USA > Indiana > Gibson County > History of Gibson County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 76
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After the death of her husband, Mrs. Deardorff returned to the home of her parents in Gibson county, where she has since lived. She was again married December 26, 1895, to Edgar H. Bailey, but the marriage did not prove congenial and after about thirteen years it was thought best to bring their marital relations to an end. Since that time Mrs. Bailey has continued her residence on the old home place where she was born in May. 1853. Here she has lived a life of usefulness, which has endeared her to every one in the community. When her mother died, Mrs. Bailey promised her to do more for the poor than they had done and this meant much, for Mr. and Mrs. Robb had been probably the most charitable people in the whole township. Mrs. Bailey considers her promise to her mother as a duty laid upon her and, as she is able, not only gives money, but also that rare sympathy that means far more. She has been a power for good to all with whom she comes in con- tact, gives homes to the unfortunate and oppressed, and even has several of the unfortunates in her own home at times. Fortunately she is possessed with the means to carry out her charitable ideas and the good which she does
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for this community has rendered her one of the best beloved women of the county. Her kindly bearing, her loving kindness, and the friendly methods of doing her good deeds, her tender and ennobling way of bringing cheer to the hearts of the unfortunate will probably never receive due credit in this world.
JOHN D. CHISM.
Among the citizens of Gibson county, Indiana, who have built up a com- fortable home and surrounded themselves with valuable real estate and per- sonal property, few have attained a higher degree of success than John D. Chism. With few opportunities except what his own efforts were capable of mastering and with many discouragements to overcome he has made an exceptional success in life and in his old age has the gratification of knowing that the community in which he resides has been benefited by his presence.
John D. Chism, one of the most successful farmers in Gibson county, Indiana, was born on August 28, 1852, in Montgomery township. this county. His parents were William and Mary (Fitzgerald) Chism. William Chism was born in White county, Illinois, and his wife was a native of Posey county, this state. John Chism, the father of William Chism, was one of the first of the family to come to White county, Illinois, and when the family settled there in 1812, they were in the midst of the struggles incident to the war of 1812. However, they were never troubled with the Indians, and lived in that county the remainder of their lives. William, the father of John Chism. was the only son of the family who grew to maturity. The four daughters of Mr. and Mrs. John Chism who grew to maturity were as follows: Mrs. Rachel Graham, Mrs. Margaret Blue, Mrs. Nancy Rudolph and Mrs. Sarah Graham. William Chism grew up in White county, Illinois, and received his limited education in the district school's of his home locality. In 1843 he left Illinois, settling in Gibson county, Indiana, about three miles north of Poseyville. Later he entered government land in Gibson county, this state, and cleared and improved a farm of respectable proportions. Here he lived the life of a farmer the remainder of his days, his death occurring in 1876. He was a life-long Democrat and, with his wife, a member of the Regular Baptist church. To Mr. and Mrs. William Chism were born eight children: James M., of Poseyville, Indiana, born October 11, 1845; Margaret, the wife of John Martin, born October 11, 1850; Hiram, born January 28, 1855. died
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July 16, 1855: Elizabeth, born October 5, 1856, married Philip Martin, and lives on the old Chism homestead: William, born October 27, 1858, died October 9, 1859; Hattie, born January 2, 1865, married John Arbuthnot, of Center township, this county : Charles B., born August 2, 1862, is now a miner in Alaska, and John D., the immediate subject of this sketch.
John D. Chism was the third child in the family and received his educa- tion in the schools of his home locality, finishing his educational training in the Owensville high school. That he prospered well by his schooling is shown in the fact that he was successful in securing a teacher's license and later taught school in Posey county for one year. He continued to reside at home until his mother's deatlı, after which he bought part of his father's old farm and built a house and otherwise improved the place. Later he sold this place and bought eighty acres on the state road south of Princeton about twelve miles and here he lived for nine years. He then sold this farm and pur- chased a farm near Douglas Station, Indiana, consisting of one hundred twenty acres, which he continued to operate for the next twenty-one years. In addition to his farming interests he also had a general store at Douglas Station and handled grain of all kinds. Mr. Chism has always been a very successful farmer, and in fact, everything to which he has turned his attention has been successful. He has made considerable money in the buying and selling of grain, live stock and agricultural products of all kinds.
John D. Chism was married November 17, 1881. to Grace B. Mauck, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alford Mauck, who are represented elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Chism are the parents of six children : Angie, who married Alva Montgomery in January, 1906. Immediately after marriage they lived in Montgomery township, but went west on account of Mrs. Mont- gomery's health and while there she died. Mrs. Montgomery left two chil- dren, Carroll, deceased in 1899, and Jeanette. Blanche L., who married Joseph Mccullough, September 13, 1913, lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma ; Mary, who, after graduating from the Princeton high school, entered Indiana University at Bloomington where she is still a student: Harold, who died in 1899, at the age of four years; Lucy, who is still at home and attending high school at Princeton.
Mr. Chism is a stanch Democrat, but has never been an aspirant for any political office. His business affairs have occupied all of his attention and demanded all of his time, so that he has had no time to play the political game in his county. However, he is a man who keeps well informed on all the current affairs of the day, and has decided convictions on important questions
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which he is able to set forth in a very forcible manner. As a farmer and business man he has been eminently successful and he and his wife now are the owners of several valuable farms in Gibson county, as well as personal property of various kinds. The family moved in 1913 to Princeton and bought a home at 701 South Gibson street, where they dispense hospitality to a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Chism is a man of fine and alert mentality and is deeply interested in everything pertaining to the ad- vancement of his community along material and moral lines, and for years has been prominent as one of Gibson county's highly respected citizens.
LEMUEL O. EMMERSON.
The history of a county or state, as well as that of a nation, is chiefly a chronicle of the lives and deeds of those who have conferred honor and dig- nity upon society. The world judges the character of a community by those of its representative citizens and yields its tributes of admiration and respect to those whose words and actions constitute the records of a state's prosperity and pride. Among the prominent citizens of Gibson county who are well known because of the part they have taken in public affairs is Lemuel O. Emmerson.
Lemuel O. Emmerson was born at King's Station, south of Princeton, Gibson county, Indiana, on April 11, 1846, the son of Lemuel and Nancy (Dougan) Emmerson. The father was a son of Jesse Emmerson, who came from Lincoln county, Kentucky, to Gibson county, Indiana, on April 10, 1809, locating on what is known as the John Martin Smith place between Princeton and Owensville, and was one of the earliest settlers of this locality. He and his family floated down the Ohio river on canoes to Evansville, from there coming to Princeton, their first camp being on the present site of Judge Land's residence. At that time but little settlement had been made in this locality, the land being covered by a dense forest. Jesse Emmerson was born a British subject, his birth taking place near Culpeper, Virginia, in 1767, and it is noteworthy that he has a son, Henry P. Emmerson, who is now living in the Soldiers' Home at Lafayette, Indiana, being now (this year, 1914) eighty years of age. Thus two generations of this family have witnessed every change in the American colonies and states since the independence of the former. Jesse Emmerson was a farmer by vocation and a man of con- siderable influence and force in this community. He married Elizabeth
LEMUEL O. EMMERSON.
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Emmerson, who was probably a cousin. and to them were born fourteen chil- dren, twelve sons and two daughters, five of whom were deaf and dumb, in- cluding the subject's father. Of these fourteen children, Henry P. is the only one living. The senior, Lemuel Emmerson, while living, was a successful farmer in Patoka township, this county, and died on December 12, 1845, a few months before the birth of the subject of this sketch. He was the father. of five children, namely: Mary E. Mead, of Oakland City, Indiana; James R., of Oakland City; Mrs. Hannah J. Rutter, deceased ; Mrs. Malissa Vickers, of Oakland City, and Lemnel O., the subject. After the father's death, the mother became the wife of Stephen Sanders, there being no issue to this union, and her death occurred in 1872 at Fort Branch, this county.
Lemuel O. Emmerson was reared on the paternal farmstead, receiving his education in the country schools of his home neighborhood. On Decem- ber 8, 1863, when but sixteen years of age, he enlisted in Company D. One Hundred and Twentieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, rendering valuable serv- ice to his country, receiving an honorable discharge on December 8, 1866. IIe took part in all the campaigns and battles in which his regiment participated, including the battles around Atlanta, and those at Rocky Face, Snake Creek Gap, Resaca. Lost Mountain and Kenesaw Mountain. He helped to lay the bridge at the crossing of Chattahoochee river, at the mouth of Soap creek, and there waded the stream in the face of the enemy's fire. He was in the battle of Atlanta, where General McPherson was killed, and in the sanguinary con- flict at Jonesboro. After the fall of Atlanta, Mr. Emmerson accompanied his regiment in the pursuit of Hood to Tennessee, and took part in the engage- ments at Columbia, Nashville, and Franklin, Tennessee, and was in the battle of Kingston, North Carolina, one of the last of that great conflict. Returning home upon the conclusion of his service, Mr. Emmerson went to school for two years and then engaged in teaching, which commanded his attention for twenty-nine years, during all of which period he taught in Gibson county schools with the exception of four terms. In 1898 Mr. Emmerson retired from pedagogical work as a profession and was elected a justice of the peace. This position he now holds, and he has discharged his duties to the entire sat- isfaction of all who have had business in his court. Well informed in the general principles of jurisprudence and with a large sense of justice and fair- ness, his decisions have been marked by a soundness of judgment and correct- ness of view, which have received the commendation of the higher courts.
On March II, 1872, Mr. Emmerson was married to Marinda J. Mason, a (49)
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native of Gibson county and a representative of one of its sterling families. To this union there were born three children, of whom one is living, Bessie, the wife of Lewis A. Shearer, of Charleston, West Virginia. Mrs. Emmerson died in 1890, and on April 16, 1891, Mr. Emmerson married Mary E. French, of Fort Branch, this county. Politically, he is an ardent Republican, while his religious membership is with the General Baptist church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic. A man of sterling character and qualities, he has earned and retained to a notable degree the confidence and esteem of the entire commun- ity and is clearly entitled to representation in a work of the character of the one at hand.
JAMES KILMARTIN.
The history of the loyal sons and representative citizens of Gibson county would not be complete should the name that heads this review be omitted. When the fierce fire of rebellion was raging throughout the South- land, threatening to destroy the Union, he responded with patriotic fervor to the call for volunteers and in some of the bloodiest battles for which that great war was noted proved his loyalty to the government he loved so well. During a useful life he has labored diligently not only for his own material advance- ment, but has also been devoted to the public welfare, doing what he could to benefit the community and advance its standard of citizenship.
James Kilmartin was born July 4, 1846, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Michael and Susan (Fox) Kilmartin. Michael Kilmartin was a native of county Tipperary, Ireland, and came to America in 1840, first locating in Muskingum county, Ohio, at Dresden, where his marriage took place, the wife being a native of Wayne county, Pennsylvania. After his marriage he went to New Orleans and remained about seven years, after which he returned to Ohio and became half owner in a distillery at Dresden, which he operated until his death, in 1854, in his thirty-second year. In early life he was a contractor and builder. Susan Fox, his wife, was a daughter of Henry Fox, of Pennsylvania, he being of German descent. In an early day Henry Fox secured a land claim in Guernsey county, Ohio, and hired a man to help him move his family to his newly acquired land. On the journey a wagon broke down and Mr. Fox went to the house of a nearby settler to secure a chain to repair the trouble. He never returned, and his
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body was found in the river with the chain about his neck. The man who was helping him to move took the horse and left the family there alone in the woods for several days until travelers happening along found them and helped them to their claim in Guernsey county, where the mother and her family settled and made a home. Subject's maternal grandparents had eight children : John, Mary, Delilah, Henry, Sarah, Pete and the subject's mother. All of the family lived in Ohio, except John, who as a young man went to Polk county, Missouri.
To James Kilmartin's parents were born five children, as follows: A son died in New Orleans, Louisiana, in infancy ; the subject ; Mary and .\den are deceased; Sarah lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
The subject of this review attended the common schools and worked on the home farm until the commencement of the Civil war, when, Septem- ber 11, 1862, he enlisted in Company F. Sixty-second Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, which was sent to Fortress Monroe and the first battle in which sub- ject was engaged was at Fredericksburg, Virginia. In the spring of 1863 Mr. Kilmartin's command was sent to South Carolina and was at New Berne and Morris Island: July 10, 1863, they were at the siege of Fort Wagner, and then were ordered to Hilton Head. South Carolina, where the regiment was veteranized and granted a thirty days' furlough to visit their homes. Returning to Virginia, Mr. Kilmartin's command was assigned to the Tenth Army Corps and they were in all the engagements up to and including Ap- pomattox, and were granted honorable discharge June 20, 1865, when they returned to the Buckeye state. Mr. Kilmartin's health was badly broken while he was in the service and he long suffered from the effects of the ex- posure and hardships which he endured. He remained in Ohio until 1868 and then went to Maysville, Mason county, Kentucky, and went to work at the cooper's trade, which he had previously learned. He worked in different parts of Kentucky until 1880, when he came to Oakland City, Indiana, and followed his vocation there until 1900, coming then to Princeton, where he was employed in the same manner until his retirement.
In 1870, in Maysville, Kentucky, Mr. Kilmartin was married to Frances Snidicor, of that city, a daughter of Gilbert and Minerva (Hampton) Snidi- cor, she of Maysville, Kentucky, and he of Orange county, New York. He was a soldier in the Sixteenth Kentucky Infantry and served four years. He was a boot and shoe maker by trade and a fine workman. Both he and his wife died in Maysville. To the subject and wife have been born the following children: George, who is a cooper by trade, has engaged in
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several different kinds of business, and is now living at home, employed with Smith & Riggs, grocers. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Tribe of Ben-Hur, and the Free and Accepted Masons; Ida A. is at home; Minnie is the wife of Walter Riggs, grocer, of Princeton.
Mr. Kilmartin is an honored member of Archer Post, Grand Army of the Republic, is now senior vice commander of the post and has always taken an active interest in its.affairs. Mrs. Kilmartin is a member of the Methodist church, having belonged to it for many years.
CHARLES KIGHTLY.
The character of a community is determined in a large measure by the lives of a comparatively few of its members. If its moral and intellectual status be good, if in a social way it is a pleasant place in which to reside, if its reputation as to the integrity of its citizens has extended into other localities, it will be found that the standards set by the leading men have been high and their influence such as to mould the characters and shape the lives of those with whom they mingle. In placing the late Charles Kightly in the front rank of such men, justice is rendered a biographical fact universally recog- nized throughout the locality long honored by his citizenship by those at all familiar with his history. Although a quiet and unassuming man, with no ambition for public position or leadership, he contributed much to the material, civic and moral advancement of his community, while his admirable qualities of head and heart and the straightforward, upright course of his daily life won for him the esteem and confidence of the circles in which he moved, and, although he is now sleeping the "sleep of the just." his influence still lives and his memory is greatly revered.
Charles Kightly, who for many years was well known as a successful druggist and public-spirited citizen at Oakland City, Indiana, was born in 1850 in Chatters, England, and his death occurred at his home in Oakland City on January 14, 1913. He was the son of John and Mary Kightly, who also were born at Chatters, and who came to the United States in 1852, landing at New Orleans. They came on to Evansville, Indiana, where they located on December 25, 1852, and there the father's death occurred about six months later. He was a farmer by vocation and a man of clean life and excellent characteristics. He was survived many years by his widow, who died in 1902, at the age of eighty-six years. They were the parents of five
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children, of whom two are now living, Mrs. Barridge and Mrs. Williams, both now residing in Evansville.
Charles Kightly received his education in the common schools of Evansville, supplementing this by a special course of training in a business college, and in 1877 he came to Hazleton, Gibson county, Indiana, and entered the employ of his uncle, Josiah Kightly, who operated a store. In addition to clerking in the store Mr. Kightly engaged in buying wheat and other grain for his uncle, and also during this period learned the drug busi- ness. The latter vocation attracted him, and in 1880 he opened a drug store on his own account at Poseyville, Indiana, which he operated for nine years with good success, but on account of poor health he was compelled to dispose of his business, and during the following two years he located at Evansville, though during that time he traveled much of the time. In 1892 Mr. Kightly came to Oakland City and bought the W. L.West drug store and devoted him- self to the management of this business until his death. He was a keen and sagacious business man and so managed his affairs as to reap a satisfactory pecuniary reward. He enjoyed a wide acquaintance throughout Gibson county and made many warm personal friends who esteemed him highly be- cause of his excellent personal characteristics and his success in business affairs. He owned a splendid and attractive home in Oakland City where his widow now resides.
In 1878, Mr. Kightly married, at Hazelton, Indiana, Eva M. Gardner. who was born at Princeton, Indiana, the daughter of James T. and Martha (Ewing) Gardner. James T. Gardner came to Princeton, Indiana, as a single man, and here was married. He was a cooper by trade and eventually located at Hazleton, where he worked at his trade until 1885, when he went to California and entered the soldiers' home, where he has since lived. He still makes regular trips back to his old home to see his family, his wife still residing at Hazleton, as she does not care to go so far away from the other members of her family. James T. Gardner is a veteran of the Civil war, hav- ing enlisted at Princeton in Company D. Fifty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served throughout the war, tak- ing part in many of the most important battles and campaigns of that historic struggle. During his residence in Gibson county he enjoyed a wide acquaint- ance and was highly respected by all who knew him. To him and his wife were born five children, namely: Eva M. Kightly, Marion, deceased, who was the wife of William Reedy, of Hazleton: Agnes, the wife of Henry Briner, of Hazleton, with whom their mother now lives; Sallie, who died at
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the age of eighteen years; Clifford C., who lives at Detroit, Michigan, is district passenger agent for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad; he married May Stewart, of Dysart, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Kightly were born two daughters, Edith, the wife of Sanford Trippett, of Princeton, Indi- ana, who are the parents of three children, Blanche, Byron K. and Charles K .; Blanche married B. O. Bennett, now of Caruthersville, Missouri, and is a civil engineer. They have one daughter, Martha G.
Fraternally, Charles Kightly was an appreciative member of the Knights of Pythias, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Kightly is remembered by those who knew him well as a man of strong personality, but he never forced his convictions upon anyone, being notably reserved and undemonstrative. His high sense of honor restrained him from directing his activities toward any but worthy objects. He was a splendid type of the self-made man, having in him the elements that make men successful in the highest degree. Pre-eminent among his qualities was that sound judgment which is ordinarily called common sense. His good judgment extended to men as well as measures and for these reasons he was a thoroughly practical man, self-reliant, firm and resolute. To this was added the one thing necessary for the ideal business man, a scrupulous honesty in his dealings with his fellow men. His life was exemplary in every respect and his memory will long be carried by a wide circle of friends and acquaint- ances throughout this section of the state.
FRANKLIN JONES.
The best title one can establish to the high and generous esteem of an intelligent community is a protracted and honorable residence therein. The subject of this sketch, some years deceased, spent his entire life in Gibson county and because of his earnest and consistent life in the face of ill health sufficient to discourage totally one of less optimism and natural hopefulness, he earned the sincere respect and good opinion of all who knew him.
Franklin Jones was a native of Gibson county, born near Owensville, in. Montgomery township in 1823, and died near where he was born June 16, 1908. He was born in the first one of four houses built on the same site and died in the last one built. He was a son of Charles and Eleanor (Warrick) Jones and the parents of Charles were Cadwallader and Martha (Pitt) Jones, natives of England. Martha (Pitt) Jones was a relative of William Pitt,
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England's famous statesman, and came to America before she was married. Her people located in North Carolina, where also located the Jones family from England and there she and Cadwallader Jones were married. In their early married life they went to Kentucky to make their home and there their son, Charles, was born in the vicinity of Hopkinsville. Cadwallader died there and Martha came to Indiana with her son Charles. She married the second time after locating in Gibson county, her husband being Jesse Wells, and they lived on Barren creek, about three and one-half miles west of Owensville. Charles Jones took as his wife Eleanor Warrick, daughter of Capt. Jacob Warrick, who made a name for himself during the Indian wars in the early days of the state, and received a mortal wound at the battle of Tippecanoe. Charles Jones and wife took up their residence on land south of Owensville and lived there until their death. Twelve children were born to Charles Jones and wife, namely: Mrs. Eliza Waters; Jacob W., who never married and made his home with his brother John near Midland City, Illinois, and died there at the age of eighty-eight. He had a very retentive memory and prided himself on his knowledge of the history of his family. He was also proud of the fact that his first vote was cast for Henry Clay for President of the United States, and always recalled with pleasure that he had heard Abraham Lincoln speak. He was successful financially and accumulated considerable wealth during his life. The third child was Franklin, the immediate subject of this sketch: John became quite wealthy also and lived for many years near Midland City, Illinois, where he died ; Nancy, a daughter, became the wife of Abram Mauck; William always lived on his father's place south of Owensville, Indiana, and died there March 14, 1908: Robert died in infancy ; Martha lived to be about forty years of age and died unmarried; Thomas Corwin Jones made his home south of Owensville. His wife was Mary Kesterson and to them were born five children. The mother and three of the children are dead. Marshall lived for many years at Beatrice. Nebraska, and died there, while James Smith Jones never married and died on the old homestead in Gibson county.
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