USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 110
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advantage. It is much to have been instrumental in the establishment of such great commercial enterprises from such small beginnings, but it is more to have built them up to solidity and importance by a policy which at all times was grounded on the highest moral and ethical principles.
WILLIS R. LAKE.
Willis R. Lake, one of Fayette county's best-known farmers, the pro- prietor of a fine farm in Jackson township, now living in the pleasant village of Everton, was born in Jackson township and has lived there all his life. He was born on July 5, 1861, son of Willis and Elizabeth (Ray) Lake, members of old families in this section of the state, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.
The elder Willis Lake was born on a pioneer farm in Dearborn county, this state, across the river from Harrison, a son of William and Mary (Rounsavell) Lake, who came from New Jersey to. Indiana in territorial days, settling in Dearborn county and coming thence up the White Water valley to Fayette county and settling in Jackson township, in the settlement then known as West Union, now know as Everton, about the year. 1835. Willis Lake grew to manhood in that community and farmed in Jackson township the rest of his life, one of the most substantial and influential citi- zens of that community. He and his brother, Phenas 'Lake, further men- tion of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, worked together before their marriage and for some years afterward, and also operated a saw-mill at Everton in partnership. Willis Lake's wife, Elizabeth Ray, was born in Laurel township, over the line in Franklin county, a daughter of Lewis T. and Margaret Jane (Lee) Ray, who came to this state from Ohio and settled in Franklin county, later moving up into Fayette county and locating in the Mt. Zion neighborhood in Jackson township. Later they bought another farm in Franklin county, but late in life sold out there and moved to Delaware county. Willis Lake died at his home in Jackson township on November 10, 1903, he then being eighty-three years of age, and his widow survived him about four years, her death occurring in 1907. They were members of the United Brethren church and their children were reared in that faith. They were the parents of nine children, of whom four are still living, Lewis T., Mrs. Louisa Adams, Zachariah and Willis R.
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Willis R. Lake lived with his parents until his marriage, when he began farming on his own account, establishing his home on a farm south- west of Everton; and has farmed nearly all the time since in Jackson town- ship, but since 1907 has been making his home at Everton. He is the owner of a well-improved farm of one hundred and fifty-six acres south- west of Everton and he and his son, Claire, have ninety-one acres in another tract nearby, where they work in partnership, farming and raising and fatten- tening hogs for the market. Willis R. Lake is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Everton and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.
'In 1881 Willis R. Lake was united in marriage to Alma Johnston, known to her friends as "Dine," who was born in the house in which she is now living, in Everton, daughter of William and Harriet (Spencer ) Johnston, for years prominent residents of Everton. William Johnston was born in Ohio, a son of Pennsylvania-Dutch parentage, his father a tanner. The family moved to Cincinnati, where the father died when William was a boy. The latter later went to Lebanon, Ohio, where for some time he made his home with the Shakers and where he learned the tailor trade, later com- ing to Indiana and locating at Brookville, where he was living at the time of his marriage. He later moved to Fairfield and thence, about 1855, came up into Fayette county and located at Everton, becoming there the owner of a general store, in partnership with Mr. Irwin, and for years was engaged in business on the site now occupied by the Dawson store. He also engaged in the merchant-tailoring business and was engaged in business until a few years before his death, which occurred on August 26, 1895, he then being seventy-five years of age. He was a member of the Methodist church, a Mason and an Odd Fellow and took an active part in church and lodge work. In an early day William Johnston was the owner of a tract of four acres of land, now crossed by Vine street, in the city of Cincinnati. His wife, Har- riet Spencer, was born, it is believed, on a farm in the near vicinity of Oxford, Ohio, where her parents, John and Alma Spencer, had located upon coming West from New Haven, Connecticut. John Spencer was born either in England or Scotland and his wife was an orphan, who grew up at New Haven, Connecticut. Harriet Spencer came over into Indiana with her parents from Ohio, the family settling in Franklin county, where she was living when she married Mr. Johnston. To that union four children were born, James and Winifred, who died in childhood. and Charles, who was in business at Everton with his father and who died on January 13, 1889, at the age of thirty-four years, Mrs. Lake thus being now the only survivor of the family. Her mother
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died at Everton on December 27, 1891, at the age of seventy years and nine months.
Mr. and Mrs. Lake have one child, a son, Claire, who is mentioned above. Claire Lake was born on the home farm near Everton on August 18, 1882, and from boyhood has been an able assistant to his father in the labors of the farm, now being in practical management of the same, farming in partner- ship with his father. In October, 1906, Claire Lake was united in marriage to Maude Lake, who also was born in Jackson township, a daughter of Ellis R. and Flora (Murphy) Lake, further mention of whom is made else- where in this volume, and is now living on the old home farm, where he was born and where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. Claire Lake is a member of the Masonic lodge at Connersville and of the Everton lodge of the Knights of Pythias. .
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JESSE O. HENRY.
Of the native sons of Fayette county, Indiana, who have reached a marked degree of success, as farmers and stockmen, and who have won positions of honor and influence in the county, is Jesse. O. Henry, of East Connersville, who was born on November 16, 1863, and is the son of Jesse S. and Elizabeth A. (Cross) Henry.
Jesse S. and Elizabeth A. Henry were also natives of Fayette county, where they received their education in the local schools and where they were reared to manhood and womanhood. Mr. Henry was born on December 25, 1836, and as a young man engaged in farming, in which work he continued for the rest of his life. He began his life's work as a poor boy and, by hard work and close application to business, he became one of the successful men of the county. He was a man of much patience and had a high regard for the rights and opinions of others. His life was a worthy one and he was held in high regard. He was a most kind husband and an affectionate father.
Jesse S. Henry took the deepest interest in all local affairs and his ability was recognized by the people of his home township. For several terms he held the important position of township trustee, during which time he administered the affairs of the office in a most capable and honest and fearless manner. He was associated with the Democratic party, yet he was not a partisan in the narrow sense of the word. While he was loyal to his party, he was ever striving for the best interests of the district in which he lived and the county in general. His entire life was lived in Harrison and
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Waterloo townships and he had much to do with the moral and educational development of those communities. Elizabeth A. Henry was a devoted wife and mother and, by her pleasing personality and womanly traits, she won for herself many friends, who mourned her death on July 14, 1883. Some time after the death of his wife, Mr. Henry. married Mrs. Huldah J. Mont- gomery, who died on March 17, 1885.
To Jesse S. and Elizabeth A. Henry were born the following children : William L., Jesse O., Robert W., Effie M., Iva, L. G. and Alfred. William L. grew to manhood in the county and later engaged in the grain and elevator business at Louisville, Indiana, where he has met with success; Robert W. is a general farmer and engaged in the coal business at Huber Station, Fayette county ; Effie M. is the wife of J. B. Jones, Jr., one of the well- known and successful men of Waterloo township; Iva is the wife of J. Lew Small, a highly respected resident of Elwood, Indiana; L. G. married Sarah Cole, and was for many years before his death an efficient operator and train dispatcher at Broken Bow, Montana; Alfred N. married Estella Show- alter, and until the time of his death was one of the successful farmers and stockmen of the county. At the time of his death, on March 22, 1914, Jesse S. Henry was the grandfather of twenty-one grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and one of his greatest pleasures was in the society of his children and their children.
Jesse O. Henry received his education in the common schools of Harri- son township, and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad and young man he assisted his father with the many duties on the place. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, at which time he was united in marriage, on May 25, 1887, to Mary M. Dungan, who was born in Waterloo township, Fayette county, and is the daughter of Benjamin F. and Elizabeth (Strong) Dungan. The parents were also born in Water- loo township, the father having been born in 1836, and died on October 23. 1916. Since the death of the husband and father, Mrs. Dungan has lived with her daughter, Mrs. Henry. Mr. Dungan was a successful farmer and stockman and was known as one of the prominent and influential men of the county. He and Mrs. Dungan were active members of the Christian church and for many years took much interest in all church work. They were the parents of two children, Mary M., and William. The latter is a well-known carpenter of Indianapolis, Indiana.
To Jesse O. and Mary M. Henry have been born four children: Arthur Vernon, Emery Ellis, Jesse B. and A. Irene. Arthur Vernon was born on February 1I, 1888. He received his education in the local schools, was
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reared on the home farm and since the year 1913 he has been engaged in the coal business at East Connersville, the firm being known as the East Side Fuel Company. Emery Ellis, who was born on July II, 1890, was also reared on the home farm, and is now engaged in business with his brother in the coal business at East Connersville. He is married to Flossie Enos and to them have been born two children, Beatrice E. and Janet Ruth. Jesse B. was born on July 23, 1897, and is a machinist and A. Irene was born on November 4, 1907.
Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Henry moved to a farm in Waterloo township, where they established their home, and where they remained for one year, after which they located on a farm south of Conners- ville, where they lived for eleven years before locating in East Connersville, where they have lived for the past fifteen years. Mr. Henry has a splendid farm of three hundred and twelve acres in Waterloo township, which he operates in addition to three hundred and fifty acres. that he rents .. . He has served on the city council and has long been prominent in the affairs of the community.
ABRAM LYONS.
In the eastern part of Fayette county in pioneer days there were few names better known than that of Abram Lyons, the pioneer after whom the village of Lyonsville (formerly. Lyons Station) was named, and in the second generation of that descent in this county there also was an Abram Lyons, son of the pioneer, who, in his day, was equally well known and held in equally high repute in this community in which he was born and in which he spent all of his life.
The senior Abram Lyons was a Virginian, who came to Indiana by way of Kentucky, with his wife, Parmelia, a native of Kentucky, and located in Fayette county in pioneer days, first settling on a farm in Waterloo town- ship, north of Springersville. Later he bought a quarter of a section of land, where Lyonsville is now situated, and there he spent the rest of his life. On that pioneer farm he established a distillery and a store for the sale of general merchandise and as the village grew up around these initial enter- prises it came to be named Lyons Station (now Lyonsville) in honor of its founder.
On that pioneer farm the junior Abram Lyons was born on October 12, 1830, and there he grew to manhood. From boyhood he was a valued
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assistant to his father, driving a wagon from his home to Cincinnati twice a week, taking produce bought at the village store of his father to the city and returning with merchandise. When twenty-three years of age the junior Abram Lyons married and thereafter devoted his attention to farming, con- tinuing a farmer the rest of his life, farming a part of the time in Jennings township, but the most of the time in Waterloo township, owner of the farm where his sons now live, and where he died in 1889.
In 1853 the junior Abram Lyons was united in marriage to Sarah Scholl, who was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in January, 1830, a daughter of John and Polly (Reed) Scholl, and who was seven years of age when her parents moved from Pennsylvania to Indiana, bringing their house- hold goods out in a covered wagon, besides which the little Sarah walked almost all the way to her new home in the then "wilds" of Fayette county. John Scholl located in Waterloo township, on the place where Louis Scholl now lives, and there his daughter, Sarah, grew to womanhood and married Abram Lyons. To that union seven children were born, six sons and one daughter, namely: John A., born in 1854, now living on the old home farm and who has always lived in the neighborhood where he was born, for eleven years following threshing and saw-mill work, though most of the time farm- ing; Charles Jefferson, born in 1857, who died in infancy; Robert, born in 1860, who died in 1889; another son, who died in infancy; Albert L., who is married and is living on the old home farm; James E., born in 1867, now living in Jennings township, who married Margaret Van Blaracum and has four children, Elsie, Virgil E., Vivian L. and John E., and Carrie, who died in infancy.
Albert L. Lyons was born in 1864 and has lived all his life in Waterloo township. On October 1, 1899, he was united in marriage to Mary Eliza Van Blaracum, daughter of John and Sarah Van Blaracum, and a sister of the wife of his brother James. Mrs. Lyons died on May 6, 1916, when a little over thirty-five years old, leaving three children, Arthur R., Inez L. and Willard A. There were two other children, Harold and Norman. who died in infancy. Mary E. Lyons was born on January 30, 1881, in Wayne county, this state; her mother died when she was seven years of age and she grew to womanhood in this county. Mrs. Lyons was a member of the Christian church and ever active in the good works of that congregation and in the auxiliary societies attached to the church. Her life was one of sim- plicity and Christian characteristics, and she was ever ready to befriend those in need.
In 1913 Arthur R. Lyons found in the orchard on the old home place a Spanish silver coin of the date of 1783.
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EMERY HUSTON.
Emery Huston, advertising and assistant sales manager of the Lexing- ton-Howard Company, manufacturers of the Lexington automobiles, at Con- nersville, in which company he is a stockholder, was born in Connersville and has lived there all his life. He was born on January 11, 1891, son of Joseph Emery and Lilly ( Davis) Huston, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in Indiana, who are still living in Connersville and further and extended reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume.
Joseph Emery Huston was born at West Alexandria, in Preble county, Ohio, son of John VanWinkle and Mary (Davis) Huston, the former of whom was a general trader and merchant at that place. John V. Huston died at West Alexandria, leaving two sons, Joseph E. and Robert T., and his widow married Joseph Mills, after whose death she came to Indiana, in 1908, and spent the rest of her life in Connersville, where her death occurred on July 3, 1915, she then being past seventy years of age. Joseph E. Huston was reared in the Ohio village in which he was born and there became engaged in the job-printing business. He presently sold his print shop and took a course in the Ohio State University, after which he came to Indiana and became connected with the J. N. Huston private bank at Connersville, as assistant cashier of the same; later becoming connected with the Conners- ville Buggy Company, which latter connection he retained until 1893, when he and several others organized the Connersville Blower Company and became engaged in the manufacture of rotary and positive-pressure blowers, one of the three such manufacturing concerns in the United States. The Connersville Blower Company manufactures blowing machines for the acceleration of the pressure in gas mains and for similar use in irrigation mains and is also engaged in the manufacture of pneumatic tubes. Joseph E. Huston and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Three chil- dren have been born to them, the subject of this sketch having had a sister, Marguerite, who died in infancy, and a brother, Leland Davis, who died at the age of nine years.
Following his graduation from the Connersville high school in 1909, Emery Huston entered Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Indiana, and was graduated from that institution in 1913. In that same fall he became con- nected with the Lexington-Howard Company at Connersville, as advertising and assistant sales manager, and has ever since occupied that position. This company manufactures the well-known Lexington automobile and Mr.
FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIAN.A.
Huston is one of the stockholders in the company. He also is a stockholder in the Connersville Blower Company and in other ways gives his earnest attention to the commercial and industrial life of his home city. In his political views Mr. Huston is "independent" and gives his thoughtful atten- tion to local civic affairs, but has not been a particularly active participant in political matters.
On November 18, 1914, Emery Huston was united in marriage to Nellie Ansted, who was born at Indianapolis, January 10, 1891. daughter of Edward Willard and Catherine ( Burk ) Ansted, who later became residents of Connersville, where Edward W. Ansted has long taken a leading position in the commercial and industrial life of the city. Mrs. Huston is a member of the Catholic church. Mr. Huston is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, in the affairs of which he took an active interest during his college days and in which he still retains the liveliest interest. He and his wife have a very pleasant home at Connersville and take a proper interest in the 'general social activities of the city, helpful factors in the promotion of their home town's best interests.
FRANKLIN M. WORSHAM.
The late Franklin M. Worsham, for years one of Fairview township's most substantial farmers, was a native son of Fayette county and lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm on the banks of the White Water, two miles south of Connersville, April 9, 1829, son of Jeremiah and Nancy (Fullin) Worsham, who were among the earliest settlers of this county.
Jeremiah Worsham, a Virginian, came up here from Brookville in 1811 and became a permanent resident of Fayette county, useful and influential in the early days of the settlement around Connersville. He was born in Washington county, Virginia, in 1786, and in 1811 came over into Indiana Territory, stopping for awhile at the settlement at Brookville and coming on up into Fayette county in that same year, entering land and settling on the banks of White Water, two miles south of the Connersville settlement. Not long after coming here he married Nancy Fullin, who was born in Ten- nessee in 1795 and who had come to Indiana with her parents in 1811, the family locating in Fayette county. To that union were born thirteen children, William W., Elizabeth, Ruth, Malinda, Samuel, Robert, John J., George
(71)
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W., Franklin M., Jeremiah, Charles W., Joseph T. and Sarah. Jeremiah Worsham, the pioneer, remained on the farm on which he first settled for about ten years, at the end of which time he moved to another farm he had purchased over west of Connersville and on that latter place spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on October 20, 1861. His wife had preceded him to the grave more than two years, her death occurring on July 16, 1859. Jeremiah Worsham was a good farmer and an excellent business man and at the time of his death was the owner of more than five hundred acres of land in this county. He was one of the most active pioneers in the western part of the county and did much for the early development of that section. Jeremiah Worsham is accredited with the arrest of the first man ever hung in Rush county, Swanson, who was tried and convicted of the crime of murder. Following the murder of his victim, Swanson got away and the hue and cry went out over this part of the country. Mr. WVorsham found the fugitive sleeping in a clearing on his farm with his rifle over his arm. Standing over the sleeping murderer, with a handspike raised for action, Mr. Worsham woke the fugitive, with the remark, "Swan- son, I've got to take you." . Swanson replied, "Well, you've got me," and he accompanied his captor without resistance, being taken to Rushville, where his trial, conviction and execution shortly followed.
Franklin M. Worsham grew up on the paternal farm west of Conners- ville and was thus thoroughly familiar with pioneer conditions in this sec- tion of the state. After his marriage, in the spring of 1856, he started farming on his own account on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres he had bought in section 25 of Fairview township and there established his home. He later bought additional land there, becoming the owner of one hundred and eighty-three acres, the original parchment deed for a part of which, granted to William H. Russell in 1821 and signed by President Mon- roe, is still in the possession of the family, which continues to retain the home farm since the death of Mr. Worsham. Franklin M. Worsham was a Democrat and ever gave a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, although he never was included in the office-seeking class.
On March 13, 1856, in the adjoining county of Rush, Franklin M. Worsham was united in marriage to Mary S. Newbold, who was born in this county on March 5, 1835, on a pioneer farm on the Rushville pike, about three miles west of Connersville, a daughter of Robert H. and Jemima (Messersmith) Newbold, early settlers in that part of Fayette county. Robert H. Newbold was born in Delaware, a son of Robert Newbold, who came here with his family in pioneer days. The senior Robert Newbold was the son
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of another Robert Newbold and his mother is said to have been a daughter of Caesar Rodney, of Delaware, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. After the survey of the highway between Connersville and Rushville, Robert H. Newbold took the contract for clearing the first three miles of that road west of Connersville and faithfully fulfilled his contract, clearing off the timber and building the road, and after the completion of the same acted for some time as stage driver between Connersville and Rush- ville, later for some time engaged in freighting between Connersville and Cin- cinnati.
To Franklin M. and Mary S. (Newbold) Worsham nine children were born, namely: Armilda, wife of J. B. Wiles, of Fairview township; Saman- tha A., who died on January 21, 1917; John T., who died on October 28, 1902; Robert F., who continues to make his home on the old home farm and assist his brother Alva in the management of the same; Martha M., who also remains on the home farm; Albert H. S., who, on November 28, 1894, married Laura Jonas and is now living in Chicago; Alva P. B., who is con- tinuing to operate the home farm in Fairview township; William M., who is a druggist, and Daisy E., who, on November 8, 1911, married Rowland Murray and now lives at Indianapolis. Franklin M. Worsham died at his home in Fairview township on April 2, 1897, and his widow survived him for nearly twenty years, her death occurring on January 15, 1917. She was not a member of any church, but always held to the Baptist faith. The Worsham brothers are Democrats and have ever given their interested atten- tion to local civic affairs.
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