USA > Indiana > Orange County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 70
USA > Indiana > Washington County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 70
USA > Indiana > Lawrence County > History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, together with interesting biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc > Part 70
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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ship, where they lived until their deaths. They had eleven children: Sarah, Eleanor, Mary, Anna, Aaron, Ruth, Lucinda, William, George, John and Snsannah. October 31. 1833, Aaron married Mary Farlow. who bore him three children: Mary A., Thomas and Mary. His second wife was Jane Andrews, who bore him five children: Oliver, Sarah J., Luther, Ruth and Aaron. The father, Aaron, died in 1852, and his wife, who was born in North Carolina in 1816, is yet living: Their children and John, son of Thomas, are the only members of the family now living in this county. John is one of the wealthiest farmers of the county, owning nearly 1,000 acres, and has made much of it by judicious business transactions. Aaron, son of Aaron, and grandson of Thomas, was born in 1852, and November 12, 1878, married Mary A. Rhodes, who was born in this county June 6, 1855. They have two children: John J. and Myrtle E. Mr. Maris owns 238 acres, and is a progressive young farmer. The Marises belong to the Friends or Quakers, and are among the most respected and useful citizens.
JUDGE MILTON S. MAVITY is a native of Ripley County, Ind., born March 9, 1833, the oldest of five children, three yet liv. ing, born to James and Keziah (Evans) Mavity, who were natives of Kentucky. John and Dorothy (Reel) Mavity. parents of James, were natives of the Old Dominion, and were of Norman-French and German descent respectively. M. S. Mavity was reared to manhood in his native county, and until twenty two years old assisted on his parents' farm and attended and taught district schools. At that age he began reading law from the library of Hon. J. H. Cravens, of New Marion, Ind., and after attending the Cincinnati Law School graduated in 1856, with ex-Presi- dent R. B. Hayes' signature to his certificate of examination, as one of the Board of Examiners. From that time until 1859 he practiced his profes- sion at Madison, Ind., then removed to Paoli, where he has since been engaged in active legal pursuits. As a Democrat in politics he has been an active worker for the welfare of his party, and in October, 1563. was elected Recorder of Orange County. He served as Common Pleas Pros. ecutor two years; was elected Judge of the Tenth Judicial District in 1870, serving until the abolishment of the office, and also served two years as Prosecutor of the Tenth Circuit. At present he is engaged in farming and stock. raising, in addition to the practice of law. Mr. Mavity is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities; was married March 15, 1865, to Miss Eliza Moore, by whom he is the father of seven children, named: Elizabeth, Milton J., Kate, Edward M., William E., Louise and Josephine.
HON. JOHN L. MEGENITY, editor and attorney of Puoli. is a native of Henry County, Ky., where he was born July 31, 1833. He was raised and educated in Kentucky, receiving quite a liberal education for that day at the select schools. in some of which the higher branches were taught. Until the age of sixteen he lived upon a farm, but at that unus- ually early period of his life he began teaching school, and continued for about ten years, employing his vacations much of the time in the study of the law in the office of Judge DeHaven. In December. 1859, he came to Orange County and here has resided since. He began teaching in Greenfield Township, continuing there and elsewhere until 1563, when he was elected on the Democratic ticket County Surveyor, serving for one year. The next year he was elected County Clerk, and was re-elected in 1868. In 1873 he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of the same office
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occasioned by the death of John C. Lingle. In the fall of 1874 he was elected to the office of Joint Representative of Orange and Washington Counties. In 1872 he began the practice of law in partnership with Judge Mavity and T. B. Buskirk, but left in 1873, when he was appointed Clerk. After his legislative term he commenced the practice with T. B. Buskirk, continuing until 1878, when he bought the Paoli News, which he has since conducted in connection with his legal business. October 10, 1861, he married Miss Mary A. Critchtield, of Greenfield Township. Mr. Megenity is a leading Democrat of the county, and a member of the Royal Arch Degree in Masonry; he is also au Odd Fellow. His wife is a member of the Regular Baptist Church.
JOHN MILLIS. Edward Millis, great-grandfather of this gentle- man, moved from North Carolina to Washington County in the early part of the present century, and after residing there a few years, moved to Orange County, where he died at a ripe old age. He reared a family of eight children, one of whom-Nichason-was the grandfather of John Millis. He participated in the battle of Tippecanoe and other encounters with the Indians. He was twice married, first to Ellen Mar- is and second to Rebecca Lindley. By the first marriage there were seven children and by the second one. Enoch, son by his first wife, was born and reared in this county. He married Lydia Faucett, and to them were born the following children: John (the subject of this sketch), Ann, Kiziah and Nichason. John Millis was born in this township Novem . ber 9, 1845, and until seventeen years of age, worked upon a farm, and attended the district schools; he then enlisted in Company D, Sixty. sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. Angust 31, 1862, eleven days after leaving home, he participated in the battle of Richmond, Ky., where he was severely wounded in the left hip and taken prisoner. After about two months he was paroled and came home, but in less than six weeks was again with his regiment. He took part in the battles of Big Hill, Ala .. Collierville, Tenn., the Atlanta campaign, march to the sea, etc. He was united in marriage with Miss Maria Bruner September 3. 1867. This lady is a native of Orange County, born April 29, 1845. Four children have been born: William A., Lydia E., Mary A. and James F. Mr. Millis owns a well-improved farm of 250 acres; he is a stanch Republican; a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church and a leading, enterprising and public spirited citizen. The country would be much better off had it more such men as John Millis.
ABRAHAM NOBLITT, a descendant of one of Orange County's oldest families, was born in Southeast Township, November 26, 1843, and is a son of William and Mary (Holliday) Noblitt, the former born in Washington County. Ind., in 1518. and the latter one year later in Chatham County. N. C. In 1861 Abraham Noblitt enlisted a private in Company F. Fifty- ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for the suppression of the Rebellion. and after serving in several important battles, partici- pated in the Atlanta campaign, then joined Sherman's army in that memorable march to the sea, thence up through the Carolinas, finally participating in the grand roview at Washington, D. C. July 17, 1863. he was honorably discharged wearing a Sergeant's chevrons, and the year following Miss Louisa Mattox, a native of this county, became his wife; to their union have been born seven children; only Herbert and Frank yet living. In 1868 Mr. Noblitt was elected County Auditor, and after
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serving one term, was re-elected in 1872 without opposition. In 1876 he began the practice of law, which he has since followed and is also engaged in farming and raising stock. In politics he is an unswerving Democrat, for three years serving as Master Commissioner of the county, and is the present nominee of his party for State's Advocate of the Tenth Judicial District. In December, 1878, he was appointed and served eighteen months with entire satisfaction to all concerned, as one of the two experts to investigate the Marion County, Ind., records for a period dating back ten years. He is a member of the Masonic, I. O. O. F. and G. A. R. fraternities and as a public official, and otherwise his record is without a stain.
JOHN V. NOBLITT is the son of William and Mary (Holaday) Noblitt, and was born in Southeast Township April 7, 1858. Both fami- lies were old settlers, and highly respectable people. The father was born in Washington County, Ind., and the mother in North Carolina. By his first marriage Mr. Noblitt had five children: Abraham, James L., William, John V. and Nancy J. His second wife was Mrs. Nancy J. (Radcliff) Maxedon, who bore him four children: Martha, David R., Josephine and Louisa. Mr. Noblitt is yet living near Chambersburg. well respected and honored. John V. was raised upon a farm, and November 22, 1874, married Caroline Trotter, a native of Washington County. This lady died January 21, 1878, after bearing her husband two children: Eddie L. and Dessie A., both of whom are now deceased. June 8, 1880, Mr. Noblitt married Mary Holaday, who was born in Marion County, Ill., March 7, 1854. To this marriage two children have been born: Charley J. and an infant. Mr. Noblitt followed farming until 1878, since which he has been attending school and working at the tonsorial trade. He is a Democrat, a Mason and an exemplary man.
WILLIAM F. OSBORN, general merchant and manufacturer of the Hindostan oilstone and sandstone, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 2, 1834, a son of Thomas J. and Eleanor (Ent) Osborne, who were natives respectively of New York and New Jersey, and of English German descent. When three years old William F. was taken by his parents to Louisville, Ky., where he was principally raised and educated. From 1851 to 1854 he served an apprenticeship at the hatter's trade in silk, and in 1855 was a delegate to the first silk hat convention held in the United States at Cincinnati. In 1862 he began in business for himself at Louisville, continuing until 1866, when he came to Orange County, Ind., and settled at West Baden Springs, where he remained until 1873. He there engaged in the manufacture of the Hindostan oil and sandstone, which he has ever since continued, and in 1883 shipped 2,439 cases of this article. Mr. Osborn is a Democrat, a Free Mason, an Odd Fellow, and he and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. To the marriage of Mr. Osborn and Miss Sarah Woods, of Louisville, three children have been born, named: Thomas E., Mary G. and Prather. Mr. Osborn is President of the Fourth Indiana Sunday-school District, composed of Harrison, Crawford and Orange Counties.
BLEWFORD PEYTON was born in Crawford County, Ind., Novem- ber 25, 1833, the son of William and Rahab (Marshall) Peyton, the father a native of Lincoln County, Ky., and the mother of Orange County, N. C. Martin Peyton, the grandfather, a Virginian, married Rachael Arbuckle in Kentucky, and in 1816 came to Crawford County, Ind., where they raised a large family, William, the father of Blewford, being
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one. William was raised a farmer; was married in Kentucky, and in 1847 came to this township, where he lived until his death August 10, 1862, his wife following him May 10, 1863. Their three children were: Lovie, Blewford and Mary R., our subject being the only one now liv- ing. He, in youth, became a farmer, and was compelled to make the best of limited school advantages. April 2, 1856, he married Sarah A. E. Scott, who bore him three children: William S., Mary E. and Laura E., and died April 29, 1863. March 26, 1864, he married Mrs. Eliza. beth J. Gifford, whose maiden name was Elrod. They have two child- ren: Wesley G. and Everett M. Mrs. Peyton was born in this county December 1, 1830. Mr. Peyton is one of the leading farmers of the county: is liberal in politics; is a Mason, and himself and family are universally respected. He owns a farm of 160 acres.
THOMAS L. PHILLIPS was born in Northeast Township, June 23, 1836, and is the son of John Phillips, who was born in Stampers Creek Township in 1812, and grandson of Thomas Phillips, a Virginian. The latter came from Kentucky in 1808, locating first at Corydon, but later in Stampers Creek, though he was soon compelled to return to Ken- tucky. owing to the hostility of the Indians. They returned in 1810. The grandfather was in the war of 1812, and was wounded in the arm. His son John married Melissa R. Lewis, and to them were born eight children. The father is the oldest native citizen of the county now liv. ing. His son, Thomas L., was reared on a farm, with meager school advantages. December 9, 1863, he married Mary A. Roach, and they have this family: Melissa A., Lovie E., John M., Lydia E., Thomas W., Cora E., Charles M. and Lewis. Mr. Phillips and wife have been saving and industrious, and now have a comfortable home and 278 acres of good land, besides ninety-four acres elsewhere in the county. Mr. Phillips is a Democrat politically, and a useful citizen. Mrs. Phillips was born in Northeast Township April 5, 1848.
ANDREW J. RHODES was born at the county seat of Orange County, Ind., July 7, 1829, a son of William and Jane T. (Meacham) Rhodes, who were natives of North Carolina; immigrated to Orange Coun- ty. Ind., in 1816; removed to Texas in 1857, where they died in 1864 and 1867 respectively. Until eighteen years of age Andrew J. assisted his father on the home farm, and then began teaching winters and farm ing summers, which he continued until 1862, when he enlisted in Company E, Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteers, and served until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. In 1865 he became the nominee of the Republican party for Treasurer, and was the first Republican ever elected to the office in Orange County. In 1867 he embarked in the furniture trade at Paoli, continuing until 1872, when he was commissioned Postmaster, a position he retained nine years Mr. Rhodes is at present engaged in general merchandising, and is doing a creditable business, and since 1877 has also been engaged in liverying. He is a Republican and an Odd Fellow; was married in 1851 to Miss Elizabeth Pinnick, who died in 1862, leaving three children who are yet living. Miss Anna J. Lee berame his second wife in 1865, and by her he is the father of seven children, all living but two. He has been for ten or twelve years prominently connected with the municipal affairs of l'aoli, and has contributed more than any other man to the success of her public schools. His self sacrificing interest in the prosperity of his com. munity is a matter of public knowledge and appreciation.
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B. D. RILEY is the eldest son of John and Rachel (Dalby) Riley, born in Floyd County. Ind., December 29, 1831, and is of English descent. The parents of Mr. Riley were born in Yorkshire, England, near Bradford, and immigrated to America in 1829, and settled in New Albany, Ind., where his father still resides, and here the mother died in 1881. When our subject was about sixteen years of age he began serv- ing a four years' apprenticeship at the tinner's trade in New Albany. In 1852 he came to Orange County and opened a stove and tin store at Valeene, and that continued until 1861, when he enlisted in the United States Army, Company F, Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteers, and after a service of more than two years he was discharged on account of disabil- ity. In 1864 he came to Paoli and opened a store similar to the one he had at Valeene. In 1870 he added a complete line of hardware, and in 1883 purchased his present business block on the sonth side of the square, and put in a large stock of furniture and agricultural implements. He was married in 1854 to Miss Mary Clayton, of Greene County, Ind. Of nine children born to them these are living: Rachel, John, Mary E., Celia G., James B., Harriet and Joanna. Mr. Riley is a Republican, and one of the leading temperance men of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Riley are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow.
SOLOMON SCOTT was born in Lincoln County, Ky., May 1. 1834. His grandfather, Thomas Scott, was a native of the Old Dominion and a soldier in the Revolution, and about 1789 moved to Lincoln County, Ky. He was twice married and the father of twenty-one children. Elijab Scott, his son, was a native of Lincoln County, Ky., and married Miss Elizabeth Duddevar, also a native of that county. Elijah Scott followed farming and distilling, and to him and wife were born five chil. dren : Solomon, Mary F., Margaret, Josephine and Melinda. The par- ents always resided in Kentucky. Mrs. Scott died February 12, 1854, and her husband November 9, 1871. Solomon Scott was reared and edu- cated in his native county where he remained until 1860, when he came to this county and for three years found employment with his uncle, Charles Scott, upon a farm. He then purchased a portion of the farm he now resides upon and has since added to it until he now owns 287 acres which is as well stocked and as nicely improved as any farm in Paoli Township. He married Adaline C., daughter of Shelby and Susannab (Throop) Wolf, March 14, 1861, and to this union have been born the following children : Elizabeth, Jefferson T., Elijah S., Hester B., Howard, Cora A. and Maude B. Mrs. Scott was born in Orange County December 15, 1840. Mr. Scott is a Democrat, a member of the Masonic order and possesses social qualities of a high order.
JACOB SCHNEIDER, manufacturer and dealer in carriages and wagons, was born in Harrison County Ind., May 4, 1851, son of Jacob and Mary (Muglar) Schneider, and is of French.German descent. In 1870 Mr. Schneider began the blacksmith's trade at Greenville. Ind., where he remained over four years, then came to Paoli and engaged in his present occupation. He was married in 1879 to Miss Hettie A. Wood, of New Albany, and he and wife are among the first families of the place. Politically Mr. Schneider is a Democrat, casting his first Pres. idential ballot for Greeley. and in ISSO was elected Town Marshal of Paoli. In 1875 he became an Odd Fellow and in 1879 represented Reliance Lodge No. 130 in the Grand Lodge of Indiana. Mr. Schneider
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began life's battle a poor boy, and with no one to assist him and relying entirely upon himself, he has made what he now owns by hard work and economy. Besides controlling a comfortable trade he is the owner of one of the most convenient and comfortable homes in Pauli.
JOHN R. SIMPSON, one of the prominent men of Paoli, Ind., where he was born September 16, 1834, is a son of Arthur J. and Mary A. (Camp- bell) Simpson, the former a half brother of Nathan Clifford, of the United States Supreme Court. His early education was obtained in the schools of Paoli, and when attaining sufficient years he was sent to the Westfield, Mass., Academy, where his education was completed. May 11, 1858, he married Miss Fannie M. Polk, and of the four children she bore him only two sons are now living. In 1861 he enlisted in the United States Army, and was Adjutant and Second Lieutenant in the Fiftieth Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry. In the service of his country Mr. Simpson distinguished himself in several battles, especially so at Parker's Cross
Roads, in west Tennessee. He was honorably discharged in 1863, and upon his return home was commissioned a Captain in the Indiana Legion by Gov. Morton, and did active service in capturing the force of the Con- federate Capt. Hines. In 1865 he moved to Davenport, Iowa, where he engaged in the wholesale boot and shoe trade for a few years, and where his wife died February 23, 1868, soon after which he moved to Jefferson Valley, N. Y. His second marriage was with Miss Maggie Rankin. December 15, 1870, shortly after which he returned to Paoli, and for a few years was in the practice of law. He was elected County Clerk in 1874, and re-elected in 1878, serving with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. The death of his second wife occurred November 25, 1872, followed soon after by that of her only child-a son. Mr. Simpson'a third marriage was solemnized March 23, 1875, with Addie F. Hndelson, by whom he is the father of two children -- only one now living. In poli- tics he has always been an uncompromising Democrat, and is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. Both he and wife belong to the Presbyterian Church at Paoli, in which he has been an Elder for several years. For the past four years he has been President of the Orange County Sunday-school Union, and in that capacity he has been unusually successful in bringing about a healthy condition of the Sunday-schools in the county.
AARON SPEER, County Commissioner, was born in Orange County, Ind., November 3, 1829, and is the third son of Moses and Anna Speer, whose maiden name was Voris, and is of German-Irish lineage. The father of Mr. Speer was born in North Carolina and his mother was a native of the Old Penn State. The Speer family came to Orange County in its pioneer days and began at once to clear a farm from the then dense and almost unbroken forest. The father of our subject died in this county in 1841, and his mother, who is now ninety-five years of age. resides with her son. Mr. Speer spent his earlier years in attending the district schools, working on the farm and teaching school, at which he was very successful, and has taught as many as twenty terms in Orange County. By occupation he is a farmer, and now has nearly 200 acres of well-improved land. His marriage occurred in 1852 to Miss Mary M. Frost, who bore him two children. and died in 1857, and in 1858 Mr. Speer was married to Miss Mary M. Fulton. a native of Orange County, Ind. To this nnion have been born four children, all of whom are deceased. Politically Mr. Speer is a stanch Democrat, and for many
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years has been identified with the interests of that party. Formerly he held the office of School Examiner, and in 1876 was elected County Com. missioner, and re-elected to the same office in 1880, and is now President of the Board. For twenty-nine years he has been a member of the Mis- sionary Baptist Cunrch, and has been a local minister in that church for twenty years. Mrs. Speer is a member of the same church. For more than a half century Mr. Speer has been a resident of Orange County, and is one of its best citizens.
ABRAM C. STILL, M. D., was born in Washington County, Ind., January 2, 1827, son of George Still, of Shelby Connty, Ky., and grand- son of Murphy D. Still, of England, a soldier in the Continental Army during the Revolution. After the war Murphy located in Kentucky, where he was married, and in 1814 came to Washington County, this State. He and wife were parents of nine children, one being George W., who married Anna Hove. These parents had nine children-Abram C. being one. The father died April 29, 1860, but the mother is yet living. Abram C. was reared npon a farm with limited education, but later attended Asbury University. At the age of twenty-one years he began the study of medicine, and later attended medical school at Indianapolis. In 1856 he graduated in medicine from the University of Louisville. He began practicing at Palmyra, continuing nntil 1966, when he moved to Campbellsbnrg and remained there nntil 1876, when he came to bis present location. He was married to Mrs. Lucinda (Chastain) Kirk, November 18, 1870. She had been twice married pre- viously : first, to John H. Warren, by whom she had four children ; and second to Stephen R. Kirk, by whom she had two children. Dr. Still had also been twice married previously : first, to Elizabeth E. Johnson, who bore him three children; and second to Angeline Keithley, who bore him one child. Dr. Still has been successful in his difficult profession. He owns a farm of eighty acres, is a Democrat, a Mason, and a leading citizen.
IRAM STOUT, one of the prominent settlers of Paoli Township. is a native of Orange Connty, N. C., and was born December 15, 1808. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Moon) Stont, who came to this county abont the year 1815, where they ever after lived. John Stout was not an educated man and followed farming all his life. When he came to Indiana he had no property, but succeeded in acquiring a good com- petence for life. Iram was the oldest of nine children, and his educa- tion was limited to the pioneer schools of his day. Most of his life has been spent in farming, and his present farm of 190 acres indicates abundant success. He engaged in hotel-keeping at Orleans, Ind., for a short time. His first marriage was in the fall of 1831 with Nancy Thomas, who bore him nine children, seven of whom are now living, among them the enterprising business men of Paoli, the Stont Brothers. His second wife was Mrs. Elizabeth J. (Williams) Wolfington, who is a member of the Society of Friends. Mr. Stout was formerly a Whig, but in 1860, with a majority of that party he became x Republican and has remained so ever since.
GEORGE H. STOUT, son of Abraham and Lena (Anthony) Stout, who were of German descent and who are yet living in the Keystone State, is a native of Northampton County, Penn., his birth occurring Jannary 24, 1856. He remained at home until a young man, assisting his father, learning blacksmithing and working at his trade, but in 1876
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