History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, Part 97

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 942

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Alexander Mock was born in Butler County, Ohio, in 1815. He came to this township in 1831, and is one of its prominent and successful farmers.

James Hines, Sr., came from Lawrenceburg, Ind., to this township in 1826 with a wife, two sons, and one daughter. He herded fifty head of cattle for Gen. Hanna for some time, and "the general gave Mr. Hines a forty-acre tract of land, entered by him, situated one-half mile southwest of where Oakland now is. He was a farmer and a great hog-trader. His three children are all dead. James was killed accidentally at the Methodist Episcopal Church building in Oakland; Lovey married John Hoss, and died the mother of six children ; Clark died in Hancock County, Ind., about 1881. . He lived

here about forty years. James Hines, Sr., died about 1850. His wife is also dead. Thus not one of the family of five that came here together is living to-day.

Andrew McDonald was born in North Carolina. He came from Clermont County, Ohio, with a wife and several children to this township in 1826, and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in 1827. Mr. G. Mclain is the present owner of the tract. Mr. McDonald was a farmer; remained here only a short time.

William Callon was born in Kentucky May 16, 1799. He went to Clermont County, Ohio, with his parents at the age of four years. There he married Ruth Wells, and in the year 1828 he emigrated with his family-wife and two children-to this township. He entered sixty-three acres three-fourths of a mile north of where Lawrence now is; was a farmer, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for forty years. He died Jan. 7, 1867. His wife died June 6, 1880. William and Leonidas were the children that came here with the father and mother. William died at the age of eighteen years ; Leonidas went to Iowa in 1868, and now lives there. There were eight other children, all born in this township.

James Giles and family came from Bracken County, Ky., in 1824, and entered eighty acres where Joseph N. Day now resides,-near the mouth of Indian Creek. His wife's maiden name was Mary Reddick, whom he married in 1818. He lived here until 1835, and then went to Tipton County, and died in May, 1875. He was a farmer, and a fine man. He had two sons and four daughters. William, the oldest son, died while working on the Wabash and Erie Canal, in Hamilton County, Ind .; James and Sallie live in Tipton County ; Lettie in Missouri ; Marie lives near Perkinsville, Ind., and Catharine is dead.

Robert Huston came from Brown County, Ohio, to this township about 1827, and worked on the farm of Elisha Reddick one year, raising five acres of corn. The next spring he went to Rush County, Ind., where he had left his family, and brought them here. He resided for several years on the farm east of the McIlvain farm and north of Fall Creek, and then

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HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

moved to what is known as the McCormick farm. Here he lived until about 1848, when he died at the age of fifty-eight years. He married Barbara Shengles. She has been dead thirty years. Mr. Huston was a Methodist seven years; was constable for ten years, and was serving as such when he died. He had five sons and two daughters,-William, Jacob, Joshua, George, Fountain, Betsy, and Polly. Fountain and William live in "Bracken County, Ky. ; Jacob and George are dead,-the former died here at the age of thirty, and the latter died about 1873, and his family lives in Washington Territory ; Joshua lives in Boone County, Ind .; Betsy and Polly both died unmarried before 1861 in Warren township, this county.

Henry Hardin came from Lawrenceburg, Ind., to Lawrence township in the fall of 1825, and settled in the woods on one hundred and forty acres of land that he had entered from the government. He raised a cabin upon his land, on a spot near where Jonah F. Lemon now resides. He cleared about forty acres of the fractional quarter-section. His wife's maiden name was Ludwick. He was converted at a prayer-meeting at the house of William Reddick about 1828, and shortly afterwards began preaching. He lived in this township twenty years, and then moved to Iowa. He was a moral, upright, conscientious man, and a kind, generous neighbor.

Ephriam Morrison came to this township in the year 1825 from Lawrenceburg, Ind., bought the farm of one hundred and forty-two acres owned by William McClaren, and settled upon it. At that time fifteen acres was cleared. The farm is now owned by H. M. and J. E. Hunter. In 1845 he went to Iowa, and died there after a residence of five years. His sons, Wil- liam and Perry, went to California after their father's death, but subsequently returned, and took their mother (who was a sister to Henry Hardin) and the rest of the family to California.

William McClaren was born in Manchester, Ohio, in 1797. He emigrated in 1824 with his wife and two children to this township, and entered the fractional quarter-section subsequently owned by Ephraim Morrison, but now owned by H. M. and J. E. Hunter. He lived there only one year, sold to Mor-

rison, and purchased the ninety-one-acre tract now owned by D. Leatherman. He lived there about ten years, and went to Bloomington, Iowa, where he died. His family are all dead except his son Andrew. Mr. McClaren had four children when he left this county. He was a great trader, and made his living mostly in that way. He was an intelligent man, and one of the shrewdest in this township in those days. He was a good pettifogger, and practiced considerably before the justices of the peace.

Robert Wells was born in Mason County, Ky., in 1804. Emigrated with wife and son Aaron to this township about 1827, and bought the fractional quar- ter-section now owned by John Newton Reddick, where he lived for twenty or twenty-five years. He then sold the farm to Robert Walpole and went to Stringtown, Ind., where he lived two years, thence moved to the Twelve-mile Prairie, thence to Ander- son, and since the war of 1861-65 went to Illinois, where he died about 1875. His wife died when he lived on the Twelve-mile Prairie. He was a farmer while he lived here, but subsequently became a shoemaker and a dealer in harness and saddlery. He and his wife were both members of the United Brethren Church, and they died in that faith. For four or five years that denomination held preaching at his house. He took a great interest in improving the public highways, in advancing the cause of edu- cation, and, in fact, in all laudable public enterprises. He was regarded by all who knew him as a model gentleman, and by his emigration the township lost one of its best citizens. He had six children when he left here. His son Aaron lives in Illinois.

John Johnson was a native of Ireland, but was raised in Kentucky. He went from there to Ohio. From there he came to this township, arriving on New-Year's day, 1824. He entered in all seven hundred and twenty acres of land in the vicinity of where the correction line crosses Fall Creek. He erected his cabin about half a mile southeast of the hill known as the Johnson Hill. There he lived until his death in 1849, aged sixty-seven years. His wife's maiden name was Jane McConnel. She died four years before him, at the age of sixty-three years. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and

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took great interest in church affairs. His wife and the most of his children died in that faith. He built a mill on Fall Creek in 1825, and operated it for years. The first election ever held in the town- ship was at his cabin, and he was one of the thirteen electors. He was instrumental in bringing quite a number of new settlers into the township shortly after his arrival. He was a farmer and miller,-industri- ous, persevering, and moral. He had two sons and five daughters. Charles, the oldest son, came to the township with Elisha Reddick in October, 1823. When twenty-one years of age his father gave him eighty acres of land. Charles grubbed three acres. He went in swimming the day after he was twenty- one years old, took the fever, and died four days thereafter. John Calvin died two years after his father's death. Elizabeth married Elisha Reddick in Ohio in 1822, and died in this township March 11, 1872, at the age of sixty-eight years. Isabel, Mary, and Jennie are also dead. Nellie married John Newkirk, moved to Carlisle, Ill., about 1850, where she now resides.

Robert Large came into the township about 1825. He owned no land, but lived on the farm now owned by Philip Miller ; lived there eight years and went to Washington township, this county, and subsequently died there. His vocation was fishing, and he did little else.

James Ballenger came to this township about 1825. He lived on Daniel Ballenger's land, half a mile east of where Millersville now is, about eight years, then went to Washington township, this county, and died there.

George Long was a native of England. He came to this township with his family about 1827, and entered one hundred and sixty acres, now owned by Dr. Jonathan Conkle. He lived there ten or twelve years and went to Missouri, where he now resides. He is a tailor by trade, but was a farmer when here, and cleared a large farm. Two of his daugh- ters live here. Elizabeth, the wife of Joseph Swarm, lives in Centre township, and Ellen, the widow of Simeon Mock, lives near Germantown.

Alexander McClaren was born near Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1804. He went to Kentucky when a mere

boy, and from there came to this township in 1824. He was married here to Helen Reddick, daughter of William Reddick. He bought eighty acres, the farm now owned by John Sargent, in 1828. He was a shoemaker, and worked at his trade evenings. He was a very industrious man, and prospered. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he improved every opportunity to ad- vance the interest of that denomination. He was a leader in the building of the Hopewell Methodist Episcopal Church. He sold his land here about 1850 and went to Clinton County, Ill. He died about 1859. He had six sons and four daughters. His wife died in 1881. Five of the sous lived in Clinton County, Ill. Andrew died more than twenty years ago.

Moses McClaren was born in Adams County, Ohio, Nov. 15. 1810, and went to Kentucky with his parents about 1820. From there he came to Marion County in the fall of 1823, and in 1832 settled in this town- ship, half a mile above the mouth of Mud Creek. That year he married Rachel, daughter of William Reddick. He lived in this township twelve years, following farming. He and his wife now live half a mile east of Allisonville, this county, where they have lived during the last fifty-one years. He has been a member of the Allisonville Methodist Episcopal Church since 1849. He is a Republican in politics. His residence of sixty-three years in the county has given him an opportunity to become acquainted with the first citizens. He is now in the " sear and yellow leaf" of life, and is honored and respected by all who know him. His children, nine in number, are all dead.

John Gillam entered one hundred and sixty acres in 1828, the same now owned by John F. Sterrett. He was a farmer, and a hard-working man. He raised quite a family of children, and taught them all to believe in witches and witchcraft. He sold his land here, and went to Illinois with his family in 1840.

John Collins came to this county from Mason County, Ky., in 1820. He was in Washington township a few years, and in 1824 or 1825 he came into this township, where he lived about twenty years.

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HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

He followed hunting for a living, was in the woods nearly all the time, and strolled from place to place. No person knows whither he went from this town- ship.

Adam Eller came from Stillwater, Ohio, with family (wife and six children) in a very early day. He entered one hundred and sixty aeres, a part of which is now owned by Philip Miller. Mr. Eller was a farmer, and died there forty years ago. His wife also died several years ago. His daughters were Elizabeth, Lucinda, and Naney, and they all moved to Illinois years ago. His sons were David, Andrew, and Leonard.

David Eller came from Stillwater, Ohio, with his father, Adam. He entered the farm now owned by Ettie Newhouse, and married Lucinda Reddick. He was a farmer and also a carpenter. He was a great and noted hunter. About 1854 he went to Kirks- ville, Mo., and died there in 1875. He was in Cali- fornia during the gold fever about 1849.

Leonard Eller came from Ohio with his father, Adam. He went West at the age of twenty years.

Andrew Eller, son of Adam, came here with bis father at a very early date. His first wife was Martha, daughter of John McConnell. Mr. Eller entered eighty acres, now owned by Josiah Day. He moved upon it in 1835, and in 1840 he moved on the farm now owned by Christopher McConnell. In about 1853 he moved on the John Johnson place. His second wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Flanin- gan. She only lived three years, and he then mar- ried the widow of John Calvin Johnson. In 1859 he went to Missouri, but returned to this county during the Rebellion on account of the troubles in Missouri. At the close of the war he returned to Missouri. In the early settlement of the country he was a great deer-hunter. He was a good citizen and a kind neighbor when in this county.

Edmund Newhouse was born near Charlestown, Va., about 1796, and came here in 1832. He entered one hundred and sixty acres about three- fourths of a mile west of where Lawrence now is. He followed farming for a livelihood until a few years ago. He is now eighty-seven years old, and lives on the old homestead with his children. He | in the first log school-house built in this township.

has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church about fifty years, and was one of the founders of the Lawrence Methodist Episcopal Church about the year 1838. He and his children and grandchildren are among the best and most highly respected of Lawrence township's citizens.

Jacob Shenkle came here from Brown County, Ohio, with his wife, two sons, and a daughter. He entered one hundred and sixty acres of land on Indian Creek,-now owned by Lewis Hossenfans,- and was assessor of the township by appointment many years. He sold his farm in 1841 and left the county. His son John went to Illinois, and Benja- min moved West. His daughter Elizabeth married Fountain Kimberlain in 1827.

William Dickerson came from Kentucky to this county in 1825 with his wife, three sons, and five daughters. He lived three miles east of Indian- apolis for five years, and then came to this township and entered eighty acres, being the east eighty- acre traet now owned by John D. Louden. He was a farmer, and died on the above eighty-acre tract in the year 1851. Merritt, his second son, was killed by a railway train, in 1850, at the crossing of Indian Creek. The other two sons are dead. The five daughters went to Pana, Ill.

Abel Swords came from Ohio about the year 1827, and entered the west eighty-acre tract now owned by John D. Louden. His wife, four sons, and two daughters came here with him. He died in .Washington township, this county, about 1861. His wife died on the old homestead. His sons, William and Robert, live in this township.

Daniel Speece was born Jan. 10, 1802, in the State of Kentucky. From there he came to this township in January, 1828. He was married, March 9, 1825, to Elizabeth Fidaman. They emi- grated here with two children, Franklin and Fred- erick M. Mr. Speece was a farmer. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since the oldest member of the family can remember, and he died in that faith at an advanced age. His widow is still living, although very feeble. Mr. Speece, if not the first, was one of the first teachers

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Their son Franklin died in 1852, and Frederick M. emigrated to Kansas. Thirteen other children were born to these old pioneers, eight of whom are dead. William H. lives at home with his mother ; George lives at Glenn's Valley, this county ; Thomas B. J. lives in this township; Joseph is in Missouri ; and Martha Ann in Kansas.

John Thomas was born June 20, 1805, near Red Stone Old Fort, Pa. He lived in Hamilton County, Ohio, from June, 1806, till 1815, when he went to Clermont County, Ohio. His mother died in the year 1810. Mr. Thomas was married to Harriet Bradbury on the 9th of March, 1828. On Sept. 16, 1832, he came here and settled in the woods near and east of Minnewan Springs. He made shelter for his family out of brush until he could raise a log cabin. After his cabin was in order, he and his wife began clearing the eighty-acre tract upon which he now resides and which they had previously entered. Two children, Elizabeth and Benjamin, emigrated to the township with their parents. These old pioncers had seven children after they arrived here. They raised all these chil- dren to be full-grown men and women. Six of them are dead and three are living. His wife, Harriet, died in March, 1863. The following children are living: the two who emigrated to this township with their father, and John M., the next to youngest son.

Mr. Thomas was a school-teacher for several years during the first settlement of the township. * He cleared and improved the farm upon which he now resides. He was elected captain of the Indiana militia in Lawrence township, March 23, 1833, and held that commission for five years and then re- signed. He was elected justice of the peace in 1856, and re-elected twice in succession, but resigned after eleven years' service. He has served as supervisor and as school trustee several terms. He served one term as clerk of the board of township trustees. He has been a member of the Universalist Church con- tinuously since 1840. He has led an active and industrious life, and takes rank as one of the best citizens of the township. He has always encouraged every commendable public enterprise. He is now

seventy-eight years of age, and is living with his second wife, whom he married April 9, 1876.

Abraham Sellers was born Jan. 25, 1805, in North Carolina. He served three years as an apprentice, and learned the tanner's trade in Clermont County, Ohio. In the year 1827 he came to this township. In order to reach his destination he was compelled to cut his way through the brush and timber during the last four miles of his journey. He entered eighty acres, now owned by his heirs, and he subsequently purchased an additional eighty acres. He married Lydia Rumple when in Ohio, and he, his wife, and two children (Susan and Elizabeth) came to this county in a wagon. He cleared a large farm in this township, and followed farming for a living. He had a tan-yard on his farm for many years, and occasionally worked at his trade. He was a moral man, and used his influence for the good of society. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, and ser- vices were held at his house for years before any church was built in the neighborhood in which he lived. He built a saw-mill on Fall Creek about the year 1853, and sold it after operating it two years. Mr. Sellers died March 10, 1875. His first wife, Lydia, died in 1850. The two eldest children are also dead. Seven children were born unto Mr. Sel- lers after he came to the township, two of whom are dead.

Amos Hanway came to this county from Vin- cennes, Ind., in the year 1821. He came into this township in 1824, and lived till his death on the farm now owned by his son Samuel. Mr. Hanway came to this county on a flat-boat up White River. He brought his wife and three children,-Mary, Amos, and Ann E. The last-named married James Crigler, April 24, 1836. Mr. Crigler was a member of the Lutheran Church. He is now dead. His widow is living, aged sixty-five years. Mary Han- way married Isaac Doty, and died one year there- after. Amos Hanway, Jr., is still living, and is a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Francis Flannigan was born in Maryland. He moved to North Carolina, and married there Mary Eller. He moved to Miami County, Ohio, and thence to this township in October, 1824. He en-

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HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY.

tered eighty acres about one and a quarter miles southeast of where Millersville now is. His children were: James, located east of where Millersville now is; John, located near where No. 4 school-house now is; Elizabeth, located north of where John located ; Sarah, located near same place; Peter, married in Lawrence township to Nancy Mock, located north of the Marion County line, in Hamilton County ; Leonard, married in Lawrence township to Amelia Mitchell, located in Hamilton County, afterwards moved back to Marion County, and located on Mud Creek ; Francis F., lived one year and three months in Marion County, then died, age not known. Mr. Flannigan's widow married James North, and died in 1863, aged eighty-one years. The first school at- tended by the children was in an old log house on the Smay farm, one mile south of where Millersville now is. It was taught by Samuel Burns.

John Flannigan, the second eldest child of Francis Flannigan, came to the township in October, 1824, and located on eighty acres now owned by John Johnson. He afterwards married Elizabeth North, farmed four years, and worked in the saw-mills at Millersville, Germantown, Cicero, and other places. He died at Jesse Klepfer's, in this township, about 1860, aged fifty-seven years. He was buried at Hopewell. He had eight children,-four sons and four daughters. Three of the former and one of the latter are living.

James Flannigan (born May, 1804), eldest child of Francis Flannigan, came to this towoship in 1824, with his wife, Susannah Bracken, daughter of John Bracken, of Tennessee. Mr. Flannigan first located east of where Millersville now is, and subsequently just north of where his brother John located, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1876. His aged wife also died the same year. Mr. Flannigan was a farmer, and cleared a large farm, and raised a large family of children, five of whom are now living. He endured all the trials incident to a pioneer life, and died respected by all who knew him.

Peter Bolander was born in Pennsylvania. He emigrated to this township in 1833, and entered the one hundred and sixty acres upon which the village of Oakland is situated. He was a farmer. He dicd

several years ago, and his wife died three years after- wards. They had five children, one of whom, An- drew, is still living in the township, aged sixty-four years.

John J. Mollenkopf, Sr., was born in Germany, Sept. 24, 1794; came to America in 1821; located in Baltimore County, Md .; engaged in the manufac- ture of paper; moved to Wayne County, Ind., in 1836, and to this township in 1839; married Juli- anna Painter in 1825 in Maryland. There were born unto them nine children ; eight are living. Mr. Mol- lenkopf died aged seventy-nine years. Mrs. Mollen- kopf died aged sixty-four years. He engaged in farming after coming to Indiana.

John Negley, one of the pioneers of this township, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, Dec. 20, 1804. He was raised there, and at the age of nineteen years came with his parents to this county. In the year 1825 he married Isabella, a daughter of John John- son, and had born to him seven children, three of whom are living. He worked with his father-in-law one year after his marriage, and then located on what is now known as the McCormick farm. His wife died in 1842. He was married in September, 1844, to Mary Ann Sheets, and by her had eleven children, five of whom are living. In 1845 he removed to Warren County, Ohio, where he lived six years. He then returned to this county, and located adjoining Millersville, where he lived until his death, which took place Aug. 30, 1878, aged seventy-three ycars, eight months, and ten days. He was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church. From the spring of 1823 till his death he was absent from the county only six years. He endured all the trials and bard- ships of a pioneer life ; was an industrious and influ- ential citizen. He was a voter at the first election ever held in the township, and was an encourager of all worthy public enterprises. For more than twenty- five years prior to his death he was a Master Mason in good standing, and no craftsman ever labored more zcalously in the cause of Masonry than he. His loss to the fraternity was most keenly felt. In the im- provement of the public highways and the promotion of the cause of education, and in the advancement of the cause of religion, no person evinced greater in-

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terest. He lived respected, and his loss to society was regretted by all who knew him.

William Orpurd, an old pioneer of Lawrence town- ship, was born in Frederick County, Md., Nov. 9, 1793. He served in the war of 1812 from com- mencement to close, and after discharge from the army he emigrated to Indiana. He came to this county in 1821, and located on what is known as the Metzger farm, on White River. In the year 1830 he entered eighty acres about one mile southwest of where Castleton now is, and resided upon it until his death, which occurred Aug. 5, 1871. On Aug. 18, 1824, he was united in marriage to Nancy Allison, who came to this county with her parents in 1819, aud who walked every rod of the way from Ken- tueky to where Allisonville now is. Mr. Orpurd was a farmer. During his early residence here his living was made by clearing land and hunting deer. Dur- ing the last twenty-five years of his life he was a pious man, and believed in the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was strictly moral and temperate in all his habits. The first school attended by his children was in a log cabin, just south of Allisonville. His wife survives him, living on the old homestead of eighty acres, and holds the old patent for the property, signed by Andrew Jack- son. She joined the Methodist Episcopal Church when nineteen years of age, and although nearly eighty-seven now, she has not let her faith be shaken. During the past four years she has been afflicted with almost total blindness. The number of children born unto these pious people was six, three of whom are now living, viz. : Lavica, Calvin, and Marion. Lavica, now in her fifty-seventh year, was never mar- ried, and lives with her mother. Marion is a widow, in her forty-eighth year, and resides with her mother. Calvin went to Missouri fourteen years ago, and in 1883 moved to Kansas.

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History of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, Part 97

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 942

Author: Sulgrove, Berry R. (Berry Robinson), 1828-1890
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 942