USA > Indiana > Henry County > History of Henry County, Indiana > Part 66
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
afterward returned to the Howard Mills and remained six years. In 1876 he bought his farm of 200 acres in Jefferson Township. Captain Shane was married in 1862 to Elinor Swope, a native of Henry County, born April 17, 1842, a daughter of John and Mary Swope. They have had two children-Mary V., born Oct. 29, 1863; Martha A., born Oct. 8, 1867, died Dec. 26, 1880. Mrs. Shane is a member of the Christian church. Captain Shane is one of the most enterprising citizens of the township.
George W. Showers, son of John H. and Maria (Hicks) Showers, was born in Lebanon County, Pa., Dec. 25, 1847. When twenty- one years of age he began working at the carpenter's trade, which he still follows. He was married in 1871 to Lucinda A., daughter of David and Mary Ann Harter, a native of Henry County, Ind., born Sept. 27, 1846. They have had six children; but three are living-Ralph W., born May 26, 1876; John D., born Feb. 12, 1878; Fred, born April 27, 1882. Mrs. Showers is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Showers is a member of Sulphur Springs City Lodge, No. 348, F. & A. M., and has been its Master a year. He is politically a Democrat. His residence is in Sul- phur Springs.
John H. Showers was born in Lebanon County, Pa., Feb. 20, 1826, of German descent. He learned the shoemaker's trade when a young man, and worked at it during life, at the same time work- ing at brick-molding in the summer season. He was married March 9, 1845, to Maria Hicks, a native of Lebanon County, Pa., born Oct. 12, 1823, of German and Irish descent. She now re- sides in Madison County, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Showers had family of ten children-Sarah R., of Madison County, Ind .; George W., William and Henry (twins, deceased), Emma E., Kittie Ann, Mary J., Benjamin F., of Holt County, Mo .; Stephen A., de- ceased, Asa, of Madison County, Ind. In 1856 they came to Henry County, Ind., and lived in Mechanicsburg till 1860, when they moved to a farm near Honey Creek. In 1862 Mr. Showers enlisted in Company E, Eighth Indiana Infantry. He died o camp fever at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., Aug. 16, 1863, havin served faithfully till his last sickness. Mr. Showers was a member of the Winebrennerian church. His wife is a member of the German Baptist church.
David Sowash is a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1820, where he was reared and educated. In his nineteenth year he came to Henry County, Ind., and remained in the vicinity of New
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Castle two years. He was employed in building Eli Herman's distillery, and after its completion helped to operate the mill. He returned to Pennsylvania, and in 1842 was married to Sara Brought, who was born in 1822. In 1849 he moved to Henry County, Ind., and located in Hillsboro, Prairie Township, and i 1854 removed to Iowa, but remained only two years. In 1857 1 cated in Jefferson Township, and in 1879 bought the farm where he now lives, a mile south of Sulphur Springs. His wife died in 1864. They had eight children; but three are living-John H. Catherine and Franklin. Elizabeth, William, Ellen, Margaret and an infant are deceased. In 1865 Mr. Sowash married Mrs. Char- lotte Ivens, a daughter of George Trafford. She was born in 183 and died in 1868. In 1869 he married Mrs. Lydia Dunbar, daugh- ter of Ephraim Kerlin. They have three children-Allie, Emma and Ephraim. Mr. Sowash has served his township four years as Trustee.
John Sowash, son of Abraham Sowash, was born in 1805 in Westmoreland County, Pa., where he was reared and educated. He was by trade a blacksmith, working at this trade till 1840. He then worked in the salt works of Westmoreland County nine years, and at the same time dealt exclusively in horses. In 1851 he came to Indiana and located in Prairie Township, Henry County, but three years later moved to Jefferson Township where he died in 1861. He was married in 1823 to Betsey Stone, a na- tive of Westmoreland County, Va., born in 1799. She died in Henry County, Ind., in 1852. They had a family of seven chil- dren-Daniel, born in 1824, resides in Missouri; Rebecca, born in 1827, died in 1855; William, born in 1829, died in 1860; Abra- ham, born in 1831, died in 1831; Susannah, born in 1832, died in 1872; John H., born in 1835; Mary E., born in 1837, resides in Iowa. In 1853 Mr. Sowash married Minerva Conner, and to them were born two children-Samantha, now Mrs. Bowen Presnal, born in 1854, and Izetta, now Mrs. George Winnier, born in 1855. Mr. Sowash was a member of the United Brethren church, and throughout his life was strictly temperate.
John H. Sowash, son of John and Betsey (Stone) Sowash, was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., in 1835, and when sixteen years of age came with his parents to Henry County, Ind. He followed farming till 1866 when he moved to Sulphur Springs, and for two years was engaged in stock dealing, etc. In 1868 he bought an interest in the tile factory of Rife & Hoover, which he has since
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
principally conducted. In December, 1858, Mr. Sowash was mar- ried to Susan J. McClelland, a native of Harrison Township, Henry County,¿Ind., born in March, 1837, a daughter of Robert and Catherine McClelland. They have three children-Alice, born in 1860, wife of James O. Wright; Albert, born in 1866, and Katie, born in 1872. Politically Mr. Sowash is a Republican.
Ira Stout, son of William W. and Rebecca Stout, was born in Henry Township, Henry County, Ind., in 1851. His boyhood was spent on his father's farm, but he early turned his attention to engineering and the machinist's trade, at which he spent the greater part of his time. He now owns and conducts a fine farm of 320 acres in Jefferson Township. He was married Feb. 22, 1880, to Jennie, daughter of William and Hannah Deaver, and a native of Henry County, born in 1855. They have one child- William, born Dec. 29, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Stout are members of the Christian church, and are among the prominent citizens of the township.
Absalom Strough, son of John and Sarah (Miller) Strough, was born in Rockingham County, Va., but has lived in Henry County from early childhood. After reaching his majority he rented and tilled a small piece of land, still assisting at home when he was needed. At the end of three years, when he was married, he had $400 at interest, a team of horses, two cows, a few head of young cattle and twelve pigs. He was married Feb. 9, 1860, to Mary C. Fultz, a native of Delaware County, Ind., born in 1840, a daugh- ter of Daniel and Anna Fultz. After their marriage they lived on a farm rented of Mr. Strough's father nine years. In 1869 they moved to a farm previously purchased in Jefferson Township, a. mile and a half northwest of Sulphur Springs, where they have since resided. Their home is well located, consists of 1052 acres of choice land, and is well improved with a fine residence and farm buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Strough have had nine children- William H., Sarah Ann (wife of John Hays), John D., Otto O., Frank W., George F., Amanda E., and twins, -and Eddie W .; the former died in infancy, and the latter aged eleven months. Mrs. Strough is a member of the Lutheran church. Mr. Strough is a. member of no religious society, but is one of the foremost in pro- moting the advancement of religious and moral interests.
John Strough, deceased, was a native of Rockingham County, Va., and died in Henry County, Ind. He was reared, educated and married in his native county, and in 1840 came to Indiana.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
and settled in Fall Creek Township, Henry County, two miles east of Middletown. He bought eighty acres, only a small patch around the house cleared, and went to work to cultivate and im- prove it. In early life he learned the tailor's trade, working at it several years, and after he commenced farming he worked at his trade in the winter. His wife was Sarah Miller, also a native of Rockingham County, Va. They had a family of fifteen children, eleven of whom attained their majority-Harvey; Elizabeth, wife of John Good; Absalom; George; Sarah, wife of C. Bowman; John, of Holt County, Mo .; Levina, wife of George W. Reedy; Abraham and Jacob, of Holt County, Mo .; Joseph, of Hamilton County, Ind .; Ellen, wife of Samuel Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Strough were members of the Dunkard church.
Noah W. Warner was born in Rockingham County, Va., March 10, 1832, and has lived in Henry County, Ind., since 1835. In his early life he worked at the carpenter's trade. In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, Eighth Indiana Infantry, and in 1862 re-enlisted in Company H, Sixty-ninth Indiana Infantry. Aug. 31, 1862, he was wounded at Richmond, Ky. Sept. 29, 1866, he was married to Ellen Ice, a native of London, Eng., born in 1841. She died Feb. 17, 1874, leaving one son-Jefferson Lee. After his marriage, N. W. Warner opened a restaurant in Sulphur Springs, which he carried on a number of years. Since 1878 he has been Postmas- ter and also carries on a grocery and barber shop. He is a mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic, Post No. 119. His father, Daniel Warner, was born in Montgomery County, Pa., March 30, 1793. His wife, Lydia (Cook) Warner, was born in Shenandoah County, Va., April 14, 1803. In 1825 Daniel War- ner came to Indiana and bought forty acres of land in Fall Creek Township, Henry County. He then returned to Virginia, and in 1835, with his wife and ten children, came to Indiana and settled on his land, at the same time buying an additional forty acres. With the assistance of his sons he cleared and cultivated his land, and afterward bought forty acres more. He was one of Henry County's first surveyors and one of the first Trustees of Fall Creek Township. He was in early life a school teacher, and after coming to the new country was anxious for the establishment of good schools, doing all in his power to further the cause of education. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. Mrs. Warner died Oct. 3, 1870, and Mr. Warner, Jan. 28, 1872. They had a family of twelve children-Mary, Lucinda, David, Peter,
45
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
William, John, Edward, Andrew, Noah, George W., Samuel, and James K. P. Peter and John were members of the Eighty- fourth Indiana Infantry; George W., of the Twelfth Indiana Bat- tery, and Samuel, of the Eighth Indiana Infantry. Peter and George died at Nashville, Tenn.
A. M. Weston was born in 1836, in Cleveland, Ohio, where he passed his boyhood and received his early education. When six- teen years of age he entered Oberlin College, and took half his course; then entered Antioch College, where he graduated, after which he taught two years. He then engaged as local editor of the Cincinnati Penny Press till 1862, when he enlisted in Company K, Fiftieth Ohio Infantry, and served three years. After his re- turn home he took charge of the academy and public schools of Vernon, Ind., and when entering his third year at Vernon was in- duced to accept. the professorship of mathematics at Hiram Col- lege, Ohio. He remained there two years and then went to Eureka College, Ill., to assume the professorship of Greek. He was for three years President of this college. He then returned to In- diana and bought a farm of fifty-eight acres in Jefferson Township, Henry County, where he has since resided. Since the war Mr. Weston has devoted considerable of his time to the ministry of the Christian church.
He has also written a work on a Biblical subject entitled "Evolution of a Shadow," pronounced by the ed- itor of the Christian Standard "both novel and valuable," and from the press of the Standard Publishing Company of Cincinnati. He was married in 1867 to Miss Julia Pardee, of Hiram, Ohio, be- fore her marriage a very acceptable teacher of the college. They have one child-Nell E.
John W. Whitworth, son of W. B. and Elizabeth Whitworth, was born in Jefferson Township, Henry County, Ind., March, 1841. He was reared and educated in his native township, spending his boyhood on his father's farm. In 1861 he enlisted in Company E, Eighth Indiana Infantry, and served four years. After his return from the war he engaged in farming, and now owns 132 acres of fine, well-improved land. He was married June 27, 1869, to Ver- melia Ann Marlow, a native of Henry County, born in 1847, and a daughter of Johnston and Naomi Marlow. They have had three children-Charles, born August, 1872, deceased; Bert, born March, 1875, and Joseph, born in 1879. Mrs. Whitworth is a member of the United Brethren church.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Tomlinson
William B. Whitworth, son of Archibald and Elizabeth Whit- worth, was born in Guilford County, N. C., Aug. 4, 1814. When fifteen years of age he came to Indiana with his uncle, Judge John Tomlinson, who entered a farm of 240 acres in Dela- ware County. He spent five years in assisting his uncle clear up the land, and then went to Muncie, Ind., which was then in its in- fancy, and began working at the carpenter's trade. A year later he came to Henry County and entered eighty acres of timber land in what is now Jefferson Township. He went bravely to work to clear up his farm and put it under good cultivation, at the same time working at his trade. Mr. Whitworth has always been one of the mnost industrious and progressive men in the county, and has done all in his power to advance all interests of common ben- efit. He has served as Town Trustee a number of years. A Re- publican in politics, he has always taken an interest in political affairs, and because of his enthusiasm was nick-named after one of Ohio's senators, "Old Ben Wade." He was for a number of years an active member of the Methodist church, until services of the society were discontinued in his neighborhood. His wife is a member of the United Brethren church. Mr. Whitworth was~ married Oct. 4, 1835, to Elizabeth, daughter of John and Eliza- beth Tomlinson. She was a native of Rowan County, N. C., born Oct. 20, 1810, and died Sept. 28, 1853. They had a family of six children-Sarah Ann, deceased; Margaret, wife of V. Cummins; John W .; Mary E., deceased, wife of Abraham White; Granville S .; Jemima J., wife of Joseph Hurst. May 28, 1854, Mr. Whit- worth married Catharine, daughter of Richard and Henrietta Deaver. She was born in Rowan County, N. C., Dec. 8, 1823, and came with her parents to Wayne County, Ind., in 1828, and to Henry County in 1835. They have had eight children-Eliza J., deceased; Celinda E., wife of Patrick Smith; Celica C .; William W .; Artenia C. and Eugenia E. (twins), the former, wife of John F. Coffman; Ulysses S. G., and Philip H. S.
Albert N. Yost, a son of William S. and Mary C. (Weaver) Yost, was born in Virginia in 1836 and came to Indiana, where he was reared and educated. He has always followed farming, and now owns 290 acres of fine land. For twenty years he has, in connection with carrying on his farm, been engaged in auction- eering. In April, 1861, Mr. Yost enlisted in Company B, Eighth Indiana Infantry, for three months. He then enlisted in the Eight-fourth Indiana Infantry and served three years, when he
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
was transferred to the Fifty-seventh Indiana Infantry, where he served several months, making a total of forty-three months in the service. He was married in 1867 to Mary C. Sowash, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1847, and a daughter of David and Uta Sowash. They have seven children-Harris E., Clem O., Charles M., Nicholas S., Nellie A., Paul and Uta. Mrs. Yost is a mem- ber of the Christian church. Mr. Yost, although a member of no church, is an earnest worker for any cause that tends to the up- building of society.
William S. Yost was born in Augusta County, Va., about 1800. He was reared and educated in his native county, and there mar- ried Mary Catharine Weaver, also a native of Virginia, born in 1800. In 1839 they moved to Ohio, and lived near Dayton a year, then moved to Indiana and settled in Sulphur Springs, where he spent the remainder of his life. He laid off the town and opened the first store in Sulphur Springs, and it was at that time known by the name, although there was no village. He was obliged to carry his produce to Cincinnati and bring his stock from there with teams. A postoffice was established in 1843, and Mr. Yost was the first Postmaster. He continued in business thirteen years, when his son, J. W., succeeded him. In the early part of his residence in Henry County he bought 300 acres of land, mostly heavily timbered. His property accumulated until at the time of his death he owned 880 acres of land. He assisted in building the first and only mill in the township, for Veatch & Bros., in 1853, and in 1858 bought the mill and ran it five years. Mr. Yost was one of the foremost in advancing all public enterprises. He liberally assisted in getting railroads through the county, and all educational and religious enterprises found in him a friend. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Yost died in January, 1863, and his wife in December, 1870. They had a family of eleven children, eight living till maturity- Samuel, died in 1861; Levi S., died in 1863; William M., died in 1863; Mary Catherine, wife of Peter Warren, died in 1863; Har- riet V., died in 1863; J. W. and Albert N., reside in Jefferson Township; Sarah, wife of Joseph Thompson, of Henry County.
CHAPTER XX.
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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP ..
A PROSPEROUS TOWNSHIP .- ITS ORGANIZATION .- FIRST OFFICERS. - FIRST LAND ENTRIES .- EARLY PIONEERS .- FIRST DEATH. - RELIG- IOUS HISTORY .- EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS .- LATER CHURCHES. -THE VILLAGES OF LIBERTY TOWNSHIP .- ASHLAND AND MILL- · VILLE. - EARLY EVENTS. - PRESENT STATUS. -- BIOGRAPHICAL.
Liberty Township is a large, wealthy and prosperous portion of Henry County. Its main industry is agriculture, and the land is well suited to a variety of crops. The farms and improvements will compare favorably with other portions of the county. The people are intelligent and thrifty. The township is watered by Flatrock and Symon's creeks and their tributaries. The surface is generally level. Liberty Township was formed by order of the county commissioners, Feb. 12, 1823, and an election ordered to be held at the house of Ezekiel Leavell on the first Saturday in May, Leavell to serve as inspector. The township as originally formed was smaller than at present. One tier of sections was taken from the east of Henry and added to Liberty in 1825. In the same year the house of Samuel D. Wells was made the election place of Liberty Township. At the first township election held in May, 1823, John Smith was chosen Road Supervisor; Jacob Tharp and Cyrus Cotton, Overseers of the Poor.
Forty-four entries of land in Liberty Township were made in 1821, as follows: Aug. 16, William Roe, Andrew Shannon, William Yates, Thomas Badson, Jesse Martindale, Moses Robert- son, John Beard, Jeremiah Strode, William Bell, Daniel Wampler, David Brower, Joshua Hardman, John Leavell, George Handley, Samuel Southron, Robert Thompson, Micajah Chamness; Aug. 20, John Daugherty; Aug. 21, Henry Brower; Aug. 31, Thomas Raleston, Daniel Miller, Prosper Mickels; Sept. 4, Jacob Rhine- hart, Peter Rhinehart, Jonathan Pierson, John Beeman; Sept. 12, George Koons; Sept. 20, Enoch Goff; Oct. 20, Elisha Long, Jere-
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
miah Long; Oct. 22, John Baker; Nov. 4, Keneker Johnson; Nov. 12, Jesse Forkner; Nov. 30, Dilwin Bales; Dec. 5, Jeremiah Had- ley, Richard Conway, Watson Rowe, John Koons; Dec. 6, George Hobson, John Marshall, Thomas Hobson, Thomas Mills; Dec. 7, John Stapler; Dec. 20, Josiah Clawson.
Settlement seems to have begun in this township as early as in any part of the county. Nearly all of the foregoing purchasers of land were actual settlers at the time of purchase or became so soon after. Christopher Mann is said to have been the first settler in the township. Other pioneers from 1819 to 1822 were: Elisha Long, Thomas R. Stanford, Ezekiel Leavell-all prominent in the early official history of the county; Moses Robertson, David Brower, John Leavell, Jesse Forkner, Robert Thompson, John Baker, Jacob, Peter and James Rhinehart and others. The township settled up quite rapidly, receiving immigrants from North Carolina, Vir- ginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and other States.
In 1822 Peter and Susan Wise, natives of Pennsylvania, settled one-half mile east of where David Wise now lives. He died in 1876, and his wife in 1880.
David Shell, born in Pennsylvania, in 1806, settled in 1823 on the farm where he now lives.
Joshua Hoover, who died in 1876, came from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and thence, in 1826, to Liberty Township.
John Odom and family were among the first settlers in the county, coming to the farm now owned by John H. Hewit while the Indians were still here.
Benjamin Clark, who died in 1878, settled in this township about 1823.
William Dixson and family, from Virginia, came to Indiana on horseback, and settled on Flatrock, three miles east of New Castle, in 1823.
Robert Boyd, a native of Kentucky, came from Wayne County, Ind., to this township in 1825. He died in 1854. His widow is still living, aged eighty-seven. Her son, Wm. L., an ex-County Commissioner, was born in Wayne County in 1822.
Wm. Bond, a native of North Carolina, and a member of the Friends' Society, came to this township with his family in 1827. His son John lived and died here.
Wilson Wisehart, son of Benjamin Wisehart, was born in Virginia in 1811. His parents came to Henry County in 1820, and settled on Symon's Creek. The family afterward removed to
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Liberty Township, thence to Fall Creek. Wilson is an old resi- dent of Liberty.
John McShurley and family, from Kentucky, settled in this township in 1828. He died in 1840.
Isaac Brown was an early settler. His son Samuel was born in this township in 1833, and still resides here.
Enos Bond, a member of the Society of Friends, was a native of Wayne County. In 1830 he settled in Liberty Township, Henry County. Hedied in 1833. He was a successful business man and a worthy citizen.
Daniel Rhinehart, who died in 1864, was born in Virginia in 1807; settled in Liberty Township about 1832.
James Peed, from Kentucky, settled in this township in 1835; died in 1861.
Elias Pickens, an old settler, was born in New Jersey in 1812; passed his boyhood in Hamilton County, Ohio; visited Indian- apolis when it contained only about a dozen houses, and helped hew the logs for the first store in that place; settled in Henry County in 1833.
Augustus Batchfield, a native of Germany, settled on Flatrock in 1834; moved to his present farm in 1866. Adam Wellser, Jr., settled in 1834, on the farm where his widow now lives. Mrs. Jane Wilson and family, from Kentucky, settled in this township the same year. Charles G. Wilson, Esq., is a prominent farmer.
Probably the first death in the township was that of Sarah Long. She died Sept. 11, 1822, at the age of sixty-six. Her husband, Christopher Long, a Revolutionary soldier and a pioneer settler, died Aug. 14, 1829, aged eighty-three years.
A school was kept on the farm then owned by Peter Wise, as early as 1834. Other early schools were maintained in different. neighborhoods, sometimes in a room of a log cabin, and at other times in rude log buildings erected for school purposes.
In 1880 the population of Liberty Township was 1,839; of the vil- lage of Millville, 114.
The township officers for 1884-'5 are: W. H. Wilson, Trustee; Richard Smith, Assessor; A. Welker, Justice; Augustus Batch- field, Constable.
CHURCHES .
Flatrock Meeting .- Flatrock Friends Meeting was organized in 1824 with the following members: John Marshall, Isaac Brown,
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Wm. Bond, John Davis (still living), George Hobson, Mordecai Bond, Stephen Marshall, Isaiah Huff, Luke Wiles, Sr., Luke Wiles, Jr., and their wives. The first meeting house was a log structure erected on the banks of the Flatrock. In a few years it became too small for the meeting and a frame house twenty-five feet square was erected on the same lot. It was afterward moved one mile northwest and an addition built to it. It was then 'used for the Monthly Meeting for fifteen years. This having been de- stroyed by fire, a new meeting-house, 26 x 40 feet, in a very pretty grove, was erected in 1883 at a cost of $800. The first ministers were Rhoda Wiles and Joseph Stanley. The present ministers are Samuel Brown and several other members of the congregation. The present membership is eighty-five. A flourishing Sabbath- school was organized in September, 1883. Emma Allen is Super- intendent. The school numbers over forty pupils.
The Lutherans erected a church in the eastern part of the town- ship in 1883. The organization has been extinct for several years.
Universalist .- The Universalist church in Liberty Township (the only one in the county) was organized in 18-, by Wm. Bland, George and Thomas Runyan, Elias Pickens, John Will- iams, Dr. A. J. Batson, Dr. Isaac Baker and others, with their wives and families. The first services were held at the houses of Wm. Bland, Thos. Runyan, Geo. Runyan, and other members of the congregation. The first association was held at the old " horse mill," on the farm where Wm. Boyd now resides. Among the first ministers were Judah Babcock, Jonathan Kidwell and others. The house of worship was erected in 1845, and has since been remodeled and enlarged. The building and grounds are worth $1,500. Membership, Seventy. Pastor, T. S. Guthrie. Officers: Frank Phelman, Moderator; John H. Hewit, Clerk; J. D. Wilson and Charles Hamilton, Deacons.
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