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 75
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Thomas Peffley, farmer, Ladoga, son of John and Mary M. ( Robi- son) Peffley, was born in Clark township, March 2, 1833. Here he grew to manhood, having actively engaged in many early frolics, and received such an education as was furnished to the students of the early schools. June 18, 1857, he was married to Miss Melvina, daughter of Mr. Alfred Rose, one of the earliest settlers of this town- ship. She was born March 16, 1838. They have but two children liv-
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ing, William A. W. and Lucinda E. One of the most sad and heart- breaking accidents that any family are called to pass through in a life- time was met by Mr. and Mrs. Peffley in the loss of a son, who was shot by accident on May 23, 1879, and died May 24, 1879, in his twen- tieth year. Mr. Peffley owns 120 acres of land, and is now living on his farm, about three miles east of Ladoga. In October, 1862, he was drafted into the army, but not being able to leave home he hired a substitute, but October 24, 1863, he enlisted as corporal in Co. K. 126th reg., 11th Cav., and on account of disability he was discharged September 7, 1864.
James F. Harney was born March 1. 1824, in Shelby county, Kentucky. The family were of Scotch-Irish extraction, and came to this country just before the revolutionary war. He removed to Indiana with his father, G. T. Harney, in 1835. He was the eld- est of the children, and while the father devoted a good share of his time in preaching to the people in the thinly scattered settlements, it devolved upon the son to look after the interests of the family and clear the farm. Of course his opportunity for an education was limited, but by dint of close application he managed to acquire a fair English education, and added to that by several terms attendance at the Wabash College. At the outbreak of the Mexican war, in June 1846, he enlisted in H. S. Jones' company, made up almost entirely from this county, and was appointed on the staff of Col. I. P. Drake, of 1st reg. Ind. Vols. The vessel in which he crossed the gulf was wrecked on the breakers of Padre Island, forty miles west of the Brazos, on the morning of July 23. They were finally rescued, and the 1st reg. took post at camp Belknap, on the Rio Grande. In the latter part of August Mr. Harney received news of the sudden and terrible death of his father and only brother, leav- ing his mother and sisters without anyone to care for or protect them. This caused his immediate return home, extinguishing all desire for military life. At the August election, in 1849, he was elected, on the democratic ticket, a member of the lower house of the legislature. He was again elected in 1858 and 1862, and in 1872 he was elected to the state senate. In 1864 he was a candi- date for congress in the eighth congressional district, but was de- feated by his opponent, Hon. G. A. Orth. Mr. Harney was mar- ried October 1851, to Miss America L. Harrison, youngest daughter of Capt. Joshua Harrison. They have had five children : Sallie C .. Mollie L., Carrie T. and George. John H. died January 9, 1880.
Gilbert T. Harney was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, July 16, 1801. His parents died in 1816, leaving ten children. When
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eighteen years old he removed to Shelby county, Kentucky, where he joined the Regular Baptist church, and was soon after admitted to preach and ordained as a minister. In 1823 he was married to Charlotte Kyle, of Lundoun county, Virginia. In 1830 he joined in with the reformation, and was an active member in that order until his death. In 1835 he removed to Indiana. He was the first preacher of that order that lived in that part of the county, preach- ing for the churches for an area of thirty miles. He was a man of more than ordinary intellectual power, of fine physical constitution, and urged on whatever pursuit he undertook with great zeal and industry. July 23, 1846, with his son John, then about nineteen years of age, he undertook to repair a pump in the well on the premises. John, not apprehending danger, went down in the well to see what was needed, when he was stricken by the well-damp and fell to the bottom. The father, without a moment's thought as to the cause, or what would be the result, rushed down in the well to the rescue, only to meet the same terrible fate. 'It was several hours before the lifeless bodies were recovered. Gilbert Harney's first wife, Charlotte, died August 4, 1837, leaving five children. About a year after Mr. Harney married Sarah Goodnight, formerly from Lincoln county, Kentucky. She still survives, and is now past eighty-three years old. His surviving children were James F., Francis M., Susan L. and Mahala T.
W. B. Gill, lumber dealer, Ladoga, was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, July 13, 1845, and is the son of Jonathan and Scyth (Ingraham) Gill, who are natives of Bath county, Kentucky. The father was born May 30, 1810, and married September 17, 1837, and the mother was born December 16, 1817. They removed to Montgomery county in 1837, and improved a large farm, where they lived for many years. Through hard work the father's health failed, since which time they have resided in Ladoga. W. B. Gill, the subject of this sketch, was raised on his father's farm, in the meantime securing a good business education. Since 1878 he has been engaged in the lumber business. In 1870 he married Mrs. Amanda J. Knox, formerly Miss Amanda J. Anderson, and daugh- ter of C. H. R. Anderson, who is one of the old and respected citi- zens of Montgomery county. Mr. and Mrs. Gill are members of the Christian church, and are highly respected citizens of the county.
D. D. Nieholdson, farmer, Ladoga, one of the old and respected citizens of Ladoga, was born in Jessamine county, Kentucky, De- cember 1, 1811. His father, Benjamin Nicholdson, came from Vir- ginia to Kentucky when a boy, and married Jemima Stars, and in
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1812 removed to Washington county, Indiana, where he was one of the pioneers of that county. In 1813 and 1814 he was compelled to live in a fort for protection from the Indians. He resided in that county till his death, 1848. His wife died in 1830, in the same county. The subject of this sketch was raised on a farm, receiving a common school education, such as could be obtained in those days. At the age of twenty-one years he started for himself, having learned the blacksmith trade. He followed this occupation for a great many years, and was the first of his trade that located in Ladoga. In 1839 he came to Putnam county, where he engaged in farming until he removed to Montgomery county, 1837, and has since been a per- manent resident of Ladoga, there only being six families in the vil- lage when he came. He has filled a great many offices of trust with credit to himself and to his constituents, having served as justice of the peace and township trustee for a great many years, and in 1848 and 1849 represented Montgomery county. In 1832 he married Miss Elizabeth Fleenor, a native of Washington county, Indiana, who has proved a faithful wife and mother. Their family consists of Benjamin H., Sarah V., John, William W., Oliver W., Reese D. and Amanda C.
John H. Harshbarger, farmer and stock raiser, New Ross, son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Myers) Harshbarger, was born in Virginia, Jannary 5, 1832, and in 1837 came with his parents to this county and settled in Scott township, where John H. grew up, educated in all the arts of early settling in a new country, and where the founda- tion of affability and hospitality was early laid and strong. Febru- ary 2, 1854, he was married to Miss Susan, daughter of Willis and Hannah (Jones) Clark. She was born in Putnam county, Indiana, March 30, 1837. They became the parents of four children : Oliver W., Samuel M., William F. and Nannie E. Soon after his marriage he moved upon his present farm, in the northeast part of Clark township, and immediately began improving his new home with that untiring energy which has characterized his every movement. By dint of steady application, and a sturdy will that had been trained in a persevering school, he is now enjoying the comforts furnished by one of the best improved 200-acre farms in this beautiful portion of the Hoosier State. Mr. Harshbarger traces his family genealogy back to Germany, where his great-grandfather was born. Of Mr. Harsh- barger's own father the writer is able to say, of his own personal knowledge, that to him is due the credit of rearing one of the families in point of intelligence, industry and honor in this part of the county, and a family that any father would have just reason to be proud.
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CLARK TOWNSHIP.
S. F. Kyle, merchant, Ladoga, is one of the active business men of Ladoga. He was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, April 4, 1841, and is the son of George E. and Elizabeth (Ashby) Kyle. The father, a native of Virginia, went to Kentucky when a young man, and married, and removed to Montgomery county, Indiana. Here he entered land in Clark township, where he was among the first settlers. In 1871 he was accidentally killed at Ashby's Station, while crossing the railroad, by a passing train of cars. Mr. Kyle's mother died about 1847. He was raised on a farm till eighteen years of age, when he began the mercantile business by clerking for the first three years, after which he embarked in the dry-goods trade at Ashby's Station, and has been in continuous business ever since, and since 1874 at Ladoga, where he keeps a full stock of dry goods and millinery. When he first began trade he did a business of $8,000 per year, and at present his average is from $4,000 to $5,000 per year. He also does outside business of about $75,000 per year, buying stock. In 1880 he was elected as township trustee. In 1863 he married Miss Susanah McGinnis, daughter of Joseph L. McGinnis, of Putnam county, Indiana.
J. C. Knox, postmaster, Ladoga, is a native of Montgomery county, Indiana, born in 1842. He is the son of James Knox, who came to this county about 1828 or 1830, and settled on a farm in Walnut township, where he spent the bigger part of his life. He died in Crawfordsville, this county, in 1869. J. C. spent the early part of his life on a farm. At the beginning of the rebellion he was among the first to respond to the call of his country, enlisting as private in 11th Ind. Zouave reg., and reënlisted in the 58th Ind. Vol. Inf., and was promoted to first lieutenant, serving also in the 4th Ind. Cav. as captain of Co. I. He participated in a great many battles, - Pittsburg Landing, Chickamauga, Stone River ; was cap- tured at Buzzard's Roost, and was held as a prisoner, in different prisons, for eleven months, being in Macon, Georgia, Savannah, and Columbus, South Carolina.
M. B. Anderson, farmer and manufacturer of sorghum molasses, Ladoga, was born in Montgomery county, Virginia, September 2,1822, and is the son of Joseph and Christina (Britt) Anderson. In 1837 they removed to Morgan county, Indiana. At the age of twenty- one years our subject started in life for himself, and came to Mont- gomery county in 1844, marrying, the same year, Miss Salome Harshbarger, a native of Virginia, born in 1824, and came with her parents, Jacob and Salome Harshbarger, to this county in 1831. In 1857, when sugar cane was first introduced in this part of the country,
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Mr. Anderson was among the first to engage in the manufacture of molasses. His first process being the old-fashioned wooden rollers, and boiling the juice in iron kettles ; but by continued experiment- ing, and a great desire to be foremost in his business, he has made such improvements as to enable him to manufacture by steam, which process makes a finer grade of molasses. With a few more im- provements, he thinks the day is not far distant when he can pro- duce a fine grade of sugar. Mr. Anderson is an energetic man, hav- ing spent a great deal of time and money to accomplish his design.
John F. Byrd, farmer, Ladoga, was born July 24, 1848, in Clark township, and has since lived upon the same farm upon which he was born, save the three years he lived in Ladoga. His father, James R. Byrd, came to this county with his parents, Abram and Jane (Randall) Byrd, about 1828. His wife Jane is still living, a hale, vigorous old lady, and one of the oldest citizens in the county. James R. settled in Clark township in 1841, on the farm located one and a half miles east of Ladoga, now owned by his son. John F. Byrd was married November 6, 1873, to Miss Jessie A., daughter of James and Elizabeth (Forsythe) Ergenbright. She was born in Johnson county, Indiana, October 5, 1856. They have one child living, Estella Grace. They have lost two ; Oliver died November 10, 1880, and Wilter died February 11, 1881. Mr. Byrd's mother, Sarah (Wilson) Byrd, is still living in Ladoga, and is the daughter of Mr. Henry N. and Lucy (Badger) Wilson, early settlers of this country. He has two brothers, Oliver W. and William T. Of Mr. Byrd it may be said that he leads the rest of the family in the way of enterprise and intelligence, and to him is due the credit of the per- sonal sketch of the family appearing in this history.
George W. Corn, farmer, Ladoga, son of Williams and Sarah B. (Alen) Corn, was born on the farm he now owns, in Clark town- ship, February 20, 1841. He was raised among the hardships of pioneer life, and received such an education as an industrious boy might have obtained in the early schools of this portion of the county. December 24. 1863, he was married to Miss Huldah J., daughter of Bryant Williams. She was born in Union township July 3, 1840. They have become the parents of one child, Valletta L. Mr. Corn is now actively engaged in stock raising as well as farming. He has recently completed a fine residence upon his farm, and his general surroundings indicate thrift and enterprise. His parents were among the earliest settlers of this county, having reached here in 1830 from Kentucky. They are both dead, and with them passed away two historical characters.
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Daniel H. Himes, farmer, Ladoga, son of Daniel and Mary (Wrightsman) Himes, was born in Virginia, April 17, 1823, and when three years of age his parents moved to Ross county, Ohio, where Daniel grew to manhood, thoroughly instructed in the art of farming, but having a natural taste for tools and the mechanic arts, at a proper age he turned his attention to learning the cooper's trade, but later in life he became a carpenter. In the winter of 1846 he came to this state and located in Montgomery county, and became engaged in his trade. May 16, 1850, he was married to Miss Mary L., daughter of Jacob and Saloma (Amon) Harshbarger. She was born in Clark township January 30, 1833. They are the parents of eleven living children : Saloma A., wife of J. Watkins, John C., Lydia C., wife of John L. Minnich, Samuel H., Silas M., Mary E., Daniel P. W., Sophia, Charlie C., Charity H. L. and Minnie A. Mr. Himes is now engaged in farming and stock raising on his farm, half a mile north of Ladoga. This farm was entered by Mr. Jacob Harshbarger in an early day. He came from Virginia, where he sold out a small property and invested his money in land, and be- came the owner of about 1,400 acres of land in this county, valued at $80,000. He died in this township at the home of Mr. Himes, his son-in-law, February 6, 1866, in his seventy-fourth year. His wife died June 6, 1871, in her seventy-sixth year. At the time of her death she had sixty-eight grandchildren, and not an orphan among them. Mr. Himes' father died February 17, 1879, in his eighty-fourth year, while his mother passed away October 19, 1866, at the age of seventy. Both died at the home of their son Daniel.
William W. Ewing, school teacher and farmer, Ladoga, son of James and Harriet (Bishop) Ewing, was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, September 9, 1843. At about the age of nine years he accompanied his parents to Indiana and settled in Parke county, where he lived until the breaking out of the rebellion, when he en- listed in Co. A, 85th Ind., in December 1863 .. Mr. Ewing did his (luty as a soldier with Gen. Sherman until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, and upon his return to Indiana found his father a citizen of Montgomery county. He soon became a student after this time under Prof. Hopkins at the Ladoga Academy, and followed teaching with splendid success in connection with his studies. He is now engaged in farming and teaching. Au- gust 19, 1868, he was married to Miss Sarah J. Goff, whose death occurred February 26, 1876. April 1, 1877, he married for his second wife Tilla Goff, daughter of Josephus Goff, of Owen county, Indiana. Mr. Ewing and his wife are both school teachers. He is the father
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
of one child by his first wife, Lora E. Mr. Ewing's parents are still living in Union township, and enjoying a ripe old age. His mother is the only remaining sister of Ex-Gov. Bishop, of Ohio.
Jesse Durham, deceased, was born in Mercer (now Boyle) county, Kentucky, May 6, 1808. He was raised a farmer, and followed that occupation through life. January 7, 1834, he married Miss Isabel D., daughter of John and Mary (Knox) Caldwell. She was born in Mercer (now Boyle) county, Kentucky, October 12, 1814. In Sep- tember, 1834, they located in Hendricks county, Indiana, where they remained sixteen years, at the expiration of which time they came to Montgomery county, and settled on Little Raccoon near the Hen- dricks county line, where they lived about five years, after which time they moved to Hendricks county a second time. In October, 1864, they arrived at Ladoga and permanently settled in the village, where Mr. Durham led a retired life. March 31, 1875, he died after a life of labor and usefulness, and like all good men and enterprising citizens universally loved and missed by numerous friends and many warm hearted neighbors. Mrs. Durham still lives in the old home in Ladoga, well surrounded with the comforts of this life left by her honored husband. She is a consistent member of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Durham is thoroughly conversant upon the hardships and trials of pioneer life, having braved the wilds of the frontier, and built a home in Hendricks county when the advantages of mails, roads, trading posts, to say nothing of the modes of travel of our day, and conveniences of village trade and religious societies, were all wanting.
Lewis C. Otterman, farmer, Ladoga, son of Lewis and Hettie (Peffley) Otterman, was born in Clark township June 20, 1845. His home has always been in the limits of this township, and here he has ever been engaged in agricultural pursuits and with good success. ITis schooling was not quite as extensive as is now furnished the youth of the county, for the reason none but subscription schools were accessible, and those only at long distances. September 31, 1874, he was married to Ruama Ann, daughter of John and Mary (Fordice) Mcknight. She was born in Ohio, August 9, 1852. They have one child, Edgar N., who was born May 17, 1876. Mr. Otter- man is now living on his farm of 210 acres, two and one-half miles southeast of Ladoga. He is an enterprising, thorough and affable citizen, as is also his venerable father, of whom it is said by his neigh- bors, that he added more to the material wealth of Clark township than any other person residing within its borders.
J. C. Mahoney, physician and surgeon, Ladoga, was born in
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Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1851, and is the son of Zachariah F. and Catharine (Ashbarger) Mahoney, who are,prominent citizens of the county, coming here in an early day. The doctor was raised on a farm till twenty-four years of age, and at the same time, having the advantages of a good education, he began the study of medicine, his preceptor being A. R. Thomas, dean of the Hahnemann College. of Philadelphia, and graduated at that time-honored institution in 1878, and began the practice of medicine at Ladoga the following year. By constant study and close attention to business he has already en- tered into an extensive practice. In 1880 he married Mrs. Nina Harshbarger, formerly Miss Nina Peffley.
A. L. Henry, hardware, Ladoga, was born on a farm in Scott town- ship, Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1857, and is the son of M. M. Henry, who was the first male child born in Scott township. The sub- ject of this sketch remained at home until in his fifteenth year, in the meantime receiving a good business education, but on account of ill- health he traveled for a number of years, one year for a wholesale house of Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1880 he settled in Ladoga, embark- ing in the hardware business, and by upright treatment to his many customers and good business qualifications, he has established an ex- tensive trade. In 1880 he married Miss Bell Hodshier, a native of this county.
W. B. Herod, attorney, Ladoga, is a native of Pendleton county, Kentucky, and was born in 1845. He is the son of Luther Herod, who came to Putnam county, Indiana, in 1851, thence came to Mont- gomery county in 1862. The subject of this brief notice spent the early part of his life in educating himself. At the age of nineteen he began teaching school, which he followed for a number of years, spending his spare time in reading law. He has also attended the Michigan University at Ann Arbor, Michigan, in preparing himself for that of his profession. He served in the late rebellion in the 79th reg. Ind. Vols. He is well liked in the community where he lives, and is a member of the Odd-Fellows lodge. In 1866 he married Miss Mary Otterman, daughter of George Otterman, who came to this county in about 1829, and died in 1880, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. Mr. and Mrs. Herod are members of the Christian church. Their family are John L., Cordelia, and George W.
W. Bateman, proprietor of Ladoga water-mills, Ladoga. These mills were the first built in Ladoga, about 1830, by a man by the name of Myers. The building has been remodeled from time to time by different owners, its present owner, W. Bateman, purchased it about 1865. Mr. Bateman is a native of Hendricks county, Indi-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
ana, born in 1832. He was raised in that county on a farm until twenty-one years of age, after which he learned the milling business. which has been his occupation ever since. By making the mill-busi- ness a constant study, and close attention and industry, he has been quite successful, having started in life with but little or nothing. At the present time he is not only the owner of the mill property but that of a fine home. He is an active business man, and is appreci- ated by the public. In 1867 he married Miss Rebecca Smith, a native of Putnam county, Indiana, and daughter of Robert Smith, who was one of the early settlers of that county.
A. M. Scott, merchant, Ladoga, is one of the self-made and lead- ing business men of Ladoga, where he began the mercantile business in 1866 with a limited capital, which was of his own accumulation. At first his business only amounted to $10,000 or $12,000 per year. but by close attention and honorable dealing with his many custom- ers, his trade has increased to over $50,000 per year. It may well be said he is one of the successful business men of Montgomery county. In 1876 and 1877 he was elected as joint representative of Montgomery and Parke counties, which office he filled with credit to himself and his constituents. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. B, 43d Ind. Vol. Inf .. and was promoted to first lieutenant, but after serving for some time he was compelled to resign on account of ill health. Mr. Scott is the son of Alexander and Martha Scott, who were natives of Pennsylva- nia and Kentucky, and removed to Putnam county, Indiana, in 1826. where A. M. Scott was born, March 23, 1836. In 1866 he married Miss Matilda Miller, daughter of Rev. John Miller, of Putnam county, Indi- ana. Mr. Scott is a Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias, and an elder in the Presbyterian church.
H. S. Huntington, planing mills, Ladoga, was born in Wayne county, York state, in 1832, and is the son of Samuel D. and Mary (Howell) Huntington. Mr. Huntington came to Floyd county, Indi- ana, in 1859. He served two years in the quartermaster's department at Nashville during the rebellion. He came to this county in 1867. and worked at the carpenter's trade and stave business until he began his present occupation. In 1858 he married Miss Sarah Gregg, a native of York state. The issue are three children: Lizzie G., George M. and Harry.
M. A. Rapp, carriage and buggy manufacturer, Ladoga. One of the great improvements of Ladoga may be mentioned that of the Ladoga carriage and wagon manufactory, of which the proprietor and owner (M. A. Rapp) is a wide-awake and energetic business man, having come to Ladoga in 1869, where he has since been en-
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