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 35
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 35
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 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
March 31, 1887, was the nuptial day of Mr. Pence and Miss Margaret Ernst, the only daughter and living child of William and Mahala Ernst,
natives of Pennsylvania, but residents of Catlin. Mrs. Pence had two brothers, Oliver and Albert. The former died at the age of sixteen, and the lat- ter was killed by the explosion of a boiler in a mill when but seventeen years of age. Both were promising young men. Mrs. Pence was born No- vember 1, 1868, and is a woman of bright intel- lectual qualifications as well as domestic ability. A lady of fine conversitional talent, sociable and agreeable, she is closely allied with the Christian Church, of which she is a consistent member. She is the mother of two daughters: Lola M., born May 8, 1889, and Ruby, born June 27, 1891.
Mr. Pence held the office of Postmaster for two years under President Cleveland's administration, which position he filled in a trustworthy manner. He is an energetic Democrat and was prominently identified with the conventions during the last Presidential campaign. Socially, he is one of those gentlemen always ready to make everybody happy, and at his home a stranger as well his friends finds a ready welcome.
AMES A. SANDERS, the popular JJustice of the Peace in Jackson Township, and for many years a well-known farmer of Foun- tain County, Ind., is in the widest signifi- cance of the term a representative and progressive citizen, and has long been actively identified with the political interests and general welfare of the county. Always ready to give his energetic assist- ance in the march of improvement. his ability was recognized by his appointment and subsequent elec- tion in 1880 to the responsible position of Trustee of .Jackson Township. As Trustee he served two teams of two years each, and gave to the conduct of public affairs thorough and efficient attention.
The paternal grandparents-of our subjeet were William and Elizabeth (Yielding) Sanders. They were both natives of North Carolina, and early left their children orphans. Their two daughters grew up in Tennessee, and afterward located in Missis-
321
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
sippi. Their only son, Joel M., born in 1813, in Franklin County, Tenn., was bound out when but a little boy, and in 1827 went to Parke County, and there remained, growing up to manhood, and in the same county afterward made a home of his own. In February, 1841, he married Miss Susan M. (Allen) Sanders, who was a native of Virginia, and born in Scott County, of the Old Dominion, in 1818. Mrs. Joel Sanders settled in Parke County in 1834, and there made the acquaintance of her husband. She survived her marriage but six years, and, dying, left to the care of their father two motherless little ones, our subject, James, who was born November 23, 1841, and his brother, David T.
The bereaved husband and father survived many years, and continued successfully engaged in farm- ing duties. He was a stanch and prominent Dem- ocrat in Parke County, and widely known and highly respected. His son David T. died in 1874, and left a widow and three children, two of whom yet survive, and are William H. Sanders, and Min- nie J., the wife of David Allen, of Parke County. Our subject received a good education in the com- mon schools of the neighborhood, and completed his studies in the academy. In 1865 James San- ders and Miss Manda Myers were united in mar- riage. Mrs. Sanders is a daughter of John and Catherine (Fine) Myers, who located in the county in 1830, and who are prominent in business, social and church work. Our subject and his estimable wife have a family of four children. Susan is the wife of John Gray, of Montgomery County, Ind; David W. was named in honor of his uncle; Mat- tie and Roy complete the list of merry children who brought happiness into their parents' home.
These sons and daughters are taking an active interest in life's duties, and together with their fa- ther and mother are an important element in the various benevolent and social enterprises of their immediate locations. Mr. Sanders owns a highly improved farm of eighty acres of valu- able land. A lifelong farmer, he well under- stands the duties and work of general agriculture, and the excellent improvements and good build- ings on his farm indieate the thrift and wise management of the prosperous owner. In the
conduct of his office of Justice of the Peace, our subject has given general satisfaction by his im- partial and judicial rulings. Fair-minded, honest and energetic, Squire Sanders, as he is familiarly designated, is acknowledged to be fully equal to all the, sometimes perplexing, duties which fre- quently are his portion in the daily conduct of his business.
Our subject cast his first vote for George B. McClellan, in 1864, and has been as strong a Democrat ever since as was his father before him. He was at one time candidate for the State Legis- lature, but was defeated by a small majority. Mr. Sanders is an ardent admirer of Thomas A. Hendricks, whose wise judgment and spotless character have commended him to thousands of political friends. Our subject is a Master Mason, and conscientiously endeavors at all times to live up to the high standard of its honorable require- ments.
OSES R. BURKS was a strong Union man during the war, in which he lost a brother, William, who died after coming home, from exposure while in the service. He is en- gaged in carrying on his farm, which is situated on section 31, Greene Township, Parke County, where he owns seventy-nine acres, having also recently sold eighty acres of the old homestead. In ad- dition to this, he rents one hundred and sixty acres of land, which with the able assistance of his son he also cultivates. Mr. Burks is the owner of an evaporator for making maple syrup with which this present year, 1893, he has already made three hundred gallons. The firm of G. H. Grinn & Co. are the manufacturers of the ma- chinery, and it is acknowledged by all who have seen the workings of the same to be the best and most complete ever put before the public.
Moses Burks, Sr., was born in Garrard County, Ky., April 7, 1802, being the son of Thomas Burks, an early settler of that region. On arriving at manhood, Moses Burks was married in Kentucky
322
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
to Miss Louisa, daughter of John Van Cleave, of Jessamine County, Ky. For some time after his marriage, Mr. Burks engaged in farming in Gar- rard County, where two of his children, John and Sarah, were born. In 1828, coming to Indiana, he entered a tract of eighty aeres of the Government, on seetion 32, Greene Township, afterward buying an additional forty acres. The land was heavily timbered, and his home was in the midst of the forest. This farm he cleared and greatly im- proved, making his home upon it until he was called from the scene of his labors by the Death Angel, in 1875. His wife, who was ninety years old December 13, 1892, is still living in Putman County, Ind.
Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Moses Burks, Sr., six are still living, viz .: Rev. James, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now located in Illinois; Sarah Ann, wife of Liberty Hicks, a teamster at Fulton, Kan .; Nancy, who be- came the wife of Thomas Hughes, who is engaged in farming near Fairmount, Ill .; Elizabeth, who lives in the same locality, the widow of Jonathan Stalker; our subject, who is next; and Louisa J., wife of Alexander Breckenridge, a farmer and stoek-dealer of Putnam County, Ind. These chil- dren were all given common-school educations, and our subject went for twelve months to the graded sehool at Bellmore, after which he engaged in teaching for one term.
Until his marriage in 1868, Mr. Barks remained with his father. In that year he wedded Martha Eleanor Clark, whose father came to Parke County from Kentucky with his family at an early day, settling on the homestead now operated by our subject, where the latter settled imme- diately after his marriage. Robert Clark, Mrs. Burks' father, was a Democrat, and as such repre- sented this county in the State Legislature at one time. Mrs. Burks departed this life September 2, 1890, leaving one child, Jesse R., who lives at home and is in partnership with his father. Ile married Laura, daughter of John A. Peyton, who lives on section 32, Greene Township, and whose sketeh may be found on another page of this work.
Politically, Mr. Burks is a Republican, and is a member of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Associa-
tion. He was President of the County Assembly for nine months, and has been President and Re- eorder of the lodge. In the work of the Method- ist Episcopal Church he has been active for many years, at the present time being one of the stew- ards, and for eighteen years was an exhorter in the denomination. In addition to his farming operations, Mr. Burks and his son are running a stock stable, keeping a fine grade of horses and mules.
AMES H. MARTIN. Among the honored pioneers and leading farmers of Parke County, no one is held in higher respect than is the gentleman of whom we write, who owns a. well-improved farm on section 32, Union Township. He was born in Spartanburg, S. C., August 2, 1820. His father, John Martin, was born in 1766. Hle removed to Parke County, Ind., in 1821, locating in Union Township, where he erected a log house, which was his home during the remainder of his life, for he died in 1827. Our subject's grandfather, David Martin, was a farmer in South Carolina. The wife of John Martin, whose maiden name was Margaret Farris, was born in 1802, in South Carolina. Of this marriage were born twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, who all grew to manhood and woman- hood, and were reared in the wilderness of Parke County. Of this large family most have passed away, our subject and his sister Euphemia, widow of John Harney, being the only survivors.
James H. Martin was the youngest child in his father's family, and was only an infant when his parents removed to this eounty. His school pri- vileges were of the most meagre description, being those of the frontier log schoolhouse type. His father having died when he was only a child of seven years, he was necessarily obliged to work in his tender years. He remained with his mother until he was married, and she in turn made her home with him until she was called to her final
323
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
rest. Our subject's first union was with Miss Ma- tilda Gard, by whom he had nine children: Rob- ert, Atlanta, Margaret, Ithal, Oliver, Matilda, Phæbe, Mary and John. After his first wife's death, our subject wedded Mary Jolinson, widow of David Harney, who was born in Virginia. By that union she had six children: Henry, George, David, Susan, James, and an infant who died un- named.
Mr. Martin has resided on his present farm since he was a year old. It comprises four hundred and forty-five acres, almost all of which are under culti- vation. A large share of the place our subject has cleared himself, and has greatly increased its use- fulness and value by the many improvements he has placed upon it. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and as an agriculturist has been very successful, as he was brought up as a farmer's lad, learning all the details of the work. In his political faith, he is a Republican.
AN MERRELL, an old settler of Mont- gomery County, and a farmer of many years' experience, owning and occupying a good farm on section 11, Wayne Town- ship, was born in Butler County, Ohio, in 1819. His grandfather was a native of England, and died there in the fullness of time. The father of our subject, Benjamin Merrell, was also born in Ohio, coming of one of its earliest pioneer families. Hle in turn became a pioneer, migrating with his wife and children to this county in 1827, and he was one of the first to settle in what is now Ripley Township, locating on a tract of Government land on the Perryville Road, and spending his few remaining years in the hard task of producing a farm from the forests. Death stayed his labors in 1833. llis widow survived him many years. dying at an advanced age in 1879. They had six children: our subject; Sarah, who married Will- iam White, of Illinois, and died in this township;
Anna, who first married a Mr. Boyd, and after his demise became the wife of a Mr. Brown, who died while on a trip to California; Effie, who married Mr. White, and lived in Illinois thereafter until her death; James, a resident of Grant County, who was born after the family came to Indiana, and who married Miss Rosanna Reede; and Jolin, who was also born in Indiana, was a volunteer in an Iowa regiment during the war, and died from a disease contracted while in the army.
When the subject of this brief biographical sketch started out in life for himself, he went to Waynetown, where he worked at the trade of a cooper. In due time he bought eighty acres of land, continuing his old employment until he had paid for his place. He subsequently added to it by further purchase, and now owns a choice farm of one hundred and one aeres, which is well sup- plied with buildings for various purposes, and its fertile harvest fields, well drained by tiles, yield abundant crops in repayment for careful tillage. While a resident of Waynetown, where he first commenced to keep house, Mr. Merrell had the misfortune to be burned out, but by patient and unremitting labor he made up his loss, and is in comfortable circumstances to-day. In 1880 he built a modern house on his farm, comprising seven rooms, at a cost of $1,500.
Mr. Merrell was married in this township in 1843 to Ann, daughter of Basil Tracy. Their wedded life was brought to an untimely end by her death in 1861, after they had lived together in mutnal happiness eighteen years. They had had eight children: Mary Elizabeth, born in 1844, and now the wife of Mr. Shipman, a farmer of Benton County; Sarah Ann, who was born in 1847, and died in 1848; Lydia, born in 1849, and now the wife of J. H. Biddle, of Benton County; Thomas, who was born in 1851, and died in 1852; Basil T., a farmer, who was born in 1853, and married a Miss Bonnell, and resides with his father; Naney A., who was born in 1856, and died in 1886; Will- iam B., who was born in 1858, and married a Miss Rusk, of Moundsville, Mo .; and John D., who was born in 1860, married Maggie Johnson, and re- sides on his father's farm. Our subject was a sec- ond time married, in 1863, this time to Mary
-
324
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Combs, who was born in Kentucky. In 1891 he was again deprived of the loving companionship and assistance of a good wife by death.
Mr. Merrell's record in life is unblemished, con- scien tious and upright motives governing his daily aets, and the Baptist Church has found in him an exemplary member ever since he connected him- self with it. He is quite a keen politician, a stanch advocate of the Democratic party, and he has held various local offices, having been Justice of the Peace and Assessor for six years, and at one time was Supervisor of the townsbip.
E VANS CLAYPOOL is pleasantly situated on section 21. Shawnee Township, where he owns one of the fine farms for which Foun- tain County is so justly celebrated. This was also the place of his birth, which occurred February 24, 1825. His father, Wilson Claypool, was born in Randolph County, Va., August 17, 1798, and was a son of Abraham Claypool, one of the pioneers of Ross County, Ohio, whither he emigrated from Virginia when the father of our subjeet was two years of age. The latter was reared to agricultural pursuits, and early became a practical farmer. Af- ter his marriage, March 2, 1821, with Sarah, daugh- ter of Richard Evans, a prominent farmer of High- land County, he came to Indiana and settled for the summer at Connersville. In October of that year he wended his way through the wilderness to Shawnee Township, and was one of the first to lo- cate at this point. He bought land on seetion 21, and busied himself in the years that followed in reclaiming it from a state of nature. He first built a little eabin, in which he and his family lived two years, and he then replaced it by the substan- tial house which is still standing on the place, and this was his home until he elosed his eyes in death, July 18, 1876. When he came here there were but few settlers; Indians remained at their old haunts, and deer, wild turkeys and other game
were plentiful, so that whatever else the family laeked in pioneer days, they were always provided with the choicest of wild meats. Mr. Claypool was much prospered in his calling, and, adding from time to time to his original purchase, he had seven hundred aeres of land at the time of his death. In politics, he allied himself with the Whigs in early days.
His wife survives him, living with her son on the old homestead, and is probably the oldest set- tler residing in the county. She was born Novem- ber 13, 1805, and is still strong and active for a woman of her advanced years. Sbe has ever led a Christian life, and has for many years been an earnest working member of the Presbyterian Church. She and her husband had eight sons and two daughters. Nine of their children grew to maturity, and seven are still living, namely: Evans; Benjamin, who was born May 27, 1826, and died in infancy; Horatio R., who was born February 24, 1828, and is in business at Covington; Solomon C., born August 17, 1829, and a prominent lawyer of Indianapolis; Robert W. C., who was born March 12, 1831, and is a farmer at Williamsport; Augustus Lewis, who was born January 22, 1833, and is now in business at Springfield, Ohio, with his brother- in-law, Jolın W. Bookwalter; Abraham, who was born January 28, 1835, and is a stock-dealer at Ludlow, Ill .; Jacob C., who was born March 2, 1840, was a Lieutenant of Company II, Sixty-third Indiana Infantry, and sacrificed his life for his country, dying of siekness while in the army; Eliza- beth, who was born March 21, 1842, married Nel- son Case, and died February 2, 1892; and Sarah Maria, who was born January 14, 1846, and is now the wife of Joseph Shannon, a farmer of Kansas.
Evans Claypool received a practical training in farming, and for several years devoted himself to agricultural pursuits, and kept his farm of three hundred aeres up to a good standard of cultiva- tion, but he has now retired from active labor, his farm, which is the source of a handsome income, being operated by a tenant.
Our subject's early educational advantages were exceedingly limited, as he was brought up under a pioneer regime, and the schools of his boyhood days were of an inferior elass. But being of a studi-
.
325
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ous nature, he has by a course of extended and ju- dicious reading, coupled with excellent powers of observation, become well informed on all general subjects, and is well posted on the current topics of the time. Politically, Mr. Claypool is an ardent Republican, and uses his influence to promote the interests of that party. Ile enjoys a high reputa- tion and standing in the community as a thoroughly honest, trustworthy man, and has the full confi- dence and esteem of all who know him.
ROF. JACOB F. WARFEL, Superintendent of the public schools at Ladoga, a popu- lar instructor in the Normal at this place, and editor of the Ladoga Leader, is a young man of marked talent and fine scholarship, who has already won a distinguished position among the foremost of the intelligent and progressive educators of this, his native State. Ile was born on a farm near Indianapolis, in Marion County, May 3, 1857. He was reared chiefly on a farm, and made the most of his opportunities to satisfy his eager desire for learning, his only chance for attending school being limited to a few weeks cach winter. When he was ten years old the boy was left fatherless, and from that time he had to make his own way in the world. Fortunately, he was gifted with a resolute, self-reliant spirit, was willing to do whatsoever he could, and was am- bitious to succeed. He worked out and earned all the money he had to spend, and entirely by his own efforts has risen to his present position.
Our subject determined to secure a higher edu- cation, and kept that purpose steadily in mind until he was able to put it into execution by en- tering the Normal School at Ladoga in 1876. He completed the Teachers' Scientific and Classical Course in four years, and his brilliant record as a scholar won for him the honor of being placed at
the head of his alma mater as President of the in- stitution. Ilis appointment was for a term of five years, but at the end of a year he resigned the office to accept a position in Iladley & Roberts' Academy, at Indianapolis. Ile taught there for one year, and then became Principal of the Iligh School at Frankfort. But at the end of a year he was induced to return to the Normal, with which he has since been connected as one of its compe- tent corps of teachers. For the past five years he has been Superintendent of public schools also, and has devoted his energies to keeping them up to a high standard of education.
Prof. Warfel purchased the Ladoga Leader De- cember 1, 1890, and by his happy venture into journalism he has simply widened his sphere of usefulness as a teacher. The paper is well con- ducted, its editorials are bright and thoughtful expositions of current topics, and it has rapidly gained favor with the public.
Our subject holds a teacher's life certificate from the State, and is well known as an educator. He is in demand as a lecturer at summer institutes, where his clear, decisive and pleasing method of imparting instruction has gained him a wide repu- tation among the teachers of Indiana, and often has been an inspiration to more carnest effort on their part.
OHN H. NEWLIN. Among the earliest settlers of Parke County is he of whom we write, who was born in Washington Town- ship, north of Marshall, September 2, 1836, being a son of John and Ruth (Ilinshaw) Newlin, who were honored pioncers of this region. Our subject now owns one hundred and thirty-eight acres, located on section 21, Sugar Creek Town- ship, which place he has engaged in cultivating since 1879, at which time he became its owner. He is engaged in mixed farming, and has also worked
326
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
somewhat at the blacksmith trade, which he picked up when a boy. He is a loyal supporter of the Republican party, and served most acceptably for eight years in this township as Justice of the Peace. He is a member of the Friends' Church, in the faith of which he was brought up, his par- ents both being Quakers. For some time be was an Elder, and is now serving as a minister.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were Joshua and Achsah (Vestal) Newlin, the former a native of North Carolina, where he was married and reared his family. In 1827 he removed to Indiana, locating in Parke County, south of our subject's present home. Ile entered a farm from the Government, having come here prospecting, and then returned for his family and household effects, which he removed in wagons. Ile lived to see great changes in the locality, and improved his farm, placing good buildings upon it. lle and his wife were members of the Friends' Church, and in politics he was an old-line Whig. His family comprised twelve children, as follows: Eli, who married Polly Edwards; Ruth, wife of Will- iam Hobson; Sally, wife of James Underwood; John; Nathan, who married Sally Hackett; Eunice, who first married Aaron Pickett, and after his death became the wife of Parris Mendinghall; Calvin, who chose for his wife Rebecca Hadley; Edith, wife of Thomas Stafford; Polly, Mrs. Aaron llobson; Alfred, who died when young; Enos, who married Elizabeth Rubottom; and Luda, wife of Milton Rubottom.
When about eighteen years of age, Jolin New- lin, Sr., was married in North Carolina, and on coming to Parke County with his parents he also entered one hundred and sixty aeres of Govern- ment land, to which in the course of time he added eighty acres and became the owner of four hundred acres in Sugar Creek Township, as well as of small tracts in other places. With the excep- tion of the money advanced him by his father to enter his quarter-section of land, he received no assistance, but hewed out his own fortune. On itis farm he first made a small cabin of undressed logs, which was later replaced with a larger one of hewed logs, which was again supplanted by a substantial frame house, His business enterprises
were not limited to farming alone, for he had learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed more or less, and, having also become proficient as a hatter, for some time he carried on a hat shop. On Mill Creek he at one time owned four hundred acres of land, on which he erected a saw- mill. In 1841 he made a successful trip with pro- duce down the rivers to New Orleans, freighting with teams to Cincinnati, Lawrenceburg, Chicago and Louisville frequently. He was an active men- ber of the Quaker Church, and in politics was an old-line Whig. His wife is yet living on the old homestead, at the good old age of eighty-thrce years. She has been the mother of eight children: Melinda, deceased; Jesse, deceased, who married Phobe Ellis; Eunice, Mrs. Oliver Carter; John 11 .; Ruth, Mrs. John Chapman; Rhoda, wife of Calvin Hobson; Joshua, who died at the age of nineteen years; and William, deceased, whose wife was formerly Samantha Campbell.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.