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 55
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 55
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 55
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Mr. Davis has a beautiful home at No. 107 Grant avenue, in Crawfordsville, which was built at a cost of $8,000. He has also four other houses in the city. Mr. Davis commenced life with $250 in money, a horse, and a change of clothes in his saddle-bags. His wife had $2,500 in property. He lost her after twenty-five years of married life, about 1870. She was a woman of great good judg- ment, well educated and very judicious in the management of affairs. About one year and a half later he married Miss Elizabeth Anna Mc- Makin and three children resulted from this mar riage, namely: Jessie, a girl of vim and determi- nation, who graduated in the high school in the class of 1891, and is now taking the full course at Wellesley; Julia and Carrie, both of whom are in the class of 1893 at high school. Mrs. Davis is a member of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Davis has taken an active interest in the development of the county and was one of the original Directors of the Agricultural Society. They are among the best people of Crawfordsville.
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AMES W. RATCLIFF, a farmer, who is identified with the agricultural interests of Fountain County and has a substantially improved farm on Section 36, Mill Creek Township, is a native of Parke County, this state, and was born March 15, 1846, on the tine old farm that his father improved and still occu- pies. The latter, Miles Ratcliff, is a native of Ohio, and a son of Thomas Ratcliff, who was
likewise born in that state, was reared amid pio- neer scenes and eventually came to this state and cast his lot with the early settlers of Fountain County.
Thomas Ratcliff lived near Danville awhile after coming to Indiana prior to locating in this county on the place where Thomas J. Ratcliff now lives. He was the first white man to settle in this section, and the land which he took up from the Govern- ment was in a primeval condition, with the great forest trees of centuries' growth standing upon it. He bent his energies to clearing it and putting it under cultivation, and in time made of it a pro- ductive farm. He bought other land and at the time of his death had a large property. The old farm was once a part of the hunting grounds of the Indians, at least it belonged to their domains, and in the name of the little creek that runs across it is preserved the memory of one of the aborig- ines who still lingered here when Mr. Ratcliff ap- peared upon the scene, and was known as "Indian Green," the stream being called "Green."
Miles Ratcliff grew to a stalwart, self-reliant manhood on the old home place in this township. His educational advantages were very limited in his boyhood, his schooling being confined entirely to thirty days' attendance in the subscription schools of the times. He was naturally of a bright mind, however, with a special aptitude for mathematics, and he can to-day solve any problem in the old Ray's Arithmetic, a mental feat which would be difficult for many of the scholars of our modern schools to perform. Mr. Ratcliff married the daughter of an old settler of Sugar Creek Township, Parke County, and after marriage lo- cated on the farm that he has ever since occupied. It comprises three hundred acres of good farming land, and by dint of hard and unremitting labor he has brought it to a fine condition.
Mr. Ratcliff's first wife bore the maiden name of Susanna Eubank, and she was a daughter of L. C. Eubank, who was a prominent pioneer farmer of Parke County. He was of English birth, and came to this country when a boy. He lived for some time in Dearbon County before set- tling in Sugar Creek Township, Parke County, where the remainder of his life was passed. For
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his second wife Mr. Rateliff married Miss Jane Angel, of Putnam County, and to them were born three children: Sarah C., Susan A. and Miles A. Six children were born of the first marriage, of whom five are living: Mary Ann, James W., Jacob W., Jonathan A., and Charles A. Louisa was the name of the one that died.
Mr. Ratcliff is actively identified with the relig- ious interests of his community as one of the lead- ing members of the Christian Church. In politics he is an unswerving adherent of the Democratic party. He was Justice of the Peace for ten years, and in every way he has been faithful to his duties as a citizen, and in all his relations with others, as husband, father, neighbor, friend.
The subject of this brief life sketch was reared under wholesome home influences and obtained a practical education in the public schools of his native county. He remained with his father until he was twenty-four years old, assisting him in the management of his farm and he then took pos- session of the farm he still owns in Mill Creek Township, his father having bought and deeded the place to him and his sister and he purchased his sister's interest in it. It comprises two hun- dred acres of land of great fertility, and the soil is well tilled and the buildings are ample and well built, including a large aud well-appointed frame residence, erected in 1887. Mr. Ratcliff is thor- oughly practical in carrying on his farming opera- tions, using sound sense and good judgment in whatever he does, and readily adopting new meth- ods where advisable. He makes it a point to have only stock of the best grades and his horses for general purposes are the best in the county.
Mr. Ratcliff was first married March 25, 1871, to Miss Ellen, daughter of Ambrose Day. Her father was formerly a prominent farmer of Mill Creek Township, but is now living in retirement at Veedersburg. After his marriage our subject brought his bride to this place, but their wedded life was of brief duration, as she died December 24, 1871. Mr. Ratcliff's marriage to his present wife was solemnized August 25, 1872. Her maid- en name was Rulana Clem, and she is a daugh- ter of Samuel Clem, an early settler of Warren County and now a resident of Danville, Ill. Two
children complete the pleasant and attractive home circle of our subject, and wife: Samuel M., who has recently been graduated from the public schools and Nettie Ellen.
Mr. and Mrs. Ratcliff are deservedly held in high estimation throughout the community, as they possess in a full degree those qualities of head and heart that win respect and confidence. The Christian Church finds in them valued members, who give with liberality and cheerfulness of their means to help carry it on successfully. Mr. Rat- cliff's politics are of the Democratic order. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace and is a Notary Public. He was prominently identified with the I. O. O. F., of which he was a charter member.
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D AVID T. RIDGE, a highly respected cit- izen of Crawfordsville, is a pleasant gentle- man whose sixty-eight years of the ups and downs of life have added greater rich- ness to a true and kindly manhood. He is a merchant tailor and has his place of business at No. 1163 West Washington street. While not one of our wealthy men, he gains a moderate income, doing excellent work, and has a home that he may well feel satisfied with. It is located at No. 610 West Main street.
Mr. Ridge first saw the light in Warren County, Ohio, February 29, 1824. His father was named Thomas, his mother, Jane. The latter died when our subject was eight years old. There is one brother, Joshua, who was a wagon-maker and merchant at Ladoga.
Mr. Ridge began to learn his trade at Waynes- ville, Ohio, serving seven years as an apprentice. He then opened a shop at the place before men- tioned, which shop he took charge of for a year and a half, then clerked for another year and a half in a store at Centerville, after which, in April, 1847, he came to Crawfordsville. His first work here was clerking in a store; he held that position for a year and a half, then clerked at La Fayette for some months.
Mr. Ridge now rented a paper-mill and became a partner in the same, continuing in that business
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for a few months; but as this did not pay he re- turned to Crawfordsville and accepted another clerkship, this time in a large distillery-that of Matlock & Hunt-using three hundred bushels of grain per day. He remained here eighteen months after the death of Mr. Matlock, then, in partnership with Joseph F. Galey, opened a gro- cery store in this place, keeping at the business about four years and building np a large trade. He then engaged in the dry goods business. This was in the year 1857, and owing to the hard times he failed, after a trial of one year and a half. Soon after he returned to the grocery business.
In 1858 Mr. Ridge was elected County Auditor. Before this he had held local township offices. He was elected by the Republicans, being the first Auditor of that party to be elected in the county. His work in this position was most satisfactory; but at the next election, after a hard struggle on the part of his friends, he was defeated by being counted out, and a Democrat was elected in his place.
In 1862 Mr. Ridge bought out a tailor shop and continued the business one year. He then became a member of the firm of McClure, Fry & Com- pany, general merchandise, and was a partner there for five years, selling from $80,000 to $100,000 worth of goods per annum. But at the end of the time mentioned he was no better off than at the beginning. He then learned the pho- tograph trade, opening a gallery in Crawfords- ville; but after two years abandoned it and recom- menced the tailoring trade, about 1870, in which business he is now engaged, as stated above. He has a large line of samples and does a fine busi- ness.
Mr. Ridge married Miss Elizabeth Galey, who was born in Brown Township and is a daughter of Benjamin Galey. Their children are Gifford, who resides at Crawfordsville; William R., a tailor, and Emma H., who is the wife of George F. Carver, a lumber dealer.
As has been before stated, Mr. Ridge has not made a fortune, but his life has been an interesting one, full of change and incident. Perhaps some- thing of a spirit of adventure and love for variety has prompted the trial of new means for advance-
ment, new scenes and different occupations. The main end to be achieved was to gain a competence and an honorable position in the community, as well as to lead an upright life for his own con- science' sake,- all this he has done, and Craw- fordsville is glad to welcome all like him.
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EORGE B. FAUST, whose residence is at No. 106 West Chestnut street, is a retired farmer. It would seem that there is some- thing in the occupation of farming that develops strength of mind and body, and makes a man more fully a man. At least it is well known- too much so, perhaps, to require mention-that many of our grandest characters have been reared on a farm. Looking over the record of this County, the old truth holds good, and in no case more decidedly than in that of our subject.
Mr. Faust's birthplace is in Union Township, five miles south of Crawfordsville, and on Septem- ber 2, 1833, he made his first appearance upon the stage of life where he was to play so important a part. His parents, Aaron and Sarah (Bird) Faust, were from Ohio, in which state they were married. His mother was a native of Lehigh County, Pa., and came to Montgomery County abont 1825. His father is still living on the old homestead at the good old age of eighty four. The latter has been married twice, his first wife, the mother of our subject, having been dead some years. His second wife, Emily Crane, died five or six years ago. There was only one child from this second marriage, Sarah, Mrs. James Kaplinger, who died four years ago. The children by Mr. Fanst's first wife were Mary Ann, Mrs. Thomas Surface, of Hoopeston, Ill .; George B .; John, who lives five miles south of Crawfordsville; Catherine, who became Mrs. Albert Kelsey and died fifteen years ago at the age of thirty; Matilda, Mrs. Henry Douglas, who died about ten years ago; and Hanna, Mrs. Alex Bowers, who also died when about thirty years old.
Mr. Faust, senior, always lived on his old placo, where George was reared and where he remained until he was married, in 1855, at the age of twenty- two. His marriage day was June 6, and he led to
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the altar Miss Martha Margaret Rice, daughter of Abraham and Margaret (Lydick) Rice, of Kentucky, both of whom have been dead for seventeen years. The young daughter came to Crawfordsville in 1852. She was born July 13, 1831, near Lexing- ton, Fayette County, Ky. The newly married couple settled on a farm near New Market, Mr. Faust buying eighty acres of land. Fifteen or sixteen years later he traded this for a farm one mile north of New Market, where he lived till four years ago, his one hundred and sixty acres making a fine piece of property. He is the owner of a threshing-machine whose operation is a source of profit. In March, 1887, he moved to Crawfords- ville, renting his farm. He also owns several houses. Mr. Faust's sons, John W. and Levi R., are proprietors of the Mill Supply & Oil Company, at Crawfordsville, and have a fine business, the only one of the kind here. Both live in the city.
Mr. and Mrs. Faust are members of the Chris- tian church, Mrs. Faust having been connected with that church since she was sixteen years old. She is a faithful and earnest worker for the cause of Christianity, and is one who would be greatly missed should her help be taken away. She is altogether a pleasant, estimable woman and one who has warm friends in the community.
George B. Faust is a Democrat, although he does not engage very actively in politics, his influ- ence being of the quiet kind which makes itself felt without effort on the part of the one from whom it proceeds. Doubtless he inherits much from his father, who is a grand old man, with the rugged strength that characterizes many of the pioneer settlers of our country. He was one of these pioneers, and one of the most worthy to be specially noted. He carved out his fortune in a quiet way, yet with a reserve power that, under other circumstances, might have made him an important factor in the government of the nation. As we have said, his son inherits this strength, both physical and mental. He is a man of marked features, large and athletic in build, a powerful man in every way and with a military bearing that adds much to his appearance. In this case, the outward semblance is a true representation of the
inward man, for he is one who is looked up to as a leader, while he commands the respect of all, and the warm regard of many friends.
R EV. GEORGE WASHINGTON STAF- FORD is a name that for many years has occupied a prominent position in the Meth- odist Church of the state of Indiana and better still, has been enshrined in the hearts of both the high and low, to whom Mr. Stafford has ministered with zeal and Christian affection.
The honored subject of this sketch was born September 24, 1815, in Mechanicsburg, Bland County, Va., his father, Thomas Stafford, having owned the land and laid out that town. The birth of the latter took place at Enniskillen, Ireland, although he was of English ancestry. The father of Thomas was named John Stafford, and he set- tled in Virginia in 1775, where Thomas became a large landholder and business man. The latter married Miss Ruth Neal, of Monroe County, Va., and in 1832 he came to Indiana and settled at At- tica, Fountain County, Ind. Here he became an extensive farmer and lived until his death, Sep- tember 17, 1847. His wife survived him until April, 1862.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Stafford con - sisted of seven sons and three daughters and all lived to maturity. Our subject, the fourth child, is one of the children still living. One sister, Eliza- beth, died May 24, 1893, and Mary Ann lives in Fountain County, the wife of William Sharp, in Attica. His one brother, Oscar F., is engaged in the real-estate business in Chicago. The eldest brother of our subject was a large land owner at Monticello, Ind., and died there in 1856. Of the other mem- bers of the family Lewis B. and William N. settled near Attica. All of the family of the former are dead, but the son and daughter of the latter still reside there. Granville died in Warren County in 1849, and Hugh A. died at home in his twenty- second year in 1848. A young sister, Cynthia M., died in girlhood in 1847. And so passed the rel- atives of our subject to the other shore.
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Mr. Stafford was reared at home until nearly twenty-one years of age and began teaching school at the age of eighteen years. He went to Virginia and shortly after he became interested in serious matters and connected himself with the ministry. After a time spent in teaching in his native state he returned to Indiana in 1837, and in 1840 he was ordained at Indianapolis, but was given a charge at Newtown, Fountain County, and re- mained one year and was then sent one year to Frankfort, in Clinton County, before ordination. After this solemn event Mr. Stafford was stationed at Richmond, Ind., for two years, and from 1852 to 1853 he was placed at Crawfordsville. From 1840 to 1849 he filled appointments on a circuit. One mission field at this time was at Rensselaer.
Mr. Stafford filled the posts of his church at Frankfort for two years, at Valparaiso for two years, at Greencastle for the same length of time, and at Rockville for two years. At the opening of the war, in 1861, he bought his present farm on the outskirts of Crawfordsville and has since served on circuit work with his home at this place, minister- ing to his old cirenit at Newtown in 1861. In 1863 Mr. Stafford enlisted as chaplain in the For- tieth Indiana Infantry, organized at La Fayette, and he remained one year. He saw service in Georgia and was with his regiment in the battles of Chickamauga and Mission Ridge. He followed Sherman to Atlanta, where after encouraging many and performing over hundreds the last sad office, Mr. Stafford was himself stricken with illness, was taken to the hospital and then resigned and came home. Mind and body had sickened at the terrible sights he had been forced to contem- plate, but as soon as health was restored he returned to ministerial work.
In 1866 Mr. Stafford was placed on the super- annated list (a beautiful feature of that denomina- tion) and has since then passed his days quietly upon the farm. Here he has three hundred and forty acres, mainly adjoining the city on the east. In his ministerial work Mr. Stafford has had much encouragement and is a Methodist preacher of the old school, believing in revivals for the quickening of the Spirit. In his fervent zeal he has been able to count from two to three hundred couverts at
each place where he has ministered, and the grand total of thirty-five hundred souls have experienced religion under his efforts. From seven to eight hundred couples have been joined in holy matri- mony through his ministrations.
In his political opinions Mr. Stafford has always been a Republican and has gone as delegate to conventions of the party. The temperance ques- tion has always been one upon which he has had strong opinions. The marriage of Mr. Stafford took place March 24, 1842, to Miss Rachel R. Stitt, the daughter of Hon. James Stitt, who was Circuit Court Judge for twenty-one years and who died in 1844. The family of Rev. Mr. Stafford is as follows, viz .: James T., a minister, located at Monon, Ind .; John M., a minister of Crawfords- ville; William, a farmer and stock-raiser east of Crawfordsville; Sarah A., deceased; George Wash- ington, a graduate of Wabash College and a pro- fessor in the public schools of Seattle, Wash .; Eddie A., a graduate of both Wabash and Rush Medical Colleges, at Tacoma, Wash .; Robert and Oscar, who died in infancy, and Mary R. and Elizabeth, both at home. They, with their most excellent mother, surround the declining years of the husband and father with affectionate care.
No more successful nor respected life among the pioneer ministers of his church can be found than that of the gentleman of whom we have briefly written.
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R EV. WILLIAM WILMER. This popular and much esteemed minister of the Gospel resides in Attica and presides over the Presbyterian congregations in that city and in Williamsport. He was born four miles from Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 19th of October, 1838, and is a son of Henry L. and Mary (Brown) Wil- mer, natives of Maryland and New Jersey respect- ively, the father born in Baltimore, and the mother in Salem, near Philadelphia. When twenty-one years of age the father went to Cincinnati, pur- chased a farm near that city, and to this brought his bride. They resided on this farm for sixty years, or until they were aged people. Honorable
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and upright, they were highly esteemed by all who were favored with their acquaintance.
William Wilmer remained on his father's farm until seventeen years of age, and gradnated from Farmer's College, near his old home, in the class of 1860. He had to depend mainly on his own exertions for an education, and taught school for the means to take him through college. In the year 1860, after graduating, he taught the full year near his home, after which he entered the semi- nary at Auburn, N. Y. Later he returned to Cin- cinnati and entered Lane Seminary, where he com- pleted the course in the class of 1864. He is an alumnus of each of these institutions and has recently attended commencement exercises at Lane.
Mr. Wilmer's first pulpit work was during his vacation in 1863 at Rockville, Parke County, Ind., where he was associated with the Rev. John Hawkes, one of the best known ministers of western Indiana. After graduating, he accepted a pastorate at Mon- tezuma, Ind., in the Crawfordsville Presbytery, where he was ordained in September, 1865. After spending two and a half years at Montezuma be had charge of the church at Monticello for one year. The year following was devoted to the Home Mission Work of Carroll County, Ind. In 1869 he assumed charge of the church at Williams- port, to which he devoted two years exclusively, when he was asked to include the church at Attica in his charge. The latter church was not in a very prosperous condition at that time, and it was through his exertions and business tact that its condition was bettered. He entered upon the double duty with misgivings, but the result has shown the wisdom of the course.
For twenty years Mr. Wilmer bas preached al- ternately at each church, and during that time he has given faithful attention to every detail in busi- ness matters, has proffered sound advice and in- struction to his auditors, and has cultivated relations of close, faithful friendship with his parishioners. He has strengthened and improved the two churches in every way. While it was at first intended that the arrangement be a tem- porary one, it has never been thought advisable
for either party to separate since. The member- ship in each church has kept pace with the growth of the country, and a new church build- ing has been erected at Williamsport. Both churches are in a fine healthy financial condition, and the people take an active interest in both the church and its pastor. He has been instru- mental in bringing many to the feet of Christ, and is a man of strong will, clear conceptions, generous impulses and fine sensibilities, that make him sernpulously tender of the rights of others.
Mr. Wilmer's sermons are filled with earnest religious appeals, biblical citations, historic ref- ereuces, poetic gems, and sincere reasoning. He is a most pleasant gentleman to meet and is uni- versally popular with his congregation. His con- stant ministration to his people for twenty years has endeared him to their hearts in ties of the closest friendship and love. Mr. Wilmer is a man of liberal views. Though not in sympathy with the radical ideas of such men as Dr. Briggs he is in full accord with those who have worked for the modification and revision of the Presbyte- rian articles. He is not given to extreme views, and while a strict Prohibitionist, he does not be- lieve that the best results can be obtained through the Prohibition party.
In personal appearance Mr. Wilmer is tall, has a vigorous body, and a fine open countenance. He was married in May, 1865, to Miss Kate F. Wood, one of his former pupils. She died on the 25th of January, 1873, at Williamsport. On the 18th of September, 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie K. Peabody, a classmate of his first wife at Oxford Seminary, Ohio. Miss Peabody was born in Henneker, N. H., and is the daughter of a prominent physi- cian of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer are the parents of one child, now deceased, and two daughters: Edna and Lizzie, both of whom graduated at the Western Female Seminary at Oxford, Ohio, the former in the class of 1886, and in the latter in 1888. Both are teachers and very intelligent young ladies. They are by the first wife.
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