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 28
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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 farin, and was given a good edneation, completing it at the old seminary in Belleville, where he was assistant teacher one termn. After leaving school he was employed in the clerk's office at Dall- 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, merehant 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- lie 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 ene 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 crnise. 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, fer 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-beat 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 rudi- ments of education as circumstances permitted, till the time when the authorities of Indiana fixed the site of the present Indian- apelis for the capital of that State. Soon after lie learned that fact he hired a couple of men with each a fonr-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 & 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 briek court-house was built (used for a State House for several years) he took the contract for the briek work and in company with John Johnson, who came there from Virginia, and one of whose danghters afterward became his wife, made the briek 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 thoughi 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.
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.
William Little, deceased, was a native of Kentucky, born March 5, 1814, the third son of Alexander and Rachel Little, who were among the first settlers of Hendricks County, locating south of Cartersburg. After reaching manhood Mr. Little engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising, and accumulated a large property, owning at the time of his death 430 acres of land, 150 acres. being the homestead. He was married in 1840 to Sarah Downard, who died June 18, 1858, leaving seven children-Ann J., James A., Joseph K., Leonard W., Isabelle E., Cynthia E. and Clay M. In 1859 he married Mary E. Rarden, daughter of Asbury and Catherine Rar- den, and to them was born one daughter-Hattie M., wife of Sam- nel Holderman, of Hendricks County. Mr. Little died Jan. 29, 1876. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and one of the most liberal and earnest workers at the time the church at Cartersburg was built. Mrs. Little has been a mem- ber of the same church twenty-five years.
Frank H. Martin, hardware merchant and dealer in agricult- ural implements, Clayton, Ind., is a native of Hendricks County, born Oet. 7, 1860, the eldest son of J. F. and Julia A. (Hunt) Martin, his father a native of Kentucky and his mother of In- diana. He spent his youth on his father's farm, receiving his early education in the distriet schools and later attending the Dan- ville Normal School a year. After leaving school he engaged in the dry-goods business in Clayton a year, and in .1883 became established in his present business, locating on the west side of the square. His is the only exclusive hardware store in Clayton, and he has built up a good trade. He is a young inan of strict busi- oness integrity and his close attention to his pursuits and fair deal- ing have won him many friends. He was married in 1883 to Laura V., daughter of Thomas A. Borders, of Hendricks County.
Charles W. Mc Clure is a native of East Tennessee, born Sept. 2, 1826, the third son of a family of ten children of William and 41
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Fanny (Rose) MeClure, natives of Virginia. In the spring of 1830 his parents moved to Hendricks County, Ind., and settled on a tract of wild land two miles southwest of Clayton. The mother died in the spring of 1850, and the following fall when the father was rolling logs the chain broke and a log fell on him, crushing him in such a manner that he lived only a few hours. Charles W. MeClure was reared and educated in Hendricks County, remaining with his parents till manhood. He then engaged in farming at which he has been uniformly successful. He was married in 1851 to Edna Hiatt, daugliter of Harmon and Martha (Boyd) Hiatt. After his marriage he went to Iowa and remained three years, and in 1854 returned to Hendricks County, and located on his present farm, which contains eighty acres of valuable land with a good residence and farm buildings. Mr. and Mrs. MeClure have had six children-Laura E., wife of Melvin Harkrider; Elizabeth, wife of Reed Pick; Fannie V., Charles A., William A. and James W. Mr. MeClure is a member of Clayton Lodge, No. 463, A. F. & A. M. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mrs. MeClure's father, Harmon Hiatt, was born in Gray- son County, Va., Nov. 20, 1796, and her mother, Martha Boyd, was born Aug. 18, 1792, a daughter of John Boyd, a hero of the Revolutionary war. They were married July 25, 1819, and in 1822 moved to Hendricks County, Ind., and settled in Guilford Township removing to Liberty Township in 1834. The father died in 1849, and the mother July 24, 1882. They had a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and one daughter are living, all in Indiana.
Amos D. McCormick, farmer and stock-raiser, Liberty Town- ship, is a native of Fayette County, Ind., born near Connersville, Aug. 23, 1819, a son of Samnel and Elizabeth (Case) McCormick, his father a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1789, and his mother a native of Kentucky. Samuel McCormick moved with his parents to Ohio when a boy, and was there married. He located in Preble County after his marriage, and later moved to Butler County, and thence, in 1812, to Fayette County, Ind. He helped to build a fort on the present site of Connersville, but owing to Indian troubles returned to Ohio, but a year later moved again to Fayette County,: and in 1820 to Indianapolis, where he cleared fifteen aeres of land, which is now included in the public square. In 1836 he moved to Hendricks County, and settled near where our subject now lives. In 1864 he moved to Cartersburg, and in 1866 returned to the farm
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where he died in June, 1867. His wife died in 1834. Their family consisted of eight sons and two daughters-John, Jacob, William, Dorcas, Archibald, Amos D., James, Thomas, Elizabeth, and a son not named, of whom but two sons are living. In 1838 he * married Matilda Clark, who survived him till July, 1870, and to this union were born four children-Samuel L., Harvey, Virrinda and Riley. He was a member of the Baptist church, and for many years was a preacher in the denomination. Amos D. McCormick was reared in Marion County, Ind., and there received the greater part of his education, completing it in Hendricks County. Since reaching manhood he has given his attention to agricultural pur- suits and now has a good farin of eighty-four acres. He was mar- ried in 1838 to Susannah Jordan, daughter of Aquila and Eliza- beth Jordan, early settlers of Hendricks County, where the father died July 8, 1844, and the mother in December, 1864. To Mr. and Mrs. McCormick have been born two sons-Aquila S. and John W.
John Miles, a pioneer of Liberty Township, who has done much toward the development of this county, is a native of Pasquotank County, N. C., born Jan. 30, 1814, a son of Thomas and Sarah Miles. He was left an orphan at the age of seven years, when he was bound out to Thomas Pritchett, with whom he moved to Wash- ington County, Ind. On account of the abuse he received from Pritchett he was released. He was bound out to another party to learn the blacksmith's trade, but not liking this pursnit he was again released. He then went to work on the farm of Thomas Irons for 25 cents per day, and at the end of three years he had saved from his earnings enough to enter eighty aeres of land. He still continued to work for Mr. Irons, and at the end of four years became his partner, they engaging as contractors on what was the Clay County Canal, which they followed successfully about three years. He then bought 145 acres, on which he at present resides. He was married in the spring of 1840 to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John and Mary Hollingshead, when he settled with his bride on the farm, where they have since resided, their house being a small log cabin. Mr. Miles has been very successful in his farm- ing pursuits, and by his industry and economy he has acquired a large property. He has provided for his family of three sons and three danghters, and still owns 1,500 acres of land. His surplus means he loans out to his neighbors. Beside his farming pursuits he at the same time traded in stock, dealing in cattle, hogs and
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mules. . This being before the days of railroads, his stock was driven to market on foot, over poor roads and in all kinds of weather. While not being a member of any church he has always been a liberal supporter of them, being among the most liberal contributors.
John A. Miles, one of the leading farmers of Liberty Township, was born on the old homestead in this township, Dec. 29, 1844, a son of John and Elizabeth (Hollingshead) Miles. He was reared on the farmn, and received a good education, completing it at the High Schools of Belleville and Danville. Attaining his majority he began life for himself and engaged in farming and stock-raising. He has been one of the most successful stock-raisers of the county, and has a good grade of horses, cattle and hogs. His farm contains 700 acres of land, situated on the National Road, in a high state of cultivation. His residence, a large two-story brick, built in 1876, is a model of convenience and architectural beauty. His farm buildings are among the best in the township. Mr. Miles was married in 1873 to Flora, daughter of W. H. Fritts, of Owen County, Ind. They have four children-Victoria M., Nettie R., Mattie E. and John. Mr. Miles is a member of Belleville Lodge, No. 65, F. & A. M.
Thomas J. Miles, a prominent and successful farmer of Liberty Township, is a native of Hendricks County, born Sept. 24, 1842, the eldest son of John and Elizabeth (Hollingshead) Miles. His youth was spent in assisting his father on the farm, and three months of the year, when his services were not needed at home he attended the district schools. He remained with his parents till twenty-three years of age, when he began life for himself and en- gaged in farming and stock-raising. He has been successful and now owns 555 acres of choice land, and his stock are of the best grades. He was married in 1871 to Talitha Tudor, of Morgan County, Ind., and settled on the farm adjoining his present home. He afterward bought the 375 acres which comprises his homestead and built his brick residence, which is one of the best in the town- ship, where he has lived since 1876. Mr. Miles is a liberal, public spirited and enterprising citizen and is one of the foremost to assist any laudable enterprise. In 1863 he enlisted in Company H, Fifty-fourth Indiana Infantry, and served his country four months. He has a family of five children-Horace G., Mary M., Jefferson W. T., Ruth A. and John R.
Risdon C. Moore, M. D., Belleville, Ind., is a native of North
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Carolina, born in Guilford County, April 3, 1820,. the youngest of ten children of Thomas and Ann K. (Goldberry) Moore, natives of Maryland. In 1830 his parents moved to Hendrieks County, Ind., and settled in Guilford Township, where they lived till their death. He was reared on a pioneer farm, and in his youth attended the old log-cabin schools. When seventeen years of age he began the study of medicine with his brother, S. G. Moore, a physician of Belleville, and took his first course of lectures at the Kentucky Medical College, Louisville. He began his practice at Belleville, and in 1849 attended a course of lectures at Rush Medieal College, Chicago, Ill., from which he graduated in 1850. He then returned to Belleville, where he has since lived and has built up a large practice. He has been a hard student and has exeelled in his profession, having now a reputation second to none in the county. He was married in 1846 to Emeline Green, who died in 1856 lear- ing one daughter, now deceased. In 1860 he married Allie R. Banta, daughter of Cornelius Banta. To them have been born ten children. Dr. Moore is a member of Belleville Lodge, No. 65, F. & A. M. and Belleville Lodge, No. 205, I.O.O.F. He and his wife are member of the Christian church.
Addison E. Rogers, Superintendent of the publie schools of Hendricks County, is a native of this county, born March 5, 1846, the youngest but one of nine children of Henry and Mary (Hadley) Rogers, natives of North Carolina, who settled in Lib- erty Township, Hendricks County, in 1844. His mother died in 1855. He was reared on a farin, attending in his boyhood the district schools and later the schools of Clayton and Danville Academy. Upon reaching his majority he began his career as a teacher, teaching his first school in Franklin Township, this county, in 1866-'67. He was a successful instruetor and disciplinarian and gained an enviable reputation in his profession. In June, 1883, he was elected to his present position for a term of two years, and was re-elected in 1885. He gives his entire attention to the duties of his office and has elevated thie grade of the schools of the county in a marked degree since holding the position of Superintendent, and his painstaking and efficient management is recognized by all interested in the welfare and advancement of the educational inter- ests of the county. Mr. Rogers was married in 1867 to Miss Mary E. Henderson, daughter of William and Amanda Henderson of Hendricks County. He is a member of the Odd Fellows' fra- ternity and the Grand Army of the Republic.
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Henry Rogers was born in Chatham County, N. C., Nov. 17, 180S, a son of Henry and Nancy Rogers, natives of Virginia, and grandson of Joseph Rogers. He remained with his parents till his marriage, when, having been reared to the life of a farmer, he engaged in the vocation for himself. In the fall of 1839 he moved to Hendricks County, Ind., and settled on what is his pres- ent valuable farm, at that time a tract of timber land very little cleared. He bought 160 acres of land for $1,365, all on time, but by hard work and economy he succeeded in paying for it, and now has a competency for his declining years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Hadley, died in 1850, leaving nine sons, seven of whom are living-Cyrus, born Nov. 12, 1830; George F., born Dec. 29, 1831; Zeno, Jan. 24, 1834 (now deceased); Thomas, Nov. 11, 1835; Job, Oct. 27, 1838; William, Sept. 13, 1840 (deceased); Solon R., June 2, 1813; Addison E., March 5, 1846; Moses C., Jnne 18, 1848. He afterward married Elinor Lindley, a native of Chat- ham County, N. C., born in 1815. They have three children- Mary E., born June 8, 1854; Nancy J., born Feb. 16, 1856, and James H., born Jan. 20, 1860. In 1851 Mr. Rogers joined the society of Friends, his wife being a birthright member of that society.
Rev. John Rynerson, deceased, was born in Mercer County, Ky., Jan. 2, 1805. He spent his youth on a farm, obtaining a good education. and subsequently taught several terms of school. He moved to Hendricks County, Ind., when a young man, and located in Belleville, and was one of the contractors of the National Road. He subsequently returned to Kentucky, but four years later came again to Hendricks County, where, having entered the ministry of the Baptist church, he was instrumental in establishing the church of his choice. He again located in Belleville, and organ- ized a church, of which he was pastor several years. He died in 1864, having lived a useful life, and endeared himself to the hearts of the people he served. He was twice married. His first wife, Elizabeth Cunningham, whom he married in Kentucky, died in 1850. They had a family of eleven children. In 1851 he married Sarah Goss, daughter of George and Mary ( Arnold) Goss, early settlers of Owen County, from North Carolina. The Goss family were the first settlers of the town which bears their name. To the second marriage of Mr. Rynerson were born five children, four of whom are living-George G., Jessie F., wife of Winfield Eaton, of Morgan County, Ind., Merlin M. and Eddie V. Mrs. Ryner-
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son lives on the old homestead which before its subdivision contained 240 acres of valuable land. She is a member of the Missionary Baptist church.
William Shepherd, a successful farmer of Liberty Township, was born in Fleming County, Ky., Feb. 28, 1828, the fifth of ten children of Solomon and Margaret (Tout) Shepherd, natives of the same county, of English parentage. In the fall of 1833 his parents moved to Hendricks County, and settled a mile south of Danville, but a year later bought eiglity acres of wild land of Richard Thomp- son, three miles south of Danville. This land they cleared and cultivated and made their home the rest of their lives. The father died in August, 1851, aged sixty-three years, and the mother in 1860 aged sixty years. They were earnest Christians, members of the Methodist Episcopal church. But four of their ten children are living. William Shepherd was five years of age when his parents moved to Hendricks County, and was reared on a frontier farm, his youth being spent in assisting his father in the work of clearing and cultivating his land. The first school he attended was taught in a log cabin, and was of the most primitive sort. His education was limited, as schools were few in the county at that time and his services were required on the farm. He re- mained at home till his twenty-third year, when he was married to Melissa Downs, daughter of Daniel and Mary Downs, of North Carolina, but later of Hendricks County. After his marriage he settled on the farm where he has since lived, which at that time was mostly unimproved. He has cleared his land, and now has a good farm of forty acres, with a pleasant residence and comfortable farm buildings. To Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd have been born three children; but two are living-Sarah A., wife of A. H. Terhune, and Cora A., wife of William Weesner. In politics Mr. Shepherd is a Republican. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1880, but refused to qualify. He and his wife are members of the Mission- ary Baptist church.
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