USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 26
USA > Indiana > White County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 26
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PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP.
F. ALKIRE was born in the State of Ohio, February 13, 1813, and in 1837 came to Indiana and settled in Tippecanoe County, where, about 1838, he married Miss Rachel Hayes, a native of Ohio. He farmed his eighty acres of land until 1854 or 1855, when he came to this county and entered three eighty-acre lots, and then ยท purchased until he owned about 2,000 acres, all in Prairie Township, and all under cultivation, except a portion reserved for timber. He has heretofore dealt largely in live stock, and some years back used annually to drive from 400 to 600 head of cattle to Philadelphia or Madison County, Ohio, and so continued to do until the railroads afforded him better facilities; he also handled 100 to 200 head of hogs, and about 150 head of sheep. Mrs. Alkire died in September, 1871, and subsequently Mr. Alkire married Mrs. Eliza A. Hayes, a widow, and daughter of James and Nancy Griffith. Mr. Alkire has had born to him five children-Mary A. (deceased), Cyn- thia J. (deceased), I. R., R. H. and W. T., and he has assisted all his sons to good farms.
ISAAC R. ALKIRE was born in Ohio, May 2, 1839, and is the eldest of the five children born to Fergus and Rachel (Hayes) Alkire. His boyhood was passed chiefly in Tippecanoe County, Ind., and after
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1852 in this county, and he was reared a farmer. In 186 , in Tippe- canoe County, he married Miss Ellen Chilton, a native of Kentucky. Her parents, James and Mary Chilton, were natives of Virginia, and her father, who was a farmer, died in Tippecanoe County, this State. The first land owned by Mr. Alkire was an improved farm of 160 acres in this township, which he sold, and then bought a similar place near his present residence ; this, in turn, he disposed of, and purchased his present farm of 600 acres, of which 450 are under cultivation. He has a fine frame dwelling and commodious outbuildings ; he deals considerably in stock-mostly cattle and horses-and keeps ten or twelve horses for farm use. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and is the father of one child- Olla M.
W. T. ALKIRE was born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., February 13, 1843, and was married in White County to Miss Rebecca J., daughter of Samuel and Nancy Ramey, and a native of White. The year after his marriage, he settled on his present farm on Section 28, this township, within a half mile of Brookston, and comprising 600 acres. He deals in live stock, and ships from 100 to 150 short-horn and graded cattle per annum, and about 200 hogs ; he has eighteen to twenty horses, and his staple farm product is corn, of which he raises from 5,000 to 6,000 bushels per year ; of hay, he raises from 100 to 150 tons, chiefly for feed on the farm. He has a fine dwelling, and his farm buildings are con- venient and commodious. Mrs. Alkire is a member of the Christian Church, and their two children, Reed C. and Edward F., are both attend- ing the academy at Brookston.
S. C. ANDERSON is a native of J. Q. Adams Township, Warren County, and is the son of Robert and Mary Anderson, pioneers of War- ren, where they settled in 1832-33; there the father died in 1879 and the mother in 1881. S. C. Anderson was married in Warren County to Miss Martha Railsback. In 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Seventy- second Indiana Mounted Infantry, and served under Gen. Wilder from Buzzard's Roost to Big Shanty, Ga .- in all about eighteen months. He then worked in Champaign County, Ill., and Warren County, Ind., for awhile, and finally, in 1877, settled on his present farm of 200 acres in this township, which he subsequently increased to 440 acres. His crop of corn reaches 5,000 bushels ; wheat, 500 to 600 bushels ; and hay, 40 to 50 tons ; he also rears 40 to 50 cattle; 75 to 100 hogs; 100 sheep, and about 14 horses annually. Having lost his wife, he married Miss Sarah Dobbins, daughter of Vaus Dobbins, and a native of Virginia. To his first marriage there were born two children-Edgar and Altha, both deceased. To his second marriage, three children-Dickey, Dollie and Robert.
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J. E. BARNES was born in Pike County, Ohio, and is the ninth in a family of ten children born to John and Elizabeth (Boydston) Barnes, who were natives respectively of Virginia and North Carolina. J. E. Barnes remained on the home farm until twenty-four years of age, and then came to this State and settled on Pretty Prairie, Tippecanoe County, in 1848. In 1854, he and a brother came to this township and purchased a farm, which they managed together until 1856-57, when they dissolved partnership. Mr. Barnes now owns 280 acres, but one time possessed 520. He handled 80 to 100 head of cattle; 80 to 100 hogs; 30 to 35 horses ; and a few sheep annually, but recently has confined himself to the sale of stock of his own raising. May 21, 1855, in this township, he married Miss Malinda, daughter of John Nelson, and a native of Tippecanoe County, and to this union four children have been born- Elizabeth A., Lillie A., Minnie M. and James E. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he also is Steward and Trustee.
JAMES BARR was born in Franklin County, Ohio, January 4, 1813, and in 1831 came to what is now White County, Ind., and was, of course, one of its earliest settlers. In 1842, he married, in Tippecanoe County, Miss Eliza J. Shaw, a daughter of John Shaw, who was among the pioneers of Tippecanoe, having located at Battle Ground as early as 1829, and it was at that point he died. His wife was born near Rich- mond, Wayne Co., Ind. In the spring of 1843, Mr. and Mrs. Barr set- tled on Section 8, this township, and cleared up a farm of 360 acres, which was finely improved by Mr. Barr, and surrounded with all that is needed to make farm life pleasant ; here he died, November 10, 1876, a loss to his family and neighbors irreparable. His widow still survives and is conducting the home farm with success.
P. M. BENJAMIN was born in Jasper County, Ind., and is the son of P. M. and Fisbie Benjamin, who were pioneers of the county named. The family came to White County when our subject was but two years old, and located in Liberty Township and cleared up a farm, on which the earlier years of Mr. Benjamin's life were passed. November 6, 1867, he married Miss Elizabeth N., daughter of Adam Hornbeck, and a native of this county. Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of the Christian Church and the parents of two children-Rebie and Maggie. In 1875, Mr. Benjamin settled on his present farm of ninety-three acres, in this town- ship, which he has improved with a fine frame dwelling and other build- ings. During the late war, Mr. Benjamin served three years in Company G, Ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, having enlisted at the age of seven- teen. He passed through the early fights in West Virginia and at Cheat Mountains, was in the Atlantic campaign and in the two days' fight at
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Nashville, and in numerous minor battles and skirmishes, and escaped without a wound.
AUGUSTUS S. BORDNER is a native of Berks County, Penn., and is the son of Augustus and Harriet Bordner, residents of Rehrers- burg. Our subject's boyhood was passed on his father's farm and in attending the common schools. Later he attended the Freeland Semi- nary, Montgomery County, Penn., and then taught for six winters and one full year. He came to Brookston in 1868, and in 1870. engaged in the lumber trade, in which he still continues. Mr. Bordner was married in Brookston to Miss E. C. Anderson, a daughter of John Anderson, a farmer of Ford County, Ill., and to this union has been born one child, Ira J. Mr. Bordner has served as Trustee of Prairie Township for three terms ; he is a Royal Arch Mason, and both he and wife are mem- bers of the Universalist Church.
WILLIAM BOSTICK was born in Ross County, Ohio, and is the son of Joseph and Adilla (Chestnut) Bostick, pioneers of Ross County. Joseph Bostick came to White County in the winter of 1832, and assisted in organizing the first court held in the county, at which a culprit, for want of a jail, was sentenced to stand for a number of hours in a ring formed by the citizens, and then released. Mr. Bostick lived at Brook- ston about six months, but settled on a farm on Section 25, where he ended his days. William Bostick passed his boyhood on the farm, but learned the carpenter's trade after he had attained his majority. He was married in October, 1854, to Miss Hannah Chestnut, who died in 1855. March 25, 1858, he married Miss Maria Carr, daughter of Sol- omon and Elizabeth Carr. This lady died in 1868, and in 1869 he married Miss Jennie Carr, sister of his deceased wife. Mr. Bostick lived in Brookston about fourteen years, engaged at his trade, and about 1872 moved upon the old farm. His children are seven in number-Viola, J. E. and Altona by his second marriage, and Labota, Alta, Guy and Will- iam W. by his last marriage.
A. L. BROWN was born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., in 1835, and is the son of Peter O. Brown, now aged seventy-seven years. Our sub- ject began preparing himself for the medical profession, but never prac- ticed. He became a citizen of this county in 1863, and was married at Monticello in 1867, to Miss Sarah M., daughter of James Chilton, and to this union two children have been born-Agnes M. and Lulu M. Mr. Brown is the owner of eighty acres of good land, and at present is oper- ating a general store at Badger, of which place he is the Postmaster.
J. P. CARR was born in Ohio, and is the son of Solomon Carr, a farmer of German and English descent, who became a resident of White County in 1854 or 1855, and here died. J. P. Carr was reared in Ohio,
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and came to this county in 1848, locating at the point where Chalmers now stands, where he was engaged in herding cattle for parties in Ohio, for whom he had been buying stock for a compensation of 50 cents per day. He next summer hired out, with two good horses, to John Price, for $200 per year, and worked for him fourteen months, losing only one day. He married Mr. Price's daughter, Catharine, and pur- chased 100 acres of timber land east of Brookston, and since, from time to time, has made purchases, until he now qwns between 2,200 and 2,500 acres, of which 1,800 are included in his present farm. He is thus the largest landholder in the township, and is said to be the second largest tax payer in the county. In 1876, he was elected by the Republicans to the Legislature, and served in a regular and a special term, and in 1880 was re-elected, and served again one regular and one special term. Having lost his wife, he married, February 23, 1868, Sarah A. Cochran, daughter of Andrew Cochran, and a native of Jefferson County, Ind. Mr. Carr has four children living, all born to him by his first marriage- William W., John P., Sarah L. and Noonie.
A. COCHRAN is a native of Jefferson County, Ind., and is the third of the eleven children born to Andrew and Elizabeth (Woods) Cochran. He was married in Madison, Ind., in 1849, to Miss Minerva G. Morris, a native of Indiana, and daughter of William Morris. After a three years' residence in Madison, Mr. Cochran moved to New Albany, and in 1854 came to Brookston, where, in 1870, he established his present busi- ness of undertaking, dealing in furniture and house-building. He has four business rooms in a row, owns four lots and part of two others, and has another house and lot in the east part of town, and also owns one farm of eighty acres and one of twenty. He has served as Town Trustee six or seven years, and as School Trustee two or three years. Mrs. Cochran died in 1857, and his second wife was a Miss Michelle French, who died November 30, 1882. Mr. Cochran has three children living -- William A. by his first wife, and Sherman and C. C. by his second. Mr. Cochran has been a very successful business man, and stands well in his community and in the Odd Fellows' order.
CALVIN COOLEY was born in Ross County, Ohio, November 25, 1821, and is the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Cooley, natives of Pennsyl- vania. The family removed at an early day to a farm lying partly in Tippecanoe County and partly in Clinton, Ind., and on this farm the parents died. There Calvin Cooley went to school, and also learned to be a brick-molder, and at the age of nineteen began life on his own account, he and a brother owning an eight-horse-power threshing ma- chine, which they operated three years without opposition. May 26, 1841, in Montgomery County, he married Miss Eliza, a native of Ross
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County, Ohio, and daughter of Louis and Mary Dunbar. The young couple lived a year on rented land in Clinton County, Ind., then moved to Montgomery, and thence came to this township and purchased eighty acres of his present farm, near Brookston, then in a state of nature, but now highly cultivated and improved, with a brick residence, the brick having been molded by Mr. Cooley himself. Mr. and Mrs. Cooley are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have one living child- Martha A., who is married.
DR. S. RANDALL COWGER was born in Monon Township, this county, March 6, 1847, and is a son of Silas and Elizabeth S. (Bott) Cowger, who were among the earliest pioneers of White, settling first in Big Creek Township, and then removing to Monon Township, where the father died in March, 1862, and the mother in October, 1877. Dr. Cow- ger was reared on a farm, and at the age of fifteen took charge of the homestead on the death of his father. He had attended the public schools in the country, but when seventeen years old came to Monticello and at. tended the schools here, for three years, teaching in the country mean- while, and reading medicine the last year. In the spring of 1867, he entered the office of Dr. Morris, read under him two years, then re-com- menced teaching, but still pursued his medical studies. The spring of 1871 he entered the office of Dr. Robinson, remained till October, and then went to Cincinnati and attended lectures at the Eclectic Medical College. In 1872, he returned to Monticello, accepted a partnership with Dr. Robinson, and practiced with him about two years. He then conducted an individual practice until 1878, when he again entered the Eclectic Medical Institute, for the express purpose of receiving instruc- tions in diseases of the eye, ear and throat, and graduated in February, 1879. Then, for a year and a half, he practiced in conjunction with Dr. Robinson, and since then has been alone. He now occupies a prominent position among the practitioners of White County. In politics, he is in- dependent in his views, and votes for the man of his choice, rather than through party influence. He was married, November 30, 1880, to Miss Maria Ruland, and is now the father of one son-Clarence R. Although he began his professional career at the foot of the ladder, he has now reached the topmost round, and is the possessor of one of the finest libra- ries of medical works in White County.
G. W. DYER is a native of Virginia, and is the son of Zebulon and Eliza Dyer, who came to this county in 1835, and remained here until 1840, when they moved to Carroll County. G. W. Dyer was about four years old when he was brought to this county by his parents ; he received a meager education in the frontier schoolhouse, and assisted his father in improving the Carroll County farm until 1854, when he bought his pres-
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ent place on Section 18, this township, in partnership with a brother. They have in all about 220 acres, raise wheat, corn and other products, and raise considerable live-stock. Mr. Dyer was married at Monticello in 1868, to Mrs. Vanscoy.
CHESTER CLARK FRENCH, the third son of David S. French, D. D., and Hannah L. French, was born at Covington, Fountain County, Ind., February 21, 1850. His father was born and reared in Miami County, Ohio, and his mother in Philadelphia, Penn. In the spring of 1858, his father having just finished a term of office as Treasurer of Fount- ain County, the family moved to a farm in Vermillion County, Ill., where Chester was given plenty of work and there his habits of morality and in- dustry were formed. Schoolhouses were scarce, and to walk two and a half miles through driving winds and snow to school, in winter, was almost a daily occurrence. In the spring of 1863, his father moved to Mahomet, Ill., and in the spring of 1866 resigned the pastorate of the Baptist Church at that place and accepted a call to Bloomfield, Ill. He rented a small farm two miles from town, which he made interesting for his family of boys in the summer, but sent them to school in the winter. It was there that, during a series of religious meetings, Chester united with the church. In the fall of 1868, the family moved to Brookston, and there Chester entered the academy to prepare for college. In the fall of 1870, he received a teacher's certificate, taught his first school at Henderson's Schoolhouse, the same winter, and during his thirty-six months of actual teaching succeeded well. In the fall of 1871, he entered the University of Chicago and studied three years, doing chores mornings, evenings and Saturdays, to meet expenses. Among his patrons was Charles H. Reed, State's Attorney for Chicago, and afterward attorney for C. J. Guiteau, the assassin. Mr. French acquired a liberal knowledge of the higher mathematics, of the sciences and of literature, and of the German, Latin and Greek languages. He next began the study of med- icine, under John Medaris, but in August, 1874, relinquished study and in partnership with his father purchased the Brookston Reporter. In 1878 Mr. Chester French became and still is sole proprietor. In August, 1878, he was appointed Clerk in the United States Railway Mail Service. In 1880, he was commissioned Census Enumerator, and in 1882 was elected Clerk of Brookston, and re-elected the following year. He has also been twice commissioned Notary Public in White County. Mr. French is favorably known as a vocalist and orator as well as lecturer, and his interest in educational institutions is unbounded. He has been a great traveler, and is the possessor of a large variety of relics and me- mentoes collected in his rambles. At the Fourth of July celebration at Monon, in 1883, Mr. French delivered the oration, by request of the
yours truly, Chester 6. French.
THE NEW YORK PIT LIC LIBRARY
ASIEN LEN KANE TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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Committee of Arrangements, this being one of dozens of other orations and speeches made by him on similar occasions.
J. GAY, SR., was born in Ohio, in 1812, and is the son of William and Mary A. (Hayes) Gay, who came to this township in 1831, and here ended their days. Mr. Gay came here with his parents and remained on the home farm until his marriage, in Tippecanoe County, to Miss Elizabeth Becker, daughter of John Becker, a native of North Carolina, and a pioneer of Tippecanoe. Since his marriage, Mr. Gay has lived on his present farm on Section 29, this township. He has here 390 acres, of which 250 are under cultivation ; he is also owner of seventy acres in Carroll County, Ind. Mr. Gay has served his townsmen as Trustee three terms, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Their children are ten in number-William H., Ansolina, Elmina, Eliza J., Alvin, Sarah A., Charles A., Keziah, Milton and John B.
FRED GEYER was born in Morgan County, Ohio, in December, 1837, and is the son of Jacob F. and Elizabeth Geyer, natives of Ger- many and early settlers of Morgan County, whence they moved to Hock- ing County, Ohio, and then to this State, in 1862. Here the mother died, but the father is still living. Fred Geyer was reared to farming and worked for this father until of age. In 1860, he married Miss Bar- bara, daughter of John A. and Barbara Stimer, and a native of Morgan County, and to this union have been born four children-Tazewell J., George U., Emma J., and Ora A. For about ten years, Mr. and Mrs. Geyer resided in Tippecanoe County, then came to this township and purchased eighty acres on Section 7, which he has since improved greatly. Both Mr. and Mrs. G. are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
HENRY F. HAGERTY is a native of Tippecanoe County, Ind., and is a son of David and Margaret Hagerty. At the age of nineteen, he enlisted, in 1862, in the Tenth Battery Indiana Light Artillery, and took part in the battles of Stone River, Munfordsville, Perryville, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Dandridge (East Ten- nessee), Decatur and others. At Chattanooga, he was wounded in the side by a piece of a shell. He served three years, and was discharged at Indianapolis. November 26, 1868, he married Miss Mary J. House, a native of Indiana, and daughter of Joel House. This lady died Decem- ber 17, 1872, the mother of two children-Clara and Lula (deceased). He was next married to Miss Sarah E. Hill, daughter of James Hill, and a native of Indiana, and to this marriage four children have been born- James, Nellie, Harry and Elmer. In 1875, Mr. Hagerty moved on his present farm of 120 acres, on Section 8, this township, where he has ever since lived.
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SPENCER C. HART is a native of New Jersey, and is the third of the nine children born to William C. and Sarah (Grant) Hart, who emigrated to Greene County, Ohio, in 1839, and there died. Spencer learned coopering when young, but never followed the trade. At the age of nineteen, he went with his parents to Ohio, where, in 1854, he married Miss Catherine, daughter of John and Sarah (Darr) Stine, natives of Pennsylvania. For a short time, Mr. Hart farmed on rented land, and then purchased 173 acres in Ohio, on which he resided until 1863, when he purchased 253 acres of prairie land in this township, on which he has ever since lived. He raises about 4,000 bushels of corn a year, 600 to 700 bushels of wheat, and considerable crops of oats and hay ; also thirty-five to forty head of cattle, thirty-five to forty hogs, and eight to ten horses. His children are five in number, and are named Sarah, Rufus R., Lee S., Hollie and William N.
T. S. HAYES was born in Kinderhook, N. Y., in 1835, and is the son of Hiram and Mary (Lee) Hayes, who were of English birth, but came to America when children, and died in Columbia County, N. Y. T. S. Hayes passed his boyhood in Canaan, N. Y., where he attended the common schools, and then the high school at Canaan Center. He began merchandising at the latter place while yet a young man, and there mar- ried Adelia, daughter of William P. Stickle, a farmer and stock dealer of Hillsdale. Mr. Hayes also went into the commission business at Hills- dale, but, in 1878, came to Brookston and established his present busi- ness. He is owner of the Lower Elevator, and handles all kinds of grain, hay and live stock, and has also a steam corn sheller and wagon scales in connection with his elevator and office, where he pays the high- est market price for grain. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are members of the Baptist Church, and the parents of three children-Lillian A., William H. and Dolly.
T. HEAD was born in Rush County, Ind., in 1833, and is the son of Simon C. and Malinda (Poage) Head-the former a native of New Hampshire, and born in 1801, and the latter of Kentucky, and born in 1807. Until fourteen years of age, our subject worked on the home farm, and attended school, and since then he has been chiefly in the dry goods business. In 1855, at Homer, Champaign Co., Ill., he married Miss Kate Warner, daughter of Joseph Warner, a farmer and a native of Ohio. Mr. Head pursued his calling as dealer in dry goods in Champaign City and Homer, and then came to Marshall County, Ind., where he engaged in the lumber business for twenty months, and next, in the spring of 1861, resumed the dry goods business at Zionsville, and in 1863 at Battle Ground, and then farmed for two years; in October, 1876, he came to Brookston, where he now carries a general assortment of merchandise,
.
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boots, shoes, notions, groceries, etc., etc., valued at $30,000. Mr. Head is a Freemason, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church. Of their eleven children, the living are named-Charlie E., Olla, Cora, . Jessie, Orin, Ada, Pearl, Roy, Uhl T. ; the deceased were named Otis and Effie.
A. HILDEBRANDT is a native of Germany, and came to America May 3, 1855, landing in New York, thence moving to Tippecanoe County, this State, and then coming to this township, where he purchased 220 acres of land, which he has increased to 300 acres. He rears from fifty to sixty head of cattle, seventy-five to eighty hogs, and twelve to fourteen horses annually, and raises about seventy-five tons of hay, and from 3,000 to 4,000 bushels of corn; in 1881, he raised 700 bushels of wheat. He was married, in La Fayette to Miss Catherine Myers, a native of Germany, who has borne him eight children-Henry, Mary, Augustus, Annie, Amelia, Eda, George (deceased) and Kate (deceased). Mr. Hil- debrandt has earned all his property by his own industry and good man- agement, and has surrounded himself with every comfort tending to make farm life enjoyable.
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