USA > Indiana > Fountain County > Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties, Indiana : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens : together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 21
USA > Indiana > Montgomery County > Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties, Indiana : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens : together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 21
USA > Indiana > Parke County > Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties, Indiana : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens : together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 21
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his influence. He is a Notary Public, as is also his partner. The firm of Hensley & Johns is one widely known, as they are men of genuine public spirit, who generously aid all movements in any way calculated to advance the interests of town- ship or county.
AMES L. BEATTY, M. D. The subject of our sketch is a leading physician in the vil- age of New Market, Scott Township, Mont- gomery County, his office pleasantly situ- ated over Armentrout & Childer's store. Although a comparatively young man, he has achieved a brilliant success in his profession, and has a large practice. He was born April 14, 1859, on the old homestead near Greenville, Mercer County, Pa., the second child in order of birth of John Beatty. His father was also a native of that county, and a life-long resident of the same. Ile was a success- ful farmer, and engaged in agricultural pursuits for many years. In the latter part of his life he sold his farm, and removing to Greenville, he went into business as a contractor and builder. He was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, and was very active in promoting the growth of both church and Sunday-school. He was a Republican, and took part in the management of public affairs as an incumbent of many of the minor offices and as Trustee of his township, and in the administration of law as Justice of the Peace. He died in 1876, and was sincerely lamented. Mr. Beatty was twice married. His first wife was Miss Drusilla Lambert, a native of the same county as himself. She was the mother of four children. Ilis second marriage was with Mrs. Helen Shepard, and two children were given them. Four of his children are living.
Doctor Beatty received his early education in the public schools of his native county, graduating from the High School at Greenville in 1876. After leaving the High School our subject entered upon
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his medical studies under the competent instruc- tion of Dr. G. G. Brush, of Greenville. Well equipped for a college course, he subsequently be- came a student at the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati, in 1879, and was graduated from that institution in 1881 with honor to himself and credit to his class and the college. In establishing himself in his profession, he wisely selected the flourishing village of New Market as the scene of his future labors, and for the past eleven years he has been a resident of Indiana. As we have noted, he has already made a name and a place for him- self among our most intelligent and best-known physicians in Montgomery County.
Our subject was married in December, 1886, to Miss Mellie, daughter of Jobn L. Davis, a promi- nent farmer of Union Township. They have a pleasant and inviting home, gladdened by the presence of a little daughter, Ruth D., who was born in September, 1887.
In politics the Doctor is a Democrat. Socially, he is one of the foremost members of the Knights of Pythias Lodge No. 266, of New Market, and has been Master of the Exchequer one term. Re- ligiously, he has connected himself with the Christian Church, while his wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
AMES M. JOHNSON, a resident of section 28, Grecne Township, Parke County, is en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising on his homestead. Politically, he is a Dem- ocrat, and was elected Trustee of the township in 1876, to which position he was re-elected two years later, and again in 1882. He is the son of David Johnson, whose birth occurred in Shelby County, Ky., October 27, 1796. James, father of the latter, was of Irish descent and married Margaret Dixon, who lived to be about eighty-four years old. David Johnson was reared in Shelby County on a farm, and lived on the old homestead until he was mar-
ried in 1819 to Miss Sarah Collings, daughter of William Collings, one of the pioneers of Shelby County, who when he first went there was obliged to live in a fort for protection against the Indians. In 1835, our subject's father, with his wife and six children, came to Indiana, making a settlement in Union Township, Parke County. He bought one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 4, which had been partly improved. For about forty years his time was largely taken up in the im- provement and cultivation of his farm, which is now one of the best in the county. Ile was called to his final rest February 3, 1878, two years previ- ous to which liis wife had departed this life, on the 19th of July. He was a Jacksonian Dem- ocrat, and at one time was Justice of the Peace in Union Township. As a business man he was suc- cessful, and devoted himself to whatever he un- dertook with zeal and energy. In religious belief he was a Universalist, and in personal character was an upright and honorable man.
James M. Johnson, whose name heads this sketch, was born August 25, 1827, being one of ten chil- dren, all but one of whom grew to adult years. The following six are living: Phleming D., of this township; our subject, who is next in order of birth; Elizabeth Ann, wife of James II. Connelley, who lives near Hollandsburgh; Margaret F., wife of B. D. Carver, of Morton, Ind .; William C., who lives in Randolph County, Mo .; and John II., whose place of abode is on the old homestead in Union Township. In Shelby County, which was his birthplace, the boyhood days of our subject were passed, and when he was still a young lad he came with his parents to Indiana. His educa- tional privileges were limited to such as were af- forded by the district schools of the neighborhood, which he only attended during the short winter term.
Upon arriving at his majority, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage with Miss Emmeline McClain, the ceremony being performed December 16, 1847. IIer father, Jesse McClain, was for long years one of the honored agriculturists of Parke County. After his marriage, our subject took his young wife to a farm near the narrows of Sugar Creek, this county, which was their home for about two
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years, after which Mr. Johnson removed to his present farm, which he has since cultivated. Feb- ruary 7, 1863, his wife died, leaving four children, namely: Mary, wife of J. C. Rush, of Marshall, Ind .; David, who is assisting in carrying on his father's farm; Alice, wife of Charles Hawker, who lives in Hollandsburgh; and one who died in in- fancy.
The marriage of Mr. Johnson and Matilda Lan- ning was celebrated March 16, 1864. She is the daughter of Thomas Lanning, who emigrated from North Carolina to Indiana, settling in Greene Town- ship, where he entered eighty acres of land of the Government as early as 1830, being one of the pioneers of this region. Mrs. Johnson was born on this old homestead and acquired her education in the public schools. Four children graced the union. Francis and Cora Ellen are living, and Andrew and Alfred died in infancy.
In his early life our subject taught school for two terms successfully, and has always used his influence in the support of good schools. Hle now owns one hundred and thirty acres of fertile land, about one hundred of which are improved, and of this amount he usually has seventy-five acres cul- tivated each year.
HIOMAS S. MARSHALL is a resident of Rockville, and is the owner of one of the nicest places in the town. His residence is in the outskirts, and there he raises all kind of fruit and vegetables, paying great attention to horticulture. Our subject was born near Bloom- ingdale, Parke County, May 4, 1834, and is the son of Alfred Marshall, who emigrated from North Caro- lina, settling in Penn Township about the year 1827, where he engaged in farming and was num- bered among the earliest settlers. His brother, Judge John Marshall, who preceded him in coming to this State about two years, was one of the pio- neer merchants of Rockville.
Our subject's father removed to the Indian Re-
serve, in what is now Howard County, and was one of the very first settlers of that region, his nearest neighbors being east and south, eight miles away. He purchased land of the railroad company at 85 per acre, which he at once proceeded to cul- tivate and improve. In 1856 his wife died, and eleven years later he departed this life. The for- mer before her marriage was Miss Hannah, daugh- ter of John Woody, who was an early settler of the county. Mrs. Marshall was born in Guil- ford County, N. C., where her father used to run a ferry-boat on the Ilaugh River. Alfred Marshall, who was in the service during the War of the Rebellion, was formerly a Whig, and later became a Republican.
When the gentleman of whom we write was about thirteen years old, his father went to Howard County, and one year later he carried the mail between Delphi, Kokomo and Marion for eighteen months, going on horseback through the woods and across the wildest part of the country. He left Howard County in his twentieth year, and going to Hendricks County engaged in farming until 1856. It was in that year that he wedded Miss Mary Hadley, whose father, John Hadley, was an early settler and well-known agriculturist of the county. After his marriage Mr. Marshall lo- cated on a farm, which he purchased near Dan- ville, and there continued to make his home until the death of his wife, in 1888.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall was blessed with five daughters: Alice, wife of William Gilke- son, a farmer of Parke County; Eva, Lizzie, Min- nie and Matilda, who live at home. Morton Sher- man died in infancy. Soon after his wife's death, our subject sold his farm near Danville and came to Rockville. For four or five years previously, he had purchased furs in the winter season in this locality, in which he is still engaged to some ex- tent. He is very fond of hunting, and during the summer does considerable fishing as well.
For eighteen years Mr. Marshall was Postmaster in the village of Pecksburg, near his home. He is a true-blue Republican, and has held about all the township offices. During the war, he was Assessor for six years, and was Enrolling Officer. In 1863 he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and
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Seventeenth Indiana Infantry, and was made First Lieutenant, serving until the time of his enlist- ment had expired. Ile is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and has always been a loyal and patriotic citizen. The father of Thomas S. Mar- shall had five sons, all of whom were in the Union Army, as well as the father at the same time.
C HARLES RAMEY MILFORD. In giving a sketch of this gentleman it is but fair to say that he is one of the representative men of the county, and that he is a man of sound judg- ment and unimpeachable honesty. As a lawyer he ranks among the foremost legal lights of the county, and as a citizen and neighbor he is highly esteemed. Ile is now holding the respon- sible position of Mayor of Attica, and in that ca- pacity has discharged the duties in an able and satisfactory manner. Born in Crawfordsville, Ind., January 4, 1862, it may be seen that he is still young in years, but he has the ability and learning of a much older man.
Ilis parents, Monroe M. and Jennie (Ramey) Milford, were both natives of the Hoosier State, the mother born in Montgomery County, and a daughter of Alvin Ramey, ex-postmaster and merchant of Crawfordsville. Monroe Milford was born in Fountain County, and his father, Milton H. Milford, an able attorney, was register of the land office at Delphi. The latter was born in South Carolina, and came to Indiana about 1825, when about eleven years of age, making the journey with his father, Robert Milford, who entered land two and a-haif miles east of Attica, in the last-named year. Robert was one of the first probate judges of the county. He died in 1869. Milton Milford, grandfather of our subject, died about 1847, when thirty-three years of age.
Monroe Milford was a student in Wabashı Col- lege, and was a member of the Montgomery Guards, which were united with the Eleventh Regiment under Col. Wallace, and served ninety days. When
the war cloud fell heavily over the nation he of- fered his services for the Old Flag. While a student he was married to Miss Ramey, and graduated from Wabash College in 1862. Later he was admitted to the Fountain County Bar, and practiced law in this county until his death, which occurred on the 16th of April, 1884. He read law with his uncle, Marshall M. Milford, and was Mayor of the city of Attica two terms. While he was City Attorney the I. N. & S. Railroad brought suit to collect $60,000 bonus, but he fought it, as the road failed to locate shops as per agreement. This case was closely contested and was won by the city after a long struggle. In 1876 he was a Re- publican Presidential Elector, and was an orator and speaker under the State committee through Indiana. He was a strong, logical, magnetic speaker, who held his audience spellbound, and as a criminal lawyer he had few superiors. His wife died on the 6th of August, 1870.
The only child born to the above-mentioned worthy couple was our subject, who received his education in Princeton College, Princeton, N. J., in the Class of '82, being one of the "honor roll." He took a four-years academic course, after which he read law with his father until the spring of 1883, when he was admitted to the Bar. During the years 1883 and 1884 he was a teacher in the public schools at Danville, Ill., but kept himself thoroughly posted in law during that time. In March, 1885, he began the practice of his profession and is meeting with much success. He took a prominent part in the campaign of 1884, and in May, 1889, he was elected Mayor. So well did he fill this po- sition and in such a capable manner did he discharge its duties, that he was re-elected in 1891. The first time he was elected by a majority of twenty, but the last time by one hundred and ninety-four. During his terms there have been made many im- provements in the city, such as grading and placing concrete walks, etc., and the bonded debt lias been gradually reduced to about $5,000. Mr. Milford is also police judge, and the force now consists of marshal and night watchman. The fire depart- ment has also been improved in every way, and has fire plugs with water head sufficient to throw water over the highest buildings. Socially, our subject
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is a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the Knights of Pythias, having passed all the chairs in the latter organization. He is a member of the Grand Lodge. Mr. Milford is a sharp, shrewd at- torney, a careful, enterprising business man, and a much esteemed citizen.
HOMAS N. RICE is a member of the law firm of Rice & Johnston, in Rockville, Ind. He was born one mile north of Waveland, in Montgomery County, Ind., June 7, 1829. His father, Isaac Rice, was born in Rice's Fort, on Buffalo Creek, Washington County, Pa., on Christ- mas Day, 1796, and was in turn the son of Daniel Rice, a very early pioneer of that locality. The year after our subjeet's father was born, the fort was attacked by Indians, who were repelled by the hardy pioneers. For a further genealogical re- cord see the sketch of Dr. H. J. Rice on another page of this volume.
Thomas N., whose name heads this sketch, is the fourth of his father's family, and was one of the first white children born in Montgomery County. Of his nine brothers and sisters, all but one grew to maturity, and six are still living, viz .: Dr. Il. J., of Rockville; James M., who is still on the old homestead near Waveland; Margaret A., wife of Levi Sidwell, of Rockville; Archibald Alexander, a prominent attorney of La Fayette; John T., a lead- ing physician of Attica, Ind .; and our subject. A brother, William H., was a minister in the Presby- terian Church, being stationed at Palestine, Tex., at the time of his death, in November, 1859. Elizabeth J., who died in 1858, was the wife of Isaac A. Rice, an attorney at Attica, who died in 1860, at which time he was a candidate for Con- gress. Politically, our subject's father supported the Whig party. Ile was called from this life in 1852, his wife having died seven years previous.
The boyhood days of our subject were passed on the old homestead near Waveland and his edu- cation was attained in the common school and in
the academy at Waveland, where he pursued a collegiate course. After leaving school he came to Roekville, where for sixteen months he was Superintendent of the schools. Determining then to become a lawyer, he commenced studying with D. H. Maxwell, and pursued a course of law in the Louisville University, where Judges Purtle, Prior and Bullock were his professors. After graduating in 1854 he returned to Roekville, and was admitted to the Bar August 17 of the same year, since which time he has been actively en- gaged in practice. In 1854 he was elected Prose- enting Attorney of Parke and Vermillion Counties, in the Court of Common Pleas. Two years later, Mr. Rice was made Prosecutor of the Cireuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, comprising Parke, Vermillion, Fountain, Warren, Montgom- ery, Boone and Clinton Counties, which impor- tant position he has held acceptably for two years, succeeding Senator Daniel Voorhees as Circuit Prosecuting Attorney.
On the 7th of November, 1855, occurred the marriage of Thomas N. Rice and Miss Margaret J., daughter of Capt. . John Bigby, who was Captain of a merchantman sailing from Belfast, Ireland, and was finally lost on one of his voyages. Mrs. Riee was educated in Belfast, being taught by a sister of Sheridan Knowles, a writer of world-wide fame. When a young lady of seventeen years she came to the United States with her mother, settling in Rockville, where she became the wife of our subject. They have two children: Jane Isabel, who is the wife of IIon. J. Shannon Nave, a prominent farmer and banker of Attica, Ind .; and Margaret Bigby, the wife of Dr. Charles J. Finney, of Attica, a rising young physician of that city.
The ballot of our subject is cast for the Repub- lican nominees, and prior to the organization of that party he was a Whig. In 1864 he was elected to the House of Representatives, serving for two years, and was then elected to the State Senate, where he remained from 1866 to 1870, during which time he served as Chairman of the Commit- tee on Corporations and on the Judiciary Commit- tee in both the llouse and Senate. The Four- teenth and Fifteenth Amendments were submitted and supported by him, For ten years he was a
Fraternally Found Af Walker
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member of the Board of Education of Rockville, doing good service. To him also is due much of the credit for the good gravel-road system of this county, as he advanced the idea that it could be done with the large quantities of gravel in the beds of the numerous erceks of this region. For four years he filled the position of Supervisor, building the first piece of gravel road in the county, and the next year organized a company to build a toll- road to Annapolis. There are now about one hundred and seventy miles of gravel roads in the county. During the war Mr. Rice was active in raising companies for the army in this county. In 1869 he went on a trip to Ireland and Scotland on business, returning in October, when he became a partner of llon. James T. Johnston, which con- nection has existed up to the present time. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, to which he has belonged for many years, and of which he is now serving as an Elder.
ARON J. WOLFE was born in Armiesburg, Parke County, Ind., in the year 1854, and there resided until 1856. He received a liberal education in the common schools and in the Academy of Waveland. His father. Henry Wolfe, was a native of Pennsylvania. in which State he married, afterward moving to Indiana. Soon after locating here the wife died, leaving a family of seven children to miss her watchful care and gentle love. The mother of our subject was Miss Sarah F. Johnson, a lady of most estimable character. After the father came to Indiana he followed the business of contractor - and bridge-builder until the year 1860, at which time he purchased land and commenced the life of a farmer.
Aaron Wolfe dates his residence in this county back to the year 1859. After attaining to years which necessitated his learning something of the practical side of life, he took a position as elerk in a store, where he remained until the year 1881.
When twenty-seven years old he concluded to start in business for himself, and with that end in view purchased a sawmill in Waveland. His first venture was a crowning success, and now his mill produces from two to three million feet of lumber per year. In the year 1873 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Martha M. Kelso, a daughter of David M. Humphrey. This lady was a native of Montgomery County, and is held in high esteem by all who have the pleasure of her acquaintance.
To Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have been born seven children, four of whom died in infancy. The three living are Bessie, Pina and Blanch, all inter- esting and intelligent. Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have also reared and educated Fannie B. llastings, a niece of Mr. Wolfe. A stepson, Reese D. Kelso, is a graduate of Rush Medical College, Chicago. He is a practicing physician of Waveland, and is getting a good share of the practice of the village and surrounding country.
Politieally, Mr. Wolfe stands by the grand old Democratic party, and is a firm believer in the snc- cess of its leaders. He has been identified with the worthy interests of this town for many years, and is looked on as a model citizen in every respect. His career in municipal politics is a strong illus- tration of the office seeking the man, and for three years he has held the position of Village Clerk, in which capacity he has served with honor to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He has also served as Trustee on the Village School Board, and in 1890 was elected Township Trustee, which office he was asked to fill for four years.
Mr. Wolfe is distinguished for the attributes characteristic of a good citizen, and his career has been marked from early years by the exhibition of loyalty and patriotism. He has a high personal standing in the town of Waveland, as he is liberal in his ideas and opinions, granting to those who differ from him the same rights of expression which he personally demands. Both he and his wife are prominent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are noted for the liberal dis- crimination with which they dispense their aid to the needy. Socially, Mr. Wolfe is a Knight of Pythias, and at the same time enjoys an honorable
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membership in the Ancient Order of United Work- men. He is mild and affable in manner, and a man who naturally draws around him hosts of friends, numbering among them the most promi- nent and cultured people of this community.
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AMUEL SMITHI GALEY. But few of the residents of Montgomery County had lived within its borders for so long a period of time as did Mr. Galey, who was a son of one of its early pioneers, and might himself have laid elaim to that title, as he entered land from the Government in Union Township more than sixty years ago, when this part of the country was an almost unbroken wilderness, the home of the Indians, and where deer, panthers and other wild beasts had their lair. That traet of forest-covered land still comprises a part of his late farm on sec- tion 24, cleared and improved by the hard and unremitting toil known only to the original set- tlers of the frontier.
Mr. Galey was born August 26, 1809, in Jessa- mine County, Ky., and lived there until he was three months old, when the family moved to Shelby County, in the same State. His father and grandfather both bore the name of Samuel Galey. The latter was of Trish birth, and came to this country when a boy, living first in Pennsylvania, whence he removed to North Carolina during the Revolution, and served with Sumner in the Con- tinental Army. He married Miss Sallie Moore, a daughter of James Moore, a Pennsylvania farmer.
Samuel Galey, Jr., lived in North Carolina until after the Revolution, and then settled in Ken- tucky, on the Kentucky River near Frankfort, where he engaged in farming. He was married in Jessamine County, that State, to Miss Nancy, daughter of William Scott, a prominent pioneer farmer of Kentucky. After their marriage the Galeys settled in the home on the banks of the Kentucky River which was the birthplace of our subject. Soon after he was born they went to
Shelby County to live, and Samuel continued to till the soil in that region until he came to Indiana in 1829. In that year he brought his family to this county, and took up eighty acres of land in Union Township, and made it his home until he retired from active business to Crawfordsville. He was much prospered as a farmer, and when he died he left each of his children eighty acres of land as their share of the property he had accu- mulated by his untiring industry. He was a stanch member of the Presbyterian Church, and was a sturdy Whig in his political faith. Ile passed away February 16, 1876, and was buried in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery at Crawfordsville, by the side of his wife, who died February 16, 1862. Of the children born to them all are dead.
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