Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical., Part 110

Author: Blanchard, Charles, 1830-1903, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : F.A. Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 982

USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 110
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 110

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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erty, where he at present successfully manages the mercantile business for Dunn & Co., of Bloomington, Ind. He is also Postmaster at White Hall, which office he has held since the close of the late war. Mr. Foster is strictly a temperance man, a lover of learning and a liberal supporter of all benevolent institutions and legitimate public enterprises.

JOHN FRANKLIN, a prominent farmer and stock-grower of Clay Township, second son of Thomas C. and Dorothy (Davis) Franklin, na- tives of the State of North Carolina, and of English extraction, was born in Burke County, N. C., October 14, 1824. His parents came into Indiana in the year 1825, and settled in Owen County, where the mother subsequently died, and where the father yet lives. John Franklin was reared upon a farm, and educated at the old seminary at Spencer. Oc- tober 28, 1844, he was married, near Spencer, to Jane Elliott, of Vir- ginia, by whom he had born to him three children-James D., John Thomas and Joseph Samuel. The mother of these children died Sep- tember 28, 1853, and October 3, 1857, Mr. F. married his present wife, Susan J., daughter of the Hon. George W. Moore, deceased. By this union he has had born to him tive children-Robert Burns, Highland Mary, Dorothy, George and Della. In the battle of life, John Franklin has been dependent upon his own resources, and he now owns a splendid farm of 420 acres, all in a high state of cultivation, embellished with magnificent residence, tenements, barns, outhouses, etc., well stocked, and fully equipped with the necessary agricultural implements and machinery. In politics, he is a Democrat of the old school. In the year 1878, he was that party's candidate for Treasurer of Owen County, but was de- feated. His father was one of the very first settlers of Owen County.

THOMAS M FRANKLIN, farmer and stock-raiser, eldest son and second child of William and Sarah (Ritter) Franklin, natives of North Carolina and Kentucky respectively, and of English extraction, was born in Owen County, Ind., March 29, 1841. He was reared upon the farm now owned and occupied by him, and educated at the public schools of his neighborhood. October 10, 1861, he enrolled at Spencer, Ind., as a private soldier in Company A, Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Capt. (now Gen.) McNaught, and served up to April 4, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Wilmington, N. C. While in the service, he participated in the siege of Vicksburg, the battle of Missionary Ridge, and was one of the 60,000 men who went with Sberman from Atlanta to the sea. October, 1868, he went to Missouri and remained twelve years, engaged in the meantime at farming two years, and ten years at mining, returning to his native place in the fall of 1880; he is now quietly leading the life of a bachelor upon his farm, which consists of 149 acres, all in cultivation, well stocked, and fully equipped with the necessary agricultural implements. In politics, he is an active, wide- awake Democrat, and cast his first vote for President for Horace Greeley.

WILLIAM E. FRANKLIN, pioneer farmer of Clay Township, eld- est son and third child of Samuel and Lydia (Davis) Franklin, natives of the State of North Carolina, was born in Burke County, that State, May 9, 1819. His parents came into Indiana in the year 1821, and settled in Owen, where they spent the rest of their lives, and where William E. has since resided. He was reared upon a farm, and at the common schools of Indiana acquired a good English education. December 12, 1839, he was married to Elizabeth Ooley, daughter of Moses Ooley, Esq. To this union two children were born-Findley and Emaline. The lat-

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ter died at the age of thirty-four years, and her mother at the age of fifty-two years. May 15, 1876, Mr. F. was married to his present wife, Elizabeth Carpenter, by whom he has had born to him one child-Doro- thy Bernetta. Both Mr. and Mrs. F. are members of the Christian Church. In the year 1856, our subject was elected Coroner of Owen County, and held the office one term. In the battle of life he has de- pended upon his own resources; the recipient of no gratuity, no legacy, no gifts; what he has had of this world's goods he has earned by the sweat of his brow.

REV. JOHN FREEMAN, eldest child of Micajah and Peggy (Finn- Cannon) Freeman, natives of North Carolina, and of English and Ger- man extraction respectively, was born in Burke County, N. C., June 30, 1807. He came into Indiana in 1830, and stopped three years in Law- rence County; coming thence into Owen County, he entered from the Government the land he has since owned and occupied. January 5, 1826, he was married in his native county to Polly Brown, who has borne him eleven children-Clarissa, Elizabeth, Rosana (deceased), George W., Margaret A. (deceased), Rebecca, James H., infant not named (de- ceased), Mary Jane, Louisa (deceased), and John Ellison. Mr. Freeman was reared upon a farm, and at the subscription schools of his native State acquired the rudiments of an English education. About the year 1851, he began to study for the ministry, and in 1853 took charge of Salem Church (of Owen), which charge he has since held. He has also preached in the meantime regularly for Union, of Davis County; Bridge Creek, of Greene; Friendship and Liberty, of Monroe, and Walnut Grove, of Brown. For a period of eighteen years, in dis- charge of his ministerial duties, he rode horseback an average of 1,440 miles annually. The gratuities he has received in life may be itemized as follows: One pony, one rifle gun, four shoats, and about $100 in money. The rest of his property he has worked for. He owns a nice farm of 186 acres in a good state of cultivation, well improved, stocked and equipped, although, when first settled upon, it was but little better than a wilderness. In politics he is a Democrat, and for President of the United States cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson. For more than thirty years he has preached the Gospel of Christ, spoken words of en- couragement to the living, soothed the pillow of the dying, and admin- istered consolation to those in trouble; and in his ripe old age is beloved and esteemed by all who know him.

OLIVER FARLEY GRAY, M. D., a prominent young physician and surgeon of White Hall, Owen County, third son of William and Ann (Hen- derson) Gray, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Irish extraction, was born in Morgan County, Ohio, June 13, 1853. In the spring of 1865, his parents came into Indiana and settled in Greene County, where the sub- ject of this sketch made his home until the spring of 1876. Coming thence into Owen, he has since practiced his profession in the vicinity of his abode, with flattering success. His youth was spent on the farm, at- tending the common and graded schools in their season. In the fall of 1875, he entered Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis, and graduated therefrom in the class of 1878, with the degree of M. D., and in the winter of 1879 took ad eundem degree at the Medical College (of In- diana) Department of Butler University. September 13, 1876, he was married, at Solsberry, Ind., to Amanda E. Combs, by whom he has had born to him one child-Nellie C. Dr. and Mrs. Gray are members of

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the Christian Church at Richland. Of the subject of this sketch it may be truly said that he is the architect of his fortune. He owns a nice farm of 130 acres all in a high state of cultivation, and well stocked. He also owns his residence property, enjoys a lucrative practice in his profession, and is recognized as a young man of more than ordinary possibilities.

JAMES GREEN, pioneer, was born in Shelby County, Ky., October 14, 1798, and was the sixth son of Thomas and Margaret (Johnson) Green, of Pennsylvania. He came into Indiana in 1823, and settled in the town of Madison, and for several years carried on the manufacture of tobacco and cigars. He afterward removed to Bloomington, Ind., and carried on the same business for a few years. In Washington County, near Salem (whether before or after going to Bloomington is not clear), he carried on a steam distillery, and a grist mill run by tramp power. At an early day, probably before going to Bloomington, he engaged as clerk in a trading boat on the Ohio and Missouri Rivers. It also appears that he was in the dry goods business at Bloomfield, Ind., for about a year, and in the same business a short time at Bono. It was probably prior to this time that he built a keel-boat and freighted it between Lou- isville, Ky., and Madison, Ind., about one year, and from this circum- stance he probably got the title of Captain. About 1841, he removed from Bloomington to the place he now owns and occupies. Here he en- tered about 600 acres of land from the Government, and erected a grist and saw mill, and a tobacco factory on the Big Raccoon Creek, the " big New Year's fresh " of 18 -- , carrying this mill away. Mr. G. pro- ceeded about 1846 to erect another, the dam of which was partially car- ried away in 1876. The break was repaired, but the tide of 1882 car- ried it all out, and "Jimmy Green's mill" like "my grandfather's clock" stopped short, never to go again. August 10, 1826, he was mar- ried to Jane Milam, who died March 20, 1848. September 19 of the same year, he married Mary Fisher, from whom he was divorced in 1858 or 1859; and April 15, 1860, he married Eliza Jane Hawkey. His first wife bore him eleven children, his second wife four, and his third wife three. In 1873, he sold his farm and removed to Arkansas, and after about a two weeks' stay returned to Indiana, and stopped in Spencer one year. He then bought back his old farm, and has since occupied it. His oldest child is fifty-five years of age, and his youngest one eighteen. He has living twenty grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. He was reared upon a farm, and received but little education. He has always borne a spotless reputation, and has been a liberal supporter of the churches, though never a member of any; in politics, a Republican.

JOSIAH GROSS, farmer, eldest son and second child of James and Catharine (James) Gross, natives of Virginia, and of English and Ger- man extraction respectively, was born in Wythe County, Va., No- vember 19, 1828. His parents brought him to Indiana in the year 1829, and lived in Monroe County until 1837, removing thence to Owen County, where the two old people spent the rest of their lives. Mr. Gross was reared upon a farm, and received the rudiments of an English education at the neighborhood schools. February 27, 1851, he was mar- ried in Greene County, Ind., to Martha Ann Dyer, who died January 11, 1881. In her life she bore him eight childern-James Madison (died in infancy), Nancy Catharine (died at the age of fifteen years), William J., John Monroe, Mary Jane, Alva Smith, Harriet Ann and Amelia S. In

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1858, Mr. Gross removed from Owen to Greene County, and remained eleven years. August 22, 1862, he enrolled at Bloomington, Ind., as a private in Company I, Eighty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served up to June 9, 1865. From private he was promoted in order to Second Duty Sergeant, Orderly, and on July 31, 1864, to First Lieutenant of the company, with which rank he was mustered out of the service at Washington, D. C. He took part in the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, and in Sherman's campaign from Atlanta to the sea. About the end of the latter campaign he contracted varicose veins, from which he never recovered. In the year 1869, he re- moved from Greene County into Owen, where he has since resided, and where up to September, 1883, he carried on saw milling as a business. Lieut. Gross has worked for what of the world's goods he has enjoyed. He owns a nice farm of forty acres, all in a high state of cultivation. In politics, he is an active, wide-awake Democrat.

WILLIAM HAWKINS is a native of Shelby County, Ind., and was born October 3, 1836. He is the eldest son of John and Mary (Lee) Hawkins, of Virginia. His early life was spent on the farm, and his education was such as his circumstances permitted him to acquire at the public schools. He removed into Monroe County in the year 1853, where he learned the plasterer's trade, and lived five years. In 1859, he married Ally E. Laymon, who bore him three children-John M., who died at the age of eighteen years; David A. and Sarah Ellen. His wife died in 1867, and Mr. H. has since been a widower. In 1860, he went to Daviess County, and farmed the two following years, returning to Monroe County, where he lived several years; spent one year in Illinois, and finally settling down in Clay Township, Owen County, in the year 1876, where up to the fall of 1883 he has been engaged in the milling business. He owns a saw mill on the "Big Raccoon," and is giving it his entire attention. He also owns a forty-acre farm upon which he lives, and which he is improving. He inherited a small amount from the es- tate of his father; the rest of his worldly goods has been earned by the sweat of his brow. He is the representative mill man of Clay Township, a Democrat in politics, and a worthy citizen and neighbor.

ABRAHAM HENRY, farmer, third son of Phillip and Catherine (Eller) Henry, natives of Virginia, was born in Russell County, that State, October 12, 1815, and came with his parents to Indiana in the year 1832. He lived in Monroe County until the spring of 1845, when he removed into Owen, where he has since resided. He was reared upon a farm, and acquired the rudiments of an English education at the common schools. He married, November 8, 1836, in Monroe County, Cynthia Dunning, who bore him nine children -Fannie M. ; Catharine, deceased; Thomas J; James P., deceased: Lucinda J .; Martha A., deceased; John F. ; Abraham A. and William R. The mother of these children died 9th of February, 1883, at the age of about seventy-one years. Mr. Henry has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1837. He came to Owen County when it was but little better than a wilderness, and though for forty years of his life he has been virtually an invalid, he has contributed his share toward bringing the country up to its present condition. He owns a nice farm of 120 acres, about ninety of which are in cultivation. He cast his first vote for President of the United States , for Van Buren, but since 1856 has been a Republican. He had four sons in the war for the Union, all of whom lived to get home.

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ROMEO A. HUFF, farmer and stock grower, eldest son of A. M. and Martha J. (Skillman) Huff, natives of the State of Ohio, and of German and Irish extraction respectively; was born in Butler County, Ohio, April 2, 1848. His parents came to Indiana in the year 1849, and set- tled in Owen County. Romeo was reared upon the farm, and educated at the public schools. In the spring of 1878, he engaged in the drug business at Spencer, and followed it for about three years, resuming farm life in Clay Township in the spring of 1881. January 27, 1876, he was married, at Spencer, to Mary B. Davis, by whom he has had born to him four children-Ferna Senora, Armstead E., Mamie Z. and Martha Ellen. Subject and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, with member- ship at Spencer. Mr. H. is at present managing the farm interests of his father. In politics, he is a Republican. For President of the United States, he cast his first vote for Gen. Grant.

JAMES LEE, farmer, and an old pioneer of Clay Township, was born in Harrison County, Va., February 24, 1806, and came to Indiana in 1826, locating first in Shelby County, where he resided twelve years, re- moving thence into Owen County, staying one year, and on to Monroe County, where he stopped eight years. His next move was back into Owen, where he has since made his home. He was reared upon a farm, and at a time and under such circumstances as made schooling impos- sible. December 18, 1824, he married, in Warren County, Ohio, Jane Laymon, by whom he had born to him twelve children, five of whom were still-born. The others are William, John, Joseph, Eliza Ann, Henry, Allen and James Marion. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are members of the Sepa- rate Baptist Church, and have been for the past sixty years. In life's battles, James Lee has depended upon his own resources. The only gifts he ever received, were his wedding presents, which were so novel in their character, and so entirely different from those paraded at the fashionable wedding of to-day, as to merit a place in this biography. His were the joint gifts of his father and father-in-law, and consisted of one crock of corn meal, one crock of buck-wheat flour, one-half a side of bacon, a broken skillet with a worse broken lid, and a pair of Dominick chick- ens. But strong of limb and heart, the pioneer met obstacles to overcome them, and that his life has not been a failure is attested by his surround- ings. No one man has done more to redeem a new country from the wilderness than he, and now, though nearly eighty years of age, he is in possession of all faculties, enjoys good health and promises to live many years, in a community where he is universally known and re- spected.

JOHN LEE, native of Shelby County, Ind., second son of James and Jane (Laymon) Lee, natives of Virginia and Ohio respectively, was born April 18, 1832. He was six years of age when his parents removed into Owen County, and here in Clay Township, with the exception of one year spent in Washington Township, he has since resided. He was reared a farmer, and educated at the public schools of Indiana. May 11, 1854, he was married near Spencer, Ind., to Nancy C. Phillips, daughter of Thomas Phillips, Esq. Mr. Lee is a member of the Chris- tian Church at Liberty, in Greene County. November 16, 1864, he en- rolled at Spencer as a private in Company G, Twenty-ninth Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, and served about one year, when he was honorably dis- charged at Marietta, Ga., on account of expiration of term of service. While at Dalton, Ga., he contracted rheumatism, from which he has never

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recovered. Mr. Lee owns a farm of seventy-nine acres, about all in cul- tivation, well improved, stocked and equipped for agricultural purposes. In March, 1883, he left his farm and moved into the village of White Hall, where he at present resides, taking life easy, and preparing to live to a ripe old age. In politics, he is a Democrat, and for President of the United States cast his first vote for Frank Pierce.

NATHAN F. LIVINGSTON, native of Scott County, Va., sixth son of Nathan and Mary (Fulkerson) Livingston, was born September 12, 1827. He was three years of age when his parents came into Indi- ana. They located in Monroe County, and at the end of eight years re- moved into Owen. Here the two old people died, and here Nathan has since lived, with the exception of a few months spent in Greene County. His father was a miller, and though young Livingston was "reared " upon a farm, it is certain that he spent much of his time about his father's place of business. At the neighborhood schools he received a fair English education, which he has not allowed to retrograde. June 12, 1855, he was married to Elizabeth Neill, who has borne him twelve chil- dren-Sarah Jane (deceased), infant (died not named), William N., John E., Elmer E. (deceased), Mary L. (deceased), Charles G., Cora A., Henry A., Elizabeth E., Ada C. and Winnie M. In the fall of 1868, Mr. Liv- ingston was elected Justice of the Peace of Clay Township, and has been continuously in that office ever since. From the estate of his father, he received a small inheritance, otherwise he has worked for what of the world's goods he has enjoyed. He owns a farm of 65 acres, mostly in cultivation; well stocked, and supplied with the necessary farm imple- ments. He also owns his residence property in the village of White Hall, and a business property as well, in which he carries a drug and no- tion trade. In politics, he is a Democrat in whom there is no guile.

ISAAC N. McBRIDE, a prominent citizen, pioneer and farmer of Clay Township, fourth son and fifth child of Alexander and Alathe (Tip- ton) McBride, natives of Belfast, Ireland, and Baltimore, Md., respect- ively, was born in Washington Township, Owen Co., Ind., August 6, 1819, and was the second white child born in said county. Mr. McBride was reared upon a farm, and remained with his parents until their deaths, his father dying in the year 1863 at the age of about eighty- three years, and his mother in 1878 at the advanced age of about eighty- nine years. About two weeks constituted the sum of his attendance at any school; but by dint of hard study, much effort, and the many expe- riences incident to a busy life, he has acquired such knowledge and in- formation generally as is possessed by but few men in his community. It appears that schooling was not necessary to the education of any of the members of this family, two of the brothers of the subject of this sketch having attained considerable prominence as professional educa- tors, one of them having never been a day at school as a student, and the other not to exceed six months in the aggregate. In politics, he is a Democrat of that conservative order which goes so far toward making modern politics respectable. He is a bachelor, and has fought life's battles single-handed, and is the architect of his own fortune. He owns a nice farm of about eighty acres, about forty of which are in cultiva- tion, embellished with dwelling, barns, orchards, outhouses, etc., well stocked and fully equipped with the necessary agricultural implements.

WILLIAM B. MANERS, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Knox County, Tenn., December 25, 1808, and was the second son and

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third child of thirteen born to Jacob and Mary (Lawson) Maners. He came into Indiana in the year 1834, and settled in Owen County, where he has since resided. He was reared upon a farm, and at the neighbor- hood schools of his native State acquired the rudiments of an English education. He was married, April 10, 1835, to Ellen P. Walker, by whom he has had born to him thirteen children-Nathaniel A. (deceased), Jesse A. (deceased), Mary A. (deceased), Sarah E., James A., Emma E. (deceased), Piety Jane, Nicholas B. (deceased), William C. (deceased), Harriet C., John W., and two infants who died not named. Mr. and Mrs. "Maners are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. What of the world's goods Mr. Maners has he has worked for. He owns a farm of 200 acres, 120 of which are in cultivation, and all redeemed from the wilderness by his own hand and direction. At this writing, October, 1883, he has seventeen grandchildren living and four dead; one great- grandchild living and one dead. His father-in-law, Jesse Walker, who lives with him, was one of the pioneers of Owen County, having come in in the year 1822. Mr. Walker was born in Rowan County, N. C., August 13, 1795, and was married there in the year 1816 to Piety Bevel, who died in 1834. She bore him nine children, five of whom are living. He has been grandfather to sixty-nine children, thirty-three of whom are dead; great-grandfather to 106, of whom nineteen are dead; and great- great grandfather to two, one of whom is living. He was married to his second wife, Leah Beam, in the year 1835. She bore him two children, both of whom are dead. Mr. Walker has been a member of the Method- ist Ediscopal Church for sixty-three years. His occupation has been that of farmer and school teacher, and served as Justice of the Peace in Owen County five years.

ERASTUS B. MARSHALL, farmer, blacksmith and wood-worker, third son and ninth child of William G. and Christiana (Strawn) Marshall, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Irish and German extraction respectively, was born in Dearborn County, Ind., January 17, 1833. He came into Owen County in the summer of 1865, and located in the town of Spen- cer, where he worked at his trade about one and a half years. In Janu- ary, 1867, he removed to where he now resides. He was reared upon a farm, and at the subscription and public schools acquired a fair English education. His father was a carpenter by trade, and taught Erastus in the same, but it not being to his taste he abandoned it upon arriving at his majority, and took up the trades he has since followed. November 13, 1855, he was married in his native county to Euphamy Barker, by whom he has had born to him ten children-William Z., Henry J., Sada · (born November 24, 1858, died May 10, 1859), Alta, Pope, Grant, Sher- man, Mary, Ella and Hiram; the six boys are all musicians. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Septem- ber 15, 1864, our subject was drafted, and assigned to the Twenty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry as musician, where he served until May 8, 1865. Though a drafted man, Mr. Marshall was placed in charge of twenty-seven others, who, without further guard, went from their homes at and near Greensburg, Ind., to Indianapolis, and reported to Gen. Carrington for service, and so pleased was the General with the conduct of those men that none of them ever went to the front, but were all placed on detached duty at the capital of Indiana. Previous to being drafted, subject took a hand in the Morgan raid campaign, and at Sey- mour, Ind., was placed on guard for one whole night without relief. He

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Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical., Part 110

Author: Blanchard, Charles, 1830-1903, ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : F.A. Battey & Co. Number of Pages: 982

Author: Blanchard, Charles, 1830-1903, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : F.A. Battey & Co.
Number of Pages: 982