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 44
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 44
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 44
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After the death of his father Perminter Noel married and took care of his mother until she also was called to the better land in August, 1885. Our
subject's first union was with Miss Jane Watson, an orphan, reared under the guardianship of Charles Overman. To these were born four chil- dren, James being the only one now living. It was but a short time until Mrs. Noel died and our subject was again united in marriage to Margaret J., daughter of David and Martha McMurtry, who with her husband is a faithful worker in the Pres- byterian Church of Bethany. Mr. Noel is in social life a member of the Knights of Pythias, Silliman Lodge, No. 66, at Rockville. Politically be is a conspicuous figure in the ranks of the Republican party. Has been President of the Parke County Agricultural Association and is now active in the capacity of Treasurer of the same. He is looked upon as one of the influential members of society, his education and good breeding and honorable character giving him weight in the community.
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AMES A. McCORD. Among those who are pleasantly located in Washington Township is he whose name introduces this sketch. He is a native of this county, and was born September 14, 1834, his birth-place being within a distance of one and one-half miles of his present home. He is a son of David and Celia (Elder) McCord. The former parent was a son of James and Margaret (Summers) McCord. He was one of a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, and at the age of twenty years was married to a daughter of Alexander and Ann Elder. He began in life for himself by accepting from his father eighty acres of undeveloped land. Here he began clearing it of timber, but being unused to the hardships of pioneer life, he fell a victim to disease and died at the youthful age of twenty- three years, leaving a widow with two children: Margaret, who married W. R. Canine, of Wave- land; and James S. After the decease of our subject's father, the mother married William Canine, an uncle of her daughter's husband. She lived but a short time, her death occurring De- cember 8, 1841. Our subject's father and mother were members of the Baptist Church, in which ca- pacity they served faithfully. In politics the father was a Whig.
Jacob Luse
Charlotte Luse
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
The grandfather of James McCord was a native of North Carolina, his birth occurring in 1785. When but six years of age he moved to Madison County, Ky., with his parents, where he grew to manhood, and married a wife two years his junior.
He was strictly a farmer by occupatioe and took an active part in politics, using his influence for the Whig party. He died in December, 1873, his good wife having preceded him to the better land but two months before. In 1828 he emigrated to Parke County, locating on one hundred and sixty acres of Government land. He came with very limited means, but by close application to his work he finally accumulated good farms for each of his children.
James A. McCord and his sister were reared by their Grandfather McCord. At the age of twenty years James began working by the month for James Elder, which he continued to do for five successive years. On attaining the age of twenty- five years he wedded Miss Amanda J., daughter of William D. and Mary (Noel) Burford. He laid the foundation of his education in the common schools of the district, and added to his general fund of information by one year's course at the Bloomingdale Academy. After marriage, Mr. Mc- Cord moved on his present farm, of which he had bought eighty acres some time before. But by devoting his attention to the cultivation of this tract he has increased his possessions to one hundred and sixty acres and has placed himself among the most prosperous men of his calling in the county.
Mr. McCord is one of the most useful members of the Baptist Church as is also his companion. He has been a liberal contributor toward its sup- port.
In politics he is identified with no particu- lar party, preferring to cast his vote for the man best fitted for the office, regardless of party lines. His attention is mainly devoted to the cultivation of his well-kept farm, and his perseverance, good management and honesty have won for him the reputation of being one of the Washington Town- ship's best agriculturists. 19
I ACOB LUSE, a prominent citizen and prosper- ous farmer of Coal Creek Township, Montgom- ery County, Ind., and also connected with the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, of Win- gate, richly deserves the success he has attained in life. Self-dependent from early youth, Mr. Luse won his way steadily upward, never allowing dis- appointments or disasters to overcome his cheerful energy and business courage. Losses by devas- tating fires and the various trying experiences that are common to all agriculturists he has borne with steady patience and a determination to override all obstacles and by honest labor gain a certain livelihood.
The parents of Mr. Luse were natives of Penn- sylvania and were undoubtedly of German descent. Jacob and Elizabeth (Shade) Luse, the father and mother, were not destined to rear a large fam- ily, as had their ancestors before them. Jacob Luse was their only child, the father dying when his little son was but six months old. Left to the care of his mother's people, Jacob knew but little of his father's early history. Born in Cumberland County, Pa., in 1818, he was but a young boy when he began his apprenticeship to a trade and was obliged to serve seven long years before he was free to engage in business for himself.
In 1832 the orphan boy found his way to Ohio, and located in Piqua, where he remained four busy years. Mr. Luse then journeyed to Michi- gan City, but he soon determined to look else- where for a permanent home and business. He traveled on foot, waded sloughs and finally settled in Attica, Fountain County, where he engaged in the manufacture of chairs and bedsteads. This was his first business venture, and meeting with fair success he continued in the same employment until 1846, when, having by prudent management secured a small capital, he decided to forsake man- ufacturing for agricultural pursuits.
Benton County was Mr. Luse's next home and there upon a farm, for the succeeding four years, he diligently planted the seed and reaped the harvest. He made many friends in this loca- tion and was elected Supervisor and filled the official position with ability and faithfulness. But
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
preferring to pay a fine rather than negleet his business and serve a second time, he refused to accept the office upon re-election. Upon leaving Benton County, Mr. Luse came directly to his present home and settled permanently. The farm of one hundred and sixty acres was not then in its present state of cultivation. Most of it was unim- proved, but intelligent work has wrought a satis- factory change.
Mr. Luse was married in 1845 to Miss Charlotte Martin, daughter of Ephraim Martin, a native of Ohio. She was born July 16, 1821. Ten children were the fruit of this union, six sons and four daughters, and all were welcome to the loving care and shelter of the home. These children were named Rhoda, Ephraim (deceased), Linda, Amos, John (deceased), Hattie, Albert, George (deceased), Estelle, and William L. (deceased). Mr. Luse is essentially a self-made man. He bravely fought the battle of life alone and unaided by influence of friends or fortune. But it has been the happiness of his later life to assist his children to homes and business. Mr. and Mrs. Luse and their family have enjoyed the confidence of friends and neigh- bors and have a wide circle of acquaintances. Mrs. Luse departed this life July 27, 1891. They are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and are always identified with its religions and social work. Our subjeet, although not a politi- cian, is a strong Republiean and a warm defender of party principles.
W ILLIAM LUSK. This name will be recognized by our readers as that of a gentleman who has borne an important part in the development of the agricult- ural resources of Washington Township, Parke County. He is a son of Solomon and Mary (Beard) Lusk, and was born in Vermillion County, December 7, 1825. The former parent was born near Poltney, Rutland County, Vt., where he grew to manhood, remaining with his parents until reaching maturity. He was of Irish and English descent. In 1816 he went to Fort Harrison, Ind., and soon after entered the United States service under Gen. Harrison, where he remained for
two years, during which time he suffered an attack from the Indians. After he left the United States service he purchased a farm in Bruit's Creek, Vermillion County, but in a few years sold this tract and came to Parke County, where he bought a farm on Sugar creek and ran a sawmill for twenty-one years. During all these years he managed to accumulate land until he had about three thousand acres, which he entered from the Government, besides nine hundred acres which he bought of the Chief Black Hawk in Iowa.
About the year 1818 Mr. Beard, our subject's grandfather, went with his family to Fort Harri- son, where his son-in-law had settled, and there located. Solomon Lusk was married about. 1820 to a daughter of John Beard, of Maryland. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Politically he was a Whig, and in later years took his stand with the Republicans. He fought gal- lantly in the late struggle between the North and Sonth, and when Lincoln issued the call for re- eruits he was actively engaged in reinforcing the army. At this time his son Salmon, who was afterward killed in a battle fought at Thompson Station, near Nashville, was enlisted. The father of our subject was the first to purchase Govern- ment bonds sold in the county at the time of the war. To himself and wife ten children were born, four of whom are yet living: William, John, Lydia and Susan. He died at the age of eighty- two, his wife surviving him some years.
William Lusk took charge of part of his father's business at the age of about twenty-five years. His educational advantages, which were limited, were received in the district schools of this town- ship. At the time when the gold fever was preva- lent throughout the country he was seized with a desire to go to California, and in 1849, with a company known as the Illinois & Springfield, he started across the plains in March, and after a comparatively uneventful journey of seven months, arrived in the Golden State. For some months he was engaged in the mines on the Middle Fork of the American river, where he was moderatively successful. Subsequently he embarked as " mine host " in the hotel business, which proved even more profitable than was his former occupation.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
After a sojourn in the western states of three and one-half years, during which time his life was made up of alternate days of sunshine and shadow, of encouragements and discouragements, our sub- ject boarded the steamer "Winfield Scott " and sailed to Panama, thence taking the "Northern Light " to New York city. After his return home he attended the Waveland school for two terms, remaining at home with his father until his mar- riage to Sarah Davis. This union has been blessed by the birth of eight children, four of whom died in childhood. Those living are: DeWitt, Chancey, Arthelia and Lindell J. Ar- thelia is the wife of Nathan Woods.
Socially Mr. Lusk is a prominent member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. Politically he was formerly a Republican, but is now a strong Pro- hibitionist. He has served the Republican party as delegate to several state conventions. For a num- ber of years he has led a retired life, and in the last decade has traveled a great deal, his journeys covering over seventy thousand miles. He has visited almost every state in the Union, including Canada and Mexico. He has spent a number of winters in the sunny state of Florida, and is al- ways ready to share the information thus gained with his associates. As a citizen of Washington Township Mr. Lusk ranks among the most wealthy and cultured. At the present time he owns a large estate comprising six hundred acres of pro- ductive land.
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W ILLIAM McCORD, a farmer of wide ex- perience and business qualifications of high order, who has been an important agent in developing the rich agricultural resources of Parke County, is the owner of a large and finely equipped farm of three hundred and forty acres in Washington Township.
Mr. McCord was born in Madison County within one and a half miles of Boonsboro, Ky., June 2, 1826. His father, James McCord, was born in North Carolina April 5, 1785, and when his par- ents migrated to Madison County, he was carried by his mother on horseback to their new home,
where he was reared to manhood. His wife bore the maiden name of Margaret Summers. The grandfather of our subject, David McCord, mar- ried a lady by the name of Ann Shipley, who reared the following children: Robert, John, David, James, William, Sarah, Campbell, Rosa, Ann and Mary.
David McCord was born in Scotland and came when a young man to Pennsylvania, where he lived a number of years, and then went to North Carolina. He located in Mechlenburg, where the first copy of the Declaration of Independence was written, and during the War of the Revolution he showed his valor and patriotism. In his religious belief he was a Presbyterian. During his journey to Madison County, in 1790, he and his family were exposed to a number of attacks by the In- dians, who stole their pack horses and took a cousin of our subject's father prisoner, keeping her for two years. At the end of this time she was captured at Fort Wayne, where she had been traded to the French, and was given her liberty. After going to Kentucky Mr. McCord settled on a farm, where he remained until his death.
The father of our subject was married in 1808, after which he remained on the homestead for twenty years. His education was very limited, his only text-book for reading being a Bible which he perused thoroughly. In October, 1828, he mi- grated to Parke County, Ind., where he entered five hundred and twenty acres of Government land, for which he paid his last cent, and so was compelled to earn a livelihood for his family out of the new and undeveloped land on which he had settled. Ten children came to make their home happy, whom they named Robert S., David, New- ton, Andrew, William, Ellen, Lucinda, Martha, Nancy and Amanda. Of this large family but four survive: William; Lucinda, who is the wife of James Russell; Nancy, who married Jackson Mann, and Amanda, the wife of William Norris. Politically Mr. McCord, Sr., was a supporter of the Whig platform in which he always exerted his influence. His wife died in 1873 in the month of October, and he passed away in December of the same year.
William McCord received his education in the
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
district schools of Parke County, but at the age of sixteen years he was obliged to help his father with the farm work. When only twenty-two years of age he was united in marriage to Rachel, daugh- ter of Samuel and Nancy (McClung) Cummings. The former parent was of Scotch parentage, and was born in Pennsylvania, and the latter was a native of Virginia, as was also her daughter Rachel. To Mr. and Mrs. McCord nine children have been born: Henry, who died when a lad; Nancy, deceased wife of John McCampbell; John; Monroe; Oscar; Belle, now the wife of John Mc- Campbell; Edgar; Charles and Alice B., deceased. The wife and mother died September 17, 1873. Since that time Mr. McCord married Miss Susan Russell, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Cum- mings) Russell. In politics our subject is loyal to the Republican party, and generously aids all movements for the advancement of political affairs. He is member of the Presbyterian Church of this place.
Mr. McCord has wrought a wonderful transfor- mation in his farm, whereby it has become one of the best ordered farms in the county, the soil be- ing good for cultivation, and valuable improve- ments on every hand adding to its worth and at- tractiveness. Since the time the first cabin was erected on the place, the house has never once been deserted for a single night. Mr. McCord is endowed with strength of mind and ability, and his sensible, practical views give him weight. and influence in the community. By not stopping to ask if life is worth living, but by always doing the duty nearest at hand, he has acquired great wealth, and gained the universal respect of all.
**
AMES P. WARE is a stock and land trader in Washington Township, Parke County, and a son of William and Nancy (Sanders) Ware. He was born in Shelby County, Ky., February 19, 1817. William Ware, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia, and began for himself when quite young. Although born and reared in the very midst of slavery, he never was a slave owner and was greatly opposed to its exten.
sion or even its existence. He married in Virginia and moved to Kentucky, where he lived until com- ing to Indiana, where he settled in Parke County in 1836. His wife was born in Virginia and died in 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Ware reared a large fam- ily of eleven children, of which the subject is the youngest and he and his sister Catherine are the only surviving ones. On coming to Parke County the father of our subject purchased eighty acres of well-improved land in Green Township, where he lived until his death, which occurred four years after the decease of his wife. He was of the old Whig party and with his wife was a zealous worker in the Baptist Church.
James P. Ware remained at home with his par- ents until he reached the age of twenty-seven years. At this juncture he married a lady by the name of Mary A., a daughter of Robert and Eliza- beth (Daniel) Dawney. Mrs. Ware was born in Putnam County, Ind., having for playmates in childhood Indian children, for her parents were early settlers there. Mr. Ware and wife began . their married life with only a few hundred dollars, so were compelled to rent for a few years. At the end of this time he was enabled to purchase eighty acres of improved land in Green Township, this county, on which they resided for five years, and then bought a quarter section in what is now How- ard Township. After paying for this he invested in forty-eight acres in the same township, subse- quently coming to Washington Township, where he purchased two hundred acres of the very best farming land, for which he paid $11,000.
Mr. Ware bas not been exempt from the hard- ships of life, for he started to make his own way in the world with no means whatever, but he never allowed disappointment or discouragement to cloud his hope of ultimate success, and this has, withont . doubt, been a great factor in his successful life. He has sold his large farm, on which he spent so many years of toil, and is now enjoying a quiet, peaceful life in Marshall, realizing to the fullest extent the necessity of young men being early taught to gain their livelihood by the work of their own hands. He has lived in Marshall for the past six years, providing liberally for his wife and daughter, Sarah. The children who died were
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Jane and William R. The surviving are: Susan, who is the wife of William Skeeters; Eliza C., wife of George Hobson; Mattie, who is married to John Cannon, and Morton C., who married Lennie . M. Cannon.
Mr. Ware is a stanch Republican in politics and is a well-posted and intelligent man who has prof- ited by the broad culture obtained from careful newspaper reading. The Baptist Church finds in Mr. and Mrs. Ware active and influential mem - bers. Mr. Ware has been very successful and is abundantly able, financially, to retire from busi- ness.
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D UDLEY McWILLIAMS. Parke County is the home of a great number of men who are gaining a livelihood by tilling the soil and whose work is being carried on systemat- ically and energetically. The home of the gentle- man whose name introduces these paragraphs is on Section 16, Washington Township, where he ranks among the most prominent of the section. He was born December 15, 1836, in Madison County, Ky., to John C. and Nancy (Hockaday) Mc Williams. The former parent was born in Madison County, Ky., in 1792. His parents were natives of Virginia and early pioneers of Ken- tucky. His education was limited, and though the advantages which he enjoyed were not equal to those of the present day, they were sufficient to give him a practical understanding of important branches and fit him for the business transactions which lay before him. He served as Colonel in the Black Hawk War under Gen. Harrison. He mar- ried in Kentucky, where he and his wife reared a family of nine children, and when his children were grown, in 1855 emigrated with his family to Clinton County, Mo. Our subject was the eighth in order of birth. The others were named James H., Richard C., Schuyler N., John Q. A., Samuel H., Elizabeth (deceased), Sidney and Nanny, the wife of James Henshaw. April 18, 1856, the father passed away. His wife still survives him, spending her declining years with her children, and is now nearing her one hundredth year. John McWilliams
was a farmer all his life and engaged in raising stock, which he shipped to the Southern States. In politics he was a Whig, but later cast his vote with the Democratic party, which led him to be placed in several different official positions in Kentucky. He was a member of the Baptist Church and was a man of pure character and lofty principles.
Dudley Mc Williams remained at home until after he was twenty-two years old, when he began farming in his own interests in Missouri. Here he devoted his energies to farming, and at the age of thirty-one years married Amanda Madora, a daughter of James and Sarah Elder. This lady proved to be all our subject had expected in his choice of a helpmate. She was an excellent man- ager, and by unremitting zeal assisted her husband to carry forward his life work. His first purchase comprised one hundred and sixty acres of land in Parke County, on which he now makes his home. Besides this he has improved other tracts until he now has in his possession two hundred and thirty acres of partially improved land. He at once en- tered upon the arduous task of developing a good farm and has always been a very industrious man, feeling a commendable pride in the part which he has taken in the opening of the new sections. To himself and wife were born three children: William E., Nanna and John. Mr. and Mrs. McWilliams were influential members of the Baptist Church of the neighborhood, in which faith the latter passed away August 29, 1891. The former was also a worker in the same church and has always been in politics a stanch Democrat. When the late war broke out onr subject entered the Confederate Army, joining Company D, First Missouri Regi- ment. He was in engagements at Carthage, Spring- field and Lexington, Mo., and was taken prisoner at Danville, Ill., and kept in Camp Butler for a period of three weeks. While sick at home he was a second time captured and carried to Cameron, where the Union Soldiers tried to compel him to inform them regarding the killing of a man named Fredrel. Mr. McWilliams deserves great credit for his success in life, and his experience serves as an excellent lesson to the youth of to-day whose ad- vantages for advancement are so far superior to those he possessed.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ILGHMAN E. BALLARD and EMERSON E. BALLARD. Tilghman E. Ballard was born November 11, 1850, in Boone County, Ind., was reared on a farm until he was twenty years old and then entered Asbury, now De Pauw University, although he did not remain to graduate. After this he engaged in school-teach- ing and was ordained as a minister in the Univer- salist Church in Cass County and preached for five years. A portion of the time he was located at Logansport and took part in four public discus- sions with Elder Bitler, of Galveston, Cass County ; Elder Cooper, of Roann, in Wabash County; Elder Holt, of Montgomery County, and Elder Howe, of Henry County, on the subject of future endless punishment. These discussions were arranged by the friends of the churches and usually extended over four or five days. The work of the ministry necessitated his visiting all parts of the state and as his health was poor he decided to cease active work in the ministry and enter the practice of law.
For this Tilghman Ballard was particularly fitted on account of his logical mind and powers of oratory. He was admitted to practice in Wa- bash County in 1876 and the next year he located here. As there was a probability of his meeting with great success in real estate practice, he has made that a specialty. Soon he was made Chair- man of the Democratic Central Committee, but not long after this he joined the Prohibition party. He has made a canvass regularly during every campaign since, and in 1888 he made a general canvass of the state. His elocutionary powers have been acknowledged and be has been in de- mand as a lecturer generally upon educational top- ics, in which he has always been much interested and for which he has used his pen with force and conviction.
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