USA > Indiana > Miami County > History of Miami County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 64
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AUGUSTUS BANKS, a native of Mifflin County, Pennsyl- vania, was born November 29, 1800, to James and Catharine (Nel- son) Banks, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Scotch and Irish nation- ality respectively. They settled about midway between Pittsburg and Philadelphia, and assisted in driving the Indians from that country. The subject remained on the farm until he was twenty- one years of age, receiving a common school education, and he was then engaged in Lewiston, Penn., to learn the printer's trade, in which he succeeded, and afterwards worked in the cities of Balti- more and Philadelphia as a jour printer, he then went to Jackson, Tenn., and established the Western Republican, where he stayed about two years, and thence to Florida, after which tour he returned to Huntington, Penn., and assumed charge of the paper at
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that place and held editorial control about four years, when he went to Pittsburg to accept the position of foreman of one of the leading papers of that city. There he remained two years and then emigrated westward to Peru in 1838 and became the editor of the Peru Gazette, associated with James Scott, now of Delphi. After a time he purchased a yoke of oxen and commenced farm- ing. In September,. 1834, he married Miss Sarah McConnell, a native of Huntington, Penn., and their marriage resulted in the birth of the following children: John (deceased), James (killed at Mission Ridge), Mary, Catharine, Martha, Sarah, David (deceased) and Augustus. Politically he is a Republican.
WILLIAM V. BEECHER is a native of Chester County, Pennsylvania, born December 4, 1831. His parents, Benjamin and Margaret (Finney) Beecher, were both natives of Pennsylvania. The former, Benjamin Beecher, was a son of John and Mary A. (Albert) Beecher, who were natives of Germany, and from thence emigrated to the United States in a very early day, settling in the State of Pennsylvania. They were the parents of fifteen children, viz: George, Samuel, Jacob, William, Benjamin, John, Catherine, Lydia, Barbra, Mary, Margaret, and four whose names have been forgotten. Benjamin, the father of our subject, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1801. He was married in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, October 13, 1825, to the above Margaret Finney, who was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, August 6, 1804, and a daughter of Sam- uel F. and Elizabeth Finney. After their marriage they settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and from thence moved to Chester County, Pennsylvania, and from there to Frank- lin County, Ohio, in the year 1856, and in 1861 moved to Miami County, Indiana, where they afterward resided until their respective deaths. They were the parents of the follow- ing nine children, namely: Cyrus F., Samuel F., Eliza J., William V., Mary A., Catherine M., John J., Margaret S. and Lydia. William V., our subject, resided in Pennsylvania until 1852, when he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he engaged in the carpenter trade, and was there married, April 3, 1853, to Julia A., daughter of William and Julia A. (Carpenter ) Beecher. She was born in Franklin County, Ohio, October 4, 1835. In 1861, Mr. Beecher, removed to Miami County, Indiana, and first settled in Peru Township, where he purchased land and resided until February, 1872, at which time he pur- chased and settled upon the farm on which he now resides in section 35, Jefferson Township. He owns at present 160 acres of fine and well improved land. He has had born to him nine children, viz: Margaret J., born April 7, 1854; Mary J., born January 31, 1858; Elizabeth E., born May 31, 1860; George L.,
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born September 22, 1862; Cyrus M., born January 22, 1865; William C., born March 2, 1868; Ulysses G., born June 22, 1870; Charles W., born December 30, 1872, and Gracie P., born July 23, 1875. Mr. Beecher is an intelligent and enterprising man, and is highly esteemed by all who know him. He is a member of the Odd Fellows' order, and he and wife are members of the M. E. Church.
A. D. COE, M. D., is a native of Portage County, Ohio, and was born January 24, 1824. His parents were Samuel A. and Lucy (Lester) Coe, natives of Massachusetts and Connecticut, respect- ively. They were married at Granville, Massachusetts, and from thence, in an early day, emigrated to Portage County, Ohio. They were the parents of six children, viz: Samuel A., William L., Eliza, Mary, Alonzo D., our subject, and Heman L. A. D. Coe was educated at Twinsburg Academy, Twinsburg, Ohio, and also at the Western Reserve College, at Hudson, Ohio. In 1847 he began reading medicine at Newark, Ohio, under the instructions of Dr. N. W. Hubbard of that place, remaining under his instructions until 1849, when he entered the Starling Medical College of Columbus, Ohio. In 1850 he attended the Albany Medical College, of Albany, New York, after which he returned to Portage County, Ohio, and the following winter taught school, and in the spring of 1851, came to Indiana, locating the same fall in Miami County, where he engaged in teaching school and practicing his profession. In November, 1856, he located at Mexico, Indiana, where he began the practice of medicine, which he has devoted his whole attention to since. In the winter of 1857 and '58 he attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he graduated February 26, 1858. He was united in marriage at Mexico, Indiana, November 20, 1858, to Emily J. Hartpence (wife of John Hart- pence, deceased), and daughter of Horace W. and Desire (Kent) Mason. She is a native of New York, born near Syracuse, February 24, 1831. The doctor has had born to him two children, viz: William H. and Dulcenia C. He is a member of the Masonic order, and a member of the Logansport Medical and Surgical Association. He is an intelligent and enterprising man, as well as a thorough medical scholar, and a successful and eminent physi- cian and surgeon.
R. R. DONALDSON settled in the Miami Reserve in Jeff- erson Township, in the year 1841, and is a native of Louden County, near Centerville, Virginia; born March 3, 182I, to Thomas and Nancy (Saffer) Donaldson, both natives of Virginia. He was brought up on a farm in Ohio and when he came to this county continued in the same vocation. For about six- teen years he bought and sold grain, and in May, 1886, came to Peru and now controls the Wabash elevators. In 1850 he
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served in the House of Representatives, and was re-elected in 1852 and 1863. In 1885 a convention of the members of the first constitutional convention was held, which he attended. He has also held the office of Township Trustee. In July, 1840, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Rickner, a native of Ohio, to whom five children were born, viz: Leroy P., Lorenzo, L. B., Ruth A. and Emma. He is a Master Mason, a Royal Arch member and Knight Templar.
MATTHEW DUNCAN (of the firm of Lantz & Duncan, dealers in general merchandise, Mexico, Indiana), was born in Clin- ton County, Ohio, July 7, 1854. His parents, Emanuel and Margaret (Stotlar) Duncan, moved to Grant County, Indiana, about 1856, and from thence, subsequently, to Miami County. In about 1877, he returned to Grant County, where he still resides; the mother died in Miami County in about 1868. Matthew Duncan, our subject, came with his parents to this county, where he was married August 20, 1877, to Julia A., daughter of John and Julia A. Hines. She was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, October 5, 1857. After Mr. Duncan's marriage, he first settled in Fulton County, Indiana, where he engaged in farming about one year, after which he moved to Miami County, and, subsequently, to Grant County, where he resided until 1884, when he moved to Mexico, Indiana, and formed a partnership with Mr. Lantz in the mercantile business, purchasing the interest of Mr. Sullivan. He has had born to him four children, viz: Emanuel (deceased), Marion F., Lillie and Rosie B. Mr. Duncan and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
GEORGE EIKENBERRY was born in Preble County, Ohio, May 6, 1830. His parents were Peter and Eliza (Morningstar) Eikenberry, natives of Virginia and Maryland, respectively, and of German and English extraction. The former, Peter Eikenberry, was a son of Henry Eikenberry, a native of Virginia. His father, Peter Eikenberry, emigrated from Germany to the United States in an early day. Henry Eikenberry was married in Virginia to Mary Landess, and from thence moved to Preble County, Ohio, in about the year 1806. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, viz .: Elizabeth, Samuel, Henry, Peter, Isaac, David and Benjamin. Peter Eikenberry, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia, May 8, 1803. He moved with his parents to Preble County, Ohio, and was there married to Eliza, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Swisher) Morningstar. She was born in Maryland on January 13, 1806. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Eikenberry settled in Preble County, Ohio, where they made their home until their deaths, which occurred as follows: The father died February 14, 1871, and the mother Nov. 29, 1885. They were the parents of eleven children, viz: Mary,
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George, Elizabeth, Lydia, Levi, Henry, Isaac, Eliza, Peter, and two which died in infancy and not named. George, our subject, was married in Preble County, Ohio, March 21, 1851, to Rebecca, daughter of Abraham and Nancy (Moses) Miller. She was born in Augusta County, Va., Sept. 18, 1832. In the following October, after subject's marriage, he moved to Miami County, settling upon the same farm on which he now resides in Section 27, Jefferson Township. He owns 268 acres of fine land, well-improved and under a high state of cultivation. He has had born to him ten children, viz: Henry F., born July 17, 1852, and died February 19, 1854; Sarah J., born Nov. 5, 1854; Ira L., born Aug. 26, 1857; Mary A., born March 1, 1860; Ida M., born Oct. 27, 1862; Levi I., born March II, 1865; Charles, born March 29, 1868, and died April 12, 1868; Peter A., born Jan. II, 1871; Eliza O., born Feb. 12, 1874; infant son, born Jan. 28, 1877, deceased. Mr. Eikenberry was elected to the office of County Commis- sioner of this county in 1876, and re-elected in 1880. He is a member of the Masonic order. He is an enterprising man and is highly esteemed by all who know him.
WILLIAM W. FETROW, one of the leading business men of Denver, was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, April 2, 1832. He was the second son born to Daniel and Ruth Ann (Smith) Fetrow, both natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. Wil- liam spent his boyhood and youth with his parents in his native county. At the age of eighteen he began to learn the black- smith's trade. He served an apprenticeship of three years in the town of Keene, Ohio. After finishing his trade, he engaged in blacksmithing first in Keene, Ohio. In January, 1856, he came to this county and located at Wooleytown, Richland Township. Here he worked at his trade fourteen years. In the spring of 1865 he went out into the service of the Union Army, in Com- , pany K, 155th Indiana Regiment, from which he was honorably discharged on the 6th of August following. At the close of the war he returned to Wooleytown and resumed his trade. In the spring of 1869 he removed to Milford, Kosciusko County, where he worked at his trade until the fall of 1872. At that time he returned to this county and located in Denver, where, in the fol- lowing spring, he engaged in the drug business. February 8, 1857, he was married to Mrs. Ann E. Kirby, a native of Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania, born July 21, 1831. She was the daughter of Amos and Anna (Ellis) Wooley. To this union three chil- dren were born. They are Charles C., born December 13, 1858; Mary H., born February 18, 1861; and Ann Elizabeth, born July 6, 1863; all of whom are living. Mr. Fetrow lost his first wife December 27, 1871, and on the 14th day of December, 1876, he was married to Mrs. Eliza J. Ireland. a native of Preble County,
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Ohio, born May 8, 1844. She was the daughter of James P. and Rebecca J. (Johnson) Kemp, natives of Maryland and Ohio, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Fetrow are both members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Fetrow is a member of the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R. Lodges and a Republican in politics. He is a pleasant, intelligent gentleman, a reliable business man and a good citizen. He held the office of postmaster in Denver, from April I, 1873, to September 30th, 1885, and discharged the duties of the office with credit to himself and satisfaction to its patrons. He has been the agent of the U. S. Express Company at Denver since October, 1873. From October, 1873, to June 1, 1883, he was the agent of the American Express Company and since the latter date he he has been the Agent of the Pacific Express Company. He has a neat little drug store, well stocked, and is doing a fair business.
JOSEPH FISHER, an old and highly esteemed pioneer of Miami County, Indiana, is a native of Franklin County, Virginia. His parents, Peter and Elizabeth (Brower) Fisher, were both natives of Franklin County, Virginia, and were born as follows: The father May 2, 1792, and the mother December 24, 1793. The former, Peter Fisher, was a son of Philip Fisher, who was a native of Germany, and from there immigrated to the United States, in an early day, settling first in the State of Pennsylvania, and from thence, in an early day, moved to Franklin County, Virginia, where he afterward resided for a number of years. He was the father of nine children, viz: Solomon, Mary, Jacob, Daniel, Peter, Catharine, Abraham, Jonathan and John B. Peter, the father of our subject, and Miss Elizabeth Brower, were married in Franklin County, Vir- ginia, and from thence they emigrated to the State of Ohio, in the fall of 1828, and settled in Preble County, where they resided until the fall of 1836, at which time, they moved to Miami County, Indiana, and settled upon land in Sections 25 and 30, Jefferson Township, , which he had entered previously, and upon which he resided until death. His wife died January 20, 1867, and he survived her until May 27, 1878. They were the parents of ten children, viz: Lydia, born January 22, 1819; George, born July 23, 1820; Benjamin, born February 10, 1822; Joseph, born November 10, 1823; Mary, born April 10, 1826; Isaac, born August 22, 1828; Aaron, born October 7, 1830; Hannah, born December 28, 1833; Noah, born May 28, 1839; Jacob, July 14, 1842. Joseph, our subject, came with his parents to this county in 1836, where he has resided since. He was married in Jefferson Township, this county, January 12, 1848, to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Teal) Brower. She was born in Preble County, Ohio, September 28, 1827. Her par- ents were both natives of Virginia, and settled in Ohio, in an early day, where they were married, and from thence, in 1837, moved to
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Miami County, Indiana, settling in Jefferson. Township. They were the parents of ten children, viz .: Aaron, Joseph, Noah, Mary, Rebecca, Abraham, Elizabeth, Sarah, Susan and Jacob. In 1848, Mr. Joseph Fisher purchased land in Section 35, Jefferson Township, this county, upon which he settled in August of the following year, and resided until 1864, when he settled upon land in Section I, this township, which he had purchased in the year previous. Here he resided until March, 1884, when he moved to Mexico, Indiana, where he now resides. He owns at present 240 acres of fine and well improved land, and also one of the finest residences in Mexico. He has had born to him four children, viz .: Martha A., born October 30, 1848; Dulcinea E., born November 29, 1851; Sarah E., born August 15, 1857; Rosa J., born Novem- ber 21, 1860. Mr. Fisher and wife are members of the German Baptist Church, and are highly esteemed by all who know them.
DAVID A. FISHER is a native of Carroll County, Indiana, and was born February 8, 1840. His parents, Nathaniel and Francis (Altic) Fisher, were both natives of Franklin County, Virginia, and were born as follows: The former September 8, 1810, and the latter December 25, 1807. They were mar- ried in Franklin County, Virginia, and from thence in 1834, moved to Darke County, Ohio, and from there to St. Joseph County, Indiana, and subsequently to Carroll County, where he died May 28, 1847. His. widow subsequently married John Brower and moved with him to Miami County, Indiana, where she still resides. She is the mother of six children, five by Mr. Fisher and one by Mr. Brower. David A., our subject, came with his parents to this county in 1850. He was married in Jefferson Township, this county, October 14, 1866, to Eliza- beth, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Rhoads) Harter,
She was born in Preble County, Ohio, April 3, 1841. After Mr. Fisher's marriage he settled upon the same farm on which he now resides, in Section 21, Jefferson Township, where he resided until 1872, when he removed to Peru, Indiana, and engaged in mercantile business three years. In October, 1876, he removed to. his farm in Jefferson Township, where he has since resided and engaged in farming and fruit growing. He owns II3 acres of fine and well improved land. He has had born to him three children, viz: Infant son, born August 19, 1867 (deceased), Charles L., born July 1, 1869, and Iva L., born February 29, 1872. Mr. Fisher was elected to the office of asses- sor of Jefferson Township in 1886, which office he at present holds.
JOHN O. FISHER was born in Franklin County, Virginia, November 27, 1841. His parents, John B. and Alie A. (Teel) Fisher, were also both natives of Franklin County, Virginia. He
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came to Miami County, Indiana, in the fall of 1849, and in 1850 begun the carpenter trade, which he completed and has engaged in the same more or less since. He was married in Miami County, Indiana, July 3, 1871, to Sarah A., daughter of Benjamin and Hannah Graft. She was born in Miami County, Indiana, May 12, 1843. Soon after Mr. Fisher's marriage he settled at Can- ton, Ohio, where he resided until the spring of 1872, at which time he moved to Miami County, Indiana, and purchased and set- tled on a small farm in section 31, Jefferson Township, where he resided only about one year, when he purchased and settled on a farm in section 1, Jefferson Township, and in 1876 he moved to Wabash County, Indiana, where he resided until the spring of 1886, at which time he removed to Miami County, Indiana, and purchased and settled on the farm on which he now resides, in sec- tion 6, Jefferson Township. He owns at present 120 acres of fine and well-improved land. He has had born to him six children, viz: Linnie B., Harvey A., Myrtie B., Ethel M., Charles (de- ceased) and Frederick.
LEVI FISHER is the son of George and Barbara (Moss) Fisher, natives of Virginia and Indiana, respectively, and born as follows: The former in Franklin County, Virginia, July 23, 1820, and the latter in Union County, Indiana, August 19, . 1822. They were married in Jefferson Township, this county, November II, 1841, and afterward settled on his father's farm in Jefferson Township, where he resided about one year; then settled upon land in Section 30, Jefferson Township, where he resided until August, 1883, when he settled upon the farm on which he now resides, in Section 31 in Jefferson Township. He has had born to him nine children, viz: William, born September 9, 1842; Henry, born May II, 1845; Levi, born December 14, 1847; Sarah J., born November 13, 1850; Elizabeth, born May, 30, 1853, died Septem- ber 21, 1862; Minerva, born February 23, 1856, and died March 4, 1858; Peter M., born July 15, 1859; Alston W.,' born August 4, 1863, and died February 2, 1884; Christena, born July 10, 1868, and died April 15, 1871. Levi, our subject, was married in Cass County, Indiana, January 2, 1873, to Mary J., daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Graft) Dillman. She was born in Cass County, Indi- ana, February 14, 1854. After our subject's marriage he settled upon a farm in Jefferson Township, where he engaged in farming, and where he resided until the fall of 1875, at which time he moved to Mexico, Indiana, and engaged in butchering in partnership with J. W. Turnipseed, for some time. He afterwards engaged in buying and shipping stock, and in the spring of 1877, removed to Cass County, Indiana, and engaged in farming and stockdealing until 1881, when he removed to Mexico, and again engaged in stock dealing. In the winter of 1886, he purchased the agency of
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this county for the Flint and Walling Manufacturing Company, and has since engaged in putting down the tubular wells and wind- mills. He owns 90 acres of land in Section 25, Jefferson Township. He and wife are members of the Baptist Church. He assessed Jef- ferson Township in 1882, 1883, 1884 and 1885.
ISAAC FOUTS is a native of Preble County Ohio, and is one of ten children born to Michael and Sarah (Brower) Fouts, natives of North Carolina and Virginia, respectively. They were born as follows: The father in North Carolina Sep- tember I, 1797, and the mother in Virginia, June 6, 1801. They were married in Preble County, Ohio, August 24, 1820, and from thence in the fall of 1838, moved to Miami County, Indiana, and settled upon land in Jefferson Township, Section 28, where they afterward resided until death, which occurred as follows: The father died January 10, 1857, and the mother September 27, 1871. They were the parents of ten children, viz: Jacob, born June 8, 1821; Elizabeth, born February II, 1822; Anna, born October 28, 1824; Sarah, born October 6, 1826; Rosanna, born February 18, 1829; David, born April 22, 1831 ; Isaac, born January 13, 1834; Andrew, born May 2, 1836; Sophia, born January 23, 1840, and Mary, born January 3, 1845. Isaac, our subject, came with his parents to this country in 1838, where he has resided since. He was married in Wabash County, Indiana, January 7, 1858, to Diannah, daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Harter) Hoff. She was born in Carroll County, Indiana, July 22, 1837. After his marriage he settled upon the same farm on which he now resides, in Jefferson Township, Section 34. He owns at present 222 acres of fine and well improved land. He has had born to him four children, viz: William H., born January 31, 1859; John H., born August 28, 1861; Jacob M., born July 21, 1864, and Alice M., born March 14, 1869. Mr. Fouts and wife are mem- bers of the German Baptist Church.
ANDREW FOUTS, son of Michael and Sarah (Brower) Fouts, was born in Preble County, Ohio, May 2, 1836. He came with his parents to this county in 1838, and has resided here since. He was married in Jefferson Township, this county, Aug. 8, 1858, to Mary Roller, and afterward settled upon the farm on which he now resides, his father's old homestead. He lost his wife by death, Oct. 3, 1868, having born to him by her three children, viz: Lavina, born Feb. 7, 1861; Albert, born April 25, 1863, and Nathan, born Oct. 17, 1866. Mr. Fouts was again married Feb. 10, 1870, to Polly Hoff, by whom he has had three children, viz: Cora D., born Sept. 4, 1872; Clarence M., born June 14, 1875, and Irene E., born Sept. II, 1876. Mr. Fouts owns 220 acres of fine land in this county, and 80 acres in Wabash County, Indiana.
ABRAHAM GRAFT, son of David and Anna (Grove)
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Graft, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, November 24, 1813. He came with his parents to Preble County, Ohio, where he was married March 3, 1839, to Anna, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Swisher) Morningstar. She was born in Preble County, Ohio, May 15, 1818. Her father was born in Virginia, October 23, 1779, and her mother in Maryland in August, 1782. They were married in Maryland, April 16, 1805, and shortly afterward moved to Preble County, Ohio, where they afterward resided until death, which occurred as follows: The mother, October 16, 1851, and the father, May 16, 1861. They were the parents of nine children, viz: Elizabeth, Mary, Susanna, Catherine, Solomon, Jones, Anna, Julia A. and Lydia.
In 1841 Mr. Graft, our subject, moved to Randolph County, Indiana, where he purchased land and resided until the spring of 1850, at which time he moved to Preble County, Ohio, and in the following fall he moved to Miami County, Indiana, where he has since resided. In May, 1882, he settled on the farm on which he now resides, in Jefferson Township. He has had born to him seven children, viz: George, born November 24, 1839, and died October 13, 1882; David, born April 7, 1841; John, born May 14, 1843; Elizabeth, born February 5, 1848, Lydia, born November 22, 1852; Mary C., born October 20, 1856, and one son who died in infancy not named.
BENJAMIN GRAFT (retired farmer and grain merchant, and one of the old and highly esteemed pioneers of Miami County, Indiana), is a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, born August 3, 1815. His parents, David and Anna (Grove) Graft, were natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively. They were married in Augusta County, Virginia, and from thence, subsequently, moved to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, after which they removed to Augusta County, Virginia, and from there to Preble County, Ohio, where the mother died Novem- ber 5th, 1851, at fifty-seven years of age. The father afterward retired and made his home with his children until death, which occurred in this county, July 29, 1854. He was the father of twelve children, viz: Abraham, Benjamin, David, Eliza, Nancy, John, Samuel, Daniel, Margaret, Henry, and two which died in infancy not named. Benjamin, our subject, was married in Preble County, Ohio, April 14, 1839, to Hannah, daughter of Henry and Hannah (Dillman) Brower. She was born in Preble County, Ohio, March 22, 1818. In 1841, Mr. Graft, our subject, moved to Miami County, Indiana, landing here in September of that year. He purchased and settled upon land in Jefferson Township, Section 19, where he resided until the spring of 1864, at which time he set- tled upon a farm in Section 6, Jefferson Township, which he had purchased previously. Here he resided until the spring of 1880, at
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