History of Tipton County Indiana, Part 47

Author: M. W. Pershing
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 701

USA > Indiana > Tipton County > History of Tipton County Indiana > Part 47

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became the wife of Thomas Adams; John married Eliza Morn; Eliza Ann married Henry Low; Mary Ann's first husband was William Townsend, and upon his death she married Samuel Biddinger; Washington C. took as his wife Emma Banks; Ellen became the wife of Lindsey Swing; Frank married Anna Davis; Emily became Mrs. Harvey Coleman, and Agnes married Kemsie Keck.

William Monroe Bennett received but a limited schooling in his youth, partly due to the poor facilities offered at that time and partly due to the limited circumstances of his parents with their large family. He attended the common schools of Tipton county and when quite young assisted his father in carrying on the work of the home farm. He remained under the paternal roof until he was nineteen years of age, when he married. He then rented a farm and engaged in agricultural work on his own account. In 1869 he was able to purchase his first farm, but did not remain in that loca- tion long. He sold his farm and purchased the land where he at present resides. All of the efforts of his mature years have been directed along lines of agriculture, except the time he gave in service to his country during the dark days of the sixties. In October, 1864, he enlisted in Company F. Twenty-third Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and gave faithful serv- ice until receiving his honorable discharge, on July 29, 1865. After being mustered out, he returned to his home in Tipton county and again took up his work as a farmer.

On October 8, 1861, Mr. Bennett was united in marriage with Sina Ellen, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Youngeman) Arbuckle, one of a family of seven children; the others being James, who married Rebecca Washington; John, whose wife was Maggie Cole: Jacob, whose wife was a Miss Phumphrey; Martin, who took as his wife Susan Purvis; George, who married Etta Welcher, and Henrietta, who became the wife of Al Miller.

. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have an interesting family of thirteen children and a number of grandchildren. John, the eldest of the family, took as his wife Ida Turner and they are the parents of three children. Claude, Pansy and Thelma; Claude married Mary Eaton and they have one child, Bernice : Pansy is the wife of Roy Ora, and Thelma remains unmarried. Mr. Ben- nett's son Charles married Nora Gross and they have a family of four chil- dren, namely : Cleo, Roscoe, Lela, and Earl. who is married to Edith Cole- man and has a small son, Kenneth. Ida Belle Bennett married Charles Randolph and to their union have been born six children, Pauline, Emma. Dora, Etta, Mabel. and Jesse, who married Emma Atkinson and has a son

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William. Cora Bennett became the wife of Louis Lloyd, while Luetta mar- ried John Edwards and they have a family of five children, Ora, Walter, Carl, Lola and Garr. Mattie Bennett is the wife of Robert Ray; Delsena is Mrs. Frank Land and has three children, Roy, Chester S. and an infant deceased. Gertrude Bennett is the wife of Melvin Gross and the mother of two children. Gladys and Garr. The wife of George W. was Edna Gross and to their union have been born five children, Eva, Garnett, Letta, Hazel and Margaret. Of Mr. Bennett's family, four children died in infancy. being Margaret. William, Mary and Laura.

Politically, Mr. Bennett gives his support to the Republican party. always being keenly interested in its affairs, although never aspiring to hold office. His influence, however, is known and counted upon by those who do so aspire. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, through the local post at Sharpsville. While in the army, he served most of his time under General Sherman and saw active service. His fraternal affiliation is with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in the work of this order he has taken an active interest and is one of the past grands of that society. Mr. Bennett's religious sympathies are with the Separate Baptist church, of which he is a member and to whose support he contributes. Mr. Bennett is regarded as one of the leading men of his community, being public spirited. honest and upright in all his dealings with the world and winning and re- taining friends. Mrs. Bennett is also much liked by those who know her for her kindliness and various womanly traits.

THOMAS L. GROSS.

The life of the eminent and successful business man, though filled to repletion with incident and activity, presents fewer salient features to excite the interest of the general reader than the man whose place in the public eye has been won through political or military achievement. But to acquire dis- tinction or prosperity in the business pursuits which give to the country its financial strength and credit, requires ability of as high if not higher order than that which leads to victory at the polls or on the field of battle. This will be readily appreciated by all who tread the busy thoroughfares of trade. Eminent business talent is composed of a combination of high mental and moral attributes. It is not simply energy and industry ; there must be sound

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judgment, breadth of capacity, rapidity of thought, justice and firmness, the foresight to perceive the course of the drifting tides of business and the will and ability to control them, and, withal, a collection of minor but im- portant qualities to regulate the details of the pursuits which engage atten- tion. The subject of this review affords an exemplification of this talent and, notwithstanding the limited theater of his operations, he has proved himself to be possessed of business ability of a high order.

Thomas L. Gross is a native of the good old Hoosier state, having been born in Madison county, Indiana, on May 23, 1845, the son of Martin and Sarah (Taylor) Gross, both of whom were natives of Virginia. When fifteen years of age, Martin Gross removed with his parents to Ohio, where he finished his education and where he made his home until he was about thirty years of age. He remained under the parental roof until he reached his majority, when he secured a position on the boats that ran the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, plying between Cincinnati and Louisville and New Or- leans. He followed this occupation for about four years, when he returned to the farm which he owned and stayed there until he came to Indiana. This was when he was about thirty years old, and he located on Fall creek, near Pendleton, remaining there for about two years, when he entered land in Madison county near Fishersburg. This was a tract of eighty acres, which he put in an excellent state of cultivation and where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1875. His wife was Sarah Taylor. daugh- ter of Frederick Taylor, and to their union were born fourteen children, namely : Mary C., who died in 1910 and who was the wife of Jacob Hite; Julia, whose death occurred in 1907, was the wife of Joseph Flemming ; Enos, who died in 1896, was first married to Agnes Gramlee. who died in 1868, and his second wife was Eliza Ellinwood: Sarah J. became the wife of James Pool and died in 1896: Maurice has been twice married, his first wife being Lettie Lindsey and his second wife Elizabeth Hunt: Jacob married Violet Martin : Martin, who died in 1910, married Lettie Ellinwood; Frances E. is the wife of Samuel White: Hester and Harvey remain unmarried and John P. and Isaac died when small; Thomas. L., the immediate subject of this sketch.

Thomas L. Gross received his education in the schools of Madison county and was still attending school at the outbreak of the Civil war. While quite young, his heart was fired with patriotism for his country and on August 8. 1862. he enlisted in Company B. Eighty-ninth Regiment Indi- ana Volunteer Infantry, and remained in service three years, receiving his honorable discharge on August 8. 1865. He was in several noted engage-

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ments of the war, among them being the battle of Nashville, which lasted two days; the engagements at Mumfordsville, Kentucky; Pleasant Hill, and the siege of Mobile. He was also in the battle of Fort Blakely, the last engagement of the war. After the close of the war he returned home and again entered school, where he remained for about a year. After leaving school, for three or four years he tried several occupations, among them being that of a plasterer and lather. He saw an opportunity in the manu- facture of high class shingles, and in this he was engaged for twenty-two years. He then disposed of that business and entered the fruit and vege- table canning industry, having his plant at Sharpsville, this county. To this line of business he gave about seventeen years of his life, when he retired to his farm of one hundred and forty-six acres which he owned in Prairie township, this county, and where he is now living in peace and comfort, appreciating fully the fact, which the public is coming more and more to understand, that the most wholesome and independent life of all is the life of the farmer. No longer is it considered in the light in which it was held only a few years back.

In 1872, Mr. Gross was united in marriage with Frances Hawkins, daughter of Elder John and Nancy ( Hackeman ) Hawkins, one of a family of nine children, the others being: Pleasant, who took as his wife Elizabeth Hawkins: Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Dawson; Nancy, whose first hus- band was William Garrison and after his death she married Levi Gustin; Eliza became the wife of Milton Zell; William married Neil Rogers; Sparks was twice married, his first wife being Irene Manos and his second wife Anna Seibert; Urias married a Miss Shaw: Charles' first wife was a Miss Seibert and after her death he took as his second wife Alice Lawson. Emelie also has been twice married. . Her first husband was Charles Gustin and upon his death she married Wesley Legg. To Thomas L. Gross by his first wife, Frances Hawkins, was born a family of thirteen children. The eldest of these was Lenora, the wife of Charles Bennett, who has four children, Earl, Cleo, Roscoe and Lela. Earl married Edith Coleman and they have one son. Kenneth. Oscar Gross took as his wife Jennie Kirk- patrick and they are the parents of three children, Harriet. Thomas, and Marie, deceased. John M. Gross has been married twice. His first wife was Maggie Foster, to whom were born two children, Beulah and a child which died in early infancy. His second wife was May Davidson and they have a family of six children, Lulu, Owen, Ralph, Harvey. Mildred and Irene. Walter M. Gross married Daisy Hughes and they have one child.

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Lottie. Emelie Gross is the wife of Benjamin Puckett and they are the parents of four children, Gladys, Raymond, Howard, and Orville, deceased. Erwin Gross took as his wife Amie Hagerman and they have four children, William, Francis, Kenneth and Shirley. Albert Gross married Sarah Card- well and they have one child, Dallas B. Maud Gross is the wife of Arthur Hilligoss and they are the parents of four children, Rolden, Thomas, Wilbur and Everett. Thomas F. Gross married Damie Carter and they had one child, which died in infancy. Wilferd remains at home, unmarried, and two children, Benjamin and Iona, died when small. The mother of this large and interesting family died in 1896, and Mr. Gross took as his second wife Martha Hunt Gwinn, daughter of Phannel and Elnora Hunt, and to their union has been born one child, Wilferd. The present Mrs. Gross is one of a family .of eleven children, the others being: Emelie, wife of Perry Mc- Laughlin; Elmerinda, who died when small; Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of Doctor J. A. Baldwin; Clinton, who married Mary Applegate; Lida, wife of Frank Pitzer; Edwin who married Sarah Lamb, now deceased; Will- iam, who took as his wife Lucinda Poe: Alvin, deceased, who never mar- ried, and May and Clarence, who died in infancy.

Politically, Mr. Gross endorses the principles of the Progressive party. being an enthusiastic admirer of the principles of Theodore Roosevelt, and he gives to the new party his loyal support. He is a member of the honored Grand. Army of the Republic and his religious affiliations are with the Friends church, and he is deeply interested in the welfare of that society. Mr. Gross is a man of good business ability, strict integrity, with fine per- sonal qualities, and because of his genuine worth and high character he has long enjoyed a splendid reputation in the community honored by his citizen- ship. He gives his support to all movements for the advancement of his fellow citizens and is today numbered among the representative men of Tipton county.

ELI. C. COVERDALE.

The value of any citizen to the community in which he lives is deter- mined by the life he leads and the amount of good he does for his fellow men. With these two things as a criterion, it is safe to say that the subject of this sketch has been one of the most valued men of the community which has been honored by his residence. He is well known as a business man

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and is also prominent in the church work of his township, being interested in every thing which pertains to the uplifting of his community.

Eli C. Coverdale, the son of Eli and Mary (Richart) Coverdale, was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on February 3, 1868. Eli, senior, was a native of Kentucky, while his wife was born in Ohio. He came to Hamil- ton county with his parents in 1832 and continued to reside at home until his marriage, when he moved to Tipton county and bought a farm of eighty acres, spending the remainder of his days in Tipton county. He died December 16, 1907. He married Mary (Richart) Layton, and to this union there were born three children: Eli C., the subject of this sketch; Susan M., born September 12, 1869, the wife of William L. Campbell, and the mother of four children, Adie, Luther, Ernest and Gladys; Samuel B., born July 5, 1872, who was married to Florence Chism, and has five chil- dren, Oris, deceased, Clara, Frank, Carl, deceased, and Elbert. Mrs. Eli Coverdale, Sr., died March 5, 1910.

Eli C. Coverdale was reared upon the old homestead and was early trained to habits of industry and economy. The value of these he has proved in his later life by using them in his business career with a fair measure of success. In the public schools he mastered the branches of learning usually taught and, after putting aside his school books, he farmed with his father for some years. After his marriage he rented a farm and in addition to managing his farm he became interested in the buying and baling of hay and straw, a business which he has conducted very successfully for several years. In fact. it has reached such proportions that he now puts up an average of thirty thousand bales a year and derives no small part of his income from this source.

Mr. Coverdale was married to Emma L. Pendergrass, the daughter of Raleigh and Mary (Henry) Pendergrass, and six children have been born to bless this union: Ernest, who married Latuscha Dutton, and has one son, Raleigh; Raleigh, unmarried; Laura, the wife of Vern Gappins, and three chil- dren who are still at home, James Albert, John and Cordelia Esperence. Mrs. Coverdale's parents were both natives of Indiana, being married in Rush county and living there until 1880, when they moved to Tipton county. where they lived the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Raleigh Pendergrass were the parents of ten children, Clinton, Oscar, Luella, Emma, Louella, Etta, James Albert (deceased). Bailey, Earl and Eva.

Eli C. Coverdale has been a member of the Prohibition party for many years, and keeps well informed on the issues of the day and thus is able to

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support his position by intelligent argument. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He also holds membership in the order of Royal Neighbors. He and all the members of his family are closely identified with the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Coverdale being a trustee of the church at the present time. He was also the superintendent of the Sabbath school several years and takes a very prominent part in all the activities of the denomination. The family on both sides are members of the church, his father being a mem- ber for more than sixty years. The success which Mr. Coverdale has at- tained in life has been by no means the result of fortunate circumstances, but has come to him through energy, labor and perseverance, directed by an evenly balanced mind and by honorable business principles. His whole life has been such that he has the satisfaction of feeling that every one with whom he has come in contact feels that he is a friend and neighbor indeed.

GEORGE W. DUNCAN.

Success in this life comes to the deserving. It is an axiom demon- strated by all human experience that a man gets out of this life what he puts into it, plus a reasonable interest on the investment. The individual who inherits a large estate and adds nothing to his fortune cannot be called a suc- cessful man. He that falls heir to a large fortune and increases its value is successful in proportion to the amount he adds to his possessions. But the man who starts in the world unaided and by sheer force of will, controlled by correct principles, forges ahead and at length reaches a position of honor: among his fellow citizens, achieves success such as representatives of the two former classes can neither understand nor appreciate. To a consider- . able extent, the subject of this sketch is a creditable representative of the class last named, a class which has furnished much of the bone and sinew of the country and added to the stability of our government and its institu- tions.

George W. Duncan, a successful farmer of Prairie township, Tipton county, Indiana. residing on his well-cultivated farm of one hundred and fifty-seven acres, is a native of the Hoosier state, born in Rush county on January 8, 1846, the son of James and Matilda ( Cones) Duncan, the former of whom was a native of West Virginia and the latter was born in Kentucky. James Duncan did not come to Indiana until after having reached years of

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maturity. He was educated in his native state and when a young man worked for a short time on boats plying the Ohio river. He soon gave up that occupation and took up the vocation of a farmer, which he followed until his death, which occurred in August, 1885. In the fall of 1852 he came to Indiana, locating in Howard county, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres. He married Matilda Cones, daughter of John Cones, and to their union were born ten children, namely: John J., who married Susan Neal; Margaret, wife of Clark Shelton; Robert, who took as his wife Lida Gib- bons; Jacob A., whose wife was Catherine Coons; William C., who married Lida Brummet, and Mary E., who became the wife of Thomas Carr. Be- sides these, Rachael and Mary Jane died young and unmarried and William J. died in infancy. George W., one of the sons of this family, is the im- mediate subject of this sketch.

George W. Duncan received his early education in the schools of How- ard county and after leaving school, while still a young man, he enlisted. in September, 1863. for service in the war of the Rebellion, being a member of Company I, One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He gave faithful service and received his honorable discharge in 1864, after which he returned home and for about a year he assisted his father in the operation of his farm. Becoming dissatisfied, he made a journey into the state of Missouri with the intention of making that his future home. but did not find it to his liking and soon returned to the good old Hoosier state. Here he and his brother formed a partnership and farmed together. which relationship was continued up to the time the subject married. when he en- gaged in farming on his own accord. In September. 1869, he was united in marriage with Sarah Evans, daughter of John Evans. No children were born to this union, Mrs. Duncan not living long after her marriage. Her death occurred in 1871 and on March 20, 1873. Mr. Duncan took as his sec- ond wife Ida Chase, daughter of Joseph and Georgia ( Redmon) Chase. There were five children in the Chase family, of whom Jesse, Charles and Belle are deceased. Josie is the wife of Edwin Featherstone, and Ida, as above stated, is the present Mrs. Duncan. To Mr. Duncan by his second wife were born five children; two of whom died in early infancy. The remaining ones are: William A., who married Viola Coleman and they have one · child, Irene; Mabel is the widow of William Jarrett, whose death occurred in 1910. They were the parents of six children, Beulah. Osta, Nellie. George N. and two who died early in life. John Omar took as his wife Carrie Cooper and they are the parents of a daughter, Wilma.

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Politically, Mr. Duncan is a staunch supporter of the Democratic party, to whose affairs he gives his loyal support. He served his party as town- ship assessor of Prairie township from 1886 to 1891, and discharged the duties of this trying position to the satisfaction of all concerned. Since then he has not sought office for himself, but his influence is well known and counted upon by those who so aspire. Mr. Duncan's religious sympathies are with the Christian church, although not a member of that society himself. Mrs. Duncan is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

In every avenue of life's activities in which Mr. Duncan has engaged, he has been true to every trust and he is eminently deserving of the enviable position he holds in the esteem of all who know him. In the public life of the community Mr. Duncan takes a deep interest, giving his support to every movement which will conserve the best interests of his fellow citizens.

FRANK B. SPAULDING.

There are some men who seem to be able to make a success in any call- ing to which they turn their attention and the man who is versatile in more than one line is fortunate indeed. The subject of this sketch has made a notable success in three distinct lines of endeavor, namely, the teaching pro- fession, farming and, lastly, real estate and insurance business. There are certain qualities which any man must possess before he can hope to make a success of any profession, and it is safe to say that Frank B. Spaulding has these necessary qualities. As an educator for fifteen years in the schools of this county he was among the most successful teachers which the county has ever had. As a farmer for a number of years, he was no less successful along the line of agricultural pursuits. As a real estate and insurance man in Sharpsville he has built up a business which is second to none in the township. The success which he has attained in these three callings has been the result of steady and persistent labor and is not the result of any lucky accident or fortuitous circumstances. The family of which he is a sterling representative is one of the old honored ones of this section of the state, and the name which he bears has been conspicuously identified with the industrial and civic advancement of the county.

Frank B. Spaulding, the son of Nathan and Mary M. Spaulding, was born in Liberty township, Tipton county, Indiana, November 1, 1862. Nathan

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Spaulding was born in Jennings county, this state, October 9, 1827. When a young man he moved to Tipton county and bought the land on which the present town of Sharpsville is located. Nathan Spaulding was married to Mary M. Franklin, the daughter of Allen and Nancy Franklin, of Hancock county, Indiana, and to them were born twelve children, namely: William, who lives in Montana; Joseph, of Liberty township, this county; Allen, of Prairie township, this county; Frank B., Liberty township, this county; Monteville, of Liberty township; Leora, Edgar, Ward, of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Walter, of Tennessee; Jerry, deceased; Ella May and one child who died in infancy. Nathan has the honor of being the oldest Mason in Tipton county and the only living charter member of Reserve Lodge No. 363.

Frank B. Spaulding was given the best education which the county schools afforded and upon his graduation from the common schools he con- tinued his studies by attendance at the Central Normal College at Danville, Indiana. After graduating from the teachers' course in this institution, he engaged in the teaching profession for a period of fifteen years in Liberty township, this county. The training he had received in college was supplemented by wide reading, which he maintained during all his teaching experience. There is no profession which gives such a knowledge of human nature as the teaching profession, and the experience which Mr. Spaulding gained in his fifteen years of school room service stood him in good stead in his later career. The teaching profession lost one of the best teachers which the county has ever had when he decided to lay aside the rod and engaged in agriculture. He had been saving his money and had in- vested it in land and at the time he retired from teaching he owned seventy acres of fine land in Liberty township. The next fifteen years of his life were spent on the farm and here he was signally successful as he had been in the school room. He was soon recognized as one of the most popular and wide-awake farmers of the township and took high rank as a general farmer and stock raiser. However, after fifteen years of continuous work on the farm, he decided to retire from active farm life and engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Sharpsville. Here again he was suc- cessful from the start, because he possessed those qualities of mature judg- ment, sound discretion and courtesy in all his business transactions. He handled not only. land in Indiana, but has listed farm lands in other states as well. He handles both fire and life insurance and has an intimate knowl- edge of the intricacies of insurance problems.

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History of Tipton County Indiana, Part 47

Author: M. W. Pershing Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Number of Pages: 701

Author: M. W. Pershing
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 701