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 78
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tive of New Jersey, born January 3, 1805, and of Irish descent, died April 21, 1872. To this union there were born nine children, six daughters and three sons, as follows: Emma S., born July II, 1854; and two infant daughters, both unnamed; William E., born April 29, 1859; Kattie, born February 19, 1861; Kattie, died September 7, 1862; Cyrus E., born February 18, 1863; Lulie J., born February 24, 1865; Charles, born August 3, 1867; Lucy J., born February 7, 1870; of these two daughters are mar- ried as follows: Emma S., to Nathan F. Talbott, January 22, 1878, and resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Lulie J., to Louis J. Kauf- man, August 17, 1884, and resides in Columbus, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Inlow are both members of the Christian Church. He be- lieves in upholding the principles of the Democratic party, in poli- tics. He and family are good citizens and well respected by all.
GEORGE S. JONES, the eldest son of William P. and Sarah Jones, was born near the town of Jonesville, in Lee County, Va., June 12, 1840. His boyhood was spent on the farm, and attended a select school during the winter. By occupation his father was a carpenter, and George S. assisted him in that vocation for several years. The subject of this biography is the possessor of a good common school education, and at the age of eighteen years began teaching in the public schools of Kentucky, and three years there- after came to Shelby County, Ind., and continued the profession of a teacher until 1863, when he enlisted in Company I, Seventh Indiana Cavalry .. February 22, 1864, he was wounded at the bat- tle of Okoloma, Mississippi, and was captured by the enemy and confined in the prison at Andersonville, from which he made his escape one year afterward and was honorably discharged from the service June 13, 1865, and then returned to Shelby County and resumed his former occupation. As a teacher, he attained more than ordinary success, and has been connected with some of the best schools of this part of Indiana. During his residence at Fair- land, in Shelby County, he founded the Fairland Bulletin, which he continued for three years, and then removed the paper to Shelby- ville and changed its name to the Shelby Volunteer, now known as the Shelby Times, and continued his newspaper work for three years, where he again took up the profession of school teaching, and later was appointed to a position in the United States Pension Office. The political sentiments of Mr. Jones are that of an earnest and never tiring Democrat, and in 1886, was the nominee of his party for Congress, of the Sixth Congressional District. Mr. Jones is a man of fine social qualities, and his political popu- larity was fully attested by the fact that he ran several hundred
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votes ahead of his ticket. In 1870, Mr. Jones was united in mar- riage to Miss Cynthia Ann, daughter of Andrew J. and Catharine J. Cherry, and to them were born the following: Andrew, born Octo- ber 8, 1871, and Thomas Hendricks, born November 27, 1876. Mr. Jones is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the G. A. R.
THOMAS A. JONES, the subject whose name introduces this biography, is a native of Fleming County, Ky., born June 3, 1843, being the fifth in a family of eight children, born to Thomas D. and Jane (Kirk) Jones, who were natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. The former died in 1883, and the latter in 1853. The early youth of our subject was spent in his native county. In 1862, he volunteered in Company A, Tenth Kentucky Cavalry, and served fourteen months, during which he participated in the follow- ing battles: Richmond, Winchester and a number of minor battles. March 19, 1863, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant, which position he held during the remainder of his service, and was hon- orably discharged September 17, 1863, and soon after came to In- diana and settled in this township, where he now owns 103 acres of good land, upon which is a beautiful residence. Mr. Jones was married October 30, 1865, to Miss Louisa F. Gardner, a native of Walker Township, born October 5, 1844, daughter of Landon and Nancy (Jones) Gardner, natives of Kentucky. To this marriage were born four children, viz .: Ella, born January 6, 1871, and died August 6, 1872; Willie E., born August 6, 1873; Herman E., born September 20, 1875, and Nellie E., born January 15, 1879. Mrs. Jones died January 12, 1882. Mr. Jones is a Republican, a mem- ber of Phoenix Lodge No. 62, F. & A. M. and a G. A. R.
THOMAS LOGAN is a native of Rush County, Ind., born May 19, 1827, second child born to James L. and Elizabeth (Mann) Logan, natives of Ireland and Ohio. The former died August 13, 1881, and the latter June 13, ISSO. The subject of this sketch received a limited education and was raised on the farm. In 1847, he removed to Des Moines County, Iowa, and settled on a farm and here remained seventeen years, when he returned to Rush County and soon afterward settled on the farm he now owns, and which contains 160 acres of good land. Mr. Logan was married August 30, 1847, to Miss Sarah Lefforge, born in Noble Township, November 22, 1829, daughter of John and Harriet (Herndon) Lefforge natives of New Jersey and Virginia. To this union were born twelve children, viz .: Elizabeth J., born 1849; John N., born 1850; Harriet A., born 1852; Mary E., born 1855; Emisetta, born 1856; Charlotta A., born 1858; Laura C., born 1861; Charles B., born 1865; James T., born 1867; Myrtle M., born
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1869: Omer D., born 1870 (deceased), and Mattie, born 1873. Politically, he is a Democrat, and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
JOSIAH MILLER was born in Fleming County, Ky., Septem- ber 1, 1806, and is the youngest in a family of fifteen children born to John and Margaret (Bowier) Miller, the former a native of Tenn- essee, the latter of Maryland and of Irish descent. Our subject was reared in his native county, where he attended school in win- ter and farmed in summer. About 1831, Mr. Miller came to Rush County and settled in Walker Township, where he owned 400 acres of valuable land, but which he has now given to his children. The marriage of Mr. Miller was solemnized in 1829 to Lu- cinda, daughter of Joseph and Mary Jones, who was born in 1810. Her parents were natives of Virginia and are both deceased. To this union were born ten children, viz .: Joseph G., born June 7, 1833; Margaret, born January 3, 1835; Mary J., born April 2, 1837; Sarah E., born January 28, 1840; John S. and James (twins, the latter deceased), born April 25, 1844; Nancy A., born Septem- ber 29, 1847; William S., born March 4, 1850; Robert M. (de- ceased), born March 24, 1852; and an infant who died unnamed. Mrs. Miller died December 30, 1876. Mr. Miller is a Democrat and for many years has been a member of the Presbyterian Church.
CYRUS MULL .- The great grandfather of Cyrus Mull was David Mull, a native of Germany, who came to America in 1740, and settled in Pennsylvania, where he married. About 1757, he moved to Loudoun County, Va., where he died. He had five children, George, the youngest, being grandfather of Cyrus. George was born in Loudoun County, Va., about 1772, and married there in 1783, Catherine Long, who was born in Lancaster County, Pa., about 1774. From this marriage there were born seven children: David, Anthony, John, Frederick, George, Elizabeth and Jacob, all born in Loudoun County, Va. Jacob, the father of Cyrus, was born in IS03, and married in Ohio, Margaret Richinson, of Scotch descent, born in New Jersey. In 1814, George with his family, moved to Warren County, Ohio, where Catherine his wife died August, 1823. In March, 1826, George with two of his sons, George and Jacob, moved to Rush County and settled in the forest, George in Rushville Township, and Jacob in east side of Walker Township. George, the father, died here in December, 1827, and his remains were taken back to Warren County, Ohio, and sleep beside those of his wife. Frederick also came to Rush County and settled near his brothers, and remained there until his death. Jacob Mull moved from his farm to Manilla, in 1838, where he lived until his death in 1861. Most of his time
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was engaged in carrying on a general store. Cyrus Mull was born March 19, 1829, in the eastern part of Walker Township, Rush County, and was the third of four children. Catherine was the wife of Dr. J. W. Trees, and is not living. George died at seven years of age, Mary Ann, now wife of Dr. J. J. Inlow. Cyrus after his father moved to Manilla, spent his time as other boys, attending school part of the time until about his eighteenth year; his father then bought a farm near by, and he managed that until he became twenty-one years old, when a partnership was formed, consisting of Jacob Mull, Cyrus Mull and J. W. Trees, under the firm name of J. & C. Mull & Trees, for the purpose of carrying on a general store. It was then customary for many country stores to sell goods on credit from January I, until Christmas, and then buy the farmers' hogs, drive them on foot to Cincinnati and sell them, and on return make general settlements of the year's business. In this line of business Cyrus acquired some knowledge of the traffic in live stock, and experience in business, and in after life for a time, devoted his entire attention to the live stock trade, and by prudence, carefulness and honesty, accumulated a large estate, made mostly between the years 1857 and 1883. He married September 17, 1857, Eleanor J. Kerrick, at Milroy, Ind., daughter of Nimrod Kerrick, a Methodist minister, a native of Loudoun County, Va., whose wife was Mary Masters, a native of Lancaster County, Pa. They resided on a farm adjoining Manilla, where he died of nervous brain exhaustion July 7, 1883, leaving his widow and six children surviving him, two other children died in infancy. Those living are: Thomas K., born 1860; William C., born 1863; Frank A., born 1864; Leonidas H., born 1866; George F., born 1868; Jacob C., born 1878, and Mary M., born ISS2. He was a leading citizen and probably the wealthiest man in the county at his death, was a Director of the Rushville National Bank, also one of the First National Bank of Shelbyville. He was a devoted husband. In all of his varied and extensive business operations, his whole life seemed centered around the family hearthstone, and he made it a happy and comfortable place for all who came there. No man in the county took greater pleasure in entertaining his friends at his fireside. His devotion to his wife and family was a marked feature of his life. Though not a member of any order, society or church, the principles of Christian morality seemed to govern him in every transaction of his life. The last few years of his life his time was given mostly to lending money and managing his farms and mone- tary affairs. Instead of collecting his money by law, and enforcing his claims against debtors, through the Sheriff, he sought to aid by friendly advice \and counsel lagging debtors, and would stand by
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and assist one he believed to be honest, to the last. He was never known to oppress one of his debtors so long as he found him hon- estly striving to meet his obligations. A better man for the com- munity in which he lived, or more generally missed, is very rare.
WILLIAM MULL, an old settler of Rush County, was born in Walker Township, April 26, 1828, the third son born to Frederick and Jane (McDonald ) Mull, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Ohio. In 1826, the father of Mr. Mull came to Indi- ana, and settled on 160 acres of land in Walker Township. The subject of this sketch received a limited education at the subscrip- tion schools and until twenty-one years of age assisted his father on the farm. By occupation he is a farmer, and now owns 884 acres of well improved land. Mr. Mull was united in marriage February 27, 1851, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Felding and and Pheobe Jones, natives of Virginia and Tennessee, respectively, and both of whom are are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Mull are the parents of nine children, viz .: Monroe, born February 27, 1852 (deceased) ; Omer P., born August 24, 1853; Madaline, born De- cember 28, 1855; Clarissa, born July 21, 1858; Francenia, born July 13, 1860 (deceased) ; Alice, born June 6, 1862; Nellie, born November 16, 1864; Arnold, born December 22, 1868, and Will- iam E., born January 1, 1873. Mr. Mull is a Republican and a member of the Masonic order. Mr. and Mrs. Mull are Seventh Day Aventists.
WILLIAM D. MULL, a pioneer of Rush County, was born in Rushville Township May 3, 1828, third son in a family of six children born to George and Mary (Ball) Mull, and is of German- Scotch lineage. The father of our subject was a native of Lou- doun County, Va., and died in this county, January 15, 1887. His mother was born in New Haven, Ohio, and now lives on the farm with Martin Miller, in Rushville Township. At the age of twenty- six years Mr. Mull began farming for himself, and January I, 1855, he removed to the farm he now occupies, and which consists of 155 acres of good land and a fine residence. His marriage oc- curred October 26, 1854, to Miss Amanda Cart, born February 20, 1834, daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Cart, natives of Virginia. To this marriage were born two children, viz .: John W., born January 26, 1857, and Erma A., born January 24, 1859. January 22, 1865, Mrs. Mull died, and Mr. Mull was married, January 15, 1866, to Miss Sidney, daughter of Isaac and Nancy J. (Inlow ) Hilligoss, natives of Kentucky. To this union were born these children, viz .: Ida, born May 10, 1870, and George M., born Jan- uary 25, 1873, and died September 21, 1881. Politically, Mr. Mull is a Democrat. Mrs. Mull is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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FREDERICK MULL was born in Rush County, Ind., February 4, 1833, being the fifth in a family of seven children, born to Fred- erick and Jane (McDonald) Mull, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Ohio. Our subject received a good education, and until twenty-three years of age, assisted his father on the farm. In 1865, Mr. Mull removed to Kansas, and there remained until January 11, 1866, when he returned to Rush County, where he has since lived. He has 270 acres of valuable land and a beauti- ful residence. The marriage of Mr. Mull was solemnized Decem- ber 18, 1856, to Miss Polly, daughter of Cuthberth and Hannah (Knotts) Webb, natives of Ohio, and who are now deceased. Mrs. Mull was born in this county, August 8, 1830, and is the mother of these five children: Laura, born November 25, 1857; Alma, born August 27, 1859; Dora, born July 2, 1862, and died October 19, 1865; Larue A., born May 20, 1864, and Bert, born September 21, 1867. Mr. Mull is a Democrat, and a member of Manilla Lodge No. 34, F. & A. M. He and wife are members of the Christian Church.
GEORGE W. THOMAS, one of the most prominent farmers and stock-raisers of Rush County, was born in Walker Township, July 15, 1844, son of George and Lydia (Walker) Thomas, natives of Lewis County, Ky. In 1829, the father of our subject came to Rush County, where he entered land, and three years later re- moved his family to the new home. In 1860 and 1861, he repre- sented Rush County in the General Assembly of Indiana, and also took an active part in the organization of the Fifty-second Regi- ment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was an Elder in the Christian Church, and in early days his residence was known as " the preach- er's home," it being the stopping place of all ministers and circuit- riders. His death occurred October 30, 1863, his companion following February 24, 1884. Mrs. Thomas was also a member of the Christian Church, she being one of the first members of this denomination. The immediate subject of this biography received a good common school education and was reared on the farm he now owns, which consists of 19312 acres of well improved land. In addition to farming, he has given his attention to thor- oughbred stock, and now has some of the finest stock in this part of the State. The marriage of Mr. Thomas was solemnized in 18So, Miss Emma S. Smith being the bride. She was born in Fulton, Illinois, and daughter of William and Mary A. Smith, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Illinois. To this union were born the following children: Clarence, born April 16, 1882, died April 24, 1882, and William W., born April 19, 1884. Politically, Mr. Thomas is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.
Charles. S. Miller
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WALKER TOWNSHIP.
JOSEPH TOMES, farmer, was born in Dearborn County, Ind., August 17, 1815, being the youngest of two children born to Con- rad and Rachel (Bridges) Tomes, natives of Pennsylvania. The early boyhood days of our subject were spent in his native county, attending school in winter and farming in summer. Subse- quently, the family removed to Decatur County, Ind., where our subject worked at cabinet making in addition to farming, and six ยท years later, learned the brick mason's trade, which he continued eighteen years, and then came to Rush County. About 1843, he purchased the farm where he now resides, and which at that time
contained 200 acres. To this he added at various times until he owned 1,017 acres, which, excepting 132 acres, he has given to his children. Mr. Tomes was married in 1837 to Miss Mary Small, born February 20, 1818, daughter of John and Nancy (Foster) Small, natives respectively of Germany and Kentucky. To this union were born ten children, viz .: John F., born March 30, 1840; James W., born April 7, 1842; George W., born February 10, 1844; Milan P., born October 16, 1846; Lucinda F., born January 21, 1850; Joseph H., born April 28, 1852; Manerva F., born Feb- ruary 6, 1855; and Harriet J., born June 15, 1858; James W. died . March 23, 1876, leaving a wife and four children. Mr. Tomes is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church. DR. JAMES W. TREES, of Manilla, was born in Clermont County, Ohio, March 21, ISIS. His parents were Adam and Mary Ann (IIill) Trees. The former was a native of Westmore- land County, Penn .; the mother the daughter of John Hill, was born aboard ship, on the Atlantic Ocean. The great grandfather, John Trees, emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania prior to the Revolution, in which he served for three years. The maternal grandfather emigrated from Pennsylvania to Bracken County, Ky., and from there to Clermont County, Ohio. The Doctor is the fourth child of his parents, with whom he, at the age of five years, came to Rush County, being ten days on the road from Cler- mont County to Richland Township, where they arrived March 27, 1823, over almost impassable roads, the Miami and White Water having to be crossed. Here his time was passed until December, 1835, assisting to clear lands and attending district schools, which the Doctor avers were better than most schools of their class. Our sub- ject continued his rural life until 1838, when he went to Milroy, and commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Samuel Barbour, at the same time clerking in a store. He assiduously pursued his studies until 1841, in May of which year he was licensed to practice by the Indiana Medical Institute, and immediately commenced practice in partnership with his preceptor. September 3, 1841, he removed
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to Manilla, and went into business for himself. September 18, 1842, Dr. Trees was united in marriage with Catherine, daughter of Jacob and Margaret Mull. By this marriage there were six children: Ethan Allen, born June 10, 1844, now married and living in Manilla; Leander M., born October 4, 1846, died May 7, 1887; Cyrus E., born August 4, 1848, and doing business in Manilla; Le- vanche, born June 25, 1853, died October 19, 1857: Margaret M., August 24, 1858, died March 21, 1874; Marshall, born April IS, 1861, died August 8, 1861. Mrs. Trees died November 5, 1884, and she with the dead ones whom she loved lie buried within the silent confines of the Manilla cemetery. Mr. Trees was married to Miss Sarah Harshman, of Shelbyville, November 10, 1886. He has ever been a Democrat, and by his close application to his pro- fession, which he renounced more than a quarter of a century ago, and by strict attention to business he amassed a goodly fortune. He and his two living sons, Ethan A. and Cyrus E., are of the staunchest business men in the county, and rate high in business circles wherever known. The Doctor's portrait appears on another page of this volume.
CYRUS E. TREES, of Manilla, is a son of Dr. J. W. Trees, of that place, whose sketch appears above. He was born August 4, 1848. He obtained a good common school education in the schools near his home, which was supplemented by a course in the North- western University. Being thus thoroughly prepared for the duties of life, and possessing all the natural endowments necessary to a successful business man, he entered upon a career that has been unusually prosperous. His enterprise has been the most potent factor in bringing about the present high standing which Manilla enjoys among the surrounding towns as a place of commercial im- portance. He has for several years been identified with every movement that was of importance to his community from either a financial or moral standpoint. Associated with his father in the grain business he has contributed largely to make Manilla one of the best grain markets in this portion of the State. In the firm of Trees & Mohler he is extensively engaged in the lumber trade, while Trees & Lewis do a thriving business in buying and shipping live stock. In addition to all these he is actively and successfully engaged in buying and selling real estate in Kansas and other por- tions of the west. He is Vice President and Director of the Kiowa Investment Company, and is Director and one of the proprietors of the Town Company which laid out the town of Birmingham, Kan. May 4, 1869, his nuptials with Anna E. Inlow were cele- brated; she was a daughter of Isaac and Lucinda Inlow. Her death occurred January 8, 1876. One child was born to this union March
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26, 1870, named Levanche E. Mr. Trees was married Decem- ber 2, 1878, to Lotta M. Macy, a daughter of T. C. Macy. She has borne him two children, Lee M. and Mary C.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
JOHN CARSON is a resident and native of Rush County, being born December 26, 1838. His parents were: William and Eliza- beth (Maze) Carson; the former was born in Adams County, Ohio, in 1805, and was the son of Joseph and Mary (Scott) Carson, na- tives of Washington County, Penn., where they were married about 1800. They settled in Adams County, Ohio, and resided there until about 1810, when they removed to Fayette County, Ind., and after a residence there of two years, Joseph Carson went to Brook- ville and entered 160 acres of land, a part of which John Carson owns at present and which has never been out of the Carson fam- ily. After developing a home here from the wilderness, he removed to Marion County, Ind., where he and wife ended their lives. Their family consisted of eight children, of whom William Carson, the father of our subject, was the fifth child. As stated, he was born in Adams County, Ohio, and was but a boy when his parents came to this county. Here he assisted his parents in developing a home, and in after years purchased the old homestead. Farming was his occupation all through life. In 1832 he was married to Elizabeth Maze, daughter of John and Hannah (Harney) Maze. Elizabeth was born in Kentucky in 1808, but came to this county when quite young. This union was blessed with seven children-two sons and five daughters. They were: Rebecca, Nancy, Jane, Hannah, John, Smith, and Mary, of whom Rebecca is dead; all the rest, except Jane, who is the wife of Daniel M. Shawhan, and a resident of Pike County, Ind., reside on the old home. William Carson, after a long and useful life, was called to rest February 14, 1873; his wife survived him until January 9, 1881, when she, too, was called to rest. They are interred in the Fairview Cemetery. Thus ended the lives of two of Rush County's pioneers. John has spent his entire life in Rush County, and on August 29, 1864, he was married to Mary Ammon, daughter of Zachariah and Mary Am- mon, pioneers of Rush County. Mrs. Carson was born in Washington Township, August 28, 1844. Her whole life was spent here. This union was blessed with two children, namely: Florence B., and Vista May, both living at home. Mr. Carson began life on his own responsibility at the time of his marriage, and six years after his marriage removed to Fayette County, but
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on the death of his father, returned to the old homestead, where he has since resided.
JOSEPH CUSTER was born in Bourbon County, Ky., October 6, 1827, son of Conrad and Leanna Custer, natives of Virginia, who came to Fayette County in the winter of 1827, and thence to Morgan County, where Joseph was principally reared. Our sub- ject and wife were married on May 15, 1851; her maiden name was Mary Foster, and she was born in Illinois. They have four children: Charles, Josephine, James and Belle. Politically, Mr. Custer is a Republican. In 1881, he located on his present farm and built the residence he now occupies.
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