USA > Indiana > Clay County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 58
USA > Indiana > Owen County > Counties of Clay and Owen, Indiana : Historical and biographical. > Part 58
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SIMON ARCHER was born in 1807, near Marietta, Ohio, and was the only child of Simon and Margaret (Yeoho) Archer. His mother died when he was only two years of age, and when he was fourteen his father came with him to Clay County. Mr. Archer was married in 1843, to Millie E. Sloan. To this union were born ten children, seven of whom are living. At the time of his marriage, Mr. Archer had forty acres of wild wood land, and no other capital except energy. By diligence and economy, he has added to the original tract until he now owns 320 acres of fine coal and farm land. In the early development of the country, Mr. Archer had some adventures, having killed two bears in one day. He has also killed many deer. In politics, he is a Democrat. He is one of the leading citizens of the township.
GOTTLIEB BAUMGART was born near Berne, Switzerland, June 24, 1835, and is the only child of Louis and Annie (Zahn) Baumgart. In youth, he learned to read and write and a few other common branch- es. In 1847, he came to America with his step-father, his father being
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dead, and his mother having married again. He first settled in Ohio; then went to Wisconsin. Then he was constantly changing, traveling all over the West, Southwest and South, and visiting all the principal cities. He went where his services were needed, being a bricklayer by trade. In 1860, he was at New Orleans, La., and after the fall of Fort Sumter he enlisted in the three months' service. After his time expired, he joined a company of engineers, then was transferred to Company G, Fourth Missouri Infantry, in the three years' service, and took part in the battles of Wilson's Creek, Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Resaca, and in the Atlanta campaign, at Jonesboro., and in other minor en- gagements. He was never wounded or sick a day while a soldier. In 1863, he was promoted company commander. After the war, he re- sumed his trade, and in a short time became foreman on a public work. He now owns 100 acres of land in Dick Johnson Township. He bought it in a wild, uncultivated state, built a cabin, cleared his land, and now has a fine brick house, sixty acres of his land cleared, and in grass and grain. He was married, in 1866, to Matilda J. Robison. Five children have been born to them, the following three of whom are living, viz., Carrie O., Annie M. and Mary F. Mr. Baumgart was raised a Lutheran, and in politics he is a Republican.
ARNOLD D. CABBAGE was born in Campbell County, E. Tenn., May 21, 1821, and is the oldest of two children of Alexander F. and Orpha (Poe) Cabbage, both natives of Tennessee and of German origin. The family emigrated to Jennings County, Ind, in 1829, Arnold being then a lad eight years of age. In the autumn of 1830, they moved to Clay County, and settled in Dick Johnson, then Posey Township, in a pole cabin, on the farm where our subject now resides. Then the coun- try was wild; game was abundant, and hominy and venison the chief food. He helped raise the first house, a pole cabin, in Brazil. That was a start for a city. His early education was extremely limited, he never having attended school but three months in his life; but by close application to study at home, he has acquired a good business education. He was managing the farm at the time his father died, on December 31, 1862, and still continued on the farm, which he owned, after his father's death, his mother residing with him. He has 160 acres of land, well improved, forty acres of which are in grass and grain, with a good frame dwelling house, which he has just completed, and substantial outbuild- ings. The farm is well watered and stocked, is beautifully and health- fully located, and in a respectable neighborhood. Mr. Cabbage was married to Levina Shull, a daughter of Isaac Shull, a native of Tennessee, who was a resident of Clay County. In politics, Mr. C. is a Democrat, and cast his first vote for President for James K. Polk. For forty years he has been a member of the Christian Church, of which he is Trustee. He' has been a member of the Masonic fraternity seven years.
WILLIAM CAMPBELL was born in Scotland in 1825, and is one of a family of eleven children of John and Mary (Magill) Camp- bell. William came to this country with his wife and two chil- dren in the year 1851. He was in Ohio a short time, then moved to Clay County, thence to Virginia, thence to Ohio again, then to Clay County again, where he engaged in the coal business. He assisted in sinking the first shaft out of which block coal was taken. He followed the coal business until about the year 1877, when he took charge of his
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farm, and has since been looking after his farming interests. He has a
beautiful home on a farm of 166 acres, well-improved and stocked. In his boyhood, before emigrating to this country, Mr. Campbell had the advantages of only three years' schooling, but by close application he has qualified himself for a first-class business man. When he opened his first coal mine, he could only sell four car loads a week, and accepted as pay for it pork, beans, coffee, sugar, etc. Now thousands of tons of coal are sold monthly for cash. Within three-fourths of a mile of Brazil there is the " Campbell shaft," named in honor of Mr. Campbell. The shaft is sunk on land formerly owned by him. He was married in 1847 to Marion Kennedy, a native of Scotland. Eleven children have been born to them-John, Thomas, George, Allen, William, Marion, Marian, Mary, Agnes, Jeannette and Willie. Mr. Campbell is now fifty eight years of age. For seventeen years he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity, and for sixteen years an Odd Fellow. He has been a church member for thirty-five years.
JOSEPH D. CARTER was born in Frederick County, Va., on March 1, 1809, and is one of a family of thirteen children born to Joseph and Elizabeth (Pierce) Carter, both of whom were natives of Virginia, but of English lineage. Joseph D. moved with his parents to Ohio, where, in 1833, his father died. In the autumn of 1850, he moved to Indiana, and settled in Dick Johnson Township, Clay County. At that time there were no roads, no clearings, but all wilderness. Bear, deer and other game were plentiful. Where he now lives he built a cabin, 16x16, in the forest, when Brazil was a small village. He now has a fine house, a large and substantial barn, and owns about 800 acres of good land, about 300 acres of which are under cultivation, the most of it being in grass and grain. For twenty-five years he has been engaged in farming and run- ning a saw mill. When he first started his mill, there were great quanti - ties of timber of all kinds, but no sale for lumber; now timber is very scarce, and lumber in great and increasing demand. Mr. Carter, no doubt, is one of the largest land-owners in Dick Johnson Township. When he came into the township, the Vandalia Railroad had not even been thought of. Mr. Carter acquired his education through the medium of the common country schools taught in the early day in log cabins, called schoolhouses, with slab floors, greased paper windows, seats of slabs and round poles, and stick chimneys. Mr. Carter was a Democrat before he moved from Ohio into this State, but since his residence here has given his support to the Republican party. On June 13, 1832, he was married to Miss Ellen Fugate, the daughter of James Fugate, a citizen of Mason, Warren County, Ohio. To this union were born ten children -- Lucius, Wallace, Gideon, Angeline, Adelia, Alvina, Cassius, Mary M., Alphonso, and an infant. Mr. Carter is public-spirited, gen- erous and benevolent, and highly respected in the community in which he resides.
WALLACE CARTER was born in Warren County, Ohio, April 21, 1836, and is the second of ten children of Joseph and Ellen Carter. He emigrated with his father to Clay County, Ind., in October, 1851, and settled on land purchased of Isaac Butt. When they came the country was a wilderness, and very sparsely settled, there being only six acres of cleared land. Wild game was plentiful. In his youth his opportunities for acquiring an education were limited, but by dint of labor and obser- vation and ambition, he has gained sufficient to transact most kind of
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business. He was in the home guard service during 1862-63. He was married on August 21, 1871, to Lucy Hevron. Two children have been born to them-Lillian and Winifred. Politically, Mr. Carter was a Re- publican, but during the last two years he has been voting with and working for the National or Greenback party. By occupation he is a lumberman and farmer; followed lumbering for twelve years. He has a splendid farm of eighty acres, sixty-five of which are under cultivation, and in grass and grain. He has a fine house, a good barn, and a plenty of stock.
JOHN T. CLARK was born in Marion County, Ky., March 22, 1846, and is one of a family of six children of Elisha and Emily Jane (Dur- ham) Clark, both natives of Kentucky, but of English origin. He emi- grated with his parents to Clay County in 1870, settling first in Posey Township, on a farm of 111 acres. Here he lived with his parents until 1876, when he commenced farming on his own account, purchasing in 1880 a farm of eighty acres in Dick Johnson Township, on which place he is now living. He has a splendid farm, sixty acres of which are in grass and grain, with a very good house and barn and outbuildings, and a fine orchard. He has a plenty of stock, the farm is well watered, beau- tifully located, and is really a very desirable home. He had in his boy . hood very good opportunities for acquiring an education. In 1876, he was married to Alvina Carter, daughter of Joseph D. Carter, an old and respected citizen of Dick Johnson Township. Mrs. Clark has borne her husband two children, viz., Mary Mildred, aged six; Effie Oresta, aged three. Until 1870, Mr. Clark was a Democrat in politics, but he now gives his support and influence to the National party. In 1868, he took a tour of the Western and Southern States, being absent one year. He traveled through Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, and re- turned thoroughly convinced that Clay County was as good a county as, or a better one than, any he had visited.
SQUIRE COMPTON was born in Butler County, Ohio, January 18, 1837, and is the oldest of five children of Nathan and Nancy S. (Hatt) Compton. His parents are of English-French lineage. At the age of eight months, he emigrated with his parents to Indiana, and settled in Dick Johnson Township, September 12, 1838, where he still lives. When his father came here the county was a wilderness, the howls of the wolf and the screeches of the catamount being familiar sounds. But every. thing has changed, and finely-improved farms, waving fields of grain, and beautiful homes have taken the place of the forest wilds. Mr. Compton has been in the shingle business nearly all his life, and claims to be per- fectly familiar with every branch of manufacturing. He has a profita- ble trade in shingles, selling all he can manufacture. He has never had any school advantages, never having been to school six months in his life, but educated himself at home. Mr. Compton was in the army. He enlisted, in 1862, in Company I, Seventy-eighth Indiana Infantry, served ninety days, was taken prisoner, then paroled and sent home by way of Bowling Green, Ky., arriving home on August 4. On the 20th of Sep- tember, 1864, he was drafted and placed in Company C, Twenty-fifth Indiana Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was dis- charged from the hospital, but was never wounded; was in Sherman's march from Atlanta to the sea; was sent home sick, and continued so for a year. After he recovered his health, he resumed shingle manufactur- ing, and has continued that business up to the present. Mr. Compton
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was married, on January 16, 1859, to Lucy Baldwin, a daughter of P. P. Baldwin, a native of Kentucky. Five children have been born to them, viz. : Manley, Jane, G. W., Willard and Aaron, all of whom are living. In politics, he is a Democrat, and cast his first vote for Douglas for Pres- ident. He has been for twelve years a member of the Christian Church. In 1882, Mr. Compton suffered the loss of his house by fire. The con- tents also were totally destroyed; no insurance.
SAMUEL B. ELWELL was born in New Jersey on December 10, 1806, of parents, Samuel and Rachel (Shepherd) Elwell. He emigrated to Ohio in the year 1831, lived there thirteen years, then moved to Dick Johnson Township, Clay County, and settled four and a half miles north- west of Brazil. He received his education in country, or district schools. He has lived in this county thirty-nine years. He has seen the wilder- ness changed to a fine, fertile, farming country. Then the land was wet, there were no roads, and on every hand the hardy pioneer en- countered hardships, trials and seeming impossibilities. On January 6, 1831, Mr. Elwell was married to Martha String, a native of New Jer- sey, and a daughter of Peter String. She has borne her husband ten children, viz .: David H., Samuel, Martha J., Peter, William, Amos, Elizabeth, Stacy, Hannah and Marietta. The children are all married, all have good farms and happy homes. Mr. Elwell has a good farm of eighty acres, well improved. In politics, he has been a stanch, live Republican all his life. His first vote for President was cast for John Q. Adams.
J. M. HALBERT was born in Nelson County, Ky., January 24, 1813, of parents, John and Elizabeth (Marks) Halbert, both natives of Virginia, but of English-Irish lineage. They emigrated to Parke County, Ind., in 1831, our subject being then eighteen years of age. He lived with his parents one year, then went back to Kentucky, where he was married. He moved from that State to Indiana, with his family, in October, 1836, and settled where he now resides, in Prattsville, Clay County, Ind. When he came here there were no roads, no cleared land, and no schoolhouses. The nearest mill was at Bridgeton, Parke County. He entered some land, and at once commenced to make for himself a home. He then owned 340 acres of wild land, 150 acres of which are now cleared and under cultivation, with a good frame house, 18x36, out- buildings, and the best barn in the county. His early educational ad- vantages were limited. The first school which his own children attend- ed was a subscription school taught by Miss Brinton, in a log shanty, with no floor, no window, save a log cut out to admit the light, the hole covered with greased paper to keep out the wind, and clapboard roof. This was the schoolhouse of ye olden time. On January 3, 1833, Mr. Halbert was married to Catharine Wishart, who has borne her husband eight children, four girls and four boys, viz .: John H., Barbara E., James M., Jonathan C., George W., Sarah Elizabeth, Nancy J. and Mary C. Politically, Mr. Halbert was raised a Democrat, but now votes for the man, no matter what party he may belong to. Of the Christian Church he has been a member for over thirty years. Though over sev- enty years of age, Mr. Halbert is a hale, hearty old gentleman, and attends to business, overseeing his own interests. He has been Post- master for thirteen years; was County Commissioner for three years, having been elected in 1862. Mr. Halbert's first home in Clay County was a cabin, 18x20, with one room, puncheon floor, clapboard door, bed- steads made of poles and forks, and a stick chimney.
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JACOB HOFFMAN was born in Northumberland County, Penn., in 1804, and is the eighth, and the only one living, of nine children of John and Barbara (Harpster) Hoffman. Jacob with his father emigrated and settled first near Circleville, Ohio, then a hamlet of only three houses. From there they moved to the mouth of the Little Miami, where they lived one year; thence to Vigo County, Ind., near the forks of Eel River, and thence to Cloverland; from there to where our subject now lives, and has resided for over fifty years. Their house was then built of hewn logs, clapboard roof, puncheon floor and stick chimney. The farm was literally a howling wilderness. The howls of the wolf and the screams of the panther were familiar sounds; but the scene has changed. The cabin has given place to a fine dwelling; corn and wheat fields are where once grazed the deer; the red man has departed, and civilized man has taken his place. Mr. Hoffman is now seventy-nine, and his good wife eighty-two years of age. They have over ninety grandchildren, and twenty-five great-grandchildren. He has given to each of his children a good farm, but the home farm still contains 415 acres. He has been Overseer of the Poor, and also Road Supervisor. He was married, Jan-' uary 6, 1825, to Mary Croy. The union was blessed with twelve chil- dren, all grown, married, and have children of their own. The names are as follows: Jefferson, Mathias, George, John H., Francis M., Jacob, Valentine, Mary J., Katharina, Barbara A., Hannah and Elizabeth. He has been a member of the Christian Union Church for forty-eight years. Politically, he is a Republican. He was originally a Whig, and cast his first Presidential vote for Harrison.
BENJAMIN V. RECTOR was born in Perry Township, Clay Coun- ty, Ind., April. 22, 1839, and is the oldest of seven children of George and Elizabeth (Van Cleve) Rector. His father was an early settler of this county, having purchased his land from the Government. Benjamin has lived here for forty years. Thirty-five years ago, he saw water stand- ing over what is now fine farms. He has seen deer and killed them; he has caught fish where corn and wheat are now grown. His chances for an early education were poor, though he attended school every winter during his boyhood. His father once proposed to send him to school at Greencastle, Ind., but he refused the offer, not wishing to place any additional burden upon his father's shoulders. He followed farming up to within two years of the breaking-out of the rebellion. These two years he spent in Washington Township in the boot and shoe business. In the spring of 1861, he returned to Clay County and raised a crop of corn. Then there was a call for 300,000 men for the war. in August he enlisted, and was mustered into the service September 5, in Company C, Thirty-first Indiana Infantry. He took part in the battles of Fort Donelson, Stone River and the siege of Corinth. From Stone River they went into winter quarters at Cripple Creek; from there to Louisville by way of Nashville; then back to Louisville; thence to Crab Orchard; back to Nashville; and thence again to Stone River, taking part in the second battle fought there; thence to Tullahoma; then to Bridgeport, Huntsville, Chattanooga, Chickamauga; then back to Chattanooga, where they were besieged for forty days; returned to Bridgeport, at which place the company "veteranized," and went to Indiana on a veteran furlough. After the expiration of the furlough, they returned to the command, went to Buzzard's Roost, and saw Sherman's army when he reviewed it pre- paratory to his engaging in the 100-day fight to Atlanta; returned on
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back track to and keeping Hood from Nashville; thence back over the same ground to Chattanooga, Knoxville and Atlanta. They were in North Carolina when the sad news of the assassination of President Lincoln reached them. They fought their last battle with Hood on De- cember 16 and 17, 1865. From Nashville they went to New Orleans; thence to Indianola, Tex .; thence to Green Lake; thence to Gaudaloupe River, returning from there to Victoria, Tex., where they received orders to be mustered out, by reason of their services being no longer required. From there they returned home, and were in New Orleans, La., on New Year's Day, 1866, arriving home on January 8, 1866. At the close of the war, he engaged in farming. Mr. Rector was married on April 19, 1866, to Miss Elizabeth Shattuck, a native of Clay County, and daughter of B. F. Shattuck, an old settler of Clay County. Miss Shattuck was a school teacher, having taught several terms during the war. She has borne her husband eight children, viz .: Pearl, Lucien, Minnie, Ray, Ralph, Rosser, Maggie, Zenana. In politics, he is a stanch Republican. His first vote for President was cast for Abraham Lincoln. He is a mem- ber of the G. A. R. and of the Grange. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over twenty years, and is Steward of his church at the present time. Mr. Rector has a good farm of 274 acres, 160 acres of which are in grass and grain; a fine house, a commodious barn, and a plenty of stock; a complete supply of farming implements of the most improved patterns, and a herd of graded cattle. His swine are of the Berkshire and Poland-China breeds. The male progenitors of his present lots were imported from Canada.
SANFORD W. SAMPSON was born in Virginia in 1819, in what was then Orange County, and is one of nine children of John and Clar- issa (Jollett) Sampson. He emigrated about forty years ago to Wayne County, Ind., and settled six miles south of Centerville, and lived there twelve years. Then he moved to Clay County and settled in Dick John- son Township, north of Brazil, on land purchased of his father-in-law. He has only a common school education. He has 294} acres of good land, 93 acres of which belong to his wife. The home farm contains 201} acres, with a good house and barn, and an adequate supply of stock, farming implements of the most improved patterns, self-binders, riding- plows, etc. By trade he is a blacksmith, plasterer and carpenter, being a natural mechanic. He brought the first grain separator here that was ever brought to Clay County. and has run a threshing machine for nine- teen years. He paid $3,500 for his farm, $400 in cash, the balance on time, and has labored hard day and night to make the payments, which he lias succeeded in doing, and, besides his farm, owns two houses and lots in Brazil. Mr. Sampson has been twice married. His first mar- riage was on February 21, 1856, to Mary Jane Acres, a native of Clay County. Ten children have been born to them, viz .; Jacob M., Peachy P., William R., Sanford C., George F., Roxie V., Mary J., John H., Amanda M., Alexander A. He was again married, in 1876, to Mrs. Eliz- abeth (Patterson) Harmeling, a native of Vigo County. In politics, Mr. Sampson has been a liberal Democrat all his life. About the time he had his farm paid for, his house was destroyed by fire. The one in which he is now living he built fifteen years ago. Mr. Sampson has a fine mule team, also a Hambletonian horse. The horse is a bright bay, sixteen hands high, five years old. When two years old he weighed 1,150 pounds.
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DEMPSEY SEYBOLD, farmer and stock-raiser, was born September 8, 1828, in Parke County, Ind., and is one of the twelve children of Dempsey and Elizabeth (Kerr) Seybold, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German and Irish descent. The elder Seybold removed to Kentucky in his youth, but made a visit to this State in 1816, and two years later re- moved with his family to Parke County, entered 160 acres and erected a cabin; he also soon after opened a trading post and a general store. He was an industrious man, a Whig in politics, a soldier of the war of 1812, and at his death was serving as Probate Judge. He died June, 1835, aged forty-four years, a victim of cholera. His wife afterward resided with her children, and died in 1867, having occupied the farm of 400 acres until 1856. Our subject was reared on the home farm, of which he took charge when fourteen years old. When he reached his majority he rented the farm with his brother, on a portion of which he afterward lived until 1860, and in 1870 located where he now resides, which farm he bought in 1864; this embraces 140 acres, 100 of which are well improved. June 1, 1850, he married Miss Margaret Martin, of Parke County, who died August 17, 1863, leaving four out of seven children-Charles W., William S., Dempsey and Margaret. In 1864, ,he married his present wife, Miss Nancy F. Martin, a sister of his de- ceased spouse; she died in 1866, leaving one daughter-Louie. He next married Mrs. Mary Hansel, by which union were born two children. In 1857, Mr. Seybold was elected Township Trustee for one term, and again in 1863, serving six years. He has settled some twenty estates, some of them being quite complicated, and has enjoyed the confidence and esteem of his neighbors. He was a member of the State Board of Agriculture during the years 1879-80, being the only member of that board ever chosen from Clay County, Ind. In 1880, he was nominated by the Re- publican party for the Legislature, but was defeated by sixty-two votes. He is a member of the Masons and the Knights of Honor. . He and his wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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