USA > Indiana > Boone County > History of Boone County, Indiana : With biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families, Volume II > Part 7
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John F. Routh grew up amid those early environments and he received the usual educational advantages of those times. He remained with his par- ents until he was twenty-one years of age, and worked out at various things until September 18, 1861, when he enlisted in Company B, Tenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, and was with the same in its operations in Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, taking part in many important battles and skirmishes, undergoing great hard- ships, and during the service he was injured and was laid up for quite a while. He proved to be a very faithful soldier, according to his commanding officers, and was honorably discharged September 18, 1864, after a full three years' service. He at once returned to Boone county, Indiana, and on November 2, 1864, married Eliza Hiestand, who was born in Jefferson township, this county, November 13, 1843. She is a daughter of Manuel and Mary (Shreve) Hiestand, natives of Ohio. She was reared in Boone county and attended the early-day schools. About the time of his marriage our subject bought a farm in Jefferson township, this county, consisting of forty acres, to which he later added, until he now has an excellent farm of one hundred and forty acres, which he has brought up to a high state of improvement and cultivation, erecting good buildings, etc. He has carried on successfully
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general farming and raised horses, cattle and hogs. In 1908 he purchased four acres in the village of Dover, on which he erected a fine residence, to which he moved, retiring from active farming, renting his land, and he and his faithful life companion are spending their declining years in quiet and comfort.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Routh: Jesse A. died in infancy; George E. lives in Hendricks county ; Grant F. lives in Union township, Boone county ; Manuel M. and Charles W. both live in Jefferson township, where also resides Amanda J., the wife of Orley Stewart.
Politically, Mr. Routh is a Republican. He is the oldest member of the local Christian church, which was organized at Dover about 1865, since which time he has been an elder continuously and during all that long period has been a pillar in the same, and, in fact, has been a leader in the upbuilding of the community for a half century.
CALEB O. BROWN.
Within the past decade the farms of Indiana have advanced from two hundred to three hundred per cent. in selling value, and this in spite of the fact that every year the opinion has been more or less current that the top price had been reached, yet the tendency of the values continue steadily upward. What applies to one county of our great commonwealth, relates to the other divisions in this splendid corn belt as well as the changes that have come in the period of time mentioned have had no little effect upon the general tendency of farm values. The improvement of the country roads, the use of the auto, the equipment of farm homes, with their efficient heating. lighting and watering systems, the installation of power for operating pumps, washing machines, separators, churns and sewing machines, to say nothing of the larger power plants for shelling, grinding and cutting, have each con- tributed to the convenience, independence and profit of the farm.
One of the most progressive farmers and enterprising citizens is Caleb O. Brown, who was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, May 28, 1860. He is a son of John S. and Eliza A. (Osborn) Brown, the father a native of Hancock county, and the mother a native of Boone county, Indiana. The
CALEB O. BROWN
)
MRS. CALEB O. BROWN
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paternal grandparents, Lucius and Alsey Brown, were natives of New Jersey and Indiana, respectively. The maternal grandparents, Caleb and Dicy (Gohst) Osborn, were both natives of Virginia. The father of the subject of this sketch was born in 1828, and the mother's birth occurred in 1832. The grandparents on both sides were very early settlers in Indiana. Grandfather Brown came to Boone county from Hancock county. After their marriage the parents of our subject settled in Montgomery county, just over the line from Boone county. On January 1, 1861, they sold out and bought one hundred and sixty acres, our subject's present farm in Jefferson township. Only a small clearing had been made on the place, and much of the place was a swamp. The elder Brown started to clear and improve the place, doing extensive ditching. He added forty acres later and here he made" a success as a general farmer. His death occurred June 1, 1890, his wife having preceded him to the grave on December 2, 1886. The following children were born to them: Josephine, who married W. D. Denny, of Jefferson township; George E. died in Kansas in 1887; Caleb O., of this re- view ; Dicy is the wife of Parson B. Chambers, of Indianapolis.
Caleb O. Brown grew up on the home farm and received his education in the common schools. On September 5, 1885, he married Rebecca Todd, who was born in Franklin county, Indiana, and is a daughter of Joseph and Ann (Rockafeller) Todd, natives of New Jersey. To this union one child was born, Hazel, now the wife of Harry Sumpter, of Jefferson township. The wife and mother passed to her rest in the Silent Land in April, 1887. On March 15, 1889, Mr. Brown married Clara B. Edwards, a native of Mont- gomery county, born December 8, 1865, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Dice) Edwards. Two children were born by this marriage, Helen, born April 26, 1890, and Ruby, born August 15, 1894, who married Charles E. Johnson and lives on Mr. Brown's farm.
After his marriage, Mr. Brown moved to forty acres his father had given him, and on which stood a log cabin. Here he lived, constantly im- proving the place, until 1900. He had prospered by good management and hard work, and had added to his original holdings until he had one hundred and thirty acres. He bought out the heirs of the homestead in 1900. He has remodeled the house and built barns and made other up-to-date improve- ments. The home place consists of two hundred and twenty acres, and one-
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half mile north lies his one hundred and forty acres, also well improved. He has been very successful as a general farmer and stockman, carrying on both on an extensive scale. He raises registered stock, horses, cattle and hogs and owns and handles more registered Percheron horses than any one man in the county. He has handled all the land himself most successfully, too, and is regarded as one of the leading agriculturists of Boone county, and is one of the financially strong men of Jefferson township. He organized the Hazelrigg Telephone Company and made it a pronounced success, also helped organize all the other local co-operative telephone companies in the county. He was the first president of the former company and was a director in the same many years. He is also a director in the Union Trust Company of Le- 'banon. He is regarded by all who know him as a business man of exceptional ability, sound of judgment and keen discernment, and honorable in all his dealings with his fellowmen, so that he has ever enjoyed their confidence and esteem.
Politically, Mr. Brown is a Republican, and has been active and in- fluential in public affairs for many years. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic Order, No. 113, and the Knights of Pythias, No. 124, both at Thorntown; also under the former belongs to the Chapter, Council and Com- mandery at Lebanon; and to the Scottish Rite and Mystic Shrine of In- dianapolis. Personally, Mr. Brown is a genial, courteous and companionable gentleman whom it is a pleasure to meet.
CHARLES H. DENGER.
The intense interest that is being awakened in agricultural development and the expression of true friendship indicated by organized and individual efforts of many good citizens, is one of the most encouraging signs of the times, but the waste of effort through impractical methods and the lack of co-ordination and co-operation is one of the regrettable things of the present generation. The efficiency of every dollar now invested in promoting agricul- ture can be increased a hundred-fold by a clearer understanding of the farmer and his needs on the part of those who appreciate and direct the expenditure. And it is fair to suggest to those who would teach us efficiency in any vocation
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that they study it as well. One of the progressive farmers of Boone county who was not only properly taught in the various phases of his vocation but who, being of an inquisitive turn of mind, has diligently sought to find things out for himself, also to aid others to better their condition along life's rugged highway is Charles H. Denger, who owns a fine farm in Center township.
Mr. Denger was born June 4, 1849, in Troy, New York. He is a son of Peter and Mariar (Butts) Denger. The father was born in Germany, October 17, 1821, and there he spent his childhood, emigrating to New York when sixteen years of age, after receiving his early education in the Father- land. Remaining in the East a number of years he came to Ottawa, Illinois, in 1855, remaining there until 1893, when he removed to Pulaski county, Indiana, where his death occurred in 1906, at the age of eighty-five years, five months and sixteen days. He devoted his life successfully to general farming. The mother of the subject of this sketch was also a native of Germany, born there December 17, 1826, and her death occurred in 1887, being sixty-one years, two months old. To Peter Denger and wife nine children were born, seven of whom are still living, namely: Peter, Jr., is deceased ; Charles H., of this sketch; Elizabeth is deceased; Edward lives in ยท Medaryville, Indiana; Leffa lives in Medaryville, Indiana; Emma lives in Armour, South Dakota ; Daniel lives in Daws, Iowa; Albert lives in Iowa; William lives in Cissna Park, Illinois.
Charles H. Denger was reared on the home farm, and he received his education in the common schools in LaSalle county, Illinois, also attended high school, after which he taught school one term. He then turned his attention to farming, which he has since followed with much success. He remained in Illinois until 1903, when he removed to Boone county, Indiana, and located in Center township, where he now owns an excellent farm of one hundred and forty acres, which is well improved and on which stand a good home and numerous outbuildings. He also owns forty acres of valuable land near Roswell, New Mexico, where he spent last winter. He is very comfortably fixed owing to his thrift and industry, and is known as a good citizen wherever he has resided. Mr. Denger lived in Rolla, Missouri, in the year 1870, and in 1881 moved to Broken Bow, Custer county, Nebraska, where he remained for nearly a year. Politically, he is a Democrat, and in religious matters belongs to the Baptist church.
Mr. Denger was married June 29, 1882, to Charlotte J. Smith, who was
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born in Washington, Illinois, October 2, 1860. She was reared in her native community and there received a good education. She is a daughter of Silas and Sarah (George) Smith, a highly respected family of Washington. Silas Smith died at the age of eighty-two years, and his wife, Mrs. Smith, is living near Lebanon, Indiana, and is now eighty years old.
Twelve children, seven of whom are living, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Denger, namely : Charles Arthur, born May 13, 1883, died March 23, 1907 : Addison, born July 3. 1884, is living; May, born November 9, 1886, died January 31, 1908; Lottie C., born May 8, 1888, is living in Lebanon ; Wilbur, born March 10, 1890, died May 22, 1908; James, born July 1, 1892, died June 24, 1908; Frank, born February 6, 1894, died in August, 1910; Florence, born March 4, 1896; Leslie, born March 18, 1898: Walter, born April II, 1899; Kenneth, born June 21, 1902; and Carl H., born October 1, 1905, he being the youngest child.
THOMAS F. ALLEN.
Boone county can boast of few more progressive and successful farmers and stockmen than the well-known gentleman whose name furnishes the caption of this review, Thomas F. Allen, now living in retirement in his commodious home in Lebanon. He has long been considered both a leader in agricultural affairs and stock shipping, and by his close application and sound judgment has accumulated valuable property and a competency, al- though starting with nothing but willing hands and a laudable ambition to succeed. As a citizen he is intelligent and enterprising, combining within himself those sterling qualities of manhood that make not only a useful member of society, but a leader in the affairs of his community. He has ever had an honest determination of purpose and an obliging nature which has impelled him to assist others on the highway of life while making plain the prosperity for himself and family.
Mr. Allen was born Angust 7, 1855, in Putnam county, Indiana. He is a son of George and Mary (Watson) Allen. The father was born in Ken- tucky in 1822, and when five years of age his parents brought him to Indiana, thus being among the earliest settlers in Putnam county, where the grand- father of our subject developed a farm from the dense woods. He served
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during the war of 1812 and was captured by the Indians during this war. There George Allen grew to manhood and received a meager education in the old-time country schools. He devoted his life to farming and stock raising and died October 22, 1908. His wife was also a native of Kentucky, and she died about fifty years ago, when our subject was a child. He is the youngest of the family and the only one living out of five sons and one daughter, namely : Mary C., William M., John, James and Samuel are all deceased ; Thomas F., of this review.
Thomas F. Allen grew to manhood on the home farm in Putnam county, and there he learned the ins and outs of farming and handling live stock, and he received a limited education in the public schools of his native community. When a young man he began farming and buying stock, and he came to Boone county in 1880 and worked out for seventy-five cents a day at farm work and boarded himself, and later he began trading in horses and thereby got a good start in life and has continued stock dealing ever since with a large measure of success attending his efforts. He is now owner of two finely improved and valuable farms in Washington township, one hundred and eighty-two and one-half acres in all, well improved and all tillable. He keeps his land rented and is living in retirement in a fine home on East Main street, Lebanon.
Mr. Allen has been twice married, first, to Sarah Stewart, on August 25, 1875, in Putnam county, where she was born and reared; her death oc- curred July 17, 1886. To this union two children were born: Harry E. is deceased, married in 1896 to Jessie Riley, native of Boone county. They had two children, Pansy and Carl. They are now living in Denver, Colorado; Earle J. is engaged in the buying and shipping of horses at Roachdale, In- diana. He was married on October 26, 1909, to Maude Thompson, a native of Putnam county. On November 25, 1886, Mr. Allen married Louisa J. Shulse, who was born in Boone county April 14, 1858. She is a daughter of John M. and Mary J. (Bowers) Shulse, and she grew to womanhood in this county and was educated in the public schools and the high school in Lebanon. Her father was born in Kentucky, June 1, 1830, and is still living on a farm in Boone county, is well known and highly respected here. His wife was born in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, in 1835, and her death occurred March 24, 1864. This second union of our subject has been without issue.
Politically, Mr. Allen is a Democrat ; fraternally, a member of the Knights of Pythias in Lebanon, and he and his wife belong to the Christian church.
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C. W. SHAW.
We rarely find two persons in every-day life who attribute their success in their different spheres to similar qualities. Hard work and plodding in- dustry paved the way for one, good judgment and a keen sense of values for another, intuition and a well-balanced mind for the third. An admixture of some of the qualities above named, emphasized by hard work, has been re- sponsible for the success of C. W. Shaw, proprietor of a popular garage in Lebanon. in his battle for the spoils of victory, these winning attributes hav- ing descended from a hardy ancestry who played well their parts in the early history of this locality, having done their share of the rough work necessary to redeem the fertile land from the wild state in which the first settlers found it, and it is to such as these that we of today are greatly indebted for the good farms, the thriving towns, excellent schools and numerous churches to be found in every community.
Mr. Shaw was born January 3, 1859. in Harrison township, Boone county. He is a son of John M. and Mary G. (Robison) Shaw. The father was born in Kentucky, where he spent his earlier years, but removed to Boone county, Indiana, when a young man and here spent the rest of his life engaged in general farming. Here he was married, and here he died in 1903. The mother of our subject was also a native of Kentucky, and she came to this locality when young. Her death occurred in 1907. To these parents three children were born, namely: Mrs. Mary I. Bennett, C. W., of this sketch; and Carrie, who is deceased.
C. W. Shaw grew to manhood on the home farm in Harrison township, and he received a common school education. He began life for himself as a farmer, and this has continued to be his chief life work. He owns one hun- dred and thirty acres of finely improved and productive land in this county and has a good home and keeps a splendid grade of live stock. Although he oversees the general farm work on his place, he is residing in Lebanon, where he went into the garage business in 1913, in partnership with Ward Brenton, under firm name of Brenton & Shaw. They have a general repair shop and storage for automobiles at 224-226 South Lebanon street. They are well equipped for prompt and high-grade service, and have already built up a large and rapidly-growing business.
Mr. Shaw was married September 27, 1890, to Catherine Courtney,
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who was born in Boone county July 6, 1871. She is a daughter of Michael and Johannah (Smith) Courtney, both natives of Ireland, from which coun- try they emigrated to the United States when young and prior to their mar- riage. Mrs. Shaw was called to her eternal rest on February 27, 1911, leav- ing four children, namely: Ruth, born September 6, 1891, married Ernest Cook, and they live on our subject's farm; Jacob, born July 4, 1895; John and Frank, twins, born February 6, 1897.
Politically, Mr. Shaw is a Progressive, and he has the reputation of being a good citizen in every respect.
JAMES W. ADAIR.
One of the most progressive and painstaking agriculturists of Center township, Boone county, is James W. Adair, a young man who is a worthy representative of the great middle class of Anglo-Saxons from which the true noblemen of our republic spring; for it is a fact patent to all contem- plative minds that those who belong to the respectable middle class of society, being early taught the necessity of relying upon themselves, depending upon their own exertions, will be more apt to acquire that information and those business habits which alone can fit them to discharge life's duties in a com- mendable manner, and, indeed, it has long been a noticeable fact that our great men in many walks of life in America spring from this class.
Mr. Adair was born August 27, 1881, in Champaign county, Illinois. He is a son of D. W. and Ceryna (Norton) Adair, the father a native of the Dominion of Canada, and the mother was born in Michigan. They each moved to Illinois when young, the father leaving his native land in 1871 and they were married in Illinois. They now live on a farm near Lebanon. They are the parents of two children, Mrs. Bessie Redick and James W., of this review.
James W. Adair grew to manhood on the home farm and there he assisted with the general work when a boy, and he received his education in the common schools in Champaign county, Illinois, and was graduated from the high school in 1901, then attended the State Agricultural College at Urbana for a while. He began life for himself as a farmer and this has con-
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tinued to be his line of endeavor. He moved to Boone county, Indiana, in 1906 and began farming in Center township on the fine farm of his father, which consists of two hundred and seventy-one acres, which is well-tilled, in fact under a high state of improvement and cultivation, all tillable but a small portion which is in timber. The mother of our subject also owns seventy-one acres of good land. Mr. Adair is carrying on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale, handling draft horses and a general breed of cows and hogs. He is a very careful and painstaking farmer and his expenditure of labor and excellent management are annually rewarded with large crops of all kinds and good returns for his live stock.
Politically, Mr. Adair is a Progressive. Fraternally, he belongs to the Loyal Order of Moose, and he attends the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Adair was married December 7, 1904, to Ethel Bocock, who was born in Champaign county, Illinois, November 26, 1881. She is a daughter of Solomon and Amy (Boots) Bocock. She grew to womanhood in her native county and received a good education in the common and high schools, studied music in which she is naturally talented and later she taught music successfully.
To our subject and wife the following children have been born, namely : Bernice, born October 1, 1905; Helen, born April 20, 1907; Howard, born February 3, 1909; Lucille, born June 4, 1911 ; Mabel, born July 30, 1912; Willard, born November 14, 1913.
DENNIS HALPIN.
One of the best remembered and most highly respected citizens of Boone county in a past generation, who, after a successful and honorable career, uncomplainingly began his journey to that mystic clime, Shakes- peare's "undiscovered bourne from whence no traveler e'er returns," leaving behind him a heritage of which his descendants may well be proud-an un- tarnished name-was Dennis Halpin, a progressive lumberman and agricul- turist, who played well his role in the local drama of civilization. He was a man of industry and public-spiritedness, willing at all times to do his full share in the work of development, never neglecting his larger duties to
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humanity, being obliging and neighborly, kind and genial, which made him popular with all classes and won the respect and good will of those with whom he came into contact.
Mr. Halpin was born March 25, 1852, in Chicago, Illinois. He was a son of John Halpin, who was a native of Ireland, where the mother of our subject was also born. There they grew to maturity, were educated and married and when young, emigrated to America, locating in Chicago when it was a comparatively small city, and there all the living members of this family still reside except the widow of the subject of this memoir. The family of John Halpin consisted of five children, all now deceased.
Dennis Halpin grew to manhood in Chicago and there received a good education in the common schools. He finally came to Indiana and engaged successfully in the lumber business at New Ross and in Lebanon, building up an extensive trade through his able management and foresight. He also engaged successfully in general farming and became one of the substantial and well-to-do men of Boone county, and left his widow a valuable estate. Politically, he was a Democrat, but was never an office sceker. Fraternally, he belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he was a faithful attendant at the Methodist Episcopal church, of which his widow is a member.
Dennis Halpin was married June 1, 1879, to Mrs. Agnes (Jones) Egbert. She was born in Pennsylvania, February 5, 1844, and is a daughter of Robert and Mary ( McConnell) Jones, both natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Jones was a successful business man. Mrs. Halpin received a good education. She was first married to Isaac Egbert, August 20, 1862. He was born in New Jersey and when a boy he removed with his parents to Franklin county, Indi- ana, where he married Agnes Jones, and they moved to Boone county in 1864, locating in Center township, and Mr. Egbert became a leading citizen of this county, engaging extensively in general farming, stock raising, also the lumber business. At the time of his death he owned forty acres of good land and a sawmill. He died December 30, 1875, leaving a widow and four sons, namely : George, born August 20, 1863; William H., born July 4, 1865: Austin M., born August 28, 1867 ; and Robert A., born June 1, 1869.
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