USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 52
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On September 4, 1895, Prof. Clauser was married to Miss Effie Weaver, who was born at Cutler, Carroll county, Indiana, daughter of William H. and Martha A. (Long) Weaver, and granddaughter of Samuel Weaver. Her father, a native of Indiana, died at the age of seventy-eight years, in Carroll county, while her mother. also a native of the Hoosier State, is still living at Cutler, and is now in her seventy-
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eight year. They had a large family, of whom five children are now living : Addie, Josephine, Margaret, Effie and Mabel. Prof. and Mrs. Clauser have had three children: Earl Durward, Joseph Weaver ami Martha Karolyn.
Prof. and Mrs. Clauser are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has served as an elder for several years. He has interested himself to some extent in fraternal work, and is a popular member of Mitchell Lodge No. 228, F. & A. M., of which he is past master; El. wood Lodge, Knights of Pythias; and Elwood Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has not cared to enter political life.
JOHN CONNER, the owner of 213 acres of land, holds undisputed prestige among the agriculturists of his community, where he has passed his entire life. Although his operations have been of such an extensive nature as to make him an extremely busy man, he has ever been alert to the needs of his locality, and at no time has refused to give his support to measures of a beneficial nature. Mr. Conner was born in a little log house on his present farm, June 19, 1864, and is a son of Levi and Marietta (Tuttle) Conner.
The family was founded in Madison county, Indiana, by the grand- parents of Mr. Conner, John and Ada (Ogden) Conner, who brought their children from Meigs county, Ohio, entering eighty acres of land in Richland township in 1832. Levi Conner was born in the Buckeye State, February 29, 1832, and was brought as a child to this county, being reared on the old homestead and securing his education in the primitive district schools of his day. He was brought up to agricultural pursuits, followed in the foot-steps of his father, and became one of the wealthy and influential men of his community and a citizen who at all times had the welfare of his section at heart. At one time he owned an estate of 960 acres. His death occurred July 25, 1904. He was a Republican politieally and a member of the Christian church. He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom three are living: Katherine, who married Charles Hurley and their children are Levi Joshua, Louie Belle and Dale; Rosa, became the wife of John Hancock and their children are Mary Rebecca, Eva Marie, Willie, Charles Alva and George Levi; John is the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Conner was born on the 15th of October, 1840.
John Conner received his education in the old schoolhouse which was located on the homestead place, and here grew to manhood, being trained to habits of industry, economy and right living. At the time of his father's retirement from active life he was made manager of the vast estate, and since the older man's death he has continued to operate the property for the other heirs. He has also engaged in extensive opera- tions on his own account, and has accumulated a tract of 213 acres of land which through able management and scientific treatment he has made to pay him in a handsome manner for his labors. Although Mr. Conner devotes the greater part of his attention to general farming, he has also made a success of his stock raising ventures, and is known as one of the best judges of cattle in his community. The home place is situated on Anderson Rural Route, back of the State Road, where are located a modern residence, substantial barns and well-built outbuildings. the entire property being made valuable by improvements of handsome appearance and modern character.
Mr. Conner was married to Miss Elizabeth Haney, a native of this
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county, daughter of Jonas and Minerva (Buffington) Haney. Mr. Haney came from Ohio, and is now one of the very prominent farmers of Richland township. Mr. and Mrs. Conner have no children. They attend the Methodist Episcopal church, are prominent in its affairs, and have at all times lent their support to its movements. An enthusiastic bunter and fisherman, when he can lay aside the duties of his extensive interests Mr. Conner slips away with rod and gun, and seldom returns without some specimen of the furry or finny tribes which have fallen victims to his skill.
CHARLES H. THOMPSON. One of the prosperous farmers of La- fayette township, a soldier of the Civil war, Charles H. Thompson has for fifty years been a resident of this county, where he began his ca- reer as a poor man, by thrift and industry, year by year accumulated a liberal additional prosperity and is now an influential and substan- tial citizen. Mr. Thompson owns a fine farm of one hundred and forty acres, located on the Anderson road about three quarters of a mile north of the village of Florida.
Charles H. Thompson is a native of Albermarle county, Virginia. where he was born in 1842. The family moved to Kentucky when he was a baby and he was reared in Fleming county, Kentucky, on a farm. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Blankenship) Thompson. His father was a Kentucky farmer, where he spent the remainder of his career, and never came to Indiana except on a visit. He was one of the early settlers in his part of the old Blue Grass state.
Mr. Thompson was reared in Kentucky, and received a common school education in that state. In September, 1862, when he was twenty years of age, he entered the Union forces as a private in the Eighteenth Regiment of Kentucky Infantry, and during the following years saw active service in Tennessee, South Carolina and West Virginia. In 1863 he came to Indiana and began work as a farm laborer at monthly wages. He was a hard worker, was economical, and finally secured enough to enable him to purchase a small tract of land which was the nucleus around which he has built up his present substantial estate.
In 1865 Mr. Thompson married Miss Mary Ann Jenkins. They are the parents of one child, Isaac, who married Amanda Bodkin, and they are the parents of two children, Charles and George. Mr. Thompson is affiliated with the Grand Army Post, and is a Democrat in politics. He and his family attend the Methodist church.
W. F. SCOTT. M. D. The contemporary biographer is usually asked to face a difficult task in attempting to sketch a review of the life of an indi- vidual who has in a direct, or indirect, manner, as it may have been, impressed himself upon his community. It is usually found that those who have achieved distinction are those who are least willing to allow themselves their undoubted privilege of giving to the public the secrets of their success, feeling, perhaps, that by so doing they are violating the rules (if their calling be of a professional nature) of their calling. How- ever, in the case of Dr. W. F. Scott, of Linwood, the narrator is not called upon to delineate the character of his subject, for thirty years of earnest endeavor' and conscientious service have made an introduction unnecessary to the people in whose community he has spent the best years of his life. Dr. W. F. Scott is a West Virginian, born at Morgantown, Monongalia county, June 29, 1852, a son of Stanford B. and Anna (Tibbs) Scott. His father, a farmer by occupation, brought the family Vol. II-24
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to Madison county about 1868, and settled on a tract of land situated wis of Florida, this farm being still known as the Scott homestead. Of il .. family of eight children, four are living: W. F., of this review; Burt, Mrs. Louise Frum, and Mrs. Mary Vance.
Although he was but sixteen years of age when brought to Madis ... county, Dr. Scott had already decided upon a professional career, ami had mastered the rudimentary principles of medicine. He completed hi- studies in the State College, at Indianapolis, and during this time added to the resources necessary to put him through this institution by teaching school in Anderson township. His preparation completed and his diploma secured, he entered at once upon the practice of his profession at Linwood, and since that time he has been in the enjoyment of a constantly increasing practice. Dr. Scott specializes along no lines. His practice calls him frequently into the country, but this coincid., with his inclination, for he has ever been a lover of the fresh out-door life. He has invested his means in real estate in Linwood, where he owns three valuable properties, and in addition to these has a hand- some, well-cultivated farm of eighty aeres lying in Lafayette and Morgan townships.
On September 27, 1886, Dr. Scott was married to Miss Ada Conk- ling, daughter of Isaac and Matilda L. (Patton) Conkling, and four children have been born to this union: Chester F., who married Esther Finfroek, and has one son-Benjamin F .; Grace E., who married Albert B. Mead, and has a daughter-Helen Virginia ; Mrs. Florence Hollen- beek, who has three children --- Harvey S., H. Roberta and Garland C .; and one who died in infancy. Dr. Seott keeps well abreast of the ad- vaneements of his profession and takes a keen interest in the work of the various medical organizations. His fraternal connection is with the Odd Fellows.
AUSTIN BRUMBAUGH. Since 1910 mayor of Elwood, Mr. Brun- baugh is one of the citizens whose residence, success in business. and high personal character entitle them to the best distinetions in public life, where their previous record insures faithful and intelligent service in behalf of the public welfare. As chief executive of the city, Mr. Brumbaugh has been an actual as well as a nominal leader of local government and affairs, and is doing mueh in both his public and private capacity to make Elwood one of the best commercial centers of eastern Indiana.
Austin Brumbaugh was born in Huntington, Indiana, September 20, 1868, a son of Frederick and Amanda C. (Hoover) Brumbaugh. the father a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother a native of Ohio. The paternal grandparents were Henry and Rebecca (Waltz) Brum- baugh, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent. The former followed the occupation of carpenter and farmer, and he died in Huntington county, Indiana, at the age of sixty-seven. His wife lived on to the great age of ninety-seven. They had a large family, several of whom died in youth, and the others are mentioned as follows: John; Isaae; Frederick; William; Daniel; Rebecca, who mar- ried Jacob Palmer; Charlotte, who married Samuel. Friedley. The maternal grandparents of the Elwood mayor were Christopher and Susanna Hoover, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Indiana. They were among the early settlers of Huntington county. where they died in advanced years. Their four children were: Sarah,
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wife of George W. Jewett; Amanda C., the mother of Mr. Brumbaugh; Maria, wife of William Brumbaugh; and Anderson Hoover.
Frederick Brumbaugh, the father, was a youth when he accom- panied his parents to Huntington county, Indiana, and grew up to manhood there amid pioneer conditions. He was reared on a farm, but subsequently became a general contractor and followed that husi- ness with substantial success during the rest of his life. His death occurred in Huntington in 1910 at the age of seventy-three. His wife survives him, and they were both members of the German Baptist or Dunkard faith. Ten children were born into their household, seven of them reaching maturity as follows: James H., of Huntington; Laura, wife of George W. Krumanaker, of Tipton; Austin, of Elwood; Florence, wife of Clark M. Miller, of Chicago; William J., of Chicago; Elnora, wife of Warren T. MeLain, of Chicago; Bertha, wife of Leonard B. Cortright, of Chicago.
Reared in the city of Huntington, where he attended the public schools, Mr. Austin Brumbaugh first chose as his practical occupation the trade of carpenter, and worked at that with his father. Four years were next spent in railroading, and he then began the manufacture of ice cream in Chicago. In March, 1904, he located at Elwood, where he established an ice cream business and still conducts as one of the important local concerns of this city.
Mr. Brumbaugh in 1910 was elected to his present office of mayor, and has occupied the chief place in the city hall to the present time. In politics he is a Democrat, but his chief concern and characteristic is good citizenship. Fraternally he is affiliated with Quincy Lodge No. 230 A. F. & A. M .; Elwood Chapter No. 109 R. A. M .; with Alexandria Council No. 85 R. & S. M .: and Adoniram Lodge of Perfection, and also the thirty-second degree of Scottish Rites. He is also affiliated with the Chicago Lodge No. 55 I. O. O. F. at Chicago, and with Elwood Lodge No. 368 of the Order of Elks. Mr. and Mrs. Brumbaugh are both members of the Methodist church.
On April 6, 1900, he married Miss Anna Henry, a daughter of John Henry. She was born in Allen county, near Fort Wayne.
EDGAR E. DAVIS. Twenty-one years in the furniture and under- taking business at Alexandria have made Edgar E. Davis one of the oldest established and most successful merchants of the city, and along with mercantile success he has been an influential factor in the social life and civic activities of his portion of Madison county.
Mr. Davis is a native of Rush county, born in the town of Arlington, July 15, 1863. His parents were Benjamin F. and Nancy A. (Arnett) Davis, both natives of Ohio. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Davis, whose wife was Mary (Sells) Davis, was born in North Carolina, was a farmer, and in an early day brought his family to Rush county. Subsequently he moved to Frankton in Madison county, where he spent the declining years of his life and died at a good old age. His wife died near the city of Wabash. Their three children were Armenus, a Methodist minister, who is now in Port Townsend, Washington ; Clara, wife of Joseph Campbell, of Frankton; and Benjamin E. The mater- nal grandfather was James Arnett, who lived with his family at Arling- ton, Indiana, where he was in business as general storekeeper. He died there when past eighty years of age, and his family included the children
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Nancy A., Mrs. James Page, Mrs. Delia Dwiggins, Jefferson Arnett, Mrs. Williamson Scott and William.
Benjamin F. Davis, the father, was reared in Ohio, and then can ... when the country was new, to Rush county, Indiana. By trade he w ... , a wagon-maker and blacksmith and had his shop for many years at Frankton, in Madison county, where he still resides, being now in th. furniture and undertaking business. His good wife is a member of the Methodist church. Their children, six in number, are mentioned as follows: Ella, deceased, who was the wife of Thomas L. DeHority, of Anderson; Charles, of Seattle, Washington; Mollie, now the wife of William Simmons, of Frankton, Indiana; Edgar E .; Gertrude, deceased. who was the wife of Fred Alexander, of Noblesville, Indiana; and Rosa, the wife of Frank Troop, of Frankton, Indiana.
Edgar E. Davis was reared in Frankton, from the time he was thre: years of age. His schooling was in the public institutions, and i:p acquitted himself so well in his studies that he was granted a license to teach and followed that occupation during one term. He then turned to the blacksmith trade, with which he had become familiar and skillful when a boy, and worked at that until after his marriage. He lived at Rigdon and followed his trade for eight years. He then came to Alex- andria, and established himself in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness, and his store and service have been an important part of the mer- cantile enterprise of the city for twenty-one years. His establishment is located at 224 North Harrison street. Mr. Davis was honored by election to the office of secretary of the Indiana Funeral Directors' Asso- ciation, and in 1903 he was elected president of this association.
On the 21st of June, 1883, he married Miss Louie Smith, a daughter of Jeremiah and Hester (Winship) Smith. Their two children are named Donna Fay and Glendon Guy. Donna Fay married Bloomer J. Pickard, who is now deceased, leaving one daughter, Georgia Ruth; Glendon Guy died at the age of twenty-one years on November 27, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of the Methodist church in Alexandria. and Mr. Davis has for many years been a worker and official, being now trustee and treasurer. He is affiliated with Alexandria Lodge No. 235 A. F. &. A. M .; Alexandria Chapter No. 99 R. A. M .; Alexandria Coun- cil No. 85 R. & S. M., also with Necessity Lodge No. 222 I. O. O. F., having also attained the Encampment and Canton degrees of this order: and with the Improved Order of Red Men. In politics he is a Republican. Mrs. Davis is a native of Rush county, her mother being a native of the same county, and her father of Kentucky. The family subsequently moved to Madison county, where the parents died. Her father was killed in a railroad accident a few years ago, and her mother died in December, 1907. Mrs. Davis was the only child.
LEROY FREE. Since the pioneer times in Madison county, few fam- ilies have borne so well the duties and responsibilities of citizenship as the Free family, one of the most prominent representatives of which in the present generation is LeRoy Free, the present trustee of Lafay- ette township. The various members of the family have for many years been identified with the agricultural industry of the county, and all have made worthy names and been materially prosperous in their in- dividual lives.
LeRoy Free was born on the homestead which he still occupies in Lafayette township, on August 20, 1878. He is a son of George and
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Jane (Clay) Free. His father came from Ross county, Ohio, and was , boy when the family located in Madison county. The founders of the Free family in this county were the paternal grandparents, Abra- ham and Cynthia (Van Meter) Free. Their settlement here occurred about 1852, along about the time the first railroad was constructed through the county, and when the county was still only a few years away from its pioneer conditions. They located in Lafayette town- ship, and George Free attended the early schools of that locality and was reared on a farm which when the family first occupied it had been little developed since its primitive condition. George Free and wife became the parents of four children, named as follows: Hattie, who is now Mrs. Alexander, with residence near Frankton; LeRoy; Charles and Cloe.
LeRoy Free during his boyhood attended the common schools and as soon as he was able to wield any of the farm implements he began his active labors as a helper about the homestead. He has been a success- ful member of the agricultural community, and has interested himself in all public-spirited endeavors in this vicinity.
It is his record as township trustee during the past four years that has brought Mr. Free into prominence as a factor in public affairs, and so well lias he discharged the duties of that important position in one township that he is now regarded as the most eligible Democratie can- didate for the nomination to the office of county auditor. His election to the position of trustee came with a gratifying majority, which was a tribute both to his personal standing and to his recognized efficiency as an administrator of the township affairs. Under the accounting law, passed a few years ago by the legislature, Mr. Free has the honor of receiving the first report issued in the state. The schools of Lafayette township in the past four years have made more notable progress toward effi- ciency than could be claimed of any other similar locality in Madison county, and the chief credit for this improvement is due to Trustee Free. The school No. 9 which was constructed under his supervision has the distinction of being the first building to comply with the sanitary laws of the state. While trustee of Lafayette township he has directed the construction of three school buildings, and has in addition looked after many other affairs affecting the territory under his efficient jurisdiction. As a member of the board of education of Madison county he has again and again made his influence felt in the direction of progress, and thus the example set by him in one township has proved stimulating to the other constituent parts of the county.
His work in connection with the schools, while perhaps first in import- ance, has not solely occupied his time and attention officially. Under his trusteeship more practical road improvement has been effected than at any previous four-year period in the history of the township. Township road work has been systematized to such an extent that the mud road in Lafayette is a thing of the past. Those who use the roads to any extent in different parts of the county quickly learn from the state of the highways when they come into the township of which Mr. Free has supervision. To a similar degree has progress been made in drainage work. The greater part of the open ditches have been covered over and converted into tiled subterranean outlets, and in some respects this im- provement lead all the rest in placing Lafayette among the best farming communities of the state. The effort and interest which he has directed so unreservedly toward material betterment have been equally bestowed
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upon the advancement of social and moral tone in the rural districts, and he has done much to make Lafayette a better place to live in for both the young and the old.
ALVA NEWTON HAROLD .. Some men are in business by force of cir- cumstances over which they have no control, and for the reason that th- majority of persons adopt any line of work. There are others, compara- tively few, however, who take to business pursuits from the very earliest sessions of inclinations and aptitudes, and are often spoken of as born to trade. In this latter line is Alva Newton Harold, who has been a trader, a buyer and seller, since boyhood, and now controls probably more extensive mercantile enterprises in Alexandria than any other indi- vidual business man. He is in the buggy and general implement trade. has a general merchandise store, and is also a dealer in real estate.
Alva Newton Harold was born in Tipton county, Indiana, January 30, 1877, a son of James Perry and Rachael Ann (Garner) Harold, the father a native of Indiana, and the mother born in Ohio at Chillicothe. The paternal grandparents were Ezekiel and Nancy Harold, natives of Pennsylvania and pioneers of Indiana. Ezekiel Harold was a farmer by occupation, and died when past middle life. His seven children were James P., Daniel, Jasper, Rebecca, Nancy, Eliza and Marinda. The grandfather had previously married and had one child, William, by that marriage. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Harold were Vincent and Rachael Garner. They were farmers by occupation and early settlers in Tipton and Howard counties, and the children of their family were Margaret, Rachael, Betsy, Nancy and Enoch. The father of Mr. Harold was reared in Hamilton and Tipton counties, and he spent most of his life as a farmer in those two counties, and also in Howard county. His death occurred February 20, 1899. He and his wife had four children, namely : Sarah Ellen, deceased; Elma, wife of George Manlove, of Kempton, Indiana; Clara, single, and residing at Kempton, and Alva N., of Alexandria.
Mr. Harold was reared on a farm in Tipton and Howard counties, received his education in the district schools, and then in the West Middleton school at Howard county, and remained on the home farm until he was grown. After the death of his father he moved into Tipton county, where for several years he operated a large rented farm. He next bought a half interest in his father's estate and some time later traded it for a stock of implements and buggies. Thus formally he got into the channels of trade in which he has remained ever since.
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In September, 1910, he came to Alexandria, where he bought the Spitler hardware store, and also the James G. Bowers Buggy & Imple- ment house. Besides this extensive business, he owns a large department store, considerable other city property and has one of the finest homes in Alexandria.
On April 6, 1902, Mr. Howard married Miss Leuella Wells, daughter of William H. and Mary (Beatty) Wells. Mrs. Harold was born in Howard county, and her parents were natives of Tipton and Howard counties, respectively. Her mother died in the latter county at the age of fifty-nine, and her father now makes his home at Russiaville, Indiana. The children in the Wells family were Thomas, Anna, Jeanette, Luella, George and Lizzie. . The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Harold are named Aaron and Hazel. Mr. and Mrs. Harold are both members of the Chris-
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