USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 55
USA > Indiana > Parke County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 55
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
580
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
and most satisfactory manner, his term of office expiring on December 31, 1912.
Mr. Lyday has long taken an abiding interest in public affairs and in the election of 1912 he was the Democratic nominee for joint-representative from Vigo and Vermillion counties to the state Legislature. From the first his nomination was regarded as a most fortunate one, meeting the approval of all concerned, regardless of party ties and he was elected at the November elec- tion, 1912. Mr. Lyday has remained unmarried.
JASPER N. FRIST.
It is with a degree of satisfaction to the biographer when he adverts to the life of one who has made a success in any vocation requiring definiteness of purpose and determined action. Such a life, whether it be one of prosaic endeavor or radical accomplishment, abounds in valuable lesson and incentive to those who have become discouraged in the fight for recognition or to the youth whose future is undetermined. For a period of a quarter of a century Jasper N. Frist, well known undertaker of Clinton, Vermillion county, has directed his efforts toward the goal of success, and by patient continuance has won, being one of that city's worthy native sons, one who has been content to spend his life in his native community.
Mr. Frist was born in Clinton township, Indiana, in 1863, and is a son of J. R. and Mary J. (Pierce) Frist. The father came to Vermillion county from Delaware in an early day and here became well established through his industry as a farmer and auctioneer.
Jasper N. Frist grew to manhood in his native community and received his early education in the common schools. Upon reaching manhood he was united in marriage with Etta L. Lambert, daughter of George M. and Melissa (Shapard) Lambert, a well known pioneer family of Vermillion county.
Mr. Frist began life for himself by engaging in farm work and school teaching, giving eminent satisfaction. He worked for N. C. Anderson in the grocery business. He then embarked in the furniture and undertaking business, and this line of endeavor he has continued for the past twenty-five years, with ever-increasing success, enjoying a large trade with the surround- ing country, always carrying a large stock of up-to-date furniture and as an undertaker he has always aimed at prompt and high grade service. For a
581
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
short time he attended an embalming school under Clarke in Indianapolis, and he has been a close student at home of all that pertains to his line of en- deavor. He is a member of the state board of embalmers, and is regarded as one of the best in his chosen calling in western Indiana. He has taken a great interest in the above named board and has filled all the offices in the same up to and including that of president.
Mr. Frist has always taken an abiding interest in public affairs and for a period of nine years he served the city of Clinton as postmaster in a manner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the eminent satisfaction of the people and the department. He has also been a valued member of the city council and the advisory board.
To Mr. and Mrs. Frist have been born two children. Enid and Don, both at home.
JAMES PAINE.
One of the best known business men and worthy native sons of the city of Clinton, Vermillion county, is James Paine, who has for a long lapse of years managed successfully a grocery store here and carried on other lines of business in a manner that shows him to be a man of unusual industrial ability. But having the sterling pioneer ancestry behind him of which he can boast, we do not wonder that he is a man who does things and who bears an unblemished reputation of rare force of character, for in the genealogical history of both the paternal and maternal lines there is much data signally germane to a compilation of this kind. He has lived to see and take a lead- ing part in the wonderful growth of Clinton county and vicinity, and he is in every way deserving of the high esteem in which he is held by all.
Mr. Paine was born on January 22, 1845. at Blackman and Second streets, Clinton, Indiana, and here he lived till he was nine years old, then removed to a farm a few miles from Clinton where he lived till he was twenty-three. He was educated in the common schools, his first teacher being Anna Hatha- way, who taught in old Temperance hall. He is a son of John and Charlotte (Brite) - Paine. The Brite family came here from Virginia in 1832, they and the Harrison family making the long overland trip, and they settled on Brulett's creek, about five miles west of Clinton. The father of the subject came in 1820 from the state of New York, locating in Clinton when it was a small frontier village in the midst of practically a wilderness, and here
582
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
entered the mercantile business, later operating a hotel, which he continued until his death in 1852. He was a prominent man here in the early days of the town's development, and he held the office of justice of the peace for a number of years, being incumbent of the same at the time of his death. During the thirty-two years of his residence here he became one of the most influential and best known men in this section of the state. His family con- sisted of seven children, only one of whom, James, of this review, is now living.
James Paine was married in 1866 to Narcissus Wright, daughter of John and - (Nichol) Wright. Mr. Wright came from Cayuga county, New York, and settled near the Bunsen mine, in an early day.
James Paine began life for himself as a farmer, following that line of endeavor in his native county until 1870, when he removed to Kansas, where he continued general farming for a period of fourteen years, meeting with desirable success as he had previously done. He again went to Kansas in 1898, spending eight years, and then, returning to Indiana, he turned his attention to the grocery business in Clinton and this he has continued to the present time with ever-growing success, having long enjoyed a large trade with the town and surrounding country, always carrying a large and care- fully bought stock of staple and fancy groceries at all seasons.
To James Paine and wife were born five children, named as follows; Henry, John R. and Frank all live in Clinton; Fred, who died when fourteen years old; Grace and Howard are at home.
THOMAS L. McDONALD.
A list of Vermillion county's energetic and progressive young men of affairs would be incomplete were there failure to make mention of Thomas L. McDonald, successful and well known insurance man of Clinton. He has ever maintained a high standard of ethics in his relations with his fellow men, whether business or social, and since coming to this locality he has won and retained without effort a host of staunch friends.
Mr. McDonald was born at Coalfield, Monroe county, Iowa, January 26, 1880, and is a son of James and Catherine (Maloney) McDonald, the father a native of Ireland. The latter was reared and married in England. in the county of Durham, and in early life emigrated to New York City. but soon afterwards came on west to Youngstown, Ohio, where he built a
1
583
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
house, which at that time was two miles out of town, but the same building is now well down town, there being modern improvements all around it. The elder McDonald was a miner. From Youngstown he removed to the state of Iowa, locating in Mahaska county, where he remained for a period of twenty-five years, then moved to DesMoines, where he still resides, now living retired. He was formerly in business at Pekay, Iowa, for a period of ten or twelve years. His family consisted of twelve children, namely: John lives in the state of Washington; Cacelia is deceased; Margaret lives in Des- Moines; William, Patrick and Dermott are all deceased; James, who lives at Hiteman, Iowa; Joseph lives in Clinton, Indiana; Thomas L., subject of this sketch; Edward was next in order; Anthony is deceased ; and Anthony (the second), named after his deceased brother, is living at West Terre Haute, Indiana. The father of the above named children is a Democrat. The mother was called to her eternal rest on October 26, 1903, at the age of sixty-five years.
Thomas L. McDonald grew to manhood in Iowa and received his educa- tion in the common schools there, but at the age of thirteen years he quit school to work in the mines, which line of endeavor he followed for a period of nine years, then took up the insurance business, which he has followed to the present time and in which he has been very successful, and is doing an extensive business in Vermillion and adjoining counties.
Mr. McDonald was married on October 3. 1911, to Claire A. Didier, daughter of Claude and Eugina (Goffiney) Didier. The Goffineys are of French descent and came to this country from Belgium. Mr. Goffiney was a native of France and there he spent most of his life, dying in Paris at the age of twenty-three years, in 1873. He was a soldier in the French army and fought in the Franco-Prussian war in 1871. Mr. Didier left his native land and emigrated to Nova Scotia, where he remained a short time, then came west in Canada and later to Pennsylvania and from there to Vermillion county, Indiana, locating later at Coal Creek, Fountain county. Then he went to Kentucky, where he married, after which he returned to Fountain county where he remained until three or four years ago, when he moved to Clinton to live retired. He was a mason in France, but followed mining in America. Eight children were born to Claude Didier and wife, namely : Mary lives in Clinton, as do all the rest of the children: Matilda and Louis were twins: Claire A., wife of Mr. McDonald; Amy, James and Josephine. The death of the father of the above named children occurred on March 21, 1910, at the age of sixty years. The mother also died in 1910, passing
584
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
away on June 20th, at the age of fifty-four years. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, Mary Louise. .
Mr. McDonald has taken a deep interest in the affairs of his county since locating in Clinton, and he was elected city clerk and took office on January 1, 1910, his term holding until 1914. He is discharging the duties of this position in a manner that is meeting the hearty approval of all con- cerned. He is a member of the Local Lodge No. 887, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and is secretary of this lodge, and he is outside guard of the state lodge. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Lodge No. 541, at Terre Haute, Indiana. He is a sociable, friendly and obliging young man who is popular with the people wherever he is known.
JOHN R. PAINE.
By a life of persistent and well applied industry, led along the most honorable lines, the gentleman whose name appears above has justly earned the right to be represented in a work of the character of the one at hand, along with the other men of Vermillion and Parke counties who have made their influence felt in their respective communities and have achieved success in their chosen fields of endeavor.
John R. Paine, well known hardware merchant at Clinton, Indiana, was born in the city in which he still resides on October 15, 1869, and here he has been contented to spend his life. He is a son of James and Narcissus (Wright) Paine, the father also born in Clinton, this county. his birth hav- ing occurred in 1845, he being the son of John and Charlotte ( Brite) Paine. The Brite family came here from Virginia in 1832. The father of the sub- ject came from the state of New York in an early day and went into the hotel business in Clinton, and there spent the rest of his life, being well known here in pioneer times, having settled here as early as 1820. He was prominent in public affairs and was justice of the peace for many years. Of his family of seven children. James, father of the subject of this sketch, is the only one living. James Paine devoted his life to farming and in 1870 went to Kansas and there remained some time, then returned to Indiana, entering the grocery business in Clinton, in which he is still active. His family consists of five children, namely : Henry, John R., Fred. Frank, Grace and Howard, all living but Fred.
585
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
John R. Paine grew to manhood in Clinton and received a good common school education. Upon reaching manhood he married Ella Scott, daughter of Washington and Anne E. (Bright) Scott, the father a native of Washing- ton county, Indiana, where his father was an early settler. The union of the subject and wife has been without issue.
Mr. Paine has been engaged in the hardware business in Clinton for some time and he has built up a large patronage with the town and surround- ing country, always carrying a large and up-to-date stock of general hard- ware and farming implements.
Fraternally, he belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias, both at Clinton. He was elected a member of the city council in 1909, his term expiring in 1913. In this position he is doing much for the permanent good of the city.
JAMES P. TUTWILER.
Possessing many of the traits that are typical of the people of the Old Dominion, it is no wonder that James P. Tutwiler, one of the best known merchants of Clinton, Vermillion county, has won a host of friends since taking up his residence here, for he has shown himself to be a man of indus- try, excellent public spirit, of lofty ideals and unswerving honesty and gallantry and he is therefore eligible from every viewpoint to be mentioned in a volume of this nature along with other leading citizens of this section of the great Hoosier commonwealth.
Mr. Tutwiler was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, July 6, 1848, and is a son of Leonard and Delila (Royer) Tutwiler, both natives of Vir- ginia, in which state they grew to maturity, were educated and married and there they spent their entire lives engaged in farming, both being now deceased. They became the parents of ten children, named as follows : John P., Richard A. and Julia are all deceased : Jacob is living ; Addison, Samuel H. and Robert are all deceased; Joseph L. lives in Illinois ; Delila is deceased ; James P., of this sketch, is the youngest of the family.
James P. Tutwiler grew to manhood in his native state and there re- ceived his educational training. He came to Indiana in 1874, locating at Libertyville, Vigo county, where he remained twenty years, during which time he was engaged in the mercantile business and was also postmaster
586
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
there. He enjoyed a large trade with the surrounding country and his long retention as postmaster is criterion of his eminent satisfaction as a public servant. In 1895 he came to Clinton, Vermillion county, and at once entered mercantile pursuits, which he has continued with ever-growing success until the present time, building up a lucrative and most satisfactory business during the eighteen years since his advent here. He carries a large and carefully selected stock of goods at all seasons and his thousands of customers find his prices right and always kind and courteous treatment.
Mr. Tutwiler was married on May 10, 1875, to Alice E. Higgans, daughter of William D. and Martha F. (Rush) Higgans, both natives of Virginia, from which state they finally came to Ohio and established the future home of the family, and there Mr. Higgans died, after which event the mother of Mrs. Tutwiler came to Indiana and made her home with the subject until her death. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Higgans, namely : Amily Ann is deceased; Joseph F., who lives in Columbus, Ohio; Mary E. is deceased; Alice E., wife of Mr. Tutwiler; Florence is deceased.
Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tutwiler, namely : Daisy Edna died when six months old; Bertram Fenton, Daniel Burr and James Floyd are all deceased; Emery Clifton, who married Nellie Webster; Theo Essa, who married Chance Shorter.
Mr. Tutwiler is a member of the city council of Clifton, having been elected in 1909, his term expiring in 1913. He is proving a very capable defender of the city's rights in this capacity and is doing much for the per- manent good of the place. He attends the Christian church at Clinton and is a liberal supporter of the same.
WILLIAM PERRY SEYBOLD.
One of the prosperous farmers of Parke county, Adams township, Indiana, is William Perry Seybold, who was born and raised in that part of the country and has all of its interests near at heart. When a man has lived his life in a beautiful farming district, and given of his energy and attention to make the land more productive, every inch of the soil becomes dear to him and, though he may not realize it, it is so much a part of him and has such a hold on him that it is doubtful if he would be happy else- where. Mr. Seybold's interests are so closely identified with those of his
587
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
community that the history of his county would be incomplete without some- thing of his life.
William Perry Seybold was born in Adams township, Parke county, Indiana, September 22, 1869. His father was Samuel Seybold, a native of Indiana and also a farmer in Parke county. His mother was Amanda Overpeck, who also was born and raised in this state. They had three children : Minerva married Charles Brubeck; George is dead, and William Perry is in Parke county. William Seybold was educated in the common schools in Parke county, and worked on the farm during his vacations. He learned a great deal about farming, and as soon as he finished school he took up farming on his own account, in Adams township.
On October 30, 1895, Mr. Seybold married Mary Beard, the daughter of John and Myra Beard. They were early settlers in this county, coming to Indiana when it was only sparsely settled, and facing the dangers of an unknown and undeveloped land. They came here from Virginia, and their names are prominent among those who did much to build up that part of the state. William and Mary Seybold have one child, John Max, who is at home. They have been very successful on their farm, and own some of the most highly cultivated acres in Parke county. Mr. Seybold is one of the most prominent citizens in his community and has always taken an active interest in all public affairs. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Rockville, Indiana, and of the encampment. Mr. Seybold is a Democrat by political conviction. He and his family are members of the Baptist church, and are prominent in the social life, as well as the various other interests of their community.
MONROE G. HOSFORD.
A member of that sterling type of pioneer citizens which has furnished the bone and sinew of the country and added to the stability of our govern- ment and its institutions is Monroe G. Hosford, well known mill and elevator man of Cayuga and one of Vermillion county's most representative native sons. Like his father before him, he is a man of many sterling characteristics of head and heart and among his contemporaries it would be hard to find a record as replete with toilsome duty faithfully and uncomplainingly performed in all the walks of life, while his career in the humble sphere of private citizen-
588
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
ship has been such as to recommend him to the favorable consideration of the people of his locality.
Mr. Hosford was born at the town of Eugene, Vermillion county, Indiana, February 4, 1845. He is a son of Philo and Evaline (Wigley) Hosford, the father a native of Ontario county, New York, from which state he came with his parents to Vermillion county, Indiana, in 1832. Ambrose Hosford, the first of the family, came from New England, locating at Lawrenceburg. He devoted his life to farming. His family consisted of four children, namely : Philo and Milo, twins; Pamelia and Leman. Ambrose Hosford died at Lawrenceburg, and the grandmother of the subject brought the family to Eugene. Philo Hosford, father of the subject of this sketch, was reared and educated in the East, and after coming to Eugene, Indiana, he followed the carpenter's trade. His family consisted of the following chil- dren : Charles Monroe (our subject), Naomi, Eliza, Pamelia, Samuel and Richard.
Philo Hosford was born in 1811, and died at Eugene, Indiana, in 1895. Politically, he was a Republican. His wife was born in 1816, and her death occurred in 1883. She was a member of the Presbyterian church.
Monroe Hosford grew to manhood at Eugene and there received his education in the common schools. From 1863 to 1876 he was clerk in Gron- dyke's store, giving most satisfactory service and learning in the meantime the ins and outs of the mercantile business, and after he left Mr. Grondyke's employ he engaged in general merchandising for himself in his native town. He next engaged in the milling business and was burned out in 1883. The following year he built the mill at the village of Cayuga, this county, and has since followed milling here with uninterrupted success, enjoying a large and ever-growing business with the surrounding country, the products of his mill finding very ready market owing to their superior quality. He has a large grain elevator in connection with his mill and he devotes all his atten- tion to these enterprises.
Mr. Hosford was married on October 23, 1873, to Sarah C. Simpson, and to them three children have been born: Charles, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Daisy, and Lenore, who married Herbert S. Johnston, of the Cayuga Milling Company.
Politically, Mr. Hosford is a Republican and in 1880 he was elected . trustee of Eugene township and served two years. In 1898 he was elected treasurer of Vermillion county, which position he held until 1903, serving two terms with much credit and satisfaction to all concerned. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order and the Modern Woodmen of America.
589
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
L. B. HUMPHRIES.
To his own efforts is the success of L. B. Humphries, well known and highly respected citizen of Rockville, Parke county, attributable, he being a fine example of the successful self-made man of today, having started out upon his business career practically without capital or aid from any one, but, being ambitious and industrious, he forged ahead and has become one of the substantial men of affairs in the locality of which this volume treats. Besides having accumulated a competency in the pump and wind-mill business, which he followed for a score of years, he is the owner of a good farm near Rockville. This, too, is the visible evidence of his prosperity and industry, for when it came into his possession it was only partly improved and not nearly so productive as it is at this writing. Such a man deserves the high regard in which he is held by his neighbors.
Mr. Humphries was born in the Shenandoah valley, Rockbridge county, Virginia, October 6, 1853, and he is the son of Washington and Dicie (Wright ) Humphries. The father also was a native of Virginia, where he grew up, was educated and married and there spent his life, dying when the subject was five years old. Five years later, when the son was ten years of age, the mother also passed away.
L. B. Humphries remained in Virginia until he was eighteen years old, being reared partly by his uncle and partly by his brothers. He received a good common school education in his native state, and before leaving there he worked at the molder's trade in a foundry. Coming west, he located in Illinois, remaining there until 1870, when he came to Rockville. Indiana, where he has since resided. His first two years here were spent as a farm laborer and after that he engaged in the pump and windmill business for a period of twenty years and in which he was very successful, his operations covering a large territory. He then worked for some time at coal prospecting with more less gratifying results.
Having long manifested an abiding interest in public affairs, Mr. Hum- phries was elected trustee of Adams township, Parke county, in the fall of 1908 for a period of four years, and the Legislature extended the time two years. He discharged the duties of this office in a highly acceptable manner, enjoying the confidence and good will of all concerned.
Mr. Humphries was married in 1872 to Rachael Lambert, who was born and reared in Parke county, Indiana, and is the daughter of James and
590
PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Sarah (Leonard) Lambert, a highly respected old family of this county. To the subject and wife one child has been born, who died in infancy.
Politically Mr. Humphries is a loyal Democrat and takes an active part in political work, now serving his third term as chairman of the Parke county central committee. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He still does some work in the well business, and he looks after his farm of eighty-three acres, which lies three miles from Rockville. He is a quiet, honest, unassuming gentleman who has won a host of friends since casting his lot with the people of Parke county.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.