USA > Indiana > Howard County > History of Howard County, Indiana, Vol II > Part 5
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Jesse L. and Deborah Z. Benson were the parents of nine chil- dren, of whom but three survive. Henry C .. the oldest. lives at Hagerstown, Indiana: Albert, the third in order of birth and a soldier in the Civil war, died in Colliersville, Tennessee: Charles F., the fifth in order of birth, also served during the Rebellion. was captured at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, and held a prisoner in Alabama until paroled, when he started northward aboard the ill-fated boat Sultan and was severely injure 1 by the blowing up of the vessel on the Mississippi river in April. 1865. being violently thrown from the deck into the water, where he floated seven miles before being rescued. In addition to this acci- dent he was three times wounded in as many battles and never recovered from the effects of his injuries, being in a sanitarium near Richmond. Indiana, for the past twenty years. Preston. the sixth son, died when a young man: Eugene, the seventh, a soldier during the Rebellion and for a number of years a harness maker in Kokomo, died in that city October 20. 1005. Mary Emily married Dr. Deming, of Lafayette, and died at the early age of twenty years: Henriette, the fourth child, wife of F. M. Hill, of Tipton. died when about fifty-five years old : Carrie, the youngest daughter. was twice married and died in early life.
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William L. Benson, the youngest of the family. was born February 2, 1852, in Boone county, Indiana, and spent his early life at the various places where his father practiced medicine, attend- ing school the meanwhile and making rapid progress in his studies. .At the age of twenty he entered upon the long and eminently honorable career as a teacher over a period of twenty-eight years. during which time he achieved marked success in his chosen calling and earned the reputation of one of the ablest and most progressive educators in the county of Howard. to which his labors were con- fined. He taught his first school in Union township and after- wards in the township of Liberty. Clay and Center townships, remaining six years in one district. five in another, four in another. and in the other places from one to two years each, his repeated re- tention in the same school bearing ample testimony to his efficiency and popularity as an instructor.
In his educational work Mr. Benson strove to produce sym- metrically developed minds and to this end did not. as so many do. neglect the child's moral nature. his aim being to fit his pupils for usefulness and to become good and praiseworthy citizens. He also impressed upon the minds of not a few the necessity of entering the teacher's profession, and during his twenty-eight years of ser- vice he turned out a large number of well prepared teachers. per- haps more than any other educator in the northern part of the state. Many of his former pupils are now filling positions of honor and trust in various spheres of endeavor, while others not so swell known have become useful members of society by putting into practice the many excellent principles and precepts imparted to them under his instruction. Among those who formerly profited by his discipline may be mentioned Professor William E. Henry, ex-state librarian, now librarian of the University of Washington, in the city of Seattle, and others who have attained to places of
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OF HOWARD COUNTY.
more than ordinary importance in the world of affairs. It fre- quently fell to Mr. Benson to assist the county superintendent, and in this way he became widely known among the teachers of the county, by all of whom he was held in very high esteem and con- sidered an authority on school management and educational methods. At the close of his school in the spring of 1898 he was appointed deputy county auditor by Milton Garrigus, and at the expiration of that gentleman's term he served in a similar capacity under A. R. Ellis, continuing with the latter until he too left the office on January 1. 1905. Meantime in 1904 he was nominated as the most available candidate for auditor and in the election of that year defeated his Democratic competitor by a decisive majority and entered upon the duties of the position with a previous experi- ence that made him familiar with its every detail.
Mr. Benson's public record is without a stain and he dis- charges the functions of the office with the same care and con- sciencious regard for the interests in his charge that characterized his school work and gained for him the confidence of his pupils and patrons. During his incumbency, the duties of the auditor have greatly increased owing to the large number of free gravel roads constructed throughout the county, these alone entailing so much additional work that at times the services of an extra deputy are required. two being continuously employed.
Mr. Benson, although reared a Democrat, is a Republican in all the term implies, but not a narrow partisan. He has served as delegate to various county, district and state conventions and made his influence felt in these bodies as well as in the councils of his party and in the planning and conducting campaigns. He has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1800. having passed all the chairs in the local lodge and Encampment. besides representing both branches of the order in the Grand Lodge of the state.
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Mr. Benson's domestic life dates from 1873, on December 30th of which year was solemnized his marriage with Alice I. Jackson, who died January 25, 1875. leaving one son, Lewis, in the city of Toledo. The subject's second marriage took place on the 14th of June. 1876, when Sarah E., daughter of William and Mary Hat- field, became his wife, this union being blessed with three offsprings, namely : Lawrence, born September 4, 1877, his father's deputy ; Clarence Monroe, born July 23, 1886, also holds a position in the auditor's office as assistant deputy, and Vera, who died at the early age of one year.
At one time Mr. Benson seriously considered making medicine his life work, and began a course of professional study under the direction of his father, but the calling not being altogether to his taste he finally decided to abandon it for the more agreeable work of the school room. Had he continued the preparation, however, he doubtless would have succeeded, as success has attended his every endeavor ; but he has no regrets for his course, for as matters have turned out there are today hundreds of strong men and womanly women who attribute to him their advancement in life and their usefulness as honorable members of society. He has always been a busy man, his duties being many and varied, in consequence of which he finds little time for vacations, spending the entire year in looking after his office and such matters as come within his prov- ince. Mr. Benson is one of Howard county's most intelligent and enterprising citizens, and the conspicuous place to which he has attained in the esteem and confidence of the public has been fairly and honorably earned. He numbers his friends by the score wher- ever known, and the hope is universally and emphatically expressed that his life and health may be preserved and the public permitted for many years to enjoy the benefit of his presence in still higher stations than the one he now adorns.
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MARTIN W. EIKENBERRY.
Praise is always due to merit and especially where merit is the product of unassisted energy and perseverance. The self-made man commands our highest respect. Those struggles by means of which he has risen from obscurity to honorable distinction cannot fail to enlist sympathy and call forth our warmest applause. The subject of this review is a notable example of the successful self- made man, and as such has made his influence felt among his fellow citizens by rising to one of the most important positions within their power to confer, being at the present time the capable and popular clerk of the Howard county circuit court, in which office he has displayed ability of a high order and fully met the high expectations of his friends and the general public.
Martin W. Eikenberry springs from a large family which had its origin in Germany, but whose representatives are now scattered over a large portion of the United States, being especially numerous in the northern part of Indiana, quite a number residing in Howard county. The name is an old and honorable one and wherever known stands for upright manhood and sterling citizenship. Those bearing it have ever been jealous of the family honor, and tracing the genealogy back through a long line of sturdy ancestors but few, if any, instances can be discovered in which that honor has been sullied or its luster tarnished by the commission of unworthy acts. The subject of this review is a creditable representative of the family and inherits to a marked degree many of the sterling quali- ties by which his antecedents have long been distinguished. He is a native of Clinton county, Indiana, where his birth occurred on September 7. 1858, and is the son of Peter and Margaret ( Eaton ) Eikenberry, both of whom died in that county, the father in 1865. the mother several years previous. Left an orphan at the early
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age of seven years, young Martin made his home with an uncle, Samuel Eikenberry, of Carroll county, until his twenty-second year, in the meantime receiving a common school education and becoming familiar with the more practical duties of the farm. In the year 1880, he accepted a position in a general store at Middlefork and was thus engaged until 1886, when he resigned his clerkship and the following year came to Howard county to engage in farming. After spending two years at this vocation he disposed of his inter- ests in this county and in 1889 went to Nebraska, where he followed agricultural pursuits until 1893, when he returned to Indiana and again resumed farming in Howard county, which he continued with fair success for six years, his place of residence during that time being in the township of Monroe.
In 1899 Mr. Eikenberry discontinued tilling the soil to enter the employ of Eikenberry Brothers, a mercantile firm of Russiaville, for whom he kept books during the four succeeding years, and at the expiration of that period became collector for Eikenberry Brothers, in which capacity he continued for five years, spending the greater part of the time on the road. While still a youth in his teens, he began taking an interest in public and political affairs and in due time became not only well informed on the questions of the day but quite an influential local politician, his services in behalf of the Republican party being duly recognized and appreciated in. his various places of residence. At the earnest solicitation of his friends he was induced in 1902 to contend for the nomination of clerk of the courts, but his competitor being a very popular man. with a large following, he was defeated in the convention, though by a very small majority, this fact leading him to make a second at- tempt four years later. when he was successful.
A Republican nomination in Howard county being almost equivalent to an election, it followed as a matter of course that Mr.
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Eikenberry carried the full party strength at the polls in 1906 and triumphed by a very decisive majority, though he did not take pos- session of the office until January 1, 1908. Since entering upon his official duties he has proven a very capable and obliging public servant, being exceedingly diligent and methodical in the routine work of the office and sparing no pains in looking after the im- portant trust with which he has been honored.
Mr. Eikenberry has never failed to show a loyal interest in the welfare of the county in which he resides, and is ever ready to lend his aid and co-operation in the support of measures for the general good of the same. He is public-spirited in all the term implies, believes in progressive measures in every line of activity. and all laudable enterprises for the benefit of his fellow men are sure to find in him an ardent advocate and liberal patron.
In every relation of life he is zealous, ambitious and successful. but no act inconsistent with the strictest integrity has ever been imputed to him, nor has his name ever been connected with any measure or movement that would not bear the closest and most critical scrutiny. Thus far his official career has fully demon- strated the wisdom of his party in his nomination and election, and that the future will but add to a reputation that has ever been above reproach is universally conceded by his many friends throughout the county, irrespective of political differences.
In 1880 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Eikenberry and Angeline Bock, daughter of Rev. Daniel Bock, a well-known min- ister of the German Baptist church, who moved from Ohio to Howard county when Mrs. Eikenberry was a child and settled in Ervin township.
Mrs. Eikenberry was reared and educated in the above town- ship and is a lady of many estimable qualities, popular among her friends and highly esteemed in the social circles of the city in which
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she lives. She has borne her husband four children, whose names are as follows: Roxie, wife of Earl Woody, of Russiaville ; Edna. a stenographer and her father's deputy in the clerk's office : Daniel H., a freshman in the State University, and Loren, a student in the Kokomo high school. Mr. and Mrs. Eikenberry hold member- ship with the United Brethren church of Kokomo, and take an active interest in all lines of religious and benevolent work under the auspices of the congregation, contributing liberally to the sup- port of the Gospel and demonstrating by their daily lives the beauty and exceeding worth of Christianity when practically applied.
CHARLES M. PIERCY.
One of the most difficult literary tasks is to write an unexcep- tionable memoir of a living man. If the life is worthy of record there is always danger of offending that delicacy which is insep- arable from merit ; for even moderate praise, when it meets the eyes of its subject is apt to seem fulsome, while a nice sense of propriety would not be the less wounded by a dry abstract containing nothing but names and dates. To sum up a career which is not yet ended would appear like recording events which have not transpired : since justly to estimate the scope and meaning of a history it is im- portant that we have the closing chapter. In writing biographical notice, therefore, the chronicler from the moment he takes up his pen should consider the subject as no longer among his contemporaries, for thus he will avoid the fear of offending by bestowing praise where it is merited and escape the risk of giving but a fragmentary view of that which must eventually be taken as a unit. At some risk, therefore, the writer in this connection addresses himself to the
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task of placing on record the life and character of a man who, by the force of strong individuality, has achieved more than ordinary success in one of the most responsible and exacting callings, and by sheer force of individuality won for himself an enviable position among the leading men of the city and county honored by his citizenship.
Charles M. Piercy, for a number of years one of the most enterprising and progressive educators of Howard county, is a native of Franklin county, Ohio, and the son of William and Plicebe Piercy, the father an American by birth : the mother, whose family name was Goodwine, was born in Germany. Mrs. Piercy was brought to this country in childhood and grew to maturity in Ohio, where in due time she was married. Later the family came to Indiana and located at Anderson, where Mrs. Piercy maintained her children by working as a nurse, subsequently becoming a tailoress, in both of which callings she acquired more than ordinary efficiency and skill. The subject was a small boy when the family moved to the above place, where he remained until his tenth year. at which time ( 1865) he accompanied his mother to Howard county, where she has since resided. her present home being in the city of Kokomo. To William and Phoebe Piercy were born six children, four daughters and two sons, one of the former, Mollie M .. who married Marion Fletcher, dying in 1890, and one of the latter departing this life when a child of two years. Those living are Charles M., of this review ; Emma L., widow of the late G. W. Moore, of Kokomo: Ora, wife of W. E. Hayes, also of Kokomo, and Clara C., who lives in Chicago.
Charles M. Piercy, whose birth occurred on the tith day of February, 1855. was quite young when the family moved from Ohio to Indiana, and, as already indicated, he spent his early child- hood in Newton county and in 1865 was brought by his mother to
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the county with which he has since been very closely identified. On coming to Howard county he made his home with his uncle, Charles P. Goodwine, a prosperous farmer of Howard township. with whom he lived until his eighteenth year, in the meantime becoming familiar with the rugged duties of country life and learn- ing those lessons of industry and consecutive effort which proved of such value to him in after years. Leaving the farm in 1870, he came to Kokomo to learn the carpenter's trade with Lewis Good- wine, another uncle, under whose direction he continued until becoming a proficient workman, meanwhile attending at interludes the public schools of the city, in which he made substantial progress in his various studies. While living in the country he attended the district school during the winter seasons, and having early manifested a decided taste for study and books determined to acquire a good education, in which laudable ambition he was heartily seconded by his mother, who gave him all the encouragement within her power. When he began working for himself at the age of twenty-two it was with the one object of mental improvement ever uppermost in his thoughts, and being a good mechanic it was not long until he was enabled to carry out his plans by entering in 1876 the Northern Indiana Normal University, at Valparaiso, which he attended during the spring and summer terms of that year, in the fall becoming a student of the Howard county normal at Kokomo. Devoting himself assiduously to his studies with the object in view of becoming a teacher, he was enabled in the fall of the above year to pass the examination and secure a license, immediately after which he was hired to teach in the same country district school where he had formerly attended school, his first term proving a decided success, as he pleased both patrons and pupils and earned a creditable record as a capable and painstaking instructor.
Mr. Piercy continued to teach in Howard county until 1879. when he went to Kansas, but not finding the advantages there that
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OF HOWARD COUNTY.
he had anticipated he soon returned to this county, and after teach- ing one term in Center township entered the State Normal school at Terre Haute, which he attended until becoming principal of the fourth ward school at Kokomo in the fall of 1881. Resigning this position after one term, he was chosen principal of the Center town- ship graded school at Grange Hall, where he taught the ensuing three years, at the expiration of which time he took charge of the seventh year work in the Kokomo city schools and continued the same with great satisfaction of the board and patrons from 1885 to 1887, returning to Grange Hall in the latter year. After two more years as principal of that school Mr. Piercy in 1889 was again made principal of the old fourth ward school in Kokomo, which position he held until 1891, when he obtained a leave of absence for the purpose of further prosecuting his studies in the State Normal school, which institution he attended during the period indicated and at intervals thereafter until finishing the pre- scribed course and receiving his certificate of graduation in 1896. Meantime a new building of eleven rooms had been erected in Kokomo, of which Mr. Piercy was made principal, with seven assistants ; he taught in this place before and after completing the course of work in the State Normal, and in 1898 was transferred to the old Normal building of District No. 1. where with nine assistants he taught very successfully for a period of six years, during which time he earned distinctive prestige as one of the lead- ing educators of the city and became widely and favorably known among the progressive school men of Howard and neighboring counties. Mr. Piercy taught his last term as principal of the New Central building during the year 1903-4, at the expiration of which he resigned his position, severed his connection with educational work and turned his attention to business pursuits, being since that
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time proprietor of a wood and coal yard on the corner of Buckeye and Monroe streets in the city of Kokomo and commanding an extensive and lucrative patronage.
As a teacher Mr. Piercy had few equals and no superiors in the county, where his signal success was achieved, and during his fifteen years of service he spared no pains to fit himself for efficiency in the profession, having in addition to finishing his course in the State Normal school attended several summer terms at the Indiana State University at Bloomington. A man of high ideals, he strove earnestly to impress upon the minds of his pupils the necessity of correct living, and to this end his aim was ever in the direction of symmetrical development, instead of devoting his entire attention to the cultivation of the intellect. His efforts to promote the moral well-being of those under his charge won for him a warm and abiding place in their affections, and today his most loyal and devoted friends are to be found among the men and women who as boys and girls profited by his instruction and were induced to aspire to higher aims in life through his counsel and advice.
Mr. Piercy is a Republican in politics and takes an active interest in public affairs, being an influential factor in his party and well informed on the leading questions in issue before the people. In religion he is a consistent member of the Christian church of Kokomo, to which his wife also belongs, and his fraternal relations are represented by the Pythian Order, in which he has served in the capacity of vice chancellor.
Mr. Piercy is a married man and the father of four children, his wife, to whom he was united in the bonds of wedlock on Septem- ber 5, 1804, having formerly been Sallie Garr, who was born and reared in Center township, Howard county, in the public schools of which and the Female College at Eminence, Kentucky, she received her educational training. The names of the children born
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to Mr. and Mrs. Piercy are Frances Ruth, Mary Lucile, George William Garr and John Charles Monroe.
GEORGE W. FREEMAN.
Under a popular government like that of the United States where the democratic idea of equality is as fully developed as the present imperfect condition of mankind will permit, we expect as its legitimate result the triumph of individual worth and energy over all the competition that wealth and class may array against them. Here the avenues of wealth and distinction are fully opened to all, which fact enhances rather than detracts from the merits of those whose energy and integrity have triumphed over all obstacles intervening between an humble position and the attainment of these laudable ends. Obscurity and labor at no time dishonorable never assume more attractive features than when the former appears as the nurse of those virtues which the latter, by years of honest and persevering effort, transplants to a higher and richer soil : hence, the biographer of those men of sterling worth whose active enter- prise has won for them distinction, pre-eminence and commanding influence in the society in which they move must be replete with facts which should encourage and instruct the young. Such is the subject of this sketch, who holds marked prestige among the successful self-made men of his county and who by the exercise of those talents and qualities which have been cultivated from his youth, has reached an honorable position in the public service and earned the respect and high esteem of his fellow citizens.
George W. Freeman, county recorder, is a native of Monroe county, Indiana, and the son of Joseph C. and Jennie ( Cox) Free-
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man, the father, a farmer and old soldier, now living in retirement at his home in the town of Russiaville; the mother also living at this writing, 1908.
The subject, who was born September 21, 1873, spent his childhood and youth near the place of his birth and was early taught the habits of industry and self-reliance which led to his subsequent career of usefulness in one of the most exacting of callings and paved the way to the position of honor and trust which he now so worthily holds. When quite young he evinced a decided taste for study and books, and on entering school experienced little difficulty in keeping easy pace with his classes and later far exceed those of his age in intellectual attainments, besides finding time to inform himself upon a wide and varied number of subjects. After finish- ing the usual course in the grade schools of Russiaville he prose- cuted the higher branches of study at the Central Normal College at Danville, where, in addition to a general literary discipline he prepared himself for teaching, which profession he entered at the youthful age of eighteen and to which he devoted his attention with marked success during the sixteen years following. Mr. Freeman's first educational work was done in the country, but subsequently he became principal and teacher of various village and town schools, having had charge of the schools of Fairfield for two years, and for a period of eleven consecutive terms was principal at Russiaville, the second place of importance in the county. During his period of service his efforts were decidedly effective in raising the schools to a high standard of excellence and making them among the very best in the county. The high character of his professional instruction causing a wide demand for his services in Howard and neighboring counties and giving him a reputation second to no other educator in this part of the state.
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