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 33
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 33
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 33
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The present wife of Mr. Burns was Elizabeth (Donaldson) Cannon. She was a daughter of Wal- ter C. and llarriet (Thomas) Donaldson. Her fa- ther was born in Kentucky, in the year 1802, and in 1834 went to Rockville, Ind., where he engaged in merchandising for several years. He served as Probate Judge and for several terms represented his distriet in the State Legislature, also serving as County Commissioner. In 1845 he moved to Re- serve Township, and for a number of years oper- ated a farm. Ile was active first in the Whig party, and later as a Republican. Religiously, he was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Ile was three times married; first, to Harriet Thomas, who was born in Shelby County,
Ky., and was the mother of one son and three daughters; his second union was with Ellen M., daughter of William Cook, and this marriage re- sulted in the birth of one son and two daughters; the third wife was Mrs. Julia A. (Sage) Russell. The grandfather of Mrs. Burns, John Donaldson by name, was born in Virginia, served in the War of 1812, and married Eleanor Lishell, who bore him sixteen children.
In this connection, some mention of Hon. Will- iam Cook will be of interest. Born in Maryland, he moved to Ohio and settled near Chillicothe, where he made rails for twenty-five cents per hundred. Later he went on a flatboat down the river to New Orleans. In 1826 he came to Parke County. Ind., where he entered one hundred and sixty acres on section 25, Reserve Township, and there resided until his death, in 1863, at the age of sev- enty-five. He was the father-in-law of Gov. Joseph A. Wright. In his disposition, he was positive and unyielding, devoted to the platform of the Democratic party and the doctrines of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. His wife, formerly Mrs. Nancy (Marium) Abbott, bore him two sons and three daughters, and passed away some time prior to his demise.
OHN M. SNYDER, who has a well-equipped flourmill on Coal Creek, Cain Township, Fountain County, has the reputation of manufacturing the best brand of flour made in the State of Indiana. Mr. Snyder was born in Butler County, Ohio, January 4, 1828. ITis father, John Snyder, who was born in Germany, was one of the pioneers of Montgomery County, this State. He came to this country with his mother, his father, Jacob Snyder, having died on the water after the family had started on their journey to a strange country. His widow was left with the care of two boys and two girls, Jacob. John, Sophia and Elizabeth, who were sold on the arrival of the family to work out the pay for their pass
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age. Jacob was not well pleased with being disposed of in that manner, and as soon as he had an opportunity he ran away, and has never been heard from since. The mother made her home in Pennsylvania until her death.
The father of our subject grew to manhood in Pennsylvania, and was there married to Mary Mertina, who was of Dutch origin. After marriage they located at Hagerstown, but eight years later they removed from Pennsylvania to Butler County, Ohio, where she died in 1838. She was the mother of six children, two sons and four daughters, of whom our subject and his sister Mary Ann, wife of William Talbert, are the only survivors. The father married for his second wife Mrs. Merideth, by whom there were two children, the Rev. A. M. Snyder being the only one living of that union. He is quite a prominent minister in the United Brethren Church, and has held the office of Elder for four years, and is still their Elder. Rebecca, Catherine, George, Amelia and Susan are the names of the children that died, the latter a child of the second marriage.
John Snyder was a successful farmer. In culti- vating the soul and sowing seed he was guided strictly by the rules that were formerly so rigidly observed by cvery farmer as to the proper time to plant. Ilis corn was always planted when the moon was new and in the sign of the twins, and everything of the kind was done according to the position of that planet with reference to the signs of the zodiac, which was supposed to have some mysterious influence over the growth of the crops. The neighbors would come for miles around to consult him as to the right time to sow their grain, etc. Ile was an exemplary Christian, and one of the leaders in the United Brethren Church, whose doctrines he sometimes expounded from the pulpit, although not a licensed preacher.
John M. Snyder of whom we write was but a boy when his father came to Indiana in 1838, after fourteen years' residence in Butler County, Ohio. The latter bought a farm in Wayne Township, Montgomery County, upon which he spent his re- maining years, dying at a ripe age in 1870. Our sub- ject passed the rest of his youth on that farm, and was educated in the local schools. When a young
man he learned the trade of a carpenter. After his marriage he resumed the calling to which he had been reared, and was engaged in farming the en- suing twelve years on an eighty-acre farm in Wayne Township. At the end of that time he sold his farm, and took up his residence at Blue Grass, Vermilion County, Ill., where he remained three years. Returning then to this State, he settled in Cain Township, where he owned eighty acres of land, which he subsequently sold and then bought a quarter-section of land in the same township. He lived thereon six years. In 1875 he disposed of that farm also and bought the mill owned by George' Brown, which is now known as Snyder's Mill, and he has operated it ever since. The mill is fitted up with modern machinery, has a capacity of twenty-five barrels a day, and the flour manu- factured is of a specially fine grade. There is a good market near home for all that can be made, as it commands a ready sale at Crawfordsville, Waynetown, Hillsboro, Veedersburgh, Newtown, Pleasant Hill, Elmdale, Mace and New Ross. Mr. Snyder does a large exchange business, and last year five thousand bushels of stored wheat were consumed in the manufacture of flour in his mill. They grind into flour about thirty thousand bushels of stored wheat annually.
Mr. Snyder was married in Cain Township to Miss Mary Jane Meredith, daughter of Mrs. Meri- man. Her father died and her mother married again. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder have been blessed in their pleasant wedded life by the birth of seven children, of whom one died in infancy. The others are Albert, who is engaged in the poultry business at Waynetown; Ann Eliza, who is the wife of Thomas Barcklow, a prosperous farmer of this township; George, who lives at home and helps his. father in the management of the mill; James, who is in La Hogue, Ill .; H. L., who is a farmer at New Richmond; and Charles A., who lives at home and assists his father.
Our subject is a thorough Christian gentleman, who has the fullest confidence of the people among whom he lives, and who think highly of him. His advice is often sought, as he is a wisc and safe counselor; he has acted as administrator of estates and has been guardian for children who were or-
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phaned. He has long been prominent in the United Brethren Church as one of its foremost members in this section, and he has done much to extend the faith. He built a church on his own place in 1873 at a cost of $800, and was one of its Trustees. In 1876 the building was completely demolished by a cyclone, and has never been replaced. Politically, Mr. Snyder is a Democrat. Ile is one of the moneyed men of his township, and has valuable property here. He owns sixty acres of land, including his mill site.
AMES WARNER. No class of men has contributed more to the substantial pros- perity of Parke County than its farmers and stock-men, among whom the subject of this brief life record is well worthy of mention. He is conducting agricultural operations in Re- serve Township, on section 17, which is the loca- tion of his finely tilled and attractive farm.
Mr. Warner was born May 5, 1823, in Culpeper County, Va., and was the son of Peter and Frances (Milbourn) Warner. His grandfather, John, came from Germany at about the close of the War for Independence, and settled in Loudoun County, Va., and later in Culpeper County. In 1836 he removed to Parke County, this State, coming here by wagon, and consuming seven weeks in the journey hither. A year later he removed to Law- rence County, Ill., where he purchased about one thousand acres of raw land, on which he lived un- til his death at a good old age, in August, 1841. This gentleman was twice married, his first wife being Mary Grubb, and to them were born the fol- lowing children: Mary, who married John Up- dyke; Nancy, the wife of George Swan; and Peter, Joel, James and John. His second marriage was with Hilda Duke, and of this union several sons were born, as follows: Andrew Jackson, George Washington, James Monroe and James Madison.
The father of our subject was born in Culpeper County, Va., in September, 1796. He served in
the War of 1812, and twenty years after settled on a farm in this county, making the journey from his native State overland by wagon and ox-teams. The family started for their new home, and on Christmas Day, after traveling for about three months, they found shelter under the roof of Sam- uel Brown, with whom they remained until erect- ing a log house for themselves on section 16, of Reserve Township, Parke County. The land was leased by him in partnership with his brothers, James and Peter, and on this he remained until 1863, when he located on two hundred and sixty acres which are included in our subject's present farm. In addition to this, he also owned two hun- dred and forty acres on section 16, one hundred and sixty on section 9, and one hundred and sixty acres cast of Montezuma, besides four hundred acres which he improved, making a total of about one thousand acres which he owned at the time of his death, September 14, 1869. llis good wife, daughter of Levi Milbourn, of Virginia, was born in Loudoun County, January 4, 1794, and was called to the better land July 18, 1869.
The parents of our subject had born to them eleven children, nine of whom lived to comfort their declining years. The names of these chil- dren are: Alpheus, deceased; John, Mary, James; Sarah, who became the wife of John R. Hendricks; Robert, Henry; Elizabeth, Mrs. Jenkin Phillips; and Nancy, who married James Mathas. The fa- ther was a Democrat, politically.
James Warner was reared on a farm, receiving a district-school education, and at the age of twenty-one began on his own account on his fa- ther's farm, and at his thirtieth year was enabled to make his first purchase of two hundred and twelve acres north of Sugar Creek, which he im- proved as rapidly as possible. In 1865 he re- moved to the place where he now resides on sec- tion 17, Reserve Township, where he cared for his parents until their death. At the present time he owns the four hundred and ten acres on which he lives, besides two other tracts of one hundred and eight and thirty-five acres, respectively.
As a companion and helpmate on life's journey, Mr. Warner chose Miss Louisa Demott, who was born in the town of Reserve in 1836. She became
RESIDENCE OF JAMES WARNER, SEC. 18. RESERVE TP. PARKE CO. IND.
RESIDENCE OF DAVID MONTGOMERY, SEC. 29. WABASH TP. PARKE CO. IND.
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the mother of four children, whom she named Syl- vester; Barbara E., the wife of Tim Sullivan; Oli- ver Perry; and Mary J., wife of Nathan Mathas. The mother died in the prime of life at the age of thirty-eight years. Mr. Warner has proved a very useful acquisition to the citizenship of the county since he took up his abode here, his ability as a farmer making him a valuable assistant in main- taining and extending the most important of the industries of this region. His political views find expression in the principles of the Democratic party, of which he is a warm supporter. He is a self-made man in the broadest sense of the word, and the architect of his own fortune.
AVID MONTGOMERY. Among the pio- neers of Parke County, no one is more worthy of a place in her chronicles than is the gentleman of whom this is a life re- cord, as he is a member of a family whose history has been closely connected with that of this region for three-score years or more. Mr. Montgomery is a veteran of the late Civil War, and is the owner of a well-improved farm on section 29, Wabash Township. He was born in this same township September 28, 1835, and is a son of Samuel and Prudence (Monn) Montgomery.
The grandfather of our subject, Hugh Mont- gomery, was born in Ireland, and in Colonial days crossed the broad Atlantic to the United States, soon after taking part in the war for inde- pendence. He was a cousin of Maj. Montgomery, an officer of Revolutionary fame, who was killed in a hard-fought battle. Some years after the close of the conflict Hugh Montgomery removed to Butler County, Ohio, near the village of Hamil- ton. Ile was a farmer, and being a well-educated man for those days engaged in teaching. and dropped dead while instructing a class one day. He had the following children: William; Ross; Samuel; Peggy, wife of Jacob Ross; and Jane, who became the wife of John White.
Samuel Montgomery, our subject's father, was born in Ohio. and came to Parke County, Ind., in 1827, entering eighty acres on section 19, Wabash Township. where he made his home until he was called to his final rest, June 29, 1854, when he was in his fiftieth year. His wife, who was the mother of seven children, survived until 1874, when she died, aged seventy-two years. The brothers and sisters of our subject are as follows: William, who died in 1865, being a member of Company B, Eighty-fifth Indiana Infantry; Alex- ander, whose record may be found on another page of this volume; Martha, deceased, wife of Armstead Clark, who entered the same company mentioned above, and died at Nicholasville, Ky., in January, 1863; Margaret, widow of James Painter; Jane and John, deceased. The mother of these children was born in the Keystone State and removed when quite young to Ohio, where she lived with an uncle.
After receiving a district-school education, and after being reared to the duties and cares of farm life, David Montgomery started out from home to carve his fortune. He worked for one season as a farm hand and then commenced to operate the old homestead. August 16, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, Eighty-fifth Indiana Infantry, but when he reached Covington, Ky., he was taken sick and sent to the hospital. In April, 1863, he was discharged at Nicholsville, Tenn., after which he returned home and resumed the peaceful voca- tion of a farmer. In 1867 he engaged in the man- ufacture of lumber in Vermillion and Parke Coun- ties, continuing with fair success in that line of business for about five years, at the expiration of which time he removed to Mecca. After making that village his place of abode for some time, he settled on his present farm on section 29.
November 1, 1860, Mr. Montgomery wedded Ellen Laney, who was born in Florida Township, of this county, and comes from an honored pio- neer family of this region, her parents being Joel and Jerusha (Fenton) Lancy, who removed to this State from Kentucky. To David Montgomery and wife were born nine children: George W., who died when four years of age; William, who died in infancy; Robert, whose death occurred shortly
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after he attained his majority; Oliver P .; Ida, wife of Frank Kelly; Ora and Cora (twins), deceased; Viola and Oliver. Mrs. Montgomery is a member of the Christian Church in good standing, and, like her husband, is honored and respected by all with whom she comes in contact.
ENRY COLEMAN. Mr. Coleman is a man whom nature seems to have especially designed to be a tiller of the soil. The pursuits of agriculture have afforded him high gratification, and in the conduct of his farm the principles he has held have been peculiarly adapted to the successful development and im- provement of the varied elements of farm life. He resides on section 3, Wabash Township, Foun- tain County, on the old homestead, and has two hundred acres of well-improved land, which he values at $50 per acre. He erected a fine house of seven rooms at a cost of $1.500 in 1862, and in 1885 a large and commodious barn was built. Mr. Coleman is energetic and enterprising and everything about the place indicates that an ex- perienced hand is at the helm.
Born on the 8th of July, 1832, our subject was one of nine children born to Linsey and Elizabeth Coleman, the former a native of the Old Domin- ion, born December 25, 1795, and the latter born on the 22d of October, 1805. Of their children, Mary J. was born on the 22d of November, 1824. Julia, born in Fountain County, Ind., June 22, 1826, married Will Webb, who died shortly afterwards. Iler next marriage was to Henry Munson, and after his death she married Samuel Phebus. She is the mother of three chil- dren. Samuel Coleman, the third child, was born in Fountain County, Ind., in 1828, and married Miss Susan Prevo, who died at the home of our subject in 1858. Samuel is now a resident of Perryville. Henry and Lovina were twins. Wilber was born March 16, 1835, and selected his wife in the person of Miss Eliza Milem. llis second marriage was to
Miss Samantha Bass, and his third marriage to Miss Margaret King. During the late war he served faithfully in defense of the Old Flag, enlisting in the Sixty-third Indiana Regiment in 1862, and serving until 1864. Eliza was born in Fountain County, October 2, 1837, and married Jefferson Spinks. She died at her home in 1880. Maria, also a native of Fountain County, first saw the light of day on the 22d of January, 1841. She married Nelson Bogart, and died in this county on the 5th of September, 1879. She left six children.
The father of these children came to Fountain County, Ind., from his native State at an early date, and settled on the Wabash River, where he entered Government land. lle had a tract of eighty acres, and he afterward purchased two hundred and sixty acres and improved and devel- oped it. In connection with his farming inter- est he worked at the hatter's trade in his own shop. He reared his children to mature years in Fountain County, and there passed the remainder of his days. His wife also died in that county. They were much esteemed citizens and prominent in all good work. Their son Henry, our subject, was early trained to the duties of the farm, and was fairly educated in the common schools. After reaching mature years, he married Miss Angeline Bass, who was born February 14, 1834, and was the daughter of Nancy Bass. Their nuptials . were celebrated on the 15th of November, 1855, and as the years passed along the following chil- dren grew up around them: Linsey, born in Fountain County, February 3, 1857, married Miss Stanton and they reside in this county. Scott, born October 20, 1858, died on the 10th of Jann- ary, 1859. Howard, born July 24, 1860, died De- eember 27, 1872. Eva, born June 10, 1862, mar- ried J. D. Orahood, and resides at Stringtown. Ovid, born October 15, 1863, died in 1873. Ray, born April 9, 1866, resides at home. Frank, born August 11, 1868, is also at home. Willie, born March 28, 1870, single, received a thorough edu- cation at Valparaiso. Chancey, born May 2, 1871, died on the 21st of August, 1872. Cheeny, born April 5, 1875, resides at home. Olin and Ola (twins), born June 13, 1877, died in the same year. Our subject finally settled on the old homestead,
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and as his early life had been passed on the farm. it was but natural that when starting out for himself he should choose agricultural pursuits as his occupation in life. He has followed this with substantial results all his life, and is classed among the representative farmers of the county. He and Mrs. Coleman arc active members of the church and contribute liberally to the support of the same. Mr. Coleman is a teacher in the Sunday- school and three of his children are teachers in the same Sunday-school. Linsey is Superintendent of the Sunday-school. Mr. Coleman was a member of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association for one year, and is active in all good work. In poli- tics our subject is a stanch supporter of the Dem- ocratie principles, but while he has ever taken an active part in politics, he does not aspire to of- fice. He is one of the respected citizens of the county and his friends are legion.
ILAS S. MILLS, the oldest native-born resident of Clark Township now living within its precincts, is a well-known and honored citizen of Ladoga, who is promi- nent in its public life, and is at present President of the Village Board of Trustees. He has been for many years indentified with the agricultural in- terests of Montgomery County, and, although he has retired from active labor, he still continues to control and superintend the work on his farm, which consists of two hundred and fifty acres, all under a good state of improvement, and considered one of the finest pieces of property in the township.
Mr. Mills was born April 29, 1829, in the pioneer home of his parents, that his father had erected on the first eighty acres of land that he had entered from the Government in Clark Township, within a mile and a-half of Ladoga. IIe is a son of Lewis D. Mills, who was born in Fleming County, Ky., December 7, 1791, and a grandson of Jacob Mills. The family is of English origin, coming to this
country in early Colonial times, settling in New York, and eventually migrating from that State to Kentucky. Lewis Mills was reared and educated in Fleming County, Ky., and when a young man went to Montgomery County, Ohio, to live. He was there married to Rebecca Fitzpatrick, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was a daughter of John Fitzpatrick, whose early life was passed in Virginia. His father had come to this country from Scotland. Mr. Mills continued to live in Montgomery County until 1827, and in the fall of that year he left Ohio to take up his abode in Montgomery County, this State, as one of its early settlers. He bought of the Government the land previously referred to as the birthplace of our subject, paying for it the sum of $1.25 an acre, and he afterward added to his purchase eighty acres of school land on sec- tion 16, of this township. His first work was to cut away the trees to clear a space for a dwelling, and as there were but very few men in the town- ship at that time, he had to go eight or ten miles to get a sufficient number to help him put up his cabin. The country was still in all ics original wildness, with the exception of the clearing of some pioneer at intervals, or some small settlement, and Madison and other places on the Ohio were the nearest markets, where settlers went to trade their produce, and mayhap the pelts of wild ani- mals that formerly abounded here, for necessaries in the way of groceries and dry goods, money be- ing a scarce article in those days. There were many Indians here at that time, an Indian trail running across Mr. Mills' farm, and they often camped near by. They would frequently stop at the house to beg for food, and would engage in foot races, wrestling and other athletic sports.
Mr. Mills was a poor man when he came to Indi- ana, his property consisting of a cow, horse and colt, which fre drove through the forest from Ohio. Ile and his family had to fare hard in their struggles to gain a foothold in the new country, but by industry and perseverance he succeeded; he hewed out a com- fortable home, acquired a goodly amount of prop- erty, and gave each of his children a good start in life. His death occurred ere yet old age came upon him, December 19, 1847, and he was buried in Stoner Cemetery. His first wife, who was born
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March 10, 1794, died July 22, 1843. His second marriage was with Mrs. Mary (Markey) Fletcher, a daughter of a pioneer farmer of Montgomery County. She died in 1869. Ten children were born of the first marriage and two by the second union. Nine of them grew to maturity, and three are still living: Mary Jane, widow of Daniel Walls, who was a farmer of Boone County during life; Taylor, a farmer of Scott Township; and our sub- ject. Mr. Mills was a Wing in polities, and he held the office of School Trustee four years. He was a member of the Methodist Church, a Class- leader in early days, and was very earnest in ex- pressing his viws on religion. He did much for the advancement of the church, opening his house for holding meetings and often entertaining the cirenit-riders of the bygone times.
Our subject passed his boyhood in this township, where he was born and received the best education its schools afforded. He remained with his father, assisting him in the work of the farm, until he was eighteen years of age. Ile then went to Ladoga to learn the trade of a blacksmith of James Hous- ton, with whom he worked fifteen months. At the end of that time he hired out as a farm hand and was thus employed four years, at $10 a month, paying $1 a month for washing and mending. One year he received $133 for his work, which was the best wages he was ever paid. After he was mar- ried in the summer of 1852, he settled on a rented farm, and continued to rent eight years. In the mean time he had bought land in Iowa, and at the end of the eight years he bought land in Clark Township, upon which he resided sixteen years. After that he purchased land four miles east of Ladoga, and that was his home three years. Sell- ing that, he bought land a mile and a-half southeast of Ladoga, and dwelt thereon twelve years, since which time he has lived in Ladoga.
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