USA > Indiana > Boone County > History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume II > Part 29
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Grandmother Beach who was known in her maidenhood as Anna Punt- ney, was born June 30, 1806, and her death occurred August 18, 1887. She
ARTHUR MAPLE
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was of French-Huguenot descent, her ancestors having been compelled to flee from Rochelle, France, in 1690 on account of religious persecutions. They emigrated to the island of St. Eustatius in the West Indies. Subsequently they went to Oxford, England, and finally members of the family made their way to the United States and settled at Little Gun Power Falls, Hartford county, Indiana. Their religious belief was what is now embraced by the United Presbyterians.
John Maple and his brother Isaac built the first log Presbyterian church in the community where they lived in Rush county, calling it Ebenezer, by which name it is still known. Stephen Beach and wife, our subject's grand- parents, had eight children, thirty-eight grandchildren, sixty great grand- children, and eight great-great grandchildren, making one hundred and six in number. Two of their sons served in the Civil war, George P. Beach was a soldier for three years in Company A, Thirty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and he is now living in Spiceland, Indiana; Jesse H. Green, their son-in-law, served three years on the flag-ship Wabash.
The parents of our subject were married in Henry county, Indiana, and began housekeeping on a farm. The death of the mother occurred in 1864. The father subsequently married Cassie Fohl, of Pennsylvania. This union was without issue. In 1882 George Maple sold out and removed to Kansas where he lived until 1894, when he sold out and invested in property at Ponca City, Oklahoma, and there he built up a large trade in grain. His death oc- curred in 1900 at the age of seventy-one years. Besides our subject he had one other son, Ezra, an extensive stock feeder of Kansas City, Missouri, married Angie Palin, a native of Henry county, Indiana.
Arthur Maple was thrown on his own resources at his mother's death, the home being broken up. He received his education in the common schools and in Spiceland Academy, after which he taught three years in the district schools, then turned his attention to farming and stock raising in partnership with his brother, in Henry and Wayne counties, and they got a good start, doing well in both lines.
Mr. Maple was married March 16, 1881, to Nannie M. Eaton, who was born April 13, 1859, in Marion county, Indiana. She is a daughter of William T. and Elizabeth (Freeman) Eaton, the former a native of Ken- tucky and the latter of Indiana. Mr. Eaton was for a number of years a prosperous dry-goods merchant at New Palestine, Indiana. Mrs. Maple
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received a good common school education. After his marriage Mr. Maple lived two years in Henry county, then bought eighty acres in Hancock county, which he sold two years later and moved to Harper county, Kansas, entering one hundred and sixty acres from the government, which he improved, and he set out eight acres of timber on the prairie, and there successfully carried on general farming and stock raising until 1894, when he sold out and moved to Arkansas City, Kansas, remaining there a year. In the fall of 1894 he moved to Marion township, Boone county. Indiana, and bought eighty-three acres, on which stood a house and a log barn. These he removed and erected modern, substantial buildings, and has brought the place up to a high state of improvement and cultivation. He makes a specialty of reg- istered Poland-China hogs and Durham cattle.
Mr. Maple's family consists of these children : Ethel D., born Decem- ber 13, 1884: Elta Bliss, born October 7, 1889; Arthur Loyal, born May 4. 1893, lives in Deming, New Mexico; the youngest daughter is a student in Purdue University, LaFayette, Indiana. They were all born in Kansas.
Politically Mr. Maple is a Progressive. While living in Kansas he served tliree terms as township trustee.
JOSEPH M. WILSON.
Conspicuous in the roll of names of men that have conferred honor upon Boone county during a past generation, whose name contributed much to the early development and general progress in material and civic affairs in the locality of which this history treats was the late Joseph M. Wilson, a man whose attainments and work were ever characterized by exactness and thoroughness. In all the relations of life he was an honorable. upright gen- tleman who won the sincere respect of all with whom he came into contact. Mr. Wilson belonged to that praiseworthy class of men found now and then throughout the nation, who have worked their way from somewhat dis- couraging beginnings to places of leadership and high esteem in their com- munities, and it is still a proud boast of our country that such victors are held of a far greater worth and value to the Union and their fellow-men in general than the so-called aristocratic type, with their inherited wealth,
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position and distinguished name. Mr. Wilson rose paramount to environ- ment and all which sought to hinder him, while many of his contemporaries, possessing less mettle and less fortitude, were falling exhausted by the high- way we call life, for the maxim which seemed to hold sway over him was "Through struggle to triumph." He believed in doing well whatever he undertook and in extending aid and sympathy to others, and thus as a result of this humanitarian attribute, his exemplary private life and his abiding public spirit, he was held in high esteem by all classes, and his career is worthy of perpetuation on the pages of history.
Mr. Wilson was born in Ohio and was a son of George and Honor Wilson, an excellent old family of the Buckeye state. He grew to manhood in his native locality and received his education in the old-time schools, and upon reaching manhood he married Hattie E. Gipson, a woman of many commendable traits of character. She is a daughter of Isaac and Mary (Scott) Gipson. Her father came with his parents, William and Nancy Gipson, to Boone county, Indiana, October 29, 1829, thus being among the earliest settlers here. They located on land entered from the government near what is now Jamestown, in which town John Gipson built the first house-a log cabin. The family found here a wilderness indeed, and they endured the usual hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, but being thrifty they became well established and eventually influential in the com- munity as it became settled. Mary (Scott) Gipson, mother of Mrs. Wilson, was born in Boone county, Kentucky, October 9, 1814. By hard and honest toil Isaac Gipson accumulated several hundred acres of valuable land in what is now Sugar Creek township, and there he and his wife died.
The following children were born to Joseph M. Wilson and wife: Murray H., who lives in Sugar Creek township; Story died when four years of age; Pearl is the wife of Dr. William Myers, of Louisville, Kentucky; Rufa lives in Kansas City, Missouri.
After his marriage, Joseph M. Wilson engaged in the saw and grist mill business in Sugar Creek township, Boone county, conducting these with success until burned out, after which he took up farming in this township. owning a large and valuable farm, where he carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. Accumulating a handsome competency through his long years of close application and good management he re- tired from the farm and removed to Thorntown, where he built one of the
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finest residences in the county and in which he spent the remainder of his life, and in this same home his widow continues to reside, being now ad- vanced in years, but having the appearance of a much younger lady. She has a host of warm personal friends throughout this vicinity.
Politically, Mr. Wilson was a Democrat and was influential in public affairs. In religious matters he was a worthy member of the Presbyterian church.
JAMES ARGALUS SMOCK.
That the products of the farm will have a reasonably safe market is indicated by a constantly increasing consumption within our own country; that the business of farming as a business compares favorably with any other vocation in stability; that the security of farm investment assures, invites and encourages the inclination landward. With all of these influences working in one direction, supported by the incalculable forces of the agricul- tural schools and colleges, the press and vast aggregation of brains identified with the vocation, it would seem that the most radical predictions of the present day may prove far too conservative before another decade has passed. One of the citizens of Boone county who had the sagacity to fore- see an unprecedented demand for the products of the farm and has there- fore made a pronounced success of his chosen vocation is James Argalus Smock, of Perry township.
Mr. Smock was born at Jamestown, Jackson township, Boone county, July 8, 1863. He is a son of James and Ellen (Davis) Smock, the father a native of Marion county and the mother was born in Boone county. The paternal grandparents were Samuel and Elizabeth Smock, and both were natives of Kentucky. They were early settlers in Boone county, Indiana, where they entered land from the government and established the future home of the family. After their marriage the parents of our subject settled in Jackson township, this county, and here they engaged successfully in general farming, but he finally died in the state of Arkansas. The death of the mother of our subject occurred in February, 1902. Their children were : Christina, Mary Darens, Ambrose, Nicholas, Alva, and James A., of this sketch, who was the oldest son.
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Mr. Smock grew up on the home farm, and, being compelled to work hard, his early education was not extensive. He began life for himself at the age of thirteen years, earning twenty-five cents per day for two years. He assisted his mother to rear the younger children until his marriage, Febru- ary II, 1886, to Jemima Neal, who was born in Perry township, Boone county, March 4, 1869, and here she grew to womanhood and was educated in the public schools. She is a daughter of Jackson and Ann (Shirley) Neal, both natives of Boone county. The mother of Mrs. Smock died in 1872 and she was reared in the home of Albert McDaniel, a Baptist min- ister. James A. Smock and his wife began housekeeping on rented land, the husband's total capital then being eighty dollars. He continued renting until 1887, when he purchased thirty acres, eight miles southeast of Le- banon, on the Indianapolis and LaFayette turnpike. There was a small log cabin on the place, and the land was bogs, brush and unimproved. He lived in the cabin until May. 1895, in the meantime improving his land, and then moved into his present fine frame dwelling. He has now an excellent farm here, having cleared, ditched and tiled his land and erected good outbuild- ings. As he prospered lie added to his original purchase until he now owns two hundred and fifty-two acres, which is all improved with four excellent sets of buildings, and Mr. Smock carries on general farming and stock rais- ing on an extensive scale, long since ranking among the county's most pro- gressive agriculturists. Two of his sons live in two of his houses, his son- in-law in another, and he occupies the fourth residence. He makes a spe- cialty of raising Percheron horses, Poland-China hogs and a good grade of mules.
To Mr. and Mrs. Smock the following children were born: David A., born July 14, 1887; Vessie, born March 4, 1889, married Fred Cooper, of Marion county, Indiana; Lawrence, born October 12, 1890; Hazel, born November 29, 1892, married A. Caldwell, and they live on our subject's farm; Ruth, born May 28, 1893, married Pleasant Johnson, of Brownsburg, Hendricks county ; Edna, born March 29, 1897, died October 20, 1899. Our subject and wife have two grandchildren, Clayson Smock, son of Lawrence Smock and wife, who was born June 23, 1912; and Fay Johnson, Mrs. Ruth Johnson's son, who was born March 28, 1912.
Politically, Mr. Smock is a Democrat, and in the fall of 1911 he was elected county commissioner, and is now incumbent of this important office,
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the duties of which he is discharging in a manner that reflects much credit upon himself and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned. His term ex- pires January 1, 1916. Mrs. Smock is a member of the Baptist church. The family stands high in the best circles of the community.
SAMSON BOWEN.
Samson Bowen, one of our most honored pioneers of Boone county, Indiana, was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, August 19, 1818. His parents were Francis and Sarah G. (Turley) Bowen, who died, respectively, August 20, 1866, and July 19, 1874. Mrs. Sarah G. Bowen was a daughter of William Turley, a native of Virginia. She bore her husband twelve children, all of whom lived to manhood and womanhood. Francis Bowen was of Welsh extraction and by trade was a tanner.
Samson Bowen, when he became old enough for manual labor, was hired out to a planter until he reached the age of eighteen when, in Novem- ber, 1836, he came to Boone county, Indiana, worked industriously, and in August, 1838, purchased a farm of forty acres; in 1840, he bought forty acres additional, and eventually increased it to two hundred eighty acres. April 11, 1844, Mr. Bowen was joined in wedlock with Miss Mary A. Burke, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Basket) Burke, who had born to them a family of thirteen children, of whom Dr. George L. Burke of Jamestown is one. Samuel Burke died September 24, 1839, and Mrs. Elizabeth Burke was called from earth February 27, 1865, the remains of both being interred in Erskine cemetery, Boone county. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Samson Bowen were named in order of birth as follows: George E., born March 7, 1846; Elbert C., born December 7, 1847; Armilda M., born July 2, 1849, and died September 15, 1858; Emily J., born January 19, 1851, and died September 21, 1853; James C., born May 9, 1853, died September 27, 1853, and Marietta, born July 25, 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Bowen were pious members of the Christian church and stood deservedly high in the estima- tion of the community in which they lived for so many years. Politically, Mr. Bowen was a faithful adherent of the Democratic party. Mr. Bowen was called away December 5, 1899, having reached the venerable age of eighty-one years.
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THOMAS WALLACE DULAN.
Our attention has recently been called to the alarming decrease of farm products in the United States while its population is steadily increasing. We are also told that our most priceless treasure, the fertility of our soil, has been so dissipated by slipshod methods of tilling it that we are now face to face with the necessity of increasing its power to produce or else go hungry in the near future. We who would eat must get in touch with the things of earth once more as consumers if not as producers. One of the farmers of Boone county who seems to thoroughly understand how to handle his soil so as to get the largest crops from it and yet not deplete its strength is Thomas Wallace Dulan, of Union township, who has spent practically all his life on the home farm and it is now more productive and more valuable than ever before.
Mr. Dulan was born in the above named township and county, August 6, 1875. He is a son of John A. and Mary A. (Carr) Dulan, the father also a native of Union township, and the mother was born in Clermont county, Ohio. The paternal grandparents were John and Priscilla (Boswell) Dulan, both natives of Kentucky where they grew up and were married; the maternal grandparents were Madison and Hannah (Bobbs) Carr, both natives of Vir- ginia. Grandfather Dulan made the long journey on horseback from Ken- tucky to Boone county, Indiana, in an early day, and here entered land from the government. On this he later settled and cleared and developed it into a good farm and became one of the leading citizens of the community. He was active in Democratic politics, and served one term as county commis- sioner. He lived to an advanced age, dying November 5, 1909. His widow lives with the subject of this sketch on the old homestead. She, too, is now well along in years, but is fairly hearty and has possession of her faculties, talks interestingly of the early days and the changes that have taken place since she first came to this locality to reside.
To John A. Dulan and wife the following children were born: Harvey lives in Lawrence county, Indiana ; John resides in Noblesville; Jessie lives in Marion township, Boone county; Thomas W., of this review; Frank lives in Fort Wayne; Lulu is the wife of John Riddle, of Center township, this county ; and Claude E. lives in Union township.
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Thomas W. Dulan grew up on the farm and received his education in the public schools. He has lived on the home farm since he was three years old and here he has devoted his attention exclusively to general farming and stock raising and has been very successful. He and his mother own a valu- able and well improved farm of one hundred and fifteen acres, of the old homestead. His father was an extensive raiser of Belgium and Norman horses, and our subject has continued to pay much attention to raising a good grade of live stock.
Thomas W. Dulan was married October 5. 1905, to Dora Dale, who was born in Jackson township, Boone county, and here she grew to womanhood and was educated. Her death occurred on August 6, 1906.
Politically, Mr. Dulan is a Democrat, and fraternally he belongs to the Masonic order, Celestial Lodge, No. 525, at Whitestown.
JOHN HANNA DAVIS.
The biographies of the representative men of a county bring to light many hidden treasures of mind, character and courage, well calculated to arouse the pride of their family and of the community, and it is a source of regret that the people are not more familiar with the personal history of such men, in the ranks of whom may be found tillers of the soil, mechanics, teachers, business men, professional men and those of varied" vocations. John Hanna Davis, member of the well-known livery firm of Davis Brothers, of Lebanon, Boone county, is one who has earned a name for enterprise, in- tegrity and thrift.
Mr. Davis was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, February 22, 1868. He is a son of Josiah and Mary T. (Ellis) Davis. The father was a native of Kentucky from which state he came to Montgomery county in an early day and established his future home.
John H. Davis received a fairly good education in the common schools, but he worked hard on the farm when a boy, in fact, continued general farm- ing until 1883 when he went to Brown's Valley, in his native county where he began the livery business in which he was successful from the first. He later followed the same line of work in New Market, Indiana, until 1889,
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then we find him in Montezuma, Parke county in the same business, which he followed there for a period of eight years.
He came to Lebanon in 1900 and went into the livery business in part- nership with S. F. Cox which continued until 1905 and they have since operated one of the best equipped and most popular livery barns in this section of Indiana, keeping good, serviceable horses and vehicles.
Mr. Davis was married in October, 1895, to Maude Wilson, whose death occurred March, 1899. Politically he is a Democrat, but has never been especially active in party affairs. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Presbyterian church.
MARK BROWN CRIST.
Mark Brown Crist, son of L. M. and Mrs. Eunice (Brown) Crist, was born at Liberty, Indiana, December 2, 1872, and died at his home, 7224 Mt. Vernon street, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, October 26, 1914. He was married at Dayton, Ohio, March 25, 1900, to Miss Anna Field. To this union were born five children, Eunice, Floyd F., Mary Eleanor, Ida and Orpha Lee.
Mark B. was tutored at home, chose his profession at the age of twelve, graduated at Purdue University, went into the shop at Dayton, Ohio; thence to Troy, New York; thence to New York City for five years, where he re- ceived the practical training for his profession, electrical and mechanical engineering. The past ten years he has been with the Westinghouse people at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He attained to the position of chief engineer. Early in life he gave his heart and service to Christ and was faithful to the end, attaining to the highest positions of trust and usefulness in the church home of his choice, the United Presbyterian church at Homewood, in Pitts- burg.
We quote Miss Lydia Hoath at the funeral services October 29, 1914: "I wish that I were able to pay to the life and character of Mark Brown Crist the tribute that is due. Most of his boyhood years were in our midst. His activities were more closely centered in the home than was usual with most of us. It was for the most part his school and workshop and in a large (56)
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measure, too, his playground and his social world; for its doors were ever open to aspiring youth and its spacious grounds witnessed many a wholesome festival and frolic; and here the family gathered about them many choice, congenial spirits for the mutual enrichment of their lives. In this home of rare culture, careful discipline and high moral ideals, he grew to manhood a happy, obedient, ambitious son.
The best testimony to the value of these early influences and training is the record of the years that closely followed. Mark went out from such
MARK B. CRIST.
fostering care to pursue his studies at the university, thoroughly equipped to meet its requirements in scholarship-a student of independent mold-and also, fortified against such temptations as often prove too strong for many college men. Such was his record, that on graduating from Purdue Uni- versity, the president made this remarkable statement, that he could say of Mark Crist what possibly he could not say of any other young man, 'He had done more for Purdue University than Purdue University had done for him.'
His graduation was indeed the commencement of steady progress in his
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chosen profession, electrical engineering. The great city hence became his home, but it had spread in vain its snares for his feet. Here as in college life he was able to stand the test. After a few years in Dayton, Ohio; Troy, New York; and New York City, he accepted a position with the Westing- house Company of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, with which corporation he has been connected for the past ten years. In this day of close competition and increased efficiency, he was recently promoted to the position of chief engineer. An incident marks the freedom of his professional progress from the all too prevalent taint of greed and selfishness. The Westinghouse peo- ple found it necessary, a few years ago, to lessen its force of workers on account of a general financial depression. Among those thus reluctantly laid aside was a man who had served the company faithfully and well for about twenty years and who would feel the disappointment keenly. This so weighed upon the heart of Mark Crist that he went before the board of directors and requested that the older man be retained and he himself dismissed.
While living in New York City, Mark was married to a Christian young woman of sterling qualities, Miss Anna Field. To them have been born five happy children, Eunice, Floyd F., Mary Eleanor, Ida and Orpha Lee and each was welcomed as a gift from the Father above. It was my privilege during two years residence in Pittsburg, to be granted the freedom and fel- lowship of this home. Here was what may be best described as normal family life, in the midst of much that is more or less artificial or stunted and narrow. Though the interest of the father largely centered in the home and in his business, none of life's right relationships were ignored or seemed neglected. He was responsive to the call of duty in the political world, in the church and in the community. His close relationship to activities of the Young Men's Christian Association and the church, form a continuous thread through the fabric of years, marking his attitude toward God.
At the time of his death he was a deacon in the Reformed Presbyterian church and a teacher of its large Bible class of adult men. On being chosen teacher of the class, he wrote his father that he felt unworthy of such a trust, but knowing of his years of study of the Word and his conscientious devotion to any accepted task, the father encouraged him to respect the estimate of others.
In this brief survey, I am impressed with the unity which existed in
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the midst of great variation of environment. That unity lay in the habit of seeking to get from every situation and experience the highest and best it had to offer, and to contribute to them in turn the best of which he was capable. And now the final test has come. The life has returned to God who gave it, whose balances are not deflected by any errors of human judg- ment. As a minister of the Gospel of Christ, I bear testimony that over all this splendid record of years would be written failure, not success, had Mark been without that faith in Christ Jesus as his Redeemer and Savior, which brought to him the satisfactory evidence that he pleased God. We believe the life which we saw was made possible by beholding Him who is invisible.
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