USA > Indiana > Vigo County > Terre Haute > Greater Terre Haute and Vigo County : closing the first century's history of city and county, showing the growth of their people, industries and wealth > Part 31
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1767, and died there in 1865. Her father, Jacob Whitesel, was also a native of that county, born in 1798, and with his wife, nee Susan Brown, born in Pennsylvania in 1799, he came to Indiana in 1835. He died here in 1875, and his wife survived until 1881. Mrs. Long was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1822, and died in Indiana in February, 1845, after becoming the mother of two children, Philip and Susan. They were reared in the home of their paternal grandfather, for their parents both died during their infancy, in 1845, and the daugh- ter now resides in Paris, Illinois.
Philip Long was born November 16, 1840, and has always lived in Fayette township, never having voted outside the precincts of this locality. He began farming in 1866, and eleven years afterward, in 1877, bought his homestead of one hundred and thirty-four acres, where he has ever since lived and labored and follows general farming. He gives his political allegiance to the Democratic party.
Mr. Long married, in 1873. Ellen Duck, born in Edgar county, Illinois, in 1843. Their only child, a daughter, died in infancy, and the wife and mother is also deceased, dying in 1874. In 1880 Mr. Long married Anna Hunnell, who was born in Greene county, Indiana, Feb- ruary 15, 1859, but was brought by her parents to Fayette township, Vigo county, when only six months old. They have become the parents of five children, namely: Elmi, born May 14, 1882, is the wife of Jeff Pennington, of Fayette township, and they have two children : Estella, born in 1885. is the wife of Earl Smith, of Sandford, and they have one daughter ; Philip Thomas, born in 1887, married Bertha Weaver, by whom he has one child: Emma, deceased, and one child that died in infancy. Mrs. Long is a member of the United Brethren church.
LOUIS HENRY RHYAN was born in the township of Fayette, Vigo county, Indiana, July 7, 1841, to Henry and Margaret (Shuey ) Rhyan, both of whom were born in Virginia. They were married in their native commonwealth, and shortly afterward, accompanied by Mrs. Rhyan's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Shuey, they came to Indiana and established their home in Vigo county. This was in the year of 1835, and Henry Rhyan bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in Fayette township, to which he added from time to time until at one time he was the owner of eight hundred acres. He was both a farmer and' cooper, having learned his trade in Indiana. He was a Republican and both he and his wife were members of the United Brethren church. Ten children were the fruit of their union, namely: Mary Catherine, de- ceased ; John N., of Fayette township: Ephraim S. and Martha J., also
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deceased : Eliza M., the widow of John Koonce, of Fayette township ; Louis H., the subject of this review; Arminda O., the widow of J. M. Shepherd, and a resident of Terre Haute; Emma R., the wife of H. M. Shores, of Fayette township: Ottebine, died in infancy, and Walter C., who resides in the same township.
Louis H. Rhyan was reared as a farmer lad and remained with his father until he reached the age of maturity. About this time the Civil war was inaugurated, and on the 7th of August, 1862, he enlisted in the Seventy-first Indiana Infantry, Company A, from which he was later transferred to the Sixth Indiana Cavalry. His services continued until in June, 1865, and in the meantime he participated in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, and was wounded in the right thigh. His next engagement was at Campbell's Station, Tennessee, was also in the siege of Knoxville and in skirmishes in Georgia and other southern states, and from a private was promoted to a corporal. On the Stoneman raid in Georgia he was captured and taken to Andersonville prison on the Ist of August, 1864, and was in that prison about one month, then taken to near Charleston, South Carolina, then to the prison at Florence, South Carolina, where he was held a prisoner for seven months. The lines of the Union army coming so near that the prisoners could be held no longer, he was then taken to Wilmington, North Carolina, thence to the hospital at Annapolis, Maryland. He was then furloughed home, and return- ing to his command at Pulaski, Tennessee, was mustered out in June, 1865. He now receives a pension of seventeen dollars a month, and maintains pleasant relations with his old comrades of the blue by his membership in the Grand Army Post at New Goshen. After the close of the war Mr. Rhyan returned to farming, renting eighty acres from his father where he now lives, and his present homestead consists of one hundred and fifty-eight acres. He has cleared a portion of his land, has erected all of its valuable improvements and is engaged in general farming.
In October, 1866, Mr. Rhyan was united in marriage to Minerva Cooper, who was born in Otter Creek township, Vigo county, in March, 1842, and died in 1888. Their daughter Maggie, born in February, 1877, died in infancy. The son, Henry C., was born February, 1868. He married Rosa Peters, who died, leaving two children. His second wife was Florence Taylor. He now lives in Helt, Vermilion county, Indiana. On the 25th of December, 1889, Mr. L. H. Rhyan married Laura W. Wright, who was born in Vermilion county, Indiana, in February. 1854. She attended the district schools of that county, the public schools of Westfield, Illinois, and the Indiana State Normal, and then taught for
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two terms. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rhyan are members of the United Brethren church.
SYLVANUS RHYAN, one of the most prominent farmers and stock raisers of Fayette township, was born within its borders, February 15. 1852, a son of Ephraim S. and Sarah J. (Whitesell) Rhyan, both of whom were born in Virginia. September 3. 1832. During their infancy they were brought by their respective parents to Indiana, and in after years Mr. Rhyan became one of the best known farmers and business men of Fayette township. Although he learned the cooper's trade in early life, agriculture was his chief occupation, and he first farmed for himself on eighty acres of rented land. After his father's death he rented land more extensively and also became a large property owner, his landed possessions at one time embracing three hundred acres in Fayette township. In company with his brother-in-law he received the contract for the first gravel road across Fayette township, known as the St. Mary's gravel road. He was a Republican politically, and both he and his wife were members of the United Brethren church. She survived her husband, who died in 1905, and is yet a resident of this township. Mr. Rhyan made his will thirteen years before his death. Two sons were born to these honored pioneers, the younger being Milton, who was born February 18. 1857, and is a resident of Fayette township.
Sylvanus Rhyan, the first born, farmed the old home place with his father after reaching the age of maturity, and when his brother Milton became of age he continued with them. When the older son had reached his twenty-seventh year he married and moved to a tract of eighty acres, the nucleus of his present homestead farm, which now contains one hundred and thirteen acres and on which he is extensively engaged in farming and stock raising. After leaving the old home farm of his parents he still continued in partnership with his father and brother for three years.
Mr. Rhyan married. October 23. 1879, Minnie J. Moore, who was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 7, 1856. a daughter of William and Jane (McCune) Moore, both of whom were born in Ireland, the father on the 24th of June, 1826. and the mother February 11, 1830. They crossed the ocean to the United States in their early life and were mar- ried in Indianapolis, from whence, in the early sixties, a few years after their marriage, they journeyed to Fayette township, Vigo county. The father was a stone mason, and was sent to Vigo county in the interests of the owners of the stone quarries in Indianapolis, his death occurring here on the 24th of July. 1876. His wife died on the 3d of January,
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1871. Their four children were Minnie, who became the wife of Mr. Rhyan; Maggie, deceased; Alexander, who resides in the west, and Agnes, deceased. Mr. Rhyan votes with the Republican party, and both he and his wife are members of the United Brethren church.
JOHN NICHOLAS RHYAN .- To John N. Rhyan belongs the honor of being one of the oldest living pioneer residents of Vigo county, and his honorable and well spent life forms a connecting link between the prim- itive past and the progressive present. His retentive memory is stored with many pleasant reminiscences of the early days here, and he can re- call to mind that when the family first sought a home here the Indians were camped in this locality. To his boyish mind it seemed that the woods were full of them and that they were very desperate. The first dusky warrior that he ever saw was on his way to mill with a grist. The first crop of corn which his father planted in the clearing had to be watched by the little son and his brother Ephraim to keep the squirrels from digging up the seed. Corn and pumpkins were planted in the same field, and after the crop matured it had to be constantly watched from the ravages of the deer.
Amid such pioneer conditions John Nicholas Rhyan grew to a sturdy and useful manhood, and although he has been so long and promi- nently identified with the interests of Vigo county, he is a native son of Augusta county, Virginia, born January 3. 1830, to Henry and Margaret (Shuey) Rhyan, both also natives of that county, and born January 3. 1805, and 1810, respectively. They were married there in 1828, and in 1835 moved to Putnam county, Indiana, from whence, two years later, they journeyed to Fayette township, Vigo county. The family on both sides for many generations have been natives of the Old Dominion state, and it was there that the paternal grandfather, John Rhyan, was born, as were also the maternal grandparents, John and Catherine (Funk- houser) Shuey. They were of German descent, and from Virginia they journeyed with Henry Rhyan to Putnam county, Indiana, but only re- mained there one year and then came on to Vigo county, purchasing and locating on eighty acres of land in section 12, Fayette township. where they spent the remainder of their lives.
After arriving in Vigo county Henry Rhyan bought one hundred and twenty-three acres in Fayette township, he having been the first to purchase the land after it had been entered from the government, and in time became a very successful farmer and acquired between seven and eight hundred acres of land. He was also a cooper and followed his trade out of farming season. His busy and useful life was ended in
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death in February, 1888. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rhyan ; John N., the eldest : Ephraim S., deceased; Mary, who died in infancy; Martha J., deceased ; Eliza M., the widow of Jolin Koonce and a resident of Fayette township ; Louis H., of Vigo county ; Arminda O., the widow of Nelson Shepherd and a resident of Terre Haute ; Emma R., the wife of H. M. Shores, of Fayette township; Ottobin, who died in infancy, and Walter C., a resident of Fayette township.
John Nicholas Rhyan, the first born, remained at home with his parents until attaining the age of twenty years, and he then started out to battle for himself, working during the summer months at farming and at the cooper's trade in the winters during the following eight years. The first land which he purchased formed the nucleus of his present homestead. This was in 1851, and he has never moved therefrom, al- though he retired from the active work of the farm in 1903. The boundaries of his first little farm of eighty acres have been increased to one hundred acres, and his residence is the second ever built on the land. Mr. Rhyan cast his first presidential vote for General Scott in 1852, and he has never lost a vote since that time in the township, county, state or national elections, but although he has so faithfully performed his part of a citizen he has never accepted the honors or emoluments of office. He votes at New Goshen. During the period of the Civil war he volunteered on two different occasions for service, but was both times rejected. He is a member of the order of Odd Fellows, affiliating with the encampment and the Rebekah lodge at New Goshen, and has filled all the offices in the local lodge and four times was a delegate to the lodge at Indianapolis.
On the 28th of June, 1849, Mr. Rhyan was united in marriage to Barbara J. Hay, who was born in New Goshen, of Fayette township. February 28, 1830. a daughter of John and Barbara ( Koonce) Hay, both natives of Rockingham county, Virginia. They were also married in that state, and sometime in 1820 moved from there to New Goshen, Vigo county, Indiana. Their first purchase of land here consisted of two hundred acres, owned by a Mr. Derkee, but after a short time they sold that property and bought near Libertyville, where they remained until their deaths. John Hay was twice married, and twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, were born of the first union and two sons and a daughter by the second. Reuben, a resident of Topeka, Kansas ; Barbara J., who became the wife of Mr. Rhyan, and John A., a resident of Terre Haute, are all that survive of his marriage to Barbara Koonce, and Henry A., a resident of Fayette, is the only living repre- sentative of the second union. Six children have been born to Mr. and
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Simon Bruce Whitesell,
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Mrs. Rhyan: Elva M., deceased : Charity F., born January 1, 1852, and the wife of W. A. Shores, of Fayette township, and they have three children : John H., deceased; Mary M., born March 3. 1858, is the wife of Marcus Dyer, of Terre Haute, and they have two children, a son and daughter: Sherman L., born December 3. 1864, resides on the farm adjoining his father, and he married Nora B. May, by whom he has four children, and Channing, born in 1868, married Nora C. Hold- way, by whom he has two daughters, and the family reside in. Fayette township. Mr. John Rhyan and his family are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Rhyan has never been confined to his bed a day by sick- ness thus far on the journey of life, has never used intoxicating liquors in his life and has never attended a dance or played a game of cards. This is truly a remarkable record, and is equaled perhaps by but few.
SIMON BRUCE WIIITESELL, one of the best known and most promi- nent stock raisers of this section of the state, was born on section II, of Fayette township. Vigo county, a son of Joseph and Jane (Farnham) Whitesell. The father was born in Virginia in 1820, and in his early manhood came west and died during the early life of his son Bruce. The mother was born in Edgar county, Illinois, and of their family of eight children only three are now living: Martha, the wife of John Whalen, and they reside on the old Whitesell homestead: Simon Bruce, the subject of this review, and Josephine, the wife of Simon .Myers, of Edgar county, Illinois.
Simon Bruce Whitesell remained with his mother until he was eighteen years of age, and from that time until 1892 he farmed forty acres. At the close of that period he purchased his present home farm of one hundred and twenty acres, this being in November of 1892, and he has ever since remained here. During this time he has been very extensively interested in the raising of registered stock. He began the breeding of Poland China hogs in the latter part of the eighties, ship- ping his first male and two females from L. W. Strong in Seesville. Ohio, and he had them registered after arriving. He next bought Coun- cil's Big Model, sired by Clever Model, which was sold at one time for fifty-one hundred dollars. Mr. Whitesell exhibited Council Big Model at the second street fair ever held in Terre Haute and secured second prize. He next became owner of Onward C. (Poland China ), which at one time weighed one thousand pounds and sired several prize winners. He purchased from Woodbury, at Danville, Illinois, Zenith Chief, No. 45555. a half brother of Chief Perfection, which in his day was the highest-priced hog in America. Zenith Chief was considered the deepest-
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bodied hog in the world and had been exhibited at the Illinois state fair before becoming the property of Mr. Whitesell and won second premium. He weighed about eight hundred pounds. His next purchase was Walk- over, sired by Ideal Sunshine and bred by W. H. Walker, of Madison, Ohio. Next was Keepoff, sired by Keepon and he by Perfect Perfec- tion ; next came Ideal Tecumseh, Jr., Simp Scotter and Peter Wonder. Peter Wonder was bred by W. S. Powell, of Moline, Kansas, and sired by Wonder. He was from the Wonder family owned by Peter Mouw, the breeder of the largest Poland China hogs in the world. Peter Wonder is now at the head of Mr. Whitesell's herd.
Mr. Whitesell has also won a reputation as the breeder of good horses. His first one of note was May Queen, bought at Bellmore, Parke county, Indiana. She was a standard-bred American trotter, the sire of May Duke was Rysduke, No. 651, and he by Hambletonian, No. 10. Mr. Whitesell then bought of Samuel McKeen Old Ulva, sired by Wedge- wood. Ulva had a trotting record of 2:19. He next bought Lucy Thorn of Mr. McKeen, and later secured Axtine, No. 39478, sired by Axtell, No. 5183, time, 2:12. Axtine has no record, but is a standard-bred American trotter, and the sire of Axcoline, with a record of 2:193/4 with but sixty days' work. Mr. Whitesell also owns Belgian Prince, a draft stallion; also Spanish Cavalier (Jack), who was bred and raised in Illinois, and Brown Kimble, who was sired by Black Chief and is both a trotter and saddle horse. He is the sire of Black Cloud, a pacer with a record of 2:1912. Black Chief was bought at Bardstown, Ken- tucky, in the fall of 1907.
Mr. Whitesell also has a few registered cattle of the Jersey strain, and is extensively interested in the raising of registered fox hounds. One hound, Lemon Pie, No. 1565, is registered in the National Fox Hunters' Stud Book, and No. 8385 in the American Kennel Stud Book, was sired by Hodo, No. 638, winner of first prize in speed, first in driving, first in hunting, first in trailing and first in endurance class, also the winner of the Ed Walker cup for highest general average in the all-age stake at the National Fox Hunters' Association field tricks in 1902. Lemon Pie was the winner of the highest award at the great wolf chase at Paris, Illinois, in the fall of 1905, and was bred by Rodger D. Williams, of Lex- ington, Kentucky. Mr. Whitesell also owns Hercules, No. 2011 in the National Fox Hunters' Stud Book. He took both Lemon Pie and Her- cules to Bardstown, Kentucky, and entered them in the National Fox Hunters' Association field drive November 11, 1907, of which he has been a member during the past two years. The hunt lasted a week. Hercules was also bred by Rodger Williams, and with Lemon Pie the
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dam is the sire of six living pups, of which Mr. Whitesell owns five. He also owns Mischief Maker, sired by Hercules and the dam May, whose mother was No. 2238.
Mr. Whitesell also owned the horse Bill Pittenger, sired by Bill Hambletonian, he by Swaims Hambletonian and he by Robert Wilson, of Kentucky. The dam was Red Buck, and her mother, Morgan. Bill Pittenger was awarded first premium and sweepstakes for all purpose at the Vigo county fair in 1889.
On the 15th of July, 1875, Mr. Whitesell was united in marriage to Alice Chunn, who was born in Vermilion county, Indiana, January 27, 1855, a daughter of Thomas and a granddaughter of Major Chunn, of Indian war fame. They have three children: Joseph Woodson, who was born February 11, 1876, and is a photographer at Charleston, Illi- nois; Thomas Raymond, born January 13, 1878, married Francis Bar- bour, and resides in Fayette township, and Anna, born June 13, 1883, is the wife of Ernest Dyer, also of this township. She has two sons as has also Thomas Raymond. Mr. Whitesell votes with the Democratic party.
CHIARLES EDWARD MARRS, one of the most prominent farmers of Fayette township, was born in Edgar county, Illinois, March 22, 1867, a son of Thomas and Ellen (Blanford) Marrs, both of whom also claimed that county as the place of their nativity. The mother, born February 19, 1839, was one of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, and she died when her son Charles was but six years of age. The father, of Scotch-Irish descent, was a life-long farmer and at one time owned about three hundred acres in Edgar county. He married the second time, Mary Erwin, also a native of Edgar county, and shortly after his second marriage he went to Missouri and remained there until his death in 1901. He gave his political allegiance to the Democratic party, and served three years in the Civil war. Two children were born of his first marriage, Frank and Charles E. The elder, born April 21, 1863, lives in Oklahoma. One daughter, Jessie, was the fruit of the second marriage, and she lives in Edgar county, Illinois.
After his mother's death Charles E. Marrs went to the home of his uncle, Robert Anderson, a prominent and well known farmer of Fayette township, and for twenty years he was also a merchant in Sandford. He was an active politician, supporting the Republican party, but was never elected to office. Although a native of Ohio, he spent many years of his life in Indiana, and died here in 1894. He had no children of his own, and Mr. Marrs remained with him until he was twenty-five, in the mean- time attending the district schools and the public schools of St. Mary's.
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When he attained the age of twenty-seven he entered upon a one-year's clerkship in the dry goods house of Kleeman's at Terre Haute. during a similar period was an employe of Mr. Chas. Bowmeister in the grain and mercantile business, Terre Haute, and he then returned to his present farm, a quarter of a mile from the village of Sandford. This was for- merly the property of his uncle, and it is now one of the best improved farms of the community and contains one hundred acres. His residence is on an east and west road in a beautiful maple grove. Mr. Marrs is conceded to be one of the best farmers in Fayette township, and he has also won success as a stock raiser.
He married, November 16, 1892, Bertha Todd, born in Fayette town- ship September 17, 1874, a daughter of John and Minerva (Richey) Todd, natives of Kentucky and early pioneer residents of Vigo county. The mother is yet living. In their family were seven children: William, a farmer in Fayette township; Thomas J., of Terre Haute; Edward, deceased ; Dora, the wife of Jack Trogden, of Edgar county, Illinois ; Mrs. Marrs ; Fred, of Fayette township. and Emma, the wife of Raymond Fenton, also of Edgar county. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Marrs is Coen Ernest, born December 18, 1899. Mr. Marrs votes with the Re- publican party, and was reared in the Catholic faith. Mrs. Marrs is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
CEDELIA JOHNSON VAN HOUTIN represents a family who has long been identified with Vigo county. She is a daughter of Calvin and Mary (Bond) Johnson, and was born in Terre Haute, November 27, 1847. She attended her first term of school in that city. her teacher being a Miss Bishop, but her father removing to Edgar county, Illinois, about two miles north of Sandford, she completed her studies in the district schools there, and remained at home with her parents until she gave her hand in marriage to Angus Van Houtin. He was born in Edgar county, Illinois, October 11, 1844, a son of Alfred and Julia (Jarred) Van Houtin, and was of Holland Dutch descent. Alfred Van Houtin, born in the state of New York, followed farming throughout his entire business career and died in Illinois in 1868. The mother was a native of Ken- tucky. He afterward married Ellen Gray, and their two children were Alfred M. and Laura Glendora.
Angus Van Houtin, one of his parents' nine children, seven daugh- ters and two sons, he being the eldest of the sons, chose farming as a life occupation, and before his death was the owner of a well improved farm of three hundred and three acres, twenty-four acres of which lies just across the line in Illinois and the remainder in Fayette township, all
An guy Var Koutfii
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in one tract. He made his own way in the world from an early age, and in politics was a Republican. In 1863 he enlisted in the Civil war as a member of the Eleventh Indiana Cavalry, Company A, but after a short time became a member of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Cavalry, Com- pany K. He was never wounded during his military career, and his widow now receives a pension of twelve dollars a month in compensation for his services. He was a member of the Christian church at Liberty- ville, of which his widow and daughters are also members, and he served as its elder and trustee for a number of years, finally passing away in its faith on the 20th of June, 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Van Houtin were married on the 3d of December, 1868, and became the parents of four daughters : Mary B., born August 14, 1870, is at home with her mother ; Julia, born June 4, 1875, died November 23. 1896; Emma, born December 15. 1876, is at home, and Myrtle, born December 26, 1878, died May 4, 1902. Myrtle married Jesse Hay on June 8, 1896, but left no children.
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