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 60
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 60
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Mr. Cox and wife purchased a pleasant home in Bloomingdale at the time of their marriage. Three daughters, Marcia, Aileen and Mary, were born to them. The wife and mother passed to her rest in 1908 at the age of thirty-seven years, her birth having occurred on August 19, 1871. Her
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mother was Mary McCord, daughter of Newton McCord, a prominent citi- zen of Parke county, in his day and generation.
Mr. Cox has succeeded in keeping his little girls together, giving them every possible attention and advantage. He has three brothers, U. C. Cox, of Bloomingdale, Indiana ; E. E. Cox, a clothier of Greenville, Illinois, and A. A. Cox, chief contractor and builder on the agricultural experiment farm, an adjunct to the Chicago University.
HENRY WATSON.
In studying the life history of Henry Watson, well known business man of Newport, who has long been closely identified with the interests of that city and Vermillion county, we find many qualities in his make-up that always gain definite success in any career if properly directed, as they have evidently been done in his case. With a mind capable of planning, he combines a will strong enough to execute his well-formulated purposes, and his great energy, sound judgment and perseverance have resulted in success, and at the same time he has so guarded his conduct as to retain the undivided respect and good will of the people of this locality.
Mr. Watson was born in Helt township, Vermillion county, Indiana, January 16, 1867, and he is a son of James and Lucy J. (Good) Watson, the father a native of Butler county, Ohio, and the mother of Frankfort, Ken- tucky. John Watson, the paternal grandfather, was a native of Ohio, devot- ing his life to farming. He came to Vermillion county, Indiana, where he spent some time, but later returned to his native state, where he died. There were thirteen children in his family, three of whom are still living, namely : James, father the subject ; Lucy and Hannah. James Watson is still engaged in farming in Helt township. His family consists of the following children : James Monroe lives in Hillsdale; Henry, of this review; B. F., of Terre Haute ; Mary G. married W. L. Pearman, deceased; Otis A. lives in Clinton, Indiana; Ella, who married Lon Baum, of Clinton, and Della, who married Edgar Lewis, of Kansas City, are twins; Joseph H. lives in Terre Haute. James Watson, father of the above named children, followed flat-boating on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans in the early days, and he has many interesting reminiscences of those times. After leaving the river he took up farming. Politically, he is a Republican.
Henry Watson grew up on the home farm in Helt township and was edu-
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cated in the country schools. Early in life he learned the barber's trade, which he followed for a period of twenty-five years, becoming widely known throughout this section. Eighteen years of that time were spent in New- port. In 1902 he added gents' furnishing and custom tailoring to his busi- ness and this grew to such proportions that in 1911 he abandoned the barber business and has since devoted all his attention to merchandising and is build- ing up a large and growing trade.
Mr. Watson was married on October 4, 1900, to Minnie Bell, daughter of Capt. James A. and Elizabeth Bell, an influential family of Vermillion county. Mrs. Watson was born in Newport, Indiana, December 31, 1872, and her death occurred on April 21, 1911. She was a member of the Metho- dist church and a prominent member of the Daughters of Rebekah. She was noted as a singer and was in great demand at entertainments and funerals. She was a woman of many winning characteristics and was popular with a very wide circle of frieds.
Politically, Mr. Watson is a Republican and he was a member of the town board for four years, discharging his duties most faithfully. He be- longs to the Methodist church, and fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.
J
GEORGE H. LINEBARGER.
Among the native-born residents of Reserve township, Parke county, Indiana, who have reached a well merited success we must certainly include the name of George H. Linebarger. He is now at the threshold of his seven- ty-seventh year and his long life here has been fraught with much good, he having been prosperous in his agricultural calling. Few men are better known in this township and county than he, for here his long and active life has been spent and he has lived to see many wondrous changes take place in his home community, and has been no idle spectator either, having assisted in the gen- eral improvement of the same from his earlier years to the present time. Honesty and fair dealing have been his watchwords, and these twin virtues have been personified in his active life.
Mr. Linebarger was born in Reserve township. Parke county. Indiana, December 20, 1836. He is the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Burton) Linebarger, the father a native of Lincoln county, North Carolina, from which place he came with his parents to Parke county, Indiana, when a boy
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and here spent the rest of his life, becoming a successful farmer and citizen. The mother of the subject was a native of Reserve township, Parke county. For a fuller account of the Linebarger family the reader is directed to the sketch of Levi J. Linebarger, appearing on another page of this work.
George H. Linebarger was reared to manhood in his native township and here he has been content to spend his life. He attended the public schools in his native community, and when of proper age took up general farming and stock raising, which he has continued until recently.
Mr. Linebarger was married, first to Mary Wright, a native of Parke county. this state, and a daughter of Prior Wright and wife. By this first union one daughter, Julia Linebarger, was born, who became the wife of Conrad Farner. The wife and mother passed away in 1867, and the sub- ject was subsequently married, in 1872, to Bettie Hocker, a native of Parke county, Indiana, and a daughter of Uriah Hocker and wife. To this last union have been born the following children: Mary was the eldest; Prof. John A., of Rockville, Indiana; Walter died when seventeen years of age; Ivah married Arthur Scott, and she is a missionary in South America ; Mel- vina was next in order of birth: Alma died when thirteen years old.
Mr. Linebarger is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a liberal supporter of the same, and was licensed to preach in 1869. He has done a great deal of good by his church work in this locality and his ef- forts in every way have been duly appreciated. He has also taken no small amount of interest in public affairs and has twice been a candidate for the Legislature on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated. He has long been interested in educational affairs, and his township is indebted to him for his praiseworthy efforts in this line, as well as in many others.
WORTH W. PORTER.
Indiana has many sons who have won fame and fortune in various ways. but of none has she more reason to be proud than those who have brought order out of chaos, and, unheeding hardships and danger, hewed farms from the forests and changed them to productive fields whence comes the sustenance of the people. The farmer of long ago opened the way to our present pros- perity when he settled in the little hut in the wilderness. The labor and thought involved in obtaining a living from the land stimulated both mental and physical nature until he became self reliant and strong, willing to undergo
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privation and hardship that good might result; and the many blessings which have come to us through modern investigation and foresight are but the out- growth of the self-reliant and independent spirit of the pioneer. From such people came Worth W. Porter, farmer of Vermillion county, of which he is a worthy native son. He has endeavored to carry to completion the laudable work begun by his forebears.
Mr. Porter was born in Eugene township, Vermillion county, Indiana, June 11, 1857, of Scotch ancestry. He is a son of John W. and Hattie (Tipton) Porter, both born in the same locality as was the subject and here they grew to maturity, received such education as the old-time schools af- forded, and here they were married and spent active lives in Vermillion county successfully engaged in farming. They each represented pioneer fam- ilies. John Porter, the paternal grandfather, took up land from the govern- ment, and here he developed a good farm and became an influential citizen. becoming judge of this county in the early days. The father of the subject became one of the leading farmers and stock men in this locality. During the days of the Civil war he devoted his attention exclusively to dealing in live stock and everybody in this section sold their stock to him. At that time he sold hogs off the scales for eleven cents per pound. Politically. he was a Republican, but has never been active and never held office. He belongs to the Masonic order. the lodge at Cayuga, this county. His family consisted of seven children, only four of whom are now living. His death occurred on June 15, 1873, and his widow survived until July 8. 1888.
Worth W. Porter grew to manhood in his native community and was educated in the public schools of Eugene township, and early in life began assisting his father in the stock business, and later handled some stock on his own account. He remained with his father on the home farm, of which he now owns one hundred and fifty acres, which he has kept well improved and carefully cultivated and on which he carries on general farming and stock raising. His father built the present commodious and attractive home of the Porters at a cost of six thousand dollars, which was at that time one of the finest farm residences in this part of the state.
Mr. Porter was married in November. 1879. to Louisa F. Campbell, daughter of Hogan and Lucinda (Whitlock ) Campbell, who were farmers of Illinois. Six children have been born to the subject and wife, namely : Jessie married Fred Nelson. a farmer of Canada: Jennie married Lee H. Shirk. who is engaged in the automobile business in Danville: Clarence is book- keeper for a steel plant in Colorado; Kyle M. lives on a farm in Eugene town-
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ship, joining the home place; John W. is also farming near the homestead; Lee E. lives on the home place, which he operates with his father.
Mr. Porter is a member of the Presbyterian church, and in politics is a Republican, but has held no office nor been active.
LEVI J. LINEBARGER.
Among the citizens of Parke county, Indiana, who have been successful in their chosen vocations and whose lives have been led along such worthy lines of endeavor that they have endeared themselves to their fellow citizens, thereby being eligible for representation in a volume of this nature, is the gentleman whose name appears above. Levi J. Linebarger, one of the suc- cessful farmers and stock men of Reserve township, has had the opportunity vouchsafed to few of us to spend his life at the old home, which fact has been much appreciated by him, as indeed it should be, for there is no place like home, as the world knows and as has been touchingly told in the familiar lines of the old song.
The birth of Mr. Linebarger occurred on the farm on which he now lives on April 29, 1844, and there he was reared to manhood and has always resided, helping to develop it when a boy, and during his manhood years he has so skillfully managed it that it has retained its original fertility of soil and has yielded him a comfortable income from year to year. He is the son of Andrew Linebarger, who was born in Lincoln county, North Carolina, in 1815, and when five years old he came with his parents on the long, tedious and somewhat hazardous overland journey from the old Tar state to In- diana, and in 1822 they settled in Reserve township, Parke county, beginning life here in typical pioneer fashion, the country being very little improved and neighbors being few and far remote. Here Andrew Linebarger, the father of the subject, spent his remaining years, dying at the remark- able age of ninety-two. The mother of the subject of this review was known in her maidenhood as Elizabeth Burton, a native of Reserve township, this county, and a daughter of Levi Burton, one of the early settlers of that township. Later in life Mr. Burton removed to Lee county, Iowa, where he died. The mother of the subject passed away at the age of twenty-six years, leaving a family of six small children, namely: George H., Mary Ann, Will- iam S., David, Levi J. (the subject). and Andrew Jackson. The father of the above named children married for his second wife Polly Warner, a native of
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Reserve township, this county, and a daughter of Joel Warner, an early set- tler here. Ten children were born of this last marriage, namely: Lewis C., Joel, Samuel, Jacob, Joseph H., Elizabeth, Ida, Ludalı, Emma and Alice.
As stated, Levi J. Linebarger has devoted his life to general farming and has long ranked with the leading tillers of the soil in his section of the country. He has devoted a great deal of attention to stock raising and deal- ing in stock, being one of the most successful and best known stock men in this part of the country. He is the owner of several valuable farms, and be- fore the death of his father they were in partnership in farming and handling live stock, and were very successful.
Mr. Linebarger has always taken a great deal of interest in public af- fairs and has been ready to assist in all worthy movements for the general good of his county. He was elected county commissioner November 5, 1912, being one of the few Democrats elected to that office in many years.
FRANK R. JOHNSON.
We rarely find two persons in every-day life who attribute their suc- cess in their different spheres to similar qualities. Hard work and plodding industry paved the way for one, good judgment and a keen sense of values for another, intuition and a well-balanced mind for the third. An admixture of some of the qualities mentioned above, emphasized by hard work, has been responsible for the success of Frank R. Johnson, the present popular and effi- cient county recorder of Vermillion county, in his battle for the spoils of vic- tory, these winning attributes having descended from a sterling ancestry who played no inconspicuous part in the early history of Vermillion and neighbor- ing counties, having done their share of the rough work necessary to redeem the fertile land from the wild state in which the first settlers found it, and it is to such as these that we of today are greatly indebted for the good farms, the thriving towns and the excellent schools and churches to be found in every community.
Mr. Johnson was born in Gessie, Vermillion county, Indiana, March 27. 1882, and he is a son of A. J. and Dessie (Johnson) Johnson, natives of Fountain and Vermillion counties, respectively. The father came from Foun- tain county in 1870 and located with his father about two miles north of Gessie. He has followed school teaching all his life and has been most suc- cessful, being one of the best known educators in this section of the state, his
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services having always been in great demand. He is still living, making his home at Perrysville, Vermillion county. To A. J. Johnson and wife four children were born, namely: Lulu married George Miller, a merchant in Danville, Illinois: Frank R., of this review ; George is a locomotive fireman and lives at Danville, Illinois; Edna B. married Dr. Ernest A. Dale, of Dan- ville, Illinois : she is a talented musician, has been a successful instructor in music, and has traveled extensively. The father of the above named children is a member of the Baptist church, and politically he is a Democrat. He was superintendent of schools of Vermillion county for two terms, discharging the duties of this important office in a manner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned. Fraternally, he is a Mason.
Frank R. Johnson, of this sketch, was reared and educated in his native county, later attending school at Valparaiso, Indiana. Following in his father's footsteps in a professional way, he hegan life for himself by teaching school for a period of ten years, during which time he gave eminent satisfaction to both pupil and patron. He began taking an interest in public affairs and in 1910 was elected county recorder of Vermillion county and is still incumbent of this office. He has discharged his duties in this connection with a fidelity, energy and honesty that has won the undivided praise of all concerned, irre- spective of party alignment.
Mr. Johnson was married on July 10, 1910, to Etta Thomas, daughter of Jerome B. and Ruth Ann (Lindsey) Thomas, a highly respected family of Cayuga. This union has been blessed by the birth of one child, Frank Dale.
Politically, Mr. Johnson is a stanch Democrat and was clerk of the vil- lage of Cayuga for one year. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias.
WALTER B. SHANNON.
Dependent very largely upon his own resources since early youth, Wal- ter B. Shannon, one of the substantial and representative citizens of Bloom- ingdale, has attained no insignificant position, and though he has encountered many obstacles, he has pressed steadily on and has won an eminent degree of success, being today one of the foremost business men of Parke county, the proprietor of one of the most extensive poultry businesses in this and Ver- million county and being widely known in that field of endeavor.
Mr. Shannon was born December 23, 1865, on a farm in Putnam county,
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Indiana, and there he assisted with the general work during the crop sea- sons, attending the neighboring schools in the winter time. He is the son of Ignatius and Martha (Carter) Shannon, both natives of Kentucky, the father having come to Indiana in 1835 and settled in Montgomery county. Soon after his marriage he entered mercantile pursuits at Parkersburg, in which he continued until 1875. then moved to Shannondale, Montgomery county, where he made his home until 1882, when he moved his store to the town of Raccoon, that county. When his wife died, on July 23, 1901. he sold out and spent most of his time in Bloomingdale with his son Walter B., of this sketch. But desiring to resume his old line of endeavor, he returned to Raccoon in 1909 and took up general merchandising again. He has, how- ever, again abandoned the same and is living in Bloomingdale, being now ad- vanced in years. He has been very successful as a business man and has a host of warm friends wherever he is known.
In 1882 Walter B. Shannon began his business life by clerking and driving huckster wagon for his father, continuing thus until 1888, when he took up a traveling position for Hutchinson Brothers, of Lafayette, during 1888 and 1889, giving that firm eminent satisfaction. But desiring to engage in business for himself, he returned to Raccoon and in April, 1899, he came to Bloomingdale and started a poultry establishment with Havens Brothers of Ladoga. They started on a small scale with Mr. Shannon acting as local manager, bookkeeper, etc., with a force of only three helpers. But the subject proved to be a man of progressive ideas and rare hustling qualities, so he soon had the business well established and now it has assumed very large propor- tions under his able management and close application, it being necessary to employ seven men and a stenographer to assist him in carrying on the busi- ness which he has built up. They have recently purchased the poultry busi- ness at Rockville, where five additional employes are required. They cover a very large territory, gathering poultry from all parts of the county of Parke. and Mr. Shannon has taught the people of this locality how profitable poultry raising really is and much more attention is being given this line of industry by the general farmer than ever before and this promises to be one of the leading industries of this and adjoining counties in a short time.
Mr. Shannon is regarded as one of the influential and useful men of Bloomingdale, assisting all movements looking toward the general upbuilding of the town and working unselfishly to help along all projects of industry that are presented.
On June 16, 1892, Mr. Shannon was married at Crawfordsville, Indiana, to Mary Ellen Owens, of Parkersburg, Indiana. She is the daughter of
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Lazarus and Eliza Owens, natives of the South. In 1902 the subject and wife purchased a beautiful home in Bloomingdale, where they lived happily until the death of Mrs. Shannon, June 8, 1907. She was a woman of many commendable characteristics and was loved by a wide circle of friends. Mr. Shannon now resides in the hotel at Bloomingdale.
HOMER B. AIKMAN.
Whether the elements of success in this life are innate attributes of the individual or whether they are quickened by a process of circumstantial de- velopment, it is impossible to clearly determine. Yet the study of a success- ful life. whatever the field of endeavor, is none the less interesting and pro- fitable by reason of the existence of this same uncertainty. So much in excess of those of success are the records of failures and semi-failures, that one is constrained to attempt an analysis in either case and to determine the measure of causation in an approximate way. But in studying the life record of Homer B. Aikman, prominent young lawyer of Newport and scion of one of the distinguished and influential families of Vermillion county, members of which have played a conspicuous role in the local drama of civilization since the days of the Indian and wilderness, we find many qualities in his make-up that always gain definite success in any career if properly directed, as they have evidently been done in his case, he being a man of broad mind, strong will, keen discernment, sound judgment and perseverance, backed by an honesty of purpose.
Mr. Aikman was born in Helt township, Vermillion county, Indiana, February 21, 1883, and he is a son of Peter and Ellen (Brown) Aikman, the father being a brother of Judge B. S. Aikman, a complete sketch of whom and the Aikman ancestry appears on other pages of this work. Peter Aik- man was educated in the country schools and in Asbury (now DePanw) University at Greencastle. He devoted his life successfully to general farm- ing in this county, and for twelve years was postmaster at Dana, and still resides in that town. He was treasurer of Vermillion county for two terms. He is well known throughout the county and is highly respected for his life of industry, public service and honorable record as a man and citizen. His family consists of four children, namely: Iva married Ed. Foncannon, a farmer of Helt township: Grace married Stephen L. Jenks. a traveling sales- man of Clinton, Indiana; Jennie married Dr. W. D. Gerrish, of Clinton,
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Indiana; and Homer B., of this sketch, who is the youngest. Peter Aikman is a Republican, and he belongs to the Presbyterian church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias and the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows.
Homer B. Aikman grew to manhood in his native county and was edu- cated in the, Dana high school and the law department of the University of Indiana, at Bloomington, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1904, having made a splendid record for scholarship. Immediately thereafter he came to Newport and formed a partnership with Hon. B. S. Aikman, and they continued most successfully in the practice of law until the senior member of the firm was elected judge and went on the bench in November, 1910. The subject then formed a partnership with Charles N. Fultz, which still continues, this association being one of the most popular firms of young lawyers in western Indiana. Mr. Aikman has been very suc- cessful and is rapidly winning his way to the front rank of the local bar. He is a deep student and keeps fully abreast of the times in all that pertains to his profession. He has many of the natural prerequisites of the successful attorney, such as perseverance, keen foresight, self-control, courtesy and hon- esty.
Mr. Aikman was married on July 29, 1903, to Helen Shambaugh, a daughter of A. L. Shambaugh and wife, a prominent family of Lafayette, Indiana. To this union two children have been born, namely: Pete, now seven years old, and Mary Louise, who is one year old.
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