USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 83
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Eli H. Anderson, one of the most extensive land holders of Hendricks county, was born March 18, 1865, in the town of Mooresville. His parents were Thomas .C. and Anna ( White) Anderson, his father being a native
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of Ohio and his mother of Wayne county, Indiana. Thomas Anderson, a farmer and brick mason, came to Hendricks county before the war and settled in Washington township, where he bought a quarter of a section of land. After three years' residence on this farm, he moved to Six Points, in this county, where he farmed for the next nine years. The remainder of his life was spent in Iroquois county, Illinois, where he died in 1873. his wife dying September 24, 1898. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Anderson were born four children, only two of whom are living, Benjamin W., whose history is set forth in this volume, and Eli H.
Eli H. Anderson is proud of the fact that he was born in a rude log cabin in the midst of a little clearing which his father had made on their farm. In this little cabin, surrounded by very primitive conditions, he and his brothers and sisters grew up. Their parents were ambitious for their children and gave them the best schooling which the neighborhood afforded. Hard work was the portion that was deeded out to the children of the Ander- son family and what they profited by this is shown in the success that has attended the two living children, Eli and Benjamin. The whole life of Eli H. Anderson has been spent upon the farm and there is no feature of farming life that he does not thoroughly understand ; he has made it his life study, and now, in the present day when the teaching of agriculture is becoming general throughout the country, it seems that farming is to be raised to the dignity of a profession.
Mr. Anderson was married February 27, 1901, to Lucille Nyse- wander, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Nysewander. Mrs. Ander- son was born near Plainfield and is one of a family of eight children, both of her parents being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have two sons, Benjamin Rufus, born September 2, 1903, and Clifford Eli, born March 9, 1905. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is inter- ested in the activities of the lodge. He lends his strong support to the Republican party. Religiously, he is a member of the Friends church, and may always be found in hearty co-operation with those who are advancing the welfare of his community. Mr. Anderson has been a life-long farmer and has been living on his present farm of four hundred and forty acres for the past fourteen years, where he does general farming which is peculiar to this locality. He has made a specialty of stock raising and finds this a valuable addition to his yearly income from the farm. In all the relations of life he has proved a man among men and because of his sterling qualities and stanch integrity he is well deserving of the confidence which has been placed in him by his fellow citizens.
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JOHN L. PORTWOOD.
Agriculture has been an honored vocation from the earliest ages and. as a usual thing, men of honorable and humane impulses, as well as those of energy and thrift, have been patrons of husbandry. The free, outdoor life of the farm has a tendency to foster and develop that independence of mind and self-reliance which characterize true manhood and no greater blessing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the healthful, life- inspiring labor of the fields. It has always been the fruitful soil from which have sprung the moral bone and sinew of the country, and the majority of our nation's scholars and distinguished man of letters were born on the farm and are indebted to its early influence for the distinction which they have attained.
John L. Portwood was born in Estill county, Kentucky, on January 17, 1867, the son of Leonard and Martha (Portwood) Portwood, both of whom were natives of that state. Martha Portwood was a daughter of Joseph and Susan (Gentry) Portwood. The family were slave holders, as were most Kentuckians of that day who were at all blessed with this world's goods. Leonard Portwood, father of the immediate subject of this sketch, was also an owner of slaves, having three at the time of the opening of the late re- bellion. John L. Portwood was a child of but twenty-two months of age when his father, Leonard, departed this life, and the widow continued to operate the plantation with the assistance of her older sons. The subject lived with his mother until the time of his marriage, when he came to Indiana, locating in Hendricks county, where he engaged in agricultural work, hiring out by the month to farmers in the community. He continued in this way for four years, saving as best he could and at that time he was able to pur- chase one acre of ground about a mile and a half east of Brownsburg. He put this acre into an excellent state of cultivation, raising small garden truck thereon and also rented a larger tract of land close by, where he carried on general farming. He was in a way to prosper and at the end of four years had earned and saved sufficient money to purchase forty acres of land, located something over two miles northeast of Brownsburg. There he lived for two years, when he sold it and bought a forty-acre tract four miles northeast of Danville. There he lived for two years, and in 1906 sold it and purchased the seventy acres where he now resides, some three miles north of Brownsburg. Mr. Portwood has never specialized on any particular line of crops or stock, simply carrying on general farming, but this he has made
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pay him well, owing to his unfailing energy, untiring effort and excellent business ability. In his youth he received but a limited education, but has endeavored to overcome this handicap in every possible way and has won out through his pluck and determination. When Mr. Portwood arrived in Brownsburg from Kentucky he had but fifty cents in his pocket and through his own judicious management and effort he has made for himself his com- fortable home and well cultivated acres.
In 1894 Mr. Portwood was united in marriage with Rhoda Richardson, who was born December 10, 1877, the daughter of Basil and Amy (Thomp- son) Richardson. All were natives of Kentucky. Amy Thompson was a daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth (Riddle) Thompson and Basil Richardson was a son of David and Polly (White) Richardson. To the subject and wife have been born nine children, namely: Avery L., John, Nora, Bertha, Chester, Herman, Hazel, Martha and Lucile, all of whom are with the par- ents. The family is highly respected and considered among the leading citi- zens of the community. Both Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Christian church and give of time and means to further the cause of that society in their community. Mr. Portwood is a man whom to know is to admire, for he has led a most exemplary life and has sought to do his duty in all relations with his fellow men, being a man of honor, unswerving in- tegrity and enterprise, consequently he is eminently deserving of mention in a history of his county, along with other well-known and representative citizens.
JOHN HADLEY ALMOND.
The present age is essentially utilitarian and the life of every successful man carries a lesson which, told in contemporary narrative, is productive of much good in shaping the destiny of others. There is, therefore, a due measure of satisfaction in presenting, even in brief resume, the life and achievements of such men, and in preparing the following history of the progressive farmer and dairyman whose name appears above, it is with the hope that it may prove not only interesting and instructive, but also serve as an incentive to those who contemplate making agriculture their life work.
John Hadley Almond, the son of Pleasant and Minerva J. (Hadley) Almond, was born near Plainfield, Indiana, October 12, 1865. His parents were both natives of Hendricks county, his father dying December 10, 1907,
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on the farm which he bought in 1857; his wife died on the old home farm on October 26, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Pleasant Almond were the parents of four children : Theophilus, who died in April, 1893; Roscoe; John Hadley ; and Sarah C., who died October 8, 1873.
John H. Almond received his education in the district schools and com- pleted his course in the Plainfield Academy. Until his marriage he worked on his father's farm and immediately after his marriage he went onto a farm of his own, where he has continued with uniform success up to the present time as a farmer and stock raiser. Though he has not neglected his general farming, he has paid special attention to his live stock business. At present he is conducting an extensive dairy and has had remarkable success in this line of business.
Mr. Almond was married March 13, 1889, to Emma J. Hadley, of Morgan county, the daughter of Zimri and Luretha Hadley, and to their union have been born four children: Luretha M., born February 28, 1892, and died August 27, 1913; Eliza O., born June 10, 1895; Laura L., born April 21, 1896; Earl C., born September 23, 1898. Eliza and Laura have both graduated from the Central Academy and the youngest child is now in the academy. Mr. and Mrs. Almond are giving their children the advan- tages of an education and have assisted them in every way to prepare them- selves for their teacher's career.
Mr. Almond has been a stanch supporter of the Republican ticket and has taken a part in the local conventions of his party, although he has never been a candidate for any office at the hands of his party. He and the rest of his family are loyal members of the Friends church and are interested in all of the activities of that denomination. Mr. Almond is one of those men who has a splendid personality and has always been an energetic and enter- prising citizen who has attained a definite success because he worked for it. For this reason he justly merits the respect and esteem which has been so willingly accorded him by his fellow citizens.
COL. JOHN T. BARNETT.
There is one profession which has enrolled very few men from Hen- dricks county and that is the military service of the United States. Col. John T. Barnett was the first man of the county to graduate from West Point Military Academy, and the second man from the county to command a regi-
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ment during a war. He has had a long and varied career in the service of his country, and since his retirement, on account of disability, he has been no less active in civil life.
Col. John T. Barnett, who is now living at No. 2001 North Delaware street, Indianapolis, Indiana, was born three miles west of Danville, Septem- ber 2, 1851, on the same farm which his father entered from the govern- ment. His parents were William and Nancy (Buchanan) Barnett. His father was a native of Fluvanna county, old Virginia. William Barnett, with his parents, came west and settled in Shelby county, Kentucky, in 1808. About 1832 William Barnett came to Hendricks county, Indiana, and bought and settled on the farm where he lived the rest of his life.
Nancy Buchanan Barnett was a direct descendant of the famous Scottish scholar. historian and poet, George Buchanan, of the Scottish clan of Buchanan. Her grandfather, Alexander Buchanan, came direct from Scot- land to this country about 1760. She was born and raised near Versailles in Woodford county, Kentucky. With her father she came to Hendricks county, Indiana, as a young woman and settled near old Belleville. She was united in marriage to William Barnett about 1840.
William and Nancy Barnett were prominent and active members of the Missionary Baptist church throughout their lives, he being clerk of the church from the time he came to Hendricks county till his death. He died in 1875, at the age of seventy-one years. His widow, Nancy Barnett, lived on said farm till her death in 1899 in the seventy-ninth year of her life.
To William and Nancy Barnett were born seven children, five of whom are still living: Levi A. Barnett, of Danville, Indiana; Mrs. Harriet Ellen McKitrick, of Indianapolis, Indiana; Dr. Eli S. Barnett, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Mrs. Nancy A. Whatley, whose husband is an eminent physician of Parral, old Mexico; and Col. John T. Barnett, the immediate subject of this sketch.
Col. John T. Barnett received his early education in the district schools of his township and the old Danville Academy. After teaching school about one year he entered Asbury (De Pauw) University in the fall of 1871, and he completed the freshman year with the class of 1875. Receiving an appoint- ment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, upon the recommendation of Gen. John Coburn, the then congressman, he entered said academy in June. 1873. He graduated from the Military Academy in June, 1878. number fourteen in his class. He stood specially well in his class in mathematics and allied subjects. Colonel Barnett was obliged to remain out
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of the academy one year on account of severe illness from typhoid fever. He was assigned to the Fifth United States Cavalry as second lieutenant United States Army.
After the customary graduating leave of absence, he joined the Fifth United States Cavalry October 1, 1878, at Fort D. A. Russell, near Cheyenne, Wyoming. He was in active service during the next eight years, and served at various posts with his regiment and on detached duty in Wyoming and Texas. In 1886, he was compelled to retire from active service on account of disability incurred in line of duty, since which time he has been on the re- tired list of the United States Army. After his retirement he settled in Danville for awhile, but his health still remained very precarious. He suffered from nervous prostration, and spinal anemia which was largely brought on by mountain fever and the high altitude in which he served dur- ing his active service.
In 1893 Colonel Barnett moved to Indianapolis and settled on Meridian street, where he lived for about one year. His health having somewhat im- proved, he removed to Piqua, Ohio, in the spring of 1894 and engaged in the hardware business. He became principal owner, president and manager of the Barnett Hardware Company at Piqua and remained as such till 1899, when he disposed of his interests and returned to Indianapolis, where he now lives at the corner of Twentieth and Delaware streets. Upon his return to Indianapolis he engaged in the manufacturing pharmaceutical business for a short time till a return of his old disease caused him to give it up. When he again became improved in health he engaged in his present real estate, loan and insurance business. His office is now at No. 50 North Delaware street, Indianapolis.
In 1893 Colonel Barnett was appointed by Governor Matthews, assistant inspector general of the Indiana National Guard, with the rank of major, which position he held till about 1895, when he resigned on account of ab- sence from the state. At the beginning of the Spanish-American war, Colonel Barnett offered his services to the secretary of war and to the governors of Ohio and Indiana.
The Governor of Indiana availed himself of his valuable services and he was appointed colonel and commander of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry in May, 1898, and he at once took his regiment to Camp Alger, Virginia. The regiment was stationed at Camp Alger, Thoroughfare Gap, Virginia, Camp Meade, Pennsylvania, and was mustered out of the service at Camp Mount, Indianapolis, about the middle
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of November, 1898. While at Camp Alger, Colonel Barnett commanded the Second Division of the Second Army Corps for a short time, and his brigade for about one-half of the time he was in the service.
On the 18th of December, 1879, Colonel Barnett was married to Emma Charlotte Peirsol, the only daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth J. Peirsol, a prominent family of Hendricks county, Isaac Peirsol being a successful mer- chant and banker of Danville. To Colonel and Emma C. Barnett two chil- dren were born: William P., who died at birth, February 14, 1881, and Chester P., born January 14, 1887. Emma C. Barnett died in May, 1892, and in the following year Colonel Barnett married Cora C. Campbell, the daughter of L. M. Campbell, a prominent lawyer of Danville, Ind. No chil- dren were born of this second marriage.
Chester P. Barnett, the only child of Colonel Barnett, graduated from Manual Training high school at Indianapolis and immediately entered West Point Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1910. He was attached to the Fifteenth United States Cavalry and stationed at Fort Meyer, Virginia, until September, 1913, when he was transferred with his regiment to Fort Bliss, Texas. He is now in the midst of the stirring events which are taking place there every day. Chester was married, in June, 1911, to Katherine Davis Brown, the granddaughter of ex-Senator Henry. Gassaway Davis, of West Virginia, and to this happy union there has been born one son, Davis Peirsol Barnett. Colonel Barnett can be justly proud of the fine record his son is now making. Chester P. Barnett has an estate in Hendricks county valued at sixty thousand dollars.
Colonel Barnett was a member of the Sigma Chi Greek-letter fraternity while in DePauw University and is a member of the alumni chapter at Indi- anapolis, being president of the same for one year. He is a member of the Sons of the Revolution and served as its president, and has been on its board of managers since 1899. He has always been interested in Masonry and has belonged to the fraternity since he was twenty-one years of age. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he is chairman of its military com- mittee. He is a member of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, Spanish War Veterans, and Spanish War Camp, of all of which he has been com- mander. In politics the Colonel has always been identified with the Demo- cratic party and is a member of the Indiana Democratic Club. He is a mem- ber of the Christian church and contributes to its support. Colonel Barnett has led a very busy and useful career and has made a name for himself in his profession.
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