USA > Indiana > Shelby County > Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, Vol. 2 > Part 38
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George Shaver was born here March 11. 1836. He is of German descent, his ancestors having come from the Fatherland many generations ago. first settling in Pennsylvania, from which state they came to Indiana. George is the son of David and Hannah ( Warner) Shaver, people of many fine traits of character.
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After receiving a very meager education in the primitive schools of the carly days, and working on his father's farm. George Shaver married Eliza- beth J. Snepp. May 10, 1857, and started out in life for himself. She was the daughter of Daniel and Mary ( Rolman) Snepp. Daniel Snepp was born and reared in Montgomery county, Ohio. He came to Shelby county and died here November 2, 1895. having been born in 1814. The Rolman family were of German descent. Mary Rolman was born in Pennsylvania. Elizabeth J. ( Snepp) Shaver was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, August 23. 1846. and she came with her parents to Shelby county, Indiana ; they located in Jackson township, and she has continued to reside here ever since. She at- tended such schools as they had in the early days, her principal education be- ing gained at Mount Auburn. After her marriage she lived in many places and finally located on the old Snepp farm in sections 19 and 30, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, which is worth one hundred and twenty dollars per acre. This place has been kept up to a good productive state, and has always yielded excellent crops, owing to its skillful management.
To Mr. and Mrs. George Shaver eleven children have been born, seven of whom are living, namely : Martha C., born March 8, 1858; Mary H., Oc- tober 9, 1859: infant, January 17, 1862: Daniel M., August 8, 1863: Anna M. November 6, 1865 : Emma M., February 16, 1868: John Ml. October 21. 1869: William E., February 1. 1873: George \., January 12, 1875: Charles L .. August 28, 1876: Josie E., November 9. t879. Those deceased are John M., George A. and Charles L.
These children have been given what advantages of education as were necessary to fit them for life's duties, and they are all fairly well situated in reference to this world's affairs.
George W. Shaver was a very active and robust man all his life up to a few years ago, but for the past four years he has been practically an invalid. In politics he has always supported the Democratic party. In religious mat- ters the members of this family support the Lutheran church. They all bear excellent reputations in this township.
ABRAM ST. CLAIR KING.
The first of this name to settle in Central Indiana was Jesse R. King, who came from his native state of Kentucky early in the nineteenth century, and located in the county of Marion, before Indianapolis had long been estab- lished. His son. James, who was bom in Kentucky in 1819. came with his parents to Indiana when nine years old and grew to manhood in Marion county. He married Mary, a sister of Henry C. Smith. one of the best
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known and highly esteemed men of Moral township, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. After his marriage James King lived for eight years on the farm now owned by Henry C. Ruschaupt, and then took posses- sion of eighty acres which he had bought on Sugar creek. To this he after. ward added forty acres, and on this one hundred and twenty acres he lived until his death, which occurred February 11. 1871, when he was nearly fifty- three years old. Thirty-two years later the remains of his wife were placed by his side in the Pleasant View cemetery. her death having occurred June 19. 1903. when she was over eighty years of age. To James King and wife ten children were born, namely : Hardin, deceased at the age of twenty-eight : Nancy Amanda and Betsey Jane died in infancy: Abram St. Clair: Walter lives on the old homestead in Moral township; Grafton J. also lives in Moral township: Mary E., deceased wife of Marion Larrison : Margaret, deceased wife of James Freeman : Hannah, now Mrs. Yarver, resides in Moral town- ship: Alice, wife of William Russell. lives in the township.
Abram St. Clair King, the fourth of this large family, was born in Moral township. Shelby county. Indiana. October 7, 1849. His boyhood experience was the same as millions of western boys-work on the farm, intermittent attendance at schools, with parents until manheod, then marriage and life work for self. December 29. 1875. he married Nancy Jane, daughter of Alexander and Julia ( Phemister ) Means. Alexander, a son of John Means, one of the pioneers of Shelby county, was born in Rockingham county. North Carolina, and came to Shelby county with his parents in youth. After he grew up he became a farmer and followed that calling to the end of his days. He married Julia, daughter of Charles and Juliet ( Turney ) Phemister, who came to Shelby county from Kentucky when their daughter was but nine years old. They located at Pleasant View. where the father ended, his days, the mother dying in Missouri. The children of Alexander and Julia Means were : John L., of Shelbyville, and Nancy Jane, wife of Mr. King. The latter lins been successful in his undertakings and has considerable to show as the result of his hard work and good management. The King home farm, consisting of one hundred and twenty-seven acres, is under excellent cultivation, with commodious residence, and well constructed outbuiklings. He also owns eighty acres of land in another part of the township, and is enjoying his full share of the prosperity that has come to the agricultural classes. Mr. and Mrs. King have had five children : Raymond and Ralph at home : Jesse mar- ried Grace Snyder, lives in Moral township and has two children, Dorothy Marie and Kenneth Clifford: Alta is at home, and Effie died in youth. Mr. King has been a Hile-long Democrat, but cares nothing for office. Mrs. King's Grandmother Means, wife of John Means, was a Miss Nancy Smith. On both sides of the house the families were of the best old pioneer stock.
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DAVID MULLENDORE.
Well known in the public affairs of Jackson township. David Mullen- dore stands out as a good example of one of the successful self-made men that have reflected honor on the community as well as the county and the state. Mr. Mullendore was born in the county July 8. 1838, and bas lived here almost all his life. His father, Jacob Mullendore, was a Virginian, as was also his paternal grandfather. John, who moved with his father to Ohio. where he ended his days and where Jacob was married to Katherine Wertz. The members of the Wertz family were Pennsylvania Germans, having emi- grated to Ohio, where Katherine's parents continued to live until the close of the days.
Jacob Mullendore and wife became the parents of eleven children. all of whom, with one exception, grew to maturity, married and had families. The exception was John, who was killed by a horse. The children were Lewis. Clinton. Harriet. Daniel. Jerome. Elizabeth. David. Lillian. Sarah and George. David received a rather meager common school education : he helped to clear and cultivate the farm, attending school only a short time during the winter. But his contact with nature and the discipline of the problem that confronted the farming communities of that day developed within him those sturdy qual- ities that have endeared him to all with whom he has been associated. He continued his work on the home farm until he was twenty-six years of age.
In 1863 he was married to Mary Neible, who was also born in Shelby county. on July 20. 1839. One child resulted from this union, viz: Charles W .. born August 6. 1865. Charles receive.l a good education, having com- pleted the common and high school courses offered in the county, and later took up a business course, completing it also in good time, and with credit. After reaching maturity, he was joined in marriage to Florence May Isley. a granddaughter of John Isley. She was born June 30. 1869. received a good education and has been held in high esteem by her wide circle of acquaintances on account of her affable temperament and the judicious management of her household affairs. She has four children : Ellwood A. was born February 13. 1893, and is now a student in the high school: Ray G., born April 25. 1897: Carl, born January 12. 1901. and George Ernest. born February 27. 1994. Mr. and Mrs. Mullendore are the members of the Evangelical Lutheran church and the family has been closely identified with active church work at all times. Mr. Mullendore has been especially effective in the Sunday school work. in the capacity of superintendent or teacher, at various times. Charles is the present superintendent of the Sunday school. David Mullendore is a charter member of the Edinburg Lodge, No. 42. Knights of Pythias. He served one term as Trustee of Jackson township and was re-elected, but upon his election to a second term, he resigned. He has a farm of one hundred and sixteen
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acres of excellent land. It is well equipped with the necessary buildings and other improvements which go to make up a complete homestead and the gen- eral appearance of the place indicates the owner to be a man of excellent taste and general sound judgment. As intimated at the beginning of this sketch. Mr. Mullendore has hewn his own pathway up the rugged incline of life and has achieved the deserved esteem, confidence and good will of his many friends and acquaintances.
W. W. WILCOXON.
Among the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of Hanover township. Shelby county, Indiana, none are more worthy of mention in a work of the province of the present volume than W. W. Wilcoxon, ex-town- ship official, soldier and lumberman, who has shown by a long life of earnest endeavor that he has innate characteristics that win in the face of all obstacles. He was born in Montgomery county, Maryland, February 22, 1844, and he came with his parems to Shelby county, Indiana, in 1859, when he was fifteen years old. the family locating on a farm in Hanover township, where young Wilcoxon learned to swing the axe and do many other things calculated to teach lessons of endurance and fortitude, for the clearing and improving of a farm from the sylvan wild is never accomplished by the indolent. The father and mother of our subject spent the remainder of their lives on the farm here, the former being a man that succeeded at whatever he turned his attention, being, among other things, an expert butcher for those early times. He was active in politics, taking a great interest in the affairs of the Demo- cratic party. W. W. Wilcoxon and his brother, David, living at Morristown. are the only survivors of a family of six children.
After attending the district schools for a short time, our subject started in life by first working in a saw mill, which position well accorded with his tastes, and in the year 1889 he purchased the plant of Francis W. Pusey, the demand for the products of his mill being so great that he soon enlarged it by purchasing additional apparatus, adding a planing-mill, which gave him customers from all over this country. Understanding the needs of his cus- tomers, he always gave satisfaction and soon built up a liberal trade, fur- nishing lumber for a large number of buildings not only at Gwynneville, but at Morristown and other places throughout the surrounding county.
When he started in the saw-mill and lumber business Mr. Wilcoxon had but little capital, but he managed his business so skillfully that he soon accu- mulated a competency and he is now worth many thousand dollars, which he credits to his strict application to business and his honest dealings with man-
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kind. He owns land in Shelby county as well as four hundred and ninety-two acres in Fayette county, Indiana, which he keeps well stocked. He is a great admirer of good stock and he buys sheep, cattle and horses, which he feeds and usually places on the market at a handsome profit. He has a substantial and attractive home at Gwynneville.
Mr. Wilcoxon was twice married, seven children having been born to the first union, six of whom are living in 19co. his first marriage having been to Nancy J. Sleeth. After her death, Mr. Wilcoxon married Emma Beck, who is now his faithful help-meet. a woman of admirable personality, which ren- ders her equally popular with her husband in the vicinity in which they live. She was born near Boggstown, Indiana. July 20, 1865, the daughter of Wil- liam and Jennie Wilson. Mrs. Wilcoxon was reared by J. O. Hinds and she attended school at Shelbyville. She was married to Denzel Beck in 1886, by which union she had one son, James Bence Beck, now twenty-one years old.
Believing it the duty of all loyal citizens of the United States to stand by the constitution during the years of trouble, Mr. Wilcoxon enlisted in the Union army, Forty-eighth Regiment. Company I. and served in a most faith- ful manner during the civil conflict that shook this country in the early sixties, having fought at Mill Creek and Raleigh. North Carolina, in 1805.
In politics Mr. Wilcoxon did not follow in the footsteps of his father. but is a strict Republican, and, having long been active in the local affairs of his party, he has been twice honored by being elected trustee of Ilanover town- ship, in which capacity he has served with credit to himself and the satisfac- tion of all concerned, his term beginning in 1886, and the last one terminating in 1888. During his term he erected some very fine school-houses. for which he won the hearty thanks of the entire township. When he received the office the treasury of the township was practically depleted. but when he turned it over to his successor there was a good balance, notwithstanding the fact that new school-houses had been erected and old ones repaired, also miles of gravel roads constructed. Mr. Wilcoxon is known as a successful worker in his party, a capable business man and one of the leading citizens of Shelby county in every respect.
MRS. LAURA MANN.
As a daughter of one of the first settlers of Moral township, Shelby county. Indiana, Mrs. Laura Mann, at present a resident of New Palestine. Hancock county, Indiana, ranks as a member of one of the leading families of early Indiana. She was born in Moral township. Shelby county, on Decem- ber 12. 1862, and is a daughter of Benjamin Dake. ( See his sketch on an- other page of this book. ) She was married September 17, 1884. to Alfred H.
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Copeland, who was born at Pleasant View, Moral township. He was a son of Lewis and Eliza ( Means) Copeland. The elder Copeland was an early settler of the township and was widely known throughout that country.
Mrs. Eliza Copeland was a daughter of an old pioneer. Alexander Means. whose wife was Elizabeth Edwards. They were natives of Rockingham county, New York, and of virile Yankee stock. They were among the first set- tlers of Pleasant View. Shelby county, Indiana.
One child was born to Alfred Il. and Laura Copeland: Ebert Clarence Copeland, who married Bessie Smith, daughter of Austin C. Smith, whose sketch appears on another page of this work. They had two children : Thelma Marie and Alfred Austin, and live in Moral township. Alfred Copeland was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1890 and was buried in old Dake cemetery.
In 1892 Mrs. Laura Copeland married Richard Mann, who was known as a progressive farmer and auctioneer of Moral township. His death oc- curred on May 12. 1001, and his remains were buried in Pleasant View come- tery. He was a member of the East Union Baptist church and a strong Republican in political faith. There were two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mann: Alta F. and Glenn Caleb, who still live with their mother. Mrs. Mann is noted as a Christian woman, kindly and neighborly, and with a large following of friends in the community in which she lives. Her husband was well known and could claim hosts of friends in Shelby county.
GEORGE WASHINGTON DAKE.
Among the older settlers of Moral township. Shelby county. Indiana. was George Washington Dake, who was born June 17. 1833. and who passed to his Maker on January 17, 1893. He was accounted one of the leading farmers of Shelby county, and was a progressive citizen. He was a son of John and Catherine Pake. (Sec Dake family sketch. ) He was born on : farm and received but a limited education, owing to the meager school facili- ties of his time. He followed the occupation of farming until his death. He married Margaret Chamberlain, a native of Moral township, and burn No- vember 19. 1844. George Dake and his wife lived in Johnson county for a number of years, where he was known and respected of all men. His wife departed this life on February 9. 1908, and was buried in the Greenlawn cem- etery. near Jacksonville, Ilinois. The following children were born to them : Leander: Nellie married John Y. Murphy, and lives in Marion county. In- diana : Ollie, born April 16. 1867. married Charles Means, and lives in In- dianapolis: Sylvester, born July 23. 1868, died November 4. 1874: Robert,
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the third son, who was born January 4. 1873. in Johnson county, this state. lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is section boss on the west end of the Big Four Railroad, with headquarters at Flackville, Marion county. Leander Dake, the eldest son, was born March 29, 1863, in Moral township. Shell. county. Indiana. He was reared and educated in Johnson county, and lived with his parents until he was married, February 16, 1887. to Addie Miller. She is a daughter of George W. and Louisa ( MeGrew ) Miller, and was born in Knightstown, Indiana. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania. coming from near Pittsburg, and her mother from near Morristown. Indiana. She died when her daughter was but nine years of age. He was a millwright. and followed that occupation for many years. He and his wife are both buried in the old cemetery at Shelbyville. Indiana.
Leander Dake and wife are the parents of the following children: Josse E., born September 11. 1888: Mary A., born February 1. 1891 : Nellie E .. born June 13. 1897: William Loren, born April 27. 1900. Mrs. Dake is a member of the East Union Baptist church, and a woman with many known qualities. He is a widely known farmer, a Democrat in politics and accounted an honest and upright citizen with many warm friends.
JAMES W. AMOS.
Francis and Elizabeth ( Manuel) Amos were natives of Rockinghun county, North Carolina, where the former was born in 1802. After they were married they decided that better prospects awaited them in the growing commonwealths of the Northwest, and so they bundled up their belongings and started out on the tedious trip over the mountains to the Ohio river. It was in 1829 that they reached Jefferson county, Indiana, and they spent a year in that section of the state. The next move was to Shelby county, where the head of the house leased land and worked it for two years. He then cn- tered one hundred and twenty acres and began in earnest the hard task of re- deeming the place from the wilderness. In time he added other land to his original purchase until his holdings amounted to a handsome acreage which. under his close attention, was gradually changed into a respectable farm. He spent the balance of his life in clearing and cultivating his farm. finally ending his days in 1872, after the completion of his sixty-ninth year. His wife had die i in 1860, and both are buried in the family cemetery on the old homestead !. They were active members of the Methodist Protestant church and fine types of the county's first settlers. They became the parents of eleven children, namely : Francis, deceased in youth : Nancy, widow of John Weber, of Moral township: James W. : William, deceased husband of Lucinda Hutchinson;
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Lucy, deceased wife of John J. Tucker: Matilda died in infancy: Sarah. widow of Samuel Arbuckle, and resident of Indianapolis: Jane, wife of Wash- ington Holmes, of Shelbyville : Madama, deceased wife of John Hloop: Me- lissa, wife of Madison Ellis, of Boone county, and John.
James W. Amos, third of this large family, was born in Moral town- ship. Shelby county. Indiana. December 4. 1836. He grew up to the hard work of a pioneer boy, helping to roll the logs, grub the underbrush and clear away the rubbish, previous to the plowing and hoeing that was to give them a crop. Between times he picked up a little book learning at the old-fashioned subscription school held in the rude log house of those days. Ile remained with his father until he was twenty-seven years of age, by which time he felt the impulse to establish a home for himself. In the early sixties he rented a tract of land and worked it for eleven years, but in 1874 bought sixty-two acres on which he spent much time and work in clearing, but eventually had the pleasure of seeing himself surrounded by a productive farm with all needed improvements. Afterwards he bought thirty-five acres more which makes his home place amount to ninety-seven acres. Since coming into possession Mr. Amos has greatly improved the place by putting up a new barn, new outbuildings, new residence and other additions, to say nothing of the fencing. clearing, and other steps necessary to make a modern farm. Some of the old rails in the fences around his place were split by Mr. Amos himself in the early sixties. In 1863 he married Mary E .. daughter of William and Cather- ine ( Hoop) Martin, and born in Vermilion county. Indiana, March 29. 1844. William was a North Carolinian by birth and. when a boy, was brought to Shelby county by his parents. George and Flizabeth ( Kildle) Martin, who were among the first settlers of Moral township, but later removed to Illinois. where they died. After growing to manhood in Shelby county, William Mar- tin went to Vermilion county, to which place his future bride also came a year after his arrival. She was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of Peter Hoop. but after the death of her parents in Ohio, she came to Shelby county with a brother who later went to Vermilion county. The children of William and Catherine ( Hoop) Martin, who were married in 1840. were Jane, who died young : Mary E. ( Mrs. Amos), and John, deceased.
Mrs. Amos is a genuine type of the pioneer woman, and can talk in- terestingly of the old days when she learned to card, spin and weave homespun clothes for the family. Mr. and Mrs. Amos have had two children: Lucy. deceased. wife of Elias Bishop. left two children. Harry C. and Grace May: Delia. second daughter of Mr. Amos, is the wife of Benjamin Lee. and resides in Fairland. They have seven children: Walter. Edna, Harry. Chalmer. George. Andy and Mary (twins). Walter. the oldest. married Cordiac Young. resides in Moral township, and has one child. Arthur.
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JOHN WILLIAM SMITH.
Among the numerous children of Henry C. Smith, one of the pioneer settleis of Moral township, perhaps none were better known or more highly esteemed than the late John William Smith The hardest of the pioneer work in Shelly county had been done before his time, but he came onto the stage early enough to take part in the round-up which was to male this one of the finest agricultural regions in the state. Ile belonged to what may be called the second generation and did his full share in developing the resources. im- proving the land. building roads and ditching, which were the advance agents of the great prosperity that has since visited Shelby county. No family con- nection did more for Shelby township than the Smiths, whose ancestors came from North Carolina. when all this part of Indiana was a wilderness, covered by an unbroken forest of oak. maple, beech, elm and other hard-wood timber, which caused the first settlers to ponder in amazement on the problem of how to remove them.
John William Smith was born on his father's farm in Moral township. Shelby county. Indiana. November 16, 1850. As he grew up he receive ! a fair education in the district schools, and was put through the hard disciplin of farm work, during the long summer intervals. He was married February 14. 1871. to Sarah E. Ashworth, member of an old pioneer family, and just the kind of a woman to make a good wife for a farmer. She was born in Moral township, March 18. 1855, and was a daughter of John Wood and Martha ( Arnold) Ashworth. The latter was a native of North Carolina. and a daughter of Larkin and Faut ( Scaley ) Arnold, who made the trip overland and settled in Moral township when cabins were few and far bety cen. John Wood Ashworth came to Moral township some years later and bought the farm on which his daughter now lives, and on this place he ended his days in 1862, when thirty-seven years old. His wife died in June, 1908, at the age of eighty-two years.
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