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 70
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 70
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serve upon canvas and in granite and bronze their unselfish deeds; history may commit to books and cold type may give to the future the tale of their sufferings and triumphs; but to the children of the generations yet unborn will it remain to accord the full measure of appreciation and undying re- membrance of the immortal character carved out by the American soldiers in the dark days of the early sixties, numbered among whom was Capt. Samuel J. Hall, one of the largest land owners and most substantial agricul- turists of Vermillion county, where he has spent his long, industrious and useful life, coming down to us from the pioneer days, his family having been among the sterling early settlers here, and he has ever had the interests of his locality very much at heart, seeking to promote them upon all occasions, and he is therefore well known and highly esteemed.
Captain Hall was born in Vermillion township, Vermillion county, In- diana, on April 13, 1835, and is a son of William B. and Nancy (Jordon) Hall. The father was born in Virginia in 1799. In early life he came to Kentucky and after remaining there a short time he came on to Indiana, first locating in Parke county, remaining at the village of Montezuma a few years, then moved over into Vermillion township, this county, and estab- lished the family home on a farm, which lies just east of that now owned by his son, Samuel J., of this review, having come here in the year 1835, and became the owner of a valuable farm of four hundred and forty acres. He devoted his life to farming and met with a larger measure of success than falls to the average man. His death occurred here on December 10, 1863.
Captain Hall grew to manhood on the home farm and assisted with the general work when a boy, and he received his primary education in the common schools of his community. When the Civil war came on he en- listed for service on October 9, 1861, raising Company I, of which he was elected captain, and they were assigned to the Forty-third Indiana Volun- teer Infantry. He was later elected colonel of the regiment, after it was veteranized, but was never commissioned and served until the close of the war as captain in a manner that was most faithful and gallant, according to his comrades. He was in the far South in the Seventh Army Corps, serving most of the time in Mississippi. He was in the battle of New Madrid and Ruddles Point, there capturing a force of four thousand men, then partici- pated in the siege of Fort Pillow for fifty-six days. In 1862 he assisted in the capture of Memphis, Tennessee, assisting the gunboats. He was then in the skirmish at Helena, Arkansas, and on July 4, 1863, was in the battle there. Later they went to Little Rock, where there was a battle. He was then on the Red River expedition with General Steele's army, that trip re-
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quiring twenty-six days, and there was a fight every day. He then went to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and was in the fight at Marks Mills, where the brigade in which Captain Hall served was captured, also four hundred wagons, only twenty-six men, Captain Hall and one lieutenant escaping. They returned to Little Rock. In the fighting at Helena, Captain Hall led a charge and cap- tured Colonel Bell of the Southern forces. For his gallant conduct there he got thirty days' leave of absence, his release being signed by General Grant. After returning to the army, the subject was appointed post adjutant of Lit- tle Rock, Arkansas, later coming home on a veteran furlough, leaving Little Rock in June, 1864. He came to Terre Haute and while en route his regi- ment was sent into Kentucky after General Morgan, the Confederate raider, so before coming on to Terre Haute he joined in the chase in Kentucky. After the expiration of his thirty days' furlough he went to Indianapolis and did guard duty, after which he returned home and resumed farming, which he has continued from that time to the present, also has devoted consider- able attention to stock raising and shipping, the center of his stock buying and selling being at Edgewood, on his large farm. He is the owner of eight hundred and fifty acres of well improved and valuable land, seven hundred acres of which lie in Vermillion township, the balance in Eugene township. He rents his land, but oversees it in a general way. He has made all the improvements on his place, and they are modern, and everything denotes thrift, good management and excellent taste. He has one of the finest homes in this and adjoining counties, which is in the midst of attractive sur- roundings, and there are many large and substantial outbuildings on his land. He is an exceptionally good judge of live stock and always keeps an excellent grade and large numbers. He has been very successful as an agri- · culturist and stock man and has accumulated a handsome competency for his declining years.
Captain Hall was married in 1867 to Elizabeth Head. daughter of Francis and Emeline (Lucas) Head, early settlers of Vermillion county and long a prominent family here. Mr. Head operated a woolen factory here many years. He was a native of New Hampshire. The union of the subject and wife has been without issue.
Politically, the Captain has always been a stanch Republican. He was for a number of years land appraiser of this county, his principal duties being to appraise land for school funds. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic; Kenesaw Post, at Danville. Personally, he is a gen- tleman of kindly impulses and genial address and he numbers his friends only by the limits of his acquaintance.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
JOHN HENDERSON.
John Henderson was born in Vermillion township, Vermillion county, Indiana, August 20, 1831. He is a son of William and Anna (Hayworth) Henderson, and a grandson of Richard Henderson, a native of South Caro- lina, from which state he moved to Clinton county, Ohio, where he raised his family, moving to this county in 1824. He entered land from the gov- ernment and, through hard work, developed a good farm, and here our sub- ject's father spent his life engaged in agricultural pursuits, his death oc- curring in March, 1857. He also conducted a tannery for many years dur- ing the early days. He owned the farm on which the subject now lives, a part of the homestead, he having become one of the substantial farmers of the county, owning eight hundred acres of good land at the time of his death, which land was divided among his children, there having been six in his family, namely: Maria is deceased: John, of this sketch: Rachael, de- ceased : Richard, deceased; Cicily and William F., also deceased, the subject being the last survivor of the family. The father, William Henderson, was a Whig in early life until the Republican party was formed in 1856, when he identified himself with it. He was never an office seeker, though in the early days he was township trustee and clerk of the school board. He and his father were members of the Friends church. The maternal grandfather was also a member of that denomination. The ancestors on both sides of the house were Quakers as far back as known.
John Henderson grew to manhood on the home farm and there worked hard when a boy. He received a meager education in the old log school house that stood near his home. later attended a monthly meeting school at their church, and he spent eleven weeks at Bloomingdale Academy, also at- tended the Vermillion Academy at Vermillion Grove, Illinois, three winters. He began life by teaching school in the winter time and farming during the summer months. He has devoted his life to farming with the exception of one year, when he had charge of White's Manual Labor Institute near Wabash, Indiana. He has been very successful in his vocation and is now the owner of a productive and well improved farm of two hundred and fifty acres, where he has carried on general farming and stock raising and still oversees the place, but keeps a tenant. He has a comfortable dwelling and large, convenient outbuildings.
Mr. Henderson was twice married, first to Harmony Allen, of Parke county. Indiana. and to this union one child was born, Foster A., who is deceased. In 1870 Mr. Henderson was united in marriage to Dinah Towell,
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of Sylvania, Parke county, this state, a daughter of George Towell and wife, who were very early settlers in that county. Her father died at the village of Marshall at the advanced age of ninety-six years. An aunt of Mrs. Henderson is one hundred and one years old, and is in pretty good health.
Mr. Henderson is a Prohibitionist in politics. He was county surveyor for two terms. He is president of the board of trustees of Collett Home for poor children of the county, and has done much toward making this institu- tion a pronounced success. It has over two hundred acres of land and sixty thousand dollars are on deposit for its maintenance.
E. H. SPELLMAN.
In the subject of this sketch we have a representative of one of the worthy old pioneer families and one who is recognized as a leading farmer of Vermillion county, owning and operating at this time a well improved farm of great value in Vermillion township. He is regarded by all who know him as being a most capable and energetic man, broad minded and sound in his business principles.
E. H. Spellman was born in Livingston county, Illinois, May 19. 1870. He is a son of Henry and Mollie (Scott) Spellman, who spent their lives engaged successfully in general farming pursuits. The father is now living retired in the town of Newport, Vermillion county, Indiana. The mother was called to her eternal rest when the subject was young.
Three children were born to Henry Spellman and wife, named in order of birth as follows: Stella, Clara (deceased), E. H., of this sketch.
E. H. Spellman grew to manhood on the home farm and when a boy" he assisted his father with the general work about the place during the crop seasons, attending the district schools in the winter months. In February, 1887, when he was seventeen years of age Mr. Spellman came to Ver- million county, Indiana, locating in Vermillion township, and here he has since remained engaged in general farming and stock raising, and he has been very successful, being now the owner of a finely improved and pro- ductive farm of one hundred and sixty acres, nearly all under cultivation. Here he carries on general farming and stock raising. He is a good judge of live stock and no small part of his competency has been derived from the . judicious handling of stock. He has a pleasant home and good outbuildings.
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Mr. Spellman was married in 1892 to Frances Rice, daughter of Will- iam Rice, a native of New Albany, Indiana, and he grew to manhood and was educated in the southern part of the state. He was by trade a shoemaker and is now deceased. One child, Cecil, has been born to the subject and wife.
Mr. Spellman is a Republican, but has never been an office seeker. Fra- ternally, he belongs to the Masonic order, Lodge No. 242, at Newport. He has done considerable remodeling about his place, and it is now in ship shape in every respect. He has a good automobile, of late model, and is fixed to enjoy life.
HUGH H. CONLEY.
Indiana has been especially honored in the character and career of her professional and public men. In every county there are to be found, rising above their fellows, individuals born to leadership, men who dominate not alone by superior intelligence and natural endowment, but by force of char- acter which minimizes discouragements and dares great undertakings. Such men are by no means rare in the famous Wabash valley, and it is always profitable to study their lives, weigh their motives and hold up their achieve- ments as incentives to greater activity and higher excellence on the part of others just entering upon their struggles with the world. Such thoughts are prompted by a study of the life record of Hugh H. Conley, of Newport, Vermillion county, lawyer, soldier and public-spirited citizen, who for a period of over a quarter of a century has been a leader in the affairs of this locality whose interests lie has ever had at heart and sought to promote.
Mr. Conley was born in Vermillion county, Indiana, January 14, 1843, the scion of a sterling pioneer family, members of which have played no in- conspicuous role in the development of the county from a wilderness to its advanced condition of today. He is a son of Elijah and Nancy (Downing) Conley. The father was born in 1798, and the mother's birth occurred in Delaware in 1798. Elijah Conley was a shoemaker by trade and he came to this locality in the early days, establishing the permanent home of the family. The mother came to Vermillion county as early as 1819, she and her family being among the very earliest settlers here. Seven children were born to Elijalı Conley and wife, namely: Mary, Jane, Phoebe, William W., all deceased; Jonathan died in infancy; Elijah P. is living in Huntington, Indiana, though formerly engaged in merchandising in Clinton; Hugh H.,
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIAN.A.
of this sketch, being the youngest. The death of the father of the above named children occurred in December, 1845, the mother surviving until September 5, 1888.
Hugh H. Conley was educated in the common schools of his native community, later spending a short time in Terre Haute at the State Normal School. He began life for himself as a teacher, which he followed with marked success for a period of twelve years, mostly in Vermillion county, his services having been in great demand. He had been reading law for some time while teaching, and when he left the school room he entered an office where he continued the study of law, and, making rapid progress, was ad- mitted to the bar in 1877 in Newport, and from that date to the present time he has been successfully engaged in practice in this county, spending three years at Clinton, the balance of the time at Newport. He has figured prominently in the noted cases that have come up in the local courts during that long period, winning a position in the front rank of attorneys in this section of the state, having remained a deep student of legal science and kept fully abreast of the times. He has built up a very extensive and lucrative practice. While he lived in Clinton he was county superintendent of schools for three years. He has also served as prosecuting attorney of the twenty- first judicial circuit for two terms, or four years, and he served as a member of the school board for many years. He is a Republican in politics and has long been active in the ranks. As a public servant he gave eminent satis- faction in every respect.
On September 9, 1862, Mr. Conley enlisted as a recruit in Company C, Eighteenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was sent into the Western army, serving through the Vicksburg campaign, later in Texas in 1863 and 1864. Then served with Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley campaign, and was wounded at the battle of Cedar Creek. He was sent to the hospital on October 19, 1864. and remained there until in May, 1865. He was in the hospital at Indianapolis, also at Germantown, near Philadelphia, having had the smallpox when at the former. He was honorably discharged from the service on May 24. 1865, after a very faithful and commendable record for the Union.
Mr. Conley was married to Mary A. Saunders on September 9. 1874. and five children were born to this union, namely: Lulu M. died in infancy ; Paul H. is living at Lawrenceville, Indiana, where he is engaged in the auto- mobile business ; however, he was formerly a law partner with his father for a period of ten years ; Carl H. is engaged in missionary work at Nadiad. India. having charge of the industrial school there, but he was formerly a civil
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engineer; William Bert, who is a lawyer and in partnership with his father, married Ethel Halstead, of Brazil, Indiana; Edith Alice is at home. The sons of the subject were all educated at Depauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, and William B. attended the law department of the University of Indiana, at Bloomington. The daughter was educated at the Woman's Col- lege at Jacksonville, Illinois, where she graduated in voice and piano music.
On June 28, 1894, Mr. Conley was united in marriage to Margaret A. Maloney, daughter of Patrick and Margaret Maloney, both natives of Ire- land. Mrs. Conley was born in Louisville, Kentucky, July 5, 1862. To this union two children have been born, namely: Mark .M., who died when two years old, and Margaret, who is at home.
Mr. Conley was formerly a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and has always been officially connected with the church, for years being superintendent of the Sunday school. His son, the mission- ary, is representing this denomination.
Mr. Conley is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of valuable and well improved land in Helt township, Vermillion county, the place where his early boyhood was spent. He keeps his farm rented, but has kept it in first class condition. He has maintained a pleasant home in Newport since 1877, since which time he has done much for the general upbuilding of the town and won the good will and esteem of all who know him.
MARVIN H. CASE.
Fame may look to the clash of resounding arms for its heroes; history's pages may be filled with the record of the deeds of the so-called great who have deluged the world with blood, destroyed kingdoms, created dynasties and left their nanies, as plague spots upon civilization's escutcheon : the poet may embalın in deathless song the short and simple annals of the poor ; but there have been comparatively few to sound the praise of the brave and sturdy pioneer, who among the truly great and noble is certainly deserving of per- petuation on the category of the immortals. To him more than to any other is civilization indebted for the brightest jewel in its diadem, for it was he who blazed the way and acted as vanguard for the mighty army of progress that within the last century has conquered Indiana's wilderness and transformed it into one of the fairest and most enlightened of American commonwealths.
MARVIN H. CASE.
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PARKE AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, INDIANA.
To this sterling class belongs Marvin H. Case and his father before him, the former Parke county's largest land owner and the latter long since a traveler to that "undiscovered bourne from whence no traveler ever returns." The Case family has been one of the most prominent and influential in this locality since the earliest pioneer days, and during the ninety years that they have re- sided in our midst they have seen the wondrous development of the county and have played a most important part in the same, so that there is particular occasion for giving at least a brief history of the subject of this sketch and his forebears in this work.
M. H. Case was born July 10, 1835, on his present farm in Florida town- ship, Parke county, Indiana, in a log cabin built by his father many years be- fore when he took up life here as a first settler, clearing a small part of the wild land which he secured. The subject is a son of Seba and Mary ( Stilson) Case. The father was born in 1794 in New York state, and he came to In- diana among the earliest settlers, locating at Terre Haute, where he remained two years, then moved to Parke county in 1822. He had been reared to man- hood in the East and had been educated there. Upon first leaving home he located in Ohio. where he remained two years before coming on to Indiana. He was a man of a great deal of natural ability, the type of man that would succeed in most any environment. He braved the wilds of western Indiana when there were very few white settlers; when the kindreds of the wild were plentiful; when there were few roads and no bridges; when trading posts were far remote; and yet he worked with a will and by sheer grit suc- ceeded, eventually becoming one of the substantial and influential men of his locality. He first operated a saw-mill in Roseville, or more properly on the site where the town of Roseville now stands; later lie entered eighty acres from the government. He improved his eighty acres of wild land, and added to it from time to time as he prospered, eventually becoming the owner of a fine farm of five hundred acres, where he remained until his death in 1879. His family consisted of only three children, namely: Horace is deceased ; M. H., of this sketch ; and Mrs. Eliza King, who is deceased.
M. H. Case was reared to manhood on the old homestead and, being the son of a pioneer and growing up amid early pioneer conditions, he found plenty of hard work to do when a boy, and he assisted his father to clear and improve the homestead and here has spent his long and successful life. He received such education as the early rural schools afforded, and later attended school at Bloomingdale two terms. He has been successful beyond the aver-
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age farmer and is now one of the most substantial and best known agricultur- ists and stock men in Parke county, and, as stated, the largest land owner of the county, his lands aggregating two thousand acres, well located in Florida and Raccoon townships, most of which is under modern improvements and is productive, valuable land. He has always kept an excellent grade of live stock in large numbers, and no small portion of his large competency has been gained in that manner. He has a commodious home, large and convenient outbuildings, and everything about his place denotes thrift, good management and prosperity.
Mr. Case was married in 1863 to Sarah Hartman, and to this union three children have been born, namely: Burt, who has remained single; Seba H., who married Ethel Evans, and they have two children, Max and Marvin; Cora E. is the wife of Fred W. Beal, and they have one child, Roselyn.
Fraternally, Mr. Case is a member of the Masonic order, and one would judge from his upright and obliging, unselfish daily life that he made an honest effort to carry the sublime precepts of this time-honored fraternity into his every-day life. Politically, he is a Democrat, and in 1880 served very acceptably as trustee of Florida township. He has always supported heartily stich measures as make for the improvement of his locality.
B. O. SHERRILL, V. S.
One of the most promising of the younger veterinary surgeons of Ver- million and Parke counties is Dr. B. O. Sherrill, of Newport, who, although not long in the practice, has had a wonderful success and has proven himself not only as the possessor of the many natural attributes that must go to make a success in this exacting profession, but also that he is the master of the most advanced methods practiced by the twentieth-century advocates of this science, and, judging from his past excellent record, the future must needs hold for him much of success.
Dr. Sherrill was born in Boone county, Indiana, October 15, 1882, and he is a son of M. F. and Sarah (Smith) Sherrill, the father a well known and popular minister in the United Brethren church, who is now living at Anapolis, Indiana. The mother was called to her rest in 1912.
Dr. Sherrill was educated in the public schools and he was graduated from the high school at Penfield, Illinois. Having decided to become a vet-
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erinary surgeon, he entered the Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis, where he made a brilliant record and from which he was graduated with the class of 1908. He at once came to Newport and opened an office and here he has since been successfully engaged in the practice, having met with en- couraging success from the first and he has now built up a large and lucrative patronage with the surrounding country, many of his patrons coming from remote localities. On February 21, 1910, he went to Graham's Scientific School of Breeding and was graduated therefrom the same year, this well known institution being located in Kansas City, Missouri.
Dr. Sherrill has been twice married, first in 1902, to Miss Leona Hedge, of Boone county, Indiana, by whom he had one child. Clifton Francis Sher- rill, born in 1903, and who now lives in Indianapolis, where he is attending school. Mrs. Sherrill, who was born in 1882, died in 1908. In 1912 Dr. Sherrill was married to Clendore Newlin, daughter of Alfred R. and Elvira (Hutson) Newlin. The father was born in Montezuma, Parke county, Indiana, March 30, 1832, the son of Eli and Mary (Edwards) New- lin. Elvira Newlin was born April 20, 1830, and died on August 23, 1906. Eli Newlin was born in North Carolina, from which state he came to In- diana in 1828, locating in Vermillion county. His family consisted of four children : Zerilda, born in 1829, died in 1830; Verena, the eldest, was born August 23, 1826, died on January 12, 1873; Alfred R., father of Mrs. Sher- rill; and Harriet E., born March 13. 1834, died October 17. 1835. 'The birth of Eli Newlin occurred on March 6, 1804, and he died on July 30, 1872 ; his wife was born on December 17, 1806, and died on April 18, 1886. Eli Newlin was a farmer in North Carolina in his early life and was sheriff of Vermillion county, where he continued farming. He became justice of the peace, which position he held for many years, being known here to all as Squire Newlin.
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