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 72
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 72
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JOHN H. SPENCER, attorney at law and deputy prosecuting attorney of the Forty-ninth Judicial District, of Washington, Ind., was born at Greenville, Tenn., December 28, 1860, and is a son of William M. and Elizabeth (Jones) Spencer, both natives of North Carolina. They came with their children to Indiana in 1865 or 1866, locating at Rushville. Two years later they moved to Washington, where the subject of this sketch was raised and where he secured a liberal education in the public schools, and graduated from the high school in 1880. At the age of nineteen he began reading law with J. W. Ogdon, continuing a student in Mr. Ogdon's office until 1881, when he was admitted to the Da- viess County bar. He then formed a law partnership with Will- iam H. Myers, and continued to practice with him until his re- moval from the city, since which time he has practiced alone with encouraging success. Mr. Spencer is a Democrat, and has taken an active part in the political affairs of his county and dis- trict. He has been a candidate for nomination to the State Leg- islature, but withdrew in favor of a friend before the meeting of the convention. In the spring of 1885 he was appointed deputy prosecutor for this district, under Hiram McCormick, the duties
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of which office he is now performing in a faithful and efficient manner. He was clerk of the judiciary committee in the House of Representatives during regular and special sessions of Legis- lature in 1885, and he takes an active part in local campaigns by stumping the county as chairman of 'executive committee, or in any way called upon to act.
HON. SAMUEL H. TAYLOR, citizen of Washington and attorney at law, was born January 25, 1837, in Cumberland, Md., where he was reared and educated. Here, too, he read law and entered upon the practice of his profession, but soon after was appointed postmaster, by President Buchanan, of his native city, serving as such during that administration. In 1864 Mr. Taylor moved to Washington, Ind., and has successfully practiced his profession ever since. He was one of the organizers of the Washington National Bank in 1872, and of which he was vice- president, cashier and director. He was twice elected district attorney, and in 1872 was elected prosecuting attorney of the Vincennes Circuit. He has thrice been chosen as delegate to Democratic National Conventions, viz .: Baltimore in 1872, when Horace Greeley was nominated; in 1876 when Samuel J. Tilden was the nominee, and at Chicago in 1884, when Grover Cleve- land was the chosen leader and victor in the memorable campaign of that year. In 1878 he was elected representative of Daviess County, after one of the hottest contests ever made in the county, and was again elected representative in 1884, and was chairman of the committee on judiciary, and was also on many other impor- tant committees. Mr. Taylor is a recognized leader of his party in his section of the State, and, although a strict partisan, is lib- eral in his views, and a stanch defender of the rights of the peo- ple. He is dignified in his bearing, courteous in manner, agreea- ble as a friend, and forcible and earnest as a speaker. He mar- ried Miss Josette E. Johnson, in his native city of Cumberland. Md., and has six children: Edith, the wife of Thomas F. Can- dler, of Waco, Tex .; Ella B., wife of Thomas H. Walker, of Cin- cinnati, Ohio; Fred H., Norwood, Alice and Josette Taylor. Mr. Taylor has always been a friend of education, and for many years was one of the school board of Washington. He is now national bank examiner for the State of Indiana, having been appointed by Mr. Manning, Secretary of the Treasury, in June, 1885.
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ELI THOMAS, a prominent citizen of Washington, Ind., is a native of the county, born August 20, 1826, and is one of a family of two sons and four daughters born to the marriage of Grandison and Mary (Hughes) Thomas. The father was a Vir- ginian by birth. He was raised in that State, where he married his first wife, and came to Daviess County, Ind., in 1820, locating on a farm near Washington, where his wife died. He then mar- ried our subject's mother. Their deaths occurred within seven days of each other, in 1863. The father was eighty-one years of age and the mother seventy-one. Eli was raised on a farm with his parents, and secured a limited education, such as could be ob- tained by a few months' attendance each year in the primitive log schoolhouse of his boyhood days. In 1859 he married Wini- fred Rott and purchased a farm adjoining the homestead, where he followed farming successfully until 1869, when he removed to this city and engaged in the general merchandise business six and one-half years. He then purchased a one-half interest in William Buck's livery stable, and at the end of two years pur- chased the entire stock and conducted the business alone until 1883. He then bought his present stable, and commands the leading livery business in the city. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas be- came the parents of one child, which died in infancy. He is an Independent in politics, though formerly a Republican. He is a Mason, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.
ANDERSON VEALE, farmer, was born in Veal Township March 8, 1831, son of James C. and Eleanor (Aikman) Veale, and is of German-English descent. He is the eighth in a family of nine children. His father was born in South Carolina and his mother in Pennsylvania. They came to what is now Indiana in 1807 and settled in what is now known as Veal Township, and here his father died. His mother died in Kansas. His Grand- father Veale built the first mill on Veal Creek and in Veal Township, and in honor of whom this township was named. Our subject settled where he now lives in 1864. He has 117 acres of well-improved land and one of the finest farms in the county. He was married, December, 1856, to Miss May J. Allen, born in Washington Township in 1835, daughter of Moses and Catharine - Allen. They have four children living, viz .: Lydia, James C.,
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Denie and John A. He is a Republican and for eighteen years has been a member of the I. O. O. F. He is a representative of one of the first families of the county. His grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier.
GEORGE A. WALLER, SR., of the firm Waller & Prentiss, dealers in saddlery, harness, buggies, wagons, etc., etc., is a native of Daviess County, Ind., where he was born December 13, 1828, and is one of two surviving members of a family of nine children born to George A. and Katherine ( McDonald) Waller, who were born in Kentucky, the father in 1793. He came to Indiana about 1816. Here he married and settled near Washington. He was a farmer until about 1851 or 1852, when he removed to this city, where he died in 1867. He was originally an old time Whig in politics, and was sheriff of the county when that officer collected United States revenues. He was assessor of the entire county and was census enumerator previous to his removal to Washing- ton. He clerked in the mercantile business as clerk and book- keeper of Elisha Hyatt. He was also in the same business with Col. John Van Trees and afterward by himself until he became involved by security debts, when he returned to the farm, and was also justice of the peace a number of years previous to his death. He was well and favorably known throughout the county and died in the Christian faith. Our subject was raised on a farm and at the age of twenty-one began learning the carpenter's trade, which he mastered and followed successfully until 1869, when his health failed him and he engaged in the saddlery and harness business with George T. Barr, who afterward sold out and Henry S. Prentiss became a partner in the business. They do an excellent and extensive business in their line, and command a large trade in town and county. January 2, 1855, Mr. Waller married Mary Aikman, born in the county, and daughter of Hugh and Ada Aikman. To them were born six sons, four now living: Francis A., James E., Archie A. and Charles H. Mr. Waller is a stanch Republican and a warm advocate for the principles of his party. He is a member of the Encampment of I. O. O. F. His wife died November 16, 1867, and he has since remained unmarried.
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THOMAS WILSON, SR., was born in Manchester, England, January 20, 1819, and is a son of John and Sarah (Glover) Wilson. They were both natives of England, but the mother was of Welsh parentage. The father was a miner and our subject was reared near the mines. His early educational advantages were very imperfect, but since attaining his majority he has improved his education very much. His mother died when he was very young and he remained with his father to the age of twenty. His father died about this time and Thomas came to America about 1855 and worked in mines in Pennsylvania for about three years. He came to Washington in the fall of 1857 and in connection with other parties opened a mine, which soon became exhausted. He then became connected with Cabel & Kauffman and the firm took the name of Cabel, Wilson & Co., doing a very extensive business. Mr. Wilson and a friend were instrumental in introducing coal burning on the Ohio & Missis- sippi Railroad. He remained a partner of Messrs. Cabel & Co. until November 7, 1885, when he retired from the firm and now has an interest in the Cannelburg mines. He was married about 1839 to Mary Wrigley, born in Manchester, England, in 1818. To them were born eight children, six now living: William, Sarah, Elizabeth, John, Thomas, James, Harriet and Joseph. Mr. Wilson is a Republican and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
THOMAS WILSON, JR., is the son of Thomas and Mary Wilson (see sketch), and was born January 4, 1849, near Man- chester, England. He came with his parents to America and re- mained two years in Pennsylvania, and then came to Daviess County, Ind., where he was reared to manhood and has lived ever since. He secured a graded school education, and at the age of twenty-nine married, and has ever since lived in this city. He has been superintendent and boss of his father's mines, and was State Mine Inspector for four years ending January 1, 1885. He is now superintendent of the Wilson Coal Company's mines, of Montgomery, in which he has an interest. He has been very suc- cessful as a business man, and is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity (Knight Templar). His political views are Democratic. October 8, 1879, he was married to Ida Clark, daughter of Lewis
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and Laura Clark, now of Daviess County. The father died dur- ing the late war, and the mother now lives with our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are the parents of one child-Bessie B .- born June 19, 1882.
JOSEPH WILSON, book-keeper for the firm of Cabel, Wil- son & Co., was born near Manchester, England, April 14, 1853, being the youngest of eight children, six of whom are now living, born to Thomas and Mary Wilson. In 1855 the subject of this sketch was brought to the United States by his parents, and in 1857 to Daviess County. Here he was brought up and given a good education. He completed a scientific course in the Union Christian College at Merom, Sullivan Co., Ind. From his elev- enth to his nineteenth year he worked in the coal mines owned by the firm of which his father was a member, and after completing his education and returning home from college, at the age of twenty-four, he accepted the position of book-keeper for the firm of Cabel, Wilson & Co. He remained in this position until 1878, when he was elected by the Republican party clerk of the Daviess County Circuit Court, and served faithfully in that office four years, when he returned to his old position of book-keeper. Mr. Wilson has always been a consistent and earnest Republican. He is a Mason, and has received the Knight Templar degree, and he is also a member of the I. O. O. F. He was married, June 1, 1876, to Miss Eunice Humphrey, a native of Ohio. They have two children: William H. and Mary Edna. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are members of the Christian Church.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS is the first of three children born to Watson and Cynthia (Sinks) Williams. The father was born in Mason County, Ky., February 8, 1810, and the mother in Virginia in 1809. The paternal grandfather was a native of Kentucky; moved to Indiana in 1825. The mother's people came in 1809, and the grandfather of our subject participated in the war of 1812. The parents were married in 1835. Mr. Williams, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the farm where he was born, and se- cured a common school education. October 1, 1859, he was mar- ried to Tabitha Stephenson, daughter of Peter and Jane (Crabb) Stephenson, who were natives of the "Buckeye State." She was the seventh of eleven children, and was born May 31, 1840.
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They became the parents of these children: Thomas A., born in 1860; Sarah J., born in 1862; William G., born in 1864; Cynthia A., born in 1867; Ella M., born in 1870; Carrie B., born in 1873; John P., born in 1876, and Mattie M., born in 1878. Ella May died in August, 1875. Mr. Williams has always been a stanch Republican in his political views, and cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1860. He has never held any pub- lic office, and has never had his name before the public for pat- ronage. He has been quite prosperous in his undertakings, and owns 200 acres of land, 140 of which are under cultivation.
MARION WRIGHT, a well-to-do farmer of Daviess County, Ind., was born on the farm where he now lives September 17, 1853, and is the eldest of four living children born to Roderick R. and Anne (McJunkin) Wright, who are natives of this county. The father was born and reared near Washington, and was a skillful and prosperous farmer. He was born about 1823, and died October 3, 1868. The mother was born about 1830, and died August 30, 1884. Our subject spent his boyhood days on a farm and in attending the district schools, where he secured a common school education. He remained with his parents until their death, and then still continued to farm on the old place. In 1878 he was married to Lodena Taylor, daughter of Joseph M. Taylor, a farmer of the county. They have three children, viz. : Lucilla T., Mary C. and Josephine. Mr. Wright has been quite prosperous in his agricultural pursuits, and now owns 200 acres of very fine farming land, on which are erected good buildings. He is a very zealous Republican, and always has been, and ranks among the first, and one of the public-spirited men of the county. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
FRANCIS ZINKANS was born near Washington, Daviess Co., Ind., and is the seventh of ten children born to Philip and Anna B. (Husfeld) Zinkans, born in Germany and died in this ยท country in 1875 and 1884, at the age of seventy-two and sev- enty years respectively. Our subject was reared near Wash- ington, and resided with his parents until twenty-one years of age, when he married Mary, daughter of John and Mary Cor- coran. She was born November 8, 1845. After his marriage, which occurred November 21, 1864, Mr. Zinkans resumed farm-
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ing, having previously purchased eighty acres of land in Harri- son Township. He lived there about five years, and then traded his land for forty acres, a portion of his present farm of 260 acres. To him and his wife were born these children: Genevieve, born in 1865; Maggie, born in 1867; John, born in 1869; Thomas, born in 1871; Rosa, born in 1873; Catherine, born in 1875; Maurice (deceased), born in 1877; Nettie (deceased), born in 1880; Esther, born in 1882, and Austin, born in 1884. Mr. Zinkans cast his first vote for Gen. George B. MacClellan, and has always been a Democrat. In November, 1882, he was elected to the office of county commissioner, and held that office a term of three years; was re-elected in 1884, and is now serving in that capacity. He belongs to no secret society, is a Catholic, and has reared his children in that faith.
BARR TOWNSHIP.
MILTON L. ALLEN is a son of Hiram and Keziah (Cook) Allen, natives of North Carolina, the former born in 1788, and the latter in 1812. They came to this county in early life, when the father followed farming as an occupation, and eventually be- came one of the largest land holders in the community. He was at one time county commissioner, and at another represented Daviess County in the State Legislature. His death occurred in 1844. The mother still lives at the age of seventy-three. Mil- ton L. was born in 1843, and at the age of sixteen began the bat- tle of life for himself. When nearly seventeen years old he married Amanda Lytton, who was born in 1839, daughter of Hosea and Elizabeth (Patterson) Lytton. Mr. and Mrs. Allen became the parents of six children: Lucetta, Gordon, Mason A., Walter I., Florence and Susan. Mr. Allen was one of the "boys in blue," and served in Company B, Twenty-seventh Indiana Infantry, enlisting in 1861. He was in the battles of Winchester, South Mountain, Ball's Bluff, Cedar Mountain, Re- saca, Antietam, and many lesser engagements. At the last- named battle he was severely wounded by a minie-ball, and for
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several weeks lay at the point of death. As a partial compensa- tion he received a pension of $6 per month. He served for over three years, and after returning home gave his entire attention to farming, and now owns 141 acres of land. He is a member of the Christian Church, and was constable of Van Buren Township for two years.
ABRAM T. BANTA, one of the early settlers of Daviess County, Ind., is a son of Henry and Jane (Fulton) Banta, and was born in the county where he now resides in 1823. The par- ents were natives of Kentucky, the father born in 1786. The mother was an own cousin of Robert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat. They came to Indiana in 1823 and located in Da- viess County, where they purchased 160 acres of timber land. The father died in 1872, and the mother in 1833. Abram ob- tained his education in the subscription schools of early days, and when twenty-two years old began working for himself on rented farms. Ten years later he went in debt for the greater part of eighty acres of land. By hard work and good manage- ment he not only paid for this, but added eighty acres more, making a good farm of 160 acres, 120 of which are under culti- vation. In 1845 he was married to Eliza A. Stephens, born in 1830, daughter of William and Elizabeth (McCracken) Stephens. To their union the following children were born: Elizabeth J., William W., Susan D., Martha A., Glen D., Mary E., Henry D., Sarah E., Charley A. and Thomas S. Mr. Banta served nine months in the late war in Company F, Forty-fourth Indiana In- fantry. He is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.
WILLIAM BECKETT is a son of Samuel and Mary (Thorn- ley) Beckett. The father, who was born in Virginia in 1789, came with his parents to Kentucky when an infant, and there grew to manhood. In 1818 he and family moved to Daviess County, Ind., where he afterward became the possessor of 700 acres of excellent farming land. His death occurred during the war. The mother was born in Kentucky and died in 1839. Our subject was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in 1817. After reach- ing his majority he began working for himself, and after labor- ing several months as a farm hand, began hauling goods from the
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river towns to Daviess County. Later he located on eighty acres of land given him by his father, which he has increased to 560 acres. In 1842 he wedded Mary A. Graves, born in 1825. They have these seven children: Charles T., James R., Angeline, William A., Robert, John E. and Eliza A. His wife, who was a member of the Catholic Church, died in 1876, and two years later he married Caroline Graves, who bore him two children: Mary J. and Matilda C. Mr. Beckett is a member of the Catholic Church, and a Democrat in politics.
ROBERT R. BELL, farmer, is a son of George and Margaret (Buchanan) Bell, who were natives of the Emerald Isle, born in 1776 and 1783, respectively. They were married in 1802, and in 1812 bade adieu to home and native land and embarked for the United States. While they were en route they were captured by a British man-of-war, because found on an American vessel, and retained within British territory for three years. They then came to America and passed the remainder of their lives in New York. The father died in 1840 and the mother in 1866. Robert R. was born in New York in 1823, and after completing his common school education he took a course of instruction in a higher in- stitution of learning. For six years he taught school and fol- lowed the mercantile business, but becoming dissatisfied, he soon turned his attention to farming. Receiving some aid from his father he purchased a farm, and after making several changes sold out and came to Daviess County, Ind., in 1868. In 1846 he married Sarah J. Seeber, born in New York in 1825. They have three children: Robert H., Sarah J. and Willis B. Mrs. Bell died in 1863, and the same year he married Mary A. Gunn, born in 1823. Mr. Bell was one of the "boys in blue," and served in Company B, Tenth New York Artillery. Six months later he was discharged on account of sickness. He is a Repub- lican and cast his first vote for Clay.
JOSEPH F. BRANDON, son of Moses R. and Mahala (Gray) Brandon, was born in Switzerland County, Ind., in 1839. His father died when he was a small lad, and his mother married again. He was left to the care of his stepfather and was sent to school but very little. At the age of fourteen he ran away from home and worked at the blacksmith trade for about six years,
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when he left the man for whom he worked. In 1863 he enlisted in the Fourth Indiana Battery and was with Gen. Sherman dur- ing the entire service. After serving nearly two years he re- ceived an honorable discharge. He then blacksmithed in Howard County, Ind. Here he married Harriet Bunnell in 1866. She was born in 1847, and is a daughter of Ezra and Susan (Ellis) Bunnell. They have six children: Omar, Susan, Nelson, James, Alfred and Mary. They also raised a boy by the name of Alfred Ingalls, and when twenty-one years old started him in life with a good team of horses. Some time after his marriage Mr. Brandon lived about eight years in Kansas. In 1877 he came to Daviess County, where he owns a farm of 200 acres. His parents were natives of Kentucky. The father was a farmer. He died in 1848, and the mother in 1854.
JAMES T. BREWER is the eldest of nine children born to George and Anne (Carrico) Brewer, and was born in Marion County, Ky., in 1828. His educational advantages in boyhood were very limited, he attending the subscription schools only a few weeks during the year. He remained with his father until twenty-five years of age, when he married Rosellen O'Brien, born in 1833, daughter of John J. and Louisa (Montgomery ) O'Brien. To Mr. and Mrs. Brewer were born these four children: Joseph- ine, Christopher C., Rosellen and Francis. Mr. Brewer is a stanch Democrat, and cast his first vote for Franklin Pearce. As a farmer he has met with good success. He began life for him- self with eighty acres of timber land, which he began to clear and on which he built his first log house in 1854, which forms part of his present residence. His farm now amounts to 140 acres. Mrs. Brewer died in 1863, and the following year he mar- ried Jane' E. Walker, born in 1838, daughter of James and Belinda (Mattingly) Walker. To this marriage these four chil- dren were born: George, James, Albert and Louis. All the family are members of the Catholic Church.
GEORGE W. BREWER is a son of George and Anne (Car- rico) Brewer. The father was born in Maryland, in 1802, and when a lad moved with his father to Kentucky, where he grew to manhood. In 1827 he married our subject's mother, who was born in Kentucky, in 1807. Three years later they came to Indi-
5
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ana, and located in Daviess County in 1831, where they spent the remainder of their lives in agricultural pursuits. The father died in 1867, and the mother in 1869. Subject was born in 1832. He attended the old-time subscription schools, and on reaching man- hood his father gave him eighty acres of timber land, which he began to clear. By hard work and good management he has in- creased his farm to 140 acres, 100 acres being under cultivation. In 1857 he was married to Josephine L. Montgomery, born in 1827. She is a daughter of James and Julia (Howard) Mont- gomery. To them were born these children: Julia A., Joseph Mathew, Mary A. and Annie E. All the family are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Brewer is a Democrat and has been very successful in his business enterprises.
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