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 79
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 79
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 79
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two lumber sheds, 23x84 feet and 18x50 feet respectively, and besides these a powder magazine and lime house. These buildings occupy four lots, and the firm has another good-sized building, 40x50 feet, which they rent, and three dwelling-houses in the northeastern part of the town. All the buildings are roofed with iron, and are admirably adapted to the purposes for which they are in- tended.
Our subject has already won an enviable repu- tation as a sharp-sighted, wide-awake business man, with much tact in handling affairs, and he stands high in financial circles for straightforward and honorable dealings. In his social relations lie is identified with the Masonic order and with the Knights of Pythias. He is a Republican in his political views, and is a stanch advocate of the principles of his party.
ANIEL G. FOXWORTHY, who was born and reared in Fountain County, a son of one of its carly pioneer families, is now numbered among the able, far-seeing, business-like men who are conducting its extensive agricultural interests. His farm is pleasantly situated on sec- tion 6, township 18, range 7, now known as Mill Creek Township.
The birth of our subject occurred July 3, 1848, on the farm in Cain Township that his father de- veloped from the wilderness. He is a son of Alex- ander and Nancy (Glasscock) Foxworthy, who were born in Kentucky, and were children of pio- neer farmers of that State, the maternal grandfather of our subject having a farm in Henry County, while his paternal grandfather carried on his oc- cupation in Fleming County. His parents married and settled in the latter county, of which the father was a native, whence they came eight or ten years later, in 1836, to this State and county. The father procured land of the Government in Cain Township, cleared the primeval forest growth from it, and at the time of his death had transformed it
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into a goodly farm. He was greatly respected by his fellow-pioneers as a man of exemplary habits and genuine worth, and the Christian Church had in him a faithful member. He was the father of ten children, of whom nine grew to maturity, and these six are still living: George, a farmer in Illi- nois; William, a farmer in Hillsboro; Joseph, a farmer in Kansas; Daniel G .; Melinda, the widow of William Gross; and Mary, wife of John M. Campbell, a farmer in Cain Township.
Our subject obtained his education in the dis- trict schools of his native township, and continued to assist his father in caring for his farm until he attained his majority. Ile was thus well equipped for his chosen calling when he assumed its duties on his own account. He first bought a farm of eighty acres in Jackson Township after his mar- riage, but he only remained upon it one year, and then came to Mill Creek Township, and the ensu- ing year farmed on rented land. His next move was to Illinois, where he bought a farm, which he sold four years later, and returning to his native county he purchased a farm in the township of his birth, which he lived on a year. After that he pur . chased another place in the same township, upon which he dwelt for the space of seven years. Since then he has made his home on his present farm in Mill Creek Township, which he then bought. He has one hundred and sixty-six acres of well-culti- vated land, amply provided with substantial im- provements, and bearing evidences of thrift and good farming on every hand.
Mr. Foxworthy engages in mixed husbandry and raises a good class of stock. He has some fine horses, and one beautiful blooded animal, "Loenst Grove," No. 15,174, that attracts general attention and is full of promise. He is a bay, with star and stripe, foaled May 18, 1889, and bred by Charles E. Moore, of Rushville, Ind. He has a notable pedi- gree. Ile was sired by "Hawpatch," whose regis- tered number is 1140, and who is noted as being sire of nine 2:30 performers. llis first dam was "Muzette," by "Competitor," No. 6095; second dam, "Lucy," by "Brockmont, No. 3717; third dam by "Bolivar Hawpatch," No. 1140, by "Ham- bletonian," No. 10, sire of "Dexter," and four 2:30 performers; first dam "Lucy Finch," by "Henry
Clay," No. 45, and dam "Merinda," by " Prince Du- roch;" "Competitor," by "Onward." No. 1411, sire of forty-eight 2:30 performers; first dam "On- ward," No. 1411, dam of "Good Morning," 2:30}, by Jolinson's "Toronto" (sire of the dam by "Mambrino Chief"). "Onward," No. 1411, was sired by "George Wilkes," No. 516. the sire of "Henry Wilkes," who set the pace at 2:13, and of sixty-nine 2:30 performers; dam "Dolly," dam of "Director," 2:17, of "Thorndale," 2:22}, and "Onward," 2:25], by "Mambrino Chief;" "Brook- mont" (the sire of "William R.," 2:27), by "Bell- mont," No. 64, sire of thirty-eight trotters with records, including the great "Nutwood," 2:18}, who has sired seventy-six 2:30 and 2:103 perform- ers, at two years old, and the dam of the great "Arion." 2:102, at two years old; "Brookmont's" dam by "Mambrino Chief," "Bellmont," No. 64, sire of "Goldsmith Maid," whose record was 2:14, and other noted trotters.
Mr. Foxworthy has been greatly assisted in the upbuilding of his cozy, comfortable home by his most estimable wife, to whom he was married Au- gust 18, 1870. Mrs. Foxworthy's maiden name was Margaret .J. Caldwell, and she is a native of this county, a daughter of one of its early settlers, Abraham Caldwell, who was a farmer of Troy Township. Her marriage with our subject has been abundantly blessed to them by the birth of nine children, of whom one has passed away, Zoah Al- mira, who died at the age of two years. The sur- viving children are Ettie Isabella, who is twenty years old; Francis Marion, who is eighteen; John Warren, who is sixteen; Mary Victoria, who is ten; James Franklin, who is eight; Harry Le Roy, who is six; Hardy Ray, who is four years of age; and the baby.
Mr. Foxworthy is a man of self-respecting char- acter, is well dowered with firmness, activity and sound business qualifications, and his conduct in all the varied relations of life is such as to inspire the confidence and esteem of his neighbors and of all with whom he has dealings. He is an exemplary member of the Christian Church, and is Deacon thereof, and his wife and eldest daughter, Nettie, are also members of that church. He is prominently connected with the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Asso-
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ciation, has held the office of President of his lodge and is its present Chaplain. In politics, he is a strong advocate of the doctrines of the Democratic party. Mr. Foxworthy has a genuine talent for music, is gifted with a fine voice, and has won quite a reputation as a teacher of vocal music, hav- ing taught some twelve or fifteen years, and he has conducted many singing-schools, taking great delight in drilling the pupils to sing correctly and harmoniously difficult music.
OSEPII B. ORR is the editor and publisher of the Rosedale Bee, in which business he is very efficient. Ile was born July 12, 1857, in Sullivan County, Ind. His father, L. II. Orr, was a native of Indiana and a mechanic by trade, which occupation he followed until his deatlı, which occurred when our subject was a very small boy. The mother of our subject was the daughter of William Johnson, a representative farmer and a native of Kentucky.
The gentleman of whom we write is one of a family of eight children, seven of whom are liv- ing. The eldest son died when a lad of ten years. Our subject is the sixth in order of birth, and he and his brothers and sisters are all settled in homes of their own. At the age of eleven years, Joseph was sent to live with his uncle, who resided at Mitchell, Ind., with whom he remained for about one year. At this time young Joseph became dis- satisfied and returned to lus mother, where he stayed until his marriage. He attended school in the publie schools of this township, learning all that he could until his fifteenth year, when he be- gan to learn the printer's trade in the Sullivan Union office, where he worked on different papers until 1883. At this juncture he was appointed foreman in the same office, which responsible po- sition he filled for an indefinite time. Ile then, in company with another man, started a weekly paper at Carlisle, but not finding this as profitable as he had anticipated, he came to Rosedale, Ind.,
and started the publication of the Bee. In con- nection with this sheet he did all kinds of job and press work, and under his skilful management the Bee has the reputation of being a good, substantial and newsy paper, as well as one that is perfectly independent regarding all political questions. However, our subject is a stanch Republican, per- sonally, for which party he stands firm, and stud- ies to make his sheet one of the spiciest and most popular newspapers of the day. His present circu- lation aggregates about eight hundred copies. His job work is neat, clear and artistic, and well up to the high standard of perfection.
On September 14, 1877, Mr. Orr was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Dailey, of Sullivan County. This amiable and intelligent lady assists her husband materially in his office duties. She is a person of education and culture, and very mod- est and entertaining in her way. She has been the mother of two sons and two daughters, one of the last-named dying in infancy. Royal Lee was born April 24, 1879; Roxie C. B., December 18, 1881; William L., July 11, 1883; and Lulu, the deceased child, April 14, 1887.
Mr. Orr is a member of the Methodist Church, while his wife uses her influence for the Christian Church. He is one of the wide-awake and pub- lie-spirited men, ready at all times to further any movement for the benefit of his community, and is of a firm and noble character, with an agree- able disposition and snavity of manner.
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OIIN C. GILKESON is a well-known citi- zen of Raccoon Township, Parke County. He was born in Mercer County, Ky., May 27, 1809, about two and a-half miles from Harrisburg. Ilis father, Thomas Gilkeson, was born in Pennsylvania Jannary 26, 1779, and was a son of Thomas Gilkeson, who was probably born in the same State. The grandfather of our subject in his early life went from Pennsylvania
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to Virginia, and from there to Mercer County, Ky., where Thomas, Jr., was married about the year 1807 to Nancy Buchanan. This lady was a na- tive of Pennsylvania, born August 27, 1780, to George and Margaret (Macafee) Buchanan, both of whom were reared in the Presbyterian faith.
The subject of this biography is the eldest in a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters: Ann, who married Samuel W. Adams and settled in Adams Township, this county, Jan- uary 21, 1853; Mary K., who was the wife of Ste- phen Sale, and died in Florida Township Decem- ber 4, 1863; George N., who married Susan Mc- Cain, a resident of Cass County, Mo .; Isabella M., who is a maiden lady seventy-four years old, and lives with her brother, our subject; Thomas B., who died December 9, 1851; and Nancy, wife of John A. Green, of Pennington County, S. Dak. In De- eember, 1821, the father of our subject came to the banks of the Little Raccoon, in the northern part of Raccoon Township, and located on the farm where Squire Gilkeson now lives. Ile was a man of more than ordinary education and busi- ness qualification, and soon erected a sawmill on the Little Raccoon River, near his own cabin. This he continued to operate the remainder of his life in connection with his farm work. He was for a number of years a Justice of the Peace in this township, and died August 7, 1847. The mother of our subject died September 29, 1838.
The gentleman of whom we write had but limited advantages for getting an education, in fact all the school learning he ever received was before his parents came to Parke County, and that when he was eleven years of age. But he was blessed with a retentive memory and a taste for reading good literature, and is a natural-born genius. He could build a house, operate a mill, shoe a horse, and, in fact, there were few things with which he came in contact that he did not master.
Mr. Gilkeson is a man of sound judgment, and for miles around the settlers came to him for legat avice. In 1844 he was elected to the re- sponsible position of Justice of the Peace in his township and, with the exception of two years in the '40s, he has held the office continually. It is
a fact worthy of note that in all these years he has tried hundreds of cases in which were con- cerned numerous extensive interests and knotty questions, but when he made a decision it was as good as final, for never in a single case has a higher court reversed his decision. He is now eighty-four years old and his intellect is as bright and his decisions as clear and forcible as they were half a century ago, and had not this gentle- man been afflicted with an impediment in his speech, he might, and no doubt would, have gained a national reputation instead of a local one.
In 1842 Mr. Gilkeson was married to Mary, daughter of William Rea, who came to Parke County in 1820. This amiable lady passed away August 5, 1875. In polities our subject is a stanchi Republican, and formerly was quite active in local polities. At one time he joined the Know- Nothings, but at the first meeting he told them they were rightly named, and never met with them again. He has been a member of the Pres- byterian Church for sixty-three years, and was elected Elder of the congregation, which office he has filled with satisfaction to all. He has lived an upright, Christian life and is well de- serving of a representation in this volume. Our subject says from 1839 to 1846 there were quite a number of flatboats run on the Raccoon. They were 16x120 feet in dimensions, and he has seen as many as twelve in one winter.
SAAC M. KALLEY. For his valiant services as a soldier in the Civil War, as weil as for his enterprise and thrift as a private citizen, Mr. Kalley deservedly occupies a prominent position among the farmers of Raccoon Township, Parke County. He was born here on the 15th of October, 1832, and is a son of Nathaniel B. and Rebecca (Hammon) Kalley. The name is Scotch, but the immediate ancestors of our subject came from the North of Ireland, where his grandfather, whose name
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was Damel Kalley, was born. The latter with his fa- ther emigrated to this country prior to the Revolu- tionary War, and settled in New York State, not far from the Catskill Mountains. Two brothers of Daniel Kalley, George and William, served in the War of Independence, and participated in nearly all the leading battles of that great struggle. Daniel himself served in the War of 1812.
The father of our subject, Nathaniel B. Kalley, was born in New York State, where his father set- tled in 1800. The latter was a man of roving dis- position, and not long after the birth of Nathaniel B. he started for the Ohio frontier, where the lad grew to a rugged and vigorous manhood. When but nineteen years of age, he married Re- becca Hammon, an estimable lady, who was of Ger- man descent. Her father, Abram Hammon, was probably born in Germany, but of this no posi- tive information can be gained. It is known, how- ever, that he spoken very broken English, yet he may have been born in this country. Ile served in the Revolutionary War and was wounded in battle. He died in Vermillion County, Ind., many years ago, being over ninety years of age at the time of his demise. Daniel Kalley married Vashti Bliss, who came from Massachusetts and dated her family history back to the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers.
In 1822, accompanied by his young wife, Na- thaniel B. Kalley, came to Parke County, Ind., and settled in Raccoon Township. Soon after- ward his parents and other members of the family came here from Ohio, and the grandfather died here in 1834, his wife passing away some years later. The mother of our subject also died in 1834, when he was but two years old. Some time later his father married Charity (Gray) Nelson, a widow. Of the first marriage, seven children, five sons and two daughters, were born, of whom Isaac was the youngest. Ruth, the eldest, died when about twenty-one years old; Abram, who was born in 1824, served in the War of the Rebellion, and died in Raccoon Township, March 18, 1892; George passed away in childhood; William also died when small; Daniel was removed by death in 1862; Vashti who was born in 1830, married John J. Webster, who served in the late war and was killed in a
coal bank not long after the close of that struggle. She is now living in Jackson Township. Of the children born of the second marriage of Nathaniel B. Kalley, three died when they were small. Mary first married George Hansel, a soldier in the late war, who died from injuries received while in ser- vice, and afterward married Dempsey Seybold. The other half-sister, Malinda, married and re- moved to the West.
Isaac Kalley grew to manhood on the home farm, and as his parents were poor, his education was necessarily meagre. He never had a pair of shoes on his feet which were made expressly for him, until he was thirteen years old, but wore shoes which the older ones had ontgrown. When he was twenty-one, he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a carpenter, which he was following at the op- ening of the Civil War. At the first call for vol- unteers, lie tendered his services for the defense of his conntry, and on April 23, 1861, we find his name on the rolls of Company A, Fourteenth In- diana Infantry, as a private. He was at once sent to the front in West Virginia, and his first battle was at Rich Mountains, after which, with his com- mand, he went to Beverly, Huttonville and Cheat Mountains, remaining at the last-named place until the fall of 1861.
To give in detail the service of this man, who proved himself on more than one occasion to be one of the bravest men that ever shouldered a musket, would be a great task. Suffice it to say that for three years he served his country faithful- ly and well. Three times he was wounded, but was never from any battle in which his regiment par- ticipated, and was never but once excused from duty. He did good service in the Shenandoah Val- ley, participating in the battle of Winchester and the engagements at Cheat Mountain, Green Brier, Romley, Strausburgh, and others of importance. He was at Fredericksburgh when a call for volun- teers was made to attempt to eross the pontoon bridge in the face of the enemy's fire, an under- taking which meant almost certain death. Not a man in that great army was willing to face the danger until Isaac Kalley sprang to the front, and said that he was one who was willing to risk his life in the daring expedition for his country's
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good. In this hazardous feat fifty-six per cent. of the number were killed, and onr subject came nearly losing his life, being struck by a piece of shell. He was compelled to remain in the hospital at Washington for several months, but rejoined his regiment in front of Chancellorsville, where his gun was shot out of his hand. In the fight at Gettysburg he was again wounded, in the right shoulder, and was obliged to go to a hospital at Newark, N. J. This ended his active service, for while confined there his term of service expired and he was discharged at Trenton, N. J., April 23, 1864. He was anxious to re-enlist, but was not accepted on account of his injuries. He returned home and as soon as able resumed work at his trade.
In 1867, Mr. Kalley married Catherine Elson, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of Henson El- son. They have had four children. Albert Els- worth died in childhood; Arthur Edgar is a rising young man, and is being educated at Wabash Col- lege; Milton is at home; Myrtle May received an excellent education in the home schools and is an accomplished young lady. After his marriage our subject settled on the farm where he has since re- sided. Politically, he is a strong Republican. He is actively identified with Kalley Post, G. A. R., at Bridgeton, and for his services in the late war and injuries there received, he draws a pension of $17 per month.
R EUBEN S. NEBEKER is a native of Troy Township, Fountain County, Ind., where he is now residing and where he was born in 1834, a son of George and Mary (Steely) Nebeker, the latter being a daughter of George and Elizabeth Steely. George Nebeker was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1813, be- ing a son of Lewis Nebeker, and one of his sons, who has been a potent factor in the development of the agricultural resources of the county, is Enos
II. Nebeker, who was born in 1836, and was mar- ried to Mary Sewell, born in 1843, a danghter of William Sewell. Their marriage took place in 1865 in Troy Township. Ile was educated in the common schools and at Greencastle, and is the President of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank at Covington. He was elected to the position of County Anditor in 1879, and has held an official position in the United States Treasury Department. Alonzo N., who was born in 1838, is now a prom- inent citizen of Williamsport; Emeline was born in 1840, and died in infancy; Hannah, who mar- ried Thomas Rinn, is a resident of Covington; Luke was born in Troy Township in 1845, mar- ried Mary Ferguson, and is a successful lawyer of Covington.
Reuben S. Nebeker was married in this county in 1879 to Miss A. L. Walker, a danghter of James and Adaline Walker, her education having been obtamed at Terre Haute, Ind., and his own at Greencastle College. She was born in 1862, and was one of three children, two daughters and one son, born to her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Nebeker became the parents of one child, Ada R., who was born in 1881, and is at the present time attending the common schools near her home. When Reu- ben S. Nebeker's father died in 1890, he left a fine estate to be divided among his children, val- ued at $50,000, the principal part of which was in real estate and bonds. His wife was called from life in 1870. Reuben S. started out in life as a tiller of the soil, and for many years was quite an exten- sive speculator in stock, and he and Enos HI. Neh- eker were also engaged in buying and selling mules for the Government. For some time he was the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land, well stocked with all necessary animals, but at the present time he only owns one hundred and sixty acres in his home farm and two hundred and twenty acres of the old Nebeker homestead, all his real estate being in an exceptionally fine state of cultivation. His farms are well improved with excellent buildings and on his home place is a fine new barn, 84x65 feet, which was erected at a cost of $2,000, and is very conveniently arranged as to space, etc.
His farm is well adapted for stock-raising pur-
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poses and he is the owner of large numbers of horses, cattle and hogs. His granaries are well filled with the products of his own farm, and in every respect he has proven himself an exception- ally thrifty, progressive and enterprising farmer. He has a handsome residence, which was built in 1879, and contains eight rooms, besides a large, light and dry cellar. This pleasant home is well supplied with many conveniences; it cost $2,500, and near it is a spacious, cool and airy milk-house. Ilis principal crops are corn, wheat and hay, but all agricultural products receive attention from him, and he has been very successful in their cul- ture. He is a member of the Christian Church of Covington, as is also his wife, and, politically, is a Republican, although he has never aspired to official position. Mrs. Nebeker's father enlisted in the Union Army in 1862, becoming a member of the Seventy-sixth Illinois Regiment, and for three years was one of the warmest espousers of "Uncle Sam."
ILES RATCLIFF, one of the prominent citizens of Parke County, became the owner of eighty acres of the farm where he still lives as early as 1840. This was then all a wilderness and had only a little log cabin upon it by way of improvement. As the years passed, bringing bountiful harvests in return for the care and labor bestowed upon the farm, our subject was enabled to extend the limits of his farm, until it now comprises over five hundred acres, where in connection with the raising of general farm prod- ucts he raises a good grade of stock. Many official positions have been bestowed upon him by his fel- low-townsmen, who have always reposed great con- fidence in his judgment and integrity. Among other positions he has held that of Township Trustee for many years, and for about sixteen years has been Justice of the Peace. In his younger days he began the study of law, and was admitted to the Bar of Parke County about 1845, and has
practiced some ever since. This knowledge has been of great benefit to him along business lines, if in no other way, and is, no doubt, in part re- sponsible for his success.
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