History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume II, Part 36

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 36


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BOONE COUNTY, INDIANA.


WILLIAM J. SANFORD.


William J. Sanford, son of George and Martha Sanford, was born near Shannondale, Montgomery county, Indiana, April 11, 1863. He received his early education in the district schools and was graduated at Shannondale, receiving the highest grades of any graduate that year in Montgomery county. His manuscript was considered a model of neatness and accuracy and was sent by the county superintendent to educational exhibits at Madi- son, Wisconsin and New Orleans, Louisiana. Mr. Sanford received his higher education in the State Normal and local normals at Ladoga, Darling- ton and New Ross. He was actively engaged in teaching for a quarter of a century in the rural schools of Boone and Montgomery counties and in local normals and high schools, making an enviable reputation as a teacher.


In April, 1891, he was married to Jennie Mahorney, who was a teacher. To this union two children were born: Juanita and Ozeta. Ozeta departed from this life in early childhood. Juanita was graduated from the district schools and the Lebanon high school and at present is a student in her junior year at the State University at Bloomington.


In recent years, Mr. Sanford has given much thought and attention to the improvement of grain and live stock. His ability is recognized as a corn judge and a number of times he has been called upon to officiate as judge in corn shows and placing awards at county fairs. Within the last decade, the subject of this sketch, in conjunction with his ideal farming, has given in- tense interest to the improvement of the Hampshire breed of hogs and the blood lines in his herd is now known throughout the United States. Mr. Sanford was one of the promoters of the Central Indiana Fanciers' Associa- tion and served it officially as vice-president and later as treasurer. He is thorough in everything that he undertakes and is known as one of the lead- ing and practical farmers of central Indiana. His theory is that "the best is none too good." He specializes in raising Reid's Improved Yellow Dent Corn, Kharkov and Red Wave Wheat and Mammoth Cluster and Great Dane Oats.


Mr. Sanford was the efficient secretary of the Boone County Agricul- tural Association for years and during his period of service the association enjoyed great prosperity. For two years he conducted the Boone County


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Farmers' Institute, much to his credit. He organized the Boone County Boys' Corn Club and was for several years its president. He is at the pres- ent time the president of the Boone County Co-operative Horse Thief Detec- tive Association, which organization is accomplishing much good.


Mr. Sanford is a member of the Central Christian church in Lebanon and is a Knight and an Odd Fellow. He takes an active interest in all things that stand for the betterment of society. He is a member of a large family of Democrats and he himself is a Democrat.


EDNA ANNA CHILSON.


Edna Anna Chilson (nee Hill), was born October 10, 1881,on a farm one mile northwest of Thorntown, Indiana. She attended school at Sugar Plain and graduated from Thorntown high school in the year 1901. She had a birthright membership in the Friends church. In May of 1901 she moved, with her parents, to Guthrie, Oklahoma. She was always of a re- ligious turn of mind and during a revival service in Guthrie she received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and dedicated her life to missionary service in Africa. She soon afterward entered the Friends Bible Training School at Cleveland, Ohio, to prepare for the work. Here she met Arthur B. Chilson, to whom she was married on March 6, 1906. In April they sailed for Africa to engage in the service of the Master in the spread of the gospel in Dark Kavirondo, where they have since resided. To this union two daugh- ters were born, Esther, who is now six years old, and Rachel, who is four years old. In 1912, both she and her husband being in broken health from strenuous overwork, they returned to this country on a furlough and have spent the time visiting yearly meetings in most of the various states, and they have aroused a deep interest in missions in general and Africa in par- ticular. The response to appeals for funds has been twenty-two thousand dollars in cash and subscriptions for Africa. Colonel Roosevelt visited their mission while on his African tour.


Mr. and Mrs. Chilson and daughters, in September, 1914, started on their return trip to Africa, that they might continue their good work.


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RILEY COLGROVE.


Riley Colgrove, deceased, was one of the esteemed pioneer farmers of Boone county and sprang from an honored old English ancestry, the family having come to America as early as 1690. A part of his genealogical record is lost, but sufficient is known to trace the family back to his grandfather, William Colgrove. Francis Colgrove, son of William and father of Riley, was born in the state of New York, married Elizabeth Hager on February 14, 18II, and became the father of nine children, namely: John, Nancy, Jane, Permelia, Francis, Charles, Charity, Riley and Melissa, all of whom, with the exception of Charles, who died when twelve years old, lived to be- come heads of families. Francis Colgrove settled in Kentucky in his early married life and for some years followed farming. He early moved to south- ern Indiana, thence to Clinton county in 1835, where he died April of the following year. Elizabeth ( Hager) Colgrove was descended paternally from Dutch ancestors. Her grandfather settled at Hagerstown, Maryland, in a very early day, and there leased a large tract of land, a part of which is now occupied by the site of that city. This lease was for a term of ninety-nine years and was written in German, but the record disappeared many years ago and was never recovered. The relatives of Elizabeth Colgrove settled in New York, and the name is still to be met with in various parts of the state. John Colgrove, eldest brother of Riley, enlisted at Paducah, Kentucky, in 1835 to engage in the war between Texas and Mexico. He took part in the bloody battle of Alamo and with the rest of the ill-fated garrison fell a vic- tim to Mexican hatred. James Colgrove was born in 1814 in New York, moved to Indiana in 1860 and was elected sheriff of Tippecanoe county, but died before the expiration of his second term. Francis Colgrove was a car- penter and farmer and died in Missouri, January, 1893. Nancy Colgrove married James P. Wilson, a farmer and carpenter, and died at LaFayette, In- diana, leaving two children, Jane and Ann. Charles Warner, president of the LaFayette Savings Bank, married Jane Wilson, who, though blessed with property and position, is totally blind and lives in perpetual night. Ann Wilson is the wife of Albert Campbell, a prominent hardware dealer of the city of LaFayette.


Riley Colgrove was born on December 17, 1826, in Kentucky. He


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emigrated to southern Indiana about 1828, and there remained until the fall of 1835, when he moved to Clinton county. He resided in the county of Clinton until 1846, in June of which year he enlisted for the Mexican war. There being no company from Clinton county, Mr. Colgrove went from Car- roll county in Company C. First Regiment Indiana volunteers, under Capt. Robert H. Milroy. Mr. Colgrove was mustered out of the service in the city of New Orleans in June, 1847. He joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of LaFayette, Indiana, about 1852, and filled all the chairs of both the subordinate lodge and encampment. Mr. Colgrove began business as a cooper, which trade he followed until his election as sheriff of Boone county, in 1858. He was re-elected to the same position in 1860, and after filling the office with honor to himself and satisfaction to the public, he retired to private life on a farm in Clinton township. Mr. Colgrove was a man highly respected as a citizen and was pointed to with pride by his neighbors and friends as an example of industry and integrity. Lucinda Newport, the wife of Riley Colgrove, was born in Warren county, Ohio, December 8, 1830, and on the seventeenth of June, 1850, was married to Riley Colgrove at La- Fayette, Indiana. This marriage was blessed with six children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Asbury W., December 1, 1850; Charles B., June 26, 1852: William A., January 20, 1854: Albert F., July 1, 1856; Frank N., May 15, 1859; Carrie, May 2, 1864. The death of Riley Col- grove took place August 19, 1894.


EDGAR M. SERVIES.


Among Indiana educators, Edgar M. Servies, superintendent of the schools of Boone county, occupies a place in the front rank. He was the son of John Pilcher and Rhoda E. ( Strange) Servies, both natives of Indi- ana. the former having been born near New Market and the latter near Dan- ville. Both are now deceased, the father dying at Advance and the mother at Browns Valley. The paternal grandparents of our subject. Anderson and Liza Ann ( Pilcher) Servies, were natives of the Blue Grass state and came to the Hoosier state in early years. They both died near New Market, Indiana. The maternal grandparents, John and Harriet ( Eubanks) Strange, were both


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born in Kentucky and in early life removed to Indiana where they passed the remainder of their lives, the grandfather dying near Danville and the grand- mother at Advance.


The subject of this sketch was born near Advance, Boone county, Indi- ana, and was reared to manhood in his native county and graduated from the common schools of Jackson township. He was a graduate of the Indiana State Normal in 1899, after which he spent one year at Wabash and in 1910 received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Indiana State Normal. With the exception of four years which were spent as clerk in the office of the superintendent of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Company at Brazil, Indiana, his time has been spent continuously in school work. He taught four years in the district schools of Jackson township, four years as principal and superintendent at Advance and six years as superintendent at Jamestown. In June, 1911, Mr. Servies was elected county superintendent of Boone county and is proving himself a school man of marked ability. He has constantly raised the standard of teaching in his county year by year and is a fine organizer and has enlisted the aid of teachers and school trustees to that degree that great unanimity of action has resulted in building up a fine school spirit.


Mr. Servies was married to Bessie A. Staley, of Terre Haute, Indiana. a daughter of Joseph M. and C. Elizabeth (St. Clair) Staley. The father of Mrs. Servies was born at Wheeling, West Virginia and was a captain in the Civil war. He was the son of John and Sophia ( Myers) Staley, both natives of Pennsylvania, the former dying at Terre Haute and the latter in Wheel- ing, West Virginia. C. Elizabeth (St. Clair) Staley, the mother of our sub- ject's wife, was born near Zanesville, Ohio, and was the daughter of James B. and Cassie (McVey) St. Clair. The father, James B., was born in Ohio, where he spent all his life, dying in the same state, while Cassie St. Clair. the mother, was born in Pennsylvania and died in Terre Haute, Indiana. Both the father and mother of Mrs. Servies are residents of Terre Haute. Indiana.


One son, George Wayne, has been born to the union of our subject and wife and his birth occurred in January, 1900. Mr. Servies, fraternally, is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men.


In his community where he is best known, he is highly esteemed as a man of fine ability in educational work, public-spirited as to all matters per-


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taining to his city. county and state, and ever alert to their best interests. He is a generous neighbor and a loyal friend and it would be a source of great pleasure to a host of his fellow citizens to see him advance to higher stations of preferment in his chosen field of labor.


AMERICUS C. DAILY.


Americus C. Daily, for years a prominent business man of Lebanon, Boone county, Indiana, and a well-known politician whose reputation was state wide, was the descendant of an old and well-known family of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and sprung from the sterling Scotch-Irish stock which added so much character to the early history of the Keystone state. His great-grandfather, David Daily, a native of the north of Ireland, came to America in company with two brothers in the time of the colonies. He was a patriot in the war of Independence, throughout which he served with dis- tinction. One of his brothers settled in Virginia. the other in Montreal, Canada, and both became widely and favorably known in their respective localities. David Daily, grandfather of Americus C., was for some years a farmer of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in which state he married Elizabeth Overfield. a member of a distinguished family, and reared ten children. He was a pioneer of Ohio, moving to Miami county, that state, as early as 1816, and resided there until 1833, at which time he came to Boone county, Indiana, locating near Thorntown, where his death occurred in 1860, at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. Charles Daily, son of the above and father of Americus C., was born December 23, 1810, in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and by occupation was a harness maker, which calling he followed at various places for a period of twenty-five years. He married in Clark county, Ohio, Mary Hay, daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Johnson) Hay, and became the father of six children, the following being their names: Benjamin O., who was born in Crawfordsville. Indiana; Americus C., Henry H., Samuel R., Charles O. and David H., who were born in New Carlisle. Ohio. It is a fact worthy of note that no death occurred in the family of Mr. Daily or in any of the families of his children until he had been married over sixty years. Charles Daily became a resident of Boone county. Indiana, in 1880 and re-


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tired from active life about the same year in very comfortable circumstances. Financially, he met with most encouraging success, was for many years a class leader in the Methodist church and died ripe in years and full of honors at Lebanon, November 2, 1893, at the advanced age of eighty-three. The chief characteristics of this most excellent man were strict integrity, a high sense of honor and a retiring disposition, and he is remembered as a great lover of his home and family. Mrs. Daily was in every respect a fit com- panion and helpmate of such a husband and followed in his footsteps a few years later.


Americus C. Daily, the principal facts of whose life are herewith set forth, was born March 10, 1835, in New Carlisle, Ohio, in the schools of which place. he received his elementary education. Later he pursued his studies for some years in the Linden Hill Academy, where he obtained a knowledge of the higher branches of learning under the instruction of Prof. Thomas Harrison, A. M., D. D., a noted educator of Ohio, formerly assist- ant editor of the Western Christian Advocate, and subsequently president of Moores Hill college. The following notice of Mr. Daily, given without solicitation by Professor Harrison, was indeed a most flattering testimonial to the young inan's assiduity and worth as a student: "Over thirty years ago, while I was principal of Linden Hill Academy in Ohio, Mr. A. C. Daily was a student of the institution. His parents were upright and industrious citizens and he early learned from them the importance and advantage of a correct life. Too much can not be said of his many excellent qualities. As a student he had a strong, clear and vigorous intellect, and he readily grasped the various branches of knowledge he studied. His industry and persever- ance were unceasing. His moral character was without a blemish. He was always respectful to his instructors and obedient to the regulations of the institution. He was kind and obliging to his fellow-students, and among them was a universal favorite. His parents assisted him in obtaining an education and he faithfully co-operated with them in the great work."


In 1855, when twenty years of age. Mr. Daily came to Boone county, Indiana, and accepted the position of deputy county treasurer under his uncle, John C. Daily, in which capacity he continued until the expiration of the latter's term of office, when he became clerk in the auditor's office, discharg- ing the duties of the same until 1860. In that year he was appointed clerk


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of the Boone county circuit court to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death of Henry Shannon, and in 1861 was elected trustee of Center township. In 1862, Mr. Daily was complimented by being elected to the office of county auditor, the duties of which position he discharged in a manner highly credit- able to himself and satisfactory to his constituency for one term, and in 1867, in partnership with Judge L. C. Daugherty and Maj. Harvey G. Hazelrigg, organized the Lebanon Bank, a private institution, which from the beginning had the confidence of the people and proved highly successful. In 1882 the bank was reorganized as the Lebanon National bank, with A. C. Daily as president ; Levi Lane, vice-president, and Samuel S. Daily, cashier ; the capital stock at that time being $60,000.


Mr. Daily was public spirited in all the term implies and was untiring in his efforts toward building up the city of Lebanon and developing the re- sources of Boone county. For six consecutive years he was secretary of the Boone County Agricultural Society, much of the success of which is due to his executive ability and he was always liberal with his means in the promo- tion of any and all enterprises having for their object the moral and material well being of the community. For some years he was treasurer of the Indi- ana Trotting and Pacing Horse Dealers' Association, a state organization.


Fraternally, Mr. Daily was a Mason of the thirty-second degree and also belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both subordinate lodge and encampment, in the former of which he held every official position. He was a member of the grand lodge of the state and was honored by being chosen to represent Indiana in the Sovereign grand lodge at Topeka, Kansas, in 1890, and in St. Louis in 1891. It will thus be seen that Mr. Daily's life was one of great activity; his official and business career was without the slightest taint of suspicion and he stood deservedly high among the people of Boone county, who learned to respect him for his integrity and other ex- cellent traits of character. Mr. Daily was a Republican in politics and as such was untiring in his efforts to promote the interests of his party in Boone county and throughout the state. In April, 1894. he was nominated for the office of auditor of the state and in the November following was triumphantly elected by a state plurality of forty-four thousand seven hundred seventy- three, his majority in his own county of Boone being one hundred and fifty- eight ahead of his ticket, showing him to be a prime favorite. In 1896 he


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succeeded himself with a favorable majority. For this position his abilities. eminently fitted him and in this connection it is proper to quote from the note of Professor Harrison, to which reference was made in a preceding para- graph, relative to his ability to fill positions of trust, in the event of his elec- tion: "That he has succeeded so admirably as a noble American citizen is only what may be expected. To whatever position the votes of the people may elevate hin, he will most assuredly fill with the highest credit."


Mr. Daily married Maggie F. McCorkle, daughter of Solomon and Ruth Culver McCorkle, of Champaign county, Ohio, and two children were born to this union, Charles E. and Blanche. Mrs. Daily was a member of the Meth- odist church and Mr. Daily held for years the position of trustee in the Leb- anon congregation. He died June 4, 1907.


FRANK PETRY.


It is often the case that when new blood is infused into the affairs of a community a vast improvement is noticed. Old blood is slow and cold; young blood is warm and active and the results very often surpass expecta- tion. It is true that people should not for trivial causes turn down the old because it is old and no other objection lying against it. Neither should the new be adopted merely because it is new. All that can be stated with cer- tainty is that young blood in any old method of doing business is almost certain to bring about good and lasting results. While Boone county has seen many white-haired men active and capable, whose experience and advice, wise counsel and cautious procedure have ever been of inestimable value in her affairs, it has, nevertheless, been the young men who have redeemed it from the wilderness and made it what it is today, one of the foremost sec- tions in the great Hoosier state.


One of the successful young business men of Zionsville, this county, is Frank Petry, station agent on the interurban line here. He was born in Zionsville, Indiana, March 7, 1890, and is a son of William Petry, who has been a well-known citizen in this locality for many years. He is a tinner by trade and holds a good position with the Huzzy and Huzzy Hardware Company of Zionsville. He married Nora Ross, who was born in Shelby


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county, Indiana. They have four children, Frank of this sketch is the oldest; Ruth Hendrix, Lee and Jolin, the two latter being in school.


Frank Petry grew up in his native town and received a good public school education. He is an excellent penman and- quick calculator. He was employed for three or four years by a stock man near Rosefield. In May, 1913, he accepted a position as agent at Zionsville for the interurban com- pany, is also agent for the United States Express Company here. He is giv- ing his employers eminent satisfaction, being uniformly courteous, energetic, reliable and sober.


On September 10. 1913, Mr. Petry married Opal L. Fulweider, who was born, reared and educated in this locality. Her father is deceased, but her mother, Mrs. Emma J. Fulweider. is living in Zionsville.


Politically, Mr. Petry is a Democrat. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Improved Order of Red Men in Zionsville.


WILLIAM H. WILLIAMS, M. D.


The medical profession of Boone county has an able representative in the person of Dr. William H. Williams. of Lebanon. He has always been a close student and having availed himself of every opportunity to widen the area of his professional knowledge and make him efficient in practice, it is not at all surprising that his advancement has been rapid and satisfactory and that he now holds such a high and honorable place among the leading physicians and surgeons in a field long noted for the high order of its medical talent. He is widely and favorably known as a general practitioner, and he has met in the course of his career most of the eminent men of his profession in Indiana and not a few of national and international repute, being on familiar terms with a number of the distinguished leaders of medical thought and participating in their deliberations, and, ever a keen observer and a man of plastic inind he assimilates knowledge readily. thus keeping fully abreast of the times in all that pertains to his calling.


Dr. Williams was born September 2. 1868, on a farm near Clarksville, Hamilton county, Indiana. He is a son of James L. and Susan (Stern) Williams, both natives of Ohio, the Williamses having come originally from


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Maryland to Muskingum county in pioneer days, later removing to Hamilton county, Indiana. The Stern family came from Pennsylvania to Hamilton county and there the parents of our subject were married, the father spending the rest of his life engaged in farming, dying in 1905, but the mother is still living.


Dr. Williams was reared on the home farm, and he received his early education in the common schools, later attended the Central Normal College at Danville, Indiana. At the age of twenty-one years he began life for him- self as a teacher in the district schools of Hamilton county, which vocation he followed five years, and although he was making a success as a teacher, he believed that the medical profession held greater honors for him and he ac- cordingly began preparing for the same, and entered the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis from which he was graduated March 31, 1897, soon afterwards beginning practice in the town of Fowler, where he remained three years, then took a post-graduate course in Chicago, also in New York and Boston, and thus well equipped for his more serious life work he came to Lebanon in 1900 and has been here ever since, and has become one of the leading men in his profession in Boone county, enjoying an extensive and evergrowing practice. He made a specialty of surgery in his post-graduate work and has been very successful as a surgeon in connection with his work as a general practitioner. There being no hospital in Boone county and the need of one being imperative, Dr. Williams set about to establish one of which the community might justly be proud, and in February, 1908, his dreams took tangible form when he organized a hospital under the name of The Williams Hospital, with doors open to all reputable physicians and sur- geons for the treatment of patients, and he established a training school for nurses, embracing a modern three years' course, as outlined in the Nurses' State Association. The graduates of this school have all passed the state examinations and are on the same footing as graduates from other similar institutions of Indiana. The hospital is up-to-date in all its equipment and management and has been a pronounced success from the first, and has proven to be an institution of great benefit to this locality. It is the first and only hospital with training school ever established in Boone county. Twelve patients may be accommodated here at a time, and the hospital is usually full.




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