USA > Indiana > Knox County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 44
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was a farmer; born in Kentucky about 1800. He came to Indiana in 1831. He died in Knox County in 1865. The mother was a German by birth; born in Kentucky in 1811. Since the death of her husband she has lived with her children, and is now residing with her son, John W.
WILEY MCGINNIS, druggist, of Sandborn, Ind., was born in Owen County, Ind., September 20, 1853, and is a son of Har- rison and Perlina (Brasier) McGinnis. The father was of Irish lineage, born near Louisville, Ky., in 1818. He came to Owen County, Ind., in his youth, where he lived and followed ag- ricultural pursuits, owning at the time of his death, in 1867, nearly 400 acres of land. The mother was born in Kentucky, in 1823, and resided on the home farm until 1877, when she moved to Morgan County, where she died in 1882. Our subject was edu- cated in the district schools and aided his mother on the farm until twenty-seven years old. In 1880 he abandoned agricultural pursuits and came to Sandborn, and began clerking in the dry goods store of McGinnis & Co., and also for their successors in the business, being with both firms over five years. In November, 1885, he bought the drug store of R. W. Ross, and has since con- tinued at that work. May 7, 1881, he married Laura A. Stafford, daughter of D. S. and Marinda Stafford. She was born in 1861, in Knox County, Ind. They have one child, named Medford L. Mr. McGinnis has the finest stock of drugs in the village, and is doing well financially. He is a useful citizen, and is a Republican in politics, and cast his first vote for R. B. Hayes. He is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 408, of Pleasantville, Ind.
LYTTLETON BENNETT,* senior member of the firm of Bennett & Myers, butchers, of Edwardsport, Ind., was born about the year 1852, near Knoxville, Tenn., and is one of eight chil- dren of Eli and Lyda (Douglas) Bennett. The mother died when our subject was quite young. He received a common school education and in 1862 he and his father came to Daviess County, Ind. When he was seventeen years of age he and his brother began farming in partnership. December 17, 1874, he married Sarepta Carpe, daughter of Wilson and Susan E. Carpe. She was born October 27, 1848, in Ohio, and has borne these two
*Placed here to have the sketches of the partners together.
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children: Nellie and Bertha. In 1879 Mr. Bennett bought forty acres of land in Daviess County, where he lived a number of years, and in September, 1885, he came to Edwardsport and formed a partnership with W. B. Myers in the butcher busi- ness, and is doing quite well financially. When Mr. Bennett was married he was worth nothing to speak of, but by his energy, per- severance and economy now owns ninety-one acres of land in Da- viess County and a house and lot in Edwardsport. He is a good business man, and in politics is very conservative, but rather fa- vors Republican principles. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
WILLIAM B. MYERS was born in Daviess County, Ind., May 9, 1862, son of Jacob T. and Mary J. (Ward) Myers, who are Germans by descent. They were born in Daviess County, Ind., the mother about 1840. The father was a farmer and owned 166 acres of land in Daviess County, where he lived until his death in 1866. The mother yet resides on the home place. Our subject was left fatherless when about three years of age. He assisted his mother on the farm until about twenty years of age. In 1879 he went to St. Joseph, Mo., and hired out as a day laborer. In December, 1880, while stepping from a car, he sprained his left ankle so severely that it was found necessary to amputate the foot in order to save his life. In 1882 he returned home and entered school at Cornettsville where he remained until 1885. He then formed a partnership in the butcher business with Lyttleton Bennett. Mr. Myers is a young man of stirring business qualifications and good habits, and promises to become one of the leading business men of the town. He is a Repub- lican and cast his first vote for J. G. Blaine.
ALFRED NEAL, farmer, of Vigo Township, was born in the "Hoosier State " April 3, 1848, son of Emri and Elizabeth (Weaver) Neal, and is one of eight children. The father is of Irish descent, born in Indiana in 1806. He was a successful farmer and owned at one time 680 acres of land. He was one of the first settlers of Knox County, Ind., and died April 4, 1876. The mother was born in Indiana in 1813, and after the death of her husband she lived on the old home place withi her son Noah. She died November 29, 1879. Our subject attended the dis-
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trict schools and resided on the home farm until twenty-three years of age. February 13, 1871, he married Mary Catharine Wampler, whose parents were Daniel and Susanah (Slinkard) Wampler. Mrs. Neal was born in Knox County November 26, 1851, and bore her husband two children: Flora May, born in 1873, and Elizabeth Susanah, born in 1876. After his marriage Mr. Neal located on a 100-acre tract in Vigo Township, which was given him by his father. By industry and close attention to business he now owns 150 acres of land and a fine frame dwelling-house, and has added many other improvments. He has an excellent reputation, is politically a Democrat and cast his first vote for Horace Greeley.
ELISHA PERKINS, farmer, was born in Daviess County, Ind., December 22, 1833, and is one of a family of seven sons and four daughters of Alfred and Rebecca (Ellis) Perkins, who were of English and Irish descent, born in Kentucky in 1808 and 1811, and died in 1880 and 1870 respectively. The father came to Indiana in his youth where he farmed, owning 120 acres of land. Our subject received a somewhat limited education in the subscription schools, owing to the shortness of the terms and the scarcity of schoolhouses. He resided with his parents until eighteen years of age, and after leaving home hired out as a day laborer on a farm. He went to the "Sunny South," and chopped wood in Mississippi, and August 29, 1858, married Bridget Lav- elle, born in Indiana February, 14, 1838. Her parents were John and Mary Lavelle. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins have no children of their own, but have reared these two children: Theodore S. Johnson, whom they took at the age of three years and who is now nineteen years old, and Effie Ready, who was five years old . on coming to them and is now eight. Mr. Perkins farmed in Daviess County some time after marriage, but in 1863 came to Knox County, and two years later purchased seventy acres of land in Vigo Township, where he has since made his home. He is a Republican and cast his first vote for Millard Fillmore. He is an excellent citizen and a member of the Christian Church, and his wife of the Baptist Church.
HARRISON C. PURDY, a prominent old farmer of Ed- wardsport, Ind., was born in Sullivan County, Ind., February 22,
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1828, son of William M. and Sarah Ann (Terry) Purdy. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1793. He was a merchant, and was married in Kentucky. He came to Indiana in a one-horse wagon in 1816. In 1822 he began merchandising. He went on horseback to Richmond, Va., and then to Philadel- phia to buy goods. He was one of the first settlers and lead- ing business men of Carlyle, Ind,, and died in November, 1832. The mother was born in Kentucky in 1795, and died in Decem- ber, 1847. The mother and her family came to Edwardsport after the husband's death, and Harrison remained with her as long as she lived. Owing to the newness of the country and the sparsely located schoolhouses, his early education was somewhat limited. When twelve years old he worked for $2 per month, and the high- est wages he received was $7. June 20, 1850, he married Eliz- abeth Sarah, daughter of David C. and Latitia Nicholson. She was born April 17, 1830, in Sullivan County, Ind. . To them were born seven children, five of whom are living: Iowa, wife of Thomas Chambers; Nettie, widow of Peter Clemons; Alice, wife of Dr. E. W. Hungate; William, physician and surgeon in Rus- selville, Ill., and John, who is a physician of Edwardsport. After marriage Mr. Purdy purchased twenty acres of land, which he has since increased to 360 acres by his energy and industry. He also owns town property in Vincennes and Edwardsport. Mrs. Purdy died July 20, 1864, and June 20, 1865, Mr. Purdy married Sarah Jane Hollingsworth, daughter of Thomas and Amy Hol- lingsworth. She is a native of Knox County, born April 17, 1832. They have three children: Vienna, Eva and Jessie. In 1865 Mr. Purdy established a general merchandise store in Edwards- port, but in 1872 returned to the farm. He is a man of good business qualities, is a Republican in politics, and cast his first vote for Zachary Taylor. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
SAMUEL T. REEVE, furniture dealer and undertaker, of Edwardsport, was born in Indiana November 13, 1831, son of Joseph and Sarah (Ireland) Reeve. The father was of Welsh descent, born in Philadelphia, Penn., in 1808. He was a farmer, and lived successively in Ohio and in different parts of Indiana,
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finally settling in Edwardsport, Knox County, in 1865, where he has since resided, and is one of the oldest men in the township. The mother was of English and German descent, born in Ohio in 1810. She died February 3, 1863. Samuel T. attended the subscription schools in boyhood, and when twenty-three years old began doing for himself. October 29, 1854, he mar- ried Hulda Hargis, daughter of William and Elizabeth Hargis. She is a native of Daviess County, born in 1835. Three chil- dren were born to them, these two living: William S. and Effie H. July 15, 1862, Mr. Reeve enlisted in Company C, Eightieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for three years, or during the war. He was in the battles of Perryville, Resaca, Atlanta campaign, Franklin and Nashville, and numerous minor engagements. He was commissioned duty sergeant in September, 1863, and was later made orderly sergeant. He was sunstruck while in the At- lanta campaign, which has affected his general health ever since; otherwise he was uninjured. He received his discharge at Camp Denison, Ohio, June 6, 1865. Owing to the effects of the sun- stroke he was unfitted for farm work, which he had hitherto fol- lowed, so he came to Edwardsport and engaged in the cabinet- making business with Ewald Villnock. In 1876 Mr. Reeve be- came sole proprietor, and has been quite successful. He is a Republican and cast his first vote for Fremont. He was trustee of Vigo Township eight years, and at last refused a renomination. Mrs. Reeve died June 4, 1877, and February 9, 1879, he wedded Anna Worth Johnson, daughter of Jacob and Matilda Johnson. She was born in Illinois in December, 1848. They are the par- ents of three children: Hulda, Lou and Ellis. Mr. Reeve is one of the prominent business men of the town, and is much re- spected for his many good traits of character.
WILLIAM S. REEVE was born in Knox County November 1, 1857, and is the eldest son of three children born to Samuel T. and Hulda (Hargis) Reeve, both of whom are natives of In- diana. William remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-one years of age, attending the country schools during the winter season. In 1872 he obtained a clerkship in the drug store of J. F. Scudder, of Edwardsport, which position he held eight years, and during a part of this time he acted as deputy
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postmaster. June 10, 1879, he was married to Kate Milam, fifth child of William S. and Emily (Beckes) Milam, born March 13, 1859. Three children have been born to William S. Reeve and wife: Hulda May, born June 4, 1880; Roy Frank, born Febru- ary 2, 1882, and Emma, born April 10, 1884. In the fall of 1882 Mr. Reeve engaged in the hardware and farming-imple- ment business, in partnership with Hugh Barr, of Edwardsport. In the fall of 1883 Mr. Reeve purchased the entire stock himself. and continued the business alone till the spring of 1885, when he traded his stock for a saw-mill, which he still owns. The mill is situated on the river bank at Edwardsport, and gives employment to about thirteen men, and saws from eight to ten thousand feet per day. Mr. Reeve has no church relationship, but his wife be- came a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at the age of sixteen ; recently, however, she became a member of Mis- sionary Baptist Church at Edwardsport. In politics Mr. Reeve has always been a stanch Republican.
J. L. REEVE, M. D., of Edwardsport, Ind., was born in the town August 27, 1857, and is a son of David I. and Harriet C. (Lemen) Reeve. The father was born in Daviess County, Ind., June 4, 1834. At the age of seventeen he began learning the carriage-maker's trade, but in 1870 took up house and sign paint- ing instead, following that fourteen years. In 1884 he began harness-making, and is now engaged in that business in Edwards- port. July 6, 1854, he married a daughter of William and Re- becca Lemen. Dr. Reeve secured his literary education in the schools of Edwardsport, and attended the graded schools of In- dianapolis for three years. At the age of twelve years he began learning the painter's trade under his father, but after attaining his majority taught school for one term with good success. In September, 1879, he entered the medical department of the Uni- versity of Louisville, Ky., where he remained for two years, grad- nating from the institution as an M. D. February 25, 1881. Since that time he has practiced his profession in Edwardsport, and has won the confidence of the people. May 9, 1883, he wedded Ella G. Graham, born in Clark County, Ind., July 2, 1856. She was a daughter of William and Catharine Graham, and died August 23, 1884. Dr. Reeve is a Democrat, and cast his first
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vote for Hancock. He is one of the leading young men of his party, and in 1882 was elected township trustee, and re-elected in 1884. He is a true gentleman, and has won many and true friends in the county.
ADAM RENNER, a well-to-do farmer of Vigo Towns hip was born in Germany June 30, 1827, and is a son of Jacob and Minnie (Wemmer) Renner, natives of Germany, born in 1800 and 1805, and died in 1875 and 1854 respectively. The father was a blacksmith, and came to the United States in 1850. He resided in Morgan County, Ind., until his death. Adam was reared at home, and attended school eight years in his native land. At the age of seventeen he began learning the wagon-maker's trade, and in 1848 came to America and settled in Maryland, where he resided until 1851, when he came to Morgan County, Ind., and purchased 130 acres of land, and began his career as a farmer. In September, 1852, he wedded Ann Miller, daughter of Henry and Mary Miller. She was born in Germany, October 23, 1827, and has borne these children: Charles, Mary (wife of John Woesell), Louisa (wife of Allan Campbell), Sarah, Ida (wife of James Burton), Henry and Dellie. In 1870 he came to Knox County and bought 140 acres in Vigo Township, where he now resides. He is one of the leading German farmers in the township, and owns 480 acres of land. He bears an excellent reputation, and is honest and industrious. He favors Democratic principles, and his first vote was cast for Gen. Taylor, in 1848. He was at one time a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and fam- ily are members of the Lutheran Church.
WILLIAM F. SHIVELY, postmaster of Edwardsport, was born June 2, 1832, in Dubois County, Ind., and is one of eleven children of Jacob B. and Anna (Mavity) Shively. The father was of German descent, born in Kentucky in 1797, and was a Christian minister, and also farmed to some extent. He and fam- ily came to Orange County, Ind., and in 1830. moved to Dubois County, remaining until 1841. He died in the winter of 1867. The mother was of French descent, born in Virginia January 14, 1799, and moved to Kentucky with her parents when only three years old. She died in Dubois County. William F. received part of his education in the subscription schools, but the greater
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part was acquired at home. At the age of eighteen he left the parental roof and started for California, going via the Gulf of Mexico, Isthmus of Darien and up the Pacific coast. During his stay in the "Eldorado State" he worked in the gold mines. He returned to Indiana in 1851-52, being three months on the voy- age. August 6, 1854, he married Alice Curry, daughter of Thomas and Catharine Curry. She was born July 3, 1835, in Pittsburgh, Penn. They have seven children: Thomas J., Ben- jamin F., Anna C. (wife of William H. Pennington), Elizabeth (wife of Thomas Mattox), William F., Jr., Mary C. and Leland S. Mr. Shively worked at the carpenter's trade in Boonville, Ind., one year. In 1864 he came to Knox County, and began farming near Edwardsport. In 1864 he was drafted in the army, and served in Company H, Thirty-eighth Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, and remained in the field until hostilities ceased. He received his discharge at Indianapolis July 3, 1865. He then resumed his trade, and farmed in connection. He is a Democrat in politics, and cast his first vote for Buchanan. September 11. 1885, he was commissioned postmaster of Edwardsport, by A. E. Stevenson, acting Postmaster General, and has served since Oc- tober 1, and has given almost universal satisfaction. He and wife are members of the Christian Church.
ALFRED SIMONSON, one of the oldest citizens and mer- chants of Edwardsport, Ind., was born in Vigo Township, Knox Co., Ind., October 1, 1815, and is one of four children of Mary Simon- son. She was of Scotch-English descent, born about 1770 in South Carolina, and died in Daviess County, Ind., 1834. She was the second person buried in the Crown Hill Cemetery at Edwardsport. Alfred's early life was one of continued privation and hardship. He worked at various kinds of manual labor, but more especially in spinning cotton under the direction and for the maintenance of his mother. He worked in the harvest during the summer, and received $7 or $8 per month, but during unfavor- able weather worked at the spinning wheel. His school days were very few. At the age of twenty-two, by the strictest econ- omy, he had saved from his meager earnings sufficient means to purchase a team. He then rented a farm of Nathan Bascum in Daviess County, and began working for himself. This was the
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initial step to a prosperous and successful career. November 11, 1841, he was married to Sarah, daughter of Reuben and Anna (La Gier) Perkins. She was born February 8, 1821, and has borne her husband ten children, eight now living: George W., Emeline (wife of Dr. W. B. Anderson), Jefferson G., Lafayette L., Flora C., Laura (wife of Stephen Slinkard), Dora, and Cora. All are living at or near home. In 1837 Mr. Simonson purchased about 100 acres of land in Daviess County, which he cultivated until 1846, when he moved to Edwardsport and engaged in mer- chandising, and in addition carried on boat-building and pork- packing until 1861. He was also engaged in manufacturing flat- boats for the South, and made many profitable trips to the Lower Mississippi River towns. In 1870 he made his son Jefferson his equal partner in business. He is a Democrat, but has never held public office excepting township trustee of Steele Township, though often solicited to do so., In 1848 he joined the Charity Lodge of F. & A. M. of Washington, Ind. He is not a member of any church, but leans toward the Cumberland Presbyterian faith. He is very public spirited, and takes a prominent part in all move- ments for the advancement and prosperity of his town and county. He was the prime mover in organizing and building the Edwardsport Graded School. He aids and assists the poor in innumerable ways, and his word is equivalent to a bond. He has a fine estate and a handsome brick residence, and a good brick store with a large stock of goods. He is the oldest merchant in Knox or Daviess Counties, and is yet an active and energetic old gentleman.
M. B. SLAWSON, blacksmith, of Edwardsport, Ind., was born in Lawrence County, Ill., December 8, 1821, son of Jesse and Rachel (Reeves) Slawson, who were of German lineage, born in New York and Pennsylvania in 1780 and 1785, respectively. The father was a farmer, and came to Knox County when about eighteen years of age, and was married in 1808. He was one of Gen. Harrison's body guards in the war of 1812, serving three years, and was in the battle of Tippecanoe. In September, 1845 he went to the mineral springs of Martin County to get medical aid for his eyes, but died there on the 5th of the month. The mother died in 1869. Our subject received limited advantages,
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and acquired his education mostly at home. At the age of eight- een he commenced as an apprentice under his brother, Abner R., learning the blacksmith's trade. At the end of four years he gave up that work and returned to the farm. In October, 1843, he married Jane Lemon, born in Knox County in 1843. She died August 8, 1844. A year later he returned to his trade, but not being satisfied with his location, he traveled in Iowa, Wis- consin, Michigan, and Indiana, and in 1848 married Amelia Tib- bets in Valparaiso, Ind. She was born in 1830. They have one child, William. In 1850 he returned to his birthplace, and the next year came to Edwardsport, where he has since lived with the exception of six years spent on the farm. The second wife died May 30, 1852, and August of the same year he married Hester Cox, daughter of William and Hannah Cox. Mrs. Slawson is a native of Knox County, born January 30, 1823. They have these children: Thomas, Amanda, and Emma. Subject is a Repub- lican, and cast his first vote for Gen. Harrison. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.
DR. THOMAS SPAULDING is the eldest of four sons of William and Ann ( Ferguson) Spaulding, and was born March 8, 1844. The father and mother were natives of Scotland and Ire- land, born in 1798 and 1808, respectively. The father was a stone-cutter, but later in life became a farmer. He came to the United States at an early day, and during the voyage the vessel was wrecked, after being out upward of three weeks, and the crew drifted back to Cork, Ireland, where they refitted the vessel and made another and successful voyage, landing in America six months after their first start. He was married in Pennsylvania in 1843, and soon after came to Indiana, where he has since re- sided. Thomas Spaulding received his early education in the district schools, and later attended school at Wilmington and Dillsborough. In 1863-64 he attended the Oberlin University, and in 1866-67 was a student in Hanover College, Ind. In 1868 he began the study ofmedicine under Dr. H. G. Osgood, at Gos- port, Ind. In 1869 he entered the Ohio Medical College at Cin- cinnati, and took a course of lectures which lasted five montlis. He then entered the Eclectic Medical Institution of the same city,
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and graduated as an M. D. in June, 1870. He located in Ed- wardsport, where he has since practiced with good success. December 14, 1870, he married Sarah, daughter of Wilkinson and Julia Smith. His wife was born in Dearborn County, Ind., in 1840. To them were born three children, one now living, Julia. Mrs. Spaulding died October 20, 1878, and November 2, 1881, he married Laura H. Burtt, daughter of Eli and Paulina Burtt. She was born in Clark County, Ind., November 30, 1858. They have one child, named Aileen. Mrs. Spaulding is a mem- ber of the Christian Church. The Doctor is one of the leading physicians of Vigo Township, and as a citizen stands high in the estimation of the people. He is a Republican, and cast his first vote for U. S. Grant. He belongs to the I. O. O. F.
GEORGE L. SPALDING, M. D., of Sandborn, Ind., was born near Washington, Daviess Co., Ind., October 11, 1851, and is the eldest of twelve children of John and Mary A. (Pate) Spalding, and is of English, Welsh and Irish lineage. The father was born in Daviess County in 1830. He is a farmer, and owns 240 acres of land, and is one of the leading men of the county. He held the position of county treasurer, and made a capable and efficient officer, and accordingly was re-elected to his second term. The mother was born in Martin County in 1832. Our subject received a common school education, and in addition attended the high school at Shoals for eleven months. When seventeen years old he began teaching school, continuing three terms. In the meantime he had begun studying medicine, and was under the direction of Dr. E. C. Dyal, of St. Mary's, Ind., for four years. He studied by himself until 1874, and then be- gan practicing at Owl Prairie, now Elnora, remaining there until 1879, when he moved to Sandborn, where he has since resided. Dr. Spalding has a good knowledge of his profession, and by his courteous and gentlemanly bearing, and good success in his prac- tice, has won the confidence of the people. He entered the med- ical department of Butler University in 1880, and remained five months. He is a Democrat in politics, and cast his first vote for Horace Greeley. He and wife are members of the Catholic Church. May 16, 1873, he married Julia A. Wade, daughter of Benjamin A. Wade. She was born in Daviess County, Ind.,
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