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 53
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ALBERT HENLEY, a well-to-do young farmer of Ripley Town- ship, was born one mile and a half west of his present home, April I, 1859. He was the son of Robert and Mary (Newby) Henley, both of whom were natives of Randolph County, N. C., of English descent. His father was the son of Joseph and Peninnah ( Morgan) Henley, and his mother was the daughter of" Henry and Sarah
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(Thornburg) Newby, all of whom were natives of North Carolina. He was reared upon the old Henley homestead, just southeast of Carthage. He received a good common school education, and later on he was a student in Earlham College one year. When he reached maturity, he engaged in agricultural pursuits for himself, and he has continued to devote his whole attention to that pursuit ever since. He remained upon the old homestead until November 30, 1887, when he removed his family to their present home. He was married April 7, 1886, to Miss Martha R. Hollingsworth, who is also a native of Ripley Township, born April 7, 1859. She is therefore one week younger than Mr. Henley. Her parents, Val- entine and Mary F. (Reid) Hollingsworth, were respectively na- tives of Henry and Marion counties, this State. Her father was the son of James Hollingsworth, and her mother was the daughter of Earl and Elizabeth (Wolfe) Reid. Their marriage has resulted in the birth of two children: Robert R., and a twin brother that died unnamed. They were born February 8, 1887. Our subject and wife are members of the Friends' Church. In politics, both are Republicans. Mr. Henley performed the duties of Chairman of the Republican Central Committee of his township during the cam- paign of ISS4. He owns a farm of eighty acres, which is in a good state of improvement and half of which is in cultivation. His farm has just been provided with an elegant new barn and residence, which makes it a very attractive home. Mr. Henley and wife are respected and esteemed by all who know them.
JESSE HILL, the oldest son of Thomas and Anna ( Haskett) Hill, was born February 1, 1786, in North Carolina. In 1807 his father's family moved to Wayne County, Ind., near Richmond. His schooling was quite limited, and what schooling he received was in the Friends' schools of North Carolina. Soon after the family arrived in Indiana. Jesse's father and mother both died, leav- ing him in charge of seven children younger than himself. The children were placed among the Friends. In ISog, Jesse was mar- ried to Mabel Overman. They were obliged to go to Eaton, Ohio, to marry, as there was no civil organization in Indiana at that time. After he married he located northeast of Richmond, and soon after removed to a farm northeast of Cambridge City, which he entered from the government in 1813. In 1826 he removed to a new farm in Rush County. The children of this marriage were: Levi, Thomas, Reuben, John, Tamar, Elwood, Jonathan, Anna, Isaac, Emily, Huldah and Benjamin. Jesse Hill worked in the first woolen mill and grist mill in Carthage, which belonged to Robert Hill, of Richmond. He also conducted his farming interests, by the assist- ance of his boys. He assisted in organizing the Friends' meeting
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at Carthage, and was Overseer for many years. He never had any political aspirations, was public-spirited, and a power for good in the new country. He was a stockholder in the Knightstown & Shelbyville Railroad. After a life of usefulness he passed away on the 7th day of September, 1871. In politics, he was a Whig until the Republican party was organized in 1856, after which time he gave that party his zealous support.
THOMAS HILL was born in Guilford County, N. C., November 30, 1797. He was the son of Thomas and Anna ( Haskett) Hill. The family embraced the following named children: Jesse, Thomas, Jonathan, Betsey (Jessup), Sarah (Bentley), Hulda (Overman), Penninah (Lacy). At an early age, Thomas was brought with the family to Wayne County, Ind., to a new home in the wilderness, about five miles from where Richmond now is. His parents died soon after they arrived in Indiana, and Thomas went to live with his cousin Robert Hill, two miles east of Richmond. In 1820 he entered a farm in Rush County, and the same year built a cabin on
his new possessions. The cabin stood on Section 24, Town 15 north, Range S east. In September, 1821, he returned to his cabin, bringing with him his young wife. As many of our people have never seen a marriage certificate, such as was used by the Friends, we here insert this one: " Whereas Thomas Hill, of the State of Indiana and County of Wayne, son of Thomas Hill and Anna, his wife, both deceased, and Tamar Clark, daughter of John Clark, and Sarah, his wife, deceased, of the State and county aforesaid, having declared their intention of marriage with each other at the monthly meeting of the religious society of Friends, held at White Water, according to the good order used among them and having consent of parents and parties concerned. Their said intentions of marriage were allowed of by said meeting. Now these are to cer- tify whom it may concern that for the full accomplishment of their said intentions this thirtieth day of the eighth month in the year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one, they, the said Thomas Hill and Tamar Clark, appeared in a publick meet- ing of the said people, held at Orange, and the said Thomas Hill taking the said Tamar Clark by the hand, did openly declare that he took her the said Tamar Clark to be his wife, promising with Divine assistance to be unto her a loving husband until death should separate them; and then in the same assembly, the said Tamar Clark did in like manner declare that she took him, the said Thomas Hill, to be her husband, and promising, with Divine assistance, to be unto him a loving wife until death should separate them. And moreover, they, the said Thomas Hill and Tamar Clark (she ac- cording to the customs of marriage assuming the name of her hus-
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band), did, as a further confirmation thereof, then and there to these presents set their hands. Thomas Hill, Tamar Hill. And we, whose names are hereunto prescribed, being present at the solemnization of the said marriage and subscription, have as witnesses thereto, set our hands the day and year above written: John Winslow, Susannah Keeslin, Jesse Davenport, John Clark, John Lacy, Jona- than Hill, Robert Parker, Isaac Bonine, Zilpah Price, Karen Par- ker, Nathan Pearson, Sarah Hill, Anna Hill, Peninnah Lacy, Alice Clawson, Robert Hill, Henry Hoover, William Clark." Of the above names written on that day, there lives only one now, Tamar Hill, who was the blushing young bride in that assemblage of good people, sixty-seven years ago. As above mentioned, they came to their log cabin in a short time; their children were born as follows: Milton, born July 19, 1822 (the first white child born in Ripley Township); John Cark, born January 7, 1825; Sarah Ann, born May 10, 1827; Susannah, born September 29, 1829; Jane, married to Joseph Phelps, born July 23, 1832; Albert, born September 26, 1835, died August 13, 1837; Owen S., born Feb- ruary 2, 1838; Enos B., born February 19, 1842. The subject of this sketch, by his industry and honesty, accumulated a competency and secured for himself a name among his neighbors which is as lasting as memory. He assisted at the organization at the Walnut Ridge meeting, and was always among the first in every good work. The need of schools for educating his own children and those of his neighbors, early received his attention. The Boarding School at Richmond, under the care of the Friends, was organized in 1847. In 1848, Thomas Hill was selected to take charge of it. He remained there two years. He succeeded Barnabas C. Hobbs. This school was Earlham College in embryo. Thomas Hill lived in Ripley Township long enough to see the wilderness developed into a beautiful land dotted with many happy homes. He died after a busy and useful life, May 2, 1879. His aged widow, a cheerful and happy old lady of eighty-six years, lives in Carthage calmly waiting the change when the summons shall be read, Come up higher.
MRS. MIRIAM HILL, an aged and venerable widow lady of Carthage, was born in Randolph County, N. C., October 8, 1802. She is therefore in the eighty-sixth year of her age. She was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Thornburg, who were respectively natives of Guilford and Randolph counties, N. C. Her father was the son of Thomas and Martha Thornburg, and her mother was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Phelps) Winslow, all of whom were natives of North Carolina. Our subject was married to Aaron Hill in September, 1823. He was also a native of Ran-
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dolph County, N. C., born December 2, 1785. He was the son of William and Mary (Smith) Hill, the former of whom was born in 1740, and the latter was born in 1745. The first wife of Aaron Hill was Mary Henley, daughter of John and Mary Henley, by whom he became the father of six children: Micajah, John, Mary, Margaret, Penelope and Henley, of whom, John, Mary and Henley are deceased. The first named, John Hill, was assassinated shortly after the late war by a bush whacker, in Douglas County, Kan., whither he moved from North Carolina in 1861. Aaron Hill's first wife died in 1820, and after his marriage to Miriam Thornburg, he pursued the vocation of a farmer until his death, which occurred May 29, 1863. His second marriage resulted in the birth of eight children, as follows: Thomas T., William T., Nathan H., Asenath H., Abigail N., Joseph B., Aaron O. and Miriam E., all of whom are living. In February, 1877, his surviving widow came to Rush County, and has since resided in Carthage. She is a mem- ber of the Friends' Church, as was also her husband. Their chil- dren are also members of the Friends' Church.
MICAJAH HILL, of Carthage, is a native of Randolph County, N. C., born October 26, ISO8, being the son of Aaron and Mary (Henley) Hill, who also were natives of Randolph County, N. C., of English descent. His father was the son of William Hill, and his mother was the daughter of John Henley, and was the sister of Joseph Henley, who settled in Ripley Township, in 1837. He was reared upon a farm in his native county, and at twenty-one years of age he engaged in agricultural pursuits for himself and continued to farm in Randolph County until in December, 1855. In the meantime he was married to Miss Naomi Pugh, February 9, 1830. She died on the ISth day of October following; and on the 24th day of February, 1832, Mr. Hill was married to Miss Sarah Jane Mendenhall, who was born in Guilford County, N. C., December 7, 1807, being the daughter of James and Miriam ( Hockett) Men- denhall, who also were natives of Guilford County, N. C. Her father was the son of Elijah Mendenhall. In December, 1855, Mr. Hill moved his family to Guilford County, N. C., and on the 10th day of September, 1861, he set out with his family for Rush County. Proceeding in wagons through West Virginia and Ten- nessee, they continued unretarded until they reached the Cumber- land River, in Kentucky, early in October, 1861. Here they found the ferry in control of Gen. Zollicoffer's Confederate troops, who forbade them to cross, lest they might make revelations detrimental to their plans, to the Union forces on the opposite bank. So, return- ing a distance of seventy miles, they spent the winter near Knox- ville, Tenn. On the 28th day of April, 1862, they once more set
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out and proceeded on their journey undisturbed, reaching their des- tination in Ripley Township on the 20th day of May following. The family settled first upon a farm one mile and a half east of Carthage; but in April, 1875, they removed to Carthage, where our subject has ever since resided. Mrs. Hill died November 29, 1884. Mr. Hill is the father of nine children, as follows: Mary Ann, Naomi P., Miriam M., Daniel M., James M., Margaret F., Sarah J., Micajah A. and Rhoda M., of whom Naomi, Miriam, James and Micajah are deceased. Mr. Hill is al member of the Friends' Church. In politics, he formerly affiliated with the Whig and Republican parties, but he is now an ardent Prohibitionist. Besides a comfortable town property where he resides, in Carthage, he is the owner of three farms, one of 100 acres in Posey Town- ship, and two in Ripley Township, which contain forty and ninety acres, respectively. He is one of the well-to-do men of his town- ship, and one of its worthy and honored citizens. His last wife, Mrs. Sarah J. Hill, was a minister in the Friends' Church for a period of about forty years, commencing in about 1835. During that time she traveled a great deal, performing her ministerial la- bors in North Carolina, West Virginia, Tennessee and Indiana. In this capacity she possessed quite a good deal of ability, and was the means of accomplishing a great and good work. Two of Mr. Hill's daughters, Margaret F. and Rhoda M., have also engaged in the ministry, in which they promise to be successful.
NATHAN C. HILL, who has been a resident of Ripley Town- ship for the past sixty years, is a native of Wayne County, Ind., born December 3, 1821, being the son of John and Dinah (Cox) Hill, both of whom were natives of North Carolina. His father was the son of Benjamin and Mary ( Jessup) Hill, who emigrated from North Carolina to Virginia, thence to Wayne County, this State, where they were early settlers. His mother was the daugh- ter of Joseph and Dinah (Rich) Cox. When he was six years old his parents came to Rush County and settled in Ripley Township, near where he now resides. There his early life was spent assisting to clear and cultivate a farm. On the 2d day of May, 1844, he was married to Miss Hannah Edwards, who was the daughter of Will- iam and Elizabeth (Newlin) Edwards. Immediately after his mar- riage Mr. Hill settled upon a farm in Section 10, Ripley Township. His wife died September 28, 1845, after which he returned to his father's and remained until his second marriage, which occurred February 28, 1849. The lady that then joined him in wedlock was Miss Asenath Hunt, who was born in Clinton County, Ohio, No- vember 22, 1825, being the daughter of Ezra and Rebecca Hunt. For one year after this marriage Mr. Hill lived with his mother
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who had become a widow. He then settled on a farm in Sec- tion 23, where he has resided ever since. Mrs. Asenath Hill died November 30, 1881. On the 7th day of January, 1886, Mr. Hill was married to Miss Mary E. Harden, who is a native of Guilford County, N. C., born June S, 1841, being the daughter of David and Isabella (Hackett) Harden, both of whom were natives of North Carolina. Her father was the son of Charles and Sarah Harden, and her mother was the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Gladstone) Hackett. The first marriage of Mr. Hill resulted in the birth of one child: Oliver, born June 1, 1845, died March 22, 1846. His second marriage resulted in the birth of five children: Cyrus E., born June 8, 1850; Ezra S., born December 9, 1851; Rebecca J., born December 3, 1853; John W., born July 22, 1857, and Anna M., born January 17, 1861, all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are members of the Friends' Church. In politics, the former is a Republican. He has given his whole attention to farming, and has earned a rank among the substantial farmers of Rush County. He at one time owned 42313 acres of land, all of which lay in Ripley Township. After providing good homes for his children, he is still the owner of a good farm and has a com- fortable home.
MILTON HILL was born July 19, 1822, in Ripley Township, Rush County, Ind. He enjoys the distinction of being the first white child born in Ripley Township. He is the son of Thomas and Tamer (Clark) Hill. He attended the first school at Walnut Ridge, the first held in the township. The Friends built the meet- ing house in 1826, and conducted their school in it. Milton spent his whole life here excepting two years, when he was in the army. He belonged to Company E, Ninth Indiana Cavalry -Col. Jackson. After the war was over he returned to his native township, and was elected Justice of the Peace, an office he had resigned when he enlisted. He has served in that capactity almost contin- uously for twenty-five years. In 1844, May 23, he married Amanda Hobbs, daughter of Samuel and Ruth (Parker) Hobbs. Amanda was born in Washington County, Ind. At the age of thirteen, in 1837, she came to Rush County, with her uncle, Elisha Hobbs, at the age of twenty she married the subject of this sketch. Their children are: Thomas C., Ruth, Susie, Ella M., Charles S., Emma J., William H. and Irvin. Mr. Hill is a Republican in poli- tics, and a representative citizen.
ISAAC HILL, who is a native-born citizen of Ripley Township, was born June 20, 1826. He was the son of Jesse and Mabel (Overman) Hill, who were natives of North Carolina, and who accompanied their respective parents to Wayne County, Ind. There
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they were married in 1809, and in the fall of 1826, they came to Rush County, and became among the first settlers of Ripley Town- ship. Their home was the farm now occupied by the subject of this sketch, where both spent the rest of their lives, the father dy- ing September 7, 1871, and the mother dying April 1, 1876. The subject of this sketch was reared up to the age of twenty-two upon his father's farm. For some six or seven years thereafter he was variously employed. He first became engaged with the Shelby- ville & Knightstown Railroad, which was then being constructed through Carthage. For two years he worked as a teamster, and for a short time following this, he was employed as brakeman. He then spent between two and three years as clerk in a store and warehouse in Carthage. For about two years following this he was engaged in a turning factory or a sort of novelty works that once existed in Carthage. In the meantime, while thus engaged, he was married to Elizabeth Winslow, November 14, 1856. She was born in Washington County, Ind., December 10, 1836, being the daughter of Barnabas C. and Sarah ( Draper ) Winslow, both of whom were natives of Washington County, Ind., the former be- ing born March 28, 1812, and the latter August 2, 1817. They were reared and married in their native county on March 7, 1836. The father of Mrs. Hill died in Mercer County, Ills., May 4, 1846. Her mother still survives and makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Hill, The occupation of Mr. Hill since his marriage has been pump manufacturing, farming and grain threshing. For the past five years his undivided attention has been given to the manufacture of pumps, having as a partner in that business, William Bundy. Our subject and wife have had four children: Maggie A., Ida M., Ella S. and Mary T., of whom Maggie and Mary are deceased. Mr. Hill is a member of the Friends' Church, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Church. In politics, our subject is an uncompro- mising Republican. When the office was created he was elected Road Superintendent of Ripley Township, and served until the office was abolished.
AMos H. HILL, one of the prominent farmers of Ripley Town- ship, is a native of Wayne County, this State, born January 4, 1827, being the son of William and Charity ( Hawkins) Hill, the former of whom was born in Randolph County, N. C., of English descent, and the latter was born near Bush Hill Church, S. C., of Welsh descent. His father was the son of Benjamin and Mary (Jessup) Hill, and his mother was the daughter of Amos and Anna ( Comer) Hawkins. When he was a lad seven years old, his parents came to Rush County, and settled upon a farm in Ripley Township, near where he now resides. There his early life was spent assisting to
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clear and cultivate the farm. At the age of seventeen, he entered upon an apprenticeship with J. B. Hinshaw, of Knightstown, with whom he spent three years learning the blacksmith's trade. On completing his trade, he entered the employ of Mr. Hinshaw, for whom he worked a few months, when he then set up a shop for himself in Carthage, this county. He continued to devote his en- tire attention to his trade in Carthage for a period of twenty-five years. In the meantime he was married to Miss Peninnah Thorn- burg, November 22, 1848. She was born in Randolph County, N. C., October 24, 1826, being the daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Henley) Thornburg, both of whom were also natives of Ran- dolph County, N. C., of English descent. Her father was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Winslow) Thornburg, and her mother was the daughter of Joseph and Peninnah (Morgan ) Henley, all of whom were natives of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Hill contin- ued to reside in Carthage until the spring of 1876. In the mean- time he had retired from his trade in 1871, and became a partner in a drug and grocery store, to which his attention was directed about
sixteen months. In 1874, he was elected by the directors Presi- dent of the Carthage Turnpike Company, of which he had been a stockholder since the construction of the road before the war. In the spring of 1876, Mr. and Mrs. Hill removed to the farm they now occupy four and one-half miles northwest of Carthage, where the former has since given his whole attention to agricultural pur- suits. In this connection he has already earned a rank among the prosperous farmers of his township. He owns 240 acres of land, about 185 of which are in cultivation. His farm contains an elegant brick residence, and is in other respects substantially improved. He and wife have had four children, as follows: Mary A., Leora A., William B., and Lucy S., all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Hill and all of their children are members of the Friends' Church. In politics, the former is now an ardent Prohibitionist. He is one of the industrious and substantial men of his township.
HON. BENJAMIN HILL, son of Jesse and Mabel (Overman) Hill, was born in Ripley Township, on December 24, 1832, and is the youngest of twelve children. He grew to manhood on the farm of his father, and has since resided there. He cast his first vote with the great body of men who ushered into political life the Republican party. He was educated in the Friends' school, at Carthage, and in 1870, was elected to the Indiana Legislature, Joint Representative for Rush and Decatur counties. On March 14, 1861, Benjamin married Lydia M. Bowman, daughter of Jesse and Mary (Burcham) Bowman. Her parents were born in North Carolina. Benjamin Hill is the father of three children: O. M.,
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born October 7, 1863; Gertrude, born January 20, 1865, and Law- rence S. born February 26, 1875. In 1873, the Legislature elected Benjamin Hill Director of the Southern prison, which position he filled satisfactorily for more than four years. Mr. Hill is a farmer, a member of the Society of Friends, and in politics is an uncom- promising Republican.
JOHN R. HILL, who is a native-born citizen of Ripley Town- ship, was born near where he now resides, August 24, 1834, being the son of William and Charity ( Hawkins) Hill, who were natives of Virginia and South Carolina, respectively. He was reared upon a farm in his native township, and at the age of twenty-three, on May 20, 1858, he was united in marriage to Miss Peninnah IIenley who was born in Carthage, this county, February 12, 1833. She was the daughter of Henry and Ruth (Morrow ) Henley, whose history appears elsewhere in this work. Immediately after his marriage Mr. Hill engaged in agricultural pursuits for himself up- on the old homestead where he was born, and continued with his father and mother until after their deaths, the former dying Feb- ruary 26, 1861, and the mother survived him until the 16th day of March, 1882. In the meantime, in 1868, Mr. Hill became the sole owner of the old homestead, and it still remains in his possession. They continued to occupy this farm until the spring of 1883, when they removed to their present home. The life occupation of Mr. Hill has been farming, and in this connection his labors have been liberally rewarded. He owns in all 240 acres of land, all of which lies in Ripley Township, and about two-thirds of which is in culti- vation. His home farm is in a substantial state of improvement and is very desirably situated. He and wife are the parents of two children, as follows: Amos L., born June 1, 1859, and Eunice, born November 17, 1860, both of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Hill and both of their children are members of the Friends' Church. In politics, our subject is a Republican.
OWEN S. HILL was born in Ripley Township, Rush County, Ind., February 2, 1838, son of Thomas and Tamar (Clark ) Hill, on the farm his father entered. He attended school at Walnut Ridge, at the Friends' school, lived on the farm and spent his youth in assisting to develop the farm. At the age of twenty he began teaching school in Morgan County, Ind. He taught in the neighborhood of his home for four years, and was principal of the public school in Carthage in 1871. On September 13, 1866, Owen married Melissa A. Bales, daughter of John H. and Ann ( Haskett) Bales. There were no children from this union. Mrs. Hill was a a member of the Society of Friends, a worker in every good en- terprise. She closed this life April 24, 1886. Mr. Hill has been in
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