USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 112
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ment to Connersville and established his home at the point now occupied by the Big Four freight depot and was living there during canal days. His wife taught school for some time in their home there. Gabriel Ginn took an active part in public affairs in those days and for seven years served as clerk of the court.
To Isaac and Mary Viola (Ginn) Powell were born five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being Thomas Jefferson, Mary Elizabeth, Samuel K. and Sarah Desdemona, all of whom are living save the two last named. Thomas Jefferson Powell is a well- known farmer of this county, who lives on the Dan Lewis farm, a mile east of Fairview. Mary Elizabeth Powell married George Looney and is now living at Rushville. Sarah D. Powell married John Matthews, of Arling- ton, and died about two years ago. In 1880 Samuel K. Powell married Ida Murphy and began farming in the north edge of Fairview township. He was killed in an accident on Christmas night in 1891, and left a widow and three children, Mary Estella, Donald G. and Homer. Mary Estella Powell married Oliver Manlove, a farmer in Posey township, and has two children, Elsie Louise and Robert G. Donald G. Powell lives on the farm just west of the old Powell homestead in the north edge of Fairview township. He married Meta Chance and has two children, Lowell C. and Helen Lorene. Homer Powell, who married Ruby Dickey, is farming the old Powell farm and lives in a separate house on that farm. For eight years or more during the days of his young manhood, Samuel K. Powell was a school teacher, teaching in the schools at Fairview and at Falmouth and the Baker school at "Yankeetown." He was an active Republican, was interested in the Patriotic Order of the Sons of America and in the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was a member of the Christian church, as is his widow. who is now living on the old Isaac Powell farm, keeping house for her brother-in-law, the subject of this sketch. She was born at Hamilton, Ohio, in 1860, daughter of Cornelius and Katherine (Mason) Murphy, both of whom also were born in that city, and who came to this county when their daughter, Ida, was about four years of age and settled in the Bentonville neighborhood. There Cornelius Murphy died in 1879. His widow is now living in Cincinnati.
Isaac Powell became one of the most substantial farmers in the western part of the county and had a wide acquaintance throughout the county, this acquaintance being enlarged by his years of activity as an auctioneer and particularly as a crier at live-stock sales, he thus coming to know nearly everybody in the county. For some time he served as county assessor and
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in other ways contributed to the public service. After his marriage in 1830 he and his wife started keeping house in a cabin on his father's farm, but shortly afterward bought the farm in the northeastern corner of Fairview township, where he spent the remainder of his life and where his son, the subject of this sketch is now living. Very little, if any, of that land was cleared at the time he bought it and he had a difficult task in clearing the place and bringing it under cultivation. One field near the house he cleared while the timber was still green and the fertility of that particular field was permanently impaired thereby.
Gabriel G. Powell has always lived on the farm where he was born and is a lifelong farmer. For years he has given close attention to the raising of high-grade horses and hogs, and has a fine lot of draft horses and pure- bred Duroc-Jersey hogs. He is the owner of two hundred and forty acres of excellent land and is accounted one of the most substantial farmers in that part of the county. Like his father, Mr. Powell is genial and hospitable in his demeanor and is widely known throughout the county. Though he has never married he is not wanting in natural affection, for he remained with his parents in their old age and ever since the death of his brother, Samuel K. Powell, has been like a father to the latter's children.
BURL EDDY.
Burl Eddy, a former well-known business man of Connersville, now living on a well-improved farnı that he owns on the western edge of Colum- bia township, this county, was born in that township on April 14, 1867, and has lived in this county all his life. He is a son of George Willis and Louisa (Cox) Eddy, both now deceased, the former of whom also was a native of Fayette county and the latter of the neighboring county of Franklin.
George Willis Eddy, former trustee of Columbia township, was born on a pioneer farm in that township, in 1828, a son of Jonathan and Jane (Hall.) Eddy, early settlers in that community. Jonathan Eddy was born in Massachusetts about the year 1798 and in the days of his young manhood, about 1819, came to Indiana with the Perrin family and others and bought land in Columbia township, this county, where he spent the most of the remainder of his life. He was a quite well-to-do farmer for that period and in addition to his home farm in this county was the owner of a farm in Marion county, occupying the present site of Irvington, the eastern annex to the city of Indianapolis. He and his wife were the parents of three chil- dren, James, Mrs. Nancy Jane Allen and George Willis.
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Reared on the homestead farm in Columbia township, George W. Eddy grew up familiar with the trials and hardships of pioneer living and in turn became a farmer on his own account, spending his entire life as a farmer in his home township. He was an excellent farmer and an active, repre- sentative citizen of the community in which he lived, for some years serv- ing most acceptably as trustee of his home township. He died on April 10, 1904, and his widow survived him for more than twelve years, her death occurring on July 23, 1916. She was born, Louisa Cox, on a farm in the neighborhood of Andersonville, in Franklin county, this state, a daughter of Joseph and Anna ( Paisley) Cox, natives of Virginia, who had lived in both Kentucky and Ohio before coming to this state and who moved from here to Illinois, where their last days were spent. George W. Eddy and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Ellsworth, who lives on a farm near Columbia; William, who died on September 1, 1873, at the age of nineteen years; Anna, who married Timothy Carroll, after whose death she married George McCombs, of Connersville, and died at her home in that city on May 5, 1911, and Viola, who married James Carroll and died in 1886.
Burl Eddy was reared on the home farm in Columbia township, receiv- ing his schooling in the local schools, and early learned the tinner's trade at Connersville, where he presently established a tin-shop of his own and for years did a general business in tinning, roofing and in installing furnaces, following his trade in that city for about twenty-five years, at the end of which time, in June, 1913, he retired from business in the city and moved back to the old Eddy homestead in Columbia township. Two years later he bought his present farm of one hundred and fourteen acres on the west edge of that same township and has since made his home there, engaged in gen- eral farming, in which he has been quite successful.
On March 30, 1898, Burl Eddy was united in marriage to Margaret Leona Stevens, who also was born in Columbia township, this county, a daughter of William J. and Ellen (Stephen) Stevens, the latter of whom died more than sixteen years ago and the former of whom is now making his home with his daughter, Mrs. Eddy. William J. Stevens was born at Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin, August 6, 1853, a son of Abner and Elizabeth ( Hires) Stevens, the former of whom was born in this county and the latter in the state of Pennsylvania. Abner Stevens was born and reared in Harrison township, this county, a son of Charles and Letitia (Thorp) Stevens, early settlers in that part of Fayette county. Charles Stevens was
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born in Virginia and when a child moved with his parents to Kentucky, where he was reared. As a young man he came up into Indiana, locating in Harrison township, this county, about two miles north of Connersville, in 1820. While living there he married Letitia Thorp, a member of one of the first families to settle in Fayette county, and after his marriage took up a tract of "Congress land" in the southwestern part of Columbia township, where he lived until his retirement in old age, his last days being spent with his daughter, Mrs. Cotton. Abner Stevens was but a child when his parents moved from Harrison township to Columbia township and on the home farm in the latter township he grew to manhood. After his marriage he located at Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin and there made his home until after three of his children were born, when he returned to this county and located on his old home farm in Columbia township, where his wife died in 1900. She was born, Elizabeth Hires, in Pennsylvania, and was but a child when her parents, John and Sarah Hires, came to Indiana and located at Laurel, where her father was for years engaged in the grocery business. After the death of his wife Abner Stevens retired from the farm and there- after made his home with his children, his death occurring at Connersville in 1908. He and his wife were members of the United Brethren church and their children were reared in that faith. There were six of these chil- dren, five sons and one daughter. Mary Ellen, the only daughter, died at the age of seven years. The five sons, Charles, William J., Alonzo, Curtis and Franklin, all lived to maturity.
William J. Stevens remained on the home farm until his marriage in 1875 to Ellen Stephen, daughter of Levi and Elizabeth (Walker) Stephen, and then began farming on his own account and has remained a life-long farmer. His wife died on November 30, 1900, and since then he has been making his home with Mr. and Mrs. Eddy. To him and his wife four children were born, those besides Mrs. Eddy, the first-born, being Clara, wife of Harry Smith, superintendent of the county infirmary; Clifford G., a farmer in the southwestern part of Columbia township, who married Nora Revalee and has four children, Ethel, Marie, Evan and Frances, and Benja- min, a furnace setter, living at Indianapolis, who married Sarah Spears and has one child, a daughter, Fern. Mr. and Mrs. Eddy have two children, sons both, George William and Theodore Chime. Mr. Eddy is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias and takes an active interest in the affairs of both of these organizations.
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FAYETTE COUNTY, INDIANA.
HENRY P. DOENGES.
Henry P. Doenges, of Connersville, one of the most highly skilled pattern- makers in this part of the country, was born at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, August II, 1860, son of Simon and Amelia (Kring) Doenges, and is a brother of Simon Doenges, postmaster of Connersville, whose biographical sketch presented elsewhere in this volume gives a full account of the Doenges family in this part of the country.
Until he was sixteen years of age Henry P. Doenges continued to live at Lawrenceburg, where he received his schooling and where he learned the rudiments of the cabinet-maker's trade. He then for some time lived with his mother's folks in various places in the West and also for a time at Indi- anapolis, most of the time while thus moving about continuing his employ- ment as a cabinet-maker. In 1882; he then being past twenty-one years of age, he located at Connersville and went to work for the Connersville Furni- ture Company and was thus engaged for the greater part of the time dur- ing the next five or six years. He then for a time was engaged at his trade in Wheeling and Parkersburg, West Virginia, and about 1888 returned to Connersville, where he went to work in the blower factory of the P. H. & F. M. Roots Company as a pattern-maker, a branch of craftsmanship which he had acquired in addition to his knowledge of cabinet-making and general wood-working. Ever since then Mr. Doenges has been engaged as a pattern- maker and has done very well. He is an artist in his line of craftsmanship and his services are in constant demand, now making patterns for both the automobile factories at Connersville, as well as for some of the other local factories. He takes a just pride in his labors and gives his most studious attention to the plans entrusted to him.
In 1884, two years after locating at Connersville, Henry P. Doenges was united in marriage to Barbara Gauck, who was born near the village of Morris, in Ripley county, this state, a daughter of Fred and Lena ( Hilde- brand) Gauck, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Indiana. Fred Gauck was but a child when he accompanied his parents from New Jersey to this state, the family settling in Ripley county. His father and mother spent their last days at Oldenburg, in Franklin county. Fred Gauck married Lena Hildebrand, who was born in Ripley county, this state, daugh- ter of John and Barbara (Schontz) Hildebrand, natives of Germany. John Hildebrand upon coming to this country first settled in Cincinnati, but later came on up into Indiana and settled in Ripley county, where he bought a
(72)
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farm and where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Fred Gauck died in Ripley county and his widow is still living there.
Mr. and Mrs. Doenges have three children, Flora, Martha and Ahlma. Mrs. Doenges is a member of the Catholic church and takes an earnest inter- est in parish affairs. Mr. Doenges is a member of the local tribe of the Improved Order of Red Men and takes an active interest in the affairs of the same.
GEORGE D. MESSERSMITH.
George D. Messersmith, one of Columbia township's well-known and substantial farmers and proprietor of a well-improved farm of one hundred and eighty acres a short distance northwest of Nulltown, where he and his family are very comfortably situated, was born in that township and has lived there all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in that township, September 1I, 1857, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Ward) Messersmith, well- known residents of that community, both now deceased.
Peter Messersmith also was born in Columbia township and lived there all his life. He was born in 1834, a son of Peter and Mary (Grosslow) Messersmith, who were born and married in Germany and who had one child born to them in the old country, later coming to the United States and pro- ceeding on out to Indiana, locating in this county and becoming early settlers in Columbia township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, indus- trious farming people. The junior Peter Messersmith was born after his parents came to this county and farmed all his life on the old homestead in Columbia township, where he was born and where he died in 1867. His wife, Elizabeth Ward, was born in Preble county, Ohio, in 1831, and was but a girl when her parents, William and Mary (Smith) Ward came over into Indiana and located on a farm just northwest of Nulltown, in this county, where they remained the rest of their lives. William Ward and his wife were born in Rockingham county, Virginia, and were there married, later moving to Ohio and after a sometime residence in Preble county moved to Cleves, in that same state, whence, in the spring of 1837, they came on up the valley of the Whitewater and settled on a farm near Nulltown, in Colum- bia township, this-county, where William Ward died in the following Octo- ber, leaving his wife and four small children. The Widow Ward kept her children together and by the exercise of courage and industry maintained her little family until the children were of a self-supporting age, among her
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labors having been the keeping of a hotel for boarding the laborers on the canal when the canal was being dug through that part of the country. She lived to a good old age, her death occurring in 1894. Elizabeth Ward early evinced an unusual interest in her studies at school and upon completing her schooling in the local schools became a school teacher and was thus engaged for some years before her marriage to Peter Messersmith. To that union five children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Ida May, who died when four years of age; Franklin, who has been dead a number of years; Marietta Geneva, who is living on the old home farm, and George, who is also living on the old home place and farming the same.
George D. Messersmith was ten years of age when his father died and he grew up on the home farm near Nulltown, from boyhood an able assistant to his widowed mother in the labors of maintaining the home place. After his marriage he and his wife established their home on the old Ward home- stead in Columbia township and have ever since made that a place of resi- dençe. Mr. Messersmith is farming one hundred and eighty acres and is doing very well, in addition to his general farming, giving considerable atten- tion to the raising of high-grade live stock, with particular reference to Poland China hogs, raising registered stock. He is a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and of the improved order of Red Men and in the affairs of these organizations takes a warm interest.
In 1901 George D. Messersmith was united in marriage to Stella Holmes, who was born in Fairview township, this county, a daughter of John P. and Ellen (Reese) Holmes, both natives of Indiana, the former born in Frank- lin county and the latter in this county. John P. Holmes was born on a farm near the village of Andersonville in 1843, a son of William and Elizabeth (Hogue) Holmes, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Vir- ginia parentage, who had lived in the Andersonville neighborhood for some years before their son, John P., was born. When the latter was a boy in his teens they moved to Illinois, where both died about two years later. John P. Holmes then returned to Indiana and located in the neighborhood of Glen- wood, where, in 1867, he married Ellen Reese, who was born in this county, in the vicinity of Glenwood, daughter of Lorenzo and Rachel Ann ( Moffett) Reese, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. Lorenzo Reese was born in 1818 and was but a child when his parents, John and Nancy (Barrett) Reese, came over into Indiana from Ohio and settled in the neighborhood of Longwood, in this county. There Lorenzo Reese grew to manhood and there he married Rachel Ann Moffett, who was born in Lan-
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caster county, Pennsylvania, and who was but two years of age when her parents, Thomas and Salome Moffett, came to Indiana and settled in the neighborhood of Longwood, in this county. After his marriage Lorenzo Reese located on a farm near Glenwood, where he died in 1846. His widow married Lorenzo Springer and lived in that same neighborhood to old age. After his marriage John P. Holmes established his home on a farm in the Glenwood neighborhood and farmed there until in November, 1888, when he retired from the farm and moved to Connersville, where he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1891. Since his death his widow has spent much of her time in the homes of her children. Stella Holmes was about seven- teen years of age when her parents left the farm and moved to Connersville and she was living there at the time of her marriage to Mr. Messersmith. To that union one child has been born, a son, Forrest, born in 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Messersmith are members of the Methodist church and take a proper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the gen- eral good works and social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in advancing all movements designed to advance the common welfare.
JOSEPH A. MOORE.
Joseph A. Moore, one of Jackson township's well-known and substantial farmers and who also for years was engaged as a carpenter and builder at Everton, now living on the farm on which he was born in Jackson township, was born on September 24, 1869, son of Daniel W. and Caroline .(Beckett) Moore, both of whom were born in the Everton neighborhood in this county and there spent all their lives, influential residents of the community in which they lived.
Daniel W. Moore was born in Jackson township, this county, January 23, 1840; à son of Anderson and Isabel (Gordon) Moore, both of whom were born in this state, the former in Fayette county and the latter in the neighboring county of Franklin, and who spent all their lives hereabout. Anderson Moore was born on November 20, 1816, a member of one of the first families that settled in Fayette county, and he grew up in this county. He married Isabel Gordon, who was born in Franklin county on March 9, 1820, and who died on November 9, 1859, and their family was reared in this county. On March 14. 1863, Daniel W. Moore was united in marriage to Caroline Ross, who was born in 1839 and who died in 1865. On .Sep-
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tember 20, 1866, he married, secondly, Caroline Beckett, who was born on December 7, 1844, on a farm two miles east of Everton, a daughter of Azariah T. and Emily (Ross) Beckett, further mention of whom is made in a biographical sketch of their son, Azariah T. Beckett, Jr., presented else- where in this volume. Daniel W. Moore established his home on a farm in section 22 of Jackson township, the place now occupied by his eldest son, the subject of this sketch, and there spent the rest of his life, becoming the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and thirty-two acres. He took an active part in local civic affairs and was twice elected trustee of Jackson township, the first time in 1878. He also held other offices of public trust and gave his earnest attention to the public service. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and a member of the Fayette County Protection Society, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist church. His wife died about eighteen years ago and he survived until May 1, 1916. They were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Nora B., who married W. H. Snider and is now deceased; Emma, wife of Dr. A. P. Helvie, of Conners- ville; Lafayette, a farmer of Jackson township and present trustee of that township, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume. and Alice, who married Roy Jerman and lives on a farm near Bill- ingsville, in the neighboring county of Union.
Joseph A. Moore was reared on the farm on which he was born and where he is now living and there he lived until his marriage at the age of twenty-four years, when he began farming on his own account on another farm in Jackson township, where he remained nine years, at the end of which time he moved to Hamilton, Ohio, where for some time he was engaged working at the carpenter trade. He then returned to this county and located at Everton, where he engaged in business as a carpenter and builder and was thus engaged, making Everton his home, until August 19, 1916, when he returned to the old home farm where he was born and where he is now living, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Though giving his chief attention to his general farming operations, Mr. Moore, who is one of the best-known carpenters and builders in that part of the county, continues his operations as a builder and accepts contracts for building generally through- out that section.
On February 1, 1894, Joseph A. Moore was united in marriage to Cath- erine Hornung, who was born at Everton, a daughter of Andrew and Caro- line (Raber) Hornung, both of whom were natives of Germany, born at
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Hanau, Prussia, and who came to America with their respective parents about 1851, the two families locating at Cincinnati, Caroline Raber was born in 1836 and was about fifteen years of age when she came with her father to this country, her mother having died in the old country, At Cincinnati, on February 25, 1859, she married Andrew Hornung, who came up into Indiana the next year and located at Everton, in this county, where he made his home for some years and then moved to Connersville, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there on January 3, 1889. His widow survived him for more than eighteen years, her death occurring on July 10, 1907. Although reared a Catholic, she was a faithful member of the Methodist church and ever saw that her children attended the services of the church, There were eight of these children, two of whom died in infancy and all of the others of whom are still living save Peter, the eldest son, who died in 1913, Mrs. Moore, who is the youngest of the family, having three brothers, George, Andrew and Frank William, and a sister, Mrs. Margaret Veach, living.
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