USA > Indiana > Rush County > History of Rush County, Indiana, from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana territory, and the State of Indiana > Part 44
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ORANGE TOWNSHIP.
He was a zealous member of the Christian Church, and was uni- versally respected by his acquaintances. He died in his eighty- ninth year, ending a long and useful life. Our subject was reared on a farm and received a common school education in the schools of Kentucky. He has followed farming as an occupation, in which he has been a decided success. In 1835, he was united in marriage with Drusilla Whiteman, unto whom has been born seven children : William, Charles, Mary Ann, Indiana, Sarah, John, and one that died in infancy. Only two of these children are now living, viz .: Charles and Sarah. Our subject is a progressive and a self-made man. When he began the battle of life, he had no capital other than willing hands, and by his untiring energy and enterprise, to- gether with integrity and frugality, he has been successful in accumulating wealth, and has established for himself a good char- acter, and is universally respected as a representative citizen by all who know him. He has been an endorser of religion and liberal education, and is a progressive man, and has encouraged such en- terprises that have been for the benefit of the public.
C. M. SELBY, a farmer, stock-raiser and dealer, is one of the representative citizens of Orange Township, Rush County, and was born in said township, and is the son of James H. and Drusilla (Whiteman) Selby. He was reared on a farm, and received a common school education in the country schools. He has followed farming as an occupation, raising stock and trading in live stock, has been connected with his farming. When he began the battle of life, he had no capital to begin with, but he has been successful in his calling, by means of energy and enterprise. He is a pro- gressive man and a representative citizen. In September 15, 1864, he was united in marriage with Samantha Carter, daughter of Finley S. and Eliza Carter. Three children have been born unto the marriage, viz .: Minnie Florence, Mary and Amanda. Our subject has never aspired to public life, but has preferred the life of a prosperous farmer. In politics, he is Democrat, and while he is not a member of any church, he is an advocate of true mor- ality, and is a friend to education and encourages all commendable public improvement.
WILLIAM SPRINGER .- The paternal grandfather of William was Gabriel Springer, a native of Kentucky, and was of Swedish lineage. He was a farmer by occupation, and emigrated to Indiana and settled in Rush County in 1822. William's father was John Springer, and was born in Kentucky, March 13, ISO1, and came to Indiana with his father ;. his life pursuit was that of farming. The mother of William was Susan (Fisher ) Springer. She was born in Clermont County, Ohio, August 1, 1809. The marriage of John and
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RUSH COUNTY.
and Susan was blessed by only one child, and this child is the sub- ject of this sketch. He was born in Rush County, Ind., August 16, 1827, and was reared a rural lad, and educated in the old sub- scription schools. His life avocation has been farming, and in this he has been a decided success. He commenced it with no capital, and is now a prosperous and representative farmer of Orange Township, Rush County, owning two farms aggregating over 300 acres. In 1851, he was united in marriage with Zipporah Mull, daughter of Frederick and Jane (McDonald) Mull. She was born in Warren County, Ohio, in April, 1826. Four children are the re- sults of this marriage, viz .: Hinda Ann, Armilda, Francis Marion, and Amanda.
A. D. TEVIS, a native and citizen of Rush County, Ind., was born January 31, 1844, and is the son of Thomas and Mirza (Day) Tevis. The father was born in Bracken County, Ky., in 1816, and was a farmer. In 1836, he came to Rush County, Ind., in which county he settled and lived for several years thereafter; he is now a citizen of St. Paul, Ind. He was married in Rush County, to Mirza Day, who was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in 1813, and who died in Rush County, in 1875. The above marriage was blessed by the following children: James L., John (deceased), Solomon (who died in the army), Agostine D., Eva and Emma (twins), Elizabeth (deceased) and Milton. Agostine D. was reared and educated in Rush County. When but a youth he be- gan teaching in the public schools of Rush County, in 1860, and with the exception of three years, he has taught from three to eight months each year since he took up the calling. He is a self-made man, for he educated himself, and from a poor country boy he has grown to be a prosperous and representative citizen. Beside fol- lowing the profession of teaching, he has devoted much time to agricultural pursuits, in which he has been very successful. He re- . sides in Orange Township, where he owns and cultivates a well improved farm of 170 acres. He has never aspired to public life, however he is a progressive citizen. In politics he is a staunch Democrat.
WILLIAM A. WAGGONER, the subject of the following sketch, is the son of John and Nancy (McDuffee) Waggoner. John was born in Harrison County, Ky., September 15, 1803. He married, in Kentucky, Nancy McDuffee, who was also born in Harrison County, January 17, 1805. The marriage was consummated Sep- tember 20, 1825, and was blessed by the following children: Will- iam, born August 2, 1826; John, born February 24, 1828; Sarah, born February 23, 1830; Ellen, born April 9, 1832, and Aris, born December 23, 1836. Their father's death occurred August 24,
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Benjamine L. M.E. Farlan
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ORANGE TOWNSHIP.
ISSI, and their mother's April 10, 1877. Our subject's father came from Kentucky to Indiana in the fall of IS26, and settled near the present site of Milroy, in Rush County. His life pursuit was that of farming, and he was practical and successful in the calling. He lived a long and useful life, and was universally respected by all who knew him. Our subject was reared on a farm in Rush County, and received a fair education in the country schools. IIe has followed farming as an occupation, and had no capital when he began the pursuit, but he is now a prosperous and representative farmer and citizen. In politics he is a staunch Democrat, and in ISSO, was elected Township Trustee for Orange Township, and was re-elected in 1882. On March 25, 1852, he was united in marriage with Sallie Jones, who was born August IS, 1832. This union has been blessed by the following children: Franklin P., born February 7, 1853; N. Harden, born June 27, 1855; Mary E., born January 17, 1858, and William B., born March 3, 1863.
ARIS WAGGONER, who was born in Rush County, Ind., Decem- ber 23, 1836, is a representative farmer and citizen of Orange Township, of said county, and is the son of John and Nancy (McDuffee) Waggoner. (See the sketch of William A. Wag- goner.) Aris was reared on a farm and has devoted his life to farm- ing. He received a fair education in the country schools. He had no capital to begin farming, but by energy and hard toil he has be- come a prosperous and thrifty farmer. October 8, 1857, he mar- ried Margaret E. Louden, who was born in Rush County, Ind., November 11, 1841. Three children have blessed the marriage as follows: John A. D., born January 13, 1861; Armilda J., born January 21, 1871, and Aris D., born May 28, 1876. Our subject is a member of the Christian Church, and in politics a staunch Democrat.
E. A. WILLEY, the subject of the following sketch is a far- farmer and citizen of Orange Township, Rush Co., Ind., and was born in Butler County, Ohio, May 13, 1822, and is the son of Noah and Mary (Buffington) Willey. The father was a native of New York, and born in 1776, and Noah Willey, was a farmer by occupation, but his early life was spent in school teaching, and was a very early emigrant to Ohio, his parents bringing him to Cincinnati when that city was but a fort and village; his father later removed to Butler County, and was liv- ing on the Miami River when his death occurred. The father of our subject was but a boy when the family emigrated to Ohio, and his youth and early manhood were spent in Ohio, and in the spring of 1839, removed from that State to Indiana, and settled in Rush County, where he afterward lived until his death occurred. He
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married in Ohio, the mother of our subject, unto whom were born the following children: The first who died in early life and a second an infant. Then came Jeremiah, Hannah, Eathan, Eliza- beth, Seth, Margaret, Orren, George and Charles. Our subject was reared on a farm, and educated in the country school, and has followed farming as an occupation, and when he commenced the battle of life he had no capital, but by hard toil and energy he has been successful in life, yet he has never attained great wealth, but he is surrounded by the comforts of life and is a well respected man. In 1844, October 20, he was married to Martha Ann Callahan, daughter of John and Mary (Hilligoss) Callahan. Our subject is a member of the Christian Church, and is a pro- gressive man. He has been, and is, a zealous member of his church, in which he is a Deacon, and his action in regard to education has been friendly, and as to public improvement he has not fallen behind his fellow citizens.
JONATHAN G. WRIGHT, a farmer and citizen of Orange Town- ship, Rush County, was born February 5, 1846, and is the son of Ephraim and Polly (Buckley) Wright. The father was born in Pennsylvania, February 26, ISIS, and was the son of Justice Wright, who was an early settler of Fayette County, Ind. The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation and a minister by profes- sion. He was a zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and lived to be forty-five years old. He was a progres- sive man and was universally respected by all who knew him. The mother of our subject was born in York State, May 20, ISOS, and was the daughter of Nathan Buckley. She was a widow of John Hardy, when she was married to the father of our subject. Her second marriage was blessed with five children, three sons and two daughters, viz .: Alfred (deceased), Jonathan, Henry, Amanda, and Olive. Our subject was reared on a farm, and received a common school education. He has followed farming as his occu- pation. He had a limited capital to begin life, but by untiring energy and frugality, he has been successful as a farmer, and is a progressive and representative citizen. In 1869, January 24, he was united in marriage with Sarah Selby, daughter of Harrison Selby. She was born in Rush County, Ind., April 3, 1849. Four children, one son and three daughters, have been born unto the marriage, viz .: Drurie, Almy, Estella, and James. Our subject served two years in the Civil War in Company M, One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment of the Ninth Indiana Cavalry. He is in sympathy with churches and schools, and has aided all laudable public enterprises.
LEWIS YOUNG, one of the oldest citizens of Orange Township,
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POSEY TOWNSHIP.
was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, January 20, 1808. His pa- ternal grand-father was Reuben Young, a native of Virginia, and of English lineage. The father of our subject was John Long Young, a native of Virginia. He was a farmer by occupation. At the age of twenty years, he entered the United States Army, and served three years, in the struggle with the Creek Indians, and afterward located in Bracken County, Ky., where he was united in marriage with Sarah Preble. Four sons and four daughters were born unto the marriage. Two sisters and our subject are the only children now living. The father, with his wife and three children, removed to Pickaway County, Ohio, about 1806, and shortly after- ward our subject was born on the Pickaway plains of that county. Still later, in 1816, the family removed to Clermont County, Ohio, and in the fall of 1826, the family removed to Franklin County, Ind., and later lived in Fountain, then Franklin, then Rush County; the father was living with a son-in-law in Decatur County when he died. The mother of subject died in Rush County. Both were members of the Christian Church. Our subject was reared on a farm, and received a common school education in the county of Clermont, Ohio. December 21, 1837, he was united in marriage with Cassander Ilaymond. A son and a daughter were born unto the marriage. The daughter is deceased, and the son is a farmer of Orange Township. Mr. Young had no capital to begin life with, and had many obstacles to contend with, but by energy and frugality, he has been successful in his undertakings, and is a pros- perous and well respected citizen.
POSEY TOWNSHIP.
EDWARD P. ADAMS, an honored old citizen of Posey Township, was born in Scott County, Ky., August 21, 1822, being the son of Isaac and Nancy Ann Adams with whom he came to this State when he was between two and three years of age. The family settled upon a tract of land near Morristown in the Southern part of Hancock County. Some years later they removed to the north- ern part of Shelby County, and still later, or in about 1843, they came to Rush County and settled within the present limits of Posey Township. There our subject continued with his parents until the time of his marriage which occurred February 7, 1847. The lady he chose for his life companion was Miss Elizabeth Six who was born in Fleming County, Ky., October 22, 1820, being the daughter of John and Mary Six, both natives of the State of Kentucky. In 1826 her parents came to Rush County and settled in the woods of
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Posey Township, and the childhood days of Mrs. Adams were spent within five miles of her present home. In the spring follow- ing their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Adams settled upon a farm in Ripley Township, and after two or three other short moves in the same vicinity, they, in 1853, settled upon the farm they now occupy. It was then a tract of unimproved land containing but ten or twelve acres of ground ready for the plow. Though the outlook for Mr. Adams was then very bad and though he has had many diffi- culties to surmount, he has come bravely through it all and now in the decline of life he and wife are permitted to enjoy a comfort- able home. They have had eleven children as follows: Amanda J., Nancy E., John W., Asenath M., James C., William E., Isaac L., Verneila J., Margaret E., Mary S. and Hettie D., of whom only four are living. They are John W., Asenath M., James C. and Hettie D. Our subject and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the former having joined it when he was nine- teen and the latter when she was seventeen. In politics, Mr. Adams is an uncompromising Republican.
THOMAS G. ALEXANDER, a prosperous farmer of Posey Town- ship, was born in Walker Township, December 30, 1843. His parents, William and Lavina Alexander, were both natives of Flem- ing County, Ky. They came with their respective parents to Rush County in an early day, and here spent the rest of their lives. Our subject spent his early life doing farm work in summer and attend- ing district school in winter. His father died when he was but sixteen years of age, after which he continued with his mother upon the farm until the time of his marriage, which occurred No- vember 5, 1871. His wife, whose maiden name was Miss Ilda J. Woods, was born in Posey Township, May 10, 1846, being the daughter of John and Lucy Woods, who were natives of Fleming County, Ky. For eighteen months after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Alexander resided in the village of Arlington. They then set- tled upon a farm three miles southeast of that place, which they have occupied as their home ever since. The life occupation of Mr. Alexander has been that of a farmer, and as such his efforts have been liberally rewarded. He owns a farm of eighty-two acres nearly all of which is in cultivation. It contains a handsome little residence and is, in other respects, well improved. He and wife are the parents of two children: Lucy M. and George W., both of whom are living. The political affiliations of Mr. Alexander have always been with the Democratic party. He, however, is not a strong partisan, and instead of engaging in political strife he has preferred the quietude of domestic life.
HENRY F. BAITY, farmer, of Posey Township, was born in
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that township, December 29, 1839. He was the son of Ransom and Elizabeth Baity, natives of North Carolina and Ohio, respect- ively. He was reared upon a farm, and at the early age of eighteen he took up the pursuit of farming for himself. To this his atten- tion has been given all his life, and his labors have been liberally rewarded. He owns a good farm of eighty acres, about two-thirds of which are in cultivation. His farm contains a handsome little res- idence, and other improvements equally as good. His marriage occurred January 31, 1867. His wife, whose maiden name was Miss Amanda E. M. Tarbet, was born in Fleming County, Ky., April 7, 1850, being the daughter of Robert A. and Mary Tarbet, both natives of Fleming County, Ky .; the former, who was born March 14, 1815, at present makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Baity. The latter was born March 4, 1813, and died in this county, December 31, 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Baity have had born to them four children, as follows: John F., Ransom R., Ida P., and a son that died in infancy, unnamed. The political affiliations of Mr. Baity are with the Republican party. He is one of the industrious farmers of his township, and he and wife are among its best citizens.
CYRUS W. BALL, one of Rush County's most excellent citizens, was born in Mercer County, Pa., June 20, IS32. He was the son of Jonathan and Asenath (Moore) Ball, both natives of Washington County, Pa., the former of German and the latter of English de- scent. When he was yet a small child his parents came westward to Rush County, and settled in Jackson Township (now Posey). Though Cyrus was then but a little past three years of age he has a distinct recollection of the old home in Mercer County in which he was born. His boyhood and youth were spent working upon a farm in summer and attending the district school in winter. As early as his fourteenth year he became a member of the Methodist Church, with which his ancestors had been identified for several generations back, and several years before he attained his majority his inclinations tended toward the ministry. He became a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church at the age of twenty- five, but after four years of successful ministry he was compelled to abandon it owing to the impaired condition of his voice. He, however, carried on farming during this time having taken up agri- cultural pursuits for himself in about the year 1857. In April, 1864, he entered the service of the Union Army in Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Indiana Regiment, with which he served one hundred days or the time for which he had enlisted. His military services were chiefly performed on guard duty in the States of Tennessee and Alabama. On returning from the war he resumed farming and stock-raising in Posey Township, in which
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pursuit he has ever since continued. He was married November 23, 1865, to Sarah E. Wilson, a native of Fayette County, born November 2, 1844. She was the daughter of Hugh and Maria (Copeland) Wilson, natives of Delaware and Ohio, respectively. To them four children have been born: Osmer W., Elma P., Eva M., and Blaine II., all of whom are living. Mr. Ball is a member of the G. A. R., and an ardent Republican in politics. He is, how- ever, an avowed temperance man and eschews the use of intoxi- cants in every form. He has never tasted a drop of liquor in his life and has never been inside of a saloon, which can be said by few of his years.
HENRY W. BECKNER, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Posey Township, was born in that township, September 3, 1837, being the son of Jacob and Polly M. (McDuffee) Beckner, who where among the early settlers of this county. He spent his boy- hood and youth upon his father's farm, and at the age of nineteen, or February 26, 1857, he was married to Sarah J. Mahan, who was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., September 25, 1837, just twenty-two days after the birth of our subject. She was the daugh- ter of James and Mary (Donald) Mahan, the former a native of Ireland, who came to America with his parents when he was two years old. Soon afterward he was left an orphan child, his father and mother both having died the same night with an attack of yellow fever, in the city of Philadelphia. James was married to Mary Donaldin Westmoreland County, Pa., and in 1843, when Mrs. Beckner was but six years old they came to Rush County, and located upon the farm now owned and occupied by O. C. Hackle- man, one mile west of Rushville, which place Mr. Mahan had en- tered from the government. In 1853, they removed to the city of Indianapolis. Two years later they located upon a farm four miles northeast of that city, where both spent the rest of their lives, their deaths occurring in the same year, namely IS71. Mrs. Beckner was nineteen years of age at the time of her mar- riage. She and her husband thus joined in the holy bonds of matri- mony at about the same age; they settled upon the old Beckner homestead, in Posey Township. In 1859, they removed to the city of Indianapolis. A year later they located upon a farm northeast of that city, about four miles, but in February, 1862, they returned to this county, and located in the village of Arlington, where Mr. Beckner engaged in mercantile pursuits. In December, 1864, they settled upon the farm they now occupy, two miles west of that place. Since then the entire attention of Mr. Beckner has been given to farming and the raising of stock, in which pursuits he has been fairly successful. He and wife are the parents of four child-
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ren, as follows: John H., Nannie M., Mary E. and Wilna F., all of whom are living except Mary E., who died in the sixteenth year of her age. Mr. and Mrs. Beckner and three children are members of the Christian Church. In politics, the former is a staunch Democrat. He owns a splendid farm of 140 acres, nearly all of which is in a high state of cultivation. Besides this Mrs. Beckner . owns fifty acres of splendid land in Marion County.
JOHN B. BENTLEY, one of this county's worthy and honored citizens, was born in Hancock County, June 29, 1823, being the son of Reuben and Sarah Bentley, the former, who was the son of Levi and Sarah Bentley, was born in the State of Maryland, and the latter, who was the daughter of Thomas and Anna Hill, was born in North Carolina. When he was but three years old his parents removed to this county and settled on the present site of Carthage. A year or so later they settled on a farm in the south part of Ripley Township, where the father died September 5, 1839, and where the subject of this sketch spent his early life assisting to clear the ground, and to plant and cultivate the crops. After his father died he continued with his widowed mother until he reached the age of twenty-one, after which for a couple of years he worked at the blacksmith's trade. He also, about this time, taught one term of school. On quitting the blacksmithing he turned his attention to farming, having settled within the present limits of Posey Town- ship. He has ever since given his undivided attention to this pur- suit, and his labors have been attended with a fair degree of success. He removed to the farm he now occupies in February, 1882. It consists of ninety-two acres of good land, most of which is in cul- tivation. The first marriage of Mr. Bentley occurred January 10, 1850, when Miss Mary Henby became his wife. She was born in North Carolina, January 16, 1831, and was the daughter of John and Mary Henby, both natives of North Carolina. Mrs. Mary Bentley died June 13, 1857, and on the 22d of September, 1859, Mr. Bentley and Miss Mary E. Coble were united in marriage. She was born in Carthage, this county, December 29, 1841, being the daughter of David and Martha Coble, the former of whom was the son of Jacob and Mary Coble, and the latter was the daughter of John and Mary Henby, who were also the parents of Mr. Bentley's first wife. Our subject's first marriage resulted in the birth of four children: William P., Reuben, Sarah E. and Mary, of whom the last named is deceased. He and his present wife are the parents of seven children: Charles E., Addie J., Martha A., Olivi E., Susan- nah, Caroline and Naomi, all of whom are living except Caroline. Mr. Bentley and family are members of the Friends' Church. Polit-
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ically, Mr. Bentley in sentiment is a Prohibitionist, though his affili- ations have chiefly been with the Republican party.
REV. JACOB B. BLOUNT, than whom probably no man in Rush County, is more prominently or favorably known, was born in Tipton County, Ind., November 7, 1842. He was the son of Dr. Silas and Barbara (Miller) Blount, the former a native of Ross County, Ohio, of English and German descent, and the latter a na- tive of Pennsylvania, of German descent .- His parents were mar- ried near Hillsborough, Highland County, Ohio, September 17, 1827. In the spring of IS41, they came to this State and located upon a farm six miles southeast of Tipton, Tipton County, where both still continue to reside. The former has now reached the ad- vanced age of eighty-seven, having been born October 10, 1800. His wife was born September 9, ISog, and is therefore in the seventy-ninth year of her age. Though aged as they are and though more than sixty years of their married life have passed, both are enjoying good health and both are in full possession of their mental faculties and bid fair to live for many years to come. The boyhood and youth of our subject were spent in his native county working upon a farm in summer and attending the district school in winter. He received his first lesson in an old log school house, having to sit upon the smoothed side of a slab with his feet swing- ing probably six inches from the floor. While the surroundings and conditions were very unfavorable, he, like many another lad, made the best use of his time, and by the time he had reached his nineteenth year, he had a good knowledge of the common branches and algebra. In September, 1860, he entered the North Western Christian University, of Indianapolis, now Butler University, of Irv- ington, in which institution he completed a full classical course, grad- uating in June, 1866, as a Bachelor of Arts. Three years afterward he had conferred upon him by his alma mater the degree of A.M. In the fall of 1866, he took charge of the public schools of Tipton, of which he had control four years; after which, owing to the im- pared state of his health he retired temporarily, from school-room work and entered the ministry of the Christian Church. His first sermon was preached in Tipton. After preaching for a time in his native county, he was engaged as an evangelist for four years in Western Indiana and Eastern Illinois. In the meantime he had taken the pastoral work of two churches in this county which he performed in connection with his work as an evangelist. In 1875, he moved his family to this county, and located in Arlington where for two years he had charge of the public schools. In April, 1876, he moved to his present home, one-half mile west of Arlington,
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