USA > Indiana > Hendricks County > History of Hendricks County, Indiana, together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 15
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George W. Brill, attorney at la at Danville, was born in Lib- erty Township, this county, Dec. 16, 1859, where he was reared. He was a son of William and Jennett (Mathew) Brill. His father died when he was fourteen years old. He was reared in his native place, and received liis early education in the district schools, and afterward attended the Central Normal College at Danville during 1879-'80-'S1-'82. He began reading law at home in 1SS2, and in 1883 he entered the law office of Hadley, Hogate & Blake as a law student, and in the meantime taught school several terms. In March, 1883, he was admitted to the bar in Danville but did not enter upon the practice of law until August, 1884, when he opened his present office in Danville, where he is meeting with fair success, and has his share of the law business of the county. His father was a native of Virginia and of German descent, and his mother was a native of Scotland. His parents came from Virginia about 1857 and settled in Center Valley, Liberty Township, where his father followed farming till his death in 1874. His mother is still living on the homestead farm in Liberty Township.
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Mordecai Carter, Deputy Auditor of Hendricks County, was born in Guilford Township, Hendricks Co., Ind. His parents were Newlin and Beulah (Hunt) Carter, and both are descendants of pioneers of the county of about 1827. He was reared a farmer and educated in the district schools of his native place, and in the High School at Plainfield, taking a course of book-keeping at the latter place. . On reaching his majority, he traveled as a salesman for the implement house of Ewald Over of Indianapolis at times for three years, and while thus employed he sold the right of a self- opening gate which he had invented. In 1881 he, in connection with J. B. Carter, purchased a saw-mill at Plainfield which they operated one year under the firm name of J. B. & M. Carter, he retiring from the firm in October, 1882. He then became associated with S. Hiss, the firm name being Hiss & Carter, dealing in farm implements, wagons, buggies and carriages. Feb. 2, 1885, he was made Deputy Auditor by County Auditor John Kendall. He is a member of the Society of Friends of Plainfield. He is Secretary and Trustee of MeCartey Lodge, No. 233, I. O. O. F., of Plainfield, and is also Secretary of the Hendricks County Horticultural and Agricultural Society.
Thomas Clark, of the firm of Clark & Co., butchers and cattle dealers, is a native of Hendricks County, Ind. He was born near Danville, April 13, 1848, and is a son of S. G. and Mary A. (Mount) Clark, both of whom are deceased. He lived with his parents till he was twenty years old, then engaged in the marble trade with Samuel Steele under the firm name of Steele &. Clark, he having worked at the same business some time with Mr. Steele. He re- tired from the firm in 1877 and opened a meat market at Danville, being associated with different partners till 1884, when his present partner was admitted to the firm, the firm name being Clark & Co. Mr. Clark enlisted in the late war in Company C, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Indiana Infantry, Feb. 1,1865, and was discharged Sept. 5 of the same year. He was married Jan. 11, 1870, to Miss Melissa Adams, of Des Moines, Iowa. They have one child-Ada. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Danville. Mr. Clark began life with no means, but through his own efforts he has built up a per nanent and profitable business, his market being the oldest in Danville.
William Thomas Conn was born near Louisville, Jefferson Co., Ky., Dec. 6, 1814, a son of Fingh and Julia Ann (Blankenbeker) Conn, who were natives of Virginia. He was reared a farmer
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and remained on the farm with his parents till attaining his majority. He came to Indiana with his parents in 1832 and set- tled in Clark County where he remained till 1840. He returned to Jefferson County where he was married April 20, 1837, to Miss Ensebia N. Garr, born near Danville, Boyle Co., Ky., Ang. 7, 1818, a daughter of Lonis and Nancy (Thrailkeld) Garr. When twelve years of age she removed with her parents to Jefferson County re -. maining there till her marriage. Eight children have been born to them-Miranda, wife of the late Benjamin Moon, of Center Township; Etna, wife of James Rodgers, of Rochester, Ind .; Martha E., wife of Henry Wiley, in Center Township; Mary A., at home; Edward H., a farmer of Center Township; Samuel L., of Indianapo- lis; William N., of Eel River Township, and James F., of Center Township. Immediately after his marriage Mr. Conn returned to Indiana and located in Clark County. In 1840 he returned to Jefferson County, Ky., remaining there till 1853 when he again came to Indiana and has since pursued farming in Center Town- ship, Hendricks County. He and his wife and five of their children are members of the Regular Baptist church. Two of their children belong to the Missionary Baptist, and one to the Christian church.
Henry Harrison Crawford is a native of Hendricks County, Ind. Ele was born in Franklin Township, near Stilesville, July 10, 1840, where he lived with his parents, Moses and Melinda (Churchman) Crawford, until manhood. Dec. 10, 1861, he was married to Miss Julia A., danghter of Andrew B. and Sarah (Bar- nett) Shelleday. They have five living children-Edward A., Sarah Hettie, Moses, George Waland and John. One child died in infancy, and a daughter, Myra Jane, died Sept. 18, 1874, aged nearly six years. Since his marriage Mr. Crawford has lived on the homestead farm of Mr. Shelleday, where he has pursned farm- ing till the present time with the exception of the time he spent in the army. He enlisted in August, 1862, as a private in Company C, Seventieth Indiana Infantry, serving till June, 1865, when he was discharged at Indianapolis at the close of the war, having participated in the battles of Rushville, Resaca, Cassville, New Hope Church, Lost Mountain, Kenesaw, Peach Tree Creek, At- lanta, Savannah and Bentonv lle. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea, and was at the grand review at Washington at which city he was mnstered out in June, 1865. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and his wife belongs to the Presbyterian church of Danville. In politics he has always voted
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the Republican ticket. He has held the office of Deacon of the Danville Baptist church since 1874.
James E. Daugherty, one of the prominent agriculturists of Center Township, was born Feb. 8, 1841, in Montgomery County, Ind., a son of James and Mary Aun Daugherty, natives of Ken- tucky. His parents settled in Montgomery County in 1830. His mother died July 31, 1872, aged sixty-six years. His father is liv- ing near Ladoga, Montgomery County. They had a family of five children-William W., Mrs. Nancy Stover, Mrs. Catherine Bird (died Aug. 1,1881), Mrs. Minerva Hashbarger and James E., who was married May 27, 1869, to Eliza Jane Maccoun, born in Jackson Township, in August, 1849, a daughter of John W. and Melvina Maccoun. They have four children-Henrietta, Edgar, Charlie and Mary. In October, 1869, Mr. Daugherty bought and moved to his farm on section 31, entered in pioneer days by Jesse Kennedy. He has added to this property by purchasing the adjoining farm, and is now the owner of 556 acres all under improvement. Mr. Daugherty is also engaged in buying and shipping all kinds of stock. John W. Maccoun, father of Mrs. Daugherty, is one of the largest land-owners in Center Township.
William T. Davis, junior member of the milling firm of Haynes & Davis, proprietors of the Commercial Mills of Danville, was born on a farm near Powellsville, Worcester Co., Md., Aug. 4, 1845. He lived with his parents, Todd F. and Levicy (Littleton) Davis, till reaching his majority, receiving only a common-school education. On leaving home he went to Salisbury, Md., and clerked in a store about two years. In 1869 he came West and worked in a machine shop in East St. Louis, Ill., at engineering, about two years, and during that time he was in the employ of the I. & St. L. R. R. Company in Hendricks County. In 1871 he permanently settled in Danville, and was engineer in the Peerless Mills until 1878 when he was employed as a clerk in the store of Yancy Green, of Danville, till Jan. 1, 1879. He then engaged in the mercantile business at Reno, Hendricks County, which he dis- continued in August, after which he was engaged in business a short time in Indianapolis. In 1881 the present firin of Haynes & Davis was formed, he having purchased an interest in the Peerless Mills. In 1883, after great improvements, the name of the mill was changed to the Commercial Mills. While at Reno, Mr. Davis served as Postmaster. He was married Jan. 12, 1871, to Joanna Moore, of Danville. They have three children living-
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Levicy, Cheivor and Virgil L. Loda died at Reno, Dec. 1, 1880, aged five years. Mr. Davis and wife are members of the Christian church of Danville. He is a member of Silcox Lodge, No. 123, I. O. O. F., of which he is past Grand, and is also a member of the Grand Lodge of the State of Indiana.
Adam Downard, a retired farmer of Danville, is a native of Ohio, and was born in Fayette County, July 25, 1819. When about three years of age he was brought to Indiana by his parents, James and Elizabeth (Curry) Downard, who located on a farm in Guilford Township, on which the Reform School building at Plainfield is now situated, and where he lived till he was twenty -. two years of age. In 1843 he settled on a farm in Center Town- ship, where he farmed till 1850, when he removed to Marion Township. In 1860 he returned to Center Township, where he lived on a farm two miles west of Danville till 1869, when he gave up agricultural pursuits and became a resident of Danville. Aug. 5, 1842, he was married to Miss Mildred Bereman, of Center Township, Hendricks County. They have had five children- Jesse James, who died Oct. 5, 1867, aged twenty-four years; Mary Elizabeth, who died March 10, 1846, aged five months; William P., who died May 7, 1869, aged nearly twenty-two years; Thomas Allen, who died in April, 1854, aged nearly four years; and Oliver, who died Feb. 19, 1884, aged over twenty-five years. Mr. Down- ard and wife have been members of the Christian church since 1842, and he has held the office of Trustee eight years. Mrs. Downard was born in Mercer County, Ky., Feb. 16, 1823. Her parents, Thomas and Nancy (Emmerson) Bereman, both dying be- fore she was twelve years of age, she in 1835 came to Hendricks County to live with her brother, Jesse Bereman, with whom she remained until her marriage.
James A. Downard, senior member of the law firm of Downard & Parker, at Danville, was born in New Winchester, Hendricks Co., Ind., Nov. 15, 1855, a son of David M. and Cassandra (Morgan) Downard. He was reared on a farm in Marion Town- ship, where he obtained his primary education in the district schools. He afterward attended Butler University at Irvington, Marion Co., Ind., one year, an | during 1876-'77 he took a course in Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, at Indianapolis, from which he graduated in November, 1877. He then immediately entered the office of Cofer & Taylor as a law student, where he studied till June, 1878, when he was admitted to the bar at Dan-
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ville. He remained in the same office till August, 1880, when lie began the practice of law with Thad. S. Adams, the firm name be- ' ing Adams & Downard. He retired from the firm in December, 1881, and became associated with Marshall Todd in the law and abstract business. In April, 1884, Mr. Todd was succeeded by James O. Parker, the firm name now being Downard & Parker. May 22, 1884, he was married to Miss Maud L., daughter of the late William H. Donaldson, of Danville. In 1881 he was elected Clerk of Danville, holding the office by re-election for three years. He is a Master Mason and member of Western Star Lodge, No. 26, A. F. & A. M., of which he has served one term as Junior Warden. In 1882 he was elected Secretary of the Hendricks County Republican Central Committee, and was re-elected in 1884.
Robert R. Downard, son of James and Elizabeth Downard, was born March 11, 1822, in Morgan County, Ind. He lived at home till his marriage, which occurred March 16, 1848, to Catlı- erine King, who was born in Kentucky, July 20, 1823. When she was nine years of age her parents, William and Elizabeth King, settled in Washington Township, where her father died. Her mother died in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Downard have had six children-Louesa, the eldest, who died at the age of fifteen months; William A. and Albert B., residents of Greenwood County, Kan .; Henry F. and Jennie May, at home; and Fanny L., who died at the age of eleven years. Mr. Downard bought the place where he resides in 1867. His home farm contains 252 aeres of land, located in sections 6 and 31. In 1874 he rented his farm and went to Greenwood County, Kan., where he bought two farms, one of 225 acres and one of 162 acres. He still owns these farms, which are now occupied by his two eldest sons. Mr. Downard returned to this county in 1882. In politics he is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Old School Presbyterian church. His father, James Downard, was a native of Pennsylvania. He spent his youth in Ohio, and from there went to Kentucky, where he was married. His wife was a native of Kentucky. After his marriage he lived in Ohio eleven years, and in February, 1823, lie emigrated to this county, and located in Guilford Township. He was an energetic business man, and was possessed of considerable means. He entered 900 acres of Government land in different parts of the country, a part of the town site of Danville covering one of his land entries. He donated twenty acres of land for
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county buildings, on which the court-house now stands. Mr. Downard was in early days County Judge. His first home was in Guilford Township, and is now owned and occupied by the State Reform School. He reared a large family to maturity-Mrs. Cyn- thia Russell, died in Clinton County ; Mary Ann, married Rev. Andrew Prather, and died in Texas; Mrs. Jane Burks, residing in Illinois; Mrs. Sarah Little, died in this county; Adam, of Dan- ville; Robert R., our subject; David M., of Marion Township; Jonathan, died in California; William, died in Missouri; and Thompson, in Clinton County, Ind. James Downard and his wife are both deceased.
Abram Eastes was born in Shelby County, Ky., July 11, 1819, son of Joel and Lucy (Sanders) Eastes. He was reared on the home farm, remaining with his parents till he grew to manhood. He began farming for himself in Shelby County in 1842, remain- ing there till March, 1852, when he sold his farm and came to Hendricks County, Ind., purchasing his present farm in Center Township. In 1839 he was married to Miss Louisie Crook, of Shelby County, Ky. They have six children living-Lou Ella, wife of James F. O'Hair, of Put iam County, Ind .; John Williamn, farming in Lucas County, Iowa; Mary Ann, wife of Isaac Car- son, of Dayton, Waslı. Ter .; Walter, a farmer of Hendricks County; Jesse, traveling salesman for the wholesale house of Pen- field & Son, Willoughby, Ohio; and Charlie, at home. Five chil- dren are deceased-James Pleasant, died Aug. 21, 1857, aged over twelve years; Henry Jefferson, died Dec. 6, 1864, aged nearly eighteen years; George Thomas, died Jan. 16, 1882, aged thirty- three; Joel Franklin, died March 14, 1885, aged over three years; and Ira Urban, died July 17, 1871, aged over two years. Mrs. Eastes was born May 24, 1821, in Shelby County, Ky., a daughter of John and Mary (Radford) Crook. She lived with her parents till her marriage, and was educated in the common schools. Although a member of no church, she was reared a Baptist, and still adheres to the doctrines taught by her parents.
William Thompson Eddingfield, teacher, was born Nov. 9, 1850, at Pisgah, Butler Co., Ohio. His parents, John J. and Sarah Eddingfield, were of English and German descent, and were married near Bethany, Butler Co., Ohio, in 1843. To them were born seven children, of whom five survive-G. W. E., a successful physician at Mace, Montromery Co., Ind .; Mary A., wife of J. H. Lynn, at Whitesville, Ind .; Oscar, farming on the
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old homestead near New Ross, Ind., with whom the mother makes her home, the father having died in the fall of 1875; James C., a successful teacher, and our subject. The latter spent his early life on a farm near New Ross, Montgomery Co., Ind., to which his father removed in the fall of 1858. His educational advantages were limited to a few months in the year in the country schools, he having to assist his father to improve their farm, but he made the best use of his time, and at the age of nineteen was enabled to take charge of the school in his neighborhood, where he met with a good degree of success. The following year he taught at Center, two miles north, and the next year he returned to Greenwood, where he taught one year, giving good satisfaction. The next year he taught at Hunt's school, and the three years following at Maple Grove, two miles north of Ladoga, with marked success. In the meantime he spent one summer in the National Normal University of Lebanon, Ohio, and one spring and summer at the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, Ind. In Septem- ber, 1877, he entered the Central Normal College, then located at Ladoga, and resolved to take the scientific course. Before the close of the year the school was removed to Danville, Ind., and the principalship of the commercial department placed in his hands, which through his efficient management increased in numbers and interest, and was soon one of the leading departments of the school. Having graduated with honors, he began the classic course in the fall of 1878, completing the course during the year, and during this time he taught three classes daily. Mr. Eddingfield is just closing his seventh year in the Central Normal College, and is now looking forward to a year's recreation in the West, when he hopes to return and resume his work in the school to which he is so much attached. He was married at the Grand Hotel, Indian- apolis, by Elder U. C. Brewer, pastor of the Central Christian Church of that city, May 1, 1879, to Miss Bien Travers, sister of Prof. M. T. Travers, then teacher of penmanship in the college. Three bright children-Stella Bea, Ina Dea, and Frank Travers- have blessed their marriage. Stella is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Eddingfield are active workers in the Christian church, of which they are members.
John W. Estep, a retired merchant and farmer of Danville, was born near Richmond, Wayne Co., Ind., Oct. 17, 1815. His parents were John and Jemimah (Wright) Estep, his father a native of Mary- land, and his mother of Pennsylvania. They came to Indiana in
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1812, and lived in Wayne County until their death. Our subject's educational advantages were very limited. He helped his mother prepare flax for weaving, and assisted his father on a farm till his eighteenth year, after which he was allowed to keep whatever he earned. At the age of twenty he began teaching in the public schools of Washington Township, Wayne County, which be fol- lowed a part of three years. By the time he had reached his twenty-first year he had accumulated enough money to purchase 200 acres of Government land in Whitely County, Ind. He was married Feb. 6, 1840, to Rachel Falls, of Wayne County, a native of Virginia, by whom he had five children, all of whom are deceased except one son, Isaac Newton, a farmer of Center Township, near Danville. In 1853 Mr. Estep sold his farms in Wayne and Whitely counties, for which he received $1,000, and purchased a farm of 180 acres in Floyd Township, Putnam Co., Ind., for $3,800, where he engaged in buying and selling hogs till 1859, when selling part of his property, he having accumulated about 600 acres of land, he came to Hendricks County. Here he settled on a farm adjoin- ing Danville, having purchased a half section of land in that vicinity. In 1861 he was one of the prime movers in founding the Danville Academy, and was the first man to subscribe toward building it. The Academy is now known as the Central Normal College of Danville. He lived on his farm, carrying on farming and dealing in everything in which there was any money, until 1877, when he retired from business and is now living in one of the most pleasant residences in Danville. He has accumulated about $90,000, much of which he has given to his children and to charitable, church and educational purposes. His wife died June 4, 1884, being a member of the Society of Friends. He is a mem- ber of the. Methodist Episcopal church, having connected himself therewith in June, 1832. He was also of Methodist parentage. His present wife, nee N. J. Hurdle, was also of Methodist parent- age, and is a member of the same church.
Clark E. Farabee, M. D., was born near Salem, Washington Co., Ind., Dec. 16, 1847, a son of Benjamin C. and Susan (Haghey) Farabee. He was reared on a farm until nineteen years of age, when, in order to raise money with which to educate himself, he began working on the New Albany & Chicago Railroad, working and attending school alternately for two years. In the fall of 1869 he entered Asbury University at Greencastle, Ind. (now De Pauw University), which he attended, teaching part of the time to defray
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expenses, until 1873. The same fall he came to Hendricks County and taught school there till 1878. Jan. 1, 1876, he resolved to prepare himself for the practice of medicine, and in connection with teaching he studied under Dr. W. J. Hoadly, of Danville. In the spring of 1878 he entered the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville, Ky., taking a summer course of lectures. In the fall of 1879 he entered the Medical College of Indiana at Indianapolis, from which he graduated Feb. 27,-1880. He began the practice of medicine at Danville in April, 1880, and has secured a good patronage. He was married March 21, 1876, to Miss Cora P., daughter of Aaron and Margaret (McKindley) Hart. They have three children-Bernice, Nellie and Archibald. He and his wife are members of the Society of Friends at Danville. Our subject is physician for Hendricks County poor, and a member of the State and county medical societies. He is also connected with the Tri- State Medical Society, and is Secretary and Treasurer for the Hen- dricks County Medical Society.
Charles Foley was born in Indianapolis, Jan. 3, 1835, on the lot where the Journal building now stands. He is a son of Moses and Mary Ann Foley, the latter being a sister of the late Hugh O'Neal, who was at one time a most eminent attorney of Indianapolis. In 1843 his father sold the lot on which the building stands to the Roberts Park Methodist Episcopal Church, and moved to a farm near Crown Hill Cemetery, where he grew to manhood and where his father died in 1870. Mr. Foley spent the four years immedi- ately before the Rebellion surveying in the State of Missouri. He read law in the office of the late Judge Newcomb & Tarkington, of Indianapolis, and in May, 1863, he commenced the practice of law in Danville, where he has been continuously engaged ever since, except during 100-days service in the army of the United States in the summer of 1864. He is engaged in the general practice of law. He was married Jan. 31, 1867, to Eliza Ann Leach, of Pitts- boro, Hendricks County. One child has been born to them, named Bruce Foley after the family of George Bruce, near Indianapolis. He was born Oct. 2, 1876. Mr. Foley is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Hle is not a inember of any church. He has never sought political favors.
Dr. Allen Furnas was born in Clinton County, Ohio, March 27, 1821, the eldest of eight children of Isaac and Esly Furnas, natives of South Carolina, early settlers of Ohio, and in 1826 moved to Marion County, Ind., where they spent the last years of their lives.
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His education was obtained under adverse circumstances, having very little opportunity to attend school. After the work on the farm was done for the day he spent his evenings in studying by the light of a hickory bark or by scooping out a turnip and filling the cavity with lard, and putting a wick in it. His father was a physician and he therefore had access to some medical books, and after reaching manhood he went to Cincinnati and studied with Dr. Curtice, subsequently attending a course of lectures at the Physio- Medical College. In 1845 he began his practice in Marion County, and in 1847 moved to Hendricks County and located at Danville. In 1851 he moved to the farm where he has since lived, three miles southwest of Danville, and for five years continued his practice in connection with his farming pursuits. Since then he has given his exclusive attention to the work of his farm, making a specialty of fruit culture. He also pays considerable attention to the raising of sugar cane, and is President of the Northern Indiana Cane- Growers' Association, and Vice-President of the National Associa- tion. He was President of the Indiana State Horticultural Asso- ciation two years. He is an able and frequent contributor to the State and National agricultural journals. His farm contains 160 acres, and is now carried on by his son-in-law. He was married in 1847 to Zeruiah A. Hodson, a native of North Carolina. They have but one child, a daughter-Laura H., wife of William E. Mendenhall. In 1868 Dr. Furnas was elected to represent his county in the State Legislature, and was twice re-elected, serving six years. One term he was the nomince of both the Republican and Democratie parties. He is a birthright member of the Society of Friends.
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