USA > Indiana > Shelby County > Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, Vol. 2 > Part 21
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Mr. and Mrs. Metzler have four children: Edgar, bern December 30, 1875. graduated in the St. Paul high school, enlisted on March 14. 1898. in the United States army and served in the Philippines, with the Fourteenth In- diana Infantry, with the same regiment in China during the Boxer uprising, and was killed in August, 1900. Grace, Mr. Metzler's eldest daughter. was born January 9, 18,9, and is now the wife of Frank Enos, of St. Paul. Ger- trude, the second daughter, was born June 18. 1882, and is now the wife of Walter Lawless, of Summitville, Indiana. Albert, the youngest child. was born February 12, 1886, and died June 29, 1900. Mrs. Metzler is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at St. Paul and the family enjoy high social standing.
MICHAEL PAUGH.
One of the venerable and highly respected citizens of Shelby county, Indiana, a man who played well his part in the transformation of the country from a wilderness to its present-day prosperity is Michael Paugh, born in Hamilton county, Ohio. April 4. 1831. and he came to Shelby county, Indiana. with his parents in 1840. He is the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Low) Paugh. Joseph Paugh was born in Ohio, but in 1840 he came to Shelby county, Indiana, and bought wild land. all timber and swamps, in which there was much wild game: He cleared off the land and put it in cultivation. Be- ing a hard working man, he was successful. He was a Democrat. but had nothing whatever to do with politics. He was eighty-three years old at the time of his death. He was married in Ohio and two children were born to him and his wife: Daniel, born about 1826, has been dead about thirty-five years. Michael. the other son, was about ten years old when he came to Shelby county. He succeeded in getting a little education in the subscription schools. but never attended the public schools. He worked for his father on the farm until he was about thirty-five years old. when he was married to Lucrecia Luther. She was born in Greensburg. Indiana, and was about twelve years old when her parents came to where Waldron is now located. Her father built the first dwelling house in Waldron. He and his wife were among the early settlers of Decatur and Shelby county. Mr. and Mrs. Paugh are the parents of two children, Eva, who died when three years old: and Charles is about thirty-five years of age. a bacliclor and living at home.
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Mr. Paugh has always lived on the old homestead in section 36. Liberty township. He has carried on general farming in a most successful manner. having always been a hard worker and a good manager, and he is now in the golden evening of his life, enjoying the fruits of his former years of toil, living in contentment and surrounded by plenty as a result of his frugality in his younger days. He has always been a home man, caring little for politics or public life. He is a Democrat. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Waldron, and he is the oldest Odd Fellow in this part of the county. He has been one of the prominent and active men in lodge work. There was only a very small membership when he joined the local lodge. He has passed all the chairs in all the branches of Odd Fellowship. He has seen this section of the county develop from a wild, unimproved state to one of the richest parts of the county. When he came here there was one little store at Middletown but the family did all its trading at Lawrenceburg. He is a remarkably well preserved man for his weight of seventy-eight years. He has a quick mind and his conversation is interesting, especially when he tells of the pioneer days. He has become well known through his lodge work, in which he takes a great interest. Everybody in this part of the county knows him and respects him for his long life of industry and honor.
GREEN BERRY McDUFFEE.
A man who has achieved well earned success by reason of his habits of industry, economy and perseverance, is Green Berry McDuffee, who was born in Liberty township. Shelby county, June 6. 1853. the son of Robert G. and Elizabeth ( Isley) McDuffee. the former born in Kentucky, in 1815. He came to Shelby county. Indiana, with his parents when twelve years old. His father. Robert McDuffee, entered land in Rush county ; he also entered land in Liberty township. this county. When he was first married he went to Madison county, this state, where he lived five years, then came back to Shel- by county, and remained here the rest of his life. He devoted his life to farming and was considered a very successful man for those days in this county. His family were all Whigs, which party he supported until it was supplanted by the Republican party which he then supported. He was not a public man. His membership in the church was with the Methodist Episcopal denomination at the Vienna church, which he helped to establish and he was long an active member in the same. When he first came to this county it was all a wilderness and covered with swamps in many places. He went to Lawrenceburg to do his trading and drove all his stock there to market. After a long and useful life. he was called from his labors in 1906. His wife.
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Elizabeth Isley, was born in Tennessee, in 1816, and she came with her par- ents to Decatur county when about twelve years old. The subject's people on both sides of the house were prominent in pioneer days. His mother died in 1902. To the parents of the subject, five children were born, namely : Wesley, deceased; Sarah A. married J. F. Henderson and they live in Rush county; Lavina also lives in Rush county: Margaret J. married John W. Green and they live in Waldron. Indiana; Green Berry, of this review, was the youngest in order of birth. He was educated in the common schools of his native county ; however. he did not get much education until later in life, his early school days having been interrupted. He assisted with the work on his home place until lie was married to Mary A. Wilder, the daughter of Seymour Wilder and wife, of Rush county. She was born at Mount Carmel. Franklin county, this state. May 16, 1848. and she and the subject were mar- ried March 22. 1875.
Mr. McDuffee has been a farmer all his life. and he has won great success in his chosen line; however. five years were spent in the implement business at Waldron. He bought land in sections 17 and 18, and made most of the improvements on it. This was in 1880, and he has made his home here since that time with the exception of about five years spent at Waldron. He has a good farm, well improved and well stocked, and his dwelling and outbuild- ings are such as his needs require to make his work successful and his life comfortable. In politics he is a Republican, but has neither aspired to nor held office. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In his fraternal relations he belongs to the Masonic Order at Waldron, and he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star. Mr. McDuffee is one of the prominent men of Liberty township, where he is so well known, having spent the major part of his life here and where he has won the esteem of all who know him, by reason of his uprightness and public spirit.
JOHN TILSON HIGGINS.
One of the leading agriculturists and representative citizens of Shelby county, Indiana, is John Tilson Higgins, who was born here on July 12. 1855. the son of William E. and Mary ( Wheeler) Higgins. William E. Higgins was born in Franklin county, Indiana. June 3. 1832, and died November 25. 1887, at Shelbyville, Indiana. He was a farmer and stock raiser on an ex- tensive scale. His people came to Shelby county from Kentucky in the pioneer days. He was educated in the early schools of Shelby county, and spent his life here, becoming one of the best known men in the county, taking an in- terest in public affairs, although he did not hold office; however, he was ten-
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dered office on several occasions, but he preferred to devote his life to farm- ing and the breeding of fine Jersey cattle, since the war up to the time of his death. During the Civil war he dealt in mules; he was successful in whatever he undertook. accumulating a fortune and was regarded by all classes as one of the county's most valued citizens. He was always a public-spirited man and a great church worker, supporting the Catholic denomination. He was a great friend of the poor and numerous acts of charity were attributed to him. He was somewhat reserved and never made a display of his wealth or charitable deeds, always giving out of his fullness of heart. He was on the building committee of the Catholic church in Liberty township. and did much good in that connection. He was very liberal in his support of the church. be- coming known as one of the most prominent Catholics in the county. He was married in Shelby county, October 12, 1854. to Mary Wheeler, who was born August 17, 1835. in this county, and her death occurred August 5. 1908. She was a woman of many praiseworthy traits of character. Her parents came to Shelby county from Kentucky, in pioneer days. To William E. Higgins and wife seven children were born, namely: John Tilson, of this re- view ; Catherine, now Mrs. Zoble : Josephine Trackwell, deceased : Celia. now Mrs. Fettig: Mary, who also married a Mr. Fettig: Rachael, deceased : Ed- ward, deceased.
John Tilson Higgins received his education in the common schools of Shelby county, now known as the district schools. He went through all the grades and received a fairly good education for his opportunity, for he ap- plied himself very carefully to his -text-books. He remained on the old homestead, assisting with the work about the place until his marriage to Rose Dolan, a daughter of John E. Dolan and wife. They were married in Ire- land, in which country one of their children was born. They came to New York and lived there seven years, then went to Columbiana county, Ohio. later moved to Jennings county, near North Vernon, Indiana, and it was here that Mrs. Higgins was born. August 11. 1855, being the eleventh child in a family of thirteen children, all of whom lived to reach maturity. Her father lived to be eighty-one years old, and her mother reached the advanced age of ninety-four years. They were prominent Irish people and won the respect of their neighbors wherever they lived.
To Mr. and Mrs. John Tilson Higgins eleven children have been born. namely: The first and second died in infancy: Richard Carter, born March 12, 18So. resides in Canada : Frank W., born January 12, 1882, married Vic- toria Weintraut : he is a salesman and is living in Virginia: Victor W. was born June 28, 1884; he is a scenic painter and lives in Chicago; Ambrose, born July 27. 1886, a graduate of the agricultural department of Purdue University, is living at home : Marie Cecelia, born July 15. 1888, is a teacher and is living at home; William Frederick, born January 27. 1890. is still a
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member of the family cirele; Robert E., born October 2, 1891, died August 8, 1903: Teresa Portia, born March 17, 1896, died March 15. 1909; John Tilson, Jr., born February 13, 1898.
After his marriage Mr. Higgins engaged in farming, which he has fol- lowed ever since in a most successful manner. He has always devoted con- siderable attention to stock raising, having a hobby for hogs. also the raising of fruit, and no small part of his yearly income is derived from these sources. He is a great breeder of Duroc hogs and always keeps some fine specimens of this variety. His model farm, one of the best in Shelby county, is located in section 6. Liberty township, being under a high state of improvement and well kept in every respect. He has a very attractive home, modern, substan- tial and nicely furnished, also excellent barns and outbuildings; everything about his place shows thrift and prosperity, and that a man of good judg- ment and progressive ideas has its management in hand; in short Mr. Hig- gins is one of the prominent men of Shelby county, being interested in what- ever tends to promote the welfare of his fellowmen in this locality, and always ready to support all measures looking to the good of his fellow men. He is one of the most active workers in the Catholic church in this county, being a liberal supporter of the same. He has served on the Advisory Board of his township for two terms, and is now a member of the County Council. Mr. Higgins is a well read man, keeping abreast of the times in all matters and his conversation is entertaining. He and his family readily impress the stranger as being well educated and hospitable.
DANIEL CALLAHAN.
When Dennis Callahan died in Ireland, in 1861, the world looked blue to his widow and her two little boys. Being poor in the extreme, with no powerful friends to draw upon, slim chances of employment in her native country, her mind naturally reverted to the great republic across the sea. . Many another Irish widow had taken heart of hope out of the promises wafted over by friends in this country, and Mrs. Callahan, not knowing what else to do, decided on the long and. to her, very exhaustive journey to the New World. So she boarded ship with Daniel and Dennis, as it were, tucked under each wing, shipped with the steerage, among a lot of other woe-begone emigrants and with a sinking heart, heard the throbs of the great ship's machinery as it started the vessel on its tempestuous way. Indirectly, the ves- sel reached the dock in New York harbor, the poor Irish widow went ashore, with her helpless charge and then began in earnest what the poets call "the journey of life."
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Daniel Callahan, the oldest of the two boys, was born at Cork, Ireland, 1852, and was one of those bright lads whose shining faces give promise of success. He remained in New York with his mother for about one year, when steps were taken to find him a home in the West. Accordingly, he was brought to Shelby county, where he was taken in and kindly cared for by the family of Conrad Kuhn. They saw that he attended school, kept out of mischief and acquired habits of industry as he grew up. Daniel was an apt pupil, a well-behaved boy and got a fair education for his time by diligence in the public schools in Union township. He lived with Conrad Kuhn until twenty-five years of age, when he began casting around to make a start in life for himself. His first important step was marriage with Mary, daughter of Valentine Posz, by whom he had four children. Bert, the oldest, married Flora Hachl: Kate became the wife of George Kuhn; Nora married John R. Haehl and Annie remains at home.
After marriage Mr. Callahan took charge of a farm in Liberty town- ship, which proved to be a permanent home. as he has lived on his present place for twenty-seven years. He spent five years in Rush county, but soon re- turned to his first locality, and practically, Liberty township has been his home for thirty years. Though not a member of church, Mr. Callahan has always been a liberal contributor, as indeed. he is to all good causes. His family are members of the German Protestant church and if these need help in their operations, "father" is usually found willing to unbend. Thirty years ago Mr. Callahan joined the Red Men, at Manilla, and has been a paying member ever since, though he is at present connected with the lodge at Shelby- ville. He can strictly be called a self-made man, as every dollar he has in the world was earned by himself, since he was left an orphan child in Ireland.
GREENBURY FIELDS BURGESS.
A worthy scion of a fine old pioneer family, and he himself a popular and venerable early settler who merits the praise due all hardy and honest men of this type, is Greenbury Fields Burgess, of Addison township. Shelby county. Indiana, who was born in Scott county, Kentucky, July 6. 1819. the son of Edward Burgess, a native of Virginia, who married Sarah Fields on Febru- ary 6, 1800, a native of Maryland. After spending their long and useful lives on a farm, which they developed from the primeval forest, they both died in Scott county, Kentucky. Ten children were born to them, named as follows : Nancy, William C., Bathsheba. Joseph, Maria, Margaret, Edward, James Henry, Greenbury F. and Marietta.
Greenbury F. Burgess received only a limited education in the old-time
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log school-houses. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age. In 1847 he came to Indiana and began life for himself amid new con- ditions, locating in Addison township, Shelby county, where he secured land, which he at once began to clear and develop into a farm, erecting rude build- ings, which, as he prospered by dint of hard toil and good management, gave way, in time, to more substantial buikdlings. He finally became the owner of two hundred and fourteen acres of valuable land. He cleared about one hundred acres of this himself. He has always been a very robust, rugged and hard-working man, consequently he has succeeded. He has always carried on general farming in a manner that not only insured a good living from year to year, but enabled him to lay by quite a competency. He has devoted con- siderable attention to the raising of grain and various kinds of live stock. His farm is highly improved, and he has a good dwelling and substantial out- buildings, and an excellent orchard and garden.
Mr. Burgess has been three times married. first on October 16, 1841. to Elizabeth Wikoff. of Kentucky, who was born May 18, 1818. She died April 16, 1853. and he married a second time on February 17. 1855. his second wife being Arthusa F. Wright, born January 27, 1830; she died August 15. 1871. and Mr. Burgess' third marriage was solemnized on April 29. 1873. to Margaret A. Jacobs, of Scott county, Kentucky, a daughter of Nathaniel and Margaret ( Sharp) Jacobs, the former a native of Virginia, and the lat- ter of Scott county. Kentucky. They came to Sheiby county, Indiana, in IS51, and secured land in Liberty township. Mr. Sharp, who devoted his life to farming, died May 2, 1879. and his wife passed away October 22, 1894. They were the parents of thirteen children, namely : Malissa, Harvey. Maranda. Amanda, Mary, Susan. William, George W. and Thomas J. (twins) : Narcissus; Margaret, wife of the subject of this review: Amanda and Serelda.
Greenbury F. Burgess' children by his first wife were: Burlington B., deceased : Susan D .. deceased ; William C., deceased : Sarah F., Mary M .. de- ceased; Maggie E .. Joseph G., deceased. The subject's children by his second wife were six. as follows: John C .. James E., Nannie G .. Noah T. Belle, Mary E., and an infant. The children by Mr. Burgess' third wife are Florence Helena, wife of William Midkiff, of Liberty township. Shelby county: Wil- liam Clement, a farmer on the old home place; Roy Otto, a farmer in Addi- son township, who married Nora Hatfield, on April 9. 1901. and they have two children. LaRue and Gladys: Leona G. married Albert Brown, of Fort Benjamin Harrison, and to them three children have been born. namely: Burgess B., Ruth and Margaret Helena. The fifth child of the subject and his third wife was Francis Nathaniel, who died May 2. 1884.
Mr. Burgess has always been a Democrat. He is a member of the Bap- tist church. He is truly a self-made man, and he has won the respect of a
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wide circle of friends and acquaintances in Shelby county. While feeble at the age of ninety years, owing to rheumatism, his health is otherwise un- impaired. His eyesight is particularly good, as he is enabled to read maga- zines and the finest print of the daily newspapers without glasses. It is a source of pleasure and satisfaction to him and he devotes most of his time to reading.
CHARLES McDANIEL.
One of the leading farmers and representative citizens of Liberty town- ship, Shelby county, is Charles McDaniel, who was born in Decatur county. Indiana, near St. Omer, December 6, 1851, the son of A. J. McDaniel and wife, who was known in her maidenhood as Emeline Palmerton. A. J. Mc- Daniel was born and reared in Decatur county, his date of birth occurring March 31, 1826. He was a farmer nearly all his life; however, he engaged in the grocery business for some time in St. Omer, early in his business career. Spending his youth in Decatur county, he went to Illinois when thirty-six years old and remained there about twelve years. He then returned to Indiana, locating in Shelby county, where he remained until his death, Sep- tember 13, 1908. He was active in the Democratic party : however, he did not aspire to office. He was a public-spirited man. liberal in his support of all movements looking to the public welfare. He was a hard worker and made a success of farming. He was a member of a Kentucky family. his parents having come from that state and were well known in their day. He was mar- ried in Decatur county. His wife was born February 27. 1829, and died December 29, 1895. To this union six children were born, namely : J. B., who is a merchant at Freeport, Indiana ; Charles was the third in order of birth, the second having died in infancy: Ermina was the next child; the fifth died in infancy; Erastus W. is an attorney at Shelbyville. All was wild land in this and Decatur county when the ancestors of the subject came here.
Charles McDaniel was educated in Jasper county, Illinois, having at- tended school until he was twenty-one years old. He walked four miles to school in order to prepare himself for teaching, which profession he followed very successfully for a period of nineteen years, during which time his services were in great demand, and he became widely known as an educator second to none in his community. His teaching was confined to Rush and Clark counties. He finally decided to give up teaching and begin farming and stock raising, which he has followed ever since in a manner that stamps him just as successful in this line as he was at teaching. He has an excellent farm, located in section 9, Liberty township.
Mr. McDaniel was married February 27, 1876. to Belle Ensminger, the
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accomplished daughter of Chapman and Lucy Ensminger, of Shelby county. She was horn August 27. 1857, and to this union four children have been born, namely: Roy, September 18. 1877, married Anna Feitig, and they live in Liberty township; Ernest .A., born July 17, 1879, is still a member of the home circle : he is a teacher, having taught in the high school for five years ; the last two years he has taught at Waldron. Ermina, the third child, was born October 29. 1882, married Conrad Kney; they lived in Rush county and are the parents of one son, Morris; Harry, the youngest child, was born July 13. 1886; he married Bertha Bird, and to this union two children have been born, Gladys and Helen ; they live in Liberty township. These children have all received good educations and are fairly well started on the highway of life.
Mr. McDaniel is a Democrat in polities and has taken considerable in- terest in local affairs, having been Assessor of Liberty township for a period of five years. He is a member of the Christian Union church at Blue Ridge. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Blue Ridge. with which he has been identified for a period of fourteen years, having passed all the chairs in the same. He was formerly a great lodge worker. He is regarded as a substantial farmer and good citizen, a man whom everybody trusts and admires for his clean and manly life and for his services to the locality which has been honored by his citizenship.
HENRY BRIGGEMAN.
Among the honored veterans of the Civil war and well known citizens of Liberty township. Shelby county, is Henry Briggeman, who was born No- vember 26. 1845. on the Atlantic Ocean, while his parents were on their way from Germany to the United States. He is the son of Frederick B. and Mar- garet Briggeman, both natives of Germany. They landed in New Orleans, where they remained a short time, then came to Cincinnati, where they lived until the death of Frederick Briggeman in 1849. The trip from the Father- land occupied sixty days. The six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Briggeman were all natives of Germany, except Henry, whose place of birth is given above. They are as follows: Mary, who married a Mr. Carwein : Charlotte, deceased; the third child died in infancy ; the fourth died in early childhood; William: and Henry, of this review. These children were left orphans when young, by the death of their mother in 1863 or 1864. Their father was a hard-working man and devoted all his time to his home. He was educated in Germany, and was a well read man. He was a member of the German Protestant church and a highly respected man, especially among the Germans of Cincinnati.
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