USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, together with historic notes on the Wabash Valley; gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic sources > Part 51
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93
241
UNION TOWNSHIP.
Mr. Herron is a member of the Knights of Pythias society. He has always been found in the ranks of the democracy.
Stephen A. Stillwell, deputy city treasurer, Crawfordsville, was born March 22, 1838, in Montgomery county. His father, Jeremiah Stillwell, was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, July 14, 1796, and is still living with his son Stephen. In 1826 he entered 120 acres of land seven miles south of Crawfordsville, upon which he lived until a couple of years after his wife's death, which occurred May 8, 1870. He is still the owner of his old home. His wife, Didama (Hollaway) Stillwell, is a sister of Judge Hollaway, and was born April 11, 1800. They were both members of the Old School Baptist church. Mr. Still- well was one of the first settlers of Montgomery county, and assisted in carying the chain in laying out the state roads. When he first vis- ited this city there was but one dwelling and the land-office in its limits. He was formerly a whig, now a staunch republican. Stephen's early educational advantages were not the best, but in 1857 and 1858 he attended a private school, and by hard work paid his own way. He then began teaching in the winter, and farming in the summer, until his twenty-third year, when he enlisted as a soldier under Capt. Harry Leming, and was mustered in in Co. C, 40th Ind., in La Fayette, Indiana, November 15, 1861, and was mustered out in February, 1864, at Dalton, Tennessee. He then reënlisted, and was mustered in at Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the same month, and was mustered out June 30, 1865, at New Orleans, on the Jackson battle-ground. Hle participated in the following engagements in the order mentioned : Stanford, Perrysville, Stone River, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, Resaca, Peachtree Creek, Shiloh, Corinth, Buzzard Roost, Atlanta. He then came back with Thomas, and was in the battle of Nashville, and was on the skirmish-line that began the battle of Franklin. He was wounded at Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, being shot through the right leg, breaking the front bone, from the effects of which he passed through an untold amount of suffering. He did his duty fighting for the nation, amply described by his mili- tary record. At the expiration of the war he became engaged in farm- ing. After two years he was imployed in the plaining-mill of Boats & Canine, at which for five years he was noted as a steady worker, having lost but twenty-four days in the entire time. He then was engaged in the grocery business fourteen months. His appointment as deputy treasurer of Montgomery county dates from the expiration of this time, and for four years he was known as an efficient officer. He is now holding the office of deputy city treasurer. He is a member of the Odd-Fellows' fraternity, and the Knights of Pythias. He is
16
242
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
in religious belief a Universalist. May 15, 1866, he was married to Martha A. Hardee, of this city, a most exemplary woman. Ilis zeal for the principles of the republican party is unbounded.
David Enoch, farmer and stock raiser, Crawfordsville, was born in Butler county, Ohio, July 23, 1810, and is the son of Abner and Elizabeth Enoch. His father was a farmer and mechanic, and was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, from which place he moved to Ohio, where he lived until 1844, when he emigrated to Montgomery county, and settled near Crawfordsville. In Mr. Enoch's youth educational advantages were much inferior to the present system, and young David was forced to be content with such schooling as the subscription plan afforded. Until the age of twenty- six years he remained upon the farm at home, and then began farm- ing for himself. His outfit was poor, and composed of nothing that could be used to advantage to-day. Mr. Enoch rented a farm in Ohio some years, and by frugal habits saved enough of his earnings to make a start, and came to this county overland through swamps, lanes and timber that would cause the younger generation to shud- der in its contemplation, but after ten long, weary days " Athens" was reached, to the entire satisfaction of team and teamster. He soon purchased a farm and has ever since continued to work it with excel- lent success. His plan of farming has been commented upon by able men as being one carried out by a thorough scientific husbandman. One half of his entire farm is constantly under elover or timothy. By his economy, observation and close application to business he now is the possessor of 300 acres of splendid land, well improved, be- sides 838,000 presented to his children. Mr. Enoch was married to Sarah Jane Henry in 1836, and by this union they have become the parents of seven children : Abner P., Mary E., Darwin S., Tillman R., George A., Emily, and Rhoda A. Abner P. and George A. were prominent students at Wabash College and have taught several terms of school. He is a Universalist, a Mason, an Odd-Fellow, and a stalwart member of the republican party.
Bennett W. Engle, Crawfordsville, was born near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, January 19, 1820, and is a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Pollock) Engle. Mr. Engle is of English and Irish descent. His father died when he, Bennett, was eight years old, and his mother two years afterward. Bennett then lived with his brothers and sis- ters until he was fifteen years of age. His years following were passed in the store or on the firm. In 1833 he came to Rising Sun, and elerked until 1845, when he came to Crawfordsville. IIere he owned and edited the Crawfordsville "Review" for three years, then
243
UNION TOWNSHIP.
clerked in the land office for three years, at the end of which time he was appointed by James K. Polk, receiver of the public moneys. He held this position until Taylor removed him on account of oppo- site politics, under no other plea than to "the victor belong the spoils." He next acted as local editor of the " Review" for one year. In 1853 the El-ton Bank was established, and Mr. Engle was called to the position of cashier, which he has held ever since. He has been a lifelong democrat, and is an Odd-Fellow. He began life for himself with a cipher, and by perseverance, close attention to business, and strict regard for all promises, he has been enabled to prefix the significant figures until he is now. in comfortable circum- stances. Mr. Engle was married September 13, 1854, to Miss Whil- lie Beard, daughter of the Hon. John Beard, one of the most influ- ential members of the state legislature for many years, father of the public school fund, and a man who was never beaten for office. He is further noticed in the sketch of Mrs. Engle's brother. Mr. and Mrs. Engle have four children : John E., Mary, Emma, and Bennett Beard. Mrs. Engle is a member of the Christian church.
James B. Mack, farmer and stock-raiser, Crawfordsville, was born in Butler county, Ohio, December 8, 1819, and is the son of Erastus and Martha Mack. Mr. Mack's grandfather was a drum-major in the revolutionary war. His father, who was a farmer, was in the war of 1812, and was a whig, and died in 1846. The sub- ject of this sketch had such advantages of education as the com- mon school of his day afforded. He came to this county in 1845, and began farming for himself. Mr. Mack has been very suc- cessful as a farmer. He has not confined his farming to any one branch, but has raised grain, cattle, hogs and sheep. He settled on his present place in 1852. He has a well improved farm of 220 acres, on which he has a good orchard, a nice two-story dwelling house and a large new barn. His old barn was burned June 9, 1880. His residence is about four miles from Crawfordsville, on the Whitesville gravel road, and is one of the prettiest places on the road. Mr. Mack was married in December, 1843, to Miss Sarah J. Rogers. She was born in 1822. The children by this union have been five : Martha C., married to Charles Edwards ; Isabel L., married to David H. Martin ; Mary A., married to Arch. Martin ; Charles and Lena. Mr. and Mrs. Mack are liberal in their religious views. Mr. Mack was formerly a whig, but is now a strong adherent to the principles of the republican party. He voted first for Henry Clay, in 1844. Mr. Mack is an intelligent and respected citizen.
Thomas H. Winton, painter, Crawfordsville, was born in Butler
244
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
county, Ohio, February 4, 1822. His father, Robert Winton, was a captain under Gen. Harrison in the war of 1812. He entered land in this county in 1822, and settled here with his family in 1828. The subject of this sketch attended Wabash College three years. He went to the first school and Sunday-school in the county, a log school house with paper windows. He began engraving in 1839, and pub- lished the " Spy," the first paper in Logansport, and helped establish the Wabash county " Gazette." He assisted John B. Dillon, the his- torian and poet, on his History of Indiana. He settled in this county in 1847. Hle was married July 2, 1849, to Harriet McClure, and has three children living. Mrs. Winton's father helped build the first mill on Sugar creek, in this county. Mr. Winton has done all the banner painting for this whole section of country, and has been the leading painter here in all its branches. He has been coroner of the county four years; he has been an Odd-Fellow since 1845, is a Good Templar, a Methodist, and a strong prohibitionist. Mr. Win- ton has a little serap-book containing press notices of his work. They all speak highly of him as an engraver and painter.
James B. Sidener, merchant, Crawfordsville, is a member of the enterprising firm of Evans & Sidener, in the boot and shoe trade. Beginning business April 1, 1879, the firm is yet young. Located at No. 25 East Main street, they occupy a pleasant and commodious store-room, 23×110. They carry a first-class stock of about $12,- 000, and do a business of from $20,000 to $30,000. They are decid- edly men of the people, and will eventually take the lead in their department of trade. Mr. Sidener is the son of James B. and Eliza- beth (Smith) Sidener, both old settlers of Montgomery county. They were born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and came to this county and settled south of Crawfordsville, in Union township, in 1837. Here they spent the rest of their days, Mrs. Sidener dying in September 1574. and Mr. Sidener following her July 31. 1875. He was a life-long democrat, a good citizen, and a conscientious man. At the time of his death he was one of the oldest and most respected members of the Masonic fraternity. James B. was born January 14, 1848, on the home farm in Montgomery county. Besides the common schools, he attended Wabash College three years. For some time he taught. In 1869 he became deputy sheriff under his brother, HI. E. Sidener, serving for a year and a half. He then clerked in the store of Robb & Mahorney almost six years. He next spent a year with Charles Goltra, "The Hatter," after which he purchased a small farm, on which he lived for two years. Selling this, he engaged in his present business. Mr. Sidener was married
245
UNION TOWNSHIP.
October 26, 1871, to Mary A. Graham, daughter of Noble and Car- rie (Welch) Graham. Her father was a prominent citizen of Craw- fordsville. They have one child, Lee M. Both are members of the Christian church. Mr. Sidener is an Odd-Fellow.
James Q. W. Wilhite, Crawfordsville, was born in Montgomery county, in the city of Crawfordsville, April 12, 1848. His mother died when he was seven years old. He had a good common educa- tion and attended Wabash College some time. He began life for himself when fourteen years old. He enlisted in Co. K, 154th Ind. Vols., and served till the close of the war. In 1870 he was appointed deputy sheriff, and discharged the duties of his office so efficiently for ten years that in 1880 he was nominated and elected sheriff of the county. Mr. Wilhite is a Mason, an Odd-Fellow, a Knight of Pythias and a republican. He was married February 16, 1871, to Miss Mary F. Sidener. They have one child, Ada E., born August 4, 1873. Mr. Wilhite is one of the best sheriff's in the state.
Howard W. Smith, liveryman, Crawfordsville, was born in Mont- gomery county, March 30, 1849. He had a common school educa- tion and attended college one year. He always lived on a farm near Crawfordsville until 1875, when he came to the city and engaged in his present business. He has a large stable and a good stock of horses and buggies. Hle was married November 1877, to Miss Laura M. Hall, daughter of Thomas and Nancy J. Hall.
Jonathan Winter, farmer, Darlington, was born March 28, 1849, in this county. His father, Jesse Winter, was born in Harrison county, Indiana, January 7, 1809, and died March 21, 1878. He was a farmer all his life, but for several years ran a saw-mill in con- nection with his farm. He settled in Montgomery county about 1849, and until his death lived upon the place he first improved, a farm of 221 acres. June 15, 1848, he was married to Miss Mary Airhart, who was born January 14, 1820, in Virginia, and is a firm member of the Methodist church. Her father, Peter Airhart, a veteran of the war of 1812, was one of the pioneers of this county, and an exemplary man. They became, the parents of three chil- dren : Jonathan, Sarah and Mary E. Sarah married Henry Man- ker; Mary E. married Cyrus Woody, and is now living in Wills county, Iowa. Mr. Winter was a member of the Methodist church and a republican, formerly using his influence in favor of the doc- trines of the whig party. In 1840 he was a delegate to the conven- tion that nominated Gen. Harrison for the presidency. Jonathan Winter was born March 28, 1849, in Montgomery county. He had the advantages of a common school education and one term of scien-
246
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
tific instruction at the Darlington Academy. He now manages the farm and is acknowledged to be a thoroughly scientific agriculturist. He is a member of the Methodist church and a member of the De- tective Association. He enjoys the conversation of posted men, has quite a taste for reading and has gratified it to a considerable extent. His political faith is republican.
Gen. Henry Beebee Carrington, LL.D., of the United States army, was born at Wallingford, Connecticut, March 2, 1824. He is the son of Miles and Mary (Beebee) Carrington. The name figures as early as 1192 in English history, and the Beebees took their name, with the Beehive coat-of-arms, during the protectorate of Cromwell, in recognition of industry and usefulness in the Puritan cause. Gen. Carrington's grandfather, James Carrington, was a partner of Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton-gin, and from about the year 1800 until 1825 was superintendent of the manufacture of arms for the United States at Whitneyville, Connecticut, and for a long time in- spector of public work at the Springfield and Harper's Ferry United States armories. As a memento of past times, Eli Witney Jr. sent a fowling-piece of his own manufacture to the general's second son, James, as " an expression of profound respect for his own father's friend." The site of Simpson, Hall & Co's Britannia works, at Wal- lingford, Connecticut, is known as "Carrington's Pond," in memory of James Carrington, who indulged his inventive taste in the manu- facture of the first parallel rulers, coffee-mills, and other original me- chanical products, as he gained time from public work. He also built the first factory there. Gen. Carrington's maternal grandfather and great-grandfather, as well as himself, were graduates of Yale College, and the second named bore part in the French and Canadian war of 1757, the original address which he delivered to the soldiers on the eve of departure for Canada being still in possession of the family. The subject of this sketch began preparation for college in 1835, at Torringford, Connecticut, in the old house of Samnel J. Mills, the early missionary, and under the instruction of Rev. William Good- man and Dr. E. D. Hudson, who were among the earliest abolitionists, and were repeatedly mobbed in New England for their sentiments. While at this school an incident occurred which made a permanent im- pression upon the young student. A stranger visited the school, addressed the boys upon African history and the horrors of the slave- trade, and then asked all to stand up who would pledge themselves in after years to pray and work for universal liberty. Young Carrington was one of two who gave this pledge. The stranger, placing a hand upon the head of each, repeated the following singular benediction :
247
UNION TOWNSHIP.
"Now, may God the Father, my Father, your Father, and the African's Father ; Christ the Savior, my Savior, your Savior, and the African's Savior ; and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, my Comforter, your Comforter, and the African's Comforter, bring you early to Jesus, and give you grace to redeem your pledge." It was not until years after that it was known that this stranger was John Ossawatomie Brown, whose soul, "still marching on," is immortal in song and his- tory. How well the subject of this sketch proved faithful to the pledge so solemnly imposed is shown in his whole subsequent career. From 1837 to 1840 he was under the instruction of Simeon Hart, of Farmington, Connecticut, joining the Congregational church there, under the care of Rev. Noah Porter Sr., and being taught in Latin and Greek by his son, who had previously graduated from Yale Col- lege. At that time the Armistead slaves were on a farm at Farming- ton, pending the decision of their future destiny. The impression previously made by John Brown's appeals was deepened when a mob broke the glass windows of Rev. Dr. Porter's lecture-room because he offered prayer that the negroes might never be returned to slavery. With a strong predilection for military studies he had to contend with decided tendencies to lung troubles, but, surrendering his first choice, graduated at Yale College in 1845, with a class which afterward fur- nished seven generals to the war, including Gens. Richard Taylor, Tappan, St. John, and others, he being the only general officer from the class who was in the national army. Upon leaving college he became professor of natural philosophy and chemistry at the Irving Institute, Tarrytown, New York, where he enjoyed the friendship, advice, and encouragement of Washington Irving, and began that in- quiry into our national history which culminated, after thirty years of study, in his great work " The Battles of the American Revolution." The students were organized as a military organization, a gymnasium was built, and he had a foretaste of the work which, many years after, he performed for Wabash College, Indiana. In 1847 he entered the law school of Yale College, supplementing his legal study by filling the position of professor of natural science at the New Haven Young Ladies' Collegiate Institute. In 1848 he located at Columbus, Ohio, first as law partner of Hon. Aaron F. Perry, now of Cincinnati, and then, for nine years, with Hon. William Dennison, afterward governor of the state. In 1849 he participated, with two other young men, in protecting Frederick Douglass from an attempt made by a mob to drown out with a fire-engine his advertised address at the old state- house; and in 1854 took an active part in the protest against the pro- slavery operations in Kansas and Nebraska. It is an interesting in-
248
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
cident that in 1861, from the steps of the new state-house, in the same grounds, he presented to a company of the 58th Massachusetts the first colors placed in the hands of colored troops. As a representative of the twelfth (Columbus) Ohio district, in the state convention of June 17 of that year, he was placed upon the committee upon resolutions, along with Joshua R. Giddings, J. J. Root, Ephraim R. Eckley, Rufus P. Spaulding, and others, and was selected by the convention for chairman of the committee of seven which was instructed to correspond with friends of liberty throughout the country, and secure concert of action in the organization of the new party, which soon adopted the name republican. An intimate friendship was at once formed with Salmon P. Chase, and one which never wavered. Upon entering on his duties as governor, Mr. Chase commissioned Gen. Carrington as judge advocate, then as inspector-general, and finally as adjutant-gen- eral, which office he retained until 1861, when he entered the regular army. In 1857 Gov. Chase initiated a thorough state militia system, accompanying the adjutant-general during his visits to encampments. An issue arose between the Ohio state and the United States authori- ties as to certain arrests made near Xenia, under the fugitive slave law, and Gen. Carrington was deputized to visit President Buchanan and Secretary Cass, and arrange for an interview as a basis of settlement of the vexed conflict. It was agreed that whichever party first gained jurisdiction should proceed to try cases ; and Mr. Chase declared that, while he would respect federal authority when legitimately used, he would exhaust the power of the state in vindication of its own rightful process. On another occasion, when the Ohio supreme court tested, by writ of habeas corpus, the legality of certain fines and imprison- ments made in Cuyahoga county, under the same fugitive slave law, the militia of Columbus were put under arms to enforce the finding of the court, in case it should discharge the parties and rearrest be attempted. During twelve years' practice of the law Gen. Carrington followed up his scientific studies, besides being the attorney of the railroads of cen- tral Ohio, including those to Cincinnati and Cleveland, but with equal fidelity devoted his leisure hours to the perusal of classic authors, thus laying the foundation of his work upon " Pre-Christian Assur- ances of Immortality and Accountability," which embraces a selection from Latin and Greek authors upon those themes. He was elder in the Second Presbyterian church, at Columbus, for a time superintend- ent of its Sunday-school, and had charge of the erection of its fine church edifice ; was president of the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion of the city, and, with H. Thane Miller, Esq., of Cincinnati, at- tended as a delegate from Ohio the first international association, held
249
UNION TOWNSHIP.
at Montreal in 1849. For months before the war began he was earnestly interested in the preparation of the state militia for the con- tingency already foreseen. A letter from Senator Chase in February advised the selection of good officers, as the best advised persons were anticipating war. Secretary Cass thus wrote in the spring : " We have indeed fallen upon evil times, when those who should preserve seem bent upon destroying the country." Impressed by the urgency Gen. Carrington wrote to Gen. Wool, then commanding at Troy, New York, for 10,000 stand of arms, and announced, in an address entitled " The Hour, the Peril, and the Duty," that the nation was "on the verge of a war which would outlast a presidential term, would cost hundreds of thousands of lives and thousands of millions of treasure ; but that in the end the continent would be free, and the nations would pay us homage." This was repeated at the request of the members of the Ohio senate, especially of Mr. Garfield and Mr. Cox (both of whom became generals in the service), but before it was delivered a second time the announcement of the fall of Sumter was received. Upon the first call for troops two regiments were started for Washington from Ohio within sixty hours; a foundry was opened on Sunday for casting round shot for a battery, and under the orders of Gen. McClellan, to whom Gov. Dennison had intrusted the command of the state troops, nine full regiments were moved to West Virginia before the United States three-months men were organized. The thanks of the secre- tary of war and of Gens. Scott and Wool for this prompt action were followed by the detail of Gen. Carrington as visitor to West Point, and by his appointment as colonel of the 18th United States Inf., they concurring with Secretary Chase in a recommendation to the president for his selection to a full colonelcy. A regular army camp was es- tablished near Columbus, Ohio, under his command, for the organiza- tion of the 15th, 16th, 18th, and 19th U. S. Inf. The demands of the service left little time for drilling men in camp; so that in the fall of 1861 he reported to Gen. Buell with twelve companies of the 18th and six of the 16th Inf. He was assigned to the command of his regiment, the 9th and 35th Ohio and the 2d Minnesota, and joined Gen. Thomas at Lebanon, Kentucky. Being required to complete his regiment, he returned to Ohio and filled it to its maximum of 2,453 men, but in the pressure of the Kirby Smith campaign he was trans- ferred to Indiana, to hasten the organization and movement of its troops to the front. Promotion as brigadier-general of volunteers followed in 1862, and as district commander, superintendent of recruit- ing service, and commander of the draft rendezvous, he had charge of the organization of nearly 139,000 men in Indiana, in addition to the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.