USA > Indiana > Fountain County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Past and present of Fountain and Warren Counties, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 44
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Politically, Mr. Hughes has always given his support to the Republican party, and his fraternal membership is with the Masonic order at Attica. His
8 B Hughes
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religious affiliation is with the Presbyterian church, of which he is a liberal supporter. Mr. Hughes owns and occupies one of the finest homes in Foun- tain county, the residence, which is most eligibly situated, containing twenty- five rooms, the house, which is well arranged and supplied with all modern conveniences, being of the colonial style of architecture. The lawn and yard about the house proper comprises five acres of ground, in addition to which there are forty-two acres of land mostly covered with a magnificent grove of native timber. The property is within the corporation limits and is unex- celled by any residence property in the neighborhood.
Of late years Mr. Hughes has developed into quite a "globe trotter." In IQII he, with a bachelor friend, took a trip abroad, including a visit to the Holy Land and other historic foreign points. Returning, they took passage on the "Celtic," the ship which immediately followed the ill-fated "Titanic," being about five hundred miles from the scene of the terrible sea disaster at the time it occurred. Mr. Hughes has never married. Ile is a genial and un- assuming gentleman, whom it is a pleasure to meet, and is a pleasing and in- telligent conversationalist, whose company is always agreeable. He has a host of acquaintances and an equal number of friends.
WILLIAM MUNSON.
Agriculture has been an honored vocation from the earliest ages and as a usual thing men of honorable and humane impulses, as well as those of energy and thrift, have been patrons of husbandry. The free outdoor life of the farm has a decided tendency to foster and develop that independence of mind and self-reliance which characterize true manhood and no greater blessing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the healthful, life-inspiring labor of the fields. It has always been the fruitful soil from which have sprung the moral bone and sinew of the nation, and the majority of our country's great warriors, wise statesmen, renowned scholars and distinguished men of letters were born on the farm and are indebted to its early influence for the distinction which they have attained.
William Munson, who is manager of the extensive farming interests of Boyer and Durborow, in Washington township, Warren county, Indiana, is a native of the county in which he now lives, having been born near Green Hill on the 12th of March, 1868. He is the son of Bestana and Edna ( Harmon) Munson. The father, who also was a native son of this county, was born
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near Green Hill. Hfe was a land owner and very successful farmer during his active years, but is now living retired, enjoying the fruits of former labors. He is the father of three children, the oldest of which is the subject of this sketch, the others being Lizzie and George.
The subject was reared under the paternal roof and his education was received in the schools of the neighborhood, his vacation periods being spent in work on his father's farm, where he learned those lessons of industry, patience and perseverance which have contributed so largely to his later suc- cess. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Munson left home and began working on his own account. He has been a steady and reliable man wherever placed and during all his active years he has farmned only three places. He is now farming the Boyer and Durborow farms, comprising five hundred acres, and has been very successful in his work. He is assisted by his son, Glenn, and two hired hands. These farms are well adapted to the diversified farming to which they are devoted and abundant crops are raised. Mr. Munson is thoroughly practical as a farmer and neglects no detail of his work. Recently Mr. Munson purchased a finely improved farm of ninety acres in Shawnee township, Fountain county, where he expects to make his future home.
Mr. Munson was married to Estella May Corkery, the daughter of James and Mary (Reynolds) Corkery, natives of Fountain county, Indiana. The father is dead, but his widow is living and makes her home with her children. To Mr. and Mrs. Munson has been born a son, Glenn, who is attending the public schools and helping in the work of the farm.
Fraternally, William Munson is a member of the Knights of Pythias and in his daily life he endeavors to exemplify the splendid teachings of that order. He has, by his honest principles and wholesome life, gained the respect and esteem of all and gained many warm and loyal friends who have been drawn to him by his admirable traits of character.
JOHN E. YOUNG.
All callings, whether humble or exalted, may be productive of. some measure of success if enterprise and industry, coupled with a well-directed purpose, form the motive force of the person directing the same, and in no case is this fact more apparent than in agricultural pursuits. It is a well authenticated fact that success comes as the result of legitimate and well applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance as well as the
FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA. 759
above-enumerated qualities. When a course of action is once decided upon these attributes are essential. Success is never known to sinile upon the idler or dreamer and she never courts the loafer and only those who have diligently souglit her favor are crowned with her blessings. In tracing the history of the prosperous and influential agriculturist whose name formis the caption of this review, we find that the above named elements have entered very largely into his makeup and therefore there is no surprise at the large and ever-growing success which he has attained.
John E. Young was born on May 1, 1845, and is the son of John and Joan (Campbell) Young, natives and lifelong residents of Fountain county, Indiana. The grandfather was also named John Young. To John and Joan Young were born eight children, as follows: Sarah Jane, deceased; Carrie is the wife of Dave Martin, of Fountain county; Marilla is the wife of Marion Pyle, also of Fountain county; Philander, deceased; Alonzo, de- ceased ; John E., the subject of this sketch; Lizzie, the widow of George Cast ; William, unmarried and deceased.
Jolm E. Young was reared under the paternal roof and secured his edu- cation in the common schools, his vacation periods being spent in work on the farm. He has always followed the pursuit of husbandry and is now the owner of one hundred and forty acres of good land, all of which is under cultivation excepting about ten acres. He is also vice-president and à stock- holder of the Covington Sand and Gravel Company. Mr. Young is practical in his methods and follows general farming, giving some attention also to the raising of live stock, making a specialty of shorthorn cattle. His farm is well improved, the buildings and fences being kept in good repair and every- thing about the place bearing an air of prosperity.
In 1875 Mr. Young was married to Emma Olive Ralston, the daughter of Alexander Ralston, of Fountain county. This has been a most happy and congenial union and has resulted in the birth of the following children : Alonzo, who lives in Mound township, married Flora Mitchell and they have one child; he is secretary for the Covington Sand and Gravel Company; David is a farmer residing in Missouri; Cleveland, who lives with his brother David; Marion, Clarence, Mary and John are at home with their parents.
Politically, Mr. Young is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party and takes an intelligent interest in current affairs, though he is not in any sense a seeker after public office. His religious affiliation is with the Presbyterian church, to which he gives his earnest support. In every relation of life Mr. Young has been found true to every trust and because of his high character he has won and retains the warm regard of all who know him.
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FOUNTAIN AND WARREN COUNTIES, INDIANA.
DAVID HI. BEASLEY.
A citizen of the United States can wear no greater badge of honor than the distinction of having served the government in the four years of war between the states. It is a sacred family inheritance of renown, to be prized like a jewel by all future descendants and kept bright and untarnished by other acts of valor, patriotism and loyalty in the interests of free government. The subject of this sketch was one of the brave "boys in blue" who went forth to the defense of Old Glory and today he is rich in the respect and confidence of all who know him.
David H. Beasley is the son of John S. and Emily ( Devore) Beasley. The paternal grandfather, Nathaniel Beasley, was a native of Virginia, but spent the latter part of his life in the state of Ohio. John S. Beasley was born in Ohio in 1806 and came to Indiana in 1850, locating in Montgomery county, where he carried on agricultural pursuits. His death occurred on May 25, 1872. The subject's mother was born in Brown county, Ohio, and by her union with John S. Beasley she became the mother of thirteen children, six of whom are living.
The subject of this sketch was born on November 23, 1839. He received his elementary education in the common schools and then became a student in old Asbury College, now DePauw University. At the beginning of the Civil war, in 1861, he enlisted for military service, but did not get in under the first call. Under the second call for volunteers he was more successful, however. and at Champaign, Illinois, he joined the One Hundredth and Twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under the immediate command of Capt. F. B. Sale. Mr. Beasley was made quartermaster sergeant and served in that capacity throughout the war. Mr. Beasley's family had a very creditable mili- tary record, five of his brothers also having enlisted and all survived the war. Mr. Beasley was with General Sherman on his historic march to the sea, though his official position did not permit him to take the field. During Sher- man's second march Mr. Beasley was captured on the 3d day of March, 1865, and he was one of the last prisoners confined in Libby prison, being there at the close of the war. He was finally paroled and reached home the night President Lincoln was assassinated.
Mr. Beasley has always followed agricultural pursuits, carrying on gen- eral farming and stock raising. He is now the owner of four hundred acres of land, lying partly in Fountain county and partly in Illinois, the latter tract being his father's old farm, which was patented to him from the government
DABeasley
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Besides his farm work, Mr. Beasley has taken a live interest in the general welfare of the community and was one of the prime movers in starting the old handle factory in Attica.
On May 28, 1874, Mr. Beasley was united in marriage with Anna Clap- ham, who was born about four miles east of Attica on December 19, 1847, the daughter of W. H. and Catherine (Colvert) Clapham1. She received a good common school education and also attended college at Evanston, Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Beasley were born two children, both of whom are deceased.
Mr. Beasley keeps alive his old army associations through his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. His religious membership is with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a trustee and an active member. Politically, he was a Republican up to the campaign of 1896, when he became a Democrat and has since voted that ticket. Mr. Beasley won success in life in a definite manner because he persevered in pursuit of a worthy purpose, and gained thereby a most satisfactory reward. His life has been exemplary in every respect and he has always supported those interests which are calcu- lated to uplift and henefit his community.
JAMES E. HALL.
This is an age in which the farmer stands pre-eminently above any other class as a producer of wealth, and there is a rapidly growing sentiment among the dwellers of the great cities that the rural districts are the best, so they are going back to the soil in ever-increasing numbers, for there they not only find a greater independence and really have more of the good things of life, not the least of which is better health of both body and mind. Among those who have spent their lives in the honorable calling of farmer is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch and he has had no reason to regret his choice of occupation, for he has met with a very satisfactory de- gree of success ..
James E. Hall was born in Adams township, Warren county, Indiana, in 1840, and is the son of Abraham and Esther (Campbell) Hall. Abraham Hall, who was a native of Virginia, removed from that state to Ohio and, after remaining in that state for awhile, he came to Warren county, Indiana, settling in Adams township, where he was successfully engaged in farming during the remainder of his life. He was a well known and influential citizen in his community. A Republican in politics, he was elected justice
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of the peace and rendered efficient and appreciated service in that position for many years. His religious membership was with the Methodist Episco- pal church. To him and his wife were born seven children, namely: Allen C., Mary, Jonathan C., James E., Elizabeth, Sarah and Evaline.
James E. Hall received a good practical education in the common schools and he learned what hard labor incant, as his services were needed on the home farm. He has followed the pursuit of agriculture all his life and his efforts have been rewarded with a fair measure of success. His farm is well improved and its general appearance indicates the owner to be a man of ex- cellent taste and good judgment. He raises all the principal crops common to this section of the country and also gives some attention to the raising of live stock. He is up-to-date in his methods and employs modern implements in his work, so that his labor is reduced to the minimum.
On April 8, 1875, Mr. Hall was united in marriage with Julia Ridge, the daughter of John C. and Elizabeth (Clark) Ridge. Mr. and Mrs. Ridge were natives of Ohio, but in an early day they came to Indiana, settling at Battle Ground. There Mr. Ridge became postmaster, filling the office for many years. By occupation he was a cabinet-inaker and was considered an excellent workman. They were the parents of seven children, Mary Jane, William, Julia, Alice, Charles and two who died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Hall have been born three children, one that died in infancy, and Camp- bell R. and Elizabeth, who are both at home.
Mr. Hall gives his political support to the Republican party and has always been actively interested in the success of that ticket. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he gives his ear- nest support. Of forceful personality and genial disposition, Mr. Hall readily makes friends 'and in the circles in which he moves he is well liked by all.
MRS. ANNA M. COOK.
It is a fact that the women of the farming community are hardly ever given any credit for the sacrifices and labors incident to their lives. Though very often they are of material benefit to their husbands or even surpass them in industry and saving they are generally overlooked when the credits are entered on the daily ledger of the community. As a matter of fact, it is true that the most of men ascribe to their wives the greatest share in securing a home, accumulating a competency and in rearing a family. Some people
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seem to forget that the "hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." Every great man has a great mother. No man should overlook the part taken in his success by the wife of his young manhood. She struggled with him through the trials of getting started in the world and should be the sharer of his triumphs as well as his sorrows. But some men arrogate to themselves the lion's share of the glory and attempt to belittle the part, or at least inadvertently omit it, borne by women in our civilization, when they should have given their wives the proper credit, let the sunshine into their lives and been repaid a thousand fold. One of the estimable women of Fountain county who has been of great service to those with whom she has been associated and whose efforts, counsel and sympathy have always been properly appreciated, is Mrs. Anna M. Cook, · f Veedersburg.
Mrs. Anna M. Cook was born January 15, 1854, in Fountain county, In- diana. She is the daughter of Edward and Hanna (Henderson) Dearing. the father born in Virginia in 1804, and died on February 26, 1880. The mother was born in Indiana, and her death occurred in Kansas. When a child Edward Dearing moved from the Old Dominion to Kentucky, and he subsequently moved to Fountain county, Indiana, when the country was new, and here he established his permanent home and was married, his union with Hannah Henderson, who was Mrs. Hesler, resulting in the birth of five chil- dren, four sons and a daughter, Anna M., the subject. He had been pre- viously married, and one daughter was born of his first union. He devoted his life to general farming.
Anna M. Dearing grew to womanhood on the home farm and she re- ceived her education in the common schools; however, she is very largely self-educated, by wide miscellaneous reading and home study. On November 9, 1868, she was united in marriage with Marion Cook, who was born in 1847, and his death occurred on April 23, 1900. He was the son of Perry and Maranda (Lightfoot) Cook, both coming from Kentucky to Fountain county, Indiana, in an early day, and here devoted their lives to farming. Mrs. Cook's mother-in-law is still living, making her home in Sterling.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Marion Cook began farming and general stock raising. He was the owner of fifty acres in Cain township, later moved to the town of Sterling where he opened a general store and he was enjoying a large patronage when his health failed and he was compelled to abandon the store. He was never robust and could do only light work His death occurred about fifteen years after he left the store.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cook, namely: Billy, born in
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1870, died when eight years old; Maude, born June 9, 1872, married Jacob La Baw, a carpenter and contractor, and they make their home in Sterling; they have one child, Beatrice May, who lives at home. May Cook was born in 1874, and died July 23. 1902; Clare R., born March 31, 1877. married, July 18, 1908, Maria O'Neil, and they have two children, Reaullua and Don- ald. Clare Cook was a soldier in the Spanish-American war, having enlisted in the United States army on January 12, 1898, under Captain Hale, who was killed at Leach Lake, Minnesota, after which Mr. Cook served under Captain Beal, later sailing for the Philippine islands, from New York. about February 23, 1908, on the transport "Sherman," by way of Gibraltar, the voyage requiring fifty-two days. Mr. Cook went into active service the sec- ond day he arrived in the Philippines, and he participated in the following battles: Caloocan, March 21, 1899; at Malose, March 30, 1899 ; was on Gen. Henry W. Lawton's mountain expedition, from April 21 to May 15. 1899, being in twenty-six engagements enroute, and was in three engagements on May 23d on the trip from San Miguel to Balnag; he was in the Gungus en- gagement August 14, 1899, also the General Grant engagement in Batauni province, September 20, 1899. He was in Captain McCrie's flying columns in the mountains in Pampanga, December 26, 1899, to January 31, 1900. He was in the General Grant expedition against the mountain stronghold of Baluague, from June 1I tor 15, 1900; also the engagement with the in- surgents on Santa Cruz river, the last engagement ending July 4, 1900. He served in about fifty-two engagements in all, in which, according to his com- rades, he conducted himself as befitting a gallant American soldier, never shrinking from duty, no matter how arduous or dangerous, and won alike the confidence and praise of his comrades and superior officers. He was dis- charged at Angel Island, January 11, 1902, at the government recruiting sta- tion in San Francisco bay.
The youngest child of Marion Cook and wife was Porter Cook, whose birth occurred in 1880, and who married Alice Wilson; they have one child, Cash C.
Marion Cook was a Republican, but he never took much interest in political affairs and never held office. He served as a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war, although he was but seventeen years old when he enlisted, he having gone to the front in his father's stead, the latter being un- able to leave home, and rather than hire a substitute sent his son to the front. The date of his enlistment was November 2, 1864, under Captain Park, at Lafayette, Indiana, and there he was mustered out of the service after a
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very faithful discharge of his duty, having been in the army one year. He was with Sherman in his famous march to the sea, and he participated in the skirmishes along the route, also a number of battles after that. He was honorably discharged on July 24, 1865, having been a private in Company 1, Twenty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
Mrs. Cook and her family belong to the Christian church, and are faith- ful in their support of same.
ELIJAH CRANE.
Warren county, Indiana, enjoys a high reputation because of the high order of her citizenship, and none of her citizens occupies a more enviable position in the esteem of his fellows than the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch .. A lifelong residence here of over seventy years has given his fellows a full opportunity to observe him in the various lines of activity in which he has engaged and his present high standing is due solely to the honorable and upright course he has pursued. As a leading citizen of his community he is eminently entitled to representation in a work of this character.
On both the paternal and maternal lines Elijah Crane is descended from a long line of sterling ancestry. On the paternal side the line is traced to Joseph and Ruth Crane, of New Providence, Union county, New Jersey. Among their children was Jonathan Crane, who was born in 1774, and died on October 20, 1863. He married Keziah Tappan in 1798 (for Tappan an- cestry, see later paragraphs), and their children were Nancy, Huldah, Joseph, James, Henry, Mary, Phoebe, Harvey and Joel. Of these children, Joseph was born on February 2, 1805, and died on October 7, 1866. On the 28th of February, 1826, he married Mary A. Gibson, who was born on May 16, 1807, and died on June 18, 1880, she being the daughter of James and Ann Gibson. To Joseph and Mary A. (Gibson) Crane were born children as follows: Joanna W. Crane, born December, 1830, died on May 30, 1856; Malinda, born February 17, 1836; Joel, born February 1, 1838, died Septem- ber 14, 1866; Elijah, born May 13, 1841, who is the immediate subject of this review.
Tracing another branch of the paternal line, the Tappan family, the fol- lowing are the generations down to the merging of the line with the Crane family :
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(I) Abraham Tappan, son of William Topham, of Callbridge, in the parish f Coverham, and fourth in descent from Robert Tappan, of Linton in the west rising of Yorkshire, was baptized April 10, 1606. He lived for some time in Yarmouth, county of York. His wife, whose maiden name was Taylor, was born in the year 1607. In 1637, Abraham Toppan, with his wife, two children and maid-servant, took passage in the "Mary Ann" for New England. He was admitted into the township of Newbury, October 16, 1637, and at different times during the following year several lots of land were granted to him. He made his will June 30, 1670, and his death oc- curred on November 5, 1672, aged sixty-six years, in the house which he built about 1670 for his son Jacob, and which house is still owned and, until recently, was occupied by his descendants. His widow died March 20, 1689. aged eighty-two years. The children of Abraham and Susanna (Taylor) Toppan were Peter, Elizabeth, Abraham, Jacob, Susanna, Jolin and Isaac (II).
(II) Isaac Toppan, youngest of the aforesaid children, was born in 1653, and on September 29, 1669, was married to Hannah Kent, by whom he had the following children : Isaac, Elizabeth, Jacob, David, John and Hannah. After the death of his first wife, Isaac Toppan, on March 27, 1691, married Mary March.
(III) Isaac Tappan, the eldest of the children born to Isaac and Han- nah (Kent) Toppan, was born on September 20, 1673. He married Nancy Wilkinson, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, and they had five sons and two daughters, namely: David, James, Abraham, Isaac, Benjamin, Sarah and Huldah.
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