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 67
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 67
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JAMES M. BARR, attorney at law, Washington, Ind., was born in Reeve Township, Daviess County, October 27, 1841, and is one of a family of three sons and four daughters born to John and Julie (Burriss) Barr, both natives of Kentucky. The father came to this county with his father, James Barr, when he was a lad of eight years, in about 1816, and located in what is now Barr Township, where the father and grandfather of the subject of this sketch spent the greater part of their lives. James M. Barr was raised on the farm with his parents, securing a fair ed- ucation in the common branches. In 1862 he enlisted in Com- pany D., Eightieth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served in the civil war three years as private and non-commis- sioned officer. At the close of the war he returned home and followed the life of a farmer until 1880, in Reeve Township, in the meantime studying law. In the year last named he moved to Washington, and being admitted to the Daviess County bar in 1881, has since been engaged in the practice of the law, meeting with very encouraging success. Mr. Barr is a stanch Repub- lican, and served in Reeve Township as justice of the peace four years. He is a member of the G. A. R. He was married in De- cember, 1866, to Martha Allen, a native of Daviess County. They have four children: Ora May, Minnie, Allen and Eva. Both Mr. and Mrs. Barr are members of the Presbyterian Church. John Barr, the father of the subject of this sketch, became a res- ident of Reeve Township, where he bought a tract of land, which he cleared and improved, undergoing all kinds of hardships in the meantime. He led a long, useful and honorable life, dying in February, 1885. Mrs. Barr died when James M. was a mere child, and John Barr subsequently married Lucy Gillick, who died about six years since, leaving one child-a son.
GAYLORD G. BARTON, attorney at law of Washington, Ind., and native of the county, was born April 11, 1844, son of Gaylord G. and Ann (Murphy) Barton, natives respectively of New York and Ireland. The father came to this city in May,
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1834, where he married and began practicing medicine. His death occurred February 12, 1884. He was an active politician in his day, and was at one time State senator for this district. He was a Democrat in politics, and took an active interest in all public and private enterprises to promote the welfare of the county. He was trustee of the Wabash & Erie Canal a number of years, and was prominently identified with the county medical societies, and was a member of the city school board a number of years. He died in the Catholic faith, after having spent a life of usefulness in the county. The mother died when our subject was a small lad, and the father afterward married Ellen M. Murphy, a sister of his first wife, who still survives him. Our subject was raised in this city, and secured a good literary education. Atthe age of nineteen he began teaching school, and continued this occupa- tion irregularly until 1867, when he accepted a position as deputy in the clerk's office of this county, serving until the fall of 1875, when he entered the law department of the State University at Bloomington, Ind., from which he graduated in 1877. After a trip to Europe he returned to this city the same year and entered upon his professional career, in which he has met with good suc- cess. He is a Democrat and was reared in the Catholic faith. He is a reliable practitioner and an upright citizen of the county.
STEPHEN BELDING, editor and proprietor of the Daviess County Democrat, was born in Washington, Ind., November 21, 1841, the youngest of ten children born to Stephen and Elizabeth (Clenny) Belding. His father was a shoe-maker by trade, and later in life was a boot and shoe merchant. His grandfather (Clenny) was a Revolutionary war soldier. At twelve years of age Stephen began the printer's trade in his native town, and after serving his apprenticeship continued the trade until 1859, when he entered the Indiana State University, where he continued two years. In 1861 he purchased the Martin County Herald, which he published at Dover Hill until 1863; then was employed in the Evansville Journal for a time. Until the fall of 1867 he was employed on the Cincinnati Commercial, but after that returned to Washington, Ind., and in connection with J. H. Palmer, organ- ized the joint stock company that established the Daviess County Democrat. Mr. Belding has ever since been connected with this
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enterprise, and through his individuality has won a place of dis- tinction in southern Indiana journalism. Six months after the paper's establishment, Mr. Belding bought the entire stock, and has since been sole proprietor. He is a Democrat, and one of Washington's foremost citizens. January 22, 1872, was the cel- ebration of his nuptials with Miss Cora White, of this city.
JOHN C. BILLHEIMER, attorney at law, was born in Wayne County, Ind., March 3, 1857, being one of five children born to Solomon and Margaret (Gephat) Billheimer, both of German descent. The father was a native of Virginia, and the mother of Pennsylvania. The immediate subject of this sketch was raised in the county of his birth, and secured a good educa- cation, attending the Northern Indiana Normal School and Busi- ness College at Valparaiso, Ind., one and a half years. In his native county he had taught one term of school before attend- ing the Normal College, and afterward he followed that profession for a time. When in his eighteenth year he began the study of law, and at the age of nineteen entered the law office of Brown & Brown, Newcastle, Ind., completing his studies in 1879. In October of that year he located at Washington, Ind., in the prac- tice of his profession, in which he has continued ever since, meet- ing with good success. His wife, Susan Kimball, was also a na- tive of Wayne County, Ind. Their marriage was solemnized in 1879, and has been blessed with three children: John Leroy, Irving and Charles. Politically he is a Republican. Although he has never aspired to any office of note he has taken some in- terest in political affairs of the county. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., K. of H., and A. O. of R. M. Both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. At pres- ent he is chairman of the Daviess County Republican Central Committee.
R. & E. BEITMAN constitute one of the oldest and most prominent business firms of southwestern Indiana, and the lead- ing clothiers of Washington. Raphael Beitman, the senior mem- ber of the firm, was born in Bavaria, Germany, June 22, 1833, son of Isaac and Fredo (Goodman) Beitman, born in 1796 and 1801, and died in 1861 and 1862, respectively. The family are Germans by birth, and can be traced back at least five genera-
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tions. Our subject's boyhood was spent in his native country, and there he received his early education. In 1854 he came to America, and landed at New York, and then came to Indiana and settled at Petersburg, Pike County, and there remained one year. He then went to Vincennes, and for two years clerked in a store, and then came to Washington and engaged in the clothing busi- ness. In 1859 Emanuel Beitman, a younger brother of our sub- ject, came to Washington from Germany, having been born in that country June 3, 1838. On coming to Washington he engaged in business with his brother, and until 1861 they sold goods through- out the country, traveling all the time. They then purchased the stock of goods of James Neal, who was a soldier in the Rebellion, and engaged in the family grocery business, being the only house of the kind in Washington. They continued until 1863, when they purchased the stock of clothing of G. Beitman, and have since very successfully continued in that business. They do an extensive business, and have the almost unlimited confidence of the people. The senior member of the firm was married, in Decem- ber, 1865, to Miss Amelia Joseph, a native of Germany. They have four children, as follows: Flora, Jacob, Julia and Bertha. The junior member of the firm was married in the city of "Brotherly Love," March 17, 1869, to Miss Amelia Sternberger, born in Bavaria, Germany. They have five children: Lillie, Jennie, Bertha, Blanche A. and Stella. The firm are Democratic in their political views. Raphael is a member of the I. O. O. F., and Emanuel of the Masons.
JESSE BILLINGS was born in Lawrence County, Ind., August 19, 1831, of English and Welsh descent, and son of Will- iam and Mary (Davis) Billings, natives of Tennessee and Wales, respectively. They were married in Tennessee in 1820, and two years later moved to Lawrence County, Ind., where they purchased 200 acres of land near Mitchell. When Jesse was about eight years old his mother died, and he remained with his father, assist- ing him on the farm until nineteen years of age. February 7, 1850, he was married to Sarah Miller, born November 22, 1833, daughter of John and Susannah (Tyre) Miller, and moved to Illinois, where he purchased land and lived for about four years. He then came to Daviess County, Ind., and bought 135 acres of
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land, which he has since increased to 560 acres, 460 acres being under cultivation. His land is all underlaid with a good quality of coal. At a depth of 190 feet they found a six-foot vein, and at fifty feet an eighteen-inch vein, and at ninety feet a four-foot vein, all of which was analyzed and found to be first-class. He and wife are the parents of these children: John W., Abram R., Mary S., George W., Annie A., Airnetta B., Morton E., Charles S., Lillie M., Louis S. and Jesse F. Mr. Billings is a Republican and cast his first vote for Fillmore. He has been a member of the Masonic lodge twenty-seven years, and a member of the Christian Church twenty years. Mr. Billings was not in the late war, but his sympathies were with the Union soldiers. He had three brothers who served, and all were wounded, but returned home in safety.
E. G. BON DURANT, freight and ticket agent of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad at Washington, Ind., was born near Frankfort, Ky., July 10, 1836, and is the second of a family of three children born to Thomas L. and Elizabeth (Woodfill) Bon Durant, natives, respectively, of Virginia and Kentucky. The father was of French descent, and was supply agent for the Madi- son & Indianapolis Railroad. He was killed by an accident in 1844. The mother lived until 1882. Our subject was reared to the age of eight years in Kentucky, when he and his parents came to Indiana. He secured a very limited education in the schools of Madison, never attending more than three months. He remained with his mother until 1850, having engaged at telegraphy on the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad, and has ever since been employed in different capacities on that and the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. He was division superintend- ent of the east division of the last-named road for about four years, beginning in 1869. He was assistant general super- intendent of the Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis Rail- road for four years. He then returned to the Ohio & Mis- sissippi as master of transportation of the whole line several years, but resigned the position and came to Washington and engaged in the railroad and coal business, acting as railroad agent. He was married, in July, 1860, to Susan C. McGannon, a native of Jennings County, Ind. To them were born seven
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children; one died in infancy. Those living are Ella (wife of George Walters, Jr.), Oliver E., Elva, Fannie, William H. and Daisy C. Mrs. Bon Durant is a member of the Baptist Church, and he is a Mason-Knight Templar degree. Politically he is a Republican.
BONHAM & GILL, undertakers, and manufacturers of and dealers in furniture, Washington, Ind., is a firm composed of M. L. Bonham and Joseph H. Gill. Martin Luther Bonham was born in Dearborn County, Ind., March 4, 1827, and is a son of Zedekiah and Amelia (Cullom) Bonham, natives, respectively, of Virginia and Ohio. The subject of this sketch was brought up on a farm by his parents and received a limited common school educa- tion. At the age of seventeen he learned the cabinet-maker's trade in Hamilton County, Ohio. He continued working at his trade and at the furniture business in that county until 1862, when he re- moved to Washington and entered the employ of John Mattingly, who had established the present business some years previously. Six months later he entered into partnership with his employer, and the firm enjoyed a prosperous business until Mr. Mattingly's death in 1872. Mr. Bonham then conducted the business alone until 1874, when he accepted as a partner Joseph H. Gill. This firm has continued ever since and enjoys a large share of the trade in this line. They are the leading undertakers in the city, and carry a full stock of furniture. Mr. Bonham is a Republican and a Royal Arch Mason. He was married, in 1847, to Selana Lincoln, who died, leaving four children: George H., Mary (the wife of John Cretz, of Harrison, Ohio), Zedekiah A. and Clif- ford L. In 1864 he was married to his present wife, Mrs. Sarah A. Sowers. 1
WILLIAM H. BOONE, farmer, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, December 2, 1847; son of Isaac and Mary (Hold- erman) Boone, and is of German descent. His father was born in Rockingham County, Va., in 1815, and his mother in Mont- gomery County, Ohio. In 1825 the Boone family removed from Virginia to Montgomery County, Ohio, and there the grandfather of our subject died. In 1858 the father of subject removed from Montgomery County to Miami County, Ohio, and there still re- sides. Our subject was raised on the farm and attended the pub-
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lic schools of his neighborhood. He began for himself at eight- een years of age, and came to Daviess County in 1883 and set- tled where he now lives, on what was known as the Bruner farm. He has 110 acres of well-improved land one mile from Washing- ton. He was married, in 1869, to Miss Frances V. Malcom, a native of Shelby County, Ohio, born in 1849, daughter of Nathan and Deborah Malcom. They have four children, viz .: Maggie M., Mary B., Blanche D. and Hazel E. He is a Republican and a most enterprising gentleman.
SAMUEL B. BOYD, superintendent of the schools of Da- viess County, was born at Yorkville, Dearborn Co., Ind., March 14, 1858, being a son of John and Elizabeth (Miller) Boyd (both deceased), who were natives of Ireland and Ohio, respectively. He was reared on a farm in his native county by his parents, re- ceiving a good literary education. He completed his schooling with a course at the Central Normal College at Danville, Ind., and at the age of nineteen began his career as a public teacher. In 1871 he removed with his parents to this county, teaching four years in the county schools, and since acting as principal of the Odon schools and as an instructor in the city schools of Washing- ton. June 1, 1883, he was elected county superintendent, a posi- tion he has since filled with satisfaction. He is an Odd Fellow, a Democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
HON. MATTHEW L. BRETT, born January 5, 1823, in South Carolina, is the eldest of seven children born to Patrick M. and Mary Brett, who were born in the "Emerald Isle," and came to this country immediately after marriage, about 1820, and lived in South Carolina about ten years and then came to Daviess County, Ind. The father was a lawyer and teacher, and a very prominent man of the county, having held several very important offices. His death occurred in 1844 and the mother's in 1868. Matthew Brett was reared on the farm where he now lives. His early education was very limited, as his help was much needed at home. After his father's death he remained on the home farm and has assisted his mother ever since. At the age of twenty-one he succeeded his father in the auditor's office in 1844, and held the position fifteen years successively. He also carried on farming, milling and merchandising to some extent. In 1860 he was
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elected to the State Legislature, and served the regular and special sessions. He served two years on a committee appointed by the Legislature to audit the expenses incurred by the State on account of the war. In 1862 he was elected treasurer of State and held the position two years. In 1872 he was elected from Daviess County to the Legislature and served two sessions. Shortly after- ward he unfortunately became a cripple, and has ever since given his time and attention to his farm and has been very prosperous. He owns 250 acres of land, part near Washington and part in Warren County. He was married, June 1, 1858, to Miss Alice Hayes, of Vincennes. To them were born two children, both of whom are now deceased: Anna (who lived to be the wife of Aus- tin F. Cabel, and the mother of one child, named Brett Cabel, the only descendant of our subject) and William (who died when young). The family are members of the Catholic Church, and our subject has always been a Democrat, politically. The differ- ent positions of honor and trust he has filled so efficiently and satisfactorily indicate the high regard in which he is held by all.
ROBERT A. BROWN was born on the farm where he now lives September 10, 1850. He was the fifth of eight children born to Benjamin F. and Jane (Wallace) Brown. The father was born on the same farm. He was a farmer all his life, and was quite prosperous. The mother was probably a native of Tennessee. Our subject was reared on a farm and secured a common school education. He made his home with his parents until twenty-one years of age. In 1871 he, with his four other brothers, began making brick, and in 1875 added a tile factory to their brickyard and now do perhaps the most extensive and pay- ing business of the kind in the county. Our subject also farmed quite extensively, and the brothers now own 150 acres of very fine land. December 25, 1879, he was united in marriage to Emma Lynch, a native of the county, born and reared on an ad- joining farm. One child, named Pearl, has blessed their union. Robert is a Republican politically, and is one of the prominent business men of the county. John F. Brown, brother of Robert A. Brown, was born February 8, 1846. He received much the same rearing as his brother and remained with his parents until their respective deaths. When our subject was but fourteen years
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old his father died, and the mother lived until 1873. He is a joint owner of the farm of 150 acres, and also has an interest in the tile and brick manufactory with his four brothers. They have devised a patent on the Eureka Tile Kiln which is proving very favorable and promises a success financially. They have the most extensive factory in the county and are doing a big business. March 21, 1873, he was married to Belle F. Dudley, a native of eastern Ohio. They have three children: William T., Benjamin F. and Libbie M. Mr. Brown is a stanch Republican in politics.
JESSE W. BURTON, attorney at law, Washington, Ind., was born in Garrard County, Ky., October 2, 1828, and is a son of Robert A. and Sarah ( Williams) Burton, both natives of Ken- tucky, living and dying in their native State. Jesse W. Burton was brought up on a farm by his parents in Kentucky until he was fourteen years old, when he entered Bradley Institute in Gar- rard County, remaining there several years, after which he entered Cumberland Academy at Monticello, Ky., of which his brother, William M. Burton, was the principal. By this time he was eighteen years of age and had obtained a good literary education. He then taught country school some years. At the age of twenty he began reading law at the capital of his native county, and re- ceived a license to practice August 14, 1850. He read law with his brother, Allan A. Burton, afterward appointed by President Lincoln Minister to the United States of Colombia, South Amer- ica. He then spent a year traveling and prospecting for a location in northwestern Missouri. He then came to Washing- ton, but soon located at Petersburg, Pike County, where he prac- ticed law less than a year, returning then to and locating in Wash- ington, opening his office May 16, 1853. With the exception of the years 1875 and 1876, when he resided in Lawrenceburg, Ind., he has continually resided in Washington since that time, and has earned for himself a high place in the legal fraternity of Daviess County. Judge Burton, before the war of the Rebellion, was an old time Whig, casting his first presidential vote for Gen. Winfield Scott. At the formation of the Republican party he became a Republican, and at the breaking out of the war was one of the first to espouse the cause of the Union, making the first
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Union speech made in the county. He assisted to raise the first company sent from Daviess County, under Capt. Charles Childs, and during the entire continuance of that terrible conflict was active in giving financial and moral support to the Union. Dur- ing 1856 and 1857 he was prosecuting attorney for the district composed of Knox, Daviess, Pike and Martin Counties. He was a candidate for judge of common pleas, and also for judge of the circuit court, but defeated in each instance owing to the hopeless minority of the Republican party. On the 23d of November, 1869, he was admitted to practice in the United States Courts. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. and is P.N.G. of the local lodge; he is also a Master Mason. He was married November 22, 1860, to Sarah M. Jackson, a native of Elizabethtown, Hamilton Co., Ohio, by whom he has five children: Ada J. (wife of Frank A. Collier), Emma S. (wife of Clinton K. Tharp), Mary H., Robert W. and Nellie.
ALEXANDER CHOMEL, editor of the Washington Adver- tiser, was born in France in 1826, and is a son of Dennis and Lucy (Collason) Chomel. He was reared in a city and had good educational advantages. At the age of twenty-three he came to America and located in New Albany, Ind., where he followed merchandising three years. He went to Loogootee, Ind., in 1860, and engaged in the same business. He edited the Loo- gootee Times for some time and then moved to Shoals and edited the Martin County Herald. In September, 1884, he came to Washington and has since edited the Advertiser and Enterprise. In December, 1850, he took for his companion through life Sabina Carrico, a native of Kentucky, to whom were born nine children, eight now living: Lucy, Thomas, Catharine, Julius, Alexander, William, Mary and. Anselm. As an editor he wields much influence in the political affairs of the county, and with all the zeal and energy of which he is capable furthers the interests of the Democratic party. He is a member of the Catholic Church.
A. D. COLBERT was born in Daviess County, Ind., in March, 1837. He is a son of L. D. and Jane ( Birch) Colbert, who were born in 1818 and 1819, respectively. The mother died when our subject was quite young, and he made his home with
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his father until twenty-one years of age, when he was married to Sarah Walker, daughter of Solomon and Martha Jane Walker, natives of East Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Colbert are the parents of the following children: George, Emma, Minnie (deceased), Herbert, Edgar, Benjamin, Mildred, Maggie, John, Seth, Charles and William. After his marriage he lived two years in Veal Township, and August 1, 1863 enlisted in Company I, Sixty-fifth Indiana Volunteers and served two years, when he was transferred to the One Hundred and Twentieth Indiana Regiment. He was in the East Tennessee campaign and in several engagements, and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. He was with Thomas at Nashville and Schofield at Franklin. He was at the capture of Wilmington. On the 19th of January, 1866, he was mustered out at Raleigh, N. C. He is a Republican and cast his first vote for Lincoln. He has been a member of the Christian Church thirty years and his wife of the same for forty years.
PHILLIP CRUSE, dec'd, was born Aug. 4, 1795, in North Caro- lina. His parents, Henry C. and Susan Cruse, were native Ger- mans. They moved to Hamilton, Ohio, at an early period, where the father followed farming. Phillip assisted his father for eight years and then was apprenticed to a man in Cincinnati to learn the tailor's trade. After mastering his trade he tramped to Lexington, Ky., with only one half dollar in his pocket. He soon saved $100, and then walked to Louisville, Ky., where he worked at his trade. He and a friend then went to New Orleans on flat-boats. Our subject worked there four months and then re- turned to Ohio via boat to Philadelphia; thence to Baltimore, Washington, D. C., Alexandria and Uniontown, Va .; thence by boat to Pittsburgh; thence to Portsmouth, Ohio, and finally reached Maysville, Ky., where he remained one month and then went to Terre Haute, Ind., and in the spring went to Vincennes. Later he came to Washington, Daviess County, where he worked at his trade for several years, and then kept a general merchan- dise store about the same length of time. He then began keep- ing hotel where the present Presbyterian Church stands, and after working at that for several years engaged in the hardware business on a small scale, and soon had an extensive trade. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics was a
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