USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery county, Indiana; with personal sketches of representative citizens, Volume II > Part 47
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William J. Miles grew up on the farm, and he received a common school education, later attending the seminary at Ladoga, then began teach- ing, which occupation he followed several years with success. He engaged in general farming and stock raising from 1867 to the fall of 1908, when he removed to New Market, having been elected to the office of county com- missioner, which position he held for two terms or six years, from 1905 to 1911, inclusive. He was also justice of the peace for a period of sixteen years, and was supervisor for some time. As a public servant he gave the utmost satisfaction, being an unbiased, honest and conscientious gentleman, and he won the hearty approval of all concerned.
Mr. Miles was married on February 28, 1869, to Mary Easley, daugh-
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ter of J. W. and Lucinda J. (Vancleve) Easley, early settlers of this county. Daniel Easley, grandfather of Mrs. Miles, was one of the earliest pioneers in this locality,
One child was born to the union of our subject and wife, Alice, born March 21, 1870, died November 25, 1882. The wife and mother passed away on August 27, 1910, at the age of sixty-four years, her birth having occurred on March 6, 1847.
Politically, Mr. Miles is a Republican and has been influential in local party affairs. Religiously, he belongs to the Baptist church, and has been a member of the Freedom church for forty-nine years, served as clerk thirty- five years, was superintendent of the Sunday school for about thirty years, and has served as a deacon for nearly forty years.
JOHN W. REMLEY.
In the history of every community there are individuals who become so identified with its growth that no article which pertains to its prosperity is complete unless they are represented therein. Such is the case in the person of John W. Remley, who has been closely associated with the affairs of the western part of Montgomery county for many decades, and who is deserving of rank among the most enterprising agriculturists of Wayne township.
Mr. Remley was born in the township and county mentioned in the preceding paragraph on December 8, 1867, and here he has been content to spend his life. He is a son of William F. and Susan (Stout) Remley. The father was a native of this county also. John Remley, the paternal grand- father, was a native of Ohio. The Remley family came to this county in an early day and they have always been well known and prosperous agricul- turists here. A fuller account of this family will be found on another page of this work.
William F. Remley received his education in the district schools of his native community. In the early sixties he volunteered in the service of his country, joining the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Indiana Regiment under General Burnsides. After returning home he took up farming for his occu- pation, which he followed successfully until 1904, when he left the farm and moved to Crawfordsville, where he lived retired until his death, in 1905, at the age of sixty-two years. The mother of our subject is still living at the family residence at Crawfordsville.
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Four children were born to William F. Remley and wife, named as fol- lows John W., of this review, being the eldest; Benjamin Franklin; Ira C .; and Grace, who married Adrian Tinkham, of Crawfordsville.
John W. Remley grew to manhood on the home farm and there did his share of the work when a boy and he received a good common school edu- cation. On Deceinber 23, 1888, he was united in marriage to Etta May Quick, daughter of Jackson Quick and wife. Her father was a native of New York, from which state he came to Montgomery county, Indiana, in an early 'day and here became very comfortably established through his indus- try. He was married to Nancy Ann Shanklin, October 4, 1853. There being no railroads in that day he drove across the country to the state of lowa in a covered wagon for his bride and was four weeks on the road going and returning.
Two children have been born to our subject and wife, namely : W. Q. Vern and Dorothy Ester.
Mr. Remley is the owner of a finely improved and productive farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Wayne township, and here he carries on gen- eral farming and stock raising.
Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Methodist church, and is a steward in the same. He has been superin- tendent in the Sunday school for a period of five years. His worthy father before him was also a church and Sunday school worker, and was superin- tendent of the Sunday school for a period of sixteen years.
Mr. Remley is a director of the Waynetown State Bank, also a direc- tor of the Montgomery County Agricultural Association. Also a. director of the Better Farming Association, and a member of the Wesley Horse Thief Detective Association.
ALARIC M. SMITH.
There are several business concerns in the city of Crawfordsville that are not only thoroughly typical of the comprehensive growth and increasing importance of the place, but also distinctly a source of public pride, delinea- ting as they do the general business enterprise and commercial sagacity of some of our leading citizens. Such a concern is the Journal Printing Com- pany, owned and successfully managed by Alaric M. Smith, one of the most thorough going, and enterprising men in Montgomery county.
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Mr. Smith was born on November 9, 1859 in Fayette county, Indiana. He is a son of Mirick S. and Lucinda ( Hankins) Smith. The father was born January 20, 1837, near Cincinnati, Ohio, and his death occurred on August 11, 1906. The mother was born on March 2, 1839, also near Cin- cinnati, Ohio, and she is still living. These parents grew to maturity, were educated and married in their native community. Mirick S. Smith was a painter by trade. He came to Fayette county, Indiana, soon after his mar- riage, and from there moved to Crawfordsville May 4, 1869 and here spent the rest of his life. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, taking an active part in fraternal affairs. He was the first marshal that was ever elected outside of the whisky ring in Crawfordsville. Politically, he was a loyal Republican, and religiously be- longed to the Methodist Episcopal church. His family consisted of two chil- dren, our subject alone surviving.
Alaric M. Smith received a common school education. On December 27, 1882, he married Prarie Smith, who was born in West Virginia, Febru- ary 7, 1859. She received a common school education.
To our subject and wife three children have been born, namely: Mrs. R. P. (Vera) Youngman, and they live in Crawfordsville: Ethel A., and Charles V.
Mr. Smith started out in life as a printer in Crawfordsville, serving an apprenticeship. Taking charge of The Crawfordsville Journal printing de- partment in 1880, he continued the management of the same until in October, 1901, the business growing rapidly in the meantime. Mr. Smith at that time purchased the job department of The Journal Company, which he has con- tinued to operate to the present time with gratifying results, increasing the plant in all lines until it is today one of the best equipped and modern in west- ern Indiana. An addition of five thousand and five hundred feet floor space was added only recently. This increased floor space gives plenty of room for the up-to-date presses and typesetting machines. All the machinery is operated by electricity with individual motors on each machine. Prompt and high-grade work is the watchword here, and large jobs are constantly turned out, work coming, frequently, from remote parts of the country. This great increase has been due to the able management of Mr. Smith. He is also secretary and treasurer of the Indiana Match Corporation whose plant is located in Crawfordsville, and he has done much toward increasing its prestige and making it a pronounced success.
Mr. Smith has long been active in public affairs, and has the interest
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of his city and county at heart. He is a member of the Commercial Club and was president of the same for a period of two years. Politically, he is a Republican, and fraternally belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and the Knights of Pythias, and he is one of the original members of the Tribe of Ben-Hur.
SAMUEL D. STONER.
The name of Samuel D. Stoner needs no formal introduction to the people of Montgomery county, for here he has spent his life, engaged in the ministry of the German Baptist Brethren church and in general agricultural pursuits. Samuel D. Stoner was born on a farm where he now resides, in Section 21, Clark township, this county, on July 24, 1856, and is a son of David Stoner, who was born May 25, 1806, in Virginia, and was a son of Jacob Stoner, a native of Maryland, and he in turn was a son of Jacob Stoner who went from Pennsylvania to Maryland. Jacob Stoner was reared in his native state and there married Catherine Albaugh, who was a native of Vir- ginia. Jacob Stoner established his permanent home in Botetourt county, Virginia, and there passed the remainder of his life. He was twice married, his first wife dying in early life, and on November 2, 1820, he married Bar- bara Garst. To the first union eight children were born, and nine to the second, making thus a large family of seventeen children. David Stoner grew to manhood in Botetourt county, Virginia, and there received his edu- cation. It was in 1831 that he emigrated to Montgomery county, Indiana, and entered eighty acres in section 12 and 13, and in 1837 he settled here permanently.
Samuel D. Stoner was reared on the old homestead, and received his education in the public schools, later entering Ashland College in Ohio, and finished at Ladoga, Indiana.
Mr. Stoner was married on September 30, 1884, to Lina Norris, a daughter of Edward O. Norris, who was born in Harford county, Mary- land, in 1813, there spent his life and died in 1872. Mrs. Stoner was also a native of that state, the date of her birth being December 15, 1860: there she grew to womanhood, received her education and was married, but soon thereafter she and Mr. Stoner took up their abode in the old home here, where they have since resided. To this union eight children have been born, namely: Mary Christina, David L., Emma Rowena, Edward Norris, Paul Deardroff, John Edgar, Benjamin Oliver, and Joseph Warren.
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Mr. Stoner is a minister in the German Baptist Brethren church, hold- ing membership with the Raccoon Creek congregation, of which he was elected minister October 2, 1890. Mrs. Stoner is also a member of the above named church. Politically, Mr. Stoner is a Prohibitionist.
ISAAC RICE.
Although. Isaac Rice, farmer of Brown township, in the Brown's Val- ley country, has spent the major portion of his life in Fountain county, he has become well known and has made many close friends since taking up his residence in Montgomery county, for he has shown himself to be neighborly, hospitable, energetic and public spirited, a good man for any neighborhood ; in fact, every community wants such new-comers; and the reason is plain to be seen.
Mr. Rice was born in Fountain county, Indiana, on April 19, 1854; there he grew to manhood and received his education in the common schools and there he resided continuously for a period of forty-one years, removing to Montgomery county in 1895, locating at the town of Linden, where he lived seven years, then moved to Brown township, where he still resides.
He is a son of "Boney" and Narcissus (McCollins) Rice. The father was born in Fountain county, Indiana, and there he spent his life engaged in farming, staying close to his work and taking little part in public affairs, although he was a stanch Democrat. His death occurred on February II, 1876. His wife was born in Kentucky, and her death occurred in Fountain county. They were good, honest people. They were the parents of four- teen children, seven of whom are still living.
Isaac Rice was married on December 31, 1876, to Florence Parrent, who was born in Fountain county, this state, on January 1, 1856. She is a daughter of William and Ellen (Stephens) Parrent, a highly respected family.
Five children have been born to our subject and wife, three of whom are still living, namely: Elva, Mabel and Clare.
Mr. Rice has always engaged in farming, and his efforts have been crowned with success. He has made a specialty of raising spotted Poland- China hogs, also draft road horses, also raised Barred Plymouth Rock chickens for over thirty years. He has had great success with his fine poul-
MR. AND MRS. ISAAC RICE
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try and live stock. He is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, nearly all of which is under a fine state of cultivation or at least is tillable, with the possible exception of about twenty acres. "His fields are fairly well tiled. He has a good home well furnished. He is still very actively engaged in general farming and stock raising and is regarded as one of the leading men.of these honored vocations in the Brown's Valley country.
Mr. Rice is a member of the Anti-Horse Thief Association. He be- longs to the Baptist church, and politically he is a Democrat, and has always been loyal in his support of the same, although he has never been an aspirant for public honors.
. JACOB EDWARD LIDIKAY.
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In the list of Montgomery county's progressive men of affairs must con- sistently be included the name of Jacob Edward Lidikay, one of the leading business men and best known citizens of Ladoga. In his career there is much that is commendable, and his career forcibly illustrates what a life of energy can accomplish when plans are judiciously laid and actions are gov- erned by right motives. He is of that type of men who, when once convinced that they are right, no suggestion of personal profit or policy can swerve them from the course they have decided upon. Starting at the bottom of the ladder of industrial success he has, unaided, carried forward to successful completion whatever he has undertaken, and his business methods have ever been in strict conformity with the standard and approved ethics of commer- cial life. He has permitted no obstacles to thwart him, and has forged ahead to the coveted goal in the face of all adversity. His is the record of a well balanced mental and moral constitution, strongly influenced by those traits of character which are ever of especial value in a progressive state of society. He is a man of public spirit and has done much for the town of Ladoga and vicinity, and for this, and his industry and integrity he is held in high esteem by all.
Mr. Lidikay was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, about ten miles south of Louisville, on October 16, 1852, but his life has practically all been spent in Montgomery county, Indiana, he having been brought the following fall after his birth to Scott township by his parents, Jacob and Catherine (Yenawine) Lidikay, who located in Scott township. His paternal grand- father was George Lidikay, who came from Tenessee to five miles west of
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New Albany, Indiana, in an early day. The family is of German origin. It is said that the spelling of the name has been changed in translating it from the German language, and tradition has it that a town in the Fatherland was named in honor of the family.
Catherine Yenawine, mentioned above, was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Evinger) Yenawine, natives of Pennsylvania, and came to Jef- fersontown, Jefferson county, Kentucky, with her parents.
When Jacob Lidikay came to Montgomery county in 1853 he purchased two hundred and twenty acres from Joshua Harrison, for which he paid thirty dollars per acre, which was considered a very high price in those days. There the family home was established, the farm continuing the property of Jacob Lidikay until 1878, when he sold it to the subject of this sketch. The former lived there until old age, then retired and lived in Ladoga with his son, Jacob E., until his death. His wife, Catherine, died soon afterward. The father of our subject was a straightforward, hard-working, honest German, modest and unassuming, who cared more for the humble duties of life than for the glittering prizes of the ambitious. His family consisted of eight children, six sons and two daughters, namely: John Leonard, who died in 1864; George Emmanuel lives in Wellsville, Kansas; Martha Jane is the wife of Daniel Scholl, of Kansas City; Sarah Elizabeth, widow of Elias Scholl (deceased), lives in Connersville, Indiana; Melanethon Yenawine also lives in Wellsville, Kansas; William Frederick died in 1867; Ezra Keller died in Kentucky in childhood; and Jacob E., our subject, who was the youngest of the family.
The parents of these children were Lutherans and in that faith reared their family.
Jacob E Lidikay, the immediate subject of this article, grew to man- hood on the home farm in Scott township, and there assisted with the general work when he became of proper age, and during the winter months he at- tended the neighboring schools. He took up farming for himself in his native township when young in years and followed this vocation, getting an excellent start in life, until he was forty years old, in his native township, then, in 1878, he purchased his father's farm and in 1881 bought four hun- dred acres two miles farther north, and continued to carry on general farm- ing and stock raising pursuits on a very large scale, ranking with the fore- most and progressive farmers in the county, until in 1892 he moved to La- doga, giving up active work on the farm. Since then he has been engaged very extensively in business in Ladoga and has been regarded as one of the
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town's most industrious and influential men. He has been engaged in the electric light business, hardware, banking, real estate and loans, making a pronounced success of each in turn. For several years he also carried on business in the manufacture of carriages at Ladoga, and built up a large trade, there being a great demand for his products owing to their superior quality and honest workmanship. He has accumulated a handsome compet- ency through his individual efforts, and has an attractive and commodious residence in Ladoga. This beautiful home was presided over with rare grace by a lady of refinement and genial attributes, she having been known in her maidenhood as Elizabeth Goodbar, who was united in marriage to Mr. Lidikay in 1877. She was a daughter of Henry and Mary (Foster) Good- bar, and a sister of C. L. Goodbar. A complete sketch of Mrs. Lidikay's parents and ancestry is found on another page of this volume, hence will not be repeated here, other than to say that the Goodbars have been well and favorably known in Montgomery county for many years.
Five children graced the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lidikay, namely : Lillus is the wife of John A. Harshbarger, and lives two miles east of La- doga, and has two children, Albert Edward and Elizabeth; Bertha, wife of John Hendricks, lives on a farm near Jamestown, Indiana, and has one son, John Lidikay Hendricks; Ernest is traveling salesman for a wholesale dry goods house and makes his headquarters in St. Louis; Anna died in her sixteenth year; Catherine, the youngest child, is at home with her father in Ladoga.
The mother of these children was called to her eternal rest on October 16, 1910.
Fraternally, Mr. Lidikay is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also a Mason, in which order he has taken all of both York Rite and the Scottish Rite to the highest degrees, with the exception of the thirty-third degree, which is conferred only in rare cases. He is also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He belongs to the lodges, the Crawfordsville Commandery, the Indiana Con- sistory and Murat Temple, the latter at Indianapolis. He is one of the active, honored and well known Masons of the state. Those who know him best say that he carries the sublime precepts of this time-honored order into his every-day life, for he is an obliging, lenient, genial, charitable and hospitable gentleman who is held in high regard by all with whom he has come into contact, and is eminently deserving of the same.
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CHARLES KIRKPATRICK.
Among the enterprising citizens of Coal Creek township, Montgomery county, who are deserving of a place in the pages of this 'biographical and historical record is Charles Kirkpatrick, of New Richmond, not because he has done big things, either in an industrial or public way, but because he has done well in the humbler walks of life and has lived honorably, his neighbors finding no fault with him, and he has sought to do his full share in the prog- ress of the community of his choice, while laboring for his own advance- ment. Such a course always marks the good citizen in any country:
Mr. Kirkpatrick was born on May 20, 1863, at Sugar Grove, Tippecanoe county, Indiana, a son of Jacob and Mandy Ann (Shewe) Kirkpatrick. The father of our subject was born on December 4, 1831, in Illinois. He was a man of courage and unusual hardihood. He made two trips to the far West across the plains in the gold fever days, making one trip around Cape Horn, South America. He is still living at an advanced age. The mother of our subject was born at Sugar Grove, Indiana, and her death occurred in 1886. They both received such educational advantages as the early schools afforded. The father devoted the major part of his active life to farming, and he became prominent in politics, being an ardent Republican, but since the campaign of 1912 he has been a Progressive.
Seven children were born to Jacob Kirkpatrick and wife, all of whom are living, namely: Laura, who has remained unmarried; Charles, of this re- view; Susan married Dr. Paul Barcus, of Crawfordsville; Anna married Boyd A. McMillan, and they live on the old home place at Sugar Grove, Tip- pecanoe county ; William married Attie J. Hubbard, and they live at New Richmond, Montgomery county, where he is cashier of the bank; Edwin is also living in New Richmond; Fanny, who married Charles' B. Shepherd, is living near New Richmond on a farm.
Charles Kirkpatrick grew to manhood on the home farm and there did his share of the work about the place when a boy. He attended the com- mon schools in his neighborhood, later entering DePauw University at Greencastle, from which he was graduated with the class of 1886.
The next important step in the life of Mr. Kirkpatrick took place on November 22, 1893, when he was married to Jessie L. Washburn, who was born in Tippecanoe county. She is a daughter of George W. and 'Louise (Whetstone) Washburn.
Mr. Kirkpatrick started out in life for himself when he came to New
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Richmond, this county, and purchased an elevator, which he ran for three years, then sold it and went to Anderson, Indiana, where he was associated with William Combeck, who at that time was lieutenant-governor. About a year later our subject went into the contracting business, building streets and for two years was very successful, then returned to New Richmond, in Sep- tember, 1895, he assisted in founding the present bank of New Richmond. This sound and conservative institution is known as the Commercial Ex- change Bank. With George W. Washburn as a partner, these gentlemen forged ahead until they had built up one of the popular banks of the county. It was first organized with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars. Our subject at that time was cashier and Mr. Washburn was president. Upon the death of the latter, Mr. Kirkpatrick purchased the interest of his partner and organized a bank with a paid up capital of twenty-five thousand dollars under the same name of the new concern, Mr. Kirkpatrick became president, Will- iam, assuming the duties of cashier, and the wife of our subject, Mrs. J. L. Kirkpatrick, became assistant cashier. The bank continued under this ar- rangement with ever increasing success until 1912, when the capital stock was raised to forty thousand dollars, and the surplus was fixed at ten thou- sand dollars. The most approved and safest methods of banking are em- ployed, and every device for the safety and convenience of depositors has been installed, and its prestige has constantly grown.
Since 1902 Mr. Kirkpatrick has been a potent figure in local politics. In that year he was elected as representative from this county to the legisla- ture, where he made a most commendable record, eminently satisfactory both to his constituents and to all concerned. He has done much for the general progress of his section of the state.
Our subject and family have spent the past four winters in California and Florida, and expect to continue to do so.
While in college Mr. Kirkpatrick belonged to the Sigma Chi fraternity, and he was editor in chief of the college monthly, filling this position in a manner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the praise of his col- lege friends and acquaintances. He was also prominent in oratorical affairs, and was appointed by the faculty as one of the first speakers on commence- ment days.
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