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 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
William B. Combs was reared on the home farm and educated in the public schools. On December 30, 1880, he married Emma Rodocker, who was born, reared and educated in this county. She was born on Mary 20, 1863, the daughter of D. W. Rodocker, who died in August, 1912, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a native of Ashland county, Ohio. His wife was Elizabeth Shanaberry, a native of Richland, O., and a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Shanaberger. The death of Mrs. Combs's mother occurred in 1909 at the age of seventy-one years. Mrs. Combs is one of a family of the following children: Mrs. Jennie Seyfried Emma C., Mrs. Anna C. Clapper, Joseph C., Mrs. Laura German, Mrs. Amanda Fleshhauter, Minnie, wife of William Miller.
Wiliam B. Combs, of this sketch, has devoted his life to general farin- ing and stock raising and has met with large success. He is now owner of one hundred and seventy-six acres, which is well improved in every way. including a large and well furnished residence, large barn and a one hundred- ton silo, his place being known as the Pleasant Ridge Farm. He pays con- siderable attention to stock raising.
To William B. Combs and wife four children have been born, namely: Clark, he being engaged on the Clover Leaf Railroad, and is the father of two children, Earl William and Frona Caroline; our subject's second child is Lawrence Glen, a successful physician, V. S., who was graduated from the Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis in 1898; William Bonn is farm-
917
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
ing in Madison township, Sadie Florence, who was graduated from the Mul- berry high school is now a student at Oberlin College, Oberlin, O.
Politically. Mr. Combs is a Democrat, but has never been an office seeker. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They are both active in church and Sunday school work.
CHARLES R. FICKLE.
There is a marked difference in the methods employed by the success- ful twentieth century farmer and those used by his grandfather. The methods of a century or even half a century ago were all right then but they would not do now because not only the land has changed, but also the climate and the kind of seed. We have obtained much seed of all varieties from for- eign lands and through them many thistles worthless grasses, pests and other undesirable things which we have to study and war against have come to our virgin land which our forbears knew nothing of. But taking it all in all, considering the hard work they had to do in getting the soil ready for culti- vation, the rude agricultural implements and the numerous kindreds of the wild that preyed upon young crops, there were as good pioncer farmers as there are modern husbandmen.
One of the progressive farmers of the present time in Madison township, Clinton county, is Charles R. Fickle, owner of Maple Ridge Farm, two miles south of Mulberry. He was born December 3, 1875, in this county. He is a son of William and Anna (Thompson ) Fickle. The Fickles were among the first settlers of Washington township and the father and grandfather of our subject were good examples of successful early-day farmers. The father was born here in 1839. He was a son of Isaac Fickle, who was born in 1815 in West Virginia, the son of William Fickle, who was a native of Virginia, born there in 1748. The latter's father was a native of Germany, and his mother of England. William Fickle, who was known as "Squire" Fickle, married Ann Thompson, a native of Ireland, from which country she emi- grated to the United States when eleven years of age, with her parents, locat- ing in Philadephia. Subsequently her family moved to what is now Perry county, Ohio, in the days of the wilderness, and there she and Squire Fickle were married. In that county Squire Fickle owned at one time twenty-six hundred acres of land. He was justice of the peace for many years, and was a prominent man in that county. His son, Isaac Fickle, was born there in
918
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIAN.1.
1815, as stated above, and there he grew up and married Jane M. Miller, daughter of Robert and Nora Belle Miller, natives of South Carolina, and carly settlers in this county, coming here in 1829, locating in Madison town- ship, Clinton county, removing to Mercer county, Illinois in 1841, and there spent the rest of their lives, the wife died on December 22, 1863, leaving four children.
William Fickle, father of our subject, grew up amid pioneer conditions and received a limited education in the old-time schools. He devoted his life to general farming with success.
Charles Fickle our subject, grew up on the home farm and was educated in the nearby schools. He remained at home until he was twenty-seven years of age, then, on June 10, 1903, he married Mary E. Ayers, daughter of Jesse Ayers, a well known citizen of Washington township, this county. A history of the Ayers family will be found on other pages of this work. Three children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Ruth Marie, Jay C., and Dorothy Lucile.
Mr. Fickle has devoted his life to farming, and he is owner of a pro- ductive and well improved place consisting of eighty-six acres. He has a good home in the midst of attractive surroundings and makes a good liveli- hood by general farming and stock raising.
WILLIAM B. FICKLE.
The biographer is glad to note in this series of sketches that there are so many retired farmers within the borders of Clinton county, for it shows that here is a prosperous and contented people and a locality unrivaled in agricultural possibilities. In countries where the land is poor and the in- habitants indifferent, contented merely to live along the line of least resis- tance, one does not find retired farmers, such a thing can not be from the very nature of things. The name of William B. Fickle, of Mulberry, ap- pears on the list of those who have spent their active years in tilling the soil, have accumulated a comfortable competency through their thrift and good management and are now enjoying serenely the fruits of their earlier years of toil. He is another of the prominent old family, records of which fill a good many pages in this publication, and, like the rest of the family he has lived an industrious, useful and honorable life.
Mr. Fickle was born in Washington township, Clinton county, on No-
919
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIAN.A.
vember 16, 1849, the year of the memorable gold excitement, which sent thousands across the dangerous western plains. He is a son of Joseph Fickle, born in Perry county, Ohio, in 1813, during the second war with Great Brit- ian. He spent his carlier years in his native state, finally located in Clinton county, Indiana, in an early day and here becavie a prosperous farmer and spent the rest of his life here, dying in 1875 at the age of seventy-two years. He was a son of William and Ann (Thompson) Fickle, the for- mer a native of Pensylvania, and the latter was born in Dublin, Ireland. She was a great Bible student and could debate with preachers on the Scriptures. William Fickle came to Clinton county as early as 1832, bought land and re- turned to Perry county, Ohio, from which place he moved his family here in 1834, making the journey in wagons. There home here was a log cabin until they could get their farin under way and build a more pretentious dwelling. He prospered and became one of the largest land owners in this locality. He received a deed signed by the great name of Andrew Jackson, President at that time. William and Ann Fickle had seven chil- dren, four sons and three daughters, namely: Hugh, Isaac, John, Joseph, Mrs. Nancy Haylette, Sarah, who married James Fickle, and Jane.
Joseph Fickle was reared in Perry county, Ohio. In 1834, when twenty- one years old he married Elizabeth D. Brown, daughter of Judge John Brown, of Washington township, Clinton county, she being one of a family of two sons and four daughters, namely: Samuel and John, the two sons are both deceased; Mrs. Elizabeth D. Fickle; two daughters who live in Rochester, Ind .; and one deceased. Six children were born to Joseph Fickle and wife, namely: William B., of this sketch; Margaret, who married Thomas Mc- Bride; Sarah, Elizabeth, is deceased, as is also Nancy; Mary, who married John Glendening is deceased. The father of the above-named children de- voted his life to farming. Politically, he was a Democrat, and he belonged to the Presbyterian church.
William B. Fickle, of this sketch, was reared on the home farm and educated in the common schools. He remained at home helping his father until he married at the age of twenty-four years, choosing as a life partner Elizabeth McBride, daughter of Jolm McBride, of Perry county, Ohio. After living awhile in Montgomery county, that state, the family came on to Clin- ton county, Indiana, and settled in Washington township where Mrs. Fickle grew to womanhood and was educated. She was one of a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters, namely: Thomas, William, James, all deceased; Louisa is the widow of John A. Horlacher, deceased; Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Fickle; Matilda and Amanda are deceased; Mrs. Emma Grice
920
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
lives in Washington township. The death of John McBride occurred at the age of sixty-five years, his widow surviving until eighty years of age. They were members of the Presbyterian church.
Three children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Mrs. Nellie Rinehart, who lives near Rossville, Ind .; Joseph E., is married and has three children, William W., Jesse E. and John .1. ; Katic, who died when twenty-five years of age, was the wife of D. W. Clendening, she left two sons, Forest and Maurice.
William B. Fickle owns the old home place which consists of one hundred and sixty-eight and one-half acres, which he has kept under excellent im- provements and cultivation. He has made a success as a general farmer and stock raiser. He also owns a good dwelling in Mulberry, where he has lived since 1910, when he retired from active life.
ALVIN THOMPSON FICKLE.
Very often it is greatly to the advantage of the farmer's boy that, in- stead of rushing off to some town to become a poor grocery clerk or employe in a dirty machine shop, he remains in the country where he was brought up and where he knows what is necessary to make an honest living. He knows when and how to seed and harvest his crops and knows what is neces- sary to insure success in the rearing and sale of live stock. If he leaves for the town he must learn another business and enter into competition with men who have grown up to the business which he must acquire. He is thus, as a rule, at a great disadvantage. This is said for the benefit of boys who have a start in farm business, who, in nine cases out of ten, had better re- main right where they are if they want insured to them a happy, healthy, respectable old age. One of the progressive farmers of Madison township, Clinton county, who was contented to remain in his native community and devote himself to the line of endeavor with which he was most familiar is Alvin Thompson Fickle, and one would judge from a cursory glance over his excellent farm and pleasant home that he has been wise in following this course.
Mr. Fickle is the son of one of our most noted old families, the Fickles having been prominent and influential in Clinton county for three generations. In view of the fact that the family history has already been given in several different places in this work, it will be omitted here.
921
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
Alvin T. Fickle was born in Madison township, Clinton county, on April 22, 1866. He is a son of William Fickle and wife, and he grew to manhood on the home farm and received a good practical education in the neighborhood schools. Early in life he determined to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in a business way and so began paying close attention to the general phases of farming and stock raising. He remained on the old homestead until he was twenty-three years of age, when he mar- ried Nancy E. Clendening, who was born, reared and educated in this locality. She is a daughter of Charles and Ellen Clendening, the former now deceased, but the mother is still living and is now the wife of Arthur J. Clendening, of Madison township. Mrs. Fickle was called to her eternal rest on September 2, 1897, at the age of twenty-seven years, leaving five children, namely: Orpha Murlin, the wife of Milton Hall, of Clarks Hill, Tippecanoe county ; Glo. Russell, John Carlyle, Williani Walter and Anna Blanche. They were all given proper school advantages.
Alvin T. Fickle has been very successful as a general farmer and is the owner of a well improved and productive farm of one hundred and eighty acres in Madison township on which he raises a diversity of crops and live stock in large numbers, and on which may be seen a good dwelling and convenient outbuildings. His place is located three and one-third miles southeast of Mulberry.
Politically, he is a Democrat and works for his friends who desire office, but he never seeks political preferment himself. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias. Some years ago he went to Texas where he spent a year, also some time in Colorado and other parts of the West, but finally re- turned to his native county, which he now believes to be the best county in the world.
JOSEPH HACKERD.
There is no class of men whom the biographer delights to write about more than the old soldier or the pioneer and when he finds a subject who is both he can not say too much of such a character, for it took bravery, for- titude, and many of the best elements that go to make a man to induce the youth to leave the old home and go to the seat of conflict and risk his life for his country's sake. Indeed, it took but little less courage for him to brave the wilderness, where lurked many an unseen foe and still more obstacles and
92.2
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
hardships awaiting to be subdued before his humble home could rise and he could get established in a way that would insure his happiness and free- dom from want through the years to come. It is doubtful if the young men of today, we of the second generation at least, would leave the pleasures of advanced civilization and go out to fight Indians, kill the snakes, cut down the giant forest trees, drain the swamps and do a thousand and one things that this worthy band had to do. From such sterling stock sprang Joseph Hackerd, an honored citizen of Washington township, Clinton county, a veteran of the great Civil war and himself a pioneer child.
Mr. Hackerd was born February 24, 1842, in Butler county, Ohio. He is a son of James P. Hackerd, a farmer, who was born in Pennsylvania, of which state his parents were also natives, noted for their honesty and in- dustry and courage in times of trial. The mother of our subject was Elizabeth Coffman, a native of Butler county, Pennsylvania, of a good old German family of that state. The parents of our subject's mother finally came to Clinton county, Indiana, where they spent the rest of their lives.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm and there worked hard when a boy. He received a meager education in the schools of his day. When thirty years of age he married Sarah Yount, who has proven to be a most faithful helpmeet for a period of forty years. She is a daughter of Hamilton Yount, who was a native of Ohio.
To our subject and wife ten children have been born, namely: Ada, who married Howard Harshman, county recorder, lives at Frankfort; Wallace. Elwood, Maud, Hamilton, James, Roscoe, Benjamin, Bessie and Beulah.
Mr. Hackerd has lived on a farm near Jefferson for many years and has been successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits, however, he is now practically retired from active work.
Mr. Hackerd enlisted for service in the Union army at Mulberry, Ind., in June, 1863, in Company I, One Hundred and Sixteenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Loveless. Soon afterward he went into camp at Lafayette for a time, later was sent to Cleveland, O., thence to Cincinnati and into Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. He saw considerable hard service, participating in many skirmishes and battles. He was honorably discharged after eight months' service, after which he returned home and engaged in the peacful pursuits of life. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Stone River Post. He belongs to the Masonic order, and has been master of the lodge at Jefferson. Politically, he is a Republican, and a member of the United Brethren church.
923
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIAN.A.
LEWIS F. CALLOWAY.
Agriculture has been the true source of man's dominion on earth ever since the primal existence of labor and has been the pivotal industry that has controlled for the most part all the fields of action to which his intelli- gence and energy have been devoted. In a civilized community no calling is so certain of yielding a compensatory return as that which is culled from a kindly soil albeit the husbandman at times is sorely taxed in coaxing from mother earth all he desires or even expects; yet she is a kind mother and seldom chastens with disappointment the child whose diligence and frugality she deems it but just should be rewarded. One of those who have found a benefactress in mother earth is Lewis F. Callaway, a leading farmer of Owen township, Clinton county, proprietor of "Eastview Farm."
Mr. Calloway was born in Ross township, Clinton county, September 24, 1852. He is a son of Wingate Calloway, who was born in Pennsylvania, of English ancestors, some of whom fought in the old wars of Great Britain. The father of our subject grew up in his native state and there received a common school education, and upon reaching manhood he married Elizabeth Lewis, a daughter of Henry Lewis, one of the well known early settlers of Ross township having come here from Butler county, Ohio. He was of English and Welsh descent. To Wingate Calloway and wife nine children were born, three of whom are now living, named as follows: Lucinda ( died when twelve years old; Lewis F., of this sketch; Mary A., is the wife of Walter Troxel, in Mulberry, this county. The death of Wingate Calloway occurred in 1865, at the age of fifty-two years, his birth having occurred in 1814. He devoted his life to general farming.
w Lewis F. Calloway was reared on the home farm and there he worked when a boy. He received his education in the common schools. In 1886 he married Thersa Bible, who was born in Wisconsin October 18, 1861, a daughter of Rufus Bible, of German ancestry. The death of Mrs. Calloway's mother occurred at the age of forty-one years. Her father is still living. Twelve children were born to Rufus Bible and wife named as follows: Everett, Emma Amelia, Thersa, who married Mr. Calloway, of this sketch; Delilah, Sarah, Gilbert, Elmira, Sylva, Lucy, Lester and Sylvester, the latter deceased.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Calloway: Manson E., who married Pearl Stinbaugh, lives in Ross township, this county, and they have two children, Jesse James and Troy Lewis; Willard C., second child of our subject, is now twenty years old; John L., is eighteen
924
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
years old; Guy C., is thirteen years old; Gladys died at the age of five years.
Mr. Calloway began farming when a young man and this has continued to be his vocation. He is now owner of a finely improved and productive farm of about one hundred and twenty-four acres of valuable land, where he carries on general farming and stock raising. He has a good ten roomed house and substantial outbuildings, including a barn, forty by ninety feet. IIe is well fixed about his place in every way and is one of our best farmers. Mr. Calloway affiliates with the Democratic party.
JAMES P. AUGHE.
Among the younger element of tillers, of the soil in Forest township, Clinton county none is more deserving of specific mention in a volume of the nature of the one in hand than Joseph P. Aughe. This statement is made after observing the careful methods adopted by him and noting the well-kept condition of his farm. His early success is due to the fact that he started off on the right foot in the beginning and has worked persistently, keeping his eyes open all the while.
Mr. Aughe was born August 10, 1888, in Washington township, this county. He is a son of Samuel and Mary J. (Potter) Aughe, an old family of this locality, for the father was born in the same township and county as was our subject, and the Aughes have been well known in this section from the early days, doing their full share of the work of development in all lines. Samuel Aughe grew to manhood on the old homested and there he worked hard when a boy, and had little opportunity to obtain an education. He spent his life successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits, providing well for his family. Politically, he was a Democrat, but was a quiet home man and took little interest in political affairs. His death occurred on July 13, 1910.
The mother of the subject of this sketch was born in the state of New York. She received a very good education, and she is still living. Mrs. Aughe was a faithful helpmeet and discreet mother. She has two children living and one deceased, namely: Fernie, the eldest; Joseph P., of this sketch, and Frederick, deceased.
Joseph P. Aughe grew to manhood on the home place and there he did his share of the work when growing to manhood. He received a good edu- cation in the local public schools and in the high school at Frankfort.
925
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
On September 12, 1906, Mr. Aughe took an important step by marry- ing Nellie Sims, who was born in Forest township, Clinton county, February 9, 1890, and here she grew to womanhood and was educated in the common and high schools. She is a daughter of J. T. and Melissa ( Whisler) Sims. Her father was born on December 7. 1858, in Clinton county. Indiana, and her mother was born on December 20 of the same year, there being thus but a few days difference in their ages.
Two children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Mary Sims, born April 23, 1908, and Roxey Helen, born October 9, 1911.
After leaving school Mr. Anghe worked for an express company a short time, and then was a messenger for the American Express Company on the Big Four Railway for one year, giving entire satisfaction to his employers. Then, in 1910, he moved to his present place in Forest township, and began farming, which he is continuing with gratifying results, carrying on general farming and stock raising. He is making a specialty of raising Jersey cows, Poland China hogs and a cross breed of Belgian horses. This fine and pro- ductive farm contains three hundred and forty acres, and is known as the J. T. Sims farm.
Politically, Mr. Aughe is a Democrat. Fraternally he belongs to the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows at Forest ; also the Masonic Order and the Eastern Star. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
WILLIAM J. LAYTON.
The name of William J. Layton is too well known to the farming com- munity to Michigan township to be formally introduced here, since he has long made his residence in Clinton county, in fact has spent nearly all of his life here. The career of Mr. Layton has ever been such as to warrant the trust and confidence of the business world, for he has ever conducted all transactions on the strictest principles of honor and integrity. His devotion to the public good is unquentioned and arises from a sincere interest in his fellow men. What the world needs is such men-men of genuine worth and above the penurious caveling type of man who lives for himself alone.
William J. Layton was born December 28, 1844. in Wayne county, Ohio, and came to Clinton county, Indiana, when he was but twelve years of age. He was the son of Israel and Sarah (Fleming) Layton, the father being born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, also the mother. The former died in 1893, and the latter in 1883. Both parents had a limited common school
926
CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.
education in their younger days, and the father moved to Ohio after his marriage with subject's mother. He was a farmer by occupation. and in politics allied himself with the Republican party. Ten children were born to the union, and they were Mary, deceased; Sarah L., Irvin, Clearsy, Eunice, deceased; William J., Cyrus, deceased; Timothy, deceased; Emma J., de- ceased, and Ida.
William Layton was given a common school course, most of which was obtained in Clinton county. Mr. Layton has never married, but lives at present on his farm with his sister, Sarah Louisa, who was born in June, 1838. She keeps house for our subject. Mr. Layton has always farmed in this county, and possesses fifty acres of excellent soil, all very tillable with the exception of one and one-half acres. Mr. Layton built all of the modern improvements upon the estate, including his home. The land is well tiled. He carries on general farming and raises live stock, including half Jersey and half 'Shorthorn cattle, and a few Poland-China and Duroc mixed hogs, also a com- mon breed of horses. Politically, Mr. Layton is affiliated with the Republican party.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.