Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical, Part 84

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed. cn
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, F. A. Battey & co.
Number of Pages: 814

USA > Indiana > Brown County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 84
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 84
USA > Indiana > Morgan County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 84

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).

WILLIAM L. WHITTED, M. D., is a son of Zachariah and Rebecca (Allen) Whitted, natives of North Carolina, but who grew to maturity in this State, and married about 1835. Zachariah Whitted was a farmer, at which and at flat-boat building he labored many years. He reared seven children by his first, and five by his second wife, who yet lives and occu- pies the home farm. Mr. Whitted was formerly a Whig, but became a Republican, and an ardent admirer of Mr. Lincoln, whom he survived two days. He was six feet two and a half inches high, a member of the Masonic order, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for fifteen years Trustee of his township. He was fifty-three years old at his death. William L. Whitted was born August 24, 1842, near Bedford, Ind., was reared a farmer, and in August, 1861, enlisted in Company B, Eighteenth Indiana Regiment. In 1863, he was made Sergeant, and after becoming a veteran in 1864 was commissioned Second Lieutenant, and afterward chosen Captain, which commission he did not receive, but served as Ser- geant Major until the end of the war. He was slightly wounded at Magnolia Hill, and served at Pea Ridge, Champion Hill, Black River, siege of Vicksburg, and other engagements. He was discharged Septem- ber 22, 1865, and married, November 28, Miss Susanna, daughter of Rev. James Fish, a union followed by three children-Frank, Gertrude and Mary Estella. Soon after marriage, Mr. Whitted began the study of medicine under Dr. Samuel A. Raridon, attended lectures at the Ohio Medical College, and located at Tunnelton. In 1869, he came to this county, and bas done a good business in Ellettsville. In 1877-78, he attended lectures at and graduated from the Miami Medical College, and in 1881 began the drug business with Mr. Hughes. Dr. Whitted is a Republican, and has held some minor offices. He is a member of the

642

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

Masons and the G. A. R. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

F. E. WORLEY, banker and farmer, was born in this township June 3, 1838, the only child of Hiram and Margaret (Legg) Worley. Hiram Worley came with his mother to this county in 1828. He was a shrewd, careful and industrious man, gave attention to farming and rais- ing stock, and finally became wealthy and influential. He was a Repub- lican politically, religious without creed, and benevolent without osten- tation. Our subject was reared to farming, and after a preliminary ed- ucation, attended the State University at Bloomington. In 1858, he en- gaged in mercantile business at Ellettsville, in company with William Buchanan, and after one year Mr. Worley became sole owner of the business, which he continued twelve years, realizing therefrom $30,000. In 1873, after having closed his father's estate, he commenced the bank- ing business, which he isstill operating, as well as dealing in stock, such as fine horses, short-horn and Jersey cattle, Cashmere sheep, fowls and carp fish. He has one of the best dwellings in the county, surrounded by a fence of stone, the material taken from one of his quarries. Mr. Worley is a member of the Masonic fraternity, a Republican in politics, and an Episcopalian in religion. May 20, 1875, he married Miss Laura Davis, of Nashville, Tenn.

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.

G. L. BRANDON, a farmer and stock-raiser, was born November 12, 1839, in McDonough County, Ill., and is the third of ten children, eight now living, born to Richard and Magdalena (Favorit) Brandon, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and of Scotch-Irish and German descent re- spectively. G. L. Brandon was reared on a farm, and was sent to school part of the time. When he was six years old, his parents moved into Hancock County, Ill., and he lived there until his thirty-third year. On April 28, 1870, Mr. Brandon married Narcissa Smith, in Iowa. She was a native of this county and a daughter of Dudley C. and Isabel (Porch) Smith, natives of Vermont and North Carolina. Mrs. Smith came here from Lincoln County, Ky., in 1833, and is still living, aged seventy-

three years. Dudley C. Smith was born on December 22, 1796; came first to Ohio, then to this county about 1819; remained near Blooming- ton ten years, and finally settled in this township. His father was a Revolutionary soldier, having participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. G. L. Brandon had born to him, by her, three children, two living- Fred Raymond and Rodney Howe. Mr. Brandon is a Presbyterian, and his wife belongs to the Christian Church. Our subject, in March, 1865, enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois (Mounted) Infantry, and was discharged in September, 1865, at Springfield. He is a Republican.

WILLIAM F. BUNGER, farmer and stock-raiser and trader, was born July 17, 1836, in this township, and is the youngest of nine children born to Philip and Susanna (Neff) Bunger, natives of Virginia and Ken- tucky, and of German descent. William F. was reared on a farm, and

643

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.

attended the public schools. Philip Bunger was an old settler here, and his son lived with him until his marriage. On December 18, 1866, he wedded Harriet N. Neeld, of this county, and daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Reeves) Neeld, Kentuckians of English and Irish descent. Mr. Neeld settled in Bloomington about 1818. Mrs. Neeld settled in this county in 1817, near Ellettsville. She had poor advantages for an education, and says that at that time her people were only able to buy one barrel of flour in two years. They used hand mills to grind corn for about two years, and then the horse mill was introduced. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Bunger formerly belonged to the Grange. He and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He owns 202 acres of land in a high state of cultivation, stocked and ornamented with a fine frame residence, besides the addition of out-buildings and orchard, it being one of the finest homes in the township. Mr. Bunger is an upright citizen, and votes the Republican ticket.

IRA CARTER, teacher, was born in Monroe County, Ind., March 18, 1865, and is a son of J. F. and Susan (Silivan) Carter, the former a native of Garrard County, Ky., the latter of Monroe County, Ind. They are both of English descent. J. F. Carter received a good common school education in Indiana, to which State he came in early youth, and remained with his parents until 1863, when he was married. Eight children bless this union, all of whom are yet living. He and wife are devoted members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He owns a farm in Van Buren Township, where he now resides. Ira Carter, the eldest of three sons, besides receiving a good common schooling, has attended different Normal Schools held at Bloomington and elsewhere. During the summer he is engaged on his father's farm and in winter is employed in teaching. Mr. Carter is a young man of fine ability and bids fair to be one of the leading young men of the county.

SAMUEL DINSMORE, farmer and stock-raiser, was born February 8, 1834, in Ireland, and is the eldest of eight children born to John and Margaret (Small) Dinsmore, natives of Ireland, and of Scotch-Irish de- scent. Samuel was reared on a farm, and attended school when not other- wise employed, and in this way received sufficient education to enable him to teach. He taught three months. His parents came to the United States in 1838, and moved to the West, settling in Van Buren Township, about one mile north of where our subject now resides. They came by way of Pittsburgh by water to Louisville, where a wagon landed them in Monroe County in seven days. John Dinsmore purchased 160 acres of land and improved it. Samuel remained with his father until his mar- riage, on October 10, 1859, to Magdalene Hutsinpiller, of Monroe County, and a teacher. She is the daughter of Jacob A. and Susanna (Bunger) Hutsinpiller, Pennsylvanians of German descent. Miss Hutsinpiller was educated at Bloomington, and taught in Indiana about three years, and in Illinois about one year. Mr. Dinsmore had born to him five children -John A., William J. (deceased), Margaret Lenore, Julia Frances and Mary Elizabeth. Mr. Dinsmore and wife also took a boy, George Krohn, from the Orphans' Home in Cincinnati, and are raising him as one of their own children. Mr. Dinsmore owns 200 acres of land, well cultivated, and ornamented with a substantial residence, besides a barn and out- buildings. He received eighty acres from his father at his marriage. Our subject is breeding short-horn cattle and Berkshire hogs, and has

641

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

followed this occupation for ten years. Mr. Dinsmore has belonged to the Patrons of Husbandry since 1873, and has held nearly every office in the lodge, being at present Lecturer. He and wife are Presbyterians, and he has held the office of Director of his district for some time. He is an esteemed citizen, and a Republican overflowing with energy.

JOSEPH S. DINSMORE, a leading and enterprising farmer and stock-raiser of this county, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, January 1, 1836, and is the second of the eight children, four now living, born to John and Margaret (Small) Dinsmore, natives of Ireland, and of Scotch- Irish descent. Joseph S. was reared upon a farm, and attended the common schools and a university for six months. Mr. Dinsmore enlisted in August, 1862, in Company F, Eighty-second Indiana Infantry, and was engaged in the following battles: Perryville, Ky .; Stone River, Tenn ; Chickamauga, Resaca, Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro and Bentonville, besides numerous skir- ' mishes and in Sherman's " march to the sea." Mr. Dinsmore was in the grand review at Washington, and was discharged at Indianapolis in July, 1865. Mr. Dinsmore was then engaged in the furniture business at Bloomington for about five years, finally failed, and then engaged in the spoke and handle business. This he followed for a year and a half, was then burned out, and returned to farming. He has continued in this occupation ever since. Mr. Dinsmore was married on October 6, 1868, to Mary A. Henderson, of Salem, Ind., and a daughter of John Grant and Martha T. (Young) Henderson, natives of Kentucky and North Caro- lina, and of Scotch-Irish descent. Mrs. Dinsmore taught school about five years before her marriage. They have had born to them three chil- dren-Leon Wade, Wylie Henderson and Joseph Paul. The parents are Presbyterians, and Mr. Dinsmore is a Republiean. John Dinsmore, an old settler and enterprising farmer of this county, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, on October 6, 1810, and is the youngest and only living one of the fourteen children born to Samuel and Mary (Brystar) Dins- more. John Dinsmore came with his mother to this country in 1838, and settled in this township. He was reared in Ireland, and there received a good education. On June 10, 1832, he married Margaret Small, of County Antrim, Ireland, and a daughter of Joseph and Jane (Dinsmore) Small, of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Dinsmore had born to him by this marriage eight children, three of whom-Samuel, Joseph S. and Mary (deceased) -- were born in Ireland, and the other five-William J., Andrew (de- ceased), Jane (deceased), Theophilus (deceased) and Matilda (Kirby) -- in America. When Mr. Dinsmore came to this county, he bought 120 acres of land, mostly timber. He improved this land, and then exchanged it for 240 acres, upon which he now lives. This place has a fine residence, barn and out-buildings, with the addition of a healthy orchard. By in- dustry and application, Mr. Dinsmore has accomplished this success, and now peacefully enjoys his hard-earned possessions, seeing his children around him, each well established in life by his care. He has given each of them from $2,000 to $3,000 in money. Mrs. Dinsmore died at seventy - five years of age, on October 6, 1882, having passed away suddenly while about her household duties. She was a Presbyterian, and Mr. Dinsmore is of the same creed. They were liberal givers in charity, and had cele- brated their golden wedding only a few months before her death. Mr. Dinsmore uses neither tobacco nor whisky. His children are Presby- terians, and two sons served in the late war, returning without an injury.

645

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.

Mr. Dinsmore is just recovering from an injury, but as a general thing has good health. He is a Republican, and an upright and honorable citizen, highly respected by his many friends and acquaintances.

DR. JAMES DODD was born May 20, 1832, in Lawrence County, Ind., and is the fifth of the seven children born to George and Mary (Pearson) Dodd. He lived on the home farm until 1855, when he com- menced the study of medicine with Denson & Rairden, of Bedford, Penn. In 1856 and 1857, he attended his first course of lectures in Miami Med- ical College. In July, 1857, he located in Harrodsburg, this county, and in the winter of 1858-59 graduated from the Ohio Medical College. He married Catherine A. Carmichael, of Monroe County, daughter of Peter and Lydia (Zague) Carmichael, natives of North Carolina. To this union have been born eleven children, of whom eight are living-Cran- ston H., James M., Mary E., Charlotte, George P., Walter P., Thomas C. and Evaline C. In 1870, Dr. Dodd exchanged his town property for the eighty acres on which he now resides, combining farming with the practice of medicine. He is also the owner of eighty well-improved acres in Indian Creek Township. In November, 1862, the Doctor was appointed Surgeon to the Sixty-seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteers; was at Vicksburg and Arkansas Post; became disabled, and at the end of six months was compelled to resign. He is a leading Republican, and cast his first Presidential vote for Lincoln. Mrs. Dodd's mother is still living, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years.

HENRY ELLER, one of the old settlers of Monroe County, was born June 9, 1817, in Virginia, and is the fifth of ten children born to John and Susan (Smith) Eller, natives of Virginia, and of German and En- glish descent respectively. Our subject was reared on a farm, and he had only the advantages of the common schools taught in the country when it was an unbroken wilderness. He came with his parents to this county in 1831, when he was about fourteen years old. They settled on the section where our subject now resides. His father first purchased 320 acres, added to and improved until he owned 520 acres, located about five miles west of Bloomington. When he came here he was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he held for many years. For two terms he was elected Probate Judge of Monroe County, and held that position at the time of his death in August, 1840. Our subject was married. in Septem- ber, 1837, to Velinda, daughter of Thomas and Barbara Bailey, natives of Virginia. Three children were born to them-Elizabeth J. (Stimp- son), John Thomas and George Henry (deceased). His wife dying in 1844, he was next married, on June 29, 1845, to Elizabeth W. Shreve, of Monroe County, and daughter of William D. Shreve. To this union eight children were born, viz .: James W., Harriet A. (Ammerman), Melinda M. (Kirby), Susan V. (Mayfield), Frances M. (Johnston), Mary, Laura (Ward), J. B. M. and Charles D. Mr. Eller enlisted in the three months' service on June 9, 1862, and did guard duty at Indianapolis. In May, 1864, he re-enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-third Indiana Infantry. His regiment was on guard duty at Bridgeport, Ala. He was discharged in September, same year. While in the three months' service he was Sergeant of his company. During his last service he was also Sergeant. While in the service, Mr. Eller lost his health, and has not been able to do a hard day's work since. He owns ninety-five acres of good land, well cultivated, and having all the modern improvements. He is one of the leading stock-breeders in this county, having been en-

646

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :

gaged in it for forty-nine years. For two terms Mr. Eller has been elected County Commissioner, and for several terms has been Township Assessor. £ He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, he is an active, stanch Republican.

THOMAS FULLERTON was born in West Tennessee, February 25, 1817, and is the fourth of eight children born to Thomas and Nancy (Woody) Fullerton, natives respectively of South Carolina and Virginia. He came to this county with his parents in 1820, and has here grown up a farmer. The parents were both born in 1785, and died in 1865. Mr. Fullerton has always resided on the 160 acres on which he was reared. He was married, March 26, 1846, to Maria Bunger, daughter of Philip and Susanna (Neff) Bunger, and a native of Kentucky. To this union there have been born eleven children, of whom nine are living-William M., Alfred W., Joseph R., Louisa J., R. Henry, Edwin L., Thomas P., M. L. and Libbie M. At the age of twenty-five, Mr. Fullerton was elected Justice of the Peace of his township and served five years; he owns 100 acres of land in a fine state of cultivation, with fine residence and outbuildings. In politics, he is a Republican.

J. H. GASTON, M. D., was born on August 8, 1844, in Greene County, Ind., and is the seventh of eleven children, ten now living, born to James M. and Mary P. (Bryan) Gaston, natives of Tennessee and South Carolina, respectively. J. H. Gaston was reared on a farm, and attended the public school, also the academy at Bloomfield one year, and one term at Asbury University. He taught school for two terms. In August, 1862, Mr. Gaston enlisted in Company A, Ninety-seventh Indiana In- fantry, and took part in the following battles: Jackson, Miss., Mission Ridge, Resaca, Dalton and Kenesaw Mountain. At the latter place he received a wound which broke a bone in his arm, and disabled him for further service. He was discharged in May, 1865, at Madison, Ind. He returned to his home, receiving a pension since the date of his discharge. Mr. Gaston studied medicine with Dr. Bailey of Stanford, and attended a course at Miami Medical College, at Cincinnati, receiving his diploma in 1872. He then began practicing in Stanford and has lived there ever since. Dr. Gaston has met with fair success, and keeps himself well posted upon the subject of medicine, by attending lectures. The Doctor married, on July 21, 1872, Martha Counet, a native of Monroe County and a daughter of Nelson and Emily (Rose) Counet, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and of English and German descent. By this union there are five children-Grace F., Audley, Otis T., Edith V. and Mary. Dr. Gas- ton owns fifteen acres of land with a good residence, barn, out buildings and a good orchard. In the fall of 1882, he was elected Coroner of his county. Mrs. Gaston is a Congregationalist. The Doctor is a live Republican.

DAVID LA RUE, one of the oldest settlers of Monroe County, Ind., was born on September 24, 1807, and is the youngest of four children born to Peter and Catharine (McKissic) La Rue, natives of Virginia. The mother died when our subject was but three years old. After this he worked around and about by the day until he was thirteen years of age, when he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade and served his time. In 1828, he went to Meigs County, Ohio, remained one year; thence to Cincinnati, where he was a carpenter on a steamboat for three years; thence to Livingston County. Ky., and remained one year with his father, or until the latter's death, at the age of eighty-seven years. Then in May,

647

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.

1832, he came to Bloomington, Ind. On December 27, 1832, he was married to Nancy, daughter of Jessie and Sallie Cole, and a native of Kentucky. Seven children have been born to them, only two of whom, Sarah and Jesse, are now living. After his marriage, Mr. La Rue moved on eighty acres of land located near Stanford, where he lived two years, after which he traded that farm for eighty acres in Greene County, where he lived thirty-two years. He at the end of this time had accumu- lated 220 acres, all well improved and under good cultivation. In 1866, he sold this farm for $6,000, and purchased for $5,000 the one on which he now resides. Mrs. La Rue died in 1850, when, on March 1-4, 1851, he married Minerva Cole, of Greene County, and daughter of John and Sarah Cole. Two children, both deceased, were born to this union. This wife died in 1855. He next married, on September 10, 1859, Eliza Dan- iel, of Greene County, daughter of Joseph Daniel. Mr. La Rue lost this wife through a divorce court, when, for his fourth wife, he married, on April 24, 1863, Mrs. Elizabeth Breakison, also of Greene County. This couple have had five children, three of whom are living. His wife had four children by her former husband. His first wife was a member of the Campbellite, his second wife of the Baptist, his third of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, of which his present wife is also a member, and of which Mr. La Rue is also a member. Our subject was Township Treas- urer in his township in Greene County for seven years; was Deputy Sheriff of that county two years; was elected Constable in this township, but refused to qualify. His father was a soldier of the Revolution, hav- ing engaged in thirteen battles, such as Bunker Hill, Fredericktown, Trenton, etc. The father was reared in the same neighborhood with Gen. Washington. Our subject has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1852, at Stanford, and is now a member of Monroe Lodge, No. 22, Bloomington. On account of an impediment in his speech, he never at- tended school but two months in his life. His first wife taught him how to read. Mr. La Rue is a self-made man, and has always been wonder. fully successful in his business ventures. Two of his sons served in the army during the late war. By the community in which he resides he is highly respected.

MATTHEW MCCONNEL, a wide awake young farmer of Monroe County, was born on October 21. 1854, in Guernsey County, Ohio, and is a son of Matthew and Margaret (Stephenson) McConnel, natives of Ohio and Maryland, and of Irish and Scotch-English descent. Matthew, our subject, was reared on a farm, and attended the public schools to some extent. He came to Indiana with his parents in the spring of 1857. They settled where the family now lives, and where his father purchased 225 acres of land about two miles west of Bloomington. Our subject married, February 26, 1882, Margaret L. Constable, of Ellettsville, and daughter of John S. and Margaret (James) Constable, natives of South Carolina and Virginia. The couple have one child, Lora A. Mr. Mc- Connel is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and his wife is a Presbyterian. He has a fourth interest in 275 acres of land, left by his father, and which is improved with residence, barn, out-buildings and orchard. He is independent in politics. Charles W. Curry was born September 18, 1854, in Monroe County, and is the fifth of ten children born to William H. and Eliza A. (Swearingen) Curry. Charles W. was reared on a farm, and attended the public schools. On October 24, 1878, Mr. Curry married Sarah A., a daughter of Matthew and Margaret (Ste-

648

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

phenson) McConnel, and sister of our subject. The couple are parents of two children-Bert E. and Homer L .-- and are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JONAS R. MAY, an old settler and leading farmer and stock-raiser, was born January 25, 1834, in Perry Township, Monroe County, Ind., and is the fourth of six children (five now living) born to David and Sarah (May) May, natives of North Carolina and Kentucky, and of Ger- man descent. David May and his wife were among the first settlers in the county. He has always been a farmer, and, consequently, Jonas R. was reared to that vocation, attending school when not employed about the farm, and, in 1854, took a course of six months at a university, and afterward was employed in teaching school for three years. He was salesman in a store at Harrodsburg, this county, for two years. January 12, 1860, Mr. May married Mary J. Wiseley, a native of this county, and a daughter of Jesse and Margaret (Woodward) Wiseley, Virginians, of German and Irish-German descent respectively. By this marriage there are three children-Clara B., Luther D. and Omar M. Mr. May possesses 274 acres of land, well cultivated and embellished with a fine brick residence, barn and outbuildings. The place is well supplied with a fine orchard, and with all necessary agricultural implements. For a start in life, Mr. May received about $2,000 from his father, and by industry has accumulated until he possesses as comfortable a home as any in the township. In 1872, Mr. May was elected Trustee of his township, held the office one term, was again elected in 1876, and held the office four years. He was a third time elected in 1882, and is now holding that position. He is very active in the interests of his township, and alive to those of the Republican party.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical, Part 84

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed. cn Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, F. A. Battey & co. Number of Pages: 814

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed. cn
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, F. A. Battey & co.
Number of Pages: 814