USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Richmond > Memoirs of Wayne County and the city of Richmond, Indiana; from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Wayne County, Volume II Pt II > Part 54
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the log school house and later in a frame building. At the age of twenty-two years he was married to Mary Fulghum, Dec. 21, 1848. She was a daughter of Michael and Sarah ( Woodard) Ful- ghum, natives of North Carolina, but Mary was born in Wayne county, Indiana, Ang. 25, 1825, and died May 22, 1850. Of this union was born one child, Joseph Il., who died in infancy, the mother passing away at his birth. On May 20, 1852, Mr. Wil- liams was married to Catherine Pearson, daughter of Robert and Catherine ( Price) Pearson, natives of Miami county, Ohio, where Catherine was born March 31. 1834. She died March 16, 1904. She was a life member of the Friends' church and a minister for a number of years prior to her death. Of this second union nine children were born: Alvah, born April 29, 1853, died Sept. 21, 1854; Elizabeth M., born Oct. 23, 1854, was the wife of Dr. Joseph B. Meek, of Boston, Ind., and her death occurred May 9, 1911, a member of the Friends' church ; Albert, born April 15, 1857, resides in New Garden township; Adeline, born Nov. 9, 1859, is the widow of Addison Hiatt and resides in Fountain City ; Caroline, born Sept. 27, 1861, married George Frazier and died in Decem- ber, 1903; Robert, born March 8, 1863, resides on a farm near Fountain City ; Daniel W., born May 13. 1865, resides in Rich- mond, Ind. ; Mary Alice, born Dec. 19, 1869, resides at home ; Edgar J., born Feb. 2, 1874, resides in Seattle, Wash., and is the pastor of the Friends' church in that place. The mother passed away on March 16, 1904. a noble Christian in every sense of the term. She and her husband began housekeeping on a farm one and one-half miles southwest of Fountain City and the family re- sided there until 1908, when Mr. Williams rented his fine farm and removed to Fountain City, where he resides, retired from active business. Ile is a lifelong member of the Society of Friends and all of his children are birthright members. His political affilia- tions have always been with the Republican party.
Willard Elmer Williams, now living comparatively retired in Milton, but still giving attention to the general management of his farming interests, was born in Washington township, Wayne county, July 3, 1853, son of James and Emily ( Wallace) Williams. The parents were both born in Washington township, the father on Jan. 2, 1822, and the mother, June 15, 1831. The paternal grand- father, Joseph Williams, was born in Virginia and there married Miss Charity . Adams. He came to Wayne county about 1812 and located in Washington township, where he entered 160 acres of land, which he cleared and farmed until he sold it to his son, James. He died in Fayette county, March 23, 1855. James Wil- liams was educated in the district schools and then worked on his father's farm until he became the owner of it, as already stated. Hle retired in 1884 and moved to Milton, where he died May 27. 1890, and where his widow is now living. They were married Ang. 29, 1850, and two daughters and a son were born of their union. Amanda, who is deceased, was born June 16, 1851, and was married Sept. 23, 1874, to Albert Caldwell. She died June 27, 1878. Sarah I. was born Sept. 28, 1855, and was married Feb.
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17, 1875, to Oliver H. Beeson. Willard E. Williams received his educational training in the district schools of Washington town- ship and at Spiceland Academy. His start in business life was made with his father, from whom he learned scientific farming, and upon reaching manhood he purchased eighty acres of land. Upon the death of his father he purchased the old homestead of 200 acres and devoted his attention exclusively to agricultural pur- snits until 1894, when he moved to Milton. But he still manages his farm. In his political belief Mr. Williams is a Democrat but has never sought political preferment for himself. On Oct. II, 1876, occurred his marriage to Miss Fannie May Potter, of Fay- ette county, Indiana. Two children were the issue of this union. Ina is the wife of Samnel Ottus Crownover, a farmer of Wash- ington township, and has two children-James and Frances. llomer W. graduated as a civil engineer from Purdue with the class of 1910 and is employed in civil engineering work in Chicago, Ill. Ile was in the Indiana University for two years before going to Purdue. He was married Sept. 19, 1908, to Miss Jessie Jean Price, of Hamilton, Ohio. Mr. Williams' residence is on Main street in Milton.
Stephen Thomas, a retired citizen of Fountain City, was born in Franklin township, Wayne county, two miles east of Fountain City, at the old Thomas homestead, Nov. 2, 1839, a son of Charles and Nancy ( Moorman) Thomas. The paternal grandparents were Stephen and Hannah ( Mendenhall) Thomas, the former of whom came from North Carolina about 1812 and settled about one mile southeast of Fountain City, in New Garden township, on the place now owned by J. C. Martin. He entered a claim to a tract of un- cleared land and began making the necessary improvements. Ile eventually erected a frame house and the residue of his life was spent there as a farmer, rearing a large family. He was an anti- slavery Whig in his political views and was a member of the Friends' church. Charles Thomas, father of Stephen, received his education in the schools of New Garden township and began life by assisting his father on the farm. U'pon reaching man's estate he purchased a farm in Franklin township and built a log cabin upon it. Ilis first purchase consisted of eighty acres and he event- ually owned 120 acres. Later, he erected a brick house on the farm and this building is still in a good state of preservation. After the death of his father he rented his farm and moved to that of his mother, eventually selling the 120 acres east of Fountain City, and he cared for his mother until her death, at the advanced age of more than ninety years. His wife, Nancy Moorman, the mother of Stephen Thomas, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Talton Moor- man, of Randolph county, Indiana, but natives of North Carolina. and she died about 1865. Two years after her death Charles Thomas removed to lowa and there was married to Elizabeth Max- well, a native of that State, and he returned to Wayne county about 1870. Later, he again moved to Iowa and lived there the residue of his life, dying at the age of seventy -six years. He was originally a Whig in his political adherency and helped organize the Re-
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publican party, being a strong Lincoln partisan. He and his wife were members of the Quaker church. To Charles and Nancy (Moorman) Thomas were born thirteen children: One died in infancy ; Sidney died at middle age at the residence of her father in Iowa; the third in order of birth died in infancy; Peter, de- ceased, married Frances Cox and farmed in New Garden township ; the fifth in order of birth died in infancy; Stephen is the sixth in order of birth; Mark, deceased, farmed in Iowa and his widow, Almeda ( Barnett) Thomas, resides there; Hannah is the widow of Robert Kinworthy, a farmer in Marion county, Indiana ; Moor- man, deceased, was a farmer in lowa; Mary is the wife of Andrew Edwards, a retired farmer of Winchester, Ind .; Daniel is living retired at Tacoma, Wash. ; Amanda is the widow of William Whit- son and resides in Indianapolis; and Lucy is the wife of Joel Bar- nett, a farmer of Iowa. Stephen Thomas attended the public schools of New Garden township and spent his youth on the farm with his father. In 1860 he rented a farm near Arba, Randolph county, where he resided three years, and then removed to Frank- lin township, locating about two miles northeast of Fountain City, where he purchased eighty acres and resided until the spring of 1869. He then moved to within six miles of Richmond, in New Garden township, on the Fountain City pike, where he purchased twenty acres of land. About 1872 he sold the eighty aeres in Franklin township and has added to his twenty-aere purchase until he now owns 132 acres. In the fall of 1892 he rented his farm and moved to Fountain City, where he engaged in the grain ele- vator business with his son, Julian. He retired from this business about 1900, and in 1906 purchased his present home. Mr. Thomas and his wife are members of the Friends' church, and in politics he was formerly a Republican, but is now a Prohibitionist. Prior to beginning his farming operations, in the years 1859 and 1860, Mr. Thomas was employed in a grist mill operated by his father and Hiram and Zeri Hough. It was an early water-power mill and was located about one mile west of New Garden Meeting House, which stands one mile southeast of Fountain City. On Feb. 16. 1860, was celebrated the union of Mr. Thomas to Miss Anna Horn, born in Randolph county, Indiana, Aug. 16, 1836, daughter of Jeremiah and Mazana (Griffin) Horn, natives of North Carolina. Of this union were born five children : Albert, born Aug. 28, 1861, married Geneva Benson and is a farmer in New Garden township; Martha J., born June 11, 1864, is the wife of Lineus Reese, a farmer in New Garden; Julian IL., born March 9, 1866, married Elizabeth Turner and they have six children-Ethel, Roy, Eva, Anna, Earl, and Opal; Nancy, born Nov. 5, 1868, resides at the parental home ; and Emily, born Feb. 2, 1873, married Clarence Hongh and died Nov. 27, 1896, the mother of a son, Harold, born March 6, 1893, who is being reared by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. Eva Thomas, daughter of Julian H., is the wife of Ralph Spencer, of Richmond, and they have a son, Thomas, the only great-grandchild of Stephen Thomas and wife. To the parents of Mrs. Thomas were born seven chil- dren-two sons and five daughters: Henry is deceased; Matilda
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is the widow of Anthony Clements and resides in Fountain City ; Anna is the wife of Mr. Thomas; William lives retired at Lynn, Randolph county ; Emily is deceased; Martha is the wife of James Charles, of Richmond ; and Caroline married Clarkson Charles and both are deceased.
William Melvin Wallace, of Washington township, a well known citizen of Wayne county, Indiana, has furnished the follow- ing facts concerning himself and ancestry, for the benefit of his de- scendants who may refer to these pages long after he is dead and gone, and thereby not only learn of an honored ancestry, but from their long and useful lives gain much to emulate. William M. Wal- lace was born in Washington township, Wayne county, Indiana, July 10, 1849, and is descended from distinguished American stock. Ilis father, John Wallace, was born in Washington township, Sept. 3, 1822. He was educated in the district schools of Washington township. As a young man he went to St. Louis, where he helped set out a large nursery, and then returned to Washington township and engaged in farming, which occupation he followed until he retired and removed to Milton, in 1888, and in that place he died March 2, 1896. John Wallace married Miss Elizabeth Wright, Sept. 26, 1848, and of this union the following children were born: Wil- liam M. ; Savannah D., deceased; Frank W., of Washington town- ship; and Josephine, the widow of Frank Clouds and a resident of Indianapolis. The mother of these children was born near Broad Ripple, Marion county, Indiana, April 17, 1824, and died at Milton, Ind., Oct. 20, 1902. The paternal grandfather was also named John Wallace and was born at Monticello, Va., Sept. 26, 1780. Ile came to Wayne county in 1811 and took up a large tract of govern- ment land, which he cleared and continued to cultivate until his death, Sept. 23, 1842. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife was Mary Banks, born Dec. 1, 1798, in Kentucky, and they were married March 16, 1815. She was a daughter of Adam Banks, a noted Baptist preacher. Of their union were born twelve chil- dren : Oliver, Cyrus, Stephen, James, John, William, Preston, Sarah, Richard, Emily, Allen, and a daughter who died in infancy. All of these children are dead with the exception of Emily, who is the widow of James Williams and resides at Milton. William M. Wallace was educated in the district schools of Washington town- ship and worked on his father's farm until 1874, when he began operations for himself upon the farm where he resides. He built the residence which he occupies and continued general farming until the past few years he has devoted his attention to the raising of small fruits, etc., naming his place "Sunny Side Farm." Politically he is a "Jefferson Democrat," and has always taken a lively interest in behalf of his party and its principles. He does not affiliate with any church, believing that his reward for a well spent life will depend upon his honest and npright intercourse with his fellow men. He has been twice married, first to Dora S. Veach, March 3, 1874. She died May 29, 1881, and his second union was on Nov. 23. 1887, to Miss Eva J. Adams, daughter of John C. and Hannah A. ( White) Adams, born Oct. 17, 1861. There were two
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children by the first marriage: Marvin V., born Feb. 13, 1879, was married Ang. 31, 1910, to Miss Elma Cobbin, of Butte, Mont., where he resides, and Dora Belle, born May 20, 1881, has been teaching for several years and is engaged at present in the city schools of Minne- af lis, Minn. They were both educated in the Indiana University. By the second marriage of Mr. Wallace there is a daughter, Edna Adams, born June 29, 1891, and she resides at home with her par- ents, being a teacher in the schools of Washington township. Mr. Wallace, at the age of sixty-two years, is residing upon his well improved farm in Washington township, enjoying the fruits of his industrious life. John C. Adams, father of Mrs. Wallace, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dec. 15, 1832, and died April 12. 1937. Ile was married to Miss Rhoda Miller in 1850, and to them were born three children-Joseph, John, and Isadora. Death entered the home, taking the mother while the family lived in Nebraska. Mr. Adams returned to Cincinnati in 1856 and was engaged in canal boating between Cincinnati and Hagerstown, his boat being known as the' "Mayflower." In 1857 his daughter, Isadora, passed away. Mr. Adams was again married, Jan. 2, 1861, to Hannah A. White, of Henry county, Indiana, where she was born Ang. 22. 1838, and to them were born seven children-Eva J., Florence, George I .. , Willard H., Ada B., Gertrude, and Franklin. Florence died in Cambridge City in 1864. Mr. Adams quit canal work and became a contractor for paper hanking and painting, which he followed until he became unable to work. In 1878 death took the son, John, and on Aug. 27, 1897, death again entered the home and took the loving mother and wife. These parents were survived by four sons, three daughters, and nine grandchildren. Mr. Adams was a member of the Masonic order and the Red Men and Pocahontas lodges and his funeral was conducted by these orders. Joseph Adams, his oldest son, died at Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 1, 1999. George L. Adams was married April 25, 1886, to Miss Leona Jay, and three children were born to them-Robert, Raymond, and Russell. Robert was drowned in White river and Russell died of spinal fever. The father of these children died Feb. 8. 1911. of Bright's disease, at the age of forty-five years, he having been born Nov. 18, 1865. Ile had been an engineer on the Pennsylvania rail- road for twenty years before his death, residing at Indianapolis during all of his married life. His wife passed away Sept. 17, 1995. and their surviving son, Raymond, is engaged in the railroad busi- ness. The father was again married, Nov. 18, 1997, to Mrs. Lorinda Golay, of Indianapolis. Willard 11. Adams was married to Lida llires, of Centerville, and resides at Decatur, Ill. Ada B. Adams, born Feb. 6, 1870, is married to Thomas J. Copeland, resides at Miami, Okla., and they have three daughters: Hazel E., born April 23, 1805; Mabel, Oct. 19, 1806; and Eva, Nov. 30, 19)1. Gertrude Adams was married to a Mr. Horseman and resides in Richmond, and the whereabouts of Franklin Adams is unknown.
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N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962
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