USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana > Part 57
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MASONIO.
Clayton Lodge, No. 463, F. & A. M., was organized May 29, 1873, with the following charter members: John Harrison, James H. Rynearson, William E. Howland, Thomas F. Dryden, Nelson Sowder, Amos S. Wills, John N. Wills and W. C. Mitchell. The first officers appointed by the Grand Lodge, at Indianapolis, were: Amos S. Wills, W. M .; James H. Rynearson, S. W., and Thomas F. Dryden, J. W. The first meeting was held in a hall built over the wagon-shop of Stephen Scott. Later the members built a larger hall over the store owned by John Harrison, and fitted the same up in a complete and elegant manner. The present member- ship is twenty, and the officers are: William Brown, W. M .; C. O. Haines, S. W .; D. B. Wills, J. W .; Edner Johnson, Treas. ; Thomas F. Dryden, Sec .; Alfred Worrel, S. D .; A. T. Wills, J. D.
BELLEVILLE,
the oldest town in the county, after Danville, was laid out by Will- iam H. Hinton, Lazarus B. Wilson and Obadiah Harris, in 1829. This was about the time of the construction of the Cumberland Road, and Belleville grew rapidly in population and importance. It soon became the center of learning and style for all the county and, in those days, if a starchy young gentleman or lady was seen anywhere in the north part of the county, he was considered to be from Belleville. But with the completion of the Indianapolis & Terre Haute Railroad, in 1850, passing more than a mile north of
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the village, Belleville's greatness began passing away, and now it has little but its history to boast of.
The first house was built by William H. Hinton, who kept also the first store. The first resident physician was Dr. B. B. Bar- tholomew, now of Danville. The village contains three religious .organizations, the Methodist, Christian and Baptist. There are but two church buildings, however, belonging to the first two denominations mentioned. There are two stores, the proprietors being respectively W. J. Cope and Hamrick & White, two black- smith shops and a wagon-shop. The population is about 250.
The White Lick Church (Baptist) was the first of any denomi- nation organized in Hendricks County. It was formed March 27, 1824, by Elder William Pope, with the following members: Thomas Hinton and wife, James Thompson and wife and Chris. Pope. This little band met at the house of Elder Pope for several years, and in 1831 built a church at Belleville-a frame building 30 x 40. After a number of years the church was divided, a por- tion going to Clayton and organizing the Missionary Baptist church. Many of the first members having died, the Belleville church went down, and but one or two members now survive. The church building, too, has been torn down.
Belleville Lodge, No. 205, I. O. O. F., was organized in April, 1859, by John O. Gilliland, Dr. L. H. Kennedy, James T. Mc- Curdy, Z. S. Reagan and Dr. R. C. Moore. The last named was chosen the first N. G .; John O. Gilliland, V. G .; L. H. Kennedy, Sec., and James T. McCurdy, Treas.
CARTERSBURG
is on section 31, in the northeast corner of the township, and is a station on the Vandalia Railroad, to the construction of which it owes its existence. It was laid out in 1850, by John Carter, after whom it was named. The first house was built by David Carter; the first store by Simon Hornaday, who occupied it with a stock of merchandise and was also the first Postmaster. The first hotel was kept by David Carter. The present house of entertainment is kept by Harvey Rawlings. The pioneer blacksmith shop was opened by David Stutesman. The present merchants of the place are: Phillip & Pruitt and Coe & Cox. Messrs. Cox & Clark also deal in grain. The village has 200 inhabitants and maintains two religious organizations.
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RELIGIOUS.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in the winter of 1856-'7, by Rev. Jesse Woodward, with John Biddle, William Little, Richard Poe and their wives, Mrs. Brady and others as first members. Their house of worship was built in 1857, at a cost of $750. It is 30 x 42 feet in size, frame, and located in the northwest part of the village. There are at present about seventy members. The Sunday-school has sixty-five pupils, and is in a prosperous con- dition under the superintendency of James A. Clark. The present Trustees of the church are: J. McCormick, John Biddle and Harvey Rawlings. The Stewards are: J. McCormick and George Silch. The present pastor is Rev. J. Dunlavy.
The Baptist Church was constituted March 21, 1864, with Rev. R. M. Parks as pastor, and the following first members: H. D. McCormick and wife Jane, R. T. McCormick and wife Sarah E., A. S. McCormick and wife Matilda, Christine, William, Nancy, Sndy, Cynthia and Moses Tomlinson, James and Sarah Hayden, John A. and Sarah Veatch, Isabel Silch, Joseph K. and Elizabeth Little, Hazzard and Margaret J. Woodhurst, Anna Martin, Sarah A. Snodgrass, Oliver P. Garr, Susan Dilley, Charles Maddox, Greenberry Baker (who united with the church in his ninetieth year), James Roach, George Hufford and Hannah Owens. R. T. McCormick was chosen the first Clerk. The society has a frame church, 34 x 44 feet, erected in 1868, at a cost of $700. The pres- ent membership is 105. A. S. McCormick is Clerk; J. A. Veatch, Moderator; J. K. Little, James Hayden, J. A. Veatch, A. S. Mc- Cormick and S. M. Pearson, Trustees. The pastors have been, in succession, Revs. R. M. Parks, B. A. Melson, W. Trent, J. W. Sherrill, F. M. Buchan and J. W. Crews. The society is in a pros- perous condition, and the church is undergoing repairs which will cost nearly as much as the building itself.
CENTER VALLEY
is a postoffice on section 25, in the southern part of the township. There is no village at that point.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Alfred W. Carter, a successful farmer of Liberty Township, was born in Lincoln County, Ky., April 18, 1833, the second son of John and Martha (Alford) Carter. His father was born in 1801
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and died in 1864. His mother was born in 1808 and died in 1878. Their family consisted of eight children, five sons and three daugh- ters. When twenty years of age Alfred W. Carter left home and came to Hendricks County, Ind., having, when he reached here, but $1.35 in money. He worked by the month during the summer, and in the winter attended school, until he had $150 and a horse. Prior to coming to Hendricks County his entire schooling had been but nine months. He was married in 1856 to Mary J. Short, daughter of Young and Elizabeth Short, of Belleville. After his marriage he rented land in different parts of the county till 1860. He bought three acres of land, with house, one-half mile west of Clayton, where he was living at the breaking out of the Rebellion. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, Seventieth Indiana Infantry, and served till June, 1865. He participated in the bat- tles of the Atlanta campaign, and thence went to Washington, D. C., where he was mustered ont. After his return home, he bought forty acres of land on which he lived about eighteen months, when he sold it, and in 1869 bought forty acres which is a part of his pres- ent home. He now owns 151g acres of choice land with a good brick residence and convenient farm buildings. His wife died in 1867. Of their five children, only two are living-Dora F., wife of William Harrison, and Lawrence E. Elizabeth, died in infancy in 1857; Warren G., died July 14, 1884, aged twenty-four years; Lucy, died in infancy in 1862. In 1869 he married Mrs. Mar- garet J. Hamilton, who died in November, 1878, leaving one daughter-Nellie G. In 1880 he married Mrs. Nancy J. Lew- alen, and to them has been born one daughter-Mabel. Mr. Carter and his wife are members of the Christian church, of which he has been Elder and Trustee. Mr. Carter has traveled over half the States and Territories in the Union and is very well known. He is known throughout the country as a successful farmer and reliable business man. He has been associated with the courts continuously for the past ten years, having acted as administra- tor, guardian and Commissioner. He has executed official bonds to the amount of $15,000, and for the faithful performance of such trusts he has won the confidence and esteem of all who come in contact with him.
Daniel Cox, son of Abijah and Sarah (Carter) Cox, is a native of Hendricks County, Ind., born July 28, 1827. His parents were natives of North Carolina, his father of Randolph County, born Sept. 27, 1800, and his mother of Chatham County, born in 1799.
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In 1822 Abijah Cox and his wife moved to Indiana and settled in Richmond, Wayne County, where he had a brother. While there, when absent from home, their cabin was entered and a chest con- taining $300, given him by his father, taken away. This left him with nothing but his horses and wagon. In 1824 he went to Hen- dricks County and settled on section 28, Guilford Township, where he entered eighty acres of land, which he improved and afterward sold, and bought 160 acres in Washington Township, where he lived till his death in 1851. His wife survived him till 1863. They were members of the society of Friends, but were excom- municated for marrying out of the church. They subsequently joined the Christian church and remained consistent members the rest of their lives. They had a family of seven children, three of whom are living. Daniel Cox remained with his parents till man- hood. He was given a good education and taught two years. He then learned the tanner's trade, at which he worked two years, when his father died and he then took charge of the homestead for his mother. He was married in April, 1852, to Elizabeth Lit- tle, who was born May 10, 1833, a daughter of Samuel Little. Mr. Cox is Treasurer of the Indiana Horticultural Society, and President of the Hendricks County Agricultural and Horticultural Society, also President of the Farmers' Co-operative Insurance Company, representing $1,750,000. He and his wife are members of the Christian church, of which he is an Elder.
Thomas F. Dryden, M. D., Clayton, Ind., is a native of Ohio, born in Adams County, Oct. 20, 1835, the eldest son of Isaac and Martha (Bowles) Dryden, his father a native of Delaware and his mother of Virginia. When he was about four years of age his father died and his youth was spent on a farm, attending the dis- trict schools. He came to Indiana in 1852, and worked on a farm some time. Having from his boyhood had a desire to become a physician he hailed with delight the opportunity given him to study medicine with Dr. Hutchison, of Mooresville. He afterward attended a course of lectures at the medical department of the Michigan University, Ann Arbor. He then went to Detroit, Mich., where he was a private pupil of Dr. William Brodie, an eminent surgeon, remaining with him about six months. He subsequently entered the Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, from which he graduated in 1859. In addition to his degree of M. D., he in 1875 had an honorary degree conferred on him by the Indiana Medical College, and has certificates from the chemical
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and pharmaceutical department at Ann Arbor, and the clinical de- partment at Detroit. He began the practice of his profession at Northfield, Boone Co., Ind., in 1859, remaining there till the break- ing out of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in the three-months service as a private. He afterward entered the three-years ser- vice as Hospital Steward of the Fifteenth Indiana Infantry, but always acted in the capacity of Assistant Surgeon or Surgeon. He was at many important engagements, among others Rich Mount- ain, Shiloh, Murfreesboro and Mission Ridge. He was mustered out June 25, 1864, but was immediately appointed Post Surgeon at Johnsonville, Tenn., where he remained till August, 1865. He then returned to Indiana and lived in Morgan County till June, 1866, when he located in Clayton, where he has built up a large practice, and has made an enviable reputation both as a physician and surgeon. Dr. Dryden was married in 1868 to Mrs. Sarah E. Johnson, a lady of culture and refinement. She died in 1872, leaving no children. Dr. Dryden is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church; also of the Masonic fraternity, Clayton Lodge, No. 463. In politics he is a Republican.
Theodore R. Gilleland, teacher in the intermediate department of Cartersburg graded schools, is one of the oldest teachers in Hen- dricks County. He was born in Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 6, 1846, the only son of John O. and Nancy J. (Pope) Gilleland, and grand- son of William Pope. In 1851 his parents moved to Hendricks County, where, in connection with working at his trade (plasterer), his father engaged in farming. He attended in his boyhood the district schools, and later, the Belleville Academy, and in the spring of 1877, a term at the State Normal School, at Terre Haute. He commenced teaching in 1868 and has taught nine years in Belleville, five years in Brownsburg and three years in Carters- burg. He has been a successful disciplinarian and instructor and has a reputation second to none in the county. In addition to teaching he carries on a small farm on section 31, Liberty Town- ship. He was married Feb. 26, 1874, to Amanda M. Wilson, of Danville. They have two children-Daisy I. and Raymond I. Mr. Gilleland is a member of Belleville Lodge, No. 205, I. O. O. F.
John Harrison, merchant, Clayton, Ind., is a native of Knox County, Ky., born Oct. 30, 1830. He was the eldest of seven children of Thomas and Nancy (Bryan) Harrison, his father a native of North Carolina and his mother of Tennessee. In Decem- ber, 1832, Thomas Harrison moved to Hendricks County, Ind.,
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and located on a tract of heavily timbered land in Liberty Town- ship, where he lived till his death in 1846. His wife still lives on the old homestead, aged seventy-eight years. She was hurt while milking a cow about sixteen years ago, and is still lame from its effects, but with this exception has good health. Of their children two daughters and our subject are the only ones living. John Harrison was but two years of age when his parents moved to Hendricks County. He was reared on his father's farm and in his boyhood attended the district schools. On reaching manhood he engaged in dealing in live stock, and although having but limited means he was successful, and by 1867 had acquired sufficient means to buy the store and stock of goods of J. R. Ballard. He was associated with A. N. Clark, under the firm name of Clark & Harrison, four years. He then bought Mr. Clark's interest and conducted the business alone till 1880, when he sold a half interest to his former partner and the firm has since been Clark & Harrison. They carry a full line of general merchandise and have one of the best stores in the county. Their store, which was erected by Mr. Harrison in 1874, is a two-story frame building, 22 x 60 feet in size, the upper floor used as a Masonic Hall. Mr. Harrison has built two residences in Clayton, the last, in which he lives, being a model of taste and convenience. He was married in 1862 to Margaret E. Clark, a native of Putnam County, Ind., a sister of A. N. Clark. They have had two children, but one of whom-Katie M., is liv- ing. Mr. Harrison is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Clay- ton Lodge, No. 463. He and his wife and daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Horace Hunt, druggist, Clayton, Ind., is the second son of Alford and Jane Hunt. He spent his youth on his father's farm north of the village of Clayton, receiving his early education in the district schools and later attending the Central Normal College, Danville. After leaving school he was employed by Hunt & Rowe, dealers in buggies and farm implements, in Delphi, the county seat of Car- roll County, Ind., a year, and in 1884 bought the stock and fixt- ures of T. J. Allen, druggist, Clayton. He carries a full line of drugs, medicines, paints, oils, glass, varnish and toilet articles. He is a young man of good business ability, and his steady habits and uprightness have gained him many friends. He owns a fine farm of 102 acres two miles north of Clayton, in Center Township, on which are good buildings and a pleasant two-story residence.
William W. Irons, resident of Cartersburg, Ind., is a native of
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Liberty Township, born May 29, 1835, the fourth son of Thomas and Sarah (Franks) Irons. He spent his boyhood and youth on his father's farm, and was given a good education, completing it at the old seminary in Belleville, where he was assistant teacher one term. After leaving school he was employed in the clerk's office at Dan- ville, by his brother John, two years. He was married in 1856 to Miss Mary W. Clark, daughter of Edmund Clark, an ex-Sheriff and Treasurer of Hendricks County. After his marriage he went to Indianapolis, where he remained till the breaking out of the Re- bellion, when he enlisted in Company A, Seventh Indiana Infantry. After his return from the war he moved to Hendricks County and settled on the farm in Liberty Township, which is now owned by John A. Miles. He has been engaged in the commission business in Indianapolis since 1876. He has a family of four children.
Albert Johnson, merchant and grain-dealer, Clayton, Ind., is a native of Marion County, Ind., born Sept. 19, 1843, the eighth of nine children of Jeremiah and Susannah Johnson, his father a native of Connecticut and his mother of Virginia. His parents moved to Indiana in 1821 and settled in Indianapolis, and in the spring of 1855 moved to Hendricks County. The mother died in 1863 and the father in 1876. Albert Johnson received his early education in his native county and later attended the academy at Danville. After leaving school he engaged in farming till 1876 when he located in the village of Clayton and began dealing in grain, and in 1880 opened a general store in company with his brother Edwin. Their store building, which was erected by them- selves, is 38 x 60 feet in size, two stories high, and is arranged conveniently for their business. The upper floor is used as a pub- lic hall. Their grain elevator, located on the line of the Vandalia Railway, has a capacity of 30,000 bushels of wheat. Mr. Johnson was married in 1867 to Miss Mary E. Snoddy, of Morgan County, Ind., and to them have been born three children-Gertrude, Emma and Arthur A. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Chris- tian church, of which he is a Trustee.
Jeremiah Johnson, son of Aholiab and Hannah Johnson, was born at Killingly, Windham Co., Conn., Ang. 23, 1792, and in 1795 or 1796 he removed with his parents to Stafford, Tolland Co., Conn. With the exception of about three years, when he lived with his mother's father, Jeremiah Bacon, at Middletown, Conn., he continued to live with his father and work at farming and get- ting such education as the common schools then afforded, some-
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times teaching district schools in the winter, till he was about twenty-one years of age. In 1813, during the war with Great Britain, he served as a volunteer in the militia of Connecticut for about seventy days, guarding the port at New London and vi- cinity, for which service he long afterward obtained bounty land from the United States Government. After the close of his mili- tary service he went South as far as Washington, seeking his fortune, and for a short time worked on the new Capitol the old one having been burned by the British, but believing there was some easier way of getting a living he soon left and went to Baltimore where he shipped on board a private armed sloop for a cruise. Soon taking a dislike to that kind of life he was dis- charged at one of the West India Islands called Virgin Gorda, whence he returned to his father's home in Stafford. There he taught the district school, numbering not less than 100 scholars, for one term, and early in the spring of 1815 he started with a small trunk, containing a few articles of wearing apparel and about $50 in money, for the great New West leaving the balance of his savings placed on interest. He traveled by mail stage to Philadelphia, whence, after placing his trunk on board one of the large wagons then constantly passing between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, he traveled on foot to the latter place. At Pittsburg, in company with another Eastern man, he constructed a flat-boat and loaded it with coal and floated down the Ohio River to Cin- cinnati when boat and cargo were sold for what he could get. From Cincinnati he very soon went to a recently settled German village about twenty miles northwest of that city where he taught the young Germans the English language and such other radi- ments of education as circumstances permitted, till the time when the authorities of Indiana fixed the site of the present Indian- apolis for the capital of that State. Soon after he learned that fact he hired a couple of men with each a four-horse team, loaded them with provisions and such other articles as were necessary in a new settlement, and leaving his German friends started through the then unbroken forest for the future city, fording streams and cutting their way through the woods, being guided by a small compass. After much time and enduring many hardships he at length reached the place of his destination. Here he detained his teamsters till they, together with such assistance as those already there could afford, had built him a log cabin, being the third in that place. His first dining table was the head of a flour
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barrel, his first plate a clean maple chip, and his first bedstead was framed into a corner of the cabin. He at once commenced deal- ing in provisions, groceries, powder, lead, etc. When the first brick court-house was built (used for a State House for several years) he took the contract for the brick work and in company with John Johnson, who came there from Virginia, and one of whose daughters afterward bacame his wife, made the brick and com- pleted his contract to the acceptance of the authorities. At that time money was a very scarce article, and the State obligations with which he was paid for his work were at a heavy discount, and had it not been for the money due him in Connecticut which was collected and sent to him as fast as possible, he probably would have become bankrupt. He was generally reasonably successful in business though sometimes suffered serious losses, as when bring- ing a boat-load of salt up the Wabash River the boat suddenly sunk and boat, salt, and wearing apparel of himself and assist- ants were a total loss, leaving him and his companions to beg their way home over 100 miles. He invested his savings in land at Government prices, which of course advanced in value as the county became settled. When the National Road was laid out west from Indianapolis he laid out the village of Bridgeport on land which he owned, and built a hotel, steam mill, and store. When the plank road was built, he took an active interest in it and gave the right of way through all his land and ground for a depot at Bridgeport and much otherwise to encourage the building of the railroad. He was active and energetic in business and did much in promoting the cause of education and agriculture in the State, im- porting improved breeds of cattle from other States. His ances- tors were of pure English stock and according to the tradition of the family some of them left England and settled in Massachusetts on the restoration of Charles II., on account of their participation in the civil war as soldiers and partisans of Cromwell. He reared a family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters. He sur- vived his wife and daughters several years and died at Clayton, Hendricks County, March 20, 1876.
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J. Sherry Jones, telegraph operator and agent for the " Van- dalia Line," at Clayton, Ind., is a native of Hendricks County, born June 13, 1858, the third son of Adam and Harriett Jones, natives of England, who came to America in 1849, and settled in Plainfield, Hendricks Co., Ind., in 1855, where our subject was born and reared. He received a good education, completing it at
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the Plainfield High School, and learned the art of telegraphy in the railroad office of that place, under the direction of Cyrus Green. After completing his studies he was employed in the rail- road office at Brownstown, Ill., and in January, 1883, was trans- ferred to Clayton, where, in addition to the duties of operator, he has charge of the passenger and freight departments of the rail- road. He is also a silversmith by trade, and carries on a general repairing business when not engaged with the duties of his posi- tion.
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