USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 79
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Daniel C. Whisler, the son of Jacob and Sarah (Waltz) Whisler, was born October 11, 1854, in a rude log cabin on the farm where for many years he lived, about one mile south of Atlanta. Jacob Whisler was born in Penn- sylvania and when a young man came to Wayne county, this state, driving through with his parents, Peter Whisler and wife. Peter Whisler and his wife died in Wayne county, and in that county Jacob married and lived until 1850, when he came to this county. Most of his children were born in Wayne county. To Jacob Whisler and wife were born seven children, Naomi, de- ceased, Joseph, Mrs. Elizabeth Booth, Levi, deceased, Henry, Jacob and Daniel P., whose history is given in this connection.
Daniel P. Whisler received all his education in the schools of his home neighborhood and the school at Millersburg. During his boyhood days he always spent his summer vacations upon the farm and thus by the time he had finished his schooling he had a good knowledge of the rudiments of agri- culture.
Mr. Whisler was married March 1, 1875, to Amanda Morris, daughter of Pleasant Morris, and to this union was born one daughter, Addie, who married Ollie Kellan, they being the parents of six children, Cora, Ruth, Howard, Glen, Horace and Ollie. Mr. Whisler's first wife died and later he married Catherine Shank, the daughter of John and Anna (Schops) Shank. John Shank was born in Mannor township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and came to Wayne county. Indiana, where he became a prominent and in- fluential citizen. John Shank and wife reared a family of ten children, Anna, Ellen, Catherine, the wife of Mr. Whisler: Lizzie, Henry. Mary, Barbara, Amanda. Urias and Emma. To the second marriage of Mr. Whisler has been born two children. Claudia. who married Charles O. Albertson, and Lawrence, who married Marie Plock and lives in Indianapolis.
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Having lived in this county for more than sixty years, Mr. Whisler is well known by the people here and takes an intelligent interest in all local affairs, being an adherent of the best principles and the best men, irrespective of party ties. He is nominally a Democrat in politics, although he is not a strict partisan in any sense of the word. During the time he was actively engaged in farming, Mr. Whisler kept abreast of the times in agricultural matters, and was recognized as one of the most scientific farmers of this section of the county. He possessed those qualities which enabled him to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertook and as a result of his diligence and enterprise, he became one of the most substantial men of his community. Profiting by the labors of the past and in order to enjoy the fruits of these labors, Mr. Whisler retired from the farm May 28, 1914, turning the active management of the same over to his son Lawrence, and moved to Arcadia, where he is now living in a state of comfort to which his long life of useful toil so fully entitles him.
THEODORE RICHEY.
It is by no means an easy task to describe within the limts of this re- view a man who has led an active and eminently useful life and by his own exertions reached a position of honor and trust in the line of industries with which his interests are allied. But biography finds justification, nevertheless, in the tracing and recording of such a life history, as the public claims a certain property interest in the career of every individual and the time invar- iably arrives when it becomes proper to give the right publicity. It is, then, with a certain degree of satisfaction that the chronicler essays the task of touching briefly upon such a record as has been that of the subject who now comes under this review.
Theodore Richey, a prosperous hardware and implement dealer of Sheridan. Indiana. was born in Lebanon, Boone county, this state, April 28, 1851. His parents. John C. and Eliza (Williams) Richey, who were both natives of Kentucky, were the parents of seven children, James M., of Sheldon, Illinois; Theodore, of Sheridan, Indiana; Nancy Belle, the wife of Moses Shepherd, of Girard. Kansas: John Richard, of Indianapolis; Anna, who died at the age of thirteen : Joseph H., of Frankfort, Indiana ; and Will- iam W .. of Monticello, this state.
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John C. Richey was reared in Nicholas county, Kentucky, and as a young man learned the tailor's trade. After his marriage he came to Indiana and settled in Lebanon, Boone county, this state, where his first wife died. He then returned to Kentucky and married again but soon came back to Lebanon and followed his trade as a tailor, living in the latter place until 1865, when he moved to Hamilton county and engaged in farming near Box- ley. Later he sold his farm and engaged in the mercantile business in Box- ley, in which line he continued until his death which occurred in 1876. His widow died in 1899 at the age of seventy-four years. John C. Richey was one of several children born to his parents, the others being as follows : James, Harry, Washington, Robert M. and Mary, as well as two or three who died in infancy. The maternal grandparents of Theodore Richey were David Ball and Mary Williams. David Williams and wife lived in Kentucky and later moved to Missouri, where they settled near Mexico, and lived the remainder of their days. They were the parents of six children, Eliza, Ann, Mollie, Kate, Joseph and Emily.
Theodore Richey lived in Lebanon, Indiana, until he was fifteen years of age and consequently received the major portion of his education in the schools of that city. He then came with his parents to Hamilton county and worked on his father's farm until he was grown to maturity. When his father moved to Boxley and engaged in the mercantile business in that place he assisted him and after his father retired from the business, Theodore moved the store to Circleville, Clinton county, this state, continuing the business in that place for the next fourteen years. For the past twenty-four years Mr. Richey has been a business man of Sheridan. He first opened a hardware store at this place and some years later helped to establish the "Golden Rule" store in Sheridan, being the general overseer of the construc- tion of the building. After managing this store for several years he dis- posed of his interest in it and again engaged in the hardware business, and has continued in that line down to the present time. He is a man of keen business ability and strict honesty and has built up a large and lucrative trade in Sheridan and the surrounding community. He is the oldest merchant in Hamilton county in point of continuous service. Mr. Richey is also a breeder of fine cattle, double standard, registered in both Shorthorn and Polled Dur- ham classes.
Mr. Richey was married December. 1875, to Maria McMurty, daughter of Perry and Jane ( Jones) McMurty, and to this union have been born two children, a son who died in infancy and Daisy, the wife of Marvin Thistle- .
waite.
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Politically, Mr. Richey is a Progressive, having joined this party upon its organization in the summer of 1912. While always taking an active interest in public affairs, he has never been a candidate for any public office, preferring to serve as a private in the ranks. Mr. Richey is not an active member of any church, although his wife is a loyal member of the Methodist Episcopal denomination and he contributes to its support. Mr. Richey has ever enjoyed the esteem and respect of those who know him for his friendly manner, his business ability, his interest in public affairs and upright living.
THOMAS S. SPENCER.
The history of the Spencer family has been traced back through the various members of the family in this country to the time when three or four brothers came to this country from England and settled in New York, Virginia and Carolina. The present generation of the Spencer family in Hamilton county are descendants of the brother who settled in Virginia. Wherever members of the Spencer family have settled they have become prosperous and useful citizens of their respective communities.
Thomas Spencer, the grandfather of Thomas Shannon Spencer, was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, in 1762, and shortly after Ohio was ad- mitted to the Union in 1804, he moved to that state, where he lived until his death in 1845. While living in Virginia he was a slave owner, one of the wealthiest planters of his section of the state, but later in life he decided that human slavery was not right, and selling his property in Virginia he removed to Ohio in order to take his family from among the contaminating influences of an institution that he had learned to abhor. He settled near Gallipolis, Ohio, where he followed the occupation of a farmer until his death. To this excellent citizen and believer in human freedom and his good wife were born eight children : James died in Virginia at the age of ninety-four; Abraham died in the same state during the Civil War, in which one of his sons served as a member of the Confederate army: Andrew came to Indiana in 1829, and died in Adams township in 1887: Nancy died in Ohio in 1828; Samuel came to Indiana during the thirties and lived the life of a farmer in Adams township until his death in 1844: Susan, who was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia. September 30, 1810, came to Indiana in. 1832, and married Wash- ington McKinzie, who died many years ago: Catherine married a Mr. Mc- Cauley and died in Ohio many years ago. The other member of the family
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and the fourth child was Thomas B., the father of Thomas Shannon Spencer, with whom this narrative subsequently deals.
Thomas B. Spencer was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, November 6, 1806, and came to Hamilton county, Indiana, in 1829 and settled in Adams township, but three years later moved on another farm, where he lived for more than sixty years. Thomas B. Spencer married Olivia Shannon, who was born in Ohio in 1811. Her parents dying when she was but a child, she was reared by her grandmother. To Thomas B. Spencer and wife were born a family of ten children, Thomas Shannon Spencer being the ninth child.
For the benefit of the generations to come who bear the Spencer name the following summary of these nine children is here presented: Vinton, the eldest child born to Thomas B. Spencer and wife, went to Kansas in 1857, during the border warfare in that state. He then removed to Oregon and remained in that state until 1887, when he returned to Indiana and died in Adams township, this county, August 22, 1893; Henry L., the second member of the family in order of birth, accompanied his brother, Vinton, to Kansas, and with him returned to Indiana. In 1862 he became a member of the Tenth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served until the close of the war. He married Mary A. Connell, and he and his wife have reared a family of four children. He is now a prosperous farmer of Boone county, this state; Olivia, the oldest daughter, married Isaac Kimball, who served for three years in the Tenth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry; Mary was the wife of James Beard and resided in Boone county until her death in 1887; John W. served for four years in the Civil War as a member of the Fifty- seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was taken prisoner by Morgan's band, but was soon afterwards released. For many years he was a prosperous farmer in Boone county, but died several years ago, leaving his widow with three children; James M. became a drummer boy in the Fifty- seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry when but fifteen years of age and served for four years. He resides in Boone county this state; Jacob, the youngest member of the family, married Martha Cox, and has four sons and three daughters. He is at present a prosperous farmer in the state of Nebraska.
Thomas S. Spencer received only the primitive education which was given at that time in the little log school houses of his home neighborhood and never attended school more than three months during any year. He remained on the home farm until twenty-three years of age and then went to Sheridan, where he managed a drug store for two years. After disposing
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of his interest in the drug store, he went on the farm where he spent the next three years. He next embarked in the livery business in Sheridan, but after trying this for a year, decided to return to the farm, where he re- mained until 1888, when he again returned to Sheridan and engaged in the livery business. In June, 1893, he was appointed by President Cleveland as postmaster of Sheridan, in which capacity he served during Cleveland's administration, since which time he has been engaged in various enterprises, for the past three years having been engaged in the general contracting busi- ness, in which he has been very successful.
Mr. Spencer was married December 10, 1872, to Hannah E. Boxley, daughter of Coswell and Cordelia (Davis) Boxley, and to this union have been born two children, Claude B. and Leonidas C. Claude B. was born September 3, 1873, and after graduating from the Sheridan high school, became interested in mechanics and subsequently became an engineer in Indi- anapolis, where he is now living. He married Grace McGilvery and they are the parents of six children, one of whom is deceased; Leonidas D. was born July 23, 1876, and was educated in the Bliss Electrical School at Wash- ington and for the last twelve years has been employed with the Indiana Terminal Traction Company. He married Alice Stone and has one son, Paul.
The Boxley family, of which Mrs. Spencer is a member, was one of the early pioneer families of this county, the town of Boxley having been named after Addison Boxley, an uncle of Mrs. Spencer's father. Addison Boxley was at one time a member of the Indiana legislature, and a prominent .man in his time. George Boxley, the grandfather of Coswell Boxley, was a brigadier-general in the War of 1812, as well as an able attorney and a very wealthy slave owner of Virginia. Becoming disgusted with human slavery he freed his negroes and had he been satisfied with doing only this, would not have gotten into the trouble which followed him later on. Fired with zeal for the cause of human freedom. he tried to free all the slaves in the south, but was detected creating dissatisfaction among the slaves and caught while helping some of them to run away from their masters. For this he was arrested, thrown into jail and sentenced to death. While in prison awaiting his doom, his wife visited him, having concealed in the folds of her skirt a file which she gave him. With this he filed off the iron bars and, making his escape, fled to Ohio and finally came to Indiana, where for many years he led a secluded life, being the first settler in Adams township, Hamilton county. For several years a reward of several thousand dollars was offered for the fugitive, dead or alive, but in the wilderness of Indiana he was never
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detected. He was a unique character in many ways. Possessing broad views and a liberal education he was far above the average of the men of his day, but during the latter part of his life he did many strange things. He positively refused to pay taxes and the tax collector would seize his cat- tle and drive them off to Noblesville, where they would be sold to pay his taxes. Upon one occasion he followed the cattle and released them from the pound in Noblesville and took them home. For this he was arrested and fined, but refused to pay his fine. With all his eccentricities he had a big heart, however, and when a poor man would go to him to buy a cow, he would not sell it, but would give him one, telling him to return a calf at some future time in full payment.
Politically, Mr. Spencer is a stanch Democrat, although many years ago he was a Republican. In addition to serving as postmaster of Sheridan he has served as trustee of his township and in that capacity rendered efficient service to all the citizens of his township. Religiously, he and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and have always contributed generously of their substance to its support. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and takes an active interest in the work of that ancient fraternal organization. Mr. Spencer is now a man of substance, but what he has gained has been solely through his own efforts, for starting in life as a poor boy he has worked his own way upward and accumulated a small competency by his own exertions. He is one of the most substantial men of Sheridan at the present time, as well as one of its most respected citizens.
DR. LAWSON W. MCKENZIE.
The life of the successful physician and public-spirited man whose name appears above affords a striking example of well defined purpose with the ability to make that purpose subserve not only his own ends, but the good of his fellow men as well. A native of Hamilton county, educated in the State University and a graduate of the Medical College of Indiana, Dr. Lawson W. Mckenzie is peculiarly a Hoosier product. Not only has he an excellent reputation in his own town and county. but he has also been signally honored by being appointed as government physician in the Indian service. having spent five years of his life since graduation as agency physician in the west. His success has come to him because of his sound mentality and
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intellectual qualities which have been supplemented by the most rigid pro- fessional training and thorough mastery of technical knowledge. Doctor Mckenzie is a man of progressive ideas, and not only takes a keen interest in his own profession, but also identifies himself with all worthy measures in his community.
Dr. Lawson W. Mckenzie, the son of Francis M. and Angeline (Kercheval) Mckenzie, was born in Adams township, this county, June 27, 1878. Francis Mckenzie was born in the same township January 7, 1840, and here he followed the occupation of a farmer all his life with the excep- tion of the time he spent in the service of his country in the Civil War. He was a member of Company H, Fifty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served with valor until he was discharged on account of dis- abilities as a result of wounds received at the battle of Shiloh, April 7, 1862. His death occurred at his home in this county on December 7, 1908. His wife, Angeline Kercheval, also was born in Jackson township, on March 23, 1845, and died June 21, 1904. She was the only one of the family born in Indiana, the rest of her brothers and sisters having been born in Ohio. The paternal grandparents of Doctor Mckenzie came to Indiana from Ohio about 1816. The great-grandfather of Doctor Mckenzie was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. The Mckenzies are of mixed English and Scotch descent. Francis M. Mckenzie and wife were the parents of four children : Emma, who died at the age of eighteen; Blanche, born February 10, 1872, is the wife of W. E. Wilson, a farmer of this county; Maud, who was born in 1876, died in infancy, and Dr. Lawson W.
Doctor Mckenzie received his early education in the common schools `of his county and then was graduated from the Sheridan high school, after which he entered Indiana University, where he took the pre-medical course, preparatory to entering the Medical College of Indiana at Indianapolis. He ranked high as a student at the State University and continued his excellent record in the Medical College at Indianapolis, from which institution he was graduated in 1904. During the practice of ten years since his graduation, Doctor Mckenzie has spent five years of this time in the Indian service as government physician, making an excellent record in that capacity. For the past five years he has been practicing in Sheridan, where he has built up a large and lucrative patronage in the town and surrounding country.
Doctor Mckenzie was married May 30, 1904, to Bertha Sims, daughter of James Sims and wife, of Frankfort. Indiana, and to this union there have been born two children, Marion, who died in infancy, and Lawson, Jr., born
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November 7, 1912. The doctor and his wife are both loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Sheridan.
Fraternally, Doctor Mckenzie is a member of the Free and Accepted ยท Masons and takes a deep interest in the work of that ancient fraternal organ- ization. He is a fine type of the genuine American citizen and takes an active part in the civic life of his community. In all the elements of good citizenship he is all that a man could be, and because of his genuine worth and high personal character he enjoys a well deserved popularity throughout the county.
OSCAR J. MUSSELMAN.
Scientific farming finds an able exponent in the person of Oscar J. Musselman, who is now successfully operating one hundred and sixty acres in Wayne township, Hamilton county, Indiana. He comes from sterling German ancestry and has, as have all other German farmers of this county, prospered most gratifyingly. Mr. Musselman is a man of progressive ideas and stands for everything which means the betterment of his community.
Oscar J. Musselman, the son of John and Mary ( Kauffman) Mussel- man, was born in Wayne county, Indiana, January 17, 1860. His father was born in Germany about 1828, and came to America when eighteen years of age. He first located in Ohio and later moved across the line into Wayne county, Indiana, and while living in the latter county, married Mary Kauff- man, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Valentine Kauffman and wife, both of whom were natives of Germany.
John Musselman was a carpenter by trade and while living in Wayne county, gave all of his time to cabinet making. After his marriage in Wayne county, John Musselman moved to Owen county, Indiana, but two years later permanently settled in Hamilton county, Indiana, where he bought a farm in the northwestern part of Wayne township. He continued to operate this farm until his death, although he worked more or less at the carpenter trade all the time. He and his wife were loyal members of the Lutheran Church, and interested in all the works of the church. His death occurred on March 26, 1894, and his wife died February 4, 1898. John Musselman left a family of five living children : David Henry, Oscar J., George W., Francis M. and Mrs. Mary Odelia Wiles. The history of Francis M. Mussel- man appears elsewhere in this volume.
Oscar J. Musselman was four years of age when his parents located in
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Hamilton county, Indiana, and consequently received all of his education in this county. He remained at home until his marriage and then began farm- ing for himself. He first bought eighty acres of the farm where he is now living, but did not move to it until about a year after his marriage. Later he added to his original farm until he now owns one hundred and sixty acres, which lies in the eastern part of Wayne township.
Oscar J. Musselman was married December 9, 1883, to Hattie M. Paulsel, the daughter of George, Sr., and Lydia (Cupp) Paulsel, and to this union five children have been born, two of whom are living, Ola C. and Jesse L. A pair of twins died when young. Ola married Jessie Males, and has four children, Alma, Harry. Eva and Ruth. He lives on a farm just north of his father's place. Jesse I .. married Mary Brown and lives south- east of Clarksville.
George Paulsel, Sr., the father of Mrs. Musselman, and a pioneer farmer of Wayne township, Hamilton county, Indiana, was born in Rock- ingham county, Virginia, July 1, 1832, and died at his home in Wayne town- ship, this county, November 27, 1870. He was a son of John and Margaret (Smith) Paulsel, natives of Virginia, of Scotch-Irish and German ancestry. John Paulsel died in 1856. George Paulsel, Sr., was married February 22, 1855, to Lydia Cupp, who was born in Augusta county, Virginia, April II, 1833, a daughter of Frederick and Catherine Cupp. A few months after his marriage George Paulsel and his bride came to Hamilton county, Indiana, traveling from Virginia overland in a wagon. He has previously visited the county and had entered some government land, the tract where his son, George, is now living in the northwestern part of Wayne township. When he and his wife got within sight of their new home they could get no farther because of the high waters and had to remain camped in the forest until the waters receded. Much of his land was swampy and grown up in wil- lows, and it took a great deal of hard work in order to drain and clear the land. He started in with sixty-two acres, only a part of which was cleared, and the log cabin which he built and which became their first home stood until a few years ago. Later Mr. Paulsel built a good house and barn and got his farm in such a shape that it yielded satisfactory returns. He took an active interest in public affairs, and at one time served as trustee of Wayne township. He was kicked by a horse in November. 1870, and died before the end of that month. He and his wife were consistent members of the Christian Church. George Paulsel, Sr., and wife were the parents of nine children, four of whom died in infancy, the others being as follows: Edith, who died at the age of twelve, October 25, 1880; Anna, who died
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