USA > Indiana > Greene County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 40
USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > History of Greene and Sullivan Counties, State of Indiana > Part 40
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City some time, they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and lived there and in that vicinity the remainder of their days. By Mr. Folsom's marriage with Miss Davis, there were no children.
RUFUS GASKILL was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, August 14, 1837, one of five children born to Thomas and Lucinda (Duling) Gaskill, he a native of New York, who removed to the Buckeye State with his parents when three years old; she a native of Virginia. They were married June 28, 1836. In 1846, they settled in Owen County, and in 1861 came to Greene County. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Gaskill died March 17, 1881. Our subject re- ceived but an ordinary education, being engaged from childhood at work upon the farm, and has followed farming all his life. He owns 235 acres of good land, all improved, and raises some stock. December 23, 1860, he married Mary E. Wood, who has borne him two children-Ludilla O., born November 26, 1862, and John A., born November 8, 1866. Mrs. Gaskill was born November 10, 1844, in Owen County, Ind., one of three children born to David A. and Elizabeth (Leach) Wood, pioneers of In- diana. Her parents died when she was quite young. Subject and fam- ily are all members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a Re- publican in politics.
ISRAEL GLOVER, a very progressive farmer of Jefferson Township, is a native of Jefferson County, Ohio, born December 24, 1827, one of fifteen children born to Joel and Elizabeth (Shannon) Glover, natives of Ohio, he being born April 1, 1808, and she April 4, 1808, both still liv- ing. Subject received but a limited education, and was married, Novem- ber 15, 1849, to Sarah Moore, of Jefferson County, Ohio, and six children have blessed the union, three of whom are now living-Mary E., born February 6, 1851; Sarah L., January 23, 1861: Ada G., September 2, 1868. Mrs. Glover died September 13, 1877. January 6, 1880, he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth (Inman) Crance. In 1854, Mr. Glover settled in Highland Township, Greene County, where he lived six years, and then moved to Jefferson Township, where he now lives, and where he owns 187 acres of good land, which is highly improved and under good cultivation. He was Justice of the Peace in Highland Township. Is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Republican. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Worthington.
SAMUEL BALDWIN HARRAH, merchant, Worthington, was born in Fleming County, Ky., January 14, 1816, a son of Robert and Eliza- beth (Baldwin) Harrah, who were natives respectively of Virginia and Maryland, and of Irish descent. Originally, the name was O'Hara, but owing to the servitude of the Irish people as British subjects, and not wishing to have any connection whatever with Great Britain, the progen- itor of the name in this country-his advent being just at the close of the Revolution-changed it to Harrah. The parents of S. B. Harrah were married in Virginia, and soon afterward removed to Kentucky, car- rying their entire earthly effects to their new home on pack-horses. They resided in that State until 1825, when they came to Greene County, Ind., locating on " Nine Mile Prairie," where they ever afterward made their home. Being poor people, they were compelled to endure many of the hardships and privations of pioneer life. They were intelligent and highly respected people, and reared a family of children in a creditable manner for that early day. S. B. Harrah, subject of this biography, was reared upon a farm, deriving his education from the old-fashioned log
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schoolhouse. His first business venture was buying mules and driving them South for sale when he was twenty-three years old. This enter- prise did not prove profitable, so Mr. Harrah, in 1844, found employment as a clerk at Point Commerce, at which he continued until 1850, when be embarked in a general mercantile business on his own responsibility. In 1856, he came to Worthington, and became associated with M. H. Shryer in merchandising, with whom he continued a number of years. Since 1869, he has conducted the leading hardware and implement store of Worthington. Mr. Harrah is one of Worthington's oldest and best citizens. His influence and support have ever been falt in the advance. ment of all moral, educational and progressive matters, and while he was a firm advocate of Whig principles previous to 1856, and as equally an ardent Republican since that time, he has never aspired for any political honors. November 22, 1842, he was united in marriage with Mrs. A. M. S. Hempsted (whose maiden name was Scott), who was born in Union County, Ohio, August 3, 1817. Mr. and Mrs. Harrah are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and to their nnion have been born six chil- dren, named-Myra, Lessie, William, Anna, and two that died in infancy. Mrs. Harrah had a daughter by her first marriage, Alma, now Mrs. C. N. Shaw, who is Mr. Harrah's partner in business. Mrs. EL. is a teacher of fourteen years' experience in Indiana, and is a lady of education, refine- ment and great social and moral worth.
HON. A. S. HELMS, Worthington, was born in Wayne Township, Belmont Co., Ohio, August 13, 1846, and when eight years old moved with his father to Brown County, Ind., where his early years were passed, the summer months on a farm and during the winter months attending public school. On the 4th day of August, 1862, while yet a mere boy, his youthful blood was fired by the spirit of patriotisn, and he enlisted in the United States service, and was mustered on the 9th of the same month as a member of Company I, Sixty-third Indiana Volunteer Infan- try. From this time until the close of the war, he was in active service, participating in all the battles of his regiment from and including Buz- zard's Roost to the fall of Atlanta, also participating in the Hood cam. paign and siege of Nashville, and the campaign in the Carolinas from the gulf to the fall of Raleigh and close of the war. He returned home to Brown County, Ind, in the fall of 1865, and was elected Justice of the Peace for Jackson Township, serving from 1875 to 1879. He was Post. master at Bean Blossom six years, and also served as Postmaster at Nash- ville one term. In January, 1880, he moved to Worthington, where he has since resided, identified with the best interests of Greene County. Until January 1, 1883, he was editor and proprietor of the Worthir gton Times, and for two years, ending January 1, 1883, was Worthington's Postmaster. He resigned this last position to take his seat in the Lower House of the State Legislature, having been duly elected to this responsibility by the majority of intelligent voters of Greene County.
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LAFAYETTE JESSUP was born in this county December 13, 1836. His father, Caleb Jessup, was a native of Surry County, N. C., where he was reared to manhood and married a Miss Clark, also a native of North Carolina This lady died after a few years, and was the mother of two children. His second wife was Miss Rachel Clark, a sister to the first. This lady bore him nine children, one of whom, Verlin Jessup, became well known to the people of Greene County. Caleb Jessup and family, with several of his brothers and John Sanders and family, came to In-
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diana, and in 1818 located in Eel River Township. Here Caleb Jessup always remained engaged in farming and stock-raising. He was married three times, his last wife being Miss Margaret Huey, who bore him seven children, one of whom, Lafayette, is the subject of this sketch. He was the father of eighteen children by his three wives. He held to the re- ligious tenets of the Friends or Quaker Church, and was noted for his strong anti-slavery views, kindness of heart and nobility of soul. Few if any of the early settlers of Greene County were better known or more highly respected. Lafayette Jessup (subject) was reared upon a farm, receiving such education as the common schools of that day afforded. His father died when he was but seven years of age, and when he was about twenty he began for himself as a farmer, a business he has been very successful at. He began with limited means, but by economy and hard work has accumulated considerable property, now owning 280 acre's of land which is highly improved and well stocked. . He also owns prop- erty in Worthington. He was married to Miss Lydia A. Heaton in 1857, She was born in 1838, and died in 1868. From that union four children were born-Isaac, Edward, Maria and James. Mr. Jessup again mar- ried, in 1874, Miss Harriet E. Miller, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in 1844. By this union there is a son, viz., William. Mr. Jessup is a Republican, but has never aspired to any political prominence. He takes an interest in all moral, educational or other enterprises that go to build up the community in which he lives, or benefit the condition of his fellow-man. He is a practical farmer and one of the county's best citizens.
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MESSER LITTLEJOHN was born in Miami Co., Ohio, July 23, 1815, son of Henry and Sarah A. (Dunkin) Littlejohn, both natives of South Carolina, where they were partly reared. The Littlejohns moved from South Carolina to Pulaski Co., Ky., in about 1798, where they made their home until the death of Charles Littlejohn, the grandfather of our subject, which occurred about 1819. The grandmother came to this county in about 1820, and for most part lived in this county ever after- ward, dying at the advanced age of ninety-six years. Henry Littlejohn lived upon his father's farm in Kentucky until he reached his majority, when he went to Miami Co., Ohio, and there was married to Miss Dun- kin. They lived in Miami Co. until the fall of 1818, when they came with their family to what is now Eel River Township, Greene Co. They came in wagons, Mr. Littlejohn hiring men to bring his household goods to the head-waters of White River, where they left him and went back He proceeded to dig out six canoes, and putting his goods and family in these, floated down White River until he came to Eel River, when he un- loaded his goods and proceeded to make a home for himself on the pres- ent site of Point Commerce. He made some improvement on a lease he had taken, and after living in Eel River Township seven years he moved to Jefferson Township, Owen County, building a grist and saw mill on Lick Creek. Here he lived until his death, dying in 1859. His wife died in 1856. He was an Old-Line Whig, and a strong anti-slavery man. He assisted to build block-houses to protect the settlers in war of 1812. He held the office of Justice of the Peace some sixteen years, and was a man well known and highly respected. (See Baber's History.) Subject raised on farm; common education; helped on farm and in mill. He was married to Miss Sarah Dunkin in 1837, August 28. She born in Miami County, Ohio, August 24, 1815. She died September 25, 1845.
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From this marriage three children, viz .: Mary, Isaac M. and Amos W. These two sons were in the late war, Isaac M. dying in his country's serv. ice. Mr. Littlejohn was married to Polly Fiscus February 15, 1846. She was born in Indiana April 16, 1824, and died February 5, 1883. From this union there were eleven children, viz .: Harriet, Nathan, De- lana, Henry C., Jacob W., Sarah E., Ezra F., Lydia E., Cairy, Mahlon, Nancy E. Subject, after his first marriage, began milling and farming, which he followed until 1860, when he sold out mill and followed farm- ing until the present. He has worked as a millwright a great deal dur- ing his lifetime. He has always worked hard and has made some prop. ,erty. He lived in Owen County until 1867, when he purchased a farm near Jasonville, in Greene County, which he now owns-124 aores. Al- ways a Whig and Republican; member of Christian Church; never held office; is in favor of all improvements and all laudable enterprises.
WILLIAM McCLAREN, one of the principal farmers of Jefferson Township, is a native of Venango County, Penn., and was born August 29, 1833, one of nine children born to Rankin ana Margaret (Bunnell) Mo- Claren, who were among the earliest settlers of Greene County. Rankin McClaren was a farmer, and died bere about 1851. Our subject was reared to farming, and has followed it with success. April 19, 1857, he married Elizabeth Dyar, and to the union were born nine children- Laura E., born. March 8, 1859; Huldah M., February 19, 1862; Nancy . G., May 3, 1864; Samuel W., July 8, 1866; George O., July 29, 1868; Llewella, August 24, 1870; Grace, September 17, 1872; Lessie, Decem- ber 23, 1875; William R., July 3, 1881. Mr. MoClaren and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Oak Grove. He owns 480 acres of excellent land, well improved, and devotes most of his at- tention to stuck-raising. He is a Democrat and usually takes a lively interest in public affairs.
ROBERT MoCONNELL, one of the farmers of Jefferson Township, Greene Co., Ind., is a native of Jefferson County, Ohio, and was born June 27, 1826. He is one of nine children of Robert and Mary (Baker) McConnell, who settled with their families in Owen County, Ind., in the year 1842, where they lived the balance of their lives. Our subject re- ceived a common school education in the schools of his time. Through- out life, farming has been his chief occupation, although while a young man he worked for some time at the cooper's trade. Margaret J. John- son became his wife April 3, 1851. She is a native of Owen County, and one of the family of David and Frances (McDaniel) Johnson, and her birth occurred July 31, 1831. Mr. MoConnell now owns 190 acres of good farming land, well improved and under good cultivation, and he raises considerable stock. They are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Oak Grove, near where they live, and always do their share to support that and all other praiseworthy causes of their commu- nity. They have been members of that congregation for thirty-five years, about twenty of which Mr. McConnell has been a steward. As & Repub- lican, he takes a lively interest in the public affairs of the county in which he is an esteemed citizen.
SAMUEL MILLER was born in Surry County, N. C., March 15, 1811. His father, Frederick Miller, was born in Pennsylvania February 26, 1783, of German parents. His mother was Welsh, but whether born in this country is not known. His father, while a young man, went to North Carolina, married, and settled in Surry County, where he engaged
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in farming until he moved with his family to Indiana in 1830, stopping first at Salem, Washington County. The subject of this sketch procured work in the cotton factory at that place, where he worked until the fol- lowing spring, when he moved with his parents to this county, settling in Eel River Township on the farm known as the Alex Watson farm. For a few years he worked as a farm hand and day laborer, receiving wages $5 to $8 per month, until he had accumulated sufficient money to enter his first land, which he did by walking to Vincennes in 1837, and entering the northwest forty acres of Section 10. Received his patent under the seal and signature of President Van Buren. Soon after this, he built a log house on the same and moved his father's family to it. Some two years later, he made a second trip to Vincennes, and entered the southwest forty acres of Section 3. In 1835, he built his first flat- boat, and sold it to two brothers, Joe and Jerry Raridon, from whom it is said he never received a cent. For a number of years, flat-boating was his principal business during the spring, oftentimes going as far as New Orleans. His last trip was made in 1847. In 1843, the Allisons having bought a set of wool carding machinery, he learned the business of card- ing wool, and ran the machinery for them two seasons. The next season he bought them out and continued the business himself. In 1845 or 1846, the grist and saw mill was built on Eel River by Daniel G. Inger- sol and James Jessup, and in 1848 he procured water-power of them to run his carding machinery. In the early spring of that year, he put up & building adjoining the mill, and moved his machinery to it. This business he carried on until 1851. In 1855, he added to his business on the same premises the machinery necessary to manufacture wool into cloth, which was successfully carried on until the close of the late war in 1865. In 1858, he bought the school lands adjoining the mill seat- Lots 3 and 4, Section 16. Improved and farmed them until 1864, when he built a large, comfortable dwelling on the south line of said landa, near the mills, his home during life, and now the homestead of his widow and youngest son and family. In April, 1838, he married Sarah New- som, daughter of James B. Newsom, a soldier of the war of 1812, who came to this settlement the same year he did. Of this union were born five children, three boys and two girls. Only two of the children are now living-James E., born May 3, 1841, and Frederick N., born Octo- ber 20, 1850. He died June 19, 1873; sixty-two years of age. Politi- cally, a Republican; previously Whig and strong Union. Religious faith, Methodist.
J. E. MILLER, a native of the county in which he now resides, was born May 3, 1841, and is one in a family of five children born to Samuel and Sarah (Newsom) Miller, appropriate mention of whom is made else- where in this work. His early years were passed in his father's grist and woolen mills and in going to school, and after attaining his majority he took charge of the woolen mill at Point Commerce. In 1865, he be- came a partner of W. C. Andrews in merchandising, continuing seven years; but in 1871 he had the woolen factory at Point Commerce removed to Worthington, where he now carries on an extensive business in manu- facturing, carding, spinning, buying wool, grain, seeds, etc., and trans- acting by far the largest cash business of any man in Worthington. Mr. Miller is one of the stanch business men of the place, and to his energy and forethought the town is largely indebted for its prosperity and just reputation as & live business point. In politics, he is a Republican, fol-
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lowing in the footsteps of his father, who was first a Whig and afterward a Republican. He is a member of the Episcopal Church and the Ma- sonic brotherhood, is a genial and intelligent gentleman, and an esteemed citizen. On the 10th of May, 1866, he was united in marriage to Miss Katharine R. Andrews, who was born in Franklin County, Ohio, July 15, 1842, a daughter of W. C. Andrews, whose biography precedes this.
L. P. MULLINNIX, M. D., Worthington. The parents of the subject of this sketch, David and Eleanor (Hurst) Mullinniz, were natives respect- Ively of North Carolina and Tennessee, and his grandfather, Greenbury Mullinniz, was a pioneer of Indiana, locating in Washington County in 1816, and after living there two years moving to Putnam County, where he passed the greater part of his remaining years. David Mullinnix and wife were married in Putnam County, this State, where they made their home until 1856, when they moved to Effingham County, Ill. In 1865, Mr. Mul- linniz returned to Indiana, his wife having died the year before, and he has since made it his home. Dr. L. P. Mullinnix is one in a family of nine children, and his birth occurred in Putnam County, Ind., June 5, 1839. He was raised on a farm, secured a practical education, and when twenty years old began the study of medicine. On the breaking-out of the war, he enlisted in Company G, Eleventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and, after serving out his term of enlistment, he again volunteered his serv- ices, and was made a member of Company G, Sixty-second Illinois Vol- unteers, serving as much until the close of the war. He was in a number of hard-fought battles, among them being Belmont, Fort Donelson and Pittsburg Landing. After his return home, he completed his medical studies, graduating from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Indi- anapolis. He began the practice of his profession in Greene County, and being a close student of pathology and a successful practitioner, he has not only gained a lucrative practice, but is recognized as one of the ablest physicians the county affords. He has been a life long Democrat in poli- tics. and is a recognized leader of his party in northern Greene County. He is a Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias and Knights of Honor, and he and wife belong to the Protestant Episcopal Church. Oo- tober 15, 1870, he married Miss Jennie Inman, who was born June 15, 1850. One son-Maston Parke-is the result of their union.
GEORGE RAETH was born in Bedford, Lawrence Co., Ind., April 17, 1845, son of Joseph and Margaret (Paoth) Raeth, both natives of Germany. They both came to the United States when young and were married in Lawrence County. Father was a baker and followed that and mercantile pursuits in Bedford. Father is dead; mother lives in Bedford and is married to Joseph Hircher. Mr. Raeth was the only child born to his parents. . His father and also his step-father were in wars in their native country. Subject received a common education. When twenty, began working at carpenter's trade. In 1865, subject enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. Then he began working at his trade, which he followed three years; then went at blacksmithing and wagon-making, which he followed soure time, and thereafter working at carpentering a short time. In 1873, be came to Worthington, Ind., and began in a bakery; began in a small way and has made what he now has. Has done it by hard work and economy, and is a self-made man. He is now doing a general grocery business, in connection with which he runs & first-class bakery. He has built up a good trade, which is steadily
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increasing. He has always voted with the Republican party. Has been a member of the Town Council and held other offices. Belongs to A. O. U. W., K. of H. and K, of P. Married Miss Catharine Bowman, June 11. 1871. She was born in Morgan County, Ill., July 29, 1853. From this union, two children, viz., Leetus and Charles A. Subject and wife are members of the Christian Church. Has always favored good schools and all needed reforms and worthy public enterprises as far as his means would permit. Leetus was born in Martin County, Ind., near Harrison, March 11, 1872; Charles A. was born in Worthington, Ind., May 8, 1877. Pleas Bowman and wife. Clarissa Williams, the parents of Mrs. Raeth, were natives of Indiana, the Bowmans settling in Lawrence and the Williamses in Washington County, Ind., in a very early day, and were well knowh to the early settlers of those counties. To Pleas Bowman and wife were born a family of three children. They moved to Morgan County, Ill., soon after their marriage, and remained there some years, when they returned to Indiana and there passed the remainder of their days. They were good and highly respected people.
CHARLES G. SANDERS was born in Greene County, Ind., Feb- ruary 1, 1841, son of Jolin and Mary A. (Jessup) Sanders. The father was a native of North Carolina, and the mother of the same State. John Sanders. father of John, subject's father, was a native of North Carolina, who came with his family to Greene County, Ind., in about 1819. The mother's father, Caleb Jessup, also came from North Carolina about the same year, both families settling in Eel River Township, where they rearel large families, and where they ever afterward resided. They en- dured many hardships and privations, and were highly respected by all who knew them. Subject's parents married in Eel River Township, and they had eleven children, four of whom are now living. Both parents are dead. The father died in 1860, and the mother in 1880. Subject was reared upon a farm, and had a common school education. In 1861. he enlisted in Company A, Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served three years. He was at the siege of Corinth, the battles of Corinth, Jackson, Champion Hills, the charge on Vicksburg on May 22, 1863, and siege of Vicksburg, and in a number of lesser engagements. After his term of enlistment was out, he returned home, and for some six years was engaged in farming. He then began in the livery business in Worthington, in which business he remained about eight years, and then engaged in mercantile pursuits, in which he has since remained. He keeps a general stock of groceries, and is doing a good and steadily in- creasing business. He married Miss Mary J. Dickey September 7, 1870. She was born in Webster County, Ky., in 1853. From this union, one daughter-Katie M .- was born. Subject is a Republican, and a member of the G. A. R. He favors good schools, and all enterprises that tend to build up the community in which he lives or benefits his fellow-man.
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