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 32
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Mrs. Van Houtin yet resides on the old Van Houtin homestead of three hundred and three acres in the pleasant and commodious residence erected by her husband in 1882. It is one of the finest homes in the town- ship, being a story and a half cottage, eight rooms, built on improved plans, and the house is supplied with acetylene gas plant, etc. In the spring of 1907 she built a cement walk around the house, and the place is neat in appearance and is kept in excellent repair. In 1905 she also erected a handsome tenant house on the farm. She owns stock in the Vigo oil fields of this community. She has passed the sixtieth milestone on the journey of life, but is as active as of yore, loved and honored for her many noble characteristics.
JOHN HARRISON HOLLINGSWORTH was born where he now re- sides, in Fayette township, about four and one-half miles northeast of Sandford, December 29. 1865, and is a representative of one of Vigo county's early pioneer families. His parents, James and Mary Catherine (Dovel) Hollingsworth, were born in Virginia, near Richmond, and shortly after their marriage they came to Indiana, locating in Fayette township, Vigo county. Their first purchase of land here was a tract of eighty acres, where they at once began the erection of a log cabin and the clearing of their land. His cabin home was completed in time, and he continued to own this little farm of eighty acres during the remainder of his life. Both he and his wife were members of the Christian church. and he was a Democrat in politics. His birth occurred on the Ist of January, 1821, and his death on the 26th of May. 1877, while his wife. born November II, 1826, died May 20. 1898, aged seventy-one years. 48
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There were five children in their family, namely: George W., born October 2, 1848, in Virginia, resides in Terre Haute; Virginia L., born in the commonwealth of that name, September 28. 1850, is the wife of William Scotten, of Terre Haute; Henrietta Josephine, born March 5, 1857, in Indiana, died June 3, 1859; James V., born March 24, 1862, died September 25, 1891, and John H., the subject of this review.
John H. Hollingsworth attended the district schools of Fayette township in his youth and began for himself at the age of twenty-one. With his brother James he conducted the home farm for his mother until he was of age, and he then rented the land and farmed it during the re- mainder of her life. After her death he rented the place and later pur- chased the interest of the other heirs, thus becoming entire owner of the old homestead, embracing eighty acres; and in 1905 he purchased forty acres adjoining the home place off the Ozy Bandy farm, making the home farm one hundred and twenty acres. In addition he also bought twenty acres off the Joseph Whitesell farm. He and his brother George also own and operate another tract of eighty acres in Fayette township, known as the John Rowe farm. He also farms eighty acres adjoining the home place, now owned by his brother George, which was bought off the Joseph Whitesell farm. Farming and stock raising have been his life's occupations, and he now feeds each year a carload of cattle, about two carloads of hogs, and he also raises a good grade of draft horses and mules, keeping about twelve head of the former. In 1906 Mr. Hollings- worth erected one of the best and most modern frame residences in Fay- ette township, containing eight rooms and a basement, nicely furnished and containing all the improvements of a city home. The house is sup- plied with the acetylene light (gas) system, is heated with steam heat, and with the Leader Way Supply Water System.
He married, March 19, 1896, Kate Ward, who was born in Sulli- van county, Indiana, April 24. 1865, a daughter of Anderson and Eliza- beth Jane (Roll) Ward, of Irish and Dutch and Irish descent respectively. The father, born in Tennessee, March 21, 1818, was an ordained Christian minister, laboring principally in Indiana, and he was also a farmer. His death occurred September 22, 1884. His wife, born in Vigo county, In- diana, July 9, 1836, died March 18, 1882. They were married in this county in 1853. and became the parents of eleven children: Sarah E. and Polly, both deceased : Nancy Margie, the wife of Robert Shipley, of Terre Haute; Elizabeth E., the wife of James Boatman, of Vermilion county, Indiana ; Thomas Edward, of Sullivan county, this state : Kate, now Mrs. Hollingsworth ; Jennie F., the wife of Hulse French, of Pier- son township, Vigo county ; John B., of Sullivan county; Mattie A.,
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the wife of George Gagne, of Chicago; Lourena H., the wife of Frate Liston, also of Sullivan county, and Maggie C., the wife of Riley Dodd, of the same county. All of the children attended the district schools, and some, including Mrs. Hollingsworth, were also students in the State Normal School at Terre Haute. She taught during twelve terms in this and Sullivan counties. Mr. and Mrs. Hollingsworth have one child, Leah Ward, born September 6, 1897. This little daughter, at the age of ten years, completed all the studies in the sixth grade of the public school. Mrs. Hollingsworth is a member of the Christian church.
HENRY MARION SHORES, one of Fayette township's leading farmers and stock raisers, was born on the old Shores homestead in this town- ship, October 8, 1844, a son of Meredith and Frankie L. (Tiser) Shores, both of whom were born in North Carolina, near Raleigh, the father in 1807 and the mother in 1813. Meredith Shores came alone to Indiana after reaching the age of maturity, first entering eighty acres of land in section 8, Fayette township, and he later bought a little tract of forty acres. This was the nucleus of the large estate of two hundred and fifty-four acres which he owned at the time of his death and on which his widow now resides. While in North Carolina he was a distiller, but after coming to Vigo county he enrolled his name among its leading farmers. He enlisted for service during the Mexican war, but on ac- count of an accident was unable to go to the front, and his death oc- curred shortly after the close of the conflict. Mrs. Shores came to Indiana with her parents, Frederick and Elizabeth Tiser, in 1823, the father purchasing a little tract of eighty acres in Fayette township, and here they spent the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Shores was their only child, and she yet resides on the old homestead which her husband cul- tivated and improved, having passed the ninety-fourth milestone on the journey of life, and she is now the oldest person in the township, if not in the county. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Shores, namely: . Letitia, the wife of Samuel Livingston, of Champaign county, Illinois ; Matilda, the widow of Dewitt Shirley, and resides at New Goshen ; Mary Jane and Louise, deceased ; William A., with his mother on the homestead farm: Henry M., the subject of this review, and Sophia and James P., both deceased.
Henry M. Shores remained at home until his enlistment for the Civil war in August, 1863, entering the One Hundred and Fifteenth Indiana Infantry, with which he served until in February, 1864. In October of the same year he became a member of the Eighteenth Indiana Battery, and continued as a soldier until the 3d of July, 1865, when he
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was mustered out. He served as a high private, and now draws a pen- sion of twenty-four dollars a month. Mr. Shores took part in the battles of Nashville and Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Selma and West Point, Alabama. and was then in the famous march to the sea and at Macon, Georgia. After returning from the front he began farming for himself, and now owns eighty acres in Vermilion county, Indiana, one hundred and seventy-three acres in Arkansas and one hundred and twenty-six acres and his homestead of eighty-six acres in Fayette township. Vigo county. He has built the attractive residence and barn which now adorn the home farm, and it also contains the largest orchard in the township. He raises the registered Duroc Jersey hogs. He is a Democrat and a member of Shirley Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at New Goshen.
On the Ist of August, 1867, Mr. Shores was married to Emma R. Rhyan, born in Fayette township, August 20, 1847, and a member of one of its honored pioneer families. Their five children are Maggie, born November 24, 1868, died October 4, 1877: William E., born September 2, 1871, married Emma Ward, by whom he has two sons and one daugh- ter, and the family reside in Terre Haute; Frank Leroy, born December 22, 1872, married Elpha Popham, by whom he has two sons and two daughters, and he resides on one of his father's farms; Henry Raymond, born October 10, 1874. died February 6, 1875, and Marion Welcome, born October 10, 1890, is attending the high school at Clinton. Mr. and Mrs. Shores are members of the United Brethren church.
MRS. JANE (RICHEY) TODD .- The name of Richey is prominently associated with the early and much of the subsequent history of Vigo county, and Mrs. Jane Richey Todd was born on the farm in section 27, Fayette township, on which her parents had established their home in the early forties. Her natal day was the Ioth of June, 1844, and her parents, John and Mary (Wilson) Richey, both of whom were born in Kentucky, and they were respectively of Dutch and Irish descent. Shortly after their marriage in their native state they came to Indiana, where, as above stated, they located on what afterward became known as the old Richey homestead in the early forties. Mr. Richey first purchased one hundred acres of timber land, which in time he cleared and im- proved and became one of the prominent farmers of the community. He voted with the Whig party, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. The death of this prominent old Vigo county pioneer occurred on the 12th of December, 1856, and he was survived by his widow for many years, she surviving until the 21st of December, 1885. Mrs. Todd was the younger of their two children, her sister being Lorinda, the wife of John Mickelberry, and they reside in Montana.
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Mrs. Todd was born and has spent her entire life on the old Richey homestead, attending in her youth the pay schools of this locality, and on the 18th of July, 1861, she gave her hand in marriage to John P. Todd. He was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, November 2, 1834, of Scotch- Irish ancestry, and had resided in Vigo county but a short time before his marriage. Some time in the sixties he purchased the interests of the heirs in the Richey estate, and later became the owner of another tract of forty acres, his landed possessions at time of his death consisting of a quarter section. He was a very successful farmer, and made nearly every dollar he owned by his own unaided efforts. He was a member of the United Brethren church, as is also his widow, and in their family were seven children: William, born June 20, 1862, is a resident farmer of Fayette township; he married Flora Hussong, and they have five chil- dren. Thomas, born March 31, 1865, maintains his home in Terre Haute ; he married Carrie Graham and has three children. Edward was born June 9, 1867, and died December 19, 1888. Dora E., born November 6, 1871, became the wife of Jack Trogden, of Edgar county, Illinois, and they have two children. Bertha A., born September 17, 1874, is the wife of C. E. Marrs. Emma E., born June 16, 1883, is the wife of Raymond Finton, of Edgar county, Illinois. Fred C., the sixth in order of birth, was born January 9, 1879, and has always remained on the homestead farm. On attaining his twenty-first year he went to Wyoming and worked on a cattle ranch for a little over a year, being finally persuaded to return home, and he has ever since lived with his mother and farmed the homestead. He married Jessie Vermillion and they have a son and two daughters. He supports the principles of the Democratic party. His wife is a member of the United Brethren church.
CALVIN HOUK, one of the prominent agriculturists and stock farm- ers of Riley township, was born in Clay county, Indiana, near Bowling Green, November 16, 1854. His father, John Houk, a deceased farmer and prominent early resident of Clay county, had his nativity in Virginia, but after attaining to young manhood he left the Old Dominion state and came to Indiana, entering a farm of eighty acres in the woods of Clay county. So dense were the forests at that time that he had to clear a space sufficient to erect his little home, and in time he cleared his tract of eighty acres, and also added thereto one hundred and sixty acres adjoining. It was here in Clay county that he was married to Lina Crouse, who was born in North Carolina, but when a child her family home was established in Clay county, where she was reared to mature years. Thirteen children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Houk, but five of
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the number are now deceased. The husband and father spent the re- mainder of his life on the farm he evolved from a wilderness to fertile and well tilled fields. He was a Republican and a worthy member of the United Brethren church.
Their sixth child was Calvin Houk, who spent his boyhood and youth on the homestead farm, but when he was twenty-four he went to Minnesota and farmed there for nineteen years. It was in 1899 that he returned to Indiana, and purchasing his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres he has lived here ever since, but in the meantime has enlarged the acreage by purchasing eighty-nine and a half acres more and with the advancing years has placed his fields under an excellent state of cultivation.
Mr. Houk married, in 1891, Louvina Bolman, who was born and reared in Owen county, Indiana, and of the two sons born of this union the younger died in infancy, leaving Carl, their first born, their only child. Mr. Houk has given a life-long support to the Republican party, and is an active worker in local politics. He and wife are members of the United Brethren church.
WILLIAM C. Fox has attained prominence in the business life of Riley in many lines, and he is also a representative of a family which have been prominently identified with the varied interests of Riley town- ship since an early epoch in its history. It was in the spring of 1859 that John F. Fox sought a home within its borders, and purchasing a farm of two hundred and eighty-two acres he cleared and improved the most of his land, in time becoming the owner of a large and valuable home- stead, and there he resided during the remainder of his life. His death resulted from the kick of a horse.
John Fox, a son of John F. Fox, was born in Hamilton, Ohio, September 7, 1846, and coming with his father to Vigo county he com- pleted his education in the schools of Riley township and then farmed until his marriage. He left the farm to engage in the grocery business in Riley, but previous to this time he was for five years in the saloon business, and after a time he added a grocery department to his dry goods store, continuing the grocery part of the business for ten years, and it was not until 1890 that he sold his dry goods store and engaged in the undertaking business. The building which his son William occupies is one of the old landmarks. of the town. In 1899, after a long identifica- tion with the business interests of Riley, he retired from the activities of life, his son William succeeding him in business. He is a life-long Democrat and a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity. On November 23. 1894, was celebrated the marriage of John Fox and Julia Heiselman.
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She was born in Wabash county, Indiana, in 1851, and was of German descent, as is also her husband, and in their family were four children, three daughters and a son, but one is now deceased and all were born in Riley.
William C. Fox, their third child and only son, was born on the 17th of October, 1875, has spent his entire life in his native town of Riley, and is now one of its leading merchants, undertakers and livery men. In 1902 he added a confectionery and ice cream business to his other manifold interests, and his livery barn was opened in the spring of 1907. He is thus accorded a prominent place in the business life of Riley, and is carrying forward to successful completion the work so well begun by his father. He is a Democrat politically and a past grand of the Odd Fellows fraternity, Lockport Lodge, No. 500, at Riley, Indiana, and Mrs. Fox has been through all the chairs of Rula Rebekah Lodge. No. 251, of which Mr. Fox is also a member.
Mr. Fox married, March 9, 1902, Miss Myrtle Meighen, who was also born and reared in Vigo county, where her father, John Meighen, was for many years of his life a farmer. Two children, a son and a daughter, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fox, Blinn and Virginia.
HENRY LEE .- One of the earliest families making permanent settle- ment in Vigo county were the Lees. For almost three quarters of a century they have been identified with the agricultural interests of this community, aiding materially in the development of its resources and taking an active part in all movements for the welfare of the majority. As early as 1831 a little party consisting of Henry Lee and his family might have been observed making the journey to Vigo county, and arriv- ing at their destination, the head of the family entered several hundred acres of land in Riley township, on which he built the little log cabin typical of the early days here, and began the work of preparing his land for the plow. He was both a Whig and a Republican and was an active worker in party ranks. His death occurred at the age of seventy-two years. Mr. Lee had married in Virginia a Miss Dunham, and of their ten children all grew to mature years, married and became farmers of Riley township.
David S. Lee, the youngest of the ten children, was born in Ohio in 1812, and for one year after starting out in life for himself he farmed the old homestead in Riley township, and he then traded that land for the farm on which he spent the remainder of his life, owning about six hun- dred acres at one time. For ten years he served as a justice of the peace. and he died at the age of seventy-two years, a consistent and faithful
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member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In Riley township, in 1834, he married Anna Ferril, who was born in Ohio in 1816, and was a member of the Ferril family of Vigo county pioneer fame. Their emi- gration here antedated that of almost any other family, for it was in the early year of 1818 that they established their home within its borders, and in Riley township Mrs. Lee was reared and educated. She died at the same age as her husband to the day. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lee, but only seven, three sons and four daughters, reached mature years, and all were born and reared in Riley township.
Henry Lee, the eldest of his parents' seven children, was born in Riley township, March 2, 1837, and after many years devoted to the tilling of its soil he is now living retired within its borders. He received his educational training in its early pioneer schools, and at the time of his marriage he bought a little tract of one hundred and eighty acres, but with the advancing years he added to its acreage until he was at one time the owner of over three hundred acres, all of which he cleared, im- proved and cultivated. But in 1905 he laid aside the active cares of a business life and moved to the home he had purchased in the little village of Riley.
On the 17th of January, 1861. Mr. Lee married Nancy Hixson, who was born and reared on a farm in Clay county, Indiana. Her father, John Hixson, was one of the early pioneers of that locality, where he had moved from Clermont county, Ohio, but he was a native son of Virginia. Six children, five sons and one daughter, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lee, but two died in infancy, and those living are Viola, Charles M., Ray and Lou. All were born in Riley township, and all are married and are farming people. The eldest daughter. Viola, is the wife of Chris Fox. Mr. Lee is a Republican and a member of the United Brethren church.
RAY LEE .- The history of the Lee family in Vigo county dates back to the year of 1818, and from that early day to the present its represen- tatives have been prominently identified with its agricultural and other interests. Henry Lee, a retired farmer of Riley, was for many years one of the most prominent agriculturists of Riley township, where he was also born, as was his son Ray, his birthday being the 25th of June, 1874. He was reared to manhood's estate on the old home farm there, receiving his educational training in the district schools of the neighborhood. At the time of his marriage he located on his present estate of ninety-five acres in Riley township, on which he has made all of its improvements, and he makes a specialty of the buying and shipping of fat stock. In
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both departments of his business he has met with a well merited degree of success, and he well upholds the honored name which he bears.
By his marriage to Mina G. Green on the 21st of October, 1896, he united two of Vigo county's oldest and most prominent families. She is a daughter of Thomas Green, who has long held a leading place among the foremost citizens of Riley township, and she was born here August 17, 1877. Of their four children, three sons and a daughter, one died in infancy, and those living are : Kenneth, born May 26, 1900; Wayne, born October 25, 1903, and Helen, born July 31, 1907. All were born on the homestead farm in Riley township. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise, Mr. Lee has supported the principles of the Repub- lican party. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 449, and the Knights of Pythias, Castle Hall No. 171, and of the United Brethren church. Mrs. Lee is a member of the Pythian Sisters.
THOMAS GREEN .- Among the first families to establish a home within the borders of Vigo county was the one now represented in Riley town- ship by Thomas Green. His paternal grandfather, also named Thomas, during the formative period of this community, entered a tract of land here and built one of the primitive log cabins of the early day. And to him belongs the honor of having conducted the first mill ever built in the township, he for many years operating both a saw and grist mill. He was a natural mechanic and followed the trade in connection with his farming and milling. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. In 1839 he moved from the community which he had helped to build and spent the remainder of his life in southwestern Missouri. His political affiliations were with the Democratic party.
Alexander Green, the sixth of the ten children, seven sons and three daughters, of Thomas Green, was born in Maryland in 1808, and from his native state he moved to Ohio and thence to Vincennes, Indiana, in 1818. In the same year he came to Vigo county and located in Riley township, one-half mile east of the village of Riley. After the death of his father he farmed the old Green homestead here until he bought a place in Lost Creek township, but later returning to Riley township en- tered one hundred and twenty acres of what is now known as the old Green estate, cleared and cultivated it, and at the same time added to its boundaries until at the time of his death he owned two hundred acres. He was a Republican and a Methodist, and was well known and honored throughout the county of Vigo. His death occurred when he had reached the age of seventy-six years. The maiden name of his wife was Anna Robertson, and they were married in Riley township. She was born in
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Washington county, Indiana, in 1814, and in 1816 her parents moved to Fort Harrison Prairie, where she was reared and educated. She was a daughter of John Robertson, another of the pioneer residents of Vigo county. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Green two died in infancy.
Thomas Green, the fourth child, was born in Riley township, October 17, 1841, and his education was received in the primitive schools of its pioneer days. At the death of his father he inherited a part of the old home farm, and he has not only cleared and improved the tract which was left him but has also added to its acreage and he is now the owner of a fine estate of two hundred and fifty-eight acres. At the opening of the Civil war in 1861 he enlisted in the Thirty-first Indiana Volunteer In- fantry and served as a soldier for three years, in that time participating with the Thirty-first in all of its battles until he was finally discharged on the 15th of September, 1864. He suffered a severe wound at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and again in 1863 he lost the sight of one eye in battle. On the 19th of September of that year, after sufficiently recover- ing, he returned to his regiment and served out his allotted time. He is a Republican and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Leslie Post, No. 410, Department of Indiana.
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