USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery county, Indiana; with personal sketches of representative citizens, Volume II > Part 43
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Rev. Edward C. Hodgkin was twice married, and two children were born by his first wife, namely, Frank and Fred. Six children were the re- sult of his second union, named as follows: Henry, Charley, John. Robert Hugh (our subject), William and Edward.
Robert H. Hodgkin received his education in the common schools of Putnam county and the Russellville Academy, then took up farming for his life work and this he has continued to follow to the present time with ever
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increasing success. As a general farmer and stock raiser he has shown him- self to be eminently capable. He is the owner of two hundred and eighty acres'of valuable and well tilled land in Brown township, which he has brought up to a high state of cultivation and improvement. Everything looks prosperous and well up-to-date about his place, showing good manage- ment and good taste.
Mr. Hodgkin was married on September 12, 1878 to Clara Cowan, daughter of Aaron and Sarah (Crist) Cowan, who were early settlers in Montgomery county and here became well known and well established through their industry, in fact, they were among the first settlers, and entered land from the government which they transformed into a good farm. This place is now owned by Mr. Hodgkin, of this review.
Seven children have been born to Robert H. Hodgkin and wife, namely : Ethel, who married Andrew Stilwell; Jessie, who married Raymond Deese ; Nellie married Irvin Deese; Mary, Earl, Nelia and Ruth are all living at home.
Politically, Mr. Hodgkin is a loyal Republican and has long been active in the ranks. As a member of the advisory board of Brown township for a period of twelve years he did excellent work, and is still serving in that capacity, doing much for the general good of the community and winning the hearty approval of all concerned. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was a trustee in the local congregation for a period of six years, in fact, has long been a pillar in the same. Fraternally. he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the lodge Rathbone No. 232, at Wave- land.
FRANZ O'NEALL MYERS.
Franz O'Neall Myers, one of the most progressive of Montgomery county's younger farmers and a worthy representative of two of the honored pioneer families of this section of the Hoosier state is a man who takes an abiding delight in nature and existence, because he has been in touch with the springs of life.
Mr. Myers was born in Scott township, Montgomery county, on the farm where he now lives, one mile west of Ladoga, September 4, 1885. He is a son of J. Frantz and Sarah E. (O'Neall) Myers. The father of our sub- ject was born also in the house where the immediate subject of this sketch lives. He was a son of William Myers, who was a son of John Myers, Sr.,
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who was the principal actor in the early development of Ladoga and vicinity. He was the first of the family we can trace definitely. The family is of Ger- man origin, and emmigration was made to the United States in the Colonial days. John Myers, Sr., was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, about 1770, was married in 1791 to Katherine Hantz, who was born in 1775. Soon after their marriage they moved to Botetourt county, Virginia, where they became owners of two hundred acres of land. Eight children were born to them, an equal number of sons and daughters, namely : John, Jr., David, Henry, William, Catherine, Sallie, Elizabeth and Nancy.
About the year 1828 John Myers, Jr., came to the site of Ladoga, Mont- gomery county, Indiana, and prior to the spring of 1830 he had purchased three hundred and twenty acres which joined the mill site south of Ladoga, and in 1830 he brought his family here. In 1831 John Myers, Sr., and son Henry, and nephew, Mathias Frantz came on horseback to Ladoga to visit John Myers, Jr. The senior Myers was then sixty years old. He was so favorably impressed with the possibilities of the new country that he re- turned to Virginia, sold his land and other property for six thousand dollars, which sum he put in chest, which he loaded into a big wagon, piling furniture on top. Hitching four large horses to the outfit he started with his wife, youngest son William, son Henry and his family, and with a goodly party of others came overland to this county, arriving at Ladoga in the fall of 1833, their big prairie schooner, although nothing new to the pioneers, yet attract- ing much attention. When John Myers, Jr. was building the first flour mill there, William, the youngest brother of John, Jr., then a boy of nineteen, was sent to the Ohio river and brought back the machinery. John Myers, Sr., bought a great deal of land in and about Ladoga and between there and Parkersburg, aggregating thirteen hundred and four acres. He was a man of great vigor of mind and body as is shown by the fact that at sixty years of age when financially able to take his ease he moved from the home of his early life to what was then the western frontier and founded a new home where his children could have more abundant opportunities. It was his money and public spirit that made possible the fostering of private enterprises and build- ing up the town of Ladoga. His death occurred in 1841, and he is buried in the cemetery at the south edge of Ladoga. He and his wife were members of the German Baptist church, and lived strictly in accord with their religious opinions. They were given to many acts of hospitality and charity, often providing a home for persons until they could provide a home for themselves. In her earlier married life Mrs. Myers weaned one of her own children so she could rear her sister's child. Mathias Frantz, who was left an orphan when a
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few days old. A leading trait of their character was industry. They loved work and were never idle. Mrs. Myers worked in the fields, and no one was a better reaper or swifter binder than she. After the flax was sown she did all the rest of the work, sheared the sheep and made the cloth, cut and made homespun clothes for all her children. She also had some ability as a milliner. Her death occurred in 1850 and she was buried beside her husband.
Her son William Myers, was born in 1816 in Botetourt county, Vir- ginia, and was married here in 1836 to Lydia Harshbarger, daughter of Jacob and Salone (Ammen) Harshbarger. She was born in 1816 in Vir- ginia, near Roanoke City, and came here with her parents in November, 1831. Her father was a man of affairs, well-to-do, and owned nearly three thousand acres near Ladoga. He was a religious man and of high moral character. William Myers' death occurred on March 1, 1907.
After his marriage, William Myers went to housekeeping in a log cabin, on Raccoon creek, a half mile south of where Franz O. Myers now lives. It was new land and he cleared it, as he told his grandchildren in after years, "In those days we married to make a home. Now the young folks must have a home before marriage. I cleared this ground, your father ditched it. Now it is ready for you." He made a good farm of it and here he reared his family, seven children having been born to William Myers and wife, only four of whom are now living, namely: Mrs. Alice Baldwin, who lives east of Ladoga ; and Daniel A. Myers, who lives four miles northeast of Ladoga. Two other daughters, Mrs. Salome Graybill and Mrs. Mary Gill live in Kan- sas and Missouri.
One of the sons was Jacob Frantz Myers, father of Franz O'Neall Myers. He was born May 18, 1850 on the place where Franz O. Myers now resides. He and Sarah Ellen O'Neall were married in this locality in 1877. She was a daughter of Abijah and Ellen (Hall) O'Neall. She was born in Ripley township, this county April 25, 1854. Her mother was of Scotch- Irish blood and she came here from Ohio. Abijah O'Neall is mentioned in the sketch of William Q. O'Neall, appearing elsewhere in this work.
J. Franz Myers was a farmer all his life. He and his wife were Presby- terians. They lived all their married life on the farm where he was born and prospering with advancing years, he became owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he kept well improved and well cultivated and ranked among the successful and leading farmers of the southern part of the county. He was a man of exemplary character and was well and favorably known. He was active in the Republican party, but never sought office, being content to remain on his farm, always a man of modesty and plain manners.
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He was, however, a delegate to the state convention that nominated Governor Mount with whom he was well acquainted, and was one of those whose earn- est efforts brought about the nomination of this distinguished son of Mont- gomery county. He was educated at Asbury (now DePauw ) University and Smithson College, and was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. He was a delegate to the Presbyterian General Assembly at Washington, D. C. His death occurred in November 24, 1903. His wife was educated at Smithson College. She was a strict Presbyterian and an earnest worker in the church. She was a good wife and mother and an excellent house- keeper. Her death occurred August 25, 1893.
Franz O'Neall Myers, the immediate subject of this sketch, attended Wabash College and also took a year in the agricultural department at Pur- due University, Lafayette, Indiana. He left school upon the death of his father and took charge of the farm where he now resides, and he has made a great success of operating the same, carrying on general farming and stock raising on a large scale, and keeping the place well improved and well culti- vated.
On October 31, 1905, Mr. Myers married Chasie Bridges, daughter of John L. and Vina (Harris) Bridges. She was born, reared and partly edu- cated in Putnam county, where her father is a prosperous farmer and was county commissioner of Putnam county.
Two children have been born to our subject and wife, namely : Howard B. and Madonna.
Fraternally, Mr. Myers is a Mason. He is a member of the Phi Gamma . Delta fraternity. Religiously, he belongs to the Presbyterian church.
His farm known as "Fair Acres" is well named as all who have seen it will readily acquiesce. It consists of three hundred and twenty acres, and his wife owns eighty acres.
Mrs. Myers was educated at Western Female Seminary at Oxford, Ohio.
EVERETT L. BRITTON.
The old Buckeye state has sent, during the past century, a large number of her best and most desirable citizens into Montgomery county. Indiana, where they have been of inestimable aid in developing the newer country along the beautiful Wabash, and here they have established good homes and aided in all measures looking to good government and the highest degree of happiness of a free and intelligent people. Of this number the name of
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Everett L. Britton, a well situated and contented farmer of Union township, should be specially mentioned.
Mr. Britton was born in Butler county, Ohio, on December 17, 1845, He is a son of Chancey and Elizabeth (Lewis) Britton. The father was born in the state of New York, and when a child he moved with his parents from the old Empire state to Ohio, where he became well established on a farm in Butler county, and there spent the rest of his life, dying on Novem- ber 25, 1878. Politically, he was a Whig and was active in political affairs in his locality.
The mother of the subject of this sketch was also a native of New York, and her death occurred on January 25, 1870. These parents received the usual common school educations of their day. To them five children were born, the subject of this sketch being the only one now living. They were named as follows: Annis, John, Sidney, Emma, and Everett L., the latter being the youngest.
The Britton family moved to Montgomery county from Ohio and here Everett L. Britton grew to manhood on the home farm and did his share of the chores common to the farm, and he attended the common schools during the winter months. On March 23, 1870, he married Mattie McIntire, who was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, on November 30, 1845. She is a daughter of Jacob and Mary Jane (Gray) McIntire.
Mrs. Britton received a common school education. She has borne our subject one child, Lillian, born January 2, 1872, is single and living at home.
Mr. Britton has always followed farming, and he has lived on his pres- ent farm in Union township for the past twenty-five years. He has seventy- nine acres, all tillable but five acres. It is naturally drained. He carries on general farming and raises a good breed of live stock, having at present some good Hereford cattle.
Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic Order at Crawfordsville. He is a member of the United Brethren church, and politically, is a Progressive.
ISAAC S. TODD.
One of the worthy native sons of Brown township, Montgomery county, who has been content to spend his life in his native community is Isaac S. Todd, one of the successful farmers and progressive citizens of the com- munity and a man who has so ordered his daily life that he has kept un- tarnished the honored family name, for the Todds have been a highly re-
Isaac 8. Todd. Dellah & Modd.
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spected and well known family in this county since the days of the first settlers.
Mr. Todd was born on August 12, 1845, in this township and county. He is a son of Johnson and Ruth Ann (VanCleave) Todd. The father was born in 1809 in Shelby county, Kentucky, and there he spent his earlier years, was educated in the common schools and removed to Indiana when young, and his death occurred here on March 13, 1870. His wife, Ruth A. Van- Cleave, was born in Kentucky on July 17, 1823, and she came to Montgom- ery county, Indiana, with her parents when a baby, and here her death oc- curred on October 10, 1901. Here she grew to womanhood and received, like her husband, a somewhat limited education in the rural schools. John- son Todd devoted his life to general farming and stock raising and he was very successful, for many years ranking among the leading tillers of the soil in the southwestern part of the county. He was twice married and his fam- ily consisted of fourteen children, two by his first wife and twelve by the second, our subject being one of the twelve. All this large family was well provided for and given educational advantages.
Isaac S. Todd grew to manhood on the home farm and he received an excellent education in the common schools of his community. On January 30, 1868 he married Delilah Maddox, who was born in Shelby county, Ken- tucky, December 27, 1846, and there she grew to womanhood and was edu- cated and she continued to live there until just before her marriage when she came to Montgomery county, Indiana. She is a daughter of Elijah and Emily (Todd) Maddox. Her father was born on January 11, 1812 in Ken- tucky, and his death occurred on February 3, 1865. The mother of our subject's wife was born on February 14, 1814, in Kentucky, and her death occurred on July 17, 1853.
The wife of our subject was one of seven children born to Elijah Mad- dox, five having been born by his first wife and two by his second wife.
The union of Isaac S. Todd and wife has been without issue, but they raised a boy, W. L. Todd, who married Grace Kelsey, and they live in Crawfordsville.
Isaac S. Todd has always followed general farming and stock raising, and has become one of the leaders in these lines in the southern part of the county. His well improved. well tiled and productive farm consists of two hundred and three acres, all well located in Brown township. This land is all under cultivation. but about seventy acres. He has a pleasant residence and large and convenient outbuildings.
(75)
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Mr. Todd is a member of the Horse Thief Detective Association. Poli- tically, he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and is a trustee in the same.
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Mr. Todd was elected president of the Brown's Valley Grain Company, a large and prosperous concern, which is steadily growing, under the able management of our subject. A large business is carried on all over this section of the state. All kinds of grain, feed, coal, salt, cement, fence posts, etc., are handled. This company is incorporated with a capital stock of seven thousand and five hundred dollars. The other officers, besides Mr. Todd as president are Frank Wilkinson, vice-president; Walter Sullivan, secretary ; and L. McLoed, treasurer.
THE ASHBY FAMILY'S ANCESTRY.
There are numerous families of Ashbys in and about Ladoga, Mont- gomery county, and they are nearly or quite all of them prominent and inter- married with other prominent families of this locality. They all came from a common ancestry-Thompson and Lettice Ashby. Of the descendants of . this couple none have been other than honorable and upright, respected citi- zens, and have played well their parts in the forward march of civilization as here inaugurated by the brave men and women a century ago, and are therefore eminently deserving of prominent mention in the present work.
The Ashby family was first known in Great Britain, was at one time of some prominence in the House of Lords and is today identified with promi- nent business interests there. The first we find of them in America was be- fore the Revolutionary war, in Virginia, they having lived near Harper's Ferry. It seems that one of the Ashbys and his wife had three sons, Bladen, Silas and Thompson. The parents died when these three boys were young. It was about 1777 that these sons removed to Kentucky, where Bladen be- came a noted scout and Indian fighter. He was with Gen. George Rogers Clark at the memorable capture of Vincennes from the British. Thompson Ashby was born about 1773 and was a child when he came to Kentucky. There he was seen by the girl who in later years became his wife and the mother of the Ashbys of this county, she having been known in her maiden- hood as Lettice Van Meter. Thompson Ashby, then but a child, owned a man's gun, which he carried gracefully on his shoulder, and also carried a shot pouch that nearly reached the ground. So ridiculous did it seem to her
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that she burst into laughter immediately. Lettice Van Meter was the sec- ond of a family of four children born to Abraham Van Meter and wife. Her father was at Boone Station, Kentucky, during the Revolutionary war. In 1781 Indians under Simon Girty attacked the settlers, the latter including the Van Meters. The settlers fled to Louisville, closely pursued by the Indians, and there was some fighting on the way. During the excitement Lettice fell into a creek and nearly drowned. Her mother heard the child gasp, but thought it was an Indian, however she wheeled about quickly and saw her child just in time to save her.
Thompson Ashby and Lettice Van Meter were married about 1790, and to them ten children were born, namely, Polly, Nancy, Abraham, Silas, Milton, Bladen, Thompson, Betty, James and Lettice. The father of these children was killed by a horse. Abraham Van Meter, mentioned above, was granted one thousand acres of land in 1780 in Henry county, Kentucky, deeded by Governor Harrison of Virginia. At that time what is now the state of Kentucky was embraced by the boundary lines of Virginia. It is said that this deed was destroyed by Indians and that Mr. Van Meter thereby lost his title to the land. However, he gave his daughter Lettice Ashby two hundred acres and this she kept and reared her children on it. After her children had grown to maturity, some married and had children of their own. She then sold out and brought her children and grandchildren to Clark town- ship, Montgomery county, Indiana. She was then fifty-six years of age, and when she came here in 1828, Clark township and surrounding country was a wilderness, wild and unbroken. She gave to each child enough to buy one hundred and sixty acres and soon the family owned about fifteen hun- dred acres of valuable land. She settled in the southwestern part of Clark township, a mile and three-fourths north of Roachdale, where her death oc- curred in 1845, in her seventy-fifth year.
Among her children who are to be mentioned in this connection was Abraham Ashby, who was born March 25. 1795, and whose death occurred in 1845. He married Elizabeth Hohimer, May 23, 1815, in Kentucky. She was born May 16, 1784, and died August 31, 1878. She was a daughter of Henry and Rhoda ( Paris) Hohimer. Abraham and Elizabeth ( Hohimer) Ashby became the parents of two sons, William and Thompson V. A sketch of the latter appears elsewhere.
Another one of Lettice Ashby's sons whose descendants are prominent in business in Ladoga was Silas F. Ashby, Sr., who was born in Shelby county, Kentucky.
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JOHN W. TODD.
One of the most representative citizens of Montgomery county and one of her worthiest native sons is John W. Todd, prominent agriculturist and banker of Brown's Valley, a man who has succeeded in life because he has worked consistently along proper lines of endeavor and has never permitted obstacles to thwart his pathway to the goal of success, and also because he has led an upright and honest life, thereby gaining and retaining the confi- dence and respect of all who know him. He has done much for the general upbuilding of the community honored by his residence, and is eminently deserving of a place in his county's history.
Mr. Todd was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, November II, 1841, and he is a son of Johnson and Ruth (Van Cleave) Todd, both natives of Kentucky, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married and from which state they came to Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1832, when this section of the state was practically a wilderness, settlers were few, and the land only meagerly improved in places. They devoted their lives to general farming, developing a good farm here from the virgin soil. Mr. Todd was known as a raiser of short-horn cattle. His family consisted of ten chil- dren, namely : James C., John W., of this review; Henry is deceased; I. S., George W., Johnson B., Mrs. Sarah J. Davis, Mrs. Melissa Servies, Pauline, and Mrs. Mary Williams.
John W. Todd was reared on the home farm, where he worked hard when a young man, and he received his education in the public schools of his community, after which he took up farming in Brown township and there continued as a general farmer and stock raiser with ever increasing success until the present. In 1905 he assisted in organizing the Brown's Valley Bank, with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars, with a surplus of three thousand and seven hundred dollars, and with undivided profits of twelve hundred dollars. The stock is held by local men, all reputable citi- zens and men of known integrity and business ability, and this institution has met with favor with the people of this part of the county and is regarded as a sound and safe institution. The stockholders are John W. Todd, presi- dent : Walter Southerland, vice-president; Walter Wiatt, cashier; board of directors, L. M. McLoed, C. W. Taylor, George W. Canine, T. D. Coons, and W. W. Bayless. Mr. Todd is deserving of a great deal of credit for his splendid work in promoting this splendid bank, which has filled a long-felt
John W. Food
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want in this community and its pronounced success has been due for the most part to his able management and wise counsel.
Mr. Todd was married in 1867 to Susan Steger, daughter of James and Elizabeth Steger, natives of Kentucky. The union of Mr. Todd and his first wife was without issue. Her death occurred after a few years, and Mr. Todd married in 1871 Hester Harris, daughter of John and Caroline Harris, both natives of Kentucky, from which state they removed to Mont- gomery county, Indiana, in a very early day. Mr. Todd's second wife died in 1900.
Politically, Mr. Todd is a Democrat, and has always been a loyal sup- porter of the party. Religiously, he is a Methodist, and in fraternal matters he belongs to the Knights of Pythias. He has been a member of the Horse Thief Detective Association for the past fifty years.
JOSEPHUS GRAYBILL.
The world in its onward rush is now taking time to look back, and the story of the pioneer is daily becoming of more absorbing interest. Western Indiana was for many years considered "out west" and its people, scarcely out of the woods, took little interest in those traditions relating to a condition of society but little removed from their own. But the grand march of civili- zation has pushed back the western frontier until instead of being in Indiana or skirting the Mississippi river, it now rests upon the shores of the Pacific, and has made the northwestern territory the central link in a brilliant chain of states. This awakening to the true value of the early history of this part of the country comes in many respects too late. Most of the pioneers have been gathered to their fathers, and one by one the old landmarks have decayed and passed away with those who reared them, while that period is fast rolling on when none can truly say, "I remember them and their works." Thus, while we may, let us rescue from oblivion the simple facts in the lives of these sturdy men who were the heralds of civilization in our beloved county of Montgomery and by their sturdy energy, and self-denying efforts made possible the condition of things which we today enjoy.
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