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 80
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 80
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NICHOLAS RYAN may be mentioned as one of the in- fluential farmers of Bogard Township. He was the eldest of nine children, whose parents were Michael and Mary (Agan) Ryan, who were born in the "Emerald Isle," and came to the United States in 1836 and 1838, respectively, and located in Barr Township. They were married in September, 1839, and
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passed the remainder of their days upon a farm in Daviess Coun- ty. They were members of the Catholic Church. Nicholas Ryan was born July 10, 1840, near where he now lives. He was reared on a farm and secured a fair business education. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-seven years of age, when he married and located on his present farm. He is the owner of 360 acres of excellent farming land, all of which is un- der cultivation but about 140 acres, and all cleared but about twenty acres. May 7, 1867, he was married to Mary Ann Doyle, a native of Missouri. Eleven children have been born to their union, nine of whom are living: Mary, Michael, Patrick, James, Katie, Martin, John, Maggie and Ellen. The family are mem- bers of the Catholic Church. Mr. Ryan is a zealous Demo- crat, and is one of the prominent and highly respected farmers of the county.
JAMES WADE, a prominent farmer of Daviess County, Ind., is a son of Evan and Ellen (Brewer) Wade, and was born in Washington County, Ky., June 13, 1816, He was brought to Indiana when only five years old, and lived with his parents in Lawrence County until 1837, and then came to Daviess County. He was raised on a farm and obtained his education in the old log schoolhouse of primitive days. After his marriage, January 28, 1840, he resided for some time near where he now lives, but for a number of years later lived in various parts of Indiana, but finally located on his present farm, where he has resided forty- one years. He has been very successful and owns 160 acres of very fine land. He was married to Mary Cook, a native of North Carolina, who bore him seven children, these four of whom are living: William H., Harriett, Evan and Green. His wife died in 1857, and April 13, 1858, he wedded Nancy Queen. To them were born eight children, six now living: Alfred P., Mary A., Sarah E., James M., Thomas D. and Martha J. The family are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Wade is a Democrat, and a prominent man and highly respected citizen of the county.
BENEDICT J. WADE is a descendant of one of four brothers who came from Virginia to Kentucky at an early period where they became extensive slave-holders and acquired considerable wealth.
56
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Two of the brothers went to Ohio where they freed their slaves, as did the two who remained in Kentucky. On emancipating their slaves each of the brothers gave his negroes forty acres of land. The Wades continued to amass wealth and were in all probability the ancestors of all the Wades in this section of the country. Benedict J. Wade is a descendant of one of the brothers who remained in Kentucky. He was the fourth of a family of ten children born to Evan and Ellen (Brewer) Wade. Evan was the grandson of one of the original four brothers. He was born in Kentucky in 1793, and in 1820 came to Lawrence County, Ind., where he resided until 1837, when he moved to Daviess County, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was in the war of 1812 and in the battle of New Orleans. He was a farmer in good circumstances and at the time of his death was the owner of 320 acres of well-improved land. He was a member of the Catholic Church and a Whig until 1852, when he became an uncompromis- ing Democrat. He was one of the early pioneers and died in 1865. The mother was a native of Maryland and when twenty- two years old moved to Kentucky. . She was born in 1790 and died in 1864. She had three brothers who came to Daviess County, Ind., and one yet lives in Barr Township. The Brewer family came from Belgium to this country in the same vessel with Lord Baltimore. Benedict Wade was born in Kentucky, May 19, 1820. He was reared in Lawrence County, Ind., and when seventeen years old came to Daviess County with his parents. When twenty- two years old he married and located on the farm where he now lives. For forty-nine years he has continued to farm on the same place, and has been very prosperous. He and his sons own 640 acres of very fine land. In 1842 he was married to Malinda Cook who died a year later, leaving one child, Zibea. In 1844 he took for his second wife Marietta Gibson, a native of Kentucky, born in 1822. Twelve children have blessed their union: Thomas A., Maria J. (deceased), William S., Samuel, Sarah (deceased), James M., Andrew J., Julia A. (deceased), George L., Ann E. (deceased), Ella (deceased) and Mary F. The family are mem- bers of the Catholic Church. Mr. Wade has been a Democrat since 1852, but previous to that time was a Whig. .
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THOMAS A. WADE is the eldest child of Benedict J. and Marietta (Gibson) Wade, and was born on the place where his father now resides April 7, 1845. (See father's sketch for ances- tral history.) His boyhood days were spent on a farm and in at- tending the common schools. In 1868-69 he attended school at Bloomington, Ind., but previous to that time had taught school. He afterward followed that occupation until 1882, teaching every alternate year. He was very successful in his calling and ranked among the first educators of the county. He began farming for himself in 1870 and five years later married and settled on his present farm. He owns 100 acres of fine land, and is doing well as a farmer. He was married to Lena J. Dwyer, a native of Mar- tin County, Ind. To their union four children were born, two of whom died in infancy. The two living are Anna M. and Agnes E. The family are Catholics and politically Mr. Wade has always been a Democrat, and has held the office of township trustee one term.
VEAL TOWNSHIP.
JOHN A. ALLISON, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Washington Township, Daviess Co., Ind., April 23, 1838, and is a son of Joseph and Mary (Ragsdale) Allison, and is of Irish- German descent. The parents were natives of Pennsylvania and South Carolina, born in 1792 and 1800, and died in Daviess County, Ind., in 1873 and 1870, respectively. About 1817 the father came to Daviess County and settled in Washington. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and was one of the pioneers of the county. Our subject received a common school education and pedagogued about seven terms. In 1877 he located on his pres- ent farm and now owns 180 acres of good land. He was married, in 1863, to Mary Carroll, a native of the county, born in 1843, daughter of Dixon Carroll, one of the early settlers of the county. They have six children: Smith M., born in 1866; Owen, born in 1869; Ivie I., born in 1871; Laura G., born in 1873; Lillie A., born in 1875, and Robert K., born in 1880. In politics Mr. Alli-
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son is a Democrat and cast his first vote for Stephen A. Douglas. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he is one of the leading farmers of the township and this year (1885) sowed seventy-five acres of wheat. He has been the architect of his own fortune, and an honorable and enterprising citizen.
JOSEPH C. ALLISON, ex-trustee and farmer of Veal Town- ship, was born about three miles from the town of Washington, Ind., April 23, 1842. He is a son of Joseph and Mary ( Rags- dale) Allison (see sketch of John A. Allison for ancestral his- tory), and was educated in the common schools of his native township and the public schools of Washington. He began teaching school in 1865, and continued that occupation during the winter seasons for about twelve years, and farmed during the summer. In 1870-71 he taught school in Newton County, Mo., and in 1873 settled on his present farm. He was married, .in 1872, to Charlotte Brown, a native of the county, and daughter of Alex and Malinda Brown. She was born in 1853, and has borne her husband these four children: Frederick L., born in 1875; Ufa J., born in 1878; Edith B., born in 1880, and Nelson H., born in 1883. Mr. Allison is a Democrat, and was elected trustee of Veal Township in 1874, and re-elected in 1876. He has been a fairly prosperous farmer, and owns ninety acres of well-improved land. He is a Mason, and in 1862 enlisted in Company G, Forty-second Indiana Volunteers, and served his country for three months, but was honorably discharged on ac- count of physical disability. He was at the battle of Stone River. :
ADIN BARBER (deceased) was a pioneer of Daviess Coun- ty, Ind., born in the "Empire State" April 20, 1805, son of Lem- uel and Judith ( Barnes) Barber, who were born in 1763. In early times the Barber family moved from New York to Ken- tucky, and were among the pioneers of that State. They came to Indiana in 1819, and located in Daviess County. Lemuel Bar- ber was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and the family now have in their possession a miniature keg which he carried through the war, and in which he kept liquor in case of an emergency. He died in Kentucky. . Our subject located on a farm, and
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through life was a tiller of the soil. In 1830 he was married to Aliza Houts, born in Kentucky in 1813, daughter of George and Jane Houts, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, born in 1791 and 1788, respectively. The father died in Indiana in 1864, and the mother in 1878. To Mr. and Mrs. Barber were born children as follows; George L., born in 1831, died in 1832; Nelson, born in 1833; Jane, born in 1835; Laura, born in 1837; George, born in 1839 (was a soldier in Company D, Twenty-fourth Indiana Volun- teers, and served until 1864; he is now a clerk in the pension de- partment at Washington, D. C.), and Emily, born in 1841. Mr. Barber was a Whig and Republican. His death took place Janu- ary 31, 1844. Mrs. Barber, an estimable lady, still resides on the old Barber homestead. The family have been prominent in the county for more than half a century.
NELSON BARBER, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Daviess County, Ind., June 12, 1833, son of Adin and Aliza (Houts) Barber, and is of English lineage. His parents were natives of New York and Kentucky, respectively. The Barber family came to Indiana in 1819, and located in Daviess County, where the father died in 1844. Nelson Barber, our subject, was reared on the farm where he now resides. His father died when he was eleven years of age, and he remained with his mother and began working for himself after attaining his majority. During the winter of 1854-55 and the summer of 1856 he taught school in Franklin County, Ill., and the winter of 1857-58 he continued that occupation in his native county. He has since given his attention to farming, and now owns 220 acres of land, besides the old homestead. In the month of May, 1857, he was married to Mary Bachelor, born in 1838, daughter of George and Mary (Thomas) Bachelor, who were early settlers of the county. To Mr. and Mrs. Barber these children were born: Aden C., Frank, Ellis, Lewis, Edgar, George L., John N., Stanton, Cora B., Ber- tha, Otis and Jennie. In politics Mr. Barber is a Republican, and was elected justice of the peace in 1857, and served four years. In 1863 he was elected township trustee, and was re- elected in 1864. He and wife are members of the Methodist Church, and he is one of the most public spirited citizens of the county, and a man of true merit.
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HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
WILLIAM M. COLEMAN was born in what is now Veal Township, Daviess Co., Ind., December 6, 1822, and is a son of Christopher and Margaret (Beard) Coleman. His father was a native of South Carolina, born in 1776, and his grandfather, John Coleman, was born in the same State. In 1811 they came, by wagon, to what is now Indiana, and located in Daviess County. Here the grandparents and parents died. The father helped to raise the first house in Washington, Ind., and was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. Subject was reared in the woods of In- diana, and when about twenty years of age began working for himself. He owned the old Coleman homestead until October, 1885, when he sold it and removed to where he now lives. In 1844 he was married to Lucinda Pry, who died in 1854, leaving one child-Nelson. That same year he took for his second wife Mrs. Sarah Braton, whose maiden name was Wallace. To their union four children were born, two of whom are living: Samuel A. and John C. Mrs. Coleman died in 1879, and late in that year he married Mary Ragsdale. To this marriage three chil- dren were born. Stella is the only one now living. Mrs. Cole- man's death occurred in 1885. Mr. Coleman was a Whig, but is now a Republican in politics. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as were his wives.
JOHN F. FRANKLIN, ex-county commissioner of Daviess County, Ind., is a native of Germany, born in 1823, son of Chris- topher and Elizabeth Franklin. The early boyhood of our sub- ject was spent in his native country. His father was born, lived and died in Germany, and subsequent to his demise his widow immigrated to America, bringing her son, John F., who was then about eight years old. His mother died in Baltimore, in 1834, and he was then thrown upon his own resources to obtain a live- lihood. He remained for some time with an uncle, and in 1837 came to Daviess County and began working on a canal then being built. Later he worked for Hon. John Scudder and Hon. Elijah Chapman, and thus obtained a start in life. He made a number of flat-boat trips down the river, and in 1848 purchased the place where he now lives, and since that time has farmed very successfully. He owns 600 acres of land, besides holding mort- gages on considerable real estate. He is a Democrat, and in
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1876 was elected commissioner of Daviess County, at the time of the building of the court house, and was the leading spirit in its construction. In 1860 he was married to Laura Ragsdale, daugh- ter of Larkin Ragsdale. They have six children: Joseph, Char- ity, Elizabeth, Susan, Cora and Stella. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a prominent and leading citizen of the county.
EDWARD G. JACOBS, farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Jackson County, Ind., born November 17, 1829, son of Edward and Jane Jacobs, whose maiden name was Douden. Mr. Jacobs is one of a numerous family, all of whom are deceased save him- self and a sister. He is of German extraction. His father was born in Virginia, and immigrated to Indiana in very early times, and settled in Jackson County, where he died about 1835. Sub- ject, by force of circumstances, was early put at farm labor, as the father died when he was quite young, and the family were obliged to support themselves, consequently the work fell largely on our subject. He attended the district schools, and remained in Jackson County until 1859, when he removed to Washington County, where he resided until 1863, and then came to Daviess County, locating in Veal Township, where he now resides. He owns a fine farm of 478 acres. He has a good residence, built in 1881, and one of the best farms in Veal Township. In 1855 he wedded . Mary Ann Hornaday, who died in 1866, leaving six children. In 1867 he took for his second wife Margaret Keelin, born in Pennsylvania, by whom he is the father of six children. In politics he is a Democrat, and is a successful and enterprising farmer.
JOSEPH JONES, merchant and farmer, was born in Daviess County, Ind., in 1837, son of John and Rachael (Harrall) Jones. The father came to Daviess County at a very primitive day, and followed the occupation of farming. His death occurred in 1854, and the mother's in 1879. Our subject was reared on a farm, and attended the common schools in boyhood. In July, 1861, he en- listed in Company E, Twenty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served three years. He re-enlisted in the same company, and remained in the service until the close of the war. He was in a number of the principal engagements of the war, and was with
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Sherman on his march to the sea. After his return from the army he devoted his time to farming, and for the last three years has been engaged in the general merchandise business. He is post- master of Cumback postoffice, having been appointed in 1883. Mr. Jones was married, in 1864, to Burnetta Baldwin. In 1867 he took for his second wife Lucy Haley, a native of Ohio. They have two children: Oliver L. and Essie L. Subject is a prominent man of Veal Township, and is a Mason and a thorough Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
HAMILTON LETT (deceased) was born on what is known as the old Lett homestead, December 17, 1823, and is of English extraction, son of James and Nancy (Veal) Lett. The father was a North Carolinian, and immigrated to Indiana in pioneer times, and was one of the early settlers of Daviess County. He was reared in what was then an almost unbroken wilderness. He was a student at one of the first schools in the township, and when twenty-one years old began the battle of life on his own responsi- bility. In 1849 he was married to Arrilla Coleman, born in Da- viess County in 1831, daughter of John B. and Frances Coleman. To Mr. and Mrs. Lett were born these children: Eli (deceased), Ellis, Eliza, Artimecy, Ida, Gibson, Emery, Laura and Dora. Mr. Lett's death occurred December 24, 1884. He was a prosperous farmer, and at the time of his death owned 250 acres of land. Mrs. Lett's paternal ancestors came to Indiana at a very early day, when the woods of Indiana were thickly inhabited by Indians. They suffered many of the privations incident to pioneer life, but in time enjoyed the fruits of their labor.
HON. JOHN SCUDDER, a pioneer of Daviess County, Ind., was born in New Jersey April 20, 1812, and is a son of Dr. John A. and Elizabeth (Forman) Scudder, who were natives of the same State as himself and of English lineage. The father was born in 1743 and the mother in 1755. The paternal grandfather was Col. Nathaniel Scudder, a native of Long Island. He was a graduate of Princeton College, and was several times elected to the State Legislature. He was a colonel in the Revolutionary war and was killed in battle in 1781. Dr. Scudder, our sub- ject's father, was a prominent physician and surgeon in that war. Their ancestry may be traced back to settlement in America as
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early as 1643. Our immediate subject is the youngest and only living one of thirteen children. In 1815 his parents removed to Mason County, Ky., and there resided until 1819, when they came to Indiana, locating in Veal Township, Daviess County, where the father practiced his profession. His death occurred in 1836 and the mother's in 1848. Our subject was raised in what was then a wilderness, there being only one house between where his father then lived and Washington that indulged in the luxury of glass windows. At the age of twenty he began working on a flat-boat and continued that occupation for ten years. Since that time he has carried on farming. Since 1845 he has voted the Democratic ticket, prior to that he was a Whig. In 1840 he was elected jus- tice of the peace for Veal Township, and in 1851 was elected to represent Daviess County in the General Assembly. He has been trustee of Veal Township two terms. In 1855 he attended a re- union of the surviving members of the Constitutional Convention and of the Assembly of 1851-52. July 20, 1844, he was mar- ried to Alice Arrell, born in 1824, daughter of James and Saralı (Crabb) Arrell. They became the parents of six children, only three of whom survive: Jacob F., Sarah E. and William. The parents are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Scudder is one of the leading men of Daviess County and one of the few living pioneers.
GEORGE W. WHITE is a native of Gibson County, Ind., where he was born in 1837. He is a son of Elias and Margaret (Pomeroy) White, and is of Dutch-Irish extraction. His father was born in Virginia in 1820, and in early life came to Indiana, and for a number of years lived in Gibson County. When our subject was about six years of age he came with his father to Daviess County and settled in Veal Township. His father died in Harrison Township. At the age of sixteen years George W. began the battle of life for himself. In 1861 he enlisted in his country's service in Company A, Twenty-seventh Indiana Volun- teers. He was wounded at Chancellorsville and was a prisoner of war for four months. He served three years and was hon- orably discharged in 1864. In 1865 he located on his present farm of about 400 acres of good land, and in 1869 he was mar- ried to Mary E. Jones, a native of Knox County, Ind., born in
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1839. To their marriage two children were born, both of whom are deceased. Mr. White is a Republican, and is in every sense of the word a self-made man. He and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
JOSEPH WILLEY, farmer, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, December 18, 1834, and is a son of Charles and Tilitha ₹ (Stephenson) Willey. The father was born near Boston, Mass., in 1800, and the mother born in Cape May County, N. J., in 1802. They came to Ohio in early life, where they married, and in 1839 came to Indiana. They moved to Knox County and there the father died in 1846. The mother then returned to Hamilton County, Ohio, where she now resides. In 1854 Mr. Willey re- turned to Daviess County, Ind., and settled in the neighborhood where he now lives. December 16, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Fifty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry for three years or during the war. He was at Fort Donelson, in the Red River campaign and at the last battle of Nashville. During service he contracted sore eyes which has almost ruined his sight. He was discharged at Eastport, Miss., in 1865. After his return he engaged in the cooper's trade, but abandoned this in 1870 and has since followed the life of a farmer. He owns fifty-five acres of land. February 21, 1856, he was married to Jane Cummings, daughter of Charles and Delilah Cummings. She was born in Pike County, Ind., June 23, 1838. To Mr. and Mrs. Willey were born these chil- dren: Talitha, John R., Joseph H., Mary, Carrie, Sarah, Bertha and Cora. Mr. Willey is a Republican in politics and was a brave and trustworthy soldier during the war. He is one of the foremost men of Veal Township, and is much respected by all.
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VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
T. W. CASEY, grocer and dry goods merchant, of Ragles- ville, Ind., was born in Tennessee, October 16, 1840. He attended the common schools and assisted his father on the farm until he was twenty years of age. At the breaking out of the war he en- listed in Company B, Twenty-seventh Indiana Infantry and took an important part in the battles of Winchester and Gettysburg, besides numerous lesser engagements. He remained in the field over three years, and received his discharge November 7, 1864, at Atlanta, Ga. In September, 1865, he married Miss D. J. Keyser, who was born October 13, 1841. To their marriage were born these five children: Albert R., Clara E., Minnie E., Homer F. and Lula D. Mrs. Casey died November 15, 1874, and in November of the next year he wedded Mildred Hobbs. They have three children: Frederick, Effie and Herschel. In 1863 Mr. Casey engaged in the mercantile business at Raglesville with A. Ragle as partner, the firm being known as Ragle & Casey. In 1866 Mr. Casey purchased his partner's interest and has since carried on the business very successfully by himself. He is a Republican in politics, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Church. Mr. Casey's father and mother were born in Virginia and Tennessee, the former in 1802 and the latter in 1809. The father was a saddle and harness-maker by trade, and died in Indiana in 1864. The mother's death occurred a year later.
EUCLID H. EVANS, a well-to-do farmer of Daviess Coun- ty, Ind., was born in Ohio, February 4, 1828, and is one of a family of three children born to John and Margaret (Booth) Evans, who were born in the Buckeye and Keystone States, re- spectively, in 1806. The father, who was a farmer, died in 1876, and the mother in 1833. When our subject was about five years old his mother died, and he then made his home with his grand- father, and remained with him until he was eighteen years old,
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HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY.
receiving but a common school education. He began working at the wagon-maker's trade with George Deser, and continued at that occupation about twenty years. January 6, 1853, he led to the hymeneal altar Lucinda Dunlap, daughter of James and Crissie Dunlap. She was born March 20, 1828, in the Buckeye State, and bore her husband four children: Ira P., Amanda J., James L. and Mary C. (deceased). Mr. Evans owns 455 acres of land, and, besides farming, deals extensively in stock. Polit- ically he is a Republican and cast his first vote for Scott. His wife is a member of the United Brethren Church. During the years 1848-50-52 he drove about 1,300 cattle to Pennsylvania, and about 800 head of sheep, making fair profits.
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