USA > Indiana > Posey County > History of Posey County, Indiana : from the earliest times to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. : together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
JUDGE WILLIAM P. EDSON was born in Mount Vernon, Posey Co., Ind., May 14, 1834. Here he has always resided. His father, the Hon. Eben D. Edson, was an early settler and talented lawyer of southwestern Indiana. He immigrated from Otsego County, N. Y., in 1828, and located in Mount Vernon, where he resided until his death, March 4, 1846. He held sev- eral offices of trust, and was a representative in the Legislature, and held the position of prosecuting attorney at the time of his death. Sarah L. Phelps, Judge Edson's mother, was a native of Litchfield, Conn., and removed to Leavenworth, Ind., where she married. She lived to see her son attain a high position among his fellow men, who reposed unlimited confidence in his ability and worth. Her death occurred September 2, 1868. Judge Edson entered the schools of Mount Vernon when quite young, and later obtained an excellent education in the seminary at that place. Before reaching manhood he had read every volume in the Posey County Library that was calculated to be of benefit to him in later years. He has always been a close student, conse- quently his mind has been a store-house for the many valuable works he has read. After finishing his education he obtained a
491
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
position as teacher in a country school. Finishing one term there, he taught two terms in his native town. When nineteen years old he began studying law under Judge John Pitcher, with whom he remained two years, when he was admitted to practice. In October, 1856, he was elected representative in the Legisla- ture, being the youngest member of that body. He was placed on some very important committees, among which was the joint (Senate and House) committee on the State Library, of which he was chairman. He introduced a bill providing for the geo- logical survey of the State to aid in its mineral development, and made several powerful speeches advocating its passage, on which he was highly complimented by the leading newspapers of the State. It was adopted at the next session of the Legislature. In 1858 he was elected prosecuting attorney for Posey and Gibson Counties, and held the position one term. In November, 1871, he was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Posey, Gibson, Vanderburg and Warrick Counties, in which capacity he distinguished himself by his knowledge of law and business dispatch. January 1, 1862, he was married to Miss Ruphene Lockwood, of Mount Vernon. To their union five chil- dren have been born, three of whom are living. Previous to the late civil war Judge Edson was a Democrat, but since that time he has been a zealous Republican .. He was nominated judge of the supreme court at the Republican State Convention, held at Indianapolis, and with the entire ticket was defeated. In all matters of a public character he has taken an active part, and is one of the best known and respected men of the county.
HOLMAN FREEMAN, a prominent citizen of Mount Ver- non, Ind., was born in Indiana, October 28, 1838, son of James M. and Farbia (Johnson) Freeman, natives respectively of Ala- bama and South Carolina. The father came to Indiana in 1856, locating in Lawrence County where he remained two years and then came to Posey, taking up his residence in Mount Vernon, where he began butchering. He soon after began farming and in 1865 returned to his native State where he died in 1874. Subject received a good education in the city schools, and at the age of seventeen came to Indiana with his parents, and became a resident of Mount Vernon, where, in 1860, he engaged in the butcher business, meeting with more than ordinary success. He
492
HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
is also engaged in buying and shipping stock and trades in farm- ing lands. Since 1883 he has given his entire attention to farm- ing and owns about 400 acres of good land on the Wabash River. He is an excellent judge of cattle and was selected, in 1882, as judge from Indiana at the Fat Stock Show at Chicago, Ill. No- vember 24, 1864, he married Sarah A. Jackson of English ex- traction, but a native of Posey County. They have two children: Della and Margaret. Mr. Freeman is a Democrat and a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F.
HON. JAMES W. FRENCH, a native of Posey County, Ind., was born September 17, 1852, being the eldest of a family of thirteen children (eleven now living) born to Lardner C. and Elizabeth (Wilson) French, who are natives of the county. (See sketch of Lardner C. French in Lynn Township. ) Our subject was reared on a farm, by his parents, until he was eighteen years old when he entered the State Normal School of Terre Haute, Indiana, attending that institution until June, 1874, when he graduated, and soon after began teaching the "young idea " in Muncie, Ind., remaining there one year when he returned home and taught one year in the Mount Vernon public schools. The following year he taught in the public schools of the county. He was a very successful teacher, and in June, 1877, the people showed their appreciation of his efforts by electing him superin- tendent of public schools for Posey County. He served two terms of two years each. In the meantime he had begun the study of law with the intention of making it a profession. In September, 1881, he entered the Union College of Law at Chicago, Ill,, and graduated from that institution in June, 1883. He then re- turned to Mount Vernon and established a law office, and the fol- lowing October was appointed deputy attorney under Philip W. Frey, serving until January 1, 1885. His political views are Democratic, and he has taken an active and important part in the political affairs of the county. In August, 1884, he was nomin- ated by his party to represent them in the State Legislature, and was elected to the office at the fall election and served with honor and success in the regular and special sessions of 1885. Since then he has devoted his entire time to his fairly large and remu- nerative law practice.
493
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
OLIVER N. FRETAGEOT, clerk of Posey County Circuit Court was born in New Harmony, February 16, 1850, son of Achilles E. and Cecelia (Noel) Fretageot. The father, who was born in Paris, France, October 24, 1813, came to the United States with his mother and located in New Harmony. Oliver N. was raised in and around New Harmony. His mother died when he was but three years of age. He secured a common school education in the then limited town schools. From the age of six- teen to twenty-three he followed a farmer's life near town and then engaged in mercantile pursuits, with his brother in New Harmony, they having succeeded the father in the business. He continued in the business until November, 1882, when he was elected on the Democratic ticket to his present office, and in 1883 disposed of his interest in the mercantile business, and began his present duties, which he has discharged faithfully and efficiently ever since. September 18, 1870, he married Mary E. Highman, a native of the county and daughter of Capt. John K. High- man, notice of whom appears in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Fre- tageot became the parents of three children: Alexander E. (de- ceased) Eugenia (deceased), and Katie S. In politics Mr. Fretageot has always been an ardent Democrat. He has been very successful in his business enterprises and is a popular and courteous official.
COLUMBUS FUHRER is a native of Pittsburg, Penn., born March 26, 1850, and is one of a family of twelve children born to Gregory and Elizabeth (Johns) Fuhrer. The father, who was a gardener by occupation, was born, October 13, 1807, in France. He came to the United States and located first in Pittsburg, where he remained for some time, and in 1857 moved to Posey County, Ind., and located on a farm of forty acres in Black Township. Here he remained until his death, which oc- curred January 16, 1883. The mother was born the 29th of July, 1820, and is yet living near Mount Vernon, with her daughter, Josephine. Our subject obtained a common school education. He made his home with his parents until he was twenty-one years old; August 2, 1881, he married Rachel Philips, born in Posey County, Ind., in 1862. She is a daughter of Bar- ney and Rebecca Philips, and became the mother of two children named Archie G. and Edward B. Mr. Fuhrer is a Democrat in politics and cast his first vote for Samuel J. Tilden.
494
HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
JOHN B. GARDINER, a prominent pioneer citizen, of Posey County, Ind., was born in Philadelphia, Penn., January 17, 1809, being the eldest of four children born to James and Eliza- beth (Grover) Gardiner, who were natives of the same place, where they lived and died. Our subject was raised in the city of his birth and secured a good education in the schools of that place. At the age of seventeen years he began clerking in the stores of the city and followed mercantile pursuits there until 1837, when he came West and located at the mouth of the Green River in Kentucky, where he followed merchandising two years. Here he married Mary Holcomb, in 1838, and the following year came to Posey County and located at New Harmony, where he was engaged in merchandising three or four years. He then re- moved to Blairsville, in 1843, and remained there until 1856, when he was elected treasurer of Posey County by the Demo- cratic party, and the following year removed to Mount Vernon and filled the office two years, faithfully and efficiently. In 1860 he was elected auditor of the county and served two terms, of four years each. In 1864 he, together with a number of other prominent citizens, organized the First National Bank, of which he was made president. He filled this position several years and then accepted the position of cashier caused by the resignation of S. M. Leavenworth and served until January, 1883. In Au- gust of the same year, he assisted in organizing the International Bank of Mount Vernon, and was elected president, and is now holding the position. He is and always has been an unswerving Democrat in politics, and besides the county offices already named, he was elected mayor of Mount Vernon in 1880, and served two years. He is a Mason, and he and wife are members of the Epis- copal Church. They raised a family of seven children, five of whom are living: Henry B., Charles A., Mary B. (wife of William Bailey ), Martha W. (wife of William Boyce), and Flora (wife of F. B. Test). Mr. Gardiner is among the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Posey County, and is known to be an enter- prising and successful business man and a trustworthy citizen.
DAVID H. GREATHOUSE was the third of a family of seven children born to the marriage of Lorenzo Greathouse and Parthenia B. Stinson. The father was born September 5, 1818, and was raised in Point Township, Posey Co., Ind., where he
495
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
afterward farmed. He died February 17, 1883. The mother was born in Kentucky, September 5, 1819, and died January 23, 1884. Our subject was born on the farm of which he is now a resident, January 29, 1849. His services being much required at home, his educational advantages were somewhat limited in his young days. He remained at home with his parents until their death, when he continued cultivating the home farm. He owns eighty acres of good land, and also farms extensively on other land. He and his sister live on the old homestead. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and politically has always been a Democrat. He is quite a prominent man and well respected by all.
GEORGE S. GREEN, auditor of Posey County, Ind., was born February 19, 1850, and is one of a family of nine children, five of whom are living, born to the marriage .of George S. Green and Martha A. Lockett. George S. Green, Jr., was raised on the homestead farm near Mount Vernon, and secured a very fair education. He followed the life of the average farmer's boy until he was fifteen years old when he left home and learned the car- riage trimmer's trade in Evansville, Ind. He remained in that and other cities for about four years when he returned home and worked as deputy county recorder under F. A. Pentecost. In 1872 he was appointed deputy auditor under Frank D. Bolton, and served in this capacity during the entire term and also under A. D. Owen. In November, 1882, he was elected auditor of Posey County and took his seat in March, 1883. He has filled the office faithfully and efficiently to the present time. He is a Democrat and has taken an active part in the political affairs of the county. January 16, 1873, his marriage with Emma Foshee was celebrated. They have two children: George B. and Stella. Mr. Green is a member of the I. O. O. F., and K. of P. His father, Judge George S. Green, was born in Washington, Mason Co., Ky., March 4, 1809. He removed to the "Hoosier State" about 1837 and located near Mount Vernon, where he continued to reside until his death. He was educated at the Military Academy at West Point, but gave up his military career for the profession of law. Upon leaving West Point he became a disciple of Blackstone and pursued his legal study with so much zeal, that in a short period he passed a very creditable examin- ation before the Supreme Court of Indiana. He was subsequently
ยท
496
HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
elected to the State Legislature and at a still later period, was chosen probate judge of this county. After his term of office had expired, he resumed his practice of law, and established a repu- tation which ranked him among the first lawyers of the State. He was an eloquent pleader and sagacious counselor, and possessed an exceptionally refined and cultivated literary taste. Owing to physical disability he was prevented from attaining high positions for which his mental qualities so fitted him. He took an active and deep interest in the extension and perfection of school systems and his relations both at home and abroad were of the most ex- emplary kind. His death occurred at his farm near Mount Vernon, Ind., September 11, 1857.
JOHN K. GREGORY, proprietor of a livery, feed and sale stable in Mount Vernon, Ind., was born in Lynn Township, Posey Co., Ind., January 19, 1841. The father of our subject was born near Clarksville, Tenn., and died in Mount Vernon, April, 1884. Our subject's mother was a Miss Pitts, and after marrying Mr. Gregory became the mother of five children, two of whom are dead and three living. John K. has always advocated the princi- ples of the Democratic party. He is quite a horse fancier and is considered a very good judge of horse flesh. He has been the owner of several very speedy pacers and trotters and keeps the best livery stable in Mount Vernon.
EDWARD S. HAYES, sheriff of Posey County, Ind., was born in Lancaster County, Penn., April 21, 1836, being next eldest in a family of seven sons born to John and Catharine (Sweeney) Hayes, natives of Pennsylvania and Ireland, respec- tively, but both of Irish descent. The father who was a school teacher by profession and a carpenter by trade, removed with his family from Pennsylvania to Iowa in 1844 and the same year went to Clark County, Ohio, where he followed the carpenter's trade until his death in November, 1844. The mother died the July preceding. Our subject came to Posey County with his mother's brother, at the death of his parents and was raised by him on a farm and learned the cooper's trade. When seventeen years old he left home and followed his trade in Ohio until March 4, 1855, when he enlisted in Company D, of the Fourth United States Cavalry serving five years when he was discharged and came to Mount Vernon and followed his trade till the breaking out of the
497
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Rebellion when he enlisted as first lieutenant of Company H, First Indiana Cavalry and remained with his regiment until the following January when he resigned and was engaged in the quartermaster's department at Memphis, Tenn., until the follow- ing November, when he returned to Mount Vernon and resumed his trade, continuing until January, 1864, when he enlisted as a pri- vate in Company K, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry and was appointed second lieutenant of the com- pany which position he held till the close of the war. He then returned home and that same year was elected first marshal un- der the city charter and served three years. He was defeated in 1868, but filled out part of his opponent's time as he (the opponent) had been convicted and sentenced to State prison for handling counterfeit money. After that he held the office eight years by re-election. In 1878 he was defeated by twenty votes for nomination on the Democratic ticket for sheriff but served again as city marshal from 1880 to 1882, and four years as deputy sheriff and jailer. In November, 1882, he was elected by his party to the sheriff's office and was re-elected in 1884. May 28, 1863, he married Anna E. Musselman, a native of the same place as our subject. They became the parents of ten chil- dren, seven of whom are living: Cora A. (wife of Lewis Stin- son), Augusta M., George B. McClellan, Anna Belle, Zadia R., Helen L. and Edward S. Mr. Hayes' political views have always been Democratic. He is a Mason and a member of the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R., and he is recognized as an upright, enterpris- ing citizen and a courteous able official.
GEORGE HENRICH was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Ger- many, October 15, 1835, son of Anton and Barbara (Korn) Hen- rich, both born in Germany. They immigrated to the United States in 1837, and started for St. Louis by the Ohio River, but the father was taken sick with fever on the way and stopped off at Evansville where he died three days later, leaving the widow and five helpless children alone in a strange country. Mrs. Hen- rich purchased a small farm in Marrs Township, Posey Co., Ind. When George was about ten years old they came to Mount Ver- non where the mother died in October, 1853. George received no education in early days but learned to read, write and cipher by his own exertions. When fifteen years old he went to Louis-
498
HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
ville, Ky., where he learned the barber's trade and worked at that business off and on until the breaking out of the war when he enlisted as bugler in Company C, First Indiana Cavalry and served in this capacity for three years. He was seriously wounded in the left arm at the battle of Fredricktown, Mo., and was mus- tered out in 1863 but re-enlisted in 1864. In 1865 he returned home and began working at his trade, and keeping a stock of gents' furnishing goods which combined enterprise he has since conducted very successfully. In 1867 he built his present com- modious business block, and now controls the leading trade in his line in the city. In 1858 he married Nancy A. Leffel. They have seven children: George A., William F., Charles E., Mollie A., Lou Cecelia, Cornelia Estella and Arthur E. Previous to the war Mr. Henrich was a Democrat but since that time he has been a Republican. He is a member of the G. A. R., and is a leading business man of Mount Vernon.
GEN. ALVIN P. HOVEY is a son of Abiel and Frances (Peterson) Hovey and grandson of Rev. Samuel and Abigail (Cleveland) Hovey. His mother was born in Vermont, May 20, 1780 and died in Posey County, Ind., September 6, 1836. The father also died in Posey County, July 17, 1823. The parents were married in 1802 and removed to Indiana in 1818. Here the father followed the life of. a farmer. He was an active and ener- getic man with good judgment and noble principles. Our sub- ject was born in Posey County, Ind., September 6, 1821, and is unquestionably one of the most distinguished men of Indiana. He was a delegate to the convention that framed the constitu- tion of the State of Indiana in 1850. He was judge of the cir- cuit court for eleven counties in the southwestern part of Indiana, from 1851 to 1854, and was judge of the supreme court from 1854 to 1855. He held the position of United States district attorney for three years. He was then removed from office by President Buchanan for supporting Stephen A. Douglas for Pres- ident, and Daniel Voorhees was installed in his place. He served with great ability in the war of the Rebellion and was considered a brave and skillful officer. He was colonel of the Twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteers, and was promoted brigadier-general April 13, 1862, and July 9, 1864, was raised to the rank of brevet major-general of United States Volunteers for his distinguished
499
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
and gallant conduct on the battle field. He was commander at the celebrated battle of Champion Hill which opened the way to the capture of Vicksburg, and was highly complimented by Gen. Grant for his knowledge of military tactics. He was appointed minister to Peru, South America, August 12, 1865, and resigned after five years' service. He married in Posey County, Novem- ber 24, 1844, Mary Ann James, born in Baton Rouge, La., Feb- ruary 22, 1825, and died in Mount Vernon, Ind., November 16, 1863. He took for his second wife the widow of Maj. W. F. Carey and daughter of Caleb Smith, Secretary of the Interior under President Lincoln. To his first marriage were born these children: Esther, Enoch J. (deceased), Charles J., Mary (de- ceased) and Mary Ann (deceased). The General with his sur- viving children and grandchildren, resides in Mount Vernon, Ind., where he is highly honored as a citizen, soldier and patriot.
THEODORE HUDNUT, proprietor of the Favorite City Mills, of Mount Vernon, Ind., was born in Washington, Mason Co., Ky., July 15, 1820, son of Joseph and Catharine (Dalton) Hudnut, natives of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively. Our subject left the parental roof in his twelfth year, and learned the carpenter's trade which he followed in Kentucky, Ohio and Indi- ana about fifteen years. He then engaged in the milling busi- ness in Johnson County, Ind., remaining there until 1860. In 1861, at the breaking out of the Rebellion, he enlisted in Com- pany H, Nineteenth Indiana Volunteers, as first lieutenant under Col. Meredith, and served about six months. He then resigned and went to Indianapolis and built a hominy-mill, operating it about four years. He then engaged in a similar business in Mat- toon, Ill., and in 1866 moved to Terre Haute, Ind., where he has been engaged in the hominy-mill business ever since. He con- ducts his business on an extensive scale, and has met with good success. In 1877 he established his present hominy-mill . in Mount Vernon, and has operated it successfully ever since. Mr. Hudnut was first married in Madison City, Ind. His wife died in Johnson County, having borne him five children-a son and a daughter now living. He married his present wife in Indianapo- lis. He is a Republican in politics, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church. Although not a resident proper of Posey County, he is considered by all an enterprising business man of the place.
500
HISTORY OF POSEY COUNTY.
ROBERT K. HUNTER, a wealthy retired citizen of Mount Vernon, Ind., was born in County Down, Ireland, November 2, 1811. He is a son of James and Ellen (Robb) Hunter, who were natives of Scotland. The father who was a manufacturer of linen and woolen goods, started to the United States in 1832, with his family, but died while en route on the Atlantic off Cape Bre- ton, and was buried in the ocean. The mother died a month . later of cholera while on Lake Erie, and a day later one of his sisters died of the same dread disease. Robert K. came with the surviving members of the family to Pittsburgh, Penn., where he engaged in the retail boot and shoe business, and later engaged in farming in the State. In 1857 he immigrated west and located on a farm near Mount Vernon, Ind., where he resided twelve years. In 1869 he moved to Mount Vernon where he has since made his home, and engaged in buy- ing and selling real estate. Mr. Hunter has met with more than ordinary success financially, and has now a very handsome com- petency. In 1838 he married Martha Pollock, a native of Penn- sylvania, who died October 4, 1872, leaving no children. Mr. Hunter is an unswerving Democrat, and is an elder and mem- ber of the Presbyterian. Church. He is recognized by all as one of the leading citizens of the town and county, and a thorough- ly upright man.
ALEXANDER HUTCHINSON, insurance and real estate broker of Mount Vernon, Ind., was born in Gallatin County, Ky., September 22, 1847, and is one of seven children born to John Hutchinson and Lydia Ann Fuller, natives of Connecticut and Ken- tucky, respectively. The father, who was a hatter and bookbinder by trade, followed these combined occupations early in life. He was married and raised his family in Kentucky, and moved to Indiana about 1850. Two years later he removed to Illinois, where he resided on a farm until his death in 1869. Alexander was raised on a farm in Illinois, and secured a fair education in the English branches. He followed the occupation of teaching from 1866 to 1871 in Illinois, and then came to Posey County and continued that vocation until 1879, meeting with the best success. In 1879 he established his present business in Mount Vernon, and has remained there ever since. He was married to Parthenia Conlin, a native of the county, in 1876. They have two
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.