USA > Indiana > Boone County > History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume II > Part 35
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Captain Shumate was inarried on November 17, 1867, to Amanda E. Perkins, daughter of Jacob and Eliza (McLewain) Perkins. One son. J. W. Shumate, was born to this union. Mr. and Mrs. Shumate were members of the Methodist church, and in politics he was a Republican. He served as deputy county treasurer eight years and also filled several local offices, in- cluding that of common councilman for three terms, and for four years was postmaster under Benjamin Harrison. He was a Mason, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and had command of a militia company or- ganized by himself after the close of the war. He held a commission from Blue Jeans Williams, while he was governor, as captain of the first militia organization the county ever had. Capt. Felix Shumate died at his home in Lebanon, Indiana, December 8, 1894.
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BOONE COUNTY, INDIANA,
CHARLES W. SCOTT.
Charles W. Scott, former clerk of Boone county circuit court, Indiana, and who a few years ago was an enterprising merchant of Lebanon, is of Scotch-Irish descent, and was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, January 25, 1847, and was about five years of age when brought by his parents to Lebanon, Boone county, Indiana, where he attended the public schools until he reached the age of seventeen years, when, filled with patriotic ardor. he enlisted to assist in the preservation of the integrity of his beloved country in Company F, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for one hun- dred days, under Capt. R. A. Williamson. He was seized with chronic diarrhea, however, and for a time was confined in the hospital at Nash- ille. Tennessee, but served out the full time of his enlistment, nevertheless, and on his return home enlisted, April 1. 1865, in Company G. One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Infantry, for one year. He was assigned to duty in the Shenandoah Valley, but was again attacked by his old disorder and was confined in the Federal hospital at Stephenson. Virginia, and then again at Cumberland, Maryland, and was sent thence to the general hospital at Clary- ville, Maryland, whence he went to Wheeling, West Virginia, where he was discharged under general orders in the fall of 1865. He returned home a constitutional wreck and for several months was unable to attend to business, and even to this day his health is in a shattered condition. When he had sufficiently recuperated he joined his father in the mercantile business, but in 1875 sold out his interest and engaged for one year in the jewelry trade. when he again sold out; for four years afterward he clerked for Wilson & Baker, merchants of Lebanon, and then for five years was in the grocery business on the north side. In the fall of 1890 he was elected, on the Demo- cratic ticket, clerk of the Boone county circuit court, and being a very popu- lar man. received a very large majority and succeeded a Republican in the office.
Mr. Scott was married on June 30. 1871, at Lima, Ohio, to Miss Lizzie Kiplinger, daughter of William S. and Mary (Thatcher) Kiplinger. This lady's father was a contractor and builder and constructed many of the best edifices in Lima. Four children have been born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Scott and were named John William, Mary Lula, Wallace A. and May Queen, all of whom were born in Lebanon, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Scott
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are members of the Methodist church, and their daily walk through life shows the sincerity of their religious faith. Mr. Scott served his second term as commander of Rich Mountain Post No. 42, Grand Army of the Re- public, and has held all the chairs in Ben Adhem Lodge No. 472, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; was also a member of the grand lodge and grand senior warden of the grand encampment of the same order; he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, Winnebago Tribe No. 36, and has filled all the offices in his tribe; likewise is a member of the grand council; as a Knight of Pythias, he is a member of Lebanon Lodge No. 45, and is, more- over, past chancellor of this order and a member of the grand lodge. Soon after retiring from the office of clerk he located at Warsaw, Indiana, where he now resides.
The remote ancestors of Charles W. Scott came to America in the colonial days and settled in Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Samuel Scott, moved, in his young days, to Licking county, Ohio. He had married in Pennsylvania Sarah Moore, who bore him five children: Elizabeth J., Jos- eph, John M., James M. and Sarah C. The third child in the above family, John M., was born in Licking county, Ohio, in 1824, and married in Hardın, Ohio, April 19, 1846, Mary A. Blue, daughter of Barnabas and Mary ( Hilliard ) Blue. the result of which union was seven children, viz: Charles W., whose name opens this sketch: Edward L .; Flora G .; Amanda; Harry B., who died at the age of fourteen years; Hattie, and Lizzie, who died in infancy: of this family the three first named were born in Ohio and the re- maining four in Lebanon, Indiana. His great grandfather, Joseph Scott. was born in Ireland,, coming to this country when a young man. His great grandmother, (Curry) Scott, was born in Scotland and also came to America in an early day and settled with her parents in Pennsyl- vania near her to-be-future husband. His grandfather, Samuel Scott, moved in his young days to Licking county, Ohio, having previously been married to Sarah Moore in Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Barnabas Blue, was born near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and moved when a boy with his father to Miami county, Ohio, and settled near the present city of Piqua. Mary (Hilliard) Blue was born and reared in and near Cincinnati, Ohio, until fifteen years of age, when her father moved to what is now the city of Piqua. Ohio, but at that time the present thriving city consisted of one log cabin. which was occupied by a French family.
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James M. Scott was apprenticed when fifteen years of age to Mr. Knapp, of Bellefontaine, Ohio, to learn the tailoring trade-his father's. contract with Mr. Knapp being that he was to serve until twenty-one years of age and then he was to receive one good suit of jeans clothes and a Bible. After passing four or five years in Logan and Shelby counties, Ohio, he came to Lebanon, Indiana, in 1852 and opened a dry goods store, which he conducted for many years and became one of the best-known business men of Boone county. Between 1854 and 1856 he was postmaster of the city, an office he filled to the entire satisfaction of the public. He took a leading part in the building of the Missionary Baptist church in the city, his wife being an ardent member of this denomination. In politics he was a Jacksonian Demo- crat, but was a stanch supporter of the Union cause during the late Civil war, giving his only son old enough to enlist. Charles W., to the service of the Union cause. Mr. Scott was always active in the promotion of the best interests of the city of Lebanon and erected some of its finest business blocks, among them, in company with G. W. Baird, the marble front on the corner of Lebanon and Main streets. He took an active interest in educational matters and in everything else that led to the public welfare. The business firms with which he was connected were Scott & Mclaughlin, Scott & Baird, Scott & Daily and Scott & Son. His death took place August 31, 1877, but his widow survived until August 2, 1887, and in their demise Lebanon sus- tained a severe loss.
LEVI LANE.
Levi Lane was one of the most honored and respected citizens of I.eba- 011. He was for many years connected with the office of circuit clerk, holding that office personally for several years, and was deputy under the second clerk of the circuit court -- Samuel S. Brown-the first clerk of this court for Boone county having been David Hoover. Mr. Lane was a de- scendant from sterling English stock. His grandfather, James Lane, came from England at the age of fourteen years, having run away from his par- ents, who lived in the city of London. He shipped on board a vessel for America, and at New York was apprenticed to pay his passage money. At the age of eighteen he was drafted into the colonial army and served through-
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out the Revolutionary war. He married in Virginia, and, with his wife, shortly after moved to Grainger county, Tennessee, in which state Mr. Lane was one of the pioneers. He cleared up a good farm on Flat creek and there passed the remainder of his days. To Mr. Lane and wife were born four children : William, James, Edward, and one daughter, whose name is not remembered. He was a member of the Baptist church and well known throughout the county as a man of sterling worth. He reached the great age of eighty years. William Lane, his son, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia, December 2, 1787, was taken to Tennessee by his parents and grew up among the pioneers of that state. He became a farmer and married Sarah Haines, who was born on February 14, 1782. She was the daughter of David Haines, who was of Irish stock. To Mr. and Mrs. Lane were born the following children: Polly, Addison, Josiah C., Louis, John, Ruth, Levi, Ann, Rhoda, and one who died an infant. They are all de- ceased and all left families. William Lane was a substantial farmer, owning two hundred acres of land. He was appointed by the state legislature justice of the peace, and served continuously for forty years, his judgment being respected by all who knew him. At an early day he served as a soldier in the Indian troubles. He died on his farm February 19, 1845, aged sixty-eight years. He was a man of honorable character and a typical American pio- neer.
Levi Lane, his son, was born July 9. 1815. on his father's farm in Grainger county, Tennessee, twenty-two miles north of Knoxville. He was reared a farmer and left home at the age of twenty-five years. He had re- ceived a good common school education for his day, and taught a subscrip- tion school two winters. In 1840, the day after the election of William H. Harrison to the presidency, he left his old home for Boone county, Indiana. His brother. Josiah, accompanied him. He was a man of family and had already settled in Boone county but had been home on a visit. Levi Lane had just taken an active part for his age and position in the famous "Log Cabin and Hard Cider" campaign, in which the excitement had run very high, the war cry being "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too." On the first day of the journey the brothers passed the famous chestnut tree where the three states-Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky-meet. Here had been held a political rally and the flag still waved in shreds from the top of a tree. The woods nearby were filled with cider barrels, from which the hard cider had
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freely flowed to quench the thirst and cause the enthusiasm in the celebrated campaign. . Mr. Lane came directly to Lebanon, making the journey of four hundred miles on horseback in three weeks, arriving here in November. Four brothers of the Lane family settled in Boone county, three of them, Addison, Josiah C. and Lewis, came from Putnam county, Indiana, where they had settled between 1830 and 1832. They are now deceased. In the May following his arrival, in 1840, Levi Lane and his brother Addison and family returned to the old home in Tennessee for a visit.
Levi Lane returned to Lebanon in September, 1841, and from that time until his death remained permanently. On the next day after his arrival, in September, 1841, he entered the office of county clerk as deputy and con- tinued in this position two and one-half years. Mr. Brown, the clerk, being succeeded by John Chrisman, who resigned his position, Mr. Lane was elected to fill his unexpired term and served by appointment and election six and one-half years. He was then deputy under subsequent clerks until late in the nineties, with the exception of eight years. During this long period of more than forty-five years he made more court records than any man in the state of Indiana ; and issued more marriage licenses, as he had served in the clerk's office for a longer period than any other man in the state. His records were accurate and very legible and now of great value.
Mr. Lane married on August "23, 1842, Pheriba Hayes, daughter of Charles Hayes, of Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Lane were born ten children : Henry S., Clara L., Empson T., Willard W., Samantha E., Joseph B., Nellie L., Albert L., Morris E. and Georgianna, who died an infant, all born in Lebanon, and this is the proper order of their birth. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lane were members of the Methodist church, of which he was one of the trustees and also steward, and for forty years was secretary of the quar- terly conferences and board of stewards. Politically, he was a stanch Repub- lican ; he was a strong Union man during the war, in which he had two sons, Henry S. and Empson T. Henry S. was in an Indiana infantry regiment and served during the war. He was in the battle of Pittsburg Landing and in the gunboat service and hospital steward and paymaster's clerk. Empson T. was in an Indiana regiment and in seven skirmishes. Mr. Lane was one of the best Union men in the county and was universally respected. Mr. Lane passed away several years ago and the name of this grand old pioneer will long remain in the memory of the citizens of Boone county.
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BOONE COUNTY, INDIANA.
BENJAMIN BOOHER.
Benjamin Booher, for years one of the wealthiest residents of Boone county, and one of the most energetic and business-like farmers of his town- ship, intelligent and self-made, descended from good old Pennsylvania Ger- man stock, and was well worthy of a prominent place in any volume of bio- graphical record. His grandfather, John Booher, on coming from Germany to America, first located in the Keystone state and there married a native of Germany, and to this union were born the following named children: Jacob, Mary, William, Benjamin, John, Frederick, Isaac, Henry and Elizabeth. All of them, imbued with the stamina of their origin, grew to maturity, emi- grated to the farming lands of Virginia and Tennessee and reared families to add to the wealth of the nation through their incessant toil. John Booher, the grandfather, finally found a home in Sullivan county, Tennessee, in the early settlement of that section, but still retained his farm in Wash- ington county, Virginia. He was a slave owner and a well-to-do planter of considerable influence in both states. His son, Jacob, the father of Benja- min, our. subject, was born in Pennsylvania on March 3, 1777, and when a boy of twelve, in 1789, found himself a resident of Tennessee. He there learned the blacksmith's trade, and there married Catherine Barnett, a daugh- ter of Nicholas and Barbara Barnett, and to this, his first marriage, were born five children, named William, Mary, Elizabeth, Guardianas and John M. This lady was called away in due course of time and Mr. Booher mar- ried her sister, Elizabeth Barnett, and to this union were born seven children, viz: Catherine, Jonathan, Jacob, Ambrose, Lucinda, Benjamin and Lean- der. December 8, 1834. Jacob Booher left Tennessee and came to Indiana and settled on one hundred and sixty acres of entered land in Montgomery county, to which he subsequently added by purchase two hundred and forty acres, but not immediately adjoining his entered property. He became a man of much wealth and influence and a representative citizen. He and his wife were faithful members of the Lutheran church, and in politics he was a Jacksonian Democrat. He lived to be sixty-eight years of age, and died July 29, 1845, on his farm in Montgomery county, Indiana, mourned by all who knew him.
Benjamin Booher, late of Lebanon, Indiana, with whom this particular
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sketch has most to do, was born on his father's farm in Sullivan county, Tennessee, September 5, 1821. He received the education usually accorded in the common schools of his early days, but was an apt scholar and quick to learn through self-application to the books that came within his command. He was thirteen years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents, and here he was invigorated both in body and mind through the severe discipline of farm labor. He was married in Boone county on October 20, 1842, to Margaret, daughter of William and Margaret (Hughes) Beeler, and twelve children were born to this genial union. The order of birth is: Martha, Margaret E., William J., Albert L., Benjamin C., Sylvester C., Vando L., Adelaide M., Mark A., Emma R., Daniel B. and Minnie F.
Benjamin Booher had been but three years married when he located in what is now Whitestown, Boone county, where he bought ninety acres in the dense wilderness. He cleared it of its heavy timber, and by hard work and thrift increased his possessions to one thousand seven hundrd acres, almost all of which was in one body, and of this large property he gave to his children, donating to each of them a comfortable sized farm. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Booher married Mrs. Mary Smith, who had borne the maiden name of Ross. He then moved to Lebanon, and here purchased his substantial and elegant brick residence, retiring from the more active duties of business, but still following his restless activity in giving his attention to the details of some of the more important business of his life until a short time prior to his death, which occurred on December 28, 1910.
Mr. Booher was a man of remarkable physical strength as well as intel- lectual superiority and force of character, and it is stated that at the age of fifty-five years he could easily spring over the back of a high horse. His stupendous labor in the field and untiring industry have given full evidence of his physical endurance. He was entirely self-made as to pecuniary affairs, but his position as an intelligent citizen of high standing before his fellow- men has come through nature alone. He took but little interest in politics, thinking for himself on all matters pertaining to political economy and party affairs, but yet, on one occasion withdrew from his personal business to be- come trustee of Worth township as a self-imposed duty. He won his high position before his fellow-citizens entirely through his personal exertions.
Mr. Booher's mother, Elizabeth Barnett, was born on February 3, 1779,
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a daughter of Nicholas and Barbara Barnett; they were natives of Pennsyl- vania and later they moved to West Virgina, where they remained until death. They were farmers and very devoted Christian people and were the parents of the following named children: George, Catherine, John, Adam, Jacob, Peter, Elizabeth, Mary, Margaret, Sarah and Nicholas. The father of this family was a man of ordinary means but much respected.
SAMUEL S. HEATH. .
One would find it necessary to search long and far to find a farm kept in better condition or managed under more up-to-date methods than that of Samuel S. Heath, one of the most progressive and extensive agriculturists of Boone county and one of the most widely known stock men of northern Indiana. For Mr. Heath does not only work hard and persists in keeping everything in its proper place and doing the right thing at the right time, but is a close student of local conditions and is widely read in such literature as pertains to twentieth century methods of husbandry, so that he is enabled to reap just rewards for his pains and efforts from year to year, and, owing to the superb system of his operations, he seems to accomplish more at a less expenditure of labor than do most men. He has learned that very fre- quently "haste makes waste," and while he tries to do everything with neat- ness and dispatch, he realizes that there are times when rushing methods are not the best, when .patience must be exercised. and when the methods of his grandfather in tilling the soil must give way to the newer and more scientific ways. He is a scion of a sterling old Hoosier family, many of whose worthy attributes he has inherited. and. like his forebears, he has striven to fulfill his full duties as a citizen.
Mr. Heath was born in Jennings county, Indiana, July 12, 1850. He is a son of James M. and Elizabeth (Neal) Heath. The father was born in North Carolina and the mother was a native of Kentucky. They were young in years when they came to Indiana and were married in Jennings county, where they remained until 1861. when they removed to Boone county and settled in Center township on a farm. They have both been deceased more than twenty years.
SAMUEL S. HEATH
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BOONE COUNTY, INDIANA.
Samuel S. Heath grew to manhood on the farm and he received a common school education. When a very young man he began buying and shipping live stock, having been by nature an exceptionally good judge of all kinds of stock. He started in a very small way, for he had no capital, but was successful from the beginning and prospered with advancing years, and in due course of time became the largest buyer and shipper in this part of Indiana, operating in both central Indiana and southeastern Illinois, and he enjoyed a reputation all over this country as a thoroughly honorable and trustworthy buyer. He shipped to Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville and eastern markets. From 1880 to 1890, after giving up his very extensive stock shipping operations he was engaged in the grain and elevator business at Lebanon on a large scale, shipping enormous consignments of grain. While still in the stock business he engaged on no small scale in pork packing in Lebanon for two years, and for about ten years he remained in the packing business in Indianapolis. For some time he was also connected with the Dairy Cream Separator Company of Lebanon, manufacturers of cream separators, was a member of the board of directors and actively connected with its management; in fact, was one of the promoters of this company and his energy and wise counsel contributed very largely to its pronounced success, and it soon grew to be one of the most important industries of the city in which it is located. In fact, whatever he has turned his attention to has resulted in gratifying financial returns, for he is a man of sound judgment, rare business acumen and foresight and his honesty is unques- tioned, consequently everyone has implicit confidence in him. He was a member of the company that brought natural gas to Lebanon when the gas fields of Indiana were first developed and was a member of the board of directors of that company. He has acquired large landed interests in Boone county and is now engaged extensively in farming and feeding live stock, owning a well improved, productive and valuable farm in Center township, on which stands an attractive home and large, convenient outbuildings. He feeds annually large numbers of hogs, cattle and sheep, but his stock deal- ings during the past few years have been confined to feeding on his farm. He is a stockholder in the Citizens Loan & Trust Company, and has various other business interests, and is one of the substantial men of the county, a (60)
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representative citizen in every respect and eminently entitled to the high esteem which is universally accorded him.
Politically, Mr. Heath is a Republican, in the ranks of which party he has long been active and influential. He served as chairman of the county committee and with his careful management, victory usually resulted for the Republican candidates in Boone county. He has been a frequent delegate to county, district and state conventions. He was one of the assist- ant sergeant-at-arms at the national Republican convention in Chicago in 1888. In 1878 he filled the office of County Recorder by appointment, and discharged the duties of the same for two years in a highly acceptable man- ner. In January, 1906, he was appointed postmaster at Lebanon by Presi- dent Roosevelt and after serving one term of four years in a manner that was pleasing to the department and the people he was re-appointed by Presi- ent Taft for another term of four years.
Fraternally, Mr. Heath is a member of the Masonic Order and the Im- proved Order of Red Men.
Mr. Heath was married to Cora B. DeVol, a daughter of Frank and Barcina (Williams) DeVol, a highly respected old family of Boone county, where Mrs. Heath grew to womanhood and was educated. This union has been without issue. Mr. and Mrs. Heath are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is a trustee in the local congregation, and they both are active in church and Sunday school work. Mr. Heath maintains his residence at 309 North Lebanon street, an attractive and modernly fur- nished home which is noted for its good cheer and hospitality to the many friends of himself and wife.
Mr. Heath has done much for the general upbuilding of Lebanon, whose interests he has at heart. He is deserving of the large success which has come to him unaided, for he forged his way to the front from an environ- ment that would have been too discouraging to many to have attempted to overcome. He has shown himself to be a man of indomitable will and perseverance. His long and loyal work for the Republican party is much appreciated by party leaders, for since casting his first vote for General Grant in 1872 to the present he has been faithful in his work for the party, of which he is the recognized leader in Boone county. He is a plain, unassum- ing gentleman whom it is a pleasure to meet, a good mixer, genial and obliging.
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