USA > Indiana > Whitley County > Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 34
USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 34
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cabin, which was his first habitation in the township, but by industry has suc- ceeded in bringing out of the wilderness a pleasant home of 160 acres, with good improvements and excellent cultivation. He was married, in 1837, to Ann Warburton, and began housekeeping with home-made furniture, such as stools for chairs and a packing-box for a table, but these things have been replaced by the furniture of the present day. He became the father of eleven children, of whom only one son and four daughters are now living. His two eldest sons enlisted in the winter of 1861 and 1862 in the Forty-fourth and Eighty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and after being out about a year, both died of fever contracted in the army, and are now at rest in the home cemetery.
JOSEPH ESSIG was born in Medina County, Ohio, September 23, 1836, son of George and Catharine Essig, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent, and came to this county with his parents when but seven years old, and with them settled on a farm, which he assisted in clearing. In 1856, he married Sarah A. Stamm, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1838, and by this union became the father of eleven children, of whom three sons and six daugh- ters are still living. He followed farming until the spring of 1867, and then began lumbering in this township ; eight years later, he sold out and purchased a flouring mill, which he is still operating. In politics, he is a Democrat, and has served as Trustee, and filled several minor offices in the township, and is a member of the I. O. O. F. He came here without capital, but his industry and enterprise have realized for him a comfortable fortune. His father, after build- ing up a substantial home from the forest, and rearing a family of twelve chil- dren, died in 1866, aged seventy-three years, his wife following him in 1872, aged seventy-four.
J. B. FIRESTONE, M. D., was born March 30, 1828, in Wayne County, Ohio, son of John and Rachael Firestone, natives of Maryland and Pennsylva- nia, and of German descent. He was reared on a farm, but had an opportuni- ty of attending school, and, at the age of nineteen, began reading medicine at Congress with Prof. L. Firestone, now of Wooster University ; he then attended lectures at Cleveland Medical College, concluded his course at the Wooster (Ohio) University, graduating in 1874. He began practice in 1850 at Cannonsburg, Ohio, and, in 1855, moved to Columbia City, this county ; thence he came to Larwill in about 1859, and has secured a practice extending through a circuit of ten miles. Dr. Firestone has been an active Democrat, and, in 1858, was called to the State Legislature, in which he served two sessions to the entire sat- isfaction of his constituents. In 1876, he was nominated for State Senator, jointly for Whitley and Kosciusko, and in this Republican district was defeated by only twenty-six votes. The Doctor stands very high in the Masonic frater- nity, having attained the 32d degree-next to the highest conferred by the rites. In 1848, he was married to Sarah A. Orr, and four children were the result of the union. Mrs. Firestone died in 1855, and in 1856 the Doctor took his sec- ond partner, Rebecca McHenry, of Van Wert, Ohio, by whom he has had one child.
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PRICE GOODRICH was born in Hartford, Conn., December 17, 1799, the son of Bela and Sally (Church) Goodrich, both natives of Connecticut. He was brought at eight years of age to Franklin County, Ohio, by his parents, with whom he remained, assisting on their farm, till nineteen years old, when he went as an apprentice at brick-laying and plastering, which trade he followed a number of years North and South ; then returned home, and, February 2, 1831, married Julia A. Black, daughter of Isaac and Mehitable (Brown) Black, who bore him seven children, six of whom are yet living. In 1838, he quit his trade and settled on the farm he now occupies, which he has converted from a wilder- ness to one of the pleasant homes in the township. In 1842, he resumed his trade and went to work in Fort Wayne for a season, and after that, employed himself in his own neighborhood at the same business till age warned him to cease in 1875, since when he has been living in retirement on his farm. He was Inspector at the first election held in Troy Township, at which there were but thirteen votes polled, and has always been a leader in movements for home progress. He has served as Probate Judge, County Commissioner and Town- ship Trustee. He was licensed as an exhorter in the M. E. Church in 1841, and officiated nine years, and then as local preacher for twenty-five years, and was then ordained as minister of the Gospel in the Free Methodist Church. He and wife have been active members in this society since 1828 and 1819 respectively.
JAMES GRANT was born in Seneca County, N. Y., May 10, 1806, the son of Abraham and Sarah Grant, natives of New Jersey. The parents moved to Canada in 1809, but returned to New York, Genesee County, shortly after, where three of the sons went into the war of 1812, two returning and one, Thomas, being killed in the battle of Black Rock. In 1818, they removed to Ontario County, N. Y., and thence to Dearborn County, Ind., where our subject resided till twenty-two years old, when he began roaming and working for six years. In 1833, he married Eliza Beard, a native of Maryland, but a resident of Seneca County, Ohio, and continued working as carpenter and ship- builder till the fall of 1839, when he brought his family to this (then Troy) township, locating on land he had entered in 1837. In 1851, he erected the first steam saw-mill the county ever had, and ran it successfully for sixteen years. He became the father of eleven children, nine of whom are yet living. Three times he has been elected Justice of the Peace in his township, served as Trustee under the old law, and filled various minor offices. His first vote was cast for Gen. Jackson for President, and he has ever since adhered to the Democratic party. He has retained a garden spot of 40 acres of his farm, and now lives in retirement, enjoying the harvest of his early enterprise and industry.
DAVID HAYDEN (deceased) was born in Fayette County, Penn., January 5, 1807. He was the son of John and Hannah Hayden, who in 1815 moved with their family to Hamilton County, Ohio, and thence to
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Franklin. In 1830, he married Alma Cole, who was born in Lewis County, N. Y., August 5, 1810, and was the daughter of Daniel and Ruth Cole, na- tives of Connecticut and of English and Welsh extraction. After farming awhile in Franklin County, he moved to this State March 9, 1836, and located on Section 6, this township, his neighbors at that time being ten miles distant. At the organization of the township, our subject was present, and it was through his recommendation that it received its name. From out the then wilderness, he succeeded in bringing to a high state of cultivation a farm of 320 acres. He was an active worker in politics and an energetic promoter of home industries up to the day of his death, which occurred October 22, 1878, through which event his venerable partner and six children (five sons and one daughter) lost a kind and loving husband and father. In 1881, the widow and daughter removed to Larwill, where they now reside. The privations suffered by subject and wife during their early days in the forest were too numerous to be detailed here, but before the second summer the demand for game was larger than the supply, and it was only by refusing to divide with the Indians what little meal could be procured that, on one occasion, the family were saved from starvation.
JOHN JONES was born in Cumberland County, Penn., in 1810, and is the oldest of seven children born to Joseph and Barbara Jones, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Scotch-Welsh and German extraction. His educational advantages were very limited, and the death of his father threw the responsibility of providing for the wants of the family upon him, which he cheerfully assumed. The mother and children removed to Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1828, where he made a home for them, and where his mother died in 1867. He came to Richland Township in 1852, located on a farm of 160 acres, built a cabin, and set to work to redeem a home from the wilderness, which in time, by energy and application, was accomplished. Mr. Jones was married in 1832, to Sarah L. Barber, a native of New York, and of their eight children, five are yet living. Mrs. Jones passed away in 1868; since that time Mr. Jones has found a home with his children. Mr. Jones is a strong Republican and has always felt a warm interests in political events, and is a public spirited enterprising citizen; he has acted in an official capacity in the M. E. Church for over thirty-five years, and it was through his influence the first church and Sunday school was established in this vicinity, and despite his years is still and active worker, and in the enjoyment of health. Our subject's eldest son, John B. Jones, enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into service at Camp Carrington, near Indianapolis, November 3, 1864, and rated Corporal. While on duty near Nashville, Corporal Jones sick- ened and died March 9, 1865; his remains were brought home, and now rest in Richland Cemetery. .
DAVID KERR, was born in Beaver County, Penn., in 1814, son of David and Rachael Kerr, natives of the same State, and of Scotch descent.
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Our subject came with his parents to Richland County, Ohio, in 1822, and there went to school, subsequently "teaching himself to become a teacher," which pursuit he engaged in for two winters. He started in life at the age of sixteen, working at jobs and learning the carpenter's trade. During Jackson's term as President, he entered forty acres of land in Richland. County, paying for it by cutting wood at 20 cents per cord, and splitting rails at 40 cents per hundred. This land he cleared and increased by adding eighty acres adjoining. In the spring of 1858, he came to this township, purchased land and moved on it the October following, and now has an excellently improved farm of 120 acres. His first vote was cast for Harrison, for President, but as a rule has kept aloof from politics. He was first married March 7, 1838, to Rosanna Bremer, of Ohio, who became the mother of ten children, five of whom are now living. The second marriage was in 1867, August 27, to Mrs. R. T. Speelman, of Crestline, Ohio, daughter of Allen and Mary R. Talbott, and mother, by her first husband, of five children, three now living. Subject's eldest son, James M., served during the late war in Company I, Indiana Volun- teer Cavalry, attached to Gen. Thomas' command, and received two flesh wounds, not, however, of a serious character. Our subject is a member of the Society of Friends, and he now lives retired upon the accumulations of his in- dustry and perseverance.
A. H. KING was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in January, 1815, the son of Luther and Lucinda King, both natives of Massachusetts. When seven years of age, subject removed with his parents to Medina County, Ohio, where he went to school, worked on the home farm and remained until 1842, when he was united in marriage to Mary A. Dimick, and began farming on his own account. In 1851, he removed with his family to this township, and located the farm of 140 acres where he now lives. It was then in a state of nature, but his industry has redeemed it. Mrs. King died in 1855, the mother of four children. January, 1857, our subject married Sarah Taylor, daughter of Edward Taylor, who has borne him one child. His son Homer, in 1861, enlisted in Company E, Seventeenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for three years, but returned after being out eighteen months and re-enlisted in the regular service for three years. His son, Alonzo, enlisted in the fall of 1861, in Company E, Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and after being out a short time was discharged on account of disability ; but, on recovering, re-en- listed, serving four or more years, and in 1867, enlisted in the regular army for three years and came through without a scratch. Our subject cast his first vote with the Whig party in 1836, but, when the Republican party was formed, followed its standard.
DANIEL KIRKPATRICK, M. D., was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in 1836, son of Daniel and Mary (Johnson) Kirkpatrick, natives of Pennsyl- vania and Ohio. He moved with the family to Wells County, Ind., in 1853. He was reared on a farm, going to school at intervals till he began the study of
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medicine, in 1856, at Ossian, with Dr. Metts ; he also followed teaching. He attended medical courses, first, at Columbus ; secondly, at Rush Medical Col- lege, Chicago ; thirdly, at Cincinnati, and graduated at Rush College, Chicago, in 1860. He soon after located at Larwill, where he has won for himself a lucrative practice and secured a comfortable home, though for the first few years his limited means for paying his way made times rather anything than pleasant. He has always stood aloof from politics, preferring to devote his time to the study and practice of his profession and the promotion of social interests. He was married, in 1858, to Miss S. A. Allen, daughter of Stephen Allen, and to their union were born four children-Lida, Charles, Loroeffie and Lizzie. Both he and wife are active church members.
WILLIAM H. LANCASTER was born in Wayne County, Ind., Sep- tember 22, 1824, and was left an orphan at the age of nine years. His boy- hood days were passed on an uncle's farm and in going to school. When he reached his majority, he turned his attention to carpentering and followed that trade a few years, and then chose the occupation of farming and stock-raising. March 2, 1848, he married Mary A. Scarce, daughter of David and Rebecca (Edwards) Scarce, both natives of this State, and in 1849 moved to this town- ship and located on his present farm, which was then in a state of nature ; and the log cabin he then erected has been replaced by a modern structure and the wooded land turned into cultivated fields. Beginning with $300, he has increased his possessions to 810 acres in this vicinity and one-quarter sec- tion in Kansas. He was never an active politician, yet has served two terms as Township Trustee. His first political proclivities led him to join the old Whig party, but after the formation of the Republican organization he became one of its strongest supporters. The subject's parents were Rex and Phariba (Henby) Lancaster, both natives of North Carolina and of English extraction. His own children number six-five sons and one daughter.
MARCUS NORRIS was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, in 1820, and was there reared on a farm, receiving a common-school education. When twenty-one years old, he visited De Kalb and a number of other coun- ties, then returned home, and, in 1843, came to this township, stopped one year on his father's farm, and the following spring located on the farm he still occu- pies, which he redeemed from the wilderness, and has now a well-improved farm of 160 acres. He found his wheat market at Fort Wayne, making a three days' trip, selling at 46 cents per bushel, and bringing back a supply of salt, boots, clothing, etc. He has been thrice married-first, in 1843, to El- mira Oder; second, in 1847, to Martha Webb; third, in 1849, to his present wife, Maria Webb, daughter of George Hower. He is the father of eight chil- dren, five of whom are living. Our subject is the son of William and Marga- ret Norris, natives respectively of Virginia and England and of Dutch and Irish extraction, and who came to this township in 1843. He has been an active member of the Baptist Church for thirty years.
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HENRY NORRIS was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, in February, 1837, son of William and Margaret Norris, who came to this township in 1843 and located in Section 22, on the farm our subject at present occupies, now consisting of 225 acres, and on which they reared eleven children, nine of whom are still living. They respectively departed this life in 1872 and 1879, in their seventy-fifth year. In this new country, school privileges were rare, and our subject suffered somewhat in consequence. January 29, 1857, he was married to Derinda Wolford, born in Coshocton County, Ohio, in 1830, and daughter of Matthias and Lucinda Wolford, natives of Ohio and of German extraction, and to their union seven children were born, of whom four daughters and two sons are living. Our subject and his brother William purchased the home- stead farm in 1862, and, in 1868, subject bought his brother's interest, and has now a fine farm of 285 acres. February 11, 1865, he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was out seven months. He is a large shipper of live stock to Eastern markets, and has fol- lowed that business for six years. In politics, he is a Republican, and is a firm member of the Baptist Church.
GEORGE W. NORRIS was born in this township September 1, 1852, the son of Alexander and Susan Norris, natives of Ohio and of German descent. They came to this township in 1843, and located on Section 16. Here our subject and an elder brother, George W., were born. The father was killed in March, 1855, by a falling tree while out chopping, our subject then being but three years of age, and about six years later the mother mar- ried John Hower. October 4, 1871, our subject married Caroline Shirtliff, daughter of John and Hancy Shirtliff, natives of Massachusetts. To this union one son and one daughter were born. Mr. Norris started in the world with $75 in cash and sixty acres of land, but by hard work and economy has secured 132 acres, which are under a good state of cultivation, and well improved. He votes with the Republican party, and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
REV. A. D. PARRETT was born in Fayette County, Ohio, August 1, 1816. His parents, Joseph and Mary Parrett, were natives of Virginia, of Ger- man descent. They removed to Ohio in 1803, and thence to this county, with family, in the fall of 1836, locating on the present site of South Whitley. Here they passed their lives and reared a family of nine children, three of whom are now living. Joseph Parrett helped organize this county and Cleveland Township, and also assisted in laying out the first roads. He died in 1850, at the age of sixty-seven years. Mrs. Parrett passed away in 1847, aged sixty- five. The subject received poor school advantages and assisted his father until he became of age, when he began working for himself, and with his brother, Abington, rented his father's farm, until in July, 1840, when he was married by Judge Swihart to Mrs. Susan Perkins, daughter of Joseph McCoy. Twelve children were born to this union, five of whom are living. Mr. Parrett soon
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after his marriage removed to this township. He joined the church in 1835, and began preaching soon after, first as an exhorter, and afterward was licensed as a local minister. During his ministerial labors, he has performed 196 mar- riage ceremonies, and officiated at a large number of funerals. Mr. Parrett has held several township offices, and four of his sons served in the late war, two enlisting in the fall of 1861, in Company C, Thirty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, one in Company E, Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry and his fourth son as a cavalryman during the latter part of the war. Wesley never returned, and now lies buried at Memphis. Nelson, after he died, was brought home and buried at South Whitley. Joseph A. served three years, then re- enlisted, and served in the Western Division, under Gen. Hovey, for a period of four years and twenty-six days.
ABNER PRUGH was born in Preble County, Ohio, in November, 1816, and is the son of Peter and Elizabeth Prugh, natives of Maryland and Ohio, and of German descent. He began life by doing job work and farming, saved his earnings, came to Wells County, this State, in 1837, and bought some land. This, in 1849, he traded for a part of his farm in this township, but did not en- ter upon it until 1853, in the meanwhile living upon rented land, in Kosciusko County, but giving attention to the clearing of his 160 acres of forest home here, which he has since developed into one of the finest farms in the neighborhood. October 15, 1840, Mr. Prugh was married to Nancy Matthews, daughter of Benjamin D. and Eliza Matthews, natives of Maryland, and the union resulted in the birth of fourteen children, nine sons and three daughters of whom are still living. Two of the sons, William A. and George W., enlisted in the Union army during the late war; William, October, 1861, and George, Aug- ust, 1862, and were out three and two years respectively. William was honor- ably discharged in January, 1864, on account of failure of eyesight, caused by exposure at Shiloh and Stone River. George W. accompanied Sherman on his march to the sea. Mr. Prugh has always been considered one of Richland's leading citizens, and, although not a very active politician, has been elected to serve as Township Treasurer several terms, and also to fill a number of minor offices. Himself and wife have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for the last forty-two years.
G. W. PRUGH, son of Abner and Nancy Prugh, was born in Preble Coun- ty, Ohio, in 1843. When quite young, his parents removed to this township, where he lived until the age of eighteen. At that time, he enlisted in Company K, Eighty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, August 11, 1862, and was hon- orably discharged in June, 1865. He participated in the battle of Chickamauga, and for three days after that subsisted on one cracker while marching at the rate of eleven miles per day, and, under Gens. Carlan and Sherman, marched to Atlanta. After returning from the war, Mr. Prugh engaged in farming, rent- ing land, until he located on his present farm. He was married to Nancy Sou- der in 1867. Her father, Conrad Souder, came to this county in 1846.
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Mr. and Mrs. Prugh have had born to them five children, one son and four daughters. Mr. Prugh is a member of the Republican party, and cast his first vote for Gen. Grant. He has worked diligently, and always helped in the ad- vancement of his people. His mother-in-law, who is past the age of sixty, is making her home with them.
WILLIAM RICE, a retired farmer, was born in Washington County, N. Y., December 30, 1812. In September, 1836, he started for this State to secure a home ; first located in Kosciusko County, but in March, 1837, came to this township and entered the land on which he still resides, which he has converted from a wilderness to a desirable homestead of eighty acres. July 4, 1839, he married Harriet M. Jones, daughter of John and Myra Jones. This lady died September 19, 1841, leaving one son, who died in the spring of 1881. May 16, 1844, our subject married Miss Lydia Mitchell, daughter of William and Mary Mitchell. Mr. Rice was the tenth person to settle in this township, and is now the last survivor of that early ten. He was present at the organi- zation of the township, acting as Inspector, and carrying the returns to Hunt- ington (of which this county was then a part), giving three days' time to the township in making the trip. He has filled the office of Township Trustee and minor offices, which were thrust upon him rather than sought by him. He re- tains a vivid recollection of the game which filled the surrounding woods when he first located here, and has counted as many as eleven deer in one day wan- dering near his clearing. The first two acres of corn he planted went as prov- ender to the squirrels and raccoons, whose depredations were altogether beyond control. Our subject's only son, John J., enlisted in Company E, Seventeenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served through the better part of the recent war.
S. F. ROBINSON is a native of Massachusetts, born in that State in 1826, removing with his parents, when two years of age, to Wayne County, N. Y., and from there to Medina County, Ohio, in 1835, where his earlier years were spent in acquiring an education and working on his father's farm. In 1852, he located in Pulaski, Ohio, in the manufacture and sale of boots and shoes, which business he continued for fifteen years-the last two years adding to his stock Eastern-made goods, and groceries. During this time, he was Post- master for seven years. He came to Larwill in 1869, with his family, where they have since resided. His first purchase was a saw-mill, which he exchanged for a farm, and that in turn for the mill he now owns. Mr. Robinson was united in marriage in November, 1850, to Miss Mary L. Wells, a daughter of Jared and Louisa Wells, both natives of Connecticut, and of English and Scotch descent. Their family consists of two daughters. Mr. Robinson is a son of Seth and Mehitable (Randall) Robinson, both natives of Massachusetts, and of English and Irish extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Mr. Robinson is, in every sense of the word, a self-made man, and, through industry and good business ability, has acquired a competence for himself and family. He has never aspired to political emi-
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