History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 40

Author: Stormont, Gil R
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F.Bowen
Number of Pages: 1284

USA > Indiana > Gibson County > History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 40

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On August 30, 1911, Mr. Ingle married Grace Ross, the daughter of W. W. Ross, of Evansville, and to them have been born two children, Will- iam and Kenneth. Religiously, Mr. Ingle is a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he is an elder and in the various activities of which he is deeply interested.

GEORGE C. BURTON.

It is proper to judge of the success of a man's life by the estimation in which he is held by his fellow citizens. They see him at work, in his family circle, in church, hear his views on public questions, observe the operation of his code of morals, witness how he conducts himself in all the relations of society and civilization, and are therefore competent to judge of his merits and demerits. After a long course of years of such daily observation, it would be out of the question for his neighbors not to know the truth con- cerning his worth, for, as has been said, "actions speak louder than words." In this connection it is not too much to say that the subject of this sketch, who has long since passed to his reward, passed a life of unusual honor, that he was industrious and had the confidence of all who had the pleasure of his friendship.

George T. Burton was born November 12, 1833, in London, England, the son of Robert and Rosamond Burton, and died August 6. 1909, in Princeton, Gibson county, Indiana. Robert Burton and children emigrated to America when the subject was a boy and, in 1846, settled in Gibson county.

420

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

Indiana, southeast of Princeton. Here they acquired one hundred and sixty acres of land, to which they subsequently added an additional tract of one hundred and twenty acres. The subject's mother died in England. Robert Burton was a piano tuner in England, but on his arrival in Gibson county he turned to agriculture, which he followed the rest of his days, his death oc- curring on the home farm. The four children of the subject's parents were : Robert, who died in Princeton; George C .; Sarah married Jasper Heisy and both are now deceased; Lizzie died on September 5, 1913.

George C. Burton had attended the common schools in London, Eng- land, before his parents brought him to America, and on his arrival here he lived with his father, helping in the work on the place and continuing the operation of the home farm after his father's death. In 1901 the subject retired from active agricultural life and moved to Princeton, where he spent the remainder of his days in peaceful and honorable retirement.

On August 10, 1865, Mr. Burton was united in marriage with Nancy Geise, who was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1846, a daughter of William and Mary (Groves) Geise, he a native of Germany and she of Ohio. The father of Mrs. Burton came to the United States when quite a young man and located in Indianapolis. He was a baker by trade. In 1852 he removed to Gibson county and secured a farm in Patoka township, which he operated until his death, in his sixtieth year. His wife passed to her reward at the age of seventy-three. The father was a Lutheran in his religious belief, while the mother belonged to the Baptists. To the parents of Mrs. Burton were born eight children, namely : Mary is the wife of Henry White and lives north of Princeton; Nancy, now Mrs. Burton; Sophia married Charles Heisz, of Patoka township; August, an expert machinist, lives at Oakland City, Indiana; William is a retired farmer at Princeton; Christina is the wife of Fred Hasselbrink, a farmer in Patoka township; Henrietta, deceased, was the wife of John Keifer; Lizzie is unmarried and lives in Indianapolis, In- diana.

To the subject and wife were born seven children, as follows: Rosa- mond married Frank Stormont, proprietor of a moving picture show at Princeton; George married Ruth Milburn and is superintendent of a coal mine; Ronald is operating the old home place in Patoka township and mar- ried Nina Williams; Jesse is a painter in Princeton and married Thursa Mccullough; Ralph married Susan Bremer and is employed by the Inde- pendent Telephone Company at Princeton; Mabel is the wife of Burt Mc- Cullough, a restaurant keeper in Princeton; Harry, who is unmarried and

421

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

lives at the home place, is a member of the firm of Burton & Mason, painters and paper hangers.

In his political belief, Mr. Burton gave his support to the Democratic party, while, fraternally, he was a charter member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 64, at Princeton, in which he took an absorbing interest. For over fifty-three years he was one of the most active members of that body, being a regular attendant, rain or shine, and exemplifying in his daily life the beautiful and worthy precepts of that order. He had held all the offices in the lodge, being its secretary for many years, and was an at- tendant at many of the grand lodge sessions. At his funeral the ceremonies were conducted by his fraternal brothers and he was laid to rest in the Odd Fellows' cemetery at Princeton.

WILLARD A. DILL.

The gentleman to whom attention is directed in this review has at- tained pronounced prestige by reason of native and acquired ability, as also because of his prominence in official position and high standing in the domain of private citizenship. He takes a deep and abiding interest in everything pertaining to the material advancement of the town and town- ship and every enterprise intended to promote the advancement of Gibson county is sure to receive his hearty support. He is rated as one of the pro- gressive citizens of the community in which he lives and the high respect in which he is held by all classes of people is a deserving compliment to an in- telligent, broad-minded and most worthy man.

Willard A. Dill, the present efficient assessor of Gibson county, was born on December 1, 1871, in Columbia township, near Oakland City, this county, and is the son of William M. and Martha E. ( Harper) Dill, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Missouri. William M. Dill came to Gibson county when about seven years old with his father, William Dill, who settled on a tract of land southwest of Oakland City, to the cultiva- tion of which he devoted his time. His son, William M., was also reared to the life of a farmer, but was also employed for about eight years in the mill- ing business in Illinois. He was a man of industrious habits and splendid character, enjoying the respect of all who knew him, and his death occurred in November, 1913. His wife had died on July 13. 1909. They were the .

422

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

parents of ten children, of whom six are living, namely: William R., who is blind, lives with the subject of this sketch; Frank, of Evansville, Indiana; Willard A., the subject; Mrs. Sarah E. Peck, of Owensville, Indiana; Mrs. Louisa J. Whiting, of North Platte, Nebraska, and Mrs. Lulu Ellenbush, of Evansville, Indiana.

Willard A. Dill was reared on a farm, receiving his education in the public schools of Patoka township, to which locality his parents had re- moved when he was about eight years old. After graduating from the common schools in 1892 he attended one term of school at Mt. Vernon, In- diana, and one at Cynthiana, and then went to Princeton Normal University, from which he graduated July 31, 1896. He also attended one term at Oak- land City College. He then engaged in teaching school, in which he was successfully engaged up to 1904, in all twelve years, achieving a splendid reputation as a teacher and enjoying the confidence alike of parent and pupils. In 1904 he was elected trustee of Patoka township by a majority of one thousand sixty, serving efficiently and satisfactorily in this position for four years. He then returned to teaching for two years, and in 1910 he was elected county assessor on the Republican ticket, being one of two candidates of that political faith who were elected that year. The duties of the office of assessor are, of course, not exacting, but Mr. Dill has so far met the ex- pectations of those who chose him for office, and has proven a popular and efficient public official.

In 1902 Mr. Dill was married to Rhoda E. Wilhite, a native of Patoka township, Gibson county, Indiana, and to them have been born two children, Raymond Paul and Venus Silba.

Religiously, Mr. Dill is an earnest and faithful member of the Chris- tian church of Princeton, as well as being president of the board of trustees. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, be- longing to Lodge No. 64, and Encampment No. 55, at Princeton. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Princeton, Court No. 43, Tribe of Ben-Hur, and of Lodge No. 1150, Knights and Ladies of Security, being financier of the latter lodge. He has been success- full in his affairs and owns a valuable little truck farm one-half mile out of Princeton, south on Main street, where he makes his home and where he enjoys life. Crippled since the age of thirteen years, as a result of an attack of white swelling and compelled to walk with the assistance of crutches, Mr. Dill deserves much credit for the success which he has attained in the pursuit of his affairs, and also for the care and attention which he gave his aged

423

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

parents when they were in advanced years. Genial and unassuming in his relations with his fellowmen, he has so ordered his activities as to command the respect of all who know him and he is eminently deserving of a place among the representative men of his vicinity.

HARVEY HARMON

Among the lawyers who have been successful in their profession in Gib- son county is Harvey Harmon, the present prosecuting attorney of this county. He was born August 12, 1873, in Gibson county, Indiana, the son of John W. and Julia A. (Pruitt) Harmon. John W. Harmon's ancestors were among the very first settlers in Gibson county, the family having located in that community near the year 1812. Harvey Harmon's father was born and lived his entire life in that county, having been engaged in the mercantile and milling business for forty years. To the subject's parents were born two children, Harvey, and a sister, Grace, who married R. H. Barnett. The father. John W., is still living at Owensville, while the mother died at the old home place.

The early education of Harvey Harmon was secured in the common schools, this being supplemented by a course in the high school, from which latter place he graduated in 1892. after which he attended the law school of the State University at Bloomington, Indiana, finishing his studies there in 1899. After his graduation there he was employed for some time as an adjuster for the Deering Harvester Company of Chicago, subsequently en- gaging in the practice of law in Princeton, where he has continued since. In 1913 Mr. Harmon was elected prosecuting attorney of the sixty-sixth judicial circuit of Indiana and is now filling that office.

In 1900 Mr. Harmon was united in marriage to Nora McGinnis, daugh- ter of James and Melissa (Manck) McGinnis, the father a hotel man at Owensville, this county, for twenty years. Mrs. Harmon's mother is now living with subject and wife, while the father is dead. To Mr. Harmon and wife have been born four children. Julia, John, Mary and Martha, all of whom are living with their parents.

In his political views, Mr. Harmon is an active worker in the Demo- cratic party, while fraternally he is affiliated with the Masons, in which order he is a Knight Templar ; he is deputy grand president of the Fraternal Order

424

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

of Eagles of the state, and is also a member of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks and the Improved Order of Red Men.

ALFRED S. FORD.

The success of men in business or any vocation depends upon character as well as upon knowledge, it being a self-evident proposition that honesty is the best policy. Business demands confidence and where that is lacking business ends. In every community some men are known for their upright lives, strong common sense and moral worth rather than for their wealth or political standing. Their neighbors and acquaintances respect them and the younger generation heeds their examples. They win their way through untiring energy and right principles and hold the respect of their fellow men by their genuine worth. Among the men of Gibson county, Indiana, who have won for themselves success in their chosen line of endeavor, is the one whose name appears at the top of this sketch.

Alfred S. Ford first saw the light of day on February 14, 1835, in Bed- fordshire, England, the parents being James and Jane (Battison) Ford. Both were natives of England. When the subject of this sketch was about nine years old (in 1844) the family emigrated to this country, locating near Mt. Carmel, Illinois. Not being satisfied with the site first selected, they came to Princeton, Indiana, in the fall of 1845, where they resided the re- mainder of their lives. There were six children in the family originally, but of these only one, the subject of this sketch, survives. The father started the first nursery in Princeton, in 1851, which he continued to operate until his death in 1882.

Alfred S. Ford received most of his education in the common schools of Princeton. and at an early age was regularly apprenticed to a carpenter. He was faithful in the discharge of his duties and made rapid advancement in his chosen trade. In due time, through careful attention to the various phases of his line, he advanced to being a builder and contractor in his own right.

Early in the Civil war, wishing to show his loyalty to his adopted country, Mr. Ford enlisted, in August, 1862, in Company A, Eightieth Regi- ment Indiana Volunteers, and so faithfully did he discharge his assumed obligations that he was mustered out of service in 1865 as first sergeant. He was in active service all during his enlistment and was wounded in the

ALFRED S. FORD.

425

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

breast by a shell at Resaca. Was in the battle of Nashville and Wilmington, and went all through the Atlanta campaign. After the close of the war, he returned to Princeton and resumed his contracting business. In 1880 he bought the lumber business and planing mill which he now owns. Previous to his going into the army, he was on the town board for two terms.

In May, 1858, Mr. Ford was united in marriage to Elizabeth A. Rice, a native of Butler county, Kentucky. To them were born seven children, six of whom are living, namely : Lucy J., wife of Elmer E. Sharp, of Greencastle, Indiana; Frank, residing at Waterloo, Iowa; Katie, who resides at home; George, a resident of Fort Branch, Indiana ; Nellie, at home, and Dale A., who is associated with his father. Mrs. Ford's parents were Washington and Lucy ( McReynolds) Rice, natives of Virginia. Her father, who had been a soldier in the war of 1812, was a pioneer of Gibson county. He was a school teacher for many years and was serving as justice of the peace at the time of his death, in 1854. He was a public spirited man and a Whig in politics. His wife passed away in 1839. They were the parents of two children, Thomas, a school teacher, who died in 1856, and Elizabeth, Mrs. Ford, who was born in 1837.

Mr. Ford has always cast his influence with the Republican party. He has been a consistent man in all he has undertaken and his career in all the relations of life has been utterly without pretense. He is held in the highest esteem by all who know him and is in every respect an excellent and enter- prising citizen, one of that admirable body of men who can truly style them- selves "self-made."

CHARLES S. SCULL.

The gentleman to a review of whose life the reader's attention is most respectfully directed is recognized as one of the energetic, well known busi- ness men of Gibson county, who, by his enterprise and progressive methods, has contributed in a material way to the commercial advancement of the locality where he lives. In the course of an honorable career he has been successful in the manifold lines to which his efforts have been directed and, enjoying distinctive prestige among the representative men of his commun- ity, it is eminently proper that attention be called to his achievements and due credit be accorded to his worth as an enterprising citizen.

Charles S. Scull, the son of Aaron and Miranda (Beach) Scull. was born in Wapello, Iowa, February 14, 1860. Aaron Scull was a native of

426

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

New Jersey, while his wife was born in Indiana. Aaron Scull was reared in his native state and came to Indiana in early life, where he met his wife, and after their marriage they moved to Iowa, where he followed the occupa- tion of a carpenter and builder the remainder of his life. To Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Scull were born nine children, five of whom are living: Ancil B .; William L .; Charles S., the immediate subject of this sketch; Mrs. Ida B. Crawley, who is a teacher; Mrs. Nellie Barnes, of Joliet, Illinois.

Charles S. Scull secured his education in the common schools of his neighborhood where he was reared in Iowa and has supplemented this by reading and observation of men and events. He was reared to the life of a farmer, but later in life he became interested in the sewing machine business and for a period of ten years was an agent for one of the large sewing machine companies in the state of Kentucky. Subsequently he came to Princeton, Indiana, where he engaged in the same line of business for two years, after which he bought the furniture store of A. W. Lagou in 1893, and he still owns and operates this establishment. He carries a large and well selected line of furniture and house furnishings and has for more than twenty years enjoyed his full share of the popular patronage. He possesses marked business ability and his courteous treatment of his patrons and evi- dent desire to please all who come into his store has won him a large ac- quaintance throughout the county. On January 13, 1914, Mr. Scull moved into his new store, the old Wright property, on the east side of the public square. Here he had erected a three-story and basement, pressed brick build- ing, arranged to meet the demands of his business, the conveniences includ- ing an electric passenger elevator. Mr. Scull is an active member of the Commercial Club and the Retail Merchants Association of Princeton.

Mr. Scull was married in 1901 to Sarah Whiting, the daughter of Capt. C. C. Whiting and wife, who are referred to elsewhere in this work, and to this union there has been born one son, Charles W., whose birth occurred on March 3, 1904, and who is attending the public schools of Princeton, his father intending to give him the best education which the public schools afford. Politically. Mr. Scull is a Republican and has always voted for the candidates of that party. He has held no public offices, nor has ever been a seeker for a place of preferment, feeling that all of his attention could be more profitably directed toward his business. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and also of the time-honored order of Free and Accepted Masons, and takes an active and appreciative interest in these fraternal organizations. Mr. Scull bears the proud American title of self-made man and is, in the

427

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

most liberal sense of the term, the architect of his own fortunes. He may well feel a sense of pride in his achievement and the honorable position to which he has attained among the enterprising and successful citizens of the county and city in which for so many years he has been actively identified.

W. E. CRISWELL.

It is a well authenticated fact that success comes as the result of legiti- mate and well applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance in a course of action when once decided upon. She is never known to smile upon the idler or dreamer and she never courts the loafer, only those who have diligently sought her favor being crowned with her blessings. In trac- ing the history of the influential citizen of Princeton, Gibson county, Indi- ana, whose name forms the caption of this review, it is plainly seen that the success which he enjoys has been won by commendable qualities and it is also his personal worth that has gained for him the high esteem of those who know him.

W. E. Criswell is a native son of the old Hoosier state, being born in Warrick county, and is a son of J. J. and Sarah E. (MeSwain) Criswell, both also natives of Indiana. J. J. Criswell has for many years been engaged in real estate business in Princeton, where he still maintains an office, and is numbered among the substantial citizens of that enterprising city. W. E. Criswell received a good common school education, completing his studies in the high school, after which he started out in life on his own account as a clerk in a clothing store. Then he went to Indianapolis, where for six years he followed a like occupation, and in 1906 came to Princeton and entered into a partnership with Mr. Welborn, under the firm name of Welborn & Criswell. and they are today carrying one of the largest and most complete stocks of clothing and gents' furnishing goods in Princeton, the stock being conservatively valued at twenty thousand dollars. . \ large share of the credit for this splendid success is due to the untiring effort and sound busi- ness judgment of Mr. Criswell, who has devoted himself assiduously to the building up of his trade, and who by his uniform courtesy to the patrons of his store and his insistence upon courteous treatment on the part of his · employees, has made a favorable impression upon those who have patronized him. Mr. Criswell, though among the younger business men of Princeton,

428

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

has also gained an enviable reputation among his fellow business men, by whom he is held in high esteem.

Fraternally, W. E. Criswell is a member of the Tribe of Ben-Hur, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, while, socially, he holds membership in the Marion Club, of Indianapolis. Genial and unassuming in manner, Mr. Criswell easily makes friends and throughout this community, where he is well known, his friends are as the number of his acquaintances.

JOSHUA S. SISSON.

In the respect that is accorded to men who have fought their own way to success through unfavorable environment, we find an unconscious recog- nition of the intrinsic worth of a character which can not only endure so rough a test, but gain new strength through the discipline. The gentleman to whom the biographer now calls the reader's attention was not favored by inherited wealth nor the assistance of influential friends, but in spite of this, by perseverance, industry and wise economy, he has attained a comfortable station in life, making his influence felt for good in his community and be- cause of his honorable career in the education of the youth of the county and because of the fact that he is numbered among those patriotic sons of the North who assisted in saving the Union's integrity in the dark days of the sixties, he is eminently worthy a place in this book.

Joshua S. Sisson, respected citizen of Princeton and retired school teacher and farmer of Gibson county, Indiana, than whom no man in his county is more deserving of mention in a book of this character, was born January 8, 1846, in Switzerland county, Indiana, the son of John C., a native of Gallatin county, Kentucky, and Lydda Elizabeth (Stephenson) Sisson, a native of North Carolina.

In the paternal line, the subject's ancestral history is as follows: (I) Richard Sisson, who was born in 1608 and died in 1684. (II) George Sisson, eldest son of Richard Sisson, married Sarah Lawton, and of their children, the ninth in order of birth was (III) Thomas, who was the father of (IV) Giles. The latter's wife bore the name of Elizabeth and among their children was (V) John, who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. His wife bore the name of Alcha and their twelfth child was (VI) Benjamin.

429

GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA.

Benjamin Sisson was twice married, first to Hannah Cranston, and to them was born a daughter, Hannah. His second wife was Serviah Pendleton and to their union were born the following children: Mary, Ann, Ira, Julia A., Lucinda, ( VII) John Crandall, Nancy A. and Eli.

John Crandall Sisson, who was a farmer, grew to manhood and married in Kentucky and came to Indiana and purchased a sixty-five-acre farm back from Vevay, Indiana. There they made their home until 1858, when they loaded their possessions on flat boats on the Ohio river, went through the falls at Louisville, Kentucky, and arrived at Leavenworth, Crawford county, Indi- ana, where they located two and one-half miles back from the river on what is known as the Milltown road. Here he purchased a farm of sixty-five acres and on this they made their home until after the close of the Civil war. In 1879 they went to Knox county, Indiana, locating east of Hazelton, where he died on June 30, 1899. He would have been eighty-two years old on August 3d following. His first wife died in April, 1863, and he married for his second wife Sarah McClure, who died on February 18, 1911. John C. Sisson, while taking no active interest in politics, was a man who kept posted on such affairs. Originally he had been a Democrat, but later joined the ranks of the Republican party. He was a consistent member of the United Brethren church and a man well liked and respected. To him by his first wife were born twelve children, as follows: William Benjamin, who died in 1909, served throughout the Civil war. He enlisted as a private in Company E, Thirty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was made second lieutenant. The Thirty-eighth saw considerable active service and he was with it in the various battles. He was also a teacher in the pub- lis schools for many years. Hannah Elizabeth who died in 1910, was the wife of Joseph B. Glenn and lived in Switzerland county, Indiana. Henry Crandall was a farmer who lived in Warsaw, Kentucky. (VIII) Joshua Stanley is the immediate subject of this sketch. Zachary Taylor was also a soldier who served throughout the Civil war, a member of Company E. Thirty-eighth Regiment, in the ranks of the privates. He was a shoemaker in his earlier life and for many years has been engaged in farming at Texarkana, Texas. David Harrison enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Forty-sixth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, at the tender age of fifteen, after having been rejected several times on account of his youth. He served six months. After the close of the war he taught school for thirty- five years, first in Knox county and later in Gibson county. He is now a rural mail carrier, running out of Deckard Station, Indiana, for the last

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 40

Author: Stormont, Gil R Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F.Bowen Number of Pages: 1284

Author: Stormont, Gil R
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F.Bowen
Number of Pages: 1284