USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 75
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Robert Sellers was reared on his father's farm in Johnson county, and there received his early education in the district schools. Subse- quently he attended Franklin College, and Butler College, at Irvington, Indiana, and graduated from the latter institution in 1884. Following this he read medicine for a short time, but in 1885 began preaching, being first an Evangelist in Johnson county. Tipton became his first pastorate, but two years later he returned to Johnson county, and from there went to South Bend, where he was pastor of the Christian Church for eight years. He subsequently spent two years at Ashtabula, Ohio, and then returned to Irvington, where he became field secretary for Butler College. Rev. Sellers' next charge was Greencasle, Indiana, where he continued for three years, and in 1904 he came to Elwood, where he is now serving his ninth year as pastor of the East Main Street Christian Church, the congregation of which now numbers over a thousand souls. Rev. Sellers is still in the prime of life, is active and alert, and never tires of doing good for his beloved flock. He has endeared himself to all classes, regardless of denomination or nationality, and his influence, always for good, is found in every walk of city life.
On February 24, 1886, Rev. Sellers was married to Miss Lauretta E. Morgan, who was born in Johnson county, Indiana, daughter of Madison and Mary Ann (McCaslin) Morgan, natives of the Hoosier
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State who are both now deceased. Three children have been born to Rev. and Mrs. Sellers: Paul M., of Elwood, who married Lola Enders, and has three children-Dorothy, Richard and Donald; Lucille, who married J. I. Spingler, and lives in Franklin, and Robert, who is a student in the Elwood High School.
PURL DEAN. In the personnel of the live business men of the thriving town of Summitville, Indiana, Mr. Dean, of the well known firm of Dean & Tomlison, stands for progress, aggressiveness and honesty in the execution of his business interests. He is known in Madi- son county as possessed of rare business acumen, which is a requisite that is a direct aid in the advancement of any village, town or city.
Mr. Dean is a native of Madison county, Indiana, and was born March 29, 1873, the only child born to his parents, Calvin and Dee (Reed) Dean, both residents of Grant county, Indiana. The father is a native of the Blue Grass state of Kentucky, and his life has been spent as an agriculturist, although much of his time has been devoted to the work ,of an auctioneer.
Mr. Dean of this review has been reared in Madison and Grant counties and received a good practical education in the public schools, and the town schools. Most of his boyhood days were spent on one of the pretty Indiana farms of North Central Indiana, and he well knows the value of that training which the farmer lad receives, if he wishes to lay the proper foundation stones of life. In business he has been eminently successful. As an agriculturist he has met with success, and in the buying and selling of horses he ranks with any buyer in Madison county. Besides this he has followed in the foot- steps of his father as an auctioneer, and his services are constantly in demand. He has a splendid farm in Van Buren township, contain- ing excellent improvements, and for some years has been a member of the firm of Dean & Tomlison, of Summitville, dealers in all the best makes of buggies, wagons, plows and harness. In 1913 the firm erected one of the best business houses in Summitville for the display of their goods, containing light work rooms and offices, and the building is the pride of the town of Summitville. Mr. Dean is an affable, genial, cordial gentleman, and by his cordiality of manner wins many customers. He is always ready to greet the stranger with a word of cheer and good will, which is not thrown away.
He wedded Miss Maude North, September 19, 1881, a most estimable lady, and to this union there has been born onc son, Rall, now a student in the graded schools of Summitville. Fraternally Mr. Dean is an honored member of the Modern Woodmen of America; the Improved Order of Red Men, Neoskaleta Tribe, No. 149; the Orioles, Nest No. 8, and the Order of the Eagles, Eyrie No. 1755. Mr. Dean and his family are in sympathy with the teachings and doctrines of the United Brethren church, and politically he is a Democrat. They are citizens who are highly esteemed in the business and social circles of Summitville.
WILLIAM E. THOMPSON. Since the pionee days of Madison county this section of Indiana has known and has been influenced by four gen- erations of the Thompson family, and representatives of three genera- tions are now living and are active workers in the business enterprises of Andersou. The four generations of the family have alike been dis- tinguished for exceptional business talent, enterprise and large public
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spirit, and as individuals they have contributed many important serv- ices to the life and activities of the county. William E. Thompson & Son are prominent in Anderson as contractors and builders, and many of the fine business structures and other works are credited to their industry and skill.
William E. Thompson, the head of the firm of William E. Thomp- son & Son, of Anderson, was born in Madison county, in the village known as Prosperity, five miles north of Anderson, March 19, 1858. His father, James A. Thompson, was born October 12, 1834, at Milton, Wayne county, Indiana. The grandfather was the Rev. William A. Thompson, one of the remarkable characters in the early history of In- diana. His regular occupation was farming, but for many years he was devoted to the ministry of the Baptist church, one of the old-time preachers who performed his work without salary, ministering for the good of the souls and the welfare of his community.
An interesting sketch of Rev. William A. Thompson, the pioneer minister, is found in a work previously published of the history of Madison county, and for its intrinsic value it is reproduced almost verbatim in this sketeh. "William A. Thompson was born in the state of Virginia, October 12, 1803. He was married on September 26, 1819, to Mary E. Berger, by which union a family of thirteen children were born, eight sons and five daughters, of whom eleven grew to he men and women and eight were living in 1874. He removed from the state of Virginia to Henry county, Indiana, in the spring of 1832, and lived there until the spring of 1839. He then moved to Madison county, which continued to be his home until 1866. He then went to Sullivan county, on the western border of Indiana, and spent his final years in that vicinity. His early trade was that of shoemaking, but when he came to Madison county he abandoned that vocation and chose farming as his orcupation, a vocation more congenial to him and one in which he prospered. In 1828 he joined the Methodist Episcopal church, and continued a member until 1830. He then allied himself with the old- school Baptist denomination. On the first Saturday in Angust, 1830. he preached his first sermon, and continued to preach withont inter- mission until the end of his life. He seldom passed a Saturday or Sun- day without delivering a religious discourse. He was always remark- able for his good health and fine physical constitution, and, above all, for his good temper. During his long life he was scarcely ever known to be angry, especially with any member of his family. He stood five feet, eight inches high, was heavy set and had a full, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, black hair. He was a very fluent speaker, and his eloquence was forceful and impressive, as well as fluent. In politics he was a Democrat. His wife died on May 3, 1864, and he later married Mrs. Sarah Richards, widow of John Richards, who had been a Baptist min- ister in Grant county, Indiana. Rev. Thompson was elected a member of the Indiana legislature in 1856, and in that capacity served one term with great honor to himself and the people. He was one of the committee who voted against the state paying the Wabash & Erie canal bonds. In 1863 he was elected a county commissioner for Madison county, and during his one term in that office was mainly instrumental in having Madison county issue bonds to pay bounties to the soldiers who had volunteered for the cause of the Union."
James A. Thompson, the father of William E., was reared in Madi- son county from the age of five years, and has had a successful career
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as a contractor and builder. He has contributed a brief and somewhat original sketch of himself, which is here reproduced: "I came to Madison county in the spring of 1839, and have lived in the county ever since (written in 1913). Was married February 12, 1857, in this county. I am a house carpenter and have worked at the trade for fifty-three years. I joined the Masonic order November 22, 1860, and have been an active worker ever since. The night has never been too hot, too wet or cold for me to attend a Masonie Lodge, and in late years when the family have prevailed or me to remain at home and not expose myself to the eold and disagreeable weather, I have always answered them that 'No man ever suffered by attending the Masonie Lodge.' I am a Thirty-second degree member at Indianapolis. I be- long to no church but attend the service of all denominations .- James A. Thompson." He married Miss Tabitha Mustard, a first cousin of Daniel Mustard, a banker of Anderson. She was born in Madison county, August 30, 1838, and her father, Enos Mustard, was formerly from Ohio.
William E. Thompson, a son of James A. Thompson and wife, ac- quired his early education in the public schools at Anderson, and after leaving the high school he went to Ottawa, Illinois, where he was em- ployed as a clerk in the retail shoe store of Phipps & Company. He was subsequently put in charge of a shoe store at Streator, Illinois, and from there went to Chieago, where he spent a little more than a year as a elerk in a shoe store. With that experience he returned to Ander- son and followed the same line of work for four years. At the end of that time he went to work at the earpenter trade under his father's supervision, and worked with him in the contracting and building busi- ness for two years, at the end of which time he took up contraeting on his own aeeount. Ile was later again engaged with his father for three years, and then joined P. B. Millspaugh in the firm of Thompson & Millspaugh, the partnership continuing for three years. During that time the firm built some of the large residences, school houses and churches in Anderson. They erected the city library building here and at Hartford City and Carthage, Indiana. After the dissolution of the above firm William E. Thompson continued alone until 1913, at which time his son was taken into partnership, and the firm is now known as William E. Thompson & Son. During the busy season Mr. Thompson employs quite a force of men, and his services have been utilized in mueh of the building construction not only in the city and county but elsewhere in the state. His striet rules of business are well known, and he is a contractor whose undertakings are carried out with most serupulous pains and with the utmost reliability, both as to work- manship and as to time.
On the 18th of January, 1881. Mr. Thompson was married to Miss Mary C. Laffan, of Chicago. She died in 1890, leaving the following children : Rome H., Fred E. and Joe F. For his second wife Mr. Thompson married Mrs. Ida Beall MeDowell, of Marion, a member of one of the old families of Grant county. Her father, George W. Beall. is a well known eitizen. Mr. Thompson is prominent in Masonry, hav- ing taken all the degrees in the York Rite, and his affiliations are with Mt. Moriah Lodge, No. 77, A. F. & A. M .; Anderson Chapter. No. 52, R. A. M .; Anderson Commandery, No. 32. K. T .; and Murat Temple, N. M. S., at Indianapolis. He also has affiliations with the Benevolent
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and Protective Order of Elks in Lodge No. 209 at Anderson. The Thompson home in Anderson is at 120 West Seventh street.
GEORGE T. BEEBE. In the fall elections of 1912, when the voters of Madison county elected George T. Beebe to the office of county treas- urer, they voiced the expression of their confidence in his integrity, his absolute reliability and his ability to handle the affairs of one of Indiana's leading counties. It is generally found that the people of a community are not slow in recognizing true worth in an individual, and the man selected to handle the financial resources of a section is invariably one who has made a success in his private affairs. In the ease of Mr. Beebe there has been no exception to this rule, for his career has been one of earnest effort, concluding in well merited suceess, a success all the more commendable in that it has been entirely self gained. Mr. Beebe was born at Draw Bridge, Sussex county, Delaware, January 23, 1856. His father, John S. Beebe, was a native of Virginia and an early settler of Delaware, where for many years he was a pros- perous farmer. He married Miss Elizabeth Carey, a native of Dela- ware, and both are now deceased. They became the parents of eight children, all of whom lived to years of maturity.
George Thomas Beebe received his early education in the public schools of his native state, and in 1877 came to Madison county, Indiana, where for a time he was engaged in teaching school. Subsequently he became a student in a private preparatory school at Elwood, and after leaving there taught in the Elwood schools, but gave up his career as a teacher to become a telegraph operator in the employ of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. He continued in that office and as agent for the road for one year, and then became a bookkeeper for George Hart- ing, of Elwood, continuing with that gentleman for a short period. Coming then to Anderson, he was appointed deputy sheriff of Madison county, an office in which he continued to serve for two years. At that time Mr. Beebe purchased his present abstract and title business from E. E. Hendcoe and Albert Small, and has since maintained his office in the Masonic Temple, where he has the most complete set of abstract books since the first settlement of Madison county. For a time Mr. Beebe served in the capacity of president of the Citizens Gas Company. He has interested himself actively and intelligently in whatever has affected his adopted city, and has steadily advanced to a place in public confidence. A Democrat in politics, in 1912 he was the candidate of his party for the office of county treasurer, to which he was elected, and from his past record there is no doubt that he will be able to satis- factorily discharge the duties of his high position when he takes the reins of office on January 1, 1914. With his family he is an attendant of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been a member and liberal supporter for the past thirty-five years. His popularity among all classes is general, and among the members of the Knights of Pythias in Anderson he has numerous warm friends.
In January, 1887, Mr. Beebe was married to Miss Florence Wright, born near Frankton, and to this union there have been born two daugh- ters, Helen E. and Rachel E. The elder daughter is a graduate of the Anderson high school and completed her education in the State University at Bloomington, Indiana. The younger daughter is attend- ing the Anderson high school. The pleasant family residence, at No. 830
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West Eighth street, is located in one of the most exclusive residence sec- tions of the city.
ELIJAH POSEY MCMAHAN. Mouroe township in Madison county is noted for its finely improved and productive homesteads, and one of these is occupied by Elijah Posey McMahan, who has lived in this county all his life, and has acquired exceptional energy and good busi- ness ability through his farming operations, and is one of the most pros- perous country residents of the county. He owns in his home place one hundred and sixty acres and has cighty acres in Boone township. Mr. McMahan has served as county commissioner of Madison county, and has for many years been an influential factor in his community.
Elijah Posey McMahan was born September 7, 1855, in Boone town- ship of Madison county, a son of Jesse and Lilly ( Williamson) Mc- Mahan. The paternal grandparents came from North Carolina in the early days, and in their family was Jesse McMahan, then a small boy. The latter was reared and spent all his active life in Madison county, and is well remembered among the old residents of this vicinity. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, namely: Elijah P .; Enoch W .; Mrs. Louisa Moore: James; Mrs. Martha Bear, who dicd leaving ten children ; Carolina, deceased ; and Sam'l who died in infancy.
Mr. Elijah P. McMahan was born on the McMahan farm. He grew up there. in the environments of Madison county, during the decade of the war, and as a boy was educated first in the Brunt schools, and later at the Union school. When twenty-one years of age he began his independent career as a renter, and subsequently bought his present farm. He has been successful from the start and has never lacked in means to provide for himself and family. Mr. McMahan married Sarah A. Montgomery daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Thurston) Montgom- ery. Their nine children are mentioned as follows: Orville, who mar- ried Sarah Kirkpatrick and has two children, Wayne and Mildred; Myrtle, who married Hayes Webster, and their children are Cecil, Irene, Robert, Mabel and Jane; Lula, is the wife of J. C. Frazier, and their children are Lester, Jesse, Ruby, Victor, Opal, Fred and Grace; Emma, married James Crouse, and is the mother of Leo, William, Donald and Howard: Winnie, is the wife of Ran Allman; John, mar- ried Miss Olive Gwinn and has a daughter Isabelle ; Grover is manager of the home farm; and the two youngest children were Marjorie, and Jessie, but the last named is now deceased.
As a farmer Mr. McMahan raises a large quantity of stock and also maintains a dairy, selling a great deal of milk to the dealers. For three terms he was elected county commissioner and during that time was instrumental in forwarding many improvements for the county. Mr. McMahan is a member of the Methodist church and his wife worships with the Baptist denomination.
WILLIAM L. SAVAGE. The manager of a well-improved farm of 120 acres, lying in Monroe township, William Savage is an able and worthy representative of the agricultural interests of Madison county, where he has spent his entire career. A member of the younger genera- tion of farmers, he has the hard-headed practicality inherited from a long line of agricultural ancestors, with which he combines the enthusi- asm of youth and the use of modern scientific methods and machinery. Mr. Savage was born on the old family homestead in Pipe Creek town -.
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ship, Madison county, Indiana, August 13, 1890, and is a son of Co- lumbus and Maggie ( Peck) Savage.
The Savage family is known as one of the old and honored ones of Madison county, having been founded here by the great-grandpar- ents of William Savage, who came to Indiana from Vermont, the Green Mountain State, and here took up land from the government. Seipia Savage, the grandfather of William Savage, was born in the Green Mountain State, and was a child when brought to the newly opened section of Indiana. Here he married Nancy Beason, and settled down to agricultural pursuits, in which he was engaged during the remainder of his life. Columbus Savage was born in Pipe Creek township, Madi- son county, and followed in the foot-steps of his father and grandfather, adopting the tilling of the soil as a vocation. He has continued to fol- low this occupation throughout his career, and is now a well-known and substantial farmer of Boone township, where he owns a large tract of land. Columbus Savage was twice married, first to Miss Maggie Peck, and they were the parents of two children. The daughter, Nora- the elder, is deceased, and William L. is the subject of this review. The second marriage was with Miss Josina Benedict, and there were four children born of this union: Herman, Mary, Bernice, Vernice, but the youngest is deceased.
The early education of William Savage was seeured in the public schools of Elwood, following which he became a pupil in the Duck Creek township schools, but subsequently returned to Elwood, where he completed his training. During this time he had been engaged in assisting his father in the work of the home place, and received a thor- ough training in all matters of an agricultural nature. At the time of his marriage, he embarked upon a career of his own, locating on a prop- erty on Alexandria Rural Free Delivery Route No. 1, in Monroe towu- ship, and here he has continued to carry on general farming and stock raising operations with uniform success. He has kept fully abreast of the various changes and advancements made in his vocation, and has never been backward in adopting measures which have shown themselves to be of a beneficial nature. His intelligent management of his affairs has gained him prosperity, and a position of leadership among the younger farmers of his community.
On February 15, 1913, Mr. Savage was united in marriage with Miss Blanche Merrill, daughter of High and Mary Merrill. High Mer- rill was a machinist of Dayton, Ohio, who subsequently moved to Troy, Ohio, and thence to Hartford City, Indiana, where the last years of his life were passed. He was the father of three children: Blanche, Bessie and one who is now deceased.
Mr. Savage is a Republican in his political belief. but his connection with matters of a public nature has been somewhat limited, as he has been too busy with his agricultural operations to actively enter the political arena. However, good men and measures receive his hearty support, and he shows an active and intelligent interest in all that affects the welfare of his community. Fraternally, he is connected with the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men, in which he has many friends. With his wife, he attends the Christian church.
WELDON B. GORDEN. Since 1894, Weldon B. Gorden has been a resi- dent of section 3, Monroe township, where he is the owner of an exeel- lent property of two hundred acres, lying on the Gorden Grove road,
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about five miles north of Alexandria. During this time he has been connected with various enterprises of an agricultural nature, and has fairly earned the leading position which he occupies among the farm- ers of his locality. Mr. Gorden was born half a mile east of his pres- ent farm, October 18, 1859, and is a son of James and Susan ( LaRne) Gorden.
Anderson Gorden, the paternal grandfather of Weldon B. Gorden, was born in North Carolina, from whence he removed to Wayne county, thence came to Putnam county and subsequently came to Madison county, where he became the first settler in section 10, Monroe township. Set- tling in the woods, he took up land from the government. cleared and developed a farm, and eventually became one of the substantial men of his community. James Gorden was also born in Wayne county and accompanied his parents to Madison county, here assisting his father in clearing his land, and, like him, becoming well known as a farmer and public-spirited citizen. He and his wife were the parents of nine ehildren : Mary A., who is now Mrs. Leslie; Lydia E., who is deceased ; Norman; Louis; Harriet, who is now Mrs. Osborn; Albert and Colum- bus, who are deceased ; Weldon; and Catherine, who is now Mrs. Morris.
Weldon B. Gorden attended the publie schools of Monroe township and Danville, and during the greater part of his boyhood and youth assisted his father in cultivating the homestead place. As a young man he went to Jefferson county, Nebraska, where he pursued a course of study in a German school for some time, and there embarked in busi- ness as the proprietor of a general store. In 1885 Mr. Gorden was en- gaged in a partnership in the conducting and editing of The Casey Banner, a weekly edition, of Casey, Illinois, and sold out in 1886 and went to Jetmore, Kansas, where he was engaged in the drug business, but in 1887, moved the stock of goods to Rocky Ford, Colorado. In 1894 he returned to Monroe township and resumed operations on the old home plaee, on which he has resided to the present time, his property being one of the best to be found in this section. The greater part of his attention has been devoted to general farming, but he has also met with sneeess in stock raising ventures, and through honorable dealing has gained the reputation of being a man of the highest principles and strictest integrity. His connection with large enterprises has placed him upon a substantial footing in the commercial world, he having the "istinetion of being (as far as is known) the only man in Indiana who has ever purchased an entire town. During the survey of the Cleve- land & St. Louis Railroad, there sprang into being the town of Osceola, which grew rapidly as prosperity was promised by the advent of the railroad, until five hundred people were living at that point. Substan- tial buildings and residences were erected, and a postoffice located, this later being known by several other names, one of which was Mereury. The town was not considered of enough importance by the railroad, however, land values decreased, and the population diminished as rap- idly as it had grown. Mr. Gorden, realizing his opportunity for an advantageous transaction, succeeded in buying the entire town. He converted the land into valuable farming property, while the lumber of the structures here has been sold in small lots from time to time, and he is still the owner of a number of houses, which he is disposing of to neighboring farmers to be used as outbuildings.
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