USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 61
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Milton Trusler was five years of age when his parents moved from Franklin county to Fayette county, and he grew to manhood on the home place in Jackson township, continuing to make that place his home until his retirement in old age. His schooling was completed in the high school at Liberty and after his marriage in 1848 he established his home on the old home place that had come to him after the death of his father, and con- tinued developing that place, at the same time gradually enlarging his hold- ings until he became the owner of a half section of land, all well improved and profitably cultivated. During the time of the Civil War Milton Trus-
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ler was appointed enrolling officer for Fayette county and in that capacity performed a notable service in behalf of the cause of the Union. Two of his brothers, Nelson and Gilbert Trusler, were officers in the Union army during the long struggle between the states. Milton Trusler was an ardent Republican and for many years was regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this part of the state. He rendered excellent service in behalf of his local community in township offices and was holding the office of town- ship trustee when, in 1872, he was elected to the state Legislature as the representative from this district. Mr. Trusler served two terms in the lower house of the General Assembly and then, in 1876, was elected to the state Senate, in which he served for a term with equal faithfulness. In the campaign of 1892 he was the nominee of his party for the office of secre- tary of state, and although he ran two thousand votes ahead of his ticket, went down to defeat in the Democratic "landslide" of that year. It was perhaps in his long and unselfish service in behalf of the Indiana State Grange that Mr. Trusler achieved his most distinctive fame, and it was during that period of service that he did much for the promotion of the best interests of the farmers of Indiana as well as of the farmers of the country at large. For seven years Mr. Trusler was master of the state Grange and in that capacity rendered a notable service in behalf of that then powerful organi- zation. It was he who conceived the idea of a free mail-delivery service for the rural patrons of the postoffice and his indefatigable labors in that behalf undoubtedly advanced the establishment of the present system of rural mail delivery in the United States, a fact so universally recognized that Milton Trusler will ever be known as the "father" of rural mail deliv- ery in this country. Mr. Trusler was a charter member of the Everton lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and for more than fifty years, or as long as he lived, took an active part in the affairs of Odd Fel- lowship in this state, for years one of the most influential figures in the grand lodge of the state. On April 17, 1894. he left the old home place and moved to East Connersville, where he passed his last days in quiet and comfortable retirement.
It was on March 9, 1848, that Milton Trusler was united in marriage to Isabelle Thompson, who was born in Fayette county, a member of one of the pioneer families in this part of the state, daughter of Joseph D. Thompson, who settled in Jackson township, this county, about the year 1820. Joseph D. Thompson was descended from Maurice Thompson, of Hampshire, England, who at one time was governor of the East India Company. To Milton and Isabelle (Thompson) Trusler eight children
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were born, namely: Anna, who married Daniel Brumfield; Laura J., who married James M. Backhouse; Samuel F., a farmer, of Jackson township; N. Henry, also a Fayette county farmer; Sidney E., of Anderson, this state: Nina C., who married J. B. Rose, of Miami county, this state; Ira T., a lawyer at Connersville, now deceased, and Juanita, who married Will- iam S. Stewart, of Idaho, and who, as well as her husband, is also deceased.
JEFFERSON H. CLAYPOOL.
Though for nearly twenty-five years past, Jefferson H. Claypool, lawyer, publicist and banker, has been a resident of the city of Indianapolis, his extensive real-estate and other interests having taken him to the capital city of Indiana in 1893, he has ever retained the most earnest interest in the affairs of the city and county of his birth and no review of the times in Connersville or Fayette county would be complete without passing mention of this, one of the best-known and most influential of the sons of old Fay- ette. Indeed, so closely interwoven with the history of Fayette county is the history of the Claypool family during the past four or five generations that reference to the one hardly could be made without touching in a general way the history of the other, and the reader of this volume will find through- out this general review of the history of Fayette county frequent reference to the part taken by the Claypools in the general social, political and indus- trial life of this community, even from the days of the beginning of a social order hereabout, for the Claypool family has been represented in this county since territorial days, the founder of the family in Indiana having settled here in 1813, among the very earliest of the pioneers of this section of the state.
Jefferson Helm Claypool was born in Connersville on August 15, 1856, son of Benjamin F. and Alice (Helm) Claypool, prominent and influential residents of that city, whose last days were spent there. Benjamin F. Clay- pool, for many years one of Indiana's most distinguished citizens, also was a native son of Connersville and spent all his life there, an influential lawyer, statesman, banker and landowner. He was born on December 12, 1825, son of Newton and Mary (Kerns) Claypool, pioneers of Fayette county and potent influences for good during the formative period of this now well- established and flourishing community and further and fitting reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume of history and biography. Newton
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Claypool was a Virginian who came over into Indiana from Ross county, Ohio, in 1813 and established his home in this county, becoming a consider- able landowner at the very edge of what after awhile came to be the thriving city of Connersville. He was a man of education, of great native force of character and naturally became one of the leaders in the new community, it being undoubted that his influence had very much to do with the estab- lishment of the firm foundation upon which this community now rests. In his day he represented this district in both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Indiana General Assembly and in other ways con- tributed of his time and his talents to the public service.
Benjamin F. Claypool was reared in Connersville and supplemented his course in the public schools of that city by a valuable course of private instruc- tion under the efficient tutelage of Professor Nutting, a prominent local edu- cator of that period, who had come to this state from Massachusetts, acquir- ing under that tutelage a knowledge of the various branches taught in the seminaries of that day, together with an acquaintance with the Latin and French languages. In the fall of 1843 he entered old Asbury (now DePauw) University and remained there until the spring of 1845, when he entered the law office of the Hon. O. H. Smith at Indianapolis and after a thorough course of reading under that able preceptor was admitted to the bar in March, 1847. Shortly thereafter he opened an office for the practice of his profes- sion in his home city and it was not long until he was occupying a fore- most position at the bar of Fayette county. Mr. Claypool's practice was not confined to the local bar and for many years he was found engaged on one side or another of most of the important cases tried in the courts of this part of the state. Reared a Whig, Mr. Claypool took an active part in political affairs even before he had reached his majority and when the Repub- lican party was organized he was one of the most active men in Indiana in that behalf. In 1856 he was a delegate to the convention at Philadelphia that nominated John C. Fremont for the Presidency ; in 1864 was presidential elector for the fifth congressional district and in 1868 one of the electors for the state at large. In 1860 Mr. Claypool was elected state senator from the counties of Fayette and Union and in that capacity took a prominent part in the legislation of Indiana during the period of the Civil War, being regarded as one of the leaders in the various patriotic movements based upon the emergencies of that trying time. In 18744 he was the nominee of his party for Congress from this district, but went down to defeat in the memo- rable Democratic "landslide" of that year. In addition to his extensive legal practice, Mr. Claypool gave considerable attention to his banking and real
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estate interests and became one of Connersville's well-to-do men, owner of a large farm and for some years president of the First National Bank of Connersville, having also been president of that concern's predecessor, the Connersville branch of the Bank of the State of Indiana.
On August 4, 1853, Benjamin F. Claypool was united in marriage to Alice Helm, who was born at Rushville, this state, a daughter of Dr. Jeffer- son and Eliza (Arnold) Helm, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of the Isle of Wight, England. Dr. Jefferson Helm for years was one of the best-known medical practitioners in Rush county and his daughter was a highly cultivated woman, who contributed much toward the successful career of her husband. She died in August, 1882, and her husband survived her for six years, his death occurring on December 11, 1888. Of the children born to Benjamin F. Claypool and wife, Jefferson Helm Claypool, the sub- ject of this biographical sketch, is the only survivor. Benjamin F. Claypool was the second in order of birth of the four sons born to his parents, New- ton Claypool and wife, the others being Austin B., Abraham J. and Edward F. The latter years ago published a very interesting volume of autobiography in which much valuable material relating to the history of the Claypool family in this county was preserved.
Reared in Connersville, the city of his birth, Jefferson Helm Claypool was prepared for college in the public schools and by private tutors and in the fall of 1870, he then being but fourteen years of age, he entered Miami University and after a course of three years in that institution entered the University of Virginia, class of 1875. Meanwhile he had been giving close attention to the study of law, under the able preceptorship of his father, and in 1877 was admitted to the bar, beginning the practice of his profession in partnership with his father at Connersville and continued thus connected until the latter's death, the firm having an extensive clientage in this and adjoin- ing counties. During this time Mr. Claypool was gradually enlarging his real-estate interests in Indianapolis and in 1893 he moved to that city, where he since has made his home, giving most of his time to his private business, which includes banking, farming and real-estate development. Mr. Clay- pool has been an active Republican from childhood, receiving inspiration from his father, who was one of the founders of the party, and in the sessions of 1889 and 1891 represented this district in the Indiana General Assembly, thus being the third in direct descent of the Claypool family to represent the district in the Legislature. For fourteen years Mr. Claypool served as a member of the Indiana state board of election commissioners and during the memorable campaign of 1896 was a member of the advisory committee of
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the Republican state central committee. For many years he has been a fre- quent contributor to magazines and newspapers, many of his articles on public questions being widely copied on account of their force and clear- ness of expression.
In 1893 Jefferson H. Claypool was united in marriage to Mary Buckner Ross, who also was born in Connersville, daughter of the late Major John W. Ross, a memorial sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Benjamin F. Claypool, who was graduated from Miami University in 1916 and is now a student in the agricultural department of Purdue University: In 1912 Jefferson H. Clay- pool received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Miami University. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa (honorary) and the Delta Kappa Epsilon college fraternities.
MILTON HENRY TRUSLER.
Milton Henry Trusler, a well-known retired farmer of Jackson town- ship, former trustee of Jackson township and present truant officer for Fay- ette. county, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in the Bentley neighborhood (the old Ireland settlement ) in Jackson township, December 7, 1857, son of Milton and Isa- belle (Thompson) Trusler. . The father was born in the neighboring county of Franklin, in the vicinity of Blooming Grove, a son of Samuel Trusler and wife, pioneers of this section of the state, further and extended mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.
Milton Trusler was born about 1824 and was but a child when his par- ents moved up from Franklin county and settled in the Bentley neighborhood in Jackson township, this county, where he grew to manhood and where he continued to make his home after his marriage until about twenty years before his death. when he retired from the farm and moved to Connersville, where he died in August, 1906, he then being in the eighty-second year of his age. As a youth, Milton Trusler studied with a view to becoming a physician, but before he had qualified for practice his parents died and he was compelled to return home to look after the farm and the interests of the younger children. He then abandoned the plan of becoming a physician, later bought the inter- ests of the other heirs in the home place and there remained engaged in farm- ing until his retirement. When twenty-two years of age he married Isabelle Thompson and to that union nine children were born, one of whom died in
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infancy and eight of whom, four sons and four daughters, grew to maturity. Of these, four are now deceased, Mrs. Anna Brumfield, Mrs. Juanita Stewart Nichols, Sidney E. and Ira Thompson Trusler. The survivors, besides the subject of this sketch, are Fred, Mrs. Laura Backhouse and Mrs. Nina Rose.
Milton H. Trusler was reared on the home farm in Jackson township, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and from early boy- hood was a valued assistant to his father and brothers in the labors of developing and improving the farm. When twenty-six years of age he mar- ried and after the death of his wife, about four years later, again made his home with his parents until his second marriage, three years later, after which he made his home at Bentley, his second wife having been postmistress at Bentley at that time, though for another year he continued to help his father on the home farm. He then moved onto the Myers farm, in that same neighborhood, continuing, at the same time, to farm the home place, and when his father moved to Connersville moved onto the old home place, which he continued farming for thirteen years. At the end of that time he bought a place of eighty acres a short distance east of the home place, and there made his home until in March, 1915, when he moved to Everton, where he is now living. Mr. Trusler has for years given close attention to local political affairs and in 1900, while living on the farm, was elected trustee of Jackson township, a position he held for four years. In May, 1916, he was elected county truant officer and is now serving in that important public capacity, giving his best attention to the duties of his office.
As noted above, Mr. Trusler has been twice married. He was first united in marriage to Angie Smith, who died about four years after her mar- riage, leaving a son, Alton G., then about three years of age. About three years later, in 1891, he married Agnes Kingery, who also was born in the old Bentley neighborhood, and who, as noted above, was serving as post- mistress of Bentley at the time of her marriage. To this union two children have been born, Ava, who married Dempsey Britton, who is farming the Trusler farm, and has a daughter, Marjorie, and Lelia, who for the past five or six years has been teaching school in this county, two years in the Bentley neighborhood and three years in the schools at Harrisonburg. Mrs. Trusler is a daughter of Michael and Lucy (Webb) Kingery, who came to this county from Ohio and settled in Jackson township, where Michael Kingery engaged in blacksmithing and where he died when his daughter, Agnes, was three months of age. The widow kept the children together until they were grown and after the marriage of her daughter, Agnes, made her home with
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the Truslers the most of the time until her death, which occurred in July, 1913, she then being eighty-six years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Trusler are members of the Universalist church and take a proper interest in church affairs, as well as in the general good works of the community in which they live. Mr. Trusler is a member of the Everton lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organ- ization.
MAJOR JOHN WESLEY ROSS.
The late Major John Wesley Ross, an honored veteran of the Civil War, former postmaster of Connersville, former auditor of Fayette county, former revenue collector for the sixth Indiana district, United States internal revenue bureau, and for many years one of Connersville's best-known and most representative merchants, was born in the neighboring county of Frank- lin, but had been a resident of Fayette county and of Connersville since the days of his youth. He was born on September 30, 1837, and was but a boy when his parents moved from Franklin county up into Fayette county and here established their home. Here he received his schooling and here he was living when the Civil War broke out. In 1861 he enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of the Third Indiana Battery of field artillery and went to the front, serving with that command for two years, at the end of which time he was transferred to the Twenty-third Battery, as a second lien- tenant. His promotion to the rank of captain soon followed and during the Atlanta campaign he served with the rank of major on the staff of General Schofield, one of the most highly trusted and efficient members of the staff of that commander. Major Ross was with Sherman on the march to the sea and participated with the army of that commander in the Grand Review at Washington at the close of the war.
Upon the completion of his military service Major Ross returned to Connersville and in the December following was married. A few years later he engaged in the retail grocery business in that city, in partnership with M. C. Buckley, and later was engaged in the same line of business, on Fifth street, in partnership with Norman Morrison. Still later Major Ross became associated with John Lair and later with J. M. Conner, in the hardware business on Central avenue, and with that concern his name was associated until his retirement a few years ago. During the seventies and early eighties Major Ross served under the federal government as collector for the sixth
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Indiana revenue district and in 1883 was appointed postmaster of Conners- ville, in which office he further served the public for a term of four years. Some time afterward he again was called to the public service and served for a term as auditor of Fayette county. The Major was an ardent Repub- lican and for many years was looked upon as one of the leaders of that party in this part of the state. In 1896 he was a delegate from this district to the Republican national convention that nominated William Mckinley for the Presidency. Active in business as well as in civic affairs, Major Ross was for years one of the most influential merchants in Connersville and during the long period of his commercial activity there' did much to promote the advancement of the city's rapidly growing mercantile and industrial interests. His death occurred on May 9, 1916, and he was widely mourned, for his had been a life of wide influence in the community of which he had been a resi- dent since the days of his boyhood.
On December 18, 1865, Major John W. Ross was united in marriage to Sarah M. Hanson, who died on September 15, 1913, and to that union one child was born, a daughter, now living at Indianapolis, wife of Jefferson H. Claypool, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume. Major Ross was a Knight Templar Mason, a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic and a member of the Indiana Com- mandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, in the affairs of all of which organizations he took a warm and active interest.
FRANK D. HACKLEMAN.
Frank D. Hackleman, a well-known and energetic merchant at Benton- ville and trustee of Posey township, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm two miles east of Fair- view, in the township of that name, March 27, 1870, son of John W. and Martha A. (Shortridge) Hackleman, the former of whom is still living in Fairview township and a biographical sketch of whom, presented elsewhere in this volume, gives a detailed history of the Hackleman family from the time it first became represented in Indiana in pioneer days. Elsewhere in this volume there also is further and fitting mention of the Shortridge family and it is therefore not necessary to repeat these genealogical details in con- nection with the story of the life and career of the subject of this sketch.
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In the days of his early boyhood Frank D. Hackleman moved with his parents from Fairview to Harrison township and there lived for six or seven years, at the end of which time he returned with the family to Fairview township, his father having bought the farm on which he is now living, and there he grew to manhood. He was married in the fall of the year before he attained his majority and, after that happy event, began farming on his own account, beginning on a farm two miles east of Falmouth, where he lived for a couple of years. At the end of that time he moved to Hawkinsville, in Harrison township, where he engaged in farming for another period of two years, after which he moved to a farm two miles north of Falmouth, where he lived five years. He then moved to a farm just west of the place on which he established his home after his marriage and, after five years spent in farming there, in November, 1904, moved to Bentonville, where he since has made his home. Upon locating at Bentonville, Mr. Hackleman bought a blacksmith shop and was engaged in the blacksmithing business there until in the spring of 1912, when he and Charles W. Mason started a hardware store at Bentonville, putting in a general stock of shelf hardware and farming implements. In 1915 they added to this line the local agency for the sale of the Ford automobile. They also carry a line of fence posts and operate a coal yard. Their store is well stocked, carrying a stock larger than that usually found in stores in towns the size of Bentonville and in 1916 did a business aggregating about seventeen thousand dollars. Mr. Hackleman is an ardent Republican and has for years given his earnest attention to local political affairs. In 1914 he was elected trustee of his home township and is now serving in that important public capacity.
On September 16, 1890, Frank D. Hackleman was united in mar- riage to Mary J. Pattison, who was born in Madison county, this state, a daughter of George and Nancy (Miller) Pattison, the latter of whom was born in Posey township, this county, daughter of John and Cynthia ( Manlove) Miller, who came to this county from Pennsylvania in pioneer days. Nancy Miller grew up in Posey township and there married George Pattison, later moving to Madison county and settling near Frankton, where she died when her daughter, Mary, was about two years of age. The latter's father also died there not long afterward and her grandfather, John Miller, brought her to Fayette county and she remained with him on his farm in Posey township until her marriage to Mr. Hackleman. John Miller was one of the real pioneers of Posey township, having settled there before the Indians had all left this part of the country and there both he and his wife
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