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 71
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 71
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 71
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Born in England in 1852, our subject remained in the Queen's dominions until he was nineteen years of age. The place of his nativity was Som- ersetshire, a county which contains many remains of antiquity, and has been the theatre of many re- markable events in English history. Much of its soil is very fertile, and upon one of its well-tilled farms the father and mother of R. N. Cording lived a full score of years. The parents, John and Jane (Norrish) Cording, were both natives of England, and in that country reared a large family of active, healthy girls and boys. The children were nine in number; one died in carly infancy, a
daughter grew to womanhood and passed away, but seven of the brothers and sisters are yet living and actively engaged in life's duties.
The children were named respectively: Edward, R. N., John, William, Anna (deceased); Lucy, the wife of John Menson, residing at South Haven, Mich; Laura, wife of William Herron, whose home is in the town of Attica, Ind .; and Thomas, a well-known citizen of Grand Haven, Mich. The father is yet living and makes his home in Michi- gan, at South Ilaven. Ile has been a life-long agriculturist, and was a successful farmer in his native land, but, after due consideration, decided to emigrate with his family to the United States. In 1871, the family embarked for America, and after a tedious voyage landed upon our shores. Without much loss of time, they reached Illinois, upon whose broad prairies they found a pleasant home, but did not long remain together.
Our subject on arriving in Illinois first located in Forrest, where he remained but one year. He then came to Indiana and engaged to work by the month for llugh Meharry, a well-known resident of Montgomery County. An active, intelligent young man, thoroughly versed in the round of daily farming duties, Mr. Cording gave satisfac- tion to his employer, and continued in his service four years. At the expiration of this time, he found a home and employment with Isaac Meharry, for whom he worked faithfully three years. Then, having attained a thorough knowledge of the ways, methods and profits of stock-raising, and the general management of agricultural interests, he determined to become his own employer. and to this end located on a neighboring farm.
Before beginning life for himself, our subjeet wisely married, choosing for a life partner Miss Ellen P. Dick, a native of this country, and a most estimable lady. Together Mr. and Mrs. Cording began their home life upon the farm, and there re- mained for twelve years. The wife, a faithful help- mate, busied herself with indoor duties, while our subject, sowing and reaping, and variously em- ployed in necessary agricultural labor, was yearly bringing the land up to a high state of cultiva- tion. In December, 1890, Mr. Cording sold out his farming interests, and removed to his present
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home in Wingate. Here he was not long idle, al- most immediately entering into a partnership with Mr. Sturm. The succeeding year our subject built the substantial block of which we have before spoken. Mr. Cording is an active Democrat, and is socially and fraternally connected with various organizations. He is a member of the National Detective Association, is also a Knight Templar of the Masonic order, and a Knight of Pythias. MI. and Mrs. Cording occupy a prominent social posi- tion in Wingate, and are specially interested in all matters of public welfare.
BNER S. GRAY, an enterprising citizen and prosperous general agriculturist of Jackson Township, Fountain County, Ind., was born upon the well-kept and valuable farm where he now resides. The paternal grand- parents of our subject were William B. and Nancy (Beacham) Gray. Grandfather Gray was a direct descendant of a family of Grays whose nativity was in old Ireland. llis son William was the fifth child of the family of sons and daughters. Will- iam, named in honor of his father, became the husband of Mary Sprague, and the wedded pair had born unto them two sons, of whom our sub- ject is the youngest.
The elder brother is the well-known resident of Montgomery County, Joseph H. Gray. The father and mother of Abner and Joseph were both natives of Butler County, Ohio, and there received their early training and went to school, and grew up to mature years and were married. The date of their union was in 1834, and after housekeeping for two years in their childhood home, they removed to Fountain County, where they received the gift of some land located by our subject's grandfather. Upon this homestead William and Mary Gray be- gan their pioneer life in a humble log cabin. The young couple were both faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in their little
home upon the broad prairies of Indiana there gathered every other Sunday a band of earnest worshipers, intent only upon thanking God for all His mercies with song and fervent words of prayer.
Nearly sixty years have passed since first the religious settlers of the neighborhood assembled in the happy home, and few, if any, of the worshipers now survive. The young farmer who tilled his land industriously through the week and kept the Sabbath devoutly, was almost as ardent in his po- litical belief as he was in religions doctrine. He was a stalwart Democrat, and ever cast his vote with the party. Upon the old farm, fast yielding to patient cultivation, our subject was born, and in all the changing years Abner Gray has never been absent from his birthplace more than two weeks at one time. Mr. Gray went to the little subscrip- tion school, and there was well grounded in the primary studies. As the time passed the young boy was trained in the duties of the farm, and the practical lessons he daily learned, and the habits of self-reliance and honest industry taught him by his parents, have guided him in his upward path in life.
At twenty-five years of age our subject was married to Miss Minerva, daughter of John Stone- braker, and a most excellent lady, well known and much respected. Mr. Gray's father was a con- firmed invalid at this time, and our subject man- aged the home farm with judgment and success. Mr. and Mrs. Gray are the parents of two sons, John and William. John married Susan, the daughter of James A. Saunders, and they are set- tled in a home of their own, but William, the youngest son, is still on the homestead. As the years have passed our subject has materially in- creased his holdings, his property now comprising about four hundred acres of valuable land. Mr. Gray is one of the energetic and active workers in local progress and improvement, and is widely known as a public-spirited and liberal-minded man. Our subject is not connected by member- ship with any denomination, but he is ever ready to aid in their support, and assist in any worthy enterprise. He affiliates with the party to which his father gave his support, and is always a loyal Democrat, deeply interested in the management of
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both national and local government. A true friend and kind neighbor, Mr. Gray deservedly occupies a high position in the esteem of all who know him.
P RESTLEY T. MCKINNEY, an early and honored resident, and pioneer teacher of music, of Fountain County, Ind., who passed away in 1874, nearly a score of years ago, lives in the memory of old friends and pupils who welcomed him to the Western wilds more than half a century since. Arriving in Indiana in 1833, our subject taught school, and at once identified himself with all the active interests of the locality destined from thence to be his lifetime liome. A man of sterling integrity of character, conscien- tious and upright in the conduet of his daily life, he was an energetic worker in the Presbyterian Church, and for many years was one of the elders in that religious organization. In his death the community was deprived of a familiar and genial presence and it lost a valued citizen, whose earnest efforts were ever directed to the uplifting and bet- terment of his fellow-men.
Our subject was thrice married and was the father of a large family of children, a number of whom grew to maturity, and are among the use- ful and respected citizens of to-day; and one is numbered among the revered dead who for their country heroically yielded up their lives during the Civil War. These children on the paternal side are the descendants of Scotch an- cestry. The great-grandfather of Prestley T. Me- Kinney was one of five brothers who emigra- ted from Scotland to America. Two located in the Territory of Pennsylvania, two settled in South Carolina, and one in the Territory of Kentucky. His son, Samuel MeKinney, married Miss Sallie Forgey, in the year 1802, a native of Kentucky, and to them were born ten children, of whom the second son and fifth in order of their birth was our subject, Five of the children of
these pioneer residents of Ohio grew to matnrity, and most of them reared sons and daughters to perpetuate the family name.
Of the brothers and sisters of Prestley McKin- ney, Betsey became the wife of a Mr. Norris, by whom she had two sons and one daughter; the third and fourth child died young; Cyrus died in Ohio, and left a family of four children, three boys and one girl; Susan was the wife of Mr. Staf- ford, and reared three children, two sons and a daughter; Robert died in Dayton, Ohio, leaving two sons and three daughters; William died near Rensselear, Ind., and left three sons, one of whom, Samuel, was cared for and tenderly reared by his uncle Prestley. our subject, and who early-became identified with the interests of Fountain County. The others died young. Our subject was born in 1809, near New Carlisle, Ohio, and in his native State received an excellent common-school educa- tion, and was also thoroughly instructed in music by his father, who was a professor of the art.
Mr. MeKinney taught school immediately after his arrival in Fountain County in 1833, and on the 15th of May, 1834, was united in marriage with Miss McClure, an intelligent woman, by whom he became the father of six children, five of whom reached mature age. William, a brave and patriotic man, Captain of Company I, Fif- teenth Indiana Regiment, participated in the battle of Stone River with great gallantry, and soon after died. This heroic young soldier had graduated with honor from Wabash College, and had been admitted to the Bar as a lawyer, and before leaving home had taught school in the county one year. Susan, the second child, died at the early age of thirteen years. Esther, who lives in Burling- ton, Iowa, married Carleton Dryden, who marched with Sherman to the sea. Elizabeth, also of Bur- lington, Iowa, became the wife of O. K. Vinton, who also served in the Civil War, but is now deceased. Mary T. is the wife of James Armstrong, now of Toledo, Ohio. Hubert is dead. Our subject lost the mother of these sons and daughters, and after- ward married her sister, Ellanor MeClure, by whom he had one child, who died young. The second wife did not long survive her marriage, and Mr. McKin- ney once again entered into matrimony, marrying
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this third time a Miss MeClure, of the same name but no relation of his former wives, who, as before stated, were sisters. Mrs. Catherine Mckinney was the mother of three children: Frank E., Charles R., and Eva L., who became the wife of William Milli- gan, of Waveland, Ind., and has two children, Clar- ence and Mary. Frank married Belle Harvey, of Illinois. Charles R., well known in Newtown and throughout the county, married Mary E., daugh- ter of Jared Miller, of Kent County, Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mckinney have four children: Glenn E., Lela Fern, Ilazel Lucile and an infant, Georgie L.
Prestley Mckinney's third wife was a lady of ability, and was the daughter of Nathaniel Mc- Clure, a native of Virginia, who afterward resided in Kentucky and Ohio, and who finally located in Montgomery County, Ind. Mr. McClure's ances- tors served in the War of the Revolution, and were originally from Scotland. Our subject al- ways took a deep interest in the National Govern- ment, in the support of which his immediate des- cendants so generously aided in the Civil War. His affiliations were with the Republican party, but he was a just and liberal man, and in local offices gave the best citizens the benefit of his vote. Mr. Mckinney had served as Trustee of Richland Township, and in the conduct of this official posi- tion gave great satisfaction to all. Our subject was an energetic, capable and progressive citizen, and as such, and as a kind friend and pleasant neighbor, was mourned by the entire county.
OHN W. JOHNSON represents the agricul- tural class of Florida Township, Parke Connty. Ile was born near Columbus, Ind., January 2, 1823, and is a son of Willard and Philinda (Sibley) Johnson. Willard Johnson was born in the northern part of the State of Vir- ginia, and was a wheelwright by trade. The family were of Scotch ancestry, but little informa- tion can be given concerning them. The mother
of our subject was born near Bennington, Vt. Iler father was a brave soldier in the War of 1812 and was killed in the battle of Black Rock. The Sibley family was of old Puritan stock. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were married in New York State, and in 1822 went to Columbus, Ind., where they remained two years, later locating in Terre Haute, where the father died when our subject was three years of age. The brothers and sisters of our subject were: Lemuel, who was killed at the time the "Ben Sheridan" blew up on the Mississippi River; James, who died when a child, and was buried in the same grave with his father; Elisha, who died when a child, at Ft. Harrison; Lucinda, who married Spencer Ilovey; Lucena, who died in Terre Haute and left the following children: La Fayette, Rob- inson, Scott, William, Wyley and Mary; Mary, who married Jefferson Useleman and died at Rose- dale, leaving her three children, George, Spencer and James; and Melona, who is the widow of the late Henry Hovey, and lives in Terre Haute, hav- ing been the mother of four children, three of whom are living, James, Thomas and Frank. Ln- cinda's father-in-law was killed while building the first court house ever erected in Terre Haute. Ile had previously given the land to the county, and had the contract to erect the building.
After the death of our subject's father, his mother was married to Jonathan Rockwell, and bore him four children: Jane, Philinda, James and Sylvester. The mother died in 1852.
Our subject grew up on a farm and received a fair education, and at the age of seventeen com- menced to learn the wheelwright's trade at Terre Ilaute and Roseville. Soon after he reached ma- ture years, he was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Smith, who was a native of Vigo County. In a short time after he built a shop on his small farm in Florida Township at the cross roads, and worked at his trade, in the meantime manufac- turing wagon furniture. In this he continued for twenty years, and by his diligence and close application to his work he added to his little farm until he accumulated a fine tract of four hundred acres. To himself and wife were born the following children: Dora Alice, who died at ten years of age; Louisa M., who married John A.
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Tolan and lives on the adjoining farm; Laura Belle, who was the wife of John Montgomery, and died in September, 1891, leaving three children: Ray, Louisa and Laura; Oliver, who died when eighteen years of age; and Charles Ileetor, who is also deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Tolan have three children: Glen Curtin, George Johnson and Wil- lard Jefferson.
Some eight years after the decease of his first wife, who passed away in 1872, Mr. Johnson mar- ried Flora E. Rogers, of Roekville. In politics he is a Republican, and his wife is a member and zealous worker in the Presbyterian Church. For several years Mr. Johnson has not been engaged in farming, but is enjoying the fruits of the former years of hard labor, and now rents out all of his land.
ARVIN H. CASE, one of Parke County's wealthiest farmers and most respected eiti- zens, was born on a farm in Florida Town- ship where his father first settled, and where his whole life has been spent, July 10, 1835. He is a son of Seba HI. and Mary (Stilson) Case. The former parent was born in Ontario County, N. Y., October 18, 1794. His father was an Eng- lisbman by ancestry if not by birth, and was a far- mer in New York State, where he died. When Seba was fourteen years of age he served in the War of 1812, and in early life learned the shoe- maker's trade, which he followed for many years. Hle went from New York State to Ohio, where he resided for two years, and in 1820 removed to Terre llaute, Ind., where be worked at his trade for a time. About a year later, he, in company with Chauncy Rose, who at that time was also a poor boy, located a sawmill at what is now known as Roseville or Coxville, which was named after Mr. Rose. They operated this mill for two years, during which time Mr. Case purchased a small tract of land, which is now a part of the large farm of our subject, and went there to live. Working
at his trade as shoemaker and clearing up the farm, he managed to earn a living. While at Terre llaute he married Mary Stilson, who was born in New York City, August 15, 1804. Mr. and Mrs. Case became the parents of four chil- dren, two boys and two girls. Of these, William Horaee, born May 7, 1832, died July 31, 1865, leaving his wife Mary and two children, Eva and Maude. Fred Case, of Raccoon Township, is now the proprietor of the Bridgeton Stock Barn. Eliza A., deceased, wife of James King, was form- erly married to George T. Covington. Lavina N., who was born August 28, 1845, died July 28, 1853. Thus we see that our subjeet is the only one of the family now living. His mother died September 28, 1858, and his father passed away January 22, 1879.
Coming to Indiana as he did a poor man, the father of our subject died one of the very wealthi- est men of the county. Politically, he was at first a Whig and later a supporter of the Republican party. He was for a number of years a Justice of the Peace in Florida Township, and, socially, a prominent member of the Masonie fraternity, loved by all who knew him.
Our subject grew up on his father's farm, where he received a fair education, but, wishing to pur- sue his studies farther, he took a course at Bloom- ingdale Aeademy and when about twenty-two years of age he taught sehool for several terms in his own township.
Becoming tired of his solitary life, he chose as a life companion Miss Sarah A. Hartman, the mar- riage ceremony taking place March 26, 1863. Mrs. Case was born in Raccoon Township, July 6, 1840, and was a daughter of John Hartman, one of the very first settlers in the county. Five children came to bless the hearthstone of Mr. and Mrs. Case's home. Joseph Wallace, born June 13, 1868, died November 16, 1868. E. Bert, born June 1, 1870, is living with his father. Seha Il., born April 19, 1873, is now being educated at Rockville. Cora E., born July 31, 1875, is receiv- ing her education with her brother Seba. The other child died in infancy, and the mother died in the year 1888.
Mr. Case is one of the most successful farmers
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and stock-dealers in the county, owning more than seventeen hundred aeres of land. Some two years ago he purchased one of the fruit farms on the Big Raccoon, within one mile of the town of Bridgeton. This farm comprises nearly eight hundred acres of arable land, on which is located many fine buildings, and for which he paid some- thing over $30,000 in cash. Politically. our subject has always been a Democrat and served as Town- ship Trustee for one term, but positively refused to accept it again, althonghi urged to do so.
ENRY A. MYERS, one of the most enter- prising and industrious farmers of Sugar Creek Township, was born on the same farm which he now operates in 1853, and has always been a resident of Parke County, with the progress and development of which he has been actively identified. His well-equipped farm is located on section 12, where he has a pleasant home and good farm buildings.
Our subjeet's parents were Emsley and Minerva (Alward) Myers. His great-grandfather was Peter Myers, while his grandparents were Daniel and Mary (Shular) Myers. The latter were early set- tlers of Parke County, where Mr. Myers entered about eight hundred and eight acres from the Government in IToward Township. Emsley Myers was born in Davidson County, N. C., in 1815, and was only about fourteen and one-half years old when he came with his parents to this county. Ilis educational advantages were quite limited, yet lie managed to become quite a student. He remained at the home fireside until twenty-six years old, when he married Minerva, daughter of Ira Alward, whose father, Joseph Alward, was a native of Ire- land. Mrs. Myers was born in Fountain County, while her parents were natives of Indiana.
Our subject is the third in a family of ten ehil- dren, three of whom died when young, the others being Ira, Albert, and Thomas, who all live in Iloward Township; Emsley, a resident of Marshall,
Parke County; Jacob, who lives in Alamo, Mont- gomery County; and Minerva E., wife of Franklin Burkheart.
Emsley Myers received eighty acres of unim- proved land from his father and there began to make his own way in the world. He attended strictly to his farm duties and was very successful as a business man, accumulating in the course of time about seven hundred aeres. In 1861 he bought land in Howard Township, to which he re- moved his family. After a time he went to Fountain County, where he remained during the rest of his active life, and then came to pass his last years with our subject, in whose home he died October 10, 1888. He was a Democrat in political principle. As a man and citizen, he was upright and honorable, thus winning the well-deserved praise and the respeet of all.
The boyhood of our subject passed without any unusual event, his time being employed in assist- ing his father on his farm and in attending the district school of the neighborhood. He supple- mented his elementary learning with a course of study in a graded school at Alamo, and remained with his parents nntil attaining his twenty-second year, when he left home, starting out to make his own way. Ilis father, in order to give him a start, gave liim eighty aeres of land, only six of which were cleared. This he brought under good cultiva- tion and to it as a nucleus has added surround- ing property until he now has a large farm. A part of his land is situated in the neighboring township of Howard, his possessions altogether amounting to four hundred and sixty acres. In addition to general farming he raises a high grade of stoek.
In the year 1874 Mr. Myers married Sarah C., daughter of Andrew and Martha ( Brint) Myers. Four children have come to brighten their hearth- stone: Lizzie E., Emsley J., Mary A. and Ared F. The eldest of the family. Lizzie, graduated from the district school, after which she entered the High School at Newtown, in Fountain County, where she acquitted herself honorably.
Fraternally, Mr. Myers belongs to the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows at Marshall. He has been chosen to fill several local positions of honor
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and trust, the duties of which he has ever per- formed to the full satisfaction of all concerned. He is now serving as Township Assessor, which office he has held for three years. Ile casts his ballot in favor of the candidates of the Democratic party.
R OBERT W. STUMP is a native-born son of Montgomery County, and has risen to be one of its prosperous farmers and stock- raisers and the proprietor of one of the best managed farms of South Union Township, pleas- antly located on section 27. Mr. Stump is a son of one of the early pioneers of the county, and was born December 18, 1847, in Brown Township. Ilis father, John Stump, was born in Kentucky May 8, 1820, and was a son of George Stump, who was a native of Georgia.
The grandfather of our subject married Martha Talbert, a native of South Carolina. The Tal- berts emigrated to Kentucky from North Caro- lina. George Stump and his wife had met and were wedded in the Blue Grass State, and four children were born to them during their residence there: John, Nancy, Robert and Sally. The fam- ily came to Indiana in 1828, and after living a year and a-half in Rush County removed to Mont- gomery County. Grandfather Stump entered one hundred and twenty acres of land from the Gov- ernment in Union Township, and made it his home until his death, the intervening years being spent in hard pioneer labor. The children born to him in this State were Nancy, Margaret, Sallie, Martha, Ann, William and Henry.
John Stump lived in his native State until he was ten years old, and the remainder of his life has been passed in Indiana, he being one of the old residents of Union Township. He first mar- ried Sibella, daughter of John Farley, and after her death took to wife Elizabeth Hopkins. Five of his seven children are still living: Robert W .;
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