History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume II, Part 17

Author: Crist, L. M. (Leander Mead), 1837-1929
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : A.W. Bowen
Number of Pages: 522


USA > Indiana > Boone County > History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume II > Part 17


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The union of our subject and wife has resulted in the birth of two chil- dren, Arthur, born November 2, 1880, died in 1910; Harold, born November II, 1887, died also in 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Stall are leaders in the affairs of their community and have a wide circle of friends.


NEWTON CARTER. .


The principal thing which humanity everywhere is seeking is happiness. The happiness we wish may come from causes over which we have no control and from other causes which may be determined by ourselves. Broadly speaking, the farmer is in a position to be the happiest man in the world, at least, most farmers are in position to be happy, and if they are not the fault very often lies within themselves. The causes of happiness over which we have no control may be a favorable cropping season, a freedom from disaster or calamity, or any combination of favorable circumstances which minister to our temporal or physical well-being ; these are all evidences of Divine favor, the origin of which should not escape notice. The happiness which is deter-


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mined by ourselves comes as a by-product of our generous treatment of others. One cannot become happy by simply determining to be so; he must do some- thing for others. The happiness we give others will come back to our own lives as one of our choicest possessions. Financial prosperity, like happi- ness, may spring from a combination of favorable circumstances over which we have no control, or it may come from our own wisely directed endeavor. The mere possession of wealth may not bring happiness, but the right use of wealth almost invariably does. One of the successful farmers of Boone county, who has lived along those lines which bring contentment as well as material blessings is Newton Carter, proprietor of Blue Grass Ridge Farm, in Eagle township.


Mr. Carter was born October 15, 1854 in Eagle township, Boone county. He is a son of Richard Carter, a native of Kentucky, in which state the family settled early. His father, Henry Carter, was a native of Virginia, where the family lived in the olden days, and its members fought in our early wars. The Carter family located in Hendricks county, Indiana in 1836, locating in the dense forest, and here established a comfortable home by their industry. Richard Carter was young when he came to this locality and here he grew up. helped clear the land and here he married Catherine Vorhis, when he was twenty-three years old, and to them the following children were born, namely : Eliza Jane is deceased; Allen was a soldier in the Civil war, in the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and he was held for some time a prisoner in the South; Sarah married a Mr. Gregg and lives in Zionsville; Martha married William Shaw and lives in Eagle town- ship; Newton of this sketch; Arthur died when forty-five years old, leaving a widow; one child died in infancy, unnamed. The death of the father of the above named children occurred at the age of seventy-one years, after an industrious and upright life as a successful farmer.


Newton Carter grew to manhood on the home farm and there he worked hard when a boy. He received his education in the district schools, and on February 16, 1882 he married Juda Alice Beck, a daughter of Larkin Beck, who was born in Union county, Indiana, April 11, 1829, and was a son of John Beck, a native of North Carolina, who was a son of Solomon Beck, a native of Germany. To Larkin and Sarah Beck were born the following children : Mrs. Margaret A. Bender, Joseph, John, Oliver, Alice who mar-


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ried our subject ; Mrs. Alma Holler, and Horace. The mother of Mrs. Carter passed away in 1901. Mr. Beck is living near Zionsville.


Mr. Carter has devoted his life to general farming and stock raising and has met with pronounced success all along the line. His finely improved and well-kept farm in Eagle township consists of two hundred and forty acres, on which is to be seen an excellent group of buildings and a splendid grade of live stock, and everything about the place denotes thrift and good management. One child was born to our subject and wife which died in infancy. Mr. Carter has always been a Republican but is now a Progressive.


DANIEL KOHN.


By words and by actions the personality reveals its quality, its force. its direction of purpose. The invisible spirit embodies itself in signs of service and in language. Words also are deeds, and actions are symbols of the inner being which we cannot see, nor touch, nor weigh. Hence the value of bi- ography and memorial history, which writes out a life by telling a story of what one has said and done. But since speech is forgotten and actions fade away in the clouds of a distant past, we also listen to those who have been witnesses to the conduct, companions of the journey, sharers of the benefits and benedictions of those whom we have lost a little while, to find again. With such values of biography in mind, we here set forth the salient facts in the life record of one of the well-known and estimable citizens of Washington township. Boone county. of a past generation, the late Daniel Kohn. than whom it would have been hard to have found a more industrious neighborly and peaceable citizen. Although a native of Germany, he was nevertheless loyal in his support of our institutions as might be surmised from one fact alone, that he served in the Union army during our great Civil war, and during his residence in Boone county of more than a half century. he as- sisted as well as he could in the general development of the same along all lines. No people that go to make up our cosmopolitan civilization have better habits of life than those who come originally from the great German Empire. Those people as well as their descendants are distinguished for their thrift and honesty, and these two qualities in the inhabitants of any


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country will in the end make that country great. When with these two qualities is coupled the other attribute of sound sense, which all the Teutonic race seems to possess, there are afforded such qualities as will enrich any land and place it at the top of the countries of the world in the scale of elevated humanity.


Mr. Kohn was born in Heese Cassel, Germany, January 21, 1838, and there he grew to manhood and was educated and remained in the Father- land until he was twenty-one years of age, when he emigrated to America, and lived in the state of Connecticut for a short time then came to Indiana and located in Franklin county where he resided nine years then came to- Boone county locating on a farm in Washington township, where he spent the rest of his life. He was a hard working man and had sound judgment, and he soon had a foothold in the new world. His farm in this township consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, which he brought up to a high state of improvement and cultivation and ranked among the leading farm- ers of the township. He established a comfortable home and had erected numerous substantial outbuildings, and there was always to be seen about the place an excellent grade of live stock. He was always busy and his farm was in the best of condition.


Mr. Kohn was married September 22, 1864, in Franklin county, In- diana, to Eliza Jane Liming, who was born in that county in 1842, and there grew to womanhood and received her education in the common schools. There her father died, when she was a young girl, but her mother survived to a very old age, dying March 27, 1909.


To Mr. and Mrs. Kohn two children were born, namely: Emma Kath- erine, who married Jefferson Harris, lives near Wilmington, Ohio. Our subject's other child, Ida May, married Martin Thompson and they reside on the home farm near Lebanon, this county. Mr. Kohn is also survived by a brother, Henry Kohn, who lives near Weathersfield, Connecticut, and a sister lives in Germany.


Mr. Kohn was a Democrat in politics, and he belonged to the Lutheran church, which he joined before leaving Germany, when a child. Mrs. Kohn is a member of the Presbyterian church of Hazelrigg, Boone county.


The death of Daniel Kohn occurred February 7. 1914, when a little over seventy-six years of age.


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JOHN S. HUSSEY.


Among the men of sterling attributes of character who have impressed their personality upon the community of their residence and have borne their full share in the upbuilding and development of Zionsville and Boone county, mention must not be omitted of John S. Hussey, well known merchant of the above named town, where he has long maintained his home and where he has exerted a strong influence for good to the entire community, being a man of upright principles, industrious in business affairs and public matters, always desirous of seeing the advancement of the town and county along material, civic and moral lines.


Mr. Hussey was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, August 14, 1867. He is a son of William Hussey, a native of Fayette county, Indiana, the latter the son of Joseph Hussey who was born in North Carolina, and who was one of the first settlers of Fayette county. He was of English descent. The grandmother of our subject was Sarah Frazier before her marriage. She was a native of Fayette county and her death occurred in Hamilton county. Her family consisted of ten children.


William Hussey grew to manhood in Hamilton county and there re- ceived his education. When twenty-one years old he married Hannah A. Jessep, a native of Hamilton county, and a daughter of John C. Jessep. To these parents, seven children were born, namely: Nancy E., John S., Fannie M., Melinda H., Oliver, Jesse G. and Frank. All seven children are still living. The father of the above named children died at the age of fifty-nine years. The mother died at the age of sixty-three years.


John S. Hussey received his education in the public schools of Hamilton county. He began teaching at the age of twenty. He taught two years, then attended school at Butler College for one year, then resumed teaching and became superintendent of the school at Carmel, Indiana, where he re- mained for six years. He then attended the Indiana State Normal School, graduating from that institution in 1898. Then became superintendent of schools at Atlanta, Indiana, where he remained two years .. He then entered business, embarking in the hardware business at Zionsville, Indiana, in part- nership with his uncle, Milton Hussey, in 1900. He has been successful in business and is at preesnt a member of the Executive Committee of the Indi- ana Retail Hardware Association.


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In 1904, John S. Hussey married Miss Sue M. Aldrich, of Ludington, Michigan. Mrs. Hussey is a graduate of Michigan State Normal School and was a successful teacher in some of the leading high schools of Michigan and Indiana. Two sons, William Alvin and John Milton, grace their home ..


The subject of this sketch is a member of the "Disciples" Christian church, in which he has been an elder for many years. He is a director in the Indiana Christian Missionary Association and has been the superintend- ent of the Sunday school of his church for fourteen years. He has also been the president of the Boone County Sunday School Association for two years. Since 1906, John S. Hussey has been the president of Zion Park Association. this organization has been an important factor in the musical, educational and religious life of the community. The Zion Park Association has held twenty- two annual chautauquas, bringing to Zionsville the best talent in the country. He is a member of the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities, also of the Eastern Star and Pythian Sisters.


John S. Hussey will be remembered as a public servant. During the past twenty-five years, he has been called on numerous times to have charge of funerals and has officiated at weddings and in every way has fulfilled his relations to the community.


WILLIAM HENRY WILSON.


Human life is made up of two elements, power and form, and the pro- portion must be invariably kept if we would have it sweet and sound. Each of these elements in excess makes a mischief as hurtful as would be its deficiency. Everything turns to excess ; every good quality is noxious if unmixed, and to carry the danger to the edge of ruin nature causes each man's peculiarity to superabound. One speaking from the standpoint of a farmer would adduce the learnetl professions as example of this treachery. They are nature's victims of expression. You study the artist, the orator, statesman and inventor to find their lives no more excellent than that of me- chanics or farmers. While the farmer stands at the head of art as found in nature, the others get but glimpses of the delights of nature in its various elements and moods. William Henry Wilson, one of our most progressive twentieth century agriculturists and stock men and one of the Progressive


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party's most active and loyal workers in this section of Indiana, is one of Boone county's citizens who has ever taken a delight in nature and existence, because he has been in touch with the springs of life, having spent his days .on the farm.


Mr. Wilson was born in Champaign county, Illinois, July 5, 1859. and is a son of George M. and Lucinda (Lee) Wilson, both born in Ohio in which state they grew to maturity, received their education in the common schools and there married, and from that state came to Indiana, in 1847, remaining here until 1849, and in the latter year removed to Illinois, where they re- sided for over ten years, then returned to Indiana and established the per- manent home of the family in Boone county.


William Henry Wilson grew to manhood on the farm, his father having devoted his life to farming, and assisted with the general work when a boy and received his education in the public schools, and has later become a well informed man on general topics by wide reading and observation. When a young man he took up farming as his life work and has been very successful and is now owner of a valuable and well improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Washington township, Boone county, having located here in 1890. At that time this was considered one of the poorest farms in this section, but it ranks today among the best, showing what close application in the way of intelligent and scientific farming can do if applied by such a man as Mr. Wilson. He has a pleasant residence and good outbuildings, a splen- did grade of live stock of all kinds, and such modern farming implements as his needs require. He sees that none of his neighbors raise better corn. wheat, oats and clover than he, and his example is followed by the more enterprising and successful of our husbandmen.


Mr. Wilson was married in 1890 to Lura B. Norris, who was born in 1869 and is a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Durbin) Norris, a highly respected family. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Norris, namely, our subject's wife and Charles, of Indianapolis. Mrs. Wilson grew to womanhood in her native community and received a good common school education.


To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson three sons and one daughter have been born, namely: Maggie married C. C. Gray : Harry; Frederic Lee; and Theodore Carl. The three sons are at home, assisting their father with the farm work.


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Politically, Mr. Wilson is a Progressive and is enthusiastic in the work of the new party. In the campaign of 1912 he was candidate on this ticket for representative from Boone county to the state legislature and though defeated, had a large vote. He served for a period of twelve years as a justice of the peace in Washington township and none of his decisions were reversed. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, in both of which he has filled all the chairs ; the Improved Order of Red Men, the Woodmen of the World at Walnut Grove, and the Hay Makers at Mechanicsburg, and is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He is one of the well known and prom- inent men of the county and is popular with the masses as a result of his public spirit, courtesy and exemplary character.


GEORGE M. COMLEY.


George M. Comley was born July 10, 1863, in Madison, Jefferson county, Indiana. He is the son of Joshua and Elizabeth (Steele) Comley who were natives of Pennsylvania and early residents of Madison, Indiana. The family consisted of nine children, four of whom, Joshua, William M., Charles and Edward are deceased; John, James, George M., Mrs. Alice Leisure and Mrs. Lizzie Call are living.


After the father's death, the family moved to Frankfort, Indiana. At the early age of fourteen, George M. worked for his brother James, who was in the undertaking business in Frankfort, Indiana. Afterwards he worked for an undertaking firm in Chattanooga, Tennessee.


In 1892, he came to Lebanon as embalmer for the Hauser & Hogshire firm. Later he was identified with the firm of George M. Comley & Brother. In 1904, he went into business for himself. He has built up a large and lucra- tive business by prompt and efficient service, fair and honest treatment. His undertaking establishment is modern and well equipped in every respect.


On December 29, 1892, Mr. Comley was married to Lillian M. Rosen- crance, who was born in Port Jervis, New York. Before her marriage, Mrs. Comley was a successful school teacher for a number of years. They have two sons, Roy Clifton, at present a student in Swarthmore College, and B. Searle, a student in the Lebanon high school.


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Politically, Mr. Comley is a Republican. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Modern Woodmen, Woodmen of the World, and Independent Order of Red Men. He is also a thirty-second degree Mason and a Shriner. Mr. Comley is the oldest under- taker in Boone county and probably one of the best known in this section of the state.


NELSON JACKSON PARR.


Those who have no personal knowledge of agriculture appear to judge the farmer by the isolated cases of incompetency and take his frivolous achievements, consider him incapable of comprehending his own problems, and, unconscious of his possibilities, regard him as a public ward, to be assisted but not consulted. That sort of thing has been going on ever since civilization began and will continue until the end of time. The delinquent we will always have with us, and likewise the frivolous, the indulgent and the enthusiast, but those who would assist the farmer must turn from them and co-operate with the bone and sinew of agriculture. One of the farmers of Marion township, Boone county, who has shown himself to be capable of going it alone, without either assistance or advice, and at the same time com- petent to encourage others in his calling is Nelson Jackson Parr.


Mr. Parr was born in the above named township and county September 19, 1869. He is a son of Jacob and Amand (Cromwell) Parr, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Clay county, Indiana. The grand- parents, Jacob and Lucinda ( Webb) Parr, were also natives of Tennessee, while the maternal grandparents, Oliver and Nancy (Biby) Cromwell, were natives of Kentucky. The Parrs were among the pioneer settlers of Boone county, Indiana, and the Cromwells were among the earliest to locate in Clay county, Indiana, living to see the country develop from the wilderness. And in the last named county the parents of our subject were married, Jan- uary 21, 1854, soon thereafter removing to the present Parr farm in Marion township, Boone county. Jacob Parr owned at one time three hundred and sixty acres in one body, and on this he placed most of the improvements, cleared the timber, ditched and fenced the fields, erected new buildings, etc., and he became a prosperous farmer and stock raiser. His death occurred June 21, 1887. His widow has since resided on the homestead, and is now


NELSON J. PARR


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advanced in years. To these parents the following children were born: Jacob O., of Sheridan, Indiana ; Elizabeth I., who married Jerome Barker, is now deceased; Amand J. is the wife of Benjamin Brindel, of Marion, Ne- braska : Sarah E. died in infancy : Cordella is the wife of Lincoln Johns, of Colfax, Indiana; Etta is the wife of J. W. Shelby, of Lebanon, Indiana; Nelson J., of this review : Ida is the wife of Arthur Baker, of Marion, Ne- braska ; Maggie, who married William Nicholson, is deceased.


Nelson J. Parr grew to manhood on the home farm and he received a common school education. When a young man he took up farming for a livelihood and this has continued to be his vocation, having always resided with his mother, and is the owner of one hundred and twelve and one-half acres of the home place, which he has kept well improved and under a high state of cultivation, carrying on general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of Duroc-Jersey hogs.


Mr. Parr was married March 4, 1891, to Lizzie Thistlethwaite, a native of Sheridan, Indiana, where she grew to womanhood and was educated in the public schools. To this union two children were born, Lester and Lowell, both at home. The wife and mother passed away January 5, 1897. Mr. Parr was again married December 27, 1899, to Olive Simms, who was born in Marion township, Boone county, where she was reared and educated. She is a daughter of Judson and Mary Jane Simms. One daughter has been born to this second union, Amanda Pauline.


Politically, Mr. Parr is a Democrat; fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 176, at Sheridan; Modern Woodmen of America, No. 6708, at Sheridan, and Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, also at Sheridan. Mr. Parr was elected treasurer of Boone county, Novem- ber 5, 1914, by a handsome majority.


SAMUEL ·H. LAUGHLIN.


True memoirs and biographies have a more noble purpose than mere fulsome eulogy. The historic spirit, faithful to the record; the discerning judgment, unmoved by prejudice and uncolored by enthusiasm, are as essen- tial in giving the life of the individual as in writing the history of a people. Indeed the ingenuousness of the former picture is even more vital, because the individual is the national unit, and if the unit be justly estimated the


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complex organism will become correspondingly intelligible. The world to- day is what the active, thinking men of past generations have made it, and this rule must ever hold good. From the past comes the legacy of the pres- ent. Art, science, statesmanship and government are accumulations. They constitute an inheritance upon which the present generation has entered, and the advantages secured from so vast a bequeathment depend entirely upon the fidelity with which is conducted the study of the lives of the principle actors who have transmitted the legacy. One of the worthy and influential citizens of the early period of Boone county's history was Samuel H. Laugh- lin, who helped pave the way for the present advanced civilization, and thus although he has long been sleeping the sleep of the just, his influence has not perished from the earth, and his name is therefore worthy of record on the pages of his country's history.


Mr. Laughlin was born in Marion county, Indiana, in April, 1835. He was a son of Vincent and Catherine (Singer) Laughlin, the father of Irish descent and the mother of German parentage. They were early settlers of Boone county, and here their son. Samuel H. Laughlin, grew to manhood, being a child when his parents brought him here. He received such educa- tional advantages as the early-day schools afforded, and he helped his father on the farm when a boy, and he also found time to learn the carpenter's trade which he made his life work and in which he became very skilful, being regarded as one of the best builders and most honest workmen in this sec- tion of the state. He built many of the principal residences, business houses and public buildings in this locality, many of them still standing as testi- monies to his skill and honest workmanship.


Mr. Laughlin was married on May 16, 1858 to Judith J. Harris, who was born in Sugar Creek township, Boone county, on December 10, 1836. She is a daughter of Mathew T. and Martha ( Ferguson) Harris, the father a native of Tennessee and the mother of Union county, Indiana. The father left his native state when young and took up his residence in Indiana where he was married and devoted his life to farming, principally in Sugar Creek township, Boone county, becoming one of the leading farmers of his com- munity and was a highly respected citizen. His death occurred in 1860. His wife died in 1891. William and Jane (Tribbitt) Harris were the paternal grandparents of our subject's wife. Both were natives of South Carolina. Mrs. Laughlin's maternal grandparents were William and Judith (Walker) Ferguson, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter a




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