USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 86
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Miss Rosella Riggs grew up in a community that was devoted to good works, its people possessed of high ideals and lofty aspirations, and from the time she was a little girl she took her part in the cultural activities of that
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neighborhood. When ten years of age she was the organist in the Sunday school and has ever given earnest thought to her musical education, a diligent student of both instrumental and vocal music, and is a pianist of much skill, playing the classical music with deep feeling and fine expression. For the sake of her mother and that she might ever be at the latter's side during her declining years, Miss Riggs nobly sacrificed many of the pleasures dear to young people and during the last six years of her mother's life never left her alone in the house. Miss Riggs, as noted above, has many interesting family relics and heirlooms of the pioneer days in this county, some of these having come down from her great-grandfather, Jonathan Davis, the Revolutionary soldier, including certain articles of domestic use which he made with his own hands during the time of his residence in Ohio; and a fine woven rattan riding-whip, with a handle of metal and ivory, which was used by her grand- mother, Huldah (Davis) Monger, and a blanket of wool that was grown on sheep raised by her father, the wool having been prepared for spinning and carded by her mother. There are also old dishes that were in the Davis family and numerous bits of hand-made lace and embroidery that would excite the admiration and envy of modern lace-makers. Around many of these interesting mementoes Miss Riggs is able to weave stories of the other days, tales handed down in her family, that would make most interesting reading for the present generation.
JOHN T. WHITE.
The late John T. White, who died at his home in Connersville township, this county, in the spring of 1914, was a member of one of the oldest and most substantial families in Fayette county. He was born on a pioneer farm about three miles east and a little south of Connersville, December 26, 1843, and his whole life was spent in this county, the most of the time on the farm, though for some years he was engaged as a cabinet-maker in Connersville and during that period made his home in the city. His death occurred on the farm on which he was born, a pioneer tract that had been secured by his grandfather back in the days when the Indians still were numerous in this section of Indiana.
The first of the White family to come to Fayette county were Joel and Susanna White, who came into the Indiana country from North Carolina, by way of Tennessee and Kentucky. Joel White was a Quaker, but he mar-
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ried outside of the faith and was ostracized by his family and the other Quakers of his home community for doing so. He and his wife Susanna left North Carolina and went to Tennessee, where their first child, a son, Thomas White, was born in 1803. In 1813 the family started north with the expectation of finding a new home in the Indiana country, but on account of the continued Indian depredations about that time, were compelled to stop at the block house at Hamilton until the Indians were suppressed. In 1815 they resumed their trip and in due time arrived in Fayette county, where Joel White bought a quarter of a section of land in the east part of Conners- ville township, cleared a small tract on the same, built a log house and there established his home. For some time after locating here he spent what leisure he could command in cutting wood near Cincinnati and thus earned the money with which to complete the payments on his quarter section of "Congress land." Joel White was an expert woodsman and trapper and he acted as the guide for the party of engineers who surveyed the Twelve Mile Purchase line. About 1838 Joel White moved from Fayette county to Madison county and in the latter county died a few years later. His widow survived him for years, her death occurring about 1853.
John T. White was adopted when a child by his uncle, Thomas White, and was reared by the latter. Thomas White inherited a part of the old Joel White place and bought the remainder and the place fell to John T. White upon the death of his adopted father. Thomas White moved into Connersville about 1860, John T. White then being about seventeen years of age, and in the city the latter learned the trade of cabinet-maker and followed the same until 1897, when he returned to the farm where he was born and which had been entered from the government by his grandfather, Joel White, and there he spent the rest of his life as a farmer, his death occurring on May 5, 1914. His wife had preceded him to the grave a little more than two years, her death having occurred on February 24, 1912.
It was while living in Connersville that John T. White was united in marriage to Anna R. Halbert, who was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, October 25, 1850, and who was four or five years of age when her parents, Samuel and Rebecca ( Hatton) Halbert, came to Indiana and located at Con- nersville, where Mr. Halbert became engaged as a cabinet-maker and where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. John T. White and his wife were earnest members of the Christian church and their children were reared in that faith. There are four of these children, Thomas H., Eliza- beth R., James Douglas and Alice L., the latter of whom married Lawrence
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A. Ripberger and lives on a farm near the old White farm. Mr. and Mrs. Ripberger have five living children, Russell, Aldene, Carl, Lillian and Henry. Elizabeth White married. William F. Granger, who is living on the White farm and assisting in the operation of the same, and has one child, a son, William F. Thomas H. and James D. White continue to make. their home on the old home place, their sister, Mrs. Granger, being housekeeper in the old home since the death of her mother. The Whites have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of the community in which they live, ever helpful in promoting all agencies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.
FRANK MORRIS HANSON.
Frank Morris Hanson, one of Fayette county's best-known and most progressive farmers and for years one of the best-known horsemen in this part of the state, is the proprietor of a fine farm in Connersville township, about a mile south of Connersville, where he has an attractive home and is well situated. He was born in that township and has lived there all his life. His birthplace was the old Hanson farm, three miles southwest of Conners- ville, where he was born on January 27, 1871, son of William Asbury and Margaret ( Ross) Hanson, members of old families in this county, both of whom are now deceased.
William Asbury Hanson also was born in Connersville township, son of Asbury Hanson and wife, pioneers of Fayette county, and spent all his life farming in that township, one of the most substantial citizens of that part of the county. He gave much attention to the raising of live stock and was particularly attentive to his horses, having bred a number of race horses that attained more than merely local note. William A. Hanson had an excellent race track on his farm three miles southwest of Connersville, on which he trained his race horses and from the days of his youth the subject of this sketch took much interest in that phase of the operations of the Hanson farm. One of these race horses, a stallion, "Major Ross," driven by Frank M. Han- son to a high-wheeled sulky in 1893, made a mile in 2:30 as a two-year-old ; as a three-year-old made a mile in 2:191/2, and as a four-year-old made a mile in 2 :161/4. William A. Hanson was an ardent Republican and ever gave his earnest attention to local political affairs, a strong force for good in his com- munity. He died in September, 1905. and his widow survived him for nearly
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ten years, her death occurring in June, 1915. She was born, Margaret Ross, in the neighboring county of Franklin, a daughter of John S. Ross and wife. William A. Hanson and wife had three children, the subject of this sketch having an elder brother, Karl L. Hanson, of Connersville, and a sister, Deva Blanche, wife of John E. Robbins, of Shelbyville, this state.
Frank M. Hanson was reared on the home farm in Connersville town- ship, receiving his schooling in the local schools, and from boyhood was a valued aid to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home place. He early began giving particular attention to his father's racing interests and at the age of eighteen began taking a string of horses to the races and breaking and training promising animals on the private race track on the home farm, and was thus engaged for about ten years. Following his marriage in the summer of 1897 Mr. Hanson began farming for himself on the home place and continued to remain there until 1909, when he bought his present place, the old "Billy" Robinson farm of one hundred and fifty-four acres one mile south of the East Connersville bridge, in Connersville town- ship, where he since has made his residence and where he and his family are comfortably situated. The place has on it a handsome brick house and is well improved and well kept, Mr. Hanson pursuing modern methods in his agricultural operations. He also continues to give considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock and has done very well. Mr. Hanson is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.
On August 18, 1897, Frank M. Hanson was united in marriage to Bessie P. Erb, who was born in the neighboring county of Franklin, daughter of William H. and Anna (Fowler) Erb, the former a native of the state of Pennsylvania and the latter, of the state of Arkansas; and the latter of whom is still living, now the wife of William M. Stoops. Anna Fowler was born in the vicinity of Jacksonport, near Little Rock, Arkansas, daughter of Dr. W. J. and Mary (Scott) Fowler, the former a native of Georgia and a prac- ticing physician in Arkansas at that time. Doctor Fowler was an ardent Union sympathiizer during the Civil War and was compelled to leave his home in Arkansas due to the bitterness of local feeling against him, and for two weeks, while seeking another location, he and his wife and their five children were camped within sight of the Union army for protection, having taken their flight, with what of their household goods they could get away in two wagons. They located at Raleigh, Missouri, where Doctor Fowler died a year later. His widow, Mary (Scott) Fowler, who was born in
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Franklin county, this state, a daughter of Thomas Scott and wife, who had moved to Arkansas when she was about ten years of age, was left with five children and she presently returned to Indiana with her children, locating at her girlhood home near Fairfield, in Franklin county, where six years later she married F. Z. Cushman and where she spent the remainder of her life, her death occurring there in 1892. There her daughter, Anna, grew up and married William H. Erb, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, and who had come to Indiana with his parents, David and Rosanna Erb, who located in the Fairfield settlement. William H. Erb was both a wagonmaker and a farmer and spent the rest of his life in Franklin county. He was a Republican and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. He died in 1904, leaving, besides his widow, three children, William Henry Erb, now living south of East Connersville; Maynard M. Erb, who is engaged in the lumber business and has an interest in a drug store at Con- nersville, and Bessie, who married Mr. Hanson.
Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have five children, Charlotte, Erb, Wilma, Marion and Robert. The Hansons have a very pleasant. home and take a proper part in the general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting all local good causes. Mr. Hanson is a member of the Masonic fraternity and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that ancient order.
JOHN LUDLOW. .
In the memorial annals of Connersville township, this county, there are few names held in better remembrance than that of the late John Ludlow, who was a native son of Fayette county, a member of one of the pioneer families, and who spent all his life here, a practical, progressive and success- ful farmer, an honored soldier of the Civil War and a good citizen in all that term implies. He created a fine farm establishment in Connersville town- ship and there his widow is still making her home, she and her family being very pleasantly and very comfortably situated. Mrs. Ludlow also is a meni- ber of one of Fayette county's pioneer families, the Athertons, and has lived here all her life, ever interested in the general social and cultural develop- ment of the community which has so grandly advanced during the period of her life time.
John Ludlow was born on a pioneer farm in Harrison township, this county, a place about three miles northeast of the farm on which his widow
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MR. AND MRS. JOHN LUDLOW.
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now lives, August 8, 1832, a son of Samuel B. and Hannah (Campbell) Ludlow, who came here from New York state in 1821 and settled on that farm, where they spent the rest of their lives. Samuel B. Ludlow was a resident of Seneca county, New York, and' in 1819 he became attracted to the possibilities of pioneering in the then "wilds" of Indiana and started out here on a prospecting tour. He walked all the way from his home in New York, this section of the new state of Indiana being his destination from the beginning of his trip, and upon arriving here looked about a bit with a view to picking out a tract of land that would come up to his expectations and made choice of a tract in Harrison township. Upon inquiry, however, he found that land in that section had not yet been opened for settlement, nor was it opened for purchase until the government acquired title from the Indians, and thus obtained the New Purchase, in the following year. Dis- appointed in his quest, Mr. Ludlow returned to his home in New York, but in 1821 disposed of his interests there, packed his essential household goods in a wagon and with his family drove through to Indiana and settled in this county, entering a tract of "Congress land" in Harrison township, where he established his home and where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on July 30, 1879. His widow survived him but a few years. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the eighth in order of birth.
It was on that pioneer farm in Harrison township that John Ludlow grew to manhood, a valued assistant to his father in the labors of improv- ing and developing the same. During the Civil War he enlisted for the Hundred-Day service and participated in the action against the Morgan raid- ers and in the pursuit of the leader of that cavalry band. John Ludlow was married in the fall of 1872 and for six years thereafter made his home on a farm about four miles west of Harrisburg, in the immediate vicinity of his boyhood home, and then moved to the farm where, his widow now resides. and there spent the rest of his life, an active and successful farmer and a progressive and public-spirited citizen, his death occurring on October 24. 1901.
On September 10, 1872, John Ludlow was united in marriage to Martha H. Atherton, who was born on a pioneer farm in the northwestern part of Connersville township, this county, September 28, 1845, daughter of Stout and Rachel (Martin) Atherton, natives of the state of Ohio, who became early residents of this county and whose last days were spent on the farm on which their daughter, Mrs. Ludlow, now lives. Stout Atherton was
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born near Harrison, Ohio, in 1803, and there grew to manhood. In 1825 he married and shortly afterward moved on up the Whitewater valley and settled in this county, buying the farm on which Mrs. Ludlow now lives and which at that time was but slightly improved. He straightway set about the improvement and development of that farm and in time had one of the best- improved places in that part of the county. He was an industrious and progressive farmer and, as he prospered, added to his holdings until he was the owner of two hundred and sixty acres, having owned besides the quarter section on which he made his home, a farm of seventy acres, just east of that place and thirty acres in Harrison township, and was long regarded as one of the most substantial residents of that community. There he spent his last days, his death occurring on September 16, 1878.
Stout Atherton was thrice married. In February, 1825, he was united in marriage, in Hamilton county, Ohio, to Mary Ann Sater, who died on April 27, 1835, leaving four small children. On December 3, 1835. he mar- ried Rachel Martin, who was born in the neighborhood of Middletown, Ohio, January 20, 1810, and who had come to this county when a child, with her parents, Samuel and Ann (Potter) Martin, early and influential pioneers of Fayette county. Samuel Martin was born on September 4, 1778, probably in New Jersey, and in that state, in 1805, married Ann Potter, who was born on February 24, 1784. After his marriage Samuel Martin moved to Butler county, Ohio, and some years later came on up into this part of Indiana and settled on a farm about four miles west of Connersville, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on January 9, 1851. His widow survived until March 14, 1863. Rachel ( Martin) Atherton died on November 4, 1851, in the forty-second year of her age. She was the mother of ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity. After her death Mr. Atherton married her sister, Sarah E. Martin, this latter union being without issue.
To John and Martha H. (Atherton) Ludlow three children were born, Cora, who died in infancy, and Orris S. and Edna. Orris S. Ludlow mar- ried Maggie Maurer, and lives on a farm in Harrison' township, which his father left him and which he has improved in excellent shape. He has a fine home and is doing well in farming operations. Edna Ludlow mar- ried Orris. Williams, who is farming the Ludlow farm, and she and her husband make their home with her mother there. Orris Williams was born on a farm near Bentonville, this county, May 17, 1879, son of Madison H. and Ella (Crandall) Williams, who are now living at Connersville and further and extended reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Orris
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Williams is a progressive and enterprising farmer and since taking the management of the Ludlow farm has made numerous improvements of an up-to-date character, notably the installation of an electric-lighting plant for the house. The Ludlow home is a beautiful country home, equipped with modern conveniences, and is one of the most attractive places in that part of the county. Orris Williams is a member of the local lodges of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias and in the affairs of these two organizations takes a warm interest.
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SAMUEL M. POST.
Samuel M. Post, a well-known citizen of East Connersville and a car- riage trimmer in a Connersville automobile factory, is a native son of Fay- ette county and lias lived here all his life. He was born in the village of Everton on October 2, 1871, son of John W. and Elizabeth (Murphy ) Post, for many years prominent residents of that village and both of whom are now deceased.
John W. Post was born at Franklin, in Butler county, Ohio, in 1831 and when about eighteen years of age came to Indiana, locating in Jackson township, this county, where he began working as a cabinet-maker and also as a hand in one of the waterpower mills or factories that were so numerous along Elys creek in the eastern part of Jackson township in the early days of the settlement of this county. There he presently learned shoemaking and established a shoe shop at Everton, where he spent the rest of his life thus engaged, his death occurring on August 4, 1907. He was a Democrat and ever gave close attention to local political affairs. Fraternally, he was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and took an active interest in lodge work. His widow survived him for more than seven years, her death occurring on February 20, 1915, she then being nearly eighty years of age. She was born on a farm in the southwestern part of what is now Jennings township, this county, May 15, 1835, a daughter of Samuel and Susan ( Bybee) Murphy, natives of North Carolina, who were married in that state and later came to Indiana, becoming early settlers in Fayette county. Samuel Murphy hought a tract of school land in Jennings town- ship and there established his home. His wife died there in 1846 and he died about 1871, at the age of sixty-five years.
Samuel M. Post grew up at Everton, receiving his schooling in the
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schools of that village, and when about nineteen years of age went to Con- nersville, where he learned the trade of carriage-trimming, which he ever since has followed, formerly working in a carriage factory there and ,since the establishment of the automobile industry engaged as a trimmer of auto- mobile bodies. He makes his home in East Connersville and is one of the best-known residents of that thriving suburb.
On October 10, 1901, Samuel M. c.t was united in marriage to Goldie C. Burk, who was born in the neighboring county of Union on July 1, 1877, daughter of Stephen D. and Jennie (Hess) Burk, the former a native of this county and the latter of the state of Virginia. Stephen D. Burk was born in Jennings township, this county, a son of Elisha and Mary Ann (Green) Burk, the former of whom came to this county from Harrison, Ohio, and settled on a farm south of Alquina, where he spent the remainder of his life, living to the great age of ninety-three years. Jennie Hess was but a child when her parents, William Hess and wife, came to Indiana from Virginia and settled in Fayette county. After his marriage Stephen D. Burk made his home in Union county until the summer of 1878, when he moved with his family to Hancock county, where he died about one and one-half years later, leaving a widow and one child. a daughter, now Mrs. Post, who was about one year of age when her parents moved to Hancock county. After the death of Mr. Burk his widow returned to Fayette county with her child and here she spent the remainder of her life, her death occurring about fifteen years ago. Mrs. Post is a member of the Presbyterian church.
GEORGE EMMETT OLDHAM.
George Emmett Oldham, one of Fayette county's well-known and sub- stantial farmers, a member of one of the county's oldest families and the pro- prietor of a farm of nearly two hundred acres in Jennings township, about three miles east of Connersville, is a native of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm about one-half mile south of Lyons Station, in Jennings township, March 3, 1870, son of George W. and Emeline (Mullen) Oldham, both of whom were born in this county, mem- bers of pioneer families, and whose last days were spent here.
George W. Oldham was born on that same farm, June 9, 1840, son of William and Mary Ann (Johnson) Oldham, the former of whom was born on the same farm, a son of Elder Stephen Oldham and wife, Rebecca. Elder
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Stephen Oldham came to Indiana from eastern Tennessee and entered a tract of land from the government in the southeast quarter of section 22, Jennings township, this county, about 1810 or 1811, the farm where W. E. Brown now lives. He was a minister of the Primitive Baptist church and he and his wife were constituent members of the New Bethel Baptist church, organized in 1814, and he was pastor of the game until his death in 1834, one of the most influential pioneer residents ot the eastern part of this county. On that pioneer farm William Oldham grew to manhood. In addition to his general farming he was long engaged as a dealer in live stock and became one of Fayette county's best-known citizens. He was killed in a runaway accident when his son, George W. Oldham was nine years of age. George W. Oldham grew up on the farm on which he was born and in the summer of 1857 married Emeline Mullen, who also was born in this county. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted for service in the Union army as a private in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command for nearly three years, serving in the armies of General Thomas and General Sherman. Upon the conclusion of his military service he returned to the home farm and was there engaged in farming until a year after his wife's death in 1874, when he moved to another part of Jennings township, about three and one-half miles east of Connersville, where he continued farming for years. In 1900 George W. Oldham was elected sheriff of Fayette county, as the nominee of the Republican party, carrying every ward and township in the county, and served in that capacity for four years, at the end of which time he returned to the farm and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in January, 1914. He was a member of the Primitive Baptist church, in the local con- gregation of which he was one of the leading workers, and was a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and of the Red Men, and a member of the Patriotic Sons of America, in the affairs of all of which organizations he took a warm interest.
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