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 68
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 68
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 68
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RAL L. BROWN, M. D., living on Section 29, Ripley Township, is known and honored throughout Montgomery County as one of the oldest resident physicians of this part of the state, who has been in successful practice here for forty years and more, and is likewise greatly es- teemed for the value of his citizenship. The Doctor was born near Layton, Ky., in the year 1826. He is the descendant of an officer of the Revolution, his great-grandfather, a native of South Carolina, having been a lieutenant in the Continental Army.
The grandfather of subject was John Brown, who was born in South Carolina on the Little
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Pedee river. He was a farmer by occupation. He married Mary Vance, and they had six children, as follows: John, the eldest, born in Virginia, who came to Indiana in 1831, and was one of its pioneer farmers; David, who was born in Ken- tucky, was a soldier in the Union army several years, and is now farming in his native state; Eli- jah, who was born in Kentucky, came to this county in 1831, married Sarah Lewis at the cross. ing of the Raccoon, and subsequently farmed in Boone County until his death; Levi, who was born in Kentucky, and settled on a farm in Iowa, where he died; Desdemona, who was born in Kentucky, and married John Kelly, a farmer who is promi- nent in church affairs, and Amos, who was born in Kentucky, married Miss Gibson, a native of Vir- ginia, in 1825, came to this county in 1831, and .. purchased eighty acres of land in New Ross, where he settled. To him and his wife were born the following children: Our subject, who is the eldest of the family; Eliza, who was married in 1849 to Henry Long, a farmer of Kansas; John, a carpenter in Union County, Postmaster in his town from the election of Lincoln until Cleveland's ad- ministration, and who married Martha Burke; Nathan, who was a member of the Forty-first Indiana Cavalry, under Capt. Stewart, was mortally wounded at Stone river in 1863, and returning to the old homestead, died a month later; Rebecca, who died in 1873 at the resi- dence of her brother, our subject; Hiram A., who was born in 1847, and is now a farmer in central Illinois. A mere boy when the Rebellion broke out, in 1863 he enlisted and was made Captain of his company. His regiment was penned in at Knox- ville and had a desperate encounter with the rebels.
After obtaining the preliminaries of his educa- tion in the district school our subject studied medicine under the instruction of Dr. Hesington, who was one of the first physicians in the county. Having thus gained a thorough practical knowl- edge of his chosen profession, Dr. Brown entered upon his long and prosperous career at Waynetown in 1848. In 1849 he came to his present place of residence in Ripley Township. During these long years he has enjoyed an active and lucrative practice that has taken him to all parts of the
county and even beyond its bounds, and he early established himself in the favor of the people to whose ills he has administered so ably and so faithfully. He had to combat a great deal of malarial fever in an early day, but since the land has been so extensively placed under cultivation and the country has become well settled it has dis- appeared altogether.
The Doctor is exceedingly happy in his domestic ties, and has a wife who understands full well how to make home a comfortable and attractive abid- ing place. Her maiden name was Maud E. J. Warbuton, and she was born in 1827, her parents being James and Jane Warbuton. Our subject and his wife have three children, Florence, Jane E. and Alonzo F. Florence was born Jannary 1, 1850, and married Wesley Roundtree, who died, leaving a farm of three hundred acres. Jane is the wife of R. Stumps, a leading lawyer at Terre Hante, and a prominent temperance worker in that city. They have two daughters, who are twins, sixteen years of age. Alonzo was born in 1855, studied medicine with his father, was grad- nated from the Indiana Medical College, and is in active practice in Fountain County. He was mar- ried at Crawfordsville in 1890, to Miss Lillie Remely.
Our subject's name is associated with much that has been done to benefit the township and raise the standard of its morality, and he has al- ways been thoroughly alive to its highest interests. He has been a prominent figure in county politics from the time that he attained his majority. He was a Whig in early days, and is now a Repub- lican, tried and true. The Doctor was an ardent Abolitionist, and is the only one now living in this part of the country who was engaged in the famons " Underground Railroad " service by which so many slaves found their way to freedom in Canada. Our subject was one of the founders and charter members of the Alamo Lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 144. A true Christian gentleman, whose life has been guided by the highest princi- ples of integrity and right living, the Doctor is an exemplary member of the Presbyterian Church, and has given of his means freely to advance its interests. His son is also of the Presbyterian faith, and is an Elder iu the church.
Jonathan Twaim
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ONATHAN SWAIM. The farming and stocking-raising interests of Washington Township, Parke County, find a most energetic and successful representative in the person whose name heads this notice, who states that he came to Indiana with nothing but an old plug horse worth about 860, and $15 in money. He is now numbered among the leading men of this county and is the owner of about six hundred acres of finely improved land (a part of which he has divided among his children), a goodly assortment of live-stock, and all other ap- purtenances which the progressive agriculturist naturally gathers around him. He makes a spec- ialty of stock-feeding, having a great number of cattle of good grades.
Mr. Swaim was born in Guilford County, N. C., October 19, 1816. He is a descendant of Anthony Swaim, who came to America in 1700, and settled on Staten Island. He was of Dutch descent. Subsequently he located near Richmond, where he married and reared four sons: Michael, Mathias, William, and one whose name is unknown. The first-named son remained on Staten Island, where his descendants all lived; Mathias located in Es- sex County, N. J .; William moved to North Caro- lina, and settled in Surry County, where he reared a large family. His wife was Elizabeth Vickery in her maiden days. John was a farmer by occupation and went to what is now known as Randolph County, N. C., where he bought a large tract of land, which he divided into farms for each of his children. They were named Massah, William (our subject's grandfather), Joshua, Chris- topher, John, Elizabeth, Ashley, Marmaduke, Char- ity, Moses and Michael. William bought several hundred acres of land in Randolph County, and married and reared a family of eleven children, namely: Daniel, the father of our subject; John, Benjamin, Joshua, William, Ashley, Polly, Lottie, Fannie, Elizabethi and Rachael. Politically, the father of this family was a Whig. After the death of his first wife he married Mrs. Christina Swaim. He died at about the age of eighty, having lived a useful life.
The father of our subject was a native of Ran- dolph County, N. C., being born in 1790. Hle was
employed on a farm, in the meantime preparing himself for the vocation of a teacher. On reach- ing his majority, he continued teaching for the greater part of his life, holding many sessions in his own log kitchen. While yet in his youth he came to Indiana and taught in what is now known as Orange County for some time, after which he returned to the scenes of his childhood and there chose his companion for life. His wife was Miss Susan Lamb, and bore him eleven children, whom they named Jonathan, Riley, William, Joseph, Joshua, John, Anna, Betsey, Cynthia, Fannie and Melissa. Those now living are Riley, Jonathan, Joseph, John and Fannie. The declining years of his life were spent in Parke County, where he died at the age of sixty-five years, his wife sur- viving him about twelve years. He was a member of the Baptist Church, as was also his wife. In his political views he was a Whig, and an ear- nest supporter of his party.
Jonathan Swaim began for himself just before attaining the age of twenty-one years, and in 1837 came to Parke County, where he entered upon the business of shoe-making. Picking up trade here and there, he soon was able to purchase a team and wagon, and did general teaming for some time, also making a number of trips to Cincinnati and New Orleans on flatboats. His first purchase of land comprised forty acres on Sugar Creek, which he bought in 1839, and by improving and culti- vating this and living sparingly, he added to his landed possessions until he owns in the neighbor- hood of six hundred acres of fertile land. On the 1st of September, 1844, Mr. Swaim wedded Elea- nor Woody, daughter of John and Mary (Holliday) Woody, of this county. Mrs. Woody is a native of Orange County, N. C., and was born January 28, 1825. Her parents were also natives of the Carolinas. She has been the mother of eight chil- dren, one of whom died in infancy. The others are Betsey (deceased), John R., Henry C., Sarah C., Amanda E., Ruth E. and Joseph L.
Mr. Swaim has been familiar with farming pur- suits from his boyhood up, and is managing the homestead successfully with excellent results. Politically, he is a warm-hearted Republican, with which party he has identified himself for a number
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of years. The family occupy a good position so- eially in their community, and the homestead is numbered among the well-regulated estates of Parke County.
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LEXANDER SMOCK, Trustee of Florida Township, was born June 20, 1852, in Parke County. lle is the son of the Rev. Jacob Smock, of Terre Haute, Ind., who is a native of Shelby County, Ky., and was born in 1826. He was the father of a large family of children, eleven in number, three of whom died in infaney. The others are: James, who died at the age of thirty years; Mary J., wife of Frank Stew- art, who died in Vigo County at the age of twenty- six, leaving a son, William, and a daughter, Lola; Jasper D., a resident of Vigo County; Alexander, our subjeet; Josephine, wife of Walter Baldwin, who is the eldest of the Melville Sisters, of stage fame in comedy, and is at the present time the star of the Baldwin Comedy Company; Ida, wife of Sam T. Young, who is a star in the Sam T. Young Comedy Company; Maude, wife of Osear Anderson, a resident of La Crosse, Wis .; and Rose, wife of Harry Hardy, of Piqua, Ohio, who too is an actress with Mr. Young. Mrs. Anderson, who was also an actress, has retired from stage life and her husband is a commercial traveler.
The mother of our subjeet was Miss Caroline Puett, a native of Indiana. Her family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Iler father was Armstead Puett, a brother of Austin, of Greencastle, whose wife was a Miss Milligan, of Irish lineage. Mr. Smock of this sketch remained under the parental roof until twenty-five years of age. Being a young man of good education and business taet, he entered the mercantile trade, which he contin- ned in for eight years.
January 2, 1888, our subjeet was united in mar- riage with Miss Sarah A. Barnes, daughter of Thomas A. and Helen (Jessup) Barnes. In 1886 he purchased his present farm of one hundred and
sixty acres on sections 11 and 12, which he has im- proved and cultivated. By his marriage have been born two children, Ada L., born January 23, 1879; and Oliver C., born November 15, 1884. Mrs. Smock is one of nine children, one dying in infaney. The others were: Robert M., who died at the age of twenty-one years; John A., who died when sixteen; Tony, also deceased; Silas L., a resi- dent of Parke County; Oliver, of Kentucky; Mary, wife of Jasper N. Shirley, of Boone County; and Edward, a resident of Parke County.
Politically, our subject is of the Democratie party. He is now serving his second term as Trus- tee of the township, and has also been elected as Supervisor. Socially, he is a member of the An- cient Free & Accepted Masons, also a member of the Owl Club. He is an earnest believer in the Missionary Baptist Church, and helps financially as well as spiritually in the upbuilding of the cause. Mr. Smock is a thorough business man, an excellent farmer, of a jovial disposition and be- loved by all.
G EORGE MATER, a retired and influential farmer, whose residence is now at Bell- more, Parke County, was engaged for many years in cultivating the farm, in addition to which in former years he improved several farms in the county. Our subject was born in Butler County, Ohio, near Dayton, October 26, 1823, and is a son of John and Mary (Culver) Mater. The former was probably a native of Pennsylvania, and followed the occupation of a farmer. His father, George, was born in Ger- many, emigrating to the United States when a young man, settling in Pennsylvania. Our sub- ject's mother was born in New Jersey and was a daughter of Daniel Culver.
John Mater after his marriage engaged in farm- ing in Butler County, emigrating to Parke County in 1827, and taking up land of the Government in Adams Township. This tract of one hundred
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and sixty acres he improved, and built thereon a small log house. His wife died on the old home- stead, aged about sixty-two years. The father died in Reserve Township, near Montezuma, when he had attained his seventy-fourth year. They were the parents of seven children, two daughi- ters and five sons. Four of the sons are now liv- ing: Rev. Ira, a minister of the United Brethren Church of Hillsdale; George, our subject; Jacob, of Eddyville, Iowa, who was in the service of his country during the late war, being with Sherman on his march to the sea; and Daniel, who is a blacksmith at Kingman, Kan.
Our subject was only a child of four years when he was brought by his parents to this county, so he has practically spent his life here. lle at- tended the old-fashioned log schoolhouse of the period, remaining with his father and lending him dutiful assistance in the farm work until he had grown to man's estate. In 1846 was cele- brated his marriage with Miss Elizabeth Crooks, a native of Kentucky, who came to this locality with her parents at an early day. After her death, Mr. Mater in 1850 wedded Margaret Miller, who was born in this county and is the daughter of John and Margaret Miller, early settlers of the county. Mrs. Mater was born in Union Town- ship in 1827. She departed this life December 31, 1879, leaving one son and six daughters, John M., who lives in St. John, Kan., is engaged in the mercantile business; Martha E. is the wife of Thomas Branson, a farmer of Adams Township; Nora A. became the wife of Danicl Chapen, of Bellmore; Harriet E. is the wife of Samuel Thomas, a farmer of Union Township; and Mary E. lives at home with her father.
After his marriage our subject located in Adams Township, near the old homestead, where he en- gaged in general farming until 1852, when he purchased a farm, a portion of which was in Union and the rest in Adams Township. Ilis home was in the former township, near the line, where he resided until 1859, at which time he sold out and purchased the place known as the Frazie Farm, in Union Township, to the improvement of which he devoted himself for the following ten years, then selling the place and becoming the owner of
one two miles southeast in the same township. The latter, which was known as the John Miller Farm, remained in his possession until the winter of 1882, when he sold it, and has since been re- tired from active business.
For a number of years Mr. Mater, in company with his father, ran an oil mill in Adams Town- ship. As an agriculturist he succeeded to a marked degree, as he has done in whatever line of work he has turned his attention to. His first Presi- dential vote was cast for Henry Clay, since which time he has been a loyal supporter of the Repub- lican party. In 1881 he was elected County Com- missioner, the duties of which position he filled so well that he was re-elected in 1883, serving for the full two terms, or six years. Since 1848 he has been an active worker in the Methodist Epis- copal Church, in which he has held many offices. He is well and favorably known throughout the county, and is an honored old settler.
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OHN W. DEATH is successfully engaged in tilling the soil, and has been a resident of Fountain County all his life, for here he was born November 29, 1841, a son of John C. and Rosanna (Walker) Death, the father being a son of Aaron Death, and the mother a daughter of John Walker. The father was born in Ohio, but came of good old Virginian stock, for his ancestors for many years had been residents of the Old Do- minion. He came to Fountain County in 1828, when but seventeen years of age, and located on a small tract of land. His efforts in following agricultural pursuits met with the best results, and he eventually became the owner of nine hundred acres of some of the best land for agricultural and stock-raising purposes in the county. His first labor for himself was as a rail-splitter at thirty- seven and a-half cents a hundred, and although this occupation did not offer many inducements, he continued to follow it until he had accumu- lated sufficient means to permit him making a
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small purchase of land, from which grew his mag- nificent estate. Ile at first resided in a log house, but this eventually gave place to a more modern and better structure, and other improvements about his place were made accordingly.
Aaron's sons and daughters are as follows: Town- send, a native of Ohio, and a cabinet-maker by trade; Joseph, also born in that State, and a resident of Fountain County, Ind; Newton, a successful farmer of Fountain County; Caroline D., who was born in Ohio, married T. H. Young, and became the mother of one child; Mary, who married Abram Caldwell, who is engaged in farming in Fountain County; and Chloe, a native of Ohio, who married Seth Button, by whom she has six children. Of the children of John C. Death's marriage with Miss Walker, Aaron W., who was born in this county in 1844, was killed by a runaway team in 1876; Al- len, born on the old homestead in this county in 1847, was married to Miss Melissa Davis, and died on his farm in Jackson Township April 17, 1892; Millard, who was bornr in 1850, was married to Miss Lizzie Campbell, by whom he has three chil- dren, and is the owner of a fine farm of five hun- dred acres; and John W., the subject of this sketch, was reared to mature years on the old home- stead, and obtained a common-school education. He was married January 5, 1871, to Miss Laura E. Campbell, a daughter of A. J. Campbell, she being one of his five daughters.
To Mr. and Mrs. Death two children were born: Eva C., who was born on October 11, 1872; and Durward Allen born in 1876. Mr. Death resided on his father's farm until nineteen years of age, soon after which the flag of his country became endangered, and he left home to enlist in the New York Cavalry, being one of Gen. Baker's body- guard. He served his country for three years, was in the second battle of Bull Run, and was wounded in the right hand at Middleburg. From 1864 un- til 1867 he followed the occupation of farming, after which he superintended the home farm until 1872. Hle first became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, to which he subsequently added eighty acres more. llis land is in an excel- ent state of cultivation, and on it he erected in 1889 a handsome residence at a cost of $3,000,
which contains nine rooms, and is fitted up with many modern conveniences. His wife is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Death is one of its most liberal supporters, and has been one of its officers. Politically, he is a Republican, and socially belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Associa- tion, and the Horse Thief Detective Association. His family is supposed to be of English lineage, and were early settlers of America. A brother of the great-great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was killed by the Indians.
G EORGE W. AYDELOTT has a fine and well- stocked farm, keeping cattle, sheep, hogs and horses, his homestead being located on section 7, Union Township, Parke County. Our subject is a native of Indiana and an early settler of this county. His birth occurred November 15, 1828, in Putnam County, only two hundred yards from the line dividing that from Parke County. Our subject's father, William A., was born Decem- ber 1, 1799, in Garrard County, Ky. In 1828 he removed to Indiana, taking up land in this county, a tract of about eighty acres, where he erected a small log house and carried on a blacksmith shop on the place for twenty years or more. Selling out about 1850, he removed to Bellmore, where he spent some time, and then removed to Rockville. During his last years he lived with his children, dying at the home of our subject March 3, 1871. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his wife also belonged.
Our subject's mother, who hore the maiden name of Elizabeth Burks, was born in July, 1796, in Kentucky, where she passed her girlhood, and in which State her marriage was celebrated Septem- ber 9, 1823. She died May 16, 1873. Twelve children were born to her, eight of whom grew to adult years, only two of the family now living, our subject and his brother, John A., a resident of Rockville. The former was fourth in order of birth,
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and his school privileges were of the primitive kind. Ile assisted his father in the work of the farm, and when only ten years of age commenced to plow and did considerable teaming, going to LaFayette and hauling wheat, for which he received sometimes not more than twelve and a-half cents a bushel. He remained on the homestead until he was twenty-one years of age, giving all his ti e to his father.
On October 24, 1850, our subject married Miss Ann, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Crawford) Woolverton. The former was a native of Vir- ginia, and was reared in Ohio, near Cincinnati. ITis wife, who is of Irish descent, is still living, though eighty-three years of age. She was born in Union County, Ind., where she was married in March, 1827, and soon after that event the worthy couple located in Union Township, Parke County. She is still making her home in the same old house, and is active, thoughi so advanced in years. She has been the mother of ten children, six daughters and four sons, nine of whom grew to mature years. Mrs. Aydelott is the second in order of birth in this family, having been born February 19, 1830, in Union Township, Parke County. She attended the old log schoolhouses of the neighborhood, and here grew to womanhood. Soon after his marriage our subject located on section 7, Union Township, on the property which he still owns. The young couple commenced housekeeping in a log cabin, where they remained until removing to their pres- ent place in 1853. ITere he had erected a small house of round logs, 20x20 feet, this being all the improvement then on the farm. He bought the place without paying a dollar, as he had no money, but gave his note for the land. For two years he had only one horse and occasionally had to bor- row one. His place now comprises four hundred and three acres, all under good cultivation, this being the result of his long years of assidnous and unremitting energy. Mr. Aydelott makes a spe- cialty of raising sheep, now having about three hundred head.
To our worthy subject and his wife were born three children, a sou and two daughters. Mary E. died when one year and eight months of age. Charles M., born in 1857, married Edith Steel, who
died leaving a son and daughter, the former, Beulalı, dying when eight years of age, and the latter, Claude M., now making his home with our subject. Rebecca J. died at the age of cleven months. Our subject is, politically, a Democrat; and has been Constable and Supervisor. IIe is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, his wife being a Dunkard, as were her parents before her.
UDGE EDWARD CRUM SNYDER, a mem- ber of the legal firm of Brush & Snyder, and a prominent member of the Bar in Montgomery County, Ind., is the subject of the present notice. He was born in Washington County, Md., October 7, 1843, and his parents were George and Ann (Togwell) Snyder, both of whom were natives of Maryland. In 1846 they emigrated to Indiana, locating on a farm five miles west of Crawfordsville, where the father conducted a store with his brother for one year, and then re- turned to Greene County, Ohio, near Xenia, where he taught school and remained until his death, September 10, 1877, aged sixty-four years, his widow surviving him until August 22, 1881. His father, also George, was a Captain in the War of 1812, and members of the Togwell family were in the Revolutionary War.
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