USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 29
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JOHN ENOS LEACH.
Among the men of sterling worth and character who have made an im- press upon the life of the locality in which they live there is no one who has received a larger meed of popular respect and regard than John E. Leach, whose family name is well known throughout this county. A life- long residence in one county has given the people an opportunity to know him in every phase of his character and that he has been true to life in its every phase is manifested in the degree of confidence and regard in which he is held by all those who know him.
John E. Leach, one of the most prosperous farmers of Union town- ship, was born July 30, 1861, in the township where he has lived all his life
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His parents were James M. and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Leach, both of whom were born in Hendricks county. James M. Leach was born February 9, 1834, and was the son of Enos and Elizabeth Leach, who were natives of Kentucky. They settled in Union township, Hendricks county, in the fall of 1831, where Enos Leach entered two hundred acres. They were the parents of seven children, of whom James M. was the fifth. James M. grew to manhood in Hendricks county and was married on March 17, 1859, to Elizabeth Hamilton, the daughter of Abraham Hamilton, of Hendricks county. James M. Leach became one of the leading farmers of the county and had two hundred and seventy-one acres of fine farming land and one of the finest residences in the county. He and his wife were members of the Christian church, of which he was an elder for several years.
John E. Leach was given a good common school education and remained at home until he was twenty-five. He then began farming on land which his grandfather had entered and to this he has added seventy-eight acres, which now gives him a fine farm of three hundred and eighteen acres in this township. He has a beautiful home, excellent barn and outbuildings and keeps all these details about his place in a manner which speaks well for the taste of the owner. He has raised all of the crops which are peculiar to this latitude and in addition has supplemented his annual income by breeding a large amount of stock each year.
Mr. Leach was married September 1, 1886, to Malissa Money, the daughter of John T. and Malinda Money. John T. Money was a native of Kentucky and came to this county with his parents when he was a small boy. His wife was a native of Boone county, Indiana, and died on the Money homestead farm in this county in 1903. Mr. Money died December II, 1906, on his son's farm south of Danville, as a result of a severe fall. Mr. and Mrs. Money were the parents of seven children: William; John, de- ceased; Pressley ; Oliver; Malissa, the wife of Mr. Leach, and two who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Leach have reared a family of five children : Granville, Paul, Fannie E., deceased, Ralph and Emma. Paul married Mamie Kendle and lives on a farm across from the old homestead place; he has three children, Pauline, John Edward and Barbara Ellen.
Mr. Leach is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Lizton. Politi- cally, he has always identified himself with the Republican party and takes an interest in the various political questions of the day, although he has never been a seeker for any office. He and his wife are members of the Christian church and take a deep and abiding interest in all church work,
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Mr. Leach being a elder in the church at the present time. Personally, he is one of the best known farmers in the township and is well liked by everyone because of his square dealings and upright manner in all things. He can now look back over his life without regret for any misspent days, for it has been such as to bring only good to himself and to others.
JACOB J. PAGE.
It is not possible in the brief history which is here presented of Jacob J. Page to enter into the interesting details of his career in an exhaustive manner. He has filled a large and important place in the ranks of success- cessful citizens in Eel River township and has done his part well. His record as a farmer and as a public-spirited citizen has been such as to gain for him the compensation and approval of his fellow citizens. His career has been a long, busy and useful one and he has contributed much to the material, civic and moral advancement of the community.
Jacob J. Page, the son of Jeremiah J. Page and wife, was born March 15, 1863, two and one-half miles west of North Salem, in Putnam county, Indiana. A complete history of the Page family is given in the biography of Jeremiah J. Page, which is found elsewhere in this work.
Jacob J. Page received a good common school education and remained under the parental roof until his marriage, when his father gave him twenty acres and, with this as a beginner, he has become one of the most prosperous and substantial farmers of the county. He has been a farmer and stock raiser all of his life, making a specialty of cattle and hogs. He has also bought and sold land at different times, and by the use of good judgment has usually been able to realize on each transaction. As he was able, he added to his possessions until he now owns nine hundred and sixty-six acres of land, all of which is improved. On his different farms he has good houses, barns and outbuildings and he takes a great deal of pride in keeping everything in an attractive manner, believing that an attractive appearance enhances the value of his property.
Mr. Page was married in 1891 to Ida Thompson, the daughter of Nelson C. and Margaret (McCreary) Thompson. Nelson Thompson was born April 30, 1843, in Boyle county, Kentucky, the son of John R. and Martha Thompson. In the summer of 1843 John R. Thompson and his family came to this county and bought a farm in Eel River township. In addition to
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Jacob J. Page
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farming, John Thompson bought and sold a large amount of live stock, especially mules and horses. Nelson Thompson grew to manhood in this county and married Margaret McCreary, the daughter of Huston and Lucinda (Jordan) McCreary. Margaret McCreary was born in Clark town- ship, Montgomery county, her parents having come from Virginia in pioneer times and entered a homestead near New Ross, Montgomery county. After his marriage Nelson Thompson came to Hendricks county and farmed in Eel River township until his death, in April, 1906. His wife died in July, 1898.
Mr. and Mrs. Page are loyal members of the Christian church of North Salem. They are the parents of nine children, all of whom are still living at home : Asa, Cecil, Bessie, Birdie, Roxie, Mamie, Lena, Oscar and Stella. Mr. Page is a public-spirited and progressive man and has always been inter- ested in the various movements and measures which were calculated to im- prove the welfare of his community. Quiet and unassuming in demeanor, he has always attended strictly to his own business and for this reason is numbered among the representative men of his community.
BENJAMIN GRAYSON EDMONDSON.
The occupation of farming, to which the major part of the business life of Benjamin G. Edmondson, one of the well known and popular citizens of, Hendricks county, has been devoted, is the oldest pursuit for a liveli- hood of mankind and the one in which he will ever be the most independent. The subject's name has been inseparably connected with the general growth of Hendricks county, of which he has long been a resident. While primarily attending to his own varied interests, his life has been largely devoted to his fellow men, having been untiring in his efforts to inspire a proper respect for law and order and ready at all times to uplift humanity along civic and social lines.
Benjamin G. Edmondson, retired farmer of Hendricks county, who is now living in comfortable retirement in Clayton, was born in Morgan county, this state, on September II, 1831, the son of Francis and Jane (Grayson) Edmondson. Francis Edmondson was born in Knox county, Tennessee, in 1802, where he grew to inanhood and was there united in marriage with Jane Grayson. About the year 1828 they came into Indiana and settled in Morgan county, where they entered government land and remained there
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until the subject was about two years old, when they came to Hendricks county and entered government land south of the Walker farm, located south of the national road in Liberty township. He at first entered eighty arces, but purchased more later and was possessed of two hundred and sixty acres at the time of his death. Both he and his wife were devout members of the Baptist church and in this faith they reared their family.
Benjamin Grayson Edmondson grew from babyhood to manhood in this county, receiving his elementary education in the early schools of this district and later attending Franklin College. On October 20, 1853, he was united in marriage with Mary A. Little, who was born near Plainfield, a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Greene) Little, her father being a farmer who had come to this county from Washington county, this state. After the subject was married, he took his bride to a little cabin which he had erected and prepared for her with his own hands on a tract of land where only twenty acres were at that time cleared. He had considerable more work to do in this line and in preparing his land for cultivation he endured the hard- ships and privations of the early pioneers. On this first tract he lived for about three years, when he purchased the tract of forty acres adjoining, where he resided until 1867. He then moved a short distance south of Clayton, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres, to which he later added eighty acres more and then again a tract of one hundred and eight acres. He now owns about six hundred and forty acres of excellent land, in this township, all attesting to the business ability and indomitable energy of their owner. On January 14, 1888, Mrs. Edmondson passed away, being the mother of eight children who lived beyond infancy, one of whom, Rebecca, died when seventeen years of age. The seven living are Columbus, Robert A., Mrs. Lizzie Worrell, Thomas B., Joseph L., Samuel Eugene and Charles Arthur. Mr. Edmondson has the pleasure of seeing all his children in good circum- stances and an excellent way of life, and has the additional enjoyment of having them all near him, as all reside in or near Clayton. All but Charles are engaged in farming, he being in the implement business. He is a skilled marksman and a trap shooter of national reputation. Robert is president of the People's Bank and Trust Company. Joe is a prosperous and suc- cessful farmer, who, in addition to the regular business of his farm, pays particular attention to a fine strain of horses and mules.
On February 29, 1888, Mr. Edmondson was again united in marriage. his bride being Mrs. Mary E. (Springer) Ader, who was born in Darke county, Ohio, the daughter of Benjamin O. and Eliza Springer. In 1856.
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when she was fifteen years old, her folks moved to Decatur county, where her father entered land for himself and all his sons. In 1860 she was united in marriage to Jacob H. Ader, who was born in Putnam county, this state. His father and Mrs. Edmondson's father moved to the state of Iowa at the same time. In 1861 Mr. and Mrs. Ader came back to Indiana and located in Putnam county, near Groveland, and remained there as long as her first husband lived. His death occurred about 1872. She remained there on the farm until the time of her marriage to Mr. Edmondson. She had two sons by her first husband, John W., of Danville, and Solomon O., who still lives on the farm in Putnam county. In 1902 Mr. Edmondson purchased a resi- dence in Clayton, where he has lived most of the time since, but he passes considerable of his time on the farm. He has made farming and stock raising his life's vocation and still continues to manage the farm. Mr. Ed- mondson has raised himself to an enviable position among the agriculturists of his county, entirely by his own efforts. He possesses an unfailing energy, excellent judgment and his ambition has ever been set on a goal far ahead. While seeking primarily the interests of himself and family, he has ever borne in mind his duty to his fellow man, and has proven himself a neigh- bor of unusual helpfulness and consideration. Through this manner of living. he has endeared himself to a large circle of friends and acquain- tances. Mr. Edmondson is independent in politics, voting for the man in- stead of the party every time. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church and give liberally toward its support. He is one of the trustees of the church and has been an honored and active member for a number of years. United in his composition are so many elements of a provident, practical nature, which during a series of years have brought him into prominence and earned for him a first place among the enterprising men of his county, that it is but just recognition of his worthiness that he receive specific mention in this work.
MARSHALL UNDERWOOD.
The biographies of the representative men of a country bring to light many hidden treasures of mind, character and courage, well calculated to arouse the pride of their family and of the community, and it is a source of regret that the people are not more familiar with the personal history of such men, in the ranks of whom may be found tillers of the soil, mechan-
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ics, teachers, as well as lawyers, physicians, bankers and members of other vocations and professions. The subject of this sketch is distinctively one of the leading citizens of the township in which he lives, and as such has made his influence felt among his fellow men and earned a name for enterprise, integrity and honor that entitles him to worthy notice in a work of the na- ture of this volume.
Marshall Underwood, the son of Franklin and Ella (Christie) Under- wood, was born in Marion township, Hendricks county, September 27, 1863. His father was born March 1, 1826, in Shelby county, Kentucky. He came to this county with his parents when he was eight years of age. His father, John Underwood, entered land in Marion township, this county, and lived on the farm which he entered, until his death in 1861.
Franklin Underwood was twice married, his first wife being Catherine. Martin, to whom he was married January 24, 1850. To the first marriage were born three children: Clara, who died September 21, 1867; Mrs. Re- becca Beckley and Mrs. Sarah L. Christie. His first wife died August 13, 1859, and in 1860 Mr. Underwood married Ella Christie, who was a na- tive of Kentucky and has been a resident of this county since she was four years of age. Her parents came to this county from Kentucky and lived near New Winchester in Marion township. To this second marriage was born one child, Marshall, whose history is herein presented. The second wife of Franklin Underwood was born in 1832 and died in 1914, at the age of eighty-one.
Franklin Underwood was a remarkable man in many ways. He was a very careful man in his business affairs, and in everything he did was honest and upright. While he was laying aside a comfortable competence for his old age, he did not neglect the affairs of a higher life to come. In 1852 he, with his wife and three of his sisters, united with the New Winches- ter Baptist church. In 1857 he was chosen and ordained a deacon in that denomination. In 1862 he changed his church membership to Danville and united there with the Regular Baptist church, and still later, as a matter of convenience, he placed his membership in the Palestine church, in Put- nam county, Indiana, where he continued as a member until his death, May 2, 1892. Franklin Underwood was one of a family of seven and of his five sisters and one brother, all are deceased now except his sister, Mrs. Lottie McMurry, who lives at Spokane, Washington. At his death he had a farm of two hundred and eighty acres, one hundred and eighty of which was in Putnam county and the remainder in Marion township, this county.
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Marshall Underwood has lived all his life in Marion township and in that township received his early training on the farm and in the district schools. He has two hundred and eighteen acres of land south of New Winchester, and has it well improved in every way. He raises live stock and also feeds much stock for the market, in addition to his general farm- ing.
Mr. Underwood was married the first time on October 28. 1885, to Clara Johnson, a native of Morgan county, Indiana, and to this union were born two children, Mable, born July 1, 1890, and Clarence, born April 13, 1896. Mable married Glenn Brown, a farmer in Putnam county, November 10, 1912. Clarence is still with his father on the home farm. Mr. Under- wood was married a second time on October 1, 1902, to Cora Thompson, a native of Hendricks county, and the daughter of Charles and Sarah Jane (Moon) Thompson. To this union was born one child, May 18, 1913, now deceased. Mrs. Underwood's father was a native of Illinois, and her mother of this county, both of whom are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thomp- son have a family of six children : Cora, the wife of Mr. Underwood, Mavia, Maggie, James E., Effie and Charles Walter.
Mr. Underwood is a Democrat in politics, but takes no further interest in politics than tó cast his vote for the candidate of his party at election time. He and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church and he has been a trustee in that denomination for the past six years. He is a jovial man, with a happy disposition and easily wins friends. He is a man with keen judgment and business qualities which would have made him a suc- cess in any line of business to which he might have turned. His conduct during his whole career has been exemplary and no action of his has ever brought upon him the condemnation of his fellow citizens, and thus he justly deserves the esteem and good will which his neighbors have for him.
CHARLES W. KOCHER.
Agriculture has always been an honorable occupation and at the pres- ent time the agricultural output is more than equivalent to the total output of all the factories of the United States. There is one thing in the life of a farmer which distinguishes him from men in other occupations, and that is his ability to exist independent of every other occupation. The merchant, the banker, the manufacturer and the professional man depend absolutely on
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the farmer's crops. A famine throughout this county would wreck the strongest bank, close the factories and bankrupt the merchants. The busi- ness man can see his business collapse within a week, but nothing short of an earthquake can ruin the farmer. Land is and it always has been, the most stable investment; panics may sweep the manufacturer out of business over night, but the farmer can survive them when every other industry falls. Therefore the farmer is the backbone of the nation and he who makes two blades of grass grow where but one formerly grew is performing the most important mission of man. Hendricks county's farmers are as good as can be found anywhere, in the world and their history is the history of the material advancement of the county, and no farmer in the county is more deserving of recognition in this series of sketches than is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch.
Charles W. Kocher was born September 19, 1860, in Marion county, Indiana, seven miles west of Indianapolis, on the Hanch free gravel road. His father, Edwin Kocher, was born in Allen county, Pennsylvania, and when a child moved with his parents to a place near Columbus, Ohio. When he was eight years of age, his parents moved to Indianapolis, where Edwin F. was reared to manhood and married. Edwin F. and his father operated a black- smith shop on West Washington street, Indianapolis, for several years. They . then moved seven miles west of Indianapolis, where they lived until the death of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Kocher, he dying in 1892 and his wife in 1894.
Charles W. Kocher received his education in Marion county, Indiana, completing his common school education in the city schools of Indianapolis. In 1894 he moved to his present farm, which he has been operating for the past twenty years. As a farmer he has been uniformly successful in his crops and raising live stock, which is peculiar to this section of the state, Duroc Red hogs receiving his chief attention.
Mr. Kocher was married in 1891 to Louise J. Hurion, of Hendricks county, and to this union have been born two children, Florence, born May 27, 1892, who is a teacher in the public schools, and Harry B., born November 20, 1896, who is still at home with his parents. Mr. Kocher is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Plainfield, joining the lodge there shortly after attaining his majority. He has lived a simple, plain and unostentatious life, doing the good that he could in his community and performing all of those civic duties which are the privilege of every American citizen. He is a Republican, but never aspired for any office. Mrs. Kocher and daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Avon.
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DAVID W. CARTER.
David W. Carter, a twentieth-century farmer, knows very little of the disadvantages which surrounded the pioneer farmers of this state. No longer is the farmer compelled to rise early in the morning and continue his labors far into the evening. The farmer of today can do as much work in a half of a day as his father could fifty years ago in a whole day. The rural route leaves the daily paper on his door step each day, the telephone puts him in instant communication with his neighbors, and the interurban and auto- mobile enable him to participate in all the features of city life. Surround- ed by such conditions, the farmer of today can have all the advantages of the citizens of the city with few disavantages.
David W. Carter, the son of John M. and Susan (Wells) Carter, was born in 1855, on the farm where he now lives near Avon, Indiana. He was educated in the common schools of his township and later took a course in Northwestern Christian University, now known as Butler College, Indian- apolis. After completing his college course he returned to his home county, where he has continued to follow the occupation of farming. In addition to raising all of the crops of this latitude, he makes a speciality of Poland China hogs and Jersey cattle. For the past year he has operated an up- to-date dairy and has proved to be a very successful dairyman.
Mr. Carter was married in 1876 to Susan Hiatt, the daughter of Jesse and Achsa Hiatt, his wife being born in 1854 in Henry county, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have seven children: Louis F., born in 1877, who is a farmer residing with his parents on the home farm; Mrs. Eva May Larsh, born in 1881, who is the wife of a farmer in the northeastern part of Wash- ington township. She has three children, Raymond, Russell and Edna; John L., born in 1885, who is married and is a street car conductor in Indi- anapolis; Grace M., born in 1886, who is single and has attended the Metro- politian Musical College, Indianapolis, is a musician of more than ordinary ability and is now teaching a large class at home; Mary E., born in 1888, is single and living at home; she graduated from the high school at Indian- apolis; Walter E., born in 1891, is an electrician and is making a special study of wireless telegraphy; Paul H. is working for the Bell Telephone Company, and Fanny. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have given all of their seven children the advantage of the best education possible and take a great deal of pride in the achievements of their children.
Mr. Carter is one of the most prosperous farmers of Washington town-
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ship and his reputation as a farmer and public-spirited citizen is not confined to his local township, as is shown by his service on the county council for two terms and the township board two terms. In his official capacity a's council- man, he advocated all measures which were for the welfare of his county, and took a decided stand in favor of all improvements which might enhance the value of farm property. He is a Republican in politics. Mr. and Mrs. Carter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Avon and Mr. Carter has been a trustee of the church for several years. They are both inter- ested in church work and are firm believers in the value of the church as a social center in the community. Fraternally, Mr. Carter has been a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Plainfield, for many years.
DR. E. RAY ROYER.
That "man lives not to himself alone" is an assertion that is amply veri- fied in all the affairs of life, but its pertinence is most patent in those instances where men have so employed their inherent talents, so improved their oppor- tunities and so marshalled their forces as to gain prestige, which finds its sphere of influence ever widening in beneficence and human helpfulness. Greater than in almost any other vocation is the responsibility that rests upon the physician, since in his hands repose at times the very issues of life and death. To those who attain determinate success must there be not only given technical ability, but also a broad human sympathy which shall pass from mere sentiment to be an actuating motive for helpfulness.
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