USA > Indiana > Clinton County > History of Clinton County, Indiana : With historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families, Volume II > Part 32
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tractor and did an excellent business. He and his wife were members of the regular Baptist church, in which he was a deacon for a number of years. His death took place February 22, 1889; his wife had previously died, Feb- ruary 22, 1879.
George W. Dunn learned carpentering under his father, and for a num- ber of years worked at the trade in Clinton county. Later he became a farmer and gravel road contractor, at which he was a great success. At the time of his death, on August 5, 1901, Mr. Dunn was the owner of one hun- dred and seventy acres of excellent land, all tillable but a few acres. The place had all the modern improvements to be obtained. Although the farm was not among the largest of the county it bore the reputation of being one of the most productive for the number of acres of any farm in the county. This was largely due to Mr. Dunn's skill in the agricultural profession. Mrs. Dunn, the widow, now carries on the work of the place, and is making a success of the undertaking. She does general farming and also raises Jersey cows, general purpose horses, and Plymouth Rock chickens. Mr. Dunn and his wife were both members of the Baptist church, and were very active in the work of the same. Politically, he was a Republican, and served as trustee of Forest township for six years. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias at Forest.
Mr. Dunn was married on November 9, 1881, to Laura B. Davis, the daughter of Hueston and Mary (Cowdry) Davis. To this union there were born the following children: Loren O., born February 4, 1883, married to Zora Beach, and now living in Burlington; Olney I., born January 11, 1884, died July 17, 1884; Neva L., born August 5, 1885, died November 11, 1885; Mary C., born April 13, 1886, married to Earl B. Stevens, now living in Forest township; Marvel E., born June 19, 1892; Gaye M .. born April 20, 1895, living at home; Joseph Hueston, born September 26, 1896; and Davis Perry, born April 3, 1899.
HENRY ELDRIDGE SLEETH.
Indiana has long been noted as one of the first states in the Union in the production of corn. This is due to two reasons, partly because of the richness of the soil and partly because of the skill employed by the farmers. They seem to understand better than the farmers of some sections of the
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United States the fact that thor ough preparation of seed bed, intelligent selec- tion of seed and good cultivar . rare vitally essential and must be employed, but to attempt to grow the on aindred bushel crop by these means alone is like trying to build a house by constructing the roof before laying the founda- tion. The basis of a bumper corn crop is a fertile soil-a soil containing sufficient plant food elements to produce such abundant crops as are seen in this world-renowned corn belt . - a soil so intelligently drained that these ele- ments in plain food solution shall not be weakened by over dilution. All this is well understood by Henry Eldridge Sleeth, one of the up-to-date farmers of Forest township Clinton county
Mr. Sleeth was born . . September 10, 1868 in White county. Indiana. He is a son of Oliver Perry Sleeth and Jane ( Eldridge) Sleeth. The father was born near Fairfield, Ohio, Mov 24, 1822, and his death occurred on January 25, 1876. He received a food education and followed farming all his life in White county, Indiana. Politically he was a Republican. He and Jane Eldridge were married on October 31, 1850 in White county. She was born in Richmond, Indiana, on November 8, 1834, and she received a good education. She is still living, making her home with her children. She is now well on toward her four score milestone, and is a fine old lady of the pioneer type.
Six children, four of whom are still living, were born to Oliver P. Sleeth and wife, namely: Stacey M., John C. (deceased), Mary Ella, Eliza Ann, Franklin Martin (deceased), and Henry E. of this review.
Henry E. Sleeth grew up on the home farm and received a good common school education. On November 7, 1900 he married Jessie M. Collins, who was born in Forest township, this county, on August 1, 1873. She is a daughter of Amaziah H. and Nancy (Carter) Collins, both now deceased.
David B. Carter, an uncle of Mrs. Sleeth, made his home with our sub- ject, after the death of his wife, Levina (Collins) Carter, until his death, at which time he willed the old home place, where our subject now lives, to Mrs. Sleeth. The place is a valuable one, consisting of one hundred and ten acres, all tillable but about twenty-four acres. It is well improved in every respect, most of the tiling and improvements having been made by David Carter, who was a soldier in the Civil war, having enlisted in Com- pany G, Fifty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in 1862, and later in Com- pany G. Eighty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His death occurred on June 18, 1903. He studied law at one time, and was a good business man. He was an influential Republican. He had no children of his own, but
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reared several. He was a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of Murat Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Indian- apolis.
Amaziah H. Collins, father of Mrs. Sleeth was also a soldier in the Civil war. He served in Company G, Eighty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
Mrs. Sleeth grew to womanhood in her native community and received a common school education. Two children have been born to our subject and wife, namely : John Collins, born June 28, 1906, and Henry Eldridge, Jr., born July 24, 1911.
Mr. Sleeth moved to Clinton county in 1897 and here he has been en- gaged successfully in farming ever since. He makes a specialty of a cross between Duroc and Poland-China hogs, and raises general purpose horses.
Politically he is a Republican. He belongs to the Masonic Order, the Blue Lodge, and the Knights of Pythias and both he and his wife attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
W. I. HEATON.
The subject of this sketch, W. I. Heaton, during his useful life which has now terminated, was a strong factor in the agricultural growth of Clin- ton county. Handicapped by ill health, he yet persevered, and gave to his brethren the utmost service that he was physically able to give, and this amounted to vastly more than many a man of rugged physique. Some men live by the efforts of others, and contrary to the laws of existence, appear to prosper under the unfair conditions. Mr. Heaton, however, was the antithesis of this type. He was untiring in industry, sympathetic in friend- ship, altruistic to a fault, and in consequence won the unbounded esteem and . admiration of his fellow citizens. It is our hope that the few words we may say here may serve as a monument to his honor, and point back to him as a worthy example, when hands yet unborn shall turn the pages of this book and the owners note the lives of their forefathers.
W. I. Heaton was born February 22, 1846, in Clinton county, Ind., and was the son of David and Nancy Heaton. The father was born on February 1, 1811 in the town of Eaton, Ohio, and was brought to Indiana in the early days by his parents, traveling overland and facing the hardships
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incident to the life of the pioncer. He settled in Clinton county, and here remained all of his life, following the vocation of farming continuously. He was a Republican in the political life of the times and religiously was a member of the Christian church. The mother of our subject was born in the state of Pennsylvania on August 20, 1814, and came to Frankfort, this county, in the early days with her parents. She died 1898, and her husband departed from this life in 1879. The couple were married in Frankfort on the 19th of February, 1835, and of the union were born eight children : Louise, Mary Abigail, Nancy, and Armina all living ; Lucinda, Melissa. Wil- liam and Jefferson, deceased.
W. I. Heaton received a common school education in his home county, at the same time working on his father's farm. He continued this work until his worthy parent died in 1879, whereupon he embraced other lines of endeavor, although adhering to agriculture as his chief vocation. Before many years, though, his health failed and he was compelled to forsake the active life and seek to regain his vigor and stamina. In this quest he was .unsuccessful and after a long struggle gave up his life on August. 9, 1907. Clinton county lost a good and reputable citizen by his death, a man of high ideals and tenacity of purpose.
Mr. Heaton was married on March 25, 1869 to Sarah L. Thatcher, the daughter of John and Catherine (Fisher) Thatcher. John Thatcher was born in Preble county, O., March 15, 1815, and his wife was born in Penn- sylvania, April 9, 1816. Both were among the early settlers of Clinton county. The father came here when but a boy, traveling with his parents from the state of Ohio. He lived on a farm four and one-half miles east of Frankfort, the farm consisting of one hundred and twenty acres of ex- cellent land. He stayed here until his death in 1899. His wife had pre- ceded him to the other world many years, she dying in 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher were the parents of eight children: Jacob M., born January 16, 1840, a valiant soldier in the Civil war, serving three years and four months, now residing at Sedalia, Ind .; Peter F., born May 14, 1841, also a soldier in the Civil war for two years and three months, now deceased; Maria C., born February JI, 1843, living at Selma, Kan .; Mary A., horn April 15, 1845, of Frankfort; Sarah L. (Heaton), born July 15, 1847, of Frankfort; Jessie C., born February 7, 1850 (deceased) ; Phoebe J., born June 20, 1853, now living at Buckner, Mo., and Cyrus D., born October 11, 1857, residing in Adrian, Mo.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Heaton: Asa, born October
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14, 1871, traveling man living at Chicago; Nannie Heaton, born May 12, 1875, living at Frankfort; and Pearlie, born October 10, 1882 ( deceased). Mrs Heaton enjoys good health at the present time and is living in her com- modious home at 257 North East street, Frankfort, which home she owns. She is a charter member of the Christian church in Frankfort.
NICHOLAS T. RICE.
The subject of this sketch, Nicholas T. Rice, has a life history which is interesting and complicated as a novel. The events in his life have true dramatic value, combining all of those forces of emotion and unusual inci- dents which make for literary values. It is not our intention in this sketch to write a short story, with plot and character, but in the straight narrative of the main incidents of Mr. Rice's life, we assure the reader that therein is a wealth of good reading and interesting recital. Mr. Rice is a native of the great empire of Germany and is only another of those sterling and thrifty citizens who have been added to the American states by the Fatherland. Alhough Mr. Rice came to this country under the most adverse circum- stances and lived under the same conditions during the most of his early life, his later success evens up the economic scale of his career. Mr. Rice has seen the raw nerves of life, has felt the utmost cruelty of his fellow be- ings. and has survived tests of endurance that would have destroyed one with less hardihood, optimism and pugnacity. These latter qualities were instilled into his blood by generations of Teutonic ancestors, men who lived under the inexorable law of the survival of the fittest. Our subject sur- mounted the obstacles thrown in his path by hard and persistent labor alone; he experienced no break of fortune which would tide him over difficulty, but he was compelled to fight hard, literally breaking his path by sheer force of brawn and stamina.
Nicholas T. Rice was born in Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany on the 23d of December, in the year 1846, the son of Troucham and Katherine Rice, both parents being natives of Germany. The father was a cooper by trade, following that vocation during his entire life Our subject's mother died when Nicholas was two or three years old, her death occurring either in 1848 or 1849. After the mother's untimely death, Troucham Rice boarded a ship for New York, bringing with him our subject, who was then just a little
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lad, and a daughter. After a long voyage they landed in this country on October 3, 1850. The father made his living in New York by his old trade of the cooper, and continued thusly until his death in 1863.
Nicholas Rice, feeling a touch of the wanderlust, ran away from home at the age of twelve years. He remained in the city of New York, and in some manner managed to eke out a living-a marvelous accomplishment for a boy of his tender years and in the surroundings of a city. In order to obtain bread and butter the young Rice sold newspapers on the streets, shined shoes, and did any small job that he could get. He had lodgings during these precarious days at the Newsboys' Lodging House, a well known institution in New York at that time. Later, the Coopers Institute for Poor Boys sent forty boys and fifteen girls to Frankfort, Indiana, on the condi -- tion that they were to be given homes upon their arrival. Upon their com- ing, the farmers from the surrounding country assembled at the Methodist church in Frankfort, where the youngsters had been taken. Henry J. Zer- ing, a farmer northwest of Frankfort, had the first choice because he had brought the first wagon-load of children from the train. He selected the youthful Nicholas Rice, and he took the boy to his farm and provided him with all the comforts and necessities of life. Mr. Rice stayed on the Zering farm until he was twenty-two years of age, working hard, and learning the science of agriculture from Mr. Zering, who was considered one of the best agriculturists of the county. He obtained his schooling in whatever way he could, spending his spare time reading and thereby acquiring as much knowl- edge as could have been given him by the common schools of the period. While working for Mr. Zering, during the Civil war, Nicholas Rice. ran away three times, in an endeavor to join the Union army. Each time, how- ever, he was caught and returned to the farm. At last he obtained consent to join the ranks, and, although he was still under age, he managed to enlist in Company F, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He did not get to serve long, as the war was about over. His enlistment was for the one-year period. His miltary record speaks well of his devotion to duty, although it was chiefly guard duty in the Shenandoah Valley.
On November 4, 1869, Nicholas Rice was married to Julia E. Shaff, a daughter of Samuel and Mary Shaff, farmers, and early settlers of Clinton county ... She was one of six children. Our subject, after his marriage, rented a farm in this county, and established a home of his own. He followed agri- culture until 1871, when he moved to Frankfort and learned the trade of the brick mason. While in the city lic suffered the misfortune of losing his wife:
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she died on February 9, 1874. After this occurrence he went back to farm- ing in 1878, and was again married, this time to Maggie Day, the daughter of Selvinaus and Mary Day, farmers of Clinton county. She was one of eight children. This wife died on June 7th, 1912. By his first wife Mr. Rice had one child, Eva B., who is the wife of John Lipp, a farmer three miles northeast of Frankfort, and the mother of the following children : Goldie, Grover, Maynard, Nicholas, Jolin, Earl Lessie, and Hazel and Myra, twins. The oldest, Goldie, is at present keeping house for our subject. her grand father.
After the death of his first wife. Mr. Rice remained on his rented farm for ten years, and then removed to Frankfort. He became well known in " this city and held many city offices. In 1889 he was elected street commis- sioner, and served in this capacity until 1896. He was later appointed city inspector under city engineer L. J. Hammond, and he also served four years under Charles Chaney. Mr. Rice was deputy assessor for eight years, jus- tice of the peace four years, and at present is inspector of the new streets being laid in Frankfort. He also holds an appointment as truant officer. Fraternally, Mr. Rice is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic. In religious affairs he is a deacon in the Christian church, and in politics votes the Republican ticket. Mr. Rice owns his own commodious residence on West Armstrong street, besides sev- eral other pieces of city property.
SAMUEL GWYNN WATT.
Clinton county has produced no better farmer and citizen than Samuel G. Watt, universally recognized as having been one of the most industrious, capable, and successful men of the county. He was for many years in- timately connected with the best interests of his community, and to his moral and material aid many of the improvements and items of progress of the county are indebted. He was one of the older settlers, living in this county at a time when the land was in the primitive state, and strenuous work was necessary for even the establishment of a home.
Samuel G. Watt was born at Jefferson, Clinton county, on August 21, 1837, and was the son of Robert and Jane Mcclellan (Fagundus) Watt. Robert Watt was 'a native of England, the family of Watt being one of the
SAMUEL G. WATT
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most prominent in English history and mentioned conspicuously in the various histories of that country. He graduated from Edinburg and was one of the best educated men in the county. He came to this country in 1828 and settled first in Lafayette, Ind., and in 1830 came to Jefferson, this county. He was a tailor by trade and was the first postmaster and squire of Jefferson, positions he held for twenty-seven years. Through his efforts the capital of Clinton county was almost located at Jefferson instead of Frankfort. He moved to a farm near Jefferson in 1859 and entered from the government a full section of land. He was married in 1828 and departed this life June 16, 1866. The mother of our subject was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and lived a long and useful life, dying June 10, 1857. Seven children were born to Robert Watt and wife: Susan, James, Laura, Samuel G., Sarah, and two who died in infancy. With the exception of our subject and one sister all of the children died before reaching fifty years of age.
Samuel Gwynn Watt received his early education at the common schools and at the Thorntown Academy. After his school days were over he im- mediately took up farming and so spent most of his active life. In 1902 he retired, selling the sixty acres decded to him by his father, and buying a beautiful home in the city of Frankfort, where he lived until his death on June 28, 1906.
On April 28, 1863, Samnel Watt was married to Amelia McClurg, the daughter of William and Amanda (Parker) McClurg, the former a millwright of Tippecanoe county, and one of the early settlers. Mrs. Watt was one of six children. To Mr. and Mrs. Watt eight children were born: Mrs. Genevieve Culver, of Warren, O., has two children, Mary .1. and Georgia Evelyn; Carrie, died in infancy; Bessie Watt, a registered nurse of Frankfort; Mrs. Lucille Lewis, of Frankfort; Robert Watt (deceased) ; Mabel, a nurse; Mrs. Edith Kendall, of Woodstock, Ill .; and Mrs Ethel Johnson, of Frankfort, who has one boy, Paul G. Mrs. Watt is, since her husband's death, making her home with her two daughters, Bessie and Mabel, both of whom are nurses and belong to the State Trained Nurses Association.
It is interesting to pay a visit to the Watt home, for therein are found many interesting things connected with the early history of the county and family. They have desks, papers, manuscripts, the marriage certificate of their grandfather, and other old relics of the family, including two chairs which their grandparents used when they began housekeeping in the early days of the nineteenth century. The house in which Mr. Watt was born, in Jefferson, is still standing and occupied.
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ROBERT F. DUNN.
Among the well-to-do and reputable agriculturists and citizens of Clint- ton county, none occupy a more honorable position in the regard of his col- leagues than the gentleman whose name heads this article. Although Mr. Dunn has not been active in the farming circles of the county for twelve years or more, having entered the coal business, he is remembered as a s11c- cessful man in that vocation, and this reputation has helped not a little in establishing his present popularity and lucrative trade. He is a man who has succeeded in the various lines of endeavor which have claimed his atten- tion because he has looked carefully to details, has exercised sound judgment and been uniformly fair in his dealings with his fellow men and consequently he has ever enjoyed their implicit confidence and good will and is in every way worthy of the position he has attained as a citizen of Clinton county.
Robert F. Dunn was born on March 14, 1860, in Hamilton county, Indiana, and was the son of Joseph and Amanda (Murphy) Dunn, whose biographies are upon another page of this volume. To say a word more, however, Joseph Dunn was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, and was married to Amanda Murphy there, coming to this county in 1859, and following the farming business, besides contracting and general carpentering. He was a Whig, and later a Republican. Ten children blessed his home, three of whom are living at this writing, these being Burton E., of Muncie, Ind .; Amanda Morgan, of Indianapolis; and Robert F., our subject.
Robert F. Dunn received a common school education in his youth in the county of his birth. About the year 1885 Mr. Dunn moved to Clinton county, Indiana, from Hamilton county, this state, and settled in Forest township, taking up farming, which he conducted very successfully until twelve years ago. At that time he entered the coal business at Forest, Indi- ana (this county), under the name of the R. F. Dunn Coal Yard. He carries a full stock of the best anthracite, hard and soft coals and coke. He has a large patronage and his customers are always assured of full weight and minimum prices. Mr. Dunn owns his own business, also his beautiful and comfortable home here. In politics, he is a Republican, but has never sought public office. Fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Rebekahs and the Knights of Pythias, all lodges at Forest. He is a trustee in the Methodist Episcopal church of this town. On December 11, 1878 Mr. Dunn was married to Amanda Heady, who
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was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on November 19, 1859, the daughter of Perry and Elizabeth ( Castetter ) Heady, also natives of Hamilton county, Indiana. Mr. Heady was born in 1826 and died in April, 1864, after an active life of farming. He was a Democrat. Mrs. Heady was born in 1827, and died in January, 1873. To Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Dunn ten children have been born and they are: Earle, born September 5. 1881; Emery Lee, born October 2, 1883; Roxy Gladys, born August 23. 1890; Frank G., born July 10, 1887; May Bell, born May 19, 1885, and died in 1886: Esta E., born April 23. 1893; Forest Clinton, born August 9, 1896; and Ural Eugene, born January 4, 1899. Two infants, twins, died unnamed.
ALBERT T. JOHNSON.
In writing the biographies of a county it is a pleasure to discover a sub- ject who has spent his entire life in the county of his birth. Such a fact is a sure recommendation for the progressiveness and prosperity of the commniin- ity. It augers well for the subject also, for it reveals a long-sightedness seldom found. The youth is invariably seized with the wanderlust at some time, and many men seek other fields of endeavor before they have matured enough to realize that it is best to utilize the home county as a place to live and thereby have the advantages of friends, history, and reputation with which to start life. Of course, there are exceptions. Mr. Johnson has made a splendid success of life because he has placed his faith in the county of his birth, seeing there as great opportunities as any place in the country; the fer- tile soil and high commercial standards of Clinton county have been benefited by his presence in many ways, and not a little of the richness of the territory can be attributed to his untiring efforts toward the betterment of liis home and friends. Mr. Johnson is a strong type of the Hoosier farmer-kind, sympathetic and genial, and yet with a certain sternness which is the defeat of those with dishonest intent and deceitful purpose.
Albert T. Johnson was born on July 22, 1867 in Forest township, Clin- ton county, and was the son of Robert C. and Elizabeth (Dennis) Johnson. Robert C. Johnson was born in the state of Virginia and came to Indiana when but a boy, locating first in Henry county, and later here. His early education was meager, as the schools then did not present the advantages of the modern ones. He learned the agricultural science, however, and re- mained with that vocation all of his life. Before the war he was a Whig,
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