USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 88
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After his marriage Ezra Trusler located in Decatur county, this state, where, in partnership with one of his brothers, he engaged in blacksmithing and was thus engaged until his last illness, when he was taken back to the
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home of his parents in Franklin county, where he died on March 28, 1874, leaving a widow and one child, a son, Edmund B., the subject of this sketch, then three years of age. After the death of Ezra Trusler, his little daughter, Lena, was born, August 7, 1874. His widow, meanwhile, had gone back to the home of her parents and there little Lena died on May 24, 1877. Mrs. Trusler became a nurse after the death of her husband and remained thus engaged the rest of her life, her death occurring on May 5, 1905.
Edmund B. Trusler was reared by his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, in Blooming Grove township, Franklin county, and there lived until 1891. when, he then being twenty years of age, he went to Brook- ville, where for four months he was engaged in a baker's shop, later going to Rushville, where he worked at the baker's trade until January 5, 1895, when he went West and was for nine years. located in Colorado. He was married in the fall of 1901 and in January, 1904, returned to Indiana and located on a farm in the southeastern part of Connersville township, this county, a place that belonged to his father-in-law, and there has farmed ever since. His father-in-law died the next year, the farm then descending to Mrs. Trusler. When Mr. Trusler located on that farm it consisted of one hundred and fourteen acres, and he has since added to the same by pur- chase until he and his wife now own a fine farm of one hundred and sixty- six acres, "Spring Dale Farm," which is one of the best-improved and most thoroughly equipped farm plants in that part of the county. In 1913 Mr. and Mrs. Trusler built a fine, new modern house, equipped with bath, sani- tary plumbing, furnace and acetylene-lighting system, and are now very pleasantly and very comfortably situated. They are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and Mr. Trusler is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
On October 16. 1901. Edmund B. Trusler was united in marriage to Effie Belle Remy, who was born on a farm two miles north of Brookville, in Franklin county, this state, a daughter of Moses A. and Susan J. (Jemison) Remy, the former of whom was born on the same farm and in the same house as was his daughter, June 17, 1849, a son of Henry and Catherine (Cory) Remy and the only child of that union to grow to maturity. Henry Remy farmed all his life on the place where Mrs. Trusler was born. His father had come out here from the East, from Maryland, according to family tradi- tion, and settled in Franklin county in 1819, establishing his home on what came to be known as the old Remy farm north of Brookville. There Moses A. Remy grew to manhood and on October 4, 1871, married Susan J. Jemi- son, who was born on a pioneer farm three miles south of Connersville, Octo-
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ber 8, 1846, a daughter of William and Martha (Dunlap) Jemison, who were married on March 30, 1845, and who lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. William Jemison was born near Connersville and all his life was spent in this county. He was a son of John and Cynthia (Coe) Jemi- son, the former of whom was born in Mason county, Kentucky, in 1793. When quite young John Jemison's father died and he was bound out to learn the tanner's trade. He married, in Cincinnati, Cynthia Coe, who was born in Louden county, Virginia, in 1796, and who was reared near Parkers- burg, and in 1815 he and his wife came up into Indiana and he entered a tract of land from the government in Jackson township, this county, and there erected one of the first tanneries in Fayette county. John Jemison was an industrious, upright citizen and did much to advance the early interests of this county. He died in 1851 and his widow survived him until 1874. After his marriage Moses A. Remy lived on a farm adjoining the old Remy homestead until after his father's death, when he occupied the old home place and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on February 9, 1905. His wife had preceded him to the grave about five years, her death having occurred on March 20, 1900. They were members of the Methodist Epis- copal church and were the parents of three children, those besides Mrs. Trns- ler being William, who lives in Jennings township, this county, and Martha Katherine, who married Oliver Redmond and lives on the old Remy home- stead north of Brookville. Mr. and Mrs. Trusler have one child, a daughter. Irene Josephine.
JOHN S. CLARK.
John S. Clark has been a continuous resident of the farm on which he now lives, in the western edge of Connersville township, and which he now owns, since the year 1873. He was born not far from there and his wife was born about a mile south of the place and they have both been residents of that neighborhood all their lives. He was born on a farm at the foot of Bunker Hill, west of Connersville, February 1, 1851, son of John and Nancy (Woods) Clark, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of the state of Kentucky, who spent their last days on their Bunker Hill farm.
John Clark grew to manhood in his native Scotland and then came to this country, coming to Indiana and locating in this county about 1840. He bought a small farm at the foot of Bunker Hill, on the west side of the creek, and after his marriage established his home there, both he and his wife
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spending their last days there. He was a stone mason by trade and gave more attention to his trade than he did to his farm, the demand for his services as a stone mason keeping him pretty busily engaged at that vocation. He died in 1881 and his widow survived him but a year, her death occurring in 1882. She was born in Kentucky and was but a child when her parents came to Indiana and settled in the Blooming Grove neighborhood, in Frank- lin county. John and Nancy Clark were Presbyterians and their children were reared in that faitlı. There were thirteen of these children, nine of whom grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow: Elizabeth, who married Samuel McCrory and is now deceased; Mrs. Jane Queen, deceased; Mrs. Anna Clawson, deceased; Mrs. Jessie Fre- mont Roots, deceased; Mrs. Mary McCrory, of Fairview township; Vinson H., of Nebraska; Frank, of Fairview township, and Samuel, of Hawkins- ville, in Harrison township.
John S. Clark lived at his home in the vicinity of Bunker Hill, a valued assistant in the labors of the home farm, until he was twenty-two years of age, when, in 1873, he became a resident of the old McCrory farm on the western edge of Connersville township, where he ever since has resided. He farmed for William McCrory as long as the latter lived and then remained with the family, continuing to look after the farm. William McCrory died in 1876, leaving a widow, four daughters and his wife's mother living on the home farm, and it was for these latter that Mr. Clark continued the man- agement of the farm. After his marriage in 1895 he established his home there and when the place finally was sold at administrator's sale, he straight- way bought it from the purchaser and has been the owner of the place since November 13, 1915. Mr. Clark's farm contains two hundred and six acres, is well improved and has been profitably managed, Mr. Clark having given the place as earnest attention during all the years of his management of the same as though he had owned it personally.
In 1895 John S. Clark was united in marriage to Annie Woodcock, who was born on a farm a mile south of her present residence, a daughter of Homer B. and Hester (McCrory) Woodcock, the former of whom was born in that same neighborhood, on the farm now owned by Palmer T. Bilby. His parents came to this county from the state of New York and settled in the southern part of Connersville township, in what then was known as the "Stumptown" neighborhood, where they bought a tract of heavily-wooded land. Later they went to Illinois, where their last days were spent. It was on that pioneer farm in "Stumptown" that Homer B. Woodcock grew to manhood. He later spent two years in Logansport, this state, and then moved
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to Connersville, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1896. His wife, Hester McCrory, was born on the farm where Mr. Clark now lives, a daughter of William and Melissa J. (Iles) McCrory, and she survived him for nearly twenty years, her death occurring on November 21, 1915. William McCrory, one of the real "old settlers" of Fayette county, was a native of Ireland, born on April 12, 1804, and was but six years of age when his parents came to this country. At a very early day in the settle- ment of Fayette county they came here and settled in the western part of Connersville township, at that time an unbroken forest, and there established their home. William McCrory had a brother, Robert McCrory, who also, in time, established his home in this county, locating in Fairview township, about a mile and a half northeast of Glenwood. He also had a sister, Mar- garet Saxon, who lived in Fairview township. William McCrory grew to manhood in Connersville township and on March 22, 1838, married Melissa J. Iles, who was born in Kentucky on January 30, 1818, and who came with her parents to this county, the family settling near Fairview. After William McCrory's marriage he established his home on the farm now owned by Mr. Clark, and there he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on November 29, 1876. His widow survived him many years, her death occur- ring on January 28, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have four children, Ione, Albert, William and John.
MAYNARD MARION ERB.
Maynard Marion Erb, member of the Fayette county council, proprietor of "The Owl" drug store at Connersville and also actively connected with the lumber business now operating at Macon, Georgia, was born on a farm in the neighborhood of Blooming Grove, in the adjacent county of Franklin, September 25, 1873, son of W. Harrison and Anna L. (Fowler) Erb, the latter of whom is still living, now making her home near Connersville.
W. Harrison Erb was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and was but an infant when his parents, David Erb and wife, drove through to the then Territory of Indiana, in 1813, and settled in the vicinity of Fairfield, in Franklin county. David Erb entered a fractional section of land there and the original parchment deed given by the government for the same and bear- ing the signature of President James Madison is now in the possession of the subject of this sketch, grandson of the first settler on that tract. Upon settling on his place in Franklin county David Erb put up a small log cabin
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and there established his home. David Erb was a man of vigorous mind and body and early became acknowledged as one of the leaders in the new community. In 1820 Governor Jennings appointed him major of the Six- teenth Regiment, Indiana State Militia, and he was long a familiar figure at the annual musters and on other occasions of public gathering throughout that section. He held various local offices and was widely sought by his pioneer neiglibors and consulted in matters requiring legal advice. Harrison Erb grew up on that pioneer farm and lived in that neighborhood all his life, a lifelong farmer. His wife, Anna L. Fowler, was born in Arkansas, a daughter of Dr. John West and Mary (Scott) Fowler, natives of Indiana, who had moved to Arkansas not long after their marriage. In 1863 Dr. John West Fowler started to return from Arkansas with his family to Indi- ana, but died in Missouri, en route. His widow and her three sons and two daughters continued the journey and upon their arrival in Indiana settled in the Everton neighborhood, in this county, later moving down into Frank- lin county and locating at Fairfield, where Anna L. Fowler was living at the time of her marriage to Harrison Erb. Mr. Erb died in 1903 and his widow is now living near Connersville. To her and her husband three children were born, two sons and a daughter, the subject of this sketch having an elder brother, W. H. Erb, who is living on a farm three miles south of Con- nersville, and a sister, Mrs. Frank M. Hanson, who is living south of East Connersville.
Maynard Marion Erb grew up on the paternal farm in Franklin county and received his early schooling in the schools of that county. When eighteen years of age he entered Purdue University and was graduated from the department of pharmacy in that institution in 1893. Thus equipped for the business to which he had decided to devote his life Mr. Erb engaged in the drug business at Connersville and when the McFarlan building was com- pleted he rented a room in that building and moved his store to that point, remaining there for two or three years, at the end of which time he became engaged as a traveling salesman for a wholesale drug house. Later he bought a drug store at Muncie, but eighteen months later he became engaged in the lumber business and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he remained for five or six years, at the end of which time he returned to Con- nersville, where he ever since has been located, though continuing to main- tain his interest in the lumber business he established at Chattanooga. It has since been moved to Macon, Georgia, where it is now being successfully operated. In 1911 Mr. Erb bought "The Owl" drug store at Connersville and has since been conducting the same, at the same time continuing to look
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after his extensive lumber interests. Ever since his return to Connersville Mr. Erb has given his close attention to county politics, has been treasurer of the Republican county central committee for several years and is now a member of the county council, giving his earnest attention to county affairs. For a number of years he also was treasurer of the Fayette County Free Fair Association and in other ways has contributed of his time and his energies to public and semi-public movements, long having been regarded as one of the "live wires" of the hustling city of Connersville. Mr. Erb is a thirty-second-degree Mason, affiliated with the Indianapolis consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with Murat Temple, at Indianapolis. He also is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias.
In 1902 Maynard M. Erb was united in marriage to Laura Lowe, who was born at Camden, Ohio, a daughter of Alexander and Ellen (Campbell) Lowe, natives of the state of Ohio, who moved to this state and located on a farm in the Connersville neighborhood when their daughter, Laura, was a child. Alexander Lowe was an honored veteran of the Civil War, having enlisted at Richmond, this state, for service in the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command for four years. He was severely wounded at the battle of Chickamauga. He died more than thirty years ago and his widow is now making her home with Mr. and Mrs Erb.
JAMES MONROE HARLAN.
James Monroe Harlan, one of Connersville township's substantial and well-to-do farmers, was born on the farm on which he is now living and has lived there the greater part of his life. He is a representative in the third generation of one of the oldest families in Fayette county, the Harlans hav- ing been here since the year 1815, one year before Indiana was admitted to statehood, and have therefore been participants in the development of this county from the very beginning of a social order hereabout. He was born on February 10. 1849, son of Enoch and Mary Ann ( Honeywell) Harlan, the former of whom was born in that same locality on July 31, 1819, son of Samuel and Nancy (Brown) Harlan, who were among the earliest settlers in Fayette county, having come out here in what then was the "wilds" of the West from their native South Carolina and settling in the woods in what is now Connersville township, this county.
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Samuel Harlan was born in Laurens county, South Carolina, April 30, 1772, and grew to manhood and was married there to Nancy Brown and several of their children were born in that county. In 1811 Samuel Harlan and two of his brothers set out on horseback on a prospecting trip into the West, seeking a new location. They proceeded west as far as Mississippi, but not being favorably impressed with the lay of the land in that direction turned and came back north and east. up through Tennessee and Kentucky and on up into Indiana Territory. They were very much taken with the appearance of the rich timber lands in this part of the country and here Samuel Harlan picked out all of section 31 and the northwest quarter of sec- tion 6, in what afterward was organized as Connersville township, this county. The nearest land office at that time was situated at Cincinnati and thither he went to secure title to his land. There he paid for his title in gold which he had carried with him in all his journeying through the wilds, and then returned to his old Carolina home, where he began disposing of his interests there and making preparations for settlement on his timber tract back in Indiana. Early in the spring of 1815 he and his family, among whom were the sons, Stephen, Matthew, George and Amos, the latter, then but a babe in arms, being carried on horseback by his eldest sister, started for the West. The household goods were packed in a big Conestoga wagon, substantially built and trimmed with brass, to which was attached a brass-bound and heavily riveted money-box. one of the rivets of which released a secret spring which gave access to the strongbox. Without undue adventure the Harlan, family arrived at their destination in the wilderness and on the bank of Vil- lage creek, at a point just east of where the bridge over that creek now is located, they "pitched their tent." And tent it literally was, for during the first year of the family's residence in this county and while they were getting ready to build a house, they made their home in a kind of a tent, or shanty, constructed of canvas and poplar bark, supported by poles driven into the ground. Nearby, on the northwest quarter of section 6, there was an exten- sive pigeon-roost deadening and there, on a tract of about eight acres, the Harlans raised their first crop. They had brought poultry with them and not long after their arrival at their new home in the wilderness they set out for the hamlet of Connersville to dispose of a surplus of eggs, starting through the woods in what they thought was the general direction of the hamlet, but so thick was the timber that they lost their way and presently found themselves back at their own place, having wandered in a circle. By observing the moss on the trees and thus keeping a true course, they later
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found their way to the hamlet and it was not long until they had a well- defined trail to the market place.
Samuel Harlan farmed on that pioneer tract the rest of his life and became early recognized as one of the most substantial and influential settlers in that community. He gave the land for the Village Creek cemetery and there he is buried, his death having occurred on April 18, 1858, he then being eighty-five years, eleven months and twenty-nine days of age at the time of his death. His widow, who was born on November 27, 1778, survived him for about thirteen years, dying on January 12, 1871, she then being then at the great age of ninety-one years, one month and fifteen days. Other chil- dren were born to them after they came to Fayette county and they were the parents of eleven sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to maturity. When Grandmother Harlan died she not only had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but several in the fourth generation of her descent.
Enoch Harlan, one of the eleven sons of this pioneer couple and who is mentioned above, grew up in Connersville township amid pioneer conditions and remained a farmer all his life. For some years after his marriage to Mary Ann Honeywell, who also was a member of one of the pioneer families of Fayette county, he continued to live at the old home place, but later traded with one of his brothers and received the farm where his son, James M. Harlan, was born and where the latter now lives. There Enoch Harlan died on February 28, 1851, and his widow survived him but a few years. They were the parents of three children who grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch being Harrison Harlan, who now lives at Kokomo, this state, and Judith, who married Edmund Burk and is now deceased.
James M. Harlan was but a small child when his father died and was but about five years of age when his mother died, and he thereafter was taken care of in the family of his uncle, Samuel Harlan, until he was eighteen years of age, when he started out for himself. presently taking charge of the farm where he was born and where he ever since has made his home. He owns one hundred and ninety-seven and one-half acres of excellent land and has a well-equipped farm plant. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Harlan has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done very well. He and his wife have a very comfortable country home and are quite pleasantly situated.
On January 27, 1870, James M. Harlan was united in marriage to Susanna Agnes Knipe, who was born in Posey township, this county, daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary (Meranda) Knipe, the former of whom was of English parentage and the latter of whom was born in southern Ohio, prob-
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ably near Higginsport, and who came to this county with her parents, Samuel and Susanna (Shinkle) Meranda, who settled in Posey township in pioneer days, Samuel Meranda getting part of his land there from the government. Thomas Knipe was both a farmer and a cabinet-maker. He died when his daughter (Mrs. Harlan) was eight months of age and his widow survived him less than seven years, Mrs. Harlan thus having been orphaned at almost as tender an age as was her husband.
EDWARD V. HAWKINS.
In the amazing industrial development that has marked Connersville during the past third of a century or more, there has been no more active personal factor than Edward V. Hawkins, president of the Connersville Furniture Company, former president of the Connersville Commercial Club, president of the Connersville city school board and in numerous ways identi- fied with the growing interests of that city. He has been a resident of Con- nersville since 1874, in which year he arrived there as a journeyman cabinet- maker to take a position in the factory of the old Indiana Furniture Com- pany, and ever since locating in that city has given his most earnest atten- tion to the development of its various interests. The coming of Mr. Hawkins to Connersville hinged on an apparently trivial incident, but that incident proved fruitful of important consequences and unquestionably was far-reach- ing in its effect upon the later development of the industrial life of the city. Mr. Hawkins was about twenty years of age at the time. He had just com- pleted an apprenticeship at cabinet-making at Vevay, his home town, and was a skilled craftsman in that line. One evening he was sitting in a barber shop at Vevay, awaiting his "turn" for tonsorial attention, when his atten- tion was called to a copy of the Connersville Weekly Examiner that had been forwarded to Vevay by a former resident. In the local column of this issue was a notice that the new Indiana Furniture Company would be ready to begin operations March Ist. Believing that the prospect might open up further opportunities in the way of advancement in his trade, the young man decided to apply for a position, which was obtained. He, thereafter, came to Connersville, arriving with twenty dollars in money and his chest of tools, practically his total wordly possessions, and there he has remained ever since and for many years has been recognized as one of the leading forces in the city.
E. V.Hankins
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In 1874 Edward V. Hawkins arrived at Connersville and there began working in the plant of the old Indiana Furniture Company, at that time one of the leading concerns in that line in Indiana. So satisfactory did his work prove to his employers that he presently was promoted to the position of foreman of the plant and, later, to the position of general superintendent of the same, occupying the latter position when, in 1882, he conceived the idea of organizing a factory for manufacturing furniture. He approached Charles Mount, F. M. Roots and some other men of Connersville, who became interested, joining him in the organization of a company for the purpose of manufacturing bed-room furniture. Mr. Hawkins had little money for investment in the proposed concern, but he had what was far more valuable, expert experience in the manufacture of furniture, and he cast his lot with the new company, the same being incorporated as the Connersville Furniture Company, of which Mr. Hawkins has long been the president and general manager. The Connersville Furniture Company is an incorporated concern with a capital stock of two hundred thousand dollars, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars cominon and fifty thousand dollars preferred. It now employs two hundred men, occupying a plant with a floor space of over one hundred thousand square feet and in 1916 did a business exceeding five hun- dred thousand dollars, its products being sold in all parts of the United States. The present officers of the company are as follow: Edward V. Hawkins, president and general manager : Mrs. M. L. Hawkins, vice-president; Edward P. Hawkins, secretary and assistant general manager, and F. J. Snider, treasurer.
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