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 73
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 73
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Walter G. Phinney is the son of Frank E. and Rosa A. (Simons) Phin- ney. His father was born March 31. 1862, in Massachusetts. At the age of fifteen he moved to Terre Haute, Indiana, where he is still living. He is now the head bolt maker for the Vandalia Railroad Company in that city.
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Rosa A. Phinney was born December 12, 1863, in Illinois, and is still living. Both of his parents enjoyed the benefit of a common school education. They had two children, but Walter G. is the only one living. He was born August 18, 1882, at Centralia, Illinois, and had a common school education. At the age of thirteen years, seventeen years ago, he started on his electrical career, beginning sweeping at the Kester Electric Company, Terre Haute, Indiana. He worked there for three years, and then left because the personnel of the company was not harmonious.
August 18, 1906, Mr. Phinney married Eva Park, who was a native of Illinois, being born in that state November 15, 1881. They have had no children, and Mr. Phinney has applied himself primarily to his profession, and has become an expert in his line. When he went to Terre Haute, Indi- ana, he took a position with the Vandalia Railroad Company as an electrician in the shops at that place, and was promoted gradually through his industry and natural adaption until he held a very high position with that company. He was chief electrician of the St. Louis terminal for the Vandalia Rail- road Company, where he remained three years, going there the year before the World's Fair and staying there a year after the exhibition was over. Mr. Phinney wired the postal car on the exhibition. in the government building. During this time he was also running a private business of his own in Terre Haute, Indiana. Soon after this he came to Universal. Indiana, and hung the first piece of wire with the Bunsen Coal Company. Mr. Phinney is now in charge of all the electric wires at the two mines. He has two machine bosses, two wiremen on the bottom, and one wire man on the top work- ing. for him, and his work has been very efficient.
Mr. Phinney has not allowed himself to become narrow and entirely absorbed in his work, however, and is interested in all the political and social questions which come before the country. He is identified with the Knights of Pythias, of which he is a past chancellor. He is a Mason, and member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights and Ladies of Honor, besides the Brotherhood of Electric Workers and the Miners Union. Mr. Phinney was the manager of the Boys Brigade in Terre Haute in 1896. He is a member of the Baptist church. Having a keen interest in the questions which the country is facing at this time, Mr. Phinney carefully studied the Progressive platform, and is now identified with that party. He is the type of man whose service to the community in which he lives is practical and effective, and he is highly respected in his community. He lives in a modern six-room house at the company's plant at Universal.
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ISAAC D. WHITE, M. D.
Good intellectual training, thorough professional knowledge and the possession and utilization of the qualities and attributes essential to success. have made Dr. Isaac D. White, of Clinton, Vermillion county, eminent in his chosen calling, and he stands today among the enterprising and successful physicians in a community noted for its high order of medical talent, while at the same time he has won the confidence and esteem of the people of this locality for his upright life and genial disposition.
Isaac D. White was born in Jackson township, Parke county, Indiana, August 25, 1872. He is the son of Joseph E. and Eliza ( Huckins) White. the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of England, from which country she came to the United States when young, and married Mr. White upon reaching maturity. They spent the latter part of their lives in Parke county, Indiana, both being now deceased. They were hard working, highly respected people and well liked in their neighborhood. They became the par- ents of ten children, only three of whom are now living.
Dr. White was reared at Lena, near Greencastle, Indiana, where he received his primary education in the common schools. This was supple- mented by a course in the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1899. He then entered the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis, from which he was graduated in 1904, having made an excellent record. He subsequently took a post- graduate course at the Presbyterian Hospital of New York City, and also had some hospital work in Boston. Thus exceptionally well qualified for his chosen life work, he returned to his native state and opened an office at Clin- ton. where he has since been engaged in the general practice, having been successful from the first and he now has a large and lucrative practice extend- ing over a wide territory.
Dr. White was married on September 7. 1907, to Bessie Louise Daller. daughter of Albert Daller. a highly respected family of Indianapolis. To this union three children have been born, namely : Robert D., born June 22, 1908; Laura Virginia, born November 12, 1909; Joseph Raymond, born December 25, 19II.
Dr. White is a member of the Vigo County Medical Society, the Clinton Medical Society, the State Medical Society, and the American Medical As- sociation. Fraternally, he belongs to the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Woodmen at Clinton and the Benev- olent and Protective Order of Elks at Terre Haute. Politically, he is a
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Democrat and has been loyal in his support of party principles. He is at this writing incumbent of the office of county coroner and is discharging the duties of the same in a manner that reflects much credit upon his ability and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned.
REN M. WHITE.
The life of this venerable and highly respected citizen and soldier has been led along lines of honorable and useful endeavor and has resulted in the accomplishment of much good, not only to himself, but to those with whom he has been associated. He has seen the development of Vermillion, his native county, and has taken an active part in it, consequently in his old age he can look back over a life well spent and for which he should have no regrets.
Ren M. White was born in Helt township, Vermillion county, Indiana, January 31, 1841, and is a son of James A. and Martha (Elder) White, the father a native of Tennessee, where he lived until nine years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents and they located in Sullivan county in a very early day, and later moved to Fountain county and from there to Helt township, Vermillion county. The elder White followed farming all his life. His family consisted of ten children, namely: Orville J. and Louisa are deceased ; Florence lives in Clinton; Eliza Ann and Serena are deceased ; Ren M., of this sketch; James A., Jr., of Clinton; Frank, who was a soldier during the Civil war in Company D, Eighty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, is de- ceased; Warren, deceased, and C. M., the latter of Clinton.
Ren M. White was educated in the common schools of Helt township, where he grew to manhood, working on the home farm during the vacation periods. He then took up farming, and was thus engaged when the war of the Rebellion broke out, and on September 2, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, Eighty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he became orderly sergeant and which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. The sub- ject saw much hard service, including that on Sherman's march to the sea, then on up through the Carolinas, fighting almost every day, and on to Wash- ington, D. C. On June 12, 1865, he was honorably discharged and paid for his services at Indianapolis. He at once returned home and resumed farm- ing, and on May 19, 1867, he was married to Mary J. Davis, daughter of Robert and Melvina (Taylor) Davis, who came from Virginia to Parke county, in an early day, settling at the town of Annapolis.
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To the subject and wife one child was born, Carrie, who died when nine years of age.
Politically, Mr. White is a Republican, but while he has always been a stanch supporter of the same, he has never been a public man nor held office, preferring to devote his attention to his farming and stock raising, at which he has been very successful, now owning one of the choicest and best improved farms in Helt township, on which is a good home and convenient outbuildings, everything roundabout denoting good management.
THEODORE C. MARTIN.
The Allen and Martin Lumber Company, which has been referred to elsewhere in this history, in connection with the life of R. A. Allen, is one of the foremost business institutions in Clinton, Indiana, and it owes its success and remarkable progress in a very large degree to the business ability, untir- ing energy and careful attention of Theodore C. Martin, who started, with Mr. Allen, in the most modest circumstances, and now is regarded as one of the most reliable and financially responsible men 'in Clinton. He is a man of broad experience and splendid business attainments, and has made his way to his present prominent position by unceasing labor and well-deserving in- dustry.
Mr. Martin is the son of Samuel and Margaret E. (McGinnis) Martin. Samuel Martin was born in 1829 and died in 1884, and his wife was born in 1833, and died in 1897. Both parents received common school educations. They had eight children, all of whom are living. His father was a farmer all his life and was a man of prominence in Putnam county, Indiana. Theo- dore C. Martin was born December 29, 1869, in Putnam county, Indiana. He spent his early life on the farm and attended the common schools. Later he spent a couple of years in Eureka College, in Illinois, where he specialized in Bible study and the literary course. After leaving school he went into business, becoming interested at first in the grocery business.
Mr. Martin was married in 1911 to Laura Wolfe, who was born in 1872. She received a common school education. They have two children, Theodore Wayne and Helen Louise Martin, both of whom are at home. Soon after- wards Theodore C: Martin left the grocery business and became a contractor and builder. This work was much more to his liking and he displayed a natural talent, which made him very successful in this work. From this he
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naturally drifted into the real estate business and finally bought a share in the lumber yard together with Mr. Allen, retaining his interest in the con- tracting business. It was in 1909 that he and Mr. Allen purchased the lum- ber yard, and since that time they have been very prosperous and are now running an enormous business.
Mr. Martin has not only been interested in his business, but has given his attention to a number of other activities both in his town and the state. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Clinton, Indiana. and also a member and elder in the Christian church. He owns his home in Clinton and also a number of rentals there. He has also a half interest in a business roon on Main street, and is an active partner in the firm of Allen & Martin. Mr. Martin has a great deal of influence in Clinton and he has always used it in endorsing and promoting every action for the public good which presents itself. He has succeeded in the business world by his sterling integrity and unquestioned honesty and is universally regarded as an earnest church worker, a careful and just business man and a citizen of whom Clinton may be proud.
ELMER M. McCUTCHAN.
Having decided early in life that his native hills were good enough for him, Eliner M. McCutchan, of Greene township, Parke county, has remained here and has become well established through his industry and close applica- tion, and, having dealt honorably with his fellow men, he has always enjoyed their confidence and good will.
Mr. McCutchan was born on March 10, 1867, in Greene township, Parke county, Indiana, and is a son of James A. and Minerva E. (Porter ) McCutchan. The father was born on December 18, 1831, in Parke county, and the mother's birth occurred on July 27, 1837, in Putnam county, Indiana, and she is still living on the old home place in Greene township, but the father was called to his eternal rest in 1903. He was a carpenter in his earlier life, later turning his attention to farming and stock raising in this com- munity and here became the owner of a valuable farm. His family consisted of seven children, named as follows: Elmer M., of this review : William P., Margaret A., John H., James F., S. Florence and M. Nellie.
Elmer M. McCutchan received the usual advantages of the common schools in his native community, and later attended Bloomingdale Academy. then took a course in a commercial college at Terre Haute. Thus well
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equipped for his chosen life work, he returned to Parke county and began teaching school, which he followed with most gratifying success for a period of fourteen years. Finally tiring of the school room, he turned his atten- tion to the mercantile business, which he followed at Russellville and Milligan, Parke county, for a period of about seven years, enjoying a liberal trade with the surrounding country. After that he took up farming and is still actively engaged, owning eighty acres of highly productive and well improved land, all well tilled and tillable, in Greene township. He has a pleasant home, and he keeps a good grade of live stock.
On November 28, 1900, Mr. McCutchan was united in marriage to Elsie E. Spencer, who was born on April 9, 1875. in Parke county, Indiana, and here she grew to womanhood and received her education in the public schools and Bloomingdale Academy. She is a daughter of George W. and Mary (Clark) Spencer. To this union four children have been born, namely : Winfred, born on September 22, 1901; Wendell S., born on February 17, 1905 ; Mary M., who was born on February 11, 1907; and Marjorie A., whose birth occurred on June 1, 19II.
JAMES SMITH REED.
It is a rare, and ought to be a highly appreciated, privilege to be able to spend our lives on the old home place. This has been the good fortune of James Smith Reed, one of the best known farmers of Helt township. Ver- million county, having lived nearly three score years here, during which time he has been active in the great development of this community, for when he was a boy it was very little improved to what it is today, his parents having come here when settlers were few and little of the virgin land had been re- claimed from the wilderness.
Mr. Reed was born in Helt township. Vermillion county, Indiana, September 11, 1854, and is a son of John W. and Sarah B. ( Ralston) Reed, the father born in 1822 in Stokes county. North Carolina, where he spent his earlier years, coming from there to Vermillion county, Indiana, in 1833, settling near where the town of New St. Bernice is now located, and there he spent the rest of his life. following farming for about forty years, owning the farm where the subject now lives. He lived retired in Dana for six years, dying there in 1885 at the age of sixty-two years. The mother of the sub- ject also died in Dana in 1892, at the age of sixty-seven years, her birth har-
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ing occurred in 1825. They were the parents of eight children, namely : Louis Henry, of Centralia, Illinois; Alfred Maranda, who lives at St. Bernice, Indiana: James Smith, of this sketch; George Washington lives in Salina, Kansas ; the next three children died in infancy .; Jemima Jane, who married Ralph Hafley, of St. Bernice, Indiana, was the youngest child.
James S. Reed grew to manhood on the home farm, where he worked when a boy, and he received his education in the common schools. In 1880 he married Rebecca A. York, daughter of Andrew and Eva Jane (Rains) York. the father a native of Stokes county, North Carolina, and the mother of Mercer county, Kentucky. From North Carolina they moved to Edgar county, Illinois, where Mrs. Reed was born. Five children have been born to Mr. Reed and wife, namely : Claud I., born May 10, 1881, died in infancy ; Grace Ethel, born June 20, 1882, died when twelve years old; Ernest E., born November 3. 1885 : Otto O., born April 19, 1889; and Wreatha M., born May 10, 1893.
Mr. Reed began farming early in life and has continued the same to the present time with a marked degree of success, having spent his entire life. fifty-eight years, on the old homestead, which he has kept well tilled and well improved. so that it has yielded abundant crops and has at the same time retained its original strength of soil. He has always kept a good grade of live stock and has kept the buildings in good repair.
Politically, Mr. Reed is a Prohibitionist. He has been councilman one term, also school director several terms, and is known as a very faithful public servant. In religious affairs he is a Methodist Protestant. His father was a Republican, and his maternal grandfather was surveyor for one term in Edgar county, Illinois.
R. J. FINNEY.
The career of R. J. Finney, deceased, the late able and popular sheriff of Parke county. Indiana, was varied and interesting, and the history of this locality will be more interesting if a record of his activities and achievements are given prominence and a tribute offered to his worth and high character as a man of affairs, an enterprising and public-spirited citizen. He was a worthy scion of two of the sterling pioneer families of this country who did so much toward paving the way for the present-day civilization. For many years he ranked among our leading agriculturists and he was one of the hon-
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ored veterans of the world's greatest civil strife, having fought gallantly for his country's flag during the great Southern rebellion of the early sixties.
R. J. Finney was born on December 10, 1844, in Parke county. In- diana, and was the son of Robert and Malinda (Hunt) Finney. The father came from North Carolina, when about twenty years of age, to Vincennes, Indiana, accompanied by his father, Joseph Finney, who was a veteran of the war of 1812, having served under General Andrew Jackson. He was a native of Virginia, where his father, the subject's great-grandfather, Joseph Finney, Sr., was also born, and from there the elder Finney took his family into Tennessee in a very early day.
R. J. Finney was reared on his father's farm and received his educa- tion in the common schools. At the commencement of the Civil war he was anxious to go to the front, but, being at that time but a youth, he was com- pelled to wait some time, and made repeated efforts before being permitted to enlist. Eventually he enlisted at Rockville, Indiana, but again on account of his youth he was not permitted to go to his regiment. Later he enlisted in the Eleventh Indiana Cavalry, but the commanding officers refused to muster him, still being too young. Finally, he went to Terre Haute and joined the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served about a year faithfully, the command being assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. At the conclusion of hostilities, and after receiving an honorable discharge, Mr. Finney returned home and took up farming in Parke county with his brothers, which he made his principal life work, having been very successful as a farmer and stock raiser, owning a finely improved and valuable farm. He was a good business man, a practical agriculturist and an upright citizen, so that he stood unquestionably among the representative citizens of his county. He was employed as railway mail clerk for twenty- seven consecutive years and resigned shortly before he was nominated for sheriff in 1908. He was elected sheriff of Parke county, the duties of which office he discharged to the entire satisfaction of the citizens of the county, being the incumbent of the office at the time of his death, which occurred on December II, 1912. He carried into the office of sheriff the same fidelity to duty, sound judgment and common sense methods which he had exercised in his own private affairs and his career as a public official commanded the admiration of all who knew him.
On July 8, 1867, Mr. Finney was united in marriage with Melissa Thompson, who has been deceased for some years. To this union four chil- dren have been born, all of whom died in infancy except Charles E., who married Jessie Gross, and they have one child living, Charles Wesley.
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On December 1, 1910, Mr. Finney married Gertrude May Atkinson, to which union was born one child, Robert J. Mr. Finney kept alive his old army associations through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, being held in high regard by his old comrades. In every avenue of life's activ- ities in which he engaged he was always true to his trust and because of his manly worth and estimable qualities he commanded public confidence to a notable degree.
ยท JESSE W. PIERCE.
Perhaps no one agency in all the world has done so much for public progress as the press, and an enterprising, well-edited journal is a most im- portant factor in promoting the welfare and prosperity of any community. 'It adds to the intelligence of the people through its transmission of foreign and domestic news and through its discussion of the leading questions and issues of the day, and, more than that, it makes the town or city which it represents known outside of the immediate locality, as it is sent each day or week into other cities or districts, carrying with it an account of the events transpiring in its home locality, the advancement and progress there being made, and the advantages which it offers its residents along moral, educa- tional, social and commercial lines. Vermillion county is certainly indebted to its wide-awake journals in no small degree, and one of the men who are doing commendable work in the local newspaper field is Jesse W. Pierce. editor and publisher of the daily and weekly Clintonian, at Clinton. He has long been connected with journalistic work, and his power as a writer and editor, as well as a business man, is widely acknowledged among contem- porary nespaper men and the public in general.
Jesse W. Pierce was born at Shelburn. Sullivan county. Indiana, on December 21,. 1878, and is the son of James H. and Flora E. (Patton) Pierce, both also natives of Sullivan county. The father is a prominent and successful lumberman and farmer and a man of good parts. He and his wife became the parents of two children besides the immediate subject of this sketch. namely: Claude and Mrs. Hazel Acklemire, both residents of Shel- burn.
Jesse W. Pierce received his elementary education in the public schools at Shelburn, and then took a normal course at the State Normal School at Terre Haute. graduating in 1902. He then entered Wabash College. at
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JESSE W. PIERCE.
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Crawfordsville, where he graduated in 1905. During this period of his studies he was engaged in teaching school and while in Wabash College did newspaper work for the Crawfordsville Journal. After completing his educa- tion, Mr. Pierce became a reporter, and later city editor, on the Sullivan Daily Times. He then worked as a reporter on the Terre Haute Star and in the same capacity on the Worcester (Massachusetts) Telegram. In 1907 he bought the Pierceton (Indiana) Record, which he published until 1908, when he came to Clinton and purchased the Clintonian and the Plaindealer, consoli- dating the two papers under the name of the Clintonian. The paper was published as a weekly until 1910, when it was changed to semi-weekly, and in 1912 its issues were changed to daily and weekly. Mechanically, the Clintonian is all that could be desired, while editorially the paper will com- pare favorably with any other newspaper in this section of the state. Mr. Pierce is a "live wire" and has the genuine newspaper man's instinct for news, while he is discriminating in his selection of the daily news, so that the paper has no relation to the "yellow" journalism which has to some extent been a blight on the profession. Mr. Pierce has at all times stood stanchly and fearlessly for the best interests of the entire community and personally and by editorial utterance advocates advanced ground on all moral, social and educational questions. Personally, he is an independent Republican and takes an intelligent interest in public affairs. He is genial and courteous in his dealings with others, possessing an engaging personality that makes for him friends of all who associate with him, and in the community at large he is held in high repute.
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