USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Indiana : Its people, industries and institutions > Part 60
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ALFRED DAVIS MEADE.
Indiana was not lacking in loyalty during the dark days of the Rebel- lion, when the ship of state was almost stranded on the rocks of disunion, but contributed her full quota of brave, valiant men to assist in preserving the integrity of the government, prominent among whom was the late Alfred Davis Meade, of Daviess county, Indiana. He was loyal to his country in the hour of peril and extremity, and this was demonstrated on many bloody battlefields. He was its stanch supporter in times of peace, and at the time of his death there were few soldiers of Daviess county as widely and favorably known and none who could boast of a more honor- able record. The ranks to the noble organization to which he belonged, in the days of his youth, are fast being decimated by the one invisible foe,
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and it is fitting that in every publication of this kind special tribute be paid to those who served during the greatest civil war known to history.
Alfred Davis Meade, who was born in Washington township, Daviess county, Indiana, May 12, 1844, and who died on December 3, 1910, enlisted in Company E, Sixth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in September, 1861. He was appointed corporal and later sergeant, and fought at the battles of Murfreesboro, Resaca, Chattanooga, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Shiloh, Chickamauga and in many others. He started on the march with Sherman to the sea, but on May 27, 1864, near Altoona, Georgia, he was severely wounded by a bullet, which passed through his body just below the heart. By the time he had recovered from this wound the war was practically over.
Alfred Davis Meade was the son of William and Delilah (Hayes) Meade, both of whom were natives of Maryland and early settlers in Wash- ington township, Daviess county, Indiana. They were ardent members of the Christian church. Delilah (Hayes) Meade died early in life, and after her death her husband remarried. Two children were born to the first marriage, Alfred D. and Joseph, the latter of whom now lives retired in Washington, Indiana. The half brothers of Alfred Davis Meade are : Will- iam, Ruso, Emanuel and Sentony.
The late Alfred Davis Meade had a very limited education, consisting of a few months spent in the township schools. He improved his oppor- tunities by home study and was a well-informed man. After the Civil War he returned to his father's farm and helped to operate it for some time.
Mr. Meade was married on September 12, 1865, to Sarah Shaw, who was born on July 12, 1845, and who died on March 28, 1879. Sarah Shaw was a daughter of Piney Shaw, an early settler of Barr township.
After the death of his wife Mr. Meade married Mary E. White. She was born on August 17, 1843, in Dearborn county, Indiana, and is the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Bonham) White. They both died when Mrs. Meade was a very small child, and she remembers nothing about them.
In 1877 Mr. Meade purchased a hundred and thirty acres of land in Harrison township, Daviess county, Indiana, and later added eighty acres more to this farm. He lived upon this farm happily throughout his life and farmed until his death. His widow, Mrs. Mary E. (White) Meade, and a son, William, still live on the place. Alfred Davis Meade belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Meade family are all members of the Christian church.
By his first marriage six children were born to Alfred Davis Meade :
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James B., who was born on July 10, 1866, is a farmer in Harrison town- ship; Minnie, who was born on December 26, 1867, was burned to death at the age of twenty-eight; Giles W., who was born on June 19, 1871, died young, as did also Charles E., was was born on April 19, 1873; Edward E., who was born on January 9, 1875, is a farmer in Rieve town- ship; Frank S., who was born on July 15, 1878, lives at Bicknell, Indiana.
By the second marriage four children were born: Sarah E. was born on July 27, 1880, and died in infancy; Annie R. was born on January 24. 1882, married Edward Johnson, and they live at Portland, Oregon, and have two children, Marie and Alfred; William A. was born on May 7. 1885, and lives on the farm with Mrs. Meade; Martin L. was born on March 18. 1888; he married Grace Cummings and they live in Martin county and have two children, Milton, born on March 4, 1911, and Lucile, born on January II, 1913.
Alfred Davis Meade lived a life of rare usefulness in the community where he was an active farmer for so many years. He was a stanch Repub- lican, was highly respected by the citizens of Daviess county, and well known throughout the county.
HENRY JOSEPH KRAMER.
The utilitarian age has been especially prolific in men of action, clear- brained men of hig hresolves and noble purposes, who give character and stability to the communities honored by their citizenship, and whose influ- ence and leadership are easily discernible in the various enterprises that have added so greatly to the high reputation which this county enjoys among her sister counties in this great commonwealth. Conspicuous among this class of men, whose place of residence in Daviess county has added to the business prestige of the community, is Henry Joseph Kramer, a well-known merchant of Washington, now engaged in the meat business.
Henry Joseph Kramer was born on August 18, 1879, in Washington township, Daviess county, Indiana. He is the son of Louis and Mary (Hack) Kramer and the brother of Frank Kramer, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.
Henry Joseph Kramer was educated in the Washington public and parochial schools. He learned the meat business in Washington and began working at this business when sixteen years of age, and, with the exception
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of one and one-half years spent in Terre Haute, he has lived in Washington all of his life. In 1904 Mr. Kramer engaged in the meat business for him- self at 414 East Main street, and he has built up a flourishing trade and enjoys a large patronage from the people of Washington and vicinity. Mr. Kramer is an expert butcher and a keen, far-sighted, capable business man. His reputation for square dealing has won for him an enviable place in the business circles of the city of Washington.
Henry Joseph Kramer was married on June 2, 1903, to Victoria Daugherty, who was born in Washington, Indiana, and who is the daughter of Eugene and Ann Daugherty. Mrs. Ann Daugherty died in 1904 and her husband now lives with Mr. and Mrs. Kramer, to whose happy union one son, Ralph Joseph, was born on March 30, 1904.
Although Mr. Kramer is identified with the fortunes of the Democratic party, he has never been especially active in political matters and has never held office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, all in Washington. He and his wife and son are devout members of the Catholic church and contribute liberally of their means to the support of this church.
FLORIAN B. WHITE.
One of the enterprising and successful farmers of Daviess county, Indiana, who has succeeded in his chosen vocation, wholly as a consequence of his own courage, persistence and good management, is Florian B. White. He is a man who believes in lending what aid he can to his neighbors and the general public, while advancing his own personal interests. As a conse- quence, he is acknowledged as one of the best citizens of Daviess county. Mr. White has acquired a substantial competence in life and, when his declining years come, he can be happy in the assurance that he can live com- fortably without further labor.
Florian B. White was born on July 25, 1857, in Reeve township, Daviess county, Indiana. He is the son of Gilbert and Nancy (Alford) White, the former of whom was born in Tennessee in 1824 and died in 1902, and the latter born in Reeve township, Daviess county, Indiana, in 1827 and died in 1867.
Gilbert White was the son of John White, who was born and married in the state of Tennessee. When Gilbert White was eight years old, the
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family drove through from Tennessee to Indiana in wagons, drawn by oxen. They settled in Reeve township, Daviess county, along Sugar creek. John White was a farmer, but he later moved to a farm in Martin county, where he died. Nancy Alford was the daughter of William and Betsy Alford. The ancestors of the Alford family came from France and were the foun- ders of Alfordsville in Reeve township. William Alford was born in Alfords- ville and was a farmer in Reeve township. The family belong to the Chris- tian church.
Gilbert White grew up on a farm in Reeve township and after his first marriage, farmed in this township. After the death of Nancy (Alford) White, the mother of Florian B. White, his father married again to Mary Emaline Jones, who died in 1911. There were nine children born to Gilbert White and his first wife, six daughters and three sons, and four children born to the second marriage. During his life, Gilbert White moved to Veale township. where he farmed for several years. Subsequently, he returned to Reeve township. All of the members of the White family were attached to the Missionary Baptist church.
Florian B. White was a mere lad when the family moved to the farm in Veale township. He lived upon this farm until he was twenty-three years old, and then rented a farm in Harrison township. He soon purchased sixty acres in that township but sold that subsequently and, in February, 1905, purchased eighty acres of the old Zinkans farm. Here he still lives. He has erected all of the buildings on the place and has a comfortable home with every convenience that is necessary for modern farming.
Florian B. White was first married to Zilphea Gregory, May 30, 1880. She died in October, 1902, and Mr. White was married again on March 25, 1906, to Nellie McClure, who was born in Pike county, Indiana, the daugh- ter of William and Lucinda McClure, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Daviess county, Indiana. Mrs. Lucinda McClure is now deceased. Her husband is a farmer in Pike county, Indiana.
Florian B. White's second wife was first married to William Harbi- son, born in Martin county. Indiana, August II, 1873. He died on March 7, 1901. He was a farmer. There were two children by this union, Paris, born on March 7. 1896, and Lucile, born on July 21, 1897, both of whom are at home.
By his first marriage, Florian B. White was the father of six children, Martha Jane, born on September 10, 1881, who married Frank Emmick, and lives on a farm in Daviess county ; Essie, born on May 18, 1885, who married Louis Spencer; Lydia, born on June 19. 1887, who married James
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McBride; Nora, born on June 30, 1889, who married William McCracken and lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Phoebe, born on September 23, 1891, and Myrtle, born on August 20, 1893. By his second marriage, three children were born, Gilbert, born on January 1, 1907; Ray, born on November II, 1908, and Susan, born on February II, 19II.
Florian White is a loyal Republican but has never been especially active in political affairs and the only office which he has filled is that of road super- visor. Nevertheless, he is highly esteemed by the people of his community and honored and respected for his many good qualities. He is an enterpris- ing farmer, a good citizen and merits the esteem and confidence bestowed upon him by his neighbors.
RETT A. ROBERTS.
Whether the elements of success in life are the inner attributes of the individual or whether they are taken by a process of circumstantial develop- ment, it is impossible to determine, clearly. Yet the study of a successful life, whatever the field of endeavor, is none the less interesting and profit- able, by reason of the existence of this uncertainty. So much in excess of those successes are the records of failures and semi-failures, that one is con- strained to analyze either case to determine the approximate cause. In studying the life history of Rett A. Roberts, a well-known educator of Daviess county, Indiana, we find many qualities that always win success if the career is properly directed. Evidently Mr. Roberts's career has been well directed, since it has resulted in much good to others as well as in attain- ing a comfortable competence for himself.
Rett A. Roberts was born October II, 1886, in Reeve township, Daviess county, Indiana. He is the son of John Franklin and Louisa (Marklin) Roberts, the former of whom was born on May 27, 1843, in Louisville, Kentucky, and who is still living, and the latter of whom was born on April 4, 1853, in Washington county, Indiana.
The paternal grandparents of Rett A. Roberts were William and Maria Jane (Grismore) Roberts. William Roberts died when his son, John F., was eighteen months old, and J. F. Roberts remembers nothing concerning him. The mother died when J. F. Roberts was only four years old. His grandfather, George Grismore, kept him for a time, when he was finally taken by his uncle, Albert Grismore. Albert Grismore lived in Douglas county, Illinois, and John F. lived there for four years. From the time he
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was twelve years old, John Franklin Roberts worked as a regular hand, driving the horse-power on a threshing machine. He obtained only three months of schooling during his entire life. At the age of fifteen he went back to live with his Grandfather Grismore at Bloomfield, Greene county. Indiana. John Franklin lived with his grandfather until the Civil War broke out. On December 1, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served three years, nine months and fif- teen days. He was at the siege of Vicksburg and was engaged here for forty days and forty nights. He was also in the Carolina campaign, and participated in the Grand Review at Washington at the close of the war. After the war he drove mules on a street car in Louisville and was married there. Subsequently he became an overseer on his uncle's farm in Wash- ington county, Indiana, but finally came to Reeve township in Daviess county, Indiana, and rented a farm. He then purchased a farm in Reeve township, and in September, 1913, he retired, moving to Alfordsville, where he now lives. He is a Republican in politics, and served as a school director for several years. Fraternally, he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of the Methodist church.
John Franklin Roberts and his wife were the parents of five children : Maud, who married J. W. Collins, and she is now deceased; Huldah May married H. Moore and lives at West Baden, Indiana, where he is a farmer ; Robert Austin lives in South Dakota, where he is a school superintendent; Flora Nevada is unmarried and lives at home; Rett A. is the youngest child and is the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Roberts's maternal grandparents were William and Margaret (Tyron) Marklin, both of whom died when Mr. Roberts's mother was an infant. She was reared by her grandfather and grandmother Tyron. She was the only child born to her parents who lived beyond infancy.
Rett A. Roberts attended the graded school of Alfordsville, as well as. the high school. When he was seventeen years of age he began teaching school, and has taught school more or less since that time. He attended Valparaiso University, graduating with the class in pharmacy in 1907. He also took a course at this institution. Later he took part of the course in medicine and surgery in Kentucky University at Louisville, Ken- tucky. In 1906 Mr. Roberts was instrumental in starting a high school at Alfordsville, and was the first principal of this high school. He has held this position continuously since the high school was founded. In August, 1914. Mr. Roberts purchased the drug store of Jesse Godwin in Alfords- ville and still conducts this store. He is a registered pharmacist.
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Rett A. Roberts was married, May 18, 1911, to Clara E. Mills, who was born in Martin county, Indiana. She is the daughter of William W. and Celia ( Truelove) Miles, both of whom are living at Alfordsville, Indi- ana. He is a retired farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Rett Roberts have no children.
Politically, Mr. Roberts is a Republican. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Im- proved Order of Red Men. Rett A. Roberts is a young man of rare tal- ents, courteous in manner and genial in disposition. He is a competent instructor and a capable and painstaking business man, honored and re- spected in the locality where most of his work has been performed.
LOUIS W. KEITH.
One of the best titles a man can establish to the high and generous esteem of an intelligent conimunity, is a protracted and honorable residence therein. Louis W. Keith, one of the best known and highly esteemed men of Daviess county, has resided in this locality all his life, and his career has. been a most commendable one in every respect, well deserving of being per- petuated in a historical work of this nature. Like his father before him, he has been a man of well defined purpose, and never failed to carry to suc- cessful completion any work or enterprise to which he addressed himself. Beginning life under many unfavorable circumstances, he let nothing deter him and before the lapse of many years he had a fine farm under cultiva- tion. Knowing that the county was destined to take a very high rank in the productive and rich localities of the North, he applied himself very closely to his work and waited for the future to bring its reward, and today he is- one of the substantial men of the county.
Louis W. Keith was born in May, 1862, in Washington township,. Daviess county, Indiana, and is the son of Jarit and Elvida (Lester) Keith, whose life history is recorded elsewhere in this work.
Mr. Keith began life under the parental roof, received his early educa- tion in the township schools of this county and applied himself to farm work from the very start. He is now the owner of one of the finest farm- ing tracts throughout this section. His place consists of seven hundred acres, nearly all of which is under cultivation, and besides general crop raising, a good deal of attention is given to stock raising. While Mr. Keith does not deal especially in blooded stock of any kind, yet his herds of cattle
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are of standard breed and, and he finds a ready market for the produce. During the past few years a number of new buildings have been erected on the land, and the owner bears the reputation of having a place for every- thing and everything in its place. The home is a substantial, commodious and comfortable building, occupying a conspicuous place among the other well built and substantial looking barns and outbuilding.
Louis E. Keith was in his twenty-second year of age when married, in December, 1884, to Lillian Covalt. She was born in Henry county, Indiana. on October 5, 1866, and is the daughter of Cheniah and Louisanna (Williams) Covalt. Her father was born on October 16, 1842, in Henry county, Indiana, and her mother was born on December 12, 1838, in Frank- lin county, Indiana. Some time after their marriage they settled in Daviess county, Indiana (February, 1867), where the father died on July 26, 1913. and the mother passed away from this life on June 25, 1891. Cheinah Covalt was a son of Cheniah and Elizabeth (Echelbarger) Covalt, who came from the state of Ohio and were early settlers in Henry county, Indiana, where both died and are buried near the town of Mooreland, that county. His wife's mother was a daughter of Solomon and Sarah (Clements) Will- iams. Solomon was born on November 16, 1809, and his wife was born on October 15, 1812. They came from the state of Maryland and settled first in Franklin county, Indiana, then later moved to Daviess county, this state. Her mother died in Franklin county on June 30, 1846, and the father died in this county on February II, 1888. Her father had been a prominent farmer, stock raiser and trader in his day, and was a soldier in the Civil War. He enlisted in 1861 and was assigned to a company in the Thirty- sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he remained until the close of the war. He was in the fierce engagements against the Confederate forces and took active part in the battles of Shiloh, Chickamauga and Look- .out Mountain. He was twice married, and by his first wife was the father of Lillian and Edgar L. Covalt: by the second marriage, to Ola Lucas, he became the father of four children: Ferdinand, Hoyt, Myrle and Mildred.
To the union of Louis W. Keith and wife have been born the following children : Ethel, September 28, 1885, the wife of Charles A. Aikman, and they have one child, Helen; Elmer, June 15, 1889, died on January 19, 1892 ; Clara, July 15, 1893, wife of Austin A. Twomey, to whom was born Wilma : Shirley, January 19, 1896, who was graduated from the high school and now lives in Washington, Indiana.
Politically, Mr. Keith has always been an ardent supporter of the Re- publican ticket, and, although he has never aspired to office, does consider-
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able work toward advocating the sound principles of his party. Religiously, he and his family are members of the Methodist church and contribute lib- erally to that denomination. Personally, Mr. Keith is very widely known throughout Daviess county and has a large circle of friends, who esteem him for his splendid record as a business man and for the honorable methods he has always pursued in his dealings with his fellow citizens. He is num- bered among this community's most prominent and leading people.
OLIVER MASON VANCE.
It is the progressive, wide-awake man of affairs who makes the real history of a community, and his influence as a potential factor of the body politic, is difficult to estimate. The examples such men furnish of patient purpose and steadfast integrity, strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to accomplish, but there is always a full measure of satisfaction in adverting, even in a casual way, to their achievements in advancing the inter- ests of their fellow men and in giving strength and solidity to the institu- tions which make so much for the prosperity of the community. Such a man is Oliver Mason Vance, a real estate and insurance man of Washington, Indiana, and it is eminently proper that a review of his career be accorded a place among the representative citizens of the city and county in which he resides.
Oliver Mason Vance was born on November 12, 1864, in Daviess county, Indiana, and is the son of George Campbell and Lydia (Palmer) Vance, both natives of Daviess county, born in 1838 and 1841, respectively. Subject's paternal grandparents were Campbell A. and Letta (Gregory) Vance, both natives of the state of South Carolina, of Scottish descent, and who came to Daviess county, Indiana, in an early day and remained the rest .of their lives. He died in the year 1865 and survived his wife by several years. To them were born Isaac, George C., Sarah, Elizabeth, Martha, Har- riet and John, all of whom are now dead. Mr. Vance's maternal grandpar- ents were Mason and Rachel Palmer, who were early settlers in Daviess county, where they lived and died. Their children were, "Captain" Joshua, Mary, Lydia, John F., Mason R., and Permenus Allen. Their father was engaged in farming as a regular business, and at one time was a poineer teacher in this district. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church as was the other members of the family.
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The Vance family were all Scotch Presbyterian in their belief and the great-grandfather, Campbell Vance, came to Daviess county from the state of South Carolina, in a very early day, and took up a large tract of land in the southern part of this county. After remaining here a number of years, he returned to his old home in Union county, South Carolina, where he spent the rest of his life up to his death. Subject's grandfather being one of the pioneers of this section was a leading man in his neighborhood and was very active in Republican politics. He held the office of justice of the peace for many years and served the community to good advantage in this office. Subject's father and his wife are living in Washington, this county, and are devout members of the Presbyterian church. To them were born the following children: John M., Mattie J. (deceased), Oliver Mason, Etta, Perry W., Cora (deceased), Hattie (deceased), Ezra J. (deceased), and Emma I. (deceased).
Oliver Mason Vance was reared on the homestead farm in Harrison township, this county, educated in the public schools and attended the high school in Louisville, Illinois, where his parents had lived for a few years. He graduated from Vincennes (Indiana) University and followed the teach- ing profession for several years, and then engaged in farming in Washington township, where he and his wife now own a farm, consisting of two hun- dred fifteen acres. With the exception of two years spent in the city of Mobile, Alabama, where he was engaged in business and made an investment in Alabama lands. Mr. Vance has lived in Washington since 1905 and con- ducts a general real estate and insurance business and in which he is emi- nently successful. In 1891 Mr. Vance was married to Mary J. Keith, who was born in 1865, a native of this county and daughter of Jarat Keith, whose life record appears elsewhere in this review under the caption of George Keith. Subject and wife have one child, Oliver Mckinley, born on February 3, 1898, and who is a student in the Washington high school at the present time.
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