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 68
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740
RUSII COUNTY.
Rushville Township. His Rushville home is a beautiful residence on North Main Street, the location of which is alone evidence of its appearance and comfort. Mr. and Mrs. Power are members of the Christian Church. Their only child, Miss Mate E. Power, was born August 23, 1873. and is also a member of the Christian Church. Politically, Mr. Power is a Democrat. He is one of the enterprising and well-to-do men of the county.
DAVID F. PRIEST was born in Anderson Township, Rush County, Ind., November 30, 1844. He is the son of David and Martha A. (Fletcher) Priest. The father was born in Montgom- ery County, Ky., June 30, 1808. He was the son of Powell Priest, a native of Virginia, and of Welsh descent, who set- tled in Kentucky while quite young. The grandfather of our sub- ject, Powell Priest, removed from Kentucky to Wayne County, Ind., in the year 1820, and two years afterward was among the first to seek a home in Rush County. They settled on the farm on which Lewis Winship now lives, and helped to develop this farm, on which he died and is buried. The father of David F. grew to manhood here and assisted in the farm work. He married, on March 29, 1832, Martha A. Fletcher, and soon after purchased the farm of eighty acres on which he subsequently resided. He ac- quired additions to this by economy and frugality until at his death he owned 240 acres of land. This farm is just south of his father's farm in Anderson Township. He was the father of four children, all living, viz .: William P., Ezekiel, Della J. and David F. The father died October 23, 1877, after having lived a very busy and useful life. His companion survived him a few years, and on Sep- tember 17, ISSI, she passed away. David F. worked on his father's farm and attended the schools of the neighborhood. In 1864 he entered the Northwestern Christian University (now But- ler), at Indianapolis, and remained two years. On September 1, 1869, David married Rilla Fletcher, who was born January 3, 1848, a daughter of Walter and Louisa (McKee) Fletcher, a native of Kentucky. Mrs. Priest's maternal grandfather was for several years a member of the Kentucky Legislature. Her mother's brother, Samuel McKee, was a Republican Member of Congress from Kentucky, about the close of the war. After their marriage David and his wife began housekeeping on the home place, and here resided until the death of the mother. He subsequently pur- chased the McConnell farm and lived here two years. The children of this union are: Walter W., Bennie, died in infancy; George, Meta, Anna and Frank. In February, Mr. Priest sold his farm and removed to Rushville, where he now resides. He is the obliging proprietor of the city omnibus lines, and in politics is a Republican.
741
RUSHVILLE, CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
WILLIAM A. PUGH, M. D., was born in Rushville, March 7, IS29. He was the son of Reu and Catharine ( Arnold) Pugh, the former a native of South Carolina, and the latter a native of the Isle of Wight, England. He was reared in Rushville, the public schools of which he attended until the age of fourteen, when he entered Hanover College, but at the expiration of one term he changed to Miami University of Oxford, Ohio, where he completed the Sophomore class. Immediately afterward, or in the fall of 1846, he entered Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Pa., from which institu- tion he graduated in June, 1848. He then returned to Rushville and entered upon the study of medicine with Drs. H. G. and M. Sexton. There he pursued his medical studies one year. During the winter of 1849-50, he took one course of medical lectures in the Cleveland Medical College. During the following winter he took a course of lectures in the Medical College of Ohio, Cincin- nati, graduating in March, IS51. Immediately afterward he entered upon the practice of medicine at Shelbyville, this State, but two years later he came to Rushville, where he has since practiced his profession. In May, 1851, he was married to Miss Nancy A. Bigger, daughter of Finley Bigger, Esq. To them two children have been born: Kate, now the wife of R. J. Wilson, and Finley B., a druggist of Rushville. Dr. Pugh is a member of the Presby- terian Church. In politics, he is a Republican. He was a member of the Rushville School Board twelve years, and was a member of that body when the present High School building was erected-a thing he was very instrumental in bringing about. Much credit is also due him for the present good condition of the school system of the city.
GEORGE H. PUNTENNEY, editor, was born in Rush County, March 26, 1832. His parents were Joseph and Martha ( Russell) Puntenney, who came from Adams County, Ohio, and were among the early settlers in this county. Mr. Puntenney passed his boy- hood and early manhood on the farm near Vienna. He improved such advantages for mental development as came within his reach. The common schools of that day offered little to the aspiring young man, but what they had to give he accepted, and then looked beyond them. D. R. Van Buskirk was then teaching a select school at Fair- view : there was an academy at Fayetteville, and one at Richland. To all of these places Mr. Puntenney went to enlarge his views and edu- cate himself. His work in this direction was interrupted by a call to arms. Sumter had been fired on and volunteers were wanted. Many of the young men in the Academy at Richland enlisted. Their teacher, John McKee, became their Captain. They formed Company K of the Thirty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, and in this
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RUSH COUNTY.
Company the subject of this sketch gave three years to the service of his country, ranking as Sergeant, Orderly Sergeant and Sergeant Major. In 1866, he commenced the study of law, was admitted to practice in the following year, and for some years devoted himself to that profession with honor and profit. He enjoys the distinction of having been the first Mayor of Rushville, after its incorporation as a city. In 1873, he became editor-in-chief of the Rushville Jacksonian, and to the present time the readers of that paper con- tinue to profit by the versatility of his genius. In October, 1868, he was united in marriage to Mary Josephine Ross, of Rushville.
LEVI R. RETHERFORD, an enterprising farmer of Rush County, was born in Bourbon County, Ky., January 26, 1835, and is the son of David and Elizebeth ( Hall) Retherford, and is of English- Scotch extraction. His father was born in Kentucky in 1803, and died in Rush County in December, 1857. His mother was also born in Kentucky in 1813, and now resides in Rushville. This subject is the eldest of nine children, seven of whom are living. The family came to Indiana in 1836, and for a short time resided in Decatur County, and in 1837, came to this county. Mr. Retherford was raised on a farm and attended the district school. He is the owner of 250 acres of fine land, forty acres of which was pur- chased by his father in 1839, of John McMillen. His farm was for many years known as the Norwell farm, which was entered by Daniel Smith in 1821. Mr. Retherford was married in 1856, to Miss Nancy E. Minor, who was born in Edgar County, Ill., June 22, 1839. To this union there have been born seven children, viz. : Laura B., Edward D., Robison, Hettie (deceased), Jesse, Ferdi- nand P., and Nellie. In politics, our subject is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church. He is a suc- cessful farmer and an honorable man, and has been a resident of Rush County for one-half century.
DR. HORATIO GATES SEXTON was born in Wilbraham, Mass., January 21, 1796, and was the son of David Sexton, of that city. We are in possession of but few facts or incidents of his life prior to his emigration to the Western States. He had but few oppor- tunities for education in early life, but, being fond of books he grad- ually grew into a taste for literature and professional learning. He came west in the capacity of a teacher, without fortune, friends or home; possessed as he was of an indomitable energy and an iron will, he sought his fortune in the then new country; in connection with teaching, he pursued the study of medicine under the precept- orship of Dr. Cruikshank, of Harrison, Ohio; for his professional, as well as his literary education, he had to rely solely upon his own efforts; consequently, what he did was done well; about the year
Very Respectfully
745
RUSHVILLE, CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
1820, he went to Springboro, Warren County, Ohio, and located for the practice of his profession. During his sojourn at this place, he courted and married a Quaker girl, Hannah Pugh by name, who, with her husband, removed to Rushville, Ind., in the year 1822. This marriage was blessed by twelve children, five of whom, Mar- shall, Rachel, Oliver, Sarah and Anna, still live. His second mar- riage was to Lucretia Cramer, of New York, and to this marriage three children were born, Cramer Sexton of Indianapolis being the only survivor. Dr. Sexton was amongst the very first physicians to locate in the place, which at this early date had but two years of life; it was all in the mud and brush, no roads, no houses, but the most primitive sort of cabins, and no heritage for its settlers but hard work and a scanty living; it took brave hearts to face such a prospect of life; but Dr. Sexton had the bravery and the will to pitch his tent under these most inauspicious circumstances; and the same energy and application to business which had impelled him to seek a home in the west won for him distinction and success in his profession and good name in his citizenship; forty-five years of professional toil and self-denial won for him a fortune and a com- petency second to no one in the county; his professional career was almost begun and ended in Rush County; he was a devotee to medicine, always keeping abreast of the times in the advance- ments made in his departments of science; he never let anything swerve him from the path of professional duty. Political dis- tinction was at his bidding; lucrative offices were his at the asking, but all were refused that he might be devoted to his business; consequently he never held or sought a public office; he was a man pronounced in his opinions, political, religious and otherwise, but was never a bigot; his religious views and connections were with the Presbyterian Church, and he was one of the found- ers and most liberal supporters of the Church of that denomina- tion in Rushville; was often solicited to become a Ruling Elder in the body and as often refused to be ordained to the office; he was for a great many years the teacher of the Bible class in the Sun- day School, and was scarcely ever absent from his post of duty; many men now of mature years can testify to his skill and devotion as a teacher of the Bible; he was also a prominent man in the Masonic Fraternity; he was one of the earliest members of the American Medical Association, also of the Indiana State Medical Society, and was for a long series of years immediately preceding his death, the President of Rush County Medical Society, to which he was very closely attached. The long friendship existing be- tween Dr. Sexton and the writer [ Dr. W. A. Pugh ] makes it at once suitable and difficult to speak of his eminent virtues as a physician,
29
746
RUSH COUNTY.
Christian and friend; as a physician, he was patient, toiling, atten- tive and conscientiously devoted to the care of the sick who came under his kindly ministrations; he loved his work and was never so happy as when busy at it, even keeping it up for years, when, physically, he was really not able to perform the hardships; but he always said he wished to die with the harness on. As a Christian he was devout, quiet and unostentatious; he loved his Church and contributed freely of his means to support it, and gave freely of his counsels for its advancement; he was always in his place in the house of worship, except when kept away by the most urgent business; he made no display of his piety, but was constant in his devotion to the cause of his Master; when laid upon the bed which proved to be the last one, his religious emotions became much more pronounced, and his piety which had been quiet, now became lively, and his religious sentiments which had been tranquil and serene, became joyous and outspoken. He died June 13, 1865, full of honor, full of years and full of hopes of the religion he professed.
MARSHALL SEXTON, M. D., a prominent physician of Rushville, was born in that place, January 29, 1823. He was the son of Hora- tio G. Sexton, one of the pioneers of Rush County. He was reared in Rushville, and there attended the public school. At seventeen he entered Hanover College, where he completed the Sophomore year. He then began the study of medicine with his father. In the fall of 1842, he entered the Ohio Medical College, from which he graduated in March, 1844. He then entered upon the practice of his profession with his father, in Rushville, and con- tinued with him ten years. Since then he has continued alone. During the late war he was the Surgeon of the Fifty-second Indiana Regiment, until in the spring of 1863, when he resigned owing to the impaired state of his health. As soon as he regained his health, he resumed his practice in which he has since been extensively and successfully engaged. His marriage oc- curred in Wilmington, Ohio, in May, 1844, when Miss E. S. Brooks became his wife. They are the parents of four children: Louise, the wife of George Havens, Ruby H., Sally M., the wife of Dr. Parsons, and Dr. John C., who is associated with his father in the practice of medicine. The Doctor is a mem- ber of the G. A. R., and the present Commander of the Rush- ville Post. Politically, he is a pronounced Republican. He is a member of the County, State and National Medical associations. He served as President of the State Medical Society one year. He has always enjoyed a liberal practice and is the leading surgical practitioner of the county.
LEONIDAS SEXTON was born May 19, 1827, at Rushville, Ind.,
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RUSHVILLE, CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
and was the son of Horatio G. Sexton, who was a native of Massa- chusetts, and emigrated to the west in the year 1818 or 1819. His mother's maiden name was Hannah Pugh; she was of Welsh ex- traction on the paternal side of the family. Leonidas Sexton's. education was begun in the primitive schools of his native town. In 1842, he, with several other boys of his age, was placed in a Latin school, taught by the Rev. D. M. Stewart, at his private residence in Rushville. His primary education having been de- ficient, and not being prepared to begin a collegiate course, he entered the primary department of Hanover College in the fall of 1843. After remaining there one term, he returned to his home for the winter, where he remained until the spring of 1844, when he was placed as a pupil in Miami University, at Oxford, Ohio, where he stayed through the Freshman year, and made rapid progress. He, however, became dissatisfied with his instructors, and, in com- pany with John R. Irvin, of Ohio, went to Jefferson College, at Cannonsburg, Pa. In this college he exhibited some of the adroitness which, in after years, characterized him as a lawyer. In changing from Miami University to Jefferson College, he entered the Junior class, thus skipping the Sophomore year. He gradu- ated from this college in June, 1847, and in the winter of the same year was placed on contest by the Franklin Literary Society, as Essayist, and won the prize. He was very popular with the boys, as well as the professors, of the college. The class with which he graduated consisted of sixty members: twelve afterward became lawyers; twenty-four, ministers and teachers; and the remainder chose other occupations and professions. All through his college course, Mr. Sexton's predilection was toward law as his profession, but having misgivings as to his ability to become an extemporaneous speaker, he hesitated as to his choice. After returning home, he at once entered his father's office as a student of medicine. After studying Bell's Anatomy for some time, he indignantly cast it aside and took up Blackstone in its place. He entered with great zeal upon the study of law (in the office of Judge A. W. Hubbard, in the latter part of 1847,) in which he afterward be- came so distinguished. The following winter he attended lectures in the law school at Cincinnati, Ohio. As soon as his professional education was completed, he opened a law office in Rushville, but business not coming in as fast as his ardent nature desired, he changed his location to Kokomo, Ind. After a very short stay there, he "pulled up stakes" and returned to the place of his nativity. Here he entered into partnership with his former preceptor, A. W. Hubbard, from which time he grew rapidly in favor as a lawyer, and became a man of prominence at
748
RUSH COUNTY.
the Bar. On the first of September, 1851, he was married to Miss Lydia A. Warner, daughter of John Warner, who resided at Hatfield, Mass. Miss Warner was one of the cheeriest of women, and made her home one of sunshine and happiness. They had three daughters, two of whom vet survive: Mrs. Z. E. Mauzy and Mrs. S. W. McMahan. In the autumn of 1856, Mrs. Sexton was called to rest, leaving a home desolate. Novem- ber 2, 1858, Mr. Sexton was married to a most estimable lady of his own town, Miss Anna Hunt, who was born near Paducah, Ky., October 9, 1836. She was the daughter of James and Sarah ( Bell) Hunt, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. They had four children, two sons and two daughters, only one of whom, Gates, a son, yet survives. He is a lawyer and newspaper man in Rushville and lives with his mother. Mr. Sexton died at Par- sons, Kas., after a brief illness, whilst on a visit to friends, July 4, ISSO. His first political fight was for a seat in the Legislature of . Indiana, in 1856, which he successfully contested. He was elected a member of the Forty-fifth Congress, over L. J. Woolen and Will- iam L. Wright, but was defeated for the Forty-sixth Congress by Jeptha D. New. Mr. Sexton had the honor of being the only na- tive-born Representative in Congress that Rush County ever pro- duced. Socially, he was a man of many acquaintances, and almost every man was his friend who was his acquaintance. He was a very close student, and gave his extra time to books until his politi- cal life began. He occupied high and exalted positions in both the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. He was elected Lieuten- ant Governor, being the only one elected on the Republican ticket. Mr. Sexton had a genial nature, a kind heart, a benevolent disposi- tion and a public spirited mind. In the Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member, he always gave liberally, and was much concerned for its prosperity and usefulness. He was a zealous worker in the Sunday School, and when at home never missed either the Sunday School or public service. Few men of his age attained so much distinction. No man of Rush County has equalled him.
DR. JOHN CHASE SEXTON, a prominent young physician of Rushville, was born January 21, 1859. He was the son of Dr. Marshall Sexton, a biography of whom appears above. He grad- uated in the Rushville High School in the Class of 1876. In Sep- tember, 1876, he entered Hanover College, where he nearly .completed the Junior year. He then returned home and entered upon the study of medicine with his father. In October, 1880, he entered the Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, where he graduated in March, 1882. Immediately afterward he began the practice of
749
RUSHVILLE, CITY AND TOWNSHIP.
medicine with his father, with whom he has since continued. He was married September 27, 1882, to Miss Hannah Cullen, only child of Judge William A. Cullen, of Rushville. Their union has resulted in the birth of one child, Frances E., born January 28, 1886. He is a member of the Sons of Veterans Order, of Rush- ville, and a Republican in politics.
JOHN LEMMON SHAUCK, ex-County Superintendent, is a native of the village of Shaucks, Morrow County, Ohio, born September 8, 1848. He was the eleventh of fourteen children, six sons and eight daughters, born to William H. and Mary A. Shauck, the for- mer a native of York County, Pa., and the latter a native of Mary- land, both of Swiss descent. His paternal grandparents were John and Rebecca (Lemmon) Shauck, both natives of Maryland. The former was a Major in the Revolutionary War. He located in Morrow County, Ohio, in 1814, and was therefore one of the earliest settlers of that county. It was he for whom the village of Shauck was named. He also served in the War of 1812. His trade was that of a mill-wright. The subject of this sketch was reared upon a farm in his native county. At sixteen years of age he entered Otterbein University of Westerville, Ohio, from which institution he gratuated in 1871. In the meantime he had taken up the vocation of a teacher. In the spring of 1872, he came to Rush County, and he has been conspicuously identified with the school work of the county ever since. After teaching a number of terms in the district school, he, in the spring of 1879, was selected to take charge of the Raleigh Schools of this county, a position he filled in a very creditable manner, until the time of his first election to the office of County Superintendent, which occurred in June, 188I. He was re-elected to that position in June, 1883, and again re-elected in June, 1885. He has just now completed his third term or a period of six years. In that capacity he has made an efficient officer and one conscientious in the discharge of his duty. His marriage to Emma J. Mcmillin occurred April 17, 1877. She was the daughter of John T. and Nancy (Pentecost) McMillin, of Union Township. Their union resulted in the birth of five children: Albert Gus, born March 9, 1878; Norah, born October 30, 1879; Mary, born March 31, 1883; and Bernice and Beatrice (twins), born December 31, 1885, Beatrice, died March 10, 1886, and Bernice July 26, 1886. On the Ist day of November, 1886, the hand of death deprived Mr. Shauck of his devoted wife. He is a member of the Christian Church, the K. of P. Lodge, and a Republican in politics.
DANIEL P. SHAWHAN, farmer and a prominent stock-raiser, was born in Washington Township, this county, October 12, 1841. He
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RUSH COUNTY.
was the fourth of six children - three sons and three daughters - born to John M. and Sarah ( Parrish) Shawhan, natives of Kentucky and Ohio, respectively. His paternal grandparents were Daniel and Mary Shawhan, who were among the early settlers of Rush County. His maternal grandfather was Zachariah Parrish. His two brothers were Joseph N. and Garrett B., the former of whom is deceased. His three sisters were Phebe J., Mary E. and Elsie A., of whom the first is deceased. Our subject was reared upon his father's farm in this county. He continued with his father until the latter's death which occurred March 1, 1866. After this event Mr. Shawhan continued to reside with his mother upon the old home farm until 1876. His marriage occurred on the 26th day of Au- gust of 1872, in Emporia, Lyons County, Kan., when Miss Hattie Rush became his wife. She is a native of the city of New York, born December 16, 1852. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Shawhan continued to reside upon the old homestead of the former in Washington Township. In November, 1876, they'removed to a farm one mile and a half east of Rushville, which farin Mr. Shaw- han still has in his possession. In November, ISSI, he moved his family to Rushville, and since they have occupied their present handsome residence at No. 106 North Morgan Street. In addition to his farming, Mr. Shawhan has won an enviable reputation as a breeder of fine stock and trainer of fast horses. He has kept his farm well-stocked with excellent breeds of cattle, sheep and hogs, and his reputation as a breeder and trainer of fast horses is not confined to the State. He enjoys the credit of raising and training the noted trotting mare, Elsie Good, whose record was 2:2212 and which he sold in January, 1876, for $5,000. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw- han are the parents of six children as follows: John M., Maggie F., Helen M., Edwin N., Anna L. and an infant son, unnamed. Mrs. Shawhan is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Shawhan is a member of the Masonic Fraternity and a staunch Democrat in politics. Besides his residence property in Rushville, Mr. Shawhan owns a good farm of 106 acres, nearly all of which is in a high state of cultivation.
MICHAEL M. SIMMS, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Bour- bon County, Ky., September 9, 1837. He was the second of three children -two sons and one daughter -born to Craven and Amanda (Smith) Simms, both natives of Kentucky, the former of Scotch-Irish, and the latter of German descent. His paternal grandpa- rents were John and Nellie Simms, both natives of Virginia. His maternal grandparents were Michael and Nancy Smith. His brother and sister were John T. and Cravana, of whom the former is deceased. When he was twelve years old he accompanied his
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