USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Indiana : Its people, industries and institutions > Part 65
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On December 24, 1893, Jacob C. Weaver was married to Effie H. Bean. Although they have no children, they have taken a girl, Mary C. Cunningham, to rear.
Mr. Weaver and his family are members of the United Brethren church, and in politics he is an ardent Democrat. He, however, has never been active in political matters.
The paternal grandfather, Christian Barkey, was born on October 2, 1797, and died on August 31, 1878. He married Catherine Strickler, August 7, 1832, who was born on April 10, 1813, and died on September 30, 1895. Christian and Catherine (Strickler) Barkey had twelve children: Anna,
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born on July 19, 1833; David, January 6, 1835; Barbara, April 15, 1837, died July 10, 1839; Fannie, in 1841; Christina, April 10, 1843; Mary, August 22, 1845; Christian, July 6, 1847; Susannah, March 25, 1849; Magdelina, September II, 1851; Abraham, January 20, 1854, and Sarah, November 30, 1859. Christian Barkey was a farmer, who lived in Canada. He was a minister in the German Reformed church.
Mr. Weaver has always given liberally of his money to encourage pub- lic improvement and worthy public enterprises. He is a man of cheery optimism and for his success in life is always ready to give credit to the beneficent power which rules the universe, reserving for himself the com- paratively humble row of proving himself worthy to profit by the benefi- cence of this power.
CLARENCE POWNALL.
It matters much less where geographically a man comes into the world, than how he comes into this life as a living force for what he does and becomes in it. Heredity and environment have much to do in conditioning his character and power, and fortunate indeed is the individual who has been well born and whose surroundings have made for his best development. The well-known subject of this sketch has been peculiarly blessed in both these respects. He is born of a distinguished father, a resident of Madison township, Daviess county, and was reared under excellent home influences, the result of which is a fine specimen of manhood and citizenship.
Clarence Pownall was born on September 22, 1870, in Madison town- ship, Daviess county, Indiana. He is the son of George W. and Alwilda (Ferguson) Pownall, the former of whom was born in Portage county, Ohio, on September 10, 1841, and the latter born on November 22, 1849. George W. Pownall is referred to elsewhere in this volume. He is the son of Jesse and Nancy (Swift) Pownall, the former of whom was born in Virginia, on April 15, 1815, and died in 1905, and the latter a native of Vermont.
Educated in the public schools of Madison township, Clarence Pownall when a young man worked with his father on the farm. At the age of twenty-one he purchased eighty acres in Madison township, adjoining his father's farm, and lived with his father until he was twenty-five years of age. At the age of twenty-four he started farming for himself and has been farming ever since on the same tract of land, the one which adjoins that of
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his father. Clarence Pownall now owns three hundred and fifty acres, al- most as much as his father, George W. He does general farming and stock raising. Mr. Pownall is an extensive breeder of horses and mules and feeds all kinds of stock. Mr. Pownall erected the buildings that are situated on his farm.
On December 26, 1894, Clarence Pownall married Minnie Mara Wood- ruff, the daughter of Aaron and Nancy A. (Dillon) Woodruff, and to them has been born one child, Trula, who lives at home.
In political affiliations, Mr. Pownall is a Democrat, while fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge, and Mrs. Pownall is a member of the Tribe of Ben-Hur. Physically, Clarence Pownall is a fine type of American, pleasant and agreeable in his manners and optimistic in his spirit. He is a man who is devoted to public improvement and whose own farm is the best testimonial of his public spirit.
GEORGE W. MEURER.
Among the numerous farmers of German birth in Daviess county, there are few who are better known or more popular than the gentleman whose name is noted above, or to whom the Goddess of Fortune has been more kind. There is something about the German system of farming which gets results. A native tendency to thrift and careful conservation, a trait that has been inbred by centuries of intensive farming in the Fatherland, gives to the farmer of Teutonic extraction in this country an apparent advan- tage which his Yankee neighbor sometimes is inclined to envy. There is in this apparent advantage no occasion for envy, however. Everything has its reason for being, and if the German farmers have a way of getting ahead, it is because they are more attentive to the lesser details of their work. They operate their farms with a minimum of waste, and, acting on the proper theory that a penny saved is a penny earned, they make the most of every- thing they have, with the result that in time their thrift makes itself visibly manifest in broad acres and well-kept farms. Such has been the theory of life behind George W. Meurer's efforts, and the secret of his success is not so deep a mystery as to be without solution by the person of careful habits of observation. It may properly be said, in passing, that this secret is one which many would profit by learning.
George W. Meurer was born in Knox county, Indiana, on October 27,
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1864, the son of Philip and Margaret (Sanders) Meurer, the former of whom was a native of Germany and the latter of whom was born in Greene county, Indiana.
Philip Meurer came to this country from Germany at the age of thirty- five and settled in Greene county, where he cleared a farm and made a home, in which he lived for many years before moving to his present home in this county. Shortly after coming to this state, Philip Meurer married Mar- garet Sanders, of Greene county, and to this union there were born nine children, as follow: Henry, who married Mary Miller, lives in Arkansas, where he is engaged in farming; Charles, who married Annie Franch, and lives in Greene county ; Thomas, deceased; Anthony, who married Josephine Lankford; George W., the immediate subject of this sketch; Sherman, who married Nora Owens, and lives in Elmore township; Read, who married Laura Wittles and lives in Arkansas, he being married a second time; Elisha, who married Lura Owens and lives in Greene county; Elizabeth, who mar- ried Frank Glenn and lives at Terre Haute. These children were brought up in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church and the father and sons gave their political allegiance to the Democratic party.
George W. Meurer's youth was spent partly in Greene and partly in Daviess county. He received but a limited education in the schools of these counties, but became well grounded in the principles of successful farming, as a young man "working out" on the farms neighboring those of his father's farm, eventually owning a farm of his own. For twenty-four years he lived on Peters Hill in Greene county, and in March, 1908, moved to the farm where he now lives, in Elmore township, where he has been very suc- cessful. He began there with a tract of one hundred and sixty acres, which he gradually enlarged until he now owns a fine farm of two hundred and thirty-five acres, all of which is under a high state of cultivation. In addi- tion to his work as a general farmer, Mr. Meurer is also engaged, to a con- siderable extent, in stock raising, and, in order to keep up the strain of his cattle, keeps a full-blooded Polled Angus bull. Among the recent improve- ments on this farm is a fine new barn, which Mr. Meurer erected in 1913. The farm is well tiled and everything is done by its owner to insure the greatest possible productivity of the soil.
In the year 1905 George W. Meurer was united in marriage to Lockie L. Roark, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Vanover) Roark, and to this union has been born one child, a son, Roy, on January 17, 1914.
Mr. Meurer is a Democrat and takes a good citizen's interest in politi- cal affairs, being naturally interested in all matters relating to good gov-
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ernment, and is much devoted to the best for the community good. He is a man of much native good nature and is deservedly popular in the community in which he has prospered so abundantly and in which he has gladly elected to spend the rest of his days. Mrs. Meurer is a member of the Methodist church.
WILLIAM THIAS.
The rich agricultural section comprised within the bounds of Daviess county, Indiana, is replete with pleasant homes, housing a happy and pro- gressive people. No spot in the great state of Indiana is better favored in this regard than is the county with which this volume particularly treats, and there are few spots more highly favored than is that section of the county comprised within the borders of Elnora township and the picturesque country surrounding the pleasant town of Elnora. Among the farmers in that township there are few who are better known than is William Thias, to a brief biography of whom the reviewer here engages the attention of the reader.
William Thias was born in Jackson county, Indiana, on November I, 1871, the son of Christian and Sophronia (Burrel) Fraze, to whom also was born a daughter, Sophia, who married John O'Mara, and lives in Jack- son county, Indiana.
Owing to differences in the Fraze family which led to the disruption of the home, William, when a very small lad, was brought up by Frederick and Caroline (Hodapp) Thias, neighbors, and grew to manhood in their home, their name being bestowed upon him by adoption. Frederick Thias was a farmer in Jackson county, who retired from active service on the farm in 1908, and is now enjoying the fruits of a long life of industry and toil. On this farm William Thias received a careful training in the rudiments of agriculture and, upon reaching manhood's estate, started farming for himself. In September, 1910, Mr. Thias came to Daviess county and bought a farm of eighty acres, in Elmore township, on which he has since lived and which he has greatly improved since taking possession, at the same time bringing the farm to a high state of cultivation. During the few years he has been a resident of this county, he has made many friends in the community in which he makes his home and is rapidly taking his place among the men of affairs in that neighborhood. He is industrious and energetic and his well- improved acres show the effect of this energy and industry.
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On February 24, 1895, William Thias was united in marriage with Bertie Wilkerson, who was born near Cortland, Indiana, the daughter of William and Mary (Stewart) Wilkerson, to whom were born two other children, Thomas, who died in his youth, and Shirley, who married Nettie Peabody and lives at Anderson.
To William and Bertie (Wilkerson) Thias have been born three chil- dren : Earl, killed by lightning in 1913, at the age of sixteen; an infant son, and a daughter, Bertha May, who was born on June 26, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Thias are members of the United Brethren church at Bellview, and are held in the highest regard in that neighborhood, where they are doing well their part in the life of the community. Mr. Thias is a Republican, and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and both in politics and in the affairs of his lodge takes a warm interest, as well as in the general affairs of the vicinity in which he elected to make his home a few years ago. He is a modest, unassuming man, who has the respect of all who know him.
MARION M. JOHNSON.
When Dean Swift gave utterance to that immortal passage in his- "Gulliver's Travels," reading as follows: "And he gave it for his opinion that whoever could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass to grow where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country than the whole race of politicians put together," he gave to the world a terse presentation of a truth that would be difficult to improve on. Agriculturists, in this favored section of the state, if put to the test applied by Dean Swift, would be found doing their part most admirably in the development of the soil's great riches, making two ears of corn grow where one grew before in the very literal sense indeed. In no phase of man's activities has there been more advance in recent years than in that most important industry relating to the cultivation of the soil, and in this notable advance the farmers of Daviess county have not been found behind those of any other section of the state. Among the prosperous, progressive and up-to-date farmers of the county, there are few who have a wider acquaintance or who are more deservedly popular than Marion M. Johnson, of Elmore township, a brief review of whose life the biographer finds pleasure in here presenting for the information of the readers of this. valuable historical and biographical work.
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Marion M. Johnson was born near the village of Odon, in Madison township, Daviess county, Indiana, on November 5, 1863, the son of Bryson B. and Lydia (Overton) Johnson, the former of whom was born in Tus- carawas county, Ohio, in 1839, the son of William and Rachael (Vaughn) Johnson, and the latter of whom was born near Odon, the daughter of Moses Overton, a pioneer resident of Madison township.
William Johnson was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and was reared to the life of a farmer and there married Rachael Vaughn, a native of Penn- sylvania. About the year 1854 he came to Indiana, locating in Daviess county, buying a farm of one hundred acres in Madison township, about one and one- half miles east of the place on which his grandson, Marion M., now lives. By industry and thrift he was able, with the assistance of his sons, to add to this original tract, until, at the time of his death, he owned about two hundred acres of well-tilled land, comprising one of the best farms in that portion of the county. William Johnson was an excellent citizen and a good neighbor and was regarded as one of the leaders in his section, it being admitted to this day that he exerted a large influence in the development of that section.
To William and Rachael (Vaughn) Johnson were born six children : five sons and one daughter, David, James, Edward, Æsop, Jane and Bryson, the latter of whom was the father of the immediate subject of this bio- graphical sketch.
Bryson Johnson was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and came to this county with his parents upon their migration hither when he was about fifteen years old. He received his early education in the subscription schools of Madison township, in what was known in that day as the Malone school, later attending the Herron school, and upon reaching manhood's estate began farming, his father having reared him in that vocation. He was a farmer all his life and made a pronounced success of his business. He owned one hundred and sixty acres of fine land, one hundred and twenty acres in Madison township, and forty acres in Elmore township. Mr. Johnson mar- ried Lydia Overton, and he and his wife were leaders in the social life of their community and did much for the advancement of the best interests of that section.
To bryson and Lydia (Overton) Johnson were born seven children, as follow : Marion M., the subject of this sketch; Greenville, who married Emma R. Long and lives in Elnora, where he is successfully engaged in the hard- ware business; Reverend William, who was graduated from DePauw Uni- versity, married Jennie C. Walls, and is now a resident minister of the
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Gospel in St. Paul, Minnesota; Moses, who died in infancy; Levi, who mar- ried Margaret Chambers, lives on the old home place in Madison township; Thomas and Rachael, twins, the former of whom married Dora Bowers and lives in New Philadelphia, Ohio, and the latter of whom married Edward Killion, and is now deceased, and Ada, who, after the death of her sister, Rachael, married Edward Killion, her deceased sister's husband. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson reared their family in the faith of the United Brethren church, in the various local beneficences of which they ever took an active part. Mr. Johnson was a Democrat and took a good citizen's part in the political affairs of his county, his influence ever being exerted in behalf of good government.
Marion M. Johnson was educated in the public schools of his home township and was one of the first to be graduated from the common schools of Madison township, under the present system of township high schools. He was reared as a farmer, his father giving him ample instructions in the science of successful agriculture and upon reaching manhood, started farm- ing for himself. In 1887, he bought forty acres of land in Elmore township, and lived there until 1899, in which year he bought his present farm in the same township. His original tract included but forty acres, but by diligence and thrift, he was able to add to this, as the years went by, until now he owns an excellent farm of one hundred and forty-five acres, on which he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. In 1909, he built his present commodious barn, having built in 1890 the barn on his other farm, also building an addition to the house on that place. In all his under- takings, Mr. Johnson has had a most faithful and competent helpmeet in his wife, who, before her marriage on December 3, 1884, was Ida J. Slinkard, the daughter of Moses and Sarah ( Smeltzer ) Slinkard of Greene county, and he ungrudgingly ascribes much of his present success to her earnest assist- ance at all times, and particularly during the early days of their struggle to make and maintain for themselves a definite establishment in the pros- perous farming community in which they are located. They started their married life with five dollars' worth of furniture besides the cook stove, and by hard work and careful management have accumulated an excellent farm, insuring for themselves a competence in their declining years. As a proper lesson in industry and prudent thrift this is an example which it would be well for many young people of the present day to take to heart.
To Marion M. and Ida J. (Slinkard) Johnson nine children have been born, as follow: Melvin, who married Sina Killion, to which union one child has been born, a son, Kenneth; Jennie May, who died at the age of
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eight years; Lestie, who married Edwin Winkleplack and has two children,. Clifford J. and Bernice; Willis, who died at the age of fourteen months ; Helen, at home; Ervilla; Edith; Edison, who died at the age of two years, and Emerson.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are faithful and influential members of the United Brethren church, in the faith of which they have reared their children and in the local affairs of which they take a warm interest, ever being found ready to further any cause having as its object the advancement of the best interests of the community, and are very properly regarded as among the. leaders in the social life of the neighborhood. Mr. Johnson is a Democrat.
STEPHEN STALCUP.
Among the prominent families of Elmore township, Daviess county, Indiana, few are better known than that of the Stalcups, and certainly none more deservedly entitled to recognition in a historical work of this char- acter, for the family of Mrs. Stephen Stalcup, who was an Elmore before her marriage, enjoyed the distinction of giving to that important division: of the county in which they lived the name of Elmore township, and Elmore for many years has been one of the most familiar in the county.
Stephen Stalcup was born on September 17, 1882, on the farm on which he still lives in Elmore township, the old Stalcup homestead, the son of Henry S. and Elizabeth (Feltner) Stalcup, the former of whom was born near Pleasantville, Sullivan county, Indiana, on April 4, 1836, the son: of Stephen and Sarah Ann (Smock) Stalcup, the former of whom was born in Tennessee in the year 1794 and died in Sullivan county in 1876.
Stephen Stalcup, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was for many years one of the best-known and most prominent farmers of Sullivan county, and was known far and wide in that part of the state as a successful dealer in live stock. He was influential in the affairs of his locality, and he. and his wife were among the leaders in the good works of that neighborhood .. To Stephen and Sarah (Smock) Stalcup were born four children : Henry S., father of the gentleman whose name appears at the top of this biographical narrative; Amos; Lycurgus and Frank.
Reared on the home farm near Pleasantville, Henry S. Stalcup was educated in the schools of that village. As a young man, he started farming for himself, coming to Daviess county and buying a farm of forty acres in
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Elmore township at the point at which his son still resides. He was an energetic and enterprising farmer and his affairs prospered largely. He gradually added to his original farm until, at the time of his death, he was the owner of two hundred and twenty-five acres of excellent farm land, the greater part of which was in a high state of cultivation. In addition to his farming, Mr. Stalcup was interested in other enterprises in the neighborhood and was one of the heaviest stockholders in the canning factory at Elnora.
On August 4, 1859, Henry S. Stalcup was united in marriage to Eliza- beth Feltner, who was born on January 26, 1841, the daughter of Nicholas and Sophia (Atchley) Feltner, the former of whom was born on March 7, 1817, and who was married, September 3, 1835. To Henry S. and Elizabeth (Feltner) Stalcup there were born seven children, as follow : Laura, deceased, born on January 27, 1861, married John Wadsworth and left two children, Roscoe C. and Lettie I .; Sherman M., December 19, 1865, died in October, 1885; George A., November 19, 1868, died in 1888; Sophia, deceased, died in October, 1887; Emmazilla, died on August 17, 1865; Henry N., July 18. 1876. died in August. 1896, and Stephen, the immediate subject of this sketch. The father of the above children died on May 12, 1908, the mother having predeceased him some years, her death having occurred in October, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Stalcup reared their children in the faith of the Church of Christ, at Elnora, in the affairs of which congregation they ever took a deep inter- est and were regarded as among the leaders in all movements designed to promote the best development of that neighborhood. Mr. Stalcup was a Republican and took an active part in the campaigns of his party in this county, ever being counted on the side of good government.
Stephen Stalcup was reared on the home farm, in Elmore township, and received his education in the public schools of that township. Upon reaching manhood's estate, he continued to remain on the home farm, assist- ing his father in the management of the same, and now owns the old home place, a fine farm of one hundred and forty-five acres, in addition to which he farms another tract near by, the entire amount of land which he has under cultivation being two hundred and fifty acres. In addition to general farming and stock raising, Mr. Stalcup, until a few years ago, was actively interested in the canning factory at Elnora, of which, at one time, he was the heaviest stockholder. having been manager of the same during the years 1912 and 1913. in which latter year he sold his interest in the plant. In 1910, Mr. Stalcup added to the farm buildings which his father had erected on the place, a commodious barn, and. in 1914, erected a silo. He is today recog- nized as the most extensive grower of alfalfa in Daviess county, and is other- wise regarded as an exceptionally enterprising and energetic young farmer.
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On June 7, 1903, Stephen Stalcup was united in marriage with Stella Elmore, who was born in Elmore township, this county, on July 14, 1876, and who is a great-granddaughter of the founder of Elmore township and of the town of Elnora, she being the daughter of Abraham and Lydia (Brints- field) Stalcup, the former of whom was the son of Stephen Elmore, whose father and brother were the first settlers of that section of the county. They entered the land on which the town of Elnora is situated and the town- ship was given its name in their honor.
Stephen Elmore married Ruth Dillon and to this union were born six children : John, Isaac, Thomas, Dee, Mary and Abraham, the latter of whom was the father of Mrs. Stalcup, who was the sole issue of his marriage with Lydia Brintsfield, a member of another of the old families of that section. Abraham Elmore predeceased his wife and she married, secondly, David Simpkins, to which latter union one child was born, a son, Oscar.
To Stephen and Stella (Elmore) Stalcup one child has been born, a son, Henry Elmore, who was born on April 23, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Stalcup are members of the Church of Christ at Elnora and are among the most active workers in the various good movements of that organization. Mr. Stalcup is a Republican and gives close attention to the political affairs of the county, being deeply interested in good government. He is a Mason and a Red Man, being much interested in the affairs of those two societies. In other ways he also takes a prominent part in the affairs of the community and is very properly regarded as one of the leading citizens of that part of the county.
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