History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 73

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

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Kentucky, where he lived the life of a southern planter, dying at a ripe old age. He owned a large tract of land and possessed numerous slaves, who received kind treatment. One of his sons, James Neal, grandfather of John Fremont Neal, was born in the Old Dominion, Farquier county, October 13, 1783, and was a lad of thirteen when his parents moved to their new home. In 1811 he was united in marriage with Mary Martin, who was born and reared in Shelby county, Kentucky, the daughter of Morris and Sarah (Sin- gleton) Martin, natives of Virginia. They were the parents of ten children, the fourth being William, father of our subject. The grandfather, James, was a soldier in the War of 1812 under General William Henry Harrison, and was at the battle of Fort Meigs, and witnessed the surrender of Proctor on the Thames, October 5, 1813. He was a farmer by occupation. In 1823 he removed from Kentucky to Harrison county, Indiana, and later located at Salem, Washington county, where his wife died and was buried. After this event he returned to his old home in Kentucky, remaining there until 1835, when he went to St. Joseph county, Indiana. Subsequently he came to Hamilton county and resided with his son, William, for a time. Again he sallied forth and located one hundred and sixty acres of land in Brown county with his soldier's land-warrant, and having remarried, con- tinued to reside there until his death, at the advanced age of ninety-two. He was reputed to be temperate and a man of integrity; in church affiliation he was a Baptist, and in politics adhered to the party of Clay and Webster.

We might pause to state that the great grandparents Martin also were slave holders, but the conscience of Morris Martin began to trouble him and he determined to free the slaves held by him. His wife, taking the southern view, preferred to keep her black servants. So they compromised by agree- ing to divide them, and he conducted those that fell to him across the Ohio into Indiana and set them free. However, his wife's brothers, who had surreptitiously followed him, ran down and captured the freed slaves and sold them south. Thus, long prior to the emancipation proclamation of Lin- coln opposition to slavery developed in this family. The grandfather James was against the institution and his son, William, while a resident of Hamil- ton county, refused to accept money derived from the sale of slaves and rode horseback from Cicero to Salem to sign emancipation papers. Prior to the Civil War, when the anti-slavery agitation was hot, he was called by certain southern sympathizers a "black Abolitionist."

William Neal was born May 2, 1818, in Shelby county, Kentucky, and was quite young when brought to Indiana by his parents. His mother died when he was only thirteen and he returned to his native state and made his

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home with a bachelor uncle until 1835. He learned the tailor's trade, which he followed at various points and came back to Indiana, going from place to place as a journeyman tailor until he finally located at Cicero about 1840.

He was a man of great energy and activity and engaged in numerous lines of business. For example, he operated a saw and grist mill, rafted lumber down Cicero creek, White river and the canal to Indianapolis, man- aged a warehouse and conducted a general store. He also carried on farming to the end of his life. Greatly interested in public affairs, he was chosen recorder, associate judge, county treasurer and served many years on the town and school boards of Cicero. In August, 1861, he resigned as treas- urer and organized Company B, Thirty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, was elected captain and commissioned by Governor Oliver P. Morton. In 1862, his health having broken down, he resigned his command at Mumfords- ville, Kentucky, and returned home. Moses Neal, his brother, enlisted in the same company, was promoted second lieutenant and was killed at Stone River while acting adjutant of the regiment.

William Neal and Hannah Rollings were united in marriage at her home, west of Cicero, in 1840. She was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, February 14, 1822, the daughter of William K. and Susan (Hershman) Rollings. Her father was born at Harper's Ferry, Maryland. The family came from the Ohio home as pioneers to Hamilton county about 1837, trav- eling by wagon along a "blazed trail.". The mother succumbed to the hard- ships of pioneer life not many years after settling in Jackson township. William K. Rollings remarried and reared another family. We note that two half-brothers of Hannah gave their lives as soldiers to the Union cause. Charles died in a hospital at Camp Chase, Ohio, April 1, 1864, and Robert Edward was killed at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain June 18, the same year. William and Hannah were the parents of a large family. Of their children James S., Mary A., Lucullus G., Charles M., and Moses died very young. Those who grew up were Sarah C., married to Dr. A. B. Menden- hall; William Worth, who died at twenty from a terrible accident; Thomas D., intermarried with Francis Martin; Martha H., wife of James M. Little; Francis A., who died at fifteen; Richard P., .intermarried with Dovey J. Parent ; John F., Susan L., and Edward E., intermarried with Mabel Beall. All the married children reared families. Richard died at his home in Cicero September 30. 1906, aged forty-nine.

William Neal was an omnivorous reader with a wonderful memory. He included law in his studies and when a young man began trying causes in the justices' court as a matter of accommodation to his friends. His

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practice of law was carried on in this fashion in connection with his other activities for many years, until, subsequent to the war, the demands upon him as an attorney and counselor increased to such an extent that he en- gaged in the practice as his chief vocation and continued therein until dis- abled by old age. He was markedly successful, conscientious and of almost unerring judgment. The large number of his clients and the character of his business gave him a position as one of the prominent members of the Hamilton county bar for many years. His death occurred at his home in Cicero, September 25, 1901, he then being over eighty-three years of age. His wife preceded him in death, she having departed this life March 20, 1895. She was a thoroughly domestic woman, entirely devoted to her hus- band and children. These parents endured sufferings and losses far beyond the ordinary, yet bore them with unfailing courage and fortitude.

John Fremont Neal was born in Noblesville, Indiana, where his parents were residing temporarily, December 18, 1859, and was reared at Cicero, mostly on a farm which is now a part of the town. He there attended the grade and high schools, read law with his father and attended law school at Indianapolis, receiving his degree in 1880. He was admitted to practice in Hamilton county and in the Supreme court before he had attained his majority. For about five years he was in partnership with his father until his election as prosecuting attorney.

He was united in marriage to Lydia Elzina Stehman, October 17, 1883, and shortly afterwards they began housekeeping in Noblesville, where he · set up a law office. In 1886 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the Twenty-fourth judicial circuit, composed of Hamilton and Madison coun- ties, serving two years. The term was a busy one and of the great number of causes prosecuted, many of which were quite important, an exceptional percentage of convictions was attained. With this office he began a long career of public service, continuing, however, to care for his general practice, save only when on the bench. In September, 1889, he was chosen at a spe- cial election the second mayor of Noblesville to fill out an unexpired term. declined to be a candidate for re-election, and was appointed city attorney. During his eight years of service to the city the water works was installed, the first brick street pavements laid, electric light system put in, ordinances revised, and important litigations conducted in state and federal courts, in all of which he necessarily had an important and laborious part. . He was chosen chairman of the Republican County Committee in 1892, although not a candidate and results were such that he was selected again for the next campaign. During the four years that he was the official head of the party

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in the county it reached the high tide of its numbers and strength. The memorable campaign of 1896 came on and he became a candidate for circuit judge. Entering the contest with three other strong and well-equipped law- yers, at the end of what was probably the most exciting primary election ever held in the county, he was nominated by a handsome plurality. At the following general election he received a large majority.

The term to which he was elected began October 19, 1897; however, his predecessor resigned on September 20 of that year and Governor James A. Mount commissioned the judge-elect to fill out the remainder of the term. During his incumbency of that high office the business of the court was exceedingly heavy, long day and frequently night sessions being held. Es- pecially the change of venue causes that came from other counties were very numerous. Some of the civil and criminal cases attracted state-wide atten- tion, and involved issues of great importance. Besides his duties that were strictly judicial he was called upon to make numerous appointments to official positions. He appointed the first members of the county council and all of the township advisory boards. In making appointments men were selected from different political parties upon their individual merits.

After leaving the bench, in 1903, Judge Neal resumed the general prac- tice of the law, in which he has continued ever since, his partner at the pres- ent time being his son, N. C. Neal. He has also served for several years as a member of the board of school trustees and has taken a great interest in education. Through the years he has frequently been named as a delegate to various political conventions and in 1908 was alternate delegate to the Re- publican national convention which nominated William Howard Taft for President. In 1912, condemning the action of the Republican national con- vention at Chicago, he allied himself with the Progressive movement, and without in any manner seeking the favor, the Ninth district convention of the new party unanimously nominated him as its candidate for Congress. Al- though not elected. he received nearly ten thousand votes. Fraternally, he has long been a member of the Free and Accepted Masons of Cicero, and Bernice Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of Noblesville, in which he has been active. Most of the family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

His wife was the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Mundorf) Stehman, who came from Lancaster county. Pennsylvania. Mr. Stehman was a farmer, owning a large body of land in White River township, and also owned and operated the flour mill at Cicero for many years. He served as county com- missioner, and during his term the new court house at Noblesville was com-

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pleted. He was esteemed as a man of sound business judgment and high integrity.

Mr. and Mrs. Neal are the parents of four children, namely, Noel C., who married Miss Mabel Dunn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Dunn, of Noblesville, June 12, 1914; Hazel, a teacher in the city schools; William S., a newspaper man of Indianapolis; and Lillian, a high school teacher. The four children were educated in the grade and high schools of Nobles- ville and various colleges in the state.

JUDGE ERNEST E. CLOE.

The career of the man who is essentially self-made is in many respects the most interesting, because people are naturally attracted to perseverance and sterling worth as exemplified in their fellow men. Ernest E. Cloe, of Noblesville, judge of the Hamilton circuit court, affords a fine example of the successful self-made man who has reached his present place of promi- nence only through hard and exacting work. His career presents a notable example of the operation of those qualities of mind and character which over- come obstacles and win success, and every ambitious youth who has to fight the battle of life may peruse with profit this brief history of Judge Cloe's rise to his present eminence.

Ernest E. Cloe, son of Henry and Jane (Clark ) Cloe, was born August 2, 1873. on a farm in Clay township, Hamilton county, Indiana. His parents were both natives of Hamilton county, originating from Clark county, Ken- tucky. Henry Cloe was left an orphan at the age of three and at a very early age was thrown upon his own resources. He worked for several years as a farm hand and after marrying in his native state he bought his first farm. He is now living a retired life in Carmel. Indiana. His wife died . April 21. 1911. The Clarks were prominent people in the early history of this county. Nathan Clark, the grandfather of Ernest E. on his mother's side, came from Manchester, Adams county, Ohio, to this county early in its history. His wife. Rachel McDuffy came from Kentucky as a child three years of age with her people and settled in Clay township near the Clark family. The Clarks were prominently identified with the various affairs of the community. Henry Cloe and wife were the parents of two sons: Will- iam. who is married and is now engaged with a clothing firm at Noblesville, and Ernest E. whose interesting history is here presented.

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Ernest E. Cloe was reared upon the farm in this county and attended the country schools, working for his neighbors during the summer months. He graduated from the Carmel high school in 1895 and then began teaching in the rural schools of this county. He taught until 1900 with success and the teaching profession lost an excellent instructor when he decided to forsake the school room for the legal profession. In 1898 he attended the Valparaiso Normal School and took the twenty weeks' law course, receiving one year's credit for the work he did. In 1900 he entered the law office of Christian and Christian at Noblesville where he completed his legal education. He was admitted to the Hamilton county bar in 1901 and remained with the firm of Christian and Christian for the next two years. He then practiced alone for one year, after which he formed a partnership with C. M. Gentry, which is still being continued. This firm has been very successful and has been connected with much of important litigation which has been tried in . the local courts for a number of years. Judge Cloe is considered a sound and safe practitioner, being well versed in law, and has been particularly strong in his pleading before juries. He is a jurist of the highest type, a man of in- tegrity and honor, and since entering the practice of his profession in this city has impressed his fellow citizens as a man who is absolutely sincere in all that he does.

Mr. Cloe has taken an active part in Republican politics and has served as secretary of both the county and city Republican organization. His worth as a citizen and his ability as a lawyer is shown by the fact that he was elected county attorney two terms and city attorney for three terms, and on Novem- ber 3, 1914, he was elected circuit judge of Hamilton county on the Repub- lican ticket. His party has sent him faithfully as a delegate to county, dis- trict and state conventions and he has always acquitted himself with credit to his party. Not only in the law has Judge Cloe been accorded evidences of popular prominence and regard, but in every other direction he has so ordered his course as to win the commendation of his fellow citizens. He has been a member of and attorney for the board of children's guardians for Hamilton county ever since the law was enacted establishing these boards. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Noblesville, and in the Fifth National Bank of Arcadia, the firm of Gentry & Cloe being the attor- neys for both financial institutions.

Judge Cloe was married October 31, 1900, to Louisa Carey, the daugh- ter of Martin and Martha ( Hussey) Carey of Clay township in this county. Her father died when she was an infant and the mother when she was only

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three years of age. Judge and Mrs. Cloe have two sons: Lawrence C., born August 30, 1903, and Lyman H., born July 27, 1906.

Judge Cloe is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and is a member of the Chapter and Commandery degrees. He also holds member- ship in the Knights of Pythias, Improved Order of Red Men, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Modern Woodmen of America. He and his wife are earnest members of the Chris- tian church and Judge Cloe has been a deacon in this church and superintend- ent of the Sunday school for years. Such in brief is the life history of Judge Ernest E. Cloe, a man who, with few opportunities, has worked up to an enviable position in his chosen profession. He is a public-spirited man of affairs and a fine type of the good American citizen.

CLARENCE E. MORRIS.

Among the younger farmers of Hamilton county who have made a pronounced success of stock raising as well as farming there is no one more worthy of mention than Clarence E. Morris, the manager of the "Long Branch Stock Farm." He is an excellent type of young man of the day who, after receiving a good education, returns to the farm instead of engaging in professional or business pursuits. It has been said that the modern ten- dency of education is to ween the young man from the farm and it is gratify- ing to note that an increasingly large number of them are devoting their lives to agriculture after leaving college and high school.

Clarence E. Morris, the son of Herman E. and Mary S. (Webb) Mor- ris, was born April 30, 1892, on a farm one mile east of Strawtown, in this county. His parents were both born in this county and his father is now a prominent retired farmer living in Cicero. Mr. and Mrs. Herman E. Morris are the parents of two children, Clarence E. and Dorotha, the latter of whom is still at home. Herman E. Morris was born in White River township, Hamilton county, January 12, 1870, the son of James and Sarah (Cryan) Morris, both natives of Ohio, who were among the early settlers of White River township, and who reared three sons, Samuel, William and Herman F., the latter of whom married Mary S., daughter of James C. and Elizabeth (Carey) Webb. the former of whom was a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana, both early settlers of White River township, where they spent all their days on the farm, his death occurring at the age of eighty-two years,

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in 1900: her death occurring at the age of sixty-nine years, in 1897. James and Elizabeth (Carey) Webb reared six children, as follows: Marcus, Sam- uel, Octava, Virginia, Martha J. and Mary S., all of whom, with their par- ents, were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

In 1902 Herman E. Morris retired from the farm on which he had lived for so many years and moved into the village of Cicero, Hamilton county, where he bought the beautiful home in which he now resides and where he and his wife are surrounded by the comforts to which their long lives of industry so fully entitle them. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he has always voted the Democratic ticket.

The early education of Clarence E. Morris was received in the Bethle- hem school of his home neighborhood, while his high school education was received in the Walnut Grove and Cicero high school. While attending school in Cicero he worked in a hardware store and carried newspapers in order to pay part of his expenses. After leaving the high school he returned to his father's farm and assisted with the work until his marriage, in 1911. By this time he had convinced his father that he was able to manage the farm himself. so his father retired from the farm and left his son in full charge of the farm. While he raises all of the crops indigenous to this sec- tion of the state, he makes a specialty of stock raising and has one of the finest herds of Chester Whites to be found in the county. Mr. Morris takes a great deal of pride in keeping the farm in an attractive manner and is altogether one of the most enterprising and progressive young men of the county.

Mr. Morris was married February 9, 1911, to Carrie Schildmeier, the daughter of Henry and Anna ( Bardoner) Schildmeier. The father of Mrs. Morris came from Hancock county, Indiana, to this county, where he became a prosperous farmer. Mrs. Morris is one of four children born to her par- ents, the others being Minnie, the wife of George Ruschaupt; Ezra, who is still at home, and one who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have one daughter. Ruby, born May 16. 1913.

Politically, Mr. Morris is independent, but having only recently at- tained his majority he has not yet had a chance to participate in political matters. However, being a young man of excellent education, he is well informed upon the various political issues of the day and can discuss them in an intelligent manner. His wife is an earnest member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. This young couple are on the very threshold of life and, with a long and prosperous career before them, they have everything for which they should be thankful.

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RALPH KENT KANE.

The ancestors of the Kane family came to this country from Ireland, the first member of the family to come to the United States being Hendricks D. Kane, who was born in County Antrim, near Belfast, Ireland, and his wife, Elizabeth (Laughlin) Kane, was born in County Derry, not far from the town of Londonderry. Hercules D. Kane and Elizabeth Laughlin were married in Ireland and came to America after the birth of their two eldest children and settled in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, near Waynesburg. Elizabeth Laughlin was of Scotch parentage, her parents having come from Scotland and settling in Ireland during the eighteenth century. The father of Hercules D. Kane was a farmer and linen manufacturer, who lived all his days in Ireland, his death occurring there at the advanced age of eighty years.

Thomas J. Kane, the father of the immediate subject of this sketch, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1833, and is the son of Hercules D. Kane and wife, who had shortly before settled in that county. When Thomas J. Kane was about six months old his parents moved to Fairfield county, Ohio, where he lived until he was fifteen years of age. He attended the academy at Tarlton, then spent one year in the Ohio Uni- 'versity at Athens, and afterwards returned to the academy to complete his education. He engaged in teaching for a short time, but desiring to enter the legal profession, became a student in the law offices of Judge John Cra- dlebaugh, of Circleville, Ohio. In 1855 he came to Noblesville, Indiana, and entered the law office of G. H. Voss, where he continued his legal studies for about one year, when he formed a partnership with his preceptor, which connection lasted until about 1862. Thomas J. Kane was married in No- vember, 1862, to Sophia W. Smith, the daughter of Rev. David and Cath- erine W. Smith. To Thomas J. Kane and wife were born the following children : Ralph K .: Thomas E .: Allen D., who died at the age of two years: Sophia: Mrs. Grace Binford. of Tampa, Florida, and Donald S. Thomas J. Kane continued to practice law in this county until his death, June 28. 1908. His widow is still living in Noblesville.

Ralph Kent Kane, born June 9. 1868. was reared and educated in Noblesville, graduating from the high school in 1887. He continued his education under the private tutelage of Rev. John M. Craig, a Presbyterian minister and a man of high intellectual attainments, continuing his studies under the direction of Mr. Craig for several years, during which time he

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secured a broad and thorough training in the classics. At the same time he was studying law with his father and when twenty-one years of age, was admitted to practice at the Hamilton county bar. However, he had his first case in court before he was admitted to practice and it resulted in acquittal for his client. Some boys in Westfield had been arrested for disturbing a meeting in the Methodist church and the case was tried before Squire Rich- ards of Eagletown. The boys demanded a jury and, with young Kane as their attorney, they were cleared of the charge.

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 73

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051