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 62
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JOHN A. LANE, junior member of the firm of Whitesides & Lane, proprietors of the Franklin Steam Laundry, was born in Madi-
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son, Jefferson Co., Ind., on September 17, 1857, and is the son of W. E. and A. L. (Reynolds) Lane, the former being a native of Baltimore, Md., and the latter of Madison, Ind. The father located in Franklin in 1873, and his family followed the next year. They are now residents of this city, the father being employed at the planing-mill of Robert Waggener. Our subject was reared in Madison, where he obtained a very good education, graduating from the public schools of that place. He learned the trade of ma- chinist, and for several years followed the same, and then for two years was employed as clerk in a grocery store, and then next en- gaged in the laundry business. He was married January 19, 1885, to Jessie F. Ritchey, daughter of Leon Ritchey. His wife died October 16, 1885. and on December 29, ISS7, he was married to Bessie Kerling, of Franklin. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lane are members of the Christian Church.
JAMES LEE, hotel and livery stable proprietor, of Franklin, Ind., was born in Shelby County, Ind., on February 13, 1838, and is the son of John and Sally A. (Bonner) Lee, the father being a native of West Virginia, and the mother of Ohio. They immigrated to Shelby County in about 1825, and located in that county, where they were married. The father died in 1878, and the mother in 1876. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject was reared on a farm, and received his education in district schools. He located in Franklin in December, 1871, and was merchandising in Shelby County for four years, previous to 1871. He began the livery business upon coming to Franklin, and sold out a year later, and engaged in the restaurant and livery business, and in 1886 took charge of the Hotel Lee, and conducts that popular hotel, and a livery stable, at present. In 1861 he was married to Mollie Landram, who died in 1865, leaving two child- ren, who are now living. In 1876 he was married to Mollie Bar- nett, daughter of William H. Barnett, recorder of Johnson County, and to their union six children have been born, all living.
RICHARD M. LEE was born in Jefferson County, Ind., on Sep- tember 8, 1848, and is the son of H. J. and Lucy (Short) Lee, both natives of Jefferson County, Ind. The father was born in 1822, and the mother in IS26 or 1827, and died in 1856. The father is a farmer, and lives in Jefferson County. Ind. The father's second marriage was to Miss Lizzie Mathews. Four children were born to the first marriage, three of whom are living. To his second marriage ten children were born, seven of whom are living. Our subject was reared on a farm, attended the schools in Jefferson County, and enlisted in 1863, in Company H, of the Tenth Indiana Cavalry. His brother, John M., was in the Third Indiana Cavalry,
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and died in Andersonville prison. Our subject was mustered out at Vicksburg, Miss., in 1865. He returned to Jefferson County and farmed until 1869, and then went to Nebraska, and remained three years farming. He returned to Indiana in 1873, and came to Franklin in ISSI, and has resided here since, carrying on farm- ing. He was elected councilman of Franklin, in 1885, to rep- resent the Third Ward, served two years, and was appointed street commissioner in May, ISS7, and resigned in March, ISSS. He then went to farming again. He was married March 27, 1877, to Mrs. Nancy A. Cooper, born in Johnson County, Ind., on April 10, 1857, and daughter of Martin and Sallie Beard. She was a widow. One daughter has been born to them. She is a member of the Christian Church.
ALBERT LIST was born in Henry County, Ky., October 4, IS32, son of Garrett and Elizabeth (Voris) List, and is of German descent. His father was born in Kentucky, in ISOS, and is now a resident of Marion County, Ind .; his mother, also a native of Ken- tucky, died in this county. Our subject is the eldest of eight children, three of whom are now living. In 1834 he came with his parents to this county, and settled near Hopewell Church. He received a common school education, and at the age of sixteen years, began working by the month as a farm hand, which he continued six years, when he began farming for himself, in Marion County, Ind., having removed to that county about 1853. In 1875 Mr. List returned to Johnson County, and located on his present farm, which consists of 110 acres of well-improved land. In 1878 he began the dairy business, and now has thirty Jersey cows. During the year 1887, he sold 5,019 pounds of butter. In addition to this, he has given his attention to the cultivation of small fruits, at which he has been very successful. The marriage of Mr. List occurred in 1856, to Miss Eliza Hoefgoen, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in 1872. To this marriage were born three children: Maria A., Ella and Mattie M. Mr. List was mar- ried again in 1874, to Miss Amelia Lockwood, a native of Ohio. They have one child, Mary L. Politically, Mr. List is a republican, and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
TUNIS CALVIN LIST, of Franklin Township, is one of four children to the marriage of Theodore and Susan (Vannuys) List, and is of Scotch-Irish origin. The parents of our subject were natives of Kentucky; his father's birth occurring in that state in 1797, and his death in Johnson County in 1877. The mother was born in Mercer County, and died in this county, at about seventy- five years of age. The family came to Johnson County in I838. Here the boyhood days of our subject were spent, and here in a
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log-house which stood where the Hopewell school building now stands, he was educated. Mr. List has followed farming success- fully all his life, and is the present owner of a good farm of 150 acres, upon which he has resided twenty-seven years. His mar- riage occurred in 1852, to Miss Mary C. Luyster, a sister of Capt. H. H. Luyster, mayor of Franklin. Mrs. List was born in IS36, where she now lives. They are the parents of four children: Luna May. born 1856; Robert M., born 1858; Samuel W., born 1863, and William, born 1866. Politically, Mr. List is a republican, and cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont, and since that time has voted for every republican nominee. Samuel W. List, a brother of our subject, was a soldier in the late war, a member of Company F, Seventh Indiana Volunteers. He was wounded at Petersburg, Va., and died at City Point, July 4, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Tunis C. List are members of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church.
H. H. LUYSTER, the subject of this brief sketch, is one of the prominent citizens of, and mayor of, the city of Franklin, Johnson County, Ind. He was born three miles west from Franklin, Ind., on November 14, 1832, and is the son of Stephen and Mary (Van- diver) Luvster. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, where he was born in 1797. Ilis father was Cornelius Luyster, a Hol- lander by birth, and on his (Stephen) mother's side was a de- scendant of the Van Ordens, one of the prominent Knickerbocker families of New York. From Pennsylvania, Cornelius removed to Kentucky, when Stephen was a boy, where he died. From Ken- tucky, Stephen removed to Butler County, Ohio, and, in 1829, came to Johnson County, Ind .. and was one of the pioneers of the county. He learned and worked at the wagon-making trade, but in later life followed farming. He died in IS79. The mother was born in Kentucky, in 1800, and was the daughter of Henry Van- diver, of Mercer County, Ky. The parents were married in Ken- tucky. She died in 1876. Both were members of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, after its organization. To the parents five children were born, four of whom are living. Our sub- ject was the youngest. He was reared on the farm, and secured a common school education. In May, 1864, he was in- strumental in organizing Company G, One Hundred and Thirty- second Regiment Indiana Volunteers, which was organized for the 100 days' service, and of which he was chosen captain. He was discharged at Indianapolis in September, 1864. He engaged in merchandising, in 1867, in merchant tailoring and boots and shoes, but made his home on the farm, and in IS71 located his family in Franklin. He retired from business in 1874. In May, ISS4, he
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elected mayor of Franklin, on the republican ticket, and in ISS6 was was re-elected. He is a member of the G. A. R. post, and has been a member of the Presbyterian Church since he was six- teen years old. He was married, in 1855, to Miss Mary I. Carna- han, who was born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., and is the daughter of Rev. James A. Carnahan, a pioneer minister. To this union six children have been born, three of whom are living. She is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church.
DR. J. O. MARTIN, deceased .- Among the citizens of Johnson County, Ind., worthy of mention in a work of this character, none, perhaps, are more so than the deceased citizen, whose name heads this brief biographical sketch. Dr. Martin was born in Fayette County, Penn., on January 15, 1821, and was the son of John and Elizabeth (Cotton) Martin, both natives of Pennsylvania. He was reared on the farm, and was given a good common school educa- tion. He remained on the farm until grown, and during the latter part of his life on the farm, taught school several years. During the forties he came to Indiana, and having found teaching was not a suitable life vocation, he entered the office of Dr. Ullery, at Ris- ing Sun, and began the study of dentistry. He had previously read medicine with Dr. James, at Catlettsburgh, Ky. In IS49 he returned to his native state, and locating at Dunbar, began practic- ing his profession -dentistry. He returned to Indiana, in IS52, and locating in Franklin, succeeded in building up a name and business, both professionally and otherwise, which survives him. Socially he was affable, sunny and genial, and his cheery disposi- tion naturally attracted many friends and acquaintances, who keep fresh his name in their memory. He was a member of the Pres- byterian Church, and also of the Masonic lodge, by which frater- nity he was buried on January 9, 1878, his death having occurred the 7th of the same month, from that fatal malady, " Bright's Dis- ease." On May 1, 1849, Dr: Martin was united in marriage with Charity Denton, the daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Voorhess) Den- ton, who was born on January 18, 1829, in the State of New York. The parents were natives of New York State, and came to Indiana in I831, locating in Switzerland County, where they lived and died. To Dr. Martin and wife three children were born, as follows: Mary Elizabeth, born on February 8, 1830, married Dr. Voorheis, of Columbus, Ind., and died December 27, 1886: Sarah C., born July 6, 1851, and died January 22, 1854, and John D., born July 25, IS53, now living in the west, thus leaving a widow and one son survivers of the family. Dr. Martin was one of the leading men in the procuring of the charter of the city of Franklin. He served as clerk of Franklin after it had a city charter, for many years; was
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one of the leading characters in the building of the city school building, also in buying and laying out the new cemetery.
WILLIAM J. MATHES, deceased, was born in Culpepper County, Va., August I, ISIS, and was the son of Joseph and Sarah (Atwood) Mathes, both natives of Virginia. Joseph Mathes came to Johnson County in 1825, and resided on a farm near Edinburg until his death. He reared a family of nine children. After his death, Mrs Mathes and William J., our subject, removed to a farm in Nineveh Township, where her death occurred in 1856. Mrs. Mathes was a Baptist. March 22, IS45, William J. Mathes was married to Miss Rachel Mullikin, whose mother was born in Henry County, Kv., February 13, 1823, of Irish descent. To this union five children were born, three of whom are now living: Joseph L., Clara B., wife of Smith B. Fesler, and Sarah E. Our subject was a merchant at Williamsburg, several years, and held the office of postmaster, and township trustee. In September, 1863, he removed to Franklin, where he resided until his death, which occurred October 9, 1886. Here he engaged in the mercantile business, in connection with which he run a livery and sale stable. Ile was elected county commissioner three terms, and held that office at the time of his death. He was a democrat. Joseph L. Mathes was born in Johnson County, May 30, 1851. He received a common school education, and began life for himself at the age of twenty-one years, and for eight years, was engaged in the mercantile business in Franklin. In 1873, he engaged in farming. In 1873, he mar- ried Mary J. Coleman, a native of Johnson County, who has borne him these children: William J., Mary E., and Hugh Q. He is a democrat, and a member of the K. of P. order, and with his wife, belongs to the Christian Church.
ALLEN McCASLIN, a highly respected pioneer and citizen of Johnson County, was born in Shelby County, Ky., September 30, ISIS, son of David and Mary (Marrs) McCaslin. The former was born in Wythe County, Va., about 1767, and his death occurred in Johnson County, Ind., December 17, 1850: the latter was born in Pennsylvania about 1777, and died May 18, 1841. The subject of this biographical sketch came to Johnson County in IS29 and settled on the farm where he now resides. He attended school in the old log school-house, which stood near where the Presbyterian Church of Franklin, now stands. By occupation Mr. McCaslin is a farmer, and owns a valuable farm. Ile was united in marriage November 5, 1840, to Miss Margaret Ditmars, a native of Somer- set County, N. J., born October 3, 1820, daughter of Garrett and Sarah (Verbryck ) Ditmars. Mr. and Mrs. McCaslin have had five children, two of whom yet live, namely: William O., born IS51, and
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Harriet D., 1855. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church for fifty years, and for forty years has been an elder, and for forty-eight years his wife has been a member of the same church. Politically, he was formerly a whig, but is now a repub- lican, and cast his first vote for William H. Harrison.
EVERETT M. McCASLIN, a native of Johnson County, Ind., was born February 24, 1855, and is the son of Wosson and Jane S. (Winchester) McCaslin. The subject of this biography grew to manhood upon the farm, and received a common school education at the Hopewell Academy. In 1876, he began farming for himself in Osage County, where he remained four years, and then returned to this county and, in 1886, settled where he now resides. The marriage of Mr. McCaslin occurred September 6, 1876, to Miss Belle Ditmars, daughter of Cornelius and Catherine (Banta) Dit- mars. Mrs. McCaslin was born in Franklin Township, September 6, 1855. To the above marriage two children were born: IIer- bert D., born March 8, 1832, and Caroline, April 30, 1886. In politics, Mr. McCaslin is an ardent republican, and cast his first presidential vote for R. B. Hayes. He and wife are members of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, of which he is an elder. Mr. McCaslin is a leading young farmer, industrious, and a liberal supporter of all laudable public enterprises.
JOIIN MCCASLIN is a native of Scott County, Ind., born Sep- tember 25, 1825, being the eldest of six children, four of whom are now living. His father, Alexander McCaslin, was born in Mercer County, Ky., January 23, ISO1; his mother, Elizabeth (Sellers) McCaslin, was born in Shelby County, Ky., in 1804, and died in Johnson County, Ind., in September, 1860. The McCaslin family came to Indiana in 1815, and in 1829 located in Johnson County, two miles south of Franklin. The immediate subject of this sketch attended school in Franklin, in a hewed-log school house that stood near where the Presbyterian Church now stands. About IS48 he began farming in the southern part of Franklin Township, and in 1864 removed to his present farm, which consists of 354 acres of good land. For twenty-five years Mr. McCaslin has been breed- ing short-horn cattle, and now has a herd of seventy. Mr. Mc- Caslin was married in I851 to Miss M. J. Alexander, born near Greenville, Tenn., December 29, 1829. They have five children, viz .: George A., born 1852; Robert N., born 1856; Martha B., born 1866; John A., born 1871, and William E., born 1875. Mr. McCaslin is a republican, and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
JOHN II. MCCASLIN is the fourth son of Wasson and Jane S. (Winchester) McCaslin, and is of Scotch-Irish lineage. Ile was
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born in Franklin Township, Johnson Co., Ind., October 22, IS59, and grew to manhood upon the farm. Mr. McCaslin re- ceived a common school education, and at the age of twenty-one years, embarked on his own responsibility in life's voyage, as a far- mer, and by industry and good management has secured a valuable farm, upon which he located in 1886. His residence, which was built in ISS6, at a cost of $1,500, is one of the finest in the town- ship. The marriage of Mr. McCaslin occurred October 20, 1886, to Miss Anna E. Woods, born at Greenwood, this county, April 13, 1863, daughter of Alfred C. and Elizabeth (Smock) Woods, the former born in East Tennessee, December 17, 1821; the latter born at Greenwood, March 30, 1829, and died in 1876. Politically, he is a republican, and cast his first presidential vote for the lamented Gar- field. Mr. and Mrs. McCaslin are members of the Franklin Pres- byterian Church.
WILLIAM McCASLIN, deceased .- Among the citizens of John- son County, Ind., probably no one was more prominent than the one whose name heads this biographical sketch. He was born in Virginia, February 7, 1817, and was the son of natives of Virginia. The parents removed from Virginia to Mercer County, Ky., and from there came to Johnson County, Ind., in about 1827. At that time the subject of this sketch was about ten years of age, and he was given a common school education, and when a young man taught school. He was possessed of a fine business education, which he secured in practical business pursuits, and was recognized as one of the ablest financiers of the county. He remained on the farm until 1860, and then removed to Franklin, where he resided until his death, which occurred June 5, 1883. He was a Christian in the true sense of the word, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church, of Franklin, and for several years led the choir of the same. He began life with a farm of eighty acres, given him by his father, and as evidence of his financial ability it is only neces- sary to state that he left an estate valued at about $50,000. His nature was charitable, and many needy persons were the recipients of his generous bounty. As a citizen he was progressive and en- terprising, and always stood in the front row, when a move was made toward the advancement of the town and county. He was nited in marriage three times. The first time was in IS38, when he was married to Charity Vannuys, who died April 11, 1839, aged twenty-two years. His second marriage was solemnized on November 1, 1839, to Cynthia (King) Shafer, who was born October 21, 1814, and died March 2, 1878. To this marriage three children were born: V. Brainard, born November 2, 1840, died June 6, 1860; Elizabeth A., born July II, 1843, and died Sep-
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tember 24, 1845, and B. K., born April 28, 1849, and died September 4, 1850. He was married the third time on December 25, 1879, to Marguerite Mullen, who was born near Carlisle, Pa., May 7, 1838, and is the daughter of Sampson and Sarah ( Golden) Mullen, of Welsh and Irish descent, respectively. Both parents died when their daughter was a child, she being but two years of age at the death of her father, and six at the death of her mother. Mrs. Caslin was married to our subject in Thomasville, Ga., where she was spending the winter season, her home being at the time in Minneapolis, Minn. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and has a large circle of friends in Franklin. Mr. McCaslin's por- trait appears in this volume.
WOSSON McCASLIN, an old and respected citizen of Franklin Township, was born June IS, 1827, in Scott County, Ind., being the third in a family of seven children born to the marriage of David and Polly (Sellers ) McCaslin, the former born in Mercer County, Ky., in 1797, and died in Johnson County in 1873, and the latter was born in Kentucky in ISor, and died in this county in 1871. In the fall of 1827, the family emigrated to Johnson County and set- tled in Franklin Township, just west of the city of Franklin, where the subject of this biographical sketch grew to manhood. He at- tended school at the old log school-house, that was located in Frank- lin, near where the Presbyterian Church now stands. The life of Mr. McCaslin has been that of a farmer, which he began for himself at twenty-one years of age, and, in 1856, settled on his present farm, and now owns 360 acres of excellent and well improved land. As a farmer and stock-raiser, Mr. McCaslin is progressive and up with the times. He was united in marriage November 13, 1850, to Miss Jane S. Winchester, born in this county. September 28, IS28, being a daughter of Serril and Mary A. (Miller) Winchester. The father of Mrs. McCaslin was born in Hardin County, Ky., in ISO4. and died in this county in IS54; her mother was born in North Carolina in 1803, and died in this county in 1867. The Winchester family came to Johnson County in 1826, and were among the early pioneers of this part of Indiana. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. McCaslin are these seven children: David S., born IS53: Everett M., born 1855; Josie, born 1857; John H., born IS59; Florence, born 1861; Laura J., born 1863, and Ezra W., born 1873. Politically, Mr. McCaslin is a republican, and he and family are members of the Presbyterian Church.
SAMUEL J. MCCLELLAN, agent of the J., M. & I. R. R. Co., and one of the leading young citizens of Franklin, Johnson Co., Ind., was born in Franklin, on September 14, IS49. He is the son of James H. and Isabella H. (Bryan) Mcclellan. James II. was born
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in Trimble County, Ky., on February 21, ISIS, and was the son of William McClellan. a native of Virginia. James H. early came to Johnson County, Ind., and clerked in a dry goods store. Ile next engaged in business for himself (books). He was ap- pointed postmaster under the administration of President Pierce, and was re-appointed under Buchanan's administration, holding the office for eight years, and was the last democratic postmaster of Franklin until the Cleveland administration. After leaving the postoffice he entered the court house, and was engaged for several months as assistant in the different offices. In April, 1861, he entered the employ of the Jeffersonville Railroad Company, and three months later was appointed agent of the same at Franklin. Upon the consolidation or the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianap- olis railroads, in 1864, he was made agent at Franklin, of the two, and continued as agent until his death, which occurred February 27, IS82. Politically, he was a democrat, and though he never held a county office, he was respected and appreciated as a citizen. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The mother was born in Shelby County, Ky., and is the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Bryan, who emigrated from Kentucky to John- son County, Ind. She is a member of the Christian Church. To the parents three children were born, two of whom survive. The children are: Mary (deceased), Sam J., our subject, and Bettie, now the wife of W. II. Riley. Our subject was reared in Frank- lin, and secured a good education in the public schools. At the age of about seventeen years he set out to learn telegraphy, and was next appointed operator at the J., M. & I. depot, and remained as such until March 4, 1882, when he was appointed agent to succeed his father, and holds that position at present. He is a K. of P., and in religion, belongs to the Presbyterian Church, and in politics, is a democrat.
W. H. McCoy, one of the leading citizens and merchants of Franklin, Johnson Co., Ind., and member of the firm of Yager & McCoy, book and stationery dealers, was born in Clark County, Ind., on the old homestead, on April 26, 1837, and is the son of Collins and Nancy (McDoneld) McCoy. Collins was born on the same farm as his son, in Clark County, on April 17, 1807, and was the son of Maj. John McCoy, an officer of the militia; and James and Rice, two brothers, were in the battle of Tippecanoe, and were later in life Baptist ministers of some note. The great grand- father was Elder William McCoy, a native of Pennsylvania, and a Baptist minister. James McCoy was the great great grandfather who came from Scotland at the age of sixteen years. The McCoys came from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, and then to Indiana in ISoo.
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