USA > Indiana > Posey County > History of Posey County, Indiana > Part 33
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Levi J. Wilkinson .- To have accomplished so notable work as has Levi J. Wilkinson in connection with the Christian church would prove sufficient to give precedence and reputation to any man, were it to rep- resent the sum total of his efforts; but Mr. Wilkinson is a man of broad mental ken, strong initiative and distinct individuality, who will not only leave a lasting impression in the denomination in which he has been a lifelong member, but has been a potent, though unostentatious factor in the commercial life of Posey county, where for fifty years he conducted a successful retail enterprise, devoted to a general line of merchandise. To him the city of Cynthiana is indebted for one of the most beautiful, from an architectural standpoint, and substantially built church edifices in southern Indiana, together with a substantial endowment, which places it upon a self-sustaining basis. Other institutions also have re- ceived generous donations and endowments, his philanthropies to date exceeding those of any citizen who has resided within the county, and other substantial gifts to his church are contemplated. Levi J. Wil- kinson was born on his father's farm in Gibson county, In- diana, February 22, 1825, the son of William and Mary (Miller) Wil- kinson. The Wilkinson family is of English origin and dates its found- ing in America during the early Colonial period when members of the family came from England and settled in the Colony of North Carolina. Numbered among them are men who achieved distinction in the front- ier life of those early days, in the commercial era which followed and later in the War of the Revolution. The family was founded in Indiana by Cary Wilkinson, a native of North Carolina, who came to the State from Barren county, Kentucky, in 1808. He made the journey in one of the old style Conestoga wagons and crossed the Ohio at Red Banks, now Henderson, on a ferry. He located on land near what is now Fort Branch, and the old log fort of that name, erected for protection from the Indians, was built with the assistance of him and his sons. The country was a wilderness and the settlers few when he erected his first house. It was constructed of logs, without nails, and without windows, light being admitted through the door and chimney. The floor was of puncheon and the beds were made by boring holes in the logs of the walls about three feet from the floor and driving in poles, making a scaffolding on which the bed clothing was placed. While
TJ. Wilkinson
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH Cynthiana
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they were short on luxuries they were long on hospitality-the latch- string was always out to all comers. Added to the hardships incident to the clearing of the wilderness were the Indians, then plentiful, and the wild animals, panthers, bob-cats, bear and wolves being in abundance. Cary Wilkinson did not live to see the territory which he had helped to wrest from the savages become a State. He passed away in 1815. He married Sarah Mangrum, a daughter of William Mangrum. They became the parents of eleven children, four of whom died in childhood. William Wilkinson, the fourth of these children to reach man's estate, was born in North Carolina, on December 18, 1800, and came to In- diana with his parents in 1808. His education was acquired in the schools of that period. The school house was built of blocks, greased paper was used for window lights, quill pens for writing, and the ink at that time was made by boiling maple bark and adding a little copperas. He was forced to take up a man's work at the age of fifteen, through the death of his father, and the making of tillable land from the forest fell upon his shoulders. He married Mary Miller, a daughter of the Rev. John Miller, a minister of the Christian church. In 1830 he be- came a member of this denomination and lived a devout Christian life. He was a successful farmer, an influential citizen and one of the most active factors in the development of his township. He became a resi- dent of Cynthiana on his retirement from active labor and passed away in 1887. His political affiliations were first with the Whigs, but upon the organization of the Republican party he became an active supporter of its principles. He was an ardent admirer of Abraham Lincoln, once journeying to Illinois to hear him speak. William and Mary (Miller) Wilkinson were the parents of eleven children, all of whom, except Levi J., the subject of this review, have passed to their reward. They were in order of birth as follows: Isaiah, John, Deliah, Sarah, Nar- cissa, Emily, Balaam, Aaron B., Levi J., Silas N. and Amos C. Levi J. Wilkinson, farmer, merchant and philanthropist, was reared on his father's farm in Gibson county, received his education in the dis- trict schools and engaged in farming, an occupation he followed until 1855-in Gibson county until 1851 and in Posey county until 1855. In the last named year he engaged in the general merchandise business in Cynthiana under the firm style of Wilkinson & Putnam, having as an associate James Putnam. The latter's interest was purchased by Mr. Wilkinson shortly afterward and J. H. C. Lowe became his part- ner. Two others were admitted to the firm and its style became Wil- kinson, Lowe & Co, Mr. Wilkinson retired from the firm within a few months, however, and engaged in the business without associates. As a merchant he was successful. His business was the leading one in Cynthiana, his stock the largest, offering the most in the way of selec- tion, and was as well the best kept and arranged of any in the city.
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Posey county has never had a merchant who in his dealings with all has been more fair, more honest or more charitable than was Mr. Wilkin- son during an active commercial life of fifty years, and which in re- spect to length has seldom been equalled in the State. During his active commercial life he was a purchaser of choice farm lands and be- came the owner of several hundred acres in Posey county. As a citi- zen he has always taken an active interest in those enterprises which have had for their object the development and betterment of the com- munity. He made a donation of one thousand dollars toward the build- ing of the Evansville & Terre Haute railroad, in addition to paying his proportion of the bonds. In 1901 the Christian church and parsonage at Cynthiana were erected at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars, the fund for this undertaking being the gift of Mr. Wilkinson to the con- gregation. He also deeded to the congregation one hundred and fifty- eight acres of land as an endowment for maintenance. His gifts to the Christian College at Merom to date are two hundred and seventy acres of land and seven thousand dollars in money. To Jireh College, at Jireh, Wyo., he has given sixty-two acres of land and five thousand two hundred dollars in money. It is the intention of him and his wife to leave to the mission board of the Christian church that part of their fortune which remains upon their departure from this life. Mr. Wilkinson married, in 1845, Miss Elizabeth Smith, a daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Spain) Smith, who died in 1870. Of this union two children were born, both of whom died in infancy. On March 16, 1871, Mr. Wilkinson married Miss Julia E. Wilkinson, a daughter of Isaiah and Mary (Pruett) Wilkinson. She was born in Johnson town- ship, Gibson county, Indiana, on December 4, 1840. They have been members of the Christian church since childhood and have always been leaders in the work of building up their denomination. The sunset years of their lives have been given over to the work of the Master, while the fruits of their labor are being expended in furthering the work of their church. Mr. Wilkinson, now in his eighty-ninth year, is re- markably vigorous, his health remarkably good for one of his age, while his mental powers are practically unimpaired. Mrs. Wilkinson, who has been a willing helpmeet for over forty years, is now in her seventy-third year. She is a woman of fine intellectuality and her in- fluence has been of potent value in the community. Their home life has been ideal. What may be termed their life work is nearly finished. It has met to a great extent the fullness of their ambition, but, infinitely more precious to them is the fact that they are rich in the pos- sion of the affection which slowly develops only from unselfish works and the esteem which comes from honorable living.
James N. Whitehead, one of the prominent and influential men of affairs of Posey county, was born in Harmony township December 2, 1868, of pioneer ancestors. Mr. Whitehead was reared on a farm and
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received his education in the public schools. He began life as a farmer and has followed this vocation all his life, and has been successful to a marked degree. Today he is one of the large land owners of Posey county. Seven years ago he moved to New Harmony, where he has a beautiful residence. He conducts his large agricultural operations throughout the county, while he maintains his residence in town. Judg- ing from the success which Mr. Whitehead has met in farming, one would naturally think that this line of endeavor had received his un- divided attention, but such is not the case. He has found time for other business enterprises in which he has been equally successful. He has been interested in the First National Bank of New Harmony for several years, and for the last four years has been president of this substan- tial institution, a position he now holds. He served as its vice-president for two years before he succeeded to the presidency of the institution. He is also extensively interested in the Corbin Milling Company, of New Harmony, and the Fuhrer-Ford Milling Company of Mt. Vernon. Mr. Whitehead was united in marriage January 1, 1892, to Miss Iva E. Wil- liams, also a native of Posey county. To Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead have been born four children: Lela, Earl (deceased), Martha E. and Jennie Louise. Mr. Whitehead is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He is the progressive kind of citizen that counts in any community. He is public-spirited and ever ready to support any worthy enterprise for the upbuilding of his county and her institutions.
Frank R. Lawless, president of the town board of New Harmony, is a native of Ireland. He was born in the city of Dublin in 1870, and when a child came to America with his parents, who settled in Richland county, Illinois. Here young Lawless spent his boyhood days, and attended the public schools until about fifteen years of age, when his mother died. He then went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he learned the trade of sheet metal worker and plumbing, heating, and ventilating. After mastering his trade, Mr. Lawless worked as a journeyman in Cincinnati, Detroit and St. Louis for a time, and in 1894 came to New Harmony and engaged in business for himself. His business embraces plumbing, sheet metal work- ing, heating, and ventilating. He has completed several of the most extensive contracts in his line in Posey county, and from a business standpoint, has met with well earned success. As a mechanic, he is mas- ter of his art, and as a manager of men, he is equally competent. While Mr. Lawless has been successful in a business way, he has also devoted much time and study to local municipal affairs. He was first elected a member of the city council in 1906, and since that time, has been untiring in his efforts for civic betterment of New Harmony. He is now serving his fourth term as president of the town board, and every term of his administrations has been characterized by improvement and betterment of conditions. Under his careful and far-sighted business methods as
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applied to municipal affairs, New Harmony's municipal lighting plant is an institution of which any citizen of New Harmony may be proud. Other improvements at which he has aimed and fought for have been equally successful. He has endeavored to administer the affairs of the town with fairness to all and special privilege to none and has succeeded as nearly as is possible. If he has made mistakes, they have been "mistakes of the head and not of the heart." He has studied the prob- lems which confronted him and has used his best judgment, and the re- sult is that New Harmony has as good city government as any other municipality in the State. Mr. Lawless was married November 6, 1894, to Miss Carrie A. Smith, of Olney, Richland county, Illinois. To this union have been born four children : Robert, Richard, Charles and Paul- inus, all students in the New Harmony schools. Mr. Lawless is a mem- ber of the Modern Woodmen of America, and chairman of the centennial executive committee of that order. His political affiliations are with the Democratic party, and he is a member of Holy Angels Catholic Churh of New Harmony, of which he is a trustee.
William O. Boren, banker, merchant and educator of Cynthiana, and trustee of Smith township, Posey county, Indiana, was born on his father's farm near Fort Branch, Gibson county, September 14, 1869, the son of Absalom and Mary (Redman) Boren. Both of his parents were born in Gibson county and were members of pioneer families who were actively concerned in the early development of that section of Indiana. Absalom Boren spent the active years of his life in his native county, where he was engaged in farming and stock raising. Upon his retire- ment he removed to Cynthiana, where he has since resided. William O. Boren received his early educational discipline in the district schools of Gibson county. This was supplemented by a high school course and further study in the Indiana State Normal College at Danville. Upon completion of his school work he engaged in teaching and was principal of the Howell, Ind., schools. In 1904 he formed, with Perry Pritchett, the firm of Pritchett & Boren and engaged in the retail hardware busi- ness in Cynthiana. This enterprise was a success. In 1912 Mr. Boren disposed of his interest and accepted the position of cashier of the Cyn- thiana Banking Company, of which he is a director, and in this capacity has made good. Detailed information of this institution is to be found in the chapter on "Banks and Banking." Since becoming a resident of Posey county he has taken an active part in the political life of Cyn- thiana and Smith township. He is a Democrat and was honored by his party through election to the office of trustee of Smith township, in 1908, and is still serving in that capacity. His administration of the affairs of this office has been marked by the same close attention to de- tail, progressiveness and sound financial sense that has characterized his commercial career. The schools of his township have received the bene-
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fit of his past experience as a teacher, which has resulted in the Cyn- thiana school becoming a commission institution ; its equipment is equal to that of any in the county, while the district schools have been greatly improved as regards those essentials which permit of successful opera- tion. Mr. Boren is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cynthiana, has served as treas- urer for several years and is one of the most influential and active men in the congregation. Mr. Boren married, in 1891, Miss Stella Pritchett, a daughter of Henderson and Martha (Gudgel) Pritchett, of Montgom- ery township, Gibson county, in which county each was born. Mr. Pritchett is a successful farmer and stock raiser. Of this union one child has been born, viz .: Martha Marie Boren, born July 7, 1907.
Arthy M. Cleveland, a prominent farmer of Cynthiana, Ind., was born in Gibson county, same State, May 18, 1863, son of L. W. Cleveland (see sketch for ancestry). When he was about fifteen years of age his parents removed from Gibson county to Posey county, locating in Smith town- ship. Arthy attended school in these two counties and at the age of eighteen years began farming, working on shares with his grandfather for two years, after which he hired out by the day at various jobs. At the age of twenty-three he rented a farm and began farming for himself. After living on various farms he rented a place from C. Reister in 1891. This farm then consisted of sixty acres, but he now has 145 acres. Mr. Cleveland cleared about twenty-five acres on this farm, and in all has cleared fifty-five acres of ground. Our subject became township trustee in 1904 and served for one term of four years. He has also served as deputy sheriff, constable, and two terms as road supervisor. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Mod- ern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors. On October 19, 1886, Mr. Cleveland was married to Mary L. Craig, daughter of David E. Craig, a farmer of Smith township, where she was born and raised and where she received her education. She died August 31, 1896. Mr. Cleveland took as his second wife Miss Hannah Stevens, daughter of Daniel and Elzina Stevens, of Smith township, natives of Posey county, where they were raised and where they raised their daughter. The wed- ding occurred June 22, 1899. Mrs. Cleveland attended the common schools of her county, and graduated from the Cynthiana High School in 1887.
Lewis W. Cleveland, farmer and justice of the peace of Smith town- ship, Posey county, Indiana, was born in Gibson county, same State, June 16, 1842, son of Charles and Phoebe (Lundford) Cleveland. Charles Cleveland was born May 10, 1800, in Harrison county, Kentucky, and his wife was born in September, 1806, a native of Virginia. The father of Charles Cleveland was Micajah Cleveland, who was born in Virginia and
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served with his two sons in the War of 1812. In 1834 Charles Cleveland came from near Cynthiana, Ky., and with his wife and five children set- tled in Gibson county, Indiana, then a wilderness with plenty of game roaming the woods. He and his wife, whom he married in Harrison county, Kentucky, became the parents of thirteen children, ten of whom lived to be men and women. Lewis W. Cleveland was the tenth child in the family. He was reared in Gibson county, where he attended common schools in a rude log building (for full description see sketch of Thomas Marvel in this book). After leaving school he taught for one year and then farmed on the home place, where he was born. He was married May 25, 1862, to Elizabeth Meadows, daughter of George H. and Ma- tilda (Allen) Meadows, after his marriage continued for five years to live on the home farm with his parents, removing from there to Posey county in 1869. For one year he farmed in Robb township, after which he traded his farm for a grocery business in Cynthiana. He closed out this business in 1874, since which he has farmed. In 1884 he was elected justice of the peace of Smith township and has held the office continuously ever since. He and his wife had nine children : Arthur M., George W., Lucian N. (deceased), Laura E., Mandaily, Effie G. (deceased), Dexter Lee, in St. Louis, Mo., Grover and Guy. Laura E. married Newton Finley and they live in Cynthiana. Mandaily married Ed. Harper and they now live near Mt. Carmel, Il1. Mr. Cleveland has been a member of the Regular Baptist church for fifty years. He is a Democrat and his first vote was cast for Stephen A. Douglas for President.
John H. Williams, farmer and stock raiser, of Cynthiana, Ind., was born November 6, 1856, son of William H. and Mary (Meadows) Wil- liams. William H. was the son of Enoch Williams, who married Miss Lowe and was the first of the family to come to Posey county, having removed to this section from South Carolina. The country was in a wild condition at that time and the woods were still full of Indians and wild animals. They located in Smith township, and here William H. was born in 1820, and was reared in the woods, where he helped clear the ground. He attended the schools of those times and later engaged in farming and stock raising, continuing in this business until his death in 1886. His wife preceded him in death, passing away in 1861. John H. Williams was born in Smith township, where he attended the coun- try schools, which were still furnished with log benches. He after- ward attended the graded schools of Cynthiana and went one year to high school at Poseyville, Ind. Upon leaving school he worked at home with his parents until his marriage, which occurred December IO, 188I, to Martha E. Marvel, daughter of John and Mary (Young) Mar- vel. This Marvel family is descended from the Marvels of Sussex county, Delaware, and the Youngs were early settlers in Posey county. John Marvel was a soldier in the Civil war. He was a farmer and stock
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raiser, and, following the family tradition, was a breeder of fine horses. Some of the best colts in this section were raised from his stallions. Mr. and Mrs. Marvel are both dead, the latter passing away about two years ago. Mrs. Williams was born and raised in Smith township, where she attended common schools. Mr. and Mrs. Williams had four children: Harvey T., James W. (deceased), Ethel, and one who died in infancy. Harvey T., a farmer and former teacher, married Ivy L. Yates and now lives in Knox county, Indiana. Ethel married Dr. D. W. Montgomery and lives in Princeton, Ind. The first wife died October 12, 1889, and Mr. Williams married again, on June 2, 1891, to Mrs. Elzina Witherspoon, widow of James N. Witherspoon, daughter of Dean and Elizabeth Martin, natives of Vanderburg county, where she was born and raised. She received a common school education. They have no children. The family are members of the Big Creek Regular Baptist Church, in which Mr. Williams is one of the deacons. He is a Democrat. Mr. Williams is one of the two men who are raising alfalfa in Smith township. He was the first in Posey county to begin raising pure-bred White Leghorn poultry and now there is hardly a farm that does not have them. He has won many blue ribbons at the poultry shows of Evansville, Princeton and elsewhere. Mr. Williams served as president of the Wabash Valley Poultry Association from 1904 to 1909. He ships his chickens all over the United States. The Williams farm has the largest apple orchard in Posey county, having seven acres exclusively in apple trees. Its yield has been 2,000 bushels of apples besides fruit enough to make 2,000 gallons of cider.
John C. Scherer, undertaker, of St. Wendel, Ind., was born October 30, 1864, a son of Jacob and Margaret (Knapp) Scherer, the former a native of Niederzengheim, Germany, a cabinet maker, who traveled ex- tensively in his native land before coming to America. Jacob Scherer was born in 1816, learned his trade by the time he was nineteen years of age and came to America in 1842, locating first in Canada, and later in Evansville, Ind., where he lived until the war broke out. He was engaged in the furniture business, but the war drove him out and he came to St. Wendel, where he opened a general merchandise store. After living here for some time he removed to Fort Branch, but re- turned seven years later and engaged in cabinet making and in the un- dertaking business, in which he continued until his death, June 10, 1891. Mrs. Margaret Scherer was also born in Germany, coming to this country at the age of eight years with her parents, who settled in Penn- sylvania and afterward removed to Posey county, Indiana. John Scherer graduated from the public schools of St. Wendel, after which he went to work with his father and learned the cabinet making and undertaking business, and after the death of the father he succeeded to the business. In May, 1897, Mr. Scherer graduated from Clark's Embalming School,
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Evansville, Ind., and the next year graduated from Clark's Embalming College, of Indianapolis. In 1902 he was admitted by the State Board of Embalmers to practice his profession in the State of Indiana. Until the year 1906 he was engaged in the implement business under the firm name of Coudret & Scherer, but sold out to devote his entire time to undertaking. He is a Democrat in politics and a member of the Cath- olic church. On October 10, 1893, Mr. Scherer married Miss Benie Hofmann, daughter of William and Catherine (Wolf) Hofmann. Her father, a native of Rheinphalz, Germany, came to America at the age of nineteen and first located in Pennsylvania, three years later coming to Posey county and locating in Parker's Settlement, where he engaged in the general merchandise business and later, with Philip Speck, ran a brewery at the same place. He was trustee of Robinson township several terms and was also postmaster for many years. He died Jan- uary 20, 1876. Mrs. Hofmann was born in Evansville, Ind., August 20, 1838, and raised in Parker's Settlement, where she received her edu- cation and married. Her death occurred October 15, 1889. Mrs. Scherer was born in Parker's Settlement September 5, 1864. She re- ceived her education in the town of her birth and later graduated from Eurmick's Commercial College at Evansville, of which her sister was principal of typewriting, bookkeeping and shorthand. Mr. and Mrs. Scherer have three children: Clarence, born August 13, 1894; Irma, November 13, 1896; Elsie, April 4, 1899. Clarence attended commercial college at Evansville, was for one year in the office of the auditor of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, Evansville, Ind., and is now telegraph operator at Petersburg, Ind., with the same company. Irma is attend- ing high school at Tell City, Ind. Elsie is now attending public school in Smith township. Mr. Scherer and children are communicants of the Catholic church. Mrs. Scherer is a member of the German Evangelical church.
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