USA > Indiana > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Indiana > Part 71
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became the wife of Hugh E. Johnson, and William J., the immediate subject of this sketch. Religiously, the subject's parents were ardent and faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the paternal homestead and received his education in No. 11 school. He remained with his father until twenty years of age, when he moved onto the farm where he now lives, and to which he has since given his indefatigable attention, his industry and perseverance being rewarded with a fair measure of success. He is a good all-around farmer, giving due attention to every detail of his work, and has a splendid residence which he erected in 1908, while the other buildings on the place as well as fences and other details show the owner to be a man of good judgment and sound discrimination.
Mr. Brunnemer has been married twice, first in November, 1894, to Ida Caplinger, the daughter of Robert and Mary (McLain). Caplinger, of John- son county, though natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Brunnemer died in August, 1900, at the age of thirty-two years, her child having died in infancy. In July, 1901, Mr. Brunnemer married Burdette McLain, the daughter of John A. and Susan (Caplinger) McLain, and to this union were born five chil- dren: William Merrill, born August 11, 1902; Winford Harrell, born Febru- ary 26, 1905; Georgia Catherine, born January, 1908; Christine Frances, born June 6, 1911, and Marion, born May 29, 1913.
Mr. Brunnemer gives his political support to the Republican party, in the success of which he takes an active interest, while his church relations are with the Methodist Episcopal society, to which he gives a liberal support. He has always been regarded as a man of high principles, honest in every re- spect and broad-minded. A man of broad character, kindness of heart to the unfortunate and ever willing to aid in any way any cause for the better- ment of the community and the public with whom he has to deal, he is held in high favor and the utmost respect by all who know him.
M. J. VORIS.
The gentleman to a brief review of whose life the reader's attention is herewith directed is among the foremost business men of Franklin and has by his enterprise and progressive methods contributed in a material way to the industrial and commercial advancement of the community. Possessing splendid executive and business ability, he has been successful in a material
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way and because of his sterling qualities he is numbered among the represent- ative men of the city in which he lives.
M. J. Voris, head of the well known mercantile firm of M. J. Voris & Company, was born on February 4, 1860, and is the only son of John C. and Elizabeth Margaret (Morgan) Voris. The parents were both born in John- son county, the father in Union township and the mother in Nineveh town- ship. John C. Voris was a carpenter and contractor and a well known citizen in his day. He was a son of Peter Voris, one of the pioneer settlers of Johnson county and a man of much prominence in the community, having served at one time as probate judge. John C. Voris, during the Civil war, organized a company of Home Guards in Hensley township, and he after- wards went into active service. Near the close of the war he was promoted to second lieutenant of Company H of the Ninth Indiana Cavalry. He was captured by the enemy at Sulphur Springs, Alabama, and put in prison at Cahaba, Alabama, being held there until the close of the war, a period of about six months. In the fall of 1865 he removed his family from Trafalgar to a farm north of Franklin, and two years later, in the fall of 1867, he re- moved to Franklin. Here he operated a planing mill and lumber yard, the property being a part of that now occupied by the Franklin Coil Hoop Com- pany, and he followed contracting for a number of years very successfully. Many of the most substantial buildings of the county were erected by him, among them being the Methodist Episcopal church and the Dr. Martin property, in Franklin, C. L. Ditmar's residence at Hopewell, and the William Pritchard residence and the Union church, south of Franklin. John C. Voris died in Franklin in May, 1870, being survived by his wife, who now lives in the old home on Jackson street. They had two children, the subject of this sketch and a daughter who died in 1894.
M. J. Voris received a good practical education in the public schools of Franklin, and upon the completion of his studies he became clerk in a dry goods store in Franklin. Soon afterwards he became a partner in the business and in 1892 he formed the firm of M. J. Voris & Company, which has since been known as one of the most substantial mercantile concerns in this city. In 1896 he bought the building and business of W. A. McNaugh- ton, which is the present site of the Voris business. Mr. Voris is a man of marked business ability and has become materially interested in a number of local enterprises. He is a stockholder and director in the Franklin Na- tional Bank, a director in the Union Trust Company, a director in the Mutual Building and Loan Association. He is the owner of a fine farm of two hun-
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dred and twenty-five acres in this county, owns property on Jefferson street, Franklin, and has a substantial interest in the Williams & Voris Lumber Company, of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is a member of the board of trus- tees of Franklin College and in many ways has shown a commendable interest in the welfare of his city and community.
Politically, Mr. Voris has been a life-long supporter of the Republican party and sees no reason today why he should desert that party for any other. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has taken all the degrees of the York rite, thirty-two degrees of the Scottish rite, and is also a member of the Mystic Shrine. Religiously, he has for many years been an active and earnest member of the Presbyterian church, in which he has served as a deacon for twenty-six years.
On December 20, 1888, Mr. Voris was united in marriage to Arta H. Payne, the eldest daughter of Dr. P. W. Payne, who is referred to elsewhere in this work, the latter having been a pioneer physician and prominent citi- zen of this community.
The success attained by Mr. Voris in his business affairs has been great- ly owing to his steady persistence, stern integrity and excellent . judgment, qualities which have also. won for him the confidence and esteem of the public to a marked degree. Personally, he is a man of quiet and unassuming disposition, though genial and friendly in his relations with others, and he has for many years enjoyed a wide acquaintance and large prestige throughout Johnson county.
J. J. BEATTY.
Although not an old man in years, the gentleman whose life record is herein outlined has stamped his individuality upon the locality where he re- sides in no uncertain manner, being an excellent representative of that type of the much heralded American business man-the type that does things- Mr. Beatty being a worthy descendant of a long line of honorable and in- fluential ancestors.
J. J. Beatty, one of the enterprising and progressive business men and influential citizens of Greenwood, Johnson county, Indiana, was born in Shelby county. this state, on the 22d day of August, 1870. He is the son of George and Amanda (Tolin) Beatty, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Marion county, Indiana. The subject has lived in Johnson county
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since he was thirteen years old and has been a prominent figure in the civic life of the community. He has for a number of years been successfully en- gaged in the mercantile business here, and because of his high business prin- ciples, his staunch integrity and good qualities as a man and citizen, he has not only enjoyed a large and constantly increasing patronage, but has gained the confidence and good will of the entire community. He has made two races for county sheriff, being unsuccessful in each instance, was once elected as- sessor of White River township, and is now a candidate for county clerk on the Democratic ticket. He is deserving of success in his aspirations, for he is not only a man of acknowledged ability, but he is of that character that lends honor and dignity to a community.
Mr. Beatty married Maggie Fishback, a daughter of Thomas and Rachel (Paskins) Fishback, both of whom are now deceased, the father having been a successful farmer and a well known and highly respected citizen. The Paskin family was an old and well known family in this county, having been early settlers of the community. To the subject and his wife have been born five children, all of whom are at home, namely: Floy, Elsie, Oral, Fawn and Fern. Fraternally, Mr. Beatty is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the order of Freemasons, in the workings of both of which he takes a deep and intelligent interest. In every avenue of life's activities in which he has en- gaged he has been true to every trust and he is eminently deserving of the high position which he holds in the esteem of all who know him. Genial and unassuming in manner, he readily makes friends and he and his wife both move in the best social circles of the community, their home being a favorite stopping place for their friends. In the public life of the community Mr. Beatty has taken a deep interest, giving his support to every movement which will conserve the best interests of his fellow citizens.
WILLIAM W. WHITE.
There are individuals in nearly every community who, by reason of pronounced ability and force of character, rise above the heads of the masses and command the unbounded esteem of their fellow men. Characterized by ·perseverance and a directing spirit, two virtues that never fail, such men al- ways make their presence felt and the vigor of their strong personality serves as a stimulus and incentive to the young and rising generation. To this en- ergetic and enterprising class the subject of this review very properly belongs.
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Having never been seized with the roaming desires that have led many of Johnson county's young men to other fields of endeavor and other states, where they have sought their fortunes, Mr. White has devoted his life to industries at home and has succeeded remarkably well, as we shall see by a study of his life history.
William W. White, who is one of the leading citizens of Johnson county, was born in Nineveh township, this county, on February 20, 1860, the son of George B. and Rachel I. (Lane) White, the White family having been for many years one of the most prominent in this section of the country. Mr. White received his elementary education in the common schools of his neighborhood, and then attended the high school at Nineveh, later taking a course of three years in Franklin College. He was thus well qualified for life's battles, and upon leaving college took up the vocation of farming, to which he has since given his undivided attention and in which his success has been of unusual order. In addition to a general line of farming Mr. White has given a great deal of attention to the breeding and raising of live stock, including sheep, Jersey cattle, hogs, Shetland ponies, and saddle horses. He has acquired a reputation extending over a wide range of this section of the state because of the high quality of his stock, but of recent years he has discontinued the breeding of all these lines except the Jersey cattle, of which he now has a splendid herd and for which he finds a ready sale. His farm comprises one hundred sixty acres of as fine land as can be found in his township, and all of the improvements on the same are of up-to-date charac- ter in every respect, the general appearance of the place being complimentary to the owner. Still in the prime of life, Mr. White gives his detailed atten- tion to all departments of his farm work, and among his fellow agriculturists he enjoys a high reputation because of the honest success which he has at- tained in his work.
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In the public life of his community, Mr. White has for many years occupied a very prominent place. For many years he was superintendent of roads, giving careful and painstaking attention to this department and his efforts were appreciated by his fellow citizens. A member of the Johnson County Fair Association for about fifteen years, he was an efficient and faith- ful servant of the people in whose interests he labored. He has always taken a deep interest in everything pertaining to the agricultural features of his county, and as chairman of the Farmers Institute he has earned many warm words of praise and commendation. In order to better qualify himself for not
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only his own work, but for his interests and active part in agricultural insti- tutes, Mr. White took a course in Purdue University, where he gained much valuable knowledge by study and observation regarding agricultural methods.
Religiously, Mr. White is an active and earnest member of the Christian church and has served in many capacities in the interests of religious work. He was chairman of the Johnson County Sunday School Union and superin- tendent of the Johnson County Adult Sunday School Department. In his own church he has served efficiently as superintendent of the Sunday school .. He has always stood for the highest standard of right and morality and among his fellow citizens there has never been breathed a word of suspicion against his character. His political affiliation is with the Democratic party, of which he has been a staunch supporter, though never a seeker for public office.
On October 3, 1890, Mr. White was united in marriage to Jennie Mullendore, a daughter of Louis and Harriett ( Records) Mullendore, both families of which are represented elsewhere in this work. To Mr. and Mrs. White have been born three children, Dora Muriel, Verne and William E. By his persistent advocacy of wholesome living, pure policies and honesty in business, Mr. White has long enjoyed the undivided respect and esteem of all who know him, being regarded as one of Johnson county's most sub- stantial and worthy citizens, and therefore he merits representation in a work of the province of the one at hand.
J. W. RUNKLE.
Indefatigable industry, sound business judgment and wise management have been the elements which have contributed to the success achieved by J. W. Runkle, an enterprising and progressive farmer of Blue River town- ship, Johnson county, Indiana. His farm is well improved and highly pro- ductive, being numbered among the good farms of the township in which he lives, and because of his high character and unquestioned integrity, he enjoys to a marked degree the sincere respect of the community.
J. W. Runkle, one of the most enterprising farmers and progressive citizens of Blue River township, was born on January 9, 1863, in the town- ship where he now resides, and is the son of Gather B. and Mahala ( Ander- son) Runkle. His father was born December 7, 1834, near Edinburg, in
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Bartholomew county, Indiana, and is the son of Louis Runkle, a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, who migrated to Indiana in an early day and established a tannery below Edinburg. He finally migrated to Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was a son of Peter Runkle, who fought in a Virginia regiment during the Revolutionary war, and the latter was the son of John Runkle, the emigrant ancestor of the subject, who . originally came from Germany and settled in Culpeper county, Virginia. The subject's grandfather, Louis Runkle, married in Bartholomew county and two years later came to Blue River township, this county, and purchased land in the early thirties. His wife had borne the maiden name of Barlow. Mr. Runkle was very prosperous in his business affairs, accumulating con- siderable wealth, and to him and his wife were born three children, Gather B., John L. and Mary Ann, the latter dying at the age of fourteen years. John L. was a soldier in the Civil war and died from the effects of a wound received in battle. Mahala Anderson Runkle was a daughter of William and Rebecca Anderson, natives of Kentucky. She was born November 16, 1834, and died on May 21, 1901. She was born and reared in Bartholomew county, but later her parents moved to Shelby county. To Gather and Ma- hala Runkle were born three children, namely: John W., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Eliza L. (Furnas) Long, of West Lafayette, Indiana, and Mrs. Mamie Shepherd, of Blue River township, this county. Thus four generations of this family have been reared on the land where the subject now lives.
John W. Runkle received his education in the public schools, graduating from the Edinburg high school, and then became a student in the Louisville College of Pharmacy, where he received a thorough technical education, and afterward followed his profession at Indianapolis for a period of two years. In 1888 he received from his father eighty acres of land in Blue River town- ship and at once came home and entered actively upon its management and operation. One of the first acts after his coming here was to set out a large orchard and otherwise substantially improve the farm, so that it is now one of the best in this locality. As he prospered in his affairs he added to his acreage until he is now the owner of one hundred and sixty-seven acres of splendid land. He also rents one hundred and ten acres of his father's farm. He has eighty-five acres planted to corn, seventy-five acres to wheat and twenty acres to alfalfa and hay, while in the way of live stock, which he has found a valuable adjunct to farming, he handles one hundred and fifty hogs and a carload of cattle annually .. He carries on his farming operations
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according to modern methods and gives his attention to other details of the farm work, so that his success is entirely a matter of his own creation.
Politically, Mr. Runkle gives his support to the Republican party, while in fraternal matters he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, belonging to the local lodge at Edinburg. Religiously, his sympathies are with the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he gives a liberal support.
On August 6, 1893, Mr. Runkle married Lola Miner, the daughter of John B. Miner, of Edinburg, her birth having occurred on August 8, 1864, on a farm in Blue River township, this county. To them have been born three children : Louis W., born July 5, 1894; Byron J., born July 1, 1898, and Lola Monta, born October 24, 1899. These children have all received good educations and move in the best social circles of the community where they live. Mr. Runkle is a man of decided convictions on the leading ques- tions of the day and gives ardent support to all movements for the upbuild- ing of the community socially, educationally, morally and materially. The result is that he has in a large measure enjoyed the sincere regard and confi- dence and good will of all who know him, and he is numbered among the leading and influential citizens of his locality.
EPHRAIM B. CHENOWETH, M. D.
The present age is essentially utilitarian and the life of every successful man carries a lesson which, told in contemporary narrative, is productive of much good in shaping the destiny of others. There is, therefore, a due meas- use of satisfaction in presenting, even in brief resume, the life and achieve- ments of such men, and in preparing the following history of the scholarly physician whose name appears above, it is with the hope that it may prove not only interesting and instructive, but also serve as an incentive to those who contemplate making the medical profession their life work.
Ephraim B. Chenoweth was born January 18, 1875, in Eminence, Mor- gan county, Indiana, and is the son of Stephen and Verbenia (Gray) Cheno- weth, natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky respectively. On the paternal side the subject traces his ancestry back to John Chenoweth, an Englishman, who settled on the site of Baltimore in 1720. He was a Protestant in his re- ligious faith. On the maternal side the family is traced in a direct line of descent from Oliver Cromwell. Stephen Chenoweth was born in 1838 in
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Pennsylvania, and was a son of Ephraim B. and Marie (Reisinger) Cheno- weth, the father a native of Pennsylvania and of English descent, and the mother of German parentage. Ephraim B. Chenoweth was an early settler in Morgan county, Indiana, in the late twenties and attained to considerable prominence in the early life of the community, in the upbuilding and prog- ress of which he took an important part. Stephen Chenoweth enlisted for service at the outbreak of the Civil war, becoming a private in the One Hun- dred and Fifty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he rendered valiant service for three years. He has followed the vocation of blacksmithing during the greater part of his active life, but is now retired. His wife died in 1909. To them were born three children, Mrs. Lillian Stringer, Matthew, deceased, and Ephraim B., the subject of this sketch.
Ephraim B. Chenoweth received his elementary education in the com- mon schools of Eminence and the high school at Martinsville. He then pur- sued the scientific course at Danville Normal School, from which he grad- uated in 1898, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He then matriculated in the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis, where he pursued his tech- nical studies four years, graduating in 1902 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He immediately located in the active practice of his profession at Quincy, Morgan county, Indiana, where he remained seven years, build- ing up a good patronage and gaining an enviable reputation as a successful medical practitioner. He served as coroner of Owen county with efficiency during the years 1907-8-9, resigning in the latter year because of his re- moval from that county. He then located at Nineveh, where he has since been actively engaged in the practice, gaining a wide notoriety throughout the county as a competent, able and successful doctor. He has had remarkable success as a healer of diseases, and has often been called into consultation by his professional brethren because of his ability as a diagnostician and his uniform success in the healing of diseases. In addition to splendid technical skill he possesses broad sympathies which enable him to at once gain the confidence of his patients, a point which all physicians will admit is a most important element of success in medical treatment. He is a member of the Johnson County Medical Association and the Indiana State Medical So- ciety, in the proceedings of both of which he takes an interested part. He is now holding the position of township physician for the poor and indigent. He takes an intelligent interest in every phase of local life and all move- ments which promise to benefit the community educationally, morally, so- cially or materially enlist his warmest support and hearty co-operation. He
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is well read and widely informed, a splendid conversationalist and a welcome visitor in any company which he chooses to enter.
Fraternally, Doctor Chenoweth is a member of Nineveh Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of which he is medical examiner; of Nineveh Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and the chapter of Royal Arch Masons at Edinburg. He is also a member of the Improved Order of Red Men at Quincy.
In 1903 Doctor Chenoweth was united in marriage to Mina Kennedy, the daughter of William Kennedy, of Martinsville, and to this union have been born three children, Morris Kennedy, Byron Elsworth and Robert Denslow. Doctor Chenoweth has always not only kept in close touch with the trend of medical thought, but is also a close student of all social, po- litical and scientific subjects, being broad-minded, full of spirits and a leader in those matters relating to the advancement of his fellow men. He is a man of decided convictions on public questions, maintains his stand with resolute firmness and has made his usefulness felt in various trusts with which he has from time to time been honored. In every sphere of endeavor in which he has taken a part, his unpretending bearing and strict integrity have ele- vated him in the confidence of his fellow citizens, and his influence is always powerful and salutary in the community.
THOMAS DORRELL.
An enumeration of the representative citizens of Johnson county, In- diana, would be incomplete without specific mention of the well known and popular gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. A member of one of the old and highly esteemed families of the central part of the state and for many years a public-spirited man of affairs, he has stamped the impress of his individuality upon the community and added luster to the honorable name which he bears, having always been scrupulously honest in all his rela- tions with his fellow men and leaving no stone unturned whereby he might benefit his own condition as well as that of his neighbors and friends, con-' sequently he has long ago won the favor of a great number of people of White River township, where he maintains his home.
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