USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 112
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Brookville for thirteen years, which is sufficient evidence that his fellow citizens recognize his ability. He has been a member of the Knights of Pythias for nearly thirty years and also holds membership in the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is a wide-awake and public spirited citizen and is justly regarded as a representative man of this community.
PHILANDER T. McCAMMON.
The McCammon family has been identified with the history of Franklin county, Indiana, for nearly one hundred years, the grandfather of Philander T. McCammon coming to this county in 1818. This was only two years after Indiana was admitted to the Union, and thus it will be seen that the family has been connected with the history of Franklin county since the earliest beginning of the state. Mr. McCammon farmed and taught school for several years before becoming superintendent of the Brookville water works plant, a position which he has been filling very satisfactorily since 1906. He is active in every phase of the life of his community and belongs to that class of citizens who can always be depended upon to advance the general welfare of the community.
Philander T. McCammon, the son of William C. and Mehala A. (Smalley) McCammon, was born in Brookville township, Franklin county, Indiana, December 9, 1852. His parents were both born in Bath township in this county, his father on March 17, 1823, and his mother on September 16, 1827. His father died in July, 1904, and his mother in February, 1908.
The paternal grandfather of Philander T. McCammon, John Mc- Cammon, was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia. Later he moved to Tennessee, married in that state a Thomas and a short time afterwards moved to Warren county, Ohio, where he lived for a time. From Warren county, Ohio, John McCammon moved to Bath township, Franklin county, Indiana, settling there in 1818. He lived there a few years and then bought a farm in Union county, Indiana, where he spent the remainder of his life. John McCammon, with two brothers and two sisters came from Virginia to Tennessee. Later one of the brothers went to Alabama, while the other settled in Ohio. One sister died in Tennessee and the other in Franklin county, Indiana.
The maternal grandparents of Philander T. McCammon were John and Sophie (Heargarider) Smalley, natives of Pennsylvania. They came
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from that state to Franklin county, Indiana, about 1820 and here passed the remainder of their lives. Both were members of the Big Cedar Baptist church in this county and were influential in the work of developing that part of the county in which they lived, being prominent in all the good works of the neighborhood in their day and generation.
William C. McCammon, the father of Philander T., was about sixteen years of age when his father died. He left home soon afterwards, learned the carpenter's trade and traveled as a journeyman carpenter throughout the west as far as Kansas City. He became a farmer in the west and farmed during the remainder of his life. William C. McCammon and wife were the parents of two sons, Philander T. and John M., the younger son, who is now a farmer in Webster county, Missouri.
Philander T. McCammon was educated in the schools of Brookville and Springfield townships and early in life started to work for himself. However, he was a diligent student while in school and after leaving the school room studied alone, so that he was able to secure a teacher's license. For many years both before and after his marriage he taught school during the winter seasons and farmed during the summer. After his first marriage he went to Kansas in 1878 and entered a quarter-section of school land. He proved his claim and then disposed of it and returned to Franklin county, Indiana, where he again engaged in farming and teaching. His wife died a year after he returned to Indiana. He continued farming until 1895, when he sold out and moved to Brookville, where he has since resided. Since 1906 he has been the efficient superintendent of the Brookville water works.
Mr. McCammon has been twice married. He was first married De- cember 9, 1874, to Sarah O'Bryne, who was a native of Franklin county, her birth having occurred in Springfield township. She died September 18, 1880, leaving her husband with two sons, Vernon, born October 8, 1875, a physician now practicing in Arkansas City, Arkansas, and John Wilbur, born March 4, 1877, a practicing physician at Indianapolis, Indiana. John W. married Fannie Nichols, and has one daughter, Lois.
Mr. McCammon was married, secondly, February 1I, 1885, to Mary Salome Myers, who was born in Fairfield township, in this county, a daughter of DeCamp and Margaret A. Myers. There are no children by the second marriage.
Mr. McCammon always has been an active worker in the Democratic party. He has been justice of the peace since 1904, and has filled this office very acceptably. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of
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Odd Fellows, the Encampment and the Daughters of Rebekah. A number of times he has been delegate to the Odd Fellows' Grand Lodge. He and his wife are loyal members of the Christian church, of Brookville, and are interested in all church and Sunday school work as well as in the various local movements which seek to advance the material and moral welfare of the city and county.
JAMES WEAR.
Pioneers have been very aptly termed "the vanguard of civilization." It not only requires courage to be a pioneer, but self-sacrifice of the very highest order. In the days when our country was comparatively new, many of the more venturesome spirits forced their ways far beyond the outposts of civilization. They penetrated into Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. They faced the imminent danger of death from many sources. They were compelled to fight hostile Indians, to ward off dangerous beasts, to travel through almost impassable forests and to ford dangerous streams. From the loins of these fearless pioneers sprang a hardy, vigorous race of people, whose descendants today constitute the bone and sinew of our land. One of the best known descendants of these pioneers in Franklin county is James Wear, of Springfield township.
James Wear was born March 8, 1852, in Butler county, Ohio, the son of Nathaniel and Susan ( Majors) Wear, the latter of whom was the daugh- ter of Edward Majors, well known and influential member of the community in which he long resided.
Nathaniel Wear, father of James Wear, was born at Butler county, Ohio, and was educated in the district schools of that place. He was raised on a farm and followed that occupation the greater part of his life. He rented a farm for a time, but later acquired one hundred and twenty acres. Leaving Ohio, he came to this county and located in Springfield township, where he lived for three years. He died at the age of fifty-seven years, his wife living to be about seventy years of age. He was a life-long Democrat, and was a man whose counsel often was sought by the leaders of that party in his com- munity.
James Wear, the grandfather of James Wear of this county, was born and reared near Flemingsburg, Kentucky, his father having been one of the very earliest arrivals in that state. James Wear moved from the Blue Grass state to Ohio, where he settled in Morgan township, Butler county. Here he
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was married to a Miss Vantres, to which union six children were born, Mill- igan, Nathaniel, James, Wellington, William and John, all of whom are long since dead.
James Wear, of this county, was one of ten children of Nathaniel and Susan (Majors) Wear, the others being as follows: Lizzie, Thomas, Mary (deceased), Eva Jane (deceased), Henry, Emerine, Louisa, Josephine (de- ceased) and John (deceased). Lizzie married Louis Morgan and lives at Hamilton, Ohio. Thomas married Mary De Armon and lives in Butler county, Ohio. Henry was married twice, his first wife being Sarah Ann Bosz, and his second wife Martha McClain, both of whom are dead. Henry now lives at Butler county, Ohio. Emerine lives at Los Angeles, California. Louisa married Samuel McClain and lives in Butler county, Ohio. James Wear was educated in the common schools of Butler county, Ohio, and after coming to Indiana pursued the occupation of farmer. At the age of thirty- five he was married to Harriet Merrell, the daughter of Jonathan and Eliza- beth (Cunningham) Merrell. Harriet Merrell was one of three children of Jonathan Merrell, the others being Mary and Arthur. Mary married John Fye and Arthur is dead. The father of Jonathan Merrell came from New Jersey and entered one hundred and sixty acres of government land, which is still in possession of his descendants.
James Wear is engaged in general farming and is now the owner of two hundred and fifty-two acres. He is affiliated with the Democratic party, in the local affairs of which he takes the interest of a good citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Wear have no children. They are very proud of their ancestry, being one of the many families of this county who can trace their descent direct from the early settlers who risked death to establish the cause of civilization in the wilderness.
RICHARD HENRY KERR.
The birth of Richard Henry Kerr occurred in Whitewater township, Franklin county, Indiana, a half century ago. He was reared in this town- ship and after his marriage farmed for many years in Boone county, In- diana. For the past twelve years he has been farming in Whitewater town- ship, in Franklin county, and has accumulated a fine farm as a result of patient industry and good management. The Kerr family was one of the early settlers of Franklin county and has been connected with its history for more than eighty years.
(72)
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Richard Henry Kerr, the son of Edwin T. and Ellen ( Bromley) Kerr, was born in Whitewater township March 26, 1865. His father was born at Cedar Grove, in this county, April 23, 1835, while his mother, a daughter of Richard Bromley, was born in England January 12, 1842. His parents reared a family of seven children: William, born July 26, 1863; Richard H., with whom this narrative deals; Edwin D., born May 8, 1867; Vado, born September 8, 1870; Sarah, born May 9, 1874; Ralph, born August 7, 1875; and Alva O., born December 23, 1878.
Edwin T. Kerr, the father of Richard H., was educated in the common schools of Franklin county and early in life began to farm for himself. After his marriage, in 1861, to Ellen Bromley, he located on a farm of his own in Whitewater township and for the next twenty years was a successful tiller of the soil. In 1881 he went to Hutchinson, Minnesota, and lived there until 1908. In that year he removed to Ellendale, North Dakota, and a short time later located in Copeland, Idaho, where he lived until his death. His wife still living at the latter place.
· The paternal grandfather of Richard H. Kerr was William L. Kerr, a native of England. Grandfather Kerr married Mrs. Anna Callander in 1829, she being the widow of Thomas Callander. She was born April 12, 1810, in Manchester, England, and died August 23, 1889. After his mar- riage, Grandfather Kerr came to America and located in Franklin county, Indiana, where he lived the remainder of his days. He had only two sons, Edwin T., the father of Richard H. and William, who was at one time recorder of Franklin county.
The maternal grandfather of Richard H. Kerr was Richard Bromley, who was born January 1. 1801, in England. His wife, Sarah, was born January 22, 1801. Grandfather Bromley and wife reared a family of twelve children : James, born January 15, 1823; Marie, born September 4, 1824; Ann, born March 18, 1826; Mary, born July 16, 1827; William, born Jan- uary 13, 1829; Thomas, born June 16, 1830; Charlotte, born April 22, 1832 ; Salmon, born May 3, 1834; Josiah, born October 17, 1836; Henry, born October 17, 1838; Robert, born January 21, 1841 ; and Ellen, born January 12, 1842, all of whom were born near Manchester, England.
Richard H. Kerr was educated in the common schools of Whitewater township. As a youth he helped his father with the work on the farm and thus early learned the rudiments of agriculture. After his marriage, in 1888, he located in Boone county, Indiana, and rented land in that county for thirteen years and one year in Marion. In 1903 he came to Franklin county and bought eighty-two acres in Whitewater township. As he has
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prospered from year to year he has increased his acreage until he now owns two hundred and forty acres. He raises excellent crops of all kinds common to this latitude and has recently been growing tobacco, many farmers of the county having started tobacco culture within the past few years. He also engages in stock raising and has high grade cattle and hogs.
Mr. Kerr was married October 18, 1888, to Ella Miller, and to this union .have been born nine children : Wreatha E., born August 14, 1892; Ethel M., born October 7, 1894: Grace E., born January 20, 1896; John H., born November 13, 1898; Edwin E., born May 19, 1902; Hortensia F .. born February 26, 1909, and three who died in infancy. All of these chil- dren are still single with the exception of Wreatha, who is the wife of Joseph Ratz, a farmer of Whitewater township.
Mrs. Kerr was born April 2, 1869, and was the daughter of John and Sarah E. (Liming) Miller, of Boone county, Indiana. John Miller, the father of Mrs. Kerr, was born November 28, 1842, in Franklin county, Indiana, and was married February 27, 1868, to Sarah E. Liming, born November 29, 1851, in Franklin county, Indiana, the daughter of Eonech Liming and Catharine (Dunn) Liming. Eonech Liming was born in New Jersey October 4, 1803. and died April 18, 1855, in Franklin county, In- diana. His wife, Catharine (Dunn) Liming, was born in Pennsylvania October 25, 1817, and died near Sharptown, Indiana, March 27, 1909. They were married in October, 1840. This marriage was blessed with five daugh- ters, Eliza J., Cornelia A., Sarah E., and two who died in childhood. Sarah E. was the mother of Mrs. Kerr. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are the parents of six children : Ella, born April 2, 1869; Clara, born April 30, 1871 ; Franklin, born December 12, 1872; Samuel, born June 15, 1874; Newton, born March 20, 1879 ; and James, born April 1, 1881 ; all born in Franklin county. John Miller is a large land owner of Boone county, Indiana. He was in the Civil War for four years and was severely wounded at the battle of Stones River. He was a member of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, and fought in a large number of the most important engagements of the Civil War, among them being Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mis- sionary Ridge and all of the battles which Sherman fought in his march through Georgia to the sea. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Kerr was Harmon Miller, who was born in Franklin county, September 4, 1816, and died in January, 1907. He married Aley Terry, who was born at Greens- ville, South Carolina, on February 23, 1809. Harmon Miller and wife were the parents of six children, William, Elizabeth, John, George, Mary and Harmon, Jr.
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Mr. Kerr is a Democrat in politics, but has never had any aspirations along political lines. Mrs. Kerr is a member of the Presbyterian church, Hazelrigg, Indiana. Mr. Kerr is a man of many admirable personal quali- ties, and his every-day life has been such as to merit the high esteem in which he is held by those who best know him.
GEORGE DICKSON.
The Dickson family located in Franklin county, Indiana, in 1826 and, consequently, has been identified with the history of this county for near ninety years. The various members of the family have been engaged in farming and stock raising and have been among the large land owners of the county. George Dickson has spent his whole career of more than sixty® years in this county and the active part of his life has been spent in farming. For the past four years he has been living a retired life in Brookville al- though he still gives his careful supervision to his own farm in Bath town- ship.
George Dickson, the son of John and Nancy ( Blacker) Dickson, was born in Springfield township, Franklin county, Indiana, April 17, 1855. His father was born in Canada, near Montreal, March 19, 1824, and died in Franklin county, June 15, 1897. His mother was born in Whitewater township, Franklin county, in 1828 and died in this county in 1905. John Dickson was only two years of age when his parents moved from Canada to Franklin county, Indiana. After marriage he bought a farm of his own in Springfield township consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. At his death he owned several other farms in the county and was known as one of the largest land owners and one of the most progressive farmers of the county. He was a lifelong Democrat and served one term as commissioner of Franklin county. John Dickson and wife reared a family of four chil- dren, all of whom are still living: George, of Brookville; Margaret, of Brookville; William E., a farmer of Whitewater township; and John C., a steel inspector, now living in East Chicago.
The paternal grandparents of George Dickson were George and Elizabeth (Peterson) Dickson, both of whom were born in County Down, Ireland, of Scotch-Irish descent. They were married in Ireland and shortly after immigrated to Canada but lived there only four years. In 1826 they came to the United States and located in Franklin county, Indiana, where
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they bought one hundred acres of land. They were stanch members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Grandfather Dickson died at the age of sixty- four. He was a Democrat and was trustee of his township for many years. The maternal grandparents of George Dickson were Patrick and Margaret (McHugh) Blacker, the former of whom was born in the northern part of Ireland, and the latter in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. They were married in Pennsylvania and later, about 1815, settled in Whitewater town- ship, Franklin county, Indiana. Grandfather Blacker lived to be seventy- seven years of age.
George Dickson was reared on his father's farm in Springfield township and received his education at the Mount Carmel schools. As a boy he worked on his father's farm during the summer season and remained at home until his marriage. Soon after marrying, in 1876, he bought one hundred and sixty acres in Bath township on which he lived until 1910. In that year he bought a fine residence on the corner of Main and Eleventh streets in Brook- ville and now makes the county seat his home. He still owns his farm and rents it to responsible tenants.
Mr. Dickson was married December 20, 1876, to Naomi Rider, who was born in Springfield township in this county, the daughter of George C. and Rachel (Jones) Rider, both of whom are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Dickson have one daughter, Lena Rayford, who is the wife of Clifford B. Moore, a farmer of Springfield township.
The late George C. Rider, father of Mrs. Dickson, was a native of England, born in 1816. At the age of twenty-one he came to America and learned the milling trade, locating in Franklin county in 1837. At one time he owned a boat plying on the waters of the old canal which ran through this county and did a thriving business as a freighter. Later he owned a prospering horse-sale stable on Fifth street in Cincinnati, which he disposed of in order to acquire a farm in Springfield township, this county, on which he located about the year 1855. In 1848 Mr. Rider was united in marriage with Rachael Jones, a native of Franklin county, and to this union five children were born, two of whom died in infancy, the others, who still survive, being George C., who lives in California; Mary E., widow of the late Joseph Baird, of Hamilton, Ohio, and Mrs. Dickson. The Riders and the Dicksons were neighbors in Springfield township and George Dickson and his future wife were schoolmates and grew up together. Mr. Rider died in 1892 at his old home in England and his body was buried there, it having been his expressed wish that he be laid to rest in his native land. His widow survived him several years, her death not occurring until the year
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1908, and her body was laid to rest in the cemetery at Harrison, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Rider were influential and valuable residents of the Springfield township neighborhood and the memory of their good deeds lives after them.
Mr. Dickson is a Democrat, as was his father before him. He is a · member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and is a member of the Indian- apolis Consistory and the Murat Temple of the Mystic Shrine. Mr. Dickson always has taken an intelligent interest in the welfare of those about him and is rightly included among the representative men of his county.
WILLIAM ROTH.
Among Franklin county's enterprising farmers who are entitled to rep- resentation in this volume is the late William Roth. Mr. Roth filled a large place in the ranks of the enterprising and public-spirited citizens of Butler township, Franklin county, in his day and generation. He was a successful farmer, a man kind to his family, interested in the best phases of civic life, popular among his neighbors and respected by everyone who knew him. Mr. Roth is entitled to rank among the energetic, self-made men of the genera- tion in which he lived.
William Roth was born in Peppertown, Franklin county, Indiana, in 1847 and died December 12, 1895. His father was Frank Roth, who was born in Germany and who married Theresa Sauerland. Frank Roth was a shoemaker by trade. He and his wife had four children, all of whom were devoted members of the Catholic church, Frank, William, Peter and Louis.
William Roth was educated in the common schools and was a farmer during his entire life. He was married February 3, 1891, to Mary Grunker, who was born April 1, 1865, the daughter of Mathias and Elizabeth (Huer- mann) Grunker. Mathias Grunker was born in Germany and came to America while still unmarried. He went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and there worked as a farmer. He later moved to near Oldenburg, in Butler town- ship, Indiana, where he owned one hundred acres, the same farm which his son-in-law, William Roth, owned until the death of the latter.
Mathias Grunker's wife was married twice, her first husband being Henry Brinkhoff, and to that union five children were born: Conrad, Eliza- beth, Catherine, Benjamin, deceased, and Veronia. The father of these children died and the mother later married Mr. Grunker and to this union the following children were born: Anna, Mary, Matilda, Theresia, Jose- phine, Henry and Louisa, the three latter being now deceased.
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After his marriage, William Roth moved to his farm in Butler town- ship, the one formerly owned by his father-in-law. Here Mr. Roth had one hundred acres of land, where he did general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Roth were the parents of four children, Verena, Conrad, Frederick and Lizzetta.
Of these children Verena lives in Batesville, Indiana. She married Anthony Kirsner and has one daughter, Frances. Lizetta married August Werner and lives in Franklin county. The other two children are living at home and farming the home place.
Mrs. Roth now lives on the home place. She is capable and efficient as a business woman and has been able to carry on the work of her departed husband. The Roth family are all members of the Catholic church. Mrs. Roth is devout in her religious belief and contributes a liberal measure of support to the church of which she is a member. She is much beloved in the community where she resides.
JOHN H. HANNEBAUM.
If one were to recount the different forces that have brought Franklin county to its present prosperous condition, there would be found many per- sons of many nationalities. Like all other American communities, Franklin county is cosmopolitan in its makeup. Among the many different nationali- ties who are represented in this county in goodly numbers are the Germans. Among those who have achieved prominence in the affairs of Franklin county, whose ancestry was German, is John H. Hannebaum, a well-known farmer and stock raiser.
John H. Hannebaum was born August 18, 1860, in Peppertown, Salt Creek township, Franklin county, Indiana. His parents were Henry and Catherine (Wulber) Hannebaum.
The paternal grandfather of John H. Hannebaum was Frederick Hanne- baum, a native of Germany. He came to America, bringing his family and settled on a farm in Franklin county. At the outbreak of the War of 1812 he enlisted and served in the war throughout his term of enlistment. His children were Henry, Frank, Elizabeth, Catherine and William. He and his family were members of the German Lutheran church.
Henry Hannebaum, father of John Hannebaum, was born about 1825 in Germany and came to America when about sixteen years old. He came to Indiana and settled in Salt Creek township, in Franklin county. His early
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