USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 74
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Reared on the paternal farm, William H. Sherry received his schooling in the neighboring district school and from the days of his boyhood was a valued aid to his father in the labors of the farm and the mill. For three years after his marriage in 1875 he continued to reside on the old home farm and in 1881 moved to Connersville, where he engaged in the saw-mill business, gradually extending his operations until he became a general dealer in lumber, coal, cement and builder's supplies and was thus actively engaged until his death on April 13, 1914, long having been recognized as one of the most energetic and progressive business men in Connersville. He also for years operated a threshing-machine outfit. Mr. Sherry was an ardent Democrat and for years took an active part in local political affairs, but was not a seeker after public office. He was a member of the Methodist church and took a proper part in church work. Fraternally, he was affiliated with the Masons and with the Knights of Pythias and was a member of the uni- formed rank of the latter order.
It was on April 22, 1875, that William H. Sherry was united in mar- riage to Emma C. Scholl, who was born in Jennings township, this county, daughter of Benjamin and Melinda (Gise) Scholl, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families, and who lived on the one farm for sixty-five years. Benjamin Scholl was originally a Democrat, but later a Republican. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church at Lyons and their children were reared in that faith. There were seven of these children, of whom Mrs. Sherry was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Frank, of the neighboring county of Rush; Lizzie, now deceased, who was the wife of Judge George Stewart, of Boise, Idaho, former justice of the supreme court of that state; Newton, who married Lizzie Williamson and is living on the old Scholl home place in Jennings township; George, who married Mary Mays and is living on the old Sherry homestead, which he bought; Addie, deceased, and Rozzie, wife of William Brown, of Lyons.
To William H. and Emma C. (Scholl) Sherry three sons were born, namely: D. W. Sherry, a Connersville coal dealer, formerly engaged with his father in the mill business, who married Edith Hill, of College Corner, Ohio; Carl Sherry, who is engaged in the cement and construction business at Connersville and who married Frances Foley, and W. R. Sherry, who
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married Sylvia Fiant and owns a farm which he looks after, as well as assist- ing in the coal business. Since her husband's death Mrs. Sherry has con- tinued to make her home in Connersville. She has a very pleasant home at 334 East Tenth street and has ever taken a warm interest in the city's general social activities.
EDGAR K. WETHERALD.
The late Edgar K. Wetherald, for many years proprietor of a flour-mill at Connersville and one of the best-known men in Fayette county, was born in Connersville and lived in that city the greater part of his life. He was born on March 4, 1838, son of Henry and Ann (Kirby) Wetherald, the former a native of England and the latter of Wilmington, New Jersey, who were prominently identified with affairs in this county in an early day.
Henry Wetherald was born in 1812 and grew up in his native England, later coming to the United States and locating at Richmond, this state, where he married Ann Kirby, whose parents. earnest Quaker folk, had located there upon coming to this state from New Jersey. Henry Wetherald was trained in his youth as a blacksmith and was a skilled mechanic and millwright. For a time after his marriage he continued to reside at Richmond, where he kept a blacksmith shop and a store, and then moved to Connersville, where he engaged in the milling business and was thus engaged there until 1851, when he moved to Thorntown, this state, where he was engaged in the mill- ing business until some little time after the close of the Civil War, when he returned to Richmond. His wife died in that city and he later went to Nebraska, where he established three of his sons in the milling business, two of them at Hebron, that state, and the other, at Beatrice. While assisting in the operation of one of these mills Henry Wetherald was caught in a belt and was so badly injured that he died from the effects of his injuries. Henry Wetherald was an energetic, active business man and was quite successful in his operations. During his residence in Connersville, in addition to operat- ing a mill, he also was engaged in the drygoods business there, in partner- ship with John Groff, and also owned a restaurant. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Mary, who married P. B. Wood and is now deceased, as is her husband; Amanda, now living at Lincoln, Nebraska, widow of Anthony Gordon; Henry, who was killed dur- ing the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, while serving as a soldier of the Union
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during the Civil War; Oscar, who received a fatal wound while serving as a soldier at the battle of Lookout Mountain, his death later occurring at Nashville, Tennessee; Newton, now deceased, a farmer, who lived in Nebraska; Charles, also retired, now living at Wenatchee, Washington; Frank, who is the president of a bank at Hebron, Nebraska, and Emma, who died in infancy.
Edgar K. Wetherald completed his schooling at the Thorntown Acad- emy and at Earlham College and at the age of twenty-one years became engaged in the milling business with his father at Thorntown and was thus engaged at that place until about 1866, when he returned to Connersville, the place of his birth, and was there engaged in the milling business for about thirty years, or until his retirement about ten years before his death, which occurred on July 14, 1911, Mr. Wetherald was an active business man and for many years took an interested part in local affairs, a strong factor in the development of Connersville's extensive industrial side. He was an earnest member of the Christian church, as is his widow, and was ever active in local good works. Fraternally, he was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he was a member for fifty years, and with the Knights of Pythias, a charter member of the local lodge of the latter order, and took a warm interest in the affairs of these two organizations.
In 1870 Edgar K. Wetherald was united in marriage to Elizabeth Mor- rison, who was born in Connersville, daughter of Daniel and Susan ( Broaddus) Morrison, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of this county, prominent residents of Connersville a generation ago. Daniel Morrison was born in the city of Baltimore and came to Indiana about the year 1832, locating at Connersville, where he found employment as a book- keeper and general accountant and also for some time was engaged in clerical labor about the court house. He was successful in his business and became the owner of a fine farm of five hundred acres in this county. It was not long after his arrival in Connersville that Daniel Morrison married Susan Broaddus, who was born on the old Broaddus farm in this county, a place that remained in the possession of the family for eighty-five years, and to this union four children were born, those besides Mrs. Wetherald, the second in order of birth, being Helen, widow of C. W. Mclaughlin, of Greensburg. this state; George W., of Indianapolis. a bookkeeper, and Belle, widow of Daniel B. Milliken, of Cincinnati. Daniel Morrison originally was a Whig, but upon the formation of the Republican party espoused the principles of that party and remained an ardent Republican. He and his wife were charter members of the Christian church at Connersville and were among the lead-
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ers in good works in that city. He was admitted to the bar by Judge Wil- son, but he never practiced. He was often sought after for advice and coun- sel, especially about real estate and land titles. For sixty-five years he lived at the corner of Fifth and Western avenues; he was one of the honored pioneers of Connersville, respected by all.
To Edgar K. and Elizabeth (Morrison) Wetherald two children were born, Irene, who married H. H. Vawter and is living at Tipton, this state, and Lillian, who married the Rev. George B. Van Arsdall, now of Denver, Colorado, and had two children, Burdette and Irene, the latter of whom is deceased and the former of whom is now a senior in the University of Colo- rado. Mrs. Wetherald has continued to make her home at Connersville since the death of her husband and has a very pleasant home at 621 Western avenue. She is an earnest member of the Christian church and has for years taken an active interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the general social and cultural activities of the city. Her daugh- ters are accomplished musicians and she has for years been recognized as one of the leaders in the literary clubs of the city.
RAYMOND S. BEAVER.
Raymond S. Beaver, a progressive young farmer of Fairview township, was born on the farm on which he is now living, though on the other side of the road, over in Union township. Rush county (the Beaver farm being divided in half by the county line) and has lived there all his life. He was born on October 25, 1886, son of John M. and Mary E. (Stewart) Beaver, prominent residents of that community, who are still living on their farm over the line in Rush county, not far south of the village of Glenwood, where they have made their home since 1876, and further and fitting reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume in a biographical sketch relating to John M. Beaver, both he and his wife being members of pioneer families in this part of the state.
It was on that farm that Raymond S. Beaver grew to manhood. He was well trained in the ways of farming and has always followed that voca- tion, either in partnership with his brother or his father, and is now farming with his father, since his marriage having made his home on the east half of the farm, over the line in this county, in Fairview township. He was married on August 9, 1911, to Etna Tinder, who was born in Scott county,
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Kentucky, a daughter of Thomas N. and Dora (Darnaby) Tinder, who came to this county in November, 1899, and located at Falmouth, where Thomas N. Tinder became engaged in blacksmithing and general shop work of a kindred character, and there the daughter, Etna, lived until her marriage to Mr. Beaver. To this union two children have been born, a son, Robert Harold, and a daughter, Margaret Jeanette. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver have a very pleasant home and take an interested part in the general social activi- ties of the community in which they live. Mr. Beaver is a member of the Methodist church, in the faith of which he was reared, his parents for many years having been devoted members of the Methodist church at Glenwood, and his wife is a member of the Christian church.
MORTON L. BILBY.
Morton L. Bilby, one of Fairview township's best-known and most sub- stantial farmers, was born on the farm on which he is now living and has lived there practically all his life. His birthplace was a house which is still standing on that farm, west of the barn, some little distance removed from the present substantial farm house. He was born on October 4, 1867, son of Francis Marion and Dorcas A. (Atherton) Bilby, the former of whom was born in this county and the latter, in Ohio, both of whom are now deceased.
Francis Marion Bilby, who for years was one of the best-known farm- ers in Fairview township, was born on a pioneer farm northeast of Longwood, in this county, June 5, 1833, son of Stephen C. and Jane (Ludlow ) Bilby, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio, who became use- ful and influential pioneers of this county. Stephen C. Bilby was born on September 26, 1802, a son of John Bilby, a native of England, whose father, a very wealthy man, was an officer of the King's Bench. During the days of his young manhood John Bilby was one evening invited to participate in a ball given on board a vessel lying in port, the occasion being the christening of the vessel. A large crowd of wealthy young people were present, all intent upon having a good time, and they did not notice when the vessel set sail. In the morning they found themselves out of sight of land and on their way to the American colonies, then at war with England. The young men were relieved of their fine clothes and upon their arrival on this side were pressed into the service of the British army. At the close of this service
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John Bilby elected to remain on this side and he settled in Pennsylvania, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was twice married and was the father of a large family of children. One of his sons, Stephen C. Bilby, went to Cincinnati upon attaining his majority and there became engaged as a blacksmith. At New Richmond, Ohio, a few miles up the river from Cin- cinnati, he married Jane Ludlow, who was born there on March 3, 1805, a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Williamson) Ludlow, who had moved from New Jersey to that place, where they spent their last days.
In 1828, not long after his marriage, Stephen C. Bilby came to Indiana and located in Fayette county. He later entered land in the "New Purchase," in the vicinity of Indianapolis, and developed a farm there. In the mean- time he had located in the southwestern part of Harrison township, this county, and there, in 1846, started a saw-mill, a short distance north of Long- wood, which he operated for years. It was from that mill that his son, Francis M. Bilby, then sixteen years of age, hauled the timbers that entered into the construction of the barn that is still in use on the old Bilby farm, now owned by Morton L. Bilby. That old barn is a wonderfully substantial structure. One of the timbers in it, a poplar beam, twelve by fourteen inches and sixty feet in length, is apparently as sound as the day on which it was laid. Stephen C. Bilby and his wife were Presbyterians of the "old school" and were active in all local good works in. the early days of the settlement, doing much to help bring about proper conditions of living in the then pio- neer community. He died in 1873 and his widow survived him for more than ten years, her last days being spent in the home of her son, Francis M. Bilby, where her death occurred in the year 1884.
Francis M. Bilby evinced an unusual interest in his studies in his youth and upon the completion of the course in the rural schools of his neigh- borhood, began teaching school and was thus engaged during the winters for several years, the money thus earned being devoted to tuition in the old Fairview Academy, where he received what then was regarded as an excel- lent education. On December 10, 1854, he married Dorcas A. Atherton, who was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, February 17, 1832, a daughter of Stout and Mary .A. (Sater) Atherton, pioneers of Fayette county and further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. After his marriage he lived for a year in Harrison township and then moved to Posey township, where he made his home until 1866, in which year he bought a farm in the southeast part of Fairview township, where he established his home and where he spent the remainder of his life. Francis M. Bilby was not only an excellent farmer, but he was an extensive buyer and shipper of
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live stock. He took pride in handling only the best stock the county could afford and did very well in his operations. As he prospered he added to this land holdings until the original one hundred and twenty acres with which he started in section 25 of Fairview township had been expanded by holdings there and elsewhere in the county to the extent of about one thousand acres. Francis M. Bilby died at his home in Fairview township on November 10, 1908. His wife had preceded him to the grave about four years, her death having occurred on August 28, 1904. They were the parents of ten children, namely : Charles Marion, born on September 15, 1855; Emerson Atherton, November 13, 1856; Florence Jane, September 19, 1858; Clara Olive, Sep- tember 25, 1860; Elmer Winfield, January 27, 1862; Marianna, December 21, 1863; Alva Ellsworth, September 23, 1865; Morton Levering, October 4, 1867; Palmer Tennyson, June 18, 1870, and Sherman Evans, August 13, 1872.
Morton Levering Bilby grew up on the old home farm in Fairview town- ship, where he is now living, and has lived there practically all his life, engaged from the days of his youth in farming. On May 1, 1902, Morton L. Bilby was united in marriage to Nora D. Rogers, who was born in Scott county, Kentucky, daughter of George and Mary (Noel) Rogers, both natives of that same county, the former of whom died when his daughter, Nora, was two years of age. His widow now lives at Harrodsburg, Kentucky. She was born near Georgetown, Kentucky, a daughter of James and Sarah (Bailey) Noel, both natives of that same state. From the time she was six years of age Nora D. Rogers was taken care of by her maternal aunt, Ange- lina, now the wife of James Ludlow, a well-known farmer of Harrison town- ship and a veteran of the Civil War, further reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Following her graduation from the Connersville high school in 1892 she began teaching school and was thus engaged for - five years at the Poplar Grove school, in the southwestern part of Conners- ville township; the Hamilton school, west of Connersville; the Moffitt school, one and one-half miles east of Glenwood, and one term in the Fairview schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Bilby two children have been born, Dorothy, who died in April, 1904, when eight days old, and Freda Marian, who was born on September 15, 1910. The Bilbys have a very pleasant home and take an earnest interest in the community's general social activities. Mr. Bilby is the owner of one hundred and thirteen acres of excellent land and has his farm in an admirable state of cultivation. The place is well improved, the farm plant being modeled along modern lines and Mr. Bilby has done very well in his farming operations.
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GEORGE CREELMAN LEONARD.
George Creelman Leonard, well-known grocer at Orange and a substantial landowner of Orange township, was born in that township and has lived there all his life, being one of the best-known residents of the southwestern part of Fayette county. He was born on the old Creelman farm, one mile north of Orange, in Orange township, March 9, 1880, son of Orange and Kate J. (Alexander) Leonard, both natives of Indiana, the former born in Marion county and the latter in Fayette county.
Orange Leonard was born on a farm near the village of Acton, in the southeastern corner of Marion county, eight or ten miles from Indianapolis, in 1848, a son of Lindsey and Frances (Mann) Leonard, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter, of Kentucky, who moved over into Shelby county when he was a boy and in the latter county he lived until his youth was passed, when he went to Indianapolis and there became employed as a mechanic. In that city he married and then, in the late seventies, came to Fayette county and settled on the William G. Creelman farm in Orange township, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in April, 1896. It was on Christmas Day, 1875, that Orange Leonard was united in marriage to Catherine J. Alexander, who was born in Orange town- ship, this county, in 1846, daughter of William and Mary (Ritchie) Alex- ander, the former a native of the state of Ohio and the latter, of Ireland. William Alexander was born in Preble county, Ohio, and was but three or four years of age when his parents, John and Jane Alexander, came over into Indiana and settled on a pioneer farm on the line between Fayette and Rush counties, south of Glenwood. John Alexander entered a tract of "Congress land" in the northern part of Orange township, in the north half of section II of that township, and there William Alexander estab- lished his home after his marriage to Mary Ritchie, at that time there being no improvements on the place save a small cabin and but a small portion of the place had been cleared for cultivation. There William Alexander and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, the latter dying about 1890 and the former in July, 1900. On that farm Catherine Alexander made her home until her marriage to Orange Leonard. To that union six children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch is the fourth in order of birth, the others being Alvin, Lindsey, Ethel, Lucien and Dennis. Of these, Lindsey, Lucien and Dennis live in Connersville township, and Alvin and Ethel near Indianapolis.
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George C. Leonard grew up on the Creelman farm, where he was born, and when twenty-two years of age rented that farm and began farming on his own account. He was married shortly afterward and then established his home there, continuing to make his home on that farm until in January, 1916, when he moved to Orange, where he engaged in the grocery business and has ever since been thus engaged. Upon starting in business there lie bought the store property and put in a well-selected stock of merchandise and has built up an extensive trade. Mr. Leonard is now the owner of the Creel- man farm and which he rented for years. Upon the death of the late William G. Creelman in 1913 he inherited forty acres of the place and he later bought the remainder, but in January, 1916, sold a "forty" out of the place and still owns one hundred and twenty acres, a well-improved farm. Mr. Leon- ard is a progressive Republican and in 1916 was the nominee of the Pro- gressives of Fayette county for county commissioner from his district.
Mr. Leonard has been twice married. On December 24, 1903, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Stevens, who was born near Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin, a daughter of Charles and Josephine (Elli- son) Stevens, the former of whom was born and reared in the southwestern part of Columbia township, this county, a son of Abner M. Stevens and wife. Mrs. Elizabeth Leonard died in 1905, leaving one living child, Clarissa Ozella, and in 1906 Mr. Leonard married Edith Stevens, his deceased wife's sister. To this latter union three children have been born, two daughters and a son, Alice Louise, Ruby Leona and Roy George Creelman. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper part in church work as well as in the general social activities of the com- munity in which they live.
Charles Stevens, the father of Mrs. Leonard, was born at Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin, but has been a resident of Fayette county since his childhood, for many years a farmer in Columbia township, but now living retired in the city of Connersville. His father, Abner M. Stevens, was born and reared in Harrison township, this county, a son of Charles and Letitia (Thorp) Stevens, early settlers in that part of the county, the former of whom was born in Virginia and was but a child when his ' parents moved from that state to Kentucky, where he was reared. As a young man he came up into Indiana, locating two miles north of Conners- ville in 1820. There he married Letitia Thorp, a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, and after his marriage entered a tract of land in the southwestern part of Columbia township, where he lived until his retire- ment in old age, his last days being spent in the home of his daughter, Mrs.
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Cotton. Abner M. 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 to Elizabeth Hires he located at Laurel, in the neighboring county of Franklin, and there made his home until three of his children were born, when he returned to this county and located on the old home farm in Columbia township, where his wife died in 1900. She was born in Pennsylvania and was but a child when her parents, John and Sarah Hires, came to Indiana and located at Laurel, where for years her father was engaged in the grocery business. After the death of his wife Abner Stevens retired from the farm and thereafter made his home with his children, his death occurring at Connersville in 1908. He and his wife were the parents of six children. Mary Ellen, the only daughter, died at the age of seven years, but the five sons, Charles, William J., Alonzo, Curtis and Franklin, all lived to maturity.
JOHN P. THRASHER.
The late John P. Thrasher, a one-time lawyer, a veteran of the Civil War and for years a substantial and influential farmer in Fairview town- ship, this county, was born in that township and there spent practically all his life, his death occurring near the old Thrasher homestead on March 9, 1906. He was born on November 23, 1838, a son of the Hon. Woodson W. and Barbara (Daubenspeck) Thrasher, natives of Kentucky and representa- tives of pioneer families in this part of the state, both having been but chil- dren when their respective parents came to Indiana and settled in Rush county, near the Fayette county line.
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