USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Indiana : Its people, industries and institutions > Part 62
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James P. Taylor is a Republican and served as justice of the peace in Madison township for sixteen years. He is now serving his fourth term as a notary public. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic at
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Odon, of which he is commander. James P. Taylor is a man well known and well liked.
Mr. and Mrs. Taylor took Emery W. Montgomery to rear when he was a baby. They reared him to manhood and educated him, and he is now principal of the Bedford high school. He married Ada Smiley.
MILTON B. LEDGERWOOD.
Among the citizens of Madison township, Daviess county, Indiana, who have established comfortable homes and surrounded themselves with val- uable personal and real property, few have attained a higher degree of suc- cess than Milton B. Ledgerwood, who comes from a very old family in this section of the state of Indiana. With no great wealth of opportunity and with many discouragements to overcome, Mr. Ledgerwood has made an exceptional success in life, and now as he is passing the meridian of life he has the gratification of knowing that the community in which he resides has been benefited to a large degree by his presence and by his council. He is one of the most highly respected citizens in this section of Daviess county.
Milton B. Ledgerwood was born on March 27, 1857, in the township where he now lives. He is the son of Charles and Manda (Chamber) Ledgerwood, the former of whom was a native of Virginia, born on August 15, 1806, and the latter of whom was a native of Tennessee, born on Sep- tember 18, 1809. When a young man, Charles Ledgerwood moved from Virginia to Tennessee, and from Tennessee he came to Indiana. During the first few years of his residence in Indiana he lived in Greene county. About 1845 he removed to Madison township, Daviess county, where he entered about three hundred acres of land from the government. He lived in Mad- ison township the remainder of his life, clearing and draining the land and improving his farm. Among other improvements, he erected many log buildings upon his farm.
Charles and Manda (Chamber) Ledgerwood had fifteen children, as follow : Eliza, born on February 23, 1830; Margaret, June 3, 1831 ; Thomas, February 13, 1833; Nathaniel, January II, 1835; Elizabeth, September 15, 1837; Barbara, February 20, 1838; Rebecca, August 8, 1840; James, May 18, 1842; William Riley, February II, 1844; Sarah Jane, August 4, 1845; Manda, May 1, 1847; Charles Hays, June 14, 1849; Laca Jane, April 9, 1851; Mary Jane, March 31, 1853, and Milton B., March 27, 1857,
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the youngest child of his parents, both of whom were devout members of the Baptist church. Charles Ledgerwood was an ardent Democrat.
Milton B. Ledgerwood was educated in the public schools of Madison township, Daviess county. After completing his education he began farm- ing in that township, where he has lived all his life. He owns two hundred and three and one-half acres in Madison township, and is engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising. He makes a specialty of Polled Angus cat- tle, and has become an expert with this particular breed. Mr. Ledgerwood and family live on their farm in Madison township. The present place he purchased in 1897.
Milton B. Ledgerwood was married on March II, 1890, to Elizabeth Baker, who was born on August 30, 1868, and who is the daughter of John and Rolina (Thair) Baker, who came to Indiana from Ohio. They had six children : Mary, John, Alice, George, Jonas and Elizabeth, the wife of Mr. Ledgerwood. They were members of the Methodist church.
To Milton B. and Elizabeth (Baker) Ledgerwood six children have been born, as follow: Charles, on April 28, 1892; John, May 17, 1894; Edna, August 1I, 1896; Ruth, December 1, 1900; Raymond, May 21, 1902, and Ralph, April 10, 1905, died on May 17, 1905.
All the members of the family are now living at home, and it is a happy home circle. Mr. Ledgerwood is a Democrat, and he and his wife and all the members of the family are connected with the Baptist church. The Ledgerwood family not only are all well known in this section of Daviess county, but they are highly respected and valuable citizens.
OSCAR M. WALLICK.
Self-assertion is believed to be absolutely necessary to success in life, and there are good reasons for entertaining such a belief. The modest man very rarely gets what is due him. The selfish, aggressive man elbows his way to the front, takes all that is in sight, and it sometimes seems that modesty is a sin, with self-denial as the penalty. There are, however, excep- tions to all rules, and it is a matter greatly to be regretted that the excep- tions to the rule are not more numerous. One notable exception is Oscar M. Wallick, a hustling young farmer of Madison township, Daviess county, Indiana, whose life history is here presented. Mr. Wallick possesses just a sufficient amount of modesty to be a gentleman at all times, and with suffi-
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cient persistency to win in the business world. As a result of these well and happily blended qualities he has won a host of friends in Daviess. county. He is well known to all classes as a man of influence, integrity and ability.
Oscar M. Wallick was born on May 9, 1872, in Madison township, near Odon, Daviess county, Indiana. He is a son of William H. and Sarah E. (Taylor) Wallick, the former of whom was born in 1845, in Tusca- rawas county, Ohio, and who was a daughter of Henry and Nancy (Gar- ton) Taylor. Henry Taylor was born in Monroe county. William H. Wallick was the son of Michael Wallick, a native of Pennsylvania, who married Nancy Jane Boothe. They came to Indiana about 1851 and settled on a farm in Madison township, Daviess county. They had five children, William H., Rachael, Sarah, Ella and Harvey. Michael Wallick was one of the pioneer farmers of this community.
William H. Wallick was educated in the public schools of Daviess county, and especially in Madison township. When a young man he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served about one year in the Civil War. After his enlistment expired he came back and engaged in farming. He also worked as a carpenter for some time. He owned about five hundred acres of land in this county.
William H. and Sarah E. (Taylor) Wallick had six children, Oscar M .; Ada G., who married R. D. McCarter; Ray, who married Josephine Hasler; Lola, who married Thomas Summerville; Henry, who married Susie Ledgerwood, and Jen. William H. Wallick is a Republican in pol- itics, a member of the Methodist church and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
William H. Wallick died on January 2, 1909. His wife is now living at Odon, Iowa. Mr. Wallick owns in all two hundred acres of land, all located in Madison township. He made all of the improvements just as they stand.
Oscar M. Wallick, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the. public schools of Madison township. Later he attended the State Normal School at Terre Haute for one year, and after leaving school began teach- ing in 1895. He taught fourteen terms, quitting the profession in 1913. All of Mr. Wallick's professional labors were performed in Madison town- ship, Daviess county. While he was a teacher he was also engaged in farm- ing. About 1900 he purchased a farm of eighty acres. He now owns a stock farm of a hundred and twenty acres in Madison township, and is: engaged in general farming and stock raising.
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On March 26, 1898, Oscar M. Wallick was married to Larinda Ketcham, the daughter of John M. Ketcham, who married Minerva Laugh- lin, the daughter of Osman Laughlin. To this happy union two children have been born, Gleason was born on October 31, 1903, and Neva, born on September 1, 19II.
John M. Ketcham was born on February I, 1845, on a farm in Madi- son township, Daviess county, Indiana. He is a son of Daniel Ketcham and Eliza Goodwin, the former born in 1810 in Kentucky, and the latter born in 1817 in Monroe county, this state. Daniel Ketcham was a son of Joseph Ketcham and wife, who had nine children, George, Lewis, Blaine, Daniel, Jane, Betsie Ann, Mary, Rebecca and Hettie. In his later life, Joseph Ketcham brought his family to Indiana and located in Monroe county. Joseph Ketcham had a brother killed by an Indian in Monroe county, Indiana. The Indian kept the scalp of his victim.
Daniel Ketcham attended the subscription schools of Monroe county, and when a young man worked as a farm hand. He came to Daviess county, immediately after his marriage, and located in Madison township. He made his home in the wilderness, and owned over seven hundred acres of land at the time of his death. Daniel and Eliza Goodwin Ketcham had eight children, Jane, who first married Jefferson Eaton and after his death James Allen; Lewis, deceased, who was married three times, first to Elmira Bennem, second to Mary E. Bennem, and third to Mrs. Sarah Johnson; Betsie Ann, who married Lowery Storm; John M., the father of Mrs. Wallick; Rebecca, who married Isaac Storm; Malinda, who married Lilburn Woodruff ; Mary, who married Melkard Kutch; and Amanda, the eight child, married U. G. Laughlin. Daniel Ketcham and his wife were members of the Methodist church. He was a Democrat, and served as trustee of his township for many years.
J. M. Ketcham was educated in the common schools of Madison town- ship, and when a young man started farming on the tract of land where he now lives. He has farmed here all his life. Mr. Ketcham owns two hundred and forty acres in Madison township. He has been engaged in general farming and stock raising, retiring from the former in 1913. He has erected all the buildings on the place where he now lives, the house being built in 1883. John M. and Minerva (Laughlin) Ketcham have had nine children. Rosetta married John B. Williams, and they have three chil- dren, Floy, Fred and Palmer. Lauranda married Oscar Wallick. Lucine married Henry Taylor and they have two children, James Russell and John Alvin. May married Arthur Trueblood and they have four children, Roger
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K., Ralph H., Mary J. and Grace. William W. married Maud Hoffman and they have two children, Glendora R. and John W. Dollie M. married Samuel Scott, who have one child, Nona. The other children are: Grace, John S. and Britta M. Mr. Ketcham is a Republican. Mrs. Ketcham's family are all members of the Baptist church.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallick are devout members of the Baptist church and regular attendants at both the church services and the Sunday school. Mr. Wallick is an ardent Republican. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and a member of Lodge No. 303, Free and Accepted Masons, at Odon, Indiana.
WILLIAM HAM.
The office of biography is not to give voice to a man's modest estimate of himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave upon the records of time the verdict establishing his character, determined by the consensus of opinion of his neighbors and fellow citizens. In touching upon the life history of William Ham, the writer aims to avoid fulsome encomium and extravagant praise, but desires to hold up for consideration those facts which have shown the distinction of a true, useful and honorable life, a life char- acterized by perseverance, energy, broad charity and well-defined purpose. William Ham is a successful merchant at Alfordsville, Indiana, and the pro- prietor of a modern country store.
William Ham was born on April 8, 1843, in Reeves township, Daviess county, Indiana, the son of James and Anna (Williams) Ham, the former of whom was born in 1820, in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and who died in 1895, and the latter of whom was born in 1820, in Maryland, and who died in 1897.
The paternal grandparents of William Ham were Peter and a Miss (Bennington) Ham. Peter Ham was born in Virginia and settled in Ken- tucky about 1830. Subsequently, he moved to Daviess county with his fam- ily. Peter Ham served in the War of 1812. He and his family were all members of the Baptist church. He was a man rather large in stature, weighing more than two hundred pounds.
The maternal grandparents of William Ham were Thomas and Anna { Burns) Williams, who were natives of Maryland, and who came to Indiana
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about 1825, where they took up land in Reeves township. They also were members of the Baptist church.
James Ham was a lad of ten years when his parents settled in Daviess county, where he grew to maturity in Reeves township, and where he pur- chased a farm. Later, he moved to Alfordsville and lived a retired life for some time, but still later he moved to Washington, and here his death occurred. Throughout his life he was a Republican, and was an influential and substantial citizen of his community.
James and Anna (Williams) Ham were the parents of thirteen chil- dren, as follow: Thomas, a farmer living near Shoals; Mary Ann became the wife of John R. Montgomery and lives at Loogootee ; William M., with whom this narrative deals; Albert, who died at Vincennes in 1907; Emily, who became the wife of Charles Cohorn and died at Vincennes ; Margaret, deceased, was the wife of William Williamson, of Wheatland; Delilah, the wife of William Cohorn, of Vincennes; Hannah, deceased; Edith, deceased, was the wife of a Mr. Fox; Melissa, deceased, was the wife of John Mullen; Sarah, also deceased, was the wife of Andy Hodge; David, of Carlisle, Indiana, and Charles, living at Terre Haute, where he is employed as a rail- road foreman.
William Ham grew up on his father's farm in Reeves township, and was unable to attend school more than a few months. When he was eigh- teen years of age, in August, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Union army, in Company G, Forty-second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and many others. At Chickamauga he lost his left leg and was confined in different Union hospitals for nearly a year. Finally he was mustered out of service with his regiment at Indianapolis.
After the close of the war, William Ham went to Washington, and there served three years as an apprentice at the shoemaker trade. He then came to Alfordsville, and for six years conducted a shoe shop. He after- ward moved to Sedan, Kansas, where he operated a shoe shop, and finally to Orich, Missouri, where he lived for six years. He then came back to Alfordsville, and conducted a shoe shop in connection with a harness shop for several years. In 1900 Mr. Ham started a grocery in Alfordsville. Later he discontinued the grocery, but, in 1906, he started a general store, and is still conducting this store. It is the largest in the town and occupies two buildings. Mr. Ham has a large stock of goods and handles all lines of merchandise usually to be found in a store of this character. He has built up a large and lucrative business and is a good business man, giving his un- divided attention to the details of his store.
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William Ham was married in November, 1866, to Sarah Summers, who is a daughter of Charles and Margaret (Greeman) Summers. Mrs. Ham was born in Reeves township. To this union nine children have been born: Marcellus, who died at the age of one year; Talbot, who died at Washington, June, 1911, was a painter by trade; Walter, living in Wash- ington; Al. J., a jeweler by trade, is assisting his father in the store; Mar- garet, the fifth child born to her parents; Albert, who was the sixth in order of birth; Rose, the wife of Henry Potts, of Alfordsville; Nellie, the wife of Emery Watham, of Springfield, Missouri; Thomas, unmarried, works in his father's store.
Mr. Ham is a Republican in politics, but throughout his life he has been too busy to devote much time to politics. He has never held office nor has he ever aspired to it.
WILLIAM ANDREW LAVELLE.
Practical industry, wisely and vigorously applied, never fails of suc- cess, but carries a man onward and upward, brings out his individual char- acter and acts as a powerful stimulus to the efforts of others. The best results in life are often obtained by simple means and the exercise of the ordinary qualities of common sense and perseverance. The every-day life, with its cares, necessities and duties, affords ample opportunity for acquir- ing experience of the best kind, and its most beaten paths provide a true worker with abundant scope for efforts and self-improvement. William Andrew La Velle is one of the enterprising young farmers of Barr township. but he is also one of the best and most popular teachers of the township.
William Andrew LaVelle was born on January 10, 1879, in Barr township, Daviess county, Indiana. He is the son of Michael and Eliza- beth (Lamb) LaVelle, the former of whom was born in Barr township in 1849, and the latter in Harrison township in 1854.
The paternal grandparents of William A. LaVelle were Michael and Jane (Gaul) LaVelle, the former of whom was a native of County Mayo, Ireland, and who came to the United States when a mere youth. Michael La Velle went overland to California with the "eighteen forty-niners," and soon saved ten thousand dollars from gold mining. He contracted the fever, however, and lost some money. Subsequently, he returned to Daviess county with two thousand dollars saved, and with this he purchased about six hun- dred acres of land in Barr township, where he lived until his death. Will-
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iam A. LaVelle's maternal grandparents were Edward and Catherine (Bradley ) Lamb, both of whom were of Irish nativity. They owned a farm in Harrison township, Daviess county, in an early day.
Michael La Velle, the father of William A., grew up on his father's farm in Barr township. Subsequently he carried on farming for himself for a time in that township, but being a natural mechanic, he moved to Washington and obtained a position in the Baltimore & Ohio railroad shops, where he still works. He is a loyal member of the Catholic church, as are his parents and his wife's parents.
William A. LaVelle is the eldest of four children born to his parents. The others are: Mary, who married John Bies and lives in Washington ; Thomas J. is married and lives in Washington, where he is a boilermaker ; and James J., a telegraph operator, lives at Vincennes.
Attending the public schools of Barr township at an early age, William A. La Velle made rapid progress with his education. In 1900 he studied law and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced the profession: When he was grown he began teaching school and has taught for the last fifteen years in Barr and Harrison townships. In the meantime, however, during the summer, he has farmed and attended school. In all, he has attended the State Normal School for three years and has also spent twenty-four weeks at the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso. Lately Mr. La Velle has been teaching in Glencoe school in Harrison township. He is said to be the best and most popular teacher in that township. In 1912 Mr. La Velle purchased eighty acres out of the Dan Smith farm in Harri- son township, and now lives on this farm, which he operates in addition to teaching school. He and his family are members of St. Peter's Catholic church at Montgomery.
Mr. LaVelle was married in 1909 to Mary Catherine Drew, who is a. native of Barr township and the daughter of John and Maria Drew, the former of whom is deceased. John Drew was a farmer in Barr township, and he and his wife are of Irish nativity. To William A. and Catherine (Drew) LaVelle three children have been born, Lucile Josephine, Sep- tember 29, 1912; William Paul, October 27, 1914, and Louis Joseph, July 28, 1911, who died January 31, 1913.
William A. LaVelle is one of the promising young men of Daviess county. He has already got a good start in life, and with his commend- able habits and sterling personal qualities, he is expected to achieve in the future larger and better things.
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OLIVER A. TAYLOR.
Oliver A. Taylor is recognized as one of the energetic, well-known business men of Daviess county, Indiana, who, by his enterprise and pro- gressive methods has contributed in a material way to the commercial advance- ment of this county. In the course of an honorable career he has been suc- cessful in agriculture and enjoys distinct prestige among the representative men of Daviess county. It is eminently proper that attention be called to the achievements of this prosperous young farmer of Madison township, in the annals of his county's history.
Oliver A. Taylor was born on April 15, 1877, on the farm where he now lives in Madison township, Daviess county, Indiana. He is a son of J. G. and Rebecca (Conard) Taylor, the former of whom was born on May 1, 1846, on the farm where Oliver A. now lives, and the latter of whom was born on June 4, 1848, in Harrison county, this state.
The grandfather of Oliver A. Taylor was Henry Taylor, who was born in Monroe county, and who married Nancy B. Garten. The great- grandfather of Mr. Taylor was Samuel S. Taylor, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and who came to Monroe county when a young man, living all his life, on the farm where he located. Samuel S. Taylor had six chil- dren, four sons and two daughters, Robert, Henry, John, Samuel, Jane and Anna.
Henry Taylor, the grandfather of Oliver Taylor, had five children, William, who died in the service of his country during the Civil War; Sam- uel A .; James G .; Sarah E., and Jane.
James G. Taylor was educated in the subscription schools of Madison township, Daviess county. Though he was unable to attend school but a. short time, he supplemented his public school education by home study, and was a well-informed man and a man of wide practical intelligence, so far as the every-day affairs of life are concerned. When a young man he began farming in Madison township. After his father's death he removed to the farm where his son, Oliver A., now lives. He erected all the buildings on this farm, and owned, altogether, two hundred and sixty-seven acres, where he made a specialty of raising stock.
The children of James G. and Rebecca (Conard) Taylor were four in number : Laura E., who became the wife of Samuel A. Scott, is deceased; John Henry, who married Vine Ketchem, lives in Illinois; Oliver A., the immediate subject of this narrative, and Nancy M., who became the wife
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of Paris M. Laughlin. James G. Taylor is a Republican and is a member of the Baptist church.
Educated in the public schools of Madison township, Oliver A. Tay- lor was also a student for two terms at the Normal College at Odon, and when only eighteen years of age, began farming on the place where he is now living. He has farmed here continuously since that time, is an exten- sive breeder of Guernsey cattle, Poland China hogs, and has been very suc- cessful in the breeding of these animals. His farm consists of one hundred and twenty-seven acres, on which he has good buildings and a comfortable country home in every respect.
Oliver A. Taylor married Elsie E. Erwin, the daughter of Caleb Erwin. to which union one child has been born, Erwin Bowman, who died in infancy.
Mr. Taylor is a Republican, and he and his wife are earnest and devoted members of the Baptist church, Mr. Taylor serving as deacon in this church. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias. No young farmer of Daviess county is more highly respected than Oliver A. Taylor, and very few have worked harder for success, and not many have made greater progress than he in his chosen vocation.
NATHANIEL HUNT JEPSON.
It is interesting to note from the beginning the growth and develop- ment of a community ; to note the lines along which progress has been made and to take cognizance of those whose industry and leadership in the work of advancement have rendered possible the present prosperity of the locality under consideration. Nathaniel Hunt Jepson, the well-known watchmaker, jeweler and optician of Washington, Indiana, is one of the strong, sturdy individuals who have contributed largely to the material welfare of Wash- ington. Although well advanced in years, Mr. Jepson is still up to date in his business methods, public-spirited as a citizen and progressive in all that the name implies. He is a grand, good man, who has made a remarkable success of his business in the city of Washington.
Nathaniel H. Jepson was born on January 28, 1835, in Belmont county, Ohio, a son of John and Hannah (Hunt) Jepson, natives of Lancashire, England, who were the parents of eleven children, five of whom grew to maturity, as follow: John, now deceased; Hannah Elizabeth, who died unmarried on November II, 1914, at the age of eighty-one years; Nathan-
NATHANIEL H. JEPSON.
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iel H., of Washington; George, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, and Dr. Samuel L., the present secretary of the state board of health of West Virginia, now living in Wheeling.
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