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 58
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 58
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 58
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About the same time, as if to illustrate the old proverb, "it never rains but it pours," the horse of our subject, his sole property, died and left him penniless, bnt, full of hope and courage, he was not dismayed. At one time Mr. Carter owned one thousand acres of valuable land, upon a por- tion of which he erected a handsome and substan- tial brick residence, now, as for the past many years, his home. In 1836 he married Miss Anna Mills, the daughter of an old pioneer of the coun- ty. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Car- ter, three of whom are living. Our subject and his wife are both members of the Missionary Bap- tist Church, and have ever been known as most generous givers and active workers in all benevo- lent enterprises within and outside the church organization. Mr. Carter has been a sturdy Dem- ocrat all his life, but has never been troubled with any political aspirations and never cared to hold an office. In fact, the days of our subject have been so full of business, he has had time for little
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else. Fifty-six years ago he began buying and shipping stock and was the real pioneer of that business in his portion of the state.
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(ESSE L. MENDENHALL. The name of Mendenhall has been familiar in Fountain County from the earliest days of its settle- ment, and it is closely connected with the annals of Cain Township even to the present day, the first man to locate within its bounds being Ab- salom Mendenhall, the father of the gentleman whose name is at the head of this sketch, who is a retired farmer residing in the village of Hillsboro.
Absalom Mendenhall was born in Burke County, N. C., March 18, 1780, a son of Jesse Mendenhall. He was reared in his native county, but migrated from there to Tennessee when a young man and first settled in Granger County. He there met and married Judith Taliferro, who was a daughter of Richard Taliferro, who was one of the heroes of the Revolution. After marriage Mr. Mendenhall continued to live in Granger County for a time and was engaged both in farming and in trade as a cooper. In 1820 he brought his family to Indiana, and for three years they lived in Wayne County. In the fall of 1823 he made still another move and coming to Fountain County entered one hundred and sixty acres from the Government, situated on Section 8, Township 19, Range 6, and he thus be- came the first permanent settler of Cain Township, his nearest neighbor being eight miles away. The entry of his land was made at Terre Haute, but the land office was afterward removed to Craw- fordsville, and his place was on the road that led from that city to Covington, in a wild and lonely spot, all the country around being a howling wilderness. Indians still roamed the forests as in the days when they had full possession, and deer, wild tur- keys, wolves and other wild animals abounded, bears being seen, too, occasionally. Copperhead and rattlesnakes were prevalent, and often the cat- tle on the bluffs would be bitten by those noxious reptiles. The Indians, who were of the Pottawat- omie tribe, were troublesome, as they had no re- gard for the rights of others and did not scruple to
appropriate all property that they could lay their hands on in many cases.
Mr. Mendenhall built a log house for a dwelling and proceeded to clear his land. It was not long before he was joined by other settlers, and he soon found himself surrounded by neighbors. In the quarter of a century that elapsed between the time of his coming here and the date of his death, Au- gust 25, 1848, he wrought a great change on his homestead by his steady industry, making a good farm of it. He was of a genial, obliging disposi- tion, and held a warm place in the hearts of his fellow-pioneers, among whom he had many per- sonal friends. Politically he affiliated with the Democrats and was a prominent figure in the public life of his county, which he served in various offi- cial capacities. He was at one time County Com- missioner, and he subsequently held the office of Justice of the Peace three consecutive terms, while later, in 1840, he was elected to the State Senate.
Mr. Mendenhall's wife preceded him in death, dying August 18, 1845. They had eleven children, ten of whom grew to maturity, our subject now being the sole survivor of the family. The others were Taliferro, who died February 5, 1835; Jane, who married Morgan Addington; Sarah, who mar- ried Joseph Wade; Dorcas, who married William Addington; Mary, who married Warren Dewey; Temperance, who married William Donohue; William N .; Betsy, who married Joseph Zumalt; and Judith, who married Perry De Vore.
The subject of this biography was born June 21, 1817, in Granger County, Tenn. He was but four years old when his father removed to White- water, this State, and but six years of age when he settled in Cain Township. The first school that he attended was held in a round log house that had puncheon floor and benches. A hewed log house took the place of that building, and slab seats superseded the puncheon benches. Our sub- ject worked on the old homestead for his father until he was twenty-one, and he then engaged in farming there on his own account. He was married Jannary 10, 1839, to Miss Susan Bever, n dangh- ter of Mathias Bever, who was an early settler of the township. She was born August 2, 1815, in Adams County, Ohio, and was nine years old when
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the family came to Indiana. Mr. Mendenhall con- tinned to live on his father's place for some time after his marriage, but he finally removed to a farm on Section 19, which comprised one hundred and sixty acres of fine farming land, which he retained in his possession until the spring of 1887, when he sold it and retired from active business to Hills- boro, where he is enjoying the fruits of his early labors as a practical, wide awake farmer. He is still exceedingly interested in all that pertains to agriculture, and is well posted in what is going on in the country. IIe is a member of the Masonic Order and has held the office of Treasurer in his lodge. Politically, he is an uncompromising Democrat. He and his wife are among the first members of the Christian Church, identifying themselves with its every good work, and he is an elder in the church. He has held public offices with honor to himself and to the benefit of the community. Three times he has been elected Justice of the Peace, and he was Trustee of the Township two terms.
A SA W. CORN, who resides on Section 25 in the southern part of Union Township, where he is engaged in the manufacture of tile and lumber, is a native of Montgomery County, and is numbered among its most active and enterprising young business men. He is a son of Albert Corn, one of the early pioneers of the county, of whom a sketch appears on another page of this work.
Our subject was born February 17, 1855, in Walnut Township, and was educated in the district schools. As soon as he was old enough he engaged in farming and in working in the timber. After his marriage he settled on the place where he now lives, he and his bride beginning life together in a little log cabin, in which they lived two summers and one winter. He then replaced that humble dwelling by the neat and substantial frame resi- dence which they now occupy. He gave his atten- tion to farming from 1878 until 1880, and in the latter year he commenced the manufacture of tile. In 1887 he began to make lumber, and now
operates both a tile factory and a sawmill. He has all the facilities for both industries, having a full equipment of the best machinery for the pur- poses, including two large engines, one for the factory and the other for the mill, and, by strict attention to business he has built up one of the best trades in the county, his tile being of a supe- rior quality and commanding a ready sale, as well as his lumber.
Mr. Corn married Miss Anna A. Lemmon, and they have established a cheerful, happy home, where comfort reigns supreme and hospitality abounds. Mrs. Corn is one of the three children of Jacob M. Lemmon, who is railway agent at Mace, where he has resided for twenty-one years. He came to Indiana from Marysville, Union County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Corn have had six children, of whom the following four are still living: Nina A., Ernest W., Fern and John A. David and Marion died in infancy.
Our subject is generous and public spirited as a citizen, taking pride in the progress of his native county; he is upright as a man, and an active member of the Christian Church, whose interests he has very much at heart; in his domestic life he is all that a true husband and kind father should be, while his neighbors ever find him friendly and obliging. Politically he is a Democrat, and socially is a member of New Ross Lodge, No. 59, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and also belongs to Mace Lodge, No. 55, Knights of Pythias.
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ONATHAN F. CHESTERSON owns and is profitably managing the fine old homestead on Section 21, South Union Township, which was taken up from the Government, when this country was a wilderness, by his grandfather, James Chesterson, who was one of the earliest set- tlers of Montgomery County. Our subject was born in Kankakee County, Ill., June 5, 1849. His father, the venerable George Chesterson, a well- known resident of this county, was born in Ohio, a son of James and Betsey (Linn) Chesterson, and he was four years old when his parents came to Indiana in 1825 and settled upon a tract of land
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that was entered from the Government, they being among the very first to locate in this township and here their remaining days were passed amid pio- neer environments.
The father of subject was one of several children and he was early set to work to help in the devel- opment of the home farm, as was the case with the sons of most pioneer farmers. In due time he started out in life for himself as a farmer and was fortunate in securing the active co-operation of a most capable wife in the person of Louisa, daugh- ter of Jonathan Fender, a farmer of White Water. After marriage Mr. Chesterson farmed in Union Township for awhile, removing two years later to Kankakee County, Ill. After a five years' resi- dence there, he returned to this county and set- tled on a farm in Union Township adjoining the place where his son of whom we write lives. Two or three years later he left that place for his pres- ent home, where he is spending his declining years pleasantly. He enjoys the respect of the entire community as a man of sterling merit, who leads a consistent Christian life and is a worthy member of the Baptist Church. Politically, he is a stanch Democrat.
Our subject is one of eleven children, of whom ten are living: James, Jonathan, Nelson, Thomas, Milton, Elizabeth, William, Emma, Franklin and Charity. Ella died at the age of one year. Our subject was but a small child when his father re- turned to Indiana, therefore his life has been mostly passed in this county. He grew up with a practical knowledge of farming and has made it his calling. He now owns the farm that his grand- father reclaimed from the forest- wilds and has one hundred and twenty acres of highly fertile land, which has been placed under the best of tillage and is well supplied with modern improvements. He devotes it to general farming and raises a good class of stock.
Mr. Chesterson was married April 15, 1872, to Sarah J. Byrd. She is a daughter of Thomas Byrd, who died in 1870, while her mother is still living and makes her home in Union Township. The great sorrow of the otherwise happy wedded life of our subject and his wife has been in the death of their little daughter Ella, their only
child, who died at the age of three years and six months.
Mr. Chesterson holds a high place in the estima- tion of his fellow citizens on account of his upright principles and high moral character. In politics, he is a Democrat and is true to his party. Relig- iously, he is a member of Mt. Tabor Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a Steward, and he uses his influence to upbuild church and Sun- day school.
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M ICHAEL KELLY is one of the proprie- tors of the Hotel Grinley at Rockville, Parke County. He was born in Strat- ford, Canada, December 8, 1846, being the son of Michael, a farmer by occupation, who emigrated from Ireland. The latter was born about the year 1808, and after his emigration to Canada remained there for four years. He then located in Attica, in 1848, where he engaged as a contractor on the Wabash Canal and later removed to Montezuma, where he followed railroad con- tracting. His next move was to Crawfordsville of this state, where he resided until his death.
The subject of this sketch is the youngest in a family of five children, four of whom are still liv- ing. He was educated in the public schools of Crawfordsville and afterward received a good busi- ness education in the Eastman Business College of Chicago. Returning to Indiana, he then located in Crawfordsville where he engaged in various business enterprises and there continued to reside until 1888. Foremost among his undertakings in that city he was running the Sherman House, and for a long time was also interested in a restaurant. For eight years he was a contractor for building gravel roads and ditches. For the past five years he has been a resident of Rockville, and has made a success of his hotel, being the owner of the building. He has a large saloon in the building which he manages. The Hotel Grinley is a first- class two dollar-a-day house, which caters to first- class custom, and does a very large business, prin- cipally with traveling men.
Our subject was first married in Crawfordsville,
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Ind., to Miss Jennie E. Casey, who died in 1871, leaving one child, M. D., now of the firm of M. D. Kelly & Co., proprietors of the Hotel Grinley. This gentleman is one of the enterprising young business men of Rockville, and to his enterprise and business tact is due, in a large measure, the remarkable success of the hotel. In 1875 our sub- ject married Miss Bridget, daughter of William Tobin, of Greencastle, Ind. To them have been born five children, three of whom are living: Grace, Hugh and Paul.
In 1880 Mr. Kelly made the race for County Recorder of Montgomery County, being a candi- date on the Republican ticket and was beaten by only one vote. In the war of the Rebellion he en- listed as a private soldier in Company E, One Hundred and Fiftieth Indiana Infantry, and is at present a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public. Both he and his entire family are devoted members of the Roman Catholic Church. Mrs. Kelly is a refined and cultivated lady and to her a large share of the success her husband has achieved is justly dne as she has encouraged him and given him the benefit of her wise advice and judg- ment in his undertakings.
**
B ENJAMIN GARDNER. The history of every community is made up, so far as its more interesting features are concerned, of the events and transactions of the lives of its prominent, representative citizens. In any worthy history of Fountain County an outline of the life of the subject of this sketch should not fail to be given, together with a sketch of his family. He has been upright and honorable in every relation of life, and although quiet aud un- assuming, his life has been full of good deeds. Mr. Gardner claims Ohio as his native state, his birth occurring in Richland County on the 6th of April, 1820, but his parents, James and Rebecca (Stewart) Gardner, were both natives of Cayuga County, New York.
The elder Gardner moved with his family to the Buckeye State in 1816 and settled near the line of Western Reserve. Later he moved to
Huron County, just across the reserve, and was there engaged in tilling the soil for some time. After the death of his father, in 1836, our subject ran a hotel in the village of Paris, now Plymouth. In 1845 he came to Indiana, settled in Covington, and was engaged in working by the month for J. G. Hardy, for seven years, or until 1852. He then opened a meat market and continued this until 1860, when he engaged in pork-packing in partner- ship with Thomas Bennett, now of Russellville, Ill. After this for about eight years he was engaged in the same business with J. G. Hardy, being at Covington three years of tliat time.
Following this our subject was engaged in the pork packing business at La Fayette for eight years and met with the best of success, at times running a business of upward of $50,000. He gave his entire attention to this calling, and being enterprising, thoroughgoing and practical, the best results attended his efforts. Since then he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits one mile from Covington, and in this, as in all other occu- pations, he has made a complete success. He owns two hundred and thirty acres of excellent land and all his farming operations are conducted in a manner showing him to be a man of good judgment and one capable of conducting almost any enterprise.
In 1867 our subject, with Mr. Hardy, owned two thousand four hundred acres of land in Kansas and in 1888 Mr. Gardner sold his interest to Mr. Hardy. (The latter recently died in Toledo, Ohio.) Our subject entered over nine thousand acres of land at a cost of sixty-seven and a half cents per acre, in Kansas, and spent several months there. In 1887 he fenced this land him- self. In his political views Mr. Gardner is a Re- publican, but is not a strict partisan, voting for the man instead of the party. After a long and useful life he has retired from the turmoil and worry of life and from now on will enjoy the fruits of his labors. He resides on one of the most at- tractive agricultural spots in the county, being conspicuous for the management that, while mak- ing it neat and attractive, still shows prudence and economy.
The nuptial day of our subject occurred in the
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year 1849, in Perry County, Ohio, when he led to the altar Miss Mary Adeline Worth, who only sur- vived until 1852. Our subject's second marriage occurred in 1855, at Covington, to Miss Charlotta Savage. The following children were born of this union: Lincoln, the eldest son, lives on a farm; Mary, now Mrs. Julian Martin, resides in Coving- ton; Alanson, engaged on the Clover Leaf Rail- road; Charles, time-keeper on the C. & E. I., at Danville, Ill., and James and Celia who died in infancy. Mr. Gardner was one of the organizers of the Citizen's Bank with Hardy and Reed, and was connected with this for three years.
R OBERT CAMPBELL, a leading citizen, and for nearly a half century a successful merchant tailor of Newtown, Fountain County, Ind., and but recently retired from active work, is ably represented in the busi- ness world by his energetic sons, who are now prominently connected with various commercial interests of the county. In the conduct of his business and in the daily walk of life our subject has ever been most upright and honorable, and thus deservedly won the esteem and confidence of the general public, whose good will and custom he has enjoyed for so long a time.
The ancestors of Mr. Campbell are, as his name would indicate, of Scotch origin. It is certain that the Campbells left their native "heath " at a very early period, and that here in the "land of the free" they established homes and reared families of sons and daughters who were closely identified with the history and foundation of our country's independence. The Campbells are re- corded as having fought bravely during the Revo- lutionary War, and their descendants have ever occupied a respected position among the honest, intelligent, law-abiding citizens of the United States.
The parents of our subject were James and Sarah (Hoffman) Campbell. The father was born in New Jersey and the mother was a native of Pennsylvania, and undoubtedly a direct descend- ant of the family of Hoffmans, who came from Ger-
many, and settled among the substantial and worthy colonists of the Quaker State. James Campbell married his wife in the state of her nativity, and there they began together life's duties, and as their family clustered about them taught to each child the lessons of honest industry, which well fitted their sons and daughters to become ener- getic and self-reliant men and women.
Robert Campbell was born in the pleasant home in Northumberland County, Pa., in 1821, and there received his education and learned his trade. In 1843, having attained his majority, he determined to try his fortunes in the farther west, and, journeying to Indiana, located in his present home, which has been his permanent resi- dence ever since. Arriving in Newtown, at twen- ty-two years of age, with no capital save his abil- ity and energy, our subject has been prospered, and now at three score years and ten enjoys a competence earned by years of honest toil and wise investment.
In 1853 Mr. Campbell was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Scott, a daughter of H. S. Scott, who is very widely known as one of the early pio- neers who migrated from Virginia to Fountain County. . Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are the parents of three children-Herbert, Robert and Sarah, the wife of Alber VanDervolegen, whose father and mother were among the pioneers of the state, and intimately associated with the early history of the county's settlement. The sons Herbert and Robert Campbell are progressive citizens, deeply interested in building up the local interests of their home, and are active in every enterprise of merit in their locality. Their efficient ability and upright character have gained them a prominent position in both social and business circles of the county.
Our subject and his family are all Presbyte- rians, valued members of the church, and active workers in the benevolent and religious duties de- manded of that organization. Mr. Campbell is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, and has for many years been connected with that honorable and ancient society. During his entire life he has been deeply interested in politics, regarding the conduct of national and local affairs as the
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deciding factor in the prosperity of the Republic. "Born" a Democrat, he changed his convictions with the times, and is now a stanch Republican, and never fails to do his duty on election day.
J OHN FOREMAN. The agricultural dis- tricts of this great commonwealth are the homes of scores of worthy men whose lives have been spent in such a manner as to win the respect of those with whom they associate, while their well-directed efforts have resulted in comfortable homes and many enjoyments. In Parke County frequent representatives of this class may be found, and one of them is he whose history will be outlined in these paragraphs. His home is located on Section 32, Washington Township, where he has a thoroughly tilled farm, whereon may be found such buildings as are made neces- sary by the extent of his work, or such as will in- crease the comfort of his home life.
Mr. Foreman was born in Butler County, Ohio, in 1818, and is the son of Jacob Foreman. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and lived on a farm all his life, where he reared a family of seven children, of whom but two survive-David, of New- castle, Ind., and John, our subject. The latter began life for himself when but a mere lad. He turned his face toward the west and came with another family to Indiana, remaining at Arbana for a few years, when he came to Parke County.
As a life companion Mr. Foreman chose Miss Nancy Wells, a native of Jefferson County, Ind., to whom he was married in 1858. She became the mother of four children, namely: Louisa, Or- manda, Maria and Wallace. At first Mr. Fore- man met with many discouragements, but being a man of push, pluck and perseverance, he encount- ered all these difficulties with a brave heart, and after working by the month for a time, his orig- inal sum of $10 was increased until he was en- abled to rent a piece of property. At this junct- ure he took unto himself a wife, whom we have before mentioned. By living economically and at- tending strictly to his pursuit Mr. Foreman finally
purchased a farm of two hundred and sixty-five acres, a portion of which he divided among his children. He owes his present prosperity solely to his own industry, and in his career he has shown himself possessed of those faculties that are requisite to success-sagacity, far-reaching fore- thought and a practical tenacity of purpose.
D R. WALLACE M. PURCELL, who has been a resident of Rockville since May, 1890, where he is gradually building up a good business, was born at Pleasant Gar- den, Putnam County, Ind., February 24, 1839. His parents, John M., and Adaline D. (Freeman) Purcell, were both born in Orange County this state. Both came to Putnam County at the age of ten, and later became known to each other at Pleasant Garden, where they were married, and reared a family of four children, namely: Bruce R., who enlisted in Company B, Fourth Iowa Infantry, in 1861, and became a veteran by re-enlistment. He was shot through the knee-joint, while skir- mishing near Dallas, Georgia, May 28, 1864, and died from the effects of the injury, July 12, 1864, in field hospital, at Barton's Iron Works, near Altoona, Georgia. Helen Marr, whose first hus- band, William H. Girton died in the service at Columbia, Tennessee, in May, 1862. She was afterward married to George W. Osborn, and now resides on a farm near Reelsville, Putnam County. Dove A., who became the wife of Capt. John M. Magner, now of Taylorsville, Ill. While visiting her husband at the front, she was caught in the battle of Corinth, Miss., the tent she was occupy- ing being pierced by many bullets, during the early part of the engagement. She died of acute illness in 1869. Wallace M., the oldest of the children, and the subject of this sketch, had only the facilities afforded by the log-school house for acquiring an early education. He was fond of books, however, and easily kept at the head of his classes. In March, 1854, he entered the office of Dr. R. R. Stevenson, as a student of medicine. Dr. Stevenson was a Kentuckian by birth, and at the outbreak of the war, he threw up a lucrative
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