USA > Indiana > Rush County > Centennial history of Rush County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 6
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JesseA Leisure and Wife
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
continued as a renter and then bought a small tract of fifteen acres, to which in the same year he added an adjoining tract of sixty acres, and continued to farm there for several years, at the end of which time he sold that place and a year later bought a farm of forty-nine acres in Rushville township, on which latter place he continued to make his home until he sold it and in 1919 moved to Milroy, where he bought a home and eight lots adjacent, thus giving him ample garden space, and has since resided there, he and his wife being fixed very comfortably. They are members of the Methodist church and have ever taken an interested part in church work. Mr. Ben- ning is a Democrat, but has never taken a particularly active part in political affairs. It was on August 18, 1892, that Charles Benning was united in marriage to Ella Campbell, who was born in the adjoining county of Shelby, daughter of William and Sarah (Land) Campbell, both of whom were born in Jefferson county, this state, members of pioneer families there. William Campbell and his wife moved from Jefferson to Shelby county shortly after their marriage and located on a farm, where Mr. Campbell continued engaged in farming until after his wife's death when he sold his farm and returned to Jefferson county. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, those besides Mrs. Benning being John, William, Morton, Robert, Ida and Bertha.
JESSE A. LEISURE, who occupied a prominent place in the esteem of the people of his section of the county, not only because of his business success, but because of his sterling qualities of char- acter, is a worthy representative of one of the excellent old families of the county, members of which have figured more or less promi- nently in the affairs of the community, and this review of his career in connection with other representative citizens of Rush county therefore is timely. Jesse A. Leisure is a native son of Rush county, having been born in Ripley township on December 29, 1858. He is the son of John and Jane (Green) Leisure, both of whom also were born and reared in Rush county, the father in Posey township and the mother in Ripley township. John Leisure followed farming throughout his active life and was successful in his business affairs, becoming the owner of 1,120 acres of land in Ripley township. To him and his wife were born four children, of whom three are living, namely, Sarah L., Cora A. and Jesse A. The subject received his educational training in the Ernest school in Ripley township, and after finishing his studies he went to work for his father on the home farm. Two years later he was married and then began farm- ing on his own account. Going to Jackson township, he bought 160 acres of land, which he operated for four years, and then sold that and moved to his present location in that same township, buying 330 acres. Persistent industry and good management characterized his efforts and as he prospered he increased his land holdings until he became the owner of 1,400 acres of excellent farm land. How- ever, he has since given 460 acres of land to his two sons, so that his present holdings amount to 940 acres. Mr. Leisure cultivates
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
practically the entire place, carrying on a general line of farming, and in connection he raises considerable live stock, marketing about 500 head of hogs and about 100 head of cattle each year. The im- provements on his farm are all of a permanent, substantial and attractive character, the general appearance of the place indicating the owner to be a man of good taste and sound judgment. On Octo- ber 20, 1881, Jesse A. Leisure was married to Hannah J. Gilson, a native of Center township, Rush county, and the daughter of John M. and Sophrona (Fry) Gilson, both of whom also were born and reared in Rush county, Mr. Gilson having been a successful farmer in Center township. Mr. and Mrs. Leisure have two children, Harry R. and Orville G. Harry R. Leisure, who is engaged in farming in Ripley township, married Effie Linville and to them have been born six children, of whom four are living, Mabel M., George, Harry, Jr., and Eugene. Orville G. Leisure, who farms in Jackson township, married Mabel Linville, and of the three children born to them, two are living, Jesse S. and Edith L. Politically, Mr. Leisure has always been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party and has taken a keen and intelligent interest in public affairs, especially as relating to his own county and community, invariably giving his earnest support to every movement for the advancement of the general welfare. He is an active member of the Church of Christ at Little Blue River and has been an elder in this church for twenty-five years. He is counted one of the leaders in thought and action in his community and enjoys to a marked degree the confidence and respect of all who know him.
FLOYD H. MINER, superintendent of the township school at Manilla, has been engaged in educational work since the outset of his career, and during the comparatively short period of his allegiance to his profession has made rapid strides toward high preferment. He is a native of Rush county, born on a farm in Ripley township. May 17, 1890, a sou of Edward N. and Mary E. (Hill) Miner, the former a native of the neighboring county of Hancock and the latter of Rush county. Edward N. Miner is a carpenter by trade and has followed that vocation during the greater part of his life, although he has given some attention to farming in Ripley township. He and his wife reside in Carthage. They have two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Florence F., a graduate of the high school at Carthage. Floyd H. Miner attended the high school at Carthage and early evidenced inclinations toward a career as an educator. He was but eighteen years of age when he began teaching in Ripley township. After three years of teaching there he decided he needed further preparation and accordingly pursued a course at the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute, where he received his degree of Bachelor of Arts. He later became principal of the high school at French Lick, Indiana, a position which he held during 1914 and 1915. His next location was at Hackensack, N. J., where he taught. in the junior high school for two years. While in Hackensack, he spent a year in Columbia University doing special work in educa-
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
tion. In the fall of 1917 he returned to Indiana and became superin- tendent of schools at West Baden, where he remained three years. In the fall of 1920 Mr. Miner came to Manilla, as superintendent of the township school, having about 140 pupils and nine teachers under his superintendency. Mr. Miner has been very successful in his chosen calling. Aside from his instructive ability, and the executive capacity necessary for the management of his charges, he possesses the ability to secure and hold the good will of pupils and parents. He is constantly striving to further prepare himself for valuable work in his profession, and is a close and careful student and a lover of literature of the best kind. He holds membership in the Forum Society of the State Normal School, and is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to the Blue lodge at French Lick and the Scottish Rite at Indianapolis. Following in the footsteps of his mother, he belongs to the Society of Friends. On August 30, 1919, Mr. Miner was united in marriage to Mary A. Alexander, who was born in Fountain county, Indiana, but was reared and educated in Mont- gomery county, this state. Mrs. Miner is a graduate of the high school at New Market, Indiana, and attended the State Normal School at Terre Haute, and Mrs. Blaker's Teachers' College at Indianapolis. She is a daughter of Daniel A. and Josephine Alexander, farming people of Montgomery county, where Mr. Alexander is still the owner of a valuable property. Mrs. Miner has a younger sister, Nioma. To Mr. and Mrs. Miner there has come one child : Rosemary, born on September 12, 1920.
WILLIAM H. GLENDENNING, a well-known farmer and representative citizen of Posey township, was born in that township on November 16, 1890, and is the son of George W. and Margaret F .. (Powell) Glendenning. He attended school in districts Nos. 1 and 6 and also received three years of high school work in the Arlington school. On leaving school Mr. Glendenning devoted himself to the work of the home farm, working for his father until the latter's death, and then continuing for his mother about three years. Since then he has been operating the home farm as a renter and has met with a gratifying measure of success. The farm comprises 343 acres of land, all located in Posey township, and there the subject is carrying on general farming, raising all the crops common to this section of the country, and also giving some attention to live stock, handling about 150 head of hogs each year. The place is well improved and ranks among the best farms of Posey township. On June 12, 1917, Mr. Glendenning was married to Beulah Metsker, who was born in the state of California, but was educated in Benton county, Indiana. She is a daughter of Luther and Emma (Bowman) Metsker, both of whom were born and reared in . Warren county, Indiana, where the father followed the vocation of farming. Luther Metsker and wife were the parents of six children, all of whom are living, namely: Mary, Robert, Beulah, Arnett, Lena and Lucile. To Mr. and Mrs. Glendenning have been born two children, Lloyd V., born on May 23, 1918, and Georgia, who died in infancy. Mr. Glendenning has been a staunch and life-long supporter of the
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Republican party and is now serving a term as a member of the county council. He and his wife are earnest members of the Method- ist Episcopal church at Arlington.
WILLIAM CURTIS GEISE, a substantial grain grower and live stock dealer, of Noble township, was born in Fayette county, this state, December 15, 1882, a son of Henry and Frances (Breiten- bauch) Geise. Henry Geise was born in Pennsylvania and was a small child when brought by his parents from the Keystone state to Indiana, the family settling in Fayette county, where he was given a public school education. Reared to agricultural pursuits, on reach- ing years of manhood he adopted the tilling of the soil as his life work and engaged therein in Fayette county until 1894, in that year renting a farm in Union township, Rush county. This property he farmed until 1908, when he moved back to Fayette county and purchased a tract of 120 acres, on which he is still carrying on sue- cessful operations as a general farmer and grower of live stock. He and his worthy wife, a native of Fayette county, have been the parents of sixteen children, of whom thirteen survive: Edward. Joseph, Mollie, John, Stella, William Curtis, Quincy, Cleve, Vina, Emma, Hazel, Ben and Bernice. William Curtis Geise received his educational training in the public schools of Fayette and Rush ยท counties, and when ready to embark upon his career engaged in farming in association with his father. This connection continued to be maintained until Mr. Geise was married, at which time he rented the place on which he is now living, and there has developed a hand- some property. His operations have extended somewhat since the early days of his experience and at this time he is renting 145 acres, in addition to which he operates also 143 acres belonging to him. and all of it is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Geise operates his property according to the latest approved methods of agricultura: science, and is practical, efficient and thorough. He has eighty acres in corn and fifty acres in wheat, and feeds out on an average of 200 hogs each year. Mr. Geise has large and substantial buildings, and makes use of the latest equipment and machinery. In 1906 Mr. Geise was united in marriage to Ethel Wilson, daughter of John and Nora Wilson, and to this union there have been born five children, Esther, Ruth, Richard, Harlan and Betty. Mr. and Mrs. Geise are members of the Little Flat Rock Christian Church, in the faith of which the children are being reared. In his political allegiance Mr. Geise is a Democrat.
ROY WAGGENER, who is discharging with marked ability the multifarious duties connected with his important position as secre- tary, treasurer and manager of the Park Furniture Manufacturing Company of Rushville, was born in Franklin, Ind., March 14, 1881, the son of Robert and Nancy (Yelton) Waggencr. Robert Waggener was a prosperous contractor of Franklin, doing a general business in that line as well as being proprietor of a planing mill and lumber yard. Roy Waggener received his earlier education in the common and high schools of Franklin, after completing which he attended Franklin College. Upon leaving scholastic halls behind him, he began
PhilliangStanley
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
working for the Greer Wilkinson Lumber Company of Franklin, remaining with them off and on for six years. His initial association with this firm was in the capacity of a machine hand, as he wished to learn all phases of the business. His advancement was rapid, and when he severed connections with the company he was serving it as manager of the mill department. Then, in 1908, he came to Rush- ville, accepting the position of superintendent of the J. D. Case planing mill, remaining with this firm until January, 1919, when he became secretary, treasurer and general manager of the Park Furni- ture Manufacturing Company, and although he has met with many serious and difficult problems on account of the post-war unsettled conditions of all business, he has successfully overcome them all. Mr. Waggener married Edith Mullendore and three children have been born to their union, Mary Elizabeth, Roy, Jr., and Nancy Jane. Mr. Waggener is a communicant of the Baptist church, and politically is known as a strong Republican. In fraternal circles he is a Knight Templar Mason and holds membership in the Rotary Club.
WILLIAM J. HENLEY, former judge of the Appellate Court of Indiana and for many years a member of the bar of the Rush Circuit Court, now living at his old home at Carthage, this county, where he is the owner of valuable farming property, was born at Carthage on October 15, 1864, a son of The.nas W and Hannah C. (Williams) Henley, natives of Greensboro, N. C. Elias Henley, father of Thomas W. Henley, was born in North Carolina and in 1827 brought his family to Indiana, settling on a part of the prop- erty on which his grandson, Judge Henley, now makes his home. He followed farming and was a man of influence in his community. Thomas W. Henley was a child when brought by his parents to Rush county, where his subsequent career was passed as a tiller of the soil. He was successful in his operations and at the time of his death was the owner of 600 acres of valuable land. He and his wife were the parents of six children, R. Edgar, Abbie J., Eunice, William J., Annie W. and Thomas B. (deceased). William J. Hen- ley received his early schooling in the schools of Carthage, and after his graduation from the high school with the class of 1881 decided upon a career in the law. Accordingly, for two years he read law in the office of Mellete & Bundy, at New Castle, Ind., and when about twenty years of age went to Rushville, where he served for one year as deputy clerk of the court. At the age of twenty-one he formed a law partnership with Ben L. Smith, at Rushville, the firm being known as Smith & IIenley. This association was dis- solved after several years and Mr. Henley formed a connection with Lot E. Griffin, as Henley & Griffin. In 1896 Mr. Henley was elected to the office of Judge of the Indiana State Court of Appeals, representing the First district, the youngest man ever elected to that high office. After serving eight years on the bench. Judge Henley resigned, although he had been elected for a third term. In 1903 Judge IIenley accepted the position of president and gen- eral counsel of the Chicago & Western Indiana railroad and retained
4
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HISTORY OF RUSHI COUNTY
that post for nine years, following which he went to Indianapolis and became a member of the law firm of Henley, Fenton & Joseph. He remained with this concern until 1917, when, acting upon the advice of his physician, he retired to the farm upon which he now makes his home at the southwest edge of Carthage. Judge Henley is a Republican and is a birthright member of the Carthage Meeting of Friends. He is a member of Phoenix Lodge, No. 62, Free and Accepted Masons, of Rushville, and Rushville Lodge No. 1307, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1912 Judge Henley was united in marriage to Myrtle Robinson, who was born at Marion, Indiana, daughter of William A. and Anna Robinson, and to this union there has come one child, Mary Elizabeth, born on November 6, 1913. By a former marriage Judge Henley has three children : Mrs. Gladys Mauzy, of Rushville; William J., Jr., and June.
WILLIAM SEWARD WHITEMAN, a well known retired farmer of this county, now living at Milroy, where he has made his home for nearly twenty years past, was born in that part of Rush county, a member of one of the pioneer families thereabout, and has been a resident of this county all his life. The Whitemans have been residents of this county for more than a century, the first of the name to settle here having been Jacob and Mary Whiteman, who came over here from Ohio in 1819 and established their home on a tract of "Congress land" two miles southwest of where the village of Milroy presently began to have its being, and were thus among the real pioneers of this region, that having been in the days before Rush county had a separate civic identity. Jacob Whiteman was a Pennsylvanian and his wife was a native of South Carolina. They developed a farm out of the wilderness in which they had settled and there spent their last days, the results of their labors persisting in the present generation, and the land which they entered from the Government still is in the possession of the family. One of their sons, William Whiteman, eventually came into possession of the quarter section tract and on that place, on which he was born, he spent all his life, living to the ripe old age of eighty years. William Whiteman was born on June 5, 1829. He married Emily Warriner, who also was born in Indiana, and established his home on the old home place, later increasing his land holdings to 188 acres. He and his wife were the parents of six children: Clara, who married Daniel Power; Horace G .; William S., the subject of this sketch, and Mary, Martha and Emma. William S. Whiteman was born on June 5, 1862, on the place which his grandparents had entered from the govern- ment and there grew to manhood, receiving his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood, and continued farming with his father until after his marriage in 1886 when he rented a farm in Orange township and began operations for himself. Four years later he returned to Anderson township and bought a farm of eighty acres a mile and a half west of Milroy on which he established his home. He developed this place in excellent shape and as his affairs pros- pered added to his holdings until he became the owner of 188 acres
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
which he still holds. There he remained until 1902 when he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Milroy, where he is still living, continuing, however, to give pretty close supervisory attention to the affairs of the farm. It was on September 9, 1886, that William Seward Whiteman was united in marriage to Clara Crane, who also was born in this county, daughter of Isaac and Belinda (Camerer) Crane, and to this union one child was born, a daughter, Nellie, who married Faud E. Harcourt and who died on April 12, 1915, leaving a little daughter, Lois Catherine. Mr. and Mrs. Whiteman have a pleasant home at Milroy and have ever taken an interested part in the general social affairs of their home com- munity. They are members of the Methodist church and for some years Mr. Whiteman has been a member of the board of trustees of the church. In his political views Mr. Whiteman is a Republican, as was his father, and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after office. He is a Mason, a member of the local blue lodge, and takes a proper interest in the affairs of that ancient fraternal organization.
FREDERICK KESSLER, a retired farmer and substantial cit- izen of Walker township, was born in Germany, March 29, 1850, a son of Frederick and Barbara (Nicholas) Kessler. They had eleven children, the two survivors of the family being Mike and Frederick. The parents spent their lives in Germany where the father followed the wagon-making trade. Frederick Kessler, the younger, remained in his native land until he was twenty years old, going to school in boyhood and later helping his father. He was determined, however, to emigrate to the United States and took advantage of the first opportunity that came his way to secure passage across the Atlantic. After being safely landed in the port of New York, he made his way to Shelbyville, Ind., where an acquaintance by the name of John Leafes was established in the drug business, with whom he remained for seven weeks, going then to Cincinnati, where he secured a position in a bakery and remained there eight months. At this time sickness fell upon him and he returned to his friend in Shelbyville. When ready to begin work again, he went on a farm and for the next four years worked as a farm hand for Andrew Kuhn and later for Daniel Kuhn. In 1876 he married and began farming on his own account and for the next sixteen years rented land in Rush county, then bought his first piece, a tract of eight acres. This was his beginning in the acquirement of a large and valuable estate, Mr. Kessler now owning 450 acres of land all in one body. For many years he carried on general farming and stockraising, each year feeding two car loads of hogs. When he felt ready to retire from active work on the farm he found no difficulty as he has strong, sturdy and capable sons who are now very successfully carrying on the various industries. April 12, 1876, Frederick Kessler married Elizabeth Hatchel, who was born in Germany, daughter of Christian and Salome (Bair) HIatchel, and who died on July 8, 1912. Mr. Kessler and his wife had eleven children, nine of whom are living : Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Carrie, John, Jacob, Edward, Frank, Michael, Frederick and Willian.
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HISTORY OF RUSH COUNTY
Elizabeth married Cary McKay, a farmer in Rush county, and they have four children, Mary, Nella, Dorothy and Thelma. Carrie, who died on October 12, 1918, was the wife of Walter Melser, a farmer in Rush county, and left two children, Mary and Robert. John, who is a farmer in Rush county, married Berta Bebout, who died August 8, 1917, leaving two sons, Harold and Herman, the latter of whom died February 10, 1918. Edward, who is a farmer in Walker town- ship, Rush county, married Nora Thebold, and they have one son, Raymond. Frank, who is also a farmer in Walker township, married Laura Shower, and they have one child, Masella A. William, who is a farmer in Decatur county, married a Miss Melser. Frederick, the youngest of the family, was an overseas soldier in the World war, a member of the second company in the sixth provisional advance department, when he was stricken with influenza and died from this malady, far from home and kindred. He was a member of the Red Men. Mr. Kessler is a member of the Methodist Episcopa! church at Manilla. In politics he is a Republican and has always been a useful citizen, well known over the county and a member of the Masonic lodge at Manilla.
OSCAR APPLEGATE, a well-known farmer and stock raiser of Noble township, is numbered among the substantial citizens of his section of the county. Mr. Applegate was born on November 27, 1852, on the farm where he now lives, and he is a son of John and Ann (Kerr) Applegate, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Fayette county, Indiana. John Applegate was brought by his parents to Fayette county, Indiana, in his boyhood and there he remained until 1845, when he came to Rush county, locating on the farm now occupied by the subject of this sketch. Here, in addition to farming the land, he followed his trade, that of a wagon, buggy and carriage maker, in which he won considerable renown for the high quality of his work. In 1855 he won a silver cup at Louisville, Ky., for building the finest carriage that was exhibited there that year. He died in 1870 and was survived many years by his widow, whose death occurred in 1894. They were the parents of two chil- dren, Oscar and Rhoda. Oscar Applegate received his education in the common schools of Noble township, and after completing his studies he remained on his father's farm and, after the death of the latter, he acquired title to the place and has continued to reside there to the present time. The farm comprises 227 acres, all in one body, and here Mr. Applegate has been engaged in general farming and stock raising. He puts about forty acres to corn, the same amount to'small grains and also gives some of the land over to pasturage, keeping a herd of fifty sheep the year round. He also feeds from: fifty to sixty head of sheep annually. In 1882 Mr. Applegate was married to Nan Blacklidge, the daughter of Martin and Augusta Blacklidge, and they have become the parents of four children. namely: Arnest, who married Hazel Murphy; Rhoda, who became the wife of Clarence Kinner and they have one child, Marcellus: Arthur and Charles are deceased. Politically, Mr. Applegate gives carnest support to the Republican party. Personally, he is a man
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