USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery county, Indiana; with personal sketches of representative citizens, Volume II > Part 38
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He was married to Mary Elizabeth Moore, September 16, 1863, and their married life proved to be one of continued happiness and sunshine. She was born on June 13, 1845, in Brown county, Ohio, and she was two years old when her parents brought her to Indiana, and here she grew to womanhood and received her education in the common schools. She has lived in the vicinity of Wingate since she was nine years of age. Her par- ents were Henry Wilson Moore and Maria (Davidson) Moore. They were the parents of four children, two of whom are still living.
To Mr. and Mrs. Meharry were born ten children, four of whom are still living, namely: Mrs. Effie Rebecca Meredith is living in Kansas; Etta Lulu is deceased ; Annie Mary is living at home : Jennie M. married Charles Fraley and she is deceased; John Abraham, who married Jessie Carter, is living at Shawnee Mound, Indiana; Carrie M. is deceased; Vinton Switzer,
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the youngest child, is living at home. Three others, a boy and twin daughters, died in infancy.
Isaac Meharry devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and stock raising with ever-increasing success until he became one of the leaders in his voca- tion in this section of the county, and he left four hundred and forty-four acres of well improved and valuable land in Coal Creek township. This his widow still owns and it is being managed successfully. She has a large pleasant home and on the place is also a substantial and convenient set of out- buildings. At this home occurred the death of Governor Matthews. An excellent grade of live stock is kept at all seasons and a general farming business is carried on extensively.
The Council Grove Horse Thief Detective Association was organized in an old locust grove on Mr. Meharry's farm, our subject having been one of its organizers, and he did much to make it successful. It was the first association organized in the United States. Politically, he was a Republican, but he was not in any sense a public man, being content to lead a quiet life on his fine farm.
We quote the following from a local newspaper, which is part of an ex- tended article on Mr. Meharry's death :
"The death of Isaac N. Meharry occurred on December 10, 1904, at the age of sixty-two years, nine months and twenty-six days. Mr. Meharry was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal church at Shawnee Mound under the pastorate of Rev. S. P. Colvin, during a series of meetings in Janu- ary, 1869 and since that time he lived a useful, true and exemplary Christian life.
"He was a trustee and steward of Shawnee church for about twenty years continuously. As a husband he was true and faithful. As a father he was loving and kind and good in the truest sense. As a citizen he was honor- able, trustworthy, upright and public-spirited. The people knew him as a warm-hearted, true and earnest man.
"A man of strong friendships of a strictly moral life. For many years he suffered from ill health, which interfered to some extent with his plans and desires. He was president of the Farmer's Bank at Wingate during the last two years of his life, holding that office at the time of his death.
"The funeral services were held in the presence of a large circle of rela- tives and friends. The funeral decorations were many and beautiful. The body was laid to rest in the Meharry cemetery located on the farm on which he was born."
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JOHN W. MILLER.
One of the leading citizens of New Ross and that section of Montgom- ery county who has done much for the development of the same and who has succeeded in various fields of endeavor is John W. Miller, trustee of his town- ship and a leader in the same in both a business and public manner. He is a man who has taken a great delight in the momentous changes that have been noted here since he was a boy, for he is one of our worthy native sons and has been content to spend his life in his native community, and, judging from the large success that has attended his efforts he has been wise in this, how- ever he would doubtless have succeeded in any locality where he might have cared to direct his energies, for he is by nature the possessor of those qualities that never fail to win in what the poets are pleased to call the battle of life.
Mr. Miller was born at Ladoga, this county, on December 9, 1849. He is a son of Isaac N. and Nancy A. (Corn) Miller. The father was born in Greene county, Ohio, September 13, 1826, and the mother was a native of Montgomery county, Indiana, where her birth occurred on October 26, 1829. Her parents came from Shelby county, Kentucky, to Montgomery county, Indiana, as early as 1820 hence were among the first settlers, locating in Scott township. Isaac N. Miller came to this county in 1848 and settled at La- doga. He was a carpenter by trade which he followed here until 1856 when he moved into the woods in Walnut township where he cleared and improved a farm.
Five children were born to Isaac N. Miller and wife, namely: John W., of this review ; George A., Henry A., Albert A. is deceased ; and Benjamin F.
John W. Miller assisted his father with his work when he was growing to manhood and he received his education in the common schools, after which he spent a year in the Ladoga Seminary. He had decided upon a career as teacher and thus well equipped for the same he followed that laudable work two years. and although he was making an excellent start, he saw that his bent was in another direction, the school room being too confining, and he took up farming which he followed with ever increasing success until 1908, owning and operating one of the choice farms in this part of the county of which he made a pronounced success, both as a general farmer and stock raiser. Upon the last mentioned date he retired from the active duties of life and moved to the village of New Ross, where he owns a pleasant home and where he is spending his latter years in quiet.
Mr. Miller was married in 1878 to Betty Hall, daughter of Harrison and
JOHN W. MILLER
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Catherine (Wasson) Hall, both natives of Shelby county, Kentucky, where they spent their earlier years, and from which they came to Montgomery county, Indiana, in a very early day and settled in Brown township, where they spent the rest of their lives, becoming well located there.
Two children were born to our subject and wife, namely: Minnie May married Alta B. Mercer, of Clark township; and Nancy Catherine, who died on August 20, 1898.
The wife and mother was called to her rest on October 21, 1898.
Politically, Mr. Miller is a Republican. He has been trustee of Walnut township for the past five years, giving satisfaction to all concerned. Fra- ternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge at New Ross, No. 397; and the Free and Accepted Masons at Crawfordsville. He and his family believed in the Baptist creed. He is a member of the board of directors of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Ladoga.
HENRY C. McGAUGHEY.
While Henry C. McGaughey, of Brown township, Montgomery county, does not farm on as extensive a scale as some of his neighbors, yet it is safe to say that none of the tillers of the soil in the southern part of the county are getting greater returns for the labor expended on their land than he. In- stead of hurriedly and carelessly operating over a vast acreage, as some farni- ers do, he believes in smaller acreage tended well, and therefore devotes his careful attention to what land he has, making every foot produce something, without waste; but he does not deplete the strength of soil thereby, rotating his crops and building up his land, so that on the contrary, its value has in- creased, and he is making a very comfortable living.
Mr. McGaughey was born on December 4, 1854, in Putnam county, Indiana, and there he grew to manhood, assisted with the general work on the home farm when a boy, and received his education in the common schools, continuing to reside there until he removed to Brown township, Montgomery county, about twelve years ago. He is a son of Michael and Sarah (Lane) McGanghey. The father was born in Kentucky in 1804, and his death oc- curred in 1856 in Putnam county, this state, having come there from the Blue Grass country in an early day and devoted himself to farming. He died in the prime of life. His family consisted of twelve children, nine of whom are still living.
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Henry C. McGaughey was married on February 24, 1882, to Martha Everman, who was born in Putnam county, Indiana, November 12, 1859. and there she grew to womanhood and received a good common school edu- cation. She is a daughter of James and Sarah ( Norman) Everman. These parents were both natives of Indiana.
To Mr. and Mrs. McGaughey have been born eight children, six of whom are still living, namely : Leona, born December 31, 1882, married Claude Jarvis, and they live in Parke county ; Arthur, born March 9, 1884, has re- mained single, and he is a promising young attorney of Crawfordsville ; William, born March 13, 1886, married Edna Sewell, and they live in Mont- momery county ; Everett, born July 3. 1889, died January 28. 1895: Edith, born January 14, 1891, has remained single and is at home with her parents ; Celia, born March 25, 1893, died January 31. 1895; Raymond, born August 16, 1895 is engaged in farming: Inez, born January 13, 1899, is attending school.
Mr. McGaughey has devoted his life to general farming and stock rais- ing. He is the owner of eighty acres of good land in Brown township, which he keeps well improved and which is fairly well tiled. It is all under a high state of cultivation with the exception of about ten acres which is kept in pasture.
Politically, Mr. McGaughey is a Progressive, and has kept well informed on public matters. In religious affairs he belongs to the Christian church.
JAMES D. WILSON.
The agricultural districts of the great commonwealth of Indiana are the homes of worthy men whose lives have been spent in such a manner as to win the respect of those with whom they associate, while their well-directed efforts have resulted in comfortable homes and many enjoyments. In Montgomery county frequent representatives of this class may be found, and one of them is he whose life history is briefly outlined in these paragraphs. James D. Wilson's home is located in Coal Creek township where he has a thoroughly tilled farm, whereon may be found such buildings as are made necessary to the extent of his work, or such as will increase the comfort of his home life. He owes his present prosperity solely to his own industry, and in his career he has shown himself possessed of those faculties that are requisite to suc- cess-sagacity, far-reaching forethought and a practical tenacity of purpose.
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Mr. Wilson was born in Montgomery county on October 30, 1854, and here he has been content to spend his life, believing that near his own home exist opportunities as good if not better than exist for him elsewhere. He is a son of W. W. and Sophia ( McGinnis) Wilson. These parents were both natives of the state of Ohio, however, they both came to Indiana when six years old with their parents who settled in Montgomery county, the McGinnis family locating in Crawfordsville in a very early day. The parents of our subject grew to maturity in this county, were educated and married here, and here they spent their lives on a farm, becoming well established through their industry. Eight children were born to them, named as follows: Albert M., who was the eldest ; James D., of this sketch: Theodore E., Evelyn, Harriet M., William H., Etta Alice and Lafayette D.
James D. Wilson grew to manhood in his native community and received his education in the common schools, later entering Stockwell Academy. He applied himself assiduously to his text-books and made an excellent record. Aftter leaving school he began life for himself by teaching, which vocation he followed successfully for a period of seven years, giving eminent satisfaction to both pupils and patrons, and his services were in great demand. He did much to improve the educational conditions in the public schools of the county and became well known locally in this field of endeavor. But finally tiring of this line of work he turned his attention to farming and is still active. He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser and has be- come well established.
Mr. Wilson was married in 1879 to Mary J. McClamrock, daughter of James and Hannah (Breaks) McClamrock. Her father was a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, and the mother was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, her parents having been very early settlers in this locality. Mrs. Wilson was reared to womanhood and educated in her native community.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, namely : Ethel mar- ried Frank Chadwick, and they live in Coal Creek township; Stella lives at home; Ralph, who was killed on October 23, 1910, in a football game in St. Louis, in a game between a St. Louis team and the Wabash College team, of Crawfordsville, Indiana. He was considered one of the fastest and most capable half-backs in the state at the time of his death. He was a young man of much promise and was popular.
Mr. Wilson has long been active in local public affairs, and he is at present trustee of Coal Creek township, and he was formerly county com- missioner for two terms. As a public servant he gives eminent satisfaction
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to all concerned, being faithful and honest in the discharge of his duty. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, in which he is active and influential. In religious matters he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and is at present a trustee in the same.
GEORGE HENRY COOK.
Success has come to George Henry Cook, farmer and stock raiser of Sugar Creek township, Montgomery county, because he has sought it along legitimate lines and has not loitered about waiting for fate to bring him a fortune on a golden platter, as it seems many of the ambitionless are doing. He was taught early in life that all labor is noble and that little is to be ex- pected in this world without effort, continuous and rightly directed, so he has never had any partitcular qualms of conscience when he has had a task to perform, whether trivial or important. Not only has he been taught to work when work was to be done, but to do well, his very best, whatever was worthy the attention at all. Thus it is not to be wondered at that he has suc- ceeded admirably at his chosen vocation-that of agriculture-the noblest and most important of all vocations.
Mr. Cook was born in this township and county on March 24, 1871. He is a son of W. H. and Nancy (Wyatt) Cook. The father was born in Clermont county, Ohio, January 17, 1833, and on September 7th in that year and state the mother was also born. There they grew to maturity, received limited educations in the common schools and there they were married; but not long afterwards, in the fall of 1866, they removed to Montgomery county, Indiana, and here they became well established on a farm, and here the father is still living. The mother passed to her eternal rest December II, 1901. She was a native of the city of Cincinnati, and she became interested in church affairs when but a girl there, having joined the Methodist Episco- pal church when ten years of age.
WV. H. Cook was married a second time, his last wife being Emma Petro, who was a native of Montgomery county, and she is still living. Politically, Mr. Cook is a Republican, but has never been active in public life. His family consisted of ten children, all still living but one, named as follows : Edward A., John Q. (deceased). William T., Eugene J., Grant W., Everett, Mrs. Hattie Schoen, George H. (of this sketch), Mrs. Ellen Eppert, and Mattie.
WM. H. AND NANCY COOK
GEORGE H. COOK
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George H. Cook grew to manhood on the home farm, and there did his share of the general work when a boy. He received a good common school education, also attended high school. He has remained unmarried, and is living with his father on the homestead, successfully carrying on general farming and stock raising. The place consists of one hundred and twenty aeres, of which eighty is owned by the father and forty by the son. It is all tillable but about five acres, which is in timber. This land was entered from the government by our subject's grandfather in 1833, William Cook, having invaded the wilds of this locality when it was little developed and here he developed a good farm through hard work, and from that early day to the present time the Cooks have been well and favorably known over this section of the county. That this land has been ably managed is seen from the fact that the soil is today as strong as it ever was and bounteous erops are annually gathered. Our subject's father has made most of the improvements now seen on the place.
Politically, George H. Cook is a Republican. He belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 149, at Darlington, and he has been secretary of the lodge for the past ten or twelve years, his long retention in this position being sufficient evidence of the trust reposed in him by his fellow citizens. He is a member of the Potato Creek Methodist Episcopal church and is assistant Sunday school superintendent there.
SAMUEL JOSEPH MILLIGAN.
It is a pleasure to talk to Samuel Joseph Milligan and get his story of the pioneer conditions of Brown township. Montgomery county, Indiana, where his long, successful and useful life has been spent, for he was a pioneer child, growing up when the country was little improved, when homes were widely separated, when there were no bridges across the dangerous streams and in- deed, practically no roads. It was the period before the coming of the "iron trail," no shrill whistle of the locomotive being heard in the vast stretches of wildwood, and it was a time when such lads as he had plenty of hard work to do in helping clear and develop the land. Mr. Milligan has always been a farmer and stock raiser and he has been successful, so that he is now enabled to live retired, enjoying the fruits of his former years of toil and good management.
(72)
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, INDIANA.
Mr. Milligan was born in Brown township, this county, on November 18, 1841, and he is a son of John and Lucinda (Elmore) Milligan, the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Montgomery county, Indiana, her family originally coming from South Carolina, and were early settlers of Crawfordsville and were well known for many decades here, being active in the early civilization of the county. John Milligan, mentioned above, was a young man when he left his Pennsylvania home and came to Cass county, Indiana, and from there later removed to Montgomery county, establishing his future home at Crawfordsville, where he taught school for several terms, becoming one of the popular early teachers in this section. Later he moved to Brown township, settling east of the village of Waveland, which had at that time, however, not been founded. Later he had the honor of laying out that town, and here he became a prosperous merchant, his store being patron- ized by the inhabitants for miles around, and he did much, in fact, more than anyone else in the early development of Waveland. He continued to follow merchandising until he retired from active life. He was a man of large public-spirit, and he was largely instrumental in putting the first railroad through this locality, and he did many other things that he will always be honored for.
The family of John Milligan consisted of nine children, namely : Ed- ward M., Matilda J., Sarah E., Thomas E., John W., Mary Jane, Samuel Joseph (our subject), James B. and William. They are all now deceased with the exception of the subject of this review and William, the youngest of the family. John W. was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war, serving three years in the Thirty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
Samuel J. Milligan had the advantages of a good common school edu- cation, later attending the Presbyterian Academy at Waveland. He then took up farming and has continued active as a general farmer and.stock raiser to the present time, having met with a large degree of success with the ad- vancing years, as a result of his close application and good management. He owns a farm of about two hundred acres.
Mr. Milligan was married on September 17, 1878 to Sarah E. Little, daughter of Alec and Anna (Bowen) Little, these parents being natives of Pennsylvania, and the family originally came from Scotland and Wales. The family of Alec Little and wife consisted of five children, namely : James W. was the eldest; Susan is the wife of Dr. J. E. Sterrett, a practicing phy- sician of Los Angeles, California; Sarah E. (or Sally as she is familiarly
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called ) is the wife of our subject; Anna and Angelina are the two youngest. These children are all still living.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Milligan has been without issue. Politically, he is a Republican, and religiously, a Presbyterian.
NATHAN G. KESLER.
In many respects the career of Nathan G. Kesler, for many decades one of the progressive agriculturists and stock men of Monegomery county, is peculiarly instructive in that it shows what a well defined purpose, supple- mented by correct principles and high ideals, can accomplish in the face of discouraging circumstances. It is an example of triumph over obstacles, the winning of success by honorable methods, and as such may be safely followed by those whose life work is yet to be accomplished. He is a fine type of the sterling pioneer, having invaded the forests of this locality when settlers were none too numerous and when there was much to be done before a com- fortable home could rise and good crops be reaped from the virgin soil, but he is a man who has never permitted discouraging situations to influence him. but forged ahead despite of them, and won not only material success, but the good will and esteem of all who know him. By his upright and honorable career as a general farmer and citizen he has won the good will of his fellow citizens. It is always his endeavor to advance in every possible way the pub- lic good, and this cannot be too highly commended, as it is only the narrow- minded man who makes his chief object the acquisition of wealth, regardless of the rights and feelings of others.
Mr. Kesler was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, on January 8, 1838. He is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Graybill) Kesler, and the grandson of Jacob and Elizabeth (Shearer) Kesler. There were ten children in the family of whom Nathan G. was the fifth in order of birth. He was eight years old when he accompanied his parents from the old family homestead to Montgomery county, Indiana, making the long overland journey by wagon, at a time when wagon roads were few, when most streams were unbridged and they crossed but one railroad on the entire journey. Of this trip our sub- ject recalls many interesting incidents, having a good recollection of the same. The family located in the northeastern part of Scott township, this county, where Benjamin Kesler purchased two hundred and forty acres of land, a small part of which had been cleared. Nearly, everybody in this locality at
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that time lived in log cabins, homes like the modern farm house were not to be found. Benjamin Kesler set to work on his virgin ground with a will and soon had a good farm developed and a comfortable home established, and here he spent the rest of his life, meeting death suddenly, being killed on the railroad in 1893. He had devoted his entire life to agricultural pursuits. His wife preceded him to the grave in 1886. They were both members of the Dunkard church. Ten children were born to them, named as follows: John M., who devoted his life to farming but lived in Crawfordsville, died about 1905, leaving a widow who still lives in Crawfordsville; Elizabeth married Samuel T. Kenney, moved to Iowa and later to Florida, where she died re- cently ; Catherine, widow of Jacob Himes, deceased, lives in the northern part of Scott township; Solomon lives in Ladoga, Indiana; Nathan G., of this sketch ; Samuel, who died in April, 1910, lived in Ladoga, left a widow but no living children; Susan is the widow of Samuel C. Thompson, and she lives with her children near New Ross, this county; Mary is the wife of Wash- ington Neff and they live in Ladoga; Nancy married William Mangus and they live near Whitesville: Jacob, the youngest, lives on a farm near Ladoga.
Nathan G. Kesler grew to manhood on the home farm in this county and there worked when a boy, attending the district schools during the winter months. When twenty-one years old he began farming for himself on rented land, also farmed some on his father's land. In 1866 he married Mary Eliza- beth Harshburger, daughter of Samuel Harshburger and wife. Six children were born of that marriage, namely: Louie Lee lives with her sister, Mrs. Hester near New Market, this county; Samuel B., who remained unmarried, died in 1901 ; William Harry, who was in the clothing business both at James- town and Ladoga, sold out his stores in December, 1912, is now engaged in buying and selling real estate, has a fine home at Jamestown, and has three sons ; Sarah J. who married Charles Buser lives in the northern part of Scott township on a farm and they have two children, Cline and Bennie; John Milton, who lives about six miles south of Crawfordsville on a farm married Nora Davidson and they have three sons, Clyde and Clayton; Elizabeth E. is the wife of Elmer Hester and they live on a farm near the center of the north line of Scott township, and they have one son, Donald.
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