for Frank Wilson, leaving him to go into partnership in the clothing business with W. G. Mulno. He continued successfully in this busi- ness for eleven years and then sold out his interests to Mr. Mulno to open up his present dry goods establishment with his sister-in-law as his able assistant. Mr. Guffin says that the present volume of his business is largely due to her ability as a business woman and dry
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
goods specialist. Mr. Guffin was married on November 20, 1890, to Nettie Myers, a daughter of John S. and Mary (Holman) Myers, and it was after her death in March, 1893, that he moved to Rushville. Ile was married to Leora Trusler on November 29, 1896. Both Mr. and Mrs. Guffin are devout members of the Christian church, in which Mr. Guffin was at one time a deacon and also an elder, as well as chairman of the official board. Mr. Guffin has the distinction of being the first president of the Rush County Chautauqua, which ranks second only to that at Winona. Fraternally he is Mason and a Knight of Pythias, and in his political views, holds to the princi- ples of the Republican party.
CHARLEY DAVIS, a substantial farmer of Anderson town- ship, now living at Milroy, to which pleasant village he moved upon retiring from the active labor of the farm a year or two ago, who for the past ten years has rendered efficient public service as a mem- ber of the county council and in other ways has manifested his intelligent interest in public affairs, has been a resident of Rush county all his life and is warmly devoted to the county's best inter- ests. Mr. Davis was born on a farın and has been a farmer all his life, having during the active period of his career as an agriculturist developed an excellent piece of property and has also gained some- thing more than a local reputation as a breeder of live stock. He was born in Anderson township on November 29, 1875, son of Samuel H. and Mary E. (Henry) Davis, both of whom were natives of Ken- tucky, the parents of seven children, six of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being J. Henry, Robert S., Elizabeth, John S. and May Davis. Reared on the home farm, Charley Davis completed his schooling at Richland and from the days of his boyhood was engaged in the work of the farm and thus grew up to be an excellent farmer under the careful direction of his father. Upon starting out "for himself" he bought a tract of 120 acres of the home place and there established his home. In addition to his general farming Mr. Davis gave considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has been accustomed to feed out about 300 head of hogs a year and a car load of cattle. His affairs prospered and in 1918 he bought an additional tract of 160 acres of the old home place and thus has now a farm of 280 acres and one of the best equipped farm plants in that part of the county. In December, 1919, Mr. Davis moved from the farm to Milroy, at which place he some time before had bought a house pleasantly situated and he and his family are now living there, though he continues to give his farm a proper measure of his personal attention, keeping a close super- visory eye over the operation of the same. Mr. Davis is an ardent Republican and has for years given his thoughtful attention to local public affairs. In 1910 he was elected a member of the county council from his district and has since been retained in that office, to the discharge of the important duties of which he has given his most earnest attention, and is thus widely and popularly known through- out the county. On December 17, 1902, Charley Davis was united in marriage to Mildred B. Meck, who was born in Decatur county.
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HISTORY OF RUSII COUNTY
daughter of John T. and Florence Eugenia (Bonner) Meek, natives of Kentucky, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Florence Louise. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of the Methodist church and have ever given their interested attention to church af- fairs as well as to the general social affairs of their home neighbor- hood, helpful in promoting all causes having to do with the advance- ment of the common good hereabout. Mr. Davis is a thirty-second degree Mason, affiliated with the local blue lodge and with the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Indianapolis, and is likewise a No- ble of the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affil- iated with Murat Temple at Indianapolis. He also is a member of the Rushville lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and in the affairs of these several fraternal organizations takes a warm interest.
J. M. AMOS was born on the farm upon which he now lives in Noble township, March 4, 1854, and has ever maintained the stand- ards there set in their respective generations by his father and his grandfather, thus projecting the usefulness of his family into a later and more progressive period. Mr. Amos is a grandson of Joseph J. Amos, who came to Rush county about 1822 and entered land near where Milroy came to be located, proved up on it and then returned to his native Kentucky, where he engaged in the mer- cantile business at Ruddles Mills. A strong anti-slavery man, in 1842 he decided to leave a community which countenanced the purchase and sale of human beings, and accordingly returned to Indiana and settled in Rush county, purchasing the farm in Noble township that is now the property of his grandson, on which he lived until his death in 1890, when he was eighty-six years of age. Through business ability, wise investment and a shrewd apprecia- tion of values, he became one of the leading landholders in the county, and at one time owned 2,200 acres. A man of education, he gave thought and study to the serious things of life, and was one of the active members and liberal supporters of the Methodist Protestant church, and assisted to build several houses of worship of that denomination in this community. He was likewise a great friend of education and endowed a chair at Adrian (Mich.) Normal School, for $22,500. Mr. Amos was the father of four chil- dren : Johanan, Van Buren, Aeretta and Mary. J. Amos, father of J M. Amos, was about fifteen years of age when brought from his native Bourbon county, Kentucky, to Rush county, in 1842, and here he completed his schooling in the district schools. As a young man he engaged in farming, but was more interested in trading and gradually developed into one of the leading traders in mules in the county, particularly during the Civil war. With a promis- ing career before him, he was called by death when still a com- paratively young man, in his thirty-seventh year, January 16, 1864. Mr. Amos married Amanda Ilildreth, also a native of Bourbon county, Kentucky, and they became the parents of five children : Iaffard Kossuth, Johanan Mazzini, Willard Hildreth, Anna
J. M. AMOS
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Rebecca and Joseph J. J. M. Amos received his education in the district schools of Noble township, after leaving which he took up farming on the home place, where he has always resided and oper- ated as a general farmer and grower of live stock. He is now the owner of 606 acres, in Rushville and Noble townships, the improve- ments on which are all of his own building. He and his son, Will- iam, who is his associate, feed about 700 hogs annually, and raise about 200 acres of corn and 175 acres of wheat. His modern im- provements include three sets of buildings and the latest and most highly approved machinery of every kind. During the heyday of horseracing in this country, Mr. Amos gained much more than a local reputation as a breeder of fast horses, and bred and owned thirty horses that had a record of better than 2:30. Among these was "Legal Tender," a pacer, 2:27, and sire of "Alhambra," 2:081/4, the fastest horse ever bred in Rush county, which paced a quarter of a mile in 27 seconds. Mr. Amos is one of the liberal- minded and progressive men of his community, has various other interests aside from his farm, and is a director of the Co-operative Telephone Company, of Rushville, and of the Rushville National Bank. He is a Republican, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has always demonstrated his willingness to discharge the duties of good citizenship and for three years served in the capacity of county ditch commissioner. On December 23, 1873, Mr. Amos married Estella J. Poston, daughter of George W. and Nancy (McNeal) Poston, and to this union there have been born five children : William M., who married Mildred Moore and has four children, Elizabeth, Anna Louise, Robert and Margaret; Ethel, who married George Nicoll and has two children, David Amos and William; Lnella, who married Albert Capp and has two children, Ellen and Fred; Georgia, who married George Donley, and Clorine, who married J. Kennard Allen.
R. O. KENNEDY, M. D., although one of the latest additions to the medical fraternity of Rushville, has already made remarkable progress in gaining the confidence and support of the citizens of the community. He was born March 28, 1879, in Hendricks county, Indiana, on a farm south of Lizton, the son of R. E. and Susan (Overstreet) Kennedy, the former of near Paris, Ky., the latter of Hendricks county. R. E. Kennedy moved to Hendricks county when he was four years old with his parents. There he received his education in the public schools and grew to manhood. For his entire active life he followed agricultural sursuits, moving to Lizton when he retired. Jacob Kennedy, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was one of the pioneers of Hendricks county and became known as a prominent nursery man and breeder of thoroughbred Berkshire hogs, Shropshire sheep, and Percheron horses. R. E. Ken- nedy and wife were the parents of three children: Elmer W., R. O., and Vangie. Dr. R. O. Kennedy attended the public schools of Hendricks county and was graduated with the first class to receive diplomas from the Lizton high school. He then took up the profes-
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IIISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
sion of teaching, continuing in it for nine years and augmenting his learning by attendance at the Central Normal School at Danville, Ind., and the Indiana State Normal at Terre Haute. However, after mature reflection and careful observation, he decided upon a career as a doctor of medicine, toward which he had always felt an attrac- tion. Accordingly he attended Indiana Medical College at Indian- apolis where he found his long years of teaching and study a decided advantage. He was graduated in 1913 with his M. D. degree, and immediately thereafter located in the town of Milroy, this county. During the seven years of his practice there he made a host of warm friends, who had every confidence in his ability. Believing that Rushville presents a larger field for his endeavors, Doctor Kennedy moved to the latter place in May, 1920, and has established himself in an increasingly more profitable practice. He married Pearl Edith Thompson, a daughter of A. M. and Amanda Thompson, and they are the parents of one child, a daughter, Rowena Winnifred. Doctor Kennedy is a worker in the Christian church, and politically is found in the ranks of the Republican party. He is also well known in fra- ternal and professional organizations, being a member of Masonic bodies up to and including the Scottish Rite and Shrine. He also is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias. He is affiliated with the American; state and county medical association.
HORRIE BROOKS, a well known agriculturist, of Noble town- ship, is occupying the same property which was the scene of his birth. Mr. Brooks, however, has not spent his entire life on this farm, as his career has been a somewhat varied one and his expe- riences have taken him to various parts of the state. He was born on June 10, 1874, a son of James and Frances (Stevens) Brooks. James Brooks was born in Adams county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and during the Civil war enlisted in the Sixty-second regi- ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. At the close of that struggle he inigrated to Indiana and engaged in farming in Noble township, this county, on the farm a part of which is now owned by his son. After spending a number of years in this locality he removed to Union township, where he rented a farm, and there continued his operations until he retired from active life, since when he has lived quietly at Rushville. Mr. Brooks married Frances Stevens, who was born in Rush county, a daughter of A. J. and Mary (Gregg) Stevens, natives of Noble township and members of early families of this locality. This is said to be the oldest homestead in Noble township, the land having been entered by John Gregg, who came hither from Bracken county, Kentucky, as early as 1821, and entered a large tract of land, to which he added from time to time, at his death being the possessor of 1,300 acres, which he devoted to general farming and the raising of live stock. On this land, in 1826, he erected the old home that is still standing, in which was born Mary (Gregg) Stevens, the mater- nal grandmother of Horrie Brooks, and in which Mr. Brooks, who was also born here, now lives. Three children were born to James and Frances Brooks, Horrie, Charles and one who died in infancy.
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Horrie Brooks received his education in the public schools of Noble and Union townships, and upon leaving school took up farming. Later he became interested in racing horses and for a time operated a racing stable and entered his horses in various meets all over the state, the star of his performers being "John D.", with a record of 2:0414. Later he trained race horses at Rushville and for six years had charge of a stock farm and racing barn at Clinton, Indiana. About 1916 Mr. Brooks retired from the racing game and returned to the more prosaie business of farming, after three years spent at Indianapolis. He is the owner of a property consisting of fifty acres, and is renting sufficient land to make his operations cover activities on 100 acres, which he is devoting to general farming and stock raising. He is capable, energetic and entirely trustworthy and therefore forms a useful and honorable factor in the life of his com- munity. Mr. Brooks was united in marriage in 1905 to Mrs. Ella N. (Templeton) Shaw, daughter of James W. and Frances (Stout) Templeton. They have no children. Mrs. Brooks was born in Shelby county, Indiana. Her father was born in Franklin county and her mother in Decatur county, this state. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Templeton resided for a time in Shelby county, but later removed to Decatur county, where Mr. Templeton died in 1901. His widow still survives him and is a resident of Indianapolis. They had five children : Flora, Mrs. Brooks, Harry, Grace and Eliza- beth. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are members of the Christian church at Rushville. In politics he is a stalwart supporter of the Republi- can party.
CHARLES A. FRAZEE, treasurer of Rush county and former postmaster of Rushville, former chairman of the Rush county Repub- lican central committee and for many years actively identified with civic affairs in this county, one of the best known public men in the Sixth district, was born in Rush county and has lived here all lıis life. He was born on a farm in Rushville township on December 11, 1875, son of Aaron and Sarah (Brooks) Frazee, natives of the state of Kentucky, whose last days were spent in this county. Aaron Frazee came from Kentucky to Indiana in the days of his young manhood and bought a farm in Noble township, this county, where, after his marriage, he established his home. Some time later, how- ever, he sold that place and bought a farm in Rushville township which he developed into a fine piece of property and on which he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there on May 1, 1896. His widow survived him more than two years, her death occurring on August 23, 1898. Aaron Frazee and wife were the parents of four children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Ora, wife of W. W. Wilson, William M. Frazee and Mrs. Myrtle Bonner, the latter a resident of Greensburg, this state. Charles A. Frazee was reared on the home farm and finished his schooling in the Rushville high school. As a young man he continued on the farm assisting his father in the operation of the same until the latter's death and for about ten years thereafter continued in active management of the same. In February, 1909, Mr. Frazee received
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
from President Roosevelt the appointment as postmaster of Rush- ville and continued to serve the public in that important capacity until the expiration of his commission in 1913, after which he was appointed deputy county treasurer. For four years he served in that capacity and then in 1918 was elected county treasurer, leading the county ticket in that election. Mr. Frazee is an ardent Republi- can and has for years been recognized as among the leaders of that party in this part of the state. From 1903 to 1909, thus serving three terms, he served his party as chairman of the county central committee and in that capacity did much to strengthen and solidify the party's interests in this county, his appointment as postmaster in the latter year and his subsequent election to the office of county treasurer having been properly regarded in the community as but fitting rewards for the effective service rendered in behalf of the committee and the party at large. On August 24, 1899, Charles A. Frazee was united in marriage to Georgia McBride, daughter of William and Sarah McBride, and to this union has been born one child, a daughter, Helen K. The Frazecs have a pleasant home in Rushville and have ever taken an interested part in the city's general social activities and have been helpful in promoting movements look- ing to the common good. Mr. Frazee is a thirty-second degrec Mason, a member of the local lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons at Rushville, affiliated with the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Valley of Indianapolis; is a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with Murat Temple at India- napolis, and a member of the Rushville lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
CHARLES BENNING, a retired farmer of this county, now living at Milroy, where he has quite a snug piece of property adjoin- ing his home, was born in the neighboring county of Franklin but has. been a resident of Rush county since he was twenty years of age, and thus, of course, has long felt "perfectly at home" here. He was born on January 14, 1864, son of Charles and Catherine (Brinkman) Benning, both of whom were born in Germany but who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their childhood, both the Benning and the Brinkman families coming out into Indiana and settling in Franklin county where they established their permanent homes and where both families are still represented. The senior Charles Benning grew to manhood on a farm in Franklin county and after his marriage to Catherine Brinkman became engaged in farming on his own account and in time became the owner of a fine farm of 160 acres on which he spent his last days. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, John, and a sister. Catherine. Reared on the home farm in Franklin county, Charles Benning, Jr., received his schooling in the schools of his home neigh- borhood and was from boyhood trained to the ways of the farm. In 1884 he came over into Rush county and was here engaged in farm work until his marriage in 1892 when he rented a farm in Orange township and began operations "on his own." For fifteen years he
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