USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County, Indiana, from 1820 to 1874 : giving a general review of principal events, statistical and historical items, derived from official sources > Part 16
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ance, weighing two hundred pounds. Whether Mr. Berry's talent was ever brought into actual operation in time of war the writer is not able to say ; however, nature seems to have qualified him for a military man. He seems, at least, to have taken a leading part in the home drill. It seems to be fitting that his remains should rest at Anderson, the home of his choice, and for which he done so much to redeem from the red man and the wilderness. His com- panion and Ninevah, his son, hearing of his sickness, which terminated in his death as above stated, started to go to- administer to his wants, but some unforseen accident hap- pening, they returned. How few comparatively will call to mind Mr. Berry, but those few will remember him as a worthy man and a bold pioneer.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF COLONEL NINEVAH BERRY.
MR. B. was born in Clark county, Ohio, in 1804; came with his father to Anderson in 1820; has lived there ever since. He served as county recorder for seven years ; county treasurer two years; was postmaster in 1845; served in the Mexican war; was an actor in several im- portant battles. He was county surveyor from 1831 for a term of years ; served as deputy sheriff; took an active part in sustaining the law when Peter Runnels was in jail for mobbing Fred. Douglass when at Pendleton ; was in charge of the guard under W. B. Allen, then acting sheriff. For this he lost, to some extent, his popularity. He has lived, however, to have the approval of his course in that exciting case. Conscious to this day of having done nothing but his duty. Mr. B. is an active Mason and a charter member of the Chapter at Anderson ; also a member of Mount- Mariah, No. 77. He was induced to run for mayor in 1870, but was defeated by L. C. Martindale. Mr. B. has
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acted as marshall at all the principal Masonic funerals throughout the county. He is engaged in keeping a family grocery at Anderson. He has the characteristics of his father as regards a military man, in which capacity he has had some experience. Mr. B. is a large man, commanding in appearance, weighing over two hundred pounds- a little above six feet in hight. Throughout all his associations, both public and private, he has maintained the honor and respectability of all his fellow citizens for a period of fifty years. I am indebted to Mr. B. for valuable information on the early history of the county, for which he has our thanks.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF DR. W. P. BRICKLEY.
DR. BRICKLEY came from Randolph county, Indiana, in 1855, and located at Huntsville, and immediately com- menced the practice of medicine. He had an extensive practice which embraced large territory up to 1867, when he removed to Des Moines, Iowa, where he remained one year. Returning again to Madison county, he bought a farm on the Pendleton and Newcastle turnpike, four miles east of the former place, where he lived until the year 1872. He then removed to Anderson, where he now resides, and is engaged in the practice of his profession. I first became acquainted with Mr. Brickley in 1855. I lived neighbor to him in Huntsville, and always found him gentlemanly and obliging. He was full of life and did not object to a good dinner. Dr. Brickley is regarded by the profession as a worthy and skillful member. Mrs. Brickley is a true lady, kind and Christian-like, and her everyday walk gives evi- dence of a noble hearted woman. This couple, on the 26th of September, 1874, celebrated their silver wedding, on which occasion they received the congratulations of their numerous friends. May their union continue until they ·can, in like manner, celebrate their golden wedding.
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PERSONAL SKETCH OF FREDERICK BRON- ENBERG, SR.
MR. B. was born in Germany ; came to Madison county in 1819, and settled three and one-half miles east of Ander- son. He lived there one year; then removed to the north side of White river, remaining one year; then to the south side of the river, one mile west of Chesterfield, where he continued to live up to the day of his death. Mr. B. was a very useful man in his day, having built a grist mill and saw mill, and wollen factory, which were of untold benefit to the settlers of that day. They were consumed by fire in 1847, which caused considerable loss to Mr. B. He owned at one time, seven hundred acres of choice land, which he lived to see developed into one of the finest farms in the county. Mr. B. stood fair among his fellow citizens, whom he served as county commissioner in 1834. Mr. B. raised a large family, among whom are John, Frederick, Michael, Jacob, Henry and Carl, all of whom are living, with the excep- tion of the first named. Mr. B. was in religions faith, a Univer- salist, and politically, a Democrat. He died in 1853, aged sixty-seven years ; and is burried on the old homestead. The name of Broneberg is closely associated with the early history of the county, coming here early as he did and tak- ing an active interest in the development of its resources. He saw the necessity of mills at that early day, and was the first to make a move to supply that want. It is fitting that his name should be held in grateful rememberance.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF THOMAS L. BECK- WITH.
MR. B. was born in New York State in 1815; came to Anderson in 1820, and remained there until 1836, when
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he removed to Perkinsville, where he has resided ever since. On his arrival at the latter place, he commenced the mer- cantile business, which he has continued in up to the pres- ent time. He was appointed postmaster at Perkinsville in 1844; has held the office ever since and is the oldest post- master in the county, if not in the State. He was elected county commissioner in 1852 ; was a candidate for the leg- islature in 1856 against T. N. Stilwell, running ahead of his ticket three hundred votes, being beaten by Colonel Stil- well only seventy votes, showing his immense popularity. Mr. B. is one of the earliest settlers on White river, and was at the execution of the Indian murderers at the Falls in 1824. He went to mill as far as Centerville before the He has watched mills on White river were in operation with interest the growth and development of our county ; has taken a great interest in pikes, railroads, school houses, etc., and has accumulated a considerable amount of prop- erty in Perkinsville and vicinity, where he enjoys the confi- dence of his fellow citizens. Politically, he is Republican, since the death of the old Whig party. He was also a staunch war man ; and is at this writing a candidate for county treasurer. In person Mr. B. is rather under the medium size, of a fair complexion, and is a little lame.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF THOMAS BELL.
MR. BELL was born in Kentucky in 1791; came to Mad- ison county in 1828 ; settled at the Falls of Fall creek, where he remained three years, when he removed to Adams township, on the south bank of Fall creek, two and a half miles north of Markleville, where he continued to live until 1854. He removed to Anderson, remaining there but a short time, losing his wife there. In 1855 he returned to the north part of Adams township, where he married again, a Mrs Adams. Mr. B. represented the county for a period
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of thirteen years, serving in both houses from 1832 to 1845; was at one' time the most popular man in the county, receiv- ing all the votes in his township save one; at one time owned five hundred and ten acres of choice land on Fall creek, worth, at present, perhaps thirty thousand dollars. During the early part of Mr. B.'s life he was a Presbyte- rian, but in 1840 he joined the M. E. Church; gave liber- ally to build a house on his farm, this being a very popular meeting place in early days. His house was always open to the poor as well as the rich. However, he proved rather a poor financier, consequently he died a poor man in 1862. He is buried at the Gilmore graveyard, just east of New Columbus. There is nothing to mark the resting place of " this truly good man." Will not some one move to have a suitable stone erected to his memory ? I never saw Mr. B. but once. This was a short time previous to his death. He was then a poor, broken down man, and stooping. Dark skin. His last days were those of almost want. His is an honorable grave, though obscure and unmarked. This is preferable rather than riches dishoner, and a towering monument.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF GEORGE R. BORAM.
AMONG my first acquaintances in the county was Mr. Boram, living one mile east of Huntsville on the New Columbus road, where he owned a splendid farm and had just erected a fine residence. This was in 1854. Mr. Boram was elected, in 1862, as a Democrat, to the office of county commissioner, which office he filled with ability. He was for several years engaged largely in the grain trade in Anderson, where he owned a warehouse. He was also engaged in the hog trade and pork packing at Pendleton. He came with his parents from Virginia, when he was a young man, where he taught school in winter and labored through the summer, and where, it might be said, he
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made his start in the world. He accumulated a large amount of property. Mr. Boram was a large and portly man, making a good appearance, with dark hair, heavy eyebrows, prominent features, indicating a strong mind with good social qualities and with general information. He was a devoted Mason and Odd Fellow, in which insti- tutions he took great interest. He was, in faith, a strong Universalist, and contributed largely in the building of the church of that order in Pendelton. He died in April, 1869, a little past the meridian of life, surrounded by all the comforts of home and confidence of friends. He was buried at Huntsville by the Masonic and Odd Fellow fra- ternities, attended by one of the largest processions ever witnessed in this part of the county. He had, at his death, a life policy of five thousand dollars. His family now reside in Anderson. Mr. Boram is a brother of John Boram, of Adams township, and also of Gideon Boram, of Anderson. His father died in 1856. His mother died in 1874, aged ninety-five years. They are both buried at Collier's cemetery in Adams county.
SKETCH OF THE BUSBY FAMILY.
THIS family came to the county from Virginia in an early day, about 1825. The older set consist of John, Thomas and Isaac. John lived for many years on the farm now owned by Joel Garretson, in the southern part of Fall Creek township, near Lick creek. He was regarded as a very excellent man; was large and fine looking, and took great interest in training, when he was in his zenith. He removed west several years ago, highly esteemed by all who became acquainted with him here in this county. I believe he is still living. Thomas located in Stoney Creek township in 1836, where he had great influence and served a term of years as justice of the peace. He was an active
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member of the M. E. Church and assisted greatly in build- ing up that society in Stoney Creek township. His influ- ence was always on the side of morality and temperance. He was born in Virginia in 1791, and died in 1865, and is buried near Fishersburg. He lived to see the slave go free, and, like a shock of corn fully ripe, he was gathered to his Father. He is the father of Samuel Busby, who lives east of Fishersburg, where he owns a fine farm. Samuel is also a member of the M. E. Church, and is regarded as a very worthy man. Isaac located three and a half miles east of Pendleton on what is now the Pendleton and New Castle Pike, where he lived for a period of thirty-five years, and where to a great extent he developed the native forest into one of the finest farms in Fall Creek township. I first became acquainted with Mr. B. in 1855. He was one of those men the more you know of whom the better you like them. He was an excellent fireside companion, and well posted on the Scriptures and political matters. In faith he was a Universalist, believing in the salvation of all man- kind. Indeed, this seemed to be his theme. It is said that every man has his hobby, and I may say of this man, that salvation was his. M.r. B. was a Whig till the party ceased to exist, after which time he veted with the Republi- can party. He took a lively interest in the late war and his best wishes were with the boys in blue. He, like his brother Thomas, lived to see the war close, and peace once more smile before he laid down to his last slumber. He is the father of Silas Busby, who lives just south of Hamilton in Jackson township; also, of Mrs. Joshua L. Fussell, a very estimable lady, who lives in the southern part of Fall Creek township ; and of Mrs. Franklin Darlington, of Fall Creek ; and of Mrs. John Willson, of Monroe township. Isaac died in April, 1874, aged seventy-four. His funeral was one of the largest ever witnessed in the southern part of the county. He is buried on the farm originally owned by him, in the Busby cemetery. Mr. B. was a large man, full six feet high, bent with age, thin visage, small, piercing gray eyes, high forehead and florid complexion. Here we
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will close this short, imperfect sketch of this family, falling far short of what it should be, but serving till abler pens than mine shall sketch them in a more deserving manner.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF R. N. CLARK.
MR. CLARK came, with his parents, to the county in 1833 ; located near Pendleton; became a citizen of Anderson in 1841, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years. He was a collector of revenue during the war, and was a candidate for county treasurer in 1864. He made a very respectable race. He was, however, defeated by a few votes, in favor of W. W. Noland. Mr. C. has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; was an earnest worker in all its relations; was superintendent of the Sabbath school for a period of nine years. He was president of the county Sunday School Union for two years, and chairmain of the Republican Cen- tral Committee for four years. In each of the above capacities he served with distinction and ability. He was foremost in every good work. His special delight seemed to be in the temperance cause, and his co-workers will call to mind his unsparing zeal in this work. In person, Mr. C. is rather under the medium size, of fair complexion and good features, and is a speaker of some ability.
Since the above was written, Mr. Clark has been sum- moned to his last account, and in connection with the above we will give an obituary notice published in the Herald at the time of his death. His widow is the daughter of Andrew Jackson, of Anderson.
RALPH N. CLARK.
The article on the occasion of the death of a former resi- dent of this place, we copy from the Anderson Herald :
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" In the death of Ralph N. Clark, our community is bereft of one of its most esteemed and highly respected citizens. He was born in Monroe county, Virginia, on the 12th of September, 1821. He came to this county and settled near Pendleton, with his parents in 1833. About thirty-four years ago he came to Anderson, when it was a mere village, and soon became closely idententified with all its interests ; and from that time to his death, was one of its leading spirits in all its enterprises and improvements. He united with the M. E. church about twenty years ago, and at once entered upon a career of activity and usefulness. He was made a class-leader soon after he joined, which place he occupied until his death, with the exception of a brief period while a resident of Pendleton. In the Sunday school work, he has been more than ordinarily active and successful. It was his chosen part of the Master's vineyard, and in it he always delighted to labor. He assisted in the organization of the first Sunday school ever held in Anderson, and was its superintendent, even before he became a member of church. When the M. E. church organized a school of its own, he assisted in its organization, and the preparation of its con- stitution and by-laws, which are still used for the govern- ment of the school, with very little change or amendment. For nine years he was its honored superintendent, and to his energy and faithfulness, the school and church owe much of their prosperity and position at the present time.
" When the Madison County Sunday School Union was organized, he was elected president, which position he filled for two years, and we believe did more to build up the work in Madison county than any other one man. In his death
the Union has sustained a very great loss. And yet we trust the influence of his labors in the Sunday school work has only begun to be felt. " His works shall follow him.'"'
" When the temperance wave struck Anderson, he was again found in the front rank of reform and right. He was chosen temporary chairman of the first meeting, and when the "Anderson Temperance Alliance " was formed, he was elected its first president, which position he held at the
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time of his death. For near four months, during which time meetings were held every day, and frequently twice a day, he was almost always at his post, having in that time presided over more than a hundred meetings, and in every case giving universal satisfaction. His loss to the Alliance is a serious one-one which it was illy prepared to sustain at this time; for, while we trust that the hardest part of the work of the Alliance is over, we fear his place can not be so well filled by any one now obtainable. The great inter- est he felt in the work, together with his executive ability, made him almost an indispensable part of the Alliance.
He died on Monday, June 1, 1874, in the fifty-third year of his age. The large concourse of friends and citizens attending his funeral, together with the full representation of the I. O. O. F., of this and neighboring lodges, of which order he was a member, all show more fully than words can express, the estimation in which he was held by the com- munity in which he lived."
The following resolutions were passed at the County Sunday School Union, held at Asbury Chapel, September 30, 1874 :
WHEREAS, Since our last regular meeting it has pleased God to remove from our midst our much esteemed brother, Ralph N. Clark, who was, for two years, the president of this Sunday School Union, and always one of its most ear- nest workers ; therefore,
Resolved, 'That in his death this Union, and the Sunday school cause of this county, has sustained a great loss ; and in memory of his name, it is hereby ordered that this pre- amble and resolution be spread upon the permanent records of the Union, and that a copy of same be presented to his family.
ASSASSINATION OF REV. W. C. MOREAU.
BELOW will be found a sketch of the tragic end of W. C. Moreau, formerly a citizen of this county, and a member of
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the bar at Anderson. He was a man of fine talents and an excellent speaker. In person Mr. M. was under the medium size, dark complexion, dark eyes, long hair.
" The end of that naturally brilliant but erratic genius, Rev. Will C. Moreau, has finally come. He was foully murdered by a Georgia negro, Richard Aiken, on the night of November 9th, at Wilkinson, Georgia. Mr. Moreau was well known to many of the citizens of Anderson. In many respects his career was a most remarkable one, the last six years of which may be summed up as follows :
" He came here in the fall of of 1868 from Knightstown, and engaged in the practice of the law. In 1871 he went Indianapolis, and engaged in the grocery business. In the spring of 1872, he went to Nashville, Tenn., and opened a beer gaden. In the fall of the same year he returned to Anderson, and reusmed the practice of law. During the presidential campaign of 1872 he joined Blanton Duncan's movement and endeavored to carry Indiana into it. In the winter of 1873 he went to Logansport and remained a short time. While there, in an altercation with Judge Dykeman, he was shot, but having on a coat of mail he escaped serious injury. From Logansport he went to Georgia and began to preach, and was pastor of the Christian Church at Oco- nee at the time of his assassination. He leaves a wife and child in Georgia, and a divorced wife in Indianapolis, to mourn his taking off."
The Wilkinson (Ga.) Appeal gives the following account of the foul deed :
" Mr. S. S. Joyer, of Oconee, sends us the following partic- ulars of the assassination of the Rev. W. C. Moreau, of Washington county, written by Mr. H. M. Fisher, one of the coroner's jury :
"On the night of November 9, between the hours of 9 and ten o'clock, the Rev. W. C. Moreau was shot dead through a glass window while sitting in a rocking chair by his fire-side reading a newspaper. On one side of him sat his wife, and just behind was sitting a little girl who lived with them, and on a bed in the room was lying asleep the
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little daughter of Mrs. Moreau. The murderer entered the piazza, and stealthily approaching the window, fired the fatal shot through one of the lower panes of glass. The shot broke the window, and struck the lamp, putting it out, and then entered the body of Mr. Moreau.
"The escape of Mrs. Moreau and the little girl was almost miraculous, as the shot struck several objects in the room, and, glancing, came near the places where they were sitting. Left in a total darkness by the breaking of the lamp, Mrs. Moreau and the girl fled to the negro quarters, and appealed to the wagoners to come to their assistance : she also sent a negro off to a neighbor. The news spread rapidly, and the neighbors came in, and the house was soon crowded with black and white.
" Steps were immediately taken to arrest the murderer. It had rained the day before, and the tracks made in approaching and retiring from the house were plainly and distinctly marked on the moist earth, and went from and to the cabin where a negro named Richard Aiken lived. A jury was summoned, and the evidence pointing to this negro, the jury decided that the Rev. W. C. Moreau came to his death from shot-gun wounds inflicted by Richard Aiken. He was arrested and lodged in the county jail."
PERSONAL SKETCH OF TOHOMAS G. CLARK.
MR. C. was born in Virginia; came to this county in an early day, and located in Lafayette township, near Florida station. He was elected to the legislature as a Democrat in 1856, and served with ability, and was for several years township trustee. Mr. C. took great interest in the county and did as much as any other man for its advancement. Few men were more universally respected than Mr. Clark. He removed to Wayne county, Indiana, about the year 1863, and died there in 1870: Mr. C. was tall, and had
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dark hair and a dark complexion. Florida station, where he lived, was long known as Clark station, named in honor of him. He was the colleague of Colonel Stilwell in the House in the winter of '56 and '57.
PERSONAL SKETCH OF JOHN COOKMAN.
MR. C. was born in Virginia in 1785, and is now, since the death of Mr. Maynard, the oldest man in the county. He came to Madison county in 1829, and entered his land one mile north of New Columbus, where he now resides. Although Mr. C. had first choice in entering land, strange to say, he selected one of the most broken tracts in the township. In early life, Mr. C. was a Methodist in belief, and united with that order. In later life, he became a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Cookman aided in the arrest of three men, viz: Isaac and Abram Rector and Ace Adams, who had broken into Hiram Birch's store in, 1831. This was the first arrest of any importance since the Indian murder, in 1824, which occurred in Adams town- ship. Two of the above persons were condemned to imprisonment. The case was prosecuted by James Raridon, of Centreville. Mr. C. has always occupied an humble position in life, having never been called upon to fill an office of any trust or profit. Our attention is drawn toward him more on account of his extreme age and long citizenship than of anything else of which we might speak.
The author called on him in June, 1874. Found Mr. C. in very feeble health, his extreme deafness causing an extended conversation very difficult. He lost his wife a num- ber of years ago, and now receives the care of an attentive daughter. Mr. C. is of medium size, fair complexion, and,. as his age will indicate, a man of strong constitution. His head which was once adorned with the locks characteristic of youth, is now whitened with age, and from some cause unknown to us, he still lingers.
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PERSONAL SKETCH OF DAVID CONRAD.
MR. C. was born in New Jersey in 1827, came to Stoney Creek township in 1839 and located two miles northeast of Fishersburg. He now lives one mile from Fishersburg, on the Anderson pike where he owns a fine farm and is sur- rounded with all the comforts of life. Mr. Conrad was clerk of Stoney Greek township for a period of seven years and served as township trustee for three years. He has served as a member of the central committee from Stoney Creek township for a number of years and is known throughout the county as being an active and zealous worker in the Republican ranks. He has always taken a deep interest in the Sabbath school cause, and is now superinten- dent of the Sabbath school at Fishersburg. He stands deservedly high throughout the county and has always taken a deep interest in public schools, turnpikes, and in fact everything that is progressive. Mr. C. was a strong advo- cate and a stock holder in the Anderson and Fishersburg pike and was one of its first directors.
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