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 59
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 59
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native of Illinois, born September 10, 1844. She is a daughter of Jacob and Lydia Ann (Jackson) Randall, her father being quite a prominent man in his day. To the union of the subject and wife was born one child, who died in infancy.
Mr. Aye is a member of the Presbyterian church, of which he is clerk and treasurer. Politically, he is a Republican and has been active in the work of his party for some time. He owns a comfortable home in Dana and an office there, and he and his wife own a well improved and valuable farm, consisting of eighty acres in Helt township. all tillable.
JACOB S. COLE.
One of the men of Parke county who has lived to see the great trans- formation from the pioneer days to the present and who has taken a prom- inent part in the same is Jacob S. Cole, of Jackson township, one of our most substantial tillers of the soil and a well known citizen. Mr. Cole was born on February 9, 1838, in Ross county, Ohio, and he is a son of John and Saralı ( Willet) Cole. The father was born in 1796 in Virginia, and after living some time in Ohio he came to Parke county, Indiana, and established the future home of the family in 1839 and here spent the rest of his days, dying in October, 1847. The mother of the subject was born in 1800 and she died in 1853. She was a native of Ohio .. These parents spent their lives engaged in general farming, and to them seven children were born, two of whom are still living. Jacob S., of this sketch, and Joseph W., of Bridgeton, Parke county.
Jacob S. Cole grew to manhood on the home farm, where he helped with the work about the place, and he received his education in the rural schools and the high school at Rockville. In 1860 he was united in marriage to Eliza Evans, whose death occurred in 1871, and subsequently in that year he was again married, his last wife being Sarah C. Langford, who was born in In- diana and whose death occurred in 1893. The subject's family consisted of seven children, namely: Albert and Rose are deceased : Anna married Fred Dicks, and they live in Summit Grove, Vermillion county : Minnie was next in order : Clande, who married Abbie Bartlett; Blanche married P. W. Reeves, and they live in Indianapolis; Nellie married John .\. Wells, and they live near Carbon, Clay county, Indiana.
Mr. Cole belongs to the Masonic order at Brazil, Indiana. He is a mem-
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ber of the Christian church and, politically, he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, but is now a Progressive. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic by virtue of the fact that in 1865 he enlisted in the Eleventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Mathews, in Putnam county, and he served very faithfully on detailed duty until after the close of the war, being mustered out in August, 1865.
Mr. Cole has always followed farming and has been uniformly success- ful, and he is now the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of good land on which he has put modern improvements. He also owns valuable property in the city of Brazil, consisting of three vacant lots and three houses, which he rents.
F. M. GATES.
The record of the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch is that of a man who by his own unaided efforts has worked his way from a modest beginning to a position of influence and comparative prosperity in his com- munity. Throughout his career he has maintained the most creditable stand- ards of personal and business integrity, and without putting forth any efforts to the end of attaining popularity he has achieved it in a local way by the manner in which he has ever transacted the every-day affairs of a busy man. He is one of the veterans of the greatest war which history has recorded. having done his part in suppressing the hosts of rebellion and treason in our thus for numerous reasons his life history should be given space in this history. nation's direst hour of peril. He is a son of one of our best old families, and thus for numerous reasons his life record should be given space in this history.
F. M. Gates was born on May 6, 1839, in Fayette county, Indiana, the son of A. B. and Almira ( Boden ) Gates. The father was born on January 14, 1808, in New York, and he was one of the early settlers of Indiana, com- ing here in 1816 when this state entered the Union, he being then eight years of age. His parents located with him in the eastern part of the state, and he spent the rest of his life among the Hoosiers, dying on July 1, 1904. The mother of the subject was born in 1814 in Ohio and died in 1867. A. B., Gates followed farming. He furnished rock for several towns along the White Water canal, some rock for the canal when it was being constructed, and afterwards he operated a mill. His family consisted of ten children, five of whom are still living.
F. M. Gates grew to manhood in his native community, but he had no chance to obtain an education, spending about a year in school." He never
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carried a slate. However, this lack was made up for later in life by actual contact with the business world and by home reading of a miscellaneous sort. He has been three times married, uniting with his present wife in 1887. She was known in her maidenhood as M. Newite. The subject has two children, A. B. Gates, who married A. Gargus, and they live in Logansport ; Viola, who married George Kerr, lives in Parke county.
Mr. Gates began the saw-mill business in 1858 in Putnam county, and later he helped build the Rockville road. He has been very successful in a business way and has been retired four years. He is the owner of valuable land in Lena, also one hundred and forty-five acres in Jackson township, eighty acres of which is tillable, the balance being good pasturage.
Mr. Gates enlisted in August, 1861, in Company I. Thirty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Harvey, and was sworn into the Union service on September 6th, of that year, at Terre Haute. He was sick at Cal- houn and laid up there three months, then was sent to Evansville, and dis- charged on February 9, 1863, after a very faithful service in defense of the flag in numerous engagements. Politically, he is a Republican, and religiously a Baptist.
GREEN T. TAYLOR.
Throughout his life Green T. Taylor, one of Parke county's progressive farmers, has manifested the most creditable standards of integrity in both private and business life, which has always been one of unceasing industry and perseverance, and the systematic and honorable methods which he has followed have won him the unbounded confidence of his fellow men. He is a native of the Blue Grass state and, like most men from there, is genial and hospitable and is therefore liked wherever he is known.
Mr. Taylor was born on December 15, 1856, in Kentucky, and he is a son of Calvin and Rose (Smith) Taylor. The father was born in Kentucky and the mother in Virginia and they are both deceased. Calvin Taylor was a mechanic by trade, also a farmer, owning two good farms. His family con- sisted of five children, two of whom are still living, Green T., of this sketch, and John, of near Bedford, Indiana.
Green T. Taylor grew to manhood on the home farm and received his education in the common schools. He came to Indiana when young and was married in Monroe county in 1873 to Mary L. Browning, daughter of An- drew L. and Sarah Browning, to which union four children have been born,
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namely : William, who married Sarah Bratton, is preaching in Newton county ; Calvin Y. married Lottie Martin, and they live on a farm three miles west of that of the subject; Lucy is at home; Rosa is deceased.
Mr. Taylor has always followed farming and general stock raising, and continued success has followed his efforts. He is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres, about one hundred acres of which are under a high state of cultivation. He has improved his place until it now ranks with the best in the township. He has a comfortable home and good outbuildings, and an excellent grade of livestock is to be seen about his fields.
Mr. Taylor is one of the honored veterans of the great civil struggle between the states, he having enlisted in November, 1863, in the Forty-ninth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, under Captain LaForce, and he saw consid- erable hard service, participating in several great battles, such as Nashville and Perrysville. He was out a little over a year, being honorably discharged in December, 1865.
Mr. Taylor attends and supports the United Brethren church. Politi- cally, he is a Republican and takes considerable interest in local affairs. Since September 1, 1910, he has been incumbent of the office of county commis- sioner, the duties of which he has discharged in an able and acceptable manner.
WILLIAM P. BLAKE.
One of the best known pioneer native sons of Parke county, gallant sol- dier and successful farmer and stock raiser, is William P. Blake, of Union township, where he has spent his life, having had the rare privilege of re- maining on the old homestead for a period of three-quarters of a century. That he has been a skillful tiller of the soil is seen from the fact that he has kept the old place in such a condition that it has produced abundant crops an- nually and at the same time has not been depleted of its original fertility and strength of soil. His life has been an industrious and honest one and he has ever stood well in the community.
Mr. Blake was born in a log cabin on the place which he now owns on January 28, 1837, and he is a son of Charles L. and Barbara (Miller) Blake. The father was born in Ohio, in March, 1809, and his death occurred in March, 1878. The mother of the subject was born in 1816 , in Ohio, from which state she came to Indiana when a girl, and her death occurred in Janu- ary, 1864. These parents devoted their lives to general farming, and they had eight children, four of whom are still living.
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William P. Blake grew to manhood on the home farm and there found plenty of hard work to do when a boy, as the son of a pioneer, and he received a limited education in the common schools.
Mr. Blake has been twice married, first in February, 1862, to Louisa McGilvery, whose death occurred in 1874, and in December, 1877, he was united in marriage to Mary E. (Jack) Blake, who was born in October, 1838, the daughter of James T. Jack, and her death occurred in 1910. The subject was the father of six children, two of whom are still living, namely : Charles WV., deceased; George S. has remained single ; Mary E. is deceased; Cora E. is deceased ; Sarah E. is deceased; William P.
Mr. Blake has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and prosperity has attended his efforts. He is now the owner of five hundred acres of valuable land, all in Union township, but about eighty acres which lie in Greene township. He has long carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale, and he is regarded as one of the most successful and sub- stantial farmers of the county. He has a commodious home and large, con- venient outbuildings, everything about his place denoting thrift and good management.
Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order at Rockville, and polit- ically he is a Republican. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public by virtue of the fact that he enlisted on July 31, 1862, in the Seventy- eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Having been on detached duty most of the time and sick awhile, he did not see much fighting, though he participated in one skirmish. He was honorably discharged in September, 1862.
CHARLES N. FULTZ.
It is proper that the descendants of the old settlers, those who cleared the land of its primitive woods, should see that the doings of the earlier years are fittingly remembered and recorded. It was said by one of the greatest his- torians that those who take no interest in the deeds of their ancestors are not likely to do anything worthy to be remembered by their descendants. Charles N. Fultz, one of the leading young attorneys of Vermillion county, is a scion of one of the early families of this locality, many of whose worthy character- istics he seems to have inherited, for he believes in keeping busy, being public spirited, doing what he can toward furthering the interests of his community,
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at the same time so guarding his conduct as to merit the confidence and respect of his acquaintances and friends.
Mr. Fultz was born in Eugene township, Vermillion county, Indiana, December 21, 1879, and he is a son of Albert F. and Ida M. (Johnson) Fultz, both natives of this county. William Fultz, great-grandfather of the subject, came to this county as early as 1826 or 1827, from Pennsylvania, and purchased land at a government sale in Eugene township, on what was called Sand prairie, and there he followed farming the rest of his life, de- veloping a good farm from the wilderness through hard work and persever- ance, enduring the hardships incident to such a life on the frontier. He be- came one of the leading citizens of this locality and added to his original pur- chase as he prospered until he became the owner of between two thousand and three thousand acres of land. On part of this land lived the subject's paternal grandparents, Isaac and Ann (Keller) Fultz, and the subject's maternal grandmother, Levisa Bailey, was also a very early settler. To Isaac Fultz and wife were born four children, namely: Albert, father of Charles N., of this sketch; William W., of Eugene, this county; Clara, who married Ed. Whipple, deceased; Isaac Edward was the youngest. Albert Fultz, father of these children, was educated at what was known as the Iles school, a mile north of old Eugene, and he followed farming many years, moving to the village of Eugene in 1884, where he followed carpentering and contracting and is still thus successfully engaged. He has taken an interest in public affairs and has been township assessor for twenty years. He married Ida N. Johnson, daughter of Edward B. Johnson, and to this union seven children were born, six of whom are still living, namely: Charles N., of this review ; Mamie married Earl Chaffee, of Crawfordsville; Pearl married Frank Shel- lenberger, of Keokuk, Iowa; Jesse, who married Florence Turner, lives in Newport : Audrey and Doyne both live in Eugene, this county. The father of these children is a Democrat and active in party affairs. He belongs to the Loyal Order of Moose. Mrs. Fultz is a member of the Presbyterian church.
Charles N. Fultz, of this sketch, was educated in the public schools of Eugene, later attending the Indiana University at Bloomington, from which institution he was graduated in 1906, in the law department. He began life for himself as teacher in the high school at Eugene, in which capacity he gave eminent satisfaction. Since 1906 he has been successfully engaged in the practice of law at Newport, and has built up very lucrative and satisfactory practice. In November, 1910, he entered into partnership with Homer B. Aikman, which still continues, this being one of the most popular firms in Vermillion and Parke counties.
(40)
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
Mr. Fultz was married on April 9, 1902, to Goldie Smith, daughter of B. J. Smith, of Georgetown, Illinois.
Politically, Mr. Fultz is a Democrat and has always been loyal in his sup- port of the party, being influential in local affairs. He was formerly attorney for Cayuga. He is a director in the Citizens State Bank of Newport. Fra- ternally, he was master of the Masonic lodge at Newport for three years, and he belongs to the Royal Arch Masons at Clinton, the Order of Eastern Star, the Knights of Pythias and the Pythian Sisters. He is a young man of fine personal character and is popular with all classes.
WILLIAM RIGGS.
The career of William Riggs has been varied, but to whatever he has turned his attention to he has succeeded most admirably, for he seems to have a versatility of talents, and, being willing to put forth his best efforts always and do conscientious work, he has never failed to have the confidence of his employers and the good will of those with whom he had dealings. He is at present top boss with the Mecca Coal Company, of this county, with which he has labored for years, mostly in a traveling capacity, his long retention being sufficient criterion of his faithfulness to duty and also of his exemplary per- sonal habits.
Mr. Riggs was born on October 10, 1864, in Clay county, Indiana, and he is a son of William J. and Carolina (Taylor) Riggs. The father was a native of Tennessee and the mother was born in Georgia, each representing old Southern families, and they spent their earlier years in the South, the father of the subject having removed to Indiana and locating permanently in the year 1863. And here he and his wife spent the residue of their days, both being now deceased, the father dying in 1883 and the mother passing away in 1898. They spent their lives on a farm. Nine children were born to them, five of whom are still living.
Mr. Riggs, of this review, grew to manhood in his native locality, and he received his education in the public schools. On May 11, 1890, he was united in mariage to Miram Heacox, who was born on July 31. 1871, and who was educated in the common schools in Parke county. She is a daughter of Hiram and Elizabeth ( Deacons) Heacox. To the subject and wife have been born eight children, namely: Calvin, who married May Barton, of Rockville; Charles is at home : Albert, William, Edward, Gladys, Sherman and Howard.
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Mr. Riggs was reared on a farm and he followed that line of endeavor with gratifying results until he was about twenty-four years old. Later he went into the timber business, handling shingles and staves, etc., and he built up a successful trade which claimed his attention for some time. He next went to the Otter Creek Coal Company, with which he remained, giving eminent satisfaction until he went to the Mecca Coal Company about 1900, and he is now top boss with this concern. During his twelve years of service with this company he has been held in the highest esteem by his employers.
Politically, Mr. Riggs is a Progressive and, fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
EDGAR R. STEPHENS.
It is customary for the people of the United States to look upon every boy as a possible future occupant of any office within the gift of the people. This is one of the main reasons that we rejoice in this country and its institu- tions, for all parents know that it is not an impossibility for their boy to occupy the highest positions in public and business life in the land. There is something in this thought to work for. Not merely the accumulation of dol- lars and cents, but the acquirement of an honored position in civic and social circles is something worth fighting for in the great war for existence. In pioneer times people had enough to do to make a respectable living, without taking into account the higher problems of society and civilization, but that time is past and a better time has arrived, with higher hopes, promises and rewards. Accordingly, where once stood the pioneer cabin is now the commo- dious and comfortable residence of the well-to-do descendant, with its piano, its college graduate and its library of books and periodicals. But the children of today little reckon of the many weary steps taken by their fathers to reach this desirable state of advancement and comfort. Edgar R. Stephens, one of the most progressive business men of Newport, Vermillion county, is a de- scendant of such a pioneer, R. E. Stephens, a complete sketch of whom will be found on another page of this work.
Edgar R. Stephens was born at Newport, Indiana, October 9, 1867, and is 'a son of R. E. and M. E. ( Sexton) Stephens, natives of Vermillion county, each representing fine old families, members of which have been well known here from the days of the early settlers. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in his native community and here attended the public schools, later
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entering the Shattuck School at Fairbault, Minnesota, also took the course at De Pauw University, Greencastle, Indiana. Thus well equipped from an educational standpoint, he began life for himself in 1887 by engaging in the drug and general merchandise business in Newport, and he has continued in these lines to the present time with ever-increasing success, having built up an extensive and lucrative trade with the surrounding country. He has been alone all the while with the exception of two years, when he was in partner- ship with H. B. Rhodes. He always carried a large and carefully selected stock of goods and his store is neatly kept. By his courtesy and honesty he has won the confidence and good will of his hundreds of regular customers. He devotes all his time to his business.
Mr. Stephens 1 married on January 8, 1894, to Dora Michener, daugh-
ter of A. and Maria chener, a highly respected family of Spencer, Indiana.
To this union one ci has been born, Charlotte Stephens.
Politically, Mr. Stephens is a Republican and was town treasurer for a period of fourteen years, his long retention being sufficient evidence of his high standing in the community and his faithful work as a public servant. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Court of Honor and the Modern Woodmen of America, and is prominent in fraternal circles here.
WILLIAM N. COX.
One of the well known attorneys and business men of Parke and Ver- million counties who has long occupied a prominent place in the esteem of the people of the Wabash country is William N. Cox, of Bloomingdale. As an attorney he is regarded as a careful and painstaking member of the local bar and as a business man fair dealing is his watchword in all his transac- tions, so that he has always enjoyed the confidence and universal respect of the people of this locality. He has devoted his attention for the last fifteen years principally to real estate, insurance, loans and collections, in which he has been very successful. He is optimistic, looking on the bright side of life and never complains at the rough places in the road, knowing that life is a battle in which no victories are won by the slothful, but that the prize is to the vigilant and the strong.
Mr. Cox was born on a farm in the northern part of Penn township, which his grandfather Cox entered from the government when this section
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
of the country was a wilderness ; thus the Cox family has been well known here since the pioneer days and its several members have played no inconspicuous part in the general development of the same. Both Allen Cox and Samuel Hockett, grandfathers of the subject of this review, were natives of North Carolina, having been born near Guilford. The parents of William N. Cox were Adam and Sarah Cox, well known and highly respected people of Parke county during a past generation. The father's death occurred on January 17, 1812, and the mother passed away on January 3. 1908, the former at the age of seventy-seven years and the latter when seventy-three years old.
William N. Cox grew to manhood on the home farm and there assisted with the general work about the place, attending the local public schools dur- ing the winter months. Early in life he entered Friends' Bloomingdale Acad- emy, taking a special course under Prof. A. F. Mitchell's, principalship. He studied law and was admitted to the Rockville bar in 199"? As years passed he began taking an active interest in public affairs and, his peculiar fitness for positions of public trust soon attracting the attention of the people. he has been elected to a number of important local offices, in all of which he has discharged his duties in an able and conscientious manner and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned. He is at this writing serving his second term as probation officer of Parke county, to which office he was appointed by Judge Aikman. Since 1903 he has served the town of .Bloomingdale as town clerk and is now serving as clerk and treasurer. He is regarded as one of the most progressive and public-spirited citizens of Bloomingdale and has done much toward general improvement, always contributing freely of his time and means to the town's welfare. As a business man he has built up a large and rapidly increasing patronage in insurance, real estate, loans and collec- tions. By his straightforward methods he has gained the confidence of the people.
Mr. Cox was married in 1899 to Grace Connelly, of Coffeyville, Kansas. daughter of Charlie Connelly, who was killed by the Dalton gang during their last raid, on the Coffeyville banks, about 1890, at which time five of the nitin- ber were killed, Emmett Dalton being captured and imprisoned for a period of twenty-one years, and now resides in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Mr. Connelly was marshall of Coffeyville at the time, and was known there as a brave and able officer, well liked by the people.
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