USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 66
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Chickamauga, Dalton, Nashville, Decatur and Missionary Ridge. He was wounded in the leg at Chickamauga and his left eye was injured at the battle of Missionary Ridge. He was in the service two years and ten months, during which time he passed through some terrible experiences. He is one of the few Civil War veterans in the county who still retains something of his youthful appearance, which speaks well for the well-regulated life he has lived during the past half century.
At the close of the war Mr. Jones returned to Franklin county and for six or seven years was engaged in the manufacture of barrel staves. After his marriage, in 1873, he quit the lumber business and started farming in Metamora township. Twenty-one years ago he bought a farm of one hun- dred and ninety-seven acres in Butler township. This farm is well improved, practically all of the improvements having been placed upon it by Mr. Jones. He has a comfortable home and a barn, which he has enlarged in order to accommodate his produce and stock. He owns other farms in this county, aggregating four hundred and three acres and also owns a farm and city property in Idaho.
Mr. Jones was married to Dorcas Gates, a daughter of Lucius and Bar- bara (Frank) Gates. To this union have been born twelve children: Flora, who married John H. Hannebaum; Lucius, unmarried; Margaret, deceased ; Wilbur, deceased; Leola, the wife of W. Hammond; Scott, who married Ella Jackson, and has one daughter, Ida; Alden, who married Mary Foster ; Alta, deceased; Howard, deceased; Emmet, unmarried; Clarence, who is now in the United States navy, and Harry, single.
CHARLES MATHEWS.
In this review of the histories of Franklin county's noted citizens a number of families stand out distinctly. Franklin county's sons and daugh- ters have made their mark in the world, not a few of them having occupied positions of national importance. The Mathews family is accounted one of the best known and most substantial families of this county. It has given its sons to the nation in time of war and in times of peace its members have acquitted themselves no less valorously than in the stirring times of war. One of the present prominent members of this family is Charles Mathews, of Metamora township.
Charles Mathews was born in Metamora township, Franklin county, In-
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diana, on October 25, 1876. His parents were Stephen and Barbara Jane (Morton) Mathews, the latter of whom was born February 14, 1849, a daugh- ter of John and Sarah Morton. Charles Mathews was the third of the six children born to Stephen and Barbara Jane (Morton) Mathews, as follows : Albert, who married Anna Mason; Clara Belle, who married Marcus Jackson; Charles, of whom this is written; George, who married Amanda Jackson; Beecher, who married Winnie Alley, and Ona, who married John Baker. The marriages of various children gave Stephen Mathews eighteen grand- children.
Stephen Mathews was born June 15, 1851, in Pipe Creek, Butler town- ship, Franklin county, Indiana, son of Samuel and Catherine (Amack) Mathews. Catherine Amack was the second wife of Samuel Mathews. Sam- uel Mathews was a native of New York state, and came to Franklin county, Indiana, with his parents when very young. He was educated in the schools of Metamora and Butler townships. On reaching manhood he purchased forty acres of land in Butler township, moving to that place shortly after his first marriage. His first wife was Anna Sherwood, to which union were born John, Charlotta and Eliza Jane. His second wife was Catherine Amack, by whom he had ten children, as follows: William, Stephen, David, Maria, Samuel, Catherine, Ella, Phoebe Ann, who died young; Elizabeth, who also died young, and Belle. Samuel Mathews died January 5, 1885.
Stephen Mathews, father of Charles Mathews and the son of Samuel Mathews, was educated in the public schools of Butler and Metamora town- ships. Early in life he engaged in farming in Metamora township. After his marriage, on February 14, 1871, he moved to his father's farm in Butler township, where he lived until his father's death, in 1885. He then bought one hundred and seventy-two acres of land at Gates Branch, Metamora township, Franklin county, and later moved to Metamora, where he con- ducted a livery stable for five years. He now lives retired, maintaining his residence in Metamora. Mr. Mathews and his wife are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics, he is an ardent Republican and has held the office of township supervisor. He and his family are among the most highly respected families of this county.
Charles Mathews, son of Stephen Mathews, was educated in the public schools of Metamora township. After leaving school he started in life as an employe of the box factory in Brookville, Indiana, and remained at this em- ployment for about sixteen years, being promoted to the position of fore- man of the second floor of that establishment as a tribute to his efficient services. In 1907 he bought sixty acres in Metamora township, to which
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place he moved in 1913. He devotes his land to general farming and spec- ializes in the large type of Poland China hogs.
Charles Mathews was married in 1899 to Louise Lohrey, who was born October 23, 1879, a daughter of John Lohrey, and to this union were born two children : Gladys Emma, born March 16, 1902, and Virgil Ralph, born April 26, 1906.
Mr. Mathews and family are devout members of the Methodist church. He is an ardent Republican in politics and has taken an active interest in the affairs of that party in this county. He belongs to the Improved Order of Odd Fellows, in the activities of which he takes a prominent part.
Charles Mathews is a worthy member of an honorable family which always has been conspicuously identified with the best interests of Franklin county, and he and his family very properly are regarded with the highest respect and esteem on the part of their large circle of friends and acquaint- ances.
FRANK MOSTER.
It is said that this is the age of the young man and most of us agree with this statement. However, another meaning is gained from this statement. If we undertake to define the term "young man" we are amazed to learn that in this remarkable age of ours a man is still young at fifty and at thirty-five he surely deserves the title of young man. One of the youngest business men of Brookville, Indiana, is Frank Moster, who established an under- taking business in this city in 1910. Previous to that time he had been engaged in the same line of business at Laurel with his father, who was an undertaker at Laurel for many years.
Frank Moster, the son of Louis and Margaret (Weis) Moster, was born May 25, 1881, at Laurel, Indiana. His father was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, near Kelso, June 16, 1850, and is still living. His mother was born in Cincinnati in December, 1851, and is also living. He is one of six children : Joseph, an undertaker, of Laurel, Indiana; George, of Brook- ville; Anna, the wife of Mr. Jinks, of Brookville, Indiana; Frank, with whom this narrative deals; William, who is assisting his brother, Joseph, in the undertaking business at Laurel, and Edward, who is assisting his brother, Frank, at Brookville.
Louis Moster, the father of Frank Moster, was reared on a farm in the northwestern part of Franklin county, Indiana, and as a young man learned
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the trade of wagon-maker under John Andreas, of Kelso, Indiana. He was fifteen years of age when he began his apprenticeship and he served three years before his apprenticeship was completed. After this he worked for a time with Mr. Andreas and then set up a shop at St. Leon, Dearborn county, Indiana: In 1879 he bought a farm near Laurel, Indiana, which he sold a year later. He then opened a shop in Laurel and did wood-working of all kinds. He became an undertaker and it is interesting to note that he made his own coffins, that being the custom with the undertakers of another day, following this line of business for twenty years. In 1911 he moved to Brookville, Indiana, and now lives on Court street, where he maintains a general wood-working shop. His political relations always have been with the Democratic party.
The paternal grandparents of Frank Moster were Adam and Christina (Hund) Moster, both natives of Germany, the former of whom was born in Beiren and the latter in Stadtelhoffen. They came to this country when young and met and married in Cincinnati. As a boy Adam Moster learned the shoemaker's trade but only followed this vocation during his first two years in America. He came to this country in 1838 and after his marriage lived on a farm in Dearborn county, later buying a farm near by. He lived on this farm until 1870, in which year he sold it and moved to Laurel, where he bought property and lived until his death. He and his family always were devout members of the Catholic church. Adam Moster and wife have three sons living in Franklin county, Andrew, of Brookville; Sebastian, a farmer of Brookville township, and Louis, the father of Frank.
The maternal grandparents of Frank Moster were Martin and Walburga Weis, both of whom were born in Beiren, Germany. Upon coming to America they settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, later going to Dearborn county, Indiana, where they lived on a farm the remainder of their lives.
The boyhood days of Frank Moster were spent in Laurel and his edu- cation was received in the public schools of that city. Before reaching manhood he assisted his father in the undertaking business and after he reached his majority took his place as a partner in his father's business. This partnership continued until 1910 when Frank Moster moved to Brook- ville and opened an undertaking establishment for himself. By studious attention he has built up a good business throughout the county, having so conducted his business as to win the hearty approval of the community.
Mr. Moster was married September 7, 1904, to Gladys Manley, who was born at Laurel, Indiana, a daughter of Edward and Flora Manley, both
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of whom are still living at Laurel. Mr. and Mrs. Moster are the parents of one son, Neil, who was born March 29, 1906.
Although never taking an active part in the political affairs of his county, Mr. Moster has at all times been keenly interested in local govern- mental affairs and always has been willing to lend his aid to all measures that stood for the welfare of the community. He is a Democrat and firmly believes in the principles of that party.
NOAH KEELER.
Many industries are distinctive of Indiana. Farming is, of course, a great industry in this state and live stock raising also has attained great pro- portions in the Hoosier commonwealth. However, we are not prone to as- sociate the tobacco-raising industry with the general branches of agriculture in Indiana. When a man combines general farming and live stock raising and also has achieved distinction as a tobacco raiser, we must conclude that he is a very busy man. Noah Keeler, of Franklin county, Indiana, is a man who is progressive besides being busy. He has proved very decisively that tobacco may be raised in Indiana, and a very good quality of tobacco, too.
Noah Keeler was born March 6, 1869, in Blue Creek, Highland town- ship, Franklin county, Indiana. His parents were Samuel and Sarah (Bate- man) Keeler. The children of Samuel and Sarah Keeler were Mary Ann, born July 3, 1849, married George Foster, of Metamora township; Sarah, born August 28, 1851, married Noah Remey ; Thomas Jefferson, born April 13, 1854, married Sophia Bassert; Margaret, born October 1, 1856, mar- ried George Bunyard; Ada, born March 18, 1863, married John Bruns; Noah, of whom this is written; and three others who died young.
Samuel Keeler, father of Noah Keeler, was born in Dayton, Ohio, in the month of December, 1816. His parents were Thomas and Sarah Keeler, who were natives of Dayton, Ohio, and who came to Indiana, where they settled in Franklin county, near Brookville. Samuel Keeler, as a young man, started to work in Highland township, where he spent practically his entire life. He was an industrious man and before his death, April 4, 1877, had acquired a large and valuable tract of land. He was known as a highly honorable, thrifty and successful man, a citizen of sterling integrity and un- ceasing energy, traits that ever have been characteristic of the Keeler family in this county.
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Noah Keeler was educated in the public schools of Highland and Meta- mora townships. He started in life as a farmer in Butler township, in this county, but later moved to the farm he now owns in Metamora township, and has lived on this place for more than twenty years. His land is devoted to general farming and stock raising and the tobacco industry on his place is not the least of his growing activities. While the raising of tobacco is not entirely an innovation in Indiana, it requires skill and knowledge of the plant to raise it successfully. Mr. Keeler has shown excellent judgment in the cultivation of tobacco and its production is one of the prominent depart- ments on his farm.
On June 1, 1890, Noah Keeler was married to Rosa Lanning, daughter of John H. and Letha (O'Neal) Lanning. To Mr. and Mrs. Keeler have been born three children: Edgar, born March 7, 1891, assists his father on the farm and devotes a greater part of his attention to the cultivation of tobacco, supervising this department. The other two children died in early childhood.
Mrs. Keeler is a member of the United Brethren church and Mr. Keeler belongs to the Methodist church. In politics, Mr. Keeler always had affil- iated with the Republican party, but on the organization of the Progressive party, in 1912, became a member of that party. He is a prominent member of the Odd Fellows and the Improved Order of Red Men. The Keelers easily may be included among the first families of this county, where they are well known and highly regarded by their large circle of acquaintances.
GEORGE B. ROBERTS.
One of the most enterprising young business men of Brookville, Indiana, is George B. Roberts, who conducts a successful wholesale and retail grocery establishment in this city. He came to this county when a small lad and has lived here ever since with the exception of two years when he worked in Indianapolis. He was in the grocery business in Blooming Grove, Indiana, for five years and has been connected with the business interests at Brook- ville since April 1, 1914.
George B. Roberts, the son of George and Eliza (Loftin) Roberts, was born in Louisiana, September II, 1879. He is one of six children born to his parents, the others being as follows: Gertrude, who died at the age of ten ; Edward C., a painter of Paducah, Kentucky ; Roy E., a printer of Dallas,
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Texas; Iva, who is married and lives in Dallas, Texas, and Albert, a sign painter of Dallas, Texas.
The father of George B. Roberts was born in Franklin county, Indiana, while his grandparents, Clinton and Lucinda ( Rudisel) Roberts, were natives of Maryland and Indiana, respectively.
The maternal grandparents of Mr. Roberts lived and died in Louisiana. His grandfather Loftin was a veteran of the Mexican War and also served in the army of the Confederacy during the Civil War. For his services in the Mexican War, the government deeded him twelve hundred acres of valuable land in Texas, part of which land is still in litigation. The Loftin family is prominent and influential in Louisiana, many members of the family still being residents of that state.
George B. Roberts came to Franklin county, Indiana, to make his home with his paternal grandparents. He attended the school at Blooming Grove, near his grandfather's home, and there he received a good common-school education, later making his home with the parents of his future wife. When only fourteen years of age he started out to work as a farm hand and con- tinued to work on farms in this county until his marriage. His wife owned a farm and they lived on that after their marriage. After working two years in a factory in Indianapolis Mr. Roberts returned to Franklin county and bought a general store at Blooming Grove which he managed successfully for five years. In fact. he was so successful that he felt he could manage a larger establishment and, consequently, sold this store and in the spring of 1914 bought the Harry Ritze grocery in Brookville. He carries a large stock of groceries and is conceded to have the best and most modern grocery in Brookville. He also holds considerable wholesale interests in the stores in this county and surrounding counties.
Mr. Roberts was married July 23, 1895 to Mary E. Waggoner, who was born in Blooming Grove township, the daughter of Abram and Emily Waggoner, both of whom are deceased. Mr. Waggoner was a large land owner in Blooming Grove township and was honored and respected by all who knew him.
Mr. Roberts and his wife are the parents of six children : Clifford P., born January 10, 1896; Milford R., born September 26, 1898; Roy M., born July 21, 1901 ; Eula Clay, born March 5, 1904; Harold Dewitt, born June 25, 1906; and Gertrude Lenora, born February 2, 1910.
The family are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are interested in the various activities of the same. Mr. Roberts holds mem- bership in the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias.
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Although he has been in Brookville but a comparatively short time, Mr. Roberts already has built up a large trade. The success which has followed his efforts elsewhere indicates that he will some day be one of the substantial business men of Brookville. He is genial in manner and kindly in disposition and has those qualities which will assure him the esteem of his fellow citizens.
SAMUEL S. HARRELL.
One of the prominent members of the Franklin county bar for many years was Samuel S. Harrell, who practiced law in Brookville from 1861 . until within a few months of his death in 1903. He taught school in his earlier manhood, but later took up the study of law, and devoted his whole active career to this profession. He served as prosecuting attorney, clerk of the circuit court of his county and spent several years in the Indiana Legis- lature as a member from Franklin county. In every position in which he was found, his services always were characterized by conscientious devotion to duty, with the results that he merited the high esteem in which he was held by all who knew him.
Samuel S. Harrell, the son of Stephen S. and Ruth (Schooley) Har- rell, was born in Fairfield township, Franklin county, Indiana, January 18, 1838, and died after an illness of many months April 26, 1903. His grand- father, Chester Harrell, was a pioneer settler of Franklin county, while his father, Stephen S. Harrell, was a successful farmer, teacher and lawyer.
Samuel S. Harrell was reared on his father's farm until he was eighteen years of age and received his elementary education in the district schools. He spent the winters of 1855-56 as a student in Brookville College, and in 1860, began teaching school. Desiring, however, to make the practice of law his life work, he began preparation for the bar in the office and under the direction of Daniel D. Jones, an excellent lawyer of Brookville. A year later he was admitted to the bar and in 1862 was elected prosecuting attor- ney for the seventh judicial district on the Democratic ticket. After serving two years to the entire satisfaction of all concerned, he resumed the practice of his profession in the county seat. In 1867 he was elected clerk of the circuit court of Franklin county, and so satisfactory was his first term that he was re-elected, holding the office for eight years. At the expiration of his second term he again resumed his law practice and his ability soon won for him a distinctly representative clientele. His deep research and thorough prep-
MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL S. HARRELL.
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aration of every case committed to his care enabled him to meet satisfactor- ily every contingency that arose, and from the beginning of his career as a legal practitioner his efforts were attended with marked success. In 1885 his party nominated and elected him to the State Legislature, and he served in that law-making body for eight consecutive years. He took an active part in the Assembly and was instrumental in securing the adoption of many measures that have proved of great benefit to the public. He was active in Democratic circles and uncompromising in his fidelity to Democratic prin- ciples. He served as a member of the Democratic state central committee, was chairman of the county committee and was a frequent delegate to county and state conventions.
Samuel S. Harrell was married December 18, 1871, to Sarah Car- michael, who was born January 8, 1844, in Brookville, daughter of Noah and Edith (Stoops) Carmichael. To Mr. Harrell and his wife were born two daughters, Hallie and Edna, the former being a graduate of DePauw University.
Noah Carmichael, the father of Mrs. Harrell, was born in Tennessee, and came to Franklin county early in its history, being a pioneer merchant and stock dealer of the county seat. After coming to this county, Noah Carmichael married Edith Stoops, his wife being born in Brookville. Wil- liam Stoops, the father of Edith Stoops, was born in Kentucky, but became connected with the agricultural interests of Franklin county early in its his- tory.
Mrs. Harrell received but limited educational privileges as a girl, but later attended Brookville College. When she was only fifteen years old, she began teaching in the public schools and followed that profession for twelve years in Brookville and Ottumwa, Iowa. She was very successful in her work, owing to the fact that she had the faculty of being able to impart clearly and readily to others the knowledge she had acquired. Since her marriage, Mrs. Harrell has continued her interest in education and several years ago took a complete course with the Chautauqua Reading Circle and received about twenty-five seals for post-graduate work. During her hus- band's eight years' service in the Indiana General Assembly Mrs. Harrell formed an extended acquaintance among the most prominent people of the state, and is frequently called upon to fill positions requiring marked ability and foresight. In 1891 Mrs. Harrell was appointed by Governor Hovey as a member of the Indiana Columbian Exposition board. She was made a member of the committee on education and woman's work, but gave most of
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her time and energy to the first named department. As secretary of the educa- tional committee, she worked almost day and night for two years, preparing a literary and educational exhibit of the state.
Mrs. Harrell is a writer of superior ability, clearness, force and beauty of diction and has been a frequent contributor to floral and household maga- zines and educational journals. However, she has disclaimed any ambition in the way of authorship. A contemporaneous biographer said of her several years ago: "Over the signature of 'Citizen' at the age of sixteen, she (Mrs. Harrell) furnished a series of letters to the local press, showing up the man- agement of the liquor traffic, the boldness of so-called moral and religious men who are its patrons. Her letters had such an awakening effect as to the evil influence of liquor that they created more agitation than had been stirred up for years." The circular letters of Mrs. Harrell which she sent out while preparing the exhibit of the state for the Columbian Exposition called forth many favorable comments. She has written articles on scientific temperance and education which are models of clear and comprehensive English She has the happy faculty of expressing herself in concise language, and every- thing which comes from her pen has the characteristics of a finished literary style. Mrs. Harrell always has been an active worker in the church and takes a keen interest in the welfare of young people. One of her public labors, and to her a very dear one, was the opening of a reading room in Brook- ville for the use of the boys of the town. Later she was also instrumental in securing the Carnegie library for Brookville, and still later became identified with charity work in this county.
GEORGE W. GLOSHEN.
The first member of the Gloshen family to locate in Franklin county, Indiana, was the grandfather of George W. Gloshen, who came here in 1845. The family has been active in various phases of the county's development for more than seventy years. George W. Gloshen has a fine farm of two hundred and sixty acres in Salt Creek township, on which he lived until the spring of 1914, when he was appointed to the position of superintendent of the Franklin county infirmary.
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