USA > Indiana > Johnson County > History of Johnston County, Indiana. From the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 58
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born March 7, 1824, and was killed on November 11, IS75, by an accident. He was married a second time, January 3, 1878, to Fanny K. Warner, who was born in Ohio, March 15, 1832, and is the daughter of William and Lavina ( Hedrick ) Warner, the father being a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother of Ohio. To the first marriage four children were born, two of whom are now liv- ing, and to the second, none. Garrett Bergen, the father, was born July 17, 1792, in New Jersey. In about 1831, he removed to one-quarter (14) mile from Franklin, Johnson County, and of which county he was one of the first settlers, and entered part of the land upon which Franklin was located. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, under Gen. Harrison. His death occurred Septem- ber 22, 1872. He was married first to Mary Banta, on January 13, 1814, who was born March 4, 1794, and died August 23, IS55. He was married a second time, on November 25, 1856, to Eleanor, widow of S. S. Ryker, daughter of Christopher G. Bergen.
THOMAS BRANIGIN, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Mason County, Ky., January 17, 1825, and is the sixth in a family of nine children, born to John and Lucy F. ( Branch) Branigin, natives of Virginia. In 1833 the mother came to Johnson County, and set- tled in Nineveh Township. She died in Franklin Township, at the age of eighty years. The subject came to this country in 1833, and was a student at the country schools. At the age of fifteen years, he began farming for himself, and now owns a fine farm consisting of 350 acres, and in addition to farming has for twenty years given his attention to stock-raising. Mr. Brani- gin was married December 17, 1842, to Miss Perlina Park, born in Kentucky, December 16, 1822, and came to this county in early childhood. They are the parents of six children : Laura A., born 1845; Matilda M., 1848; Susan P., 1850: Sarah A., 1854: John S., 1856, and Lavina V., 1861. Politically, he is a republican, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.
W. D. BRANIGIN, senior member of the firm of Branigin & Tucker, dealers in agricultural implements, wagons, buggies, and seeds, of Franklin, is a native of Johnson County, and was born November 24, 1846, and is the son of N. S. and Sarah J. (Forsythe) Branigin, both natives of Kentucky, the father being born in February, 1815, and the mother in March, 1825. The grandfather was John Branigin, a native of Kentucky, who died in Kentucky. In 1836, his wife, with our subject's father, came to Johnson County, Ind. The mother was the daughter of David Forsythe, who came to Johnson County from Kentucky, in 1832. Nicholas, the father, is a farmer by occupation. He has been quite prominent, and as a democrat has been elected and served as com-
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missioner of Johnson County. He now lives in Blue River Town- ship, five miles south from Franklin, where he owns eighty acres of land. His wife is still living. To the parents, five children have been born, four of whom are living. Our subject was reared on a farm, and received a common school education. He resided on the farm until the fall of 1887, and then formed a partnership with G. W. Tucker, in the agricultural implement business, establishing a house in Franklin, of which our subject has charge, and also one in Edinburg, of which Mr. Tucker has charge. He was married on November 26, 1868, to Miss Nancy Lash, who was born in Johnson County, in IS50, and is a daughter of Samuel D. Lash. To this union six children have been born, and one child died. Mr. Branigin also owns a farm of 175 acres, and his wife fourteen acres, lying in Blue River Township.
BENJAMIN E. BREWER, farmer, was born in Pleasant Township, this county, March 4, 1840, son of Daniel and Cynthia (Comin- gore) Brewster, and is of German descent. His father was born in Mercer County, Ky., and died in this county July 21, 1839, from in- juries received while working at an old pioneer threshing machine, and his mother, also a native of Kentucky, died in this state in ISS7. The Brewer family came to this county at a very early day, and settled near the present town of Greenwood. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of five children. He was reared on the farm, and received a common school education. At the age of sixteen years he began the business of life for himself, and for two years worked on the farm for a man by the name of John R. Smock, for which he received three months' schooling and $75 per year. In 1860, Mr. Brewer engaged in agricultural pursuits for himself, and has since continued the vocation of a farmer. In ISSI, he removed to his present farm, which consists of nearly 100 acres, and has good and substantial improvements. On the 24th day of February, 1863, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Mary H., daughter of Melvin and Mary Wheat. Mrs. Brewer was born in Johnson County, March 4, 1844. They are the parents of these three children: Anna L., born in IS70; Susie B., born in 1874, and Milroy V., born in 1883. In politics. Mr. Brewer is an ardent republican, and he and wife are members of the Presbyter- an Church.
JAMES J. BRIDGES, superintendent of the Orphans' Home, at Hopewell, was born in Johnson County, near the little town of Trafalgar, June 3, 1833, being the fourth of seven children born to the marriage of George and Matilda (Forsythe) Bridges, na- tives of Kentucky; the birth of the former occurred about IS00, and he died in Johnson County in 1872; the latter born June 3, 1806,
,
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and died in this county March 9, 1848. As early as 1829, the family came to Johnson County. Mr. Bridges was raised on the farm, and, what schooling he obtained, was received at the coun- try school. At twenty-two years of age, he began life for himself as a farmer, and at that occupation continued until 1873, when he removed to Trafalgar, where he resided until 1884, when he ac- cepted his present position at the Orphans' Home. He is one of the men who lost thousands of hard-earned dollars by the failure of the Franklin Bank. Mr. Bridges was united in marriage Jan- uary 16, 1855, to Miss Emaline Voris, a native of Mercer County, Ky., born April 5, 1831, being the eldest in a family of ten children, six of whom are now living. Her father, Peter Vories, was born in Henry County, Ky., in ISO8, and died in Johnson County, in 1851. The mother of Mrs. Bridges was Martha ( List) Bridges, born in ISII, and died in 1879. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bridges, is this one son: George W., born in 1857. For three years Mrs. Bridges has been the matron of the Orphans' Home, and now has fifty children in her care, and it goes without saying that there is no better woman for the place. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and her husband is a member of the Baptist Church, and in politics a democrat.
GEORGE THOMAS BRIDGES is a native of Johnson County, born February 11, 1831, son of George and Matilda (Forsythe ) Bridges; the former born in Kentucky, about 1800, and died in Hensley Township in 1872; the latter born June 3, 1806, and died March 9, 1848. They came to this county in 1829. The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm, and received a good education. In IS52, he settled where he now resides. He owns 200 acres of fine land in the southwest corner of Franklin Township. Mr. Bridges was married December IS, 1851, to Miss Lydia A., daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Shank) Pefly, natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Bridges was born in Preble County, Ohio, June 26, IS31. To this union are these five children: Scott E., born 1854; Matilda J., born 1856; James R., born IS58; Florence, born 1863, and Rob- ert H., born I865. Politically, he is a democrat, and a highly esteemed citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Bridges have been members of the Christian Church thirty-eight years.
BEN P. BROWN, the subject of this sketch, is one of the repre- sentative young citizens of Johnson County, Ind., and postmaster of the city of Franklin. He was born near the village of Trafal- gar, in Union Township, Johnson County, on September 12, 1854, and is the son of Samuel and Mary G. (Branch ) Brown. The father was born near Shelbyville, Ky., April'S, 1828, and is the son of James Brown, a native of Kentucky. Samuel, the father, removed
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to Indiana in about 1846, and located in Johnson County. He has followed farming all his life, and now resides on his farm about one and one-half miles east from Franklin. The mother was born in Kentucky, near Bedford, on November 22, 1829, and is the daughter of Benjamin Branch, who was a native of Virginia, who removed to Kentucky, and thence to Johnson County, Ind., where he died. The mother is still living. Our subject was reared on the farm, and secured a good common school education. He re- mained on the farm until ISSo, teaching school during the winter months, for six consecutive years. He then removed to Franklin and purchased a half-interest in the book and stationery firm of Brown & Yeager, that firm succeeding Downey & Yeager. Au- gust 25, 18S4, he retired from a membership in the above firm, and for about ten months filled the position of book-keeper for the firm (Yeager & McCoy). July 1, IS85, he was appointed postmaster by President Cleveland, and holds the same at present, making a most efficient and satisfactory official. He is an active member of Hesperian Lodge, No. 12, K. of P., in which he has filled the chairs of prelate and vice chancellor commander, and is the present chancellor commander. He is also a member of the uniform rank of the above lodge. He was married October 10, 1878. to Angie M., daughter of Adam Dunlap, who was born in Clark Township, Johnson Co., Ind., June 18, 1856. Adam Dunlap was a native of Ohio. To this union a son and daughter have been born.
JAMES F. BROWN, the subject of this sketch, is one of the lead- ing farmers of Franklin Township, living in the suburbs of the town of Franklin, on a 400-acre farm. He was born in Wythe County, Va., on April 11, 1828, and is the son of Andrew and Su- san (Leonard) Brown, both natives of Virginia. The father was born in 1804, and the mother in ISO2. They came to Johnson County, Ind., in 1830, and settled in White River Township. They were among the pioneers of White River Township. He entered an eighty-acre tract of land, and subsequently added thirty- five acres more. Altogether he owned over 500 acres. He died in March, 1864, and the mother died in 1872. Both were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. To the parents three sons and three daughters were born, of whom four are living. Our subject was reared on the farm, and secured a limited education. In 1851. he began life for himself by going onto a farm in Union Township. He remained in Union Township until 1871, and then removed to his present place. He owns, altogether, upward of 800 acres of land, and a handsome brick residence on the farm, where he lives, which cost about $5,000. He was married in
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1851, to Martha Flake, who was born in Dearborn County, Ind., on April 17, 1835, and is the daughter of Adam Flake. To this union seven children have been born, two of whom are dead: Su- san, deceased, Angeline, Laura, deceased, Wylie, Andrew, Ida and Effie. Mr. and Mrs. Brown and three children are members of the Christian Church. He is a democrat, and cast his first presiden- tial vote for Buchanan.
SHADRACH C. BROWN, the subject of the following sketch, is a leading citizen of Johnson County, Ind., and an attorney and justice of the peace of Franklin, the county seat. He was born in Ashe County, N. C., June 3, 1841, where he remained until 1860, and then with his parents came to Indiana, and settled in Franklin Township, Johnson County. Ilis parents being possessed of only moderate means, his advantages in youth were limited, and what he is to-day, he has accomplished by industry and his own efforts. While living in North Carolina, he secured a very limited educa- tion, and what education he did secure, was in the schools of Franklin Township, and at the college in Franklin and Edinburg, after he had returned from the late war. He enlisted September 13, 1861, under Capt. Samuel Lambertson, and was a member of Company F, Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and with the regiment returned to his native state. He served for three years --- his full time of enlistment-participating in the numerous engage- ments of the Army of the Potomac. He was wounded May 6, 1864, at the battle of the Wilderness, from which wound he lost his right arm by amputation the same day, the same being taken off at the socket. August 22, 1862, he was captured at Catlet Station, Va., as a prisoner of war, and was confined for two weeks in Libby Prison, and was then removed to Belle Island, where he was paroled, and was subsequently exchanged, and returned to his regiment, at Pratt's Landing. He was mustered out of service on September 20, 1864, and returned to Johnson County, Ind. After returning home he entered the public schools of Franklin, and next attended school at Edinburg, for one year. Returning to Franklin he entered the preparatory class at Franklin College, and attended for four years. In 1870, he engaged in the book and stationery business in Franklin, and continued in the same for about five years. In IS71, he was elected city treasurer of Franklin, and held the same for four years. After leaving the mercantile business he en- gaged in school teaching for about two years, and in IS78, was elected as a republican to the office of trustee of Franklin (and what is now Needham) Township, and though the vote was very close on the balance of the ticket, he received a majority of 103 votes. He held the office for two years. During his incumbency of the
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trustee's office, he read law, and in ISSo, was admitted to the bar. He was elected justice of the peace, and since ISSo, has conducted the practice of law, and the duties of the office of magistrate jointly, and is also doing an extensive business in the fire insurance agency. On October 7, 1871, he married Lydia, the daughter of Joseph A. and Nancy (Jones) Dunlap. As a result of this union one daughter, Nellie S., was born January 21, 1876. Mr. Brown is an active member of the Johnson Lodge, No. 76, I. O. O. F., and in that has passed through all the chairs in the subordinate and encampment: has represented subordinate lodges twice at the Grand Lodge, and the encampment once in the Grand Encampment, and is now secretary of the subordinate lodge. His parents were William W. and Ellen (Houck) Brown, both of whom were natives of Ashe County, N. C. The father was born June 29, ISOS, and was the son of George W. Brown, a native of North Carolina. William, the father, was killed in Johnson County by a falling tree, on January 3, 1865. The mother was born April 4, ISOS, and was the daughter of George Houck, a native of Ger- many. She died September 3, 1866. They are the parents of four sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and two daughters, including our subject, are living.
STEPHEN BROWN, one of the leading citizens of Franklin, John- son Co., Ind., and one worthy of mention in a work of this charac- ter, is a native of Wythe County, Va., where he was born on February 8, 1821. He is the son of John and Frances (Bridg- man) Brown, both of whom were also natives of Virginia. The parents immigrated to Indiana in about 1835, and were among the pioneers of Johnson County. They located in what is now Pleas- ant Township, where a few years later they purchased a farm, and where they resided until their deaths. The father died in July, 1836, and the mother died in December, 1872. To this union eight children were born, seven of whom survive. Our subject was reared on the farm in Pleasant Township. He followed farming up to IS84, and then removed to Franklin, where he now lives a quiet and retired life, renting his farm of 305 acres. He owns and lives in a large comfortable brick residence, and is surrounded with all the comforts of life. Though he has never held nor sought public. office, he has always taken an interest in public affairs, and is a democrat in politics. Ile is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and takes an interest in all church and school affairs, and is a man generally known and respected for his sterling traits of character. He was united in marriage in 1843, to Miss Dorotha Sharp, the daughter of Abraham Sharp, who was born, June 19, 1825. To this union nine children have been born, six of whom are living; the
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children are as follows: John S., born April 5, 1825; Abraham D., September 4, 1844, deceased; Catherine Jane, July 5, 1850; Mary Ann, April 24, 1853; William Martin, March 14, 1856; Isaac Ed- ward, June 17, 1859, deceased; Francis Leonidas, March 1, 1863; Sarah M., October 25, 1867; Charley J., April 8, 1872, deceased. All of the children are married. The mother and three children are members of the Presbyterian Church, and one son of the Union Mission Church.
HENRY S. BYERS, SR., is a native of Henry County, Kv., born May 16, 1823, and is of German lineage. His father, Henry Bvers, was born in Pennsylvania, January 15, 1788, and died in this county, April 15, 1865: his mother, Elizabeth (Wiley) Byers, was born July 25, 1791, and died January 9, 1871. In 1825, the Byers family came to Johnson County and settled at Mt. Pleasant, in Franklin Township. Our subject is the sixth in a family of eleven children, six of whom are now living. In 1845, he settled on his present farm, which contains 535 acres, upon which is a good residence. For several years he has been engaged in buying and shipping cattle. The marriage of Mr. Byers occurred January 9, 1845, to Miss Maria McCauley, born in Henry County, Ky., in 1825. To this union were born thirteen children, eight of whom are living: Robert M., George W., Alonzo N., Adaline, Caroline, Sylvanus, Susan, and Archibald. Mr. Byers was formerly a whig, but is now a staunch republican, and himself and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
HENRY S. BYERS, JR., farmer and stock-raiser, was born in White River Township, Johnson Co., Ind., October 14, 1841, the third in a family of seven children born to George and Eliza (Van- diver) Byers; the former born in Henry County, Ky., in 1812, and died in this county December 31, 1865; the latter born in Mer- cer County, Ky., in 1814, and now resides in Franklin. The fam- ily came to Johnson County in 1825. The immediate subject of this sketch was reared on the farm in White River Township, and was a student at the country schools. October 9, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, Seventieth Indiana Volunteers, under Gen. Benja- min Harrison, but on account of physical disability was discharged. He returned to this county, and in May, 1864, assisted Capt. H. H. Luyster in making up Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-sec- ond Indiana Volunteers, and of this company Mr. Byers was elected second lieutenant, and was finally discharged in the fall of 1864. In 1865, he began farming for himself, and in ISSI settled where he now resides. Mr. Byers was united in marriage February 6 1867, to Miss Louisa M. Bishop, born in Virginia, June 19, 1847 They have four children: George E., born March 26, 1868: Mary
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Oma, May 24, 1872; Clara X., January 10, 1876, and Wilbur B., June 28, ISSO. Politically, he is a republican, and cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln.
ROBERT M. BYERS (deceased) was born in Franklin Township, Johnson County, November 17, 1845: eldest of thirteen children born to Henry S. and Maria (McCauley) Byers. The immediate subject of this sketch was the recipient of a good education, and by occupation was a farmer. In 1876, he settled where his widow re- sides, and at the time of his death, owned 239 acres of excellent land, and which is considered one of the best farms in the county. He was united in marriage August 31, 1876, to Miss Jennie Parr, a native of Clark Township, this county, born August 9, IS50; daughter of Moses H. and Eliza A. (Drybread) Parr; the former born in Tennessee, July 14, 1823, and now resides in Nebraska; the latter born in Hamilton County, Ohio, September 19, IS30. To Mr. and Mrs. Byers were born these children: Robert E., born IS78: Ethel, 1882; Iona, 1884, and Herschel, 1886. In politics, Mr. Byers was a republican, a worthy citizen, and by his death the county lost one of its most valued farmers. Mrs. Byers is a mem- ber of the Baptist Church.
W. A. CARPENTER, a merchant tailor on the corner of Jeffer- son and Jackson streets, and one of the prominent young citizens of Franklin, Ind., is a native of Johnson County, Ind., where he was born February 5, 1860. He was partly reared on a farm in Franklin (now Needham) Township, and was educated in the public schools of Franklin. Upon leaving school he learned the tailor's trade, in Franklin, and for about seven years he worked at the same in the above place. February 1, ISS7, he opened up an establishment for himself, and now owns one of the leading tail- oring houses in Franklin. He does all kinds of first-class work, and carries a large and select stock of suitings. He learned cutting in Indianapolis, and is able to guarantee his work. He has met, and is meeting, with success, and has a large and growing trade. He united in marriage on November 25, 1885, to Emma Swaim, who was born in Hensley Township, Johnson County, Ind., December 19, 1868, and is the daughter of William and Matilda Swaim. To this union one son - Earl - was born on April 25, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a member of Sam Oyler Lodge, No. 12, K. of P. The parents of our subject are James and Hannah (Ware) Car- penter. The father was born in Kentucky, and when a boy came with his parents to Johnson County, Ind. He removed to Boone County, Ind., in about 1870, where he now resides on a farm. The mother was born in Johnson County, Ind. To the parents
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two children - boys - have been born, our subject, and Charles, a younger brother.
JOHN CLARK, president of the National Bank of Franklin, Ind., was born in Saybrook, Conn., in 1818. His parents were Benjamin W. and Polly (De Wolf) Clark, both natives of Connecticut, who came to Indiana in ISI9, and located on the extreme Indiana boundary line, in what is now Jennings County, Ind., where the mother died seven years later, leaving a family consisting of five children. Benjamin W. removed to Madison, Ind., and died a year later, his death, however, occurring in Jennings County, while on a visit there. After death of parents, the children were cared for by friends, the father, however, having left an estate of some preten- tions. In March, 1829, the children, of whom our subject was the eldest, returned to Jennings County, to make that their home, and it was there our subject was reared and educated in the log school- house. In 1836, being then seventeen years of age, he sold his time for one year for forty dollars, to Levi Todd, a merchant of Vernon, Ind., and at expiration of the year engaged with E. Baldwin in the same place for six years, one year of which time he had an interest in the business. In 1845, he removed to Edinburg, John- son County, and engaged in merchandising, from 1845 to 1856; then located in Franklin in 1861, and engaged in milling, in the now Union Mill. Ten years later he retired from the mill business. During his connection with the mill he engaged in banking, and served as president of the Second National Bank for about eleven years. In 1882 he was instrumental in organizing the National Bank of Franklin, of which he was elected president, and upon the consolidation of the two banks, Franklin and National, he was re- tained as president of the same. With the exception of school trustee in Jennings County, to which he was elected while a boy, Mr. Clark has never held public office nor sought any. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church since 1850. Mr. Clark was married in 1850, to Jane P. Fink, who was a native of Pitts- burg, Pa., and died in 1876. IIe was married in 1878 to Mrs. M. P. Charlton, of Vernon, Ind. To the first marriage six children were born, one of whom, a daughter, survives. Mr Clark is a re- publican in politics.
GEORGE W. CLEMMER was born in Hensley Township, John- son County, Ind., November 8, 1850. His father, Thomas Clem- mer, of German descent, was born in Adams County, Ohio, in IS02, and died in Montgomery County, Kan., March 26, 1886. Mary (Titus) Clemmer, the mother of our subject, was born in Pennsyl- vania, in 1805, and now resides in Montgomery County, Kan. Ile received a common school education, sufficient to enable him to
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teach school, which he began at the age of seventeen years, and has followed it ever since with marked success. Politically, Mr. Clemmer is a democrat in the strictest sense. Is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and adheres to the Missionary Baptist faith in- religion. In 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Emenhiser, and to them are born three children: Canova O., Edith P., and Carl C.
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