USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County Indiana, its people, industries and institutions > Part 47
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James Sterrett, father of Samuel W., was born in 1823 or 1824, in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, and came to Indiana when a young man. At the time of his marriage he had but little money, but at once began teaching school, and soon saved enough for living expenses. His wife fell heir to a good tract of land, and after some time they moved to Wyoming, where Mr. Sterrett lives, at the advanced age of over ninety years. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Wilson, daughter of William Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Sterrett moved to Wyoming, which was then a territory, Mrs. Sterrett
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dying there in 1912. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom were living in 1915-Samuel W .; Charles is a civil engineer in Wyoming; David lives in Washington township, Carroll county; Lawrence is in Wyom- ing; Frank makes his home in California, and Etta is the wife of Ed Parish, of Monticello, Indiana. William Wilson, the maternal grandfather, donated one hundred acres of land for the county seat of Carroll county in 1828.
Samuel W. Sterrett was united in marriage, February 28, 1878, with Jennie Clark, daughter of Samuel and Jennie (Johns) Clark. She was born on March 13, 1860, in Cass county, and was educated in the district schools. Mr. and Mrs. Sterrett are the parents of one of the largest families in Car- roll county, consisting of thirteen children-Lewis, Morgan, Floyd, Maude, Judson, Ruby and Pearl, twins; Icie, Gillard, Charles B., Jennie, Vance and Ruth.
Lewis Sterrett is a mechanic and electrician of Terre Haute, Indiana; Morgan is a successful lawyer and lecturer, and lives at Willcot, Indiana; Floyd is established in a successful law practice at Lafayette, Indiana; Maude became the wife of William Moore, and lives in Ontario, Canada; Judson follows farming in Carroll county; Ruby and Pearl are both mar- ried, the former living at Lafayette, and the latter in Rock Creek township; Icie Sterrett is the wife of George Moran, and lives in Ontario, Canada; Gillard is an expert mechanic; Charles follows agriculture.
Mr. Sterrett has the confidence and respect of the entire community, and is a man of splendid personality.
GIBSON T. SHAFFER.
Among the citizens of Burlington township, Carroll county, Indiana, who have been prominent in the educational life of the county, is Gibson T. Shaffer, now a well-known farmer of Burlington township and the pro- prietor of "Shady Lane Stock Farm," a tract of seventy-two acres situated two miles south and two miles west of Burlington, Indiana.
Mr. Shaffer is a native of Democrat township, Carroll county, born near the Ball Hill church on August 6, 1856. His parents, Philip and Betsey A. (Witt) Shaffer, were natives of Tennessee and Delaware county, Indiana, respectively. The old homestead is now a part of the present city of Muncie. Philip Shaffer came from Tennessee to Union county, Indiana, first, but later immigrated to Delaware county, where he married Betsey A.
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Witt. With his mother and his wife, he subsequently moved to Democrat township, settling near Ball Hill church in 1838. In 1864 he moved to Howard county, where he lived for four years. In 1868, he located at Gal- veston, Indiana, where he lived until his death. By his marriage to Betsey A. Witt there were born twelve children, five of whom are now living: Miriam, the wife of John Shaffer, of Cassville, Indiana; Nancy, the wife of Alex Fawcett, of near Galveston; Lydia, the wife of Jeram Rule, of Lima, Ohio; Gibson T., the subject of this sketch, and William J., a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Gibson T. Shaffer was reared mostly in Carroll county. He attended the public school at Galveston and completed the common school course, after which he became a teacher.
Mr. Shaffer was married a first time to Maggie J. Maggart, the daugh- ter of David Maggart, and to them were born six children, four having died in infancy, Vada D., the widow of Frank Rutter, of Lanark, Montana; and Eldo M., a graduate of the Burlington high school. Mrs. Frank Rutter graduated from the Burlington high school and from the normal schools at Valparaiso and Marion, Indiana. She is now a teacher in the normal school at Lanark. Montana. The mother of these children died on April 19, 1888, and on November 13, 1892, he was married to Minnie M. Rutter, the daugh- ter of George Rutter and a native of the state of Pennsylvania. To this second marriage there have been born three children: Ross, a graduate of the Burlington high school, who is unmarried and lives at home; Bessie, who was born on August 11, 1906, and Glenn L., who died at the age of sixteen months.
Gibson Shaffer's great-grandfather, Frederick Shaffer, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was present at the "Boston tea party;" he died at the great age of one hundred and five years. John Shaffer, Gibson's grandfather, was a soldier in the Mexican War.
Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer are members of the Methodist Protestant church. Mr. Shaffer is a trustee of the church and parsonage. He has served for thirty-two years as superintendent of the Sunday school, and has also been active in church work. Fraternally, he is a member of Sedalia Lodge No. 508, Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a member of Burlington Lodge No. 179. Knights of Pythias. Mr. Shaffer's son, Eldo M., is also a member of the Knights of Pythias. As a Republican, Mr. Shaffer has served as a member of the township advisory board, but this is the only office of any consequence he has ever held. He is a good farmer and a good citizen, and a man who has a host of friends in Burlington township.
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MICHAEL J. McGREEVY.
Michael J. McGreevy, farmer and banker, Burrows, Indiana, was born March 22, 1845, in Fayette county, near Connersville, Indiana, and is a son of John and Mary (Guckien) McGreevy. His youth was spent on a farm, and he received a good public school education for his time. On January 14, 1866, he settled in Carroll county, without any funds, but soon secured employment at teaching, which he followed during the winter months, employing his time at farm work during the summers.
Eventually, Mr. McGreevy became eminently prosperous, owning, in addition to his farm, a saw-mill, which he established in 1871, and operated for thirty-four years, making during this time a great deal of money, and was the most prominent man in Burrows for a number of years, during which time he was a liberal spender of money. Politically, Mr. McGreevy is a stanch Democrat, and has officiated as justice of the peace, while his religious sympathies are with the Catholic church at Logansport, Indiana. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Columbus, and was at one time president and one of the largest stockholders of the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Logansport, Indiana, in which he still owns considerable stock, and is one of the directors. He is also a stockholder in the Walton Bank.
John and Mary (Guckien) McGreevy were both born in Ireland and became acquainted after their arrival in the United States. Mr. McGreevy was a contractor, and had charge of the building of the Whitewater canal, and finally located in Butler county, Ohio, where he became eminently wealthy for a man living in those days, possessing about forty thousand dol- lars, besides his real estate holdings. Politically, Mr. McGreevy was origin- ally a Whig, but later gave his support to the Democratic party. Religiously, he was a prominent member of St. Mary's church. To Mr. and Mrs. McGreevy were born ten children, three of whom were living in 1915, Colonel McGreevy, a contractor. of Logansport, Indiana; Thomas E. McGreevy, a retired farmer, of Butler county, Ohio, and our subject.
Michael J. McGreevy was united in marriage with Anna J. Conaugh- ton, daughter of Thomas and Bessie Conaughton. She was born July 1I, 1850, at Hamilton, Ohio, and is of Irish lineage, her parents both coming from Ireland to the United States, and were married here. She was reared and educated at Hamilton, her native city. Mr. and Mrs. McGreevy have been blest with eight children, only one of whom is now living, Agatha, a graduate of St. Mary's at South Bend, and the wife of Peter Dwyer, of
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Logansport, Indiana. They have one son, Michael J., born July 14, 1915. Mr. McGreevy represents the substantial citizenship of a community, where he has long been an important factor.
JOHN C. PENN.
Although the gentleman, whose brief biographical history is presented below, is among the wealthiest landowners living in Carroll county, he has followed the proverbial advice of "not putting all his eggs in one basket," since his investments are scattered throughout various states, including as far west as Kansas, all of which has given him a broad range of agricul- tural ideas. Mr. Penn has always been a close observer of the most modern and scientific methods of farming and breeding and raising of fine grades of stock of all kinds, and he has sold grain by the carload for many years, and also did considerable work for the public at sawmilling, threshing and cidermaking.
John C. Penn, farmer and stock raiser, Camden, Indiana, was born April 12, 1846, on a farm adjoining the one on which he now lives, and is a son of John W. and Hulda (Christie) Penn. His education was obtained in the public schools of the district, and he remained under his father's roof until he was twenty-one years of age, assisting with the farm work, after which he began farming for himself, moving to the farm where he has since resided, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres, and has been so eminently successful that he is the prosperous owner of over six hundred acres of land, located as follows : one hundred and twenty acres in Jackson township, Carroll county, Indiana; one hundred acres in Washington town- ship, three hundred and twenty acres in Kansas, and eighty acres in Mis- souri, and also owns city property in Garden City, Kansas, and at Rozel, Kansas. Mr. Penn has spent a great deal of his time in Missouri and Kan- sas during the past fifteen years, looking after his interests in those states. He has always been a stanch Democrat, but has never been active in politics. Religiously, he belongs to the Baptist church at Camden. Mr. Penn is a stockholder in the Farmers' Bank at Burrows, and owns considerable city property at West Plains, Missouri, where he has a large business, manu- facturing cider, vinegar and apple butter, in which he does a large and lucrative business.
John W. Penn was born on December 31, 1808, in Shelby county, Ken- tucky, coming with his parents to Jefferson county in 1816, when eight years
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of age. They located and lived near Madison, Indiana, until February 1, 1831, when he was united in marriage to Hulda Christie, and in October, 1833, came to Carroll county. He followed teaming in Jefferson county, Indiana, for a number of years, between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, carry- ing tan bark one way, and leather and dry goods the other. At first, the hauling was done with a team of oxen, which was exchanged for a team of horses, and then increased to four horses, which, including his large wagon, were traded for eighty acres of land in Jackson township, which he had never seen until he moved on it. He cleared a portion of his land, and in the spring of 1834, planted three acres of corn, and in the fall of 1834, put it out in wheat and apple trees. He later entered eighty acres on the east, which he succeeded in getting after much trouble and hardship, after which he continued to prosper until he became the owner of over five hundred acres of land. Mr. Penn was a Democrat in politics, and was more or less active in the interest of his party, from the time his first vote was cast. Religiously, he was a charter member of the Baptist church at Cam- den, in which he also took an active part. To John W. Penn, and his wife, Hulda (Christie) Penn, were born ten children : Ephraim, who died at the age of forty-five years; Mary, was married to John C. Cline, both of whom are now deceased; James lives in Cisco, Texas; Elizabeth was united in marriage with Samuel Kennedy, and is now a widow; William died when two years of age; Rebecca died at the age of ten years; John C., our sub- ject, and Silas live in Jackson township; Azel lives in Clinton township, Cass county, Indiana, and Owen resides in southwest Missouri.
John C. Penn was united in marriage, December 22, 1870, with Jen- nie Kennedy, daughter of John R. and Leah Kennedy, natives of Penn- sylvania. She was born December 31, 1848, in Carroll county, Indiana, and was educated in the public schools. Her death occurred June 5, 1910. To this union nine children were born: Oscar, who lives on what was Grand- father Kennedy's farm in Rock Creek township; Amy is at Flora, Indiana; Berdie became the wife of W. A. Herrmann, and lives at Los Angeles, California; Ross died in September, 1913; Elmer died in Manitoba, Canada; Otto lives at Flora; Omar is deceased; Reynolds is in business at St. Louis, Missouri, and Jay is at Indianapolis. Mr. Penn was again married, June 24, 1914, to Fannie Eads, widow of James Eads, and daughter of Thomas S. Doyel. She is a prominent musician.
Mr. and Mrs. Penn are prominent and intelligent citizens of the com- munity in which they reside, and have made many warm friends since their residence in Jackson township.
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LEONIDAS P. SHANKS.
Success in any vocation depends largely upon individual character and knowledge. In engaging in any pursuit, one needs a certain amount of confidence, without which an investment of money in any line is the essence of folly. Mr. Shanks, whose history is here briefly related, has ever kept before him the principles of courage, confidence and industry, a foundation sufficient for the success of all who will follow his example.
Leonidas P. Shanks, farmer, Camden, Carroll county, was born Sep- tember 5, 1852, in Cass county, Indiana, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Blue) Shanks. He was reared in Deer Creek township, where he attended the district schools during the winter months. At the time of his marriage, Mr. Shanks went in debt for a forty-seven-acre farm, but with close atten- tion to his business interests, he was enabled on February 20, 1888, to pur- chase his present splendid property, consisting of two hundred acres, located six and a half miles east of Camden, and known as the "Poplar Lawn Farm," route number 2, Camden, Indiana. Mr. Shanks has put valuable improve- ments in his place, including a fine modern house, which is strictly up to date in every respect. Mr. Shanks has always given his earnest support to the Democratic party, and has always taken an intelligent interest in the welfare of his township, having served in various offices, including that of trustee of Washington township, which he held for four years, and was a member of the county central committee for action in local politics. He is a stockholder in the Camden Farmers' Grain and Supply Company of Camden. He is also a director and stockholder in the telephone company of that city.
The great grandfather of Leonidas P. Shanks came from Scotland to America in colonial days, and settled in what is now Pennsylvania. Their sons emigrated to western states. One, John Shanks, grandfather of our subject emigrated to Indiana, when the father of our subject was five years of age, and settled near Delphi, and was keeper of the first poor farm in Carroll county, therefore being one of the first settlers in the county.
Henry Shanks, father of our subject, was born in 1829, at Troy, Ohio, and came to Carroll county in 1833, at the age of five years. His wife was Mary Blue, daughter of Uriah Blue. to whom he was married in 1859, and by whom he had eleven children, nine of whom were living in 1915: L. P. Shanks, Alice A., John U., Sarah J., William, David, Mary F., James, and Nora B. Alice A. became the wife of Jasper Fouts, and moved to Deer Creek; John U. is the president of the Farmers Bank at Camden, Indiana;
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Sarah was married to Charles Snider, of Carrollton township; William Shanks follows farming in Montana; David Shanks lives in Jackson town- ship; Mary F. Shanks became Mrs. William McClusky, of Cass county, Indiana; James is a farmer in Washington township; Nora B. is the wife of John Hummell, and lives in Cass county, Indiana.
Leonidas P. Shanks was united in marriage, March 13, 1875, with Mary E. Zech, daughter of Peter Zech. She was born on December 13, 1856, in Cass county, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Shanks have five children living in 1915: Ursula, who graduated from the public schools, and now is a student of literature and a landscape artist; Leonard, graduated from the public schools, and was married to Blanche Hinkle, by whom he has two children; Sylvia Shanks is a graduate of the Deer Creek high school, also the Muncie Normal school, and taught school for three years; Clay Shanks graduated from the public and high schools, and is at present a student at the Muncie Normal school; Oris R. graduated from the public school and entered high school at the age of thirteen.
Mr. Shanks and his wife are members of the primitive Baptist church, east of Camden, of which he is one of the deacons, and through his fra- ternal alliances, has identified himself with the Mt. Zion Lodge No. 211, Free and Accepted Masons, the Morse Lodge No. 477, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, past grand, and has been well known and held in high esteem for many years by his associates and friends in Washington town- ship.
JAMES Q. SHANKS.
In a brief sketch, it is impossible to give more than a faint outline of the history of James O. Shanks, a representative citizen of Carroll county.
James O. Shanks, farmer, Camden, Washington township, Carroll county, was born August 27, 1872, in Deer Creek township, Cass county, Indiana, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Blue) Shanks. He was reared in Carroll county and attended the district schools of Washington town- ship. At the age of twenty-one years, he started out on his own responsi- bility, buying a farm of forty acres at Deer Creek, to which he later added forty acres more, and has continued to prosper until he now owns a fine tract of one hundred and twenty acres. Mr. Shanks has always voted the Democratic ticket, but has never taken an active part in politics, his time and attention being devoted entirely to his general farming interests and
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his stock, of which he keeps only the best grades of the different kinds. His farm has been improved with a good class of buildings, and is well drained. Mr. Shanks, with the assistance of his wife and family, has made the most of what he now owns.
Henry Shanks was born in Butler county, Ohio, and is a son of John Shanks. His wife was Mary (Blue) Shanks. Mr. Shanks was an active supporter of Democratic principles, and an earnest member of the Baptist church, to which he contributed liberally. This union was blest with eleven children : L. P., a farmer, residing in Washington township; Margaret, who became the wife of William Snider, and is now deceased; Anna was married to Jasper Fouts, and lives at Deer Creek, Indiana; John U., is presi- dent of the Farmers State Bank at Camden, Indiana; Sarah J. Shanks became the wife of Charles Snider, and lives in Carroll county; William H. follows agriculture in Jackson township; Mary F. was married to William Mccluskey and lives in Cass county, Indiana; James O., the subject; Mel- vina died young; Nora B. became the wife of John Hummell, of Cass county, Indiana, and David, a farmer in Jackson township.
John Shanks, the paternal grandfather, settled in Carroll county as early as 1830, locating near Delphi, Indiana, and entered land in Jackson township, near Camden. He was a public-spirited man, and was for several years superintendent of the Carroll county infirmary. His land was situated half a mile east of Deer Creek, and while living on this farm, Mr. Shanks met with the loss of his wife, after which he went to Missouri to live with his son, where he died and was buried. He was the father of a large family of children, only one of whom was living in 1915, Robert Shanks, who now resides in Missouri. Mr. Shanks was a Democrat, and gave lib- erally to the Baptist church, of which he was a member.
James O. Shanks was united in marriage, September 1, 1897, with Miss Charlotte Yerkes, daughter of Henry and Mary Yerkes. She was born May 28, 1876, in Washington township, where she was reared, educated and married. They have three living children: Coy C., a graduate of the pub- lic schools; Ione, who graduated from the public school in 1915, and Lowell C., aged nine years. Mrs. Shanks is an earnest member of the Presbyterian church at Deer Creek, Indiana.
Mr. Shanks enjoys the sincere regard of all who know him, and is considered an upright and earnest worker for the best interests of his com- munity. His attractive home farm, located on route number 2, Camden, Indiana, is known as the "Black Mud Farm," and is one of the profit- making farms of the township.
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WILLARD ROSS AND JAMES D. MABBITT.
The two gentlemen, whose combined history is written in brief form in the following sketch, are descended from one of the very early pioneer families of Carroll county, Indiana. They are both men of broad views, thus enabling them to work harmoniously for the benefit of their com- bined interests. Willard Ross Mabbitt and James D. Mabbitt are the suc- cessful and well-known proprietors of a fine tract of land, consisting of two hundred acres, which they cultivate in partnership.
Willard Ross and James D. Mabbitt, farmers, living on route No. 1, at Flora, Indiana, were born August 27, 1874, and September 13, 1875, respectively, and are the sons of the J. M., born February 21, 1831, and his wife, Margaret (Martin) Mabbitt, born August 2, 1839.
Willard Ross Mabbitt was reared on the farm where he now lives, and received his education at the public schools during the winter months, and assisted with the farm work during the summer months until he was, twenty- one years old, and is now a half owner in two hundred acres of fine agricul- tural land, his brother, James D. Mabbitt, owning the other half. Mr. Mabbitt and his brother bear the name of being two of the wealthiest agri- culturists of Carrollton township. Willard Ross Mabbitt is a stanch Demo- crat, while his fraternal membership is with the Young America Lodge No. 534, Free and Accepted Masons, and Helmet Lodge No. 346, Knights of Pythias.
James D. Mabbitt, like his brother, was reared on the home farm, and educated at the public schools of the district, since which time his career has been closely allied with that of his brother, Willard Ross Mabbitt. Polit- ically, James D. Mabbitt has always been a strong believer in Democratic principles. Fraternally, his membership is with the Masonic Lodge and the Knights of Pythias, at Young America.
J. M. Mabbitt, father of our subjects, was born February 21, 1831, in Butler county. Ohio, and died on June, 3, 1904. His wife, Margaret ( Mar- tin) Mabbitt, was born August 2, 1839, in Carrollton township, Carroll county, and is still living in 1915. She is a daughter of Charles and Jemima Martin. To J. M. and Margaret (Martin) Mabbitt were born seven children, four of whom are living in 1915: Asa C., Minnie, Willard Ross, and James D. Asa C. Mabbitt was united in marriage with Laura Bone, and lives in Deer Creek township, Cass county, Indiana; Minnie Mabbitt is the wife of V. A. Shanks, and lives in Carrollton township.
James D. Mabbitt was united in marriage, November 14, 1908, with
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Alice P. Platt, daughter of Oliver S. and Effie ( Brower) Platt. She was born, November 25, 1881, in Howard county, Indiana, receiving her educa- tion in the district schools of Irwin township. They have one child, Mar- garet I., born on January 18, 1912. Mrs. Mabbitt learned the dressmaker's trade, which she followed up to the time of her marriage.
Oliver S. Platt, father of Mrs. Mabbitt, was born on May 15, 1858, and his wife, Effie ( Brower) Platt, was born on July 1, 1865, her death occurring February 10, 1893. They were the parents of three children, Mary A., who became the wife of William Haskill, and resides in Howard county, Indiana; Roxie B., the wife of Doctor R. D. Varner, of Indianapolis, and Alice P. Mrs. Oliver S. Platt was born in Howard county, Indiana.
The Mabbitt brothers are well-known throughout Carroll county, and considered two of the most progressive and wide-awake farmers. of their community, where they have always lived. Their partnership farm is pointed out as one of the attractive and valuable farms of the Carrollton township.
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