USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery county, Indiana; with personal sketches of representative citizens, Volume II > Part 20
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Chalmers E. Fullenwider, of this review, grew to manhood on the home farm, where he worked hard when a boy, and he received his educa- tion in the district schools, which he attended during the winter months, later studying at Waveland Academy, where he finished his education in 1866.
In June, 1862, Mr. Fullenwider enlisted in the one-hundred-day ser- vice, becoming a member of Company G, Fifty-fifth Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, in which he served very faithfully until in September following. He returned home and began farming and attending school, which he alternated until 1866, then worked steadily on the farm until 1868. In that year he entered the mercantile business in Crawfordsville, conducting the "Enter- prise Store" for two years, enjoying a very satisfactory business. He re- turned to agricultural pursuits, however, in 1870, and in 1874 moved to Shelbyville, Kentucky, where he resided for a period of twenty-five years, making a success of his life work there. In 1900 he came back to Craw- fordsville, Indiana, and opened an office for the transaction of real estate and the loan business, and this he has continued to conduct to the present time, with much success, having built up a large and growing business.
He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, which he joined in Kentucky. He is a Republican, but has never been especially active. He belongs to the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Fullenwider was married to Fannie E. Shipman on May- 12, 1868. She was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, on May 13, 1845, and her death occurred on July 22, 1909.
To this union were born four children, namely: James C., who lives in Sumner, Washington; Wesley A., who is clerking in Shelbyville, Kentucky ; J. Newton, who lives in Crawfordsville: Francis C., of Los Angeles, Cali- fornia.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
JAMES TAYLOR.
One of the honored pioneer families of Union township, Montgomery county, and one that did a great deal in the early development of the same were the Taylors, one of the best known of the present generation being James Taylor a progressive farmer of Union township, where he has spent his life and where he has lived to see great changes take place. He enjoys the much-appreciated privilege of living on the place where he first opened his eyes to the light of day, which privilege is not vouchsafed to many of us. For no matter if the new home may be more picturesque, in pleasanter en- vironment and where a livelihood may be gained easier, yet it lacks some- thing, a subtle, inscrutable charm, an elusive atmosphere which one finds at the old home place. All this has been fully appreciated by the subject, and he has built a fine home on the site of the original buildings. He has skil- fully rotated the crops so that the land has retained its original fertility and productiveness, and he is regarded as one of the best general farmers and most successful stock raisers in his neighborhood.
James Taylor was born in this township and county, on November 17, 1842. He is a son of Brazila and Nancy (Huston) Taylor. Brazila Tay- lor was born in Tennessee, where he spent his earlier years, and from which state he came to Montgomery county, Indiana, in the early twenties, when the Wabash valley was yet a wilderness, where the log cabins of the first settlers were very few and from which the echo of the Indian huntsman's halloo had scarcely died away. But the elder Taylor was a typical pioneer, a man who braved the wilds with courage and never permitted obstacles to stand in the way, and he was able to foresee a great country here, so he went to work with a will and in due time had established a good home and a fine farm in Union township, where he became well known among the pioneers. He continued farming all his life, dying here in 1850. Mrs. Taylor has also been deceased many years.
James Taylor, of this review, was reared in his native vicinity, and here he found plenty of hard work to do when a boy, being the son of one of the early settlers. In the winter time he attended school in the log school house of the neighborhood.
Mr. Taylor has farmed all his life, each succeeding year finding him further advanced than the preceding, and he is now the owner of four hun- dred and sixty acres of valuable and well located land, forty acres of which were part of the old homestead, which he has kept well improved and under a
MR. AND MRS. JAMES TAYLOR
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high state of cultivation. He has long made a specialty of raising a good grade of hogs, cattle and horses, and no small part of his annual income is derived from this source.
Politically, Mr. Taylor is a Republican, and while he takes much inter- est in local public affairs he has never had an ambition to be a politician. In religious matters, he belongs to the Christian church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order.
Mr. Taylor was married on February 15, 1871, to Elizabeth Miller, and to this union four children have been born, one of whom is deceased; Frank S. and Edna M. are living at home; John L. is farming in Union township, on the old home place; he married Emma Lally, and they have one child. John Robert.
SAMUEL PHELPS TEMPLETON.
This gentleman is one of the many young men on whom will rest the responsibility of the future prosperity of Crawfordsville and Montgomery county, and from all indications he will be a credit to the community, as he is industrious and energetic to a marked degree and gives promise of future influence and usefulness exceeding what has been his in the past. Too much praise cannot be given Mr. Templeton for the industry and discretion which has marked his career, the judgment displayed by him having ever been far beyond his years, and proclaiming him more than an average in busi- ness capacity. He is a young man of integrity and worth and stands high in the community.
Samuel Phelps Templeton, well known undertaker and embalmer of Crawfordsville, was born August 24, 1872, at Monmouth, Illinois. He is a son of David Calvin and Harriett (Payne) Templeton, natives of Illinois and Ohio, respectively. The death of the father occurred in 1899, after a successful and honorable life. The mother of our subject is still living, making her home with her children. She is a woman of most commendable personal characteristics and is held in highest regard by all who know her, and proved to be a worthy and faithful helpmeet to her husband.
Samuel P. Templeton had an excellent education, and is a graduate of Hyde Park School, Chicago, and later studied at the University of In- diana, at Bloomington, for some time. Early in life he decided to be an embalmer, and with this end in view he entered Williams' School of Em-
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balming in Wisconsin, and there made an excellent record, graduating with the class of 1905.
Thus well equipped for his life work he returned to Bloomington, In- diana, where he remained in this vocation for a period of five years and got a good start in life there. Seeking a larger field for the exercise of his talents he came to Crawfordsville and organized the D. C. Barnhill Com- pany, which is the largest undertaking establishment in western Indiana and does a very extensive and rapidly growing business. They have a neat and modernly equipped establishment, and prompt and high grade service is their aim.
Mr. Templeton is a fine musician, having decided innate talent along this line, and he has spent much time in developing the same, and his wife is an accomplished singer. They are pleasant people to meet and have made a host of friends since taking up their residence in Crawfordsville. She was known in her maidenhood as Clara Halladay, and lived in Chi- cago. They were married on April 4, 1904.
Mr. Templeton is prominent in fraternal circles. He belongs to the Masonic Order, including the Knights Templars and the Order of the Eastern Star, the Knights of Pythias, and Pythian Sisters, the Improved Order of Red Men, including Haymakers, the Daughters of Pocahontas, the Tribe of Ben-Hur, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Loyal Order of Moose.
GEORGE WASHINGTON STEELE.
One of the popular and successful native born business men of Craw- fordsville, and a worthy scion of one of Montgomery county's honored old families is George Washington Steele, who has for many years conducted a drug store here. He is a man of genial and obliging personality which, added to his known honesty, has rendered him a favorite with a wide circle of acquaintances and we are glad to herein set forth a brief resume of his industrious and commendable life record, for it shows what a man of de- termination and right principles can accomplish, even in the face of ob- stacles. And it also shows that a man may be blessed with material success and at the same time maintain a proper integrity in social life and also assist in the general upbuilding of the community in which he resides, for Mr. Steele has ever manifested much interest in the growth of the county seat of the fair county of which this history deals.
955
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
The birth of Mr. Steele occurred in city and county on February 16, 1862. He is a son of Charles M. and Eliza H. ( Miller) Steele. The father was also a native of Crawfordsville, and from that early period, and even earlier, the name Steele has been a very familiar one in this locality. The paternal grandparents of our subject were Thomas M. and Elizabeth H. Steele. Charles Steele was reared and educated here and he followed farm- ing all his life in his native vicinity, dying in 1870. His wife, Eliza H. Miller, was also a native of Union township, Montgomery county. She was a daughter of William Miller, who came to Union township in the early twenties and had the distinction of building the first house in Craw- fordsville, on the present site of the heating plant, and here he established the future home of the family, whose name, like the Steeles, has been a house- hold word here for several generations.
The death of the mother of the subject of this sketch occurred at Sunnyvale, California, in April, 1906, at the time of the great San Fran- cisco earthquake.
George W. Steele grew to manhood at Crawfordsville and he received a good education in the local schools. Early in life he began business for himself, and here in his native city sold drugs for a period of twenty years, enjoying an extensive and lucrative business, but he abandoned that field of endeavor upon the organization of the Crawfordsville Trust Company, tak- ing the important position of manager of the insurance department, which place he still holds, having discharged his duties in an able and satisfactory manner, and the rapidly increasing prestige and importance of this well known concern has been due in very large measure to his able and judicious planning and counsel, and the indomitable energy which he has put into it. He is also a member of the firm of McDonald & Steele, florists, of Crawfords- ville, this firm having been organized in 1892, starting with only one acre. Now they occupy eight acres on West Wabash street, and are doing a thriv- ing business that is rapidly increasing. They have modern and well arranged green houses here, where the choicest varieties of commercial flowers are grown. They maintain a downtown office in the Y. M. C. A. building. Their flowers are of such superior quality and they are so prompt and fair in filling orders that their business extends all over Indiana and into Illi- nois. They hold a very high rank as general florists. This firm was the first to grow roses and carnations in Crawfordsville. Their business now amounts to from twelve thousand dollars to eighteen thousand dollars an- nually; however, neither of the partners have ever given personal attention . to it, but employ a competent manager.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
Politically, Mr. Steele is a Republican, but he has never taken a very active interest in political matters, preferring to give his attention to his in- dividual affairs.
Mr. Steele was married on April 10, 1888, to Frances L. Walter, the accomplished daughter of Henry Walter, a well known citizen of Wayne township, this county, and here Mrs. Steele grew to womanhood and re- ceived her education.
FIELDEN E. MORIN.
The general appearance of the fine and extensive landed estate of Fielden E. Morin, of Madison township, bespeaks for the proprietor a man of progressive ideas as well as indomitable energy, and one who is thorough- ly familiar with every detail of agriculture. His land lies in Tippecanoe county, but he maintains his home at the village of Linden. In a quiet way he has done much to promote the industrial interests of this section of the Wabash country, and every public improvement or private enterprise for the good of the vicinity in which he has long resided finds in him a zealous supporter and liberal patron. He is regarded as one of the best examples of modern twentieth century farming that could be found in the locality of which this history treats, and it is indeed a pleasure to look over his broad acres, well kept, productive fields, substantial, and attractive dwelling and other buildings. He is a man who believes in attending strictly to his own business, and his good name has ever been above the re- proach of all.
Mr. Morin was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, December 12, 1862. He is a son of Milton and Rachael (Rice) Morin. The father was born on June 17, 1835, in Ohio, and his death occurred on February 7. 1905. The mother of our subject was born on March 16, 1835, in Mont- gomery county, and her death occurred on December 25, 1873. Milton Morin came to Montgomery county as a child, received a common school education and was married here, and the mother of our subject taught school in her native locality for a time when a young woman. The father devoted his life successfully to farming. Politically, he was at first a Whig, later a Republican.
Five children were born to Milton Morin and wife, all still living, namely : Fielden, of this review, being the eldest: William, born January
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27, 1865: Melvina V., born September 2, 1860; Anna B., born September 13. 1868; Nancy A., born July 24, 1870, is the youngest.
Fielden Morin grew to manhood on the home farm, where he worked hard when growing to manhood, but he found time to receive a good com- mon school education.
Mr. Morin was married on October 24. 1888, to Alma Halstead, who was born in this county July 9, 1869. and here she was reared to woman- hood and received a god education in the public schools. She is a daughter of William W. and Rhoda (Coyner) Halstead, both natives of Indiana. The father was born January 10, 1844 and he is still living, making his home at Kirkpatrick. His wife was born on July 22, 1847, and she, too, is still living. They are the parents of eight children, six of whom are living at this writing, namely: Clyde V., born May 4, 1868, died March 29, 1900; Alma, wife of Mr. Morin, of this review; Musetta, born September 4, 1871, died November 8, 1890; William, born September 25, 1873; John Coyner, born July 16, 1876; Ruby, born March 17, 1880; Ernest M., born January 4, 1883; Josiah, born March 29, 1885.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Morin, namely: Mabel A., born November 2, 1889, is in college; and Musetta J., born July 5, 1891, is also in college. They are both making splendid records for scholar- ship and are popular with the young people of their acquaintance.
Mr. Morin began farming for himself when a young man and this has remained his life vocation, paying particular attention to well-bred live stock. and for the past six years he has been raising Chester White hogs, with which he has made a pronounced success, those he offers for sale finding a very ready market, owing to their superior quality. He is the owner of a finely improved and very productive farm of four hundred and eighty acres, nearly all tillable and well tiled and otherwise well improved. This land lies just across the line in Tippecanoe county. There Mr. Morin con- tinued to live, carrying on general farming and stock raising on an exten- sive scale until in 1904 when he moved to his attractive home in Linden, and there he and his family still reside. He has not, however, been idle during these latter years, but has not been so deeply engrossed in his farm and live stock as previously. His home in Linden is a commodious one, neatly furnished, and in the midst of spacious and attractive surroundings.
Politically, he is a Republican, but he has never been active in public affairs, preferring to devote his attention exclusively to his large farming and stock raising pursuits. He attends and supports the Methodist Episco- pal church.
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
JAMES S. KELLY.
In examining the records of self-made men, it will inevitably be found that indefatigable industry has constituted the basis of their success. True there are other elements which enter in and conserve the advancement of personal interests, perseverance, discrimination and mastering of expedients, but the foundation of all achievement is earnest, persistent labor. At the out- set of his career James S. Kelly, grocer of Crawfordsville, and for many years one of our well known and progressive business men, recognized this fact and he did not seek any royal road to the goal of prosperity and inde- pendence, but began to work earnestly and diligently to advance himself, hav- ing been thrown on his own resources when quite young, and the result is that he is now numbered among the successful and respected citizens of the city of his choice. It was a bitter experience he had to meet when facing the hard world as a tender boy, yet, such experience is what usually brings out the mettle of the soul and makes success in later life possible, and thus proves a blessing, in most instances, in disguise.
Mr. Kelly was born on September 9, 1850, in Brooklyn, New York, and is a son of Patrick and Mary Kelly, both natives of Ireland, the father being horn there in 1808, and when young in years he came to America, locating in Brooklyn, New York, where he worked as a stone mason and contractor. His death occurred in 1857. His wife also grew up in the Emerald Isle, her birth having occurred there in 1814, and there they were married. Her death occurred in 1856.
James S. Kelly was thus left an orphan when seven years of age. He came to Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 1859, and worked on a farm near here until 1863, when he went to Vanderburg county, where, he became an employe of a large wholesale shoe business, remaining there eight years, each one finding him further advanced than the preceding year. However, longing for the freedom of the country he went back 'to the farm in 1871, in Montgomery county, on which he remained until 1881, this ten years as a general agriculturist and stock man being altogether satisfactory. He then came to Crawfordsville and started in the grocery business, in which he remained for a period of eighteen years, enjoying an extensive trade with the city and surrounding country. He was then in the shoe business with his former success for a period of six years. Desiring once again to change his occupation, he abandoned merchandising and took up fire in- surance, which he followed for eight years, building up quite an extensive
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
patronage. Finally, he returned to the grocery business, which he is still engaged in at Crawfordsville, his large, neatly arranged, well kept store being one of the most popular of its kind in the county, and it is always stocked with a choice line of staple and fancy groceries. It is located on West Main street.
Politically, Mr. Kelly is a Republican. He is a member of the Tribe of Ben-Hur and the Knights of Pythias, also the Patriotic Order Sons of America. He holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and has been a member of the official board for the past eighteen years, and treasurer for three years. He was for a period of three years purchasing agent for the Culver Hospital, giving satisfaction to all in this capacity.
Mr. Kelly was married on March 7, 1888, to Sue C. Campbell, of near Cadiz, Ohio. She was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Octo- ber 19, 1852. She is a daughter of Thomas Campbell and wife, both of whom are deceased.
ROBERT H. LARRICK.
Robert H. Larrick, well known farmer and stock man of Franklin township, whose span of life, covering sixty-four years, has been passed in Montgomery county, and who stands today as one of the men whose lives have meant something more than to exist and accumulate property and whose impress has helped shape the lives of others toward a fuller realization of the responsibilities of this world, with an earnest desire to secure the ulti- mate happiness of his neighbors and acquaintances, is eminently deserving of mention in a work of the province of the one in hand, as we shall see by a perusal of the following paragraphs.
Mr. Larrick was born on December 21, 1849, in Montgomery county, Indiana, and he is a son of I. N. and Elizabeth (Tillard) Larrick. The father was born in Ross county, Ohio, May 26, 1819, and his death oc- curred on January 22, 1887. The mother of our subject was born in Ohio in 1822, and her death occurred on July 31, 1889. These parents grew to maturity in their native state and there received a limited education and were married. They devoted their lives to farming, the father being also a stock buyer. They were the parents of seven children, three of whom are still living, namely: John, Robert, and Isaac; Mary, Emma, Horace, and Frank are deceased.
Robert H. Larrick received a common school education and he grew
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
to manhood on the home farm in this county. On March 6, 1889, he was married to Rose Hollingsworth, who was born in this county on April 18, 1861, and here she grew to womanhood and received a common school education.
Three children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: John W., born February 25, 1891, is on the home farm; James N., born January 30, 1893: Penson H., born January 13, 1901.
Mr. Larrick has always followed farming in Franklin township, and he has been very successful, being now the owner of a finely improved and productive farm of two hundred and five acres; however, only one hun- dred and twenty acres are tillable. His land lies just outside the town of Darlington. He has a pleasant home and substantial outbuildings. He handles a good grade of live stock, which he prepares for the market, and this forms no small part of his annual income. He is regarded as one of the most up-to-date general agriculturists in the vicinity of Darlington.
Politically, he is a Democrat, but he has never been especially active in public affairs.
J. W. DICKERSON, M. D.
There is no member of the Montgomery county medical fraternity who occupies a higher position in the estimation of the people than does Dr. J. W. Dickerson, of Wingate. During his many years of practice he has built up a very large patronage and he is regarded as a safe and honest general prac- titioner who is well abreast of the times and he is kept very busy. He realized early that there is a purpose in life and that there is no honor not founded on worth and no respect not founded on accomplishment. He has never de- pended upon others to do what he himself should do. While engaged in the prosecution of his own chosen work, he has never been neglectful of the gen- eral welfare of the people of his locality and he has won and retained the esteem of all who know him.
Dr. Dickerson was born on June 17, 1853 in Hendricks county, Indiana, near Danville. He is a son of Griffith and Elizabeth (Roy) Dickerson. The doctor's father was born in Virginia in 1811. He left the Old Dominion when a child and settled with the rest of the family in Hendricks county, Indiana, where he grew to manhood, was educated in the pioneer schools and he devoted his life to farming and stock raising.
DR. J. W. DICKERSON AND FAMILY
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
The following children were born to Griffith Dickerson and wife, only three of whom are still living; they were named, John, Thomas, Rebecca, Walker, Mrs. Mary Ross, Mrs. Amy Laton, George, Dr. J. W. (our subject), Frederick; the next two were twins, and the youngest child died in infancy.
Dr. Dickerson received a good common school education, later taking a course at Central College, at Indianapolis, and finally studied at the American Medical College in Cincinnati, remaining there four years and making an excellent record for scholarship.
Dr. Dickerson was married on September 24, 1884, at Danville, Illinois, to Vona Chauncey, who was born on October 24, 1861. She is a daughter of David and Rosa ( Webster) Chauncey, the former now deceased but the mother is still living.
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