USA > Indiana > Sullivan County > Jackson in Sullivan County > The history of Jackson Township, Sullivan County, Indiana > Part 10
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The saw-mill known to old resi- dents as the "Larr Mill" was located on the forty acres which Abe House now owns. This mill was moved here in 1867 from Merom by the Larr Brothers, by six oxen. It was operated here for two or three years and then moved to Hymera and lo- cated on the ground about where the opera house now stands.
Later the Moore and Winterwood- Mill was located at Abbott. It was operated from 1890 to 1900. It was owned by George Bledsoe, and later by Earl Shields. It cut about ten. thousand feet of lumber a day. It furnished timber for the neighbor- ing mines and also shipped some lumber.
The soldiers who enlisted from this district were John Ford, M. Johnson, John Everhart, John Nead, William Campbell, Jake Nead, Uriah Nead, and George Ring, who is still alive. John Nead, William Sills, Jake Nead and Uriah Nead were in Captain Holdson's Company in the ninety- seventh Regiment, Company I. John Nead died in Mississippi in 1863. Singleton Marshall enlisted fronī Washington county, but lives in dis- trict No. 10 now.
Jackson Hill Presbyterian Churchi.
In 1903 a series of tent meetings
were conducted in Jackson Hill by the Rev. Van Deventer which resul- ted in the organization of a Presby- terian church at that place. The charter members were Mrs. Ellen Wright. Nannie Spinks, Isabel Ret- tich, Catherine Rettich, Mrs. Ella Buckling, Vica Ferguson, Nanthus Bryant. William C. Wright, Ger- trude Spinks, Otto Lane, and J. H. Needhammer. The church was known as a branch of the Clayborne church. A building was erected here in 1903. Some of the ministers who preached here were Mr. Houser, Mr. Stephenson, Mr. McKaye, Mr. Crab- tree, Mr. Smith, Mr. Worl and Mr. Moore. Some additions to the mem- bership of the church were Foreman Lambert, Mrs. J. H. Needhammer, Mrs. Ralston, Eva Laffoon. Sarah Blevins. Lillian Osborne. Area Wol- ford. Nellie Laffoon, Anna Williams, William Laffoon, Mary Ralston. Mrs. Eliza Blevins, Ada Boles, Garland Nead, Louise Boles, Goldie Blevins, Sarah McCarty, Harry Peacock, Sar- ah Peacock, Rebecca Peacock, Agnes Steele and Maud Dorman. The meet- ings of the church were discontinued in 1912. During the year 1914 the Apostolic church has been holding services in the building. The minis- ter is Mr. Eddington.
The First Coal Mine.
The first coal mine in this district was located northeast of the present school house. This was at first a slope mine. The coal was discovered by Noah and Henry Ring, sons of Daniel Ring, when digging in the ground for a ground hog. After the siope had been worked for some time there was a shaft sunk on top of the hill. This was operated many years. This mine supplied coal for many miles around. Many wagons came from Illinois to get coal. This mine was first operated about 1845 and was operated until about the year 1874.
Jackson Hill No. 1.
The first mine that was sunk by the Jackson Hill Coal and Coke Com- pany was known as Jackson Hill No. 1. It was sunk in 1881 and was operated for about fourteen years. It was located west of where the
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town of Jackson Hill now stands. This mine shipped coal out of the district and was the first railroad mine in the district.
Jackson Hill Mine No. 2.
This mine was located southwest of Jackson Hill Town. It was sunk in 1899. When work was at its best this mine employed two hundred and twenty-five men, and the output was over nine hundred tons of coal per day. In August 1913 a dust explos- ion occurred which Injured thirty men and killed five. The dead were Mr. Ralston, Mr. Phipp, Mr. Keyser, Mr. Batson and Mr. Leonard.
Shepherd Slope Mine.
The slope mine located on the forty acres of Porter Shepherd's farm south of Jackson Hill, was op- erated by Greensbury Shepherd from 1855 to 1858. The coal was sold all around the country and wagons came from Illinois for coal for the blacksmiths. Then George and Wi !- liam Shepherd operated the mine from 1898 to 1904. It was called the "Amdrucanda."
Hinkle Mine.
The mine which is known as the Hinkle mine is located on the farm of Alabama Marshall. It was sunk by William Hinkle about 1902. The mine was operated by him for nine years. Then it was sold to Frank Bolt, who had it for two years. Then Lee Sink bought it and operated it about a year. Joe Syester owns it at the time of this writing. The first vein mined was No. 6, then it was sunk to No. 5 vein.
Jackson Hill No. 3.
Jackson Hill No. 3 mine was sunk by the Jackson Hill Coal and Coke Company in 1901. No. 3 vein of coal was worked. The mine was op- erated a year and then stopped on account of gas and bad roof. There were from seventy-five to eighty men employed here and the output of the coal per day was about six, hundred tons.
Hamilton Mine.
The "Hamilton Mine" was sunk in 1903, by the Hamilton Coal Com- pany, one mile northeast of Jackson IIIII No. 2. The Andrews Coal Com- pany owned it from 1905 to 1907;
the Diamond Coal Company leased it for two years, and the Averil Coal Company operated it from 1910 to the beginning of 1914. The coal was from No. 3 vein. The number of men employed here was about two hundred and the output of coal per day was about eleven hundred tons.
There was a gas explosion in this mine on December 23, 1905. The explosion was caused by two inex- perienced workmen. Nine men were injured. There was no work at the mine for several. days on account of the fire. The mine is not working at present
Steam Shovel.
No mining industry in Sullivan county is attracting as much atten- tion as the strip mine of the Warren Coal Company on the Greensbury Shepherd farm a half-mile north- east of Jackson Hill No. 2. It was opened for operation in the summer of 1913. Although the industry is young, the mine at the time of this writing is working every day and furnishes steady employment to from fifty to one hundred men. The pe- culiar attraction about the strip mine is that the coal is mined from the surface, a steam shovel being: used to upturn the coal from a few feet underground. The dirt is taken from over the coal by a large steam shovel. Then the coal is taken out and loaded into small cars by a small steam shovel. When the "cut" is made and the coal is taken out, the dirt is scraped back into the cut and a new cut is made. The coal is hauled to the railroad switch by a small engine and there is screened and loaded into the cars for ship -. ping. The working of the shovel has proved an attraction to hundreds of - persons and many "outsiders" visit the mine every day to watch the shovel work. Experienced coal men estimate that this mine is good for five years at least. No. 7 vein is be- ing mined and the company operat- ing the mine is on the lookout for other land in the community where the coal lles near the surface. This is the first and only strip mine- in Sulli- van county. The mine is under the direction of William Stewart, an ex-
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perienced coal man as superinten- dent. The first coal was shipped last spring. The company has offices near the mine on the old Shepherd homestead, where a hotel also has been established.
The biographies of the oldest resi-' dents of the district are given be-"' low:
Singleton Marshall.
Singleton Marshall was born in Washington county, Indiana, June 1, 1828. He was the son of Ambrose and Cynthia Marshall. The mother was reared near Albany, Indiana, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. The father, a native of Kentucky, was of English descent and came to Wash -* ington county when about ten years old. Ambrose Marshall followed farming all his life and died in' Washington county.
Singleton continued to live with* his parents until he was twenty-one and during the following three years worked for his father. After his marriage he bought a farm in Wash- ington county but sold it after six years and rented for three years. He bought one hundred and sixty acres near where he now lives. Here he' lived until 1890, then he went west for a better location but finding nothing better than his land in In-' diana, he came back and lived on a' rented farm for a short time. HE' then bought a tract of land near Hy- mera but afterwards, on account of ill health, he went to Arkansas and bought two hundred and forty-seven acres in that state, two hundred of which he yet owns. He spent the winters there for several years but now makes his home with Mrs. Mar- shall, a daughter-in-law, in Jackson township.
In August, 1850 Mr. Marshall was married to Mary Allen. Eleven chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs, Marshall. They are Robert, deceas- ed, Martha, deceased. Dr. Alfred Franklin Marshall, deceased, Mary Jane, wife of William Lucas of Den- ver, Colorado, Emma, wife of Doug- las Marshall, Julian, farmer of Jack- son township, Laura, wife of John Nead of Hymera. Ona, wife of Chas. Rusher, Oliver, who was killed by a
train near Hymera in 1901, Eva, de- ceased, and Edward, deceased. Mr. Marshall is a member of the Me fic- dist church. He is now eighty-six years old.
Mrs. Greensbury Shepherd.
Eliza Jane Shepherd was born Mar 10, 1838, in Ireland. She was the daughter of Orr and Nancy Martin Snowden. When three years old she came from Ireland to Pennsylvania and lived there until 1852, when she came with her parents to Sullivan county, Indiana. On March 5. 1861 she was married to Greensbury Shep- herd. To them were born nine chil- dren, Josephine, George, Wellwood, Porter, Montford. Maimie, Nellie, Virginia. deceased. and one child that died in infancy. Mr. Shepherd died October 30, 1897. Mrs. Shep- berd now lives on her farm south of Hymera.
George Ring.
George Ring was born in Ken- tucky. February 15, 1838. His father farmed here until George was eight years old and then moved to Indiana. His father was killed on the way to Indiana to pay for his farm. He lived with his mother un- til his marriage to Catherine Feath- erline. Their children are Bell, who died when small, Mrs. Henry Henry of Hymera, Mrs. Elizabeth Terry of Jackson township. Joe, now living in Illinois. Mrs. Lulu Rogers of Terre Haute. Mrs. Retta Shanasta of Terre Haute, Mrs. Nancy Andrews of Terre Haute, William, of Hymera, and Or- lie, deceased. George Ring lived with his daughter, Mrs. Terry, in Hy- mera until his marriage to Mary Ann Burress. He is now seventy-seven years old.
Mary Ann Ring.
Mary Ann Secrest Ring was born in Virginia, October 10, 1837. Her father was a plantation owner in that state. He moved to Indiana when Mary was eight years old. They moved here in wagons, where her father bought a farm, in Jack, son township. When nineteen years of age she was married to Elisha Burress. Mr. and Mrs. Burress lived in many different places on ac- count of Mr. Burress's work. He
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.
was an engineer. To Mr. and Mrs. Burress were born eleven children Jane, Bettie, Dan, Rose, Jim Charles. Lewis, Beulah and Ida, deceased. Mr. Burress died September 3, 1901. She lived with her children until her marriage with George Ring. She is now seventy-eight years old.
Mr. and Mrs. James Brock.
James Brock was born in Ohio, December 7, 1850. His mother and father moved to Indiana in 1860. His father was a carpenter and a farmer. Mr. Brock's father is still living in South Dakota and is eighty-seven years old. He came from Scotland when a boy. Mr. Brock also has one uncle living. The two brothers and the father were all of the family that came from Scotland. Mr. Brock married Angeline Thomas in 1872. Mrs. Brock is Welsh. She was born in Kentucky, May 21, 1846. There were three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Brock, Minnie Woodall, of Put- nam county, Sallie Sharp, of Jack- son township and Rose Crelber, of Clay County. Mr. and Mrs. Brock have twenty-five grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Brock's fathers were both soldiers in the Mexican War. Mr. and Mrs. Brock moved to Jackson town- ship in 1903, where they still live.
Mrs. Mary Jane Curry.
Mrs. Mary Jane Ford Curry was born in Noble county, Ohio, April 15. 1849. Her father, John Ford. was one of the multitude which crossed the great Western Plains by ox teams in the latter part of the year 1849 to seek their fortune ir, the gold fields of California. He returned five years later, without' having found much gold and bought' property in Spencer, Indiana, to which place he proceeded to move! his family, consisting of a son, Ly-, man, by a former marriage, his wife' Carolina, and their children, George and Jane.
The family came down the Ohio river by boat from Marietta to Cin- cinnati thence by railroad to Spen- cer.
Mr. Ford and a business partner engaged in the undertaking business in Spencer. The caskets they used were made by Mr. Ford, who was an
expert wood worker. Two years later the Fords again moved west- ward, settling this time one and one- quarter miles south of the present town of Hymera, on a farm pur- chased from the Wabash and Erie Canal Company. An old orchard and signs of a well mark the spot where the old home stood. A little store was kept in one room of the log house.
Mr. Ford made and operated the first sorgum mill in this section of the country. The entire mill, even' the gearings, were made of wood. 1
Three children were born to Mr.' and Mrs. Ford after they left Ohio. Callie, Alabama and Flora. Callie and George are now dead. 1
Mr. Ford was a man of consider- able military experience. He served in the regular army, in the Mexican War, and in the Civil War. He died in 1885. Mrs. Ford was a gentle, sweet spirited, hard working, set- tler's wife, a mother esteemed by all who knew her. She died in 1892.
1
The Ford children went to school at the Township House north of Hy- mera. George, Jane and Alabama also attended the famous Ascension Seminary under Captain Crawford at Farmersburg. All three after- wards taught school. Jane first taught at the Park school house in Cass township, and later at the Ladd school in district No. 7, Jackson township. She was married March 26, 1874 to John Harvey Curry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Curry of Cur- ry township. They began housekeep- ing on a farm in Cass township,' where they lived three years. They then moved to the Woodrow farm east of Coffee Postoffice in Clay county. In 1877 they moved back to Jackson township and bought a part of the place which Mr. Ford purchased from the Canal Company. A home was erected and the task of clearing and paying for the farm was under way when in 1889 the house and all its furnishings were destroyed by fire. This loss. with the subsequent redoubled efforts and consequent exposures on the part of Mr. Curry to provide for his fam-' ily brought on an attack of the tu-
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berculosis which resulted In his Mrs. Curry. Ray, the oldest, met a death in 1892. sudden death in a railroad crossing . Six children were born to Mr. and accident in 1900. Frank, Joe, Jes- se, John and Ethel are living.
Chapter 12.
District No. 11.
Indiana Irwin /661
G + PShepherd 160
Groen Shepherd Estate 9881
Powell 34 1/
SoranSlacken
Wm Ring
Albert Stand
G Mc Bride 39/*
4757
4
R Stacker 19 14
Clint Badders 70 67
Warren CoalCo 0
C. Wyman 40
A Adolph 40
& Johnson 34
Warren cool Co
Averill CoalCo
Monon Coal Co
MB Case MB. Caso 36 36 James Bon 40
Kına Gordon 36
Una ( Baston) 40
Mary ( Badders
PrJohnson 4/ 66
District
EJohnson
2
1 Mathersy 26
Thos Wilson Mary Badders 40 40
Clint Badden 281.5
JC Badders 80
Mary Badders 26
60
( Badders,,
Mononico 17.49
32
AJ Steele 145
A Shophow B Sexion
was Shephard I Johnson
20
E B Payne 51
0. Tennis 40
MOSexton 40
EH Senron 40
M. Thomasas7 M. LOYAAT 6 N NOW 10
W & NOal
1
MASACROFTIA EShepherd 6
Ab. Wence 53
M Wright 10
Monon Coal 47.50
ROSA Price 12
baskin 10
J.B Gaskill 57.18
W. Harrison 2550
A.Cole 20
H. Johnson 30
District No. 11, is in the extreme southeastern part of the township. The land is rolling and well adapted to farming yet the mining industry has put farming more or less in the background. The district contains three miles of good rocked roads- two miles running east and west through the district and one mile running north and south. These roads were built in 1905 and 1906 by Mr. Ersigner, contractor.
The first school house in the dis- trict was built of logs about 1838 and was located west of the present
school building. Some of the stud- ents who went to school in this building were Mrs. Greenbury Shep- herd. Mrs. Mary Badders and Mrs. Tressa Cole. Two of the teachers were Washington McMillan and Charles Grant. The second building was a frame one and was located across the road south of the present building. The first teacher who taught here was James Stark.
From 1890 to 1894 there was a postoffice in this district. It was known as Eagle and the postmaster was Saniuel Cole.
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17
Paul 8 stravensky
40
80
( Burress
80
57
Warren Coolcool 80
Salon .
20
AF. Bickell 17
Mary Badder
.
* Kalma
S.R. Cole 40
0
.
The soldiers who went to the Civil War from this district were
Matherly, John Snowden and Mr. Barnes.
The Badders Mine.
The Badders or Sima mine is situ- ated about one mile southeast of the Hamilton Blocks. The mine was built by the Sima Coal Company in 1902 but is now owned by the Mo- non Coal Company. The coal in this mine was a fine quality of bitumi- nous coal of No. 3 vein which was about two hundred and seventy feet from the surface. The mine is now abandoned and the buildings are in a dilapidated condition. George Pugh was killed at this mine. He was hoisted to the top of the tipple where he became entangled in the sheave wheel and was killed.
Hamilton Blocks.
The little mining camp known as the Hamilton Blocks was built in 1903 to accommodate the men who were employed in the Hamilton mine in District No. 10. An addition was built to the camp in 1913. There are in all twenty-four houses. Since the abandonment of the mine here, the men who live here are employed at the Lattis Creek mine and the Warren Coal Company's strip mine. There are at present about fifteen families living here.
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Cole. Mr. Samuel Cole was born In Greene County, Indiana, August 23, 1845. He later came to Sullivan county and married Tressa Snowden who came from Ireland to Pennsyl- vania, January 27, 1841. In 1853 she came to Sullivan county, Indiana. In 1894 Mr. Cole became a notary public and in 1890 was made post- master of the postoffice known as
Eagle, which he held for four years. Jacob Cumson.
Jacob Cumson was born June 28. 1848, the son of James and Early Cumson. He was married October 13, 1838 to Sarah E. Lambright, daughter of Henry and Mary Jane Lambright. To this union was born one child, Mrs. Libbie Cumson Bad- ders. Mrs. Cumson died in 1908.
Mary Badders.
Mary Badders was born March 8, 1832 in Ireland, the daughter of Orr and Nancy Snowden. She came to Pennsylvania when about eight years old and lived there until 1852 when she came to Sullivan County, Indi- ana with her parents, settling one quarter of a mile west of where she now lives. Her father and mother both lived in Sullivan County until their death. The father died in 1879 and the mother in 1899. She was married June 8, 1858 to Sam- uel Badders who was born in Colum- bia county, Ohio, January 6, 1827, a son of James and Christina Bad- ders. They moved to Ohio just after the war of 1812 but in 1829 re- turned to Pennsylvania where they spent the remainder of their days on a farm in Beaver county. Mr. Bad- ders secured his education in the district schools of Pennsylvania and studied book keeping at Duffs Com- mercial College at Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania. He followed book keeping for several years and in 1857 came to Sullivan county. He died May 24, 1912. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Badders. They are Mrs. Indiana Irwin, of Arkansas, John C., Mrs. Marietta Case, Samuel Burton (deceased), Clinton S., Mrs. Lewti Shivers ( deceased ), Mrs. Wm. Gordon and Harry M., of Arkansas.
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CHAPTER 18.
Present Glimpses and Future Pros- pects of the Agriculture of Jackson Township.
Written by Co. Agent, A. W. Hayes.
The status of a farming section is usually measured by crop and live stock returns. farm improvements and educational attainments. In considering and measuring for an ideal, a future possibility; soil char- acters, crop and stock adaptation, markets and educational outlook are vital factors. Under the present conditions, Jackson township can be classed only as an average farming section; but, when one considers possibilities, and looks to future
A. W. HAYES. County Agent. development, all signs point toward much better things than are now be- ing enjoyed. The solidity, strength, and perpetuity of Jackson township lie in the intelligent development of her soils, live stock, homes and schools, and in the maintenance upon her farms of intelligent, thrifty men and women, who see in agrienlture a
future of worth, calling for the best of thought and skill.
Soils.
The soils of the township have nearly all been extensively timbered, and, with the exception of the bot- tom lands, are quite deficient in or- ganic matter; , consequently they puddle easily and allow crops to suffer much from drouth and exces- sive rainfall. The land along the streams is usually rolling to undul- ating and of a yellow to a yellow gray silt loam. Much of this soil is eroded so badly that it should be kept in permanent pasture. The lar- ger portion of the township is com- posed of a very desirable type of soil, which, when carefully handled. is very responsive to fertilization and cultivation. Several things of great economic importance relative to profitable and permanent farming on the soils of the township are to be kept in mind. Most of the land is in sad need of drainage. This will mean, in many cases, properly laid tile drainage systems. There are very few farms, indeed, in the town- ship which will not be benefitted by a rational system of tile drainage. In fact. they will not attain their high- est and most remunerative produc- tive capacities until they are drained Acid or sour soil conditions is caus- ing much present difficulty in secur- ing stands of red clover. Alfalfa will refuse to grow until the soil is made sweet. Most of the land of the entire township is now acid. A liberal ap- plication of ground limestone (two to four tons per acre every four or five years) is the cheapest and best method of restoring the soil to its - original sweet condition and helping to insure successful crops of clover and alfalfa. The farmers have no one to blame but themselves for not using limestone consistently and reg- ularly. It can be had In numerous places over the township simply for the grinding. as there are fine out- crops of a high grade stone in the township. The stone at Alum Cave is especially accessible, also stone on the Gordon farm near Hymera.
Soil analysis and crop returns show the average of the farmed
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lands to be very low in phosphorus and nitrogen. These two important e'ements may be applied through growing more legume crops, such as clovers, cowpeas, and soybeans, and plowing them under, or the manure made from them; also, all plant re- fuse, such as cornstalks and waste straw, with good heavy applications of a phosphate fertilizer such as bone meal, rock phosphate, or acid phosphate. At least one fourth of the cultivated area of every farm should have such treatement every year.
Live Stock.
Jackson Township does not keep a high enough grade of live stock; not enough hogs and cattle are fed on her farms; and not enough good producing brood mares are kept in her pastures. It costs very ___ little -ing poultry. Something of its nature could and should be worked out with other lines of live stock raising.
more to feed and care for an animal of good quality than it does a scrub or mongrel. The well-bred animal always has a market and is a con- stant source of satisfaction to its owner. Great possibilities are open in the way of live stock improvement especially in raising standards in horse, hog and cattle breeding.
Orchards.
There is no fruit which tastes so good or means so much to one as the fruit grown on his own prover- bial "vine and fig tree." With this thought in view, the fruit growers and farmers should at once plan to give more attention to their fruit resources. Most of the orchards are in need of thorough pruning, spray- ing, and cultivation. San Jose scale has been making serious inroads on the apple, peach, and pear trees, and unless headed off by careful spraying will lay waste to such fruit raising. The gently rolling to undulating soils yield an excellent quality of tree and bush fruit when given proper care and attention.
In things of an educational nature pertaining to better farm conditions, the people of the township are show- ing much interest and giving good support. An annual one-day farm- ers' institute is held in the fall at Hymera. Local talent helps on the program with the assistance of Pur-
due University Extension workers. Last year the membership of the institute approached the hundred mark with several hundred in atten- dance. Mr. C. C. Bosstick, is the present chairman. In the fall of 1913 a Better Farming Association was organized and Mr. F. M. Nead chosen chairman. It held numerous meetings at different school houses over the township, all of which were well attended. During the past year it has been more or less inactive.
The township is to be congratu- lated on the successful poultry asso- ciation it maintains. Two excellent poultry shows have been staged at Hymera during the past two winters. This association is doing an incal- culable amount of good in raising the standards of breeding and feed-
During the past year agriculture has been taken up in all the grade and country schools and made a defi- nite topic of study. The work is new to the teachers and pupils and meth- ods of teaching it are somewhat vague. Nevertheless, considerable worthy progress has been made, and indications are favorable to an ex- cellent future in the study. The township high school has been de- veloping a high school course which has been efficiently managed by Prof. J. P. Curry.
The Corn Club.
The first boys' acre corn growing contest was organized in the spring of 1914. A good number of boys joined, but only four completed the work. The following \ boys "made good records in the project: Ralph Gordon, Frankie Gouckenour, Virgil Woodard, and Clarence Riggen. . As a prize for township winners in the corn club the Sullivan business men awarded a free trip to Purdue Uni- versity to the one week course held in January. This was won by Clar- ence Riggen. He succeeded in grow- ing on his acre of land seventy two bushels of corn at the low cost of $. 125 per bushel. What this boy did during the. dry season of 1914 shows to the thoughtful farmer of
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Jackson township some of the pos- sibilities of applying science and care to the development of agricul- ture.
The past eighteen months have re- corded considerable interest over the township in better farming plans. A well attended wheat production meeting was held on Isaac Brown's farm in the month of August. Mr. J. C. Beavers of Purdue University addressed the audience on wheat improvement. Two large seed corn selection meetings have been held; one in the fall of 1913 on the Pat- ton farm east of Hymera, and the other in the fall of 1914 on the Riggen farm north of Hymera. In March, 1914, an enthusiastic miners' and gardeners' meeting was held in Hymera, and a result of discussions developed, forty tons of ground lime- stone were purchased and used up- on some of the acid garden soils of the town. Ollie Pruitt, Chas. Van- arsdall, F. M. Nead, John Thralls, Jack Dunlap, Henry Patton, P. Stutsman, Wint Cummins, V. D. Cummins and Geo. Cravens were some .of the users. Ollie Pruitt is one of the foremost believers in this material for soils of Jackson town- ship. He made a remarkably fine record from its use on a quarter of an acre of garden truck.
Wint Cummins is taking a leading position in working out for his farm, a profitable and systematic plan of soil building. He has ap- plied several car loads of ground limestone to the soil, is commencing to grow clover, and other legumes which are to be plowed under with rock phosphate. .
No good reason exists for the hin- drance of a steady, normal growth of progress and advancement on the farms of the township. The future for the young man or woman is bright and holds out for them just as good opportunities as can be found for the use of brains and active ser- vice in any other section of the land. FRANK M. NEAD
Ex-Trustee of Jackson Township.
Frank M. Nead was born in Jack - son township. October 16, 1858, on the farm he now owns southwest of
Hymera. He is the son of John Nead and Nancy Tipton Nead who came from Ohio and settled on the farm now owned by Mr. Nead. In August, 1862, his father enlisted for service in the Civil War and served in Company I of the ninety-seventh Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. Af- ter being in the service but one year he fell sick and died, August 31, 1863 at Camp Sherman on the Big
FRANK M. NEAD.
Black river between Vicksburg and Jackson. Mississippi, where he was buried with military honors. Mr. Nathan Hinkle and Mr. John Keene were with him when he died and assisted at his burial. His body now rests in the National Cemetery at Vicksburg. where it was removed by authority of the federal government in 1867. Mr. Nead's mother was a teacher and taught for eleven years in the schools of Ohio and Indiana. She died in 1896, and Is buried at Bethel cemetery. Frank was the oldest of three children and but five years old when his father died. He attended at what was known as the Ring School House, at first in the old log house which burned in 1868 and later in the frame building. He
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later attended the grade schools of Hymera, Farmersburg and Sullivan. He taught his first school in Curry township, Sullivan county. He re- ceived twenty-eight dollars a month for teaching his first term. He taught In al fourteen years. In 1893 he re- tired from the teaching profession and became a farmer. In 1894 he was elected township assessor and served for five years. In 1905, af- ter the death of Mr. James Sanders, he was appointed by the commission- ers to serve as trustee for the re- mainder of Mr. Sanders' unexpired term. In 1908, he was elected to serve a second term as trustee. In all he served as trustee for ten years In 1911 he built and equipped for the township the beautiful High
School building in Hymera. .. He joined the I. O. O. F. "at Sullivan in " 1882 and became a charter member . in the lodge organized at Hymera the following year. August 22, 1883, he was married to Adaline Payne, daughter of Hosea and Sarah ( Asbury) Payne. To Mr. and Mrs. Nead there were born four children. They are Conza (Mrs. Moreland), Garland, Holmes, and Esther. Mr. and Mrs. Nead are at present living in Hymera.
MR. AND MRS. W. J. WILLIAMS. Present Trustee of Jackson Tp.
Mr. W. J. Williams, the present trustee of Jackson township, was born in Wales, May 5, 1866. He came to America with his parents in 1870 and settled in Ohio. His fath- er and mother both died soon after coming to America and the son was
W. J. WILLIAMS.
left alone in the world. At the age of nine he was adopted by Mr. and -Mrs. Baker, who soon moved from . Ohio to Pennsylvania. In 1888 he was married to Jenny Blease. In 1906 Mr. and Mrs. Williams moved to Carlisle, Indiana, where they lived for three years. They then moved to Hymera, where they have sinee resided. Mr. Williams has been a miner all his life, and after com- ing to Hymera he was employed as mine boss until January 1, 1915, when' he began his service of trus- tee of Jackson township. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams have been born five children: Wesley, Lloyd, Her- bert, Thomas and Elizabeth.
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NOV 83
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962
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