USA > Indiana > Grant County > Fairmount > The making of a township, being an account of the early settlement and subsequent development of Fairmount Township, Grant County, Indiana, 1829 to 1917, based upon data secured by personal interviews, from numerous communications > Part 14
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The first Methodist Church in Fairmount Township was organized at the home of Joseph Weston, about 1835. The charter members were Elijah B. Ward, Elizabeth Ward, Joseph Weston, Lydia Weston, David Lewis, Nancy Lewis, William Payne, Celia Payne, George Crist, Mar- tha Crist and Ann Austin. The latter taught the first term of school ever held in this part of the Township. Elijah Ward was the first class leader at old Sugar Grove .*
The class later moved the place of meeting from Joseph Weston's .. Joseph Weston being the first class leader. The class was organized by Wade Posey. Rev. G. W. Bowers was the second preacher. These people were the earliest supporters of Methodism in this part of the country. The Methodists held services at the cabin of Henry Osborn. southeast of Fairmount, as carly as 1837.
In 1849, Methodists held services at Henry Osborn's hewed-log cabin, which still stands, and is situated on land now owned by Zim Payne, three miles southeast of Fairmount. Caleb Morris, of Marion, an exhorter of that day, would sometimes be present and assist in con- ducting the meetings. Those who attended meetings at Osborn's were Jesse Brooks and wife, Thomas Morris and wife, David Jones and wife, Henry Osborn and wife, Charles Stanfield and wife, Emeline and
"This church was then located on land now owned by Henry Roberts. It was later moved to the David Lewis farm, on the County Line Road, now owned by Daniel Johnson.
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Louisa Osborn, and Caroline, Martha and Aaron Taylor. In that day it was no uncommon thing to keep house and hold religious services in a room eighteen by twenty feet.
THE ELIJAH WARD CABIN
Located about four miles southeast of Fairmount. Elijah Ward, who was the grandfather of Mrs. David G. Lewis, about the year 1835, helped to or- ganize the first Methodist Church established in Fairmount Township. He was the class leader at old Sugar Grove.
A United Brethren Church, known as Union Chapel, was built in 1839 on the Solomon Thomas farm, three miles southeast of Fairmount. Rev. John Pugsley was the first preacher at this church.
Standing in Union Graveyard, as if to keep mute vigilance over the remains of pioneer dead, is a wild cherry, a hickory, a sycamore, a wal- nut, an elm, and a buckeye tree. The graveyard is situated just south of where Union Church stood.
The United Brethren, in 1844, organized a class at Carter Hasting's home, one mile south of Fairmount. The charter members were Solo- mon Thomas and wife, John Thomas and wife, Isaac Anderson and wife, Carter Hasting and wife, William Hall and wife, John Buller and wife, and John Smith and wife. William Hall was the first class leader. Services were held later on at the home of William Hall, in Fairmount. He was called to the ministry, and for a number of years preached at different points in this section of Indiana.
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\VILLIAM HALL
First Postmaster of Fairmount. was in his younger manhood a carpenter and tanner. For a number of years he lived at the southwest corner of Third and Main Streets, occupying the dwelling house now used by his daughter, Mrs. John Burgess Hol- lingsworth, and family. William Hall was a native of Greene County, Pennsylvania, where he was born. February 28, 1814. He died at his home in Fairmount on October 4. 1900. His father's name was Josiah Hall, born in Greene County, Penn- sylvania, where he died, in 1825; the mother, born in the same county and same State, died in 1828. William Hall was a Republican in politics. He served as a member of the In- diana State Legislature in 1861-62. For fifty years he was a minister of the United Brethren Church, and had much to do with the organization of this church at various points in this section of Indiana. He was known widely as a circuit rider, doing a vast amount of missionary work among the pioneers. His wife was Hannah Jones Stanfield, born in Tennessee, December 28, 1821. She died August 3. 1873. Her parents were David and Elizabeth Stanfield. William and Hannah Hall were the parents of seven children, namely. George W., Malissa, Mary, Jane, Levi, Sarah Ann and David. Mary Hall Hollingsworth lives in Fairmount; Levi is a well known business man of Marion, and David resides in Wichita, Kansas. The others are deceased. William Hall was a man of considerably more than ordinary ability. He lived a long and useful life, and as minister and legislator earned by good works and disinterested service the respect and gratitude of his neighbors. William Hall was a potential factor in many of the most important move- ments which resulted in the moral, educational and business welfare of the community.
The Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized about 1848 at the home of Harvey Davis, who at that time lived about two miles and a half southwest of Fairmount. The charter members were Lindsay Buller and wife, Elijah Harrold and wife, and Henry Wilson and wife. The class was organized by Rev. Alfred Tharp. Meetings were con- tinued at the home of Harvey Davis until 1850, when William Cox. David Smithson, James Farrington and Harvey Davis built a school house on the Davis farm, where services were held for ten years or
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more. Robert W. Trader* and wife and Bernard McDonald and wife became members soon after the services were started at the school house.
The first Baptist Church was organized at the home of William Leach, which was a commodious two-story log structure, lo- cated about five miles southeast of Fairmount. This was the beginning of the church that is now known as Harmony Church, which holds services in a brick building standing on the pike northwest of Matthews. The first members, when the church was originally formed at the Leach home, were William Leach and wife, Benjamin Furnish and wife, William McCormick and wife and James Gillespie and wife. Ben- jamin Furnish was an associate judge of the circuit court, 1845 to 1852.
Fairmount Friends meeting for worship was set up in 1851. Pre- parative meeting was established in 1852, and a monthly meeting in 1869, with a membership of 547. The first brick church was built in 1860. It had a seating capacity of 800. Fairmount Monthly Meeting was composed of Little Ridge, East Branch, Upland and Fairmount Preparative meetings.
The little frame church that the Friends first put up in Fairmount, where they held their first school, stood, according to Dr. A. Henley. about where the late Henry Davis lived, now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Mittank, on the south side of First Street.
(Editor's Note .- Dr. Henley's recollection of Fairmount Township
"Robert W. Trader, prominent in the early days in the Wesleyan Back Creek neighborhood, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, June 30, 1828. His grandfather was Arthur Trader, of Virginia. His father was William Trader, born in Virginia in 1801, and died in October, 1867. Robert Trader was the son of William and Elender (Wiley) Trader, the father born in Virginia in 1801 and died in October, 1867, and the mother born in Clinton County, Ohio, in 1801 and died in 1855. Robert Trader came to Grant County in 1842, and with the exception of sixteen years spent in Alexandria, Indiana, he has lived in Fairmount Township all his adult life, engaging continuously in farming with the exception of one year he sold merchandise in Fairmount. He cast his first vote for the Free Soil candidates, and when the Republican party was organized in 1856 he supported Gen. John C. Fremont, remaining loyal to this organization until 1884. when he affiliated with the Prohibition party. He was converted in 1848 and became one of the organizers of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Fairmount Township, being a charter member. The denomination held its first meeting, led by Rev. Tharp, in Harvey Davis's home, southwest of Fairmount. The or- ganizers were Harvey Davis and wife, James Lytle and wife, Lindsay Buller and wife, John Buller and wife and Robert Trader and wife. Jane (Davis) Trader, the wife, was born in Madison County, Indiana, in 1829, and died May 9, 1862. They were married in February, 1849. Four children were born of this marriage, namely: Harvey, Mariah, Mary and Eunice. The second wife was Phebe Ann Wright, daughter of Jesse Wright, and of this union three children were born, namely, Etta, Oscar and Luther. There were no children by the third marriage to Nettie Sater, of Alexandria, Indiana.
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The Making of a Township.
BEREAN SABBATH SCHOOL CLASS FRIENDS CHURCH (1913)
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This picture of the Berean Class of the Friends Church, Fairmount, was taken in October, 1913. One hundred and thirty-two members and one visitor were present on that day, and all filed out in front of the church at the close of the lesson and were back in their places at the close of the school, after the picture had been taken. Following are the names of those present :
Back row. left to right-John W. Smith, Edgar M. Baldwin, Caleb A. Starr, Hude Dyson, John W. Naylor (deceased), William Bell, Albert W. Kelsay, Roland Mahoney, John Kelsay, James Bell, Charles E. Carey, Hor- ace Reeve, Alvin J. Wilson, O. R. Scott, John Hasty, Rev. Wilson Bond, Levi Winslow, Prof. William M. Coahran, David G. Lewis, Alonzo Thomas, Rev. Elwood Davis.
Second row from back, left to right-Riley Jay (deceased), Mrs. Riley Jay, Mrs. John W. Naylor, Mrs. J. E. Duncan, Mrs. C. E. Carey, Mrs. W. M. Coahran, Mrs. W. B. Pickard, Mrs. Will Taylor, Simon Barber, M. A. Hiatt, G. E. Mabbitt, Fred Macy, Joseph A. Roberts, William R. Lewis, Oliver P. Buller, William H. Lindsay, Arthur Throckmorton, Mrs. A. Throckmorton, Mrs. Thomas Winslow, Thomas Winslow, Thomas Butler, Charles Kelsay, Samuel Fritch, John E. Duncan, Charles D. Adams.
Third row from back, left to right-Mrs. A. W. Kelsay, Mrs. E. J. Seale, Mrs. H. F. Presnall, Mrs. Lydia Washburn, Mrs. Lizzie Woollen, Mrs. Isaac Moon, James Lynch, Joseph Holloway, Ralph Little, J. C. Long, Jabez Winslow, Webster J. Winslow, Edwin Harvey, James Clark, William Hick- man, E. J. Seale, Alvin B. Scott, Dr. N. F. Davis.
Fourth row from back, left to right-Mrs. Alice Thomas, Mrs. J. A. Roberts, Mrs. Luther Davis, Luther Davis, Mrs. Marcus Gaddis, Mrs. Ralph Little, Mrs. N. A. Armfield, Mrs. Elizabeth Hane, Adam Hane, Joshua Hol- lingsworth, O. J. Stevick, Rev. Eli J. Scott (deceased), Mrs. J. R. Little, John R. Little, Addison Scott (deceased), C. D. Overman, Walter Luse (de- ceased), Henry Barber, Joseph Ratliff (deceased).
Fifth row from back, left to right-Mrs. O. P. Buller, Mrs. G. E. Mab- bitt, Mrs. Wilson Bond, Mrs. Louisa Haisley, Mrs. James Clark, Miss Rena Fritch, Mrs. A. B. Scott, Mrs. Fred Macy (deceased), Mrs. William Lewis, Mrs. W. L. Henley, William L. Henley, Aaron Newby, Harvey F. Presnall, Paxton Wilson, W. B. Pickard, Isaac Lemon, Jr., Isaac Lemon, Sr., Seth Cox:
Sixth row from back, left to right-Mrs. Nimrod Brooks, Mrs. M. A. Hiatt, Mrs. May Carter, Mrs. Jennie Jones, Mrs. Jabez Winslow, Mrs. Le- roy McHatton, Mrs. Joseph Ratliff, Mrs. A. J. Wilson, Mrs. E. J. Scott (deceased), Mrs. James Bell, Mrs. John Foster (deceased), Mrs. Tom Miller. Mrs. William Lam, Mrs. Paxton Wilson, Mrs. C. D. Overman, Mrs. Gas Wood.
Seventh row from back, left to right-Mrs. Addison Scott, Mrs. Martha Gossett, Mrs. O. J. Stevick, Mrs. N. F. Davis, Mrs. Charles Altice, Mrs. C. D. Adams, Mrs. Roland Mahoney, Mrs. John Kelsay, Mrs. Susie Cassell, Mrs. Ethel Shuey, Mrs. Joshua Hollingsworth, Mrs. J. W. Smith, Mrs. D. G. Lewis, Mrs. Isaac Lemon.
Sitting in front-Barnaba P. Bogue, Ellwood O. Ellis.
runs back seventy years or more. This fact makes his contributions of more than average importance. The writer may add, at this point, in connection with the location of the frame meeting house, there is excel- lent authority for the statement that this structure stood close to the spot where the late Henry Davis had his office, on the lot now owned by his daughter, Mrs. Lewis Mittank.)
Following is a paper read at the Friends Church, Fairmount, in the autumn, 1916, by Elizabeth Peacock :
I have been asked to give a little history of the local Friends Meet-
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The Making of a Township.
ing at Fairmount, but as it will have to be given almost entirely from memory I fear that it will fail to be of much interest.
Whenever my thoughts turn back to the early days of Friends in Grant County, and especially in and near Fairmount, and remember how earnestly they toiled to clear the forests, ditch the swampy ground, build school houses and churches, and improve the almost impassable roads. I am always reminded of one text in the Bible, which is this : "Other men labored and ye are entered into their labors," John iv : 28.
I often wonder if the young people, and even the middle-aged, ever stop to consider what it really meant to do so very much under such trying circumstances.
And then I think, well. is it possible for them to realize what the early Friends and citizens endured to make the pleasant surroundings that we are enjoying today ?
Let us all. young and older, try to be thankful for these things.
Fairmount local meeting of the Friends church was established in the year 1851, and was composed of a few families, about fifty persons. adults and children, who were members of the Back Creek Monthly Meeting of Friends and had been attenders of the Back Creek local meeting.
The first church was a small frame building, and to my recollection, nearly square. It stood a little east of where Lewis Mittank's residence now stands. It was used for a place of worship and also for a school house. On meeting days school kept on until near. II o'clock, the hour of meeting, when books and slates were put away until after the ser- vice was over, the scholars remaining for the service.
Isaac Cook and Peninah Hill Binford. I remember, were among the early teachers.
After some few years, a larger house, of brick. was built, as the frame house was found to be entirely too small to comfortably accommo- late the growing congregation and Sabbath school. It was quite an undertaking, as there was but very little money to be found among the members. But Friends helped willingly with their teams and in every way they could.
The brick and lime were hauled from Jonesboro, and that was quite a task, as there were no gravel, tarvia or crushed-stone roads at that time.
My father, Samuel Radley, and Phineas Henley laid nearly all,. if not all, the brick, and my father did the plastering. The house was torn down to make room for the house occupied today. We did not
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liave electric lights, but these first two churches were lighted with can- dles and lamps.
We did not often have night meetings in the first church, only when ministers came from a distance. But some wonderfully good sermons were preached in the dimly lighted church, for the ministers who came were filled with the Spirit and preached with power.
David Stanfield, to my recollection, was the only minister of the Gospel who became a member of this meeting when it was first set up, and I think the first person I ever heard preach a sermon. He lived on a large farm where the south part of Fairmount now stands.
David Stanfield's land reached to Washington Street on the north, and west to the William A. Beasley land, east to Main Street. His house stood not far from where Dr. Glenn Henley's residence now stands.
The meeting grew in numbers and interest. So much so that a monthly meeting for the transacting of the business of the church, com- posed of Fairmount, East Branch and Little Ridge local meetings, was established, in the Eleventh month, 1869. Nathan D. Wilson and mny- self were the first clerks.
No doubt, through the faithful efforts and preaching of some of the ministers and workers who went there nearly every Sabbath, there is now a monthly meeting at Upland. Its members were for some time members of Fairmount Monthly Meeting, and are still members of Fairmount Quarterly Meeting.
Later, largely through the influence and faithful labors of Nixon and Louisa Rush, ministers of the Gospel, a meeting was begun, and is still kept up, at Vermillion, in Madison County, Indiana. The members of that local meeting now belong to Fairmount Monthly Meeting.
In the early days of Fairmount meeting, ministers and Christian workers used to go on Sabbath afternoons and hold Gospel meetings in the school houses in the country, where much good was done.
You ask me if those early Friends made a mistake in asking for a meeting for worship at Fairmount? I answer. "No, indeed, they did not, but did just right."
No doubt a great deal of good has been done, and many souls saved. But perhaps much more might have been done if every one of the members had done their duty faithfully.
A Sabbath school was started some time after. It was established largely through the earnest efforts of Milton Winslow. To my recol- lection, he was the first superintendent.
.
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The Making of a Township.
Jesse Reece, also a minister, as I remember, was the first superin- tendent to begin the practice of keeping up the school all the year. The bad roads and the distance some lived from church made it impossible, as some thought, for it to be done. But he succeeded, and it is still being done.
For several years the Friends Church was the only church in Fair- mount.
I remember well when Isaac Meek, a minister of the Wesleyan Church, and a very good man, held a revival meeting in the brick church, and in the winter of 1864 a woman belonging to the United Brethren Church held another meeting. She went from here to Jonesboro, and died there. John Lewellen, a Methodist minister from Jonesboro, also held a meeting in the brick church.
The following named persons were married by Friends ceremony in the first two Friends meeting houses in Fairmount, as I recall them :
Isaac Cook and Susannah Moorman.
Calvin Rush and Elizabeth Winslow.
Amos Thomas and Nancy Newby.
Thomas Bogue and Emily Wilson. (The last two was a double wedding.)
John Seale and Amy Davidson. Jesse Rich and Mary Ann Radley.
Elwood Haisley and Milicent Rush.
Samuel Dillon and Elizabeth Powell.
James Foust and Rachel Little. Jonathan Binford and Anna Wilson.
Thomas Jay and Elizabeth Rush.
Ephraim O. Harvey and Eliza Jane Dillon.
George Shugart and Harriet Hollingsworth.
William P. Seale and Elizabeth W. Henley.
Charles V. Moore and Mary Baldwin. Elijah Elliott and Deborah Wilson. William S. Elliott and Alice C. Radley. Joseph H. Peacock and Elizabeth Radley.
The following persons have been recorded ministers of the Gospel by Fairmount Monthly Meeting : Milicent R. Haisley, Susannah Cook, William H. Charles, Enos Harvey, John W. Harvey, Thomas Elsa Jones, Perry B. Leach, Eli J. Scott. Oscar H. Trader, Iliram Harvey, Charles Everett Davis, Bernice Oakley Riddle, Ola Smithson Oatley, Evelyn Overman, Grace B. Hobbs and Garfield Cox.
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Temperance-Organization of Churches.
(Editor's Note .- Mrs. Peacock was for many years clerk of the Northern Quarterly Meeting, afterwards known as Fairmount Quar- terly Meeting of Friends, and until about 1913 was officially connected with the Friends church practically all her adult life.)
East Branch Preparative Meeting of Friends was established in 1869, and was held in a school house until 1871.
The ministers accredited to the Friends in Fairmount Township in 1877 were John Carey, Ruth T. Carey, Back Creek; William H. Charles, Thomas Jay and Nixon Rush, Jr., Fairmount ; and Milton Winslow, East Branch.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, of Fairmount, was originally or- ganized in 1861. The first services were held in the old frame school house,* which, at that time, stood on the east side of Walnut Street, between First and Second.
The charter members were William H. Broderick, class leader ; Agnes Broderick, Joseph Broderick, Martha Broderick, David Baldwin, Elizabeth Baldwin, Martha A. Wilcuts, Hannah Wilcuts, M. M. Mason and Anna Mason.
In 1864 the membership had increased by the addition of the fol- lowing names: John R. Kirkwood, Phebe Kirkwood, George N. Eck- feld, Sarah M. Eckfeld, Mary H. Moreland, Mahala Ward, Martha A. Smith, Thomas J. Parker, Rebecca Parker, John Shields, Martha Shields, John S. Bradford, Louisia Williams, Rachel Fankboner, Sarah Moreland, Jane Knight, Delilah Hollingsworth, Wesley B. Hollings- worth and Isabel Hollingsworth.
A frame building was constructed for worship at the southeast cor- ner of Second and Main Streets, in 1871, and used for services several years.
In 1886, a one-story brick church was built at the southeast corner of Madison and Walnut. In this church services were held until 1910, when the present magnificent structure was dedicated. The building committee having charge of its erection consisted of James F. Life, Charles T. Parker, J. W. Dale, Dr. J. W. Patterson, Palmer Winslow, Curtis W. Smith, J. W. Parrill, Dr. W. N. Warner, Asa Driggs, O. M. Bevington, Capt. Hugh Weston, with Rev. Benjamin Kendall, then pastor. This building cost ten thousand dollars and is modern in design and construction.
"This structure was later bought by William Hollingsworth and moved to the south side of East Washington Street, between Main and Walnut, and occupied by him for many years as a cabinet shop. The building was later purchased by N. W. Edwards and in July, 1908, was torn down.
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The Making of a Township.
In 1865, the Fairmount Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized by Isaac Meek, who continued as pastor for eleven years. Among the first members were Jonathan Baldwin and wife, Nathan Vinson and wife, Joseph Rush and wife, Mrs. Margaret Henley and Joseph Bennett and wife. Jonathan Baldwin donated the ground on which the church was built.
The Baptist Church was organized April 25, 1888. The charter members were Cornelius Price, Hannah Price, William Price, F. C. Creek, Catherine Creek, William Mulford, Joseph Leach, Louisa Leach, James M. Fowler, Lucretia Fowler. Ida Fowler and Albert Fowler and wife. James E. Price was selected clerk and R. J. Gorbit, moderator. The present brick church, on the corner of First and Sycamore streets, was built in 1891. Emory Swindell, Joseph Leach and James M. Fow- ler comprised the building committee. The church was dedicated in November, 1891, by Rev. A. J. Hill.
St. Cecilia's Catholic Church was organized in 1878. The services were held at, private homes for several years, Father Kelley, Father Struder, Father Grogan and others being in charge at different times. In 1900, the present building on North Vine Street was dedicated, and Father Joachim Baker became the first priest. The prime movers in the erection of the new church were John Shaughnessy, L. L. Coyle and Jerome Coyle. The charter members were J. P. Shaughnessy and fam- ily, Patrick McCone and family, Martin Flanagan and family, William Monahan and family. James Monahan and family, L. L. Coyle and fam- ily, Jerome Coyle and family. Mrs. Isaac Delph and children, Andrew Ulrich and family, Mrs. James Fenton, John Pfarr and family, Joseph Kearns and family, J. H. Flanagan and family.
The Congregational Church was organized in 1888 by Rev. William Wiedenhoeft, who was the first pastor. The charter members were H. H. Wiley and wife, Wesley B. Hollingsworth and wife, Mrs. Phoebe LaRue, Mrs. S. F. Ink and Mrs. Elizabeth Nelson. The church which now stands on the east side of Walnut Street, between Washington and First, was dedicated December 15, 1889. Levi Scott, Dr. A. Henley and William Lindsay were members of the building committee. Mem- bers of all denominations contributed liberally of their means to the fund for the building.
The Christian Church was organized in 1907. The members were Noah Henigar and wife. A. R. Long and wife, Mrs. C. N. Brown, Ab Jones and wife, John Strubel and wife, Mrs. J. C. Albertson, Wil- liam Cox and wife, Rockafeller LaRue and wife. Rev. W. A. Mckown was the first pastor. The church building at the corner of Second and
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Walnut Streets was erected in 1912. The building committee consisted of the pastor, Rev. J. Ray Fife, A. R. Long, Ab Jones, Jason B. Smith, N. C. Henigar, Ed Stout and John Strubel. The church was erected at a cost of five thousand, five hundred dollars.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1901 by Rev. Chambers. The charter members were Reuben Jones and wife, Mrs. Luzena Frazier, Minnie Wallace, Rosa Wallace, Lucien McMil- lan and Lydia E. McMillan, Homer Dicken, Willis Dicken and Virte Lee Jones. Bishop Grant dedicated the church on East Seventh Street in 1903. Rev. Jerry Nickels was the first pastor.
CHAPTER XVII.
EARLY SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL TEACHERS.
S USANNAH BALDWIN, daughter of Charles Baldwin, who set- led in the Township in 1830, taught school at the Back Creek Friends meeting house in 1831. Others who taught here were Mahlon Neal, Thomas Winslow, Henry Harvey, Jesse Harvey and John Har- vey.
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