USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana: containing a history of the townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies, etc., etc. > Part 43
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JOHN BUCHANAN (deceased) was born in Washington County, Va., July 25, 1784. His parents, Joseph and Ann (Wilson) Buchanan, were natives of Ireland and Pennsylvania respectively. Mr. Buchanan was engaged in farming in his native county till about twenty-five years of age. In 1818 he moved to Indiana and located in this county, where in 1820 he was married to Maria Smith, also a native of Washington County, Va., born in 1804 and a daughter of Tobias and Martha (Washam) Smith, who were born in the same county; came in 1812 to this county, where the mother died in 1818, the father in 1836. About 1821 Mr. Buchanan purchased fifty acres of land, where his widow still resides, and to this he added till he owned 140 acres. Here he closed his life about 1867. He was always of a quiet dis- position, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Mrs. Buchanan is still living and is well preserved for one of her years. They were among the first settlers of the county and endured many hard- ships through their long lives of earnest toil. Mrs. Buchanan has given the charge of her farm to her nephew, Tobias Smith, who was born in Marion County, Ind., in 1855. His parents, Robert and Nancy (Sweeney) Smith, were natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively, and came to this State in 1811. They are still living in Marion County. Mr. Smith resided with his parents till he was twenty-one years of age, and then began operations for himself. In 1878 he assumed charge of Mrs. Buchanan's farm, where he has since been engaged. He was married, in 1882, to Lizzie Sesserman, a daughter of Adam and Nancy (Bryant) Sesserman, and they have one child-Edward-born in 1883. Mr. Smith is an in-
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dustrious, energetic young farmer, and is succeeding well in his chosen pursuit. In politics he is a Repub- lican.
C. H. BUNDRANT, farmer, Connersville Town- ship, one of the early settlers and old residents of this township, was born in Virginia, March 12, 1822, son of Thomas and Susan (Lockett) Bundrant, also natives of Virginia, and who came to this county in 1830, where they died five years later, former in May, latter in September, 1835. Thomas Bundrant was a soldier in the war of 1812, and marched on foot from Harper's Ferry, Va., to Natchez, Miss. The paternal ancestors of our subject immigrated to this country from France prior to the Revolutionary war. At the death of his parents Mr. Bundrant was " bound out," as was the custom of those days, to William Brown, a tanner, whose widow still resides in Connersville. He served an apprenticeship of six years at this trade. and was subsequently Mr. Brown's partner in the business five years. He then purchased his present farm of eighty-five acres, on which he has since been engaged in the quiet pursuits of agriculture. He was married, May 13, 1852, to Miss Jane Branson, of Henry County, Ind., daughter of William and Sarah (Pickering) Branson, and this union is blessed by one child -Edward L. Mr. Bundrant is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; was formerly con- nected with the order of Sons of Temperance. His father's family, which was large, was early scattered among various States. Mary, wife of Mr. Waters, now resides in Kansas; Frances, wife of Mr. Williams, resides at Muncie, Ind .; Adaline, now Mrs. Jordan, resides with her brother C. H. Mr. Bundrant has always lived a quiet life, and is highly esteemed in the community. In temperance work he has ever been a warm advocate; in politics an uncompromising Republican.
JOHN JONES BURK, farmer, Jennings Town- ship, was born in Baltimore County, Md., October 2, 1803. He is a son of Ulie and Rachel (Jones) Burk, natives of Maryland, who removed to Hamilton County, Ohio, in October of 1809, the trip being accomplished by team, consuming one month's time. Here they died at advanced ages. Our subject was six years old then, and was early inured to the hard- ships of the pioneer's life, with little or no advan- tages for securing an education. He was married, in Hamilton County, Ohio, September 14, 1826, to Nancy Snyder, born in Pennsylvania March 6, 1809, a daughter of John and Frances (Barr) Snyder, Pennsylvanians of German descent. In 1832 Mr. Burk left Hamilton County, Ohio, and settled in Dearborn County, Ind., and in October, 1835, he moved to this township, having, the previous March, pur- chased 160 acres of land for which he paid $15.55
per acre. He began life poor, but with the help ren - dered him by his estimable wife, with whom he lived fifty years, he overcame every obstacle and at one time owned 1,260 acres of land, 300 of which were in this county. He has filled the offices of Justice of the Peace three terms and Township Trustee two terms. Mr. Burk has belonged to the Baptist Church for twenty years; his wife was also a member of the same denomination, as are the most of his children, eleven in all, ten of whom are now living: Mary J., Andrew J. (deceased), Sarah, Nancy, Rachel A., Maria F., Rebecca E., Emily A., John S., Greene and Stephen. Mrs. Burk died July 7, 1878. Mr. Burk has been a life-long Democrat and cast his first vote for " Old Hickory," Andrew Jackson.
DANIEL BURRIS, farmer, Waterloo Township, was born in Fauquier County, Va., in 1817; son of Philip and Susan Burris, who located in Washington Township, Wayne Co., Ind., in 1830. They had seven children, two of whom, Thomas and Nancy, live in Wayne County, and two, Daniel and William, in this township. The father died in 1848 aged sev- enty years, and the mother four months previously at the age of sixty-eight years. Both were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their deceased children are Thornton, Bartley and Mary. Our subject was married in 1838, to Mary, daughter of John M. Layson. He resided in Wayne County till 1849, at which time he came to his present place. Eight children have been born to this union, six of whom are now living: John, Sarah, Nancy A., Mary E., Isaac and Francenia; Elmira and Susan are de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Burris have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. Our subject owns at present 350 acres of good land, but before settling homes on his children he was one of the largest land-holders in the county. His fortune is the result of his own enterprise, he being a self- made man.
CALVIN BURTON, farmer, Connersville Town- ship, one of the earliest settlers of this county, was born in South Carolina, July 29, 1805; son of Doug- las and Nancy (Osborn) Burton, who settled in Ken- tucky in October, 1813, and resided there till Octo- ber, 1819, when they moved to this county. Here on the wooded farm Mr. Burton's father died July 26, 1820. There were twelve children in the family, eleven of whom came with their parents to this coun- ty, and most of whom became actual settlers of the same. The mother died February 12, 1853. She was a woman of many graces of character, an exem- plary member of the Christian Church. After her husband's death, with a heroism worthy of a pioneer mother, and by the help of her two sons, Calvin and Thomas, she kept her children together and the
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wolf from the door till they grew to manhood, respect- ability and usefulness. Calvin, our subject, was fourteen years old when he came to the wilds of Indi- ana. His father dying, the care of the family large ly devolvel upon him, and this prevented him from obtaining the ordinary common school education. He was married January 6, 1828, to Anno A., daughter of John D. and Marian (Scott) Stewart, who came to this locality in 1821. After his marriage Mr. Bur- ton located upon the present site of the Connersville Cemetery, where he remained about two years, and then moved to his present farm, which he rented until he purchased it in 1836. Here he has since resided. He began life with little save a good wife and a willingness to work, and right well they have done their part. Mr. Burton has seventy-six acres of well-improved land, and enjoys all the necessary comforts of lifo. He is a Republican, though his first Presidential vote was cast for Andrew Jackson in 1828. John D. Stewart, father of Mrs. Burton, was born in Maryland, May 8, 1782. He was reared in his native county, and in 1802 was married in Delaware to Miss Marian Scott, by whom seven chil- dren were born, two only now living-Anna and John. Mr. Stewart died February 21, 1823, his wid- ow June 29, 1839. His son William was at one time editor of the Connersville Observer, and became noted as a journalist. Mrs. Burton was born in Delaware, February 21, 1810. She is a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, and possesses much vigor of mind. Her memory is very retentive, and from her store of local facts the writer has largely drawn.
JOSEPH CALDWELL, farmer, Harrison Town- ship. This highly-esteemed citizen and pioneer set- tler of the county is a native of Proble County, Ohio, where his birth occurred August 15, 1809. His parents were Joseph and Miriam (Chadwick) Caldwell, natives of North Carolina, and both mem- bers of the Society of Friends. Joseph Caldwell, Sr., in the early part of the century immigrated to Ohio, stopping for a season or so in the vicinity of the Great Miami River, in Warren County; from thence he removed to the vicinity of Fair Haven, in Preble County, the same State. In 1811 he located in what is now Harrison Township, this county, where on Christmas Day he completed his cabin; but the Indians becoming troublesome, the family re- turned to Preble County, Ohio, for a time. Finally a fort was built one mile north of what is now Har- risburg, and soldiers sent to garrison it, and the family then went there, living in this part until peace was restored, when they moved into the cabin. The sons and daughters born to Joseph Caldwell, Sr., and wife were: Margaret, John, Mary, James, Ann. Lydia and Joseph, all deceased save Lydia and Jo-
seph. The father was a successful farmer and a respected citizen. Politically he voted with the Whig party, being a strong anti-slavery man. His death occurred in the fall of 1850, his wife having preceded him in 1836. Our subject received the ben- efit of a practical education in the district schools of his time, and through his long life has been a tiller of the soil, in which vocation he has been reasonably successful. He now possesses the old homestead, some 156 acres of land finely improved. January 31, 1833, he was married to Miss Asenath Powell, and to
them were born: Enoch, Martha (wife of Buel J. Thomas), Caroline and Alexander. Mrs. Caldwell died November 3, 1844, and our subject was married on the second occasion, October 7, 1847, to Miss Salenah Saxon, a native of Indiana, by whom he had two children: Horace F. and Alice, now the wife of Homer L. Broaddus. Mr. Caldwell as Deputy once appraised the real estate of the township, has several times assessed the personal property thereof, and has served as Inspector of Elections. In 1850 he took the census of one of the three districts of the coun- ty, comprising the Townships of Connersville, Harri- son and Orange; also enrolled Harrison Township during the last war. He cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Jackson, but has since voted with the Whig and Republican parties. He is well preserved for one of his years.
ENOCH CALDWELL, farmer and cheese manu- facturer, Harrison Township, was born in Harrison Township, this county, October 29, 1833; a son of Joseph Caldwell, who located in Fayette County in 1811. Our subject received a common school educa- tion, and has farmed all his life, excepting in the winters from 1855 to 1865, during which time he taught school. He was married, May 17, 1864, to Miss Sarah J. Scott, a native of Wayne County, Ind., born September 14, 1843. To this union were born five children: Cora C., Sylvia M., Myrtie E., Alice M. and Scott. Mr. Caldwell, his wife and daughter Cora C., are members of the Christian Church. He was Justice of the Peace for eight years. His enter- prising spirit induced him to establish a cheese fac- tory in 1878, in connection with the farming busi- ness; he now milks from thirty to fifty cows, and produces fine cheese, for which he finds ready sale.
WILLIAM CARNEY, farmer, Orange Township, was born in Indiana County, Penn., December 3, 1801; son of John and Ann (Cameron) Carney, natives of Pennsylvania, former of whom was born in 1782, son of Richard and Ruth (Clark) Carney, natives of Ireland, who in an early day (prior to the Revolutionary war) emigrated to the United States, and settled in Pennsylvania, where they remained until their death. The father and mother of our
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subject were married in Indiana County, Penn., where they settled, and the mother dying, Mr. Carney married a Mrs. Smith. He was the father of nine children: Elizabeth, William, Findley, John, Thomas, Phebe, Julia A., by first marriage, and Martha and Smith by second marriage. William Carney, our subject, was married in Indiana County, Penn., in 1823, to Martha, also a native of Indiana County, born in 1801; daughter of Samuel Thomp- son. To this union were born nine children: Eliza, John (deceased), Findley, Martha, Jano (deceased), William, Mary (deceased), Sarah (deceased), and Elizabeth. After his marriage our subject settled in his native county, where he remained until 1834, when he moved to Rush County, Ind., and about four years later to Fayette County, subsequently returning to Rush County; from there he went to Wabash County, where he remained but a short time, and then returned to Fayette County, where he purchased and settled on the farm on which he has since resided. His wife died in November, 1865. He is a member of the United Brethren Church. He is highly respected by all who know him.
E. I. CHANCE, merchant, Columbia Township, was born in Dearborn County, Ind., March 19, 1847; son of Hiram and Eliza (Thompson) Chance, latter a native of Indiana. Hiram Chance was a son of John Chance, a soldier of the war of 1812-14, who moved from Pennsylvania to Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1817; then moved to Dearborn County, Ind., in 1821. He was the father of twelve children: Thomas, Robert, Jessie, Lucinda, Catharine, Hiram, John, Perry, Lucetta, Mary, Elizabeth and Jackson. Hiram, the father of our subject, was born in Hamilton County Ohio, in 1819, was brought to Dearborn County, Ind., in 1821. He was there united in marriage in 1842, with Eliza Thompson, born in Dearborn County, Ind., in 1822, daughter of Dorus and Sarah (King) Thompson, who came from New York to Dearborn County, Ind. in 1816, where they remained till their death. They were the parents of seven children: Emeline, Alonzo, Eliza, Edgar, Levinas, John and Enretta. Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Chance had a family of six children: Virgil Eugene, Euphrates Irvin, Eldorado, Leander Vanda- man, Effie Nevada, and Sarah, who died in infancy. Our subject was educated at Moore's Hill College, Moore's Hill, Ind., and there engaged in teaching school for twelve successive years, after which he was Deputy Postmaster at Lawrenceburg one year, and served as agent for the Adams Express Company some time. In 1880 he with his brother Leander V. came to Alpine and purchased a stock of goods of J. D. New- house, and has since engaged in mercantile business. He is at present Postmaster at Alpine, and agent of the American Express Company; is Trustee of Co-
lumbia Township. Mr. Chance is a member of the I. O. O. F.
SAMUEL CLAWSON, farmer, Orange Township, was born in Fayette County, Ind., April 25, 1833, son of William G. and. Charlotte (Hnston) Clawson, natives of Montgomery County, Ohio, where they were married. They subsequently moved to Mont- gomery County, Ind., and from thence, in an early day, to Fayette County, Ind., where they remained until their death, Mr. Clawson dying in February, 1882, his wife, December, 1880. Their children were: Nancy, Elizabeth, Samuel, Eunice, Alfred, George, Isaac, Garret, John W., William, Jesse, James and Lee. Samuel, onr subject, was married at Glenwood, Ind., in November, 1857, to Francenia, daughter of William H. and Sarah (Durbon) Oliphant, having by her three children: William, Mary A. and Susan. Mr. Clawson was married on second occasion, April 18, 1872, to Mary A., daughter of Samuel and Ursula (Calfee) Clark, and who was born in Franklin County, Ind., September 23, 1848. Our subject owns eighty acres of excellent land in this county. He is a worthy citizen and highly respected.
AUSTIN B. CLAYPOOL, farmer, Connersville Township, was born in Connersville, Ind., December 1, 1823, son of Newton and Mary (Kerns) Clay- pool, whose lives are referred to elsewhere in this work. Our subject grew up in his native town and on his father's farm near by, receiving the advantages of the good common schools the town afforded. May 20, 1846, he was united in marriage with Han- nah A. Petty, a native of Wayne County, this State, where she was born January 2, 1828, being a daugh- ter of Williams Petty, one of the most successful pork traders and packers in the locality at that time. To them were born eight children, four of whom are living, viz : Virginia, Marcus, Lizzie and Frank, all of whom graduated from good institutions of learn- ing. The greater portion of the decade succeed- ing his marriage Mr. Claypool resided in Wayne County, Ind., and up to its close he had speculated quite extensively in land, having in 1845 purchased 240 acres in Fayette County, which were not held long. Subsequently he made a purchase of 560 acres in Wayne County at $30 per acre, which he disposed of at $70 per acre. Mr. Claypool removed to Con- nersville and purchased a controlling interest in the branch of the old State Bank located there, and for a period of three years served as its President. Dur- ing the war his business life was again marked by an - other extensive land purchase and sale which involved considerable money and none the less business judge- ment and foresight, yet he was not wanting in the · latter nor in nerve for so great an investment, for time proved the success of the speculation, which
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was the purchase of 900 acres of land in Fayette County for $52,000 and its disposal for $72,000. Subsequently he purchased an extensive paper mill at Milton, Ind., and which within a year and a half thereafter was destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of $50,000. He having (1865) organized in the village of Milton the Citizens' Bank, which (being its act- ing President) he carried on four years, when he closed it up. Mr. Claypool was conspicuously iden- tified with many of the internal improvements of the Whitewater Valley, and closely allied with agricult- ural interests of the county and to the public has given his great energies and broad business capacity. In 1861, during the building of the Cincinnati, Hamil- ton & Indianapolis Railroad through Connersville, he was chosen one of the Directors and was one of the few men that stood good for all the iron to lay the tracks from Liberty to Connersville. He was also one of the few mnen that organized the Conners- ville & New Castle Junction Railroad, being an act- ive Director during its construction. He assisted in the organization of the Fayette County Joint Stock Agricultural Society, and for a period of eight years was an active member of the State Board of Agricult- ure. He was instrumental in the organization of the Bentonville & Lockport Turnpike Company, and in the construction of its pike. On the death of his father, in 1866, Mr. Claypool inherited the old country homestead and moved upon it, where he has since resided, in the meantime having platted that portion of the homestead where the beautiful village of Maplewood is located. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic orders, having represented both in their respective Grand Lodges. In politics he is a Republican. He is a very affable gentleman, unostentatious and unassuming.
BENJAMIN CLIFFORD, Harrison Township, was born near Sheffield, Vt., August 21, 1815. His parents, Jonathan and Sarah (Pierce) Clifford, moved to Fayette County, Ind., in 1825, locating in Harrison Township, where the former farmed. He died in 1826, and his widow in 1846. Our subject obtained a common school education. He embarked in the dry goods business with two of his brothers in Fair- view and there remained till the spring of 1839, when he sold out and engaged in the same line of business by himself in Rawley till the fall of 1843, and in 1844 moved to his present farm. He married, Octo- ber 19, 1837, Miss Mary Smith, born in Kentucky, January 25, 1820, and to this union were born nine children: Sarah A., Pamelia A., Irvin L., Margaret J., Mary E., Ambrosia, John F., Fremont, Horace A. Our subject was School Director from 1870 to 1874. The Connersville and Fairview Pike was built in 1859, and in 1860 he was elected one of the Board,
which office he continued to fill most of the time to the present, and has been President of the company for the last seven or eight years. He was a promi- nent member of Harrison and Highland Granges. He is a member of the Universalist Church. Irvin L., the eldest son, enlisted in Company B, Fifth In- diana Cavalry, in 1861, and served until the close of the war. He was in prison at Andersonville, Charles- ton and Florence, but was finally liberated by Sher- man on his march to the sea. He was a private sol- dier, lost his health and never again will be well in the flesh.
IRVIN L. CLIFFORD, farmer, Fairview Town- ship, was born in Rush County, Ind., June 10, 1843. He is a son of Benjamin and Mary (Smith) Clifford, of Harrison Township, this county, whose sketch ap- pears above. During the late war of the Rebellion, Angust 12, 1862, our subject enlisted in Company B, Fifth Indiana Cavalry, and served until July 16, 1865, when he was discharged and returned home. During his service he participated in several hard- fought battles. At Macon, Ga., where the company surrendered, Mr. Clifford was taken prisoner and con- fined in Andersonville and other Rebel prisons for seven months. He was married August 16, 1866, to Catherine D., daughter of John V. and Catherine (Miller) Lindsey, and born in this county July 1, 1846. To this union were born the following chil- dren: Lola L., Mary K. C., Lena and Josie. After his marriage Mr. Clifford first settled in Harrison Township, but in about one year moved on the old Lindsey farm in Fairview Township, and two years later purchased and moved on the farm where he now lives. He is a fine man, a member of the Odd Fel- lows and of the G. A. R.
JOHN V. CLIFFORD, farmer, Fairview Town- ship, was born at Connersville, Fayette Co., Ind., November 26, 1846, son of William and Eliza- heth A. (Lindsey) Clifford, natives of Indiana and Kentucky, respectively. William Clifford was a son of John Clifford, who was born in Barnet, Caledonia Co., Vt., June 12, 1797, and in an early day immigrat- ed to Kentucky, where he was married, October 5, 1823, to Lucretia Tibbets, born at Bangor, Penobscot Co., Me., September 8, 1806. Shortly after marriage they removed to Rush County, Ind., where Mrs. Clif- ford died February 9, 1837. He subsequently went to Hamilton County, Ind., where he was again mar- ried, November 20, 1837, this time to Nancy Hall, and shortly afterward removed to Indianapolis, where he died February 14, 1884. He was the father of ten children: William, Amanda M., Amos, Edward H., Harrison, Almeda, John E., Miles, Benjamin F. and Vincent G. William, the eldest (father of our sub- ject), was born in Rush County, Ind., August 29,
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1824, and married in Fayette County, December 28, 1845, to Elizabeth A. Lindsey, born in Garrard County, Ky., October 4, 1829, daughter of John V. and Catherine Lindsey. Shortly after their marriage they settled at Connersville, Ind., but subsequently moved on a farm near Fairview. Later he opened a store at Fairview which he kept for about ten years; then moved to Rushı County, Ind., and engaged in farming until 1860, when he moved to Jackson County, Mo., remaining about three years; thence returned to this county, and in 1862 removed to Indianapolis, where he still resides. His family numbered six chil- dren: John V., Alice A., Josie A., Belle, William L. and Lucretia. Our subject, the eldest, was married in this county, January 10, 1871, to Sarah J., daugh- ter of David and Sarah (Knick) Siders, and born in Buckingham County, Va., April 4, 1841. To this union were born two children: Walter D. and Ida M. In the year following their marriage they settled on the farm where they have since resided. They are both members of the Christian Church.
ANDREW M. B. COLE, retired, Posey Town- ship, was born in Botetourt County, Va., November 27, 1804, son of Samuel and Catherine (Bryan) Cole, natives of Virginia, who settled in Posey Township, Fayette Co., Ind., in 1826. They had nine children, of whom two, Andrew M. B. and William, are now living. Samuel Cole died January 1, 1849, aged eighty years; Catherine, his wife, died September 7, 1844, aged seventy-seven years. Andrew M. B. came to this township with his brother-in-law, E. K. Mun- ger, in 1822, but remained only a short time, when he went back to Virginia, and returned with his par- ents in 1826. Onr subject was married, in 1828, to Mahala, daughter of Jeremialı Gard, who came here from Butler County, Ohio, in 1824. To Mr. and Mrs. Cole were born eleven children, ten of whom are now living: Perry, Philip, Melvin, Catherine, Elizabeth, Jeremiah, Sarah Jane, Sanford, Benjamin and Morrison V. Alvin is deceased. Mrs. Cole died May 8, 1882, aged seventy-two years. The entire family are members of the Christian Church. To Mr. Cole belongs the credit of building the first cabin in Bentonville, aud having helped to erect the first church. He was an adherent, at first, of the Whig party, and cast his first vote for Henry Clay; since the organization of the Republican party he has voted with it upon all questions at issue. He started in life poor, followed carpentering a number of years, and in the main has been successful.
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