USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Indiana : Its people, industries and institutions > Part 57
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Thomas C. Singleton was born on the farm, where he now lives, in
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Veale township, Daviess county, Indiana, on June 24, 1873. He is the son of Hunley and Lucinda (Hyatt) Singleton, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Veale township. Hunley Singleton was the son of William and Nancy (Tolbert) Singleton, natives of Kentucky, whose lives were spent in that state. William Singleton was a tanner and was twice married, his first union having been with Lucinda Hyatt, who was Thomas Singleton's grandmother, and his second union was with Delilah Thomas, the daughter of Charles Thomas and sister of William Thomas. Lucinda (Hyatt) Single- ton was a sister of William and John Hyatt and of Mary Ann and Margaret Graham. Mr. Singleton's maternal grandparents were either born in Veale township or came there, early in life from the Carolinas, with their parents. His maternal grandfather was a farmer in Veale township where he owned a large tract of land. He entered this farm from the government, cleared and drained it and there died. The maternal great-grandfather of Mr. Singleton was James C. Veale, Sr., the founder of Veale township and whose life was so intimately connected with this section of Daviess county. James C. Veale was a member of the home guards during the Civil War.
Hunley Singleton, the father of Thomas C., when but a child, came to Indiana from Kentucky and was reared by John and Francis Coleman. He located in Veale township early in life and was there married. He was a carpenter by trade, but was principally engaged in farming. Hunley Single- ton had a small tract of land where his son, Thomas C., now lives, a farm consisting of seventy-five acres. Aside from this he had a large tract of land in the river bottoms. He erected all of the buildings which are now standing on the farm owned by Thomas C. Singleton. Hunley Singleton had no military career, but was in the celebrated Morgan raid. He and his wife died upon this farm. They were the parents of eleven children, three of whom died in infancy. The others were Laura, John V., Nellie, Perry, Dennie, James W., Maude Glenn and Thomas C. Hunley Singleton had one sister, Nancy, who married Victor Buchanan, of Illinois.
Thomas C. Singleton was educated in the public schools of Veale town- ship and in the Washington public schools. After finishing his education in the schools of Daviess county, he attended the university at Vincennes, and then taught school for five years in Veale township. Subsequently, he took up farming on the old home place. With the exception of the house, he has erected all the buildings on this farm. Mr. Singleton owns, in all, one hun- dred and seventy acres, seventy-five acres of which is comprised in the farm where he lives and the remainder of which is part of the Graham farm. Mr. Singleton is a general farmer and stock raiser.
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Thomas Singleton was married on September 9, 1900, to Bertha Barber, who was born in Veale township and who is the sister of Lew W. Barber, whose sketch is found elsewhere in this volume, which gives the family his- tory of Mrs. Singleton.
Throughout his life, Thomas C. Singleton has been an ardent Republican. He was one of those men who remained faithful to that party during the split in 1912, when the Progressive party was formed. As a consequence of his faithfulness and a reward for his many services which he has rendered in behalf of his party, Mr. Singleton was nominated by his party in Daviess county and triumphantly elected to the office of county recorder in the fall of 1913. His election to this office is only a fitting tribute to his years of service, interest and activities in behalf of that party. Mr. Singleton is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, but Mrs. Singleton is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Singleton is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
PORTER BUSSARD.
The record of Porter Bussard is that of a man who, by his own unaided efforts, has worked his way up from an humble beginning to a position of influence. His life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance, and the systematic and honorable methods he has followed have won for him the unbounded confidence of his fellow citizens.
Porter Bussard was born on June 5, 1854, in Fairfield county, Ohio, and is the son of Christopher and Hannah (Nioninger) Bussard, who lived the greater part of their lives in the state of Ohio. To their union were born the following named children: Porter, Nelson, Thomas, Clark, Hattie, Ida, Nora, Della and two infant boys who died about the time of their births. The father of these children was a hard working man who labored from early to late and it was with great difficulty that he earned sufficient means to properly raise a family of these proportions. However, by the work of his hands, he was able to give his family the necessaries of life and other- wise provide for them, at the same time teach them habits of thrift and economy which served each one of them well in later years.
Porter Bussard received his early education in the public schools of Fairfield county, and began his career as an ordinary farm hand, working out wherever he could dispose of his services, and, by the practice of strict economy, was enabled to save enough from his earnings to begin farming
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for himself. After farming successfully, in his native state, for about three years, he went to Illinois where he remained for eleven years, then removed to Vermilion county, Indiana, where he purchased a farm consisting of three hundred and sixty-nine acres, after having worked in this county for ten years. Remaining here for the following five years, during which time he traded the original three hundred and sixty-nine acres for a more desirable place containing two hundred and forty acres, he continued to farm and added eighty acres, by purchase, which gave him a total of three hundred and twenty acres. Having received tempting offers for his Vermilion county land, he decided to sell out and then removed to Greene county, where he bought two hundred and eleven acres, on which he resided for the following four years. After making sale of this property, he came to Daviess county, in 1905, where he located in Washington, and established himself in the bakery business, which he conducted for a period of eighteen months. In connection with this business, it is said that he installed the largest and most complete baking oven ever used in the town of Washington. Concluding to discontinue the baking business, Mr. Bussard bought a farm consisting of ninety acres, which is situated about one and one-half miles east of the town of Washington, Daviess county, and has been occupied in farming this place since the year 1908, which piece of land required considerable improve- ment to make it highly productive, and in order to obtain the maximum re- sults he began installing a system of tile drainage and making other neces- sary changes, until today this farm is regarded as one of the most profitable in this section of the country. The place has been fully enclosed with good fencing and new buildings have been constructed so that the observer cannot help but conclude the owner to be a man of careful management and indus- trious, to all appearances possessing a good share of this world's goods. In addition to general farming, Porter Bussard devotes considerable time and attention to the feeding of cattle and hogs. The farm buildings and large and comfortable home are situated on an elevation so that a view of the country can be had for miles around.
In October, 1875, Porter Bussard was married to Ada Valentine, a daughter of Noah and Sarah (Avis) Valentine, and to their union have been born seven children, named as follow: Ervin, who married Mazie Simpson; Letha, who married Allen McMasters and whose children are Carl, Blanche, Bessie, Mary, Raymond (deceased), Leta and the baby ; Noah, who is mar- ried to Edna Pagett and has one child, Porter; Herbert, who married Beulah Coats; Florence, the wife of Robert Cross and they have two children, Iona and Merle ; Elsie and Flossie.
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Mr. Bussard is a supporter of the principles of Democracy, but does not take an active interest in politics. The family belongs to the Methodist church, to which they lend their support, according to their means. Person- ally, Mr. Bussard is a man who has proved himself somewhat better than the average man in the way of industry and management, and today is re- garded as one of the most successful agriculturists of this county, and is able to get a proportionately larger return from his farm than many others, which are of much more acreage. This is the result of unceasing energy and care- ful experiment. On account of his genial disposition, sound business judg- ment, honorable and upright methods, Mr. Bussard is justly entitled to the praise and admiration of his fellow men and his friends are in number as. his acquaintances.
NICHOLAS F. BARKLEY.
The prosperity and substantial welfare of a community are, in a large measure, due to the enterprise and foresight of its business men. It is the progressive, wide-awake men of affairs that make the real history of a com- munity, and their influence in shaping and directing its varied interests is. difficult to estimate. The well-known man whose name appears above ranks among the leading business men in the northern portion of Daviess. county, Indiana, and it is to such enterprising spirits as he that the imme- diate locality is indebted for the high position it occupies in the activity of its trading and progress.
Nicholas F. Barkley was born on January 26, 1873, near the town of Massillon, Stark county, Ohio, and is the son of Joseph and Anna (Feller) Barkley. Joseph Barkley was born in 1840, in Allegheny county, near the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and received his early education in the county schools of that locality. As a young man he worked as a farm hand until the breaking out of the Civil War, at which time he was ready and willing to offer his services to the Union cause. He did not enlist in the service of the country until about the close of the war and then served for a term of six months as one of the home guards. Some time after his dis- charge from the government service, he removed to Stark county, Ohio, where he bought a thirty-acre farm and it was here that he was married. After selling out his interests in Stark county, Ohio, he removed to Daviess. county, Indiana, in 1886, where he established himself a home, raised his- family and continued to follow agricultural pursuits until the time of his
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death which occurred on Easter Sunday, in the year 1914, at which time he was in the seventy-fourth year of his age. He survived his wife a num- ber of years, her death occurring in 1905. To their union were born three children, Emanuel, who married Lena Keagy and now lives in Jasonville, Greene county, where he is occupied as a miner; Nicholas F., the subject of this review; and Joseph, who died at the age of eighteen. The father of these children was a man who was well thought of in the community for his honorable methods and kindly disposition. He was a supporter of the Democratic party and the family belonged to the Methodist church, to which they contributed liberally, according to their means.
Nicholas F. Barkley received his early education in the public schools of Daviess county and at a later date attended the Vincennes University, . from which he went to the National Normal University, of Lebanon, Ohio, where he remained a full term. After this, he taught school for about eight years in his home community and put in a year in the normal school. Hav- ing decided to discontinue teaching, and believing his vocation lay in another line, he went to work as a clerk in one of the general stores of Odon, where he remained a clerk for the next four years when he formed a partnership with Albert Diefendorf, who was conducting a general store business. Mr. Diefendorf sold out his interest to Mr. J. A. Overton and Nicholas F. Bark- ley continued as a partner with him for the following five years. After buying out. Mr. Overton, in the year 1912, Nicholas F. began to add to the general lines heretofore handled and it is said that a more complete stock of general merchandise is not to be found in any store of like kind anywhere for supplying the demands of such a community. The business was started in the year 1904, with a stock which invoiced to the amount of one thousand four hundred dollars and consisted largely of groceries and dry goods in a very small way. The dry goods line was increased at a later date and a total of two thousand eight hundred dollars was invested. The business continued to grow and the buying of stocks proportionately increased until the present stock would easily invoice sixteen thousand dollars; the annual business amounts to a gross figure of forty-five thousand dollars. This steady growth of business is the result of careful management, close atten- tion to details and, above all, kind consideration for the demands of the public and marked courtesy to everyone. Mr. Barkley carries the reputa- tion for honorable methods in all of his business dealings and is held in the highest esteem by his fellow men.
In September, 1899, Nicholas F. Barkley was married to Millie Fer- guson, a daughter of John and Nannie Ferguson, and to their union have
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been born three children, Leland, in August, 1900; Esther, August, 1905, and Douglas, August, 1912. Mr. Barkley is a progressive advocate of the Republican party's principles, but does not take an active interest in these matters; however, he is always ready and willing to serve his party when needed and is strong on furthering the interests of his community and lends his influence in a quiet, unassuming manner. He is a devout member of the Christian church of Odon where his wife and family are regular attendants. Besides his general store business interest, Mr. Barkley is a stockholder and director of the Farmers Bank of Odon, and is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Personally, he is a gentleman, in every sense of the word, of an extremely good-natured and affable dispo- sition and his personality is pleasing to everyone.
HUETTE POINDEXTER.
We like to know how men succeed. Just as the child mind loves to wonder how Jack made his beanstalk grow until he could climb up on it and have all of those astonishing things happen, so there is a real fascina- tion in trying to discover the processes or events through which a successful man has traveled in order to "arrive." And even in this unromantic age, there is enough of the hero worshipper in all of us to cause our admiration for the so-called prosperous to increase in proportion to the obstacles which had to be met and overcome. A strange thing is human nature after all. Everywhere in human life, as in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, is to be found inter-action between the individual and his environment, and the rule is that the individual follows the line of least resistance. Thus we have many sons of physicians becoming physicians, many sons of preachers becom- ing preachers, and many sons of farmers becoming farmers. Variations from the rule are, however, always more interesting than expected con- formity, at least from a psychological viewpoint, for they invite study and speculation, and because Huette Poindexter chose to be a business man instead of a farmer, when all signs pointed to the farmer's career, gives his life a peculiar interest to the biographer.
A leader among the merchants of Odon, is Huette Poindexter, and yet both father and grandfather were farmers. The surprising fact in this connection is that the younger Poindexter did not change his destined voca- tion in order to improve upon the success of his father and grandfather,
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for both men were prosperous, and the latter was one of the most widely known men in Martin and Daviess counties.
Christian Poindexter, grandfather of the man under present considera- tion, was born in Tennessee, and came to this state with his parents when he was a mere lad of twelve years. When grown, he took up a farm known as "the old pigeon roost," and farmed there practically all of his life. The farm which he cultivated consisted of three hundred and seventy acres of land obtained from the government at the munificent sum of twelve and one-half cents an acre. He gave particular attention to the raising of sheep, cattle and hogs, and to stock buying. So correct were his judgments relat- ing to stock, that his opinion and advice were frequently sought by farmers for miles around. But his interests were not limited to farming and stock raising. He was an active politician, and for two terms served as county commissioner of Martin county. He was a Republican. His wife was, previous to her marriage, Miss Luranda Keck, her birthplace being near Doverhill, Martin county. Their children were, Patten, father of the man whose life forms the theme of this biography; Early W .; Wiley; Rufus M .; Emelia ; William ; John S .; Christian ; Lurinda ; Tillman H., and double twins. The membership of this early branch of the family was in the Methodist church. The great-grandfather of Christian Poindexter was George Poin- dexter who came to this country from Ireland.
Coming down another generation, we find that Patten Poindexter, father of Huette, was born on July 27, 1847, in the same county in which his father had lived since boyhood. His wife was, before her marriage, Miss Elizabeth Kutch, who was born on September 14, 1861, the daughter of Melkard and Eleanor (Butcher ) Kutch, the former having been born in Mon- roe county in 1823, died in 1855, and the latter born in the same county in 1820, died in 1894. Patten, finding himself on a splendid, large farm of over three hundred acres, decided very naturally to follow the example of his father, and after receiving his education from the schools of the county in which he was born, continued his residence there on the farm for ten years. At the expiration of that time, he and his family removed to Daviess county, where the same capacity for hard work characterizing his ancestors, brought him success, and in this county they still reside. He, too, is a Methodist and a Republican.
The eight children who came to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Poin- dexter are still living. They are: Mrs. Anna Hattery, whose husband is a farmer living in the northern part of Bogard township; Nettie, who became Mrs. S. G. Felix, of Muskogee, Oklahoma; Huette, the subject of
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this biography; Leotie, the wife of Walter Shiveley, lives in Greene county ; Ainley, who married Alvin Smith and made their home in Washington; Freely, who was united in marriage to Effie Read, a well-known farmer living in Bogard township; Veecher, who was never married and who lives at present in Iowa, and Dimple, a single daughter living at home.
Huette Poindexter was born in Burns City, Martin county, February 3, 1878. As a boy he attended school in Daviess county, and then gave his attention to agriculture in Bogard county until 1907. And now comes the change in taste or ambition which lost to the state a farmer, and gave to it a merchant. For we find him for the next five years engaging in com- merce. He ¡removed to Loogootee, and went into a furniture store and undertaking establishment combined. In 1912, he found an opportunity to broaden his field of commercial activity by buying the stock of George D. Abrams, of Odon, and here he has lived and worked ever since. To the furniture store formerly belonging to Mr. Abrams, he added a fine under- taking establishment.
The next step was a still larger store, for in 1912, he bought out the H. E. Marks furniture business, at the same time going into partnership with O. R. Laughlin. This partnership lasted for one year, and then Edward Wilson bought out the interests of Mr. Laughlin. The firm name is now Poindexter and Wilson. Thus from a stock worth one thousand two hun- dred dollars, Mr. Poindexter has increased its value to five thousand dollars, and has a business which any town of the size of Odon might envy.
Mrs. Poindexter, who was Miss Clara E. Seneff, was born in Bogard township, Daviess county, on July 24, 1876. She is the daughter of Joseph H. and Amanda (Humerickhouse) Seneff. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Poindexter consists of five children, namely : Zela Irene, Ives T., Roy W., Paris E. and Verlin L.
It is not surprising that we find Mr. Poindexter a member of a num- ber of organizations. He believes in and is a supporter of the Repub- lican party, and is a communicant of the Methodist church. As a corollary of his profession of undertaker, Mr. Poindexter was elected as county coroner. He is also a prominent lodge member, being affiliated with the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America.
Modern business methods are so exacting that in order to be a success- ful merchant one must be both enterprising and progressive. Therefore, it is not necessary to add that Mr. Poindexter has both of these qualities. Moreover, his personality is such as to make him popular in the best sense of the word. His intelligent grasp of subjects and situations, his inter-
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esting personality, and his constant energy and enthusiasm are some of the qualities which have made him the successful man that he is, and if he should leave the community in which he has made his home, he would be greatly missed.
FRANKLIN D. DILLON.
Among the worthy citizens of Daviess county who have built up a comfortable, splendid home and surrounded themselves with considerable landed and personal property, none has attained a higher degree of success than Franklin D. Dillon. Making the most of his opportunities and by careful management in the face of many discouragements, he has made an exceptional success of his life as an agriculturist. His life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance, and the systematic and honorable methods he has pursued have won for him the unbounded confidence of his fellow citizens, whose interests he has ever had at heart and which make him worthy of mention in a work of this character.
Franklin D. Dillon was born on April 22, 1879, in Elmore township, Daviess county, Indiana, and is the son of Wesley T. and Evangeline (Arford) Dillon. His paternal grandparents were Captain William and Eliza (Satterfield) Dillon, the former born in 1798 in the state of Ohio and a descendant of Irish ancestors, the mother being born in Ken- tucky in the year 1812. This grandfather was twice married, the father of fourteen children and came in the year 1821 to Daviess,county, where he became a great landowner and died in the year 1876.
Wesley T. Dillon was born on May 26, 1847, on his father's farm in Daviess county, and received his early education in the public schools, after which he taught school for a few years and then engaged in farming in Elmore township, this county, where he bought two hundred and five acres of good land. His first purchase consisted of one hundred and twenty acres of land, and it was immediately after he bought this tract that he was married to Evangeline Arford on July 26, 1871. She was born on March 5, 1855, in Daviess county, and was the daughter of Jacob and Catherine Arford. To their union were born the following children: Ada, who married Albert Malone and lives in Elmore township; William J., who married Margaretta Kimball, lives in Chicago, Illinois, where he is an attorney-at-law; Walter S., who married Agnes Nelson, lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is an attorney-at-law; Albert H., who married
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Margaret Thompson, and died on September II, 1908; Franklin D., the subject of this review; Arthur B., who married Blanche Dobbs and lives. in Elmore township, where he is engaged in the hardware business; Inez, who married Clifford Farris and lives in Elmore township. The entire family are members of the United Brethren church, and Wesley T. Dillon is a stanch Democrat and a worker for the party. In the year 1874 he was appointed county assessor and two years later was elected to the office of township trustee, which he held for two terms and filled to the entire satisfaction of the community. Personally he is a man of genial disposi- tion, always good-natured and easy to approach. His friends are as many as his acquaintances, and he is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.
Franklin D. Dillon received his early education in the public schools. of Elmore township, this county, where he also attended the high school in Odon. He began farming at an early date in Elmore township, and con- tinued there until 1904, when he decided to go to Mexico, where he remained the following four years. In that country the greater portion of his time was spent on a ranch and at one time he spent several months- in the capacity of brakeman on a railroad. Returning to Indiana in the year 1908, he again engaged in farming in Elmore township and moved to. his present tract in 1909, where he has made a great many improvements, including the building of his residence in the year 1911, and a modern silo in 1913. Mr. Dillon carries on a general farming business and gives con- siderable attention to the raising and shipping of live, and in this connection also buys live stock for shipping purposes. He has been very successful' in his line, and the farm which he owns is one of the finest in this part of the country. The buildings and fences are all kept in repair and paint, and everything gives the aspect of prosperity as a result of good manage- ment. Mr. Dillon was married on August 30, 1910, to Mrs. Margaret (Thompson) Dillon, who was the widow of Albert H. Dillon, brother of Franklin D., who died on September II, 1908. She was a daughter of Arthur D. and Emma (Piper) Thompson. The children of Mrs. Dillon of her first marriage are as follow : . Harold, born on May 16, 1899; Ruth, August 12, 1901, and Dorothy, October 26, 1906. By the second marriage to Franklin D. one child was born, Clara, on September 23, 191I.
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