History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 101

Author: Barrows, Frederic Irving, 1873-1949
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1326

USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 101

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Edwin Stanley grew up on the home farm in Jennings township and was married in 1867. In the following year he moved to. Illinois and in that state farmed for two years, at the end of which time he returned to his home state and bought a part of the Wilson farm, two miles northeast of Alquina, on the east side of the Union county line, and there made his home until 1903, when he retired from the farm and moved to Lyons Station, where he and his wife are now living. He is the owner of one hundred and thirty- eight acres of excellent land over the line in Union county and twenty-eight acres in this county.

On February 7, 1867, in Rush county, this state, Edwin Stanley was united in marriage to Wealthy Ann Gruell, who was born in Franklin county, this state, a daughter of Thomas and Letitia (Gruell) Gruell, the former of whom was born in Delaware and was about six years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents, Lawrence Gruell and wife. who settled on a farm on the northern edge of Waterloo township. this county, among the first settlers of that part of the county, and there established him home. There Thomas Gruell grew to manhood and there he married Letitia Gruell, who was born in the Xenia neighborhood, in Ohio, and who was but a child when her parents, Jacob and Prudence Gruell, natives of Delaware, moved from Ohio over into Indiana and settled in Waterloo township, this county. Some years after his marriage Thomas Gruell moved over into Rush county and in 1843 moved from there to Franklin county, where Mrs. Stanley was born, and in the early fifties moved from that county to Columbus, this state, where he lived for two or three years, at the end of which time he returned to Rush county and settled on a farm near Arlington, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Thomas Gruell was a tanner, having served an apprenticeship to that trade in his youth, and owned a tannery at Columbus. He also owned a store at Andersonville, in Franklin county. Edwin Stanley and wife have seven children, those besides Mrs. Fiant, the last in order of birth, being as follow: Grant, who lives on a farm on the eastern edge of Jennings township and who married Grace Williams and has four children, Alpha, Vera. Wilbur and Frances; Thomas O., who married Jennie Geis and is engaged in the grain business at Lyonsville, this county ; Carrie, who married John Williamson (now deceased), of Jennings town- ship, and has four children, Everett, Earl, Lloyd and Opal; Minnie, who married George Harvey and lives on her father's farm in Union county ; Rusha, who married Newton Gruell, of Elmwood, Ohio, and has two chil- dren, Thomas and Lowell, and Letitia, who married Dr. Stanton E. Gordon, of Alquina, this county, and has two children, Stanley and Helen.

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Mr. and Mrs. Fiant have four children, Isabelle Junius, Daniel Webster, Paul Edwin and Thomas Kenneth. Mr. and Mrs. Fiant and the two eldest children are all members of the Methodist church, as are Mrs. Fiant's par- ents, and Mr. Fiant is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias, in the affairs of which organization he takes a warm interest. He and his wife take a proper part in the general social activities of the community in which they live and are helpful in promoting all causes having to do with the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.

WILLARD HADLEY.

Willard Hadley, proprietor of a well-kept farm on the eastern edge of the village of Columbia, in Columbia township, this county, and one of the best-known citizens of that part of the county, was born in the neighboring county of Franklin, but has been a resident of Fayette county since he was a boy and has lived in Columbia township ever since he came to this county. He was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Metamora, eight or ten miles south of his present home, December 18, 1867, son of David T. and Mary Ann (Curry) Hadley, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of this state and the latter of whom is still living, for many years a resident of Columbia township, this county.

David T. Hadley, who was an honored veteran of the Civil War, was born in Brown county, Ohio, August 21, 1841, a son of Anson Hadley and wife, and was but a child when his parents came over into Indiana and settled in the Metamora neighborhood. His mother died shortly after the family came here and he was taken in charge by the Whitelock family, of Jackson township, this county, and was reared there, growing up to the life of a farm. Though not yet twenty years of age when the Civil War broke out, David T. Hadley offered his services in behalf of the Union and on April 22, 1861, at Brookville, was mustered in with Company C, Thirteenth Regiment, Indi- ana Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served his full three years, the term of his enlistment, and was mustered out with his regiment at Indi- anapolis on July, 1864, his company at that time having been reduced to twenty-three members. During the term of his service in the army Mr. Hadley was in some of the most important engagements and battles of the war, including Rich Mountain, Cheat Mountain. Green Briar, Allegheny, Winchester, Mt. Jackson, Summerville, Franklin, Jones's Ford, Cold Harbor,

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Petersburg and many others and ever acquitted himself to the full measure of a soldier.

Upon the completion of his military service David T. Hadley returned to his old home and on January 3, 1867, was united in marriage to Mary A. Curry, who was born at Metainore, in Franklin county, daughter of Thomas and Penselia (Simmons) Curry, both of whom were born and reared in that same community, members of old families thereabout. James Simmons, father of Mrs. Penselia Curry, was a Virginian, one of the early settlers in Franklin county. Mrs. Hadley grew up on a farm in the Metamora neigh- borhood, where her father followed farming all his life, and lived there until her marriage. For three or four years after their marriage David T. Had- ley and wife continued to live in the Metamora neighborhood and then moved to Daviess county, this state, where they remained about five years, at the end of which time they moved to Rush county, where Mr. Hadley died on December 7, 1876, leaving his wife and three small children. He was a member of the Methodist church, as is his widow, and was a member of the Grange, in the affairs of which, as well as in his church work, he took a deep interest. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Hadley and her children returned to her old home near Metamora and remained there until her two sons were old enough to take the direction of a farm, when, about 1886, the family came to Fayette county and bought a farm about one mile south of Columbia, where Mrs. Hadley has lived ever since and where she is very comfortably situated, the owner of seventy-nine acres of excellent land, which is now farmed by her grandson, Virgil Hadley. Besides the subject of this sketch, Mrs. Hadley has two children, another son, Omer, and a daughter, Edith, the latter of whom married Rollin Pumphrey and now lives on a farm near Hawkinsville, north of Connersville. Omer Hadley now lives in Orange township, this county, where he owns a farm of one hundred and seventeen and one-half acres. He married Edith Robinson, who died in 1909, leaving two children, Virgil and Esta, the former of whom is now farming his grand- mother's place, while the latter is keeping house for her father.

Willard Hadley was twelve or thirteen years of age when his mother came up into Fayette county from her old home near Metamora and settled in Columbia township and there he grew to manhood, helping his mother with the labors of the farm. About 1890 he rented the home farm and remained there, the last of the family to leave home, until about eleven years ago, he then being thirty-eight years of age, when he bought his present farm of ninety acres at the east edge of the village of Columbia, where he has farmed ever since and where he and his wife are very comfortably situated.

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Mr. Hadley has a well-improved farm and a well-kept farm plant. In addi- tion to his general farming he has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done very well in his operations. Mr. Hadley is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.

On June 20, 1906, Willard Hadley was united in marriage to Pearl Stevens, who was born of Garrison creek, in Columbia township, this county, daughter of Charles and Loanna (Limpus) Stevens, both of whom also were born in that same township. Charles Stevens was a son of Charles P. and Letitia (Thorpe) Stevens, old settlers in Columbia township, and he spent all his life farming there, dying when his daughter, now Mrs. Hadley, was three years of age, leaving a widow and three children. The widow after- ward made her home at Alpine and followed dressmaking as a means of liveli- hood for herself and children and there she spent the rest of her life, her death occurring in 1900. She was a daughter of John and Harriet ( Perkins) Limpus, the former of whom also was born and reared in Columbia town- ship, his father having been one of the original pioneers of that part of the county, entering a tract of land there from the government in an early day in the settlement of that section of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting all agencies for the advancement of the common welfare.

John Limpus, who was one of the most active of the pioneer residents of Fayette county, was but a babe when his parents, Isaac Limpus and wife, came up here from the neighboring county of Franklin, where he was born. Isaac I.impus came to this state from Tennessee and upon coming to Fayette county located in the Columbia settlement, where he established his home. John Limpus grew to manhood in this county and became a carpenter, the most of his work being done in Alpine and vicinity, he and his brothers building the first four of five houses erected in the village of Alpine. He later became a foreman, then a contractor and then superintendent of con- struction of the canal between Cincinnati and Hagerstown, and was thuis engaged until about 1860, when he started a saw-mill at Alpine and operated the same for seven or eight years. He then became "walking boss," or supervisor, of a number of gangs of men working on the construction of the old Valley railroad and when that work was completed took up civil engineer- ing and bridge contracting, building numerous bridges in this county, erect- ing the foundation of factory buildings at Connersville and supervising the construction of numerous other large works in Fayette and adjoining counties.

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His wife, Harriet Perkins, had also come to this county in the days of her early childhood, having been but two years of age when her parents came here and settled in the immediate vicinity of the old block house about a mile west of the present village of Alpine, the presence of Indians hereabout in those days necessitating the maintenance of the block house as a means of protection against possibly raiding bands of redskins.

ABSALOM SIMPKINS.

Absalom Simpkins, one of Fayette county's best-known farmers, the pro- prietor of a fine farm in Harrison township and who, for some years past, has been serving as assessor of that township, is a native of the neighboring state of Ohio, but has lived in this county since 1887. He was born on a farm in Clermont county, Ohio, December 28, 1851, son of Charles and Ann (Bennett) Simpkins, both of whom were born in the state of New Jersey and who became substantial farmers of Clermont county, Ohio.

Reared on the paternal farm in Ohio, Absalom Simpkins received his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and at the age of twenty-one began teaching in that school, the same one in which he had been a pupil the year before. He got along well with his first school and for seven years thereafter was engaged in teaching during the winters, con- tinuing to farm during the summers. When twenty-two years of age he married and began farming on his own account in southern Ohio. Three years before that time, in 1870, he had come to Indiana and had worked for a time in Fayette county ; and in 1887 he moved here to make his permanent residence in this county and has ever since been engaged in farming and in the buying and shipping of live stock, having made a specialty of the latter. phase of his farming for the past ten years. Four years ago Mr. Simpkins bought the farm on which he is now living in Harrison township, just four miles north of the court house, and he and his family are there very com- fortably and very pleasantly situated. Mr. Simpkins is an ardent Repub- lican and has from boyhood given his earnest attention to political affairs. During the period of his residence in Clermont county, Ohio, he served for three terms as assessor of his home township and is now serving his third term as assessor of Harrison township, this county, having been successively elected to that important office. Mr. Simpkins is a member of the Masonic fraternity, is also a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of

THE AUSTIN CLAYPOOL HOME.

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Odd Fellows, of the Improved Order of Red Men and of the Haymakers, and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.

In 1873, while living in Clermont county, Ohio, Absalom Simpkins was united in marriage to Eliza Jane Frazier, who also was born in that county, a daughter of Leroy and Sarah (Aultman) Frazier, the former of whom was born in that same county and the latter in Rush county, this state. In 1891 Leroy Frazier and his wife moved from Ohio to Indiana and settled in the eastern part of Harrison township, this county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. During his residence in Ohio Mr. Frazier was for many years a dealer in live stock and also was an extensive buyer of tobacco. Upon locating in Fayette county he engaged in general farming and was thus engaged until his death.

To Mr. and Mrs. Simpkins eight children have been born, all of whom are living save three, one having died in infancy and two, Ira and Ora (twins), later ; Ora dying at the age of five years and Ira, at the age of twenty-four. Those living are as follow: Lee, now living in Wayne county, who mar- ried Myrtle Wood, and has one child, a son, Robert; Frank, who also lives in Wayne county and who married Lizzie Watt and has two children, Paul and Elma Jeanne; Jesse, also of Wayne county, who married Carrie White and has two children, Geneva and Freda; Mary, who married Clinton Bertsch, of Wayne county, and has four children, Maynard, Ralph, Margaret and Arthur; Albert, who is at home with his parents, a valuable aid to his father in the management of the home farm.

AUSTIN B. CLAYPOOL.

It was in the year 1816, the year of Indiana's admission to statehood, that Newton Claypool and his brother Solomon, vigorous and enterprising young Virginians, came over into the new state from Ohio and after pros- pecting a bit decided to put in their fortunes with those of such other settlers as would, in their opinion, form a colony in the vicinity of Conner's saw-mill, which had been established a short time previously by John Conner on the banks of the White Water, at the site of the present important and flourish- ing city of Connersville. Newton Claypool possessed a strong and true pioneering sense and his judgment unerringly told him that here on the banks of the White Water was an ideal location for a home. He secured a tract of land in the neighborhood of the mill and there set about the erection of a

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cabin for the bride whom he married in 1818, when he returned to his old Ohio home near Chillicothe. Together they made their bridal trip in the month of February on horseback to the then wilderness. Later he built a more commodious house and as the only available source from which he could obtain the lumber needful for the construction of the house was the Conner saw-mill, he made application there, but was told that no more busi- ness could be accepted at that time; that the capacity of the mill was taxed to the utmost. But something had to be done and young Newton Claypool fell in with the plan, suggested by Conner, of using the mill for himself after sundown and getting out what lumber he could by moonlight.

And it was in that humble pioneer home, lovingly prepared by an ardent young lover, that Austin B. Claypool, who afterward was to become so prominently identified with the affairs of Fayette county and of the state of Indiana in general, was born. In 1836, Newton Claypool bought from a pioneer. named Berry, the farm for many years known as the old Claypool homestead and now known as "Maplewood." He spent the greater part of liis life here and the place is still in the possession of the family, being now occupied by Austin B. Claypool's, widowed daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Claypool Earl. Austin B. Claypool enjoyed the unique experience of growing up amid pioneer conditions and witnessing the growth of a considerable city about his home, the luxuries of modern life and modern ways of living being brought to his very door. He grew up as a farmer boy, tilling fields on which substantial buildings of the city now stand and was thus a witness to the development of the city of Connersville from the very beginning of the same, and was one of the most active and influential factors in that develop- ment. Upon his father's death he inherited the home place, beautiful "Maple- wood," and became, in addition thereto, by his own efforts, the owner of other large landed interests. He was at one time president of what is now the First National Bank of Connersville. and the Citizens Bank of Milton, but the confinement entailed by. the duties pertaining to those offices proved too irksome for this stalwart, open-air man, a true lover of nature, and he relin- quished the offices. Mr. Claypool gave large attention to the raising of live stock and his herds of white cattle grazing on the beautiful pastures of "Maple- wood" were widely admired. In an early day the old Claypool homestead was the scene of many spirited political conferences of the Republican party, to which the Claypools have been. attached since the very beginning of the party, and conferences have been held there by many of the most notable per- sonages in that party in the days gone by. Austin B. Claypool came to be regarded as a wealthy man, in his generation, and his chief delight was in adding to the happiness of others. He was a singularly public-spirited man

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and did very much toward the promotion of movements designed to develop his home community along all proper lines. He took considerable interest in fraternal matters and was a Scottish-Rite Mason and a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was strongly influential in the building of gravel roads and active in promoting the con- struction of the railways entering Connersville. He helped organize the early agricultural fairs of Wayne and Fayette counties and served as a mem- ber of the Indiana state board of agriculture and also was a trustee of Purdue University.

Austin B. Claypool was born on December 1, 1823, son of Newton and Mary (Kern) Claypool, the former of whom was born in the state of Vir- ginia and the latter in Ohio, the first white child born in the Sciota valley. Newton Claypool was born on May 20, 1795, and when a young man moved over into Ross county, Ohio, coming thence, in 1816, as noted above, and buy- ing a tract of land on the present site of the city of Connersville and erecting on the same a house. In January, 1818, on High Bank prairie, in Ross county, Ohio, Newton Claypool was united in marriage to Mary Kern, who was born on February 3. 1798. In their pioneer home nine children were born, Sarah Ann, Austin Bingley, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Jefferson, Edward Fay and four who died in infancy or youth.

From the very beginning of his residence in this county Newton Clay- pool exerted his energies, not only to the task of developing his community, but to the general public service, and became early recognized as one of the most substantial and influential pioneers of this section of the state. He was elected first treasurer of Fayette county and while serving in that capacity performed a notable service in behalf of the county, his well-ordered and systematic methods doing much toward starting the civic affairs of the county off in proper shape. He was early elected to represent his district in the state Legislature and was retained in the General Assembly for many terms, his services in both the House and the Senate proving of large value not only to this district, but to the state at large, his constructive mind and abilities as an organizer being widely recognized by his colleagues in the Legislature. Newton Claypool died on May 14, 1866, he then being seventy years, eleven months and twenty-four days of age. His wife had preceded him to the grave less than two years, her death having occurred on August 16, 1864, she then being sixty-six years, six months and thirteen days of age. The mem- ory of this honored pioneer couple is cherished wherever the history and the traditions of Fayette county are held dear.

Austin B. Claypool's early schooling was obtained under Harvey Nutting, a young Yankee school teacher who located in Connersville in an early day

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in the settlement of that place, and from the very beginning of his school days he evinced an unusual aptitude in his studies. His special bent was in the direction of mathematics and before he was sixteen years of age he was called on to settle a local dispute arising out of a variance of opinion as to the amount of stone in one of the White Water canal locks, the contractor hav- ing disputed the estimate made by the appraisers. The issue was carried into court and young Claypool was called as an expert witness, his estimate, based upon his careful calculation, being accepted by the court, which sternly rebuked the opposing counsel, Samuel Parker, for the manner in which he had attempted to confuse the youthful witness. While still a boy, young Claypool was entrusted with numerous responsible duties by his father and at one time he was sent out with five hundred dollars to buy hogs throughout the county. That was in the day before farm scales were thought of and on the young stockbuyer's judgment depended the faithful performance of the trust, which was carried out to his father's entire satisfaction, the lad soon becoming an expert buyer and thus laying the foundation for his future success.

On May 20, 1846, Austin B. Claypool was united in marriage to Hannah Ann Petty, daughter of Williams and Elizabeth (John) Petty, pioneers of this section of the state, and to that union eight children were born, namely : Virginia, wife of Henry Clay Meredith, of Wayne county, Indiana ; Marcus S., who married Elizabeth Burson and now resides at Muncie, this state; Elizabeth, widow of Morell J. Earl and who is now occupying the old Clay- pool home, "Maplewood"; Frank J., of Muncie, and four who died in youth. Frank J. Claypool married Luella Swiggett and has two children, Austin B., who married Elma Quick, and Virginia Meredith, who married Dr. Robert T. Miller. Austin B. Claypool and wife did not unite with any church until late in life, but contributed generously to the support of all denominations in Connersville, as well as to all other good works there. When "Maplewood" was laid out, Mr. Claypool donated the ground on which the Grand Avenue Methodist Episcopal church was erected and practically gave to the congre- gation both the church and the parsonage, he and his wife at the same time becoming members of that congregation and continued active workers in the same until their death. Austin B. Claypool died on January 16, 1905, he then being eighty-two years of age. A distinct honor was paid to his mem- ory by the city schools during the funeral service, by having each teacher devote one period to his life and character. His widow survived until Janu- ary 18, 1913, she being eighty-five years of age at the time of her death.

Mrs. Elizabeth Claypool Earl, the only one of the Claypool family

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remaining in Connersville and who continues to occupy the old home, "Maple- wood," was born during the brief period in which her parents lived at Ger- mantown, in the neighboring county of Wayne, but has been a resident of Connersville since she was three or four years of age. In her childhood she was tutored in private schools and by a governess and later attended Glendale College. Even in the days of her girlhood Elizabeth Claypool began to take an earnest interest in the cultural activities of her home town and all her life has been devoted to the promotion of the best interests of the community in a cultural way. Married in 1878 and left a widow after less than one year of happy married life, Mrs. Earl has ever since found distraction from her lonely state in doing in behalf of others what she has been denied doing for her own, and for many years one of her chief delights has been the labor she has been able to perform in Sunday-school work, the satisfaction she has derived from witnessing in after years the fruits of those labors reflected in the lives of the boys and girls who had been members of her young peoples clubs and pupils in her Bible classes, being a great source of comfort. She regards this as the greatest work of her life and counts it a high privilege to have been given the time, strength and means for the successful prosecu- tion of such labors.

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History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 101

Author: Barrows, Frederic Irving, 1873-1949 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1326

Author: Barrows, Frederic Irving, 1873-1949
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1326