A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 83

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860

USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III > Part 83

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On December 17, 1896, Mr. Urmston mar- ried Miss Catherine R. Stone, who was born in Missouri March 4, 1876, a daughter of Israel G. and Annie (Rodgers) Stone. Mrs. Urmston was a granddaughter of Benjamin Rodgers and a great-granddaughter of Barton W. Stone, the former a pioneer divine of Kentucky. Her father was born in Missouri and died in October, 1910, at the age of sev- enty years. His wife was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, near Paris, and is now liv-

ing at Newtown, Kentucky, aged fifty-five years. They came to Kentucky from Missouri in 1877, located near Newtown, Scott county, and were farmers.

Mr. and Mrs. Urmston have one child, John Walter, born March 28, 1902. Mr. Urmston is a Democrat in politics. He is a member of Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian church and Mrs. Urmston is a member of the Christian church at Newtown.

COLBURN BROWN MARTIN .- Noteworthy for his honesty, integrity and good citizenship, Colburn Brown Martin is a fine representa- tive of the substantial and well-to-do residents of Harrison county and holds a position of importance among the leading agriculturists of his community, his well managed farm being pleasantly situated near Breckinridge. A na- tive of this county, he was born January II, 1837, on Trickum pike, three and one-half miles west of Cynthiana, in the same house in which his father, James Harvey Martin, first drew the breath of life. His grand- father, Ralph Martin, came from Virginia to Kentucky in early pioneer days and settled in Harrison county. He began the arduous task of hewing a farm from the forest, and was accidentally killed in 1806 by the falling of a limb from a tree under which he was walking. He left his widow with six little children, which she reared.

James Harvey Martin, born August 30, 1803, on Trickum pike, as above stated, grew to manhood on the home farm, and on be- coming of age bought the interest of the re- maining heirs in the homestead, which he op- erated successfully a number of years. Sell- ing out in 1847, he bought a farm nearer Cynthiana, on the same pike, and was there engaged in mixed husbandry until his death, at the age of seventy-six years. He was pros- perous in his undertakings, acquiring posses- sion of four hundred acres of land and be- coming one of the leading farmers of his times. He married first Claracy Brown, who died a year after her marriage, and for his second wife he married a Miss Wails, who died in 1833, of Calora. For his third wife he married Mary Van Deren, who was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, in 1811, and died when but thirty-six years of age. She was a daughter of James Van Deren and grand- daughter of Bernard Van Deren, who came from Virginia to Bourbon county, Kentucky, in 1788, and two years later settled in Harrison county, where his death occured in 1799. For his fourth wife he married Mrs. Moore, a widow, whose maiden name was Webb. She died in 1895 when ninety-two years of age.

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Born in Loudoun county, Virginia, near Win- chester, October 7, 1780, James Van Deren came with the family to Kentucky in 1788, and with his parents came to Harrison county two years later. Starting life for himself as a farmer, he located near Poindexter, and by dint of hard labor and wise investments ac- cumulated a substantial property, at the time of his death, January 9, 1867, owning six hun- dred acres of land. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Journey, was born August 10, 1790, in New Jersey, and lived to the vener- able age of ninety-three years. Of the chil- dren born to James Harvey and Mary (Van Deren) Martin two are living, Benjamin F., of Cynthiana, and Colburn Brown, of whom we write.

As a boy and youth Colburn Brown Mar- tin attended the. winter terms of the district school, receiving the ordinary advantages of a farmer's son. Remaining at home until twen- ty-eight years of age, he had a practical train- ing in agriculture and acquired habits of in- dustry and thrift. About 1865 he began his career as an independent farmer on a part of his father's place, being in partnership with his brother, Benjamin F. Martin. After two years he sold his interest in the property to his brother, and in 1870 bought one hundred and thirty-five acres of the land now included in his present farm, on which he located De- cember 3, 1871. He has since added to his original tract by purchase, and is now the owner of a fine farming estate of three hun- dred and twenty acres of good land, the greater part of which is under a high state of tillage. Here Mr. Martin and his two sons, Sidney and George, are carrying on general farming with great success, each year reaping abundant harvests from the finely cultivated fields. The large, old stone house which Mr. Martin oc- cupies was built in 1807, in Colonial style, and has walls two feet in thickness.

One of the leading members of the Demo- cratic party, Mr. Martin soon after coming to his present home won such a standing in the community that he was frequently called upon to take public offices of trust and responsi- bility, in each of which he served with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the people. Elected magistrate in 1876, he filled the office four years, the following two years serving as deputy sheriff. He was then made high sheriff, a position which he also retained two years. Elected to the Lower House of the Legislature in 1887, he took his seat Jannary 1, 1888, and served a term of two years. In the fall of 1893 Mr. Martin was his party's choice for state senator, and having been

elected served from January 1, 1894, until January 1, 1898. Popular among the people, Mr. Martin had no opposition when running for deputy sheriff, high sheriff or for the Lower House, where he represented Harrison, Nicholas and Robertson counties. He has al- ways taken an active part in the betterment of public affairs, lending his support to beneficial projects and winning and retaining the repu- tation of an honest politician. Starting in life for himself with the thousand dollars which he had made and saved prior to his marriage, Mr. Martin won success through his own persistent efforts, receiving no aid from home until after the death of his parents. For thirty years he has been a member of Saint Andrew's Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and belongs to Cynthiana Com- mandery, No. 18, K. T. In 1880 he joined Unity Christian church, of which he has been an elder for many years.

Mr. Martin married April 28, 1868, Sarah J. Stump, who was born in 1844 on Ashbrook pike, Harrison county. Her parents, John and Rebecca (Berry) Stump, pioneers of Har- rison county, reared eight children, of whom six survive, as follows: James W., of Cyn- thiana ; Jerome W., of Harrison county; Sid- ney, of Cynthiana; Sarah J., now Mrs. Mar- tin; Molly, living in Millersburg, Kentucky ; and Mrs. Louisa Rees, of Bellingham, Wash- ington. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are the parents of four children, namely: Sidney, living at home; Leslie, of Harrison county ; George, also living on the home farm; and Daisy.

JAMES M. TERRY .- Full of energy and vim, James M. Terry, living on Breckinridge pike, is one of the most prosperous and progressive agriculturists of Harrison county, being es- pecially noted for his success as a stock raiser and breeder. He is actively interested in everything pertaining to his chosen calling, and for many years has been one of the di- rectorate of the "Blue Grass Fair," held an- nually in Lexington. A son of the late Wil- liam M. Terry, he was born November 25, 1864, hear Breckinridge, Harrison county. His grandfather, William Terry, came from Virginia, his native state, in the early part of the last century to Kentucky and was a pio- neer settler of Harrison county, locating not far from Breckinridge.

William M. Terry was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, February 10, 1827. He came with his parents to Harrison county, and was here bred and educated. Starting life without means, he entered the employ of Hugh I. Brent and (Greybeard) Sam Clay in Bourbon county, and while overseer of their large plantation accumulated quite a sum of

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honestly-earned money. Investing his sav- ings in a small farm near Breckinridge, in Harrison county, he was exceedingly success- ful in his ventures, and at the time of his death, February 20, 1900, was the owner of seven hundred acres of valuable land. He was a Democrat in politics, but was not ac- tive in public affairs. William M. Terry was three times married. He married first Susan Robinson, of Bourbon county, and of the children born of that union one daughter is now living, Mrs. A. D. Lyter, a widow re- siding in Berry, Kentucky. He married for his second wife Mrs. Elizabeth (Mussleman) Lemons, widow of Emanuel Lemons, and they became the parents of one child, James M. Terry, the subject of this sketch. She was a life-long resident of Harrison county, her death occurring here in September, 1866. The maiden name of the third wife of William M. Terry was Mary A. Hedger. She was born in Scott county, Kentucky, and bore him two sons, John and William, both residents of Cynthiana, Kentucky.

Completing the course of study in the rural schools of his native district, James M. Terry attended the Kentucky University, in Lex- ington, in 1884, 1885 and 1886. The ensuing three years he worked on the home farm and then embarked in business for himself, open- ing a general store. In the fall of 1889 his establishment was burned, and in January, 1890, he went to Oklahoma, which was then being besieged with home hunters, but a stay of six weeks proved long enough and he re- turned to Harrison county, perfectly satisfied with his prospects in this locality. In the fall of 1891 Mr. Terry made his first investment in land, buying forty acres of his present farm, and he has since devoted his attention to agri- culture. He is now operating six hundred acres of land, two hundred and fifty of which he owns, and is carrying on a substantial busi- ness.

Mr. Terry makes a specialty of stock rais- ing and breeding, keeping registered saddle horses, Southdown sheep and Jack stock. He has the distinction of having been the first Kentuckian to exhibit and win a premium on a Jack at a World's Fair, making his first entry at Saint Louis, and winning the first premium. In 1910, at Louisville, Kentucky, Mr. Terry won the silver cup and one hun- dred sixty-four dollars in cash for his senior Jack stock. He invariably wins many pre- miums on his saddle horses and Jack stock wherever he makes exhibitions, his reputation as a breeder of fine stock being well estab- lished in this and adjoining states. He was

the breeder of "Bohemian King," for which the present owner recently refused a cash offer of seven thousand dollars. Mr. Terry has always been prominent in politics, and is now chairman of the Democratic County Committee. He was deputy sheriff of Har- rison county in 1895, 1896 and 1897, but his attention is so absorbed by his private affairs that he has little time for public office.

Mr. Terry has been twice married. He married first, December 12, 1890, Lydia Laf- ferty, who was born in Harrison county, a daughter of John A. and Frances E. (Henry) Lafferty and grand-daughter of John Henry, of Harrison county. She passed to the higher life in 1900, leaving no children. Mr. Terry married March 12, 1903, Iva Marr, a daugh- ter of James and Alivia (Wiglesworth) Marr, residents of Harrison county. Mr. Terry is not affiliated with any religious organizations, but his mother was a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.

THOMAS DUDLEY BASSETT .- The subject of this sketch was a man of such strong char- acter, such intellect and intelligence, and who brought to bear upon all his transactions such energy and farsightedness that to succeed was inevitable, and his widow and children are justly proud of his memory. This commem- oration of the principal events in his life will be read with appreciation by all who were acquainted with him.

Thomas Dudley Bassett was born in Bracken county, Kentucky, March 10, 1837, and died July 28, 1901. He was the son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Disher) Bassett, the father a native of Bracken county, Kentucky, born in 1801, and died in 1862, and the mother, born in Bracken county, in 1802, died in 1884. They were the parents of seven children, two of whom are living: William Bassett, for sixteen years circuit judge at Tuscola, Illinois, his present home, and he was also a captain in the Union army, and Louisa, widow of Wesley Ammerman, of Cyn- thiana, Kentucky.

Mr. Bassett, our subject, when eight years old removed with his parents to Bourbon county, Kentucky, and here attended the dis- trict and private schools and received a good common-school education. On April 23, 1874, he married Miss Sarah M. Stockton, who was born at Frankfort, Kentucky, a daughter of Preston and Mary (Hardin) Stockton. The father, born in Pennsylvania, was brought as a child to Kentucky, where he was reared in Shelby county. When a small boy he was taken by his uncle, James Middleton, and reared. Mr. Stockton died in 1876, at the

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age of seventy-seven years. His wife was born and reared at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and died in June, 1902, aged eighty-seven years. She was a daughter of Judge Hardin, a native of Kentucky. He was a lawyer and a circuit judge. Mrs. Bassett's father was a master mechanic and worked at his trade while young, married and began farming near Frankfort, where he died. He and his wife were the parents of five children: Mary, widow of Captain James Settles, who was an officer in the Union army, and she is now a resident of Frankfort, Kentucky; Hardin, James and George, all residents of Frankfort, Kentucky, and Mrs. Bassett, our subject's wife.

Mr. Bassett began farming for himself on the farm where his widow now lives, on Cou- mersville pike, shortly before he married, but later removed to the farm where he died. He was an extensive stock breeder and for sev- eral years was breeding the famous Abadallah horses, one of which he sold for ten thousand dollars. At his death he left a farm of four hundred and seventy acres. Mr. Bassett was a great reader all his life, a successful man, a member of Plymouth Baptist church and a strong Democrat.

Since Mr. Bassett's death his widow has carried on the farm and has demonstrated that she is a fine business woman. To Mr. and Mrs. Bassett were born two children: Kate, wife of John Fuller, now in Florida, and Harry, born September 7, 1878, attended the schools of his native county and Smith's Clas- sical school at Cynthiana. He entered the Kentucky State College at Lexington and graduated in 1901 with the degree B. S., and received his M. S. degree from the same school in 1902. He then entered the Johns Hopkins school and was the first native Ken- tuckian to graduate and the third person who ever took the course, in three years. He re- ceived his Ph. D. degree in 1904. He was engaged in research work in physical chemis- try at Carnegie Institute at Baltimore in 1905 and was afterward research chemist for the Geneva Electrical Company of Schenectady, New York. Mr. Harry Bassett was research chemist for the Dupont Powder Company at Chester, Pennsylvania, then assistant chemist of the North Dakota Agricultural College for eighteen months and was then ill for ten months, during which time he was at home, but after which he returned to North Dakota for one year and then resigned and is now engaged in research work in Newark, New Jersey, Baltimore and Philadelphia. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a shriner.

EDWARD F. VAN DEREN .- Noteworthy among the native-born citizens of Harrison county is Edward F. Van Deren, who is in- dustriously engaged in the prosecution of a calling upon which the support and prosperty of our nation largely depends and in which he is meeting with unquestioned success. A son of James Van Deren, Jr., he was born January 25, 1858, in Harrison county, Kentucky, north of Cynthiana, on the opposite side of the Fal- mouth pike from which he is now living. His paternal grandfather, James Van Deren, Sr., was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, in 1780, where he lived until eight years old. He then came with his parents to Kentucky, locating in Bourbon county. He subsequently came to Harrison county, locating on land near Poindexter, and was engaged in farming in this county until his death, January 9, 1866. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Journey, was born in New Jersey in 1790, and lived to the venerable age of ninety-one years, her death occurring in Harrison county, Ken- tucky. Her parents, Rev. Captain Joseph and Margaret (Magee) Journey, were both natives of New Jersey. Of the thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters, born to James Van Deren, Sr., and his wife two are living, Alfred, of Cynthiana, and John, of the same place.

James Van Deren, Jr., was born in Harri- son county, Kentucky, on Falmouth pike, in October, 1821, and died in the same locality in January, 1898. He had but limited educa- tional advantages, but having acquired a habit of reading good literature when young he be- came well informed on the questions of the day, being a self-educated man in every sense implied by the term. Beginning life for him- self on a small farm on Falmouth pike, he carried it on alone for a number of years, keeping bachelor's hall. In 1857 he purchased eighty acres of land now included in the home farm of his son Edward, and later traded it for an adjoining farm on Wait's pike, in addi- tion buying one hundred and twenty acres of land at the junction of Wait's and Falmouth pikes. He began life a poor boy, with limited resources, and by determined efforts and per- sistent energy accumulated a good property, having at the time of his death held title to five hundred acres of land. He was a Whig in his earlier life, but subsequently became identified with the Republican party, and dur- ing the Civil war his sympathies were with the cause of the Union. For a full half cen- tury he was a leading member of the Chris- tian church, with which his widow has been connected by membership since her girlhood.

In 1856, at the age of thirty-five years,

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James Van Deren, Jr., married Sarah Waits, who was born on a farm adjoining the one on which his birth occurred, November 11, 1835. Her father, Edward Waits, was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, and died in Woodford county, where he had located with his family in 1860, at the ripe old age of four score years. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Parker, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and died in Woodford county in 1871. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. James Van Deren, Jr., five are living, namely: Edward F., with whom his widowed mother now makes her home; Anna, wife of Hubbell Chinn, of Cynthiana; James G., of Harrison county ; and William S. and Harry P., both of Cynthiana.

Educated at the district schools and at Pro- fessor Smith's Classical School in Cynthiana, Edward F. Van Deren was fitted for a profes- sional career, but after teaching school one term, when twenty years of age, he registered a solemn vow to never again undertake a like task and religiously kept his promise. Turn- ing his attention to agricultural pursuits in- stead, he with his brother had charge of the home farm until the death of the father. He has since continued in his chosen vocation and now operates three hundred acres of land on the Falmouth pike, north of Cynthiana, one hundred and fifty of which he owns. Enter- prising and progressive, he is carrying on gen- eral farming with satisfactory results, each season adding improvements and enhancing the value of his well-kept and well-managed estate.

Mr. Van Deren married, November 17, 1896, Estella Yancey, who was born November 17, 1867, in Arkansas. She is a woman of culture and accomplishments, having been graduated from Hamilton College, in Lexing- ton, Kentucky, with the class of 1889, after which she attended Madison Institute, in Richmond, Kentucky, and the Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio. She subsequently taught school until her marriage, for five years teach- ing near Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the birth- place of Jefferson Davis. Dr. J. M. Yancey, Mrs. Van Deren's father, was born in Tennes- see February 27, 1832, and died in Russell- ville, Arkansas, December 13, 1909. Receiv- ing the degree of M. D. in Macon, Georgia, Dr. Yancey was engaged in the practice of his profession in Tennessee until 1858, when he removed to Arkansas. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the Confeder- ate army and served as assistant surgeon until the close of the conflict. His first wife, whose maiden name was Mary Woodward, was born

in Tennessee and died while he was in the army, leaving three children. Dr. Yancey mar- ried for his second wife Margaret Lydick, who was born in Marion, Indiana county, Penn- sylvania, June 14, 1834, and is now living with Mr. and Mrs. Van Deren. She is highly edu- cated, and as a young lady taught school at Clarkesville, Arkansas, and at Dover, Arkan- sas, having been taken to that state by a friend, Rev. Robert Graham, who afterward founded what is now the State University of Arkan- sas. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Deren, namely: Edward Y., Sarah Margaret and John Medearis. Polit- ically Mr. Van Deren is a steadfast Repub- lican, and religiously both he and his wife are active members of the Christian church at Cynthiana.

JAMES G. VAN DEREN .- One of the many enterprising and progressive men actively. en- gaged in agricultural pursuits in Harrison county, James G. Van Deren, living on Fal -. mouth pike, was born on the farm which he now owns and occupies March 21, 1861, a son of James Van Deren, Jr. Since assuming possession of his land he has diligently im- proved his property, adding to its value by the erection of a modern residence and all neces- sary outbuildings, his beautiful homestead giv- ing ample evidence to the passer-by of his wise management and skill as a practical farmer and rural householder. He is of honored pioneer ancestry, his great grandfather, Ber- nard Van Deren, having come from his Vir- ginia home to Kentucky in 1788. After living in Bourbon county for two years, he moved, in 1790, to Harrison county, where he had an old acquaintance living, and from a tract of timber land began the improvement of a farm, on which he resided until his death, in 1799. He reared eight sons and one daughter.

James Van Deren, Sr., the grandfather of James G., was born in Loudon county, Vir- ginia, October 7, 1780, and came with his parents to Kentucky when eight years old. He grew to manhood in Harrison county, and when ready to settle in life bought land near Poindexter, and continued in his independent vocation of a farmer until his death, January 9, 1866. He married Sarah Journey, who was born August 10, 1790, in New Jersey, and died in Harrison county, Kentucky, at the good old age of ninety-three years. To them thir- teen children were born, of whom two, Alfred and John, both of Cynthiana, are now living, in 1911.

Born in Harrison county, Kentucky, on Fal- mouth pike, October 18, 1821, James Van Deren, Jr., spent his entire life in that vicin-

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ity, passing away in January, 1898. He began his independent career long before his mar- riage, having at first a small farm and keeping bachelor's hall. Although his schooling was exceedingly limited, he made good use of his keen perceptive faculties, and being a good reader and the possessor of a retentive mind he acquired a substantial knowledge of men and events, becoming one of the best-informed men of his times. He was a good trader, buy- ing and selling lands, at one time claiming title to five hundred acres of excellent farming land. In his earlier years he was identified with the Whigs, but after the formation of the Republican party was one of its firmest adherents, and during the Civil war his sym- pathies were with the Union cause. For up- wards of half a century he was a member of the Christian church, to which his widow still belongs, having become a member when quite young.

James Van Deren, Jr., married, May 13, 1856, Sarah Waits, who was born on an ad- joining farm November 5, 1835, and is now living with her son, Edward F. Van Deren, of whom a brief personal notice may be found on another page of this volume. Her father, Edward Waits, the son of a Kentucky pioneer, was born in Harrison county, but in 1860 moved with his family to Woodford county, Kentucky, where he was engaged in tilling the soil for many years, dying there when eighty years old. He married Elizabeth Parker, who was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, and died in Woodford county. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. James Van Deren, Jr., five of whom are now living, as follows: Ed- ward F., of Harrison county; Anna, wife of Hubbell Chinn, of Cynthiana; James G., the special subject of this brief biographical sketch ; and W. S. and H. P., of Cynthiana.

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A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 83

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 860

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860