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 55
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The Irwin family to which he belongs is of Scotch origin and its history in America dates from 1752. In that year three of the Irwin brothers left Scotland and emigrated to the new world, settling in Georgia and Maryland. At the breaking out of the War of the Revolution, Jared Irwin, one of the three brothers and the subject's great-great-grandfather, entered the colonial army in which he soon rose to the rank of colonel. Ile became one of the leading public men of his state, in which he served two terms as governor, and Irwinsville and Irwin county, in Georgia, were named after him. Jeffer- son Davis was captured on the Irwin plantation, near Irwinsville.
Among the descendants of Jared Irwin, a grandson by the name of Samuel Irwin, settled in an early day in Ross county, O., where he married Esther Dean, who was of Scotch-Irish parentage. In 1832 he moved to Montgomery county, Ind., leaving two sons, John and Jared, who remained in Ohio until the beginning of the Mexican war, when they enlisted in an Ohio regiment and served until the close of the war. Shortly after they came to Tippecanoe county, Ind., where John Irwin devoted his attention to the pursuit of agriculture and to teaching until his death which occurred in 1855. In 1850 he married Elizabeth Seaman. Her father was of Irish parents, who settled in Maryland before the Revolution. Her mother, whose maiden name was Lellewer, was born in France. She survived her hsuband about six years, departing this life in 1861, leaving two sons, Samuel R. and William S.
Samuel Richard Irwin, son of John and Elizabeth Irwin, was born on a farm in Tippecanoe county, Ind., June 13, 1851. Upon the death of his par- ents, which occurred when he was quite young, he became an inmate of the home of William Sims, of Clinton county, who reared him until his fifteenth year; brought him up on a farm and sent him to the public school of the neighborhood. While still a youth, he secured a teacher's license and devoted himself to educational work until 1873, when he turned his attention to farm- ing. Later he embarked in the goods business at Michigantown, for a period of six years. He then disposed of his stock and returning to the farm con- tinued to till the soil, also selling pianos and organs, until 1901, when he
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moved to Frankfort, where he has since been engaged in the music business, though retaining his interest in farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Irwin is a business man of wide experience, thoroughly familiar with the line of trade to which his time and energies are devoted. In his political views, he has always been a Republican, until the advent of the national Progressive party, when he became an earnest supporter of the party. In secret fraternal work, he has long been identified with th . Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Irwin has been twice married; the first time in September, 1872, to Miss Caroline Cartron, of Clinton county, who departed this life on the seventh day of September, 1908. They raised four children, namely : Andrew L., a well known farmer of Warren township; Dr. John C., of Pittsburgh, Pa. ; Merle, wife of Clifton Cohee, of Boyleston, and William A., a popular contractor of Frankfort.
In the month of February, 1913, Mr. Irwin married Miss Pearl Eiken- berry, of Clinton county.
JAS. WALTER MITCHELL.
One of the successful farmers of Madison township, Clinton county, is Jas. Walter Mitchell, a man who has preferred to remain in his native locality rather than seek his fortune in some much-vaunted far-away region of un- certain opportunities.
Mr. Mitchell was born on the old Mitchell homestead, August 27, 1879, and is the son and brother of Jas. M. and Harry Mitchell, a complete sketch of whose lives are given in another part of this volume. The subject of this review was reared on the home farm and when but a boy he was to be found in the fields, consequently farming has come naturally to him. He received a good common school education.
December 31, 1902, he was united to Ella Burkharter, daughter of Win. and Sarah Burkharter, both natives of Pennsylvania. Our subject's wife was born August 5, 1882, in Union township, Clinton county, Indiana. Her father at the age of four years left his native state with his parents and came to Indiana to reside. Both of Mrs. Mitchell's parents are living at Frankfort. She received a good common school education.
Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are the parents of two children, Thelma and Glen. the former born September 8, 1903 and the latter born January 20, 1906. Our subject is farming on his father's farm and has a nice little home with good buildings of all kinds. He has devoted his life to general farming and
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has been very successful, being a persistent worker and good manager and is well known as a breeder of Jersey cows, Chesterwhite hogs and general purpose horses.
Politically, Mr. Mitchell is a Republican, and while he does not have time to take any great interest in public matters, yet he is always ready to support any worthy measure looking to the general good of his county and state. He and his wife are both members of the Reform church at Mulberry.
JAMES M. MITCHELL.
It will always be a mark of distinction to have served the Union during the great war between the states. The old soldier will receive attention no matter where he goes if he will but make himself known. And when he passes away as so many of them are now doing friends will pay him suitable eulogy for the sacrifices he had made a half century ago on the sanguinary fields of the Southland or in the no less dreaded prison fever, camp or hospital. And ever afterward his descendants will revere his memory and take pride in recounting his services for his country in its hour of peril. One of the most eligible of the old soldiers and honored citizens of Clinton county for specific mention in a work of the nature of the one in hand is James M. Mitchell, farmer of Madison township.
Mr. Mitchell was born at Oxford, O., February 19, 1842, on a farm. He is a son of Samuel Mitchell, born in Butler county, Ohio. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812. The mother of our subject was known in her maidenliood as Elizabeth Sample. She was born in Union county, In- diana, in which her family were pioneers. She died leaving six children, thirce sons and three daughters, namely: John, was a soldier in the Civil war, in the One Hundred and Eighty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and he died at Veedersburg, this state; Sam Sample, Elziabeth, Ellen is deceased, Martha lives in Oxford, O., and James M., of this sketch. The parents of these children, both died at Oxford, O., the mother reaching the advanced age of ninety-two years.
James M. Mitchedll was reared on the farm and he was educated in the public schools. In 1867 he located in Madison township, Clinton county, on eighty acres in the woods, which he cleared and developed and had a com- fortable home in due course of time. Prospering he was enabled to purchase an additional sixty, and he now has a fine farm of one hundred and eighty
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acres, which he has brought up to an excellent state of improvement and cultivation. He also has one hundred and thirteen acres in Washington township.
Mr. Mitchell married Isabelle Clendening, a sister of Arthur Clendening, an old family of Madison township, and a daughter of Squire Clendening, a veteran of the Union army.
To Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell seven children have been born, namely: Mrs. Cora Bailey, Charles H., Lizzie, Henry Scott, lives in Washington town- ship; Walter, Frank and Ernest Maxwell, who lives on the home farm.
James M. Mitchell enlisted in Oxford, O., in Company A, Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. McFarland, who was a professor of old Miami University. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Burris and Lietenant Colonel Hunter. They were in camp at Columbus, O., for awhile, and later was ordered to Virginia, where our subject took part in a number of minor engagements, finally were sent into Tennessee and fought at the skirmish on Lookout Mountain. After four months service he was sent back into Ohio as guard to railroad and telegraph property used by the government. He made a good record as a soldier and received an honorable discharge. After the war he returned home and has since engaged success- fully in general farming and stock raising.
WILLIAM FICKLE.
It can not be other than interesting to note in the series of personal sketches appearing in this memorial history the varying conditions that have compassed those whose careers are outlined, and the effort has been made in each case to throw well-focussed light onto the individuality and to bring into proper perspective the scheme of each respective character. Each man who strives to fulfill his part in connection with human life and human activ- ities is deserving of recognition, whatever may be or have been the field of his endeavor, and it is the function of works of this nature to perpetuate for future generations an authentic record concerning those represented in its pages and the value of such publications is certain to be cumulative for all time to come, showing forth the individual and specific accomplishments of which generic history is ever engendered. The beginning of the career of the late William Fickle, for many years one of Clinton county's well known
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citizens, was characterized by hard work and conscientious endeavor, and he owed his rise to no train of fortunate incidents or fortuitous circumstances. It was the reward of application of mental qualifications of a high order to the affairs of business, the combining with keen perceptions mental activity that enabled him to grasp the opportunities that presented themselves. This he did with success and, what is more important, with honor. His integrity was ever unassailable, his honor unimpeachable, and he stood "four square to every wind that blew," highly esteemed by all who knew him.
Mr. Fickle was born in the year 1839, in Perry township, Clinton county. He was a son of Isaac Fickle, born in 1815, a son of William and Ann (Thompson) Fickle. The former born in Virginia in 1784, and the latter a native of Ireland, from which country she came to America when young. The Fickle family removed from Virginia to Perry county and from there in a very early day to what is now Perry township, Clinton county, where the elder Fickle became a very large land owner and prominent citizen in the carly pioneer days. Isaac Fickle married Jane M. Miller, a daughter of Robert Miller, a native of South Carolina from which state he came to Clinton county, in 1829, locating in what is now Madison township, where he remained until 1841, when he went to Mercer county, Illinois, and died there.
William Fickle, subject of this memoir, grew to manhood on the home farm and received such education as the early-day schools afforded. On October 22, 1863, he married Phoebe Ann Thompson, with whom he walked peaceably and happily the rugged path of life for nearly a half century. She was born February 20, 1844, a daughter of William and Sarah (Ryan) Thompson, of Preble county, Ohio, where he was born January 29, 1816, and his wife September 11, 1824. He was a son of Reese Thompson, whose grandfather was born in Ireland, and whose wife was a German woman. Reese Thompson and wife came to Indiana in a very early day and both died in Tippecanoe county, the grandfather at the age of eighty-two and the grand- mother at the age of sixty-two. It was in 1832 that William Thompson and wife came to Indiana. Their family consisted of the following children: Winfield, who lives in Clarks Hill, Ind .; Mrs. Phoebe Ann Fickle, widow of our subject ; Mrs. Mary E. Everhart; William, who lived in California, sup- posed to have been killed in the earthquake of 1906; James, living in Wash- ington township, this county; Owen, living in Madison township, and Mrs. Cora Stinson, living in Perry township.
William Fickle devoted his life to general farming and stock raising with more than ordinary success, for he was a persistent worker, a good manager and a man of sound judgment and wise foresight. He became owner of
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over six hundred a ves of valuable and productive land which he brought up to a high state of cultivation and improvement, and which he eventually divided up among his children of whom there were twelve, named as follows: Mrs. Fena J. Horlacher, born July 20, 1864; Alvin T., April 22, 1866; Fer- nando J., October 21, 1867; Sarah L., March 28, 1870; Joe E., February 4, 1872; Estella M., October 4, 1873; Charles R., December 3, 1875; Mrs. Ora A. Anderson, November 26, 1878; Orvil O., December 13, 1880; Floyd S., May 3, 1882; Lorie L., August 13, 1884, and Flda E. Bennett, December 3, 1886.
Mr. Fickle was for a number of years justice of the peace in his town- ship and proved to be a popular public servant owing to his fairness to all concerned. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church, in which he was elder for a number of years. The death of this splendid citizen occurred in March, 1913, and all who knew him sincerely regretted his passing away.
WILLIAM GRANT WAGGONER.
William G. Waggoner was born at Galveston, Cass county, Indiana, on August 17, 1867, the son of Peter and Turza Waggoner, natives of Indiana. Peter Waggoner followed agriculture as a life work, and was very success- ful. William Waggoner was one of four children, two of whom are now dead. He has one sister living now, Mrs. Morris, of Burlington ,Ind. Both parents are now dead and are buried at the home of the sister at Burling- ton, Ind.
William Waggoner obtained an education in the limited schools of Gal- veston. Until 1904, Mr. Waggoner followed the example set by his father and devoted his time to farming. He was fortunate in his efforts in cultiva- tion and his fields were typical of the fertile and tillable lands of Carroll county. In 1904, he moved to Frankfort, Ind., and has lived there ever since. He operates the motor saw for the Benefield and Son Saw Mills of that city.
On October 15, 1885, Mr. Waggoner married Carrie A. Wall, a milliner and dress maker, but since they came to Frankfort is proprietor of the Waggoner House. She is a daughter of Alexander and Dialtha Jennie Wall, natives of Richmond, Va., and both dead at this time. The bodies rest in the city of the dead at Knoxville, Tenn. Mrs. Waggoner has one sis- ter and two brothers. They are: Mrs. Maggie C. West, of Middlesboro, Ky .; Allen Wall, in gas and electric business at Memphis, Tenn., and E. H.
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Wall, a carpenter living at Frankfort, Ind. Mrs. Waggoner's father was a soldier in the Civil war, serving in several important engagements as a mein- ber of the Federal forces. Her grandfather was a minister in the very early days of Tennessee, and was moderator of the Tennessee Association from 1859 to 1878. It is said that he preached a larger number of sermons than any other person in the history of the association, except the Rev. Elijah Rogers. Mrs. Waggoner can trace her lineage still further back. Her great- great-grandparents were natives of Ireland and descendants of the famous Forgays and Sawyers Harris family, of Ireland.
One son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Waggoner, Harry A. Waggoner. He graduated in high school at Burlington, Ind., came to Frankfort and attended Miners Business College and is employed as meat cutter at Milners meat market. Harry Waggoner married Verna Luddington, a daughter of James and Vena Luddington of Frankfort. The bride was one of five chil- dren, two of whom are dead. The three living are Mrs. Newbold, of Clin- ton county ; Miss Mable, of Frankfort, Ind., and James Harrold, now in school. One daughter, Pearl, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Waggoner.
William Grant Waggoner is a member of the Christian church at Bur- lington. He belongs to the Loyal Order of Moose and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Mr. Waggoner, despite certain eruptions in his party, has never seen fit to remove himself from the Republican cause.
OTTO P. PICKARD.
It is interesting to take note of those whose industry and leadership in the work of advancement have rendered possible the present prosperity of the locality under consideration. Otto P. Pickard well known man of Frankfort is one of the lionest, industrious, broad-minded individuals who has contributed to the material welfare of the city in which he resides, being public spirited as a citizen and progressive in all that the term implies.
Otto P. Pickard was born September 18, 1879, in Fulton county, In- diana, and was the son of Lew H. and Mary E. (Miller) Pickard. His father was born in Indiana September 29, 1853. For years he was in the grocery business, but is located, at present, in Kirklin, Ind., as a dealer in harness. Our subject's mother was born in Ohio, March 14, 1855. They are the par- ents of four children, three of whom are still living: Addie, Otto P., Joe and Berthia (deceased).
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Our subject wo educated in the common schools and was also a graduate of the Frankfort high school. Early in life, he learned the painter's trade which he followed a number of years. Later, he was employed by the Lake Eric and Western Railroad Company and was with said company for a period of about six years, during which time, he served as a bill clerk and yard master. Hle also was in the employ of the United States Express Company for over three years. He is filling a position as salesman in one of the grocery stores in Frankfort, at the present time.
September 23, 1900, he was united in marriage with Lena L. Harrison. She was born in Boone county, Indiana, January 30, 1884, and was the daughter of Renben and Mary E. ( Huffine) Harrison, both of whom are living. Our subject and wife are the parents of two children, namely: Leona, born January 3, 1902, and Kenneth, born August 20, 1905.
Like his father, Mr. Pickard is loyal to the Republican party and while they both have taken the usual interest of good citizens in public affairs, they have never been office aspirants. Fraternally, Mr. Pickard is a Wood- man of the World.
OMER C. BENNETT.
To be a successful farmer requires no little tact, soundness of judg- ment and keen observation, besides persistent and hard physical toil, and successful farming as it is carried on today, requires not necessarily text-book education, but that particular learning which comes by painstaking effort and close observation. These facts, the world at large is coming to under- stand more and more each day.
Omer C. Bennett of Washington township, Clinton county, is an ex- cellent type of the up-to-date agriculturist as well as a breeder of Shorthorn cattle, Chester-white hogs and general purpose horses. He was born here July 12, 1890, and is the son of J. W. and Isabelle (Eavey) Bennett. His father was born in Madison township, Clinton county, August 24, 1859, and mother born June 14, 1868 in Ohio. His life has been devoted to farm- ing and he is one of the most influential men of his community. He and his wife live on a farm in Washington township and politically, Mr. Bennett is a staunch Republican. They are are parents of two children: Charles, born April 8, 1886, and Omer C., our subject.
Omer C. Bennett received a common school education in Washington (58)
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township. December 29, 1900, he was united in marriage with Elva Fickle, daughter of William and Phoebe Ann ( Thompson) Fickle. She was well educated, being a graduate of the Mulberry high school and having attended the State Normal School at Terre Haute, Ind. She taught school in Clinton county for twelve years. To this union, two children have been born; Herschel B., born April 24, 1011, and John W., born August 7, 1912.
Our subject has been very successful in his business life and is the owner of one of the most desirable homes in Madison township, known as Plain View Farm. Ile owns seventy-four acres of land, all of which is tillable.
Personally, Mr. Bennett is a pleasant man to know, genial, broad-minded. generous and honest, and it is useless to add that he is highly esteemed by all who know him, having been found faithful to every trust reposed in him in all the relations with his fellow men, and because of his sterling worth, his pleasant disposition and hospitable nature, he is one of the most representative of Clinton county's progressive citizens.
Politically, our subjeet is a Republican and fraternally, a member of the Red Men of Mulberry.
JOHN L. HENGST.
Clinton county has furnished homes to many hailing from foreign coun- tries, and, as a rule their residence here has benefited both themselves and us, for we had productive land to be developed according to modern methods so that this county would rank with the best in the state, and the immigrants have been for the most part poor, needing just such opportunities as they found here. They have thus by hard work and economy built up good prop- erties and made substantial, loyal and contented citizens. Of this number the Hengst family of Madison township should receive special mention.
John L. Hengst, the immediate subject of this sketch, was born in Prussia, December 10, 1848. He is a son of John L. and Elizabeth ( Mepher- smith) Hengst, both natives of Prussia also. There the parents grew to maturity and were married and spent their earlier years, and from there they emigrated to the United States in 1859 when our subject was ten years old. The voyage across the great Atlantic in an old-fashioned sailing vessel was a tedious one, requiring six weeks, bad storms having been encountered. They finally landed in New York City, and from there the family came on west to Clinton county, Indiana, settling in Center township on a farm, near
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the Union township line. Here they became very comfortably established through hard work and good management, and here the father's death occurred at the age of sixty-eight years, the mother dying at the age of eighty-three years. They were the parents of seven children three of whom are still living, namely : Mrs. Mary Hassnight, John L., of this sketch, and Caroline. The father devoted his active life to general farming. Politically, he was a Democrat, and he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church.
John L. Hengst was reared on the home farm in Center township, and there worked hard when a boy. He attended the rural schools in his neigli- borhood. When twenty-six years old he married Nancy J. Curt, a daughter of Robert Curt and wife. After his marriage our subject lived in Union township, then moved to Tippecanoe county where he lived several years, then returned to Clinton county and bought the fine farm on which he now lives in Madison township, three miles from the town of Mulberry. He has an excellently improved farm on which stand a well arranged eight roomed house and a large barn and other good outbuildings. He also owns a valuable farm of eight acres in Union township, and eighty acres in Tippecanoe county, both of which are well improved.
Mr. Hengst has seven children, four sons and three daughters, namely: William M., Alfred R., John L., Mrs. Emma Bear, Mrs. Rosella Mills, and Mrs. Helna Vanard. The last named and husband live with our subject on the farm. The wife and mother passed away in 1908 at the age of fifty-seven years. She was a good and faithful helpmeet, a kind mother and charitable neighbor. She was a faithful member of the Lutheran church.
WILLIAM B. COMBS.
He to whom this sketch is dedicated is a member of one of the oldest and most honored pioneer families of Clinton county and he has personally lived up to the full tension of the primitive days when was here initiated the march of civilization so that there is particular interest attached to his carcer, while he stands today as one of the representative citizens of Madi- son township, for his life has been one of hard work which has resulted in the development of a good farm which he owns and which yields him a comfortable living.
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William B. Combs was born on the old Combs homestead, a mile west of where he now lives in Madison township, Clinton county, November 3, 1858. Ile is a son of William B. Combs, Sr., who was a native of Butler county, Ohio, and a son of John Combs, a native of Ireland. William B. Combs, Sr., married Susan B. Richardson, who was a native of Butler county, Ohio, and a daughter of an okl Buckeye family. The parents of our subject grew to maturity in their native state and there were married, coming from there to Clinton county in an early day and settled in the woods, where they built a log cabin, and by hard work de- veloped a good farm of two hundred and forty acres. The death of the father occurred at the age of fifty-five years, his widow surviving to the ad- vanced age of eighty years, seven months and three days. To them five children were born, namely: John E., president of the Citizens Bank, of Mulberry; Mrs. Sadie F. Elliott, of Elwood, Ind .; William B., Jr., of this sketch; Malaciah, is a prominent physician of Terre Haute, Ind., and Charles, a successful physician of Terre Haute.
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