USA > Indiana > Boone County > History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume II > Part 13
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Mr. Howard was born in Clinton township, Boone county, December 21, 1843. He is a son of John and Margaret (Alexander) Howard, the former a native of Mason county, Kentucky, and the latter of Pennsylvania. After their marriage they settled in Rush county, Indiana, their marriage having taken place in Kentucky. Later they came to Clinton township, Boone county, in 1835, thus being among the early settlers, and entered land from the government. It was covered with a dense growth of timber, but this Mr. Howard cleared and improved a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, and here spent the rest of his life, dying September 20, 1870, his wife surviving only a month, her death occurring on October 22, 1870. Eight children were born to them, five now living, namely: Cynthia A. died February 8, 1914; Mary J. is the widow of Lauderic Wilson, of Kokomo, Indiana; John W. lives at Ottawa, Kansas; James A., who was a soldier in
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the Civil war, was killed in the battle of Chickamauga; William J. died in 1897 at Lexington, Missouri; Henry W. lives on the homestead of his par- ents ; Addison Lane lives in Lebanon, Indiana; Richard W., of this review, is the youngest of the family.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood on the home farm which he helped develop from the wilderness, and he received his education in the early day schools; however, that was limited and he is principally self-educated, having been a diligent reader all his life and is now a well informed man on current topics. During the Civil war he remained at home and took care of his parents. In 1865 he went to Vermilion county, Illinois, where he had a wealthy aunt, and conducted her farm for six years, with the exception of one year when he was overseer of a large farm in that vicinity. He then returned to Boone county, locating in Marion township and was married January 22, 1870 to Frances H. Lane who was born in Marion township, and was reared and educated here. She is a daughter of William and Mahala (Sims) Lane, natives of Indiana. After his marriage Mr. Howard lived in a house on his father-in-law's farm, which place he worked and divided the crop. In 1871 he traded for forty acres in section 8, Marion township, mostly unimproved, but he cleared and improved it and lived there three years, then added forty acres more to it, which was also unimproved ; this he cleared and placed under cultivation, and as he prospered he kept add- ing to his farm until he became owner of one hundred and twenty acres of valuable land, all of which he cultivated with the exception of twenty-seven acres, and he has continued to reside thereon, carrying on general farming and stock raising, and he has a good set of buildings on his place. However, since 1895, he has merely superintended his place, leaving the hard work for others. He is one of the leading mule raisers in the county, his fine mules always finding a very ready market owing to their superior quality.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Howard : Charles C., of Marion township; Maud is the wife of William C. Woodruff, and they live on our subject's farm; Bertha D. is the wife of Charles Kouns, of Union township, Boone county. These children were all educated in the local schools and are well situated in life.
Politically, Mr. Howard votes independently. He was superintendent of the county farm one year and was constable of his township for two years, filling these positions with satisfaction to all concerned. Fraternally, he be-
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longs to the Improved Order of Red Men, No. 117 at Sheridan, Indiana. He and his wife are members of the Christian church. When they were mar- ried, forty-three years ago, there were very few roads in this vicinity, the Michigan road being about the only one of consequence. Since that early day Mr. Howard has helped put through and gravel all roads in this locality, and helps to keep them improved, has also been an advocate of ditching, and has done much for public improvements in every way.
ELWOOD THOMPSON HARRIS.
Those who know Elwood Thompson Harris well are not surprised that he has won success at his chosen vocation, that of tilling the soil, for he is a man who has been a close student of whatever pertains to his chosen life work, believing that the best methods are none too good. He has kept the old home place in Jefferson township, Boone county, in fine condition, so that it has retained its old-time richness of soil and the same abundant crops are usually gathered from its fields. He has considered himself fortunate, and indeed he might well do so, that he has been permitted to spend his life on the old home place, for, as a famous writer said long ago, "There is no place like home," and also because the home of our subject happened to be in a country greatly favored by nature. It is true that it took a great deal of hard work to get this county into proper shape for agricultural purposes, but once in condition, there is no better.
Mr. Harris was born on the farm where he now lives in section 13, Jefferson township, Boone county, January 1, 1854. He is a son of Mathew Thompson Harris and Martha (Ferguson) Harris. The father was born in Georgia in February, 1816, and the birth of the mother occurred in Jan- uary, 1816, in Union county, Indiana. The father was fourteen years of age when, about 1830, he left his native state in the Southland and made the long overland journey to Boone county, Indiana, with Adrian Ball, his brother-in-law. They rented land for about a year, then Mr. Ball took up a claim of eighty acres in Sugar Creek township, which they worked until Mr. Harris was old enough to enter land, which he did, entering eighty acres, which he sold, later entering another eighty farther east, then bought two
MARTHA FERGUSON HARRIS
MATHEW T. HARRIS, Deceased
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hundred and forty acres, which a Mr. Walker had entered from the govern- ment ; however, it had not been improved, further than that a log cabin and a log stable had been built on it and sixteen acres had been cleared. The tract was heavily timbered with walnut, oak, sugar maple, etc. Mr. Harris went to work with a will and cleared eighty acres, placed it under cultivation and built a frame house in 1850, and about eight years later a large frame barn, which is still standing. He prospered, becoming one of the leading farmers of the township and at the time of his death owned four hundred acres, all in Boone county. His death occurred in December, 1860. He mar- ried Martha Ferguson in January, 1826. She was a daughter of William Ferguson, one of the very early settlers of Boone county. The death of Mrs. Harris occurred in Thorntown, August 18, 1891. After her husband's death she remained on the home place with her family until about 1888, when she moved to Thorntown. To Mathew T. Harris and wife eight children were born, namely: Judith J. married Samuel Laughlin, deceased: William F. married Alice Potts, a native of Boone county ; both died, leaving three chil- dren, Frederick and Eva, living in Oklahoma, and Colorado, respectively, and May, who died when seventeen years of age; Martha J. married Michael Campbell, now deceased; she is living in Syracuse, Nebraska, and has six children living; Sarah died in 1860; Robert died at the age of fourteen; Mary and Hannah both died in infancy; Elwood T., of this review, is the youngest of the family.
Our subject grew to manhood on the home farm and received his edu- cation in the district schools. After the death of his father, he remained with his mother on the homestead. On February 20, 1878, he married Mary Ellen Messmore, a native of Grant county, Indiana, who was born April II. 1855, and is a daughter of Albert and Jane Messmore, who were early settlers of Shelby county, removing to Grant county about 1864. The mother died some twenty years ago, but the father is still living, having attained the advanced age of ninety years, and is remarkably hale and hearty. Our sub- ject assisted in the management of the home place after his father's death, and he has been very successful as a general farmer, his place of one hundred and sixty acres having been well kept and well tilled, and he also owns a half interest with his sister of a two hundred and forty acre farm in another section in this township. This land they started to purchase some thirty
(45)
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years ago, buying it in several tracts. All this land is under excellent im- provements, including about one thousand rods of tiling. On his present place, in section 13, he erected a large frame residence in 1892, and has also built other good buildings. He feeds stock extensively from year to year, shipping large numbers of cattle and hogs to the market, usually feeding about one hundred head of cattle and two hundred head of hogs. He is one of our leading agriculturists and stock men.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Harris: Mathew T., born April 8, 1879, is in business in Thorntown; Roxie Jane, born May 31, 1881, married Ernest McKern, a groceryman of Thorntown, and to them one child, Lillian, has been born, the date of her birth being May 18. 1905; Glenn died in infancy.
Formerly Mr. Harris was a Republican, but is now a Progressive. He has long been more or less influential in local public affairs, however is not especially active in political matters. He and Mrs. Harris are highly es- teemed in their community for their upright, industrious and wholesome lives, both being fine examples of self-culture, having become well educated principally through their own efforts.
WILLIAM H. BOWMAN.
The final causes which shape the fortunes of individual men and the destinies of states are often the same. They are usually remote and obscure; their influence wholly unexpected until declared by results. When they in- spire men to the exercise of courage, self-denial, enterprise, industry, and call into play the higher moral elements ; lead men to risk all upon conviction, faith-such causes lead to the planting of great states, great nations, great peoples. That state or county is the greatest which produces the most useful, most manly men, and the intrinsic safety depends not so much upon methods and measures as upon that true manhood from whose deep sources all that is precious and permanent in life must at last proceed. Such a result may not be consciously contemplated by the individuals instrumental in the produc- tion of a country ; pursuing each his personal good by exalted means, they work out his as a logical result; they have wrought on the lines of the greatest
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good. When the life of one such individual ends, we look back over the pathway he had trod and note its usefulness-its points worthy of emulation and perpetuation. What the late William H. Bowman, one of the most progressive and highly honored citizens of Boone county of a past genera- tion, did for his fellow men and the community in general might, in a manner, be told in words, but in its far-reaching influence, cannot be measured. He tried to keep in close touch with the forward movement of the people, and from a sincere and deepfelt interest in the general welfare, labored for all that would prove of public benefit until the busy and useful life was ended, and he was called to the reward of the just.
Mr. Bowman was born May 15, 1835, and he was called to his eternal rest on January 30, 1903, on the home place north of Advance, in Jefferson township, Boone county. He is a son of Henry and Catherine (Airhart) Bowman. The father came from Virginia in a very early day, bringing his family overland, which consisted of his wife and five children, Elizabeth, Nancy, Sarah, John C. and Pollie R., all of whom were born in the Old Dominion. The family located in section 6, Jefferson township, Boone county, buying eighty acres, all timbered land. On this the elder Bowman erected a log cabin, cleared and improved his land and became a successful farmer, and here he reared his family. His log cabin gave way to a pre- tentious frame residence in due course of time, and, as he prospered he added to his original purchase until at the time of his death he owned about three hundred and forty acres. Two of his children were born in this county, William H., of this sketch; and Rebecca, the youngest of the family, who married Daniel Brown, one of the early settlers of Boone county.
William H. Bowman was reared on the home farm, and, like all children of pioneers, he worked hard assisting to clear and develop the homestead, and he received the usual educational advantages of those early times, which were by no means liberal. However, in later life he became a well-informed man by extensive home reading. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, then hired out at farm work for several years, then married Nancy Jane Farlow, who was born January 9, 1837 in Jackson township, Boone county. She is a daughter of George and Mary (Martin) Farlow, both natives of Indiana, where they grew up and were married and were early settlers in Boone county, where Mr. Farlow purchased forty acres north « of Advance, where he reared his family, of which Mrs. Bowman was the
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oldest, there being thirteen children in all, of whom only three besides Mrs. Bowman are now living-Mrs. Jacob Harlan, of Boone county ; A. Farlow, of Indianapolis ; and George Farlow, who lives in the state of Oregon. Mrs. Bowman was reared and educated in her native community and she remained at home until her father's second marriage, which took place late in life, and she went out to support herself, which she did successfully until her marriage to Mr. Bowman, of this memoir. After his marriage Mr. Bowman rented land for about three years, then bought eighty acres of his father in section 6, Jefferson township, and went to farming in earnest. Eleven acres were cleared, and he cleared the balance, and he added to his original holdings, and bought and sold, as he prospered through the exercise of sound judgment and good management until at the time of his death he owned over two hundred acres of valuable land, forty acres of which was in Montgomery county. This land included the old Bowman homestead, which our subject bought back from others after having been sold with his father's estate. Our sub- ject was a good farmer in every sense of the word and then kept live stock, provided a pleasant home for himself and wife and was one of the leading men of his community. The union of our subject and wife was without issue. He was a worthy member of the Christian church.
Politically, Mr. Bowman was a Democrat all his life. However, he was not active in political affairs, being a great home man. After his death Mrs. Bowman remained on the home place about a year and a half when she moved to Advance and purchased a commodious home, which is tastily furnished and well-kept and in this she is spending her declining years in comfort and sur- rounded by plenty. She is enjoying excellent health, is well-preserved and appears much younger than her age would indicate. She has been a con- sistent member of the Christian church at Old Providence since she was eigh- teen years old. However, she recently transferred her membership to the church of this denomination at Advance. Mr. Bowman was a deacon in the old Providence church for many years up to the time of his death, and, like his good life companion, was very active in church work. Mrs. Bowman rents her fine farm of two hundred acres, and she attends to all her business affairs and lives alone. She is a strong-minded and well-read lady of splendid Christian character, and she and her lamented husband have done an incalcul- able amount of good in their community.
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WILLIAM JEFFERSON DARNELL.
In William Jefferson Darnell, widely-known attorney of Jamestown, Boone county, we find evidence of a peculiar characteristic that always makes for advancement-persistency, coupled with fortitude and lofty traits, and as a result of such a life Mr. Darnell has long enjoyed prestige as one of the representative professional men in a community noted for the high order of its talents.
He was born on March 5, 1847, in Hendricks county, Indiana. He is a son of Capt. William H. and Mathilda (Swain) Darnell, both natives of Kentucky. The father was a Baptist minister, and he came to Indiana in 1832, locating in Hendricks county, on timbered land north of Danville, clearing his three hundred and twenty acres and developing a good farm, but all the while continued preaching. In 1864 he came to Boone county, after having spent five years in Montgomery county. He was a man of industry and had accumulated over seven hundred acres in Hendricks county, which he later sold and invested in one hundred and sixty acres in Montgomery county, selling that when he moved to Boone county and invested in eighty acres in Jackson township where he lived until 1869 when he moved to Jamestown, remaining here until his wife's death in 1876, when he returned to Montgomery county, and there married a Mrs. Dewey, who lived but a short time, and after her death he married Susan Robinson, and they spent the rest of their lives in Montgomery county, dying in 1892. He owned con- siderable in Crawfordsville, Jamestown and elsewhere. By his first mar- riage eleven children were born, all growing to maturity, William J., of this sketch being the seventh in order of birth; James is farming in Jackson township, this county; Charles H. is also farming in this county; Mrs. Ida Ashley is the wife of John H. Ashley and they reside in Jamestown; Nathan T., a contractor and builder, lives in Louisville, Kentucky; Harriett lives in Indianapolis and is the widow of Elwood James; Mrs. Louisa M. Youel died leaving three children, Ernest, Daisy and Emma, who married Charles W. Fried: Milton S. is farming in Putnam county; Henry is a merchant in Montgomery county ; Mrs. Georgia Shirk, deceased, lived in Crawfordsville and left three children, Clara, Ora and Edward; Charles H. lives in James- town and is a stock dealer and farmer.
William J. Darnell, of this sketch, received his early education in the
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common schools and at Wesley Chapel in Montgomery county. He re- mained at home until he was twenty-two years of age, when he married Kate George, of Indianapolis, May 18, 1870. She is a daughter of James and Sarah (Shields) George. Mr. George was a merchant in Indianapolis, where his death occurred during the Civil war. The mother's death oc- curred at the home of our subject in Jamestown where she had made her home after he married her daughter. In 1870 Mr. Darnell opened a shoe store in Jamestown which he managed five years, during which time he was reading law with Peterson & Lockhart, a prominent law firm of Jamestown. He was admitted to the bar in 1875 and has practiced law ever since in this city with the exception of 1895-6 when he resided in Lebanon, in partner- ship with Noah Loffrin, now deceased. He has been very successful as an attorney, and has won an especially wide reputation as a criminal lawyer, and has enjoyed a place in the front ranks of his professional brethren for more than thirty-five years in Boone county, during which he has kept fully abreast of the times, remaining a close student. He was associated with Samuel M. Ralston, present governor of Indiana, in the famous William Miller case, being retained by the defense, winning the case and establishing a precedent which set aside a state statute by appeal to the supreme court. Mr. Darnell has been admitted to the bar in seven states, Indiana. Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky and Alabama. He has traveled extensively, in- cluding a trip to Mexico in 1912-13, and was captured by the "red flaggers," a band of rebels, but was finally released and returned to Jaurez. Formerly he was an active. Republican, but since the organization of the Progressive party he has been loyal in his support of it. He has long been active and influential in local public affairs, and in 1895-6 was deputy prosecuting attorney of Boone county. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Luther Lodge No. 227, also the Encampment at Jamestown. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at James- town.
To Mr. and Mrs. Darnell the following children have been born, namely : Oscar, born 1871, died in 1884; Florence, born in 1873, married J. F. Hall, formerly a business man of Jamestown, now of Los Angeles, California, and they have four children, Richard, Ina, John and Margaret; George, born in 1883 is an attorney, publisher and musician, editor of the Jamestown Press; he married Elsie Heath, of Boone county ; he is also practicing law with his
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father, under the firm name of Darnell & Darnell; Wilbur F. was born in 1887 and is a druggist at Bargersville, Indiana; he married Blanche Jackson, a native of Boone county, and they have one child, George. Kate, the youngest of our subject's children was born September 26, 1890 and was married May 18, 1910 to Gene Camplin. She was a graduate of the North Salem high school and attended the Central Normal College at Danville, Indiana, and taught school in Hendricks county prior to her marriage. She has one child, Darnell, who is one year old.
The father of our subject was a captain during the Mexican war. He assisted in raising a regiment in 1848 in Hendricks county, and was appointed captain, however the regiment was not called on for active service, but was enlisted and given proper credit, was drilled and ready for the front.
GEORGE A. EVERETT.
Agriculture should be the best conducted business in the world, as all other business interests are dependent on it. In the soil is the source of our wealth, and from it we must get the money to carry on any other business. As life itself is more important than the conveniences of living, so is agri- culture more important to the nation than other interests which have re- ceived much attention in the past. But just now there is a great deal being said about agricultural congresses, experiment stations, farm experts and the like, with a view of benefiting the different agricultural sections of the United States, consequently the farmers everywhere being benefited, all the people will feel the result in that these movements make more secure their opportunities to live. So every person should give his unqualified endorse- ment to movements that assure his country of a sufficient supply of food, for no nation can attain to the highest state of civilization with an underfed population.
One of the farmers of Boone county who is not only always ready to encourage any movement for the betterment of general farming but who is quick to adopt such new methods as are applicable in this locality is George A. Everett, of Perry township. He was born in Marion county, Indiana, May 7, 1855, and is a son of John and Susan (White) Everett, both natives
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of England, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married, and later emigrated to Albany, New York, near which place the father worked on a farm two years, then moved to Marion county, Indiana, where he and his family maintained their home until the spring of 1865, when they moved to Brown township, Hendricks county, and there the death of John Everett occurred in 1871, and there his widow still lives, being now ninety years of age, her birth having occurred June 12, 1824. The date of her husband's birth was 1819. The following children were born to them: William E., of Hendricks county ; John died in 1873; Amy lives with her mother; George A., of this sketch; Sanford lives in Hendricks county.
George A. Everett received a meager education in the public schools. which he left at the age of thirteen years. He remained with his widowed mother until his marriage on December 25, 1879 to Julia Edwards, who was born in Eel River township, Hendricks county, Indiana, and is a daughter of John K. and Jane (Pateman) Edwards, the father a native of Perry township, Boone county, and the mother a native of Eel River township, Hendricks county. John K. Edwards lived all his life in Perry township, with the exception of four years spent in Hendricks county. He was a suc- cessful farmer and was well liked by his neighbors. The paternal grand- parents were William and Susan (Turner) Edwards, both natives of Ken- tucky, from which state they came to Boone county, Indiana in an early day, reaching here in February, 1834, and here they established their home in the woods, their neighbors being few. Mrs. Everett grew to womanhood in her native community and was educated there.
After his marriage Mr. Everett resided in Hendricks county for a period of thirteen years, then bought eighty acres in Perry township, Boone county, an improved farm. Here he prospered and added to his original purchase until he now owns a productive and valuable farm of one hundred and ninety acres, all well improved, except three acres of timber. He has a good home and outbuildings and keeps a good grade of live stock. The mother of Mrs. Everett died January 25, 1913, since which time Mr. Ed- wards has made his home with his son in Arkansas.
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