USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 105
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 105
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practice. In February, 1863, he was appointed Assistant Surgeon in the Fifth Indiana Volunteer Cavalry, under Col. Graham, and served in this capacity until May, 1864, when on account of ill health he received an honorable discharge and returned to Gosport. He was married in February, 1859, to Hattie Lyons, a daughter of James Lyons, of New Albany, Ind. By this union there are four children. Dr. Osgood is a member of the A., F. & A. M., and for fifteen years has been a member of the Methodist Church. He is a good man, an able physician, and one much respected by his many acquaintances.
C. L. RITTER, M. D., is the eldest child of Levi W. and Jeannette (Summers) Ritter, and was born in Marion County, Ind., June 30, 1854. His parents, natives of Indiana, lived in Fremont, Marion County, un- til in 1874, when they removed to Martinsville, Morgan County, and at present reside there. His father was a pioneer blacksmith of Marion County, but was obliged to quit his trade in 1860, on account of injur- ies received while shoeing a vicious horse. He is at present acting in the capacity of Express Messenger on the F. & M. Short-Line Railroad. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Marion County, and in 1872 was employed as Clerk in a clothing house at Indianapolis. He then went to Stockwell, Ind., and entered the academy there, where he continued his studies for one year, after which he went to Martins- ville. He began to study medicine with Dr. O. O. Thiving, and during the winter of 1876 attended his first course of medical lectures at Cin- cinnati. In April, 1877, he went to Gosport, Owen County, and contin- ued his studies with Dr. Osgood. In the winter of 1878, he attended the Medical College at Cincinnati, and in the spring of 1879 graduated with high honors. He returned to Gosport, formed a partnership with Dr. H. G. Osgood, and successfully engaged in the duties of his profes- sion. During the winter of 1882, he attended the Medical School at Indianapolis, and in March, 1883, graduated. He was married in Jan- uary, 1880, to Anna B. Osgood, of Gosport. They have one child- Hattie J. Dr. Ritter is a member of the A., F. & A. M., of the K. of P., and is an earnest Republican.
THOMAS ROBERTSON (deceased), fifth son of Thomas and Mary (English) Robertson, was born in Greene County, Tenn., March 10, 1800. He came into Indiana in 1820, and for six months resided in Daviess County, removing thence into Owen. He lived ten years in Montgomery Township. About the year 1828, he entered from the Government a tract of land in Wayne Township, and occupied it within a few years afterward. December 14, 1831, he married Delilah Asher, by whom he had born to him seven children-Mary Jane, died at the age of twenty- four years; Sarah Ellen, died at the age of twenty years; John Asher, died at the age of nine years; Malinda Frances, now wife of John S. Johnson, Esq .; Cynthia Ann, and Mabel A., who died at the age of twenty years. For about thirty years preceding his death, which occurred April 4. 1864, Mr. R. had been a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, and died in the happy consciousness of a glorious immortality. The house in which he was married is still standing in Wayne Township, and the one to which he first removed with his bride is at this writing occu- pied by his widow. His property was all acquired by his own industry, and he left his family a handsome patrimony, which his widow, an in- dustrious and Christian woman, has successfully managed and improved. At the death of her husband, Mrs. R. was left with four children, all of
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whom, under her guidance and care, have grown to respected manhood and womanhood. At the common and graded schools, she gave them a first- class education, and three of them have for years since been talented teach- ers. Mrs. R. was the daughter of John Asher, a respected citizen and farmer, who died in the year 1834, at the age of sixty-four years. She lives upon the farm left her by her late husband, and conducts it with much skill and good judgment. Her life has been one of purity, and in her declining years she enjoys the love and respect of all who know her.
JOHN W. SMITH, one of Owen County's ablest physicians, and a citizen of Gosport, was born in Clark County, Ky., May 11, 1830. He is the second child of Daniel and Eliza A. Smith, natives respectively of Montgomery and Clark Counties, Ky. John went with his parents to Trimble County, Ky., when he was two years of age, and remained there until 1853. In the meantime he had received quite a good education in neighborhood schools, and had attended the seminary at Bedford Springs, in Trimble County. In 1848, he began the study of medicine with Dr. Harvey A. Moore, at Milton, Ky., with whom he remained for four years. During this time he attended the Kentucky School of Med- icine at Louisville, and in March, 1853, graduated there. He then re- turned to Trimble County, and began practicing with Dr. Moore. In November, 1853, he came to Gosport, opened his office, and began the regular practice of his profession. In 1851, he joined the I. O. O. F., in Milton, Ky., and when he came to Indiana, there were but two Odd Fellows in Owen County. In.1854, he became a charter member of the Owen County Lodge, No 146, and still belongs to the same. One year later he was its sole representative in the Grand Lodge, and has been honored by the brotherhood with their highest offices. In 1875, he was chosen Representative to the Grand Lodge of the United States,and attended its first session at Baltimore, Md., in September, 1877. He is President of the Owen County Medical Society, and a member of the State Medical Society. He is Trustee of the Gosport Graded Schools, and has been in this same office since its organization. He owns a farm of 400 acres, which is well cultivated, and under his personal supervision. Dr. Smith was married, in October, 1855, to Melinda D. Bell, of Nicholas County, Ky., who died in 1857, leaving one child. In 1858, he married Mary E. Davis, a native of Kentucky. By this union there are four children. Dr. Smith was a member of the Methodist Church until in 1872, when he and his family joined the Methodist Church South as soon as it was organized. He is a most liberal, and a prominent citizen of Gosport.
S. E. SMITH is the second child of Dr. J. W. and Mary E. (Davis) Smith, natives of Kentucky, who at present reside in Gosport. The sub- ject of this sketch was born in Gosport August 31, 1861, and attended school until 1878. He then attended the Indiana State University at Bloomington for four years, graduating in 1882. While engaged in his studies he made a tour of Europe, traveling through England, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France. After graduating, he returned to his home in Gosport, and commenced to study medicine with his father. In October, 1882, he went to Louisville, Ky., where he attended a course of lectures in the medical department of the University there. Upon his return to Gosport he resumed his studies, and assisted his father in the duties of his profession. He has been for a short time in partnership with his father, and is in every way worthy of commendation.
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CHARLIE H. SMITH was born in Gosport, Owen County, Ind., March 6. 1863. His parents, Dr. J. W. and Mary E. (Davis) Smith, natives of Kentucky, are at present residents of Gosport. He attended the Gosport Graded Schools, until in the spring of 1880. acquiring a good knowledge of the common branches, advancing as far as was possible there. In September, 1880, he entered the State University, at Bloomington, Mon- roe County, Ind. In November of 1881, he was compelled, on account of ill health, to cease his studying, and returned home, where he soon afterward engaged as clerk in a dry goods store. In the following fall, he purchased the interest of J. Wooden, who was a member of the firm, and at present the business is conducted in the same place, under the firm name of Martin & Smith's " Trade Palace." It is one of Gosport's largest and most successful business houses. Mr. Smith is a genial young gentleman, temperate in his habits, and possesses superior busi- ness and social attributes, and is a highly esteemed citizen of Gosport.
HARVEY STEELE (deceased), native of Bourbon County. Ky., eldest son of Samuel and Polly (Donovan) Steele, of North Carolina and Kentucky respectively, was born December 12, 1826, and died Octo- ber 1, 1880. His parents came to Indiana in the year 1828, and settled in Owen County, where they spent the remainder of their days. Febru- ary 8, 1848, subject was married to Maria McCormick, who bore him three children-Margaret S. (now wife of Henry Haltom), Mary A. and William F. Mr. Steele was reared upon a farm, and at the neighbor- hood schools of Owen County received a fair English education. From 1851 to 1875, he resided in Montgomery Township, removing thence to Mundy's Station, in Washington Township, where he afterward lived and died. His death was caused by a tumor on the head, and the follow- ing sad and touching tribute, published in the Owen County People, bears ample testimony of the character of the man: "'God's Acre ' has gathered to its tranquil bosom another dear, idolized friend. Time has again broken the chain, and gently unfastened another link. It is thus with sorrow we see life constantly shortened, and dear loved ones hurried to the silent tomb. The departure of friends follows each other in al- most as rapid succession as the leaves fall. To-day the sunshine rests lovingly upon his narrow home. The birds sing a requiem; the winds sigh among the trees gently, soothingly; and a voice seems to whisper sweet words of consolation to sorrowing hearts, knowing so well the love-
ly character of our dear friend. We feel that he is only sleeping, and that he will one day awaken from that slumber to glorious resurrection. The lamp of his life was kept trimmed and burning, for he knew not when his soul would be required of him. He drew around him a very large circle of friends, among whom was the writer of this humble trib- ute. He was always ready to proffer the hand of affection, and never that of oppression, and he will linger like a vision of light on the golden leaf of our memory. His door was ever open to the poor and needy, to whose wants he ever kindly administered." Deceased left his family a handsome patrimony, all of which had been acquired by his own indus- try. He was a consistent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and belonged to the Masonic order, by the rites of which organ- ization he was buried.
DR. J. M. STUCKY was born in Jefferson County, Ky., June 15, 1825. His parents. Frederick and Louisa H. (Myers) Stucky, were na- tives of Kentucky. The father came to Indiana with his parents when
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but six years of age, and three years later, being left an orphan, was ap- prenticed to a tailor in Vincennes; he afterward returned to Kentucky, and followed his trade there for sixteen years. Soon after this he pur- chased the land upon which he was born, and at present resides there, eighty-two years of age. His wife died in 1881. The subject of this sketch was reared in his native county, and when eighteen years of age went to Louisville, Ky., and was engaged for three years as clerk in a wholesale grocery house, during which time he began reading medicine, and for two years after he left this position he studied medicine with Dr. J. S. Seaton, of Jefferson County. He attended the Louisville Medical College, and graduated there in 1848. In May of the same year, he began the practice of his profession in Gosport, and is the oldest practitioner there. In 1862, he enlisted in the Fifty-ninth Indiana Vol- unteers as Assistant Surgeon, and in January, 1863, resigned his posi- tion, his health failing. In 1864, he was elected Representative of Owen County, on the Democratic ticket, and very creditably filled the office for two years. He was married, March 7, 1850, to Esther E. Wampler, a daughter of Hezekiah Wampler (deceased), one of the earliest and most respected pioneers of Owen County. They have had nine children, of whom four sons and one daughter are living. Dr. Stucky is a member of the A. F. & A. M. For forty-nine years he has been an active and liberal member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is politically a Democrat. He is quite an influential member of society, and a suc- cessful physician.
THOMAS VAN BUSKIRK, Prosecuting Attorney, is a native of In- diana, born in Monroe County February 16, 1861. His parents, David and Lucy Van Buskirk, were natives of Indiana, and were married and reared their children in Monroe County. His mother died in 1867, and the father lives upon the farm where be was born. The subject of this sketch is the fifth child, and was reared and educated in Monroe County. When sixteen years of age. he entered the High School, where he re- mained for two years, and then entered the Freshman Class in the Indi- ana State University at Bloomington. In 1881, he was employed as clerk in a hardware store in Gosport. He was thus engaged for almost a year when he went to St. Joseph, Mo., and entered the employ of a wholesale fish and oyster house, attending Ritner's Commercial College at nights, and in February, 1883, returned to Gosport. He began the study of law with William A. Montgomery, and is at present so engaged. He will finish his studies with a course at Ann Arbor, Mich. In May, 1883, he was appointed Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, and fills this posi- tion very creditably. He is in politics a Democrat. He is a liberal citi- zen, and highly esteemed by all his acquaintances.
HEZEKIAH WAMPLER (deceased) was a native of Virginia, born June 12, 1805. His parents, Joseph and Esther (Kauser) Wampler, na- tives of Germany, came to Virginia early in life, where they remained for some time. In 1820, they came to Indiana, and located on a farm near Bloomington, where the father died in 1840. Hezekiah was the sixth in a family of nine children, and was reared in Virginia until he was about fifteen years of age, when he came to Indiana with his parents. He assisted his father on the farm, and received a good education in the district schools in Monroe County. In 1826, he went to work in a dis- tillery near Bloomington. His father's health failed, and being unable to pay for his farm, Hezekiah worked and saved his earnings to make
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payments upon the debt. At the time of his father's death, he owned the entire place. After leaving the distillery, he opened a general mer- chandise store at Tabor, Monroe County, Ind., hauling his own goods from Louisville. He continued in this business for some time, and then built a pork-packing house, having to make flat-boats in which to send his meat to New Orleans, where it was sold. In July, 1841, he removed to Gosport, began merchandising in connection with pork-packing, and some time after this, the L., N. A. & C. R. R. was constructed, thus afford- ing better facilities for disposing of his pork. At the time of his death in September, 1866, he was still residing in Gosport actively engaged in these pursuits. In December, 1840, he was married to Jane Alexander, a daughter of Abner and Mary Alexander, who are among the earliest settlers of Owen County. The mother died in 1843, and the father in 1871. By this union there were nine children, five of whom are living. The eldest daughter, Mary, was married to A. H. Pettit, June 4, 1863, and at present resides in Minnesota. She has three children-Elelia L., the seventh child, was married to Luther A. Downey, a prominent young lawyer of Franklin, Ind .; Asahel H., the youngest in family, was born in Gosport, May, 1865, where he received a good education. In the spring of 1882, he entered the Asbury University, at Greencastle, where he expects to graduate in 1886, and will then enter the study of law. (Sketches of Clinton, the second, and Millard, the fifth child, will be found follow- ing.) Hezekiah Wampler was a member of the Baptist Church. He was an early settler of Owen County, a liberal citizen, and one who always took an active part in all public and benevolent enterprises.
CLINTON L. WAMPLER is the second child and eldest son of Hezekiah and Jane (Alexander) Wampler, natives of Virginia and Indi- ana respectively. In 1866, the father died at Gosport, where the mother at present resides. Clinton was born September 30, 1846, in Gosport, where he was reared and educated principally. In 1865, he entered Earlham College, at Richmond, Ind., where he remained for five years. In 1870, he enlisted in the regular army in Company A, Sixth United States Infantry, nnder Capt. Poland, and continued in the service over four years. Upon his return home, he began farming, and is so engaged at present on a large, well-improved farm. In 1876, he was married to Lida Robison, a native of Gosport. By this union there is one child- William. In 1877, he was married to Ettie Lytton. They have two children. The wife died in 1881. Mr. Wampler is a laborious farmer, a worthy citizen, and a man well respected in his community.
MILLARD F. WAMPLER is the fifth child and second son of Hez- ekiah and Jane (Alexander) Wampler, natives of Virginia and Indi- ana respectively. He was born in Wayne Township, Owen Co., Ind., August 31, 1855. Millard was reared and educated in Gos- port When thirteen years of age, he entered the Northwestern Christian University at Indianapolis, and remained there for six years. He then attended Earlham College, at Richmond, Ind., for two years, after which he was employed by the Franklin Insurance Company at Indianapolis for one year. In 1877, he began farming, meanwhile re- siding in Gosport, of which town he is at present a citizen. He was married, February, 1877, at Mooresville, to Sarah J. Reagan, daughter of Dr. A. W. Reagan, one of Morgan County's pioneer physicians. By this union there were two children-Millard, and Mary Elelia (deceased). Mr. Wampler is a member of the I. O. O. F., Owen Lodge, No. 146.
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His wife is a member of the Methodist Church. He is an intelligent, genial gentleman, in good standing, and a worthy citizen.
JAMES W. WASHBURN, second son of Jonathan and Nancy (Wat- son) Washburn, was born in Hampshire County, Va., November 14, 1801. His parents moved into Kentucky in 1804, and subject came to Owen County, Ind., in 1859, where he has since lived. May 29, 1826, he was married in Clark County, Ky., to Matilda Dean, by whom he has had born to him seven children-Sarah Jane, deceased; Robert D .; Mar- tha A .; John W., died in the army; Elizabeth, deceased; George W. and Joseph S. Mr. Washburn joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in the year 1828, and has ever since been an active worker therein. In his youth he joined the State Militia, but found it little to his taste, and soon abandoned it. At the death of his father, the estate was left $300 in debt, and Mr. Washburn having learned the chair-maker's trade in Kentucky, he and his brother made chairs and paid the debt off. In his after life he manufactured fanning mills and wagons, and carried on a small farm at the same time. He followed his different mechanical pursuits probably as much as sixty-five years during his life. In politics, he has been a Democrat since the war.
ROBERT D. WASHBURN, farmer of Wayne Township, son of James W. and Matilda (Dean) Washburn, was born in Kentucky July 1, 1830, and came to Owen county in the spring of 1858. He has resided in Wayne Township since 1864. He was reared upon a farm, learning in the meantime to be something of a mechanic. December 21, 1854, he was married, in Henry County, Ky., to Harriet Moore, who bore him seven children-Webster, Harriet Jane, Emmett Simpson, Nancy Bell, John Newton, Mary M., James Richard. At the subscription schools of his native State, Mr. W. acquired a fair English education. In the fall of 1871, he was elected Justice of the Peace, of Wayne Township, and at the end of one term was re-elected, but for reasons of his own refused to qualify. He owns a nice farm of eighty acres, all in cultivation, and well improved. Both he and Mrs. W. are devout members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.
D. L. WEIR, merchant, was born in Clark County, Ind., March 6, 1846. He is the ninth child of John Y. and Eliza (McCormick) Weir, natives of Virginia. They married in Clark County, where they lived until their deaths occurred-the mother's in 1880, and the father's in 1882. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Clark County. When eighteen years of age, he enlisted in Company M, Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry, and served until the close of the war. He took part in the battles of Decatur, Nashville, Spanish Fort, Blakely Fort and others. After the war, he returned to his home, learned the carpenter's trade, and followed it for two years, when he began to run a peddling wagon. In 1873, he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Clark County, and faithfully served during his term of office. He then went to Stinesville, Monroe County, and remained for a few months; going thence to Gosport, Owen County, he again had charge of a peddling wagon. In 1876, he was made attorney for the town, which office he held for five years. In February, 1881, he opened a grocery store in Gosport, and at present enjoys a lucrative trade. He has been a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F. for three years, and in 1880 he represented the Owen Lodge in the Grand Lodge. He is a member of the A., F. & A.
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M., also of the K. of P., and of the G. A. R. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics is a Republican.
BLAND B. WHITAKER, a pioneer farmer of Wayne Township, was born in Shelby County Ky., December 17, 1797, and is the eldest son of Levi and Margaret (Seaton) Whitaker, of Maryland. He came to Wayne Township in the fall of 1827, entered a tract of land from the Govern- ment, improved it and has since resided upon it. His different entries from Government aggregated 160 acres, nearly all of which he cleared and improved with his own hands, aided of course by neighbors in the manner common to pioneer days. He was reared upon a farm, and at the subscription schools of his native place acquired such learning as was practicable in those times. October 9, 1817, he was married in his native county to Elizabeth Gathright, who died July 13, 1859, at the age of sixty-two years. By her he had born to him eight children-Mary Ann, died in infancy; James K., Margaret, Elizabeth, Cynthia Ann, - Bland, Newton J. and Levi W. The old gentleman is in possession of most of his faculties, and remembers vividly the incidents, hardships and pri- vations of pioneer life. He tells, with great relish, of filling a clean sack with shelled corn, and with it on horseback starting in search of a mill. He knew the " meal gum " at home was about empty, so he rode persistently from place to place, from day to day, finally having to re- turn with no meal, and so long had he been on the road that his " meal bag " had grown so black and dirty that he was compelled for the sake of decency to empty out his corn and scour the sack before making another journey. But he lived to see better days. He owns a fine farm of 240 acres, about 200 of which are in cultivation. He has been a hard worker all his life, and even in his old age he feels better when engaged at something. For President of the United States, he cast his first vote for John Quincy Adams, and since 1856 he has been an ardent Repub- lican. In the year 1827, he joined the Missionary Baptist Church, and has since lived the life of a consistent Christian. He makes his home with his youngest son, Levi W. Whitaker, who has never left him. Levi is a farmer. His wife was Matilda Wilson. They have seven chil- dren living and one dead. The children are the pride of their devoted parents, at whose hands and under whose guidance they are being prop- erly reared and educated. Young Mr. W. is a Master Mason, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, a Republican in politics, and an upright and honored citizen.
ALEXANDER WILLIAMS, merchant, is a native of Indiana, born September 10, 1833, in Wayne Township, Owen County. His parents, Wy- ley and Rebecca (Crow) Williams immigrated to Indiana, in 1819, and locat- ed on a farm in Wayne Township. In 1853, they removed to Gosport, where they remained until 1877, when the father died. The mother died in 1880. The subject of this sketch is the second in a family of six chil- dren, and lived at home until twenty-two years of age, when he went into the employ of Montgomery & Brown, merchants in Gosport. After two years with this firm, he was employed by another firm in the same business for one year. He clerked for H. Hays, a dry goods merchant of Gosport, for some time, and in 1860 became partner in a dry goods store for one year. He then went to farming, still living in Gosport, continuing until 1877 when he bought an interest in a dry goods busi- ness in Gosport, but in a short time began his farm life again. In May, 1883, he purchased a stock of groceries, and is now doing a flourishing
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