USA > Indiana > Knox County > Vincennes > History of Old Vincennes and Knox County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 16
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cific Railway and was killed by one of the trains upon that road near Leavenworth City, Kansas.
The subject of this review was educated in the public schools and early came into contact with the stern realities of the world. He entered the railway service and for some years acted as engineer on the old Ohio & Mississippi Railway, now the Baltimore & Ohio road. After ten years of experience with the railway, he became assistant chief of the fire de- partment of Vincennes and in this position he continued with great ac- ceptance to the city government and the people for nine years. He had become interested in politics, and in 1879 was elected city treasurer, being reelected two years later without opposition. He served for four years in this position, proving one of the most efficient officials at the head of the financial department that the city has known. In 1875 Mr. McCarthy be- came owner of the Vincennes Galvanized Iron Works, manufacturers of roofing and all kinds of cornice, galvanized iron and copper work, etc., and he has ever since continued at the head of this establishment, which many years ago became one of the substantial business enterprises of Vin- cennes and under his management has gained a reputation which extends outside the limits of Knox county.
On April 4, 1871, Mr. McCarthy was united in marriage to Miss Mary O. Dubois, who was born in Vincennes in 1850 and is a daughter of Henry H. and Lydia (Watson) Dubois, both natives of this city. The family bears an honored name in Indiana and Illinois. The great-grandfather, Major Tousant Dubois, guided George Rogers Clark up the Wabash river to Fort Sacksville previous to the time of the Revolutionary war and served with distinction in that noted expedition. An uncle of Mrs. Mc- Carthy, Jesse K. Dubois, was auditor of the state of Illinois for eight years and a cousin, F. T. Dubois, served as United States senator from the state of Idaho. To Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy nine children have been born: Ella, the wife of John J. Murphy, president of the Murphy Distil- ling Company, of Vincennes; Mary Agnes, the wife of Peter Gilchrist, chief engineer of the Murphy Distilling Company and mother of two chil- dren, a son and a daughter; John H., foreman in his father's shop, who married Ella King and is the father of one daughter; Babe, who became the wife of Charles Edmonds, and is now deceased; George and Michael, both deceased: Alice. of South Dakota, who is the wife of Charles B. Cunningham and has two children; Peter Gaddis, at home; and Francis Patrick, also at home. The daughter, Mrs. Edmonds, left two daughters, who are making their home with Mr. and Mrs. Murphy.
Mr. McCarthy ever since arriving at years of maturity has been ac- tively identified with the democratic party, and has been a leading factor in its councils in Knox county for many years. For four years, from 1882 to 1886, he served as chairman of the county central committee, and from 1905 to 1909 acted as township trustee. He is affiliated with the Catholic church, of which he has been trustee for twenty-seven years, and
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he is also connected with a number of fraternal organizations, serving as first grand knight of the Knights of Columbus and one of the fathers of the council of Vincennes Council, No. 712. He was first president of the Eagles lodge, serving for two terms in that capacity, and at the present time is filling the office of grand district deputy president. He is past sachem of the Improved Order of Red Men and district deputy great sachem. He is a member of Lodge No. 291, B. P. O. E., in which he holds the title of past exalted ruler and district deputy grand exalted ruler of southern Indiana. He has also been prominently connected for many years with the Catholic Knights of America, serving for eight years as state president, and he is now president of local branch No. 256. Mr. McCarthy has especially been fortunate in a life companion, and he has found in his wife a true and loving associate, who has made their home, over which she has presided for nearly forty years, the abode of peace and true hospitality. By a consistent career, crowned with useful and helpful acts, Mr. McCarthy has constantly added to his own happiness and in- creased the happiness of others, and difficult indeed would it be to find anywhere a man more generally respected and beloved in the community where he lives than the honored gentleman whose name stands at the head of this review.
JOHN H. BRUCE.
One of the most interesting pioneers of Knox county, if not of the state of Indiana, is John H. Bruce, of Bruceville, now eighty-four years of age, and living on his farm which he manages as easily as a man twenty-five years younger than himself. He was born in Washington township, Knox county, August 17, 1826, and is a son of William and Hetty R. Bruce, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Kentucky. The father came to the region now known as Knox county in 1800 and rented five acres of land near Vincennes at five dollars an acre. After a short stay he returned to Kentucky, but in 1805, again being attracted northward, he came to Knox county and entered two hundred acres of land in Washington township. Here he erected a rude log cabin in which he lived until 1811, when he built a brick house which is still standing and is now one hundred years old. He cultivated his farm until his death which occurred when he was seventy-seven years of age, in 1854. The mother was called away fourteen years later, in 1868.
John H. Bruce had little opportunity for school training as he grew up in the early pioneer period. He remained at home until twenty-one years of age when, having a laudable curiosity to see other parts of the world, he went down the Mississippi river to New Orleans and after staying there awhile came up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to Kansas City, then a
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thriving village on the borders of civilization. While at Kansas Cty he as- sisted in clearing the land on the spot now occupied by the metropolis of the Missouri Valley. In November, 1897, having seen enough of the south and west, he returned home and applied himself with such diligence to study that he was granted a teacher's certificate and taught in the district schools for four years. Having taken unto himself a life companion, he rented a farm for five years and then bought twenty-five acres which he cultivated for eleven years. His next venture was in the mercantile business at Bruceville, but after an experience of eight years he sold out and bought the old home farm of eighty acres where he has since lived. Thirty-five acres of the place he has laid out in town lots, the land having become too valuable for farming purposes. He has made many improvements upon his farm and is greatly attached to it on account of associations extending back for many years.
In 1850 Mr. Bruce was united in marriage to Miss Angeline Threlkeld. a daughter of James and Sally Threlkeld, natives of Pennsylvania. Four children came to bless their union: E. Bruce, who became a physician and departed this life in 1895; Mrs. Sally H. McClure, who is married and lives in Bruceville ; Hetty B., deceased in 1890; and Cora May, who died in 1862 at the age of four years.
Mr. Bruce, notwithstanding his advanced age, still enjoys a fair degree of health, but his wife, who has reached the age of eighty-five years, was stricken with blindness about a year ago. She bears up bravely under this affliction, being sustained by an unalterable trust in a Providence that directs all things aright. Mr. and Mrs. Bruce are members of the Church of Christ at Bruceville, the town being named in honor of the father of our subject. Politically Mr. Bruce is in sympathy with the republican party and has held several public offices of responsibility, serving for five years, from 1855, as clerk of Washington township, six years as assessor and four years as trustee. He has acted as administrator of fourteen estates and settled same on a basis highly satisfactory to those concerned. His life has been synonymous with honorable dealing and strict adherence to duty and as a result he has always possessed the respect of the people of the entire com- munity.
GEORGE W. MAYFIELD, M. D.
Dr. George W. Mayfield, for eighteen years past a successful practi- tioner of Knox county, was born at Bruceville, Indiana, December 12, 1856. He is a son of Dr. John and Elizabeth Mayfield, both of whom were natives of Indiana. The father came to Bruceville in 1852, immediately after graduating from Rush Medical College of Chicago. Here he prac- ticed until the beginning of the Civil war, when he moved to a farm two miles west of town and devoted his attention to agricultural and stock-
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raising interests for ten years. At the end of this period he returned to Bruceville and reentered the practice of his profession, which he continued until his death, which occurred January 23, 1905. He was a man of good education and he attained a reputation as a public-spirited citizen and an able physician. The beloved mother is still living, at the age of eighty- three years, and visits around among her eight children, whose names are: Mrs. Helen Hill, Mrs. M. Stiffy, Mrs. Stella Ward, Joseph B. Mayfield, John T. Mayfield, Mrs. Kate Holmes, Elizabeth Mayfield and George W., subject of this sketch.
George W. Mayfield received his preliminary education in the public schools of Bruceville and remained under the parental roof until he reached the age of seventeen years, when he began his active career as a school- teacher. After ten years' experience in the schoolroom, during which he gained many valuable lessons that have assisted him materially in his later life, he engaged in the brick and tile business, in which he continued for four years. Purchasing the stock of the Bruceville Drug Company, he was identified with the drug business for six years, in the course of which he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and to devote his life to the healing art. Accordingly he disposed of the drug store and entered the Louisville Medical College of Louisville, Kentucky, where he was a student for one year, then transferring his allegiance to the Kentucky School of Medicine, in which institution he pursued the regular course for two years, graduating in 1892 with the degree of M. D. He also took a course in chemistry, for which he received a diploma in 1891. Since 1892 he has been in active practice at Bruceville, in the same community with which his father was identified for many years.
On the 4th of October, 1880, Dr. Mayfield was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Gude, a daughter of Captain Alfred and Mary Jane Gude, both of whom were natives of Indiana. Five children have blessed the union : Hattie G., now twenty-eight years of age and successfully engaged in the teaching of music; Mrs. Susie S. Beckes, of Jackson, Mississippi; Georgie, deceased March 27, 1891; Joseph B., aged sixteen ; and Bonnie J., aged fourteen.
Dr. Mayfield is a member of the United States pension examining board of Knox county and also of the Knox County Medical Society and the Bicknell Medical Society. Fraternally he is connected with Bruceville Lodge, No. 547, I. O. O. F., of Bruceville, the Knights of Pythias Lodge No. 517 of the same place and Bruceville Lodge, No. 5007, M. W. A. Politi- cally he is in hearty sympathy with the principles of the republican party. He is a member of the Methodist church and by virtue of education, ex- perience and natural qualifications he has attained recognition as one of the prominent men of Knox county.
In the course of an active life he has discharged his various responsibili- ties in such a way as to gain and retain the confidence of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Although thirty-six years of age before he
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began to practice, he soon won an enviable place in the estimation of the community and time has shown that the confidence then reposed in him was not misplaced. No man in Knox county is more highly respected by those with whom he associates than Dr. George W. Mayfield.
THOMAS EASTHAM.
Nature seems to have intended that a period of rest shall follow a life of busy activity. In early manhood one is filled with the vigor, hope and ambition of youth, and in later manhood energy and enterprise are widened by a sound judgment that is the result of experience. Labor, therefore, becomes more effective and results more sure, and if the individual is diligent and determined he may gain a competence that will enable him in his later years to live retired. Such is the record of Thomas Eastham, who at one time was a prosperous lumberman of Vincennes and has long been a well known citizen here. He now resides at 320 North Fourth street, where he is pleasantly located, the fruits of his former toil supplying him with all the necessities and some of the luxuries of life.
Mr. Eastham was born in Nelson county, Kentucky, February 25, 1835, and is the son of Isaac Newton and Eliza (Sweets) Eastham. The father was a mail contractor, who for a considerable period had the contract with the United States government for carrying the mail. He was born in Illinois, but when a young man went to Kentucky, becoming one of the pioneer settlers of that section of the state in which he made his home. He came to Knox county. Indiana, in 1851, and had a contract for the mail between Louisville and St. Louis for twenty years. He remained a resident of Vincennes, passing away here in 1871. His wife's death had occurred at a previous date.
Thomas Eastham acquired his early education in Kentucky and was sixteen years of age when his parents removed to Indiana. He worked with his father for about six years, after which he took contracts on his own account, continuing in the business for six years. He then turned his attention to farming and to the livery business, carefully, systematically and successfully cultivating his fields and managing his barn. Later however, he sold his farm and engaged in the lumber business, in which he was very successful, building up an extensive and profitable trade, his annual sales reaching a large figure, and at length bringing to him the success which has enabled him to put aside further business cares and live retired.
On the 4th of January, 1861, Mr. Eastham was married to Miss Lydia N. Burnett, a representative of a very prominent family of Knox county, who came to Indiana from Cleveland, Ohio. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Eastham have been born three children who are yet living: Stephen S., who is engaged in the laundry business in Vincennes; Kate, the wife of John T. Boyd; and
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Alice E., the wife of William Hengen. They reside in Iowa, and have three children : Jennie, Catharine and Rosma. Mr. and Mrs. Eastham lost one child Jessie, who married and died leaving a daughter, Lydia Jane.
Not only did Mr. Eastham become widely and favorably known as a successful lumber dealer, but was also active in public affairs, and for three terms was elected to and capably filled the office of city treasurer, proving a worthy custodian of municipal funds. Integrity has ever been one of the crowning features of his career, and was as strongly manifest in his official service as in business relations and private life. He has ever favored progress along any line that tends to uplift man, and has labored earnestly and con- tinuously for the general welfare. His fellow townsmen respect and admire him for what he has accomplished, and he well deserves representation among the leading citizens of Knox county.
GEORGE H. HOKE.
George H. Hoke, who is now living retired on a beautiful farm in Wid- ner township, Knox county, is truly regarded as one of the prosperous and successful men of the county, with which he has been identified for fifty- one years. He was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, December 14, 1833, and is a son of Jacob and Rose Ann (Brentlinger) Hoke, both of whom were natives of Kentucky, the father having been born in Jefferson county in 1807. The parents came to Indiana shortly after their marriage and set- tled in Sullivan county, where he prospered highly as a farmer and became owner of one thousand acres of land.
The subject of this review was educated in the subscription schools of Sullivan county and continued at home until twenty-six years of age, when he was married and removed to Knox county. Here he began farming on his own account upon one hundred and fifty acres of land, which was later given him by his father. With this land as a nucleus he labored diligently, increasing his possessions as opportunity offered, and at the present time he owns four hundred and eighty-five acres of land in Knox and Sullivan counties and occupies an enviable position in the farming community. The residence in which he lives is a commodious, neat and substantial building and the barns and outbuildings on the farm are equal to the best in the township. He has also improved his place by planting shade and orna- mental trees. The fences are in repair, the land is well tiled and no pains or expense have been spared to make the farm thoroughly productive and one that yields a good income on the investment.
In 1859 Mr. Hoke was united in marriage to Miss Mary Pierce. Three children were born to the union, one of whom, William, is now living. Mrs. Hoke having departed this life in 1867, Mr. Hoke was again married Octo- ber 20, 1870, his second union being with Mary M. Polk, by whom he had
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three children : Anna, deceased; Rosa; and Charlie. The mother of these children died in August, 1882, and on the 23d of December, 1884, Mr. Hoke married Miss Alice Scanling, who was born July 18, 1853, and is a daugh- ter of John and Emma (Roe) Scanling. This union has been blessed by one child, Glendora.
Mr. Hoke has always taken a vital interest in the welfare of the region in which he lives and for several years served as township supervisor. He is a stanch believer in the Bible and holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he is a liberal contributor. Although he has passed the seventy-seventh milestone on life's journey, Mr. Hoke is still blessed with good health for one of his age and his business qualifications are as bright as those of a man of fifty. He has led a life of great appli- cation and industry and now in peace and abundance enjoys the fruits of many years of toil. Having dealt fairly with others in his business career, he has made many friends in Knox county and everybody has a good word to say of George H. Hoke.
ANTHONY HESS.
The owner of a well cultivated farm in Knox county and one of the stanch members of the community, Anthony Hess has clearly attained a commendable degree of success in life. He was born in Knox county in 1864 and is a son of Joseph and Thersia (Hudock) Hess. The father was a native of Alsace-Lorraine, Germany. After arriving at the estate of man- hood, feeling that more favorable opportunities were presented in the United States than he could expect under the conditions of a long settled country, he came to America, locating in Knox county. He was an indus- trious and energetic man and in the course of years, through his persever- ance and good management, he acquired a fine farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres. He was a devout member of the German Catholic church and was called to his reward October 3, 1907, his beloved wife having been called from earthly scenes ten years previously.
Anthony Hess was the eldest of a family of six children. He was edu- cated in St. John's parochial school of Vincennes and after laying aside his books worked for various farmers by the day until 1892 when he pur- chased eighty acres of land in section 16, Johnson township. He has made all of the improvements, erecting a substantial house and barn, clearing sixty acres and bringing the farm to a high state of cultivation so that now he may depend upon a handsome annual income as the result of his labors. He carries on general farming and is usually able to receive a good price for the products of his place.
In 1890 Mr. Hess was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Kaiser, a daughter of Theodore and Mary Kaiser, of Knox county. The father was
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a cooper by trade and made his home in Vincennes. Nine children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hess: Emma, Frank, Elsie, Corinne, Sophia, Lawrence, Mary M., Anthony and Raymond.
Mr. Hess holds membership in St. Thomas Catholic church and is an active worker in behalf of its various interests, having served as trustee of the organization. As head of a large and promising family, Mr. Hess has devoted his attention closely to his children and his farm and has had little time to give to politics. However, he is in sympathy with the demo- cratic party and always exercises his right as an American citizen at the polls. He belongs to that class of industrious, energetic and honest men who give dignity to their vocation and are respected by all with whom they come in contact.
WATTS BOND.
Watts Bond, a well known representative of mercantile interests in the enterprising little city of Oaktown, is a native of Shenandoah county, Vir- ginia, born on the 4th of May, 1831. Few men of his years remain actively in business and his record should put to shame many a man of less resolute spirit who, grown weary of the responsibilities of business life, attempts to relegate to others the burdens that he should bear.
Mr. Bond has lived in Indiana since 1837, coming to this state with his parents, his father engaging in farming on Shaker Prairie in Busseron township. A year later, however, the father died, at which time Adam Bond, the only brother of our subject, took charge of the farm. It was upon the old homestead that Watts Bond was reared and his education was such as the country school afforded. At the age of twenty he left school and con- centrated all of his time and energies upon assisting his brother in the farm work. When twenty-one years of age he rented a tract of land on Shaker Prairie and continued its cultivation for eight years. During that period he won substantial success, so that at the end of the time he had a sum of money sufficient to enable him to purchase one hundred and seventy-five acres of land, investing his capital in the locality in which he was already living. He then carried on general agricultural pursuits until 1861, when he sold the farm and removed to Oaktown. Four years later he embarked in merchandising and has since been connected with the commercial interests of the city, conducting a well appointed store in which he carries a large line of goods of modern manufacture, for which he finds a ready sale.
In 1867 Mr. Bond was united in marriage to Miss Sallie Bratton, a native of Xenia, Ohio. Theirs is a beautiful residence of Oaktown and in addition to this property Mr. Bond owns four hundred acres of rich, productive and valuable land in Busseron township. He has been very successful and his prosperity indicates what may be accomplished when firm purpose and un-
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faltering determination supplement industry and diligence. He has been a resident of the county for seventy-three years and few among its citizens have been familiar with its history and upbuilding for so long a period. He has ever been deeply interested in those things which pertain to the public welfare and has given active and helpful support and cooperation to many measures for the general good.
WILLIAM N. ROBESON.
While making his home in Vincennes, William N. Robeson is very ex- tensively engaged in farming and stock-raising, being associated with his brother in the ownership, cultivation and conduct of farms comprising about thirteen hundred and twenty-five acres just across the river in Illinois. He is classed with the progressive and representative business men of this sec- tion of the state, his sound judgment being manifest in the success which has rewarded his labors. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 23d of June, 1860, and is a son of W. R. and Margaret (Caldwell) Robeson. Both the Robesons and Caldwells came to Indiana from Butler county, Ohio, where the families had settled in pioneer times. The father was a prosperous and prominent citizen there and in 1876 removed with his family to the Wabash valley, where he secured large tracts of land and carried on farming on an extensive scale.
In his youthful days William N. Robeson became a pupil in the public schools of Ohio near Overpeck and was a youth of sixteen at the time of the removal to Indiana. He then completed his education in Vincennes. He has since been identified with agricultural pursuits and is associated with his brother Robert L. in a partnership. They own about thirteen hundred and twenty-five acres of land just across the river in Illinois. The greater part of this is under cultivation, although there is some pasture and some timber land. The fields are rich and productive and return splendid crops, for the brothers are progressive in their methods of farming and do everything pos- sible to keep the land in good condition through the rotation of crops and the judicious use of fertilizers. They are also engaged extensively in stock- raising, making a specialty of sheep and of Angora goats, although they also have high grades of hogs, cattle and horses upon their farm.
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